Joyner Lucas is a renowned MC who consistently prioritizes the craft of rhyming and is praised by seasoned rappers that share the same enthusiasm.
His skill with words is now being displayed on both a new album and the big screen.
When Joyner Lucas appears on a Zoom screen, a certain amount of irony is present.
While XXL and the rapper-actor-aspiring real estate mogul are having a conversation in a parked car in the Boston region, the rapper's career is progressing at a 100 mph clip.
The 34-year-old Worcester, Massachusetts native is putting the last touches on his cinematic new LP, Not Now, I'm Busy, which is scheduled to come out later this year.
The mixtape master's first studio album, ADHD, which was gold-certified in 2020, will be followed by the album. He reached No. 10 on the Billboard 200 thanks to his project.
Additionally, Lucas is getting ready for his roles in not one, but two significant films. He is making his acting debut in two action comedies: The Family Plan, starring Mark Wahlberg, and Bad Boys 4, starring Will Smith. Both are comedies. Lucas understands the value of having prominent acquaintances and does not take his connections for granted.
But for the MC, rhyme comes first. And it comes so easy to him that he can spit verses either forward or "backwords," as the Nas fan famously did last September during a freestyle for a surprised Funkmaster Flex.
Aside from rap heavyweights Eminem ("Lucky You"), Lil Baby ("Ramen & OJ"), J. Cole ("Your Heart"), Lil Durk ("Rambo"), and Young Thug ("The War"), Joyner Lucas has also held his own on tunes.
Fiercely independent, Lucas has toyed with huge labels like Atlantic Records, but he now prefers his independence, comparing corporate-label artists to members of BestBuy's Geek Squad: they show off their skills while their bosses make the money.
He's eager for his followers to hear some of the "top secret" aspects he's currently working on for his future full-length production. The Grammy-nominated lyricist is working on three high-profile creative projects, researching real estate investing, and trying to be the greatest father he can be to his 7-year-old son, Joyner Messiah Lucas.
XXL: You put a lot of effort into your video concepts. Why is that such a priority?
Joyner Lucas: I feel like music videos are important. I grew up in the era of Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott. Music visuals are just captivating, and that’s what used to have me glued to the TV, just watching the creativity. It kind of gives you a closer look at the artist’s mind. It’s the visual representation of their art and how they express themselves. So, it tells a lot about the person.
I really took pride and learned to become a director. I’m sitting there editing my own videos, directing them. When you have that skill set, you know exactly what you want. It’s almost like crafting the music videos to fit the records perfectly. Artists that don’t really have that capability are depending on somebody else’s vision to bring to life their song.
In your “Devil’s Work 2” video, you use specific props: the Bible, a bottle of Hennessy and a gun. What’s the symbolism of those?
A lot of deaths happen due to the gun. And the Bible, that’s the portal in which I’m speaking to God. And the Hennessy is kind of like an excuse for me saying all these crazy things. It’s like I’m drunk. I’m not in my right mind. I’m questioning God, but it’s almost excusable because I’m under the influence. But then even at the end of the record, it goes back to me acknowledging the fact that it’s not God doing this, it’s the Devil.
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