Rapper Lil JaXe is determined not to let his speech impediment hinder his rap dreams. The 13-year-old stutters, and has used rapping to help with his speech impediment.
The Toronto native—born Jake Zeldin—endured taunting from classmates and even teachers. Ironically, the only time he stops stuttering is when he raps. “Rapping has really improved my confidence and self-esteem,” he said in an interview. “I have proven that you can really do anything you want to do if you try hard enough. It was my goal to be heard and discovered, and I kept trying until it happened.”
Zeldin’s story has grabbed the attention of some of his idols. He’s met the likes of Busta Rhymes, and fellow Toronto native, Drake, and was tweeted by Tyra Banks, who congratulated him on accepting his flaws.
As for what he likes to rap about, the teen choses topics that hit close to home. “I like to rap about my story and being inspirational to others. I like to keep it positive and happy and, for the most part, clean. I really like to put a message in most of my songs — to live your dream, or to be strong, or to live life to the fullest.”
Check out footage of Zeldin freestyling for TMZ, below.
http://www.springboardplatform.com/jsapi/embed
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Photo: TMZ
