DanimaL Sheffield rapper opens up on new track 'ADHD'
In a new video filmed in the General Cemetery, Sheffield hip-hop artist DanimaL looks back at struggles growing up and how he found an escape route in music.
Tell us a bit about the new track 'ADHD'.
'ADHD' is a track entailing the struggles I faced growing up. During my younger days as a kid I was bullied on my estate pretty badly due to being different. I often felt out of place and yearned for a sense of belonging. Now, 26 years old, I really wanted to make a relatable track for people facing similar battles with mental health or bullying. I want people to feel a certain degree of solace.
'ADHD' is essentially influenced by my own personal experiences. I really open up on this track and definitely do not hold anything back. I strongly believe music can positively impact people's moods so I made this track as a method to do so. I also made this track to show people it's OK not to fit in.
How has your upbringing influenced your lyrics?
Music acts as an escape route for me. I feel like when I'm writing my lyrics, I can be myself for a while without having to worry about the opinions of others. I'm pretty out there sometimes so it can act as sort of therapy for me. My experiences of being bullied and having mental health issues have essentially given me a lot to write about. I can openly speak about the experiences that have lingered in my mind for a very long time. This acts as closure.
Once I have annotated a particular experience on paper and recorded the lyrics in a studio, I feel like I can then move on. I believe in some cases music can be a reflection of self and that's absolutely what you hear with my lyrics in 'ADHD'.
How do you come up with ideas for new music?
It’s pretty spontaneous in all honesty. Some days I just want to write about absolutely nothing and act a bit silly, then others I’m trying to save the world in two verses. I get my inspiration from literally everywhere and anywhere. I tend to stick on my headphones, zone out and walk round the city of Sheffield nodding my head to the sound of instrumental hip-hop.
I spend lots of time near Forge Dam Cafe in an attempt to unwind, and ideas for songs usually pop up in my head. I think this is something to do with my ADHD, as I always have a million creative ideas flowing around my brain at any one time. I also tend to seek advice with my label owner, Joseph White, aka Oxymoron. He always has really cool ideas and brings me back down to earth when I’m going on a massive tangent.
