interviews

Welcome Home, Ralo: Rapper Talks New Album, Standing On Principles & His Loyalty To Young Dolph

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We’ve witnessed Ralo’s hardships over the years. He was one of the most authentic voices in the South who was propelled to acclaim through mixtape-hosting platforms before he was arrested on federal charges after authorities reportedly discovered pounds of cannabis on his private jet. By the time that happened, Ralo had already become a pillar in his community, one who was recognized within Atlanta and outside of it.

With the rapper’s release from prison in 2023, he returned home to a new world where streaming algorithms reigned supreme and those who were once the hottest rappers had faded into obscurity and a new crop of artists emerged. Yet, Ralo’s M.O. hasn’t changed creatively nor has his commitment to his community. “I ain’t ever been the artist that had this hit record,” he explained to HotNewHipHop. “More people bought into me as a person, you know what I’m saying? Like, what I did for the community, what I do for the community and you know, the way I was living, the way I was moving. They were able to relate to me and relate to my story through music.”

His forthcoming album, Welcome Home, sees him telling his side of the story for the first time since his release. With appearances from Anthony Hamilton, K Michelle, Key Glock, and more, the 16-song body of work will appear on DSPs on Friday, August 23rd. Ahead of its release, we caught up with Ralo over Zoom to discuss the making of the project, his friendship with Young Dolph, and fulfilling his purpose. 

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Photo Credit: Shemaal

HotNewHipHop: The new album is due out on August 23rd. How does it feel working on a full body of work with new songs after six years?

Ralo: When we speak of work, you know, because that’s a different kind of work. Because I was never able to depend on a rap game as I am doing now. Before I got into this rap shit, I was just selling dope, and that was my stream of income and I was just having fun with this rap shit. I never even thought that I would accumulate any financial stability from it. However, I’ve been blessed to utilize my platform, my social media engagement, and my fanbase now to produce a lot of f*cking money, you know? And it just feels different having to strategize things versus just going to re-up and buy some dope and then selling it. So it’s a different hustle that I’m adapting to. Hopefully, after this, I’ll be able to – I want to focus on pushing artists and pushing my whole label itself, including myself, of course. But you know, I want to just do a broad push of, you know, being a CEO and being the person that I believe that I could be, you smell me? And others believe in, as well. 

With the creative flow and getting back into the booth after such a long period, was it a fulfilling process for you to record this album?

I mean, in recording the album, you know, I did a lot of from jail. My album was pretty much done while I was in jail. When I got out, when I got into the halfway house, they didn’t allow me to go anywhere else other than work and back to the halfway house. So every day I’m going to work and [back to the] halfway house, work, halfway house. I was stuck in the studio all day, 10 hours per day for months, five days a week. So I’m doing 50 hours a week inside the studio. This coming from never having to do shit like that because I barely even was able to go to the studio before I went to jail and whatnot. I’m forced to be in there so I’m coming up with all kinds of creative shit, and I’m able to vent the way I want to vent, you know? And you know, with the music and the rap game, me, personally, it just helped with my mental health, you know? It just helped me, and it helped me within my soul and stuff like that. So, like, a lot of the times when I’m in the booth or something, I’m just venting, you smell me?

You say that on “First Day Out.” That line really stuck with me, when you say, “Every time I do a song, you’re going to hear me vent.” How do those lyrics reflect the process of you coming home and putting together this body of work while you’re in the halfway house?

I think that people really – you know, I ain’t ever been the artist that had this hit record. Like, you got your Bossman Dlow’s and stuff. They got big songs, and they were able to capitalize off that song, which is what drove their career and things of that matter. More people bought into me as a person, you know what I’m saying? Like, what I did for the community, what I do for the community and you know, the way I was living, the way I was moving. They were able to relate to me and relate to my story through music. So, everything that I do is kind of on a level of, you know, “I’m listening to Ralo, his story is real, and let’s see what he was talking about.” You know, they go back at that time and moment, and [they’re like] “Okay, he made this song when he got caught with that weed. He made this song when he got caught with them bricks.” Or, “he made this song when woopty woop got shot” or whatnot. So, like I was able to capture the people off of my story, you smell me? And it’s a blessing that others are able to relate to it and have a grand interest in it, you smell me?

How has that reception felt from your community and peers since you got back home? That feeling of that energy must be different considering all that you’ve gone through. 

I mean, you know, from the outside looking in, people just look at me as some kind of big-time kingpin, drug smuggler. You know what comes with the streets and shit so they look at me in the manner of being mean or arrogant. But when people are actually able to come around me, it’s a whole different feel. They get to feel my energy, you know what I’m saying it? That’s when I mostly win my fans and whatnot. So coming home to all my people at the “First Day Out” video shoot, and they were vibing with me and they were able to capture that moment. That was history for all of us, and you know that went in the books. We can always go back and look at that video, you smell me?

What can we expect from Welcome Home? In terms of the features, how many songs, etc.

I mean, I did a lot, a lot of features with bigger artists and, one of the main problems I had with getting clearances was my commitment with Young Dolph, you smell me? So like with that commitment, it kind of prohibited me from getting clearances from artists that had grand dealings with CMG, which is a massive amount of artists in the industry. I wasn’t able to even put a lot of the songs on the album that I did with others, because, you know, people just was playing the politics games. They doing the songs with me and sh*t but as soon as it’s time to get clearances, n***as froze up because they want to keep their face clean within the industry with CMG, and they know I’m team Dolph. You know, that probably would have plucked the feathers of some people. However, I was able to still do my thing because at first, I was like f* ck a feature, I’m just gonna do Ralo.

I really loved Anthony Hamilton’s music throughout my life. I always heard him and I doing the record together, even when I was a kid, looking at 106 & Park and sh*t. I was able to get him on the record. 

I had a female companion who left me while I was incarcerated, and she was really obsessed with K. Michelle. You know, I think revenge is the best success. Revenge is the best way to get that revenge and success, so I was able to go snatch her up, and she did a wonderful job on the stuff. Yungeen Ace, him and I got real good companionship with GMK and Draco out of Texas. Shout out to them. We were able to do a nice record together to go with the situation that he got going on because he was accused of a murder or whatnot, and I was accused of several murders or whatnot. So we were able to come together and vent through our record on that. 

I got Key Glock. You know, a lot of blogs and a lot of people and YouTubers, they was always saying, man, me and Key Glock wasn’t kicking it, or we weren’t friends, or we had some kind of problem. I don’t know what the f*ck problems they thought we had, but I seen that a lot. He saw that a lot on a lot of blogs and stuff. At the time, we were together every single day. I don’t know where the hell they get that from, but I had to put him on there to show them we never had any problems. We’ve been doing records before, and we still doing records now. And, you know, people were saying I was stealing the Dolph trophy like, I’m trying to be the face of P.R.E or whatnot but that was never the case. Of course, we got the whole Paper Route on there. We got Kenny Muney, Big Moochie Grape, Goldmouf. We got Anti The Menace. That’s one of my good little homies from Atlanta. I really wasn’t trying to do songs with n***as I really didn’t f*ck with, you smell me? He’s one of them dudes that I really have a solidified relationship with, not just because I paid his bond or I put money on his book because I’ll do that regardless. I mean, I got a real friendship.

Is there a particular song that you’re excited for people to hear?

I mean, the record is called “I’m Me.” So, pretty much, it’s telling the people and reminding the people of myself and what I have done for others. Because I made this record while I was in prison, and I sent it over to Anthony Hamilton, and he put his vocals and things on that, and it came out a classic record. We actually did the video and everything. It’s reminding the people, because, you know, when I first bought my first neighborhood, which is Pakistan off of Lucia Avenue, which was what the feds have taken from me at that time, I bought it as a shell. Like it was no drywall, it was no framing, it was no sheetrock. It was no floors, it was no sinks, no bathroom, no toilets, no tubs, no nothing. You know, I had people that turned against me that I put the sheetrock on their wall, I put these floors on their ground, put this toilet in their bathroom so they can shit and shower. I put beds in their rooms. I put, you know, TVs on their walls and things of that matter. If a person did that for me, I would show grand gratitude and appreciation. I won’t ever cross that person by no means. And then it’s rap n***as that when they weren’t hot, I gave them verses, and you know, they ain’t do the same for me, you smell me? When I was in prison, I needed these things to accumulate cash and stuff to give me residual income for my family and sh*t so, like, I pretty much been against what those people had done to me, you smell me? And all kind of allegations that they put forth on my name. I’m speaking on those things as well, on that record. That’s a massive record for myself. 

What were the biggest challenges for you in adapting to coming back home? Was there a hurdle that you had to overcome since then?

As you know, right now, we’re on Zoom. I’m used to walking into the HotNewHipHop office, throwing the little basketball we had. And, you know, I’m used to going in there and vibing every time I come to New York. That was one of the places that I always stopped by. 

If we think back then, you had your MyMixtapez, your DatPIff, your Spinrilla. You had your Live Mixtapes. You had all these different platforms that we used to have to utilize and try to get on the front page of just to get a big look in this rap sh*t. But now, with streaming and shit, the payouts are different and people are able to have the financial stability that they didn’t have. These people let that money get to their head, you smell me? They poke their chest out, You know, arrogance is a bad thing to have within people because that causes mischief within the land. People that are humble, that are willing to have conversations to avoid problems, they are being stepped over because these other people continue to want to just f**k up and cause problems within the community and stuff like that. So like, my biggest hurdle is dealing with sucker sh*t like that, you smell me? Because a lot of things could be avoided with just a conversation. And when people feel like they need this of another person, they just ain’t willing to have that conversation, which is, which is what causes massive wars in the streets and sh*t like that. So I think that my biggest hurdle.

ATLANTA, GA – JUNE 17: Ralo performs at Birthday Bash ATL The Pop Up Edition Concert at Philips Arena on June 17, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage)

It feels like you have a renewed sense of purpose. How would you describe Ralo’s mission statement in 2024, as both a musician and a community pillar?

I mean, my mission statement will always be to revert ourselves to our Lord, you smell me? That’s the most important thing that we all need to strive towards is getting right with our Lord. And you know, getting to know Him, getting closer to Him, praying to Him, begging Him for forgiveness. And you know, asking Him to remove all the f*cked up desires that we have in our hearts, you smell me? My mission will always be to remind each other of our Lord. Get closer to Him. 

You know, throughout my songs, I actually talk about the Lord quite a bit, you smell me? My religion is Islam, but it don’t matter what religion you is. It’s still, unless you’re atheist, of course, it’s still important for us to get closer to our Lord. I want to just be able to look back and say when I’m listening to this project, that this was my welcome home project, you smell me? To bring me home, bring me closer to my people. And I’m doing a whole lot of venting and a lot of things that I haven’t spoken upon, I spoke upon on this album. My mission within this album is to get people to understand what I did, why I did it, how I did it, and what would I be doing now moving forward.

You had Drake, Meek Mill, and a bunch of people just advocating for your release in a letter to Biden. How did you feel seeing that type of support from these major names, some of your peers who are still rocking with you and hoping to see you come home?

I mean, it’s an amazing feeling. You know, that’s some shit that I never felt like I was worthy of. To be able to be mentioned by the higher public figures in our community. I just wasn’t expecting those things. However, you know, it gave me hope. It gave me strength. The only thing that bothered me was that they didn’t know what I was truly being investigated for because that would prohibit me from getting a pardon because I had, you know, multiple violent accusations that the feds were trying to pursue me in. I didn’t want them to be misled about what was really going on. If it was just about marijuana, I would’ve got a pardon and their work wouldn’t have gone in vain. But due to the Attorney General reaching out to the prosecutor and saying, “Hey, this is just a marijuana case. What is the status of it? And why is Mr. Davis being treated so harshly for these charges?” The prosecutor responded to them and said, “Hey, this is just not a marijuana case.” They saying that I have possibly killed other people and stuff like that. And I’m telling them like, “No, that ain’t what I did,” or nothing like that, but that’s what they were trying to put on me. And you know, when people advocating that it’s just weed, you know, it just – I don’t want to mislead the people into thinking that it was just weed.

You’ve been using your social media page to shine a light on other people’s legal situations, especially peers and friends. What type of responsibility do you feel you have to use your platform to shed light on people who faced similar situations as yours?

I think that God gives all of us whatever He gives us, and it’s our duty to share with the people. We weren’t a seed that was planted on this earth to produce income for others. Some of us just have what we can make to satisfy our own family, our own personal bills, and things of that matter. But whenever you get massive amounts of money, it’s your duty, you have obligation to help the people. With my platform, I have over a million followers, and I have a lot of engagement. Like, I got over 30 million views on my page last month. It’s my duty to be that commercial for the people. The blogs only pick up a lot of drama most of the time, or the only thing they pick up is when a n***a buying somebody a car buying a b*tch a purse, and things of that matter. And it’s more than that going on in the community. It’s people getting shot, it’s people getting killed. It’s kids having funerals, and mamas burying their kids. It’s a lot of shit going on that doesn’t get broadcasted at all. I utilize my platform, and I know ain’t the news or no sh*t like that, but it’s my duty to be able to promote that stuff for them, and if I don’t, then you know that burden lies on me, because I believe in God, you smell me?

How did the loss of Young Dolph affect you?

I mean, you know that sh*t affected me in ways that I don’t even be able to control, you smell me? Like the last interview I did, I done cried tears. out and cried too. He was a great person. He was a great person that I called my friend, and he was heavy in supporting me. And a lot of times, we need that support from people that’s in the industry, or have a little bit more leeway than ourselves, like we really do need that extra push, the extra support, the extra help. And he was one of the people that I always could depend on. No matter what the circumstances were, he was always there for me, whether I was rich, poor, up or down, free, in jail, however it was. He was one of the only people that I knew who supported me wholeheartedly, without any financial gain or any clout or anything like that. That was one of the people that I feel like I lost that, you know, I probably won’t ever get back that kind of support, that love, you smell me?

I watched a recent interview where you said that rap was one of your worst investments but as you mentioned earlier, you’re interested in getting into a more executive position with your label and pushing new artists. But outside of music, what are you most excited to accomplish in the foreseeable future?

I mean, I just see a whole lot of artists that had a massive buzz and had money coming in, like a motherfucker. It’s a list that we can never complete. Like every day, these people come up with hit records, and you know, they had their time. They go buy their jewelry, they go buy their cars, they put this in their mouth and you know, two years later, they’re miserable. In order to prohibit that misery, you got to utilize the money that you’re making out this music to buy something that you can find peace in. And a lot of people just don’t understand you can’t find no peace in a car, you can’t find no peace in buying jewelry, you can’t find no peace in buying some p*ssy. You gotta be really interested in making it to your sanctuary. That’s your home. Make sure whatever place you call home, you invest the most into. Me, personally, I find most of my peace in my hood. So, I make sure I invest the majority of all my money that I make into my hood. Within doing that, I was able to build a community center, I was able to build a mosque, I was able to build a barber shop, a hair salon. All the places that I knew I was gonna have to go and spend money, I made sure I was able to do that because I know in two, three years, it’s going to be another n***a getting out of prison that’s hot, you smell me? I don’t to be a fool and be in a miserable state of mind, just like the rest of the artists that I see today.

The post Welcome Home, Ralo: Rapper Talks New Album, Standing On Principles & His Loyalty To Young Dolph appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Darren Waller Talks “Who Knew” Video, Lil Wayne Co-Sign & The Similarities Between His Musical Career & Returning To The NFL Post-Suspension

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Darren Waller shocked the football world when he announced his decision to retire from the league after nine years. But what’s maybe a bit more shocking is that he walked off the field indefinitely to pursue a music career. It’s nothing new to him, though. He released two albums while in the league, and within that time, earned some encouraging words from none other than Lil Wayne.

“I was just shooting him shit that I would drop. This is a few years ago, and he was just like, ‘Keep going, keep going. It’s hard. Keep going. Keep going,’” Darren Waller recalls Lil Wayne telling him during a Zoom conversation with HotNewHipHop. In many ways, it feels like Lil Wayne helped plant a seed for Waller’s trajectory in music these days. Following a divorce and his retirement, he decided to fully commit to music without compromising his values or authenticity. His recent releases, including the viral single “Who Knew” and his recent two-pack, Mind Games: It’s All In Your Head, have shown the former tight end of the Raiders’ vulnerability as he delves into heartbreak, self-reflection, and staying true to himself. As it is with art, people’s visceral reactions often take to the fore. In his case, it was the same sports talk show pundits that either praised or criticized him during his time in the NFL that had just as much to say about his latest music video.

