Swavay Talks "Billy" EP, Transition from Rap to R&B, Personal Growth, & Unconventional Upbringing!
Jun 17, 2024
Nyla Symone
What happens when a rapper decides to channel his inner R&B artist in the midst of emotional upheaval? Join us as we sit down with Swavay, an Atlanta-based artist, who shares the riveting story behind his latest EP, "Billy." Inspired by a past relationship and created during an intense two-week period, Swavay opens up about his journey from rap to R&B, the impact of his unconventional upbringing, and his limited exposure to music due to his mother's religious influence. From discovering new genres through music channels to collaborating with producers like Veronica and friends like Chase Shakur, Swavay's narrative is one of transformation and artistic exploration.
Through our conversation, we delve into the intriguing dynamics between rap and R&B, shedding light on Suave's newfound preference for singing. Hear about the minimalistic production choices that give "Billie" its unique sound and the symbolism behind the EP's cover art. We also dive into the personal experiences that shaped Suave's music, discussing the balance between personal relationships and career ambitions, the emotional toll of past relationships, and the growth that comes with age. This episode is a heartfelt mix of humor, genuine advice, and candid reflections, offering an intimate glimpse into the life of an evolving artist.
What happens when a rapper decides to channel his inner R&B artist in the midst of emotional upheaval? Join us as we sit down with Swavay, an Atlanta-based artist, who shares the riveting story behind his latest EP, "Billy." Inspired by a past relationship and created during an intense two-week period, Swavay opens up about his journey from rap to R&B, the impact of his unconventional upbringing, and his limited exposure to music due to his mother's religious influence. From discovering new genres through music channels to collaborating with producers like Veronica and friends like Chase Shakur, Swavay's narrative is one of transformation and artistic exploration.
Through our conversation, we delve into the intriguing dynamics between rap and R&B, shedding light on Suave's newfound preference for singing. Hear about the minimalistic production choices that give "Billie" its unique sound and the symbolism behind the EP's cover art. We also dive into the personal experiences that shaped Suave's music, discussing the balance between personal relationships and career ambitions, the emotional toll of past relationships, and the growth that comes with age. This episode is a heartfelt mix of humor, genuine advice, and candid reflections, offering an intimate glimpse into the life of an evolving artist.
Talk Soon! ✌🏾
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Speaker 1:
Y'all been knowing each other For two years For two years. Y'all been dating, you know, casually for a moment, but y'all was really only official for two weeks.
Speaker 2:
Bro, we was a couple for like two and a half three months, but you gotta think, though, like I know her for two years, so I already like Alright.
Speaker 1:
Alright, I hear the backstory but two and a half, three months, and then the pivot.
Speaker 2:
But I wasn't. But that's why I'm telling you, this is why you got six bitches on the cover. But this is why I'm telling you Sorry, not bitches, beautiful women, I'm sorry, Nah they some of them.
Speaker 1:
No, no, no, no, no. I'm not doing that, I'm not wearing that.
Speaker 2:
What's up y'all? This is Suave. Make sure you guys check out my new EP called Billie.
Speaker 1:
What's up Ny building? I got Suave here. How are you? I'm good. How are you? I'm good man, I'm excited to have you on the show. I got to listen to Billie the full EP and it's a really dope piece of work. You lie. No, I'm Yo. Why you got trust issues yo.
Speaker 2:
I just don't want you to lie like.
Speaker 1:
No, I really like. First of all, I don't give out flowers to art that I don't like. Okay, yeah, I might have a conversation with you, but that doesn't mean I like it. Okay, if I'm starting with yo, I stamped this tape. Make sure you guys tap into Billy, then it's a stamp.
Speaker 2:
Okay, yes, I just feel like sometimes you could be lying on this motherfucker too, though, oh, I can curse. No, no, no yeah yeah, yeah. Okay, sometimes you could be like like you be interviewing artists, you know, like you know poppin' that music and shit.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, all the time oh and what you be saying. I just don't compliment it, I just ask about it, like, okay, so talk to me about this, because really it's me just trying to understand your art, right? So yeah.
Speaker 1:
That's when producers like, play me beats, like. I just ask like bullshit questions like, oh, what you make beats in, see? Yeah, see, so, but it's not like I feel like my taste is just my taste. So there's other people who are gonna like the shit I like, but there's also people who don't like the shit I like and like you know. So it's like that's why you kind of got to be objective about asking but this is some shit that I would actually listen to in my rotation, which is why I'm happy to have you here. Okay, cool, so let's talk about Billy. Well, before we actually get into your tape, let's just do a backstory as to who you are, how long you've been making music and just some of your inspo's.
