Badboy VT turns pain into motivation and inspiration on new track ‘Not Innocent’
CHICAGO, IL – Growing up, Davonte Watkins always looked up to his older cousin Ed “Badboy” Brown. He was a well-known boxer from the West Side of Chicago. But in 2016 Watkins’ cousin was gunned down and died. Watkins dealt with a lot of anger from the experience, and eventually got arrested on gun charges. It was during his time in prison that he started thinking about the impact Badboy had left on his life, and he made the decisions to follow in his cousin’s footsteps as a rapper. Once released from prison he started to take his music career seriously. He took on the stage name of his cousin, and today operates as Badboy VT with music that has hundreds of thousands of streams across multiple platforms.
His latest offering to the world is the hit single “Not Innocent,” which was originally written while serving time in prison. It’s a song inspired by his late cousin and the challenges he has felt in the years since the original Badboy was killed. It’s a song that many people having come up through the struggle will be able to relate to as it explores the cultural and societal disadvantages many born to that way of life face every day.
“I’m an innocent child, but I’m not innocent due to the circumstances of where I’m from,” Badboy VT said. “The way I have lived is what I was born into. I’ve been trying to escape it, but it’s hard to escape without getting in trouble and doing certain things. My cousin Badboy inspired me, and when he was killed his death really impacted me. I’ve turned that pain into motivation and grind. The majority of what I get done I do because of the pain I go through.”
When it comes to musicality, listeners will immediately recognize that Badboy VT has a voice that’s different from anything else in the music industry today. He has a different way of talking about familiar topics, and his flow and sound are unique and original. He’s also extremely versatile. He can ride any beat – from jazz to rock to hip-hop and everything in between – and is one of the most naturally gifted freestyle artists in recent memory. Whatever he’s feeling in the moment just pours out of him on the mic, and the result is recording gold.
“I actually heal and touch people,” he said of his music. “I inspire people to do better and to do what they can to get through certain situations. Do what you can for yourself and don’t worry about what the next person thinks. Stay focused. Put family first. Keep your head down and push forward through the pain and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks.”
Badboy VT said he plans to follow up “Not Innocent” with another single called “So Amazing,” which should drop later this summer.
To listen to his music, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links:
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