New single from the 24-year-old hip-hop artist and producer Darius Johnsonknown as Dajeonis a two-and-a-half-minute metaphor about self-love and self-preservation.
‘I’ve been waiting for the right moment to release,’ he says city paper“I hope the record is well received.”
Now based in Frederick, Maryland, Dajon began rapping in Okinawa, Japan while his parents were stationed at an air force base there. When he first signed up to perform in his after-school program talent show, he was seven years old and asked his father to write a rap song for him. DaJohn’s father agreed to help with one caveat. “If you can do it, you have to do it,” Dajon recalls his father’s words. “There is no turning back.”
Dajon took his father’s advice to heart. adolescent state of mind, He released his first EP on SoundCloud when he was 13.
Eleven years later, Dajon continues to release new music. He has also performed all over his DMV, including shows at Frederick’s in Baltimore, and most recently on December 16th he performed at the House of Herbs in DC’s Park His View neighborhood.
An ambitious young musician, Dajon has established himself in various music scenes throughout the region, seeking opportunities that do not exist where he lives. Frederick’s music scene, he says, is often neglected despite being home to many outstanding artists. stitch early, Demetriusand Asa Weeks, who Dudgeon calls “the people’s champion”. Frederick’s talent is not in short supply, but the lack of community events like his open his mic his night and artist showcases prevent that talent from flourishing.For attention, Dudgeon says Frederick’s musician is being forced to move his operations to D.C.
“It took almost a decade to make the music to headline the show at Frederick,” says Dudgeon. “We need more light. We need more opportunity.”
under the influence of Sumino, kendrick lamarand Tyler the Creator, Dajon considers his music to be hip-hop and R&B with elements of experimentation. It’s built around, he says. For example, his 2020 song “Smoke in the Rain” uses the metaphor of getting lost in a storm to talk about the importance of taking your partner’s side through the dark days.
“The concept is getting lost these days,” he says. “Music today is mostly just vague subjects, but I like to take specific topics and apply them to the tropes I run across records.”
Raised as a military man on the move, Dajeon is no stranger to drawing inspiration from other cultures. He learns by listening to hip hop and his R&B, but also finds influences from country, pop and techno.
Those influences carry over to his skill as a producer with a wide vocal range. Songs like ‘CHAUFFEUR’ (2020), ‘BRAND NEW MAN’ (2022), and ‘Woah Honey’ (2022) show just how much Dajeon can change her voice.
“I feel like a lot of people use normal voices,” says Dudgeon. “But I play with my entire vocal range and I can do it consistently.”
The newly released single “GARDEN” is a prime example of Dajeon’s experimentation in songwriting. On this track, DaJohn says his composition process was completely out of order. Rappers often come up with hooks and verses first, but Dudgeon instead started by imagining his background vocals and melodies. Before he knew what the theme of the song was, he already knew that he would repeat the name of the flower all the way through. say. “That was the way my brain worked.”
I’m not saying the message behind the song doesn’t make sense. Using flowers as a theme gave Dudgeon the idea of turning the garden into a metaphor for self-care. This is a personal priority for the rapper, both in one-sided romantic and platonic relationships, and recalls losing sight of his own identity. In fact, loving yourself is central to Dajon’s mission, his statement and his brand.
“The whole concept of the song is to protect your sanity, your self-esteem, and your self-love,” he says. “Basically, treat yourself the way you want others to treat you.”
The lyrics weren’t the only thing Dajeon was experimenting with on “GARDEN.” He was ill while recording the song, so his vocal abilities were much more limited. I decided to listen to a friend who told him the vocals were still smooth. “It sounded so raw and natural,” he says.
“I wanted to freestyle it. I wanted to experiment with my voice,” he adds.[The song is] Very resilient, but also fragile. ”
Dudgeon’s persistence certainly paid off. He has more gigs coming up later this month, including a gig in the District, and is currently working on a new single with Weeks. No release date has been announced yet, but we can expect it sometime this year. “It’s up,” he says. “I’m working on new music and staying more consistent with these drops.”
As his name rises, Dajeon has one message for his fans and new listeners.
“You can’t just support music artists,” he says. “Support local painters, sculptors and other artists. After all, we do it for love, but we still need to eat. If you love art, support your local artists.” please.”
Dajon will be opening for rapper Mark Bravo on March 18th at 7pm at the Serena Hotel in Union Market. eventbrite.com$15. “GARDEN” is being distributed on all distribution platforms.