Whether you are a fan of the Fast and Furious film franchise or not, you probably have at the very least one of many franchise’s hit songs from its over 20-year historical past in your playlists. From hip-hop and pop to reggaeton and rock, the Fast Saga’s music is without delay eclectic and immediately iconic. Songs like Ludacris’s “Act a Fool” have been nominated for Grammys, whereas Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s emotional tribute to Paul Walker, “See You Again,” is the sixth-most-viewed music video of all time on YouTube, with almost six billion views.
The newest film within the franchise, “Fast X,” hits theaters on May 19, and the powers that be behind the movie enlisted a few of music’s heavy hitters for its essential music, “Angel Pt. 1”: NLE Choppa, Jimin of BTS, Muni Long, JVKE, and Kodak Black. Choppa is the youngest artist on the observe at solely 20 years outdated (he wasn’t even born when the saga’s first film, “The Fast and the Furious,” premiered in 2001), and but the rising hip-hop star out of Memphis, TN, has already surpassed 5.5 billion international streams along with his music simply 5 years after he emerged on the scene.
Choppa uniquely understands what makes a Fast and Furious music a fast-and-furious hit. His observe “Speed It Up” appeared on the “F9” soundtrack in 2021, and now “Angel Pt. 1” marks two important milestones for the rapper: it is the primary time his music was chosen as a essential single for a Fast and Furious film, and it allowed him to work with Ok-pop royalty: Jimin of BTS. “I knew that what I used to be doing was gonna progress to one thing huge, however typically God would not actually let you understand how huge it’s going be,” Choppa instructed POPSUGAR about this pivotal second in his profession.
Ahead, learn what NLE Choppa needed to say about “Angel Pt. 1,” together with the qualities he thinks make the music quick and livid and what it was like singing with Jimin.
POPSUGAR: What did the Fast and Furious franchise imply to you rising up?
NLE Choppa: I used to be an enormous fan, after all. “Fast and Furious” was a type of films that I type of grew up on, so simply to be part of this collection — I used to be part of it up to now . . . however a lead single this go round, and to have the ability to watch one thing since a baby and see it simply type of come to the doorstep if you develop up — it is type of like God foreshadows your future for you.
PS: As somebody with a number of songs contributed to the Fast saga, which qualities make a Fast and Furious music a Fast and Furious music?
Choppa: I really feel like each music that I’ve heard from the Fast and Furious — that they’ve actually been behind, that they actually stood on — is a music that represents triumph, the battle within the underdog. It represents one thing that is motivational or one thing that is overcoming. And these are the perfect songs. It provides you the chance to get motivated. It provides you the chance to go to the gymnasium. It provides you alternative if lease due. You really feel it. And that is what makes the perfect songs — when folks can relate to it on each degree.
To be capable of work with simply one of many guys from BTS — on the Fast and Furious soundtrack, one thing so huge — I really feel prefer it’s a fantastic factor, and it is a type of issues I prayed for. So, each time you hear BTS in my mouth or Jimin in my mouth, there’s gonna be a thanks behind it.
PS: “Angel Pt. 1” sees you collaborating with Jimin from BTS, Muni Long, JVKE, and Kodak Black. While the response to the music has been overwhelmingly constructive, what’s your message to the individuals who see this lineup as “random”?
Choppa: To be sincere, I really feel like it’s type of a random choose of who’s on the music. But should you erase each identify that is on this music — like should you erase my identify, should you erase Kodak, you erase Jimin, Muni Long — and also you simply launch it as “Angel,” and simply let this exit, folks will take heed to it and understand everybody performed and contributed to a job on this music and made an ideal music. Sometimes you get a music with 5 sturdy artists, and it feels like a mashup, however on this music, everybody had a job. It’s like a basketball staff: all people performed it properly and simply made probably the most stunning music we will make.
PS: You have 18 million followers throughout your social media accounts and billions of streams, however “Angel Pt. 1” is introducing you to an entire new equally passionate fan base within the BTS ARMY. How has the response from Jimin’s followers been to “Angel Pt. 1”?
Choppa: They have been loving it, and one of many issues that I emphasize is how grateful I’m to be part of it. I really feel loads of hip-hop artists do not understand how stunning the Ok-pop scene is, however I’m one of many few that is grateful for it. I’ve truly been for some time manifesting desirous to work with BTS and to have the ability to work with simply one of many guys from BTS — on the Fast and Furious soundtrack, one thing so huge — I really feel prefer it’s a fantastic factor, and it is a type of issues I prayed for. So, each time you hear BTS in my mouth or Jimin in my mouth, there’s gonna be a thanks behind it, as a result of I’m simply grateful understanding how huge that scene is and grateful to understand how huge the impression they’ve on Ok-pop is generally.
PS: How does making a music for a franchise as huge as Fast and Furious differ from making your individual music on your albums?
Choppa: Just understanding how aware you need to be on the purity of the music — not solely showcasing the kind of artist you might be as an individual but additionally understanding that the entire world is about to listen to it. So, [I asked myself,] “What about NLE Choppa would you like the entire world to remove from this music?” And that was merely [that] I might step as much as the plate and do a music on the caliber it may hit with everybody and relate with the entire world. My verse was primarily chatting with folks which can be household oriented, chatting with those who need to undergo triumph, chatting with those who maintain God first of their life, and simply issues of that nature. So, simply understanding that the entire world goes to listen to it, and I simply wished to talk to them.
PS: What is your favourite Fast and Furious music (aside from your individual)?
Choppa: “See You Again,” after all. You know, it is one of many largest hip-hop songs ever on the planet . . . it says rather a lot. . . . At the tip of the day, “See You Again” is at all times going to have its personal weight to it. But I really feel like that was the purpose with Fast and Furious this yr, to attempt to . . . make one thing that provides you that very same really feel of “See You Again,” and I really feel like they completed that.
PS: What was it like taking pictures the music video for “Angel Pt. 1”?
Choppa: Honestly, it is one of many dopest music movies I’ve been part of. Everyone has their second of stardom. Whoever’s half you are watching, you see the star in them, you see the star within the particular person. And that is what made this music collectively nice, is like everybody may very well be a star on the music, and everybody was a star.
PS: Are you excited to listen to “Angel Pt. 1” for the primary time on the massive display screen when “Fast X” premieres?
Choppa: I’m truly attempting to do one thing the place I take loads of youngsters to the flicks, since I work with the faculties and stuff in my metropolis. Take these youngsters that deserve it to go watch a film with me — that’d be dope.
“Angel Pt. 1” is streaming now on all main streamers, and you may hear it in theaters when “Fast X” premieres on May 19. NLE Choppa’s new album, “Cottonwood 2,” can also be streaming now on all main streamers.
This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.
Image Source: YouTube consumer NLE Choppa