New release alert from Rice: the bold and expressive single "Juice." Hip-Hop artist and co-founder of Hustle Work Grind Records, Rice wants to inspire his listeners to believe in themselves and follow their passions. He believes in his core that music is a bridge between people and a way to connect them. Always standing up for what he believes in, Rice aims to leave a lasting impression on the world through his activism and powerful music.
Rice describes his new release as "a vivid and visceral exploration of late Hip-Hop icon Tupac Shakur's life." This intriguing concept is just one example of Rice's drive to delve into original and modernistic concepts in his music.
The track "Juice" starts off with a piano giving off a mysterious, dark atmosphere that sets the tone for the rest of the song. Rice keeps it simple and engaging with this same melody all throughout, underlying his swift and potent lyrics. The dynamic piano and vehement beat are met with trumpet instrumentation that adds that extra bit of spice to the song.
Rice's raps are driven and charged with fire, never letting up. His energy is ongoing throughout "Juice," keeping the listener pumped up and ready for more. As he depicts a rich and theatrical story of two embodiments of leadership, you feel a sense of urgency and chaos unfolding in the narrative. As a whole, "Juice" is a rousing Hip-Hop track meant to stimulate your mind as well as your ears.
This is a track you don't want to miss, so check out "Juice" by Rice now, available on all streaming platforms.
It's great to have you on BuzzMusic, Rice. Thanks for sharing your single "Juice" with us. What sparked your interest in writing about Tupac Shakur's life? What was the songwriting process like for "Juice?"
The movie Juice resonated with me and resonated with me because there were a few things I was going through at the time trying to find out who I was as an artist and feeling confident in the music I was making. The songwriting process was I was inside my home studio, and I was really in tune with the instrumentals, and just as Will Smith said, "One Brick at a time," I tackled that song one line at a time.
Did you find it challenging to write about a perspective that wasn't your own for "Juice?"
This question is challenging because I wasn't writing about someone's perspective but rather my perspective of how what I'm doing relates to the story of Juice and Above the Rim. We rarely know people's first intentions, especially when it goes wrong, so I wanted to make it easy for people who dissect my lyrics to understand what I'm saying based on the references while still supporting my fans that love the vibe of a song. I've used this element before in Stuntin for Da Money when I say "like Avon on the Wire, "which was an HBO series which means people, in general, may try to always find out what you're doing, and it's not always for good intentions, but I used the series the wire as an example. The series is worth watching. I have new music I'm working on using the same element as other songs, such as No Brady. Just the song title itself is a reference. The song sounds Crazy, but I'm from New England, so not having Brady is crazy. I'm a Patriot Fan, but I'm also a Brady Fan, and his story is crazy and inspirational.
What main message do you want listeners to take away from "Juice?"
The main message is that if you want something, you have to pursue it, and it doesn't matter your current position. You still have to pursue what you want or need but don't sacrifice your integrity.
How do you feel that your background in music and your position as co-founder of a record label, has influenced your creative process?
It's challenging building a label and my artistry at the same time. There are sacrifices you don't even realize you need to make and choices that take away from me just being an artist. Last year I interviewed on Unity radio, which was when I recognized the challenges. I was in my MBA/MSOL program, and taking a hiatus has given me the time to work more on the business, and I have other affiliates that remind me to focus on the music. However, my education has given me some business tools important as an artist and label. Working on building a business while building your artistry does take away from building upon your music catalog, getting booked, etc., because spending the time to build resources and plans for the business is important. The time and money you would have invested in music. As an artist, you must always make time to portray what you're feeling and how that relates to the world or just what's going on in the world.
What's next for you?
I will keep pushing "Juice," but dropping "My Love Shouldn't Cost A Thing" soon. So please stay tuned because we have events coming up which will be live-streamed, but you gotta stay tuned with Rice.
