Songwriter and rap artist Elijah Wiggins connects with DOPECAUSEWESAID and talks about his new album "Red Curtains"

Elijah Wiggins is a San Antonio based songwriter and rap artist who just released a very DOPE album entitled "Red Curtains". This 12-track album features collabs with D.O.P.E., Edward Wiggins, Joseph Ubarra, and Walker1ofGod'sKids and production by WeirdKids, Dwight Junior, Agius, and D.O.P.E.

We connected with Elijah to find out how he has progressed as an artist since his first release to now with "Red Curtains, as well as his thought process as he was developing the album, and much more. After reading our interview with Elijah, stream "Red Curtains" below and download it on Bandcamp. 

Tell us about your progression as an artist from your first release to where you are now with "Red Curtains". 

My first release, which is still floating around somewhere on the interwebs, was probably the fakest piece of music I’ve ever made lol. I think what made it bad in my opinion was the fact I didn’t know who I was as an artist nor what my end game was. With “Red Curtains”, I was comfortable with who ‘Elijah Wiggins’ is. I could see what I could accomplish and I could see where to push myself as well as see where it wouldn’t work. I’m finally in my own skin.

Your new album "Red Curtains", from start to finish, is very cinematic in my opinion. Was this intentional and what was your thought process as you were creating it?

I don’t think we wanted to go for a cinematic approach. I think what me and my producer D.O.P.E were going for was more or less just creating a soundscape for the city that’s on display throughout the project. I personally wanted the cohesiveness to be the for front of everything. I wanted to be told clearly. With that being said while writing “Red Curtains” I watched a lot of RomComs to make my past not seem like it was super depressing lol. So that could play apart too.

If you had to pick one song from your catalog that defines you the most, which song would you select and why?

That’s hard fam…Um I would say this song I made called “Float” I feel like that song melds together what I want to brand myself as. There’s so much honesty in that song. D.O.P.E made a perfect landscape for me to just put my heart on wax.

How did you get your start with the music? What made you want to pick up the pen and pad? 

When I was like 9 or 10 I want to do rap music for the simple fact that I wanted to rock baggy clothes and it be okay with the world lol…nah but for real. When I moved to Washington in January of 2011 I had a microphone, a laptop, and nobody to talk to. All my ‘friends’ had this out of sight out of mind approach with me and music became the only thing that would listen and stick around with me, so naturally I just fell in love with creating from that point on it was a rap.

What's next for you after "Red Curtains"?

I got a couple of projects in the works. 2 I can talk about are a duel EP set. I can’t give the titles just yet because that’s subject to change, but I will say the folks that want me to rap more are going be super excited by one of the EPs and hate the other. I had to channel my inner Nelly with these two. Also I want to help build a more eclectic sounding San Antonio. Most of the artist that big down here either leave or they sound like knock offs. So I’m going to work to change that.

Who are your musical influences/favorite artists?

Top Three Rappers/Writers, no order, Childish Gambino, Christon Gray, and Da’ T.R.U.T.H. Childish is an all-around creative beast, Christon has a way about his music that makes you want to vibe with him and T.R.U.T.H. was the dude that made me want to focus on content not just talking to talk, that was ’04 check out “Moment of Truth”. As for producers, way too many to name all of them. Here are some: 40, Kanye, Dwight Junior, Agius, D.O.P.E, Walker1ofGod’sKids, Derek Minor, Wontel, and the list goes on my G.

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