You Need To Hear: Drue Davis

100% Pure, Unadulterated, Rugged Soul.....That's the essence behind what Drue Davis' Magic Man & the Beat Machine clearly embodies. Each track is a vividly colorful mesh of Rock, Hip Hop, and Soul; and all that lies in between. With beats that are every bit as tough as those generally heard 80's Hip-Hop; mixed with the blinding guitar riffs found in Classic Rock- this album delivers to a multitude of generations. From front to back, this album encompasses a rich and diversified musical experience; a personal journey that can only be told through the eyes of the artist himself. He has set forth his point of view of growing up in Brooklyn into a beautifully woven composition, that's laid out for all the world to see. The passion and respect for the different genres of a musical past including 60's/70's soul, Reggae, Rock, and Hip-Hop soars through each and every track. Each of these have separately, but equally helped to make him into the man that he is today, and that is reflected all throughout the album.

As a listener, however, I feel it is my duty to warn you that you must "Be Prepared." In listening to this album, you're embarking on a fiercely original musical journey of epic proportions that is bound to make you want to waive your lighter in the air during each and every song. It's always been my opinion that a great album makes you feel something.....It's not just an album of 2 or 3 good songs, and then some filler in between. A great album should make you feel like you want to take on the world; or like you want to get up and dance; or make you feel reflective; but in either case, it's supposed to make you feel something. No doubt Magic Man & the Beat Machine has that quality in spades.

According to Davis' own definition, the album represents two distinctive concepts: The "Music Man," which is an open, expanded concept. It is free form and creating with a drum machine. The "Beat Machine" is your heart. In essence, it’s about "opening your heart." Not only that, but each song on the album serves its own purpose and teaches a definitive lesson. "Magic Man" is an anti-drug song that encourages you to do what you love from the heart, and not rely on vices to get the job done. "Superhero" talks about believing in your heroes, even though they may have fallen at some point.

Each person has a different musical upbringing, depending on your experience, where you live, and the time period that you live in. Throughout that upbringing, the songs that stick with you, that end up becoming what is to be the soundtrack of your life, are generally the ones with heart. That's a quality that's not often found in popular music too much anymore. Magic Man & the Beat Machine is definitely the exception.

We caught up with Drue to see what his thoughts were upon the completion of his long awaited debut. Here's what he had to say:

HF: Who Are Some of Your Influences?
Drue Davis: Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Hall & Oates, Michael McDonald, Big Daddy Kane, A Tribe Called Quest, EPMD, MC Lyte, and James Brown, - who is to me, is the Backbeat of Hip-Hop. I also grew up listening of alot of stuff like Led Zeppelin, too...My mom bought and played everything from The Breaks and Sugar Hill to Bread and Paul Simon. I really grew up in the midst of everything. Hip-Hop brought the spirit out of me that made me want to do music. Stevie (Wonder) allowed himself to dabble into any genre, and this project has helped me to explore, musically.

HF: How Long Have You Been Playing/Performing? How Did You Get Started?
Drue Davis: I was always singing and humming for as far back as I can remember. I started rapping when I was around 12 or 13. As far as producing, it started out of a necessity because I had to find a way to get my ideas out. I started watching my friend create beats and ideas by "chopping" up records, and I started wondering, "How far can I take this drum machine thing?” Then, I started rapping with a group called Red Clay. At first, I didn't take it all that seriously because of the level of greatness that we were used to. In Hip-Hop, I found people that looked, dressed, and sounded like me, like Heavy D, Chubb Rock, and eventually Biggie. Hip-Hop really started opening up the discussion about the questions that I had as a teenage, Black male. I identified with Biggie because grew up only 10 mins from where I live and he understood what it was to be young, Black, and from Brooklyn.

HF: How Would You Describe Your Sound?
Drue Davis: Rugged Soul- A non-conventional path of what people think soul music is. It includes all of the other colors that fall in sonically: Rock, Pop, Hip-Hop, Reggae, etc. These are all a reflection of my musical upbringing. Stevie Wonder used to lay out these palettes of colors, that many of which have now been stripped away in popular music. Music has seemed to become so segregated and formulaic. We used to not be afraid to experiment with different colors of sound.

