Often times in hip hop, sonic trends dictate the course of popular music, so it’s always refreshing when an artist emerges with his own distinct style and point of view. The multitalented Deraj has played by his own rules, offering his listeners a diverse musical palette that unabashedly spans alternative, hip hop, trap, pop and rock. His empowering messages and passionate delivery are consistently relatable as they encourage triumph, faith and overcoming. “I always want people to feel encouraged and not to be defeated by their internal dialogue and life struggles,” he says. “I want people to feel like they are enough and have what it takes to conquer.” The DMV-raised, Orlando-based performer released several top performing songs with over 17 million streams. His unique, well received sound has resulted in features on national media outlets such as Marvel’s Wakanda Forever, Samsung, Google Pixel, Fortnite, T-mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, Disney’s Cruella and many more. His achievements stress the importance of artists being bold enough to find and develop their own unique voices, ultimately helping to advance the culture.