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. Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers , Sting and Michael Jackson echoed through the house with the likes of JAY-Z, A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan, and Mobb Deep. 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'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't allow people to define who I was while I kept my mouth shut. Welcome to my transformation. I am Locera.