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This week’s Milwaukee Artist of the Week is Dash D.U.B., a local rapper that really puts all of his effort into his music. Dash first popped onto my radar when I was creating the MKE Radio player, and he submitted some really high quality tracks. However, recently Dash D.U.B. put out his most recent mixtape, “Black Heart 3 Part 2”, and in that time between hearing him I can pick up that he’s improved tremendously.

The first thing that caught me was the name. Clearly, Dash has put out a lot of material in the interim. Depending on the number of parts that each Black Heart mixtape had, he’s put out at least 4 releases, probably more. That’s a lot of time to improve, and it’s also a testament to his dedication. That deserves some respect, for sure. The next thing that I noticed was the style that he’s going for. While many rappers look to emulate the style and flash of the major players in hip hop, Dash D.U.B. is making his name doing his own thing. It’s not about pretending to have something he doesn’t; he’s making music about where he is in his life, and his story. That’s authenticity, something hip hop is lacking to some degree. With a solid foundation, the music can shine.

Which brings me to the music. There is purpose on most of Black Heart 3, Part 2. The hook to “Recognize Real”, the second track on the album, explains it quite transparently, proclaiming “This is who the fuck I am”. It’s an introduction, and it’s also affirmation that Dash D.U.B. is 100% who he wants to be. Songs like “Enjoy The Moment” and “Running Out of Time (R.O.O.T.)” draw attention to the reality of being an unsigned artist, let alone an unsigned artist in an oversaturated hip hop market. It’s also important to recognize D.U.B.’s sense of the current musical landscape. With only eight tracks on this release, he favored quality over quantity. By putting his effort into eight quality tracks, instead of pushing out a tape with significantly more work, it gives the listener something to enjoy for what it is. It’s clear that Dash D.U.B. is doing things the right way, something very deserving of Milwaukee Artist of the Week credentials. With that foundation started, he’s on his way to doing bigger and better things with his next tape.

Check out Black Heart 3, Part 2 via Fusion Mixtapes by clicking the cover below: