Blake St. David, an artist of many intricacies— approaches rap with a new, fresh POV. His tracks are playful, gritty, and buoyant—a sound truly unbound to genre. 

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The Chicago native combines elements of hip-hop, contemporary RnB, and ambient pop. Drawing inspiration from artist such as Bo Burnham, Kyle and Childish Gambino, Blake St. David unifies soul and electronic sounds. As an adolescent, the artist was greatly exposed to folk and pop genres. St. David says, “We listened to a lot of Madonna ..my mom didn’t like Black people, so she would try to keep me as far away from Black culture as possible…I didn’t hear hip hop until I heard Kyle.” Other musical influences include, Timberland, the Neptunes and Goldlink. 

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Saint David’s most recent project Cairo, Illinois examines raw thought in conjunction to upbeat sounds. Slow tempos are used as a juxtaposition. Tracks such as “Exactly Where I Should Be” and “My Name” are prime examples of Saint David’s ability to convey sensibility. Singles such as “Temporary” (feat. Aidan Ochre) offer that same sense of contrast. 

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In the following interview WW picks St. David’s brain on style, inspiration & artistry.