As the DMV music scene is on the rise 3oh Black is one to keep on your radar. The D.C. Native built himself solely from the ground up. Starting off with being in a Go-go band he took his talents to new levels and began to make a name for himself within the industry. His early single “All Talk”caught major buzz for it’s comical yet savage lyrics and was later on turned into the most used meme on Twitter.

We got the chance to talk to the buzzing D.C. rapper about his single “Hollup”, being from D.C. and much more.

Check it out below:

Mikala: Hey, how are you!?

3ohBlack: I’m good! Down in Miami just relaxing right now. 

Mikala: I saw your insta story and you are living your best life! 

3ohBlack: You suppose to! When you come from nothing you suppose to shine and have a little fun! 

Mikala: How was it for you growing up in D.C.? 

3ohBlack: Crazy! D.C. is crazy. An 11-year-old boy just got killed right by my neighborhood, hit by a stray bullet. D.C. is one of the craziest cities in the world foreal. People hear D.C. and think White House and all that but they don’t tell you, you go 5 minutes in either direction. It’s the trenches. 

Mikala: What would you say is the craziest thing that’s happened to you out there?

3ohBlack: I mean. . . what can I even talk about? You tryna incriminate me?

Mikala: (laughs) Nah I’m not. 

3ohBlack: I’ve seen a lot of crazy stuff.  Seeing people get shot. I was 10-11 when I saw one of my father’s friends got his knee blew off right in front of my building while I was in the window. I seen a girl get shot in her stomach. Seeing people get shot is normal to us. People talk about this violence and stuff going on. Like this ain’t nothing new. This shit been happening a niggas whole life.

Mikala: Like you said people think D.C. is just the White House but I’ve also heard from other people that it’s pretty tough.

30hBlack: It’s probably one of the wildest cities I’ve been to. You can’t just go to D.C. and think you gone go where you want to go. It doesn’t work like that. You gone get robbed quick! I done been to the club and they bust 20 car windows. The whole block! 

Mikala: I was just talking to someone about that Go-go music scene out there! I would love to hear what Go-go music is from your perspective.

3ohBlack: For me Go-go is. . . TRAP! It’s Rock N’ Roll for the hood! You got the drums, guitars, keyboards. All of that. Trap Rock N’ Roll. Your favorite songs remixed with a rock band behind the base.

Mikala: Would you say Go-go played a big part in your music career?

 3ohBlack: Of Course! I was in a Go-go band for damn near half of my life. All of my teenage years. I was a Go-go head. I didn’t listen to rap at all.

 

Mikala: Now how did rapping come about for you?

3ohBlack: I was in the band and Go-go’s was getting boring, well not boring but the police kept shutting them down. The Go-go clubs started getting violent. I was like what the hell am I about to do now!? I’m already known. I started hosting. I hosted Chief Keef’s show and I didn’t even know the words. I’m like yall just gave me 15,000 to come in here and not know the song!? I was like shitttt I’m about to rap and I booked a session, went to the studio on my own. I went crazy from there. 

Mikala: As you got into rapping were there any times of discouragement?

3ohBlack: I mean sometimes but I trust me. I would never give up on myself. 

Mikala: To someone who is unfamiliar with your music how would you describe it?

3ohBlack: This some me type stuff. Can’t nobody do what I do. I got music that make you want to turn up. I got music that make you want to get some money. That’s what I make. Music that makes you want to get some money and females, have a whole lotta fun that night!

Mikala: Now getting into your music I got the chance to listen to “Hollup” ft. MoneyBagg Yo and Tay Keith! It’s a banger!

3ohBlack: Yeah! That’s my sneaky crank right there! I’m just getting started with that one!

Mikala: How did working with Tay Keith and MoneyBagg come about for you?

3ohBlack: My manager put together the whole Moneybagg play. I was with Dallas Martin. He was like I want to see if you could do this one on the spot. You know how people go in the studio and play your beats. So he plays me the beat and all you hear is “Tay Keith fuck these niggas up”. I was like load it up! I recorded and went crazy on that joint. My manager asked what rappers could you hear on this joint and I said MoneyBagg Yo. He sent back the verse with the joint on there.

Mikala: All 3 of you guys were a perfect combination. 

3ohBlack: That shit was crazy right there! 

Mikala: When it comes to dropping music it’s really based on timing?

3ohBlack: Yeah especially right now. At first I didn’t want to drop music but I was like I can’t do no shows, no tours, nothing right now. I had to step back and observe since we’ve been on lockdown. I’ve been observing how people drop music, how the fans react to it. But people are coming along well with it. All these songs though people could be making way more money. We ain’t getting no show money. We’re getting straight streaming money. That’s the only way you can make music right now. You gotta drop music.

Mikala: Do you feel like with tours being set back it’s pushing a lot of people to tap more  into their creative side?

3ohBlack: It better! I feel like you gotta learn something. Coming out of  this quarantine you should know how to do something that you didn’t know how to do. 

Mikala: I feel that! What advice would you give to up and coming rappers?

3ohBlack: Never give up! You never know who’s watching, who’s listening.When I had my label meeting they knew about every rapper in my city.  People ‘s ears don’t close. You never know who’s going to play your song in the car and who will be in that car with them. Never give up forreal. This shit can happen in a blink of an eye.