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Lil Yachty Reveals The Inspiration Behind His Latest “Poland” Hit

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Recently Lil Yachty ‘s latest track “Poland” has been getting much burn and now the Southern artist has revealed where the inspiration for the track came from.

Making a guest appearance for a reaction to the video on the YouTube channel ZIAS!, Lil Yachty revealed that the idea for the hook to the viral song actually came from a bottle of Poland Springs water. When asked where the idea for “Poland” came from and what the inspiration behind it was, Yachty admitted that he came up with the chorus simply for trolling purposes.

“I’ma tell y’all the truth. I was in the studio, right, working on my new album, and I was actually just trolling. My mans was just drinking a Poland Springs water bottle… and the song was a joke! Like, I was just trolling. “It leaked, and that’s why I was like, technically it’s not finished. It’s just a verse. I never finished the song, but it went crazy. So I was like, ‘Sh*t, I might as well put it out.’”

Funny how a joke could turn into a hit and line your pockets with the kind of paper you never expected to stumble across. Regardless of why he made the song, Yachty created a hit in the process and is now riding another wave thanks to his sense of humor. Gotta wonder if he hit his mans off with some paper for helping inspire his latest record.

Now that Poland Spring knows that Yachty’s given them some free promotion, don’t be surprised if they end up striking some kind of partnership in the near future. Yachty’s been making all kinds of business moves these days, so it’s only right he profit off his latest joke turned hit record.

Check out the interview below and let us know your thoughts on the record itself in the comments section below.

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Lil Yachty Explains Inspiration For Taking The Wock To "Poland"

Six years after he broke out with the viral hit "One Night," Lil Yachty is still able to set the Internet on fire with his career moves. Most recently, the rappers leaked track "Poland" (which boasts the now iconic, warbly, high-pitched chorus of "I took the wock to Poland) has become a social media sensation. Amid a cosign from Drake and even an invite from the Polish Prime Minister , many fans are befuddled at how such a silly-sounding song became the hit that it is, and Lil Boat's come through with some verified artist input.

The Atlanta rapper was invited to appear on the popular YouTube reaction channel ZIAS!, hosted by Zias and B. Lou, to react to the Cole Bennet-directed music video for "Poland" on Lyrical Lemonade. The million dollar question was asked: how did this song come together? How did you take the wock to Poland?

"I’ma tell y’all the truth," the 25-year-old began. "I was in the studio, right, working on my new album, and I was actually just trolling. My mans was just drinking a Poland Springs water bottle.”

"Is that how it happened?" B. Lou asked.

"Yeah," he replied with a smile, "I mean obviously I had some wock, but he had a Poland Springs water bottle.” Yachty himself was surprised at the track's success.

“I was like, ‘Damn.’ And the song was a joke! I was just trolling. It leaked, and that’s why I was like, technically it’s not finished. It’s just a verse. I never finished the song, but it went crazy. So I was like, ‘Shit, I might as well put it out.’”

That's how a leaked troll move turned into a hit music video and TikTok audio. It's uncommon in the industry to see artists embrace a leak and refuse to hold a song out, but Yachty said that's the way he rolls. He was also inevitably asked if he has ever, in fact, taken the wock to Poland.

"Nah, but now I got to," he replied. We'll see what impact this virality will have on The Boat's upcoming album, which he's said will be more "alternative" than rap.

You can check out Zias and B. Lou's full reaction to Cole Bennet's music video for "Poland," with Lil Yachty himself, down below.

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October 11, 2022

Peruse social media for long enough and you’ll probably find Wattpad fan fiction about Lil Yachty ’s newest single, “ Poland .” What started as a random leaked snippet has turned into a viral whirlwind , with everyone from YouTube comedians to Billboard chart-toppers chiming in. Like Yachty’s best songs , “Poland” is mystifying and intoxicating and, most importantly, simple: Over a churning F1lthy beat that wouldn’t be out of place on Whole Lotta Red , Yachty croons “I took the Wock to Poland” in a garbled yodel that probably has Mason Ramsey jealous. No clue what it really means, but it’s sung with enough deliriousness that you think, sure, maybe Yachty’s love for cough syrup has him trekking through Eastern Europe in the midst of a fever dream. At the very least, the song recaptures the light-heartedness that won Yachty fans and made him the face of endless brand campaigns . Does this burst of spontaneity signal a new path for Yachty? Probably not. Will A24 acquire the rights to put his long and storied expedition up on the big screen? Let’s pray. For now, enjoy any moment that snaps us out of the Matrix.

clock This article was published more than  1 year ago

What if Lil Yachty’s ‘Poland’ contains the meaning of life?

The rapper’s strange new hit feels like viral funtime, but it might be bigger than that

Do people listen to music just so they can draw neat little career arcs on graph paper? It might feel that way if you’ve been following the digital chitchat around Lil Yachty’s latest single “ Poland ,” a discussion that seems bent on solving the mystery of how an enfant terrible becomes a pitchman for Target; then retrenches with a bunch of way-less-famous Michigan rappers simply because he’s a fan; then launches his own line of frozen pizzas; then arrives at this strange new hit, which sounds as cool and inscrutable as the other side of the moon.

The case seems crackable enough. Yachty contains multitudes. He’s more of a person than a business model, and his zigzagging curiosity feels more like an artistic impulse than a brand strategy. Good for him — and if adjacent artists start chasing after their own weirdo whims with even half of his zeal, good for all of us, because while “Poland” certainly tells us something about Yachty’s expansive sense of self, it tells us even more about life: That it’s cold, short, lonely, vast, absurd and yet, despite all of these things, incredibly fun.

It’s true, “I took the Wock to Poland” might not read like the year’s most mesmerizing pop mantra in keystroke form, but across those six words, Yachty makes his voice — a melodized yawn that has chafed low-imagination rap purists from the start — do something new, elongating the most flexible syllables and allowing them to tremble with Auto-Tuned vibrato. In this funny, freaky, emotionally extravagant, tragicomic gush, he sounds like a machine that’s learned how to cry.

So he spends the rest of the song proving he’s human, stressed out and lost in the cold. “Phone still ringing, battling all my demons,” Yachty rhymes, synthesizers swarming at his back. “I been fiending, baby girl, I been fiending.” Here, it’s almost better if you don’t know that “the Wock” is a reference to the recreational use of Wockhardt pharmaceutical-grade cough syrup — that way, it might sound like Yachty took the walk to Poland, a phrase that opens up all kinds of fresh metaphorical pathways. It’s an almost inconceivable micro-thrill, taking a wrong turn down a song this concise.

Concise might be an understatement, too. “Poland” only lasts for one minute and 23 seconds. Hook, verse, hook, see you next time. Go ahead and superimpose all of your paranoia about the death of the American attention span onto this song if you must, but then listen to it again. Yachty’s brevity is casually artful, highly playful and totally real. “Poland” isn’t short, it’s fleeting, and you might even find the meaning of life in the difference between the two.

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Lil Yachty Performs “Poland” Six Times In A Row In Poland

On Sunday (July 2), Lil Yachty took his infectious hit “Poland” to the very heart of its namesake by giving an unforgettable six-fold performance at the Open’er Festival 2023 in Gdynia, Poland.

Unconventionally, the Atlanta native looped the track by serving up five further renditions of the same song. Each encore heightened the crowd’s fervor by coaxing waves of roars and catalyzing spontaneous mosh pits on the festival turf.

“I took the Wock’ to Poland,” Yachty raps. In the song’s lone verse, he continues, “I been fiendin’ like I’m Kenan. Ride around with a Kel-Tec. If you mean it, baby girl, do you mean it? I been leanin’, baby girl, I been leanin’.”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuK5FKzICLm/?ig_rid=d3400fcb-30d8-4513-8fcd-9940ce41eebc

Released in October 2022, “Poland” quickly climbed the charts upon its debut. The track caught the attention of big names such as Wiz Khalifa, DDG, Denzel Curry, Drake, Steve Lacy, Offset, and more. Each artist paid homage to the song or shared it across their social media channels. 

However, “Poland” wasn’t just a hit amongst Yachty’s peers and fans. The record even caught the attention of the country’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. In a post shared by  HipHopDX , the rapper’s manager and QC CEO Pierre “P” Thomas confirmed that Yachty was officially invited to the European nation. His astounded response was a simple, “Oh s**t.”

The accompanying music video was shot by Lyrical Lemonade‘s Cole Bennett. It follows the musician around SoHo in New York City and the Broadway–Lafayette Street train station. To date, the visuals have amassed an impressive 27 million views within just eight months. Check it out below.

