We recently connected with Jerico Levi and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Jerico thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I would say that I first wanted to pursue an artistic path professionally when I was 16. I’ve been a musician since 11, but have been rapping since 14. When I was 16 I reconnected with my Dad. He put it in my head you can make a living from music. He gave me the book “All You Need To Know About The Music Business”. That’s when I started being set on getting a record deal, etc. That’s the same time I started actually recording songs, until then I was just writing. This was 2011. The next year my older brother who’s also a musician, told me about Bandcamp and SoundCloud. I started releasing mixtapes through those outlets, including DatPiff.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My Mom is a poet, and my Dad is a producer. I feel like my path was meant in a way. My blood cousin is Agerman, from the rap group 3X Krazy so music and equipment was always around. I’ve played the viola since 11. But rapping was sparked from my older brother Jordan, telling me and my friend he would become a rapper. At the time freestyling was popular, that was my entry. I write, produce, and engineer. I’ve recorded myself since 2014. I can’t say what problems I solve, I can only only speculate. I believe relatability in a way is problem solving, letting people know someone else is going through what you go through. What sets me apart is my story. Which is my own. Everyone’s story is unique and only you can tell it. I’m most proud of my output. I have over 400 songs on the internet. 300+ on DSPs. I want people to know that I am human. I bleed, cry, and will die just like everyone else. I don’t need a stage name, I don’t need to be cool, just honest. And if I say it in a song it’s true.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson I had to unlearn is that no one owes you anything in your creative path. I used to get mad at people not prioritizing my career. I had to learn no one cares about your career as much as you, so take it in your own hands. Record yourself. Edit yourself. You can learn pretty much anything on YouTube. Don’t blame anyone for anything. And don’t take anything personally. Also I had to learn to not lie in my music. There’s a different energy and spirit when you’re honest and you say something no one else could say but you.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding thing I can say is knowing someone is connecting with my music. Within myself, one of the most rewarding things is making a good song. But aside from that, it’s someone randomly messaging me saying they like what I’m doing. To think I sit in my room alone recording something, and it touches people around the world is crazy. Or when my friends and family say, “I remember that”. I mention things no one knows are true events unless they’re close to me. It’s like a timestamp. An audible time capsule. The music lives on, and it stays in the time period it was made. It’s your soul on record. The reward is the work, but also the connection.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2kmNcZnENs7N3DUuxjO3um
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerico6?igsh=MWVpZzNpM2sxM2docg==
- Twitter: https://x.com/jerico_levi
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@jericolevi4007?si=C-K45HdpElZQwPIx
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jerico48
- Other: https://songwhip.com/jerico4
Image Credits
Andrew Sierra
The Shade Films
Dane Foster