Today we’d like to introduce you to Darius McGrew.
Darius, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started with Spoken Word poetry.
The first time I ever performed for a big crowd was at my high school talent show. I did a piece called “Cool” talking about how useless it is to please others. I happened to win first place.
I carried that confidence into my next stage in life and won several Slam Poetry events in Tallahassee, FL. I liked the writing process but LOVED performing. I saw the direct impact of my content and found that I could even influence people with my platform.
Eventually, I met my producer (Meshach B.) and my engineer (EternalStellarSounds) through work. We worked at a call center and, at first, they thought I was crazy. In college, I worked like three jobs and performed all the time and never slept – like ever. But eventually they started working with me and that’s when the magic happened. The first real song we made was “Hit Your Line”. I went to Meshach’s house and, within like 5 minutes of walking through the door, I just started spittin’ what I had written on the toilet earlier that day. He started making the beat from scratch and poof! We had a hit. I later recorded it with Ray Benton in his home studio and, even though my vocals were TRASH, I felt like a superstar. I was at a point in my life where I was still scared to go off the beaten path but I knew this song was a step in the right direction. And that’s all that mattered to me.
Since then, I’ve steadily been moving forward toward my passion. I’m only here because of my blind faith. I moved to ATL before I even had a job. Then, I crashed my car on the way to an audition during my first week here in the city. I had no idea how I would make my next move but I put so many miles on a rental they almost sued me.
That aside, I’ve performed in every major venue in the city and I’m just getting started.
I released my debut album, “This Is Me”, in November and you can find me pretty much anywhere trying to push it.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest struggle has been keeping confidence in the face of uncertainty. It doesn’t matter who you are, pursuing your passion ain’t easy. To most people, reaching for the stars is just grasping at thin air. But I’ma keep grabbing till I get what I want.
Specific struggles have been getting hit by a semi-truck on I-85 and Internal conflict. They’ve both slowed me down but nothing can stop me from achieving my goal.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am most known for my work as a rapper. When I started blending spoken word poetry with my music, my work caught fire. I am also a signed model with St. Claire Modeling MGMT. Have you seen my Instagram? I also edit my own promo. I have an upcoming IG series called TuneInTuesday. Y’all ready or what? It’s about to be lit. I am most proud of my adaptability. Since moving to Atlanta, I’ve discovered more skills than I ever imagined. I stand out from the average artist when you put me in front of a live band. That’s when I can really shine.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
My versatility has been vital to my growth. It has distinguished me from most artists in the Atlanta scene. No one can do it all but everyone can try. Ya dig??
Pricing:
- Promo packages starting at $100
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darius_mcgrew/
Image Credit:
Monroe Media, Elvis Piedra
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
