Trap Dickie, an emerging artist from South Carolina, takes the spotlight in a riveting discussion that transcends music and delves deep into personal narratives, regional pride, and the changing landscape of hip-hop. The episode opens with a vibrant introduction, celebrating Trap Dickie's rise and his deep-rooted connections to Dallas, where he shares his affection for the city and its vibrant music scene. With anecdotes about his upbringing in Carolina, he paints a picture of a place where respect is paramount and community ties run deep. Trap reflects on growing up in a modest environment, influenced by his grandparents, and how those experiences shaped his art and ambition.

The conversation further explores the evolution of music culture, particularly how social media and platforms like TikTok have transformed the way artists connect with their audiences. Trap discusses the importance of grassroots support and how the internet can both elevate and complicate an artist's journey. His thoughts on the youth culture of today reveal a poignant understanding of the pressures and influences young people face, especially in the context of violence and crime. Trap Dickie's perspective as a father adds layers to this conversation, as he emphasizes the need for role models and positive influences in a time when the youth are often led astray by flashy lifestyles and misguided aspirations.

As the discussion progresses, Trap shares his experiences in the music industry, emphasizing the significance of collaboration and community. He inspires a vision for a united Carolina music scene, where artists uplift one another rather than compete. This camaraderie is vital for breaking through the barriers that have historically kept Southern artists from gaining mainstream recognition. Trap's passion for his craft shines as he talks about his upcoming projects, including his anticipated tape 'The Preacher's Grandson,' hinting at the personal stories and artistry that define his work. This episode is not just about music; it's an exploration of identity, community, and the power of storytelling in shaping culture, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in the dynamic world of hip-hop.

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Introducing Trap Dickie
• 08:50 - Awakening Through Adversity
• 10:40 - The Rise of Trap Dickie: From the Streets to Stardom
• 21:52 - The Carolina Connection
• 33:45 - The Evolution of Trap Dickie: Music, Family, and Future Aspirations
• 44:15 - The Future of Carolina's Music Scene
• 50:53 - The Evolution of Hip Hop and Gatekeeping

One real life street star.

Everybody give a round of applause, man.

We got a motherfucking up and coming legend in the building, man.

Trap Dickie in the building, man.

What?

What Trap Dicky?

The touchdown in Dallas.

Detail.

Definitely D town.

Definitely.

Hell, man, you gotta tell me, what are you doing out here?

First and foremost, man, to be honest.

I ain't gonna expose too much, but I love Dallas, though.

I been coming out of Dallas.

I just started showing my face in Dallas, though.

Like, I got a couple family members in Fort Worth and stuff like that.

So this ain't my first time in Dallas, you know, I know about I35 all type of I40 all.

Yeah.

Oh, shit.

He tapped in.

Yo, that's crazy.

All right, real quick, just on some Dallas shit, what's your favorite?

Do you got a favorite Dallas song or song or Dallas Fort Worth song that resonates with.

I Heard.

I heard.

I like the song from Strap.

You know, RP Strap, he had a song called I Heard that would really tune me all the way in in Dallas.

I was like, let me see what's going on in Dallas.

Oh, now that's.

I ain't gonna lie.

That's crazy.

Rip, BFG Strap.

I watched them boys grow up in the game.

Interviewed them when they were super young, man.

Definitely shout out to them.

But first time on the couch, man.

We gotta get the backstory on Trap, because you been.

Man, I ain't gonna lie.

You one of my favorite new artists that came out, bro.

And I just.

Nah, what that shit that you, bro.

Your flow is crazy.

That's what's up.

You got that bounce in your flow, you know what I mean?

And I ain't gonna lie, bro.

Like, that Blue Devils, man, that turned me all the way on to you, bro.

I was unaware.

You feel me?

That's what's up, right?

That's what's up.

But I definitely want to go through the backstory, you know what I mean?

Like, just talk to me about Carolina growing up, you know what I mean?

Oh, man, like I said, it sounds just like what it is, though, man.

If you think about it, it's the country.

It's definitely the country.

You feel what I'm saying?

It ain't a lot of interstates and stuff where I'm from.

The interstates actually in where I'm at, like, around my area, the interstate's kind of, you know, i20 go all through here by i20 in where I'm from.

You feel what I'm saying?

So single rows, you know, Not a lot Of Walmarts where I'm from, only one Walmart in my city.

You feel me?

I know a lot of places in Carolina.

There's only one Walmart in the county.

You get what I'm saying?

Damn.

For real.

They gotta be a treacherous ass.

Walmart.

Yeah.

Like, you feel what I'm saying?

They number 7,000 people where I'm from.

You feel me?

Yeah.

You know, it's like I tell you before, though.

Carolina's big on respect.

You feel me?

We open doors.

Excuse me.

Pardon me.

Right?

We feel me.

Big on respect.

Where we from right now?

You know, growing up, man, what was some of, like, was there any songs that stood out to you from Carolina that y'all grew up on?

Like, out here, we had young, you know, like, certain people.

Nah, we only had one song.

South Carolina never really, though.

Like, I can't act like we ain't had songs that blew up and it was like a Carolina thing.

Like, Petey Pablo, the only person to spit North Carolina and go on and raise up.

But Lil Rue, he had a song called Nasty Song before Gotcha.

But you really couldn't tell nothing was from South Carolina.

You feel me?

It's Carolina now.

North Carolina, we here.

But as in South Carolina, it wasn't like no anthem coming through in a long time type stuff.

Got you.

That's crazy.

Cause I know, like, for us, right?

Like, if they Southside, the realist, drug dealers, killers, like, if that ring off in the club, everybody gonna turn up.

Like, that's like an anthem damn near for us.

So you saying y'all never had one of those growing up?

Petey Pablo, the best I can say, though, like, when you say, you know, take your shirt off, twist around your head like a helicopter, you know?

So I can't act like Carolina ain't never had one.

Petey Pablo definitely gave us a big hit for the Carolinas, you know, for sure.

Me growing up, me growing up, I definitely heard Petey Pablo going crazy.

Yeah.

So, like, let's say early life, you know, you get into the rap.

Like, what?

When did you start getting into the music?

