Love Renaissance (LVRN), renowned for its innovative approach to music and culture, has announced a strategic investment in Jerk X Jollof, a prominent platform dedicated to celebrating Afro-Caribbean culture. This partnership marks a significant milestone in LVRN’s expansion into the Afro-Caribbean entertainment landscape.
Founded in 2016, Jerk X Jollof has gained recognition for its immersive experiences, seamlessly blending music and cultural celebration. Following a successful collaboration at New York Fashion Week in 2022, LVRN identified the synergies between the two brands, leading to deeper exploration of partnership opportunities.
“Our investment in Jerk X Jollof reflects our commitment to empowering communities through music and culture,” stated Tunde Balogun, co-founder & CEO of LVRN. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Jerk X Jollof as they establish themselves as a cultural cornerstone for Afro-Caribbean entertainment.”
Since LVRN’s investment, Jerk X Jollof has attracted renowned DJs, celebrities, and tastemakers to its events, solidifying its position as a cultural powerhouse. Notable attendees have included music icons such as Davido, Ayra Starr, Brent Faiyaz, and Chris Brown.
“This partnership with LVRN aligns perfectly with our vision to expand Jerk X Jollof into a household name worldwide,” remarked Brendan Asante, founder of Jerk X Jollof. “Their commitment to cultural excellence resonates deeply with our goals, and we are excited to embark on this journey together.”
A highlight of this collaboration is the creation of the Jerk X Jollof Stage at Promiseland Australia, showcasing diverse talent and pushing cultural boundaries. Through this transformative partnership, LVRN and Jerk X Jollof aim to set new standards of excellence in Afro-Caribbean entertainment, emphasizing diversity, inclusivity, and authenticity.
Audiomack and Love Renaissance (LVRN) have joined forces in a groundbreaking partnership to revolutionize the music industry. LVRN, the Atlanta-based record label and management company, will now utilize Audiomack’s cutting-edge ArtistRank system to discover and nurture emerging artists, molding them into the stars of tomorrow.
Unlike traditional analytical tools, ArtistRank focuses on engagement metrics rather than just play growth, enabling partners like LVRN to identify artists building a loyal fanbase with long-term potential accurately. It provides detailed data on fan demographics and predictive insights, charting an artist’s future growth trajectory.
“LVRN’s pulse on the culture and emphasis on the global music scene aligns perfectly with the foundational pillars of Audiomack,” said Ryan Philip, Manager, Music & Data Partnerships at Audiomack. “Powered by ArtistRank, this partnership will shed light on artists worldwide building loyal, dedicated fanbases.”
“We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with Audiomack,” said Tunde Balogun, LVRN co-founder and President. “Last year, LVRN set out to discover and nurture talent from all over the world. We’ve been fortunate to manage successful campaigns with global acts like Davido and SPINALL, so we knew there was more we could do to achieve our goal on the label side. This partnership is a significant step forward for LVRN, and we can’t wait to see what kind of talent we’ll uncover together.”
Audiomack’s successful implementation of ArtistRank has already amplified several rising global acts on its platform, including Asake, 1Da Banton, and Byron Messia. The collaboration with LVRN will go a step further, developing tailor-made marketing strategies, initiatives, and promotions for budding talents.
Justice Baiden, co-founder of LVRN, added: “Our focus and intention on being a global company continue with this partnership with Audiomack. In a crowded music landscape, the ArtistRank tool will help us to spread our wings and allows us to get behind quality artists sooner and support them in whatever capacity they need.”
This partnership marks a continuation of Audiomack and LVRN’s previous collaboration in May, where LVRN’s co-founder, Justice Baiden, participated in STAMPED, a contest and playlist series on Audiomack that highlighted emerging artists and paired them with music industry’s top executives. With this innovative alliance, the music industry can expect to witness the rise of a new generation of music superstars.
