The Tremendous Bowl halftime present is arguably the largest convergence of music and sports activities in a given 12 months, however that’s not the one discussion board through which the 2 industries are colliding. Following within the footsteps of main artist-athletes like Shaquille O’Neal aka DJ Diesel and Damian Lillard aka Dame D.O.L.L.A., Chad Thomas aka Main 9 is trying to proceed leveling up his athletic and musical careers whereas prioritizing independence at each flip.
After taking part in as a defensive finish for the Hurricanes on the College of Miami, the Cleveland Browns chosen Thomas within the third spherical of the 2018 NFL Draft. He was the sixth defensive finish drafted that 12 months, and the 67th total choose. A 12 months earlier than he turned a nationwide soccer star, nonetheless, Thomas was already making main waves within the music trade beneath the identify Main 9.
In 2017, he scored a placement on Rick Ross’s prime 5 Billboard 200-charting Moderately You Than Me album (alongside Grammy-winning R&B singer-songwriter Raphael Saadiq) on the grand album opener “Apple of My Eye.” Ross’ By 2020 – the identical 12 months the Browns waived his multi-million-dollar contract – Main 9 snagged one more high-profile placement, this time on Chris Brown & Younger Thug’s Slime & B, which peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 and earned nominations on the Billboard Music Awards and Soul Practice Music Awards. With “Lure Again,” his joint on the album, Main 9 did what comes naturally: He leveled up, and contributed not simply manufacturing help, however a credited visitor verse as properly.
As a lot as Main 9 has made waves by means of collaboration, he’s remained steadfast in pumping out tasks of his personal. Since 2018, he has launched 9 such units – together with 2019’s star-making Soulties – culminating in his two most up-to-date: 2023’s Nothin Main and this 12 months’s Kardiology. The previous is Main 9’s most radio-ready physique of labor so far; that includes emotionally weak heaters (“Love Don’t Reside Right here,” “A Hustler’s Prayer”) and a splashy Kodak Black visitor verse, Nothin Main boils down the very best of up to date Florida rap into one thing for the entire nation to take pleasure in. The latter, Kardiology, is arguably Main 9’s greatest creative swing but, an emotional 13-track Miami bass-laced journey by means of the throes of affection.
In a brand new interview with Billboard, Main 9 discusses his new Kardiology venture, shifting by means of a number of industries as an artist-athlete and the ever-deepening union between the worlds of music and sports activities.
Clearly, you started your time as a public determine by means of soccer. Was music at all times in your thoughts? Or had been you extra centered on the athletic aspect of issues?
I really began music first. I’ve been doing music since I used to be a child, in order that was No. 1. After which soccer turned No. 1 in highschool. I used to be taking part in earlier than that, but it surely obtained severe in highschool.
What are a few of your earliest musical reminiscences?
My pops, he purchased me a drum set, just like the little child drum set. That was most likely my first drum set. Rising up, at my grandma’s home, she had a bit of piano in her home. It was a child grand, one thing like that. [Those were] my first devices: drums and piano. I made it into the entire magnet colleges in South Florida. I ended up going to one of many greatest ones down there: New World Faculty of the Arts. That was an enormous accomplishment, being the place I’m from. Lots of people don’t make it into that college.
Music provides up alternative ways, I accomplished did an excessive amount of stuff with music. [Laughs.] My final time being in New York, we carried out at Jazz @ Lincoln Heart.
What do you keep in mind listening to rising up? Who and what had been the defining artists and songs of your childhood?
Something ‘80s R&B. S—t, I’m from Miami, so Trick Daddy, Rick Ross, all of the Miami moguls, the South Florida moguls. A bit little bit of West Coast. My music goes in all places. I obtained Metallica in my library! I accomplished hearken to all forms of music rising up, gospel music, Kirk Franklin. It go left and proper.
As soccer took you throughout the nation, did you choose up any new musical influences from totally different teammates or cities? Particularly throughout your time with the Browns?
It was sort of backwards for me, to inform the reality. After I first touched down in Cleveland, my first house, the person at valet, he really knew who I used to be. He was a producer and we tapped in. After I obtained to Cleveland, I tapped in with my teammates, and a whole lot of my teammates supported and are followers of my music. Truly, they was ready on my new music, they weren’t actually placing me onto folks.
Typically, it’s like that. They’ll put me on to an individual that’s again house. I accomplished obtained put onto a bunch of artists that’s really superstars now, and it was earlier than their time. Soccer connects you with totally different cities.
You scored a manufacturing placement on Rick Ross’ Moderately You Than Me (2017). Stroll me by means of how you place that observe collectively and secured that placement?
That relationship been happening since I used to be in highschool, positively locked in with the entire MMG household, Rick Ross and everyone. I can’t actually inform how the songs come about, they only name me and say “We want a verse” or “We want a beat.” You recognize I’m on go as a result of that’s household. It wasn’t actually no large factor about it. I went in and did my verse, despatched it again to him, he beloved it. After I did the beat for “Apple of My Eye,” he beloved it. We obtained a bunch of labor collectively. When that popped out, I used to be simply ecstatic.
Are there any expertise you end up bringing from the sports activities world to the music world or vice versa?
All the time. Music and soccer taught me rather a lot about life. With soccer, doing sure drills and simply having that sample of ability. You gotta know numbers. It positively goes hand-in-hand as a result of ballers is gonna be ballers. The ballers that’s within the area gonna be the ballers that’s within the studio. Jarvis Landry might be probably the greatest rappers I’ve ever heard.
If I used to be to deliver music to soccer, I’d simply be tapping in with folks. Soccer gamers obtained emotions too, they hearken to music and get of their vibe. Who higher to narrate to than your teammate? They’re really doing it.
Why is your independence as an artist essential to you?