In more recent news, the artist called out dancehall star Sean Paul on the first episode of his podcast, “A Safe Place.” Co-hosted with MitchGoneMad, Lil Yachty responded to his 2016 interview with “The Breakfast Club.” The “Strike (Holster)” rapper stated, “By the way, f**k Sean Paul. I want to make that very clear. I don’t f**k with Sean Paul. Sean Paul once dissed me in a radio interview.”

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Chad is a professional journalist specializing in Hip-Hop culture and writing music reviews.

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#NowPlaying

Lil yachty, 'poland', the viral soundcloud hit is now an official track.

Mano Sundaresan

This #NowPlaying pick comes courtesy of Heat Check .

Here's how I imagine the making of "Poland" went:

LIL YACHTY: "You recording?" ENGINEER: "Yep." LIL YACHTY: "I TOOK THE WOOOOOOOOCK TO POLAND!" F1LTHY: "What the hell was that??" ENGINEER: "Do you wanna try that again?" LIL YACHTY: "Nah trust me ... OK, now make me sound like I'm a robot singing into a fan." RANDOM GUY IN STUDIO: "I'm leaking this."

Whether it's Michigan rap or sample drill, Yachty is constantly looking for new sounds to fold into his world. But the cyber-vibrato on "Poland" reminds me of the goofier Sailing Team days when he was emerging in the wake of Makonnen, KEY and other Atlanta rap mavericks — a singer that couldn't really sing but had enough charisma and auto-tune to pull it off. The song hinges on its insane hook. The verse is kind of forgettable. But that's all it has taken for fans to eat this thing up. Yachty is probably channeling Duwap Kaine, too, a 20-year-old from Savannah, Ga. who's quietly influenced a generation of internet rap crooners by pushing auto-tune to its limits . Kaine seemed to get the message; he's already released a remix .

◈ Stream "Poland" by Lil Yachty

◈ Follow the #NowPlaying playlist

Lil Yachty Performs His Hit “Poland” Six Times in its Namesake Country

Thomas Galindo

Updated: 

On Saturday (July 1), Lil Yachty gave a performance at Open’er Festival in Gdynia, Poland, which also saw fellow hip-hop acts Kendrick Lamar, Metro Boomin, Latto, Lil Nas X, and Destroy Lonely make appearances. What made Yachty’s set particularly notable, though, is that he actually put out a viral hit in 2022 named after Poland, which hit No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and set off many different meme trends on TikTok.

Videos by American Songwriter

To commemorate this, Yachty performed “Poland” a whopping six different times at Open’er Festival, as he compiled each instance he did into a video posted to Instagram on Sunday (July 2). “LOVE 4 LYFE POLAND,” he wrote in the caption.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by CONCRETE BOY BOAT^ (@lilyachty)

“Poland” was never meant to gain this much traction, though. As he’s noted in multiple different interviews, Yachty made the song ironically, after he was inspired by seeing a friend drink Poland Springs bottled water in the recording studio one day. However, employing his uniquely patented, high-pitched vocals for the Wockhardt cough syrup-inspired hook, a leaked version of the song blew up on TikTok and SoundCloud.

“The song was a joke,” Yachty said during a conversation with YouTuber ZIAS! shortly after the song’s release. “Like, I was just trolling.”

After noticing many youthful hip-hop fans took a liking to the unreleased version of the song, Yachty decided to give it an official release in October. Additionally, he would take a trip to Poland to shoot the song’s visuals alongside beloved hip-hop music video director Cole Bennett.

But, as “Poland” was ascending on the charts, Yachty was diligently crafting his next studio album Let’s Start Here, which he would eventually release in January. Pivoting from a trap-rap sound to a more alternative, psychedelic rock approach on the LP, Yachty feared “Poland” would make people take him less seriously as an artist.

“The only reason (‘Poland’) bothers me is because my next album is so fucking good,” Yachty said in an interview with the Full Send Podcast last fall. “I worked so hard on it. It’s this alternative album. It’s a full-fledged album that I worked really hard on… It’s funny, though. It just lets me know that I’m really better than everyone.”

Ultimately, though, Yachty was able to get the best of both worlds. On top of the entire music industry giving him props for his bold departure from rap with Let’s Start Here , he is still able to enjoy the success of “Poland,” evident in the numerous times he performed it in its namesake country.

Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images

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Lil Yachty Performs ‘Poland’ In Poland Six Times In A Row

Lil Yachty has gone out on a limb and performed his 2022 infectious single “Poland” six consecutive times while at a show in Poland.

Footage of the insane feat was reposted on Instagram by Lil Boat on Saturday (July 1).

Lil Yachty stood in front of a massive crowd and took his energy to the next level with each subsequent playback of the popular track. By the time Yachty got to the fifth and sixth performance, his pants were almost to his ankles and his voice was gone.

Lil Yachty captioned the post by saying, “Love 4 Lyfe Poland.”

Check out the energetic footage below:

Although the 25-year-old rapper is enjoying performing the monster record, his energy toward it wasn’t always exciting. 

In February,  Yachty admitted in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe that he didn’t even want to release the intoxicating track.

“That was irritating,” he said. “I was pissed because I made ‘Poland’ while making this album on a day when they were mixing and I was in the other room just bored with the homies. I would’ve never dropped ‘Poland’ — ever — because I wanted to pivot myself into this.”

“So I was really irritated when it dropped, but I’m so grateful it did. Like I said, I really don’t know what I do next. I don’t know if I’ma do this again or do more rap.”

The warbling hook ( “I took the Wooooock to Poland,”  a reference to Wockhardt, the pharmaceutical company that produces promethazine-codeine syrup) inspired  countless memes  on social media.

The Quality Control rapper eventually released the AutoTune-laced song in October 2022 to capitalize on the viral moment and “Poland” invaded the Billboard Hot 100 where it cracked the Top 40 and the Lyrical Lemonade-helmed visual currently boasts over 27 million views.

Also, In October 2022, Lil Yachty received an invite to the European country based on the attention “Poland” was garnering at the time.

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April 17, 2023

Quality Control CEO Pierre “Pee” Thomas shared an alleged text conversation with Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki inviting Lil Boat to his homeland.

“Thank you for the call,” Pee wrote, alluding to a recent phone conversation with Prime Minister Morawiecki. “Let’s make arrangements to get Mr. Yachty to [your] country to celebrate.”

Morawiecki replied: “Will check the schedule and get back with you. Thank you for your time.”

Pee then sent the text exchange to Lil Yachty, who initially had no clue who Morawiecki is. After looking him up online, an astonished Yachty wrote back: “Oh shit.”

“Poland” earned co-signs from many of Lil Yachty’s rap peers upon its released including Drake , Wiz Khalifa , and Offset .

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Having Taken the Wock to Poland, Lil Yachty Takes ‘Poland’ to Streaming Services

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Yachty first released “Poland” on Soundcloud last week after snippets of the song were leaked online. The 83-second track quickly gained traction with its woozy, 8-bit beat (produced by F1lthy, Lukrative, and Lucian) and its instantly memorable (and meme-able) hook, which Yachty delivers with a distinct wobble in his voice, “I took the Wock to Poland.” (“Wock” is shorthand for Wockhardt, the pharmaceutical company that makes promethazine and codeine cough syrup.)

& ON GOD IM CHANGIN DA COVER 2 DIS TMMR https://t.co/GRf1zL1sue — CONCRETE BOY BOAT^ (@lilyachty) October 11, 2022

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Lil yachty performs popular “poland” single six times in poland.

"Poland" was initially released back in October 2022, with the track quickly going viral.

By Marc Griffin

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Lil Yachty recently performed his viral hit “ Poland ” six times while in, you guessed it, Poland.

The rapper turned podcaster hit the stage in Central Europe, performing the fan-favorite track to a tightly packed crowd. Lil Boat uploaded the footage to his Instagram on Saturday (July 1), illustrating his crowd control with every successive “Poland” rendition. 

The first performance showed the European crowd intensely singing along to the Wockhardt-influenced love song as Yachty stared at the crowd demanding they “sing that sh*t.” However, by the sixth performance, the venue was belting out the druggy cut in unison, the artist no longer needing to sing along with the crowd. 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by CONCRETE BOY BOAT^ (@lilyachty)

Big Sean Addresses Rumored Lil Yachty Diss On "Wire Me"

“So I was really irritated when it dropped, but I’m so grateful it did. Like I said, I really don’t know what I do next. I don’t know if I’m a do this again or do more rap.”

Lil Yachty released his latest album ,  Let’s Start Here.,  on January 27, 2023. The LP caught fans off guard, as the album featured the rapper not rapping, and instead leaning into untraveled territory for the musician. Yachty’s usual skittering melodic raps were absent, with the artist delivering 14 tracks inspired by ’70s psychedelic rock.  