Creative AI may be the most disruptive technology for the music business since the Napster era of piracy. Already in 2023, over 10 different music AI models have been released by independent researchers and big-tech companies like Google and ByteDance, allowing users to generate custom tracks in seconds using a mere text prompt. Thanks to off-the-shelf music AI tools like Boomy, hundreds of thousands of AI-generated songs are now listed on streaming services. At large, generative AI tools for text, and visual art like ChatGPT and Midjourney have picked up tens of millions of users, forcing us to rethink traditional notions of creativity, ownership, and attribution.
The concept at the core of why creative AI could be so disruptive is that the friction between having an idea, and manifesting that idea in the form of a creative work, has essentially gone down to zero. Barriers in distributing music have already been collapsing, with anyone now able to list their music on streaming services for free. To see the same barriers collapsing in the creative process means that the playing field of who can be an “artist,” in the sense of being an active participant in the music economy, will continue to increase dramatically.
The concept at the core of why creative AI could be so disruptive is that the friction between having an idea, and manifesting that idea in the form of a creative work, has essentially gone down to zero.
Traditional music-industry notions of authorship and attribution will likely need to be thrown out the window with creative AI, as what is happening under the hood with these AI models is much more complex than directly sampling a song. The legal and regulatory landscape around generative AI is still so unpredictable that trying to make any future predictions right now is a futile effort.
That said, any historical conflict between music and tech companies has usually boiled down to stubborn information silos between artists/rights holders and tech developers, and the lack of a shared language between those two parties around what counts as “success,” and what industry issues matter and why. So, my primary advice to artists and music-industry professionals is to break down these information silos now while we’re still early, and start talking to and collaborating with music and audio AI developers to develop a culture of transparent dialogue.
This goes the other way as well—the best music AI developers are building iterative feedback and collaboration cycles with artists into their day-to-day workflows. Novel approaches to licensing, monetization, and brand protection that are being experimented with right now with AI models prioritize direct artist consent and collaboration with developers as an ethical default (e.g. Spawning).
As these music AI models continue to mature rapidly and enter the hands of mainstream consumers, I think now is the time for music professionals to jump in, start experimenting, and have their say on how these tools can grow and evolve.
Generative AI is coming for music, whether we like it or not. Much like every other creative industry. Here are a few areas of impact:
1. There will be a flood of mediocre, indistinguishable, unoriginal music. Emphasis on context- and mood-based music, ambient, sleep, lo-fi, instrumental. ‘Good enough’ music, which has become plentiful in the last 5-10 years, will now go from the long-tail to the generative AI.
2. Music libraries and production houses will see the most change. The mass music-as-a-service companies will almost entirely transition to AI, wiping out a huge area for 9-5 musicians to earn a living.
3. We may see a paradox movement back to an artist and originality focus for listener habits. Artists over songs. You must stand out. You must connect. Authenticity & originality as a premium.
4. Artists who most effectively use AI as part of their creative stack will ride a new wave. That’s not just in the music, but in video, art, and more.
The takeaway is to learn and adapt. Know who you are. The era of ‘creating for the algorithm’ may come to an end. How can you beat an advanced AI at that?
Justice Baiden of LVRNAshley Maass of Ceinwen Studios
What are your thoughts or concerns around AI and music for the coming months and years?
Just like anything in life, moderation is key. I think AI will help a lot, but could hinder creativity based on that becoming people’s only tool.
What do you expect to happen if there is no moderation with AI?
With AI specifically, creativity could take a backseat, right? For me, AI is a tool and it’s supposed to be able to help you get from point A to point Z more efficiently. Creatively, AI can allow us to expand on ideas and even connect with people that can take it to a different space. But to be relying on it… like I’m even seeing things where people are getting AI to write them songs, but there’s still a percentage of human touch that’s needed. And that usually shows through an error. Computers try to be as accurate as possible. But as humans, we still have a percentage of error. And that’s a certain feeling we’ll lose if we lean too far. I feel like we’ll lose things that keep creativity sacred if we use AI as a crutch.
Right, it raises questions about things like work ethic and authenticity. Those things could potentially be questionable, and you might start to question how artists are making music and if it’s even them actually making it.
