BARS STILL MATTER: DAVID BARS

BRONX, NEW YORK | DAVID BARS

INTERVIEW: KIM “GOODLOOK” SEABROOK

VALIDATED: WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF HIP HOP AND THE CULTURE?

DAVID BARS: AROUND THE WU-TANG ERA, I WAS YOUNG, I STARTED GETTING INTO IT LIKE AGE 4, 5 OR 6. 

VALIDATED: WHAT WAS IT ABOUT WU-TANG THAT INSPIRED YOU?

DAVID BARS: I LIKED METHOD MAN, OUT OF ALL OF THEM I LIKED HIM THE MOST FOR SOME REASON. I THOUGHT METHOD MAN WAS DOPE AT THE TIME. I STILL LIKE METHOD MAN TO THIS DAY, HE’S STILL DOPE. WORD, SHOUT OUT TO METHOD MAN. 

VALIDATED: BEING A BRONX NATIVE, HOW HAS THE BOROUGHS CULTURE INFLUENCED YOU AS AN ARTIST?

DAVID BARS: I MEAN, EVERYTHING, IF YOU LOOK AT THE BRONX AND THE PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT THE BRONX... THE OFFICIAL PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT THE BRONX, IT WAS EPIC AT THE TIME. YOU HAD PUN, YOU HAD BOY GEORGE, YOU HAD… I’M JUST SAYING BRONX IN GENERAL, NOT EVEN NO RAP. KRS-ONE IS FROM THE BRONX. IT’S SO MANY NAMES AND TO THIS DAY PEOPLE STILL COMING FROM THE BRONX, SO THE CULTURE IS EVERYTHING. CARDI B’S LIT, SHE’S FROM THE BRONX, REMY MA, SHE’S FROM THE BRONX, FAT JOE… LIKE I SAID THE LIST GOES ON. IT’S A BIG PART OF WHY I DO WHAT I DO BECAUSE I WAS AROUND IT. SO I GOT INFLUENCED BY IT AND IT BECAME EASY.

VALIDATED: WHAT WAS THAT MOMENT YOU SAID, “I’M GONNA BE A RAPPER.”?

DAVID BARS: I WAS LIKE 10, YEAH I WAS LIKE 10 AND I WAS JUST SO CONFIDENT. KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING, THAT WAS ME COMING UP. I WASN’T SCARED OF NOTHING, I WAS CONFIDENT, MY S*** COULD BE TRASH AND I WAS ON SOME, “I’LL BE BACK!” YOU FEEL ME, LIKE IT MOTIVATED ME. THAT’S WHEN I STARTED GETTING INTO THE JAY Z’S, THE NAS’S, THE PUN’S, THE NOTORIOUS BIG’S, THE BIG L’S. I STARTED REALLY BECOMING A STUDENT AND JUST SEEING HOW THEY DO THINGS AND STUDYING THAT S*** FOR MAD LONG. BUT I LISTENED TO IT FOR THE MOST PART EVEN IF I WASN’T RAPPING BECAUSE I WOULD GO ON AND OFF. WITH RAP AT THAT POINT I WOULD DO IT AND THEN TAKE A BREAK, THAT WAS FOR MANY YEARS.

VALIDATED: IF YOU WEREN’T RAPPING, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’D BE DOING?

DAVID BARS: I DON’T KNOW MAN, YOU KNOW, I THINK I’D BE IN BUSINESS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I’M GOOD WITH BUSINESS SO I’D PROBABLY BE DIPPING IN THAT OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.       

VALIDATED: YOU ARE NOW A PART OF DITC, TELL US HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?

