Former HipHopDX Features Editor Andre Grant said in his “Defense Of The Struggle Rapper” editorial, “Out of all the things the Hip Hop web has vilified, the “struggle rapper” might be the least deserving of all that ridicule.” Before Kendrick Lamar became big enough for Barack Obama to sing his praises or Drake found himself making deals with Apple, they were artists without a significantly large fanbase attempting what seemed like the impossible. Hitting the top of the charts became a distant goal to making past one hundred streams of a song possibly made within the confines of their bedroom walls and gaining likes, re-post or anything else that would reach someone. Providing a weekly outlet for those getting their feet wet in the sometimes brutal sport of Hip Hop, allow us to give readers a look into tomorrow’s possibilities through “Up NeXt.”
Aerias Hopes To Both Entertain & Inspire
Inspiration For Career
“First, emcee I ever heard was Rakim, or at least the first one that got my attention. I heard the line, “I ain’t no joke…” and was hooked. I started writing raps before school, a catholic school mind you lol, and I would rap with my friends on the school yard. I later took a bit more seriously and upped to emcee battling. I would show up at local Hip Hop jams with my crew Chicago Tribe (A predominantly boy crew now) and I would join the emcee battles while they joined the boy battles. I even started winning some money so that made me want to keep going. At 21, I started going to Subterranean in Chicago to battle and freestyle where I started meeting more producers and I started getting more musical. Once I started playing guitar I decided to co-produce songs and released my first album. Now, with all those factors leading up to now, this have all been my inspirations. From battle and lunchroom raps, to becoming more a musician and working with my band and producer, Patrick Pryor, it’s all lead to now.”
Do you believe you have a shot at stardom?
“I believe anyone who drowns themselves fully in their passion and surrenders themselves to work for what they dream for has a shot at stardom. That’s what I’ve been doing. As long as I can adapt and push myself to grow and challenge myself as an artist, I believe I’ll get to where I want to be. I know it doesn’t stop at stardom, though. I dream about this a lot. To reach out people and be able to both entertain and inspire. I study the greats. They’re like my heroes. A star is for the people by relating to them. Stardom isn’t easy but I don’t want to give upIt’sts there, just have to carve my future out with care but push myself too.”
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Project(s)
“I’m working on a few new songs with my producer, Patrick Pryor and my band. We’ll be shooting a video for a song called “Party Til Dawn” in London this October so my London peeps, I’ll be seeing you soon. Never been to London so we’re really excited for that. I’m getting ready to drop a video for my current single “Long Time”, produced by Monte Booker & The Clyde Project, that I shot in Tokyo, Japan with George Sol of Sol Films so be on the lookout for that as well.”
Twitter: @AeriasTheEmcee
Instagram: @AeriasMusic
