At 28, Dirty Rap is no hip hop spring chicken. He’s been around, opening shows for Twista, Paul Wall, Chamillionaire and a host of others. He’s put out albums. He’s talked to a lot of people. But what’s interesting about our second-place semi-finalist is his unorthodox approach to music. Maybe not his approach, necessarily, but his perspective. It’s a mature and calculated process, yet at the same time very much in the moment. We spoke with the big homie at length about his music, the evolution of the Dirty South and why he is willing to freely give the respect that he demands in return. Strap in, kids, this is a good one.
Loud.com: What’s up, Dirty?
I’m feelin great man. This win, all the music I’m into right now, the mixtape I’ve been doing for the past month. And the money, whoo! I have plans to put that towards my own entertainment company. It’s called City Entertainment, and I’m working with a group of homies, we call ourselves the Gnac (Yak) Boyz, like cognac. We all kinda came together out in Arizona to form this company and we’re just trying to keep it moving. Life’s real busy, and it’s all good, man.
Loud.com: Good to hear. What’s up with the name Dirty Rap?
I used to just rap under my initials, D.R. but it was kinda lame. I’m originally from the south, the dirty south. And I rap. I combined the two, no big mystery. Dirty rap, people hear it and think it’s on some vulgar shit, but it’s just me repping where I’m from. That’s what it’s all about.
Loud.com: Aiight, I feel that. Tell me a little about the city, then; is the local scene strong?
I’m from Columbia SC, the capital. Met City, you know, and I mean, right now, there’s a lot of local love and whatnot goin on. Lil Ru, he just got signed to Capital Records. Lot of local dudes is willing to help people out. We’re in a different situation than ATL, though. There’s a lot of talent but it’s not saturated, so while everyone shines, everyone also gets exposure.
Loud.com: Where do you sit?
I try to come from a different angle. A lot of people are doin the club songs and all that. I try and come from my hood perspective, but keep it catchy. That said, though, when you hear the verses, they’re different because I keep it creative. I’ve been back here about 7 months; I’d been out in AZ the rest of the time. I used to live here and all that but most of my music roots are in AZ. I’ve touched base with a few people here, but it hasn’t jumped off for me like that yet. I’m really just back and forth to AZ. I basically only live here; this isn’t where my music is based.
Loud.com: You had an interesting flow over that Sha Money track, “No Whining.” Kind of like a stop-and-go thing. Where did the idea and flow come from?
When the contest first started and that first round of winners came up, everyone was upset and bitchin and all that. I heard Sha’s track and it inspired me to kind of forget all my problems with the site and voting and all that and just push what I was doing. I made a decision not to worry about everyone else, and I wanted everyone else to forget that nonsense and keep it moving. The flow, man, it’s just like, when I hear the beat I let my vocals ride on it, simple as that. I don’t have a style in that sense. If it calls for me to stop and take a breath, I will. Some people got a format and shit that they follow, but for me, I always go with the track itself. Makes me more versatile in the long run.
Loud.com: Tell me what it was like growing up in South Carolina.
The South is really a deep-rooted, family-oriented place to be. Me and my mom, well, she’s been living here for like 20, 30 years. You know, I went to school up here, still got friends in the area and all that. What I’ve noticed, though, is the difference in cultures here versus AZ. Here, people respect each other, like, especially the elders. You know, when we get talking to older folks or people that have been around awhile, we show them respect. When I went to AZ, it’s not like it’s a bad place, but there wasn’t that sort of connection there.
For me, everywhere I go I have the utmost respect for people I meet. The only reason you’d see me disrespecting someone is if you were to give me a reason to do so. Treating people with respect is a big part of who I am, I do that because it was ingrained in me as a young kid. It’s a little cliché and corny, but I treat people the way I want to be treated, and that reflects in all you do, music, life, family.
Loud.com: A lot of hip hop’s elite are not necessarily respectful dudes, though…
Well, I see both sides of it. For a lot of people, that’s all they know. Some people weren’t raised like I was. But, you know, when you get to a certain point in a career, you got a lot of people listening to you, and I think you have to be responsible for the things you say. That’s a cop out if you say, ‘I grew up like that.’ I’ve grown up and been through some things, we all have. Sometimes you have to step up and be a man, act like you are supposed to.
