BYU-Idaho student Brad Duré, with the stage name Staz the Hokage, is a rapper and musician based in Queens, New York.
Hokage is now sharing his music for all to hear in Rexburg, Idaho. He takes his musical inspiration from Cruz Supat, and many fans compare him to the likes of Childish Gambino, XXXTentacion and Kanye West.
Hokage’s rapping journey began by listening to music. Growing up, both of his parents had a love for music. In fact, his father’s love for hip-hop influenced Hokage.
“There was this Rick Ross song,” Hokage said. ” And I could tell you, it was called Hustlin’, and (my father) can rap that literally word for word.”
While his father had a love for hip-hop, his mother was quite the opposite.
“My dad didn’t want my mom to know that I was listening to hip-hop music,” Hokage said. “It’s crazy.”
His mother enrolled him in some singing classes, but Hokage’s heart belonged to hip-hop.
At age 11, Hokage began writing verses of his own. They weren’t the best, but he kept writing. By the time he was 16, Hokage saw his songwriting skills improve.
“My first heartfelt song was about love,” Hokage said. “It was about a girl.”
Though it may seem that school was Hokage’s backup plan, that’s not the case. He plans on finishing his degree in psychology and pursuing a career, all while making music on the side.
With every artist, challenges are inevitable. Hokage is no stranger to this.
In Rexburg, hip-hop is not a commonly listened to genre. A lot of people only see hip-hop music for what the media shows it to be.
Hokage hopes to emulate a good example through his music. He wants to bring his love of hip-hop to Rexburg and share it with others in a way that brings people together rather than tearing them apart.
“I want people to find themselves in my music so they can become the best versions of themselves,” Hokage said.
Even in communities like Hokage’s hometown where hip-hop is common, colorism still affects the genre. Artists with lighter skin are seen as not talented or only writing “soft” music. Hokage sees this challenge as a way for him to sell himself and show how talented he is, regardless of assumptions.
“I think my personality … helps people see past, ‘Oh, he’s light skin,’” Hokage said. “but I’m not gonna lie, it is hard … compared to dark skins, they will probably take them more seriously.”
Hokage plans on releasing a new album in 2023 and does various performances around Rexburg. He streams his music on Spotify and Apple Music for all to listen to.