For those not familiar, Davey Asaph is a phenomenal artist who is taking the world by storm. I was blessed to be able to see him perform live at a Thi’sl concert in Louisville concert. After said concert, Davey agreed to sit down with us for an interview. Peep the interview below.TZ: Tell us: just who is Davey Asaph?
DA: I’m a song writer, rapper, poet, and story teller. I’m simple. I’m madly in love with my wife and kids. I love the Lord. I’m passionate about music and art. Because man, it’s a space that when I’m in I feel nearest to the Lord.
TZ: What drew you to music and what made you believe you could make music that people would want to hear?
DA: My Moms was in the church choir, I snuck to watch BET, The Box, and MTV at my Granny house. I fell in love with songs that had feeling. So I love gospel, R&B, Hip Hop, And any song that would make me feel something. A combination of those things made me fall in love with music. Honestly, until my listening session for “Never In My Wildest” (NIMW), my insecurities wouldn’t allow me to dream or think that I could create music people wanted to hear. It was always a guess or a “Man, I don’t want to gas myself.” I just felt like I wanted to create music to help get people through and the way I communicated things was different. I didn’t know until recently if that was a good different or bad different.
TZ: How did you get your stage name and how long have you been rapping?
DA: So my real is David Mckissic. I just shortened my first to Davey, pretty simple. Then I added the last name ASAPH. Which I got from Psalms 73. Which is like my life chapter I would say. In the chapter you see Asaph which is the choir director for King David. He basically sees the world prospering in so many ways and has frustration about. He communicates that through the chapter and then in verse 23 he says this, “Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalms 73:23-26 ESV. He realizes that in the midst of everything. In the midst of his bitterness towards the world/wicked having what may seems like everything that the Lord is all he needed. He realized that the Lord holds his right hand. That has helped me through life and it’s ups and downs. The very fact that Lord has had me. I came up with that name about 5 years ago and like it. Thought about going with my real name several time especially when it was becoming popular to go with your real name in CHH a little while ago (When Reach started that wave…lol) but I stuck with it. I’ve been rapping for about 12 years now and seriously for the last 5. Being from the hood everybody has done some form of rapping either playing around or seriously for awhile.TZ: So this is funny, What separates you from other CHH artists or Christians who do hip hop?DA: Yeah, that is funny. Honestly, I don’t know. If I had to pick something maybe my sound and content. I have a desire to talk about how the Lord has effected the hard things in life. I’m introspective. I think a lot about why I and others do the things that we do. I like to be honest about those things and then apply what Christ has done in my heart and on the cross for those situations. Yet, there are others doing that. My sound is different as well. I’m in love with beautiful melodies. I like to incorporate that into my music a lot. There isn’t a song on my album where there isn’t a strong melody of some sort.
TZ: Music is just ones side of what you do. That being said, what do you like to do when you are not working on music?
DA: Man I love to chill. Lol! Kick it with my brothers. Kiss on my wife. Hug on my kids. Waste time on Netflix. I’m really simple! I also love photography the ability to say something with a image is amazing. Also, love to help other artists in ways that God has wired me. If that is engineering, tracking, graphics, photography etc. I love to be inspired. So I’m always trying to find something to inspire me to look at the world differently.
TZ: What is the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career this far?
DA: The best advice is get 5 different type of people around you. Let me explain.One, a cheerleader. Someone that just cheers you on and will tell you not to quit. You need this person early on.Two, a realist. Someone that can see past your dreams and keep you grounded.Three, a critic. Some one who will critique what you do with honesty. Someone who understands what you do and what you are trying to do. Someone that you trust and highly respect.Four, (almost done) a Collaborator, some that can help you dream and form new ideas!Five, Some who doesn’t care about your work. You need people that doesn’t care about your work of your art or even the art form. It tends to be some good feedback resting with them. Because they get to tell you how your art hits them with no bias.I got that from a blog by MUSICBED. It changed my life and career.
Stay tuned for part two of the interview where Davey will go more in depth about his debut album ‘Never In My Wildest’ and how he feels about charting #23 on iTunes Hip Hop/Rap charts with his debut project, as well as other things. Part two of this interview will be up soon!