Speaker 2:
Well, I'm from Atlanta. My inspiration's growing up. I mean, I don't know. My mom is like the most religious person on the planet, so I ain't grow up like hearing music in the house and all that this shit. Like the shit that I heard was like when she went to work and I was like what's them last channels on, like cable, like 999 and 993, like all them little one music choice channels? Yeah them shits. Like I would just listen to music all day on that shit and just like read the facts about the artists, like whether it was like the R&B shit or like the rap shit and like the rock shit. Like I would just go from channel to channel to channel If I liked a song. I'd stay on it If I didn't, you know. But as I got older, like I don't know.
Speaker 1:
Like I'm young, so I grew up on that type of shit. You know, okay, I like that, and so did you grow up with heavy um gospel influence.
Speaker 2:
No, no, no, it's crazy. I don't even necessarily know if I like gospel music. Now, like, of course, ideas it hits everybody fuck with like. But like I don't know, like I don't know, maybe, like even in my music, like I stack a lot, so maybe subconsciously that has something to do with some gospel shit, but I don't know okay, and some of the genres that you've mentioned was r&b and rock.
Speaker 1:
You switching over to the rock channel?
Speaker 2:
yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't know, like I never felt, like I was just confined to like one thing, like even musically, like I'm really a rapper, but we here to talk about some whole like r&b shit, I guess, like you know, you know.
Speaker 1:
That's honestly why I was. I think is a bad. Not a bad album for an entry point for me, but when I've heard you on Features, you're not singing.
Speaker 2:
But then when I?
Speaker 1:
get this EP. I'm like, oh, this is a whole different direction, but it's so beautiful I'm not even mad at it. Thank you, okay. So I guess is this your first R&B project?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I feel like before. I don't know. The people who listen to my music will always say little things like oh, I wish you would sing more. So much to the point now where I feel like people like me just as much as a rapper as they do as a singer. So I don't know. I was really just in my feelings for two weeks and made them songs. I was like you know what, I'm going to put this shit out.
Speaker 1:
I for like two weeks and made like them songs.
Speaker 2:
I was like you know what. I'm gonna put this shit out.
Speaker 1:
I was gonna ask so is this, are you? In love right now this sounds like Hell, no, no.
Speaker 2:
Hell, no, oh, wow, okay, but like I wrote this whole project about, like this girl, like you know.
Speaker 1:
So it was in a process of falling. It feels like good feelings.
Speaker 2:
Yeah.
Speaker 1:
It feels like good feelings. All right, we don't got to live away from love. No, she like.
Speaker 2:
All right, like I really I wrote this whole thing about like this girl, like who's my friend, or whatever, okay, and like you know you just I'm really a simp and emotional-ass boy.
Speaker 1:
Wait, are you a Cancer Pisces?
Speaker 2:
What is it? What do you think I am? You said you a sim, either Cancer Pisces or I'm like the one that people be saying and they be like man.
Speaker 1:
Oh, gemini or Scorpio, yeah, I'm Scorpio, scorpio, yeah, oh God. Okay, all right, all right. That's why shit be so drastic with me. That just puts shit in a whole nother perspective.
Speaker 2:
That's why shit be so drastic with me. I was so Just invested invested in love. I mean, I don't love bombing, but like I just be like when I'm in some shit, I'm really in some shit. I really be like locked in, so like I don't know. It was just like a little two week span where I was just going to the studio and just like, oh, this is the only thing on my mind, that's fire. She did me dirty, though.
Speaker 1:
No.
Speaker 2:
Yeah.
Speaker 1:
Oh shit, ok, All that's fire. She did me dirty, though.
Speaker 2:
No, yeah, oh shit, okay, all right.
Speaker 1:
Well, let's just focus on the two weeks that were great, right right, because I like what came from that Exactly exactly, so why name it Billy?
Speaker 2:
My mom used to call me that when I was younger. You know that quote where they'd be like you're going to think you're Billy Badass until you meet Billy Badass, and then Billy Badass whip your ass. I was so bad. My mom used to be like you really might just be.
Speaker 2:
You know what I'm saying and then like I don't know, you know, every artist just has their own little alter ego or whatever and I feel like Suave is just like that's an already developed thing to me you know what I'm saying but like is just like just a simp ass emotional boy to me, like I don't know. So just like all these songs sound like, whoever, I think Billie is.
Speaker 1:
Okay, okay, I like that. That's pretty cool. Well, I want to get into certain records off the project. Let me see. I guess we can start by no Ordinary Love, because that's the first one that you released off of it Super Sexy. How has the feedback been on it?
