You Try It Again Cause I Aint Trying
Nipsey Hussle's Victory Lap is out now. Nicholas Watkin @NickWYNC/Courtesy of the creative person hide caption
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Nicholas Watkin @NickWYNC/Courtesy of the creative person
Nipsey Hussle's Victory Lap is out now.
Nicholas Watkin @NickWYNC/Courtesy of the artist
A decade in the waiting, Nipsey Hussle'due south Victory Lap is more than than an anticipated major-characterization debut — it's a testament to the contained grind he employed to cultivate a dedicated fanbase. This is same creative person, afterwards all, who had the audacity to price physical copies of his 2013 mixtape Crenshaw at $100 a pop, when a still woefully devalued music industry had rappers en masse giving away their music for free.
Nipsey didn't buy it. And it paid in dividends: $100,000 in the first 24 hours, to be exact — even Jay-Z respected his hustle enough to order 100 copies. Only it takes more than an innate business organisation ethic to brand great music. And on Victory Lap, the first release from his multi-album deal with Atlantic Records, he opens the vault to reveal of fresh stockpile of thug motivation. A long-time fellow member of Fifty.A.'s notorious Rollin' 60s Crips, Nipsey's gangland snarl remains as visceral as e'er, but the erstwhile street entrepreneur hustles legally now, a reformed hard-head turned inspiration to the hood.
When I talked to him for the sectional breakdown of his anthology with NPR Music, Nipsey was still feeling the rut from social media afterwards an Instagram postal service of him praising a positive prototype of young blackness boys was widely condemned for simultaneously expressing homophobic sentiments. He declined to speak on it directly, saying he preferred to let the music speak for itself. In a sense, it does. Nipsey's hustle speaks to those who often develop a paranoid sense of hypermasculinity in lodge to survive environments where their own identity is a primary target. That's certainly no defence force, but perhaps some missing context.
"When they [read] this interview, they'll be able to go through and listen to the album and really break down my point of view," he told me, after deep-diving into Victory Lap, rails past track, in his ain words. "That'll requite them an insight on who I am and what I believe in more than any tweet or statement or Instagram postal service. When they hear the music, they'll hear what I believe in and what I choose to promote. And I remember that'due south the most important affair."
one. "Victory Lap"
"I'm a urban legend / South Central in a certain section / Can't explicate how I curbed detectives, guess it'south / Evidence of a divine presence."
If you check the stats — the murder rates and incarceration rates in the years I was a teenager in 50.A. — in my section of the Crenshaw District, in the Rollin 60s, none of my peers survived. None of my peers avoided prison. None of 'em. Everybody got bullet wounds and felonies and strikes. Then to make information technology out mentally stable and not in prison and non on drugs, that's a win. That's a victory in itself. So to be in the position I find myself in as an artist and entrepreneur who has respect around the world — that's legendary. And I say it in the most humble way.
That's what I was talking about in that line. When I reverberate on it, information technology'south unbelievable. It's gotta exist show of a divine presence, because information technology wasn't that I'g but the smartest dude or just wiggled my way through. It had to be a calling on my life and I started to see that.
ii. "Rap Due north*****"
Me and Diddy had already been in contact with each other past being in the music industry and all of that, merely my son'due south mom [actor Lauren London] did an early Sean John ad and she had a good human relationship with him since then. Her and Cassie were real close; any time Cassie would take a birthday party or they'd be hanging out, Lauren would invite me. I'd be like, I ain't trying to jerk into no relationships. But in one case Puff was similar, "Tell Nip to come through, man; Nip don't f*** with me or what?" Then I made sure that I went. Me and Puff had a existent good convo. I was just similar, "You lot know bro, I ain't i of them dudes that be trying to get up under Diddy's hand and play niggas close and all of that. I know you've got a million people that endeavour to get free energy from you and your resources upward out you."
He's like, "Nah bro, I'1000 in L.A. and I respect the move. Let's build." We had a convo near Life Afterwards Death. Puff was blessed to have an artist every bit great every bit Biggie and Biggie was blessed to take a producer as great as Puff. To me, Bad Boy was the Motown for rap — which is being able to engineer the songwriters, the producers, the stars — so I have the ultimate respect for Puff as a producer. I told him, "I would dear to get in the studio with you and build on that level."
He was like, "Nah Nip! I ain't never washed a West Coast album, that'd be crazy. I'll produce the whole anthology." I'm like, "Alright I'1000 a hold y'all to that!" When it was anthology time, I told him, "Wait, I got my album washed, I'm coming to play these records for you."
