We caught up with Lilbootycall before his set at Chelsea Music Hall in New York City.
Warner Records’ newest artist Lilbootycall is truly a force to be reckoned with. Not only have his playful, upbeat melodies helped garner a huge fanbase, he’s helped others overcome their problems and isolation through the power of his music. Lilbootycall’s newest EP Jesus Said Run It Back is Lilbootycall paying tribute to a second chance at life, he discusses this further below as well as how his love for Kid Cudi helped shape both him as a person and artist. Check out what else Lilbootycall had to say about his musical journey and upcoming music!
The Knockturnal: Can you tell me about your musical origins and beginnings, and how long you have been making music?
Lilbootycall: When I was a kid, maybe five or six, my dad and my mom, they used to listen to a lot of music around me. They used to play music, cleaning and sh*t. So, my dad was listening to rock music, and my mom was listening to R&B and hip hop. So those two worlds, they kind of collided for me. I just started making rap/rock sh*t. Like that emo rap-rock sh*t.
The Knockturnal: Was your family always supportive of your musical pursuits
Lilbootycall: No, because we grew up in the hood. So it was more work, that sh*tain’t going to work out for you type shit, until it actually started working out. They went to my sold-out show back at home and were in the crowd like, “oh sh*t, this sh*tfor real?”
The Knockturnal: So what’s been your favorite show to do so far?
Lilbootycall: Probably that San Antonio show because like I used to do shows there two years ago and only 10, 15 people would pull up. And this one was sold out!
The Knockturnal: Who are some of your current and past musical influences
Lilbootycall: They’ve always stayed the same really. Just like Kid Cudi, Tyler, The Creator, Kanye West, Travis Scott, Big Sean, Childish Gambino.
The Knockturnal: What’s your favorite collaboration so far?
Lilbootycall: The Juicy J one.
The Knockturnal: Off of the mixtape which tracks are your favorite?
Lilbootycall: I like “6 6 6,” “Prescriptions,” and “ Hate Me.”
The Knockturnal: Was it all recorded in San Antonio?
Lilbootycall: Some was recorded in LA. Some of it was recorded in New York in the summer.
The Knockturnal: Can you take me through the process of making the project, Jesus Said Run It Back, and which tracks came when?
Lilbootycall: I know. So, I came to New York I think, last September, October, November, somewhere around there. And I was recording in a studio in Brooklyn. We did a lot of like the jazzy stuff there because that’s when we brought live instruments in. So a lot of the songs like “I Don’t” and “When It Gets Cold,” are done here. I was trying to really just get different stuff done. So, I stayed in the studio a little bit just by myself. and I made that “Mariah” song in there, and then I made “18K” with Juicy J in there.
The Knockturnal: How much time had passed between being in New York, and then going back home overall? How long do you think it took you overall to make the project?
Lilbootycall: From September to about March, so probably six, seven months. So then I get back to San Antonio and we’re having problems clearing samples and sh*t. So a lot of tracks, they’re getting knocked off. The one we had a lot of problems with was the 18K with Juicy J. because it was sampled by some guy in Russia, but we legit didn’t know how to contact him, because this fool died. So it was just like, who do we contact now? We didn’t even know who to contact. And that was legit three days before the album was supposed to be turned in. So I was just going through it in my head and sh*t because there was nothing to do at home. Then I made “6 6 6,” “Bandaid” and “Jesus Said Run It Back.” I was in LA with my manager and he brought back Prescriptions.
The Knockturnal: Are fans ever going to see the songs that didn’t make it on this mixtape?
Lilbootycall: No, I have a whole complete other album. It was supposed to drop like September. I showed my label the first album I came up with, and they were like, yo this is good but we can do better type shit. This is some SoundCloud shit, we need some worldwide sh*t. So I was like bet. So that whole album was produced by a bunch of SoundCloud producers, and a lot of SoundCloud producers use samples. So we didn’t have the time to clear all those samples. And a lot of these SoundCloud producers don’t want to do industry contracts because they think they’re going to get fucked over by somebody. So I just threw that whole project away. So I don’t think anybody’s going to hear it.
The Knockturnal: Can you talk about the collaborations on the mixtape?
Lilbootycall: I brought “18K” to the label. They were like, yo, this is hard. And I was like, yeah, I know. And the A & R he was like, yo, like we got to get a feature on this shit. He was like, who are you thinking? And I was like, shit, I don’t know. He kept on throwing random names and I was like, let’s go with somebody like Juicy J. He was like, you want Juicy J? And I was like, yeah. And he was like, all right you haven’t really asked for nothing crazy for this project yet. You’re not asking for no crazy budgets or whatever, you’re just making sh*t. He said, “all right we’ll try to get him” and then boom, they sent it back and it was fire.
The Knockturnal: As an artist who’s recently signed, what was the selling poin for you?
Lilbootycall: So, you know I did take a small advance because, if I take a big advance it’s going to be, I’m going to have to pay for everything. And then, plus, you take small advances like that, we’re going to go over the top. So I already knew how the game worked. I’ve just been studying for a minute. I was with my manager, signed to his label before, for a long time. Yeah. Like I said, when it comes down to the label, I could’ve gave them that SoundCloud project and they could’ve been like fuck it, and let’s put it out like, who cares. But they wanted a good project. They wanted a better project, they wanted to see me progress. So I like that from them. You know, it shows they had character instead of just some businessman that wants some cash.
The Knockturnal: How do you feel about having the resource of an A&R being like, you know what? I think so and so would sound good on the track. Do you like the creative input or are you somebody who prefers to have full control?
Lilbootycall: We do like 50-50. We’re really transparent with each other. They learned that from the jump. I’m really a vocal person if I don’t f*** with something. There’s been plenty of sh*t where they’re like, yo, do this, do that. I’m not throwing no shade either, but I’m just like, that’s not me, I’m not going to do that. So then, you know, if it’s something I need to do, then they’re like, you know what, we’re going to accommodate you and we’re going to figure out some halfway between sh*t so you can do it because you need to do it.
The Knockturnal: How do you feel music has changed your outlook on life? Do you feel like music saved you in a way?
Lilbootycall: Yeah. Yeah. So like Kid Cudi really did that for me. I used to listen to Man On The Moon One and Man On The Moon Two, when I was a teenager and shit, I was just a really lost kid. It was just inspirational type shit. Who else is going to tell a 14, 13-year old that it’s going to be okay? Like most of the time my parents were just like, shut up, you’re just a kid. I feel like Cudi saved my life more than anything. And then, throughout the time creating and really making myself into a musician really gave me a purpose. I was never the cool kid and never had cool shit. And that’s why I go crazy when I buy sh*t now. I just bought some $5,000 shoes the other day.
The Knockturnal: Which ones?
Lilbootycall: The Chicago ones, the Off Whites. Yeah, the red ones.
The Knockturnal: What are some of your favorite brands?
Lilbootycall: I really fucked with Jordans, I always go for Kanye West because he was just a big influence on me, and the fact that he’s worked with Virgil Abloh. Abloh made Off White, and Off White was Pyrex before it was Off White. Pyrex was worn by A$AP Rocky. A$AP Rocky, I listen to, It’s just so many layers too, but yeah, off the top, it’s like Off White, Stone Island, Common Discourse, etc.
The Knockturnal: So what, can you tell us about new content you have on the way?
Lilbootycall: It’s in the works, but I’m working on a project in a week or two we start, we open up the new project.
