As it frequently happens in Hip-Hop’s quick-strike era, rappers go from anonymous figures one minute to national fame the next. That magic worked for Logic, who went from a grind-it-out, unsung commodity to now inheriting the spotlight in a span of just a few short weeks. Born in Gaithersburg, Maryland, he spent several years on the come-up before dropping a highly-praised second mixtape, Young Sinatra—an ode to Frank Sinatra, one of his greatest influences as a youth. The mixtape served as his coming-out party and introduced himself to Hip Hop as a formidable emcee.
The quick-spitting rapper has gone through rough patches throughout his years facing Hip Hop’s harsh and blunt audience, dealing with race issues (he is both white and black), fighting for recognition growing up in a smaller-scale Rap scene, and even dealing with critics not being a “conventional” modern-day rapper, due to his clean image and attitude. Logic seems to be taking those criticisms in stride, not seeming phased at all by those preconceived notions during a lengthy chat.
He continued working on his string of Young Sinatra releases (Undeniable, Welcome To Forever), and finally broke through to a national audience with a placement on XXL magazine’s “Freshman Class” cover—an event he predicted in 2010. Logic followed that momentum up by signing to Hip-Hop’s crown jewel of record labels, Def Jam. It was a deal initiated through Def Jam’s executive VP and legendary producer, No I.D., who is slated to executive produce Logic’s debut album.
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Now spending his time in the sunny hills of Los Angeles, we got on the phone with Logic to get insight on what it’s like working with No I.D., being a rapper of mixed race, and what he means by calling current-day Hip Hop the “second renaissance.”
How No I.D. Factored Into Logic Signing With Def Jam
HipHopDX: Congrats on the Def Jam deal.
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Logic: Thanks, man…appreciate it.
DX: You kept on emphasizing that even with the deal, everything stays the same with who you are as a rapper, your sound, Visionary being the same—all that. How much did Def Jam giving you that creative freedom have to do with your decision in signing with them?
Logic: It was definitely a huge part, but as great and iconic as Def Jam is as a whole, what it really came down to was the people who run it and the people you’re going to work with. In the industry, everybody knows it’s like musical chairs. One day you’re working at this company and the next day you’re working at another company. And then they come back; it’s like any other corporation. The biggest thing was my personal relationship with No I.D. At the end of the day, he represents Def Jam very well and being able to work with him because he understands it is something that’s really incredible. There were other labels that got it, but they didn’t get it like he got it.
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DX: So No I.D. was that deciding factor in the choosing of your label?
Logic: No doubt. After I met him, I shook his hand and me and my manager Chris agreed this is the guy.
DX: How did that initial conversation with No I.D. go down? What did he say to you?
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Logic: Before the deal or after the deal? Because he told me two different things.
DX: Tell me both.
Logic: Before the deal, No I.D. knows exactly what he wants. We were in New York City, and he was like, “Tell me what you want, and we’ll do everything to make it work.” When he said that I was like, “Oh, shit.” I remember after the deal, I came to LA in his studio for the very first time and kind of asking why he signed me. I remember the first time, and obviously I don’t know if you know this, but he was like, “Because you’re creative, it’s Hip Hop from the ‘90s, and you can create modern commercial records without sacrificing who you are.” When he said that, I knew he was the man for the job.
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I asked him again in a way with more detail, and I asked him to express—not as executive No I.D., but the producer No I.D.—why he signed me. I can’t believe he said this, and I’ll never forget it. He said, “Jay-Z, Kanye [West], Common, Nas—all these people I’ve worked with have had very long, extensive careers,” and we’re going into another era in Hip Hop. I call it the second renaissance of Hip Hop. I feel like the Golden Era in the ‘90s was the first renaissance and people like J. Cole, Kendrick [Lamar], and Drake are honing in on this new era. I’m blessed to say I’m one of those people helping that cause. He said to me, “Nas, Jay and all of them are at their highest point and are still going, but there’s going to be a time when the younger ones will be in their position. And I feel you’re going to be one of them, and I wanted to make sure I had a stamp and be involved.”