“I took that opportunity as a unique – extremely unique – way to express what I was going through, and I don’t even think people really understood, like, through the video that the song title was like, who knew her perspective,” Waller told HotNewHipHop about the “Who Knew” music video. “In the video, I was really her. You see what she posted, like that she was devastated and whatnot, but it was me taking on that role and experiencing the pain of the females in relationships that I had been in my whole life. I don’t even think people understood that but it wasn’t even put out for me to even be understood.”

In this in-depth conversation with Darren Waller, he touched on how his musical career parallels his return to the league after his year-long suspension, his spiritual journey, and his top 5 rappers dead or alive. 

Photo credit: ARod2Up

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. 

HotNewHipHop: You’ve released two projects in the past, Delusions Of Clarity, and Walking Miracle, while you were still in the NFL. With the influx of music you’ve been releasing lately, what defines the music that’s now coming from you post-retirement?

Darren Waller: Yeah, man, it’s just authentic music. Sh*t that I’m really experiencing, sh*t that I’m really feeling, from the “Who Knew” record to “Mind Games” and “All In Your Head.” Like, it’s all stuff that I’ve experienced in my life, and just, such a wealth of different experiences in my life that I feel like is important to share with people. I just love different genres of music and styles of music so like, you’ll get bars from me at some point, you will get R&B at some point. Everything that I’m experiencing and walking through mentally and physically is what I’m trying to put into music.

Do you recall the exact moment you decided to retire from the NFL?

It was like a cumulative decision. This decision was fully made later on, like, right around when I announced it but you know, it was just a constant weighing process. I feel like when the season ended, I was leaning more towards retiring but not the whole way and just like trying to stay in that balanced perspective of “a lot alright, like, what do I want to do here?” Like, let’s just weigh the pros and the cons. I never really fully leaned much more away from retiring. That’s how I knew, like, okay, like this is the decision that’s for me because if I’m going back, I don’t think I’m going back for me. So that was enough for me to decide.

Coming from Georgia, who were rappers that inspired and influenced you during your formative years?

Man, it’s all over the place. My dad’s from New York, so it was a lot of Mos Def, Gang Starr, Wu-Tang Clan – Ol’ Dirty Bastard, like a lot of New York. Mobb Deep. The Infamous  Mobb Deep was one of my favorite CDs. I actually stole that from my dad and took it to my car. I love Ludacris, Jay-Z. Those were some of the ones I started to come across myself. Kanye, those are probably the main ones. And then when I hit middle school, freshman year of high school, it was a big Gucci Mane phase. Like, listening to nothing but Gucci being in Atlanta. And that’s the time when I started getting active in the sh*t that I was doing. But yeah, a mixture of all of those, so that’s why I feel like my sound is all over the place.

Darren Waller
 Photo Credit: ARod2Up

In what ways does music fulfill you in the way that football didn’t at that point in your career?

Football was very, you know serious. There are a lot of fun moments, but you know, business is business, man. We need those bottom lines, we need you to produce, so there’s a lot of pressure in that. A lot of exhaustion, and a lot of ups and downs that I’ve seen in the game. Music was, you know, it was just what I found myself doing when I didn’t feel pressure to do anything else or it didn’t feel like I should be doing anything else. It was just like, music was something that I naturally gravitated towards, and got that child-like joy out of and I’m just like, fucking giggling and cackling when I’m putting the beat together and ideas coming together, or I hear how a song is coming together. You put a harmony on something that you weren’t even expecting to come out of your own body. It’s just like, that level of joy. Nobody’s got to force me, there’s doesn’t got to be any pressure on me. I’m gonna make music and have a good time and smile, regardless of what’s going on. And that’s kind of what it is for me.

You mentioned in your Breakfast Club interview that you never felt like you fit in growing up, which led to some of the troubles you found yourself facing later on in life. But, from leaving the NFL to entering the music industry, how do you think the balance between sports and entertainment is working in your favor?

Yeah, man, that’s a great question. I really see this time for me, musically, as the same exact time it was for me when I got reinstated into the league for my year-long suspension, and it was just like, I would have been a fool to expect that something great was going to come from that right away. Because I was just in a position where nobody was really going to trust me. If I was lucky, I get back to the Ravens, maybe be on the practice squad, stuff like that. So it was just more so me being in the space of, like, “Alright, ain’t no one checking for me. I feel like there’s still a future for me in this, I feel like God has pushed me back into this.” So I’m gonna just work on my craft and get better and get better and get better. The rate at which I got better at my craft, allowed me to take advantage of the first opportunity given to me and, and go from there.

But you know, I’m seeing as the same way. It’s just like, you know, we back to grind mode, man. Oh, man. Get better at your craft, don’t worry about what the future holds, or what people are thinking but just continue to try to make quality sh*t that is authentic, that’s real, that people can relate to and they sit down and tap in. The results, we leave up to God, man. Just enjoy the ride.

You described “Who Knew” as taking a risk because you had to show your vulnerability after your divorce but more importantly, the self-reflection that followed. How would you describe the pressure you face when releasing something as personal compared to the pressure you face on the field?

It’s similar, bruh. Because in a football situation, there’s been ups and downs in my career. There have been times in my career where I could do no wrong, bruh. I was like Jesus walking on water with the way that I was playing. Then there are times when people are like, “What the f*ck?” like, you can’t catch a break, and people are on your neck on the internet. And at the end of the day, if you let either one really define you – at the end of the day, it’s all noise, man. It’s all external, so you got to be defined by what you think it is, man. 

I took that opportunity as a unique – extremely unique – way to express what I was going through, and I don’t even think people really understood, like, through the video that the song title was like, “Who Knew (Her Perspective).” In the video, I was really her. You see what she posted, like that she was devastated and whatnot, but it was me taking on that role and experiencing the pain of the females in relationships that I had been in my whole life. I don’t even think people understood that but it wasn’t even put out for me to even be understood. I knew it might be misunderstood by putting it out.

You know, I committed not too long before that. I was like, “Okay, if I’m going to go this music route, I’m going to be authentic and really put sh*t out that is real and true to my life,” and that’s what I did. And I’m sure I’ve gotten cooked numerous times. I’m sure some people liked it, and that’s kind of how this thing goes. If you’re doing shit different, you’re gonna have people that are bold on each side, but I think that’s just the beauty of it, man. People are entitled to their own opinions.

Even as you enter music and leave the NFL, you’re still facing criticism from sports commentators for your work outside of football. Steven A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe, specifically, chimed in on the release of “Who Knew.” How do you respond to those critics? How do you take that criticism without feeling like it’s personal?

Well, one, I have a phone, it’s called a light phone, so I’m not even really on social media like that, or really searching the internet. I couldn’t even tell you what those dudes even said. Like I said, I’m sure there were plenty of people who were like, this dude is probably tweaking right now. So, I don’t really know what they said. But for me, one way of that is not even giving myself access to that noise. And then two, it’s like me being authentic – I feel like I spent a lot of my life trying to do things [to] get validation from people for the way that I was moving. But now it’s like, alright, that’s a move I chose to make. Some people could say that move was stupid. Some people could say it’s a beautiful way to encapsulate a chapter of a journey. You got to have thick skin and be willing to live with whatever comes with it. I’m sure they have their opinions. It’s not my first time with people having opinions about decisions that I may have made, and that’s okay. Because at the end of the day, I know putting “Who Knew” out, I didn’t mean any harm. I wasn’t trying to do anything to anybody. It was just me expressing what I was going through and what other people have to say about it is what they got to say about it, you know?

What’s your end goal with music? As an athlete in the NFL, there’s a goal each year to make it to the Super Bowl and win the Lombardi but it’s not as linear in music.

It’s funny you say that because I feel like my success in football came from me taking away the linear approach myself. The seasons where I was playing the best and doing all that, there was no thought of “I need this amount of stats, need this amount of yards, I need my team to go here.” It’s just one day at a time, as long as I continue to get better and hold myself to the standard of excellence in the way that I play, the way that I run my routes, and the way that I am as a teammate and a leader, I feel like things are gonna go well. 

I try to carry that same stuff over to music because like you said, people’s definitions of success are different. For some people, it’s like platinums and number ones and all this. It’s like that’s not really why I’m doing this. Like I said, I’ll be cooking up until my fingers fall off. Even if I get 100 plays on Spotify, I’ll still keep doing this shit. It’s really about how do I grow and fully embody the sound that I want and the musical gifts that I have. Because it’s obviously been passed down from my great-grandfather, and there’s a journey, a spiritual journey in this for me, regardless of how it ends. So for me, it’s like if I continue to have the same approach that I did when I was playing football, I feel like lives are going to be impacted by what I have to say and the art that I create. And I feel like that right there is the ultimate success.

You released a quick two-pack recently, Mind Games: It’s All In Your Head. What’s the significance of that title?

I just had this random idea. I don’t even know what the f*ck I was doing. Ideas just come to me randomly but I was like, I feel like that’s the title, Mind Games: It’s All In Your Head. Because it is. You’ll play mind games with yourself and be stuck in your head when really like you’ll be questioning if people f*ck with you or like what you got going on and you’re just picking yourself apart when there are people out there that love what you got going on and love what you stand for. I feel like it’s just the play on just the mental aspect of things is a big thing for me and I know it’s a big thing for people so I feel like people can relate.

I’m sure you’re working on a full-length album. When could we expect something like that? 

I feel like there’s been a lot of stuff I’ve been working on this summer that I want to continue to drop in little quick-hitting fashions. They’re like two or three packs. But yeah, there’s definitely an album in store. Like, I’m a guy that grew up on projects and listened to full CDs. You didn’t really have a choice or like a music library on the streaming platforms so like I’m pro-project, for sure, so definitely that’s in the works.

Is there a title for it?

I don’t have a date for you but the name of the album will be I’m Not Even Who I Am Yet.

Who would you dream collaboration? Dead or alive.

Kendrick Lamar, man. I feel like just the level of… just everything that he embodies. I remember him coming up when his sh*t was on Live Mixtapes. He was really just like trying to make some shit shake and see where he is now and how he never really compromised his values, still moved the way that he wanted to move. That is just fucking inspiring to me. So Kendrick Lamar, I’ll say Jay-Z. If you want to go a different genre, I’m a big Coldplay fan. And there’s this band called Khruangbin that I really like. They be jammin’ they ass off. So I would say some of them.

Darren Waller
 Photo Credit: ARod2Up

You were part of that viral moment when Lil Wayne was asked to recall his lyrics from “Lollipop (Remix).” What did that moment of him not even being able to remember his lyrics tell you about the work ethic required for a career in music?

Oh yeah, I remember back then, just because I’ve been following his whole career, like I’m that old. I know he records at an insane rate. People were like, “Oh, he couldn’t remember the words.” I’m like, “No sh*t he can’t remember the words. He records a lot.” And I’m recording a lot now. Probably, this summer, I’ve probably recorded over 50 songs or something like that, which is probably not even anything compared to the rate he works at. I’ll go back to some songs like dang, I don’t even remember the words. So it just makes sense now ‘cause I actually have the experience of probably not the same volume of catalog and I’m like, okay, I have to sit down and listen to this again to remember the words. Of course this dude, recording at the rate that probably nobody ever has would forget songs. But yeah, that was a funny moment. I was like people making a big deal out of it but this dude is – he literally tells you how many songs he’s recording.

Do you still have a relationship with Lil Wayne? You previously collaborated with Euroz before but has Wayne given you any feedback on your music?

Yeah, man. He was very encouraging of me. I was just shooting him shit that I would drop. This is a few years ago, and he was just like, “Keep going, keep going. It’s hard. Keep going. Keep going.” Just to hear that, man, because it’s like, I’m not somebody that wants something from him just because I have access to him. The fact that I’ll share it with him and he’d respond and be like, “Hell yeah, keep your sh*t going.” It’s like, alright, man, like, yeah, Wayne said he f*ckin with me, like, I can hold on to that. If 999,000 People are like this n***a sucks, I could hold on to the days where Wayne was like, “Bro, keep going. You on the right track.” 

Final question: where does Lil Wayne sit in your top 5 rappers dead or alive? And if not him, then who else is making that ranking? 

​Man, this is the ultimate setup question. I feel like these top rankings are all subjective and somebody’s gonna be cooked for whatever they say. Off of my world, in the world that I grew up in and the area that I grew up in and the impact that Wayne had on literally everybody that I was ever around, just in my world, he is easily in just the top three off of impact. Then, if you look at Young Thug. You look at all the people who are inspired by Young Thug – Young Thug says he’s inspired by Wayne. Just growing up in Atlanta in those times and, how many Atlanta artists [Young Thug] spawned. If you look at it from a stage of impact – like, I’m sure people can make all these different categories and criteria up to find a way to not put him in and that’s okay. But just in my world, I feel like he got to be top three.

Whether in the top 3 or top 5, who else is accompanying Lil Wayne?

I mean, Jay Z, for sure. Kanye’s definitely on my top five. I mean, my life was soundtracked when I was a kid with my CD player with The Black Album by Jay Z and Graduation by Kanye. Those two gotta be up there. Damn, there’s so many good rappers. Fuck, I hate this question. Kendrick Lamar, he up there. I mean, I remember listening to Nas Illmatic riding around with my pops. I got to put Nas in there, man.

The post Darren Waller Talks “Who Knew” Video, Lil Wayne Co-Sign & The Similarities Between His Musical Career & Returning To The NFL Post-Suspension appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Jay Worthy, L.A.’s Funk Pusher: On Working With DāM Funk On “Magic Hour,” Kendrick Lamar & Bringing Kai Cenat To Compton

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Jay Worthy ensures that his music captures the essence of Compton through his smooth delivery and laidback flow. Though he found a new fanbase following his appearance at Kendrick Lamar’s Pop Out concert in June, the L.A. by way of Vancouver MC has maintained a prolific output over the past few years. His behind-the-scenes work has allowed him to work alongside people like DJ Quik and even Kendrick Lamar while his efforts on wax have turned him into a revered underground legend. LNDN DRGS, for example, merged dreamy soundscapes of boogie and R&B-tinged funk, in ways that felt quintessentially West Coast. But at the same time, his work with people like The Alchemist and Harry Fraud, to name a few, paid homage to his influences outside of West Coast hip-hop.

“Maybe it’s I’m easy to work with or maybe, it’s just that I really love music and I understand what it is and what we’re doing, you know?” Jay Worthy tells HotNewHipHop. Perhaps that’s why he is only the second rapper outside of Snoop Dogg to work on a full collaborative album with the legendary DāM Funk. Together, they joined forces for their excellent new project Magic Hour, an album that delves into the lineage of funk music with DāM Funk in the driver’s seat. 

Funk played a pivotal role in shaping Jay Worthy. He fondly recalls his father playing Parliament, S.O.S. Band, and Earth, Wind & Fire throughout his childhood in Vancouver. In that sense, it planted a seed that would grow throughout Jay Worthy’s musical career but his love for funk admittedly didn’t fully materialize until he moved to Compton. His exposure to low-rider culture and radio personalities like the famed Art Leboe developed a passion for its cultural DNA. “Like I said, oldies and funk and all of that have always been in my house. But I really started digging for samples and really, really having a love for it more after being out here on this side. You know, my big homies pulling up on they hogs and slappin’ shit, the low rider culture and all that,” he says, fondly recalling memories of Avalon and El Segundo. At this intersection, his friend’s dad sold CDs outside of the barbershop. 

With that said, Magic Hour holds significant weight in Jay Worthy’s catalog. There was a seven-year anticipation for this project, though fans certainly weren’t left empty-handed since collaborative projects alongside Roc Marciano, DJ Muggs, and plenty of others came out within that time. “Not everybody can get on these types of beats, you know what I mean? Or understand what I’m doing here because I always tell people, man, I might rap, but I really look at myself as the funk artist,” he explained, detailing the meticulous process of curating the right features, such as Ty Dolla $ign, DJ Quik, and Channel Tres, and more, for this particular album.

It couldn’t have come at a better time, either. All eyes are on The West Coast right now, and there’s been unity across the city. Jay Worthy has certainly benefited from the renewed attention, too. Magic Hour feels like a crucial piece of the puzzle that traces the West Coast’s musical lineage, specifically the impact that funk had on shaping the L.A. sound as a whole. And with the momentum that Kendrick Lamar, Vince Staples, and Mustard built within the past few months alone, Magic Hour is a necessary addition to the soundtrack for summer ’24. 