The Field Trip Tour  will support Let’s Start Here.,  kicking off in September 2023 in Washington, D.C.

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Lil Yachty Wants You To Be "Ready For Everything" At The Field Trip Tour

As Lil Yachty hits the road for his 42-date global tour, the rapper details how he'll be bringing his trippy album 'Let's Start Here' to life — and why he feels like his seven-year career is only just getting started.

Fans first got to know Lil Yachty for his catchy, sing-songy tunes like "One Night" and "Minnesota," rap songs that sound like the rapper's once-signature red braids: bright and attention-getting. But as the man who once dubbed himself the " king of the teens " has now become a father in his (gasp!) mid-20s, his musical horizons have expanded.  

While Lil Boat is still making catchy tracks  (see his minute-and-a-half long earworm "Poland," released last fall), his latest album is something else entirely. Inspired by big statement LPs like Pink Floyd 's 1973 classic Dark Side of the Moon , Lil Yachty's Let's Start Here is a psychedelic record created with members of Chairlift and MGMT, as well as Mac DeMarco, Alex G and a handful of other out-of-the-norm collaborators. While the style change may have been unexpected for many, it came out exactly as Yachty envisioned it.

"It felt future-forward, it felt different, it felt original, it felt fresh, it felt strong," he says. "I'm grateful for the response. It's nice to have people resonate with a body of work that you've worked so hard on and you care so deeply about."

Yachty's most recent release, a four-song single pack featuring the swirling "TESLA," brings him back to a more traditional hip-hop style — by Lil Boat standards, anyway. But even with the four new tracks sprinkled throughout the set list, he's still determined to share the sound and vibe of Let's Start Here with his listeners. 

The Field Trip Tour, which Lil Yachty kicked off in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 21, brings the album's trippy vision to the stage. The rapper recruited an all-women band for his latest trek, which includes Lea Grace Swinson and Romana R. Saintil on vocals, Monica Carter on drums, Téja Veal on bass, Quenequia Graves on guitar, and Kennedy Avery Smith on keys.

"My life is surrounded by women," Yachty explains. "I feel like they are the most important aspect to this world and that they don't get enough credit or shine — especially Black women."

GRAMMY.com caught up with Yachty as he was on his way to rehearsal to chat about the tour, the album, and what he learned from four old British guys.

You made your band auditions public by announcing them on social media , which is not the usual way of going about these things. When you had the auditions, what was it like? How many people showed up?

Hundreds of women came from all over. People sent in auditions online. It was so fun to hear so much music and see talent and meet so many different personalities. I felt like Simon Cowell.

Other than musical ability, what were you looking for?

It was nothing more than talent. There would be multiple people with extreme talent, so then it became your own creative spunk: what did you do that made me say, "Oh, okay. I like this. I like this"? I wanted a badass group.

What was behind the decision to put the call out for women only?  

My life is surrounded by women — my two assistants, my mother as a manager, a lot of my friends are women. Women really help me throughout my day. 

I just think that women are so powerful. I feel like they rule the world. They are the most important aspect to this world and they don't get enough credit or shine, especially black women. So that was my aura behind it. I just wanted to showcase that women can shred just as good as men. 

Is the band going to be performing on your older rap material as well, in addition to the album cuts?  

No. I'm not a big fan of rendition rap songs. I think the feeling is in the beat, the feeling is in the instrumentation. When you have to reconstruct it, the bounce gets lost a bit.

Tell me about the rehearsal process once you selected the band members. What was that like?  

They're all so talented, so they all learned it very quick. I gave [the music] to them early, and gave them the stems. When it was day one, they all knew the songs. Even my new guitarist that came in later than everyone, she came in knowing the music. 

The rehearsal project for this tour was a little different, because I'm reconstructing the whole album. I'm moving everything around and changing all the transitions and trying to make it trippy. So it's a process of me figuring out how I want to do things. But they're so talented and so smart, all I have to do is tell them what I want, and they'll do it instantly. 

Like yesterday, I wanted a solo on the end of a song called "The Alchemist." Because at the end of [the album version] is this [singer Brittany] Fousheé breakdown and she's singing in a falsetto. But I took her vocals off and I wanted a solo. And [a band member] was working through it yesterday and it wasn't quite there. But I'm on the way to rehearsal now, and I know when I walk in this room, it'll be done. It'll be crazy. So they all take it very serious and they care, and I love them so much. 

The festival shows you've done so far have had everyone in Bantu knot hairstyles, sometimes with face paint . Is that going to be the look for this tour?  

No, I don't think so.

What was the thinking behind that look?  

I was getting really deep into the world of '70s bands, '60s bands. Just unison: moving as one, looking like one, feeling like one. A family, a group, a team. You see us, we're all together. 

When you play rap shows, so much of what you're doing is keeping a high-energy mood—getting the crowd going, starting mosh pits. With the new songs, it's about a diversity of feelings. What was that like for you as a band leader?  

I'll tell you, it was not easy. I've been in this industry for seven years, and my shows have been high-energy for seven years. So the first time I went on a stage and performed Let's Start Here , I felt like, "Oh wow, they hate me. Do they hate this?" Plus I have in-ears , so I can't hear the crowd cheering. I don't perform with in-ears when I do rap shows. 

It took me some time to get used to the switch. Tyler, the Creator once had a talk with me and explained to me that, it's not that they don't f— with you, it's that they're taking it in. They're comprehending you. They're processing and enjoying it. That clicked in me and I got a better understanding of what's going on.

What is it like in the same show to go from the Let's Start Here material to the rap stuff?  

It's a relief, because that's going to my world. It's super easy for me. It's like flipping the switch and taking it to the moon.

Now that it's been the better part of a year since Let's Start Here came out, how are you feeling about it? What sense do you have of the reaction to it?

Since before it came out, when I was making it, I always felt so strongly because it was something that I felt inside. It felt future-forward, it felt different, it felt original, it felt fresh, it felt strong. 

I'm grateful for the response. It's nice. It's not what you do it for, but it is extra credit. It's nice to get that love and to have people resonate with a body of work that you've worked so hard on and you care so deeply about.

Have you felt peoples' reactions change over the past few months?  

Well, this is the first time when people are like, "Man, that album changed my life" or "It took me to a different place." People love my music — always have — but this reaction is, "Man, this album, man, it really took me there." 

It did what it was supposed to do, which was transcend people. If you are on that side of the world and you're into that type of stuff, it did its job, its course — the same course as Dark Side of the Moon , which is to take you on a journey, an experience. 

What was it about Dark Side that grabbed you?  

Everything. The cover, the sounds, the transitions, the vocals, the lyrics, the age of Pink Floyd when they made it. I could go on. I got into deep fascination. It was so many things. It's just pure talent.

** I've read that you studied Pink Floyd quite a bit, watching interviews and documentaries. What were some of the things you learned from that process and brought to Let's Start Here ? **

So many things. The most important element was that I wanted to create a body of work that felt cohesive and that transcended people, and that was a fun experience that could take you away from life.

I was curious about the song ":(failure:(," where you give a speech about failing. What were your inspirations for that?

" Facebook Story " by Frank Ocean , which is about a girl who thought he was cheating on her because he wouldn't accept her on Facebook. It inspired me to talk about something. 

At first I wanted [":(failure:("] to be a poem, and I wanted my friend to say it. We tried it out, but his voice was so f—ing deep. And his poem was so dark — it was about death and s—. I was like, Damn, n—, lighten up. But then I was just like, you know what, I'll do it, and I'll speak about something very near and dear to me, which was failure. I felt like it would resonate with people more.

** The idea of time shows up on the album a lot, which is something it has in common with Dark Side of the Moon . You talk about running out of time . What are you running out of time to do? ** 

Sometimes I feel like I'm growing so fast and getting so old, and maturing and evolving so quickly, and so many opportunities come into my life. You go on tour, and then you start working on an album, and you run out of time to do certain things. It's like, "Are we going to be together? If not, I have other things to do." 

I think that's where it comes from. I don't have all day to play around. Too many things to do. Then it transpires to feel like I'm running out of time.

I love "drive ME crazy!" I was wondering if there are any particular male/female duets that you looked at as a model when designing that song.  

Fleetwood Mac . Again, with all the inspirations for these songs, I still did my twist on them. So I don't want people to go and be like, "Oh, that sounds nothing like a Fleetwood Mac song." I wasn't trying to copy a Fleetwood Mac song. It just inspired me to make a song in that feeling, in that world.

When you began your career, you were the "king of the teens." Now you're a father in your mid-twenties. Who's your audience these days? Is it the people who were teens when you started your career, who are now in their 20s like you, or is it a new crop of teenagers?  

I think now it's from the 12-year-olds to the 40-year-olds. My last festival, I had 50-year-olds in my show. That was so amazing. In the front row, there was an 11-year-old asking for my sneakers, and then in the back, it was 50- and 60-year-olds. It was crazy. The age demographic is insane.

Whenever I'm leaving somewhere, I like to have the window down and see people. [At my last festival] these 60-year-olds were leaving. They're like, "Man, your album, we love it. That show was so great." And that's awesome, because I love [that my music can] touch everyone. 

You've been opening your recent shows with " the BLACK seminole ." What does that phrase mean to you? How does it relate to the sound of the song and the rest of the lyrics?

It's saying, "I'm a warrior, I am a king, I am a sex symbol, I am everything good and bad with man, and I'm Black, unapologetically." That's what it's about. 

Any final thoughts about the tour?  

Just that it's an experience. You're not walking into a rinky-dink [show with] some DJ. This is going to be a show . 

I feel like it's the start of my career. I just want people to come in with an open mindset. Not expecting anything, ready for everything. 

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Epik High Are Still Pumped After All These Years: How The Korean Hip-Hop Trio Broke All Their Rules By Going Back To Basics

Epik High have released their first mixtape, 'Pump,' 20 years into their career. Frontman Tablo details their new release, U.S. tour, and why he wants to be onstage in his grandpa years.

When Korean hip-hop trio Epik High released their debut album, Map of the Human Soul , in 2003, the world seemed completely different.

"Can you believe we didn’t have smartphones? I can’t imagine, I can barely remember," says  Epik High frontman Tablo over a video call from Seoul. 

Yet, those are the years the group aimed to recall in their first mixtape, Pump . Musing on their beginnings, the trio — also composed by Mithra Jin and DJ Tukutz — breaks free from their usual formulas in favor of fluid and raw tracks, as can be seen in the single "Antihero." 

"We wanted to create like we were rookies again," Tablo says. "We didn't want to think about the path too much, although we did make references to certain songs from early albums because it's fun." 

Released in June, Pump is a testament to Epik High’s ability to reinvent themselves. Over 10 studio albums, four EPs, and a handful of special releases , they remained a pivotal group in South Korean music. Through chart-topping hits like "Fan," "Fly," "It’s Cold" with Lee Hi, and "Born Hater" featuring rappers Beenzino, Verbal Jint, B.I, Mino, and Bobby, they helped popularize hip hop and rap in a country dismissive to those genres. Their insightful and honest lyrics encouraged larger discussions about mental health and social issues, inspiring artists such as BTS and B.I. And Their message and music led to global acclaim as well: In 2016, Epik High became the first major South Korean act to perform at Coachella; they would perform again in 2022. 

To celebrate another year of growing success, the band recently embarked on a world tour. After crossing Asia and Australia, they kicked off the first out of 23 shows in North America on Aug. 22, in Vancouver, British Columbia, and are set to play in Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Orlando, Boston, and other U.S. cities throughout September.

Ahead of the tour, GRAMMY.com caught up with Tablo to chronicle this distinct moment in their careers, how to maintain longevity as a band, and living a life worthy of a K-drama.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Epik High just released their first mixtape. In previous interviews , you've defined 'Pump'  as a mixtape because, sonically, it’s very different from your studio albums and EPs. Why are you exploring this format 20 years into your career?

We felt kind of lost as we were leading up to our 20th year, which is ironic. On the surface, it looked like we had it all together, because we were doing our 20th tour and we had a movie [showcasing the group's 20th anniversary concert] out, but it's a scary number. It was scary when we hit 10, but hitting 20 — when a human hits 20, they're like, I'm an adult. Now, what do I do with my life?

Epik High turned 20, and we [started wondering], What would we do if we were back to our first year and no one knew us? If we didn't know how to make music the way we know now? What kind of album would we create? We [thought], A mixtape, just free flowing and doing whatever we want, and breaking all the rules . Not music rules, but Epik High rules, because we've developed some of them over the years.

What are some of these rules?

Well, it's not necessarily rules. What I said to my members was, "I think our biggest weakness is that we know too much." Over the years, we've gained so much experience and our skill level has gone up to the point where we know exactly how to craft a hit, and we know exactly what kind of songs will speak to what kind of audience. Knowing all of this typically would be a good thing, but for us, it's our disadvantage — because we will immediately go to those decisions, instead of exploring something new or risky.

It took [the members] a while to accept that. I had to drag it in, and then they came to me, "You know, you're right. We do feel like that." And I was like, "Let's write these things down that we don't want to do." All of them were things that we usually do, like, let's not just go to a famous feature, because that's such an easy thing that we know how to do. Let's not make big melody hooks that we know will work. And then we just went with that, which in itself is very risky, because we didn't know how the audience would react.

Judging by our streaming, usually hit songs spike like crazy in the first couple days, and then fall off because a lot of people only listen once or twice. And then there are songs where less people listen because it's not commercial or it's not catered to everyone, but they listen over and over again, and that's what we're seeing with this album. It’s a very interesting phenomenon, and something that actually makes us very happy.

I noticed that 'Pump' is quite different from the music that you have been doing lately. You need to spend some time with it to understand what's going on and to find its magic. It's not an album of easy hooks, like you said. Do you think you guys were revisiting the Epik High of 20 years ago, or that you were rewriting that era, doing what you wish you had done?

There's both. We wanted to create like we were rookies again; we didn't want to think about the path too much, although we did make references to certain songs from early albums because it's fun. 

But we don't ever regret things, or wish we could go back to a certain era, because there was a lot of good stuff, but there were also a lot of terrible things that we don't want to ever revisit. So, we're more focused from today on.

Thinking back to 20 years ago, what are some of the changes you witnessed, either in music or in yourselves?

Literally, the entire world has changed. When we started, people were still dropping cassette tapes. Now, cassette tapes are something fun that artists do as a collector's item. We didn't have streaming. We didn't have social media. I'm sure some people who are reading this interview can't even fathom, but we did live in a world without any of that.

The downside is that it was very, very difficult to get our music to audiences. To get one listener was almost an impossibility, so we were forced to go out and perform. Back then, hip-hop was not accepted at all [in Korea]; it was just not a genre that people liked. And because we didn't have any stages to go on, we performed at a zoo, we performed at clubs with 13 people in there, we just had to do that because that was the only way to get our music out.

And the huge upside, though, is that, because we developed our skills performing to an audience that was either confused by us or didn't like us, we had to make them understand the music and make them vibe. We developed a very specific skill set that is really hard to attain. I think that's why, 20 years later, we're still able to headline festivals and to do these big tours, and people have a really good time at our shows.

Nowadays, a lot of times musicians will feel satisfied with their streaming numbers, or with their social numbers. They might not feel that it's necessary to get out there and to perform in front of 10 people. I'm sure none of them will perform at a zoo.

This mixtape’s single, "Antihero," approaches people’s perceptions and misconceptions about Epik High. When someone gets famous, they are either idolized or demonized — we see that a lot in the Korean music scene, specifically in K-pop, where fans even call artists "idols." What do you think about that? Is this related to the message you wanted to convey?

"Antihero" is less "I'm an antihero," and more "You see me as an antihero," where you may like me, but you don't fully like me. There's always some flaw, or some weakness that you're looking for, and that's sort of the stance of the song. 

Epik High has had a lot of anti[fans] over the last 20 years, and at the same time, though, we provide a lot of entertainment to these antis . They would literally have nothing to do if we didn't provide them with something to get angry about, or to harass us about. In a way, we're sort of these twisted heroes to them as well.

That's why, if you look at the music video, [there is] a hero part, and then a villain part, because those are the two sides of an antihero. But that's also the two sides of any star, or any person, actually. Some people choose to see the good parts of you, but some people will choose to ignore all of that and see just the parts that seem dark. I think that the song is touching on all of that.

The lyrics to "K-drama" use Korean TV dramas' vocabulary — like "dramatic reversal" and "OST" — to talk about real life. What do you think about the image that South Korea displays in these shows?

I'm a huge fan of K-dramas. It's just very fun, and always has you at the edge of your seat. I don't know if people outside [of Korea] think that, if you come to Korea, you're immediately stepping into a K-drama. A lot of people get deluded and think, like, all Korean men are perfect. 

But just the same, a lot of people outside the U.S. think that, if you go to L.A., it's going to be like a Dr. Dre music video, or a Snoop Dogg music video. And that's just one depiction of one part of a very complicated, beautiful, and complex place.

