It’s not hard to understand Blac Youngsta’s draw. Without effort, the Memphis-born rapper manages to simultaneously embody both a charmingly contagious joy and an uncanny ability to easily offend. And since he’s such a showman, the transgressions are, naturally, executed on a broad spectrum, as he’s been blasted by both Los Angeles strippers for not tipping enough (or at all) and by fellow rappers for engaging in mock crucifixion for a photo opp. Plus, there are those six felony charges he’s still facing in relation to Young Dolph’s first shooting of 2017. (Blac turned himself in, was released on bond, and maintains his innocence.)

But his good nature is just as equally expansive. Look no further than the clip of him giddily dancing through the corporate offices of Epic upon getting signed; or his music video for “Booty,” in which a shrunken Blac tries to enjoy a life-sized strip club; or his promise via Instagram to, all year round, pop “up on a random supporter with a gift” (including a chain for Odell Beckham). The picture platform appears to be Blac’s preferred place to stunt: it’s where he hijacked the drive-thru window of a McDonalds; lined a hotel room with $2 million (as he revealed to REVOLT TV); and boasted an even bigger money-phone just days after JAY-Z’s 4:44 declared that brag a “disconnect.”

And yet none of this has distracted Blac from being a relentless creator. In the last year, he’s dropped several projects (EP Heavy Camp, and mixtapes Illuminati, I’m Innocent, and Can’t Fake The Real with Mozzy) and collaborated with verifiable stars YG, Slim Jxmmi, Kodak Black, DRAM, Lil Yachty and T-Pain.

Today, he drops his first major release, 223.

We spoke to the rapper about bringing humor back to hip-hop, the importance of awards, how he plans to repay his Day 1 fans and, finally, what he hopes listeners feel after hearing 223. Watch the full interview above and read excerpts below.

On how he shows gratitude to fans: If you wanna get a big ol’ booty, then I’m gon’ help you get a big ol’ booty-booty-booty.

On creating 223: You know how you have sex and you pumpin’ fast and you try to hit it, a little quickie real fast? This wasn’t no quickie. Like with mixtapes, it be kinda like a quickie; it probably take me a whole day or two to do a whole mixtape. But with the album, I made love to it. I had sex with it without a condom. I tongue-kissed it.

On his sense of humor: I feel like a lot of people don’t have fun no more. They don’t now how to enjoy. Everybody wanna be so tough. I come from the hood, so I know what it feel like to not have nothing, and I’m successful now so I know how it feel to not go back to that, so I try to just keep a smile on my face. Watch the full interview above.

Listen to ‘223’ below via Spotify, TIDAL, and Apple Music.