Words by Grace Bullen

While DC rapper GoldLink just visited Australia to promote his fresh album And After That, We Didn’t Talk, he’s been on Australian radars for some time – especially after his surprising collaboration with Melbourne crooner Chet Faker.

The fact that he was also added to Laneway Festival speaks volumes about his limitless sound, attracting everybody from indie kids to straight hip-hop heads. When he dropped by in Sydney, we took a few hours to accompany GoldLink to Taronga Zoo, try on some tourist souvenir hats and throw a bit of banter about his successes so far. See how it went down below:

Congratulations on the amazing response to ‘And After That, We Didn’t Talk’! You’ve said this album is more musical and more hands on than your last release, ‘The God Complex’. Tell us about that.

Simply put, I was able to think. I thought a lot about what I was doing and how I was doing it in the midst of the whole project, whereas with God Complex, I was more just making shit, and we put the project together and put it out, not knowing where it would go. On AATWDT, I wanted to give my fans a more complete project; there’s live instrumentation on there, there are features. A lot of elements I didn’t have before.

‘And After That, We Didn’t Talk’ is about a break up when you were younger. Was it an emotional process writing the record?

Yes and no. The literal process of making the record wasn’t necessarily hard or emotionally difficult or anything, but what I was making was very emotional.

You were mentored by Def Jam founder Rick Rubin for this album. What’s it like working with him?

Rick is an amazing person, and an amazing musician. He doesn’t sweat little things, but focuses on the big picture… He’ll hear a record and say “I want to feel this more” or “This idea is so amazing, and it can be so much bigger.” And you go and make it bigger.

‘Zipporah’ is your favourite track. You’ve said you used that song as a confession. How so?

The album is a letter. Zipporah is the subject of the entire letter, and the track ‘Zipporah’ is like the thesis statement of that letter, if that makes sense.

How was your Australian tour? Have you enjoyed the Laneway Festivals?

The tour was amazing. Honestly I almost didn’t make it back to America for the US tour, I love it so fucking much in Australia. The love Australia shows means the world.

Do you have any special tips or tricks you do to keep you sane while you’re traveling?

FaceTime.

You’ve listed artists like Ariel Pink as influences in your music. Who else are you musically persuaded by? How do you integrate non hip-hop influences into your music?

I can’t really name a bunch, I’m persuaded by so many things I hear. I don’t think we can always name our influences since they’re not so overt. There are things we see or hear that inspire us, but who knows if it actually translates to you creating new ideas in your own work. I don’t normally purposefully integrate my influences in my music, but sometimes when we flip a sample or interpolate a melody, it comes out.

How does it feel to be one of the biggest names helping DC’s hip hop scene to grow?

It’s amazing. The area has come a long way, and I couldn’t be more grateful to be doing what I’m doing being from where I’m from. A lot of people don’t make it out the city, they don’t make it in the city either. Giving this scene another voice, helping grow our platform, it’s a dream come true.

Do you ever see yourself moving from DC?

Maybe, but it’s still home for now though.

Your maturity and honesty comes across so strongly in your music and in your interviews. Do you try and keep away from the tabloids and pseudo-beef that can surround hip-hop?

Always. I don’t focus on much but music, I barely use twitter and I just got Instagram. I can’t pay attention to all the other shit, it gets in the way. That’s not our culture.

You’ve been against social media in the past. How are you feeling about it now?

It’s necessary I guess, I have to be able to talk to my fans.. I just wish all the other shit on social media didn’t cloud our vision.

Are you working on any new material at the moment?

I’m always working on new material. I actually worked on music with some people in New Zealand right before the first show of the tour.