DANIEL GUN
“I was convinced right away because when I do something, I go all in or not at all. I've never regretted living vegan and Straight Edge. This is my life—I don't even think about it anymore. It's as natural to me as breathing or drinking water.”
DANIEL GUN (BORN 1985), IS A VEGAN STRAIGHT EGDE RAP / HARDCORE ARTIST FROM HANOVER, GERMANY.
FIRST SETTING FOOT INTO MUSIC AT THE AGE OF 16, HE WAS PART OF A STRAIGHT EDGE HARDCORE BAND THAT ONLY COMPILED A 2 SONG DEMO.
GROWING UP, DANIEL WOULD BE INFLUENCED BY HARDCORE / PUNK / METAL AS WELL AS AMERICAN, FRENCH AND GERMAN RAP, WHICH IS REFLECTED IN HIS VERSATILE STYLE.
AT THE AGE OF 15 HE TURNED STRAIGHT EDGE, WHICH 5 YEARS LATER WOULD BE FOLLOWED UP BY A LIFELONG PLEDGE TO VEGANISM.
HIS MUSICAL OUTPUT RANGES FROM HARDCORE RAP, MELANCHOLIC RAP, BEATDOWN, TO GHETTO METAL & POST PUNK / DARKWAVE. THIS MAKING HIM ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE ARTISTS IN THE GERMAN LANDSCAPE OF RAP.
BESIDES HIS OUTPUT IN THE FIELD OF RAP A BEATDOWN BAND CALLEd “HEADSPLITTA“ WAS FORMED IN 2020 WITH ONE OF HIS CLOSE FRIENDS FROM THE NETHERLANDS WHICH REMAINS ACTIVE TO THIS DAY.
LYRICALLY, DANIELS TEXTS DEAL MAINLY WITH PAIN, DISAPPOINTMENT, SUFFERING, FRIENDSHIP & VIOLENCE. THEREFORE USING MUSIC AS A MEANS OF THERAPY AND GUIDANCE THROUGH HARDSHIPS IN LIFE.
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS DANIEL GUN HAS ACCUMULATED AN IMPRESSIVE LIST OF FEATURES AND COLLABORATIONS WITH ARTISTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD SUCH AS GERMANY, NETHERLANDS, FRANCE, CZECH REPUBLIC, POLAND, RUSSIA, GREECE, SERBIA, UNITED KINGDOM, USA, MEXICO, CHILE, COSTA Rica, BRAZIL, ANGOLA & BRASIL
LIVE SHOWS BEING PLAYING PART IN HIS OVERALL WORKINGS. HE TOURED SEVERAL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES LOOK OUT FOR FUTURE SHOWS COMING UP NEAR YOU.
What was the moment or experience that first pushed you toward veganism?
When I was around 16 years old, I got to know Volker from Fields Of Hope Records, a small hardcore label from Wolfsburg. Around that time, I started thinking about vegetarianism and veganism for the first time.
I thought about it a lot, but the final decision to go vegan came in 2005 when I met my good friend Sebastian, aka Partisan, who had already been vegan for about three months. We talked a lot, watched documentaries together, and ever since then I've been vegan. It was the best decision of my life.
Did your path into veganism come before or after getting into hardcore / straight edge?
I've been listening to hardcore, punk, Oi!, metal, and rap since I was 12, so when I first got into veganism at 16, I already had a rough idea of what it meant. I also became Straight Edge when I was 15.
Was there a specific band, record, or scene influence that opened that door for you?
I listened to a lot of Youth Crew Straight Edge bands like Youth Of Today, Floorpunch, and Ten Yard Fight. But the bands that really introduced me to veganism were XMaroonX, Arkangel, and Earth Crisis. Their lyrics convinced me immediately.
How did your friends, family, or local scene react when you made that shift?
Everyone around me respected my decision to go vegan.
I've always been a little different, and since I had already been Straight Edge from a young age, it wasn't really a surprise for my family. Most of my friends came from the hardcore scene, so they understood exactly what it meant to me.
Was it an immediate commitment, or something you grew into over time?
I was convinced right away because when I do something, I go all in or not at all. I've never regretted living vegan and Straight Edge. This is my life—I don't even think about it anymore. It's as natural to me as breathing or drinking water.
