SUNRISE, FLA. (WSVN) – A U.S. Army staff sergeant from South Florida is opening up and sharing the story of how he became the first hip-hop artist to be hired by the Department of Defense as a member of the U.S. Army Field Band.<\/p>\n
Speaking with 7News earlier this week, Staff Sgt. Lamar Riddick said his love for instruments and rapping flourished while he was a student at Piper High School in Sunrise.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe band director called me into the office and said, \u2018Hey, I found that the Army is looking to hire a rapper,\u2019 and I thought it was a scam, but you know, did some further research, it became a legit opportunity, and I went full-fledged with it and, yeah, here we are today,\u201d said Riddick.<\/p>\n
Four years ago, Riddick\u2019s life did an \u2018about face\u2019 when he was asked to join the U.S. Army Field Band.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I never thought my love of music would lead to the U.S. Army,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Riddick has now performed around the globe, from the U.S. to Scotland, and has redefined what service looks like.<\/p>\n
And with America celebrating 250 years, he\u2019s excited to be part of such a historic milestone.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo hundred and fifty years, it\u2019s not that long, but it\u2019s still long, right?\u201d he said. \u201cAnd just to see where the country has come from to now, right? And to be a rapper in the Army shows how much we\u2019ve evolved as a country.\u201d<\/p>\n
Riddick said his time in the military has inspired his music.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m able to rap about so many things and learn how to connect stories off of topics that I never probably would have touched; it\u2019s made me a better writer, because I know how to relate to people better, because I\u2019m exposed to more people from different cultures and different walks of life,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Through every lyric, Riddick\u2019s goal isn\u2019t just to entertain, but to uplift and encourage others.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want people to feel inspired, to feel hope, to feel encouraged to find who they want to be and be the best version of themselves,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Riddick said he hopes his music inspires others to chase their dreams while serving something bigger than themselves.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.<\/p>\n
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