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S1 E45 | Slimelife Shawty
00:59:13
Big Bank and DJ Scream are back with another installment of the “Big Facts” podcast. This week, the hosts sat down with rising star Slimelife Shawty. The rapper stopped by to discuss being inspired by Young Thug, adjusting to his new found fame and more.
Though he’s only 21, Slimelife is already positioning himself to be a serious artist in the music industry — having already gotten the cosign by many established acts including Thugga. The Atlanta-based rapper revealed that, in fact, plenty of people from his hometown have all tried their hand at rapping at least once after seeing the “Go Crazy” emcee’s success.
“Everyone who’s around probably got a song, but I was just one of the ones who really liked it,” the rapper said. “But I been had a thing for rap though—since I was little. My favorite movie used to be 8 Mile. I used to know that motherfucker by heart too—just the rap part though. Just all the freestyles, I used to know that shit by heart.”
The “Suit Me Up” rapper admitted to being shy when he initially began rapping but after seeing Thug and how he carried himself as an artist, Slimelife said he grew more in love with the art form and was ultimately able to find his confidence to pursue it professionally.
“Just by seeing him. We see that nigga everyday in the hood, but he rapping. He’s out here. He over there. He doing big shit and it was just like, ‘Damn, that nigga right here in the hood with us, but he doing all that’ and it just made a nigga really want to chase it and like it for real.”
Although he’s already seen some success with tracks like “Bankroll” and “40,” Slimelife revealed he’s still getting adjusted to his new found fame following a tough transition from street life.
“That was a nigga everyday life. Outside of my house with my momma and them, and shit. Outside of my home—I probably spent most of my life outside than in the house,” the rapper explained. “So it was hard to let that go, not just because a nigga feel like, ‘Oh, I want to choose the streets.’ It’s just like a nigga grew to that, so it was hard to kind of let it go.”
Despite being encouraged by some of his peers to take on music, Slimelife said he was initially reluctant to take the advice. “Back then, we wasn’t seeing no profit like that,” he said. “All we seen was Thug, but he was in and out. So a nigga was like, ‘Man, Imma do this shit, but imma do me too.’”
The “Old Times” rapper said ultimately he was persuaded into taking his music career seriously after noticing the impact he could have when given a larger platform. “Just seeing it. The environment. The lifestyle for real and the voice you could have by being bigger or being somebody. That’s what really triggered it though, and made me be like yeah, I rather be this voice than somebody nobody would ever know. Make no footprint. I rather be somebody. That’s what really triggered that shit.”
Elsewhere, Slimelife shared other plans he has for himself, which include wanting to explore different parts of the world. “You know how there still be indigenous tribes and shit in different places? And they say the Amazon Rainforest ain’t even been fully discovered yet, with space and all that type of shit, the Earth and all that?” the artist asked. “It’s so many questions out here and there’s no answer to [them]. I want to be a part of something bigger.”
The rapper later reflected on his upbringing and how he wasn’t capable of seeing the world or doing certain activities due to a lack of resources.
“It’s just a whole lot of shit. Niggas see a whole of shit on TV and shit that we don’t get a chance to experience. Growing up in the hood, Black kids, we don’t get to experience a whole lot of shit. The most exotic shit we do is a zoo or some shit. We don’t do shit that we see out here on TV that other kids do. We don’t do nothing by the streets and school. I just want to do a whole lot of different shit,” he continued.
“We are already behind. You Black, you from the hood, you already born behind, you behind already. Just look, on no racist shit or nothing like that, but white kids and their schools, they be doing them big field trips—going to Africa. Going to China,” he added.
Elaborating more on his interest in indigenous tribes and cultures outside of Western Civilization, the artist said growing up, he never recalled ever stepping foot outside of his hometown of Atlanta. However, now blessed with more resources, the “Freestyle” rapper said he plans to take full advantage and explore other places and cultures.
As always, if you like what you heard, be sure to stay tuned every week for new episodes of “Big Facts.” Also, don’t make sure to watch the latest show above!