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S2 E21 | Fredo Bang
00:46:45
On this week’s episode of the “Big Facts” podcast, Big Bank, DJ Scream, and Baby Jade sat down with rapper Fredo Bang, who stopped by to discuss various topics, including navigating stardom, his friendship with late rapper Da Real Gee Money, and why The Notebook is his favorite movie. Keep reading for a full recap of the episode.
In January 2016, Fredo Bang was arrested on charges of attempted second-degree murder. The “Brazy” emcee spent two years in prison before being released on parole in 2018. However, during that time, Fredo’s frequent collaborator and fellow rapper Da Real Gee Money, born Garrett Burton, was found dead in a parking lot outside of a recording studio after being shot and killed in his hometown of Baton Rouge in 2017. He was 22 years old.
Fredo spoke about his friendship with Gee Money and how his death has impacted his artistry.
“At that point, I didn’t give a fuck about nothing. I don’t care about coming home. I don’t care about music,” the rising star explained. “Because music was always playing for me and him. I ain’t never been that type of person. If I set a goal with this person, I’m never thinking about doing nothing myself. At that point, I ain’t really know how to make a song without him.
The rapper admitted to suffering from survivor’s guilt, telling Jade, “Everybody who knew me, we were like sun and night. He was the approachable person. I was the one who wouldn’t even speak to nobody. I was antisocial as a motherfucker.” The “No Love” emcee noted that it was rare for him to let his friend walk around alone. “On top of that, he was still in the city because he waiting on me. I was supposed to come home that week,” he added.
Fredo shared that he’s managed to avoid unnecessary trouble, mainly by not reacting to specific comments, especially on the internet. “Social media used to be fun at one point, but now it’s a whole other level,” the artist said, though he still sees all of the various platforms as a form of “entertainment, to an extent.” “I feel like so many people have their own opinions these days; it’s annoying,” he added.
The “Get Even” rapper cited critics online who are so quick to speak on a topic and often cast judgment before knowing all of the facts about a situation.
“It’s just like people with charges, right. People be forgetting you’re innocent until proven guilty. I hold that heavy because you never know … what’s really going on. So, as soon as something pop off, they done gave somebody the hammer already in the comments [section]. Then when it turns around, everybody quiet. That’s why I mind my business. You mind your own; you live long,” he quipped.
Later in the interview, Fredo shared some of the best advice he’s received in the industry: “You can’t help everybody. You gotta help yourself first. That lesson is starting to apply right now.” When Scream asked him to elaborate, the Baton Rouge native shared that he felt certain people around him were taking advantage of him.
“I’m a giving person. So, it’s hard … it been hard for me to say no. But at some point, it’s like when you get to going through your taxes and see what you sent that person already…,” the young star began. “I can’t see myself completely taking care of somebody else. I’ll do stuff for you, but where is the game plan at?”
Still, Fredo explained sometimes it’s hard for his loved ones to understand his finances are not limitless. “Let’s be honest. Everybody looks richer than what they really is. I’m nice. I’m right, but I ain’t got it to where I could just completely pay for you.”
Elsewhere, the rising emcee spoke about some of his musical influences, including Kevin Gates, noting that the “Really Really” emcee “made it cool for everybody in Louisiana to start trying to sing and harmonize on songs.” He added, “Before then, nobody was doing that. Like I said, either a dance song, pill popping song or some gangsta shit. That’s about it.”
While getting to know him a little more, the “Big Facts” crew was stunned to learn Fredo’s favorite movie is the 2004 romance drama The Notebook, starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. “That’s probably the only movie that made me tear up,” the movie buff admitted. “That was a deep story there. The whole time, those stories that he was giving her, then it ended up being them — then they ended up dying together. That shit was fire.”
Like always, if you liked what you heard, be sure to stay tuned every week for new episodes of “Big Facts.” Also, don’t forget to watch the latest episode with Fredo Bang above.