(CHECK OUT GREENOVA SPECIAL #1 HERE!)
Why did you choose to call it Back $ellin Crack?
I chose that title because that was the mentality. I had a line on a song where i say “five dollar Bandcamp, I’m back selling crack“, it motivated me like, damn for real. It’s not me saying I’m back walking around grinding, it’s saying I’m charging for this dope shit I’m finna whip up.
Hustling is a common topic in rap… do you think you approach it differently than other rappers?
Everybody approach it differently, except the ones that come and go. Grinding gotta be top three shit that people make songs bout.
How was the process of making B$C from idea to Bandcamp?
It started as just this is my next project then it got crazy hyped up after i put the pre-tape out. The pre-tape was just collection of songs sitting around, so in November, December i started working with DJ Ambush and went in. We did a lot of construction on it that I never did on any past tape, worked with new producers just to give it a new feel.
Around October I was getting beats from Da Vette Boyz. If you listen to the pre-tape you can hear Count Stacks. I really wanted to do the whole tape with them, but they wouldn’t get the beat files to me. Without the beat files you can’t do much with the beat, and how I was doing this project it just wasn’t gonna work. By the time money wasn’t a issue. It was no response back, so I went a whole new direction with the tape.
YS really snapped on this tape. Who is this producer?
He’s been working for a long time, a producer out of Fresno. He go in. Y’all will definitely see more and more of him as time progresses.
Where did you record B$C? It wasn’t no wardrobe session, right?
Haha man, it’s recorded at the nest, DJ Ambush’ studio. He’s good peoples, knows damn near any rapper you could think of. I did I Smoke Cause I Dont Care About Death in my room engineering it myself so to finally have someone to do it for me felt really good. Even if I gotta pay em. Wish i was getting paid to do it back then.
It’s the most time taken with this tape. I made ISBIDCAD in a week flat, minus Kissin On My Syrup which had older tracks. I put real life Squadda dollars into this project which is new on this level.
Since we’ve last talked, you’ve made music with G-Side, Danny Brown, ASAP Rocky. Any other artists you looking to work with?
Whoever on the same shit. Just got back to do this interview from our first in-person studio session with G-Side & Davinci from Fillmore, SF today.
How did you hook up with G-Side?
That happened through a company named Yours Truly. They got us in the lab together before we had our first show with em. They’re cool peoples too, been seeing their name ever since Internet started fucking with us. They got bars, could really rap.
Do you have more shows coming up?
Too many, catch us December 21st in SF performing with Davinci & G-Side, opening for Danny Brown & Kid Sister in L.A sometime in January… y’all gotta look it up.
How did you hook up with the ASAP fam?
Crazy thing is he hit me right before he took the world over so I’d say God’s blessing and the way we live our life.
What went through your mind when arriving in New York?
Mann I was cool until we passed up Lefrak City on the highway, but the streets & projects was above us so I’m looking up going crazy like nigga “LEFRAK”… Queens! If I had twitter on phone at that time I’d got on it earlier. I fasho bragged that night.
Did you record Down in the studio together with Danny Brown? How was it meeting up with him in real life?
Naa, I had Down all the way done with just me rapping, and I sent it off. It comes back and I’m like damn i gotta rearrange the song, so I put Shady on it too. We met Danny Brown like three, four months back at Fader Fort. We was backstage sipping, sitting down then Danny Brown pops up out of nowhere, pretty lil white girl with him. That nigga’s really cool, I fuck wit his whole demeanor. Shit got crazy when ASAP Rocky was performing, a fight broke out and shit, everybody scrambling and shit, so we go back to the backstage area to get our other shoes and this nigga Danny Brown still in last place we left him with the bitch haha. Didn’t even know what was going on.
(Squadda B, Dope G, Mondre M.A.N., Shady Blaze, Danny Brown)
Even though many of your beats are very mellow, you seem to be very energetic when rapping live. What tricks do you have for putting on a good show?
Couldn’t tell you, besides alcohol and smoke will slow you down, but being sober will make you be fake energetic – if you’re anything like me.
I didn’t last a month but it made me see it’s easy to stay clean in daytime. I get a lot of work done and am super energetic sober. I don’t think people want that.
Like other Greenova releases there was a lot of variation in ideas and sounds on B$C – you ever feel like making more of a strictly conceptual album?
Already ahead of you, Main Attrakionz Bossalinis & Foolyiones, the album coming in a few months thats about as close to conceptual we gonna get.
What else are you planning for the future?
A hectic year living life. Introducing the fam to y’all, which I’ll focus on doing with my last solo of this year.
All chapters of Greenova?
Them plus some, thats what I’m saying. Robbie Rob was here meeting Kreayshawn’s manager today. February should be next month you hear from all them again, minus maybe Shady Blaze, who might drop before hand.
Do you have any relation to Livewire, HD, or any other Bay Area rappers outside the Greenova fam?Besides seeing these niggas and seeing bitches i know in they videos, nah. Nobody is blood relative to any rappers out here besides Mondre, Clyde Carson is his cousin. And my cousin’s dad is Seagram from East Oakland who died in the 90s.
Will you put out your music and present yourselves to the world differently in any way this year?
Yea, in a bigger way. Clearer visions, looking like money.
At what moment did you think: “this rap shit is really working out”?
When I started making stuff happen with the money it brought. Every time I needed something and could get it easily I started being thankful of the path I chose for real.
As you’re getting more famous, what are some traps and pitfalls that you’re watching out for?
My family, period, just their safety.