Five Fits With: Rapper Key Glock, Who's 'Always On the Hunt'
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I’m a huge rap fan, and this week’s subject is one of my current favorite rappers: Key Glock. Hailing from Memphis, he’s signed to Paper Route Empire, a record label founded by the late Young Dolph, a Memphis legend in his own right, and mentor to Glock. Key Glock is feature-averse—one of the tracks on his new album Glockoma 2, released today, is called “Fuck a Feature”—and embodies the tenets and sounds of Southern rap without resting on its tropes and godfathers.
In preparing for this interview, I watched others that Glock has done, and I noticed he doesn’t give much away. He’s confident, but not cocky, like his future is coming to him just as it was intended; just as he’d conceived, even at his lowest moments. The music does the talking for him. His voice often becomes a secondary percussive instrument, rapping decidedly and economically. Toeing the lines between private and braggadocious seems like a fool’s errand, but it’s one in which Glock has excelled.
Below, Key Glock discusses how his family pushed and supported him in rapping, finding motivation versus inspiration, Bottega Veneta intrecciato pants, and more.
What influenced you to start rapping?
My environment, my friends and family. There weren’t really any [influential] artists, it was just the feedback and the love around me that I was getting.
Did you have a mixtape out? How did you even get to the point where you decided to start rapping?
It was my senior year of high school. I was more into sports, but I was still in the streets, and that got the most of me. I hate it, but it got the most of me. So, like I said, my environment, friends, family, they just gave me all the feedback. They were more confident in me than I was in myself with the rapping. So, then that's when I noticed, I was like, “Oh, I could really do this. It's for real.”
How old were you when you recorded your first track?
I think I was 15 or 16.
When did you feel confident enough to begin to share it with your friends and family?
From my first song, I just had so much confidence in myself. I let everybody hear it, before I even put it on the internet. I don't know if they were gassing me up or not, but to me, I was like, “Oh yeah, this song hard.”
You just said you weren’t really influenced by any artists, but were there any who inspired you?
Not really. Not inspired, but I'd say motivated me. And that was Lil Wayne, [Young] Dolph, of course, and Gucci [Mane].
What was the process like being signed by Young Dolph to Paper Route Empire?
It really just happened out of the blue. It wasn't even a plan.
You were just noticed for having talent?
I got into some trouble. I got incarcerated. And then close to the time for me to come home, my auntie was married to Young Dolph's uncle. She told him, "You Know, Key doing his thing..." He just reached out to me and it went from there.
Were there any rules that you had to live by in signing to a label or did you have free reign to be an artist the way you wanted to be?
Nah, they always let me do me, let me be me. No matter what it was. Music, or just everything in life. I go by my rules. You know, I don't mean to disrespect anybody. It's just how I move. Play by my own rules.
What does style mean to you?
My grandma told me, “Your appearance is everything.” That stuck with me when I was little and I'm just real big on fashion. I don't even love a certain brand. Then again, it's not about the brand. It's how you put it on. It's how you coordinate it, how you put it together.
How do you think rap music and fashion kind of go hand in hand? Or do you think they go hand in hand? I feel like they do, so that's why I'm asking.
It does, but it doesn't, because I can dress like a country rapper right now and still kill it. I can dress like a rockstar right now and still be hip-hop. Fashion is fashion. You just can't compare it to music. I don't think so.
You just said you don't really think about the brands when you're thinking about fashion, but do you have any favorite brands?
My go-to brands are probably Rhude, Chrome Hearts, and Bottega [Veneta].
How do you define success?
Success is when you feel like you’re accomplishing things, but you still have this weight on you that you can't shake. You want to keep surpassing yourself. I knew I was succeeding when I got more hate than ever. When you’re working and grinding, they aren’t going to say too much. Being successful, there's pros and cons that comes with it.
I've never really heard that take. It’s a little dark, but it's real though.
Success comes with dark times.
Your new album, Glockoma 2, just dropped today. What was your inspiration for the album, and then how have stayed prolific?
It’s the mood I've been in lately. I've been real aggressive, not like violently, but more motivated than ever, you know what I'm saying? I have big expectations of myself. I'm just ready. I feel like I haven’t even dropped any music yet. It feels like I’m about to shoot to another level.
And you’re about to go on tour, too. You excited for that? You ready?
KG: I go back on tour starting March 5 in Atlanta, Georgia. We have like 32 cities right now and we’re still adding more. I’m ready. I'm probably more ready than the fans are. We’re ready to see each other.
What was the last thing you purchased?
It probably was a piece of clothing. Yeah. Matter of fact, I bought some Bottega pants, two, three days ago when I was in Phoenix. Leather pants, handcrafted, like $9,800.
What color?
Navy.
Understated? What are we working with here? Just a chill pair of leather pants?
They’re chill for me, but they’re one of a kind. They look like the bags.
You have them with you?
Nah. I already wore them. I didn’t want to tag them along.
Are you on the hunt for anything?
I'm always on the hunt. I'm on the hunt for more opportunities, more money. Just to open more doors.
I meant maybe an item…
I know what you meant. I'm just always on the hunt.
It's not about stuff, you're just not settled ever.
Never.
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