“Many are called but, the chosen are few”… and in the chosen few you will find Rapper Donald Kimbrough also known as Duce Blaque. Hurling like a tornado, this E. Texas artist is creating more than a “buzz” up & down the mid-west and southern regions.
Raised in Texas with birth ties to California, Duce Blaque Da Beast has met life at the crossroads where he has experienced poverty, loss and tragedy. Raised by the hands and love of an amazingly strong woman, his mother guided him in life, helped to build his street savvy, confidence and survival skills. He has tons of ambition, work ethic, humility and life experiences….these are just a few words to describe this American Rap/Hip-Hop artist. Duce is a music enthusiast, it has been said that his mother use to place her headphones on her stomach to sooth him when he was in her womb. Could it be that the smooth rhythmic vibes of jazz and blues music helped to shape his passion and interest in music and then an artist was born.
Duce Blaque is known for his lyrical messages and constantly pushing his music. His First album “Treading Softly” was distributed nationwide landing in cities such as Compton, Oklahoma, Atlanta and various cities across the Texas landscape. He was also responsible for a compilation CD called “903 to da 214” featuring several NE Texas artist. Duce also worked with Samhawk Productions to spearhead the GO MAVERICKS anthem on his “Southern Explosion” CD. This opportunity afforded him the chance to work with Mark Cuban and perform in front of thousands of fans in the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
Duce Blaque’s style delivers versatile southern sound with a message. Within his music, you can hear elements of passion, tragedy, lessons, struggle and triumph. As an artist he is sharp, humble and has solid work ethic. His drive is amazing, his resilience is impeccable and he is determined to continue to pave the way for inspired aspiring artist especially those in E. Texas.
With power moves and successes there has also been tragedy for Duce Blaque. He has faced life experience that would fracture anyone’s dreams and shake the strongest and most focused person’s soul. He dealt with loss and too much within a short period of time mother, father daughter and best friend. His story is amazingly humbling and moving – it’s a feature film. He is taking it to the stage in a play and also into film to paint the picture of his patience and self-control while dealing with life lessons. Confrontation and forgiveness which helped to motivate him to continue on his journey and pursue his passion and love for music despite his loss. A life change and a lifestyle change of health and wellness is what keeps him going. Well rooted in the E. Texas communities, he distributes his music and Picture Sho Pulla Music Group (PSPMG) movement to encourage others to follow their dreams.
Enthusiastic about his refined plan to build his career as an artist, Duce continues to hone his skill and look for opportunities to collaborate and perform to share his enthusiasm, growth, artistry and life’s journeys.
His upbringing has given him visibility to the streets and his personal tragedy temporarily impacted his movement in but his music still represents an amazing testimony of his everyday life and experiences with people around him. In essence, his messages are angled around his personal struggle, peace, perseverance and his survival.
Duce has worked with or performed with artist such as UGK, Erykah Badu, Devin the Dude, just to name a few! Duce Blaque is a natural at this. In life, every story needs a teller, who has the ability to genuinely captivate, entertain and motivate with stories. Lessons of life, the struggle, recovery, ambition and his entrepreneurial spirit. Watch for him – he is definitely a star on the rise!
1. Duce what’s good? Thanks for taking time to chop it up with us. How’s things your way?
Things are good!! Just grinding. Trying to stay above the mud. Everybody float in water so that’s not a good comparison…(laughs)
2. No doubt lol! Ok for starts, and we always ask this, how did you come up with your artist name?
Well ummm, honestly my mom and dad always called me DUCE because I was a JUNIOR. The “BlaQue” was added because I was a unique rapper and different from all other “black” kids doing what I was doing at the time.
3. Being an artist from Texas, you guys once had the game on lock in the mid 2k’s, what happened that the region lost that main stream appeal?
I’m gone be honest with you. I don’t really know what happened to main stream Texas rap. But underground rap, man people losing focus and losing site of the bigger picture. Worried about getting beat by the next man
4. We listened to your music and it’s full of messages and real topics. In a day like this, in a time of such tragedy around the world, it seems those type of songs are the needed the most. Do you catch lack for making those real records in todays era of just wanting to party?
