Rising rapper, $PAID pushes through adversity to bring out new project “Who Is $PAID”
HOUSTON, TX – Abandonment. Homelessness. Rejection. Jeremy Hicks (known by his stage name $PAID) has dealt with a lot during his 20 years. To cope with life’s hardships, $PAID turned to music early on, and it became a way to express what he couldn’t say when there was no one to turn to. On October 24th, $PAID drops his new project, “Who is $PAID” on SoundCloud and YouTube.
Based on $PAID’s emotions over the last couple of years, “Who is $PAID” shows the listener how life is from $PAID’s side of the fence using raw elements to convey the pain and struggle. The 10 track collection follows the tremendous success of “Pieces” which blew up on its own to 2.16 million plays on SoundCloud. Like all of $PAID’s music, “Pieces” is a highly relatable song about the first heartbreak and a love that didn’t last.
The new project includes the track, “Star Feelings” which explores a relationship with a girl who never left even through the pain. The piece expresses that there is some pain a person can do nothing about, like falling in love for the first time.
Last October, $PAID released “Status” as he was finding his way as a solo artist. While “Status” contained many features, $PAID’s new project has more direction, compassion, substance, and perennial relevance. “The difference between Status and Who Is $PAID,” the artist said, “is that Status was just for the time, but Who Is $PAID is timeless.”
$PAID grew up listening to old school music filled with passion, pain and emotion. To help him get through his tribulations, he turned to the music of James Brown, Erykah Badu, Aretha Franklin, Musiq Soulchild and especially Drake. An example who showed that it is OK to be who you are, Drake had a very positive influence on $PAID’s life. $PAID developed into a melodic, rap-singer with a sound that is different from any other artist. $PAID said “I don’t feel like I should be put in a genre. I feel like I can almost touch all genres.”
$PAID started rapping at 19 and formed a group called Upper Echelon with another artist, Rich London. Originally called Dirty Money to compliment Rich London’s name, Jeremy changed to $PAID after going solo. In 2018, $PAID released “Factuals,” leading to an informal agreement with a small Houston label. After the devastating split with the record label, $PAID released a three track tape called “The Sample” which included the wildly popular track, “Pieces.”
A city where many young artists are trying to make it as rappers, Houston can be a tough nut to crack. But, $PAID is excited about his chances in there because “once you get the city behind you, they are behind you all the way!” Houston and beyond can look forward to much more from this hot young artist. Leading up to the release of “Who is $PAID,” $PAID is dropping a new single on SoundCloud and a music video for the track, “Loyalty” on YouTube this Friday.
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To listen to $PAID’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit:
https://soundcloud.com/user-657483691
https://twitter.com/TheRealSpaid
https://www.instagram.com/therealspaid/
“Factuals”
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