Exclusive: Iggy Azalea Talks Glory EP & “Agreeing To Disagree” With T.I.

There’s something about Iggy Azalea. While a blonde, ponytail-wearing Australian isn’t the first vision that comes to mind when you think of an MC, the intrigue has turned her into one of the most talked about acts in the game.

Earning her stripes by fending off beef with other female rappers, and signing to T.I’s Grand Hustle imprint, Azalea has all the right components to translate her online popularity into album sales. But the Hip-Hop world may not be totally convinced of her staying power.  More eyebrows were raised when her record deal with Interscope, was downgraded to a management collaboration (the details of which the label failed to explain, when asked for comment by Hip-Hop Wired).

Regardless of how, or when, the album comes out, Azalea’s forthcoming Glory EP will test the waters for her official debut, The New Classic. A self-described “traditional Hip-Hop record,” Glory allowed the 22-year-old to depend on her own creative vision, with little input from her boss, T.I.

Hip-Hop Wired touched base with Grand Hustle’s first lady where she spoke on the EP, not being afraid to disagree with T.I., and which record label will release her album.

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Photo: Twitter

How will the Glory EP differ from your debut?

Glory is more a traditional Hip-Hop record. When you hear Glory, I’d say it’s the balance between The New Classic and Ignorant Art. Ignorant Art is an experimental sound and my use of samples and things like that, it was left of field. Glory is a traditional Hip-Hop record, The New Classic falls somewhere in the middle. I’m just really, a fan of Hip-Hop and rap music, and I just wanted to do a record that was strictly that sort of thing. Like a passion project before I put out my album. When I think of an album, we’re really trying to satisfy more of a fan base, and this is kind of my passion project.

How long did it take to put together?

About a month. When I record, I record nonstop so I’ll be in the studio 12, 14 hours every day. I go home to sleep, when I wake up I go back to the studio. I eat every single meal there for like a month, so what might take another artist a few months, or a little longer, it took me a month. I wasn’t doing any shows, and I wasn’t on the road, and I kind of disappeared for a while there, and that’s because I was working on this and my album.

Can you give me details on some of the records, features and production?

Production-wise, I have Boi-1da on the record, a couple of Bei Major tracks on there. I’ve got some Little C tracks, who’s with Grand Hustle and does a lot of work for T.I. as well. There’ a lot of songs that I’m tossing in between [keeping for the album], the Big Sean record with a feature from him is one where I’m like ‘I don’t know if I should let this go, or save it for the album!’ But definitely those producers are staying on Glory.

Did you record all of these songs at the same time and you’ll separate them or have you completed the album as well?

I’ve completed all the songs that’re on Glory. The album, I kinda’ like to do things in two parts. I like to think of more traditional sounding and I kind of like to stay in that vibe of things. Now that I’m finished doing that, now that I’m out here recording it, I’m doing more experimental stuff, more super far left, and I’m trying to find a middle ground. I think the experimenting takes a lot more time, just searching for songs or searching for records you want to take things from. I often listen to dance or house music, and I like to find parts in those songs that I can slow down, or put some more drums to to make it urban. Things like that.

How did Tip help you guide the Glory EP into an urban lane?

I mean I love T.I., but Glory is just really me. He’s been working on me with The New Classic but Glory, I picked the songs for and picked the producers and all that.

So T.I. really gives you the freedom to ‘do you?’

Yeah definitely, he’s like a friend. In terms of creating, I’ll play him my stuff and ask him what he thinks. I actually have a record on Glory, I’m not gonna’ say which one it is, but there’s one record on there where he was like ‘I don’t like that chrous,’ and I was like, ‘Well I do, so agree to disagree.’ It’s kind of like a mutual respect, he’ll ask me what I think of his songs too. It’s creative expression, and it comes from you. If someone disagrees nobody over at Grand Hustle is going to make you do it. Tip more helps me in finding who might be the right producers for me, or a sound.

When’s the last time you went home to Australia?

About a year [ago]. I was supposed to go back in February, but I ended up staying and recording my album. Then I was going to go back for my mom’s birthday, but that didn’t happen either. Now I don’t know. I’m pretty sure Tip is having a world tour when he drops his album, and I’ll be going on that with him, of course. So I don’t know when I’ll be back, maybe Christmas time.

How dope would it be to be able to go back and show everybody what you’re made of?

So good, because that’s what I’ve been waiting for since I left. I’ve of course gotten offers from different promoters in Australia, like ‘We’ll give you $10,000,’ and I’m like ‘No!’ I’m not going back until I’m super on. To come back with Tip and bring all of them to my country, and have an awesome time [would be great]. Otherwise, I don’t feel r like I’ve reached enough of my personal goals to go back there yet.

You seem like the kind of person who is always pushing yourself.

I just have really high expectations for myself. Even when I was 14 and I was rapping, I always wanted to be one of those artists. I guess like Justin Bieber you could say. You know how he was very young and was an artist, and was really highly commended. I always wanted to do that, just to be young, and having success. Every year I would get a year older and I would be so annoyed at myself that I was still doing average s***.

You’re managed by Interscope, so when you’re album comes out, will there be a different distributor?

Interscope manages me, but I’m not signed to them. When the album comes out I’ll have a larger distributor, but I’m not sure who yet. Not necessarily Atlantic. Grand Hustle has O.M.G girls, and they’re signed to Interscope, and [T.I.’s] with Atlantic. There’s other artists distributed by different labels, so it being Grand hustle doesn’t necessarily mean it will be distributed by Atlantic, but I don’t know who yet, I’m not sure yet.

I’m not really at that stage. I feel a little reluctant to sit in any kind of meetings like that right now, I just think those types of talks… they really just blow me. When I’m trying to create video concepts and all these other awesome things, you wanna’ be in a good headspace. That kind of thing going back and forth, it’s just kind of frustrating. I don’t even want to have a dinner and talk about that with any of the people for another couple of months [laughs].