When you first come across Noodah05, the burgeoning Atlanta rapper is soft-spoken, a stark contrast to his music. Though he seems shy at first, talk of success and strip clubs quickly awakens his inner dog.
“Starlets is that big strip club, right?” he grins, having recently celebrated his birthday. “We in New York City. We gotta turn up. I ain’t tryna be in the hotel again.”
With momentum on his side, courtesy of his new mixtape, Champion Sound, the wide-eyed twenty-something is enjoying the time of his life. His melodic touch, street flair, and love-drunk anthems have him positioned to be the next big star to blow out of Atlanta.
His latest single, “Around Me,” is the crown jewel of Champion Sound. The trunk-rattling track oozes bold proclamations about bag chasing, love at first sight, and cruising past his adversaries. The song peaked at No. 14 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart and now sits at No. 22, proving Noodah can deliver hits and hold his own alongside some of hip-hop’s biggest names.
“Everybody in the club gets lit,” says Noodah when discussing his performances of “Around Me.” “Everybody stands up. It’s like that for most of the songs, but [“Around Me”] is one of the songs where, if you’re not even a fan for real, it’s gonna get you in tune.”
Billboard chatted with October’s Hip-Hop Up & Comer, Noodah 05, about the origins of his name, why old-school R&B always has him in a chokehold, his desire to emulate André 3000, and his aspirations to become the new-age Thanos of rap.
You’ve described discovering your music as being like trying a new drug. What do you think makes your music addictive once somebody gets that first taste?
I don’t know. I can’t say it. It’s the vibe, the feeling you get, it’s a good feeling. You might want that feeling again.
You’ve said your first performance was your worst. Looking back, what did that experience teach you about becoming a better performer?
It showed me how to work the crowd and give everybody the attention at the event. [It also taught me] crowd control. I’ve been learning that a lot versus back then and now.
Weed and candy are two of your studio essentials. What candy has to be in the room for you to really lock in?
I like Sour Candy. Weed and Candy. I ran through a lot of cookies, candy and weed. I drink a lot of water, though.
Your grandmother gave you the name Noodah. What part of her influence do you feel still shows up in the artist you are today?
One of the characteristics about her is how she’s nice, but doesn’t mess around either. Just having morals and principles. I feel like I have that balance. I got that balance from her. She put that in me.
How’s your family been receptive to your new-found fame?
They’re happy. They’re very, very happy.
You’ve talked about being a real R&B fan and named Mary J. Blige, India.Arie and Lauryn Hill among your favorites. What does R&B give you emotionally that you don’t always get from rap?
Certain vocals, pitches and rhythms that I can’t find in rap, but in old-school R&B. That’s what I get — certain rhythms that people can’t repeat. They’re certain pockets that they can get that other rappers can’t hit.
Were there any R&B albums you looked to for inspiration when making your mixtape Champion Sound?
For some reason, I’m always listening to Lauryn Hill. Like before I even start the recording process, I’m always driving my car straight to the studio and playing Lauryn Hill. At home, I’m always listening to Lauryn Hill when I’m looking for motivation or something. Even just chilling, I listen to Lauryn Hill.
How did that album fall onto your lap?
My mom. She used to play a lot of her songs and tell me stories behind them. Like what those songs gotta do with her, or if they gotta do with Lauryn Hill. There always was a story. She stuck with me.
Your music can be melodic, painful, street and vulnerable all at once. Which side of Noodah do you think listeners still haven’t fully understood yet?
Hmm. That’s a good question. I feel like they’ve gotten every side. I feel like they have majority of every side. The love life and the fun — that’s all they need right there. That’s enough. The love life and the business.
Which side do you wanna show more of as you continue to evolve?
I really haven’t gotten around to that yet. I’m just going with the flow. The [fans] can get let in at any time because I be going with the flow, but I’m pretty open-minded. They internet can see through me. I don’t really have too much to hide.
Atlanta keeps producing new stars generation after generation. What does growing up in Atlanta give an artist that you don’t think can be taught anywhere else?
I don’t know if people be knowing, but we have a lot of talent. So to make it out of all that talent, it’s like you gotta be the one, feel me? There’s so many trials and tribulations. It’s always a new sound in Atlanta. So for you to make it out of there, that speaks volumes a lot. I don’t know if people be looking at our city like that place is tough. There’s always a new sound, new image, new person everyday. The way we work things is crazy.
Is there anyone from Atlanta that inspires you to where you kind of want to emulate their blueprint or path to success?
Andre 3000. He really from the city, but he different in his own way. That’s something that I want to emulate. He’s real. I’ve taken into a lot of stuff that he do. Even with his music, back then, a lot of people were into the hip-hop / rap, but he was doing “Hey Ya,” “Ms. Jackson,” while everyone was doing their thing. He was in his own world. That’s kind of the route I wanna go. I want my own world.
For a long time, you’ve been viewed as one of Atlanta’s hidden gems. Do you still feel like an underdog, or do you feel like people are finally catching up to what you’ve been building?
I’m not going to say everybody woke up until I have the whole world in my hand. I’m not ever going to stop pushing that agenda until I have the whole world in my hand.
“Around Me” has been making noise. Was there a specific moment when you realized this record was connecting differently than your other songs?
Nope, but my brother right there [point across the room], we always had this ear for sound, but his was a little bit better. We go through the same process every time. We chill, kick it. He listen to it, I listen to it and we do the same thing every time, like, “This hard.” The only thing that was different was I posted the song. I don’t know how many songs I have like that. You just never know. There was nothing about the process that was different. We’ve done this numerous times.
Is there a song on the project that you feel is slept-on?
“DMs.” It’s speaking a lot of rap. It’s speaking on-topic. You can feel from it. It’s just a good song all the way around and I don’t think people recognize it. It doesn’t get enough recognition and the beat was different.
When you look at where you are right now, what do you think still has to happen for Noodah05 to go from somebody people should know to somebody everybody knows?
What do you think has to happen?
We need a young star to come and break through. I think it’s crazy that Drake is the only hip-hop artist so far this year with a top ten song on the Hot 100.
See, we gotta change that. That’s what I’m here for. I’m like Thanos. I’m hungry. Where ever you lack at, I’m picking up at. Just stay in tuned and watch. We’re coming.
