Ramel "RTFaQ" Prince

Doorway's music reflects the diversity of its members.

Nick "WhiteOut" Menn, 23, of Fairview Heights, formed Doorway when he was 13. Doorway? He was in eighth grade and was standing in a doorway when he chose the name because, he said, "Doorways always lead to new things."

But the rap group didn't really get serious about its music until 2010. Band members are: Menn; Ramel "RT-FaQ" Prince, 24, and Virgil "Veo" Patterson, both of Washington Park; and D.J. "L-Gifted" Hendricks, 23, of Collinsville.

They describe their sound as a mix of feel good and socially conscious music. While Menn and his cohorts write the lyrics to their songs, the "beats" come from local producers.

"When I first heard (Tupac Shakur's "Changes"), that-was one of the first rap songs I ever heard," Menn said. "It was really socially driven. I'd be singing along. I liked the rhythm. I liked the flow. I liked the melody and I liked what I was getting. I never knew -- 'til I got older and I rapped it and I heard what was being said -- the social implications that were with that.

"I definitely gravitated to that more to the point where that's really all I see now and that's what I look for now. The rhythm and flow is not as important."

The personal experiences of the group members have had a profound influence on their music. For example, Prince, who joined Doorway in 2010, had a difficult childhood.

"Three o'clock in the morning feds bust in the house," Prince said. "My mom was actually pregnant with me at the time. They took my Dad in and they let my Mom give birth to me. Two months after she gave birth to me, they took her right to prison."
As a father of two, Prince is committed to avoiding the problems that fractured his family.

"My father was 25 when he went to prison. I'm 24 now. I've never been to prison. I could have easily fallen down that same path -- just because my dad sold drugs, that means I'm going to sell drugs. I don't want to do that. I want to be there every day for my kids if I can."

Doorway has produced four albums that are available for download on the website www.doorway618.com. They perform regularly in the metro-east and St. Louis area. They will perform April 14 and 28 at 2720 Cherokee in St. Louis.

"I don't know if I'm chasing success or if I'm running away from failure," Menn said. "Regardless, I'm going to keep going, keep working hard. I think it might be a little bit of both."

Here is an excerpt from Doorway's song "Opinions":
"Too many false dreams, too many false dreams
"The TV makes it seems like we're all kings
"We throw away more food than most people eat
"We buy and don't use what most people need
"In America our foundation's greed
"That's the basis of a real capitalistic society"

Read more here: http://www.bnd.com/2012/04/11/2137262/doorways-always-lead-to-new-things.html#storylink=cpy - Belleville News Democrat

Best Hip-Hop Group: Doorway - Riverfront Times

Trackstar swore The Force squad would be better after last year’s poor outing. Now, I’ve known most of The Force guys for a while, yet I’d neither heard nor seen hair or hide of RT-Faq until last Saturday. Track had to have scooped him up from a community college bball team in St. Louis somewhere because this guy had crazy springs. We’re not talking run-of-the-mill dunks. Buddy was windmilling, double-pumping like ‘Nique and even more. RT-Faq, skip college and go straight to league, bro. - SmokingSection.net

"..when we get to get on stage and look people in their eyes and express our passion... for however long our set is; we take advantage of that anytime possible, even if it means taking two gigs in one night.. The people of St. Louis, all of us on the East Side and the surrounding areas are more important than most of them even know. Without them there is no US. Point blank." - RT-FaQ, 2.12.11.

Hailing from East St. Louis and Fairview Heights, WhiteOut and RT-FaQ had one of the best live performances I have ever seen. Their passion and enthusiasm represents WATC and it is highly visible in their words and presence. When I talked to them after their performance, I was shocked by the amount of energy they still had left over that even my scatter-brain-insomniac-mind could not comprehend. It was an impressive, yet graceful impression they left not only on myself but everyone in the audience. These twenty-something guys are driven by their heart and pushed by the constant attainment of more complex and rewarding goals that they create for themselves. Who knew two non-natives would defy the St. Louis DIY ethic..

If you are going to spend any cheddah on a bag of flaming hot cheetos or a rello (or some shitty chocolates), hold up on the artery cloggin' and purchase their single, On and On on iTunes. Celebrate this VeeDay by showing some positive love. - WeAreTheCity