By S. Singh

Let me take you back in time when I became a music lover, the year was 1994, I was 6 years old, and it was right after my mom and dad divorced. I used to go to my dad's house during the weekends, holidays, and sometimes he picked me up after school and brought me to his house. He lived in Richmond Hill, Queens, New York during that time and rented a place in an attic where he lived with my uncle. My dad was getting rid of his old belongings and brought new items to replace them. He had an old black stereo, I believe it was a PANASONIC stereo, and asked me if I wanted it. I told him "Yes, sure" and didn't think much of having a stereo during that time in my life.

After spending some time with my dad, he dropped me home with his car in front of my apartment building, I rushed upstairs to my apartment, so I could see what this stereo was all about. The stereo was so massive that I could barely see where I was going but I managed to bring it inside my apartment. When I rang the doorbell, my mom opened the door, she had no idea that my dad gifted me something so huge, and she immediately helped me. She asked me why my dad would give me a stereo, what am I going to do with it because I was only 6 years old, and she felt that I should be playing with toys and not a stereo. I went ahead and placed the stereo on the floor next to my bed, rushed, took a shower, and changed into my pajamas. I then plugged in the stereo in the outlet and started messing around with it. I had no idea what I was doing but I was excited. The stereo had different buttons and switches. I didn't know what AM and FM radio were, so I kept changing the switch and listened to see what stations were what. I figured out on my own that AM played mostly the news and FM played music, so I stuck to FM. I kept changing the radio switch to different radio stations to see what music I liked. Hot 97 stood out to me. I thought to myself that this is music I always hear my neighbors blasting. That time people even walked outside with the stereo on their shoulders and increased it to the maximum volume possible. I knew it was Hip-Hop/Rap and I didn't know the name of R&B genre at that time. I remembered bopping my head thinking I liked the beat, I didn't know who I was listening to, but I loved what I was hearing. I didn't know the name of the artists during that time but now that I think back, I was listening to Tupac, Biggie, Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, LL Cool J, Mariah Carey, Jodeci, and other Rappers and R&B artists. Every day I sat on the floor next to my radio, rapped, and sang along with the artists. I didn't know what they were rapping or singing about but I didn't care, I loved it! I sat for hours, blasting music, not playing with my toys, or doing homework. My mom would tell me to stop playing music and go do my homework. She yelled at me and told me I shouldn't be listening to music like that, but I didn't care what she was saying. This music made me happy, it was entertaining. This is what I was growing up around especially living near Jamaica Avenue in Queens where Hip Hop was and still is a big deal, and it resonated with me.

This old stereo was my first personal introduction to Hip-Hop/Rap and R&B music. This stereo also meant a lot to me because it was one of the last things my dad gave me before he moved out of New York, remarried, and had more kids. Once he left, I saw him every five to ten years, and I no longer talk to him. He just left, forgot about me, and acts like I don't exist anymore. This old stereo was my connection to music, and it was also my connection to my father. From that time on music always stood with me and became a passion of mine. I can't sing and I am an average dancer, but music is my therapy. Anytime I am happy, sad, or bored I always turn to music. Now that I am older my number one love is still Hip-Hop/Rap and R&B, but I love other genres as well. I love music so much that not only do I want to be a Clinical Psychologist, but I also want to be a Music Therapist, and use music to help others the way it has helped me.

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