In this episode of How Art Is Born, Host R. Alan Brooks is joined by Derrick Hodge, composer, musical director, bandleader, producer, bassist, and advocate. Hodge reflects on his early days as a musician in West Philadelphia, feeding his curiosity and creative drive, his journey of self acceptance, and shares some words of wisdom for all the creators out there.
Mentioned in this episode:
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[00:00:00] Hey, I'm Aram Brooks and I'm Dale Jonson editor and producer of your favorite podcast
[00:00:06] Yeah, how art is born. You see the name back there. So daily 12 years ago
[00:00:10] I was a dating a woman who was part of a family where the father had been famous briefly in the 70s
[00:00:18] And they were still living under the shadow of that once famous time
[00:00:24] Yeah, it was weird because they were super
[00:00:26] Materialistic they were very like trying to decide if people were important enough to be
[00:00:33] Talk to the fate and think that you were of the class that they should respect it. They would treat you with disrespect
[00:00:39] Yeah, obviously the relationship didn't last long now
[00:00:42] And look for good reason definitely yes, and
[00:00:46] Their area of fame had been in music so with them I met
[00:00:50] I went to an event in Met a few people who were way more famous way more wealthy and those people were nice
[00:00:58] And I thought well how how ridiculous to be like
[00:01:02] Smy famous and to be a dick to people right, but I know that we've all heard these stories of people
[00:01:10] Buy into the world of celebrity and treat people poorly
[00:01:16] And so that brings me to today's guest Derek Hodge now he
[00:01:21] He's done so much stuff
[00:01:24] He's worked with so many famous people. He's famous in his own right. He has Grammys
[00:01:30] Oscar he was
[00:01:32] the conductor of
[00:01:35] The Orgestra and the pit at the Oscars ceremony like
[00:01:39] Yeah, yeah, I kind of say he's really he's worked with these top 40 musicians
[00:01:44] He's done so much stuff
[00:01:47] And he shows up to the end of you just as like a dude
[00:01:50] You know very sincere very connected and
[00:01:55] None of that pretence or bullshit that goes along with a lot of like celebrity stuff
[00:02:01] Absolutely, and you know as I as my work as a writer kind of takes me into more those arenas with
[00:02:07] People who are famous or used to be famous are on their way to fame
[00:02:11] It's a it's refreshing to see
[00:02:14] the communities of people within that world who are choosing not to buy into the
[00:02:20] The falsehood of celebrity who want to make real connections and contribute positive and beautiful things to the world
[00:02:26] And I would say Derek Hodge he fits very squarely into that category of people who want to create
[00:02:33] Beautiful and we're loving contributions to the world and I really came through in the interview
[00:02:38] I just the really enjoy talking to them. I love having those interviews where I
[00:02:43] Feel renewed afterwards, you know, yeah, it was it was amazing to to sit and and listen to the conversation
[00:02:50] You guys are having how he works through fear the level of like investment and and passion that he put into his work and into himself
[00:03:02] And yeah, he
[00:03:04] He's had a great journey and he's he mentions
[00:03:08] His mom being in the same choir is patty little bit like right he's he's been around
[00:03:14] The start-up for a long time and he has done amazing things and has still came in here humble and warm
[00:03:23] Yeah, yeah, he comes from a powerful musical pedagree. Yeah, and he's really out and around here in Denver
[00:03:29] He's he's sitting in on shows with Adam Dites
[00:03:33] He's doing events at Koubo
[00:03:36] So he's he's out here in in the Denver community despite the level
[00:03:43] Right that he's at
[00:03:44] Musically as a professional so that's it's really cool to see I think you guys are gonna really enjoy this when I think the conversation is
[00:03:52] Uniquely inspiring. So
[00:03:55] Check it out. I'll say just remind you that we want more people to listen
[00:04:01] Daily works hard on producing and editing these podcast, so
[00:04:07] You know beloved. We if you share it with other people tell friend it's hell friend
[00:04:11] Leave comments and ratings on whatever streaming service you listen to this on even if you watch on YouTube
[00:04:17] I'll let it stuff helps
[00:04:18] So yeah anything you could do to share I appreciate it
[00:04:23] Thank you guys for listening and supporting. Yeah. Thank you very much. Right on all right check it out. It's a good one
[00:04:29] So yeah
[00:04:31] Welcome to how artists born a podcast for these and contemporary art Denver about the origins of artists and
[00:04:36] It creative and artistic practices
[00:04:38] I'm your host our album books artist writer and professor today
[00:04:41] I'm joined by composer musical director band leader producer bases and advocate Derek Hyde say hello
[00:04:48] That's a good one brother. Good to be here. Right on man. It's good to have you. Thank you. All right
[00:04:53] So you know
[00:04:55] We we had a conversation about like what is what was your journey like well
[00:05:00] The two questions I'd like to start with generally are what was the first time that art ever really spoke to you
[00:05:06] And then what was the first time that you wanted to create it?
[00:05:10] You know it all stuff kind of goes ahead and hand-batter if if if if you let my mother tell it
[00:05:15] Well, he did play professionally since in the womb
[00:05:18] All right, right, but he was working from the home
[00:05:23] But
[00:05:25] I don't see it's all connected for me my journey started with my mother okay
[00:05:30] Westfield of Delfir want to build a Baptist church 50th in spruce she was on the same choir's pay to the bell
[00:05:37] Different people and
[00:05:39] For me to stay out of trouble. She was sitting me on the front row like she's saying in the choir
[00:05:43] And she happened to sit me in front of the bass player
[00:05:47] And I'm telling you like
[00:05:50] That ended up being so much for me that informed
[00:05:54] My decision making for years to come and I just didn't know it at the time. I was only five years old
[00:06:00] But I just don't want to be like Joel Ruffin the way the bass spoke to me the bass guitar
[00:06:07] I just don't want to do that right you know and and just the power of that sound that stuck with me even
[00:06:13] We didn't have me instruments or anything like that at the time
[00:06:16] I'd love my mother about wanting to do it and she became my biggest influence because she said hey, let's do it
[00:06:22] We don't have the instruments at the time. Let's start in the school system
[00:06:25] You know, yeah, I got that's how I got to school band just so I can have access to a bass
[00:06:30] guitar and it was too big from my body at the time so I started on guitar
[00:06:33] So how we been I start so by that point I was six when the first grade I started the band
[00:06:39] Yeah, and the bass was too big for my body
[00:06:41] So I started on guitar and then when I turned seven
[00:06:44] Wow, I switched over to electric bass and now you know I've been playing it ever since and quite honestly that moment where I felt like hey
[00:06:52] I can do this or I want to do this
[00:06:54] When I really think back that moment never came when I realized it was just I always fed that curiosity
[00:07:01] You don't get just felt like oh no, this is what I should have thought he doing. Yeah
[00:07:05] We're about the bass specifically spoke to you
[00:07:08] You know what I think back now is first of all he was amazing yeah, and I found out later in life
[00:07:15] You know how he actually influenced some of the best known basses to ever come out of Philly like yeah
[00:07:20] He was just incredible. Yeah, so that was that just it's the exceptional way of playing but I think just being in close proximity to it proximity to the sound and
[00:07:32] Something about that emotion it it just spoke to me in a way and I think it
[00:07:36] influenced me in a way where no matter what when it comes to skill set and learning an instrument like
[00:07:42] Always trying to be in tune with how something feels yeah, it started
[00:07:46] I think because of that just being so close to that bass amp
[00:07:49] It was like probably seven feet from the bottom and loud because it turned to you right you know
[00:07:54] So so much of that like that informed if things that you feel certainly didn't speak to me
[00:07:59] I just no matter how impressive it might have seen you too many yeah
[00:08:03] I just wouldn't gravitate to it so I think just by coincidence
[00:08:08] You know a certain stance is being exposed to it. Yeah, it's such a central
[00:08:12] instrument to a lot of black music especially yeah
[00:08:15] when when you were playing in school bands you said you started the band when you
[00:08:21] Start it in band I started it in okay, yeah, so with that was that like what kind of music did they have?
