The Origins of Prolific
- MIDIMarcum
- Nov 6
- 2 min read
How a single word from 2007 shaped a decade of creative growth
“Back when I released American Beatmaker, Otis Taylor of The State newspaper called me prolific. I didn’t know how much that word would mean later.”
In 2007, I dropped my remix of Jay-Z’s American Gangster — a project I titled American Beatmaker. When Otis Taylor reviewed it and referred to me as prolific, I honestly didn’t think much of it. I was just creating. That was the only thing that mattered.
Fast-forward to 2018, the word came back around. This time, it stuck. I looked up the definition:
That definition hit different. Around that time, I was battling imposter syndrome — feeling like I wasn’t doing enough musically, even though I was still producing, still collaborating, still working. I had placements with Master Splnta (formerly FatRat Da Czar) and his groups Grand Royal and New Success Culture, along with solo projects from Ali Rah, LaLisa The Goddess, Cole Connor, and Chadd Downing.
Meanwhile, I was holding down a job at the health department and serving in a leadership role at my church. Life was full, but I didn’t feel as connected to my art as I used to.
That’s when the idea for Prolific was born. I wanted to experiment with the EP format — something short, sweet, and impactful. A series that could evolve over time. Prolific felt like the perfect title: a reminder to keep creating, no matter what.
2018 turned out to be one of my most fruitful years. Four volumes of Prolific dropped, alongside new releases from Master Splnta and his label roster. My sound was circulating all through Columbia — from features in The Free Timesand Jasper Magazine to interviews on WUSC and The ColaTown Underground Podcast.
Events like The Pigeon Party at The War Mouth and The Suess Slam at Curiosity Coffee brought everything full circle, ultimately leading to me being named Artist of the Year by Jasper Magazine in 2018.
Looking back, I realize Prolific wasn’t just a name for a beat series — it became a personal mantra. A reminder that even when life gets busy, creativity doesn’t have to stop. You just have to keep producing, keep growing, and keep showing up.
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