Loud.com: What do you say when people pigeonhole the South as not being lyrical enough? Many seem to think it won’t ever be regarded in the same way East Coast rap is within hip hop culture…
I mean, again, I can see both sides. New York back in the day was crazy. Down south, no one was really doin anything. I grew up on De La, Rakim, Tribe, all those guys; that’s all we listened to. That’s where I get my inspiration. But a lot of people now aren’t listening to that type of music, so emcees just starting out have no idea of the history or what’s expected of them if they WANT that respect. They only do what they know. So people biting heads off of these new cats is like jumping the gun because we need to understand where these new dudes are coming from. Now, if I can get at ‘em I will, I push the art form, first and foremost. These new guys need to understand that you can’t always say the first damn thing that comes out your mouth. All I’d ask of them is to get creative, go a little more in-depth and truly evolve as an artist.
Loud.com: What do you think the Dirty South style evolved from?
Same as East Coast rap. The DJ’s of the time. I remember back in the day down here, the Jam Pony Express. They played mostly R&B music and it was never fast-paced like rap music. They weren’t rapping, but the DJ’s had some call and response going on. They used to make tapes like that, kind of a pre-cursor to mixtapes. People used to rap over them. That was a Florida, Georgia type thing. So I can’t speak on how Louisiana got their sound, but I think that’s where a lot of it originally came from.
Loud.com: Tell me about your hustle, is music the only thing you’re doing right now?
I work, man. I do IT on the Army base in Ft. Jackson as a computer tech. Civilian contractor stuff. That’s my 9-5 when I ain’t got my rap suit on. But I’m tryin to get to a point where I can quit that gig and focus on this music. I’m 28 right now, so, I ain’t getting any younger.
Loud.com: The flyer on your Loud.com page lists several well-known acts. Did you open for them or are they more like influences for you?
Nah, the group I was in opened for all those guys back in AZ. Paul Wall, Mack-10, Chamillionaire, Twista… that all happened in Arizona and New Mexico. We were doing all that for like five, six months straight, two or three shows a month. We were doing well, but it was just a family thing that I had to leave. I have a daughter in Florida, so I needed to be back on the East Coast. But as it’s worked out I’ll probably be headed back to AZ soon.
Loud.com: Where do you see your music in ten years?
Oh, man. For me, like… I don’t know, to be honest. I’ll definitely be doing my rap thing, but my lady and me are always saying I’m more like a blues musician, like mellowed-out rap. Right now, you know, it’s hungry, it’s aggressive; real similar to LL when he first started. He’s kind of chilled out and mellowed with age a little bit, though, outside of his beef with Jigga. But yeah, probably something like that.
If I were to win the competition, I just want to have an affect on music. Like Ice Cube when he left NWA, those solo joints were classic. I remember walkin in record stores and they were sold out!! I want to sell out stores but keep it social commentary like he did. To me, that’s an artist that did it right.
Loud.com: What’s been your best hip hop moment recently?
Other than winning that money, man, I don’t know. That $15,000 was real nice. But it was like me being on the site for six months straight every day. When Joe called me the other day at work, that was probably the best. Other than doing those shows, opening with all those dudes, I can’t really think of anything else.
Loud.com: Do you have a mixtape or an album that you’re working on right now?
I got the mixtape right now, it’s called Stackin Up. It’s about coming up; it’s about quittin my job, changing my whole mentality, and the way I look at life and how I make a living. It’s not about money, as the title might suggest. It’s about me more so trying to up my value, my personal value, feel me? Improving life, period. I should be done with it next week. It’s free, just come to my Loud.com page or MySpace and you can download it there.
Loud.com: Sounds good man. Anything else you’d like to add that we didn’t touch on? The floor is yours.
Just be on the look out for the mixtape, look for City entertainment, look for the compilation album. I want to point out to people, because there are a lot of skeptical people out there - THIS COMPETITION IS FOR REAL. I probably spent no more than $20 on beats. I put $20 down and withdrew $15,000. If you need money and need funds, if you got the skills, get on Loud.com and make it happen. Peace.
