00:00
DJ Beowvlf
Off the Record is a show from 88.1 WKNC in which DJs talk with artists about everything from their music to upcoming tours to former bandmates birthdays. Make sure to follow WKNC on soundcloud and Tumblr so you never miss a beat. Enjoy.
00:15
DJ Beowvlf
This is a podcast brought to you by WKNC 88.1. The following content may contain profane language and subject matter. Listener discretion advised.
00:32
Rapsody
Hey, you work at 88?
00:34
DJ Beowvlf
I do work at 88.
00:35
Rapsody
I need you to do me a favor. Can you update the computer with that automatic Play the jam. Look, man, they got songs that I did in 2005 that still run, and none of my new joints do. I be like, wow.
00:53
DJ Beowvlf
I'm the general manager, he's the production director.
00:56
Rapsody
Oh, man, they still playing Carolina Love. That's strong. 2005.
01:01
DJ Beowvlf
I was like, he's so attached to anything North Carolina related that were.
01:04
Rapsody
Like, oh, y' all stick it. Okay, well, if you love it.
01:07
DJ Beowvlf
But I mean, you're a legend. Us. Well, yeah, this was something we want to talk about in the interview. Like, you went to NC State, you played Tally. You were. You were part of the ciphers down at. At the Free Expression Tunnel and all of that. And now you're playing right here.
01:23
Rapsody
The first Dreamville.
01:24
DJ Beowvlf
The first Dreamville.
01:25
Rapsody
Yep.
01:25
DJ Beowvlf
Is this your dreams come true?
01:27
Rapsody
Yeah. Every. Every bit of it. This is a stepping stone in it. This is one of the bars in for Cole to put this festival on and to be able to do this at home. Like you say, like 40,000 people and it's sold out. Yeah, it's a different. It's a way different feeling. Like, I've done a lot of festivals, but nothing has felt like this because like I say, it's hometown love. This is where it all started.
01:48
DJ Beowvlf
You're from Snowville, right?
01:49
Rapsody
Snow Hill.
01:50
DJ Beowvlf
Snow Hill. I'm sorry.
01:51
Rapsody
No, you're good. Hour east of here.
01:54
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah. You know what I thought was really cool was when you were on that stage talking about how people didn't believe in you and in Snow Hill, and now you're playing the capital of the state.
02:03
Rapsody
I don't know about Snow Hill. They ain't believing me a lot of places.
02:07
DJ Beowvlf
I'm just making the comparison, you know, Snow Hill to Raleigh back then to now. You are killing the game.
02:12
Rapsody
I didn't start rapping until I got to Raleigh.
02:14
DJ Beowvlf
Really?
02:14
Rapsody
I didn't even start. So.
02:15
DJ Beowvlf
Not until State.
02:16
Rapsody
Not until NC State.
02:17
DJ Beowvlf
What made you decide to do that?
02:19
Rapsody
I just got with the right friends. Like, I met Charlie Smarts, Tab one, you know, Fullery djl, Digits, who, you know. Sinop now is Cooley High. And they made me feel comfortable, like I was timid because I felt like I wasn't good enough. They was like, you know, we all learn, and let's just have fun with it. And that was just the beginning of it. Of the end and not the end of future.
02:39
DJ Beowvlf
So do you still have moments of self doubt now?
02:41
Rapsody
No. No, no. Yeah. How do you. I'm going to.
02:43
DJ Beowvlf
How do you overcome that? For other, like, struggling artists, other locals who are trying to get to the level, you are.
02:49
Rapsody
Being patient with myself, knowing that nobody comes in as perfect. You know, there are a select few that have natural talents, but the most of us like anything that you want to do and do forever. You gotta. We gotta work at it. Yeah. So, you know, everybody has a starting point. I had to tell myself, you gotta be patient with yourself and put your 10,000 hours in. Everybody has to put their 10,000 hours in to become great. Yeah. You know, and if you can look at it like that and commit to that and be patient with that, and you'll be fine. You just gotta do the work, you know?
03:15
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah. And I want to say that your set. I keep looking over there because that stage is just so incredible. And that fever over at the Rise 1, your set was amazing. And that tribute to Nipsey Hussle blew my mind. I openly wept in the crowd. And what was it like for you being able to give such a beautiful tribute to him on stage? I know it's got to be a touching thing. So we can skip this if you don't want to talk about it. I understand.
03:37
Rapsody
I wish I didn't have to. That's what I wish. I wish I didn't have to do that. I don't want to do that. That's not what I want. Like, right. That shouldn't happen. Like, it should be like, yo, we got special guest Nipsey, and he should come out and perform in the flesh. So, you know, it was beautiful, but I don't like doing it right, you know?
03:54
DJ Beowvlf
Well, thank you for being the one to take on that difficult burden.
03:57
Rapsody
And, you know, Nipsey's a legend, man. That knocked the wind out of it always. And, you know, I don't want anybody to ever forget. So we gotta do this every show every year. Like, we gonna. He didn't die for nothing. No. And I hate that he couldn't see how much love he had in the whole wide world. Like, I hate that every time somebody dies, that's when we all pour out.
04:19
DJ Beowvlf
Love pulls up.
04:20
Rapsody
He should have been feeling this love while he was here.
04:23
DJ Beowvlf
Like you said, it takes nothing to love. It don't.
04:25
Rapsody
That's easy. It ain't nothing to call somebody and tell somebody that, yo, I love what you're doing. I appreciate what you're doing. That's easy. It takes energy to be hateful. That take a lot of energy. So that's just what it's about, man. Like, he preached love. He preached community and coming together. And if showing his video brings us together and makes people think about loving each other better than we still doing what he wanted us to do, like, we taking the torch that he had and we carrying on for him like the marathon continues.
04:52
DJ Beowvlf
Once again, thank you for carrying that difficult burden, that torch, running that marathon. I guess on a lighter note, I just have more praise to sing for you and then we will wrap this up. I was deeply moved by the Nipsey Hussle thing as well as your. Your strong support for women. You did an entire set sampling Anderson Paak, who I know you've worked with many times and asked all the ladies to just stand up and put their best foot forward and sing their heart out with you. And that impacted me. Women being a woman of color and just a woman is so difficult to do. And there's artists like you that inspire me and other women every single day. And you are carrying that torch. So thank you for doing this interview with us. I have nothing but good things to say.
05:32
Rapsody
Oh, I got none but good things for 88.1. That's where I started. I used to come up to the radio station and freestyle.
05:37
DJ Beowvlf
I never like to come back, do a secret pop up. You know how to.
05:40
Rapsody
I got to do it, you know, can't forget where you come from.
05:42
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah. And you're in LA now, right?
05:43
Rapsody
No, I'm here.
05:44
DJ Beowvlf
Really? I heard that you moved.
05:46
Rapsody
No, you might think I do because I'm always out there.
05:48
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah.
05:48
Rapsody
But I live here. My mail comes here. Yeah. But thank you.
05:53
DJ Beowvlf
Absolutely. Thank you for representing the state in the best way possible. You are incredible.
05:57
Rapsody
Thank you. Go pack, go pack. Thank you so much.