SKILLA BABY ON GETTING SHOT & THE STRUGGLE TO FORGIVE | DETROIT REAL ESTATE, STOCKS & NEW ALBUM

**Skilla Baby** (0:00)
The most gangster thing you could do is heal.

**SPEAKER_2** (0:02)
When that tragic incident happened, you got shot, right? Does that make you your heart colder, or does that make you angry inside?

**Skilla Baby** (0:08)
I was really evil. The hardest thing for me was let it go. If you gon make a decision, sit on it first and weigh your options.

**SPEAKER_3** (0:15)
You said, I realized that I was an evil person, and I'm wondering what got you out of that space.

**Skilla Baby** (0:19)
I had to discipline myself and really make my mind stronger. Before I made my body stronger, I had to really test my faith.

**SPEAKER_2** (0:26)
A lot of times people get money when they're young, they spend all of the money. What made you say, okay, let me do something a little different? Let me invest the money, let me buy real estate?

**Skilla Baby** (0:34)
If all those fills and everything goes bad for me, rap don't work, if acting don't work, if I don't make another dollar off entertainment or stuff like that, I know I have this.

**SPEAKER_2** (0:43)
Who's giving you the education and how are you learning about the music business?

**Skilla Baby** (0:46)
Don't go into business thinking that everything supposed to be 50-50. I'm trying to have more leverage than the person that's countering me.

**SPEAKER_3** (0:53)
What's that first moment like when you actually touch real money?

**Skilla Baby** (0:56)
I used to do stuff like I would go to the bank just to get money out, just to look at it like, damn, I really got money. I'm a real millionaire. This is really crazy. My biggest test is gonna be when I do get everything I want and see if I'm still gonna keep praying.

**SPEAKER_2** (1:11)
All right, y'all, welcome back. Welcome back. You got special guest, Skilla Baby. What's going on, my buddy?

**Skilla Baby** (1:16)
What up, dog? Yeah, my guy, how y'all feeling?

**SPEAKER_3** (1:18)
We good, man. How you feeling?

**Skilla Baby** (1:19)
I'm good, man, blessed. Yeah, amen.

**SPEAKER_2** (1:21)
Congratulations, man. You got a lot going on with the project. How's it feel to be able to put new work out and to actually still be here to receive the love from your fans and create the music?

**Skilla Baby** (1:36)
It feels amazing. I'm blessed.
I'm blessed beyond measures. I'm excited. I'm nervous. It's my first real body of work studio album, so I'm just ready to see how people digest it. I'm excited because it's a whole different lane for me.

**SPEAKER_2** (1:56)
You say you're nervous. Talk to me about that.
What does that feel like?

**Skilla Baby** (2:02)
Like, you ever play sports and before the game, you just had those butterflies. You'll be as soon as the tip off, it go away. It's like one of those type of things.

**SPEAKER_3** (2:12)
This is a Hooper.

**Skilla Baby** (2:14)
Yeah.

**SPEAKER_3** (2:15)
For the people who don't know that, tell them the origin of even how you got the name because it starts from Hoop.

**Skilla Baby** (2:21)
Yeah. I used to, this is how I originally got my name. My name was Skills because I was in second grade. It was a fifth grade team, so I really wasn't supposed to be on the team, but I kept bugging the coach and I was like, Coach, I got skills.
Then we had Nickname Day. He gave me that name because I told him I had skills and shit. So then fast forward, it just, the name followed me throughout my sports life. And I was at practice one day, football practice, and a girl kept, like, you know how people make fun of your name? They call me Skittle, all type of stuff. And the girl was just like, I'm gonna call you Skilla, and got the laughing and playing. And I just remembered that when I got to high school and ran with it.

**SPEAKER_2** (3:07)
So we gonna get into everything, the album and all that, but you're into politics now? I see you with the mayor a lot.

**Skilla Baby** (3:13)
I wouldn't say I'm into politics. I'm just, I like to advocate for things I like, that I feel, because that's just how I was raised. So I wouldn't say I'm into politics. I just like to give back to my community and stand on what I believe in.

**SPEAKER_2** (3:33)
How'd that introduction happen with you and the mayor?

**Skilla Baby** (3:37)
I was with her head of neighborhood affairs. So I met him and he was telling me to get in up, buy properties and stuff. And I just got real close with him, Ray Simpson. He's a beautiful dude.