Still wondering if SPLICE cant get you a hit?

@pastelmusique Everyone can make this tune ☕️ #sabrinacarpenter #espresso #musicproduction #CapCut ♬ original sound - Ｐａｓｔｅｌ

Books I've Read in 2025 (So Far)

Fiction

James – Percival Everett
A bold reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, told from Jim's perspective. Everett dives deep into themes of freedom, survival, and race in America.
https://a.co/d/7cUVu70

Creativity & Self-Development

Living the Artist's Way – Julia Cameron
A fresh guide to reconnecting with your creativity, intuition, and daily inspiration, from the author of The Artist’s Way.
https://amzn.to/4ixzJUY

It's Never Too Late to Begin Again – Julia Cameron
Written for midlife creators and retirees, this book offers a structured 12-week program for rediscovering meaning and creativity.
https://amzn.to/3YiS5lu

Reflections on the Artist's Way – Julia Cameron
A collection of essays and insights that complement The Artist's Way, helping artists stay grounded in their creative path.
https://amzn.to/4jSBKMK

Comics & Graphic Novels

Ultimates: Fix the World Vol. 1
A sharp, politically charged superhero story where global problems take center stage and the stakes are bigger than ever.
https://amzn.to/3YKRwkn

Batman/Superman: World's Finest Vol. 5
Classic, energetic storytelling featuring Batman and Superman at their best, combining wit, heroism, and brilliant action scenes.
https://amzn.to/3EJK9TD

The Terrifics Vol. 1: Meet the Terrifics
A diverse team of unlikely heroes embarks on cosmic adventures, blending science fiction and traditional comic book fun.
https://amzn.to/4cQru5l

Superman: The Last Son
A powerful story that explores Superman's vulnerability when faced with questions of family, loyalty, and legacy.
https://amzn.to/4lQf2GJ

The Problem with Being “The One They Can Count On”

People start treating your accountability like a service. They don’t check in—they just check what you’ve done. They don’t offer—they just expect. And the moment you ask for something back? They act like you’re ungrateful. Like strength means never needing support. Let me be clear: I’m not burnt out because I’m weak. I’m burnt out because I was taught to carry what should’ve been shared. ⸻ Creatives Feel This in a Different Way We’re not just solving problems—we’re making things out of nothing. We’re designing, performing, building, writing, dreaming and carrying personal pain, relationships, family pressure, and survival mode on top of it all. And yet somehow, we’re expected to: • Show up professionally. • Create consistently. • Serve emotionally. • And still look fine while doing it. ⸻ I’m Not a Superhero. I’m Just Accountable. I care. I try. I finish things even when no one’s watching. That’s not ego. That’s my foundation. But the cost of always being the one who gets it done is being the one who’s rarely checked on. So now I’m asking myself new questions: • What does consistency look like when you’re protecting your peace? • What does leadership feel like when you refuse to self-abandon? • What kind of legacy are you building if the work consumes you before it frees you? ⸻ The New Standard I still show up. But now, I protect my energy. I still lead. But now, I question where I’m leading myself. I still care deeply. But I will no longer carry what others casually hand me out of habit. I’m not your superhero. I’m my own structure now. And that’s more than enough.

Zuck!

But WhatsApp? The thing is if you've never left the country you don't understand its power. It DOMINATES!

