Recently, we had the privilege of sitting down with Luckwayy, an upcoming artist whose unique journey and passion for music has forced the spotlight to be put on him. From his Cajun roots to his diverse musical influences, Luckwayy shares insights into his world and the music that’s shaping it.
Question: Where are you from, and how has your hometown influenced your music?
Luckwayy: I’m from Lafayette, LA. Lafayette is different from every place in the world. The way we think, the way we talk, the food we eat. I try to hold on to that when making music. I talk about the culture of Mardi Gras and a few types of Cajun/Creole slang.
Q: Tell us about your journey into hip-hop. How did you first get started in the music scene?
Luckwayy: I fell in love with music first by being in the church and paying attention to the musicians. In elementary school, I started getting experience reading music and playing different instruments. Every school I went to was a performing arts school, so everyone played instruments. From there, I had a deeper understanding of songs I’d hear on the radio. I started to rewrite songs in my lyrics, then that turned into making my own songs. Being popular through football and knowing how to build connections around me, I started getting my songs played by the DJ at my high school games. Now, I’m at the point where my college team plays my music at practice and games. My coach even had me perform in front of the team at the end of fall camp. Now it’s time to build the fanbase by promoting my music and performing shows.
Q: Who are your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your style?
Luckwayy: Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar, Young Thug, Future, Outkast, Ambre, Kofee, Lil Baby, MJ, T Pain, man, I could go on and on. I do my research on every artist I like and add whatever I can to my bag from theirs. Wayne made me want to freestyle and never use a pen. Kendrick made me want to be real poetic and add my real-life moments in my music. Young thug made me want to explore my voice and use weird melodies. Future influenced me to make catchy hooks and rap about real fly stuff. Ambre is a chick from New Orleans; she helps me refresh my ear, and I learned how to layer my vocals and melodies from her, T Pain, and Tory Lanez. Afrobeats/Dancehall like Burnaboy and Kofee gives a new perspective on music.
Q: What’s the story behind your artist name, and does it hold any special meaning for you?
Luckwayy: My nickname from birth is Lucky. My mother tied her tubes after having my older sister, then to have me. So that is where it originated from. Luckwayy, on the other hand, came to me as I started becoming more known for music my junior year of high school. This was around the time where the Migos were pushing the “Datway” movement, so I heard someone say it one day and it just stuck. To me, Luckwayy, in itself, details my life. Lucky and grateful to have a chance at life, which propels me to not be limited to any lane, choosing my own way through life.
Q: Describe your music in three words. What emotions or messages do you aim to convey through your songs?
Luckwayy: Fly, Catchy, Different. My music should inspire my listeners to have self-belief and persevere through anything that might try to stand in their way. They should feel like they are in their own world where anything they want is possible.
Q: What’s the most memorable performance you’ve ever had, and what made it stand out?
Luckwayy: The first real performance was my college talent show this past year. The first time I had to compete against other talents, and I placed 1st, of course. It stood out because I was able to practice crowd control, have visuals to play with behind me, and perform new music I had been working on.
Q: What’s your creative process like? How do you go from an idea to a finished song?
Luckwayy: Every song I make begins as a freestyle. I usually hear what melodies I can play with as soon as I hear the beat, then start freestyling. 9/10 I’ll come up with some dope lyrics that I can build on or frame the song concept around. While freestyling, I’m also feeling what flows match the beat well. After this, I’ll go back in with my pen and perfect the lyrics. Next in the process is how the engineer and I can make the song better in the studio, whether it’s me adding extra melodic vocals behind parts of the song or him adding sounds and edits that exaggerate the song. I have the idea for what the song should sound like, so I let my ear for music take over when telling the engineer to make certain edits.
Q: If you could collaborate with any artist, living or deceased, who would it be and why?
Luckwayy: I would collaborate with Drake. I think we could put a dope story together that people would love. Drake has a lot of range to his sound, having all R&B, rap, and pop albums. He also has a lot of joint projects where he always does a good job of complementing the other artist. Drizzy has been in the game for a long time so I know I could learn a lot from him.
Q: What’s your favorite hip-hop album of all time, and how has it influenced your music?
Luckwayy: Lil Wayne Dedication Series. Something about hearing that lighter flick. This was at the time where Wayne was probably on every song that played on the radio and there were no iPhones. Hearing him step away from his own mainstream music to body other artist’s beats. That first listen was always an experience. Thug’s “Carter 6” is also a favorite. I think it was far ahead of its time. Everything from the beats to music videos was something uncommon at the time. It forced me to make different music rather than remaking stuff that was already out.
