Q&A with Travis Kruck

Hip Hop Rap Artist Finds His Voice

An interview with Travis Kruck

Q: What inspired you to become a rap artist?
A: I wasn't able to express myself any other way at the time and found joy and great satisfaction in doing something well, vocally. Performances are amazing! Being on stage, under the lights, doing my thing is probably the only time I feel like a free spirit where thoughts don't control me; my spirit and heart do.

Q: Is there any specific childhood memory that stands out regarding your speech?
A: One story that sticks in my head was auditioning for a school play. I had to walk up on stage, in front of a cafeteria full of classmates and first say my full name, followed by the song I was going to sing for the play. When my turn came up, of course I was nervous and undeniably expecting to stutter, but as I was waiting in line for my turn to speak I tried to focus and block those thoughts out. Sure enough as the pressure I was holding back came thundering in, I couldn't even say my first name, only the first letter of my name about a thousand times. And to make it worse, the instructor had thought the mic was turned off or not working properly, so he instructed me to say "mic check" and when I couldn't say that, I desperately resorted to tapping the mic head to show him the mic was in fact working. But I guess I wasn't supposed to do that, he yelled at me pretty bad for that move!

Q: What is your greatest obstacle, and how do you deal with it?
A: My greatest obstacle is to not focus on trying not to stutter, but speak freely and learn to control my speech as I go along. Lately I've been doing rather well on this, but when all eyes are on me I tend to be as choppy as the sea below the storm and my control goes out the window. I'm learning to block all distractions out though and just try to focus on the subject I'm speaking on.

Q: What is your biggest dream?
A: You always dream about that big break, that hit single, followed by your prize work of an album and just making a living doing what I love to do. If you would have asked me this a couple years ago, I probably would have said to speak fluently and not stutter. But I've realized I will never speak perfectly nor can anyone else.?ÿ I shouldn't take it so seriously, but just live and have faith in myself that I can do what I want to do and in turn say what I want to say.

Q: If you could give a simple message to teenagers who stutter, what would it be?
A: Running away is not the answer. Hiding from the problem and letting frustration and anger build up inside will only hurt you more. Building confidence the is key in learning to cope with your stutter. Find out what it is you like to do and makes you feel worth something more than your stutter.?ÿ Soon you'll have left your negative stuttering thoughts and judgments far behind, and you'll be on your way to a future of your own choosing.

CELEBRITY FOCUS

Bill Walton

From BillWalton.com

Thank you for your interest in my life long problem with my speech and communication skills. I was a very shy and reserved young man who could not speak at all without severely stuttering until I was 28 years old. Always a success in the classroom and on the basketball court, I took refuge in the things that I did well as a youngster. A straight A student, my athletic abilities covered the deficiencies that limited my overall growth and development. The game of basketball was my religion, the gym my church. It was a convenient way of avoiding my responsibilities of developing my human relation skills.

When I was 28, a chance encounter at a social event with Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Glickman completely changed my life in so many ways that things have never been the same since, nor have they ever been better. That day, in a very brief, private conversation (one way, mind you, since I literally could not speak at the time) Marty explained, patiently and concisely, that talking, communicating was a skill not a gift or a birthright and that like any skill, whether it be sports, music, business or whatever, needed to be developed over a lifetime of hard work, discipline, organization and practice. Marty gave me some simple tips that day and then encouraged me to take those keys and apply them to methods of learning that I had received from the special teachers that I had come across in my life, particularly the 6 Hall of Fame basketball coaches that I had played for throughout my career. The beginning of my whole new life was as simple as that. No gimmicks, tricks or shortcuts. Just the realization that with some help, guidance and a lot of hard work that I too could do what seemed so easy, simple and natural to everyone else, yet seemed impossibly out of my reach and comprehension.

Darren Sproles

Darren Sproles, a former player for The Philadelphia Eagles, the New Orleans Saints and the San Diego Chargers, made history in 2007 when he became the first player in NFL history to return a kickoff and a punt for his first two NFL touchdowns in the same game. In 2021, he was selected to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

John Stossel

John Stossel is one of the most recognized and articulate reporters today. However, he once considered giving up his broadcasting career because of his stuttering.

“Fear of stuttering can easily become worse than the stuttering itself,” observed Stossel. “The idea that I’m on television and making speeches is still a shock to me sometimes.”

Jack Paar

While Jack Paar is among the most prominent of the entertainers on the Stuttering Foundation’s list of Famous People Who Stutter, he deserves special recognition as he was among the first to openly address his stuttering in public. As host of The Tonight Show from 1957-1962, he spoke of his difficulties as a stuttering child and teenager, giving hope to young people.

Alan Rabinowitz

Alan Rabinowitz, Ph.D., who passed away in 2018, was an explorer, wildlife conservationist, and author. He established the Hukawng Valley Tiger Reserve in northern Myanmar, which is about the size of the state of Vermont.

His love for animals began when he was very young.