How has life been different since you signed with Def Jam?
More work and more opportunity. Me and my team have been on this grind since I was 17, and we’re still on the same grind today. Having Def Jam involved puts me in the game and gives me a reach that I didn’t have before and I’m grateful for that. But my day to day grind hasn’t changed. My management (Noontime) always tells me, “Gettin a deal ain’t shit”.
You come from New Orleans, what role does that play in influencing your music style?
New Orleans is me. Growing up there shaped me so the emotion of the city is in my music. I don’t set out to make any type of music. I just do what feels authentic to me as a person, not as an artist. I talk about what I’ve been through and what I’m going through. Lifestyle shit.
How old were you when you discovered you could sing?
I don’t remember the age, but I remember why I started singing. I was watching Sister Act 2 on TV and Lauryn Hill was kilin it. I was like “That shit is dope. I wanna do that”.
So, I saw that you are joining The Dream and Kelly Rowland on their Lights Out Tour, tell us how that came about?
Dream was a big part of me signing to Def Jam. Aside from him being an artist he’s and executive over there so when we met with Karen, she wanted us to meet with Dream too. He fucked with me and co-signed the deal. Since then we’ve been rockin. When his tour was announced it only made sense to jump on. I met the beautiful Kelly Rowland at one of my sessions in Atlanta too, so it’s all love. I’m looking forward to it.
Everyone has that one person who keep’s their head level and pushes them to be better, who is that person for you?
Noonie and D, my management team (Noontime). Like I told you, when we got the deal they told me “Gettin a deal ain’t shit”, then they named all the other artists with deals that weren’t doin shit. When we got a video they told me “Gettin a video ain’t shit”, then they named all the new artists that put out one single and disappeared. So now when niggas tell me I’m poppin, I’m like, “Na man I ain’t doin shit”, and that’s real.
What artists did you look up to when you were younger?
A few of’em. Lauryn Hill, Musiq Soulchild and Lyfe Jennings. And being from New Orleans, definitely the Hot Boyz. They spoke to what was really goin on in the streets.
If we were to look on your iPod right now, what artists would we find?
I just got a new iPhone so I don’t even have my own music on there right now, but the last album that I downloaded was Jasmine Sullivan’s Fearless and Kendrick’s G.K.M.C..
What’s going on with your debut album and when can we expect it?
I don’t know, I’m just workin right now. I think you gotta just drop it when the time is right. We’re still building and grindin right now, but the album it close to being done. When we got signed we were 75% done, so we’re just perfecting it now. It’s some real music.
With the popularity of The Product series, can we expect a third edition anytime soon?
Maybe, I haven’t really thought about it. Right now we’re planning the re-release of The Product 2 with some new songs and features, we’ll probably drop that in June. We are also working with Def Jam on an EP for July/August release.
I know all the ladies go crazy over you, how do you deal with that kind of attention?
In the club and strip club, that shit is cool, I can definitely get use to that. But in public, when it comes to fans and people recognizing me, I’m still gettin use to it. These chicks will say and do anything, and I ain’t shit so, I can only imagine what the superstars go through.
Besides singing, what else should we know about you?
I tell people all the time, I only know how to do two things, and that’s sing and sell dope. That’s why this music shit is so important to me. Y’all don’t want me to go back to bein’ that other guy.
What does the future look like for August Alsina?
It’s bright. I can see it all coming together the way that it’s suppose to. Nothing is coming easy, we’re workin for everything and we’re not takin short cuts. We’re gonna win the right way.
Is there anything else you want the readers to know about you?
I’m just a yung nigga tryna get it, if I can make it you can too. That’s my main goal, to show niggas that there is a way out and inspire them to go for it.
Tell us where they can find you online.
Everything AugustAlsina. Instargram: AugustAlsina, Twitter: @AugustAlsina, www.AugustAlsina.com. Come fuck wit a real nigga!
