Drip Sanchez’s journey which led to the creation of his first album with Arnuma Records is one amazing story to tell. As you follow his new career in music, you will certainly learn much more about his amazing journey. If you are a lover of music and a lover of the process, you’ll certainly enjoy this read.
If you are not aware, the vast majority of record companies have a first. I do not want to list companies and names in this; however, if you follow music, the vast majority of you are aware of certain artists who pretty much built the companies you currently know today.
Regarding Arnuma Records I am proud to say that Drip Sanchez is that recording artist. His relentless work & dedication is setting the standard for this company and other artists to come. We now even have a name for it. We call it, “drilling.” Before you sign to Arnuma, you must drill first. Just as Drip Sanchez did for his first album. Hard work is an understatement. Drip Sanchez literally prepared for this album as a Jazz band would have. Literally sitting in the office writing and rehearsing until the sun came up. Unlike most recording artists, Drip attended studio sessions ready to work. As he would say, “This is not a game, I’m not here to play around, this is my life.”
Story Behind The Album Cover
As the majority of you can see, there is immense pain in this photo. For those of you who listened to the album, you are aware that Drip Sanchez’s mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. When Drip decided to join the company and create this album, his mother was in the process of transitioning to hospice care. Being the oldest of his siblings, with the help of his amazing family he worked extremely hard to fulfill his mother’s wishes by getting her home.
Once his mother was home, Drip Sanchez eventually stopped going to work. He wanted to take care of his mother the best he could while she was still here on this earth. You will read later how he actually recorded and completed the last song on the album on his mother’s birthday the day before she came home for hospice care. With that said, Drip did not want to leave his mother’s side. He wanted to be sure he was there by her side when she transitioned to her new life.
We had the photo shoot scheduled and ready to go. I said to Drip, hey my brother we can reschedule no problem at all. He then stated, “Man we gotta get this done, it won’t take that long, let’s just get it done.” He left his mother’s side for over two hours that night. It was one of the most amazing photo shoots I’ve ever seen. I received the proofs of all of the images. When I saw this one, I was in awe and very sad at the same time. It’s very difficult for me to look at his face in this picture. I asked Drip about this photo. He was very excited but stated that he could barely look at it as well. If you look deep, it’s so much pain & worry in this photo.
Blood & Crown: The Real Meaning
As we are aware, just about all of the record companies represent their artists by presenting them with a charm or necklace. At Arnuma Records we present high caliber & fully initiated recording artists a crown. Unlike most, we do not say this just to say it: “We are Gods.” The meaning and story behind the crown of each artist are specific to that artist. In Drip Sanchez’s case, the blood and the crown represent battle, struggle, aggression & creativity.
As a result of privacy, I will not be able to provide the full personal details of the deeper meanings behind the crown of Drip Sanchez. This will fully be explained on his own accord if he wishes to do so.
Being that Drip Sanchez is such a unique and diverse artist, we created a unique strategy behind this album. I can easily water this down and explain it in corporate terms; however, that’s not going to happen here. Therefore, Drip Sanchez’s album is about gang life, drugs, sex, fun, and more fun. Consequently, Drip Sanchez’s album is also about our brothers & sisters. Songs that will bring hope to our neighborhoods. Songs that will bring attention to issues such as fatherless boys and young women being abused. In addition to that, each style of song is diverse. From NY-style hip hop, down south bangers, and smooth-ass music you can vibe with, Drip Sanchez’s album is an absolute marvel.
Another very unique and interesting fact is the international sound and features of two very talented recording artists from London. Drip Sanchez plans on continuing to be diverse and reaching out to hidden talent throughout the world on an international level.
Big industry is known for silencing and killing creativity. They are known for taking the safe route and doing what they think works over and over again. This is why you normally hear the same style and same content. It’s literally pissing off music lovers worldwide.
Drip Sanchez will not allow such a thing to happen to his music and creativity. You can hear it for yourself in this marvel of an album.
As he always states, “I am not here to play around.” It’s not unusual to see Drip Sanchez in studio sessions solo or with only a few people. The only people who are normally in attendance are two of his nephews (one of which is an amazing musician and the other is a beat maker), a label executive/producer, and the occasional videographer and photographer. Drip Sanchez often states that “If you are not part of this, or don’t have anything to add then you should not be here.” With all of that said, each song was carefully chosen, recorded & curated. This album was not created during party & drink sessions as the vast majority of recording artists. This strict process allowed Drip Sanchez and his team to create an absolute masterpiece!
