Timing is everything and an all-important factor in building a successful portfolio or career. In a short amount of time, Moneybagg Yo has done both. Since 2012, the Memphis, Tennessee, native has released a mind-boggling 16 mixtapes and four studio albums. In another decade, he may have already built enough credibility and wealth to retire or transition into another aspect of the music industry.
Be that as it may, Moneybagg Yo doesn’t necessarily have time to rest on his laurels. With eight kids to feed and an entire city behind him, he favors the hustle. And why not? If not for his impervious hustle, the 30-year-old would not be standing in his greatness today, as perhaps the biggest breakout artist of the year.
He called it.
After a moderately successful 2020, with hits that included, “All Dat,” “U Played” and “Said Sum,” Bagg decided 2021 would be his year. It took 11 months in and out of the studio, but once he emerged, the relentless hustler had a diamond in the rough and he promptly named it A Gangsta’s Pain. Its results produced two of the best-received tracks of the year in “Time Today” and the infectious “Wockesha” — both of which charted No. 1.
Moneybagg Yo recently sat down with rolling out to discuss his recent success, the unrelenting grind and side projects that include a self-produced movie, clothing line and more.
How do you feel that now that you’re out doing promo for your No. 1 album in the country, after being locked out last year, during the pandemic?
It feels good. I feel like during the pandemic a lot of my music took off too. Like when I dropped “Said Sum,” “Time Today,” then I came back with “Wockesha,” like, three No. 1’s … I had a good season.
Right. So do you think that do you think a pandemic actually helped you a little bit?
In a way, because I had to sit down and just think about how I want to [do] this. Where I want to do it and how I want to put my music out.
And it got you to the No. 1 album in the country, A Gangsta’s Pain. So did you think that album or that song would go to the top of the charts?
I knew that the album was gonna be big because I feel like I was having a big year. I actually made a tweet last year. I was like, “2021 is gonna be my year.” [I] went viral once. I went No. 1 twice. … But “Wockesha” was just a vibe. It was just a good song [on a] good album, I thought.
What does “Wockesha” mean?
It could mean a lot. Everybody got a “Wockesha.” Whatever it is to you, that’s what it is.
What’s the experience like being connected to the streets and then having commercial success? Because this album took you to No. 1, so it gives you a bigger audience.
I feel like you have to have [everything] from A to Z. You got to have everything that everybody can relate to. You can’t just have this commercial song, this song for the club. You gotta have a vibe when you ride in the car. You got to make this album No. 1. They gotta be able to ride from A to Z.
What do you think was the difference between the previous albums and this one?
Quality [and] timing. I feel like I went through a lot more doing this album. I took 11 months making it. I wanted to live life and go through situations and go through stuff. So I just put it into the music.
What type of situations can you tell us about that happened along the way?
Just really like a lot of questions my fans had. They were asking a lot of questions and I answered them on A Gangsta’s Pain. I feel like I ain’t leave nothing on the table.
Were you prepared for this type of success? Because you once tweeted that you went from charging $750 to $100K for a show, so that’s a big transition from then until now.
[It is.] Even from when I was getting $2,500 a show to $180K and no less than $150K. It’s crazy and it’s a real dramatic change, but it comes with just staying down and hustling [with] tunnel vision, period.
Were you prepared for it?
I used to always question myself and God, like “Why the hell? I’m a good artist. I’m talented and this person, I feel like might not be as talented as me, but they right here.” But I feel like longevity comes with timing and you gotta let that timing just take its course.
Timing is everything and I think it is your time. Tell us about the movie you have in the works.
The movie [is] hard. It’s actually called If Pain Was a Person. It’s based around the whole Memphis scene, A Gangsta’s Pain, what I went through. It’s like “Power,” really … it’s hard [and] it’s comin’.
Are you acting in it?
Yeah, I’m in it. I did the whole thing. I’m going to have a premiere probably in three cities: Atlanta and Memphis definitely will be two of them.
What else are you currently working on?
I’m transitioning into fashion and working on my clothing line, merch. We [are] trying to get the name for it … [and] get it ready.
Photography by Aaron Smalls
