Artist Spotlight: DC

The last few years have seen the UK alternative rap scene soar in popularity, surpassing its underground label and becoming cemented in the UK music scene’s expanding architecture. Naturally, with such elevation comes a surge in artists, which in turn results in a more congested field. Some names shine through though, la crème de la crème, the musicians pushing stylistic boundaries and challenging stereotypical conformity. No one is shining brighter than DC. 

Balance and diversity are key factors in the appeal of the South London rapper. In feeling, sound, tone and prowess, DC is limitless. Stylistically he is truly in a lane of his own; the definitive influences of grime and garage is matched by an adoration of US rap and merged with undeniable underground characteristics that see him border and eclipse the soaring UK style he is often refined within. As a writer, DC is immensely absorbing, seamlessly concocting a provoking amalgamation of grit and vulnerability. He unleashes vivid tales of strife and struggle through poetic and charismatic realism, grounded yet playful, raw but thoughtful. He offers a different view point to many other narrators; his power lies in his poignancy. 

DC’s latest body of work, In The Loop, was easily one of the best UK rap projects of 2021. Across its 10 tracks, listeners are engrossed and impacted by our flawed protagonist, who reasons for our understanding and revels in his stubbornness. A melting pot of emotion with an ever evolving instrumental casket, it’s a statement body of work that has aged terrifically, immersed in its own depth. The rapper was quiet on the release front in the 18 months that followed, but he has now overcome personal and musical complications and has returned with more gusto and nuance than ever before. Two singles have been liberated in the past few months, The Latest and Firing Squad and show the continued thematic and musical evolution of an artist who bleeds flair and authenticity. With a new project on the horizon in the new year, it seems inevitable that DC’s stock will only move in one direction - upwards, towards global stardom. 

Catching up with The Pit, DC spoke about his experiences in the industry, the rise of the UK underground, looks back on his career to date, and gazes forward into the endless potential of the future. 

What is your musical origins?

From my mid-teens I was a huge music fan, especially US rap. I used to memorise all the lyrics to my favourite songs, which developed into me trying to write something. As I was writing I thought it sounded good. I was recording songs in college, sending them to friends, and then when I went to uni I started taking it more seriously and released my first freestyle. 

Do you think memorising songs like that helped you in your technique? 

100%. Even now, my flow is something that people always say they love, which I think is literally a result of me memorising those songs. 

From the initial interest in music and starting to write, how did you find the sound that has become your own? 

It’s difficult, I think it’s something that has happened naturally over time. Even when I was releasing songs on Soundcloud, I always used different beats to what others were using. I always liked the garage influence and I developed that into a sound. The producers I’ve worked with over the years have increased in quality, and I got to the level where they could bring out exactly what I’m looking for. 

How did your culture/upbringing/experiences shape you as an artist?

I think it’s shaped me as a person first and foremost. The way I speak, my views, opinions, it’s all been shaped by my environment, the schools I went to, the friends that I made. Growing up in South London gives you a unique view, even compared to other parts of London. Often you can tell what part of London someone is from based on slang or the way they speak. I think some people from certain areas are more open to certain things because that’s what they’ve grown up around. 

What does your music mean to you, and what do you want it to represent to others?

It’s a reflection of myself. I try to keep it as real and human as possible. That’s the rolling theme. Being vulnerable in the music as well, experimental too, high quality rapping. Honest, vulnerable and experimental are the three words I’d use to describe my music.

From an outside perspective, you seem like someone who isn’t too worried about conforming to the secular nature of the industry. How has your experience with the industry been?

It’s been mixed. Like every other artist starting up, I’ve come across difficulties. The deeper you get into it, the more you realise that a lot of it is about politics. It’s about who you know. I’m human, things can affect me sometimes, I think I could be doing things that I’m not. In general, I’ve never felt the need to conform, I’ve always had the philosophy that if it’s good enough, it’ll work. If it doesn’t, it’s just not as good as you thought it was. The most important thing is quality, and that will prevail over anything else. You learn over the years, you have to really believe in what you’re doing, and have the mindset that it’s only a matter of time. It’s not been difficult to not conform, because that’s just who I am as a person. 

As an artist you fill this enigmatic space between the underground and the mainstream. It stands out as unique yet also has the wider appeal. What is it about you that stands out in that light?

I can only go off what people have said to me, and that’s that the vulnerability and the honesty in the lyrics are a big factor for some people. When you can relate to what’s being said, it sticks with you longer. The style of music as well I think is refreshing to a lot of people, it’s a different take on UK rap that fits in between genres. 

Do you follow the UK underground rap scene?

I do now. It used to be more of a mixture, but now I just prefer the more underground music, I think it’s better if I’m being honest.

The alt rap scene in the UK has been rising in popularity, do you think it has the capacity to become a part of the mainstream in the way a genre like drill or grime has done?

Definitely, I’ve been saying it for a year or two. People like Knucks are already changing the game. There’s so many artists doing sick things. This underground sound has a wider appeal outside of the UK. I can see that from knowing who’s listening to my music even and where they are from. 

At the same time, do you want to go mainstream?

I think it’s all about balance. When you reach the heights where your music starts appealing to the masses, I think you have more people to appease. You should always strive to be yourself, but I can see why artists tweak their sound, or try to make music with selling out shows in mind. There’s so many factors involved, the bigger you get. With my music, I’m not worried about that. I’m always experimental anyway, and I don’t think I’ll ever conform to mainstream music.

In The Loop was one of my favourite projects of last year, how does it feel looking back on it now?

It’s a proud feeling. It’s a bit weird, sometimes I look at it like ‘rah did I make this?’. I remember listening to it before it came out, having it on repeat, and knowing that I had a body of work that was really good. It’s a sick feeling, how people took it in and the way that they did; not just saying that it’s sick but saying that it helped them in their lives. 

There was a fairly long period of time between the tape and the new singles where you didn’t release. Was that something intentional?

It was half and half. I always want to drop music, but circumstances within and outside music meant that I couldn’t do that. At the same time, I didn’t really mind because I wanted people to deep the project, and I felt like the longer it was out for, it kept growing and growing. I feel like not releasing allowed it to do that.

Loving the two new singles, talk me through them a little bit? 

The Latest was a freestyle that I did with Emil. I wanted to speak on what I’ve been up to as I hadn’t released in a while. We used one of my favourite J Cole samples which was sick. With Firing Squad, I actually wrote that maybe 18 months ago, and it was just a story that I really wanted to tell. We managed to find the right beat for it. It’s just a story of me in secondary school and what my life was like around then.

Are you building up towards a new body of work?

Right now it’s a bit of both. I wanted to just start releasing again, but also we are working on a project, it’s in the works. 

Love your visuals! How important is the visual side to creation for you?

It’s everything. It’s up there, side by side with the music. I love having sick videos, I don’t really drop a single without one. It’s very important, I’m always heavily involved in them. I think watching a video can make you like a song a lot more. 

Where do you want to take your artistry? 

As far as it can go. I want to take it across the world, tour Europe, Australia. I think the experiences I’ve had this year have shown that it is possible, going on tour, doing Wireless etc. If I just keep it going, who knows where I can end up. Definitely, globally, that’s the goal. 

Why do you make music? 

I make music because I enjoy rapping haha. I just love it, I love coming up with new flows, lyrics that touch me, that are real. I just love music and everything about it. 

What’s next for you? 

New music, hopefully the project will be ready in the first quarter of the year, but you know how these things go sometimes.