Certain Cleveland artists have cemented the city’s sound during different eras. In the 90s, it was Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. For the past decade, Kid Cudi’s influence has been heard on practically everyone. However, it’s Doe Boy that serves as the new face of Cleveland’s rap scene right now. Though his proximity to Future and Southside may have turned him into an honorary Atlantan, he’s earned the title of being the King Of Cleveland, and he wears it with pride.
After nearly 10 years in the game by Future’s side, Doe Boy’s debut album, Oh Really, arrived today; a 19-song body of work that doubles down on the reasons why superstars like Drake and LeBron James gravitate to him. The nasal inflections that earned him early comparisons to Eazy-E are more subtle; the storytelling is less animated and more lucid, but the authenticity is unwavering. The wild gangsta attitude that he carried across projects like Streetz Need Me 2, 56 Birdz with DJ Esco, and Demons R Us with Southside is harbored across Oh Really but he’s peeling back more layers to his character. Songs like “Real Recognize Real” with Roddy Ricch and “Cry For Me” featuring Ty Dolla $ign dive into a vulnerable side that’s hardly been seen from Doe Boy. “I want to be more than just a street rapper,” he explained during our exclusive interview ahead of his debut album.
Oh Really captures the menacing part of his character, the fun-loving side, but more importantly, the aspects of himself that people haven’t really been privy to yet. While he’s often captured the untold tales of his city to create bodies of work that have resonated with fans over the years, Oh Really draws from auto-biographical experiences that have informed who he is today. “I tapped into more real-life stories instead of more so like, ‘Aha, n***a I shoot you in your face,’ you feel me? Because I want people to understand why I am the way I am. They’re gonna feel that different. That's the type of shit that’s gon’ touch a n***a soul,” he explained.
“3 A.M. In L.A.,” for example, sheds light on the gangs of Cleveland that have been notarized throughout the city and Ohio as a whole. Though Doe Boy’s had his fair share of dealings with the law, he’s speaking his truth on Oh Really without concern for what law enforcement in his city thinks or does. “Police be f***ing with a n***a and shit like that but at the end of the day, I ain’t doing wrong. I'm just like making music and just speaking on our culture,” he said. “I can shed light on what I want to. You can't tell me what I can or what I can't say so I’m just at that point where I just don't care anymore. I'm doing this for the city. And that's a big part of our culture.”
Ahead of the release of Oh Really, Doe Boy caught up with HNHH for an in-depth interview on his new project, Future’s faith in his talent, his unreleased song with Drake, a movie concept from Mike Epps, and why 50 Cent remains one of his biggest inspirations.
Check out the interview below, slightly edited for clarity and length.
HNHH: In the past two years, you dropped Demons R Us and 56 Birdz after your deal with Epic was announced. How's this process been with this project in comparison to those ones?
Doe Boy: I took more time with this one. Like, I really sat for a year. I've been working on this for a long time. It's songs on here that [are] even two years old, three years old. I just really just took my time to put it together because this is like my breakthrough project. I wanted to sound like – I want people to get the direction where I really want to go. Everybody knows me for the street shit but if you listen, I got different types of songs on there. You can hear me do this, you can hear me do that, but I'm still staying true to myself the whole time. I feel like I finally got the perfect plan for how I want to do it. I want to be more than just a street rapper. I felt like I found the perfect way to do it without [them] saying, ‘Oh, he switched up,’ ‘cause I'm still keeping gangsta at the same time.
This project to me feels a lot more autobiographical. You're tapping into that storytelling aspect a bit deeper. There are way more detailed accounts of certain situations.
I'm saying people’s names. I’m doing all that. I’m on bullshit, fasho.
Were there any stories told on this album that you saved for your debut project?
Oh, no. It didn't happen on purpose. When I record music, I don't be like, ‘I'm going to record this for this project.’ I just be rapping. Even last night, I was just in the studio, I was making music. I don't know what it's gonna go on or it might be for – I don't know where it's gonna go. It's just like I rap however I'm feeling at the time. So, when I get in front of the microphone, if I feel that way, I don’t be like, ‘Oh, nah. I’m gon’ save this story for this.’ If I feel like telling that story on the mic right then and there, that's when I'm gonna do.
