I come from a small town - Hopewell, VA. Most people have never heard of it, which leads me to say “30 min south of Richmond.” I spent most of my years there before moving to Atlanta to play D1 basketball in the ACC on scholarship. I was able to earn my degree & graduate in 3 years while being a full-time Dean’s List student-athlete. Without a doubt, that lifestyle and discipline directly translate to the work ethic I have.

​

In 2023 I realized I could do anything. That sounds crazy, but I believe it to be true still to this day. That mentality has certainly led me to where I am now. When I was done hooping, I thought I could become a full-time photographer. My parents gave me a Canon as a graduation gift and I fell in love with the art instantly. That love eventually carried me to different creative spaces in the DMV and allowed me to network in ways I couldn't have imagined. One of those spaces I was led to as a photographer was an open mic event for local artists. Against my typical judgement, I decided to read a poem I had uncharacteristically just written. After receiving very high praises for my writing, my mind started turning. I realized, ‘I’ve always been good with my words, and I’ve always had an affinity for music… music is poetry… I can do this.’ One month later, Dai 1 Freestyle, along with PaydaiOTW, was born.

 

Since then I’ve been able to create a real name for myself in the DMV - I’m known best for my bar-heavy lyricism, intense stage presence, hand-made one-of-a-kind crochet fashion designs, and shooting vibrant portraits. Some probably wonder how I’m able to keep up with all my creative pursuits, but I don’t even know myself half of the time. What I do know is all of this hard work is going to continue to pay off. Paydai forever OTW!