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Deante' Hitchcock first started gaining attention with viral freestyles posted on Instagram. Since then, he's released EPs Just A Sample 2 and So Much For Good Luck, but nothing in terms of a major full-length project. With the release of two recent singles 6LACK-assisted "How TF" and JID-assisted "I Got Money Now," Deante' Hitchcock is as determined and hungry as ever. If the two tracks are a precursor of what's to come, then his upcoming major label debut album is definitely one to look out for.

Now a few years into his career, he's finally gearing up for the release of his major label debut album BETTER, which is set to release May 13 via RCA Records and features collaborations with Young Nudy, JID, 6LACK, Miguel and St. Beauty.

We had the pleasure of connecting with Deante' Hitchcock via email to talk about Atlanta rap, his experience recording for the Dreamville project, his new album, and more.

Ones To Watch: How is BETTER different from your past projects?

Deante' Hitchcock: I'm a different person than I was when I recorded those other projects so naturally the music just reflects that. I don't think I purposely tried to go out of who I am today. It's just a mirror of the changes that I've been through since my last offering.

What's your favorite track on the project?

My favorite song changes every other day. Today it's feeling like "Flashbacks" though. That one feels like I'm kinda just talking to myself and I love that about it.

What was the recording experience like when you put together "PTSD" for last year's Dreamville's Revenge Of The Dreamers III?

Man that was probably the most lighthearted and fun recording moment I had there. All the other verses I laid down were in the big rooms where it was like 20 of us in there at a time all competing to try and get on these songs, but we did "PTSD" in one of the smallest rooms there. It was almost like a closet space. It was like seven of us cramped up in there just laughing and having fun, and I think the song came out the way it did because of that. We were comfortable in there, honest.

There's been so many new artists coming out of the Atlanta area. Why do you think Atlanta is such a hotbed for new talent?  

Because there's so many different flavs to choose from. There's so many different types of artists and sounds here that you never really know what to expect especially when you find an artist that's kind of influenced by all of it and finds a way to blend it all together perfectly. I think a lot of Atlanta artists do that.

How does your process for picking instrumentals and working with new producers work? What draws you to certain beats?

I don't really have a process for real. Whatever I hear, I listen. How I choose them really just depends on where I'm at in life or how I'm feeling at the moment. I got beats that I hated at first that later on became some of my favorites. I'm real wishy-washy in that area lol.

You first started gaining attention through Instagram freestyles. When you started posting these freestyles, was it more of a hobby or was a rap career the endgame from the beginning?

By that time in life for me a career was definitely the endgame. I had dropped out of school already and music was really all that I was interested in.

What's the weirdest job you had before pursuing music full time?

Right after I dropped out I was broke. I knew I needed some bread if I wanted to be able to live while I was trying the music thing so I took a job in Minnesota for like half a year building snowmobiles. We was in the middle of nowhere freezing lol.

Who are your Ones to Watch?

Atlanta always got some crazy new talent. My ones to watch are Ace Apollo, Michael Aristotle, and Kenny Mason.