The Dever hip-hop and rap scene has been on the come up for some time now. And while we haven’t historically been known for pumping out icons at the rate of New York or Miami, that seems to be changing with the rise of local stars like Trev Rich, Flobots, Wheelchair Sportscamp, and now, Ray Reed.
The Colorado native has been dropping audacious beats for some time now — most recently with the release of his latest album A Dolla & Scheme. He’s won fans and gained attention with provocative lyrics detailing the struggles of life, from having a friend locked away to dealing with legal issues himself. Reed was born on the east side of Denver and raised in Aurora. And though he spent some of his youth in Texas, he calls the Mile High City home — a city where the rap scene is on the rise. Recently Denver has seen some major attention from big-name labels like Cash Money Records and has become a place where artists like Reed feel that they can thrive and grind. And now, he’s headlining one of Denver’s hottest venues — The Gothic — tomorrow. We spoke with Reed to get the inside details on his latest album drop, his upcoming performance and what’s next for the local star.
303 Magazine: You’re just coming off the release of your latest album, and how has the feedback from the community been in reaction to that?
Ray Reed: I feel like I got my point across. I did 127,000 streams in the first month, so I feel blessed right now by those numbers. I gave the consumers what they want to hear, for sure.
303: What’s been the most well-received song on the album?
RR: The intro, for sure the intro.
303: You’ve performed in other Denver venues, but never The Gothic. How did you and your team land this major gig?
RR: We did the Bluebird last year. And I had the opportunity to do that again but I would never want to go backward, you know. I want to push my limits.
READ: Denver’s Ray Reed is Ready to Jump From Local Artist to Hip-Hop Star
303: And how did you select the artists that will be performing with you that evening?
RR: Well I see how hard they grind. They appreciate me and I appreciate them and that’s how it came about. We didn’t just want to put my friends on the show, we wanted to make it a show for everyone, with different gifts and styles.
303: As you continue to gain fame and grow as an artist, do you foresee yourself ever leaving Denver for bigger markets?
RR: I don’t feel like I’ll move. I feel like if I do they’ll retire my jersey, you know? And I love it here. I’m getting bigger and bigger and I’m from Colorado, born and raised and that’s all I rep. I feel like Denver made me hungrier.
303: What artists are you listening to right now?
RR: I used to be super into Kendrick Lamar, Drake — you know listening to music helps you open your mind to try new things. So I really liked them, but as of now I just really focus on myself.
303: And what can fans expect from your performance at The Gothic July 12?
RR: I’ll be bleeding, I’ll leave everything on the stage.
Reed is headlining the Gothic this July 12. Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets are available here. Additional performances include A Meazy, Gary Midas Johnson, Tha Ape, SwizZy B, Ramond PC, Ryan Latour and Twoskii Twintwo Dickerson.
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