Check Out Dylan Walker’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dylan Walker.

Hi Dylan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today. 
I was born in West Hollywood, California, and raised in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. I grew up with autism spectrum disorder, and this affected my life in various ways growing up. I was also living in an abusive household with a father who was on drugs on and off throughout my youth. As such, I never knew how to process my emotions or properly socialize. I was also floating between lower and middle class repeatedly with my single mother. And yet, ever since I was a toddler, I knew that I was destined to make some sort of impact on the world. As my adolescence came around and my traumatic experiences piled up, I began to forget that sense of destiny and purpose. My parents divorced when I was young, and as such, it was mostly me and my mom, and I was absent from a lot of cultural experiences, including my own Jewish culture. Obviously, I didn’t have the worst life imaginable, but it was not without its challenges. I escaped my reality in these times by watching anime and playing video games. 

My lack of passion changed at 14 when a friend of mine introduced me to Wu-Tang Clan. I became obsessed with rap music, and I immediately wanted to become a rapper. I finally found that “thing” that I knew I was supposed to be doing but didn’t know what it would be. All of my experiences up to that point, positive and negative, finally made sense, and I knew that this was the path I would take until I got to the top. 

I practiced how to rap every day and was immediately filling up notebooks full of lyrics, although I was consistently belittled by my school peers and told that I was just a wannabe and didn’t have the talent for it. The first person ever to learn that I rapped and didn’t laugh at me was my boxing coach at a gym I used to go to. I would rap to him almost every day, and he gave me pointers on how to get better, but it would take a couple of years before I actually impressed him. 

Around this time, I was spending more time at my father’s house, but I would soon see him get arrested at an airport for trying to smuggle drugs to fuel his addiction. At this point, I was even further bittered in our relationship and was introduced to a producer named Brett Bouldin who would become my full-on music mentor as well as a father figure. He taught me a lot of what I know in terms of what it means to be an adult, artist, and songwriter, and I still use much of what he taught me today. 

The next years of my adult life would be defined by further improving my craft, working multiple dead-end jobs, fixing my relationship with my birth father, and improving myself socially and meeting new people. Much of what I know now as an autistic adult without assistance was by loneliness and trial/error, but my life is much better now! Despite occasional mental health struggles, I have many loving friends who support me, including my first other autistic friend, Aykila Winter, who styles me and helps me make creative decisions! I also have an educational advocate named Hadassah Lynn-Foster, who has helped me get the government assistance that I need. I’ve also gained a better relationship with both my parents, and a following on TikTok that I accumulated over the past few years through freestyling on live streams. I’ve also been working on sync work for Paramount and could very well have musical placements soon, depending on how the stars align. 

Right now, I’m furthering my music education at 1500 Sound Academy in Inglewood, CA, and getting ready for a comeback after a concussion I got in a car accident earlier this year. Things feel right on time thanks to a recent shoutout by the TikTok CEO which helps me advocate for other artists with disabilities. 

I’ve never felt more confident and fresh for the potential of my career, and I’m about to take my music in directions that no one would have ever expected. I’ve honed my craft a great deal in songwriting and music production and am incredibly excited to share not only this music but who I truly am with the world. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a smooth road. It would not be an authentic story if I said that I’ve never doubted myself or began to believe in the countless people along the way that told me that I couldn’t do it, that my voice wasn’t right for a rapper, or that I’m not “meant for this.” Issues in my social life due to my autism up until about 5 years ago affected my mental health significantly, and combining that with a lack of an overall family unit besides my mother has been hard. 

But even in my lowest moments, in my moments of bitterness, of working 2-3 different jobs and being exhausted, at my core, I knew that I would achieve everything that I’ve ever wanted. The world will not take away my identity and who I know that I am. 

I’m grateful for every trial I’ve gone through they are a part of who I am now, and I will take the experiences to keep me humble, grounded, and kind to all that I interact with. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I released an album in 2020 called “Yung Kaido vs. Dylan Walker,” where I outlined the dichotomy of who I am as Dylan Walker with my alter ego, Yung Kaido. Dylan is introspective and kind but also prone to depression and anxiety. Yung Kaido is loud, brash, and rude but full of energy. Both of these represent parts of who I am and what I feel, and it’s represented in the music that is split in half by two sides. It is all produced, written, and mixed/mastered by me. It’s characterized by a mix of bass-ey, aggressive hip hop, and harsh vocals, alongside soft melodic songs about heartbreak or general depression. 

Since then, I have released mostly more “lyrical, rappitty rap” songs such as my tracks “Big Brain” or “Regiment”. However, I have new songs and sounds that I’m incredibly excited to release now, which play with genres such as Afrobeat, Reggaeton, or Drum & Bass. I’m very excited to show the world just what I’m capable of musically! 

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
The meaning of my stage name: is “Dylan Walker.” Dylan is my given name, but “Walker” is inspired by an anime/manga called D. Gray Man. In it, the main character is named Allen Walker. He is an exorcist who destroys demons and helps improve people’s lives, and he always makes sure to be kind and empathetic toward them. However, he is characterized by having amnesia and lost knowledge of his roots. 

Later on in the story, he discovers he has the ability to play piano extremely well and uses this to unlock his latent memories. In a nutshell, this is a story of someone who helps the world and uses music to remember who he truly is, which he forgot a long time ago. If you’ve read about my story up to now, this is extremely similar to my story. Allen Walker sounded a lot like Dylan Walker, so the shoe fit. 

Side note: In my branding and cover arts, may also notice a black/green/purple dog. That is my fictional mascot named “Walker,” who helps represent me! 

Pricing:

• $75 for rap feature ($50 on Fiverr)
• $75 for rap feature ($50 on Fiverr)
• $75 for Mix/Master of Song ($50 on Fiverr)
• $75 To Ghostwrite Lyrics ($50 on Fiverr)

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dylanwalkermsc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therealdylanwalker
• Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/therealdylanwalker
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/dylanwalkermsc
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk-zViOBG6xagEuw1ylWbhQ
• soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dylanwalkermusic
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@dylanwalkermusic

Image Credits
Jaylen Polk-June
Sakkred
Tyrian Purple
Lawrence Johnson
Black Galaxy Productions