Yeah? Like what? [Laughs] A lot of things. When I first got into rap I thought I just had to rhyme, but it's a lot of politics that go along with that rap. It's a lot of moving around, lot of shaking a lot of people's hands, meeting the right people who are going to play your record and support you. Me being a new artist, you know, it's important that I get broken the right way. I got the full support of Atlantic Records with Lyor Cohen (chairman and CEO, Warner Music Group). I got the X on my back over there.
Kanye told me to be famous first, before you drop your stuff, because it's easy to sell your records. Because you already have a following? Exactly. So it's all in name of building that fame, going all across the country, shakin' everybody's hand twice. You may have to kiss some butt. Might have to choke some people, you know? Whatever gets their attention. Right. So what part of Chicago are you from? South side. East. South Shore. So tell me about the album. What's it called? Nothing to Lose. Simply because I only been rappin' for four years, almost five now. Before, my hustle and the things I was doing to eat back then, it was a lot of consequences and risks. The rappin' is so easy to me now, it's just nothing to lose, everything to gain, you know? You want to tell me some more about what you used to do? It was just a lot of hand-to-hand, you know. I saw a lot. Had to go to a lot of funerals. That's just stuff you deal with in the street life, you know? I read about your brother. I'm sorry. Yeah. I definitely lost my brother. That was a key point for me getting into the rap game. They used to tell me to rap and gon' put them mix tapes out. I'm like, "I'm not on that. I'm doin' this." But when he got killed it really dawned on me. I don't know what it was. It was just God was talkin' to me like, "This ain't for you," you know? That was a turning point? Definitely. Well, I was going to say I'm glad, but I'm not glad it happened. I'm glad you turned around though. Everything happens for a reason, you know. And I take care of his family. Tell me about this deal with Atlantic. I've heard that it's utterly fabulous, record-breaking actually. Yeah, I mean, it was the best deal. Only 50 Cent has got something this big before. A new artist, it's definitely been the biggest deal. It was really because it was an intense bidding war. I had like 10 labels come here to see me. I didn't walk into any labels with a demo. They came to me.
It was a buzz on the streets of Chicago and in the Midwest with my mixtapes. I was even going to Cali and little spots, and wherever I go I had the Goon Squad with me, and we like 500 deep. We promotin', passing out CDs, t-shirts, puttin' up posters, you know? And this is just me and my people. We was running out basically like a record company. I'm talkin' 'bout gettin' interviews on the radio and our music played on the radio, all on our own. The label's not dumb. They look at this like, 'We don't have to do much for them, just give 'em the money, and a little bit of direction when they need help.'
I ended up going with Atlantic because Lyor Cohen had just came over there, and I talked to him on the phone. He told me he was flying in on me. The next day he was at my house. I had like 50 guys at my house, guys from the street not used to seeing nobody like Lyor. So they thought he was a detective.
They was like, 'Who is that? The police?' I was like "Nah, boy. This Lyor." For real. This "The man." Be cool. [Laughs] Straight up. So your crew's called The Goon Squad? We was Guerilla Entertainment. Then 50 came out with the Guerilla Unit. I was already sayin' we was The Goon Squad so we just transformed it to that. It's basically like a big treaty. That's what people look at it as, because I have a promotional team. When we was goin' out to different cities we'd meet GDs, BDs, Stones, Lords, whatever. I'd have all these different kind of people with me, and they'd have on Goon Squad shirts. It's all peaceful, nobody's on no gang stuff, and it drew people away from the streets and onto some positive things, you know? Good. Positivity is not something we hear a lot about in connection with rap. I mean, in Chicago, I think it's very new. Especially what I'm bringin' to the game, 'cause I'm not just comin' rappin. I'm comin' on some business also. Like, I'm closin' up my clothing deal with Ecko right now. It's the same kind of deal that 50 Cent got. Matter fact, it's the exact same deal that he got. I got my publishing deal. I closed that out about two months ago. Record-breaker. Nobody got money like this [laughs], especially a new artist. Are you publishing a book? I'm jealous. Books also, but I haven't got into that yet. Could I be the first person you publish? [Laughs] My publishing deal is with Reindorf, a branch of Universal. Was the biggest publishing deal. And all of this has been accidental. I got a song on my album called "God's Plan" and that's exactly what it's been, like God's plan. Ever since my brother got killed, stuff's just been fallin' into place for me. I don't get what you're publishing though. It's basically like an advance. They help you get into movies, soundtracks, commercials, endorsements, all that extra stuff on the side. They make sure your ringtones is right, you know? Pepsi, whatever connections they come up with. The album. When's it coming out? Early summer, late spring. I got Kanye West. He did my first single "Move Around." I got like four from him. Scott Storch, Red Spyda, Trak Boyz, Trak Starz, guy name Aqua, Boogz, John Legend on there singing with Jagged Edge. I got Twista, but I didn't get too many features. I got a guy names Trey Songz also, singing on there. It's nice.
home