Yeah, exactly. For me, it’s not even the question of how artists make music, it’s more so: are you giving your best effort? The only way we can really push for the best creativity is through effort and by exploration. Once that’s removed and there’s a crutch, it slows down the innovation and the creativity.
The creatives can get lost because they don’t understand how to navigate tech, and the tech people don’t necessarily understand music language. So I think they both need each other, and tech is not going to stop moving forward. But creativity can.
Technology is never going to stop moving forward, and AI is just innovation in technology. But in the music industry or anything in the arts, the language between creativity and technology hasn’t been refined. The creatives can get lost because they don’t understand how to navigate tech, and the tech people don’t necessarily understand music language. So I think they both need each other, and tech is not going to stop moving forward. But creativity can.
With AI and how it might impact streaming streaming services, you mentioned the idea of how AI will double down on this idea of targeting your fans. Can you talk a little about that?
Yeah, even beyond music, I think the future of community building is going to involve a lot of niche focus. Right now, everything is so fragmented, but it’s not going to stop being fragmented because as more people get access to the internet, you get more pockets of different subcultures. They all continue to build and get stronger. Creating your community from a niche perspective is going to be the only way to sustain.
Someone like Beyoncé, for example, makes things an event. She’s loud enough and big enough and has enough reach to get the world to pay attention and focus on one thing for at least a day, right? Newer creatives aren’t going to have that luxury and that ability to get the whole world to be on the same page for a second.
I was at a conference a couple of weeks ago and Mr. Beast, the YouTube sensation, was giving a talk. And I knew who he was, but there were so many people around me that were asking, “Who is this guy?” That’s crazy, right? He has the biggest footprint on YouTube, but the fact that people didn’t even know who he is allows me to understand that it’s just all about niches and it’s all about how big you can make your niche. But for everybody to know one person? I think we’re just getting further and further away from that.
There is no there’s no limit on niches though. I look at how AI uses different keywords to advertise or get new fans, because at the end of the day interests are interests and we’re influenced by the people around us. I could be walking down the street, and I can almost guess who listens to Tyler, The Creator and who doesn’t. I’m not going to be 100%, but I know that I’ll be over 50%. If somebody looks at me, I don’t think they’ll guess I’m a huge Bon Iver fan.
What I’m trying to say is that there’s no limit to how big your niche gets. I think Mr. Beast proves that. He can have a hundred million people watch his video in two days. It’s still a niche, but it’s an international niche. Back in the day it was terrestrial radio and TV and we all had to pay attention to one thing, but it’s just not the same anymore. So you can try to build your community and grow it as much as possible, but the days of the whole world stopping to watch a music video are over.
Yeah, it’s fascinating, right? Working at a label and doing digital marketing, that’s something that we’re challenged with. How do you create that visual brand when people aren’t watching music videos in the same way as they used to? Everything is transitioning to short form, and how do you tell that story if people’s attention spans are diminishing?
Yeah, I challenge that theory. I think short form content is the way, but there’s still an audience that likes black and white movies. There’s still an audience that would appreciate short films. It might not be explosive numbers, but if the product is good and the quality’s there, you start to train your niche to understand and go along with what’s important to you. I think human behavior is just training. We have been trained to enjoy short form content. Long form content just takes longer but you have to train, to be patient, and the content has to be good. But if you can do that, I think you build more quality fans, because they appreciate what it is that you’re building.
What types of questions do you think AI raises when it comes to music creation, distribution, and marketing?
The recent advancements in AI technology have prompted a fascinating inquiry into its impact on the creative pursuits of musicians, particularly with regard to the authenticity of expressing genuine emotions through AI-generated lyrics. There is a debate on whether AI helps or hinders the creative process, and whether it leads to more emotionless music. There’s also the question of whether AI makes music production more accessible to individuals without specialized knowledge in music composition. It’s understandable that some artists have concerns about AI potentially replacing their artistic abilities, given that many individuals make a living through various creative fields such as songwriting, singing, producing, and mixing. Ultimately, the impact of AI on music creation remains an open question that warrants further exploration.
