Lil Bibby is quickly catapulting into rap fame following the release of his debut project, Free Crack, in November. The mixtape had already built up a strong amount of anticipation before it was released, thanks in most part to a co-sign from Drake, however, after the tape dropped and everyone heard just how dope Bibby's ear for production and bars are, plenty more hopped on the bandwagon. Soon several more co-signs followed, including ones from Mac Miller and Tyler, the Creator.
We got on the phone with deep-voiced MC for an interview (just) last week, while the Chicago native was in Atlanta finishing up his new EP The Book. We discussed Bibby's ever-growing amount of co-signs, what to expect from the new EP (he says he's doing some r'n'b for it, and quickly adds he was joking...BUT IS IT A JOKE?), whether or not a joint project with his partner-on-the-come-up Lil Herb will ever happen, and much more.
Read up, and check out our premiere of Bibby's latest leak "Dead Or In Prison" below.
HotNewHipHop: Hey Bibby, what’s up?
Lil Bibby: Hello how you doing?
HNHH: I’m good…So to start off you’re obviously from the East Coast, but do you find yourself mainly influenced by East Coast music or West Coast? Which coast do you think is on top right now?
Bibby: I really don’t pay attention to a lot of that stuff…I know I’m from the East, I listen to a lot of Future, Drake, old Jay Z…I’ve been into old DMX lately.
HNHH: Oh yeah? Have you read his biography?
Bibby: No, I haven’t read it.
HNHH: No? It’s good you should read it…pretty interesting. So speaking of listening to Drake, obviously you received a co-sign from him which was huge, and you seem to be getting more and more co-signs as your buzz continues to grow. Was there one co-sign that came as a complete surprise?
Bibby: Ummm...not really, like, the Mac Miller [co-sign]...Tyler, the Creator [co-sign]…But Drake, that was like the biggest one ‘cause that was my favorite rapper. For him to just praise me like he did, I was really surprised, and that kinda messed [it] up for the rest of the co-signs, you know what I mean?
HNHH: Yeah, ‘cause nothing can compare. So people are quick to group you in with drill trap just because you’re from Chicago. I don’t know if you’re into other Chicago rappers, but there is a rapper called Tree who has kind of defined ‘soul trap.’ To me, you have a soul trap thing going on, it’s not drill, it’s way more soulful. What do you think about that? Can you say a few words?
Bibby: Um, I heard that name before but I haven’t heard any of his music. Me, I dunno if it’s real soul trap, I am an r’n’b artist [laughs].
HNHH: That’s what you think of yourself?
Bibby: Yeah I’m switching into r’n’b now…
HNHH: I read that you’re working on an EP called The Book…will that show your r’n’b side?
Bibby: Yeah man, I’ve been going through some things, I’ve been doing a lot of singing…I’m joking, I’m joking.
HNHH: Okay okay, just continuing with Chicago: are you still living in Chicago? Is it Chicago for life or are you planning on moving out?
Bibby: Chicago for life, Chicago for life. I might get a spot somewhere else, and I might have to be on the road a lot, but I still want to come back to my city.
HNHH: Would you stay on the East Side, where you’re from?
Bibby: Nah, I don’t stay over there, it’s dangerous over there.
HNHH: I don’t know if you’re willing to do this, but can you share one of the most fucked up stories that you’ve seen just being from Chicago? I heard in an interview how you said kids start playing with guns when they are 13 or 14. Is there something you’ve seen that’s just stuck with you?
Bibby: A lot of shit, man. I’m kinda getting numb to the fact—any day something could happen to someone that I know and that I care about. Any day you might not be able to see somebody no more, you know. I’m just hoping it don’t happen to somebody I’m really, really close with. That’ll probably break me a little bit.
HNHH: For sure. You recently said you dropped 20k on a chain and you bought your mom a car…what was the first thing you went out and bought when you started getting a little cash? Was the chain first?
Bibby: I bought my mama a car first, then I bought a chain, then I bought a house. Now I’m thinking ‘bout buying another car.
HNHH: Did you get a house in Chicago?
