Choppa Dunks

Origin: None

Hometown: Devonshire, Bermuda
Currently living: New York, NY

Origin of name:
My friends have called me “Dunks” my entire life because of my last name, Dunkley. Someone yelled, “CHOPPA DUNKS!” at me one day, and it kind of just stuck.

Weapon of choice:
Logic Pro and some loud speakers.

Source of power:
Growing up on an island, I was around a lot of dancehall and reggae. Classics like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff are huge for me. Dancehall dudes like Vybez Kartel, Adonia, Busy Signal, Popcaan and Mavado are artists I get a lot of inspiration from now.

What advice would you offer someone thinking about entering the Discovery Project competition?
I’d say do it. Submit something that you think represents you well. Different is cool.

Blurb yourself:
When I was younger, I was heavily into drumming and was in a reggae band for quite a while before moving to the States and starting school at Berklee College of Music, which is where I got my first DAW. Producing was a cool hobby while in school, but it quickly took over and became something that I really wanted to pursue, and here I am now! I just want to make people get down and dirty.

Was there one particular moment in the recording or mixing process for your Discovery Project entry that made you feel like you were creating something pretty damn special?
While working on my winning track, I really thought I had something cool, unique and maybe even next-level. Once I got some vocals from Snappy Jit on there, I knew it was going to be something really dope.

Are there any dots to connect between where/how you grew up and your musical output?
Yeah, my music would definitely be completely different if I hadn’t grown up in Bermuda. Everywhere you go there, you hear dancehall and reggae, which is probably why whenever I make something, you can hear that influence.

What do your parents think of what you are doing?
It was definitely hard for them to see me switch my focus from drumming to producing, but they supported me 100 percent. I think they’re really happy with me now, and how everything is going. They’re cool as shit.

What is your ultimate career dream?
My ultimate goal is to be able to make music and travel everywhere and play it for strangers and make them love it. Nothing else sounds more awesome than that.

What’s the most important piece of gear in your studio?
My brain. Wouldn’t be making music without it. My computer is a close second.

How important is it for you to experiment and take on the risk of failure?
This is extremely important to me because if you don’t experiment, then you’re just doing the same shit that everyone else is doing. I’m all about listening to others and being influenced, but doing something weird to it and making it your own. If it fails, then fuck it, try again.

If we pressed shuffle on your iPod while you went to the bathroom, what would you be embarrassed to come back to us listening to?
“Piece of Shit Car” – Adam Sandler. Thoroughly enjoy that song, though.

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