Introduce yourself
I’m Deal The Villain aka DTV aka Deal Diamontes aka Mr. Villain… your FRIENDLY neighborhood bad guy… or just Deal.
Musical Background
Very little formal training in percussion. Self taught DJ since the 90’s. Prefessional novice of standalone akai mpc’s & reason daw. As well as a self taught musical engineer, producer & arranger.
Musical Influences
I’m a student of almost every musical genre. I first fell in love with classical & jazz. Then soul, disco, punk, r&b & rap. I pull from any thread in the rich tapestry of sound.
What song sparked the fire in you to pick up the mic
My love of the art form & desire to be a part of something that has such a great influence in lives… along with NOT wanting to just be the DJ/Producer/Beatmaker.
How do you stay inspired in this present musical climate
Growth. The evolution from lack of mainstream respect and recognition; to becoming the dominant art form embroiled in internal debate. I feel that you ALWAYS have something to say in rap. The sonic soundscape expands infinitely. And for better or worse it’s the only musical genre that openly criticizes itself within context.
How has the journey been so far
(laughs) I can’t begin to describe a spec of my life which is a spec of existence. I’ve had losses, wins, pain, joy… a life lived. Witnessed violence, unconditional love, opposition & indifference. Becoming ever aware of cultural divides and oppression; the importance of confirmation & respect to demolish rape culture. Indulged in many vices… many vices. And been wrong in situations that ultimately offered growth. sooooo, I’d say…. cool?
How impactful do you think you can be in this present state of hip hop
I feel I can affect as much as the number of people that connect with me. I’ve learned that no matter what I say and/or do that the verdict lay with the audience. The following will dictate the involvement. I feel it’s just my responsibility to be as true to myself, the art & those who love it as I can be. Along with my journey as a being & sharing my ideology in an informative manner as best possible. I make that global universal buffet for you. What you choose to dine on is whatever flavor you savor on your plate on that date.
How would you describe your sound
I’m gonna coin the terms… nostalgic progressive or traditionally relevant. I believe in beats and lyrics that make you feel and think. I could have a certain sound over a few songs & projects, then blossoms over the course of time. The seconds, minutes, hours, days & years change; why not I? Time is still time though. No matter how different.
Dream collaborations
I suck at this! My biggest thing is that I just wanna work with artists who wanna work with me & feel what I do. Worst thing in the world is to run your dream list and find out they all HATE your music! I really feel like the best nobody barely on the scene. I’m highly confident in my art and COMPLETELY oblivious to anyone ever liking what I do. So I apologize to all my icons… but I say EVERYBODY except LL Cool J.
Dream producers to work with
Whoa! TOTALLY different story. I’d LOVE to work with; in NO particular order; Knxwledge, DJ Premier, 9th Wonder, J. Cole (when he’s in that forrest hills zone.), 40, Earl Sweatshirt, Flying Lotus, Soundwave, Terrence Martin, Statik Selekth, Kanye (when he’s in his Pusha T bag), Adrian Younge… I can go FOREVER!
Five years from now, where do you see your brand
MORE RECOGNIZABLE! Assending to white famous cult status, nahmean?!?! Like where I’m known and still people’s dirty little secret. The kind of brand that you want everybody to love but happy they’re not completely commercial to the point it’s not what you fell in love with anymore. Like that tv show or function only you and your friends know about and love. THAT’S what DTV’s goal for all his Vipers… even though I’d still be utterly clueless and never believe it when it happens.
What other feathers do you want to add to your cap
Ambassador, spokesperson, champion of the people, satirist, progressive ideologist… and cool ass dude… I guess.
Your favourite quote/saying
“Get out there and make a mess of your life.” – Dr. Squires (The Wackness)
Biggest accomplishment so far
Not being the same person I was through previous stages in my life.
Most memorable meeting
The event I first met Brokn.Englsh. Kicking it with producer 6th Sense outside a video shoot. He’s just a cool genuine guy. Being in a group receiving gems from Guru not too long before he passed. Getting treated to a birthday breakfast by Homeboy Sandman, just cuz. Same day I chilled with 6th Sense. Being on a perspective hip-hop reality show & getting to know MC turned politician DoItAll. I was CRAZY about Lords Of The Underground as a kid and I never told him that… cuz I didn’t feel the need. He’s just a dope person beyond being an artist. There’s tons of other moments and I said more than one. You caught me in a reflective mood. I HATE name dropping. Shout out to Writtenhouse, Kapital Gains; definitely good moments with them. Let me leave memory lane. 
Something you wish will never happen again to you in the industry
I value EVERY experience I’ve had. Couldn’t be who I am now without it. Sometimes you gotta get jerked. Bad business can lead to better dealings… IF you learn from them.
How can the world interact with you
Deal_TheVillain on instagram and twitter. Deal Diamontes on FB. InfiniteChamp on snapchat. Deal The Villain fb artist page. ANYBODY can hit me up anytime. I’m not fielding massive inquires currently… I SHOULD reply back.
If you had one wish
I automatically started thinking about Nas’ lyrics from “If I Ruled The World”. Besides more wishes I’d say universal understanding, respect and empathy for any and every existing culture and the beings within them.
Last words
Thank you for this opportunity to address those who follow your movement. Tell’em what you’re gonna tell’em. Tell’em. Tell’em what you told’em. I’m out!
The Author
