One of the most talked about San Diego artist, Demi Daygo, takes some time to chop it up with Tha Kid Reckless.
Reckless: Where did the name Demi Daygo come from?
Demi Daygo: I had obtained the moniker Demi from a previous alias from my youth. The Daygo part came when I did some time out of state. In that environment there were people from everywhere in the United States. Most people from California they’d call ‘Cali’ but I was adamant that they don’t lump me in with the others and respect my place of birth by having them call me Diego. ‘Demi Diego’ stuck while being there, and everyone that knew better said Diego the way we do. BOOM! ‘Demi Daygo’ was born. Earned really by making people who encountered me also remember my city.
Reckless: What are some of the issues you run into as an San Diego artist?
Demi Daygo: Biggest issue in San Diego hip hop scene is less than a 5% of the well off economics are indigenous hip hop fans. They only listen to what they are forced to listen to, via Apple Playlist, radio, or at popular clubs. They don’t actively seek music, especially local music. Apart of this problem is majority of potential listeners in San Diego are not from here so they're not invested in the cultivation of our sound and don't feel an obligation to. This short coming of wealthy income to support our genre leads to artist being over charged for gigs, product placements, and marketing due to SD’s overall pricing structure being arbitrarily high. Artist are not being provided opportunities to generate income at a rate that they spend, and not gaining followers at the rate that they spend their investment. Yes it’s deep I know, I been at it for a while.
Reckless: Your music videos are well thought out, like a real production. Who comes up with these ideas?
Demi Daygo: My music videos are ALWAYS story boarded by me, and I would have a great director attempt to bring it to life. I really can’t stand artist just standing around rapping in a video. I think a song should be a representation of a bigger idea. Your visuals are an opportunity to immerse the viewer into your perspective and see it differently or more as you intended it to be. Number one director I work with is A.Cal of ‘Reel Eye Cons’ he is on top of his class up coming directors. I’ve also worked with Derrick Chambers, who now focuses on movie productions, but can still cook you a mean video depending on your budget.
Reckless: I have to ask, what's with the contacts?
Demi Daygo: People always want to ask about the contacts! Well that’s really the overall purpose is to serve as a device for people to remember who I am when they meet or discover me. I appreciate being unique & recognizable and let people know I’m sacrificing my entire eye sight to this craft wearing those things, now that’s dedication! But no in all seriousness, I am a HUGE anime fan and there is famous Shonen jump anime called ‘Naruto’ in it there is a character named ‘Neji’ whose eyes blank out when he uses a technique that not only grants him 360 vision, but also lets him look into his targets vitals so he knows where best to attack. When I transform into Demi-God mode I put those on I’m able to survey my surroundings and strike all my endeavors critically at their vital points. Not only that but he sacrificed everything for the people he loves despite being a highly regarded naturally talented individual and I can relate. Contacts on mean I’m currently on the job like a work uniform. It also helps me be slightly less noticeable when I take them off and try to blend into the crowd in my few moments of normality.
Reckless: Your latest video "No Shleep" is DOPE. How long did it take to finish that video, and what were people's reaction to it?
Demi Daygo: Thank you for the compliment. We spent a long night shooting and it really took all that time to get everyone into character. Once everyone was in vampire en’Vanguard we worked and got it done. Editing was a two week process, but the final product was well worth it. We shot at ‘Bad Kitty Photography Studio’ call to book yourself some time. Most people go into it expecting it to be a movie commercial how refined it it’s been presented and the symbolism is depicted clearly. Really #NoShleep
Reckless: What's next Demi Daygo?
Demi Daygo: Currently I am dealing with a lot of different management deals on the table. I’ve just recently been granted the opportunity to travel across the world and pursue my dream doing what makes me happy and I’ve got to take it. EP dropping by next month with all beats produced by ‘’Johnny Rocket’ it’s untitled right now. Then, Demi God 3 drops near Halloween! In between music, I’m attempting to establish more venues and avenues for our local upcoming artist. Anyone with a small budget, I can get booked out of town. Just reach out & let’s work! Nothing is more important than self fulfillment and if you dedicate yourself to your dreams you’ll never regret the sacrifices it takes to achieve them. #OhhhhhItsTruuuuu
DEMI DAYGO | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE
*WARNING EXPLICIT CONTENT*
Demi Daygo's "MayDay"
Photo: Youtube/Demi Daygo