DDK INTERVIEW: Emerging independent rapper, DDK follows up his recent project, ‘DDKEYS’, co-produced by 88-KEYS with this VIPER interview. Get familiar with the Maryland native…

What five words define your sound? 

Inspiring, relatable, courageous, powerful, energetic.

Tell me something unique about your creative process.

I make a song. every. single. day. If i can’t record I write two. If i can record, you best believe I’m recording. This process not only helps me sharpen my pen but helps me express my inner emotions.

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

‘grey’. It’s gonna hit your soul.

What inspired you to make that song? 

Reminiscing on my grandparents death and more importantly how much more colour was in my life when they were there.

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

Completely vulnerable. I make my music as a diary of how I feel in the day, not intending for anyone to hear the deep cuts, until I realise how they’ll help people like me.

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

Best experience I’ve had is performing in DC and having a little girl rap my song ‘die young’ to me in the front row.

What is your favourite song to perform? 

Unreleased song, ‘chin up buttercup’. Hearing a bunch of ppl chant “we gon’ be alright” warms my heart. 

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

Defintley a mix but ‘GKMC’ by Kendrick. ‘MMLP’ by Em and ‘MBDTF’ by Ye.

What’s the meaning behind your name? 

DDK, DylanDaKidd. Made it when I was a kid playing Xbox and it stuck.

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

Acting. When I’m not listening to, or making music I’m watching a movie or a show. They inspire me.

What’s success to you? 

Saving people like me. And to save as many people as possible it’s to be #1. So it’s a mix of ego and faith. Together they are unstoppable. 

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

I was 15 years old in a mental hospital after an attempt on my life. I prayed to god in the emergency room for a purpose and found music. 

Where can people keep in touch with you? 

All socials. @ddkdontplay and the DDKULT discord/ IG channels & Chats. See y’all there.

Photo by Cyrus Lowe.