Songs Selected For Detailed Explanation:
- You A God
- Dangerous
- Used To Be Me
- Say Our Names
- Storm
- Do What You Want
- Happy Birthday Mama
You a God
Words cannot describe the importance of this song. Each and every word literally speaks for itself. The first verse is simply bringing attention to the effects of young children growing up without a father. When Drip stated, “Head down look at Lucifer workin”, this is explicitly explaining the negative effects and changes this is having on young children. He is speaking to these children and attempting to help them understand that they are Gods and they are not like their fathers. He is attempting to drive home the fact that they can do amazing things if they work hard and be the complete opposite of this person who is not a man. He stated, “Barrack Obama did it, put your head up King cuz you a God”!
The second verse was very difficult for all of us to listen to. There is a very hidden issue that needs to be brought to light. Young women being abused and sexually assaulted at home, all while their own mothers are aware of what is going on. At the end, Drip said something very powerful. “Now I’m a Doctor cuz I’m not her, I’m a Queen and I’m a God”!
“A lot of people kept asking me why did I say I’m a queen and I’m a God? My team and I felt it was necessary to speak from the little girl’s perspective. They do not have a voice. In this short verse, I am the voice of these little girls.” Drip Sanchez
Drip Sanchez and his team will be conducting a campaign to provide as much help and information as possible regarding this terrible issue. He has a section on his website with a vast amount of information dedicated to child and sex abuse ( https://dripsanchez.com/gethelp ). His team will attempt to help as many of these Angels as possible. This is not just a song.
We would like to give a million thanks to Courtney Bennett. She is an absolute Queen and little does she know she has fans in the US for life. We want this song to not only be popular in the US but all over the world. Therefore, we made many attempts to place a featured singer with an accent from a different country on this song. After listening to dozens of wonderful singers from all over the world, Courtney Bennett blew us away. In addition to her raw talent and very cool style, she was very fast, responsive, and professional. We were very lucky and honored to have her. She’s wonderful.
Dangerous
If you heard this song, you will know that this is certainly a hit. We simply wanted a street song that people can chill, dance, and vibe to on an international level. There is a large amount of detail going on in this song. In that, let’s first talk about the style in Drip Sanchez’s verse.
As you all are aware, the vast majority of rappers do not play around with their style very much. Most of this has to do with not wanting to lose their current fan base. The rule of thumb with big industry is if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. That is true in most cases; consequently, not in music and creativity. Therefore, Drip Sanchez’s cadence is very different in this song.
If you notice, the beat has an island or Caribbean vibe all while the other rapper featured on the track has a heavy European accent. Therefore, we are respectfully covering the United States, the Caribbean, and Europe.
Now, we do not want to completely give this away. But if you listen closely to the lyrics, there is a message embedded deep within this song. It’s very simple but can easily be overlooked.
“I put an end to it, took my life put some paper and a pen to it, all the love and the pain I attend to it, for real though, I changed my life, but still I got my nine on me.”
This life that we lived never goes away. It always seems to come back into our lives either directly or indirectly through our loved ones. In Drip Sanchez’s case, 15 shots in a vehicle while he and his brother Jerome was inside. This was a few months before he decided to actually join the company and give music another shot. 15 shots and not a scratch on them. Hence: “But I still got my nine on me.”
You will hear more about this crazy life-changing incident in the next set of music he releases. Until then, listen closely.
Used To Be Me
There was an interview by 2pac in which he made reference to speaking and rapping about other people who don’t have a voice. There are countless songs 2pac completed that simply served as a mouthpiece for others.
We wholeheartedly believe that this should be a standard for music, especially rap and hip-hop. As recording artists and songwriters, we naturally make songs about our own experiences and our own lives. However, telling the stories of others is also just as important. To be frank, I believe there’s a vast amount of recording artists telling stories of others but just not showing enough integrity to talk about it.
