Gotta Love Great Reviews !

http://www.midtnmusic.com/d-natural-positive-rap-that-rokks/#YlcoVmY6kdCYT8vk.99

What's up world !?!?!


It's always great when I get positive reviews of myself and my work. It's one of the things that inspires me and motivates me to keep the grind going. I had first become acquainted with the author of this post Mr. C Brett Campbell, through our encounter on Google Plus. Mr. Campbell is the Vice President of Mid-Tenn Music ( (http://www.midtnmusic.com) and the owner of Small Barn Sound. Like myself, Mr. Campbell has a deep passion for unique music and artists so I was so humbled when he praised my work, taking the time to write this review on his site.

As usual your boy is hard at work wrapping up my next EP "The Collegiate Experience"! As you know good things take time to create and being the perfectionist I am, I am taking my time with these new projects I have in the works so that I may not disappoint you all.

Stay Tuned for the latest in my original music, poetry, and visuals !

Keep the faith & keep chasing your dreams !

OneLove

D-Natural
Artistic Visionz Productions

Humbled . . .

 

Click to Enlarge

What's up world?!?

I'm just starting to recover as I type this, due to nearly fainting when I discovered that the legendary music journalist/author, Danyel Smith, not only knows who I am but even favorited my profile on About.me.  If you don't know who she is Google or Youtube her right now, or you can simply click to enlarge the above screenshot and read just a few of her many outstanding accomplishments. For those of you that's been following my chronicles here for awhile, you know I wrote a post about how surprised I was when the legendary Michael Narada Walden, showed me love on another profile of mines. The love shown from Danyel Smith here ranks right up there!!!

Now please don't get me wrong. Trust me, I really do appreciate ALL the support, love, and respect that EVERYONE takes the time to show me. It really does keep me going. But when I am acknowledged from the super-stars of the industry like these individuals, it truly is the icing on the cake. The fact that Danyel Smith has contributed in a major way in more ways than one, to all the music publications that I've grown up reading (while wishing I can be in one day), just absolutely thrills me! She has worked with all my heroes and I know she isn't a fan of just anybody plus keeps it real, which is part of the reason why her opinion is valued and so critical in the industry. So the fact that she actually took the time to check me out and liked me, leaves me speechless.

This seems to be happening to me more and more recently. Just when I think no one cares or even appreciates my work, I get pleasant surprises like this. This just confirms that I must be on the right track. I know in my heart and soul when my work is decent enough to share with the rest of you, or I just don't release it. At the same time, I'm still scared to death when I put things out because I don't want to disappoint anyone and I put a lot of pressure on myself to do my best. Also when I mention my musical or literary endeavors to 90% of my family these days, they don't want to know anything about it, no matter what success I could be enjoying. Some of them even change the conversation while I'm in mid sentence or look the other way (seriously). I've learned that a lot of it is jealousy, envy, and a reflection of how they view themselves, which is the last type of energy you want to receive from your loved ones. God forbid I become successful from doing what I absolutely love instead of doing what everyone else is conditioned to settle for in society. I had texted my grandmother recently with the news that I had the first of my releases on iTunes and didn't even get a text back, a congrats or anything. If I texted her that I had a job interview for a corporate entity, I bet everything I own, I would have received a positive text back. Now I'm not the type that needs a pat on the back, but some type of positive encouragement is good for everyone I think, especially from family. So for all my haters, take that, take that, ha ha!

I can give numerous examples about how sharing my ambitions with my family will get a response from them as if I'm sharing my plans for genocide or something hellish. However, I think you guys get the point by now. I just never could understand that they choose not to recognize these obvious abilities that the Divine has given me. I know if I had a son who could do some of the things I could, I would have been his business manager, tour manager, roadie and biggest fan in whatever path he chose to go with it.                                       

Anywayz......

When I get love from notable individuals like Danyel Smith, it trumps any negativity I can receive from anyone and is just a beautiful reminder that my labor of love is not in vain. I guess we truly never know who's watching us. But they are only watching me because of decisions I've made to go and get mines with gifts God gave me. This was very inspiring and motivating. I want to say thanks to everyone out there that's been down with me and loving what I do. I consider the fans my TRUE family, because I get the love and appreciation for being me. Not just my music, poetry or performances, but > > > ME.

Until the next time beautiful people, keep the faith and keep chasing your dreams!

OneLove

D-Natural
Artistic Visionz Productions

D-Natural in Depth

It's Been Awhile . . .

