|
Listen to this article here
|
Fresh from the BET Hip Hop Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California, Jamla / Roc Nation artist Reuben Vincent chopped it up with The Black Wall Street Times to talk about his experience.
Photo Courtesy: Ezekiel Walker. The Black Wall Street Times.
“To perform there was the fulfillment of my inner child,” Reuben Vincent
“I grew up on the BET Hip Hop Awards.”
Vincent continued, “I vividly remember seeing Lil Wayne rap, I loved the cyphers, and Ye and G.O.O.D. Music in those Rosewood suits — it was everything for me.”
“To be on the stage as an up-and-coming artist still getting his name out there and for BET to embrace me really fed my inner child and then on top of that, it was dope because my trailer was right next to Bow Wow,” said Vincent.
“When we were little everybody wanted to be Bow Wow.” Reminiscing with a smile, he said, “I was able to chop it up with him and give him his flowers in that moment.”
Asked about his mindset before rocking the mic, he replied, “For me, the performance and my overall goal is to put a stamp on where I’m from.”
“I put on for east Charlotte; same for my roots in Liberia.”
Asked what he’d take with him from the BET Hip Hop Awards experience, Vincent replied, “seeing LL Cool J perform like he’s twenty-something was a big thing for me.”
He continued, “It reminded me of how important habits are and how to carry yourself, daily regiments, and breath control. As an artist who wants to have a long legacy, it was important for me the benefits of taking care of yourself day by day.”
“I’m being better with what I eat and do so when they have a 30 year Reuben Vincent tribute show I can still go on stage and rock,” said Vincent.
The 22-year-old ascending star has a perspective rooted in timing over trends. “As an artist, you’re always going to develop.” He states, “You’re always going to get better and that perspective will always change with growth.”
Vincent said, “I think it’s about being present in the moment. I know that’s going to continue to keep me level-headed while I move up and evolve.”
Vincent says he’s enjoying the journey and allowing the destination to reveal itself through his maturation on and off mic.
“I’m not the same kid as I was when I started rapping at 17.”
He added, “When I was 17, I was honest in my music but I was still trying to prove that I could rap. Now everybody knows I can rap.”
“It’s more about painting a picture,” said the artist.
Vincent clarified, “I can be vulnerable and honest about certain things that I might not necessarily have been comfortable talking about before. I look at it like a therapy session.”
The east side emcee explained, “Whether good days or bad, when you look back it’s not really bad at all, it’s just the human experience. My goal is to reflect those human experiences.”
Hello World, it’s the boy
Reuben Vincent released his debut album, Love Is War, in January.
It is available on Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, and all other music streaming platforms.
Follow Reuben Vincent’s journey on Instagram.