Indiana rapper, mobile boutique owner and model Terrance "Cassini" Trotter knows better than many people the real meaning of a second chance. Over three years ago he was seriously wounded in an incident that left one person dead and another severely injured.

 

He doesn't mince words when recalling what happened during our recent interview. "I was nearly killed," he said in direct fashion. "I know that I was put here for a purpose, and that's what I'm determined to do with my life now. Fulfill the purpose that I'm here to do."

 

Music is his first and greatest passion. "I love music man," Cassini says. "I've been doing it since I was 13 years old. I've seen lots of people who were rappers and performers and knew that's something that I'd really enjoy and also had some natural ability. I was playing the guitar when I was five, and paying and singing in church when I was a teen. So it was something that I've always wanted to do."

 

Cassini's rap prowess was recently on display at the ninth annual "Stop The Violence" rally held in Indianapolis a couple of weeks ago. There he showed what could be done with creativity and performance dynamics, as he weaved into a 10-minute freestyle presentation dialog that urged citizen involvement, educational awareness and cultural sensitivity and interaction, while also keeping things fluid and engaging. It's part of a personality that is vibrant and non-stop, and one of the things that makes him among the independent rappers in the area pegged for stardom.

 

He's also a versatile performer, someone interested in all manner and styles of rap and hip-hop culture. "I consider myself a universal rapper rather than specializing in any one area," Cassini continued. "I can do politics, or talk about relationships, or do something light. It's important as a performer though that you speak to the needs of the audience and that you stay connected to the community. That's what I emphasize as a performer. I get my ideas from everyday life and the things that I see and the things that are happening around me."

 

Style is also equally important to Cassini, whether the subject is rap or fashion. As an articulate, photogenic young man in his early 20s, he's done fashion shoots and been on modeling assignments. But his biggest contribution in the clothing area is a mobile  boutique shop he owns. It carries specialty clothing, couture fashions and he's ready to service clients at their private locations. Outfits, shoes, stylist and designer contacts all things fashion and Cassini is every bit as competitive in that field as on stage.

 

"I've always had a sense of style and the importance of a look," he added. "You can make a great impression on an audience if you not only have a presence and ability, but you know how to dress. That's something I take great pride in, matching people's appearance and picking things that make them look good. As a performer, I also know that you can grab an audience through your appearance just as much as through what you say.

 

Cassini is also active on social media, especially Twitter, and plans  is hoping tp drop a full-length project next year. He's working with some talented upcoming producers as well as a few established. He doesn't want to say too much about it as it is still in the production/planning stages, but says that the material has "a lot of potential. I've got a lot of things to say and I think we're going to really hit hard when we do."

 

"You definitely want to make money and you want to progress in the field," he adds. "But the most important thing to me is to do things that have lasting meaning. I mean when you've been shot and you almost die, you really understand the true meaning of life and the things that are most important. I want to go fast and hard, and do things that matter, because I almost died. When that happens to you, you don't want to waste any time or do anything that doesn't mean something, whether it's music, modeling, or clothing.

 

I'm also interested in some point in acting." "All those things, I want to make a contribution and make sure that I'm fulfilling the reason I'm here."