HF: How Do You Feel About the Current State of the Music Industry?
Drue Davis: The industry right now is open season, whereas though before, the record labels controlled everything. You can put out your own stuff and tour on your own time. I am a testament to the fact that you can do this yourself, and not worry about having the machine. Record companies are so worried that they now have '360' Deals in place, just to earn revenue. They're in a position that they can't control. Labels still have their place, though- in the sense that you have the corporate element behind you. In essence, they pretty much are the machine. However, to start building a fan base, you don't really need a record company because with YouTube, it’s much easier for people to find you now. On the other hand, the downside to that is that it is the fact that it is now “Open Season.” This means that an abundance of performers (not artists) are trying to be stars overnight. To be an artist, you need to experience "the breaks"- doing open mics, doing shows, etc. Anything is possible, for better or for worse.

HF: What Does Being An Indie Artist Mean To You?
Drue Davis: To me, being an "Indie Artist" means that my quality shouldn't be "less than" what others put out- just because I am Indie. It means that even though I don't have the resources of a major label, I can work with the tools and resources that I do have (Mic, ProTools, Computer, and a Drum Kit), and still put together quality work. The fact that I've always believed in my talents is what has kept me afloat. I always believe in that feeling when I'm creating. I also believe that freedom is a mindset. You can be an indie artist still struggling to follow major label trends. My advice is to get 1st hand experience of what "the grind" really is. There might be sonic differences between doing it the way that I did, and being in an actual quad studio, but the quality isn't less than what others are putting out. If you believe that it is, then you're already defeating yourself. Don't believe in that underground, subterranean mindset.

HF: What Does This Album Signify for You, As An Artist?
Drue Davis: In this album, I wanted to tap into this space of music that made me excited about music of the 80's and 90's. There were no boundaries. I began by digging into me, and getting to know more about myself. I began asking myself, "What is it that you're here for?" It was about not trying to make others happy, and instead tear down the wall and feeling free to create.

HF: How Do You Go About Writing/Composing Music? What Is Your Process?
Drue Davis: The first thing I do is that I go in and make beats first. Usually a melody will pop into my head, and I will then sing it into my phone. If the music really calls me, I will do that first, but it can sometimes be other ways.

HF: What Drives You To Be A Songwriter? What Do You Find To Be Most Rewarding?
Drue Davis: I find it to be a level of self-expression. I like to lay out my ideas in a fun kind of way and hear all the elements kind of come together. I was able to complete this album all on my own....without the use of a full band. Then, when I actually perform these records in front of a live audience, it makes me proud to see that people are still singing along. It lets me know that I was able to channel these ideas out, and still make them sound good.

HF: What Do You Hope To Accomplish With Your Music? What Message Do You Want To Convey?
Drue Davis: I hope that people are able to have an open heart and open mind, and remember what made you love music in the 1st place. We have such a great history of music, and that in turn, helps me to create. Most of all, I hope that my music helps to bring people together. There's so much out there that alienates and typecasts people from one another. When I grew up, we listened to everything. I want to get back to music blending effortlessly. I was always taught that if you don't like something, then do something about it. A lot of people my age have given up on dreams because of life, etc. No matter how old you get, don't let distractions get in the way of what you want, and feeling accomplished because of it. I am proud of myself because years ago, I truly didn't believe in myself….I’m turning around that way of thinking.

HF: Do You Have Anything Else That You Want Our Readers To Know About You? A Favorite Quote or a Particular Anecdote?
Drue Davis: I try to create music that's an honest reflection of my musical upbringing. When I dream, it's not simply a Black thing or White thing.....I dream in color. Another thing that I want people to know is to "Not be fooled by visual and sonic trickery."

To hear more from this artist, visit the following pages:

www.druedavis.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/druedavismusic
https://soundcloud.com/druedavismusic

For booking, contact:
druedavisbooking@gmail.com