Trevor Moore was one of the most controversial figures of his era. He was a hip-hop artist mostly known for his ‘Shake It Up’ DJ set. However, even though he was an originator of the term ‘hood’, he was also known for being very socially awkward and shy. This made him perfect as a role model for kids who were shy and unpopular in their own right. Eagle-eyed parents would have noticed that early in life, Moore had dark hair, brown eyes, and a chiseled jaw that belied his engagingly insecure smile. In an industry where everyone is famous once or twice, it’s refreshing to see someone of such humble beginnings still face so much success. The clip above shows how close Moore has come since he famously told us “I’m the whitest kid on earth (And by the whitest I mean my family is).” 8 years later, Moore is now married with two children — all at home with his parents. You can watch more about him here and here . Eagle-Eyeed Parents Make A Difference read more
What motivated you to become a hip-hop artist?
In order to explain my musical style and growth, I need to start with my first major inspiration, my mom. When I was younger, I used to listen to a lot of rap and hip-hop. I was always into those genres because my mom encouraged me to do so, but also had a thing for classic rock. When she heard I was making music, she got super excited, because it was the first thing she would ever watch me do. It’s been a long, hard journey for my whole life. In fact, it’s probably the most difficult journey I’ve ever had to make music. It was a struggle, but I’ve managed to overcome it and now I’m a full-blown artist.
Young, hot, and out of control.
Growing up in Minnesota, I was always surrounded by music. I always had a radio and a record player, and even in bed I was often listening to records or dancing to music. I especially loved listening to Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Paul McCartney. There was never anything remotely scary or malicious about any of these music types, so when I saw myself in the media and became a part of the ‘hip-hop’ movement, I was excited. I was immediately met with bigotry and discrimination. My family was called ‘the kids who do drugs’, and my peers were called ‘the kids who do drugs’. People would constantly comment about my weight and my hair color. When I would wear glasses and drive a car, people would often ask me if I was ‘stonewalled’ or ‘popped’.
You’re probably the whitest kid on earth.
Growing up, I was always surrounded by music, and I knew that I was ‘white’. I didn’t even know how to ask for help because everyone else was always doing it for them. At the end of the day, I was the ‘whitest kid’, and people treated me that way. If someone wanted to talk to me, they would always go first, so I never felt like I was ‘the other’. It’s not that I’m a ‘happy’ or ‘homeless’ kid, I’m just a kid who wants to be happy. I just want to be able to meet people and be happy.
Play with your friends, love them, and be yourself.
Growing up, there was really only one thing that I knew I wanted to do with my life — to be myself. During summer vacations, I would usually go to a park with my friends where we would all just hang out. After a while, we would all start talking about what we were interested in, and we would all start thinking about how we would ‘do it’. At the end of the day, no one was going to tell you what to do, so you just had to do it for yourself.
Your music is your public persona. Don’t do anything else anymore
Growing up, I was always surrounded by music, and I always thought about how music was my public persona. Even though I was always really shy, I always knew that I was going to be an artist. When I was around ten years old, I started to play the clarinet in church choirs, and I always believed that this was my public persona. The best thing you can do for your public persona is to stay out of trouble. If someone is talking to you, ignore them, or (if you’re really shy) try to engage in a conversation with a friend. If you find yourself in trouble, try to talk to a friend or a person you trust. They are probably going to be there for you, and they are probably going to be able to help you out.