Check Out Erik Gibbs-Russaw’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erik Gibbs-Russaw.

Hi Erik, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Far as making videos I’ve been recording skits/rap covers over my webcam and editing them on windows movie maker since about 2007 while I stayed in Flint, MI. My mom would buy herself a Sony digital camera and id use it to shoot my no budget music videos/vlogs/jackass stunts with my friends. Like riding downhill in shopping carts and setting off bottle rockets from your pants kind of boredom.

Soon after id move to Atlanta and upgrade to a Sony cyber shot that a friend had left at my house. I began to collaborate amongst the creatives in the hip hop community and once I figured out the basics of a real camera, that had given me the opportunity to document my music journey. Yet again I upgraded equipment around 2013 when a friend who also shot videos sold me his Canon for about $300. I didn’t really have the money bc I was working at Wendy’s but I found a way to get it bc he was inspiring me to have quality HD content.

I was referred to an internship for Hustle Gang in 2015 to engineer but since I had a good camera they sent me to events to get coverage so I was finding more opportunities along with me doing shows and filming videos for friends. Those gigs led to me getting booked more and I was gifted a Canon T2i. I started going to power shoots/meet-ups that I would get tagged in just so I could network.

While there I kept seeing everyone with their lights and lenses long as pringle cans so I didn’t think my pictures would be any good so I stood to the side and got video of everyone else working. That led to me getting invited by the host(s) of these events to get bts for every event they held. From there I would make personal relationships with models, dancers, photographers, directors and even though I still did music I couldn’t deny the doors that were being opened by my camera work.

I kept in contact with that same friend who sold me his Canon in 2013 because I had always admired his work but it was 2019 and he had a Sony A7iii now. At that time I had a Canon T7i I had bought from the pawnshop because I fell on hard times and had to pawn my previous but I knew I had to make a new leap of faith. I had always worked a job while I pursued a career so I had money set aside but spending $2,500 to be like the homie only made sense when I started to feel like my creativity was being limited.

I lost my job at a call center Sept 2020 and I haven’t updated my resume since. Did some short films, got to work with Lil Wayne’s daughter and America’s first top model Eva Marcille, building my daughter a YouTube along with my own production company. I really haven’t even gotten started yet but im blessed to have made it this far.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Along the way, I’ve had to learn to listen to myself more when it’s time to take a break. I used to think it be a good idea to work 2 jobs and get off and go to the studio until the morning but I’m not in my early 20’s anymore. With doing videos I would carry on multiple projects at once along with working a job and taking care of my daughter and id completely burn out. Weekends full of projects where I’m making under $100 just so I could come off as booked and busy as the crowd chants “I see you”.

I had a coworker I knew when I worked in a factory that always said “work smarter, not harder” when he saw me trying to overachieve for that raise. It all makes sense now so I give myself time to sleep, hang with my kid and work when I want instead of grinding until I die.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
To sum it up, I’m a creative. I specialize in anything that requires me to make something from nothing. I make music, shoot music videos/films along with edit, im a photographer, audio engineer, creative director, writer, location scout and a few other things. I’m known for visuals but I take pride in being able to experience life from all aspects of a creator so I’m skilled in almost any environment. I don’t just hold a camera but I’m taking part in manifesting these ideas into something that’ll inspire me like how videos on MTV and BET did.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
The crisis gave me a better understanding as a parent since my daughter was with me more so I had to be more attentive to her needs and balance out my own job and career bc I’d always be too busy. When I was let go from my job in September that showed me nobody was safe in this pandemic. A few months later I was asked to leave my roommate situation for covid related reasons so I was homeless and without a guaranteed income so I had to figure it out.

Contact Info:

• Email: ANRKYPLAY92@GMAIL.COM
• Instagram: instagram.com/apvisualz92
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erik.gibbs.31
• Twitter: twitter.com/anrkyplay92
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh6Nl95cbmh-ZSyukF_L3kA
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/tru-trapt-anrky