““Keep grinding” I used to hear that so much comin up. It’s the worst advice but it’s the best advice. Its empty as fuck and it leaves room for you to fill it yourself. It’s your story, your authentic self and ain’t nobody can tell it better than you.”
It all started when…
SOULDEGA: What inspired you to make music and did you have any early influences?
BD3: The inspiration to make music really is just the desire to create. Words are important, they are incantations and I want to make sure I create great magic with them. I desire to create through a lot of different mediums. My earliest influences ranged from Dennis Brown/Buju to Mos Def and Nas.
SOULDEGA: What is your creative process like?
BD3: It really depends on the vibe or mood, sometimes I just scat on a rhythm or beat and record the flow and inflections that I want the verse to be and then I go back and fill it with words and content. Other times I just freestyle 8 bar spurts because the music dictates what I'm going to say. Other times I write, but it really depends on my mood and energy.
SOULDEGA: What inspired the music and visuals behind "Soul in My Cup"? It's been a song we truly can't get out of our heads. It's so uplifting!
BD3: Oh man that's dope! The song structurally was inspired by my idea of having 3 different rhythmic styles in one song, and then as far as content I wanted to inject a little love and positive energy in the space that i take up in music. Especially within these days the vibrations can be so low, I think it's important to cleanse your soul every now and then. Shit be toxic. The video was a manifestation of that same energy, I wanted to go around literally pouring good vibes in people's cups, let's raise each other higher! What's so cool about that is KOTA THE FRIEND directed that video, it's dope to see how far his career has gone.
SOULDEGA: How have you maintained creating and maintaining high spirits during the Pandemic?
BD3: I actually got deeper into my creative being that I couldn't perform live. With a home studio you have the ability to wake up and record whenever you choose to, and that really was the case for me. It was my saving grace. I would wake up at 3:30/4 in the morning with a thought and just record it. Or an idea for a video or podcast topic. It was a time of reflection and that can either live with you or live in the music.
SOULDEGA: What have been some of the challenges you've had to face as a music artist and how did you overcome them?
BD3: Biggest challenge for me is getting the music to the ears of the people who need to have it, and trippling those numbers. Algorithms are the bane of my existence, but I'm also a home cooked meal so it takes time to get here. (here is home). Another challenge for me was stepping into the driver seat for the mundane part of the business that you never want to handle. The lesson learned is that you know you can do it, so just do it. Sometimes outsourcing causes more issues in the end than expected. That's why you have to cultivate a strong team.
SOULDEGA: Who have been your support systems when it comes to your art?
BD3: ME ME and ME, DYLAN DYLAN DYLAN......... No honestly my family, my crew, friends, strangers , the ancestors, they all play a role in the sustainability of this.
SOULDEGA: Who would you most like to collaborate with?
BD3: MOS DEF, Children of Zues, Phonte, Alchemist, Greentea Peng I can actually go on and on
SOULDEGA: How would you describe the music that you create?
BD3: Gemini Homecooked Intellectual Hood Love Highly Aligned Ancestors Approved Music
SOULDEGA: What is the best advice you've been given?
BD3: "Keep doing your thing shorty" or "Keep grinding" I used to hear that so much comin up. It's the worst advice but it's the best advice. Its empty as fuck and it leaves room for you to fill it yourself. It's your story, your authentic self and ain't nobody can tell it better than you.
SOULDEGA: What do you see for yourself in the future regarding your art?
BD3: Really pushing my boundaries and discovering new ways to deliver content to my supporters. I want to add on to important conversation and create amazing aesthetics. Really leaning into the full creative energy, collaborating and sharing with like and unlike minded people is where my future is at.