It was January 16, 1999 and 17-year-old Namel Norris was getting ready to celebrate his sister’s Sweet 16 at their Bronx apartment. His cousin was playing with a gun and it went off, putting a bullet in Norris' neck and leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. But rather than sink into permanent despair, Norris channeled his emotions into music and other creative endeavors, finding inspiration from Stevie Wonder.
In 2020, Norris—who goes by the rap moniker Tap Waterz—appeared in the Apple TV series Dear… in which he read a letter he wrote to Wonder that explained what a profound effect the blind singer had on him. His journey has taken them from the Bronx streets to the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center in Washington D.C. where he and his 4 Wheel City rhyming partner Rick Fire debuted their single “Mainstream” for an event hosted by the National Disability Institute (NDI). They collaborated on the “Welcome To Reality G-Mix” with Snoop Dogg, "We Ain't Playing" with Fred The Godson and are active in the Black Lives Matter movement.
Now, Norris is back with a new song for International Day Of Persons With Disabilities called "On God" featuring Question ATL.
"'On God' is a message of conviction, redemption and determination to overcome whatever odds one goes through," Norris tells RAPstation. "International Day of Persons with Disabilities is the perfect day to release the song in partnership with United Masters because it represents the same hope and perseverance On God, and people with disabilities showcase all over the world."
Incredibly, Norris sees the silver lining in the shooting that led to his disability.
"I think it actually put my life in alignment with my inner light,” he told RAPstation's Kyle Eustice in 2020. “When I look back on my life, I thank God I’ve been given a chance to be at a place where I can look back after going through so many things. I’ve noticed the qualities about me that made me persevere are the things I’ve had all along.”
Find "On God" here and check out 4 Wheel City's "Welcome To Reality" above.