Part of it, you know, Like I said, my grandad pastor, my grandma, she always had the music bumping through the kitchen every time we got to clean up on Saturday.

Music bumping, old James Brown, outkast, all type of stuff, right?

So I been listening to the music, into the music.

But as in rapping?

I didn't start rapping until, like, age 21.

Oh, damn.

So, yeah, my brother, the rapper, I just chased behind his Dreams and stuff.

Yeah.

So what's the story behind that?

Is your brother, like.

Is your brother still rapping with.

He just be in and out of jail.

Like, he the one, my brother.

Actually, he the one.

He just bad, like, hardheaded, you feel me?

You know how it is in the streets.

You got the hard head once and I was.

I'm the big brother.

I'm the oldest.

So it was like, you know, like, not saying punishment, just showing.

Like, if I could do it, I know you could do it.

Cause you rap better than me.

I'm just rapping about what we do, right?

That's right.

Like that.

Yeah, man.

Like, you know, growing up in the streets, you know what I'm saying?

Like, everybody from the bottom, bro, you know, like, coming up, like, what was your main goal, main objective?

You know, like.

Cause when I feel like, you know, my mom and them is from Africa, Right.

So when we came, we was like at the bottom, one bedroom, four people sleeping in the bed.

And nigga, when you.

That broke shit, you just trying to take anything to get some bread.

You feel what I'm saying?

Like, for you, was it like that or was it like more so?

Like.

Oh, no, I'm not the one that's gonna tell you that.

I struggled growing up.

Like, I surpassed it.

Like, my mama had me at 15.

My daddy died at 17.

But I'm a grandma's baby.

Oh, that's.

You feel what I'm saying?

I lived with my grandparents all my life.

Damn.

Until my Grandma died at 14, when I was 14.

But I ain't.

I can't act like I missed a meal or anything.

She always had food and all.

I ain't never seen her work a job or nothing like that.

You feel what I'm saying?

So I knew granddaddy paid some bills, but I ain't never miss a meal or nothing until I got older, right?

To like 14, 15 when I actually jumped off the porch.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So other than that, I was living good.

I ain't had the clothes.

You know, old people ain't buying no damn Nikes.

Hell no, I ain't getting no Nikes.

You know, grandma gonna have you in.

There watching soap operas.

Yeah.

You feel me?

I'm watching stand up comedy.

Got on K Swiss as, you feel me?

Yeah.

Nah, K Swiss was flying.

Yeah.

That was my thing.

Rockawell.

Rockawell.

I had the Rockawell outfits and shit.

Yeah.

So, like, growing up, did you.

I know you say you ain't get to rap until 21, but when you Actually finally got your feet in the game.

Did you start off?

Was you good?

Was you, like, what was your process of getting into the actual art form?

I really can't say.

I would know because I started off like a little advance.

It was like a cheat code.

You feel what I'm saying?

I was.

I was so deep in the streets that everybody knew my name and knew who we was.

So I couldn't act like I came in just a rapper, a new rapper.

I came in selling out shows.

My first show was sold out.

You feel what I'm saying?

Damn.

Oh, you had motion like that.

But my first show was sold out.

My first show.

That's crazy, bro.

So let's talk about that.

So you had motion before the music, right?

I feel like in this day and age, right, it seems like a lot of niggas try to do the music and then get the motion.

Nothing's wrong with that.

Like, nothing's wrong with chasing dreams.

Like, just promote yourself.

If that's what you got going on, that's what you got going on.

Like, nothing wrong with that at all.

I wish I would have started like that so I could have had time to protect.

Like, how you say?

To get the energy.

Not just protect the energy, like, protect the people that was around me.

Cause I was so far in my motion, right?

Like, when I started rapping, I just.

Didn't you feel what I'm saying?

I was rapping just doing what I wanted to do.

I had already had the motion.

So if I feel like if I'd have started rapping first, I would have been able to put certain, like, energy towards certain other things than just focusing on my emotion.

I would have really cared about rapping.

Yeah.

So let me ask you this.

Like, you know, with the Streets, man.

What are some of the lessons that the Streets taught you?

You feel like all lessons, man.

The Streets gonna teach you all your lessons.

You gotta just make sure you look at it as lessons.

Like, for real, for real.

Like, Streets taught me a lot.

For real for.

Taught me everything I know, like, paths of life.

Like, I ain't never go to college, but I graduated high school.

So it was like the Streets taught me so much.

For real, for real.

Taught me how to be humble, taught me how to mind others, respect people.

You feel me?

Don't take your life for granted.

Like, for real, you could die them all.

Yeah, for real, for real.

So I know you, you know, through the music and all that.

You talk about being shot, you know what I'm saying?

Like, around what age frame was it 21?

I got shot and started rapping.

Okay, okay.

So the getting shot, did you have, like, one of those awakenings?

Like, man, I gotta switch it up.

Or was it definitely?

Definitely.

It was like being at the wrong place, wrong time, walking through somebody crossfire.

Like, getting shot by somebody that normally didn't mean to shoot me.

Like, just all that type of thing.

Like, man, you could.

You.

You could die for real.

Being in the wrong spot.

So it was like, it really woke me up.

Like, if I die just being in the wrong spot, why continue to do the things that I know can get me killed?

You feel what I'm saying?

So, like, you almost losing your life, not doing nothing or in no harm, or you not harming nobody, it's like, damn, you could lose your life to anything in a car accident, anything.

So I had to tighten up real fast.

As black men, do you think we focus too much on chasing the bag and not put enough in the spirituality?

Oh, man, hell yeah, man.

My brother over there right now, I get on his ass so bad.

Like, you can't cherish the money.

You can't believe the money is what it is.

Like, the shit gonna come.

Money gonna come when you do the right things.

For real.

For real.

You can't believe that the money is what it is.

Like, you can't believe that you can't live without this paper.

You feel like if you supposed to have this paper, this paper gonna fall in your hand.

For real.

For real.

So I definitely try to tell people, please don't praise the money.

I don't know how the scripture go, but I know that what my grandma always told me, you praise.

You praise the money, you're gonna be the brokest nigga.

So I try not to praise the money at all.

At all.

I tell all my niggas, don't praise this money.

Don't praise these hoes, man.

