This interview originally ran for Sizzurp Magazine.
In an age of seemingly easy access to music fame; think the YouTube launched careers of Souljah Boi and the more recent suburban sensation, Justin Beiber; [If you haven’t heard of this kid I envy you.] it’s easy to write most new artists off as one hit wonders. However with a massive fan base, spawned in part by the club banger “O Let’s Do It,” it’s hard to write off New York born, Atlanta raised Waka Flocka Flame.
Having had no prior rap experience, while it may seem that he stumbled into his career; he has already found his niche, and respect, in the game. So it’s apparent that being under the tutelage of Gucci Mane taught him more than just the recipe for a hot mixtape.
While recent controversies including an arrest, as well as his survival during a robbery initiated shooting, have led to further comparisons to him and Gucci, if nothing else it has expanded his base and cemented the fact that in trying to escape the streets, many artists find struggles within the game as well.
Congratulations for having one of the biggest singles in the country right now, and remixes with the biggest artists in the game. Everything is just hot right now for you Waka, tell us what’s up with you?
WAKA: Yea it’s turned up, a lot of shit is turned up right now. To be honest I really don’t have a second single right now, but I’m about to throw some music out there and whatever the people grab, that’s what I’m running with. I’m not about to drop an album yet because I don’t feel as if I deserve one yet. I feel like I need about 50-60 more songs. I want to flood the market and create a story. So are you telling us that as a single “O Lets Do It” is not going on an album?
WAKA: If I was to have an album then yea it would go on the album. So was that single was really some mixtape shit right?
It was music. I don’t like mixtapes because they sound like I’m directing negative statements towards my fans like “Let them eat that bullshit and see if I can get some money from it.” You know what I mean, so that’s my street album and that was music off of it. I like to call it street albums. “Mixtape” is too pretty.” Ok ok, well let’s touch on your street albums then. Tell us what can we expect in the making?
WAKA:I got another street album called “Lebron Flocka James 2” with the Trap-A-Holics, “Wacka Flocka Valley” with DJ Holiday, and the street album “Americas Most Wanted” with DJ Love Dinero and DJ Holiday. I’m just going ham but I can’t forget about that “Murder Man Flocka” about to drop. And that Sizurp street album with DJ Statik, that’s that shit that make you woozy, you come out the club and pop that Sizurp in and maybe drink some Sizurp…but from the passenger seat because I do not promote drinking and driving you feel me. (Holds up car keys) I’m dead serious because if you got these in your hands, don’t drive and drink real shit. It’s a lot of things that I want to touch on because nigga out here think I be promoting gang violence or some hard core ghetto shit, raw, raw. That aint even it bra, I’m just being myself you know. Like I tell everybody I meet I don’t expect you to like me and you don’t know me cause that’s obvious for another man not to like another man that he don’t know. Now If you know me and I see you don’t fuck with me, I don’t know why because I am an a original nigga. I’m always 100. If I have $20 dollars and I see someone starving I’ll give him 15 and take five because I know that I can make some more money. I like to help folks, so for a nigga to judge me and think I’m promoting that bullshit bra, don’t let that internet shit fuck you up, dead serious because you might get fuuucked up.
Ok so I see you’re familiar with the Houston born syrup sippin; Has Texas music influenced you in any type of way?
WAKA: You damn right it did. I know about sizurp my nigga. Bun B, Pimp C, The Geto Boys, I fuck with Slim Thug the long way, (pauses for a minute to recall something before stating) “Whats shawty name that punched Mike Jones in the face?” Trae? Yea I fuck with him too, and I just got tuned into Z-Ro in Dallas because they was turning buddy up. I mess with them all from the Party Boyz to Dorrough. Yeah I loved Inside Paint Job. I mess with a lot of them. And that’s real.
Speaking of the internet, online you’ve stated that you get paid $15k a show while performing anywhere from three to four shows a week. Tell us how that has changed you life….[laughs] other than the whip behind you?
WAKA: I like that shit bra because it helps me get my buddies of the street and that was one of my biggest goals; to get them out of the street. It’s so many niggas at my shows that’s street niggas and come to me stating, “Hey bra, man I can rap man and I want to get out of these streets.” I will do whatever I can do to help a nigga but at the same time it is only a certain amount that I can do because my bills got bigger. The bigger I got the bigger my bills got. It’s great though and it’s nothing I can complain about because this shit feels good bra. Coming from where I came this is far because man I was broke as fuck. If you have anything you may want to say to the streets tell them now.
WAKA: I got to talk on these niggas that snitching because yall need to stop letting these niggas ride. If you grew up with a nigga and he snitched on you or somebody else…. don’t let that nigga come back to the hood and do the same shit he was doing cause…that shit makes you and your hood look lame as hell. I’m gone drop a jewel on yall and I’m not promoting street drugs or none of that shit…but if you out there twerking bra don’t snitch on another nigga cause you got fucked up. Accept your punishment like a man and let the next man do him.
