Vic Daggs II: Building Momentum Inside Seattle and Outside the Box

“My new style of music is more present. You're getting me in the now–thoughts that are coming out and that I want to share within the universe.” - Vic Daggs II (Photo courtesy of Daggs)

By Mead Gill

The multi-faceted creative powerhouse Vic Daggs II has spent close to a decade making waves in music and fashion in Seattle and beyond. From momentous collaborations with Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, and Ghanian rapper M.anifest to the sultry conscious soul on his 2024 EP “Mental Hugs,” the 27-year-old artist has cemented himself as a mainstay in the miscellaneous sound of Pacific Northwest hip hop. 

Last Friday, Daggs’ released his latest single “Not For Sale,” marking the next evolution of his musicality and artistic intuition. His major upcoming performances at Fremont Fridays on August 29 and Bumbershoot 2025 on Sunday, August 31 add to the momentum toward his next project set to drop this fall.  

Since first realizing his knack for poetry and rapping in high school, Daggs’ talent has taken many shapes in response to his evolving states of mind. “My new style of music is more present,” he said. “You're getting me in the now–thoughts that are coming out and that I want to share within the universe.”

A self-identified “artist” to fully encompass his skills, Daggs raps, produces, engineers, writes for other musicians, and designs clothes for his own fashion line Victori. While it’s a lot to juggle, he expressed gratitude for all the opportunities to put in the creative reps to truly hone his crafts.

“If you're a basketball player and you shoot more shots, you just kind of get better at shooting,” he said, identifying a freer approach to experimenting with new sounds, hooks, flows, and more. 

“There’s no actual rules in how you create or express yourself…and I realized a long time ago that you can just do whatever you want.” - Vic Daggs II (Photo courtesy of Daggs)

Daggs’ 2023 album “VOID” represents a key aspect to his creative process: collaboration. Linking up with Seattle-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Budo on “VOID” created a coming-of-age time capsule showcasing the vibrant West Coast energy from two inventors pushing each other's boundaries. 

“There’s no actual rules in how you create or express yourself…and I realized a long time ago that you can just do whatever you want,” Daggs said, explaining that working with his friends allows him to find the sweet spot between what sounds familiar to the ear, but still completely different. “Thinking about it that way is very very empowering.”

After landing a feature on Macklemore’s 2023 album “BEN,” Daggs opened for the prolific Seattle rapper at Climate Pledge Arena that summer. A bold decision for an opener, Daggs performed an unreleased record produced by Ryan Lewis which was met with relentless energy and support from the crowd. At the point, he felt his undeniable place in Seattle’s creative community.

“Creating my own sound could potentially become the Pacific Northwest sound. But only time will tell.” - Vic Daggs II (Photo courtesy of Daggs)

Growing up in Seattle and drawing musical influences from around the world led to a realization: “In Seattle, there isn't a distinctive sound,” he said. Comparing his city to hip hop heavy hitters like Atlanta and Detroit where some of his favorite artists put on the map, Daggs realized that Seattle’s nonconformity allows an unbridled level of creative freedom that goes beyond the classic sound of a city. “Creating my own sound could potentially become the Pacific Northwest sound,” he said. “But only time will tell.”

Daggs’ connection to West Coast hip hop lays the sonic groundwork with additional influences to Southern hip hop giants like Outkast, but the true throughline is lyrical depth and ever-changing cinematic productions choices. At the end of the day, his true creative literacy comes from his own inherent experience dictated by nothing but the life he lives, he said.

“As of recent, life just inspires me,” Daggs said, explaining he has reached a state of mind where inspiration tends to find him without having to seek it out. “I think that that's the way inspiration should work.”

In a moving instance of inspiration, Daggs described a show he played in front of Pike Place Market last summer. While performing to a mob of jumping fans, he noticed a woman in the crowd sitting down and facing away from him. After the show, she approached Daggs to tell him in sign language she liked his music despite being deaf, and was enjoying his set through the vibrations. “That was by far the best moment I've had within music,” he said. 

“I want it to be a brand that people feel comfortable in, people feel like a winner in.” - Vic Daggs II (Photo courtesy of Daggs)

While remaining on the cutting edge of modern hip hop, Daggs expressed pride in his relation to Floyd Standifer, one of the founding fathers of Seattle jazz and his  great-great-great uncle. Down the line, Daggs sees potential to incorporate his jazz roots into the music with the intention to reenergize the impact of Standifer to a new generation.

Coexisting with the music, Daggs’ fashion line Victori is built upon the foundation of street wear luxury. As both a creative outlet and brand, Victori aims to be a community-based Black-owned business that fosters togetherness through fashion, striving for “a sense of network and community.”

“I want it to be a brand that people feel comfortable in, people feel like a winner in,” Daggs said. In his own journey to pursuing arts as a serious career, that same drive and dedication he put into his work he aims to represent in the clothes he designs. 

Daggs’ product manager Brandie Henry emphasized the commitment to creation she witnessed working beside him. “You cannot put him in a box,” she said. “He's going to create his own lane. You're just going to have to be on that ride.”

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