There's always truth in fiction, so you will discover elements of K-dramas when you come here. But if life was a K-drama… A lot of K-dramas are really tragic, the plot twists. Although I will say, I've been embroiled in the TaJinYo scandal [Editor's note: Starting in 2010, Tablo was victim to a smear campaign that accused him of faking his bachelor's and master's degrees from Stanford University. The school came forward multiple times to confirm his accomplishments, and eight TaJinYo members were sentenced to prison .], and there were actual directors, even overseas, who wanted to turn it into a drama or a movie. So, I guess I did live a life that's like a K-drama, true with heroes, villains, and victims. It was crazy.

Why hasn't it become a series or a movie yet? Do you plan on making something like that?

Well, it's a very tricky story to tell. It's a timeless story, because it's about the internet, and it's about hatred and idolization, but it's not an easy thing to turn into a fictional story.

Do you feel like it would be weird to see your life depicted on screen? Or do you already feel that, since a good part of your life has been public ?

I am very good at keeping myself and my family detached from our public persona. But I don't mean to say that Tablo or Epik High are not an actual version of ourselves. It's just that Epik High is different in that, when we come off stage, we don't experience that huge drop off.

On stage we have a very specific goal, which is to make the audience have a great time. Nothing else is on our minds. And because of that, when we come off stage, there's no high to come off. We finish the concert and we're home 20 minutes later, doing dishes and vacuuming. I’m not kidding. Epik High is notorious for not having after parties, and we will just come home after a huge stadium concert and watch YouTube with our kids, or take out the garbage.

It keeps your ego in check.

Yeah. When we first became famous, we probably did have a period where we thought, This is about us . But very quickly we realized that, if this was about us, we were not going to have longevity, because that fades. But if you keep it about the audience, as long as they're there, you know that it won't change.

Since you talked about longevity, what are the most important things for a band to stay together and to still be relevant and innovative after 20 years?

Over the last couple of years, a lot of huge brands in Korea have invited me to speak to their companies. I think they look at us as a case study on the longevity of a brand, or how to stay connected for a long time. And I've declined, because speaking is not something I wanted to do, but it made me think, What is it?

First of all, you have to have no "yes men" around you.This is a very simple, but also extremely difficult thing to do, because people need an affirming environment, and that's not a bad thing, right? It's a very thin line between a supportive person, and a person who just tells you what you want to hear.

Epik High has absolutely zero of those people in our rooms. In interviews and stuff, the three of us almost seem like we hate each other. We're never not fighting, and we're doing it on screen, so imagine what we're like off screen.

Also, our staff [is] a very dedicated group of people, and we're all very, very honest — from our engineer to our art guy. Most of the people that we work with have been working with us for a long time, and none of them are scared to tell me, "Tablo, that outfit ain't it. Your hair ain't it." Or, "Tablo, your voice sucks right now." Or, "these lyrics are terrible." We're all very honest, and I think that's key to longevity.

An artist's career is sometimes destroyed by outside forces. But I tend to believe that, in a lot of cases, artists' careers get destroyed by the artists themselves. It's not their fault, but when you're constantly told what you want to hear, instead of what you need to hear, it's impossible to grow. If the people around you actually care for you, they will never prevent you from experiencing things, which is necessary for growth.

Looking ahead to the next 20 years, is there anything you want to do that you haven’t done yet?

We actually had this conversation lately: Wouldn’t it be really cool if there was a Korean hip-hop group who stayed together until they were grandpas? And we’re on stage with gray hair, but we’re still super good. And people will see us on TV or so, and will be like, "Those grandpas are dope!"

A lot of young artists tell us that they started music because they listened to Epik High. But later on, after they become big stars, they tell us that now we inspire them because we show that it’s possible to do [this] for over 10 years, 20 years, and still do what you want to do.

We never had that. We didn’t have anyone to look up to, any [groups] who stayed together and [kept making] music at the same level that they always did, so we were really scared. Hopefully, us becoming dope grandpas in the future will show people that it’s okay. It’s okay to just keep doing it.

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Ice Spice Is The Drill Queen On 'Y2K!': 5 Takeaways From Her Debut Album

The 10-track LP clocks in at just under 24 minutes, but it's packed with insanely quotable one-liners, star-studded collaborations, and bold statements.

Since Ice Spice first caught our attention two summers ago, she's been nothing short of a rap sensation. From viral hits like her breakout "Munch (Feelin' U)," to co-signs from Drake and Cardi B , to a Best New Artist nomination at the 2024 GRAMMYs , the Bronx native continues to build on her momentum — and now, she adds a debut album to her feats.

Poised to be one of the hottest drops of the summer, Y2K! expands on Ice Spice's nonchalant flow and showcases her versatility across 10 unabashedly fierce tracks. She dabbles in Jersey club on "Did It First," throws fiery lines on lead single "Think U the S— (Fart)," and follows the album's nostalgic title with an interpolation of an early '00s Sean Paul hit on "Gimmie a Light."

Y2K! also adds more star-studded features to Ice Spice's catalog, with Travis Scott , Gunna and Central Cee featuring on "Oh Shh...," "B— I'm Packin'," and "Did It First," respectively. At the helm is producer RiotUSA , Ice Spice's longtime friend-turned-collaborator who has had a hand in producing most of the rapper's music — proving that she's found her stride.

As you stream Ice Spice's new album, here are five key takeaways from her much-awaited debut, Y2K!.

She Doubles Down On Bronx Drill

Ice Spice is one of the few ladies holding down the New York drill scene on a mainstream level. She's particularly rooted in Bronx drill, a hip-hop subgenre known for its hard-hitting 808s, high-hats and synthesizers — and according to the sounds of Y2K! , it’s seemingly always going to be part of her artistry.

"It's always time to evolve and grow as an artist, so I'm not rushing to jump into another sound or rushing to do something different," Ice Spice told Apple Music of her tried-and-true musical style. 

While Y2K! may not be as drill-driven as her debut EP Like…? , the album further hints that Ice isn't ready to retire the sound anytime soon. The subgenre is the dominant force across the album's 10 tracks, and most evident in "Did It First," "Gimmie a Light" and "BB Belt." Even so, she continues her knack for putting her own flair on drill, bringing elements of trap and electronic music into bops like "Oh Shhh…" and "Think U the S— (Fart)."

She Recruited Producers Old & New

Minus a few tunes, all of Ice Spice's songs start off with her signature "Stop playing with 'em, Riot" catchphrase — a direct nod to her right-hand man RiotUSA. Ice and Riot met while attending Purchase College in New York, and they've been making music together since 2021's "Bully Freestyle," which served as Ice's debut single. "As I was growing, she was growing, and we just kept it in-house and are growing together," Riot told Finals in a 2022 interview.

Riot produced every track on Like.. ? as well as "Barbie World," her GRAMMY-nominated Barbie soundtrack hit with Nicki Minaj . Their musical chemistry continues to shine on Y2K! , as Riot had a hand in each of the LP's 10 tracks.

In a surprising move, though, Ice doesn't just lean on Riot this time around. Synthetic , who worked on Lil Uzi Vert' s GRAMMY-nominated "Just Wanna Rock," brings his Midas touch to "Think U the S—." Elsewhere, "B— I'm Packin'" is co-produced by Riot, Dj Heroin, and indie-pop duo Ojivolta , who earned a GRAMMY nomination in 2022 for their work on Kanye West 's Donda . But even with others in the room, Riot's succinct-yet-boisterous beats paired with Ice's soft-spoken delivery once again prove to be the winning formula.

She Loves Her Y2K Culture

Named after Ice Spice's birthdate (January 1, 2000), her debut album celebrates all things Y2K, along with the music and colorful aesthetics that defined the exciting era. To drive home the album's throwback theme, Ice tapped iconic photographer David LaChapelle for the cover artwork, which features the emcee posing outside a graffiti-ridden subway station entrance. LaChapelle's vibrant, kitschy photoshoots of Mariah Carey , Lil' Kim , Britney Spears , and the Queen of Y2K Paris Hilton became synonymous with the turn of the millennium.

True to form, Y2K! 's penultimate song and second single "Gimmie a Light" borrows from Sean Paul 's "Gimme the Light," which was virtually inescapable in 2002. "We really wanted to have a very authentic Y2K sample in there," Ice Spice said in a recent Apple Music Radio interview with Zane Lowe. Not only does the Sean Paul sample bring the nostalgia, but it displays Ice's willingness to adopt new sounds like dancehall on an otherwise drill-heavy LP.

Taking the Y2K vibes up another notch, album closer "TTYL," a reference to the acronym-based internet slang that ruled the AIM and texting culture of the early aughts. The song itself offers fans a peek insideIce's lavish and exhilarating lifestyle: "Five stars when I'm lunchin'/ Bad b—, so he munchin'/ Shoot a movie at Dunkin'/ I'm a brand, it's nothin.'"