Speaker 2:
I feel like the feedback's been really cool. It's just kind of like what you said A lot of people just not really used to me really going all the way there with that. But I don't know, it's been all good. I really rarely get terrible feedback, but I don't know. I think people are just kind of excited that I'm doing R&B shit, so it's been all positive comments.
Speaker 1:
Do you have a preference as to what you create, whether it's rap or R&B Are?
Speaker 2:
you enjoying this side more? I feel like Low key yeah. Okay, but you got to think, though, I've really been a rapper for so long that now, when I go to the studio, I do find myself wanting to sing more.
Speaker 1:
That's what's up.
Speaker 2:
But I'm still a rippity rapper, I guess.
Speaker 1:
That's what they be saying. I was gonna say you're actually a rapper that can rap and do it well, thank you. So I would hate to see you go all the way over to the other side, but the other side is pretty fire. That. I'm like damn, you know. Definitely just continue to incorporate both. Even I forget which record it was on the tape, but it's just like heavy production. Is it you producing that or is it somebody else?
Speaker 2:
I always like produce in a way Like I was a producer first. So there's always like a moment where I'm fake really producing this song, you know. But no, I really like was just locked in with this girl named like v-ron or veronica, like she's a producer and like she would just send me a whole bunch of like different like melodies and I just go in and just like record on the melody first and then like all let's build this out. But a lot of them songs don't even have no drums. It's because I try to make a song sound as full as possible before we even put drums on there. And a lot of the times you hear this song with no drums for so long and it sounds so full you'd be like I don't even need to put nothing on that motherfucker.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, that's cool, I like that. I feel like when you don't add drums, it almost gives it an acoustic feel.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, and it's genre-less too, though, like I said, I don't really feel like, even though I am a rapper. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:
You said I'm an artist. Damn it Right.
Speaker 2:
I don't really feel confined to one thing, Even style-wise. I don't really feel Boxed in. You know what I mean?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, one-dimensional even definitely with that record I'm talking about, with that on 800 miles, where it's just like a beat plan, yeah, okay.
Speaker 2:
So yeah, exactly so. Like that was another one of the ones that was just a melody, like, yeah, like my friend BJ and send me that, and, like I said, it was just like a melody, like with the guitar, and I was like, damn, this would be hard, like with these type of drums, like, but I had never made no song like that before. So I feel like the best thing I could do is just record the song all the way through and just put different drums on it and see whatever one lands, and then we ended up on that.
Speaker 1:
Lovely Now. You did a really great job. Let's talk about everything featuring Chase Shakur.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, that's my boy.
Speaker 1:
I love that you put Chase on the project. I'm like this is a good collab, a good touch. Talk to me about that one.
Speaker 2:
Well, me and Chase. Chase is really just one of my closest friends. I see Chase every other day. He on tour right now, but when he wasn't on tour we just found something to do every single day Fire, it was kind of like a no-brainer. And we're always in the studio too. That's another thing too. It just made sense for me to have him on that song, love that and we just so similar too, I don't know In real life.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, we both kind of quiet and funny at the same time. I can see that, yeah, he's a lot more quieter than I am. He's really reserved.
Speaker 1:
Chase.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, for a shit show.
Speaker 1:
Really so he be putting it on. When he see me he be chatting.
Speaker 2:
I promise show really. Oh, so he'd be putting it on when he see me. I promise, I promise, I promise he's definitely putting it on.
Speaker 1:
He's definitely putting his superstar on. Oh, I love that. Okay, at least he got it in some people, you know don't have it. Don't have it yeah um, okay, so let's talk about the cover art a little bit, because you telling me that the project was inspired by one person, but you got one, two, three, four, five, six beautiful women in the photo with you Talk to me about the direction of the cover art.
Speaker 2:
You want the truth or the lie. I want both. The lie is just it look hard. You know what I'm saying. We came up with this whole idea. Okay, we did some shit like that, but honestly, like, the unfortunate reality of it is is like I'm really like a girlfriend's having an ass nigga, like.
Speaker 1:
Okay.
Speaker 2:
I be having like a girlfriend for real Like.
Speaker 1:
When you say a girlfriend, like you always cuff, like you always cuffing. Or you're saying you're William, like you got mad girls that are.
Speaker 2:
No, I don't. I don't have like mad girlfriends. At one time I'm saying they're like I'll be having a girlfriend for sure. Oh okay, you know, I'm saying like, like. I hate that, I'm like that though okay, it's like the first time in my life where I'm really like I don't have no girlfriend for real, like or not even like you know, this is the territory for you.
