Hip Hop has always been the voice to the underrepresented in our world. Those who haven’t seen themselves in the popular culture of mainstream media can find a piece of themselves in their favorite MC or DJ. No one embodies this philosophy of putting underrepresented groups on the map like rapper Adam Amine Daniel from Portland, OR. Going by his middle name, Amine is a first generation child of Ethiopian and Eritrean immigrants to the US. His smash hit “Caroline” took the country by storm in 2016 and put him and those he represents on the map. Not only is he the first and biggest rap star to come out of Portland, but his energetic style and lyrical flare show off some of the best traits of someone incorporating their own culture in with American Hip Hop.
Caroline is an infectious song that swept the country in the year 2016. Originally uploaded to Soundcloud, no one would have guessed that in one year Amine would be a household name for parents and kids alike. The song is about his perfect girl, and was inspired by an Outkast lyric from their song ‘Roses’ (Genius 2016). The song details the many different aspects of his perfect woman and incorporates fun original lyricism to keep the energy light. For myself, I will never forget how much my nieces and nephew loved the song. At ages 3 and 4, respectively, they would beg for us to play Caroline so they could sing along with a loud “THAT’S MY BABY!” He proudly where’s his heritage on his chest and sits as a symbol for how being your whole self can help you prosper.