Damez
Atlanta, GA | Established. Jan 01, 2014 | SELF | AFM
Music
Press
Young emcee Damez delivers a laid back, poignant song on his new record titled “Dopeboy”. Unlike what you may think of the title, he is actually pushing his art like dope on wax. The visual directed by Isaiah Jones in Atlanta, GA. shows the emcee in his backdrop as he dwells on his musical hustle.
“Dopeboy” is the second official single from the new album Boy Meets World. - Word Is Bond
Talking with a headlining artist
Damez, also known as Damien Henderson, a senior multimedia journalism major, will perform at the music festival. Henderson elaborated on his particular style of music and what led him to perform on campus.
Q: Describe your music.
A: I’d probably label it more indie-alternative than hip-hop and R&B...it’s very personal and autobiographical, but I also feel it’s very relatable and I feel like it’s very diverse...as far as the different sounds, genres and moods go.
Q: How was it releasing your new album, “The Art of Extravagance” two months ago?
A: It was a really cool experience. I had been working on it for two years before I was finally ready to put it out… in the midst of being a full-time college student, you can imagine how time-consuming that that might be...it was challenging, but it was a goal I set for myself, ever since I was a child, really…
Q: What was the inspiration or what were the inspirations behind your album?
A: It was just life experiences, really...like the death of my brother, my parents’ divorce that I went through in high school...I took a semester off of school back in 2015, and I actually moved to Texas for half a year, and that played a major role as school.
[It was] those major life experiences and day-to-day activities as well.
Q: How is it being a journalism major and a musician? In some ways, it seems like you could be on both sides of the news.
A: The experience I had with the newscast, being in front of the camera and having to report..it kind of ties into being in front of the television and an audience that isn’t familiar with you...all of that is indirect practice [to being a musician], if you will.
Q: Have you played shows at the university before?
A: I started doing live shows at home last year in the city of Atlanta, but I never got a chance to do a show down here for the school, and I always wanted to do at least one before I graduated. Since I’m about to graduate in a couple of weeks, it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Q: What do you enjoy about performing?
A: It’s just a different experience when you have a level of power and respect on the stage that you can’t get anywhere else...people are watching you, they want to have a good time, and it’s up to you do that [put on a good show]. Whenever I get on stage and have a chance to make someone’s day, or I have a chance to make someone feel good...it’s the best feeling in the world. - The George-Anne
Her Campus: How would you describe your style of music?
Damien Henderson: That’s a really hard question, it sucks that we live in a society where we have to put labels on everything instead of just appreciating things for what they are. It’s just “me”. It is definitely hip hop, a little alternative, sort of darker than you would imagine or that you would normally hear. It is very autobiographical and honest and even introspective . . . and vulnerable.
HC: Who do you draw your inspirations from?
DH: My iTunes library is so diverse I feel as if I am always listening to so many different artist and styles. I would say Kid Cudi, Lana Del Ray, Big K.R.I.T, and Beyoncé (Definitely). I like all types of music, The Roots, Empire of the Sun, and definitely Eminem too.
HC: If you could do a duet album with one person, dead or alive, who would it be?
DH: It would be probably Kid Cudi… or either Florence and the Machine, but probably Cudi.
HC: What is your favorite song that you’ve done to date, and why?
DH: My favorite song is “Supreme” because it was the easiest to write and I feel the production is phenomenal. It has its excerpt of a close friend of mine who is currently incarcerated, who recorded it a few hours before he went to serve him time. It is a really personal song and it’s very insightful about my life, but it’s still hard at the same time. It’s a story of triumph. It’s a glimpse of life and what I’ve been through, but also optimistic saying that you can still be Supreme and go after your goals - HerCampus
Discography
Boy Meets World (2018)
The Art of Extravagance (2017)
Midnight on Cloud Nine (2014)
Photos
Bio
Damez is a rapper, singer, dancer, and songwriter hailing from Atlanta, GA. Primarily hip-hop and R&B, he showcases his versatility through an eclectic catalog of self-penned songs ranging from other genres such as Pop and Alternative. Born Damien Denzel Ross Henderson in Jackson, Mississippi, he discovered his love for music at an early age and began writing songs and performing in front of family as a child. After relocating with his family to Atlanta, Georgia when he was 6, he began to explore his artistry as he experienced his adolescent years into early adulthood, going through an unfortunate series of events such as the divorce of his parents and the horrific murder of his brother Ryan before he graduated high school. In college, he began independently recording music and has since released a total of 3 projects since his debut EP arrived in 2014.
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