How do you foresee AI impacting the way artists create their music and the way fans consume it?
Songwriting is often a deeply personal and introspective process that can be hindered by writer’s block. In such cases, AI-generated prompts can serve as useful aids to help songwriters overcome creative hurdles and stimulate new ideas. However, if AI is solely responsible for generating lyrics, the resulting music may be perceived as lacking in emotional depth and authenticity. While some argue that AI-generated lyrics may result in more formulaic and emotionless music, others contend that AI can help songwriters more accurately express their intended feelings and emotions, which they may have struggled to find the right wording for.
Tao Romera (far right) and the Soundraw teamDarryl Milliner of SinceThe80s
Share your thoughts, questions, or concerns around AI and music for the coming months and years.
I think there’s going to be a shift in the creator industry. “Creators” are going to become more like “directors,” taking part in the whole process of creating a piece of work instead of specializing in one particular aspect. For example, until the emergence of AI, you had copywriters, illustrators, voiceover artists and music producers, to name a few of those specialized professionals. Thanks to AI, creators are going to be able to leverage a set of tools in order to create a piece of work. Specialized professionals are still going to be there because the AI tools and the new “directors”’ skills in each field will never be comparable, but it will allow a huge number of people to come up with pieces of work they would have never had the resources to create were it not thanks to the AI tools.
What types of questions do you think AI raises when it comes to music creation, distribution, and marketing?
In my opinion, the biggest question is about copyright infringement and how to properly compensate artists for their work in case their music has been used to train an AI model. It’s terrible that some companies are trying to make money on the back of artists by using their work to train an AI model and then sell works created by that AI.It’s terrible that some companies are trying to make money on the back of artists by using their work to train an AI model and then sell works created by that AI.
It’s terrible that some companies are trying to make money on the back of artists by using their work to train an AI model and then sell works created by that AI.
Soundraw’s AI engine has been trained exclusively on music generated in-house by our music producers, so the music generated by Soundraw is free from any copyright infringements. We respect the artists’ work.
How do you think AI will impact streaming services?
Depending on the genre, I think we will see a lot of AI-generated music occupying spaces in the streaming industry. For example, lo-fi music is a good candidate. But for music you want to properly listen to, as opposed to music you play in the background while you do something else, I don’t think AI will become relevant.
How do you foresee AI impacting the way artists create their music and the way fans consume it?
AI can actually be a great tool for artists, especially aspiring artists—people who can’t afford expensive beat lease licenses or a music producer/sound engineer. So rather than damaging the artists and the music industry, I think it’s going to have a very positive impact on it by allowing many more people to become artists and democratizing music creation.
AI technology provides many helpful applications, such as systems being used for composition through machine learning which can generate musical ideas or fragments that can then be refined by a human touch. There are also tools like LANDR which use AI to provide mastering services at affordable rates, a much more cost-efficient alternative to purchasing the necessary recording hardware and mastering software. AI algorithms are being used to create playlists on streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Pandora.
AI tools are also being used by artists to create music, sounds, and references, as well as content. Content is vital for an artist to promote themselves, and AI content and art generators like Jasper.ai and Open.ai’s Dall-E are efficient and accurate systems. These programs are beneficial to artists and creatives as they save time, money, and keep the vision moving forward. Although AI technology has been used for many things in the music industry, I am still searching for a software that can take an uploaded song or sound and generate a piece of cover art or a visualizer based on the audio rather than a typed summary in a field box.
I would also like to mention that I used Playground AI to help me properly edit and get my ideas across more concisely in this letter.
Concerns:
My concerns regarding AI are that this software could begin to be used in a way that promotes full replacement of any human element or touch in this process. Creating music, marketing plans, and rollouts require cohesiveness but also a human experience. Finding ways to connect with fans, family, and friends through music is the one of the most important factors of why we all love and listen to music. It influences and inspires us with a feeling of love and compassion. I am not sure a machine can ever truly learn that, no matter what level of sophistication.
