A Lavender Hill rapper is on a mission to inspire youth from his community and other crime and poverty-ridden areas through his music.
Alec Oliphant uses his life experiences and battle with drug addiction to reach out to vulnerable youth.
This is the theme of his recently released debut EP, titled No Regrets, which speaks of the hardships he’s endured since 2016.
The 32-year-old’s musical journey started at the age of seven, when he discovered music and poetry in a household where literature was important.
As a child, he fell in love with rap music, fascinated with the art form and also inspired by the work of artists, revolutionaries and freedom fighters who have fought for change around the world.
Alec’s mission is to use his music to fight injustice and his dream was to evoke change and inspire youth.
He shares: “I lost my mother in 2011, a month after she was diagnosed with cancer. It was the hardest thing holding her hand in hospital as she passed away.
“Her death sent me spiralling as she was the only parent I had at the time, the only one I could confide in. Shortly after her loss, my girlfriend left me. I decided to numb the pain with alcohol and later drugs from 2014.
“I became addicted to drugs and wanted to end my life four times with suicide attempts; I wanted to die so badly.
“My mother was always our rock, my father although an educator, wasn’t really there for his kids.
“Since the age of six, my brother and I grew up witnessing domestic violence, alcohol abuse and had to deal with having an absent father.
“Today I believe those experiences taught me so much and while immersed in that world, I became respected and admired for my ability to rap about what people could relate to in an impactful way.
“I got to know the hearts of killers, drug dealers, homeless people and I think that changed me dramatically.”
After four years of drug and alcohol addiction, his father helped him recover.“Initially it was my father who decided he had to step in and do something about the way I was living.
“He fought with me, going to extremes such as locking me in our home without much to eat, he did everything and eventually I started reading tons of books, including the bible.
“I spent time going to the library and healing.
“It was in that time that I was reintroduced to music a much wiser and stronger individual.
“Ready to record, I reconnected with producer Gary Arsenic who worked on my debut EP.
That was the turning point in my life. I was performing again and people from all over loved the music.”
Alec’s music is available on all digital platforms.