Catch up with rap duo Rae Sremmurd in their latest interview with VIBE.com
VIBE: So, who came up with the name Rae Sremmurd?
Slim Jimmy: It was like a group thing – like Eardrummer – that’s us. We used to live in Tupelo, Mississippi before we met Eardrummers, Mike WiLL, and anybody in Atlanta. And, the Eardrummers ended up giving us our big shot. They ended up just telling us, ‘Man, drop everything y’all doing in Tupelo and come to Atlanta and just work on your music and let’s see if we can get y’all a deal.’ So, when we got to Atlanta and, we just ended up turning Eardrummers backwards to Rae Sremmurd.
So, when did ya’ll first move to Atlanta?
Swae Lee: About a year and a half ago.
What was life like before “No Flex Zone” took off. Were you guys in high school or did you stop school to do music?
Slim Jimmy: We’re still turnt up. It’s the same way really. We were just living this whole wild lifestyle. Rapping, turnt up, partying, you know, just living the good life [laughs]. But yea, we already graduated high school, though.
Swae Lee: About five years ago is when we took rap seriously. That’s when we really started recording. It was something that we did on the side.
Who do you think came harder on the remix Pusha T or Nicki?
Slim Jimmy: That’s a hard call. I like them both. Definitely, Pusha T. His wordplay is crazy.
Swae Lee: I got to shout out Ace Hood. I like his remix, too.
The 20th anniversary of Ready To Die and Illmatic passed this year. Those albums are basically the same age as you guys. Did those releases impact you at all?
Swae Lee: Man, I listened Nas and B.I.G growing up. I listened to both of them when I was younger for sure.
Slim Jimmy: We used to listen to everything, though. From alternative rock to hip-hop, to reggae, to pop. All that. We just listened to music.
Who are you guys working with right now?
Swae Lee: A lot of big names. We got some stuff with Drake, Big Sean and even Fergie.
Slim Jimmy: Yeah and when it comes to producers, C-Note, Metro Boomin, Sonny Digital, all of them
It feels like the ATL scene has embraced you guys like one of their own.
Swae Lee: They’re definitely family, all of them go hard.
So what’s a typical studio session for R.S. like?
Swae Lee: A lot of time we’re on the road so a lot of producers send us beats and we have them for whenever we can get in the studio. If we’re in Canada or Mexico, wherever we are we just get in the studio. We have the beats on stash. We get in the studio, chill, get the vibe, it’s like a party. Then, we just choose the right beat for whatever thoughts that come. Choose the right beat, load it up, make a song.
Swae Lee: We have a little portable studio that we carry whenever we can pull it out.
Who were you most excited to hear was a fan of your music?
Swae Lee and Slim Jimmy: Wiz Khalifa
Swae Lee: He’s the coolest dude, too, we actually got to kick it with him in Texas before he brought us out.
Alright last thing, give me some definite, “No Flex Zones.”
Slim Jimmy: Man, you just buy the freshest pair of Jays and you wear them to the club. No Flex Zone, don’t even wear them to the club, that’s a No Flex Zone [laughs]. .
Swae Lee: If you are a 40-year-old and you’re living the computer lifestyle, and you walk up to someone popping bottles and say ‘I used to do that back in my day,’ No Flex Zone! You weren’t doing that [laughs].