n a recent interview, LA rapper Gold Franko talks about his origins in rap, his latest release, and what’s next for him.
Gold Franko, also known as Marquise Garcia, is a rapper born and raised in Los Angeles, CA to be on the lookout for. He got his artist name by embracing part of his father’s name, Francisco, since he “always looked up to him,” and is a way to pay homage. Gold Franko first got his start in music at 14, as a member of the wildly popular Marvel Inc crew, with hit songs like “Bang it like a cholo,” “69 me,” and “WOW,” all garnering a million or so streams. It was then when Franko knew he wanted to pursue music full time and realized he had the talent to do so.
From iconic releases like “Take Her Down,” featuring Og Niccy D, “Cold Flame,” and 2020 album, Out On Bail, Gold Franko has been blessing the streets with some dope “new age of west coast music mixed with a little bit of [his] east side lingo.” He’s been a staple of the LA music scene specifically and now is back to make his mark by pursuing his solo career.
Gold Franko’s latest full-length mixtape, F BABY, released January 31st, 2022, is a ten-track tape with bangers all the way through. It’s a versatile project that showcases his consistency and ability to switch it up on any beat. The tape only has one feature, from Freddrick Cane on the track, “Scamdemic,” and the two complement each other well. It’s an anthem about making money by any means, “fuck a quarantine this a scamdemic.” The song features a gritty cadence that fits Franko’s new age west coast sound, as the slowed-down, chill tone is prominent throughout the project.
Inspired by the likes of Nipsey Hussle, Lil Wayne, and Drakeo The Ruler, it is no wonder that Franko exudes such charisma and lyricism wherever he goes. Enlightened by truly great artists and creatives, Frank pays homage to them in this project. One of the reasons he named it F BABY is because it’s a play on Lil Wayne’s renowned “Weezy F Baby.”
“I came up with the name because I feel like Lil Wayne was in his prime when he went by Weezy F Baby, so I wanted to keep that energy. Also, my ladies love calling me F Baby,” Gold Franko explains.
Gold Franko’s F Baby might just be one of the best releases of the new year. As Franko drops sonic bombs across the project with insane tracks like “Fake Pages,” Whole Demon,” Money Moves,” and ” Demon Time,” Franko is proving that 2022 is his year to shine — F Baby is some of his most refined work to date. If this is what he has for us now, we can not wait to see what is next from him. According to Franko, he is not “holding any more music,” as 2022 will be a big year for him musically.
“I am planning to drop an R&B project, and after that, dropping a project every month of 2022,” he says.
Stay in touch with Gold Franko via social media @gold_franko on Instagram @GoldFranko on Twitter, as he will be releasing a bunch of new music and visuals in the upcoming 2022 year.