Tell our readers about yourself:
I’m from uh--
I don’t really like to say I’m from the city, like I claim Chicago because that is where I was born, and that is where my family is, but my whole life, I lived everywhere.
I have lived in North Chicago, Zion, Aurora, Kenosha, Chicago--like all around the Chicagoland area I guess you could say.
I don’t know what else to say about myself, except my birthday just passed on October 16th.
Happy Belated Birthday.
Thank you, thank you.
Alright, let’s talk about your music. Define your style of hip hop.
My style, I don’t know, I guess it’s like a “streetish” style--a street like storytelling style. You know, I don’t like to rap about anything that’s not really going on in my life. Everything is 100% true. And I don’t rap about money cause I don’t have like a lot of money. It’s real, I guess you could say my style is real.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
[I get my inspiration] Usually from music that is out right now. Like some of the top people that I think are out right now like Kendrick Lamar, or Kanye West, or like people who are just real storytellers cause that is what I aspire to be. Like J Cole, or someone like that.
And I think the music itself, the actual beat itself, inspires me probably the most out of everything. Because I listen to the beat first and then write the song around it. Like the mood of it. So that is what inspires me the most--the beat.
What sets you apart from the other local artists that maybe out right now? What gives you your unique sound?
I think it’s the realness actually. Because a lot people that I’ve actually heard locally talk about stuff that I know they are not really doing. Umm--talking about cars or something. Like I know you don’t drive a lot cars.
I actually heard a song like this before.
I think actually the things that I do, the type of music I choose to do, & the type of beats I actually use is probably different. Like now on this new mixtape, Purple Sky Nights, I do have stuff that can actually bang in the clubs because I want to go perform. And that’s the reason I did those. But if you listen to some of my past mixtapes, it’s more hip hop style and a lot of freestyles with me just telling what is going on at the moment.
So, I think that’s what set me apart: my content and choice of beats is different.
How many mixtapes have you put out there already?
Officially I put out 4 with one on the way. And unofficially, like 8 from when I was younger.
How old were you when you got started though?
I think I was like 8 years old when I started rapping. The first song I ever rapped over was the Ludacris and Germaine Dupri song “Welcome to Atlanta”. That was the first actual beat I ever rapped over.
The first time I was recorded was in 2008, when I was a sophomore in high school with two of my friends Maine and Derrick.
Who else do you listen to, what else do you like other than hip hop music?
I don’t think I have an ear for anything other than hip hop music. Hip hop and R&B, of course. Sometimes I hear a song from a different genre that I like drift off to. But, I don’t have like any other genre that I really like. Nothing I can think of, but there are other songs and other genres that I have actually heard and liked.
Explain your song “Suicide Note” . I thought the song was dark, twisted, and interesting way of looking at that subject.
“Suicide Note”, hmm! When I made my last mixtape “Tin Man Heartless”, I was going through a lot of things then. And when I am going through things I can’t really put them out, I can’t talk about them, & I can’t rap about them. So, now that I am out of that, I am in a better place. You know, I was going through some bad stuff. Just stuff going through my head so I thought I would just put it in a song.
Do you recommend hip hop or writing as a way to vent your emotions?
Definitely, I do. It is a really good way to do it. It is a stress release. It’s fun to me, so it relieves a lot a stress. For me, it is way to actually talk about something without actually talking about it. I could say more on a song than I could say in person. I know I’ll put more in a song, and really people still don’t understand that my music is real stuff that I want to say about real people. And people around me, they still don’t get it. They just think it’s music. But, maybe they will. So, I think its good way to vent without people knowing you are venting at the time.
It was refreshing to meet an artist that is dedicated to being humble and honest about himself and his craft. The music in Tevin Dantrell's "Purple Sky Nights" is some of the best I've heard in a while.
Tevin most definitely has skills as a lyricist, and he definitely is not afraid to take his listeners on an emotional journey with his storytelling. In Tevin Dantrell's music, we have the harsh reality of a young man who is not afraid to tell us like it is. My favorite tracks from "Purple Sky Nights" are "Suicide Note","ten times" , & the oddly titled "Bill Nye".
The album drops November 19th. PURPLE SKY NIGHTS Check out his FACEBOOK FAN PAGE
Trust me, you will love what you hear.
