Two days later, I get up to that decision. It was 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. I used to be nonetheless asleep, and anyone stored calling me. So, I picked up the telephone with each my eyes closed, answered, and my supervisor, Fred, was like, ‘Congratulations.’ I’m like, ‘For what?’ And he was like, ‘You made XXL.’ I used to be like, ‘OK, I’ll name you again after I stand up.’ It simply didn’t really feel actual till now. It really feel actual now that I’m in it, that I’m doing it. That is actually not my time, that is all God’s timing, man. This can be a blessing, so it’ll all make sense in the long run.
I actually used to look at the XXL Freshmen. I used to get excited for when the listing would get teased, you are feeling me? Attempting to see who could be the XXL Freshman. I noticed my first video in 2016, the one with 21 Savage, Lil Yachty and all them as a result of that’s the time that I actually got here up listening to music. 2015, 2016 are after I began digging into that sound. So, yearly after that, I stayed in tune with XXL, and I watched. And 2020 was in all probability the final time I used to be actually concerned in it, actually in tune. So yeah, simply seeing the expansion from the artist after XXL is what made me fall in love with it.
The character that’s in my music [is what makes me stand out]. Even when anyone by no means noticed me outdoors of my music or by no means noticed me, they may hear my character in my music. They may hear my character. They may hear that I ain’t making an attempt to be too severe as a result of I’m not too severe of an individual. I simply be enjoying round. I simply be having enjoyable. I’m simply real. I can solely converse for myself. I’m simply genuine. I’m in my very own pores and skin, you are feeling me?
[My favorite part of Freshman so far is] simply mingling, I ain’t gon’ lie. As a result of plenty of the rappers, I by no means met earlier than till [the shoot]. I met Lazer Dim 700. I met Loe Shimmy for the primary time.
[When my fans see me on the cover of XXL magazine], I hope they simply as joyful as me. I really feel like they’re going to be stunned, although, as a result of I used to be stunned. I didn’t assume I used to be going to be right here. I’m grateful. I’m blessed. Let’s see what occurs subsequent. An opportunity is all anyone wants to show nothing into one thing, you are feeling me? It’s the alternatives that you just take that make you who you might be.”