He wasn’t saying I was going to be the next Jay, he just said, “You’re you. You’re Logic in that next-caliber, new era we’re in.” When he said that, I was like, “Damn, I definitely made the right decision.”
Logic On Hip Hop’s “Second Renaissance”
DX: What does the second renaissance mean to you? How would you describe that?
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Logic: Me personally, I’m very different. The funny thing is with me, with Welcome To Forever, it’s hands down the most cohesive project I’ve ever created. It’s Logic more than ever. What I did on the tape was me finding myself. I remember people being like, “He sounds like Drake; he sounds like Cole; he sounds like Nas; he sounds like Big L.” It was all comparisons of I sound like this, I sound like that—because one, those are the people I was inspired by. You can hear ‘Pac in J. Cole. You can hear Canibus in J. Cole. When Cole first came out, they said he sounded like Lupe [Fiasco]. In actuality, he sounds nothing like Lupe. That was because he’s the most relevant rapper that you can say was kind of in that lane of just real lyricism at the time.
I got a lot of these comparisons. I was honing my craft to create a whole bunch. Versatility has always been my thing. Your favorite song is somebody else’s least favorite song, and your least favorite song is somebody else’s favorite song. I don’t make music for one type of person, I make music for all kinds of people. Me personally, my sound and where I want to go in the second renaissance of Hip Hop, is to be myself but to be all of myself. There’s a lot of rappers who rap all the time, like I just released a record called “Nasty,” and that’s your super fun, classic Hip Hop, “I’m the best” record. I don’t mean that in an arrogant way, but just take it as you may. But then there’s real shit. There’s me talking about growing up, surrounded by people dealing drugs in and out of my house or racism from all different fucking sides. I’m white and black, but I look white and there’s all these different things with my mother, father, and drugs. To be able to have fun, turn up, and have a good time without jeopardizing who I am but also going on the next record and being able to talk about the realest Hip Hop shit.
DX: You write, master, mix, engineer, produce—you pretty much have done everything on your own. How is it different this time with No I.D. in the mix and overlooking your next album?
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Logic: It’s funny because I had to let go of some of those things but not fully. For example, I love to produce. I’m always in there. No I.D. will give me an idea and ask, “Hey, what do you think about this?” With No I.D. particularly, I just let him do his thing, because I went to No I.D. for No I.D. I have my ideas and my in-house producers, or I work with Don Cannon…or all these different people who I can go to for my ideas. But when it comes to No I.D., I like it when he comes to me, challenges me and asks, “What do you think of this?” Rather than me saying it—because I can go to all my guys and have them bring my ideas to life. I’m with No I.D. because I want him to bring his ideas to life with my flavor on it.
As far as writing, recording and all that, I still write all my own music and I do have an engineer now. I engineer everything completely on my own, but his name is Bobby. Shout outs to Bobby…he’s awesome. Me and him are on the same wave length. Before when I recorded, I stepped to the mic and I’d record. Then I stop what I was doing, go to my computer, edit it, and it kind of took away from the creativeness of just being in the element of just rapping. Now that I have Bobby, I’m just in the booth killing it. I’m in there rapping and [everything] is lightning-speed; it’s right away and quick. He already knows and studied my music before, and he knows what I like and what I don’t like. He went to school for this. Even though I’ve been engineering for myself for damn-near seven or eight years now, the fact that I can step away and do nothing but fully invest in my writing and music is something I’ve never been able to experience. Don’t get me wrong, I’m there every step of the way. After the record is done, I’m pointing at the screen and will be like, “Tell them to move this here; put this there.”
Logic Explains Mixing Lyrcism & Mainstream Accessibility
DX: This point of your career is now becoming the most crucial since everything you do from this point on is being looked at on a larger scale because of the XXL feature and the Def Jam signing. One of the biggest obstacles rappers face during this point in time—especially the lyrical rappers—is the selling out, or going towards mainstream topics their fans are afraid of. What do you have to say to your fans regarding this topic?
