Lil Derik: From the South Side of St. Louis to ‘Red Dragon’ [INTERVIEW]
Hailing from the South Side of St. Louis, Lil Derik has been shaped by a city steeped in musical history-from Blues and Jazz to Gospel, R&B, and Hip Hop. Growing up surrounded by the soulful sounds of his grandparents’ records and the modern grooves of his mom and aunties, he developed a deep appreciation for music that blends smooth melodies with thoughtful lyricism. Over the years, he’s drawn inspiration from rap legends like Nas, Eminem, and 2Pac, as well as contemporary voices such as J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, and Drake. Now, with his latest project Red Dragon, Lil Derik is crafting music that reflects his roots, his journey, and his love for the art of Hip Hop- offering listeners a sound that’s both nostalgic and refreshingly authentic. We sat down with him to discuss his music, inspirations, and the story behind Red Dragon.
You grew up on the South Side of St. Louis. How has your hometown shaped your music?
St. Louis has such a rich musical history, from the Blues, to Jazz, to Gospel, to R&B, and Hip Hop. My grandparents pretty much only listened to Blues, Jazz & Gospel but my mom and aunties mostly listened to R&B, Neo Soul, & Hip Hop. I think most people in my generation that grew up in STL share a similar experience. So being exposed to all these different genres at a young age really shaped my love for soulful beats and the smooth style of rap that I bring to the table.
Who were the artists that first made you want to start rapping?
As a kid it was Nas, Eminem, Lil Wayne, TI & even though he passed before I was born I alway have looked up to 2Pac as a man and a rapper. When I actually started rapping in high school it was J Cole, Drake, Wiz Khalifa, & Kendrick Lamar that really inspired me to take my craft seriously.
What inspired you to create Red Dragon at this point in your journey?
Red Dragon is like the perfect follow up to the outro of “Enter The Dragon”, ‘Resurgence’. Red Dragon is the first of the series of singles and EPs I’ll be dropping that will lead up to the official release of the “Enter The Dragon” Deluxe Album. From the beat selection to the substance in each of these tracks, “Red Dragon” is like the perfect way to make a resurgence and get back go my roots as an artist.
How would you describe the vibe or feeling you want listeners to get from this EP?
I want people to get a cozy feeling. Something you can cruise the city to, something you can vibe with yo significant other to, something that makes you wanna just roll one up and kick back with the homies.
“Buick Lesabre” feels really smooth and nostalgic- what does that track represent for you?
Buick Lesabre is one of the most important songs I’ve ever made. I really been accomplishing so much this last year driving a 2000 Buick Lesabre. I’m forever grateful for this car getting me to festivals, headlining shows, podcast appearances and everything in between. Alotta music connections and relationships that I’ve established probably don’t happen without this car. I even got in an accident while going to rehearse for a big show but the car is still rolling and still helping me reach my dreams.
“Fall In Love” has a different energy. What were you aiming for with that song?
The beat for Fall In Love instantly made me wanna make a smooth track about my relationship with my girlfriend. So both verses are dedicated to her and tells a little bit about our relationship and how we just effortlessly fell for eachother. A match made in heaven just like me and the beat.
“Til Death Do Us Part” ends the project on a powerful note- what made it the right closer?
Til Death Do Us Part just felt like the perfect finale to this 3 chapter story. If it’s the last thing you hear on the album it’s a reminder that I’m not going nowhere. Imma be doing this til death do us part. Now keep that in mind as we get to the rest of the rollout for the deluxe album.
You work as a substitute teacher and basketball coach- how do you balance these with your work in music?
Since I’m usually done with work by 5pm I have plenty of time to write and rehearse or hit some open mics and network throughout the week. Then besides basketball my weekends are free so I never have to miss out on a performance or anything like that. I feel like that schedule gives me the perfect balance to give everything I’m doing the time it requires to succeed.
You’ve released a lot of music over the years.You’ve released a lot of music over the years. What keeps you motivated to keep creating?
I was talking to another artist the other day and I told them, “If 10 people like your music then 100 people like your music. If 100 people like your music then 1000 people like your music. And so on and so forth.” Finding that next 100 to get to that 1000 and more people who my music makes an impact on is one of the many things that motivate me to keep creating. My music has a message & the more people I reach the more people I can inspire.
What’s one thing you hope people understand about you after hearing Red Dragon?
I hope people understand my love for the craft of Hip Hop. This is a 3 pack of some of my best music that perfectly expresses my love for Hip Hop music. No fluff just 3 tracks that get straight to the point & show off my lyrical ability & excellent production from BREY10.
Listen to Lil Derik’s latest EP Red Dragon here now:
