With a powerhouse uncle named Shawn Carter a.k.a. Jay-Z, one can assume that the pursuit of music was in his blood due to his family connection; but he refuses to stand in his shadow. Holding his own at a young age, Mel Carter was inspired to turn his poetry into rhymes, thus spawning his first release back in 2009 called Certified. Gearing up for his sophomore project, he recently released the first single titled Dark Shades, inspired by the experience and obstacles he’s faced as an emerging artist.  With a strong team behind him, Mel stops by to discuss his work ethic, being a popular stranger, and his personal goals for his music and his life.