New York rapper Protect has an uncanny ear for beats, but don’t let his easygoing raps fool you. Although he’s armed with instrumentals by Cade, ok, Rio Levya, CXO, and prettifun, Protect isn’t content to coast off his producers’ hard work, tracing out earworm melodies and indelible cadences on tracks like “Ballhog Summer” and “bbysit.” I’m especially partial to the hook of “Ion Wanna Talk (Instagram Live),” where Protect realizes he’s too high to be on social media, and the soaring “IfUGotMe” from last year’s 500 Days of Summer (he’s a bit of a cinephile).
The FADER caught up with Protect at Rolling Loud 2026 in Orlando to chat about the performance of the Buffalo Bills, improving as a rapper, and his best advice for rappers just starting out.
Protect wears a Raf Simons Christiane F. t-shirt and a custom Ballhog chain.Taryn Segal / The FADERBuffalo Roots and Artistic Growth
When asked about his hometown, Protect keeps it simple: “What’s the best thing to do in Buffalo? Shit… watch the Bills and eat.” Regarding the Buffalo Bills’ recent performance, he remains optimistic. “We got a little shit to work on bro, feel me? But bro, we close bruh. We getting close. People love to hate on Josh Allen, but they know he’s close to the gold man. So give him a shot man. Give him a chance.”
Reflecting on his journey, he recalls his first track, “IGNORANT FREESTYLE,” recorded when he was 14. Comparing that early work to recent releases like “Pwned” or “Whitney,” he notes his evolution: “Man, I feel like I’m just saying – I rap from the heart. So whatever I’m doing in my life, I rap about it. So it’s fun to see what I’m rapping about because it’s always a little sneak peek into my life.”
The Creative Process and Pop Culture
Protect admits his approach to lyricism is less about technical rigidity and more about intuition. “I’m not gonna lie bro, I just have fun. Like, I just think about what rappers that I listen to say and I’m like, damn that shit hard – and I say my own version of it. I just trust myself and the fans lowkey fuck with it so I keep going with it.”
His interests extend into gaming and television, which often influence his music. He is currently obsessed with Resident Evil 9, identifying with the character Leon because he is “cool as fuck.” His track “Gossip Girl” was inspired by his appreciation for the show’s characters, particularly Blair Waldorf. “Not everybody can be you, so you just got to live your life, you know what saying? Just being you. So shout out Gossip Girl, bro, shout out Blair.”
Advice for the Next Generation
Discussing his affiliation with the Ballhog crew, he clarifies, “Aye man, don’t shoot the ball, man. If you shoot, you score. You win.” For aspiring artists, his advice is grounded in authenticity. “Just stay true to you bro, you feel me? At the end of the day, it’s just you, the man in the mirror. So just stay true to yourself and then whatever you get in life, you’re supposed to get, because you was being you.”
“Not everybody can be you, so you just got to live your life,” Protect says.Taryn Segal / The FADER
