Bobby Shmurda, Rowdy Rebel and the rest of GS9 have been through it all in the last few years. The most recent update we've received was directly from Bobby as he phoned in in July to say he was going to be out in 2020. While that's some of the best news we've heard in the last two months, GS9 is still making major moves without him in action. For a while, the collective was quiet. Then, Fetty Luciano was released from prison and he started to make waves, putting on and keeping GS9 in people's minds through his own musical adventures.
The younger brother of Rowdy Rebel served his time as he was recently released from a 3-year sentence and while in prison, he decided to have a go at his own music career. It's beginning to work out for him as he keeps on opening new eyes with each release. While Bobby and Rowdy may always be the first people you think of when it comes to GS9, Fetty is keeping their names alive in the streets, hyping everybody up for the time being. And he's by no means an interim star. Luciano has all the tools to be just as big as Bobby and Rowdy, perhaps even overtaking them in terms of popularity before it's all said and done.
As he preps his upcoming single, "Wave," we caught up with the New York artist to speak on his career, any updates in Bobby and Rowdy's cases, and how he got into the game. Read our interview with Fetty Luciano below.
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HotNewHipHop: Hey, what's up Fetty?
Fetty Luciano: Hey, what’s goin on baby?
Not much, not much. First of all, congrats on having dropped the three singles.
Thank you, I appreciate it.
No worries, man. I wanted to start off by asking how you came up with your name?
My first name my friend had given to me a long time ago. We started a group called Cash Out Boys so I came up with the name Fetty cause you know I’m about the money. Luciano, you know, I like mob movies. I felt like I could just put Luciano on the back of it, you know what I’m saying? That’s how I came up with my shit.
Growing up with your brother Rowdy Rebel, what was your relationship like and how did he inspire you to get into the game?
I feel like I got the best brother in the world. Everything he wanted to do I always wanted to do too so he inspired me in a way to just get it by any means and always adapt to your environment.
When he gets out do you have plans on making music with him?
Oh, of course. That’s without a doubt. You know as soon as he gets home we in the booth.
When does he get out? Cause I know Shmurda said he was being released in 2020.
Three of them get out in 2020, they all get out in the same week.
Word. Before you started doing music, you were on your basketball grind. How hard was it to give up the hoop dreams?
It was very hard for me because before I was back I was actually in school so when I got locked up, it was like 'what do I do next?' Like what do I do next, what do I do after this? I didn’t know which path to take like do I go back to my old life or do I try to find something new so when I chose to rap, I already had an image on me anyways so I might as well do what I can now.
What made you decide to pick up the mic?
I was bored in jail and I had written a rap one day. I had let my brother hear it and he told me to pursue it and keep going and that I sounded good.
You were the first member of GS9 to make it out after doing three years. What are you doing to put GS9 on the map because we haven’t heard a lot of what y'all have been up to the last few years?
Just putting out music and keeping the name alive. Everywhere I go I make sure everybody sees GS9. Everybody know we the ones that keep the door open for New York again, who put the pride on the state, so wherever I go, wherever it’s at, I preach GS9 'til they come home again. I just put out music and every time I put out music I'm sure that they know that it’s me and the bros are standing behind me for everything that I do.
And I know Bobby’s mom has been helping out a few GS9 artists. Has she been helping you as well?
Of course! That’s momma Shmurda like that’s the big dog right there. *laughs* I'ma go to her whenever I need help with something. She’s always available to me. She got a restaurant too so I’m always in the restaurant eating anyways. She always gives me tips.
Is she more of a business-minded person or is she actually helping out with the music as well?
She definitely helps out with the music. She knows about the music, she looks into it and she reads a lot. She’s a very smart lady and she been through a lot with her son. She knows the ins and outs and the assets of the game.
The whole group had some bad luck a few years ago. Rasha got 98 years, Santino got 117 years, A-Rod got 53. What’s it like knowing that a few of your friends are going to be locked up for the rest of their lives?
I mean, it hurts. Where we come from we ain’t never had nothing. We never had nobody to tell us you doing wrong or you doing right, we just lived life with no care but it hurts a lot cause these are the friends I grew up with since I was a kid. Them not being here right now with me when I’m here, it hurts. They used to be around me all the time, now that they’re not here it’s like 'damn where the fuck is my friends at?'
Are you keeping in contact with them at all?
Unfortunately, I’m on parole so I can’t keep in contact with them. But after my parole is up I’ll definitely keep in contact with them.
Do you have any update on Bobby and Rowdy's situation and their mindset?
They definitely doing good, they in good spirits. They always rapping when they’re on the phone. They just waiting to get out, the anxiety is real.
Do you think that when all that bullshit started going down that you guys were targeted because of the music?
There was a bullseye on us man. Like I said we always did what we wanted and never took no for an answer and the cops always hating. The cops always in my hood shaking n***as down and they was harassing us so when the music came out it was like 'oh hell no' like my kids are doing this shit and everybody wanna do this dance. They shut down the streets and they weren't having it so the music definitely made it worse.
I feel you. A few days ago on Instagram, you were posted up with Ashanti and Meek Mill. First of all, that’s fucking crazy. Can we expect any collaborations between the three of you?
You know they always gotta say what they don’t know. *both laughing*
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Have you had conversations with Meek because I feel like he would understand what you guys have been through?
Of course, I speak to Meek all the time. Meek is the bro, he know exactly what we went through and he still going through it just like how I’m still going through it.
Your label sent me an advanced stream of "Wave," which is coming out soon. You’ve only been rapping for a short while but I was listening to that last night and I can hear that you have an ear for beats and for melody. Is music something that you’ve always been passionate about?
I always had a thing for music. It’s the beats that make me dance and turn up and go crazy so when I hear some of the beats, I’ll be like 'okay this is the one right here.' That’s why I like Kodak Black so much because he got a thing for beats and melodies. Kodak is another one that’s going through the same situation as me. High-key he’s in and out with a bullseye on his back so I definitely listen to music like that. And NBA YoungBoy is another one too and we all young so when I hear beats that they listen to, when I hear it I’ll be like 'oh yeah this one right here, let’s do this.'
What do you have planned for the rest of the year?
My plan for the rest of the year is to keep winning and keep grinding for my spot. I’m tryna make a hundred thousand by next September or more than that.
What was the process like when Bobby called in for "On The Wall?"
His part had been recorded like five years ago. I just took something he had recorded and put it on a new beat.
There’s this whole question right now about who the King of New York is. Being a New Yorker, what's your opinion on who is running the city at the moment?
You gotta say 6ix9ine is running the city at the moment, I ain’t gonna sugar coat it or nothing. *laughs* He got it, you can’t tell him he don’t. He’s 9 for 9 right now and he's going 10 for 10. You can’t tell him he’s not running it right now.
What did you think about the entire beef between Cardi B and Nicki Minaj because that’s been the talk of the town too.
I don’t really like that beef. I don’t like that beef at all, I feel like it’s uncalled for. That shouldn’t even be a thing, I don’t know, but everybody go through their little moments.
I feel like you have a big year ahead of you hearing the music you've released. Do you have any closing words?
Go stream "On The Wall" featuring Bobby Shmurda and thank you to HotNewHipHop for having me. The tape should be coming out soon, probably this month around the 21st through the 30th. And hopefully, I’ll see you guys then, make more music.
Of course man, we’re looking forward to that.
Thank you bro, thank you I appreciate it.
