Rich The Kid Was Once Signed To Top Dawg Entertainment

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Tidal X Rich The Kid "Boss Man" Album Release Party
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 11: Recording artist Rich the Kid attends the Tidal X Rich The Kid "Boss Man" Album Release Party on March 11, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
Rich The Kid recalls Kendrick Lamar's reaction when he first heard "New Freezer."

Rich The Kid’s autobiography will have stories for days. The “Plug Talk” rapper had a storied career, even before he had a major label deal or a break-out single. He went through the motions of the average up-and-coming artist and the hard work ultimately paid off. When he released The World Is Yours, he became champion by the rap community, including a few elite MCs.

Though Rich The Kid is far from being a top-tier lyricist, that was never his point. His infectious energy and quotable bars ultimately landed him a verse from Kendrick Lamar on his breakout hit, “No Freezer.” It was an unsuspected collaboration but one that took the world by storm. It became one of the biggest records of 2017 and felt inescapable upon its release. The song later reached platinum status and the two performed the record at the BRIT Awards in 2018 where they smashed a Lamborghini.

Rich The Kid Signed To TDE

Though we were previously aware that A$AP Ferg initially had a verse on “New Freezer,” Rich The Kid provided a far more in-depth response to how he landed a K. Dot verse. In an interview with Bootleg Kev, Rich The Kid said he penned a deal with Top Dawg Entertainment. ​​“I did sign to Interscope through TDE,” he said, confirming the long-standing rumor that emerged prior to the release of “New Freezer.” At the time, he was recording his album while Kendrick worked on DAMN. and SZA recorded CTRL.

He explained that he wasn’t even aware that Kendrick or SZA were working in the same studio complex. However, he recalled the day Kendrick came in the room to hear what he was working on. “I played him ‘New Freezer’ and he was like, ‘Yeah, I need that.’ I was waiting for the verse for like a month ’cause he was on the road doing shows and shit,” he said. The collab earned him a spot within TDE’s tightknit circle but, due to his contractual agreements with 300 Ent. and Quality Control, he had to buy his way out of both deals. Check his interview with Bootleg Kev above. 

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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