JID And Jon Batiste’s “Be Who You Are” Is Deeper Than A Song And Commercial
JID and Jon Batiste are embodying their new “Be Who You Are” campaign without even trying. The Dreamville rapper enthusiastically jumped on his interview less than a half hour before a photoshoot, and the Louisiana musician chatted over Zoom while getting his hair done. None of the success, acclaim, or money hindered them from remaining down to Earth; insightful discussions were had about the thing that unites people from all backgrounds: music.
The reason we all spoke is the Coca-Cola brand. For the first release from COKE STUDIO’s second season of global programming, the company enlisted Jon Batiste, JID, Camilo, Cat Burns, and NewJeans together on “Be Who You Are (Real Magic).”
“It just was really special because it’s a new normal now in the music industry; a certain demographic or a certain type of music isn’t necessarily the only thing that can be popular music,” the five-time GRAMMY winner said. “World music is becoming, and has become, this incredible force in our culture. It really does come across in that way when you see all of us standing next to each other.”
VIBE spoke with JID and Batiste about working alongside Coca-Cola, how the track came together, memories from shooting the music video, and more.
VIBE: How did it feel to be asked to be part of “Be Who You Are” for COKE STUDIO?
JID: It was kind of cool, because I’m from Atlanta, so growing up we used to go to the Coca-Cola factory downtown and drink all the Cokes from across the world. It was kind of like, cool and weird for us as kids, so to be a part of the campaign and just my roots, it’s like this is all my backyard. It kind of came full circle for me.
Jon Batiste: Well, I wasn’t looking to do anything like this. I wasn’t even imagining anything of this scale like this, but it was [an] incredible opportunity that came to me via Coca-Cola. They called and said they wanted to do a music campaign and I didn’t know what that meant, so we talked about it more. They were just like, ‘This is an idea that we have of running this next season like it’s a music drop, and we would love for you to compose the song and bring in collaborators.’
And I’ve been on this real journey right now, just exploring the way that pop music and world music have started to become more and more synonymous with each other over the last decade or so. So it just was the perfect thing ’cause Coca-Cola’s one of the biggest platforms out there, and it’ll be in all of these places in the world. And we just decided, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s do a music drop, and let’s make the song of the summer. And let’s speak to what the culture is giving us right now.’
You specifically picked everyone who was on the song?
Batiste: Yeah. I was so thrilled to be a part of bringing some folks who I knew, some friends, and then also some artists–incredible artists–who I didn’t know, bringing them into the song. And I had a great feeling about it, but it just exceeded all expectations. It just was really special because it’s a new normal now in the music industry; a certain demographic or a certain type of music isn’t necessarily the only thing that can be popular music. World music is becoming, and has become, this incredible force in our culture. It really does come across in that way when you see all of us standing next to each other.
JID is incredible, incredible. New Jeans is just phenomenal. Go see them live! Camillo, the same. His show is a revival. It’s a spiritual experience. Cat Burns. Her voice, one of the best out there. In general, I just felt good about how it’s come out.
Do you have any fond memories from shooting the music video? The visual effects were really cool.
JID: Yeah. It was my first time being in Mexico, and just meeting a lot of the people that worked with the staff, and just the different ways that we shot the video. It was really cool to see the final product today.
The message of “Be Who You Are” is something that everyone can relate to. It’s something that you hear throughout your entire life from when you’re a kid to even as an adult. What does it mean to you?
JID: It’s essentially just being comfortable in my own skin, in different surroundings, and stuff like that, and just being able to look myself in the mirror and make my decisions day by day. So, being who I am is just, like I said, straight comfortability with who you are and true.
Batiste: Oh, man, you’re right. It’s funny you say, ‘As a kid,’ ’cause the concept of the song came–I was having a conversation with my co-writer on the song, Jon Bellion. We were just on a break from writing around the piano, and he says, ‘Man, you just have this energy about you that’s like–it’s very youthful. How do you keep that?’ And I was just like, ‘Man, I feel the same about you. That’s why we click. You can only be who you are.’ And I just said it, you know what I mean? I was like, ‘You can only be who you are.’ And he was just like, ‘Bro, write that down.’
That was the beginning, literally. Just talking about staying connected to that inner child. ‘Cause when you’re a kid, you don’t think about it. You’re not thinking about, ‘Oh, I got to figure out how to be or what to be. You just are who you are, you know?’
One thing I’ve enjoyed about following your career is you rap on a lot of different beats. You do a lot of different things. You can appeal to a lot of different people, working with Doja Cat and Imagine Dragons, and even the people who are on “Be Who You Are.” Who are some other artists, outside of Hip-Hop and R&B, that you would like to work with?
JID: Let’s see. Beyoncé. Let’s start there. Let’s start with Beyoncé and then Ed Sheeran. I already got a song with Doja, so that’s cool. Griff, she’s like a UK artist. She’s great. And one more, I would say Girl in Red.
Obviously, you’ve achieved some very high highs, namely Album of the Year at the Grammys. What’s the most rewarding aspect of making music for you?
Batiste: There’s people who I’ve been knowing for the better part of my life, my wife included. Some of my oldest friends, some of my folks on the team who I work with. It’s typically when I make something that we’re all proud of. That’s an incredible honor because they’re the realest people, and they keep me grounded. That’s really the most important to me, just to stay authentic and not let any of the stuff get to my head. Or get caught up in any of the stuff that this industry can pull you away from by you investing so much into certain things.
I’m proud of the things that I’ve achieved, but mostly when I make something and my inner circle and I really connect to it. And also, just the creative process in general. When I have an idea that’s in my head, and it’s very ambitious creatively, and I figure out a way to make it a reality, that’s my favorite part. To me, that’s like a drug. Whew. I’m really, really so rewarded just by that–that sometimes, once it’s made, I’m like, “Oh, man. Wow. And we get to share this with the world? And people get to feel the vibration of this too?”
I’ve got to ask. You and Metro Boomin teased the project a few months ago. What’s the status of that?
JID: I’m not telling anybody anything about this project. Me and Metro said, ‘We’re not talking about it until it’s here.’ So, we announced, we let them know what’s happening. I’m going to let you know it is happening, but as far as any spoilers or anything, it’s going to be like nothing you ever saw before. So, I’m not even going to get deep into it with you, bro.
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