[00:08:26] You playing the music like classical work. Yeah, well at that time
[00:08:29] So I did I wasn't in the orchestra yet. I was in concert bands. It was a concert band music, you know early
[00:08:36] brass, fugal type stuff, you know and just I don't want to say basic but just you know kind of
[00:08:42] Regiment it kind of simple playing but I had access to the instrument yeah, and that was the coolest thing because of that
[00:08:50] And also growing up in a high bed of talent around me. You know, best friend is a bass player
[00:08:57] They pair me with his brother, you know who did two streets behind me tie a tribute
[00:09:01] It's like this golf board. Yeah, and we started playing together and just because I had access to instruments
[00:09:07] You know and then
[00:09:09] Being over I think just having access to it and being in the band that allowed me to really cultivate that sound
[00:09:14] So it wasn't even just about being in the band
[00:09:17] It was afterwards sometimes the teacher just letting us jam out bigger things out that ended up being kind of the backdrop to so many things
[00:09:25] My entire creative life. Yeah, what do we do after that structured moment is over?
[00:09:30] What do we do with this information you know to me? Yeah, okay?
[00:09:34] This is a real side thing. Yeah, we both have the black church up ringing in common these really days
[00:09:39] You familiar with Andre crouch absolutely man
[00:09:43] So I just discovered that they made a crowd of people with a lot of people answered offended
[00:09:48] What is the artist even though right? No Andre how dare you
[00:09:52] Yeah, I guess I could have been what you know about you
[00:09:59] You asked right
[00:10:01] I just discovered that back in the 70s they did a Andre crouch comic book
[00:10:06] Is that right? Yeah, and this like like when he was like in his prime and it hasn't like touring and like all the people being like that's gospel music
[00:10:14] You know that's incredible man, so but people were from the ages people listening like Andre crouch was like
[00:10:20] Super talented gospel musician who broken to the pop and hourly world and I'd have a significant ways in the 70s and
[00:10:28] Yeah, so yeah, I can look about fear. I want to but there's an underground
[00:10:31] Like yeah, yeah, I would have never thought right right, you know and of course the calm because my world sounds like
[00:10:37] Yeah, I found it on this site that just had old school comics and I was like
[00:10:40] Unbreak crouch for real. Anyway, that's incredible though man like
[00:10:46] Brilliance
[00:10:49] Okay, so you you know in a school thing
[00:10:51] It's a little more regimented a little more simplistic but you get in your kind of foundation absolutely
[00:10:56] So what was kind of the next step where do you which you move into?
[00:10:59] So it was always that balance, you know
[00:11:02] There's a friend of mine he says like you take two sets of notes
[00:11:05] Yeah, always you know what you're being taught and then how to apply to your real world and for me
[00:11:10] From six years old seven years old, you know, I was very blessed to be you know
[00:11:15] So round it in that hot belt a pot bed of town. We moved to Wilhelm, Brown, New Jersey
[00:11:19] Okay, and that's where I joined the band and because of all the musicians around me
[00:11:23] That helped cultivate you know so much like my friends were playing in church
[00:11:28] Yeah, really young ages and they were also like in the bands and orchestras with me going all the way through 11 to 12 years old
[00:11:35] So we all you know kind of had that exposure
[00:11:40] Other things that we don't necessarily hear it outside of school, right, but then our teachers were really just
[00:11:48] Fertil in a loud ostriches cultivate that school build whatever ideas
[00:11:52] We had they would let us just book that out
[00:11:54] So always all school is a platform as an environment where you know it can be fun
[00:11:59] You can try things make the most of the resources around you and
[00:12:03] That ended up being the backdrop through my entire
[00:12:06] Childhood like I stayed in New Orchestra until like graduated yeah high school. I was in the jazz band and I
[00:12:14] All the way through high school, but I also you know got on my you mentioned Andre Crouch
[00:12:18] Yeah, my very first tour. I think I was 12 with the great change more Wow and
[00:12:23] You know my first record. I think I was I
[00:12:27] Think I might have just turned 14 huh with James Poiser who you know produce a lot of artists
[00:12:33] Over the next few years out of that filly. Yeah, you know sound you know for years to come
[00:12:37] But it never seemed like I was just doing a bunch of different things that weren't connected
[00:12:42] It just felt like all music
[00:12:43] I felt like it was all fun why not try it all yeah and like I said my biggest influence was my mother
[00:12:49] So because I always had that environment around me where was like try it all you know we were you know do it you know like
[00:12:57] You want to give up you want to stop boxing and just keep doing the music keep in
[00:13:02] Do it and I didn't feel weird about that in my friends didn't say that was beauty so because of that man
[00:13:08] I think that curiosity it never felt weird
[00:13:12] Persuing at all and honestly I didn't know that
[00:13:17] That would be the thing that I would need kind of just to
[00:13:21] Keep me grounded and keep me moving in a focus weight through my adult life. You know especially
[00:13:28] When you get out of school, you know and I got in the college and I had all these interests
[00:13:32] But you know when you get in you know things are very focused. I was a jazz major yeah
[00:13:37] I'll play an upright bass and electric bass but I was into composition. I was in the films
[00:13:41] I was in tall these different things
[00:13:43] but
[00:13:44] Didn't have the skills for writing it yet of course and just a
[00:13:48] Pacfender to try that on that just wasn't available in school however
[00:13:53] I always had that person, you know that always encouraged me to try it all so
[00:13:58] That's the thing man. Yeah, because I hear this thing like throughout your story of your life at your tellin right is like
[00:14:04] Some of the artists have this these experiences when they go to school where the school was trying to confine and
[00:14:10] discourage them
[00:14:11] But you had it where your teachers were cool like touch your basses
[00:14:14] But also give you a little bit of trust
[00:14:15] Man absolutely like you know your mother is supporting what you do on acts of people have their parents
[00:14:20] Right, you can't be at honest. You know, so it's really cool to hear like all that support and I'm telling you man
[00:14:26] That that was some glad you said that that ended up being everything for me because it wasn't just being curious
[00:14:33] It was I didn't know what I didn't know yet
[00:14:36] I just know I had the drive to do it and I didn't hear the nose and now when I think back
