Music Review and interview with Vid the Visionary
David G. Wilkinson aka ‘Vid the Visionary bka Dizy, was born in the Bronx, New York. Forced to move around early and often never staying in one place for long. ‘Vid had to mature quickly to endure his environment. As a result of his diverse upbringing he developed a unique style art and music. Passionate about visual and audio story telling his technique is one with the Rhythm and pace of Hip Hop, a feel of R&B and often the intesity of Rock! These are among the many influences that have culminated his style.
In 2007 he teamed up with family friend and producer Jean Chardavoine and began traveling back and forth between New York and Boston. Under the stage name “Dizy”, he and Chardavoine began to break into the Hip Hop scene with soulful instrumentals and sharp lyrics. They developed hit singles like “Behind the Bars” & “On Point”, receiving a good reception from various audiences.
In 2009 ‘Vid recorded his first official studio album in titled: Dizy – Time 2 Blow (up) produced by up and comer Eddie ‘The Wizard’ August. The album was made available on Cdbaby.com ( https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/Dizy). He was also featured on NY underground mixtapes like: Blow your Speakers 2, Kush Summer 4 and Death Proof 4. produced by known mixer DJ Gemstarr. As well as performing at multiple venues in Boston, Revere, New Hampshire and Manhattan he quickly gained recognition from his peers.
After the explosion of the internet, ‘Vid started a rap series called “The Lyrical Diaries” in 2010. Starting from his room to the studio, parking lots and even Anime Boston! A journey of growth with ten chapters of lyrical free verses showcasing his lyrical diversity. @ ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-PdifNLrCQ )
He released two more the singles in 2012 titled “Letting Go” & “Oh My” produced by Russell Alba (Rebellion Recordings) with instrumentals provided by Stephen “Sq Route” Ruggs (Regular Routine Production). Connecting with rap moguls and hard working entrepreneurs like Jim Jewels ‘Vid quickly began to gain momentum. Looking to further his exposure and experience he played small roles in feature films and voice acting as well. In between this he continued his education in the creative arts, spending 2 years studying at Emerson college where he received a Certificate of Professionalism in illustration and writing. As well as credentials from AIOP (Arts Institute). This prompted the creation of New School Comics, a website and organization dedicated to the creative arts @ https://newschoolcomics.wordpress.com/art/.
In 2015 “Vid the Visionary” the Mixtape was released on Reverbnation and Youtube @ ( https://www.reverbnation.com/vidthevisionary ) produced by Yann Blakk and DJ Russ-Ell (Nest Music Group). More recently ‘Vid has released his new single “Hoody”. You can check out the video below:
In the words of the man himself…
“I like to make music that has a genuine feel. While I try to be diverse, I always make sure it’s still me. Music is art and art is one of the purest forms of human expression.”
– ‘Vid the Visionary
Bronx born and Boston bred – Vid the Visionary is taking over the underground like a firestorm after a hot and dry summer! Riding high at the moment having recently released his hit single “hoody” It begins with a swirling synth riff before launching into a brutal hip-hop beat with intricately programmed hi hats that add nicely to the flow.
“It’s a new beginning / we’re making new decisions” “We turn up so much / they try to shut it down”
The chorus hook is ultra catchy, you could imagine this track being very popular if it was played in a night club, it has that “chilling” quality you want when you’re just vibing and lounging with your crew.
Overall, this is a strong single and a good example of ‘Vid’s lyrical skills and delivery, with a musical backing that is both sonically arresting and cutting edge. I will be interested to hear a full album from him in the future.
By HBdidit – Exposed Vocals Music Reviewer and Breaking News Contributor.
Check out “Hoody” being played on Kiss 104.7 FM
A NYC fashion designer, music reviewer and lover of life!
