LOVETOLIII REFLECTS ON CREATING "TOP PICK" AND SOME OF HIS BEST RAP MOMENTS

Growing up relatively poor in Bay View Hunters Point ( we were on a fixed income and our back yard was home to gang violence), my family has only recently realized the American dream. Specific changes within the last ten years contributed to our plan realization. Undoubtedly, Street Collective has been going hard this year pursuing their dreams thanks to San Francisco native LoveToliii, one of the sharpest minds in San Francisco's Hip-Hop scene. He continues to combine his love for rap and fashion for one of the best new artists out. The new single "Top Pick" breaks down key and insightful moments while navigating up and down the California coast, balancing college and his rap career.

Where are you from?

San Francisco, CA, Silver Terrace, to be exact.

How did you come up with your name Lovetoliii?

My last name is Tolliver, so Toliii is short for Tolliver I came up with the name messing around at first. Around the time Chief Keef came up with the name Lova Sosa, I made a quick rap, and I was singing around school like these bitches love "Toliii "also, I believe in love, and I think that love is important.  

How did you start making music?

I've always been involved in music. The schools I went to had music classes. At a young age, I learned how to use Garage Band, learning how to play guitar, recorder, and drums. Furthermore. I was learning how to play a whole bunch of different instruments. Also, my dad, I remember back in the early 2000s, had Pro Tools, a mic, and always recording. That was something he would do for fun. Therefore, I've always been around it. I probably recorded my first song in 2013 or 2014 using a laptop and some apple headphones.  

Secondly, how did you get into clothing?

I witnessed a lot of other artists do it, and read about how merchandise brings in a lot of music artists' income. In addition, I have never been someone to rock designer clothes, so I decided to come up with my stuff and not make it cheap but affordable. Also, I'm not trying to tax anybody for it. It's fun to make, add your style, and rock exclusive stuff that not everybody got on. Financially, it helps, and I can put that money into studio time and videos and do it like that.  

Did anybody teach you how to rap?

I've just been around the music, so you do what you see, watch somebody and be like, let me try that. Furthermore, you learn somebody else's rap. I was a vast Lil Bow Wow fan growing up, and "Like Mike" was one of my favorite movies. Additionally, in the movie single "Basketball," I would rap that song all the time. 

Do you remember the first rap you ever wrote?

I remember a TV show inspired the first rap I ever wrote. I watched Tyler Perry's "House of Payne," and there was an episode where Janine was strung out on crack cocaine, and the drug dealer's name was Blue. As a result, I just started rhyming stuff the word Blue because that's what was in my head.  

Who are some of your rap influences?

Lil Bow Wow and Drake with the singing and rapping when he came out with that first tape or EP, whatever it was with "Best I've ever had," I used to listen to that repeatedly. Moreover, that was around when I got an iPod, and I could hear the music I wanted to listen to. Not only … but also, I hear a lot of City artists. I love City artists, so I would listen to Stunnaman02 a lot. I still listen to him. I've known him for a while. He's always been like a big brother. For example, we got paired up with "Big Brother" because we went to the same school, and we were the only black kids at the school, so we were paired up. Lastly, I remember when we were in high school, and he was rapping. I was young and watched him and was like, that's dope, that's hard. 

What inspires you?

My day-to-day life inspires me by just being myself in my everyday life, whether that's the good, bad, or the funny. So to talk about that, I thrive on being different, talking about things from a different perspective. Because in rap, it's a lot of gang banging, drug dealing, and negative shit. I talk about shit. I don't gang bang theirs other things I may be able to relate to. I know other people like me don't do that shit, but I still like listening to it or listening to rap music in general. And everybody wants to be quote on quote be excellent, and I feel like I bring a different type of cool to the music. 

You just dropped a single titled "Thoughts," which you claimed was one of the most honest songs you wrote.

That was just a point in time. I was thinking about a bunch of shit in my life, and I just wrote it down. I touched on some stuff I was going through with my family, not being able to sleep at night, and I'm like a complex thinker. There was a time when I thought so hard I literally could not sleep unless I smoked. Also, as an artist, you post positive stuff around people, and people assume that everybody likes you. And that you feel so good cause you are always around people, and it's a lot of times where I feel lonely, and I touched on that too.  

You had the opportunity to perform at The Market Art Festival on Halloween. Can you tell me what that experience was like?

That experience was dope because I got to perform next to the Bart train, so that was some real Bay Area shit. I performed at other places that were real Bay Area, but the Bart train was there going by while I was performing. Shout out to DJ Sandio and JC, who put me onto that performance, but it was fantastic. There were a bunch of vendors and a couple of different artists. It was just a good time. And I feel like that was one of my best performances in terms of energy. Being able to talk to the crowd in the video, you see me say come closer. And everybody in the back came closer, which made me feel good because sometimes people aren't engaged or listening. But to have people engaged and listen makes me feel good. That makes me feel heard. Additionally, I hope to build off that and feed off the energy.

In addition, you recently graduated from Cal State LA. If you don't mind sharing with us what that journey was like?

