Bastrop rapper Deezie Brown felt the pull of hip-hop at a young age. He started writing music when he was 7 and was making recordings by the time he was 15. His early work aimed to pay tribute to the groundbreakers of Texas hip-hop, like DJ Screw (who hailed from nearby Smithville). Seeing the success of Screw and others in the hip-hop scene influenced Brown’s sound and inspired him to “chase the dream even more.” Now, he’s using his talents in a variety ways.
Despite the pandemic, Brown has remained active in the industry. Last August, fellow Bastrop rapper EC Mayne released Candy Blue Like Screw, with Brown as producer. Brown then collaborated with Jake Lloyd to release the Geto Gala EP in February. Fifth Wheel Fairytale, Brown’s follow-up to 2018’s Judith, is set to drop this summer, and a short film of the same name is currently in the works. The new album tells the story of Brown’s musical journey through two characters, one based on reality and the other based on imagination.
The dichotomy between reality and imagination isn’t just a musical theme for Brown — it’s also a guiding principle. Having one foot in the day-to-day struggles of life and the other in the infinite potential of imagination gives him confidence and direction.
Brown says that early in his career he feared people in more established hip-hop scenes like Los Angeles, New York City or Houston may not have understood his small-town perspective. “But now, as I’ve grown into my sound and into the human being I am,” Brown says, “I’m 100 percent comfortable.”
For Brown, living a life of intention is the best way to find lyrical inspiration. “You’ll figure out you have life stories within stories,” he says, “by just following your journey.”
Photo by @wanedoes