I have a concern that people will begin relying too much on this technology rather than going fully through the ups and downs of a creative process, which is usually what can be felt through the works once released. Keeping the human element and touch is essential and hopefully will never diminish.
Disclaimer: Opinion focused on music creation in particular, not about other ways AI can help artists.
I see the evolution of music and how it’s created and consumed as very similar to the evolution of the video space: Previously there was just Hollywood and PGC (100% access gated), then YouTube started and a few more people could create (via prosumer video editor, 10% access), then TikTok came out and way more creative people got access to simple tools to create videos (25% access). AI-generated music now will move access up to 90%.
AI will enable artists to share a much higher quantity of songs, and then have an increased chance to win in the sea/avalanche of mass UGC and AGC music that is about to flood the gates.
As we see with video and entertainment, Hollywood (PGC), Creator Videos (UGC) and now AGC (AI-curated content, e.g. Stable Diffusion) can co-exist, given lots of people have different tastes that are changing generationally. Similarly, professional music (PGM, labels, indie artists), creator music (UGM, e.g. mayk.it) and now AI-generated music (AGM) will co-exist. The timeline to move from PGC to AGC has been accelerated compared to video, where we almost skip the TikTok phase. When you flood the world with new stories and voices, now anyone can find stories that represent them, which wasn’t possible before for literally any niche.
Another important behavioral change that has already happened in the TikTok era is the commoditization of content. The game is mainly about quantity now—if you pump out 100 videos or songs a week, there is a good chance that one of them is going to be more successful and find its audience. In music we have been stuck in the library phase (Spotify, SoundCloud era = create perfect songs to last) and just started moving into this era last year. AI will help accelerate artist wins.
So will AI music replace musicians? Definitely not. It will enhance their workflow and help them focus on the most creative part of the song creation process: the core idea and feeling of the song. AI will enable artists to share (publish) a much higher quantity of songs to social media given the AI-assistance and then have an increased chance to win, given their creative capabilities, in the sea/avalanche of mass UGC and AGC music that is about to flood the gates. The best creative spark and relatable idea will continue to win. More artists can just play more and have more chances now.
Bryan-Michael Cox has a laundry list of accomplishments to his name, but the Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter is far from done with his music career. Today, the hip-hop and R&B label Love Renaissance (LVRN) announced that Cox was appointed as the label’s Senior Vice President, A&R, and Executive Producer. The news comes after Cox collaborated with DVSN, who is signed to LVRN under a management deal, on their recent album Working on My Karma. Cox contributed to five of the album’s 12 songs.
In his role, Cox will focus on breaking new talent as well as furthering the label’s strong roster of artists that include Summer Walker, 6lack, and more. “A&R has become a lost art in this new generation of music because of the gap in relationship between A&R, the artist and the label,” LVRN co-founder Justice Baiden said in a press release. “Bryan-Michael Cox is a respected and accomplished producer and executive, and he’s the perfect addition to our team to help continue in bridging that gap. Bryan not only speaks the same language as the artist, but he also shares the same values as LVRN.” He later added, “When I think of someone who handles music with care, I think of Bryan and we’re excited to welcome him home to Atlanta and LVRN.”
Cox also shared his excitement about his new role in the press release. “The time is right for this union because what LVRN has been able to do culturally is incredible,” he said. “The commitment to the full picture of artist development is something that this business has been missing. From the single selections to album track listing to the rollouts, each artist has been launched uniquely with care.” He continued, “I have a great track record of being able to bond with artists, get the best out of them, and, of course, being able to create or identify hit records. This is a perfect fit.”
Cox’s addition to the LVRN team comes after the label was valued at over $100 million after Matt Pincus invested $25 million in the group. Pincus is the co-founder and CEO of MUSIC, a holding company he co-founded.
With less than a week until Christmas has come and gone for another year, there’s little time for you to finish all the festive holiday prep that comes with December. Luckily, R&B artists in particular have been generously sharing new songs for your listening pleasure while you shop, bake, and decorate away.
