Music can be— and often is — something bigger in the life of its creator. For Florida-based rapper Vestin, it was a beacon of hope and a coping mechanism. “I have been put into rehabilitation clinics more times than I can count,” he tells AAHH, “and the only thing that kept me sane inside of those places was the reality that I would be making music once I was discharged.”
With mental health and suicide being hot-button topics right now — which is a good thing — artists like Vestin are increasingly crucial voices. He’s not spinning stories, he’s sharing pieces of his life.
“I feel as though my music can be used to help those who feel like me … those who feel like everything is grey and that nothing matters anymore,” he explains. “I want to help people who have suicidal thoughts and/or are walking down a road of self destruction so that they know that there’s someone else out there who understands.”
As lewd and raw as his music can be, it’s him baring his soul, which he does with. No intentions of commercial viability. He hopes, at the end of the day, that he can — at the very least — help just one kid. “I will feel as though I have contributed something to the world that cannot be measured by financial status or compared to the oddity of fame.”
His new EP, The Reason, sees him rocking dreamy — at times lo-fi — sound-beds with a steady, reverb heavy, flow. Songs like “Apathetic Apetite” see him exploring this relatable grey area that many of today’s youth aimlessly wander.
“I hope that if you do not enjoy my music, that it will find its way to someone that does,” he says.
Check out The Reason, below.