24KGoldn

USC for business until music came calling. Now when you're number one, where else can you go? Turns out lots of places. He's eager to spread into film fashion and recently appeared on the podcast Halloween in Hell. And that's when he's not busy working on his first LP, El Dorado. I'm so happy to welcome to Carrot Golden, Golden, Thank you so much for taking the time. First of all, how are you today? You always got to do the quarantine check in feeling good, feeling grounded. Yeah, and not

the worst day in the world. You know, it's a Monday, but it's sunny, like you said, oh Man, that's what we that's what we like to hear. Well, I should hope you're feeling good because at the very moment, your song Mood is the number one song in the country. How does that feel for you? Man? It feels good. I'm glad that people like my music and they want to and that they care about what I have to share with the world. When did you first learn that

it was in the top spot? I think about maybe like six or seven weeks ago, um, and it was just been like kind of mind blowing to me that it's been. They're still to this day, like there's been a lot of really really good music that's come out this year, and this song is like really performed beyond all of that, which is just awesome to me. Tell me about writing the song. I understand Call of Duty was involved, Do I have that right? Big inspiration? College

Duty was a big inspiration. We're basically just all in at Ian's house and um playing Call of Duty, playing video games, and Omer starts playing one of um one of Ian's guitars, and um, they I just hear this like guitar riff, that's that's just so enticing, so intriguing, and without even realizing that I start singing, um the chorus to mood like I just started making it up on the fly and with and Omer hears me seeing, He's like, yo, come like lay that down that she

was hot. So I go and I record my part and then boom, it was a whole mood. Did you have a feeling that this song was gonna go all the way? If anybody ever says that they make a song while playing Call of Duty randomly and they predict that it's gonna go to number one, don't trust that person. They are a liar. There's no way I could have known that this is gonna happen. It's gonna be like

a really weird year to have a number one. I mean, not being able to tour, not being able to like just see people and see what it looks like to have a number one record. How has that been for you? Yeah, I only like no half the battle of having the number one. Like I've done all the promos and the videos and the and and you know a little bit of the performing with the live performance stuff. But I felt like a lot of the um, a lot of this stuff that I was looking forward to that came

with the number one. That's going to be a little bit delayed, But it's a blessing and the curse because I think I probably would have been overwhelmed if I had to do a tour while all this other stuff was going on at the same time. Man, I can only imagine. Has it been a relief in some way? Its just being able to to stay home and chill because you were on the road with Landing Cuban, playing Rolling Loud and doing all sorts of stuff. Has it been kind of relief just to stay settled for a bit.

Every day is a little bit different. Some days it's like, oh my god, I'm so glad, like I didn't have to I'm so glad I just get to go home and chill and watch Survivor for three hours. And some days it's like what is the purpose of my life? Like I can't be on the road, Like what am I doing? Like I feel incomplete? So, you know, it just depends what day it is. Well, you're hard at work right now and your debut op El Dorado. How's it going? Man? This has been some of the best

music I've ever created in my entire life. I'm just thankful that I got good friends, uh and people that care about me to hold me down during this quarantine and and give me the tools to make the best music possible. Your your EP Dropped out of College was such a diverse blend of hip hop and pop, an alternative and rock. How is your sound evolved for this LP?

How would you describe it? So? I think with the EP Dropped out of College, it was me kind of like poking around it a lot of different things, kind of just like it was a costco sample run of EPs, if you may, you know, trying to just figure out, like, yo, can I do this? Pop? Okay? I give you pop? Can I do trap? Okay? Do trap? Can I do rock? Okay? I can do rock? Do imo rap? Okay? I can do that? And just kind of testing out what I

was really capable of. And and with this, with this debut album, El Dorado, I feel like I have a better understanding of my capabilities and now I'm like, how can I push myself to to the furthest limits of all these different sounds and and mix them together to create something that is truly unique and truly golden. What is your process like do you write melodies first or do you work with beats first or how do you do it? I'm more often than not a melody first

type of guy. I feel like melodies drive the whole songs. That's where the feeling comes from, you know, the way you say something um just as much as what you're actually saying. So a lot of times I'll be inspired outside of the studio, Like I'll just be walking or driving by myself, or like take a bite of some really good food and boom, like a melody just pops

in my head. Like it's it's like it's like a lot of you know, like do have a certain set of stimulations and environment and people around and things going on, and every once in a while it'll just pop out of fire melody. So I'll just take that and and kind of like as raw inspiration, and then when I go in the studio, I refine that raw inspiration into something that's more cohesive and has a message and has a story to go with it. When your your hooks

