Everyday Struggle just delivered the goods in a big way, bringing Kevin Gates into the fold for an entertaining and insightful interview. Off the bat, Kevin Gates sets the tone with a lengthy prayer, the closest Everyday Struggle has ever come to a "cold open." It doesn't take long for the rapper to acclimate himself to the crew, smiling from ear-to-ear as he fields responses.
"I believe that the key to happiness is self-accountability," he muses, after Ak inquires how one might gain inner peace. "I hear a lot of people say I grew up in poverty. That used to be my excuse, the immature me...I had a choice. I had a choice, and when you a man and you make a choice, you have to accept whatever ridicule and whatever consequence that comes behind that action. We honor those who honor the truth, and fear those who don't."
Rachel Murray/Getty Images
Eventually, Gates opens up about his relationship with Dreka, expressing a sense of sadness toward the way things played out. "I feel so guilty every time I go around Dreka," he admits. "She's an amazing woman but I feel guilty because she was so happy when I first met her. She didn't live this kind of lifestyle. She was in school to be a doctor, but she sacrificed everything to see me do better. She's lost two children because of me."
Near the end, Akademiks indirectly inquires about his relationship with YoungBoy, prompting Gates to gently demand he "say what he want to say." Ak points out the inherent "weirdness," as he sees it, in getting tattoos of each other's name. Wayne counters that Cash Money started that movement, which prompts an agreement from Gates. "In Lousiana, we tribes," he states. "When we take people in, we family." As the conversation progresses, Kevin Gates reveals that Akademiks genuinely "hurt him," prompting the pair to revisit a few old wounds. Kevin Gates proceeds to double down on his canine love, which then prompts Ak to remark on Gates' cult-like gravitas. Yet the conversation never feels tense, a testament to Gate's adherence to being an "avid truth-teller."
There are plenty of gems to be found throughout this one, so be sure to check it out in full below.