Man say, and I be, look, my man right here.

We try to tell this nigga, man, sometimes chasing their women, that's a distraction that should have thrown you completely off your square.

I tell my brother the same thing, man.

Not saying.

I got a bunch of kids, a bunch of women in my early life.

That's why I think I'm at the stage now where it's like, I don't really care for it though, right?

Like I said, I was on a basketball team.

I won talent shows before, so I was kind of lit, really, growing up, real life, a lot of people knew who I was, so I don't really got time to chase the females and stuff right now.

Yeah, that's hard.

That's hard.

But, man, let's talk about first show.

So, like, what was, like, your first song that you dropped?

The first song that I dropped was when I had got shot, so I still had the eye patch on and the cast and stuff.

So the first song I dropped kind of went everywhere in the local area.

It was like, oh, yeah, it turned up quick.

Yeah, it got turned up real quick.

Nobody would believe I was rapping.

It's like, my brother was the rapper.

I was the one in the streets.

So it was like when they seen the street guy pick up a mic, it was real crazy to them.

That's crazy.

You know what's so crazy to me is, like, we starting to see.

Like, you just look at the game, right?

Usually, the street nigga wasn't the rapper, right?

But when the Street N was the rapper, he wasn't all that good.

It was like, but he's authentic, so you felt him.

But now it's like the Street N can rap.

Like, y'all really got bars and flow and cadence and shit.

So, like, it gotta be some level of.

You don't just pick up a mic and just be raw muscle.

So what did you do to get to that point?

Like, all street niggas, like, they probably got something to say.

They probably don't know how to say it right, but all of them got something to say.

Like, street niggas, to me, the ones that's original real, they been winning.

Like Eazy.

They been winning.

Nah, for real, Like, n.

Been winning.

Like, for real.

For real.

You've been in the.

You've been winning?

Yeah, like, for real.

For real.

Like, people can't take stuff from certain people and act like they wasn't in the streets.

You feel what I'm saying?

Hell, yeah.

I heard people try to say, like, Biggie went in the streets, but he live right here.

Like, how can you say he.

Like, this is hood.

Like, he's from the trenches, right?

How can you not say he in the streets?

Straight up.

So, like, some of these guys that's in the streets, we definitely got something to say.

We just can't get out the streets.

Nah, I feel you.

What do you think is the biggest thing holding a lot of these brothers back?

You know what I'm saying?

Like, when you start to look at the music, right, and we start seeing a lot of these artists die from gun violence so young, or, you know, we see an artist get artists shooting artists, we've seen a Lot of wild shit that we just didn't see before, you know what I'm saying?

What do you think is the biggest contribution to that?

The Internet.

Like, they let the Internet get in there down here, man.

Like, they know we ain't even had this 10, 15 years ago.

Like, this strong.

Like, how can we let what people say on the Internet affect us or.

Or somebody else that don't know you?

How can you let what they say affect you if they don't know you?

Like, I don't know how these rappers be doing.

They be beefing with other rappers out of other states.

And I'd be like, nigga, that nigga don't know you or your mama.

Where we from?

Like, like I say, everything's small.

You feel me?

I know you.

I know your mama.

Your mama know my mama.

Like, I know if I do anything to you, it's gonna affect other people.

So I don't think these rappers be understanding sometimes.

Like, these niggas don't know you.

So how can you let him get you mad he don't know you?

That's real shit, man.

So you sell out the.

You sell out your first show.

That's kind of crazy to me.

I remember them days like, shit, I used to be a producer, you know, My brother used to rap.

You know what I'm saying?

And that struggle of just trying to get your fan base up, you know what I mean?

Like, that grind, going to shows, meeting people, trying to get your fan base.

How fast do you feel like your fan base went from zero to where it is now?

Like, was it a long process or was it.

Lord, forgive me, though, if I'm saying it wrong.

But it's like, I feel like I skipped that process.

Like I said, my first show was sold out.

Like, my first Show.

It's on YouTube.

You can go find it.

That's crazy.

The crowd was saying the words since my first show.

That's crazy.

So it was like, damn.

I already knew I had something going on, but it was like, to see the crowd and all that repeat some of the stuff I said in the songs.

It was crazy.

I'm saying stuff I shouldn't have said.

Yeah, I'm watching the crowd say it.

I'm like, damn.

Like, ain't no way I'm here, bro.

They didn't inflate your ego just a little bit?

No.

Niggas walked out of that bitch feeling like the band.

It kind of made me.

It fucked me up a little bit on some.

Damn.

If I got this much power, I Need to kind of switch it up for us.

Too late.

Got you.

You feel me?

If I got the crowd singing it, I got my niggas ready to do anything.

Something gotta give for something go wrong.

Nah, I feel you.

I feel you.

But even that, you having the awareness to even think like that, That's Grandma, baby.

Man, that gotta be something Granny.

Granny probably instilled in you for sure.

Oh, yeah, definitely.

My grandma really is the one, though.

For sure, for sure.

Yeah, she the one raised me, taught me everything.

Like I said, I never seen her work.

So this old lady here, every day, ass whoopers every day.

Oh, man.

Old school.

Get the branches.

Nothing I can't do, right.

So ass whooping every day.

So I think that's what I get on my brothers.

And everybody see that.

I already be so focused.

Cause shit, I came up where you can't do no right.

You gotta do the best you can.

Like, ain't nothing right.

You gotta do better.

So now tell me about this.

So you start doing music.

You selling out shows.

You know, in Dallas, right?

I feel like the artists, the DJs, they had this period where they weren't seeing eye to eye.

It'd be like, you see me in the streets, I'm getting away.

But y'all not playing my shit on the radio.

Did you ever go through any of that?

Or did you get the radio player, the Support from the DJs, or how did it work for you?

I came in rocking with the DJs, to be honest.

So it was like.

Like I say I came in with DJs, like, I came in having to pay a DJ to be at my first show.

You get what I'm saying?

So it was like, I always rocked it with the DJs, and it was so crazy.

The DJ I paid was one of the DJs at the radio station.

So it was like I already had a track on the radio getting spin.

It was just crazy.

It was like I said, I kind of cheated the game.

I just went for what I knew.