[00:14:40] You know I'm reminded sometimes
[00:14:42] Yeah, remember such such was like you never see you though
[00:14:45] I don't remember that like that was just noise to me now
[00:14:48] I think back like why did that not matter why cannot even not remember? Yeah because I just did not already had a life of those saying hey
[00:14:56] Try it go for a nation and honestly taking those
[00:15:00] You know preconceive what they call risk yeah that was everything for me and
[00:15:07] I think while I champion the arts so much now and not just
[00:15:12] Allow and resume and height define but shoot no going out in any moment like this to really speak to my truth
[00:15:20] And talk about even moments I have where I was just afraid by kept trying
[00:15:24] I think
[00:15:26] Opportunity to have come as also come for me to also be able to speak about these other things because
[00:15:31] It went hand in hand when I was afraid but just didn't stop and there were people along my creative life that made
[00:15:38] May that possible for me. Yeah, yeah
[00:15:41] I think it's a really interesting thing for somebody to come from say like base plan to compose and so many things because I think
[00:15:50] I saw my I meant Mark is never watched right he talked about all the things to send to you
[00:15:55] Right, so you talked about all the things that he composed and I didn't even know
[00:16:00] He was saying yeah, he's present is so many things so much. Yeah, and I was just like oh man like
[00:16:06] It's it's just yeah, it's a really interested thing
[00:16:09] So I think
[00:16:11] It's really dope to see how you started there and then expand it to all the different things that you do
[00:16:17] Yeah, thank you. Yeah, thank you. I'm a side on he talked about
[00:16:22] Marcus mo talk about the Jamaica punk song
[00:16:25] Yeah, yeah, yeah, there was this
[00:16:29] Bernard Wright
[00:16:31] Okay, so
[00:16:33] I encounter music in a weird way it was still in church. He did a few basketball out there
[00:16:37] They were like in the 90s. It was like him trying to make him's contemporary. Yeah, so I know it for an answer
[00:16:43] Okay, did not know that he was there was a big one
[00:16:46] I know right and so then later I was like oh that's him and then I discovered he was like one of the musicians on the Jamaica punk song
[00:16:53] Yeah, I was like you're just too has a like you just passed away
[00:16:56] I think I
[00:16:58] How's it man? It's just some peace. Yeah, but it's amazing to me how like what somebody is like fully in that world
[00:17:06] They can do so many different things that touch so many different parts of society
[00:17:10] Absolutely like can know them and I think that's true of your work because you knew like
[00:17:14] You this such a break of like all the different places that you touch. Thank you, man
[00:17:19] I want to know for you like when you're
[00:17:22] Approaching music
[00:17:24] is it just like
[00:17:26] Cut the heartache for you?
[00:17:28] Are you trying to like give something to the world healing or is it both?
[00:17:32] You know
[00:17:35] First of all, let me show love to Marcus Mill that I hear his name mentioned you know
[00:17:40] I've got nothing but love for him. You know and it was a honor, you know last year we did some
[00:17:45] Doobacios together and stuff like that he I was super honored to do that with his very time when I met him
[00:17:51] Oh, he's yeah, he's just the coolest man
[00:17:56] But when I think about in terms of that curiosity going back to that for me Marcus Miller was
[00:18:02] One of the
[00:18:04] Greatest minds to make is he was doing film school or he was doing all these different things
[00:18:08] You know what I mean?
[00:18:10] Joe's and then go right doing the butt
[00:18:12] That's so many things people don't know his name right you know what I mean
[00:18:17] But he did he tried it all and things overlap it wasn't within like you know separate time and I
[00:18:24] Was following his career so closely
[00:18:27] that really like it
[00:18:29] Be life and to me man so
[00:18:31] Marcus Miller to this day is one of the people that I feel like has just been a champion
[00:18:36] You know like it my life and then later meeting him and getting a chance to play with him and how gracious he was with his time
[00:18:43] Again, I just felt like that was in the sign. I need to be taking this energy and making sure I'm passing it
[00:18:48] You know forward
[00:18:49] But what was so interesting
[00:18:51] How did I see your question man
[00:18:54] When I asked questions you know with heroes like him yeah and when I think about how that actually relates to me
[00:18:59] I was surprised how similar some of the answers were
[00:19:03] often when I'm creating it's
[00:19:06] Let's start an appreciation I have for people that are choosing to
[00:19:10] On my art and let it speak to them you know when I'm writing my albums from message of hope and
[00:19:15] All these things when I'm still getting messages to just day about
[00:19:19] How that might have helped someone's life. You know them to get through
[00:19:23] I think what
[00:19:24] Getting the most is in that moment of creation like I was honestly just trying to get an idea out
[00:19:31] The time that I felt was just necessary to happen by all means
[00:19:35] By any means like whether it felt if it was a voicing memo
[00:19:38] Which is get to my studio and sing in the idea out and
[00:19:42] Getting it out there's always been this underlying thing where
[00:19:46] Something about the spirit of this
[00:19:48] Idea is hitting me where I just have to get it out
[00:19:52] To the point I'm not even necessarily thinking about what this is going to people going love this or even thinking too much about
[00:20:02] How I'm being perceived in the creation of it. It's more so putting on blinders
[00:20:06] No matter what let me just get this idea out and I think because of that
[00:20:11] And kind of be in the way where okay no matter what we'll end on plan on our feet with something
[00:20:16] It's helped the music
[00:20:19] When I listen back to it, it's it I feel that coming from an honest place. Oh no that's how I really felt yeah at the time creatively for better
[00:20:26] Or for worse that's how I honestly felt just being a servant of the moment and I think
[00:20:32] That's been the
[00:20:34] That's been the main thing for me. It's like just being a servant of the moment
[00:20:37] I like when it comes time for creating yeah and I think along the way it's
[00:20:43] Been more of a thing man where when people tell me how they react into it and how those moments spoke to them
[00:20:49] It encourages me to keep going with it and they encourage others to do it
[00:20:54] In that same way like trust your own voice, you know like my journey
[00:20:59] If you're going to music schools and you're doing all this stuff if you want to like you know be an artist and create
[00:21:05] There is no
[00:21:06] We'll start data and date to that start now. What is it that you have to say?
