Rappers fusing cultures

A shared passion for hip-hop

Influenced by a medley of hip-hop artists, young and old, such as Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Young M.A, Young Thug, and Lil Tjay, Unfazed, shy of a year old, has shown unstoppable enthusiasm for making music. They have so far dropped one album and two EPs along with a bevy of singles and EPs produced by members separately.

"The chemistry is great because we are not forced to make music like groups that are put together by a label. Things just happen organically," Laurence said. "It's one of the greatest things about this group."

The group's vigorous creativity is also associated with their shared love of hip-hop music. All developed a keen interest in the genre at a young age.

Aged eight or nine, Laurence was beckoned into this music genre and its culture through hiphop-themed documentaries and films such as Michael Jackson's This Is It, Eight Mile, and Stomp the Yard. The boy has since started learning to rap and hip-hop dance; videos of him dancing abound in his Instagram feed.

In high school, he formed Unfazed, a rap group as well as a records studio, and released an album.

"Growing up I saw my brother do music with his friends, which made me want to try," said Robert, whose brother encouraged him to try and bought him all the recording equipment. The youngster then turned the small bathroom in his courtyard into a studio, where he keeps practicing and recording after school. Last December, he released his solo EP Cold Nights in the East.

Like Robert, Nwosu and Khairi, also attribute their initial interest in hip-hop to the influence of their hip-hop-obsessed siblings.

Nwosu recalled it's My Life, a hit song by top-selling rap artist Lil Wayne which he heard from his sister's mixtape that drew him to rap. "I loved the song and had it on repeat for like 20 times. Then I started writing my own raps," said Nwosu, who also spent some of his formative years in Houston, Texas, a city known for its vibrant hip-hop scene.

Khairi, obsessed with pop rap, is often heard singing their songs' melodic hooks. The youngest child in his family, Khairi got into hip-hop around 10 years old thanks to sibling influence. However, it wasn't until five months ago that he started recording with Laurence. "When I met these guys, they got me into recording. Now I'm in love with it," he said.