Rapper Pierre D discusses the importance of ‘growth.’
There are countless ways to tell a story. From something as traditional as writing a book, to a medium as modern as Instagram stories, there is a vessel for everyone. Pierre Lindsay, a 25-year-old rapper born in Houston, Texas, is no exception. Performing under the stage-name “Pierre D”, he found a way to combine his passion for music with his desire to tell his story.
Lindsay’s journey started long before he was even aware of it. With a background in music in his family, it was no surprise that he fell not too far from the tree. “My dad used to play in a band,” Lindsay revealed over the phone. “Growing up, he was a big music head. He pretty much exposed me to every genre of music there was. So my creativity came from kinds of places.”
The young rapper lived in Atlanta, Georgia for most of his childhood. At the age of 10, his parents separated. His father encouraged him to write in a journal, understanding that his son would begin to experience complex emotions. “He was just giving me ways to get through the problems I was dealing with. He would encourage me to write them down.” Lindsay’s entries in those journals became lyrics after a while. Big artists from the East Coast and the South influenced his pen and created the foundation for his sound. “It was a lot of southern hip-hop, like Outkast, UGK, Big K.R.I.T,” he admitted. “As far as who stuck out to me; who gave me complete insight: Biggie, I was really in-tune with his storytelling. K.R.I.T. is one of my favorite artists because he kind of opened my mind to the conscious artist, being able to still make his own lane.”
Lindsay is rapping not just to hear himself, but to give a better understanding of who he is as an artist. He also wants to make sure that his listeners understand the duality of the two cultures he has lived in. “Naturally, it would be the culture. What I grew up in, what I’m accustomed to, what I know. That’s a blend of being from Atlanta and Houston; I can touch in to both cultures,” he responded when asked what he usually raps about. “Other than that, I would say myself — my journey. Whether it be my personal journey or the stories and the images of those closely related to me.”
Through this, Lindsay wants his fans to know who he is, inside and out. He is clearing out the fog between the artist and the consumer, allowing full transparency regarding who he is. “I like to give insight to who I am as a person on things I may not openly express on the regular. If you were to have this conversation with me, the idea that you would get from me, I would want it to be something that is vulnerable to me,” he explained. “You may have got a better understanding of me as a person through this conversation, versus looking at pictures or videos of me. I would want to give the same experience in a song.”
Lindsay moved back to Houston after graduating from high school. By that time, he was fully immersed in his passion for hip-hop. It was then that he also started to notice how the rap-scene in Houston was really unfolding. “It’s kind of odd. I would say that it’s a pro and a con to the city being the way that it is. It’s so huge that it’s helpful and destructive at the same time,” he said. “You can grow up, be famous, be popular, and be rich, and not be known outside of Texas. I feel like it’s great for those who understand, and it’s not good for those who haven’t got into it yet.”
That’s what The Warm-Up, was all about. Initially released in 2015, and re-released this year, Lindsay says the main idea of the project was to get himself and his listeners ready for what’s to come. “That project represents growth. Not really knowing the next steps but going with the flow of things, just trying to create.”
Lindsay claims the only reason the tape got released a second time is because there was a heavy demand for it. It works well, seeing that he is gearing up for even more creative endeavours in 2019 than he was three years ago. He has a brand that he is working on, called Elevation That Continues (ETC), riding on his wave of growth and positivity.
Regarding new music, stay tuned for more of that as well. The Warm-Up was used to showcase his skills as an artist, but that was only the beginning. “I still have a passion for it, to spread a message of growth. Whatever it is that you’re into. It doesn’t have to be music, it can be life in general.”