THE XAVIERSOBASED INTERVIEW (Origin Story, Fighting Hate, YourRAGE, Bladee, Jerk Rap, & MORE!)

Summary

In this interview, Xavier So Based discusses his journey into music, inspired by his mother's DJing and producers like Lex Luger. He shares his start in beat-making and transition to rapping, mentioning his growth in popularity after releasing tracks like 'Store'. Xavier talks about his creative process, influences, including artists from D-gang, and his connection to the underground scene. He addresses the challenges of the underground music community, the impact of social media, and his aspirations for 2024, including an upcoming project and merchandise release.

Takeaways

• 🎤 Xavier So based is an artist from the Upper West Side, New York City, who got into making music because of his mother's influence as a DJ.
• 🚀 He started making beats at a young age, inspired by Lex Luger, and transitioned to rapping around 2017.
• 📈 His music started gaining traction after releasing 'Store', which got significant plays and motivated him to continue.
• 🔄 Xavier's sound is influenced by artists like Bladee and other members of the Drain Gang, as well as producers like Whitearmor.
• 🎵 He prefers to keep his music varied and doesn't want to be boxed into a single genre, despite being associated with the jerk rap scene.
• 💡 His creative process involves being in a good mood, smoking, and having food available while working in the studio.
• 🌐 The name 'Xavier So based' signifies effortless swag and positivity, inspired by watching other artists like Lil B.
• 🤝 He has collaborated with well-known artists like Lil Ugly Mane and has an upcoming project with Thouxanbanfauni.
• 🌟 Xavier has a growing fanbase and is performing in various cities, including Canada, where he had a notable performance with Sur gang.
• 🔥 He acknowledges the underground scene's current state with a mix of quality music and a lot of noise, suggesting that the community is becoming too loud and polarized.

Q & A

Where is Xavier So based from?

Xavier So based is from the Upper West Side, New York City.

How did Xavier get into making music?

Xavier's interest in music was sparked by his mother who was a DJ in the '90s and early 2000s. He started making beats after seeing Lex Luger produce music.

What motivated Xavier to start rapping?

Xavier's motivation to rap came after he started making beats and noticed his songs were getting a few thousand plays on Soundtrack.

When did Xavier start gaining traction with his music?

Xavier started gaining traction when he dropped 'install' in 2022, which significantly increased his views and plays.

What is Xavier's creative process like in the studio?

Xavier's creative process involves being with friends, smoking, having the computer ready, and maintaining good vibes. He also tries to do something different each time he works on a new beat.

Who are some of Xavier's influences and favorite producers?

Xavier takes inspiration from artists like Dr. Game and Blade. He also mentions liking producers such as Filthy, German, White Armor, and Slay World.

Why did Xavier choose to go a different route instead of making drill music?

Xavier didn't listen to drill music much and felt he could do it well, but it wasn't his preferred style. He wanted to create a different sound.

How does Xavier feel about being labeled as a jerk rap artist?

Xavier doesn't necessarily hate the label, but he clarifies that he's not heavily focused on jerking; it's more about the snare patterns he uses that people compare to jerk.

What is the meaning behind Xavier's name 'So Based'?

Xavier interprets 'So Based' as effortless swag and positivity, inspired by watching others like Lil B and the Ocean Gang.

How did Xavier collaborate with Lil Ugly Mane?

Xavier reached out to Lil Ugly Mane via DM, offered him $50 for a feature, and after some back-and-forth, Lil Ugly Mane agreed to do the feature.

What are Xavier's plans for 2024?

Xavier plans to drop a new tape soon and focus on creating more videos to increase his online presence.

Outlines

00:00

🎤 Artist Introduction and Origin Story

The paragraph introduces an interview with an artist named Xavier So Based. The artist expresses gratitude for the opportunity to be interviewed and introduces his team. He discusses his origin story, mentioning his upbringing in New York City and how his mother's involvement in DJing influenced his early exposure to music. Xavier shares his journey into music production, inspired by Lex Luger, and his transition to rapping around 2017. He talks about the significance of his song 'Store' and how it motivated him to continue creating music. The artist also discusses his creative process, influences, and his decision to avoid the drill music scene, opting for a unique sound that has garnered attention.

