Andy Seth was 14 when he was awarded a scholarship to Culver Military High School, an escape from the Los Angeles motel in which he grew up. The educational opportunity changed his life and he reaped the rewards of his success. Now he pays that forward by offering youth apprenticeship opportunities in digital marketing. But Seth is not just helping people become skilled workers. Moreover, he’s helping individuals find inner peace and spread that positive energy to their environment. That is what Bling is about.
Seth, who lives in Denver, wrote the self-help book Bling like a story: a rapper named A-Luv, who carries emotional burdens beneath his glamorous exterior, embarks on a spiritual journey that transforms his music and his life. Readers discover how to achieve their inner “wokeness” and success, emphasizing the use of meditation and reflection. He pulls his philosophies from his Indian upbringing and translates them into topics discussing ego, energy management, and community, showing his audience that they don’t need to get wrapped up in their own hustle to become successful. Seth recognizes that people in his life and community have ambition and want to make positive changes in their life.
“People want to make an impact, but they don’t know what that means or how to do that,” said Seth in an interview for BandWagon. Someone once made that impact by helping Seth obtain scholarships to the military academy and college – now he continues that cycle.
Seth was 13 when he started his own DJ business, starting with house parties, until he was headlining clubs in Los Angeles and Boston, where he was attending college. He doesn’t make it out to the clubs anymore, but Seth relates to the youths he mentors because of their mutual connection through hip-hop. Seth’s relationship to rap began in his early teens and many of the youths are either aspiring artists or lovers of the genre. This is why he chose the parable of a rapper to communicate his philosophies in Bling.
As he was writing his chapters, he could feel and hear grooves that paired with each message. He knew he needed to produce a conjoined album to complete his vision for Bling.
The album, by the same title, features heavy Indian influenced melodies paired with pop hip-hop beats and occasional spanish lyrics, all written by Seth. He felt he needed some contributors that related musically and spiritually to his message, so he brought on rapper and ghost writer Wes Writer (also known as Skrilla) to rap over his beats. This was an uncommon undertaking for Writer, who is more of a lyricist than a recording artist or performer, but Seth’s story and message convinced him to come from behind the curtain and lend his voice to the album.
“My message was already baked and he felt the vibe completely. It hit him because this is how he lives his life,” remarked Seth.
Since the book’s release in November 2019, Bling charted on Amazon’s #1 Best Sellers, but Bling is only a smaller part of a bigger movement in the hip-hop community that promotes spirituality and health. Artists like Kendrick Lamar, Murs and Chance the Rapper use their art to communicate social activism and spiritual messages, while other artists like Snoop Dogg and RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan adopt vegan lifestyles. Seth uses these hip-hop and rap icons to inspire his followers and the people he mentors.
“Hip-hop is a big part of my life, which includes the people that I work with. I just wanted to provide a book that is accessible, along with music that is a part of our culture, to make those lessons stick,” said Seth.
Not everyone has to meditate for an hour and a half every day like Seth does, but he wants everyone to achieve their goals, just as they resolve to do in the New Year. With reflection and flow, Seth believes success and balance – not only the struggle – is real.
Check out Andy Seth’s #1 selling book and album Bling at andyseth.com