DAVID BARS: I MET SHOW (SHOWBIZ) AT A YOUNG AGE, THROUGH A MUTUAL FRIEND. I USE TO COME TO THE STUDIO AND CHILL, AT TIMES I RECORDED. THAT’S HOW I MET PARKS… I USE TO JUST VIBE. THE YEARS WENT BY, I GOT OLDER. I WAS LIKE 15 WHEN I MET SHOW. I GOT OLDER, I HIT 18, I MOVED OUT OF TOWN TO PA AND I LIVED OVER THERE FOR ABOUT 5 OR 6 YEARS. I WAS ON A WHOLE DIFFERENT TYPE OF TIME AT THAT TIME. I JUMPED FROM DOING ONE THING TO A WHOLE COMPLETELY OTHER THING BUT I WAS GOOD AT IT AND I LIKED DOING THE S***. NO MUSIC, STREET S***. I WAS DOING THAT OR WHATEVER, I WOULD COME BACK BECAUSE I WOULD DO WHAT I WAS DOING AND THEN I WOULD COME BACK OVER THERE TO HAVE FUN WITH IT. YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING, IT’S LIKE I DON’T KNOW NOBODY HERE, ALL MY HOMIES IS OVER HERE. SO WE GONNA TAKE WHAT WE GOT HERE, TAKE IT UP THERE, SPEND A WEEKEND AND COMEBACK. I WAS ON THAT TYPE OF THING AND I WENT BACK TO D&D AND I LINKED UP WITH SHOW AGAIN. I WENT BACK OVER THERE AND WAS VIBING, RECORDING OVER THERE. I MAINLY USE TO GO OVER THERE AND JUST CHILL AND JUST BE IN THE LOOP AND WHO I WAS AROUND. I’M LIKE DAMN I’M WITH SHOW, I’M WITH O.C., SO I WAS YOUNG, YOU KNOW AND JUST HAVING FUN. SO SAME THING, YEARS PASSED AGAIN, NOW I GOT A DAUGHTER AND NOW S*** IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BUT I COME THROUGH HERE, IT WAS FUNNY BECAUSE I SEEN ON HIS PAGE ON INSTAGRAM AND I SENT IT A DM OR WHATEVER. LONG STORY SHORT I GOT THE ADDRESS, CAME HERE AND THAT’S HOW WE GOT BACK… WHICH INVOLVES ALL OF THIS NOW THAT WE TALKING ABOUT. THAT’S HOW ALL OF THIS STARTED BUT WE BEEN IN THE MIX OVER 12 OR 13 YEARS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 

VALIDATED: WHAT “NUTRITIONAL” VALUE ARE YOU GETTING FROM WORKING WITH THESE LEGENDS?

DAVID BARS: IT’S A LOT, YOU KNOW, IT’S MOSTLY I’M LEARNING LIFE. THEY GIVE ME KNOWLEDGE ON CERTAIN THINGS AND THEY DROP A LOT OF JEWELS ON ME. JUST HAVING THESE DUDES, YOU KNOW, FROM WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY’VE DONE TO THEM WANTING TO BE INVOLVED IN WHAT I DO. THAT IN ITSELF ALONE IS ALREADY HIGH, YOU KNOW, SO ONCE YOU SET THE BAR HERE… AND YOU’VE GOT TO BE THAT RIGHT GUY TO BRING IT IN BECAUSE YOU CAN GET ALL THIS S*** AND STILL NOT DO NOTHING WITH IT. WE’VE SEEN IT HAPPEN TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT’S ALL ABOUT WHAT YOU DO WITH THE JEWELS. LIKE WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE FROM IT, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BUILD YOURSELF TO GIVE TO SOMEONE COMING BEHIND YOU? WITH MY MENTALITY THAT’S HOW I’M THINKING. I WANT TO BE LIKE THE HOV TO THE GUYS BEFORE ME BECAUSE HOV IS MY FAVORITE RAPPER AND EVERY TIME I HEARD HOV I WENT TO GO WRITE RAPS AGAIN, IT INSPIRED ME TO RAP. JADA (KISS) DID THAT TO ME TOO, LIKE I HEAR JADA AND I GOTTA WRITE.

VALIDATED: YOU STATED MUSIC IS AN EMOTION, WHAT KIND OF EMOTIONS DO YOU WANT YOUR FANS TO HAVE WHEN THEY HEAR YOUR MUSIC?

DAVID BARS: IT’S ALL TYPES OF EMOTIONS, I FEEL LIKE YOU GOT TO MAKE EMOTIONS FOR EVERYTHING. I WANT PEOPLE TO BE HAPPY, I WANT THEM TO LEARN STUFF, I WANT THEM TO SEE THAT THERE’S HOPE AND THERE’S OPPORTUNITIES. I’M JUST A REGULAR STREET KID FROM THE BRONX AND WE’RE MAKING S*** HAPPEN, WE AIN’T SITTING STILL, WE COMING, YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING. 

