XXL Freshman Kevin Gates is just kicking off  his By Any Means Tour. Prior to all this success, the Baton Rouge rapper was running with the likes of Birdman and Lil Wayne. According to Gates, during his interview with VladTV, he revealed that he learned a lot from Birdman and Wayne.

"I was supposed to sign to Young Money. I was supposed to. When I sat around Birdman. You know, when you sit around Birdman, Birdman gonna give you the real. Man, look, I've been doing this for over 20 yearrs. I got us out of the hood doing this," Kevin Gates recalled Birdman telling him.

"So I just wanted my own brand. Once I saw how he did it. He just inspired me," Gates said of Birdman.

He went on to talk about Wayne, serving as not only a mentor but an inspiration in the studio because of his relentless work ethic.

"Even Wayne too, he's more of a mentor. You know, he gave me a different approach with music. I used to sit in there and watch him," he said.

"Let me tell you something about Tunechi—about that boy. That boy comes to the studio everyday and grind as if he doesn't have a dollar in his pocket. He comes to that studio everyday and grind as if he doesn't have a dollar in his pocket. You know, when I saw that—this the game?—he told me, 'all you gotta do is grind,' Grind."

 

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