Rewrote Caged Bird in the hopes someone will pass the .mp3 along to J Cole and he'll sign me.  Seriously. Also, for your enjoyment. 

Watch the visual I made here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG9xAvSPlbI

wanted to be just like you but couldn't afford
to take off a year or two and move to new york
so i quit my job and moved back into my old room
my momma lookin' at me like u better go pick up a broom
theres never been a dream bigger then the one i got
there's never been another rapping nigga on my block 
never been nobody famous coming from my little hood
grew up in the nicest part of Cali, ain't no fucken hood
weather's always good, every thing goes like it should except for me  
i've always been gifted in the arts especially 
but could never understand why my creations never gave me wings to fly 
if you could write a song that takes you out, then so can i?
and more then that, why cant he - 
im talking about the homeless people lying on my streets
meanwhile we busy building mansions right up on the beach
and niggas kill each other over jordans on they feet
then other niggas get revenge, for the guns they reach
until the bullets fly through bodies, windowpanes, or me--
now three black men laying dead, souls free
and im just tryna make it out this city on a beat

yo can i sing
let this little caged bird sing
cuz i got my song
and i sing alone

yo i didn't wanna be a copy cat rap clown with no purpose
throwing up gang signs, talking about my worth, worthless
all the riches and the gold cant compare to all the glory
i just want my words to be remembered, want my story
to affect some kind of change that will last longer than me
when i wont be here to see what happens, 
   thats how i know that just what the future holds
i shouldn't say it but im kinda bold 
yo can i sing
let this little caged bird sing
cuz i got my song
and i sing alone

when i found out that your group dropped a tape i was excited
i've always followed you,     i would call you my idol
is it a diss or just respectful to emulate your style 
 still confident that when you hear my song you will just smile
sit back and relax in your camper for a LITTLE, 
and reminisce on times before you made it out the 'ville.
     i'm living in a ville now, a villian town, 
coming back to visit seeing people sunken down
faces worn by time and other evil vices they can't shake
when every mile out of ten in each directions filled with crank
it needs something, it needs a change
im not just tryna change the world im tryna save the game
im tryna save the only method we have left to say anything 
join the fight to save my human rights by any means,
and that's my little peice, but theres no peace inside my head
after all that singing i look up and realize where i am
the iron bars around me disappeared years ago
and i've been standing in an open field filled with snow
the white is blinding, but  once i see passed the fear
i realize that my own mind has kept me here.....

a caged bird 

and i dont have to be a caged bird anymore
my fate is in my hands. i'm taking score


Caged Bird - J Cole & Omen Remix by Daren Todd

Remix of Baby Blue by Action Bronson ft. Chance the Rapper, Produced by Mark Ronson, remixed by Daren Todd.  Hope you enjoy!

Baby Blue - Action Bronson ft Chance the Rapper Remix by Daren Todd

Sherane a.k.a. Mr. Splinter's Daughter - from Kendrick Lamar's Good Kid Mad City REMIX by Daren Todd


Sherane a.k.a. Mr. Splinter's Daughter - Kendrick Lamar REMIX by Daren Todd

Weeklong project by Daren Todd involving the release of sixteen bars every day for a week.  Produced by 'Twas Cold @ https://soundcloud.com/twas-cold

Day One of Daren 7:16.

Daren 7:16 Day One prod by 'Twas Cold

The tenth day of my Daren 7:16 project where I release 16+ bars daily, every day.
Check out the previous days here on soundcloud or at my website www.darentodd.com
Produced by Ju-Ar

Daren 7:16 Day Ten prod by Ju-Ar

Twelve release in the Daren 7:16 Project where I release 16+ bars everyday.   Produced by Flitz & Suppe

Daren 7.16 Day Twelve prod by Flitz & Suppe

A remix of J Cole's "January 28" on Dreamville.  I love this song, took a chance at rewriting it for my own short story, SHARE and REPOST if you enjoy!

January 28 - J Cole REMIX by Daren Todd - May 1st

Official Single Red White & Blue Written and Performed by Daren Todd, Produced by Idealism @idXXlism 

Watch the Video Here:
https://youtu.be/Zqk9_2CUy0g

Daren Todd's Album

Red White & Blue prod by Idealism

2017
Single written by Daren Todd
Produced by @putridbeats

In The Fold Single

In The Fold

In The Fold prod by PutridBeats

Check out the ORIGINAL by Marcus Saint: 
https://soundcloud.com/goawaymarcus/poetic-liberation

Poetic Liberation Remix feat. MARCUS!

Sit back, relax, and listen to the music of the Daren Makes A Beat project from Portland based producer and musician Daren Todd.  A reiteration of the ever popular Daren 7:16 Project, a 2014 release where Daren wrote and recorded a verse of rap every day for sixteen days, this time Daren films himself producing and performing each track.  You can watch the entire series on YouTube at (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT43rLbXZ-XNVq7a6xO7XMj_gXe0SWOi8) and follow Daren online at (https://www.darentodd.com).

Daren Makes A Beat 9

Daren Makes A Beat 8

Daren Makes A Beat 7

Daren Makes A Beat 6

Daren Makes A Beat 5

Daren Makes A Beat 4

Daren Makes A Beat 3

Daren Makes A Beat 2 Part 2

Daren Makes A Beat 2 Part 1

Daren Makes A Beat 1

Daren Todd’s story starts in a sleepy Central California military town called Lompoc. In 1991, he was born Rena Todd, the oldest of two children in a Black conservative Christian household. Daren wasn’t exposed to a lot of television or pop culture growing up, but he was exposed to a lot of music. His father ran the sound booth at their church and his mother led the praise and worship team. Making music came naturally to Daren. In middle school he dedicated himself to the violin, practicing sometimes three hours a day, and yet still always ending up second chair in the orchestra. This initial shortcoming motivated Daren to always evolve and push himself when it came to his music, a trait that is still evident in his work today. Daren is always driven. Driven to create, to push the work, to always keep evolving. In the midst of his conservative upbringing, a truth he had always known became self evident: Daren is a transgender man.  In his early twenties, he began his transformation from being Rena, to becoming Daren.  
Around this same time, Daren met and married the love of his life. His wife supported his budding music career as he struck out on his own, playing local shows and putting out music daily. That’s when fate struck one night in 2016, Daren was playing a show with It’s Future Time co-owner, AED. The two musicians hit it off and promised to keep in touch. One year and a handful of sold-out shows later, Daren’s debut album is about to drop, changing the landscape of music in Portland forever.

Daren Todd

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