Today we’d like to introduce you to Derrick Smith.
Hi Derrick, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My relationship with music started around 6th grade when I joined my school orchestra (playing stand-up double bass and bass guitar) and started composing songs with other students for talent shows. From there in Highschool I continued doing orchestra but saved up enough money to buy a beat machine and started making beats. At the time I was in Louisville and there weren’t many local rappers I wanted to make whole albums, so I just started recording and writing songs. I also then and now still sample a lot of vinyl and started off just buying and sampling anything I could find in my local half-priced bookstore.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been the smoothest road. From crashed hard drives I’ve had to recover, to sketchy venues or showcases that didn’t really pan out. One of the biggest speed bumps have been shifting my approach locally since the pandemic. Since covid in person events around Cincinnati seemed to never return in the same capacity so I’ve been having to readjust my approach to engage listeners. The city has also seen a lot of gentrification, so it’s been somewhat of a fight trying to find places for people who look like me can come and perform. I worked at my local NPR for some time as well and would hear locals call to speak on the housing crisis, so the issue definitely was not exclusive to the music/rap scene.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I make rap/hip hop, but I touch a few other genres along the way, my last album even had a RnB record (Shiddd feat maya Ashley). I would say sampling vinyl is probably my specialty. It’s where I started in a way and comes to me the most natural. Seeing as I produce, write, mix, and master all my songs my music has a certain level on cohesion that you don’t always see. I’m not the best at making singles, I’m always working an album or large body of work which is rare in today’s music climate. I do singles for promotion sake but I typically approach music looking for its place in a specific album.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was very relaxed and social growing up. Played a lot of sports, really into anime, video games, and anything nerdy or film. I was even my student body president in 6th grade. I was always strong minded though and shared my differing opinions very often. I have never been the type to agree just for the sake of having a comfortable conversation.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/derricksocrazy
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/derricksocrazy
Image Credits
https://www.instagram.com/jodyjonesii/
https://www.instagram.com/undergroundvisual/?img_index=1
