The first time I can remember talking to Correy Parks was directly after a #BlackLivesMatter march took over High Street from Goodale Park in route to the Columbus Police Headquarters. The intent of the protest was to deliver a letter demanding a Civilian Review Board to monitor Law Enforcement misconduct.

This was in Late November of 2014. It made the news as people taking over a major road and then crowding the circumference of the Police Headquarters would.

Here we are in Spring of 2016. I've always been curious what happened from that.

I met up with Correy for this article last week to talk about his newest album, “The Road Less    Traveled.” which takes it's name from a Vermont Poet Laurette Robert Frost writing about perseverance.

Currently, Correy is perhaps the most buzzing new rapper in Columbus. He was named to the Alive's Bands to Watch. He has been packing venues throughout town. The single for “On Our Way” (featuring Yogi Split) has gotten the attention of national press outlets.

(At press time, he was just featured on MTV.com.)

I asked Correy if he knew what happened from that demand for a civilian review board.

His response, “I don't think it ever came to fruition.” He listed some cynicism about process and the nature of organized protest under police supervision

Later adding, “Now it's like, what can I personally do to see these changes happen?”

Correy was at the rally because he was frustrated with the lack of accountability for police murdering and hurting innocent people. So the rally seemed like a victory.

“You feel it. It feels good. Then you realize: this is so much bigger than a rally. Then you realize this is a systematic, deeply imprinted thing on our county, on our world really.” He said.

As I mentioned, Correy is building his platform so his voice can be heard.

His actual voice is expressed in a sing-songy, rapid flow which could be gaining one's definition in the lane of Cee-Lo and Chance the Rapper in terms of a mixture of joy, pain, insight and tangible hope derived from the belief in the human spirit.

All this with a slight Heiro meets Asap Ferg internal enunciation.

Musically, the production sort of lands on the rhythmic median point of a Flying Lotus baseline

and a drumline from a Trap banger in New Ameyrkah.

You can tell there is a palatable transmission from his experiences into his depth of feeling in Correy's music.

His sister passed three years ago which has effected on him in terms of perspective.

“At this point in this life I'm in right now, I have to take full advantage of the time I have.

“She could sing. She was very talented. I said that before. She wanted to do that. She was sick. I'm not sick. I don't have anything holding me back except my fears, that's myself. They don't really matter. I can achieve whatever I want to achieve. That was just a very poignant moment that sparked a lot of change within myself.” Correy explained.

Because his sister could harmonize vocals, I asked Correy if he considered himself more of a singer or a rapper. His response was, “I would say artist. I like to sing sometimes. I really enjoy rapping. Music is just a vessel to get to what I really want to do. I'm passionate about it. I love it. It's not the end all be all for me. I would not box myself in as just a music artist. Currently my strongest suit is rapping. I'm working on my singing too.”

I inquired on the importance of melody within his songs.

Correy said, “Melody is important. It's another way to hook people. Even if the message doesn't stick with him. That melody is going to stick. If the melody sticks. The message will stick. Music is evolving into the form where you can't forget it. Trap was necessary because it brought the beats, and soul. You can listen to a trap song and not even like the words. You can like the beat. The melody and consciousness. You blend it together it's this beautiful cohesion.”

Correy Parks will be performing at the Buckeye Blackout @ the OSU Union Performance Hall

April 9th, 2016. The Buckeye Blackout is student organization that advocates for sustainable living through the arts, especially music.