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- 👑 Behind the Rhymes: Billy Woods, Lil Wayne, Larry June, DJ Drama and more
👑 Behind the Rhymes: Billy Woods, Lil Wayne, Larry June, DJ Drama and more
Welcome back to yet another round of Behind the Rhymes, where we make sure you're always up-to-date with the most compelling hip hop stories making waves online.
Beats, Rhymes & Lists
June 23, 2023
Behind the Rhymes, a newsletter by Beats, Rhymes & Lists, is your go-to for cherry-picked hip hop profiles that are just too fly to miss. Every issue serves up deep dives into the world's most intriguing hip hop names - interviews, backstage access, raw, personal narratives. Received this email as a forward? You can subscribe right here.
Hey there, welcome back to yet another round of Behind the Rhymes, where we make sure you're always up-to-date with the most compelling hip hop stories making waves online.
First up, we've got an awesome interview from Huck Mag with Billy Woods, a true underground rap titan. He gets pretty deep discussing his latest album, Maps, how his music has changed over the years, and his unique viewpoint on how rap intertwines with society.
Switching gears a bit, we're moving into the jazz scene with a cool chat from Passion of the Weiss with the legendary Lonnie Liston Smith. He lifts the curtain on the unique way his album Jazz Is Dead came together and shares his thoughts on the big-picture power of music to heal and connect.
Next, we've got hip hop heavyweight Lil Wayne opening up to Rolling Stone about his vast career and what goes into his creative process. If you ever wondered what's going on in the head of this incredibly prolific artist, this one's a must-read.
We're also shining a light on an insightful conversation DJ Drama had with XXL Magazine. He gets into the nitty-gritty about mixtapes, his new album release, and Lil Uzi Vert's musical evolution. This chat's a real eye-opener about the past, present, and future of mixtapes in an industry that's always changing.
We're also giving you a front row seat to a chat with Bay Area's own Larry June courtesy of DJ Mag. He gives us a peek into his family ties, his philosophy on discipline and personal growth, and how his music has evolved, all embodied in his latest album.
And to wrap things up, we've got another engrossing interview from Passion of the Weiss, this time with the legendary hip hop A&R guy, Dante Ross. He talks all about his new memoir, Son of the City, the uphill battle of getting it written, and how therapeutic the whole process turned out to be.
Alright, that's your sneak peek of what's in store for this edition of Behind the Rhymes. We hope you find these articles as enlightening and inspiring as we do. Remember, the magic of music isn't just in the melody, it's also in the stories of those who create it. So, get comfy, dive deep, and lose yourself in the world of beats, bars, and beyond. Until next time, stay tuned and keep the rhythm alive!
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Photo credit: Main image by B.A. Stubbs
In an interview for Huck Mag, Thomas Hobbs talks to veteran underground rapper Billy Woods who speaks candidly about his new album Maps, the evolution of his music, and his unique perspectives on rap and society. Woods shares insights about his contemplative approach to rap, the influence of his life experiences on his work, and his views on technology and artificial intelligence.
Interview highlights:
On his creative process and the drive for his art: "Writing raps always sustained me... It provided an outlet for emotions and energy I didn’t otherwise know how to deal with."
Concerning the pernicious impact of internet culture on the rap community: "There’s so many different bubbles on the internet right now... That stuff [authenticity proving] is really poisonous."
Views on the potential of violent insurrection due to racial injustice: "We live in a country that’s both authoritarian and anti-authoritarian; all at once... Why would you build this huge administrative state... and make constant preparations to resist them?"
On the exploitation of artists through AI and deep fakes: Woods shows distaste for the concept of algorithm-generated music, seeing it as an uninteresting and potentially unethical practice.
His aspiration for his legacy: "I hope to be considered as one of the best of my era... somebody who was original and not afraid to be themselves."
In an interview for Passion of the Weiss, Matthew Ritchie talks to jazz legend Lonnie Liston Smith, who discusses his ‘Jazz Is Dead’ album with Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge, his philosophies on music and its healing power, and the unique recording process of the album. Smith shares details about his peaceful life now, the surprising way his latest album was created, and his approach to embracing the fresh and innovative recording techniques.
Interview highlights:
On the creation process of Jazz Is Dead started: “So back then, just before the pandemic hit in 2020 and I got a call from Drew. And he’s the business representative for the record label Jazz is Dead, which I had never heard of. They said ‘Yeah, well, we recorded Roy Ayers, we recorded Gary Bartz, Jean Carne.’ And he said, ‘We’ll fly you to LA and you know, everything will be on the up and up. And then press so you get paid for the record and we do a concert and get paid for the concert.’”
Regarding the unique recording process of the album: “So I played on each one, there were no titles or anything. And so I left town and then they were adding all the stuff, I start hearing just how they were putting things together – some songs they added a vocal, all kinds of different, you know, sounds and colors and so when I finally heard the final result, I said, ‘Okay, it worked.’ Now it’s amazing.”
On his experience of working with young musicians and the universality of music: "Being around all these young musicians, it was a good experience... Music is probably the only universal language – because you can go to different countries, and you might not be able to speak it verbally with other musicians. But once the music starts, everyone understands and can just go on and play."
In a conversation with Andre Gee for Rolling Stone, Lil Wayne speaks candidly about his expansive music career, the process behind his work, and his outlook on the hip-hop industry. The Young Money legend shares insights about the exhaustive efforts he puts into his music, the creative process of working on his various project series, and the significance (or lack thereof) of his past albums for him. Wayne also opens up about his intense dedication to his craft, his interactions with the younger generation of artists, and his aspiration to continually evolve as a musician.
