Druski

DURKSI

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Tiffany: Looking back at school, growing up being considered a class clown. Was that something you looked down upon at the time?

Druski: Honestly, I looked at it as a safe haven. Being a class clown was just me being myself. When I was wildin’ out at school, it was a place for me to have my first live performances. That was just doing what I do now but on a smaller scale.

Tiffany: When did you fully accept that youwere going to make comedy a career?

Druski: I fully accepted making comedy my career after trying many different things- jobs that didn’t work out. I always knew my purpose was bigger than working a 9 to 5 job—nothing against that. I just knew it was something more to my life than just where I was at at the time. When I was in college, I knew my college career was coming to an end because nothing was clicking. I also tried working jobs after college that wasn’t working either. So that’s when I started to pursue this full time.

Tiffany: What were some of the advantages ofbeing in Atlanta while launching your comedycareer?

Druski: The music and unity in Atlanta. Atlanta is a big cultural place, so the unity here is crazy. If you follow any big music artists here, they all stick together and help each other build up. If they also see someone with talent, they always grab that person and help them build up. The unity in Atlanta helped my growth a lot. Many different people reached out to me when I was just starting and asked me to do different things like a cameo on a music video or just to chop it up and give me some advice on life in general. ‘ ` Tiffany: Do you feel early in career as a black comedic you faced certain hurdles that a white comedic may not have faced?

Druski: Not at all. I feel as if I’m a variety of all.My fanbase is multicultural. I don’t feel thedisadvantage of being a black comedic at all.

Tiffany: What went into building theDruski2funny brand?

Druski: A lot of fails and attempts- honestly. Now I’m at a point I’ve learned so much, but I’m never done learning, so I’m still always trying to find new ways to stay ahead of the bar. A lot of time was spent failing and getting back up. A key for me was consistency. Believe in God and stay consistent, and you will always be successful.

Tiffany: Do you feel as you become more successful as a comedic that your connection with your audience becomes more superficial?

Druski: No, I try to stay away from that. Once you lose touch with real life, you lose the comedy. If you don’t have anything that they can feel, it’s not really comedic. If you lose touch with that- you lost your whole career as a comedian. You always have to stay grounded, because if you don’t, then people cannot relate to you in any type of way.

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Tiffany: How do you stay grounded? A bigcriticism of comedians is as they become moresuccessful, they become less funny.

Druski: I’ve learned from watching comedians get to that point and losing it. I think it goes back to giving things time and not rushing things. You have to learn continuously. You have to stay away from, “oh, I’m the man now I dont have to do that any more, or I’m not going to go over there I’m not going to be around those people anymore.” I’m not saying that comedians have to go to the hood and be in dangerous situations- nothing like that. To be relatable, you have to be around the right things in life. You can’t lose touch, a lot of comedians would lose touch, and they aren’t so funny anymore because they do not see real life things anymore. They’ve gotten to a point where they are 1% of people, where they may find this funny, but only the one-percenters in the same realm as them would be able to understand that joke, and not everyone that was with them before they got there would understand. It’s all about staying relatable and stay 10 toes down.

Tiffany: We are in a hypersensitive climate wherepeople are more easily offended. How do younavigate that?

Druski: You have to not give a fuck but at the same time, know your boundaries. Nobody is perfect- so you may tip the cup over a little, but you have to know your boundaries. Everything is super sensitive now, so you have to take it one day at a time. You just never know what people might find offensive. In comedy, someone is going to be offended by any joke you tell. So you really have to not give a fuck because you might have that joke that actually hit hard. So I just don’t give a fuck, which could hurt different brand deals you may have. But if you play your cards right, it won’t. I have the gift of knowing when and when not to do things.

Tiffany: When you create a skit, you expect it tohit, and it doesn’t. What is that experience like?

Druski: It’s a humbling feeling, especially after a series of great skits and videos, and then that one just goes bad. It’s humbling and disappointing at the same time. More so humbling because you need the ones that don’t hit to keep you going. It’s a reminder not to get cocky or comfortable. Sometimes people rush things because they feel like they have to post a video and put out content. You have to live a full life to really see things to tell great jokes. That’s why some comedians, as they grow older, they get way funnier because they are experiencing life, and they aren’t trying to rush things. Time with comedy is a serious thing.

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Tiffany: When it comes to social media, people are used to seeing content being put it out quickly. Do you put that pressure on yourself to align with the frequency of social media content?

Druski: I definitely do. I know I have a bigger purpose than just being a social media comedian, which I don’t classify myself as. Once you recognize that you are not looking to do things for clout. You’re not looking for this or that to come off of. When you know, you know. Not to say that in a cocky way, but there are people out here for today and not for tomorrow. You get a lot of that in this generation.

Tiffany: So how do you categorize yourself?

Druski: Eventually, a standup comedian/ full actorcomedian. Just an all-around artist, just an entertainer. I don’t like to put myself in any box because it limits you. Some people would love to say that they are a social media comedian, and maybe that’s their dream. For the people that that isn’t necessarily their dream, you take offense to that. I work so hard, and I don’t want to be classified as that. I am a comedian.

Tiffany: You’ve been embraced heavily by the musicindustry. Does the comedy industry embrace you?

Druski: Yes, 100%. I have friends in the comedy space who reach and tell me, “ yo, you’re killing it” or just giving me advice on stuff. That usually comes from people that are in the same realm as me. No heavy hitters have hit me up. No Kevin Hart, Martin Lawerence, Mike Epps, no one like that has reached out. I think they look at it a bit differently. I think they wait until you become in their lane because that’s a whole different generation. All the comedians in my generation have embraced me and shown love- it’s a great vibe.

Tiffany: Do you strive to receive the GOAT’s ofcomedy approval?

Druski: Not really. It’s dope to gain their approval, but it isn’t my main goal. Suppose it happens or don’t- cool. I’m racing to get to their spot anyway. I’m trying to be number one. I dont really care for their approval, but it would be dope. In any field, you would want the best people in that industry to embrace you. At the end of the day, we are all in the same race, and we are all trying to get to the top position. At least I am.

Tiffany: When you are in a group or at a socialgathering, how do you separate yourself from beingthe entertainment and the entertained?

Druski: It’s quite difficult. The position I am in now. I know if I walk in the room, people are going to know who I am. I’ve been trying not to go to many social gatherings because of that and because it’s dangerous. When you are someone of influence, you are a target, you could be targeted, and you won’t have any beef with anybody. I don’t like to really show my face in public anymore unless I’m getting paid. People stop wanting to book you when you’re everywhere- it brings down your value.

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Tiffany: Do you feel that a transition from skits to full-length projects (i.e., stand-up, movies) is necessary to reach another success level?

Druski: Yes, definitely. All of that is necessary to reach that next level. You have to separate yourself from a lot of things other people are doing to reach new heights. So you definitely have to do the movies, t.v, stand-up, the live appearances- that stuff has to happen. You can’t get to that next level without that. You have to do stuff differently.

Tiffany: How do you want to beremembered?

Druski: As a legend. Someone who left their mark on the game. One of the top names in comedy. If you are going to do something, why do it if you’re not trying to be number one? That’s how I want to be remembered as one of the legends!

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