Caching up with Trinidad James
Rapper Trinidad James talks about what to expect for his new album, the persistence of #NewAtlanta, and defying labels.
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In an age where label rivalries, (occasionally fatal) Twitter feuds, and champagne bottle assaults dominate Atlanta’s hip-hop consciousness, Trinidad James flexes his positivity. The 26-year-old Trinidad-born, Atlanta-bred rapper has been laying low since the overnight success of his 2012 club opus “All Gold Everything” lit up radios worldwide.
Though the #NewAtlanta movement he helped spearhead has started to collect dust, he has maintained his relevance through 2013’s well-received 10 Pc. Mild mixtape and continuing to collaborate with an all-star lineup of Atlanta’s hip-hop royalty.
He is different without ever needing to tell anyone. His verses easily float between the false binary of conscious and unconscious rap, and his mixtapes give equal credence to club bangers and social criticism alike.
James stopped by to talk about what to expect for his new album, the persistence of #NewAtlanta, and defying labels.
Why do you think the #NewAtlanta movement has been in decline and is there anything else coming to replace it?
I mean, I represent Atlanta. I think that #NewAtlanta slogan got branded too much, where people were considering everything #NewAtlanta. The way I look at it it’s never dying down because #NewAtlanta refers to the new faces of Atlanta talent that are coming out of Atlanta and getting played and doing shows around the U.S. and all around the world. The old faces of Atlanta were T.I., Jeezy, 2 Chainz, Dungeon Family. All different types of artists make up the music scene of Atlanta. You got artists other than rappers. When I think of Atlanta I think of the new street artists, the new bands, the new rock songs, that’s #NewAtlanta to me. You got Young Thug, you got so many people. We’re all kids trying to make names for ourselves out here, you know?
How has the reception of “All Gold Everything” influenced your songwriting going forward?
“All Gold Everything” is a place in time. It’s a classic forever, five years, 20 years, 100 years from now. It’s just a moment in my life. For me personally, I focus on the next. “All Gold Everything” is just me being who I am. My new album, my new music in general, things that I put out, it’s always going to be what’s going on in my life. If that affects you the same way “All Gold Everything” did, then dope, that’s what’s up. If it doesn’t there’s really nothing I can do as an artist because I can’t lie to you about my life. There’s way more levels to me then “All Gold Everything.” It was an amazing song and it made an amazing statement, but it’s bigger than just “All Gold Everything.”
After two mixtapes, are you planning on releasing a proper album?
Definitely. I’m finishing up an album right now. That’s my main focus right now. I’ve got a lot of music recorded, a lot of videos. All that’s really important is the roll-out. Timing is very key when it comes to success. You can have the right music at the wrong time. I’m also working on my YouTube episodes called “Camp James.” Those and my new album are my two main focuses. I’m always looking for business endeavors outside of music. I’m acting right now. I actually did some scenes for Zaytoven’s newest movie. That was my first debut and I want to build from there.
What drew you to acting?
I’m an entertainer, I need to be seen to be understood. A person like myself in the game with everything I’ve been through, I feel visuals cut deeper than words. You can see and feel where I’m coming from.
Anything you can tease about your new album?
In general, once again, it’s different, man. For people that are actually fans of me, they’re going to love it, like it’s going to be their favorite album. It’s just the way I personally feel. In general “All Gold Everything” can’t last me for the rest of my life. If you really want to be a fan of Trinidad James you have to listen to my actual projects. With that being said, for those people who only listened to “All Gold Everything”, I hope it’ll give them a better understanding. I brought both worlds together for my first two projects. When you first hear it you’re gonna be like “Man, I didn’t think that kid had that it in him.” It’s 10 tracks once again, because that’s my thing. I’m one of those people that never forces people to love me or to love anything I’m doing. I feel that it’s good enough and genuine enough and honest enough for you to just genuinely be in love with it because it’s real.
In “Givin’ No Fucks,” you talk about how children in Atlanta don’t have any real role models, do you ever try to fill that void?
Man, I’m not a role model, I’m really not. I’m just a real nigga. I’m not a role model, I’m not a ratchet, I don’t have any labels, man. There’s certain ideas you learn as a man growing up, and you don’t speak on them, you don’t make a commandment, you just carry them out in life because you know they’re right. And that’s what I live by.
How do you try and avoid those labels?
I stay to myself. Some people think that, “If he makes this type of music and hangs around these types of people all the time and only does features with these types of people all the time, then he’s that type of person.” That’s why I try to stay to myself. Not because I don’t like anybody. I love everybody. You can ask any artist who actually know me and have my number. They know I have the utmost respect from the most gangster rapper to the most non-gangster rapper. I try to work with artists that are left field, so when I knock down that door again it won’t just be like “Oh, he went pop on me.” I didn’t just go pop on you, I do this too, I do that too. “All Gold Everything” is nothing like “Givin’ No Fucks” and “Givin’ No Fucks” is nothing like “One More Molly.” Each song was a different chapter in my life and I just chose those sounds and those beats to express it.
What are some Atlanta artists you’re into right now?
There’s this kid named Raury who is dope as crap. He has a new single called “God’s Whisper.” He shot it in Atlanta, it’s amazing. That’s #NewAtlanta to me. Just new people on the scene bringing new things to the music atmosphere. There’s a new artist from Atlanta called Cooper. He just dropped a project called My Interpretation of California. He has a track called “Paradise” on there, oh my God, it’s crazy man. It’s one of the best songs I’ve ever heard from a new Atlanta artist, period.
What are some underrated hangouts in Atlanta you like checking out?
Hmm, well I feel like everybody knows about MJQ now. The Bonfire. There’s a bonfire every Sunday, I checked it out for the first time this past Sunday, and it was pretty cool. It wasn’t super packed out but it had house music, it had hip-hop, it had campfire music, it just had different races of people. It was just everybody hanging out.
Anything else you’d like to say about the new album?
When you hear the album, even if it sold one copy, or five copies, and you got one of those copes, you would know that this is a classic, straight up and down. It’s bigger then the people actually playing on it. It’s about making the whole world understand.