Ovrkast. Is Already Looking Towards the Future: ‘I’m Trying to Think Four Projects Ahead’

Ovrkast. is the future.

The young Oakland rapper and producer built a core fanbase organically by utilizing social media and Discord early on in his career and had millions of listeners before labels started knocking on his door.

He got early cosigns from the likes of Earl Sweatshirt and superproducer Cardo who he happens to already have a collab tape with, and impressed fellow Oakland native Sway when he held his own during a freestyle session with Lupe Fiasco. Oh, and he also produced two songs for Drake in “Red Button” and “The Shoe Fits.”

On May 30, he dropped his sophomore album While the Iron Is Hot which made multiple Best Albums of the Year, So Far lists, including ours. It’s a concept album that encapsulates where he’s currently at in his young career with a name that’s bubbling in both rapper and producer circles. He’s now looking towards what’s next as he tries to navigate his newfound notoriety.

We sat down with him to talk about a variety of topics ranging from his days teaching kids how to make beats at Oakland Tech High School to the meaning behind the character Lil Tanner that he played in his music video “I’m On.”

Check out our conversation with July’s Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month, Ovrkast., below

The first time I heard your music I couldn’t really tell where you were from and I was surprised that you’re from Oakland. And then when you talk – Sway kind’ve alluded to this when you were on there – you don’t have that prominent Bay accent, maybe that has to do with growing up with the Internet. Regional slang isn’t really a thing like it was in the past.

My dad is from Arkansas. My mom is from California but her family is from somewhere else. And then also, lit’s more of a thing where the accent might come out when I’m with my people. During interviews I’m trying to be clear.

You might sound like Too $hort when you’re around the fellas?

Growing up and having so many different people not from California around me, you know, from the south, that had an impact. And also just being on the Internet broadening my horizons and talking to people from different cultures. Like when I’m rapping? I’m trying to be clear, I’m trying to say things in a certain manner, so that kinda changes it.

How was that experience with Sway? I’d imagine he’s a major figure for you guys.

It was crazy, definitely a full circle moment. I grew up watching Sway with Chance the Rapper, Sway with Pro Era, Sway with Future. I knew Sway was from Oakland, but that’s not where I got the association. I got it from seeing him with these rappers going on his show. Like yeah, I’m from Oakland. But it also speaks to Sway. Sway is from Oakland, but he also stepped out and did some other s—t.

Yeah, I mean, he just seemed so proud. He was talking to your manager about a burrito spot. Sway was like, “We got somebody from the town on here today.”

[Laughs.] He genuinely didn’t know.

And the Lupe Fiasco comes in and you go toe to toe with him. He was going off top, freestyling and sh—t. I was kind of surprised by that.

That was so random. That was not planned. That was the most hip-hop s—t you could experience.

And Lupe teaches hip-hop at MIT and you also teach, right?

Yeah, before I moved to New York, I was teaching beats at Oakland Tech.

When your mentor Mr. Holiday taught you how to make beats, was he the music teacher?

He was an after school teacher. Well, I guess you can say he was a music teacher because he also made beats. We did activities and he was kind’ve like, “Whoever wants to make beats, come.” And I was the only kid that wanted to make beats. It wasn’t like a music program or anything like that.

Oh, okay. It was a something to keep you guys busy and out of trouble.

[Laughs.] On God.

Were you already curious about producing?

I was already into the beat scene, but I really didn’t know where to go. He was like, “This is what you do.” I didn’t know FL Studio, I didn’t know anything. The closest I did was tried to record a rap on Travis Scott’s “Uptown” beat on my computer and it sounded terrible. I didn’t know how to do any of that s—t yet.

Okay, so you started rapping before you started doing beats? Like, what’s that about? I seen you on Bootleg Kev making a beat while rapping. That’s not even like chewing gum and walking, that’s some other s—t.

[Laughs.] I was writing raps. I think everybody tries to rap at first; it was just something I was doing. I knew when Igot older that I was gonna try to do this for real, but beats were the gateway to understanding music.

What’s your process like? Do you find a sample and build around it? What’s your approach like?

For the last album, I had a lot of friends who would send me a pack of samples that they made every month. And so, like, Angelo Leroy and Fly Williams sent me packs.

How was that experience teaching at Oakland tech? Were you a good teacher?

