Issa stands as one of the most gifted new lyricists in rap. The D.C. native has built a buzz since signing his first major deal at 16-years-old. Now independent, Issa continues to establish himself as an emcee who can take listeners to the trap while also delivering thought-provoking lyrics.
In an effort to give fans an inside look at his creative process, Issa has introduced Sample Sunday to kick off 2016. The series will premiere each Sunday and provide a glimpse of how Issa and his producers work together to conceptualize new music.
He recently spoke with rolling out to share insight on Sample Sunday. (WATCH: The Warm Up)
How did the concept of Sample Sunday come about?
I’ve actually had that idea for a while now. I’ve had it since February or March of 2015. My cousin and I came up with the idea. Also, my producer 22 Black. I really wanted him to be a part of this because he was one of the people who we helped to created the idea. I really like to be lyrical so I wanted to show people what I can do. So basically it’s me rapping over soulful beats. Each week is with a different producer, so it shows the creative process of us making the beat, and me rapping over it, me writing to it. And then getting a vibe for it. It’s bringing people into my world and allowing them to see my abilities. So I’m excited about it. I think people are going to like it.
The first video is “The Warm Up” with Cassius Jay. How was that studio session?
Cassius and I have been locked in for about two months. We’ve built a whole catalog. So I definitely wanted him to be a part of this Sample Sundays thing. It was funny because Cassius was telling me before we did the Sample Sundays that he didn’t really like doing sample beats. He has been on his trap s—. I told him I didn’t want him to do anything he didn’t want to do. The next night, he sent me a beat and it was crazy. The next day, we got in and I wrote it and I spit over it. We have a chemistry. He pushes me and I push him. Cassius and I have a lot of music coming out in the future so just be ready for that.
Checkout Sample Sunday episode 1:
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