Timeless Christian Rap Music Is Scootie Wops’ Claim To Fame

Hip hop artist Scootie Wop shares his Christian testimony. He talks about taking a Xanax and totalling his car, producing music for rapper Moneybagg Yo, and how his Christian music career took off during COVID. Additionally, he breaks down "Slide Music 2" featuring TeeJay, BigBreeze, "4Dom Intro", "Role Models", and "Crash Test” in the 4-song-breakdown. *The transcription of any lyrics and some of the interview content may not be entirely accurate. *[00:00:33.930][00:00:39.120] - Gaelika

Let's start with your first music memory, whether it be a song, music, video performance,[00:00:48.150] - Scottie Wop

my first music memory would be in church. I learned how to play the drums when I was about six or seven years old, when I was staying at the service one day and just got a dear AKAM who dared because like I said, I was always watching him like dance services and simply not paying attention to anything else. I was like, Yeah, man, like I want to learn how to play. So we took us like 30 minutes, but I finally picked up on it. That was like my first encounter. I remember with music, she would always tell me, like, since I was out of the womb, like I was at home in her lap in church, like as a newborn child. Never did music play, but I don't remember it. I was too young. But yeah, playing the drums early found where she was like, my first memory comes my mother.[00:01:44.790] - Gaelika

So you picked up the drums in like 30 minutes as a little kid and as a baby. It's just the visual is kind of creepy, like little baby hummig. OK, it is a grown man in this little baby. Right. And where were you born and raised?[00:02:12.900] - Scottie Wop

I was born in Jacksonville, North Carolina. But I was raised, I would say mainly in South Carolina. My pops, he was a Marine. So we moved around a lot as I was a kid. We lived in Cuba, Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina. But I've been in South Carolina for about 16 years of my life. So North Carolina, born, South Carolina raised[00:02:39.440] - Scottie Wop

OK, so is where you consider home then? So, yeah, I would say South Carolina is home. You know, I developed a lot of relationships here and I got my country twang from staying here most of my life, so.[00:02:56.610] - Gaelika

Oh, and you said your dad was a Marine. Was your did you have any siblings?[00:03:06.090] - Scottie Wop

Yes. So I have. I had I live with with my younger sister. I have two older brothers, an older sister and some stay in Texas, Arizona. Then my pops, he have, I believe, four more kids with my step mom that I think they stay in North Carolina now. So we're kind of all over the place. And I have not blood relatives, but I've grown up with a lot of people.[00:03:34.710] - Gaelika

OK, and you mentioned your step mom. Did you grow up in a two parent household?[00:03:41.760] - Scottie Wop

No, mainly a one parent. My pops, he left when I was in third grade in Virginia. We were living in Virginia. My parents split, so we had to end up moving to South Carolina because we couldn't afford to stay in one of the richest capitals in America. Oh, but yeah, it was just me and my mom, my sister. And that's when I connected with, like, my older siblings as well. And I moved back and was in a Christian household.Yeah, my mom, she was she was praying every day, every night, every Saturday morning, you would hear some type of worship and you smell something in the pot and make the house. No. And I just know it was time to clean up. But she was she was definitely praying hard. And that's why I picked up on.[00:04:34.470] - Gaelika

Were you guys like weekly churchgoers?[00:04:41.250] - Scottie WopWe live close to the church. So it was like every day, basically, except for Black Friday as we were in the church, which I didn't understand it. I resent it. Like as a kid, I'm like, man, I want to do stuff to all the other kids, you know, instead of being in church every single day. We were there all the time.[00:05:00.660] - Gaelika

And then how were you as a kid? Like, yeah. Like what type of kid were you on?[00:05:11.280] - Scottie Wop

I would say it was like two versions of me. The first version was whenever I lived in Virginia, I was actually in a private school. So I was very sheltered going into like out of the third grade. And after my parents split and we had to move to South Carolina, everything switch. That's when I got exposed. So like gang activity to drug. You things of that nature to violence, fighting with different people. So I was a mixture of both like I was good when I needed to be in front of my mom. But after after I got out in public with my regular friends, it was a whole different person.[00:05:56.380] - Gaelika

