“Trinity” (Prod by Soundsmith & Neenyo)

The hook was already on this and I wanted to write about my ex-girlfriend. I’m deeply into The Matrix and I thought that naming my ex Trinity would be dope. I used auto-tune on this record because the record was so sonically futuristic. Never have I used it after. I thought it fit withThe Matrix theme. I think people really love this record because of the honesty and sonic vibes that it gives off. I recorded this record a couple of times as well. But the last version is the best by far!

“Get By” Feat. Big K.R.I.T. (Prod By Big K.R.I.T.)

Steve-O and I felt like we needed an up-tempo record to show my hunger and kind of address my past movements and achievements to my critics. Big K.R.I.T.’s hook spoke to me in so many volumes. I love being able to speak my life into words. It’s one of the easiest things for me to do. I talked about leaving school as well as me getting a national commercial campaign before I signed my deal. Those two things affected me the most in the past couple of months. I felt I had to let people know what was going on in my life.

“Skyscraper” (Prod by Precize)

My favorite record on the mixtape. I wrote this record previously and it was just me popping shit. I had a different hook and everything. I had to switch it up. What I did was crazy though. I turned it up and for 5 minutes poured my heart out on the track. Precize’s production talked to me and let me know that I can be honest when I rap. I’m glad I met him. He knows exactly what I would sound dope over. It’s the first video I shot and I’m glad that people love the record as well. Come on now, who doesn’t want a skyscraper? Or to at least live in one? Them shits is hot and people love ‘em!

“Melodic Nightmares” (Prod by M83)

I always have to end the mixtape on a serious level. M83 was a band that I discovered and I love with all my heart. I sampled them on the Dark Phoenix project. I also did on this show. I loved this song so much. My manager Saint wanted me to sample it and I did. I had to reflect and let the people know exactly what I’m Better Than You meant to me. It doesn’t mean I’m better than every rapper, It just means I need to be better than myself— that’s all. That’s how I feel. I think it’s a universal feeling that everybody can relate to.

“Light Up Freestyle”

I really like this beat. For me, I really wanted to show people that I can kill any beat. Seriously. And I bodied it. They’re so many quotable in this. This was what I’m Better Than You was originally going to sound like before I changed the concept. Raw rap over other peoples beats. Glad I only did it once.

(Source: XXL)

“Empty Bottle” (Prod By Sean C & LV)
I like drinking and I like the feeling. However, I know the consequences of it and I don’t like it. I think this song should resonate to the younger people of this generation to know that drinking is not the way at all. I’m going to stop very soon because I was extremely healthy at one point and I let it slip away.

“InterLove” (Prod By Mickey Factz)
I produced this record because I wanted to show people that not only can I make music, but I wanted people to see that I can make music for the ladies. I wanted it short and sweet so women could kind of get into it. Instead of calling it “Interlude,” I originally wanted to call it “InterLust” so that people could kind of get the gist of what I was talking about on the record. Then I changed the name to “InterLove.” I wrote about a specific person and I think it came out extremely dope.

“Friend Zone” Feat. Redd Stylez & Lundon (Prod. By Count Justice)
I had a crush on someone for a long time so I figured I write a song about her. My man Count Justice who produced the beat had the hook as well. It was like “I can be, I can be.” I didn’t really think it was that hot. So we brought in Redd and Lundon and they both killed the hook. I wrote about my experiences and what I felt. I loved it to death and it all fit. I think this song best represents everybody when their friends that they like, place them in a zone where they can’t get out.

“Again” (Prod By Stephen Linde)
I needed a record elaborating on my last relationship. That girl put me through it. Sheesh. We had some great times and we had some rough patches. This is one of those rough patch records. Haha. You can hear the hurt and conviction in not only lyrics but in my voice. This song got me through a lot. I actually wanted to sing so people knew that I felt really emotional. Sometimes you don’t need somebody else singing the lyrics you wrote. People need to hear the conviction in your voice.

“Mona Lisa” Feat Kara Rose and Chester French (Prod By Precize)
I wrote this song in 2008. I’ve also written the song 5 times, in full— new verses and everything. The beat changed on me twice and I tried to catch the beat and try to make it a thoughtful song. I’m extremely pleased with the final version. I’m glad that people love the song and can dance to it as well as learning something new. I wanted to tell a song about a runaway girl who was destined for greatness but got caught up. Nothing wrong about that. DA from Chester French is the funniest man on the face of this planet, that explains the verse and him just blacking out. I enjoyed it.

“Paradise (Remix)” Feat. Bun B & Fat Joe (Prod By Precize)

“The title came to me while reading a Rick Ross article. He said his experience going to Hawaii with Kanye was [like] paradise. I felt like I needed a reintroduction record for my fans. I wanted to let them know, no matter what you’re doing or where you are, treat your life like it’s paradise. Things could be much worse. Fat Joe had told me he wanted to jump on the remix, so that was cool. Bun let me know the same thing as well. So I was pumped. Bun wrote and recorded his verse in 10 minutes in NYC. Ironically, I did my verse in Houston while on tour with Big Sean.”

(Source: XXL)