Triple D Dante is a rapper based in Oak Cliff. And the producer behind those tracks is Brandon Stout, known as the music producer NameBrand, when he’s not doing his day-to-day work in accounting.
Stout aspires to just do what he can to help the music careers of artists he believes in, and Triple D Dante has become his sole project.
In 2001, after the passing of his skilled guitar-playing father, a buddy called Stout to offer him a keyboard out of nowhere.
“I was like, ‘I have no use for a keyboard, bro.’ I play basketball, you know what I mean?” he says. “I had no idea, but it sounds cool. ‘I’ll give you 250 bucks for it.’”
From there, he took the keyboard and started remaking beats of his favorite songs, like “Lean Back” by Fat Joe, Remy Ma and Terror Squad, changing the drum patterns, relaying the melodies and constructing a whole entire new beat, he says.
Twenty years later, NameBrand and Triple D Dante connected via social media, meeting up for the first time at the local Dick’s Sporting Goods where Stout provided Triple D Dante some sample beats. From that first sale, the two have developed a strong connection in the local music scene working together over the last two years and putting out eight records so far.
NameBrand has worked with several artists, some even hiring him from all the way in New York, but he says he now works with Triple D Dante solely and that he is the most prepared he’s seen for the studio.
“There’s a lot of artists that will not have anything ready, which is fine because it’s organic that way as well,” Stout says. “But he comes in, it’s pre-written, and he gets in the booth and he’ll not fight. A lot of artists punch in. They might rap a couple words, a couple lines, and then have to punch in. Like start the audio, start the audio, start the audio. He takes one take. One take, in and out, and he’s done. His work ethic is unmatched in my opinion.”
The two of them will work in the studio for about two to three hours straight and at the end of the session will have three full songs ready to go, he says.
Through Triple D Dante’s music, Stout says he’s learned even more about the Oak Cliff community in addition to his own time spent living in the neighborhood from 2007 to 2012.
“He’s definitely a family-oriented type of person, and that’s what I would feel like Oak Cliff is,” Stout says. “It’s just real family-oriented and close-knit.”
Through lyrics of Triple D Dante’s music and working with him so closely, Stout says he has learned about his past and the struggles that he has faced growing up in Dallas. Although Stout says he doesn’t directly relate to all aspects of Triple D Dante’s life, he can understand the trials of a rough upbringing, having grown up standing in line for government assistance himself.
But even with the two of them facing childhood struggles, they have been able to channel those experiences into the music they create.
“I’m really trying to invest all of my time and effort into him, into his music. I literally produce on a daily basis for him,” Stout says. “It’s just trying to connect all the dots. I’ve been doing this for 24, 25 years. Got an artist that’s really professional, and I think ready to go.”
Between constant studio sessions and working with reputable professionals, Stout hopes that his work with Triple D Dante can get the artist the recognition he deserves.
Although NameBrand is the producer behind Triple D Dante’s tracks, he says he is good in life where he is.
“I’m trying to put his name, his music in as many rooms as possible to try to get the right eye on him to where he can be in a position to hopefully be afforded and offered a multimillion-dollar deal,” he says. “But for him to get what he deserves, that’s my goal.”
