When Yung Miami was spreading the City Girls’ name across the country on tour while JT was still in prison in 2018, their DJ Fat Boy Rhymer had their back figuratively and literally. That includes the times Miami was performing in front of sold-out crowds while pregnant.

“When I found out, I was like, ‘Whoa, you still killed it.’ I salute her. I found out when everybody found out. She rocked until she couldn’t rock anymore,” Fat Boy Rhymer told REVOLT.

In this installment of “Tour Tales,” City Girls’ DJ discusses Yung Miami developing her stage presence while JT was in prison, celebrities he’s seen check out their performances, and how he’s improvised to keep the show going.

How did you first link up with City Girls for the DJ gig?

It was around when they just had a single out, and I was on the road with Yung Miami since JT was locked up. A mutual friend named Stan told me, ‘Yo, I want to hook you up with Yung Miami. She said it was cool. They talked to JT from jail, and she was cool with it, too.’ I knew them previously from Miami, so they knew who I was anyway. They called me, gave me the offer, I took it and I haven’t looked back.

JT wasn’t there, so how did you and Miami build your onstage chemistry?

It was great. At first, it was new with her being on the road and doing her thing. But after about eight or ten shows, me watching when she stops and goes, and us learning each other, it was smooth.

Every major DJ says you don’t develop chemistry without making some mistakes or learning from each other. What did you have to iron out in those first few days?

We were clashing a lot as far as talking at the same time. We figured out when she would talk and then when I’d talk. There were never any big mistakes at any shows. It was just a little clashing of us talking at the same time.

How did you structure the show knowing JT wouldn’t be there in the beginning?

There were certain songs with certain verses of hers that you still played to keep her name alive. So we repped her and said ‘Free JT’ at shows. It wasn’t hard. We’d be like, ‘We’ll let this whole song play and let the crowd sing her verse.’ The only adjustment was figuring out which songs we’d let play through and let the crowd sing to keep JT a part of the show.

How involved were Quality Control Music Founders Coach K and Pee Thomas in those shows?

They were there from day one. As a DJ, I saw them talking to them and prepping them. They gave them that love and support. They were hands-on with them from when it was just Miami to when JT got out. They get on stage and don’t do right; everybody gets mad. If they went on stage and killed it, everybody would be happy. It was teamwork.

Yung Miami’s first major tour was Lil Baby’s “Harder Than Ever Tour” in 2018. Do any of those performances stick out to you?

All of them were great. It was impressive that Yung Miami was really grinding while JT was locked up. I can’t highlight one show. All of them motherfuckers were great.

To that point, what was Miami’s stage presence like? How did she get better as a performer on that tour?

She was good, and then she got great. The more you keep doing your job, the better you will get. Same with me — the more I perform with them, the more I’m learning more of what I can say as a DJ. I can’t speak for her, but I could see her growth as her DJ. She’s an animal now. First, she was shy and new to it. Now, she’s a beast.

Yung Miami was performing while pregnant before JT got back. How did her pregnancy affect her live shows?

It didn’t because I didn’t even know anything about it. When I found out, I was like, ‘Whoa, you still killed it.’ I salute her. I found out when everybody found out (laughs). She rocked until she couldn’t rock anymore.

When JT returned to the fold, what was that first show like?

It was crazy! It sold out fast. I remember that was Orlando, Florida, either on Thanksgiving or the day before Thanksgiving. Everybody was [happy] JT was home. The two of them were happy they could share the stage. I was happy to be a part of it as their DJ.

How has the typical City Girls show evolved over the years?

The bigger the stages they got on, the more they knew they had to step it up. So when we did Coachella, it was crazy. The dancers, production, stage and everything was crazy. They were dancing more. Before, you couldn’t really get them to dance. Now, they’re dancing their ass off. They’re here, and they’ll be here for a long time.

What is your role in their shows?

They let me pick the set. I’ll give them my opinion, and they’ll tell me yay or nay, or we’ll mix it up. Most of the time, they’ll run with what I pick. My job is to get them hype. If I don’t get the crowd hype, they aren’t hyped. I always know my job is important because if they don’t hear me yelling to the crowd juiced up, it will affect them. So, if they see me going crazy and see the crowd going crazy, they go crazy. I’m a performer, and I make booty music myself. They always knew Rhymer was going to dance and turn up. So, for them to give me the platform to deejay my 10-minute sets before they come out, I have no choice but to do what I’ve always been doing, which is take my shirt off and let the crowd see a Dade County DJ turn up the way I do before they come out and get ratchet with the girls.

They’re hilarious. What’s the funniest thing you all have done on tour, off and/or on stage?

It was just getting drunk and talking shit to one another, especially when it’s a great show and everybody’s drunk (laughs).

What are the “tour hits” from City Girls, as in the songs that aren’t huge hits but the fans love them?

‘Tighten Up,’ ‘Rodeo,’ ‘Pussy Talk,’ and they still go crazy for ‘Fuck Dat Nigga,’ which is one of their first songs. They’re able to go around the world and still be able to play ‘Fuck Dat Nigga,’ tell everyone to put a middle finger up, and they’ll do it. That’s a good thing.

What’s the most memorable show as City Girls’ DJ?

‘MTV Spring Break’ in Cancun, Mexico. It was popping when we were younger, and they took it away. So, to go to Cancun to perform on something for MTV that I used to watch as a teenager was a blessing and big for me. We’ve done so many big shows. Also, doing the Essence Festival was really big. Coachella was amazing. I’ve been a strip club DJ in Miami almost all of my life. So, to go from that to on the radio to City Girls’ DJ and then to go do Coachella where the rap list is very, very slim and do my thing for 10 minutes before I brought the girls out was big.

With Coachella being such a big show in their careers, what were those rehearsals like?

We did about seven hours a day for five days. I was in L.A. for a month to get it together with them. When I tell you they’re on it, I mean it. They’re not playing anymore. They’re getting straight to the point like, ‘This is what we got to do? Let’s do it until it’s done.’

City Girls bring out the biggest stars. Who have you seen come to check out a City Girls show?

When I saw Lil Baby come to the side and watch them, I thought, ‘That’s fire.’ Moneybagg Yo has come out on their sets before because they have that song ‘Said Sum.’ Mary J. Blige watched their show [at her Strength of a Woman Festival] in Atlanta. It was big to know Mary J. Blige rocked with them. There are a lot of people who have checked their shows.

DJs put out a lot of fires when mistakes happen. What have you had to remedy?

My laptop wasn’t compatible with one of the mixing boards the sound people had at the festival. So I had to think fast and put all the music on my hard drive. I used the house DJ’s stuff (laughs). I didn’t have my sound effects or anything. I had to improvise in five minutes.

What do you have coming up for the rest of the year?

We got the tour with Jack Harlow in September and October. You have to wait and see what we do for that. We also have a Rolling Loud performance in the summertime.