05:02

💡 Creative Process and Collaborations

In this section, Xavier delves into his creative process, emphasizing the importance of trying new things each time he works on music. He shares his studio essentials, which include being in a good mood, having food, and being surrounded by a positive atmosphere. The artist talks about his collaborations, including a memorable experience with Lil Ugly Mane and how it came about through a direct message. Xavier also discusses his connection with Du Kane, another artist, and the organic nature of their collaboration. He expresses excitement about upcoming projects and performances, hinting at a promising 2024 filled with new music and shows.

10:02

🛹 Skateboarding, Underground Recognition, and Handling Criticism

Xavier discusses his passion for skateboarding and how it has been a part of his life for many years. He talks about the formation of his group 'One Chance' and its origins in gaming and skateboarding. The artist reflects on the reception of his music and the challenges of dealing with criticism and hate. He views the hate as a natural part of his journey and believes that the underground music scene is a mix of good and bad, with a lot of talent being overshadowed by noise. Xavier also comments on the role of social media, particularly Twitter, in amplifying both support and criticism within the underground community.

15:04

🌐 Impact of Social Media and Future Outlook

The final paragraph focuses on the impact of social media, especially the Twitter community's influence on the underground music scene. Xavier discusses how the scene has evolved with the internet, making it easier for artists to be discovered but also leading to a louder and more critical audience. He shares his experience with a particular incident involving another artist and how it brought him both hate and attention. Xavier expresses that he embraces the challenges and sees them as opportunities for growth. He concludes the interview by teasing an upcoming project and encouraging his fans to stay true to themselves.

Keywords

💡Underground

Underground refers to a subculture or movement that operates outside of the mainstream. In the context of the video, it likely pertains to the independent music scene where artists produce and distribute their work without the backing of major record labels. The artist discusses his entry into this scene and how it contrasts with more commercial music.

💡Drill Music

Drill music is a subgenre of hip hop that originated in Chicago, characterized by its dark, violent lyrics and aggressive beats. The artist mentions that despite being from New York City, a hub for various music styles, he chose not to engage with the drill music scene, indicating a conscious decision to pursue a different musical direction.

💡Jerk Rap

Jerk rap is a style of music that has gained popularity in recent years, often associated with a specific dance style. The artist clarifies that while his music might be categorized under this genre by some, it wasn't his intentional direction, showing a distinction between self-perception and external labeling.

💡Influence

Influence here refers to the artists or styles that have shaped the interviewee's music. The artist mentions taking inspiration from figures like Blade and producers within the D gang, indicating how these influences have contributed to his unique sound.

💡Creative Process

The creative process discussed involves the steps an artist takes to produce new work. The artist describes needing certain conditions, like being 'fried with the Mad buds' and having food, to get into the studio and create, highlighting the personal rituals that fuel his creativity.

💡Viral

Viral in this context refers to content that spreads rapidly across the internet, gaining significant attention. The artist mentions a meme that went viral featuring him dancing, which unexpectedly brought him more recognition and illustrates the unpredictable nature of online fame.

💡Hate

Hate, in the context of the video, refers to the negative reactions or criticism that artists receive. The artist discusses dealing with hate, suggesting that it comes with the territory of being a public figure and that it's something he's learned to manage.

💡Twitter Community

The Twitter Community mentioned in the script likely refers to the active user base on Twitter that engages with and influences music trends. The artist points out that this community can be overly loud and critical, affecting the visibility and reception of music in the underground scene.

💡Rage Music

Rage music is a type of music that is associated with intense emotions and energetic performances. The artist acknowledges the presence of both good and bad rage music in the underground scene, indicating a nuanced view of a genre that can be both impactful and overdone.

💡Gaming Clan

A gaming clan refers to a group of players who regularly play together, often in online games. The artist mentions that his collective 'One Chance' was initially inspired by the idea of a gaming clan, showing how elements from gaming culture have influenced his music collective.

💡Meme

A meme is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture. The artist talks about a specific meme that went viral, which in this case was a video of him dancing, demonstrating how memes can significantly impact an artist's popularity.

