What’s your name and where are you from?
My name is Jerry Riobe, from Brooklyn, NY. I was born in Coney Island on October 19th, 1995. My mom eventually moved us to Philadelphia in 2006. I would say Brooklyn raised me but Philly made me who I am today. I’m always back and forth between the two though so it’s cool. A lot of people don’t know this but I’m also Haitian, I can speak a little bit of creole but nothing crazy.
Why do you love what you do? ———-
I love being able to express myself and thoughts through making music. To me there’s no better way of letting your emotions out because keeping them in only can make things worse. I don’t believe in paying someone to listen to your feelings but I do believe you should talk to someone when you going through something and for me that’s music. I been through a lot in my life and being able to express my pain through sound is a blessing. My mother passed away in 2021 and every day up until that point was hell for me because of her ongoing illness. I promised myself I would never give up on my dream of pursuing music after she passed away. Even if I don’t make millions of dollars from music that’s ok with me as long as I can make a living from it. It would hurt me more if I didn’t try and then look back on it with regret. You only get one life so I’ll choose my passion over money any day. As long as I’m not broke and I’m healthy I wouldn’t complain.
What makes you different? ———-
I am different because I have a very unique story to tell. Also being born in Brooklyn but growing up in Philly allows me to tell a story from different perspectives, those are two great hip hop cities and environments. Both have also molded me into being the person I am today. I also think my versatility allows me to be different and tell these stories in unorthodox ways. You never know what vibe you will get from me on a track, for some this can be a blessing or a curse. Many of my peers believe you should establish a lane before you venture off but I don’t believe that. As a creator I vibe with a beat and the beat usually tells me how to approach creating the song. I never have a pre set way of creating art and that’s what makes my art different.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? ———-
In 5 years I see myself as one of the most recognized musicians in the world and to also have a big fashion presence. I don’t try to sound like any other artist and from the feedback I have received I’m on the right path. It’s just gettin the music heard by the right people and being consistent. I’m a big critique of my own music and I know my music is hard. It’s just only a matter of time before the world catch on and when they do it’s up.
What do you want to accomplish in life? ———-
I want to become a legend in music. Like Grammys on top of Grammys type stuff. I also want to get into acting as well, that would be pretty dope. I always wanted to challenge myself in that way and see how I would perform. Giving back to the community is also something that I would like to do but in a bigger way, something very impactful. My mom was always into that so that’s something I would wanna do, I know it would make her proud.
What do you bring to your industry? ———-
I bring versatility into the industry by being able to use my voice as an instrument to create a lot of different sounds and melodies. Also, I am very much into fashion and can see myself becoming very influential in that regard. I think growing up in New York really instilled a certain need to or want to buy into fashion from a young age. Philly has its own unique fashion scene as well which I have adapted to in certain ways but keeping my own style. I got like a New York/Philly type of swag I’ll say and I’m proud of that. I don’t think that’s something you see much as far as dressing wise. I could be very quiet but my outfit gon speak for itself and I think that’s very important trait to have in the industry.
What do you want to be remembered by? ———-
I want to be remembered for my music and philanthropy work. I’m very competitive and passionate about my music so I would definitely want to go down as one of the all time greats. I want to be remembered for my versatility and never knowing what you’ll get from me on a record. I want my fans to have songs to listen to when they wanna get fly, turn up, feeling down, heartbreak, whatever. It’s really important to me that I connect with people through my music and my voice. Like I said before my voice is an instrument and I really think that’s a powerful tool that will take me a long way. As a fan of music I really appreciate an artists ability to use their voice to do things others can’t, especially on ad libs. Whether it be harmonizing, singing or just making weird sound effects that fit nicely, I notice those things and I hope my listeners notice that too.
About the Creator
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Meet Stanford Reid
What’s your name and where are you from? My name is Stanford Reid, and I’m originally from Baltimore Maryland. I spent my formative years in Atlanta Georgia and lived in NYC for 5 years before traveling to Vietnam for a festival performance and remaining there as a full time musician from 2016 - 2021.