So that whole different person with your regular friends, what type of mischievous things, were you getting into[00:06:08.650] - Scottie Wop

just being exposed to some light? Of course, the gang thing actually was put into a gang when I was in fifth grade, go on the sixth grade. So but my older brother at that, when we first met up, so once I got exposed to that light, I hung around a lot of older kids like I was the fifth grader with the juniors and seniors in high school. And I started smoking in sixth grade on selling stuff from seventh grade. But I was still playing sports. And I would tell them, you like to stay with sports programs, but I just wanted a family. I felt like I lost a piece of myself and was willing to do whatever to fit in if there was to talk to girls on things of that nature. I'm like, I'm OK with it. Whatever I got to do to be cool, you know?[00:07:04.720] - Gaelika

So when did you finally give your life to Christ?[00:07:10.300] - Scottie Wop

I would say it was when I turned 19 years old. So I ended up going to this Bible college in Atlanta that I was originally supposed to go to college to play football, but I ended up breaking my leg like my senior year on a year passed after I graduated high school, my mom was like, I want you to check out the school. And I was like, all right, fine, I'll check it out. I don't have anything else left. I wasn't making music yet. So I was like, you know, I'll go check it out. I went for a week. What happened was there was this man named Marty. He actually used to live in Virginia because my mom was a part of mashers commission and he was one of the students. I was there. So I saw him. Man, it looks like somebody I know, but I'm not sure what its over was like. Yeah, I remember you feel you were treated like second, second grade and he told me about the schools. It was a good option. So I went home and I was trying to get kicked out because it was really uncomfortable. You know, I wasn't used to just being loved even though I grew up in church. I presented it to I didn't have much of a life. I had to sneak to do things I wanted to do. So I got saved. At nineteen, I started making music on Christian rap music, maybe like two weeks after I got saved and now we're just running with it.[00:08:43.510] - Gaelika

So, I mean, but what happened was it was there some sort of was there like a major monumental thing that happened that one year at Bible College or was it small little incidents? And what was that connection like?[00:08:59.830] - Scottie Wop

So what happened? Actually, before I got to the college, it was almost on my sister's birthday. I was going to take a friend home and I was still using the door. I was going to heavily she lived like forty five minutes away. And what happened was I took like Xanax for people who don't know that's that's a drug that probably shouldn't get it. So it was not prescribed. So I took one. And what happens is I getit basically as such a body down. If you're doing too much good to calm you down, you'll, you'll feel like you're not in control of your body. So I took her home on a way there. I felt like I was falling asleep a little bit. And she was like, oh, you can stay here. I was like, no, no, I'm fine. I got to get back home on its own. Way back. I was probably about ten minutes away from my house or my car. I don't make it. I'm good. And all all I felt was like my hands on the wheel, but I was really behind the wheel. So I kind of like dozed off and I drove through this medium, but I hit a hole. So when I hit the pole, instead of me going into the next lane and what traffic, it woke me up and I turned back onto the main road. I drove to like the nearby chick filet in the car. and the car is Totalled. Yeah. And like, I don't have any, like, home on my body, like I didn't. And it crushed just enough to where I could make it to the house I call my mom was like, I just got to. She was like, what happened? I fell asleep and will just try to play it off like I'm tired. Like two, three o'clock in the morning, but God in her, like, she leaves the room, comes back. She was like, were you taking anything? I was like, oh, man, she's got to know. God, that was a tall order. So I just passed up. So I was like, yes, she was like, you need to give at least one year to Christ. So I said, OK. I went. And it was a worship night at the school, just like November before I was to have my Thanksgiving break. And I was just sitting in the back like the worship music was playing. And I just broke down and I just started crying, just playing. But everything that was going on in life and I'm like, that is so good. And it was like, if anybody wants to give their life to Christ, I come to the front. And I was like one of the last ones at school or anybody would expect to get up. I was the first person to spring up, not even on a weight walk to the front. They prayed for me. And that's that's what I ended up, that it came alive.[00:11:48.620] - Gaelika

