He is an American recording artist and DJ dealing primarily in the Hip Hop, Dubstep, and Drum and Bass genres; but has recently ventured into Electro House as well. He is known for releasing several free multi-genre projects; including entire Hip Hop albums/mixtapes, and electronic dance mixes/sets.
HIP HOP
R.D. Peoples' style in Hip Hop is considered to be one of the most unique in the genre. It is influenced by general human thought and behavior, and he has been known to swing from one extreme personality type to another; at times even within one track. Because of this, his concepts and lyrical delivery come in near-endless combinations. Tracks like "No Chruch Needed" and "I Come in Peace" consist of him channeling alien beings from distant star systems and belittling Earth's inhabitants; warning them of future events. Tracks such as "Purgatory Numb" and "In Your Eyes" consist of simply being lovesick.
R.D. Peoples has been called "the Hunter Thompson of Hip Hop" due to his eccentric and spontaneous (but considered to be brilliant) style of writing and delivery. He is also an avid fan of the late journalist. He tends to blend hard facts with wild and vivid imagination; narrating fictional and non-fictional stories, and often placing himself as the pro/antagonist in the form of various characters. He consistently goes from one extreme to the next; whether it be dealing with street violence, world peace, astrophysics, general socializing, politics, drug use, anti-drug use, conspiracy theories, and history. This style tends to both attract and repel casual listeners, leaving R.D. Peoples to be one of the more polarizing emerging artists.
EDM (Electronic Dance Music)
His DJ releases have always been free, and have always been considered rare collectibles. He is known for posting his mixes for only a certain amount of time, and then removes them from the internet. From that point on, the only way to get them is by request or from someone who already has them.
The first mix that garnered attention from the EDM scene was titled 'The Baby Hudgens Beatdown', released in the summer of 2011. It was the 1st of a two part mix collection that was inspired by the movie 'SuckerPunch' (This is why the title and artwork consisted of references of famed actress Vanessa Hudgens). The follow up, 'the Boogie of Baby Doll' continued the theme; showcasing not only Emily Browning in the artwork, but also in the mix itself (It began with her version of 'Sweet Dreams' from the soundtrack). And though he has released 14 mixes since; it is still widely considered as his best EDM release.* Since September 2012, his most recognized set is the live performance from New Orleans, titled "Ampersand Sounds".
R.D. Peoples currently performs live in both Hip Hop and EDM, and has show scheduled for events through the end of January 2013 in Eastern U.S., Canada, and Japan.
Undertow
R.D. Peoples Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know what I wanted
I know how I wanted this to be
You go down to the water
Drink down of the water
Walk up off the water, leave it be
It is cold in heaven
And I'm not sprouting wings
I'm drowning
Me
I'm drowning
Me, yeah
Brother can you see those birds?
They don't look to heaven
They don't need religion, they can see
They go down to the water
Drink down on the water
Fly up off the water, leave it be
This is not my time, sister
It is cold in heaven
And no one's coming after me
[Chorus]
I'm drowning
Breathing ourselves
Me, yeah
Breathing ourselves
I'm drowning
Breathing ourselves
Me, yeah
You know I am tired
Cold and bony tired
Nothing's gonna save me, I can see
I can't say I'm fearful
I can't say I'm not afraid
But I am not resisting, I can see
I don't need a heaven
I don't need religion
I am in the place where I should be
I am breathing water
I am breathing water
You know a body's got to breathe
[Chorus: x2]
The song "Undertow" by R.D. Peoples speaks about being at peace with oneself in a time of great uncertainty. The singer laments that he knows what he wanted, but he also knows that the reality of the situation is much different from what he wanted. He talks about going down to the water and drinking down on the water, as a way of coming to terms with the predicament. The singer admits that it's not his time yet to go to heaven, but he's not afraid to drown. He sees birds flying over the water and emphasizes how they don't need religion or heaven to guide them; they know where they belong.
Peoples has a way of capturing the mood of the song through the tone of his voice, which really makes the lyrics more powerful. The chorus, "I'm drowning, breathing ourselves, me yeah," is repeated throughout the song and is both haunting and uplifting at the same time. The parallel between drowning and breathing oneself seems to suggest that the singer is surrendering to his fate, but in doing so, he's also gaining freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
I know what I wanted
I had a clear idea of what I wanted
You go down to the water
You approach the water
This is not my time, sister
I know that this is not my time to go to heaven
I'm drowning
I'm struggling to breathe and stay afloat
Brother can you see those birds?
I'm asking if you notice the birds
They go down to the water
The birds descend towards the water
This is not my time, sister
I'm aware that it's not my time to die
I'm drowning
Breathing ourselves
I'm struggling for air, trying to breathe
You know I am tired
I'm exhausted
I can't say I'm fearful
I can't say that I'm not scared
I don't need a heaven
I don't need to go to heaven
I am breathing water
I'm inhaling water instead of air
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JAMES KEVIN DOTSON, PAUL BRANDON GILBERT, ERIC LEE MARTIN, WILLIAM SHEEHAN, PAT TORPEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind