Dreams always seem like they are hard to achieve – but that is why they are called dreams. But life is not a bed of roses, following dreams, and working to achieve them can be difficult at times. People dream and aspire to become something, usually during their childhood. The mind at that time is immature and is not aware of the reality and practicality of the world, which is why dreams die with maturity. But it does not have to be that way.
Hitta Castro is the prime example of not giving up on dreams. He believes that willingness, ability, and passion are the only things one requires to transform their dreams into reality, and his life is an example.
Born on August 11, 1987, in Lynn in Massachusetts, Hitta Castro is an American songwriter, rapper, and actor. Since he was born in a Puerto Rican family, his music is highly influenced by Puerto Rico’s music. Hitta Castro was an ordinary school-going child with an extraordinary dream of becoming a rap artist and songwriter. His inclination towards music became evident when he began recording music at the age of 14. Everything was smooth and sound until he stepped into his own nightmare. Spending time in depressing place such as a jail can take away a person’s hope and even strip them from their passions and dreams. Luckily for Castro, it was this time that brought him close to his dream.
Visiting the jail was traumatizing for Hitta Castro. Life seemed to have stopped for him as he had a hard time recovering from jail memories. Music was his solace. It helped him escape the horrors of jail and brought him back to being normal. It was then that he had decided to be a full-fledged rapper and songwriter. He began recording songs and publicizing his tunes on Spotify, which is when Young Kaii discovered him.
Life had seemed to have opened up its arms for Hitta as he moved to Providence Rhodes Island and formed a group called ‘Artablaze’ with Kaii in 2006. The duo released a couple of songs together and was successful in creating a loyal fanbase. But this team lasted for five years only. The pair split in 2011, after which Hitta Castro’s career took a sharp decline. He was caught up with a few legal struggles, which pushed him away from his dream, but he did not give up.
Castro moved to Orlando, united with his cousin and producer of 3FoldTino, practiced music, and rejuvenated his soul. He spent plenty of time practicing and recording and released his singles in 2014 named ‘Black Bandana’ and ‘Money Back.’ His cousin also helped him work on a project called ‘Hittazone,’ which enhanced his musical skills.
Since then, there has been no stopping. The influence of Hitta Castro’s inspirations Afrika Bambatta, Bone Thugz, Lil John, and Crime Mob, can be greatly seen in his music. Castro did not want to limit himself to music. He believed he was versatile and said, “I have always been versatile, and I haven’t worried about people being lyrical or not. I am worried about my own artist development – I have gotten more lyrical” In 2014, he tried his hand at acting and performed in a movie named, ‘Change of Plans God’s Ways.’
As Hitta Castro grew as an artist and a person, he developed a sense of compassion and respect for women. He felt that the music industry was biased and did not give enough chance and recognition to female rappers. Now since he had established himself as a renowned Hip/Hop artist, he paid homage to the female rappers in some of his songs like ‘Hold On Me,’ ‘What’s The Move,’ ‘Body (Bring it Back).’
Hitta Castro is not a naturally gifted writer. He began rapping while serving in the juvenile jail when he simply put words together to make them rhyme. He learned the art of writing impactful raps in noisy and uneasy environments. The disturbance motivated him to write. Similar is the case of one of his famous tracks, ‘Darkness Bright,’ which he claims to have written in a house party where he side-lined the distractions and wrote his heart out.
Today, Castro is a known Hip/Hop artist, songwriter, and actor. He’s released albums include, Blowing Out Your Speakers (2009), Welcome To The Infantry The Mixtape (2011), Beast On The Beats (2011), I Am S.A.M. (2012), Hittazone (2014), Sofrito (2017), The Hitt List (2018), I Will Push (2020).
Hitta is a firm believer in never giving up and always believing in your dreams. He says,
“If you truly own it, believe it, work hard, and invest in yourself, you will naturally manifest everything you ever want.”