Growing up in Tampa, Florida, Head of Digital Marketing, Programming and Platforms of Rock The Bells/LL COOL J, Inc., Ebonee Thompson knew from a young age that entertainment – specifically Hip-Hop – spoke a language that made her feel more seen, and understood and in purpose. Her experience has included Roc-A-Fella Records, Nappy Roots, Will Packer’s xoNecole, Pharrell’s OTHERtone podcast, Big Sean’s The Sean Anderson Foundation, Rock The Bells, and LL COOL J.
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I often have young(er) people ask me for advice on getting their foot in the door, and my answer is always simple: Be focused on the journey and not the destination. Get in and prove yourself, but know your worth. Advocate for yourself and commit yourself to being a forever student. You may know a lot now… but you don’t. Do your research and the work, and keep your face clean. Nobody owes you anything, but God will conspire to see that everything you want and work for will come to fruition somehow.
When I think about my journey, I always liken it to The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Whenever I thought I was on a path away from my passion of Hip- Hop and entertainment, I was secretly (and often blatantly) being led right to everything I needed to equip me for the next leg of the ride. Coming up, my first introduction to the world of Hip-Hop was my older brother. It was a vehicle he & his friends used to declare themselves, so what wasn’t cool about that? So, while stealing his clothes, I also stole his cassette tapes and found myself intrigued with who the people were who were doing all the work to make sure the people behind the mic were shining. I was less than 13 when I told my parents that Hip-Hop was what I wanted. It’s what made me feel alive. I felt strongest in connecting the dots, even before I had a learner’s permit. I spent my weekends watching VHS tapes of Rap City the Basement, Teen Summit, Video Soul, and The Box. Anything to get my hands on what I knew would somehow be mine. I knew nothing about functions or titles, but I knew The Culture was calling me. And I was willing to fight and argue for it, too.
Trust that you are exactly where you are, to get to where you’re trying to go. Remember that God doesn’t give us a single dream without reason. But, most importantly, remember that there are people like my old high school classmate, Tim, everywhere who will try to make you think you’re crazy for seeing the vision through. God didn’t give the vision to them. He gave it to you. So, do it anyway. Do it scared. Do it broke. Do it alone. Just make sure you do it.
