Although there's numerous rumors about his new label deal circulating on the net, 2 Chainz cleared up one thing with XXL about his current situation: He is no longer with Ludacris' Disturbing Tha Peace.

"It's the Real University, Two Gun Gang, Street Executives. It's not DTP no more," he says. "I'm actually behind [Ludacris], he's still my homie. I just took another route as far as running my own company and bossing up. But on the other hand, I'm still working with him. He has an album coming out this year, as well."

Chainz was signed to DTP as a part of Playaz Circle, but since he's been on his solo grind he's moved on from Luda's label.

The Atlanta rapper also explained his nod to Bay-area rapper Too Short, who he references on the Rick Ross song "Fuck 'Em," off his Rich Forever mixtape.

"A lot of people ask where the line came from, a line in which I stated my father figure growing up was Too Short," he begins. "Too Short end up calling me probably two weeks after it dropped. I been a fan of Too Short ever since I could remember. I actually remember paying someone to go to the store and buy the CD for me because I wasn't old enough to purchase it. It just feels good for it to come all the way back around.

"It was a lyric that not only rhymed, but I just meant that," he continues. "We came up, my whole generation and the generation up under me, we came up with artists as role models and father figures... It had a lot of truth to it."

2 Chainz also talked about the XXL Freshmen issue coming up, explaining, while he is just now catching his second wind, he feels he has more experience than the average Freshman to be considered for it.

"I could tell you, from my end, a lot of people told me not to worry about that," he says, "and that's been my attitude towards a lot of things... If it happens, it happens. Actions speak louder than words. If it happens, I'd be cool about it. But, it's nothing I'm looking forward to. I realize I'm a seasoned, polished veteran at the same time because of my background, being with Playaz Circle and coming up under Ludacris and the whole campaign. So, it probably wouldn't be fair to someone else on the cover who just probably getting started.

"I feel I got knowledge in this game, although this is my first time I feel like the spotlight is directed towards me and my campaign," he adds. "I just feel I've been doing it some time. I'm not tripping off that. I'm just grateful XXL is acknowledging me."

Indeed, 2 Chainz has been doing the music thing so long that, in true OG form, he passed on the opportunity to have some of his famous friends make guest appearances at his first New York City headlining show last night (January 30). Instead, he says, they planned on attending simply to see the show and support their peer.

"My first instinct was to reach out," he explains. "I got a lot of peers in New York that I rock with. I got a lot of songs with people from New York that I rock with. But then I thought, people from New York  probably see these people all the time and they don't get a chance to actually see me. So, a lot of my peers are coming out for support to watch the show."

In addition, 2 Chainz says he hopes to release two albums in a year's time, much like Plies, Trey Songz and DMX have done in the past. "I got plenty of songs and plenty of concepts and I don't plan on putting out any more mixtapes for now so I need another venue to put out music," he says. —Mariel Concepcion (Reporting by Carl Chery)

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