This year was always going to be big for Blxst, whether the world was ending or not. You see, this year was his big debut. Underground fans and your favorite artists already knew what was up and had been working with Blxst for years, but he had yet to make a deep impact with his own music in the general consciousness and his debut solo project was meant to do just that.

Fully produced by Blxst himself and featuring literally no one, his No Love Lost EP was the initial introduction to Blxst for many, and the reception has been phenomenal. With new fans all over the world embracing Blxst and his music gaining more and more traction every day, it’s no wonder the South Central-native and his “Eagle Team,” what he calls the tight-knit crew of managers and creatives helping him maximize his potential, are planning to drop an expanded Deluxe Edition any day now.

But you have heard Blxst before No Love Lost, even if you didn’t realize it at the time. The self-taught production wizard has crafted beats for Kendrick Lamar and YG, among others, and has put out joint efforts with rising stars on the West Coast like Bino Rideaux, 1Take Jay, and Mozzy. And while Blxst loves working with his contemporaries, this year, he wanted to put out his own music, a body of work he’d stashed away for a while.

On the title track of No Love Lost, Blxst makes his intentions clear over an instrumental that sticks with you long after you hit play, letting the world know he’s making his move and not looking back. And he’s sorry if that means he won’t be around much anymore, assuring those expecting the old Blxst that there’s no love lost.

I caught up with the very busy Blxst to find out how he adjusted his plans for this year after everything changed, and also what the catering is like in those major label songwriter camps, because I know you wanted to know, too.

DUKE LONDON: Where are you at right now?
BLXST: I’m at the crib right now, in LA.

What was it like putting out a new project in the middle of a pandemic?
At first, I was a little nervous, you know? This is music that I’ve been sitting with for a minute, but ever since I put it out, I’ve been glad I did. It’s like therapy for me. And the response I’ve been getting from my listeners is crazy.

How long were you sitting on these songs?
About a year, I’d say. That’s how long it took me to put all this together.

There are no features on No Love Lost and you produced the whole thing, too. How long have you been making music?
Fresh out of high school, about eight years now. I started teaching myself how to use FL Studios on Youtube. I just kept downloading different programs and taught myself how to record.

With everyone stuck at home this year, do you think a lot of kids are doing that same thing?
A lot of people jumped on the wave now. It’s popular and it’s easy to learn with the new programs that are out today.

How long did it take while you were learning to find your distinct style?
It took me a minute. [Laughs] I had to put in my hours. Even to this day, I still feel like I’m perfecting my sound. I already have a sound people know me for, but it’s always a growing process.

Have you always sung and rapped, or did you start to lean more one way the more you developed your sound?
I always wanted to try singing but I was kind of insecure about my voice early on, so I was just rapping. But later on down the line, I felt like my voice developed enough to where I could operate in this certain pocket and be comfortable.

You’ve worked with a lot of high profile artists and you have a pretty lengthy resume in the industry, at what point did you feel ready to put out your own music?
I was always releasing music independently, and even though I didn’t feel I was the greatest, I felt like I always had the potential to be the greatest. I would put my music out as trial-and-error to see what the fans and my homies would say. Then, I used constructive criticism to better myself.

You have a project with Bino, and you’ve worked with a ton of different artists from LA, as well as other artists from around California, including a couple of singles with Mozzy. What other West Coast artists are you listening to, and who would you still like to work with?
For sure I want to lock in with Roddy. I want to do some more work with Ty, YG, you know.

What’s it like to work with Ty Dolla $ign? I feel like every song he touches turns to gold.
Man, that’s automatic. We’re kind of in the same pocket so it’s a great feeling to work with Ty. I’ve known him for a minute now. We met through a mutual friend, this songwriter Jizzle. She linked us up a long time ago.

You’ve been known to attend a lot of these songwriting camps for big-name artists or labels. What’s that process like and what is the biggest thing you learned working in that environment?
The biggest thing I learned was how to work with other people. The process is a really quick workflow, you knock out like eight songs every day. But at the same time, it’s a little easier because you have so much help around you. It’s a cool process, you get paid, you get food. You’re just doing what you love so there’s nothing wrong with it.

Do they cater one thing for everyone or do you get to pick what you want to eat every day in there?
[Laughs] It’s different every time, case by case. Sometimes they get one thing for everybody and other times, there’s a food budget and you can just Postmates whatever you want.

How has it been working mostly from home this year?
I recorded the whole project in this room I’m in right now. My son is in the next room, so sometimes it was tough and I had to isolate myself to get things done, whether it was recording or doing an interview like this. I have a really strong support system around me, so it makes it easier.

Did having a kid change your work ethic or make you change gears at all?
Yeah, for sure. Even outside of music, it just made me become more of who I wanted to be. And who I wanted to be was a person who was more in charge of my own situation. A boss. And my son gave that to me because now that he’s around, I have to be the best version of myself.

At what point will you teach him FL Studio?
[Laughs] He’s just gonna pick it up as he goes like his Dad did. When he sees me working, he’ll come touch all the buttons and I’ll let him rock out. I’m going to have a whole project produced by my son one day, just like Swizz Beatz.

What were some of the things you had planned for this year that you had to scrap?
I planned to do a lot of press and different activations and roll-outs and pop-ups this year but I haven’t been able to. I’m not scrapping it, but I was trying to become a homeowner this year. But it was a lot to even get this project out so that’s just postponed. You can’t just pick any house, you have to hone in and put some effort into it.

What’s next for you?
I’m putting out the deluxe edition of No Love Lost next, and I’m just keeping my foot on the gas. I feel like I’m still making a first impression, so I can’t let up. What I’m really looking forward to is hopefully doing shows next year. I can’t wait to perform and do festivals again. I need that energy from the fans.

What other ways have you found to connect with fans in the meantime?
Luckily, we were able to do an art installation at Del Amo Mall in Torrance. It was a COVID-friendly event and we had fans pull up and I got to sign posters for them and take some pictures. It was dope for me because I never had a bunch of people line up to see me before. So, it was an experience to actually see what my team had built.

How is your team built and how did you guys break through this past year or so?
I’ve been rocking with my team for about two years now, and we’ve all developed certain roles. And we had all been crossing paths prior to this situation, so now the five or six of us, from management to creative direction and a cameraman, just huddle up for each play. Whatever it is, we just execute. Shout out to my Eagle Team.