J.I.D Interview - Maintaining Integrity, Being a Leader, Lyricism

J.I.DSharper rhymes. Tougher strains.Interview: Vanessa SattenEditor’s Word: This story seems within the Fall 2025 problem of XXL Journal, on newsstands now and accessible on the market on the XXL web site.

“I desire a BET nomination,” J.I.D says when requested about his bucket listing. It’s not far-fetched. He already has three Grammy nods and with the best way he’s been dropping music, a BET trophy appears possible. Born Destin Selection Route, the Atlanta native is cemented as one among hip-hop’s premier lyricists, sharpening his pen with each challenge.

Throughout mixtapes, collabs, EPs and 4 acclaimed albums—The By no means Story (2017), DiCaprio 2 (2018), The Eternally Story (2022) and this yr’s God Does Like Ugly—J.I.D has carved out a transparent lane of his personal. For him, phrases aren’t simply rhymes; they’re the muse of his artistry, a puzzle he takes pleasure in piecing along with precision and intent.

Challenges don’t scare him. The youngest of seven youngsters, J.I.D, 34, grew up enjoying severe soccer in highschool and at Hampton College. In 2012, he walked away from the sport and from faculty to pursue a music profession. He grinded over the subsequent 5 years earlier than signing to J. Cole’s Dreamville Information, underneath Interscope Information, in 2017.

Since then, J.I.D has constructed his profession on his personal phrases. For the considerate rhyme slinger, rapping isn’t nearly flexing abilities; it’s about crafting one thing significant that connects, challenges and lasts. On a phenomenal September afternoon at Decrease Manhattan’s Sunday Afternoon studio, J.I.D discusses his profession and assortment of rhyme notebooks, being boxed in as a lyricist, his cowl brother Joey Bada$$ and the need of the gods.

XXL: You had been an XXL Freshman in 2018. Now right here you might be on the duvet. How does that really feel for you?

J.I.D: To be on the duvet, that’s exhausting. I really feel just like the final cowl I had was Dreamville [Editor’s Note: J.I.D was part of the Dreamville Records group XXL cover in Spring 2019] or one thing like that. So to be on it with much less Dreamville individuals, only one, yeah, I’m taking that.

Is that this your time proper now? You’ve had a terrific response to your most up-to-date album God Does Like Ugly. Your singles are working. “Encompass Sound” was a giant look and your collaborations are getting spectacular. Is that this the beginning of what you’ve been ready for?

All the pieces been intentional with my profession. So, if this appeared just like the time to all people else, I really feel prefer it’s simply the subsequent step I should be taking, so far as attending to regardless of the subsequent stage is for me. Some would say it’s the time with me. I’m simply saying that is already like, orchestrated. It’s the need of the gods.

The desire of the gods. How a lot management do you give to the need of the gods?

You gotta be ready for alternatives. I’ve been simply making ready for no matter could come, so I might simply execute and know what to do when no matter presents itself. It’s actually nearly execution.

I put my greatest foot ahead, you realize what I’m saying? I really feel like that’s while you go away it as much as the need of the gods. After you place your greatest foot ahead, you place your self on the market and let the followers or let the individuals who take heed to it do no matter they need with itbecause it’s out your fingers.

You’ve now been within the sport for eight years. You’ve had success. You’ve toured and seen the world. Is all the pieces you’ve skilled inside hip-hop to date what you thought it could be? As soon as the door was opened? As soon as the Eminem relationship existed?It’s sort of a double-edged sword, sure and no. As a result of I got here into the sport just a little bit older like once I acquired signed, I already had went via faculty and all that kind of stuff. So at this level, it wasn’t nothing I used to be not ready for, you realize what I’m saying? As a result of I’m not like actually a deer in headlights. I’m a fan of the artwork and I’m a fan of hip-hop and all the pieces that we do, however I do know that it’s like a darkish undertone to it generally. I don’t lean into it for one second, even like a number of the negativity, even the forwards and backwards. I don’t need to actually lean into it.

Do you assume you’d be larger for those who did? Or do you assume that simply doesn’t matter?That don’t matter. I wanna maintain my integrity about who I’m. I don’t need to do issues that I don’t care about. I’m not faking it. I’m not attempting to go viral. I don’t need to go viral. I believe that, viral, normally earlier than it meant such as you’re sick. Viral is a illness to me. Not in a foul method. It might work in each methods, however I don’t wanna be your viral sensation. I might relatively work for it. If my payoff comes 10 years from now and I’m virtually 50, that’s advantageous with me. It’s about actually placing my ft into the mud.

So, it’s actually not the celebrity.You heard “By no means.” Keep in mind my first track? “I ain’t [even] on this sh*t for the celebrity, bruh, it’s the ache, bruh.” I nonetheless say that to at the present time. I’m solely telling these painful tales or these nice tales about motivation. Then I really feel just like the stuff that I make [is] simply because I used to be an athlete. You’ll be able to work out to it, like you possibly can higher your life to a few of my music. I kinda love when individuals say that.

Do you assume there’s a scarcity of depth in hip-hop proper now or in what’s connecting?I believe it’s a lot data and a lot stuff on the market. You could find no matter you’re in search of. It’s there. The depth that individuals say isn’t there, it’s simply, they not wanting. It’s like find out how to get your data is rather like whoever’s first. So, whoever all people likes first and say, OK, that is that depth artist to me, the herd is gonna observe.

