Ryan Da’Vinci Perspective on I Promise

My biggest musical influence would probable be Lil Wayne. I have been inspired by others, but growing up as a kid I wanted to be Weezy. He was the beginning of a new era and I believe he influenced a majority of the arists today.

My biggest non-musical influence would have to be my pops. My dad is probably on of the worlds greatest hustlers. I got a lot of my game from him and a lot of my personality comes from him. Cool laid back and about his money. My pops taught me what it means to get the bag and provide for family.

I am Ryan Da’Vinci. I am a recording artist from Broward County Florida and the founder of Hippie Nation which is a collective of creatives.

 My mother passed away september of 2022. I made this song in dedication to her and my cousin who lost his life a few years prior.. I have been through a lot of trials and tribulations and made a promise to my mother and the rest of my family that I would break generational curses. Feeling defeated after losing them I was inspired to create “I Promise” which simultaneously motivated me to continue recording music and chasing my dream.

I was about 6 years old when my mom moved me to Atlanta Georgia. Living in Georgia in the 90s music played everywhere and was the earliest inspiration of music I can remember.

Yes I do. I promised my mother before she passed that i would be the one to give her the life she never had. That I would be her knight in shining armor. All she wanted was a new Jag and a huge house. But I never did. My mom passed before I reached success or before I could change her life. So I’m making music now to keep my promise and become successful and have her right with me in spirit.

I have learned that making music and being in the music industry is 2 different things. If you just enjoy making good music and don’t like the business that comes with it I suggest being a hobbyist and just enjoying your craft. However of you want to be in the industry it will take a lot of work, sacrifice and disappointment in order to be able to take care of your family from the music.

Andre 3000, Kendrick Lamar, Future.

I mostly identify with music over visual arts. However the combination of the two is necessary to create the entire picture.

My favorite musical work of art is “Aquemini” an album by Outkast. However my favorite painting is probably the Last Supper. It’s what I strive to do for my family and peers. Break bread and uplift each other.

Having an artistic outlook means knowing that there is some truth in everything. It’s about keeping an open mind to possibilities that can only be imagined.

Sometimes it can be lonely especially when dealing with people who have no desire to be an artist. They can sometimes lack understanding and it’s hard to convince someone of a vision that only you can see. The best thing to do is surround yourself with like minded people and other creatives that understand the journey and the sacrifice it takes to be an artist.

Outside of music my three passions are fashion, gaming, and self care. Depending on how I’m dressed my mood can alter and when I’m in these moods it inspires me to write what I’m feeling. Gaming for me is meditative and it stimulates my creativity. It clears my mind so when I go back to working on music I get a fresh take and a new approach. In order to reach your highest potential you have to take care of yourself first and that is where self care comes in.

Other than being an artist I have had plenty jobs. From working in kitchens and hospitals to being in phones selling magazines. I done it all. I have never been to proud to work. Success takes hard work no matter the field. The goal is to find something you are passionate about so it doesn’t FEEL like work. It’s still work though.

I would make it so that the artist get a greater split of streaming income from streaming companies. The artists are the ones that are providing the music and sounds for these platforms to earn billions and the artists deserve a much fairer share. Especially independent artists. The cost to get production, record, rollout and release can be very expensive and the returns on streaming is every scarce.

It would have to be back when I first started performing I was doing an open mic and I tried to jump into the crowd but forgot the mic was on a cord and somehow the cord snatched down the DJs laptop and the party was done.

It would be getting signed at an early age without much guidance and understanding of the music industry. I wanted to be an entertainer since a little boy and to see that the industry I had praised my entire childhood was a just a job like any other. It’s like watching a magic show but knowing how all the tricks are done. The brief time I was signed I just felt the spark leave and it almost made me lose the passion for music. That’s when I knew I needed some type of independence if I was going to feel the magic again.