VALIDATED: WHAT SEPARATES DAVID BARS FROM THE OTHER ARTISTS WHO ARE OUT RIGHT NOW?

DAVID BARS: I’M NOT TRYING TO BE OTHER ARTIST. I’M IN MY OWN LANE, I’M DOING WHAT I DO. I STICK TO THAT, SO IT’S LIKE I’M NOT JUMPING INTO WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE DOING AND IF I AM THEY VOUCHING FOR IT, KNOW WHAT I MEAN. I THINK THAT’S WHAT SEPARATES ME, THAT’S REALLY ALL IT IS. MY MUSIC IS ABOUT THINGS I’VE BEEN THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THINGS I’VE EXPERIENCED, THINGS I’VE SEEN. I EVEN TOOK LIKE THINGS THAT HAPPENED AND I WROTE SONGS ABOUT THEM, LIKE I DID THE KALIEF BROWDER STORY. I DID A WHOLE SONG ON THE KALIEF BROWDER STORY BUT I SPOKE IN REVERSE LIKE I WAS HIM. THAT’S THE RECORD THAT GOT WILL.I.AM’S ATTENTION AND HAD HIM PULL UP ON ME. SO I DO THINGS LIKE THAT TOO WHERE I TAKE MOVIES AND I FLIP IT, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO GET CREATIVE WITH IT AND THAT’S WHAT MAKES ME DIFFERENT. 

VALIDATED: BESIDES MUSIC IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU ARE LOOKING TO GET INTO? MAYBE BEHIND THE SCENES OR FILMS? 

DAVID BARS: DEFINITELY, I WANT TO DO THE MOVIES, I WANT TO DO THE CLOTHING, I WANT TO DO A LOT OF THINGS. I WANT TO DO REAL ESTATE, I’M GOING TO BUY THE BLOCK, A COUPLE MORE BLOCKS, WE NEED LAND, YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING AND THAT’S HOW WE DOING IT. LOL   

VALIDATED: HOW HAVE YOU GROWN SINCE YOUR FIRST PROJECT IN 2011 “THE WAIT IS OVA” IN COMPARISON TO YOUR LATEST PROJECT “BARS & BEATS” THAT WAS SOLELY PRODUCED BY SHOWBIZ?

DAVID BARS: I WAS A KID, YOU KNOW, I WAS HAVING FUN... BUT I WAS SMART, I WASN’T A DUMB KID. I DID DUMB S*** BUT I NEVER GOT CAUGHT, SO I WAS SMART IN A SENSE. YEAH THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT CHANGE, I GREW UP, I’VE EXPERIENCED THINGS WAY MORE. I GOT WAY MORE RESPONSIBILITIES, YOU KNOW, I JUST DO WAY MORE IN GENERAL.

VALIDATED: WHAT WAS YOUR MUSIC LIKE BACK THEN IN 2011?

DAVID BARS: I WOULD SAY THE SAME THING, WHEN I DROPPED “POSITION OF POWER” AND ALL THAT I KNEW HOW TO PICK BEATS, I KNEW WHAT SOUNDED GOOD. LIKE I SAID, I STILL STOOD IN MY LANE SO IT WAS LIKE I WAS DOING SOMETHING THAT MADE ME STICK OUT. SO IT WAS LIKE “HE DON’T SOUND LIKE THEM. HE SOUNDS LIKE BARS.” MY NAME CAME FROM JUST HAVING BARS AND MY NAMES DAVID, SHOW GAVE ME THE NAME ACTUALLY, FUN FACT. LOL THAT’S HOW THAT CAME ABOUT.   

VALIDATED: I SEE YOU ARE WORKING ON AN ALBUM THIS YEAR, WHO IS GOING TO BE FEATURED ON IT PRODUCTION WISE AND FEATURES?