Highlights

Introduction of Xavier So Based and his team

Xavier's origin story from Upper West Side, New York City

Influence of music in Xavier's family and his early interest in beat-making

Xavier's transition from making beats to rapping

Motivation from the success of his song 'Store'

Xavier's creative process and the importance of variety in his music

Influences on Xavier's sound, including Dr. Game and Blade

Xavier's decision to avoid the drill music scene

The start of Xavier's jerk rap style and its accidental association with the jerk dance

Xavier's thoughts on being labeled as a jerk rapper

Xavier's creative process in the studio

The meaning behind Xavier's stage name 'So Based'

Xavier's collaboration with Lil Ugly Mane and how it came about

Xavier's connection with Thouxanbanfauni and their collaborative project

Xavier's upcoming projects and plans for 2024

Xavier's experience performing live and the energy of his shows

Xavier's thoughts on the current state of the underground music scene

Xavier's advice to fans and his message on staying true to oneself

Transcripts

what's good what's going on X we got you

in the

building appreciate you for uh letting

me come through and get this interview

you want to introduce your boys that you

got with you real quick and you know

it's us and this [ __ ] and then sh My

[ __ ] Back in right here I was around in

New York hit you in the DM I'm like X we

got to get this interview in before

honestly I feel like before things are

too late you know what I mean I feel

like 2024 is about to be a big year for

you before we get into all that let's

talk about you you know what I mean and

and Xavier where Xavier is from the

origin story real quick so where is

Xavier So based from [ __ ] from the Upper

West Side KN New York City for those who

don't know what that is M being from

there how did you get into making

music I mean really

um like my mom was like always DJing and

[ __ ]

really like yeah like in like the '90s

and [ __ ] like early 2000s so feel me I

always had music around and once I

started getting into the underground

[ __ ] I seen Lex Luger making beats I was

like I was like nine or some [ __ ] like

that and I was like bro that [ __ ] look

fire like I want to do that after Lex

Lua started making beats then what

happened um what after I seen him making

beats [ __ ] I was making beats for a

minute gang I was making beats till like

like 2017 or some like that that's when

I first tried to like rap it was on

soundtrack that website feel me had some

earbuds

um I was just recording on them [ __ ]

when did you notice things started to

pick up like what first really started

giving me motivation to go crazy was

when I dropped store and like the songs

was like in a couple thousand plays you

feel me [ __ ] like that

like like that's when I seen this [ __ ]

picking up cuz I was like bro if I could

just keep keep the [ __ ] going up like

that each tape I drop like you feel me

but when I really seen [ __ ] start

picking up was when I dropped install

when did you drop that um

2022 so before you dropped inall and

we're getting like a couple thousand

views uh per song what were you doing

differently that activated that was that

just an organic thing that just started

to pick up over time it was just picking

up over time I mean [ __ ] going with the

sound I got doing different [ __ ] too I

was doing like I was doing a lot of

different [ __ ] so like I was keeping a

variety what would you say influ the

sound that you got going on right now

cuz what you got going on has so many

people in a frenzy because it's working

so well for you and a lot of people just

don't understand it um I feel like if

they knew where it came from they would

have they would have a better

understanding [ __ ] drink G I take a lot

of inspiration from Dr game not going to

lie blade specifically or I know there a

few members in

there like blade and like a lot of The

Producers fil who are some of your D

gang what who are some of your favorite

D gang producers sure German white armor

[ __ ] um

[ __ ] n good go crazy too that's a fact

[ __ ] Dam slay world

too I listening to a lot of slay world

who was some people in slay world that

you grew up listening

to she was heavy on like in high school

I mean sh Summers came all like when he

was going crazy at that time like being

from New York City though how did you

get into like cuz there's a lot of

rappers I just got done doing an

interview with another rapper I'm like

being from New York City how did you

like what made you want to stay away

from the drill scene and actually just

take a different

route um cuz it could have been so easy

if you just start making drill music I

just don't really listen to that [ __ ]

