I performed in high school for Black History Month at a talent show, but besides that, I didn’t have the resources to perform so I spent my time as a teenager writing music.
It used to take me a really long time, and I used to not be able to write in the studio because I felt there was a lot of pressure to be perfect. The more I’m collaborating with other artists, the more I realize being in the studio is about catching a vibe.
I enjoy the life I have now, but I also enjoy doing regular stuff. I can’t pull up to the club and stay outside no more. I can’t be at anybody’s table. A picture or video can go viral, and it can be misinterpreted.
When you’re a college student interested in music, you hear all these rappers talking about dropping out. For me, when I heard someone like J. Cole rapping about school and staying in school, it inspired me to keep going.
I grew up listening to a lot of 2Pac and a lot of East Coast, West Coast rap; Bad Boy, Lil Kim, Foxy Brown, Biggie, 2Pac. Super hip-hop, super listening to that raw era of music.
