Absolutely. I mean for me I didn’t grow up exactly in a religious household but I definitely feel for you because when I was growing up in like middle school, my parents would definitely not allow me to have the explicit versions of Ghetto Fabolous or Quality so I had to go to my friends to make mix CD’s for me.
Nah, like it was crazy like it was no Hip-Hop in my house like if I was watching BET I had to change it when I was little. Like it was crazy. But for me its even awkward now for me to go home or for family, it’s just like, “Oh, he’s a rapper.”
That’s harsh. It’s still like that?
Yeah, but I mean my family, they still love me, we still interact but…
Right, but there’s still something that’s in between you guys, just about that, on principle?
Yeah like it’s an elephant in the room.
Maybe when they see you at the VMA’s or the BET Hip-Hop Awards things will change?
No, for real, I don’t even think so.
That’s a tough truth to swallow. Looking forward though, I know you said that you said you just started recording or working on your new project. Do you have any plans for features or producers you want to work with?
Oh yeah, for sure. For me I just like working with who I’m comfortable with like, Bink is one, 9th wonder is another one, of course Sunny Norway who’ve I’ve been working with. And another guy from Boston, his name is Latrell James. I’ve probably done like 3 records with him.
Gotcha. So now I’m curious. Now that you’ve been touring off that project and your fans have had some time to let that sink in, what’s the kind of reception that you’ve gotten from your fans and from people that have listened to it? It is a little bit more personal and its a deeper than your past ones.
Exactly and the response has been better. I feel like people are getting more personal and that’s kind of what I want to start doing a lot more. From my past projects I always tried to you know, get personal with this but like this one had a real message behind it and also there’s kind of a story line with it that connects with people more.
Right and I remember one of your mixtapes, one of your earlier ones was Starting On JV. Do you feel like you’ve made it to that varsity level yet?
I mean of course I always want to keep getting better but I feel like I’m at the certain level in making music where I can get my point across so [in a way] I do feel like I’m at that varsity level. I ain’t on that stage with those cats that’s on varsity.
Who do you think is on that varsity level that you’re trying to match right now or do better than?
Man, everybody that Kendrick mentioned on that “Control” verse.
(laughs)
It always comes back to that control verse.
Hell yeah, you know what I’m saying. Like Mac, J. Cole, Wale, all them.
Off of Starting On JV
