On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill heads south to explore the past, present and future of New Orleans hip-hop with rising rapper, producer and 2026 XXL Freshman La Reezy.

La Reezy shares how filming run-and-gun videos around his hometown helped him build an audience outside Louisiana, how a viral streetcar performance caught PJ Morton’s attention, and why he considers himself a “leader of the youth” within a new generation of New Orleans artists. For La Reezy, representing the city isn’t simply an aesthetic, it’s central to his strategy, community and identity.

Fresh off recognition from the National Hip-Hop Museum and an appearance in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl experience, La Reezy also opens up about faith, family, learning from Jon Batiste, studying Kendrick from behind the scenes and his ambitions beyond music. La Reezy breaks down:

Why representing your hometown can be a competitive advantage

The streetcar video that caught PJ Morton’s attention

Performing at Keith Lee’s Family Day

The ideas behind his debut album, Skiddle Bandana

His dream of producing for Lil Wayne and NBA YoungBoy  

Check out archived episodes of The Almanac of Rap at: https://almanacofrap.com/  📚

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Album: Skiddle Bandana

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