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S2 E9 | Big Scarr
00:46:31
This week on the “Big Facts” podcast, hosts Big Bank, DJ Scream, and Baby Jade sat down with rising rap star Big Scarr. In 2019, the 21-year-old artist released his debut single “Make a Play.” Based on real-life traumatic experiences, his raw and unflinching narratives earned him the buzz he needed to start building a healthy fan base. Then, his debut mixtape Big Grim Reaper peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard 200, earning Scarr his first charting project.
It was the rapper’s 2020 track “SolcyBoyz” featuring his cousin Pooh Shiesty and Foogiano that officially put him on the map, however. The collaborative effort landed Scarr a recording deal with Gucci Mane’s 1017 Records after Shiesty brought his music to the East Atlanta record label executive’s attention.
During his “Big Facts” discussion, Scarr opened up about growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, his influences, why he thinks he has the most dangerous job ever and more.
The burgeoning entertainer detailed the time he initially realized that he could potentially have a career in the music business. “My first song ‘Make a Play,’ it did what it did,” he told Bank. Scarr said that it took him a few hours to create the record and although he was uncertain of its potential, he received high praise from friends who urged him to take the craft more seriously. With $220, Scarr shot a visual that ultimately landed at Gucci Mane’s desk.
The “Rush Hour” emcee noted that even though the Grammy-nominated icon was already privy to his music, it was his cousin Pooh Shiesty who campaigned for him to join the Atlanta-based collective.
“Me and my momma used to ride around. I’m 12, 13 years old, and my momma used to get drunk and I got to drive home. Our favorite song [is] ‘745,’” he shared. The rising star reflected on how far he’s come — from listening to Gucci’s music as a child to being signed to the artist’s label. “So this shit like a real dream. This shit crazy,” he added.
When he was 16 years old, Scarr survived a near-fatal car accident after he was thrown through the windshield of his friend’s vehicle. Then, in 2020, he was shot in the hip. The bullet traveled up to his spine, forcing doctors to remove his appendix as well as perform a realignment on his right leg. Though these bleak experiences paved the way for some promising storylines musically, Scarr said making the charts and fame don’t concern him. “I’m real deal blessed to be moving around and do shit I wasn’t able to do at first, ” the rapper said while thinking back to friends who are less fortunate than he is.
The emcee also admitted to suffering from survivor’s remorse. Scarr shared a story about losing friends in a tragic car accident shortly after getting signed. The “Poppin” rapper said he was a bit superstitious following the achievement, noting that he was already expecting something to ruin his moment. Still, he never would’ve expected an unfortunate event such as that to occur. “I done lost plenty niggas, but it’s like, we’re at this point in life, like, we good. It’s us now,” he said, referencing being up next to showcase his talents to the world.
Like many artists, Scarr was highly influenced by his grandmother, whom he often mentions in his music. Sadly, the matriarch died from lung cancer when the rapper was just 13 years old. The young artist shared that his grandmother always believed he’d garner huge success someday, which further motivates him when he feels like quitting rap.
Scarr doesn’t have too many musical influences, but he revealed that if he could name one artist that has impacted him, it would have to be Florida-based rapper Rod Wave. The 22-year-old rose to prominence thanks to his strong vocal skills and keen ability to effortlessly blend hip-hop and R&B, which earned Rod the title of soul-trap trailblazer.
Although they’ve had brief exchanges over social media, Scarr said, “If I ever ran into dude on a personal tip, I’d real deal let him know, ‘Your music get me through a whole lot.’” “If you listen to him, you know. His shit gets me through a lot,” the young star added, sharing that sometimes he listens to Rod to amp himself up before working on his own music.
Elsewhere, the emcee opened up about his future as a rap star and the idea of collaborating with pop artists, stating, “If it comes to it, then, yeah.” He added, “I’m just going with the flow — this was never my thing. Going with the flow got me here.”
“Being a rapper is more dangerous than being a police offer,” he declared later on while talking about the realities of being famous. “This shit is the most dangerous job on Earth if you ask me because you can’t be in public. You can’t go out and do regular shit by yourself. It’s a risk. It’s a big ass risk,” he insisted. When asked if he could give it all up for one thing, Scarr said he’d ask for his grandmother back. “That was my baby — raised me from birth to 13,” he noted.
Still, the promising hip hop star shared the silver-lining in his grandmother’s death, pointing out that if she passed away later on in life — with all of the other growing pains he was juggling — he wouldn’t have been able to handle her death as gracefully. Scarr says the tragic ordeal morphed him into the individual he is today. As for the remainder of this year, the emcee appears to be enjoying the moment, echoing how “blessed” he is to be here.
For now, securing a stable future for his loved ones is his main priority, as he tells the hosts, “I’m really in it for generational wealth for my people; that’s what I’m in it for.” Scarr added that he’s enjoying the limelight to “get what I can get out of it” and hopefully open a few businesses to fall back on after rap.
Like always, if you liked what you heard, be sure to stay tuned every week for new episodes of “Big Facts.” Also, don’t forget to watch the latest show above.