I paid the dj.

He ended up being a dude on the radio.

So I already got a record getting played on the radio.

My name's so heavy in the streets, so it's like other rappers hearing it in the street.

So it was just like.

It was like a cheat code being for real, for real.

Nothing but God.

Like, for real, for real.

Nah, that's live, man.

Again, I'm gonna fast forward a bit to when I seen the Blue Devils track that I Can't Stand the Rain.

That was One of my favorite songs growing up, too.

Like, Missy, she one of the ones like, what made you sad?

Whose idea was that?

Matter of fact, I think Loco from Texas, the producer is from Texas, to be real.

Oh, Loco, Loco.

Loco is from Texas.

Y.

I just thought about that.

Loco.

I met Loco.

Loco just sending me samples from how you meet him to be real working.

I see him do the big yavo and all them samples and shit.

So I'm like, hey, need some beats.

You feel what I'm saying?

So he ended up sending me that one, and I heard it.

And I don't like, I ain't no drinker or nothing.

So I'm in the studio, them boys bring a bottle out, end up taking a shot.

I just went for it, went for a whole lot of Carolina talk.

And I started talking about the Blue Devils, the Tar Heels, and try to keep it Carolina and end up going, bro.

Man, and we were just talking about this in the car.

I think it was on the radar when you did the.

On the radar radar with the.

That's the one that kind of.

It put it in our face, and it was like, whoa, what is this?

Nigga?

This crazy.

The flow, the beat, the like, damn, this nigga coming different.

And you know how it is when you hear somebody and you fucking with it and they got a catalog already.

So now you going back through that shit, you like, oh, bro, Ben going crazy.

So do you feel like.

Was that.

Is that the moment that you feel like everybody start getting on it?

Yeah, yeah.

I blew up on TikTok first off, the little.

Same type of video going in the mailbox.

Blue Devils, same song.

So I was promoting Blue Devils the whole time.

Like, I dropped Blue Devils.

To be honest, a lot of people don't know I dropped Blue Devils in August.

It blew up in October, November.

Like, I was just pushing.

Yes.

I was just steady famous animal, on the radar.

TikTok.

I'm doing all this to this one song.

Just pushing this one, same song.

And then the on the Radar kind of grasped it on Instagram.

And I already had a little viral post on TikTok.

So people started putting the same videos together.

Like, that's the lazy boy that keep rapping around this motherfucker.

Yeah.

Do you feel, man, you know what's so crazy about TikTok?

I feel like TikTok is the only platform that it seems like music.

It just translates well.

Like the videos with the music.

Did you know that?

Like, were you aiming for TikTok because it's a music.

I was On TikTok.

First I'm saying, did you purposely try to aim for TikTok to make.

Okay, I got you.

Yeah, I went straight to TikTok.

It was like, I seen a lot of people, stuff, like reciting.

Like, I seen people that made songs four years ago blowing up on TikTok because of people, like, doing the dances and stuff to it.

So I went straight to TikTok.

I had hope, I had faith.

Like, TikTok gonna blow me up, right?

But it just took me to another level to notice, like, get people to notice me.

And Instagram ended up taking me where I needed to be, bro, that shit.

Is so crazy, bro.

And then, man, you turn around and then Dababy jump on the remix, and he rapping like.

Oh, and no disrespect to Dababy.

Dababy when he came out, one of my favorite artists, But I like when he get on that aggressive rap shit and on that song, it's like.

It was like the perfect one, two punch with y'all.

I mean, like, when you get a feature back and you hear Dababy in his bag like that, what is that?

Like, what are you thinking?

Like, damn, I actually was there, so I can't even lie.

While he was rapping, G was there, too.

My big dog, G was there.

Me and G both looking at each other like, nigga, what you finna do?

Like, you hear this shit?

Like, you feel what I'm saying?

Like, he rapping.

He rapping.

Rapping.

Yeah.

He was like, oh, shit.

Like, the first time I ever thought, like, oh, snap.

Somebody trying to kill me on my track.

Like, I ain't never, ever thought like that.

You know what I'm saying?

Cause I always felt like I did a perfect job.

But definitely when Baby did the verse and we looking at.

I'm looking at G, I'm like, damn, we gotta do something.

Like, I gotta think of something.

Like, for real, for real.

This man just did it and then he did it, and then he dapp everybody else, you know?

Yeah.

All that.

Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

He left me here to figure this out.

Yeah.

Dropped the bomb and said, yeah, go.

Yeah, go.

In exact words, let me know when you ready to shoot the video.

That's hard, bro.

So I was like, damn, that's hard.

I like, man, I like that type of shit.

Because, again, the remix was, you know, like, perfect, bro.

I like when I see, like, the same coast collab and try to put on.

You know what I mean?

Like, for Carolinas, how big was that?

Like, in the city I know.

She was, like, big.

She was bigger than the meat.

She was like Clemson and gang cars.

A big rival.

Like, you know what I'm saying?

You got North Carolina, South Carolina people coming, and I'm trying to make it bigger than what it was.

I'm texting every rapper from Carolina, like, hey, man, I need you.

Never did it in my life.

I need you to be here.

And everybody, like, you gonna do it for real?

Hell, yeah.

So it was like, man, so many people came out.

I was like, God leaving.

The police really let me thug.

The police pay them.

They let me thug.

Let me do what I want to.

Four wheelers, dirt bikes.

It was just like a big respect thing.

Like I said, Carolina, big on respect.

Yeah.

I ain't never seen a male other town in my life.

And I seen him at a video shoot.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So that's say, man.

That's live, bro.

That's live, man.

And, you know, like I say, when you.

When you hear.

You know, when you go through the rest of your music and you just hear, oh, bro, taking the music serious, like, you're not playing with it.

Like, you know, a lot of people get in there and they just.

It seemed like they just doing whatever, but now you can hear that you really trying to spit.

Oh, yeah.

Where does that come from?

Cause you see a lot of people that feel like they just chasing the check or they just doing it.

My little brother, I told you, like, I ain't gonna lie to you, man.

He got it.

I can't even.

It's not.

I'm not saying it's just on no promote.

Like, this is my story.

