Raheem

It amazes me how often I hear that El Paso, Texas has nothing to offer, especially when it comes to music. I remember as a child growing up out here the robust sounds and rhythms that I could be heard throughout the city. Music is an vital part of El Paso and the people here love it. Most people will probably argue that if music is found here that it’s only Tejano and Mariachis, yet every year festivals are hosted featuring artist (right from this city) from all musical genres. This past fall during an AIDS Awareness event that the Black Student Union from the University of Texas at El Paso held, I was able to meet a plethora of musical talent from R&B soul music to Hip Hop and one artist stood out a little more than the rest because of his soulful, smooth and rich rap lyrics and sound.

22 year old Raheem Bos was born and raised in El Paso, Texas and embarked on his music career in at the age of 11 when he began to put the lyrics flowing from his heart to paper and at 11 he realized that music was what he wanted to pursue fulltime. When I asked Raheem what ultimately fall in love with and choose to do music he said it allowed him to have a connection with his father whom he had lost when he was only 3 years old and therefore never got to really know. The conversation about his father continued as he told me that both his mother and father were rappers during the 80’s. Raheem said that he stumbled across his father’s “rhyme book” and 4-track tapes of his recorded pieces and as he listened and read he became more and more inspired to follow in his father’s footsteps and find his own sound. I was curious as to whether or not Raheem felt as if his music and sound was anything like his father’s and he told me that what connected them both was the substance behind their music. Both artists are very community oriented and strive to empower and uplift their communities through their music. It’s not just party music or feel good music it is life music; it’s a form of inspiration. Raheem’s first ever performance was done at Veteran’s Park in El Paso (one of the most important days of his life he says). He also performed weekly at El Paso’s Club Envy before it switched ownership and became Freelons, and he has performed at the 311 club in Austin during the 2013 SXSW.

Raheem describes his sound as experimental because he loves to merge sounds and techniques from different genres to make something new and fresh and still make it fit into the Hip Hop genre. Some of Raheem’s musical “mentors”/inspirations are Kanye West whom “because of his unique artistic style and sound.” Raheem stated that “you immediately know a Kanye song when you hear it.” He also draws inspiration from Prince for this same reason. Though he didn’t speak much about his next inspiration musically he said that he draws from him because of his business mindset and success and that is Jay-Z. The most surprising of his musical inspirations to me was The Rat Pack. I had to joke with Raheem about being too young to even know the group but he said that for him music past and present are important in discovering and finding his sound and that The Rat Pack surpassed the ideal of coolness and knew how to stay smooth and cool even with their vast fame and popularity.

Of all of his tracks that he has out right now, I asked him which one did he feel really gave an insight and introduction into him as an artist and was a MUST listen to. The track he named is titled “GOSSIP.” According to Raheem “it’s a song that everybody can relate to because it talks truthfully about gossip and how it spreads. All of the rumor examples mentioned in the song are actually things that have been said about me from time to time, HAHA. Plus it has that smooth soulful feel that everyone can vibe to.” I can attest to that fact because it was one of the songs he performed the night I first saw him.

For Raheem no music is off limits. He is currently working on a track that has a grunge feel to it; a little Nirvana “About A Girl” type of feel. Raheem’s music can be found and downloaded at www.915movement.com/raheembos, www.soundcloud.com/yung_bos and www.reverbnation.com/officialraheem. Speaking with Raheem, listening to his music, and seeing him perform is like be in the presence of a story teller. His music is more than just loud beats and a hot mix, it says something. One thing that bothers me the most about music these days (especially Hip Hop music) is how sexualized and violent it has become. How many big bootie hoes and guns does a person need and does society really believe that these things makes music and people note worthy. I miss the days when the Humpty Dance and Dear Mama or Juicy (Biggie’s version) were hot. That was music. And sure these artists may have talked about sex and there may have been violence in their lyrics but it was predominant. They rapped about life. They were humble and cared about their communities not just their pockets. If you are like me - The St8ge Blog