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Logic: My fans know me. They know me for my music. You’re very right when you say this is a crucial time. This is also a time where a lot of artists freak out, like, “Oh shit, the limelight’s on me now. I’m on a major label, and I gotta make something.” Nah, I’m going to do me. At the end of the day, I make music for me. I make music that I like and music that my friends like. Even before I had fans, these people gravitated towards that and enjoyed it. Why would I change that? I’m going to continue to do me. Of course you’ll have the “fans” who are [telling you] you’re changing and you’re selling out.
If you look at the “Nasty” video, I said something about the Roc, reincarnated and we call it Visionary. It’s like a fun little rapper stunt, saying Visionary Music Group is going to be as iconic as Roc-A-Fella. Roc-A-Fella is one of a kind. It’s just that in the video, I throw up the Roc sign. I throw that up and people aren’t listening to what I’m saying. They’re like, “Illuminati!” It’s so funny. It’s the most hilarious shit ever. The people who do dare say that truly are not fans. They’re people who don’t listen. If you listened to the lyrics, you would understand I’m quoting Roc-A-Fella. I literally have to make a mixtape about not selling my soul to the devil and poking fun at it. My fans trust and believe in me.
DX: What are your thoughts on lyrical, mainstream rappers? It’s a term many people don’t really use in Hip Hop nowadays.
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Logic: Oh yeah. I definitely, truly believe in this. I think Drake is awesome. There’s a couple fore-fronters; guys who really brought up real lyricism in music. I think Drake is one of them; Cole is one of them; Kendrick is one of them; Wale and Kid Cudi. I remember in 2009 and 2010 when they were really breaking into the scene. You hear punchlines in so many songs now—on the radio. There was a time where it was more dumbed-down. I remember listening to “Forever” and Drake said, “Like a sprained ankle, boy, I ain’t nothing to play with.” Even though it’s very simple, he knew what he was doing. On mainstream radio, people don’t want to think too much; they just want to enjoy. The fact he was able to bring in cool punchlines like that is really cool.
I think it’s definitely really dope, and I think there are lyrical [mainstream rappers]. Also time and place, some people like radio and some don’t. Some hate it, and some people see that because someone has a lot of shine, they’re going to like them. I have some “fans” that saw me sign to Def Jam and be like, “He’s going to sell out.” It’s very preemptive. Why would you think that way than listening to the music that has always been there.
DX: You used the term “dumb down.” Your flow—you rap very fast—and your lyrics all have depth to them. Is dumbing down your lyrics something you’ve ever had to worry about?
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Logic: Not at all. Sometimes I talk about dumbing down lyrics, but I poke fun at it. I have a record called “5AM” that’s going to be coming out. One of the lines comes down to me poking fun at the mainstream. Even myself talking on my mainstream records, [starts reciting lyrics], even on the radio and on mainstream records, I’ll do double-entendres. I’ll say something that sounds very simple but then I’ll flip it and make it extremely intricate.
I have a song called “Do Ya Like,” which isn’t a mainstream record but it’s a good example. It’s a party record on my last mixtape. One of the lines has me talking about a woman and a sexual experience with her. I’m saying, “But one thing that I know fo’ sho / This angel has no halo / I don’t play no games / You can ask my ex I never eat the box / But if I control her I may select some freaky shit to start.” It’s all going back to video games. Even though it’s simple and not the most crazy, mind-blowing [lyrics], but for the lyrical heads, if you want something, there you go. That’s for you. It’s a fun little puzzle.
How Logic’s Upbringing Influenced “Welcome To Forever”
DX: You grew up in a tougher environment, with all the stuff going on with your family early on. How were you able to overcome all that negativity in your life?