By Sarah Blessing3 years ago in Motivation
Empty Your Mind
In a small town surrounded by green hills and endless fields, there lived a young boy named Ayaan. From the outside, his life seemed normal. He went to school, helped his father in the shop, and played cricket with his friends in the evenings. But inside his mind, there was a storm that never seemed to rest. Ayaan was always thinking. He thought about his exams, about what others said about him, about mistakes he made years ago, and about fears that had not even happened yet. When he lay in bed at night, his body was tired, but his mind was wide awake. It replayed old conversations, imagined future failures, and whispered doubts into his heart. “What if I fail?” “What if I am not good enough?” “What if everyone leaves me behind?” The more he thought, the heavier he felt. One day, after failing an important test, Ayaan felt completely defeated. He avoided his friends and locked himself in his room. His thoughts became louder than ever. It felt like his mind was a crowded market where everyone was shouting at the same time. That evening, his grandfather came to visit. His grandfather was a quiet man with silver hair and calm eyes. He had lived a long life and carried a peaceful presence wherever he went. He noticed Ayaan’s silence and knocked gently on his door. “Can I come in?” he asked softly. Ayaan nodded. They sat together without speaking for a while. The room was still, and only the sound of birds returning to their nests could be heard from outside. Finally, the old man spoke. “Your mind is too full.” Ayaan looked confused. “Full of what?” “Full of noise,” his grandfather replied. “And when the mind is full, the heart cannot breathe.” Ayaan sighed. “But I cannot stop thinking. My mind never listens to me.” His grandfather smiled. “Then stop trying to control it. Instead, learn to empty it.” “Empty it?” Ayaan asked. “How?” The old man stood up and brought a glass of water from the kitchen. He filled it to the very top. The water almost spilled. “Now,” he said, “add more water.” “I can’t,” Ayaan replied. “It will overflow.” “Exactly,” his grandfather said. “Your mind is like this glass. It is so full of worries and fears that there is no space for clarity. If you want peace, you must empty it first.” “But how do I empty my mind?” Ayaan asked again. The grandfather placed the glass on the table and said, “Close your eyes.” Ayaan hesitated but obeyed. “Take a slow breath,” the old man instructed. “Feel the air entering your lungs. Now let it go. Do not fight your thoughts. Just watch them. Let them come and let them pass.” At first, Ayaan felt restless. His thoughts were racing as usual. But his grandfather’s voice was steady and calm. “Imagine your thoughts as clouds,” he continued. “You are not the clouds. You are the sky. Clouds come and go, but the sky remains.” For the first time, Ayaan noticed something strange. His thoughts were still there, but they felt a little less powerful. He was observing them instead of drowning in them. After a few minutes, his grandfather said, “Open your eyes.” Ayaan felt lighter, even though nothing in his life had changed. “That is the beginning,” his grandfather said. “Emptying your mind does not mean removing every thought. It means not holding onto them.” From that day on, Ayaan practiced sitting in silence for a few minutes every morning and night. At first, it was difficult. Some days, his mind felt even louder than before. But slowly, something began to shift. He started noticing the space between his thoughts. When he failed a small quiz, the familiar fear tried to rise again. But this time, he paused. He took a breath. He watched the fear like a cloud drifting by. He realized something important: his thoughts were not facts. They were just stories his mind created. Weeks passed, and people began noticing a change in Ayaan. He was calmer during exams. He listened more and reacted less. When his friends argued, he did not get pulled into the drama. There was a quiet strength in him. One afternoon, a friend asked, “How are you so relaxed all the time?” Ayaan smiled. “I stopped fighting my thoughts.” The friend laughed. “That makes no sense.” “It didn’t to me either,” Ayaan replied. “But when your mind is empty, you can see clearly.” One day, his grandfather took him to the hills outside the town. They sat on a rock overlooking the valley. The wind was gentle, and the sky stretched endlessly above them. “Look at the sky,” his grandfather said. “Does it worry about the clouds?” “No,” Ayaan answered. “Does it try to chase them away?” “No.” “It simply allows them to pass,” the old man said. “That is its power.” Ayaan understood now. He had spent years trying to control everything—his results, people’s opinions, the future. But control was an illusion. The more he tried to grab onto his thoughts, the more they controlled him. By learning to empty his mind, he was not becoming careless. He was becoming aware. He still studied hard. He still made mistakes. He still felt fear sometimes. But those feelings no longer ruled him. One night, as he lay in bed, his mind began to replay an embarrassing moment from school. Before, it would have kept him awake for hours. But now, he simply noticed it. “That’s just a thought,” he whispered to himself. He took a slow breath. The thought faded. For the first time in years, he fell asleep with a smile. Months later, Ayaan passed his exams with good marks. But what made him truly happy was not the result—it was the peace he had found. On his grandfather’s birthday, Ayaan gave him a simple gift: an empty glass. The old man looked at it and smiled knowingly. “I finally understand,” Ayaan said. “An empty glass is not useless. It is ready.” His grandfather nodded. “Yes. An empty mind is not weak. It is powerful. It is open to wisdom.” As the years went by, Ayaan carried this lesson into every part of his life. When he faced challenges, he did not panic. When he achieved success, he did not become arrogant. He knew that everything—good or bad—was like a cloud passing through the sky of his awareness. And whenever life felt overwhelming, he returned to the simplest practice: close his eyes, breathe deeply, and let his mind become still. Because he had learned the greatest secret of all: Peace is not found by adding more to your life. It is found by emptying what does not serve you. And in that emptiness, he discovered something beautiful — a quiet space where fear had no voice, where doubt had no power, and where the heart could finally breathe freely.
By The best writer about an hour ago in Motivation
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