She's A Certified Baddie

Whether she's flaunting her sex appeal in "B— I'm Packin'" or demanding potential suitors to sign NDAs in "Plenty Sun," Ice exudes confidence from start to finish on Y2K! .

On the fiery standout track "Popa," Ice demonstrates she's in a league of her own: "They ain't want me to win, I was chosen/ That b— talkin' s—, she get poked in/ Tell her drop her pin, we ain't bowlin'/ Make them b—hes sick, I got motion." And just a few songs later, she fully declares it with "BB Belt": "Everybody be knowin' my name (Like)/ Just want the money, I don't want the fame (Like)/ And I'm different, they ain't in my lane."

For Ice, "baddie" status goes beyond one's physical attributes; it's a mindset she sells with her sassy delivery and IDGAF attitude.

She's Deep In Her Bag

In album opener "Phat Butt," Ice boasts about rocking Dolce & Gabbana, popping champagne, and being a four-time GRAMMY nominee: "Never lucky, I been blessed/ Queen said I'm the princess/ Been gettin' them big checks in a big house/ Havin' rich sex," she asserts.

Further down the track list, Ice Spice firmly stands in her place as rap's newest queen. In "BB Belt," she raps, "I get money, b—, I am a millionaire/ Walk in the party, everybody gon' stare/ If I ain't the one, why the f— am I here, hm?"

Between trekking across the globe for her first headlining tour and lighting up the Empire State Building orange as part of her Y2K! album rollout, Ice Spice shows no signs of slowing down. And as "BB Belt" alludes, her deal with 10K Projects/Capitol Records (she owns her masters and publishing) is further proof that she's the one calling the shots in her career.

Whatever Ice decides to do next, Y2K! stands as a victory lap; it shows her prowess as drill's latest superstar, but also proves she has the confidence to tackle new sounds. As she rapped in 2023's "Bikini Bottom," "How can I lose if I'm already chose?" Judging by her debut album, Ice Spice is determined to keep living that mantra.

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On Rakim's 'G.O.D's Network (REB7RTH)' The MC Turned Producer Continues His Legacy With An All-Star Cast

On his first project in 15 years, "God MC" Rakim produced seven songs and called on some of hip-hop's biggest names. The legend and his team detail his new album and working with Nipsey Hussle, DMX and Snoop Dogg.

Every album comes with a backstory, but not many come with two. Rakim 's new project G. O.D's Network (REB7RTH), out July 26, came together in a few quick months, from signing a deal in February 2024 to completion in June. The process was spurred by one dedicated A&R person frantically combing through his network of rappers to get guest verses over beats produced by the God MC himself.

But to hear that A&R man, Matt "M80" Markoff, tell it, creating the seven-song project didn't take four months. It took four years .

"I've known [Rakim's longtime manager] Matt [Kemp] and Rakim since 2007," Markoff tells me when I get him on the phone in late June. "They're used to getting calls from me a couple of times a year just for, like, show referrals, verse referrals, things of that nature."

Back at the beginning of the pandemic, Markoff had been talking to the folks at Fat Beats, the venerable record store-turned-distributor that's a huge name in independent hip-hop. He mentioned Rakim's name to the company, and Fat Beats responded that they'd love a project from the God MC. The original pitch, Markoff remembers, was "a three or four song EP with some remixes."

Rakim quoted his price, Fat Beats agreed, and the project was underway, with the emcee meeting with producers to look for beats. But Rakim, who hasn't released a solo album since 2009's The Seventh Seal , is not one to be hurried.

"Ra was having [DJ] Premier and Pete Rock and Ninth Wonder and some of these people come to the studio," Markoff says. "Because of scheduling conflicts and stuff and, you know, normal course of life, it just wasn't right. The vibe wasn't there."

That's where Jazzy Jeff came into play. Rakim and the legendary DJ began working together and, per Markoff, it "just meshed." It seemed like, instead of a handful of songs, a full-length record was in the offing.

"As soon as they finish the first song, I walk into Fat Beats and say, ‘Hey, this is what we're doing now,'" the A&R man recalls. "Instead of Rakim with random producers, it's Rakim/Jazzy Jeff. That'll be huge."

Then…nothing.

A few years pass , and the Rakim and Jazzy Jeff project is still unfinished. (Rakim described its status as "We have a couple records already done.") Fat Beats, which was on the auction block (it was eventually sold in March 2024), wants its money back. Rakim obliges, and everyone seems set to forget about the whole thing.

Markoff, however, was not about to give up on working with the man he calls "my favorite emcee of all time."

The revamped album started its life as not an album at all. Instead, the original conception was a model Markoff had used before: licensing beats by people not typically thought of as producers. In this case, he'd be offering aspiring rappers the chance to get beats by arguably the most influential rapper of all time.  

"He's taken people who are not necessarily known as producers and put together beat packages for them," manager Matt Kemp says of Markoff. "And then, one of the things he does is he goes out and he licenses those beats through a company that he has. If you're a European artist that wouldn't necessarily have access to things like that, you can get it."

So that, as of February of this year, was the (revamped) plan: have Rakim do six beats and one verse, and sell non-exclusive licenses, so that any rapper, anywhere in the world, who wants to use them in a song of their own could do so. This, indeed, was a vision that was followed through all the way to the finish line — you can see the end result released July 12, priced between $700-$1,050 depending on what you want to do with the beats and the rhyme, here .

But along the way to creating that package, things got significantly more complicated. As Rakim was making the beats, he found he really liked them. In some cases, he even wanted to rhyme on them himself.

"As the beats started coming together and Rakim was really in the studio and we started putting the rhymes onto them, we realized that it was bigger just than that [original vision]," Matt Kemp said.

The wheels started turning. Rakim, the God MC, as a producer? That would be a project worth sharing with the world, not just a few aspiring artists.

As it turns out, unbeknownst even to many Ra fans, the rapper has been making beats since the beginning. In fact, he produced — and played drums on — one of Eric B and Rakim's classic songs, 1992's "Juice (Know the Ledge)." So producing an entire project didn't seem like such a big stretch after all.  

"I always was attached to making beats," Rakim explains to me. "But I got to the point where I'm confident with my production now. I got the chance to produce the album and jumped at the opportunity."  

Rakim, as has been well documented over the years, comes from a musical family. His older brother Ronnie was a keyboard player of some note with his own claim on rap history , his other brother Stevie is also keyboardist who performed on some Eric B. and Rakim songs, and the rapper's aunt is the late R&B legend Ruth Brown. So when making beats, Ra will often play drums, bass, guitar, or piano. (He cops to enlisting one of his brothers if the keyboard part gets too complicated.)

He describes his production style this way: "You try to add on to the sample, and enhance certain sounds that you hear. Or you might just add a melody that you feel enhances the sample as well."  

In addition to playing instruments on the project, Rakim also plays the turntable.

"I always knew how to DJ, and I like being able to enjoy the project from a different seat," he tells me. "I enjoyed putting the music together, coming up with the scratch patterns."

So with the musical side of the equation firmly in place, what about the vocals? Rakim was inspired to add verses on a few songs, and hooks on a few more.

"It's mostly a project that I was supposed to be producing," he explains. "In the midst of that, there's certain beats that I'm playing and I'm like, ‘I gotta rhyme on this one,' or, ‘I got a rhyme that fits this one perfectly.'"

The question was, what to write about? After a decade and a half without an album, the rapper had a lot to discuss, and needed to find new ways to say it.

For the project's lead single, "BE ILL," he got in plenty of internal rhymes. And the song's tempo allowed him to come up with different rhythms.

"When tracks are at that speed, I'm able to manipulate time and space to come up with different rhythms because I have so much time and space to deal with," he says. "It was one of them songs I loved rhyming to. Just having fun with words and phrases, and at the same time having so much on my mind to say."

"I'm trying to say a lot of things," Ra admits when discussing his writing on the album. "It's hard to just come back and say a verse when you've been gone so long. So I tried to be very specific and cautious with the words that I chose, and try to be entertaining at the same time. So it was a little nerve wracking."

Even with Rakim's vocal contributions (he ends up with either verses or hooks on six of the project's seven tracks), more was needed to complete the songs. That's where Markoff really got going.

"Literally, I didn't waste a single day," he remembers. "I was calling the artists in my network. I reached out to each artist one by one, and let each artist go through the folder [of beats] with me and make their picks."

Among the artists Markoff reached out to were several members of the Wu-Tang Clan . He has a long relationship with the crew, having worked with them on several projects including the well-regarded 2005 album Wu-Tang Meet the Indie Culture .

