Some people have the gift of translating their love for something or someone into action. Everyone has heard the phrase "Experience is the best teacher," but to start takes courage and to be successful requires commitment. After losing his close friend Johnnell to gun violence in 2016, Seddy Hendrinx, the now-rising Jacksonville, Fla. rapper, gave music a shot. Motivated by his fallen friend's wishes for his success, he began to drop songs, starting with a reworking of Bryson Tiller's "Remember" that went viral, which boosted his name locally.
Seddy has always sung the praises of Jacksonville's love for him. That solid foundation helped keep his confidence high. So, when his single "Lowkey" blew up in 2019, he already knew it was his time. Nowadays, the track is at over 32 million streams across platforms, and the 26-year-old is signed to DJ Drama's GenerationNow imprint through Atlantic Records and Seddy's own label, Florida Boy Entertainment.
Seddy Hendrinx's talent within music seemingly came out of left field, considering he didn't have any interest in rapping before tragedy struck. He thought rappers weren't cool and wasn't interested in anything that lacked authenticity, a sentiment that was common in Jacksonville. The noise he made musically got him into songwriting sessions with DJ Drama, who would later sign him in 2019, ahead of Seddy's breakthrough single "Lowkey." As heard on that record, his sound is mired in reality, whether it's his personal struggles or tales of secret romances. A flip of the SWV 1993 classic "Weak," on the song Seddy raps about a girl who is cheating on her man with him and getting away with it because of their secrecy.
"Weak" is about being obsessed with a lover and "Lowkey" is in a similar vein, but what truly makes the record work is Seddy's flows and bars. He can veer into the flashy, lyrical work, but knows when to stay the course, tell a story and work in memorable melodies. That level of versatility is why he's had a consistent fan base from the start. The people who stayed with him from his first project, Roots, in 2017 to his upcoming work, Well Sed, arriving July 13.
Now with everything going full steam ahead, Seddy Hendrinx stands poised to take his next step forward. He sat down for this week's episode of The Break Live, where he revealed his thoughts on rappers using R&B samples, knowing "Lowkey" was a hit before he even made it and his love for ducks. Check out the interview below.
Follow Seddy Hendrinx on SoundCloud and Instagram.
Standouts:
"Lowkey"
"Hands Down"
"Lost"
"Lights"
Sayless