There’s Beauty in The Struggle, Look I’m Gorgeous: An Interview with THOMAS BURGUNDY

“Burgundy is love. Burgundy is self-love. Burgundy is loving one another. Burgundy is doing what you love.” — Thomas Burgundy, burgundycollection.com 

Meet Thomas Burgundy.

At 23, he’s an educator, a rap artist, and the creator & owner of (burgundycollection.)  Thomas Burgundy is one of the most uplifting, genuine, talented, and hilarious people I know. His music, mindset, and lifestyle transcend genres and labels. If you can’t take my words for it, read his.

Jessi: How would you describe yourself and your music for people who are just getting to know you?

Thomas Burgundy: If I had to [...], I’d say: intentional. Everything has intention behind it. [It’s] created from a place of honesty with longevity in mind; the main intention is always to resonate. I make music that I want to listen to, so anybody that feels how I feel gon’ feel it. My first album was very raw, socio-politically driven, & [about] how I maneuvered where I’m from at 20 years old. But 3 years later, this next album focuses more on my personal life — my growth, letting go of fears & trauma, relationship shit, my latest perspective on religion & [my] relationship with God. It definitely has a lot of highs & lows. It gets dark, but there’s much more joy in this next project, & a lot of flexing. It’s still in the creation process, but I’d say: hip hop meets neo-soul meets R&B meets classical with a touch of funk, with lyrics that make you go “mmh.”

J: Can you talk a little more about what the name “Burgundy” means to you? Where did it come from? And why that color?

TB: Burgundy has always been my favorite color. Interestingly enough, it’s one of both my mom & pop’s favorite colors too. When we were all a family together, we had a burgundy Volvo 740. Then when [they] split, my mom took my brother, sister, myself, & the burgundy Volvo. When we had nothing, not even our own place to call home, we had that burgundy Volvo. 

A few years ago I looked into color therapy & the psychology behind what certain colors represent & their healing properties etc. I learned that burgundy represents prosperity, determined ambition, vigor, strong will, passion, & “If I want it, I’mma get it.” That’s how I feel. But for me, it’s all rooted in love. Love for oneself. Love for others. Doing what you love. I want to keep that Burgundy energy with everything I do. It’s a mindset. When someone says they’re feeling blue, we know they’re feeling sad or down. So I took burgundy, & now someone can say they’re feeling burgundy; that means they’re feeling ambitious & determined to do whatever they set out to do, nahmsayin?

J: Being a rap artist is a large part of your identity. When did you start rapping? And, how and why did you start Burgundy Collection?

TB: I started rapping in 2009 when I was about 12. I fell in love with metaphors, similes, punch lines, wordplay, & multisyllabic rhyme schemes. I didn’t really have the capacity to talk about life experiences yet, so I would just aim to be more clever than all my favorite rappers. So I’d read the dictionary & thesaurus to add flavor to how I was the “best rapper alive.” It wasn’t til 7 years later that I actually had the opportunity to record my first song, in my homie Jalen’s bedroom on his dinosaur laptop. In 2017, when I put out my first album, from that same room & dinosaur laptop, I was planning an album release show/party & I wanted to have merch for whoever showed up. I was always inspired by how Nipsey & Phora moved with their merch. But at that time, I didn’t have any merch yet. So I was like... you know what, imma put some of my lyrics on a shirt, & see if anybody would wear it. So I put “there’s beauty in the struggle, look I’m gorgeous” [from Burgundy’s song “Trail Mix”] on a shirt, and the rest is history. 

J: Speaking of that lyric from “Trail Mix,” what made you go with the words “Look” and then the adjective “Gorgeous” in this lyric. The word “Look” implies a commanding tone.  Can you dive into that?

TB: We’ve all heard the phrase “beauty in the struggle” so I was like, you know why that statement is true? ‘Cause LOOK AT ME, look what I been through, & look who it made me. Gorgeous is such a gorgeous word, [laughs], like how can you NOT smile when you see it? When someone calls you gorgeous, it just hits different. Cause beauty is intrinsic & beyond the physical, so you can’t always see i t, the same way you can’t always see a struggle. But when you see a physical representation such as yourself, you can add an adjective like gorgeous to it. It’s about acknowledgment. 

J: And… men can be gorgeous, too? Right?

TB: Yes, look at me [laughs]. I cannot put into words how dope it is seeing so many men worldwide wearing a shirt or hoodie that says “I’m gorgeous.” I think that’s hella cool.

Gorgeous isn’t limited to gender, we really out here. 

J: You mentioned being inspired by Nipsey & Phora. What other artists inspire you?