Chris Brown, Ari Lennox, and Sevyn Streeter are among those who have given us covers and originals so far. Now, it’s Summer Walker’s turn to shine with her take on “Santa Baby.”
The song first made its debut earlier this month on LVRN’s Home For The Holidays 2 compilation album. Baby Tate, Alex Vaughn, dvsn, Eli Derby, and DRAM are among other artists who contributed.
Additionally, we hear Walker’s voice once more on the project. She and 6LACK came together to create a “Ghetto Christmas” song. In the time since arriving, it’s earned over 1.5M streams on Spotify alone.
On Monday (December 19), the Atlanta native and her label shared the “Santa Baby” music video. In it, the Still Over It songstress sits in a cozy room with lit trees and fake snow surrounding her.
“Santa baby, just slip a Sable under the tree for me / Been an awful good girl / Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight,” Walker’s voice rings out on the first verse.
While the “No Love” artist’s fans are certainly revelling in the Christmas cheer she’s brought them, she has some celebrating of her own to do. According to recent reports, the 26-year-old is due to give birth to twins any day now.
Stream Summer Walker’s “Santa Baby” on Spotify or Apple Music below. Afterward, check out LVRN’s Home For The Holidays 2 compilation album here.
Quotable Lyrics:
Think of all the fun I’ve missed Think of all the fellas that I haven’t kissed Next year I could be just as good If you’ll check off my Christmas list
Summer Walker has been busy with the rollout for her new album Still Over It but now that the project is out and reportedly doing very well, the Atlanta singer has time to address a recent report that accused Love Renaissance (LVRN), her record label and management company, of signing her to a bad deal.
Last week, Rolling Stone published a feature declaring Summer a “star” but remarking that she signed a “brutal” record deal. Citing a copy of the deal the publication had obtained, the feature described Walker as “effectively an indentured servant for a series of albums,” criticizing LVRN and Interscope Records for a deal that was “lopsided.”
(For what it’s worth, the terms that were described in the feature are pretty standard for a brand-new, unknown artist with little following and no negotiation leverage, and have been in the recording industry for a very long time. It’s probably fair to say that record deals, in general, are pretty bad, but it’s also probably unfair to single out LVRN for an industry-wide practice without holding all labels to the same standard).
However, according to Walker, who posted a text response to her Instagram Stories, not only were the terms cited out-of-date but that she’s sticking by LVRN, who she says gives her “full support.”
“I’ve been seeing a lot of chatter online,” she wrote. “I didn’t say anything because I wanted to stay focused on releasing my album. Yow let me clear the air. What that article said is not my current record deal. Over the years my deal has changed many times. I’ve always had my own representation and full support from LVRN. Thank you to my fans for always having my back and for all of the love ya’ll keep showing my new album. Appreciate y’all!!”
When scanning the music industry for the best teams and rosters, it’s hard to leave Love Renaissance out of the conversation. More commonly known as LVRN, the label is responsible for big-name artists like 6lack, Summer Walker, Shelley FKA DRAM, and Westside Boogie as well as growing acts like BRS Kash, Cruel Santino (fka Santi), Young Rog, OMB Bloodbath, and more. With that being said, there’s also a new name on the roster that’s worth paying attention to.
Eli Derby, an 18-year-old singer from Maryland, is carving out his own lane on the LVRN team. For those who follow the label close, you’ll most likely recognize his name from LVRN’s 2020 Christmas album, Home For The Holidays where Derby delivered a pristine cover of “This Christmas.” His rendition, which featured background vocals from Summer Walker, was gentle and filled with youthful spirit as he also pushed the limits for what proved to be a personal standout on Home For The Holidays.
That cover birthed an interest in Eli Derby, and from that moment on, the wait to hear what else the young singer had to offer began. Eight months later and a slight step out of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic later, Derby returned with his official debut single, “Gaslight.”
Uproxx caught up with Derby over a Zoom call for an interview where we learned more about the young singer. Where did his musical journey begin? How did it elevate? What’s next? All while learning his personal goals for the future.
