Medina never allowed his tribulations to prevent him from reaching his goals. Forced to raise his siblings alone at a young age and live homeless at times, he survived a turbulent past and found strength in his ability to analyze life and create music. He served as a ghost writer for several prominent rappers, got his music placed on the Cartoon Network and is preparing to release his album, Even Superman Dies. Medina recently spoke with rolling out about his music, the shadiness of the industry and why hip-hop needs a change. –amir shaw
You worked with several prominent artists as a ghost writer. What was the good and bad of that experience?
It’s what you make of it. To be a ghost writer in hip-hop, you have to earn your stripes. And you earn your stripes by getting jacked. Some of the best ghost writers didn’t get a chance to put their music out. I didn’t grow up wanting to be a ghost writer. I was pursuing a solo career, and a lot of people liked my work. My strong suit was writing hooks. People began noticing me, but I was blind to a lot of things that come to being a ghost writer.
What have you learned most about the music industry?
A lot of it is just like the dope game. Producers are smart, so they’ll give you $5,000 to work on a project. They want you to do as much work for cash as possible without involving paper work. I had to learn that money was not the end all be all. Rappers get enthralled by $20,000. But you need to be given credit for what you do. Nobody is a victim in this game. Whether you know the rules or not, you’re still held accountable.
How can your words inspire change in hip-hop?
I am the door to the new hip-hop. The ghetto loves me because they trust me. I have proven my love for the ghetto through my sacrifice. My speech is personified through my actions. My story is a story of redemption. So, when I speak to the ghetto, it’s not just mere words. It’s the Word. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. My struggle has given me the ability to transform lives, and I plan to do so.