We recently caught up with Jay Worthy to discuss his latest album and working alongside DāM Funk, sending unreleased music to Kendrick Lamar, his heavily anticipated Griselda album, and why Los Angeles has always been on.

Read More: Jay Worthy Drops Off “Two4Two”

Jay Worthy and YG at The Pop Up
Courtesy of Jay Worthy

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

HotNewHipHop: I read that this album has been in the works for upwards of 7 years but it seems like a perfect time for this album to arrive considering the momentum that the West Coast has. From your end, why did it make sense to release this album right now?

Jay Worthy: You know what, all the stars just aligned, to be honest with you.I feel like when you’re recording, and sometimes you’re in another bag, like, for a minute, the only thing that was inspiring me to rap was just looped samples and stuff with no drums, you know what I mean? So it took me a while to want to get back into that funk bag, you know what I’m saying? It wasn’t coming out of me when I was trying at the time. So I sat on the beat until I was ready to get back on that. And I would slowly go at it. You know, do a few songs here, a few songs there. And then I was like, man, this is a special project. It deserves the proper features on it.

And I also feel like there’s more eyes on me now. I feel like me and DāM Funk, for the world that we come from, it’s really appreciated. I know people were really expecting it and I didn’t want to rush it, you know what I mean? It came out now and it just so happens to be that the West is back on fire so, yeah it’s a good time.

Tell me a bit about the features, whether Ty Dolla $ign or Channel Tres, and how you got them to immerse themselves into this world that you and DāM Funk created.

Well, you know, Ty Dolla is a close friend of mine and so is Channel. A-Trak, you know, that was the first person to sign to Fool’s Gold. Quik, I just did the album with Quik and I wanted Quik a part of this. You know, Quik, and DāM know each other since Safe & Sound days. Of course, Soopafly. I needed representation of Tha Dogg Pound on there. Soopafly, that’s my boy. We’ve been making records together and I felt that he fit the project. A cat named Ray Wright from Warm Brew, who always was a friend of mine, and I always loved his voice. I mean, it reminded me of a Nate Dogg. Speaking of Nate Dogg, I had to grab Nhale and get his son on there. 

So, you know, just people that would make sense that I know understand this funk sh*t and what sounds good on it, you know? But, I was honored to get Quik on there, for sure. And Channel, I love what he did. He’s also a fan of DāM. Like I said, again, just people that kind of understand what it is. Not everybody can get on these types of beats, you know what I mean? Or understand what I’m doing here because I always tell people, man, I might rap, but I really look at myself as the funk artist, you know what I’m saying?

Jay Worthy/YouTube

I’ve heard you refer to yourself as such in the past. How would you describe Magic Hour compared to other albums in your catalog? You mentioned that you took your time with this one. 

Well, first I’ll say this: you got to think, DāM doesn’t work with a lot of rappers. The only rapper that he’s ever done an album with other than me is Snoop, so I was honored. Like I said, I consider myself a funk artist, and DāM was one of the few people, to me, that was pushing future funk and modern funk. This is way back, you know, I think me and Dame started first talking, I want to say like, ‘06 or something like that. I can’t remember exactly when, but I was always a fan before I started doing rap professionally. But I always knew that that’s where I wanted to take it. 

So, you know, what’s different about this album compared to others is there’s no samples. DāM gets to showcase how good of a producer he is. If you notice on the album, I give him a lot of long outros. Or, some songs might just have one verse and a minute of a beat because his beats switch up so much, like, there’s so many different parts of the beat. He’d send me a beat, there’d be like eight minutes in the beat, and in that eight minutes, the beat would change up several times. So yeah, musically, it’s different than anything else I put out. I think it’s more musical, you know, it’s not sample-based. It’s raw. That’s just DāM in there being the one-man band.

What do you think makes Jay Worthy a great collaborator? It seems like you’re very easy to work with.

Maybe it’s I’m easy to work with or maybe, it’s just that I really love music and I understand what it is and what we’re doing, you know? I mean, like whether it’s with Alchemist and I understand what type of producer he is and what he makes him and what I’m gonna sound good on. If you listen to… I don’t know, let me see….  something like, let’s say I rap over somewhere Harry Fraud, and there’s no drums on it, and you hear me really rap-rapping – you know, that might bring that out of me. The funk might bring out some more player, more simple raps, but it’s just a different pocket. The beat is gonna talk to me and tell me what to do, you know what I mean?

But I think I just understand the music, and that’s why it comes out so it goes unspoken. I’ve never gone in a studio and been with anybody and been like, “this is what we’re gonna rap about pr this is what we’re gonna do or this is what the album is gonna be, or –” nah, we just let the music do what it do and it comes out how it comes out.

You’re originally from Vancouver. During your formative years, what was your exposure to funk music? Was that a sound that was prevalent where you grew up?

I mean, my pops, right? He raised me on Parliament, Earth, Wind & Fire, S.O.S. Band, and stuff. So that sh*t was in my house from a kid ‘til an adult. But as far as like finding my love for funk, that was more as a late teenager, you know what I’m saying? Being in LA, and you know, listening to Art Leboe and being in my hood in Compton. One of my homies’ pops – Rest In Peace – he used to sell CDs outside of the barbershop off Avalon & El Segundo.

I would always buy old-school mixes. Like I said, oldies and funk and all of that have always been in my house. But I really started digging for samples and really, really having a love for it more after being out here on this side. You know, my big homies pulling up on they hogs and slappin’ shit, the low rider culture and all that. Now, don’t get me wrong there is that, you know, low rider culture out in Vancouver, as well and record shops and stuff like that. But, you know, I think I fell in love with it out this way, just because this is such a part of our culture out here.

Considering everything that’s been going on, what are your thoughts on the current state of the West Coast and where do you see it heading? 

Well, I think this: if we just stay on what we were on when we got together on that stage at the Pop Out with Kendrick, and showing unity, and – you know, we’ve been doing a lot of stuff in our community. Throwing events in the park, concerts, charity events, bringing Kai Cenat, all type of good stuff. It’s bringing people from all different neighborhoods to our specific neighborhood which probably never happened back in the day. I think places like Atlanta where everybody works with each other and supports each other. I think if we can if we can get past the politics that we have out here, and stay on what we’re on right now, I think we can get back on top, for real.

You know, because I hate when people say L.A. ain’t on anymore and I go, ‘What are you talking about? [laughs] Tyler, The Creator’s from L.A., Steve Lacy is from L.A., Billie Eilish is from L.A., Bruno Mars is from L.A., Anderson .Paak is from L.A. These are number one artists, you know what I’m saying? So I always felt that we – Kendrick Lamar, like come on, bro. We’ve been on top to me so sometimes the narrative that is pushed – I don’t understand – [like] we aren’t in a good space. But I feel like as far as the underground goes and the streets, and everybody is on some positive unity shit. So if we just stay on that, I think West Coast hip-hop is going to be in a great place.

How would you describe the Meet The Whoops project at this point of your career? You brought up Kai Cenat pulling up to Compton for the giveaway. Just by looking at the Instagram page, it seems like there’s more of a community-oriented feel to what you guys are doing. 

As you can see, I’ve kind of always been a curator, you know? I don’t like to use the word A&R but, you know, I did Quik’s album, I’m working on Terrace [Martin’s] album with him. All the collaborations that you’ve seen, I’ve been hands-on with everything, from the artwork to the sample to who I collaborate with. So I just always wanted to do something with my homies from my hood and showcase the talent and put them on production that they might not have necessarily chosen.

I think we’re standing out because, you know what, you wouldn’t expect Meet The Whoops to rap on an Alchemist beat or a Terrace Martin beat or a classic DJ Quik “Quik’s Groove” that we flip to put on his album, you know? And, I just know the West hasn’t seen a rap group like this – or the world hasn’t seen a rap group like this, to be honest with you, since NWA or Wu-Tang or Dipset. And that’s how I feel. I really feel those dudes that I grabbed, who are my personal friends, are actually some of the best to do it. And I’m excited about what we’re about to do.

Courtesy Of Jay Worthy

What was it like bringing Kai Cenat to Compton?

It was just a positive thing and something that was great to see. The kids enjoyed it, the families enjoyed it, and we’re gonna do a lot more stuff like that. We’ve been doing stuff like that in our community for years. From the Christmas Toy Drive that we do with Kendrick to the Turkey Giveaways that we do with YG, I just think there are a lot more eyes on us now. You know, we get the TMZ looks and people are finding out more about what’s going on. 

But you know, we’ve always been about our community and trying to bring things over there and do stuff that’s fun for the youth. And having Kai, I that was a great thing. He came and showed love and a lot of kids who weren’t able to get things like that were given exclusive shoes, and new iPhones and TVs and all types of good stuff.

Have there been any discussions of you joining Kai on his stream?

I don’t know. You know, I would have to tap back again with their team and see what’s up. Me and his agent and manager connected that day, so you never know. I think that’d be cool to see Meet The Whoops and Kai Cenat and bring him back to Compton for a livestream. 

You posted a series of photos of you and Kendrick Lamar from over the years. Do you remember the first time you two crossed paths and how has that relationship developed since you first met?

I mean, Dot from our hood. We’re from the same neighborhood, we always crossed paths, you know? He’s always been in my corner. I produced a documentary called Noisey Bompton for Viceland TV which he starred in. You know, we’ve been pushing for years, that’s my brother.

You know, people don’t know, but it’s like when I dropped new music, I only send it to a few people, and he’s one of them, you know? I might send it to him, I might send it to Westside Gunn, I might send it to Terrace. So there’s only a few people that really get to hear my unreleased music that I want to really [hear] their opinion. [Kendrick Lamar] is really my brother and just a good friend. You know, it’s regular, though. That’s really just our homie, you know what I’m saying? I know, to the world, he’s the biggest thing in the world but to me and the homies, that’s just our bro.

What’s been the energy of Los Angeles since “Not Like Us,” The Pop Out, and the video shoot? I know you mentioned it before but if you could get a bit more in-depth. 

It’s been a lot of unity, man. Just brought the city together. And that’s like what I was saying, man. Like, you know, it’s bigger than just – I know the lyrics and like, you know, behind it is a diss song but a message is – you know, just whatever it did, it brought L.A. together. I’m gonna just say that. You know, I’ve been feeling comfortable going to certain neighborhoods and places that I might never have gone to, you know what I’m saying? And vice versa. People are like, “yo, let’s work together. Let’s do this. Let’s do that.” Like, it’s been great. It had a very positive effect on the streets of L.A. and Compton. 

When I interviewed Westside Gunn last year, he mentioned how he was working on your Griselda album. What could you tell me about that project and working with Gunn, in general? 

Gunn and me, man. That’s my brother, man. He’ll tell you this: he likes to curate but, you got to understand, I curate and I know what I’m doing with my own sound and stuff and he respects that. So he kind of let me just do what I do and we’re gonna come together on this Griselda sh*t and it’s gonna sound crazy.

Is there a release date on this yet?

We just released this DāM Funk album so as soon as I’m done rolling out all of this, I’m gonna get into that Griselda stuff and start dropping singles on people and it’s gonna f*ck their heads up.

Final question: what else do you have on your bucket list outside of music? 

Well, I’ve been behind the scenes, like I said. I do curation, I consult now, I’m working with all the people that — you know, it’s crazy when you wake up and you could call Mack 10 or Quik or you know, any of the greats, bro. Really, all the legends are a phone call away. I love what I’m doing with them, kind of bridging the new with the old just how I do in my own music so I’m just helping them do stuff. I’m consulting for different labels.

You know, I’ve always had my hand in the streetwear and skateboard world, doing collaborations with different clothing lines and all of that stuff. So, man, it’s a lot of stuff. Film stuff. There’s so much, man. Music is just one part of it. I’m a businessman at the end of the day. You’re gonna see Worthy executive producing more people’s albums; you’re gonna see my name pop up as an A&R on certain things. You’re gonna see more clothing collaborations, you’re gonna see more documentaries. It’s all about to happen man.

The post Jay Worthy, L.A.’s Funk Pusher: On Working With DāM Funk On “Magic Hour,” Kendrick Lamar & Bringing Kai Cenat To Compton appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Mike Shabb Confirms Earl Sweatshirt Collab, Talks Nicholas Craven Partnership & “Sewaside III”

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Quebec’s rap scene is as niche as it gets but don’t get it twisted: the talent shouldn’t be overlooked, and Mike Shabb is at the forefront. His French-centric bars fused Caribbean cadences with spacey, psychedelic post-Soundcloud rap production that captured the youthful essence of growing up in Montreal’s Hochelaga neighborhood. And while much of that laid the foundation for his Quebec-centric base, it’s actually his production that garnered significant attention from South of the border.

After landing production credits on Westside Gunn’s “Switches On Everything” (and apparently, Michelle Records), Mike Shabb’s stock went all the way up. He became a proponent of the drumless sample sound, which his close friend and collaborator, Nicholas Craven, specializes in. Shadow Moses, their 2023 collaborative project, captures the essence of their chemistry. However, it’s hard not to deny how their working relationship and friendship extended to Mike Shabb’s latest project, Sewaside III, which boasts a few Craven beats as well as some of his close collaborators, such as Boldy James.

“[Nicholas Craven and I] probably spent $1,000 every time we go up in this shit, trying to find the best sh*t we can. That’s hip-hop, bro. Like, that’s what we grew up on and shit,” Shabb told HotNewHipHop ahead of his performance at Festival D’Été De Quebec. “That’s why I feel like we’re special because we keeping the original recipe, we rocking it up a little bit.”

Just hours before Nas was set to take the stage (weather concerns forced the festival to cancel the Queensbridge legend’s performance), Mike Shabb delivered a high-energy performance alongside Nicholas Craven on the ones and twos and Trapmat as his hypeman. Before his performance, Mike Shabb chopped it up with HNHH to discuss his latest project, Sewaside III, his relationship with Earl Sweatshirt, and so much more. 

mike shabb
Mike Shabb performs at FEQ. Photo : Stéphane Bourgeois via FEQ

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

HotNewHipHop: How are you feeling before the show? 

Mike Shabb: It’s an amazing opportunity, I ain’t gon’ hold you. This is my first time here. Not my first time in Quebec but my first time at FEQ and sh*t so it’s big, bro. It’s a huge opportunity. It’s probably going to be my biggest show. 

And, you’re basically opening ahead of Nas.

That’s a blessing, bro. I grew up on Nas and sh*t. That’s one of my favorite rappers of all time. It’s an honor, bro. It’s crazy.

It’s dope because I see you as someone at the forefront of Quebecois rap.

Especially in English, but like, yeah, and I mean, I feel like the music is kind of – not the same, but like, same essence and all that so yeah, that should that should definitely gon’ work. It gon’ work, for sure. It’s gon’ be fire. 

You’re bilingual, too, right? Like, you also rap in French?

I try to slip a couple of lines here and there but it’s like, bro, the thing with me is I grew up like fully French, bro. I had to learn English like with the music and shit. And then, I grew up with so many like English music type sh*t. I was like, “Yo, if I make music, it gotta be in English,” you feel me? At first, I started rapping [when] I was like 15. My English wasn’t even that good at this time. I was still doing it because I was like, “Yo, this is what I want to do” and shit, then I just got used to it. I made a whole lot of English friends in my city so that helped me a lot, also. But yeah, well I was born – I’m a lil’ French Canadian boy, man.

You’re from the East Side too, right?

I’m from the East Side of Montreal. 

And that’s usually the more French side.

It’s all French. All French and Haitian. [I’m] half Haitian, half French Canadian.

Yeah, I’m closer West so it’s a lot more English.

For real, Montreal is so weird because it’s basically like two cities in one, you feel me? You got the whole English side then you got the French side but it’s like all in the same. And everybody understands each other so it’s like – it’s a blessing. Montreal is crazy. It’s an amazing city.

Sewaside III just dropped and it feels like a triumphant release for you after such a prolific run these past few years. Can you tell me a bit about the process behind this album including the features and how this project reflects your growth as an artist?

