Check Out Dequadray White’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dequadray White.

Hi Dequadray, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up, I used to imagine the couch in the den as a stage, and I was performing in front of millions of people. I was enthralled with how artists could conduct the energy of a massive crowd and inject them with joy through their music. I also watched my brother build his career as a rapper with a group in the early 2000s. Inspired, I started to write poetry and compete in slam competitions through my local Boys & Girls Club. I could express myself freely, be vulnerable about my emotional states, and share memories with amazing people in a safe space. Once I was accepted to the University of Wisconsin – Madison and awarded the First Wave Scholarship, I wasted no time pursuing my dream of making a music project. I spent my entire high school career as a Visual Art student, drawing and painting numerous pieces, but I wasn’t confident enough in my voice. I took the distance from home as freedom to play around with who I was. Three projects, multiple collaborations, and performances later, I continue to push the boundaries of who I am through my music and visual art, questioning what I know to be ‘true.’ I serve my community with my gifts as a teaching artist and advocate for marginalized groups.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Life is a chaotic, cosmic dance where the only constant is change. I believe that I was aware at a young age, due to my identities, that life would be no crystal stair. I have learned that it is not about protecting yourself from falls but surrendering to the natural crests and troughs. When I started making music, I had to find love for my voice and believe in the message I wanted to convey. I compared myself to others and resented folks for opportunities I thought I should have received, but I used this as fuel to work harder.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have been able to experiment with multiple mediums to convey ideas and realize my imagination. In high school, I was heavily taught the technical drawing and painting skills I carried with me to obtain my degree in Art. Outside of school, I was involved in directing theater productions, writing poems that would be published, and performing original songs. Once I started at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, I began the process of fusing my love for visual art, music, and performance. My first album, “Dequadray! a Black Sitcom’ was a beautiful product of those efforts. I worked alongside a producer/ instrumentalist to realize this vision sonically. Then I took the reins on what this project would portray visually. ‘If there was a sitcom of my life, what would it be like? What would be the soundtrack?’ Later, I directed and recorded visuals for songs cohesively following the theme of nostalgia, growth, and self-acceptance. Lastly, I enjoy creating performances and experiences for folks to engage with the finished piece. With my last project, ‘The Versatilian,’ I made a web page for people to view the lyrics and read about the inspiration for each song individually.

As an interdisciplinary artist, I take hold of an idea and envision whatever mediums are needed to bring it to fruition. If the mediums are outside my scope, I am always open to collaborating with others to learn, build community, and create something beautiful. In addition to being an artist, I am a host, facilitator, and teaching artist. In my pursuit to show the importance of art programming for youth, I have taught art workshops with groups such as Paint love, Covenant House Georgia, and The JVN Project in Madison, Wisconsin that revolve around the themes of empowerment and mental health. Luckily, I did not believe the voices that told me that if I did not specialize in one thing, I would be a master of none.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I am in love with audiobooks. Once Covid hit, we all can admit that we had a lot of time on our hands. I decided to give audiobooks another try and started listening to Robert Greene’s The Laws of Human Nature. First and foremost, the narrator is perfect. It’s as if some deity or ethereal being is giving you the keys to humanity and its social behaviors. Listening to the book was not only a confirmation of what I usually intuit, but it also made me more aware of self-sabotaging tendencies that may hinder me from any growth. After that, I dived into more books by Robert Greene, bell hooks, Don Miguel Ruiz, and other authors that guide their readers through journeys of self-discovery and mastery. I thoroughly enjoy books about various philosophies and psychologies.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dequadray.wixsite.com/artbydequadray
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dequadray/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dequadrayetc
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA8FfEQexWpcdH_25uRqV4g?view_as=subscriber
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/dequadray

Image Credits
Original art pieces, facilitated painting workshops, headshots and performance shots