Joey Bada$$' new album All-Amerikkkan Badass comes out tomorrow, and its advance guard of politically-minded videos and singles show the rapper embracing the turbulent politics of the present. In a new interview with Beats 1's Ebro Darden, Joey goes deep into what inspired the the album's focused subject matter.
He elaborates on specific songs, such as how closing track "Amerikkkan Idol" is his favourite from the album, as well as the concepts behind cuts like "Y U Don't Love Me" (a song about "prejudice" and "keeping your dollar inside your community") and the J. Cole collaboration "Legendary" ("What people don't know is Cole used to be one of favorite rappers. Like when I was 15, 16 it was Cole and Kendrick"). Joey also expresses his satisfaction with finally being able to use live instruments on All-Amerikkkan Badass, the better to emulate producers like Madlib. You can watch the entire interview below.Ebro Darden's interview with Joey Badass airs Monday on Beats 1 (Apple Music) at 3:30 p.m. PST/ 6:30 p.m. EST. You can listen here.Phil is the Noisey Canada staff writer. He's on Twitter.I just started feeling responsible. The real side of me, just the human side of me was feeling connected to it cause I felt so close to it. The musician side of me started feeling responsible, not responsible for what was happening, but responsible on how we can change it. How we could bring more awareness to certain situations. This project, I'm glad you said it, it's about my experience as a black man in America, but it's not just my experience. It's your experience.