’89 the Brainchild came to Nefarious Supply with “FOUND ♥” and a simple note: “I miss slow jams.” For him, the songs that stay with you make room for feelings that can be difficult to admit. At a time when distrust can seem more familiar than openness, he wanted the closing track of Not Who I Thought I Was: the evil who brought us joy to bring an honest sense of possibility to a record full of self-assessment.
The album began as an EP that ’89 mixed and sequenced himself. As he looked for ways to expand its themes, friends and collaborators helped it grow into something larger. He describes finding the right beats, voices, and experiences to fit ideas he had already begun to sketch. Working alongside Fused Arrow and Steel Tipped Dove also challenged him to bring more structure to his process, from release planning to the details of presentation.
Those relationships are part of the story behind the songs. A vinyl time limit led ’89 to combine two tracks into “the Psycho Boom Arc,” while conversations and shared experiences shaped contributions elsewhere on the record. In this interview, he reflects on the people who helped him make the album, the care required when writing about painful experiences, and why “FOUND ♥” became the missing piece that brought it to a close.
You sent us “FOUND ♥” with the note “I miss slow jams”; what do you miss about them, and how did that feeling shape this record?
I feel like for a particular slow jam to be your jam there’s a certain lvl of attention paid to the writing that isn’t to whatever rap record that gets us on our feet. Certain Mariah Carey, Dru Hill or Frank Ocean, SZA joints make u close ur eyes and consider feelings that used to be more commonplace. We get more records now of distrust in the concept of love rather than openness to the possibilities of love n keeping that fire burning.
How does “FOUND ♥” help you understand the title Not Who I Thought I Was: the evil who brought us joy now that the album is out?
Found deff was the missing piece to completing the album. There was all this self assessment and realization shared. Nd I thought what human experience this rap album is lacking that can really speak to us in an optimistic but very honest n raw manner. The album keeps its edge while leading u hopefully into a less angsty tmrw imo
You told Cabbages that working with Steel Tipped Dove and Fused Arrow made you want more structure; can you describe one working habit that changed while making this album?
I was a very “I’ll get around to it when I get around to it” a bulk of my time pursuing art half assedly lol. Fused arrow deals with several acts across different states n beyond yet every release (frm announcement to the last video ,dropped post release) is on a calendar. There’s organization and consideration shown to every act if u can hold up ur end up. Nd dove is very hands on Frm promo materials, arranging the shoot for the vinyl insert, n obviously behind the boards. Felt like I need to expand my skillset.
With Steel Tipped Dove mixing and mastering tracks from many producers, how did you decide what needed to sound connected and what should retain its own character?
Initially there was a EP version I floated around for a month or so. I mixed it and did the track sequencing. I didn’t follow thru with the ep cuz I really wanted to expand on the album themes. Fatboi sharif is a my great friend and running round w him led me to the fused arrow/handsmade joint situation and introducing me to acts nd producers who became part of the LP version we speaking on now. I already had concepts nd even outlines for songs. It was just finding ppl wit the right beat, vocal tone or experience that fit the theme.
“the Psycho Boom Arc” credits Ghais Guevara, Orange Crystal and four producers, including you; can you take us into a moment when another contributor changed the direction you had imagined?
initially psycho boom was 2 separate joints. But w vinyl w got a limit on how much can fit. The Rorschach test portion is the same aside I wanted to beef it up with live drums (s/o AJ) and more authentic rock vocal Frm my mans Orange Crystal. Withdrawals got a verse cut and I felt they brother sister records so we Frankenstein’d em. As we trimmed down the album I kept in mind I wanted to check off certain boxes for what younger me would consider a complete experience in regards to the picture being painted. High energy starter check, did I express my sexual side check, did I speak toward causes bigger than me check, did I show flaws n vulnerability yada yada. But yea Ghais n I were booked by 2zenith who was on Venues randomly. We had a respect and he was available to check the “random young homie freestyle” box where his intro to psycho boom was added w layered battlefield recordings over just casual field recording of a rainy walk in the city. He had a certain grit to him where I had to have his particular kind of perspective nd grit on that joint.
