Senior Mauricio Rodriguez is known around HCP for his dance performances at the annual talent show in the spring.

However, he holds more talent than that.

Outside of attending Harding, Rodriguez produces his own music. He started because of his passion for music.

“I really like music so I figured why not make it?” Rodriguez said.

Inspired by classic rap artists like Biggie Smalls, Tupac and other influential rap founders, Rodriguez started to make his own music using digital workstations and software like Ableton Live 9 right in his own bedroom.

“I definitely like to create a hip-hop derived genre. I produce on my laptop, like digital work stations. Not like, not very organic. It’s kind of manmade but still very organic,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez is a perfectionist and prefers for his music to be in the best quality in terms of how the bass corresponds with other elements in the song. He loves to perfect the song in every way before he releases it, and this means spending a lot of time he doesn’t have working on it.

“Sometimes, I give up sleep and sometimes I give up homework or music time,” Rodriguez said. “Usually sleep, though.”

Music to Rodriguez holds a bigger part in his life rather than a bunch of notes on staffs and what normally comes on the radio.

“It’s kind of a positive way to vent emotions,” Rodriguez said. “It’s a pretty powerful tool for getting messages across.”