TSS Presents Fifteen Minutes With Donnis

"Fifteen Minutes With..."    By TC on August 20, 2009 at 2:22 pm

No need to be alarmed. Donnis did rise to prominence rather quickly. And you know what? He’s just getting started. Read along to see what truly defines Atlanta’s next-up-to-bat as he’s poised to take his share of this Hip-Hop game with his new project — the 10.Deep sponsored Diary Of An Atlanta Brave.

The South just got a lil’ more lyrical…

TSS: You’ve managed to get well-connected within the industry off the strength of your talent, but does it feel like you’re playing catch-up with the fans?

Donnis: Yeah, most definitely. I feel like people who are already poppin’ know I have a knack for what I do and it’s just time to let all the fans know I get it poppin’ as a lyricist. And that’s what we’re aiming to do with Diary Of An Atlanta Brave.

TSS: When did you first know you were capable of being a full-fledged MC?

Donnis: No bullshit, I think I’m just now coming into where I need to be lyrically — to be able to compete, ya know? I feel like I always had the capability. And my goal is to compete with the ones that are winning. Not just the ones who rap just to rap.

TSS: So in a nutshell, you wanna be successful and you’re constantly improving?

Donnis: Absolutely (Laughs).

TSS: You hit the scene early with a couple of party joints (”Party Works,” “High“). Do you think you got stereotyped early as just that: a party rapper?

Donnis: Oh yeah! Most definitely! It’s not like how it was in the 9o’s where you could just rap and show different sides of yourself. People heard a couple songs from me and just automatically assumed that Donnis was all about having fun and partying…which, I’m not gonna front, I do love to do those things (Laughs!!!) But at the end of day, I’m not partying 24/7. I live just like everyone else.

TSS: Were you really looking to prove to the people by rapping over high profile beats from Jay-Z or the “Claremount Lounge?”

Donnis: Yeah, when we went in, I was like “I just want everybody to get different sides of me.” I didn’t want to stray away from the party element because people do know that I have that element but I had to let ‘em know I have issues just like everybody else. So with this [mixtape] right here, I was stopping the people like “Look. I can rap too and I can rap better than your favorite rapper.”

TSS: Speaking of the “Claremount Lounge,” did you get to “skeetin’ & squrtin’” like your lyrics say with shorty from the video?

Donnis: (Laughs!!!) Yeaaaahhh! Little bit before…and little bit after (Laughs!!!) Truth be told! (Laughs!!!) I hate to be like that but hey…(Laughs!!!) Man, you a fool.

TSS: (Laughs) Well you know. So being from a big city like Atlanta, how much work was it for you to actually make it?

Donnis: It was a lot of work man. It’s still a work in progress, actually. I feel like my sound is different than what’s going on in Atlanta currently. See now, what’s bumpin’ in ATL is the trap. So it was a little harder for me. I had to leave, I had to do a lot of traveling outside of my own city to get people to be able to respect it. And we still have to work on bringing it back home, so it’s definitely still a work in progress but I’m excited about it and I know the people I do deal with back in Atlanta are going to be my spokespeople.

But it’s been a lot of work. I had to take it from my house to New York, to Tokyo, to Europe and to bringing it back it home. Because what I’m is I’m trying to make a movement. I’m not just trying to do the norm. I don’t wanna bring a dance or rap about the trap. Because I don’t know nothing really about the trap. I know people in it, but I’m not in it to speak on it. And with all that, comes work and responsibility.

TSS: Listening to your music, obviously Jay-Z is an influence. Who else helped you develop your sound by listening to them?

Donnis: The entire Dungeon Family. From Outkast to Rico Wade and everybody in between. I’m a huge fan of Jeezy and T.I. too and even listen to John Mayer and The White Stripes. You know, I just love music in general but when it comes to Hip-Hop, it’s anybody who’s being true to themselves and not doing what the next man is doing.

TSS: So what kind of chapters did you reveal in Diary Of An Atlanta Brave?

Donnis: People will understand what I came to do. And this is just Chapter 1. In the “Intro” I say: “This is chapter one/and when this chapter’s done/it’s unsung/a hero will take his rightful place amongst kings/I know the stones they throw and all the agony it brings…” I came to set my place and let people know what time it is. They’ll hear me in a vulnerable state within that “Intro” or hear me venting on the song “We Ain’t Friends” which is directed at notable figure in the game. Or they’ll hear me have a good time like on the track “We On” where I finally made it or going back and forth with my boy Bun B on “Country Cool.” They’ll see every different element of me in this disc, ya know?

TSS: So even though this is being billed as a mixtape, would you consider this as Donnis’ first full length album?

Donnis: Yeah! Only reason they calling it a mixtape is because who’s releasing it. But for me it’s a street album. You ain’t gonna catch me rapping over no N*E*R*D or Peter Bjorn and John or nobody else’s shit — this is me! These are my beats that Needlz, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and Tha Bizness played for me and was like “Yo Donnis, you want that? You got it.” They created them on the spot. I wasn’t like I heard someone say something over a beat and I added my idea to it.This is all me.

TSS: That’s what’s up. How did you get associated with 10.Deep to negotiate the tape?

Donnis: We had a little situation about a year ago and we just continued to build. I continued to work and work and came up with more ideas. I started to release the Snack Packs and they took interest into what I was doing with them and the visuals and told me they were behind me 100%. Just keep bringing dope music and we’ll bring it to the right people. And here we are today.

TSS: KiD CuDi and Wale both had serious jumpstarts to their career from 10.Deep mixtapes. Do you feel pressure to complete the trifecta?

Donnis: I’m confident people will enjoy the mixtape. I respect what both of them have done with their careers so far. CuDi has his lane just like Wale has his and Donnis has one completely different from both of them. So I won’t be surprised if I move in a different direction but it will still be for the better. You might not reach the sky but you reach the ceiling! If its dope, its dope! At the end of the day, it’s a competition and I’m trying to make my lane as wide and big as it possibly can be. And I’m trying to have people ask them about Donnis and how they feel about what Donnis is doing, you know what I’m saying?

TSS: Absolutely. Given the title of your mixtape, you’re undoubtedly a sports fan right?

Donnis: For sure.

TSS: O.K. then. Which Atlanta bird needs to be put to sleep first: the Falcons or the Hawks?

Donnis: (Laughs!!!) Aw man…I think I’ma have to say the Hawks. It’s just been too long (Laughs). I remember being young and watching Dominique Wilkins and who we’ve had since then? At least the Falcons had Vick for a couple minutes.

TSS: But there’s no clipping your wings. What’s next in the wake of Diary Of The Atlanta Brave?

Donnis: I’ma do plenty of shows and get fucked up!

Donnis’ Diary Of The Atlanta Brave features production and features from Tha Bizness, Needlz, Colin Monroe, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and Bun B and will available tomorrow. Follow him on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/DONNISMUSIC to keep up with his nonstop antics.

And today is the release party for Diary Of An Atlanta Brave which is hosted by DJ Benzi & Mick Boogie with Just Blaze on the wax and an open bar. RSVP at DonnisRSVP@Gmail.com if you’re in the area.

Previously Posted — Donnis - “Over Do It”

Posted in "Fifteen Minutes With...", ARTIST INTERVIEWS, GENERAL — Tags: 10.Deep, Diary of an Atlanta Brave, Donnis, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Needlz, Tha Bizness