On the surface, Jonny Dee’s influences seem fairly obvious: his hypnotic drawl and cosmic production are reminiscent of Kid Cudi, while the backdrop of soul fusion nods to Chance The Rapper‘s work, and the element of jazz rap has De La Soul written all over it.

Dig deeper though, and you’ll find his musical DNA is far more complex than textbook rap. On top of the three aforementioned artists, the San Diego artist cites The Beatles, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan among his influences.

With that considered, it’s no surprise Jonny’s ambition is to step outside the boundaries of rap- something which is evident on his forthcoming record ‘The Human Experience‘. Having recently picked up a guitar, his licks are woven into the album, adding more depth to the melting pot fusion. His lyrics avoid the typical rap braggadocio, instead oozing positive energy and messages of self love. Even his image is contrarian, revolving around a wardrobe of floral shirts. In many ways he’s the antithesis of rap, without shunning it, which is perhaps the most exciting thing about his forthcoming offering.

Speaking of ‘The Human Experience’, Jonny said:

“The whole idea of ‘The Human Experience’ is essentially understanding and loving yourself more and more, to the point that when you look back out at the rest of the world, a lot of the struggles that people have just don’t make sense.

“It’s all about a person getting more in touch with themselves, finding happiness that way, and wanting to help others to do the same. The music is a guideline I guess to find some freedom and peace from the “everyday struggles”. ‘The Human Experience’ is the act of going out and trying to understand humans, why they do the things they do, treat each other the way they do, and trying to help them.”

‘The Human Experience’ is available from May 12.

Follow Jonny Dee:

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/iamjonnydee/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamnotjonnydee

Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamjonnydee

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamjonnydee/

Website: http://artistecard.com/iamjonnydee