A conversation with Vancouver’s rising hip-hop star, Dkay

Having dropped his debut album last October and opened for major hip-hop talents including MGK, YG, and Hopsin since, Dkay is a rapper to watch out for in Vancouver’s local hip-hop scene. His fun and energetic music, along with his promotion of the city, have given his name a lot of buzz within Vancouver, and he’ll be opening for big-name Atlanta rapper Waka Flocka Flame on April 9 at Venue.

The Peak: How excited are you to perform with Waka Flocka Flame?

Dkay: I am pretty excited moving forward with this show; there is going to be a lot of high energy and I like that. Waka Flocka is for sure one of the bigger artists I’ve opened for and that’s [. . .] got good energy because the crowd’s really excited.

P: When you are on stage performing, what type of vibe do you like to give off?

D: I’ve been MCing and hosting parties for a really long time, so I have a good ability of reading the crowd and trying to keep the energy high and keep them interested. I like to bring my audience through a story, and I give a little introduction before each song so that they know what they’re expecting and they can feel a vibe off the song before it starts.

P: Who are your biggest influences as an artist?

D: I would say there’s a mixture of 50 Cent and Nelly. Those dudes made me really want to start rapping. Since I’ve been rapping I’ve been influenced by Drake, YG, Ty Dolla Sign, and Lil Wayne. You know, it kind of changes as the music changes.

P: Do you feel you fit into a subgenre within hip-hop?

D: I would definitely say that my sector is not defined yet. Every region has their own style: East Coast, West Coast, the Bay Area — even Toronto has a developing sound. I’m trying to do the same thing and put Vancouver on the map, and come out with something that’s unique.

P: Being from Canada, have you found it tougher to sell yourself as a rapper and artist?

D: To be honest, I actually find that Canada is the least receptive to my music. In the United States and different countries they are used to having different outlets for music, so they are less picky. In Vancouver they support their local artists, but they also want to hear music from major artists that don’t come from the city.

P: Where do you see yourself within the Vancouver hip-hop scene right now and in five years?

D: I am about to put out another EP in a year. In five years, I hope to be an established mainstream hip-hop artist in Canadian and American markets, hopefully overseas as well, and I’m trying to set up my own record label called Leftside Music Group, but I’m the only artist on there right now. I’ve got a couple different producers and songwriters working for me right now, but I’m hoping to sign other artists once I blow up.

P: Referring to your song “Friend Zone,” what advice can you offer to the fellas struggling with the friend zone?

D: The reason it comes up is because guys are a little bit shy and nervous, and don’t really know how to put their true feelings on the table. And that’s when guys get put in the friend zone. If guys put their genuine sides forward, a decent girl’s not gonna shut that down. I think we gotta stop worrying about being embarrassed and just go for it.