New York native Joey Bada$$ stopped by The Breakfast Club Friday morning to discuss his new song, "Devastated," his new acting gig, and everything else he has going on in his life right now.
"When I made that song, 'Devastated,' I just had one mission in mind. I wasn't trying even to make a hit song. I wanted to make an uplifting song...I'm going to challenge myself today." He also recalled the time he debuted it at Coachella and how he knew it was catchy when everyone in the crowd was singing the hook by the second time it came around.
"I want to be one of the greatest artists of all time. I don't just rap to be an underground rapper. I rap because I want to be one of the biggest, one of the greatest influences in the world when it comes to music." The hosts also touched on the topic of Joey's shows and how a lot of the fans at his concerts are white. "Them white people, they can afford them tickets," he answered. "I really started keeping that in mind for my upcoming shows and tours, I'm really tryna lower the ticket price."
Many may not know that Joey first studied to be an actor in high school, but his acting career got put on hold when he met his crew and discovered that music was his calling for right now. He also realized that a successful music career could lead to opportunities to act, which is where he's at now with a role in USA Network's critically acclaimed Mr. Robot alongside the show's Emmy-nominated lead, Rami Malek.
Bada$$ also revealed that as a kid, he never really came across Seinfeld. "It’s cool, it’s dope, it’s just being a black kid growing up that just wasn’t my sitcom of choice,” he explained. “We were too busy watching The Cosby Show, Martin, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
Normally, this kind of thing wouldn't really be news: "Guy Didn't Like Sitcom Growing Up" isn't exactly the most salacious headline. But given that Bada$$ was cast in the USA drama Mr. Robot, and is forced to portray a true life Seinfeld fiend named Leon, it's pretty impressive how well he seems to handle the material. "I had to watch a lot of Seinfeld because my character is really in love with that show," Bada$$ recently told Rolling Stone. "I watched the whole first season to know what was going on and where we was at. That’s pretty much it."
He also said that he isn't surprise that Malia Obama is a fan of his music, discussed his now infamous repost of a Malia Obama's selfie and opened up about his fear that Secret Service are still tapping his phones and keeping tabs on him as a result. Troy Ave's diss track about him that featured that disturbing line about Capital Steez's death also came up as well as that time he punched a cameraman. Watch the entire interview above.
UPDATED 4:30 p.m. ET: On Friday, Joey Bada$$ received some terrible news about his cousin Terrell Henry. The New York Daily Newsreports Henry, 22, was fatally shot in the back and neck in Brooklyn. According to the report, Henry died just after buying an iced tea around 1 a.m. His murderer is still on the loose. After seeing the article, Joey posted a note on his Instagram:
Kirk Knight also shared some words on Terrell's death.
