Fans of hip-hop and R&B alike will have something to look forward to as Rico Got’em is scheduled to take to the Pottle stage on the night of Wednesday, Feb. 23. Got’em will perform his variety of up and coming hip hop with a performance that he promises will be “special” and a “must see.”

Rico Got’em was born Denzel Poulson to parents Tina Spencer and Michael Poulson at the Guam Naval Medical Center in 1987. His parents having divorced at an early age, Got’em moved with his mother and older brother several times before ending up in Slidell. Living a street life, Got’em was forced to grow up fast.

The pace became even more demanding on June 17, 2005, when Rico received a telephone call. His mother, the woman who had loved and inspired him, had been murdered. For Got’em, music provided an outlet for his angst and torment.

Paulson took the stage name “Rico Got’em” when he started performing as he felt that it alluded to the eclectic nature and quality of his music, which pulled from such genres as rap, R&B and gospel.

“When it comes to music, when it comes to anything I do, I do the best. That’s why I feel like I got ‘em,” said the performer.

According to Got’em, Southeastern played an integral role in the development of his music. The university gave him friends and a sense of belonging in the wake of his mother’s death. As far as Got’em was concerned, it was his home. But in 2009, Got’em made the choice to leave Southeastern in pursuit of his musical career. Still, Got’em promised his deceased mother that earning a college degree was something that he would accomplish. Got’em made it clear that he has every intention of completing what he started.

During his interlude, Got’em has been making a name for himself. Although he admits to still being small, he has mixed and mingled with renowned hip-hop artists such as Akon and Mace.

When pressured for details about his on-campus performance, Got’em kept his cards close.

“I have something very special,” said Got’em. “I’m doing something very special for the ladies. I cater to them a lot with the music. I have something for the fellas too. It’s gonna be something real special; you’ll just have to see.”

Got’em also offered words of advice for people considering music as a career or to those who have found a burning passion for the arts but are hesitant in its pursuit.

“I knew when I was eight that your goals and your dreams, they find you,” said Got’em. “Just work hard at it, don’t stop. You’re gonna get those who hate your music. You’re gonna get those that love it. But keep working and going at it. That’s not just [for] music, that’s everything.”