Music
Press
Sometimes, the truth is easy to handle. For example, the truth is that Maryland emcee Duran can really spit. Sometimes, however, the Truth Hurts. While some might avoid these harsh truths like the plague, the aforementioned Duran chooses to stand his ground and face them, as he does on this Booth-exclusive world premiere. Atop C.A.S.H’s production, driven by a steady, subtle piano loop, Duran drops some serious knowledge about the ills of our society, touching upon everything from institutional racism to our culture’s love affair with money and material wealth. While the content might be tough to swallow, Duran’s crisp and engaging flow will have you bobbing your head in time with his thought-provoking bars. This promo single is not attached to anything larger, but fans craving more can check out February’s DJBooth-hosted Stargazers: The Preamble LP. - DJBooth.net
Sometimes, the truth is easy to handle. For example, the truth is that Maryland emcee Duran can really spit. Sometimes, however, the Truth Hurts. While some might avoid these harsh truths like the plague, the aforementioned Duran chooses to stand his ground and face them, as he does on this Booth-exclusive world premiere. Atop C.A.S.H’s production, driven by a steady, subtle piano loop, Duran drops some serious knowledge about the ills of our society, touching upon everything from institutional racism to our culture’s love affair with money and material wealth. While the content might be tough to swallow, Duran’s crisp and engaging flow will have you bobbing your head in time with his thought-provoking bars. This promo single is not attached to anything larger, but fans craving more can check out February’s DJBooth-hosted Stargazers: The Preamble LP. - DJBooth.net
Allow us to introduce you to an amazing up and coming lyricist with nice grooves and dope wordplay: Duran!
Who Is Duran? You may be asking. Well, the artist hails from Waldorf, Maryland and at 12 while most of his peers were chasing skirts, Duran was on the school bus bumping tracks like ODB’s “Baby I Like It Raw”, a move while brash, he attributes to two very important people.
“My stepbrother is 4 years older than me, he used to freestyle. My aunt was a teacher and she used to give me words to spell. I fell in love with words, I was amazed to find their meaning and see how they could be broken apart. They both ingrained the knowledge of words to me.”
Over the years he’s taken that knowledge to new heights, releasing a collection of thought provoking projects and opening for the likes of Big Sean. While in other subjects his attention span has dwindled, rap has continued to be his one and only true love, the one thing he’s never given up.
Now based in Atlanta, Duran’s kept a low profile but a high energy, dedicating hours to the studio and perfecting his knack for melodies and concept rap. A self-described dreamer, his ongoing motto remains the same; “I see stars”, a euphemism for the endless pursuit of a dream.
“I see stars is a double meaning. For me I believe that when you see stars, you see your dream. That dream and the things that you want to do hold your purpose. The more you pursue your dreams, the closer you get to what you were made to do. Dreams are very elusive and they seem very far away. What makes you different than the five million people who want that exact same thing? Your dream, your star; see your star.”
With no signs of slowing down, Duran plans to keep listener’s ears open and his eyes to the sky, each day bringing him closer to his star, his dream. His new offering, Wine & White Tees seeks to let listeners in to a new side of him.
Wine & White Tees is a combination of sophistication and subtle simplicity, a project comprised of deep thoughts, truth and vulnerability. Thoughts not to be taken lightly, truth that will resonate with every listener and vulnerability only attained through the human experience. Duran’s lucubration has taken him to a new realm of creative expression.
Featuring the standout tracks “The Light”, “Goldie” and “Spread My Wings”, pop the cork on your favorite bottle of Merlot and enjoy, Wine & White Tees. - Edge Magazine
By Justin Tinsley
It has to suck to wake up each morning if you’re George Zimmerman. The entire country has him painted as America’s Most Wanted and even as reports attempt to assassinate the character of Trayvon Martin, the support continues to increase. Atlanta MC, Duran, is doing his part to pledge his allegiance to the movement with “Skittles & Arizona.”
More of a collage of footage from rallies across the country than anything else, the visual helps illustrate how much of a national story the murder of Martin has become over the past month. It also drives home the eerie thought of what may or may not happen if “justice” is not served as it deals with Zimmerman’s punishment. - The Smoking Section
By Justin Tinsley
It has to suck to wake up each morning if you’re George Zimmerman. The entire country has him painted as America’s Most Wanted and even as reports attempt to assassinate the character of Trayvon Martin, the support continues to increase. Atlanta MC, Duran, is doing his part to pledge his allegiance to the movement with “Skittles & Arizona.”
More of a collage of footage from rallies across the country than anything else, the visual helps illustrate how much of a national story the murder of Martin has become over the past month. It also drives home the eerie thought of what may or may not happen if “justice” is not served as it deals with Zimmerman’s punishment. - The Smoking Section
TV interview (see link) - CBS Atlanta
Live interview (see link) - CNN
Live interview (see link) - CNN
Discography
2011 Wine & White Tees (EP)
2012 Skittles & Arizona (Single)
2013 Stargazers: The Preamble (Mixtape)
Photos
Bio
In a world where obtaining the perfect nose, the perfect car, or most viewed reality show is considered living the dream, Duran and his faithful following, affectionately known as the Stargazers, believe that following the unique design plans or "divine blueprints" -which were written in the stars- will bring their dreams to life.
He could have easily replaced "dots" for "stars", but Steve Jobs famously said, "you can't connect the dots going forward; you can only connect them looking backward." This truth becomes glaringly obvious when looking back on Duran's life.
"When I was a kid, I quit everything. I quit football, baseball, rotc wrestling - I quit that after two weeks! But I couldn't stop writing music. It's stuck with me since I was six years old; I can't help it." it's a good thing Duran made the connection with music as it had been with him all along.
Duran, an accomplished rapper and songwriter (for himself and others), has come a long way since the days of his youth in Maryland when the gritty sounds of, NYC's own, ODB served as his soundtrack while on the school bus. As a man, his travels all over the world- through music and movement- and his relocation from Maryland to Atlanta- have created, within his soul, a smokey, savory and sweet gumbo that has become a signature- or blueprint- of his rhyming patterns and writing style.
"Those seemingly unattainable things that are attained everyday...Those are the stars."
Duran's musical journey had placed him on stages with some of rap music's most elite, G.O.O.D. Music's own, Big Sean being among them, and in recording studios with the titans of the production realm, crafting songs for some of music's biggest stars. But this is just the beginning.
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