Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcus The Artist Shadden.
Hi Marcus, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in a few different small towns in Kansas as a kid. I come from what some consider to be a “broken home.” No Father, living in trailer parks, abusive relationships, drug and alcohol addiction, poverty. One day, my mom’s BF was beating her, and the phone rang. Somehow, she was able to get away and answer. The voice over the phone said if you’re in trouble, don’t say anything and hang up. The Cops arrived, arrested the BF, and took us to a Safe House. This is one of the first “miracles” I witnessed. Life ensued, and chaos followed. My mom couldn’t get off drugs and ended up losing my sister and me to the Foster Care system when I was about 7 years old. After a year of rehab, my mom was able to get clean and was granted a last chance to get us back.
We moved to KC (Kansas City) for a new start. I was a “troubled youth,” or at least that’s what most adults would have called me when I was younger. This kind of Bias against kids like me ended up saving me. After years of getting in trouble, something happened that changed my life (I won’t spill it all, but just so you know where I was at, I had a DUI before I had a driver’s license, multiple arrests, Probation, House arrest, and I had been to rehab twice and jail by age 16.) Fall of 2000, I walked out of all that chaos and created a new life for myself. I first knew I had to channel this energy that was coming through me into something different than before. For example, Anger; break shit—a new way to Channel Anger: break, dance, or paint. Life changed once I started to transfer all that energy coming out of me into art, music, dance, poetry, anything and everything I could get my hands on. It was this learning how to transmute energy that saved my life. I feel I owe a debt to this creative force, so I have been dedicated to creating everything I can ever since then.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nah, it’s not smooth, but I will say that once this shift happened to me, it was like even though the road was rough, I was just so happy to be traveling that I paid the bumps no mind.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
Currently, my work is in the Music Production & Abstract Art department. I’ve been experimental with all my art forms over the last few years (music, dancing, and painting.) I make music for myself as a DJ/Producer and some talented friends of mine who sing and rap in the realms of Electronic, Hip-Hop, Soul, RnB, House, Punk, and Experimental. I have a series called the HEX FILES that explores music through color from the viewpoint of my journey. Example #B3DDF2 is the color code for Chicago Blue, so on that album, I explore sounds that were influenced by my time in Chicago. I’m probably most known for my DJ work and throwing parties in Chicago and LA, but ever since the pandemic, I let that “Marcus The Artist” go; to create the new, we must let the old die, correct? “What are you most proud of? Creativity saved my life, so I feel gratitude, not pride.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Skateboarding through the streets at night, alone; so quiet & peaceful but also dangerous AF.
Image Credits
Tori “Torsion” Howard
