RealEyez

The Halifax rapper has her sights set on world domination.

By Adria Young

"It started in junior high," explains Halifax rapper and singer RealEyez (AKA Erin Dorrington). "They'd always say, 'You're too real for your own good,' you know? I'm very outspoken and I'd rather tell people the truth."

And the truth is—RealEyez has big dreams. Along with starting an independent label, Confiscated Records, she will release her second album, The Female King, in early August. It follows up last February's Who I Am.

But this is just the beginning. Her wide, almond-shaped eyes dance from green to blue to grey as they catch the light and sparkle with depth. "People would always ask me if these are my real eyes," she says. "Yes, they are."

Born in Halifax and raised in Truro, Dorrington's passion for performance began in junior high with a community talent show. "I sang Michael Jackson's 'We Are Not Alone' and it was a shock to the whole community," she says. "Even my mom didn't know I could sing like that." Soon, cousins and friends in the neighbourhood told her she should start rapping seriously.

But her life was filled with challenges, and Dorrington was forced to reconcile the real parts of life with her potential.

"I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD," she says hurriedly. "I went through some things in my life. And I think I learned everything the hard way." She mentions that her stepfather was physically abusive so she left home at 14. Now 25, she's able to reflect on her experiences and use them for positive change.

"I had a lot of built-up anger, but when I got away from that negativity, I was able to see the world for what it was," she says. "I'm glad my mom let me go. The person I am today is because of her and she's my biggest inspiration."

Dorrington went to Ontario, first stop Toronto. "I learned everything early. I tried stripping for a month, I got locked up, I got kidnapped. I'm on an assault charge now for pushing someone," she says. "So I do mean everything. I know I'm not perfect. But I don't want anybody else to have to go through those things. I have grown so much as a person and now I want to help."

And she does. Dorrington spends most of her time volunteering with youth—especially girls—in Halifax. She has also worked with the Halifax Rebel Girl Rock Camp and NSCC Recording Arts students, and she graduated from the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Education Development's Second Chance program four years ago. She's now a speaker and mentor in that program. At Centreline Studios in Uniacke Square, Dorrington is a program coordinator with her manager and best friend, Kayla Borden.

"The studio is the place to be. The energy there is through the roof," says Dorrington. "There's nowhere else for the kids to really go and hang, so they're always there." Some days, the unit's three storeys are full of children working on music, playing instruments and helping with the GotAVoice radio broadcasts. "It's cool to teach kids because they teach other people and so on," she says.

"And I love seeing the progress. I can see the confidence going up in these girls all the time. It helps me just as much. Some of them are starting to rap and sing, too, and they even formed a dance team as my back-up dancers." Dorrington takes great pride in being a positive role model in her immediate community. But she knows that music can go further. She knows that music has the ability to impact the world.



Both RealEyez' musical vibes and her personal style are influenced by the 1990s. "I feel like I'm stuck in the "90s," she says, laughing, "I love Lauryn Hill especially. She spreads and teaches knowledge, and I'm doing the same thing. I think that's what we have to do. We have to make sure everyone is aware of what's going on in the world."

As a lyrical songwriter, she often writes about the ways women experience personal struggles in a society that still perpetuates sexist and racist cultural norms. Her most recent single and video, "Head Down Low," is one of her many songs that describe women standing up for themselves against infidelity, injustice or for their own principles.

"I want my music to make our community better and help people be more world-conscious," she says, "Like, I missed the marches for Eric Garner and Trayvon Martin, so I wrote this song 'Run Run.' It starts, 'Don't shoot, we're just artists.'" Instantly, RealEyez switches into a freestyle and recites several strong bars about the abuse of force by police officers: "Young son, we know who shot you, the authorities. That's the problem."

Her ability to boldly express her own perspective is as important as the words she uses to express it. RealEyez sees a world that actively disadvantages people based on race, class and gender. Her songs are her way to do something and effect change, yet it's more nuanced than that. While black men in North America experience systemic discrimination, black women—all women—are oppressed even in their own communities. There's no sphere in which it's more evident than hip-hop.

The concept of dynasty is an age-old trope in music. Think of the kings of rock, the queens of country, the princes of pop. In hip-hop, from Lil Kim's Queen Bee to Kanye West's appropriation of "slave" to Kendrick Lamar's "King Kunta," the rap genre uses the very framework of oppression to overcome it. Still, women are degraded and demeaned in rap culture, which is, in turn, reflected in everyday life.