that much like yeah and I could do the

drill flow like well we ever get an

Xavier cbas drill song bro I dropped

culture I dropped some [ __ ] recently it

was like like drill flow but like it was

on like one of my typ Beats play that

when did you get into the whole jerk rap

thing like I mean [ __ ] I probably start

making beats like that like like 2019 so

would you say you were the originator of

the jerk rap no huh I mean the jerking

should have been around it's it's new to

me so like I'm I'm very like but that's

not even

like that's not even

like like what I was aiming for like I

don't even like I'm not I'm not even too

heavy on the jerk [ __ ] like I'm not too

cuz you know about like the you a jerk

jerk like the dance and [ __ ] like

I was never really too into that it's

just the the the the snare patterns that

i' be using like people compare it to

the jerk [ __ ] a

lot so do you hate the fact that people

call you a joke rapper

or yeah but not necessarily because it's

like because it's jerk like I [ __ ] with

jerk [ __ ] obviously right like the OG

[ __ ] like that [ __ ] fire but it's just

like that's not really like where I was

trying to go with this [ __ ] where are

you trying to go with this [ __ ] I

couldn't even really like describe it

cuz it's just like just my [ __ ] like you

know you feel me how do you educate

yourself to stay creative and make

different

stuff I mean [ __ ] just live life and

like every time I get on FL I try to do

something different something a do

before so before you get on F right talk

a little bit about your creative process

some rappers they get in the studio they

start smoking mad blunt some people need

lean some people need a drink what are

three things Xavier needs in the studio

before he gets going sh in the studio we

be fried with the Mad buds yeah [ __ ] we

be fried

um [ __ ] as long as the computer

got [ __ ] might need some

food Good Vibes super organic I like

that so let's talk about the name too

Xavier So

based what does based mean for the

people who don't know I mean in my

opinion um not opinion but like the way

I see it um just effortless swag and

positivity that's always how I seen her

growing up watching L be and [ __ ] [ __ ]

watching all the ocean game just like

then if they say you had a little back

and forth with Lil be like I genuinely

don't know I just see I just go based

sometimes I go based off what I see or

something like that but I think they

said something about you going back and

forth with d having some type of Li just

got tight at me cuz um he asked me like

cuz somebody gave me his number right so

I hit him up right feel me I was like

you want to have on this open he was

like bet how much you got for me [ __ ] I

was popped [ __ ] I was like $50 [ __ ]

cuz he's he sold like one open do like

one open $1 [ __ ] like opens and [ __ ]

