Rapper Dré Anthony is based in Toronto. He started making music in 2014, and on March 24, 2020, he released his first mixtape, Dice, an EP that was available on all platforms. He posted his music on well-known Hip Hop websites like WorldStarHipHop and @Rap. Shining, his first single of the year, was just released on August 5, 2021, and it is accessible on all platforms. This year, he intends to release a few more singles and perhaps an EP. Check out his single “Shining” and the exclusive interview below:
1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?
DRÉ ANTHONY: I come from a city called Toronto that’s where I was born. How I got into music was natural just by hearing great artists inspired me to create. I didn’t grow up with a lot so I feel my environment also influenced me to be an artist so I can change my life and also inspire others that come across my music and my movement.
2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?
DRÉ ANTHONY: No, I had zero formal training at all. I had to teach myself from the very beginning.
3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘DRÉ ANTHONY’?
DRÉ ANTHONY: My first and strongest musical influences were Michael Jackson, Tupac and DMX. Michael Jackson influenced me to want to become a versatile global artist. He made me want to make an impact on the world in a positive way. Tupac’s music was very raw and passionate and it pushed me to be raw with my music and just as a person in general and DMX also had a similar impact on me as well and his music is what got me into hiphop.
4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
DRÉ ANTHONY: I feel the key elements that resonate with listeners with my music is my versatility as an artist. I also feel people genuinely like the sound of my music. I feel my sound right now is a melodic hiphop kind of a combination of rap and singing. Although I do have records of other genres, I will release it in time.
DRÉ ANTHONY:
It was a long process and there were no short cuts at all. I really had to do the ground work as an artist to develop my sound and for it to be authentic to me and the listeners. I had to really listen to my voice and experiment with flows that vocally sounded pleasing to me but were natural as well. Over time my music and my life became in sync so I felt my essence naturally started to come out in my music and this also made me try different genres. But mainly I feel for any true artist time will give you the ability to transition into your own as an artist.
6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative and entertainment?
DRÉ ANTHONY:
I feel music is art and it’s basically a musical expression of your soul. I have no problem with people expressing their beliefs in their music if that is real to them. I feel music is meant to inspire people and it can spark the minds of those who hear it. I do not try and affront any of these themes in my work, but my beliefs in my music of what is real to me. I normally mention the grind and making something of yourself because that is true to me and that has been my reality. Music to me can be a mixture of both personal and entertainment but I believe you need to have a balance with this as an artist.
7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfilment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?
DRÉ ANTHONY:
I feel based on the reaction that I get from others who come across my music it does give me a sense of fulfillment. It’s positive and people see where it’s going, I normally hear my music sounds mainstream like radio music. That’s extremely fulfilling to me because that is the mark I always wanted as an artist. So for the average person to tell me this regularly lets me know that my work is heard in my music.
8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?
DRÉ ANTHONY:
I make music alone and I do not have an exact process I just go with whatever comes to me at the moment. I never try to force anything I create spontaneously so it could be the beat first or a melody in mind so it just depends.
9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
DRÉ ANTHONY: Honestly the most difficult thing that I had to endure was having the mental strength to overcome past obstacles that seemed to keep coming in my way. I had to keep my mind strong and my vision clear and close.
10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
DRÉ ANTHONY: A significant point in my career was releasing my first official mixtape. There was a lot of work that got put into it and I was glad it has gotten good reception. It was something that I wanted to do for a while so I’m glad it came to fruition.
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