YBN Cordae Shares Moment He Made XXL Cover, Talks ‘The Lost Boy’ + Working w/ J. Cole

photo credit: Power 106

YBN Cordae has blown up this year and he’s just getting started. The 21 year old rapper used to work at TGI Fridays just a few years ago – and now has an upcoming tour and a coveted spot on the 2019 XXL Freshman list. Cordae came through to Power 106 to talk about the moment he found out he got the spot, and why we should listen to his ‘The Lost Boy’ debut album he just dropped.

Cordae spoke with Nick Cannon about dealing with the inherited challenges he’s begging to adjust to with his rising star. The rapper’s in-tune stature in life and in his art has allowed him to understand what his success means now that he has a bigger presence in the culture.

It’s a blessing. One, it just means I gotta be more responsible too, with my platform; I’m starting to realize that, you know what I’m saying? Also, just keep tunnel vision. Just keep breaking down those barriers, just keep it going.

Securing a spot in this year’s 2019 XXL Freshman Class, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Da Baby, Gunna, Megan Thee Stallion, Rico Nasty, Blueface and more, the ‘Locationships” rapper shared with Cannon what the feat means to him saying, “Im a fan of XXL. It’s special. The Freshman cover, it’s just like a timestamp for history. Like, the 2016 cover was dope. They like Anderson .Paak, you know, 21, so it’s dope to go back on that.”

Cordae has been putting in work for much of his time as a student, confessing that most of his early recordings in college were done while not only experiencing being a student of traditional education, but also creating his voice in social and political teaching as he participated in many Black Lives Matter marches, which has impacted his outlook on life and music.

I speak on just what I’m inspired by. I feel like, I’m not like the “overly woke n*gga”, the “overly conscious n*gga”, because nobody likes that guy. Nobody want to hear a n*gga preaching to him all the time but, I just speak on whatever inspires me at the moment. Like, real life events that goes on in this world, that touches me personally. The way I am as an artist; my pen game, I just write down whatever I’m feeling: emotion, you know what I’m saying? Writing is just pure emotion put on pen and paper. So whatever evokes emotion is what I write about that day. So, it does come off like that because I am like, very aware of what going on in the world in society.

Cordae goes on to speak about the meaning behind his debut album ‘The Lost Boy’, what it’s like working with J. Cole, the advice he’s gotten from some of hip-hop’s pioneering rappers and confesses that his college job at TGIF was his worst experience working.

Peep the full Close Conversations with YBN Cordae and #NickCannonMornings below!