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YFN Lucci has seen much success in the rap game, while consistently releasing music for the streets. Hailing from Atlanta, the rapper describes his story as “for the pain,” as he’s been through the trenches and put in the work to make it out.
It was his 2016 “Key to the Streets” single featuring Migos and Trouble that pushed him into the mainstream light. While the song’s official music video currently hails over 82 million views on Youtube, it’s Lucci’s ability to both sing and rap that audiences quickly fell in love with. The next year, he followed it up with an even greater hit; “Everyday We Lit” featuring PnB Rock, which is guaranteed to uplift you in any given situation.
Signed to Think It’s A Game Entertainment and Warner Brothers, the 28-year-old recently unleashed his new project titled 650Luc: Gangsta Grillz, finally checking off working with DJ Drama off his bucket list. The 17-track tape features the street-heavy anthem “P.O.E.T.” and R&B banger “All Night Long” featuring Trey Songz.
REVOLT caught up with Lucci in his few days in Los Angeles, while shooting the “All Night Long” visual. In the conversation, we chatted about what it meant to have two of his idols, T.I. and Jeezy — who’ll be appearing at the REVOLT Summit in Atlanta on Sept. 12 – Sept. 14 — as features on the track and much more. Check out the interview below!
For those who don’t know, who is YFN Lucci?
YFN Lucci is artist, entrepreneur, owner from Summerhill, a place in Atlanta, Georgia by Turner Field, Zoo Atlanta. It’s where I grew up at. Basically, we were just all young with dreams. I was one of the kids who chased mine and made it come true.
My story’s for the pain. I’ve been going through a lot since I was 4 years old. I lost my auntie when I was 4, my mama’s sister. She was in a car accident, my daddy was driving. He hit a pole and she died. They say her foot got caught up under the brake pedal. That happened, that hit me early. Since then, it’s like what can I do to make my mama proud? Make my mama feel good because I know she was going through it. I lost partners growing up. I just be talking about the real. I have four kids, I rap about my kids. I love my kids. And my boy, what we doing? …How we gonna take over the world? [And] about my label YFNBC.
Why should people fuck with you?
Because I’m hungry. I do this to take care of my family and my people. I do it with a passion. I ain’t just doing it for the money. The money’s a bonus. I want people to hear what I got to say. Everybody got something to say, I want them to know I’m one of the best in this shit. I ain’t just rapping, I’m telling a story. My own story.
I remember I interviewed Q Money and he couldn’t stop listening to ‘Granny House.’ What does family mean to you?
Family means a lot. It’s all I got. It’s all I ever had with my mama, my grandma, and my brother. My boys who are close, they’re like my brothers. I’m big on love and loyalty. Family means the world to me.
Congrats on 650Luc: Gangsta Grillz. How has the fan reception been?
They been reacting to the music good. I get so many tags on Instagram about the music. They like my song with me and Dolph, ‘I’m Gone.’ They like that one. They fucking with the one with me, Jeezy and T.I. (‘Trap’), me and Fab (‘Want It All’). I took ‘em all over the place and gave them some real street anthems. I also gave them a real hit on there with me and Trey Songz, ‘All Night Long.’ We just shot that video.
How was that?
Extra lit! We shot that here, that video’s gonna be so dope. They responding well, especially since I got a street song going crazy called ‘P.O.E.T.’ They love that record. That record’s going crazy. I’ve been working and grinding.
Best memory from the shoot?
Probably at the end, we were doing a little two-step. It’s gon’ be lit.
Bring us back to the studio session for ‘All Night Long.’
I was in the studio with Hitmaka, shout out to Yung Berg. He was at the video shoot. He pulled up three records, we were just vibing. He pulled me up a Chris Brown record, the Trey Songz record, and the Jeremih record. I did all three of them, knocked them out fast. Then, we were just vibing, we were fucking with all of them. But, that Trey Songz [one] was the one for the summer. So, we had to drop it. Dropped it and it started going crazy.
What’s the significance of the title 650Luc?
I copped me a 650 Maybach, the first one they made I think. It was a droptop. I linked up with Drama, I’m like, ‘I’ma call this ‘Gangsta Grillz: 650Luc‘. I got a Maybach, everybody was calling me 650 around the time. Shit, we gotta go with 650Luc.
How’d it feel being on your R&B tip?
It feels good. My women fanbase is huge. So, I know they loving it. It’s good to cater to the women, that’s who’s supporting you the most. Buying yo shit, playing yo shit, making their boyfriend love your shit.
You say T.I. and Jeezy are your idols. Why is that?
Because they’re from where I’m from, man. To see anyone make it from where I’m from and then, the shit they talk about and rap about be real shit — they don’t just be rapping, they motivate you. They’ve inspired me since I was a youngin’. I fuck with them.