TB: It all started with Lil Wayne, I’ll never not give Wayne his flowers. He’s a one of one. The artists I’m most inspired by are: Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino, Jay-Z, Nipsey Hussle, D’Angelo, Lupe Fiasco, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, J. Cole, Drake & Stevie Wonder. Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys is one of my favorite lyricists of all time. He is a magician with words. I owe so much to KiD CuDi & Childish Gambino for being unapologetically themselves; they helped me more than they’ll ever know. Other major inspirations are: Royce da 5’9, Ab-Soul, Tupac, Eminem, Andre 3000, Sadé, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Bilal, Anthony Hamilton, Jordan Rakei, Gil Scott Heron, Prince, Nate Dogg & Lonnie Liston Smith. The artist that currently pushes me the most to be better & better is Jalen Dewahn. 

J: I know you also work in education at an after-school program in a predominantly under-funded community. What does that job mean to you?

TB: Pre-Covid, [it was about] having the opportunity to be a positive male role model to Black & Brown kids that can see me as the “cool uncle” that lets them express themselves, and just do cool hands-on projects. But also sharpening their critical thinking skills & putting them on game has been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever been a part of.  But sometimes I think I learn more from them than they learn from me. They retaught me how to be present. How to be honest. How you can do so much with so little. I marvel at how some kids literally don’t care about what other people think of them & just do or say exactly what they want to. I wasn’t like that growing up. 

They also remind me of how much outside negative forces, as well as positive forces, play a role in nurturing or deterring us from our purpose. I love hearing their thoughts on any subject because they break it down so simple, cause everything is so simple, they don’t have the lived experiences, but they do have that a priori knowledge that we need to be paying attention to.

They know I respect them & will listen to them, & all it takes is encouragement from one person to change the entire course of a young person’s life. Growing up without a father, I took what I could get, so I want to give back & be that positive light in the midst of whatever they got going on at home.  

J: How much does your environment (where you grew up, where you live, where you work) impact your art? 

TB: It has everything to do with it. Art is expression from your perspective. You can’t be what you can’t see. You can manifest through lyrics on what you want — or don’t want. But, you can only want what you’re capable of seeing, hearing, or imagining. So it starts with your environment, but your mindset determines how you express that. I’m just painting pictures with the paint I was given. Part of my purpose is also to make art from the perspectives of those around me & those who don’t necessarily have that outlet. I didn’t create the paint, but I get to choose what I paint with it. I’m also not allowing the negative aspects of my environment to trap me & keep me in lower vibrations anymore. 

J: What are your thoughts on your identity, concerning the Black experience as an artist and business in America, especially today given the current socio-political climate?

TB: Being mixed, Black & Mexican, self-identity was one of the most conflicting things during my adolescence, because I felt as if I had to choose one or the other. With all the tension between the two communities, & the human nature of putting people in a box, I allowed people to tell me I couldn’t just chill & be both. To my Mexican side of the family, I was just Black, & though they never explicitly said it, through jokes & microaggressions, they made it very clear that I wasn’t one of them. 

I never actually met my Black side of the family cause they live in St. Louis & we never visited because of the family split. My closest Mexican friends always went out of their way to point out my Blackness, as well, through those same jokes & micro-aggressions. So I said, aight bet & just found acceptance, comfortability & relatability with all my Black friends, their families, & Black culture. They always welcomed me with open arms, & never made it a thing even though deep down I never felt “Black enough.” I engulfed myself in Black culture because it gave me that sense of identity & belonging that I didn’t have. There’s no manual how to navigate through that, it just is what it is. I used to trip heavy about it, but the way people see me now no longer affects how I see myself.

But if I’m being real, I’m still working on seeing myself. I know who I am, but I don’t think I’ve fully cleaned out that room. As far as the Black experience, I definitely do recognize & acknowledge the privileges I have being light-skinned & racially ambiguous, so I’m not ‘bout to engage in the Oppression Olympics & try to make what I been through the center of attention, & talk about who has it harder, & bring up who’s more marginalized because of this & that. Systemic racism is real & we got people doing the radical work to reverse it, but I’m focused on making sure the kids are good, giving people inspiration, getting my money up, both for myself & those around me. I’m breaking generational curses, on God. 

Let’s be real, none of this shit gonna change without money. We’ve raised awareness, & people are doing the groundwork; now, where are we putting our money? When it comes to business, shopping Black- & Brown-owned, & making sure my money circulates in those communities is very important to me. Especially with who I print & embroider my merch with. The Black dollar is so powerful, & we have the most knowledge & resources we’ve ever had at our fingertips. But statistically, the Black dollar only lasts about 6 hours before it leaves our community. In comparison to the lifespan of a dollar in the Asian community lasting 4 weeks & the Jewish dollar lasting 3 weeks in their community. Ours is 6 hours. We built & thrived in Black Wall Street in Oklahoma over 100 years ago, I truly believe we can do it again. They can never burn it down this time, but it’s all mindset. The powers that be got a lot of us off track. Not me tho.

