Quinton Brock, a freshman undecided major, isn't your typical rags-to-riches sort of rapper. He comes from an affluent background. He doesn't know what life on the streets is like. He doesn't fit the image.
But Brock won't let public perceptions stop him. He seeks to surpass expectations and join the ranks of critically acclaimed artists such as Kanye West, J Dilla, and the RZA.
For Brock, and the numerous creative individuals behind him, shooting for that level isn't just a dream. It's a calling.
Quinton started writing lyrics at the age of 12, but for a while, it looked like he was going to be involved in a more classical form of music. He was being trained in the art of jazz during his time at Williamsville East High School, an institution known for its musical program.
The Amherst native excelled in the program, learning how to play the guitar, upright bass, electric bass, as well as learning how to sing. He also eventually taught himself how to play the piano, drums, and trumpet.
Carlton Brock, a junior English major and Quinton's brother, believes that his early commitment to music and lyricism will serve him well in the years to come.
"As an artist, that's just amazing to watch," Carlton said. "For him to be able to take to rap the way that he has – writing all his own lyrics and making his own beats – is just phenomenal for me to look at."
Quinton continued to hone his craft by performing jazz pieces at local restaurants and bars until he eventually got a call from an associate to rap over his beats. The jazz player obliged, and by age 17 he fully invested himself in rapping.
After releasing multiple singles and a mixtape under the name Scooter, he decided it was a rip off to pay producers upwards of $300 to make rudimentary tracks using free software.
Quinton admitted that his songs as Scooter were poor in quality, but it took a chance meeting to realize this.
"I was looking for a pair of Beats by Dr. Dre headphones for my first music video ever," Quinton said. "I was messaging everybody because I didn't have them, and my old standup bass teacher…messaged me and said [producer] Derek Sullivan has ‘Beats.' So I messaged him and was like ‘Man, can I get a pair of Beats by Dre for this music video I'm doing.' He's like, ‘I don't have Beats, but I make beats.'"
Sullivan, a senior media studies major, has been producing since he's been 12 years old. The Williamsville East alumnus harbored a deep passion for all forms of music and has worked with industry professionals in the past.
Sullivan saw potential in Scooter's work, but believed that he wasn't going to realize it with the poor production he had on prior tracks. He believed that it was time for some changes.
"[The music] was really bad," Sullivan said. "Kids would watch it to laugh. I was like look man ‘You can't be getting views for people to laugh.'"
Quinton immediately took Sullivan's criticism to heart. The aspiring artist dropped his stage name, and proceeded to delete all of his previous songs and YouTube videos off the Internet.
Part of the reason for this change was that he wanted to set himself apart from his radio-friendly peers. Sullivan and Quinton believed that with their potential, they could produce the same material that their influences pioneered.Artists that inspired Quinton – like Madlib and MF DOOM – have never achieved popular status because of their aversion to the popular formula.
However, the duo is inspired by their favorite artists' willingness to experiment.
"Those guys will never get the credit because they were way ahead of their time," Sullivan said. "That type of mentality of sampling anything besides [popular] soul or having minute rap songs that's going to catch on in the next five years. People won't get it until a [few years] from now…which [is unfortunate]."
Quinton recently released singles "Bros," "1992," and "Terror Games," all of which are from his upcoming album,Presence of God. The songs abandon the repetitive keys and rhythms for a more mature production style. Quinton is pleased about the outcome of these tracks, but is aware that he has a long way to go in order to reach the artistic level he desires.
"If someone weighs 400 pounds on The Biggest Loser, they don't weigh-in every single day," Quinton said. "They weigh in once a week. If you look at yourself in the mirror you'll never see a change. It's more about setting small goals."
Quinton's determination to improve comes from the values taught to him by his father, Carlton Nathaniel Brock Jr. Although Carlton and Quinton lived in an upper-middle class household they still learned the value of hard work while they were growing up.
"Every single day he just tells me ‘Everything is gone in a second,'" Quinton said. "That sense of urgency he instilled in me as a child…as long as I keep that, I think I'll be all right."
The competition with his older brother, who released his own book, Enhanced, last year, has inspired Carlton to work harder. With Enhanced available at the Barnes and Noble website, Carlton wants to take his work to the next level by touring.
But Carlton remembers a time when Quinton pushed him to succeed.
"My book was still not out yet [when Quinton released his first music video]," Carlton said. "We were messing around and rapping in my room at my mom's house. I said something, and he turns around and says ‘That is why your book's not out yet.' It was cold, but it was cool. It's inspiration."
However, Quinton thinks that his key to success is the creative team he has around him. The aspiring rapper has known a majority of his creative team for years, and they've all stayed in touch despite venturing into different arts directions. This team includes film producer James Davis (who makes Quinton's music videos), writer Taylor Allen, a junior history education major, and DJ Fred Frandina-Brown.
Quinton believes that the fact that he has such talent around him is more than just a coincidence. He thinks that the collective of talent is together for a reason – to make quality art.
"You can just feel a greater calling upon everybody's lives than just mediocrity," Quinton said.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
