Interview — D. Tucker (@DwayneTucker)

As visitors to LeftoverCake, you may or may not be familiar with D. Tucker, an up and coming artist out of the Bahamas. For the past few months he’s been making waves from the Caribbean to Miami and his buzz is even catching on as far north as NYC. With music that is driven by real life situations, D. Tucker is sure to be one of those artists you’ll be hearing a lot of in the very near future. It’s only right to give you guys a head start in following this guy. We recently had the opportunity of conducting this interview with him, which will be broken down into 2 parts — the first piece is below. The final portion will be featured sometime next week so make sure to check back regularly.

LeftoverCake (LC): Whats up man? Thanks for taking the time out of your schedule to do this interview. Let’s get started with an intro. Tell the people a little about yourself. Especially if they haven’t already had the pleasure of getting familiar.
 
D. Tucker (DT): I’m D. Tucker Motha______! Hahaha. For the last ten years I’ve explored the world of photography. This Summer I took a hiatus from my photographic endeavors to continue my career as a musician.
 
LC: Quite a different approach than most, I’d say. How would you describe your sound and what makes you different from others who share the same genre?
 
DT: I’m passionate. What makes me “different”? Well was born on November 4th, 1988 to Barbara Dean Saunders and Dwayne Tucker. Hahaha. But to further answer your question, my focus is on being the best that I can be; I don’t know if we all are doing that, but if we are, we’ll all be different in our own way and that’ll make us all the same. I say that I’m a rapper/hip-hop artist but really most of the time I’m unclear. I’m just me!
 
LC: Haha. Good point! I’m glad you’re having fun with this interview! I’m sure you hear these questions all the time. What’s that one underlying factor that made you want to get into the game?
 
DT: I saw guys like Big Sean, J Cole, Drake and Wale, all around my age doing their thing and saving the rap game and I was like “Time out! I have the talent. I just need to stay true to my music I’ll get better and hopefully noticed” just like they did.

LC: And that’s exactly what happened. Now you’re making moves! So what exactly got you going? How’d this second wind come about?
 
DT: Winter 2010, I used to kick it with this lady in Miami and she’d listen to my older songs when we chilled. She was like, “I’m not talking to you any longer until you decide to give music a shot; you have way too much talent and love for it.” Pretty much, that’s when I started to write SGIVO1 and made the first song “Love It, Hate It” all because she inspired me to go forward with the music.
 
LC: So do you work with outside producers or is all your production done within your camp?
 
DT: Right now I’ve worked closely with two producers that’ve showed heavy interest in my music. Brandon Goodwin from Beatvillainz and my DJ/engineer Kid Smooth, both from Miami. They’re believers.
 
LC: What producers would you like to work with in the future?
 
DT: I’ll forever work with Kid Smooth because we work awesome together. He’s super talented at what he does and he’s as passionate as I am about my music towards his art. I’ve been hearing some good word about Jon Kilmer in New York… and of course I’d love to, NOT like to, but LOVE to with Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and Cisco Adler. They’re major inspirations to me.
 
LC: That’s an all-star roster, my man. Jon Kilmer is a machine! Since we’re on the subject, what’s your process like in terms of selecting beats and screening producers to work with?
 
DT: Like I said, I’ve only worked with two producers so far but all I want to feel is that you know your shit. You gotta be passionate about what you’re doing because if you love it like I love it we’ll work wonderfully together. As far as selecting beats, if an instrumental gives me that un-explanatory feeling, I know I gotta tell a story over it.
 
LC: So we’ve got your dream team of producers. What about artists? Go big or go home!
 
DT: I haven’t had the pleasure of working with any established artists as of yet. I’d like to work with Azad Right, Tayyib Ali, Case Arnold, Wale, J Cole, Big Sean, Drake, The XX and Shwayze. They’re the first names that come into mind.
 
LC: What is your relationship with other artists and do you deal with “haters”?
 
DT: My relationship with artists’ whom I know is well, we respect each other; they are anywhere from painters, to musicians to photographers.
 
As far as haters go, I won’t really follow up on that. I’ll always be judged; if negative like I said in my track ‘Love It, Hate It’ “Let em hate that’s their fucking job anyway.” I’m coming in this game to share my lifestyle, it don’t matter if I’m liked or not as long as I succeed.

LC: Tell me more about your music… How often do you hit up the studio? 
 
DT: When I was a lifestyle photographer I told clients my studio was wherever I’m at. I could be in a hotel room and shoot a campaign for you as long as my tools were with me. As a musician, I’m always in the studio. I don’t have a “studio” to of my own. All of my work was done in Beatvillainz or Kid Smooth’s home studio; we have access to a studio in the Bahamas as well. Everything I do is independent for now and I’m hoping that will be enough to get the extra push that I need from a label or an investor to get me that extra mile.
  
LC: Explain your creative process from the start to finish.
 
DT: I let everything happen organically. The story may come first, sometimes I may hear a beat and it pulls a story out of me. For both writing and recording I just remain focused and try to get the point of my story out the best way I can. It’s an unexplainable feeling that takes over my body when I’m doing this… It just happens.
 
LC: So at what point during the process are you satisfied with a new track or project?
 
DT: I’m usually like “That’s it, I’m done with it and this is the final product.” However, in the recording stage, just like the preproduction process of a photo-shoot, you’ll have an idea then sometimes you find ways to make it even better when you’re actually doing it. Improvise. If I can add something to it to make it better I do it in the recording stage. When it’s done and done I accept it for what it is; that’s why I’m hard on myself to give the best that I can.
 
LC: That’s respectable. How is it that you’re succeeding in a field where so many others have attempted and failed? Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?
 
DT: I haven’t succeeded as of yet. Other than putting out a mixtape that I’m somewhat happy with. I said somewhat happy because everyday I try to get better and I’ll always be my biggest critique of my last project, you know? The point is that I’m trying! This is an oversaturated industry. I hope to meet the right people and have them believe in me because I feel as if I’m here to leave history within; there’ll never be another D. Tucker. Like I said before I’m just being the best me that I can be.
 
To the aspiring artist I share with you what I took from Curren$y, “Be true to your music.” Another thing that I’ll share is to enjoy every day of the struggle, we are doing this because we love to create; I get upset sometimes because I’m naturally antsy but I’m smiling the entire time. Even when I’m frustrated I smile inside because my thought remains, ‘Somewhat Good Is Okay’ because it will all get better with time.
  
LC: It seems more now than ever artists promote themselves on tighter budgets but still manage to gain a huge fan base. Why would you say that is?
 
DT: The power of the internet. Our generation knows the power of the internet and we’re taking advantage of it.
 
LC: Exactly. Who are your influences?
 
DT: My influences are beautiful women.

LC: Haha. Not quite the answer I expected but I’ll allow it. Let me try this… Who are your heros?
 
DT: My hero is Rob Dyrdek because if he feels like he can do something he puts his mind to it and does it; that’s super amazing to me and I admire anybody capable of that.
 
LC: Haha. I agree with you. From the TV shows, clothing lines, endorsement deals, etc. He’s a mogul but I don’t think I’ve ever seen him actually skate. Haha. Regardless, he’s got a great business mind.

That’s it for Part 1. Check back for Part 2 on Wednesday.