Damn, that’s a good-ass question, bro. I guess I was just trying to make the music I felt like doing at that moment. And then it was like – everything fell in place perfectly, bro. Since I linked up with Craven and sh*t, I’ve been going on trips with him. I’ve been going to Detroit with him, New York. So I met a lot of people through him. That’s how I met Boldy [James], Navy [Blue] and all that.  It just came naturally, bro, like the features and all that. N***as is just genuinely fucking with me, bro. So I was like let’s do it. Then, as far as the concept for the album – I don’t know, bro. It’s what I’ve been going through for the past years and shit. What I’ve seen, what I’ve heard. Bro, this shit is like – this is my life my whole life in one album, basically. Like all my pains, all that shit. So that’s what I worked like maybe like a year on that sh*t. I made, maybe, 30 songs in a year and I kept 17, and that’s the album. I ain’t even make that much music. Every song I made, I was like “yeah, this got to be the one.” So yeah, that’s how it came about, bro. Sewaside III, that’s just like… I think that’s my best album. My most complete album and sh*t. That’s not even the end. I’m about to drop Sewaside 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

Did you do the features in person?

Most of them I did in person. The Boldy James one, Craven was there. He recorded it for me because he was in Detroit with Boldy. I couldn’t be there so I was like “Yo, get my shit!” And he did, though. Everything went smooth, though. Like, I ain’t felt like I had to rush n***as or anything like that. Sh*t just came naturally and now it’s out. And, it’s a beautiful project. I’m proud of it.

Even working with Nicholas Craven on Shadow Moses, the sound itself is boom-bap – 

It’s sample-based music, bro! Everything got to be sampled. Like, me and [Nicholas Craven], we go to the record store shit, we probably spent $1,000 every time we go up in this shit, trying to find the best sh*t we can. That’s hip-hop, bro. Like, that’s what we grew up on and shit. And I feel like producers nowadays don’t even do that anymore because everything is digital. That’s why I feel like we’re special because we keeping the original recipe, we rocking it up a little bit. So it sounds actually actual.

You guys have amazing chemistry together. Like, you never miss a beat but I read that Complex interview where you said that you guys don’t even really work on music together. 

That’s what I’m saying. Like, man, me and Craven, we basically really good friends, bro. It’s not even about music at this point. But I mean, he got a name, I got a name, so why wouldn’t we? [laughs]

As a producer yourself, I wanted to know how the creative flow for you differs from being behind the board to working with Craven where he’s kind of – I’m not sure if your process is always him taking the lead in that sense or if it’s more collaborative. 

I’m so picky with beats, bro.  Exactly, because I make my own beats most of the time. So it’s like, I’d be trying to pick stuff that resonates with me, but like sometimes I gotta go to 1000 beats before I find like five. So basically, that’s how Shadow Moses came about, bro. That n***a played me like to 200-300 beats. I picked six, I said “yeah, that’s gonna be the album,” and we did it. But like as far as me [and] the way I do my music, basically bro, I’ll start making a beat and shit, and then I’ll know it. I’ll know exactly when. I’ll be like, “Yo, yeah, this the one right there. I got to rap on this sh*t right now.” So that’s how I work. I basically make the beat first. Like, my little ideas and sh*t. And then I’ll just go and write, write, write some stuff, or punch in on the mic or whatever. And then I’ll play around with the beat afterward and shit. I feel like that’s how you make like complete songs and shit. You do your first step, it’s like you got to make the beat, and then you got to rap all that shit. And then you can add little details and shit around the beat to make that shit, you know what I’m sayin’?

mike shabb
Mike Shabb performs at FEQ Photo : Stéphane Bourgeois via FEQ

I have to ask about the Earl Sweatshirt co-sign. How’s that relationship developed? And have there been any discussions of collaborations in the future?

Bro, I don’t even remember how it came about, for real. I feel like I had posted a snippet one day on Instagram. And that n***a like, straight up – bro, he straight up DM’d me or some “Yo, you hard as f*ck. I keep running that.” He was talking about the “Buckshot Flow 93’” song and then he was talking about the “‘83 Beatstreet,” those two songs he was like, “Yo, I keep running this sh*t.” And I was like, “Yo, bro it’s 100,” because obviously, I grew up on Earl, bro, like, the whole Odd Future shit bro…  That sh*t had me in a headlock! Bro, I used to walk around with them long-ass socks and sh*t, bucket hats, all that because of them. Ophelia like I bro I used to walk fucking long as such fucking has all that because of them. 

Basically, when he hit me up and shit, I was like, “oh, that’s big, man.” And he gave me his phone number and shit. I talked to him on the phone. We text sometimes and sh*t.  He’s a real good dude, for real. And then he went on the fucking the interview, the podcast and sh*t, and then, bro, I seen him. You seen it, right? He was going through his phone. And he was like, “Oh, Mike Shabb, I f*ck with Shabb.” I was like, that’s crazy. Yeah, he just blessed me right there. I earned like 1000 followers on Instagram in the hour, bro.

I f*ck with Earl, bro. And definitely we got some sh*t coming. I can’t tell you when but it’s coming. It’s coming, for sure. Me and Earl got some some sh*t coming, for sure. 

Kevin Durant, Earl, Joe Budden – all these people checking you out. What do you think this means for Montreal’s music scene at large?

To be honest, bro, I feel like it’s a wonderful thing. I don’t know if Montreal people realize it, like how big that shit is. But like, it’s gonna come naturally. And then, it’s a blessing for me before anything else, so I just got to keep on doing what I do. If it’s good for me, then it’s good for the city, you feel me? That’s basically it. 

Final question: you mentioned that Sewaside 4, 5, and 6 are on the way but is there anything else you’re working on that we could expect from you before the end of the year?

I’m working on some more trap shit right now, I ain’t gon’ hold you, you know I’m saying? Like I did my part in the drumless scene, now I’m trying to get back to my old sh*t. But yeah, definitely gonna drop another tape and shit. Maybe, by the end of the summer. [I] already got like 20 songs stacked up. We ain’t stoppin’, bro. This sh*t never stops. I’m just gonna keep applying pressure and do what I do. Some real shit. Yeah, we definitely dropping some more sh*t in 2024. 

The post Mike Shabb Confirms Earl Sweatshirt Collab, Talks Nicholas Craven Partnership & “Sewaside III” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Devin Malik Talks New Project “DEADSTOCK,” His Artistic Development & Working With TDE

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When it’s all said and done, the biggest victory in the West Coast’s dominant 2024 run, bolstered by new ScHoolboy Q and Vince Staples albums plus a fiery yet unitary Kendrick Lamar beef, might just be the slew of new artists that emerge in its wake. Devin Malik is leading that charge with a big smile on his face and one of the most versatile sets of talents and sounds you’ll hear this summer. The Philly native was raised in Southern California’s Inland Empire, and made a name for himself by producing for artists like Isaiah Rashad, Amindi, and most recently Q on his album BLUE LIPS. Now, this unpredictable and uncompromising sonic career has led to one of the most hard-hitting and creatively malleable albums of the year so far.

DEADSTOCK is Devin Malik’s new record, bolstered by bouncy singles like “BACKSTAGE” and gritty teasers like “LINK DUCKER.” On it, he speaks on his turbulent and self-conscious navigations through the music industry, his grounded lifestyle with way too many overzealous women in it, and his continued focus on representing all the different parts of his upbringing in as vivid and varied of a painting as possible. It’s vibrant, zany, wall-to-wall fun, and refreshingly risky. In this exclusive interview with HNHH, Malik discusses witnessing K.Dot’s “Pop Out” earlier this month, the many lessons he’s been blessed to learn, and his next ambitions as a sonic director, filmmaker, and potential computer scientist. You don’t need a doctorate to hear the wealth of ideas and approaches he brings to the table.

This interview, conducted via Zoom call on Monday, June 24, has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

The HNHH Devin Malik Interview

HNHH: Devin, thanks so much for being here! I wanted to start by asking about what you’ve been doing these days waiting for DEADSTOCK to drop. Are you ironing out the finer details, trying to celebrate early, or just going about your day as usual?

Devin Malik: Honestly, I’m definitely not celebrating. I’m not one of those types of guys that I want a big glory rush or something. *laughs* But I’ve been really just still in the studio, just doing normal everyday things. Obviously, like interviews and whatnot, doing the rollout and that kinds of stuff. But my days look pretty much the same, man. Wake up, hit the gym, hit the studio, go to bed.

I took the title DEADSTOCK to maybe mean a couple of different things. Mainly, I think of unsold inventory being discontinued for whatever reason, but I also think about farm tools or meat products as opposed to livestock. Not to spoil the album too much, but can you talk about why that title in particular kind of resonates with you and whether or not you also looked at it through different ways on the project?

You hit it on the note with the first one. It’s hard to find, rare, discontinued. I just feel that way as an artist because I get so many different flavors and genres on this project that I feel like it’s a lost art in today’s artists. Like, they find one sound that works and they just abuse it. Which I’m not mad at, but I just feel like I’m in a rare bracket. That’s why I really named it that, honestly.

You described DEADSTOCK on social media as “an audible horror film” with “lust, rage and comedy.” Even though that obviously comes off a lot in the production, I feel like your vocal delivery was also a big part of that on the album. Outside of your musical inspirations and knowledge, what else inspired you within film or other art forms in terms of how you used your voice on the album?

Well, I’m a Blumhouse guy. For people that don’t know that, this guy named Jason Blum, he runs a production company, Blumhouse. They do all types of horror films, like f***ing Split, Happy Death Day… I’m drawing blanks right now, but they do a lot of that. So I draw a lot of inspiration from that and just, like, how his mind and how their whole operation runs. I’ve got a lot of inspo from that, for sure. And I put it into my music somehow, in stories I tell or even little effects I use in the music.

Going off of the “comedy” description, do you have a funniest bar on the album or a moment in particular, while you were recording it or during the creation of it, that prompts that comedic description from you for the album?

Honestly, I’m just a very, very funny guy and I’m a funny, strange guy in general. So I just wanted to put that across into music. I don’t think there’s a specific line, but I feel like there’s always little stuff in there that kind of makes it funny because I don’t want to be serious all the time. So it’s not like I even went in with that intention, but when I listen to the album back, there’s definitely some comedic relief in here in some of these weird stories.

Especially with a lot of the romantic angles that you present on songs like “STRIPPERS” and “MOONLIGHT,” I feel like there were some funny jabs in there.

*laughs* Yeah, “MOONLIGHT” is a funny one for sure, that whole song.

You started off selling beats and working with Isaiah Rashad, Amindi, REASON, ScHoolboy Q, all these great artists, and I always find it interesting when the rapper-producer gets to flex both muscles in a way. Since you started taking your own raps more seriously, have you noticed that you’ve changed your production approach or think about the processes of producing and rapping differently? Or have all these things just always been in your head?

I wouldn’t say I changed my approach. But I definitely know what I personally want out of the music. So making it my own project, rather than producing for others, I have complete creative control over my own vision rather than it being predicated towards someone else’s sound, or obviously, whatever they’re trying to get across. It’s kind of easier for me, because I don’t need anyone to talk to. I don’t need anyone, it’s just complete tunnel vision. So I kind of enjoy it more, in a way.

In an interview with The Nuance, you said that your production style really depends on what your other collaborator wants, or what you agree upon together. On DEADSTOCK, you apply that mentality to the different sides of yourself. Do you feel like you have a signature sound for yourself that you want to prioritize moving forward? Are you still excited about molding yourself to different approaches and genres and still having that versatility?

I don’t think I’ll ever have, quote-unquote, a particular sound because I just get bored too easily. So the next one won’t sound like the next one, or like the next one. But what I have learned through this process is just finding a particular tone of voice that I really like. And I think that was the hardest part about all of this and making this.

On a quick note, during that same interview, you also hinted at maybe completing your computer science degree one day. Is that still a goal for you? Are things too busy right now?

*laughs* Things are 100% too busy right now. But I be trying to knock out a class here or there when I can. Like, right now, I’m in two classes, but all online. So, on some summer-type s**t. But yeah, I definitely still want to do that. Whether it takes me ten years, five years, 15 years, it’s just something I really want. I still love computer science.

As I understand it, you’re now officially signed to TDE as a producer after having worked with so much of the team for so long. What do you hope to learn the most from this process? What excites you about being able to contribute to the label’s artistry and sonic directions?

Honestly, I just really want to learn the business side of music. That’s been my whole goal now and being signed is definitely easier. Just in the rooms you’re in and the comments you get to hear, so I just pick up on a lot of s**t just listening. So that’s a big plus. It’s just exciting every day, because these are the artists I grew up listening to and appreciating. So being able to be in the same room, there’s just so much to learn in that and so much excitement in that. So I think it’s really as simple as that. Just whatever I can do to help them push their vision, or whatever I get from it, it’s really just a plus.

You’ve spoken a lot about how your cousins in Fontana broke you into the music space and how you learned from them. What do you appreciate the most about being able to start your artistic process not just with fellow artists, but with these fellow artists that are your family?

Well, yeah, that was a plus. Number one, no one is looking at you like some type of dollar sign. It’s truly like a genuine connection with your family. So learning from them, I’m very grateful for that. In the sessions I got to be in, I literally got to see how how you record music. Like, in the most literal way, I got to see how you interact with different producers, how you interact with the artists, studio etiquette, all that type of stuff. So I owe it all to them for sure for that.

You sold your first beat to D. Savage when you were in high school. Looking back at that process of sending out beats and everything, what’s one thing about said process that you didn’t know back then, but that you learned further on that you would’ve wanted to keep in mind in those early days?

I would say that trying to link with an artist is a lot more important than just sending beats all day. Like, sending beats all day is going to get you the connect to get to them. But once you do that, you should really try to build an actual bond with them. Like, not on no weirdo time, but just a genuine connection with them and try to build some sort of work friendship.

Juxtaposition and not getting boxed in are some of the most important things to you in your artistry and on DEADSTOCK. For this album specifically, how did you balance that process of the different types of emotions you wanted to engage with and what sounds you wanted to play with? How did you stay tapped into all these different parts of yourself while still organizing them into an album that feels more cohesive and intent-driven?

When I was making it, I wanted to go half melodic and, like, half bangers. But I also wanted to sprinkle in, like… It’s different stuff that you can’t find anywhere else. I think it’s a couple of songs on there that you literally can’t find nowhere else but there. And that was really important to me when I was making it. ‘Cause it’s so easy to make, like, fun songs and stuff to get the people hyped, the crowds hype. But I also wanted to give something that was kind of more intriguing or something that people might not get or might hate. I find a lot of power in that.

I do want to ask about a couple of lyrics that I caught on my listens. On “GEEKERTOWN,” you rap: “We don’t relate to rappers, they need millions to have fun / We don’t relate to actors, can’t escape the roles they love.” Now that you’ve seen how the hip-hop and music industries move on a lot of different levels, what are some of the mistakes or misconceptions about artists and celebrities that you want to try to avoid that you see your peers fall into?

Well, for the first line, I was really referring to the real people I know that will fly a girl out to where they’re at, take her shopping, take her to a nice dinner, get her a purse, just to have sex. Like, $8,000 just to have some sex. To me, I never had to do none of that. I could take a girl to Wendy’s, we could go to the movies… $30 and something hot at the end of the night. *laughs* That’s what I meant by that. It’s just a lot of extra stuff just to, like… I don’t know. I don’t know, they just be weird sometimes.

Then the second line, that was just another play on f***ing Hollywood, bro. I was at this party. I’m not going to name the actor, but it’s a dude that’s from the suburbs and didn’t grow up being a tough guy or nothing. But at this party, he’s trying to get in fights and be the toughest guy in the scene when, really, nothing was happening. It was a role he played in a movie where he was a tough guy. So I was like, “I wonder if he just can’t escape that reality. That role or that movie.” That’s really what it was.

Did you approach tracks like “GEEKERTOWN” with a topical focus in mind? You mentioned that sometimes you will freestyle on your beats, and then that will get the creative ball rolling. But were there any ideas that you specifically wanted to make a statement on?

Man, I wish I could say it was more of a statement. But it was definitely just free-flow thought, and that’s just what I was on that day.

I wanted to briefly touch on BLUE LIPS a little bit, because I found some sonic similarity between DEADSTOCK and some of your raw and stark productions on that album. Did you feel a creative overlap between your work on these distinct projects? What was the most different aspect about your approach to them?

There may be creative overlap. There’s nothing that I noticed, but it’s probably subconsciously. Like, anytime I work on a project, I just try to do a better job and get better every time. So there’s definitely overlap, but it wasn’t like a purposeful overlap.

You’re a proud moshpit starter, as you mention in a couple of songs and on your social media. Can you remember your first moshpit and speak a little bit on why that specific aspect to live music captivates you so much?