I would have to say “I” by Kendrick Lamar on “To Pimp A Butterfly”. It’s not my favorite Kendrick song of all but the message is clear. No matter what you go through or have been through you can choose to love yourself. I feel like that’s the greatest achievement in the world. Loving yourself regardless of the flaws, the mistakes and the way people see you.

An artist’s job is to spread a message. That message is unique for everybody. The goal is the same though; to inspire the people who think like you. Not everyone has a big enough voice to express themselves and an artist is the mouth of those people. Saying things they inspire to say and doing things they dream of doing. The artist inspires the people.

I plan on being authentic to myself. We as people may have things in common I would as everything is inspired from something. However once you understand yourself and love yourself then it’s like curating a playlist strictly for you. Sure you may have a few songs in there that other people have but all the songs resonate with you and are cohesive to who you are as a person. That is what makes each playlist unique despite some similarities.

I believe as an artist you have reached success when your art takes care of you and your family. It doesn’t have to be millions of dollars but once you can survive and pay for your livelihood while doing soley what you love to do then you are a success no doubt. I believe that is the ultimate freedom.

The most memorable response I have is performing in front of a crowd at a Martin Luther king weekend concert and every single person at the event was chanting. I learned crowd control that day and it felt like I had achieved what I always wanted to do with music and that is bringing people together and giving a vibe that connects with everyone.

I guess I would say I practice. I write music every single day. However over the time I have been more focused on learning to be a performer. I have been writing since I was 8 years old so it’s like second nature to me. However performing and putting on a show is a talent of its own. One I believe I possess as well with the right guidance and training. I take my craft seriously so I want to deliver it in that same way. I believe if you are not touching the people in some way while performing then you missed the mark.

I like to get personable when sharing my music. It always feels better when someone gets to know me a little better before I expose them to my music because then they can feel the lyrics and the vibe on a different level. The music matches who i am as a person and what I have been through so i feel like it deepens the connection. Like I’ll just be sitting with some people hanging out who don’t even know I make music and then I will randomly play one of my tracks and get everyone’s reaction before somebody ultimately says “this shit is fire who is this?” And I give a lil grin.

I want people to feel free. No matter what they are going through or experiencing. For the few minutes that I have your ear I want you to be free of your current situation and the world you live in. I want to provide peace of mind whether you want great sounds that put you in a meditative state or if you are looking to indulge in a relatable story of struggle and triumph and becoming your true self. That is my story.

I would like to collaborate with Andre 3000. Not just rap God Andre but the singing melodic Andre as well. His creativity is as limitless as mine and I feel like the vibe and the sound would be unmatched.

I think most people don’t expect to look to video games for good music but to be honest I have found some of the dopest tracks from playing games.

A passionate, soulful vibe.

My dream performance looks like 40,000+ in attendance all outside on a Woodstock vibe. There would be a live band playing and plenty of smoke and pyro shooting from the stage. I imagine the crowd chanting every song word for word in unison. Lots of energy and a whole lot of fun.

This is tough. I’m the type of person that’s invites change and is always evolving. But if I had to choose I guess I would say Kendrick Lamar, Future and SZA. Kendrick provides lyricism and the and feeds the intellect. Future speaks pain and struggle that you can feel regardless of the lyrics and I can also identify with a lot of what he is saying growing in the ghetto. Lastly SZA because I was always eased by a woman’s voice and SZA’s voice is beautiful and captivating.

My favorite song I have out is a song called “Good Face”. I love the song because the emotions I felt on the track are real. It’s one of the 1st songs I every released that showed my vulnerability as a person and the hook is catchy and melodic. I was able to show off multiple areas of my talent on this track. From writing to the delivery.

It would have to be Michael Jackson. The man is the best performer of all time and I would have loved to see it in person. I know the experience would be crazy.

