Juicy J is known for his strip club anthems, but he is also known as a hustler, starting from his Three Six Mafia days. The rapper has been grinding, and quite randomly found a massive hit with his single "Bandz A Make Her Dance." With the single having just gone gold, Vice spoke to the ratchet rapper about his surprise at finding out the news, his partying and business abilities, and they even got some money-saving advice from Juicy J.
Juicy J revealed that he wasn't keeping track of the numbers for "Bandz" and thus was shocked when he found out it went gold.
Were you shocked by the news? Had you been following the numbers for the single?
"Uh yea, I was shocked. I caught the numbers at first, when it first came out but I got so busy on the tour. A lot of times, I try not to let numbers and stuff like that keep my spirits up. I just try to keep stay working and that keeps my spirits up, you know what I mean? So at first I was on it, but next thing you know I was kinda trying to be like, what's the next record? You know, I'm always trying to think about the next thing."
He also talks on being able to go from party-mode to business-mode very easily, something not every rapper is capable of.
How can you switch gears from parties to business so easily? A lot of people can't.
"You're right, a lot of people can't, but I grew up from nothing to something, so I know what it feels like just being straight broke and no hopes, no nothing. So I just try to keep a grind and a steady hustle and I don't go back to that. Just because people make these amount of millions and all that...you can lose it all in one day! One or two mistakes and you can lose everything. I got to make sure my folks is good, my moms is good and stuff like that. So I got to make sure all my family is straight. It's not easy for a person to be turnt up one minute and then all of a sudden business, but I've been doing it so much all my life. Nobody ever really managed me until now. I never really had a manager back when I started back in the day until now. Because I've been so busy now so I got a manager, but back then I was doing mostly all the business myself. Doing my own taxes, doing all my own stuff."
Juicy J also lends some good advice-- save your cash money, and as well discusses the possibility of owning a strip club.
What would you say is one of the major screw-ups that artists face with their business?
"Saving money. I mean like spend it, have a ball, kick it, but you always got to put something back for a rainy day. That goes for everybody. That goes for people even in the NBA, in entertainment period. I think as artists, as black artists, we need to understand business and put some of that money back for a rainy day. You go to a strip club to spend and you could spend it, but don't spend all of it! Don't live beyond your means. If you only got $100 in the bank, don't try to spend over $150! Maybe spend $25 to $30, or maybe $50! Don't spend the whole thing, because there's little things you got to pay for besides just enjoying yourself. You got to live, you know what I mean?"
So have a strip club budget is what you're saying.
"I mean for certain people that spend like they want to throw their whole check, you can do that. If you're more of a smarter person, you just go in there and you just throw what you feel like you can throw and then don't worry about the rest. And then when you re-up on some more money and you want to go in there and show out, show out! But make sure you put something back for a rainy day, Simple as that."
Would you ever own your own strip club?
"It depends on the money. I never thought about going into the strip club business. But after “Bandz A Make Her Dance” came out… Like I said, it depends on the money. If the money was right, perfect location, perfect place, good people to deal with as far as doing the business within the clubs, some nice looking chicks. Got to have the baddest chicks in the world come through. I need to have chicks flown in from Russia, Germany, Brazil, as well as having chicks here in the States. It'd have to be some crazy shit. If I did it, it'd have to be something like a movie."
Check out his full interview here.