Drawing inspiration from life, Collins blends his reality with abstract illusions to express his truths through his music.  “The way I like to write, narratives weave in and out of each other and reality and fantasy. Something that happened in real life might be used as inspiration to weave a tale intertwined with fantasy that serves as a metaphor for another actual real life thing.”  Collins’ world percussive influence effortlessly finds its way into his work, helping guide the narratives of each song. Floating between Evanston and Chicago, Collins has utilized the city’s energy and creative community as a means for inspiration and motivation.  “There’s so much good art and so many amazing people in and around Chicago. So much to learn and do and experience... living close to where a lot of the artists I listen to are, when you see them its like ‘damn, that’s them’.  Makes you support a little harder.”  Creative environments have a huge impact on the work an artist produces, and Collins has clear Chicago influences in the way he composes and records his music.  With the Chicago music scene flooded with new artists, Collins’ unique world flare and soulful records set him apart from other artists in this genre, reaching crowds all over the world.

Picked up by an independent label his senior year of high school, Collins was able to turn his passion for music and poetry into a career, taking him around the world as a touring rap artist.  “All I wanted to do was make music all day every day, so then for that to be what I was SUPPOSED to be doing all day every day was motivating and inspiring…  I’m very grateful to have been able to start when I did.”  With a background in African and Brazilian percussion, Collins has evolved from self-produced hip hop mix-tapes, to full length rap records.  “I started learning to rap in grade school, and put out mixtapes in high school. I want to make music that weaves electronic and organic elements together like a house built into a hill or something.” As a multi instrumentalist, Collins’ songwriting process unfolds differently each time.  “Sometimes I write songs on guitar first, piano, drums, sometimes bass... sometimes I start with a written hook, and build the song around it. Sometimes I start with the beat, still making the hook first, and work from there. Other times, I’ll write a song, take it apart, and repurpose the pieces.”