Logic was quietly grinding in his hometown of Maryland for some time, releasing tape after tape, before he hit it big and signed a deal with Def Jam. His story is similar to that of many rappers: an absentee father, a mother with a drug addiction, and a high school drop out. However, Logic is not your average rapper. The emcee first stepped to the mixtape game with Young, Broke, And Infamous, which right off the bat had a high quality standard that Logic has maintained through out all his mixtape projects-- beats, lyrics and flow.
Logic's most anticipated mixtape thus far was definitely his last one, Young Sinatra: Welcome To Forever. The Frank Sinatra theme is re-occurring in the rapper's music, and even when it comes to his fans, whom he calls Bobby Soxers. This is just one aspect that makes him unique, but his look, versatility, and wordplay are probably what make him stand out the most.
Young Sinatra: Welcome To Forever once more displayed how Logic can hop on about just any style of beat and bring rhymes and a flow to match it. Whether it's an old school vibe, new-age beats, a club anthem-- Logic has probably done it. This is undoubtedly one of the reasons that Def Jam has picked him up as a new signee, and producer No I.D. is will be executive producing his debut album on the major label.
For this edition of Track Breakdown we decided to talk to the rising emcee about one of his recent releases, a random freebie he dropped with Cleveland native King Chip, titled "Two Kings." It's the first time these two have collaborated together, and over production from C-Sick, it does not miss.
Logic talks to us about his versatility, his bars, the song concept, and breaks down his favorite part of the record. His go-to producer tells to us about initially linking up with Logic, creating the beat and more.
If you haven't heard "Two Kings" yet, listen below, and scroll through the images above to learn more about the record and Logic himself.
FROM LOGIC'S PERSPECTIVE
On the song concept:
That's funny…Because I'm working on the album right now and I met Chip before I met [Kid] Cudi, and Chip and I were always very cordial. We just know a lot of the same people. I've known Dot Da Genius for a bit over a year now and he always be talking about Chip. One day Chip followed me on Twitter and I followed him back and then we just became homies. I was in the studio one day, working on the album and I just invited him to come through to the studio. My homie C-Sick was there and we were all just vibing and I had this record with 2 verses on it and Chip was like "aw shit this is it, this shit is awesome." We had wanted to do a record for a while and it was very organic. We kind of just had a good time, I'd say 80 percent of the studio session was just bullshitting and having good conversation about stuff that didn't have to do with the song.
On being a versatile rapper with multiple sounds:
I have to say with overall music, I never felt a need to do this, do that, and appeal to everybody. Never cared about this or that, what people thought. I never really sat down and said I have to do this, or do that, I always said what do I want to do today, what kind of mood am I in, I could listen to some Drake or Wayne and be so inspired. No need to fabricate to their sound, by being in that lane, that type of music. It all depends what I'm feeling, what I am listening to, what I'm inspired by.
On the line "Bitches they only care ‘bout the flow/come on you know how the story go" and if he gets more ladies because of his rising fame:
I guess in many ways, yes. There have always been women. I constantly talk about in my music about how I don't give a shit about material or money. Now don't get me wrong those are necessities, those are things that we need, clothes on our back and money to provide for our families. I might buy a chain or something like that and to me that's just a sign of my accomplishment not a sign that I'm better than anybody. Once I do these things, like I got my own house in LA in the hills women will know these things they will come after you strictly for that. So yes, in many ways that line is self-explanatory.
On if he writes down his lyrics, keeps a stash of metaphors to use, or writes everything track-by-track:
That's a good one…It's funny, it really varies just because I could be on the road or something and like, for example, I was on the road and I was just chillin' with my homies, and I was thinking these are the only people I keep around, I keep a very small circle. It was just like, "Only the ones in my circle are the ones I keep around." It is a super simple play on words, but obviously "circle" and "around." I'll just think of random shit like that. But also I could be in the studio and hear a beat and then be inspired right there and then to go in. I think its a collection of having metaphors saved and then having even verses saved, I've got verses from years ago that haven't hit the record yet, any record yet. For example, the album, I'd say probably like 25-35 percent of the stuff you will hear on the album is stuff I've been saving for years. That's why I find it so funny when fans are like you're so different now, you've changed. That's just people want an opinion, they want to be heard, even if what they say doesn't make sense. But it just really goes to show you that I am who I am to the core. I'll go back to old rhymes that I did and be inspired by it and go, "how can I say it again to make it more relevant because they didn't hear it the first time."