I originally asked him to get on "Rap N*****." He heard the record and he was like, "Yeah, 'Rap N*****' is strong Hussle, only heed to this." And he pulled upwards [1994's] "Natural Built-in Killaz" with Water ice Cube and Dre. And he said, "It don't sound similar that though, bro." And this was the version [of "Rap N*****"] before the i nosotros put out. It had less product. So I had my producer and nosotros went to Puff's mansion he had merely bought in L.A. — he had built a studio in the dorsum.
He pressed play [again] on "Natural Born Killaz," like, "I hear what you're trying to do. Information technology didn't audio like this sonically; it'due south not ready, bro." And I'm like, "Damn. You right!" We had it mixed and mastered, merely the Dre and Ice Cube tape was noticeably louder. Then nosotros went dorsum to the studio and I hitting [audio engineer] Mixed by Ali, like, "Bro we gotta mix it once again, it'south not loud plenty." He'south like, "No, information technology's gonna get louder in mastering." "No, bro." And I played "Natural Born Killaz" for everybody — the producers, the keyboard players. I said, "Heed to the energy of this record. We gotta make it this loud."
We went back in and reproduced information technology and added the synths to get throughout the whole song instead of [dropping] the instruments out on certain parts. This is West Declension street anthem. Allow the synth get through the whole song. So we remixed it and brought it back and Puff was like, "At present information technology's ready, bro."
iii. "Last Time That I Checc'd" (feat. YG)
I wanted to create something for the Due west Coast that they felt like was specifically for them. And I'yard certain that it won't stop there, but I do feel like it's going to belong to the Declension. I just wanted to. I reference the Jeezy line — "Last time I checked I was the homo on these streets" — and then I started with that idea and I remembered how important that moment was for Jeezy. I wanted to create an canticle for the streets and my generation.
A lot of us were raised off these principles that we got from the Jay-Z catalog or the Tupac catalog and, afterwards, the Jeezy catalog or the E-40 catalog. There were jewels in there that, if you really live past them, your life will benefit and your financial status will benefit. My perspective was ingrained in that music. And this ain't a shot at no other artists, but if we live by the principles in the music that my era is existence exposed to, we're gonna end upwards strung out, we're gonna finish upwards in a bad position. You get artists that say "I own't no role model," and I respect that. I understand art reflecting life, but we grew up on art instructing life, with love and from a position of: I been there young bro and I know information technology's hard on you but I did information technology like this; hither'south the breadstuff crumbs. After a while, I felt like it was most a responsibility for me to give the game upward [on record]. I look at it similar a blueprint.
iv. "Young N*****" (feat. Puff Daddy)
The session [with Puff] was and so legendary. I'grand like, "Puff, you not finna trump my energy on my album. Just know that in your first session with Nip, I'm 'bout to be turnt up more than than you." We clapped information technology upward after every accept. Nosotros doing push-ups. I brought a pound of Marathon O.Thou. He tapped out like, "I can't smoke no more of this weed with you Hussle, I'm 'bout to smoke my weed in these joints." We actually had a legendary session; he got to experience my energy, I got to experience his energy as a producer. And he was in the booth screaming. It was a room total of people and I told everbody, "Hey man, when he comes out that booth, everybody clap simply to keep the energy going. Not to stroke no ego, just just to keep the energy up, you know what I mean, to say, I capeesh yous giving your all to this record." It was just a fire session.
Nosotros got mode more than what we needed. And so I just sat there, edited it later and just kept the lines where he was really responding to what I was saying. But yeah, I think Puff added a lot of dynamics to that record.
I likewise talk about a real-life story that took place. My blood brother had buried a quarter of a million dollars in my momma'south back yard on 60th Street that he had just got off the street. He left it there for a year and when he went to become dig it upwards a fiddling bit more than than half of information technology had molded. He had the fire-proof, globe-proof condom, wrapped it in plastic, dropped it in the safe then buried information technology. But when he dug information technology upwardly, one-half of that money was molded. I remember him just losing his south***, and I'm like, "Oh human, this is devastating." I remember u.s. all being in the living room in my momma's business firm — my mom included, my trivial sister, she was probably like ten or 11 at the time — we had all this money laid out. Information technology was similar a conveyor belt. Somebody was in the kitchen rinsing and trying their hardest to scrape all the mold off. The money was ripping in half. It was hundreds and thousands like lumped together. Now you lot couldn't fifty-fifty unfold the money. Information technology mildewed. And I just remember us in the living room with a blow dryer, blow-drying all the money and trying to salvage as much as nosotros could.
I wanted to stand for that story on record. It'due south blended into the overall verse but if you actually tap in you'll hear the moment where I speak about information technology.
five. "Dedication (feat. Kendrick Lamar)"
"This ain't entertainment, it's for niggas in the slave ship / These songs is the spirituals I swam against them waves with...."
