Soon after I first sat down with Jerry Blackwell, English junior, I forgot this was an interview. It felt more like a conversation with a lifelong friend. Discussing hip hop, college, and spirituality with him was like breathing fresh air.

Despite all the quirky distractions, Blackwell remained focused. He was confident and spoke freely about his ambitions.

Blackwell believes maintaining a 3.5 GPA and perfecting his talent as a hip hop music artist is a matter of taking responsibility and knowing how to prioritize.

Blackwell began rapping at age 10 after being influenced by a local rapper, Jay Irish.

Other influences on his music include Common, Joe Budden, Norma Nordstrom and Lisa McLendon.

“By far Joe Budden’s `Mood Music 2’ has been the biggest influence in my music. He puts his heart and soul into it,” said Blackwell.

Rapping continued to be Blackwell’s passion through high school and into college.

Dreams of law school is a career goal that shifted toward music last year when Blackwell decided to take his music to the next level.

“I was on Facebook, sent Darrell a message about my music and he looked out.”

After hooking up with NCCU alumni Darrell Coleman, who works for MTV, before Jerry knew he was flying to New York for the first time.

“His music struck a cord with me, because it is so inspirational there is nobody in the music industry tackling the subjects that he covers,” said Coleman.

Under Coleman’s management, Blackwell has recently done a photo shoot in Brooklyn and recorded a clip on MTV’s Sucker Freestyle that will air on MTV 2 sometime in March.

Eric Jefferson, criminal justice junior and friend believes that Blackwell’s best characteristic is his passion, hunger for change and his desire to represent his spirituality through his music.

“You can hear the passion in his voice. It’s real, not just rhyming words,” said Jefferson.

Set aside from the music, Blackwell has been actively involved on campus serving as Sophomore Class President 2006-2007 and a Chancellor’s Scholar.

Encompassing all things learned, Blackwell has incorporated rhetorical strategies and literary techniques he discovered in his literature courses.

In five years, Blackwell wants to be an accomplished signed to record label.

“I see Jerry becoming an international star, feeling a void in Hip Hop that has been empty for years now,” said Coleman.