Speaker 2:
yeah, but like the cover was supposed to symbolize, like damn, these are like all the different girlfriends I've had in the time span me having a girlfriend, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:
How many girlfriends?
Speaker 2:
you be having. I'm not like a serial monogamous, but I'm just like. I don't know. I just always end up being in a motherfucking relationship. I don't know, even with the girl that I wrote this shit about.
Speaker 1:
She was your girlfriend for those two weeks.
Speaker 2:
No, we was like like she was your girlfriend for those two weeks. No, we was like Listen, we was friends for two years right, oh, okay, and then, like she seen me in real life and was like, oh damn, this nigga gorgeous, he like Chris Brown and shit Boom so then after that After that she was just like, okay, like we talking for real, she was my girlfriend and then we was dating and then she did some slimeball shit. Well, I kept catching her in slimeball shit.
Speaker 1:
Okay, okay, hold on. All right, we got to unpack this now Because now? So you dated her for two weeks and then she did some.
Speaker 2:
No, we was dating longer than two weeks.
Speaker 1:
No, y'all been knowing each other.
Speaker 2:
For two years.
Speaker 1:
For two years, For two years y'all been dating, you know casually for a moment, but y'all was really only official for two weeks. Bro, we was, we was.
Speaker 2:
We was a couple for like two and a half three months, but you gotta think, though, like I know her for two years, so I already like all right, I hear the backstory, but two and a half, three months, and then the pivot? I wasn't, but that's why you got six bitches on the cover but this is what I'm telling you like no, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 1:
I'm not doing that, I'm not wearing that.
Speaker 2:
I'm just saying, though, like, bro, I told you like when I be doing shit I'm drastic Like there's no zero.
Speaker 1:
I feel like you need to find a little bit of balance. I don't have like, no, like.
Speaker 2:
I'm like that, though Hilarious.
Speaker 1:
This symbolizes the many, many relationships that I was in this year, not this year, no, no no, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 2:
It's all in July. No, no, no, no, no. That's not all the girlfriends. I had this year. That's like all the girlfriends I've had over a, and when my friends see me with some shit, they be like, damn, like you just always have a girlfriend. It's the end of the third. Blah, blah, blah.
Speaker 1:
I'm just teasing you. You know what I'm saying. If I had that many girlfriends in one year?
Speaker 2:
that'd be crazy. That'd be crazy. I probably should just like.
Speaker 1:
I'm running with my story because it's funnier.
Speaker 2:
We can run with your story.
Speaker 1:
We can run with your story, it's just you. Did you make that decision for your career, or do you think you know what I need to work on me right now, like you want that. You did a lot oh my god, all right, give me both, give me the politically correct answer.
Speaker 2:
So yeah, I just wanted to work on myself and just like have time for myself and just really like period, you know. But the truth is like I was really just so fucked up by that last shit that it was just like bro, bro, I'm just off this shit right now. Like I'm cool and also too. Like I'm also like, even though I be having girlfriends, like I'm cool with being by myself, like I'm cool with like not like being in some shit. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:
That's good.
Speaker 2:
That's great, so yeah.
Speaker 1:
Why you got a boyfriend, Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:
Can you say that on, like, do people know that? I mean, yeah, it's not too bad, who is your wait? But like, do you be posting them and shit? No, let me see who your boyfriend don't just show me, though, but I don't like why? Because what if it's like a rapper or some shit?
Speaker 1:
No, it's not a rapper Let me see, oh, so like y'all fake, like yeah, we're.
Speaker 2:
Y'all like. Well, okay, I've known him the M word.
Speaker 1:
I've known him 10 years, but we've been dating four years, going on four years, oh, okay, and yeah, we've been in college. Why am I showing you?
Speaker 2:
this Don't show the world. This is my damn interview.
Speaker 1:
I'm saying he cute, or whatever.
Speaker 2:
He cute or whatever. Yeah, y'all go for sure. Why you ain't like this photo? Oh, my God Because first of all, anyway, I'm not even about to do this on camera. She done made me goddamn talk about all this.
Speaker 1:
That's the point.
Speaker 2:
I'm interviewing you For sure, for sure, for sure.
Speaker 1:
All right so, but I'm happy for you. I'm glad you're taking this moment for yourself, because I have friends as well, who I always encourage. Like yo, take a moment for yourself.
Speaker 2:
Right.
Speaker 1:
Because dating is not easy.
Speaker 2:
It's not, no, it's not.
