Oscar IV is a 20 years old artist who is following his passion for music while serving in the military. Born in Westerly, Rhode Island, the Kenyan American Hip Hop artist has released his debut album titled “Reflection, Sincerely” on major music platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud. Growing up, he was one of the few mixed kids in a mostly white neighborhood. What actually opened up his horizons was joining the army which made him travel all over the country and even out of it. Since Oscar is currently serving in the Army, he is creating music independently.
We got in touch with Oscar to know more about his music journey and his latest album.
Interviewer: Give us a brief about your background.
Oscar IV: I was born and raised in the 401, Rhode Island. Growing up on the coast meant a lot to me and now I can't go more than a couple months without seeing a beach. My mother was born in Nairobi, Kenya so I have strong cultural ties there, I plan on learning Swahili and visiting in the next couple years. Ain't nothing to do where i'm from really but do drugs and get food (in that order). That's why one of my ultimate goals is to open up youth centers around my state. I want the children to have a little more direction than what was afforded to me and my classmates.
Interviewer: What/Who inspired you to become a Hip Hop artist?
Oscar IV: My very first role model in the music world was Logic. Through him paying homage on his early tapes to artists like Kanye, Nas and Biggie I did my own research and fell in love with the genre. Now, to actually pick up a mic and use it I have to thank Dizzy Wright and Saba, those are the main ones nowadays. Absolute legends.
Interviewer: How do you manage to make music while working in the army?
Oscar IV: It's not easy, that's for sure. You get duties all the time in this occupation and 'your time' isn't your time. Luckily I don't need to sit down and be dedicated to the computer screen for hours in order to be productive. Like any big task in life, I chip away at it and strike when the iron is hot. Inspiration is key in any art form and hip-hop is no different. All that said, it gets cumbersome trying to fit all the work into a small time period, what's on my mind is 5 years from now, when all my hard work pays off.
Interviewer: How was your childhood like?
Oscar IV: I was born in a small town as one of the few mixed kids. I was never bullied or anything like that, but where ignorance is found, hatred is too and I know there were people that didn't mess with me or hated me just because who I was. I joined the army and they sent me all over the country (and out of it) which opened my eyes to a lot. It's all love for the people back home though!
Interviewer: What message you want to convey with your music?
Oscar IV: I wouldn't say I have one singular message to say with my music, but if I had to choose the main one it's that we are all one. Universal consciousness, kinetic mind, however you want to call it; we are all one entity on our individual human experiences in an attempt to grow and learn. That is why I preach positivity, love, happiness, and truth.
Interviewer: Will you be signing up with labels in the future or continue working as an independent artist?
Oscar IV: I have heard too many stories of 360 deals and rappers getting tunnel vision from the advance money that’s why I'm really cautious about signing any document. Especially since my life is currently signed away in the military lol, I think I've learned my lesson. That being said if the money is right, I get creative control and keep my masters, might be hard to pass up.
Media Contact
Company Name: Oscar IV - Artist
Contact Person: Raymond White
Email:Send Email
Country: United States
Website: www.instagram.com/itzrayyo/