I meant that in my spirit, and I never was able to articulate it. I got major support for this anthology — we spent millions on marketing — and that line is on information technology. As somebody that looked at our position in America and had an opinion well-nigh information technology, I feel like I did my task past being able to get that line off. And that means everything to me. I was really proud that information technology came out like that 'cause I ain't write none of these lyrics; I just went in the booth. And so information technology was in my gut and information technology was in my spirit to say that. That's a actually of import line to me.
Marathon was the terminal projection I wrote [lyrics down] for every vocal. And I didn't even write all of those. I get a more passionate commitment when I just go in the booth and let the music talk. It's less rigid and it's less structured, so sometimes yous lose content value. Only I plant a skillful balance lately. I ain't never spoke on it cause that'southward Jay-Z'southward narrative and that'southward Biggie'south narrative. Then I never wanted to seem like I was copying them. Merely I've been writing raps since I was probably thirteen, 14 years old. So it has evolved. I can get in the booth one time I hear the beat and instead of writing it I say into the mic.
6. "Bluish Laces 2"
Lebron James, when he won that kickoff title, they got footage of him on YouTube in the locker room before the game started and he was playing a song in his headphones. When he took his headphones off, I got the song smash through the headphones and it was "Blue Laces" off the original Marathon. I was real flattered. So I'chiliad similar, I wanna make a "Bluish Laces 2" on Victory Lap. So I chosen Mr. Lee from Texas. He's a legendary producer from down due south [in] Houston. I was introduced to him by Jonny Shipes, who owns Cinematic Records and originally signed me. Lee'southward like Rick Rubin with his ear; he's got an incredible hip-hop ear. We did the original "Blue Laces." Every bit I'one thousand wrapping up Victory Lap, I called him and I'grand similar, "Bro, make me a 'Blue Laces two.' " He made information technology in two days and sent information technology to me. I was diddled away. And I just went in the booth again and started talking.
Me and Big Reese from Lincoln Park in San Diego became really shut, he's similar an O.G. He'due south been around forever, just he just turned into a real positive dude that came upwards out the struggle. He was part of Xzibit's movement. So I was in the studio working on "Blueish Laces ii," and by him being a office of Mike & Keys' production group, nosotros had a studio together. And then he was always in the studio with me. He heard when I did my first verse and he was similar, "That's tight Hussle, where yous goin'?" I'm like, "Leaving. Come up dorsum tomorrow." He'due south says, "Don't exit. Practise the second verse right now." I did my second verse and he's like, "D*** that's tight, bro. The second one is harder than the first poetry." He'southward like, "Finish the song right at present, Nip. Y'all've got a certain spirit right now. Don't get out."
I went and I did the third poetry and the third verse blew me away; it was hard for me to get it out. I was overwhelmed considering of how truthful it was and how existent information technology was to him. I was in the booth having a moment. I got out the berth and I'm like, "Damn, bro. You was utilized by some higher power today." Cause I would accept left and the poesy wouldn't have been the same. I know it. Then I gotta requite Reese his credit on that i. That'due south one of my favorite records. I tin binge listen to that over and over and over. It's but existent natural and it's real honest. The third verse, particularly, is nigh a moment in my life.
7. "Hussle & Motivate"
One of my homegirls did a lot of hooks on my mixtape catalog. She merely got the correct energy. She writes like a trained songwriter, only she got hip-hop swag, too. Then I called her upwardly and said I demand a claw for this. Come through and vibe on up. And she brought this guy I never met before. I'yard similar, "I ain't tell you to bring nobody; I said come through!" I'grand real funny about who comes to the studio [so] I was a little upset, to exist honest. I'yard like, "Man you brought [people] I don't know to my studio?"
As presently equally the crush starts playing, everybody's bobbing their head. And every bit soon as the verse stops, he starts humming. And when he starts bustling I'grand like, "Oh this n****'southward the truth! Adept lookin'." So I tell him, "Don't hum information technology, go in the booth, bro!" So he goes in the booth. And, if y'all discover, one-half the claw isn't words, information technology's bustling. It'due south like a Negro spiritual, only like an emotion.
He says, "I'ma fix that." And I'm like, "No you not! Leave that s*** but like it is." The communication on that one is visceral. You don't necessarily sympathize information technology intellectually, you experience it though. It's a vibe; it's a frequency that y'all capture. We were talking about getting other artists to sing information technology, and I was similar, "Nosotros not changing nothing. Leave information technology but like that. He's gonna exist on the album every bit-is." Then I went in and did the second verse.
