Youth Entrepreneurs | Music producer passionate about craft

Eighteen-year-old Tareque Robinson has surprised many with the operations of his music business, Gapix Productions. Described by his peers as very reserved, Tareque has successfully steered his ­company for almost a year with the goal of producing and distributing music.

Currently in his final year at Wolmer’s Boys’ School, he works alongside his fellow student and producer, Brandon Shakespeare. He notes that at the heart of his company is an appreciation for creativity. “My passion for music has led me to share with others around me, and I would like to see just how far my creativity can span,” he said.

Tareque, who goes by the name Gapix, explains that he was not initially interested in business but wanted to explore a field about which he was passionate. Music was a natural calling for the self-taught producer, who expressed a long-standing desire to share his creativity with others with whom he interacted. “The fact that people truly appreciate the music enough to want to share it with everyone in their circle continues to inspire me,” he remarked.

“Producing a song is a great feeling, especially knowing that you will share the production with people who love the craft,” Robinson told The Gleaner. He added that several persons have expressed appreciation for his music and identify with the ­vision he has for himself.

“Peng Ting (my most recent song) is a perfect example of me just capturing the vibe I had in the moment and sharing it with everyone. With Shakespeare’s ­instrumental, and my flow, I was confident it would be a great ­record,” he said.

LEARNED FROM EXPERIENCE

Several lessons have been learned from this experience, ­including researching and ­seeking inspiration from ­different cultures. He has also developed a habit of looking at things ­objectively, which allows him to critique his own work as if he was a first-time listener.

The journey to this point has been a continuous process of innovation and change.

“I started out by just posting snippets and freestyles on ­social media until I decided that I wanted to share my content with a wider audience,” Tareque told The Gleaner.

Attracting this audience proved to be his greatest ­challenge; however, he ­overcame this ­obstacle by promoting his music via social-media campaigns and music challenges. This was ­successful for Peng Ting, which was birthed after he saw many young ­supporters posting videos of themselves enjoying his music. It is significant to note that his song currently has nearly 81,000 views on YouTube, highlighting the success of this campaign.

Despite this achievement, it is admirable to note that Tareque’s guiding principle is humility, a quality he regards as ­fundamental to his success.

Additionally, he cites the ­importance of having close friends who encourage and ­celebrate his accomplishments.

Tareque also emphasises the importance of ­maintaining ­balance with his academic ­studies and his involvement with the Wolmer’s Boys’ Communication Network. “Making music is spontaneous, and at any point in time, I may get inspiration to create. I find the balance by trying to get ­academics out of the way as soon as possible. That way, I can create without limits.”

Living a life without ­limits is important for the young ­entrepreneur as he aims to make music with rhythms that extend far beyond Jamaica’s shores into the diaspora, ultimately ­propelling his music worldwide.

Furthermore, Tareque lives with no regrets as he aspires to be a better person each day. His ­advice for potential ­entrepreneurs is to develop a sense of passion for “as long as you are passionate about what you are doing. You can never go wrong”.

For further information, Gapix Productions can be contacted through its email, gapixmusic@gmail.com, via Instagram page @Gapixr, on Twitter @Gapixr, and on YouTube channel Gapix.