About this episodeCord Day discusses his new album 'The Crossroads,' attributing its creation to a two-year period of personal g…AI summary
Cord Day discusses his new album 'The Crossroads,' attributing its creation to a two-year period of personal growth, spiritual reflection, and improved songwriting skills. He details high-profile collaborations with Lil Wayne and Anderson .Paak, emphasizing a mindset of humility and continuous craft improvement over complacency.
Key takeaways 5
Artist Development: Cord Day spent two years away from releasing music to improve specific skills (songwriting, beat selection, storytelling), resulting in what he considers his best work.
Collaboration Strategy: Working with legends like Lil Wayne involved sending beats that matched their style; success came from genuine fan appreciation and direct communication rather than industry gatekeepers.
Work Ethic: As a new father, Cord Day increased his studio hours to approximately 70 hours a week (9 AM-6 PM daily plus late-night sessions) to maximize skill development.
Cultural Commentary: The recent Drake-Kendrick beef was viewed positively as it revitalized hip-hop's competitive nature and empowered artists to speak their truth.
Business Philosophy: His label 'High Level' focuses on community and grassroots support rather than just commercial contracts, aiming to build something larger than individual artist brands.
Notable quotes 4AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.
“My main goal is I just want to connect the people's hearts bro... I just want to connect to people's hearts Soul”
▶ 2:14Cord Day explaining the primary motivation behind his new album 'The Crossroads', moving away from vanity metrics.
“Little [__] you need to humble yourself and treat every song as if nobody's ever heard of you”
▶ 11:03Advice from Lil Wayne that Cord Day uses as an application to avoid complacency despite having a loyal fanbase.
“I want to play it for like 15y old cord... and that little [__] is impressed... not from the place of like oh I made it I made a lot of money”
Cord Day's personal metric for success: ensuring his younger self would be proud of the artistic quality, not just the financial gain.
“The cream always Rises to the top and the real would always connect and the fake always has a expiration date too”
▶ 16:01Cord Day's perspective on the current state of hip-hop culture and the importance of authenticity.
Chapters & Sections (37)▼
0:00Artist Discusses New Album and Personal Growthchapter4
0:00Interview with Cord Day about New Album
0:39Self Improvement and Life Crossroads
1:12Crossroads Decision Making Process Explained
1:40Artist Reflects on Past Album Expectations
2:16Artist's Emotional Connection with Fanschapter2
2:16Artist's Desire to Connect with People's Hearts
3:03Personal Struggles and Faith in God
3:52Collaboration with Wayne on a Hit Songchapter2
3:52Rapper Rewrites Song to Impress Lil Wayne
4:28Collaboration with Wayne on Music Project
5:24Collaboration between J Cole and Anderson .Paakchapter2
5:24Collaboration between J Cole and Anderson .Paak
6:16Disagreement Over a Past Song
7:00Hip-Hop Culture and Competitionchapter3
7:00Hip-Hop Culture and Competition
7:43Hip-Hop Culture and Working with Greats
8:19Celebrating Achievements and Staying Motivated
9:10Artist's Motivation and Gratitude for Successchapter2
9:10Motivation to Improve Music Skills
9:43Celebrity Texting and Music Industry
10:37Artist Shares Collaborations and Songwriting Advicechapter2
10:37Artist Discusses Collaboration and Career Advice
11:35Artist Discusses Songwriting and Fatherhood
12:18Motivation and Social Justice as a Creatorchapter2
12:18Motivation for Skill Development as Artist
13:17Raising a Black Daughter in a Racist Society
14:02Growing Up with a Strong Female Foundationchapter3
14:02Family Support and Female Role Models
14:41Support for Black Women in Hip-Hop Culture
15:15Hip-Hop Culture is Heading in Right Direction
16:01Social Media's Impact on Artists' Careerschapter5
16:01Social Media's Impact on Emerging Artists
16:34Marketing Importance for Artists in the Digital Age
17:06Artist's Business Venture and Community Building
17:56Label's Community Outreach and Artist Development
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