Young Dre The Truth -DXNext, Underground Rap-

[Elano]

Growing up in cities across the United States, Young Dre The Truth has been exposed to enough cultures to consider himself “Hoodnational.” The Los Angeles-rooted emcee has bounced through New Orleans, cruised through Miami, and received a first-hand education in L.A. gang culture. He has since gone global through his affiliation with Electronic Arts, one of the world’s largest video game makers. Backed by EA’s Artwerk music label, Dre has placed his music in the ever-popular Madden and NBA Live series, gaining access to the millions of gamers who mash buttons to those titles every day. New artists are constantly struggling to gain attention, but the latest DXNext entrant has already tapped into a dedicated audience. Young Dre The Truth has earned his way into the world’s biggest game, and he has his eyes on becoming a major player in the music game next.

Why He Is “The Truth”:"Back in the day, the O.G.’s and the homies would tell me, 'Your name ain’t Young Dre; you ‘The Truth’ because you speak the truth in your music.' I put them together and claimed the name later on in life, and I believe in that now cause I’m always gonna speak the truth. Every time I get on the mic, I’m going to speak the truth. I can’t even do anything fake."

On The Struggles Mentioned On Madden ‘09 Single “Workin’”:"My biggest struggle was just making it out of poverty. I was born in the game and my family were somewhat nomadic. When you grow up with that hustler mentality, you grow up with that obstacle and have to make something of yourself. Everyone has tragedy in one form or another. What makes my story so great is that it became a triumph. As opposed to whining and boohooing about how bad everything was, I just say it was bad and it made me who I am today. I approach music that same way."

How Gang-banging Shaped Him:"I’m from the Eastside of South Central, the heart of where Cripping started. It’s a piece of who I am. The gang mentality has made me someone who can look back and say this what we need to do to be better now because I lived it. It’s like someone from the military trying to explain war to somebody who ain’t never get their hands dirty. You can even look at politics. I supported Barack Obama because it seems like he’s more for us, but I think John McCain as a P.O.W. got the right to speak about [war] because he’s been in that. I can respect that…As black men, I think we really have to step it up if we have lived this gang lifestyle and let the younger generation know what’s real."

The Transition From Young Poet To Young Dre The Truth:"I was once in a foster home because my parents were locked up. A teacher knew I was having a hard time, so she started assigning me these poetry assignments. It was around Halloween and I had this one poem like, 'Oh, here comes Dracula with his flashing lights/Oh, here comes Dracula, he’s high as a kite.' There was a writer’s convention and she entered my poems into a contest and I was chosen as one of the winners. That let me know that I could write. Hip Hop was always in my life, so it was natural for me to start writing my own raps to other people’s songs. Once I knew I could write and I could record on a two-deck radio, it was a wrap. I was a rapper from that day on."

On Having His Music Played In Madden: "I’ve been into this since Tecmo Bowl, Ten Yard Hut, and playing Madden since ‘92. Madden is culture for us in the black community, or any community actually. Madden is about push-ups, money, respect, and everything. I remember playing this back in the in the day saying that I was going to put music in this, and I didn’t even know they had that at the time. It’s one of my dreams that I set out to make and it’s one dream that I made come true."

Working With A Non-Traditional Record Company:"It’s a monumental move. Being [at Artwerk], it’s one of the greatest platforms ever. I’m in Madden, NBA Live, and all these other video games. Secondly, it’s the way they think. Like they’re saying, let’s sell my music on Xbox 360 or the PS3 so people can download things directly through the game system, watch your show, buy someone’s song and put it in the video game. It’s just a good look…We’re definitely working on more than just video games. What we’re doing right now is finding the right partner, whether it be a major label, a distributor, MySpace or whatever. Whoever we pick, it’ll be partnership between myself, Artwerk, and the label. I’m about 90% done with my album."

How A Rapper From South Central Teamed Up With Two Pop Rockers:"I’m working with Dead Execs, which is Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte and Jay E, who did like every Nelly hit you can name. I met them through mutual people and we just hung-out. I was really interested in working with Linkin Park and doing some genre-bending music, so somebody told me to check out Dead Execs. They invited me to the crib, put one in the air, and we started making monumental, historical music right there on the spot… I been rapping since I was in the third grade, so it’s a natural evolution to want to do something that’s different and sounds good to the ears. At the end of the day, I’m working with good people who got good ears, make great tracks, and got soul in their heart. The Madden brothers – Good Charlotte – they got soul! I also got E-40 [click to read], Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, and Rider Clicc on my album. I’m in the lab with whoever got it. If it’s off the hook and it’s dope, that’s who I’m working with."

What Makes Him DXNext:"One thing that we’ve lost in this music industry – not only in rap, but music in general – is uniqueness. That’s what’s makes people be drawn to you, not that we’ve got an artist who has [a certain style] and we go out to sign 10 artists who sound just like him. I don’t sound like anybody…my strategy is to let people get a taste of me. I got a crazy, real infectious, catch-on personality. I’m real influential to say the least. I’m not just putting on cause I’m doing an interview. Hang out with me for an hour and I’ll have you yelling 'Cheah Bah' and following my mannerisms like nothing. As west coast as I am, I’m worldwide and a leader. New York cats are doing what I do and I love that about myself. I don’t have to sell myself out at all."