Making the transition from producer to an artist isn’t always easy. Kanye West, one of the most well-known dual-talent artists in hip-hop, once detailed the struggle on his College Dropout closer “Last Call.” However, for Atlanta beat-maker-turned-rapper Childish Major, switching it up was no trouble at all.
It doesn’t hurt that he’s got production credit from some of the best in the biz to his name. From producing Rocko’s “U.O.E.N.O.” featuring Future and Rick Ross to his numerous placements on Dreamville’s Grammy-nominated Revenge Of The Dreamers III compilation (including “LamboTruck,” “Disgusted,” and “Revenge” as a featured artist), he’s had the chance to soak up game from rap’s icons and rising stars for six years.
He’s put that education to good use as an artist, dropping Woo$Ah in 2017 and Dirt Road Diamond last year, proving his ability to stand on his own and find his own insightful, witty ways to rhyme about the travails of growing up in Atlanta and navigating the music business. His latest effort is “Wife You,” a new single that explores the tension in pursuing a romance with an insecure, gold-digging lover.
Over the phone with Uproxx, Childish Major breaks down the video, as well as his rise to prominence as a producer, the challenges of making the transition to being an artist, and going on tour with one of hip-hop’s other newest breakout stars, YBN Cordae. Check out the “Wife You” video below.
Why is “Wife You” a track that you’re especially excited about?
My storytelling in the past, I was just more so just trying to prove that I can be an artist you know? “Wife You” is just one of those records where it’s like, there’s nothing left to prove. This is is quite undeniable. It is what it feels like. It just feels like a really incredible record.
Did you have the concept in mind when you went to make the song and video or is the video something that grew out of the song itself?
It resonated with me because I feel like in today’s generation, just what we deal with as men. There’s a lot to be said about that topic. On one side, women might feel like, “What do you mean, how can you not wife me just because somebody seen me naked? It’s like, what are you, insecure?” And it’s like, “Yeah, I might deal with some insecurity issues that I might not want everybody to see what I see.”
And then there’s the other part of the conversation where it’s like, “Maybe she’s not all that faithful,” and we just took that idea and we just ran with it. Got up with Hollywood Cole who did the production and we ended up just going back in on the production and making that all that it could be. Him, me, and DosDias, my engineer, just made it what it is now.
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What was the most challenging aspect of trying to make the leap from producer to an artist and being able to be so successful at it?
At first, it was making people believe and just wanting them to like be able to see that yeah, I can do this too. But, I think that comes from the reason why it works for me. I wanted people to get to know me through the music and not just the fact that I can make a song or I can make a hit for somebody.
So it’s not like songs that I was doing for other people. I like the records that I’m taking for myself. I’m really telling my personal story in these songs. I take those with it in mind that it actually resonates with me and that’s the only way that I’ll be able to continue right on those topics. Outside of that, getting the other ideas and, you know, trying to get these big, big-time co-signs.
The co-sign thing is a big issue for us with hip-hop because you do need somebody to look at you first in order for other people to start looking at you and you got one of the biggest.
It’s unfortunate.
But you got one of the absolute best people to co-sign you that you can possibly get along with about a hundred other people on the Revenge Of The Dreamers III. Do you have a favorite story from the recording sessions?
The wildest moment was after the recording of “Costa Rica “when everybody was in a room, and it was the first time they were just like playing it for everybody and the energy in the room was just insane. The lights were off, everybody was standing on the console, on the desk, tables, whatever’s in there. Everybody was just wild. It was just insane energy.
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Then that was Grammy-nominated. Did you watch the Grammys?
Yeah, for sure. I watched the Grammys. I had my mom out at LA. We just kicked it in this badass mansion, and we just ate good and watched the Grammys and vibed out. Unfortunately, you know the Kobe thing happen that same day, so it was kind of a bittersweet moment. But, it was love too, you know, to have my mom in LA for the first time and for it to be for just celebrating us getting the Grammy nom.
With your multi-hyphenate status as a producer, as an artist, I was interested in hearing your perspective on Tyler The Creator’s comments after the Grammys about how the “urban” tag or the “hip-hop tag” is used to sort of segregate Black artists into our own little ghetto of the music industry. What’s your take on that?
Oh, I mean I agree. I agree completely. No matter it’d be sports, whether it be entertainment, on the acting side, or whether it be the music side. I just feel like Black people, we always have to go the extra mile to get accepted in those quote-unquote “higher levels,” those different lanes.
I mean it’s just that whole seat at the table thing. Tyler The Creator is as great as any artist in any job. And probably way more because we’re talking about somebody that does it in all aspects. So whether it be the style, the color palettes, not only the videos, the lights, the cinema, cinematography, and the video. To just automatically because he’s Black, put him in the “urban “category and not give him his just due… it sucks.
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What’s something that you’re looking forward to on your international tour with Cordae?
I’m looking forward to possibly finding some good food man. Like last time I was in Europe man, I wasn’t like super satisfied with the food but I’m going to really try to find some dope restaurants. I might put some stuff on my YouTube channel about that too. And then, of course, just connecting with the fans in a different part of the world. It’s super exciting. And I’m going places I haven’t been, even though I’ve been to Europe but they’re sending me to places I’ve haven’t been to.
[Note: The tour has since been postponed due to coronavirus concerns.]
If you could have an ideal outcome for the next 12 months, what does that look like for you?
Top 10 record… I’d say two top 10 singles. I’ll say one top-10 project. I want two Grammy nominations, and my merch is going crazy. My merch is selling out every week and we just got to restock, be restocking, restocking, and restocking. And yeah, man, I’m happy. That’s the biggest one.
Childish Major is a Warner Music artist. .
