Kevin Gates is among one of the game's most talented young voices, with a respectable discography under his belt. Recently, the rapper dropped off Luca Brasi 3, which has been earning acclaim for its blend of emotional authenticity and streetsmart sensibilities. In honor of his latest release, Gates has dropped off the third installment of his extensive interview with Sway Calloway, following previous chapters. In the twenty-minute-plus clip, Gates reflects on a variety of subjects, including what many feel to be a blight on his otherwise respected career.
In 2015, Gates caught a battery charge after kicking a female fan in the face; his actions landed him one-hundred-and-eighty days in jail, along with the reputation as a "woman-beater." He explains as much to Sway, lamenting on the fact. "It kinda hurt me when people paint this bad negative picture of me like, 'Well he's just this woman beater!' How?" He proceeds to explain his side of the story, claiming that the kick never actually connected.
"The girl, and I forgive her for this, 'cause I know deep down in her heart it gotta be some goodness in there, but you know what you did," says Gates. He claims the fan was continuously attempting to grab him, even after he made repeated attempts to quell the situation. "When I threw the kick, it never connected with you. I played soccer my whole life, I'd have kicked your head off your shoulders," says Gates. "You never had a hospital report."
He proceeds to blame the "powers that be" for his situation but confidently assesses that he'll be making up on lost ground and then some. Peep the full interview below, with his battery reflection arising around the five-minute mark.