How Tacoma Hip Hop Artist "ReaLife" is Impacting tha Pacific Northwest

“I look for potential in people that even they might not see,”

@ReaLife253 

There’s been a few articles recently highlighting Tacoma Hip Hop artist Gerald ReaLife Beamon, to some it may seem like a bit much but to those who know him this is proof that handwork does pay off!

Considering all the different things he has his hands in the one thing that stands out is his rather humble demeanor about it all. It’s very rare to meet someone who isn’t ego driven but to meet someone who is a conduit that highlights others, that’s a 1 in a million. Not just a rapper and producer, ReaLife also runs a weekly radio show from 2-6 on 104.9 fm called All City Sounds. This is one of the platforms in which he gives countless other upcoming artists the ability to showcase their talents while also playing music submitted by local talent.

At 36 years old, Gerald Beamon has managed to become both the artist under the spotlight as well as the man behind the curtain as he is consistently able to network and maintain strong connections with many up and down the West coast. It's partly due to this that he’s acquired such a diverse audience over the years, an audience which he has cultivated through a continuous grass roots effort. On October 25, 2019, Realife released a video for his single “Black Privilege” off of his ep “Perspective.”

The video is a good visual representation of the song itself as each scene further captures the images ReaLife paints through his lyrics. Although the subject matter itself has become more and more controversial over the past year its songs like this and voices like his that allow an opportunity for an open dialogue. Beyond “Black Privilege” the ep itself is full of tracks that give the listener further

insight into the thought process of the man himself, it’s through this that you can start to see why he has the genuine connections he does.

Beyond the radio and the music, he is also no stranger when it comes to showing up and supporting local events. It’s as if his passions drive him to always keep an eye on the scene and using that to push him further. A Seattle native, Gerald has done quite a bit to uplift anything that involves the arts around the region for quite some time. Years ago, after giving me my first interview, he said something that has always stuck with me. I asked what it was that drives him to do all that he does and he responded simply, “I look for potential in people that even they might not see,” its that mentality that draws many talented people to him like a magnet as he elevates himself by uplifting others and showing them things they might have not seen otherwise.

2019 is almost over but the momentum that ReaLife has manifested seems to be sweeping across the region as almost every act who has put in work throughout the year has seen another step in their journey become reality. It's with this momentum that has Gerald working on ideas for future projects as well as solidifying the reputation he has already crafted for himself.