Rapper DDG Talks Being The First Artist To Shoot a Video In Space, Being Inspired by 50 Cent and More
YouTuber and Platinum recording artist DDG has ventured to the playground of billionaires and is leaving a legacy of firsts. He is the first rapper to film a music video in space. The YouTube sensation turned rapper released his song “Elon Musk” last February featuring fellow rapper Gunna. Contrast Magazine’s Gigi Rivera caught up with the 25-year-old rapper to discuss his inspiration for his hit song and how he is navigating life as a young rapper.
Darryl Dwayne “DDG” Granberry Jr. is a Pontiac, Mich. native and a familiar face on the internet. Starting his YouTube channel in 2014, the rapper has garnered over 472 million streams and 3.14 million subscribers. His YouTube channel allowed him to drop out of Central Michigan University and move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music and entertainment. In 2017 DDG decided to lock in on music after releasing multiple diss tracks on YouTube such as “Big Boats.” He noticed how much attention his music was getting, with “Big Boats” having 14 million streams on YouTube, and knew, “I wanted to make music people could listen to.”
Drawing inspiration from legendary rappers, 50 Cent and Drake, the artist knew he would have to come up in the hip-hop industry in a different way from his idols. The rapper leveraged his YouTube platform to become recognizable and create a solid fan base. Using his social platform and creating hits such as “Lettuce” featuring Famous Dex, “Givenchy” and “Balenciagas,” DDG signed with Epic Records in 2018. The rapper said signing with Epic Records allowed him the opportunity to create a legacy in the hip-hop industry. Since 2018, the rapper has collaborated with hip-hop artists Lil Yachty and Gunna, as well as R&B artist Queen Naija.
Collaborating with Gunna on his track “Elon Musk,” and filming the song in space allowed DDG to build on his legacy and be a part of hip-hop history. He wanted to go to space to take his song to the next level and create something like never before. Directed by producers Stripmall, viewers can watch DDG in an out-of-this-world experience in his music video. Experiencing zero gravity while flipping in a rocket ship, the artist did not miss a beat. It was the work of a true hip-hop professional. Once released the song became a viral hit and gained over 12 million views on YouTube and over 41 million streams on Spotify.
He titled this track “Elon Musk” because “he is an inspiration to me as a business mogul. I like to rap about people that inspire me.” The rapper said he would love to go to space again and have another career-defining experience. His career will continue to evolve as he hopes to collaborate with more female rappers in the future. Some of his favorites being Cardi B and Doja Cat. As the rapper garnered more success over the years, he maintains clarity by blocking out the critics and having fun with his music.
“I get a lot of negativity, but I think that’s an indication it’s going up. I take [the internet] with a grain of salt,” DDG said.
With a growing career meaning more money and fame entering the equation, the rapper said it’s not about that. He said it’s nice to have those things, but what he hopes to create with his career is something he can leave behind for the future generation of artists.
“It’s not really about the money for me. It’s about the legacy,” DDG said.
Listen to “Maybach Curtains” by DDG below and follow him on Instagram.
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