[00:21:11] Be sure to give yourself time to do that wherever that is whether it's sitting here watching ESPN
[00:21:18] And Steven A's go at all the time and then you realize wait I oftentimes get an idea while I'm a bit
[00:21:24] Pause that turn on your phone record that idea because that can sometimes be
[00:21:29] The beginning of the the greatest honest spark so angle into trust that because honestly
[00:21:35] You're gonna know where that'll take you for me
[00:21:38] That is ended up being full-out compositions, you know now or it's been a piece where I'm just
[00:21:44] Kind of beatbox on my chest and yeah singing
[00:21:47] I don't hear it man, you know, it's the process is the same. Yeah
[00:21:52] The museum a contemporary art Denver has a robust schedule of summer programming at our freeze building in downtown Denver
[00:22:01] And the holiday theater in the highlands from rooftop concerts with local musicians to offbeat interactive lectures with mismatch subjects
[00:22:08] Besides music Fridays runs every Friday July 7th, throughout this 20th
[00:22:12] 23 at the NCA Denver freeze building mixed taste runs every Wednesday July
[00:22:16] 12th to August 16th
[00:22:18] 2023 at NCA Denver at the holiday theater
[00:22:24] Isn't it interesting when you're saying like what is the thing that's sort of food you essentially like
[00:22:30] A big percentage of people who come on this show you can count on each other to dance for the dance
[00:22:34] What is like my thing like okay so like if I get stuck on some writing
[00:22:38] The corner floor in a middle of like my third Michael Jackson's being
[00:22:45] So he comes clear
[00:22:47] I believe it's a baseball and I make it over the phone. Yes, you remember not the second
[00:22:52] Me third spin
[00:22:55] Like I step off to the side
[00:22:57] And I think I think people under value like
[00:23:02] Being flexible with yourself about the things that feed you and give you a place of creativity
[00:23:07] Absolutely, I want to ask you so do you do this thing so I did this is thing for me where I
[00:23:13] purposely avoid
[00:23:16] Drum and bullshit right because when people try to draw me into that stuff
[00:23:21] It feels like they're robbing me of creative energy
[00:23:24] Wow, yeah, I'm like the energy that I've wasted on this
[00:23:28] I could have been using to create something and matter to me
[00:23:31] Wow, it's up I find friendships or even when medical issues in the past
[00:23:37] That we're trying to draw me into a lot of unnecessary conflict. I feel like it's
[00:23:44] The the act of creation feels divine to me and if you're pulling me away from it for something that really doesn't matter
[00:23:50] Yeah, I resented
[00:23:52] You know, and wow, I don't know if you had that experience at all
[00:23:55] No, I hear you man that that's a real thing. I think for me
[00:24:01] Yes, and no man. I'll say I think for me
[00:24:04] I get on people's nerves of type without but
[00:24:07] Just positive and smiling all the time and stuff people get mad at me like
[00:24:13] I want to get me to positive I just wanted to get out of here
[00:24:18] But the truth is
[00:24:23] Those experiences that's all what makes this
[00:24:26] World what it is and if I'm true honest with myself
[00:24:30] Both times have actually fed my creative. I try to be water and in the union and all they're how
[00:24:37] It doesn't necessarily often have affect my person like the energy that brown me in terms of me
[00:24:44] Taking that in and defeating my mood
[00:24:47] Oftentimes or whatever reason I can separate that maybe just from
[00:24:51] I've seen a lot of things in my life just on a real
[00:24:54] side too
[00:24:57] And in the midst of conflict and amidst of different types of things, you know from love watching
[00:25:03] You know others dealing with conflict as well
[00:25:07] Seeing that that's actually informed some of my decision making to with my creative if I'm truly honest with myself that
[00:25:14] Pain that I saw experienced
[00:25:17] I don't know if I would have noticed it so much if I hadn't been
[00:25:22] In a situation where I could experience it
[00:25:25] Separate myself from it and realize oh wait this is this is underlying pain somebody's coming from
[00:25:31] This is underlarking that they may not know how to deal with
[00:25:34] And their
[00:25:35] John my day they're pushing on on me but wait there's another story. Do you know what are they dealing with?
[00:25:40] And some of that energy has as led to songs that
[00:25:44] I've written in the past that you know may not actually be directly my story. I might I might be channeling an energy
[00:25:51] I felt a story of a narrative of someone else
[00:25:55] That that was around me that energy in that emotion almost like I'm writing to film yeah, you know
[00:26:01] But that process of being water and acceptance you know for better for words. I think that's
[00:26:07] That's helped me in my creative journey, but but not everybody I will say about
[00:26:13] Because I know energy is real and take net in. I know for a fact if if that affected me in a certain way where
[00:26:20] Negativity was gonna I know for sure I would separate myself from it. Yeah, but for a serving me creatively and being true to the moment sometimes
[00:26:30] When listening back I can hear oh man I remember the time I wrote I remember what happened
[00:26:36] That it's it's really interesting and then
[00:26:39] Then it comes down to decision making oh now I have an opportunity to try to
[00:26:43] Press that among 74 people in the orchestra. Yeah, who do I want to represent that pain do I want to be
[00:26:49] Very obvious in a certain type of way or do I want to mask that I'm gonna take that pain and make it sound in a really weird
[00:26:56] Tambar in the heart right although people think of beauty and there's also dirt in there too
[00:27:01] Do I channel that energy there? Yeah, you know so it's become a beautiful way of you know
[00:27:07] How do I choose to channel that energy but the biggest thing is accepting it all for me
[00:27:12] Yeah, both sides of you and it's really weird man. That's cool. It's really weird
[00:27:17] Okay, so true. Yeah, that's really dumped a here like you perspective on that man
[00:27:22] So okay, you did the school thing you were doing tours me you were very young
[00:27:27] When you finished school
[00:27:29] How did you make the jump to like full-time musician or where else it's kind of already in place for you yeah?
[00:27:38] So when I graduated from Temple University
[00:27:41] I was fortunate you know when I said
[00:27:45] There were people in my life that you know encourage me to you know be fearless and try things keep feed myself
[00:27:50] I'm gonna comfortable comfortable
[00:27:52] They didn't just say that they also help why you're doing all this and figuring this out there
[00:27:58] You got to eat list this bigger thought in some of my first records when I got out of school
[00:28:02] Was by those same professors terrible staffer putting me on those jazz records nice and I use him
[00:28:09] Certain films that I was writing at the time and writing music for it at the time so
[00:28:14] The relationships directly you know with people in the greater Philadelphia area yeah
[00:28:19] Gradually it was 21 and there was a lot of records happening at that time
[00:28:23] So through my senior year of college
[00:28:26] Those people that were in that environment around me the James Poisers and all that's how I
[00:28:30] In June whereby that's how I ended up when all those records from music and
[00:28:35] Jill and flow of tree and all those got Anthony Hamilton
[00:28:37] So it was really just tapping into the environment around me yeah, but I didn't I never stop feeding that curiosity
[00:28:45] So I'm also the work that came was
[00:28:48] You know performance based playing the bass
[00:28:50] Yeah, which I love and I'm thankful but I knew I was still really hearing
[00:28:54] a sign I want to write for film so I just started writing
[00:28:57] And there was music
[00:28:59] I still have that sheet music till this day that I wrote that some a lot of it's never been played or seen
