One night, Demetrius Idlett couldn’t sleep well.
He would wake up intermittently and write his thoughts down — a true reflection of what was going through his mind at the time.
The result was his brainchild and first book My Awkward Thoughts.
For Idlett, also known as D’MXCI (Duh-mee-chee), being the son of famed producer Timbaland does not mean his career is strictly meant to take a musical path. He hopes to create impactful art and open people’s minds to explore enlightenment, inspiration, and empowerment.
“I’ve always been a writer at heart, and I’ve always had a knack for words,” said D’MXCI, a Pinecrest resident. “The rhythm of words has always fascinated me, and I found it easier to express myself through writing.”
D’MXCI started his career as a deejay for the Life in Color tour while still in college, but has had a diverse career thus far. His love for creating stretched beyond music and writing to the fashion realm, which multi-million recording artist Jay-Z noticed.
“I was just in the studio wearing one of my jackets, and Jay-Z wanted me to make him one,” D’MXCI said. “I would buy the jackets and customize them. Designing my own clothes is another form of creating unique and meaningful art for me.”
Using his ability to create original work, My Awkward Thoughts is a collection of writings accompanied with illustrations linked to each written piece. The illustrations are the writings coming alive; according to what D’MXCI’s mind perceived.
Additionally, three of the excerpts are complemented by three professionally recorded songs.
Each written piece has a title which forms an acronym. For example, one of D’MXCI’s first pieces is titled “Wonder” and directly under the title the words “With One New Day Extends Reason” appear. This is an entry that serves as a microcosm of the book’s overall message.
“Wonder is an overview of my vision for the book and series. It’s also the first one I wrote,” D’MXCI said. “When writing, I feel like a scientist more than anything. I love algorithms and, to me, there is more to life than just following the same pattern of waking up, going to work, and going to bed. There should be emotions and feelings connected to the patterns in our lives.”
D’MXCI drew inspiration from his favorite author J.K. Rowling, the writer responsible for the world-renowned Harry Potter book series.
He hopes to make My Awkward Thoughts the first of seven books with each one evolving and offering different artistic perspectives, which are a products of his thoughts and stream of consciousness.
The second book is tentatively titled My Awkward Thoughts on Sex, Drugs, and Money and it will include more personal illustrations with D’MXCI himself included. Readers of each book in the series also can expect more music linked to the free-form writings.
“My goal is to make the next Harry Potter series but encompassing my ideas about the world,” D’MXCI said. “This is not a collection of poems but free-form writing. I understand structure, but don’t necessarily feel the need to follow structure. I did not want to disrespect conventions but still keep that creative writing element clear.”
In addition to J.K. Rowling, D’MXCI’s inspiration is derived from his ancestral family and experiences.
“I grew up around different lifestyles,” D’MXCI said. “My family has intricate and eclectic cultural background.”
At the end of this book, D’MXCI invites readers to create their own writing with pages titled “Your Awkward Thoughts.” This is an attempt to use his creation to help others rid themselves of fear to honestly express themselves.
“Following my writings and expression, I am asking reader to speak their minds and not be afraid to say anything,” he said.
As D’MXCI moves forward with the rest of the series, he knows this will be an endeavor he pursues with dedication and vision.
