LoCeRa

Looking back at life in stages, I never had a musical epiphany. There was never that one concert mom or pops took me to. In the Fort Greene apartment where my family lived were my older brother’s Sega Genesis, a basketball, and toys: priceless childhood memories. Not once did I ask my parents for a musical instrument. Playing outside and reading were the only things I wanted to do. Between mom playing oldies as she cleaned, and my brother blasting hip hop classics, music was always on, no matter what. <a href="spotify:artist:3koiLjNrgRTNbOwViDipeA" data-name="Marvin Gaye">Marvin Gaye</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7nwUJBm0HE4ZxD3f5cy5ok" data-name="Aretha Franklin">Aretha Franklin</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2LFDuG3D8wYkEqxlHSuzOM" data-name="Bill Withers">Bill Withers</a> , <a href="spotify:artist:0Ty63ceoRnnJKVEYP0VQpk" data-name="Sting">Sting</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3fMbdgg4jU18AjLCKBhRSm" data-name="Michael Jackson">Michael Jackson</a> echoed through the house with the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB" data-name="JAY-Z">JAY-Z</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:09hVIj6vWgoCDtT03h8ZCa" data-name="A Tribe Called Quest">A Tribe Called Quest</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:34EP7KEpOjXcM2TCat1ISk" data-name="Wu-Tang Clan">Wu-Tang Clan</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:6O2zJ0tId7g07yzHtX0yap" data-name="Mobb Deep">Mobb Deep</a>.

Then there was the writing. I loved to write. I’m terrible at math but I always had a knack for words. The day I found a way to use my writing to connect with others is when I finally realized what it was meant for. I&#39;ve always been in love with music, but making music is a completely different kind of love that has my heart. Hip Hop is storytelling and everyone has a story, but most are afraid to tell it. To find a way to speak my truth, I had to let go of that fear and evolve. I couldn&#39;t allow people to define who I was while I kept my mouth shut. Welcome to my transformation. I am Locera.