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n an interview with Complex.com, rapper Nipsey Hussle touched on a number of subjects including his roots in Eritrea, philosophy, gang culture, working with Drake, and more.
When asked about switching from gang culture to life as a music artist Nipsey explained that he’s not willing to risk life as an artist to return to the gang culture.
“I don’t know nobody in the streets and was active with this gangbang shit like I was and my homie was,” Nipsey explained. “And I ain’t the hardest nigga, that ain’t what I’m saying. We were just out here with the shit for real. That was our day-to-day. It’s hard at the same time, but I know that what I’m doing is a first, so I accept that feeling of being in unfamiliar territory right now. I feel like I’d be spitting on my blessing to go back in, backtracking, and doing some shit that’ll risk my freedom.”
Nipsey also revealed that his collaboration with rapper Drake was for the most part a result of a Tweet made by Drake about Nipsey.
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“…we just chopped it up and had mutual respect for each other’s movements,” said Nipsey. “And then he was like ‘I got a record that’s crazy, I’ma shoot it to you.’ And it didn’t have no hook, just a verse. The shit was hot. I locked my verse in, shot it back, and he was like, ‘Do the hook.’ And I was like, ‘Nah, you do the hook my nigga! This what you do! Do the auto-tune shit, make the shit hot, knock it out, cuzz!’ A week later he sent it back, and I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s on fire.’”
Towards the conclusion of his interview with Complex.com, Nipsey was asked how he felt about older artists not being as supportive of the new movement. He then explained that there’s no co-signs needed for him to continue making music.
“Don’t do me no favors,” said Nipsey. “Let me run mine, you feel me? I don’t need no help…A lot of niggas did that, created their brand, went out into the world and did what they did without a co-sign. Dre did it by his own. My thing is that I don’t give no person that much power over my path that I’m walking.”
