Jazmin Gomez, Staff Writer
“Rebirth” Album Cover
Dionta Charles’24 celebrated a milestone in his music journey with the release of his first album, “Rebirth.” The artist, known as Tae Cozart, dropped the album featuring twelve tracks on February 14 as a continuation of his ep “NewBorn,” which he released on December 1 of last year. The Beloit College senior and track member is a growing sensation on campus as he promotes his label AllStrs, which preaches personal growth and self-belief.
“I want people to look at themselves and realize they’re a star in their own way. There’s a reason why we look up into the sky, and there are a million stars,” Cozart says. “College taught me so much. College actually raised me. I watched so many people trying to find themselves when they already knew themselves.” Cozart began creating art as an emotional outlet after the passing of both of his parents. “My mom passed away from kidney failure, and then my dad from a brain aneurysm my senior year of high school. So, I really didn’t have any way to express myself,” Cozart says.
After coming to Beloit, Cozart mentions how a friend inspired him to start producing music. “He was telling me how I should start utilizing the microphone as my pen and pad to journal. Eventually, it just started coming together, and I was able to speak my feelings.”
The artist first went by the name of Tae Laurent, an alias born out of a period of depression. After taking a break from releasing music, he rebranded himself as Tae Cozart, a more truthful version of himself, and returned with an EP and, eventually, his album.
“My parents had passed away, and I was trying to figure out life on my own. I was in a negative headspace, and I was using music to express everything that was going on. ‘NewBorn’ was my first project, a little ep where it was like ‘this is the new me’ in a sense. It was like an appetizer. ‘Rebirth’ gives off a story.”
Cozart’s story is one of self-authenticity. In an interview for Beloit College Today, Cozart distinguished his preferred title of artist and entrepreneur over the title of rapper. When asked about the importance of the distinction, he said, “I feel like the term or label rapper holds a negative connotation. I don’t want to be falling under that label, so I say, artist. I look at art and music like a piece of paper, and I’m just creating.” Music also becomes a reward for Cozart. Speaking of the impact of Beloit on his journey, he emphasized how he applied his psychology major to his creative process. Cozart says, “Positive reinforcement. I learned that music is a lot about expression and energy.”
Structure and mindset present vital factors for Cozart’s artmaking process. The studio available at CELEB is a great resource if students can procure consistent bookings. “Even though I preach a lot about CELEB, I do record in my room. I mix and master and do everything myself. I’m self-taught,” Cozart says, “Not a lot of people know about the music aspect of Beloit because it’s so small. No one really shines a light on them.” So when Cozart hosted a listening party for his album “Rebirth,” the support was overwhelming. “It’s a blessing in disguise. A lot of people who do music don’t really get support. It’s crazy. It just makes me want to keep going. It motivates me.”
Currently, Cozart hopes to put together a performance at the Neese Theatre. “I want it to be something that nobody has ever seen before. I want to take people into the actual experience of ‘Rebirth.’ I want them to feel where I was coming from,” Cozart says. Anticipate an upcoming date after Spring Break or close to Spring Day here at Beloit. For post-grad aspirations, Cozart intends to curate a brand aligning with his messages of self-belief. Hoping to release a podcast to help younger artists pursue fashion, he aims to further his passion for music.
“I feel like I have a story to tell outside of music. I want to share that with people. You’re gonna miss a million shots, but you’re gonna make a million, too.
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