Yeah, I think it was 2017 or ’16. I can’t remember. But it was a Travis Scott show at The Observatory in Santa Ana. And I think whenever they dropped Huncho Jack, forgot what year it was. But whenever, that was the first, like, “Damn, this moshpit is crazy.” I actually passed out during the show. *laughs* There’s still a picture of it somewhere. But yeah, I was like, “Damn, that is intensity.”

What kind of energy do you want to create with your live shows? Considering that you have so many different sides of yourself, do you hope to bring that energy to people?

Definitely with these songs, there’s going to be plenty of moshpit moments. But I’m definitely like, “Okay, we moshpitting now and now I want y’all to hear this rap. Now I want you to hear me try to sing on this stage, to tone it down.” Like, talk to the crowd, tell jokes, all that type of stuff. My shows are going to give the people, like, make them a part of the show, too. Instead of just watching me with the camera, like, really interact with them and get to know them.

What are you looking forward to concerning performances in the future?

I’m about to open up for Q on his run. So I’m going to have the opening set on there. That’s going to be my first real go-around. I think I’ve only done four shows.

Obviously, since we’re talking about live shows, I’d be remiss not to mention “The Pop Out.” It seemed like you had a great time and something that you said you’re still riding the high off of. As both an artistic collaborator with these people and somebody who’s been a longtime fan for so many years, what excited you the most about that chance to see all of them share the stage and celebrate each other and the West Coast?

Well, yeah, the energy was just next level. You really can’t even put words to it. It is definitely a full-circle moment in my life, almost validating towards what I’ve been working so hard to do since I’ve been 14, 15 years old. Yeah, it really just resonated with me. I’m just glad I didn’t stop making music or get discouraged or quit, none of that. Just continued following my path. And then to see them, those are just the homies. To see them do this at such a high level, it just also shows the levels you can still get to by just working on your craft. They show it’s possible. So seeing all of that, just left with endless inspiration.

What is the quality or the philosophy that you want to add to the West Coast canon and legacy? If at all; I don’t want to box you into this West Coast thing, either. But what thought have you given that?

Maybe just to hopefully show people that you can make different types of music. If you’re from the West Coast, there’s always going to be West Coast elements in your music, 100%. Even in some of my music, stuff that you probably can’t even hear. There’s definitely some West Coast flair in it. But I hope, at least, what I’m trying to show is that you can make different types of music and still be considered a West Coast artist without the typical West Coast sound. You’ll still get West Coast respect. That’s honestly what it shows me when you see people up there like Tyler and Steve Lacy. Those aren’t typical, like… You wouldn’t even know they’re from the West Coast, honestly. But they’re West Coast legends, if that make sense.

Yeah, there are some songs like “PDA” where you can hear that more explicitly with the percussion pattern and other breezy moments. “STRIPPERS,” “ANNOYING”… You don’t always need the Mustard beat.

Yeah, and I love all West Coast artists, too. I want that to be known, too. I love all the West Coast artists, too, for sure. I’m listening to that, and I’m sliding around and moving around. So I’m not trying to diss them, but I was just trying to say what I’m trying to do.

Another track with a little bit of that energy to it is “POPPIN OUT THE RANGE!” which is an absolute banger. You rap: “We was running from the cousins we was trying to be / Escape the pain, escape the rain, escape the leash.” Even though you’re always moving forward in your artistry and in your life, how has your artistic process helped you reflect on your past years? Has it taught you anything unexpected about yourself?

I’ll say that making music, as far as putting my vocals on wax, it’s definitely just helped me cope through different situations of life. Because I usually keep a lot of stuff boxed in, but it’s just freeing saying things. And I don’t like talking to people, like, telling them what I’m going through. So I’d just rather put it in a song. That is the therapy for me.

You talk a lot on DEADSTOCK about navigating the industry, fickle females, and folks with vices and problems that they can’t even really understand. But it still feels like you’re enjoying the process and this point of your career. As you say on “WASTE NO TIME,” you can’t waste time on anything. What’s been the hardest thing for you to kind of like navigate in the industry? How do you think that this new album has helped you do so?

The hardest part is just… I guess just the social aspect and having to deal with so many types of people and personalities. You’re almost living so many different lives, it kind of gets draining. That’s lowkey a thing, a big theme of it. But like you were saying, another big theme of it… You said it sounds bubbly and stuff, but I think I constantly did that because I’m just a guy that laughs through whatever. So kind of just laughing at your pain in a way. It could be a fun song, or it could be a lyric that will make you turn your head, but like, it’s a fun song. So I’m kind of just laughing at pain.

“BIG SHOT” was my personal favorite track off DEADSTOCK. The world you build on that song sounds cold, but it’s also kind of perseverant. You talk about settling scores, final destinies, and seeking that balance between the many different aspects of the album. Why do you think that song sounds so different to everything else on the album? Did you have a moment where you knew that it would be the closer?

Well, thank you for that, that’s one of my favorites, too. Actually, that was a song I was making for Rihanna. They didn’t want that s**t. So I had to finish it. Then, I added guitar and all of that on top of it. But yeah, it’s a special one. Like, it wasn’t like a moment where I’m like, “Damn, this is the closing to the album, this is my outro.” Because when I create, I make 25, 30 songs and I just pick from them. It was definitely one that just sticks out sonically, so I’m like, “I got to fit this on here somehow.” And in the sequence, I felt like the only place it was just perfect for was the outro. I don’t think you’ll forget an outro like that, so I just had to throw it as an outro.

How much do you revisit beats? Many say that writing is rewriting, writing is editing. Do you feel that with your productions as well?

Usually, if I make a song, I’ll know immediately when the day is over if I want to add something or if I want to go farther in it. I think that was one of the only… There might have been two other ones that I went back in on. I was just making the whole beat, sequence the whole beat first. Then, everything will be in order. But that one I just felt like there was something missing, so I threw the guitar on there.

Yesterday, you teased a mystery feature on DEADSTOCK via an Instagram Story [which we now know is ScHoolboy Q on “BANG YOUR HEAD”]. To manifest real quick, are there any other dream collaborations that you have in mind?

I think when it’s all said and done, I just must work with Tyler, The Creator and I must work with Kanye West. If those two things could happen, I guess I’ll have really done it all with this music s**t. Those two things can happen one day, so I’m crossing my fingers.

Fingers crossed. Devin, I just wanted to thank you so much again for your time and for this wonderful convo. Now that you’ve built up you know such an amazing run this year alone, building off of all your past success, what else is inspiring you right now other than yourself to keep doing what you love?

Honestly, now I just want to show the world my ideas visually. So I’m going to be 10 times more hands on in my visual representation. Hopefully, to be able to land something with like, a Blumhouse or a f***ing A24. Because I know that I got all the weird ideas.

What is something or someone you would call “day one” that you are grateful for being in your career up until know and that you think is going to stick with you in the future?

S**t, my brother. He helps me a lot with this music. I send everything to him, most ideas I have, I just run it by him. I’m grateful for that guy.

Is there anything else that you want to add anything else, a shout out, a message before we head on out?

I think I’m good, man, I appreciate your time.

The post Devin Malik Talks New Project “DEADSTOCK,” His Artistic Development & Working With TDE appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Devin Malik Talks New Project “DEADSTOCK,” His Artistic Development & Working With TDE

by

When it’s all said and done, the biggest victory in the West Coast’s dominant 2024 run, bolstered by new ScHoolboy Q and Vince Staples albums plus a fiery yet unitary Kendrick Lamar beef, might just be the slew of new artists that emerge in its wake. Devin Malik is leading that charge with a big smile on his face and one of the most versatile sets of talents and sounds you’ll hear this summer. The Philly native was raised in Southern California’s Inland Empire, and made a name for himself by producing for artists like Isaiah Rashad, Amindi, and most recently Q on his album BLUE LIPS. Now, this unpredictable and uncompromising sonic career has led to one of the most hard-hitting and creatively malleable albums of the year so far.

DEADSTOCK is Devin Malik’s new record, bolstered by bouncy singles like “BACKSTAGE” and gritty teasers like “LINK DUCKER.” On it, he speaks on his turbulent and self-conscious navigations through the music industry, his grounded lifestyle with way too many overzealous women in it, and his continued focus on representing all the different parts of his upbringing in as vivid and varied of a painting as possible. It’s vibrant, zany, wall-to-wall fun, and refreshingly risky. In this exclusive interview with HNHH, Malik discusses witnessing K.Dot’s “Pop Out” earlier this month, the many lessons he’s been blessed to learn, and his next ambitions as a sonic director, filmmaker, and potential computer scientist. You don’t need a doctorate to hear the wealth of ideas and approaches he brings to the table.

This interview, conducted via Zoom call on Monday, June 24, has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

The HNHH Devin Malik Interview

HNHH: Devin, thanks so much for being here! I wanted to start by asking about what you’ve been doing these days waiting for DEADSTOCK to drop. Are you ironing out the finer details, trying to celebrate early, or just going about your day as usual?

Devin Malik: Honestly, I’m definitely not celebrating. I’m not one of those types of guys that I want a big glory rush or something. *laughs* But I’ve been really just still in the studio, just doing normal everyday things. Obviously, like interviews and whatnot, doing the rollout and that kinds of stuff. But my days look pretty much the same, man. Wake up, hit the gym, hit the studio, go to bed.

I took the title DEADSTOCK to maybe mean a couple of different things. Mainly, I think of unsold inventory being discontinued for whatever reason, but I also think about farm tools or meat products as opposed to livestock. Not to spoil the album too much, but can you talk about why that title in particular kind of resonates with you and whether or not you also looked at it through different ways on the project?

You hit it on the note with the first one. It’s hard to find, rare, discontinued. I just feel that way as an artist because I get so many different flavors and genres on this project that I feel like it’s a lost art in today’s artists. Like, they find one sound that works and they just abuse it. Which I’m not mad at, but I just feel like I’m in a rare bracket. That’s why I really named it that, honestly.

You described DEADSTOCK on social media as “an audible horror film” with “lust, rage and comedy.” Even though that obviously comes off a lot in the production, I feel like your vocal delivery was also a big part of that on the album. Outside of your musical inspirations and knowledge, what else inspired you within film or other art forms in terms of how you used your voice on the album?

Well, I’m a Blumhouse guy. For people that don’t know that, this guy named Jason Blum, he runs a production company, Blumhouse. They do all types of horror films, like f***ing Split, Happy Death Day… I’m drawing blanks right now, but they do a lot of that. So I draw a lot of inspiration from that and just, like, how his mind and how their whole operation runs. I’ve got a lot of inspo from that, for sure. And I put it into my music somehow, in stories I tell or even little effects I use in the music.

Going off of the “comedy” description, do you have a funniest bar on the album or a moment in particular, while you were recording it or during the creation of it, that prompts that comedic description from you for the album?

Honestly, I’m just a very, very funny guy and I’m a funny, strange guy in general. So I just wanted to put that across into music. I don’t think there’s a specific line, but I feel like there’s always little stuff in there that kind of makes it funny because I don’t want to be serious all the time. So it’s not like I even went in with that intention, but when I listen to the album back, there’s definitely some comedic relief in here in some of these weird stories.

Especially with a lot of the romantic angles that you present on songs like “STRIPPERS” and “MOONLIGHT,” I feel like there were some funny jabs in there.

*laughs* Yeah, “MOONLIGHT” is a funny one for sure, that whole song.

You started off selling beats and working with Isaiah Rashad, Amindi, REASON, ScHoolboy Q, all these great artists, and I always find it interesting when the rapper-producer gets to flex both muscles in a way. Since you started taking your own raps more seriously, have you noticed that you’ve changed your production approach or think about the processes of producing and rapping differently? Or have all these things just always been in your head?

I wouldn’t say I changed my approach. But I definitely know what I personally want out of the music. So making it my own project, rather than producing for others, I have complete creative control over my own vision rather than it being predicated towards someone else’s sound, or obviously, whatever they’re trying to get across. It’s kind of easier for me, because I don’t need anyone to talk to. I don’t need anyone, it’s just complete tunnel vision. So I kind of enjoy it more, in a way.

In an interview with The Nuance, you said that your production style really depends on what your other collaborator wants, or what you agree upon together. On DEADSTOCK, you apply that mentality to the different sides of yourself. Do you feel like you have a signature sound for yourself that you want to prioritize moving forward? Are you still excited about molding yourself to different approaches and genres and still having that versatility?

I don’t think I’ll ever have, quote-unquote, a particular sound because I just get bored too easily. So the next one won’t sound like the next one, or like the next one. But what I have learned through this process is just finding a particular tone of voice that I really like. And I think that was the hardest part about all of this and making this.

On a quick note, during that same interview, you also hinted at maybe completing your computer science degree one day. Is that still a goal for you? Are things too busy right now?

*laughs* Things are 100% too busy right now. But I be trying to knock out a class here or there when I can. Like, right now, I’m in two classes, but all online. So, on some summer-type s**t. But yeah, I definitely still want to do that. Whether it takes me ten years, five years, 15 years, it’s just something I really want. I still love computer science.

As I understand it, you’re now officially signed to TDE as a producer after having worked with so much of the team for so long. What do you hope to learn the most from this process? What excites you about being able to contribute to the label’s artistry and sonic directions?

Honestly, I just really want to learn the business side of music. That’s been my whole goal now and being signed is definitely easier. Just in the rooms you’re in and the comments you get to hear, so I just pick up on a lot of s**t just listening. So that’s a big plus. It’s just exciting every day, because these are the artists I grew up listening to and appreciating. So being able to be in the same room, there’s just so much to learn in that and so much excitement in that. So I think it’s really as simple as that. Just whatever I can do to help them push their vision, or whatever I get from it, it’s really just a plus.

You’ve spoken a lot about how your cousins in Fontana broke you into the music space and how you learned from them. What do you appreciate the most about being able to start your artistic process not just with fellow artists, but with these fellow artists that are your family?

Well, yeah, that was a plus. Number one, no one is looking at you like some type of dollar sign. It’s truly like a genuine connection with your family. So learning from them, I’m very grateful for that. In the sessions I got to be in, I literally got to see how how you record music. Like, in the most literal way, I got to see how you interact with different producers, how you interact with the artists, studio etiquette, all that type of stuff. So I owe it all to them for sure for that.

You sold your first beat to D. Savage when you were in high school. Looking back at that process of sending out beats and everything, what’s one thing about said process that you didn’t know back then, but that you learned further on that you would’ve wanted to keep in mind in those early days?

I would say that trying to link with an artist is a lot more important than just sending beats all day. Like, sending beats all day is going to get you the connect to get to them. But once you do that, you should really try to build an actual bond with them. Like, not on no weirdo time, but just a genuine connection with them and try to build some sort of work friendship.

Juxtaposition and not getting boxed in are some of the most important things to you in your artistry and on DEADSTOCK. For this album specifically, how did you balance that process of the different types of emotions you wanted to engage with and what sounds you wanted to play with? How did you stay tapped into all these different parts of yourself while still organizing them into an album that feels more cohesive and intent-driven?

When I was making it, I wanted to go half melodic and, like, half bangers. But I also wanted to sprinkle in, like… It’s different stuff that you can’t find anywhere else. I think it’s a couple of songs on there that you literally can’t find nowhere else but there. And that was really important to me when I was making it. ‘Cause it’s so easy to make, like, fun songs and stuff to get the people hyped, the crowds hype. But I also wanted to give something that was kind of more intriguing or something that people might not get or might hate. I find a lot of power in that.

I do want to ask about a couple of lyrics that I caught on my listens. On “GEEKERTOWN,” you rap: “We don’t relate to rappers, they need millions to have fun / We don’t relate to actors, can’t escape the roles they love.” Now that you’ve seen how the hip-hop and music industries move on a lot of different levels, what are some of the mistakes or misconceptions about artists and celebrities that you want to try to avoid that you see your peers fall into?

Well, for the first line, I was really referring to the real people I know that will fly a girl out to where they’re at, take her shopping, take her to a nice dinner, get her a purse, just to have sex. Like, $8,000 just to have some sex. To me, I never had to do none of that. I could take a girl to Wendy’s, we could go to the movies… $30 and something hot at the end of the night. *laughs* That’s what I meant by that. It’s just a lot of extra stuff just to, like… I don’t know. I don’t know, they just be weird sometimes.