Music is an art. To be more specific, hip-hop is life and a gigantic part of our culture. There are many stories that need to be heard from people who may not have the platform, talent, or voice to do so. With that said, Drip Sanchez was aware of a very serious situation that occurred to me. The first verse was an exact story of this terrible situation that occurred when I was just fifteen years old.
In addition to that, there is a very deep meaning in his second verse. Even though Drip Sanchez is making reference to how we grew up and the terrible things we were involved in. He also stated, “I’m a disgrace”. This was a very sly way to deliver a message to our people caught up in this type of life. To the young people thinking they are grown while making these decisions, but in reality, are really a disgrace. “Psychologically we fucked up nigga, get a job put ya head up nigga, they puttin us in chains.” Drip Sanchez
Say Our Names
I can write a book on this issue alone. So let’s keep this short and to the point. We must continue to shed light on police brutality and make sure law enforcement is accountable for their actions. Listen very closely. Consequently, we, unfortunately, have a very serious problem right outside our front door. Right around the corner and down the street where our children play. We are losing our children to gang violence at a massive rate. I’m going to say it again. At a massive rate. No one is marching for our dead children at a national level. No one is overseas in other countries painting murals of Kyree. An infant baby who was shot during a cookout while his grandmother was holding him. Even more disturbing is as we stand outside witnessing a dead 16-year-old boy laying there shot, no one is there to help us. The only people we see are the Paramedics, Fire Department, and Police Officers. As we are standing there crying our eyes out witnessing another one of our children being carried away, we don’t see anyone else. And once the Paramedics drive away, we don’t hear from anyone else.
The first verse of this song is about an infant baby Kyree. This shook our city to its core. This infant baby was shot in the head by a stray bullet during a cookout. The paramedics had to pry the baby out of the grandmother’s arms. Half of the infant baby’s head was literally shot off. They don’t even allow directors to place scenes like this in scary movies. In addition to the nightmare the family was going through, imagine the lifelong negative effects this had on the Paramedics, Fire Fighters, and Police Officers who had to witness this on scene.
The second verse is about a young man named Badraldeen Mohamad Elwaseem. As a result of a shootout that occurred in the parking lot near his apartment, a stray bullet hit him while he was inside his own home. He was only twelve years old.
If you are reading this, conduct a small experiment. Ask any of your friends or family to say two or three names of a person under the age of 18 years old who was shot and killed as a result of gang violence. Ask them to say at least two to three names off the top of their heads without them looking it up. If they cannot say one of our names, go to any one of our social media pages and place a comment to bring attention to this. Out of all the noise we are hearing all over the world, people cannot say at least two of the names of our dead children. Dozens of us die every summer. Dozens. This is how much the world really cares about our neighborhoods. This song is meant to bring attention to this pandemic of death and violence going on outside of our own homes almost every other week in the summer. We are living in a war zone and our children are suffering and dying as a result. Say Our Names!
Storm
Where do we start with storm? There is a vast amount of information in this song; therefore, I will certainly not give it all away here. The chorus of this song is about two people. Drip Sanchez and myself (Darren McDuffie). If you follow the journey of Drip Sanchez & Arnuma Records, you will begin to see that we both are very similar in the experiences we’ve had growing up in the inner city. Not just growing up but actually being involved in street life.
We both experienced a path of darkness and a path of light. In that, the chorus of this song is very dark but liberating at the same time. We almost gave up at many points in our lives. As a result of being involved, we both had to sacrifice and break apart from unspeakable things. One of us had to break apart from certain friends while the other had to break apart from certain family. Hence the part where it says, “Why the fuck you had to go and kill your bro.” Leaving a mother, a brother or the best friend you’ve ever had can be like death. Therefore, if you leave them while they are still alive, metaphorically it’s as if you killed them.
“Crazy I made it though, screams in my dreams got me goin crazy though.” Both of us made it out. However, we are both still heavily affected and haunted by our past. Either directly or indirectly, as we both have many friends and family who are still involved and active in street life. The pain never ends no matter how successful you become. The real ones understand wholeheartedly. It’s a dream and a nightmare all at once. All we can do is push forward and live.
I will give you one more: When the singer says, “Yea aaa.” That is representing a man screaming his pain.
“Fuck the rules, glorifying crews, living thug life tying up my own noose, Yea aaa”!