I tapped into more real-life stories instead of more so like, ‘Aha, n***a I shoot you in your face,’ you feel me? Because I want people to understand why I am the way I am. They’re gonna feel that different. That's the type of shit that’s gon’ touch a n***a soul. They’re gonna be like, damn that’s crazy. Like a mothafucka knows that shit real, that shit hits different.
Why did 2022 feel like the right time to drop the debut album?
It happened accidentally. I've been trying to drop this like for months and months and months but it just be a lot of – I'm glad it worked itself out the way I did, though. I'm glad it ended up being the top of ‘22 because my fans have been on my ass and I was about to drop that mothafucka for ‘em. Certain things, like over time, I done got this one song with this n***a. If I would've put it out then, I wouldn’t have got that. I’ve been ready to put it out. I got so much music. This shit don’t be about nothin’. That’s the easy part but a n***a just want to make sure they got the right momentum, the right – everything around it is right now. My whole team, everybody around me feel like now is the time like we feel like I'm right at that one spot like, to where like, yeah, n***a. This shit finna go. I could see it. It’s a big difference. It definitely feels different than anything I did before.
What song on the tracklist benefited from patiently waiting for the right feature?
“Boffum” with Moneybagg Yo. Originally, that was by myself. Then, I'm like, ‘Man, the song called ‘Boffum,’’ but you know, he always makes songs with those types of titles, like with the slang and shit. I was like, you know, Bagg would be perfect on that. You know, Bagg sliding on anything. Dugg originally wasn't on “Ain’t My Fault.” It was just me and Rowdy then we ended up putting Dugg on there. So that helped, too. The rest of them, I think we did them together.
"Originally, ['Boffum'] was by myself. Then, I'm like, ‘Man, the song called ‘Boffum,’’ but you know, he always makes songs with those types of titles, like with the slang and shit. I was like, you know, Bagg would be perfect on that. You know, Bagg sliding on anything. "
Oh, oh the Nardo Wick one. Originally, me and G Herbo did that song. It’s so crazy, the story behind the “Opp Party” song. N***a, me and Herb did that song to a whole other beat and that song was called some whole other shit. I was just in the house bored one day and I went in my basement. I was listening to “Opp Party” by myself. I'm like, ‘man.’ I wasn't gonna put on an album ‘cause I didn't really like the song that much but I'm like, ‘Man, but this n***a Herb went so crazy, though.’ Like, I gotta use this verse. So I'm like, ‘Man, let me go try and fuck with this shit. I went in my basement and put “Opp Party” together. I got Herb’s vocals. I had to cut each and every bar and slide it like, I put him on “Opp Party” beat. The original beat and “Opp Party” beat were not the same tempo or nothing. So I've literally sat there and cut every single piece and slid it on a beat and put Herb on there. When you listen to it, you would never in a million years think that we weren't all together when we did that shit. I did that and then it was just me and Herb on there. Then I’m like, ‘Shit, I'm gonna put Nardo on there.’ It's so crazy that was before the “Who Want Smoke” remix even came out so I didn't even know they did that! So I'm like that just makes it even more perfect that them n***as did that and then, they want to come back with that again. You know, that shit’s fire.
You mentioned how you wanted this project to explain to people who you truly are. One song that I felt captured that feeling is “3 a.m. in L.A.” You’re discussing the streets of Cleveland but with more historical undertones, even down to the news clips you use. [Ed. note: the advance copy of "Oh Really" included an extended version of “3 a.m. In L.A.” with excerpts from local news clips which have been removed from DSPs.]
Do you know what’s crazy? I might not be able to use it. We're trying to get a clear now, the news clips and shit. Like, that's crazy, though. Like, we’re just going through that right now, like, literally. I'm like, damn it done fucked up the whole song, but it is what it is, though.
