WokstarOTR is an artist, model, and engineer from Elgin, IL. He is also a member of Trust The Energy, a collective of artists in Elgin. Growing up, he listened to a lot of hip-hop and r&b music. He enjoys listening to rap as well as melodic music. Wokstar says that his mom probably had the biggest influence on his love of music, between introducing him to a variety of artists and supporting him as he started to find his own sound. He says that she helped him with buying beats and studio time, which pushed him to learn engineering on his own. His whole family was musically inclined, and he grew up singing at church, so the path was already paved for him to start making a name for himself in the music industry.
Outside of his own family, he cites A$AP Rocky and Lil Wayne as his biggest inspirations. While Lil Wayne has been a long-time favorite of his, he loved the innovation that A$AP has brought to the table, with unmatched confidence in both his fashion style and his music. Wokstar also says that he finds inspiration in himself, seeing how he can learn and grow from his past. When he expresses messages in his music, they are derived from his own life experiences - he tries to stay open and relatable. Although he dealt with complicated situations when he was younger, Wokstar says he is currently in the best place he can be mentally. Different aspects of his life are falling into place, and he says “my scars run deep, but I will never let the pain engulf me.” He has learned to turn his hardships into fuel for the fire.
He says that he loves every aspect of his career as a musician, but would love to perform at more shows. He knows that there is a lot of time any artist puts into their work, and finds it to be rewarding to see the feedback on a new project. Though he struggles with doubts like anyone, he reassures himself that he is already creating great success for where he is at currently, and that he will only continue to improve. Wokstar has a very logical approach to how he motivates himself, knowing that as you let go of the practice, the product will start to fall as well.
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