Baltimore has never been short of musical characters, and DEETRANADA has been making herself heard since most of her contemporaries were still worrying about their homework. First appearing on national television at just 15 as a finalist on Jermaine Dupri’s The Rap Game, she’s spent the years since carving out her own lane, with a rapid-fire delivery, plenty of personality and little interest in being boxed into one sound.
Her latest move sees her joining forces with Italian producer Piero Pirupa and Dutch house mainstay Thomas Newson on ‘Throw It Up’, a new release for Toolroom. It’s a collision of hip-hop and house, two worlds that have been borrowing from one another for decades, and with Baltimore’s rich club music heritage running through DEETRANADA’s own musical upbringing, the connection makes plenty of sense.
We caught up with DEETRANADA to talk about growing up in Baltimore, finding her feet in the industry at an absurdly young age, her recent NADA THIS NADA THAT project, and why she’d quite like to get Solange in the studio.
You were just 15 when you appeared on The Rap Game, which must feel like a lifetime ago now. Looking back, how much of that young artist do you still recognise in yourself, and what have you had to unlearn along the way?
I would say I still see the hunger. The main thing I had to unlearn was to get out of my head.
Baltimore has produced some incredible music over the years, particularly through its hip-hop and club scenes. Who were the local artists you looked up to growing up? And is there anything about Baltimore’s music culture that you think outsiders tend to misunderstand?
Growing up for me it was Rye Rye, K swift and Blaqstar for club music and many more. A misunderstanding is we have so many different artists many think that it’s just one sound, in reality it’s many different varieties of music that comes from here from Rap to Rock music. Baltimore is the originator of a certain club sound as well.
Your recent NADA THIS NADA THAT project is another step in a career that’s already taken quite a few turns. Where’s your head at musically these days? Are you becoming more adventurous, or simply getting better at knowing what works for you?
I would say it’s a mix of both. I know what I can do, and it’s a lot, and I still want more out of myself. As long as I keep moving like I’m unsatisfied i’ll always surprise myself in new ways.
One of the most striking things about your rapping is how much you can pack into a relatively short space. Is that rapid-fire delivery something you’ve consciously developed over the years, or has it always been the way you naturally rap?
I would say I always rapped that way for as long as I can remember. Even as a child it came natural. I just always been extremely literate and comprehensive beyond a regular level for my age since I started, so that might’ve helped lol.
Let’s talk about “Throw It Up”. You’re working with two established European house producers in Piero Pirupa and Thomas Newson, which is quite a different musical environment. How did you end up on the record, and what was the experience like?
I did the vocals a while ago when Piero first reached out with a beat. I was honestly excited knowing I reached the UK and I was being asked to do a CLUB record. I feel like Baltimore doesn’t get enough recognition for something we helped pioneer and in a new age sense, this is my time to show out on an international level. The beat was banging so I was in a flow state to a point I freestyled the song and had to write down the lyrics later! I was just rapping true to how I was partying at the time.
You previously worked with Baltimore Club producer Mighty Mark on “Never Seen”, so dance music isn’t entirely new territory. Do you listen to much house or electronic music yourself? What’s the kind of stuff that gets you moving when you’re out?
Definitely. It’s so much music out there nowadays that gets me going but a song that always gets me moving immediately is “Shake it to the ground” by Rye Rye. Baltimore club classic.
You’ve experienced the music industry from a pretty young age, including the exposure that comes with television and social media. Has that early attention made you more determined to do things your own way? How do you balance what your audience wants with what you actually feel like making?
I would say it’s so much influence out there now, not all of it is good. If you have enough confidence, common sense, research and knowledge you can get pretty far. I don’t think too much when I make music, I feel like that has caused me to have writers block in the past. I’ve been making genuine music from the heart to get through emotions and my supporters appreciate it.
Imagine you could get into the studio tomorrow with absolutely anyone, from any genre or generation, with no expectations about what the result should sound like. Who are you calling, and what sort of record do you think you’d end up making?
Solange. I feel like that would be fire. I’ve always listened to her music now and growing up. As wild as that sounds I think we would sound nice together!
Throw Is Up is out now on Toolroom