Speaker 1:
Dating is not easy and, honestly, the longer you're in it, each year it's a whole new level or a whole new thing you have to unpack with that person. So, anyway, all right. So because we're short on time, I'm going to jump to this game. Oh God this game is for people to get to know you better. All you have to do is fill in the blank. All right, all right. The older I get, the less I blank.
Speaker 2:
The less I find myself like getting stuck in little like ruts, like I'm like so like if I'm going through some fucked up shit, like I'll really stay in that spot. You know what I'm saying? So yeah, the older I get, the less I like will stay in a place. That's good, you know what. I mean, that's like dark and just like get all depressed and shit.
Speaker 1:
That's great. No more ruts.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I can't believe I actually made beats when I was younger. I was just talking about that earlier, like I can't believe that I was like really like young as hell like making beats. How old were you Like fifth grade, what so? However you're in the fifth grade, I was definitely making beats.
Speaker 1:
Wow, yeah, that's crazy.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, it was really crazy.
Speaker 1:
But that's actually great. Yeah, it explains your artist actually, because you could tell anyway, not everybody. Some people are naturally whatever, but that's what's up. Um, I'm a little embarrassed by the fact that I know so little about blink politics, like we can't never, goddamn I'm, I'm.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, we could, we could, we could go our whole friendship and not talk about politics, and that'd be cool yeah but I'm like, I think the older I get, I will learn more about politics.
Speaker 1:
I'm hoping that for myself. Sometimes I look back on my life and blank and blank shit.
Speaker 2:
Sometimes I look back on my life and I'm fucking blank, like I don't know. Like sometimes I don't know like how the hell I get here. But you know what, though, I've really been in a reflective state too, though, and I feel like a lot of the like. The idea and the concept of being reflective is just kind of like being in a blank space and just kind of like looking at Everything, like yeah, that's one thing, and be like damn, I really went through all of this shit, you know.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, if that makes sense no, it does, yeah, it takes. You got to stop.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, you don't be stopping, yeah.
Speaker 1:
Okay, I made a complete fool of myself when I blinked.
Speaker 2:
You know what, honestly, like I wish I would have never had blonde hair. Like back in the day, like I look stupid, bro, like don't Google it, but like I look stupid, I had like blonde dreads and then I had like the blonde, no Chill, like I don't know, that shit was just not it. Like I see like photos of that shit all the time. I'm like bro, this shit just needs to like, hey, it's a phase, it was a phase. But I'm just not, like it's always a whole pride googling that shit like this nigga look dumb.
Speaker 1:
But all right, my personality trait is blank my personality trait.
Speaker 2:
Wait, give me an example though my personality trait is vibrant what do you think my personality trait is From knowing me for 15 minutes?
Speaker 1:
I would say chill, maybe moody.
Speaker 2:
I'm moody, for sure. I'm a little moody bitch, for sure. My personality trait is probably moody Drastic.
Speaker 1:
Okay. Oh you know what Passionate.
Speaker 2:
That's what it is's. I'm saying drastic, I really should just say passionate this whole time.
Speaker 1:
I see that that, yeah, I'm definitely passionate.
Speaker 2:
There's no like medium or 50 or 40, like it's. Either I'm not doing it, I'm doing it, or I love it, or I don't love it like hey, I respect it.
Speaker 1:
I'm I'm low-key, kind of similar, but not as spiteful because I'm not a scorpio I'm not spiteful, though.
Speaker 2:
No, though.
Speaker 1:
No, no, no, no, no, no. All Scorpios. It's just in the DNA, it's okay.
Speaker 2:
And this is no shade I have mad Scorpio friends I love y'all, but I never would have. You was going to be a. No, I'm a Gemini.
Speaker 1:
Oh, so my Happy birthday Fire. Okay, well, suave, thank you for coming on the show. Of course I'm excited to be tapped in with you and, honestly, though, like I have to go back and listen to some of your previous projects, because I'm really hip to you from features you've done Right right. Like stuff like that. But now I'm like I want to hear more of the rap, but this Billie EP, I think, was a great introduction, so I'm excited to see you start this R&B journey.
Speaker 2:
Well, thank you.
Speaker 1:
Shout out to Graham. Let everybody know where they can follow you if they don't already.
Speaker 2:
My Graham is Jack Harlow J-A-C-K.
Speaker 1:
Oh, my God Stop.
Speaker 2:
My Graham is Suave S-W-A-V-A-Y. It V-A-Y. It's spelled like how it sounds. You know what I'm saying? Follow me on just Instagram. I don't really have any shit to talk about on Twitter or nothing else.
Speaker 1:
It's happening, guys. We're Suave Until next time. Talk soon, Peace.