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Logic: God. On some real shit, I think that’s what it is; just the grace of God. Between my brothers dealing crack, my father smoking it, my mother drinking, seeing my sister get pregnant at a young age, and dealing with all these things, it was almost an example of what not to do. I don’t drink; I don’t smoke weed. I used smoke; I used to be a pretty big pothead when I was younger, but I don’t smoke. I might have an occasional glass of champagne if it’s a celebratory event, but I won’t even finish the glass. I saw all that as an example of what not to do. Unfortunately many people in my family—and I’m sure other families—would look at those things for an example on how my father treated my mother or seeing how men would treat my mother. I would flip it on its head and say okay, instead of doing this, this is what you should not do. Instead of smoke drugs, don’t do it. Stay away from it. I very much turned my craft and lyrics into a drug, and that’s why I’m a workaholic to this day.
DX: Are you close with your family now?
Logic: I guess, yeah, you could say I am closer. I love them because they are my family, but we’ve been super-duper, ridiculously close. My dad’s black, my mom’s white; I’m the only one who looks white in our entire family. And it’s weird because my brothers and my sisters would live with us and they would leave. So it’s kind of like a single mother raised me. They would treat me like an only child, but I wasn’t. It was a lot of crazy things. All in all, I love my family. We talk every once in awhile. Right now, my family is the RattPack. I love my brothers, I love my sisters and I love everybody, but my closest family is now bonded to me by blood.
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DX: About you talking about not drinking and partying earlier, you’re just waiting for the time where you can party with Jay-Z and Kanye West.
Logic: Yeah. [Laughs.] You saw that. Even then, I’m not going to smoke. I mean, I’m never going to say that I’m not. That’s probably the wrong term, but I’m never going to do it excessively. That’s not in my nature and not who I am. It’s not even a role model thing. I honestly believe that I’m the perfect role model. Why? Because I’m a human being, and I make mistakes. I don’t think drinking is a mistake; I don’t think smoking is a mistake. I think that we’re all humans, and I think we all have our vices and we should enjoy it in moderation. If I feel like having a glass or smoking weed right now, I’m going to go do it. However, I’m so focused on my life right now, and that’s just not where I am right now. I’m kind of on a natural high. All this—even talking to you right now—are my drugs. Being able to reap for what I’ve worked so hard for is the ultimate high for me at this point of time in my life, and I don’t foresee that changing anytime soon.
DX: One thing I think is dope about the whole Frank Sinatra alter ego is that you’re all about class: how you speak, your morals, carrying yourself in such a positive way. In Hip Hop, that’s like a complete 180 compared to the stereotypical rapper personality.
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Logic: Yeah. It’s funny you say that. Even sometimes, it’s not like I’m looking at fucking comments, but every once in awhile on Twitter, I’ll see somebody. I remember someone saying something about the line I have, “Million dollar deals on the table / Just a couple years ago I couldn’t pay for cable / Growing up surrounded by ‘caine like I was Abel.” I was talking about cocaine and Abel from the bible. I grew up around that, seeing it not only be used by family members but also sold by my family members. Sometimes it’s sold from one of my family members to my other family members, which can be very devastating. I believe that there’s a lot of things I haven’t talked about.
I let No I.D. listen to Welcome To Forever, and he was like, “Wow, this is a great project. There’s not many of those nowadays.” When he said that, it really meant a lot to me. I’m like, “Nah, man. I got it.” He’s like, “Are you sure you’re going to have something to say on the album?” I’ll never forget it. Of course I will. I recorded a majority of Welcome To Forever in the past two months.
Going back to your question, sometimes I’ll see somebody saying, “C’mon, Logic, you didn’t grow up around cocaine; you didn’t this; you didn’t that.” Why would you say that? Did you say that because I look white and I speak proper or that I have morals? I wasn’t raised in the fucking ghetto, but I was raised in a very bad environment. Just because I came out of that and I don’t act like everybody else does, it’s hard for you to believe it. It’s very funny. On this mixtape, I talk about a lot of things listeners have never heard me talk about before. None of it is fabricated. It’s my story. I believe in honesty and telling the truth.
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Logic On Addressing Race In His Music
DX: Explain “Roll Call.” You go over so many personal things on that record.
