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Theyre still hitting home for me, J.I.D says.
This time, J.I.D focuses on his upbringing, as the youngest of seven siblings.
Heres the Mos Def song.
Fat Booty.I always been a fan of him.
His soundscapes, everything he rapped over was always iconic in my ears.
So I just felt like I could do it justice with the pocket that the producers made.
It felt refreshing to the sounds of how Im hearing things today.
It was just good for the moment for me.
You also got Yasiin Bey later on the album too.
I guess he heard or caught wind of what I was doing.
In an interview he spoke about me pretty highly.
So from then on, I was on a mission.
Through the process hes been super cool.
This album has been in the works for a long time.
It was just overcoming fears to get this music, not done, but to get it out.
It was hard, in this process, trying to do everything I wanted to do.
I was going as hard as I can with it.
Its all about trying to push everything forward.
Thats where I live at.
Im always trying to confirm what Im doing feels fresh to me.
Also the name alone, Forever its so many artists that have said that word.
I tried to tap in to use it in different ways.
The songs in the middle of the album dig into some difficult territory.
But at the same time it has to be real.
It was a fine line that I was teetering.
It felt like growth too, just me opening up a little bit more.
So that was me from, I guess, 2017 to about 2019.
Just me trying to show that, Hey, look at this.
Look at these skill sets.
Look at this technical ability.
Look at the wordplay.
Then just give a shot to be intentional in my attempts for what Im saying.
I dont even think the direct person that Sistanem is about has even heard that.
The way I ended it was very abrupt, because its an ongoing thing.
It wasnt a resolve to the issue.
Its real.Yeah, thats the way I am with that right now.
The dial tone, the echo saying, Thats fucked up thats what I was saying in the background.
Thats how I feel to this day.
You were saying it took you a bit to figure out how to say it.
Im such a stickler of how things are said.
It was a weird process.
You know what Im saying?
Lets talk about something new on this album, which was hearing you sing.
What made you want to do that?I always could hold a tone.
I just wanted to dive deeper into it.
A lot of the work Ive done, its a lot of melodic elements.
Its funny, you knowthe yodel boy who was singing in the Walmart?
Just pulling inspiration from everywhere.
I think I did it right too.
This project has significantly more features than your past albums.
Thundercat being a part of it, super huge for me.
Those two guys, just because I have a relationship with them.
Ive been a fan before I was even any throw in of name or in this position.
We really was getting deep into it.
Along the way we was just making music and building through that process.
Thundercat was a part ofDiCaprio 2.
So me and Thundercat had a rapport immediately.
I was just hoping to pull the best music out of the whole situation.
What makes you want to jump on a song for a feature?It depends on the artist.
Knowing I can stand beside them morally.
I attempt to double-check its somebody I can really respect.
If you got that, its pretty much over with me.
I just want to work with good people and in return share these great experiences.
I really find it and go for it though.
I think Im pretty fluid in finding a pocket where I could do what Im best at.
Thats been something that Ive been proud about and been able to stand on.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
