Qro released his compelling single “This Is Life”. A Descriptive song with layered elements from the foundation of the instrumentation to the arrangement of his delivery. Qro knows exactly how to cultivate his listeners into his music and leave you wanting more. “This Is Life” was a well-executed hit that will intrigue you from start to finish.
Qro creates a storybook of emotions through “This Is Life”, taking his listener onto a journey. Qro's great songwriting skills can come from the fact that he’s influenced by some of the lyrical legends we know of today. Artists like J.Cole have heavily inspired and influenced Qro. Qro represents the standard of what hip-hop is. The true raw lyricism that delivers a message, Qro compiles different concepts through his music such as the one we discovered in “This Is Life”. “This Is Life” was a cleverly written single with a cohesive cadence and delivery that fluctuates the dynamics of the song. You fall immensely in love and become intrigued by the storyline Qro presents. Qro is only 21 years old with momentum surely but slowly building up along with his willingness to learn.
Listen to “This Is Life” by Qro, here.
Welcome to BuzzMusic Qro! What would you consider to be your intention motivation behind your pursuits of music? What were some of your early inspirations besides J.cole?
I would say that my intention and pursuit of music are driven off the idea that there is an audience out there that could really use music that they can relate to. I think a lot of people have gotten so wrapped up in the idea of making a hit and making millions of dollars that their music slowly loses purpose. I think I’ve been mostly inspired mostly by my mom (T-Smooth) who used to dream of being a rapper. She taught me how to control my breathing when I started earlier and the importance of substance.”Rhythm and poetry” is what she would say to me all the time. She birthed my love for rap alongside some other choice artist I grew up off OG which would probably be an artist like Kendrick, Drake, Lil Wayne, Kanye, Jay Z, etc..Who all dominated in their own way I believe, creating their own lanes.
Knowing you’re influenced by songwriting great like J.cole, in what ways do you take from this influence and cultivate your own skillset of lyrics? How would you describe your songwriting approach in “This Is Life”?
I would say that the way I use my J.cole influence for songwriting and cultivating my own lyrics is orchestrated around two things. Firstly is remembering by example that just like Cole remaining true to myself is what my audience wants to hear and know that that’s the only audience I will ever need. Secondly is remembering that though I draw around the ideas of making music like Cole, I’m not bound to them. I realize how many different flows he uses in all of his projects and realizes I have to find my own flow to separate myself. When I heard the beat for This is Life I immediately thought one word...“Injustice”, and I knew I wanted it to be relatable because being true to myself and helping others see each other in the person next to them is my goal. That’s when I said in my head “This is my skin, the one I live in” almost subconsciously to the chorus and decided to simply write around that. I knew it had to be grimy, but overall raw. I wanted to touch base about a lot of things myself, peers, and community had been through. I then used the phrase “This is my skin” to gather that audience and finish it with something a little more uplifting about a line or so later saying “This is our story” to bring it together.
What would you consider to be the most challenging aspect of the creative process to “This Is Life” and why?
The most challenging thing was probably playing with my voice to produce a more raw feel. It seemed necessary to get the listeners attention considering that this wasn’t like your typical modern beat of today.
What were your intentions with “This Is Life”? What’s the message you hope your listeners gain from it?
My intention with this song was to address and demonstrate the mindsets of black America today in a society where toxic masculinity, pessimism, coping mechanisms, black injustice, exceptionalism, and other norms have scarred and derailed the mental health of so many. To a point where they can’t even address it themselves. A personal Quote I made to demonstrate my perspective on the issue would be "In the presence of wolves we show no weakness, and in the presence of sheep we show no meekness.”- Qro
Though we have been through a lot I still believe that even if our scars don’t heal history shows we will survive and those who share this skin, if they ever fall may it be because they wanted to make history and not just the headlines. I want my listeners to know I understand their anger, pain, and silence but want them to know they are not alone in their skin because it’s the one we live in.