My music can be described as soulful and harmonic. My voice can become light and melodic which can make the sounds very catchy yet you can hear passion and pain in every lyric. My music is for people that want to experience a new journey and start fresh regardless of their past. It’s about perseverance and overcoming all obstacles and ultimately making your dreams a reality

Saying you have a favorite artist is like saying you have a favorite child. It’s something I just don’t do. I’m inspired by so many different artists. However I would tell someone to listen to music that resonates with your soul not your ear. Sometimes music that sounds good could just be feeding you trash with no substance. Use music has a tool for motivation, inspiration and mediation.

If we are talking about an artist that is currently active then I would have to say Wiz Khalifa. I have to say he inspired me the most to be a performer. Back in high school I would watch his day to day vlogs on YouTube and the energy was crazy! He always had fun and made your life seem like a cool experience. His vlogs were also my first look into tour life.

I love to touch on all the experiences I have had in life and breath life into these experiences through different approaches. Whether it’s my love life, my childhood, my trials and tribulations or simply giving you a vibe that instantly takes you away from your world for a few minutes and sometimes it’s a party and sometimes it’s a therapy session.

In the last 3 years I believe my music has become more personal to my life. Before I was making music that sounds good now I strive to make music that FEELS good. I realized that it’s less about the ear and more about the soul. I feel the music is more relatable now and has a bigger connection to who I am as not only an artist but a person as well.

“I Promise” Is a smooth blend of Hip-Hop, light rock and a little pop.

I remember hearing OutKast’s “Rosa Parks” all over the radio while living in Georgia. I remember the energy I felt. It was exciting and the vibes were unmatched. I knew right then that I wanted to be able to provide that same feeling. It was my first time leaving Florida and seeing snow so it was a lot of firsts for me which is why it’s so memorable for me.

I would love all the accolades that come with being a top tier artist. But honestly my goal is to inspire the people like me to chase their dreams and let nobody hold them back. If I could do that while making enough from the craft to feed my family then I’m good. I am competitive by nature so in the process of doing good I still want to be the best to do it.

For writing I enjoy writing catchy hooks. Making a hook is the most exciting part because you know this gone be the part that everyone remembers. My favorite part of production is the recording process. Being able to play with my vocals and experiment with different sounds and ultimately taking what’s in my head and putting it in wax is like magic to me. When releasing music I enjoy making rollout content. Whether it’s a commercial, skit or just something fun to promote my music.

Yes whenever I’m feeling stuck or have “writers block” I switch to a different genre of music and start writing something new. Then when I come back to the original work I was doing I get a fresh approach.

I do like working with others because it gives me a chance to challenge myself and also the opportunity to see what my sound goes well with. To be honest though working with myself is always easier. Because I don’t have to worry about conflicting thoughts or leaving space on the track for someone else. I can be free creatively to do as I please.

So for “I Promise” I actually wrote it before my mom passed away around the time I found out she had gotten cancer. At the time I was going to the studio a lot to keep my head clear. While I’m the studio I stumbled across a beat that was upbeat and hype. For a second the sadness left and rage filled me more. So I just started writing what came out my mouth. Shortly after I went in the booth and just let it out. The overall process took less than 3 hours.

I’m a writer at heart so I tend to write a lot when I’m home or driving. In the studio though sometimes I just like to have my people in there with me and let a beat play and just let the room control the vibe and energy. Then while we got the energy going I start recording the first sounds that come to me.

I would make take away likes and comments. I would make it purely about appreciating the art. Sounds crazy. But that’s my speed.

Yes.

The best song I ever discovered on social media is “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye.

I’m always looking for new music. I love different sounds and to discover new vibes. I usually look through my favorite blog sites and see what’s going on in the creative world.

I like to take on a classic beat challenge. The best one I did so far was a remake to OutKast’s “Ms.Jackson”.

Yea I would have loved to be an artist before social media era. It was a time when collaborations were more natural and star power was evident. You could only fathom what your favorite stars were like in person. It separated the art from person in a way. You could just enjoy the art without being deterred by a persons personal interests or opinions.

I like to watch live sessions. It gives you a raw unfiltered version of the artist and gives a new perspective of their sound.

