Words by Declan Whelan // Photo by Shevin Dissanayake
Heavy hitters Huffer and Marvel recently teamed up on very special collaborative capsule collection. To celebrate, they threw a live launch party in Melbourne last week with effervescent and eclectic New York rapper Desiigner.
While he was down under, we took the opportunity to chat with Desiigner about three of our favourite things: music, fashion and superheroes. Check out the full interview below, or peep the best bits in the compilation video.
Last year you appeared in New Zealand Fashion Week for Huffer and you guys have reconnected for their capsule collection with Marvel. Tell us about your relationship with the brand?
We really connected last year, know what I’m saying? Definitely my boy Stevie [Dunstan] he connected with my manager and everybody and it was a great vibe, it just had to happen. I felt like I wanted to be a part of the adventure and with me being genuinely involved and just in love with Marvel and stuff, it just made it even more of a spark to come back this year and get to it.
And the timing of this Marvel collaboration couldn’t be better. The whole world is waiting on what is literally one of the biggest Hollywood movies of all time. If you were tasked with assembling the rap Avengers, who would you pick to save the world?
This one right here, look, I’m a big superhero fan, you feel me bro? So look, I’ma have to work this one out, you’re gonna have to bend with me on this one. Look, word, I’ma have to get back to you on that one later. Let me come to you with that one later so I got the perfect one. I’m a superhero fan to the top you heard, I can’t start with this.
We can circle back. Take your time with it because you know I’m about to ask about their super powers, too.
Word, you know what I’m saying. Exactly! I gotta make sure everything is sturdy and match up, you feel me?
I think everyone has a superpower – or superpowers – and I think in your case one of those is your voice. It’s instantly recognisable and for rappers, that’s either something you have or you don’t but you can also sing which a lot of people don’t know. What were you singing as a kid and at what point did you make the crossover into rapping?
I started off singing from a little one, from a young buck. I was always just [singing] in school, school assemblies, in the cafeteria, at all these different points in time. My homeboy Mellie, who’s my DJ right now, graduated from elementary school with me and everything, so he’s seen me grow into this. I’d just sing Happy Birthdays, ‘My Girl’, you know what I’m saying? All types of songs, that just, you feel me? And I would just put it together. Sometimes I didn’t even know the lyrics! So I’d just sing it in my own lyrics, and that’s how the majority of my career really started, with me really just wanting to be in music. My sister would always be like, “Yo, you don’t know the lyrics to that song!”, they would try to correct me and everything. But word, I was always singing every song that came on.
And then how long were you taking rap seriously before Panda took off?
I was always just kicking it and spitting with my homeboys, bro. Like I ain’t even gonna lie, like me and my homeboys we’d be in the crib just vibing and kicking it. There were jokes and talking about what school you went to, and all that type of stuff. And then I’d really just sit back, after [they had left] and really be in the crib like “Yo, let me really get focused.” So, I don’t know if y’all remember, but this is a shout out to SoundCloud, ’cause SoundCloud used to have the bomb. You used to be able to record yourself, and I used to be in the crib and recording myself on SoundCloud. You would just hit the record button and then spit your head off. And I used to do that really just to really practice my craft. I didn’t really want anybody to know I was taking it that seriously at that time. And so just used to upload it privately, you feel me? And go off on there and listen to it, using my Dip Set instrumentals, you know what I’m saying? Using things like that and just creating my craft.
I touched on the fact that you were involved in NZFW last year but it was actually your second time in that space after your debut at New York Fashion Week in 2017. On some level you must have always believed that you would ‘make it’ in music, or that music would open doors for you, but I imagine being asked to walk in NYFW would have been a bit unexpected. What was that like?
Yeah fashion week in New York City, is definitely my city first, you know what I’m saying? So just being home is number one and it feels like a block party on a whole other level. At first, when you’re with your homies, you got the projects, I’m from the projects so just being at a block party everybody comes out swaggin with their clothes on drippin, you feel me? You’re at Fashion Week, you’re in New York City. It’s like everybody: all the great designers, you’re in the building, red carpets in here, flashing lights is going on and everybody’s bringing out their best drip possible. Everybody trying to be top of the game. Get the swag, get the points up. So, they’re putting on their best fabric. You know what I’m saying?
