‘Everything is Love’
Hailing from southeast San Diego, rapper Drew Burgundy takes pride in his west-coast hip-hop roots, but that’s only one of many influences that he integrates into his versatile sound. Along with his hometown experiences, he finds his biggest musical inspiration in artists like Musiq Soulchild and Kendrick Lamar. Most of all, though, Burgundy gives himself credit for honing his unique sound, saying his early years “could have been anywhere really, you know? It’s my reactions to things” that are the true foundation of his music.
When writing new music, Burgundy said he finds his “creative space in solitude.” It is in this solitude that the rapper can get away from the world and get in tune with his true self. He finds solace in places like the beach, where he can listen to the waves and let his words flow onto the paper. When it comes to the studio, though, he is all about a good time. “I like to have fun in the studio. I like to have fun making music.”
The rising artist uses music not only as a form of self-expression but also as a way to challenge himself creatively. When asked who he’d like to collaborate with in the future, he said “anybody really,” wanting to push his boundaries beyond anything he’s done before. “I’d definitely want to work with Doja Cat or like Tyler the Creator,” Burgundy said. “Just people that are off the wall with their sound and their approach to music.”
Burgundy also has his own creative process from start to finish. “It always starts right now for me with a beat,” he said. “Sometimes I will visualize the entire song in my mind. I’ll picture a whole music video and the lyrics will come to me, or sometimes I will piece up. Like, it’ll be the hook that’ll come to me, and the verses won’t come for a while.” It’s the artist’s everyday experiences that bring the music full circle. His lyrics come from reflecting on his mental state and the grind he puts into growing his music career while making a living for himself.
That grind has already started to pay off. Burgundy talked about his recent experience performing at Los Globos, a local LA entertainment venue. “It was a really nice venue, and it was one of the bigger crowds that I’ve ever performed in,” the artist shared. “It was one of my more energetic performances, and I’ve learned that the more people that are there the more energy there is for me to take control of the stage.” While the artist is living his dream onstage, he still faces personal challenges when it comes to performing. Burgundy shared his struggles with social anxiety and praised the support that gets him through it. He always has some close friends at his performances to “help me ease that inner tension.” Overall, though, he finds that “the best part for me is going to perform.”
There are sure to be more of these performances as Burgundy continues to put out more music and visuals. He talked about working with collaborator Sean on his most recent video for the song “As a Black Man.” While Burgundy comes up with the initial concept—something as “black and as revolutionary as possible”—his collaborator helps him flesh out the ideas into a full-fledged product. For the artist, it was one of the most fun projects he’s produced to date.
The smooth, impactful track highlights the way that Drew Burgundy combines powerful self-reflection with intentional collaboration to create a piece of work with something meaningful to say. This is something he feels is missing from the industry today. He hopes to reintroduce a “higher standard” of artistry to the music industry, as he feels that “anything is considered a good song nowadays if it rhymes and has a good beat.” Based on his musical contributions thus far, there’s no doubt that Drew Burgundy is bound to bring that standard back to the music industry.
