Imagine the moment when you are standing before a large open crowd, watching them clap as the sound of a tune you have created plays behind the words that you’ve written. To stand before them while they anxiously wait to hear the words that will come out of your mouth. Imagine the bright light that illuminates you within the dim atmosphere, with people cheering all around as the energy in the room seems to never die or shortfall.

This is a moment hip-hop artist and senior Nicholas Lane no longer has to wait for, after releasing his single “Milky Way,” he gained recognition and was asked to open in a Warehouse Live for another former student Lenny Brie on Wednesday, March 8.

“I was over excited, I was jumping like ‘oh my god I can’t believe it’, then I recalled the struggle because nothing was handed to you, you know, you have to work for it’ I had to be focused and driven to make that happen. It meant I had to convince people to go,” Lane said.

Lane saw this as the opportunity he needs to move forward in his career but also remembers to remain grounded too as he works his way up.

“Start small and build my fan base because that’s how you get a real experience because those rappers who start small and build their way up to get the real experience,” Lane said, “It says a lot about your music because the experience gives you inspiration otherwise you don’t have anything to write about.”

His performance at Warehouse Live consisted of his anticipated performance, after which he met another young new artist within the crowds. But he did not fall short on capturing some of his own attention as he was interviewed by 93.3 FM that same night.

Lane knows this is just the beginning, with one place in particular that he feels would mean success.

“The Toyota Center because it’s like once you perform there you know that you made it, that is where big stars perform at, once you reach that point you’ve made it,” Lane said.

His growing success has yet to show all its potential, as he has goals for once he gets bigger.

“I look forward to dropping an album, maybe work with some professionals and visiting places, California,  Florida, Nevada,” Lane said.

But to succeed, Lane must face struggles common to many, like fellow artist and freshman Herbert Ventura. Ventura became a part of an Indie Rock band known by the name of Everglaze. He understands the struggles that Lane is not far from experiencing as his musical journey continues.

“Something I admire about Nick is that he is an individual rapper and he is an individual musician. You know I have a band and there’s four of us in the band, but it’s still hard for us to generate crowds and I see that he is doing it by himself and that is something that I admire greatly because he’s in it for the long run, and he is in it by himself, that’s all he has. He doesn’t have anyone helping him book gigs and that’s the main part of it,” Ventura said.

Lane keeps his vision in mind as a reminder of what he wants to be but keeps himself motivated in order to make it.

“I kind of told myself stuff would work out and envisioned it in my mind making me want to keep going,” Lane said.

Lane does not only influence himself but also those around him.

“He always showed me to take chances because if you don’t take chances you won’t get anywhere,” junior Rafael Soltero said.

Soltero has known Lane for years and thinks that Lane will go far based on his performance in sports as well as his personality.

“He is a very lively person always try to cheer you up he never brings you down he’s always a happy person,” Soltero said, “He will be able to achieve it, like for wrestling he set his mind to it, he overachieved it and overcame it,”.