On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with visionary producer, filmmaker, label founder, and creative architect Flying Lotus for a wide-ranging conversation about music, film, creativity, and the art of world-building.
From pioneering the Los Angeles beat scene and launching Brainfeeder Records to directing boundary-pushing films and secretly becoming Captain Murphy, Flying Lotus has spent his career challenging expectations and creating entirely new lanes for artists to exist in.
FlyLo discusses his upcoming EP Big Mama, a meticulously crafted project built without loops and designed to feel alive, constantly evolving, and impossible to predict. He also reflects on growing up surrounded by musical greatness through the legacy of Alice Coltrane, how family shaped his understanding of creativity, and why seeing artistic success firsthand made it easier to imagine his own future. Flying Lotus breaks down:
The origins of Brainfeeder Records and working with artists like Thundercat, Kamasi Washington, and Louis Cole
Growing up in the legacy of Alice Coltrane and Marilyn McLeod
The challenges of filmmaking versus music production, and directing Kuso and Ash
Producing music with computers during an era dominated by hardware
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Music: Flying Lotus - BIG MAMA
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