Artists you Should Know Ep. 2 - The DVDs
His lyrics and flow speak to acts of love for his family, for his community, for his life, and all of the complicated feelings that are the side effects of love. In a world of overly commercialized music that focuses on trends and capitalism, Vaughn’s raps are rooted in humanity. The world needs more of that right now.
When David Batten comes into the mix, the sound fills the room in a special way. The music is shaped and produced to feel the emotions deeper than words — it’s what turns slam poetry and rap into R&B. The textures are reminiscent of early Usher and John Legend with a unique Boston feel. If you’re looking for music to (in Vaughn’s Words) heal your childhood trauma, then this is the duo to add to your rotation.
by Sapphire Skye Toth - Orkest Co-Founder and Artistic DirectorVaughn “David Dominiq” Samuels and David Batten are a pair of folks who are always bringing the vibes (and we’re not talking vibraphones… probably).
You might think that R&B died when Lionel Richie became an American Idol sellout. Or that Usher’s performance at the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show ran on nothing but nostalgia.
Those thoughts (while common) are incorrect. R&B lives on in 2026. It lives on in Chicago and New York jazz bars. It lives on in Instagram creators. It lives on in the DVD’s in the Greater Boston Area.
I first met David Dominiq through a local music Discord Channel. When I shared about Orkest, he was quick to hop on. Vaughn was an active, loving audience member before he started performing with us, and at almost any concert he isn’t performing with us at.
