An Interview with MissDriDri, the Lyrical Composer for ‘Kold x Windy’

It is definitely safe to say, that the WE tv series, Kold x Windy, is quite the impressive show. One that has offered up a wonderfully refreshing and original plot, some fine acting and music that straight up slaps. Which is likely due to the fact that the production team hired a Chicago-based artist to bring Drill Music to life for us on the small screen, named MissDriDri, and we here at Nerds That Geek were lucky enough to sit down with MissDriDri to discuss her work on the show and her love of music.
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John Betancourt: Let’s talk a little bit about what got you into music in the first place.

MissDriDri: I dated a guy. And he was a local rapper. And I was a person that worked nine to five, I've always had a nine to five kind of blue-collar job. And he would play the same beats over and over and over again, just writing to them, and this one Saturday, I just wanted to go out and it took him forever. He's just… I'm like, are you still writing? He said, “If you think it's so easy, you do it.” And I did. And then when I'm like, “I'm ready. Are you ready to hear?” He's like, “Alright, let me hear.” So, then I rapped it for him. And he's like, “Oh, my God.” I'm like, “What?” He's like, “I feel like Dr. Dre when he heard Eazy E on the NWA movie.” I'm like, “No!” He's like, “You should do this.” I'm like, “Really?” And then I just kept going.  

John Betancourt: Now every writer in every industry has their own unique creation process, what does your process look like?

MissDriDri: Um, I may be hearing a melody. And then you know, I might hum it, I'll start by sometimes humming and doing a voice note, that'll be combined with taking notes. Or sometimes I can just be out and about, and I'll hear someone say something that may strike me to write off a complete verse. Sometimes you can hear a track that is so good that you just start -- you can write a whole song in five minutes. It's all different, just all based on just the vibe. And sometimes I have to just take myself completely out, you know, out of my book, out of my notepad, and just go outside and get inspired. So, it's a combination of everything, honestly. But I'll write, I’ll freestyle. Just the combination.

John Betancourt: What is it that you love about music and music writing?

MissDriDri: Expression. You know, I feel like… I mean, I'm not sure if it's the way that I was raised, or, you know, a lot of times you just feel like you don't have a voice. And through music. It's a way I mean, in creating music, I started to understand the power of it. You're able to, to capsule an emotion. So, every time I go back to that place, I can feel that again. And to me, that's just like the ultimate power. So that expression for me, it's just… it's an amazing outlet.

John Betancourt: Now to shift gears a bit, how did you get involved as the lyrical composer for Kold x Windy?

MissDriDri: Oh, man, so Kold x Windy, I got a call from one of the producers who had heard some of my personal music. And they thought maybe I might work out; I could try to see if I was able to write for one of the characters. And I was like, “You know what, I've never had an opportunity this big before.” So, I just engulfed on it. They sent me the script and the placement. I read the script back and forth. So, I was married to all the characters. And then once I saw the placement list, I just started submitting music for everyone. I'm like, “You know what, I'm gonna just get right in there.” And that worked out for me. I mean, they at, at a certain point, I developed the sound for the group, you know, so they just let me keep going. They're like, “Hey, Dri do you want to try to write for a male character?” I'm like, “Let's do it.” So, I just I just went for full throttle.

John Betancourt: Now speaking of that… how did you as a composer, get into the heads of Kold and Windy and the other characters and get these lyrics to work as well as they do.

MissDriDri: Oh, man. Well, thank you for that. Um, I went out and I went to Kinko’s, and I went to Walmart, and I went to CVS, and I got everything I could to organize. And I just I just subdivided each episode. And then I just went through and made sure every song was there, every placement was there, you know, everything was right. I would go back and play it, is there, you know, making sure we were following guidelines to the network. You know, are we saying anything that we shouldn't be saying. Does it sound does it relate to the script, all of that good stuff. So, it was a process, you know, but it was so fun because again, I was I was engulfed in the script like, I knew it back backwards and forwards. So, it was probably one of the best things I've ever done artistically honestly.

John Betancourt: Now you mentioned the power of expression and what music can do for you from an emotional standpoint. What do you hope people take away from an emotional standpoint when it comes to the songs you’ve written for the show?

MissDriDri: I'm hoping that as opposed to Drill being looked at as, as just a negative source, that people can understand the soul and the passion and the journey of why the expression is there in general. If that makes sense. I want to I want the viewers to see the journey of how this develops, how do you become a Drill artist? As opposed to wow, look at the results of you know, the negative results of Drill, but how do you become that? So, I want them to see the people behind the song.

John Betancourt: Now you’ve brought up some great points there about how people don’t quite understand Drill, and its meaning. So… what does Drill music mean to you?

MissDriDri: Drill Music to me, is an expression. I mean, it's what I grew up on, you know? It was… we were so… like Drill Music, it was such a movement for us that we didn't realize that there were outside listeners, you know, so it was shocking to me when I came to New York, and there were it was… New York Drill, because I think just like maybe the creators of Drill Music, I don't think they realize that there were outside viewers because it's such a part of your journey. So, Drill Music to me, it means who I am. You know, it's a staple of how I grew up. So, it represents where I came from.

John Betancourt: What does it mean for you to create for a show that is so pioneering?

MissDriDri: Oh, man, this is… I haven't even been able to find a word for it. Because it's super surreal for me, I just, sometimes I just can't even believe that, you know, it's like standing on your porch and trying to shoot a target in the sky with a bow and arrow and actually hitting the target. Like, I'm just like, you know, I'm super thankful for it. It means everything to me to be a part of it. Because music in general is such a part of my life journey and Drill in particular. And just being able to have just a portion, a sliver of the pie of what that means, means everything to me. So, I'm thankful.

John Betancourt: Last question I have for you today. What are you most proud of when it comes to your work on this show?

MissDriDri: I'm proud of the fact that I'm a female, like I'm a girl that has been able to conquer a space that's been predominantly led by men. I'm thankful that… I'm proud that I'm an inner-city girl, also, that's been able to express themselves in such a broad space. I'm thankful that I'm able to be in media, I mean, all of these different plateaus that I've been able to step on. And then also that I am the sole lyricist, I'm the sole writer for this show. I mean, I wrote for every single character. And then, once, I said to myself, if I get the theme song, that's when I'm gonna say “Momma, I made it.” And I got the theme song. So… Momma! I MADE IT! (Laughter.)

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

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