Jack Dawkins hails from Boulder, Colorado, and with his love for stories, he aims to utilize them in any way he can.
Whether telling them, writing them, shaping them, or crafting them, Jack gets energized by helping others examine and rewrite their narratives as he taps into his artistry and respective craft.
Fully showcasing his musical ability and versatility as he returns with his new, hard-hitting single "Becoming," this record is a true collaboration between himself and production wizard Senz.
Combining their perspectives to fuel a soundscape rich in electronic and bass music but also with a hip-hop twist, "Becoming" is an atmospheric record serving this myriad of sounds.
The weight of the bass is felt in our chest as soon as we click play on "Becoming." The eclectic nature of the instrumentation powerfully fuses a slow tempo with the bulk of the percussion and dreamy synths.
On a vivacious and cognizant tone instilled into this track, Jack Dawkins comes into play with hefty bars and an elite message showcasing his lyricist techniques. You hear the passion ooze from every slick one-liner he graciously offers up, and he sets them up so that we anticipate what's to come and get to take our time digesting the aftermath.
Emotionally connected to the words he reiterates, there's another dimension we can't get enough of. That's the texture within the distortion that kicks in just as we thought the tone was set. With "Becoming," Jack Dawkins opens the door to emerging artists to incorporate their own spins on the song.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Jack Dawkins, and congratulations on releasing your latest single, "Becoming." This collaboration between you and Senz has been one that we've thoroughly enjoyed taking in. What was it like blending your sounds to form a new sub-genre? How did this collaboration come to be?
Thank you so much for welcoming me to share my story! The whole process was organic, honestly. Senz has a much deeper background in Bass music than in Hip-Hop, so this soundscape was already familiar territory for him. When it came to writing the lyrics, I connected to the emotions I felt when he played the instrumental. The track definitely has darkness, but I'm not a dark person, so I internalized the darkness as a brooding type of confidence - a bubbling, burning desire to pursue my life. From there, the song mostly wrote itself in one sitting.
Let's talk a bit about your musical inspiration growing up. Growing up in New York, a boom-bap sound can be heard in how you approach your craft. What musical and non-musical inspirations have helped you shape your sound?
Musically, I grew up in the 90s with many legendary MCs on the radio - B.I.G., Jay-Z, and Craig Mack. A Tribe Called Quest. It was like a soundtrack for going to school and driving. I find myself drawn toward their emphasis on lyricism, on production that makes space for the vocal, and for some of that gritty quality. What I consider my 'pocket' aligns with all of these qualities. Non-musically, I think I'm most influenced by spending a long time as an athlete. I've had a soundtrack to workouts for the past 20 years, which I note because I feel attuned to how music makes me feel in my body, what brings me up, what brings me down, and what pushes me past my comfort zone. When I'm writing, I'm leaning on the former - I'm listening for the soundscape and writing to make an impact. But when I'm doing a car test or listening to my music 'out in the wild,' I focus way more on what I'm feeling when I hear my songs played back to me. I get that from being a gymrat.
Who are your Top 5 rappers, dead or alive? Please share any insight you'd like to as well.
In no particular order:
Kota the Friend - I connect to Kota because the subject matter of his music resonates so deeply with me, but I also love how he has approached his career. He seems so driven by his natural inclinations and impulses rather than trying to follow a rubric or game plan. I think, by his admission, he would say that he could have been way more famous if he had made his choices differently, but instead, he prioritizes his joy and connection to his family. I think that's beautiful. My favorite tracks are Pomegranate, Colorado, BQE, Hollywood, Empty Cup
Tobe Nwigwe - I've never seen someone who seems so alive when performing, so connected to doing what he was put on earth to do. And I could see ditto a lot of what I said about Kota. I deeply admire that he approached his career based on his values. What it may have cost him in fame has provided tenfold a loyal following who believes in him so deeply. My favorite tracks are Millions, Juice, Tabernacle, Father Figure, Purple Rain Thing Chance the Rapper - Blessings, his spoken word piece, is my favorite song. When I'm writing or freestyling, I think of it as taking my brain for a walk - letting my thoughts weave and wind where they will as I move along. There's an incredible freedom to it that I find both so satisfying and brings me to really interesting places where I'm not trying to control everything. Chance has been an enormous inspiration for creating in that way - I want my punchlines to hit the way that his do. Favorite Tracks: Blessings, Wraith, One More Cry, 65th and Ingleside, Child of God Black Thought - He does everything so, so, so, so well. His freestyles have more polish than most writtens. His breath control and intonation are always pitch-perfect. He has so much dynamic in how he can perform as the leading man or as a part of a collective with the Roots. I admire him. When I let myself dissolve into delusions of grandeur, I think about what it would feel like to have his co-sign. Favorite Tracks: Belize, Aquamarine, Conception, State Prisoner Yasiin Bey - Black Star is my holy grail album. Talib Kweli also deserves his flowers, but Yasiin Bey has an energetic vibration that I don't get from anyone else. The ease in his delivery combined with lyrics that are so creative and powerful. I think that's it more than anything. His ability to deliver thoughtful, penetrating messages in a soundscape that is so wonderful to listen to is crazy. Something else I aspire to. Favorite Tracks: Respiration, Mathematics, True Magic, Sensei on the Block Through the weight of your powerful words, what message do you hope your audience can take away from this song? The whole song is presented in the first person, and I hope that people wear the words like a new set of clothing, a newfound confidence that they can do anything. So much of my inspiration is believing that ANYONE can do what they truly desire, and I include myself in that category. But Becoming isn't about me becoming a rapper or an artist; it's about the spirit required to pursue any crazy vision. I hope it inspires someone to take a risk, to take their shot at something that doesn't make sense on paper but feels so deeply compelling in their soul. What are you looking forward to in 2023? The word that comes to mind is more—making more music—playing more shows—connecting with more fans. The cliché of "love the process" has never been more overused, but it has never felt more authentic. I want to keep doing what I'm doing and building what I'm building. Candidly, I'm not super worried about where this takes me. If it's this fun to be in the practice of pursuing this art, I can't end up anywhere bad.
