Meet Steve DaMar, he’s a successful rapper and singer-songwriter from Lynwood, CA. You may know him from his radio plays, his run on Fox’s XFactor TV Show, or his multiple mixtape releases.

He talked to loading about his start in the industry, why he raps, and his new project, ”KnightMares Of The 310”.

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LMG: How and why did you start rapping? 

Steve DaMar: I started rapping because I came across the song “If I ruled the world” by Nas when I was a kid. I was fascinated by it. I ain’t heard a rap song ever in my life til I heard that song.  I studied and learned the song word for word and would always rap it to my classmates and they thought I was cool for knowing how to spit. And the more rap songs I learned I would rap them for my friends as well as for the other kids around the playground. I guess it was the joy I got learning lyrics to a song and then the excitement I’d get preparing to perform it for my friends. It’s a great feeling. Even to this day I get excited when I finish writing a song and my fans are the friends that I can’t wait to show it to. Call it a full circle I guess lol.

LMG: Who is your dream collaboration?

Steve DaMar: I’d definitely have to add Nas first and foremost cause that’s my god. That’s who I look up to in the art of storytelling and rap in general. I’d also love to work with Alicia Keys. Ummm Q Tip of A Tribe Called Quest forsure! Kweli, Camron, Roddy Ricch , Travis McCoy as well of Gym Class Heroes. 

LMG: Tell me about your new release and your inspiration behind it.

Steve DaMar: Yea man my album is called “KnightMares Of The 310.” I spelled nightmares with K because my old high school’s mascot is a Knight and I hold my city on the highest pedestal so that was a way I was able to Incorporate my city. The album is all about where I came from, where I’ve cruised around as a kid and just the cities in which the area codes are all 310. We have Compton, Carson, Inglewood , Hawthorne the list goes on. It was dangerous growing up in the 90’s out there and I saw with my own 2 eyes how rugged and hectic these streets are. From the drive-bys to the house raiding to prostitution ring. I’ve seen it all. So with this album I wanted to rap for those people that either got killed, shot at, or are locked up. They have a voice too and I just wanna be that voice for them. This album describes how I stayed alive and survived it. I still am surviving. 

LMG: What is your goal as a rapper?

Steve DaMar: Honestly my goal as a rapper is to be able put food in my and my families mouths as well as keep us sheltered. My goal is to be considered one of the hardest working artists in this industry. I’m talking Lil Wayneqb type of hard work. I wanna find schools that don’t have enough findings to buy certain things they school requires. I want to give them whatever they need to keep our children out of trouble and out of the streets. 

LMG: What kind of music are you listening to now?

Steve DaMar: As of lately I’ve been listening to a lot of indie music. That’s my jam forsure. But also taking it back and playing some Big L. His music was so ahead of its time that in 2020 I still follow his advice he would teach thru his lyrics. I’m a walking jukebox so I’m always listening to random genres of music. Never just 1 thing, you know. But now. Things is forsure I’m forever listening to 90’s hip hop always! 

LMG: How does where your from affect how you rap? 

Steve DaMar: Where I’m from affects how I rap in multiple ways. My music is violent because I’m be seein a lot of violence. I never had to kill anyone but I’ve seen a person get killed right in front of me at 14. And it def fucked with my mind a lot until I had seen it so often, that it was almost as if I’d become numb to the fear of it. I was at a point where I was like “Yo, people lose their lives in the streets everyday what makes mine so different.” But with my music I was able to find my difference. My difference is that now I get to speak for them, meet their stories going thru my words and what I saw. The gangs fights and all the dangers of living In Compton/Lynwood in the 90’s; that’s all I saw so that’s what I rap about. I wouldn’t have been a rapper if I grew up in the suburbs or had a nice house in Malibu. So that’s how where I’m from affected me and my music. 

LMG: Who is your target audience as a rapper? 

Steve DaMar: Honestly I have no specific target audience. I want my audience to choose for themselves. I like to be that artist in which a person feels almost lucky to have come across. I get that way with a lot of new artists. So I want ppl to feel the same with me. 

LMG: What’s your ideal setting for your next video?

Steve DaMar: I would love to shoot a video Immy families home growing up which is Samoa. I always imagined filming there and just visiting my beautiful Samoan people. 

Follow Steve DaMar on Instagram and Check out “KnightMares of the 310” on all streaming platforms.