Are there brands that you want to work with in a design capacity?
Yeah, definitely. I’m gonna collaborate with [Huffer] you know what I’m saying? For real, you know. Definitely, you know what I’m rocking, I’m definitely gonna collab, yeah. But you know there’s a lot of people I wanna do business with and I’m looking forward to putting in work with, you know what I’m saying? It’s Desiigner, like my name is Desiigner for a reason, baby.
At NYFW, you walked in the Philipp Plein show. Their designs are quite polarising and Phillip Plein himself has commented a number of times on fashion media’s refusal to take his clothing seriously. I think in some ways there’s a parallel in that to your career because audiences can be hypercritical and even dismissive of artists who come up quick (especially in hip hop). As an artist, how do you respond to that? At any point did the success of Panda or the public perception of that impact your approach to music?
Yeah it definitely influenced my approach, it influenced the people around me. It influenced a lot. Definitely, it’s just like, it something that you come through, with your big bang. But you coming through with your big bang and everything. You know, it’s like people… It definitely has an impact. I choose who I am today, you feel me? I feel that, I make this character and show you how I design, and show y’all who I am and stuff, but at the end of the day, y’all tell me who I am. You show me, you gotta tell me like, “yo, bro, you are this big, you are the one,” and stuff, so stuff like Panda is impactful, and it influences a lot of people.
Last year you released an EP, L.O.D (Life Of Desiigner) when a lot of people were expecting an album. Given the rap climate at the time and with G.O.O.D Music championing the 7-track album movement, why did you decide not to put that ‘album’ label on it?
Word, I felt like I needed to experience more bro. I’m young, I’m only 21. It’s like me coming in the game and I felt like I need to go around the world more and at the same time I wasn’t in touch with my team, as I felt like I needed to. Like with GOOD Music, everybody was doing their own stuff, and I wasn’t with Kanye, I wasn’t in touch with Pusha, with nothing around this project. This was like, just moving on my own, and just like, “I’m gonna just put something up for my fans real quick.”
Not saying that I was just throwing something off for y’all, and just throwing y’all anything. But, I wanted to put something up for y’all and really focus and get ready and just gather up for my album. I really wanted to gather up on my album and just go around the world. I’ve been to New Zealand, I’ve been to Luxemburg, you know what I’m saying? I’m out here in Australia today, and just meeting everybody. Now we’re working on my album, and the album is almost finished and everything. I’ve been having producers from Berlin, from Germany, and things, joining my project. It’s about to be crazy.
Is a full length album your next move?
Yeah, definitely. Word! It’s gotta be the next move. No point. I’ve been warming it up, I’ve been cooking it up and I just can’t wait for you guys to turn up to it, and appreciate it for what it is.
When can fans expect that to drop?
It’s hot weather music, you know what I’m saying? That’s all I’ve got to say.
OK album on the way – what’s the message for fans in the meantime?
Just stay tuned, I just want y’all to stay tuned, man. Hop up. It’s where we at right now. The album about to drop. Stay tuned to the blogs, I’m about to be dropping blogs all over YouTube. So y’all can see more into the life, and catch the backgrounds, and see how I’m preparing the music for you guys. It’s going to be a whole lot of that, stay tuned to the behind the scenes man. The BTS man.
You recently uploaded a remix of Thotiana on SoundCloud. What made you want to put your own spin on that track?
I just feel Blue Face, bro. Like Blue Face reminds me of me a little bit. With respect. I really thought. You know, in keeping the swag. He put the influence on me, it was impactful, his record was impactful to me, and I just wanted to join that venture, bro. I had to.
We’re still hopeful that Desiigner hits us back re: the Rap Avengers. In the meantime, you can shop the Huffer X Marvel collection here and stay tuned for new music coming soon. We think.
