Often times in hip hop, sonic trends dictate the course of popular music, so it’s always refreshing when an artist emerges with his own distinct style and point of view. The multitalented Deraj has played by his own rules, offering his listeners a diverse musical palette that unabashedly spans alternative, hip hop, trap, pop and rock. His empowering messages and passionate delivery are consistently relatable as they encourage triumph, faith and overcoming all obstacles. “I always want people to feel encouraged and not to be defeated by their internal dialogue and life struggles,” he says. “I want people to feel like they are enough and have what it takes to conquer.” Deraj’s personal style and artwork compliment his music, driven by his background as a brand strategist. It was actually his arts background that landed him a job as art director for Reflection Music Group. When the label learned of his rap skills, the artist who began rapping at nine years old was offered a spot on the roster. The DMV-raised, Orlando-based performer released several top performing songs with over 17 million Spotify streams. However, even with this label success, Deraj decided to transition to fully independent to begin his journey into songwriting for TV & Film. His unique, well received sound has resulted in features on national media outlets such as Call Of Duty Mobile, Amazon, Facebook, NBC, ABC, and more. His achievements stress the importance of artists being bold enough to find and develop their own unique voices, ultimately helping to advance the culture.

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