Club Shay Shay - Kevin Gates Part 1

Summary

Club Shay Shay – Kevin Gates (Part 1)

Original Air Date: January 28, 2026
Host: Shannon Sharpe
Guest: Kevin Gates

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Episode Overview

This episode of Club Shay Shay features an in-depth, vulnerable, and at times raw conversation between Shannon Sharpe and multi-platinum rapper and entrepreneur Kevin Gates. Gates opens up about his turbulent upbringing, family dynamics, trauma and healing, life in the streets, time in prison, and his journey to musical and personal success. The dialogue is candid, occasionally heavy, yet consistently insightful and uplifting. Gates’ willingness to discuss his emotional wounds and growth offers listeners a unique and powerful perspective on overcoming adversity.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Gratitude, Faith & Setting the Tone

• Opening prayer: Gates insists on beginning with gratitude and a prayer, touching on the importance of spiritual grounding and giving "all praise, honor and glory to the most high God" (03:12).
• Language and upbringing: Reveals familiarity with Arabic due to lifelong exposure ([05:11]).

2. Family History and Childhood

• Raised by grandparents: Gates shares the impact of his grandparents on his values, work ethic, and internal motivation, invoking powerful memories of his grandfather's voice as his life compass:
  • “That voice be inside me… you gonna work, go to work. If you gonna stay at home, stay at home. But if you stay at home, don’t ask for no money.” ([07:14])
• Mother-son relationship: The relationship with his biological mother was strained for years, rooted in her youth and different treatment towards siblings.
  • “I used to hate my mother,” Gates admits about his childhood ([10:45]).
  • Healing journey: Gates describes mutual healing when his mother visited for the first time in California ([14:04]).

3. Intergenerational Trauma & Healing

• Mother’s challenges: Acknowledges his mother did the best she could as a young, ill-equipped parent ([10:21], [11:15]).
• Favoritism and the black sheep: Felt like the black sheep due to perceived favoritism towards his siblings, driving him to overachieve ([11:15]).
• Inner work: Recognizes that healing his mother–son relationship was pivotal:
  • “Until I healed a relationship with my mother, I couldn’t receive the type of woman that I was supposed to receive. I was always looking for my mother. I’m not looking for my mother anymore.” ([38:39])

4. The Loss of His Father

• Father’s death from AIDS: Gates demystifies his father’s illness, explaining it was from intravenous drug use and that his father was always honest with him ([16:26]).
• Holistic health: Witnessing his father’s decline led him to holistic health practices ([17:35]).
• Suppressed pain: Admits possibly suppressing the trauma of watching his father die ([18:33]).

5. The Role of Fathers and Masculinity

• Absence and longing: Gate discusses envy and pain from watching other fathers with their children:
  • “I used to get jealous when I see somebody spending time, a real father, spending time with his children.” ([19:04])
• He now salutes good fathers: “I appreciate y’all.” ([19:04])

6. Life in Louisiana & Entry Into the Streets

• Poverty and lack of opportunity: “Coming from Louisiana…it ain’t really too much to do there but die, go to jail. They have more people locked up in Louisiana than anywhere else in the country.” ([20:25])
• Early exposure: His surroundings and role models were hustlers, not doctors or lawyers ([66:14]).

7. Personal Trauma: Sexual Abuse and Breaking the Cycle

• Sexual victimization: Gates courageously shares the story of being sexually abused as a teenager and how not being believed by his mother created deeper wounds ([24:54], [25:13]).
  • “That was one of the reasons that me and my mother had a, you know, disagreement. That’s one of the reasons, like, we told you what happened to us.” ([25:13])
• Generational cycles: Gates frames his healing as breaking generational curses and creating safe, open dialogue with his own children ([27:31]).
• Vulnerability and healing: Making the song “Molested inside my mom’s home…” triggered an emotional purge and tears for two weeks ([28:56]).

8. Trauma’s Impact on Behavior

• Violence as a reaction: Gates says much of his youthful violence was rooted in fear and trauma, not true aggression ([26:16]).
• Trust issues and loyalty: “I’m so loyal and I’m such a beautiful person that I give my all. I give my all every time.” ([30:59])

9. Prison, the Code of the Streets, and Respect

• First incarceration at 13: Juvenile detention, and later adult prison, normalized the criminal cycle for him:
  • “Once the fear of imprisonment was removed, it became so much more easier to come back.” ([45:18])
• Respect at all costs: “Body language is the loudest language. Respect is earned, not given.” ([46:34])
• No tolerance for betrayal: He discusses the value of not snitching: “We do not sacrifice the lives of others for our own self-preservation.” ([64:24])
• Admiration for Master P and Birdman, but not tempted by easy street success.

