12 Oct Darien Brockington Talks Gospel Influences, Artistry & Independence

The state of North Carolina has been the home for some of the greatest singers and musicians in the history of music. Nina Simone, Ben E. King, Shirley Caesar, Roberta Flack and George Clinton are just a few artists in a long lineage of incredible, groundbreaking talent. The next in this line is R&B singer/songwriter Darien Brockington. Brockington hails from Durham, NC and has been singing since the age of six. For most R&B artists, their origins begin in the church and Brockington’s story is no different. Since the inception of the R&B genre, the formative years of many vocalists were shaped in the choirs of Baptist, Pentecostal and Seventh-Day Adventist faith-based churches. Brockington’s first exposure to music came when he was two years old and his love of singing grew exponentially. His parents were instrumental in providing a concrete foundation for his burgeoning, eclectic taste in music. After his first solo at age six, he began performing in community events and talent shows in his native city eventually leading him to pursue a career in music. Once deciding on a career in music, he began attending North Carolina Central University and in 2000, he met rapper Phonte of the Hip Hop collective Little Brother. This meeting would put forth in motion the first of numerous collaborations between them merging the worlds of hip-hop and R&B to create a formidable sound. This week, Brockington took the time to speak with SoulCulture about his musical journey.