In recent months, we've seen an increasing number of rappers who have been killed, injured in shootings, or arrested on serious federal charges. Prior to turning himself over to authorities, Casanova warned this generation of rappers that they are targets and to move with caution. Fat Joe and Maino seem to agree, as they sat down to talk about the plight of current artists in the game as Joe stated that "rappers are in danger."
The pair of rap legends chatted for a little over an hour where they discussed a myriad of topics, including how change is necessary when a rapper is wanting to shift from being in the streets to being in the boardroom. They commended Jay-Z for being the blueprint, no pun intended, for that model as he built an empire and brought his friends and partners with him who were dedicated to elevating from the projects.
"After a while, you start to see that you don't have everything in common with some of the n*ggas you started with," said Maino. "Because you trying to do different business, you trying to navigate and level yourself up to a different place so I started to see that I had to kinda pivot because if we all just dirty n*ggas then how is that helping? If we all just gon' be hood street n*ggas, hustlas forever, then how is that helping?"
Fat Joe added, "Some guys, I can invite in my house and I can have a million dollars cash and they won't take not one dollar. But I wouldn't trust 'em to walk with you around the corner, 'cause they might do some sh*t." Maino co-signed and elsewhere added that a hustler's mindset is what makes people so successful in corporate America. Both men encouraged rappers to shift away from where they were before seeking successful careers in the industry because if they continue to chase the streets, eventually they will find what they're looking for with people they probably should have cut ties with a long time ago.
"There's so many things you can do with that mindstate," said Maino. "Selling drugs is only one thing. That's one thing. And we did that to get off the ground. Now what we doing?"
