Skinnyfromthe9 is the type of Hip-Hop artist you truly want to root for. He’s been through hell and back, having struggled with his family to the point of being homeless. In “the rose that grew from concrete fashion,” the New Jersey-based talent strived for success in spite of his drawbacks, and worked tirelessly to get to this point — much in the same way as a certain Midwest emcee he takes inspiration from. Where the culture’s future lies, Skinny is determined to be at the forefront — and he deserves to be there without question.
Luckily, RESPECT. was able to connect with the “Love Blast” rising star, and he spoke on everything from idols to family, as well as what fans can expect from him moving forward. If you haven’t heard about Skinnyfromthe9, don’t fret: you will soon enough…check it out below.
Image credit: HITCO
What’s the origin of your name?
Back in high school, people called me Skinny, but I thought that there would be other Skinnys out there so I wanted to be original. My hometowns area code is 908, so I just put the ‘fromthe9’ at the end of the name to differentiate myself from other artists and represent my hometown.
In earlier interviews, you said you listened to a lot of Eminem. What drew you to his music specifically? Would you say that – despite the differences in style – you were musically influenced by him in any way?
When Eminem came out, I was at the point in my life where I connected to everything he was talking about. The constant moving, changing schools and dealing with an unstable household were things I really dealt with, and seeing someone who made it out of that situation inspired me. I put my heart into my music the way Em did, I think that’s why a lot of people are attracted to my music: it’s real and it’s relatable for a lot of kids out there. I want to show people anything is possible, regardless of where you come from.
Given everything that you’ve been through growing up, what was the moment where you decided that you would commit to Hip-Hop as an artist?
Music was always an outlet for me and a way for me to express what was going through my mind. When I moved in with my dad he bought me my first microphone, and I fell in love from there and never looked back.
How do your parents and family feel about your growing success now?
Everyone is happy and everyone is living good now. They saw the hard work I put in so they are all proud that I put my mind to something and really stuck with it through good and bad.
With “Love Blast,” you expressed how women began to act different due to your rising stardom. How hard is it to develop relationships in the industry (in regards to women/love and people in general)?
It’s definitely not easy. I’m still getting used to all of this and the change in moving from New Jersey to Los Angeles. I don’t know whether people are really there for me or for what I can provide for them. I am just trying to have fun and enjoy life right now.
Since “Love Blast,” you’ve kept the consistency on tracks like “Back When I Was Broke” (my personal favorite) and “Space.” With all of these making noise, what can fans expect from you album-wise?
I have a lot of crazy records stashed right now, I’ve been working everyday with a lot of dope artists and producers. I want to make sure the first project I put out is perfect for my fans, it’s coming and I can’t wait to show the world what I’ve been working on.
We know you’ll be joining 24hrs on tour. Have you guys been cooking any music up? Any other collaborations in the works we can look out for?
For sure, me and [24hrs] got some heat together; we’re about to have the country on fire with this tour. I have a lot of dope collaborations coming. I have records with PnB Rock and Fetty Wap coming in the near future so definitely be on the lookout for those.
Even as you’re in the relative beginnings of your career, is there any advice that you can give other upcoming artists looking to make it in music?
The biggest piece of advice I can give upcoming artists would be to not listen to outside opinions and negativity and stay focused on your goal. People will always have something to say, but if you know where you’re going, that’s all that matters.
So much can change for an artist musically and career-wise nowadays. Where do you see yourself next year?
In a year, I see myself being one of the biggest artists in the world. I see myself on the billboard charts and headlining my own tour. I try not to think ahead much and continue to work hard everyday, I think that my work is going to speak for itself.
CHECK OUT MORE FROM SKINNYFROMTHE9 HERE.
You might also like
More from News
A Great Night In Hip-Hop. Paying Tribute to Hip-Hop’s Most Iconic Photo at Fotografiska NY
Please join XXL veteran journalists and contributors on May 9, 2023 — Sheena Lester, Datwon Thomas, Bonsu Thompson, Larry Hester, …
SLAUGHTERHOUSE Exclusive! Throwback to The Movement!
RESPECT. Exclusive! Assassination Day! Shady Records’ Slaughterhouse Counts down to The Release of Welcome to Our House. [Straight From The Crate...Originally Captured for RESPECT. …
BREAKING NEWS: MIGOS Legend TAKEOFF Murdered In Houston.
RESPECT. sends its condolences to the entire MIGOS family and relatives of Takeoff regarding the tragedy of his murder at …