DAVID BARS: I GOT SOME OTHER THINGS IN THE WORKS, MAYBE 2 PROJECTS BEFORE THE ALBUM. WE GONNA FIGURE IT OUT, IT'S NOT REALLY SET IN STONE YET. I GOT DJ PREMIER ON THERE, PRODUCTION WISE, WE HAVE BUCKWILD ON THERE, WE HAVE LORD FINESSE ON THERE, SHOWBIZ OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE BEATMINERZ, MYSTRO, IT’S A LOT, PARDON ME IF I FORGOT. FEATURE WISE I HAVE CORY GUNZ ON THERE, I HAVE FAT JOE ON THERE, I HAVE WILL.I.AM ON THERE, WHO ELSE… I HAVE 38 SPEC, RJ PAYNE. IF I FORGET ANYBODY PARDON ME. WE JUST BEEN WORKING, THAT’S THE THING. I LIKE TO HEAR MY VOICE ON RECORDS OBVIOUSLY. 

VALIDATED: WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO BE GREAT?

DAVID BARS: JUST GETTING THERE, JUST SAYING, “I GOT THERE.”

VALIDATED: THE MUSIC INDUSTRY CAN BE VERY DECEITFUL, HOW CAN YOU BALANCE YOURSELF TO REMAIN TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE?

DAVID BARS: I THINK IT'S ALL A MATTER OF BEING WHO YOU ARE AND NOT CHANGING ALONG THE WAY. WHAT I MEAN IS SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT NOT NOTICE LITTLE STUFF YOU DO BUT IT’S VALUE IN HAVING GOOD PEOPLE AROUND YOU TO LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU DO THOSE THINGS. YOU DON’T SEE IT AND THEY SEE IT, THAT’S WHAT THEY THERE FOR AND VICE VERSA. IT’S DEFINITELY ABOUT THAT, LIKE I SAID JUST REMAIN TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE. ME, I FOCUS ON THE ART SO I’M ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE FUN AND THAT’S THE KEY. YOU ALWAYS GOT TO HAVE FUN, IT CAN’T FEEL LIKE A JOB.

VALIDATED: YOU ARE AT A GREAT AGE BECAUSE YOU CAN RELATE TO BOTH THE YOUNGER AND OLDER GENERATION. WHAT INSPIRING WORDS CAN YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO DO WHAT YOU DO?

DAVID BARS: I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE WHEN THEY ASK ME OR LIKE WHEN YOUNGER RAPPERS COME UP TO ME AND THEY BE INSPIRED, I JUST TELL THEM IT’S A LONG ROAD. IT’S A JOURNEY, LIKE YOU GOT TO BE STRONG ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH WHAT COMES WITH IT. YOUR MENTAL HAS TO BE THERE, YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO THINK IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS... YOU GOT TO KNOW HOW TO MOVE, YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO MOVE, YOU GOT TO EVERYTHING, THE ENDS AND OUTS… AND EVEN WITH THAT, TO PRACTICE YOUR CRAFT ALL THE TIME. IT TAKES TIME, YOU HAVE TO PUT IN THE TIME BECAUSE SOME DUDES ARE NICE NATURALLY BUT THEY STILL GOT TO WORK ON IT. YOU’LL GET PUT IN A STUDIO AND YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH A SONG IN AN HOUR. YOU HAVE TO BE QUICK LIKE THAT IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS.

VALIDATED: SO YOU’RE QUICK LIKE THAT, YOU CAN COME UP WITH A SONG IN AN HOUR?

DAVID BARS: IF I LIKE THE BEAT AND I GET A VIBE RIGHT AWAY, YEAH. IF I’M NOT FEELING SOMETHING I’M GOING TO KEEP GOING THROUGH STUFF UNTIL I FIND THE RIGHT ONE.

VALIDATED: ANY LAST WORDS YOU WANT TO SAY TO ANYBODY OUT THERE?

DAVID BARS: JUST WE GONNA KEEP INSPIRING, WE GONNA KEEP TEACHING THE YOUTH, WE GONNA SPREAD LOVE, YOU KNOW, AND WE’RE GONNA DO IT THE RIGHT WAY. 

VALIDATED: WHERE CAN YOU BE FOUND ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE WEB?

DAVID BARS: @DAVIDBARS_ ON INSTAGRAM, @DAVIDBARS ON TWITTER, EVERYTHING IS DAVID BARS... YOUTUBE, SOUNDCLOUD, ITUNES, SPOTIFY.