Basically, it's just me shedding a light on – if people don't know, it's a gang in my city called the Heartless Felons. Like, to Cleveland and to Ohio, it's like how Bloods is to LA, how Crips is to LA. Like how that’s the biggest shit, that's how they shit is [in Cleveland]. It’s the most dangerous gang. Like, Google it, look it up, ask anybody. It's just me not broadcasting it like – I don't care no more. I'm just at the point where I'm just like, I don’t give a fuck no more. Police be f***ing with a n***a and shit like that but at the end of the day, I ain’t doing wrong. I'm just like making music and just speaking on our culture. Not even necessarily saying I'm even in it [chuckles]. I'm just speaking on it. I can shed light on what I want to. You can't tell me what I can or what I can't say so I’m just at that point where I just don't care anymore. I'm doing this for the city. And that's a big part of our culture. So I'm definitely gonna do that.
"It's a gang in my city called the Heartless Felons. Like, to Cleveland and to Ohio, it's like how Bloods is to LA, how Crips is to LA. Like how that’s the biggest shit, that's how they shit is [in Cleveland]. It’s the most dangerous gang. Like, Google it, look it up, ask anybody. It's just me not broadcasting it like – I don't care no more. I'm just at the point where I'm just like, I don’t give a fuck no more. Police be f***ing with a n***a and shit like that but at the end of the day, I ain’t doing wrong. I'm just like making music and just speaking on our culture."
And you are a voice for your city, at this point. I know you’ve mentioned that you don't really go to Cleveland all that much but what's the importance for you –
Since I said that, I’ve actually been there. I've been there a lot.
Oh, really?
Yeah [laughs]. I’ve been there a lot since I said that. I was up there like a week and a half ago, running around the city, acting wild but that's why I don’t like going there. Next thing I know, I'm looking up, I'm on Instagram with my shirt off in the middle of the club running around, acting crazy. [Laughs] I be like, ‘you see, that’s why I don’t try and come here.’ Because, shit, it’s the energy, man. It makes a n***a just — I’m poppin’ out to every club the whole weekend. I'm going to do everything that I shouldn't be doing. I'm in the hood, the first place I went. [I] went and got my haircut in my hood like I ain't even had a barber pull up on me. I went to my hood, got my haircut in the trap. So, it be shit like that. That's why I'd be trying not to be around that mothafucka. I'm gonna drift off, like, for real.
At the same time do you feel like you need that hometown love to inspire your music?
That's what inspires me because they treat me like – that's when I really, really feel like a rapper. N***as be bothering me, like when I go places and shit like that. Oh, that’s Doe Boy. But when I'm in Cleveland, ouuuuuuu, what? N***a, I’m literally the king, like, I can’t do nothing. Like literally I can’t do shit. I don't give a fuck what it is. I can’t get to my hotel in peace. Everybody messes with me. I can't do nothing in that bitch. I like it, but I don't, but you know, it make a n***a feel like a real superstar. That's why I'll be poppin’ that shit, like, I'm the king of Cleveland. Because I really got the keys to the city. Like, it don’t matter what it is – baseball, football. The Indians love me. They’ll let me come – you see, I threw the first pitch of the game. The fucking Cavs gave me the whole arena to do a photoshoot. Like, I was about to do some shit with the Browns, too. I just ended up not going. It was certain shit. I was trying to get my album announced at the Brown’s game, too, but I ended up not going. Anything in the city, like, I can get my hands on it. No matter what it is. I'm talking about restaurants, they shutting the bitches down. When they're not open, they open it up for me. If it ain't on the menu, I say I wanted macaroni and cheese on the menu, they gon’ go find a way to cook some fucking macaroni and cheese. Deadass. My shit for real.
"That's why I'll be poppin’ that shit, like, I'm the king of Cleveland. Because I really got the keys to the city. Like, it don’t matter what it is – baseball, football. The Indians love me. They’ll let me come – you see, I threw the first pitch of the game. The fucking Cavs gave me the whole arena to do a photoshoot. Like, I was about to do some shit with the Browns, too. I just ended up not going."
Do you ever feel concerned going back to your hometown?
