Waka Flocka has soared to prominence over the past year, and he credits changing the way he viewed life as a major factor behind his success. In January 2010, the BSM rapper was at a car wash in Atlanta when an assailant approached his vehicle and took out a gun. A scuffle ensued as Waka was being robbed, and he fortunately came out alive, but did suffer a gunshot to the arm. He credits this life-threatening situation as the reason behind him maturing and gaining focus.
While in the U.K., the ATL rapper chopped it up with Tim Westwood and talked about how the experience helped him grow. Prior to being shot he described himself as someone with “devious” thoughts, and he was caught up with some negative influences, “I feel like that was more so a life learned lesson...I felt like that was a lesson from God. Cause at the time I was just the most evilist person on the planet, my mind was just devious.”
The Salute Me or Shoot Me emcee, says the incident caused him to change up the pace of his life, and as a result he has enjoyed a much more successful career, “I felt like God had to stop me cause I had a whole year and a half of my life in fast forward. ..at that point in my life I was slowed down...plus it made me richer, wiser, stonger.”
He adds to Tim Westwood, that too many people are out there trying to “be hip hop”, when they should just be themselves. Waka Flocka Flame says he does not let image influence he actions and added, “A lot of hip hop people try to live the hip hop lifestyle, but hip hop is your lifestyle.”
Check out the full interview below.
