OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Growing up, Romero Hendrix was always influenced by the rap music of his big brother. It was that influence that first turned him on to other forms of music and made him interested in becoming a rapper. He had a natural ear for music, and his mother always encouraged him to pursue music because he had a unique and different sound.
Romero was always a laid-back, easy-going kid, and soon friends started calling him Mellow – a nickname that would stay with him even as he grew into an adult. When in 10th grade he began making his own raps, friends suggested to him that his raps were raw, and that he should adopt the name Mellow Raw as his stage name.
Today Mellowraw is one of the hottest rising young hip-hop artists in the Midwest. His singles “RWTS” and “Own Lane” have been creating a buzz in recent weeks, and are the precursors toward a digital mixtape called “I Dropped Out of College” that he hopes to release this summer.
That’s quite a journey for a young man who only first started doing music because of the feelings it elicited while hanging out with his brother.
“I just felt like it could be an escape from whatever I was going through,” Mellowraw said. “It was a new feeling. It made me forget about a lot of things – like the violence that surrounded me while I was growing up and the feelings of animosity toward my father because he left home.”
Today Mellowraw said he hopes his music will inspire others to push past the challenges in their lives and embrace their individuality.
“I just want people to know that no matter what you’re going through, there’s something you can find or create that can help you get to another place,” he said. “I also hope my music motivates people to be themselves, no matter what they’re doing. They could be playing basketball or trying to be creative – not matter what it is, just do it how you do it.”
His most recent single “Own Lane” is a statement piece that describes exactly that idea. He said it’s a song that’s basically about “doing you in whatever lane you’re in.” He said he uses the metaphor of a highway with a slow lane, middle lane and fast lane to describe the different walks of like each person finds themselves in at different times of their lives.
“Whichever lane you’re in, just continue to do you,” he said. “Keep moving forward. It’s all about being yourself.”
To listen to Mellowraw’s music, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links:
Soundcloud: MellowRaw
Instagram: @MellowRaw
Twitter: @Yungdulcet
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