A special artist has been putting in work for the last 15 years, whose empathetic mind extends far beyond the boundaries of melody and rhythm. Introducing Rodreep, more than a musician, he is a lifeline. Through the healing alchemy of his music, this modern-day poet not only saves lives but also becomes an architect of emotional restoration. His artistic process mirrors the delicate work of peeling away layers to reveal the roots of profound emotions. Like a skilled surgeon of sound, he taps into the recesses of the mind, where processing and healing intertwine. With an innate ability to translate his own emotional journey into music compositions, he emerges as a guiding force for those navigating similar storms. As the pulse of the 801 music scene quickens in anticipation, it is evident that this artist's influence runs deep. In the coming year, the music scene is poised to witness a meteoric rise, and we stand together, cheering for him. Continue reading our interview below to learn more.
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RIPDAYDREAM: Bro first, what people may not even know is that besides being an amazing artist, you played a role in essentially saving my life and many others. So thank you. I want to now allow you first to tell your story and who Rodreep is.
Rodreep: Absolutely brother I'm grateful to be in a position where I can help others with things I have struggled with. Rodreep is an artist that grew up here in Salt Lake City, I would say my journey starts with being adopted at 3 months old. A lot of my challenges stem from that situation such as battling addiction, getting sober, and being able to show up for my son and the people around me. I've been writing music for over 15 years and like many others, music is an outlet that allows me to vent and process the things that I struggle and go through.
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RIPDAYDREAM: Music is such a therapeutic outlet for many people including myself. I grabbed onto it heavily over 2023 and realized how much it can heal your inner trauma. Your music reminds me of this and you paint such a vivid picture of your struggles that others can relate to. Talk about your creative process and the mode you lock into when writing or freestyling.
Rodreep: Like so many others I would say my writing process starts with a root emotion that I am feeling or struggling with. when I am struck with emotions I can easily dive into the creative part of my brain which helps me process what I am feeling to begin with. I'm often surprised at the answers that come to me when I am writing poetry. I like to think of myself as a poet. I feel like in today's day and age there are too many rappers and not enough poets that are willing to take a deeper look and delve into their craft with raw emotion.
RIPDAYDREAM: I think what I also appreciate about you is that your connection between Utah and the music scene runs deep. Is it important to you to inspire others in your community?
Rodreep: It's absolutely important to me to be a part of the community. The music scene here in Utah gets a lot of shade and I believe it's important to show love to the community and network and work together as much as possible. One of the staples in the music scene out here is DJ Juggy and he does an amazing job at inspiring others and bringing them together for the city and I want to be a part of that as much as possible.
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RIPDAYDREAM: I've been bumping your latest single, 'Old News', on repeat and was curious if you could start from the beginning conception of the single and how it came to be released.
Rodreep: This song is a very special one for me cause this is the song that pulled me out of insane writer's block. There was something about the beat that really spoke to my soul and I was able to just let go for the first time in about a year. To me, this song speaks about the trauma that everyone experiences in their own way. We all have our own unique way of navigating through it some at a faster pace than others. I speak about feeling defeated but being unwilling to give up and no matter what I need to keep pushing with the same people I started with in reference to (OTB) "out tha box" and how we are going to make it out together. I also can't give Hollywood Kilo enough thanks his sound and cadence were absolutely perfect for this song and it was an amazing experience to bring him in for this one we are hoping to make many more.
RIPDAYDREAM: Speaking of realizing music I am always curious about how artists deal with self criticism and the fear of releasing art. I myself always get nervous about releasing a new music video I directed, but for some artists, it doesn't bother them. What do you think?
Rodreep: I would say I can be very over critical of myself and my work and I believe that's why it's so important to have a team that you know is going to keep it real and honest with you. Most people are going to tell me, "Hey you could write something better" or "This is actually really good". My boy Broph is one of those people he has recorded, Mixed, and Mastered almost all of my work and he has always been very honest with me and my sound. When I am finally to the point of releasing a song it has been through the gauntlet and I believe that it is ready to go whether it gets 100 plays or 25,000 plays as long as at least one person is able to connect with it I'm content.
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RIPDAYDREAM: Can you give us a sneak peek into any upcoming projects or collaborations you're working on?
Rodreep: I'm currently in the process of getting the vault stockpiled so I can drop a lot of back to back singles or possibly a full length album. I have a lot of artists that I want to bring in on these projects and I'm excited to keep pursuing my passion as a poet and I hope to continue to give the best version of myself to the people around me.
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