Q&A: HerCampus x Damez — "Campus Celebrity"
HerCampus.com features Damez as the "Campus Celebrity" of the Georgia Southern University chapter and sits him down for an interview!
Click here to check out the article and read the Q&A by Ayanna Gant!
Damez: "Campus Celebrity"
Friend to Some, Music Guru to Others
by: Ayanna Gant
Damién Henderson is a junior, Broadcast Journalism major here at Georgia Southern.
HerCampus: How would you describe your style of music?
Damez: That’s a really hard question. It sucks that we live in a society where we have to put labels on everything instead of just appreciating things for what they are. It’s just “me”. It is definitely hip-hop, a little alternative, sort of darker than you would imagine or that you would normally hear. It's very autobiographical, honest and introspective...and vulnerable.
HC: Who do you draw your inspirations from?
Damez: My iTunes library is so diverse; I feel as if I am always listening to so many different artist and styles. I would say my biggest inspirations are Kid Cudi, Lana Del Rey, Big K.R.I.T, and Beyoncé (definitely). I like all types of music; The Roots, Empire of the Sun, and definitely Eminem too.
HC: If you could do a duet album with one person, dead or alive, who would it be?
Damez: It would be probably Kid Cudi… or Florence + the Machine, but probably Cudi.
HC: What is your favorite song that you’ve done to date, and why?
Damez: My favorite song is “Supreme” because it was the easiest to write and I feel the production is phenomenal. It has an excerpt of a close friend of mine who is currently incarcerated, which I recorded a few hours before he went to serve his time. It's a really personal song and it’s very insightful about my life, but it still hits hard at the same time. It’s a story of triumph. It’s a glimpse into my life and what I’ve been through, but it's also optimistic, saying that 'you can still be supreme' and go after your goals in the midst of chaos or struggle.
HC: Where do you do most of your recording?
DH: I do most of it in my apartment. I have a studio set up in my closet, but not like a sketchy. When you think of a closet booth you think of something tacky, but mine is actually set up really nicely. It’s rare that I am recording somewhere else unless I’m doing a feature.
HC: If you could have your ideal life, what would that life be?
DH: My life would consist of me first and foremost being happy. I would like to spend my life in the studio making music majority of the time and if I’m not in studio smiling and laughing with my friends and family. Traveling is a really big thing to me, I definitely want to see the world and stay on the move. I want to touch people’s lives and inspiring them to do better and be a role model in a sense.
HC: If you could only travel to one place in the world where would that place be?
DH: I think my number one would be to get to a beach in Hawaii I know my life is complete. I know that when I get to Hawaii’s shore with the sun coming down and I can just look out onto the water, with not too many people around, that’s when I believe life will come full circle.
HC: What are other talents that you have that most people don’t know about?
DH: I like dancing a lot and I am really good at it. I’ve been dancing since I was little. I am also really good with coding in HTML and graphics, and I can also type extremely fast.
HC: How would you say GSU has shaped you as a person?
DH: I feel like it has made me better-rounded in a sense that it is so diverse. You’re forced to deal with all types of people from all walks of life just as if you are in the real world. It has made me a lot more dedicated. I’ve met some really interesting people here and formed really great friendship here and couldn’t imagine my college experience anywhere else.
HC: What do you say has been your top moment at GSU?
Damez: My top moment would be homecoming, freshman year. It was truly an experience that I will never get again. It was the one weekend where I didn’t worry about anything and was able to just have fun. Also, working at Phone-A-Thon. A few weeks ago my supervisor showed me how much I had earned for my total time working for the school. I have almost raised $8,000 for the school, which makes me feel great about the hard work I've done.
HC: When you pass on, what do you want to be the legacy you leave behind?
Damez: I want people to be able to say I was strong and that I was inspiring. And that I left my mark, in a sense. I hope that not only will my music live on but also my wisdom and the energy that I try to put out into the universe will stick around way beyond my life.
Click here to check this out on HerCampus!