Like, this nigga really makes me get in that bag to where it's like, I gotta do something to show him it's doable.

Cause he's younger than me.

You feel what I'm saying?

So just to get in that bag and to get the rapping, it's really ain't nothing but competition.

To be real, we never speak on it.

We never actually have it, as in we going against each other.

But it always been to me, like, hey, N.

I know what you can do.

And I'm gonna do whatever I can to show you it's doable.

Now, you know, Texas connection, man.

I see you got a song.

My boy.

Big X.

Yes.

No love.

Yeah.

Another soul sample.

Another man say, y'all killed that, bro.

Yeah, another one, bro.

How did you end up linking the world, you know, if those don't know.

Big X from Dallas, you know, he really put in his work Took off, you know what I'm saying?

So to see y'all together was dope, you know what I mean?

How did that collab with him?

I ain't gonna lie to you.

The guy, real humble, real guy I see, keep his pops around.

The same guys from.

It seemed like the same ones from back in the day.

Yeah.

Like I said, I heard Kyle give me a little brief story.

Kyle basically was with him from the beginning.

So, like I said, I did a song with X because of Strap, though.

Like, no lie to you.

Strap died.

That was the last song I seen from him, was with Big X.

Oh.

So I was like, oh, whoever this is gotta be Strapp, friend.

So.

And then the engineer, me and Strap used the same engineer, IMIX Nation.

For real.

So.

IMIX Nation, the one told me Strap used to.

Strap used to talk about the big guy.

Like, he used to talk about the big X dude.

So I was like, I gotta link in with him.

So I actually had this song for a little minute over a little minute.

Okay, I got you, man.

So what is trap, Dickie?

Are you independent?

Are you signed?

Like, what is your status right now?

No, I'm independent.

I fuck with Sean Cotton, to be honest, that's my dog.

Like, that's who I ever got.

Like, the distributions and stuff through Sean Cotton.

I fuck with Sean, man.

That's dog.

You know, he from the city, you know.

Yeah, that's like.

Yeah, that's why I said I've been out here two years ago fucking with Sean.

Yeah, that's dope, bro.

You know, shout out to Sean, man.

I feel like he definitely got an ear when it come to A and R.

And, bro, he put a lot of people on.

He don't get the flies, he get deserved, but he definitely put a lot of work in the game.

So independent route, man.

Like, it's, you know, you being independent, it really look like you on a major.

Like, the way that y'all are moving with the promotion, the videos, everything, it's coming across everybody's feed like, is this the.

I see the team with you?

Is this just y'all?

Like I say, you got Sean Cotton, you got shot by Nay, you got IMIX Nation, you got official South Carolina.

These guys gonna break their neck for me and make it happen.

Guarantee they gonna break their neck.

They gonna hit up certain blogs and certain stuff that I feel like they would charge me more.

But since they see the work process is not going as hard.

And you know, Sean Cotton, he's so tapped in, he can get away as Going through this, through that.

And I actually met some big dogs dealing with Sean.

Like, I done met big people dealing with Sean.

I be like.

He was like, yo, we gonna get you in this playlist.

And I'm like, how you gonna do that?

He like, watch it.

Watch.

That's crazy, bro.

That's lie.

Nah, I can't lie.

Shine.

I know I owe Shine.

For real, for real.

That's hard.

So would you end up signing the deal, or is it just the plan?

Just independent?

No, I'm not gonna lie to you.

I'm not gonna sit here and tell nobody.

No.

Lie to you.

If I had a chance to sign for what I wanted to, of course I would.

I'm from the trenches.

I'm from.

You know what I'm saying?

I'm from Carolina.

You put the right number in my face.

I ain't gonna send a lie to you and say I wanna take it or the right paperwork, right?

Like, if I get to do what I still wanted to do, like, yeah, yeah, I take it.

But I'm not gonna tell anybody else to take it off the strength that I will.

Like, your money might be longer than mine.

You feel what I'm saying?

You might got the plug.

I don't.

You feel what I'm saying?

But as in me working hard.

Definitely.

I'm working hard to get where I really wanna be at.

You feel what I'm saying, right?

For you?

Like, is there a particular producer artist that you wanna fuck with now that you, you know, I'm sure you caught a lot of buzz.

There's a lot of people looking your way.

Is it a particular person that you wanna tap in with?

Outkast, man.

I've been sending every interview.

Outcast, man, be crazy.

It don't matter.

You ain't even gotta rap.

You can just talk a little bit.

You feel what I'm saying?

I just gotta get Andrew on any type of track project.

Anything, man.

I got to.

Yeah.

Now that would be crazy.

What type of track would you make?

Would you sound track?

Like I said, it don't matter.

It ain't gotta be what he thinking at.

We could take it wherever he want to.

You feel what I'm saying?

But I definitely gotta get him on something just to say I did it.

Like, yeah, I did that.

Yeah.

So what's the difference between North Carolina and South Carolina?

The roads.

Like, literally the road that the only thing that separate us be the roads.

There's More interstates and stuff like that in the North.

Yeah.

You gotta go through the north to get to, like, VA and all that, so.

Right.

A lot of people see that north.

And there's more city, like a little bit.

Right, right, right.

Most city.

Just a little bit, though.

Just a little.

You say it's more.

It's more city in South Carolina.

No, North.

Oh, North Carolina.

Got you.

City in the North.

Got you.

Got you.

Yeah.

That's it, though.

Nothing.

It's all Carolina to me, if I'm saying the country to country.

You feel what I'm saying?

But I love South Carolina.

That's where I'm from.

That's hard.

That's hard.

What is Trap Dickey working on right now?

Present day.

I definitely got the tape called the Preacher's Grandson coming out real soon.

Ooh, what is that?

Preacher's Grandson.

It's coming out next year.

It's definitely coming out next year.

It'll be here by that summertime.

You feel me?

Yeah, yeah.

But I'm definitely giving out the works.

I ain't finished this year.

These last 20 days finna be hell for some people.

You feel what I'm saying?

I ain't done.

What's the plan going into this one?

Is it like, are you experimenting with sounds?

Is you doing the same?

Like, what's the process with this type?

After the Blue Devils hit at the end of 23 and 24 came, I actually just gave people a little samples of what I got going on.

