EP: LaTheGoat – 813 Day
LA The Goat, the Tampa rapper pays homage to his city’s area code with 813 DAY, his official debut EP available today via Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def/Def Jam Recordings. Centerpiece of the EP is “Bounce It” featuring Big Freedia, the Queen of Bounce in a matchup of eclectic, complementary, but never conflicting hip-hop styles.
Though based in Atlanta, Dupri felt the hip-hop energy emanating from Tampa for years. He took LA The Goat as his protégé after hearing him rap over the beat of the Jay-Z and Dupri 1998 classic “Money Ain’t A Thang.” LA’s viral clip initially got him on the scene. Since then, he has refined his sound by using catchy hooks and melodies, enhancing and sharpening his rhymes. Those melodies are best heard in the “8 Bands (Remix)” on 813 DAY.
He told The Source, “I grew up with my grandparents and my mom loving music. We listen to a lot of oldies: Syleena Johnson, Michael Jackson, Sade. From them all the way to Adam Levine, Sam Smith, all types of stuff. I just listen to all types of music, that’s why I feel like I have a good ear for music.”
LA The Goat dropped his first 9-song mixtape in July 2020, Goatmode, containing the original “8 Bands.” The expanded 15-song Goatmode Deluxe arrived in September. LA premiered his debut music video for “8 Bands” via So So Def/Def Jam in December 2020. The “8 Bands (Remix)” with Ross followed a month later in January 2021. Goatmode immediately caught the attention of hip-hop blogs including REVOLT, Rap Radar, HotNewHipHop, and others. The Source described him as “Equipped with a consistent ear for what he identifies as the classic sound.”
The first season of the Def Jam/Double Elvis/iHeartMedia serialized hip-hop podcast series Here Comes the Break featured LA’s next track, “You Wouldn’t Believe Me,” released on So So Def/Def Jam in June. The video for the track premiered August 13th, in honor of Tampa’s annual #813Day celebration, of course.
Following his beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Super Bowl LV victory last February, LA The Goat was honored to head over to Raymond James Stadium and perform at the NFL season opener in September, when the Bucs hosted the Dallas Cowboys (and won, 31-29).
