Any '90s baby, The Rock or Stone Cold Steve Austin had to be your favorite wrestler.
No, I wasn't a bad kid. I was always intelligent, and strong-minded, and outgoing, like I am now.
There was so much music growing up. But definitely Lil Wayne was a big influence because I had more of an understanding of what I was listening to when I was getting older.
I didn't know of any rappers in Charlotte. Not to sound like I'm bragging, but I brought the music scene alive and shed the proper light on it. I took it to a whole other level when I started rapping.
When you got a sound that don't sound like nobody else and it's brand new, you've got to feed it to βem. You've got to force it on βem.
Early on in my life, I got two older brothers; we used to listen to Eminem, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne.
I love it when you have to perform at a certain level or else. That's when I'm at my best.
He's from Fayetteville. I'm from Charlotte. We got two different upbringings. All in all though, I love J. Cole's perspective and I love his music. I love his approach. It's just two different things.
Charlotte, it's what somebody from New York or L.A. would say is a small town, but it isn't. It's right in between being a small town and a city. It's more of a city.
You can't cheat the game. You can't cheat the grind. You get out what you put in at the end of the day.
When I started coming on my music the way I was coming on freestyles - just relentless, at your neck, as soon as the beat starts, that's when everything really clicked.
It's just the risk that I take and the sacrifice that I make: Putting myself, my career, my family's peace of mind on the line just to do right by my fans. It ain't no gray area: You're either with that and willing to go out of your way to make people who contribute to your dreams coming true happy or you aren't.
I don't even listen to peoples' music⦠I'm really in-tune with my craft, I listen to me all day long.
My name was originally Da Baby Jesus, but I changed it like two years into my career because I didn't want to offend anyone; although I feel like my purpose in the game is related and still is, I didn't want my name to be a distraction from the music.
The music I make, it's so hard. I listen to it 100,000 times before it even drops.
I'm an early 1990's baby, so I had the pleasure of going through a lot of eras in music.
Now that I'm a XXL Freshman, you know, I feel like that sets high standards for me, and I feel like I have to deliver.
I'm all the way hands-on when it comes to my videos.
I like to have fun with my videos and performances, that's the most fun part when it comes to the music. I get to show off my character.
I was all about touching people and influencing people, I always been that type of person. I was the one teaching people things, I just always had a way with my words and I always spoke with substance.