It amazes me how often I hear that El Paso, Texas has nothing to offer, especially when it comes to music. I remember as a child growing up out here the robust sounds and rhythms that I could be heard throughout the city. Music is an vital part of El Paso and the people here love it. Most people will probably argue that if music is found here that it’s only Tejano and Mariachis, yet every year festivals are hosted featuring artist (right from this city) from all musical genres. This past fall during an AIDS Awareness event that the Black Student Union from the University of Texas at El Paso held, I was able to meet a plethora of musical talent from R&B soul music to Hip Hop and one artist stood out a little more than the rest because of his soulful, smooth and rich rap lyrics and sound.

22 year old Raheem Bos was born and raised in El Paso, Texas and embarked on his music career in at the age of 11 when he began to put the lyrics flowing from his heart to paper and at 11 he realized that music was what he wanted to pursue fulltime. When I asked Raheem what ultimately fall in love with and choose to do music he said it allowed him to have a connection with his father whom he had lost when he was only 3 years old and therefore never got to really know. The conversation about his father continued as he told me that both his mother and father were rappers during the 80’s. Raheem said that he stumbled across his father’s “rhyme book” and 4-track tapes of his recorded pieces and as he listened and read he became more and more inspired to follow in his father’s footsteps and find his own sound. I was curious as to whether or not Raheem felt as if his music and sound was anything like his father’s and he told me that what connected them both was the substance behind their music. Both artists are very community oriented and strive to empower and uplift their communities through their music. It’s not just party music or feel good music it is life music; it’s a form of inspiration. Raheem’s first ever performance was done at Veteran’s Park in El Paso (one of the most important days of his life he says). He also performed weekly at El Paso’s Club Envy before it switched ownership and became Freelons, and he has performed at the 311 club in Austin during the 2013 SXSW.

Raheem describes his sound as experimental because he loves to merge sounds and techniques from different genres to make something new and fresh and still make it fit into the Hip Hop genre. Some of Raheem’s musical “mentors”/inspirations are Kanye West whom “because of his unique artistic style and sound.” Raheem stated that “you immediately know a Kanye song when you hear it.” He also draws inspiration from Prince for this same reason. Though he didn’t speak much about his next inspiration musically he said that he draws from him because of his business mindset and success and that is Jay-Z. The most surprising of his musical inspirations to me was The Rat Pack. I had to joke with Raheem about being too young to even know the group but he said that for him music past and present are important in discovering and finding his sound and that The Rat Pack surpassed the ideal of coolness and knew how to stay smooth and cool even with their vast fame and popularity.

Of all of his tracks that he has out right now, I asked him which one did he feel really gave an insight and introduction into him as an artist and was a MUST listen to. The track he named is titled “GOSSIP.” According to Raheem “it’s a song that everybody can relate to because it talks truthfully about gossip and how it spreads. All of the rumor examples mentioned in the song are actually things that have been said about me from time to time, HAHA. Plus it has that smooth soulful feel that everyone can vibe to.” I can attest to that fact because it was one of the songs he performed the night I first saw him.

For Raheem no music is off limits. He is currently working on a track that has a grunge feel to it; a little Nirvana “About A Girl” type of feel. Raheem’s music can be found and downloaded at www.915movement.com/raheembos, www.soundcloud.com/yung_bos and www.reverbnation.com/officialraheem. Speaking with Raheem, listening to his music, and seeing him perform is like be in the presence of a story teller. His music is more than just loud beats and a hot mix, it says something. One thing that bothers me the most about music these days (especially Hip Hop music) is how sexualized and violent it has become. How many big bootie hoes and guns does a person need and does society really believe that these things makes music and people note worthy. I miss the days when the Humpty Dance and Dear Mama or Juicy (Biggie’s version) were hot. That was music. And sure these artists may have talked about sex and there may have been violence in their lyrics but it was predominant. They rapped about life. They were humble and cared about their communities not just their pockets. If you are like me - The St8ge Blog