StemCell Therapy

Those albums helped lay the foundation for Cordaes own art and their influence on his musical DNA is all too apparent across the 15 tracks of his lauded debut. Released in summer 2019 via Atlantic, The Lost Boy resonated with a bevy of fans because of its contemporary approach to hip-hops classic elements. And while the project impresses with slick punch lines and heavy soul samples, its the storytelling that brings you back time and again. Much like his predecessors, Cordae showed a penchant for connecting with his audience by addressing his own demons and making them feel universal.

On Family Matters Cordaes vocals are buoyed by an uplifting bassline while he bares all, sharing the stories of family members grappling with domestic violence and substance abuse. On Thousand Words, the 23-year-old emcee frames our generations over-reliance on social media and the warped perception of reality that can result. The transparency that anchors his songwriting isnt employed without intention. Thousand Words, along with others on the album, he explains, were written from a real place. Fans can connect to it and it can help them, you get what I'm saying? It can inspire them to let them know, it's okay to not come from the best neighborhood. It's okay not to grow up having everything. It's okay to have family issues, that's normal.

His comment points to what really sets Cordae apart from his contemporaries -- an unflinching appreciation for the weight his pen holds if used for something greater. Its that awareness that placed 18-year-old Cordae at the center of a 2016 Black Lives Matter protest in Washington, D.C. In the video recently posted to his Instagram account, Cordae freestyles over a megaphone, his words moving the crowd of hundreds with a spirited plea, Please expose the truth to the world on a global view.

To this day, Cordae doesnt necessarily consider himself an activist. Instead, he clarifies, Im just always going to do what I feel is right and speak on what I believe in strongly. As such, it was no surprise to see Cordae last summer at peaceful demonstrations protesting the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, not because it was a shot at an Instagrammable moment, but simply, because it felt like its where he should be. It's not even a black or white thing, it's just right and wrong. He pauses for a moment before questioning, How can you not see what's going on in the world to Black people all around? I empathize with that.

Last August, Cordae channeled that empathy into a politically-charged feature on Stevie Wonders triumphant protest record, Cant Put It In the Hands of Fate, rapping: Mass confusion, people in power commit collusion/indoctrinated students, Im the leader of the movement/takes lifetimes, trying to duck the school-to-prison pipeline/disenfranchised, its amazing Im in my right mind.

Cordae might be unsure to what degree his next album will touch on social justice or 2020s bleak realities but he knows one thing for certain -- the quarantine-induced self-reflection hes engaged in will be a creative north star. Musics global shutdown offered Cordae the time to read, write and reflect in a way he hasnt been able to back to back years on the road. Hes not the same artist or person that he was when he released his debut and he wants his sophomore release to reflect that growth. It's a completely separate idea than The Lost Boy. It's not going to be a Lost Boy Two.

More:
With a Pair of Grammy Nominations in His Rearview, Cordaes Focus is Longevity - Billboard

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