This is who I am.

Right.

You feel me?

Like, I'm gonna really show people what Carolina look like and stuff like that.

Yeah, yeah.

I was watching one of the blogs, you know, I think it was the hood vlog, Vicious tv.

And you was walking through there.

Yeah, that real Carolina.

Like, if somebody was to ask you, like, man, I'm in South Carolina, man, I need to grab me some.

I need to grab me something to eat, man.

Like, what would you tell them?

Oh, it depends where they at, though, man.

Cause, like, a lot of places don't have Bojangles and stuff like that.

So I tell people, go grab some good fried chicken or something like that.

It depends where you at, though.

I might tell you to go to this restaurant.

Yeah.

You feel me?

Something like Thunderbird.

You feel me?

Or something.

Get you some good food, good buffet type shit.

But if you're in My area.

I'm telling you to go to Yogi Bear.

You feel what I'm saying?

If you near my area, Hartsville, Florence, I'm gonna tell you, go get Yogi Bear.

There's only one Yogi Bear in my neighborhood in Hartsville, South Carolina.

Yeah.

You feel me?

Best chicken type stuff.

Gizzards, all that type of soul food, you feel.

Mashed potatoes, macaroni, all that.

That's what's going on.

So, man, we done got our bellies full, man.

We want to go hit the club or something, man.

Where we going?

Like, what's the spot?

Gee, you feel me?

That the big club promoter.

He the one do all the bookings and stuff like that.

You feel me?

He'll tell you I ain't in the clubbing, man.

I never was in the clubbing.

For real, for real.

I used to have the sneaky heads with a mask on just for nobody to know I'm here.

Yeah, I ain't never been no clubber.

Never.

Not a club or not a drinker.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That boy be on alert.

I feel you, though.

Oh, yeah.

Tell you, they book the show, they give us our bottle.

I take the bottle, pour it out right there in the station.

Nobody get the drink.

Nobody ain't going home drunk.

Nobody ain't finna die on my watch.

Nah, for sure, for real, for real.

But what are some of the ways that you feel like an artist in your position need to stay on point?

Like, what are some of the things they need to do to stay on point?

Nah, I realize what you in it for.

Like, if it's your dream, make it your dream and get in it and get what you want.

Like, don't get in here.

I think it's problems that you gotta create to get there.

Like, don't think you gotta have a problem with this person to get past them.

Like, you don't.

Like, I'm not saying it ain't problems gonna come.

Like, we seen TI And Lil Flip have problems.

You feel what I'm saying?

Like, problems gonna come, but don't involve yourself with problems.

For real, for real.

Get the money and get out of here.

Nah, for sure, for sure, for sure.

Hell, yeah.

You know, man, I feel like music is in a weird place right now.

You feel me?

Like, we starting to see record labels seem like they collapsing, condensing.

You getting people getting fired left and right.

When you look at, say, the music industry, where do you feel like it's going?

I feel like we let the Internet get in too much.

A little Bit like people really promoting their music on the Internet.

And that's something we ain't never saw.

Like, for real, for real.

We used to.

I come from the era, like, at.

The CD, at the CDs, at the Cornerstone.

Move this shit old school.

Like, CDs, like, exactly what I said in the song.

Like, for real, for real.

Like, that's where I come from.

I come from where Lil Wayne Tate dropped and that shit.

Like, you gotta get this CD or you gotta burn this shit.

You gotta find a way.

Remember burning CDs, boy, I done got.

Ass cousins listening to this Lil Wayne.

For real, for real, for real, Real life ass whooping.

Yeah.

I'm young as hell, and I'm trying to find a way to play this song.

Gossip like Lil Wayne.

You feel what I'm saying?

It was plenty of times I got beat just trying to listen to this music.

So it's like, man, I feel like they taking away the music part of it.

Like, for real, for real.

Like, everything on the Internet, right?

Like, for real, for real.

Just imagine it.

Like, everything.

Everything from comedy, everything is on the Internet.

Yeah.

Like, if I knew, I could go watch Catwoman say the same thing on the Internet.

It's crazy.

That's true, bro.

Hell, yeah, that's true.

Do y'all have any strip clubs in Carolina?

South Carolina?

Yeah.

Yeah, definitely got the strip club.

Yeah.

So I told him, I'm just not in it, man.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I got.

I just recently had.

Like, Every child I had in these last years been girls.

I got three little girls.

So I've been focused on really being a strip club.

I ain't with all the.

I don't promote the big booty girls, man.

I love them, even.

I love.

I love big booty girls, but I can't promote it, man.

I can't have my daughters out here shaking no ass right now.

That's real talk, though.

I trip out.

Yeah, that's real.

I trip out.

Yeah.

Nah, for real, man.

I understand, man.

It's wild, man.

When you got a little girl, it's a little different, bro.

You start seeing.

You start seeing life a little different.

Yeah.

Start shaking ass.

And mama say they got it for my videos.

I'm to blame.

Yeah.

Nah, bro.

You can't do it like that.

Being a dad, doing music, did it make you switch up the lyrics?

Did it make you start actually thinking about some of the way you portray yourself?

I had to take the guns out the videos and you know, all.

Bunch of stuff I had to do.

Cause these damn Kids, man, for real.

But I made sure they have good Christmases and stuff like that.

But I had to switch it all up.

Cause these kids, for real, for real, that's hard.

I ain't gonna say it wasn't no minor setback.

It was just, you know, growing up, you feel me?

It ain't like I could be like, oh, these kids are my damn weight.

Nah, nothing like that.

It's just like.

Nah.

Just I don't want them to certain things, man.

That's all it is.

I don't want them to do the certain shit I did or had to do.

So it's like if they see it, I can say you ain't see it for me.

Yeah.

You ain't never seen me do this, do this or do that.

Yeah, yeah, man.

With you being an artist, right, you know, just in 20, 25, right, you're making your music.

Do you wanna switch?

Not switch gears, but add on to what you're doing.

Like maybe do movies, make beats, do anything outside, venture outside of the rap.

Like, what are some of the things that you looking at if Forrest Whitaker.

Got a bio coming up.

Yeah, motherfucker who played Trap Dicky in the Trap Dicky bio.

