WordPlay

"A life without grind is a life defined of nothing” is a lyric hip-hop artist, poet and visionary WordPlay lives by. WordPlay was born and raised in Washington, DC by both of his parents, who were dedicated to masking the gruesome realities of his environment by being great examples. His father showed him how to take care of business and home with fewer resources than most. As music was a huge part of his upbringing, his father was also one of his greatest musical influences. His father religiously played classics by the greats like Miles Davis, Parliament Funkadelic, Donny Hathaway, Curtis Mayfield, Mobb Deep, Prince, Michael Jackson, and Gangstarr. While WordPlay learned to love music from his father, he acquired his love for hip-hop specifically from his mother who frequently played the likes of Dr. Dre, Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G., and Jay- Z.

In high school, WordPlay played the bass drum in his school’s marching band where he perfected his musicality and was even greater influenced. In 2006, WordPlay enrolled at Frostburg State University where he started writing his thoughts down in the form of poetry. He also started meeting people from different walks of life who shared one thing in common: the love of hip-hop. It was then WordPlay started opening up and began freestyling with his peers, and finessing his written poetry into raps. In 2008, he decided to leave school to pursue a career in music.

WordPlay has become notorious in the Washington, DC rap scene. His thought provoking lyrics, powerful delivery, and infectious performances make him a crowd favorite. WordPlay has performed in DC at Liv Nightclub, the UAU Open Mic, Red Lounge, Art Under Pressure, The Fillmore, The Lounge of Three, Annie’s Art Gallery, Ras Lounge, The Electric Maid, and Takoma Station to name a few. He has also performed in Philadelphia, PA. But he is most proud of his performance at the Welcome to GaRelaest showcase in 2013 because it was the first show where he was able to perform for both of his parents, without whom he would’ve never been introduced to music.