IN CONVERSATION – L Dot ‘Hoodie SZN’
13 December 2023
So many demons in disguises, yet society just walks around it,
I got some pain up in my heart wish I could talk about it,
Trying to find my purpose while I’ve barely scratched the surface,
Of the universe’s time and of my spiritual emergence.
When the first four bars of a song feature demons, disguises, pain and purpose, the listener’s attention is immediately grabbed. There’s no time to settle in, no gentle intro, no filler. “I decided to go straight into it because it’s written from a perspective of me talking to myself, like a diary entry,” explains rapper and singer Dahlia Rae, about her new track ‘Purpose’.
Between her new release, commitments connected to her BBC Rap Game UK appearance, being in the final year of a Criminology and Criminal Justice degree, and her youth mentoring work, Dahlia Rae is an extremely busy woman right now. But despite all of that, and the unsociably early hour of our Saturday morning interview, she is generous with her time and thorough with her answers.
Just like her new track, our interview is immediately into the action, “When I first started writing it I was in a transitional period in my spiritual journey, transitioning from my old habits and creating new ones, and seeing the world for what it really is,” she reflects. As a listener, the opening bars of ‘Purpose’ conjure nostalgia of ‘Lost Ones’ by the legendary Lauryn Hill. Whilst the lyrical content is entirely different (Hill’s explosive intro addressed the changing nature of her relationship with former Fugees bandmate Wyclef), that sense of there not being a second, or a multisyllabic word, to waste is shared by both tracks. The audience is immediately captivated, engrossed into thinking you better not blink, or whatever the listening equivalent of blinking is, or you might miss something crucial.
‘Purpose’ continues to convey thoughtful reflections, delivered in composed, intricate rhyme schemes throughout its entirety. A range of subjects are coherently interwoven, and Dahlia succinctly moves between them, seeming to allow each topic sufficient focus before embarking on her next angle. Although she doesn’t draw upon her singing talent on this track, the cadence of her rapping alludes to her vocal capabilities, and her lyrical proficiency and conscious intellect are showcased.
When I ask Dahlia why she called the track ‘Purpose’, it seems like a perfectly reasonable question at the time, “At first, I wasn’t sure what to title it. But when I finished it and listened back in its entirety, there was a sort of journey and fulfilment that stood out to me, so I felt like purpose was right.” Over the course of our conversation, the answer seems to become so obvious that my question is rendered redundant. This concept of purpose, of intention and meaning and of making music which has a tangible impact, is a constantly reoccurring theme which permeates every aspect of Dahlia Rae’s energy.
I gained 2 angels to the hands of suicide,
It got me contemplating and meditating on the meaning of life,
If suicide ever crosses your mind,
I’ll always be here, I’d rather be your shoulder to cry,
On.
Even in a song full of evocative emotion, the tenderness of Dahlia’s discussion of suicide stands out, “I actually started writing the song in 2021, and at that point I had lost a family member to suicide. I didn’t really process it or understand it properly, like how there were no signs,” she recalls. “I was a bit stuck writing it at that point. Then later on that same year I lost one of my secondary school friends to suicide as well. Writing helped me to process it, but I wasn’t ready to delve too deep.” But rather than focusing on her own feelings in response to these tragedies, Dahlia uses the track to offer support to others who might be struggling, “I wanted to explain, the person that I am, no one’s ever a burden to me. I don’t care if we haven’t spoken for ten years, but I am a source for you to come to if you ever need to.”
Dahlia comes from Birmingham, and the city has played a big part in shaping her, “I grew up in a very multicultural part of Birmingham called Handsworth. That played a massive role in my development, the primary school that I went to really celebrated the diversity of every student”, she explains. “But later I moved to a predominantly white school where I was the only black girl in my class. That was a massive culture shift for me and I didn’t understand how it could be so different in the same city. It made me see the reality of life from a young age.” Birmingham has also been a factor in Dahlia Rae’s development as an artist, where creative community collectives enabled her to grow, through open mic events and performance opportunities, “I’ve always loved music, there’s pictures of me at nursery performing with a plastic mic! I knew I wanted to be a music artist from a young age, but sometimes Birmingham feels like it has this ‘only one can make it out at a time mentality.”
Another growth opportunity for Dahlia came when she was selected to be a contestant on the BBC’s Rap Game UK, “My journey to the Rap Game was really crazy! I’ve always loved the show and watched it religiously,” she says. When the show’s producers reached out to her, she was initially wary following an unsuccessful audition in 2020, but encouraged by a friend, she completed the multi-stage pre-show auditions (designed to take place over a number of months) in just two weeks. “The auditions alone were such a crazy, but fulfilling experience, and when I was selected for the show I was just so, so gassed!”
Although her time on the show didn’t last as long as she would have liked, Dahlia still learnt a lot from the experience, “It was amazing and unique, I would recommend it to any artist!” she explains, “It really kind breaks down your craft and allows you to tap into areas of yourself that you didn’t know you had, and meeting the other people and the mentors was great.”
As we evolve into a different space and time,
It seems the need for fame is urgent,
With no conscious care for purpose.
As our interview reaches its conclusion, the discussion goes full circle, “On the track I’m talking about different things, but the underlying foundation is of living a meaningful life, a purposeful life,” reflects Dahlia. “You can flow well, but if there’s no intention behind what you’re saying then it’s not gonna hit the same way, it’s not gonna translate and resonate with people.” It’s a perfect ending to our conversation, and one thing is certain, Dahlia Rae definitely gives ‘conscious care for purpose’ to her life choices and her craft. Heading into 2024, this 24-year-old is one to watch.