J.I.D Explains Why It's Hard To Perform "The Forever Story"

The Atlanta rap leader said that performing through that stellar album's material leaves him emotionally "cooked."

BYGabriel Bras Nevares
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Great art can take a heavy personal toll, especially when you're reliving dense experiences night after night to cheers of thousands. J.I.D recently explained during an interview with People why his acclaimed album The Forever Story is hard to perform. While it's become one of the most acclaimed rap projects of the last decade, it's incredibly taxing to evoke that deep story on stage. Of course, the Dreamville MC is incredibly grateful for all the praise and excitement surrounding his latest LP. However, he does have his reservations about this phase of his career, and is looking forward to the next step.

“I see people comparing me to people I should never be compared to,” the 32-year-old expressed. “And not in a positive way, like comparing me to DMX or André 3000. That’s why Twitter is the wild, wild west because you could just say anything and it could be a topic of conversation. But yeah, I see a lot of conversations around the project and people saying that it put me in a different position with it. I still got goals to go forward.

It's Hard To Perform The Greatness On "The Forever Story" For J.I.D

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 19: Rapper J.I.D performs onstage during his 'Luv Is 4ever' tour at Coca-Cola Roxy on February 19, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

"This project, it’s helping open up the door for the rest of the stuff I’m going to be doing," he continued. "So I like how intentional it was. And it was so serious, to the point like I have to have fun on the next one. Because I was a little stressed. I was going through emotional s**t, I was digging up old traumas. I was dialing backwards. It’s hard to perform it every night, you know what I’m saying? I’m ready for the next album cycle. The [setlist] stretch from ‘Sistanem’ to ‘Kody Blu 31,’ I’m cooked. And then ‘Workin Out,’ I’m cooked. Yeah, I’m an emotional wreck at that point.

Also, fans may remember the "Raydar" rapper's recent remarks about free styling, which involved his Funk Flex appearance. After stating that Funk's lackluster response dissuaded him from free styling again, the radio legend responded. While they haven't confirmed anything yet, it's all love between the two and only time will tell if Flex brings him back in a booth. Regardless, come back to HNHH for the latest news, updates, and greatness from J.I.D.

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About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.