Over the past five years, boldyjames has become an icon of underground rap, but he’s not too good for a road trip. “I don't even feel like I made my best music yet,” the 42-year-old tells The FADER, with as much certainty as he’s displayed covering the seven full-length albums he’s released since January 2024 (his eighth, Alphabet Highway, is out April 4).⁠ ⁠ Across his work, James maintains a cool, wounded figure, like a gunshot Frank Lucas concealing his injury beneath a pristine chinchilla coat. He refuses to stick with one style of instrumental, something that can anger a vocal minority of his fanbase who favor the Alchemist/Craven eras. Throughout our conversation, James displays an awareness of the online discourse surrounding his album releases; he insists that he’s building a foundation for something greater. ⁠ ⁠ “Some people is like, ‘he on the historic run,’ but some people like, ‘buddy watering down his greatness with just putting all that music up.’ I understand both sides ...