Articulate

Articulate is a hip-hop MC identified as Trustin. He is described as a Washington, DC-born, Baltimore, MD-raised artist, and also as a gritty, rough, rugged, raw rapper from Omaha, Nebraska.

Style and approach

He is presented primarily as a lyricist, with an emphasis on wordplay and the manipulation of syllables into imaginative and forceful songs. In addition to rapping, he has knowledge of musicianship and the technical side of recording, and he uses that range to write, produce, arrange and perform his own material. His music moves away from typical commercial rap conventions while still aiming for broad appeal.

Career and performances

Articulate performs in a range of US markets, including Washington, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Morgantown, Wilmington and New York. He has appeared at venues such as Howard University’s Cramton Auditorium, the University of Maryland’s Stamp Student Center, Drexel University and American University. He has also opened for Freeway, Hezekiah, Immortal Technique, Nappy Roots, Oh No and Roc C.

Airplay and releases

His music is played on Washington, DC’s WPGC 95.5 FM, Baltimore’s WEAA 88.9 FM and Howard University’s WHBC 830 AM, and it also appears on websites, internet radio shows, podcasts and mixtapes. His projects, including the Slave For This Dollar EP, are available for free download, and his music is also distributed digitally through services including iTunes, eMusic, Napster, AmazonMP3, Lala.com and Rhapsody.

Education and plans

He is a former Howard University student and attends The Art Institute of Washington, where he studies Audio Production. He aims to use that knowledge to open a music, video, web and film production facility that works on major projects and offers digital arts classes for children.

Industry attention

His work draws attention from representatives connected with Sony Music and former Atlantic Records A&R Sickamore.