Aden Nicolas Harris, also known as a hip hop rising star, has a huge love for music and a passion for spreading his creations with people all over the nation. Growing up in Houston has provided him with numerous opportunities and experiences to promote his music since music has always been present in his life. It was destined for Harris to gravitate towards music as his siblings, parents, and his late grandfather all have a love for music. “There’s never been a time where I haven’t liked music,” said Harris.
Ever since he was in the sixth grade at Lanier Middle School, making his first song in a school project with a close friend, continuing music has been a goal for Harris. In the seventh grade, Harris and a group of his friends decided to become a hip hop group. They would create songs about everything and had fun doing it while learning the ways of music. It was this defining moment when Harris realized he wanted to pursue a music career.
Things did start to get harder for Harris due to his home life and having to live on his own for a while. It was these experiences that allowed Harris to see the world differently. Harris was able to perfect his rapping skills with his hip hop group until freshman year at Summer Creek High School. He then started working on his own songs, primarily creating experimental hip hop, and created his stage name 4D3N with leet speak; a system of modified spelling where letters and words are replaced with symbols and numbers.
Although making music is great, it is not all for the purpose of entertaining the crowd. To Harris, rapping and producing music is the truest form of his self-expression. “It’s the only way I can truly be me, which is why I hold the concept of music in such a high regard.” He feels that the whole process is supposed to be a representation of the feeling conveyed through the song itself. When he performs his music to his audience, he feels like he’s getting prior feelings off his chest. As he raps, he also shares important messages to his audience that is submerged within his words. His music encourages people to live in ways where you feel like you’re living your life to the fullest rather than being alive for someone or something else. He encourages others to do what’s natural, safe, and morally positive. “I want my music to make people think differently, but at the same time, I want my music to represent a feeling you can relate to.”
Even though making a song and performing it to an audience may sound like a simple concept, it was not all that simple starting out for Harris. Getting people to hear his music and listen to what he had to say was the biggest challenge for him. “Having someone to resonate what I’m trying to convey is the goal.” As we know challenges can come with successes. Harris is proud to say his biggest success is being able to perform at venues all over Austin, Houston, and New York, and has been able to perform many songs, including his greatest hit, “So Clean.” He says he still has a long way to go, yet the lifelong friends he’s created in his musical journey will be with him every step of the way.
Harris looks up to Nujabes and Tyler, the Creator the most as he admires their articulation, creativity, and uniqueness. Gaining inspiration from them allowed Harris to accomplish his goal of working with Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE, and Tyler, the Creator. Currently, Harris has some new projects in the works, hoping to release his new album “EnCassete” this summer, and his song “Rain E. Days.” He gives a big thanks to his talented best friends as he takes a lot of inspiration from them.
Photo Credit: Brandon Smith
