Special to the Herald

“My name was inspired by how real my music is,” rapper Flawless Real Talk said as he addressed a room full of fans in the media center at Cranston High School West on a recent Friday afternoon. “My music isn’t flawless, but you don’t give up when you don’t get the results you want.”
Flawless – whose given name is Alberto Martinez – visited Cranston West thanks to English Language Arts educator Evan Lancia. A fan himself, Lancia reached out to the rapper online through a direct message on a social media site and asked him to come and speak to his students.
“I can’t even believe he’s here,” Lancia said, noting the power of social media.
Flawless spoke to the power of social media during his talk with the students and explained the positive effect it has had on his own career, allowing him to reach people and places not possible before social media.
“This is your era,” he said. “We are the smallest state in the country, but with social media you can reach someone in another state, all around.”
His advice came at a good time for the students, as high school seniors are preparing for life beyond 12th grade, whether they are headed into the job market or into post-secondary education.
“So many people quit too fast,” he said. “Three months ago, I was still fighting to get 10,000 views and to get people coming to my shows, but with consistency, by keeping with it, learning to keep going through tough times, that’s what makes you stronger. I relied on my team for support and I relied on the failures. The more things didn’t go so well, the more I fought even harder. I flipped the pain into fuel.”
As a Rhode Island native, Flawless was relatable and had strong words of encouragement for the students, reminding them to take advantage of the opportunities they have available to them. He expressed regret that he did not take better advantage of his own high school years, but noted the uphill battle that he and his peers faced.
“Growing up in Providence, I wasn’t really born with anything,” he said. “You’re at a disadvantage in high school because they don’t expect you to be successful, they don’t expect you to get out and make it. But, you need to be street smart and you need to be respectful, because these are the most important years of your life. These next few years structure the rest of your life. Everything you are learning in school will affect you in life. You have wonderful teachers and a beautiful facility here.”
Although he may have struggled to get through his high school years, things have all changed for Flawless since being featured on the Netflix series “Rhythm and Flow,” performing in front of judges Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, and T.I. The show is a music competition show devoted to hip-hop performances, and Flawless was a runner-up in the last season.
“Cardi B made the show feel like a party,” he said when asked what the experience was like. “Some celebrities are known to make themselves higher than us, but T.I. and Chance and Cardi B are the same on camera as off.”
He spoke about the difficulties of balancing a family and a career but noted that it is a difficult balance in any career.
“My longest tour was 2½ months and 48 cities,” he said. “It was a lot of time away from home, of being on the road and waking up in different cities, showering in hotels.”
He noted that he feels that all he has worked for has now come to fruition.
“Fame has been the biggest change I’ve seen since being on Rhythm and Flow,” he said. “Everything I ever fought for is happening now, but it’s never been about the money, it’s always been about the legacy I’m leaving behind.”
As Flawless wrapped up the speaking portion of his time at West, he left the students with strong words of encouragement.
“The world is so big, you can do anything you want,” he said. “Keep fighting, prove everyone wrong.”
At the conclusion of the event, Flawless performed a rap for the audience and then took the time to speak and take a photo with every student who wished to have one taken.