[00:29:06] I just started writing it and making up in my mind
[00:29:09] This is I'm writing and as if this is a commission that's gonna be turned in yeah, and people are gonna see it and believe it or not
[00:29:16] I did I ended up doing it it became
[00:29:19] Oh
[00:29:20] Something I did everywhere I went on tour. I would bring my scores with me nice and believe it or not
[00:29:25] That's how I got my first film. I was just about asking one of the musicians
[00:29:31] He saw the drum or Rodney Green yeah
[00:29:35] Who saw me on tour all the time always writing yeah, you know my brother Robert glass, but he's the see me writing yeah all the time
[00:29:43] Rodney got a gig filling in for the great parents of Lantern okay, and he said
[00:29:47] Hey, man, this guy is always writing trends. I'm all the time all the like these films
[00:29:52] He's like I just had ones like he's on the plane. Yeah, I wouldn't meet him
[00:29:55] So it ended up being someone else like working on my behalf, you know like
[00:30:00] In the moment. I'm just being curious and feeding that curiosity. That's the thing you know like I said that's been my whole life
[00:30:06] The consistent thing through my life but someone else noticed and he connected me with you know someone else and Terence Blanchard
[00:30:14] reached out. I filled in yeah for a show with him and then when I got in that band I just bucked him with questions like
[00:30:22] Every moment I could and then I just decide I'm gonna go to LA
[00:30:26] Box up my computer and did a one trip one way trip out there and I said I'm just gonna be out there
[00:30:31] I wanted to meet everybody I can though letting them know not go on any way and Terence Blanchard got me on my first film
[00:30:38] Who to believe is Jackson Pollock okay from there we did the levies yeah
[00:30:43] film and that's how things kind of worked in that way, but really
[00:30:46] But fed so many of these different things it's it might seem like different worlds
[00:30:51] But it was really just feed my curiosity yeah, yeah. I'm thankful for how things might look
[00:30:56] When reading you know a resume or something like that okay but in the end
[00:31:03] It was just being curious yeah and feeding that and fortunately things worked out in a way
[00:31:08] If I said I made all the right moves and I did this and that's how I worked out I would be lying
[00:31:14] To you sometimes the answer it's just
[00:31:18] Do try feed that
[00:31:20] You know and that's how I got into the film writing and the composing
[00:31:24] But that other side of me you know performing like that was still happening so it's like
[00:31:30] Things just you know kept working and so then it became just a matter of you know how to up balance it all
[00:31:35] So that that's been the challenge ever since freaking out a way to balance it. Yeah, it's really interesting thing like I love hearing you talk about your experience man because so many
[00:31:44] People who are
[00:31:46] Coquon couldn't aspiring artists
[00:31:48] I think that I find is that they are not
[00:31:51] Gentle with themselves
[00:31:53] They don't allow themselves to space to like be creative and be curious and fail or succeed
[00:31:58] They don't allow themselves that
[00:32:00] Because it's just a lot of fear around all of that and I wonder
[00:32:06] For you when you're creating things yeah, what is it like when you feel fear and then how do you move through it
[00:32:15] I'm so glad you asked that because in reality that's one thing
[00:32:20] Me and so many people I talked to like we we
[00:32:23] The sharing common that that that's a very real thing yeah fear yeah, and it's not about
[00:32:30] Saying all the right things like don't fear just
[00:32:34] Sometimes the answer is like my home when I leave was it all the stuff he said in me and some of those and he said yeah
[00:32:40] It was fear but I didn't let it control me sometimes
[00:32:45] Knowing it but just moving for a by any means necessary and
[00:32:50] The act of doing becomes a habit where if you feed that enough I tell anyone where you know
[00:32:58] They may not know where they want to go creatively with things or they're not sure how to
[00:33:03] You know without the noise is so many forms of noise now. Yeah, it can be the pressure of every
[00:33:10] 30 minutes a young kids looking on their phone and see what other people are doing
[00:33:14] See another is a market himself and promote themselves and get in traction and by doing that so often it's easy to you know
[00:33:22] Not focus on what it is that you want to say I would say in the midst of all of that okay
[00:33:28] acknowledge that at any given day
[00:33:32] Can be afraid of something and that's perfectly fine
[00:33:37] Try acknowledging that and then tap into it knowing that it made this you might be surprised where you land
[00:33:43] It just be patient with yourself because
[00:33:47] I will encourage any person that hears this, you know go for it
[00:33:51] I will listen to ideas you have if you send it to me. I will give on a speed that I encourage you to keep trying but in
[00:33:58] The reaction of the matter is everybody's not like that
[00:34:02] People aren't going to always care in the moment, but none of that can stop you if you have something to say
[00:34:08] Say it if you don't know
[00:34:10] What you want to say yet just think about why you're doing it in the first place
[00:34:20] In CA Denver at the holiday theater is a year round performance and event space that is an extension of the museum
[00:34:25] The contemporary art dimmer the holiday is home to a spectrum of creative expression including original
[00:34:29] Productions like these film screenings artists talks and serial programming like mix taste and
[00:34:35] Cinemas take that as well as performances and events presented by other cultural organizations
[00:34:40] The theaters also available for private rentals visiting mca dimmer.org for
[00:34:44] West Rage holiday
[00:34:45] Dash theater to learn more
[00:34:47] Yes, so with fear it's
[00:34:55] acknowledging that that's a very real thing
[00:34:58] now what right and
[00:35:00] and
[00:35:02] After the soon you get to that question whoever you are the moment you start answering that question and try to find answers
[00:35:08] Sometimes the the act of doing and trying
[00:35:12] Elemanates a distraction of even letting your mind starts influence
[00:35:17] Your activity or now because sometimes
[00:35:19] The answer is be afraid and have all those questions but not stopping and then landing on your feet with an idea
[00:35:26] That was so beautifully you because you created from that space
[00:35:31] That the only thing that stop that would have made that not happen is you not doing
[00:35:36] You're not always going to create in a space where you're just feeling the most positive where you about yourself
[00:35:43] Anything but just do and I guarantee if you're willing to go through that fear or sometime in fear is
[00:35:50] When you create being willing to listen to what came of that
[00:35:54] But I challenge anyone that's into it, you know beyond music with anything
[00:36:00] You know with great creative minds like yourself as well you say that even from you know art itself like
[00:36:06] Try it and don't be afraid to look at what you see and then do that next step do it again and do it again
[00:36:13] And do it again and that's the thing you can control to any creative
[00:36:17] I will say just start with really
[00:36:19] Ecknowledging it's okay to be afraid yeah, but go move
[00:36:24] Do right if you're feeling a certain way about yourself turn that voice memo on and say these thoughts
[00:36:30] About yourself in that fucking okay
[00:36:33] The ugly truth that you make perceive as the ugly truth. Yeah, speak it let it out
[00:36:40] Deal with that and whether you want to listen to it when you're done or not
[00:36:43] That your choice put at least you gave space to that
[00:36:46] Now you're acknowledging okay, I've given space to that. I don't care how old or young you are that's something you can do
[00:36:52] Now let's put this aside and let me get to what do I want to do what am I curious about yeah?
