Image via AKW
Making a hit song requires a perfect storm of good timing, the right connections, strong music, and countless other factors of varying importance. Sometimes, it seems like luck plays a big role, like scoring a hit record as a new artist is a random achievement that can’t be controlled, but Lil Yachty broke down one approach that almost never fails: “You gotta take over your city before you take over the world,” he explained. “Make a name for yourself in your city. Once I did that, and locked in Atlanta, everybody knew who I was. It was so easy, because you’ve already got your support system in your city.”
If local attention is the key to success, Atlanta rapper Dae Dae is well on his way. He’s taking off in the local market, racking up radio plays and Shazam searches. In a panel featuring some of Atlanta’s top DJs, his song “Wat U Mean” was named the hottest song in the city right now. And now he’s got Lil Yachty on the remix and 300 Entertainment backing him.
“I came up with the two bars while I was pouring concrete,” Dae Dae says. While making “Wat U Mean,” he was still working in construction. “It’s a declaration. Talking about my family brings me closer to everybody else who has the same responsibilities out there. I’m showing it’s possible to take care of the ones you love, but you’ve got to work like you’ve never worked. I take this music and opportunity very seriously.”
Listen to “Wat U Mean” below, and check out his 4 Reasons mixtape here.
Here’s the official “Wat U Mean” video:
And here’s a video of an Uber driver dancing to the song:
