Although New Orleans singer/rapper Kevin Gates isn’t signed to Young Money, the XXL freshman revealed that he has developed relationships with both Birdman and Lil Wayne. He also revealed that he’s managed by Fee of Young Money Cash Money Billionaires and Brian “B Rich” Richardson.
While clearing up his label and management situations, Gates spoke on being inspired to create his own brand after sitting down with Birdman during a one-on-one conversation.
“I’m still managed by Young Money…But I’m also managed by B Rich also,” he said during an interview with Vlad TV. “So, me and him been working…I was supposed to sign with Young Money. I was supposed to, but I sat around Birdman. And, you know, Birdman gon’ sit around and give you the real…I wanna do what you did. I want to get it out the mud. So, I just wanted my own brand once I saw how he did it it just inspired me. Yeah, Bird did it. He really from out the ghetto…But I believe he gave me the game cause I was soaking the game up. I like to look at the game. Analyze the game. And he saw that. He saw I was hungry for it. So, he was feeding me the game. Feeding me that knowledge.”
In addition to drawing inspiration from Birdman, Gates says he also received a great deal of advice from Lil Wayne and even recalled picking the rapper’s brain while in the recording studio.
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“He [Lil Wayne] was more of a mentor,” Gates said. “He gave me a different approach with music. I used to sit in there and watch him—Well, I’mma relate it to this. I’mma give you this illustration. You know, to learn how to coke dope good you got to be around a good, dope cook. And you know most artists don’t give you their recipe. They don’t let you get in the kitchen with em…So, Wayne let me get in the kitchen with him. You heard me? Me and Tunechi, we in the kitchen late nights. Everybody in the studio sleep. I’m in there just ‘Yeah, what this do? What that [do]?’”