10. Finding and Defining His Musical Path

• From hustling to music: Initially, music was just another hustle until he realized the possibilities and decided to take it seriously ([58:55]).
• Musical milestones: Remembers 2016, his debut album, Grammy nomination (while incarcerated), and the frustration of missing pivotal career moments due to prison ([82:32], [82:47]).
• Creativity and artistry: Gates takes pride in originality: “Most of what you see in the industry…[has] a touch of Gates.” ([83:36])
• Integration of pain into purpose: “I turned my pain into purpose… men that have been sexually victimized heal.” ([34:31])

11. Relationships, Validation & Vulnerability

• Romantic dynamics: Gates speaks candidly (sometimes crudely) about sex, relationships, and seeking affection from women ([89:19], [90:09]).
• Self-image and discipline: Discusses body dysmorphia, weight loss, and how discipline stems from past discomfort ([80:42]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Healing with His Mother:
  • “She broke down when I told her this. I say, mama, you ain’t make no mistake when you had me…I say, if you think about it, you gave birth to a living legend.” – Kevin Gates ([06:32])
• On Generational Curses:
  • “I really broke generational curses with that situation…my children know, don’t nobody never touch you there, not even me. I had these open conversations with my children.” – Kevin Gates ([27:31])
• On Vulnerability:
  • “Vulnerability is one of the strongest things you could ever exhibit as a man. Cause you know, you gotta be tough. You gotta be this, you gotta be that.” – Kevin Gates ([36:42])
• On Respect (Prison and Streets):
  • “Body language is the loudest language. Respect is earned, not given.” – Kevin Gates ([46:34])
• On Turning Pain into Purpose:
  • “My pain turned into my purpose. And I’m healing the world through that.” – Kevin Gates ([32:45])
• On Accountability:
  • “I believe in accountability…That was my fault, right? That was my fault that I missed out. There wasn’t nobody else’s fault but my fault.” – Kevin Gates ([85:00])
• On Fame and Money:
  • “If you ain’t got no money, you ain’t shit…I wish a woman would come in here and tell me, well, it’s not about the money. Well, go get a bum off the—from over there, off skid row.” – Kevin Gates ([59:38])
• On Breaking the Code:
  • “We do not sacrifice the lives of others for our own self preservation.” – Kevin Gates ([64:24])

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Important Timestamps

• [03:12] – Kevin Gates gives thanks to God and embraces his flaws
• [07:14] – Memories of his grandfather’s voice and values
• [10:45] – On hating his mother as a child and growing beyond it
• [16:26] – Father’s death and its impacts
• [19:04] – Reflecting on the role of fathers
• [24:54] – Speaking on being sexually victimized
• [25:13] – Explains being dismissed by his mother after revealing abuse
• [28:56] – Emotional release after making his song about abuse
• [38:39] – On generational trauma and self-worth
• [46:34] – Earning respect in prison and the street
• [58:55] – Shifting from hustle to music
• [82:32] – Losing Grammy opportunity due to incarceration
• [85:00] – Accountability for mistakes
• [89:19] – On songwriting, infatuation, and relationships

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Tone & Atmosphere

The conversation is honest, heavily introspective and laced with both humor and seriousness. Gates and Sharpe create a safe space for taboo and difficult discussions, especially regarding trauma, masculinity, and personal responsibility. Gates is unapologetically open, blending spiritual faith with street wisdom, and his signature mix of Southern slang and heartfelt candor.

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Final Thoughts

Kevin Gates’ Club Shay Shay appearance is a masterclass in vulnerability, authenticity, and resilience. His willingness to discuss taboo trauma, his mother-son reconciliation, street code, and the highs and lows of fame, all while connecting them with broader lessons about manhood and emotional healing, makes this a must-listen episode for fans and newcomers alike.

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[End of Part 1. For more, check out Part 2 on the Club Shay Shay podcast feed.]

Transcript

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[Rob Gronkowski]

This is Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman.

[Julian Edelman]

From Dudes on Dudes with Gronk and Jewels.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Rob, I've never asked, are you a dips guy?

[Julian Edelman]

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[Rob Gronkowski]

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[Julian Edelman]

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[Julian Edelman]

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[Rob Gronkowski]

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[Julian Edelman]

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[Kevin Gates]

I was so depressed. I just needed something to cope. I ain't want to live, Unc. I done shot myself in the head before. I got a bullet in my head. Unk. All my life been grinding all my.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Life Sacrifice hustle paid the price wanna slice, got to roll a dice that's.

[Kevin Gates]

Why all my life I be grinding all my life all my life been.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Grinding all my life Sacrifice hustle paid the price want a slice, got to roll a dice that's why I've been.

[Kevin Gates]

Grinding all my life.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hello. Welcome to another episode of Club Shay Shay. I am your host, Shannon Sharpe. I'm also the proprietor of Club Shay Shay. Stopping by for conversation and a drink today, he's one of one. He's one of the most authentic, prolific and transparent voices in the game. He's one of the Internet's most favorite personalities. A staple in the entertainment World and consistent presence in hip hop. He's a Grammy nominated Rapper, Billboard Hot 100 Artist, Multi Platinum songwriter, a charismatic musician, cinematic storyteller, and a candid emcee. Successful businessman, motivational figure and a fan favorite. Here he is, the Louisiana legend, Kevin Gates. I did you right? I leave out anything? What?

