On a gloomy Thursday afternoon, Chase Shakur arrived at Midtown’s Astro Studios in a frantic state.
Having just gotten a haircut, he’d rushed across town to make it in time for this interview. It was the day before his new album, “Wonderlove,” dropped. And later that night, he was set to interact with Atlanta fans for his album release party — following similar events in New York City and Los Angeles within the last two weeks.
Safe to say that Shakur is insanely busy. But the more he talked, the calmer he became.
“It’s been so much moving around, so I’m trying to stay present,” the 25-year-old said.
Released on Feb. 7, “Wonderlove” is the Def Jam signee’s debut album. For 16 tracks, he pours his heart and soul into an alternative R&B sound that’s as inspired by the past as it is the future. The LP, featuring Smino and Rimon, exposes the East Atlanta crooner’s big heart and bigger drive to find true love.
He admits that he’s still searching, though.
“But I’m learning that [love is] really seeing somebody for who they are and still being there.”
On Monday, Spotify revealed that “Wonderlove” ranked No. 4 on its weekly Top Albums Debut USA chart. As his manager Jono put it, Shakur’s success is fueled by a sound that “brings something unique and fresh that’s not traditional R&B.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution talked to Chase Shakur about his new album, dating and his evolving sound.
This interview has been edited an condensed for clarity.
Q: What was your mindset going into this album?
A: I saw this picture of my grandma and grandpa. She always talks about him. They had the same birthday, and they also got married on their birthday. Their whole love story is like a full-circle moment. I wanted to play with the idea of that love story … I never met my grandpa, but my grandma still talks about him.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Q: How long were they married?
A: Around 50 years. My grandma still claims him.
Q: Did their love story inspire you as a kid?
A: Yeah, a lot. Growing up, I learned my grandpa was heavy into cars. He had a tow truck company. He built houses. I just heard a lot of male stories. I grew up with without a pop, so I just carried those stories growing up.
Q: Would you say you’re a hopeless romantic? The album has that vibe.
A: Yeah. I was trying to portray that because I know a lot of my other projects were kind of on the opposite where I’m doing stuff to the other person and making mistakes. But on this one, I wanted to switch it up.
Q: What does the album title mean to you?
A: It’s this surreal world I wanted to make. I was into a lot of ‘70s music, and it kind of came from that … like Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson. [”Wonderlove”] is kind of like how it is here, where people who aren’t from Atlanta come here and say it’s not a real place.
Q: How has Atlanta shaped you?
A: On the Eastside, they have this thing called Soul Food Cypher. It’s basically this underground thing. I’d go and practice my raps every week. My mom would take me, and I’d rap against people that were way older than I was. I’d be sad every week because I was like “Damn, they just blew me out the water again.” But I would still try.
I just wanted to be the best I could be. I started singing in high school, but the Eastside really helped me build a foundation with getting a lot of “No’s.” I was selling mixtapes in the gas stations. I’d go to Magic City when I was 16. I’d lie about my age, and I’d do all those things just to get my song played. There would be times where I’d walk blocks and blocks to the studio and come out with one song. It taught me a lot of resilience.
Q: Your last project came out 2023. What’s life been like since then?
A: A lot of learning. I was on tour with the Kid Laroi. That was a lot of learning [on] how pop stars move — seeing how you can make a whole room react to what you’re saying. And just knowing that everything is a choice in how hard you work. I’ve seen him do four shows in a day.
Q: “Wonderlove” includes a fresh mix of samples — from Sexyy Red to Mary J. Blige. How did you land on those?
A: During the time, I was just listening to any types of music. I was listening to a lot of Afrobeats. My grandpa is Jamaican, so I was listening to a lot of reggae. I’m really heavy on ‘90s (music). That’s why on “Limerence,” you hear New Jack Swing. These are songs that I always wanted to make when I was a kid.
Q: On “Song for Her,” you sing “finally found somebody I could trust.” Is that based on a true experience?
A: Yeah, a lot of times after I make something, it’ll never happen, but I did end up finding that for a moment.
Q: Do you date?
A: Yeah, but dating is hard because of other’s people perspective of me.
Q: What do people think? “Just a typical musician?”
A. Yeah, on top of other things. Like because I’m from here, people will say, ‘Oh I know this, or I heard this.’
Q: What’s the wildest thing you’ve heard about yourself?
A: Honestly, that I’m short. Everyone thinks I’m little as hell. I’m saying this because I had three people tell me that in one week. I’m 6-foot-1.′'
Q: What would you say is the biggest challenge to finding love?
A: Figuring out intentions. You might not even know until it’s too late.
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