Big Things Ahead for Joey Bada$$: The Pro Era Rapper on Upcoming Music & Acting Pursuits

Twenty-one-year-old rapper Joey Bada$$ can now include actor (on TV show Mr. Robot), Ivy League university guest speaker, and Calvin Klein campaign model to his growing resume of creative and intellectual pursuits. Joey, born Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott in Brooklyn, began rapping at the age of 11, and it remained a favored art form as he studied at a performing arts high school before co-founding socially and spiritually-conscious hip-hop collective Pro Era, which stands for Progressive Era (remember when Malia Obama wore that T-shirt?). With his critically-acclaimed, number five Billboard-ranked debut studio album B4.DA.$$ already under his belt, Joey is keeping himself busy with multiple EPs, mixtape projects, and a followup album, as well as a profound focus on a promising acting career spurred by the rapper’s extensive background in theater. Leading Canadian fashion purveyor SSENSE recently linked with Jozif Badmon for an exclusive interview; packaged with a styled editorial shot by photographer Hannah Sider, the piece is as thoughtful as it is insightful on the rapper’s opinions on fashion, style, music and acting. Read our favorite excerpts below.

You’ve designed clothing in the past. Do you think you’ll ever return to that?
Oh yeah, for sure. I’m working on my own Pro Era line, on getting the brand to the next level, because I don’t view the Pro Era apparel as merch. I view it as a real deal clothing line, or at least as having the potential to turn into a real deal clothing line. I’ve been working on that—designing pieces, me and the team, you know, screengrabbing. [laughs]

Is there one piece in your closet that you’d be really sad to see go?
There are a lot of things in my closet I’d be sad to see go! [laughs] I have this fire visvim bomber with the American flag on the back of it.

What are you obsessed with right now?
I like anoraks. I like pullover shit, stuff you can layer up. Recently, there’s this VETEMENTS hoodie I’m wearing.

What are your thoughts about fashion and music coming together the way they have?
There are two things, there’s fashion and then there’s style. Fashion recently started coming into hip-hop, but style has always been predominant in hip-hop. Present day, I think it’s good to mix it in. But I wouldn’t consider myself fashionable. I’d consider myself stylish.

Joey on his memorable “I wish I hadn’t worn that” moments:
When I was in middle school, it was okay to wear one color. Like, one bright ass color. So I’d wear all red! Red shirt, red pants, with red sneakers and a red hat to top it off. [laughs] No. Never again.

In the past few months, you’ve lectured at NYU and Harvard. What do your speaking engagements allow you to say that your music doesn’t?
It’s a direct way of talking to these kids and getting in front of them. I always say that my main message behind it all is just to inspire. And what the speaking engagements give me is an opportunity to do that. They can see me, they can touch me. And I feel like it really gives them a sense of encouragement and inspiration when I come through, present myself, and talk about my emergence into the music business. And then that goes wherever it goes. We talk about politics, we talk about metaphysics, we talk about spirituality versus religion, all types of different things. I think it’s really dope for the kids—well my peers, actually, because most of them are my age, some of them are even older than me. They can see I’m just like them, and they can be chasing their dreams too.

What kind of questions do they ask you?
They ask pretty challenging questions, to be honest. I speak for about an hour, so from whatever they collect, they just might ask me a question like, “Do you ever think hip-hop will drop its habit of misogyny?” And stuff like that. I’ve gotten so many different types of questions, but that was one of the more challenging ones I’ve gotten recently.

Social media has been important to your growth as an artist. What have you learned?
To not put all your business on it. And to not announce the name of your upcoming music projects too early in advance, because people hold you to that like there’s no tomorrow. I remember my first album, I announced what the title was two years prior. And for those two years my fans called me out like, “Where’s B4.DA.$$? Where is it? Where is it now?” And I was like, “Chill, bro. I’m not even done yet!”

You studied acting in school.
Yeah, I was in high school for screen theater, so I had some experience. And I always knew that if music worked out, then acting would be way easier. It’s definitely one of the passions, and maybe it could become number one. I could definitely see it becoming number one, because I want to do way more films.

Your Calvin Klein campaign rolled out two months ago now. How did that come about?
First off, it was a pleasure to be a part of the campaign. All the people from Calvin showed a lot of love. They told me I was picked because whoever was playing big boss of the whole campaign asked their son, “Which rapper should we get for the shoot?” And he was like, “Joey Bada$$!” Then another person on the other side—I guess from the agency—asked their son who they should get, and he was like, “Joey Bada$$!” So yeah, I mean, shit, I was just on it.

And what are you working on?
I’m working on multiple projects, actually. Working on a couple, maybe some EPs, some mixtapes. The second album is not coming this year, let’s get that out of the way. Just working on a lot of things right now.