Oh, wow. I mean, that's that's impactful. And props to moms. One year just now, one year turned into perfectly a lifetime. And then. All right. So are you currently do are you married?[00:12:15.160] - Scottie Wop

No, I'm not married. I'm seeing someone that also makes music, but I haven't put it out there yet. But I'm getting there. I'm working on it.[00:12:27.110] - Gaelika Do you have kids?[00:12:29.960] - Scottie Wop

I don't know. That's always that's been the big confusion with one song that I drop call were like, So do you have a kid? It's just rare for somebody that I see in the future.[00:12:44.780] - Gaelika

Got it. Because, I mean, you do say that. But I doesn't know if there was if you've had a kid since then.[00:12:52.650] - Scottie Wop Oh, no.[00:12:54.680] - Gaelika

But it stands out for me because my niece's name is Lelani. So I'm like, I got to send this song to my brother. Yeah.[00:13:01.190] - Scottie Wop Wow.[00:13:03.020] - Gaelika

You know, so how would you say God's presence looks like in your life?[00:13:07.220] - Scottie Wop

Personally, I would say it's heavy, like it's really heavy. I don't really make any moves unless God tells me to go. Because I've done so much stuff on my own, and seen it backfire. I'm like God, I submit everything to you. Everything to particularly music every year, like I'll give God five or six months where I won't even touch my computer, I won't shoot music video. I won't do anything like I'm justgoing to get inside of his face because I feel like I would get ahead of myself. So God is like in every business decision if it's just me trying to get something to eat, you know, I hear God's voice. They're like, oh my God, here, talk to this person. If I'm in, IHOP and there's a chance for ministry and He's like talk to this person. I'm not hesitating because I've seen him do so much great things not only in my life, but other people's. It wasn't always like that, though. Yeah. I felt like he had to earn it at one point. Like, you got to show me something before I'm giving you all of me because I'm not just about to do it and I've never seen you before. Yeah. So I used to test God a lot purposefully and he will show up. So not now we're at whatever he wants me to do. I do it.[00:14:42.590] - Gaelika

Yeah. I mean your little test are trivial for him. All right. So let's move forward to hot topics. It's what's trending on Twitter. So, I mean, right now, you know, in the world, we had the Daunte Wright, who was fatally shot by the officer on Sunday morning or Sunday during a traffic stop. And so his death was ruled a homicide by a medical examiner. But the police chief called it an accidental discharge, saying the officer intended to use a Taser. And currently there are demonstrations ongoing outside the Brooklyn Central Police Department. Individuals have taken place. So my question to you is, how important is it for music to reflect what's going on in the culture? Like currently?[00:15:35.750] - Scottie Wop

I feel like it's very important. You have to be mature to handle those topics, because once you know, once you put that out, all your political view on things is going on. You're opening like a whole nother door to people want to scrutinize you for using your voice for what you feel is right. But it is very important if you have that platform. That's why I looked up to people like the Lecrae. You got KB, Derek Minor,Rrockstar JT. They're not afraid to use their platform to stand up for what they believe is right, like like God has given us a voice. And if we honestly feel like we can contribute and bring peace and a sense and understanding rather than rally people up, do something wrong, we should use it any time we have the opportunity. To me personally, I. I use my music for literally the people in my area because I want I want to take hold of what's going on around me and branch out. I don't want to seem like I'm ignoring the own problems that's happening in my backyard. But yeah, we have a responsibility to enlighten people who may not understand what's going on. That's a big thing. It's going to take a lot of understanding as an artist or even as a black male to explain to people and have patience with them as to why certain things are agitating us. So it's a it's a big role that we have, especially in recent times, because it's easy for a song to blow up like that. You could put a powerful message in a song that goes viral on TikTok, but it's still spreading in something that's keep people aware.[00:17:32.090] - Gaelika

And and as far as your music goes, we talk about your music. Now, you said once you gave your life to Christ, what, like a week later or two weeks later you were making music. So I'm assuming you were making secular music prior and then all of a sudden you just decided to switch. How was that Christian music start ?[00:17:56.300] - Scottie Wop

