Hip-hop is more than just a genre of music. It is a musical culture sweeping the music industry with rhythm, art, poetry, and music. From remixes to cross-genre mash-ups, hip-hop has provided musicians with ample space to be at their creative best. Ritchelli Rodriguez is a fresh new star in the New York hip-hop scene who has gained crazy popularity in just a few months. The artist is only 21 and has already made it to the Billboard Hot 100 in 2021.
Ritchelli’s story starts as a young child. He grew up seeing his father regretting not fulfilling his dream of becoming a musician because he failed to realize his passion. Ritchelli found his interest in music while listening to his father play different musical instruments as a pastime. As his passion for music grew and intensified, Ritchelli inherited his father’s unfulfilled dream but was adamant about turning it into a reality. Under his father’s tutelage, Ritchelli became a master of musical instruments. By the time he reached college, he was able to play almost any instrument known to mainstream music.
Growing up in New York, the cradle of hip-hop, it was only natural for Ritchelli to be fascinated with this genre. Fearing he might have regrets later in life like his father, Ritchelli dropped out of college to chase his passion for music. He never wanted to follow the traditional path of obtaining a degree and securing a job. To him, it was like a labyrinth that would trap him forever, ruining his dreams of becoming a hip-hop artist.
It was initially difficult for him to penetrate an industry that was already oversaturated with talent. He worked hard to hone his skills and discover his unique voice and style. Ritchelli always wanted to distinguish himself from the crowd, so he never mindlessly chased trends. He looked at music as a way to express his feelings and connect with like-minded people. Instead of running after labels to launch him, he took to social media to find his audience.
Ritchelli used his Facebook account to publish a few vocal tracks that he penned during his college days. It did not get the expected response, but Ritchelli noticed something positive. The number of views started increasing from double digits to triple digits. This encouraged him to compose music independently. He could not afford to record at a professional studio, but whatever he and his father could improvise at home was enough to kick start his career. His independent debut single “Midnight Thrills” was all the rage on Facebook. Within a few weeks, influencers started recreating the song as dance covers and background scores for their videos. This overwhelming response motivated Ritchelli to start his YouTube channel and also register with Spotify and Apple music.
Within a few months, Ritchelli became a music sensation on social media, with labels scouting him to sign a deal. His second single, “Trapped World,” was listed in the Billboard Top 100 chart. He has already started getting offers from popular artists around the globe to collaborate, but he doesn’t want to make any impulsive decisions. Ritchelli understands the music industry and its trends, so he wants to make well-thought-out choices about his future projects. He is working hard on his skills and is optimistic about creating more unique and fresh hip-hop tracks for his audience in the coming years.