Brooklyn rappers Bobby Shmurda and Rowdy Rebel took a hit in 2014 after gaining momentum with "Hot Nigga" and "Computers," respectively, when they alongside other GS9 members were locked up over conspiracy, gun, and drug charges. Both Shmurda and Rebel are on track to come home soon; Shmurda will be released in 2020, and Rebel is eligible for parole the same year. That said, someone else is carrying the torch for the crew for the time being: Rebel's younger brother, Fetty Luciano.
The GS9 member was released in December of 2017 after being incarcerated for three years, and with his new lease on life decided to give rapping a go. The result is his debut project, Story to Tell. Light on features (Shmurda, Gunna, Landstrip Chip), the 10-song release offers a dual approach from Luciano, who chronicles the street life while also visualizing his ambitions of wealth.
Complex recently spoke with Luciano about his music and plans for GS9, which you can check out below alongside a stream for Story to Tell.
(This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.)
You’re close to people who are rappers, but what inspired you to want to jump into rapping?
Being broke. I saw it as an opportunity to make it out.
Plus, you’ve seen people around you do it so it made it more possible.
Yeah, I was already in the limelight so might as well start rapping. My brother and Bobby influenced me, he told me to keep going and strive for the best.
Are there specific moments in your life that have inspired the music, or is this more about getting out that energy and seeing who you are as a rapper?
I’m really still trying to find out who I am as a rapper. Am I drill, or am I a harmonizer or am I… I don’t know. I’m still trying to find myself, so I keep making more music in different lanes. I try to switch up my flow and rhythm on every track to really find out the kind of artist I am. As I go, I get better.
How many songs did you record overall between last December and now?
Oh, I lost count a long time ago. I be doing two, three songs a night. If I don’t finish, I go back to [it]. I just be going to the studio and doing mad songs.
Most of the time, I’m by myself. If there’s an artist in town I try to reach out to do a song or link up just to say hello. Most of the time I be by myself or with the bros, pitching in, helping out. “You should say this. Don’t say that. No, that don’t sound too good. Change that. Slur your words. Say it again. Do it over.” So I’m really by myself or with my bros.
Your brother says he’s up for parole in 2020 and Bobby recently said he’s going to be released in 2020. Do you talk to them regularly?
I can’t talk to them.
At all?
No. They’re all on parole so we can’t communicate. If I communicate then I’ll go back to jail. It’s part of my parole release.
You can’t even write a letter or have somebody share a message?
A message, yeah. I can say, “Tell my bro this,” but I can’t physically reach out like, “Bro, you alright?” It’s alright though. I’ll be off soon.
Where do you see GS9 in five years?
Five years? Oh, we rich. We’ll be rich by then. We already got two, three Benz’s by then. We outta here. That gives us more than enough time. I got two years to step up, so in three years we should get a board room by then. I should be rich by the time they come home so when they come home, they already got the platform waiting for them. Five years. That’s a good goal right there.
