Mixing boom bap, blues, hip-hop, soul and new age soundscapes is what Dereos Roads has been doing for around 20 years out of Pittsburgh, US. A veteran in the hip-hop scene, he’s shared the stage with the likes of Tech N9ne, Aesop Rock, Mr. Lif, Fat Lip, Blueprint and more.
Roads’ new EP, Until I Seen It All, which explores themes of struggle, perseverance and self-discovery, drops on all streaming platforms on September 18th but you can here it exclusively, in full, here on Shouts – Music from the Rooftops!
When I asked Roads what sets the new EP apart from his previous projects, he told me that it has a far more alternative rock vibe to it. As far as the songwriting goes, Roads is continuing on the journey he embarked on with ‘Worlds Apart’ (2023) and he says he is still sharing the space with the listener, no longer judging, and just wanting people to enjoy the music.
Hip-hop has always had an anti-establishment side to it and that is something that appealed to him from the beginning. Artists who, in the late 1990s, went against the commercialisation of hip-hop music and culture were those who influenced him above anyone else.
“For a long time, it was clear there wasn’t much interest from the suits to expose or get behind political rap after Public Enemy’s high-water mark in the mid 90s. They’re not interested in anyone rocking the boat. Rage Against the Machine is probably the biggest band to have a sizable reach while being authentically conscious and opposed to who runs the world. I think, aside from marketers and corporations figuring out how to sell anti-capitalism as a brand, activist music is no longer the center piece if it’s a part of a band’s identity. It’s a temporary detour from music that’s often edgy, but very much appealing to a demographic already on the side of the artist. It’s a choice not very much different than a set list that includes a song played in minor key after multiple songs in major. Very few are willing to risk alienating the listener. I used to think that was a sign of weakness or a lack of integrity. I don’t anymore.”
When I asked Roads about music and activism and how the two should or should not mix, he replied that there’s a time and place for both to co-exist.
“There are acts who became popular decades ago getting booed today for bringing their politics on stage, and I don’t blame the crowd. Most people want to experience your music, not your politics. At an organized protest or rally for labor, you’ve got them on your side when you say eat the rich. I really don’t think a straightforward political message in a song is going to resonate with anyone who doesn’t already agree with you. That’s where creativity comes into play, and the ability to write a song that doesn’t point the finger at someone for their place on the political spectrum, and instead connects with them because of your unique point of view; your perspective on a universal human experience. That’s what I tried to do with “Flowers From the Rubble.” [the second song off the new EP] I don’t mention a state. I call out a bully. I allude to the hypocrisy & complicity of the U.S. in the war on Gaza (“handed ’em the bomb while supplyin’ aid”). I explain why Gen Z is outraged and how their plight is very much the same plight of the generation before them (my own). But there’s still optimism for the future. ‘When it showers, you can see the grown flowers through the puddle.'”
So what’s next for Roads? And what does he hope to achieve with his music?
“For me, making music is a beautiful, therapeutic experience with a goal of a transcendent outcome. The way someone experiences it from the other side as a listener is always going to be different from person to person, but I hope they at least feel better about themselves and about life; that they’re not alone; that there’s value in art; there’s value in poetry and songwriting; and everything from the melody, words and the way they are sung has a part to play in that everlasting feeling which transcends one song’s duration. So in the end, I hope my art reaches out and surprises them along the way, whoever and wherever they may be.
Besides the new album, I’m in the midst of taking my role as a musician one step further with plans in my area to become a mentor of sorts for younger musicians who, like me, don’t reside within walking distance of a major city. I’d love to share more about it when I’m a lot closer to that reality.”
All songs written, produced, recorded & mixed by Dereos Roads.
Guitar by Dereos Roads.
“Until I Seen it All” bass guitar by Kevin Nolan & Dereos Roads.
“Flowers From the Rubble” bass guitar by Sean Zuza.
“Radio” co-written by Real Deal & Dereos Roads.
Mastered by Ayé. I.
Artwork by Allison Austad.
