Over the last three years, Young Thug has transformed his label Young Stoner Life from a minor, blossoming organization to an all-powerful industry grail.
Hailing from Atlanta, YSL has become one of hip-hop’s most key record labels in 2021, hosting elite talent from rappers and producers to managers and executive staff. On this roster stands the burgeoning, homegrown Lil Keed — growing his audience and artistry with each new project he releases.
Signing to YSL in 2018, Keed’s addition was an instant match made in heaven. His rap idol growing up was Young Thug, and he still to this day considers Thug’s 2015 classic album, Barter 6, as one of his favorite projects ever.
Partnering with Thug has come with its advantages, as he helped to secure Big Sean‘s feature on Keed’s song “Warrior” with T-Shyne on YSL’s collective 2021 album Slime Language 2. Thug also linked Keed and Travis Scott for a feature on “Wavy (Remix)” off his October 2020 deluxe version of Trapped on Cleveland 3.
Since this album, Keed has yet to drop another project. However, the emerging YSL star looks to make a return in 2022, expecting to drop two albums in the new year — including the sequel to his 2018 breakout record Keed Talk to ‘Em (telling Our Generation its better than the first rendition).
🔰 𝗢𝗚𝗠 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 🔰@1lilKeed chopped it up with #OGM host @ayoohakeem to speak on @YoungStonerLife, #YoungThug, upcoming music & much more! ⬇️
— Our Generation Music (@OGMusicCo) October 28, 2021
READ + WATCH: https://t.co/jdwFVCbFif pic.twitter.com/s9bbShv9D3
As Lil Keed continues working toward building his following and catalog, he welcomed OGM host Hakeem Rowe into the Young Stoner Life headquarters, better known as the “Snake Pit,” in Atlanta. The pair discussed Keed’s love for basketball, the superior humor of the YSL squad, his favorite movies, his admiration for Young Thug and honing in on his sound in this Our Generation Music exclusive interview.
Watch Lil Keed’s interview with Hakeem Rowe below!
Quotable Moments
Hakeem: When I hear your music, your ad-libs are super dope to me. How would you describe your style?
Lil Keed: “I looked up to Slime (Young Thug). I still look up to Slime. He’s my idol. He always has ad-libs that are on point and in the right spot. So instead of me just rushing through the ad-libs in one take, I put them in the right spot like him. I learned that from him. Ad-libs are everything in a song. It really brings the song out when you have the right ones, it makes it even better.“
HR: For Trapped on Cleveland 3, how did you go about creating that project? What were the sessions like? What inspired it?
LK: “I did all of it out of my townhouse. Through the whole 2020 pandemic. I recorded all that music in 2020 when the pandemic happened. I recorded that the twice. I did it once and I felt like it could be better so I did it again.”
HR: How do you feel about leaks and how they affect artists and their careers?
LK: “Leaks will make you so f**king mad bro. The song will be bigger, and your fans love you so much they want the song so bad. But I hate leaks bro. That’s why I don’t have email. I use airdrop for my songs.”
