Yung Gravy has become a household name over the past few years for his unique use of sampling and wide range of collaborations. While he primarily makes rap and hip-hop, he's branched out in a new era with album Serving Country, which features popular names in the country genre such as Shania Twain and Zac Brown. While it's a different sound for Gravy, it still weaves in the elements we love his music so much for. I had the absolute honor to not only get to hear him talk about the new album, but get to ask a question on behalf of The Music Box.
You made a name for yourself being a hip-hop artist and rapper, what inspired you to go country?
It was just fun. I was getting sick of doing all of the same stuff, I needed to do something completely new. I met a lot of people in country, they were so cool and welcoming and I thought about doing an EP or just a song with them. Diamond Pistols and I started working on it and had such a blast that we made a whole album.
With this new album, who did you work with on the production side? How did these collaborations shape the sound and feel of the album?
This is probably the most I've ever worked with one producer, and it was Diamond Pistols, Christian. Nick Seeley who I always work with brought in a band, so they all added as well. So yeah, just me, Nick, and Christian.
What is your dog Hendrix's favorite song off of the new album?
"Cop A Truck", I think, it's got Brantley Gilbert on it and he seems like a dog guy. I mean, trucks and dogs work. He's kind of a bad boy so it fits.
What was at like getting to collaborate with an icon like Shania Twain and how did it all come together?
It was cool, we actually worked together a lot. Most of it was because of her husband who's Swiss, and my dad is Swiss, so very similar situations. Her husband became like a dad figure in a not weird way, and she invited me to her house in Geneva for Christmas but my mom couldn't go so I stayed back.
As an artist that integrates a wide variety of samples into your music, you've mastered blending genres together, when you're creating a song do you think about genre?
I don't think about genre when I make music, and a lot of times I have trouble saying what it is if I have to put it into something. Bbno$ and I made three songs on our last project, "C'est La Vie", "Super Smash Bros." and "Goodness Gracious", and we created a genre of surf-rock-rap. It's fast paced, ska-sounding, kind of punk sounding, but we're rapping. You can't really classify that, but since we rap, it is technically rap. This album, when I got to pick, I think I put pop, country, and hip-hop or something.
Is there anything from your midwest college experience that's prepared you for your country Gravy era?
I learned how to drink beer, for sure. I heard a lot more country there than I did in Rochester where I'm from. I had always lurked through Youtube, so the country songs that I really liked, I had found when I was young, like Toby Keith and Kenny Chestney. I got deeper into it in college.
Is there any tour essentials you'll bringing with you on your upcoming tour?
At every city I go to, I ask for two dozen roses, two boxes of Froot Loops, a local jersey of whoever the runner's favorite team is, coconut water, Johnnie Walker Black, ginger shots, and bananas. And beef jerky. I think I covered everything.
If you could pick just one, what is your favorite song from the new album?
"I Went To Jail in Georgia" because it's just a whole true story. I recreated it in the music video with the people I got arrested with ten years ago.
Throughout your career, you've shown that there's not much that you aren't capable of doing, and one of the things your fans are asking you to do is a full audiobook. You're giving them tastes on TikTok, but I need to know, if you were going to do a full audiobook or any series, what are you picking and why?
I need to do more of those, I always think about that. I've actually come into the studio two or three times, with coordinated colors, like I brought in sweaters with similar colors to that book [A Court of Wings and Ruin]. But then something came up and I got distracted, that's how much I was thinking about it.
If you could have a drink with any artist dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Probably Frank Sinatra. I just think the conversation would be really interesting, he's one of my favorite artists. If I could maybe get away with the whole Ratpack, have a drink, that would be my dream.
I said it before and I'll say it again, it was an incredible honor to get to be a part of this! The last question was from The Music Box, and I do think Frank Sinatra was a wonderful answer! Serving Country is out on all streaming platforms so be sure and check out how Gravy transformed his sound into something new and exciting. He will be touring throughout the fall so be sure to catch him in a city near you!
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