or your hallmarks, he does these massive, massive hooks. What is a good hook for you? Is there? Like you just know it when you hear it? Is there? Like something you specifically look for. I try not to think too much, because I feel like thinking is the opposite of like being it creating, you know. It's it's so easy to get caught in your in your own head as an artist. So really it's just I go off

feeling like, is this catchy? Is this something that I don't mind listening to a hundred times over and over again? Because if I don't mind listening to it a hundred times, everybody else probably will not mind listening to it a hundred times either. So just something that that that I want to keep saying over and over again, or that I don't mind listening to over and over again, it's

a good strategy. I think. I read that the Beatles, whenever they were working on songs to other they didn't like to to put it down on cassette tapes because they thought, well, if we can't remember it tomorrow, how can we expect other people. So that was like they're

built in quality control. Yeah, just if you don't if you can't remember it, Like sometimes I'll remember a song lyric or a melody from like a year and a half ago, and that would be a sound like, yeah, maybe I should go back and work on that, because if I remember that all the way, so now it might be in some special Other people well too, have

you been feeling productive in in in quarantine musically? Like I know a lot of people either like you know, really getting to it every day and doing their thing, and other people are just like, all right, I got out of bed today. That's We're good that this is this, this is the highlight of my day. You're feeling productive

and good. Yeah, I feel like I've gotten to the point where it's like I've worked so far ahead in the future i don't even know what to work on anymore because I don't know where I'm gonna be at that point. Like, Yo, we have so many great songs for the album, so many incredible songs that had to be cut from the album. Like, I have no idea

what the second album is gonna sound like. So now I'm just trying to connecting with the fans day inspired and and just you know, maintain happiness and satisfaction and peace of mind. Your new song Coco's got the Baby on it, You've had You've worked with Fettie wap on Drop out of College. Who else would you like to collaborate with? Like my My Dream, Dream collaboration is drake for sure, but you know that will happen when the time.

When the time comes, I'd say, like, out of my my friends and my peers, I want to work with Little nos X and kid Leroy the most. Those are just two good friends of mine who I really admire the music making abilities. So I think a collabor from from us would be just extraordinary. Talk a lot about Billie Eilish too, Any any updates on on her so um, I guess in a previous interview, I said I wanted to take her out for sushi, and I was very uh, very bluntly informed by her fans that she's actually a

vegan and she hates sushi. She likes like for sushi. Yeah, I don't know. You know, I tried my best, so so maybe we might have to pull a little a little vegan play of some sorts. I gotta asked me, at what point did you know you wanted to make music? Was there like a lightning bolt moment for you. I'm always fascinated with people who are are able to write like that. Did you know from early on that you

were able to write? I was, I've always been good with my words and I've always had a special connection with music. But I think to be an artist is it takes a lot of confidence, you know, to to put yourself out there in a permanent form like this is this ain't no snapchat songs like this, ship doesn't go away in twenty four hours. This is yo, this is me, This is what I have to say, this is how I have to say it, and I'm putting it in a way that I hope stands the test

of time. And I didn't get that confidence until I was in high school. And when I made my first song, it just felt so natural and and so right and so purpose full that I was like, you know, if I stopped doing this, I think I'm gonna die, Like I can't not make music like this just feels too good and and too right. So it was somewhere, it was. It was really after the first song, I was just

hooked and I was addicted to making music. What would you say to fourteen fifteen year olds out there right now who who loved music and are struggling to find their voice. Man, keep going, don't get discourage. Nobody's first record is a is a number one smash. I had plenty of awful trash ass. I don't even want you to hear it. Sounded songs before, before mood was even

a thought in my mind. So don't be too hard on yourself and make sure you're still having fun because at the end of the day, you know, happiness and and and enjoyment, that's what life is about. And if you're not having fun, why I torture yourself. You're born and raised in the Bay Area. How does that influenced

you as an artist? I think being from the Bay gives you a sense of uh innovation that a lot of places don't don't have built in Like we worship technology in the Bay Area, Like it is a Silicon Valley, very tech driven place. It's tech and culture really and that's where the two meet in Bay in San Francisco. So just being able to see both sides, Like you know, this is where some of the greatest art comes from, some of the greatest food comes from, some of the

most creative minds in the world. Yet you pair it with with the innovation of Silicon Valley. How can we do things better than we did it before? How can we challenge the preconceived notions and and the habits that we've fallen into as as people, you know, And when you combine that that challenging mindset with creativity, you just get how can I be the most creative I can be? How can I spread my light to the world in the greatest way possible? And I feel like that's just

something that sits deep within invation. It's been so interesting to watch TikTok become a bigger platform for launching music. I mean, especially your songs like Valentino and Mood. What do you think about It's it's it's growing role in

