Jared Soares photographs the everyday life of hip-hop artists in Roanoke, Virginia:
His images present a world that includes young musicians hoping to hit it big and weekend warriors who go from their day jobs to rapping in their free time. Mr Soares catches them in quiet moments in their neighborhoods or backstage, as well as reveling with friends or on stage. There is joy. And hard work.
"You might think it would be all about sex, drugs, more drugs and getting high," he said. "But the real theme is hard work. One of the guys, Poe Mack, his whole thing goes back to blue-collar, hard work, no-days-off grinding. That he’s going to make it no matter what."
(Photo: "Mill Mountain Star is reflected in the sunglasses of Brandon Eugene" courtesy of Soares, who will be showing the entire series at the Look3 Festival of the Photograph in June.)
The Dish 