Real Eyez had been reading about Egyptian culture and learning about female pharaohs. This became her inspiration for The Female King. "These women weren't supposed to be rulers because they were female, but they had successful dynasties and it inspired me because that's what it means to defeat all odds," she says. "People say females can't be pharaohs and kings, but they were. I'm taking that history and putting it out in a new-school way."

She says most of the songs on the album focus on female empowerment. "This is a movement to me," she explains. "Women's empowerment is not just about one person. This album is about sharing knowledge. It's about self-knowledge and how it helps me deal with my bipolar. It's about growth because I want to help people grow and give people confidence to be who they want to be."

Her active self-awareness goes against the current of mainstream rap, which is over-saturated with the glorification of masculine archetypes. Even the album's title, The Female King, brings together two opposed concepts, which shows how artificial our social constructs are. "Hip-hop talks about drugs and sex and being hard, and then young boys think that's what they gotta be, but there should be a different message."

RealEyez also avoids using the N-word in her verses: "I'm totally done with that word. I want to stay positive, reach my dreams and keep going," she says. "I'd just rather be me and I'm gonna be me regardless of what anyone says. That's the female king." - Adria Young - The Coast

Celebrate African Heritage Month with the last free concert presented by the Halifax Jazz Festival and Halifax Public Libraries.

On Saturday at 2 p.m. inside the Cole Harbour Public Library, local rapper and R&B singer RealEyez (AKA Erin Dorrington) will do a live performance and artist talk.

RealEyez is active member of the the local community and is a volunteer with iMOVe and Centerline studios. - Jacob Smith

Mon, Apr 20 – The Emerging Lens Film Festival is celebrating its 5th anniversary. Halifax filmmaker Tara Taylor talks about what’s new for this event that brings diverse voices to the big screen. - Global News Halifax

RealEyez' Valentine's Day album release and red carpet event is the result of months of work and love from the young talent

By Stephanie Johns @stephaniejohns

"This is the craziest thing I've ever done in my life—putting out an album," RealEyez (AKA Erin Dorrington) says as she sits in a sunny north end cafe. It's hard not to get swept up in her excitement. Warm and enthusiastic, throughout the conversation Dorrington tells some harrowing facts about her past, but brushes the bad memories off quickly, focusing instead on her bright future.

Her album is a big part of that. Titled Who I Am, Dorrington aimed to make the record a true reflection of herself---some bad, some good, all real. "My track 'Problem Child' is about how when I was growing up my stepdad beat me every day," says Dorrington. "I explain how he made me who I am and why I bullied others at one point."

"Everyone knows me as an artist and how I'm not afraid of anything," Dorrington says. "I'm always the person with too much energy, this is another side of me."

"Not afraid" is a bit of an understatement. She explains why she's been feeling under the weather: "I had a photo shoot outside and I've been sick ever since. I was outside butt-naked down by the water---it was the coldest day of the year too," she says with a laugh. It was her idea "to be outside in front of the bridge naked, in the snow, with a chain of cassettes covering me." The cassettes and boombox are a nod to the '90s feel on the album, Dorrington went to James "Homegrown Da Producer" McQuaid (AKA MCJ of MCJ and Cool G) for his expertise. Featuring Dorrington's crystal-clear voice belting out old-school R&B, interspersed with some rap, Who I Am is set apart by Dorrington's devotion to an era. "Everyone sings and raps but no one has the old school '90s feel," she says. Referencing the music her aunt and mother used to play conveyed some of the more personal themes. "Last year I went through a lot of hard times," she says. "I used that and put it all together in about four months."

Giving back is of particular importance. Proceeds from Dorrington's album release will go to Unity Among Scotians' Build-A-Breakfast program and Sobaz Benjamin's Centreline Studio, where Dorrington volunteers. She also volunteers with Youth Now! Radio on CKDU Monday nights and BridgeCat in Dartmouth. "Working with the kids is so cool, we sit down and write together," she says. "I love working with them---they look up to me, the girls come talk to me about their problems."

Being a positive female role model is something she feels strongly about. "There's not a lot of females doing this, that's what gets me. I was opening for Lloyd and it was all guys on the stage---I was the only female," Dorrington says. "Afterwards all the little girls ran up to get my autograph. You gotta represent for the girls too."

And there couldn't be a more enthusiastic representative. After recently seeing a woman exiting a C100FM van, Dorrington ran up and started pitching, eventually serenading the impressed woman. "I'm all about networking," she says. "When I went to Toronto I took a few CDs downtown and just sold them for fun on the street. I was dancing, singing, interacting with people," she says. "When I moved back home I was like, 'Let's go hustle CDs, let's just go be free!' And everyone just looked at me like 'whomp whomp.'"