so like [ __ ] thinking I could get this

[ __ ] for 50 he's like [ __ ] you bugging

[ __ ] he called me a pig n so then yeah so

then he doubles back the next

day and then he's like yo I'll do the

feature that's how the S that's how I

got that song so it was just like

that's crazy so talk about how you

tapped in with du Kane as well and how

that came about I reacted to that

project it was good to see him like you

know tap into that waave a Le I had did

a song with a Le he was he

was yeah he was tapped with a Le through

like listening to certified and [ __ ] so

then a Le posted a song that we had and

then um D was [ __ ] with it D was

[ __ ] with it um so then a couple

months

later um

he hit me up I linked him and then I

sent him beats I'm think I'm trying to

think if I sent the Beats before I'm

trying to think if he got on those beats

before I like I met him up how did it

feel um like the moment you he

recognized you and everything is that

somebody you grew listening to or I know

a lot of people in the underground since

like Middle School bro like I was

listening to him so when he hit me up

that [ __ ] felt crazy

like like I was listening to this n

that's

and he's not even that much my fa he's

not even that much older than me either

so it's like you feel

me so how to feel making a project with

him how long did it take you guys to

cook that up [ __ ] what's it called

you talking about the do B [ __ ] yeah I

did one I did one beat on that oh

yeah I was like do so based damn like do

really tapping in what's going on like I

did um I did the trust one oh that's

hard I was rocking with to fix my mind I

like to see you like put out an actual

video for that when you did that I was

like all right cool but I want to see

like what's going on so what does X have

going on for

2024 I seen you make a post and you

promis the fans you got a whole lot of

crazy [ __ ] going on so like what are

some of the things to be expected I got

the tape about to drop real soon it'll

probably be out by the time this

interview is out but um the with two

[ __ ] I'm going drop that I'm going to

drop that before next year though okay

next year um I'm going just just try to

go crazy on the videos going to go crazy

crazy going to go crazy oh yeah let's

see so talk about these shows real

quick how does it feel being able to

like get your name on a flyer and people

all over the place different cities I

see you guys Canada going crazy like so

talk about how it feel like mean

everything's coming together [ __ ] had

Canada jump shout out Sur gang I did

that with them feel me that was crazy

but that [ __ ] just feel crazy it don't

for real that [ __ ] B feel real BR talk

about the meme that went viral when you

were dancing you know what I mean that

[ __ ] popped off real quick did you

expect that to happen or

yeah that's him me him but it's not just

me though it's just when we all on stage

and we all just lit me fried like feel

me

be we all be turning that so talk about

your uh you do do you and ESP have a

relationship yeah that's game so talk

about the day you guys led up how'd that

come about

um he just he popped out to the city

real quick where's he from he's from VA

okay popped out to the city real quick

he had like some business [ __ ] so he

puted up to the city I linked them real

quick feel me it was good vibes great

how long you guys know each other for

like a year now oh really yeah he's

actually honestly I listen to his music

I don't listen to it but like when it

comes around with something new you know

me I'm I'm going tap in it's all right

like I feel like as it matures

it's going to grow into something for

real you know I think he's just young so

it's like he he he making it fun but

when it get sh I think like he can do

some [ __ ] I feel that's for

everybody in the underground right now I

mean you a lot of people that's going on

like ask things mature you guys get

older you know what I mean more more

things to rap about shit's going to

start coming together talk about one

seat as gang as a how' that come around

and how long has that been going I

always had that name

I always had that name like just in my

head for a group forever like what does

it stand for one chance one chance I

wanted that to be like a gaming clan or

some [ __ ] at first but like that never

really

happen and then I started playing a lot

of Tony Hawks underground with the

homies a lot of Thug lot of Thug Pro

with the homies so then we made it we

had the 1C gaming clan on the on the

thug [ __ ] and then [ __ ] they got to a

point to where I wanted to make my

Collective so I just Nam how long you

been

skateboarding um like really like like

learning like tricks and [ __ ] and trying

[ __ ] like two years but like I always

been skating around like right always

know how to ride like been skateboard

forever but like we've been skating

forever but like you wasn't capable like

these other [ __ ] you feel me to go to

different skate parks and have a skate

park and [ __ ] like that's true that is

true so we a capable to doing a lot of

[ __ ] like we was capable of lead the

hood you know no we're not go outside

play SK you know right but hey this rap

[ __ ] picking up man going be able to

skit all over the world eventually

exactly you know how do you guys deal

with the hate so well I feel like as

much good as much love as you guys get

you guys also get a lot of hate you know

I feel like people just are confused how

do you guys go about that I mean I'm

just used to that [ __ ] like okay no more

cuz I don't know like cuz growing up

[ __ ] always see me different like you

feel me you can ask these [ __ ] like or

you feel me so it's like like I'm not

expecting everybody to [ __ ] with me also

how do you feel about the state of the

underground right now cuz you're

honestly like one of the new Pioneers in

this [ __ ] two three years from now

people going to be talking about oh

[ __ ] you going to be

like I'mma say a

name all you going to be like like like

like like in Isaiah TG you know what I'm

saying whether you go way past whatever

he accomplished so far or not you know

what I'm saying like a lot of people I

feel

like just hold him at this High pedestal

they just appreciate the difference that

he brought to the game I feel like like

that's like your time right now you know

what I'm saying so what do you feel

about the state of the underground so

far um [ __ ] the state of the underground

it's a lot of good and a lot of bad like

speaking of some of the good I

mean there's lot of fire [ __ ] going on

who's some people that you got your eyes

on that you think it's as

hard um people you would like want to

tap in with in the future I mean I would

really say people I'm ta with now all

right

like my no game [ __ ] my so boys [ __ ]