All the time. Because I'm living crazy, for real, for real. Like, you gotta think, a n***a got shit going on. I know like, man, any given moment, shit could go left. It be weird shit going on all the time but n***a just know how to maneuver through that shit. It's definitely not safe but you also just got to know how to move. Gotta just know how to stick and move. Like, you can’t just be doing stupid shit. Even to where I got my n****s around me, like we got an operation to how we – like ain’t no slip-ups. We can afford that. Everybody around me knows like we got this shit figured out. I'll be in the city coolin’. Like, I’ll go up there, I'll stay for at least a week, 10 days. I'll be there. I’ll be doing the shit – mothafucka don't even know Doe Boy sitting right there next to you. You don’t even know. We right in the hood like ridin’ down St. Clair side. You don't even know. You think I'm put up somewhere. I'm right next to you. I'm right here. That’s what I learned from my n***a, man, called ‘hiding in plain sight.’ You don't even know. I'm hopping in beat-down cars, all that. I don't care what it looks like. I'm in Fords and shit like that. You think I'm just gonna be slidin’ in the Lambo? No, dummy. I'm right here, stupid [laughs].
I feel like a lot of rappers wouldn’t admit to being in Fords.
When I go back to Cleveland, I'm not trying to be cute. Like, I'm not trying to be. I don't want to ride around in the city in the Lambo. That's how you're gonna spot and be like, ‘that's Doe Boy,’ then become a target. I know a n***a gon’ kill me when he gets a chance so, I'm not gonna give you a chance, stupid [laughs]. I don't think I’m too tough. I know a n***a’ll do it to my ass. A n***a can’t wait. I don't think I'm too tough. I know a n***a do it. That'd be n***as problem. Tough n***as die, smart n***as live. I tell n***as this all the time.
Who taught you that?
I think I've taught myself that like just from learning and seeing experiences. Like, all the toughest n***as I know is like – even my n***a Kev. He’s all throughout the album. Like, if you listen to the album and shit, that's the n***a who's doing the skits like on the beginning of “Respectfully.” The beginning of “Genuine.” Shit like that. That's my big brother like, that's my heart, though. But he’s one of the toughest n***as I know but a n***a killed him. You know why? Because – he probably could have got out of this situation, for real. But he told the n***a, ‘You ain’t gon’ do that, n***a.’ It's being tough as fuck. N***a did it. So it’s just certain shit I just know, like, n***a, you can't be too tough. The n***as who be too tough movin’ like they too tough. When you move like you can't get touched, that’s when it happens to you because you're going to be lacking.
Just to go back to the project, one thing I noticed is that Future wasn’t on the tracklist.
You know, he’s one of those people, like when Roddy Ricch did his album and shit, I was with Pluto when he did it. [Roddy Ricch’s] album was coming out at midnight, [Future] was doing his verse at like, eight o'clock. That's just how he is. He's like a last-minute person, so you know, I don’t be – you just never know.
"When Roddy Ricch did his album and shit, I was with Pluto when he did it. [Roddy Ricch’s] album was coming out at midnight, [Future] was doing his verse at like, eight o'clock. That's just how he is. He's like a last-minute person."
Prince Williams/Wireimage/Getty Images
You mentioned Soulja Boy was the first rapper to hit you up but Southside and Future were the first ones who took you under their wing.
I knew Southside before all of that. I knew Southside since I was like 15. I knew Future before I knew Soulja Boy, too. I was saying Soulja was the first n***a to let me in his house, like embrace me like that. Like, I've been knew them n****s before him but he was the first rapper to be like, “aye, Doe Boy come fly out here and then come to my crib and do this and that.” Soulja Boy was the first n****a that did that.
"I knew Southside since I was like 15. I knew Future before I knew Soulja Boy, too. I was saying Soulja was the first n***a to let me in his house, like embrace me like that. Like, I've been knew them n****s before him but he was the first rapper to be like, “aye, Doe Boy come fly out here and then come to my crib and do this and that.” Soulja Boy was the first n****a that did that."
How were those initial conversations with Soulja Boy like? How many years ago was this?
