For Chicago artist Nombrekari, music is a tool for personal and societal liberation. As a black man in America, creating music allowed him a level of inspiration and liberation other mediums could not. At the same time, witnessing and experiencing systemic racism first hand throughout his life led him to utilize his talents to benefit the African American community and their fight for racial equality. However, his songs are neither simple nor bland. Instead, they are unquestionably unique as they take inspiration from genres created and popularized by black people such as jazz, hip-hop, and r&b.

Nombrekari’s Rough Draft story began in the Southside of the ‘Second City’. During his youth, he was exposed to the different cultures that make up Chicago and the numerous hardships that many of its residents have to deal with. His mother, who herself was a singer at one point in her life, made sure that he was exposed to different styles of music.

However, he was exposed to the ugly side of the city as well. Throughout his childhood, he witnessed violence, poverty, and the harsh reality lying underneath his beautiful hometown. Even worse, he himself was the victim of racial profiling and an illegal search. His experiences motivated him to use his art to give black people a voice. This is likely why his favorite project to date is one of his EP’s “Hot Damn”.