Good Vibrations

Good vibes."

That's how Silverado High School senior and aspiring hip-hop artist Dallas Duncan describes his music.

With his cool, easy stride and bright smile, Duncan's entrance to a library for an interview attracted the attention of his peers. The hand waves thrown his way and shouts of "Hey, Dallas" showed how the phrase "good vibes" encapsulates not only his songs but the force that emanates from him.

Duncan, whose stage name is SLik d, focuses his songwriting around fun and constructive themes. His song "Cereal" shows his fearlessness when it comes to having fun with his music. In "Cereal," Duncan raps about lazy weekends and how the only way to start the day off right is with a bowl of cereal.

But Duncan is able to venture from comical themes to serious ones. In "Strive," he tells of the freedom that comes from your accomplishments -- doing things like getting good grades with no help, and paying for things by yourself.

"I always write about positive things," he says.

Music also provides a positive outlet for Duncan's energy.

"Without it, I would be a very bad person," he says. "It would give me more time to do things I shouldn't do."

Perhaps this is the reason Duncan wants to pursue music as a career.

"I want it to be my life," he says. "I want to wake up every day and do something with music."

Any artist pursuing a musical career would need voluminous amounts of inspiration and influence, and Duncan has it.

"People influence me," he says. "If they like my music that means I'm doing something good."

To this end, Duncan's headed in the right direction. He's already accumulated a modest fan base, ranging from fellow students to MySpacers who happen across his page (www.myspace.com/slikdizzle).

Duncan's "go with the flow" feel to his music and his personality are what attract fans. This attitude has rewarded him some promising career opportunities, like an impromptu performance at a restaurant while on vacation with his family in Mexico.

"Someone told the owner I did music," Duncan says. "I had my iPod, so I plugged it in and performed."

Fans and performances aside, Duncan remains humble, and so does his music, which is a refreshing break from the flashy mainstream hip-hop on the radio today. His choice of instrumentals combined with the easy flow of how he raps his lyrics takes you back to the earlier years of hip-hop.

Recording music out of his bedroom at home, Duncan has been able to keep his sound organic and not overly polished.

"I don't want my music to sound computerized," he says. "I want it to sound like I made it."

Duncan isn't signed to any label yet, but he continues to make music on his own.

"What's next for SLik d is the album I'm working on," Duncan says. "I'm making it because I'm homesick."

Duncan's originally from Carson, Calif., and realized his love for music after winning his first freestyle battle there.

He describes the sound of his next album as "California."

"California sounds like how it looks," he says. "You just gotta open your eyes in order to understand its meaning while you're there."