He’s got a good soul…
Read it, love it: It was a scene taken straight from the Hughes Brothers’ hood classic Menace II Society. Earlier this year, while making another routine stop at a local car wash in Atlanta Juaquin “Waka Flocka Flame” Malphurs got caught slippin.’ Moments before pulling off in his freshly cleaned Beamer, the New York native found himself staring down the barrel of a Glock 9 with his assailant demanding his jewelry. Admittedly, he gave up his jewels without hesitation, but in one last ditch attempt at retaliation Waka wound up being shot in the arm as his attacker made his getaway.
The incident only gave the 24-year old rapper the wake up call he needed to focus on his burgeoning career as one of ATL’s trap rap stars. With his current street-anthem “Hard In The Paint” making its rounds across clubs and being remixed by your favorite rappers (Diddy included), Waka is doing more than okay for a rapper who–deal with it–doesn’t care about lyrics. Fresh off the plane in his hometown of Atlanta, Focka Flame chopped it up with VIBE about his forthcoming debut album, his childhood, his connection to New York rappers and the status of his relationships with Gucci Mane and Nicki Minaj.–Mikey Fresh
VIBE: Your single “Hard In Da Paint” is really connecting in a lot of different regions. What inspired that record?
Waka Flocka Flame: It was a song that I liked personally, but I didn’t think it was going to be that big. You really gotta bite your lip when you say, “I go hard in the muthafuckin’ paint!” I remember I was online reading Internet comments and just got mad as hell one day. That’s what inspired me to record that song. Instead of going out there and doing something to someone, I just put all my aggression onto that record. It took a lot of stress off me.
Did Rick Ross call you prior to jumping on it?
I didn’t even hear his version yet. That’s news to me. You just put me on. I been out of town.
Your debut album has a pretty interesting title…
Yea, Flockaveli is the name of my album. I was definitely inspired by Pac a while lot growing up, so people are definitely going to get to know me on a personal level. It’s really just my introduction to the world. I can’t tell my story whole story until I got people’s ears.
You’ve been working closely with producer Lex Luger, who has all ears right now. Did he do the majority of the album?
Out of the 15 or 16 songs that are going to make the album, Lex Luger probably did 12 of them. That’s my Dr. Dre… and I’m his Snoop [Laughs]. He’s the new sound of Hip-Hop. You ask anyone who needs a hit and Lex will come up in their conversation, guaranteed.
Do you usually present him with ideas or concepts for records first?
He usually starts off the songs. I might tell him to try a sound. But I literally watched him make a hundred beats in three days. Honest to God.
Which song off the album means the most to you?
I got a song called “Fuck This Industry.” But it’s just going at the industry as a whole. I would never go and sneak diss or make a whole song about one person. That just ain’t me, I could never do it.
Who else did you work with on Flockaveli?
I don’t really have too many features on there. I got Lil Jon on a record. I just have my clique, Brick Squad rocking with me. Actually, I got a joint for the ladies called “Sexy” with my boy David Blaine and my homegirl Gloss. It’s something for the clubs though, not no lover shit. I don’t even know how to be intimate yet. [Laughs]
Take us through your writing process. Do you write your lyrics down?
I’ll be anywhere and come up with lyrics. I do most of my joints quick… in minutes. I just put all my thoughts in my blackberry or iPhone. Writing on paper be slowing me down. I swear I had two mixtapes finished on my iPhone and they got erased. I was so cotdamn mad, man. It was like 50 raps, you can’t describe the feeling of losing your hard work like that over technology. I get sick just thinking about it.
That’s a tough loss. Do you attribute that to maybe being under the influence?
I don’t need to be super charged up off drugs in the studio. It slows me down, really. I like to be clear-minded most of the time. I guess it depends on the song. I don’t like nobody around when I’m doing something that’s personal. If it’s a Crunk song, I want people around me so I can feel the energy.
Let’s talk about your childhood living in Queens, New York.
I grew up around Run-DMC and LL Cool J and all those people. That song “Mary Mary why you buggin’…” that’s about my real aunt. Do your homework on that one. Like LL’s grandmother’s house was right up the block from mine, and they were known for parties. Murder Inc., Ja-Rule, even Biz Markie were always around the way when I was a kid. The Lost Boyz, all of them knew my family. So I been around hip-hop since a young’n. No one can say I ain’t hip-hop.
Yea, you get a lot of criticisms for “not being hip-hop.” Do you feel like the South is really running the game?
