Beyond The Music: Hip-Hop Artist Lance Moore On The Importance Of Creating Authentic Local Music

Cleveland artist Lance Moore discusses the local hip-hop scene and how important it is to make music that is authentic.

For Lance Moore, making music is about far more than fame. It’s about bringing people together and breaking down barriers. For two years, the Cleveland native has been performing in the Chattanooga area and growing his craft as a musician. He says that the biggest factor behind his growth has been making connections with other creatives.

“Relationships have made all of the difference for my music,” Lance said. “Meeting people who like my music and connecting with them on a transparent and authentic level helps me learn as an artist and understand where people come from.”

In terms of inspiration, Lance says that some of his favorite artists in the hip-hop industry are Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller, and Brockhampton. He also draws inspiration from the story of Jesus and the adversity that he faced.

“He still continued to give and love unconditionally. That’s something, regardless of your religious background, everyone could learn from.”

Lance sees power in music and its ability to bring people of all backgrounds together. He says there is too much division in today’s culture and believes that music can be the tool that breaks down barriers to bring people back together. It was the idea of this universal impact that initially drew Lance towards the idea of becoming a hip-hop artist.

“We spend too much of our time fighting and celebrating differences when we could be sharing our stories and getting to know each other,” Lance says.

Lance is heavily involved in the hip-hop scenes of Cleveland and Chattanooga and often collaborates or consults with other local artists. He loves the local scene and being able to help other artists create unique music. One of his favorite pieces of advice to other artists is for them to "write a song that tells a story that only you can tell".

With individuality being so important to him, it should come as no surprise that Lance pushes for that throughout the hip-hop community. He wants to impact Chattanooga not only through his music but also by influencing other artists to be authentic and relatable. He encourages them to tell their stories and not just repeat what other artists do.

“Encouraging local artists to tell their own stories is important because this not only provides our community with richer art but also art that is relatable and beneficial to Chattanooga. If our music isn’t giving back to the listeners, then is it even worth making?”

You can find Lance Moore on Instagram with the handle @lancemoore73, and check out his music on Spotify,