That was 2013. That was right after I caught my case. I was out on bond for the robbery. I was out on bond. Yup. I was like, ‘Damn, bruh. You sure you want me in your house?’ [Laughs] It's a video, it's a funny ass video on my page with me and Soulja in the house. But if you look at the comments, everybody’s just like, ‘Look at your eyes. You look like you want to steal something.’ I’m like y’all crazy as hell [laughs]. I respect it, though, because he said he didn't care. Like, he knew he knew what was going on. He still didn’t care, so, I respect it.
With Future and Southside serving as the executive producers, what was their guidance like with this project?
Them n***as perfectionists. So, it's like when you got somebody like Southside and when you got somebody like Future, it’s like they gonna be on your ass. They not letting you settle for nothing. When you listen to the album, it’s put together so crazy. Even when you listen to certain songs, you'll be like, ‘damn, I could tell he'd been around Future. He'd been learning from Future,' like, my melodic shit and shit like that. You could tell like, for real. People don't know I could do this shit, for real, like I’m really him. I really get like that. They better stop playing with me, for real.
How did working with Ty Dolla $ign and Roddy Ricch influence those melodies?
See, even the shit with Ty. Southside be on my ass. He'd be more so like, ‘Don't be doing all that singing ass shit!’ Southside be on my ass like that. Southside wants me straight on gang shit. Like, he'd be on bullshit. He want me to do that. We had to figure out like, ‘Alright, how can we make it make sense?’ Because you don't want people to take it the wrong way. Like, if I just come on the track and get to singing like a mothafucka. Like, I sound like Chris Brown on that bitch. And they're gonna be like, ‘Nope. What the fuck is going on?’ So, I had to find the perfect way to do it. So like, even with doing a song with a n***a like Ty Dolla $ign. Even the shit with Vory. Like, even with them songs, I'm using melody, but I'm not really singing. I’m rapping. Just like I'm rapping my verse with melody, though. It's the perfect way to do and I'm still saying that gangsta shit, though. It’s still being true to who I am without seeming like Doe crossing over, or he on some pop weird shit. That shit still sounds like Doe Boy at the end of the day. It's the perfect blend. I think about a n***a like 50 Cent back in the day, like, how got “21 Questions” and shit like that. You need them type of songs for the girls, you feel me? ‘Cause shit, I don’t want all boy fans.
Is that what the shows are like these days?
Oh no, it'd be girls but the n***as is worse, though. You gotta think, my fans, they so gangster, so a n***a be dealing with like, a bunch of savages [laughs]. Savages in the crowd, fasho.
I say it all the time, I feel like 21 Savage pulled it off in the best way. If you go to a 21 show, it’s gonna be different races, all types of everything. He got like a festival-type crowd. That's how I want to be like. I don't want to just have this lil’ ghetto crowd, like, I want that but I want everything. Even the way, I perform like – even when I do like my Rolling Louds and shit like that, I’m jumping in the crowd and I do all this. I throw water, like, I'm that type of n***a. Make that shit lit.
Just going back to Future, I wanted to ask how you think your career path would’ve gone if he wasn’t in your corner when you were fighting your last case?
Ain’t no tellin’. Basically, what you sayin’ that, knowin’ that I’m signed to somebody like Future and when I come home, I gotta I got a career. I got something to look forward to. So, that's the best part like, ‘Alright, I don’t gotta come home and figure life out.’ Like, my life already figured out. This shit’s what’s going on. You know, that's definitely a blessing, like having somebody like him. When I'm watching this n***a on TV and shit like that, in jail, I’m like, ouuu, I can’t wait get out there. Just knowing that a n***a could come home and be a part of that, it’s just definitely a blessing. Everybody in there was jealous ‘cause you could just tell.
N***as gonna come home and then – but I get it. Shit, you got to look at me every day, like, ‘man, this n***a good. He got all the shoes, all the food, all the MP4 players, all the songs on his player. Flatscreen on the rack,’ like, you know. Look, a lot of n***as, they respected it, though. It’s a lot of older n***as. There’s an older n***a, to this day – he's somebody that strictly met in jail. He’s not from Cleveland. He’s from Columbus. I talk to this n***a all the time, still, just because. He got life so it's like shit like that. I still stay in touch with n***as like him because he was a real n***a in there, though. He used to be the one pulling me to the side and always giving me the game. I go sit in his rack when I want to learn some shit like that. He kept me focused and shit so I still fuck with bro. Basically, I even told him, when you come home, you got me. So, shit, if you do get out, you gon’ be a security guard or something.
