This week, CKLB reached out to Yellowknife artist Dylan Hope, 20, otherwise known by his stage name, DYLN.
Hope grew up listening to classic rock from his father and eventually diving into rap music and other genres.
“That’s what got me interested at a young age, messing around with the guitar, but eventually it was figuring out what I like,” says Hope.
In middle school, he began writing poetry which led to songwriting. His time at University was when he first started recording.
“When I first got on the mic, I was at Mount Royal, and I was with my roommate…it was mostly just for fun. But I fell in love with the process of just getting better, sounding more like me, and what I want to make…”
He realized that he could do something with music when he was 17, on a bus home, “I saw this lady, she’s drunk on the bus and passed out. And the bus driver kicked her out. It just struck a nerve with me for some reason.” Once home, he wrote about it.
“That was the first thing that made me realize that I could do something with this music stuff…make a change if I do it well enough.”
He drew inspiration from his favourite artists, such as Tyler the Creator or Kendrick Lamar. At the moment for him, its J Cole, “…he’s the only person (who) makes me hungry for more…wanting to get on the mic and start writing.”
A favourite of his, ‘What is the cost?’ depicts his history as an Indigenous person, it can be listened on all streaming platforms.
Take One, a new song part of a series, will be available to listen this Saturday on SoundCloud.
“The days not really complete unless I do music in some way.”
