Boon Documented: The Boonie Mayfield Story (Preface)
“I don't think it's because they can't understand you.?They just don’t know your story.?You need to tell your story.”?
Those words were said to me by 14KT, a friend and fellow music producer, during our 2-hour conversation over the phone in December 2018.?At the time, I hadn’t worked on any music in nearly three years after suffering from burnout and depression.?I felt like no matter how much I evolved, people (particularly my core fanbase) refused to see me as anything other than Boon Doc the beatmaker who went viral on YouTube back in 2007. ?
It took me a while to notice the “stories” I kept telling myself: stories of not being seen for who I am rather than what many perceive.?14KT was right, I never really tried to tell my whole story.?He also said for him personally, an artist’s story captivates him more than the talent and makes him a true fan.?I agreed with him and explained that I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to tell my story for years, because the template of a song or album is too limited for me to fully convey it.?
This year marks 20 years since I started pursuing my dreams as an aspiring artist straight out of graduating high school in 2001.?Well, technically it’s been 22 years now since I started rapping at 16 years old, but who’s counting??
I am, because I feel old, dammit!
Once I realized a lot of people from the hip-hop producer community considered me an "O.G." in the game, it’s been rather bittersweet.?Sure, I feel respected and all.?But at the same time, I get discouraged because I’ve been through so much and still haven’t seen the full scope of my dreams come true.?And here I am now, pushing 40 with no clue if I ever will.?
I’ve often wondered: How is that a story anybody would care about??But a former next door neighbor and fellow filmmaker, Stuart Marchetti, made a great point years ago when we were brainstorming for a possible film or television show based on my “musical journey”.?I told Stuart that I felt like my story might not be interesting or inspiring enough because it's missing the win; the big payoff. ?
Stuart:?Rocky didn’t win the fight in the first movie.
Me:?Damn, that’s true… and it was still inspiring.
Stuart:?Yeah. Even more so. ?
Rocky Balboa lost to Apollo Creed in the franchise's first film. In fact, he even said that he was going to lose the night before the fight. But he went the distance and was the first to ever knock Apollo down. He earned respect, and in the process leading to the fight, Rocky won courage, a newfound belief in himself and found the love of his life. I could relate.
We also talked about the movie Hustle & Flow, and how Deejay’s big opportunity was thwarted when he found his demo tape floating in a toilet full of pee and tissue paper.?Deejay didn’t get a record deal.?His ass went to jail.?Some may assume that the most inspiring part of the movie was when his song was played on the radio at the end, but it wasn’t.?The most inspiring part was Deejay's passion and his efforts towards writing, producing and recording that demo with his friends despite all the obstacles and limitations in his way. Again, I could relate.??
Although I’d like television to be the platform to tell my stories, I neither have the resources or connections to do so.?But that right there has been the real story of my life and career all along: the story of not waiting on ideal circumstances, and doing what I can with what I have regardless of the lack of resources. ?
If I can’t figure out a whole series, I’ll write a script. ?
If writing a script is too overwhelming for me, I’ll write a book. ?
If writing a book is too overwhelming for me, I’ll write this article.?
And then I’ll write another article.
And another article. ?
And another article. ?
I may not be a screenwriter or an author, but I am a writer.?I always loved writing because it's the easiest way for me to fully articulate my thoughts and ideas. So here I am, working with what I have.?I can't keep waiting on somebody to help me tell a story that only I can tell. I had to remind myself of what a friend I met here in California once told me:
“You’re a rapper, lyricist, music producer, actor among other things but most of all, you’re a storyteller.”
So, here goes my story. I’ll be sharing it as a series of chapters. Some of you will care to read them.?A lot of you won’t. ?If it inspires somebody, that's enough for me. ?But even if it doesn’t, at least I’ll be inspired to not give up as I reflect and remember just how far I’ve come.