[00:36:57] What if I record let me go back and listen to it. What's wrong with it? What do I
[00:37:01] Feednautal's questions it puts a very beautiful set of blinders on you
[00:37:06] That's gonna get you to something that's honestly you
[00:37:09] No matter what and that's what the hope is like get to something honest to something that's real
[00:37:14] And that's what you can control and it don't want that that's music the music business
[00:37:21] That's a whole other thing right you know
[00:37:24] But what you can control
[00:37:27] Is getting ideas out there and honestly you and
[00:37:31] You being the source of cultivating it
[00:37:33] Mm-hmm that can become infectious and that's what you can control no one will ever I don't care
[00:37:38] I mean if people in this world no one will ever fully
[00:37:40] Sound
[00:37:42] Like you or do art that's exactly like you even if you're channeling all of your influences you think your art might be
[00:37:49] When you look back you'll be like man. I thought I was doing myself. I listen to myself. Oh man. I'm here
[00:37:55] Man, I
[00:37:56] My sound was just like Marcus no longer on this
[00:37:59] I guess he was a big influence to me that I but that was on apologetically me in the moment right
[00:38:04] Let me do this next song let me figure this out
[00:38:07] For you know you have 30 songs or something then it's like okay, what I want to do with this body of work
[00:38:12] But no matter what it was honest
[00:38:16] Be on a fridge just be honest getting deal with that fear
[00:38:20] Yeah, I love I don't know you think about in the future man. It's really dope. I think
[00:38:27] That that vulnerability that gentleness with yourself after doing this for a this show for a few seasons
[00:38:32] I'm going to go out of artists and ask an specific question yeah the general consensus is
[00:38:37] To recognize the fear as part of the process of creating art it is but you can't let it stop you you know and
[00:38:44] I really
[00:38:46] Love hearing all the different ways that
[00:38:48] Div be but talk to yeah fine and wait through it. You know
[00:38:52] And that's it yeah
[00:38:54] Ecknowledgement and finally through it yeah
[00:38:57] Or he's realizing hey I'm in a bit of still finding my way through it. Yes
[00:39:01] Yeah, and it's okay like nothing's wrong with you for feeling fear
[00:39:05] You know but you can't at the fear make a decisions
[00:39:08] Wow
[00:39:09] Okay, now I wish I were to do
[00:39:11] All that stuff I just said yeah, what he said
[00:39:15] How things are how like what he said
[00:39:18] I think about like when the deer is kind of heads like right like out of fear they freeze
[00:39:22] But that actually pushed in the more danger because
[00:39:25] You know they stop because fear made a decision right they stop
[00:39:29] I've been thinking about you know
[00:39:31] I don't talk about a lot on this thing on this podcast, but you know
[00:39:34] A used to rap or used to hire jazz musicians to backmiss stuff like that and I what it was like in the late 90s early 2000s
[00:39:42] The external obstacles to making music was like I had to save up five to seven geez for like a
[00:39:49] NPC sampler or you know that another 10 geez to get in the studio
[00:39:54] And they were all these sort of like things that I had to work towards was now like you know
[00:39:59] You can pretty much do it all in your phone, you know if you really industry is
[00:40:02] and
[00:40:04] It's interesting because I guess at that age I thought that the external obstacles were over stopping me and my friends from doing things
[00:40:14] But now that things are so much
[00:40:16] This so
[00:40:17] There are a few were
[00:40:19] External obstacles to create yeah because the business that you've already told it
[00:40:25] But the people so now like it's just like are you guys who's create and now I see how much fear is gripping people so that that's why
[00:40:32] That's a really important question to me. You know really is man. Yeah. It really is
[00:40:37] So I'm interested in hearing how you balance art and commerce right because you know some people
[00:40:45] Some people believe that our has no value if you can't make a living off of it of course
[00:40:49] I don't agree with that. I think her has but I just because it's art
[00:40:52] But if you want to make a living out of off of it then there are things you have to do to approach it differently
[00:40:58] So
[00:40:59] for you as
[00:41:01] A creative person is making a living in what you do
[00:41:05] I don't know what you thought about how to balance that for people yeah, you know for me
[00:41:11] I
[00:41:11] realized early that
[00:41:15] Part of what speaks to people with mart
[00:41:19] is coming from a place where
[00:41:22] I thought everything like the
[00:41:24] Created was from my honest place, but sometimes very
[00:41:27] Very vulnerable moments when I'm creating and oftentimes those are the moments that people respond to and
[00:41:32] over the years to come and
[00:41:35] Because of that I knew that was part of
[00:41:39] My creative purpose I have to keep feeding that and because of that I knew
[00:41:46] And order for me to tap from that space. I have to work with blinders on their times
[00:41:50] We're really focused on just giving something to the honest to the world and then see where we go from there
[00:41:57] knowing that
[00:41:59] I've been afforded the opportunity to be in the music business
[00:42:03] Yeah, to sustain myself into now. I have a family you have no choice but to think about
[00:42:08] That other side, right? You know why you're being on a project of yourself and being creative
[00:42:13] Life is happening right oh
[00:42:16] So for me it was a decision how am I going to choose
[00:42:22] To be on a project we in the moment yet acknowledge and move in this business itself and
[00:42:27] I chose to do both you know and for me that answer was okay
[00:42:32] Make sure I understand about
[00:42:34] writing and you know
[00:42:37] writing as much as possible
[00:42:39] You know only what as much as you can yeah
[00:42:43] But a big thing writing and understanding
[00:42:47] On the performance side the music business is it's a people business and you know so
[00:42:53] Oftentimes if you start by just not
[00:42:56] Working to be you know great it what you do but also not burning bridges
[00:43:00] Right
[00:43:02] Be surprised that is actually one in the music business that is one of the greatest tools that anybody you don't get have right now
[00:43:09] not all mean you know suck it up the people or not
[00:43:11] I said not just me, you know be your true self
[00:43:15] But also work within this business with a certain empathy and it was certain level of respect for any situation
[00:43:21] You're in I chose to honor each situation a lot of financial break dudes that happened for me
[00:43:27] Came from almost where I wasn't even thinking about the money was just about you know creating a product
[00:43:33] And valuing a relationship you know and things worked up financially from that so how do I
[00:43:39] I know okay for my journey it was really you know relationship
[00:43:44] Based how do I keep that in value that and make sure I'm owning as much of the situation
[00:43:51] That I can and then see where that takes me and ownership
[00:43:54] For me in the writing side of it that's kind of been you know the thing that has allowed me to be able to still give the time
[00:44:01] You know, I think
[00:44:03] You know and the proteins in a very fearless way where I'm not necessarily well. I'm not chasing
[00:44:08] Mainly what's like happening around me, you know in a way allowing that all to inform
[00:44:12] My decision because those that's the world we're in you know, but not allowing that to just affect my art in my creative
[00:44:19] In that balance of okay in the meanwhile
[00:44:21] Let me write make sure
[00:44:23] You know almost much as I can and I give love
[00:44:26] We started this talk about the Marcus Miller's and the Terence Blanchers yeah, oh
[00:44:31] Those were things that
[00:44:34] I saw early with them Terence Blancher you couldn't even be in his band and right you know he and his
[00:44:40] His wife who was just manager at the time
[00:44:42] You know robbing
[00:44:44] Burgess they made sure like no you got a hundred percent writers and anything you did
[00:44:49] They helped me get my publishing and mistreating
[00:44:53] Set up my publishing all together. Yeah, what I didn't even know yet all the way what I needed to be working on you know
[00:45:00] So
[00:45:02] I'm thankful that people would help you know put in me on game and that way too, but I would say the first thing
[00:45:09] Try to own what you can and the beauty of it is creatives now
[00:45:13] They have so many ways of creating don't have they they can you know work with different people now
[00:45:19] Really you can start creating now yeah, you don't have to
[00:45:24] Split all this stuff because you know you
[00:45:27] Just wanted to get into a certain studio to work with somebody no you can record right on your laptop
[00:45:33] You know why you're on a plane right all this up so I would say
[00:45:38] Never think is too early to start
[00:45:42] Registry is much as music that you have
[00:45:45] documenting it if you like I keep mentioning voice mammals but all
[00:45:49] these ways of documenting ideas that's actually
[00:45:52] Documenting ideas in time stamping them. Don't be afraid to do that
[00:45:59] for instrumentalists
[00:46:01] The biggest thing I say don't burn a bridge it kind of works in reverse. I've seen many once
[00:46:07] Once they get the golden opportunity they blow away by
[00:46:11] Ninesilia understanding fully
[00:46:14] What is perceived as their value financially in the market so I asked for
[00:46:19] something that they are unaware that
[00:46:22] Many aren't even getting you know so then they show the ignorance there and go off and people and then
[00:46:28] Burn a bridge to the absinit and
[00:46:32] Understanding as a people business and maneuvering and not
[00:46:36] Blowing and wasting your money. I think for me that was the biggest thing
[00:46:41] I stopped wasting much like spending money on all kind of things here and there was a flash of things
[00:46:46] I decided instead you know to invest in mine and PC right and get my laptops and
[00:46:52] You get my you know
[00:46:54] My prees and spin all this money on that stuff when others were saying you know, hey look man
[00:47:00] Gotta look at the story wait. I understand that too, but
[00:47:04] I decided to just keep investing so I could feed
[00:47:07] That curiosity was for me was film scoring yeah and that ended up being some of the best investment
[00:47:12] So that when the
[00:47:14] When they said hey, do I see you hustling?