Interview highlights:
On the relentless pursuit of his craft: "I work every day, bro — every single day... I don’t care how high you jumping. I don’t care how fast you run. You can’t even stand next to me with that shit."
About forgetting his past work: "My favorite song is the last one I record. And then I will forget it after the next one I record."
On differentiation between various project series: "All of them have their own approach... But the way I approach those, I say whatever the hell I want, because I know that’s what Drama wants."
Views on younger artists and their humility: "Their humility level was out of the stratosphere compared to what ours was... It’s a different world."
Concerning his prolific song output: "I work on multiple songs a day. I probably look at 20 verses a day... I don’t stop working."
His desire to accomplish more as a musician: "There’s a whole bunch of things I haven’t done that I’ve seen other folks do that I’ve said to myself, “Man, I’d kill it if I had that opportunity.” Super Bowl, hint, hint."
Thoughts on Verzuz Battles: "I was interested in Mixtape Weezy going against Lil Wayne. That would have been crazy... There ain’t no other artist that can stand on the stage next to me, bro. I’m sorry."
In an interview with XXL Magazine conducted by Peter A. Berry, DJ Drama opens up about his illustrious career and his recently released album, "I'm Really Like That." He shares insights into what makes a mixtape classic, the challenges of building both the Gangsta Grillz mixtape series and the Generation Now record label, and the changes he has witnessed in Lil Uzi Vert's music since getting sober. DJ Drama also reveals exciting upcoming projects and collaborations, expresses concerns about the preservation of mixtapes if platforms like DatPiff shut down, and talks about his motivation and future plans.
Interview highlights:
On creating a classic mixtape: "Sequencing is very important... I lend my personality, talk game, and creative tricks to make it exciting."
The challenges of building Gangsta Grillz and Generation Now: "There's no Generation Now without Gangsta Grillz... Both were complex, but one led to another."
On Lil Uzi Vert's sobriety: "We had conversations about his personal journey... It's eye-opening and something a mature Uzi can accomplish."
Exciting collaborations in the works: Stove God Cooks, De La Soul, and potentially Brent Faiyaz and EST Gee for Gangsta Grillz projects.
Concerns about mixtape preservation: "There's an art that could potentially go lost... We need to preserve and give accessibility to this music."
DJ Drama's future plans: A podcast, a book deal, and exploring narration as new avenues for his brand.
Motivation to push boundaries: "My legacy and accomplishments fuel my motivation... I'm addicted to new things, constantly challenging myself."
In an interview with DJ Mag, Arielle Lana LeJarde connects with Larry June who shares details about his latest album, the Alchemist-produced The Great Escape, his ongoing journey in music, and his philosophy on collaboration and personal growth. June talks about his deep-rooted connection with his family, the importance of discipline, and the evolution of his music and his own character over the years.
On the years he spent grinding and building up his brand: “This is years of steadily dropping quality music and building a brand to where once we connected, it was like the dots were already in place to align. It didn’t take much.”
Regarding the significance of health and discipline in his life and career: “The best way to get through tour is to focus on one thing, and that’s putting on a good show. I work out. I eat healthy. I make sure my room is nice. I stay fresh, keep my hair cut, make sure my shoes are clean, and get to the next location.”
On his journey from modest beginnings to his current status: "Larry’s life of lavishness wasn’t something he was born into — his hometown of Bayview–Hunters Point is one of San Francisco’s most poverty-stricken areas — but with his never-ending persistence and additional motivation from The Alchemist, he continues to flourish."
On facing fame and the future: "Two years ago, he didn’t care for the celebrity status other rappers yearned for. He was happy to go grocery shopping unnoticed... he is much more open now to seeing how things progress. ‘Now that I’m older, I don’t care what comes. Get it done. I’m staying focused.’”
In an interview for Passion of the Weiss, Will Hagle talks to the legendary hip hop A&R Dante Ross, of Tommy Boy and Elektra Records fame, about his new memoir Son of the City, his self-examination process, appreciation for the Cool Kids and Fishbone, among other topics. Ross reflects on his journey of writing a memoir, the challenges he faced, and the cathartic nature of the process.
On the comparison between writing a book and producing an album: "Writing a book, your aspirations are lower... But also, I think the similarities are both are cathartic in nature. And for me, it’s very challenging... So to try my hand at a different kind of medium was really fucking cool, exciting and interesting and intimidating – and took forever."
Reflecting on his writing journey that spanned over 15 years: "Life being life, it took its own course... I picked it back up a couple years ago, right before the pandemic, and started rewriting it... I wrote it and rewrote it and rewrote it and rewrote it during the pandemic, which was a good thing to do. I had a lot of time to do it."
On his love for The Cool Kids: “They followed their own voice. They dressed fucking cool. They were doing this kind of old school drum machine beats. ‘Gold and a Pager,’ ‘Black Mags,’ ‘88.’ Those records are so cool, because they had everything.”
On political activism in hip hop today: “I think people are scared to make a point. I think we live in a vapid society. Fast food mentality rules the world. To say something potent about race and politics in the state of America, you can’t be on opiates, drinking lean, and being obsessed with Balenciaga and material goods. They’re diametrically opposed aesthetics.”
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