That’s A Rap

That’s A Rap

Rapper and businessman Stunnaman says SF’s rap scene is under-rated

BY CRISTINA DEPTULA

San Francisco hip-hop artist Stunnaman (Jordan Gomes) credits his success to growing up in the city. “Just being from the city, in general, taught me a sense of urgency most people ignore. But that same sense of urgency is the difference between a successful individual and somebody who never secured their opportunities.”

He reflects on how different neighborhoods he lived in as a child and as a teen shaped his personality. “The Fillmore taught me how to use my words and articulate myself, how to formulate what I wanted to say and do. Hunters’ Point showed me confidence. I used to be reserved, but the Point took that out of me. I learned to be aggressive and go after what I wanted.”

That confidence has helped Stunnaman throughout his career. He began writing songs in 2006 while he was in a high school that he said was “cool but had somewhat of a cookie cutter mentality.” Being able to express himself as an individual is very important to Stunnaman, and he became even more serious about his music while in college.

He remembers one night when he’d promised himself that he’d play video games for only one hour, then do homework for an hour and then write songs for one more hour. However, he ended up playing video games for the whole three hours—and sold his Xbox the next week. One year after that night, he dropped his first song and video. A year after that, he graduated from college with three songs on local radio station KMEL.

Stunnaman says he could never work a regular corporate desk job because of the value he puts on individuality. Rather, he’s gone into business for himself, creating and selling a soft drink that doesn’t contain the ingredients in most sodas that give him eczema.

He originally made the drink just so he could have a beverage that he could enjoy, but a friend gave him the idea to sell it. He ended up quitting his job and selling the drink, which he says he makes in the same way he used to make Kool- Aid, while also making hip-hop full-time.

A public figure, businessman, and self-made musician, Stunnaman got the opportunity to play a version of himself in The Last Black Man in San Francisco. To him, acting in film is a natural outgrowth of his musical persona. “All the great rappers act,” he says.

While Stunnaman has nothing against social media, he naturally prefers to connect with people in person. He says he prefers to share his music or sell products face to face as it feels like a more authentic connection. However, his ‘Big Steppin’ dance challenge took off on Instagram this summer and he completely embraced the attention.

Read more at https://issuu.com/rareluxuryliving/docs/troora_san_francisco_2021_pages/266