But she's not bothered. "I'm going all the way to the top with it and I don't want to stop before I do," Dorrington says. "My dreams are bigger than most." - Stephanie Johns - The Coast

In advance of her much anticipated album, The Female King, check out the new video for Realeyez' "Head Down Low", shot by Keke Beatz, in which a low down dirty goofball lies to RealEyez but she gives no shits because she's awesome. - Stephanie Johns - The Coast

Part energetic MC and part socially conscious songstress, Realeyez dominates every stage with pure power. Because her jams give off a distinct ‘90s feel with all the earnestness but none of the cheesy vibes, her live show is perfect for both nostalgic and newer music fans. - The Coast

Offical Biography

RealEyez’s name can usually be found at the top of Gottingen Street, across from the community studio where she volunteers as a program coordinator. This "crazy, sexy, cool" chick has the energy to feed a nation, as she strives to spread conscious word through music. She feels like her family, community and peers help her rise as an artist. RealEyez shows and tells people her story on how it truly takes a village to raise a child.

Erin 'RealEyez' Dorrington has been singing and performing for over the past 15 years. This past year RealEyez spent much of her time being involved in her community. She organized activities such as a pub crawl in memory of Michael Brown; 16 people took part and walked with her the whole night in shirts that said "Don’t Shoot Were Just Artists". RealEyez also performed and volunteered at the Gottingen 250 Festival.

RealEyez, alongside her manager Kayla Borden, works with kids three days of the week as Program Coordinators for iMove & Centerline studios located at Uniacke Centre. They assist the youth with their online radio show called Got A Voice. - Halifax Jazz Fest

Erin “Real Eyez” Dorrington a now known local artist to her home town was born in Halifax Nova Scotia Canada on July 5th 1989 & was raised In Truro not far from. She started singing from a young age in church and after she broke out of her shell at a Jr high school musical singing a duet of the late Michael Jacksons ” you are not alone ” after that she started singing instead of just dancing at more community events and partys.

Now at the exciting age of 23 she now sings, raps & writes in the music game trying to make her way to the top. The young talented sure to be star has opened for famous recording artists in her home town and community such as Akon , KC&JoJo , singer Lloyd and more. She started singing back up for 2 already known music groups in Halifax Asia & Nu Gruv As well as Jamie Sparks & when she seen how she could be etsablished she soon wanted the lime light for herself as a solo artist & writing her own music for people to bump to. This energetic, crazy , sexy , cool type of chick is now making her way to car speakers & beats by dres near you and is sure to be seen on your TV screen one day soon.

Miss “Eyez” as most call her for short is one of the hardest working females on the come up in her community and you can usually find her locked in a basement in the house by herself writing or in the studio recording what she does best. This baller has stopped shootin in the gym to persue her carreer in the music industry and will be sure to get what she wants as she works for it and can always make you “Real Eyez” you need what she has and is offering. “Eyez” volunteers her time at a local studio where the young kids can learn how to rap/sing & record from a young age. If your looking for Dedication, Loyalty & all around Talent shes the whole package. This tall light skinned hazel eyed lady will be sure to make you ” Real Eyez” - Prism Agency

Halifax, NS – Check out Episode 20 of Track Battles. Sponsored and hosted by Fortunato of Angerville Entertainment, Episode 20 brought the team to Halifax, Nova Scotia for a round featuring RealEy3z against Slauney. The pair squared off to see who could come up with the best tracks over beats supplied by Scrimige of Midtown Productions.

“Bare witness to our landmark 20th episode shot and recorded at TMG Studios in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia and engineered by DJ IV. We continue our inter-provincial maritime match ups with Dartmouth MC Slauney from the group Bedmouth facing off against Halifax’s own femcee extrodinaire, RealEyez.” - HipHopCanada.com

VIDEO | RealEyez – Head Down Low

Posted on July 6, 2015 in Videos
What happens when Halifax rapper RealEyez is done wrong by a dirtbag guy? Watch the new video for her single “Head Down Low” and find out. The single comes from her anticipated album, The Female King , which is due to be released this summer.