I started out making party music. I just realized at the end of the day, people want relief from the turn up. In general people are really just nosey and wanna know what you got going on.
5. Was Scarface an influence? We hear some of the same messages he was was relaying throughout the years in your music?
Mannn!!! The big homie…shout out to Scarface. Ummm, yea I got some influence from some of the big homies. I listened to them growing up and it was a big deal to hear the artist you love going through some of the same things you going through on a daily basis. The struggle was real.
6. You are inspiration to many who have been through a struggle and losing so much family, friends and a child must have been devestating. Our condolences as well. How long after those tragic events happened was it a therapy for you to pick up the pen and share those experiences?
To be honest…I have never really gotten over it. So in other words, I still feel the pain and that’s what leads me to write. I don’t think the message would be the same if I had “gotten over it”.
7. We see you out here making moves with “PSPMG”. For those that don’t know can you explain a little about that outfit?
PICTURE SHO PULLA MUSIC GROUP…our motto is “A picture can’t express what you see”. We “SHO” you a “PICTURE” through our music and “PULL” your attention. Shout out to ChooChoo Bang, Tex Da Skitzo, and all the BlaQue Dymond Models.
8. Being from North East Texas we know the state has different sounds per regions. Can you explain the difference in the Hiphop being made in different regions of the state?
I think it comes from the environment we all were brought up in. For instance, TRAE and ZRO were brought up in hard times, they went through it…so they “sing” sad songs and songs about the come up. I can relate to that lifestyle too. When on the opposite side of the spectrum in Dallas..they had struggles too, but Dallas, Tx is more of the party life. They rap and sing more about the lavish life. As for EAST TEXAS. We rap and sing about a little bit of both. I can’t speak for the entire 903, but most of us grew up hard. We have a lot of anger and aggression in our music. We dealt with a lot of racism and being from the country we don’t really fit in with city boys…(laughs).
9. Speaking of Texas are you a Cowboys fan? How far do you think they will go this year, MAKE YOUR PREDICTION LOL!
Woooaahhh!!! If you dont see a SUPER BOWL with “DEM BOYZ” yall need glasses.
10. So you dropped your new record and video for “OG”. Tell us how that came about and what project is that off?
I have an EP coming up called “OG”. I just feel like I’m getting older in this rap game and some may say I’m still young but I personally think rap is getting too easy. It’s simple. The lyrics have been dumbed down and everybody want you to focus on they money and success. Like I say in my song, “Young N***a im an OG, ION give 2 f**k’s bout a n***a fame, what’s over stood aint gotta be explained…”
11. We are knocking on the door of 2017, what is in store for Duce Blaque next year?
I’m still trying to get the name Duce BlaQue to become a household name. The only way that’s going to happen is keep being relatable to the topics that hit home.
12. Who were your favorite emcees that inspired you on the come up?
Scarface, ZRo, Twista, Trae The Truth, UGK and Chalie Boy…I listened to PAC but I never rode the band wagon to follow him like the rest of the world. He a big homie tho.
13. What was it like performing along side UGK?
It was dope…it was at the ERYKAH BADU BLACK FORREST THEATER when she had it in Dallas, Tx. Bun B told me to never let my environment hold me back from doing what I gotta do to reach the next level. Always find a way.
14. Listen homie, we dig your style and can tell you have a deep rooted passion for this music. With that said, it was good kicking it with you, and the floor is yours. Do you have any shout outs or plugs you want to get off, go for it!
I mean my whole team…PSPMG!!! Too many to name but respects to God Almighty… Ledonia Davis my super duper manager…lol My kids Ke’don and Arielle… ChooChoo Bang, MiMi, Kat, Monique and Princesa, the model in the OG video. Tex Da Skitzo, Rob Jones and AC my producers. Kevon Marshall and Palestine Tx…my family, friends and class mates out in BONHAM TX and a host of other people thats been holding it down wit PSPMG from the start. Yall know who yall are.
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WEBSITE: www.iamduceblaque.com