“Not Forgetting Where He Comes From; 'Free Agent' Joel Ortiz Giving Back to Brooklyn's Children”
It isn’t every day that we accentuate a positive within the Hip-Hop community but this is a story that deserves acknowledgement. Brooklyn rapper, and fellow Boriqua, Joel Ortiz has pledged proceeds from his upcoming album Free Agent to donate computers to children living in Brooklyn's housing projects through the launching of his charitable program, 2 @ a Time.
In an exclusive Q&A session with Latina.com, Ortiz tells the magazine that “I just want to give back to the community that's been supporting me. I’m gonna give the kids computers so they could wise up and see that there's a bigger picture than the 15-20 block radius that I grew up in. There’s a bigger life than just hanging out, smoking and drinking and having unprotected sex.”
Free Agent is scheduled for release on October 14 with notable features like Joe Buddens, Fat Joe, Papoose and Underground King Bun B making appearances. The album is Ortiz's follow-up to 2007’s The Brick: Bodega Chronicles. It is being released independently.
Ortiz also tells Latina.com that he wants fans and rappers alike to know that “It’s okay to rap.”
“When the beat comes on, just know that there's already a few guys out there trying to target clubs and radio. So it's alright to just rap, because at the end of the day man we gotta bring it back to where DJs are fans of the records and they play what they want to play,” said Ortiz.
In an exclusive Q&A session with Latina.com, Ortiz tells the magazine that “I just want to give back to the community that's been supporting me. I’m gonna give the kids computers so they could wise up and see that there's a bigger picture than the 15-20 block radius that I grew up in. There’s a bigger life than just hanging out, smoking and drinking and having unprotected sex.”
Free Agent is scheduled for release on October 14 with notable features like Joe Buddens, Fat Joe, Papoose and Underground King Bun B making appearances. The album is Ortiz's follow-up to 2007’s The Brick: Bodega Chronicles. It is being released independently.
Ortiz also tells Latina.com that he wants fans and rappers alike to know that “It’s okay to rap.”
“When the beat comes on, just know that there's already a few guys out there trying to target clubs and radio. So it's alright to just rap, because at the end of the day man we gotta bring it back to where DJs are fans of the records and they play what they want to play,” said Ortiz.
