What can i do to stop seeking other people's approval?

i always cared about what people thought and that stopped me from being myself throughout life, i even isolated myself at one time. I used to stay inside because i feared people criticizing me, i guess because i was all my life. the only thing i ever really wanted to do was be a rapper, i know what i wanna rap about and all but like i said i always feared what people thought so that set me back a while (a long azz time) lol. i fear people not liking my music because of how rap is now, don't get me wrong i won't make all serious music but most of it will be., i got a song i'm working on now which the first verse i dedicate to my city, i'm from new orleans, but i sit inside most of the time and i don't want people to be like, "man he fake, how this dude gon rap about something real and he sit inside all day" i mean not to many people really know me like talking about it but you know i'm kinda paranoid when it comes to what people think that i blow it outta proportion. my family always ask me what i want to do but out of fear of them bashing me for wanting to pursue a career in rapping i say idk or i'm not sure yet. I know i don't want to go and do something else and down the line regret not even trying to do this. Idk what should i do, should i stop rapping or just give it a shot and deal with consequences later.