“I think it was my Fisher Price cassette player back when I was two years old that really sparked the interest,” says Lancaster, PA rapper Dougie Kent, reflecting on his beginnings with music.
Not a lot of rappers can claimed to have developed an appreciation for music at such a young age, nor can they trace it back to a recording device you’d most likely find at a Toys R’ Us.
“My dad used to give me Green Day cassette tapes, as well as some other really hard rock stuff, to put in my little Fisher Price player. I used its microphone to sing and belt out when I was young!”
Today, at 22, Kent is working with fellow Pennsylvania native Jbre to create EDM-infused hip-hop tracks — territory that is relatively uncharted in the mainstream music world. With two independent albums under their belt and a fan base that spans North America, it sounds like they’ve found their sonic sweet spot.
A lot of Kent’s roots as a rapper can be traced to rock music. “I really became inspired as a drummer,” he says. “I got a little taste of what music was like in a band prior to this. A lot of the influence came from being a percussionist.”
He’s also got a knack for seeing through genres and appreciating music from different ends of the spectrum. “You can catch me listening to all sorts of stuff,” says Kent. “What I’ve been listening to lately is a lot of indie and country stuff. You have to study and know what’s relevant in different genres at all times. That’s part of being on the come up and being an independent artist.”
Kent’s unconventional background came in handy when he began working with Jbre in college. “When you listen to us you don’t know what the hell you’re going to get,” he says.
He cites one of their newest tracks “Stimulation,” a more laid-back Trap song, and “Combat Panda,” a high-energy dance song, as examples of their versatility. Part of the range in their music comes from their collaborations with UK producer Sane Beats. His input has given the duo’s music a more rave-friendly sensibility. After all that is what they’re comfortable with. “We’re 22 years old, and going to college parties that’s what you hear,” Kent says, in regards to their music’s EDM vibe. “Sane might be a beat maker, but to us he’s more than that,” he adds.
To top it all off Jbre and Dougie Kent are embracing how hard is to define their music. “It’s cool because it creates discussion,” says Kent. I think when you hear artists these days it’s pretty clear cut what genre they are, or what style they are. With us you never really know what you’re going to get.”
Looking forward his wish list includes collaborating with his favorite artists, including Bay Area native G-Eazy and another Pennsylvania bred rapper, Wiz Khalifa.
The duo had played with G-Eazy in 2011 at a club for an underwhelming audience of 20 people. “Fast forward to 2014 and he’s selling shit out,” Kent says.
G-Eazy has been packing venues around the country, and it seems like Jbre and Dougie Kent’s time is coming too. After all this summer they’ll be making their first trip to perform on the West Coast. “It’s going to be a big time summer for us,” says Kent.
While cross-country tours and high profile collaborations are important, Kent sticks to a simpler idea of success. “When close your eyes at night and think of something, whether that might be a straight A semester at school, making the tryouts for the football team, or even becoming an NBA star like LeBron, if you wake up in the morning, say ‘let’s go get it!’ and try to make it happen every day that’s success.”
Get a feel for their unique sound with their latest track, a remix of the song “Stimulation” below.
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