“The idea started when I realized how my situation had a lot to do with the odds being against me,” IDK, who just released his new single “2 Cents,” tells“I, being a felon and having minimal education in terms of certifications, was still finding a way to create a career that’s not only lucrative, but in line with what I actually wanted to do in life.”
IDK had been learning to rap and writing music in prison. When he got out, he independently released some of the tracks and started to build a buzz online, garnering millions of streams and routing well-attended tours. When he shopped an album around to the majors, he caused a bidding war before signing a deal with Warner Records. He bought his second house this fall so that he could be a bicoastal businessman.
On Harvard’s campus in February, IDK pulled HD and Weddle aside and suggested they take the public-speaking program to another level — educating people as well as motivating them. Hosting the course on Harvard’s campus was important; IDK wanted to show people that traditional and prestigious institutions could think outside of the box. “If I start with Harvard, I’ll be able to do stuff easily at Howard,” IDK says. “I’ll be able to go to Yale. I’d be able to go to pretty much any school.” And, he adds, “To a lot of people, the idea of Harvard is impossible — just like the idea of being an artist and having a career in music is impossible.
IDK This man fuelling the future of the whole industry