A once unknown Soundcloud rapper has ascended from obscurity and is now an entrepreneur in beat selling. Musician Drupy D has had his share of musical experience. What some may not realize, however, is that Drupy D is actually a junior at Edina High School by the name of Drew Columbus. His most popular track, “Cookies for Breakfast,” has over 4,000 plays on Soundcloud, and was a fan favorite amongst his Valley View peers when it was released in 2016.

Columbus has taken a break from rapping and is now pursuing a career in what he calls “beat production.” “I’ve worked on three singles that are out right now, although I have made over 100 beats,” Columbus said.

He currently sells his beats and audio engineering through social media. “I prefer to work with artists to directly fulfill their creative vision,” explains Columbus.

Columbus puts his own twist into his music, which differentiates it from other producers. “What makes my production unique is my ability to work all through the creative process. From the writing process, to sound selection and arrangement and audio engineering,” Columbus said.

Columbus gives credit to many artists as his source of inspiration. “My inspiration comes from Pi’erre Bourne’s go-get-it attitude, OVO 40’s mixing/artistic view, and Ludwig van Göransson’s composition.”

However, he gives ultimate credit to producer Metro Boomin. When asked if he could work with any musician, Columbus responded with “T-Minus. The way he creates lead melodies and consistent energy throughout a track is something that has been a struggle for me and combining our work would make a banger.”

When reflecting on pursuing the beat making industry, Columbus advises, “Don’t worry about the DAW (digital audio workstation) or VSTs (virtual instruments) you use.” Columbus adds, “The amount that can be done with free software and drum kits is insane these days.”

Columbus continues to work on beats on a daily basis. He tells listeners to stay tuned and check out his Instagram @drupybeats, as most of his production will be “dropping” soon.D