And
certainly, much of the twenty-something's life has been a balancing act, where
the singer, producer and songwriter has swayed between pursuing a music career
and pursuing a college degree, between producing music and performing it,
between singing and rapping, between welcoming the spotlight and staying in the
shadows.
But
it’s hard not to shine when you grow up in the city that gave birth to Donny
Hathaway and Fred Hampton, bred Oprah and Obama, made Common & Kanye hip
hop household names, and was home to a basketball team with a breakout star
that had an entire generation of black kids wanting to be like Mike.
Rooted in
the style and spirit of his hometown, much of Energe’s artistry reflects
Chicago’s unique creative and cultural history and pays homage to the city that
dressed him with style, schooled him with substance, blessed him with swag and
steeped him in soul.
And
while he knows how important it is to acknowledge the past, he also knows that
there’s no time like the present. So he lives in the moment, making music that
strings together stream-of-consciousness reflections on situations that shape
his character. “I’ve seen a lot,” he says without going into detail, preferring
instead to let his music speak to how he, like all the rest of us, tries to
reconcile what came before with what lies ahead.
Youthful
yet wise, strong but sexy, original and memorable, Energe’s music is the sound
of Chi-Town’s future.
“The
future is always beginning now,” he says. “Look at my watch. That’s the
future.”
Energe
knows – his time is now.