Chris Rivers — The son also rises

Thomas Gerbasi
Jul 28, 2017 · 4 min read
Chris Rivers

Unless you’re a diehard hip-hop fan, you may not know who Chris Rivers is by name alone.

That’s just the way the 23-year-old likes it. In his eyes, it’s important for people to pick up his new album, Delorean, listen to it, and then judge it on its own merits, and not as a record released by the son of legendary rapper Big Pun.

“I kind of was given the name ‘Baby Pun’ when I was a kid,” Rivers recalls. “But I never want someone to tell me, ‘Oh, you only did it because of who your father is,’ or ‘You only made it this far because of who your father is.’ I want people to know that even if my father wasn’t who he was, this is something I love and something I would be doing.”

It’s an admirable stand to take, but whether he was born Christopher Rios Jr. or John Doe, Rivers can rap, write and perform, and if you believe that such things are something you’re born with, one thing is clear then, and that there’s something in the blood for the Bronx native.

“I definitely feel like it is in the blood,” he said. “You’d be surprised how much of who you are gets passed down to your children, and I think, ultimately, when you’re a writer or an artist, it’s your mind state that’s important, and it’s that mind state that separates you from other people. A lot of the way that he (his father) thought and saw the world, he passed that down through genetics and it allowed me to have similar interests and a similar level of intelligence. That allows me to do what I do well, and it’s amazing.”

Covering the gamut of hip-hop styles on Delorean, it’s the first machine gun burst from a young man who has long been on the radar of those in the industry, and for good reason. But while people were waiting for this album for a long time, he had to wait until it was right.

“I would say that this is the first time I’m truly being me and I think people are really gonna see that and appreciate it, and it’s gonna get us to that next step,” said Rivers, who separates himself from the pack not just with his bloodline, but also with his respect for those who came before him.

“It’s super important to note because you can learn so much,” he said of his respect for the greats of the game. “Yeah, the times are different and things may change externally, but people are always the same internally for thousands of years. And if you see what’s been working back then, you can see what works now, and you gotta know where you came from to be able to grow and not make the same mistakes and to learn from it. My father was inspired by some of those people and if I can learn what inspired him and become inspired by that too and also use it in this new age, it’s just a higher level of growth.

“I also think that the people that listen to hip-hop as well, they appreciate when they see someone up and coming that can appreciate not just making money and having fun, but also the culture.”

And while money and fun are nice and everybody’s got bills to pay, Delorean isn’t an album that caters to the radio. Yeah, there are commercial tracks on there, but it can best be described as a throwback with a modern twist, with that twist being a reminder that hip-hop isn’t one thing anymore.

“I think that hip-hop is becoming bigger than just one genre,” he said. “You’ve got rock and roll, you’ve got classical music and there are so many genres under those umbrellas, and I think hip-hop isn’t just one type of music anymore. We need to start viewing it as a bigger genre that has different genres within it.”

We also need artists willing to take those chances on record like Rivers does. And he’s not going to change, either, as he finds his place in the music world.

“A lot of my career and a lot of who I am as a person is trying to figure out who it is exactly that I am and developing my own identity in my artistry,” he said. “I’m not only concerned about the radio; I’m more so concerned with making the best music that I personally feel represents me and putting it out into the world. I know if I stay true to myself, I’m gonna be able to hit somewhere and that’s gonna be my winning ticket because I’d rather hit as who I am than potentially failing as who I’m not.”

Chris Rivers isn’t his father. And that’s okay, because being Chris Rivers isn’t a bad thing at all.

“I don’t shame his name and I love who I come from,” Rivers said of his dad. “I think he was amazing and legendary, but I don’t throw his name around or put it in everyone’s ear because I’d rather earn this. I came from the bottom, I’ve had nothing and I worked my way up and I pursued my dreams. I fought for it, and now I’m here. That’s the legacy I want to leave behind.”

KO63 Music

No reviews, just features on the people who make the music - all music. From rock and rap to country and pop, if you listen to it, I'll write about it.

Thomas Gerbasi

Written by

Editorial Director for Zuffa (UFC), Sr. editor for BoxingScene, and writer for Gotham Girls Roller Derby, Boxing News, and The Ring...WOOOO!

KO63 Music

No reviews, just features on the people who make the music - all music. From rock and rap to country and pop, if you listen to it, I'll write about it.

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