Then the second line, that was just another play on f***ing Hollywood, bro. I was at this party. I’m not going to name the actor, but it’s a dude that’s from the suburbs and didn’t grow up being a tough guy or nothing. But at this party, he’s trying to get in fights and be the toughest guy in the scene when, really, nothing was happening. It was a role he played in a movie where he was a tough guy. So I was like, “I wonder if he just can’t escape that reality. That role or that movie.” That’s really what it was.

Did you approach tracks like “GEEKERTOWN” with a topical focus in mind? You mentioned that sometimes you will freestyle on your beats, and then that will get the creative ball rolling. But were there any ideas that you specifically wanted to make a statement on?

Man, I wish I could say it was more of a statement. But it was definitely just free-flow thought, and that’s just what I was on that day.

I wanted to briefly touch on BLUE LIPS a little bit, because I found some sonic similarity between DEADSTOCK and some of your raw and stark productions on that album. Did you feel a creative overlap between your work on these distinct projects? What was the most different aspect about your approach to them?

There may be creative overlap. There’s nothing that I noticed, but it’s probably subconsciously. Like, anytime I work on a project, I just try to do a better job and get better every time. So there’s definitely overlap, but it wasn’t like a purposeful overlap.

You’re a proud moshpit starter, as you mention in a couple of songs and on your social media. Can you remember your first moshpit and speak a little bit on why that specific aspect to live music captivates you so much?

Yeah, I think it was 2017 or ’16. I can’t remember. But it was a Travis Scott show at The Observatory in Santa Ana. And I think whenever they dropped Huncho Jack, forgot what year it was. But whenever, that was the first, like, “Damn, this moshpit is crazy.” I actually passed out during the show. *laughs* There’s still a picture of it somewhere. But yeah, I was like, “Damn, that is intensity.”

What kind of energy do you want to create with your live shows? Considering that you have so many different sides of yourself, do you hope to bring that energy to people?

Definitely with these songs, there’s going to be plenty of moshpit moments. But I’m definitely like, “Okay, we moshpitting now and now I want y’all to hear this rap. Now I want you to hear me try to sing on this stage, to tone it down.” Like, talk to the crowd, tell jokes, all that type of stuff. My shows are going to give the people, like, make them a part of the show, too. Instead of just watching me with the camera, like, really interact with them and get to know them.

What are you looking forward to concerning performances in the future?

I’m about to open up for Q on his run. So I’m going to have the opening set on there. That’s going to be my first real go-around. I think I’ve only done four shows.

Obviously, since we’re talking about live shows, I’d be remiss not to mention “The Pop Out.” It seemed like you had a great time and something that you said you’re still riding the high off of. As both an artistic collaborator with these people and somebody who’s been a longtime fan for so many years, what excited you the most about that chance to see all of them share the stage and celebrate each other and the West Coast?

Well, yeah, the energy was just next level. You really can’t even put words to it. It is definitely a full-circle moment in my life, almost validating towards what I’ve been working so hard to do since I’ve been 14, 15 years old. Yeah, it really just resonated with me. I’m just glad I didn’t stop making music or get discouraged or quit, none of that. Just continued following my path. And then to see them, those are just the homies. To see them do this at such a high level, it just also shows the levels you can still get to by just working on your craft. They show it’s possible. So seeing all of that, just left with endless inspiration.

What is the quality or the philosophy that you want to add to the West Coast canon and legacy? If at all; I don’t want to box you into this West Coast thing, either. But what thought have you given that?

Maybe just to hopefully show people that you can make different types of music. If you’re from the West Coast, there’s always going to be West Coast elements in your music, 100%. Even in some of my music, stuff that you probably can’t even hear. There’s definitely some West Coast flair in it. But I hope, at least, what I’m trying to show is that you can make different types of music and still be considered a West Coast artist without the typical West Coast sound. You’ll still get West Coast respect. That’s honestly what it shows me when you see people up there like Tyler and Steve Lacy. Those aren’t typical, like… You wouldn’t even know they’re from the West Coast, honestly. But they’re West Coast legends, if that make sense.

Yeah, there are some songs like “PDA” where you can hear that more explicitly with the percussion pattern and other breezy moments. “STRIPPERS,” “ANNOYING”… You don’t always need the Mustard beat.

Yeah, and I love all West Coast artists, too. I want that to be known, too. I love all the West Coast artists, too, for sure. I’m listening to that, and I’m sliding around and moving around. So I’m not trying to diss them, but I was just trying to say what I’m trying to do.

Another track with a little bit of that energy to it is “POPPIN OUT THE RANGE!” which is an absolute banger. You rap: “We was running from the cousins we was trying to be / Escape the pain, escape the rain, escape the leash.” Even though you’re always moving forward in your artistry and in your life, how has your artistic process helped you reflect on your past years? Has it taught you anything unexpected about yourself?

I’ll say that making music, as far as putting my vocals on wax, it’s definitely just helped me cope through different situations of life. Because I usually keep a lot of stuff boxed in, but it’s just freeing saying things. And I don’t like talking to people, like, telling them what I’m going through. So I’d just rather put it in a song. That is the therapy for me.

You talk a lot on DEADSTOCK about navigating the industry, fickle females, and folks with vices and problems that they can’t even really understand. But it still feels like you’re enjoying the process and this point of your career. As you say on “WASTE NO TIME,” you can’t waste time on anything. What’s been the hardest thing for you to kind of like navigate in the industry? How do you think that this new album has helped you do so?

The hardest part is just… I guess just the social aspect and having to deal with so many types of people and personalities. You’re almost living so many different lives, it kind of gets draining. That’s lowkey a thing, a big theme of it. But like you were saying, another big theme of it… You said it sounds bubbly and stuff, but I think I constantly did that because I’m just a guy that laughs through whatever. So kind of just laughing at your pain in a way. It could be a fun song, or it could be a lyric that will make you turn your head, but like, it’s a fun song. So I’m kind of just laughing at pain.

“BIG SHOT” was my personal favorite track off DEADSTOCK. The world you build on that song sounds cold, but it’s also kind of perseverant. You talk about settling scores, final destinies, and seeking that balance between the many different aspects of the album. Why do you think that song sounds so different to everything else on the album? Did you have a moment where you knew that it would be the closer?

Well, thank you for that, that’s one of my favorites, too. Actually, that was a song I was making for Rihanna. They didn’t want that s**t. So I had to finish it. Then, I added guitar and all of that on top of it. But yeah, it’s a special one. Like, it wasn’t like a moment where I’m like, “Damn, this is the closing to the album, this is my outro.” Because when I create, I make 25, 30 songs and I just pick from them. It was definitely one that just sticks out sonically, so I’m like, “I got to fit this on here somehow.” And in the sequence, I felt like the only place it was just perfect for was the outro. I don’t think you’ll forget an outro like that, so I just had to throw it as an outro.

How much do you revisit beats? Many say that writing is rewriting, writing is editing. Do you feel that with your productions as well?

Usually, if I make a song, I’ll know immediately when the day is over if I want to add something or if I want to go farther in it. I think that was one of the only… There might have been two other ones that I went back in on. I was just making the whole beat, sequence the whole beat first. Then, everything will be in order. But that one I just felt like there was something missing, so I threw the guitar on there.

Yesterday, you teased a mystery feature on DEADSTOCK via an Instagram Story [which we now know is ScHoolboy Q on “BANG YOUR HEAD”]. To manifest real quick, are there any other dream collaborations that you have in mind?

I think when it’s all said and done, I just must work with Tyler, The Creator and I must work with Kanye West. If those two things could happen, I guess I’ll have really done it all with this music s**t. Those two things can happen one day, so I’m crossing my fingers.

Fingers crossed. Devin, I just wanted to thank you so much again for your time and for this wonderful convo. Now that you’ve built up you know such an amazing run this year alone, building off of all your past success, what else is inspiring you right now other than yourself to keep doing what you love?

Honestly, now I just want to show the world my ideas visually. So I’m going to be 10 times more hands on in my visual representation. Hopefully, to be able to land something with like, a Blumhouse or a f***ing A24. Because I know that I got all the weird ideas.

What is something or someone you would call “day one” that you are grateful for being in your career up until know and that you think is going to stick with you in the future?

S**t, my brother. He helps me a lot with this music. I send everything to him, most ideas I have, I just run it by him. I’m grateful for that guy.

Is there anything else that you want to add anything else, a shout out, a message before we head on out?

I think I’m good, man, I appreciate your time.

The post Devin Malik Talks New Project “DEADSTOCK,” His Artistic Development & Working With TDE appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Clipse Reveal That Their Upcoming Album Will Be Produced By Pharrell

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In an exclusive interview with Vulture, Pusha T and No Malice (Clipse) announced that their new album will be entirely produced by Pharrell. This one heck of bombshell, as the Virginia-based duo are making their return after 15 long years. In 2009 we got Til The Casket Drops, which had eight songs featuring Pharrell production. So, it is great to hear that even after all of this time, the band is still getting back together. We do not much else about the record, as Pusha T and No Malice kept the details to a minimum. The important thing is we know we are getting a Clipse record soon, which will be one of high quality they promise.

“I think this is where you get the difference between taste and filler. This music is curated. This is a high taste-level piece of work. You can only have that level of taste when you have the fundamentals down to a science. I think it’s been definitely missing”, Push told Vulture. Malice doubled down on that take, affirming, “This is smart basketball. It’s fundamentals”.

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Clipse Are Curating A “High Taste-Level” Album Along With Pharrell

“And not only that, it’s authenticity. It’s what rap should look like if you’re real about your craft, real about your experience, real about your storytelling. It’s bringing the fans along to see the growth, not trying to fit in or fabricate”, Malice added. If this is out of the blue news to you, there was some hope that a Clipse album could be a possibility. King Push did tell Complex that fans could “100% bet” on either getting a solo album from him or a reuniting effort. Additionally, the duo premiered an unreleased collab with John Legend at a Louis Vuitton show in Paris.

What are your thoughts on the next Clipse record being produced by Pharell? Will this be one of the best rap albums of the year, why or why not? Do you think this could be their strongest LP in their discography? When do you see them dropping this? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Clipse and Pharrell. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.

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[Via]

The post Clipse Reveal That Their Upcoming Album Will Be Produced By Pharrell appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Charlie Heat Continues To Elevate: On Executive Producing Bryson Tiller’s Album, Working With Ye & Why Nick Cannon Is A Legend

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There was a moment in Twitter’s history when hip-hop heads would add “Charlie Heat Version” to their profile names as a nod to the impact of Ye’s “Facts” remix. Ye banked on an up-and-coming producer who, at the time, had already built a resounding resume, having worked alongside G.O.O.D Music staples like Pusha T and Travis Scott, as well as global icons like Madonna before The Life Of Pablo even landed on a concrete album title. So when he cites the Neptunes as one of his biggest musical influences, you can’t help but acknowledge the versatility he had already shown before his name became an adjective for the fire emoji.

“One thing I admire about them is their sound can go from pop to rap to R&B to even, like, I think Pharrell just did Miley record, you know? It’s almost like full country and it’s incredible,” Charlie Heat told HotNewHipHop. “And all those different things still sounding like them is definitely what I strive for.”

Charlie Heat has clearly elevated himself since working alongside Ye and producing six songs on Lil Uzi Vert’s The Real Uzi. Most recently, he served as an executive producer on Bryson Tiller’s latest album, contributed production to J. Cole’s “Huntin Wabbitz” off Might Delete Later, and took an A&R role on Primary Wave while balancing his duties as the co-founder of House Of 99. However, he and Primary Wave confirmed to HotNewHipHop that they’ve amicably parted ways.

With all the experience that he’s gained within the past decade alone, Charlie Heat is a vessel of knowledge in the music industry. Some of the lessons he gained might be the result of trial and error but ultimately, overcoming each learning curve served him better as both a producer and an executive in this business. We recently caught up with Charlie Heat to discuss working on Bryson Tiller’s latest album, advice for up-and-coming producers, and why Nick Cannon is a legend.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Photo courtesy of Primary Wave

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HotNewHipHop: First and foremost, based on your production style and versatility, what sounds influenced you early on in your childhood? I’ve read that you grew up in a fairly musical household.

Charlie Heat: I mean, a few things, man. Probably the biggest thing was from an early age, my dad was very eclectic and listened to a lot of different music, you know? From 2Pac to Red Hot Chili Peppers to Earth Wind & Fire to Rick James to Prince, Michael Jackson. All types of stuff, man. Parliament, Funkadelic. Yeah, I mean, everything – Biggie. Like, I mean, from between that and church, playing the drums and church, it kind of just set the tone for everything from there. 

In terms of producers, who do you think had a lifelong influence on your approach?

I mean, the most obvious to me is definitely the Neptune’s, right? I mean, they, they have them are one of the most versatile sounds. One thing I admire about them is their sound can go from pop to rap to R&B to even, like, I think Pharrell just did Miley record, you know? It’s almost like full country and it’s incredible. And all those different things still sounding like them is kind of what I strive definitely what I strive for.

In the studio, I imagine working in person with someone is a different experience than sending beats through email. How does your approach to producing differ between those two situations?

The biggest part is the energy of the person I’m with, right? I mean, my success rate of landing things in person, based on sending things, it’s not even close. I can’t really think of too many sessions I’ve done in person where the song – if it hasn’t come out, it’s used in some kind of way. 

I have a really high success rate in-person sessions [as opposed] to sending things, it’s like, very low. I think it’s just because, again, the experience of doing this for a long time and being around people from all walks of life by the grace of God, you know? Being able to read the energy and just go off of their energy. Not even overthink the process, because everybody has their own. I would never want to overpower a situation unless they call us for it. But it rarely does to overpower a situation with my personal workflow. Because I think that’s the point of being a producer. [It’s] to be able to produce artists in the best way, in the most comfortable and best way they see fit unless you want to force them out of that. Even still, it’s still producing based on who they are not – you know, like the collaboration of vision is the key to production, I feel like personally.

Do you have an example of a studio session where you created something that exceeded your expectations? 

There’s too many, man. I’m sorry, I really don’t want to name one because I have so many so many friends and I don’t want anybody to feel like any other session was more important. I’ll give you a eureka moment was, you know, during the Pablo sessions, it was a few – I’m not gonna say who – but there were a few of people I looked up to in the studio with Kanye and he was playing music and he played one of the songs I did an early version of it, where it was just my beat and [Kanye], and somebody else on it. And said producers asked to listen to it like six times back to back. It was one of those moments, where it was just special. But it just showed the power of preparation meets opportunity.

How does the personality of an artist shape your production? Like, for example, how does working with someone like Madonna differ from a Kanye West or a Tommy Genesis to a Denzel Curry?

That’s a great question. The biggest part is understanding everybody’s comfort zone. You know, it’s like if you can’t understand where somebody’s comfortable at, you’re not going to get the best out of them. Understanding the relationship you have with the person, as well. One of the strongest emotions you can feel in the studio is trust. So all the people you name trust me, you know? But that trust has to be built by adding value. So once they understand that you can add value to what they’re trying to do, and not just take or not just land a placement – it’s like even with Bryson, who literally became, like my brother in this. It’s all about adding value. 

We’ve all worked with a lot of collaborators. He’s worked with a lot of producers. I’ve worked with a lot of artists. But when you find people that you can add value all the time, even if it’s not just making a beat or not just doing that, it creates a new form of a comfort zone that now, you know, I can say things or I can do things or I can have a conversation with a Madonna or even Tommy. Like Tommy is very specific about her vision, but me and her can have conversations because she trusts me to have her best interests to move forward, you know? And to create the best product. That comfort in that space and trust is it’s priceless and this is bigger than a placement.

Kanye is arguably one of the best, if not the best, producers of our generation. What was one of the key things you learned working with him directly?

Great question. I think that the greatest thing that I took from those [sessions], personally, was: the only restraints on creativity [are] the ones you put on yourself. Like, he is fearless. You know, like, people look at him as fearless in the world, but he’s also fearless in music. He’s always pushing things forward. 

And for me, I always have the idea – I feel like we all do. I feel like all producers are extremely creative but we get in certain modes and certain patterns of success that limit how far we can take things. And he’s anti-that. He’s like, “Alright, we did that already. Let’s do something better. Let’s do something more left.” You know, it’s like, constantly pushing. I became a better producer every single day we worked together, you know. And it’s not it’s not even fathomable how much distance he has from every other creative I’ve ever met. And that’s no disrespect to nobody else but he’s on another planet.

Looking back at The Life Of Pablo, how do you feel about the impact of the “Facts” remix a decade later?

