The crowned ‘Prince of Harlem’, @27Delly is on a mission for 2023. Having just dropped his latest single ‘Wake Up’, the peak to a whirlwind past year, and more music pending release, the NY-born rapper is not looking to take a break any time soon. We caught up with Delly to talk legendary 2022 moments, game-changing next moves, and everything in between.
Hey Delly! It’s been a pretty crazy year for you. What was your career-defining moment of 2022?
2022 was such a critical year – from doubling my career stats from last year to different sync opportunities. The largest or most impactful thing yet was securing an amazing sync on my song “Signed From Uptown” in the show “Atlanta” on FX. I love making national tv.
You’ve been dubbed the ‘Prince of Harlem’ by a fair few fans. Would you say that Harlem has influenced your sound and work in a big way?
Harlem has definitely shaped the artistic outlook on my music. I have this hyper focused attention to detail and my environment definitely helps that come through.
Your highly anticipated EP, ‘Wake Up’ just dropped. Can you tell us a bit more about your creative process whilst recording an album? Do you have any weird or unconventional methods in the studio to keep you on form?
Yeah Wake Up is out now! I definitely have a bunch of methods and systems to get a record out in the studio down to the personnel in the room or the cologne I’m wearing. This EP was definitely a mixture of having great views in the city from certain studios, great vibes from friends in the lab, great producers & just tapping into that bag. One thing I love to do in the studio is bring the mic out the booth and rap or sing in front of folks for live reaction.
You must have a favourite track on the album. Can you give us a hint of what it might be? Any particular reason or deeper meaning as to why?
My favourite record on the EP is High Road! I feel like it’s my first street anthem. I feel like the sonics and phrasing of the record really speaks to me and who I am as an artist and person. My goal is to create stadium status anthems whilst also intimate music you can sing in the shower.
What’s the story behind the EP title? Wake Up from society, Wake Up after the party?
Sheesh wake up from it all! Wake up from my own destructive cycles, generational curses, community outbreak, society, the afterparty where you got too crossfaded! Really the cue to wake up is to slow down a bit and enjoy the small things while they’re there to enjoy. Don’t speed through the cycle of life and wash yourself up.
The cover art for ‘Wake Up’ definitely has nostalgic, 90’s / early noughties hip hop vibes. What was the thought process behind the clean, black and white album cover?
I felt like on all of my projects, everything had been so creatively out the box. I feel like some people don’t even know what I look like cause I always got a good fit on or I’m somewhere folks can’t see me. So I wanted to make sure people know my face from now on.
Did you record the EP in any special order or was it a ‘wake up, let’s go’ situation every day in the studio? (No album title pun intended)
I recorded each song when life came at me with these different energies and moods. I made “hit the town” coming home from LA after having to deal through a few stresses on the east coast remotely. It was my return anthem! Wicked Games came from releasing my toxic past made in Kehlani studio in LA. So there was no specific timeline, just the right emotional mix and time.
You recently dropped your latest single, ‘Lambo on Fire’ Ft. TRAVI. Can you tell us a little bit about the track?
Lambo on Fire is about basically speeding through life too fast because of nice cars, money, women and jewellery, just sharing my experience of that whilst forewarning and/or relating to those who understand what I’m delivering. Very often, a lot of people find themselves in losing positions just due to chasing love, money and power.
What was going through your mind when you were writing it? And how does the message differ from your last track, ‘Gimme That’?
Gimme That is another reflection record of missing a certain someone. It’s different because unlike Lambo this record is premature of the lesson coming from Lambo on Fire. The lesson of love is an early one before you learn what you can lose from it.
The visuals on your Instagram page show a flaming, glimmering Lamborghini shining in the darkness. Can you explain the significance behind the visuals and name of your latest track?
The Lamborghini is derivative of the shiny glamour life, and the flame is the fire that comes from not properly managing your Lambo/Life correctly. Most people are enamoured by a Lambo, but don’t know exactly how expensive it is to maintain and keep on the road – and once it’s on the road (following rules and regulations) if you don’t maintain it or follow the rules, you’ll crash and burn just like ordinary life.
An official lyric video for “Lambo on Fire” is available as an NFT on Glass.XYZ – what made you want to move into the world of Web3?
WEB3 is the future. It takes likes, views and streams and turns them into real life B2C transactions. It’s just the beginning – but there’s always avenues to be explored.
What can we expect from your forthcoming EP, ‘Wake Up’? Any words of wisdom before listening?
Yes, it’s the cycle! It’s the cycle of life! Turnt up, ready to conquer the world and somehow through the thick of it all you find love/heartbreak/disappointment – but still have to compile yourself together for the next day. If you wake up to the cycle, maybe you can change the outcome.
If you could give Delly one year ago any advice, what would you tell him?
Before you fire anyone on your team, get every single document you need with folders and a file cabinet.
Your fans get pretty hyped up on Twitter. What’s the wildest thing anyone has ever said to you online (or IRL)?
A fan once told me I ‘used to make music’. Like, I still make music bruh.
Music aside for a second, your fit pics are fire. What does your style mean to you?
My style is me. Who and what I come across and how I can display in the most me way possible.
What can we expect from you next in 2023? New year, new endeavours?
A whole lot of music, a whole lot of web3, and cool content.
Last, but certainly not least – can you tell us your 5 top tracks right now?
The top 5 tracks right now for me are: Signed from Uptown, Rent Free, Pusha Man, Bonita & Gimme That.
