Flau'jae Johnson Has Rhythm — On & Off The Court

It’s all happening for Flau’jae Johnson. Last month, she wrapped up a legacy-making run with the LSU Tigers. In February, she released “The Flaumix Tape” featuring 19 reimagined versions of hip-hop hits. She founded More to 4, a foundation that supports community programs across the South, and continues to partner with beloved brands like e.l.f. and Puma. Not to mention, she was juggling all of this while gearing up for April 13’s WNBA draft.

“I'm very excited. I don't really have any expectations, you know what I mean? I'm just going with the flow,” she told Bustle ahead of the draft. Johnson, a guard, was the No. 8 overall pick by the Golden State Valkyries and shortly thereafter traded to the Seattle Storm. “None of this is really in my control, so I'm just controlling what I can right now.”

Her entire life is a balancing act, but for the 22-year-old, mentally shifting between projects comes easily. Whether she’s on the court or freestyling in the studio she sees it all as part of the same path. “With music it's rhythm, and basketball it's rhythm,” she says. “If you have that rhythm and you can play with it… it all correlates.”

Below, the LSU alumna and new Seattle Storm rookie shares all there is to know about her upcoming music, how she chose her show-stopping draft-night dress, and how she’s gearing up for her first season in the W.

When did you become so passionate about music?

I got introduced to my father's [Jason “Camoflauge” Johnson] music at around 6 or 7 years old and that's when I fell in love with the idea of trying to be an artist like him. Not getting a chance to meet him [Editor’s note: He passed away six months before she was born], I wanted something to connect with him. That was my main goal the whole time with music.

Of your recent collabs, have any been a particular “pinch me” moment?

Probably the record with Lil Wayne. Doing that song [“Came Out A Beast”] with him was a big deal for me, because he's one of the greatest of all time.

Is there anything you can tease about any upcoming music?

Oh man, it's going to be very different. I'm going into a new level in my life and a new maturity, so hopefully that translates within the music. It'll be a lot doper.

With everything you have going on, how do you keep moving on a hard day?

I don't really see things as obstacles, I see them as opportunities. My bounce-back time is quick and my mindset is that I won't fail.

Do you have any mantras that you lean on?

One of my favorite quotes is, "You pay the price for doing it and you pay the price for not doing it, but either way you're going to pay the price." It reminds me that you might as well get out there and do it. Everything has a cause and effect.

How do you keep yourself organized when you’re working on so many things?

I journal a lot. I brain-dump everything in there and then I take a picture of it on my phone to make sure I'm checking all the boxes. Literally everything is in that journal.

Are there any non-negotiables in your daily routine?

I wake up and I pray. That gets me going in the morning.

Of course, the tunnel walks are iconic. Do you have a vision for your fashion going into your professional career?

It’s going to be very mature and elegant. I feel like I'm going to up the score a little bit. And then for the draft night, it's going to be so beautiful. I'm very excited. I'm going for elegance. You ever seen the meme that's like, “When you got the draft at 6 and then the Met Gala at 6:30”? That's what I'm going for. That's my vibe.

I love it.

You only get drafted one time and it's going to be a night to remember, so I'm super excited. I don't want to worry about nothing. As long as my outfit's good, I'm good to go.

Overall, how are you feeling about joining the league?

I’m going to embrace it head on. Head on, head on, head on. I’m ready to go. I just got to go into it with a positive mindset, like “I got this. I’m ready.”

This Interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.