Watch Kevin Gates Talk Writing Process: ‘Why Are You Trying to Dissect It?’
Kevin Gates spoke candidly with Rolling Stone about his major-label debut Islah in a recent visit to the office. Between discussions of his unorthodox parenting style and business philosophy, Gates also revealed how much he hates dissecting his creative process.
“I’m super serious about music,” Gates tells RS. “That’s like the only thing I’m serious about.” His seriousness paid off recently: Islah debuted at Number Two on the Billboard Hot 100, even though the Louisiana rapper avoided including a single big-name guest appearance.
Gates keeps his music low-maintenance in other ways, like keeping a tight budget on the beats he buys as well as not worrying too much about attaching popular producers to his projects. “One of my most popular songs, ‘Satellites,’ I paid $300 for that beat on SoundClick,” Gates reveals. The track was Gates’ first single, which he released in 2013.
As for his process, Gates “hates” analyzing it and is quick to point out the absurdity of asking the same of a painter or a landscaper. “I don’t think like that,” he explains. “I appreciate it for what it is.”