What's up world ? ! ? It's yours truly coming at you with a long overdue (apologies) installment in my chronicles !

Just want to say thanks to all my fans & supporters that's been holding me down ! ! You have no idea how much the love and support is felt . It's what keeps me going and focused ! ! For those that tune in here on the regular , you know if you don't see a post from your man in awhile , I'm very very busy . I really do enjoy sharing with you all here and I assure you there will be A LOT more posts following this one !

As you see previously I had started off the year with my latest project the " Doin Me EP "  , which I'm proud to say has been receiving a lot of love and respect out there . Two singles from that release , the title track "Doin Me" & "Gettin Mines" , have been my the first releases on iTunes  and other online retailers worldwide  < < Purchase your copies today !

The next month following that release in February , I had the pleasure of doing my 1st radio interview of the year with WOW U Radio on their Indie Luv series . You can check that interview out right here > > > http://www.spreaker.com/user/wowuradio/indie-luv-022214 < < < You can enjoy the entire broadcast or begin my interview @ the 131:00 section of the program .

Also around this time I began finishing one of my forthcoming releases " The Collegiate Experience EP " , inspired by my experience at Virginia State University ( shout out to my Trojans ! ) which I've decided to release at the end of this summer . To all those who have been awaiting it's release , my apologies . Trust , it will be well worth the wait ! ! ! 

However , I am happy to let you all know that the release of new original music & poetry from me will not stop ! !

As always I have other projects in store for all of you to be released via different mediums . I have a series of original music & spoken word poetry visuals for you all that will be released very soon . I intend to continue where I left off with my " Drums in D-Natural " Series on Youtube < <  and take you all behind the scenes with me in my studio , creating some of my latest music right in front of you ! Subscribe the Artistic Visionz via YouTube for the latest in these endeavors ! !   Other things in the works I won't speak on just yet , but you won't be disappointed ! ! I'm so excited ! !

 

 As always , thanks so much to all for the respect & support ! Until the next time , keep the faith and keep chasing your dreams !

OneLove

D-Natural
 

Elle Varner

When I see extremely talented, beautiful artists such as Ms. Varner, I get all warm inside. This is because music seems to be going back to what it used to be. Back to when everybody had their own sound, wrote & produced their own music. The person you knew that lived next to you on the block with MAD talent, is getting their shine on in today's music world. The labels are slowly starting to look deeper into the artists emerging with that one of a kind sound, instead of merely signing artist to compete with other artists specifically.

To me Ms. Varner is a perfect example of a very humble, very talented, yet confident artist. I try to be an example of such myself, but my hat goes off to my incredible contemporaries out here doing their thing! These are the ones that are paving the way just right in front of me.

When I first heard Ms. Varner on the radio I was blown away. I fell in love with her voice first. As a music producer, one of the things that perks our ears up is the tone of one's voice. Then we start to conjure up how it would sound over certain tracks in our imagination. I also liked how her music had that classic R&B feel yet with hip-hop undertones. I wasn't surprised to learn she wanted to do just that on her debut record "Perfectly Imperfect". (Hear it here)

I'm very happy for her. I could definitely relate to some of what she has been through in life and it's an inspiration when I see an artist such as herself transcend and become who they were meant to be.

It's a honor to have Ms. Varner as the subject of today's post! Rock on queen!

I'm addicted to postive progress ! !

What's good world ? ! ? ! D-Natural comin atcha again with some updates ! As I type this, I'm in the computer lab here at my school on the last day of the semester . I'm getting some much needed work done ! This week has been a busy one as usual. But then again, you guys know by now that I STAY busy, so it aint nothin new 2 tell you all that . However I've been busy in all other areas except for working on my music . Today I'm wrapping up this Spring semester here at school . You see I don't take breaks and I'm going to school year round non-stop . I'm doing it that way so I can finish alot earlier, so that I may focus more on this music career of mines . I have alot on my plate as usual but I'm loving it ! I love to grind and see the positive results unfold in front of my eyes, knowing that no one did it but ME . I'll have break next week before the next semester begins. I'm going to use the break to continue working on my first album for the year, Poetic $oul . . It's on its way ! Just trying to get it nice and perfect for ya ! ! This week aside from school, I've been practicing and getting used to my new DSLR camera . I've decided to share some of my photos with you of this weeks grind . You will see more photos here from now on, as I intend to show you my journey through my life visually as well as musically and poetically . . After all, my company is called Artistic Visionz for a reason . . Time to start showing more of the artistic side of things visually . . Feel me ? You dig ?

