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Upbeat rapper to perform for Coast students

Duane (D.O.) Gibson
rapper
There’s an important and hopeful message that rapper Duane (D.O.) Gibson will deliver during his tour of B.C. schools.

Canadian hip-hop performer and recording artist Duane (D.O.) Gibson will rap out his positive message for young people in assemblies at all three Sunshine Coast high schools next week. 

Gibson will visit Pender Harbour Elementary Secondary on Monday, April 8, then Elphinstone Secondary in Gibsons on the morning of Tuesday, April 9, before heading to Sechelt’s Chatelech Secondary Tuesday afternoon. 

The Coast stops are part of the rapper’s In The Zone tour, where he will be giving one-hour, interactive speaking and musical performances at 25 different B.C. schools. 

“There are a few messages I bring,” Gibson told Coast Reporter in a telephone interview from his home base in Toronto. “One, I tell the kids what ‘D.O.’ stands for, that’s ‘Defy the Odds.’ I tell kids that my dream was to be a rapper. There were people who told me I couldn’t achieve it, but I wouldn’t just give up because of that. I was going to school, I was going through adversity, dealing with bullies, and didn’t feel like I fit in. But I achieved my dream. 

“So, my second message, my core message, is to stay driven, which to me means to be persistent, and even when times are tough, to keep going.” 

In 2007, Gibson released his debut solo album The Northstarr, followed by Stay Driven in 2009 and Heavy In The Game in 2012. He also recorded albums with Byram Joseph (aka Slakah the Beatchild). Their song “Out This World” hit number one on the U.S. college hip-hop radio charts. Gibson’s videos are in rotation on Much Music and he’s toured extensively in North America and Asia. 

How did a successful rapper become a motivational speaker for youth? 

“I was asked by a family friend to come in and talk at their school. I had just come out of university (in 2001) and had released a video that made it onto Much Music. So, this teacher asked me to share my story with students,” Gibson recalled. “I just felt an instant connection to them and realized I could be honest and real and speak their language.” 

From there, it grew to more talks to classes, then to whole schools, which led him to create his Stay Driven program. “I realized this is something I enjoy because it fuses things I’m passionate about – hip hop, giving back to the community and connecting with youth.” 

Born in Saskatchewan, Gibson grew up in a series of Ontario towns. He never got into serious trouble but knew hardship. “I was 12 years old, a tough time for any young boy transitioning to a man, and I was the only person of colour there, so I remember what it was like to be called different words and different things. But my response was never to get into fights. I used hip hop and rap as an outlet.” 

Gibson’s tour is supported by ArtStarts in Schools, a B.C. charitable organization with a mission to expand the role of art in education to activate learning and nurture creativity among youth. 

“Rap is about personal experience and I find all kids can definitely relate to it,” Gibson said. “Hip hop is a language kids speak in.”