“What’s the prerequisite? Having me looking less legit. I don’t care for your preferences. Studying what the method is. Infiltrate on that residence. Chillin,’ wait on the premises. I am an enigma and that is what has you hesitant.” – DK Robin “Times New Roman”

Mix a little bit of Hopsin with a splash of Childish Gambino and camouflage those styles with the sophisticated fashion of Drake and what do you get?
DK Robin is not your average rapper. Relatively new to the game and having roots at Bucks, he is looking to have his presence be known.
Demetri Kyle Robinson is a 24-year-old graduate of Bucks. He has been returning to campus to spread the word of his dedication toward accomplishing his dream of becoming a successful musician.
“For me, it’s go hard or go homeless,” Robinson says.
In the spring of 2013, he left Bucks with an associate’s degree in business administration. “It says degree of arts on it… I don’t know,” Robinson laughs. His plans of going to Temple University were quickly thwarted by an $8,300 bill. This is when Robinson really became DK.
Robinson began writing in 2011, but it wasn’t until around May 2013 that he got into producing. By January 2014, he was transplanting his ideas into digital recordings. He released his first mixtape, “Reading Off the Powerpoint,” at the beginning of this year and has been going ever since.
Over the past several years, Robinson feels that he has learned more out of school while pursuing a career in the music industry. His frequent use of pop culture references shows that Robinson stays up to date on current events. “I always try to keep up on that stuff,” he says.
Reading books and watching TV and movies are just some of the ways that Robinson keeps his references fresh. “Now it’s more for personal enrichment,” he says.
Leaving college, Robinson knew that he would need more than just his everyday life to rap about. “I just feel like I have so much more range using imagination.” Robinson says, “It kind of takes you out of your realm.”
On his newest album, released August 7, Robinson includes a track called “Sickle Cell Chronicles,” that details his experience with sickle cell anemia. “I was in the hospital three times last year,” he says of his experience with the painful blood disease.
Two of Robinson’s biggest influences are J. Cole and Drake. Drake’s appearance particularly inspired him. “His image is clean cut,” says Robinson, “You don’t have to be a thug? I can do that!”
A particular line from J. Cole’s “Friday Night Lights” mixtape helped Robinson to discover his dreams of being a rapper. The track “Too Deep for the Intro,” Cole says, “If they don’t know your dreams, then they can’t shoot ‘em down.” Hearing this line was a life altering moment for Robinson.
Although he lists these artists as his biggest influences, Robinson had been introduced to rap much earlier in life. He remembers dancing with his mother to the track “Mo Money Mo Problems” as a child.
Robinson lives in Doylestown with his brother and his mother, who has been one of his biggest supports with his transition in goals. She has been to nearly all of his performances.
Robinson has always been a relatively good child. “When I was a toddler, I pooped in a Home Depot display toilet,” he admits. Other than that, he has only been guilty of speeding on a few occasions.
Robinson spends at least 30 hours a week working at Marshall’s, but most of his other free time is spent in front of his Maschine production pad making beats. “That’s another reason I stopped going to school,” he continues, “It was collecting dust for six months.”
There was a big learning curve when Robinson began making his own beats. He says that playing video games for hours at a time prepped him for this endeavor. “I feel like that spilled over into the music,” says Robinson.
“I feel like my start is a little late compared to other rappers that are blowing up.” Robinson believes that “taking time to learn producing and mixing will really pay off.”
Starting in 2017, Robinson plans on releasing a new track every week. “It’ll be less scary than committing to a whole album.” He says that the idea of not having to stick to a certain theme is “gonna give me more versatility.”
In the meantime, Robinson has been known to perform at open mic nights in Doylestown and Philly, and even performed at the Zlock Performing Arts Center on campus for the Pray For Dominic concert event in October.
Lately, a lot of people have been comparing Robinson to Lupe Fiasco. I still feel that my concoction of artists closely depicts not only his style, but his personality as well.
Check out DK’s new album “The Rogaine Isn’t Working” on SoundCloud or at dkrobin.com to decide for yourself. Robinson says, “It doesn’t have to be super dumbed down or lyrical miracle.”