THE EMERGENCE ERA (2018–2019)
Discovery · Survival · First Momentum
The Emergence Era marks the beginning of my journey into music — not as a hobby, but as a lifeline.
In May 2018, I began making music while homeless, sleeping in my car after being kicked out of my mom’s house. At the time, I was praying for a way to make money from home — searching for direction, stability, and purpose. Music came almost immediately as the answer. The decision wasn’t strategic; it was instinctual.
My first tracks were released on SoundCloud in the spring of 2018. From that moment forward, music became something I committed to fully, even while working survival jobs at Walmart and Pizza Hut. The focus wasn’t perfection — it was momentum.
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Survival & Output
In December 2018, I was officially kicked out of my mom’s house and spent months staying with close friends. Despite the instability, once I found music, I never considered quitting. Music continued — recorded wherever possible: bedroom closets, bathrooms, friends’ houses, and cars.
During this time, collaboration became essential. In late October 2018, I released Slept On Pt. 1, a collaborative mixtape with Da Poet, marking one of my first structured bodies of work and establishing a creative foundation built on volume and persistence.
Notable releases from this period include:
Each release reflected where I was mentally and physically — raw, unfiltered, and driven by urgency rather than polish.
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Creative Process
The process during this era was entirely DIY. Songs were written through freestyles, Notes app drafts, and spontaneous recording sessions. Most recording was done at my mom’s house once I was allowed back home, often inside a bedroom closet converted into a makeshift booth.
When recording Rikk & Mortyy near the end of this era, we ran 24-hour studio sessions, sometimes working nonstop for entire days. The project had to be recorded three separate times due to computer crashes caused by limited equipment — a challenge that tested patience but reinforced discipline.
Influences during this period included Atlanta trap, Migos, Gunna, Lil Baby, Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, and J. Cole, alongside an emerging interest in space-themed and atmospheric sounds that would later define future projects.
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Performance & First Recognition
Live performance played a crucial role in transforming the music from private creation into public movement. I began performing at events I helped organize, often rapping at parties I was throwing at the time.
My first major performances took place at Click’s Live in Tyler, Texas — a venue that no longer exists. It was there that I first felt the shift from making music to being received. Hearing crowds repeat lyrics — especially the line “Come to Tyler where it’s hot” from “Rock Out” — marked the first moment where the music felt bigger than me.
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A Turning Point
Returning home after months away felt like a second chance. That sense of renewal, however, was complicated by real-world events.
On April 19, 2019, I survived a tragic shooting — an event that claimed the life of a close friend and permanently altered the trajectory of everyone involved. My perspective shifted. This experience marked a turning point, prompting me to redirect my art toward processing reality, grief, and survival.
The title track “4 Da Summer” was released as a direct response to the event, capturing the emotional aftermath in real time. What had once been instinctive creation began to carry deeper intention, signaling the beginning of a more conscious relationship between life and music.
By late 2019, the “Rock Out” music video signaled the close of the Emergence Era. Immediately afterward, work began on Rikk & Mortyy, marking a shift toward new themes, deeper reflection, and more intentional storytelling.
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Era Meaning
The Emergence Era represents creation born from necessity — shaped by faith, instability, community, and relentless output. It was a period of learning my voice in real time, building confidence through repetition, and proving that the music could exist beyond circumstances.
This era laid the foundation for everything that followed.
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