We were lucky to catch up with Desmond Smith recently and have shared our conversation below.

Desmond , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

We, as Human beings on this planet we call “Home”.. are all alike in many similar ways. One thing we ALL have in common is “Judgment”.. no matter negative or positive, we all judge someone for something we individually choose from amongst one another. Most common way “We” judge is through first impressions.. no matter if Im taking in a gorgeous scenery, or even simply watching actors in a film.. judgment is just an unavoidable concept in life. Being a young black male in High-school .. But not necessarily like most, I was different! Going through phases is a very Humane thing to go through in life, and trying to figure out who I was, or even who I may become, was a difficult task for me. I am mostly influenced by my generations style of culture and everything within it as far as music to fashion! Wearing “normal” clothes or dressing unique was on my agenda after freshman year passed over! “A new me with a new school year” is what was exciting! i wanted to change my whole style and persona ( I am in Love with “Alternative/ E-Boy lifestyle (; ) so i did! To the best of my wardrobe, I tried! Not everyone really understood what I was trying to accomplish.. people would call me “weird” when walked by, never actually bothered me none, it actually just may of been the exact attention I wanted and that I crave today! Me not ACTUALLY being “emo” or “gothic” some people started asking if I was.. I said Yes and went from there! I took it and ran with it and eventually a few people would give me praise, and admire the new style i broke through with!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Sheeshh, wow! Well honestly.. 1 thing im definitely proud of, is my music ( my arts) I first got into making music as a teen in my freshman, maybe even sophomore year! I feel lime what really drove me in that direction is my love for poetry in 7th grade! I chose to perform at a “poetry night” in front of fellow classmates and parents, but what was probably the worst attempt at reading something and the mix of stage fright was so embarrassing! Long story short, Highschool was providing “Macbooks” aka a way to escape for me and my fellow friends (whom I still work with til this day!) We took our crafts from paper and pencil, and put a beat over them with a little bit of character! Thus… WGMP Dez was born! Although I’ve had a couple different names before I settled;)… WGMP Dez (Rokkstar Dez, Killazami Dez.. etc…) is the most expressive., expensive.. and brutally honest version of myself that we have to offer! and there’s just so much to do in this lifetime as far as everything! Dont be so simple! EXPAND YOUR VERIZON !!!

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Here, in Kanas City, Missouri it’s honestly not much love and support for the goals I have and want to accomplish. But theres a WHOLE wave of people just like me if not similar here! One thing as a artist in the creative ecosystem we ALL can do is simply be open minded to one another style of art, because NOT everyone at all is doing the same thing or just generally on the same page! We’d basically be robots! One share at a time of something that may of even caught your attention a little bit, can go along ways for the creator!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The outcome of a project! Lets say Im working on an album ;).. and if by the end of it.. Every single song, every track, every beat, every lyric, and every harmonized tempo.. if everything sounds good to me, it’s perfect! More recently tho.. its slightly more complicated with the new sound of music I only want to make! But its not a show stopper! Creators create!!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/wgmpdez?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=0c4d7fe6-a78a-48e2-b989-f1684b1f387c
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/zedpmgw?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@wgmpdez10