What was it like getting them on the project?
That was major. This was my third song with T.I. Me and T.I. locked in, we been working. That was my first song with Jeezy, so that was huge. It was big, I was excited.
Did you work together in the studio?
Nah I sent it to T.I., but I pulled up on him. I was right there while he was doing the verse. Jeezy, I sent it, but he sent it right back fast.
What’d you learn from T.I. in the studio?
I always learn a bit from big dawg, man. Just our conversations, we be talking on the phone about how to move, how you gotta be. How you gotta level up, you gotta grow up. Certain shit you can’t do. We always have those convos.
What’s your relationship with DJ Drama?
Oh man, I’ve been knowing Drama since I first started. We used to bump into each other. He’d be like, ‘How’s it going? How you feeling?’ Just giving me those talks in the beginning. To see I been going and I done did it, we got a real good relationship.
What’s the dynamic like in studio?
We be vibing! Every record I was playing for him, he was fucking with them. It was kinda hard to pick the songs, we’re just vibing. He went in talking his shit. That shit was hard!
One thing you want fans to get from this project?
I want them to have fun first. I want them to learn on some songs. Like with me and Fab, let ‘em know everybody ‘Want It All,’ but what you gon’ do when you get it? You can’t just fuck up. A lot of folks gon’ want something, you gotta know how to handle it. You can’t save everybody, we ain’t no superheroes. Just listen to me and understand what I’m going through because I know everybody else is going through the same things.
What are you going through right now?
Right now, I’m lit! I got a song with Trey Songz on the charts. We lit, I’m fucking with that. Can’t complain. We getting ready to release another record, Wish Me Well 3. It’s the one they waiting for. They can expect a lot. A lot of anger, hunger, a lot of happy moments, you feel me? A lot of big artists they’ve been wanting me to work with for a minute. They gon’ love it.
You say you want to be the biggest rapper of all time. What does that entail?
Hard work, dedication. Not just rapping, business-wise. Having a lot of shit going on, investing a lot of shit, owning a lot of shit. Just taking care of my family. Talking my shit!
What’s a normal day like in your life? Walk us through it.
I wake up with my kids, kick it with them for a minute. Later on, go to the studio, get out. If I’m feeling good, we might walk into the club and get something to eat — because in Atlanta, we eat at the club. Go sit and vibe, then back to the studio all night working. I’m working. I love to work, making songs.
What inspires you at this point?
Where I came from, I don’t really ever want to go back that route. I seen a lot growing up. I seen my mama struggle a little bit. It motivated me to go hard, get some money to take care of my family so they don’t have to want like I did.
What does mama think now?
Mama’s lit! Mama loves me. She’s the same, but she loving every moment of it. She got a big ole house, she loves that. We lit.
Three things you need in the studio?
I need some weed, I need a dope engineer, and some great beats.
Favorite song to perform?
Right now, I love performing my new song ‘P.O.E.T.’ I love the way you can see everybody getting a chill. I love performing ‘Everyday We Lit.’ I love ‘Heartless.’ That goes so crazy. And ‘Documentary.’
Best encounter with a fan?
I had so many, man. It’s so hard to choose. I met this girl and she had my name tattooed on her arm. YFN Lucci, that shit was hard.
What’s up with the cucumber party?
Shit, I was just hosting the party, that’s all. I can’t control what was going on. It was cucumbered up (laughs)! We were having fun. They did what they did at the end of the party, but other than that, we was just enjoying yourself like a regular pool party.
You with your girl ( Reginae Carter ) or nah?
Man, I’m always gonna be with my girl.
How you feel about her sneaking up on you?
You know… that’s life. Everybody has problems, I don’t really trippin’. We don’t gotta speak on that (chuckles).
Is there someone you haven’t collabed with yet that you want to?
I’m fucking with DaBaby. Dababy real hard, we gon’ work. Polo G. It’s a lot of dope artists right now, I’m fucking with everybody.
Favorite part of the West Coast?
The atmosphere, the weather, the weed.
What do you see in people that you sign?
They gotta be hungry like I was. Everybody be wanting handouts, but gotta work for what you get. Just see somebody in the studio going hard, grinding and wanting it. You can see it when they want it. You can tell when somebody don’t want it or don’t want you to give it to them. They get it on their own. That’s what I like.
How does that feel to have everybody watching you?
It feels good. I’m used to it now. You want your privacy sometimes because you have your family or kids, but it’s always been good to be acknowledged.
If you love Atlanta and hip hop, you’ll definitely want to join us and AT&T in the ATL on Sept. 12- Sept. 14 for our three-day REVOLT Summit, which was created to help rising moguls reach the next level. Head to REVOLTSummit.com for more info and to get your passes now!
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