Introducing DNA Picasso in broad musical strokes | Arts & Entertainment
Results of the very first ‘Best of the Underground’ poll in 2001.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This weekend, organizers say, brings the 25th and final Underground Music Showcase “in its current form.” To mark the occasion, Denver Gazette Senior Arts Journalist John Moore – who started The UMS in 2001 – is bringing back the poll that started it all.
In 2001, Moore surveyed local music experts about the underground bands and artists they felt were most worthy of more mainstream recognition. The results became the basis for an annual live showcase of local bands that grew into The UMS, which this weekend will feature 200 bands across 12 indoor venues and four outdoor stages along a 1-mile stretch of Broadway in the Baker neighborhood.
Moore stopped conducting the annual poll in 2010. But with the festival now coming to a probable end, here’s one final introduction to 10 local bands and artists our panel of industry insiders recommend you check out. In all, nearly 100 bands received votes. Over the next five days, we will be counting down the top 10, two per day.
‘It means a lot to be acknowledged by a panel of local music experts – especially as part of such a historic moment in The UMS’ legacy,’ said DNA Picasso.
9. DNA PICASSO
• At a glance: DNA Picasso is a recording artist and songwriter who makes art that fosters change – and changes that foster art.
Inspired by the informed yet unpredictable artistry of his namesake, Pablo Picasso, his R&B-influenced hip-hop has made him a power player in the Colorado music scene.
DNA Picasso is both the co-founder of the Colorado Music Industry Alliance and producer of Youth on Record’s Get Loud Music Summit, a two-day UMS conference designed to uplift artists’ industry knowledge, mental health and creative professional development. The conference takes place from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday and Saturday (July 25-26) at 800 Kalamath St.
In 2025, DNA Picasso was selected by the Recording Academy to be part of the Grammy-U mentorship program as a mentee, and was given the MSU Denver Next Wave Leadership Award by the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts.
“I’m incredibly honored to be selected as one of Colorado’s top 10 Underground Artists Worthy of More Mainstream Recognition,” he said. “It means a lot to be acknowledged by a panel of local music experts – especially as part of such a historic moment in The UMS’ legacy.”
• Website: dnapicasso.com
• Year started: 2015
• Members: DNA Picasso (vocals, songwriting and creative direction)
• What makes you local? “I was born in New York, adopted at 5 with my twin brother, raised in California until my mid-teens and then moved to Colorado. My dad grew up here, and he is why and how we landed here. I decided to stay and see what I can build.”
• Describe your music: “A fusion of hip-hop and soul that’s vulnerable, powerful and motivational — storytelling with bounce.”
• Seminal single: “Not only did ‘The Colour Blü’ win Best New Album from Westword – the first time a hip-hop project ever had – it gave me creative permission to feel deeply and reflect every shade of emotion through my music. That project changed my life.”
Official video: “PLZ” by DNA Picasso featuring Malcolm Whyz3, produced by Soul Pesci & shot by Mike Tell of Dreamersday Productions
• Video song sampler: youtu.be
• Musical influences: Lil Wayne, Kanye West and 50 Cent — each brought their own distinct sound and built collectives that elevated their people. That leadership mentality stuck with me.”
• One favorite fellow Colorado artist: “Dominique Christina is a legendary poet and one of the most musically gifted people I know. We dropped an album of R&B love songs together last year, ‘Lawless: A Love Story,’ and I can’t wait for the world to hear what she’s releasing next.”
• When did you know your music was for real? “When I opened for MadeinTYO at the Bluebird Theater — the crowd sang along, filmed my set and showed real love. But things really shifted when I made the cover of Westword in September 2024, becoming (as far as I know) the first solo hip-hop artist ever to do so. That moment validated me as an artist. And this year, winning MSU Denver’s New Wave Leadership Award for my work with the Colorado Music Industry Alliance solidified my role in the business side. I’m running both races — artist and industry — and it’s a beautiful thing.”
• Catch me live: At the Underground Music Showcase, 10 p.m. Saturday (July 26) at HQ
• Next music drop: “Centerfold Pt. 2” drops Friday (July 25) at this link
• Fill in the blank: My live show is like: “… Coming to a therapy session with a party at the end. I’m all about motivating and uplifting people — being real, being raw and still having fun.”
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