NLE Choppa Is Pivoting to Wellness

NLE Choppa began rapping professionally in 2018, encouraged by his mother, who is still his manager. In 2019, his debut single “Shotta Flow” introduced his militaristic flow, blending nihilism with minimal beats and haunting, infectious melodies, making him the subject of TikTok crazes. This November 1, he released a new mixtape, From Dark To Light, and celebrated his 18th birthday, which holds deep significance for the Memphis, Tennessee native: “The number one represents new beginnings, and eight is a form of completion and wholeness,” he told me just a few seconds into our conversation.

Yes, despite his tender age, the same NLE Choppa known primarily for menacing threats delivered in a spitfire growl has sworn off violence and found a new approach. Choppa says daily meditation, veganism, and the birth of his daughter have genuinely changed his life. “If you're always questioning things, you realize the way you're living is just not as beneficial as it could be,” he told GQ.

Amongst a certain group of teenagers online, the MC born Bryson Lashun Potts is already one of the biggest names in rap. But despite major label offers, he linked up with an independent distribution company and used his success to slow down and develop his sound. From Dark To Light is thematically stronger than anything he’s done before, reflecting his newfound patience and desire for self-improvement. On “Bryson,” the lead single, he delivers his lines more slowly and deliberately, as if these new words are more important: “Put positive thoughts into your heart, it'll change your DNA/Negative thoughts, they fall apart, now a n***a thinkin' straight.”

Considering the speed of NLE Choppa’s rise and his willingness to see success as something that can be improved upon, it’s hard to imagine a world in which his run ends anytime soon. He spoke to GQ about finding a new path.

What was the idea behind releasing this new mixtape on your birthday?

I feel like it was the perfect time to release it with the way that astrology was working on my behalf. There were two full moons this month, and that's big for spiritual people, because there's a lot of manifestations and affirmations that you speak into existence when full moons occur. I’m 18. I'm grown, as they say, even though I've been grown [laughs].

When did you feel like you were ready to chronicle this growth? Did it take you a while to feel comfortable talking about it?

I've just been on a journey. I'm like an open book. Whatever is going on with my life, I'm going to let the people know. I feel like that's how you always stay in-tune with your fans, letting them know everything that you've got going on. I try to stay away from too much personal shit, but it’s important to highlight things that are helping you to see if it can help them too. So, whenever something has helped me, I try to spread the word.

Because you blew up so quickly, do you feel like now is the first time you've been able to step back and work on yourself a little bit?

Yeah, for sure. The last few months have been real crucial for me, because even though I'm still working hard, it's at the point now where I know how to have a certain balance. I know how to keep my energy up, when to keep my energy up, instead of just working and draining my energy over songs, and then having to step away for a while. I know when I need my meditation. I know when I need to ground myself. I have a lot more knowledge to keep me balanced to where I can be the best me.

Who did you look to for this sort of guidance, both spiritually and with your diet? Were you reading books? Did you have mentors?

It started out with meditation for me. There were certain questions I asked the universe while I was in my meditation. I read books, like The Autobiography of a Yogi, sacral healing books, law of attraction books. There was a lot of information that I'd just let soak in then apply it.

How much did having a baby play into this new belief system?

She's the main character in this little story that I'm on, because without her I feel like the change wouldn't have come. Especially having a daughter, because I knew if I had a son—I was telling myself, "I’m going to have a son. He's going to be just like me. I'm not going to change too much." But God blesses you with what you need instead of what you want, and I got a daughter.

I can't even be that same guy around my daughter, because she's going to want to be around the people she was raised by, and that's what she'll attract, so you just got to be a role model, and that's what I've just been trying to work towards. I feel like I'm accomplishing that every day.

Do you feel like you've got to be a role model for your community as well, especially for young people that listen to your music?

Especially the young generation because they're going to be the ones that change everything. I feel like I've got a good grip on the youth, so if I can be a world changer for them, that’s all that matters.

Can you talk a little bit about your decision to stop using violent imagery in your lyrics?

Shit, I've been big on reaping what you sow, so I feel like a lot of the violence that we put out, it comes back to us. I've just been straight positivity, and I don't see nothing negative coming back off of it.

Why did you decide to name one of the tracks after your birth name, “Bryson?”

The hook of “Bryson” is based on something my mom created. She used to sing it to me when I was little and feeling down. When I was a baby, she'd sing it to me, and that's pretty much the hook. That's why the song means so much to me, because I feel like if it could've uplifted me, then I know it'll uplift others.

What do you say to some of your fans who are skeptical about this new direction you're taking, and they hear you talk about veganism, and things like that, and they're like, "We want the old Choppa back"?

Those ain't fans. A real fan will accept growth, encourage the growth, and stick with you through thick and thin. The other people that's saying things were never with me in the first place. They just liked to watch me. I don't really get too caught up in that. There are genuine people that are going to support your journey no matter what, and so that's what I've been focusing on.

What's your go-to vegan meal now that you have embraced the vegan diet?

I've been fucking with a lot of nachos, quesadillas, a lot of pastas. I be fucking with a lot of shit, especially the vegan nachos.

What do you hope somebody who listens to this new tape understands about you and your career at this point?

I don't even want them to just take things away and think they understand me too much. I just really want people to find a lot of the stuff that has worked for me that can be applied to their lives, and you can see a lot of change. I drop a lot of gems throughout the album. A lot of people that listen to it will know. Even if they apply one thing that I say, their day-to-day life will start to be even better. I just want people to apply what I'm saying.

Where do you see yourself going next from here? Are you going to work on more music in this style, or are you going to try to switch it up again?

I don't see myself making anymore negative music right now. It's just all about expanding and growing outside my comfort zone more and more, but still promoting the same message.

When did you realize you were experiencing anxiety and depression and that you needed to switch things up?

I've been experiencing that since way before I even got into the rap industry. A lot of my issues started to grow and get stronger, and I just didn’t have time to deal with them the right way because everything in my career was getting so crazy. I felt like nothing was working. Smoking wasn't working. Drugs weren't the solution. I just had to breathe, find inner peace, practice breath work, change my thoughts around, all that stuff. Now I know how to focus on my thoughts, and once you do that, you begin to understand that your thoughts and reality are really beautiful.

Originally Appeared on GQ