Localized

by Rio Connelly

Issue 272 / August 2011     More from this Issue    

  

[Photo: Ruby Claire]

 

August’s Localized brings two hip hop aficionados to the Urban Lounge stage on Friday, Aug. 12. Dusk One, who co-founded local hip hop group MindState, plays alongside DJ Knucklz’ newest project, Zebrafish. Masters of Death opens the show. A mere five bucks gets you in.

Dusk One - Ryan Worwood

In a state known more for green Jell-O than hip hop, all you have to do is look a little deeper to find artists who bring mastery of the genre to your local venue. More widely known as half of the local duo MindState, Dusk One has been rapping, writing, painting graffiti and generally living and sweating hip hop culture for over a decade. “I don’t know what I’d be doing with myself if I wasn’t doing this,” he says with a grin. Dusk is currently booking his summer tour and working on his first full-length solo release, which has yet to be named, but will be out soon. These days, he has plenty to keep his mind occupied, but it didn’t start out like that. “I didn’t have big plans for [hip hop] originally—I didn’t even tell people I did it,” he says. Having grown up listening to all kinds of music with his brother, DJ Honna (the other half of MindState), discovering Utah-based acts was somewhat of a revelation for Dusk. “It blew my mind when I discovered the local hip hop scene here. These guys are from Ogden, Provo, the East Side—I was like, ‘What?’” he says. After realizing it was possible, he and his brother got to work. Once they started making songs and playing shows, the public responded. Classic samples and gritty sounding beats provided an excellent background for Dusk’s trademark raspy delivery.

While MindState is currently on hiatus so Honna can focus on being in school full time, Dusk has been as busy as ever with his solo projects. He has been touring with the likes of local favorites MC Pigpen and Pat Maine, and making guest appearances over the beats of others. In the last year, Dusk has collaborated with Fisch (who produced Dusk One’s EP The Brady Effect last November) on a few new projects like Fisch Loops Presents Electric Shock. “It’s cool to be doing stuff with him—he was with The Numbs,” Dusk says. “We’d ride the bus downtown from West Valley just to find a copy of their record—it comes full circle.”  Other artists who influence him include the locals Smash Brothers, Dumbluck, Burnell Washburn and others, as well as hip hop legends like Nas, the Wu-Tang Clan and the Beastie Boys. Dusk’s number one favorite artist of all time? None other than the King of Soul himself, Otis Redding.

Coming out as a solo act is like starting over, but Dusk isn’t worried. “I’ve put a lot of time into this [album],” he says. “More than anything else I’ve done.”  Having recently signed with Punx Management has allowed him to devote that time to really doing exactly what he wants to do with his life. At one point, any job was a good job, and like many of us, Dusk worked some telemarketing, but wasn’t bothered by the daily grind. “Talking to old people all day, you gotta do it,” he says. Being freed up from a headset has given him the opportunity to flex his lyrical muscles and work on his performance. “This is where I found my niche,” he says. “My writing is like my journal, my life experience.”

You’ll have the opportunity to see a brand new Dusk One on Aug. 12, standing solo and ready to slay the crowd. “I’ve been sitting on all the new stuff,” he says. “I’m really excited to get it out locally.”  This will be his first time ever playing for Localized, and even if you haven’t seen him before, he’s going to work to win you over. His favorite part of performing and touring, he says, is “watching people’s minds change.”