Ghetto Walk | Short Story

Step into the world of our Future Creative Leader, Dred

In May, we stepped into the world of Naiya Evans, professionally known as Dred, in Dred Presents: Long Story Short - The Experience. This was the launch of his debut EP, Long Story Short. Throughout the evening, Dred shared moments from his childhood, short stories from the present day and recent artworks using film and music.

The audience was treated to delicious food from Mama Ky's "Caribbean Fusion." The event was set up in the style of Dred’s living room, with a working N64 that people could play on, as well as headphones to listen to Dred’s EP in his ‘bedroom’ area. His words were displayed on A Boards, and there was a photo wall at the back of the Project Space, featuring pictures from his youth. The in-conversation aspect of the night was held on the sofa, surrounded by plants and books, with Lighthouse’s Bobby Brown.

It was during this conversation, Dred offered the audience an intimate look into his evolution as an artist and a person. Recalling their first meeting in 2019, Bobby reflected on Dred’s magnetic presence: “You were just making noise, but not only noise—you had presence even without having to make noise.” Dred’s journey began with raw lyrical vulnerability, as shown in his track Pictures in the Rain, where he raps, “Split from my parents at birth, I swear it damaged me,” setting the tone for a career defined by emotional honesty.

Dred talked about how music, for him, became a medium for processing loss and trauma. Speaking on grief, Dred shared: “It also gives me strength talking about it… I try and give other people strength in what I say.” His openness has made him a relatable figure. “People listen to my music and they feel like they know me because I’m very vocal about what I’ve been through.”

Artistic growth is clear in his videos, especially Cold World and Midnight Gala, where he began exploring acting and visual storytelling. On creative progression, Dred reflected, “When I think about Pictures in the Rain, I think, yeah, you were just a rapper then… but I don’t even see myself as that anymore.”

The discussion also touched on identity and masculinity. Bobby noted, “I think you’re an example of someone who shows a healthy form of masculinity,” to which Dred responded, “Lots of people have reached out to me… they didn’t feel comfortable talking to their friends, but they felt comfortable talking to me.”

Connecting with his roots, Dred recounts reconnecting with his grandfather, part of the Windrush generation, and travelling to Guyana: “I needed to go and tap in so I can tell that story.”

And in a perfect ending to the evening, Dred affirmed to the audience, “Trust me, we’re just warming up.”

And we can’t wait to see what’s next for Dred in his creative journey!

You can listen to the full audio from Dred’s event and read and listen to Stories from Guyana and his debut EP, Long Story Short below.

Listen to Stories from Guyana by Dred.