If you were tuned into Fat Joe's latest Instagram Live interview with the incomparable Lil Uzi Vert, you know that the Philadelphia native had some gems to drop.
We've already unpacked his comments about why he decided to get a $24 million diamond implanted in the middle of his forehead, as well as his remarks about his most recent album Eternal Atake and how he doesn't feel like it's "that great", but there were a bunch of other riveting topics discussed during their chat, including this tidbit about Lil Uzi's biggest influences in rap.
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While some of his main influences have been seeping through his music for years, his list of who has inspired him to keep at it will likely be surprising to some. His #1 influence is Mike Jones. "The first rapper that I ever learned lyric for lyric was Mike Jones," said Uzi. "That's the first rapper I learned everything lyric for lyric and I wanted to be like him... I had a Boost Mobile and my mom would give me $15 and I'd get phone cards and shit and I would spend all my money calling Mike Jones' number ‘cause I wanted to talk to him. I remember the number by heart. To this day: 281-330-8004. I felt that star power from him. He had that star power."
As noted by XXL, Uzi is referring to Mike Jones' song "Back Then" where he recites his phone number. Of course, Uzi also mentioned Lil Wayne, who is an obvious influence. "And then after Mike Jones, of course, I wanted to be Lil Wayne," he added. "When I was younger girls would say I looked like Lil Wayne, so I would run with that. And I would wear fedoras, and I would wear the tight polo tees with the skinnies, and wear the Vans and sh*t. And back then, I ordered a fake piercing off Amazon and it was a magnet and I had it [on my lip] and I would wear it every day like I was Lil Wayne."
He also named Remy Ma, Kurupt, and Young Thug to round out his top 5.
Watch Lil Uzi's full interview with Fat Joe below, and hear him speak about his most influential rappers after the 1:07:00 mark.