[Kevin Gates]

I meant you did me more than right. And I just want to say one thing. I really appreciate you, but I gotta say this.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What's that?

[Kevin Gates]

All praise, honor and glory be to the most high God. I appreciate that. I'm a natural born fuck up on like I'm a perfect imperfection. I can't tie my shoes right without God, so I just gotta say that too.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, I appreciate it. You know what? I've seen a lot of times that before we. Well, let's go ahead. You know what? You asked me what this was.

[Kevin Gates]

What is it?

[Shannon Sharpe]

This is my cognac. It's called Chez by La Portier. It's a vsop. In order for it to be a cognac, it has to originate two years in that region, which is cognac. It's a bsop. Very special. Old pale. Four to six years. Sometimes it stays in the bottle. It can go up to eight years. So I know you drink cognac, but I wanna know. Give me your honest opinion right here on camera.

[Kevin Gates]

I don't.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You don't drink?

[Kevin Gates]

Mm. Mm.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, I drink. Well, I do now, but you got water down there by your chair if you want water or anything like that. We have water.

[Kevin Gates]

Thank you, Papa.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Kev. I see a lot of your interviews that there have been some. Not all, but some. You like to start with a prayer? You want to lead us on the Word?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, I will.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Kevin Gates]

Almighty God, creator, maker of the heavens and earth, thank you for all the wonderful blessings in which you bestowed upon us in this life and hereafter. As you forgive us for all our sins, we forget those who sin against us. We seek refuge with you, for there's no refuge from you, but to you. Thank you for clothing us without the use of ourselves and feeding us without the use of ourselves, that anything that is said today that brings up lifting at the people come from you and you alone. And that anything that is considered to be, I guess, offensive, let it be for me. In the shaytan, I mean.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Appreciate that. Wow. So the first was in Arabic?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So when did you learn to speak Arabic?

[Kevin Gates]

I don't know. I just kind of like been hearing it all my life.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Really?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah. Wow.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Born in New Orleans, but you was Raised in Baton Rouge.

[Kevin Gates]

Yes, sir.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Take us back to your childhood. Do you have any favorite childhood memories?

[Kevin Gates]

Uh, my grandparents. Mm.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It's funny that you say that. I was raised by my grandparents. So let me ask you this, because my parents were in Chicago. My grandparents raised. Reared us and raised. Reared, whatever you want to say, in South Georgia. So you said your grandparents, they raised you. Were your parents around? Did you see them?

[Kevin Gates]

When I could.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What do you mean, when you could?

[Kevin Gates]

My mama had me kind of young.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Kevin Gates]

And it's crazy that you asked me this type of question. Nobody ever asked me that. But my mother just came. I think that was last year. She just came. She just came to my house out here in California for the first time last year. We had a very estranged relationship.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So to say you estranged from your mom.

[Kevin Gates]

And she told me that. Not to get off subject, but she told me that my healing journey is what made her go on her healing journey. Wow. And I told her, I say, she broke down when I told her this. I say, mama, you ain't make no mistake when you had me. I said, you ain't make no mistake when you had me. I say, if you think about it, you gave birth to a living legend, you know, and she just. She broke down.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Interesting that you said not to get out.

[Kevin Gates]

Not. I hope I answered your question.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You did. You did. Raised by your grandparents. What are some of the lessons that your grandparents taught you?

[Kevin Gates]

Always being respectful. That was the biggest thing, being respectful. Hard work. It's a lot. You going, you going. I'm going to get emotional, but it's a lot. It's crazy that the voice inside me, that talk to me, that motivate me, it sound like my grandfather talking like, you gonna work, go to work. If you gonna stay at home, stay at home. But if you stay at home, don't ask for no money. It's like that voice be inside me. Like, when I get to the gym sometime, I don't wanna work out. Hey, that flow ain't gonna push yourself. What you gonna do? You gonna get it done or you gonna stay at all day? Like, it just. Like, it's when he died, it's like his spirit like, or energy or whatever just went inside me. Wow.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You mentioned that. It was very, very hard. I was raised. Me and my brother and sister was raised by grandparents, but I got an opportunity to experience my grandmother for 43 years. I had my grandfather for about eight. And it was very difficult. And, you know, people always ask you, well, Shannon, how do you. How did you get over you losing your grandmother. I said, you don't get over it. You just get better at dealing with it as time passes. As your grandmother. How old were you when your grandmother passed?

[Kevin Gates]

I forgot. It was emotional for me. I was about to go on stage. I was in. I had went back to Baton Rouge to do a concert.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Kevin Gates]

And they called me. They said. They say. They say your grandmother just died and I left.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did you perform?

[Kevin Gates]

I still performed that night. I left the venue and, like, I kind of took a picture, but they had to, like her jaw. It's a long story. Anyway, I took a picture, but I covered her mouth when I took the picture. And I was like, that was my last, like, memory of her, like, seeing her. And the Internet had ridiculed me for it. They said I was trying to show off a watch, a little pussy watch. Like, I ain't want to show my grandmother without her dentures in her mouth.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kevin Gates]

Like, I was still being respectful.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Do you remember the last conversation you had with your grandmother?

