Da Crook has established an undeniable presence for himself in Toronto’s Hip Hop scene with hits like ‘Kickstart’, ‘Take A Trip’, ‘Talk Facts’, and ‘Swervin’’. Get familiar with this VIPER Presents interview…

What five words define your sound?

Raw, lyrical, energetic, experiential, turnt.

Tell me something unique about your creative process

My process is different every time, I’m always evolving as an artist, so I always have new experiences in the way I go about making music. 

Which song of yours would you like people to hear first?

‘Talk Facts’ or ‘Take a Trip’.

What’s the most vulnerable you’ve allowed yourself to be when writing/making music?

The most vulnerable I’ve allowed myself to be was the creation of my release, ‘All I Want Is You’. I created it based on a genuine moment in my life. 

What’s the best/worst experience you’ve had on stage?

The best experience was performing out at Rolling Loud in Toronto. Coming out on stage the crowd was going crazy and the energy was amazing. The worst experience I’ve had performing was a show I had in Ottawa where I was performing alongside Toronto artists Houdini and Burna Bandz. I tripped over a speaker and almost fell off the stage, but the crowd was still rocking with me, so it all worked out.

What is your favourite song to perform?

‘Swervin’ is my favourite to perform, because it has such a bouncy beat that gets the audience reacting. Even if you don’t know the song you’ll be rapping along, and so many people hear the song and realise they’ve heard it before, not knowing I’m the artist. 

Which artist/song/album made you want to make music?

There was no specific artist that inspired me to make music, but I remember growing up with my Dad who was always playing a range of different artists and music in the house like DMX and Tupac. From there I started freestyling and have been influenced by all the sounds I loved growing up. 

What’s the meaning behind your name?

There is a lot of inspiration behind my name. When I was 15/16 years old, I grew up wearing the brand Crooks and Castles. I was also always breaking into things so my street name was Crook. 

If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing instead?

If I wasn’t making music, I don’t think I would be doing anything as favourable or respectful. Music really saved my life.

What’s success to you?

Success to me is being able to provide and protect for yourself and your family. if you’re able to do that off the strength of your craft, that’s all that matters. 

What moment in your life/career forced you to change direction?

In 2020, I was facing a legal situation, and when I was out on bail and found out I was having a daughter things really changed for me.  I was at a crossroads that made me decide I wanted a different path. 

Where can people keep in touch with you?

Instagram: @dacrook

TikTok: @dacrooook

Youtube: @dacrookaao

Spotify: Da Crook

Snapchat: @DaCrookMusic