To elevate oneself beyond expectations requires confidence in your talent, a will to succeed and the ability to visualize the success you’re trying to reach. Vancouver hip hop artist Dkay has all three and is determined to redefine the urban sound Vancouver is known for. Dkay’s next step is the release of his EP Give Her That Dkay; set to drop independently this October. Dkay states, “The difference between me and other Canadian hip hop artists is I’m not trying to be the most technical lyricist. I prefer to make a song people can identify with in their own lives and vibe with on a relatable level. I’m writing music that steps out of the limits of hip hop and into pop culture. I was inspired by rappers including Drake, Rich Homie Quan and Kirko Bangz; artists who aren’t afraid to bend the rap genre.” Give Her That Dkay is described by Dkay as, “Atlanta and Houston influenced hip hop with a Vancouver twist.” Dkay’s sound appeals to both the OG’s in the streets and the trap music ratchet loving hipsters in the club. Ratchet referencing the Southern U.S., gold grill wearing, stripper anthem style that gets females twerking and thugs leaning. Give Her That Dkay is a reflection of Dkay’s reality, stories of heartbreak and triumph, wilding out in the club and also honest self-reflection of the lonely struggle chasing success. It’s mood music that seeks to strike a chord in some way with every listener.
Born and raised in Alberta, Dkay’s a Vancouver transplant after receiving an university athletic scholarship in track and field. A born competitor Dkay carries himself well beyond his 20 years of age. His successful athletic background provided him with much of the work ethic and discipline that he approaches his music with. He began his music career recording mixtapes he self-released with friends at his high school in Calgary. He quickly rose to the top of the Calgary hip hop scene and began to catch the ears of many of his adoring female fans through his relationship focused raps with an edge. Moving to Vancouver to pursue his education and athletics he brought the sound he’d been developing with him and quickly began collaborating with some of Vancouver’s brightest hip hop talents. After a string of self-promoted releases and features which found an audience in Vancouver, Dkay caught the attention of Vancouver production house 2 Track Entertainment and Vancouver management company Live Fast Management. With his team intact Dkay began recording his debut EP, Give Her That Dkay.
Key to the success of Dkay’s music is finding the balance between radio friendly songs appealing to females and also retaining a ruggedness appropriate for male listeners. For his debut Dkay kept features to a minimum and picked unexpected collaborators. Give Her That Dkay’s first singles “Friend Zone” and “Die Wit A 40” feature Berlin based Jay Tecumseh. Friend Zone’s theme playfully pokes fun at men being placed in the dreaded “friend zone” by the women they desire. His second single Die Wit A 40 was released for the streets, a bass driven ode to a favourite west coast past time, sippin’ 40‘s of Olde English. The third single “Grizz Ho,” takes another sonic turn and is an energized club track featuring respected underground lyricist Snak The Ripper trading raps with Dkay. The first three singles all showcase Dkay’s ability to thrive with any hip hop camp; pop, street and lyrical. As Give Her That Dkay’s release date approaches Dkay’s begun performing select dates; having already shared the stage with massive artists including YG, Ace Hood, MGK and G-Eazy. Dkay will embark this fall on his first solo tour in support of Give Her That Dkay and is sure to impress all with his electric live energy.
