Photo: Press/Facebook
Underestimate Sir Robert Bryson Hall II at your peril. Logic - as he is now known - is a truly individual voice in modern hip-hop.
Having escaped a troubled upbringing in Maryland, the rapper has now worked with Big Sean and Childish Gambino, accumulated a devoted fanbase and seen his debut LP Under Pressure outsell many of his more established contemporaries. Ahead of his appearance at Wireless Festival, he talks to Gigwise about studying the art of live hip-hop, meeting Nardwuar and how he cheated death in London.
Gigwise: Which hip-hop acts have really impressed you with their live show?
Logic: I remember seeing J Cole and Lupe Fiasco years ago. It's kinda crazy because I haven't seen too many artists perform live but I've seen many via Youtube and things like that. A big one is Method Man and Redman: they're just incredible and their energy is amazing. I've looked at a lot: Jay Z, Kanye West, Kendrick, Cole. Just so many different artists and I go "'What is it I like about this? What do I not like about this? What would I do and what wouldn't I do?" I kinda just blend all those things together. You get on the stage and you pick little things up every night, especially with my DJ who is part of my set and that vibe. Then it just happens.
What do you remember of seeing Lupe Fiasco the first time?
My biggest memory of it first and foremost would be waiting in the rain, which is crazy. Then finally getting inside and the way he came out: everyone was so excited. It's funny because I caught onto Lupe a little later than that - my cousin invited me as he had an extra ticket. So I had known and respected Lupe but I hadn't super duper got into him. But when he came out it was just awesome. Just to see his presence, everyone go crazy and just how he just ordered the crowd to do certain things: it was amazing, it was something I'll never forget for sure.
Describe your toughest gig.
Toughest I've ever done? Man... sometimes with my shows early on I might have to go and do a show for press or something when it's just kinda weird. In my early shows, back at open mics, no-one knows who you are, no-one gives a shit who you are - especially where I'm from. Then you give it everything you've got and forcing them. Even still to this day, if I'm performing at a festival where it could be 10,000 or 20,000 people and 4000 people can know me. You've got to get the rest involved. For years I do certain tricks [like saying] 'This is a hip-hop show. If you're hands aren't up...' I make them feel like 'Oh shit I better put my hands up!' But I don't come off like an asshole. It's just kinda funny y'know?
What is the biggest misconception about you?
I think at first that I was a white rapper - I'm black and white and think everyone got the point through the million interviews that I had to do where people assumed I was white. I think that race was probably the biggest thing: and now I get less annd less of that. And it's great! After I did that first original run through I told myself there are certain things I'm not going to talk about anymore. I'm not going to talk about race and not going to talk about other rappers in a negative way. There's certain stuff I just refuse to talk about: I'm here to talk about the music and positive shit.
You're a massive Tarantino fan. How are you feeling about his next film The Hateful Eight?
It's a Western, which is kinda the same thing he did with Django. I haven't read the synopsis but with Tarantino everything is Tarantino: it's not going to be a Tombstone or how people usually make Westerns. So I am excited: I love everything Tarantino. With Django my favourite part of that is the Ku Klux Klan scene and how he made them all just look like idiots when they were arguing about the masks.
What is the strangest gift you've got from a fan?
Condoms, on tour. My videographer was snapchatting when we're in the states and all these kids started bringing me condoms every meet'n'greet, every show. That was pretty awkward. Rubiks cubes and condoms.
Can your recommend a good book?
I just read Harold and The Purple Crayon again, a children's book. It's nice, simple, to the point and fun. I don't know why I felt like buying it but I hadn't read it since I was a little boy.
What was the best record in your mother's collection?
When I was an early teenager she had a compilation album by Frank Sinatra called Fly Me To The Moon. I don't have the physical any more but I still want to find that particular album. It was just incredible: all my favourite Sinatra songs are on that album. That's the thing that really inspired me.
When were you last starstruck?
It was when I did an interview with a fella by the name of Nardwuar. It was awesome. In my mind, if you're making a name for yourself, Nardwuar has interviewed you. I was like "Holy shit I can't believe this is happening!"
Is there a music you love that would surprise people?
With me fans are a bit familiar, they know I love all music. I love this all girl rock group from Los Angeles called Warpaint. They're super wicked, awesome and they're all very beautiful too, so that doesn't hurt. They're super dope: you have to check out their self-tiled album.
Can you remember the worst thing a critic's ever said about you?
I won't say who but they actually said that my album was almost an autobiography, telling the struggles of my life and me growing up and everything I went to. Then they went on to say that it had no substance. Which to me doesn't make sense, which is really weird. The person who did it was not a hip-hop reviewer: I think they may have been a bit a callous in saying that. That was pretty much the worst feedback that I got on the album. But for me at the same time, I don't give a shit.
My motto is everyone's going to love you and everyone's going to hate you - no matter what you do. I actually have a line "People gonna hate, they've been destined to do that / I could find a cure for cancer, and people would still do that." I just look at it like "Your favourite song from me is someone else's least favourite song from me. And your least favourite is someone else's favourite. It just goes either way.
Have you ever cheated death?
Yes, the other day. I'm not used to the roads here man, they're totally opposite. I went to see Big Ben and I went to walk out and almost got hit by a fucking double decker bus. That was pretty wicked.
The most British death of all time.
Yes. Right after a got out of a telephone booth.
Under Pressure by Logic is out now (Def Jam/Universal). Logic plays the Wireless festival on 5 July alongside Nicki Minaj, Rae Sremmurd, Pusha T and many more. Tickets are now on sale.
