The only person that can be me is me.

♪ Some days I feel off ♪ ♪ I know where I'm going, but still I'm so lost ♪ ♪ You strong enough ♪ ♪ Whatcha waitin' for ♪ ♪ Do you want it bad enough ♪ Lets get it.

(both laugh) My name is Mars Jackson.

I'm a hip hop artist from Pittsburgh.

I rap, I do a little harmonizing singing here, there.

I'm a songwriter as well.

(upbeat music) ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Come on ♪ ♪ Come on ♪ ♪ I go by the name of Mar Jackson ♪ ♪ And I want y'all to stand on oxygen ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Come on ♪ ♪ One, two, huh ♪ ♪ One two, yeah ♪ ♪ I remember all the times I got faded ♪ ♪ Talked about the past ♪ ♪ Like my future was unrelated ♪ ♪ If you ain't talking Mars ♪ ♪ Then your hype is overrated ♪ ♪ They painting false prophets ♪ ♪ And it's well illustrated ♪ ♪ Excuse my French, I'm from the trenches ♪ ♪ Where the prop is sold ♪ ♪ They killed my cousin last week ♪ ♪ God bless his soul ♪ ♪ My mama beat that cancer ♪ ♪ She not ready to go ♪ ♪ Same day, lots of best friends ♪ ♪ These true stories unfold ♪ ♪ Lord, you see my pain right now ♪ ♪ I'm sitting on this cloud just trying to figure out ♪ ♪ Suicide thoughts ♪ ♪ It's easy to log out ♪ ♪ Life is just the drug and I'm strung out ♪ ♪ Praying people who never got bailed out ♪ ♪ Immaterial faces on TV, I black out ♪ ♪ Too many mothers I seen and cried out ♪ ♪ Life is worth more than the money they pay out ♪ ♪ But don't let your dreams just fade away ♪ ♪ I know the world weighs a ton ♪ ♪ Your journey has just begun ♪ ♪ Keep standing on oxygen ♪ ♪ Don't let your dreams just fade away ♪ ♪ I know the world weighs a ton ♪ ♪ Your journey has just begun ♪ ♪ Keep standing on oxygen ♪ ♪ Keep standing ♪ ♪ Keep fighting ♪ ♪ Keep standing ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Keep standing ♪ ♪ Keep fighting, keep standing, keep fighting ♪ ♪ Uh ♪ ♪ Check the check ♪ ♪ Can you stomach this ♪ ♪ I'm giving them glory through these hardships ♪ ♪ A Negro American school to politics ♪ ♪ 'Cause if we talking about race ♪ ♪ Ain't no conflict ♪ ♪ But if we talking about love ♪ ♪ Ain't no fellowship ♪ ♪ I got my hands deep in the earth ♪ ♪ Dirt under the fingertips ♪ ♪ Stand up with the Kings and the Queens ♪ ♪ who really die for this ♪ ♪ Only in my dreams ♪ ♪ Trying to understand all these hieroglyphs ♪ ♪ Don't let your dreams just fade away ♪ ♪ I know the world weighs a ton ♪ ♪ Your journey has just begun ♪ ♪ Keep standing on oxygen ♪ ♪ Don't let your dreams just fade away ♪ ♪ I know the world weighs a ton ♪ ♪ Your journey has just begun ♪ ♪ Keep standing on oxygen ♪ Behind the song, "Standing on Oxygen".

I wrote that at a time where there was a lot of things that were going on around me in my life lots of funerals, my mom had just beat cancer and everything.

So it was like at that time, the Tamara Rice thing was going on.

Things was just going outta control.

So I just wanted to put all that in my music just to give people hope and just to tell people keep standing, keep fighting.

That's why it's called "Standing on Oxygen".

Because like with oxygen you can't breathe and you can't survive.

(upbeat music) ♪ They said you had a long way, boys ♪ ♪ You strong enough ♪ So my DJ today is Ari Cole.

Another Pittsburgh artist like around here doing this thing.

If you don't know, follow Ari Cole.

♪ If it ain't adding up ♪ ♪ Keep shining your light ♪ ♪ And you'll find ♪ ♪ They said you had ♪ I feel like incorporating your life in your songs is how people can connect with you.

I have a 9:00 to 5:00.

I work, I do the same things as a regular person.

I look in the mirror and I'm Mars Jackson.

So I just live accordingly and try to do the best of my ability.

And the only person that can be me is me.

I love being me.

♪ And you'll find ♪ ♪ Come on ♪ ♪ Hey, ooh.

♪ ♪ It's just the feeling that I get whenever I'm with you ♪