We had the good fortune of connecting with Loerkace and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Loerkace, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Calculated Risks are pivotal when constructing my visions,

The choice to be a Risk taker is just that. A choice.

In my opinion, there are certain situations in a individuals life/career where they approach a “cross road”. Each route has its own risk involved, always. When choosing a path, I always ask myself, Who will I meet along this path? What possible obstacles are there? When can I expect to see results from walking this road? Why are there other options & How can I continue to pave this road once I’ve reached the “end”?

Seems kind of simple when I put it like that.

I ask myself, Who, What , When, Why & How? Then fill in context. The narrative is yours. Allow others to be part of your journey road, just remember don’t allow them to pave it.

Calculated Risks are crucial and almost necessary to further yourself in the simplest forms. Trust in the process & believe in what’s inside.

Loerkace

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

My name is Loerkace & I’m an Emcee.
I’ve been writing lyrics & creating songs since 1993. As of today I’m 38 years old & the passion lives in me more now than ever.
My love for music started at an early age. From stories and pictures growing up, I carried around a guitar as early as I could pick it up and walk. Which is kind of ironic because I’m horrible at playing the guitar. Lol.
I think that the “guitar”, has really been a symbol or a metaphor for me personally. It’s helped me identify as an “Artist”.
I grew up a military brat. My Parents got divorced at an early age so I moved around a lot. Which made it difficult to keep friends. I believe I attended 4 different highschools? Point is, I gravitated towards music because it was the only constant in my life & it gave me an escape.
Hiphop & RnB arecwhat I grew up listening to. My parents were 17 when I was born in 1983 & Under the Television, In the entertainment center, was a case full of tapes. Micheal Jackson, N.W.A. , Too Short, Prince, Mariah Carey. You get the point. Lol.
Caught the bug & by ‘93 I thought I was LL Cool J. By 1996 I had a notebook full of rhymes. Long Story short I my kept my craft secret. I was way to Caucasian to try and show anyone what I had going on.
Even tho I didn’t let anyone know about my lyrics, I was always very loud about my personality and choice of culture that I identified with so it was very difficult in certain areas demographically.  I Struggled with finding myself throo my teens but hiphop always kept my true to myself.
I love my father very much but growing up he wasn’t around as much as I’m sure he would have liked to have been but Any young man needs a father figure. I found it in music.
Tupac Shakur became my mentor. Profit. Almost godly to me. I was hooked to the culture and started studying.
Time progressed and I honed my skills, quietly, until a major motion pictured titled, “8 mile” hit the theaters. Now I can already imagine what you are thinking. Another white boy Eminem story. Well, sorry, you are right. Lol
I walked out of that movie theatre a changed man. It was a religious experience but I’m still keeping my skills to myself.
Life carried on. I had a child at the age of 20. Her mother and I decided to part ways and I moved back to St. Louis, MO.  At the same time my blood brother, who was living in Arizona with our father at the time, moved back as well. This was 2002? I think?
Anyway, My brother also had a love for music and was writing lyrics and keeping it to himself.
One day I was playing instrumentals in the basement. Somehow we got on the subject of rap and we both just started “spittin” our written lyrics to each other.
That’s the day it all made since to me.
In 2004 my brother & I became part of an Underground Hiphop Record Label. We recorded music identifying under a few different aliases until, we had a fallout with one of our group members and became the HipHop Duo “Kold Kace” in 2010.
Kold Kace hit the ground running. Recording and performing live anywhere in the St. Louis we could to get heard. Open mics, showcases anything. We ended up winning a contest to open up for BONE THUGS N HARMONY @ one the of the most prestigious and well respected venues in the St Louis Area.  That jump started a decade of opening act slots, touring the United States as support for various HipHop legends. Notable to mention, Tech N9ne, Snoop Dogg, MGK etc. A lot of side stories and chapters that I could tell in-between 2010 & 2015 but I’ll save that for another day. 2015 is when my brother gracefully & respectfully decided to step back and focus on other things.
Another crossroad for me.  So I n 2015, out of necessity, I became the Solo Emcee now known as “Loerkace”
As Loerkace, I had an advantage as to where I had somewhat of a small following with the residual Kold Kace fans but for the most part I had to start from square one. Using my connections, I “politicked” my way on to whatever show I could, once again to be heard.
I put out an underground Mixtape Titled, “Existence”  in 2015. That year I pressed up and Sold/Handed out, close to 5,000 physical copies & that mixtape was one of the more successful on Bandcamp the month it came out. One thing I’d like to note. We live in the day in age where marketing is 90% online based. When I was coming up, the only way you were heard was physically talking or handing someone your music. Opening up these shows for the larger artists was crucial to my success at the point in Musical History.
Anyway, Existence created a good buzz. At the same time, I entered a rap contest where my entry did extremely well in votes. Did not win but still, I came in 3rd out of 4,000 plus submissions. Proud moment for me.
In 2016 I put out my first official album as Loerkace titled “Indigo Child”. Available on all platforms ( shameless plug lol). I dumped my heart and soul into that project. I just knew that, THIS, was the project that was going to “blow up”!
It didn’t. It was another cross road for me. I got hit with this depression and self doubt so hard I just stopped cold turkey. No more making music. I was finished.
Moved away from everyone and stopped even listening to music period. I hated it. It made me sick to my stomach to hear an 808 with a snare. I couldn’t stand it.
And then, another moment of inspiration. The Eminem MGK beef reignited my passion for music!
Loerkace was back! I hit the notebook hard. Pages and pages pouring out. Just stacking up ammo. Not sure why, just couldn’t help myself. Even Kold Kace came back in 2020 & recorded new tracks. Available on all platforms.  (Another shameless plug lol)
Then again, a crossroad. On March 24th of 2020, my brother and I’s best friend passed in a car accident.  (R.I.P. BIG OATS) Mind you, up to this point we have lost so many that this was the final straw. For me anyway. It changed something inside me.
I snapped and became this “monster”, But not in a negative way.
It’s the only way I can describe this overwhelming since of purpose and identification. I never knew myself this well. All of that, has all lead me to where I stand.
October 29th, 2021
Loerkace Presents,
“Flys on A Wall”

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
St. Louis is a melting pot, I’d have to take to the riverfront. Show em these arch and all amazing graffiti along the flood wall. Probably on that trip give Em a Lil history about the flood of ‘93.

Take em over to Washington or Delmar ave where culture is vibrant. Grab a bite to eat at Imos cuz nobody does it like them. Depending on season, then we’d hit the Cardinal/Blues game. Ballpark Villiage after that.

Late night tip? Ether hit the casino or the Eastside!!! I can fill you in on the details on that but might not be appropriate for all ages.

Zoo, Forest Park, Science Center, Art Museum.

So much to do in my city of St Louis!!!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Life is the number one motivation for me but that’s the easy answer.

Inside of that, I have to give thanks to the higher power. I’m here to fight the good fight & spread positivity and happiness. Promise.

Second, my parents have always supported me. So thank you.

My wife. For saving me at the point of all depletion & my children for being my guardian angels. My heart.

Last and most certainly not least are my supporters/fans/family. The reason my poetry is in motion is only because of you so, I’m forever grateful.

Peace & Love Always,

Loerkace

Website: www.smarturl.com/Loerkace

Instagram: @loerkace

Twitter: @loerkace

Youtube: @loerkace

Other: Love over Hate! Respect yourself & follow your dreams!

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