Civil Interview Part 1: Yo Gotti Talks New Mixtape ‘The Return,’ The Delay Behind ‘The Art Of Hustle’ Album & Rihanna’s Influence
by Staff Editor
How does The Return differ from Return of Cocaine Muzik Pt. 1 and Pt. 2?
Yo Gotti: Well, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 was really just a build up to The Return. I put out 8 records, which were really just to throw some records out to warm it up. Then I just go in and do a whole other tape basically.
Why is it that you decided to drop the mixtape before The Art of Hustle?
Yo Gotti: When you make music like me, it’s like you kind of just do what the f*ck you want to do. If I wake up one day like, yo, I want some sh*t out, I just go to the studio for a day or two and put out a tape. I think everybody is aware of The Art of Hustle. That’s the title of my album, but at this point, they just wanna know when it’s going to drop. With the way the whole industry shifting with the surprise releases, or people announcing things short-term, I want it to feel natural. I want to wake up one day and just drop it.
Fans have been anticipating it for a while, so what’s delayed The Art of Hustle for this long?
Yo Gotti: A couple things, actually. This, to me, is one of my most important albums because it’s about my full story of my life. So, sh*t was really like writing a book. It’s like getting a point where I wrote the whole album out in story form of my life. When I listen back to it, I’ll be like, “Damn, I don’t got these type of records,” or even records that a label or radio station may consider a single. The album wasn’t wrote in that format. It was like that at one point, and then I wanted to spice it up and add a couple different feels to it, so I went back in. I take the blame for the indecisive sh*t. Being an artist, you always want to put the best stuff out for the fans. My sh*t ain’t coming until I feel it’s right. I ain’t got a date, but it’s coming out this year. For sure going to be this year. Sooner than later.
Who have been some of your favorite people to work with in the last year?
Yo Gotti: On the Art of Hustle album, I’ve worked with Pusha T. That sh*t was dope. Every time I f*ck with [DJ] Mustard, I think I get a dope vibe. Lately, I’ve been in the studio with Future. We’ve been coming up with some crazy sh*t. It’s been live, you know what I’m saying?
You’ve done a lot of touring in the past couple of years. Who’s been your favorite artist, or artists, to hit the road with?
Yo Gotti: I look at it different. When I went on tour with Drake and Wayne, I looked at that like I was in school. Even though I’m a veteran of the game, I’m still learning sh*t from their show, and production type of stuff I can add into my set the next time I go out. On some cool sh*t, when I went on my last tour, taking YG with me, that sh*t was live. We were just turnt up the whole tour.