[Kevin Gates]

Yes, ma'. Am. I mean, yes, sir. Excuse me. Please forgive me. You good?

[Shannon Sharpe]

What was that conversation?

[Kevin Gates]

She told me she loved me and she was proud of me and she was glad I was home from jail. Yup.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Were you your grandmother's favorite?

[Kevin Gates]

Uh, I'm everybody favorite.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ain't gonna lie.

[Kevin Gates]

Say oak. I'm everybody's favorite. Oh, no, no. I was her favorite, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I could tell. I can tell. You said the very first woman to ever break your heart was your mother. The only woman to love me was my grandmother. What was the relationship? You mentioned that your mom came out here for the first time last year, that she had been to see you in your new residence here in California? What was the relationship like with your mom growing up?

[Kevin Gates]

Look, she was young and she did the best that she could, but I guess the best thing that she ever did was let me go stay with my grandmother.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wow.

[Kevin Gates]

She did the best she could.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You feel she did the best that she could now, as you've gotten older.

[Kevin Gates]

As I got older, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

At the time, you didn't think she was doing the best she could?

[Kevin Gates]

I used to hail Em. Wow. I used to hate my mother.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's a strong word, Kev.

[Kevin Gates]

I used to hate my mother.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What was it? What was it? What wasn't she doing? Or what did you think she could have done better at that time as a child? Obviously now you know more. You. You're a parent yourself. I think you're a parent yourself. But you know what a parent, what it entails to Be a mother or a father. So what do you think your mother could have done differently? Even at the young age?

[Kevin Gates]

Nothing. There's nothing that she could have did different. And I'm just. Most people that I talk to, they ask me, me being an overachiever, where it come from? And I just not diagnosed and got to the root of it, doing the inner work, it come from my mother. And please, if they watching, don't look at me, y'. All. I love y'. All. But the truth of the truth is I was the black sheep. And the favoritism was shown to her other children. Okay? So me being an overachiever, I'm gonna show you how great I am. I took on, like, the Persona of Muhammad Ali. I'm gonna show you how great I am. I'm gonna show you. I'm gonna show you how great I am. And I believe it came from me feeling as if she was showing her other children favoritism. Cause she married they daddy. And, you know, I didn't feel like I belonged in that unit.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did you feel because she married their dad and not your father, that there was like, well, what was wrong with my dad? Why we couldn't be a family?

[Kevin Gates]

No, I never felt like that. Okay. I never felt like that. I just felt like I got treated different.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right, because you weren't the father's biological son. Did she treat you different?

[Kevin Gates]

Me and him, Platinum. Wow. Me and him, Platinum.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So what was it about your boy? Hold on. Your mom birthed all of those other kids also, so what was the difference?

[Kevin Gates]

Looking at it from where I'm at right now, I'll say that we all had different requirements and different needs that needed to be met. Okay. And me being born gifted, I don't think that they was equipped to be able to be there for me the way that I needed them to be there. They did the best they could, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did your mom. What type of relationship did your mom have with your father?

[Kevin Gates]

I really don't know. They was cool, though. Okay. They was cool.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Cause it's interesting that. But you said, how. How old were you when you finally brought it upon yourself? Say, you know what? This too heavy of a burden to bear. I gotta let it go. My mom, as you said, she did the best she could with the knowledge that she had and the resources that she had. I gotta let this go. Cause this ain't her. Weighing on her. This weighing on me.

[Kevin Gates]

Nah, it's weighing on her too.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Is it?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah. She carry a lot still to this day.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Have you ever told her that mom. I felt that when I was a kid, you treated my brothers and sisters different than you treated me.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, we talked about everything.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What did she say?

[Kevin Gates]

I don't really remember what she said, but this. This. This last time she came and got to see her grandkids was like. It was healing for the both of us. I slept in the bed with her and everything.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wow.

[Kevin Gates]

Like, I. I returned to that toddler.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That child.

[Kevin Gates]

I returned. Yeah. I was healing my inner child, nurturing my inner child. And it was like. It was beautiful.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't know if you saw the last episode. I had Ryan Davis on, and he had a very strained relationship with his mom, and he still does. And he commented that, you know, since that interview that we did, we checked that sometime in, like, late October, early November. But he said he spent Christmas with his mom and the kids. His kids. And his mom had his first child at 13. She had four kids by the age of 19. So, obviously, you say your mom was very young when she had you.

[Kevin Gates]

Yes, similar.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And he said in talking to people, he said sometimes that when you have a child at such a young age, you kind of stop developing.

[Kevin Gates]

You're still a child.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You still a child which is not equipped.