So I, I would always two of my homeboys I'm going to trap or things of that nature by just playing around with doing like who will be smoking. And I kind of just back trying to freestyle, nothing working. But I would just talk about what I had going on. I was a secular producer the first before I started rapping. So I produced for artists like Moneybagg Yo for like everything really took off about people like Cycliste. I was working with secular artists, so I kind of had a knack for music. I didn't know where it came from, but I picked up a computer and stuff just came naturally once I got sales and my mom can attest to it. Before then, I was known as the Two bar rapper who could only get two lines up before completely fumbling. Okay, but I got to say, and two weeks later, same situation in a different setting, riding in a car with my homeboys from the Christian college. Now, everybody else is freestyle and they're doing a great job. As I go I ahead freestyle song. I'm like, I'm, I'm good. Like, I don't really do that. I make the beats. I said, just try and I just go for it. So I tried and it was like some place like fifteen minutes drive you just freestyle everything that's been going on since stuff outside and God just brought it all together. So like two weeks after Give My Life to Christ, everything musically started to click and I can understand where that's go.[00:19:40.250] - Gaelika

That's God that he had you humming as a baby and rapping as a baby in faith.[00:19:49.490] - Scottie Wop Exactly. I like that.[00:19:53.510] - Gaelika

So how did you get to the point of where you are now? Because, I mean, you have made a pretty big impact and I'm assuming with a short amount of time on it, it's been pretty quick. I would say Coronaviruses was like the best, worst thing to happen to me career wise. I felt like you was bad because I was already not really gaining traction, like trying to get my music out there, trying to go to TV shows to to build a fan base. The best thing was I didn't even have to leave my house. And I can just create, create, create. Doing challenges like for Miles Minnick. That's what really put me on the map because I won the "Pluto" a challenge and I was like the third entry and it was like two hundred other entries by the end of it. I ended up winning that, getting a relationship with Miles. Other people started to look like, oh, who's that? Who's that? Then I started to do other challenges like for Mission. I won that challenge. And then people from the West Coast started really rocking with my music. Then Rockstar JT actually reached out one day. This was before the Reach Summer playlist. I was I was doing music, you know, it was more pretty good Rapzilla did a couple of articles. I was like, OK, I think things are starting to work out. Rockstar calls me. We've never talked before. I don't even know how I got my phone number. But he calls me like on FaceTime and I see it's two numbers on their first. I'm having a iPhone was like last year. So I'm like, all right, how do I have to answer it's Rockstar and it's Hulvey,[00:21:48.360] - Gaelika oh, snap?[00:21:49.830] - Scottie Wop

Like, I know Hulvey because I used to serve with City Takers. Rockstar. I was like, OK, like this Rockstar JT. Like, I heard some music. It was like, man, we got this record that we want to do and I'll be listening to your music. And you have like a like a ratchet Chrisitan hip hop type sound. I'm like, you know, some so I'm like crazy trying to stay humble. And he was like, this is the beat came on Kid Classic. I was out like that. I like the whole girls. I just think about just saying something like, "stick, stick, stick". I think I can build off of that. So I was like, yeah, you know, like just give us like a week, like see what you come out with. On that same night I got on my laptop that I was so energized. My wow. Like I was really talking to these dudes just out of the blue. I got a thank you, hopped on my right Rod Stewart brand or what it was like the second tape that I recorded it all one time.[00:22:56.100]

I was like, this is the one I called my brother Rich. I played it on my face time. Oh, this is hard. That was confirmation. I said, the Rockstar. He takes me back like a week later. It was like a I don't say nothing, but I think Ace wants to put on some playlist. I was like, what summer playlist is like the Reach Summer Playlist? I like what's. So we get the process rolling. I get a call from a some guy, OK, like this is really emotion ever since then that that did pretty well. Then I started to drop my own stuff. I linked up Big Breeze and God Fearing, of of "Slide Music". That was our first time meeting each other at the music video shoot. So we had no like interactions. The person we shot that we put it out, it was like, we need more from y'all. We ended up dropping the project. Lecrae catches wind of it and shares. I was like, this is crazy. God is just doing some amazing stuff so fast. Ever since then, I've been building a relationship with Lecrae, dropping the solo project by myself. He saw that and he shared it. And I just feel like, God's favor is just being over my life heavy.[00:24:21.960] - Gaelika

OK, that's a lot. And wow. Gosh, that's that's crazy, man. That's incredible. Pretty much so. Rock star JT. I've told his testimony, Rockstar, Hulvey, Mission, Miles Minnick he's going to I just interviewed him he's going to end the season. He's enjoying the season. But when I was talking to rock star JT, he suggested that I reach out to you to hear your testimony. I appreciate that, son. That's an incredibletestimony, though. And I didn't realize that it was all happening pretty much during covid. So so you've built some pretty cool relationships that have also turned in dope features. But how important is it to have musical relationships[00:25:25.860] - Scottie Wop

I think is very important, like our reach for the relationship before the record. So even with the record that me and Rockstar have with Tedashii. She was like, when I got to the studio, I was just asking questions about him, you know, like, what's life like? I listen to some of your music growing up, not not all the time, but I was a big Christian hip hop head. I only know look, right now, that's weird. You know, I like to build relationships because then you get a better feel of what the song can be about rather than, oh, let's let's just talk about this and see where it goes. Like, I want people to learn who we are as people rather than just artists to our music, whether that's just going out like this past weekend it was like me, George Rose, Big Breeze, Eric, Rockstar. We just went out to go get something to eat before we even touched music uses. Let's go out here. Let's go to the store. Let's go shop. Let's just spend time with each other because we want to have long lasting relationships. Like I want to have my kids and see, oh, that's Uncle Rock, Rockstar. That's that's uncle Breeze. Not just oh I used to rap with him so yeah. I'm real big on relationships before actual music.[00:26:51.980] - Gaelika

So. So are you still in Atlanta or did you go back to South Carolina.[00:26:57.650] - Scottie Wop

So I went back to South Carolina cause I'm helping my mom out with this leadership academy. Like on weekends. We have to teach the kids in the city about God just how to apply biblical practices to real life. I'm still in Atlanta, though, very frequently, like there's a show on the road early in the morning, Friday morning. Do what I gotta do for the weekend to come back the name for anything. It's just a call to go.[00:27:30.050] - Gaelika

And you're currently working on your debut album.[00:27:33.140] - Scottie Wop

Mm hmm. Yeah. So it's on it is weird, which is like even the last project a lot of people like. That's today. It was a glimpse into what you can get, but I'm working on it like I started yesterday, just making the beat. I just want people to come into my life and act. This will actually have features on it, which will be good because a lot of my other music, I didn't have features on on projects. So it's in the progress[00:28:11.810] - Gaelika

Sweet. Is there are you like hoping to release it during a certain time period?[00:28:21.980] - Scottie Wop

Odd enough, it wont be released in this year. I feel like it will be in twenty, twenty two. And when I told my homeboy about that it was like twenty, twenty two. That's so far away I was like I know like I don't want this to be like a timeless piece of work. Nipsy Huslte talks about that a lot like his last album was timeless. Like you can play that fifteen twenty years on row and is still good music. So this is one that I really want to like take my time put together. So twenty, twenty two I'll say fall twenty, twenty two. I should have done no.[00:29:00.050] - Gaelika O h fall? Not even winter?[00:29:02.990] - Scottie Wop Right.[00:29:04.970] - Gaelika

A whole year and a half. OK, so until then we can still listen to Woptavious Porter Vol. one. I know.Where does the name come from. We're Scooty Wop come from.[00:29:19.760] - Scottie Wop

