In an era where viral dances, AI videos, and fake internet beef seem to run Hip-Hop, Bronx spitter David Bars is stubbornly committed to something way less trendy: being real. A certified “MC’s MC” who came up as the young gun around legends like DJ Premier and D.I.T.C., Bars has already lived the kind of stories a lot of rappers pretend to have. He has been in packed studios with giants since his teens, studied the craft from the inside, and now finds himself navigating a landscape where algorithms, content farms and podcasts compete with the music he loves.
In this candid conversation with AllHipHop at WonWorld Studios, David talks about why he is dropping singles instead of albums, how he feels about the Kendrick vs Drake battle, why fake beef is corny, what Cardi B being the “top rapper” really means, and how he is adapting with TikTok tempos while still trying to stay “official in a fake time.”
AllHipHop: You have been dropping a lot of singles lately. Why focus on singles instead of a full album right now?
David Bars: I already did albums before, so it is not like I am scared of an album. I just tried a different formula. Right now it feels like the better route for what I am trying to do. If enough people start asking for an album, I will give them an album. I got enough music in the tuck. It is just a matter of structuring it the right way.
AllHipHop: Do streaming and short attention spans play into that decision?
David Bars: It got a lot to do with everything. The way people listen is different now. One minute songs, two minute songs. If you drop an album and it hits later, people will go back and dig through your whole catalog. But until that moment comes, singles make more sense. If somebody asks you to name five David Bars songs, it is more likely you know them because I drop singles.
AllHipHop: You are known as a lyricist. Do you ever get frustrated that a lot of Hip-Hop today does not seem to care as much about bars?
David Bars: I would not say frustrated. You just got to learn to adapt. I enjoy a lot of new music. I listen to old school too, but I am not sitting around like, “I wish lyrics would come back.” Times change. I can adapt to the times. I just miss how it was. Back then it felt like lyrics were appreciated more. That is why people get excited for a Clipse album or a Mobb Deep type of album. It is a different time.
AllHipHop: Did the Drake vs Kendrick situation make you feel like the culture remembered bars again for a second?
David Bars: It is a sport. Hip-Hop is a competitive sport. That whole situation excited me. I love seeing Kendrick on that type of time. And the crazy part is how fast it was. They were going back and forth in real time. If Nas had taken as long as he did with “Ether” in this era, he would have been cooked. The media part of it would have finished him. Today you have to have your sword ready.
AllHipHop: A lot of so called “beefs” now feel planned for clicks. Where do you stand on that?
David Bars: I am not with the fake beef. Unless somebody comes at me directly, I am not jumping out the window to start something for views. I like walking around and doing what I want. We from the street. I am not doing all that corny [__] for attention. If somebody throws a shot, I am with it, you will see another side of Bars. But I am not staging no fake drama.
AllHipHop: You said something real honest about the game. You are just trying to stay official in a fake time. What did you mean by that?
David Bars: All this [] is corny to me, bro. Me being me is probably my worst curse. I am not that type of dude. Certain [] I am not going to stand for. So it might be an issue in this lane I chose. But I would rather keep it official for myself. When the chips fall, they fall. I am not here to be a character.
AllHipHop: Hip-Hop is so mainstream now that the top charting rapper is Cardi B. How do you feel about that dynamic?
David Bars: She from the Bronx, so shout out to her. But if we talking about rapper vs MC, that is different. If you do not write, you more of an entertainer. And I am not even mad at that. She is honest about it. There is no fake story around it. The issue is how people place it. You cannot call somebody the top lyricist if they are not writing. But being an entertainer is still work. It is just a different category.
AllHipHop: Speaking of the game changing, it feels like every OG has a podcast now. What do you think when you see that wave?
David Bars: Everybody is in podcasting. It is crazy. But that is what is working right now. Time changes. You got to adapt. I cannot knock the hustle. They getting money. For me, I am still too in love with the music to jump there full time. Maybe later. Right now I still want to rap.
AllHipHop: You also talked about AI visuals. A lot of rappers are experimenting. What is your take?
David Bars: I kind of hate AI. It can be cool if you use the right person and go all the way with it, like some Star Wars level crazy. But the way most rappers are using AI right now looks corny. If it is not super authentic or super ill, it just looks cheap.
AllHipHop: What about collaborations. Are there artists you want to work with, or are you focused more on producers?
David Bars: I am more focused on producers right now, but I am down to collab. It just has to make sense. If we got mutual respect and it is organic, cool. I am not paying an artist just to chase a feature. You could have Kendrick on a whole album and that does not guarantee people will listen to you. That said, when you spar with certain people, it is motivating. It is fun competition.
AllHipHop: Part of this era is the machines and algorithms. You talked about “tricking the machine.”
David Bars: That is really what it is. It is not just labels and marketing anymore. It is machines pushing you or burying you. Sometimes collabs help because the algorithm connects similar artists and sends people down that rabbit hole. You got to be strategic and figure out how to use that to your advantage.
AllHipHop: There is a huge overseas market for lyricism. Have you tapped into that yet?
David Bars: Not enough. I need to travel more. But I look at my Spotify numbers and see crazy places – Africa, Japan, Switzerland and all kinds of countries. People overseas love the culture, not just the rap. That is one of the dopest things about these apps. We can actually see where the listeners are.
AllHipHop: You mentioned adapting your sound for TikTok with uptempo records. What does that look like for you?
David Bars: I started doing 110, 120 BPM joints. Tempo music people can dance to. I got mad dance videos on TikTok to my records. I dropped more than ten songs that fit that lane and they were going crazy over there. I am not closed off to everything. I am just trying to adapt without losing myself.
AllHipHop: What is next for David Bars?
David Bars: I got a single called “No Time.” I am going to keep putting out music, keep it official and figure out the code like everybody else. You can find me at @DavidBars_ on Instagram and TikTok. Tap in.