“We was young my bro, why the fuck you had to go and kill your bro, Yea aaa”!
“Grand Architect you know what I sacrificed, Yea aaa”!
This is a man screaming out his darkness after each one of those bars.
Do What You Want
Previously I stated the sheer versatility of Drip Sanchez. He certainly would not be considered versatile if he didn’t have something for the ladies. Writing Drip Sanchez’s story about the ladies would fill an entire book. The verses in this song speaks for its self.
Happy Birthday Mama
As I previously mentioned, Drip Sanchez’s mother was unfortunately diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. During the recording of this album, Drip Sanchez and his wonderful family did an outstanding job in fulfilling his mother’s wishes to get her home instead of being in the hospital for hospice care.
How did this song come about? Drip Sanchez had an eight-hour studio session booked. He had several songs he was intending to record. I called Drip about an hour before the studio session. I then said, “I know Jerome, but what is the name of your sister again”? I then called back and asked another series of questions and quickly hung the phone up. Drip Sanchez was then in the office of Arnuma Records to get ready for his studio session.
I then stated, “I literally witnessed what you and your family have been going through. I was sitting here getting ready for the session and the universe kept putting this in my head. To make a long story short, this is what I came up with. I don’t know if you are going to like the chorus and the beat, but please let me know.”
I then sang the chorus. Before I could get through the chorus, we both sat in the office and cried as the beat was playing. I then said, “Do you like the chorus”? Drip Sanchez said, “Man hell yea.” After quickly brainstorming, Drip then called his siblings and his children to record a quick voice memo saying happy birthday. In that, Drip Sanchez’s brother Jerome sent over a video of his mother reading a letter thanking the people who supported her during her journey. That video was recorded over a year ago when his mother was able to walk and speak. His mother was unable to speak and walk shortly after that; therefore, the video was absolutely amazing!
This was all done and completed about 45 minutes before the studio session began. Once we arrived at the studio, I told the engineer that it was a change of plans. As the engineer Brad Lauchert and I was completing the chorus, Drip Sanchez was writing the lyrics to his verses. Drip stated that he wanted to be sure that everyone with a mother can relate to this song.
This song was completed that night. And Ironically enough, that night was his mother’s birthday. The next day his mother was out of the hospital and at home for hospice care. Even though his mother was unable to speak, she was able to hear that beautiful song over and over and again on her birthday.
It’s also important to understand that this song is not just for mothers. It’s for people who have unfortunately been diagnosed with cancer.
At the end of this song, you’ll be able to hear his mother speaking and thanking the friends and family who supported her during her journey.
I want to thank Kenny and his family for allowing me to be a part of this journey. He is aware that my father died and I have not been on good terms with my mother for many years. Being able to feel and witness this kind of love and support actually helped me in many ways. The love I saw from her children was absolutely amazing. Her funeral service was one of the most loved and personal services I’ve ever seen. This is how it is when someone is truly loved. She was one lucky lady. As a result of this amazing song, his mother will live on forever. People from all over the world will hear this wonderful woman’s voice forever. It was an honor to be a part of this. This is what music is all about. Darren McDuffie
Honorable Mentions
As stated earlier, if you don’t have something to add then why are you here? In that, we would like to thank Rayshawn & Izayah for adding outstanding and important input during the vast majority of our sessions. Izayah is a talented beatmaker & Rayshawn is an excellent musician. Also a special thanks to Ms. K Williams. If it were not for your input, we would’ve only completed a few songs to test the market. We, fortunately, took your advice and completed a full album. We now have a masterpiece as a result.
To our photographer Mark Duggan and our videographer Brittany Lawson. You two are literally the best in WNY period. To our engineers Brad Lauchert and Elijah Hooks at GCR Studio. Our small city has no idea how lucky we are to have the two of you. Elijah has been instrumental in the hip-hop community in Western NY for many years. Brad is now doing big things in California; however, still does work for his clients in Buffalo. Because of the two of you, our sound is competing with some of the world’s top artists and record labels. Thanks to all of you for your service. This is only the beginning.
If you would like to purchase or stream the album, visit Drip Sanchez’s website by clicking the link below. You can choose your preferred streaming service to listen to the album. Follow his journey now, not later. Thank you for your support! dripsanchez.com/listen
