A Sacred Utterance: Noble Lyfe On His Album “Mantra Music”
He simply calls it “Bop ya head” music.
Photography by Karon Sanders. Creative Direction by Grace Cardozo.
In the world, according to Noble Lyfe, all inspiration begins with music. However, when mantras and affirmations define the music, you’re faced with a new sense of confidence and positivity. That’s the case with the Brooklyn native’s latest album, Mantra Music. Released on August 13, Noble Lyfe’s sophomore album is intended not only to give a self-esteem boost but to help you feel inspired, creative, and validated. The multifaceted artist reaches new levels of introspection and dynamics through his life’s journey of love, hardships, and self-reflection.
“The creative process of the album was built around sharing the things I say to myself in the mirror in a creative way for listeners to digest,” Noble says. “I would usually start with a singular line or a few lines that resonated with me while listening to the production.” One song that hit close to home for him was “2 Pretty,” an anthem he dedicates to those who are unbothered. Regardless of what life throws at him, he will always shine. “‘I’m too pretty for the BS. My life shines VVS.’ That’s how I felt at the moment, though,” he says. “I was sitting in a very nice room in SoHo House Meatpacking while enjoying a mocktail and great food.”
“Today, I woke up sad but still had to chase a bag.”
Traveling and creating new memories were central to the execution of Mantra Music. Whether it was visiting SoHo House to photograph the album cover, traveling to Europe for Fashion Week, or getting in touch with his roots in Guyana, these experiences helped shape his newfound passion for taking a few steps back, living in the moment, and appreciating what’s in front of him.
If Noble Lyfe could place this under any genre — he wouldn’t. He simply calls it “Bop ya head” music. Mantra Music’s tranquil and reassuring lyrics are complemented by uplifting, energetic beats, giving listeners the versatility to bounce their heads to the songs, do a 2-step, or freely move their bodies. “Last year, I dropped a project called Groovy Gangsta Music, and I think that is a genre within itself,” he says. “The production is usually upbeat with jazz or 80s soft rock influences, and the lyrics are almost always braggadocios.”
Photography by Karon Sanders. Creative Direction by Grace Cardozo.
Mantra Music is filled with double-entendre lyrics. Whether that’s shown as self-doubt turned into self-assurance, metaphors, leaving things up to the universe that he can’t control, or perception, Noble opens up in ways he never has. He aims to express that vulnerability to listeners so they can look in the mirror and do the same. The album includes features with Karrahbooo and luh dutty on “2 Pretty” and “Shoulda Lean.” Like most of his relationships, these collaborations came organically by taking risks.
“I had followed Karrahbooo for a while before she blew up, and I had taken down her email a while back before she blew up off of ‘Box the 40’ and her On The Radar Freestyle,” Noble says. “Once she became super big, she didn’t have her email in her bio anymore, but I still had it written down. I took a shot in the dark and emailed her and told her I had a record for her, and I knew it would be perfect because it reminded me of the production of the Concrete cipher on OTR. Once she heard the song, she was super excited and put me in contact with her manager, and honestly, she sent me the verse back the next day. I didn’t realize how fast some people work. With luh dutty, I’ve actually known him for years, and we have a few songs together that were released before and are unreleased. He is a superstar in the making. I sent him the open for ‘Shoulda Lean’ because he shares that same braggadocios attitude as me in his music, so I knew it would be a perfect match.”
“They say, Noble, ‘you seasoned man,’ that’s ‘cause I put the thyme in.”
As a genreless artist, Noble says being a Brooklyn native didn’t shape how he makes music but has shaped who he is as a person. Being from the same city as icons like Jay-Z, Biggie, and Pop Smoke, the city has influenced how Noble carries himself through natural swag, style, and personality. However, his musical inspirations are branched out throughout the country. He hopes to collaborate with some of his favorite artists like Tyler, The Creator, SZA, Flo Milli, Latto, Baby Keem, Laila, Chow Lee, Tyla, and Cash Cobain.
Photography by Karon Sanders. Creative Direction by Grace Cardozo.
“I think my overall style is very unique,” he says. “If you look at a single dimension in any person, we all favor somebody or take inspiration from somewhere, but I think the unique mix of my style, lyricism, and ability to still make a super catchy bop breeds an artist that we haven’t really seen before on the mainstream level.” Noble wants to keep the ball rolling. Despite the recent release of Mantra Music, he says he expects to release another project at the end of this year and another one in the first quarter of next year.
To continue paving the way for genre-bending artists like him, Noble says he’s dedicated to “being myself as loudly as I can be without letting the fear of failure slow me down. If you really love the art form, it’s our responsibility as artists to continue practicing that art even if we don’t see success the way we want it.”