On if he's surprised by his success ("Started as a hobby/But who knew back then what this shit would get me?/And now they all up on the scrotum/The second I told 'em these lyrics I wrote 'em"):
Success is a really funny term. Because with me I really don't see… Its funny I was talking with this with someone about this the other day, about how I am the furthest thing from complacent like I really don't see myself as others would see me, and there is a quote, I'm not sure who it is by, "if an artist ever saw themselves as they truly are they would cease to be an artist." So its almost like there's kids out there, who look at me and I care what anyone else says and see me like a Jay Z, and what I mean by that is that I'm their favorite rapper. It doesn't matter to them I'm their favorite rapper, and it's crazy to think and I have a lot of favorite rappers, I think right now Kendrick [Lamar] is probably my favorite rapper at the moment. And to think that kids can look at me the way that I respect some of these other guys, look up to people like Kanye is definitely really crazy. My success is... I'm just the furthest thing from complacent, I think that I deserve more and I think that I want more and I think that I'm going to work endlessly and there is no end point, no major goal at the end. I think that if you are constantly thinking about one end goal once you get there you will never know where to go. I like to set multiple goals, and the funny thing is by the time I reach one of those goals I have already set 10 more. I remember working really hard wanting to be a XXL freshman for years, probably in 2010 when I first really got into the modern hip hop scene, I knew I wanted that and wanted to do that and by the time I got it, I appreciated it, I loved it, it was amazing but it was like as if I was already a freshman, I already knew what I was going to be. By the time I got I was like, "what's next?"
On if C-Sick will have production on his debut album (which is executive produced by No I.D.):
Of course. Without a doubt and also 6ix, my other guy who is there before C-Sick. Pretty much my main guy, the first guy I started with as far as production, I'm bringing him out here on the road with me and Cudi and Sean and Tyler and everybody. He's producing everyday, all the time, and its amazing. Every chance he gets to knock something out, we'll be on the road or in the bus, he's constantly producing.
On his relationship with C-Sick:
Me and C Sick talk to each other a lot on the phone, we talk through email, talk through text message because he is based out of Chicago. Whenever he is free and I am free, and what I mean by that is work, obviously all my free time is not free time its just to work. Whenever he is free and I'm free...I'll fly him out to LA. Everytime I go to Chicago for a show, whether its my headlining or I was recently there with Cudi, I bring him out He's a good person and a very good friend of mine and not a lot of people like him in this industry. He's a great friend of mine and we do our best to stay in touch with him.
On his favorite line/verse on "Two Kings":
The second verse the fans love definitely, I guess I can say its funny what my favorite and the public's favorite is two different things. Me, personally I love the message in the second verse, literally starting, I love the first verse just for the flow, I'm just being open and blunt, and the cool thing about that I love that I take one breath in pretty much that whole first verse and just as a rapper that's fun to stunt. I do also love the second verse how the metaphors explain things in such an awesome way; "I seek through these motherfuckers like catscans/ And if they talking' back I just give them the backhand/ Think I work for Apple the way I give 'em the Mac man, Only partially ballin' motherfuckers is Pac Man." When I say that I know that its something that people can be like what you talking about "Think I work for Apple the way I give 'em the Mac man," talking bout that you shoot motherfuckers. For me, I don't mean that literally, I'm the biggest supporter of peace and love, I just mean more on a lyrical level and just so people have no reason to hate I just say at the end, I go "I'm just playing." I'm like "I seek through these motherfuckers like catscans/ And if they talking' back I just give them the backhand/ Think I work for Apple the way I give 'em the Mac man, Only partially ballin' motherfuckers is Pac Man (God Damn!)/ I'm just playin', don't pay attention to what I'm saying'/ Everything just a part of my plan." It's part of my plan to get you talking, get you thinking and into it. I definitely have to say that part of my second verse is my favorite.
FROM PRODUCER C-SICK'S PERSPECTIVE
On if C-Sick knows exactly what Logic will/will not like when it comes to beats:
He always tell me to send whatever. I know he likes samples, vocal stuff but he always tells me to keep doing what I do. To never change my style and sound.
On how the "Two Kings" instrumental came together:
With the sample it was a 3 second part that I liked but at first I didn't know hot make a full song out of it. I kept the 2 bar loop when the beat drops and then I stretched it. Its like the same piece but slower and made a whole new song out of it. I built everything around the sample with the drums and I liked how it sounded at 100 BPM which is something I usually don't do as far as my beats. It's kind of new to me, the difference bounce.
On if he's working with other artists besides Logic currently:
Yeah I am working with other artists, a lot of local artists (from Chicago) and up and comers. Still submitting beats and using connections for placements.
On how he first connected to Logic:
This is according to him, someone had posted my beat tape on his Facebook page and then he reached out saying he was a fan. I remember when I searched him on YouTube I was impressed by how versatile he was. He reminded me of myself as my production style is versatile as well. At first we worked through email, I sent beats, he would send back vocals and then we met at a show of his in Chicago. I flew out to Maryland and worked out of his basement.
On his inspiration for creating beats:
My inspirations come from a whole bunch of things and not just music. For this specific record it was super soulful and the 100 BPM was moving me.
On if they recorded in-studio together:
We created this in the studio together, recording "Two Kings" at NO ID's studio. It was cool, everything was on a much bigger level and we were all just vibing,Logic, King Chip and I. When Chip came through it was a cool vibe, real fun.
On the equipment used to create the beat:
I used FL Studios 7 to create the beat