Armed with a brand new self-titled album, rapper and artist LJGOLD kindly took part in an interview. We talk about the new project, what inspires his sound and style, and how it feels to get so personal with his storytelling. Here’s the conversation in full.
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LJGOLD – excited for this interview, thanks for your time! For those new to your music, where are you from, and why Hip Hop?
Glad I could be here! I was born and raised in Oakland. I have cousins that were in a rap group and a neighborhood friend that was signed to a record label at the time. They inspired me to become a hip hop artist. I started writing songs which became a way for me to express how I feel.
The self-titled album LJGOLD just dropped on October 27, what does this seven-track collection represent for you?
It represents me as an artist and as a survivor. It represents the struggle I’ve endured for the past 4 years and how that struggle grew me into the person I am today. This album is my discovery of who I am and how I was able to transform my pain into my own sound.
Get The Bag is a classic heavy anthem to open up with – tell me about that track, and how did you come to work with Young Jr?
Thank you! My goal for that track was to create an anthem for those who are dedicated to getting the bag no matter the circumstances. I reached out to Young Jr and he was down to do the collab. We went to middle school together in Oakland so it was like old classmates coming together to represent the town and make a banger.
How important is collaboration for you as an artist?
When it comes to my work, it’s rare for me to do collaborations unless I feel the song has a need for another artist to make the song complete. I tend to put more focus on the producer/artist collaboration when it comes to the beat selection and the connection I have with the beats. Which is why my albums normally don’t have that many features.
What inspired the story and sound of the mighty Motel 6?
My past life of being homeless. Whenever I think about being homeless, Motel 6 come to mind because that was the most affordable place to stay compared to the other motels. The chorus was inspired one day while I was driving, I recorded it through the voice record app on my phone so I wouldn’t forget it. Sent the little I had to my producer and from that, he made the beat. The rest was history.
For Down things get distinctly more heartfelt and reflective – how different does your head-space need to be for a track like this, and how will you continue to balance the bigger anthem sounds and the honesty as your audience expands?
When it came to Down, it was very challenging when it came to my approach. I started writing that song in the middle of my struggle mentally. Being in a better place physically but mentally I was struggling with moving on from my past life. With my life being on both sides of the spectrum, I had to find my way to write about it and make it an anthem for those who go through their “feedback loop from hell”. I was battling my past life mentally and music is like my journal so my struggle to express myself in the form of venting created that anthem.
I share my every day life with my fans on my socials. I acknowledge my growth and I’m thankful for where I am now. The more I grow, the more I want to create songs to relate to those who are on a path of growth, so I feel as I continue to move forward, the inspiration will continue to move forward into anthems.
What’s your plan of action for 2024?
I have a new album I will be dropping in 2024 and I plan on doing more touring. I have a YouTube show I will be coming out with this year called Driving With Gold. The show will continuously air throughout 2024. My clothing company will be here before this year is over and I will be releasing music videos to each song on the LJGOLD album throughout 2024. A lot is going on and there’s a lot more for my future!
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