Sugarhill Ddot, the 16-year-old rapper from Harlem who has a certified seat at the table, the head of the table in the crowded world of New York hip-hop. Ddot signed to Priority Records when he was only 14 – with global stardom being inevitable, it’s only a matter of time and the clock is ticking. “I Wanna Love You” and “Evil Twins” were some of his earlier releases that set the pace for Ddot. Now, in 2024, he’s back with something a little different, a new sound, new beats, a different side to him. He’s flipping the script and showing us there are ‘2 Sides of The Story.’
At the time of our interview, Ddot was getting ready for the release of his album. When asked what it was about, he replied; “It’s really just me expressing myself as a new artist and not having too much of the old me on it.”
The album covers various aspects of his life, from personal struggles to relationship experiences. Standout tracks on the album like “Let Ha Go,” produced by MCVertt (Lil Uzi Vert), which has picked up around 15 million views to date on its official music video, and “3AM In The Yams” featuring Luh Tyler, with approximately 5.2 million streams. “Tweakin’” is also seeing significant attention, with around 1.6 million streams.
‘2 Sides of The Story’ is really a step away from his traditional drill style. Don’t get me wrong, drill is still there, but it flips effortlessly from razor-toothed drill to silky melodic runs.
Other tracks like “Spinnin’ Pt. 2” with BBG Steppaa, whom he revealed is a very good friend of his, “That’s my heart. Like, we way closer than my music. Like, you know, it’s really my brother behind the cameras,” has picked up over 4 million streams and is growing by the day, highlighting the excitement around his evolving sound.
This entire album is a message for any artists out there who may be thinking to switch up their sound – it pays off to listen to the creative voice inside your head and also the people around you, which in Ddot’s case was his A&R. “It was really my A&R, somebody who pushed me, you know, and the people around me was telling me, like, try different stuff, other than drill.”
The album doesn’t just experiment with different styles but also showcases Ddot’s imagination when it comes to where he’s taking his sound. For example, “Outside” features a more subdued, piano-driven style, while “Like This” reimagines Ginuwine’s classic “Differences.”
I was also curious to speak to Ddot about the creative process when it comes to his music videos – how involved he really gets?
“I get involved, involved like you know what I’m sayin’? I don’t like certain scenes. I feel like I should be the director.” “I told the label they should start paying me for directing because I really be direct.”
As the conversation continued, we touched on the topic of inspiration.
“One person who inspired me to rap was my friend E Dot Baby,” he shared. “He inspired me a lot. Told me I could, I mean, sometimes he was, you know, making sure for me, I was sturdy. He was making sure I was good financially.”
Aside from music, Ddot’s in his modeling bag, having been seen modeling for Drake’s NOCTA line and later worked with Ksubi for New York Fashion Week.
It was exciting and inspiring to sit down with Ddot and learn more about him and his journey – from getting co-signed by Drake, 21 Savage, Meek Mill, Lil Durk, opening up for Lil Durk in Rhode Island for the arena tour, receiving critical acclaim from COMPLEX, XXL, Billboard, V Magazine, and now with his debut album ‘2 Sides of the Story.’ It’s clear this is an artist that is going to keep pushing boundaries, experimenting, and surprising us with his ever-evolving sound.
I asked Ddot how he wanted to close the interview, “I just want to say, if you have a dream, go for it.”
His own journey is a reminder of the importance of pursuing one’s passions, not being afraid to try new things, and trusting that the people around you might see things that you initially didn’t notice and that there are always ‘2 Sides of the Story.’
My top 3 tracks:
- I Cannot Love You Again
Prod: Mcvertt, Spanishkid, and Grand Baby - Swaggy N Finesse ft. Skilla Baby
Prod: AyyoLucas and EliWTF - Tweakin’
Prod: Ayyo Lucas, EliWTF, and Exuising
Album production credits include: Quay Global, Hitmaka, Fridaay, Mcvertt, Ayyo Lucas, and more.