I was a good teacher, I had fun, but it’s teenagers, bro. I remember I told them I got the Drake placement and half the class didn’t give a f—k. You gotta really connect. I had to really sit down and get to know them, tell them the about the industry, be like a real person first. You gotta be cool with them.

Like how Mr. Holiday did with you.

Literally, yeah, exactly. I remember I would pull up during eighth period and like their faces would be like, “Oh, s—t he’s here. Let’s get the f—k outta here.” They’d be so happy to see me, so they can go to do whatever they wanted to do.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but you give me the vibe like you was probably mad quiet back then when you started making beats with Mr. Holiday. You said in a previous interview that you always had your headphones on and you’re already just a reserved person.

Oh, hell yeah, definitely. He had to stop me while I was walking me like, “You wanna make beats?” It was that sort of thing but it was definitely cool having somebody I could trust who I could go to and be like, “Yo what do you think about this?”

Do you still share your stuff with him?

I just saw him last week. I went to his crib. We chopped it up.

So, you better at making beats than he is?

[Laughs.] Nah, that’s my OG. He the GOAT. He put me on.

The student passing up the teacher, man, that’s how it happens, bro.

He’s really proud, though, and happy. I smoked weed with him for the first time recently.

That’s like smoking with your uncle for the first time.

Yeah, yeah. I’m trying to have him tour management because he does that kind of sh—t too.

What I’ve found interesting is that you don’t produce every single beat on your projects. When KastGotWings dropped, I assumed Cardo provided all of them and then on While the Iron Is Hot, not every beat is yours. How do you allow yourself to work with other producers?

I’m very picky, for sure. It gotta make sense. Me and Vayda made a song, right? And she makes beats, so I came in and laid the sample down. She just killed it. She laid the drums down, 808s. It was cool, that was the formula. Sometimes people send me samples and I’ll flip them. Whatever feels the best is what I do.

Did you go into this most recent project thinking that you were gonna produce everything?

Yeah, I did, but I’m also open. If I hear something fire then I’m going to pick that.

What comes easier to you? Making beats or writing rhymes?

Making beats. I think writing is a challenge. You want to do better than you did the last time and you try to one up yourself. But I’ve learned with writing to just let go, like, let go of trying to be perfect. It’s better to just say the thing because I’ve been trying to get into my storytelling bag and with that, it kind of hurts the story when you’re saying too much s—t. It’s easier to just say this happened and this happened and this happened and this happened. I’m trying to train myself to just be easy with writing and not be so harsh on myself.

I guess with making a beat it’s more of like a vibe.

Yeah, it’s how you feel. It’s like fun like painting. There’s no hurry.

You’ve mentioned before that you’re a visual person, like you’ll be watching something and wonder what it would sound like if you added a beat to it. Pharrell and Ye have talked about being able to see beats. Does this also happen to you?

Oh, yeah, I do. It’s crazy. It’s called synesthesia, but for it’s not colorful. I see shapes and lights. Like if I hear an 808 it’s like a giant force of energy. I don’t know, I’ve had it since I was a kid.

How would you describe the type of rap that you do?

I guess this is a phrase I’ve been using a lot and it’s cerebral. You gotta think a little bit.

Who was inspiring you before you dropped your debut project Try Again in 2020?

I was listening to the homies a lot around that time like Mike, Mavi, Navy and Earl. It was refreshing because nobody was doing it. It felt new to me. I kind of felt like how the fans felt where it’s like, “Man, this just feels like the future.” I was also getting deep into like Erykah Badu and things like Dilla.

So, you got the Drake placement because Yachty hit you up. Who put him on? You said, Earl?

He was playing that song I made for Earl and he randomly DM’d me like, “Aye, I need one of these.” So, I sent him a pack of those motherf—kers.

When did you know that Drake picked your beats?

Two years after Yachty reached out. He hit me up again and told me Drake picked these. This was like maybe two weeks before they came out.

How did you feel actually hearing the tracks?

I heard it with a bunch of people around. It was crazy. It was like… it was a lot. It’s kind of surreal, you know? You never think that that’s gonna happen. The biggest artist in the world is on my beat right now, it’s crazy as f—k.

Do you plan on producing more for other rappers in the future? You don’t have any issues with that?

No, definitely not. I feel like producers, our role is to set the landscape. We’re like a blank page, and the rapper do they thing.