[Kevin Gates]

I raised you. Mmm. With all due respect, I'm teaching my mother. I've been gifted as a child. I don't know why I'm about to tell you this, but, damn. I can't believe I'm about to speak on this. I got a cousin named Tyree. Mm. I was laying in bed with my mama one night. I say, mom, what if Tyree Daddy go in the house and kill his mama and shoot dead and kill himself? She said, why you think that? Why would you say that? And the next day it happened. I've been gifted. I used to think something was wrong with me. Hmm. I don't even know why I'm telling you this. I never spoke on this before. I regret that I spoke on what happened with the car battery. Then everybody came back and apologized. Kevin Gates was telling the truth. But I believe that to tell the truth out of season is worse than telling a lie. I don't even know why I said that. It was just on my spirit to say that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I read your father passed of aids.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Was he. Was he gay? Was he IV drug user? How did. Did you ever find a high contact needle?

[Kevin Gates]

Yep.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When you did, you know, at the time that he had died of aids or you found out at a later date in time?

[Kevin Gates]

He never lied to me about nothing.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So he Told you. Did you see the effects that the aids? I mean, I haven't met anybody that had that virus, but I hear the ravage of the face.

[Kevin Gates]

It's an autoimmune deficiency. And. And those times, that's what made me get into, like, holistic medicine. Okay. And he was so beautiful. If you could have seen my dad, he was beautiful. But that's crazy. You asked me that. No. Nobody ever asked me this. I was with him. I was with him, like, for a long time. Up until he passed, I was with him. He taught me a lot of beautiful lessons. And if I could go back in time, it said what I'm about to say. I could have cured him.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You think so?

[Kevin Gates]

I know so.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you didn't mind.

[Kevin Gates]

I ain't Dr. Sebi or no shit like that. I ain't trying to act like that, but I could have cured him. He the one made me take health so serious.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Prior to that, you didn't take health seriously.

[Kevin Gates]

I was a kid, right. So he was explaining to me about how this go. I watched him kind of. I watched him. I watched him die. Well, I done watched a lot of people die, but I watched him die.

[Shannon Sharpe]

To see someone go through that, a painful death, and to see it as a child, that's my father. And I know my father's gonna die. I know my father's gonna leave here. What did that do to you as a child?

[Kevin Gates]

Mm, Maybe I suppressed it. I don't really know. But I was already in the streets then. He died when I was 17. But I used to pull up on him and go talk to him. Yup.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How important is fathers and sons lives? Even daughters. But I'm just gonna take it from your perspective.

[Kevin Gates]

I'm approaching 40 years of age. On paper. I say on paper. Cause I don't feel 40, right. And I do. That I couldn't do when I was, like, 16, right? Like, I still do backflips and all that. One, two, three, hit a back was free. I still do that, still do yoga, still work out. I still run fast and all that. But I'm Approaching close to 40 years of age, okay? And to this day, the inner child in me, I had to. I had to really do the inner work and heal it. I used to get jealous when I see somebody spending time, a father, a real father, spending time with his children. And then I got to the point where I saluted. Now, like, I walk up and shake somebody down. I was just on rodeo, and dude was like, hey, it's okay if my daughter. Take a picture. Da da da da. I said, this your daughter? I shook his hand. I said, you're a good father. You're a good man. He was like, thank you. So shout out to all the good fathers out there. I know y' all might feel like y' all gonna appreciate it, but I appreciate y'. All.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did you miss that as a child?

[Kevin Gates]

Uh, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But he was in your life in some capacity, right?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What made you turn to the life that you turn to? If he was in your father, was he not in your life enough?

[Kevin Gates]

He was in the streets.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, okay. Okay.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, he was in the streets. Well, to be honest, coming from Louisiana, it's very poverty stricken place. So either you it ain't really too much to do there but die, go to jail. They have more people locked up in Louisiana than anywhere else in the country. Wow.

[Shannon Sharpe]

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[Paramount Plus UFC Announcer]

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[Rob Gronkowski]

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[Julian Edelman]

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[Rob Gronkowski]

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[Julian Edelman]

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[Rob Gronkowski]

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[Julian Edelman]

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[Julian Edelman]

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[Kevin Gates]

Yup.

[Rob Gronkowski]

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[Julian Edelman]

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[Rob Gronkowski]

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[Julian Edelman]

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[Shannon Sharpe]

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[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, I was sexually victimized.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So I've heard people say. What's so traumatic about this? Not only is the child robbed of his youth and his innocence, but when he or she tells the person that's in charge of protecting that youth and innocence, they go unheard. They not believe.

[Kevin Gates]

That was one of the reasons that me and my mother had a, you know, disagreement. That's one of the reasons, like, we told you what happened to us.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So it was multiple. It wasn't just you.

[Kevin Gates]

Nah, it was. I'm gonna say me. It's just me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay. Okay.

[Kevin Gates]

I'm gonna take. You know, I'll take.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You gonna take the.

[Kevin Gates]

I'll take the beating for the grant. Okay. But, yeah, I told you what happened to me. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Why don't you. And it's interesting because Clarissa Shields was on here. She said the same thing that she told, and they didn't believe it. And she ended up going to stay.

