- Where are you from ?
Im From Neeeeew Yooooork! Neeeew Yooooork! Queens!! I came down to Jacksonville, FL when I turned 5. Been going back and forth ever since. There and New Jersey!! Got fam' out there still! Holdin' down on every corner in every borough...shout out Dice Real & Dee $tizz!!
-How did you get the name for your recent album ?
Over the last year I've really developed and grown as an independent artist. I've started networking and building relationships with a lot of other artists, producers, promoters, etc. I've seen a lot more, and have done a lot more. Shows. Good shows, bad shows. Collabs. Good ones. Ones that fuck you. Love, Hate, Loss, Gain. This mix tape was my way of taking "notes" and leaving reminders via song. I wrote each individual song at a different point and through a different mindset from the last. Each track had a different situation that provoked it. Sometimes I was happy and just wanted to spit...sometimes I was pissed about being snubbed for a show or some shit so I'd rip a beat...other times i felt sweet on a chick...so you got some love songs too. Hell, I even seen one of these past award shows and watched a performance and I was like..."I'd KILL that beat"...so that would get you a "take off" track. Overall, it's really just a versatile tape that I used sort of as a journal to leave my...MenTal NoTez.
Well, I've been writing since I was 12. Middle of class, not paying attention. I've always been a smart kid so I'd finish my work quick and then I'd write a song. The thing was, I'd only write if I felt a certain emotion. Like hurt, or embarrassed. I had to be in the right mind. It's like emotion focused me. It was never really good back then, and I never really took it seriously. Still, I never stopped writing. Now, I've always been a big boy. So jokingly, I wrote a song called "Ketchup On Ya Fries"...about McDonald's food. I let my boys hear it and they laughed all the way to their families so they could hear it. It got me a lil' recognition and provided a lil' gas to my tank! Around 17 years old something clicked. I wrote a cover to Juelz Santana's "Mic Check 1,2 1,2" and recorded it on my old desktop computer with the microphone built into the monitor. Ha! The quality sucked ass, but my boys were really feelin' it. I let some random girls hear it and they rocked with it too. Again, it sucked thinking about it nowadays, but it played its purpose. It provided the push I needed to feel like I had the flow to compete. It provided confidence. I built on that. Continued to write and learn. Write and learn. Developing myself. Reading more. Trying to develop my vocabulary. In 2012, I felt I had reached a point where I could flow comfortably in front of people and have something to say, in a signature way. I felt I had become versatile enough and I knew what I wanted to achieve in the game. I felt I had something to provide to the game. Now you get David D. and that signature "run-off" flow! So now I'm tryna get it in every one's ear!
- How do you prepare for a show ?
Teddy Grahams And Lemon Tea. No Teddy Grahams and we walking the hell out! Naw, I'm just playing! Really, I try to stay to myself. I wake up early, play Madden. All Day. Then I link with my team about 3 hours or so before showtime and rehearse. Rehearse and rehearse again. Then of course, we gotta get fresh. Put that fitted cap on and my grandmother's Rosary. Hop in the car and I listen to my show cd on repeat all the way there. Of course, we got the LOUD in the air! Gotta getcha mind right!!
- How did you get your stage name ?
Ha!! I started off as Young Promo....but I thought to myself....Could I Picture Myself EVER hearing the phrase "...And The Grammy Goes To....Young Promo!"....And the answer was clearly No. I also had realized the change in the content of my lyrics as I got older and experienced new things. So I felt like, Why not just be me? David. And in school, I've always had other David's in my classes. So my teachers would always say "David D." So...There you go!!
- Who is your favorite Entertainer?
Aw man, I don't really have a favorite. I'm kinda all over the place when it comes to what I like. Music wise, I could say I feel everybody. But that would sound corny. But I'm real with it. Everybody's gettin' theirs. Can't knock any hustle. If I had to choose who I'd go see though, who I'd pay to see....It would have to be Mike Jack. I know its the easy answer. But hey, you can't deny what he does to a stage. If I could have the chance to turn back time to that Motown 25 performance of "Billie Jean" and see him electrify the stage with the Moonwalk for the first time, first hand....wow man.
- Pro's and Cons's to the industry for you ?
WOW!! You ask an artist this question and I don't think you have enough time to read it all!! I'll try and keep short. The game is saturated with FADs. Everyone only wants to do this or do that because they see the last nikka doin this or that. I also don't think anyone listens to lyrics anymore. Shit, as long as you have a hot hook and a hot beat, u got a hit. The fans just want to hear some shit for the clubs. Not saying thats a bad thing! Its just the "club sound" is becoming hip hop...instead of a genre or form of hip hop. The independent scene of course is over saturated with rappers on top of rappers on top of more rappers. And everyone thinks their Wayne. Nobody makes a lane for a hot artist anymore. Nikkas hate. They hear you sound good and they don't say shit. Don't push shit. Nothing. Because it's a "crab pot". "If I don't get on, you ain't gettin' on" type of mindset out here. But then, everyone wants to sound exactly the same. I can't even listen to the radio because it's just stupid. I feel like I'm listening to someones garbage CD. Everyone's doing the same thing. There's just no individuality anymore. In turn, you can't tell who's the best. Or who deserves it. And that's why nobody makes it.
- You prouduced a video this year(2011) what inspired you to do such ?
N/A
This professional takes a lot of patience. If you're not patient...........this just isn't for you. It's difficult to go out there every single day and write a new song, record it, upload it, and post it to every ones page but receive no feedback and somehow muster up the strength to do it again. And guess what? They ain't feeling that one either. So now what? If you answered anything else but "pick up my pen"....Then this isn't for you. I spend a lot of nights waiting for them to become mornings. Doing nothing but promo work. Fan bases are grown, they don't just appear. You have to be the most committed person YOU know. Your boys don't matter, your girl doesn't matter. If they don't push your shit, oh well, its up to you. How committed are you? How much rejection can you face? Its tough. But when you hit that stage....and you look out at that crowd...and you raise that mic to your mouth and get ready to spazz the hell out...you realize just how rewarding the payoff COULD be!
-What projects are you working on right now ?
Just dropped MenTal NoTez!!! Get your copy of that! Hit me up for physical copies but you can always download or stream via datpiff.com! I'm just staying on the promo side of the tape and trying to get it in everyone ears. Also, working on a few projects for some local artists. A little mixing/mastering work. Few collabs, but like i said tryna keep the vocal work to a minimum. Gotta let myself live from time to time so I have shit to talk about!! But, the team is busy!! We got Xiz Barz, my boy coming with a tape soon. He's up next. Also, got the team compilation coming this XMAS.....look out for that "Ciroc & SnowGlobez"....haha...ya'll gon' love that!! FLyShIT!!
- What inspired your last song you wrote ?
I'm Gud!! Is my single. It has crossover to POP potential all the while staying just as FLy as I am!! It's just a tight track. Produced by my dude Dee $tizz...a former Ruff Ryder producer...it's definitely a banger. Has perfect everything really. Loud, versatile, flows are hot, hook is smashing, beat is wild, its a great track and we spent about 48 hours straight doing it. It was fun though and I think you can really tell through the track.
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