Hailing from Queens, New York, Ashoka stepped on the music scene as if he had a point to prove. With music always playing a key part in his life, there was no hesitation that this was the route he was destined for.
“I’ve always had music present in my life in some way. I played trumpet in school up until high school. I made songs on MySpace music back in 7th grade. But I didn’t pick up rapping seriously until college.” - Ashoka on his passion for music
Photo by @jeepeezee
As a New York native, Ashoka doesn't stray away from paying homage to his roots throughout his music. Inspired by the plethora of legends who planted their flag before him, Ashoka takes pride in continuing the legacy that was already built by making lyricism a strong point in his raps.
“Being from New York has definitely made me into a lyricist. Hip hop was birthed in New York so the roots and traditions are super deep here. Even though there are so many variations of hip hop coming from New York, following in the steps of Biggie, jay-z, and Nas has always inspired me to keep sharp lyrics at the forefront of my music.” - Ashoka on NY’s influence
His latest release, “Dreamers Valley,” is truly an introspective body of work that focuses on how a simple dream can evolve into a full-fledged journey. To me, he clearly stuck the landing, as this project is both inspiring and actually moves the needle for effortlessly blending multiple genres. But more importantly, Ashoka made sure to go above and beyond with creating a project with substance, that will leave a lasting impression on listeners.
“Throughout the album, I openly talk about all the highs and lows of the journey, so I hope this lets listeners know they’re not alone in a lot of these experiences. I want listeners to leave the album feeling inspired to chase their dreams or take the first step towards whatever goal they’ve wanted to go after.” - Ashoka on the deeper message of “Dreamers Valley”
It's been a minute since I've personally felt a hip-hop project leave an emotional impact on me, especially off of sheer substance alone. There's a bright future ahead for Ashoka if he continues to go down this path of being a positive influence in his music.
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