Hailing from the east coast, Lord Cartel is a rising artist from New Jersey who plans to leave his mark on the east coast. At the age of 28, he’s built an impressive resume – just getting off of The Smokers Club Tour with Smoke Dza along with sharing a venue Erykah Badu & Wiz Khalifa, and working with Pete Rock.
It seems this is a name you’ll hear more of because this RFC affiliate is setting a tone for the summer. His first single of the year Cold Summer, Prod. by The CoPilots, is heating up on SoundCloud. Now the official video is here! This is not your run of the mill swag rap, Cartel is coming for heads! With a classic vintage sample and a deadly delivery, I’m sure winter will come early. Check out the full video above!
Q: Describe your sound & style?
“Post Modern Boom Bap lol. I feel like I go out of my way to create my own sound & style so to sum up my sound is tough. But, I’m influenced from the Golden Era to Trap to Soul & other elements outside of rap all together. Guess I’m just a gumbo of different sounds. If that makes sense.”
Q: What have you been up to with your music for summer 2017
“I’ve just got off tour earlier this year. I got to see a lot & experience a lot. So once I was settled back in I started creating & putting that energy into something fresh. Leading to this project & this new music I’m starting to release. Following Cold Summer I got some real treats for my core fans & the new ones I’m gaining. Really excited about this one!”
Q: What prominent or upcoming artist would you say inspire you?
“Upcoming I’ve been feeling my fellow Jersey Native Cruch Calhoun. Man has been killing it lately. & also feeling Amine’s stuff too! As for my inspiration I’d say Biggie Smalls, Mos Def, Jimi Hendrix, Nas. I’m all over the place..I’m inspired by Art in every sense.”
Q: What do you hope your fans learn or take from your music?
“To feel ya self & believe in your self & talk that shit! Lol It’s ok to be confident. I’m a pretty cliche street story so to see me being a round the way guy doing what I do I think speaks volumes to a market of everyday guys that don’t get spoken for. I’m 28 so I’m young enough to be hip & know what’s what but old enough to know I need to carry myself differently. It’s just about self awareness & self worth at the end of the day.”
Q: What would you say sets you apart from the many others in this rap game?
“I really never tell this story cuz in this day & age I’m not really sure what weight it may hold to people. But I use to be in church heavy. One time I was there & a prophet that use to come to the church & speak over people’s lives randomly called me from the back. Ain’t know shit about me & the first thing he told me was God said “Drop the Album” & he repeated it 4 more times. This guy ain’t know me at all. Never heard my music. Nothing. He told me that I never really looked back. I dead ass took that as a sign that God/ the Universe wants me on. Plus I could rap really really good.”