like and then [ __ ] there's the two

famous [ __ ] we got Sur

gang we

got there's my fire in the underground

right now I see you linked up a 917

racks M so we spoke about some of the

goods that underground what are some of

the bads that the

underground I mean a lot of the fire

[ __ ] that's going on gets washed out by

like [ __ ] so much [ __ ] with all

the good in the underground right now

there's 10 times more [ __ ] so much

[ __ ] it's not [ __ ] G is so much

[ __ ] [ __ ] [ __ ] oh my yo that

[ __ ] get me TI that [ __ ] is

crazy if you could zero in on like one

little thing

on like one piece on one part of the

[ __ ] Rage

music there's good Rage music there's a

lot of good Rage music but it's like

people who only make rage music make

rage music yeah like you could agree

with me on this lot of [ __ ] no it is

a lot of [ __ ] going on on I ain't

even going front there is a lot of

[ __ ] I also think a lot of what's

wrong with the underground is the

Twitter Community is becoming too loud M

like they're becoming way but you know

why loud right because of Co yeah

[ __ ] was at home too

long cuz like think about it like like

dra like when you heard about drain gang

I heard about drain gang but like I said

I came to the underground in

2022 exactly I found ye in 2022 so you

heard about so you heard about drinking

postco right yeah late as [ __ ] exactly

and then I found out they've been around

since like 2014 I'm listening to

projects they had going

out listening to Once [ __ ] got once

[ __ ] got on the internet they found it

so easy cuz you had to be on the

internet to know about it you feel me

once [ __ ] got on the internet they

found it quick they found it themb

quick so it's just like with that like

like that's what [ __ ] up the

underground is like and that's why the

Twitter Community is so loud CU there so

many of them

now yeah yeah you're right

there like 12 year olds on there now

like Twitter wasn't like that before you

didn't get on Twitter to use at least

like 16 maybe like 18 back in the day

you know what I'm saying I was I was on

Twitter I think I like a junior high

school or some [ __ ] like that now there

there some there [ __ ] on Twitter legit

12 13 year old cardi fans all over the

place and like they don't care what they

saying they just going for anything like

but they're loud you know as [ __ ]

how'd it feel when the whole your ra

situation happened and he found you on

Twitter I mean that [ __ ] came the [ __ ]

he literally came up as a plug Channel

[ __ ] that's how I knew him like you

know the plug Channel I know exactly

what you're talking about exactly that's

how he came up so it's just like n to

act like you to act like you got some

something corny going on like [ __ ] I'm

actually out here like being creative

and doing me like you feel me like this

[ __ ] came up post other [ __ ]

content I feel that though and he's just

some older [ __ ] like he's not going to

get it so was like the [ __ ] yeah I

remember I remember I made a video about

that I was like your rage isn't I don't

think he has he knows anything about

this scene that's going on so like I

don't think his opinion on it shouldn't

really mean anything but hey would you

say things went up a little bit after

that or yeah definitely right is cuz cuz

it put a lot of people

on I feel like something that happens in

the underground like once somebody gets

on something that's hated and it's loud

enough some reverse effect happened

where like people just like it's like

they found the artist now I think the

same thing happened with net been with

that whole snippet everyone was roasting

it making the meme and then I seen him

every single day

since music wise going on tours doing

shows all type of [ __ ] so he would you

say there's like a positive and the

negative hate in this [ __ ] or yeah for

five do you wish that never happened

no cuz it's like with where I'm trying

to

go them [ __ ] probably would have seen

me at one point and they wouldn't like

me if they see me in the future so it's

like it just they just didn't like you

faster

exactly they just didn't like you faster

you played the cards right so yeah

respectfully all right so project coming

out

before 2024 what's name you got name it

or with two with two uh any any features

n just ask you want sh out your merch

real quick I mean [ __ ] we got the merch

coming soon we got the maps merch by the

drive you need to count that all right

bet so if you can leave um the fans off

with anything right here right now I'm

Fri keep being yourself yeah keep being

yourself that's a fact

all right yo X appreciate you man uh

whenever you drop that project doers is

tapped in we going to react and go crazy

for

youate