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Today, we have hip hop/pop artist Drew Parks! Drew, originally from Detroit, is also a producer and songwriter, and has gotten major love from top networks and magazines like MTV, ESPN’s First Take, Billboard, Respect Magazine and VIBE. He started getting into hip hop around eight or nine years old, and became obsessed. “As a kid, I listened to a lot of Bob Marley, Sergio Mendes, and anything and everything that was on the radio,” Drew said. “I’d spend all day rapping along with songs and memorizing lyrics.”At just 10, Drew recorded his first song, and by 12 or 13 had started making his own beats using some recording software his parents had bought for him. “By 14 I had released a self-produced album, and started making music with kids I went to middle school and eventually high school with,” he said. “I’ve continued doing music ever since.”
Being from Detroit, which has so much musical history, Drew has been inspired by artists like Royce Da 5’9, Eminem, Kanye West, Big Sean, D12, Black Milk and other Detroit rap artists, especially Royce and Eminem. “There was a time where I would literally mimic their flow patterns because of how inspired I was by them,” Drew revealed. “I’d say more than anything, they have influenced me, not so much in my content, because my music is certainly different, but in having a respect for flow and technical rap ability.” Plus, with Detroit bringing us techno and the hits from Motown, the city
The artist had extreme passion and clearly showed impeccable talent for music at such a young age, and knew that it was something that he wanted to. However, it was his senior year of high school where he realized that he wanted to seriously pursue this dream. “I was playing varsity basketball, and my senior year I decided to not even try out for the team,” Drew admitted. “I wanted to fully dedicate myself to making music. I’d say that’s when it became serious.”
Drew recently dropped his EP, Away We Go, which is a great project that’s upbeat and fun to listen to, but also shows us who Drew is and what he brings to the table as an artist. “I wanted to experiment more with dance music, and house music vibes, and incorporate them with my love for hip-hop,” he said of the EP. I think it’s the perfect introduction to who I am as an artist and where my sound will be going in the future.”
One of the standout tracks on the project is Drew’s latest single, “We Love Them,” a hot, energetic collab between him and Fatman Scoop! Drew was inspired by dance music from artists like Diplo and Skrillex, and made the beat to catch listeners’ ears from the very start of the track. However, after recording, Drew felt like something was missing. “I called my manager and we brainstormed a bit, and he reminded me that he used to work with Fatman Scoop back in the day,” he said of the collaboration. “Scoop flew in to Detroit and added the finishing touches on the track!” Drew hopes to record a video for the track soon, but for now, listen to the official audio below!
Currently, Drew is focused on pushing the single, as well as performing and working on more beats and a new project. “My next project will probably be even more dance-music oriented,” he laughed. “[It] will probably be the opposite of an easy-listening album. We’ll see!” As far as what sets him apart from the pack, Drew believes it’s his creativity and unique sound that makes him stand out. “I produce pretty much all of my songs myself, so everything is very unique to me. I draw my influences from a variety of different cultures and genres, and I think the result is something enjoyable and different,” he said.
In the future, Drew hopes to be traveling around the world to perform and create music, hoping to draw from different cultural influences. “For example, I want to make an album in Greece (which is my heritage), but also in Brazil, in Jamaica, in Spain, in South Africa, and other countries across the globe,” Drew said, which is a really cool idea! “I’d like to continue to produce, and possibly get into acting or something. I want to try everything, maybe even score a movie. But for right now, I’m focused on making the best music and art possible.”
Be sure to get Away We Go on iTunes, Google Play, and other digital outlets now. You can check out more from Drew on his social media links below!
Website: https://drewparks.com/
Tumblr: http://drewparks.tumblr.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/drewparks
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/drewparks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drewparksmusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/drewparks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drewparksofficial/
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