I think it’s cool. Well, as you know, and I’ve talked about this a lot but it’s always cool to go on Twitter and type in Charlie Heat and see people’s @ handle says Big Mike (Charlie Heat version) you know? Like, one of my goals was to always be an adjective in that type of way. When I started, I was like, I want to be an adjective. It means something outside of me – it’s bigger than me. And that moment did that, you know? It’s another version of something. Whether it’s better or worse, it’s up to you. I like the Metro and Southside ones too. That’s all preference but it’s cool, though. It’s a timeless, cool feeling and it’s something I wanted. Ye put it together, for sure.

You worked as the executive producer on Bryson Tiller’s latest album. How did the process begin with this? What were the initial ideas like before landing on a concrete concept for the album?

I mean, it was really, you know, there’s an artist/writer that signed to my music imprint House Of 99. His name is Fifteen After and he links with Neil, who is also from Jersey and also Bryson’s manager. But he linked with him at some event and was just sending on records we did. And they loved a few of them. One of them was actually “No Thank You.” It just kind of kicked off from there. We met and, we were just talking about things and we were all just on the same page. The synergy was amazing [between] all of us – the whole Voltron as we call it.  We just had a great time making music, man. We pushed each other, we were all going through things in life, and it just came together in like a very all-time moment. I feel like I feel like this album is going to age beautifully. You know, Fifteen After says it all the time, “We’re gonna look back on these moments like we didn’t even know what we were doing,” you know?

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When I listen to your catalog and then Bryson’s, I feel like he’s a perfect artist for the type of range you’ve shown as a producer. How did this opportunity working with Bryson fulfill your own creativity spark and outlook at this time in your career?

Man, that is an excellent, excellent question. Because I told him to his face, I was like, “Man, this is the biggest responsibility that somebody has given me in music,” outside of like the business stuff, right? Because, you know, the music imprint, we sign people so that’s pretty important as well [laughs]. But musically and just creatively and responsibility-wise – I mean, he’s already a diamond artist. He’s solidified. Like, he can do it by himself, you know what I mean? Like, he doesn’t need anybody to do it. He did it by himself already at the highest level possible. So to trust me, and trust the squad and trust Voltron in that kind of way, just shows his personal character and growth and humbleness as a human being to be like, “Yeah, I did great, but I want to do greater.” and For me, I took that serious. I took that real serious on every level as far as mentally putting the ego to the side, you know? My favorite record on there, I didn’t produce but I still executive produced the project. I tell them all the time I wish I made that “Attention” beat. That’s what it’s all about, you know? It’s about having people that trust you and making sure that they’ve made the right decision. 

Could you describe the eureka moment when making this project? Like, what was the moment when you guys realized you were on to something? The entire project is cohesive but none of the beats sound like the last one. 

His ears [are] incredible, man. I can’t even really take credit for that too much. Like it’s the whole squad. Not just me and Bryson, it was the whole Voltron. The whole unit, we just really came together. And there was a session, there was one of the nights we just – I think [we made] “Rich Boy.” And we just knew that the chemistry was just so crazy, you know? Like I said, I didn’t do that one either. But we were there and it was vibe, you know? We all needed to be there. Everybody contributed. We knew we had something.

As someone from Jersey, I wanted to know how you felt about bringing that Jersey Club sound for “RAM”? It must’ve been nice for you to bring it back to your roots, especially since you mentioned your dad was a DJ.

Of course. I mean, I love everything. It’s what I grew up on, you know? We used to have basement parties. The real beautiful part is one of the guys on the squad, Black Mike, was literally one of the originators of the sound. You know, Brick Bandits. Being able to talk to him and we did a record, “Work It Out” that [Bryson Tiller] dropped for one of the Tiller Tuesdays. We actually did that together. He’s from Jersey, as well, and that’s a Jersey club record where we flipped the “Rock The Boat” violin. And, I mean, it’s a crazy record, too,  with Bryson. But yeah, it’s always good to bring him back home, you know? Shout out the guys, too. Like my boy, DJ Smalls, man, he puttin’ on. He just did the “Everybody” record. 

How does it feel hearing the Jersey Club sound blow up beyond its regional confines? A lot more artists are pulling from it as inspiration. Do you look at that as a nod or does it seem like people are riding a wave?

I’m glad you asked this question. I’ll say this: I do understand that for artists trying to make it, right? Like, having a sound snatched from you while you’re trying to make it is tough, for sure, so I get that part. But as a whole, for the greater good, the cream is always gonna rise to the top. If it’s good, and it’s the best – I feel like, personally, nobody could do Jersey beats better than Jersey producers. We grew up on it. It’s like somebody growing up on Soul Food their whole life and going to make French cuisine. I don’t know if the French cuisine is going to be better than somebody from France. Like, I don’t care how good your skills are, you know? But yeah, I’m not mad at anybody. Anything that can bring eyes to it to make people money. I never really understood people’s concerns or frustrations, unless, as I said, it’s up-and-coming and somebody’s literally snatching your sound. But even then, more eyes on something – if you don’t stop – could help. And it’s helped more than it’s hurt. I’ll say that.

What’s the most gratifying part about elevating into the executive side of things? Beyond just producing but also, identifying talent and helping it grow.

Having information to give that’s actually real information. That’s the best part, being able to know enough and have the information and to be able to give gems and keys and provide my peers and opportunities that people didn’t know existed. Or provided new angles of making money, it’s the best feeling, you know, Even more than that is understanding how unseen people can be in business, and how uneducated people can be in business and being able to help out on that side. Because I mean, most of my education was messing up. I messed up plenty of deals. I’ve been too aggressive or not aggressive enough and learning from those situations has given me a lot of correct information.

What advice would you give to a younger producer who is entering these spaces where they need to negotiate deals? Whether in terms of leveraging deals in their favor or that aggression, you described in these meetings. 

I’m very big on doing what works for you, right? I feel like there are two parts of the aggression. There’s the aggression in figuring out what works. And then there’s the aggression of, once you find out what that is, to double, triple, quadruple down on it, right? I think that the problem is a lot of people don’t spend the time figuring out what works. Like DMing a lot of people, like, yeah, you might luck up but any business based on luck is not a good business, right? So find a way that works for you, and your method. If you’re good at talking to people, pull up their every session and pull up to every party, pull up to every networking event, go to every open mic, go to every show. If you’re not good at talking to people, find somebody who is. Find a sound that people don’t only go to you for. If you don’t really have that, get on YouTube and put up 50 beats a week. Wherever your success rate is at, don’t spread yourself too thin. I mean, there is like a “do everything” method, but I feel like nowadays, doing everything is not going to help keep you up, you know? Too many people working too hard, it’s gonna be like gumbo, or something. It’s just gonna be a mix of everything.

Courtesy of Primary Wave

I know you have a bit of a proximity to this situation but I wanted to know, just from a producer standpoint, who do you think had the better production choices in the Kendrick vs. Drake battle?

Oh, man, you’re gonna hate my answer but I think it was right down the middle, man. Nobody had any bad beats, in my opinion. You know, it wasn’t such thing as a bad beat. And I don’t think personally. I think these are top-quality dudes. Yeah. I don’t know. I mean, that “Not Like Us” is doing what it’s supposed to do but you know, I like the Drake joints, too. 

Read More: Kendrick Lamar & Drake Beef: A Complete Timeline Of Diss Songs

You produced on the J Cole album, too. What was the process like behind “Huntin’ Wabbits”?

Man, I wish I had a good story for you, but I don’t I just sent T Minus a bunch of shots. And he went crazy. I mean, it’s crazy because again, you know, my success rate with sending stuff off isn’t the greatest but I probably don’t send stuff off enough, as well. But yeah, my business partner linked up with him and connected us and yeah, that was that was one of the chops.

In retrospect, how do you feel about “7 Minute Drill?”

I love it all. I’m just a competitive guy. I love it. I feel like everybody has their own walk to walk so I would never even speak on that part of it. Just the fact that these are literally the greatest rappers ever and they’re all getting in the ring. I love it, I don’t know. I’m a sports guy, I’m a Kobe fan and an Allen Iverson fan. I love seeing the greats compete on any level. And the fact that it’s been safe so far is the best part. You know? Yeah. No, no outside harm has been done, which is great.

Your Apple Music profile states that Drumline was a huge influence that got you into taking music seriously. How do you feel about Nick Cannon’s general influence?

You know what? I need to do a little bit more research on what Nick has done because I feel like he’s definitely one of the most underrated people culturally that we don’t talk about enough. I mean, like, I don’t want to misquote any of his accomplishments, high or low, you know, but from the few things that I’ve heard about, and the few things that I know, he’s a complete legend, and completely genius, brilliant business-mind, you know? I don’t think he gets enough credit at all. I felt like it was one of those “if you know,” [things]. I mean, I think Wild N’ Out has to be one of the longest-running shows ever in that space. I think he’s got it already but it might have it by like, you know? Maybe like Price Is Right territory or something [laughs]. I think he’s doing some crazy numbers and people just aren’t – because he doesn’t have a bunch of drama with them, people don’t really pay attention. But he’s been a legend for a minute.

The post Charlie Heat Continues To Elevate: On Executive Producing Bryson Tiller’s Album, Working With Ye & Why Nick Cannon Is A Legend appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

JP Talks Blowing Up With “Bad Bitty,” Putting On For Milwaukee, And Crafting His New Album “Coming Out Party”

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Back in March, before Kendrick Lamar and Drake started one of the largest feuds in hip-hop history, Milwaukee artist JP had us in a trance with an early contender for song of the summer. The song in question is none other than “Bad Bitty.” Overall, this is a melodic Milwaukee low-end banger that makes you want to dance and replay the song over and over again. Initially, the song gained traction for A) being impossibly catchy and B) JP’s charisma that oozed off of the screen.

While From The Block performances can sometimes prove to be static and unengaging, JP had those at home moving in their seats. From the scatted onomatopoeia to the hook that sticks in your ear and never leaves, this was a song that fans could not get enough of. Additionally, fans took immediate notice of JP’s demeanor which led to people calling him an old soul. Some even joked that his age was a new number between 29 and 30. In actuality, JP is much younger. He currently attends the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point where he was most recently a sophomore on the basketball team.

JP is an artist who wears his influences on his sleeve. Growing up with his grandmother, he was put on to gospel music at an early age. His in-depth knowledge of gospel and music theory has served him well on his journey to becoming an artist. Moreover, he is also inspired by the Ethiopian Eskista dance, which is front and center in both his From The Block performance and his TikToks. Since the release of “Bad Bitty,” Twitter has been inundated with AI versions of historical figures doing JP’s moves, all while singing the song. If one thing is certain, no song has taken over the meme economy in 2024 more than “Bad Bitty.” But to dismiss the track as a “meme song” would be utterly ridiculous. The song stands on its own merits, and if you’ve listened to JP’s catalog, you know there is plenty more from where that came from.

In fact, on June 7, JP will release a new project called “Coming Out Party.” He has been working diligently on this new body of work, and prior to its arrival, we got to speak to JP about his influences, the success of “Bad Bitty” and his first true viral hit “Juicey Ahh,” as well as the Milwaukee rap scene that continues to grow at a rapid pace.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

HNHH: The last few months have been kind of a whirlwind for you. How has life really changed for you since that video came out?

JP: Well, since “Bad Bitty” came out, it’s definitely been a humbling and grateful experience for me to go through. And really a reassurance to me as well. Just proving to myself and to the people that actually believe me that I was able to make another hit. I had gone viral about two years ago, on TikTok for the first time and I made about 60, like, I think was like 70 songs in between the first song I made into “Bad Bitty.” So it took me 70 more songs before I was able to get that one again. So, like I said, a humbling experience. And I’m extremely grateful for that. Definitely, like I said, a lot of a lot of reassurance being brought down my way.

With “Juicey Ahh,” you went viral as well. You’ve been talking about that song and how your cousin helped you with that one. Describe that process and how the song came about, especially with you finding the beat online.

Well, it was around Thanksgiving time. And you know, Thanksgiving, you go home, you with your family and everything, here are the kids, and he’s like, let’s make a song or let’s make a low-end song. So he goes, and he fires the beat he puts up into it. And he was having some trouble. So I went out there, no idea what I was going to do on here. At first, it was just the part that you could only upload into a TikTok snippet.

Before you know it, the Milwaukee hype house page, 414 Hype House, picked it up and he posted it. And it started going viral in the city of Milwaukee and then before you know it, it just started going viral with the rest of the world. So that was the process on that. I finished the song in a McDonald’s. I walked in and ordered a Double Quarter Pounder meal and by the time that meal was over, “Juicey Ahh” was finished.

A lot of your music is a melodic version of the Milwaukee low-end sound. I think it’s very much a subgenre/subculture that is evolving online right now and maybe isn’t really so much known to mainstream audiences, or even our audience who comes onto HotNewHipHop every single day. Could you explain what the Milwaukee low-end sound is and what makes it so unique?

I would say the biggest difference between Milwaukee low-end rap and every other genre of music, because I would personally say that it’s like a genre… is the beats. So, the beat patterns and the claps that you hear…when you hear it, you automatically know. Like anybody that’s from Milwaukee, you can tell a Milwaukee beat from any other beat, because of the low-end claps that you hear, the fast-paced claps that you hear, the consistent tap that you hear. That’s really one of the biggest differences, so when you hear that beat, like before the song even starts, before you even hear any lyrics, you know, that it’s a low-end beat just off the beat alone, like, you know, it’s low-end.

I went viral for rapping with “Juicey Ahh” which was a low-end beat. And I understood that I had to feed the dog with music because they were loving that music. But I’m actually a singer. So what I did was I just brought the singing to the rap. And by being such an easy thing to do for me because like I already have that in my brain, it was no problem I can make it like that, like quick, fast and in a hurry. And I just go back, let’s just go over things. But I never was thinking that I was doing something, like I was creating something, and trying to be different. I was just me. So that’s kind of how it all panned out.

You were talking about how Milwaukee low-end is like its own genre. And you see a lot of the artists within the city working together. When you compare it to maybe the South, the East Coast, West Coast, what makes Milwaukee different compared to some of the other regional Hip-Hop movements out there? Maybe not even just based on the sound, but the culture around it.

Oh, that’s a great question. Let’s see. So, for me personally, being from Milwaukee, I can tell you that Milwaukee doesn’t have a set genre of music or a set style of music that they do. When you hear somebody from Atlanta, you can tell they’re from Atlanta. When you hear somebody from down south, you can tell that they’re from where they’re from, like from Louisiana, New Orleans, or something like that, you can tell that they’re from there. You hear somebody from New York, you can tell they’re from New York.

In Milwaukee, there is a plethora of artists that do different things, and they’re all blown up in their own lanes. Everybody is different. You have artists that rap, and they’re connected more to the streets. You have artists that rap and they’re connected more to the children, you have artists that rap more towards the clubs and the women and things of that nature. So you can never really pinpoint the type of music that’s coming out of Milwaukee, you just got to know that they’re from here. And I think that right there’s the biggest difference between us and everybody else. Because you just know that they’re from Milwaukee, you can’t just hear it. You have to do a background search.

You’ve done videos with 414 Big Frank before. Who are some of your other favorite artists from Milwaukee?

Frank is my brother. So I do have a bias. In my personal opinion, Frank is one of the best artists coming out of Milwaukee outside of myself. But that’s just a personal bias. Outside of that, we have artists like Myaap, she’s young and she knows how to go out there and put on for herself. Get in front of people and be a great performer. Chicken P. He’s also a great artist and has been making music for years and years like since I was a kid, you know. He’s been grinding hard, staying consistent with his craft. And he’s more connected to the street. Steve Da Stoner is another Milwaukee artist that is good at going out to go advocate and put himself in front of people. And he’s also a great performer.

Your vocal style is known for being unique and versatile. You’ve been vocal about growing up with your grandmother introducing you to more gospel influences. How do those influences really affect the way you approach your melodies and when you go and record a song?

That’s also a great question. So, having that background, I would say it’s more of a root for me because it was always something that I thought was normal. I never realized how out of the ordinary it was for a kid to have all of these things going on in his brain until I got older and got around other people. And I always thought that they could do it as well. But I found out that they, that it wasn’t really like, some people actually have to work towards that. So I would say it definitely was more it was like rooted in me, I grew up watching musicals with my grandmother and watching musicals and listening to so much different type of music.

