PHILLY LEGEND: GILLIE DA KING
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA | GILLIE DA KING
INTERVIEW KB TINDAL
Gille Da King is no stranger to success; he started off in the 90’s with Major Figgas then went on to become a successful solo rap artist signed to Cash Money and an actor. Now with his “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” podcast and other endeavors, Gillie shows the masses how to stay relevant and not compromise their integrity, all while blessing the youth with views and streams from his platforms and giving them the most important tool... game to stay out of the prison system or out of that box that goes 6 feet deep. Validated Magazine got the chance to chop it up with the legend from Philly. Check out the interview below.
VALIDATED: What's your earliest memory of hip-hop and the culture?
GILLIE DA KING: Listening to NWA when I was like 12 years old.
VALIDATED: Who are some artists on the Philly scene that you’re showing love to?
GILLIE DA KING: I show love to all of the Philly artists, you know what I'm saying? From the Macc N Cheese to Leaf Ward to PNB rock, the list goes on and on and on.
VALIDATED: I know your sons “Macc N Cheese” are artists, so what are the 3 most important pieces of game that you give to them and to the youth who are chasing the dream of being a recording artist?
GILLIE DA KING: Hustle, hustle, hustle. That's number one, make sure you put some planning behind your shit too. You know what I'm saying? And make sure you don't be scared to just go out there and do your thing. You know what I mean? Don't overthink shit. A lot of times motherfuckers over think shit and fuck they wave up.
VALIDATED: Tell us one of the most positive, and one of the most negative things about growing up in Philly and how you learned from each one.
GILLIE DA KING: The most positive thing is that, uh, you know, is that it gives you a certain type of hunger for people that want it. You know what I mean? It places a certain type of hunger in you to be successful. And the worst thing about it is you grow up in poverty, you grow up behind the eight ball already fucked up, busted and disgusted you know, popped up like a stolen car. So you already fucked up. So you against the odds, your whole back is against the wall from the day you drop out your mama's vagina.
VALIDATED: When you created “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” did you think it would take off like it did and how do you feel about the fact that it’s doing so well?
GILLIE DA KING: I didn't know it was going to take off, but I knew I had something and I just, you know, stuck to the game plan. That's what it's about a lot of times, sticking to the script and staying down till you come up and that's what I did. You know what I mean? Now that it's successful you know, I'm always thinking about ways I could take this to the next level cause that's what it's about.
VALIDATED: What can we expect from future episodes of the show?
GILLE DA KING: I mean, you can expect everybody, you got everybody coming. So feel me, everybody!
VALIDATED: When you were coming up what sacrifices did you make since you were invested in your artistry?
GILLIE DA KING: The sacrifices, I mean, you always sacrifice when you're independent and you’re putting your own money up, you know what I mean? That's just part of the game. You know what I'm saying? It's a win, lose situation. Either you're going to win, or you're going to lose and it's your money that's involved. So if you lose, then it's a fucked up thing.
VALIDATED: As a veteran hip-hop artist, what do you feel an artist’s responsibility is to hip-hop culture?
GILLIE DA KING: I mean, just to be them, nah mean, be to many motherfuckers out here trying to be somebody else, it ain't enough motherfuckers being comfortable with who they is.
VALIDATED: What is the latest single by “Macc N Cheese” that we should be checking for?
GILLIE DA KING: You should be checking for all of them "Ignore," "Pop Out," uh, "Who's Who"... all of them.
VALIDATED: How do you feel you've grown since you’ve come into the game?
GILLIE DA KING: I mean, I think I've grown as a person. You know what I mean? First and foremost... And that's what life is about growing as a person and not being the motherfucker you was 20 years ago or 10 years ago. So, you know, I feel like I've grown into a good person and now I'm just trying to, you know, give some shit back to youth.
VALIDATED: What does hip-hop mean to you?
GILLIE DA KING: Everything, you know what I mean? It's a way of life, it's a culture, it's how I grew up. You know what I mean? It's part of basketball, it's part of sports, it's a part of everything.
VALIDATED: You come from an era where bars were the most important element of being a rapper and now that that has changed, do you feel mainstream hip-hop artists are doing justice to the art form?
GILLIE DA KING: I understand that everything changes with time so I salute the young niggas for what they doing. A lot of old niggas be living in a time that don't exist no more. They whole life be a fucking throwback Thursday and they can't catch up. So I salute the young niggas. I don't listen to no old niggas. I only listen to young niggas. I ain't getting in the car listening to no fucking Dinosaurs.
VALIDATED: What’s your way of giving back now at this stage in your career?
GILLIE DA KING: I always give back to the youth. I give back cars to families, I put youngin’s on my pages and on my platforms for songs of the week and I give them some game to stay out of prison and out of the skys, and out of that escalator to heaven.
VALIDATED: Tell us about other ventures you're currently working on.
GILLIE DA KING: I got a book. I got a record label. I got clothing. I got everything out right now. You know what I'm saying? So go tap into Gillie Da Kid, go tap into Wallo 267, tap into Mac N Cheese, tap into Mllion Dollaz Worth Of Game. Go to barstoolsports.com and get you some merch and you know, support. I got a book coming out too in another month or so.