John Seeley (born January 13th 1991) better known as DICE is an American Hip Hop recording artist and song writer from Long Island, New York. Since a baby, Dice lived with his older brother and sister, and witnessed the negative impact that drug and alchohol abuse can cause due to his biological fathers addiction. His father, a bass player for a local band, spent most of his time at band practice and performing live at local bars. When Dice was with his father, they would attend his fathers band practice and studio sessions. Although Dice liked the studio environment and found it interesting, these sessions would result in his father drinking and taking drugs; it was not the life that Dices mother wanted for her son. When they were home, Dices father would start arguments with his mother for no reason, resulting in Dice trying to get in between his parents and getting hurt verbally and/or physically by his father. The arguments became more frequent, and would turn violent, resulting in physical abuse. Because of this, he witnessed his father getting arrested multiple times at a young age. This would cause Dice, his mother and siblings to move to various towns on Long Island. Eventually, Dices mother ended the marriage for good, took her kids, and escaped the negativity his father had brought into all of their lives. Dices mother worked hard to support her family as a single mom; working as a bartender at multiple bars. This made it hard for Dice and his mother to spend time together, because most of the day consisted of her working. While Dices mother was at work, he was looked after and taken care of by his older sister which is also his oldest sibling. Dices mother eventually met the man that would change the life they grew to know. Jerry, Dices step father, was a pianist and owned a local Copiague bar that his mother began working in. They quickly hit it off, and fell in love. Jerry's wisdom and hard-working characteristics reflected on to Dice and helped him stay on the right track. With his step father now in the picture, Dices mother was able to spend more time with her children, this helped Dice learn what it was like to have a real family, the right way. They moved to a new location and started building a new life, a happy life. Dices interest in music never faded, he quickly grew interested in his step fathers passion, playing the piano. Jerry then decided to begin teaching Dice how to play the piano, seeing how much he liked it. Dice picked it up quickly, and shortly after, he began learning how to compose music and play more instruments. This made both his mother and step father proud, and having Jerry around helped Dice cope with the horrible memories his biological father had caused. His step father cared about him, his mother, his siblings; they were happy, and Dice began learning and knowing what it was like to have a dad. Dice began writing poetry. He loved rhyming words and putting them together, especially when it was about about his own life. His older brother, who grew up listening to hip hop would have Dice listen to the artists he liked; this interested Dice, he loved that artists were able to take their thoughts, feelings and lives and turn them into songs. Combining his passion for playing instruments, writing poetry, and his interest in creating music, Dice noticed what he was beggining to grow most passionate about.. music. The piano and instruments weren't enough. Dice loved the piano and playing instruments, but he wanted more. He wanted to do what the artists his brother listened to can do. He noticed how passionate they were about what they spoke of, and he related to how many of them had felt. Dice growing up around drug, alchohol, verbal, physical abuse and anger caused by his biological father made him want to express it; and playing an instrument wasn't enough to satisfy him. One night at his best friends house, they were watching a music channel featuring hip hop. They began trying to freestyle over the songs playing on tv. They thought it was funny, but noticed that they actually weren't that bad. They decided to try to take "rapping" serious. This had started it all. Dice began writing lyrics, trying to find where he stood in a field he knew nothing about. This turned into numerous attempts at recording songs over various instrumentals on a cheap computer microphone and a windows computer recorder. His brother kept him on the right path, staying true to himself, and helped him better himself as a writer and an artist. It wasn't easy, and his brother held no punches. He taught him "If you want to be great then you can't worry about who's doing what. You have to focus on outdoing yourself. Being good isn't enough, you have to strive to be great; and when you reach greatness, you have to surpass that." Dices parents supported him. They knew it helped him cope with what he went through, but still, Dice struggled to find where he stood in a field he still knew so little about. He started learning how he could record and mix music properly by reading and through trial and error. While classmates cracked jokes, and everybody thought they were terrible, Dice and his friend didn't quit. One year later, Dice turned thirteen. Still practicing his writing and delivery, Dice was beginning to get the hang of it, but still, his songs weren't good enough; he wasn't satisfied with himself as an artist. He still didn't even have a name. One morning his step father came home with a gift, a keychain holding a pair of dice. Dice kept the keychain on him at all times. He felt that the dice would bring him good luck with whatever he chose to do. Everything was going well; his mother and father were happy, he found what he loved to do, and even though his music wasn't what he wanted it to be yet, he wasn't going to quit. No matter who refused to believe in him. On the morning of July 19th 2004, his mothers birthday, Dices step father had passed away in his sleep. Dices whole world fell apart at that very moment. Everything that kept him happy, everything that made him forget the pain his biological father had caused crumbled apart that morning. He no longer cared about anything anymore. During his step fathers wake, Dice approached the coffin. He removed the keychain from his pocket and broke it into two, separating the die from one another. He took one of the die, and put it under the pillow of his step fathers coffin. Doing this made the thirteen year old feel that no matter how far apart they are, the dice will keep the two of them connected. Dice then kissed his step fathers forhead and promised him that he will never quit doing what he loves, and no matter who or what is in his way, nothing will stop him. Dice then turned away from the coffin and walked out of the room; he never returned to the room again. That night, he wrote his first official song titled "Give Me A Minute" under his new name.. DICE. The song was about the passing of his step father, the only dad he has ever had. His brother listened to it and approved of it. That was his first real song, and he now had his name. Dice was hurt, angry, and broken; yet he was more focused than he had ever been. He had a promise to keep, and he isn't going to break it. Dice began teaching himself how to engineer, mix, master, graphic design, film and edit. This enabled him to focus better, and develop his own work exactly the way he envisioned it. If there was something he would need done by another person or company he would teach himself. Dice didn't want favors, and he didn't want help; he wanted his art to be his way, and that's how he kept it. Dice released numerous projects, and continues to excel in his craft. There will never be a day he settles for where he is. The memory of his dad keeps him passionate, his promise keeps him focused, and his overall love for what he does keeps him motivated. Dice strives to excel beyond the artist he is every single minute that passes. His brother remains mentoring him, and he strives to take care of his mother and family with what he loves to do; But lets be honest, it isn't what he loves to do, it's who Dice is. Through everything; the arguments, the abuse, the pain, the reconstruction and deconstruction of life.. it was only the beginning. Sometimes what we think was meant to break a person was actually meant to create the person. Dices journey continues, the promise remains, and we're all just a part of his audience. Every artist has a story. This is Dices.. and you've just completed chapter one.