ILoveMakonnen first came onto the scene with his 2014 hit song "Tuesday," which got the Drake remix treatment soon after. While that song highlighted his skills, he's always been a unique talent. With his high-pitched, emotionally-tinged voice, Mak makes off-kilter songs about love, pain and surviving life and all that it presents. A multitude of projects later, Makonnen is back in 2019, ready to pick up where he left off. With up to three projects coming this year, preceeded by his collaboration with his late friend Lil Peep, ILoveMakonnen has plenty on his mind, making him a perfect ft for XXL's Views video series.

Like ILoveMakonnen, Soulja Boy made his name off music that perfectly encapsulated fun and enjoying life. On the topic of Big Drako's recent reappearance in the public eye, Makonnen shows nothing but love. "More people should give him his respect and learn about his legacy, that he's done not just for himself but countless artists that have come in the last decade or so," Mak says.

He also admires that Soulja Boy took things into his own hands: "I wish that more people would give you yo props, without you having to come and take yo props. But shouts out Soulja Boy. I love the way how it kinda had it let it be known. He's a living legend."

Now that social media is the place where many people get their first look at news, rappers are letting their voices be heard a lot more often with stars like Meek Mill and Cardi B standing up for oppressed people. ILoveMakonnen thinks it's important for the hip-hop community to share their thoughts on political issues to help inspire the youth. "I think it's good... at least it's growth in hip-hop," he shares. "Or growth in just the youth being more vocal about things and listening and just, you know, putting some time to what's really going on in our world and community rather than just showing off jewelry or whatever the latest fad is."

Check out more of Makonnen's thoughts on the world at large in the video up top.

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