Derrick Cobb has been a gifted songwriter and performer from a young age, he has found his truth in the space between creative rebellion and honest inspiration, profoundly impacting his followers and challenging the listener to re-imagine the world one song at a time.
For Derrick, embarking on a journey to inspire others has brought him to the crossroads between public and private life, as his profile grows and his name becomes a permanent fixture in the music business, we caught up with the talented and tenacious artist for an exclusive interview. This is what Derrick had to say about his upcoming projects, background and the legacy he hopes to leave behind.
What is your earliest musical memory? Are there any artists you grew up admiring that influenced your own style?
My earliest musical memory was being home back in Brooklyn, New York. There was lots of Janet Jackson, Mary J Blige, Biggie, Jay Z, and Jodeci playing. I remember all the adults I was around me just really being invested into these artists and the music they were putting out. I remember my aunt's taping all their songs of the radio or going to the record stores and buying their favorite CDs. Back then it all seemed like such an adventure to go out and get music I really miss those days. The artists that influence my musical style are Janet Jackson, Prince, Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Usher. They have such a unique way of blending multiple genres of music to create sounds of their own. They are artist that take risk and experiment heavy with sounds and vocal techniques. I use this same approach when I get into the studio. I like to make sure that I am doing things that have not been heard before.
Would you say love, heartbreak and sensuality have inspired you to create art?
Of Course love, heartbreak and sensuality inspires me to create. In order to be a creative person you have to be in touch with inner workings of who you are. Great art requires great depth and great reflection. I reach to the depth of me to light that flame. I also believe it is very important to know that we are all human and feel the same things. Using our emotions as artist help us connect to one another. I like to think of my music as autobiographical. I tell stories in all of my work. From being turned up, to being vulnerable, to being abandoned these are all the things I talk about musically. I want the fans to know that we are no different. I love, I hurt, I cry, I bleed and and I strive for hope just like them.
Please share with us what your creative process is like. How do you go from an idea to a finished song?
My creative process starts out as conversations. I get in the studio with my producers and my writing partner Ebony Allen and we spend that first session just talking and catching up. I want them to be aware what is going on with me and how I am feeling at that exact moment. I often have them listen to a playlist of what I called "My Mood". I want them to get a sense of where my emotions, then we take it from there. Will put some concepts together and then break. I'll go home and sit with beats and ideas and I began writing, The next session I will do dry run-throughs of the ideas that I have and they develop from there. As the project moves along we fine tune it and make sure we bring the story to life musically and lyrically.
What can your fans expect from your upcoming releases?
Fans can expect a journey. There are so many things musically that are coming up I don't know where to start. I will say they can expect things from me that have never herd before. I do explore my personal life on the songs we're working on and they get to get a deeper glimpse of who I am. Overall I explore the highs and lows of love and all the emotions that come with that.
Are there any new projects coming up you’d like to share with our readers?
Yes, there are a few. First up is my brand new single "Don't Stop (Fuck It Up) which is now available on all major streaming platforms. This is a song that features two amazing artists: Rue Gonzalez and Beauty Bellaa.
It's the first time that I rapped on a song and I am so proud of it. I have a new mini ballad: "In Love", that will be dropping in a few weeks and I will be dropping a compilation of the demo records that I have done over the years on June 22nd, 2020. I am excited and I can't wait to share this new content with all my fans.
