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Walk me through how your album with Future came about.
We linked up in the same place in Atlanta and made a lot of songs.
When Futuredid that album with Drake, they said it took only six days to make.
What about yours?I think we did it in five.
We made probably twice as many songs as we dropped, as well.
I gotta go back and listen to them [to consider releasing them].
I learned some life lessons from him, like how to move and be smart.
Yachtysaidhe gave Drake a heads up and Drake laughed it off.
Im also a big fan of Eminem and sometimes I use his point of view, his style.
When Eminem was coming up, he used to crack jokes [about other artists] in his music.
It was like satire.
I incorporated the same thing.
It was really a joke.
It was out of fun.
I think hes the greatest in the game right now.
Youve said that Future was the artist who first influenced you to experiment with lean.
Did you talk to him about that?Thats the first thing I told him.
He just was like, Wow.
He kind of apologized.
Youve since adopted a more sober lifestyle.
How has that affected your creative process?
It doesnt really have that big of an impact on me.
Its something that Im trying to separate myself from.
I feel like Im kind of acting like a sacrificial lamb.
How have you adjusted to leaving your home of Chicago?
I most definitely miss certain things [about Chicago], but this is for the better.
If I wasnt doing this, what would I be doing?
Had you given that much thought before pursuing rap right out of high school?
I never thought about college, but my mom thought about it for me.
I knew 100 percent it wasnt for me.
I wouldve been going for all the wrong reasons.
Id go, but it would have to be for something Im passionate about.
That was what was preventing me from over-excelling at school in the first place.
Your debut feels like a child of Kanyes808s & Heartbreak.
Whats your opinion of Kanye right now?I just had this conversation with a friend of mine.
It is hard to separate the art from the artist.
Nobody on this earth is perfect.
Everybody has their flaws, everybody has their dark secrets and vices.
Do you have any personal relationship with Kanye?
Hes now suddenly saying hes moved back to Chicago.I actually havent had the pleasure of talking to him.
I feel like I will soon.
Did the success of Lucid Dreams sneak up on you as much as it did me?
The Sting sample alone threw me.I feel like its just relatable.
Im saying the things about feelings that people dont know how to put into words.
It took me about 15 minutes to make.
Emotional shit is life, so why shouldnt music be?
Your career has taken off in a year.
I did it without any pop in of promotion or help.
The true hardcore supporters did that.
SoundClouds like the new Myspace.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
