NLE Choppa Brings In 18th Birthday With New Project “From Dark to Light”
NLE Choppa debuts his new project From Dark to Light Nov. 1, the same day as his 18th birthday. He spoke with us over the phone about his excitement and expectations for the release, why he decided to transform his life and some of his new daily practices. The young rapper found great success less than a year ago with his single “Shotta Flow” which received a great deal of attention going platinum and peaking at number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100.
NLE’s latest project opens with an introduction from the artist explaining how he is embracing his growth from darkness and the transformation toward his light. When we asked about his excitement for the release, he passionately answered, “I’m real excited. I’ve been trying to get this project in the works for months now. I’m real excited to see it come to life.”
The 13-track album begins with him pouring his heart out on the self-titled track “Bryson,” an authentic take on his new awakening. NLE speaks on everything from the karma he received after gaining fame to his political takes mentioning Donald Trump as the last presidential candidate. After asking about his creative process and what mood the listener should be in to properly take in From Dark to Light, NLE Choppa spoke on how important it is to be willing to learn something new.
“You got to be in a learning mood. The ‘Bryson’ song was a focus track. I dropped so many gems throughout the whole song. I don’t want no bars to go over nobody’s head in my light songs. If you apply them to your real life, you will see change immediately. Apply it to your life and I just know it will help someone.”
The video for Bryson dropped alongside the project on Nov. 1.
NLE also discussed that the inspiration behind the entire project came from within himself. He said that he searched for a way to incorporate both his old sound and his new sound. The transformed artist felt compelled to embrace and accept all sides of himself from his past to the present.
“The inspiration came from within. I was just looking for a way to put out some of these old songs I have but at the same time showing the growth that I have made with my new music, my new agenda, my new approach that I’m taking towards music. At the same time I wanted to go cold turkey with it and put straight new music, new flow but I still wanted to put some of my old songs. I feel like they are still great songs even though they are way more violent than what I’m going to be dropping now. But it’s all about accepting your darkness and growing from it. So that’s the concept of it.”
Initially, NLE mentioned on his Instagram that his new project would be released on 11/1 with a total of 11 songs.
Having knowledge of his newfound interests in numerology, we asked the significance of having 11 songs on the project. He explained that there were a few changes to the track list, but he still embraced the meaning behind the new number.
“The one represents new beginnings. I actually extended it to 12. I put one more with Big Sean, but its still in tune with numerology because 2 represents trust and faith in what you’re doing.”
He stressed not wanting the project to have more than 11 songs originally, but he loved the song featuring Big Sean too much to leave it off the project. The rapper could not seem to let any of the other songs go so he moved in a new direction. The project now consists of 13 tracks including the introduction track of him speaking.
Along with his interests in numerology, NLE Choppa has incorporated many new lifestyle changes. The rapper went viral on social media with videos of him gardening, meditating and doing yoga. He has even created a Youtube channel dedicated to his new way of living entitled “Awakened Choppa.”
When asked about his sudden lifestyle changes, he discussed his karmic discoveries and how meditation is the reason he truly transformed.
“I just started realizing the saying ‘you reap what you sow’ is true. The more good you put in, the more good you get out. If you doing straight negative, you get straight negative out of it. I was at a point where my soul felt a type of way. My soul was tired of certain things. Built in anger, built in guilt and built in shame from within that I couldn’t get out. Once I discovered meditation and how to get that inner peace with self, it’s just been on since then.”
NLE talks about doing more to stay grounded and in tune with the Earth. He spoke about his love for sun gazing and receiving downloads from the sun. He even mentioned writing down his dreams. The rapper has made huge improvements over his life. Some of the big changes include drinking more water, spring water to be exact, and eating better. He placed emphasis on meditation and acknowledging how meditation has unlocked his third eye allowing him to be more open to the endless possibilities of life.
With only two features from Big Sean and Ink on the project, NLE Choppa raps about self affirmations and speaking life over yourself. NLE schooled us on a new method for speaking positive affirmations that he uses to keep him focused and disciplined throughout the day.
“I wake up to writing down affirmations. I do something called the 3-6-9 method. 3 in the morning, 6 in the middle of the day and 9 before I go to sleep.”
He speaks about the 3-6-9 method on the album. The awakened artist tells us that he has over 70 affirmations written in his journal that he looks to daily. After asking what affirmations he recites most, he listed quite a few.
“I like to say doors are opening up bigger than I can imagine for me. I’m healthy as ever. The more you say it, the more you become it”
After speaking with NLE Choppa, the wisdom overtook the conversation and you almost forget that he just turned 18 years old. NLE Choppa comments on what he would tell his younger self knowing what he knows now.
“Age don’t mean nothing. I’m an old soul. I try not to focus on age. I feel like I’m way more than I am. Just remember your thoughts control your whole reality. Everything you think of you can accomplish. Your thoughts are your reality. People realize that and everybody would be up.”
NLE Choppa has matured quickly and it appears to be with great reason and intention. This summer, the young rapper became a girl dad as he welcomed the birth of his first child in June. He soon discovered that he would need to reshape his mindset and prioritize things differently with a newborn child to take care of.
He speaks on the effects of becoming a father with this quote.
“It effected a lot. Even when she was in the womb, I knew a lot had to change. Stop smoking, stop toting guns, and all that stuff. I cut a lot out of my life to be a better role model, better father for my daughter.”
NLE Choppa continues with, “I don’t think without her I would have sent a prayer to God to see a lot of these changes. She the main role in this story for real.”
NLE’s recent lifestyle changes have sparked an enormous shift beyond himself. He has even influenced his family and his fans to make transformative changes.
“The influence I been giving out is huge. My life path number is 7. One of the qualities is leadership. If I’m not being a leader, I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be doing.”
Speaking on his family, friends and fans making changes, “They got angels tatted on em, they meditating, everybody getting on their divine path.”
NLE Choppa’s project From Dark to Light is available now on all streaming platforms. When asked how the project would be received by his fans and the Hip Hop community, Choppa says, “I’ve been peeping the astrology and how everything in the sky been moving. Two full moons this month and another the day before my birthday. The full moon means wholeness and completion. That [full moon] coming the day before my birthday and I’ll also be 18. I’ll be grown. 8 is another number representing wholeness and completion and 1 represents new beginnings. So I just been looking at the astrology and numerology of everything, and just having faith, praying and steady speaking affirmations to the moon. I just know the spiritual work that I put in behind everything I been doing. Doing it for the right reasons, not jewelry, money, cars, hoes. If you doing the right thing I don’t see why not blessings and abundance coming my way and doors opening up bigger than I can imagine. I can feel It before it happens to me. It’s just all about being patient right now.”
We are certainly loving Awakened Choppa and how influential he is to his fans and the people surrounding him. He has continued to pour into his community and educate those who may not be privy to his new interests. It is important to have someone representing his generation and the generations to come in a positive light. He proves with this new project that artists can change the subject matter without changing the impact of their music. The new project shows the duality of his growth through his lens and transformational experiences.
Be sure to check out NLE Choppa’s latest project From Dark to Light available now on all streaming platforms and wish the budding artist a Happy Belated Birthday!
