Lil Durk

TRUTH: On Being A 2014 XXL Freshman: “It feels good ’cause this is the generation that’s popping right now with the music, so I feel good to be a part of it. It feels real good. Chance do his thing, and Bibby do his thing—we turning up. When it comes to Chicago, they really want to know what’s going on. It’s a big story [in] Chicago, so I’m tryin’ to be the one that tells what’s going on with us and me.

Kanye and them, they was on a different level, they still on a different level. But when it comes to that real Chicago, I feel that we putting in a lot of work. So they can see what’s going on with Chicago instead of not really rocking with Chicago. Plus what we be rapping about, it be true. I’m trying to assist ’cause I play a big role in Chicago, and I just want to get across what’s going on. In my opinion, everybody needs to come together and talk about what’s going on so we can settle our beef. If everybody comes together, all the voices of Chicago, it’ll slow down and eventually stop. It’s been this way. It’s just been overlooked.

Rap opens up a lot of doors for business. On the grind wise, I’ve been in the studio with Meek. His work ethic is crazy. He got a good team around him too.

I really need to grow more and hit certain areas that my fan base isn’t really big in, but that’s why I do the collabos. So when I really get that stamp, then I’ll feel like a bigger artist. I’ll never be satisfied, but when I’ll say I made it is when I go platinum. I’m getting into the lane of the album and just continuing as an artist, ’cause people be stuck at mixtapes, and I plan to just turn up. Everybody’s goal is to go platinum.”—As Told To Miranda Johnson