Rapper Derek Smith—better known as Mod Sun—is still enjoying the success of his second full-length album, Movie, along with its accompanied 15-minute film titled Album: The Movie, which captures the visual narrative of the record.
“I always been fascinated with the idea of turning your life into a movie,” Smith says, “because I feel like at the end of your life, you watch your movie on your last moments. You go into the dark, and you kind of look back on your life. I want mine to feel like the greatest movie I ever watched.”
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The self-proclaimed inventor of “hippy-hop” isn’t afraid to write about love, relationships, and drug use. But he doesn’t present it in a negative way; he says he feels negativity will get him nowhere, and instead takes a refreshing look at life and challenges he’s experienced.
“I’m not telling them they only have to listen to my music, or you have to be like me or anything. But I definitely offer you an escape from all the bullshit in the world if you want to put my music in. I want people to love their life, but I’m not at all telling people how to live,” he says. “I’ve been having the best time of my life for the last 15 years.”
Well-received by critics, Movie isn’t his only rap effort, but the 30-year-old artist didn’t get his start there.. At 13 years old, he started playing the drums, and by 16, began touring with a few bands, playing in the post-hardcore band Four Letter Lie.
“I will say in high school the whole Blink 182 phase hit me really hard, that whole phase of music and that kind of made me transition,” he says. “I was playing sports a lot when I was younger, then when I found that whole scene and Wrap Tour, all that changed everything for me. It was definitely that whole type of music that made me want to be on the road and tour.”
St. Louis Magazine reached out to the Minnesota native to talk about his career, his new album, and life on the road for a touring artist.
What influenced the name Mod Sun? Were you thinking of any other possible alias?
No, honestly, man, that’s one of the best parts. When I was thinking about starting this new set of music that I make now, I never had any other name before that, and I got that name by literally just having the windows open—it flew in one night when I was trying to figure out what to call this stuff, and I never second guessed it. Right away it just stuck.
I read you started playing drums at 13. Do you still play?
I can still play. The best part of drums, it’s one of those things like golf, you can do it until your 90 years old. You never really forget how to do it, so I can still smash the drums. But I really don’t be sitting down trying to learn stuff anymore, making beats and stuff like that. Putting together drums, it’s technically the same experience. When I visualize a drum beat being made, I look at it like I play the drums.
What drew you to hip-hop?
I’m from Minnesota, and there’s obviously a really great hip-hop scene in Minnesota. The Rhymesayers, guys like Atmoshphere, Brother Ali, and guys like that. Actually, one of my favorite rappers ever was named Eyedea, in the group called Eyedea & Abilities. So that whole scene kind of sparked my interest in there being different lanes in rap and hip-hop.
Then there was that year of the XXL cover with Kid Cudi, Charles Hamiliton. It was the golden years, and it was the last era of mixtapes and stuff like that. Wale, even he dropped this mixtape, it was themed around the show Seinfield, and it was the most classic shit ever.
I read that you wrote 300 tracks for the album. How did you go about narrowing it down to just 11 tracks?
Well, with the help of the label—I’m with Rostrum Records—I record all my own music myself, so I don’t really get outside opinion while I’m making a song. But I really wanted outside opinion on this project, so I figured, I don’t like having people in the studio with me, so I definitely didn’t want to have them sitting there while I’m making songs, but I wanted them to help me figure out what was going good. So, I just figured I better make as many songs as I could and for about six months straight I made 10 songs a day.
So does this mean more music from you later down the line in 2017?
Definitely, Definitely, Definitely. Lots of new music, probably none of those songs that I wrote for the album. Since the album came out, I probably made 40 songs since then just having fun.
With artist like D.R.A.M., Dej Loaf, and Rich the Kid on your new album, what is it like collaborating with artists who sometimes have different styles then your own?
That’s what I think makes it really interesting. If you look at all my features I’ve ever done, it’s always been like that, and remains that way. If I was to say Mod Sun, go find another Mod Sun to do a track with, I really don’t f——- know anyone else who I can go, “OK, that will be a perfect track.” D.R.A.M., with the song Broccoli, that’s kind of one of the closest people I can think of who would make a great song with you, Mod, that’s kind of similar to you. Otherwise I don’t know if anyone else would be great for me to do a song with. That would be awesome, but all my collabs seem to be kind of a opposite attraction kind of thing.
What is your favorite part of traveling the country?
Well it’s a cliché answer, but it’s the reason I go out on the road. It’s to see these people, 100 percent to hear their stories face to face, to talk, to interact with them face to face, and thank them for being there for me.
Do you have any crazy stories from your time on the road?
I just got off tour with Machinegun Kelly…bro, I have way to many stories. Honestly, every single night is crazy, something wild happens. The craziest things is when it’s a chill night. Trust me! That’s the craziest night of the tour, when people are just sitting there with candles lite watching a movie. That happens once every tour. Otherwise every night is f——- madness.
Mod Sun performs at The Ready Room (4195 Manchester) on April 26. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. Marty Grimes & SwagHollywood open. Tickets start at $20. For more information, go to thereadyroom.com.
