Feb. 23, 2023

To read about the other Culture Shifters for February, return to the list here .

For some, a casino visit is a chance to escape struggles or celebrate successes through a sea of games, bright lights and recklessness. But for Westside Boogie, a recent night of gambling saw him confronting nearly two decades of trauma trauma that eight years of music and a couple of years of therapy havent quite fixed yet.

Boogie, 33, grew up in Compton, California, with his father largely absent from his life. His mom told him that she dumped him because of his debilitating gambling habits, and he later deserted his sons life when he was 3 or 4 years old. And while Boogie has earned a career as one of the most insightful young rappers in the game, he can see the same flaws in himself as well.