Joey Bada$$
Mic killer. No filler.
Interview: Georgette Cline 
Editor’s Be aware: This story seems within the Fall 2025 situation of XXL Journal, on newsstands now and obtainable on the market on the XXL web site.

Rappers usually face a paradoxical scenario after they take a break between albums. Throughout this time, their expertise could also be questioned, particularly in the event that they’ve chosen to work behind the scenes as a component of shock. Whereas not each rap fan subscribes to this concept, it’s a problem that Joey Bada$$ has encountered all through his profession. Nonetheless, he’s discovered methods to alter that notion.

On Jan. 1 of this 12 months, he dropped the Conductor Williams-produced monitor “The Ruler’s Again,” signaling the East Flatbush, Brooklyn native’s return to rap whereas asserting his dominance and aggressive spirit. Extra importantly, it was a reminder: don’t ever depend him out. A lyrical nod Joey made to Jay-Z on the tune ignited a verbal showdown with West Coast rapper Ray Vaughn and MCs like Daylyt leaping into the fray. Within the phrases of Drake, it was a “20-v-1.” Joey become a vocabulary villain with a vengeance and got here out victorious.

Jo-Vaughn Scott isn’t new to this. He’s approaching 15 years robust within the recreation after unleashing his debut mixtape, 1999, in 2012. The second Joey went to conflict on the mic was a reintroduction of kinds and served as the right lay-up for his fourth studio album, Lonely on the Prime, launched this previous August. Three years had handed since his final mission, 2000, and in hip-hop, that may as properly be a lifetime relying on who you ask. The 30-year-old MC was by no means stagnant, although.

Within the forefront, he dropped some loosies and collaborated on options throughout that point. Most notably, he turned his consideration towards appearing because the character Distinctive within the acclaimed Starz collection Energy E book III: Elevating Kanan. Within the privateness of the studio, Joey was fastidiously crafting bars and verses for 2 albums he was engaged on concurrently: Lonely on the Prime and an idea album he’s aiming to launch subsequent 12 months.

Joey’s pleasure for each is palpable as he sits on a sofa inside Sunday Afternoon’s studio in New York Metropolis on an early September afternoon. Wearing a plaid trapper hat, brown leather-based vest, denims embellished with glowing constellations, Timbs, gold grills and his signature JB brand chain, the daddy of two shares his ideas on having the most well liked pen within the recreation, catching individuals off guard together with his bars, lyrical potential, being among the many greats and having no worry.

XXL: You’ve been within the recreation for practically 15 years now. What has helped you keep motivated and hungry to maintain going?

Joey Bada$$: I believe experimentation. What haven’t I executed but? What haven’t I challenged myself to do but, and, going for these issues, you understand what I’m saying? ’Trigger that feels new and thrilling for me. It has been a very long time, for positive. However I believe simply the factor of shock.

Certainly one of my favourite reactions that I get from individuals listening to my music is, “Yo, that is you?” “Yo, I didn’t know you had this in you.” I really like that. And I believe that feeling, together with having a loopy show of lyrical potential, can also be what makes it satisfying to see individuals break down what I stated, what I meant, what I buried in there.

What are you most pleased with that you just’ve achieved in hip-hop?

I believe what I’m most proud about is to be a part of the ecosystem. To have affect and presence. It’s like, sh*t, I stated the road [“Too much West Coast d**k lickin’/I’m hearin’ ni**as throwin’ rocks, really ain’t sh*t stickin’” on “The Ruler’s Back”] firstly of the 12 months, and so many individuals have been reacting to it. I’m like, Oh sh*t, like I actually gotta watch what I say ’trigger persons are muthaf**kin’ listening. That confirmed me my affect, my influence, and I’m pleased with that. To have that sort of gravitas with my pen that may transfer vitality.

To go off that, on “The Ruler’s Again,” you got here in firstly of the 12 months swinging. Going into the making of that tune, have been you out to show a degree? Like, “Don’t depend me out”?

Oh yeah. You realize, individuals hyper-focused on the West Coast line, which was a quote from Jay-Z, however the actual spirit of that tune is within the traces the place I say, “Yo, that is for each time they left me out the dialog.” I received murals in my metropolis, you understand what I imply? F**ok a nomination, I’m licensed. I’ve confirmed myself. I put the work in. That was the actual spirit that that joint was in, however I believe individuals within the web actually simply leaned into the controversial facet of it and constructed off of that narrative.

How do you fight that or change that when being neglected of the conversations you suppose you need to be in? Is it by being constant and dropping the album?

Yeah, simply attending to the music and setting your sights on the following product and, you understand, what you need to talk. That’s like what “The Ruler’s Again” was for me, ’trigger like I stated, I’ve been engaged on a mission for a very long time, which is gonna be my subsequent album.

I used to be engaged on that lengthy earlier than I even began the thought of Lonely on the Prime. So, I believe I received to the purpose the place it’s identical to, man, I received some sh*t to say. I received some sh*t that I simply kinda wanna get off my chest, like lyrically or simply artistically, earlier than I am going right here on this route, you understand?

On Lonely on the Prime, there are various ways in which you do this. Certainly one of them, on the tune “Speedin’ By way of the Rain,” you’re taking the driving theme from the highest to the underside. That’s a showcase of your pen and lyrical expertise. Once you’re doing one thing like that, and even simply to sharpen your pen, like your psychological workouts, lyrical workouts, how do you do this? What sort of area do you get in?

