Inside Lil’ Boosie’s universe, the attitude is trill, and you gotta love it. According to him, there isn’t a major label deal lucrative enough to change this bad boy. “They signed me because I do me, so why change that?” he asks after the show. “The only say they have is when to release the album.”
A staple on the Southern underground scene since 1998, Torence Hatch, 21, has always been strong-minded. Ever since he hit with his signature high-pitch drawl as a member of the Louisiana rap crew Concentration Camp, he hasn’t wavered from his unapologetic brashness. After all, this is the man who lives by the mantra: “I’m only going to do what works for me.”
Shortly after the release of Boosie’s 1999 solo debut, Youngest of the Camp, his crew disbanded because its front man, C-Loc, was incarcerated. The then 15-year-old Boosie landed on the Trill Entertainment roster later that year. “I was forced to make a move, and I haven’t looked back since.”
The success of Boosie’s 2002 For My Thugz helped stretch his fan base well outside of the Pelican State. It also marked the introduction of another Trill upstart — Webbie. The duo’s chemistry sparked 2003’s Ghetto Stories and 2004’s Gangsta Musik. Now with the muscle of Asylum behind Trill, and Webbie’s rising appeal, Boosie’s not the only one excited about his prospects. “Boosie is going to pull it off,” insists Webbie. “He’s seasoning the gumbo that we got going right now.” Reminiscent of vintage Hot Boyz material, Boosie’s album is packed full of trunk-rattling beats and scathing street lyrics. From stunting on the catchy “Supa Fly,” to demanding his respect on the bouncy “What About Me,” the only thing that can hold Boosie back is himself.
“Sometimes I want to say fuck it and not do interviews and promo work,” he says as he flips through a magazine. “But I know I gotta be serious about my career and reach those people who don’t know me yet.” Consider this an open invitation to Boosie’s universe.
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