INTERVIEW BY: LAMODE
Follow Dr.McDaniels:
Dr.McDaniels, the acclaimed DJ, hails from the heart of Kansas City, KS, but it’s the vibrant streets of Houston, TX, that he now calls home.
With a passion for Hip Hop, R&B, Soul, and House, he creates sonic landscapes that captivate the soul. Best known for his electrifying tours with music sensation Don Toliver, including the “Life of a Don” and “Lovesick” tours, Dr.McDaniels has graced stages around the world, setting the dance floor ablaze.
Influenced by musical icons like Sade, Andre 3000, The Neptunes, Quincy Jones, Erykah Badu, and DJ Jazzy Jeff, Dr. McDaniels weaves a tapestry of sounds that transcends genres.
Join us as we tap into his musical journey, where each beat tells a story, and each performance is a testament to his unwavering dedication to the art of music.
WEDNESDAY 5:45PM OCT. 4, 2023 HTX
LAMODE: We got Dr.McDaniels in the house today. How you feeling today my boy?
DR.MCDANIELS: Blessed and Highly Favored to say the least.
LAMODE: That’s good to hear, let’s talk about Don Toliver’s “LoveSick” tour that you play a major part of.
DR.MCDANIELS: “The Lovesick Tour” was a very great experience. First tour as a headlining DJ. This one felt a little different, being up there with Don. But at the same time, us not being able to see each other on stage. The chemistry for this tour was spot on. Crazy dope experience.
LAMODE: That’s crazy. So exactly how did yall meet? And when?
DR.MCDANIELS: Man, crazy and random – I met Don in my friend’s living room. Came across some music of his and was mind blown, so I did what any DJ should have done.. I reached out hoping that my boy would reply. And lord behold. My boy wasn’t a big deal yet which was hella shocking, so I messaged him and he pulled up and the rest is history.
LAMODE: It be stories like that that make be believe in timing and fate. In our last interview, you mentioned that you ended up becoming a DJ when you got injured playing football. That’s a crazy turn of events that eventually would lead to you becoming a totally different success l story. You think about that often?
DR.MCDANIELS: I think about it daily actually. Football is in front of me 24/7, so I kind of get reminded of it on the daily by default.
LAMODE: You ever think that if you were still playing football your success wouldn’t be the same? Or do you feel like success was going to be in the stars for you regardless?
DR.MCDANIELS: The type of mindset I have, I believe I would have been successful in anything I tried. I guess that just boils down to what you feel success is. Do I believe I would have gone to the NFL? I would like to believe so, but in reality, I was 160 pounds and 5’8. Smaller faster players weren’t a thing when it was my time to go, so I guess we would never know.
LAMODE: Well put. You mentioned once that you’ve been on other tours beside with Don Toliver. Tell me about those.
DR.MCDANIELS: Well, the very first tour I went on was called the “Young Hustle Tour”. I was Djing for T-wayne. That line up at the time was kinda stacked. Rich the Kid, TK n Cash, and a couple other artists. It was cool. I would like to think that that tour opened up my talents a little more. The tour after that was the “Welcome To The Zoo” tour with Fetty Wap. That tour made me realize it was more to music and more to performing than what meets the eye.
LAMODE: That’s cool as fuck. You feel like you learned things from those tours that made you just THAT MUCH better on these new tours?
DR.MCDANIELS: Both tours taught me a lot. The first tour wasn’t too many people in every venue. Just core fans, so that first tour taught me to perform like its a million people, no matter if it’s 5. That tour with Fetty Wap though? I wanna say that tour made me put my guard down and made me start trying, saying, and spinning things that I would never try on the regular. Great stepping stones now that I’m thinking about.
LAMODE: Are you at you’re at your peak or do you still feel like you have a long way to go?
DR.MCDANIELS: I 1000% am just gettin started. I compare everything to football, so I would say everything that I have done now is just varsity football in Highschool. I still got college and the league to look forward to, you know?
LAMODE: Copy, we’ll it was great choppin it up with you. Before you go, for the poeple that don’t know you, tell me about what your day to day is like.
DR.MCDANIELS: My day to day is filled with work, but filled with relaxation as well. For the most part it’s music 24/7. That can be me producing, making loops for another producer, organizing my DJ crates. Before music though we hit that gym and depending on my stress level, I’ll meditate from time to time for a good 45 mins to an hour.
LAMODE: That’s dope. Well I appreciate you taking the time to pop up and share a piece of wisdom. Until next time!
Check out Dr.Mcdaniels and Don Toliver in the “LoveSick” world tour:
Bad Habit Magazine 