There was a time when I didn't have any friends. It was 10th grade. I was
shy and awkward and tried to fit in instead of being myself. I had listened to
rap since middle school, when I was trying to fit in in a school that was born
into the culture of hip hop. 10th grade was when I decided to perform in front
of the entire student body at the holiday talent show. I performed a cover of "When
I'm Gone," by Eminem. The performance gained me my peers’ respect and some
friends.
I performed at the next two talent shows, parodying rap songs and feeling
the satisfaction of a cheering crowd.
As I grew up, I listened to meaningful rap music—which unfortunately has
diminished with a new audience that cares for hot beats more than good lyricism.
Artists like Eminem, Nas, Kendrick Lamar, J Cole, and Kanye West helped inspire
me to strive to make music that made you turn up your ears and your mind, not
just your body.
In freshman year, I started writing remixes instead of parodies, and getting
more serious with my music. Since then, music has helped me express myself in
ways I couldn’t otherwise. Music is the one thing that every living person
shares. Even deaf people can feel the vibrations of instruments in their chest.
When I step on stage, I get to reflect on my life and times in a way that
excites an audience. Seeing people vibe to what I create is truly the greatest feeling
in the world, and that’s what drives me.
