Skeme Explains Why He Turned Down TDE Offer

Skeme is on a long list of West Coast rappers on the come up. People have taken notice. Including the brass at Top Dawg Ent. who reportedly asked the Inglewood rapper to join the team. In a recent interview with The NEHip-Hop, Skeme talked about his relationship with the label that put Kendrick Lamar on the map and why he turned down their proposition.

"Those is the homies and that's always going to be the same," said Skeme about his ties with the powerhouse imprint. "But the angle I came at it was I've been working for a long time at trying to be somebody on my own two and that was the end all be all of that, just wanted to be able to stand out and do my own thing."

Skeme went on to say he was honored by the possible opportunity but needed more time to mold as an artist before joining an outfit. "[It was] never was a knock to the homies," he continued, "it was just them is my guys over there. I've listened to what [Top Dawg] had to say, who is a big homie to me for sure and I was like I need to sit down and take a little more time with myself as far as who I want to be in the game. Myself, my brother and a couple of them other guys around me was like, 'We could just do this shit dolo and let's do it.' And that's where we was at with it."

XXL chopped it up with the Cali MC in December and he talked about his need to establish himself before fusing with a clique. "I gotta figure me out before I could submit to some shit like that. Cause that’s a big one. It’s not like TDE—I can attach myself to it and change my mind? Nah, you’re gonna get thrown out there. You gotta be that."

Skeme is currently criss-crossing the country with Dom Kennedy on the Get Home Safely Tour.

Check out the entire interview, where he also talks ghostwriting and his debut Ingleworld, below.

[via TNHH]