In celebration of Women’s History Month, Flau’jae Johnson is a trailblazer of the highest order. A native of Savannah, Georgia, Flau’jae was a highly-touted high school basketball player. She was named a McDonald’s All-American and was the only girl to play in the Iverson Classic.
At LSU, Flau’jae was a major contributor to the team that won its first national championship in 2023. She also was named the 2022–23 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman of the Year.
As an emerging rapper, Flau’jae signed with Jay Z’s Roc Nation in January 2024 and released her debut album Best of Both’ Worlds in the same year.
For her latest endeavor, she released “What It Takes” which is a part of the “It Takes More To Get This Far”, the NCAA’s March Madness campaign.
HOT97 spoke with Flau’jae about her new song, balancing being a student-athlete and rising rap star, the excitement of March Madness, and the growing popularity of Women’s basketball.
HOT97: As a rising rap star, you inked a deal with Roc Nation, already released an album, and have performed on some major stages. How has it been to handle success in the music industry and be a college basketball star?
Flau’jae: I had a deal in high school with a local label because singing with a big label didn’t make sense at the time. But they gave me my masters and me creative control. That lingered into the deal that I have now. It’s just a blessing to be in the mix of all that. I’m trying to take it to the top level because I feel that people see the vision, but I still don’t think they understand it. It’s my job to push the needle with all the opportunities I have, and I don’t take them for granted.
HOT97: Your latest song “What It Takes,” is in collaboration with Powerade and Lyrical Lemonade. How does it feel to have your music connected with both brands?
Flau’jae: Partnering with Lyrical Lemonade is a big deal. Shoutout to Cole Bennett! I remember watching that first viral video of Juice WRLD and all the other careers he’s helped. This is a big deal for me as an artist. I love all their work because everything is high-level. I did it with Powerade, which is so elite and I’m bridging that gap between being an artist and an athlete. Adding this to my portfolio as a way to tell my story was amazing. When it comes to Powerade. I’ve been partnering with them for a while. They’re the official drink of LSU, so they’re everywhere and I’ve been drinking it since I was a kid. So I’m super excited that my two worlds are clashing together. I don’t think anybody in college history has done what I’m doing and that’s exciting. March Madness when it’s going up.
HOT97: How was your creative process on “What It Takes?”
Flau’jae: I ain’t gonna lie, it was super easy. They told me what the theme was “Whatever It Takes” and they gave me words. I was like, ‘Bro, I don’t need that.’ But they sent it to my mama and sent it to me, I sent it back to her in like 10 minutes. I let them do what they had to do because of the commercial and it came out dope. I did it with my uncle, “Fat Boy” who used to work with my father so we kept it in the family, and it was so dope. I’ve been to the championship before, so I know what it takes. This song is organic, and it’s just something that represents that March Madness run that we had.
HOT97: Are you often asked by your teammates to ask you to rhyme before games?
Flau’jae: [Laughs} I don’t be rapping for them like that. They don’t ask, though, I feel like they just are like, “No, we gonna chill.” They never ask me to rap.
HOT97: In addition to your music, you also have a popular podcast “Best of Both Worlds.” How are you finding the time to create content?
Flau’jae: I record my podcast on my days off. While the tournament is coming up, it’s gonna be a little bit harder to try to maneuver, but I’m gonna still make it happen. I love the podcast, and people love it. I took a two-week hiatus off of it, and they were like, ‘Oh no, we are doing another episode.’
HOT97: How are you able to manage everything you have going on?
Flau’jae: [Laughs] I’m just making it happen. Every day I wake up, I don’t always want to do it but I get it done anyway. I really want to do this and I love doing this I have gotta push through. Even on the days when I’m super tired and my mind is telling me I can’t do it, I gotta push through. After this, I’m gonna go to the gym to get some shots up. After that, I got to practice, I’m going to do some rehab, come back, and record. It’s really what I love to do so I don’t make any excuses.
Working with Powerade and my NIL deals, I take this 100% serious. They’re allowing me to represent their brand because I know what it takes. I know what it takes to go in a tournament and give it all you got in March. I know what it takes to be in a studio going crazy. So it’s really all of me.
HOT97: Lastly, Women’s Basketball is the most popular and the biggest it’s ever been. How does it feel to be a part of this special era?
Flau’jae: We are spoiled being in this time right now. Women’s basketball is not just a moment but a movement. We have NIL deals, Unrivaled was incredible, and I’m pretty sure this year’s Women’s tournament is going to be bigger than the Men’s for the third year in a row. It’s a blessing to be a part of it and to be in the classification that I’m in, to reap the benefits of it.
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