Bibby: Yeah.
HNHH: That’s pretty exciting, that’s a big purchase. Okay, this is something super random, but I noticed on HotNewHipHop there is a mixtape uploaded under your profile, with an artist called Poo Dogg, and it’s called Street Life, and it was uploaded in like December 2011. Do you have any idea what that’s about, was that something you actually worked on?
Bibby: I never heard of nobody named Poo Dogg [laughs].
HNHH: I dunno how come it’s there, but I had to ask about it ‘cause it made me laugh. And I listened to it and it didn’t sound like you…
Bibby: Can you take that down for me?
HNHH: [Laughs] For sure. So Free Crack was basically your debut—you hadn’t released any other mixtapes before that.
Bibby: Um no, but one of my homies in Chicago, Andrew Barber, he from FakeShoreDrive, he put together a little collabo mixtape from me and Herb.
HNHH: Yeah, I saw that. Speaking of you and Herb, will you guys ever doing anything official together? Like an official mixtape or album? Or are you focusing on solo careers?
Bibby: We both got a lot going on right now, so whenever we got some time it’ll come to that.
HNHH: So maybe in the distant future. You guys recently dropped a track a together, ”At Night” with that [Cory Hart] sample?
Bibby: We actually did that like 3 or 4 years ago.
HNHH: Okay, so it randomly got leaked. Lil Herb, I know he changed his name to G Herbo, I don’t know if that’s gonna stick or not. Are you going to drop the ‘Lil’ from your name or will you be Lil Bibby for life?
Bibby: I was actually thinking about that last night, man. I was thinking of dropping the Lil from my name and just changing it to Bibby.
HNHH: It could work. Another thing I wanted to talk to you about, you’ve mentioned the rap game is stressful, and I know that at SXSW it didn’t sound like you enjoyed all the people that were there. What in particular stresses you about the rap game?
Bibby: I love everything about the rap game [laughs]. I’m getting used to it, I’m starting to like it now. At least people wanna take pictures with me. It’s some rappers that people forget about, nobody comes up to them and ask them for a picture. At least people wanna take a picture with me, I’m blessed for that.
HNHH: For sure. Before we cap off, I just wanted to go back to The Book. What’s with the title, is it going to be your life story? What can we expect from it? Is it gonna be for free or on iTunes?
Bibby: I think I’ma put it on iTunes. The Book is gunna be a lot of stories of what I’m going through right now. It’ll be interesting, man, it’s a lot of stuff on my mind, man, it might start some stuff too [laughs].
HNHH: What kinda stuff?
Bibby: A lot of stuff. I don’t even wanna speak on it, you’ll hear it.
HNHH: Can you mention any producers or artists you’re working with on it, or are you keeping it all under lock?
Bibby: Everything is under lock.
HNHH: Alright. Is there anything else you want to let the HNHH viewers know before we sign off?
Bibby: I’m in Atlanta right now finishing up this EP. What else…I’m getting bored out here, I think I’m finna go to the jump. Go to the NBA. You think I could do it?
HNHH: Oh yeah? You’re gunna go back to basketball? I dunno what your skills are like…and honestly I am into hip-hop and don’t know much about basketball, but I read that’s how you got your rap name…
Bibby: I got this gut though, I been eating a lot of pizza, hot wings.
HNHH: That’s when you know you’re making money right, when you’re eating?
Bibby: Yeah, all I’ve been doing is eating and rapping. I don’t walk around, I don’t play basketball, all I do is eat and rap.
HNHH: There could be worse things, right?
Bibby: I think I wanna go to Miami, and buy a jet ski or something and play around in Miami.
HNHH: Yeah, just chill for a bit?
Bibby: You wanna come?
HNHH: Yeah, I’m so down. I got back from Cuba recently but I could use another vacation.
Bibby: We gon’ pull the jet skis out, pull the Lamborghinis out, and we gon’ have some fun.
HNHH: Okay. I’m gunna count you on that. It was really nice talking to you, I look forward to hearing The Book. Free Crack was great.
Bibby: Thank you. Appreciate it.