"Last name Eckman, first name Trevor"

Trevor Eckman, a sophomore communication major, has always had a way with words.
In his high school baseball career, Eckman was one of his team's biggest playmakers, known not only for his on-field talent but for his ability to talk his way into an opponent's head, as well.
Not much has changed since. Eckman still gets in your head but now it's because he's trying to change the rap game.
As most music fans would admit, rap is not the same as it used to be. Gone are the days of hardcore, gangster rap. The genre has mostly been replaced with a more club-oriented metaphor-filled style of hip-hop.
"Today it's all about similes and metaphors," Eckman said. "You have to [write music] that listeners can relate to."
This is where Eckman, whose stage name is T BagZ, stands out from the rest of the crowd. Instead of using unrealistic metaphors about having millions of dollars or flying in jets Eckman uses unique, nostalgic references to get his meaning across to the college demographic.
"I'm all about the beats like Doug Funny," Eckman said, while describing his passion for music and rapping.
With references to '90s life, cartoons, sports and the suburbs, it's hard for the average college student not to relate to T BagZ.
His metaphors aren't the only thing that sets T BagZ's music apart. Unlike most rap artists, he has made the decision to rid his music of profanity. Eckman also takes pride in his religion through his music.
"Religion is important to me and [it] sets me apart," Eckman said. "I'm not afraid to mention it in my songs."
With the earnings he attempts to make through his music career, Eckman hopes to donate 45 percent of his money to cancer research and 45 percent to fund mission trips for his church.
The recent success of artists like Asher Roth, who attended West Chester University, and Mike Posner, who attended Duke University, have shown there's no telling how far someone's musical dream can go.
"My dream would be for the [Student Association] to sometime let me open for a concert," Eckman said.
Opening for an SA concert would be a pretty big leap from where his rapping started: just cruising around with friends, blasting music and free-styling from the backseat. Currently, Eckman works with JoeyC Productions in Rochester.
"I actually do this in a studio now," Eckman said. "I used to have my laptop record me rapping. You can still see the spit on my computer screen."
In today's culture, rap is a fiercely competitive music genre. Everyone has his or her own criteria for what defines ‘good' rap music. As far as Eckman's concerned, it's only about the music.
As one of his lyrics states, "Yeah I'm from the ‘burbs/I'm only strapped with my backpack."
To gain exposure for his music, Eckman isn't leaving anything to chance.
"Like with Mike Posner at Duke, if you can get a school to get hooked and rally around you, anything can happen," Eckman said.
The fact that students are reluctant to spend money and are somewhat dependent on social networking sites has led T BagZ to make his music available for free online. His "Party in the USA" remix has already gotten 18,000 views on YouTube.
Eckman's mixtape "It's Only a Matter of Time" will be available online via his Twitter account, YouTube channels and Facebook fan page on Apr. 20. The mixtape will have his previously released material as well as a number of new songs.
And he's not stopping after that.
"I'm going to keep rapping until every music label in the country tells me I have a zero percent chance of making it," Eckman said. "I got time, I'm only 19."

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