According to Robert ‘Arok’ Arukwe, he has two main loves in his life, music and Raleigh, and he is living his dream by creating one and residing in the other.

Arukwe is a Raleigh na tive and a hip-hop musician signed to the independent record label Kompass and is pursuing music full time after receiving a degree in communication from East Carolina University.

Arukwe said that he didn’t listen to much secular music growing up — only gospel. That all changed when one of his friends introduced him to rap. He said he enjoyed it and decided to try his hand at it.

“I had been making music for a while but I was just do ing it for fun,” Arukwe said. “I never really started trying to pursue it honestly until I got to college.”

Arukwe said that he draws the inspiration for his music from his drive to keep pursu ing his dream.

“I find my inspiration from daily motivations to keep go ing,” Arukwe said. “On my label I have seven more artists and just so many other people out here in North Carolina that know what I’m doing and believe in me. That right there is motivation to keep going.”

Arukwe’s music is full of Raleigh pride— he included Raleigh in the title of his latest single, “Raleighwood Real,” and his album cover for his song “Reach the Sky,” features the Raleigh skyline.

“You know how there is Hollywood and there’s New York and there’s Miami?” Arukwe said. “I don’t know, I just feel like Raleigh is one of those places.”

He also said that he appre ciates the support and the sense of community he feels from Raleigh.

“There is a lot of love and a lot of people doing big things — and small things. You know, one in the same,” Arukwe said. “It’s just a cool place to be from, basically.”

Arukwe said that his degree in communication has helped his music career.

“I have a lot of people that I have come into contact with and give business proposals to, like record labels, so my degree has helped me learn how to properly do that,” Arukwe said.

Arukwe said his music can be described as “good music for good people.” He said that he really wants to make a good impact on the world through his music.

“I just want people to know that we are trying to change the world for the positive,” Arukwe said. “If we do actu ally make it and get rich we are going to give back — give everything back.”

Arukwe said he is going to continue to pursue his dreams for his music and his city with determination.

“I got to do it because ev eryone is expecting me to do it at this point,” Arukwe said.

If you would like to learn more about Arukwe or listen to his music, you can check out his blog at Arok919.tum blr.com or visit his label’s website at www.Kompass. com.