By DJ Louie Styles
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
Hip hop has officially made the transition to the internet, as this has become the best way to discover new talent. In the Midwest, Drew32 is one of the biggest artists rising. A native of Detroit, Drew32 is building his name in his area and all around the world.
Drew32 is fresh off the release of his new mixtape, The Batch: Volume One, and it has a couple of singles taking off. Among the singles Drew32 is having success with is both “The Batch” and “True Colors.” The music video for “True Colors” has had a lot of good feedback since it was released.
Hip Hop Vibe is back with the latest edition of On The Rise and Drew32 is the new feature in the series. This time, Hip Hop Vibe introduced Drew32 to the audience and he already had a big fan base that was supporting him. Check out the interview Drew32 did, as he discusses where his career is headed.
Read the entire interview below:
Surely, you’ve seen enough stars break through over the years to recognize when it’s happening, how would you best describe your 2013-2014 run? I think my 2013 and early 2014 has all been a good set-up for what’s to come. I look at myself like I’m the best-kept secret right now, meaning I’ve got a ton of new music cooking right now and I’m just preparing to let it all out. Some of which has already started to come out, “The Batch” and the “True Colors” video, which have both gotten a great response. I’m just really excited for what’s next moving forward. I think the world is ready for something new.
What advantages have come with performing on stages alongside some of the biggest figures in hip hop? For me, I just try to enjoy and live in the moment. I don’t know if that’s considered an “advantage” or not, but it’s certainly been fun. I think being able to hit the stage with guys like Kendrick and J. Cole has been a blessing, but I don’t dwell on them too much because I’m so hungry for the next show, the next song, the next video, you know? I try to always keep pushing forward and continue to work on my craft.
Recently, you released your new mixtape, The Batch: Volume One, were you surprised at how quickly the mixtape went Bronze on DatPiff.com? Well I think it is a good project, and I think that good projects sometimes just have a way of spreading. My fan-base has been growing, and the response has been really dope, but I’m not too surprised yet. I still have a ways to go to catch up with myself in my head, if that makes sense.
The single you’re pushing is called “True Colors,” and it’s having plenty of success, how are you feeling about that track’s movement? I’m just glad that people have been able to connect with it, given that it’s such a personal record to me. Sometimes artists try to make songs with everyone in mind, and they don’t always work out. For me, I made “True Colors” because it was something that I was feeling inside of me and at the time I wasn’t really thinking about the response of the masses – I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to release it because of how close it was to me. So for that reason, I’m feeling great about the track’s movement and the fact that people have been able to relate and connect to it.
It seems like tons of newer artists who come out also rap and produce, do you think this is a necessity in this new era of “do-it-yourself?” That’s hard to answer, because it’s different for everybody. A lot of artists work closely with producers, while others tend to work alone. I have gotten a lot of beats that I loved from various different producers and I’ve enjoyed the collaborative process that goes along with it, especially because there’s so many dope producers out there!
But, I also love being able to be hands-on and producing for myself too. At the end of the day, for me, I do this virtually 24/7, so a melody or song idea could come to me at any time, so a lot of times I end up laying down the ideas on my own so I won’t forget them. I can’t say its necessary for a young artist to produce, but I like it that way because it gives me the freedom to create.
So, you have The Batch: Volume One, which is doing well, but do you have any follow-ups in the works? Yeah, I’m working on The Batch: Volume Two and two other projects right now – kind of all at the same time. I’m not sure which will come out first. But they’re coming!
The spring season is definitely here, should fans expect to see you popping up on any spring-themed tracks this year? I think a lot of my songs are best enjoyed in the spring/summertime while riding in the car with the windows down, music blaring, shades on, hot girls, (Laughs.) So yes. Not necessarily spring-themed concepts, but tracks that would be best served in the warm weather.
Alright, can you give us your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter so fans can follow you? Yeah, follow the kid! Facebook is facebook.com/drew32, Twitter is twitter.com/drew32, and Instagram is instagram.com/tre_deuce.
Watch “True Colors” by Drew32 below:
Follow DJ Louie Styles on Twitter @DJLouieStyles.
