daFinchi Addresses His “Future Me”
Hip Hop is a genre that rarely accommodates newcomers or those who aren’t fully committed. It demands dedication, resilience, and a willingness to face enormous struggles head-on. daFinchi is a testament to this ethos and is openly sharing his journey and the unique challenges he’s faced. Based in Bridgeport, CT, daFinchi, also known as Peter Finch, brings a unique blend of experiences to the table. By day, he’s a tenacious personal injury lawyer, fiercely advocating for his clients. By night he’s an ardent rapper, pouring the same intensity into his music. Balancing these two demanding worlds, he shows an unwavering commitment to both his legal and musical pursuits, while also being a devoted husband and family man. Now, he’s back with another winner, “Future Me,” an ode to his future self, reminding him not to forget where he’s come from.
In “Future Me,” daFinchi masterfully blends introspective lyricism with a powerful commentary on ambition and resilience. The track serves as a potent reminder to stay grounded and never forget where you started, even as you strive toward your future goals. daFinchi’s lyrics delve into the essence of relentless hustle, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a drive as if you’re starting from scratch, regardless of past achievements.The song also juxtaposes a critical look at current societal issues, weaving together observations about the country’s state with a call for unwavering perseverance. “Future Me” stands out not only for its undeniable beat but also for its profound and relatable narrative. daFinchi’s message is clear: In the face of adversity and change, it’s crucial to keep pushing forward and remain focused while staying down to earth
In the music video for “Future Me,” daFinchi offers a captivating blend of nostalgia and aspiration set against the picturesque country landscapes of Connecticut. The video includes scenes of daFinchi riding an ATV through lush country fields and the serene beauty of horse stables. Interspersed throughout are nostalgic clips from daFinchi’s younger days, reminding viewers of his roots. These clips hark back to his time with “Live! With Pete Finch!” where he interviewed major Hip Hop figures like T-Pain and Akon. Through this video, daFinchi connects with his audience on a deeply personal level, sharing his journey and inspiring others to pursue their dreams with the same relentless spirit and ebullience.
Your music blends various genres and influences. How do you define your sound, and what are some key influences that have shaped your musical style?
My sound is versatile, but for the last 10 years or so, the beat brings me where I’m supposed to go in each song. The vibe has to be right. The sound of the beat inspires the words and theme of each song. I grew up in a city in a multi-cultural community. My aunt says I used to sing along with Chaka Khan while breakdancing in her kitchen. My mom was a ballet dancer, and I remember Enya’s “Sail Away” playing a bunch when I was younger. We used to have a record player back in the 80s, and there was a bunch of Groucho Marx and Beatles playing. My dad used to have Roy Orbison playing on repeat on the cassette player in his pickup truck. We learned the lyrics to Naughty By Nature’s “OPP” by restarting the track on the CD player with my mom’s DJ friend Joel. One of my favorite albums growing up was Mase’s “Harlem World”. Kanye West’s early works influenced me with his attitude and inspiration. Since my daughter was born in 2020, I’ve been listening to a lot of Country music. All those different artists and genres brought me to where I am now and inspired me. I would like to continue to explore this new “Future Me” sound.
How does your creative process unfold? Do you find inspiration in specific places or experiences, or is it more spontaneous?
The spontaneity is inspired by my past. If I can find the time to play some instrumentals, I wait for the sounds to flow through me and the vibrations to give me chills or not. If the beat doesn’t inspire me, I move on to the next beat. Some beats are just perfect. I believe the best is yet to come, and I look forward to hearing more inspirational instrumentals that can take me and my music places I never thought I would go, just like in *Future Me* and “Burbs.”
“Future Me” is a fascinating concept. What inspired you to write a song directed at your future self, and what message are you trying to convey?
I’ve made a lot of decisions that have positively affected my life. The more I’ve lived, I’ve seen how planting seeds can lead to amazing harvests. There are consequences for our actions in life. If we want a more fruitful future, then we must plant these seedlings and water and fertilize them so they can grow. I have a little raised bed garden where three out of the last four years, tomatoes have been my best crop. My 2-year-old son “Farmer Pete” loves to collect our crops and line them up. All in all, if we try and make decisions in life with our future self in mind, we can make better decisions that will help our future self. Another important message is to not forget the past version of you, who is probably the most authentic version of yourself. Don’t forget that the past version of yourself is the one that put all the work in to get your present and future self all the success. Don’t rest on your laurels and get too comfortable because hustling and working hard are the actions and values that brought you to where you are today and to the greatness that is for your “Future Me”.