I don't know, I ain't gonna lie.

That's a hell of a movie right there.

Now Michael Rainey Jr.

Yeah, that's a.

Hell of a movie right there.

That's a hell of a movie.

But now Forrest Whitaker got a bio.

I'm in there with the lazy eye.

Yeah, yeah.

I'm there for Forrest Whitaker.

You feel what I'm saying?

Yeah, but nah, man, movies for sure though.

Like, I feel like.

I feel like I gotta get in a movie.

So some is acting off.

Is there a movie that depicts Carolina in any type of way that you feel like, you know how like LA got boys in the hood and minister.

Oh, damn.

My man, what's his name?

When Denzel was playing the big drug dealer.

Oh, American Gangster.

American Gangster, yeah, definitely.

You ain't seen Carolina, boys?

Carolina?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely.

They took em to New York and all that shit.

That's crazy.

Yeah, that what I felt like.

Color Purple, you feel me?

Stuff like that.

That's that Carolina shit.

That's that Carolina shit.

Can Carolina women cook?

Can Carolina cook?

Can Carolina women cook?

Are they like y'all just told her?

My grandma ain't never worked a job in my life.

That's all she did, cook.

I ain't never.

I never seen my grandma work a job.

I never seen it.

No lights going off.

In here.

I don't know what all Granddaddy was doing, but I'm telling you all.

I see her in this nightgown, cooking, going in.

Yeah, yeah.

And don't touch the pot before she tell you to.

Do you feel like that?

Do you feel like just running across?

Not even.

It ain't even gotta be.

You just, you know, you're surrounded.

Do you feel like that part of the game is missing as far as our race, our culture, our women?

Or do you feel like it's there?

We just.

We don't put him in a position to do that.

Cause Granddaddy was holding it down.

He was taking care of everything.

Do you feel like.

No, man.

These days, these women done seen some money.

Like, you gotta think about.

You think your granddaddy was buying duffel bags and burgers and shit?

Hell, no.

Granddaddy wouldn't buy no damn burgers.

But we gotta put it in granddaddy terms, Coach.

Purse, man, we knew Granddaddy had it.

If he had a damn Cadillac.

If he got a Cadillac, he got some money.

Yeah, he got a Cadillac.

He got some money back then.

Old nigga with a Cadillac, he got some money.

How many secret families you think granddaddy had back then?

Every granddaddy got a secret family.

That's what I'm basically saying.

Every granddaddy got.

Got a secret family.

Another child, something.

See, when you take it back to them days.

Be tripping like I'm trying to.

Real shit.

Just think about it, bro.

Hey, did you see that clip, bro, With Travis Hunter, bro?

He had like.

This nigga scored, like three touchdowns, had an interception, and then he was on the sideline.

His girl was tripping on this nigga, like, bro.

Yeah, but see, that.

What?

I don't know what happened with that.

I seen it.

I don't know, but I'm saying I.

Just scored three touchdowns in a pick.

What you tripping off?

He probably left his phone with her or something, though.

Do you think that warrants that, though, bro?

Come on.

Damn right.

Like, you gotta think about it.

These days, you scoring all these touchdowns, but you telling Anna May or something.

I love you.

She probably.

I'm not saying that will happen, but that would make somebody mad.

You get what I'm saying?

Back in the day.

Hell, no.

You scored them three touchdowns.

Grandma ain't tripping.

Bitch, you better.

You should have scored five.

Grandma gonna be amping you up.

We gotta get this money.

For real.

For real.

Them old folks knew the plan house.

Married 30 something years.

Yeah, for real.

They Ain't changing.

For real, for real, bro.

Nah, for real, for real.

Nah, man, I miss the old days.

I only think I know nobody, like old on child support.

You ain't never seen no old people in there on child support.

Nobody young.

Niggas look 50.

For real.

Just think about it, bro.

You got a great.

I don't even think I got no old uncle or granddaddy been on no child support, man.

Yeah, that shit is different.

Yeah, these new females, on a whole.

Nother level, man, if you could change one thing about the new age females, what would you change?

The Internet, man.

I'm telling you, just get them all off the Internet.

Take the Internet off, Bro, bro, you might be right.

That might be the solution.

Well, so what do you think about TikTok about to be banned?

Like they been saying it, but just think about it.

Like, if you take away the Internet right now, niggas be scared.

That's true.

Like, for real, for real.

You take away the Internet?

Hell yeah.

Niggas think this bitch y2k or something.

Where the Internet, it'd be hard for people to live.

For real, for real.

Me too.

I done got adapted to it.

Like, yeah, like for real, for real.

But if you take it away from it, like, only the strong gonna survive around here.

Yeah.

What's the biggest conspiracy that you believe in?

Conspiracy theory.

Like, you seen what happened with the CEO of the United Healthcare?

Yeah, like, what the fuck was that?

You just niggas got gunned down in the middle of Manhattan.

Nah, like, you gotta do right by the others, man.

You do right to others come back.

So you think.

You think he was on some bullshit.

Not nobody ain't trying to kill you.

Cause you're an angel now.

Like, for real, for real.

Like, for real.

Nobody ain't trying to kill no damn angel around here.

You know what I'm saying?

Like, the only person I know that I.

That I think, even with the bad eye, that I think was good and they killed, probably was.

Jesus.

I don't know nobody that did nothing to nobody and they wanted to kill him, right?

Like you feel what I'm saying?

So I feel like you just gotta do right by others, man.

You do right by others, enemies gonna come, but the enemies be your footstool, you feel?

You do right by others.

Yeah.

Super Bowl Lil Wayne, should he have got the slot?

I don't feel like.

I don't know.

I ain't gonna say he should have got the spot, but I don't feel like he should have not been named in it though, like, it's Lil Wayne, It's Louisiana.

I feel like more people could have been in Masterpiece.

You got a lot of people from Louisiana.

You got the cash money.

That's why I say I can't just say Lil Wayne.

Right, right, right, right.

I would say, like, what about the whole cash money?

Right?

Yeah, that had been crazy.

Like, cash money could have been doing it.

Like, not just a Lil Wayne.

Could have been a cash money reunion type shit, man.