Clearly it's a sample of the Jay-Z "Hard Knock Life" record. Shout out to Jay 'cause he signed off on that one. The hook is basically saying I don't do this for nothing. They got this narrative, [assuming we] want to exist in the streets going through what we go through and taking risks. That's only the farthest affair from the truth. So I wanted to address that.
8. "Condition Symbol 3 (feat. Buddy)"
I met Buddy through Mike & Keys, my producers. We congenital a studio and the whole goal was to create the synergy that Motown had and Death Row had, where the producers, the writers, the artists, the executive team was all under ane roof. The studio [h]as 4 rooms, two offices and a conditioning room. And information technology was simply a dope energy. And Buddy was the artist that they brought in to piece of work on.
Instantly, I saw that he was gifted. He'southward from Compton, but he's got a completely different manner of music than what y'all know Compton for, and the dude can rap as good as your best rapper. He can sing equally good every bit your all-time singer. And he's 100 pct costless from all social pressure to be ane of these type of individuals. That's what I respect virtually Buddy to the utmost; he'southward him. And he's far from a punk type of person. He's not a gang member. He grew up in a gang area but he's but him — an artist and a cool person. He got charisma; he's like a star all the style through and through. I hopped on a couple of his records just 'cause I believed in the music, and then we did the commencement "Status Symbol."
"Well-nigh Forgot" was the title of this tape for like a year or two. But then I started thinking and [decided], nah, it'south called "Status Symbol iii." When me and Buddy come together on a record, information technology's gonna be called "Status Symbol" from at present on.
9. "Succa Proof"
I've been known to exist real positive lately, real business astute and an inspirational figure. But I have to tap dorsum into the energy of what this is. We ain't endorsing celebrities and gang membership. We own't doing that in my tribe. Nosotros trying to redefine the tribe. Nosotros trying to stimulate the immature people that did come from jail. Merely I been there; nosotros trying to exist on good terms.
This ain't no subliminal diss for everyone that started bangin' after they were successful. That's Soulja Boy; that's Chris Dark-brown. If the shoes fits, habiliment it. I know Soulja Male child and I know Chris Brown, but I want to be existent. Equally far every bit gang bangin', they're not gang bangers. You probably are a real n****. Simply as far as Piru, Crip, Blood, you're not a Blood, you're not a Piru. You lot'll never be one, catamenia. Y'all're not a Crip. That'southward merely a fact. Stop playing. I got dead homies from this, for real.
Do I feel like Soulja Male child'southward not a man? Nah. I respect Soulja Male child. I've been in the club with Soulja Boy. [But] if I got a footling brother and he's doing goofy due south***, I'ma tell him: That's goofy, bro. That own't a hundred. But I yet got love for you. You however my brother, but that'southward goofy and we ain't condoning that type of goofiness. Period. That's what this song is about. We ain't gonna tell you to gang bang; we gonna tell you to buy out the block. And nosotros gonna back up the businesses and create tourism around here. This is Crenshaw Boulevard. This is a famous street.
ten. "Keyz 2 The Urban center 2 (feat. TeeFlii)"
It's a fact-check on the city of L.A. I encounter a lot of so-called competition; subliminal dissing going on. Everybody's celebrating what they experience is an honor. And to me, if nosotros want to exist straight-forward, what we did in our community and what we did internally as gang members from my section, the Rollin' 60s, that'due south the blueprint. So every other gang in L.A. — and it'due south not disrespect — follow the blueprint. Link up with your team, build businesses, build enterprise, create additions for your young people to come up upwards underneath. That'south the bragging right. We already putting numbers upward. Check your scoreboard.
We never lost on some street s***, but that ain't worth bragging about it. That'due south not what the metric is; the metric is what we built as entrepreneurs and as leaders. That's the nature of Crenshaw and of the Marathon store. Then that's what this song's nearly.
eleven. "Grinding All My Life"
I told [producer] Murder Beats I needed something for the club. I needed something that was up-tempo that could move people. Sonically, that's the inspiration. I spoke nearly a real state of affairs that took identify in [Las] Vegas. 50 Cent and Mayweather were at that place. Some northward***** tried to rob one of the people that was with us for his jewelry. The charges got reversed, and it didn't go then well for the other guy. Merely other than that, I wanted to tell the truth. All my life I've been grinding. I stopped going to school when I was 14 and I was self-educated since then. Only I pursued hustling and music total-fourth dimension since then.
It was just what the music sounded similar to me. I wanted the album to be a collection of narratives and to stand for real stories that took place in my life. So I had a existent day, YG was hosting at the same club I was hosting at and fifty was there. We had all the cars out. And information technology was just a real night.
