RYSE-ing above the sound and the fury

Ryan Andersen is looking for ways to broadcast his message to the world. As the aspiring rapper RYSE, the Syracuse University freshman has found just a way to do that.

Andersen's exposure to alcohol and drugs during his upbringing ultimately created severe emotional and dependency issues including the amphetamine Adderall. But while he was able to conquer many of those personal challenges, Andersen also tried to tap into those experiences for his musical endeavors.

Andersen said there were points during his high school years in New Jersey where he didn't like making music while coping with his dependency. Ultimately he decided he wanted to flip what many viewed as a negative into a positive and try as RYSE to be a "spokesman" for people who also have anxiety and depression.

"There was no music that addressed everything I was going through,” Andersen said.

The communications and rhetorical studies freshman took a leave from SU in the fall and returned to Red Bank, N.J., where he's been working on his album, Pages. Andersen described the project as a rock opera built around a semi-autobiographical story of a young artist's romantic encounter that blossoms into a relationship throughout New York City. The musical stylings incorporated into Pages mirror NYC's own diversity including hip hop, house and Latin influences.

Andersen stressed Pages, which should be completed by this spring, is not only about his ability “to connect with [his] audience, [but] our ability to connect with each other.”