YBN Cordae’s Debut London Show Was A Love Letter To His Day Ones

COMPLEX: Is this your first time in London?

Nah, this is my second time in London. First time performing, though. 

How long are you here for?

I got here a couple of days ago, but I leave tomorrow morning. 

Obviously, you have the new album, The Lost Boy, coming out. We’ve already heard one track, “Bad Idea” with Chance The Rapper, but what are you most excited for fans to hear from the new album?

Just everything as one, for everyone to hear the whole album as a complete body of work. I haven’t dropped the album yet so I’m trying to do everything with these songs. I just want everybody to hear it and hear my story. It really is a complete body of work.

Within a year of you changing your name from Entendre to YBN Cordae, you’ve played Rolling Loud, toured with Juice WRLD, and now you’re heading up your own tour with an album on the way. How does it all feel? 

It’s dope! I’ve just realised I’ve got so much more to do. I’m just getting started, so I don’t really let it get to me. I just keep that tunnel vision and keep it going. We’re just getting started. Honestly, my mind is on longevity. I’m going to be here 20 years from now, still performing and still making music.

Do you have a long term plan figured out?

Yeah, I’ll be a billionaire. For real.

Are there any UK guys you’re really feeling right now?

Dave. Dave can rap like fuck.

Do you have any plans to collaborate with him or any other UK artists?

Yeah, me and Dave were in the studio last night. As soon as I landed, I went straight to the studio with him. It’s not done yet but we started some collaborative shit. Last time I was in Paris, I collaborated with [French rapper] Orelsan, so I like to make the most of being out here, collaborating with other artists. 

A lot of people are talking about you and giving you co-signs and whatever. Do you feel like all eyes are on you? Is there a lot of pressure?

Not yet. I don’t really feel the pressure, it’s just like I said: stay humble, keep working, keep getting better. I’m a work horse. I really do this shit. I’m just doing what I was supposed to do, what I was built for. 

Your influences read like a who’s who of classic hip-hop. Was there an older sibling or someone in your family introducing you to this stuff?

Oh, my pops, for sure. He got me into all that; Jay-Z, Rakim, Kool G Rap, all the GOATs.

Was he trying to encourage you into this career? Did he want you to be a rapper?

Fuck no! He was just trying to show me music. That was the last thing he wanted! Who in their right mind would want their kid to have a career as a rapper? Nobody! [Laughs] That’s got to be the most undesirable profession to be in or to aspire to. 

Did it take a minute for him to get on board with it?

[My parents] just got on board with it. Rightfully so, though. If I have a son and he wants to be a rapper, I’m going to be like, “Get the fuck outta here! Take your ass to school!” 

Are you still doing remix/freestyles like the J. Cole and Eminem ones? 

Not really. I just did that because I knew it would blow up with the remixes because Eminem just had the classic jump. I just like freestyling. I do that on my own time—freestyling to classic beats is my shit.

I was going to bring up “Da Rockwilder” in particular. Did Redman or Method Man ever reach out to you?

It’s funny. I just met Method Man a couple days ago, last week actually. I just met him! He said he fucked with me and showed me love, so that was dope.

Are you finding those big names are reaching out to you more now?

Oh yeah, for sure. A bunch of different artists! I’m not going to say their names just yet, because they’re on the album. There’s not a crazy amount of collaborations on the album, just the right amount. In terms of them reaching out to me, it’s about half and half. There’s a mutual respect there with all of them.