To Be Real Or Not To Be: GhostLaFa Talks About the Power to Remain Real in the Music Industry

The music industry is one of the most rewarding industries to be in but what do you do to remain relevant? Do you clean yourself up, tattoo your face, be unauthentic? Or, do you keep it 1000? Either way, you have to create your own lane and your own voice. You have to tell your story the best way. This describes none other than GhostLaFa. Texas-born, Miami living rapper is one who uses his platform to speak his truth and be 100% authentic. With his debut album Ivana’s Brother being released, he continues to prove why he is as real as it gets.

What inspired your love for music?

I was able to feel the moods of my mom and grandmother. When they would listen to music, I could feel it. I grew up heavily with women in my life. Not to say that my dad wasn’t around, but even with him, when he’d come to get me, we would listen to good music in the car. I got to know him through music. I could go to each person in my family and listen to the different types of music they played. It’s how I got to connect with my family and with the universe.

Tell me about the story behind the creation of Ivana’s Brother. What inspired this debut album?

Honestly, the passion for my sister. Of course, her name is Ivana. A lot of my life, I’ve been chasing these dreams and these goals, and my sister was my biggest fan. My nephew knows all my music (laughs). Even though I was away for a long time, the times I got to see my sister, she was always supportive. People always knew me as Ivana’s brother or JB’s brother. When she was in the hospital, I would sit with her and we’d talk, and she’d tell me what she liked and didn’t like. She would tell me what I could work on and who she saw me being. I took that and I ran with it. She was one of the first people who told me no matter how old I get to focus and finish my music cause my nephew is my biggest fan. I was going to call the album something different, but my sister has been with me. I feel like my first project is for the people back home and they know me as Ivana’s brother. Even though my sister is not here, she’s a big part of me. If you want to get to know Ghost, you got to know that he’s Ivana’s brother.

What’s your favorite song and why?

It's hard to pick one. However, it would have to be Ghost Story. I like to tell stories in my music. It’s my vent process. I wrote this song as a letter to my cousin in jail. He was my sister’s best friend. I’m writing to him and updating him on what’s going on. Then, of course, you got Ivana’s Brother which is the outro. It speaks on me going back home, spending time with my mother, and checking on my people.

With the music industry being so commercial these days, it seems as if anyone can rap or sing a tune and make it. What sets you apart? What makes you real?

I believe I remain real. When you hear my music, you hear me. I’m not into the gimmicks or whatnot that you have to do to make it. I don’t have to have an Instagram to be famous. I don’t have to do crazy things on Tik Tok. That only lasts for so long. If you want to listen to Lil Baby, you can listen to him because I do as well. Same with Meek Mill. What I’m saying is come catch my vibe and hear me and hear my story. I want it to be real, I want it to be organic. Its a struggle in this world because it tells us we can get paid for not being our self.

I recently watched your video Trump America. Very powerful song. How do you feel using your voice to bring awareness to this war we are dealing with in America?

That’s what Ghost stands for, God’s Human Outlaw Speaking Truth. I would love to use my voice for what’s going on. However, like many others, my voice gets censored. It’s crazy because I took that song off the album because of that. I love that song. I know that a lot of people that look like me who have used their voice like this, it doesn’t end well. At this point in life, I have to use my voice. That’s what I'm in a constant battle about. The struggle of who I used to be and where my voice is going. Trump America is where we are. We’ve been dealt this hand in life as a people. For me and my people to survive, we have to Trump America. Everything in that video is what’s going on in this country today. Everything is real. There was no camera crew, no acting, none of that. All real.

Check out Trump America below.