Q: Can you share a bit about your upcoming projects or releases? What can fans expect?
Luckwayy: In about a month, I will be dropping a 6-song project titled Clover. I see this as my introduction to the music game. It will lay the foundation for my sound or sounds, I should say, because even though it’s only 6 songs, it will show a lot of variety. Clover is associated with being lucky but also with it being a plant it symbolizes the growth this project will create for my career. Pockets, Melodies, Flows, Bars, Relatable lyrics, etc.
Q: Do you have any rituals or routines before hitting the stage or the recording booth?
Luckwayy: I like to be prepared before I either go to the studio or on stage. Routine before the studio is to run ideas by my homeboys and see if they hear anything that could be added or changed. I like to have them with me in the studio too because when they go from chilling and sitting down to standing up and getting lit to the music, I know the song is good. My routine before performing is watching a live performance by Drake or Lil Baby on YouTube. This lets me put myself in the mindset of performing in an arena in front of thousands. This way, I give every crowd my all no matter if it’s 20 people or 50,000 people. After that, I pray and let everything be quiet before hitting the stage.
Q: Outside of music, what are your other interests and passions?
Luckwayy: I go to the United States Military Academy, so it’s important for me to finish school here. I have played sports my entire life. I was going on my third year of D1 football until I decided to take the year off a few weeks ago. I may play next season, but I’m still undecided. I am into fashion. I’m usually overdressed when I’m with my friends even if I have on a sweatsuit just because I only allow good pieces in my closet. Another interest of mine is business. I dream of being a CEO one day whether it’s a company I create or one I takeover. In high school, I worked as a salesman selling shoe cleaners in the mall. I had to learn how to handle money quickly because at the age of 16, I knew nothing about saving, but I brought everything that I wanted in that mall.
Q: How do you handle writer’s block or creative challenges?
Luckwayy: When I have writer’s block, I simply just make whatever is on my mind. It may sound trash, but it will help me to stop procrastinating and spark new ideas. I think listening to new music and getting inspired can also help with writer’s block. Take it back to the basics. I remember times where I would listen to a nursery rhyme, put a quick spin on the melodies, add lyrics then boom a good song. Nursery rhymes are the most catchy memorable songs so they must’ve done something right as crazy as it may sound.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in your music career?
Luckwayy: People, family, friends are not entitled to like and support your music. The quality and essence of the music earn their support and make them become a fan. Make music that people feign to listen to every day when they wake up.
Q: What’s a misconception people often have about you as an artist?
Luckwayy: People may think music is something new for me, but I can remember performing on stage in front of my middle school. Always standing out in freestyle sessions for as long as I could remember. So getting to a more professional level in my career was just a matter of time.
Q: If you could perform anywhere in the world, where would your dream venue be?
Luckwayy: My dream performance would be a sold-out show in Madison Square Garden.
Q: Tell us about a song of yours that has a particularly personal or meaningful story.
Luckwayy: I have an unreleased song called “Lemon Lime.” This was the first song I ever made using my emotions to tell the story. I was going through some problems with my girl at the time, so I just found a beat and started freestyling. The song goes through the emotions of first meeting somebody and falling in love then realizing what you want in a relationship. “If I give you lemons, you better come back around with some Lemon Lime.”
Q: What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned on your journey as an artist?
Luckwayy: As an artist, I think you must have a good relationship with yourself. The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that anything is possible. Everyone had to start rapping at some point. A starting point of 0 streams and no fanbase. If Drake, Kendrick, Cole could build their fan bases up to where they are now, then so could I as long as I’m willing to put in the work.
Q: How do you stay motivated and inspired in an ever-changing industry?
Luckwayy: I am hungry for success and tomorrow is never promised so today is the opportunity to add to your legacy. I think it’s a slap in God’s face every day you don’t maximize the gifts he gave you because not everybody woke up. My family pushes me to be great as well with my mom being at the center of that.
Q: What message or legacy do you hope to leave through your music?
Luckwayy: Music lasts for eternity. I want my music to be timeless across generations. The music should make people want to live life, make money, and stay positive. I want to be remembered for inventing sounds and contributing to hip-hop.
There you have it, the compelling journey and insights of Luckwayy, a rising hip-hop star who’s not only creating music but also a legacy that will resonate for generations to come.
