Logic is getting a lot of attention these days for many reasons, but one reason in particular is the positive message he is sending through his music.
Fresh off two sold out nights at The Greek theatre in Los Angeles the rapper stopped by On Air with Ryan Seacrest to chat about his new album Everybody.
Logic’s latest effort is loaded with guest spots from Chuck D, Juicy J, actor Ansel Elgort and more. One track that has made quite an impact is "1-800-273-8255" featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid, getting its title from the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
"It was the hardest song that I had to write on the entire album, because I didn’t want to do it. Because who wants to talk about it? Because it’s just such a hard thing to talk about. But I just did it, because honestly I felt like there wasn’t a voice in mainstream commercial media saying stuff like this and I was like 'well hey, maybe I can be that,'" he explains.
"This whole entire album is about the fight for equality, regardless of race, religion, color, creed, sexual orientation. So I wanted to discuss all those things including mental health, anxiety, suicide, depression, but do it in a way at the same time where it’s like 'hey man, this is serious what I’m talking about, but like let’s vibe. Let’s have a good time.'"
Just last year Logic himself was going through the darkest time of his life struggling with crippling anxiety. Even though he was selling out shows, had money, a beautiful wife, friends, fans, he was still unhappy. Why? Because he was trying to please everyone else.
"I would rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I’m not, period,” he says. "When I came to that realization and realized I need to stop working for the approval of others I became the happiest I’ve ever been and now I’m stoked. Now I’m a fanny pack wearing rapper."
And who doesn’t love a rapper that rocks a fanny pack?! "You don’t wanna know what’s in here," Logic joked, but then took a moment to show us what he keeps in his pack. "I have my wallet in here, which has all my cool stuff in it. That’s a picture of my wife, her name is Jessica Andrea and she’s also a really wicked pop singer. Then I also have my writing, my book.”
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Logic has come a long way. A couple years ago he didn’t think he was getting the respect he deserved in the music industry, he was upset that blogs weren’t covering him or posting his stuff and then he had a conversation with Childish Gambino.
The "Redbone" rapper asked him "Dude, do you want to be the best rapper or do you want to be the best entertainer?" he recalls. "When he said that, that set my mind so free to realize, yeah it is so much more than just that. This is a lifestyle and I want to be remembered for everything."
Logic’s new album Everybody is out now.
Photo: Joel Marasigan