Rapper XV made his journey to SXSW on a “yellow brick” road, and now he’s arriving as The Kid With The Green Backpack.
The Kansas rapper is making a name for himself in an industry that he feels has limited leaders, and he arriving with his bright green backpack.
But there’s only one thing XV asks upon arrival – no bandwagon fans.
XV stopped by the office to chit-chat about his forthcoming EP Awesome, and his debut album The Kid With The Green Backpack.
Check out the exclusive interview with XV below!
GlobalGrind: You made a whole mixtape about your journey to SXSW. So how was the road to SXSW?
You know this was a craziest journey for me because I’ve done SXSW three times. This was the third time I’ve done it and every year it’s been a different experience for me. The first year it was just like, I want to do SXSW. I did two shows. But SXSW has gradually changed since that time doing that.
SXSW is super Hollywood now.
Bingo. The first year I did SXSW, it was this no sound check, one stage, one mic, there’s your turn tables or there’s your guitars, plug in, rock out, and that’s what it was like. We were literally carrying keyboards and drums through the streets. This year, like you said, everything got really Hollywood. And you got big acts coming through. This year I hit up my manager and said, “Look, I want to be everywhere.”
At SXSW there are a lot of people just peeking in to see what’s going on. And you have to draw them in. When it comes to the stage, that’s my world – I run that.
When it comes to live shows, I don’t feel like anybody can mess with me. Other than Tupac’s hologram. (laughs)
It’s OK to lose to Tupac’s hologram!
And you know, I’m totally down to lose to Tupac’s hologram any day.
What also makes you unique is that you’re from Kansas.
Yeah. Tornados happen.
Tornados happen and people get lost and…
And never find their way home? (laughs) They have to click their heels and come back. That happens. But it’s usually strippers that are kicking their heels.
So you’re working on your new album The Kid With The Green Backpack. What does that title mean?
The Kid With The Green Backpack is not a meaning; it’s actually something I was called in middle school. I took this negative connotation that I was called, and applied it to a lot of my music. So, The Kid With The Green Backpack story goes like this: a girl told me in high school: ‘When you were in middle school, nobody knew your name right?’ and she said ‘Yeah, ’cause you were in the IB program (this smart kid program) and you were the only black kid in it.’ So the other kids that went to school there, were like ‘who is that black kid?’ ‘Cause when you’re at school and you see another black kid – especially in Kansas – you’re like ‘who is that kid?’
When I was in school, I was trying to make people know who Donovan was. Now I’m the music industry and I’m trying to make people know who XV is. So this debut album is my beginning. I’m the kid with the green backpack all over again. The whole album is this concept album of this kid going from invisible to invincible.
How is Donovan different from XV?
They’re not too different. I just think that Donovan is a person who just enjoys life. I enjoy video games. It’s not part of a character. After I do this interview, I’m going back to my hotel. I got the Xbox plugged up and I’m probably going to play Mass Effect 2 and do that as Donovan. I’m not going to videotape it, I’m not going to vlog about it, I’m not going to tweet about it. I’m just going to do that to have fun.
The XV raps to make people understand that there are other people in the world that are just like them – video games. Who enjoy comic books.
So who are some of your inspirations?
I would say the actual inspiration to my music is Andre 3000. Jay-Z, Rivers Cuomo from Weezer. Pink Floyd and the Smashing Pumpkins I actually like. I enjoy their music. But it doesn’t inspire mine. My actual music inspirations … Andre 3000 is my favorite rapper of all time.
Who do you think are your top five rappers in the game right now?
Top five? I would say Kanye West, because he’s one of the ones who are actually trying to lead. But he’s also one of my beefs as to why the band-wagoning exists I think. Because I think he crosses that line and does it as a fan, and then other people think that’s cool to do.
What do you mean?
I think Kanye West genuinely likes every artist – whether it be Azealia Banks or 2Chainz or Q-Tip – I think he genuinely likes all of that. Because his roster is from Big Sean to Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) to Pusha T, Bon Iver to Q-Tip to 2Chainz.
So you’re top 5 rappers in the game right now are….
Kanye, Jay-Z, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and J Cole.
What’s your biggest pet peeve about the music industry?
Just band-wagoning. I hate the fact that people in the industry now – from the fans to the actual people in it – there’s no leaders. I don’t like the fact that everybody says “you have to like this,” and you have to like it! There’s no grey area about it. Even if you don’t like it, you’re forced to at least know about it. I don’t like that because it takes away from individuality.
What else can all the fans get ready for?
My debut album The Kid With The Green Backpack will be coming soon. But I’m dropping an EP May 15th. And the EP is basically just warming up people to this character that they’re going to get in touch with on this album.
What’s the title of your EP going to be?
Awesome EP. And it’s going to have my lead single on “Awesome” on it – which was on Verizon’s HTC commercial.
