I love listening to music. It’s an obsession. My mom noticed my love for music at a very young age. She made sure that I heard Christian music playing at all times. Yes, I grew up in a very Pentecostal Christian home. Which means mom sheltered my brother and I. We weren’t allowed to listen to secular music also known as worldly music. Mom didn’t even listen to it, she walked the walk when she talked the talk. My mom did tell me when she was pregnant of me she would put ear phones on her belly. My dad influenced me with a lot of music as well. Growing up I didn’t know much music other than Christian music. I did get musical influence in elementary school when I wanted to join the band which was ok by my parents. At this times I wanted to play the flute and the piano.

When I would go with my dad to grandma’s house I would see my family specifically my cousins. I would get so excited to see my best friends. My family has always been into music. My dad use to sing in the church choir and he had a handsome voice. When I would spend the night at my Cousin Patty's house we would listen to oldies and talk oldies because that’s what our dads listened to. My cousin Raul and I would bump rap, hip hop and other music before it was all separated by genre. My cousin Raul was the best guy cousin and my closes, and my best girl cousin was my cousin Patty.

My dad’s family had a very big influence on my love for music. I use to hide a compact player and ear phones so I was able to listen to music. Everything was good in my ears. I loved to blast and bump my music and I didn’t care who was around or walking by. It’s as if I was lost in music love land and there was no way out. The only one I was afraid of was my mom (laughing).

I remember purchasing my first single by Crucial Conflict- Hay. I wasn’t old enough to purchase it but did. Thinking about it, I had no idea what the song was really talking about. I was in love the beat and rhythm. I was absolutely obsessed, and on repeat. The largest Hip-Hop was from the East Coast Grandmaster Flex RIP, Mobb Deep, Jam Master Jay, Kurtis Blow, DJ Kool Herc, Sugarhill Gang, whom I loved. At this time in the music era in the west coast, Bone Thug N Harmony were huge so I was obsessed with them, and also with Wu-Tang. Some songs that were and still are my favorite are, C.R.E.A.M, Protect Ya Neck, Gravel Pit, Shame On A Nigga, Triumph, Visionz; the W has a very special place in my heart. Circa 1992 is when I heard of them and have been in love with them since, my favorite is Method Man; I had posters of him all over my room (obsessed I wanted to meet him in real life, I still remember when I first saw them (Wu-Tang Clan) perform live, man what I would do to go back to that night and by the way I was too young to be listening to this music). Sunz Of Man The Plan, Killa Beez, 2 Pac, A Tribe Called Quest, the Pharcyde came out with Passing Me By another song I was obsessed with. The music back in the day was amazing and real. The rappers, the hip hoppers were insane and full of knowledge and spreading it. Lauryn Hill, Ice T, Cypress Hill, The Luniz, Naughty by Nature, Lil Troy, N2Deep, Dr. Dre, and NWA with their music coming with the realness of the lives they actually lived bringing it to life so the world would know what their real life challenges and dangers were and faced because they were a different color. Immortal Technique, Atmosphere, Geto Boys- my mind is playing tricks on me, another view of the struggle in the life in the per say ghetto, the hood, the ruff side in the heart of the gang lifestyle trying to survive or flipping out due to drugs however you interpret the song. Snoop Dog, and OutKast were also huge and popping my favorite song from them is Get up, Get out to this day I still bump it all loud. Run DMC, Digital Underground, Public Enemy, the Notorious B.I.G. I was in love with Eminem, not only as a rapper but also personally, I even carried a picture of him in my wallet for years. So many more music that influenced me and I have been in love with music all my life. And I don’t think that will ever go away. Music is my life, my obsession, my inner soul. I decided to stop listening to music for about two weeks and I thought I was going to die. At one time I owed over 600 cd’s my sisters were already claiming all my music if incase I died.

I strongly believe it was music amongst other things I experienced in life educated my mind and why I was drawn to Sociology and the inequalities and diversity of my surroundings. Hip-Hop and Rap became my stepping stone on how I viewed discrimination and inequality.