Dru Bex is Blessed with No Regrets on “No Exit” [RESPECT. Premiere]

There is no holding back Dru Bex, even if you tried. More than just a hip-hop artist, Dru is using his music to inspire, enlighten and push each and every person that listens to his lyrics. Hailing from Toronto, Dru’s life wasn’t simple nor easy. Going through a life altering change at the age of 7, he learned early on that he had to put his faith into something bigger. That faith pushed him to try his best to live without regrets. His determination has gotten him far and now he’s sharing that determination with his listeners on his new track, “No Exit.”

“No Exit” is a song that not only will make you think about doing better for yourself BUT it’ll actually inspire you to do it. And without regrets as well. “No Exit is as much as a declaration to myself as it is to those I hope will listen to it. It’s a reminder that I’m in this thing to win it. I’ve come too far to quit with my music and honestly, I’ve seen God’s faithfulness in the hard work and diligence,” says Dru. 

Take a listen to Dru Bex’s new single, “No Exit” below and grab it on Apple Music. Plus, check out our interview with Dru Bex and read the gems that he shared with us.

When did you get into music and how did it all begin?

I’ve been rapping since the early 2000s, recording songs in Cool Edit Pro over beats I made in FL Studio. It actually all started with me doing a talent show in church and finding out I was good at putting words together to tell a story and making them rhyme. I was also a part of a group called Christyle for a short while but I was the only one who stuck with it. 2013 in when I decided I was really gonna go hard and it’s been mostly uphill since then.

Where did your interest in music come from?

My mom used to sing karaoke and play music in the house when I was a kid. I always listened to the theme and background music in my favorite cartoons and I would notice the connection between the music and the scenes that were playing out; that’s when I realized how music could convey an emotion or paint a picture.

Do you have any family in music?

I have cousins who also rap and sing, but as far as anybody famous, the only thing I know is I had an uncle who was part of Bob Marley’s group ‘The Wailers’. But I don’t even know his name, haha.

Tell me about us life before music

I was born in Toronto and raised in both Toronto and the nearby city of Mississauga. I was raised by my mom single-handedly until she died in a car accident when I was seven years old. I bounced around a lot but I ended up with my grandmother who made sure I was in church. I definitely got caught up with the wrong crowd more than once throughout my teenage years but I always had one foot in the church and was able to avoid some of the pitfalls that some of my friends fell into.

What does music mean to you?

Music is the universal language that crosses all boundaries and borders. There are certain melodies that touch the soul and others that move the body on a primal level. To me, music is a tool that I can use to get my message of hope and love across.

What have you released in the past, what are you currently working on and what do you plan on releasing?

I’ve created a lot of music over the years but a lot of it has been purged from the internet, haha. The projects that I’m really proud of are the ones that can currently be found on all music platforms; my EP, ‘Imperfect Messenger’, my debut album ‘The Good Album’ and my most current album ‘In God’s Good Time’. I’ve also released a few singles ‘Gamez’, ‘Winter in July’, ‘Actually’ and of course ‘No Exit’. Definitely look for a new album in the first quarter of the new year.

Who are your influences? 

Since I’ve always loved different types of music, I have a pretty eclectic list of influences. A big one is Seal. I love how he is able to convey emotion through his words and melodies. Busta Rhymes and Wu-Tang made a huge impact on me as a kid because of the way they raised the creative bar in Hip-Hop. They weren’t just rappers, but they built whole mythologies around their brands. Wu-Tang with the whole Shaolin thing and Busta with the whole End of Days vibe, plus the funny hats and stuff, haha. I was also influenced by the sheer greatness of Jay-Z but who wasn’t?

How would you describe your sound/music?

I feel like I’ve touched on a style that is all mine but still incorporates the current sound of the city I’m from. Tory Lanez once described his sound as being “swavey”, meaning not really stuck in a box but I feel like that term also defines a sound that is swaggy and wavey, incorporating elements of both Hip-Hop and RnB. I feel like I live somewhere in that world.

Describe your first experience in creating music

I used to mess around with FL Studio and practice making beats. I knew I wasn’t bad with rhymes but what good was that if I didn’t have any beats to rhyme over? I can’t remember the first full song I made but I’m guessing it was pretty bad with small hints of greatness, haha.

Who would you like to collaborate with?

I love to collaborate and am open to working with anyone who I can create something dope with. Of course, if I was shooting for the moon I would want to collaborate with Kendrick Lamar or the hometown hero, Drake.