L.A. Leakers Indie Pick Of The Week: Duckie MrPoetry

When you think of the Bahamas you think beautiful beaches, tranquillity, blue skies and azure water. One thing that may not cross your mind is hip-hop music.

This week’s Indie Pick of the Week, Duckie MrPoetry looks to change that and ultimately put his hometown of the Bahamas on the map, for more than a touristy vacation spot which it is primarily known for.

Duckie acknowledges the music that dominates on the islands is “Rake n’ Scrape” which he loves but doesn’t believe the genre will ever meet “international standards,” so he turned to rapping.

The tropical feel of the “Rake n’ Scrape” is what draws the islanders to the music with its cowbells, steel drums and goat skin drums giving that natural, soothing sound.

One of the struggles the pool of Bahamian artists that try to rap deal with, is the social judgement from the people that results in “civil confusion” because they feel these young artists are trying to bite the American culture and not staying true to their own.

“Telling a person born In the Bahamas that because his records [are] hip hop it isn’t traditional “hip hop” music that basically defines what goes on over here,” he said. “Its hard to be heard but then it’s so beautiful to live here sometimes I forget about all the messed up stuff happening around me and just put them experiences in my music to hopefully share to the world.”

Sharing his experiences is what his music is all about. You may not hear him rap about buying bottles at the club, riding foreign cars or gang activity because he doesn’t do that, he’s more about the social issues and experiences he deals with.

“I have to build up my Home Music culture so our artists can benefit from their work like artists anywhere else in the world,” he said. “I bet the only thing people know is “Baha Men” who let the dogs out, that watered down crap don’t represent a inch of what the Bahamas is.”

On his track “F.B.H.” off his week-old project, ‘The Two-Four Tape’ he airs out some of his frustrations he deals with spitting the words, “Niggaz playing bullshit pause, stop/but I spit hot nigga jaw drop/DJs playing bullshit, y’all stop/rappers need to stop talking what y’all not.”

Listen to the Jahlil Beats produced song here:

https://soundcloud.com/duckiemrpoetry/fbh-remix-duckie-mrpoetry

Duckie knows his journey to make it big will take a little longer and be harder due to where he’s located and the minimal support his people put forward.

“The respect level for artists in the Bahamas is at an all-time low, nobody purchases music (AT ALL), Nobody supports their’s home,” he said. “But the very second a foreign act is booked everyone there, and even the artists over here who we claim we “love” aren’t shown any support.

Even with minimal support Duckie will be relentless in his attempts to make it on a global scale. He’s aware he’ll have to be innovative in his attempts to capture the following it takes to make it and nothing or no one will stop him.

“I performed all over my hometown had everyone singing words to my songs, but I never made that deep connection with the people,” he said. “Been a fighter and still fighting, I have “Believe Achieve” tattooed on my right forearm sleeve tattoo and i live and die by those words, I BELIEVE that I will get where i want to be one day, but it wont be easy.”

Listen to Duckie’s full project below:

https://soundcloud.com/duckiemrpoetry/sets/the-two-four-tape-x-duckie-mrpoetry

“Mudda Sick!” Follow Duckie on the socials to keep up on his moves, @DuckieMrPoetry.

WRITTEN BY: BRYAN MELARA – @IamBNyce