Logic: That’s definitely a huge jam. That’s a prime example. Just being black and white—I don’t use the term, “nigga” on the record. Everybody I know is black. I’m fucking black. In my records, I never felt the need to [use the word]. One, I think it saves a lot of time from having conversations and discussions, racially, and that’s something my mentor once told me. He said there’s a few things that you never argue about. Politics, religion, race—that’s all up for discussion; even music. You don’t argue about music because it’s perception. What is good to you might not be good to somebody else. One of the things I talk about was experiencing racism from my mother, which may be hard for some people to grasp. But that’s what I went through and what I lived. I talk about being broke; I talk about working at a Joe’s Crab Shack in Gaithersburg, Maryland, bussing tables. “Roll Call” for me was the perfect record to release after the Def Jam signing and XXL because it summed up—not fully in one song—where I am right now in my life. It’s going to take Welcome To Forever and take it as a whole. It summed up a lot of who I was. If you’re unfamiliar or didn’t know who I was or am, listen to that record and that will give you a nice little introduction of what to expect from me in the future.
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DX: You start talking about race near the end of the record. What type of challenges does being a [mixed] rapper entail for you in this industry?
Logic: It’s not really challenging. The best way I can explain it is there was a Dominican guy. Everybody kept calling him black. He’s like, “Yo, I’m Dominican. Even though my skin is dark, I’m Dominican. I’m proud of what I am.” I’m not sitting here talking about [being] black—no, I’m mixed. I’m black and I’m white, and I’m proud to be who I am. My skin tone works to my advantage because people are like, “Who the fuck is this white boy? Let me check him out and hate on him.” They hear me rapping, and they’re like, “He can rap, but he’s still white.”
Coming back to No I.D., I remember having this conversation. I probably bring up the fact that I’m black and white and I’m proud to be who I am on maybe four or five records. It’s not that I’m trying to beat a dead horse. This project to me is going to be my Friday Night Lights. It’s going to be Logic’s So Far Gone, if you will. I’m not talking about to the extent to how successful those mixtapes were as much as I hope [mine is] as successful, if not more. But this is where you get to know me. You’re going to know my father’s black, you’re going to know I was raised around drugs and alcohol, you’re going to know that I’ve been through break-ups, you’re going to know about me and my pain, you’re going to know Visionary, you’re going to know Logic.
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I remember bringing it up to No I.D. where I mentioned being black and white. He said that was genius. He said, “If you say it once, you’ll never have to bring it up ever again. People are going to know who you are after this mixtape and move on. There’s no need to ever really talk about it ever again.”
DX: Have you ever thought about using the n-word in your records?
Logic: I’ve only used it twice. Once in a record called “Mixed Feelings,” and once in “Roll Call.” They were both for the exact same reason. Basically, the only time I’ve ever used the word was to depict what I’ve gone through racially on both sides and literally experiencing black people from a racist manner and for white people. Even for my own family to come in a racist manner; I’m just a human being. I’m happy and proud to be who I am. The reason I talk about these things is because there’s a million fucking mixed people out there, and I want them to know that they’re not alone and they should be proud of both sides of who they are. Regardless of whether they connect to one side or the other, they are who they are and should be proud.
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DX: You went over Outkast’s “Ms. Jackson” instrumental. Why so?
Logic: It felt right. There’s a chance there might be one more, but that’s probably the only non-original record on the mixtape. It’s more of a tape to the real studio album. I just heard it one day and, I don’t know. It just sparked something. It happens a lot…very much so with “Dead Presidents” by Jay-Z. I’ve written a million records you’ve heard on previous mixtapes where I’ll hear certain beats and I’ll just write and put it over another instrumental. The way I see it, when you touch a beat like “Dead Presidents” or “Kick in the Door,” like I did with Biggie, or “Ms. Jackson,” you have to be you. You have to kill it and make it your own. I’ll never release a record over someone else’s instrumental if I didn’t feel like I’ve made it my own.
How Maryland & Visionary Music Group Factor Into Logic’s Career
DX: A lot has been made of you listening to music from the Golden Era of Hip Hop during your teen years, but are you a huge fan of Southern music? Or are you more of an East Coast, West Coast guy?
