- Words Cal McIntyre
- Photography Aaron Sinclair
- Styling Branden Ruiz
- Grooming Alexa Hernandez
- Production Studio Notion
We run through the hills with Texas via Puerto Rico rapper Iann Dior who is determined to follow his own path whether the internet likes it or not.
The beauty of the internet is that artists can appear out of thin air almost like magic. However, sometimes these stars fade almost as quickly as they were created. This is not the case for Iann Dior as he continues to step into his own artistic light, proving everyone who doubted him wrong.
The young rapper and self-proclaimed ‘sad boy’ crafts music that lies at the intersection of rap and punk with Dior’s poetic stanzas becoming the words of an online generation. His debut album, ‘Industry Plant’, aimed to hold a mirror up to the vicious trolls who didn’t want to believe in the talent that the young rapper embodies in his production and prolific lyricism. Proving he has the chops and the non-believers wrong, ‘Industry Plant’ is ultimately an album that narrates the trials and tribulations of being a young person growing up in a digital landscape – the euphoric highs and the insufferable lows.
What’s so refreshing about Iann Dior is that he is taking control of his own narrative – the meteoric rise to fame doesn’t always have a silver lining. Unsurprisingly, the 15 track debut album proves Iann is anything but an industry plant with tracks weaving from British Punk, Trap, Rap and R&B with grace and ease leaving the listener certain that Iann is right where he is supposed to be.
Showing no signs of slowing down, Iann’s already sailing into 2020 with strength and vulnerability in his latest release ‘I Can’t Sleep’ which is a declaration of Iann treating his tracks like a diary into the mind and soul of his realtime thoughts and feelings.
Chasing artistic freedom, we run with Iann Dior in the hills of Los Angeles as he cements himself as one of the great new rappers to breakthrough.
- Suit Jeremy Willard
- Shoes Dr. Martens
- Glasses Akila
- Jacket No.J
If you could summarise it, what would be the story of how you became a musician?
I wasn’t very happy with who I was when I began my creative process a few years ago. Music was something I was able to use as an outlet to describe my life, what I was going through, and it helped me find myself. I decided to commit to this and wanted to make a career out of it.
How would you describe your sound?
I think it’s a blend. It has elements of rock, pop, and urban. All things I love to listen to.
What are some of your first memories of music?
My dad would play Marc Anthony and Jay-Z’s ‘Blueprint’ in the car a lot. I would also get in trouble a lot for listening to music instead of paying attention to things like school.
- Suit Jeremy Willard
- Glasses Akila
What’s the best part of being an artist? The worst?
I would say the best part of being an artist is that I can fully be myself and there are a lot of people that I am able to connect with now that feel the same way. The worst part would be figuring out who I can really trust and who is there for me as a person at the end of the day. Adjusting to all the cameras constantly on me hasn’t been my favourite either.
What is something that not many people would know about you?
I’m fluent in Spanish.
- Two-Piece Maison Kitsune
- Shoes Sketchers
- Rings Han Cholo
- Suit Jeremy Willard
- Shoes Dr. Martens
What energy do you want to give off when you perform live?
A hype crazy, fun, relatable, experience for everyone that comes to my shows.
What are you most looking forward to in 2020?
Meeting new people and new opportunities.
What does being in love feel like for you?
Like shit.
- Jacket No.J
- Jacket HUF
- Shirt & Trousers Bluovablu
- Shoes Sketchers
- Glasses Akila
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
Things could be worse and you’re always in a better position than you were before.
Do you have a favourite lyric you’ve written right now?
“Now everyone’s the same like a sickness to my brain”
If you could say one thing to baby Iann, what would it be?
I would tell myself that nothing is impossible and forget what everyone else says because it doesn’t matter. You can make it without following the rules.
- Jacket No.J
- Trousers Dying Breed