♪ It's more than a desire, babe ♪ ♪ Aimed at myself like a sacrifice ♪ ♪ Does this universe have an afterlife ♪ (static sounds) - Yeah.

(hip hop beat) As long as I be can artistic and express myself.

(hip hop beat continues) That's what keeps me smiling.

Keeps me going.

(hip hop beat) (intro music) - [Narrator] WQED Sessions, heck yeah.

- I grew up in Pittsburgh.

I grew up between the Hill District and North Side.

Art was just always there.

Music was just always there.

I was a artsy fartsy kid, singing at the Homewood Afro-American Music Institute when I was 10, and starting jazz.

I just wanted to sing, wanted to dance, wanted to act, wanted to do all of that.

My mom just kept, like she saw that light in me, kept pushing me into things.

I'm actually in Los Angeles right now.

I go to USC.

I'm getting my Masters in Music Industry.

Have a kid now.

I always wanna shout out my little guy.

His name is Indigo.

(gentle soulful melody) (gentle soulful melody continues) ♪ Ooooooooooooo ♪ ♪ Ooooooooooooo ♪ ♪ Baby, pull me close ♪ ♪ Want nothin' in between us ♪ ♪ Let's join our souls ♪ ♪ Let's get mixed up, baby ♪ ♪ Lost than each other ♪ ♪ Don't look for no way up out it ♪ ♪ You was talkin' shhhh ♪ ♪ We gonna see if you really 'bout it ♪ ♪ Tell me what you want ♪ ♪ Tell me what you want, baby ♪ ♪ I got what you need ♪ ♪ It's more than a desire, babe ♪ ♪ Ooh, you made me weak ♪ ♪ Still light my fire, baby ♪ ♪ Still light my fire ♪ ♪ Hot like the sun ♪ ♪ Hot like the sun ♪ ♪ We turnin' night to day ♪ ♪ Want ♪ ♪ Wanna be with you forever ♪ ♪ And always ♪ ♪ For you I'd do the most ♪ ♪ For you I'd do the most ♪ ♪ In you is where ♪ ♪ In you is where ♪ ♪ I'm 'posed to be ♪ ♪ I'm 'posed to be.

♪ ♪ I've never felt so close ♪ ♪ I've never felt so close ♪ ♪ Baby don't let go ♪ ♪ Baby don't let go ♪ ♪ Hold on to me ♪ ♪ Hold on to me ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Hold on to me ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ If I could stop time with you ♪ ♪ Just unwind and with you ♪ ♪ I would not mind if you climbed on top of me ♪ ♪ Love the way you feel so free ♪ ♪ Think that you are all in need ♪ ♪ Our bodies speak ♪ ♪ Our souls vibe ♪ ♪ In your feel so alive ♪ ♪ With you my spirit will survive ♪ ♪ And multiply ♪ ♪ Feel so blessed cause I'm a mess ♪ ♪ But still you welcomed me inside ♪ ♪ Offered me a meal ♪ ♪ What kinda of guy declines ♪ ♪ All your kind gestures ♪ ♪ I'll make you feel special ♪ ♪ 'Cause you are to me ♪ ♪ Pumping like an artery ♪ ♪ Pumping like an artery ♪ ♪ Stroke with so much artistry ♪ ♪ Stroke with so much artistry ♪ ♪ Love with no apology ♪ ♪ Girl, I give you all of me ♪ ♪ And some ♪ ♪ My little heart dancing ♪ ♪ Motion stronger than Samson ♪ ♪ Got your hair in my grip ♪ ♪ While I'm glued to your lips ♪ ♪ Come alive with a kiss, baby ♪ ♪ Found heaven in your hips, yeah ♪ ♪ Ohhh ♪ ♪ For you I do the most ♪ ♪ For you I do the most, yeah ♪ ♪ ♪ In you is where I'm 'posed to be ♪ ♪ I never felt so close ♪ ♪ I never felt so close ♪ ♪ Baby, don't let go ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ - "Hold On" is about love.

Two human beings loving each other and treating each other's bodies like the temples that they are, and sharing those temples with each other.

I wanted "Hold On" to be vulnerable, so that's why it is the way that it is.

It's a very lovely song.

And shout out to Virgil, and Stephen Shriane and the KeyofVRG.

Those two people helped me make the song what it is.

It is instrumental heavy.

It is full of background vocals.

Coming back to Pittsburgh is kind of sad sometimes.

I see the ceiling.

The experiences that I get in Los Angeles sometimes are just different.

But it makes me, I appreciate Pittsburgh because Pittsburgh has created me.

It's turned me into one of the toughest buffest, my DIY game of creating, you know what I mean?

Of being a curator of my resume, stacked because Pittsburgh has made it so hard for me to create that resume that now, my resume looks crazy.

I mean, it's home.

I'm reminded to be grateful for where I am and where I've been.

(upbeat music)