Sty-Low, also known as Mister D.O.P.E (Determination on Point Everyday), is a Canadian rapper, singer and producer based out of Toronto, Canada.
Combining the edginess of Hip-Hop with R&B melodies, Sty-Low is all about making good music that’s backed with a meaning. Stating he’s all about, ‘Keeping good music afloat in a wack music ocean,’ Sty-Low brings you the kind of music that has you abusing the repeat button.
Taking us through the mesmerizing essence of his latest release, “Rid’n & Vib’n,” we’re wrapped up in the intoxicating melodies that pulsate through the speakers of this lively track. In a bass-heavy environment that shakes your sound system, the instrumentation has you latching onto the minimalist, yet impactful appeal that it has with Sty-Low’s hungry vocal performance cascading upon it. Finally tapping into his signature style ‘whisper roar,’ that has his audience flocking towards him, we hear the captivating embrace that this vocal technique has on the listener.
Embodying the dynamism that’s carried forth in 90’s West Coast Hip-hop, Sty-Low places his own modern twist on “Rid’n & Vib’n,” as navigates us through his slick cadences that effortlessly mesh in unison. What we love the most about Sty-Low has to be the fact that his inimitable swagger just speaks for itself. He doesn’t need bells or whistles to make it known that he’s on the track, and here to stay for that fact.
“Rid’n & Vib’n,” gives us the type of energy we’re looking for when we hit the freeway and roll our windows down as we listen to this record on full blast. Ensuring his audience has a witty display of his lyricism throughout, “Rid’n & Vib’n,” has us doing exactly what the title foreshadows.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Sty-Low. We love the vibes that “Rid’n & Vib’n,” radiates. Could you please share your inspiration behind the song?
The song is really about how you feel when you drive your car while listening to good music "damn this sound like magic makes me feel so good don't even need my chick...the bassline feels like paradise but so hard that it leaves you traumatized."
We noticed that the visuals for this track take on the dark undertones of your vocal performance. What was the vision behind the music video and how it pairs with “Rid’n & Vib’n?"
This is a part of my universe and most of my visuals will have that dark vibe to them. What you see in the video is really what goes through my mind while I drive and listen to good music, lots of ladies in a dark environment.
How do you allow your musical influences to speak into your signature sound? What non-musical influences can listeners hear in the music that you create?
I grew up listening to a lot of West Coast rap especially Deathrow Records (2pac, Snoop, Dr. Dre) and Ruthless Records (Eazy E, Bone Thugs N Harmony) and this is what inspires my very melodic yet dark universe. But even though I am heavily influenced by Gangsta Rap I do not use profanity in my music nor talk about anything negative. As far as non-musical influences, I would say that I always like movies like The Matrix, Blade, Mad Max, Batman, etc. which adds up to the darkness of my universe and you can hear it in my rap voice, the pictures I take and the visuals. I like the mysterious vibe of it all.
With each artist carrying weight in a specific aspect of the industry, what happens to be your favorite part of the artistic journey?
To be quite honest, I love making the beat, then write lyrics to it as I already start to envision the music video, I like recording the song and bring it to life, I like writing the script for the music video, I like shooting the video, performing the song, promoting it, I even like doing interviews. it is like having a child and raising it to an adult each part is as important to me.
What's next for you?
After reaching a million views on YouTube for Rid'n & Vib'n, I chose to take the rest of 2021 off musically to focus on my kids, however, I have been to the studio and I recorded my next single called "Dif'ren" featuring a young and talented lady from Toronto named Amethyst Amaris and an OG from Toronto, one of our GOATs named INFINITE. I will probably drop it next year because I am independent so I do everything at my own pace, quality over quantity always.