I read that you used to be in your church choir when you were younger. What experiences from your time there do you feel contributed to the artist you are today?
It started off with my grandfather, whose actually a pastor. So just being in the church, I was forced to either be an usher, or play, or sing. I had to do something, they would not let me just chill or sit down, so I got active. My uncle was a drummer, so I saw him and I was like, “Wow, I want to do this.” He taught me a few things and then a couple of years later, I wanted to sing. I kind of felt like I had a voice, you know, you sing in the shower all the time and you just feel like you have a voice and if the church likes it, everybody will like it. Then my dad was like, I want you to be better than me so either you’re gonna be a singer full-time, you just can’t play drums and that be it, cause I kind of stopped wanting to sing, so he was like play piano or guitar, so I chose piano. I started playing keys in the church, singing, and drums, I was on all that.
Later, I saw Ed Sheeran performing on YouTube just watching and researching his stuff. Growing up during that time, I don’t know, for some reason I didn’t really see a lot of Black people playing guitar. So I was like, that’s how I could be different a little bit. I decided, hey, I’ll pick up the guitar and learn how to play all these instruments. So [I was playing] guitar, piano, drums, bass, and singing in church. That’s how I started making and producing my own music, playing my own stuff, and just making my own sounds and creating my own world is just me who I am, as Eli.
When does the point of focus shift from investing your time in the choir to working on your YouTube covers?
So I’ll say around 12 or 13 I really like started to take this seriously. My dad was just very, very supportive, shout out to my dad and my mom. They were very supportive of me. As a matter of fact, my mom is a singer and my dad was an actor, so they really understood what I was trying to do and saw the passion that I have for music, so it was a no-brainer. Around 12 or 13, I started performing. My dad knew a couple of people in the DMV area, which is where I’m from. So I’d perform at the late-night shows, around the clubs out there, he would sneak me in, get me out there to perform, and get me comfortable on-stage performance in general.
Speaking of your dad, at just eight years old, he would sneak you into bars to perform for people there. I imagine this helped with spotlight moments, do nerves throw you off guard nowadays and how do you stay ready for these opportunities?
Yeah, I mean there are definitely moments where the nerves kick in. I had a performance at a show like two weeks ago in DC with a couple of hundred people, the nerves definitely kicking in. I have to remember though, we all eat the same, we all sleep the same, we all look at the same sun, the same moon, the same sky. We all are human, so why would I be nervous? I’m ready for this, it’s my time. That’s all I think about.
When did you feel like things were changing for you?
Yeah, it was two moments. The first one was when I put out the Frank Ocean cover for “Close To You.” I did that one and then the next one was when I put on my original song “Love Song.” I did the studio version of it, and I mean, the girls went crazy. I just got mad DMs telling me to drop the song, drop the song. I did not think it was gonna be that crazy, it’s different when people really like your music. That’s your goal, right? But it’s just crazy to me that people actually listen to what I’m saying.
Fast-forward a bit and now LVRN is home for you. What made them the ideal place for you to start your career?
LVRN, they’re the best really. I’m 15/16 at the time I met them and I see these five successful Black guys, and it felt right. It felt like a place where I could be myself. The energy was very genuine and their taste in music and how they just operate as a tempo is not just n****s guessing, they know what they’re doing. So I think that’s made me say yeah, they’re the ones.
With the release of “Gaslight,” your first single on LVRN, what made this the perfect single to release to the world as your debut solo single?
So I wrote this song during the COVID quarantine. I definitely wanted to put out a song during that time, because then I was in and out of the studio making music. I’m seeing no touring, no performances, I’m like bet this is my time to really just hone in on this project, at the time it was like okay, we’re gonna do an EP. So I wrote a song about being gaslighted because that was a situation that happened at that time. I’m writing the song and DJ Dahi, one of the producers, sent me a sample. I go into Logic, I flip it, I put some drums to it, add a little guitar, and I’m just writing to the sh*t. The situation is about a girl I was in a relationship with, she was my best friend for years, and problems occurred and she tried to pin me against the wall as if I was in the wrong, but really she was in the wrong. So, I was researching what that really meant and I saw “gaslighting” and then a friend told me what it meant and I was like, “Oh sh*t! Gaslight!” and that’s how it came to be.
