The Evolution of Rochelle “Hot 16”
My view of the world changes so much as I grow. I was recently in the studio working on m ep and my producer Reggie Rock was recording me to one of is tracks. He’s stops me after a take and says to me that I rap with a sense of urgency. Nobody has ever said that to me before in that way and he was dead on. I couldn’t agree more but I thought like where does this urgency stem from?
After a weeks of this echoing me in my head, it finally came to me. It comes from that moment I started rapping as a kid and wanting people to know I was great. Being heavily into these music competitions and battles because I wanted people to know. I guess that was cool to do as a kid because I hadn’t really lived long enough to write anything of real substance besides witty metaphors and strong punchlines. I lived for the people to knowing I was the best. I was rapping for attention with dreams of being discovered, signed or having the opportunity be in one of those P. Diddy Making the Band Competitions.
But as I began to grow and live a little bit more, I discovered there is no such thing as being the “best”. What we do is art and art is ALL subjective. Nobody really cares that you can rap better than the majority of the people on the radio. After all the success Nicki has received people will still voice their opinions saying she’s wack. Personally I believe that my urgency was the need to be thought highly of as a rapper by people.
A couple months ago I noticed a change. I got invited out to perform at a freestyle cypher and I couldn’t figure out for the life of me why I felt so unfulfilled after I did it. A couple days ago it came to me it. I no long rap for attention, I rap with intention. I don’t want to be worshiped, I want to be related too. I used to want people just to admire me as great now I just want people to relate. I rather connect with people than be worshiped by people. I don’t get fulfillment of just saying verses, or speaking loosely off the top of my head anymore. I can’t participate in the false sense of what everybody thinks what everybody wants to hear, so lets just do like everybody else does. My attention has shifted to intentions on simply making phenomenal music that allows a connection between me and my listeners.
Welcome to my journey #OnTheRoadToEightGrammys.
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