Hip-Hop Artist Stalley Demonstrates Live Recording Session for Belmont Students

Inside Ocean Way Studios. (Bradyn Charles)

Hip-hop artist Stalley shared the music and career-defining moments that took him from small-town Ohio to Ocean Way Studios with Belmont students who watched his live recording session on Thursday.  

“My main goal is to let people know we have a voice. We have something to say, and what we say can resonate throughout the world,” said Stalley.  

Watching Stalley in-studio, listening to his artistry and learning his story affirmed to students that their background doesn’t have to stay behind them; staying connected with it can play an important role in their career. 

Stalley opened by recounting his early life growing up in Massillon, Ohio—a small city  

Better known for high school football than for music.  

Sports drove success for many in his town, and for a time, Stalley followed that same path. 

“Basketball was my way out; it was the only way I saw to get out of the small  town that I grew up in,” he said.  

However, his calling sounded more like a drumbeat than a basketball dribbling down the court. 

“I wanted to make a mark musically for my city,” said Stalley. 

12 years after releasing his first studio album “Ohio,” Stalley is credited with creating the “intelligent trunk music” sub-genre, which combines heavy, bass-driven beats with conscious storytelling. 

Stalley’s musical journey stretches across both regions and industries, taking him from the Midwest to cities like New York, and working with different stars like Migos and Kevin Durant.  

“Stalley’s story reinforces that talent can emerge from anywhere, and it fuels the kind of inclusive narrative we champion on campus,” said Vice President for Hope, Unity and Belonging Dr. D’Angelo Taylor.  

Students watched Stalley’s live vocal takes on a new track, tentatively titled “Midwest Light.” 

They saw real-time adjustments and different processes that go into a studio session, such as overdubbing. 

The incorporation of Stalley’s midwestern roots into his music offers a blueprint to students and young artists who aspire to keep the integrity of their own background present in their style.   

Junior hip hop and Spanish artist El Chino said he can learn from watching Stalley’s process.  

Belmont’s night with Stalley created a sense of home and community for students who may feel far from their roots, said Dr. Taylor.   

Students left Ocean Way Studios with the experience of watching a fresh track in the making and with a renewed belief that the road to a global stage is, indeed, possible. 

Stalley’s new single is slated for release later this spring.

Written by Bradyn Charles