Born and raised in South London’s Brixton, Dr. Kray brings a unique and raw perspective to music.
On August 19th, Brixton’s Dr. Kray will release his new EP, Rowdy Family, offering another chapter of his compelling story. Calling himself a “poetic artist,” Dr. Kray his life experiences into a bracing and direct spoken-word style, believing that “reality is the best form of music.” The journey that fuels his work is powerfully detailed in his book, Once Upon a Time in Brixton. Now distributing his music with MN2S and hosting a show on Ridge Radio, Dr. Kray continues to share his authentic perspective with listeners. We spoke with the artist about his life, his music, and his forthcoming release, the Rowdy Family EP.
How has growing up in Brixton shaped your music and the stories you tell through your art?
Growing up in Brixton was a very difficult journey; I had to be a man as a boy, which shaped my life. The best way to understand my journey is to read my book, Once Upon a Time in Brixton, available on Amazon.
You describe yourself as a poetic artist rather than just a rapper – how do you approach songwriting differently from others in the genre?
My style of music is more like spoken word, as I express myself and my life—what I’ve seen, heard, or experienced. I believe reality is the best form of music, as everyone can relate to something or has seen, heard, or witnessed part of the themes in the music.
Your influences span reggae, soul, jazz, house, rap, and pop. How do you blend these diverse sounds into your own unique style?
My inspirations are artists like Bob Marley, 2Pac, DMX, Snoop Dogg, etc. I believe reality sells. These artists touched me and gave me the voice to pick up the microphone and bring my reality to the nation—the good, the bad, and the indifferent. As a child, I always listened to music. I could not read when I was a young boy, so the life experiences of the artists in the music gave me foresight and showed me different cultures and experiences.
Tell us about the forthcoming “Rowdy Family” EP?
“Rowdy Family” is a smooth, Rap/R&B-style expression of my love for my family. It’s about how grateful I am for my life and where I’m at now. It expresses what love means to me and how much I appreciate my wife and children.
What does the “Old Skool Rap and R&B” show on Ridge Radio represent for you, and how do you see it connecting with your audience?
My show is the Old Skool Rap and R&B Show on www.ridgeradio.co.uk. It represents the golden era of these genres when the music was at its most powerful. I could relate to the lifestyle these artists were expressing, and it gave me a voice and an outlet to express myself while I was incarcerated. It became like therapy for me. Without that outlet in my life, I could have never gotten through my experience and would not be here today. Music saved my life.
What do you have coming up this year?
I have four EPs coming which feature high-profile American artists like Snoop Dogg, Young Buck, Wu-Tang Clan, KRS-One, Rick Ross, Dizzy Wright, Gucci Mane, Kurupt, Sean Price, Hussein Fatal, Big Pun, Nate Dogg, Jadakiss, and DMX. The already-recorded EPs are called USA Meets London Part 1 & 2 and Gone But Not Forgotten. I’m starting to record with 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, The Game, and Tony Yayo. I also have five albums recorded under my old name, Hoggie Dogg, that I will eventually release. But for now, I am focused on my Dr Kray work. Stay tuned.