John Gibson aka Ca$h Out is the latest southern emcee to emerge from the trap lifestyle and make the smooth transition into rap stardom. The 21-year-old Fulton County, GA native lived a life plagued by the street hustle, drugs, and run-ins with law enforcement. He had a baby daughter to take care of but was facing multiple years in prison. However, after catching a big break by avoiding hard time, the latest ATL product to fill the airwaves with his hit single, “Cashing Out,” turned to rapping, which was once just a hobby but now his newest –and only– lifestyle (other than hitting up strip clubs, claims the party-goer).

Interview by Michael Nguyen

It sounds like the cliché rags to riches story, but that was reality for Ca$h. Since then, he’s released his highly successful mixtape, “It’s My Time,” which includes the catchy aforementioned single, “Cashing Out,” produced by DJ Spinz. He’s the poster boy for his Bases Loaded label as well as the latest finding by talent super scout and music exec, L.A Reid. Now an Epic Records member, Ca$h Out is about to work on following the footsteps of other ATL superstars such as T.I and Young Jeezy, by dropping a new single in a few weeks as well as coming up with brand new material for his forthcoming debut album. KarenCivil.com caught up with Ca$h Out for a quick chat and talked about trap music, his meaning behind his chest tattoo, what and if he’s planning on working with label mate Future, and performing in L.A Reid’s office for the first time.

What’s good? What are you doing out in L.A right now?
I’ve just been hustlin’ and doing some business stuff.

I see you got a new tat, also. What did you get?
[Laughs] I got my LV sign and my name. Logo and all that.

What does your chest tat mean to you?
Death Before Dishonor. That’s life. Loyalty over everything, you know. Without loyalty, you can’t do anything. You got to have a loyal team. Death before dishonor, man.

I know you’re a big party guy. What club you hitting up tonight?
[Laughs] Ah man, I forgot which one but we go hard everywhere we go.

When you’re back home in the ATL, how many times a week do you go to Magic City?
[Laughs] I haven’t been there in a while but I think I’m going to turn up for my birthday bash. We got to get that turnt up.

And with your music, you have Cashing Out as the first single. It’s been on the charts, radio, and all that. There’s this saying where if you’re at the top, you got nowhere to go but down. How do you prevent that from happening?
Keep making these hits. Cashing Out is number one on the charts right now. You know me, I stay consistent. That’s why L.A Reid signed me. It wasn’t because of one song, I’m trying to stay humble and keep the mojo going.

When’s the next single going to drop?
It’s coming. It’s coming. Give it about two weeks and we’ll be going hard.

So you’re about to surprise everyone with that new joint…
[Laughs] Yeah. You got to expect the unexpected.

A lot of performances with new artists go down in his office. So how nerve-wracking was that the day you met him? Knowing that if you messed up the performance or if he didn’t like the song…the whole complexion changes, you know?
Yeah, you can’t be nervous because if you’re nervous, then the meeting would’ve never went the way it did. I just did my thing and got in my comfort zone. Whenever the pressure is on me, I get real comfortable. I did my thing regardless of who was in there. I just blocked it out and did me.

So what are some of the things you spent/cashed out on when you signed the deal?
Studio time. My family, my little girl, my manager –I’m trying to get it right now.

And one of your Epic label mates is Future. Are you guys working on some tracks together and if so, when is it dropping?
You know, Future’s been doing his thing with the album. We definitely can get into something. Everybody’s been focused right now on what they got going on. I’m hoping for anything.

So as of now, you guys have nothing in the works?
Nah. We did stuff previously beforehand. We already had a song together that’s on the Internet. We’re just working right now and being focused.

You got Future, 2 Chainz, yourself, Jeezy, Gucci, T.I, and whole bunch of other ATL artists out there doing their thing. So what is it about the ATL hip-hop movement that makes people from all over the world vibe out to your tracks?
Them cats, they would be killin’ the hooks and just being in that nature –The South nature. We go hard or go home. You definitely got to have that respect and give people what they want to hear.

So how do you feel about that trap music sound going on right now in the south?
That’s what it is. You got to be speaking it right now, especially if you haven’t done it. It’s about what you’ve done, what you’ve seen, and what you’ve been trying to get. It’s just the anthem and you speak out about it.

Young Jeezy was on the remix for Cashing Out. Those guys on the remix all reached out to you. Who in the rap game have you reached out to and wanted to work with?
I’m reaching out to whoever is reachable. It’s Ca$h Out at the end of the day. I’m not the arrogant type, so I’m ready to get in with whoever want to make magic.

And you even said it yourself in interviews that you started from the bottom and worked your way up. Did you have any mentors or people who you personally looked up to during that time?
I owe it all to God, my team, Bases Loaded, and my manager, who’s my mother.

Follow Ca$h Out on Twitter
Interview + words by Michael Nguyen