These days MCs are usually entertaining on wax or captivating when off the microphone, but few have both qualities. That said, consider Louisiana wordsmith Kevin Gates a rarity, as the countless jewels he dropped during an interview with Hot 97’s Peter Rosenberg matches those rapped in his music.
Gates discussed a bevy of topics including his criminal past, mentoring youth, his top 5 MCs, why Elvis Presley’s face is tattooed on his chest, and understanding why Lil Wayne calls Birdman his father. Speaking on his upbringing in Baton Rouge, Gates said he was raised with honor and principles. That segued into the 28-year-old own experiences as a father to his two kids and others that he cares for.
“They never had fathers in they life, and if you think about, like with Wayne and Birdman, I have a street daddy. I have a person that I call daddy that’s not my biological father,” Gates explained. “All my life, something was missing. I guess God put my street daddy in my life, and that’s what it was.”
A rapper is only as good as his ability to convey their life story, and that’s Gates’ appeal. What he describes as “pain music” can be heard on his critically acclaimed By Any Means project. Get familiar by copping the project via iTunes.
See the full discussion below.
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Photo: YouTube
