LaTheGoat, a Protégé of Jermaine Dupri, Hones in on Longevity
As history would have it, being the protégé of a Hip Hop legend like Jermaine Dupri, LaTheGoat is well on his way to becoming America’s next young rapper to make it big.
In true Gen Z fashion, LaTheGoat quickly rose to Instafame, regularly going live hosting “Goat Lounge” and giving us boy-next-door brimming with enigma vibes, before catching the eye of Dupri when fans tagged the Grammy Award-winning producer in a video of LA rapping over the beat of “Money Ain’t A Thang.” Dupri was both impressed and intrigued with the Tampa, Fla. native, enough to share the video on his own social media. It wasn’t long after, in the fall of 2020, when Dupri took a leap and signed the promising new artist to his label Def Jam Recordings via So So Def.
With the backing of a co-sign, LA’s been on the grind refining his sound and sharpening his rhymes, which can be heard on the newly released EP, 813 Day. The music video for its wildly catchy single, “Bounce It,” dropped earlier this month. In the interview below, we chat about how “Bounce It” is a reflection and celebration of Tampa culture, comparing his musical artistry to Jean-Michel Basquiat, and where his unbelievable confidence comes from.
2020 was a big year for you. How has the pandemic impacted or influenced your music career?
I just took the quarantine for what it was. Being where we’re from, you gotta make a good situation out of a bad one, because sometimes all you got is a bad situation. I actually got signed during quarantine, so if I could get signed during a pandemic, which was a hard thing because people didn’t even have jobs or could, like, get a job, and [Def Jam] wasn’t even signing artists or anything, so it just like, shows me that I got the heart, and now it’s time actually to show the world.
Your single from the EP “Bounce It” really stands out in style from your other songs. Can you tell us more about it?
It’s definitely about the culture where I’m from, so, Tampa culture, which is a lot of twerking, block parties, club scenes and dancing. Also, like, it’s how we were feeling at the time in the studio, because I can’t make music off of just, like, “Ok, go make a type of song,” I’ve gotta be feeling that type of way. So when JD [Jermaine Dupri] played the beat it kinda took me back, and, you know, put me in a certain space to where I can come and melodize and talk about “bounce it” type of things. I’m also saying in the song [to women] like, you got your own, you can do everything without a dude, but if you prefer to have a dude, this is what you should do [laughing]. Of course, every female should wanna be self-empowered and things of that nature, I feel strongly about that, but also it’s kinda like the culture here, to have fun and turn up and dance and twerk.
Which song on the new project is the most meaningful for you?
I’ll have to say “Shine In The Ghetto.” It’s a song that’s kinda like dreams and nightmares. Again, people don’t think comin’ from where we come from that they can make it further than what they see, but I’m kinda like the example, that you can be bigger than you can see, you just gotta put your grind down.
Is there a key message or theme you’re wanting to convey on the EP?
Just to show people I’m here, and I’m not your, like, “here today, gone tomorrow” type of artist, and that I can make good music for a long period of time.
One of my favorite lines is from the song, “You Wouldn’t Believe Me,” where you say, “Painting pictures with these lyrics like I’m Basquiat.” How has Basquiat, or any other contemporary visual artists, inspired you?
Since I’ve been signed and working with Jermaine, he’s big on art and stuff like that, I’ve actually been getting into it more. From what I’ve read, Basquiat didn’t really speak many words, but his art was so abstract and out there to where it told a story from his painting. So I try to tell a story through my music and stuff and trying to, like, keep the same type of secrecy but also telling you a little about myself, and if you listen and listen, it adds up in the story line.
Most memorable moments in the studio?
Probably the wildest story was when Bow Wow came through and we had some fans just come through and stuff, we hung out like that. That was my first time coming to the studio, so I guess that was, like, So So Def initiation.
Before this EP, you released the mixtape Goatmode. How has your music grown or changed since then?
I basically switched it up, because when I made Goatmode, it was good music, but it was just me doing my own thing, I wasn’t signed, so I’m goin’ off of what the people are saying they wanna hear, you know, stuff on Lil Durk, Lil Baby to Roddy Ricch and stuff, so that’s where that album kinda comes from, like, the melodic sounds and things like that. This album is more about what I want to say, but in a melodic way if that makes sense.
You are one of the most confident people I’ve ever come across. It’s in your name, it’s in your IG captions, it’s really your whole vibe. Where does that confidence come from?
I mean, if you know, like, growin’ up in Florida especially, you gotta have thick skin, because people are gonna say what they wanna say regardless of the fact, so it’s not what they call you, it’s what you answer to. If they’re not writin’ no checks or payin’ no bills, it doesn’t really matter.
Was there a moment when you felt your confidence really solidify?
I have to say, when I was doing these little freestyle battles in my city before I got signed, the lyrics are like 60% of the fight, it’s how you deliver them and how confident you are when you say them. So you could say something that’s, like, not even that good but depending on how you deliver it, it may be the best line of the battle.
What is your why?
You can express yourself through music, and you know, it’s like, if you’re not really a talkative person you can definitely get your point across through your music. And then for obvious reasons, to eventually make a lot of money while being an artist and entertainer, to make sure everybody around me is taken care of and I’m taken care of, to the point where we got everything we need and some of the things we want. I’ve got six little sisters and a little brother, it’s obligation without even being said, you kinda know that’s what you gotta do.
Final question, so let’s branch off a bit! As you know, we’re obsessed with beauty here in Los Angeles, in addition to music. Do you have a skin-care routine?
I ain’t never been asked that before [laughing], but I definitely do! So I get at least two facials out of the month, and then, I also exfoliate at home. From the place that I get my facials, they got this clay mask that’s really good!
Nice! Wait, can we get a picture of you in your clay mask?!
[laughing] Hopefully, hopefully.
