Parramatta rapper D. Minor has gained a number of coveted accolades over the last few years.
He’s won a gold medal at the World Championship of Performing Arts, a Sony Foundation National Scholarship, a Vodafone Foundation Australia sponsorship and he’s been appointed ambassador for Parramatta City and Musicians Making A Difference. He’s also a student at the Australian Institute of Music, so his chat with the BRAG swiftly turns to the school and how it has enhanced his skills.
“As my career in music was building, I wanted to further my knowledge, gain experience and get a degree in music,” says D. Minor, AKA Daniel Harvey Palu. “I was looking to build a strong foundation in songwriting, music production, as well as creating my own compositions. I was also looking to advance my skills in software and recording techniques, as well as building up studio experience. Musicians Making A Difference was a great stepping stone into getting into AIM, due to me participating in many courses which they were putting on, thus building up the basic knowledge to be accepted into AIM.”
Palu predominantly makes hip hop music. Ever since its advent in the 1970s, the genre has been a highly collaborative art form – it’s as much about the DJ/producer as it is about the MC and there continues to be rife cross-pollination among artists. At AIM, Palu is surrounded by a multitude of other aspiring musicians working across a range of disciplines. This has opened the door for plenty of collaborative experiments, allowing Palu to observe other students’ creative approaches and expand his own musical outlook.
“Hip hop is a very collaborative genre and I have built many great relationships with students who I have collaborated with and am in the process of collaborating with,” he says. “You often meet many DJs and producers at AIM who are looking for artists and other producers to work together on their original music. I have picked up many helpful tools and methods from other people who have been in different experiences within the music industry. This has definitely helped me with my own music to create something that has meaning.”
There is a prevailing school of thought – no doubt abetted by the availability of guitar tablature websites and YouTube tutorials – that the value of formal training and the process of learning music in an academic environment is declining in popularity. Mistaken or otherwise, the theory goes that this way of development will dilute the purity of expression and normalise one’s method of application. However, Palu understands the great advantages that result from seeking instruction from others.
“I think it is vital to gain knowledge and to learn the history of your art,” he says. “There are always new opportunities to grow in any field and learning music is a great way to further your career.”
Last year Palu won the gold medal for rap vocal at the World Championship of Performing Arts in Long Beach, California. It’s a prestigious victory and he intends to build upon that momentum throughout the remaining months of 2016.
“Winning gold was an awesome experience. I did gain a lot of confidence and it gave me a lot more opportunities to build my career. It definitely gave me a boost in courage and motivation. My plan for the remainder of the year is to continue completing my study at AIM, release my EP and headline for a few international artists who are performing in Australia.”
D. Minor’sMixtapeis out now independently. For more information about the courses AIM offer, head to aim.edu.au.
