Growing up in Fort Lauderdale, in a neighborhood known as Sunland Park, Cheese experienced a childhood shaped by both community and hardship. He describes the environment as controlled chaos, where neighborhood rivalries, dice games, block parties, and everyday life all existed side by side. Despite the challenges surrounding him, he always believed there was more waiting for him beyond his circumstances.
As he watched people close to him get caught up in the streets, he began to understand how easily potential could be lost. One of his closest friends was arrested for murder when Cheese was just 12 or 13 years old. He remembers his friend as intelligent, funny, and full of heart, making it difficult to watch the environment they grew up in change his life forever. Today, many of the people he once saw every day are either incarcerated, carrying felony convictions, or no longer alive. Through it all, Cheese credits his ability to see beyond his surroundings, the protection of friends who recognized his potential, and the discipline his mother instilled in him for helping him stay on a different path.
His mother has remained one of his greatest inspirations. From her work ethic to her ability to make something out of nothing, she showed him what determination looks like. That influence dates back to the fourth grade, when an essay he wrote about her, describing her as Superwoman, was published. Long before music entered the picture, writing was already one of his strongest gifts.
Although Cheese only began recording music about a year and a half ago, his appreciation for lyricism and storytelling goes back much further. Meek Mill first caught his attention with his hunger and passionate delivery, while Jay-Z, Nipsey Hussle, Rick Ross, and Wale later helped deepen his respect for the craft. He connected with artists who could turn their personal experiences into messages of hope, resilience, and self-awareness. For Cheese, music also became a way to process the secondhand trauma that comes from witnessing difficult situations, even when those experiences are not directly your own.
What started as a new creative outlet has quickly become something much deeper. Cheese describes his sound as a blend of his favorite artists, but he believes his relationship with God is what makes his approach different. He gives the Holy Spirit credit for the words that come to him when he enters his creative zone, often finding himself expressing thoughts and emotions he had kept buried for years.
After a negative experience at a local studio, Cheese began recording in a secluded room at home and collaborating with his older brother, Malcolm, who mixes every song he creates. Nearly 100 songs later, he has found a process that allows him to work independently while trusting someone close to him to help bring his vision to life.
His debut album, Everything’s Connected, reflects a realization that changed how he views his creativity. For years, he struggled with the feeling that he was pursuing too many interests, only to discover that his different passions were connected in ways he could not initially see. Writing had always been part of his identity, and learning after his grandmother’s passing that she shared that same passion gave the craft an even deeper meaning. Although he never got the chance to read her stories, he now feels connected to her through his own writing.
That connection carries into his upcoming project, Shadow Artist. Inspired in part by Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way, the project explores the fear, self-doubt, and hesitation that can keep talented people from sharing their gifts with the world. Cheese sees himself in the idea of a shadow artist: someone who stays close to creativity but struggles to step forward and claim their place. He also sees his grandmother in that description, making the project both a tribute to her and an encouragement to others who may be holding back their own potential.
Cheese is quick to acknowledge the people helping him along the way, including his brothers Bubba and Malcolm, his parents Mike and Tondra, the Tight Bizness Organization, and his big homie Clvssic, whose guidance has helped him grow as an artist. He also gives credit to Jayhitup for believing in him before he ever considered making music himself.
