Baltimore

We left Philly in the afternoon to make an evening interview in Baltimore with rapper/producer duo Paul Hutson and DDm, of Bond St. District. They were some of the friendliest guys I’ve ever met, with DDm breaking a few badass rapper stereotypes by sharing with us his love of Downton Abbey and other British TV offerings. Their interview was also extremely interesting and, although their style of music is quite different from that of the other artists we’ve interviewed so far, it was easy to see how what they said will fit into the film. For me, they gave the best contribution regarding the general themes of the project, things like what is right and wrong with American music today, where it might be headed, and why, in DDm’s words, ‘the Brits are winning right now’. They made so many good points that it’s hard to recount them all, so you’ll just have to watch the finished product to find out! What I also loved about them was how they worked together. Looking at them, I might not have predicted that kind of cohesion between a long-bearded film student and a tough-looking rapper, but they broke the stereotypes so beautifully - Paul seemed to provide unending musical insights and DDm was the most charming and approachable ‘tough-looking rapper’ I am ever likely to encounter – that their rapport made it immediately clear what a great partnership they’d formed. They also seemed like genuine friends, which always makes things better. Paul also spoke highly of Baltimore and its music scene. It may not be the place that springs to mind when you think about the top US destinations for music, but he said local audiences have an appreciation for the music they hear which other places can’t always match. He seemed to almost be saying that its ‘non-trendy’ character meant less of the follow-the-crowds attitude to music which can be found in some of the well-known musical hubs. Well, at least that’s how I interpreted it. I would like to make a special mention of Paul and DDm’s cat, Taco, who was just too adorable to leave out of this post. He was so soft and kept rubbing up against my leg and trying to get my attention as I was filming.