[Kevin Gates]

With her thing with Mike Tyson. It was the things that he told me off camera that was so beautiful. Like, that dude is one of the most beautiful people. I was, like, shocked. Like, if you look at the interview, I was just, like, kind of in a daze. Cause it was the conversation we had off camera. Then when we got on camera, I'm like, man, this dude deep, right? And that's when he has. He was like, that's what turned me into a monster. Something bad happened to me, and he.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Said, it's never gonna happen to me again.

[Kevin Gates]

It really forced me into being kind of like a vigilante kind of, in a sense. Cause I took, like, every type of martial arts you could think. My grandmother had me and all of that. And for a long time, and I hate what I'm about to say. For a long time, I exhibited a lot of violence out of fear. People salute me for a lot of stuff, but that wasn't. That was out of fear. That wasn't out of just me being no monster, no tough guy. That was fear.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Were you a teenager at the time?

[Kevin Gates]

Yes, sir.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Were you threatened?

[Kevin Gates]

When did he.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did he. If you tell anybody that this has happened, or she. If you tell anybody that this happened, something might happen to you or something.

[Kevin Gates]

He did.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He did.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah. He outta here.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I guess I'll leave that alone.

[Kevin Gates]

I mean, that's the truth. I mean, I don't know how he. You know what I'm saying?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, you don't know how.

[Kevin Gates]

He outta here.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Like I said, we'll move that along.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, he'll never do that to anybody again. That's the two things. But then, you know, with. Man, I might be shitting. I don't wanna say too much, but I really broke generational curses with that situation. Because people that came before me, they was raped. And it created the space for me to have with my children. To where my children know. Don't nobody never touch you there, not even me. I had these open conversations with my children. They are equipped. I created a space for them to be able to tell their dad anything.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Open and honest with you about any situation.

[Kevin Gates]

Anything.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Kev, you know what? Let me ask you this. How did you summons up the courage? Because I can assure you, you're not the first young man boy that's ever had this happen. But a lot of young boys will suppress it and not.

[Kevin Gates]

That's created the space for men to be able to heal. There's so many men that come up to me and hug me and cry in the gym and tell me thank you. Cause I created a space and. And I tell him you was vulnerable then. We have built ourselves into machines to where we can protect the inner child. That's why I made that song Protect children. You're not supposed to hurt children.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Your song molested inside my mom's home. She ain't believe me. When I was young. There gonna be a lot of people.

[Kevin Gates]

That'S gonna watch this after I made that song.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Kevin Gates]

I ain't know how much trauma that I was holding. I cried for two weeks uncontrollably. My manager sitting back there, he the one recorded that song. I was in Puerto Rico and when I did that song, I cried uncontrollably for like two weeks, two weeks straight. Then I went to the bathroom and when I shitted it, just like everything released. Everything released. I was so tense all the time. Just from, you know, you underwent trauma and even going out here and applying pressure, you still don't. It don't ever go away. But I think my snapping point was, damn. I hate to say who it was, but he pulled me to the side. He a monster too. He pulled me to the side. He was like, hey, are we gay? I say, I don't know. I don't know. And I remember that was the last time I kind of had a little bit of like before it went black.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You don't remember anything after that?

[Kevin Gates]

No, I remember. I'm talking about before I. Before my humanity kind of got turned off toward predators. I just don't. I don't respect those that pick on the weak. I just don't. I don't like bullies.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Is that why you stay to yourself now? That's why you don't like. Look, I don't bother nobody. I don't want nobody Bothering me. Cause I don't want that person to ever show back up again.

[Kevin Gates]

Mm, not really. That come from. I'm so loyal and I'm such a beautiful person that I give my all. I give my all every time.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How important is it for mothers, fathers, people that's in authoritative position to listen to their child when they tell them something of this magnitude has happened?

[Kevin Gates]

It ain't about listening. You gotta listen, but then you gotta do something behind it. You gotta do something about it. That child not gonna know that they protected. If don't nothing get did. If don't nothing get did. You just talking good as a bitch. What I utter with my mouth, my actions must prove my children know. They done saw their dad to get out their character before. Everybody in this room has, unfortunately. I hated that they had to see that. But men as men. When you a man, you do what you must. Fools do what they want, but men do what they must. I ain't know this conversation is gonna be like this, but this.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, it's gonna. We gonna lighten up.

[Kevin Gates]

But I ain't trying to lighten up. This is healing for me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, I appreciate it.

[Kevin Gates]

Thank you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Had your mom taken steps necessary. How different is your relationship with your mom?

[Kevin Gates]

It's beautiful. Cause you gotta think when a parent hear that, that's the worst thing they wanna hear.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Absolutely.

[Kevin Gates]

They being shocked. They don't know what to do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because I'm here to protect you and I. I didn't protect you.

[Kevin Gates]

But you know, my mom ain't. My mom ain't. You know, I love my mom, but I hate, I hate what happened, happened. But at the end of the day, it's beautiful because my pain turned into my purpose. And I'm healing the world through that. And like I say, that person he stretched so.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Damn, Kev, you said like you proud of that?

