Destroy Lonely sat down with OGM host Hakeem Rowe to discuss No Stylist, Opium, “Broken Hearts,” his father, Ludacris, Playboi Carti, Narcissist Tour and more.
At just 20 years old, Destroy Lonely seems to have soaked up more game than nearly everybody else his age.
Hailing from Atlanta, Lonely grew up in a heavily music-influenced environment. His father is I-20 — well known for his 2001 smash-hit “Move Bitch,” with Ludacris — and was deeply embedded in the Atlanta hip-hop scene. During that time, Lonely went on multiple tours with his father and refers to Ludacris as his “uncle.” Finding solace in watching his dad work, Lonely eventually tamed his own passion for music by studying the game from an early age.
“I want to make a change in the world. My campaign — or whatever I try to start — is going to be up and running, and it’s going to be my turn. I feel like I got to where I’m at today because I studied a lot from the people that came before me. So, I want to be that person for the people behind me, trying to show young [kids] that you can start this at 13-14 years-old like me. You can do whatever you want to do, and you can really do it for real. You can build off something of it, change your life and change the lives of people around you. I’m really trying to do this for them folks.”
— Destroy Lonely
While the intial experience of touring sparked his interest in rapping, Lonely has come a long way since then. He cites artists in Tyler, The Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, LUCKI, Chief Keef and Drake as his earliest inspirations to take music seriously, and even admits that he sounds a little like his dad as he’s grown within his music. Channeling distorted, off-beat flows and intricate bars pocketed within euphoric, synth-infused production, Lonely sets out to “Destroy” every beat he touches — showing no signs of slowing down as he continues to level up.
Despite being homeschooled at his grandmother’s throughout middle school, he spent his days mostly alone — teaching himself how to navigate audio production softwares such as Audacity and ProTools. This is where the young rapper found an inkling to his future moniker: in being lonely. As time passed, Lonely’s days locked away at home were numbered — proving that his time homeschooling was a learning experience, but in a different, musical sense.
While attending high school, he linked up with fellow classmates and frequent collaborators Texaco Cam and Nezzus. Soon after finding himself and making friends, his first-ever project on DSPs was his collaborative record with Nezzus, NezzusDestroyed, which the two made at Nezzus’ home in Lonely’s neighborhood.
🔰 𝗢𝗚𝗠 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 🔰
— Our Generation Music (@OGMusicCo) September 27, 2021
it’s what y’all been waiting for… @destroylonely chopped it up with #OGM host @ayoohakeem to speak on ‘Broken Hearts,’ @playboicarti, #Opium, ‘No Stylist’ & more! ⬇️
read + watch: https://t.co/nFTrmppgwL pic.twitter.com/Xj3OUBWjJY
With a few years of experience under his belt, he started recording music in the studio in late 2020, where he would drop his eclectic project </3 (Broken Hearts) in September and its subsequent deluxe </3² on Halloween. The second song “Oh Yeah” from </3² caught the eye of fellow Atlanta native Playboi Carti, who reached out and invited Lonely to join in on the studio sessions for Whole Lotta Red — soon welcoming him to his newfound label, Opium.
These sessions led to collaborations with fellow Opium signee Ken Car$on for the song “Casket,” as well as being involved in the making of Carti’s music video for “Sky.” Additionally, Opium is a position of power in both the underground and mainstream, as Car$on, Lonely and Carti make a deadly trio for their distinct sound. All three fit into the lane pioneered by Carti throughout his rise to stardom, however, Lonely showcases his own unique flair within his discography — creating a ravenous fan base that surrounds his music constantly.
Destroy Lonely continues to inch toward upcoming project
As Destroy Lonely looks to continue paving his own lane, his upcoming project No Stylist is sure to set the underground ablaze. Along with his future fashion aspirations tied to his budding empire, Lonely took the time to sit down with OGM host Hakeem Rowe to discuss No Stylist, Opium, “Broken Hearts,” Playboi Carti, Narcissist Tour and more in his Our Generation excluisve interview.
Time Stamps
- 2:15 why Destroy Lonely loves LA
- 3:52 What Destroy loves to do in LA other than recording music
- 4:30 Turning 20 years old
- 5:20 Joining Playboi Carti on the Narcissist tour
- 7:08 Destroy Lonely can’t swim
- 8:40 Where the name Destroy Lonely came from
- 10:48 Shout out Kid Cudi
- 11:11 What Destroy Lonely listened to growing up from Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, to Tyler the Creator & Odd Future
- 12:20 his Father being a rapper featured on Ludacris “Move Bitch”
- 14:02 Young Nudy & Nudy Land
- 16:22 playing piano, the trumpet, & violin
- 21:00 locking in with Nezzus
- 25:39 Destroy Lonely beat selection
- 26:40 in his room pitch dark
- 28:48 Dover Street Market
- 30:28 almost drowning at Ludacris house
- 31:40 Broken Hearts
- 33:00 How Destroy Lonely & Playboi Carti met
- 35:30 Opium
- 37:55 How many songs Destroy Lonely & Playboi Carti got
- 38:35 Ken Carson
- 40:30 studio making new music with Ken
- 40:50 aspirations around Fashion
- 41:24 building your own brand and world in fashion
- 42:30 His upcoming project No Stylist
- 43:30 Dream future and collaboration – Future
- 44:00 Most of his money on weed & clothes, video games
- 47:04 Favorite brand at the moment
- 49:15 Destroy Lonely seems himself in 5 years
- 50:42 Best advice Playboi Carti has delivered
- 51:44 Message for Our Generation Music
