Rhap Session: Santogold

by Angela Bruno

They say all that glitters is not gold. But all that simmers may just be damn good. The birth of Santogold, nee Philadelphia native, Brooklyn transplant Santi White, was a slow-cooked process, over low flame, that ran the course of a few creative reincarnations. And her self-titled debut is fork-tender – the right textures (dub, new wave, electro, cryptic siren songs) matched with the right flavors (production by Switch, Diplo, the late Disco D, more). By now, you may be familiar with her chronology: music major; A&R intern; frontwoman for the ska-punk band Stiffed; and currently, true-to-the-hype mash-up innovator. She penned/produced Res' slept-on debut How I Do, worked with Mark Ronson, wrote Lily Allen's "Littlest Things" and a couple of tracks for Ashlee Simpon, opened for Björk – and she's M.I.A.'s homegirl. Rhapsody spoke to Santi a few months before Santogold dropped. Here, she delivers the goods on taking control of her career, bucking race/gender roles, mind-melding with Darryl of Bad Brains, kicking it with M.I.A. and Spank Rock, and much, much more.

Behind the music
"L.E.S. Artistes" is about coming back to New York [after Stiffed dissolved] and feeling really vulnerable. New York is a place where there's constant stimulation and inspiration, and at the same time, you can disappear. You can sort of be like a fly on the wall in New York. And Philly – it's sooo small. And not that inspirational [laughs], but it is because there's no constant hustle and it's not that hard on you. New York's just go, go, go. But I was ready to get out of Philly. I was ready to get back to doing the things that I love, but  I wasn't really ready for the hustle and bustle of the city and the harshness of it.  … Then it was also sort of making fun of those people that are so-called artists – just to be in a scene. [Laughs.]

A lot of my songs are about people having the courage and the strength to find a voice and speak up about what they believe in. "Shove It" is about [disillusionment] with the government. "Lights Out" is basically about pulling the wool over your eyes, and "You don’t have to worry, we’re taking care of everything" – which is what most Americans want to hear. I don’t want to make it sound like I’m super political – not that I’m not, just not in a very literal way. But these are the things that were on my mind, and I think they should be on everybody’s mind, because sh*t’s f*ck*d up.

"The songs are f*ck*ng hard to sing."
Vocally, I really pushed myself on this song called "Anne" – which is over a Kraftwerk sample – "My Superman" and this other song called "I'm a Lady," which was a really weird one for me – like Johnny Cash meets Cocteau Twins. [Laughs.] When I get up on the stage as Santogold, you can't just jump around and act crazy – because the music's not like that, it's not as fast. It's just pure energy and the singing's harder! Sooo much harder, so you're like winded. The songs are f*ck*ng hard to sing. I'm like screaming at the top of my lungs and then I'm [whispering] softly. ... I lost my voice the week before I recorded a lot of the record and it came back super deep. And I'm like, "This is cool!" So, I sang all these deep songs.

(Photo: Kathryn Yu)

Jumping hurdles
For a long time, I felt really alienated in trying to do things that I was trying to do. Especially as a woman of color trying to do music that wasn't hip-hop or R&B. I remember when I first started Stiffed and everybody was trying to put me in this "black rock" movement – and I was like, "What is that?" This is rock music – it's not a different kind of rock because I'm black. You know? That really bothered me. But talking to people from Bad Brains like Darryl – he's like, "Yeh, they're always trying to do that sh*t. Don't worry about it." [Laughs.] I have always looked up to people who are really legitimate in their scenes. And it's really just stupid to try to come up with a new category just based on your race – especially when talking about music. Music's just so not based on any of that stuff.

I think that it is really difficult as a woman in the music field because, on the artistic side, it's mostly men. As far as pop singers go, it's like "Insert girl. Sing." But as far as actually doing the creative work, there are not that many women that are hands on. And so when you are, people are caught off guard. And it took me a while to learn how to deal with it without getting frustrated and upset and then flipping out – which is exactly what they expect you to do and then call you a bitch. ... As a woman, you just have to learn to ask for stuff that you want and kinda demand for stuff that you know you deserve. And speak up – especially as an artist – when that's not what you had in mind. It's your career – you just can't let someone else run the show. For me what's been the most important  is to learn the language. ... And that took a minute. I realized that if I said something and I didn't know what I was talking about, people were like, "Ohhh god, she's just trying to be involved ..." And I really don't know all the language – but creatively, I really know what I'm talking about now.

Girl talk: hanging with M.I.A. and hipster rapper Amanda Blank
What's really cool is that – and I've never had this before – I have a group of girls that actually know what I'm talking about, when I'm talking about my music hardships. It's a great support system. It's really rare that you meet people that are A) creatively your peers and really inspiring and wonderful, and B) quality, quality people that you really care about being friends with. That's so rare. They're really strong, creative, amazing, interesting women. ... And it's nice to have that.

I'm pretty antisocial, and it really stresses me out to have small talk with people. I am really into – and also a lot of the things that I write about on my records are feelings – really going deep into the psychology behind everything that you do and the decisions that you make. Internal conversations, you know? And so, when I talk to my friends, a lot of the times, that is what our conversations are about. ... Honestly, that's what I talk to Amanda and M.I.A. about – that real stuff. ... M.I.A. likes to talk about boys [laughs], so we do that.

(Photo: Kathryn Yu)

Brushing off her shoulders: the M.I.A. comparisons
I really don't care anymore. I think people need a point of reference is what I always say. It's just gonna happen when you're a new artist; you're gonna get compared to somebody. And seeing that we're friends, we're in the same scene, work with some of the same producers – it's just an obvious comparison. But I'm not concerned about it because I don't think my sh*t sounds like hers. And if anything, because of the rappy style, "Creator"'s gonna get that the most and it's a Switch track. When my record comes out, I'm not gonna have to worry about any of that stuff anymore. You can't really care about what people are saying – like I said, I feel really confident about what I do and I don't think it's anything I have to react to.

B-O-O-T-A-Y beats: working with Naeem from Spank Rock
Naeem told me I had to be super nasty if I wanted to be on the song ["B-O-O-T-A-Y"]. And I really wanted to be on the song 'cause I LOVED it. I really can get into character for different stuff. ... It's like acting, I guess. That's what so thrilling about writing songs is that you get to experience different parts of yourself that maybe don't have an outlet.

Some of the stuff [he raps about], I'm like, "Woah" ... but his intentions in general is to make music that's fun and smart and good. I love music that's fun and smart and good, I don't care what they're talking about – I can get down with it. But, what I like about his is he says it is … promoting free sexuality, which, I know Naeem and that is what he's trying to do. Naeem's face in some girl's crotch – it really is for everybody and it's not meant to be demeaning to anybody.

Love/hate: hip-hop  
Hip-hop is f*ck*d up right now, honest to God! And it's really sad because it started in such an amazing, positive and uplifting place. And it's just turned into some f*ck*ng bullsh*t that has really affected youth culture terribly. I grew up on hip-hop. I love hip-hop. Hip-hop was amazing back then. The lyrics were good. And now it's just like – it's the same sh*t over and over and over. And cocaine like it's so f*ck*ng cool. And they kill each other and like brag about it. And they do stupid sh*t, like have sick talent and get f*ck*ng put in jail for carrying weapons when you have such a wonderful thing going for yourself because you have to uphold this stupid-ass image ... Same sh*t with the hipster sh*t too. I'm not just condemning hip-hop, but people are like dropping like flies.

Further Reading:
Electioneering '08: Santogold Rages Against the Machine