How I Almost Became A Rock Star

When I was 20, I started an alternative hip-hop band with my high school best-friend, Jonny.
We were called The Pilot Kids.

In 2012, we signed a record deal with this guy, Tricky Stewart.
He’s a 5x Grammy Award Winning producer. Sold over 50 million records.
He produced songs like ‘Single Ladies’, ‘Umbrella’, and ‘Baby.’
Here’s him getting inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. 👆

When Tricky discovered one of our music videos, Jonny and I were working and living in his basement in New Jersey. One day, while working on music, Tricky called us on the phone. I took notes. 

He said this: 


“What you guys are doing musically, the originality and how cultural it is, and at the same time, it’s a hit. It’s a cultural movement. It’s not imitating. It’s smart. It’s witty.

It’s falling right in the sweet spot for something I feel really passionate about delivering to the masses and the stadiums.”

Tricky flew us out to LA to meet him and his team.
We randomly met Skrillex at the airport.
He was a big musical inspiration for us.
Felt like a sign we were headed somewhere.

Only 5 years before that, we were entertaining our friends at our high school.
We would hang out in the hallways.
Jonny would rap and I would play the guitar.

Fast forward 5 years, and we’re taking Patron shots at Tricky’s private studio and writing music with two of the biggest writers in pop music.

That’s me casually jamming with 9x Grammy Award Winner, The Dream.

We didn’t end up becoming rich and famous.
But I learned something:
This whole thing, wasn’t an accident. 
We strategically planned it.

Here’s the punchline:
Your talent doesn't get you the deal.
Your positioning does.
We weren't the most skilled musicians in that basement.
But nobody else was saying "kill the pilot, fly your own plane."
I was branding local bands with my art before I ever picked up a guitar seriously.
So when we started The Pilot Kids, we didn't just make music.
We built an identity.
A name. A philosophy. A look.
We aimed for edgy, but accessible.
Not the safest choice. But the clearest one.
Two different music industry legends called us within 18 days of each other.
Not because we got lucky twice.


Because for once, the positioning was sharp enough that people could place us instantly.

That's the whole game.

Talent gets you noticed.

Positioning gets you remembered.

I use the same approach building brands today.

If you want to work, slide in the DM.