[Kevin Gates]

I am. The fuck, Kev. You touch your kids, you supposed to die straight up. You rape a woman, you rape a woman, you posed to die straight up, Kev.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But that's not your purpose. That's not your who. I thought we was gonna let him handle that.

[Kevin Gates]

Who, boy? God ain't put me here to be God. Give me the strength to make sure this man I want to give. I'm gonna stand over and give him everything I got. God, please let him be stretched. Cuz sometimes you give him everything you got. And they, you know, God don't take his hand off him. But if God take his hand off him, that feet going up in that l. His feet going up in That. L. That's how that's supposed to go.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You get relief from that. You feel you.

[Kevin Gates]

What if somebody molest my daughter? You gonna die or I'm gonna die trying, but I'm very resourceful, unfortunately. Unfortunately. But if you touch one of my children, you're gonna die.

[Shannon Sharpe]

As we sit here today, it's supposed.

[Kevin Gates]

To be like that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What is your purpose? What did you learn from that? Have you been able to shift?

[Kevin Gates]

No, I wasn't saying that was my purpose.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No.

[Kevin Gates]

No, I'm saying I turned my pain into purpose.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Kevin Gates]

Because I've. Men that have been sexually victimized heal.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay?

[Kevin Gates]

Everybody ain't everybody. Everybody ain't got it in them to watch a soul leave a body. Everybody ain't got that in there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No.

[Kevin Gates]

And that ain't. That ain't everybody. And I'm not saying that for everybody, but I'm just saying, like, you know, people. That's healing. It's a lot of men that I watch go to the gym and work out, go crazy, and they suppress that. But when they hug me, they cry. So your music helped me. Your music make this world a better place. And I was like, it's okay. I know I could look at somebody that It's a spirit that. It's like a black clouds of spirit. When I watch people, I could look at somebody and tell if they've been sexually victimized. It's an energy that come with that, a kinder spirit. I ain't gonna say a kinder spirit, but I can look at somebody that had been molested before or sexually victimized, and I see it. It's a hurt that come with it. It's unfortunate, but the way I explain it to him is I tell him, you know, that happened at a time when you was vulnerable. You're not vulnerable anymore. Right. All you have to do is protect the inner child and let the inner child come back out and thrive again.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How do you let them know it's okay to heal? What happened to you weren't your fault. Now it's time to, as you say, heal that inner child and be the man.

[Kevin Gates]

That's easier said than done, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Kevin Gates]

It's easier said than done. Like, I did a lot. A lot of work, did a lot of inner work to get where I'm at. It wasn't easy for me. The first step is when I made that song. Everybody don't have a therapeutic release where they could make music or write a poem or. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. So, like I say, I Cried for two weeks, uncontrollably, after I made that song. But I released it, and then I was able to go on Mike Tyson interview and talk about that. And that was like. Vulnerability is one of the strongest things you could ever exhibit as a man. Cause you know, you gotta be tough. You gotta be this, you gotta be that. So.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But don't some view vulnerability as weakness? You can be vulnerable but not be weak. You can be weak, but not be vulnerable.

[Kevin Gates]

I'm being vulnerable right now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Absolutely. But I don't think anybody that's watching this will see you as weak.

[Kevin Gates]

It take more courage to be vulnerable than it do to be a tough guy. I'mma always be vulnerable first. I'm only tough if I just gotta be.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They pulled that cab out. Cause this cab, this cab, cool. He just want to, you know, get on a cigar, you know, drink a little water.

[Kevin Gates]

I'm not.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Drink by three. You done drunk by three gallons a day.

[Kevin Gates]

I'm really a teddy bear, though. I'm really a teddy bear. But we just went down that path, and I was just explaining it, and then, you know, I know a lot of people gonna watch this, and I don't want to hurt no feelings. Cause we healing, like, past relationships.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Kevin Gates]

And, like, I'm in the process of healing my relationship with my mother. And, like, I love my mom. Like, I tell her, I say, I'm grateful for you. You gave me life. We talk every day now. She talked to my new wife on the phone. Yep.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Kev, where did you want to be when you were a child?

[Kevin Gates]

I don't know. Probably garbage man. I used to want to hang out the back of the truck, just look fun. But, you know, as we get older, it's like, you don't want to be. No. When I used to say, I want to be a garbage man. You don't want to be no garbage man. They don't make that much money. Yeah, you don't be no fireman. I was like, man, I want to hang on the back of the truck. When you a kid, you not thinking about the money. You just thinking about what look fun, right? They hanging on the back of the truck. I won't hang off the back of the truck, too.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you go through all this trauma. You said something earlier.