uh in launching artists. I think TikTok is is popping because it just communicates most directly to like what people want, you know, Like a lot of a lot of social media platforms, they'll leave you feeling like you're less stand where I feel like TikTok can leave you feeling like you're better off than you were before. Like whatever it is you're looking for, the algorithm knows and it helps you find that. And I think, you know, like that's the best way to spread music because that's where it

has the most attention. And all I did was figure out, like, yo, how can I share myself and share my music in the most authentic way on this app, and people respond really really well to authenticity on there. And I'm just fucking around and having fun making dumb videos like I did when I was in middle school on Vine and I think like that the genuine enthusiasm um carries through in the music and the and the content. So it's just like the perfect connection and it's good music. People

can't help but I want to listen to it. I mean, mood has been used a ludicrous number of times in in TikTok clips. Have there been anyones you've seen that are your favorite? I can't even keep track of it anymore. Like I feel like every TikToker and their mama has literally and their mama like Pattison Ray's mom probably used that ship too, but every TikTok or has been on there. I'm just glad that that you know like my music, because TikTok is a lot younger than you know on

Facebook or Instagram or Twitter. Like my music is speaking to the people to the next generation, Like my music I inspire to uplift and inspire and and the fact that it's resonating with those those people that are growing up and like have the most pure open mindedness like that that that's a sign to me, Like, Yo, I'm on the right track. This music is doing what it's supposed to do. And you're right. I mean, I'm at

the age now where TikTok intimidates me. Do you have any tips for like if I want to make my first TikTok? I think you just gotta go on the app and just scroll a little bit, like what you like, skip past what you don't, and just understand the culture better.

Because what makes TikTok different from any other social media platform is that there's a genuine sense of community on there, like inside jokes and and you know, like just little things that exist within that community that don't exist other places. So dig into it, don't be scared, don't be shy.

I put some more, as they would say, speaking of new media, among the many, many, many things that you're involved with right now, you were part of the Halloween in Hell podcast series, Uh, starring you, Machine Gun, Kelly, Tommy Lee, all sorts of great people. How did that come about? Um? You know, it's just a natural extension of storytelling. I feel like podcasts and having to be able to combine like more literal storytelling with musical storytelling,

like for the first time. That was a really dope experience to me. And I got to do it with my friends, and I got to do it with Jingle Jared, who's like a goat a god in this podcast game, you know, So it was a it was it was something new for me. That was that was building the pawn ship that I already liked to do, and I got to make good music in the process of it, Like me and m g K. That was our first uh collive, and I'm really proud of that. I mean,

he's a legend in his own right. He's one of the like he's had something, he's had longevity that is very rare in this game, and he's been able to transform from a rapper to a rock star and just

do him whatever that is at the given moment. So it was it was dope to to watch him and learn from him and have him tell us stories about his highest highs and lowest lows and and just knowing that like, yo, it's gonna be okay, Like ship ship gets funked up in this industry, like this is not by any means a smooth ride, but it's it's a ride worth uh riding. I guess to to say the least. Earlier in your career, you did a lot of commercial acting, and you said that you to expand into into film roles.

What kind of roles would you want to look at? Yeah, when I was a kid, it was more like, you know, like student number three at the Lunch of Bulls commercial. But but now you know, I got my site set on on bigger, bigger and better things. I definitely want

to do TV acting and film acting. We're working on like my own scripted show right now for uh, for a TV series based on my life and how like I dropped out of college and moved in to this crazy house in Beverly Hills and my friend and his family who who became like his mom is my agent now. But I was just like a rapper moving in with this like very nice Hollywood Jewish family. Like the contrast, said I, and like, yeah, real fresh Prince of Beverly

Hills type ship. So that's something I'm working on. Yeah, I was gonna ask you, what was it like moving from the Bay Area to Los Angeles, the whole Northern California, southern California things. Was it a real different vibe. Yeah, everybody thinks Callie is all the same, but no, California is very different. There's a lot of different bubbles. Like in the Bay, first of all, it's cold as fucking it's hoggy every day. In l A it's hot as fun and it's smoggy every day. So it's like, you know,

it's kind of the same, but it's different. People are are all like pretty nice, but I feel like in the Bay, like their their niceness is more authentic, And in l A someone could be like smiling your face and then stab you in the back without you even expecting it. So just getting used to to the differences in people and an environment out here from up there. I hope you haven't experienced that yet. Hey, it's part

of the game, man. I'm just taking these as as life lessons and and I still got a smile on my face, you know, because that's all that matters that I have to say. You are a a style icon for any of you listening right now who don't know style icon in the making. Do you feel like your style has changed it all since you moved down from from San Francisco. Yeah, but probably less with me moving and me getting more money to buy the clothes I actually want. It's a very good point, but yeah, I'll

