Preview | Reuben Vincent
Preview: 5/1/2025 | 30sVideo has Closed Captions
Hip-hop prodigy Reuben Vincent brings his thought-provoking lyricism to the “Shaped by Sound” stage.
Charlotte-based rapper Reuben Vincent started with a laptop and a dream. That dream became a reality when he was discovered by legendary hip-hop producer 9th Wonder at the age of 13. Reuben brings his thought-provoking lyricism to the “Shaped by Sound” stage and discusses his family’s Liberian heritage, the hip-hop renaissance in the Queen City and what it’s like to work with 9th Wonder.
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Shaped by Sound is a local public television program presented by PBS NC
Made possible through support from Come Hear NC, a program of the N.C. Music Office within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
Preview | Reuben Vincent
Preview: 5/1/2025 | 30sVideo has Closed Captions
Charlotte-based rapper Reuben Vincent started with a laptop and a dream. That dream became a reality when he was discovered by legendary hip-hop producer 9th Wonder at the age of 13. Reuben brings his thought-provoking lyricism to the “Shaped by Sound” stage and discusses his family’s Liberian heritage, the hip-hop renaissance in the Queen City and what it’s like to work with 9th Wonder.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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- You know you have kid rappers, like you know Bow Wow was one, these other artists were one.
But I wanted to be taken serious like a grown man.
- Right.
- You know what I mean?
Even at eight years old, I didn't want people to be like, "Oh, he's a kid rapper, that's so cute."
Like I wanted them to be like, "No, he's a rapper."
♪ There's some things you never seen, I got bigger dreams ♪ ♪ I'm as bad as a toddler with some silver teeth ♪ ♪ I been stacking my... ♪ Join us Thursdays for new episodes of Shaped by Sound.
♪ Some things that you ain't never... ♪
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Clip: 5/1/2025 | 4m 46s | Reuben Vincent performs “Big Bank,” which draws inspiration from Charlotte’s banking industry. (4m 46s)
Reuben Vincent: “Butterfly Doors”
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Clip: 5/1/2025 | 2m 41s | Reuben Vincent performs “Butterfly Doors,” which he created during the COVID-19 lockdown. (2m 41s)
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Clip: 5/1/2025 | 3m 15s | Reuben Vincent performs “Fufu,” a song inspired by a staple of West African cuisine. (3m 15s)
Reuben Vincent: “Grand Cherry”
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Clip: 5/1/2025 | 3m 34s | Reuben Vincent performs “Grand Cherry,” a song about enjoying the journey more than the destination. (3m 34s)
Reuben Vincent: “Just Like a Dream”
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Clip: 5/1/2025 | 3m 31s | Reuben Vincent performs “Just Like a Dream,” which he wrote after signing with Roc Nation. (3m 31s)
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Shaped by Sound is a local public television program presented by PBS NC
Made possible through support from Come Hear NC, a program of the N.C. Music Office within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.