Meet Aric B. | Artist & Virtual Pastor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aric B. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aric, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important element of my success, or the beginnings of it at least, is trust. For so many years, I thought I would be solely responsible for my own success. I thought everything that happened for me on the journey would be because of a decision I made, a risk I took, or a dream I had. After having little to no one listen to my music but close family and friends for a few years, I decided that I wanted to take my artistry to the next level – but that would require people. That would require delegating tasks, managing my own imagination, considering the opinions of others, and trusting that the collective vision of my team would come to life. By listening to the advice of my teammates, I discovered new and untried ways of producing, marketing and creating the art of my dreams. In order to go higher, you have to be willing to include others on the journey. It’s the only way up!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My most recent accomplishment and work of art is an EP entitled “Diary of A Mad Saint.” This work is an honest, vulnerable, purely experiential survey of a Christian experience in the modern world. This work chronicles my personal but rocky relationship with God, Religion, and the Church. Each song is an emotional representation of joy, pain, fear, criticism, faith, and spiritual responsibility. It seeks to connect with folks who have experienced the highs and lows of religion, with a culminating message of encouragement and hope to keep the faith and remember that God is the center of life. I am most excited about the liberation that is about to take shape in the world through this work. In my opinion, so many churchgoers are frustrated with the institution of church, its methods, and its functions. But, they don’t know what to do about it or if they can do anything about it. This project gives voice to those experiences. Those folks who’ve been abused, mistreated, excluded for their differences, and longing for community, even as ex-members of churches is who I hope to connect with. Professionally, this has been a long journey. I’ve been singing for about 20 years with some vocal training and choir experience, but I got my musical start in church. I’ve also been writing songs almost as long as I’ve been singing. In high school, I’d toured and traveled as a background vocalist for Gospel acts in the industry, but couldn’t seem to find my own lane. After graduating from Morehouse and Harvard, I was forced to accept my own differences in image and sound to realize that I was gifted to do what I do. What I have learned the most through this process is to be yourself in all the ways you can. It’s imperative to be yourself because there is a village called to your voice. The folks who are waiting to hear from you, be encouraged by your spirit, and be ministered to by your gifts will not find you if you are busy pretending to be someone else! Be your gifted self and don’t allow fear to place a wedge between where you are now and your destiny. What I want the world to know about my art is that it is a representation of my most authentic self. I’ve never been so free. I’ve never been so bold. I’ve never been so honest and it feels so good! Topics on church, religion, culture, spirituality, sexuality, relationships, and life in general are my personal interests and the fact that I get to talk about these things in my music is a major blessing. As I continue on the path to liberation, I hope to encourage others to begin taking their own steps toward liberation. Everyone has a divine connection with the spirit whether they acknowledge it or not! Imagine what could happen if we all tapped into the greatest versions of ourselves. Its starts with becoming your most authentic self, first!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would take my friend to the following places to eat: Busy Bee Cafe, Old Lady Gang, Pappadeaux, American Deli, Breakfast at Barney’s, and some other places. Hudson Grille for drinks or any spot in West Midtown for cocktails! We’d probably also make it to Lenox at some point and shop in Buckhead. After we finish with the north end, we’ll make our way to a movie or some type of interactive activity, or just take the party to a local friends house – ones always ready for the party! I’m obviously missing alot because there is just so much to do in the city!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Of course! None of this would be possible without my creative team! I want to thank LaCo Music of HGHR Records, my producer, for helping me to co-create a content driven, lyrically challenging, musical masterpiece. I feel that this is the best collaborative project I’ve released to date! I want to thank Asilana Marketing Enterprise for curating the vision to present this wonderful work. From imaging to styling and promoting, the Charlotte based agency is completely responsible for everything you see visually from Aric B. I want to thank my family, my friends, and my supporters! Without them, I would have given up on this dream a long time ago. Lastly, of course, I want to thank God for being patient with me and allowing me to let my light shine for the world to see!

Website: www.undrgrndchurch.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aricbmusic/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aric-b-flemming-jr-3b3282146/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aricbspeaks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AricBMusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCEXurnM05yx3-olr-1vTnA

Image Credits
Photos by Hunnus & LaCo Music