вЂњHe had a bad hand given to him, but throughout it all, he made that negative energy and converted it to positive energy,вЂќ Orozco said. Orozco has directed nearly every one of PhoraвЂ™s videos since they first connected via social media in the early 2010s. вЂњHis storyвЂ™s not fake,вЂќ said George Orozco, one of PhoraвЂ™s closest friends. I went as far as saying I hate you, God.вЂќ On the song, he raps, вЂњIвЂ™ve been unfaithful, God. The album opener, вЂњGod,вЂќ begins with a roll of thunder, a sonic allusion to PhoraвЂ™s last album, вЂњWith Love.вЂќ Phora explained that the track is meant to paint a stormy picture, transitioning from the stories on the last LP to the new one. IвЂ™m saying some kinda deep and dark stuff,вЂќ he said. вЂњItвЂ™s difficult to release because I donвЂ™t know what people are gonna say. The cut took the rapper, born Marco Archer, a few years to craft. A song such as вЂњSinner, Pt 2,вЂќ the sequel to PhoraвЂ™s 2016 song вЂњSinner,вЂќ tackles topics of loneliness and substance abuse. вЂњYours Truly ForeverвЂќ invites listeners on an emotional journey. YouвЂ™re living this grown up story, but youвЂ™re still a kid.вЂќ вЂњIt becomes more amazing when you realize itвЂ™s his real life,вЂќ he said of Phora, emphasizing that the artist stands apart from much of the high-energy music that dominates the pop landscape. Some of the designs hold evidence of PhoraвЂ™s tattoo work with scrawling letters and detailed roses. Records Vice President of A&R Eesean Bolden heard PhoraвЂ™s name in passing, and later noticed some of his Yours Truly clothing being worn by teens around the city. Even though itвЂ™s my art, IвЂ™m kinda still telling someone elseвЂ™s story. вЂњBut I feel like tattoos - I love the art - but with tattoos, IвЂ™m telling someone elseвЂ™s story. вЂњTattoos was just kinda like my gateway to becoming what I really wanted to become and thatвЂ™s an artist and all the music that IвЂ™m putting out right now,вЂќ he said. He later dropped out of school and turned his skills as a graffiti artist into tattooing. At the age of 15, he says he was the victim of another seemingly random incident, a stabbing. Recently, Phoroa wrote at length on Instagram in regards to the two-year anniversary of an apparent random incident, a shooting in which he was hit in his back and neck while in a car with his significant other.вЂќI still try and look for the light in a world that can be so dark,вЂќ he posted.Д«efore fully committing to music and hip-hop, Phora was forced to grow up fast. My job as a human being is first to put positive energy out into the world and be a good person to people whether theyвЂ™re good to me or not.вЂќ вЂњMy jobвЂ™s not even to really be a rapper and make music. вЂњI feel like thatвЂ™s my job,вЂќ he continued. вЂњI feel like not only as artists, but as human beings, you have a responsibility as a human being to treat people right and put positive energy out there into the world. вЂњHaving a positive message is very important because itвЂ™s just so rare nowadays,вЂќ Phora said. Today, along with artists such as Logic and Kendrick Lamar, Phora is helping to foster a more pensive, thoughtful take on hip-hop. Initially, he had uncertainties about unleashing such vulnerable music into the world, but fan reaction encouraged him to keep pushing forward.

PhoraвЂ™s had the same vision since he was 17 years old and working on his first project, вЂњStill a Kid,вЂќ which was released then on his own label, Yours Truly (the Yours Truly brand has since expanded to include a clothing line). 18 release and fighting back a cough from a just-completed 35-city tour. вЂњI feel like all types of music definitely helps people, but music that specifically and especially covers topics such as suicide - and that can be a very touchy topic - but songs that cover suicide, depression, family issues, even abuse, things like that, I feel like thatвЂ™s very important, most of all to make people not feel like theyвЂ™re alone,вЂќ said Phora, days before the albumвЂ™s Aug. His steadily growing fan base is one thatвЂ™s been built with honest storytelling about depression, love and grappling with religion. But his first album for Warner Bros., the recently released вЂњYours Truly Forever,вЂќ isnвЂ™t solely centered on tales of hard living. The 22-year-old has survived a stabbing, a shooting and has wrestled with thoughts of suicide. Anaheim-raised rapper Phora hasnвЂ™t had it easy.

Phora still a kid album tracklist