Destroy Lonely Shares Five Songs That Define His Career
define me
Interview: Kemet High
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in XXL Magazine’s Winter 2022 issue and is available now on Stands.
The Atlanta rap scene is changing, and Destroy Lonely, 21, has capitalized on the moment. In recent years, he has drawn fans into his universe of metallic sounds through projects such as his No stylist and , among other. With movement, he also caught the attention of Playboi Carti, who signed Lonely to his Opium label in 2021. Ahead of its release in early 2023 If looks could killDestroy reveals the five-song soundtrack that informs everything.
“Lightning”
It’s my favorite song right now simply because it really takes me back to growing up, driving around, and listening to Pluto [Future]OJ Da Juiceman, [Young] villain. Real Atlanta Music. So I decided to do the video for it because I wanted to show people like, yeah, I turn shit up. And I’m on my alternative and creative shit. But I’m still from A. I made this song when I was on tour with Ken [Car$on].
“Curse”
“Bane” just because I feel like so many people got to know me. And as an artist, this is the song that I hate so much. But I love it that I hate it so much. [I hate it because] I made this song when I was 17. And when it came out, nobody fucking heard it. And now niggas wanna pretend it’s the best song they’ve ever heard
“miley cyrus”
It’s crucial to my career because when I was younger I watched Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus. I started when I was 14, so I went to school and then I went home and made songs about some real Miley Cyrus shit. Or at least that’s how I felt in my head. And she had blonde hair. So it was more of a parallel to me.
“Dover Street Market”
That shit helped my career because the piano, the beat on it, Clayco just banged and a lot of people really fall in love with the first few keys. And then at my shows this shit goes so crazy. It’s just a really beautiful song and I don’t even shop at Dover Street Market anymore. i used this [song] as a milestone.
“No Stylist”
To be perfectly honest and not even trying to sound arrogant, I just feel like it’s refreshing to the music. So people can hear it and see a young nigga that could do something with substance and [something] people could feel whether they are 15 or 105. This shit is just my version of it [Soulja Boy’s] “Turn on my swag.”
Read Destroy Lonely’s interview in the winter edition of XXL magazine, on newsstands from January 2023. Check out more interviews in the magazine including Talks with Freddie Gibbs, Chance The Rapper, Ab-Soul, G Herbo, DaBaby, EST Gee, Murda Beatz , Morray, Ice Spice, Jeleel!, Armani White, Producer Dez Wright, Singer Kiana Ledé, actor Shameik Moore, plus a look at hip-hop’s love of wrestling, a deep dive into how new artists are navigating hip-hop these days, the way women have thrived in rap in 2022 , the podcasts run by rappers who fell in love with the game, and a tribute to rappers we lost in 2022.
See photos of Pusha T’s XXL Cover story of the winter issue 2022
