Your Old Droog
| Your Old Droog | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper |
| Instruments | Vocals, production |
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Labels | Droog Recordings |
Your Old Droog is an American rapper from Brooklyn, New York. Sacha Jenkins, the former creative director of Mass Appeal discovered him on YouTube. He first gained public attention in June 2014 when online rumors were thought up by some that his self-published debut EP was actually recorded by veteran New York rapper Nas under an alter ego,[1] before revealing himself in August of that year as a 25-year-old Ukrainian American.[2][3] His self-titled debut album was released digitally on November 25, 2014.[4] The name "Droog" comes from a Russian word meaning "friend".[3]
Biography
Droog's family emigrated to the United States from Ukraine, then a part of the Soviet Union.[3] As a young rap enthusiast growing up in Brooklyn, Droog first developed his craft in lunchroom battles in school.[3] In 2013 he released the song "Rhyme Strange" under the name "Imaginary Droog" with DJ Skizz.[5] In June 2014, he released the 10-song Your Old Droog EP, which generated a significant amount of buzz due to comparisons to Nas and the otherwise lack of information about the artist. Self-released on SoundCloud, the EP was produced by Droog, El RTNC AKA rthentic RTNC, and DJ Skizz. In August, Droog revealed himself in an interview with The New Yorker and soon showed his face for the first time in a video of him freestyling.[6] At the time, he embraced the publicity and speculation regarding his identity, expressing that "This is like my street team, why would I stop free publicity?"[2] He played his first concert on September 3 to a sold out crowd at Webster Hall.[1] His debut self-titled album was released digitally on November 26, which included the 10 songs from the EP along with 8 new songs produced by rthentic RTNC.[4] A limited edition of the album was released on vinyl shortly before the digital release.[7]
Kinison EP, Your Old Droog's second EP, was released on February 4, 2015, again on SoundCloud.[8] Kinison's lyrical theme is that of Droog's appreciation of rock music, with songs named after Rage Against the Machine, Porno for Pyros, and Sonic Youth.[9] Production was completed primarily again by DJ Skizz and El RTNC, along with one contribution by the producer Marco Polo. That February and March Your Old Droog supported DJ Premier and Royce da 5'9" on their PRhyme Tour.[8]
Your Old Droog's third EP, The Nicest, was released on July 17, 2015.
Artistry and influences
Your Old Droog has been extensively compared to fellow-New York rapper Nas, to the point of theories being developed that his debut EP was actually recorded by Nas under an alter ego.[1] Droog has appreciated the comparison, but has himself named Big Daddy Kane,[1] Big L, and Kool G Rap as influences,[2] as well as Beanie Sigel, Freeway, Cassidy, and Lloyd Banks.[3]
Discography
- Studio albums
- Your Old Droog (2014)
- EPs
- Your Old Droog EP (2014)
- Kinison (2015)
- The Nicest (2015)
Guest appearances
| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Hood Boogers" | 2015 | Statik Selektah, Chauncy Sherod | Lucky 7 |
| "Wall Flowers" | Statik Selektah, Lord Sear | ||
| "Stellar Intro" | Maticulous | The Maticulous LP | |
| "Revolutionary Ride Music" | DJ EFN, Royce da 5'9", O.C., Reks | Another Time | |
| "Gluttony" | Gangrene, Fashawn | You Disgust Me | |
| "Not That Guy" | Apollo Brown | Grandeur | |
| "Russian Rock Hammers" | 2016 | Timeless Truth | Cold Wave |
| "Complex City Cypher" | Christian Scott, Wiki, A$AP Ferg | N/A | |
| "Vivian at the Art Basel" | Westside Gunn | FLYGOD | |
| "Volume 2" | Larry Fisherman | ¡Go Fish! | |
| "3000 Avenue X" | Masta Ace | The Falling Season | |
| "Listen to Jazz" | DJ Skizz | Cruise Control | |
References
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