Def Jam knew what it was doing back in 2021 when they signed Benny The Butcher. The Buffalo icon had already been dominating in Rap arenas, often alongside his Griselda brothers, for nearly two decades. His transition to the legendary Hip Hop label was fueled by its creative consultant Snoop Dogg and ushered in a new era for Benny. Finally, the rapper delivered EVERYBODY CAN'T GO on Friday (January 26), and to add insight into his latest, Benny chopped it up with Ebro Darden on Rap Life Radio for Apple Music 1.
"I realized that in my life, which is the reason I made it the album title, is just realizing that I'm at a different level. To make it from here to where I'm at right now, had to lose a lot of people," Benny The Butcher told Ebro when explaining why gave his project its title. He added, "I came from the bullsh*t. You know what I'm saying?... I don't ever want to go back. So, everybody can't go. There's some habits that I got that can't go. Seeing that that was happening in my real life in real-time, it was only right that I named the album after that."
Read through a few highlights from the expansive conversation between Benny and Ebro as the rapper discusses getting signed to Def Jam, delaying EVERYBODY CAN'T GO's arrival, rejecting a rapper's feature for a surprising reason, and mapping out another album release this year.
On Why EVERYBODY CAN'T GO Wasn't Released On August 28 As First Announced
I want to explain this to people. This my first go-around on a major label, and I'm just excited. I heard the label talking about August 28th. And next interview, I just said that sh*t. They let me know like, "Nah, you can't do that type of sh*t." You know what I mean? I'm like, from that point to this one, I see like, ain't no way we was going to drop that date. We wasn't ready. I ain't had no videos done, I ain't have sh*t done. I was just happy to announce a date…I don't know how they do it, but I think in my case, samples wasn't clear. You know what I'm saying? I ain't have no video shot. I'm used to doing independent sh*t. We throw that out there as soon as it get done.
On Rejecting A Feature Because The Rapper Didn't Show Up Over Their Outfit
I was going to do a feature with this artist. This artist, honestly, I see them doing their thing, but they could have never came and stepped to me and got a feature on their own. Some other people stepped to me and said, "We got the paper. We want to pay you for this, do this." I'm like, "Okay, set it up for the next day." And when the time came, they was calling me like, man, this person didn't have their, I'm saying, their outfit wasn't right. So, they couldn't do it. Man, I closed the book on that. I ain't want to do this anyway. Your outfit wasn’t right? Because all they wanted to do was come and take pictures next to me. You know what I'm saying? And I thought we was about to get in the booth. I thought we was about to do what we do. But it's over. I closed the door on that.
On The Meaning Behind The Title, EVERYBODY CAN'T GO
I realized that in my life, which is the reason I made it the album title, is just realizing that I'm at a different level. To make it from here to where I'm at right now, had to lose a lot of people. I had to turn my back on a lot of people. And when I say turn my back, I ain't like, forget about nobody. Nothing like that. But I had to do what's best for me. It's okay to be selfish. You know what I'm saying? We grown-ass men.
So, to take another leap, I got to do the same thing. And at this point of life, whoever don't agree with your decisions to make life easier and more peaceful for yourself, they don't love you. I want to be in this game for a minute. I want to be at peace with myself for a minute, I came from the bullsh*t. You know what I'm saying? I'm not 10 years in the game. So, I don't ever want to go back. So, everybody can't go. There's some habits that I got that can't go. Seeing that that was happening in my real life in real-time, it was only right that I named the album after that.
Benny The Butcher On How He Got Signed To Def Jam By Snoop Dogg
Well, on my side, I was already kicking it with Def Jam, trying to get the contract and work. But what I didn't know, when he came over there, he asked them like, "Yo, who y'all trying to get, who y'all ain't been able to get?" And they said my name, I guess. You know what I'm saying? They had him call me, we met up. We chopped it, and we kicked it. Energy was all love. You know what I'm saying? He gave me some information and some game that I needed to hear. He just kicked it with me, he was transparent with me. We exchanged phone numbers, and he sought the rest of the deal out. He made sure it happened.
On Dropping A Second Album This Year
Ebro Darden: This album got a lot of heat on it, man. And you kept it tight. Only 12 records.
Benny The Butcher: I wanted to put a lot on there, but some records ain't get cleared. You know what I mean?
Ebro: But now you got to double back though.
Benny: And that's a fact. That's a fact.
Ebro: You going to drop twice this year?
Benny: Of course.
Ebro: Because you did make a DMX reference on socials.
Benny: Yo, y'all smart, man. You're the second person that said that. It's like, "Yo, is that your plan?" And that's exactly my plan. I'm trying to drop twice this year. I'm coming back.
Listen to Benny The Butcher and Ebro Darden's full conversation on Rap Life Radio for Apple Music 1 at https://apple.co/_RapLife.