Features : Dead Hendrix takes his punk/rap fusion in a new direction with “Till We Die”

With his newest release, “Till We Die,” Dead Hendrix is turning his unique fusion of punk and rap more toward the melodic.

And, despite the title, fun.

“I really like this song,” he said. “This song is a good example of me growing into my artistry and my voice in how my vocal range and my singing ability has expanded. It’s a good song to showcase that.”

The beat comes and goes, in and out with the melodic line, the bass line is more subdued, and DH’s voice follows suit, singing here, rapping there, but with the weight in this song more hip-hop than punk.

“It’s definitely more melodic, a little less aggressive, just seeing what I can do with my voice and like trying a different aspect, a different side of Dead Hendrix. Still down in the same direction, but a different angle.”

Hip-hop musically, punk in theme, an assessment he agrees with.

We gon’ be here till we die
I’ve been in this world too long I’ve seen it from all sides
I see how you’re livin’ girl, I know you getting tired
Make up down your face and you got tattoos on your thighs
Tattoos on your thighs (’round me)

“There are different sides to what I do, and right now I’m focusing more on the hip-hop side of me.”

DH is also growing into a more relaxed attitude. A lot of his music to date, he says, is aggressive, “like getting the chip off my shoulder.”

“I’ve grown a lot, making music. I still have a lot more growing to do, but ‘Till We Die’ is me just kind of making music and enjoying it — just doing it to enjoy it.”

He has made no secret of his history of mental illness and drug abuse, having featured in his music. Asked if the focus is becoming less therapy and more art, he said yes.

“I think that’s exactly what I did with this song specifically. It’s a good break to do that sometimes. It’s refreshing to make a song and just focus on the music instead of getting something off your chest, which is great, but it makes it a lot more serious.”

And “Till We Die,” musically and lyrically, is a fun song.

She say I’m a psycho
I say she a psycho
Really we just toxic like mercury and nitro
Hangin’ by a thread you know we livin’ on a tightrope

This new aspect in his sound will be a feature of a larger project he is working on, a mixtape called “Talk2TheDead.”

DH, who calls Ottawa and Toronto, Canada, his home base, is three years into his career as Dead Hendrix. He has worked with some big names, such as 3MFrench and Nell. Nell will be on the mixtape, and DH will be featured on a song in Nell’s coming tape “Tupac Juice.”

DH will also be performing around Canada and the United States.

One recent track, “Mustang,” has found wide popularity.

“I’m glad that people like ‘Mustang’ and that it is still doing well. Sometimes, when I’m busy with life or making music, it’s a great feeling to check on Spotify and SoundCloud and see people are still paying attention. That’s a really good feeling, but I’m definitely not taking the foot off the gas.”

“Talk2TheDead” is half-recorded.

“I’m dedicated to that mixtape, but it’s been a little while coming. Now the pieces are fitting together. I’m coming up with new stuff for it and songs from the past are fitting together.”

The tape will have a mix of the getting-stuff-off-your-chest and having-fun.

“There’s gonna be a balance,” he said, “but you’re still going to see that punk side. There are some songs that I’m excited to get out, one in particular where you will definitely hear the punk, but lots of other stuff is going to be there, too.”

The “other stuff” will include songs like “Till We Die.”

“There is a place for that kind of music. I might even go deeper that way. Actually, I definitely will. I think it’s good for me in personal growth and my music to make songs where I’m just focusing on the artistry and the music.”

“But,” he said, “there’s definitely more punk stuff that that is going to be released.”

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