Like That
Mustard had the sport on lock for a very long time, however after spending the final 4 years coping with a public divorce, private tragedy and discontent from a fickle music business, the good beatsmith needed to discover his method again.
Interview: C. Vernon Coleman II
Editor’s Word: This story seems within the Summer time 2024 subject of XXL Journal, on stands now.
Generally even Grammy-winning hitmakers should remind individuals of who they’re and what they do. Mustard’s current “permit me to reintroduce myself” second did simply that. The Los Angeles native crafted the beat for Kendrick Lamar’s current monstrous hit, the Drake-slaying “Not Like Us.” The 34-year-old beatmaker’s profession has been dotted with highlights, serving to him set up himself because the face of the Cali sound wave within the 2010s. Producing tracks like Tyga’s “Rack Metropolis,” 2 Chainz’s “I’m Totally different,” YG’s “Who Do You Love?” and Massive Sean’s “I Don’t F**ok With You,” Mustard was giving all the business the sauce and his catchphrase “Mustard on the beat, h*” echoed in every single place hip-hop performed.
In 2015, he launched 10 Summers, his document label, and signed future R&B celebrity Ella Mai the next 12 months. After successful a Grammy for Finest R&B Tune in 2019, for his manufacturing of Mai’s hit single “Boo’d Up,” Mustard earned one other Grammy nomination within the Finest Rap/Sung Efficiency class for his 2019 single “Ballin” that includes Roddy Ricch.
Nevertheless, Mustard’s manufacturing has been noticeably lacking from the highest 40 of the Billboard Sizzling 100 chart since Roddy Ricch’s “Late at Night time” peaked at No. 21 in 2021. Mustard’s absence has been marked with darkish instances, together with a really public divorce from his ex-wife, Chanel Thierry, the mom of his three kids, in 2022, and the deaths of his grandparents in the course of the top of the Covid-19 pandemic. As these instances examined Mustard’s certainty, he was quietly forging his comeback by placing collectively his upcoming fifth studio album, Religion of a Mustard Seed. The hassle, which arrives July 26, juxtaposes religious overtones with summer time bangers and R&B vibes through assists from Travis Scott, Younger Thug, Roddy Ricch, Ty Dolla $ign, Ella Mai and others.
In a stroke of divine timing, this previous Might, Kendrick Lamar used a Mustard beat for the inescapable Drake diss-turned-West Coast anthem, “Not Like Us.” The observe gave Mustard a past-due first Billboard Sizzling 100 No. 1 smash. His second wind was activated.
In early June, Mustard, born Dijon McFarlane, hopped on Zoom with XXL whereas on his strategy to the studio and spoke candidly about his hiatus, going via a public divorce, returning to the highlight via an enormous collaboration and his new album.
XXL: You’ve been sort of quiet in the previous few years.
Mustard: Yeah, I’ve been quietly engaged on this subsequent spherical of stuff that I’ve been curating for the final couple of years.
How does it really feel to be the person of the hour once more?
It feels the identical, I suppose. [“Not Like Us”] is the largest track I’ve ever had. However the influence and the way it’s feeling, like [I’m] a part of historical past, and it’s with any person that I’ve been eager to work with for years, I believe it’s the right timing for me.
Do you are feeling such as you’ve been counted out at any level in the previous few years?
I don’t suppose I’ve been counted out by followers. I’ve by no means actually heard anyone that was like, “Oh, you fell off.” However I do suppose firms I’ve labored with and those that was once round me, I believe that they undoubtedly counted me out or counted on a downfall. However I suppose that’s
part of the entire course of.
You expect a daughter, your fourth youngster. How does it really feel?
Feels good, man. I’m glad as I’ve ever been.
You’ve additionally been in your weight-loss journey. Has that helped you get into higher house as nicely?
I’ve sort of been fluctuating right here and there, you recognize, with all these things happening, however I undoubtedly am figuring out each day. I play plenty of tennis.
How did you get into tennis?
I believe Ella Mai was enjoying tennis. Ella, my supervisor, his spouse. I went to play with them someday, and I by no means stopped enjoying.
Is it simply one thing you’re doing since you like the game and to maintain wholesome, otherwise you’re going to be getting into into some novice competitions or one thing like that?
I’d get into some novice competitions. I’m making an attempt to go so far as I can with it. Music is only one a part of my life.
Musically, you and Kendrick obtained the West Coast sound bumping proper now. What are your ideas on the present state of West Coast hip-hop?
I imply, sh*t, now I believe we’re in good condition. I believe that what we simply did and the way massive that track was simply confirmed everyone it was OK to be from the West Coast once more. I might assume that lots of people are going to attempt to now begin doing the West Coast [sound], which is an efficient factor. I believe this single-handedly made everyone wish to be right here.
“Not Like Us” is likely one of the largest data on the earth proper now. How does it really feel to get that No. 1 below your belt lastly?
I really feel like I’m simply dwelling in it proper now. I’ve had massive data, however I’ve by no means had a document with this type of influence. So, it’s an unexplainable feeling.
Do you are feeling validated by this one?
I by no means search for validation from anyone within the music business. However do I really feel completed? Yeah. I really feel actually good about what this did. And I do really feel prefer it ought to make individuals respect who I’m.
How did this document come collectively?
I made that beat on my supervisor’s birthday [April 6]. I despatched [Kendrick] perhaps three [beats] that day. He simply hearted it. I didn’t hear it ’til [the song] got here out.
What was your response once you heard the track?
