Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shane Boyce. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Shane, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Rap has been around me for as long as I could remember, and I’ve been a student of it for the same amount of time. I like to joke that my mom planted the seeds without knowing what she was doing. For Valentines Day in 2005, she got me The Documentary and let me play it on repeat using her CD Player. Rap was also the last thing I remember my uncle doing before he passed. After that, a few of my cousins and I all began writing raps. I was always the one who sat out, too shy to share what I wrote because I didn’t feel it was good/as good as what my cousins were writing. But you can ask my aunt Akia, who saw me sit at the kitchen table in our home at the time, the potential was there. I was determined to be good at rapping. What makes a good rapper, in my opinion is real life experience, knowledge, and the creativity to make it digestible, a good storyteller, things like that. I would say my fear of success has gotten in the way of me learning more and being an even better rapper/songwriter than I am now. It is important to devote time to the craft you believe in. Fear can be a good thing. Fear can work in your favor. I’m learning that with each step take towards managing it better and pursuing my career as a rapper/songwriter.

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.

I began taking writing and rapping out-loud seriously in 2018. My good friend Artivist and I had played around with the idea of working together for a few years, and then I finally found the courage to rap for him. Immediately, he told me to come to his house so we can begin working. We would record once a week or more if time permitted, just honing our craft—pushing each other to be better. That’s my foundation. I would rap about my life; I was always good at detailing and using descriptive words—painting a picture with those words, making it easy for the listener to follow along. And this is what I bring to the table as a rapper/songwriter. In telling my story, I let my listeners know that they are not alone. I offer insight to what they may be going through, because I’ve been there. Words are some of the most powerful things known to man. They’re spells, really. That’s why those who can do this at a high level can impact so many lives. I intend to do the same. Shift the narrative, inspire change, reach the hearts of those who may need it. My brand is love, passion, knowledge, wisdom. Love is at the center of everything that I do. In my journey, I share the things that I am most passionate about. Knowledge is gained through living, reading, getting an understanding of the world around you. Wisdom is attained through real life application of that knowledge; asking questions, questioning your own thinking and existing schools of thought.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I believe we’re in an era of open minds. Which is beautiful because that would mean society is listening, learning, and searching for something new. With social media making things so easy to connect with your favorite creative/get an inside look on what’s to come, fans have an opportunity to support their favorites like never before. With my field being music, I can offer my listeners the chance to further support by posting when I’ll have an upcoming show, or by posting my Bancamp link where listeners can purchase the music, merchandise, etc. From an artists perspective, we “feed” our supporters. They can let us know how the food came out and if they’d like more.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

A few, yes. My main goal when I began taking music seriously was to learn about myself, be the person I always knew I was but kept under wraps because I struggle with a fear of success, and inevitably help others who find themselves bound by the same chains. I want to shift the narrative not only around hip-hop being a dying art, but in my community also—be a mentor of sorts, where I speak to the youth and some of their elders. I want to create a safe space, let people know they’re not alone. And music is the perfect engine for that.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/_ShaneTheShaman
• Twitter: twitter.com/_ShaneTheShaman

Image Credits
Miguel Melo Brandon Grant Christopher Cruz Ayana Boyce Shane Boyce @humblemanproductions