In the sun-drenched landscape of West Coast hip-hop, a new star is rising. Twenty-two-year-old Lil Mosey, the self-described “chill guy” with a penchant for “wavy” beats, sat down for an exclusive interview with rolling out to peel back the layers of his meteoric ascent. From his humble beginnings to his current popularity, Mosey, whose real name is Lathan Moses Stanley Echols, opens up about his creative process, musical influences, and the weight of sudden fame.
With a wisdom belying his years, the young artist who shot to stardom at 15 now navigates the choppy waters of the music industry with a cool demeanor and a clear vision. In this candid conversation, Lil Mosey reveals the ethos behind his music, his dedication to authenticity, and his ambitious goal to change the world — one melodic bar at a time.
How would you describe yourself as an artist?
Just a chill guy, cool little dude. I love music, love chillin’ with the homies and stuff.
How would you describe your music?
Melodic, rap, chill, wavy. Real wavy. I try to keep it wavy.
What’s your target audience? Do you try to reach a certain group?
I mean, I try not to put any limit on myself. I feel like anybody could really listen to my music. I reach for everybody.
What is your creative process like when you’re making music?
When I’m making music, I just try not to overthink [it]. I feel like a lot of people overthink [things]. It’s easy to overthink stuff and just sit on it for too long, trying to make it too perfect. This is music, we’re having fun, so whatever comes to my head, I just put it down.
When I first started making music, my process was different. I would hear the beat and then write everything. I didn’t freestyle; I didn’t know how to freestyle. But as I started being around other artists and seeing how they worked, especially when I saw Chris Brown, that kind of changed my process.
Talk about your new single.
Yeah, it’s called “By Yourself,” for all the independent women out there, showing my support. Shout-out to my mom, my biggest supporter. I was in the studio one day, I heard the beat, and it just started coming to me. I was like, this would be perfect. Keep the message positive.
How does the West Coast influence your music?
Well, a lot of my music is definitely influenced by the West Coast, especially when I first started making music. All I wanted to do was make West Coast music. Even today, I still try to use some of those elements in my music, regardless of the style I’m going for.
After you first blew up, what was it like transitioning from not really being in the spotlight?
Well, when I first blew up, I was 15. It [was] crazy. But for me, it wasn’t as hard as people think. At least for me, because I feel like it kinda happened randomly for some people and they weren’t expecting it. I was always aiming to be the biggest I could possibly be, so I was kind of mentally preparing myself for it. I just felt in my heart that I was going to be where I’m at today, so when it happened, it was like, “Oh, I already knew this was gonna happen.”
Do you have any specific artists you look up to?
Yeah, a bunch. I wouldn’t say anybody specifically made me who I am today, but growing up, I listened to all types of music. I love all types of music, so I just take inspiration from everything.
How would you describe the process of winning?
That’s a good question. Winning for me, I feel like there are different ways to look at it. Some people see winning as the biggest things in their life that they feel accomplished in. For me, I take the small things and count them as wins. Like, even just waking up today, that was a win for me. It’s winning. We take W’s all day, every day, and that’s the goal.
How do you stay grounded? How do you deal with the fame and fans asking for pictures?
I look at it like it’s a blessing. This is what I asked for when I was trying to make this happen. I wanted to have fans and have my music spread across the world. So, I just remind myself of that. When I see a fan, I think about how it’s the first and probably last time they’ll ever meet me, so I should make the best impression. Even if I’m busy, it only takes two seconds to take a picture and make someone’s day.
Do you think your music can positively impact other people?
My music made me who I am today, which is a person with a reach that can help people. That’s always been my goal — to do something good for people. I want to use my gift to help the people around me, like my family and friends, whether it’s financially or just motivating them with my words.
When you wake up in the morning and look at yourself in the mirror, how do you stay true to who you are?
When I look at myself in the mirror, I remind myself where I came from and what really matters to me. Money, fame, that doesn’t matter to me. What matters is what I can do for the world and how I can change it for the better. My goal is to be the best musician I can possibly be. That’s what matters to me.
Photography by Michael Ricardo
