Kevanté Edmondson: Rappin’ to Stay Relevant
By: Kelly Bean, ENGL 336
Kevanté Edmondson enters the office of
The Bottom Line dressed casually in a red t-shirt and jeans. His diamond
earring gleams in the light. He walks in with a smile on his face and a cool
air of confidence that only a guy from Washington, D.C. could have. Anyone who
looked at Kevanté would have
known that he is a bright, friendly student at Frostburg State University.
However, what people would not know is the amazing talent that he hides beneath
the surface.
Kevanté, a senior at FSU, is a Mass
Communication major. With degree he will be earning, he wishes to go into a
career involving events planning, party promoting, and advertising. However,
Kevanté already has a
budding career in another field: Writing music. When asked where he wants to be
in 10 years, Kevanté says “I
want to be successful with a good job, making six figures.” Well, for him, that
may just happen to him in a different way that he expects
Writing music is one of Kevanté’s
greatest passions in life. In particular, he is most passionate about writing
rap music. Kevanté has been
writing music since he was merely 13 years old. He has had years of practice to
touch up on his skills, and has only gotten better with age. Kevanté does borrow ideas from other
popular rap artists as well, however. His biggest inspirations include his
family, specifically his uncle, his childhood, and rappers already in the
industry. Jay-Z is his biggest influence in the realm of current rap artists. Kevanté says that he tried to channel
Jay-Z. Whenever he hears Jay-Z rap, it inspires him to write. According to
Kevanté, “He gives me hype.”
Kevanté already has videos on YouTube, and would like to
create more. When asked what he would do if someone discovered his talent and
wanted to do something about it, Kevanté
said “If a deal comes across the table, I’m taking it.” He would be willing to
change his career path if he knew he could fully pursue his passion. He already
has been preparing for such an opportunity by performing at “open mike” nights
back home.
Currently, Kevanté is in the process of making a
mix tape in a studio. He works on the tape every other weekend. He already has
an impressive 12 songs completed. Kevanté
himself does not play any musical instruments, but would love to learn how to
play the piano.
Before Kevanté left the room, he was asked one
more question: Was he willing to fit the mold to be like typical rappers, or
was he going to make himself known for his own image? To this, Kevanté responded that he has his own
style, and ended with the strong statement “I do my own thing.” That day, it
certainly appeared that Kevanté
had everything it would take to chase after his dreams.
This link leads to a website for any other aspiring rappers
out there! Get Inspired.
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