What this episode is about:

How hip-hop, freestyle rap, and embracing my unique style became one of my biggest business superpowers.

Let's get into it👌

Growing up, I was the kid with bright orange hair in a sea of brown and black. I stood out whether I wanted to or not. At that age, I wanted to blend in.

Then one day, a teacher sang me a song to the tune of a nursery rhyme. The lyrics were about me. About my hair. About being special. That small moment gave me confidence at a very young age.

Later, I found hip-hop. And hip-hop is confidence. It’s bravado. It’s boldness. It’s standing in front of people and saying, “This is me.”

Freestyling became my outlet. My brain moves fast. I listen, process, and respond quickly. The synapses are firing. I’m curious. I’m stimulated. That ability didn’t just help me in music — it helped me everywhere.

On the Waikiki strip, my friends and I would jump into cyphers. Someone would beat on a drum or play music from a speaker. You’d step into the circle and spit verses in front of strangers. Immediate feedback. Cheers or silence.

That street-level experience trained me to perform anywhere.

I took that same energy to rap battles. I didn’t win every round, but I learned I could hold my own. My style was never about tearing people down — it was about lifting the energy of the room.

Then I started rapping in places people didn’t expect — trade shows in Las Vegas, Hong Kong, anywhere there was a crowd. I’d rap on the Vegas strip and pull people in. It boosted my confidence and sharpened my ability to engage.

When the pandemic hit and everything moved to Zoom, the cyphers changed — but the skill didn’t. On Zoom happy hours with 50 or 100 people, I’d freestyle. Suddenly, everyone knew who I was. “Do another rap.” It became my signature.

That signature followed me into business.

Freestyling taught me active listening. In a cypher, you have to listen closely so you can build off what someone else said. That made me a better communicator, negotiator, and leader.

Business meetings, pitches, relationships — it’s all a freestyle.

This is why the newsletter is called The Freestyle.

THE TAKEAWAY

Your uniqueness is your superpower.

When you embrace it fully, you don’t just stand out — you attract the right opportunities.

If you’ve read this far, you might enjoy my music too.

Check it out at https://ctzns.co