David Strickland is most known for his work behind the scenes, notably serving as a mentor to Noah "40" Shebib of OVO Sound, and working on projects with the likes of Drake, dating back to his Thank Me Later, and even receiving a Grammy for his work on Drizzy's Take Care.
Now, Strickland is continuing his work from behind the boards, working for acts like Sade, The Clipse, and Method Man, and to release his debut solo project Spirit of Hip-Hop.
Drawing parallels between traditional Native American elements and Hip-Hop ingredients, Strickland creates a body of work that works to marry tradition with the a nostalgic taste of Hip-Hop.
The latest single to emerge from Spirit of Hip-Hop is "Armed & Dangerous," featuring duo EPMD and emcee Saukrates.
“Armed & Dangerous is special to me not only because of my past work with Erick Sermon, EPMD, Def Squad & Saukrates but because both Saukrates and I came up listening to and loving EPMD,” Strickland told Mass Appeal of the new track and the full project.
“To have these legends represent for me on “Spirit Of Hip Hop” has deep meaning," he continues. "This song is powerful and represents where I am in life right now; I’ve shed the past throughout my journey and now I’m Armed & Dangerous with the tools the Creator has blessed me with.”
Quotable Lyrics
No FCC is changing us
We in the jungle, nobody taming us
When it comes to hard, you can bet they're naming us.
Check the Belly of the Beast, they banging us.
