Flowkey Rises: From Pain to Power, the Oneonta Artist Redefining Healing Through Sound

For Flowkey Rises, music isn’t just a craft — it’s survival. The Oneonta, New York–based rapper channels a lifetime of loss, love, and growth into his art, turning pain into something powerful. With a blend of hip-hop, punk, hardcore, and raw poetry, Flowkey’s sound is a reflection of everything he’s lived through — and everything he refuses to be defeated by.

“I want people to relate to a regular person with gigantic ideas,” Flowkey says. “Someone with crazy, strange, scary, wonderful, funny, and heartbreaking stories — all channeled into art for healing and growth, so maybe others can do the same in their own lives.”

The Roots of Flowkey

Growing up in Oneonta, music was always in the air. Flowkey’s brothers and close friends inspired his early love for creating and jamming. The underground scene and college-town culture gave him a community — one that would later push him to find his own voice after tragedy struck.

The loss of his best friend and fellow rapper Don Mitchell became a defining moment. “He was an incredible lyricist,” Flowkey shares. “Losing him forced me to find my own voice and use music to overcome grief.” His journey since has been one of rediscovery — using rhythm and rhyme to rebuild himself piece by piece.

Rising Through the Local Scene

Flowkey has earned his place in Oneonta’s music scene, from freestyling at Foothills to rocking Ofest, July 4th celebrations, and most recently CANO. He’s proud of his local roots and grateful for the community that continues to support him.

“Playing with local rappers I looked up to — people like MCRV and Blister Boo — that’s what really excites me,” he says. “And none of it would be the same without my bandmate and best friend Colin ‘Lil’ Bowen, who’s been my most cohesive musical partner. He gets my vision like no one else.”

Turning Loss Into Art

The past year has tested Flowkey in every way. After losing his father and facing depression and writer’s block, he had to fight to regain motivation and inspiration. But through it all, the music remained his therapy — his way of confronting grief head-on.

That emotion comes through loud and clear in his latest single, “Pity,” dropping October 31st, Halloween, on all platforms with a music video on YouTube. Produced by Simon LaGuerry and featuring drums by Mr. Gibson, the track dives deep into the dark realities of fake love, performative empathy, and the hunger for real change.

“‘Pity’ reflects how I’ve been feeling internally,” Flowkey explains. “It’s about how people offer sympathy instead of support — fake love when the world needs something real.”

Musically, “Pity” marks a new chapter. It’s heavier, angrier, and more cathartic — blending hardcore metal, rap, rock, and punk in a style even grittier than his earlier release, Dark Thoughts. But Flowkey insists that fans can still expect the same versatility.

“I’m still putting out old-school hip-hop, boom bap, jazzy stuff, and new-age sounds too. I just want to release more, play more shows, and keep growing.”

What’s Next

Looking ahead, Flowkey Rises plans to keep his foot on the gas — performing more live shows, building collaborations, and forming a live band dedicated to the Flowkey sound. He’s also teasing surprise SoundCloud drops and a video for his fan-favorite track “Kathook.”

Through it all, his mission remains the same: to keep evolving, healing, and helping others do the same through his music.