A lot of emerging artists trying to stake their claim in the music industry. It takes a lot of risks to put their heart and soul out there through their music. William Loftin, or best known as the emerging Louisiana-based rapper Rookie2x, only had one goal in mind: for his voice to be heard. He swore to himself that he would work day in and day out to make his dream work.
Rookie2x used to be part of a group called B.O.$., but has decided to go solo last December. At 26 and with little industry experience compared to other artists his age, he recalled the struggles of establishing his brand as a musician.
As with all coming independent songwriters, Rookie2x was very hands-on with the production of all his masterpieces. His team records, mixes, and masters the songs in his studio while personally shooting his music videos on his phone. There are times as well where he would do all the editing to make sure that he gets the results that he wants for a particular song.
When he released his debut single Intro, he had to make do with a meager budget of $2,200 for marketing, only to be scammed by a guy on Instagram who was impersonating renowned producer/A&R executive WillStylz. The man was able to take away most of his money, so all he had was an even smaller amount to tell people about his first-ever single.
Although a harrowing experience, it didn’t break Rookie2x’s spirits. Instead, it motivated him to gain as many connections as possible and turn his luck around. Fortunately, he was featured by several significant rap blogs such as DjIceberg, ThisIs50, Source, RespectMag, among others. He valued the great friends he gained from the industry and have managed to expand his network because of his admirable humility and hard work.
Despite his already booming career, Rookie2x admits that his music is far from the stereotypical industry standards. If you listen to his songs carefully, it contains some punchlines and metaphors that would make you have to replay the songs numerous times to grasp the message.
Music became his outlet. When Rookie2x opens his mouth in front of the microphone, nothing else matters. It’s just him and his burning desire to share his voice with anyone who wants to listen. He recalls his past and even considered himself a lost kid who eventually was found—because of music.
For the past months, Rookie2x believed in himself as no one else ever did. He didn’t hesitate to invest on himself, and managed to get his very own YouTube Artist Channel, Verified Spotify, Artist Account on Instagram as well as Facebook, among many others.
He considered the music industry like a lottery where one has to lose a lot to win more. Fortunately for him, all the heartaches, disloyalty, and hatred that was translated in his music became a much more satisfying win eventually. With all these and the exciting opportunities ahead of him, he stands out for being one of the very few artists who don’t hesitate to connect with every single person who listens to his voice.
Rookie2x teaches us to always reach for our goal. His hard work, determination, and belief for his craft were enough for him to beat all odds to climb his way up in the music industry.
Don’t miss out on Rookie2x’s latest singles by following him on Spotify. You can also follow him on Instagram and subscribing to his YouTube channel. Rookie2x also has a website you can visit at www.rookie2x.com.