What was your reaction when Future said that you inspired him to go harder on “My Savages?”
Yeah, that shit is crazy to me. Even still to this day, when I think about it like, ‘I inspired Future?’ When he made that song, we were literally on the phone and he recorded it as soon as we got off the phone. Right before he did “My Savages,” it's a freestyle that I did over the phone in jail. They dropped it on the Free Bandz SoundCloud. It might be on YouTube, too. But you hear Future and me on the phone and Future had me rap over the phone. Then he was like, ‘Oh, that shit hard as fuck.’ That's probably why he was like, ‘he inspired me to go harder.’ I just freestyled for him and he recorded me and put it out. He made “My Savages” right after.
You just have a lot of tight relationships with a lot of Detroit rappers and mentioned you wanted to do a full project with someone. Have you had any discussions about that?
When I did that, at the time, me and Babyface were working on a project. We were really doing it already. I was just trolling and just seeing what the fans thought. It was already done. We got so many songs together. Even “ONNA HOOD,” I grabbed that from there. We got so many songs. That shit's so fucking hard. You know, shit happens. You know, Face doing his thing. I'm doing my thing. Shit, we was just talking about it the other day. We're gonna link back up when it's time.
Why do you think you're able to tap in with other regions and maneuver through their sound so easily?
Yeah, there are not too many people that are able to get on a song with Babyface Ray then go jump on a song with Vory, then go jump on a song with Ty Dolla $ign. Then, go do a song with Roddy Ricch, then go do a song with 42 Dugg or Rowdy Rebel. I was just on a song on Jim Jones’ album. I could just do anything. I got some shit with Benny The Butcher, Reason from TDE. I'm on his little EP he just dropped. Me, Benny, and Isaiah Rashad. Shit like that. Shit that a mothafucka will be like, ‘What the fuck?!’ You’re gonna hear me rap every kind of way ‘cause I can rap. I really just know how to rap. I'm really just gifted. I'm like a chameleon, I blend in and do whatever.
You have the streets but you also get respect from artists who are revered for their lyricism. Is being lyrical something you focus on?
Yeah, because if a n***a really sit down, and listen to me, I got bars. Like, that's what makes my music so hard. You got to think like, everybody got gangsta music, but everybody can’t rap. I'm gonna hit you with a punch line. I'm that type of person. I'm gonna say some shit, you’ll be like, 'ouuu, he said what?’ I'm gonna hit you with some cold shit. It's not like I'm just rhyming and just talking shit. I'm actually gonna say some shit, too, so I really know how to rap. That's where I'm just gonna win every time. I can step in and move with this n***a, that n***a. I could go either way because I know how to rap. Listen to a song like “Genuine.” N***as gonna be like, ‘Man, what the fuck?’ N***as ain't hear me come like that. They ain’t never heard me rap like that before.
Do you think Cleveland gets its credit when it comes to rap?
No, we are about to, though. We got the King. You see me, look. King of Cleveland, man. Shout out to the Browns, man. Shout out to the Cavs, shout out to the Indians, man. Shout out to everybody. Shout out to the whole city. It only takes that one person to shed the light on the city the right way. We got n***as from the city like Kid Cudi, then you got Machine Gun Kelly and shit like that, but they’re not street rappers. So, it's not the same. It takes somebody like me that's gonna shed [light on] the culture. Chicago had Chief Keef. Every city got somebody that brought the city to the light. Even like in Memphis. There’s a lot of niggas from Memphis that go crazy. They've been had niggas coming out and coming out, but I feel like Pooh Shiesty kinda shed a different type of light on Memphis, if you get what I'm saying. Not saying that it wasn't already street rappers. You’ve been had the Yo Gotti’s, the Moneybagg Yo’s, the fucking Dolph’s and shit like that, you know? But, it’s like Pooh Shiesty did it in a different way. He's straight on some whole other shit. I feel like I'm that person for my city.
