How would you describe your music to any person who may have never heard it before?
DS: It’s different in a good way. You can put it on in your car or earbuds and zone out. It is Black, funky, and smart. You can play it around people, and they will be like, “Who the hell is that?” I make conversation pieces. It sounds like music blasting out of a Cadillac spaceship.
What’s the significance of your musical moniker?
DS: People assume that the name Doc STRANGE is in reference to the comic book character Doctor Strange. It really isn’t, though. My dad’s nickname coming up was Doc. I’m a junior, so I took the nickname and put it with the word that the hood defined me as. The hood defined me as strange, or different because I was into anime and comics before it was cool. I was into theatre and music. I read a lot as a kid, instead of playing street football.
What are your musical influences?
DS: Prince, George Clinton, Lee Scratch Perry, David Bowie, Madonna, Sun Ra, Herbie Hancock, J Dilla, J-Zone, MF DOOM, and Madlib. Those just to name a few that are top of mind. Tomorrow it may be a whole different list, depending on how I feel.
What are your musical inspirations?
DS: I am inspired by everything I am a fan of. Just living good and consuming good energy leads to inspiration to get down and get busy. I might hear a song or see a new movie and get sparked. Musical inspiration comes from the quality of your life itself.
If given the chance, what musician(s) would you like to collaborate with? Rather this is to either write a song or be featured on a track.
DS: I really am feeling Dreamville. The whole damn unit. I would love to get in the studio for an extended amount of time and just make music with them. I direct videos as well, so that is another thing that would be cool to do with them, direct a visual for Earthgang. That would be fantastic.
What’s something you hope people take away from your brand new song?
DS: I hope people take away and fun-loving yet spine-tingling experience. I really do. “Ya’ll Still Can’t Rhyme Like This” is me waving the flag of cool. It is me showing that I am Morris Day and Kool Keith combined, in my mind. The album is my application to the Dungeon Family. That is the simplest way to describe it.
Do you have any favourite songs to perform live? Could be your own music or even a cover. Any reason why?
DS: I love doing “Special” from the SINDROME album. It’s a catchy anthem for beautiful Black nerds and those that love them.
If you could perform a show this very second anywhere in the world, where would it be? Is there any particular venue or city that comes to mind?
DS: Tokyo. Japan. It looks like Blade Runner over there, I absolutely dig it the most. I must do a show there before I clock out, for real.
What do you currently have planned for the remainder of the year?
DS: Just more of it. More cold collaborations. More of a good time. More action, more sounds that match what you feel. I need to increase the velocity of the music, not to mention the images that make it make sense.
Thanks for the time today. Is there anything else you may want to add before you go?
DS: The new album, Ya’ll Still Can’t Rhyme Like This, is something serious. Search for it everywhere, it’s a fine starting point for the newbie and a superb addition for those that know.