One of the best is when it occurs naturally. Once I gotta kinda like power myself to go there, shouldn’t be that enjoyable, you understand what I imply? As a result of it’s like I begin straining my mind, attempting arduous. “Speedin’ By way of the Rain,” was simply a type of moments the place I at all times say that tune wrote itself. I heard that beat, after which immediately what I heard was “Pedal to the steel on the highway to the riches.”

After which simply from there, I simply thought up the driving scheme, and I didn’t even suppose to myself, that like, Yo, let me hold it going for the entire tune. It simply flowed that approach. I received to the tip of the primary verse, and I’m like, Rattling, can I do it once more for a second verse? After which I did. And it was identical to, Yeah, that is tight. That is what makes this enjoyable. That is what I really like about writing music and being a lyricist.

What makes you are feeling that you’ve got the most well liked pen?

Sh*t like that, you understand, “Speedin’ By way of the Rain,” seeing reactions of individuals after they catch the bars. Proper now, we in a tradition the place there’s a number of reactors, so once I see them reacting to the music they usually catch a bar, and it’s like them having that response. They rise up out the seat, they shaking they head, they begin hitting sh*t.

’Trigger it feels that option to me once I’m writing ’em. However one actual factor, although, is there’s at all times gonna be a crowd for lyricism. And I’m glad 2025 occurred as a result of I really feel prefer it actually put an emphasis again on the lyrics.

There was a degree in my profession the place I intentionally was like, OK, let me give attention to songs as a result of I’m placing quite a bit into these lyrics, and persons are not getting it. It’s like going over they head, and it’s like, you don’t get that creative satisfaction while you really feel like your artwork shouldn’t be being appreciated correctly, you understand what I’m saying? So, I’m glad that we’re again at a degree the place it’s like, oh, so, y’all listening now. Y’all truly are breaking down double entendres now. OK cool. Watch me cook dinner.

You say, “Got here to say my place” in your tune “Nonetheless.” In hip-hop, the place do you really feel like your place is?

My place is amongst the greats, you understand what I imply? My place is a part of the ecosystem of what our tradition is at the moment and influencing that and having a profound voice. I really feel like we get caught up on like, “the king,” this, that and the third or The Massive 3, however I believe that everyone is contributing in they personal type of approach. Everyone’s particular in they personal regard, ’trigger there’s solely one in all every particular person. So, I’d say that, enjoying my place as one in all them. One of many ones.

Between you and Ray Vaughn, and a few others, you have been battle-tested this 12 months, and also you confirmed and proved. Wanting again on that have, what was an achieved second for you?

Properly, shout-out to Daylyt. One of many issues that made me be like, OK, I’m gonna interact, is, one, I really like battle rap, and I believe Daylyt is arguably among the best battle rappers there are. I used to be identical to, bro, you understand, I’ve by no means battle rapped in my life, but when my pen might go along with one of many greats in that sport, then I believe that claims quite a bit about me as an MC, as a rapper. In order that was one of many fundamental deciding elements of why I even engaged.

After which two, I felt that, at first, I didn’t see the chance, ’trigger I’m like, I’m a extra achieved artist than my adversaries have been. However then I began realizing that there’s lots of people who truly not hip to what my pen might do. So, I believe that simply partaking. I’m proud that I did as a result of I actually was ready to only kinda take the excessive highway the entire time and probably not interact, as a result of I’m like, what do I get from it? However ultimately, I did see a win and got here out with it.

What did you get pleasure from about that aggressive standpoint?

Simply being on my toes, and like having to be quick on my toes. I don’t suppose I’ve ever had to try this. That’s like a lyrical train in itself. No, it actually was. ’Trigger to carry out at such a excessive degree so rapidly, I don’t suppose I’ve ever been challenged like that.

A variety of the instances, we work on songs for years, after which by the point we put it out, they’re like years previous, or we had a number of time to refine lyrics to good it, you understand? This was positively an occasion of give it the very best you bought and let’s go. So, that was cool. I don’t suppose I actually knew how properly I carried out underneath strain.

You showcase totally different sides of your self on the album by rapping and singing. “3 Toes Away” is a spotlight of that. Why do you need to put that a part of your artistry on show at this level in your profession?

I believe if it doesn’t develop, it dies. I’m a agency believer in that. So, I’m at all times trying to develop and to develop. I like to have a look at music in a meals sort of analogy, proper? The place it’s like individuals go to the eating places that they like. You go to an Italian restaurant for Italian meals. And I do have that understanding, however on the identical time, I believe that I’m at all times looking for methods to introduce my shopper base to new dishes.

Don’t fear, I’m at all times having that fettuccini for y’all. That’s at all times gonna be there, however do that crudo. It’s a brand new taste. Like “3 Toes Away,” “What the f**ok? This ni**a’s singing.” I’ve by no means rapped like that on a tune. The vocal inflections. It’s one in all my favourite songs, for actual, and I’m glad that I put it out.

That was one of many later additions to the mission, too. I knew I liked that tune, however I used to be identical to, are they prepared for it? And I’m like, f**ok it. That is the second in my profession the place there’s no worry. Do it.

It takes a number of time for sure artists to get to that time. Why are you in that place now the place you don’t have any worry?

’Trigger I believe that I’ve executed it, and you understand what? I believe the 12 months that I’ve had gave me extra confidence, too. It’s like, don’t y’all ever attempt to play with me in relation to the bars, you understand what I’m saying? I displayed I can do this each time I need to, and you must know that by now. Don’t ever attempt to play me. Let me present you one thing new now.

Take heed to Joey Bada$$’s Lonely on the Prime Album

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