Read the full interview on YoungCalifornia.com!
Left Brain is the GOAT for this one, literally. In celebration of his new album Mind Gone Vol. 2, the Odd Future member threw an epic release party at Le Jardin in Hollywood, which he warned fans would be something similar to the Barnum Bailey Circus. Why? Goat yoga. Read more…
He states, “You just do your plain yoga, but you put the goat on your back.” This event follows an epic cookout at WAV last year, where him and Domo Genesis were cooking alligator on the grill. Being part of the OF clan means two things: 1) you’re just as wild as Tyler, The Creator and 2) your music slaps.
Formerly one half of MellowHype with Hodgy Beats, Left Brain is fine-tuning his craft as an artist who raps, produces, and everything in between.
For those who don’t know, who is Left Brain?
Left Brain is a producer, performing artist – just all around artist from Los Angeles. If you didn’t know, I did come up with Odd Future Wolf Gang: Mellowhype, Hodgy Beats, Tyler the Creator and them. I’m Left Brain, I’ve been in the industry for like 10 years now.
Where do you fit in the realm of hip-hop?
I don’t really fit in it at all. Like I said, I’ve been in the game for 10 years. I still rap and produce, but I’m just trying to help younger artists that I really work with and I really fuck with nowadays. I don’t fit in, I’m already in it.
You’re from LA, how does that play into your life and career?
It’s a big part because I met Odd Future in LA. We didn’t grow up or go to high school together, but we grew up in LA just at skate parks, and that’s just how I met them. That plays a big part because Hodgy is from New Jersey, so he probably wouldn’t have met us if he hadn’t come out to LA. I’m just a regular LA kid. I don’t gangbang. I played sports and stuff. LA plays a big part in my career, just based on the people I met out here.
How important do you feel the city is for an up and coming artist?
It’s really important to come out here and network, and just like work. I see a lot of Atlanta artists coming out here, making major moves and just taking off. I think just coming out to LA and knowing the right people, you can make some major moves for music or any type of art.
“BEATIN DOWN THE BLOCK” is a slap. What was the inspiration behind the record?
Everybody with them trucks with the sound systems in their cars that slap! It’s basically just a song where me and Larry (L Dog) go back and forth. He just started rapping this year pretty much. He got the hooks and all that, he’s getting better. We made that one this year.
You’re gearing up to drop Mind Gone Vol. 2, what do you want fans to get from your story?
I want the fans to just know we’ve been working, and they can go back and look, and listen to Vol.1 for free .There’s not really a concept or story to the album, it’s just a bunch of different types of music. We’ve got some features. It’s not all my production, just a little compilation, with some cool people that we know. We all put it together, with no type of industry bullshit. I think we put together a cool little project.
How has your sound evolved over the years?
It’s just like I’ve been rapping and writing more, besides just making music. Aside from just making beats, I think my rapping has evolved a lot more. I feel more confidence with that.
You’re actually ½ of MellowHype with Hodgy Beats. What’s your end goal? What do you want to be known for?
I want to be known for making dope music, like some Rick Rubin type shit. The guy who just walks into the studio and changes stuff around, I wanna be that. I can do that.
Talk about your relationship with Tyler, The Creator.
We met at the skatepark, we didn’t even go to school together. He already had the Odd Future idea, and then he just found kids who did music on MySpace. We just started making music, and that’s how that happened.
What’s the best memory you have with him?
One time, we was skating just by his grandma’s house or something. Some random dude pulled a fake gun out on me. He must have thought I was a gangbanger, I don’t know. I didn’t know if it was fake or not, but Tyler hit him in the head with a board. We were like nine homies, I was outside and everybody was inside.
Tyler was the first one to see it, like “What the fuck?” He just came out and hit him, and then I had it. I was like “What the fuck, this shit fake!” We were like, “Get outta here with this!” And we beat him up.
When was this?!
It was in Ladera. It was like 10 of us. That was a cool moment.
What’s the best piece of advice he’s given you?
Tyler? He doesn’t really do much of that. He just be real goofy all the time. Be yourself type of shit. Do what you want to do. Don’t let nobody tell you you can’t do stuff – he’s said that a lot.
What is your take on the music industry?
I take it as a joke. It’s a joke, if you want to say that. I don’t take it serious. I always been having fun doing music. I’ve never really had to work with no artist I didn’t want to work with. I was never on no deadline. I always manage myself and do what I want to do, so I don’t really know. The part of the industry, that I see everyday – all the million dollar videos, entertainment – it’s funny. No rapper except for J.Cole and Kendrick, the best rappers out, are really talking about their stories.
Music people really listen to and take serious, and not dance to or not joke around to. It’s a bunch of jokers out right now. When we was out, we was talking about bullshit but still we had Hodgy and Domo rapping about real shit. So it’s nothing wrong with it, it’s entertainment. But I don’t take anything serious right now. Nobody is prolific talking about nothing right now.
What would you be doing if you weren’t doing music?
If I wasn’t doing music, I would be dancing – a performing artist, like fine arts. Or graphic design, or any type of other art. If I wasn’t doing art, I’d be a construction worker. I’d be really using my hands. I might get a job working for the city, ‘cause they get paid like 50 dollars an hour and shit, building buildings.
What’s a normal day in the life? Walk us through.
I’m usually at the studio: wake up in the studio, fall asleep in the studio. I might hit the beach or skate for a few hours. I might go barbecue on the roof. I like to barbecue now at least every other day. I don’t really be around LA too much. I’ll be in one section all the time. Smoke some weed. Normal day shit.
Favorite song to perform in a set?
I like doing Mellowhype “La Bonita.” I got the first verse on that. If Hodgy isn’t there, I can just perform it anyway. I love performing that song.
What’s the best encounter you had with a fan?
Just every time pulling up to a show, and the line is all long. Just pulling up for the first time in a city and going straight to the line, and everybody’s screaming. It’s like the best feeling to be welcomed into a city. It gives us a good energy right before the show. I might stop and talk to the first five kids in line. It’s just the best feeling.
Who’s the most played artist on your phone?
Lil B.
BasedGod!
The BasedGod all day, every day. I have like 10,000 songs, and most of the time, the shuffle goes to Lil B.
Dream collab?
I’d do a collab with Ghostface Killah. Or Snoop Dogg. Snoop, we gon’ make that happen soon.
Anything else you want to let us know?
Vol. 2, album out now, and we working on Vol. 3, which will be out this year too. We’re trying to do a bunch of albums. We got 2.5 too, we ain’t really announce that on the internet yet. We’re working on like four or five projects: some Mellowhype stuff, some stuff with J.Worthy. He got a really cool project. So I have a few projects coming, 2018!
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