INTERVIEW: 9th Wonder

As we wrap up 2015, it’s time to give props to those in music who posted big W’s this year when it counted. The producer/Harvard Fellow/label head that immediately comes to mind is 9th Wonder. Never sitting idle, somehow finding the time to do it all, he recently released ‘Indie 500’ with Talib Kweli, bringing trusted in house Soul Council producers, Pharoahe Monch, Problem, Slug, JAMLA-repping Rapsody (who featured on ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’ which will probably grab Grammy gold) and an assortment of other young, fresh talent to the attention of their well-respected and established fanbases.

I unexpectedly chatted with 9th Wonder earlier this year with a group of other media reps at The Art of Cool Fest on his home turf in North Carolina. Coming through with no squad or entourage, he wasn’t even on the schedule but humble and approachable as he is, agreed at the last minute to sit with us to chat about a myriad of topics. Recognizing me from a previous A3C trip, he greeted me warmly and we launched into the barrage of questions about the possibility of Rapsody being nominated for a Grammy, his WTF moments producing for Beyoncé and Jay-Z, being a professor at three universities and his vast collection of vinyl (35,000+ pieces and counting). Peep the interview soundclips below!