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Logic: I’m more East Coast, not only because it’s where I was raised, but that flavor…that Wu-Tang, that Nas. I love Outkast, and even for the West Coast, you have Dre. Everyone’s heard The Chronic 2001 and the original. There’s just a lot of different artists, but the ones I gravitate to more, because I was into that grittier sound, was the East Coast, New York-ish. But I love the South; I love the West Coast. Don’t get it twisted.
DX: You can balance it out with some John Coltrane, too.
Logic: Oh shit! Or obviously [Frank] Sinatra and the whole Rat Pack theme, Sammy Davis Jr., even Nirvana. I’m really into this group called Warpaint; they’re really awesome. I also love soundtracks. I love listening to the original instrumentation of Hans Zimmer, who did Inception. Me and my producer 6ix sampled it in my last mixtape. The intro was called “Inception.” I just love all music.
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DX: You’re from Maryland. I haven’t really heard too much coming from there. Is there a Rap scene there?
Logic: Oh yeah. There’s so many artists, lyricists…so much talent. There’s just so much there. I felt like it’s undiscovered. It’s awesome there and truly incredible. It’s like anywhere else. It just doesn’t have a light shined there. I’m sure if you go somewhere in Florida or Seattle, there’s still a Rap scene and local cats who all know and support each other. I guess we’re just waiting for our time, and if I can be blessed enough to help shine some light in that area, then hey, I’ll do my best.
DX: Don’t you and Wale rep the same city? Gaithersburg?
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Logic: Yeah, shit. How do you know that?
DX: But the thing with Wale is that he puts on for the DMV, where you stay reppin’ with Maryland.
Logic: He reps DC a lot and DMV. I think the reason Wale reps the city as a whole a bit more is because—even though he grew up in Gaithersburg and went to Quince Orchard High School, which is very close to where I went to school in Gaithersburg—he spent a lot of his time in Virginia, and DC in the Rap scene. I was more Maryland. He has more of a connection to—I can’t say this personally because we’ve never had a conversation—but from my view, he knows a lot of people in a lot of places. Sure, he was raised in Gaithersburg; he may have a connection to everywhere in the DMV. I love the DMV as a whole, too. But I feel like I know where I spent the majority of my time, and I’m going to rep where I’m from. I’m very proud.
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DX: It seemed back then, with the start of the whole Visionary label, you started to really build a name for yourself with your street hustle, but also social media. How were you able to use social media to your advantage in terms of getting deep in the game and launching your career to the next level?
Logic: That comes down to Chris Zarou. He’s the president, creator and founder of Visionary Music Group and one of my best friends. He’s a fucking genius. Quote me on that. He’s a fucking genius. And quote me on quoting that. He just gets it. He understands a lot of things other people don’t. He knows how to make connections. He knows how to speak and knows how to make friends. It’s not fabricated; it’s honest. You can’t trust a lot of people in the business, but he makes lifelong friends in this business that are genuine. It’s not we’re doing a favor for you and you do a favor for me. It’s like when two rappers get together, they’ll be like, “You want to jump on my album?” And the other guy will be like, “Fuck yeah,” as opposed to some rappers who don’t know other rappers and they give you a $20,000 check and you take their shit, like, “Okay, money’s good.” It’s not like that. It’s very mutual. There’s a mutual respect thing. It comes down to Chris, his marketing, his ideas, the connects he’s made on his own and how he carries himself.
He taught me a lot about this business. I signed to him first as my manager and was like, “I’ll see how this goes.” After that, I’ll sign with Visionary Music Group, and if I’m happy, which I was—that’s why I’m here today. He’s taught me so much. Even the deal I got—I’m not an idiot—I was right there in that contract discussing points. How many albums, the money, the creative control and all these—I was right there with Chris and my attorney. Shout outs to Paul Rosenberg. Definitely social media but [Chris] is a part of that.