Coming out of High School, I was an athlete. I've always been an athlete my whole life. But I wanted to run track, and I had the opportunity to runway at Cal State LA. It's division II. It's one of the top division II programs in the nation. Our team was stacked when I got there. We had dudes competing at the national level. I felt like that was going to be fun for me, and then throughout being in LA, I started to meet people, and I didn't always want to be a rapper or an artist. I wanted to be an AR or manager, so I met people that inspired me to make music, and then I started throwing parties and performing my songs at parties. And using school and music to get everything I wanted instead of I can't go to school because I want to be in the studio. Whereas I'm now okay if I go to school I see all these people and tell them to come to my party. Now everybody in the school is singing my song, and I'm working at the school and the basketball games and having them play it and perform it at the game's networking and implementing my music and pumping it into the school. 

Let's rewind real quick you dropped the single "Top Pick" in October. What was the motivation behind that song?

I currently live in LA, but the Bay Area, San Francisco specifically, still has my heart. That's where I shoot most of my videos, that's where I shot "Top Pick," where I record. I feel I get more love out here in general, so I drive back and forth. I come up here, handle my business and go right back down. Because I have my spot down there, which is fantastic. I like LA, but I was literally up and down the coast. In my song where I say, "I'm up and down the coast bitch I do this so often," I'm putting points on the board. Importantly, I mean work. I'm getting shit done, making money, and making merchandise. I'm just scoring every time I'm up and down the coast.  

Furthermore, you dropped your first ever 1010 EP that accumulated over 20,000 streams across all platforms.

That EP was my first quality project, and even now, looking back at it. I'm so much more developed now; I just wanted to give people something to listen to. And show them versatility, so I feel like I put like five songs on there. Also, I put five completely different pieces on there. It's a quick listen, and I'm hitting people from different angles. Therefore, when people look at my name, they have something to listen to versus when I drop my singles. Lastly, I feel like having a huge catalog is essential.     

Shortly after you dropped the "Hometeam," why is remaining authentic in your rap important?

I feel like it's unfair to talk about stuff you don't do or you don't live, especially as an artist, your role model, even if you don't want to be. Their people and kids that look up to you and you sitting up there talking about stuff you've never done. Additionally, you got these kids trying to do that stuff too. Further, it's stuff they don't need to be doing, and it's one thing if you live it, and that's your life. Consequently, there will be kids who grow up and live that life too. As a result, we don't have to influence kids to be doing stuff they don't have to be doing. Last but not least, I'm using my platform and voice to give kids something different to look at and emulate.  

Apart from this, you and D-Cola released a song titled "Wit me" had did this collaboration come about?

We have a whole project with Quake D-Cola, and I are excellent friends, and we're trying to bring a different sound and music to the City along with Quake. That song almost didn't get made because D-Cola at the time wanted a P-LO type of beat, some real Bay Area and HBK shit. Moreover, I fuck with P-LO and HBK, but I never rapped on that type of beat. And I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it. Finally, he recorded his verse, and mine was sitting for the longest I didn't want to do it. Not only … but also, they were like, "aww, he can't do it," so I was like, okay, they're doubting me now. I sat down and wrote it hella quick and recorded it the next day, and that shit went up. Subsequently, D-Cola said that it would be the number one song, and that song touched the radio on 95.7 The Game, which is dope because I didn't even want to make the song.  

Following yourself, QuakeBeatz, D-Cola dropped another slap titled "rodeo" what that process was like?

That song "Rodeo," when we decided we would do the project, I think "Rodeo" was either the first or second song we made. Additionally, I feel like that's one of the most problematic verses ever written. Also, I feel like I was sliding on that song, and how it came about was tricking and asking questions like if you trick?. Moreover, I was like, I don't trick, but if she's loyal and worth it, I will blow a bag on a girl that I care about. Then, Rodeo is also full of designer shit. I couldn't rap about that because that's not what I believe. Therefore, they helped me come at it from a different angle. We just talked our shit. Because it's called "Rodeo," we have to shoot the video on Rodeo, and because I live in Los Angeles, they drove down. Nevertheless, we shot the video, and we got cussed out that day too by Quakebeatz. He is hard on us sometimes.      

First and foremost, can you tell us about LoveCola EP? who the idea was? And what is that process like?

I, D-Cola, and Quakebeatz were locked in just on a friendly level and a musical level. In addition, me and D-Cola been talking about making more music together. Of course, we were like, let's do it, so we put together 5-6 songs and just started making them. Consequently, I would come back from Los Angeles and record it was a process, but we got it done. We decided to make music that's undeniably good and brings a different Bay Area perspective.

For this reason, the name LoveCola is the first part of my name and the last part of his name, and just put it together. Finally, we see the trend of two people teaming up in the City, such as Lil Beam and Zaybang. Those are my favorite duos. Additionally, you have Allblack and Offset Jim. I feel that working together and that teamwork is kind of what we're going for    

Above all, "choosy" is something I think many Bay Area folks can relate to but can you tell me what it means?

If she choosen, don't choose me and if she has to decide between him and me. Don't choose me because I'm not choosable. You either rock with me, or you don't  

Fourthly, the album cover of LoveCola, who designed it? And what was the inspiration behind it?

Quake did that artwork, and we were like, let's do some real San Francisco shit. So we just went down to Market street and parked Cola's car right in front of Westfield and took the picture.

Last but not least, how has the Bay Area shaped you? 

The Bay Area is full of culture, and when you go away, you see that it's no place like the Bay. Therefore, how I carry myself is just different, and very naturally, Bay Area people, when I go to Los Angeles, automatically know by how I talk, walk, and how I carry myself that I'm not from Los Angeles I'm from the Bay. Lastly, I indulge in the culture that influences me.