“I know why I’m here and what I’m here to do. All that’s left now is to do it and that’s what I’m in the process of doing.”…Vigilante

Vigilante is a man with a Purpose. And, come hell or high water, he will fulfill that Purpose. Equipped with a gruff voice, inquisitive philosophical mind, and relentless determination, Vigilante has been pursuing that Purpose in the late hours of the night recording and performing throughout Texas.

His latest rap album, R1: The Rebel’s Rebellion, produced by Derrick “Big Gent” Gentry, is more than an album; it’s a wake up call. Vigilante states, “The point of this album is simple: to destroy the social and cultural so-called-standards and stereotypes in which we allow ourselves to be limited and confined by. It’s as simple as that.” R1: The Rebel’s Rebellion is evidence that Vigilante is a no-holds-barred writer and artist. Regarding hip hop and rap’s superficial and materialistic trends and stereotypes that are so prevalent today, Vigilante goes straight for the jugular. In regards to his intentions Vigilante states, “Often times, before the edification of something revolutionary the rubble has to be cleared and the foundation has to be re-surfaced. Right now, I’m clearing the foundation.” Getting in touch and familiarizing oneself with one’s divinely assigned Purpose is a major motif throughout Vigilante’s songs and writings. He incorporates the messages of rebelling against the social and cultural pressures that try to mold people into what society wants them to become with real-izing who it is they truly are and what they are here to truly do.

“You can’t do one or the other here. If you want to know who you are and why you’re here you can’t nonchalantly go with the phony flow of the world. You got to step up and rebel like hell…” Vigilante.

To say that Vigilante is a unique and original songwriter and rapper would be an understatement. Vigilante combines in-depth philosophical thought with a rhythmic poetic style that’s delivered ferociously. Labeling Vigilante a rapper will trigger an interesting response. “I tell you one thing I’m not, and that’s a damn rapper. I’m a thinker and a writer who, at the moment, utilizes rap as a medium to voice my ideas, thoughts, and beliefs. Plain and simple…I’m the Anti-hip hop hip hop artist.” Being an original artist and individual like he is has not gone unnoticed. Josh Epstein of Vision Music USA says, “Vigilante is a breath of fresh air. He presents an innovative style that many will soon imitate. He offers much more to the world than his music…Vigilante offers a philosophical approach that is often overlooked.” Mike Borgia of Luv Bomb records in New York states, “Coming from a guy who’s not a big fan of hip-hop, I think Vigilante has a delivery as strong as Mack truck-hands down.” Katrina DeWalt of UTA Radio says, “It makes my job easier when there is an intelligent artist with substance behind his music. Vigilante is the embodiment of everything that an artist should be, an extremely devoted intellect with amazing talent and appeal.”

Actually it’s not surprising that Vigilante is a deeply philosophical thinker and writer. Vigilante’s style began to manifest itself while a student at the University of Texas at Arlington. Things began to fall into place for Vigilante when he began focusing his studies on the liberal arts in which he would go on to earn his Bachelors degree in history. “I was a communications major when I started college, and man, I couldn’t stand it. I changed my major to history and at the same time began working on my double minor in philosophy and english advanced writing. That was a major turning point in my life. Things have never been the same since thank God.”

Vigilante’s thought and writings have been affected by several unique influences in both music and writing. Many of his influences have been major philosophical thinkers and historical figures such as: Sóren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzche, Michel Montaigne, Napoleon Bonaparte, Epictetus, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Carlyle, Henry David Thoreau, Vladimir Lenin, and 16th century theological reformer Martin Luther.

“Studying history and philosophy introduced me to these guys. It introduced me to their ideas and how they developed those ideas. For me the result was thought, and the result of that thought were my own original ideas which became the blue prints for my philosophy”…Vigilante.

Vigilante’s study of such innovators led him to a certain respect…a respect for his own ideas.

“It’s tragic that people don’t have enough respect for their own ideas. And we wonder why our society and culture have been infested with unoriginality and imitation”…Vigilante.

Vigilante has grown up listening to great singer songwriters like Adam Duritz, (front man for the Counting Crows) Billy Joel, Bob Seger, and John Mellencamp. Vigilante however, like most who are raised in Ft. Worth Texas, has a true love for country music. “It’s my most recent love. I began listening to country music about 4 years ago and now I can’t get enough of it…enough of real country music that is.” Real country music to Vigilante is Texas country music created by real country artists such as: Jack Ingram, Pat Green, Charlie and Bruce Robison, Aaron Watson, Kevin Fowler, Trish Murphy, and Robert Earl Keen just to name a few. “These artists write with pens that overflow with honesty. Whether I like or dislike a particular song of theirs, agree or disagree about what their songs are about is irrelevant. These artists bare their soul and lay their truth out there for all of us to see. That’s why they’re great.”

As Vigilante has said, he’s not simply a rapper, but a writer. In all actuality, Vigilante is the modern day Renaissance man. He has completed the first of a multi-volume poetry book series titled, Struggles of Internal Conquest, and is currently finishing up his non-fiction philosophical work, Why are you Here? Real-izing, Pursuing, and Fulfilling your Purpose. Vigilante is not only trying to expand his audience with his music and his writings but diversify the audiences that currently make up hip hop and other music genres by combining his writings with his music. “I have a universal message and I want to introduce it to as many people as possible. I want to bring those who like poetry or non-fiction philosophical works and not necessarily rap with those who like rap and not necessarily poetry or non-fiction philosophical writings through the message.” And with Vigilante now on WTFD Records in London, England, he’ll have the opportunity to do just that.

Vigilante has brought his explosive live performances to a multitude of people in several clubs in the D/FW area such as: The Door, The Aardvark, The Dreamworld Music Complex, Tomcats, the 2nd annual Dallas Music Fest, and at the Summer Meltdown in Muskegon, Michigan.

Since Vigilante's involvement in his church, First Baptist of Colleyville, he feels that he's undoubtedly in the process of creating a rebellion. However the phrase, “a rebel without a clue,” doesn’t apply to him. Vigilante is not only a rebel but a force to be reckoned with equipped with both clue and cause. Hip hop will be revolutionized by Vigilante and his Rebellion.