Q&A with LA rapper Dubb

California’s Dubb is a 24-year-old rapper that is making an impact on the hip-hop game. Already he’s worked with big name artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Tyga and Cali Swag District and been acknowledged for his inspirational and timeless music from the release of his mixtape, The Departure. With the anticipation of his forthcoming album, The Layover set for release May 31, Dubb is confident that his grind will land him international recognition. This past week, Dubb took time out of his non-stop, no sleep schedule to speak with Urbanology Magazine about his influences, the feedback he has received so far and his plans for the future.
WHAT WAS GROWING UP IN THE WEST COAST LIKE? It was just like growing up anywhere else. You’re just a product of your environment. It’s what you make yourself out of the situation.
WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INFLUENCES FROM? As far as rappers, Tupac, Jadakiss, Ice Cube, T.I. and Eminem. I can keep naming. As far as influences outside of musicians, my real life, because that is the motivation for me to get up. I don’t sleep at all. I feel like I’m delusional because I never sleep, but this is the life.
YOUR LAST MIXTAPE, THE DEPARTURE, RECEIVED OVER 100,000 DOWNLOADS IN THE FIRST MONTH ALONE. HOW DID YOU PROMOTE THIS MIXTAPE AND WHAT FEEDBACK HAVE YOU BEEN GIVEN? Usually when people drop mixtapes, they only do it through the Internet. I did it on the Internet and in the streets. Obviously I can’t hit the streets everywhere because I don’t have the major budget, but I put flyers and posters all over my city. I’ve always been putting in the same type of work. I’ve always been going this hard since I started. And for people to finally start listening, it’s like, finally, but it’s still the beginning.
WHAT INSPIRED POWERFUL SONGS LIKE “DETERMINATION” AND “PATIENCE IS KEY”? What I’m going through, my everyday life. I am human, I’m not a robot, so when I’m going through something and I feel like “man, should I keep doing this?” I have people around me like my real friends and family that tell me, “Keep going, it’s helping me.” There’s people that come up to me out in the streets and say, ““Determination”, I listen to that every morning.” There’s people out here that I’m really changing their lives. I was eating at Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles the other day, and this dude comes up to me when I was eating and was like, “Dubb, “Determination” changed my life bro.” I was like for real? I was eating so I had to wipe my hands and shake this man’s hand. I appreciate that. It really got to me. That’s why I make music like that. I want to make some heartfelt music, some timeless music that people can pop in 20 years from now and it will still be relevant because what’s hot right now will not be hot in 20 years, so why talk about it.
YOUR NEW MIXTAPE THE LAYOVER IS EXPECTED TO DROP IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, WHAT WILL MAKE IT UNIQUE FROM THE DEPARTURE AND OTHER MUSIC OUT TODAY? I am doing something on this mixtape that is real different from the last one, but it will still have the same feel. The Layover, when you go to an airport, if you want to go from Los Angeles to New York, you will stop in between, you don’t go straight to New York. When I took off on The Departure, I said I was headed to success. My whole concept of The Layover is, I want to stop in certain states, and when I stop in those certain states, I’ll have an artist from that state that’s poppin’ on the tape. It’s gonna be epic. I’m working hard on it now. I’m taking my time. I got real picky this last year with tracks and the whole sound.I want to make some heartfelt music, some timeless music that people can pop in 20 years from now and it will still be relevant because what’s hot right now will not be hot in 20 years, so why talk about it.
IN A TIME WHERE SO MANY ARTISTS YOUR AGE ARE OPTING TO MAKE FLUFFY MUSIC, WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE MUSIC WITH A MESSAGE? That’s me. I really don’t make music that other people do and I take my own lane. I like making music that everyone can relate to. Anyone can just rap. It’s hard to do something that’s powerful. Everyone can go in the booth. I want to make something that anyone in the world can feel, whether it’s people my age, younger, older people; I want to touch everyone. You know the person Tupac was, I want to be that plus more. I want to be an icon.
WHAT RESPONSE HAS THAT GENERATED FROM YOUR FANS AND THOSE AROUND YOU? Instead of people liking me, they love me. They really feel like they know me. The records I make are so personal so they feel they know me on a first and last name basis instead of just Dubb. That’s the type of response I’ve been getting, that they feel like they’re really close friends with me — which they are. I don’t fabricate nothing, I tell them how my life really is. The day that I’m on, then I’m going to have to speak from the perspective of them, [right now I speak for] the people that are still in the struggle, because I’m still in the struggle right now.