He's been working on music for several years, but rapper Dwynell Roland is starting to pick up some major buzz thanks to his album The Popular Nobody from 2016. Ever since he began his career, he's written "to escape the nonsense," as he tells Andrea Swensson in this Local Show session. And he always writes as himself: "I wanted to be Jamari Dwynell Roland, not Future or Drake." Through it all, he aims to be grounded and kind.

Before he plays the sold-out Rock the Garden 2017, get to know Roland via his in-studio performance with Andrea Swensson and a profile on the Local Current Blog.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz8r6fjWQPc

Songs performed

"Whirlwind (feat. deM atlaS)"
"Eva Change"
"Real Love"

"Whirlwind (feat. deM atlaS)" and "Eva Change" are from Dwynell Roland's 2016 project, The Popular Nobody. "Real Love" is unreleased.

Hosted by Andrea Swensson
Produced by Andrea Swensson
Engineered by Michael DeMark
Visuals by Nate Ryan
Web feature by Cecilia Johnson

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