After a rewarding career in teaching, 31-year-old Brooklyn-based Gangsta Gurry transitioned from the classroom to the cosmos. Now, the certified reiki practitioner and top Tarot specialist brings the same energy, enthusiasm, and passion he had as an educator to his clients AKA his "soul tribe." He constantly strives to help others find "higher self" activation and purpose in their own lives. Needless to say, we're big fans.

Hey Hero caught up with the burgeoning star about fellow spiritual workers he draws inspiration from, his own struggles that led him to embrace his gift and bet on himself, and why his dream Tarot reading is Jenniffer "Jenn" Hardwick from Bad Girls Club: Atlanta.

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Hey Hero: We’re going to ask you to go back in time. The first time you heard the word Tarot was…

Gangsta Gurry: Probably 2015! This was the beginning of me noticing the world in a different way overall and working on trying to better myself and do something more fulfilling with my life.

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HH: When did you first know you wanted to make Tarot a career? Was there a moment when things just clicked for you?

GG: I knew I wanted tarot and spiritual work to be a part of my career after I saw how much I was able to bring peace to people and also work from home! I live in New York. Taking public transportation is not my favorite pastime sometimes, being a highly sensitive person. I was being sought out by some of my coworkers for guidance, who would refer me to their friends, and subsequently took a leap to offering my services via Twitter as a side hustle during my teaching career. After I ended up leaving the classroom because of being put on disability and prioritizing my physical health, I knew I had no other choice but to fully embrace the gift and start betting on myself. It was not easy.

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HH: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received along the way?

GG: Stay in your OWN lane! You are not made to do the same type of work as everyone else around you. That's why you were designed as you are, which is perfect as it is. YOU are specially made and your gift isn't EVER going to look like the other folks you know in your life that may do the same work as you. Be true to your passions, be true to your energetic design, and be true to yourself as you continue to learn what your purpose is and share it with the world!

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HH: What’s your advice to someone trying to make a name for themselves in the world of Tarot?

GG: I would suggest reaching out to community and offering to connect with people that you resonate with. This can start with the people that you know, doing readings for them or asking if they would be interested in your services. Word of mouth is everything, and the more that you allow yourself to be seen as a guide in your personal realms of expertise, the universe will bring you people who SEE YOU and want to help you.

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HH: We really love your wholehearted, passionate approach to your craft. How would you describe your overall philosophy when it comes to Tarot?

GG: I really appreciate this question! As a former educator, I always think it's important to sit and intake information and make application to your lived experience at that moment. For me, a lot of my beginnings were readings for myself and writing out what to look out for in a given day, what energies would keep me grounded, and applying these to my daily living. That helped me to recognize where I actually found myself resonating in my power compared to going along with what was going on around me in the same way. Tarot to me is an opportunity to teach yourself how to be your best self, and the intention behind it for me has always been connected to 'how can I be my best self today?'. If you take your personal practices for reading cards with the same intention, you start to see where you shine and where you can soar. This is what I like to provide for people I work with and also let them make the connections for themselves; I'm just the vessel to allow the conversation to be had.

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HH: How do you continue to hone your craft or just find creative inspiration? Are there certain Tarot writers, magazines, podcasts, or something else that you always go back to or always keep up with?

GG: I call myself a 'shapeshifter' - I'm always the same form, same person, but little things about me are changing everyday! I feel like inspiration comes from my friends and what they have going on. They are my inspiration and sometimes, I'll lean on them to try new things out on or someone will reach out to me for a service that I know intimately and will ask them if I can try something new. I love having that level of trust with these people and I feel like that inspires me to continue to try new things and see what fits! I feel like there are so many tarot readers out there these days and all of them have something special! A few that I follow are @blackcosmosqueen, @moonmetamorphosis, @tatiannatarot, @casper.1243, @chriscorsini, @lisastardustastro & @mermaid.moonchild and their content has gotten me through various rough patches in my life and reaffirmed that I was making the right decision and needed an affirmation. There are so many more than just these, I really could ramble on and on. I don't really listen to podcasts (even though I have my own LOL I just have such an airy mindset that I find it hard to listen) and I don't really peruse magazines often! I have read Oprah Magazine and InStyle Magazine in the last month a few times, but that's also partly because I recently was just featured on their online platform! I'm so grateful to have had that opportunity to share some of my knowledge on Oracle cards and tangible advice for bringing more love into your life!

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HH: If you could perform a Tarot reading on anyone, alive or dead, real or fictional, who would it be?

GG: Jenniffer Hardwick from Bad Girls Club: Atlanta. I'm such a huge reality TV fan, especially competitive reality TV and her win on Bad Girls All Star Battle is low key one of my inspirations in life. Her win serves as a reminder to continue going for what you want even while you, yourself, are a work in progress. Nothing can ever hold you back if you listen to your gut and keep your eyes open!

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HH: What’s the biggest misconception out there about Tarot?

GG: It has to do with the Devil! I know there's a Devil card in the deck and what have you, but tarot readings, at least from my perspective, do not have anything to do with demonic worship. There may be certain practitioners out there that work with demonic spirits via doing this work, but I personally don't know any of them and don't really know much about me. I can't even explain to you how many times people have asked me that question out of fear that I'm out here playing with demonic spirits. In the words of Malaysia Pargo, 'I don't play with demons.' To me, it's a reconnection of the self, which reconnects you back to moving in flow with what the energy around you is giving. We all carry energy. This is an opportunity to tap into yours and see which way to flow with the rivers that surround you.

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HH: And of course, we have to ask, what do you enjoy most about answering questions on Hey Hero?

GG: I enjoy answering questions on Hey Hero because I get to respond to people as soon as the energy supports their reception of that message and give my all into providing the best advice! It feels like a way to give a quick hit of love and a little reminder that you're on the right track!

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