The sound is f--k crazy. I've worked with so many different people. I made what I thought was my record in LA, and then I moved. Now in middle of Georgia and New York, and I'm split between working with producers over here and the sound is totally different. So my album has texture.
There's some s--t I produced on there. There's a song called “Drive Slow” that I produced. It's really f--king weird. The album is so textured with sound -- there's strings, there's piano s--t, there's just crazy drums everywhere.
You seem to be singing a little bit more and your voice is incredible. Should we expect more singing on this album?
Oh my god, there's so much singing on this album. I have like big, big, big songs that sound like... It's just, it's out there, you know? It's just me, I'm exploring the extent of my artistry, and the extent of my gifts. I want to divulge as deep as I can.
One of your tracks samples John Mayer's “Daughters.” Why did you choose that song?
It meant a lot to me when I was a kid. I was growing up without a father to show me what it meant to love -- to understand love from a man, to understand love from my mom. I understand my mom now so much more in my adult years. I'm 25 now and I'm like, “Holy f--k, I get it.” If I had a kid as early as she did, I would have made a lot of mistakes. I would have f--ked that kid's life. But my mom did everything that she could for me. You come to appreciate your parents later in life.
This song is for parents, you need to understand that it's f--king imperative that you are there to show your child what love is, and in the right way. A lot of people lose themselves -- their gifts, their lives -- following f--ked up examples.
Do you anticipate backlash for sampling him, given his arguably racist comments from 2010?
John Mayer is entitled to his dickish opinions and outlooks. I think that is all indicative to the person. But that doesn't stop “Daughters” from being an amazing song. It's an amazing lyric and it transcends him. I don't give a f--k about John Mayer. I give a f--k about the fact that there are countless daughters and sons out there who are going to need to hear that message. F--k the opinions. It's mine now.