Today we’d like to introduce you to Roderickius Freeman.
Hi Roderickius, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Artist Name: Roderick The Younger.
I think if i was explaining it to someone for the 1st time being introduced to who i am, i would before anything tell them that i got here from faith, love, community & resolve. I grew up off Ben Hill off one of the many backstreets that connect Cascade & Campbellton. Another lore story for another day but seeing how theres a duality in the heart of Atlanta, being abstract & black werent always 2 things that went together well at one point. So seeing how some people (some) we grew up around were afraid to embrace what side of town we were from, what schools we went to because of how certain parts of our story was attached to negative perspectives, allowed me to embrace that we are simply different. Even if its simply a sports convo for some people like who school was more fye or quality of environment in compassion to other sides, thats something I noticed early that made me more comfortable with being considered different, we were already being labeled different in multiple ways. Fast forward to today & i do believe its easier to accept, but i think that bound had to be pushed & broken before fully the world would ever be able to accept, let alone comprehend our story to see it as inspiring. To sum up my point, it took alot of seeing ahead, staying connected to the art im creating & simply believing in myself when others couldnt see the vision before any of these things were “cool” for me to even be here right now. So follow your dreams bruh, have faith & a heart to fight for what you love, you never know where its gonna take you.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think the main thing that was holding me back was myself in the beginning, just being honest. I was very enthusiastic about what i was creating, i loved it & i still do but it wasnt as polished of a craft enough then for people to digest as easy. Sometimes being too ahead isnt always a bad thing & thats what kept me going. Me & the tribe link up & we know what we’re creating is different, unique & intentional. That alone is encouraging to us as you navigate that delay of process of how people catch up as you refine. The download speed just isnt as as fast as how you process & upload the information. I definitely look back & find myself grateful for experiencing the resistance alone & with the fam because emerging from the other side confirms your resolve & connection to creating. Alot of ideas we can build apon because we truly are cultivating the blueprint from pushing forward when others didnt. Its something completely new & its honed by your desire to pursure life in abundance foreal, no matter what comes against you.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Im a Atlanta born & raised modern day archivist & writer. Yes i am a artist & i do create music as a recording artist but i 1st record & document history amongst me & my collective amongst our current landscape. My journey discovering that my space is to document what we’re doing as authentic & genuine for the love of the craft, that comes 1st for me. As people may see me, i let that be their 1st introduction to me even if thats through film credits or just being a supporting role in stage setting and we just talk as humans, i dont minimize that yeah people connect with you through different experiences but in my personal work im definitely releasing documented moments in history that truly changed the landscape of art & literature just in different forms like films or albums. Im probably most known for making music right now fasure. Stylized as: “~://Avian.” is probably my most known mixtape to date as of now, i grew alot from that project as a performer too, returning to presenting these songs live really let the people connect with me as a artist again. Im most proud of how much iv grown in the underground art space right now. Iv met alot of kind people despite there being alot of differences or egos & how people may view things, we often find similarities in the beauty of the art itself, to me it’s giving new life to how the music & visuals are understood now. Where i stand out the most is my embrace of individualism. Just let folks be themselves. I think that no matter how much you may want to find comparisons to validate your point of view in a safe manner, you should never simply deny the new greatness someone has as an individual & as a creative. Especially when its fye foreal. Everyone & their experiences are gonna be different, that alone sets us all apart in my opinion.
What matters most to you?
The heart fasho. You’re never gonna be able to chase your dreams, finish the fight to see the other side & achieve anything in this life without having the heart to go against everything negative coming against you thats trying to stop your resolve. I think alot of our emotions as humans are based in fear consumed environments. Im actively changing that kinda programming in my daily life with the tribe foreal. Speaking specifically to our surrounding environment, adults were taught before we were born (my generation) to fear instability. Leading a whole generation above us to be taken advantage of to benefit these industrial & consumer based social structures. So i see the pros & cons of how fear as a tactic controls how generations of our familes have been affected. We were just the generation to buck & say we don’t agree with that in multiple ways & why. That takes true heart, to fight against years, decades, merged millennia of power structures set in place to maintain fear based order & have a generation of kids really challenge these norms. I remember kids saying in 3rd, 5th grade stuff like “This ain’t right tho.” “Something about that i dont really agree with, why yall let that go on for so long?” That takes an immeasurable amount of heart to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/TurtleSage
- Youtube: Www.youtube.com/@turtlesageleaks
- soundcloud: Www.soundcloud.com/rodericktheyounger
Image Credits
Photo/Video Credits: @senseirichie, @zaylaurent, @cmbstn.jpeg, @stoneyenvision, S.A.A.D. x A.T.E. x E.W.I.G Collective, Tierra Freeman, Terrell Jeannis, Darius Freeman, The Tribe 5L Productions.