How did you approach the production of “Future Me” to create a sound that reflects both the present and the future?
I made this song in 2020 around the time I moved to the Burbs and when the world was in a tailspin. My daughter was born, and my life was changed forever, having gotten married not too long before in 2018. The beat came on, and it was a sentimental, touching, reflective guitar with some complimentary hard-knocking metronome. The beat brought me to a reflective place about myself and the state of our society at the beginning of the pandemic. Ryini Beats on Beat Stars had some beautiful acoustic guitar sounds, and the beat helped me beat the space-time continuum to merge both the past and future in the present production of “Future Me”.
The music video for “Future Me” is visually captivating. How did you come up with the concept, and how does it tie into the song’s themes?
I sent the “Future Me” music video director, Frankie Fire, a few songs, and he got mesmerized by the “Future Me” hook. Based on my lyrical analysis of the state of our country, mixed with the guitar feel, the visuals of the ranch with free horses galloping into the future from our past of a wild and free country to where it is today with hyperinflation, hateful division, and brainwashing were inspired.
Can you describe the experience of working on the “Future Me” music video? Were there any moments during the shoot that particularly stood out to you?
I loved driving the quad, but the grass was a little slippery, and I almost flipped over maybe once or twice, but that and shooting the rifle were awesome. Not to mention the horses, which were beautiful and gave the video that majestic and rustic American feeling. Burning the fake money was cool too.
How did you collaborate with the director and production team to ensure the visuals complemented the introspective nature of the song?
Frankie Fire was inspired by the song, and to me, that’s the most important thing when choosing a director and a song to shoot a video for because I want the creative director to be inspired and WANT TO shoot that video for that particular song. I used to shoot music videos for other artists before I became a lawyer, and I remember not being particularly inspired by some of those songs, so inspiration was a key factor in the collaboration with Frankie Fire. There were some other more controversial ideas for the video, such as having an older Willie Nelson type of character having a standoff with the police, but I decided to go against that visual, although it would have been provocative. No regrets, but maybe some of my future videos will have some more edginess to them.
Finally, if you could send a message to your future self, beyond what’s in the song, what would it be? How do you hope to evolve as an artist and as a person in the years to come?
The irony of the video is that I’m telling myself not to forget the past me – the young hustler with ambition chasing his dreams and money, all while I am dressed in a cowboy hat, flannels, and boots. It’s like I became someone else since I became a father and forever moved out of the city for the country/burbs. I’ve gone to a dude ranch once with my mom and my brother, Chris, back in the 90s, so I haven’t had too much experience being a cowboy, riding a horse, wearing cowboy boots, or firing guns as much as a real redneck. But maybe I’m closer to being a Northern Redneck like Aaron Lewis than I ever knew. My dad was adopted. His dad, William, was in the Navy in WWII, and his ship sank on D-Day; he survived to come back home and adopt my dad with William’s wife Marge. I say this because we found out that my dad’s birth father was a football player at West Point and was actually from Georgia. A few generations of his family lived in Georgia and before that were in Virginia since the 1600s. So I guess I had no choice but to be patriotic, and maybe I am a redneck at heart. I hope to continue to be inspired and tell stories and create artistic commentary on social, political, monetary, and other important societal factors. My message to my future self would be to remember the hunger for success, glory, and rewards that I had since I was a young hustler selling comic cards and basketball cards in elementary school. Remember the hustle of selling candy freshman year in high school to pay for my school trip to Montreal? Remember putting your class president posters up in high school. Remember the beast you used to be on the football field and in the weight room? Don’t ever settle on your lot in life, yet appreciate everything you’ve worked so hard for. Instill in your children that perspective and hustle, and never take anything for granted. Remember that God wins, and follow your faith and keep praying while you work your ass off. You don’t hustle, no, no, you don’t eat!
As an artist, I pray that I have more divine inspiration to create impactful music and art. As a person, I hope I live a long time to see my children have children and take over our family business law firm. In the short-term future, I will keep hustling to build my law firm, which helps people in a time of crisis. I hope to evolve more and more into a bedrock for my community, clients, and family. Peter = Rock.
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Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.