They called Trap Diggy for the Super Bowl.

It's in Carolina.

They call you out.

What's the first song you coming out with?

First song.

Give me the second.

I gotta have Petey Pablo pull up.

First song.

Like, first song.

The remix off the rip.

Petey Pablo take his shirt off.

That's how we started off Petey Pablo.

I ain't even starting it off.

You gotta have the legends come out there.

Like how Snoop did it when he had Dre and, like, he really.

Snoop, super bowl, he really Dr.

Dre and all them, like, they gave you LA.

They gave you LA.

Yeah, like, Dr.

Dre, he gave you the whole LA vibe.

Like, for real, for real.

When Snoop started dancing and stuff, Crip walking, it was just like a whole LA thing.

So definitely me in the Super Bowl, I'm definitely bringing out all the hats and the tricks I can.

For real, for real, boy.

What?

So what would you say?

What artists besides yourself represent that South Carolina right now?

South?

Yeah, that's where you.

You got Black Zack, you got Renny.

Rucci, Shout Out Black Zack, I interviewed.

Him a long time ago.

Yeah, Black Zack, he definitely South Carol East, South Carolina.

Like I say, Renny Rucci, Tip Teasey, Polo May Snizzy, PG Raw, Charlamagne.

Told y'all about Lil Boss, Lone Munch.

Man, it's a lot of rappers South Carolina.

I ain't gonna lie to you.

It's just that our population is so small that, to me, the population's so small, so we don't got a bunch of people to follow us.

You feel me?

But in these areas, they own their areas.

Like, they got their areas locked down, so they got the area following them.

So is it?

Is it?

Is it?

Is the South Carolina artists, are y'all all together, or is it still, like.

Because, you know, every time I see somebody from Carolina do something, I see Black Zach showing love.

Like, I ain't gonna lie, I always see him in the comments showing love.

Is it connected like that, or is.

It kind of Frank Carolina, we never had no.

No rapper, superstar type thing, so it be like all our superstars came from football, basketball, baseball.

You feel what I'm saying?

So it be like, I can't lie and say that we together, but we see each other.

The roles, like I say the distance be just the roles.

So it might not be that we together, but we all support each other.

You feel what I'm saying?

Like, Black Zach been commenting on my Instagram forever and I never even saw him at first.

You feel what I'm saying?

My first time seeing Zach was last year.

So it be like, stuff like that we support each other, but it's just like the role be separated.

Yeah.

Yeah, man.

What do you think it would take for like a whole Carolina takeover?

You know?

Like, one of the things I noticed about people that get hot is they always seem to do music within their circle and they just blow each other up and put it out to the world, you know, like Atlanta.

It seemed like Atlanta put us on they lingo.

So now we fuck with they lingo.

What would it take for, do you think, if anything, to just everybody be like, man, fuck, we just gonna just flood these niggas with songs, man.

We gonna link up, we all gonna do songs with each other, we gonna shoot videos.

What would that take?

Not as big as what 50 did, but something similar to what 50 did.

Smaller, way smaller, like.

Cause though G sitting right here, he tell you he booked everybody.

Everybody come to Carolina.

Everybody, they come get their first.

Hundreds of thousands from Carolina.

Every artist, like, you heard Boss Mandelo say his first sold out show was in Carolina.

Like, if I'm not mistaken, just.

I think it stopped, like, up going east, like, going up north.

Like, we don't get to hear the New Yorkers, but everything below and to the east, the west or everything.

Like Georgia, some of the Texas guys, Memphis.

What else states am I missing?

Every other state, though, they come through Carolina.

Even the Mississippi, they come through Carolina.

They get that bag, we break bread.

So I feel like just to have all the artists here or a good bit of artists at one time in Carolina, and they really see, like, oh, this guy is down the street, this guy is down the street, this guy is down the street.

I feel like that was gonna break it off, like.

Cause everybody come, but they come through like a gas station.

They get they money, fill up, get on, right?

But once they come through, like a hotel type shit, like, oh, dababy here and such and such here.

And skilla from Detroit is in Carolina.

Just once they see like, damn, we read this emotion.

That's what's going on, that's what's up.

On one note, man, I just wanna ask you this, just personally, like, you know, when you see like just the state of the youth, man, it seemed like shit getting wicked.

What do you think is the cause of that?

For real?

Like I'm talking about, you talking about young n like 13, 14.

And we all been in the hood so we see them, you know what I'm saying?

But do you think it's getting worse or.

It's always been the same, like way.

Worse than the Internet.

I'm gonna keep telling you, the Internet.

Like we wouldn't have seen what we seen if we didn't see the Internet.

Like, right?

Like I seen like a 16 year old, 17 year old.

Like they already scamming.

Like we didn't think of that when we was young.

Like if we would have thought about scamming and stuff like that.

We was young, we probably doing the same thing, buying these big ass guns.

Like I remember when I first started being in the streets, like when you had the revolver, it was like, oh, you got the revolver, right?

You see what I'm saying?

But it's like nowadays N got the little switchy button and stuff.

They be like, yo, these kids see so much shit on the Internet, they go forward.

Damn.

Do you think it's anything like, is there somebody you know?

Like, I'll give the Houston example.

Like J.

Prince is like the big homie.

Everybody's big homie.

Does Carolina have that?

Does Carolina have a homie?

He was just talking about this yesterday.

I was just telling that's what the music game really don't got no more.

Like nobody ain't got no big homies.

I seen May say some shit and he was like, like, we not your little niggas.

And I was like, yo, that's crazy.

Cause niggas really believe shit like that.

But they are little niggas.

Like, you get what I'm saying?

Like little niggas believe they not little niggas.

But you a little nigga.

You get what I'm saying, right?

Like for real, for real.

Like there's no OGs back then, you know, you couldn't say certain shit.

The dmx, the Busta Rhymes, like, you a little nigga, you can't say this like, but now the little niggas feel like they can out power grown niggas.

Like for real, what does the term OG mean to you?

Me well respected, well knowledge.

And he taught people certain shit to do to get out of situations he had been in.

Like, that's what me OGs is.

Like when you teach niggas how to beat you, right?

Like, when you a real og, the niggas under you probably where they supposed to be better than you.