J: What are your feelings on how this pandemic has affected art? And, have you been able to produce new work during this unprecedented time?

TB: It was pretty discouraging in the beginning because I had to cancel a few shows, but I think it gave artists an opportunity to ask themselves, “Why do I create?” “What’s the purpose?” & “Where do we go from here?” Speaking solely from an artistic perspective, even though it’s messed with every artist’s money, it’s been very balancing. I’ve had more time to focus on my new album & merch since I’m not working with the kids. With all this time, I started producing & composing, so that’s fire.

J: What advice would you give your younger self?

TB: Keep writing. You don’t understand now, but it’s going to save your life. From what? Don’t worry about it. Never stop expressing yourself & speaking your truth. You can literally do anything you put your mind to, you just have to be okay with sacrificing other things for it to happen. You ARE deserving of good things. Just because you have very little right now, that is not a reflection of your character or anything you’ve done. YOU DESERVE GOOD THINGS. Don’t take anything personally. Everything anybody says or does is a projection of what they got going on, or how they view things. Don’t feel bad that you don’t believe what they say you’re supposed to believe, they don’t even believe it either. Stop making excuses, your limits only exist in your words & your mind. Stop beating yourself up. You are extremely powerful, but you’re way too hard on yourself, you’re literally the only one that can stop you. Stop giving so much of yourself to others, you will have nothing left for yourself. You’re a living legend, stay tapped in, keep sharpening your gifts. Nobody can tell you shit.

J: I’m assuming this is the same advice you’d give other artists pursuing their creative passions, or would you like to expand on that?

TB: I’d tell other artists to let your work speak for itself. Quality over quantity. Instant gratification does not age well, so if you make art with that intention, you will only be rushing to do it again after it dies down immediately & you won’t be fulfilled. Write down WHY you do what you do. Revisit it from time to time. Study the greats. You need to influence your subconscious as much as possible by consuming excellence. Nothing is new under the sun, but nobody else is you, just do you. Read more books, or listen to audiobooks. Watch more good films. Write your goals down. Say them out loud. Ask yourself “What are you willing to sacrifice to make sure you attain what you want?” If it makes you happy, do that. Also, nothing happens overnight. If this is what you truly believe you’re here to do, keep at it, even when it seems like nothing is happening. Everything is cause & effect, but it takes TIME. Do your part, & the rest will take care of itself. But don’t be discouraged when it’s not on your timing. Do not, do not, DO NOT compare yourself to other artists, their journey is NOT your journey. Take more risks. 

J: What do you want to say to Generation Z?

 TB: Ask the OG’s a lotta questions. Soak up everything they have to say. Whether you agree with them or not. Try to eliminate as much processed food as possible. Pay attention to the difference between affection & attention. Attention is given without thought & will be taken at any moment. Affection is an exclusive experience, & can never be taken away because it stays with you. You know the difference— don’t settle for attention. The internet is an illusion. Everything seems more important or urgent than it really is sometimes. People be fake outraged just to get approval, don’t let it consume you. The more you consume everybody else’s opinion on what’s going on in the world, the lower your vibration will be & you will slowly start to lose yourself. Take a break. Turn your phone off. Spend time with yourself. Meditate. Meditation doesn’t always have to be on some criss-cross, apple sauce, humming til you start floating. Just make time to be alone, get some sunlight, breathe, & reorganize your thoughts. A lot of our thoughts are not our own, but the more you think for yourself, the easier it is to filter out the bullshit. 

Lastly, if someone doesn’t believe what you believe, or agree with you, it’s ok. It’s not your job to change their mind. You might not even believe what you believe later down the line. Stop wasting your energy on people that don’t align with where you’re at right now. Nobody has it all figured out, not everything is black & white, swim in the grey areas from time to time until you decide which side makes the most sense to you, or create your own side, & it’s okay to switch sides. Thank you to those of you that are being innovative, expressing yourself, & helping other people. Listen to Marvin Gaye, read Napoleon Hill, talk to God & Protect your Soul. 

J: Lastly, Thomas Burgundy, what do you hope is the main message of your art?

TB: That it resonates.

 
You can find him @thomasburgundy on all socials. Thomas Burgundy is on Apple Music, Spotify, soundcloud, YouTube & other platforms, and Burgundycollection.com for merch.