[Because] I’ve accomplished music my entire life, a part of that was studying how to take action a lot stuff and be that workforce for myself. Now that I even have a workforce and label that I created, it’s simpler for me to remain impartial and discover ways to construct my firm, so I might be one of many large firms or be on the extent the place they is. [Independence] is ideal. It’s large. It’s large to me, it’s large to the folks round me as a result of they perceive how way more cash you may make and the way a lot enterprise you possibly can management or how a lot leverage you possibly can have when you’re impartial.
How do you evaluate your experiences on the enterprise aspect of music versus the enterprise aspect of sports activities?
As a child rising up in South Florida, enterprise is just not taught to us with sports activities. Sure, it’s monetized, you develop up and also you gangsta they usually gon’ look out for you. However enterprise is just not taught to us.
When it got here to soccer and I made it to the league, sure, I understood the enterprise, however I sort of misplaced love for soccer as a result of the enterprise that goes into it – your entire life is a recreation, however when you get to a sure age or simply earlier than then, your destiny is in one other man’s fingers. With music, I can’t management it, however I can categorical myself and God gave me a present to have the ability to be at a degree the place folks assist me for my reward.
You place out Nothin’ Main late final 12 months, and that featured the main focus observe “Shawty” (with Kodak Black). How did that collaboration come collectively and why was it chosen as the main focus observe?
I recorded my half in LA [probably two years ago] and I despatched it to Kodak and he despatched it proper again. The following time we seen one another face-to-face was at one other studio in Miami. It was purported to have been his tune, however I don’t the way it went and got here again to me and brodie was able to drop it. Me and Kodak, we at all times doing enterprise. That’s simply that Broward-Dade County connection. It was a blessing man.
Lots of people mess with Kodak — moreover all the opposite stuff, that’s a great individual, I do know him for actual. Him getting on that tune… we connecting totally different components of Florida. When T-Ache and Plies did it, that was extra Fort Myers and Tallahassee. We giving that Dade County/Broward vibe, that’s a Florida basic.
Why is it essential so that you can rep your hometown?
I reward Florida, I reward Dade County. I’m from Liberty Metropolis, I’m from Miami. It ain’t no actually large rappers out of Liberty Metropolis for actual. The largest we might go is Uncle Luke, and Uncle Luke opened doorways for therefore many individuals, so many generations after him. To be from Miami and be from a birthplace of many types and a whole lot of music that’s been sampled through the years, it’s large to let folks know I’m from the 305. Florida, child! We gon’ rep Florida wherever we go. And we obtained a unique vibe too.
Miami, South Florida, all that music has been ringing for years, however we getting a unique kind of buzz now. Simply being one of many those who created a few of this buzz, it’s large to me and it’s large to everyone. So, I’m positively gonna rep all my folks. I’m gonna rep the entire Florida not simply South Florida.
Who’s in your Mount Rushmore of Florida rappers?
I’m gonna go Trick Daddy, Rick Ross, JT Cash — I’m gonna go away myself out trigger I’ve a mountain on my own – Ice [Billion] Berg.
You latterly dropped Kardiology (Feb. 16). What was your imaginative and prescient for the venture and what are your targets for it post-release?
These songs, I already had down. Some songs I added on there as a result of we at all times recording. The give attention to the entire venture was simply… these not your typical songs about love. It received’t come out that manner.
Each time you hearken to a unique observe, it will give totally different instructions of affection or how love might have messed an individual up or messed a state of affairs up. These songs converse to the folks, it’s a tune on there for everyone. There’s a whole lot of Miami-style songs — I’m from Miami, so you recognize I gotta put that dance in a few of the songs, the bass, the DJ checks, totally different stuff like that.
I used to be supposed to begin the entire Kardiology rollout most likely round 2022, however this can be a nice begin.
Why the delay?
It was the instructions of the songs. I file songs, however I’m not the kind of individual to only throw stuff on the tape and simply put it out. I wish to be sure to can even have a no-skip tape. It was an entire wait. After which the path of the movies, the remedies, the entire advertising and marketing plan behind what we’re gonna do with Kardiology – it’s extra stuff we gotta do. We obtained scrubs, I’m gonna play a physician in certainly one of my movies. We having enjoyable with it.
We’re seeing the sports activities and music worlds proceed to bleed increasingly into one another yearly, particularly since Roc Nation and the NFL partnered for the Tremendous Bowl halftime present. What do you make of that dynamic and the way do you assume it may well finest assist artist-athletes like your self?
Publicity, that’s the largest factor about something we do. Folks need publicity, they need the world to see what they’ll do. These artists been out right here, however the world goes so quick. That publicity collides the worlds and makes it simpler for the best folks to be in the identical room. What they’re doing proper now’s large. I hope it grows till extra impartial artists are introduced to those phases.
Do you might have any recommendation for different athletes trying to get into music or artists attempting to get into sports activities or people who find themselves simply attempting to stability each?
Don’t plan on having a life. That was sort of my greatest factor since I’ve been doing music since highschool. As soon as I began making music critically in tenth or eleventh grade, that was my manner of not going exterior, as a result of I used to be a child [who] was at all times exterior. You gotta perceive that what’s essential gotta keep essential. And if it’s gonna be essential, you possibly can’t fear concerning the folks round you and say they’re not supporting you otherwise you’re not getting that push that you just want. You bought to be that push. You bought to be the whole lot for your self. That’s what I imply, you ain’t actually going to don’t have any life. I’m simply beginning to stay!
Folks know me for “Okay, we’re gonna go make a sort out, get a few sacks, then come house and drop a success.” When you’re gonna do it, do it. You’re gonna see the world change and also you gonna notice that it’s simpler to get that cash in case you actually took it critically.