[00:47:17] I'm putting you on your first film this week nice. Oh, I have my laptop here
[00:47:21] I have my I have my mac g5 that's all right here and I'm willing to create and that started with an investment into yourself
[00:47:28] So I tell people no matter what they're doing oftentimes be willing to invest in themselves early
[00:47:35] And be fruit will like start with something that is very so don't be afraid to work
[00:47:40] Yeah, don't be afraid to take a job someone greatest creators at a living if you go back in their story
[00:47:46] They had jobs they did this and that like
[00:47:49] Be willing by any means that's fair to do what you feel like you need to do
[00:47:53] To feed that curiosity and that's sometimes requires thinking outside the box not thinking
[00:47:58] Your failure because you're not making 100% of your money from the music this right that may come
[00:48:05] But be willing
[00:48:07] To see yourself as an entity where no something else can feel that something else that you're doing an investment that you're doing
[00:48:13] I'm learning about money and investment
[00:48:15] That could end up feeling music where you can make an apologetic decisions later in the music business
[00:48:21] Yeah, so be willing to think in those ways not necessarily how do I make the most money by charging them most from
[00:48:29] one specific thing. This is a great man. Yeah, you know
[00:48:32] So I've only been writing like five or six years and figuring out these things. It's a really interesting thing to
[00:48:39] so many people that talk to who have a core creatives in any arena
[00:48:45] There's a
[00:48:46] I find one of the biggest problems is not knowing what exactly you want like not having a clear go
[00:48:52] Yeah, like what is success for you?
[00:48:54] You know, yeah, like as a writer is success for you getting published by major publisher or is it making a living because those are not always the same thing
[00:49:01] You know and so like the stuff you're talking about where like because you know some people do music because of the flash
[00:49:07] They want the attention to stuff like that
[00:49:09] You're talking about investing your equipment and investing in the things that will allow you to sustain the business of music
[00:49:17] And because your goal was to make music that was my yeah, the way that I like making it right in a way that was like whole and true to you
[00:49:25] Yes, and so I think like
[00:49:28] What I hear in what you're saying is that it's very important to identify
[00:49:33] What represents a certain level of success for you and then make decisions like guide you towards that
[00:49:38] Absolutely, and then once you've reached that there's another one like you know, it is not like a
[00:49:43] You've reached it. It's not like a you've finished
[00:49:46] You know, it's a whole life journey
[00:49:48] And I gotta say you you mentioned something that I feel to say
[00:49:52] That's been one of the biggest things for me that I thought
[00:49:56] I'm
[00:49:57] Put in pradicide. I thought didn't make much of difference and I thought in my mind
[00:50:01] Things were clear. I thought in my mind, you know, given goals in a certain moment. I thought it was clear. Yeah, but I was encouraged like
[00:50:10] These stuff talking about right it down
[00:50:13] Right something down like
[00:50:16] Like I'm speaking about speaking things of voice, but for me, it was
[00:50:21] I this I started listening like let me just write these ideas down like thoughts it
[00:50:26] What I feel like I am now what do I want to do?
[00:50:29] Right it what I think is so clear when I rode it out. It was like
[00:50:34] It first of all, it it made it real how I saw my reality yeah and it made it real how
[00:50:41] Unclear in certain ways what I
[00:50:45] Wanted to happen you know, was it was like oh man writing it down
[00:50:50] Help me so much
[00:50:52] Yeah, so I encourage like it doesn't even matter you're sent just start by being willing to write down
[00:50:58] What you think
[00:51:01] Yeah, and where you think you want to go what you think are your obstacles
[00:51:08] What you think are things that are already working for you who are the people in your life that can help you get to that
[00:51:14] Right things down
[00:51:16] I like that. That's it. Yeah, because I thought I went to senior year
[00:51:20] Emotions in your mind is like trying to grab water right like man
[00:51:23] It's so form this point you put it down
[00:51:25] It becomes a tangible thing that you can evaluate and be like is this realistic?
[00:51:30] How can I make it realistic, you know like all the stuff you just talked about yeah and even sometimes
[00:51:35] Much writing it down seeing oh man. Okay
[00:51:39] That's part of why I am too writing something down that doesn't feel realistic. Yeah, but I'm not a racing it right I'll
[00:51:44] See what you know and that too, but it took me writing it down to help me not be scatter-brained
[00:51:52] Did you know I'm a sudden now and I that bad idea is going I didn't realize it was going right I forgot
[00:51:57] I even had that idea in the first place for me so many things changed when I wrote things
[00:52:01] I started writing things down
[00:52:04] Yeah, okay brother. So you multiple tours multiple albums
[00:52:09] Move you TV scores
[00:52:11] Where it was next for you like where you where you want to go?
