Meet Adrian Worsham II of West Covina

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrian Worsham II.

Adrian, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Im approaching two years into my journey as an artist in a professional sense, so it’s safe to say it’s a short story so far. That’s why I adore the idea of this interview, I hope that it marks a good moment in my early career. A moment that we can look back on when things get larger than what it is now because this really is just the start of my story.

My story began just as it continues now, in a calculated manner. I was at a point in my life, going through something where I was questioning whether or not I would have time to do all that I desired as far as dreams and aspirations. In that moment of questioning I decided to make no excuses and use my time in the best manner I could.

I made a creative bucket list. Writing out every thing I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it, and how. A full long term plan, I have been on that journey ever since.

When I began I was just modeling. Chasing those high fashion runway dreams, and it went well. I loved those beginning moments for what they were, they were blissful and brutal. Chasing opportunities up and down every New York avenue I could from sunrise to sunset. Establishing my creative circle, meeting people who would grow to become family, finding my style and establishing myself in circles that included people that used to be out of reach. It all happened so fast, I was blessed with progress and constant learning. Shell shocked by how well thins began for me, it all felt so aligned that I knew without a doubt that I set myself on the right path.

As I found success and gained experiences it allowed me the privilege of expansion into other art forms. Modeling gave me the platform to announce myself as a writer and to this day it serves as a vessel to expose me to more and more people around the world. I don’t think I’ll ever get from in front of someone’s camera, I love it.

Nowadays I’m spending more time dedicating myself to releasing literature. It’s so much more intimate than any other form of creation that I partake in. I think anybody who reads and takes time to understand what I put down on a pad knows me on a very deep level. It’s my main focus right now with the upcoming release of my next book Sienna. It’s not a day that passes where I don’t pick up a pen and write anything, everything.

My Grandmother said once when you’re on the right path the whole world will rejoice. When I went public with my passions I witnessed elation. That validation isn’t everything but for someone just beginning it’s a good sign that you got something special. I ran with it, and here we are.

I hope in 2 more years I can be asked this question again, and have so much more to provide. As of right now though, this is just the beginning.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
All things considered, I’d say it’s been pretty smooth. Smooth as in fluent, but far from effortless, I don’t want that to be confused. I decided to respect my passions and give my art to the world and I don’t think I’ve slept for more than 8 hours ever since. Everyday is a grind, every single day I’m laying another brick, every day I’m programming. I have no moments to rest from this journey. It’s my everything and when you have a passion like this the road can never be bumpy enough to not be smooth. It really doesn’t matter, I’m driving down this road regardless, you know?

I think the biggest struggle so far has been maintaining my direction, stay on my own path and refuse to sway. You have high points and low points when it comes to sharing your art and working the industry. The high points are where it seems like everyone is venerated by your art and paying attention to what you do. Then there’s other times where it feels like you’re throwing your babies into the void, like nobody is witnessing your craft or if they are then they aren’t impressed enough to interact. In those low moments it can become difficult to stay in your lane. I struggled for some moments in the beginning specifically to rid my mind of the desire for validation and just know that I am talented. Eventually people will come back around. They always do. However if they don’t, I stayed true to myself so it can never be considered a failure. When you stay true to yourself within your talent you can never fail, but when you switch it up to fit a trend or catch a wave then that’s when things can go south. Especially if you switch up on yourself and still see no progress, that’s just embarrassing. I have success in doing what I want and nothing else.

It’s becoming a cliche to say this but, our journey is a marathon and not a race. I got it tatted on my skin actually. On my right hand, my writing hand, I tatted “The Marathon Continues.” Whenever I get in my head, I can just look down at my hand and get reminded that I am competing with myself to get to a finish line, nobody else factors in. If that doesn’t do it for me, then I can look at my wrist where it says “God Got Me,” and that usually does it. With God I can never fail whatsoever. Reminds me to stay on my path. Sway for nothing, and things will stay smooth.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’d say as of right now I am known more for being in front of someone’s camera. Whether that be acting or modeling, it’s what has carried my name so far. Right now I believe I am making strides that I think will make me known primarily as a writer. With how well my poetry collection 02 Til Infinity was received, and the anticipation behind my upcoming novella Sienna, I believe in the very near future people will start to refer to me as a writer before they call me a model. Some folks know me only as a cowboy, which is just my way of life personally as a horseman.

No matter how I am recognized, I’m most proud that I’ve built a foundation that allows me to exhibit everything that I specialize in. Within the same space I am able to show all my interests and passions without having to subscribe to an aesthetic and it still makes sense. Nothing is forced on this side. I think it is an underrated privilege to not be kept in a box, I can do anything I have a passion for and I feel like my supporters are going to stick by me. That’s a real blessing, and I built that from being authentic the whole way from the very beginning so I am very proud of it.

My very first photoshoot I sported a cowboy hat, just like I do everyday in my regular life, and I made PhotoVogue. When you start like that how could you ever shift. When I started writing, I mingled the art forms together by doing photoshoots that lived as representations of what certain poems talked about. It all blends so well. I am very proud of the universe I have created around my art. I gave myself the freedom to expand and that’s immensely valuable.

It sets me a part being able to show so many sides of myself without sacrificing the brand. I am the brand. I’m not stuck playing a character or sacrificing a part of myself to maintain an image, the image is forever changing just like I am as a man. Forever learning and forever evolving. So it makes me confident that as time progresses and my art evolves, I won’t lose the real.

So far I’ve been writing a lot about love, but I hope not to niche down in romance. A lot of the poems I have released are matters of the heart. My next book as well is a story of love at first sight so, the next goal is to expand outwards in what I write. Perhaps a cowboy story, a modern day western, fiction or sci-fi, just creatively bizarre things as to not be niched down as a writer. I have so many ideas and I can’t wait to share them. Not enough time in a day.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
There’s two lessons that I’ve learned that I hold in high regard and they relate to each other vitally, the first is that this is a team sport. Everything I do goes through the hands and hearts of my team. I have people around me who really love me, they look at my art like it’s their art and put in real effort to make sure that together we are always getting the best product. Vice versa as well, when they win I feel like I achieved something myself. We all challenge each other, keep each other in line and aligned, it’s a beautiful thing. I hope as we all find success we never lose each other, God blessed us with each other and it’s dope for real.

The second lesson, is to waste zero energy doing something you don’t want to do. Energy is finite in our body, and when you spend every day on a grind, wasting that energy on something that doesn’t feed you is a disservice. This relates to my lesson about this being a team sport because there are people I am surrounded by that are better at certain things than me, they specialize in certain things I don’t even like doing myself. If you have the ability to delegate certain tasks in another direction, it saves your energy for where you need to focus the most. To provide an example, I love to write, but I don’t like to proofread and edit behind myself. Ev if I enjoyed doing that I could still very well miss something. So it’s important to have someone who can handle that while I focus on writing something else. It keeps the machine moving.

Surround yourself with people who love you and your art, and then be very careful with how you spend your time and energy. Makes for a smart hustle.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rashadrian.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rashadrian/
• Twitter: https://x.com/adrianr_worsham
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AdrianWorshamII

Image Credits
@bashbenzo
@donnwavyy
@lanaxrene
@patricianellasca
@iluvahk