12. "Million While Y'all Immature (feat. The-Dream)"
The goal was to brand a million dollars, for me, dealing in the street. That'due south similar going platinum. If you lot're in music yous want to [sell] platinum and win a Grammy. But to be able to cross that threshold, literally, and say, "Damn, I touched a million dollars." I wrote that song and remembered the emotion of feeling like, "How tin you make a million dollars? How tin yous do that?" I didn't even know how, or what the path was.
I simply wanted to talk about the journeying and what that's like — how unlikely it is to not go to the Feds, not become life in jail, not get killed or betrayed and turned on past your people before you bear upon that million. It was only a celebratory expression. That'south why I put it toward the end of the album, because it'south like y'all get in that location eventually. It'due south kind of like a moment, and a listening experience, to celebrate the victory.
13. "Loaded Bases (feat. CeeLo Greenish)"
That'south a real life moment I describe. I remember being 19. I had reached all my adolescent goals. Information technology was ten years, xv years ago almost. I had touched 2 bricks for the first time, and I felt myself getting pulled into a direction. One time you lot cross these invisible lines, it's hard to go back. So I felt myself brand a decision: "What you gonna do, homie?"
I had given up on music considering I went broke so many times trying to do music when I was a teenager. I wasn't 1 of them types; I wanted to have money. I'd felt what it feels similar to be independent and celebrated in my area — even on such a shallow level. For the girls to beloved me, having cars and having jewelry and being a young teenager; I was adolescent ballin'. I liked that feeling.
That train of logic drove my thought process. I don't know nobody in the streets that ever made a hundred million dollars. I'thousand looking at Jay-Z, Puffy, Master P — these guys accept a $100 million. And it's a marathon; it's a long haul. Only I don't know a man hustling that made a hundred factory. I know n***** that made information technology to $one meg, $10, peradventure five. Just none of them avoided the Feds. All of them got told on. They were the man for five summers and they gave the country or the Feds twenty summers. So the risk versus reward didn't pan out. That same mean solar day, I went and sold all my equipment and sold my jewelry. Sold my Lincoln; I had these rims, these Alpina rims that everybody in Fifty.A. kept request me [about]. I did non want to sell information technology, just I fabricated a conclusion. That was one of the best decisions of my life. Sold the Lincoln and I went to Guitar Center and my brother met me upwards there and matched me. We bought all the equipment.
So that'south what that line [comes from]: I was sitting on my Lincoln, I started thinking / North**** I own't gon' make a hundred manufactory off in these streets and / more than probable I'm gon' terminate upwards in somebody's precinct / or even worse, a horse and wagon in forepart of the church laid off in a hearse."
xiv. "Real Big (feat. Marsha Ambrosius)"
It was only thinking most where I'm at in my life with my married woman and my son. I always had a hunch that I could practise it. It was ever an uphill, I don't know how I'yard going to do information technology, type of thing. I only idea I could. I believed that if I but took steps toward it, the path will reveal itself.
When I look at what this moment is, it'south confirmation once more: We here. That was my goal, to put out a major album, on my characterization, and be respected as an authentic artist in hip-hop and take a great business setup. I always knew that it would stop upwards like this. I've been through a lot, and we've been through a lot of setbacks and loss and moments where I didn't know if information technology was going to happen. And I dealt with all of the pressures and all of the expectations and letdowns and everything. And just to be where nosotros at, it'due south but a song reflecting on that. You lot gotta ability through it mentally, and you gotta walk by religion.
15. "Double Upwards (feat. Abdomen and Dom Kennedy)"
"My new s*** audio similar it's 'Soul Train' / Tookie Williams over Coltrane"
That's what the anthology sounds like to me, man. It sounds similar Tookie Williams over Coltrane. If I was to sum it all up, I would say that. My tone is a lot more than relaxed than people normally hear. I'one thousand nearly talking. And then Abdomen'due south contribution is crazy. He'south ane of the dopest artists, rappers, and songwriters in the game. I'll mind to words and why he chose to say that word. And the words are unique and I personally like artists who are not drawing from adequate palettes that already piece of work; they're choosing new palettes and new colors. So I love what he did. And so me and Dom got a history of just doing dope records together, so right earlier the album was done we got on the phone and I said, "I need you on this album. I don't think I should close the album without having you roll on it. I got Kendrick and I got YG; I need you." And so the album belongs to the coast. I think we all collectively congenital this West Coast back together in our respective ways.
Source: https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2018/02/16/586361873/nipsey-hussle-tells-the-epic-stories-behind-victory-lap-track-by-track
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