But he says he’s waged some of his greatest battles at home in Durham, where he fights with music and words.

This local rapper known as “The Real Laww” has been making music for almost a decade; he considers himself a “performing artist” since he also writes, produces and engineers beats.

“My main focus is the performance,” he said. “If you come to a show I want you to lose your mind.”

Being a soldier has raised Harmon’s work ethic “exponentially,” he said. He performs across the Triangle and Triad, sometimes several times a week.

Harmon, 27, said the Marines teach leadership skills that help his work. “I learned pointers from officers,” he said. “Being focused and driven both help.”

Born in Trenton, N.J., Harmon and his family moved to Kentucky when he was very young and eventually to Durham in 1997.

He began recording music in 2003. Back then he enjoyed “battling,” or trading lyrical verses with other rappers, and soon dove headfirst into hip-hop.

‘Always been there’

Harmon says music has “always been there” in his life.

Growing up, he sang with his three sisters and brother for family functions and talent shows. They mainly performed Boyz II Men songs because they were his mother’s favorite.

His sister Carmen now lives in Kentucky and sings for enjoyment but his sister, Brandi, lives in Delaware and performs for weddings. She’s currently working to put a group together.

“Only three singers give me goose bumps when I hear them,” Harmon said of his influences. “Whitney, Lauryn Hill and my sister Brandi.”

His dad was in the Air Force and wanting to follow his footsteps, Harmon found himself in the Marines in 2007.

His military occupational specialty, or MOS, is ground radio repairer, the same job his father held in the Air Force. He served in Iraq during the U.S. withdrawal in which he saw equipment he was repairing being shipped to Afghanistan.

After his first deployment, Harmon’s music began receiving airtime in Milwaukee and on Internet radio.

But even overseas, he kept writing music even if he couldn’t produce it. He wrote “As Time Goes By” in Iraq for his son John Jr., 4.

Harmon raps about what he knows, but not necessarily the Marines.

“I rather talk about what I know, like life stories,” he said. “Not the bling but storytelling, word play and the things that you do have.”

His biggest hip-hop influences include Busta Rhymes and Eminem for their energy and visual imagery. His other musical influences include bluegrass, thanks to Kentucky he says, and rock.

While producing his own beats, he often looks for what’s “weird” on the scene.

“It inspires me to do more when I think outside of the box,” he said.

Harmon is a musical advocate of sorts and often performs for local charities. This year he and fellow rapper Kurrell “Toon” Rice have performed for the Wounded Warriors Project and “Skate away the Hate,” an event held this past March to aid domestic violence victims.

The two have been making music together for years.

“We give back for those that directly affected us,” said Rice. “We’re grounded and rooted in the community.”

Harmon said he believes in karma.

“We have to help people that can’t help themselves,” he said.

People have begun taking notice.

Harmon is nominated for the Carolina Music Award’s Male Hip-Hop Artist of the Year. His song about domestic violence, “International Laww,” is nominated for Best Video.

These are Harmon’s first awards nominations, and fans and family are behind him, including his father who has his music on his Facebook page, and his mother, now struggling with Alzheimer’s.

“Winning would be cool,” he said, “but just being recognized is cool too.”

True to semper fi, Harmon isn’t slowing down. He is gearing up for the release of his first album, “The Laww Cometh,” in September.

“The word for the day is consistency,” he said. “Stay consistent and don’t talk about it – do it.”