MartyHeemCherry, whose given title is Malik, in honor of the late Black chief Malcolm X, catches the attention of many. His distinctive vogue sense, genuine lyrical selection, and hands-on group work, undoubtedly flip heads, however his putting secondary title appears to peak most individuals’s curiosity probably the most, “The Finest Rapper in D.C.”
Whereas some may assume his title comes off as pompous, the rapper and activist defined it’s finally meant to problem the established order and embrace the Black delight and excellence. His connection to wholesome dwelling and dedication to group make him a multifaceted, constructive determine that not solely wows together with his fashion and artistry, however dedication to the betterment of the District and world.
Upbringing: What’s in a Identify, Rising Up Socially Accountable
MartyHeemCherry defined that his given title, “Malik,” appeared to put out what his future was to be and even needed to be.
“I used to be raised in a house that gave me a way of accountability to my group.”
Rising up his mom was a social employee and his father was a group organizer working with Hoops for Peace, a non-profit group that gathers the group to strengthen peace.
Throughout his youth, the now artists grew to become drawn to rap, growing his abilities on the native group Arms on the Future, which inspires younger individuals rising up in Washington, D.C. to embrace their creativity and discover music manufacturing.
His background and work with Arms on the Future, propelled MartyHeemCherry, not solely into his inventive journey, however advocacy as nicely. He later grew to become a mentor for Arms on the Future and a contributing organizer for future occasions to return.
Neighborhood Work
MartyHeemCherry has taken his expertise in organizing, the humanities and mentorship, and utilized it to a number of sides of the group, incorporating his music alongside the way in which. He’s participated and contributed to such occasions because the Sankofa Babacue, celebrating Juneteenth and Father’s Day, and Good Home Musik & Mates, which befell at Metro Bar, highlighting Black distributors.
Alongside his journey into consciousness, he grew to become dedicated to taking good care of his well being and have become extra conscious of the significance of selling inner well-being to the populace. Consequently, MartyHeemCherry promotes wholesome dwelling by way of his artistic content material place at Maat Sunz, an area well being and wellness firm targeted on holistically therapeutic humanity by way of minerals, alkaline crops, and meals.
The artist and activist additionally contributes to the Energy to the Individuals Program, a Photo voltaic Options initiative that works to supply D.C. low-income householders with free photo voltaic panels. Notably, the corporate can be well-known for its work in putting in photo voltaic panels on the African American Museum.
MartyHeemCherry’s Music
Taking his dedication to the group additional, MartyHeemCherry, makes use of music to unfold constructive and insightful messages. He has an album dropping in September.
The rapper defined the that means behind the title of his upcoming album, “2633, The Blue Jay & The Phoenix.” Now, 28, he shared that the 26 within the title was his age when he started creating the album and that the 33 represented his former girlfriend’s age— each robust themes within the album.
The Blue Jay facet of the title represents his repeated experiences of seeing the fowl all through D.C. and defined he typically noticed them all through the time he spent together with his ex.
General, he explains that “2633, The Blue Jay & The Phoenix,” has a boy-meets-world theme and is a coming-of-age album.
“[The album] is a end result of issues that I picked up from the Most-Excessive and the universe.”
By means of lyric and group impression, “The Finest Rapper in D.C.,” encourages the group to assume extra deeply about their decisions: occupied with how you reside, the way you eat, and what you help not solely makes the individual, however inevitably, the group.
Look out for his upcoming album, “2633, The Blue Jay & The Phoenix,” that includes the songs, “Time” and “Marlo’s Furnishings.”
The album will probably be dropping on his birthday, September 1, with a listening celebration happening the identical month, with the precise date to be decided.
To maintain updated on the listening celebration and all thingsMartyHeemCherry, observe him on Instagram and Soundcloud @thebestrapperindc.