I even got it tattooed on me: CFL = COMMITMENT FOR LIFE
For you, how connected are veganism and straight edge—are they inseparable or distinct choices?
For me, veganism and Straight Edge belong together.
For the first five years, from age 15 to 20, I was only Straight Edge. But eventually I realized that, for me personally, it's the combination of these two lifestyles that describes me 100%.
Do you see veganism as an extension of straight edge ethics, or its own independent stance?
I respect other living beings and don't want anyone to die for me. At the same time, I respect my own body and mind. I like being clear-headed at all times. Day or night, I can give everything I've got. I'm 100% available—for myself, my friends, and my family.
How do you respond to people in the scene who embrace one but not the other?
Of course, I respect other opinions. If someone chooses to live only one of those lifestyles, that's their decision to make. I don't judge.
What role did the hardcore/metal scene play in shaping your beliefs?
All I know is that when I discovered hardcore, punk, Oi!, metal, and rap at the age of 12, I instantly knew this was exactly what I had been looking for.
Hard, loud, and aggressive.
They were screaming for me—and later I started screaming myself through my own music, whether it was rap, hardcore, beatdown, or darkwave.
Do you feel like the scene today is more or less aligned with vegan values than when you started?
Hardcore and punk have always been critical of society, the media, and the mainstream—and they should stay that way. Unfortunately, in recent years I've seen more and more of the opposite.
MAKE HARDCORE DANGEROUS AGAIN!
It's music for free thinkers and outsiders, but also for business people making big money—as long as their heart is in the right place. Everyone is welcome, but don't be ignorant. Accept other opinions. We're not all the same. Over the last 26 years, I've seen a lot of people come and go when it comes to veganism and Straight Edge. But there's always a dedicated core that remains.
What kind of impact do you hope your band has on listeners?
I receive a lot of messages from people telling me that my music and lyrics have helped them—or even saved them—from suicide or drug-related death.
Have you ever heard from someone who changed because of your music?
Many of them are in therapy and tell me they grow stronger every day through my lyrics.
Do you think music can genuinely shift people’s behavior, or just reinforce existing beliefs?
Yes, music can have a huge impact on people. It can give strength, motivation, and hope.
At the same time, music can also bring negative emotions to the surface.
Do you see veganism as inherently political?
Everything we do is political—and at the same time, it isn't. Personally, I don't consider myself a political person. I treat everyone equally and respect different opinions.
At the same time, I always say: "Do what is good for you, as long as it doesn't harm others."
I have roots in different countries, and my family has always been very open-minded and tolerant. I don't identify with any political party or ideology. I think both communism and capitalism should be criticized, and people shouldn't blindly repeat whatever they're told. I don't vote either because, ever since I was young, I've been convinced that everything is corrupt and that nothing in politics happens by accident.Respect other living beings and respect nature, for fuck's sake.
What keeps you committed when it gets difficult or isolating?
I've always been good at being on my own, ever since I was a kid. I like helping my friends and family because I can handle a lot of pressure. I'm a machine 😅💪🏼.
Where do you see the vegan / straight edge movement going in the next decade?
Of course, I hope there will continue to be vegan Straight Edge bands that genuinely mean it and actually live this lifestyle.
What would you say to someone on the fence about embracing these ideas?
If you truly feel it in your heart, you'll know it's the right decision. Living this way should never feel like discipline—it should feel natural.
Final Thoughts:
First band that made you think differently:
xMAROONx – Antagonist
That entire album was incredibly important to us back then.
A lyric you’ve written (or heard) that still hits hardest:
Honestly: Every Earth Crisis lyric.
I've written a lot of deep lyrics myself, although most of my songs deal with personal experiences. But I've also written vegan Straight Edge lyrics.
One example from 2012:
"Because I'm tired of your lies, I'm angry and full of rage. I'd like to see you spend just one day behind those doors and walls. I can feel their fear, they're trembling and sweating. No animal deserves to live behind bars."
One misconception about vegan straight edge:
As a Vegan Straight Edger, you can wear heavy chains and practice martial arts—it has nothing to do with being stereotypically toxic or macho.
One thing the scene needs to do better:
The scene needs more independent thinking again and more acceptance of different opinions.
Question the state, question the government, and stay angry.
STREAM “PINNED DOWN” by HEADSPLITTA NOW!
Streaming can be found below.