9th Wonder & Reuben Vincent Redefine Generational Hip-Hop, Brotherhood, and Black Love Through New Album ‘Welcome Home’
Reuben Vincent, Nyla Symone, 9th Wonder shot by Michael Flynn 📸 : @flynnstone
Two Generations. One Purpose, Welcome Home
In this Certified Conversations episode, Nyla Symone sits down with 9th Wonder and Reuben Vincent to explore the creative brotherhood behind their new collaborative album, Welcome Home. What unfolds is a deeply personal and insightful dialogue on artistry, mentorship, faith, love, and legacy in hip-hop.
9th Wonder recounts discovering Reuben at just 13 years old—a prodigy who impressed him with his discipline, maturity, and lyrical depth. He reflects on guiding Reuben without exploiting his youth, ensuring he had a real childhood before signing him to Jamla at 16. Nyla highlights the label’s unique family energy, and 9th explains his approach to leadership—rooted in freedom, transparency, and trust rather than control or contracts.
Reuben opens up about the meaning behind Welcome Home—a metaphor for returning to self, artistic authenticity, and emotional grounding. He details the journey from industry pressures to self-acceptance, crediting 9th for allowing him to explore the world and find his voice. Together, they discuss how the album evolved into a love letter to Black women, blending soulful samples and timeless storytelling while pushing back against labels of “boom bap” or “conscious rap.”
The trio touches on generational unity, the lineage of A Tribe Called Quest, D’Angelo, and Kanye West, and the necessity of preserving emotion and substance in modern hip-hop. From studio rituals to divine timing, Welcome Home stands as both a musical statement and a spiritual milestone.
My personal favorite off the project are:
Anything
Sweet & Good
So I Pray
Insecrue
But don’t just take my word for it, listen for yourself!
xo,
Nyla Symone
