Goldlink Talks Love, Social Responsibility and Breaking Moulds

"Love is one of those things you can’t put in words, so you have to put it in music."

[I]n just a couple of short years since putting out debut tape The God Complex Washington D.C’s Goldlink, born D’Anthony Carlos, known as D, has become one of the more intriguing hip-hop artists around. His music is an amalgamation of genres past and present, taking in themes of lost love, absent fathers, religion, politics and suicidal ideation – all the while maintaining a tempo that suggests if you’re not listening carefully, that this is just party music.

There’s sophisticated subversion at work here and the man himself does much to promote that idea on our meeting – quiet and reserved in person his stage persona when performing is natural and totally at ease in command of a crowd whether rapping, singing or dancing.

Last year he followed with And After That, We Didn’t Talk and a coveted spot on XXL’s Freshman cover – alongside Raury, Vince Staples and Fetty Wap – as well a time spent working with legendary hip-hop producer Rick Rubin. We caught recently after our shoot to talk writing about love, the changing characteristics of rap artists and his sense of social responsibility.

"There’s a new generation of artists and people in general - in music, fashion, business, tech, all that shit - that aren’t just breaking moulds in their field of work, they’re creating entirely new ones."

Under what conditions do you work best? What state of mind do you attempt to put yourself in when writing and recording?

I work best at home. And not at home like in bed in the crib, but home, where I’m from. I like making music in the environments that have informed my music, my outlook, and who I am as an artist and a person… I like knowing I’m close to loved ones, I like being in the studio around my niggas, who know where I come from cuz they’re from the same place. That’s the only way I feel like I’ma make the best and most authentic shit I can make. I’ve only ever lived in DC and I don’t really have plans to move.

Are you conscious of being part of the changing characteristics of a hip-hop artist? Thematically and sonically you’ve set yourself apart from some of your contemporaries, while other artists are certainly taking themselves in very distinct directions from what we consider to be traditional to the genre. What’s your take on where it’s all headed?

Yes and no. I started making music almost by accident cuz I was into some other shit I won’t speak on at the same time but as a person I’ve always been different. Not just for the sake of being different, but I didn’t like to follow a trend or mould or obey rules (sorry mom).

So when I became an artist, I came in wanting to do something new cuz my ideas were different, but also because I saw a lot of people doing the same shit, and I knew I wouldn’t get far doing the same shit too. And now I love where we’re at. There’s a new generation of artists and people in general – in music, fashion, business, tech, all that shit – that aren’t just breaking moulds in their field of work, they’re creating entirely new ones.

tracksuit by Martine Rose | t-shirt by Christopher Shannon | shoes by Nanamica x Dr Martens

When I became an artist, I came in wanting to do something new cuz my ideas were different, but also because I saw a lot of people doing the same shit, and I knew I wouldn’t get far doing the same shit too. And now I love where we’re at. There’s a new generation of artists and people in general – in music, fashion, business, tech, all that shit – that aren’t just breaking moulds in their field of work, they’re creating entirely new ones.

A lot of the people we looked up to are dead or washed up, or jaded and cynical, some even unwilling to mentor and guide.And then, even some of the ones who are just don’t understand the new world we live. So myself and many of my contemporaries broke tradition not just by design, but by necessity. We’re as poppin’ as we are cuz we ain’t have no other choice. And we’re just getting started, but it seems to be going pretty well. So we’re not going to stop.

Is writing about love, for you, an attempt to reshape the narrative of that love or is it about working through the process of being in then out of love?

It depends. For example, And After That, We Didn’t Talk was a means of communication to the person I wrote about, an easier way to break down what I felt to her in ways she understood. Other times, it’s more about me unpacking a situation, or a person, or a feeling, for myself. Love is one of those things you can’t put in words, so you have to put it in music.

To what extent did the musical genres you grew up around, such as go-go, influence the music you’ve ended up producing yourself? Or was it a reaction against those other genres?

The environments and sounds I grew up around definitely helped shaped my identity as an artist. My shit will always have that bounce because of go-go, that’s the shit we danced to at parties, and I wanna make people dance too. But I might be inspired to get more musical cuz of Prince, or more melodic and raunchy cuz of Max B. My musical surroundings just cultured the palette I paint with now.

jacket Blood Brother

"There are so many more of us - black artists and public figures - with voices, with our own platforms, and I’m proud of us for continuing to shine the light."

jacket Scotch & Soda

What do you think it is about your sound that is resonating with people at the moment?

It’s original and fresh, for one. I think the sound as a whole was relatively new to a lot of ears when we first started bringing it, a lot of people were like “yeah, I want that.” So here we are in this moment, a lot of people are trying the sound on for size too. It fits me best though. You can move to it, play it for your partner, play it at your party, but you can still play it on the radio. And the entire time you’re gonna hear some real shit too. Some shit that you probably haven’t heard before from someone like me, from where I’m from.

Given the statistical probability as a young black man you faced of either being killed or ending up in jail, do you feel any greater sense of urgency to speak on social/political issues given the platform you’ve made for yourself?

Absolutely. I think about it every day cuz I coulda been that, that was almost my fate. It’s heartbreaking that everything had to happen up until now for the world to wake up, and there’s still plenty progress to be made. But one thing is for sure – they can’t ignore what’s going on anymore. We’re not going to let them. There are so many more of us – black artists and public figures – with voices, with our own platforms, and I’m proud of us for continuing to shine the light.

jacket Jac + Jack | shirt Paige |hoodie Blood Brother | tracksuit bottoms Cottweiler | trainers GoldLink's own

Given the current state of politics and race relations in America, do you feel any sense of positivity for the future?

I try to remain positive at all times. But it’s fucked up right now. It’s been fucked up before but it seems to be getting worse. But I suppose it has to get worse before it gets better? I just know that, at this point, collectively, we’re on a path, and there’s no turning back. The path could get ugly, but it doesn’t have to. There’s going to be change one way or another, and really it’s up to us as a society to determine how and when exactly that change is going to be affected.

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