To stay up to date I’m always meeting new people and building relationships. As long as I’m actively networking then I feel like I’m always informed of the trends. I feel it’s necessary as far as knowing what’s going on in the world if you want to market your music and get to the next level. It is not necessary in creating the art itself though. The art itself can come from your own experience.

I do. I love to get people’s feedback and see how my art made them feel. If I can give someone a new perspective or inspire them then I feel like my art has succeeded it’s purpose. 

I have had a song go viral. It felt great and my hometown really liked the track so that’s what made it feel great. I didn’t care about the entire world just as long as the city where I’m from was represented well. It was for a song I have called “FWU”. The song was basically me saying I just because you know me or we were good once and don’t mean a thing after loyalty is crossed.

It would be a song I’m releasing soing titled “BraveHearts”.It represents where I’m from Broward County really well but I also feel like it’s produced well enough to be a mainstream song. So it would be the perfect opportunity to have a song go viral that not only represents me but my hometown as well.

I like to post pictures and videos of my fashion choices.I feel like my still is unique to me and fashion is for sure a form of communication to me so I feel like the clothes I wear speak on what mood I’m in or how I’m falling. And to be honest I like to look and feel good.

I enjoy Instagram the most. I have the biggest connection with my supporters on the platform.

I think I do the best on Instagram. It’s where I’m the most active and it’s probably just out of habit since I started my journey as an artist on instagram’s platform

I feel social media has both helped and hurt my career. Without social media it would be a lot more difficult to reach the masses. With the tools we have today we can find our market and our fan base all from one place. However I feel like art is a subjective thing. With social media we get very indulged in the artists lives and that effects how we feel about the art itself. I like for my art to speak for me as I’m an introvert.

For starters songs have become shorter and visuals have become kind of bland. I blame this on the speed that artists feel they have to deliver new product in order to keep the attention of the fans. This takes away from the deep thought process and patience that comes with creating art from the soul. Also because of algorithms artists feel the need to stay on “trend” in order to even be relevant or show up on feeds. All of this influences artist to be quick and shallow when making art.

I’m the beginning it was definitely SoundCloud. I would upload a track every week. It was all for fun at the time so I didn’t mind much about perfecting the quality. Nowadays it’s mostly Instagram and YouTube. Instagram helps me to connect with potential fans while YouTube helps deliver the package with clean visuals.

I started in 2012 when I first began my brand “Hippie Nation” I was new to most platforms but the consistency was noticeable. At the time I had less responsibility and less of an understanding of marketing and how it could be used to its fullest potential.

This song was inspired by the passing of my mom and also the passing of my older cousin. Both were big supporters and believers of my music. My mom was always proud of me and would always share her belief that I would make it in music. When she passed I felt like I had let her down because I hadn’t touched the success that I wished for. So this song was me remembering to keep my promise to my family that I would bring us better days.

I wanted the world to feel my vulnerability and understand why I do music. I want the listener to get a glimpse of me as a person and the things I fight for. This song will resonate with anyone pushing through any difficulty in life to fulfill the promise they made to the childhood version of themselves to achieve in life.

All of my music is inspired from my real life. I feel like the best music comes from experiences, love, loss, triumph. This song is one of those as well.

Sonically I’m influenced the most by Future. His sound is infectious and can be carried across and genre of music. His ability to change his tones to fit any mood or beat is crazy and it’s inspiring to me as an artist.

A great song has a catchy hook, relatable lyrics, an infectious beat, beautifully smooth vocals and finally it has to tell some kind of story. All the thoughts and sounds and words all have to meet at a single point which is the entire theme behind the song.

I feel like I’m very introverted. So when you listen to my music you call always hear the pain and emotion in the music as it spills over from being bottled so long. The only time I ever really share my true feeling is when I record. 