Markoff recalls the exact moment when he lined up Wu member Masta Killa for his appearance on what became "BE ILL."

"I was at the first ever Wu-Tang Clan residency in Vegas, and I told Masta Killa, ‘Dude, I just got these Rakim beats 10 minutes ago.' I played 10 seconds of the second beat, which was the beat for ‘BE ILL.' And he was like, ‘That's the one.'"  

A different Wu-Tang show was responsible for one of the album's other notable guest appearances, Cash Money stalwart B.G. The two met at the concert, and the Louisiana rapper was in the studio "48 hours later," Markoff recalls.

For a handful of artists he had good long-term relationships with, Markoff let them choose which of Rakim's beats they wanted to rap over. In addition to Masta Killa, he names Chino XL, Hus Kingpin, 38 Spesh , and TriState as being on that short list. After that, he says, it was all his decision.  

The end result is a list of some of the top rappers in his Rolodex: Kool G. Rap, Method Man , Kurupt , Canibus , KXNG Crooked, Skyzoo , Joell Ortiz, and many more — including an outro from Snoop Dogg . But one of the most surprising things on the tracklist is that a number of the guests aren't alive anymore.

Nipsey Hussle , Prodigy, DMX , and Fred the Godson have verses on the record. All of them were people Markoff had worked with in some capacity over the course of his career. He says that all of the verses were "in my stash or under my ownership." So when he was looking for material for the Rakim project, they were a perfect fit.

The Nipsey Hussle contribution in particular stood out so much that the entire song, "Love Is the Message," was designed around it. The project's engineer placed Neighborhood Nip's verse first, and everyone else listened to that when recording.

"We kind of glorified who he is, and came up with the title ‘Love Is the Message' to put everything in perspective," Rakim tells me. " So everybody vibed off of that and everything that we implemented had to have that feel or had to be in that direction."  

One thing Rakim noticed as he was listening to the contributions coming in? Many of them were paying tribute to him. In particular, B.G. says in his verse that he's "on a song with the greatest."  

"To hear things like that from my peers is a beautiful thing," says Rakim, who also admits to tearing up when hearing Snoop Dogg praise him on the outro of one of the album's songs. "Hip-hop is one of the more, I guess, feisty genres. It's hard to get that love from your peers. So it's a real blessing to hear it from people like that, to hear what they think of you and to say that on records. A lot of people might think that of you, but would never say it on a record."

For Markoff, B.G.'s tribute was particularly meaningful because of the rapper's history. He began his career in a duo , and later a quartet , with another rapper sometimes considered the greatest of all time, Lil Wayne .

"For B.G. to have that history, but acknowledge Rakim — I was speechless," Markoff confides. "It was really cool to see. It's like, ‘I'm not just going to say my partner, my friend, my confidant Lil Wayne's the best because we grew up together.'"

Finally, after all the guest verses came in, the project was ready. Seven songs, entirely produced by Rakim, with raps by him and a broad cross-section of artists. The question, then: what exactly is this project? An album? An EP? Rakim's big comeback? A teaser for his eventual full-length return?

To Markoff, none of these labels are important. He's not concerned about fans being disappointed that a project under Rakim's name features only a handful of the rapper's verses.

 "The fan is going to look at it however they want to look at it," he says. "The negative people will stay negative. It wouldn't matter if it was the greatest album of all time. The positive people that are so grateful that I stepped up to the plate to help bring new Rakim music to the world are going to love it."

After all, he continues, "The whole point originally when we started making it was letting his peers shine on Rakim beats. The fact that this project morphed into something that Rakim literally is on 95% of, I couldn't have asked for more of a blessing."

So Matt Markoff, the boy who fell in love with Rakim's music at 12 is now, three decades later, putting out music from his hero.

"Dream fulfilled," he says right before we hang up. "Now I gotta figure out what I'm going to do for the rest of my life."  

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Denzel Curry Returns To The Mischievous South: "I've Been Trying To Do This For The Longest"

Over a decade after he released 'King of the Mischievous South Vol. 1,' Denzel Curry is back with 'Vol. 2.' The Miami rapper details his love of Southern hip-hop, working on multiple projects, and the importance of staying real.

Denzel Curry isn’t typically one for repetition. His recent run of critically acclaimed projects have all contrasted in concept and musicality.

The Miami Gardens native has cascaded through boom-bap, synth-soaked trap metal, and cloud rap throughout his catalog. But on his upcoming project, King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2, Curry returns to the muddied, subwoofer-thudding soundscape that he captured on the first installment back in 2012.  

Curry was just 16 when he released King of the Mischievous South Vol. 1 Underground Tape 1996 ]. "I was a kid, man," Curry tells GRAMMY.com. "I was just trying to emulate my favorite rappers at the time who really represented the South. That was pretty much what I was on at the time – the Soulja Slims, the No Limits, but mostly Three 6 Mafia. And then I just put Miami culture on top of that."

Curry first explored the rough-cut " phonk " of Southern acts like DJ Screw and Pimp C as a teenager. His first mixtape, King Remembered Underground Tape 1991-1995 , caught the attention of then-rising rapper and producer SpaceGhostPurrp . He shared Curry’s project on his social media accounts, making him an official member of South Florida’s Raider Klan.

Read more: A Guide To Southern Hip-Hop: Definitive Releases, Artists & Subgenres From The Dirty South

The now-defunct group is well behind Curry, who’s ascended from the infancy of his early SoundCloud days to mainstream success. But the rapid-fire delivery and hazy, rough-cut sounds of early Southern rap are still soaked into his musical fibers.

Reignited by the same musical heroes that led to Vol. 1, Curry is comfortable in old sonic form. Vol. 2 's lead singles "Hot One" (feat. A$AP Ferg and TiaCorine ) and "Black Flag Freestyle" with That Mexican OT fully capture the sharp-edged sound that stretched from Port Arthur, Texas to the Carolinas.

The rapper wanted to go back to the KOTMS series nearly a decade ago, but other projects and outside ventures derailed his return. "I tried to do this thing multiple times," Curry tells GRAMMY.com. "I remember revisiting a [social media post] from 2015 that was like, ‘ KOTMS Vol. 2055 is now going to be called Imperial.’ I’ve been trying to do this for the longest."  

A string of bouncy, syrup-pouring, and playalistic Southern trap songs led him back to familiar grounds. The new 15-song capsule features Juicy J, 2 Chainz , Project Pat, That Mexican OT, Maxo Kream, and others inspired by the same pioneers that fall below the Mason-Dixon line.

GRAMMY.com sat down with Curry before the release of King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2 on July 19. The "Ultimate" rapper revealed his "Big Ultra" persona, his ability to crank out hits from his bedroom, and his recent discoveries being "outside."  

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.  

What inspired you to revisit the ' King of the Mischievous South ' series?

I was making two projects at once, and there was a through-line from the second half of the project. The second one I was working on kind of just manifested itself into what it is today, 12 years later. And it’s called King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2 because it has the same sonics as the first one.

You mentioned Three 6 Mafia being a big inspiration for Vol. 1. But what about Vol. 2?  

The first KOTMS was obviously Three 6 Mafia, and then Lord Infamous was really the person I looked up to, God rest his soul. I get my rap style from him — the rapid flows and stuff like that. You can even hear it on "Walkin’" and "Clout Cobain." But since I’m from Miami, I’m talking about stuff that predominantly happens in Miami. And  I’m influenced by Soulja Slim, Master P, DJ Screw, UGK, Trina, Trick Daddy, and Rick Ross.

How did you juggle the two different projects at once?

When I wasn’t working on one project, I was working on the other one. Sometimes I would be working on the same two projects on the same day. I was like, If this one won’t see the light of day until next year, this one has to hold fans over . And the one that was supposed to hold fans over ended up having a crazy through-line.

What were the studio sessions like?

When it came down to the production, I was just making these songs on the fly. A couple came out of Ultraground sessions , but the majority of the songs were made in my bed — just how it was with the first one. "Hot One" was made in my house downstairs, and "Hit The Floor" was made in a random room in an AirBnb . And I think the rest of the songs were made in an actual studio.

I was just flowing, doing my thing, and figuring things out. I was working on one project, and when I wasn’t getting called back to the studio, I was working on another one on the side. The grind didn’t stop.

Was there an element or feature that you really wanted to explore?

I just knew I wanted certain rappers to be featured on [project]. When I was working on "Set It," I originally wanted PlayThatBoiZay . But he didn’t get the record done or whatever the case may be. So, I sent it to Maxo Kream, and he ended up just doing it. And when I made "Wish List," I got Armani White on it.  Me and him came off of doing " Goated ," so getting that record done was really simple . He pulled up to the studio and he said, "This is tight," and then jumped on the record.

