Redirection from Rejection
Treble NLS is a hip hop artist hailing from Pittsburgh PA. He is the artist who chooses to speak to the soul of his listeners. He uses his art form as a means to inspire change through sharing his own experiences as an emotional black male. The NLS brand was inspired mostly by failure. The team all needed something to keep them motivated in the midst of rejection/failure, so they came up with Next Level Shit first. That inspired them to gain foresight into what could emerge from their failures. It gave them the perspective to know that failures are the building blocks to the next level. It then evolved to Never Lose Sight to inspire them to keep their eyes on the prize.
Reject is the merch inspired by the album “Reine: Story of an American Reject”, which falls under the NLS brand. NLS houses all of our music, merchandise, and services.
What does rejection mean to you?
Rejection to me is a step back. It says to me that there’s something I’m missing. Whether it be something I’m not seeing or something I’m not capable of. It gives me the space to reevaluate either my approach, or my goal. Rejection used to be painful, but I since evolved a relationship with rejection to where I see it as necessary. I used to avoid rejection, but now I use what Jasiri X taught me early on in our relationship; Give them the chance to say no. You don’t know what you can get until you ask.
What advice do you have for redirection after someone has been rejected?
My advice to someone for redirection after a rejection is to keep in mind that rejection isn’t permanent. Think of the most successful people out there, and remember that part of their success story is probably a long line of rejection. Success isn’t the absence of failure, but rather the result of learning from it. Always separate yourself from what it is you’d like to obtain. Never go into anything thinking it will be a guaranteed yes. That just makes the rejection harder to accept. Detach, detach, DETACH.
How would you describe your own style, and what does fashion mean to you?
I would describe my own style as casual street. I dress in a way that’s comfortable, yet stylish at the same time. I grew up being the ugly kid, so I had to learn to dress my personality more than myself. That gave me the freedom to wear what I want because no one was looking my way in the first place. Fashion means to me a form of expression. You can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress. It tells you how they think. It lets you in on their means of organization. Fashion to me can be used as a tool. Every human has a hint of vanity to them. We first notice what we can see and make judgements based off of that. That means you could use fashion to spread a message since it’s one of the first things people notice.
How do you combine fashion and style with your other art forms?
As a musician in the tech age, I’m always told that my image matters. People like what they see before they even hear anything. I try to make fashion choices that call to who I am as a person. I wear crystals because I like them, and they call to attention that I am well attuned to the spiritual side of life. I also try to pick brighter colors to wear so that my presence feels bright and inviting. I like to fashion my beats as well. I like for them to sound as creative as I think I am. I want them to give off a vibe that I think deeper than what meets the ear.
Who are some of your biggest creative influences?
I have a WIDE range of creative influences. Musically I draw influence from artists like Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, Tame Impala, Lauryn Hill, and Schoolboy Q just to name a few. I like artists who write from a place of pure authenticity. Those artists whose lyrics either make you think deeper, or tell you exactly who they are as people. Production wise I draw influence from artists like Monte Booker, Kenny Beats, MxxWll, Kaytranada, and Sounwave. I like producers who create beats with pockets. Producers who can find an angle that inspires creativity instantly. Each producer I named inspires me to learn a different aspect of production. Black women are also a HUGE creative influence for me. I believe black women to be as close to the divine as we’re going to get in humanity. The divine naturally holds the power of creativity, and it shows in every aspect of the black woman. I aspire to be as creative and resourceful as black women when it comes to my craft.
What target market do you hope NLS will reach, and what kind of impact do you see it having on the community?
I hope to reach black youth and young adults with NLS mostly. We are the ones in a developmental stage in which we need this message the most. We’re all out here trying to find ourselves, our passions, and our purpose. Never Lose Sight serves to keep those young adults on the path to success by inspiring everyone to keep their eyes on the bigger picture. Don’t let up for one second, or you may compromise that next level. I want NLS to have a transformative impact on the community. I want it to expand the minds of those we reach, while also providing the resources for growth. I want to strengthen each individual within the collective so that the collective can emerge stronger than ever.
What’s next for NLS?
What’s next for NLS is summer apparel and education. We want to keep our hand in the fashion industry while expanding to an educational standpoint to inspire growth and empower our people. We plan on starting an LLC soon when we feel we have enough services to offer the world.