The most difficult part for me is deciding which part of my life I am willing to be transparent about. As I said all my music comes from my own experiences and some im willing to share while others im still dealing with do sharing can be hard sometimes. 

I do think my music reflects me well. I’m always true to myself so the music always come from within.

When I get stuck I usually try to get out of my comfort zone and tap into a different genre of music. It broadens my creative scope.

I don’t have any but I’d try to tap into myself so I meditate first before I write.

The music comes to me first. When I feel the music then the beat provides the lyrics. I just go off of whatever my soul is saying at the time.

I feel most inspired after a new experience. It can be anything new. A new food, a new hobby, or a new environment. Whenever i experience something for the first time I feel limitless and get instantly inspired by the fact that the world is bigger than I know. All the more reason I want to travel and perform around the world.

I would choose a song I have called “Recognize” the song means a lot to me because it was the perfect representation of who i am as a person and why I feel the way I do. For me it’s a statement about who I have evolved into since the start of my journey regardless of the trials and tribulations. It’s one of the most well written and sonically charged songs in my catalogue. 

The most random thing I ever wrote a song about was getting a meal from McDonald’s. The song is called Hippie Meal and was in collaboration with my brothers from a group called The 404. We were just hanging out one day playing some beats and went to eat at the McDonald’s right next to there crib. When we got back we just made that the concept.

I was given a stone once and it was prayed over and blessed. Before I created a song called “Save Me” I stared at that stone after praying one night and felt the need to write. What came from it was a great song pleading to God to help me on my path to greatness.

I’m usually compelled to talk about the relationships I’ve had and the role they have had on molding me into who I am today. Good and bad.

I started writing music as a kid as a way to express emotions I was unable to put into my own words. Since then I have written music almost everyday and it has since become both a habit and a style of meditation for me. I’m also motivated by my mother’s passing who also believed I would be a star in the music industry.

I try to atleast record 3-5 songs per month. Some months are better than others. However I do make it a habit to write music every single day. I’m just like any other muscle the creative muscle has to continuously be put to work.

I highly recommend wave tunes. Majority artists use Auto tunes which is great but with Waves you get a more natural sound. They can even be used in combination.

The best advice I received is to do vocal layering. A lot of the times in the current era of music rappers tend to lay down a single lead vocal whereas I record like an old R&B singer by stacking certain vocals and playing with my range.

The biggest drawback was trying to turn my pain into something catchy and fun. I feel like I succeeded in doing that.

My favorite instrument is my voice. I remember hearing a story about Michael Jackson where he would use his voice as an instrument in order to give the production team an idea of what he was looking for. I’m similar in that way. Although I do enjoy playing the piano even though I’m self taught.

I believe songwriting is key. In order to touch the people you have to give them something they can relate to or feel. 

I always try to use random sounds when making tracks. I treat my voice like an instrument and I find small pockets that I can fill that fit the vibe.

The fastest I every completed a song from scratch is about 25 minutes. This usually happens if I’m surrounded by good vibes and energy and the ideas start floating around the room.

I definitely prioritized the use of Adlibs. I felt like the adlibs needed to provide a certain energy to uplift the track since the subject matter was kind of dark and deep for me.

It would have to be J.Cole. Is production is flawless and his use of samples is top tier. I became a fam after hearing Friday night lights in high school.
 
 

Taking your time! You can’t rush perfection. Breathe and deliver. If you can’t say the next one without running out of breath. Punch in. There’s nothing wrong with that. People think you just have to go in there and do everything in one take. The pros take their time in their art. Can’t ruin your craft that had the potential of a major success just because you wanna rush it. You’ll regret it!

THE GUITAR! It’s so smooth. You can make any type of beat with it and any kind of topic with it. The guitar surpasses anyone’s versatility with its own, and that’s why I’ll always love em.

Production tools that helped when making this track was honestly just the producer. As long as they know what they’re doing as well as I do on my end, it’ll always be great. I don’t really use any voice edits or anything because all they ever tell me is that I sound better without it!