But on Dollar$ 4 Death pt 2, Fatboi Sharif always cranks the brightness setting to very dark lol. He writes with a directors eye if that makes sense. Like a screen writer can tell a very digestible story but a certain director can take that story visually into a very more adventurous place. Like I can write a pg13 drama and he’ll flip into a nc17 body horror nd that’s a fucking gift cuz it keeps me interesting without having to experience whatever crazy shit he went thru to go THERE lol.
Cabbages reported that “Drugs r bad” went through substantially different versions; what did trying those versions teach you about the song you wanted to make?
Drugs r bad og version was just one verse Frm me and no live drums. When Brainorchestra first got that beat to me i was really dipping into a lot uk dj mixes and the live freestyles the mc out there. I knew my drummer homie was also a big fan of the garage, dnb, grime too so that was a no brainer addition. DJ Haram I met on the club scene running around bushwick. After hearing her vocal work on the moor mother collaborations had to have her. She did a cool verse but changed it after we had a gig in Chicago where I was embroiled in some heated phone exchanges with my THEN girlfriend. Me nd haram had sex & the city style brunch and she held the mirror to my face musically lol. What friends r for.
Cabbages connects “No Man” to your relationship struggles; how did you find a way to write personally while leaving room for eXquire and Kohai’s contributions?
Whenever it’s MY song, EYE drive the car or at least am holding the roadmap. This instance Kohai is my roommate as much as he is my peer. He seen the process and sat w me as I processed moments that shape many of my works. So it wasn’t difficult for him to trust me. eXquire and don’t go back nearly as far but once we did a gig together we became fast friends and I had a version of no man before I ever met eX where I was tryna capture his tone. Kismet was like my favorite tape of his for a while so being able to present this hook to him and he was so locked into it it felt like god set it up. U even hear his daughter in the booth toward the end. Much love to him nd his family
Cabbages describes “1st Rule of Boxing” as addressing sexual assault affecting your community; what guided how you approached that subject while respecting the people whose experiences informed it?
My ex was sexually assaulted by a nigga in our “community”. 2 other women of our “community” were assaulted similarly by someone we extended our hand n home too. It was a lot of guilt being unable to give ppl I cared about the justice they deserved. The ex got the more detailed event breakdown so before I even released it I sought her blessing
You described “FOUND ♥” to Cabbages as the credits rolling while a scene is still happening; what remains in motion for you when that final song ends?
At the end hopefully im done weeding out the snakes in my garden for quite some time. Nd have attracted the energy I’m attracted to romantically nd socially.
You have called the album an ensemble portrait of your community; what would someone understand about that community by spending a day with you that the credits alone cannot show?
This ain’t superficial. There’s a genuine connection tween the collaborators n the material beyond beats n rhymes. Ghais politics I fuck wit, watever haram on I’m on. Brainorchestra, papo, subjxct 5, I’ve cut my teeth with when they were in school.
You spoke to Cabbages about the freedom Gangsta Boo’s music offered women to be themselves; what did working with her on “F**k U Like” teach you about the kind of space you want your own music to create?
It goes back to my “if Its my song I’m driving”. I knew I wanted a ladies perspective but I didn’t wanna just make a woman a object when so many sex songs recruit women to suck n fuck and call that empowerment to fill a one woman an album quota. Like I got women who down for the freak shit at gigs but if u here just cuz the records hard u ain’t gotta pop a titty out to kick it. I always had a idea of the space I wanted to carve out
After the communal work of this album and the intimacy of “FOUND ♥,” what are you curious to explore next that you have not yet found a way to express?
Next project is more of a choir feel. Rich vocals brighter beats. Its a one producer project w a cat outta germany.