A Conversation w/ lamuse

Last month, New York rapper lamuse dropped her latest project Automatic Shutdown as a sonic depiction of growing pains and acceptance. Throughout this nine-track body of work, lamuse reflects on past relationships and previous thought processes which made her surrounded emotions to protect her peace. Every track feels like a personal journal entry and lamuse does not shy away from being vulnerable.

On “Take Less,” she raps about wishing the woman of her past didn’t put up with her childish ways. Lamuse’s choice of words is precise and adds to the story. The emotion that lies beneath “I’m Crying” comes second to none; it feels like a harmonized spoken word piece.

“Reddit” featuring Dachelle is one of the many stand-out tracks on the project. Lamuse’s cadence meshed with Dachelle’s gentle vocal arrangements. Rounding off at 20 minutes, Automatic Shutdown would make listeners understand yesterday is not tomorrow and it takes effort for true peace. 

Our conversation, lightly edited for content and clarity, follows below.

All right, so automatic shutdown. What does that mean to you?

Automatic shutdown is kind of like my natural state. When I feel like people are trying to make an emotional connection with me, I automatically shut down. Like, I've had a long track record of just being detached from people on an emotional level. So automatic shut down is that defense mechanism that we enact when we feel like danger is near.

How have those feelings translated into your music for this project?

On this project, it was the opposite; I think I was reflecting on those emotions of detached. I’m at a point in life where I'm beyond shutting down; It’s not normal for me to shut down automatically and doing so blocks off connections that other people may want to build with me. I believe those feelings translated through reflection…reflection on that chapter in my life. 

Going off of reflection, what was the inspiration for “Take Less”?

When thinking back on some of the women I’ve dealt with in my past, I feel like they gave me a lot and also feel like, “damn bitch, how stupid can you be?” (chuckles). I felt like the woman of my past would try to give a lot and force something that's not there. At times, they would force monogamy or exclusivity onto me knowing that I was not ready for that and I would tell them. 

Have those reflections in your music ever come back to bite you?

Honestly, back then, no matter the content I was speaking on, the girls would still be happy and excited that its a song about them. (Chuckles) and at that time, I was doggin’ them on tracks. Now, I’m older and in a committed relationship, my music is no longer dedicated to one woman, it’s a collection of it all. I feel like it’s pretty great to be someone’s muse.

How did you approach your music differently this time around?

I think on previous projects, I focused a little bit too much on the craft. Make sure the words and the rhymes are all going together; that the writing is beautiful. But this time around, I also made sure that I stayed true to the story.  Like on “I’m Crying,” every line is factual. 

All of the music was created at my home studio, which was also different because I usually work in collaborative environments. It was more solo, which I felt was necessary because this project was more personal and emotionally felt.  Every song and every beat aligned with those experiences I’m reflecting on Automatic Shutdown. 

Can you describe the emotions behind “I'm Great”?

 I was having a really shitty day. Okay. Was hysterically crying and honestly felt a little suicidal.  Didn't have a therapist at that time.  It came to a point where I called my mom because I was scared that I was really going to hurt myself. After that day, my mom called me every day. A week after that, we found a therapist for me. And that kind of, like, motivated me to seek medical help for whatever's going on in here. Funny story, my therapist broke up with me a few weeks ago, but that’s a whole nother story. 

 I think it's cool that you ended the tape off with “I'm Great,” because I feel like throughout the project, you're talking about those emotions and trying to find balance within it and at the end of it all, you do. Was that transition of emotions and songs intentional?

That was 100% intentional. I felt everything that came before “I’m Great” was very covert and very much emotionless. But then you have those songs like “I’m Crying” where I’m tiptoeing around my awareness that, yeah, I could be an awful person sometimes, I see it. Then “Comfort” is like sadness but then “I’m Great” ties everything together… embracing those emotions and now that I’ve had those experiences I could attach myself emotionally with someone. 

“Crowded Lottery Ticket” being a bit more upbeat than the other tracks, would you consider that a distraction for your audience while you’re dancing through the pain?

Honestly, I could see that... Like, imagine being at a party and everyone is dancing, having a good time but still carrying their own baggage. No one knows what you’re truly going through and believes everything is well based on the perception you present. But on the other side, I saw it as, a woman in my past would try to change me and aye, that’s like winning a lottery ticket (laughs.)

How was it working on “Retro 3” with yeahCaleb?

Working on that song was fun, it was from one of the sessions with my collective thebaremax. We ended up not putting it on our last project, SMUDGE and I felt it was such a good track and connected well with my story for automatic shutdown.

What are your favorite Jordans? 

Gotta be the ones, highs, and lows. 

What's next?

Singles and hopefully another thebaremax album. 

What is one thing you want your audience to get out of listening to this project?

That I'm not an asshole but I am an asshole. 

What were the last three albums you listened to?

The Essentials of Michael Jackson 

Coloring Book by Chance the Rapper

Sorry 4 The Wait by Lil Wayne