Speaker A
What's up guys? It's D-Leo here.
D-Leo discusses his song 'The Circus,' addressing misconceptions and sharing his vision of independence and creativity in the South African music industry.
Key Takeaways
- The song 'The Circus' symbolizes D-Leo's battle against conformity in the music industry.
- Independence and creative freedom are central themes in his music career.
- Misinterpretations of the song's message reflect broader cultural misunderstandings.
- Pursuing a God-given vision requires resilience against societal and industry pressures.
- The South African music scene is challenging for artists who do not produce mainstream party music.
What the video covers
- D-Leo explains the artistic vision behind his song 'The Circus,' featuring clown imagery and burning circus tents.
- The song is a dialogue between his current self and his younger self, reflecting on entering the music industry.
- He emphasizes his independence as an artist and refusal to conform to mainstream or party music trends in South Africa.
- D-Leo addresses misconceptions, rejecting claims that the song is satanistic or an LGBTQ+ anthem.
- He critiques the South African music industry for favoring party music and limiting creative freedom.
- The song serves as a warning to young artists about the challenges and pressures of the music industry.
- D-Leo discusses the importance of pursuing a God-given vision despite opposition and difficulties.
- He highlights the prevalence of nominal Christianity in South Africa and the struggle of true believers.
- The circus metaphor represents the music industry as a system that tries to cage and conform artists.
- D-Leo plans to release a detailed lyric breakdown to further explain the song's meaning.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
Okay, I saw a couple of interesting comments underneath the circus's announcement and stuff like that.
Speaker A
Um, let me be honest, there are some people calling it satanistic.
Speaker A
Interesting.
Speaker A
Um, conservative Christian making satanist music.
Speaker A
How does that work? That just doesn't make any sense if I'm honest.
Speaker A
Um, no, so let me put it this way, the circus specifically, I had this vision in mind, not I'm not saying I had a vision as in, hey, vision, that kind of thing.
Speaker A
I mean, I just had this artistic vision for it, um, that I, how shall I put this?
Speaker A
Um, you know, with the clown makeup in the cover and all that stuff, I'll just quickly put the cover here.
Speaker A
Okay.
Speaker A
You guys can see the clown makeup.
Speaker A
Circus tents burning down behind me.
Speaker A
So, that is basically just me entering the music industry.
Speaker A
I'm basically in the song talking to the younger version of myself.
Speaker A
I just, sorry to say, wanted to do a death metal song just because I can.
Speaker A
I'm an independent artist who doesn't get told by labels what to do.
Speaker A
So, I can literally do whatever the heck I want.
Speaker A
I mean, that's just that's true creativity.
Speaker A
So, that's why I wanted to do what I did, um, in the circus.
Speaker A
Because who else is doing it in South Africa like that?
Speaker A
I mean, a death metal rap song, basically.
Speaker A
Um, but so I was basically talking to the younger Daniel.
Speaker A
Um, Daniel is, of course, my real name.
Speaker A
But I was talking to my younger self when I was 13, 14, starting rapping.
Speaker A
Producing, all that stuff.
Speaker A
Getting into the game.
Speaker A
I'm like, okay, so if you thought you'd be safe, think again.
Speaker A
You'll be taught to behave by drunken men.
Speaker A
Fit the mold and you'll be fine.
Speaker A
You'll be bold and you will die.
Speaker A
You'll be scorned in truth they hide.
Speaker A
Because the norm is your life.
Speaker A
So, that's basically the first four bars of the verse of the circus.
Speaker A
Um, of the first verse.
Speaker A
So, my mindset in this was, I'm in the music industry.
Speaker A
Burning it down from the inside.
Speaker A
Basically, the South African music industry specifically.
Speaker A
I'm burning it down from the inside.
Speaker A
Um, and the thing is, I don't fit the mold of what everybody wants as a rapper in South Africa.
Speaker A
I mean, I don't do this party songs.
Speaker A
Um, I never felt it was necessary to basically hurt my rap career by doing that.
Speaker A
Because, if I'm honest, my music I'm making for people who are exiled.
Speaker A
Who are misunderstood in the sense that they are creatives, but people don't want to accept their creativity as valid.
Speaker A
Um, as anything substantial.
Speaker A
So, I'm making music for that.
Speaker A
I'm not, I saw people thinking that the circus is some kind of LGBTQ+ anthem.
Speaker A
Can you guys please stop?
Speaker A
That's stupid.
Speaker A
If I'm honest.
Speaker A
I mean, because of the woke mob, I lost my Cane Bridge.
Speaker A
Because of.
Speaker A
Why would I endorse wokism?
Speaker A
I wouldn't.