Some stuff didn’t make the cut because we couldn’t get certain people. But the majority of the stuff that made the cut, we were like, "Yes, we did that." Then having people like Ski Mask the Slump God, 2 Chainz, Project Pat, and Juicy J — all these guys played a role. I’m getting people from the South, whether they’re from Texas, Florida, or the Carolinas. And even people outside of the South,  like A$AP Ferg and Armani White , they’re all influenced by the same artists.  

Learn more: A Guide To Texas Hip-Hop: Definitive Releases, Artists & Events

Your persona on the album, "Big Ultra." Break that down for me.

This is how the name came about — my boy’s nickname is Mr. Don’t Fold. It’s kind of a play on "Mr. Don’t Play," so we came up with "Big Ultra" because I’m doing " ultraground " stuff. It wasn’t on some superpower s—, it’s just me, pretty much. It’s how I wanted to be presented on this tape. It’s just me at the end of the day, it’s no persona.

You’ve been in the rap game for a while. Do you consider yourself a veteran?

I think I’m mostly in a formation period because my best years haven’t even happened yet. I feel like I’m just getting my reps in, preparing myself for my 30s. You know, going through the bulls—, having good times, having bad times.

By the time I get to 30, 35, and 40 — God willing — I could have a fruitful career and not be backtracked by dumb s—. I see myself as someone with a lot to offer because I’m still young.

Do you care about garnering more fame or acclaim? Or is there no need for it?  

All my projects are critically acclaimed. The main thing is staying good at what I do. That comes with a lot of effort, a lot of studying, and a lot of work. I take pride in my job and I have fun making music.

I think the hardest part is putting myself out there and being visible. I’m starting to understand that’s what I had to do. I got asked the same question five times in a row about when my album was dropping. I’ve been saying July 19 for the longest. Like, people really haven’t been paying attention? C’mon, bro.

What do you feel is the next step?

I’m just trying to be more visible where the younger generation is at. Most people know me for "Ultimate," "Clout Cobain," or the [ XXL Freshman Class] Cypher if I’m being totally real with you. But in due time , everybody has blessings in certain parts of their career. And I’ve been blessed to have a career this long.

All I have to do is just deliver, be real with myself, and do what I have to do. I got to lean into being outside. I didn’t know who messed with me or who liked my stuff until I started going outside and talking to people. You never know who rocks with you until you're outside.   

As far as the music and experience, where does the album rank for you?

I didn’t think about where I’d rank this. We had a whole decade of producing great records, and people look forward to the album experience more than the single when it comes to me. This is what it is, and I just want people to enjoy it. It’s not something to put too much effort or thought into. It’s something you can bump into the club, or you could go to a show and turn up to it. That’s where I’m at with it.  

Are there any other sounds or genres you want to explore?

It’s going to happen when it’s supposed to happen naturally. But I do want to explore pop and R&B a year from now. I want people to be able to sing my songs and stuff like that.

Latest Rap News & Music

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• 4 On Rakim's 'G.O.D's Network (REB7RTH)' The MC Turned Producer Continues His Legacy With An All-Star Cast
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Here's What Lil Yachty Means When He Says He 'Took The Wock To Poland'

After snippets of Lil Yachty ’s “Poland” leaked online, the tune immediately became a viral phenomenon and has proven itself to be just as addictive as the song’s subject matter. Lil Yachty hasn’t released a song in over a year, so it’s no surprise that the song would become a hit with a one liner that’s got all of the social media in a digital grasp.

On Oct. 4, shortly after the leaks, Yachty, or Lil Boat as he’s affectionately known to fans, released the official minute-and-a-half-long song on SoundCloud .

POLAND – LIL YACHTY(PROD. F1LTHY) by Lil Yachty, RD, Lil Boat on #SoundCloud https://t.co/0aw1OHfEWI — C.V Thomas (@lilyachty) October 4, 2022

This is great news for fans of the 25-year-old Georgia native who have been itching for some new music since he dropped his Michigan Boy Boat mixtape last year.

Yachty hasn’t released a song in over a year, and it’s no surprise that the song would become a hit with a one liner that got all of the social media in a digital grasp.

According to Genius , “Poland” was recorded in 2021, and in August of this year, Yachty caught wind of a snippet floating around on the internet, and he wasn’t thrilled. This is when he decided to exclusively drop the track on SoundCloud. The F1LTHY- produced track has since amassed over 4.2 million plays.

Following the instant popularity of the song, it’s been placed on digital streaming platforms, such as Apple Music, Spotify, and Tidal.

However, now that they’ve finally got a full length version of “Poland” in their possession, some fans have a few questions about the song’s content.  If you’re an old head, you might be asking yourself the same.

What does Wock mean?

Wock is short for Wockhardt , an India-based pharmaceutical company that produces — you guessed it — promethazine and codeine cough syrup. For those who aren’t familiar with promethazine and codeine, those are the key ingredients in lean. Back in the 90s, all the rappers used to rap about Actavis, another global pharmaceutical company. However, it looks like Yachty wants to make Wock the new trend as he travels around the European country of Poland .

We definitely don’t encourage ”Wock” or other drugs, and we still don’t understand why taking it to Poland is a big deal. Codeine is an opiod , highly addictive, and misuse can result in overdose or even death.

Although the subject matter itself isn’t worthy of a theme song, you can still check out some of Twitter’s responses to the track below.

One fan re-created a cover for the song, and Yachty said, he’s changing his current cover to this!

& ON GOD IM CHANGIN DA COVER 2 DIS TMMR https://t.co/GRf1zL1sue — C.V Thomas (@lilyachty) October 11, 2022

Fans were anxiously waiting for the DSP release.

drop on Spotify i need to vibe — Blooper (@BlooperBraves) October 8, 2022

Another fan professed his adoration for the one-liner.

Bro I’m addicted to that line — 𝘼𝙇𝙀𝙓𝙄𝙎❈ (@AlexisArtistry) October 5, 2022

Someone said it’s the best song ever made.

This is the best song ever made — ͏layi (@layi_olusanya) October 4, 2022

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Lil Yachty Says He Was 'Really Irritated' When “Poland” Leaked, Talks Relationship With Drake

Lil Yachty sat down with Zane Lowe to discuss his album 'Let's Start Here,' as well as the success of "Poland" and his collaborative friendship with Drake.

Lil Yachty  recently sat down with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe to discuss his new album Let’s Start Here , as well as the success of his 2022 single “Poland” and his relationship with Drake .

Yachty admits he was “really irritated” when “Poland” leaked in October , as he intended for the instantly viral song— which he recorded while making Let’s Start Here— to be on his album.

“That was irritating,” he told Lowe. “I was pissed because I made ‘Poland’ while making this album on a day when they were mixing shit in the other room and I was just bored with the homies, and I would’ve never dropped ‘Poland,’ ever, because I was trying to pivot myself into this. So I was really irritated when it dropped, but I’m so grateful it did. And like I said, I really don’t know what I do next. I don’t know if I’m going to do this again or do more rap shit...I’ll figure it out.”

In the November conversation below, Yachty said he unintentionally played a part in the song leaking:

Elsewhere in the new Lowe interview, Lil Yachty shed more light on his collaborative friendship with Drake. After co-signing Yachty a number of times and appearing on his 2020 single and hilarious music video “Oprah’s Bank Account” , Drizzy enlisted Lil Boat for his and 21 Savage’s 2022 album Her Loss.  The hit record included writing credits from Yachty on standout tracks such as “Jumbotron Shit Poppin,” “Pussy & Millions,” and “Privileged Rappers,” among others.

“I love him to death,” Yachty said of Drake. “Yeah, that’s my guy, man…our relationship has just grown. I had a conversation with him after and I was just telling him, ‘Man, this music that you made over this time period has affected so many people.’”

He continued, “I said, ‘Man, I remember there was a point in time when you were about to release music and everyone was like, man, I’m about to call my ex. Like, oh man, I’m finna cry.’ That was a time period. And that’s when people thought when Drake was finna drop, you thought like, oh man, I’m about to get back with my ex-girlfriend. You felt like emotions were about to be pulled out of you. I was like, ‘Man, we got to get back on that. You got to get back on that.’ At this point I feel so close to him. I feel like whatever he does, I did it. If he wins something, I feel like I just won. He’s really, really smart. No matter how much he’ll act like he’s oblivious to his career and the things that he’s done, he knows what certain things and certain moments in his career mean to people.”

Listen to  Let’s Start Here  here .

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