On the Throne

Returning to the throne isn’t about ego—it’s about alignment. It’s what happens when you stop explaining your growth, defending your peace, or apologizing for your evolution. But once you’ve reclaimed your voice, your space, your power—what then? You stop performing and start embodying. You stop defending your clarity and start living from it. And when you’re met with resistance, silence, or misinterpretation? You don’t flinch. You don’t shrink. You remain still—because stillness is now your strategy. From Nelson Mandela’s decades of dignified silence, to Rosa Parks’ quiet defiance, and even Elphaba’s refusal to “stay grounded,” I’ve learned this: You don’t need to yell to shake the room. You just need to stop shrinking. ⸻ 5 Tools for Living On the Throne 1. Silence as a Strategy Stop announcing your boundaries. Start walking in them. Practice: Pull back without the speech. Reminder: “If I have to explain the boundary, I’m still negotiating it.” 2. Responding with Clarity Not every question deserves an answer. Not every feeling is yours to carry. Practice: Speak in statements, not performances. Reminder: “Clarity doesn’t mean cruelty—it means clean communication.” 3. Anchoring Without Apology You don’t need to explain your shift to people who benefited from your confusion. Practice: Write down three things you’ll no longer apologize for. Reminder: “I’m not being distant. I’m being sovereign.” 4. Create from Power, Not Pain Let the silence become fuel. Make art that reflects the new version of you—not the one that needed to be rescued. Practice: Share from conviction, not survival. Reminder: “They don’t need to understand. They need to feel it.” 5. Daily Throne Ritual Each morning, say to yourself: “I return to the throne. I do not perform. I do not chase. I do not shrink. I lead with presence. I respond with clarity. I reign in silence.” ⸻ You don’t need permission to live fully. You don’t need defense to speak truthfully. You are enough, even when quiet. Sit. Create. Reign.

Return to the Throne

Ever had that moment where you look up from your life and realize you've been shrinking? Like you’ve been folding and editing yourself just to keep peace, to be liked, or to keep a relationship from tipping over? Yeah. Same. This isn’t about being dramatic. This is about **finally calling yourself back to center.** For me, it hit in one-on-one relationships. The people closest to me. The ones I tried to love through their silence, their mood swings, their refusal to heal. And I realized something: I was stepping out of my own house to make space for people who didn’t even wipe their feet at the door. So now? I’m reclaiming my space. My voice. My **throne.** Not in an arrogant way—but in a way that says: “I trust myself now. Fully.” --- I've been reflecting on characters like Tony Soprano, Walter White, Jesse Pinkman, and Saul Goodman. They all started out with real intentions—to protect, to build, to survive. But somewhere along the way, they traded parts of themselves for control. For validation. For revenge. Then there's Jon Snow. Honorable. Loyal. But loyal to systems and people who would never return it. He kept showing up for everyone… and ended up alone. That woke something up in me. **That won’t be my story.** --- And then there’s Elphaba. You know, from *Wicked*? Her moment in *Defying Gravity* hits different when you’ve been misunderstood for being powerful. She wasn’t rebelling—she was returning. Refusing to apologize for her magic. She flew. And so will I. --- So here’s where I stand: I’m not too emotional. I’m not too deep. I’m not too loud. I’m not too much. I’m just not shrinking anymore. Not in love. Not in friendships. Not in family dynamics. And definitely not in rooms that only clap for versions of me they can control. --- I wrote an oath for myself—a reminder for every time I feel the pull to fold, fix, or chase. **OATH OF POWER WITH LOVE** I am the throne and the fire. I carry truth in one hand, love in the other. I do not dominate to protect. I do not shrink to be loved. I speak calmly—because I am certain. I walk away—because peace is expensive. I protect my heart—without turning it to stone. I refuse to become a god in a kingdom of ashes. I refuse to be a savior who bleeds out silently. I lead with love. I move with power. I rise in both. --- To any fellow creatives who’ve been holding it all in, trying to stay small enough to be loved, liked, or accepted: You’re not alone. You’re not wrong. You’re not crazy. You’re just waking up. And when you do, it’s time to come home to yourself. Say it with me: **“I return to the throne.”**

Hi

Sherwinn “Dupes” Brice is a one-man creative empire in motion — A Saint Lucian-born songwriter, sea moss slinger, and soulpreneur with a passport stamped in hustle. He’s part heart, part hurricane: writing custom R&B ballads one minute, flipping Airbnbs and jars of gel the next, then turning up on TikTok with the grit of a street poet and the grace of a brother who’s seen both heartbreak and healing. Dupes is that rare mix of artist and architect, crafting love songs and legacy moves with equal care. He’s not just in the game — he’s building the damn stadium, selling the snacks, and dropping the theme song in the halftime show. From Brockton to the Caribbean, he moves like a storm with a spreadsheet — introspective, intentional, and impossible to ignore. The brand? Afrocentric. The tone? Straight up, no chaser. The mission? Create. Connect. Crown up.