Many fans came to know BobbyShmurdain 2014 after his hit song “Hot N**ga” took over the internet, peaked atNo. 6on theBillboardHot 100and simultaneously changed the way fans said “about a week ago”— not to mention the “shmoneydance”to go along with the record.His hitmaking prowess also ledtothe young starsigninga contract with Epic Records.

Justmonths after the release of “Hot N**ga,”Shmurdahad to step away from his rising career to serve a six-yearprisonsentence,according to Billboard. After spending time away from music,Shmurdacame back onto the scene with “No TimeForSleep (Freestyle)” in 2021. He followed this with“Shmoney,” a collaboration with Quavo and Rowdy Rebel, later that year. In 2022,Shmurdasevered ties withEpic Recordsand became an independent artist.

Two years later, therapper is still in high demand. Hereleased“On Something,”a collaboration with Eli, in May.In June,Shmurdaalso performed a set at Empowerment Music Group’s (EMG) Yung N LitMusic Festat the historicApollo Theaterin New York City, along with other hot artists like Cash Cobain, Bay Swag, Rubi Rose, and more. The Brooklyn native is also expanding his brand with entrepreneurial endeavorsandgiving back to youth in juvenile detention systems.

In an exclusive conversation with REVOLTprior to the fest, BobbyShmurdatalked about performing at Yung N LitMusic Fest, the challenges he faces as an independent artist, his business ventures, philanthropy,and more.Check it out below.

Online,you’reconsidereda pioneerofdrill music.When you hear that,how does it make you feel?

Ihave tochange the SEO because this is crazy, man. Idon'tknow why people keep calling me that.I'mlike,I'mnot a pioneer[for]drill because I do not dodrill music. I never did drillmusic,and Iwon'tever do it.That's[their] genre. I feel likethat'sthe youngboys’genre.I'man OG,baby,I'vebeen OG.I'vebeen outside since‘98.I [was] born in ‘94, do the math.

Yung N Lit Fest is being held at the Apollo.Howdoes it feel to be headlining at such a historic venue?

I would say [performing] anywhere in New York, I love it, but the Apollo is legendary because we grew up on that–like,we used to watch that on TV back in the days.My grandmother liked thats**t,y'all.I'mgonnatry to rub that [thing]...They still got the little thing I can rub?

What do you love about the New York crowd when you perform?

The energy.[The] New York crowd is always on10. Always on lit, like,the energy is always different.It’salways a movie.Don'tmatter where you at in New York. You could just be walking down the street,motherf**kershaving a party – 5:00 in the morning.That'show [the] city is.

What doesbeingyoung and lit mean to you now compared to when you were younger?

It means young and lit energy. I feel like the title is self-explained. You know when you hear about it,[you’re]gonnahave a lot of young, wild artists out. You knowthey'regonnabe performing. They got the newest songs. Even from the old school songs,I'mcoming out with the “Hot N**ga” and all thats**t,from the OG s** t to the youngest s**t [like] Cash Cobain.They’llbe out there spinning on thestage,they’llbe out therewildin’.It’sgonnabe fun.

You’vebeen independent since 2022. What would you say is the hardest part about being an independent artist?

The hardest thingabout beingindependentis that yougottabe bored. Yougottabe okay with being bored. Yougottabe okay with not going out to all the parties. You got to beokaywith sitting down and being on your[own]back.

I talked to anartist–I think itwas two days ago.He'slike he had one of the biggest songs of last year, [the] song[went]five-times platinum.I'mnotgonnasay his name, but he was telling me,‘I never got paid off notoneof my songs yet,’ s**t like that. Being independent, yougottabe the label with the artist.So,youain'tgonnabe able to do everything the artist does, but you get to reap the benefits of being an artist.

Like the other artists,you'llbeout performingmore probably and you knowyou'llbe on the commercial shows more, but you knowthe independentlove is something different. Like you get the different step off becauseit’slike real,it'sdifferent.It’slike thesemotherf**kerslove me.I'msupposed to be here.It'slikeit'sa different love. When you hear them scream,it'snotlikea programmedenergy.It'sa natural energy youcan’timitate or copy.I love the feeling of it, traveling country to country, state tostate, all over the world, just seeing independent love,like thesemotherf**kerslove you for you not what people say you are.