Like, I love country music. I grew up listening to country music, you know, I’m saying, and church and gospel music. And you know, everybody has a different type of church. At the church I went to, you know, they play certain chords that tug at your heartstrings, you know, so when you get used to being a kid, and listening to those chords and understanding what those chords do to the human body or to the people of the congregation. You can see the person on the organ strike a chord. The way the pastor is singing affects people a certain type of way. And I took it out. I liked that. I enjoyed that because it made me feel some type of way as well.

So when I approach music, when I’m making the music, I’m making music that puts me in that feeling. It’s highly understandable when somebody listens to my music, especially to somebody with a foreign ear, they get to feeling some type of way. Sometimes the feeling is discomfort, just like, ‘I don’t know this. I’ve never heard anything like this before.’ And then they listen to it a little bit more than they get beat by the book. I would say that’s that’s how I try to approach my music. I just try to have fun and be as true to the music as I can and not just follow anybody else’s lead but do what truly makes me feel good. That’s the whole goal that I’m going for.

As far as artists go, who are some of your biggest influences?

Well, from the gospel lane, you have artists like Marvin Sapp, Fred Hammond, and things of that nature. The R&B side, you have Luther Vandross, Jagged Edge. Singers like Sam Cooke, Otis Redding. Then even if you jump back to like, the Roaring ’20s, you got Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. I never really banged Louis Armstrong like that until I got older because I didn’t really understand his style. Because when you go back into that style, as far as like the Roaring ’20s, or the ’30s, everybody had that raspy vibrato in their voice. As a kid, I thought it was just like how the recording was, but I didn’t figure out until I got older and actually watched the videos that that’s just like the style of singing that they had. That’s how I learned how to use vibrato listening to those people like Dean Martin. People that sing like they got that smooth, syrupy, penetrating type of voice, and it just seems like it’s just coming out so smoothly. That’s where I learned all of that stuff from.

You’ve also spoken about studying music in college and taking vocal lessons with Professor Susan Bender. What are some of the things that you learned from Professor Bender, specifically, that have helped you with your singing and your projection, and even maybe your live performances?

Well, professor Professor Bender told me that I was always a great performer. Like, regardless of how practiced my thing was, like, I never really used to practice on my music that much. But whenever it was time for me to sing, I would always sing great. And she always told me she can’t teach that side of what I had.

But the things that she did work with me was like, posture. I had a bad habit of leaning forward whenever I was speaking. How to go reach for notes, and how to just let the notes carry over instead of straining to go reach for higher notes, things of that nature. How to just be cool, calm, collected, vocal, warm-ups. Really, all the little things. By the time I got to her, I already had what I had, but I just wanted to perfect it. She’s a wonderful professional, she has a beautiful voice herself.

In other interviews, you’ve noted that you also incorporate scatting into your sound. How do you pull that off?

Well, to me, scatting isn’t anything but really a riff. You can make anything a riff, you know? So, if I make a song, and anything that starts on one key and goes down to another is a riff or scat. It’s just a matter of you implementing those syllables. So say, for instance, I say, ‘Hey, huh, bow,’ that bow, that’s a riff, that’s a scat. But all I did was just implement the actual words into their time frame right there.

So that’s how I create my music. I don’t think about what I’m gonna say, I know what I’m gonna say it’s gonna come. Because what I say is, it’s however, I feel at that point, what I’m thinking about is the placement of the melody. Once I find the melody, then I can create the harmony. Now I can build around it. So that’s what I’m finding first. I’m always finding the melody, how am I going to go about the melody first?

In a lot of your music videos and TikToks, you draw inspiration from the Eskista dance. How important has it been for you to display these influences in order to be more engaging with your music? How do you feel like that has helped you cultivate your fan base and continue to grow it further?

So, me doing that, it brings a connection and it creates a bond with your supporters and your fans that you would get if you were all standing in the same room. When you’re scrolling through your phone, right, and you see one of your favorite artists, and they’re probably in the studio, or they’re looking away from the camera, and they’re just locked there, you automatically get the sense of, ‘Damn, I wish I was there.’ Or, ‘Man I wish I could be there to see them.’ Or maybe they’re creating some fire right now. But if that same artist were to look at the camera, face, and dance with you, have fun with you, and smile with you, you’re going to automatically engage with it and feel a bond with that artist.

That’s the whole reason why I do what I do. And I personally feel that’s why my music has blown up so organically. I didn’t pay for a promo for this, I didn’t have to do this, I didn’t get any favors for this. Everything that’s happening for me is purely organic. Because people feel like they know who I am. And when I’m making these videos, I honestly feel like I know who the people are, and I know what they want to see. The same thing I would do, or the video would be the same thing I would do. If I came and I seen you in person, I’m gonna laugh with you. I’m gonna play and I’m gonna be goofy. And I’m gonna dance with you.

One major part of your story is that you are a student-athlete. How has it been balancing being a student who also plays basketball who also makes music at the same time?

Well, it’s not as hard as you’d think it would be. It does sound like a lot when you put it on paper. But it’s honestly not that hard. I had a schedule for school. And I had a practice schedule. And right after practice or right after a live conference in the locker room, I would set up the camera to do a video. I made my music on my phone. So the same way you can spend two hours on your phone scrolling through TikTok, or you can spend two hours on your phone [in general], I just used that to make music.

 
 
 
 
 
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How have your teammates reacted to your success?

They’re all happy for me. They’re all happy. I always go up there, and I see them. You know, It’s summer now. So they’re all branched off and going back home. And they’re all happy and they’re all overjoyed because they got to think about it. They’ve been with me before all of these songs. They were there. They were still supporting me. So they’re definitely one of the biggest support groups, I got their families, some of the biggest supporters, I got my coaches. They all love to support me as well. And I love and support them. They’ve definitely played a huge role in my success. So shout out to them.

On June 7 you are dropping your album “Coming Out Party.” What has the experience been like putting that album together?

It has been a fun experience. You’re gonna know. You can expect a lot of good vibes, and great quality coming from this album. If there’s one thing you’re gonna get, it’s gonna be good vibes and great quality. I definitely had a lot of fun. I had a lot of fun making this album. Nothing but good for me here. It’s definitely been a wonderful experience. I’ve met a lot of new people. I’ve met a lot of you know, a lot of great producers, I’ve met a lot of great people that I’ve really only ever seen on my TV screen and my phone. And never really thinking that they were real people, you know, you just always see them on the screen. But I’ve met them now and conversed with a lot of them.

I’ve been through a lot of good things in the past two months of me creating this album. So you’re going to feel all of that. You’re gonna feel like the kid that just met their idol. You’re gonna feel like a kid like it’s gonna give you all of those experiences gonna give you all of those when you go to this. I mean, it’s a rollercoaster ride of good vibes man, and positiveness. That’s the story that I’m going to convey to the people. So June 7 is going to be a day and we’re excited.

Knowing that there are more eyes on your music now than ever before, does that change the way you approach making your album?

No. I am extremely confident. You gotta think about it. “Bad Bitty” is a song that I produced by myself in my dorm room and I was just feeling good when I made it. So I don’t feel any pressure. I know there’s going to be a lot of people tuning in. I know that everyone is going to be looking and it’s going to be all eyes on the project. I’m not nervous at all. I wasn’t in a rush to change anything. It’s going to be great positive vibes and great quality. I know my supporters are going to love it, and I know I’m going to make some new supporters as well, so this music is for everybody.

What is one thing you want the fans to know about JP whether it be the music or yourself?

I want the people to know that I’m a nice person. I’m a friendly giant. I’m pretty big if you see me in person but don’t hesitate to say something to me. I’ll take a picture with you, I’ll chop it up with you. I love meeting new people. I make music for the people and for myself.

The post JP Talks Blowing Up With “Bad Bitty,” Putting On For Milwaukee, And Crafting His New Album “Coming Out Party” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Kalan.FrFr Wants To “Make The West Great Again”: On New Album, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” & West Coast Mount Rushmore

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Kalan.FrFr has been steadily making a name for himself in the music industry, representing Compton, California with his laid-back vibe and versatile singing and rapping skills. His distinct West Coast sound and commitment to showcasing the essence of Los Angeles are on full display across his music. With recent singles like “Everybody,” a moody ode to L.A. gang culture, and “Ain’t No Fun,” which interpolates Snoop Dogg’s iconic song of the same name, Kalan’s music undoubtedly embodies the ethos of Los Angeles’ rich musical history. His latest project, MAKE THE WEST GREAT AGAIN, looks to further push that message and speaks volumes about his mission to revitalize the West Coast music scene.

In a recent interview with HotNewHipHop, Kalan emphasized the project’s significance as a wake-up call for the entire West Coast music scene. With Kendrick Lamar drawing attention to the region in recent weeks due to his series of Drake diss tracks, all eyes are on this side of town. “It’s about addressing the ongoing conversation in West Coast music where people keep downplaying it,” he explained. “I felt it was time to change that narrative, to give people something that would wake them up, change their perspectives.” With the assistance of L.A. heavyweights like Ty Dolla Sign and YG, he wanted to drive home the message of unity. “It was so important to make sure that we stick together as a whole,” Kalan said.

MAKE THE WEST GREAT AGAIN is a testament to Kalan’s message. If it wasn’t clear before, he’s making it known that this is his rallying cry for the resurgence of West Coast dominance in the rap game. In an exclusive interview with HotNewHipHop, Kalan provides a window into his world, diving into the inspiration behind the EP, his take on the current West Coast music scene, and his personal journey. As summer approaches, Kalan.FrFr is ready to set the tone for L.A.’s hottest season yet.

Read More: Top Dawg Claims That Kendrick Lamar Beat Drake: “Win For The Culture“

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. 

Kalan.frfr
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 05: Kalan.FrFr performs during 2023 Rolling Loud Los Angeles at Hollywood Park Grounds on March 05, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Timothy Norris/WireImage)

HotNewHipHop: Alright, let’s dive into your latest project, MAKE THE WEST GREAT AGAIN. First off, what was the inspiration behind the name of the project?

Kalan.FrFr: Well, it’s pretty self-explanatory. It’s about addressing the ongoing conversation in West Coast music where people keep downplaying it. I felt it was time to change that narrative, to give people something that would wake them up, change their perspectives. So, MAKE THE WEST GREAT AGAIN felt fitting. And it just stuck. It was time to give people a wake-up call and it was just like putting a battery in everybody’s back.

I like the title. It definitely speaks volumes. Did you come up with the album title before or after all the beef began?

I had the title. I had it going through the process and I came up with like a whole list of titles and stuff like that. And it was named something else at first, but for some reason, I couldn’t name it that and then somebody actually dropped a project with the same name so we couldn’t do that. And then just the whole ambiance of what was going on, it just felt like it fit.

You got Ty Dolla $ign and YG on the project, two West Coast legends. How important was it for you to collaborate with them?

It was so important to make sure that we stick together as a whole, as the West Coast. A lot of times we be so separated on the West, like a lot of people don’t see a lot of the bigger artists working with a lot of the dudes on the come-up that was grinding and stuff like that. So just having songs with YG and Ty Dolla $ign, period, is just like fire.

Was it easy to get them to collaborate with you? Have you been cool with them for a while?

Yeah, Ty and I have been making music since the beginning. YG and I go way back too. So, it was more about timing. We finally locked in and made it happen. It was cool.

What song from the project speaks to you the most?

“ANDFUK” for sure. It’s just the vibe, you know? Had too many lemon drops, turn me to a different person (laughs).

I remember in previous interviews you mentioned you didn’t drink at all. What changed?

Yeah, I changed. I changed for sure. I’ll go to lunch and get like 6 espresso martinis. 

Okay, so what’s your vibe when you get in the studio, you have to drink a little bit or smoke a little bit to kind of get in the zone?

I’m smoking all day. Like from sunrise to sundown, I’m smoking. But drinking, I’m not a heavy drinker. But when I do, I’m gonna go hard or go home, for sure, if it’s an opportunity. Not in the studio. I’m just vibing, smoking, and making sure I hear some good beats, listening to it, and making sure I got something to talk about.

Where has the inspiration for the music been coming from lately? This new project has lots of different songs, lots of different sounds that you’re experimenting with. But what kind of topics, for people who haven’t heard it yet, like what are you talking about?

I just been vibing, not too serious right now. For me, I’m just taking everything one day at a time, just vibing, enjoying life for what it is, and taking situations for what they are. So the music sounds vibey, like, I’ve been outside, I’ve been living life.

What has been one of the best experiences you’ve had within the last year, whether it’s been a place you traveled to or a show you performed at? Like, what really comes to mind when you say like, life is good right now? 

Man, everything. It’s so many blessings. I’m starting to want to go on this spiritual journey or trip real quick, but like, I’ve been, I’ve been so caught up in being appreciative for like the little things and it’s crazy. It’s just getting up every day, you know, and being able to make music and stuff like that. Like that’s the stuff that means the most to me right now. Because I’m watching a lot of people in situations and they’re not as vibrant. So I just thank God, you know?

That’s good to hear. It feels like you have just been able to stay positive throughout your entire journey. Who are people who have motivated you and kind of kept you inspired throughout the way?

My team for sure. Big shout out to my team. Homies, other artists like Ty for sure, and my family. It’s just the love be coming from everywhere. And then just… I got something to prove. It’s like my fans, the people that believe in me, I got something to prove to them. I want to make sure they keep getting projects, no skips, they keep growing with me, like, you know what’s happening, loving the music every time. I’ll keep making the experience for them every time they see me. I want to say I’m content, but it’s not content, I’m just comfortable.

Like you said, you have a really dedicated fan base. You know, ladies love Kalan. So when you’re making music for the ladies, what kinds of things do you take into consideration? Whose approval do you gotta get? 

You know, like, I’m like the woman whisperer (laughs). I know what to say. But I ask my homegirls! I’ll play songs for them and stuff like that. And it comes naturally. 

Who would you say is your Mount Rushmore of West Coast artists?

No order, right? Ty’s on there, definitely. Kendrick’s on there, definitely. Snoop Dogg, and Nate Dogg.

I’m glad you mentioned Kendrick. We gotta get into what’s been going on on the West Coast right now. “Not Like Us” is going crazy. I need to know your thoughts on it. Who’s side you on?

They’re not like us. That’s how I feel about it. It’s going insane. We just got to see how all this plays out. Musically though, Dot all the way. I’m rolling with L.A..

Kalan.frfr
TORONTO, ONTARIO – FEBRUARY 18: Kalan.Frfr performs during YG’s Red Cup Tour at History on February 18, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Robert Okine/Getty Images)

Has anyone ever dissed you up to this point? 

Not that I’ve heard. Or someone might have said something about me but they had no followers. It was just a coincidence. But you know, I haven’t really encountered any sneaky disses or anything like that. I don’t really pay attention to what others say. You know how it is. If somebody ever addressed me with something negative, I’d address it. I don’t dwell on it too much. I’m one of those people who just let it be. It’s the internet, you know? 

People talk a lot on the internet.  What’s the craziest rumor you’ve heard about yourself through the internet? 

Just rumors about me having kids, you know? It’s kind of amusing how stories like that get twisted. No kids. The internet has some folks thinking they’ve got my love life all figured out, but I’ve heard all kinds of random stuff like that. But none of it’s true. There’s zero truth to it. They just make up stuff. 

If you had to pick one word to describe the current state of West Coast music, what word would you use? 

Lively. The vibe in the city. 

What kind of summer do you think we’re gonna have here in L.A. this year? 

For sure, it’s gonna be lit. Some parties are gonna be crazy because it’s already hot. Pool parties are going up. I went to one the other day, and they played “Not Like Us.” It was going crazy. Everybody and their grandma thought they were from L.A.. If you don’t know what you’re doing, just stop. It’s the easiest thing in the world. Stop messing it up. Everybody’s dancing.

So what do you have planned for the summer? What can we look forward to? 

I’m going wherever the wind blows. You know, I’ll travel to Houston here and there. Every time I go there, I’ll just chill for a couple of days. So I’m gonna head there. I might go to Miami a couple of times. I’m gonna have fun this summer. I’m enjoying myself. Same vibe. It’s gonna be a great summer. Everything in LA is turnt up. I can’t wait. The way people have been acting these last couple of days, with new music coming out, I’m just interested to see where it’s all going. But I’m here for it. I haven’t seen people this excited about music in a long time. It feels special, different. I’m gonna be hitting the studio heavy, record, for sure.

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The post Kalan.FrFr Wants To “Make The West Great Again”: On New Album, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” & West Coast Mount Rushmore appeared first on HotNewHipHop.