With that being said, what can you tell us about your next project?
So I got a lot of cool stuff coming out, super excited. The next single is coming out pretty soon, I’m excited about that. The third single is with a feature, but I can’t say who yet, but y’all really gonna like it. It’s a fucking vibe, it’s a vibe, it’s some R&B to the core. It’s crazy, I’m super excited.
What’s your favorite 2021 album?
Imma go with Tyler’s album, I like that one. It’s been playing on my playlist the most, I don’t know why, I think that Kanye’s was good, Drake’s album was good, but what I keep playing to is definitely Tyler. I will say, Summer Walker’s coming out with the album and I’ve heard a couple of tracks, it’s looking close.
Is there anything you’re nervous about going forward? Confidence is key, but I would assume some fears exist somewhere.
Yeah, definitely. I feel like all artists go through it whether they want to admit it or not, cause I have nothing to lose. It’s like will I be successful? Will I be big? You always have doubts in your head as an artist, will people give a f*ck? Will people listen? Will people pay attention? Will people care? A wise man said those are things you definitely want to ask yourself. It would be foolish not to ask those questions because what I’m doing is so important to me, it’s my life.
On the flip side, what are you most excited to show or do as a new and growing artist?
I want to go on tour, I want to be a touring artist. That’s a flex because to say I wake up every morning, go to a different city for n****s to scream my music that I make is a fucking flex. So I feel like once it gets to that, it’s gonna be over. I’m a performer to the core, it all stems from church, right? If you can get people in church to get up off their feet, clap their hands, and sing with you? Church is very cut-throat, they won’t tell you this, but church is cut-throat. If you’re not good, they will boot you off, they will take the mic from you, they will give it to somebody who’s better. I’m a performer to the core, I dance, sing, play piano, guitar, all that sh*t, I just entertain. I think when I go on tour it’s gonna be crazy.
With less than two months left in 2021, what are your remaining goals for the year?
I want to get a couple more performances in. I may be going to London next month to do a show out there, that would be dope hopefully I’ll get to do that. Just really perform like, I know when the music sh*t goes crazy, I want it to be like, I’ve been doing so it’s nothing new.
As new fans discover your music and join you on this journey, what’s one thing you want them to know?
Everything I write is from me, the music you hear I produce or helped produce. It’s all from me as a person. I don’t cap about what I talk about, and it’s soulful. With this generation it’s good, but I feel like there’s missing something. I feel like that’s what I bring to the table.
Over the past couple of years, LVRN has flown a bit under the radar in terms of labels that also function as rap crews. Where lots of attention is (rightfully) lavished on Dreamville and TDE for their tight-knit groups, Love Renaissance has seemed like more of a loose collective under one banner until recently. That changed last December when the label released its first compilation, which was, incidentally, also a holiday album showcasing the singing talents of its R&B roster. However, it looks like the rap unit is beginning to jell as well, as shown in the LVRN Cypher for Spotify’s RapCaviar.
For the first time, all of the group’s impressively gifted rappers come together on one track. While the better-known members 6lack and Westside Boogie may be the big draws, the track highlights the newbies as well, including OMB Bloodbath, who kicks things off with a breathless verse, BRS Kash, who shows he’s more than the “Throat Baby” crooner, and NoonieVsEverybody, who should increase the team’s trap appeal. The video sees the crew take over what looks like a bank lobby as DJ Kitty Cash spins from the concierge podium and the rappers do their thing in matching maintenance uniforms emblazoned with the LVRN logo.
It took a while for the Avengers to come together; now it looks like rap has a new superteam aiming at taking over, one verse at a time. Meanwhile, the team also released individual videos for each member with extended verses, ensuring even more content to hold fans over for whatever comes next.
