Today we’d like to introduce you to Deraj.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Ha, I hate this question because it’s never easy for me to answer neatly. In a nutshell, I’m a self-proclaimed all-around creative but have found myself most active in the design & music world, mainly hip hop. I was raised in the DMV area as I lived in Maryland and Virginia in my early years until my late teens. Currently, I reside in Orlando Florida where I’ve lived since late 2007. My move to FL was for school where I received my BS in Digital Arts and Design from Full Sail University in 2009. I always had a passion for music however and after graduating my music career took shape. Performing locally in my city gave me buzz in the area, but in 2014, I signed as a recording artist to Reflection Music Group in a very unconventional fashion. Prior to signing, I was their art director which probably made me the first rapper to get a record deal off graphic design, ha. Since then, I’ve released several records which have streamed over 2million times in 2018 on Spotify. In addition, my music has been featured on various media outlets like ESPN, NBA, NCAA, Ball In Family to name a few.
Please tell us about your art.
Eh, depends on the day ha. I enjoy experimenting and genre-blending when I can. My foundation is hip hop but since I’ve experimented with my vocal ability which has evolved over the years. I’ve written and performed pop, jazz, RnB, funk, disco and probably some others I can’t think of at the moment. Outside of music, I have a multidisciplinary background in the arts, but whatever I’m creating, my heart is always for the creative. I want people to be able to feel liberated to be fully who they were made to be. My journey has always been one of figuring this out and trying to maximize the potential for greatness within me. I want people to feel like my story is their story as we’re all striving to be our best most authentic selves.
As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
Authenticity, generosity, humility, goal setting, and resilience are a great equation for success in my book. Success for me is not striving to living out someone’s journey. It’s so easy to get caught up in the highlight reels we show on social media. Being able to help others be liberated to their fullest potential is one of my personal goals with my art.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Music: justderaj.com
Socials: @JustDeraj
Apparel: sxhapparel.com | @sxhapparel
Design: weseeandhear.com | @sxhcreative
Contact Info:
- Website: justderaj.com
- Instagram: @justderaj
- Facebook: @justderaj
- Twitter: @justderaj
Image Credit:
Marcia Bradly
See & Hear Creative
Charlie Del Tres
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition, please let us know here.