[00:52:15] Man
[00:52:16] I'm thankful right now for all for all that has
[00:52:20] Has happened. I feel like that's it's all led to a space now
[00:52:25] To just feed in a very
[00:52:27] Clear away that my life is about giving yeah, it make it short and I'm providing an environment and platform for other creatives
[00:52:35] To be fearless yeah, and be free and beat themselves and
[00:52:39] Moving now with color of noise which was a name of my last album, but it's also reflecting the
[00:52:44] Smoovenant touch everything that I'm doing which is about acceptance itself and self love
[00:52:49] And allowing what you think of yourself and whatever people think of you like so that all into a melting pot in just
[00:52:57] Allow opinions to be and just be and move and
[00:53:01] Column noise mainly though is about me not just speaking it make it short any opportunity that I have
[00:53:08] I'm now out reaching and making sure those
[00:53:11] That want to be a part of it know that they can be fearless and work on whatever
[00:53:16] They want to do within that frame so
[00:53:19] On the side I have a color of noise tour going through all this one, you know touring with the band
[00:53:23] some of the musicians on the record color of noise. I had just met
[00:53:27] 10 minutes before we recording wow, you know, which was really about that spirit of self love and acceptance
[00:53:34] So we you know we've been touring that not just speaking about it and having the cool album, but making sure the members of the band reflect that
[00:53:41] Acceptance self love yeah, what they have to say
[00:53:44] That whole album was done in first takes
[00:53:46] You know so putting that all out there. I'm trying to you know really honor that so with the color of noise orchestra
[00:53:53] Then we're putting together right now
[00:53:56] It's all in an attempt to reflect all that so we were gonna have performances going starting in 2024
[00:54:03] You know
[00:54:03] Thank for the people who have been working with a lot of symphonies over the years now
[00:54:08] Aside with continuing to do that up this color of noise platform musicians will be able to come
[00:54:13] Work with me play my music and perform with different artists do recordings with me. Yeah
[00:54:18] And we're now working on actually having a tangible space
[00:54:21] We're I can actually work on my music people can watch be apart
[00:54:25] Oh
[00:54:26] Outside of the music school system like I want to actually be an environment
[00:54:31] For them all to be able to come and be free we teach and then I also spin as
[00:54:35] And out right they even just listening yeah, to my days if people have so
[00:54:39] I want people to look out for that everything is just connected to color of noise
[00:54:43] That brand that idea so I'm gonna say man here in your life's journey
[00:54:49] The color noise feels like a natural evolution of everything that you've been doing in your life
[00:54:54] You know like that that thing about like I keep saying being gentle with yourself
[00:54:58] You're saying self-exemptance that that thing of being curious and being like open and giving
[00:55:04] Yeah, it feels like it all has led to this so that's really dope to hear to this all kind of come together
[00:55:08] Thanks, thank you. And like I was saying like that
[00:55:13] I feel like it's not about coincidence
[00:55:15] Like if it was a plan that I I can't honestly say the steps that have happened and
[00:55:21] Certain things that have happened, you know
[00:55:24] That have gained attention the timing of it was not something that I always planned for you know
[00:55:29] But I think about the opportunities that happened within it. Oh, it wasn't just about that
[00:55:34] It was also showing up early and realizing there was somebody there yeah that had been waiting just
[00:55:39] Let me hear something they're working on for 10 minutes right you don't I mean and then that's all
[00:55:44] End up two years later
[00:55:46] Yeah being picked up and people listen to it on radio and it's you know right because of that and realize and that was part of my story
[00:55:53] Yeah, you know somebody had to reach back and put me on my first tour when I was college
[00:55:58] I feel like it's all led to this moment
[00:56:01] You know to not just when you were 12. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, it's crazy
[00:56:07] So I feel like this is a natural evolution. I'm glad it's coming across their way because from here on out
[00:56:11] Man, it's about feeding that yeah, yeah on a side note with breached well west
[00:56:18] My wife is from dinner. Okay, yeah, man, so we run LA we had our first child and no family and
[00:56:24] Yeah, I was flying her here every time like we're going on tour and
[00:56:29] We said let's try it. Yeah, and I'm so glad man
[00:56:32] We have I've been here
[00:56:34] He was man. Okay
[00:56:35] Nice love it man. Yeah, and Bruce cool everybody's chill
[00:56:39] Same that's how I feel yeah, yeah, I got to like it's not the place to go like if I need a cultural validation
[00:56:44] Yeah, but I grew up in an all black city, you know
[00:56:46] Serious yeah, but what I love is that it
[00:56:49] The art scene all the art scenes
[00:56:52] They're all very supportive like different clicks. They all show up and support each other
[00:56:56] Yeah, it's a beautiful place to be creative and I'm discovering that actually now
[00:57:00] Yeah, I'm discovering that more and more now and even the underlying like the cultural thing
[00:57:06] There are a lot of you know a transparency over here and
[00:57:11] What I actually get even all people and getting all people in the neighborhood it's like
[00:57:15] Okay, a lot of people are here that what that but there is sometimes everybody's kind of spaced out
[00:57:21] You know you might not even know your neighbor right?
[00:57:24] You know it's connected to all this stuff. Yeah, so I'm excited and I'm excited if we were platforms like just to speak about it because I
[00:57:31] To see where we can go with color noise here and galvanizing
[00:57:34] You know so many and just open and I say there's a platform people can just come and environment people can just come and be
[00:57:40] Yeah, then they want to come and just do art while I'm in an vegetable working on something
[00:57:45] Yeah, they can do art all day and if that leads to conversation it's a creative and then
[00:57:51] We go from there. That's how you know true cultural moments have yeah
[00:57:55] So I'm excited for that I see an opportunity here and there at the same time because on the surface
[00:58:00] It does seem like that the culture thing might be lacking but
[00:58:04] I think there's promise there. Yeah, all right so I'd wrap up with two questions the first is where can people find you connect with you online website?
[00:58:15] whatever absolutely
[00:58:17] People can find me on deracage.com
[00:58:20] my
[00:58:21] Social media handles IG is just the odd world
[00:58:26] Twitter deracage Facebook official deracage nice and
[00:58:30] You know anyone else platform taking kind of just join on though just be part of my journey
[00:58:35] Okay, definitely being clear with everything we have come on in the future and
[00:58:39] I'm excited about it. Yeah, man. I'm excited about honestly sound dope. Thank you, brother
[00:58:44] Last question is what is inspiring you creatively these days music books movies like what if you've been digging what has been feeding you
[00:58:53] What's been feeding me now is just the
[00:58:55] cultural moments that I've had an opportunity to be involved with over the last two years and
[00:59:02] Really choosing to just feed that and figuring out ways to just feed that no matter what you know with
[00:59:08] Last year in particular, you know with the Oscars and the Grammys and yeah
[00:59:12] Super Bowl and all that stuff on so thankful but to have been able to create for that stuff right here
[00:59:18] And Denver a lot of little scores
[00:59:21] Realizing that that's going out into the world like that
[00:59:25] It's just pushed me to just pursue this color of noise thing and make sure that people all the way know
[00:59:32] That's happening and that things are necessarily happening in the biggest studio
[00:59:36] It like you see like it's all reflected to my story. Yeah, so I'll fix acceptance
[00:59:41] You can write this stuff while in the coffee shop, right? You know
[00:59:46] And I felt like I just wasn't doing enough to make that clear like
[00:59:50] The way ideas had happened that people are celebrating. No, it's happening in a very
[00:59:55] Modest way so now it's just okay. How do I make sure that's clear? How do I create more moments?
[01:00:01] You know to make sure the people are seeing my process and how I'm doing it
[01:00:05] Yeah, now I love it feels like you're creating an environment for more creative to take place
[01:00:09] Absolutely that's like where like the Harlem in the sounds came from like maran any movement
[01:00:14] It has a group of people even the beat poets right like it's a group of people who find an environment where they can be creative together
[01:00:21] And there's something beautiful grows out of it actually if it's like you're selling the seas for that
[01:00:25] Which is really dumb. Listen, I'm putting the test man
[01:00:28] We brothers now. I'm a bug you
[01:00:30] We're gonna get together. You know, but I feel like I'm glad it's coming across that way because that's the whole yeah just to make sure people know
[01:00:39] That these moments are so every I appreciate it and likes and all that but in reality
[01:00:44] I want to support and make sure they're no okay how it happened yeah
[01:00:48] Yeah, how it happened better. Yeah
[01:00:51] I think that's where we're gonna hand brother excited hey
[01:00:53] I really appreciate you talking to me. It's been a really dope conversation man
[01:00:57] Thank you thanks for having me, but I appreciate
[01:01:00] Hey
[01:01:01] Special thank you to today's guest Derek Hodge
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[01:01:33] How hard is born is produced and edited by day late Johnson and executive produced by Courtney Law
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[01:02:23] Hey, if you love how hard is born
[01:02:25] There's another podcast that I think you should check out it's called off the walls and it's all about the people and stories behind Denver's street art
[01:02:34] In each episode you'll meet artists, activists, and other Denverites to explore some powerful murals around town and why they matter
[01:02:42] Find off the walls from Denverite and Colorado Public Radio wherever you get podcasts