The D'NME Story & Interview
D'NME has never been shy on confidence and as a teenager he knew he wanted to pursue his career as an artist. Growing up artists like Nas, Biggie, 2pac, Run dmc and ll cool j including Eminem have been some of his greatest influences when it came to his passion and love for music. D'NME is an artist that never lets anything get in his way in order to keep him from doing what he was meant to do. When people would doubt his abilities and skills as an artist he has shown and been living proof that anything is possible with hard work and dedication. This commitment and talent has brought him much success.
In 2013, D’NME made appearances on various underground mixtapes and was featured in the Indie Grind Spotlight section of Hip Hop Weekly's magazine. In 2015, D’NME released his third mixtape titled “I Smell Blood In The Water,” which was hosted by Southern Smoke founder, DJ Smallz. Then, he followed up with his online smash "Bad AF" featuring Adam Duncan. D’NME’s 2017 EP “Number One With A Bullet” garnered a great amount of attention and respect online. The project was featured on blogs such as Thisis50.com, RespectMag.com, and Allhiphop.com.
In 2019 D’NME became the first Canadian rapper in history to win the “Freestyle Of The Week” award on Doghouse Radio in New York city. His recent single “On The Way” features Keenan TreVon, and has been receiving critical acclaim online. D'NME is another great example of positivity and a perfect picture to what hip hop really is. D'NME says " if you dont believe in yourself you cant expect anyone else to believe in you."
I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Toronto is a multicultural city, but in regards to the Hip Hop scene, I’ve always felt that there has never been the kind of support that you see in a place like Atlanta. It’s pretty much an “every person for themselves” type of mentality when it comes to Hip Hop. So at a very early point in my career I began travelling to the United States, and making a name for myself over there.
2.Who has been your greatest support throughout your journey as an artist?
The biggest support has definitely come from my mom, my girlfriend, and a few other close friends. Over time, I think I gained more support from fans, but I really had to have an extreme amount of self confidence first. If you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t expect anyone else to believe in you.
3. At what age did you know you wanted to be an artist and how did you get started in the first place?
I knew that I wanted to be an artist in Hip Hop at 16. There was never any second guessing myself when I made the decision to become a rapper. Since I was 16, I believed it was possible. At that time I was in high school, and rapping was not a common career choice, especially in Toronto. Around 2002, being a rapper was a far fetched thought to a lot of people around me, but I never let that deter me. I wanted to be a rapper, and I focused on making it happen.
That’s a tough question. There are way too many rappers that helped influence the entire genre of Hip Hop. Rappers like 2Pac, Jay-Z, Nas, Eminem, and Biggie all brought something special to the genre. LL Cool J was a huge influence as well. RUN DMC did things that were very innovative. I don’t think it would be possible, let alone fair, to view one person as the most influential in Hip Hop. There are just too many phenomenal talents that are responsible for bringing the genre to where it is today.
5.So what are your current thoughts on the music industry?
I think the music industry is no longer controlled to the point where only major label artists can be successful. The internet destroyed that. We are at the point where anyone in any part of the world, regardless of their status can simply record a song in their bedroom, and get into the music industry. I think there’s a positive to that, but there’s also a negative as well. If you have talent you can distribute your music, and make a healthy living online without a major label, but the negative part comes when people who are not polished or skilled musically have the same outlet to release music as well. Overall though, I feel talent will always cut through, and you will eventually find your audience if you’re dope enough at what you do. It just takes time to cut through the noise.
I do the one thing that no one else can do, and that’s be myself. I make the music I want to make without ever compromising my lyricism. I believe that is why I have been able to create a fan base. People know with me, what you see is what you get. I think being yourself, no matter what, is the one attribute that will always make you resonate with people. So I just do me, and keep it moving. Now when it comes to the actual skill behind making music and rapping, I believe I approach that with a lot of passion, and an extreme amount of seriousness. So anytime someone hears me, they know that it’s no accident. They know from the first listen I really rap at a high level. There is nothing questionable about my skill, I’m the real deal when it comes to rapping
I constantly keep my mind in shape. There’s a huge mental aspect when it comes to rapping. It’s more than just flowing to a beat, it’s a lifestyle. So I constantly practice, and I constantly write to keep my skills sharp. As the old saying goes: “If you stay ready you don’t have to get ready.” One thing that really keeps me motivated is being able to find the positive in any negative situation. The music industry isn’t an easy game, but you can’t defeat someone who always sees the positive in every situation. So no matter what roadblocks come my way I always see the positive, and keeping pushing forward
8.What aspect of the music-making process excites you most and what aspect discourages you the most?
Honestly, I enjoy every aspect of the music making process. I love writing rhymes, and recording them. I don’t think I would be doing this if I didn’t love everything about the creative process. If I do hit any kind of obstacles during the creative process, I simply take a break. I don’t force anything or stress myself out. I have the freedom to take my time, and create without comprise, so I have no choice but to love the process.
9. What was your inspiration behind your latest song " On the way?"
I was working with my producer Jon Bonus out in Colorado, and the “On The Way” beat was one of many beats that he played for me on the first day we were in the studio together, and it instantly caught my attention. Then after we got Keenan Trevon on the hook, and I started writing to it. My verses were inspired by what Keenan was saying. The hook he did had a real cool and confident vibe to it, so I channelled that energy when writing my verses.
10.if you can describe your fans in one word what would it be and why?
Dedicated. I say that because they really don’t care how long I take to drop music, or how lyrical my songs are, they are dedicated to listening to the music I make.
11.who would you like to work with in the future?
I’m so used to working by myself or with the artists that I’m close to that it’s hard to say, but off the top of my head I’d say Nas.
12. What advice would you give to upcoming artists who are trying to pursue their dreams?
Have an extreme amount of confidence in yourself. The music industry is a straight up mindfuck, as great as you are, someone will always try to downplay your abilities, so you have to constantly keep your mind in a strong place. Also, it’s crucial that you learn the business side of things, so no one can take advantage of you. There will be times where you do get screwed over, but learning the business, and understanding how to move will increase your chances of not getting getting shafted.
13. Albums, latest releases or singles are available to your fans and where can they be found?
At the moment, I’m focused on promoting “On The Way”, but I’m always working on new music. I just like to make sure my songs are promoted properly before moving on and releasing something new. My music is available on all streaming platforms; Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and every other streaming platform you can think of.
Comments
Post a Comment