Matthew “LINC” Lincoln (born August 13, 1989 in San Diego, Ca.) is an up and coming singer and hiphop artist. For most of LINC’s life he dreamed of playing basketball professionally. He began playing the sport at 4 years old and for a long time it was his greatest passion. LINC was a natural athlete excelling in every sport he tried, but he was also a natural born performer. Although it wasn’t conscious the seeds for his music career were being sown as he began entertaining his friends and family by imitating other’s voices. 　　 　　He was able at a young age to mimic any accent he heard both in speaking and singing. He was a favorite in talent shows at school performing Beatles and Beach Boy songs. While in chorus and to the consternation of his instructors he entertained his classmates as much as he sang the songs. By the time LINC got into high school rap was already increasingly popular in the music world. LINC performed free styles for his basketball teammates on the buses going to and from tournaments. 　　 　　When LINC was 14 his life as he had known it took a heart wrenching turn. The father he adored and who mentored him in basketball left the family. Struggling to make sense of his loss LINC internalized his sorrow and started using drugs to numb the pain. As he does today LINC began writing songs using his life experience as subjects for his lyrics. He began free styling at high school parties and was recognized for his talent by students at his and other schools. Although initially music was a hobby and the drug use was sporadic the tragic loss of his best friend sent him deep into a dark place. The lyrics he began writing were angry, desperate and without hope as those who were his friends walked away and those who loved him feared for his life. 　　 　　At 19 LINC got sober and tried to pursue basketball again, but with more personal disappointment he fell off the wagon. During the next couple of years he wrote hundreds of songs and by fall of 2010 LINC recorded his first mixed tape called ‘Associates Degree”. The reaction from the people who had followed him was positive and from that point forward LINC chose to focus on his music as his future career. As he continued to struggle to find his footing LINC met a group of people that embraced him and loved him regardless of all his mistakes. With that support LINC came to terms with the pain of his past and channeled his new found love for life into his music. LINC’s song lyrics are often anthems to the hope and happiness that is available to all no matter what they have done nor how dark their past. LINC’s message emphasizes it is never too late to change your life and make amends to those you care about. 　　 　　LINC is a prolific song writer … as he says “ I have trouble turning off the writing side of my brain”. He often wakes up in the middle of the night to write down words that have come to him in his sleep. He began recording with James Linton at Soundwaves Recording Studio in Gilbert, Arizona in February of 2012 and is set to release his album “You Are Unlimited” in the fall. When asked LINC said “I chose to title this album You Are Unlimited to encourage people that dreams are attainable if you go after them”. LINC feels strongly that his Higher Power has given him this musical talent to reach out and help those who have struggled as he has. 　　 　　Today with his clean cut looks and his healthy body LINC is shooting videos for two songs off his album directed by Nicole Zeno at Z2Pro. The two videos show the diversity of LINC’s singing abilities as the first ‘Siren’ is a hard hitting bumpy club song and the second ‘How Do I’ is a pop song based on a relationship doomed by substance abuse. As his first album will show, LINC is equality adept as a rapper and singer and though he no longer focuses completely on his past it remains part of his music as an example to others that joy can come from pain. His journey was hard, but LINC emphasizes “my past has given me a purpose … it directs me to share the love, pain and triumph we all can feel as human beings … I know it has made me the man I am today and for that I will be eternally grateful”.