HEADS KNOW TAPE 005: Andre Gee
An interview and mix from the DC-bred writer and beatmaker.
Photo: Courtesy of Andre Gee
HEADS KNOW TAPES is our mix and interview series, curated to introduce you to the most exciting innovators, selectors, and artists from New York City and beyond.
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Andre Gee would write for free if he had to. That’s what he told me during this interview at least. Despite the manic state of journalism, he makes it clear that people are still passionate about the trade—even if corporate leeches try to take that away.
The DC-bred, Brooklyn-based writer and beatmaker is known for sharing his critical analysis of the music industry, especially as it relates to the hip-hop scene. After freelancing for various publications, he launched his own morefire. newsletter on Substack. From there, he secured a rare full-time writer gig at Complex, where he penned the “Going Left” column, which was focused on names in underground hip-hop, and discussed topics like the criminal justice system’s predatory hold on street rap and why rappers have to say they’re lying in their lyrics.
Now a full-time rap writer at Rolling Stone, Gee is continuing to share his thoughts on hip-hop’s ever-changing presence in the zeitgeist while also documenting what’s happening today.
Andre and I became good friends on Twitter after we both realized we didn’t have many friends to go to shows with—back when I was a rap writer, too. Together, we began organizing dinners and activities with all of the rap writers in New York City, just to make the space feel less cutthroat than it needs to be.
He’s one of the most thoughtful, caring and encouraging people in the scene, so I’m happy I’m able to let him sit on the other side of the couch for this HEADS KNOW interview. Check out our conversation below and listen to his easy-listening hip-hop mix while you’re at it.
Hey Andre, thanks for doing this mix with us! How's the start of your 2024 so far?
It’s been well! I went out of town for a big story and explored some exciting projects to start the year. I’m trying to keep pushing myself out of my comfort zone steadily.
What's the earliest memory of music that made you realize how important it was to you?
It’s probably the way listening to music was a refuge for me as a kid who often felt alone.
I know you're a beatmaker, too. What came first—journalism or producing?
Beatmaking! I made my first beat in June of 2006 on a laptop I got after graduating high school. Didn’t start writing again until 2011 or so.
You have a newsletter called more fire. and your first staff writing job was writing features and columns at Complex. How did you find your knack for opinion pieces?
The biggest challenge has always been trying to convince my editors when we should cover indie rap artists in an ecosystem that’s so dependent on commercial stars.
The biggest reward is feeling like your coverage is actually appreciated. I don’t think most major-label artists give a fuck about the press. Interviewing commercial artists often feels like, for probably everyone involved but the writer, an album cycle chore. Maybe a lot of indie rappers don’t care either, but they can at least appreciate that the look will help their visibility.
Can you tell me about a time an interview really surprised you?
I’m unpleasantly surprised once a week, but let me not be cynical…I don’t think I can think of a really jarring surprise off the top of my head, but I’ll say when 50 Cent mentioned being in therapy and realizing the conditioning that most men go through. I’d have asked him more about it if I wasn’t on a time crunch.
A lot of the places we've both contributed to are shutting down. What can you say about the state of journalism that can encourage people to continue to pursue it as a career?
For me, journalism is service. I can’t let any infrastructural changes shake my passion to tell stories and say what needs to be said. I was writing for free because I was passionate about it. And if it ever comes to it, that’s what I’ll be doing again. I see how rough it is out here, but I think through it all the most rewarding thing for all of us is contributing to a culture we love, and continuing the lineage of the media personalities we grew up reading, watching, and listening to. Don’t lose sight of the purpose.
I think the scene is shifting in a way that will give individual writers more power. I know “everybody can’t have a newsletter,” but I’m proof that if you do good work, people will gravitate to what you have going on. I’ll also say that it’s really important to be curious about storytelling in all kinds of formats. The more you diversify the more opportunity you have.
I read that writing in forums was good practice for writing and that's one of the ways I got my start. What's the most unexpected way you've found that has helped you improve as a writer?
I was on forums too in their early-mid-2000s heyday, that was probably my first long-form writing outside of school essays. I wrote a lot on Tumblr too.
But as a big basketball fan, I’m inspired by hearing about how hard players work on their craft and seeing how the results manifest on the court. The player who breaks out a new move or has a prolonged stretch of excellent play was working in the gym advancing their game when no one was looking. Similarly, I feel motivated to refine my craft by reading to observe other writing styles, and also just be writing a lot to stay sharp.
In the last few years, you've built a community with the journalists in New York City—a place that most people view as the most competitve in the world. Why was doing that so important to you?
The main thing was being around like-minded people. I find writers to be intellectually curious, not easily impressed, and a bit cynical, all of which I relate to. I’ve also just always romanticized the idea of powerful minds knowing each other and building with each other…throughout history, you’ll see that a lot of your favorite writers in an era had community with each other. It just makes no sense to only interact with each other on Twitter if we live in the same damn city.
What do you wish you saw more of in the music industry?
I want more men to look inward and figure out how they can thematically push boundaries. What do they think about the nature of manhood, existence, purpose? There are plenty of artists doing that, but there could be more, especially in the mainstream. I think a lot of rap in that sphere is boring because it reflects a stale, boring, reductive view of masculinity. People feel like everything’s been said, but I don’t think enough brilliant artists are making the kind of realizations to push boundaries and amplify new themes.
What can we expect from this mix?
My favorite kind of mixes showcase a song, then a rap song that sampled it. I have that vibe going on with some of my favorite (mostly soul) samples, including some beats of my own toward the end. Then I swerved and had some fun at the very end.
Is there anything I haven't asked you that you want to talk about? Anything you want to promote?
I’d love to collaborate with some artists this year and make them some beats. If you like what you hear in my mix hit me up; but just don’t be weird and bring up coverage.
Support Andre Gee on Instagram, Twitter, and SoundCloud, plus subscribe to his Substack.
TRACKLIST
Ponderosa Twins - Bound
Sauce Walka - Dangerous Daringer
The Fascinations - Can’t Stay Away From You
Sauce Walka - R.I.P. Buddy
Alberto Favero - Segundo Movimiento (Quinteto)
Westside Gunn ft. StoveGod Cooks, Boldy James, Sauce Walka - Westheimer
Norman Feels - Where Or When
Currensy ft. Boldy James - No Yeast
Patrick Swayze - Like The Wind
French Montana & Max B - Wake Up In The Morning
Pleasure - Farewell, Goodbye
Max B - Why You Do That
Side Effect - The Loneliest Man In Town
Max B - Movin On Out The Door
Luther Vandross - Never Too Much
Gucci Mane ft. Three 6 Mafia, Young Joc, OJ Da Juiceman - Never Too Much Remix
Days Of Our Lives Theme
Project Pat - North Memphis
Rose Royce - Love Don’t Live Here
Hypnotize Camp Posse - Choices Posse Song
Laboratorium - I’m Sorry, I’m Not Driver
Paul Wall & Termanology - No Asterisk
Ronnie Aldrich - It Never Rains In Southern California (Easy Listening version)
Drake - What’s Next (andrejgee remix)
Brian Bennett - Earthborn
Meek Mill - Hot 97 Freestyle (andrejgee remix)
Smokey Robinson - Will You Love Me In The Morning
Lil Wayne - A Milli (andrejgee remix)
Brandy - Brokenhearted
Pusha T - Games We Play (andrejgee remix)
andrejgee - I Wanna
