Rapper David Gligorevic (DaPar) returns to Wee Waa

By Tom Pattison

Twenty-five year old David Gligorevic is thrilled to be back in Wee Waa, and he has some big news: the talented rapper, known as DaPar, will be the opening act for ‘Chillinit’ in Tamworth at the end of the month. Blake Turnell, known professionally as ‘Chillinit’, is a ARIA-charting hip-hop artist and musician,and the rapper is embarking on a regional tour.

David is the son of Ned and Veronika Gligorevic; Ned is a former Wee Waa police officer and Veronika was a teacher’s aide in town.

The family moved from Wee Waa in 2015 to Sydney but David returned this year. In a question-and-answer session with the Wee Waa News’ Tom Pattison, David described his love for the Cotton Capital and shared an insight into how he is making his mark in the music scene.

What year did you leave Wee Waa and what brought you back?

I left Wee Waa at the start of 2015. And finished year 11 and 12 in high school in Sydney.

I came back to Wee Waa because when I’m in Wee Waa I feel a sense of peace. It’s a peace that most people want in life, or least I do. And a lot of people live their whole lives chasing this peace. I can have it right here.

I had come through Wee Waa heaps to see old friends and make new friends and have always felt welcomed here.

It’s the Cotton Capital of Australia, it’s a magical place, man.

What got you into rap and becoming ‘DaPar’?

I made my first rap actually in Wee Waa after I learnt about ABAB rhyme schemes in primary school.

Dad would play Eminem on long car trips too, so I’d say he influenced me that way.

DaPar is pronounced (dapper) and I created it based on the first two letters of my name ‘Da’ from David and then I just reversed the word ‘rap’ to make ‘par’.

This was inspired by my good friend who is an artist, and he reversed the word ‘art’ to make ‘tra’ when he created an Instagram profile (@Arttra). I thought that was a good idea.

@DaPar was taken on Instagram so I went with @DaParAUS since I’m ‘reppin’’ Australia.

Who is Chillinit and how did you get the chance to open for him?

Chillinit is one of, if not, the best rappers in Australia right now.

He has made songs with some of the greats and has helped many artists rise to glory in the Australian rap scene.

He made a song called OG’s with my favourite rap group in Australia, Bliss N Eso (I’m wearing their new album’s basketball jersey in these photos). He created a competition on Instagram at the start of his current Australia-wide tour.

He challenged local rappers from all over Australia to post a video of them rapping and get their followers to tag him in the comments, then tag them in the comments of his post.

If they won, then they’d be chosen to open for him when he performs at the location they entered for.

At first, I was too scared to bother posting a video, coming up with reasons like “David, you’d never get picked”, “Man, you’re not good enough”, and so on and so forth.

I only watched my rapper friends enter the comp and supported them. Then, as I was driving through Moree, I imagined what it would be like to actually perform at a Chillinit concert.

I rapped my whole set in my car and screamed at the top of my lungs, “LET’S GO TAMWORTH!” and all sorts of other antics (I would have looked so weird to the other people driving by).

Once I was done, I was so pumped and hyped that I knew I had to enter the comp.

I knew this opportunity would be worth failing at.

My phone was out of charge, and the library was shut, so I stopped at a Moree shop and charged my phone on one of their display laptops, pretending to browse the computers while I waited for it to charge.

I chatted to one of the workers, and they said they were happy to let me use their phone charger. Shoutout to Molly in Moree; I wouldn’t have won without you.

I went to find a local mural, which was on the Moree Information Centre, propped my phone up, and just rapped.

I didn’t have the resources to have a backing track ready or anything else. I simply rapped a verse from one of my songs completely A cappella.

While I was recording, a bunch of Buddhist monks turned up, and I got nervous and almost stopped.

I thought for a second, ‘Yo, if I can’t rap in front of them (they’re meant to be really peaceful people too), then how could I rap in front of over 500 people?

I want to be rapping on the biggest stages across the entire world one day. So, I did it regardless of the circumstances.

I edited the video to fit it into a 60-second submission and uploaded it. I then spent heaps of time sharing it personally with as many friends, family, and followers as I could, asking for help and support. I got recognition from Chillinit when he messaged me and said, ‘This is dope’. From March 3 until May 7, I continued to share the video to my story on Instagram almost every day, doing everything in my power to get the spot. And I got it.

What advice would you give to those wanting to chase their dreams and achieve their goals?

Pray for it. Be specific. Be prepared to change.

I’ll be honest, I still haven’t got what I have dreamt of though. I’d say, take advice from people that have what you want.

I don’t have what I want yet, but I know I’ll get it.

And anything else you would like to add man, go for it!

I have got to say, my heart is so full from all the people that were happy to take some time out of their lives to help me win this.

From Molly at the shop in Moree to my family who have always supported, inspired, and told me I have talent in this regard, to the friends who have told me I deserve this, it’s absolutely unbelievable that I have so many people who can make space and time for me. It truly means the world, and I appreciate it completely.

I hope to be able to pull at that love in, amplify it, and share it with more and more people.

I can hold my chest out with pride and say that ‘I can do this’ and I will absolutely ‘kill it’ when I get on stage.

I started a challenge last year in October, where I’d release a new single or feature every 14th day of each month.

I have released ‘Psychedelic Love’, featured on ‘Another Life’ with StitchFM, ‘Scoundrel’, ‘Spare Time’, ‘Catch Me X4, ‘OTD’ featured on ‘Dark To Light’ with TGAR, and just released my newest song ‘Mum get the camera’ on 14/05.