What I’m in search of in hip-hop, I can discover it. It’s by no means missing in any realm or regard as a result of I might discover the depth if I want it. I might discover that second. I can discover all of it. You simply should look. Folks these days, I’m unsure, however I simply know, I don’t assume everyone seems to be caring to look and discover as a result of it’s simply a lot stuff, and in search of these moments…

Search for these moments and artists. Do you assume these artists are popping out and what you’re speaking about nonetheless exists?Yeah, it nonetheless exists…

At that very same stage or is everybody simply attempting to have a TikTok hit now?

It might be each. Each issues might be true. I additionally imagine in some artists, and I hope that I may be just like the chief of change for them. I’m one of many artists who like, actually, I’m not the one one, however I care about this. I care about our style. I care about what occurs to hip-hop within the subsequent 100 years.

I care in regards to the tales that’s gonna be informed about it, all the pieces that I’ve heard rising up, I nonetheless imagine these tales. The Tupacs and the Bigs and all of that stuff. I nonetheless care about these. I wanna make sure that these are like well-handled going into the long run.

You latterly collaborated with Eminem on his document “Gas.” So, you get a name from somebody like Em, a DM, a message from somebody on his crew. What’s that second like for you? As a result of that’s nostalgia, proper? That’s him saying he sees you, proper?That’s that nostalgia… That’s a blessing. It sort of lets me know that I’ve been entering into the suitable path as a result of my complete profession has been full circle moments like that. Everybody that I like actually grew as much as or simply cherished and admired and regarded to for one thing of depth or no matter I used to be in search of, most of these artists have circled again round and tapped in, you realize what I’m saying? There’s just a few I acquired the title that simply, it sort of blows my thoughts that I’ve sure relationships I’m in a position to textual content a few of these individuals on my cellphone, actually.

Who blows your thoughts?I imply, Em.Do you get uninterested in being outlined and recognized as a lyricist?

I wanna have just a little enjoyable?Yeah. Is it a torch you are feeling like you need to carry now?

For positive. I simply be aiming for the very best stage of no matter I can do. And if it comes with extra fame, if it comes with all that, like I’m all the way down to take it. That’s the burden, the load I want to hold. However, nah, individuals can name me lyricist. I’m not upset with it. I believe it’s a phenomenal factor.To not be upset with it, however to be at all times labeled?It’s a field.

It’s a title that’s revered and placed on a sure stage, but it surely’s nonetheless a field. Does that restrict you in any respect?

Being from Atlanta, individuals sort of flip their nostril up on the South and having the lyricists and stuff like that. Yeah, they usually make the exceptions, like with André 3000. I really feel like I’ve been regarded in that exception, however on the similar time, it’s only a totally different dialect. It’s a distinct method we talk about issues, and I believe it’s lyricists that individuals simply wouldn’t even think about that due to the way it comes out.

Earlier at present, in one other interview, you talked about that one of many stuff you do while you get up within the morning is write one thing. Are you at all times writing lyrics, or are you writing as a result of it helps you get your ideas out for the day? Are you at all times getting one thing out?I’m at all times getting some out, whether or not it’s writing a poem, a diary entry, or a manifestation or one thing. I maintain a e-book, a pen or many notes on my cellphone. I maintain actually books.

Do you simply take into consideration one line that you simply like and need to keep in mind, and write it there? A lyric you need to use later.It might be a punchline. I keep in mind strolling round throughout the pandemic and doing the “Encompass Sound” like, simply the stream of it, you realize what I’m saying? I heard the beat [humming melody of “Surround Sound” hook] and I simply keep in mind doing that time and again. I get voice notes of it, and so it comes with medium, however normally it’s one thing like a humorous punchline or one thing intelligent that I’ll jot down, or only a melody that haunts me, you realize what I’m saying? And I’ll chase it down till I put the phrases down. I’m pondering of stuff proper now.

So, your world is phrases. It’s the way you assume. It’s the way you get issues out.For positive. [A notebook is] my pièce de résistance. That’s the one factor I stroll round with daily.

Then you definately stack them up and save them as you end them?When I’ve an album and it’s a e-book that I wrote it in, I transfer it to the aspect, you realize what I’m saying, like The By no means Story, the entire album that I wrote on this one pocket book, I simply by no means write in it once more. However the entire pages had been stuffed, you realize what I’m saying, with stuff that didn’t make the album.

We have now you and Joey Bada$$ right here at present sharing the duvet. You guys are good associates. You might be only a few years aside in age and are dads. What do you consider Joey’s rap fashion? What do you discover about him? How are you guys related; how do you differ musically?

First off, bruh on his Black plight sh*t, identical to me, you realize what I’m saying? That’s what anyone that be attempting to push our Black tradition ahead and add to the little pebbles on the seashore of sand that make up the Black diaspora. Like I’m all for it.

After which bruh from New York, bro. New York ni**as get a move off like, not from me, however I’m simply saying in hip-hop, you probably have that accent, some ni**as [will be] identical to, “Oh, ah, ah.” So, I’m not saying that he doesn’t do all the pieces he must do, but it surely’s the ethos behind it. It’s the sound of it. Hip-hop began out right here. This is sort of a mecca from the place it was created.

So yeah, bro phrases and all the pieces he’s doing since he was youthful, it’s at all times been on level. It’s at all times been intention behind it. [He’s] a great dude, good artist.

As you get additional into your profession, do you ever really feel a accountability or that there’s something you need to reside as much as?

Yeah. At this level in my profession, the older I get, being a father, I’m leaning into extra just like the Nina Simone aspect of issues. Nevertheless it simply is dependent upon what you’re in search of. I’d relatively beef with the system than one other one among my brothers or anyone like that, you realize what I’m saying? I’d relatively not add extra into the tradition of hate and other people dying and stuff like that.