Exclusive Interview:
‘Vid the Visionary: I heard about this through my producer Yann who passed along a tweet from a Mr. Randy Morano
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
‘Vid the Visionary: The truth is I grew up in a lot of places, born in the Bronx, moved to Boston early, then moved to Nevada, then back to Boston. It was hectic. There was a lot of turbulence in my family during my childhood so I ended up in some undesirable places (residential homes and foster care in DSS). It was actually in one of those places where I found Hip Hop. At first it was just something I did for fun, but when I kept getting so much positive feedback I started thinking it was time to take it more seriously. At this point I’ve been doing it so long that song writing is second nature to me now.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
‘Vid the Visionary: Well originally I was going by “Dizy” (pronounced Dizzy) for most of my adolescence (I came up with that one when I was like 10 soooo yeah). Eventually I felt like I would need something that identifies with me better. So a few years back I was working on a project and it just hit me! My government name is David, not a name I’m overly fond of to be honest and I recognized the potential considering I’d never heard the second side of my name used in this way. There are a lot of “Dave’s” out there but there’s only one ‘Vid. As for the Visionary part that comes from my work as an illustrator as well as my affinity for the creative… I have lots of ideas.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
‘Vid the Visionary: Of course I’ve given away free music. When you’re still unknown you have to give people an idea of what you’re bringing to the table. Nobody wants to spend money and then find out after that it’s not what they were looking for.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
‘Vid the Visionary: Firstly there’s a lot of artists out there who are still refusing to capitalize on social media. That’s the first thing you need to do! Because unless you’ve got lots and lots of money to burn then you’re not going to find many outlets for your material. Times are changing and social media is already a standard. Secondly, get out there! Go to you local clubs and hot spots and talk to people, get the pulse of your city and start networking HARD! Making the music is only the beginning.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
‘Vid the Visionary: Luckily I’m very conscious about my surroundings and I rehearse like a madman so I haven’t really had any major mess ups. There was one performance I did in Manhattan a few years back at a video release party. I got on a stage which was small and full of band equipment so there was even less space and plenty of cords to trip on but I didn’t fall or anything. I was so worried about falling or messing up that when I finished my set and went to go backstage I forgot how low the doorway was and banged my head pretty bad. I don’t think the audience caught that but it hurt like hell.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
‘Vid the Visionary: While I have traveled to do shows I haven’t been on any official tours yet so hopefully I’ll get the opportunity to do that soon.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
‘Vid the Visionary: I usually like to write at home (though I can do it on the spot if necessary). I put on some new beats and if one of them speaks to me I hit replay and just let it happen. If I’m not feeling it I really try not to force it because at this point I know when I have something to say or when I’m just not feeling it. As a process I like to know what the concept of the song is going to be ahead of time so everything stays consistent, but sometimes I’m halfway through a verse or Hook before I know what it’s gonna be about.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
‘Vid the Visionary: I use everything I can. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Soundcloud, Youtube, right now my most recent Mixtape project is on Reverbnation @ https://www.reverbnation.com/vidthevisionary You can also check out the team I’m working with at Nestbeats.com
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
‘Vid the Visionary: Honestly I’m not really embarrassed about listening to anything (as long as I like how it sounds) because I love music and I’m into all kinds of genres, if it sounds good I’ll check it out. I suppose some of the music that might be surprising would be like early Avril Lavigne or the 1st Fallout Boy album, I also remember a few Backstreet songs that I was feeling, of course that was a while ago.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
‘Vid the Visionary: First off I’d probably get a bigger place for me and my fam to live. I’d help invest in my team and really just take the time to work on new material as well as maybe finish a Graphic Novel project I’ve had to put on hold. It’s hard for me to think in terms of vacation when there’s still so much for me to do now.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
‘Vid the Visionary: I don’t know all the tech terms so I couldn’t really tell you. I know my producer Yann likes to use either Pro Tools of Cubase depending on his mood.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
‘Vid the Visionary: Social Media and Word of mouth are the biggest outlets you can find right now. I can’t stress that enough to up and coming artists, get on your internet grind if your not already touring and getting paid! It’s a must and the record execs will tell you the same thing.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
‘Vid the Visionary: If I could perform with any artists period it would have to be Nas, Big Pun and Royce Da 5’9″ along with a band like Staind or Seether to top it off. These were some of my biggest influences coming up and to work with them and learn from them would mean more than words could describe.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
‘Vid the Visionary: Working on an EP/Album (not sure which one yet) the title is TBA but it’s going to drop sometime this fall. Also some shows coming up. The most current will be @ the Phoenix Landing in Cambridge MA August 18, 2015 with the Get Cash Stop Hating Tour hosted by Jess Jones. Honestly I’m just going from one event to the next so if you’re really interested just follow me on that social media for updates as they come.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
‘Vid the Visionary: I think I would be a full time author and illustrator. That’s another thing I’ve been doing since I was still in single digits (age). In fact I still plan on incorporating that into my repertoire eventually but I recognize that it’s best to focus on one thing at a time.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
‘Vid the Visionary: Ha! Well the first album I ever owned was “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot” but the first one I ever bought? Considering my adolescent situation I wasn’t able to go out and buy CD’s or cassettes (yeah I said cassette) but the first one I ever paid money for was actually a bootleg of “Rock City 2.0” which I bought off my roommate for like $5. I had been looking for a Royce album at the time cause I had seen the video he did with Em and was feeling his flow. I must’ve played that CD over a 100 times all the way through from start to finish. As for store bought I believe it was actually Staind “Break the Cycle” (still one of my favorite albums to this day!).
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
‘Vid the Visionary: At the end of the day you just need to prioritize what’s most important for you. I still work a 9-5 because it’s necessary but I spend every chance I have either writing, reviewing songs or promoting. I’m also at the end of some 2D animation classes I’ve been taking as well. It’s not easy but when something is really important to you, you MAKE time for it. Oh and also sleep less (maybe 3-5 hours a night max). Real Talk
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2015?
‘Vid the Visionary: Well they can check out the mixtape on Revernation, Soundcloud and Youtube. Make sure you watch the new video single “Hoody” and keep and eye out for the new EP due to drop this fall. Follow me on social media for more updates and stay tuned in because there’s plenty more to come as well as some things in the works that I have to keep under wraps at the moment. We Out Here!