Check out The Coast’s recent feature on RealEyez HERE. - Listen Local Support Local Music

RealEyez // DJ Goldilocks // Coco Barracuda // Yangsta&Vadell Gabriel // Sludge // DJ RAWC
TIME Fri Apr 10 2015 at 10:00 pm Add to calendar
VENUE Gus' Pub & Grill, 2605 Agricola St, Halifax, Canada - David Barclay - All Events in Halifax

Real Name: Erin Dorrington

Artist Name: Real Eyez

Location/From: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Live Niagara Falls, Ontario

BIO:

RealEyez Realize Real Lies, It's so true when it comes to upcoming artist "RealEyez", If you’re looking for the full package, You just found it. " This chick right here " Straight from the East Coast has it all , From singing , dancing , writing , modelling even though she says she's not a model , down to her having her bib cat and fork lift license . RealEyez "Eyez" for short was born in the city of Halifax Nova Scotia but raised in a small town just outside the city in the "country" / town of Truro Nova Scotia. RealEyez just recently dropped her album “Who I Am” On Valentine’s Day and has had nothing but a positive response from the project. Eyez has been writing poems, raps, singing & dancing around since a young girl and states that's she's “Focused & ready “for the big spot light. This crazy sexy cool type of chick always brings out the smiles and the best from people in every city that she touches, Her energy alone speaks for itself and proves she indeed is ready for the Crown that she claims she's " taking back " as stated in a couple of her songs. RealEyez is the hardest working chick on the come up and only plans on going up from where God has blessed her to getting to now. Halifax native has opened for artists such as Akon, Bone Thugs & Harmony, Kc&JoJo , 2Live Crew , Singer Lloyd , Sy Ari Da Kid & Dae Dae from Brick Squad Monopoly , Recently just got off tour with Singer Dru and more ! ; She's always "In Yo City" or in somebodys beats by dres spreading her positive energies throughout the world. As RealEyez had the past that you wouldn't even wish upon your enemy she doesn't let that get in her way or stop her from her dreams and goals. Eyez says “My dreams are bigger than most but that just means my future shines bright “. When she has the time Eyez volunteers some of her time to her local Halifax studio where she helps the kids learn to write and record and to get in that music mentality, Eyez says " If this is what they really wanna do we mise well show them what's up from young , from jump " . Eyez stars that's he only wishes she had someone to teach her what she knows now when she was younger. it's not always easy being an artist and a female artist at that , to be traveling and networking but RealEyez is one chick who seems to have things under control and hopes to Come to your city or a city near you soon. If you hear RealEyez is in your city make sure you go out, support and show plenty of love & sure enough she will show you much love and respect back. - Musicians.Unite.Solely.In.Canada

Realeyez is back with a brand new video that was shot and edited by Keke Beatz for her newest single Head Down Low off of her upcoming album The Female King which will be dropping soon! - 902 Mixtapes

Most Memorable Live Set of the Year
Gift From God @ BSide Gallery and Event Space

This was a performance by artist/musicians Lindsay Dobbin, Elizabeth Johnson and Kira Daube at BSide Gallery and Event Space.

Favorite (New) Venue
Menz Bar was a shining star in 2014. They have been an active/much needed/supportive booking venue for bands/djs and for not-for-profit fundraising events.

Best New Band
Best New: Wayne World (feels so good)

Best Period: RealEyez https://youtu.be/n8mLeRHquF4 - Hannah Guinan (Member of Old and Weird, Artistic Director of Khyber)

Focusing on the hip hop scene in Halifax, Nova Scotia, students from Acadia University interviewed local hip hop artists and personalities for a class project. Raw and shamelessly amateur, interviews with these artists have been strung together in a series of clips to depict the struggles that women endure when creating and preforming rap music. - Acadia University - El Jones and Students

This Month Features:
Another Night Of Great Nova Scotia Talent!
This Month Features:
*SARAH H
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-...

*REAL EYEZ
Twitter: @REALEY3Z
MySpace: WWW.MYSPACE.COM/REALEYEZ08

*DJ HOTCUE
SoundCloud: WWW.SOUNDCLOUD.COM/DJ-HOTCUE-1
Twitter: @LILJCROMZ

*NICOLE ARIANA
Twitter: @SHEISNICOLE902
HTTP://SHEISNICOLE.BANDCAMP.COM/

*ALFIE
Twitter: @THENEWALFIE
HTTP://ALFIEMUSIC.COM/ - Reel Kings Media

March 28th, 2015, 44's Roll Tha Dice Recap ~ LIVE Hip Hop from Frantik W/ DJ Dirty Dane ~ Satisfy ~ Jim WE$t ~ Bedmouth ~ RealEyez ~ J Jigga John Bus It ~ as captured and edited by 44 ProductionsNS @ Phi Kappa Pi - 44 Productions NS

Scotian singer Real Eyez (Erin Dorrington) tours downtown Toronto, sings, and showcases her talent.

Performance + Interview. @RealEy3z - SOVEREIGN MEDIA

RAW Cypher 2014 (RealEyez) - iMove, Gottingen250/ Centreline Studios