D’NME, the self-proclaimed “best rapper alive,” brings another offering to the world with his new single “Intoxicated” – with a deep message attached.
Stirring the underground Toronto rap scene in the late 2000s, the master lyricist has faced one of the most detrimental factors in an artist’s career, lack of support from the local populous. Yet this held no power over his self-belief and dedication to his craft.
His drive eventually paid off, leading to collaborations with prestigious American DJs, one notably being DJ Drama. Additionally, being featured on numerous renowned platforms such as Thisis50, Sway in the Morning, and Shade45, along with being the first Canadian to secure “freestyle of the week” on Doghouse Radio in the Bronx, D’NME proved his place as the “face of the rap game.”
“Intoxicated” entails an internal battle with addiction, this case being alcohol. Modern pop culture has seemed to normalize the excessive consumption of this substance, and D’NME has created a story that many individuals can relate to.
Most of us have someone in our lives who struggles with one substance or another, so hearing these deep, self-wallowing lyrics in this record brings the listener to a place of reflection. Opening the track with the sarcastically spoken “Don’t drink and drive” immediately sets the tone for the rest of the record. This is a character who is currently deep in this battle.
As the record continues, he brings awareness to the numerous issues and influences that entail the dance with alcohol and the dark forces that play a part in it. Peer pressure, hereditary addiction, and coping are some of the themes/feelings touched on throughout the journey of the song.
Take a journey through the captivating mind of an addict with “Intoxicated” as D’NME once again shines with his elite storytelling abilities.
We’re honored to have you back on Buzzmusic D’NME. Congratulations on your release of “Intoxicated,” which dives right into the depths of alcoholism. How long have you been urged to shine a light on this topic?
Thank you for having me back. Always a pleasure to sit down and speak with you guys. Honestly, once I heard the beat, the words just came to me. Sonically, the beat had an off-balance feel, making it easy to write the rhymes from an alcoholic’s perspective. I don’t know if I would say I had an urge to touch on this subject because I usually go off of the feel of the beat, but I am happy that I touched on this topic because I know a lot of people deal with alcoholism. So it’s very relatable. I think it’s one of the most introspective songs I’ve ever written.
We’re curious about the experiences possibly shaping the storytelling journey in “Intoxicated.” You touch on a few themes related to alcoholism, one being hereditary traits being passed down. May we ask if you’ve had a personal struggle with this?
Ironically enough, I don’t drink. (Laughs) Have I had a drink or two in my life? Yes, but I choose to abstain from alcohol. As far as the experiences, I pulled from the people around me. I have many friends that consume alcohol, some more than others, so it was very easy to write from that perspective.
Regarding the hereditary aspect, I have seen many cases where someone I know struggles with sobriety because of a genetic predisposition to alcohol use. In situations like that, it’s disheartening because you know that person is fighting against something highly unavoidable. It’s a hard thing to have to deal with.
Was speaking in the 1st person from such a dark place on one of your records difficult?
The difficult part, to be honest, was visualizing each person’s experience when I was writing the song. For instance, the line “I admit it, I'm guilty, I drink even if the next one kills me.” I’ve seen many people I know drink excessively, disregarding that the next drink could be the last. So just reverting to some of those experiences brought back some conflicting feelings. I say that because there have been times when I would rather not have seen a close friend in a compromised position due to excessive alcohol.
Your lyricism always exceeds expectations, especially on “Intoxicated.” Who would you name some of your major lyrical influences, especially in storytelling?
Rappers like Nas, Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco, Eminem, and Royce Da 5’9 are some of the people who have influenced me from a lyrical standpoint. Regarding the storytelling field, I must give credit to Slick Rick first and foremost. He is the greatest storyteller that Hip Hop has ever seen. I think his stylistic DNA can be found in any storytelling song regarding Hip Hop.
What else is in store for D’NME for the remainder of the year? Anything we should be looking forward to following “Intoxicated?"
I’m always writing and working on music nonstop, but I’ve grown to release music when I feel it’s the right time. “Intoxicated” has been getting such a strong response, so I want to push that song as much as possible before moving on to a new release. I will always be a quality-of-quantity type of rapper, which is one of the main reasons I’ve been in this rap game for this long.
