David Marvin Andre Kerr

There aren't many new artists that can tout a pedigree that denotes an internationally recognized musical royalty and introduce a unique sound that has lead to collaborations with the likes of multi platinum selling hip hop artists such as Fabolous and Rick Ross. Under the tutelage of artist Tory Lanez, production by Smash David (Big Sean, Khalid), Foreign Tech (Chris Brown, Bryson Tiller, Post Malone) and Wallis Lane (Trey Songz, Mac Miller), and features from the likes of Republic Records artist Rich The Kid, Miami-based singer/ rapper Davo is poised to shake up the music industry with his patented psychedelic R&B sound on his forthcoming debut album LXD. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Davo was raised in a household where music wasn't just the standard - it was literally a way of life. His father, Junior Marvin, was a member of the legendary reggae group Bob Marley & The Wailers. "We were a musically inclined family," he says. "So we always had instruments and studio equipment at the house." While musicality was normalized in Davo's household, he first began to see artistic self expression in a different light on a routine trip to the local record store. "My dad took me and my brother down to the record store one day and let us pick out whatever we wanted to listen to," he recalls. Amongst the day's haul, one album in particular made an indelible impact on young Davo that would inform his personal musical trajectory: Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle. "That album inspired me," he says. "It sounded great. From beginning to end, I was hooked." After a move to New York City, Davo soon found himself immersed in hip hop culture in a way he'd never experienced. It wasn't long before his new environment engaged his musical inclinations. The home of hip hop helped young Davo to sketch out the foundation of his own style. "New York is where I started rapping," he recalls. "That's when I started taking it seriously. I started writing and doing a lot of free styling, because that was big in New York." It was apparent that he had undoubtedly found his musical calling. "That's when I started believing I could become an artist." With his family subsequently settling into Miami, Florida, Davo continued to cultivate his budding lyrical craft and his penchant for melody. In addition, he sat about fine tuning his proficiency on the drums, guitar and piano. And as he continued to plot along his trajectory, he would end up befriending a neighborhood kid and future integral figure that shared his love of music: Tory Lanez. It wasn't long before Lanez became a regular face in the Martin household, recording early songs and sketching out musical ideas in the home studio. And while Davo had become more comfortable in the studio, he'd never ventured to step from behind the boards. But when his brother - producer artist RoryTrueStory - played one of his beats as Davo was coming in from running the Miami streets, "I was like damn, that beat sounds good," he smiles in recollection of the pivotal moment. "So I ran upstairs and was like, 'Give me the mic!'" This marked the beginning of an intense period of recording for Davo as both an artist and a producer. In addition, Lanez had returned from a move to Toronto and resumed their musical collaboration. This lead to Davo and his brother producing tracks for Lanez's 2013 popular mix tape Conflicts Of My Soul. As Lanez's popularity began to soar, garnering him a slot as a supporting tour act for platinum recording artist G-Eazy and a triple platinum single in the form of his 2015 hit "Say It." It was only a matter of time before he would reach back and pull Davo into the mix. "That was pretty much always the plan," he explains. "Once he kicked the door down, he would start bringing the rest of the talent through." True to his word, Lanez sat with Davo and discussed his own career trajectory. Further flexing his skills as a songwriter, Davo co-wrote "Super Freak," a track featuring Maybach Music impresario Rick Ross which was featured on Lanez's 2017 mix tape The New Toronto 2. Davo also co-wrote and was featured along side Def Jam recording artist Fabolous on "Connection" from Lanez's 2018 sophomore Interscope album Memories Don't Die. Davo was soon signed to Lanez's One Umbrella Music Group and set about plotting the course for his debut project. Davo ensconced himself in the studio and entered into one of the most prolific periods of his young career. The result of his incessant grind is LXD, a curated aural collection of what the artist calls psychedelic R&B. "I make dark, beautiful psychedelic R&B," he says of his neo genre. "It's something you can trip out to, but it still has a serenading quality to it." LXD is a beautifully vainglorious work of sonic art that strikes a delicate balance between introspection and bravado in a world where duality is pronounced fact of life on many levels. "LXD can apply to a lot of things," he explains. "Live and dream. I've envisioned where I wanted to be, now I'm living it up. It can also stand for light and darkness. You have to make it through the darkness to get to the light. Love and drugs. It's addictive and it has a tripped out R&B sound. Life and death. If you're not living out your dreams, you're wasting your talent. It's almost like you're not even living life. They all have something to do with the album." If there's any doubt to the potential of LXD, Davo's turn up anthem "Pull Up," featuring Tory Lanez, has set fire to the internet to the tune of 1.2 million YouTube views. Laced with Smash David's trippy trap beats and a crystalline melodic flow, the single is as much an ode to braggadocio as it is a testament to the respect Davo and Lanez have for each other as artists. "Iron sharpens iron," he says. "We look at each other as mirror images of each other's talent, determination and drive. We're the best at what we do. And when we collaborate, it's apparent. Whenever and wherever we pull up, we making noise. All eyes are on us." The album's lead single "Sade" is a tribute in theme and tone to the melancholy love song Goddess herself. "It's an R&B song that kind of brings back that Sade vibe from the 90s," he mentions." It's pretty intoxicating. Kinda catches me in a more vulnerable light." Over a muted bed of acoustic guitars, "Sade" is mesmerizing mid-tempo head nod cut that is as entrancing a love song as it is mystifying. "By The Valley" is a quasi cautionary tale of the many ways in which Hollywood can perform a sleight of hand for many hopefuls in search of fortune and fame. "People know what goes on by the valley," he says, referencing the areas in and around Los Angeles. "There are a lot of beautiful women in the industry who are lost angels in Los Angeles. Sometimes, they're looking for a way out through guys with money and means. And as an artist, girls might look at you as a come up." From the valley of the dolls to an inner city love story, the lively "Señorita" featuring Junior Marvin feels as if it has torn a page from a forbidden love television drama script. "It's about a girl from the hood in Miami who wants to get out," explains Davo. "She comes from a family of gangsters that don't approve of me, but we're determined to be together." The song features a prominent Spanish guitar groove supplied by Davo's own father, Junior Marvin. "Searching" finds Davo in a more pensive mode, one of several songs of its kind that make LXD a balanced affair. "The song talks about the true meaning of life, which is searching for your purpose," he muses. "You ultimately have to find out what you're here to do. And you owe it to yourself to chase that no matter what." After years of putting in ample time to hone his craft, success is imminent for Davo. As a multi-instrumentalist and a talented lyricist and singer, the ingredients for his ascension in the music industry are as evident as the horizon on a clear day. And if the industry is smart, it will tap into his creative instincts and musical impulses. As an ode to the music he heard his parents playing around the house, Davo has already started crafting songs for a subsequent album. "I'm coming out with an 80s project, because I love 80s pop," he mentions. "But the vocals are going to be psychedelic R&B." His wellspring of ideas also include an ambitious project comprised of soft rock blended with trap beats. But at the moment, LXD is his main focus. And the world will soon bear witness to its magnitude and potential to push the envelope for popular music. "I'm a rock star," he says with a knowing smile. "But I have so much more to offer. Just wait."