Artist's new anthem "SURVIVOR" reflects on the state of the world and hopes to provides hope for a ... [+] post-pandemic life Desiigner

A$AP Ferg’s Harlem food deliveries. Megan Thee Stallion collaborating with Beyonce for Houston relief. Post Malone’s virtual benefit concert. Diddy’s charity dance-a-thon. Fat Joe’s live stream interview with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on building political power. In the age of coronavirus, socially-minded rappers are nothing if not innovative.

For Grammy-nominated trap artist Desiigner — who’s 2017 single “Panda” won the Billboard Music Award for Top Rap Song — this pandemic has encouraged him to reflect on our new normal and the importance of hope. In the music video for his new song “SURVIVOR,” mask-donning Desiigner navigates empty store shelves, barren streets, and an urgent care facility while rapping on the fact that we’ll get through these eerie, unprecedented times together. Notably, a portion of proceeds from the song will be allocated towards the United Way of NYC’s relief efforts.

Growing up in the projects and surviving being shot as a 14-year-old child, the COVID-19 pandemic is another hurdle to overcome for the artist. For so many of America’s favorite rappers, the communities that raised them are also the communities that have faced decades of economic disinvestment. In part, this fact has led to the disturbing yet unsurprising disparity of coronavirus deaths in low-income Black communities like Desiigner’s native Bedford-Stuyvesant.

I (virtually) sat down with Desiigner to learn how we leverage this heightened visibility of inequality, how the pandemic will likely affect the future of music, and what he thinks hip hop’s role in relief and activism is at large.

First of all, congratulations on your new song and visual release. What caught me about the video was the usage of real news footage throughout. We’re seeing a lot of reporting drawing attention to the fact that this isn’t just a medical crisis, but an economic one. So it’s amazing that you’re allocating some proceeds towards the United Way of NYC to benefit both frontline workers and struggling families. What's the United Way of NYC, what do they do, and why did you choose them as beneficiaries?

With everything hitting hard right now in New York City, I got a whole bunch of family members there and I want to help the communities out. Like in my borough, in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn, it’s urban and packed with projects. And the folks there aren’t really getting noticed as much right now — as usual.

United Way of New York City is a place I got trust in. Because they aren't only working on getting New Yorkers out of poverty — they are doing more. That's really going to be needed once we get past this COVID-19 pandemic. Honestly, if you look at the minimum wage, it would never be enough to get by; it keeps people relying on handouts. New Yorkers need more; they deserve more. UWNYC is working to make sure families are self-sufficient. That means helping families stand on their own two feet.

I chose them because they are working in some of the hardest-hit COVID-19 neighborhoods in NYC, just like the one I grew up in, and I trust their credibility to use the dollars where the need is the greatest.

On SURVIVOR you speak on a sense of hope, and I think that’s something a lot of people are struggling to find right now. What’s been personally giving you that hope and inspiration that we’ll make it through COVID-19?

Where I find that hope and motivation is from God and the vibrations of the earth. I really tap into that, from the times of being in the ghetto in Bed-Stuy, at night when we were getting shot at... This [pandemic] is something we’ve never experienced in our life before and we’re losing a lot of loved ones. We just gotta worry about holding it down. We got these great people on the frontlines. So I don’t want to make the world more worried, I want to be someone who puts a smile on your face and makes you feel good [laughs].

I tell my friends, “We’re all here for a purpose of elevation. None of us are here to be nothing.”

And on the subject of the role of performing artists — despite the financial hit with cancelled tours and gigs, we’re seeing a number of musicians step up to support those most in need at this time. Are there other individuals in hip hop who you’re really looking up to right now, when it comes to how they’re showing up for communities?

For sure. YG, Diddy, Megan Thee Stallion... everybody’s trying to tap in and make the situation better.

What me and some other artists are doing right now is partnering with this small business in Anaheim, California called Mouth Masker. I helped design this mask collection and with every mask sold, one is donated to essential workers, elderly people, and homeless people. That’s something I’m really excited about.

Definitely. Let’s talk about this moment in the context of a rap career. You have artists who are always going to be known for tying their music to political stances and social issues. You have other artists who are more known for dropping hard-hitting beats and party anthems. Are there other social issues you’re passionate about, that you think the hip hop community can lend their voices, and money, to?

So I have to look at all areas of my life and do my part — artists play lots of different roles in communities. For example with housing… I’m a landlord with multiple properties. And some people can’t afford rent right now and I have to hold that. How are you going to be able to live for the next couple months? You gotta take it easy on your tenants, be understanding of what’s possible right now. I have to take the hits because I also don’t want to see anybody on the street. I can help so I do.

That’s often the tension around money, right? It can be this thing that brings a lot of joy or a lot of harm. And once you have assets you get to make choices about whether your money is going to harm or help other people, whether that's how you run your businesses, invest your money, or give it away. Do you see yourself continuing to advocate for relief efforts beyond this song?

For sure. It’s important to me to really help homeless people out here, support the kids when they go back to school… There's so many things we can do right now for the world that it needs. I’m not saying give all your money away — I’ve learned investing is important too — but we should be helping put in place the things people really need. You know artists won’t be able to tour until like 2021. So we’ll be innovating ways to give help as well as perform and be in touch with fans.

Right — I wonder if this in a way creates a space for artists to be more creative, and define and own new business models and distribution channels.

I feel like everything’s going to go to virtual vibes. Big shouts to Travis Scott and Fortnite for making that move, Tory Lanez on Instagram Live… I feel like artists are still going to be able to connect with their fans. You can’t give up hope. That was the situation with my man Blueface; he dropped his first album “Find the Beat” in March, and he just had to shift his whole game plan as soon as he dropped it. It dropped at the beginning of the pandemic but he kept going.

Tonight I’m gaming for charity. Gaming is huge right now. And there’s things like doing dances as fans take to TikTok and really want to interact with songs during the pandemic. Artists are performing for fans at home, there’s this app Cameo where you can get paid for personalized video shoutouts… there’s every different facet right now that we’re taking and trying on during this thing, and we’ll continue to innovate cuz that’s what artists do.

Thanks to Jasmine Rashid for her contributions to this piece. Full disclosures related to my work here. This post does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice, and the author is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.

Source: Forbes.com

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