Despite coming from a state he admits has very little nightlife and a small percentage of people that appreciate new school rap, West Virginia native DaKidQuence is looking to break out as a rising rapper with mass appeal. Quence can attract the turn up crowd with efforts such as “Get The F*ck Out My Face (Remix),” or he can drop homage bars like on “WestCoastin’ (NWA Tribute).”
Online music fans are starting to pay attention. DKQ has already collected over 30,000 Soundcloud plays on his Rich The Kid and Cap-1 assisted single “PassIt!” His catalog also includes collaborations with Funk Volume’s Dizzy Wright and Fly America’s Mark Battles.
Quence’s turn toward a music career began over a decade ago when he began writing poetry for his grandmother, mother, and girls in his life. He then watched his middle school peers freestyle. The energy and attention from those rap sessions sparked an ambition to put together his own rhymes over beats.
After building connections in the Hip Hop hotbed of Atlanta, DaKidQuence is making moves to expand his brand across the nation. AllHipHop.com caught up with DKQ for the “Three Questions” series where he reflects on his first time getting high and more.
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What’s the greatest part of being a 90’s baby?
Sh*t, my style, my wave, my persona. I’ve got an old soul, so I’ve been told. Meaning, I should’ve been my age now during that time. I would have wrecked sh*t. I’d be a Jay Z ass n*gga by now. [laughs] But yeah, I just appreciate the realness and naturalness of everything back then. Sh*t’s so fake, watered down, simple, and wack nowadays.
You have the track “PassIt!” What’s one of your most memorable moments getting high?
Sh*t, you got me there, I’ve been so high so many times. Nah, probably the first time ever in 7th grade. I was 12-13 years old. My friends and I caught the bus to school and would be there like 30 minutes before the doors unlocked, so we would walk over to 7 Eleven and get snacks. They would go get high behind the store.
I think I was listening to The Chronic by Dr. Dre at the time, so it was like perfect timing. They had one pinner ass joint of some good mid, and I hit that sh*t like 3 times. It felt soooooo good. I went to the store, got hella snacks, went back over to school, went in the cafeteria for breakfast, and by that time the weed had actually set in, I genuinely thought I was dying [laughs].
N*ggas was clowning me about being so worried, telling me, “It’s just the chronic bro.” [laughs] I literally was seconds away from calling my grandma to tell on myself and have her come get me to go to the hospital, until I fell asleep in first class and woke up in the office cause n*ggas thought I was dead. [laughs]
If you could only do one of the following things during your career, which would you pick and why? Record a song with Jay Z, win a Grammy for Best Rap Album, or perform at the Super Bowl?
Definitely the Grammy, not only for myself and my team, but I always told my grandma I would bring home a Grammy for her. She passed away last year, so I’m harder at work for that than ever before. Honestly, I know what I want with all this music sh*t. It’s just a matter of time.
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Purchase the DaKidQuence’s music on iTunes.
Follow DaKidQuence on Twitter @DaKidQuence and Instagram @dakidquence.