After Impressing Bun B, NEMS & Kool G Rap, Lil Dee Is Ready For The Big Time
I first saw Lil Dee in action at a music video shoot with legends like Bun B and DMC. We were surrounded by underground icons and Hip-Hop heads when, out of nowhere, this young cat grabbed the moment. DMC introduced him, and Danny lit up the set with a freestyle so sharp it stopped everything. Bun B had never heard of him before that moment, but by the end of it, everyone in the vicinity knew his name.
Danny James, Lil Dee’s government name, is a rising star in Hip-Hop hailing from Coney Island. He shares his journey from freestyling for legends to carving out his lane in a crowded industry. Dee was raised on Golden-era Hip-Hop by his graffiti-writing, breakdancing father. Danny credits his dad for both his deep love of the culture and his early start in music. At a young age, he impressed Coney Island legend NEMS and helped platform him to the world. That kid has grown up, but the commitment to authenticity oozes in every bar.
His latest EP, Where Do We Go From Here?, showcases his versatility. But beyond the beats, Danny’s music is rooted in personal trials: dealing with ADHD, anxiety, betrayal, and grief. Now 20, he’s using his pain as fuel to inspire others chasing dreams against all odds.
With co-signs from legends like Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, and Redman, Lil Dee wants to be mentioned among the greatest to ever do it.
AllHipHop: When I first saw you freestyle at that video shoot with DMC, Bun B, and the whole squad, you shut the place down. What did that moment mean to you?
Lil Dee: Always means the world to me. If someone gives me the chance to spit, I’m going to take it—because that’s Hip-Hop. DMC introduced me to Bun B, who had never heard of me, and I just let it fly. I’ve known DMC since I was about 10, so that co-sign was big. Every time I get to spit for a legend, it’s still a moment.
AllHipHop: It was wild. I was just out of frame, like, “Damn, I want to be in that shot!” But that whole day felt like a moment for the culture.
Lil Dee: Exactly. That video’s going to be legendary—so many people from all corners of Hip-Hop were there.
AllHipHop: Let’s rewind. Your pops played a big role in putting you on to the culture, right?
Lil Dee: Huge. Me and my dad were tight. I had ADHD bad—doctor said it was the worst she’d seen in 40 years. Hard time relating to kids my age, but my dad was my best friend. We’d ride around bumping Run-DMC, Beastie Boys, Big L, Big Pun, LL Cool J… He used to do graffiti, breakdance—he lived that early Hip-Hop life. One day, I wrote a rap in my room, showed it to him, and he told me to write another. That’s how it started.
AllHipHop: What was your first rap?
Lil Dee: (laughs) “Air Jordans, every day I be wearing high tops / Punch you in the eye, people call you cyclops…” It was wild. I was 10. I remember all my raps, man.
AllHipHop: NEMS told us he thought maybe your dad was writing your bars because they were so good.
Lil Dee: Nah, all me. Funny story—me and NEMS did a song way back, but the computer crashed, so it never dropped. That day, he had me write the verse in the studio—testing me without me knowing. Afterwards, he posted like, “Yo, he writes all his own stuff.” That was the first test I passed.
AllHipHop: Respect. And now you’re 20 and been doing this for a decade. Have you been trying to get signed?
Lil Dee: In the beginning, it was just about being the best rapper I could be. Then I learned it’s way more than talent—you need connections, co-signs, luck even. I’ve had offers, but I won’t sign unless it’s right. No manager, no publicist—everything I’ve done has been on my own. If I can rock Radio City, the LA Coliseum, do tracks with Cool G Rap, get love from Redman, Big Daddy Kane—imagine what I can do with the right team. I’m just waiting for those dots to connect.
AllHipHop: You just dropped a new EP. Tell us about it.
Lil Dee: It’s called Where Do We Go From Here?—produced by my guy Matt Echo. It’s my fourth EP. I got drill beats, melodic joints, classic boom-bap. I’m showing that I don’t fit in a box. Before I step into the next chapter with heavier storytelling and emotional depth, I had to show the range.
AllHipHop: You’re mad lyrical. Who influenced that?
Lil Dee: Big L, Big Pun, J. Cole, and Nas. Big L for punchlines, Pun for flow, Cole and Nas for storytelling. Later I studied Biggie and how he mastered flow. Joiner Lucas too—he taught me how to be lyrical over trap beats.
AllHipHop: You’ve lived a lot in just 20 years. Who are you trying to reach with your music?
Lil Dee: Anyone chasing a dream while battling doubt. I’ve been through death, betrayal, depression, suicidal thoughts—you name it. If my music can help someone push through that, then that’s everything. Doesn’t matter if you’re chasing music or just trying to feed your family—my music is motivation.
AllHipHop: You said you want to bring “real Hip-Hop” back. What does that look like?
Lil Dee: It’s not about dissing what’s out now. There’s real Hip-Hop out there—NEMS, Benny the Butcher, OT the Real. But I want to bridge the gap. A kid won’t listen to an old head, but they’ll listen to me because I’m from their era. A lot of my peers didn’t know about Big L or Pun until I put them on. It’s about access, energy, and social media. That’s how I’m doing it.
AllHipHop: So do you have any fan stories that stand out?
Lil Dee: Valentine’s Day was wild—someone was trying to video call me nonstop. But I love my fans. I respond to DMs, comments, talk to people in the street—20-minute convos. I’m not Drake, I can still engage, and I think that’s why they rock with me.
AllHipHop: Top five dead or alive?
Lil Dee: Big L, Biggie, Big Pun, Nas, Eminem—with Black Thought as the honorable mention. It changes, but those are the ones.
AllHipHop: Dream collaboration?
Lil Dee: DJ Premier. Just Blaze too. Artist-wise? Nas. Always wanted to work with Kanye. J. Cole, Joey Bada$$—Joey actually came into the studio once and showed love. But Nas is the top.
AllHipHop: What’s the ultimate goal?
Lil Dee: I want to be one of the greatest. I want people to say, “Lil Dee—he had bars, he had storytelling, he had flow.” God made me me for a reason. I was given this life and this gift—why waste it? I’m trying to make a run at being the best to ever do it. And even if I don’t get there, I’ll know I gave it everything.
AllHipHop: Last question—are you sticking with the name Lil Dee?
Lil Dee: Nah, I’m changing it soon. I was 12 when I started—my dad’s name is Darren, mine’s Danny, so it was Big D and Lil D in the Italian fam. First time someone clowned it, I already had 25k followers. But I’m switching to Danny James. Feels more fitting for where I’m going.
For more, check out Lil Dee (@lildee_raps) on Instagram.