David Aaron Greenberg, multidisciplinary artist, poet, singer-songwriter, and visual creator, chatted about his new single “Chill.”
Background on David Aaron Greenberg
A fixture of New York’s downtown cultural scene throughout the late ’90s and early ’00s, Greenberg was recognized early on by leading cultural figures, becoming one of the last protégés of Beat poet Allen Ginsberg.
He performed alongside Allen Ginsberg at various iconic New York venues, and has published numerous works of poetry, including Trap Poems & Lit Drawings.
“Chill” is a hypnotic, sleek, and psychedelic hip-hop track. In under three minutes, it moves between sensuality and danger, mystery and desire, thus evoking a sense of uncertainty while drawing the listener deeper in.
Origin of ‘Chill’
On the idea for “Chill,” he remarked, “I don’t sit down to write a poem. They just come to me when I hear a phrase or think of one and feel compelled to write something down.”
“Then, I just let it flow without judgement. Later, if it has some kind of resonance, I shape that writing into a formal poem. For ‘Chill,’ I was thinking of the TV show ‘Mad Men.’ Don Draper would often say: ‘close the door, sit down.’ I was struck by how simple yet compelling that phrase was and I just ran with that vibe,” he elaborated.
“I tried to keep the language very simple and direct. When David Sisko sent me an instrumental ‘beat’ that had a kind of haunting feel to it, I matched up ‘Chill’ with it and it just fell into place,” he explained.
“I spent about two years performing the poem with the music ‘live’ and eventually found the best way to perform the poem,” he added.
Music and songwriting inspirations
On his music and songwriting inspirations, he revealed, “I am inspired by everyday life and people. Real life situations often compel me to write.”
The digital age
On being an artist in the digital age, at a time when streaming, technology and social media are prevalent, he said, “As an artist in the digital age, it feels less lonely in some respects.”
“I can post something on social media and get an almost immediate response. However, it can also feel too abstract at times, because you’re not actually interacting with people in real life. So it’s a mixed bag,” he elaborated.
Future plans
Regarding his future plans, he shared, “I have a book of my paintings called Colorful Figures coming out in March from Trops Publishing.”
“They are also publishing my memoir about Allen Ginsberg and NYC in the 90’s on June 3rd, which is Ginsberg’s 100th birthday,” he said “I will be performing solo around the country and with my partner David Sisko as Disco Pusher too later in the year, as we release some more music.”
“This summer, I’m touring the UK with help from the British publisher Patricia Hope Scanlan, who is a wonderful advocate for cutting-edge poetry. I will also be showing some paintings at the Outsider Art Fair,” he added.
Advice for young and emerging artists
For young and aspiring artists, Greenberg said, “My advice for young and aspiring artists is just do the work. The only thing you can really control is the quality of what you make.”
Biggest musical influences
His biggest musical influences include “Bob Dylan and Bob Marley.”
Dream duet choices in music
Greenberg listed Ziggy Marley, Lizzo and Cameron Winter as his dream duet choics in music.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Greenberg said, “Success is a tricky word and concept. Ultimately, being true to yourself is the ultimate success.”
Closing thoughts on ‘Chill’
For fans and listeners, he concluded about “Chill,” “I would like people to just vibe with ‘Chill’ and maybe expand their concept of what poetry can be.”
To learn more about David Aaron Greenberg, visit his official website and follow him on Instagram.