You made some noise in the media when you talked about the lack of support from digitalstreaming platforms. How do you think streaming services can better support independent artists?

I think theyneed to make an editorial playlist and more for independent artists. It would bebetter becausethey will receive more money. They are making money already, but you could be making trillions.TellSpotifycome holler at me and [you're]gonnamake some trillions.

You have incredible energy as a performer...You’renot afraid to dance and havea good time. What would you say is the key to a great live performance?

I feel likeI’vebeen a performer all my life, soI'mjustgonnasay be yourself.Nobody can imitate you whenyou'rebeing yourself‘causeyoudon'tknow what [you’re]gonnado next. You just knowyou'regonnado you.

You spent time visiting a juvenile detention centerrecently. Why is it important for you to advocate for youth?

My father got locked up when I waslike2months old.So,he'sbeen locked up ever since.He’ssupposed to come home this year, God-willingly. I know how growing up without [a] father is, and I know how that could land you in certain troubles, or even the people that did grow up with fathers,it’sstill the same thing. I grew up inside the juvenile system. I was in and out [of] the juvenile system from when I was like 11/12 ‘til I was 18, until Icouldn'tgo back [anymore]. Then they started sending me to Rikers.

I went to junior high school and high school inside juvenile. [I’ve] never been to a high school or junior high school outside of juvenile. Growing up in that environment, I was very violent when I was young. Sothat'swhy I look for peace mostly all the time. I could relate to thosekids,and I know what [they’re] thinking because I was in there. I was in therewildin’...I was one of themanswhen I was in there.

When you see it,it’slike,‘Is this [what we’re] raising our little bros to be?’Becausewe’re10 years, 15 years older than them;we could be their fathers.

I talked toayoung n**ga theother day andhe'sa big...he'sa big member of the gang.He'slike, ‘Yo, I want to get out.’Buthe'sscared to tell his n**gas.I'mlike,‘Yo, if your n**gas love you...’I told my n****s like, ‘Yo,bro,I'mhandling business now. All the other s**tcan'tcome around to business.’ Yougotto make decisions for your family and for your well-being.I'msaying ifmotherf**kers f**kwith you and they love you like they say they love you, theygottaunderstand that.

So,it'sjust giving the kids that.They'renot kids;they'reyoung men of thefuture.Givingthem that acknowledgement that wedidn'treally get,that'swhat I strive for.

You’vebeen making business moves along with your work as an artist.What inspired you to branch off into venture capital and other entrepreneurial endeavors?

So,I own parts oftech companiesand stuff like that. I learned how to raisethe money,and venture capital is so important because I have so [many] friends that [are] billionaires and they started off bootstrap–for people whodon'tknow bootstrap,thatmeanthey started off their business ground up. I feel like it shows how important the mind and an idea canbe.Like,if you think about Rome oryou thinkabout Egypt and the pyramids, right?[They] were builtoff ofa mind.

It shows how important a brainisand it shows to look past more than just people--like skin, culture, or whatever--and look at the brain first.

I [have] a venture capital firm with my two partners.They'resuccessful. They dropped out of NYU,raised over $30/40 million in investments, sowe'reworking on a few projects right now andit’sjust something else to do with my time, but I got ADHD.So,when Iain'trapping, I stayoutthe streets.

Let’stalk about yournew style, venture rap.Can you define it?

Venture rap is somethingthat'sdifferent.So,me and one of mypartnersjust released a song recently, liketwo-to-threeweeks ago.He'sthe owner of a company. The company’s like $30/40 million.He'slike 23 years old. We started to make music together and I wanted to explainventure capitalin rap.We'redoing a few other projects right now to take it further for the future thatwe’lltalk about soon.

So,what'snext for Bobby Shmurda? What should we look out for?

So,I got a book;I just finished my chapter outline.The book is called“Ready to Live.”Also,thedebut album is called Ready to Live.We'restill getting the financials ready for that. Once the financials are ready for the album, it will be released where it will have a proper marketing campaign and push behind it,so everybody can enjoy the music.

I want y'all to stay in tune for PBC.Prevention BeforeCureis one of my nonprofit charities that wehave,and we are building some beautiful things inside New York City and across the world.