Did you learn anything from that process?

Yeah, points, publishing, and all that. They took care of me. I also learned to just keep cooking because you never know who gonna reach out or what’s the f—k is gonna happen. Check those DMs, man.

Were labels lining up to try to sign you after you had built this community yourself?

I dropped my first album. It did some numbers, but, you know, I think people are so sensationalized with numbers that kind of are like, “Well, if the numbers aren’t in the five million range.” Labels were talking to me but nothing really serious. And then I did a distro deal with Genius, but no money, just straight marketing. So they were kind of just promoting me and sh—t. Then from there my biggest song, “TBH!,” went crazy. Now from there, I’m having real conversations about music and labels signing, and then the Drake s—t happened. People just want more.

It’s never enough, you know? You’ll never have enough numbers. So, when the Drake s—t happened and they were like, “Okay, what do you want now?” So, I signed my first deal and had to play that game of having expectations now and stuff like that. A label deal is a partnership, like you’re partnering with these people. They give me money, so you have to meet halfway. I had to figure out how to maneuver in that world.. But now, I know my capabilities and what I can do.

How do you thing you’ve grown since Try Again?

I mean, everything really. Try Again wasn’t a concept album. It was like an assortment of songs that I kind of just strung together and I made it to album, which was cool. But While the Iron Is Hot is like an actual concept, there’s a theme behind it, it feels the same throughout the whole album. Try Again was my first attempt at doing that. This is way more intentional. It was way more like me setting the tone for myself.

So, what’s next? Like you said, everybody wants more. Have you already started thinking about the next project?

What’s crazy is I’ve already been thinking of the next project. I’ve been sowing seeds and ideas and songs before this last one came out. I’m trying to think four projects ahead.

You’re on now. It’s time to show and prove. You mentioned that Tyler, The Creator is your favorite artist. Have you talked to him?

Nah, not Tyler, but I got some more s—t coming with Vince Staples.

Did you guys start working after “Strange Ways” happened?

I was sending him beats and that’s how we got connected. And then “Strange Ways” happened. I’m supposed to tap in with Joey Bada$$ to see what he got going on, give him some beats.

Are you gonna do a whole project for Vince?

Not a whole project, but I got some s—t for him.

You should talk them into it. I think that could be something crazy.

I think I’m going to a project with somebody, I just don’t know with who yet. I think once I get like two or three more in of my s—ts, I’m gonna pivot to just doing the albums with n—as.

And you’re a big Pro Era fan, right? What was it like about Pro Era and Odd Future that drew you to them? Because you’re so different from what they were doing.

Just young n—a energy. They were young, it was new. I took pieces of what they loved like MF DOOM, Madlib. What they f—ked with, I came to f—k with and became inspired too. Just that whole era that they revamped and now I’m kind of in that shoot which is crazy.

You’re also a big fan of Travis Scott. What is it about his music that you like?

The world building. There are a few artists that I’m super fans of. I’m a Travis superfan. He’s forward-thinking, and boundary-pushing. The Rodeo album with the doll. It’s so encompassing. It’s so fun to just be involved in that s—t. And that’s kind of how I want to take my career, you know? N—as was like, “Oh man, Samara Cyn smoked you.” And I’m like, “Bro, I don’t give a f—k.” This is my s—t, though. I made the song. You’re coming into my world to hear her go crazy. I want it to be at a point where if I put an album out and the features is crazy, you come in to see what I did. N—as be so obsessed with the fact that I made the features stand out. They have to stand out.

I mean, also, people gotta understand that there aren’t too many people outrapping guys like Mavi and Vince.

These are incredible guys. Why would I ever want them to bring those guys down for anybody?

Lil Tanner in “I’m On,” was that about Ian?

The thing is, if it’s about Ian, it’s about all them n—as.

I bring that up because he’s getting killed for that XXL Freshman spoken-word freestyle.

None of the n—as gonna have ever have an easy time, like it’s not for you. And I like some of his music, but it’s like, gang, don’t overstep.

You know what it is, bro? You had mentioned that you watch Bamboozled. It kind of has that feeling to it.

Yeah, you’re putting on a costume because it’s cool.

Are you planning on going on tour anytime soon?

We planning it right now, trying to figure out, what cities work, openers, venues, you know, logistics.