So Scooty where can you from. A lot of people call me Scooter back home and my older brother, he was like just sort of down a story by the name. Doesn't have a huge meaning to it exists. We put stuff together. The wop comes from others to a lot of Gucci Mane growing up. So that was one of his main ad libs. I was like, wow, oh, I like that. So I just put one behind the other one and I felt like it popped because I had another rap name, Little Scope when I first started and it was like eight other artists with that name. I said I got I got find something that that is super unique. You see it on paper. You're like, why did you use that name? But it worked[00:30:04.520] - Gaelika

nice. Dope, dope, dope. Wait. Hold on. I'm sorry. Can you hold on. My grandma. Grandma trying to do an interview. I'll put on your Westerns. Don't worry. I got you girl. I got you. Um, maybe ten, ten, 15 more minutes. Oh it's not like you know who it is Grandma. Scootie Wop.[00:30:37.000] - Mother Brown

Scooty who? You better schooty and put on my Westerns girl. Oh, right. Who was I was you. You missed the school is middle of high school. I'm Mother Brown. Nice to meet you, Scooty.[00:31:00.490] - Scottie Wop Nice to meet you. Much obliged.[00:31:02.320] - Mother Brown

You too. So so you be the man who always to step in and got like catchy hooks and stuff, you know, to step into the spirit.OK. OK, can you see that, that that sly music too. I like the slats and that. Can you give me a little little that I got your Khumba dolls. All that again. We lost lives, lost night war with anybody by my side. Oh yeah I know something like that. I just, I like you.[00:31:36.430] - Scottie Wop

OK, well I mean I need to be working on my Slide shuffle.[00:31:40.660] - Mother Brown

You know, I had a hip replacement by about twenty five years ago. It'd be acting up. It's acting up right now with little little couple of slides I just did right now. But I shall know. Appreciate your scooty. And in letting me do a little slide with you, I appreciate you slack. All right. All right. I'll let you get back to my grandbaby.[00:32:07.030] - Gaelika

all right, Grandma, I told you, just give me like fifty one minutes. thank you for entertaining my grandma. So we have the four-song-breakdown and is where the artist raps or recites a verse and discusses what's going on between the lines of the song story. And my grandma had you introduce Slide Music Two with TJ and Big Breeze. Do you want to just talk briefly about that song and why the two features?[00:32:47.250] - Scottie Wop

Oh, yes. A music to was was actually kind of like an answer to the first one that I did when I first started making rap music. Basically just letting people know, like in the streets. When you say you're sly like it means that you're going for it. If your own book calls you, no matter where you're at, what time it is like I'm going to rest my brother. Now we're flipping it for God. And I calls my name, but I'm not going to hesitate. I'm going to go with Amy and everybody, even if it's somebody close to me, like my family, like you guys tell me I'm doing it. So I started off by myself before I started to build relationships. TJ actually hit me up on Instagram and like you, ha, let's get a record. I was like, you know what? I literally just finished this song, but I only have one verse. So I set the tone. He puts his bars down like, all right, meet me, T.J. He was like, nah, let's ask somebody else who you think was like big breeze I'm like, who is that? Like, I've never really I don't know who everybody is. Jimmy Page. I said, that's to do that. I made a three seed. OK, ok. So stressed out deep sent it to him. He sent thefax first back. Whenever I listen to man this is great. So I felt like we all came from a similar struggle and it just came together supernatural. I was like man like what am I talking about.I feel like is real. So that's how this all came about. And of course just the off of it, I felt like I heard it in Christian hip hop. I was like, yeah, like I think I like this. I just hate. So put it together.[00:34:44.850] - Gaelika

Oh. And could you do a little "4Dom Intro". Is that how you pronounce the song.[00:34:55.420] - Scottie Wop

Oh oh. 4Dom. My bad. So I don't give a shit over and over and they try to treat us like some listen if you like read it. And I got to say don't question that. Thank you my darling. You don't know how to make actual killer understand so I can get them back kimbal sleeping thinking about how will stay away from a lot of fat. I no dog but I frontbenches. I will give my people hope but I'm cool. Will be a lot of jeans and a low voice. 4Dom is actually for my brother in a lot of people. Brother Island he was, he was killed in twenty fifteen by two minutes. So it's my job by somebody who was in a gang with so that, that kind of threw me off. But everybody that lives in this area, like when they heard a song like it was something that we need to do because there's so much gun violence and so much police brutality and it's so much just misunderstanding of what life is right now. So when I wrote the song, it was originally supposed to be the Altro, like the end of Project My Girl. Listen to what she said. Oh, this needs to be like the beginning. Like, it sets the tone. But I just wanted people to to see what it is that we go through on a daily Kouji is a lot of BS and it was like I was heavily gang influenced, not just with the gang I was in. I was all over the place like I caught them, caught them, caught them. I say in the verse, Are you trapnell you Bob? We had no choice. You play sports or you was adopted by music, wasn't really an avenue. And if you, if you were selling dope it was too much and you were dead or you are in prison. So we really didn't have many options. Such a small talk. But that song just highlights everything that that I was feeling in that moment.I just pouring out a lot of emotions,[00:37:10.560] - Gaelika "Role Models"[00:37:12.720] - Scottie Wop

