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Musician, Rapper, Performer: Deetranada

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BmoreArt’s Picks: June 2-8

In 2017, Baltimore rapper Deetranada starred in season 3 of the Lifetime reality series The Rap Game, and finished in second place. Her appearance on the show, hosted by Jermaine Dupri, “introduced the world to a tough-talking teen with bars to “back up her confidence,” writes NDSmith of The Source.

In a 2016 interview with Lawrence Burney in True Laurels, Deetranada said “I knew I had a gift with words when I started getting in trouble for speaking my mind without being disrespectful or explicit, but simply for the fact I was speaking the truth that a certain group of people didn’t want to hear. That’s when I realized that rapping was what I wanted to do.”

Name: Diamond Barmer
Stage Name: Deetranada
Website: deetranada.com
Soundcloud: Deetranada
Instagram: @deetranada
Twitter: @deetranada
Age: 18
Birthday / Sign: June 25th, 2001. I’m an emotional-ass cancer! I’m not really big on zodiac correlations but after doing research, it all makes sense.
About Me: I’m a rapper. I can’t really tell you what TYPE of rapper I am because I love experimenting with different dimensions of the genre.

 

Wearing: My leather outfit was from Dollskill (probably my favorite store right now), the jacket was from Forever 21 I believe, and my shoes were a gift from my mother. I believe she got them from Leather Man in Eastpoint Mall. All the jewelry I have on is actually jewelry I’ve had since I was a baby. My mom recently found them in an old lockbox and I thought it would be cute to throw on.

Favorite song:
My favorite song for the last 3 years is probably “Wav” by Turich Benjy. I found him by accident on Soundcloud and never shared this song with anybody because I don’t want people to play it out to a point where I hate it.

Why you make music?
I make music because I’m not really big on expressing my emotions. Growing up I always felt like I had nobody to talk to so I resided in poetry and gravitated towards rapping. If anybody comes across my music, I just want them to feel it. If they can relate or not, that doesn’t even matter to me. I just want people to know that everything that comes out my mouth is real shit and I need them to respect it.

What is your ultimate dream gig?
My dream gig would probably be Coachella. I always see videos and I always feel left out. One day I’m tearing that stage down and my name is going to be big as hell on that flyer!

Music Video for “You Can Do It” featuring Yikes Lee:

 

Favorite instrument?
I used to play the clarinet when I was in 4th grade. I know how to play the guitar (only upside down and backwards) and I play the piano sometimes. It’s hilarious when you think about it because I can’t read music to save my life!

How has the pandemic influenced your creative process?
The pandemic stopped me from going to my first show at SXSW. Lately I’ve just been trying to be up on the news and make sure my health and social distancing is in check. I’m waiting for my home studio setup to come in the mail, then it’s back to work. I’m not about to let Miss Rona stop the bag. In a way, mentally this pandemic is preparing me more in terms of longevity because now it really is a test to see which artists can still have that pull by themselves, who has that work ethic to push product out while fans are bored in their homes. I’m just starting to observe, learn, and adjust. Ain’t nothing I can’t handle!

 

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