After 14 years of making a name for himself as Carnage and helping define the EDM, trap and bass music genres during the U.S. dance music boom of the early 2010s — while bridging it with hip-hop — the artist born Diamanté Blackmon rebranded as GORDO.
In 2022, he announced his retirement from the Carnage project — one that landed him on various Billboard charts, including Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot Dance/Electronic Songs and the Billboard 200 — and introduced his new full-time house and techno project.
“What I want people to understand is that this isn’t me having a new hobby and being like, ‘Oh I want to do this too because it’s fun,’” Blackmon previously said to Billboard. “Honestly, I can’t do the Carnage stuff anymore. I wasn’t happy.”
Now, the Nicaraguan-American artist and producer has launched his debut album as GORDO named after his real name, DIAMANTE. The album that took four years to create, and is home to 16 bilingual tracks — including notable collaborators such as Drake, T-Pain, Feid, Maluma, and Fuerza Regida.
“I wouldn’t change a thing. I guess that’s why it took me four years, to make sure that I can review it and know it’s perfect,” he said in a press statement. “This album is dedicated to my grandma, my family, friends, and loved ones. I hope everyone enjoys what I believe is the best music I’ve created.”
Below, read Billboard‘s discussion with GORDO about his new album, his collaborators and more.
Congrats on your debut album as GORDO! Can you take us back to the creative process of DIAMANTE?
It was four years of coming up with these songs and trying to get to where I’m at with it. I’m really happy, and it’s been one hell of a ride to get to where I’m at musically, and also mentally. It’s been amazing. I’m super happy with the album, super happy with the turnout, and ready for the next one.
It’s been a ride mentally. Can you describe the state of mind you were in when you would hit the studio?
You know what? I wasn’t in a certain state — because for me, really, I was just making songs whenever I had time or felt creative. Finally when I made the songs, to get to the other song it would take me about a month or two. I wasn’t in a certain state, I think. I was just trying to make the best music possible.
The starpower in the track list is crazy. Two songs with Drake, but also Maluma, Feid, Nicki Nicole, Fuerza Regida, Sech… you recruited some big Latin names.
The album is the album. I’m so happy that I was able to make a dance album that has people like Drake, T-Pain — and at the same time, you have Feid and Maluma. You’re not going to see that type of track listing [anywhere else]. Even if you do something with a Latin producer, it’s going to be way more Latin, but my Latin collabs add a little spice to it [the album].
As for Drake, he’s a great guy. He really cares about me and I care about him. He looked out for me for this album, and knew how important it was for me. He’s a big fan of this album — and yeah, I mean, that’s my boy.
Is there any other Latin artist you had your eye on for this project but the opportunity didn’t happen?
I have a crazy song with Jhayco that’s really good, but he just went ghost on me. So, Jhay, you missed out bud! There are so many artists that didn’t happen, and that’s just how it is, but everything happens for a reason.
In addition to the Fuerza track, you also had the chance to produce some of the songs on their new album Pero No Te Enamores. How did you establish that connection with the group?
JOP is like my brother. We’re mad cool. Any person that I work with, I know them personally and we have that connection that’s like friends making music with friends. It happened so smoothly. Those guys are crazy, they’re so much fun. They’re the sweetest guys, but they’re also very focused on music, work, marketing, and how we’re going to roll out the project. Everything works out in itself.
What came first: Fuerza’s collab on your album or Gordo’s collab on Fuerza’s album?
The song I have with them on the album was actually finished the day before my album came out. When I finished the album, JOP asked me “how come I’m not on your album?” and I said, “Well, because we’re working on yours.” But he sent me his vocals and I created the song literally on the plane the night before.
Now that we’re on the topic, what’s your take on the electro-corrido movement?
I mean, it’s dope. I don’t really care about what you can or can’t do, and the politics of that. Just do it. A lot of people do care about that stuff, and how things are perceived of certain collaborations and certain mixes of genres, but I think as an artist, just do whatever the fuck you want!
What do you think Latin music — whether its regional, urban, tropical, pop — brings into the EDM space?
Spanish vocals. I think that’s the most prominent thing. Right now there’s an influx of Latin vocals on dance records. Obviously, we’re getting to the point where for the longest time all you heard were English words on dance records. Now that there are superstars in different regions and countries, people want to hear that type of artist. In Argentina, you want to hear Emilia, Nicki or TINI, they don’t have to wait and listen to someone like Katy Perry or Taylor Swift. They can listen to their own hometown girls, and the music will be just as impactful or even bigger. It’s great.
To finalize, is there anything — perhaps a certain business strategy or career advice — that you took from your Carnage era into your Gordo era?
Don’t listen to what other people say. Work hard. Save your money. Never let go of the gas, meaning, don’t ever stop. Keep going! I think the number one trait that Hispanic people have is that we’re the hardest working human beings on this planet. A lot of people get comfortable with music. Imagine you come out with an album like mine, someone else would drop the album and then go on vacation… but, this is when the real work starts. That’s what I mean with “don’t let go of the gas.” It depends how bad you want it. I’m addicted to this.
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