Senior Oscar Okechukwu has a talent many of his fellow students are not aware of. Evidence of his passion for songwriting and recording can be found on SoundCloud, a free streaming site where anyone can hear his tracks.

Oscar became interested in composing music in 8th grade. He always loved rapping and found music to be a beautiful escape into another world.

“Life was always pretty chill, but being able to go to a different world and experience someone else’s life through their words was mind-blowing to me. I wanted to do the same thing for others and write about my own feelings and past experiences,” Oscar explained.

Since the summer of freshman year, Oscar has produced six albums and around 66 tracks. His most recent and arguably most popular album, “Me and My Thoughts,” was produced less than a month ago. Andrew Passerell, a friend and classmate, noted, “I like Oscar’s music because it’s local and relevant to people my age.”

Oscar’s inspiration is drawn from many artists. When he first started, he listened to ’90s Hip-Hop exclusively. Anyone who went to his grade school could tell that he was a huge fan of Tupac Shakur.

Speaking of his Tupac and other musical influences, Oscar said, “I saw him as a poet and an artist that changed how the world saw rap and African American culture. Now, of course, I have broadened my music sense, and I’m glad I did since I would have never been introduced to Kendrick Lamar, my biggest inspiration. I try to carve my own path when writing my music but, when I hear Kendrick rap, it simply pushes me to do better. The way he strings words together and tells a heart-wrenching story is something I truly envy.”

Many students readily admit to enjoying Oscar’s music. He can not only rap and hype someone up, but he also conveys a softer side when he uses his vocals on more melodic songs.

Another friend, Doug Venneri, shared, “I like how I know the person who makes the music. He often uses specific references only a Walsh student would know, and that makes his raps both entertaining and enjoyable.” In one of his recent songs, “The Squad,” Oscar uses his platform to shout out some WJ students in a fun way.

Oscar’s favorite artist right now is Travis Scott. He noted, “The way he is able to entertain a crowd makes him a spectacle to watch, and to witness his rise from being a protege of Kanye West to arguably being on the cusp of becoming a rap legend was truly an honor. His latest album, ASTROWORLD, is a lesson to me in sound production and how to invoke certain feelings in your listeners.”

Senior Spencer Williams said, “Oscar’s music is very fun to listen to. Every time he produces a new album, I always make sure I give it a listen.”

Check out Oscar on SoundCloud to listen to his music. Oscar plans on releasing an 18-track album in the near future titled I’ll Be Your Hero.