Olu aka Johnny Venus real name Olu O. Fann and WowGr8 aka Doctur Dot real name Elan Undrai Parker are EarthGang. A multitude of names, which WowGr8 briefly explains in their single “All Eyes On Me”: “WowGr8 for the fans, call me Doc if we friends”.
The duo, who met in high school when they were 13, have been rappers since 2008. Three EPs and one album in collaboration with the hip-hop collective “Spillage-Village” later, J. Cole became aware of the two and recorded them on his label Dreamville Records. Since then, the musicians have already released two albums – now their third GHETTO GODS follows.
EarthGang played their upcoming LP live in the London bar “Colours” before it was released. As a mini tour, starting in the USA, the two rappers chose “Colours” as their stop in Europe. Since they had to push back the actual release of GHETTO GODS in January by a month, Olu and WowGr8 still took advantage of the intended tour, shortened it and let their viewers* listen to the record live for the first time.
This made it one of the rare concerts where no fan could rap along. Instead of shouting along, you had to listen carefully. We met EarthGang for an interview the day after at the Mondrian Hotel in London. Despite the concert the evening before, the musicians answered our questions about GHETTO GODS and promptly used the hotel blocks laid out to attentively draw portraits of those present.
Musikexpress.de: You were part of J. Cole’s “Revenge Of The Dreamers III” together with the Dreamville crew and worked on it with over a hundred artists in 2019. How was this experience for you?
Olu: It was really cool and had something of a sporting event like the Olympics. People came from all over the world to show off their skills and still have fun. The point of this and the beauty of it was that everyone had to be present. We hardly slept and some nights even in the studio. Many good friendships were formed during this time. And we recorded the album at Tree Sound Studio, a legendary studio in Atlanta where a lot of incredible people have made music.
Now you’re releasing GHETTO GODS and in it you’re addressing politics, success and your origins, among other things. How would you describe the album?
WowGr8: I would say it’s very clear and thought out. It was created off-tour in the East City. And it was the first album in a long time where we were at home with our families, the friends we grew up with and the local people. This atmosphere also brought back the sense of presence to the music.
What was the most important thing for you in the development process?
Olu: Cutting out unnecessary things – like verses that are too long (laughs). Anything that doesn’t directly contribute to the image, meaning or mood of the song, we immediately trimmed it. I think the most important thing was finding the quickest and most direct way to say what you want to say.
Why did you want to give the word “ghetto” a positive meaning?
Olu: Because it’s important for people to have a positive self-image. Especially if you’ve grown up with adverse circumstances that you can’t always control. Another thing is that we are from the ghetto ourselves and we are where we are today because we are from Atlanta where black people can do and be anything they want. So it was important to do our bit and show the people there that we were inspired by them.
In your first single “American Horror Story” you rap (WowGr8): “There goes the neighborhood (Wow, that’s crazy people really used to say that, that’s funny cause) Now they came back to take the hood”. What is the meaning behind it?
WowGr8: It’s a joke about gentrification. I know it’s a global phenomenon, but in America it’s a pretty simple and repetitive cycle: you put black people in a part of town that isn’t the best but is cheap. Then you buy it back and push families out of their homes. I saw my grandmother’s house taken away and her evicted. It’s something we all experience everyday and I generally always address what I see.
Is that also the reason why you wrote the song?
Olu: The song was originally written in the summer of 2020. There was a lot of rioting at the time and a lot of George Floyd protests. Then, when police started shooting people in Georgia, we realized we were still dealing with racism in the midst of a life-changing pandemic. So we did our best to put that feeling into music.
Video: EarthGang – “American Horror Story”
“If a cop stops me, I’m still scared I’m going to die”
“All Eyes On Me” also addresses the movement and you make it clear: “Black Lives Matter”. Do you think that structures in America have changed since then?
WowGr8: I want to be honest (laughs) nothing has changed at the base. There’s a little more social and performative compassion now, but when a cop stops me, my heart still beats ten times faster because I think I’m probably going to die. And if he catches me, he won’t be harmed because of it. That’s the reality. Certainly things can change, and I’m not saying it’s not a start, but it takes a lot more to bring about real change.
How do you feel about racism in Europe?
WowGr8: It’s different – like different ball sizes. But no matter how big the bullet, you’ll still get shot in the end. In Tennessee and Alabama, white people have been calling me a n*****. It didn’t happen to me over here, but I experienced a different kind of racism. Once we had a bus on tour that only had one toilet, so we sometimes had to stop. I went to a hotel and asked if it was okay to use their restroom. They looked at me funny and threw me out. I know exactly where that came from: They didn’t want black people in their lobby. So I wasn’t surprised. Racism definitely still exists.
Video: EarthGang – “All Eyes On Me”
In “Strong Friends” you explain that you should ask about them and be sensitive to your surroundings. How do you know that someone needs a sympathetic ear if they don’t say so?
WowGr8: You have to listen. My mother always said that you don’t have two ears and only one mouth for nothing. Sometimes when people are suffering, we know it even if they don’t communicate it all the time. We just don’t want to see it because we’re having a good time. But in the midst of all the chaos that seems to blur the world, we can’t do everything alone. And nobody is inferior because of that. One is also strong when one receives help that one otherwise gives. This is the meaning of life and people: to work together.
Do you also tend to be the “strong friend”?
WowGr8: Oh yes! I mean, I’ve always thought of myself as such. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have my moments, too. While as my mother’s firstborn with many younger brothers and cousins, I’m often the one who needs to be, but sometimes I also need to call my family and friends and explain what I’m going through.
What message should listeners of GHETTO GODS take with them?
WowGr8: I want them to engage in this. It should sound good. If you don’t understand any of the words, that’s okay. The words are just extra layers and everyone interprets them in a different way. So one should understand the messages one wants to hear. The most important thing is that it feels good and makes you want to listen to it over and over again.