Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Burton Jr..
Hi Ryan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story is in continuation through renounced prayer and determination… However, I grew up always interested in the creative arts when it comes to fashion, art, film, video, etc. I remember being 5 years old and picking out my own pair of timbs like it were yesterday. My parents always had a sense of style and good music taste so they showed me on how to be authentically me in my early days growing up. Growing through my adolescent years, I’ve always grown to be a “free thinker” and I think that has helped me form into the man I am today by having my own train of thought when anything happens in the world. A famous quote I live by is “sometimes you have to play a role of a fool, to a fool who think they are fooling you.” This quote is key to anything in life because your discernment allows you to choose when to play your cards right in a certain situation. Anyways, having my own independent thinking has allowed me to put myself in rooms I never thought of and I am grateful for that.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Anything in life will have struggles, and I would be lying to say if life is perfect now. The biggest takeaway from the struggles is you must have a frequency level of ups and downs in order to push yourself through mental and/or physical barriers. With no pain, there is no growth. My struggles have taught me to see the light at the end of the tunnel even when I think things can’t go the way I want them. This allows perseverance to show and keeps me going every single day that I open my eyes.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in videography and photography along with fashion and Djing. I also have a nonprofit based in the arts pertaining to helping the youth in the mid-south area by helping them better their skills in any art field they choose to pursue. If I had to choose what I am most proud of, I would say my non-profit due to me being of service to the generation after me because I want to do my part and give whatever knowledge I can that my previous generation of people gave me and more on top that can help the younger generation succeed in any way possible. What sets me apart from others is that I look at everything as inspiration. Art is subjective so that means what is good to me can be terrible to someone else. You cannot put a price or a rating on art because it is YOUR work. This is what inspires me in being a creative because you can create whatever you want whenever you want and no one can take that away from you.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Being born in Chicago but mainly raised in Memphis, you see a dynamic of many differences between the two cities but I enjoy both as the same as they come to offer. Both cities get a bad rep in crime of course but like any other major city, crime is unfortunately a big part of the makeup of the city. However, both cities offer tons of art and history to study and learn from for any creatives that reside or plan to visit. I’m grateful to come from both cities and would not want to be anywhere else.
