Mulaa’bossedup speaks with What You Expect
Why is your new project called Underrated/Underappreciated? I feel like you have a pretty strong fan base.
You right about having a strong fan base, but I’ve been doing this for like 5 years and I feel like I don’t get the credit I deserve. That’s the reason for the tape.
You get personal on your tapes, from going to jail to losing love ones. Is this tape going to follow the same theme?
As far as this new tape I got songs out there for the females, talking to the streets of course; that’s a lot of my fanbase. Honestly, you can say that when I’m rapping I give them all of me and keep it 100.
A lot of personal stuff in your music. When you relive it do you get emotional or do you embrace those moments because it made who you are today?
I try to embrace them bro. If I didn’t go through what I went through I wouldn’t be where I am today. Sometimes, I sit back and think about the shit that happened to me and I think it’s a movie.
What was a bigger setback: going to jail or losing loved ones?
I’ll say the going to jail part. I went to jail when I was young, I was around 20. So, when I went to jail I could have been on the outside dropping. Who knows I could have been popping by that time.
What I like about Street Vibes is you hit the ground running. The first track, “Street Ties”, just a booming intro. When you recorded that song did you know that was going to be the intro?
Yeah, I heard it out of nowhere shit. Me and my mans were cruising in the car on some regular shit. Then we heard the beat for “Street Ties”. I was like I’m going to put something out with this. “Street Ties” is defiantly one of those.
What is your writing process? Did you write a lot in jail? Do you have a bunch of rhymes in your notebook?
I got a bag full of rhymes in my closet. In prison, I had a notepad with a bunch of shit. A lot of that stuff I forgot about; out with the old in with the new. Whenever I have writer’s block I just look back.
I don’t want to harp on jail too much but was it a comfortable environment to work or is it better being in a studio with people you trust?
Honestly bro it really didn’t matter. When I was home or in jail it didn’t matter. How I looked at it was when I was in jail was I have to use this time wisely. I had people waiting on me.
On Street Vibes you have so many classics. “Facts,” “Opportunities,” “Cash Out,” (my favorite), and “Pain Music” are all great. One song that stands out is “Walk Down.”
I actually wrote that locked up. I was on my way home.
In the song “Walk Down” you say, “My bitch said I need therapy/ all the shit I’ve been through it be scaring me. I know God really care for me/ like I got a flat he be sparing me”. I can tell you wrote that in jail. Do you think you need therapy or do you look at it as a weak thing?
I don’t look at it as a weak thing. I feel like your mental health is everything. As far as everything I have been through is scary. Me talking about jail and shit I’ve been through in the streets. When I was in jail I would have dreams of me getting out. Then I would wake up to COs radio.
What’s one of your biggest burdens, something in the past that cuts deep today?
I’ll say losing my cousin. He was my older cousin that died while I was in jail. I spoke to him two days prior. We had a conversation and I told him I love him. A few days later I’m on the phone with my girl and mom and they told me the news he died. In jail, you taught to show no weakness but I was crying in front of everyone.
Did you feel any guilt?
Yeah, the way it happens I know I could of avoid it. They say you can never question god so whatever happens, happens. I’m going to be rich for him I’m going to look after his kids for him.
Transitioning to your next project Life4Granted, another dominant/ assertive intro. Do you worry about the intro more than any other parts of the project?
I always want the intro to be hard. I record a body of songs and I choose “this the intro”. I don’t want the intro to be too long, I want it to be in and out. I come in snapping then BOOM I’m out.
Do you have a planned intro for your next project?
Yeah, my first track it called “Overtime.” It’s a tribute to Elzo Bands. He had a song called 4th quarter so what’s after 4th quarter overtime.
Were you close to Elzo Bands or was it just business?
It wasn’t as far as the business thing. When it comes to Elzo our relationship was just growing. We were just getting that bond and I feel like he was just snatched. I was trying to put him under my wing music-wise, like showing him good studios, teaming up with different people. When he did 4th quarter he did that at my studio. It was defiantly bigger than business.