Personally, I’m not into saying “The South run rap” or whoever runs rap. I just feel like the shine is directed down here for now. People will hate no matter what. I’ll say a person who can work hard… can beat talent. Hard work pays off.
Do you consider Queens your hometown?
Well, I consider Riverdale, Georgia my home, but there ain’t no taking away from New York. Shit, I still remember taking the Q3 and the Q4 bus as a kid.
Did any song in particular draw you into hip-hop?
The first song that grabbed my attention was Big Daddy Kane “Ain’t No Half-stepping.” He was just that slick gangsta. But I actually grew up listening to people like DMX, Onyx, even Mariah Carey, bro. My uncle, Corey Rooney worked at Def Jam and Sony. I actually remember meeting Method Man as a kid. Actually, I want to get up with him one day do a record together.
What do you remember about first moving to the South?
It had the females—all the girls had big booties. I remember just thinking that all the girls our age looked grown. And everything was just slowed down, but I got adjusted to it pretty fast.
Your father was incarcerated and passed away when you were very young. Do you feel like you were always looking for that role model figure?
I grew up at my grandmother’s and a lot of my cousins had their mother and father. So it always felt like there was a hole in my life. Even when you watch movies and TV as a kid you see kids with their dads and you know you’re missing that.
Do you think that’s why you turned to the streets?
I can’t use it as excuse as to why I turned to the streets. That would be lame. I mean it might of put some more anger into what I was doing but the streets was just all I seen as a kid. So that’s where I’ve always wanted to be. Run the streets and play basketball that’s all I did. If I had doctors and lawyers around me, I’ll probably want to be around them.
Did you have any aspirations of making it to the NBA?
I stopped playing basketball when my little brother was killed. I just wanted to hurt people after that… I developed this negative attitude and a short temper. Actually, I think it affects me to this day—it’s the reason I get aggravated so quick.
I understand you were there when he was murdered…
He got killed by our next door neighbor. Bro, I seen my little brother’s brain and the front of his head smushed on the ground—that changed me forever. To this day when I look down at the black street—that’s what I see. Every time I see brand new street or stop signs I think about what happened. Some shit you just never forget.
Was witnessing your brother’s death your motivation to start rapping?
If my mom never met Gucci, I’d never start rapping. I’d probably still be outside trying to get it in. I would be selling anything pants, candy, socks, CDs, candy, whatever I could get my hands on. It put me around rap and exposed me to the business. After my first song, “Planes,” took off I knew I wanted to rap full time.
Earlier this year you were the victim of a shooting. How do you explain that incident to your younger fans who may be more impressionable?
Sometimes I get kids telling me about being shot and messing with guns but I tell them every time that shit ain’t cool. Ain’t nothing cool about shooting anybody.
Your music, though, sometimes paints a different picture.
If somebody tries to take your life, you might have to take his to survive. That’s in the Bible. If a man comes at me with a sword, you defend yourself with a sword. And if he comes at you with something else, you gotta defend yourself with that… I’m not condoning any violence but I’m about reality, bro.
There was also incident that was captured on WorldStarHipHop.com where some dudes ran up on you at a video shoot.
Let me make it clear, that was some dudes trying to get free promotion. I ain’t trippin’ on that stuff anymore. I’m good, bro. There’s always assholes in life. Certain people just feel like that’s their niche. I ain’t worried about no critics. I’m only worried about what my fans think. A critic is in the category of a hater in a high position.
Your mother Debra Antney was managing both Gucci and Nicki Minaj at one point in time, but was she always supportive of your career?
My mom was always there for me. She’s a real understanding person, but it was always about tough love. You can’t get no tighter than family. But when it’s business, I’m not her son. There’s no special treatment or anything. When I wasn’t working, she wasn’t even fuckin’ with me in music. [Laughs]. I had to put in work to get her attention. She told me she wasn’t putting money into a street dude. So I had to change up my plans.
Do you know why Gucci and Nicki decided to part ways with your mom?
I can say when you start getting hot, there are a lot of people that get in your ear. I call that the devil. It’ll turn you against the people that helped you. They must have just felt like they needed a change. Maybe they felt like other people can take their career somewhere else. I don’t know. Just like LeBron going to the Heat. I ain’t mad, though, or got problems with anybody. Moms is good; her bills are paid.
Has the split affected your relationship with Gucci?
Yeah, all the way… All the way. I ain’t got beef or anything but it has changed.
So what’s your relationship like now?
There is none. We don’t talk anymore.
What about with Nicki?
Nicki is still my homey, though. I got her number and can call her whenever. My momma ain’t got no problems with her or anything either. Let’s make that clear.
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