Once I heard it, I used to be on the freeway, and I simply, like, my supervisor hit me, like, “Mustard on the Beat.” Like, “Textual content me now.” I’m like, “What are you speaking like?” I obtained one other couple texts, and folks like, “Mustard on the Beat, Mustard on the Beat.”
These are individuals I be with on a regular basis, so I’m like, “What the f**ok is everyone…” after which I name my supervisor. I’m like, “What did I miss? What’s happening?” And he’s like, “Man, go to YouTube proper now. It’s out.” I’m like, “What?” He’s like, “Dot simply dropped a track. It’s your beat.”
I’m like, “For actual?” I am going, I pay attention, I’m like, Whoa! I began going loopy. I had a f**king Vegas present that evening, so I performed that sh*t all the way in which to the f**king aircraft, obtained to Vegas, performed it that evening. It was f**king loopy, man. That’s some loopy sh*t.
More often than not, most people does not know who produced diss observe beats, however you’re a part of this epic beef. How does it really feel to be a part of this historic scenario?
I believe that’s the religion a part of it. Believing in your self and understanding that someday, some form or type is gonna come for you.
Your upcoming album is named Religion of a Mustard Seed. Clearly, it has a non secular connotation. Why did you determine to make use of that because the title?
Once I began this album, nicely, earlier than, after I was doing “Excellent Ten,” [Nipsey Hussle] was telling me considered one of my albums that I ought to title it Religion of a Mustard Seed. Once I began making this album, it’s virtually like vibey. You bought R&B data. You bought the document I did with Ty [Dolla $ign] and Charlie Wilson for my mother; it’s referred to as “A Tune for Mother.” And I began feeling just like the data had been changing into extra soulful-leaning. It simply sort of jogged my memory of like, me being a child and totally different components of Los Angeles.
That’s the place I used to be like, you recognize what, that is speculated to be referred to as Religion of a Mustard Seed. I went again and thought of my life and it resonated with me greater than another title that I may provide you with on the time and I felt prefer it simply match.
You’re rapping for the primary time on the track “Pray for Me,” which is a really sincere observe. What made you wish to put one thing like that in your album?
I all the time used to say I might by no means rap on a track. I don’t know, I used to be identical to, I really feel like individuals have by no means heard my aspect of any story. However I felt like this was the right time to elucidate to everyone the place I’ve been for the final 5 years… I all the time wished to speak about one thing that was actual to me, and that, even should you didn’t just like the rap, you actually like, understood he’s saying some actual sh*t, what he’s saying is sincere, and it’s weak.
On the observe, you even briefly converse concerning the divorce you simply handled. How troublesome was that to undergo in such a public house?
What I’ve realized about this entire factor is you outgrow individuals, and it’s OK to outgrow individuals. It’s OK to maneuver on.
You additionally talked about your grandparents passing from Covid. How did that additionally have an effect on your music?
It’s like an excellent and unhealthy with Covid for me. We misplaced so many individuals, and each of my grandparents handed in Covid. I obtained the time to determine who I really was, what my objective was on this Earth, and what I wished to do. And it sort of made me really feel like, OK, man, I can do no matter I put my thoughts to, and that’s plenty of the bottom of Mustard Seed as nicely.
Actually, perhaps three months in the past, I used to be like, Man, how am I going to get again scorching? What do I do to make everyone see that I’m again? And you then get the track with me and Kendrick, and it’s like, ah, it’s God, it’s religion. I couldn’t make up how a lot this album is said to my life these final 5 years.
What’s your objective with this venture? It appears to be deeper than rap.
I simply actually delight myself on making an attempt to make music that stays round. I really feel like each track that I made on this album is a sense, whether or not it makes you are feeling glad, unhappy, you recognize? You get the chills, no matter, it’s a sense.
I really feel like the sensation within the music is simply gone. Even just like the diss tracks that got here out with Drake and Kendrick, each of them virtually simply gave you a sense and also you was identical to, Wow. Kendrick made you are feeling such as you was driving down Crenshaw otherwise you was driving in Compton. Everyone’s Crip strolling. I believe that’s the place I need music to get again to when individuals really care. My final objective is simply to have music that folks wish to pay attention to twenty years from now.
You’ve in all probability been getting hit up extra not too long ago from individuals wanting Mustard-type beats after this.
Yeah, that a part of it isn’t stunning in any respect. I bear in mind a very long time in the past, I had a dialog with Timbaland and he was like, “You’ll be able to’t be scorching ceaselessly.” And at the moment, I had like 10 songs on the Sizzling 100. [I’m] like, “What are you speaking about? It’s no method. I might be scorching so long as I make scorching beats.” He’s like, “Properly, individuals are not going to love these beats that lengthy, you recognize, you’re going to have waves.”
And I by no means understood that till perhaps a couple of years in the past. OK, I get it, you recognize, it is sensible. It’s such as you’re not going to be the most popular, otherwise you obtained to take a break. You bought to, you recognize? I believe that’s what that has proven me within the final 5 years.
Learn Mustard’s interview within the Freshman subject, on newsstands now. Along with interviews with the 2024 Freshman Class and producer Southside, there are additionally conversations with Sexyy Crimson, Ski Masks The Droop God, Rubi Rose, Ken Carson, Ghostface Killah, Lola Brooke and extra, plus, a glance again at what the 2023 XXL Freshman Class has been doing. Additionally, there are tales on the continued scamming and fraud plaguing hip-hop, and the way podcasters and streamers are enjoying a significant position in rap beef. The problem is on sale right here, together with some unique Freshman merch.
See the 2024 XXL Freshman Class Artists and Producer