Who were the guys in Cleveland that you were looking up to?
I looked up to Pooh Gutta. There was a n***a named Corey Bapes. Like, Ray Jr.. N***as like them. They were the turnt rappers from the city. But, I didn't really care for like, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and shit like that. That's more so on some older n***a shit. Like, I just don't know about it. I know about it but I’m not tapped in like that.
What’s the situation with the Drake collab? Everyone was excited to see you two in the studio together.
It’s just one of those things like any day now. You just never know. Like, you just never know. You could wake up, it could be tomorrow. He's a very spontaneous person, though. So it's like, how I say it, I'm on his time. I said I'm waiting on you. I’m ready when you ready type shit.
What was the energy like between you guys just locking in in the studio?
It was turnt. You saw what he said in his caption when he put the picture up. “Doe Boy always turns the room to a 100 when he step in.” You saw what he said. It’s lit. On God. I was in that bitch geeked, trippin’. He like, ‘Damn, bro. You drank a whole bottle of Casamigos?’ I was like, 'Yes, I did' [laughs]. That song so fuckin’ hard, though. That shit’s so hard. It’s a banger. It’s one of them ones.
Rowdy Rebel is obviously on the project and you two have formed a solid bond but did you have a relationship with either him or Bobby Shmurda when you recorded, “Shmurda Gang?”
No, I just did that because I just respected what they did. Because the beat reminded me of “Hot N***a,” then I was on that bitch, the way I was talking was like I was naming niggas and doing like – so, I was like, ‘Ouu, ‘Shmurda Gang.’ They were always somebody that I wanted to fuck with when them n***as came home. I couldn't wait for them to get out, and now, that’s like one of my closest rap friends. Like, one of them n***as I met in the game. That's what one of my closest n***as. Me and Rowdy got a lot of shit cooking up, though. Like you know, he want to know people that you can always see work with type shit. Like, he’s just one of them ones.
Have you gotten anything in with Bobby yet?
No, I mean, Bobby ain't work yet. I met Bobby. Yeah, you know, just being around Rowdy.
You’re a very funny guy, very charismatic. Is transitioning into film and television something you see yourself doing in the future?
Hell yeah. Definitely. I want to be on some 50 Cent shit. I look up to a n***a like 50 Cent. I also want to be on like some Tupac shit. Shit like that, that shit’s hard. I definitely want to get into that.
"I look up to a n***a like 50 Cent. I also want to be on like some Tupac shit."
You know what’s so crazy. Meech had asked me to be on BMF on one of the scenes before it even starts. I could have been like one of those shooters and shit like that. But shit, we just ain't ever did that shit. I just never went out there. I'm definitely gonna get into that, though. Even Dave East, he tells me a lot about like, the Wu-Tang shit. He just explained how that shit works. I just don't think I'm ready to do it right now because the way he explained that shit, actors, everybody that I talked to, like the Meech’s, they tell me like, ‘Bruh, you got to be here from this time to this time, do this like this.’ I'm like yeah, I can't do that right now. Shit too time-consuming. Not right now, I’m still rapping. When I fall back a little bit, hell yeah.
Mike Epps did skits on Streetz Need Me 2. Has he given you any game on getting into acting?
He got a whole movie for me. He gave me a whole movie concept that I'm gonna do. Yeah, he want me on some Ice Cube shit, for real. That shit’s gonna be hard as fuck, too. It’s gonna be like a hood comedy movie. That'll be my breakthrough.
You mentioned 50 Cent twice. What is it about 50 Cent that inspires you?
Because he was just so gangsta. He be on bullshit. He’s not going for nothing. He stepping on everything, and he came in the game like that. He was the first gangster rapper, to me. I think that's the first n***a that I listened to on some gangster shit. 50 that n***a, especially when he did the Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ album. Like, that mothafucka went diamond and shit. For a n***a to do shit like that, it’s just crazy. Like, a street nigga to do that. That shits hard. Even with his movies, [that] made me like him more. Like, the Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ movie made me really fall in love with the n***a. So, I definitely want to do some shit like that.