role models. I'll do the verse, try to make them play the role model. No, not at all. In my bottom, Guangfu and I have no father homicide emotional had allowed. I was looking at a job, a small boy to paint when I'm alone in the sky. This woman will start to write up on my head, my brother dead. I'm afraid that's too much on my mom. But it got so much more to say. Role models just literally just letting people know like growing up. We didn't have much anything good to look up to, even though the past a trial. My mom, she was trying hard, but it was something about seeing, you know, how bad things brushing your feelings temporarily. King's turn to adult rulers and girls in Nepal. Models like I have classmates that were never selling drugs at classmates that were never promiscuous. Now, you know, they're selling their body on what is the only fans or working in a strip club or you see this pass you just got locked up for for trafficking. I'm like, somebody has to step up and show these people, like, is this a better way to live life? And we really didn't have good role models. We have people who were standing's, but not good enough to where we we learned from it is better with our lives. So it's more like a hurt place where it's like these kings and realize that you're kings and queens, philosopher queens like is more than just getting a quick buck because we're missing something. Trying fulfill some role models, the smells[00:39:00.030] - Gaelika and "Crash Test."[00:39:03.750] - Scottie Wop

Oh I see. That was good. I got to really remember to live without him because I like it. Symmetrical air. OK, I didn't write that song at all. It was just I see I had twenty twenty vision back to the base. True of the religion alphabet that honourary based out from a dog fighting case. It told me if anybody gonna make it out you've got to make it. So I my head in the sky can't let them fall. No cash crop. No, I didn't have enough to see my son look him in the eye and tell them that ain't perfect, but I won't leave your side. No crash test was was basically just me professing that I don't have my hands anythinganymore. Like I'm basically the crash test dummy and God is controlling the wheel on that part where my friend was was fighting a case that's actually Francesco, who I named the last song. Every project after he will use was fighting. A lot of different legal issues were born on the same day. He's the one who started making music with him. And he was just telling me, like you you have something special of your life. You have to be the one to make out of South Carolina. You bring the energy back. You have to be the one to be a role model. And I was just looking like a man, like I got to be right. Even if I didn't choose to be like, this is what God is. So you have to embrace it. So you test just whatever God wants to do on my heart. I'm like, you banged up. But he's always put me in a new situation to try again.[00:40:50.790] - Gaelika

And why do you title the last track of every album? Franscisco[00:40:59.940] - Scottie Wop

I name it that with that because the first verse, Prajapati, he actually helped me write the song since he was locked up. He couldn't like do the song with me. So I was like, you know what, I'm with you. 50 percent of everything is going to be your name. He gets out so he can actually hear this one. He helped me write that one as well. So I always, like, pay homage to him. He's not even if he's still alive, like but we have such a tight relationship. He was one of the first people that I met when I moved here. And for us to have the same birthday, everything like that do music. It was like he's one person that I want to benefit by. If something were to happen to me, like Frankie is my close homeboy, he's like my mother's second child.[00:41:59.220] - Gaelika

Sweet. Well, now that you've gone through the whole interview process, who would you like to see the interview? Whose testimony would you like to hear on?[00:42:13.290] - Scottie Wop

I will say, T.J., most definitely it would be T.J., I just had Main Main he has a pretty powerful testimony. And then my manager Enlightenment, he actually has been like the last 15 years, but his testimony was real powerful.