The week kicked off Sunday with my church's 10th Anniversary service . Above is a photo of my pastor and his wife . She gave me a nice smile for this shot ! It was a great service and you know your man got it in on my drums ! I was told that we really were off the hook ! ! I try my best, I don't know how to do it any other way . . It was funny because one of the drummers from the other guest choirs, actually got up from the audience and went all the way around the auditorium to see me play when we was in the orchestra pit ! ! When he first got there and saw my set he looked like he wasn't impressed with my drums until he heard me actually play them ! ! Then he wanted to use my sticks instead of his and I was like naw son, these are my Tony Royster, Jr. (Google him) signature sticks and they are expensive so that wasn't happening ! ! All in all it was a great service and I always like to especially demonstrate my skills to the guest choirs that come through . .

(One of the guest choirs in action)

Fast forward a couple of days later, where I decided to head downtown with a good friend of mines to the Smithsonian so I can get more practice in with my new camera on a variety of subjects ! Not to mention this was also the first place I've been to for fun in several, several months, being as though I don't go out much for leisure . I know, crazy right ? ? I just prefer to be in the bat cave working on my material most of the time, especially now & days . . However, don't get me wrong, I do enjoy going out and acting like a normal person as well . . .

Well time to pack up and head out this computer lab, so I can go home and relax before I finish up the rest of this school work . . Until the next time, stay tuned for my long overdue 1st single "Guestlist" to kick off the summer . I promise the new material is worth the wait ! As always keep the faith and keep chasing your dreams . . Peace & Love

D-Natural , AVP

D-Natural, Artistic Visionz, the saga continues...

Yo!

What's up World! Its me D-Natural comin atcha 1nce again!! It's been awhile since I've personally reached out to my supporters here. So, I've decided to share a small treat with you guys.. Above is a vid of me on the drums messing around b4 the start of choir rehearsal. The drums have always been 1 of my favorite instruments 2 play out of the many, that I'm blessed 2 b able 2 play. I've enjoyed playing for my church. I'm improving my skills as a musician and as a professional. I hope you guys enjoy the vid. I be doin that more 4 all of you in the future. I also hope everyone has enjoyed my last few poems I have posted. In the past I've mentioned my upcoming poetry album " Poetic $oul " I'm apologize 4 the delay on that and my other project " The Sigh of Relief " I am happy 2 let yall know that Ill be releasin Poetic $oul in the near future after additional production is done by yours truly. You can expect to hear me perform my poetry live on the album accompanied by my original music, all produced and written by me. This album will serve as the prequel for my 1st full length LP " The Sigh of Relief " album. So look b on the lookout 4 those & other surprises. $tay Tuned...

As 4 other things... I've started my second semester of business school. I'm excited about psychology class. I look forward to learning about the mind, especially my mind! Everyday, I continue to learn about myself. I'm trying to better myself as a man, as a businessman, as a musician, as a professional. Everything brings its own challenges. My mind can be found spinning on the daily. Thoughts racing in many directions. My creative imagination running wild constantly and me goin crazy tryna balance that with my present reality. I'm learning. I am getting better at making the changes that really count. Doin the things that I know will get me ahead. The life of an artist, musician, entertainer can be exciting and at the same draining. U r passionate about your craft. U want 2 expose your art, your soul, the essence of you with your audience, but at the same time you maintain yourself n the balance. A challenge with that is making sure that you don't lose urself n your art to much that u neglect the other blessings n life like family, education, community, nature, etc.. A guy like me is just tryna making progress in winning that challenge. I expect the Artistic Visionz brand to mirror the challenge I face in life to become the best artist and man I can be. I'll continue to express this journey I'm on thru my music, my poetry, my songs, videos, essays, websites, etc.. Just tryna add some that good vibe n2 the universe...

I just wanna thank EVERYONE 4 their support and inspiration!!! Shoutout 2 all my fans and readers here!!! U have know idea how every one of u seeing any of this right now, keeps me goin!!! Look 4 brand new music and poetry by yours truly comin soon. I'll b releasin some nu random singles here and there. We'll just call these appetizers... until I start servin up the main courses!!

Until the next time, as always keep the faith! I'll b back with another post very very soon!! Peace!!  

D-Natural , Artistic Visionz