Meet Dubious Thoughts

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dubious Thoughts.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Unlike most artists’ beginnings, mine started later in life after I hit rock bottom at the time…

Although I recorded trashy rap songs in my homies basement and freestyled a bunch, I never thought making music would ever be an essential part of my life until I was 30 and my world crumbled.

My wife at the time up and left me with our 9-month-old, had to sell the house, the cars, half my 401k I had built, and I eventually lost my business I had worked so hard to build, then got fired from the next job I landed…I seemingly had no identity.

Then I picked up the pen – it was like all my pent-up depression and anxiety and passions just poured out of me like a river! I got offered to open for a local artist within about six months. Once I saw the small 50-person crowd, I lit up like the sky on the fourth of July! I knew I found my calling in this stage in life: to share encouraging stories through life’s struggles through music that I love. Hip-Hop saved my life.

They say the rest is history, but I’m still writing my history as we speak, so you’ll need to follow me on this journey we call life to see my success.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth ride at all. There’s so much to learn about making music and the business side of getting heard. At the beginning (and for a while) people you know don’t take you seriously. They “wait and see” how serious you are about this passion of yours. It’s taken years for some of my friends to come around and start showing love.

Cracking into the music industry is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever pursued. I had to learn it all myself by way of networking as best as one can not having any connections.

On top of all the manual labor you got to do, you’ve got the algorithms to battle as well. And that’s another beast in it of itself.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My slogan is simply, A New Brand of Hip-Hop. I’m counterculture in a sense in today’s world. I’d like to think I’m a compilation of the best forms of hip-hop.

The message you hear on mainstream radio is what I’m fighting against. So don’t expect the same ol’ trap rap beat, degrading and disrespecting women, cheating and hook up culture, excessive drugs, boasting about killing people, and all this violent rhetoric from me.

Hip-Hop started out as a fun yet thought-provoking genre where their day in the life was shared from the streets before they had money before they had the fame, and ultimately bringing to light the urban culture. Now rappers get signed million-dollar deals and at their inception and start rapping about money, drugs, guns and polygamy. All things the average person doesn’t like or can’t really related to, but they find themselves singing the chorus because it’s cool and they hear it 5 times a day. I feel like most of what’s in the mainstream is brainwashing people. I rap about my life experiences that I think most people can related to. Struggling with money, struggling with relationships, loved ones passing, getting teased or bullied as a kid, battling depression and insecurity. Or on the flip side enjoying life’s blessings, finding your true love, supporting your homies and your city, providing for your family, counting your blessings and giving gratitude to God.

My cadence is different, my beats I select are unique, and my message is unlike anything else out there, but one thing that’s consistent, is I always want to see people succeed and be the best human they can be. I’m all about uniting people and tearing down walls of division and hate. Love one another!

What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is invoking self-reflection, hope and encouragement with my listeners. Every comment, DM, repost, text message and phone call I get in response to my songs I read and take to heart. I’m putting myself out there and being vulnerable, so in turn my fans get honest and vulnerable too. I love hearing from people; they loved the message. It invigorates me! The best though is vibing with the crowd when I perform. I could perform every day because of the energy it gives me seeing people sing the lyrics and throw their hands up.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/dubious_thoughts?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@dubiousthoughts6709
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/KqVw13PVh5XcYRBVA 

Image Credits
Olha Melokhina – Photographer on 2 of the images with graffiti in the background.