Drako Santino shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Drako, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Rising early in the a.m. for meditation, prayer, & exercise.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Drako Santino is an American rapper and musician known as “The Black Slim Shady,” who uses his music to explore themes of trauma and addiction. Born on June 22, 1981, he is a survivor of pill addiction and a vocal advocate for mental health awareness.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Previous persona: Before adopting the Drako Santino name, he performed as Relic aka The Punisher in 2012, before his struggles with addiction began.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Inspiration: My music draws heavily from horror themes, and & moniker “The Black Slim Shady” alludes to my admiration for rapper Eminem. The music helps me process the trauma and pain from addiction and time in a mental ward. Healing is a daily process that’s takes self care & at times counseling.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes. I strive to always be the same person to my peers regardless of the circumstances caused from trauma. My music is a conceptual way to tell my real life story through audio cinema. I’m an empath who cares deeply about people & their traumatic experiences, and care to help in anyway I can. I truly understand human pain and suffering through my personal experiences.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
Mental health advocate who took his time to clearly understand & see others for who they truly are. At 44 I’m working on my next 6yr plan. By age 50 I know where & what I want to be in life. My current music may be a bit dark for the listener but please trust I know who God is & my relationship with him is deeper than most can imagine regardless of my outward display. My legacy is my salvation & my salvation is legendary.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.instagram.com/drakosantino?igsh=MTB0N2Z0Mm0weXlzNg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slimshadyblk?igsh=MXVzZ2x3ejBpdnZ1Mw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Twitter: https://x.com/drakosantino?s=21
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HQYU566iy/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCmSZQf1tskM3xe-uiUmpPhA?si=Dpq2WvjnLgm4tVlN
- Soundcloud: https://m.soundcloud.com/drakosantino
