The Resilient Mind

I can’t honestly say I have a favorite genre of music—because music itself is my favorite genre.

Growing up, my world was filled with sound. My cousins put me on gangster rap early—2Pac, N.W.A, Scarface—raw stories that matched the energy of our environment. My sister had SWV playing almost daily, and on Saturday mornings, you could bet money that Mary J. Blige was blasting through the house while my mom cleaned from sunrise to sunset. That music felt like both therapy and tradition.

Then life shifted. Foster care exposed me to an entirely different rhythm—Hispanic praise music in church, Latin beats in the world. In a predominantly white school, I found myself drawn to the energy of country, alternative, heavy metal, and rock. I learned to appreciate the art in storytelling no matter the sound it came wrapped in.

Later, when I thought I’d found the love of my life, it was Neo Soul that carried me—Erykah, Musiq, Jill Scott. Their voices matched the depth of that connection. And when that love broke me, it was struggle rap and hustle rap that picked up the pieces—Nipsey, Meek, Kevin Gates—artists who gave voice to pain, ambition, and bounce-back energy.

Every genre I’ve ever encountered has shaped me, guided me, and healed me in some way. They’ve all been the soundtrack to different chapters of my life. So I won’t box myself in.

My favorite genre? Just music. All of it.