In seventh grade, senior Juniel Rodriguez was assigned a project with the option to make a rap. From that point, music and rapping has become a personal part of his life.

“One of the projects was to make a rap, and I did it and people liked it. I didn’t know it was going to stay with me. The rap was a joke at first, and then I started learning about pitch and flow and how to talk about different things. I learned how to rap on different beats then I just took off,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez has been rapping since he was eleven, but his Soundcloud career didn’t truly start until he was sixteen. High school was when he started taking it seriously and getting his name out there.

“I just want to further excel with the opportunities that are presented to me and opportunities that people give me. Soundcloud is a good platform to start. It’s a good way to get your name out there, but I don’t want to be seen as soundcloud rapper,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez does not want to be seen as the generic Soundcloud rapper, which is why he stresses multiple styles of music and genres hen he raps.

“I have multiple styles: I can be lyrical, I can rap with a fun vibe or I could just go off like Lil Pump and just say stupid stuff over a beat,” Rodriguez said. “I’m mainly lyrical. I tend to say stuff that can go over people’s heads, so when they listen to it again they’re like ‘Oh, he said this’.”

Rodriguez utilizes different styles by rapping about topics others can relate to.

“I tend to rap about my life, and things that people can feel comfortable with and associate with. Not struggle per say, I have dreams, you got dreams, I’m tryna buy my mom a crib, I’m trying to buy a Bentley, I’m tryna do all this.” Rodriguez said.

Although Rodriguez dislikes the stigma of Soundcloud rappers, being part of the community can have its perks, which is why Rodriguez has out of state friends through music.

“I know a few rappers around here, I know a few in New York and in California it’s a strong community, and I feel like it’s going to  grow and just get better from here,” Rodriguez said.

The behind-the-scene parts of making for music for Rodriguez deals with making beats, editing vocals and removing background noise. Once everything is put together, Rodriguez works from there.

Rodriguez hasn’t been active on his Soundcloud account in a while, but when he was, he had over 200 listens on his songs.

“I don’t really post on Soundcloud, I have like twenty to thirty followers, but the stuff that I do have, I have over two hundred listens and that’s pretty good for someone who rarely uses it,” Rodriguez said  “Overall, a lot of people know me from around the school that I do music and some people say I should do it more. I don’t really have a following but more of a recognition.