Rapper, Songwriter, and Music Engineer Opens Up About His First Debut and Describes the Background
By Bridney C.
Norwich, Connecticut native Demery released his first project, "demery" on September 22, 2020. Consisting of 21 songs total, the offering lasts 1 hour and 7 minutes with a fresh mixture of hip-hop blended with 1990s east coast rap elements.
"I always wanted to do something with music. I realized I had a huge passion and connection to it at a young age," says Demery.
Heavily inspired by boom-bap rappers such as Mobb Deep, and nostalgic modern-day rappers, Mac Miller and Joey Bada$$, Demery channels his inner old school self throughout the album. The first track, entitled "demery. Radio" opens as an interview with Demery explaining his musical influences and thanking his close friends for supporting him.
The second track "Disruptive" employs a mix of a boom bap instrumental that takes a shift in the middle of the song with a hype, fast-paced Travis Scott esque instrumental, while the vocals seamlessly blend with the production.
Followed by "Rivers To Oceans," the track was produced by Brandon, whom Demery has collaborated with frequently. Each tack displays a unique sense of nostalgia blended with catchy melodies and hooks.
One of his favorite songs, "Duo/7" tells the story of two individuals who still have feelings for each other and have sexual encounters as a result. The more they see each other, the more they realize they are not as compatible as they thought.
"The first half of duo is an outro and a conclusion to crystallized redemption... 7 is a total flip and just a rap about how I have been through the process of the tape. Talking about how my 'days pay for this tape I slave at,' staying humble, and struggles."
The cover art, designed by the rapper, is a collage of different magazines he constructed a few years ago with friends. He decided to use the collage of pictures because it reflected the overall feel of the album.
The inspiration behind the album title came from an inner thought of accomplishing a project all on his own, and he considers it to be a part of him. His album is a compilation of songs that showcases his musical progression.
One of his biggest goals as an artist is to be versatile. Intended to make an album that had a song for everyone to listen to, he explored new genres during the creative process.
Demery says he is always testing his abilities and is willing to experiment with new genres. He grew up in a household where his mother played reggae, ska, the 1980s, and 1990s alternative music. His grandfather also sang and played guitar.
In middle school, he learned how to play the drums and practiced at home on his set. He briefly played the piano in high school. Towards the end of high school, he became acquainted with a group of friends who made music as a hobby.
"I remember one day, I watched my friend Jayson make a track in front of me and ended up spitting a freestyle for fun right after him. My friends liked it and I had so much fun with it that I never stopped. Now I’m here."
In addition to songwriting and rapping, Demery also mixed and mastered his songs for the project. Although he did not produce any of the tracks, he is looking forward to being more hands-on with the creative process in the future.
Demery is working on an upcoming project that will have a different sound and will feature him singing. Described as having a tranquil, melodic vibe this upcoming project will include creative uses of auto-tune.
As someone who used to play the drums, he is in the process of teaching himself how to self-produce his music and will rely on his muscle memory to remember the rhythm needed to produce a beat. He also plans to collaborate with other local artists on his next release.
"Stay true to your artistry, otherwise you cannot maintain your true self. Do not be a puppet," says Demery.
To hear and see more from Demery, be sure to follow him on