Derick Knox Speaks On Poetic Origin & The Fluidity Of Genres

Intro:

Derick Knox is a 27-year-old artist with an impressive resumé of experience in music. After starting as a poet, the now polished MC is sharing his songs for the world to enjoy. He was born in Chester, PA & was raised in the area of Delco. Derick continues to elevate & showcase the gift that’s made him stand out amongst the competitive Southeast area of the state. Before reading our full conversation below, you can also follow @DerickKnox_ to stay connected with the artist.

Meet Derick Knox

Me: How did you first get started on making music?

Derick: It started with poetry. A teacher of mine in high school encouraged me to enter the annual poetry slam after I turned in a creative writing assignment, he saw some potential. I was nervous as hell, my first time on a stage performing anything. I placed 2nd, and that built my confidence to keep sharing the things I wrote. Eventually, I started recording my lyrics to instrumentals that I liked.

How would your describe your sound itself? Has your sound changed & evolved over the past few years since your first release?

I'd describe it as Neo Soul Hip-Hop. Genres are so fluid though, some things that I'm making recently are definitely more alternative leaning I guess. My sound has 100% changed haha. When I began my influences were mostly backpack rap, battles, and underground stuff - my understanding back then was like "the more bars the better". Looking back- that makes sense since I was a poet prior to making any music.

In my college years, I got way more into the sound of a song overall and expanded my pallet much more. People like Still Woozy, Crumb, Saba, and Mick Jenkins were massive influences as I started to transition from just a rapper to a music artist in a more general sense.

Nice! And what was that first song like compared to the new sounds?

It was called “Heart Exam”. The instrumental was a remix of the Howl's Moving Castle main theme. It's like night and day how much my sound and proficiency have changed since then. But even back then I was very intentional with my writing, and I can say that has always persisted. That said, I would cringe if someone played it in front of me haha.

How would you describe your music in ONE word to someone that's never listened before?

Lucid

That makes sense! It seems like that word has always been associated with your work. Who are some of your favorite people to work with?

Center City Drive and Valerija are my all-time favorite artists to work with. Some true homies, and they have an infectious passion for music. It's easy to become inspired just by being around them.

Are there any other artists you would like to work with around your area?

Noah Avary, Omar's Hat, and Kikashima. If the opportunity presents itself and it feels natural- It would be a pleasure to create with any of them and see what comes of it.

Where does your stage name originate from? Have you ever changed your name?

It's just my name haha. I figure that way no one knows what to expect, no preconceived notion of what "Derick Knox" sounds like, which leaves me room for creativity. I get to define my name in an acoustic sense.

Outside of the great music, what are some other talents & hobbies that some may not know?

I'm a decent boxer. Growing up I did a lot of sparring with light heavyweight prospect Atif Oberlton at the Upper Darby Boxing Gym- so shouts out to him for the work. That was the place to be. I also played Super Smash Brothers competitively, my biggest achievement was ranking #10 on the Philadelphia Power Ranking.

Additionally, what does a world without music look like in your imagination?

I feel like there would have to be some sort of oppressive circumstance in order to stop people from creating music. So a world without music would look bleak and hopeless. I just feel like as long as there is sound and we can hear, people would express themselves sonically. I can't fathom a force dark enough to prevent us from making music.

Do your family & friends support everything about your career?

They do! <3

Haha, that’s great! Always need the support. Do you have any advice for anyone thinking about getting into music today?

At first, the best thing you can do is make music for fun, or for the sake of just creating- show up and answer that call. Once you get used to that, start to become your own favorite artist. Be intentional about the things that you are learning. Identify YOUR favorite sounds or vibes in music, and experiment with getting your sound closer to that. You will never be like that artist that you look up to, but in the midst of letting them inspire you, you'll get closer to the sounds that resonate with your soul.

And last, do you have any future plans you’d like to share with the fans?

A producer that I'd love to collaborate with is Monte Booker. A vocalist I'd be honored to collaborate with is Shiloh Dynasty.