When I was growing up, several of my family members struggled with addiction problems. This, coupled with the untimely overdose passings of several underground rap artists in my junior year, prompted me to research what addiction was and how it affected mental health. Through my research, I came across several journals detailing how music could be used in rehab centers as a way to help with anxiety. People turn to music as a way to cope with their problems and emotions, and the type of music they are listening to can symbolize one’s current emotions. Through my research on addiction, I realized my music could also help someone going through emotional distress. 

​

My Junior/Senior project was a joint project with my best friend Isaac. We combined our passions for beat making and rap music in order to make an album about mental health, specifically targeting anxiety and depression/extreme sadness. We wanted to make a body of work that symbolized that everyone deals with their own struggles, considering the album a success if even one person listening felt moved or motivated by the project. We named it “Beyond the Pin” which is a triple entendre that represents the people we hope to provide good music for: ourselves, our school, and those who listen to songs for the emotions it elicits. Through my part in the project, I learned how to critique myself as well as broke my habit of procrastinating by realizing I am a goal-oriented person. By constantly having small tasks we set for ourselves to accomplish, songs were easier to complete, and this allowed us to manage our time very efficiently. 

​

My name is Ricardo and I am a senior at Chinquapin Preparatory School. I have had a passion for music throughout my life, exploring genres such as rap, bedroom pop, and classic rock. Listening to an album is like reading a book, following along a story and feeling the same emotions as the artist. When I made my first song several years ago, the euphoric feeling of listening to the finished product made me realize that I too could evoke emotion through a 3-minute song. The transition from listener to artist only furthered my passion for music, and for the latter part of high school, I have been experimenting with my own sound and furthering friendships through music. I intend to keep creating and pursuing my passion on the side as I further my education studying marketing in college.