D. Worthy is set to release his highly anticipated album, ‘Ridiculous,’ on August 30, coinciding with a performance at the Roseland Theater opening for Chris Travis and Mike Sherm. With an exhilarating statement that it sounds like ‘sprinting through a brick wall with a smile on your face,’ Worthy captures the essence of this vibrant record.
The 12-track album embraces a chaotic yet catchy vibe reminiscent of cartoon physics, similar to the anarchy found in the Looney Tunes universe. Its bass is explosive, synths are bright and playful, and Worthy’s already deep voice is exaggerated to the point where it feels like he’s broadcasting from a whimsical underwater world.
Fans of his previous work, particularly 2022’s ‘Everything I Could Never Tell You,’ may find ‘Ridiculous’ to be a striking departure from the soulful rap tradition he seemed to embody. Worthy intentionally crafted this album to feel like an unbroken, high-stakes fight scene. ‘No cuts, no breaks, just bruises,’ he describes, highlighting its relentless energy.
Beneath the surface of this upbeat and chaotic sound lies a profound seriousness. Worthy refers to ‘Ridiculous’ as his most important album, discussing his challenging upbringing candidly through its lyrics and in interviews. The album cover, initially appearing as a vibrant pop-art piece, reveals deeper layers upon closer inspection, showcasing a distorted family photo with a blacked-out figure representing his absent father and a crying mother figure who symbolizes the pain of his artistic journey.
Danitrius Worthy, born in Cleveland in 1991 and also known as Dior Worthy, faced many challenges in his early life, including time spent in the foster care system. After reconnecting with his mother in his teenage years, he moved to Portland in 2010, where he absorbed diverse musical influences that contribute to his unique style. He coins this blend as ‘ghetto grunge,’ infusing hip-hop with elements of Portland’s rock tradition.
Worthy reflects on his social circle, which encompassed a mix of backgrounds: ‘I started having white friends, started having Black friends, started having friends who were hood guys and people who skated,’ he shares. This eclectic mix gave rise to a common ground of being misunderstood, which resonates through his music.
While attending Eastern Washington University, he began to channel his experiences into music as a means of coping with past traumas. Together with Marcus Matthews, he founded Blow Up Kids, or BUK, an art collective aimed at managing the fashion, visuals, and marketing of Worthy’s artistic endeavors.
Looking to industry icons such as Pharrell and Kanye West for inspiration, Worthy aspired to create not just music but entire worlds. His debut mixtape, ‘Anticipation,’ released in 2012, reflects this ethos, heavily sampling alternative rock elements and featuring introspective lyrics about his family history and aspirations.
While ‘Anticipation’ remains a significant highlight of his career, particularly in Europe where it gained traction among DJs, Worthy acknowledges that his fan base is more substantial internationally than locally. ‘It just really comes down to the internet,’ he explains, acknowledging the disparities between his play in Portland and his popularity overseas. Recently, he returned from a tour in Paris which coincided with Fashion Week, experiencing a higher level of recognition abroad than at home.
Portland has often been overlooked as a breeding ground for emerging rap talent, with its most prominent artists being outliers rather than representatives of the local scene. However, despite traveling the globe, Worthy remains deeply connected to his Portland roots. ‘I never felt in my whole life like I needed to move to another city,’ he states, asserting his commitment to his home city. For Worthy, Portland is not just a backdrop but an integral part of his identity as an artist, one he intends to carry with him wherever he goes.
image source from：wweek