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However, the fan base is totally different from I guess getting out there. Word of mouth is something that cannot be bought. It cannot be marketed, and that comes down to the music. In no way am I trying to ride my own coattail, but I think it comes down to good music and fans. I am where I am today because of my fans. They love me just as I love making music for them. They push me.
DX: Going from Chris to Solomon, what can you tell me about your mentor?
Logic: Solomon Taylor is my mentor. I met him when I was 13-years-old. He’s a great person. It’s really crazy because I just flew him out to LA, and I hadn’t seen him in a long-ass time. It’s been a while. He came to my crib and saw the view from my house and was like, “Damn!” We had so many arguments when I was young and stubborn. He’ll be like, “You gotta make songs like this!” and I’ll be like, “Fuck you!” Going back and forth and learning; he’s very beneficial. It’s very much like an older brother and very much so a fatherly figure in my life when I was younger. When I didn’t have food and I was hungry, he would drive to my house, pick me up and drive me to get me some food. When I was living in my sister’s house, and we were all hungry waiting on the food stamps that weren’t going to come for six days, he would buy groceries and bring them over. He gave me the computer that I’ve used since I was 18-years-old and recorded everything you’ve heard, except Welcome to Forever. It was all because of him. He’s had a very personal part of who I am and where I am today.
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DX: How much of an evolution in Logic do we get to hear on this mixtape since your last release in 2012?
Logic: A huge one. First one comes down to cohesiveness. If you listened to Young Sinatra: Undeniable, that’s me like, “I can rap on this. Bam.” I jumped on Reasonable Doubt instrumentals, I jumped on Big Pun instrumentals, I had my homies make more mainstream instrumentals. All these different things was because I was finding myself. And if you listened to it, there would be four records in a row that would be girl records; four records in a row that are mainstream records; four records in a row where they’re experimental records. That was me going, “I can do this, fuck you.” I was really finding myself and enjoying it and this was what you’re going to get.
With this, working with No I.D., 6ix, working with Arthur McArthur—he’s an awesome producer; very incredible. He’s got a lot of placements and a lot more placements coming up. These are the people I’ll be working with on my album. A big part of this album is going to come down to Kevin Randolph. He is such a huge part of everything I’ve done and really finding myself. The reason I say that is because if you listen to my other mixtapes, I’m rapping over a bunch of industry beats. 6ix was finding himself as a producer, but now, I’ve really found Logic. 6ix has found himself, and people like No I.D., Kevin Randolph, Don Cannon—we’ve all done that record together. Don Cannon produced it but, I went to Kevin like, “What if we try this; what if we do this?” We’re doing that on every record. He’s a vital part of the cohesiveness of it.
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As a whole, I think the Logic you’re going to hear is a Logic that you’re waiting to hear from. It’s like if you have an old friend and they go away for away for a year. You guys still keep in touch for a little bit but then the person comes home to you and you guys are fucking kicking it, hanging out, and having real cool, close talks. You’re like, “Remember that time when we were young?” or “When I was young, I went through this.” You’re getting to sit down with me again. This is a side of me people don’t know yet. They have an idea. A big part of that was “Roll Call,” of going through the differences of me and what I definitely experienced. I’m better than I was before, I can write better than I could before, rap better, flow better; I really found the beats that I loved. It’s a victory and growth as a whole.
DX: Was it in 2010 where you predicted that you’ll be on the XXL Freshman list come 2013?
Logic: Yeah.
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DX: That came true. What else can you predict happening over the next five years for you?
Logic: Man, over that time? I don’t know. I’m not trying to say nothing crazy. I see a lot of good things. I don’t want to be one of those people who said some shit and just let down and look like an idiot later. I feel like I’ll be a force to be reckoned. I’ll set a great example, people will respect me, they’ll know my story. Nobody will want no problems because I’m all about peace, love, and positivity. I see myself acting. I see myself a couple albums in by then. Hopefully start a family by then…still me and my team. It’ll always be that; Visionary. I see a lot of smiles, happy faces, and a lot of jobs and money going around so everybody can support themselves and their families.
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