In Conversation: Vince Staples

"I just want to be an artist..."

Vince Staples is a clear example of how defining the individual can lead to something universal. Need some evidence? The rapper is in town for his biggest London show yet, a sold out performance fuelled by material rooted in Long Beach, California, an area almost a hemisphere away from these devoted fans.

“I mean, it just shows you the world is a small place, man,” he muses. “We're all more similar than we think.”

“I'm only here for a couple of days, so we'll see how much time we get to spend out here,” he adds. “I like it here, though, I always have a good time any time I come out here. I like the scenery. I got a couple of friends out here who always make sure I have a good time. When we get here we usually only have time for the shows and press and things like that, but that's cool. The difference in culture is always good.”

It's been a whirlwind 12 months for the rapper, whose breakout album 'Summertime '06' is a stunning, mature match of lyrical dexterity and cutting edge beats. At times difficult and uncompromising, at others open and euphoric, 'Summertime '06' has that rare feeling of only being truly able to come from one artist.

“It just comes out of thin air most of the time,” he admits at one point in our conversation. “We just try to make the most representative music of our lives, and what we're going through at this current time. I feel like in music if you're influenced by outside things that don't directly deal with you or your life or your past then you're not giving the best reflection of yourself.”

“If you give a Michael Jackson song to another artist then is it the same song, the same experience?” he asks. “It could be, but my guess would be no. You understand what I mean? So I probably have to keep the music as close to us as possible.”

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'Summertime '06' has the air of a definitive statement, a deeply personal exhalation that reflects on Staples' youth while also taking a broader cultural sweep. It's a stunning record, that has the feeling of a true one off – but the rapper admits he could yet have more to say on this area.“I mean, I never know. To me, it's mostly just about doing what I feel is necessary at the time,” he explains. “It might be necessary to re-visit it, but it might not be. I wouldn't know right now. It's too early in the trajectory of everything. But you never know. There's a lot more to say but it all depends on the beats, as well, not just the amount that I have to say.”

“I can't literally see anything I'm going to be doing in the future,” he adds, “because I don't know where I'm going to be in the future. What I can tell you, though, is that whatever music I make will be a reflection of myself. That I know for sure.”

Fans desperate for new material will be heartened to know that the rapper has begun formulating ideas, but little has actually been laid down on tape. “I mean, we have some songs,” he says, cagily. “We do some things here and there. But it's no rush to ever record.”

“To be honest, I have a very unique perspective on how I work on my music,” he adds. “That not a lot of people agree with. Everything is pretty much already done before I get in the studio. When we go in the studio, we go there for five hours and then we go home. Every time. We don't sit in there.”

When focussing on his material Vince Staples deliberately secludes himself away, blocking outside influence to focus on his own voice, his own experiences. It's a process that allows the rapper intense focus, but also seems to come with no small measure of calm. “It definitely comes from within because I have never felt any pressure about rap music,” he asserts. “Ever. Why would I?”

“I'm not the biggest music listener. You may be surprised by that. I'm into creation. That's the key. What makes is an artist special is your connection to them. But what makes an artist successful is being able to believe in them. You know what I mean? If you're able to believe an artist in what they say and what they stand for, then that's what makes people come to shows. Always.”

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Life inspires you and changes the way that you write…

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Much of 'Summertime '06' chimes with current events in the United States, with even throwaway lines such as “I ain't ever run from nothing but the police” given added power by some of 2015's atrocities. Despite his work often being viewed in a political light, however, Vince is eager to seperate himself from this sphere.

“I will never see myself as a political artist,” he snaps. “I hate the idea of being any kind of artist – I just want to be an artist. At the end of the day I couldn't tell you much about politics, to be honest. But everyone has feelings, some people have strong feelings about one thing, some people have strong feelings about other things. I think I try my best, to be honest. So a lot of things I say can't come off as political because everybody feels that way about something.”

In town for the show, Vince clearly relishes the thought on getting onstage. One of hip-hop's most gripping personalities, each show feels like an event, afforded a singular energy by the West Coast rapper. “I don't feel pressure when I perform,” he smiles. “I'm already on the stage, there's nothing to be pressured about. The pressure is trying to get there – I'm already there. There are people in the crowd for a reason, the pressure should be alleviated.”

So what is his pre-show routine?

“Make sure I'm not tired. It's exercise, it's not easy to do,” he explains. “Other than that, make sure my shoes are tied so I don't fall. If the stage isn't wet then we're good to go!”

With each day offering a new challenge Vince Staples is already feeling refreshed, inspired. Although he keeps his cards close to his chest when discussing new material, the rapper does insist that it will be different, and this his travels have a part to play in this.

“Life inspires you and changes the way that you write,” he says. “Travelling definitely will, and I'm open to that.”

“I don't see the reason for pressure or anything like that,” Vince tells me. “It's songs. If you make songs and people listen to 'em then they either like 'em or they don't. There are a lot more serious things going on in the world, I don't need to feel pressure about music. There's lot of turmoil in the country I live in, there's a lot of turmoil in the world in general. So music is the easy part.”

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'Summertime '06' is out now.

Related: City Of Angels – The Resurgence Of Los Angeles Rap

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