To some casual onlookers, Cordae may appear to be a laid back, fashion forward 20-something, with a goofy personality and neatly done braids – and they would be right. Most wouldn’t assume that he’s a Grammy-nominated rapper, the owner of a record label, enjoys reading books by James Baldwin and W.E.B. DuBois in his free time. Yet, all of those things are true. This balancing act is an aspect is a representation of what Cordae describes as living life at the highest level possible.
On Sept. 15, 2021, the second stop of the Kickin it With Cordae HBCU campus tours, in collaboration with the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference (MEAC) E-Sports and Coca-Cola made its way to Howard University, at the UNCF a few blocks from the main campus. The nature of the event was as casual as the name suggests – laidback and intimate, with a little under 50 people in attendance, a decision that was made by Cordae himself with a specific intention in mind. “I wanted to go to HBCUs to build and vibe and connect with you all in a real way,” he said, after walking into the room to the melodies of Kanye West’s ‘Bound 2’.
The highlight of the event was a private listening party for his upcoming sophomore album, From A Bird’s Eye View, slated to be released later in September. To preface that, he opened up the floor for what was intended to be a quick Q&A session, but soon morphed into a conversational session that had Cordae opening up to the attendees on a very personal level, about his experiences as a college student, his feelings about his celebrity status, and his goals outside of music.
Anyone who initially felt starstruck when he entered the room quickly realized that there was no need. “I don’t like to call myself a ‘famous person’ – I’m not that self indulged”, he quipped, a statement that instantly relaxed the audience. Yet, he didn’t deny his unique status as a public figure, and the undeniable privilege that comes with that position. “When you’re in a position of power and have knowledge, the most important thing is to pass it on,” he said. An added layer to the uniqueness of his position was the fact that at 23 years old, he wasn’t much older than most of us in the room. He, too, experienced the trials and tribulations that come with navigating college as a low income student, trying to juggle learning, working, and socializing with honing his craft.
With every student who gave their “Howard intro” – name, classification, major and hometown – before posing their question, Cordae encouraged the audience to applaud them, to celebrate the accomplishment of being a student. When asked by an attendee about how he balances his professional responsibilities with making time for leisure, he threw it back to his time as a student at Towson University, where he learned the importance of blending socializing with networking. “I’ve never paid for a feature in my life – and that comes from making relationships,” he said. He emphasized that forming meaningful connections is one of the most beneficial takeaways of the college experience, and that learning these networking skills early on continues to contribute to his professional goals. Those connections have proven to be fruitful – in 2019, his song ‘Bad Idea’, featuring acclaimed rap artist Chance the Rapper was nominated in the category of Best Rap Song at the 62nd Grammy Awards. He also received a nomination in the category of Best Rap Album for The Lost Boy, which featured appearances from other well known artists including Anderson .Paak, Meek Mill, Pusha T and Ty Dolla Sign.
Having his breakout year in 2018 and his debut album nominated for a Grammy in the next year, his rise as an artist could be described by some as meteoric. However, his beginnings in music can be traced back to 2014, with his first mixtape Anxiety. Since then, the knowledge he has accrued has given him the credibility to not only grow as an artist, but as a man who knows the business behind the music. That led to the launch of Hi-Level, a record label and haven for creatives of all kind. He cited witnessing his own journey in the industry as the inspiration for this new move. “I understand the art of breaking an artist,” he said. “I’ve been in bad deals. Now, I understand the business aspect. The music is 80%, but the business is important.”
Hi-Level, however, isn’t just a business venture. “Hi-Level is a way of life,” he explained. “It can be applicable to anything. Everything you do in life, you have to do it at the highest level.” That would explain the recent moves he has been making to develop himself as an individual outside of his artistry. In June, he partnered with Walt Disney World’s Disney Dreamers Academy and ESPN’S Undefeated by donating $150,000 towards scholarships for HBCU students. He has also been an active member in the recent Black Lives Matter movement, after being arrested last July in Louisville, Kentucky for participating in a protest against the police murder of Breonna Taylor. He prides himself on being multifaceted, a trait he thinks that many people either don’t expect, or don’t encourage, “They try to put us in boxes,” he said. “You’re ‘the conscious rapper’, ‘the good black dude’ – but there’s a thing called duality.”
The extent of his duality became evident when the DJ began to play the first track on From A Bird’s Eye View. There is a noticeable difference between this upcoming sophomore album and his last full release two years ago – the samples, the features, and the musical influences exude a different sound than what many Cordae fans are used to. This new sound was clearly well received – when the final track began to fade out, attendees took to their feet to applaud him for a cohesive body of work. “Being able to listen to his unreleased album and do a Q&A event with him was truly a great experience,” said Howard University junior, Corinne Dorsey. “In addition to being able to have such an intimate conversation with Cordae, it was also nice to see the reactions of fellow Howard students once hearing his music. I can’t wait for everyone to listen!”
His EP Just Until, released in April, was seen by critics as a prelude to the upcoming album. Outside of that, fans will have to remain patient for the long-awaited project, which is slated to be released before the end of September.
Changes in his music style, outgrowing personal and business relationships, and finding new priorities encapsulate how Hi-Level is more than just a business model. It’s a metaphor for the relentless pursuit of the best version of yourself, and being open to answering the call to operate at a higher level than you were at before – no matter what that might look like.