definitely take that title of style icon. Like there's been so many things that like I would wear or like wearing my clothes a certain way, and and motherfucker's will roast or they'll be like, man, I don't get it. Why is he? Why is he got the bell bottom pants on? And then boom a year flashes forward and now everybody's wearing bell bottom pants and I'm just sitting there on my arms crossed, Like, man, I told y'all, I told you all this is gonna happen. What is

your your favorite piece, either jewelry or sneakers. I know you're a big sneaker head. What is your your absolute like prize in your possession. Oh that's such a hard question because every piece got its own its own skin in the game. You know, every pie's got its own story. But I would say just as far as like, uh, sentimental value, probably probably just like my parent John Elliott air Force ones, Like it's such a plane shoe, right,

but it's something that you can wear with everything. It's something that like I've had some of my greatest memories and you know, and some of my most comfortable shoes. So just something that's that's stable. You know, it's not the craziest piece in the collection, but it's the one that we go way back and I know these these shoes are gonna hold me down forever. What is your

craziest piece in the collection? Craziest pieces? I mean, well, it could be the custom St Laurent Bell bottoms I wore in the A m As that they had to cut two pairs of sequence two thousand dollars Sat Laurent pants to make. Or it could be the Kanye West Louis Vuitton Jaspers that I've been I in since I was like fourteen years old, or or is it the custom twenty four Carrott necklace that I designed my self and watch the whole process go to represent El Dorado.

I don't know. It's up to It's up to the people. At this point, I got too many crazy pieces. What is your your go to quarantine outfit? I feel like everyone now has kind of changed his style because you know, it can't go out as much. True, It's like, yo, y'all can see me in sweatpants, like you can't see you can't see the bottom half in these zoom calls. I could have been wearing the same sweatpants like the

last four days. You wouldn't even know. But um, yeah, I just try and keep it casual, keep it cozy, like, not not too cozy where where where I just lose all sense of my swag, but cozy enough that I don't have to, like, you know, put get dressed for an hour and make sure everything is perfectly aligned in the mirror lest you feel like it, unless I feel like sometimes it's nice to get dressed up. It makes

me feel like back in the days, you know, simpler times. Yeah, what have you been doing too to keep yourself you know, grounded in in a good mood? I guests for throughout all this, I think I've just been trying to maintain perspective, you know, and reminding myself, like because I've gotten so used to being in this pandemic mode and I've experienced

so much sense success in this pandemic mode. Sometimes I'll just have like days and I'd be like, yo, like we're in a fucking pandemic, Like I gotta remember that, and that, like yo, everything is cool now, but there's so much to look forward to in the next coming months in terms of performing and and and just seeing the world and like going like I want to go a tving so bad, I want to go bowling so bad.

Like all these things I took for granted in the past are gonna be are gonna be available again, And I just can't wait for those those uh that reopening that that that are roaring twenties or staying hopeful for that. That's what I'm I keep thinking of, like those the footage from like when World War Two was over, Like in Times Square, Everyone's just like in there, like like hugging, And that's what I keep thinking of when this is all over, hopefully. I'm telling you we're about to be

on a sick one after this ship is over. Man, it's about to be mayhem in the best way possible. Everybody got all this pent up energy. They've been in the house. They they ain't touch a woman for six months. You know, it's about to be madness in the streets.

If if you could snap your fingers and have it all go away right now and have everything be back to you know, normal, whatever your definition or normal is what would be the first thing you would do, place, you would go, person, you would hug meal, you'd have out. To be honest, I wouldn't want to I wouldn't want to go I wouldn't want to go back in time. I feel like I've learned so much through this quarantine, and I've grown a lot as just a person, as

an artist. I'm really thankful for all these experiences and memories. And I know that when it goes back, like I'm gonna be there at Saddle Ranch, you know, going crazy like how it used to be your I'll be in Miami or Europe or some thing and just look back and be like, Yo, this year made me who I am at this moment. Well, in the future, I'll be able to say that now. I'm yeah, we're in a time loop right now, but forget about it. I'm just

looking forward to that. Can't come soon enough. Oh Man gold Golden, thank you so much for your time today. It's such a pleasure. Hey, thanks for letting me, you know, keep it real, keep it funky fresh on here anytime, come on back. I appreciate you, guys, piece, Thank you so much. You have a wonderful Holica Hey, Masa tov Yes, thank you to Pieca. We hope you enjoyed this episode of Inside the Studio, a production of I Heart Radio.

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