Speaker A
So, stop doing that.
Speaker A
The circus is about creativity.
Speaker A
It's not about, um, the left delusion.
Speaker A
So, yeah.
Speaker A
I'm actually in the song, it's older me.
Speaker A
Me right now, talking to the younger me.
Speaker A
About, now you're entering the circus.
Speaker A
People are going to hate you.
Speaker A
People are going to break you down.
Speaker A
People are going to think you are not worth it.
Speaker A
Um, you are not on a level that you know you are at.
Speaker A
So, that's like, it's like I'm talking to my younger self.
Speaker A
Being like, okay.
Speaker A
You're entering a den of lions or a den of wolves or bears or whatever you want to call it.
Speaker A
And they want to rip you apart because you don't want to fit their mold.
Speaker A
You don't want to do what they do.
Speaker A
And you want to remain independent.
Speaker A
Because when I was young, when I started out, I was like, hopefully a label will see.
Speaker A
War torn or standing alone and sign me.
Speaker A
But in the middle of standing alone, I realized that if I sell out to a label.
Speaker A
They're going to take my creativity.
Speaker A
They're going to take all that stuff.
Speaker A
You're basically selling your creative soul to the label.
Speaker A
And you will not be you by the end of your label run.
Speaker A
I mean, I'm changing daily, I'm, you know, adapting, evolving in the sense that I'm moving forward.
Speaker A
Becoming more mature as I age.
Speaker A
Um, learning more every day.
Speaker A
Um, so that's basically, I want to talk to to the young artists out there as well.
Speaker A
That's basically the song is talking to me when I was young.
Speaker A
But I'm basically talking to all the young artists out there as well.
Speaker A
Wanting to enter the game.
Speaker A
Because it's a brutal game.
Speaker A
If we're honest.
Speaker A
The music industry in South Africa, if you do not do dumb party music, if we're honest.
Speaker A
You are not going to be able to do festivals because you are not making music for drunk people.
Speaker A
That's basically what the circus comes down to.
Speaker A
Um, there's actually a bar later on in the song where I'm like, um, kind of interesting.
Speaker A
That the beer tents at markets are the things that do the best.
Speaker A
In South Africa, I don't know if it's global.
Speaker A
I know about South Africa.
Speaker A
So.
Speaker A
That's basically one of the bars in there.
Speaker A
So, my entire motive with the circus was talking about my perspectives on the music industry.
Speaker A
To my younger self.
Speaker A
Being like, bro.
Speaker A
You are going in here.
Speaker A
Be prepared.
Speaker A
They're going to hate you.
Speaker A
They're going to think you are crazy.
Speaker A
They're going to think you're delusional.
Speaker A
All that stuff.
Speaker A
And to me, it's like, I mean, if you have a vision.
Speaker A
And I'm talking to the person on the other side of the screen right now.
Speaker A
If you've got a vision and you know that vision is a God-given idea to achieve that, to be able to help further the kingdom.
Speaker A
Then, I mean, you'll be basically flicking the middle finger to God.
Speaker A
If you're not chasing that vision like you're crazy.
Speaker A
Because it's like, if God gives you a vision.
Speaker A
Move towards that vision.
Speaker A
He'll give you the tools, he'll give you the abilities to reach that vision.
Speaker A
It's going to be hard.
Speaker A
Let's be honest.
Speaker A
Following Christ is the hardest journey you'll ever face.
Speaker A
Because there's so many nominal Christians in South Africa.
Speaker A
Very few true Christians in South Africa.
Speaker A
The church is mostly filled with nominal Christians, if we're honest.
Speaker A
So, that's like, you got, I mean, even in the Christian world.
Speaker A
If you, if you move towards a vision, people will much rather break you down, um, sorry to say, manipulate you.
Speaker A
And just want to, how shall I put this, be part of the circus.
Speaker A
They want to be monkeys within the circus.
Speaker A
Clowns within the circus.
Speaker A
The system that they are conforming to, and they don't want you to, you know, fit.
Speaker A
Um, outside of that mold, they don't want you to be outside of the box that they want to cage you in.
Speaker A
So, that's basically what the circus is about.
Speaker A
I'll do a lyric breakdown soon.
Speaker A
I'm going to post that specifically on YouTube.
Speaker A
Um, I'm not sure if I'll be able, I'll see how I share the link to IG.
Speaker A
Um, but yeah.
Speaker A
So, hopefully all that makes sense to you guys.
Speaker A
Peace.
Topics:D-LeoThe CircusSouth African music industryindependent artistcreative freedomdeath metal rapmusic industry challengesartistic visionChristian perspectivemusic career advice
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