Benjy Rostrum Shares Advice for Young Rappers on Persevering Until They’re Discovered
Breaking into the music industry often feels like trying to climb a mountain while everyone else is throwing rocks at you. It is a grind that tests your patience and your passion every single day. One name that often comes up when talking about industry insight is Benjy Rostrum, and his perspective serves as a reminder that the path to success is rarely a straight line. If you are a young rapper sitting in your bedroom right now recording over "type beats" and wondering when your break is coming, you have to understand that the wait is actually part of the process.
The Mental Fortitude Required for Success
The biggest hurdle you are going to face is not a lack of equipment or a lack of money. It is the mental fatigue that comes from shouting into a void. When you first start out, you are probably going to release songs that you think are absolute masterpieces, only for them to get twelve views. It hurts. It makes you feel like you are wasting your time. However, the rappers who actually make it are the ones who can look at those twelve views and still decide to record another track the next morning.
You have to develop a thick skin early on. People will tell you that you sound like someone else, or they will tell you that your lyrics are weak. Instead of getting defensive, use that as fuel. The industry is full of "no" and "not yet." If you cannot handle rejection, you will get chewed up and spit out before you even get a chance to show what you can do. You have to be your own biggest fan before anyone else will even consider joining the club.
Focus on Making Good Music, Not Just Viral Clips
We live in an era where everyone wants to go viral on social media overnight. It is tempting to spend all your time trying to figure out the latest algorithm or making silly dance videos just to get a few eyes on your profile. But here is the truth: a viral moment is a flash in the pan if you do not have the discography to back it up. If you get lucky and a million people see your face, but your actual music is mediocre, those people will disappear just as fast as they arrived.
You need to spend these quiet years perfecting your craft. Learn how to mix your own vocals. Experiment with different flows and find a voice that is actually yours. If you sound just like the top five artists on the charts, why would anyone listen to you instead of them? Being "discovered" is only half the battle. Staying relevant requires a foundation of quality that cannot be faked.
Building a Community Instead of Just a Fan Base
One of the biggest mistakes young artists make is treating their followers like numbers. They post a link and tell people to "go listen to this" without ever engaging with the human beings on the other side of the screen. In the beginning, every single person who comments on your post is a high-value asset. Talk to them. Answer their questions. Thank them for listening. These are the people who will eventually buy your merchandise and show up to your local shows.
You are not just building a fan base; you are building a community. Networking is also vital, but it should be done with genuine intent. Do not just spam big artists with your links. Instead, connect with other producers, videographers, and rappers who are at your same level. You can all rise together. The "lone wolf" approach rarely works in hip-hop. You need a team, and that team usually starts with the friends you make while you are still "nobody."
Avoiding the Comparison Trap
It is incredibly easy to hop on Instagram and see a nineteen-year-old rapper signing a massive deal and feel like a failure. Comparison is the fastest way to kill your creativity. You have no idea what that person's journey was. You do not know if they had family connections, if they spent five years working in secret, or if they just got incredibly lucky with a specific trend. Your timeline is not their timeline.
Some of the greatest rappers in history did not get their big break until they were in their late twenties or even thirties. If you are constantly looking to the left and the right, you are going to lose focus on the path right in front of you. Focus on being better than you were yesterday. If your song today is better than the one you dropped last month, you are winning. Everything else is just noise.
Knowing When to Pivot and When to Push
There is a fine line between being persistent and being stubborn. Persistence is continuing to work hard even when things are slow. Stubbornness is doing the exact same thing over and over again while expecting different results. If you have been making the same style of music for three years and it is not gaining any traction, it might be time to look in the mirror.
Maybe you need a new producer. Maybe your songwriting needs more depth. Maybe you need to change how you are presenting yourself to the world. Being an artist means being in a constant state of evolution. Do not be afraid to try something new or take a risk with your sound. Sometimes the thing that finally gets you discovered is the one thing you were too afraid to try because it felt "too different." Trust your instincts, but also be willing to listen to honest feedback from people you trust.
Final Word
The journey to the top is long, and there will be many nights when you feel like putting the microphone away for good. Do not give in to that feeling because your breakthrough might be right around the corner. As Benjy Rostrum would likely suggest, the only way to truly fail in this business is to stop trying altogether, so keep your head down and keep creating.