[Kevin Gates]

You said, you don't know it's trauma when you're going through it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When you're going through it. But you said you healed generational trauma.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

We hear a lot of people say, well, I wanna create generational wealth. But just like generational wealth is passed down. So it's trauma.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah. Because until I healed a relationship with my mother, I couldn't receive the type of woman that I was supposed to receive. Cause I was always looking for my mother. I'm not looking for my mother anymore. And any woman I meet, I'm looking for me. I'm looking for myself. And I told my mom, I said, I love you. And this was my daughter was right there in everything I say. So no matter what I do is never gonna be enough. And those are the type of women that I would pursue. No matter what I did, it was never enough. And it wasn't. It wasn't my mama's fault that she was like that. But that's just all she knew. So I say, really, for everything that's going on with you right now in your life, it's my fault. Wow. I say, that's really what you saying without saying it. And it was when I released that situation and it took a little while after that, but like I say, it was one of the biggest things and the most beautiful things that I did is I'm like, I don't owe nobody no more but my children. That was a self worth issue. Like when it's kind of like seeking validation. Always trying to help people, but that's just how my heart is. I want to help now. I help myself.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Is it because you didn't get help when you thought you needed that? You now you find that flip side that you try to help everybody?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, exactly. It's like a self worth issue. It's like you see yourself, you see the hurt parts of yourself and others. So you just want to just try to help everybody. But guess what you're doing? You're enabling them. You're not really helping them. That's a pacifier. Sad, but touching.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When you tell these stories about your childhood and about the trauma and about the trauma in some of your family members when you go back and see them. What the. Kel, come on, man. Some of that stuff, you just keep that between us. Have you got any of that?

[Kevin Gates]

I didn't disclose anything though. I never disclosed anything. I didn't incriminate anyone. I just. And you want me to be honest? I hate to say what I'm about to say. Don't nobody tell me nothing. With all due respect, people be just happy to see me. And if they what? And if they did have something to tell me, they gonna pretend like they happy to see me. With all due respect, I mean, it sounds harsher than what it Is.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. So you go through all that, Give.

[Kevin Gates]

A what they think what day? You weren't there, buddy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did you forgive. Forgive me? Nah, we good. You good? Did you play sports growing up? Did you want to play sports growing up?

[Kevin Gates]

I tried.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What happened? Cause you tell me you back flipping and you could do yoga. You doing all this. So that's athletic and funny.

[Kevin Gates]

I'm a natural athlete. I'm a natural athlete. I played middle school football. I had fun with that. I played middle school. I was a linebacker. Okay. I played peewee football, too. I played baseball.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kevin Gates]

All that I get, Kev. AAU basketball. Now, don't laugh, though. Basketball. I'm a great passer.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Is that the way your way of saying, I can't shoot? I'm full square. I'm going to. You played baseball. You played. You know, you played baseball, you played basketball, you played football.

[Kevin Gates]

And I'm not trying to sound like a nerd, but my favorite sport was soccer. I'm good at soccer.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So in other words, you ain't want. I mean, I'm looking at a guy like yourself. You all diesled up. You ain't want to play football, you ain't want to put that pain on nobody.

[Kevin Gates]

Steroids and Cocoa Puffs. I box, too. I boxed for a long time. I've been boxing since I was like probably about 14. I thought I was gonna be Muhammad Ali. That got cut short. Hey. Get on the ground. Hands behind your back.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, damn. Were you. Were you. Were you doing what you was trying to do, what you needed to do to try to be Muhammad Ali?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, I was on the AAU boxing team. I did good. I did good while I was doing good.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Why?

[Kevin Gates]

I was decent. I was fair for a square.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And then how. Okay, the path is. This is the path. We straight and narrow. How did Kev get off the path?

[Kevin Gates]

Oh, man, why you gonna ask me that? I hate to say this. I've been off the path.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Even when you was on the path, you were off the path.

[Kevin Gates]

Cause it was a wr. It was a wrong.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What if you say your dad was in the street. If your dad being in the street.

[Kevin Gates]

Not just regular industries like a lot of people say this, like my daddy was. Truth. Yeah. Something serious.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But if your dad had to say, kev, I don't want this for you. I want you to play football. I want you to play basketball. I want you to play soccer.

[Kevin Gates]

You can't tell me that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Cause what you do is.

[Kevin Gates]

You can't tell me that. You can't never say that to me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Why? He pops? Yeah, I guess he pops. We listen to pops.

[Kevin Gates]

I do. I listen good too. I'm proud of Beast.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You get jammed up.

[Kevin Gates]

Which time? Oh, Lord have mercy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The first time that you got into it, what did you do for the first time for them folks to come get you?

[Kevin Gates]

I don't wanna talk about it. But I was 13 the first time I ever went to prison. I go to jail.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You went to juvie?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, juvenile detention.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Kevin Gates]

If they. I tell everybody this. If they would've just put me in the car and drove me to the front of the jail and said, if you up again, you gonna have to go in there and it's not gonna be pretty. I probably would have been so scared, I'd have never up again. But once the fear of imprisonment was removed, it became so much more easier to come back.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So juvie didn't scare you?

[Kevin Gates]

Juvenile detention is the most chaotic. Adult jail be laid back. Adult jail be more structured. It depend on what camp you get to.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Kevin Gates]

If you get to a pen, it's gonna be structured satellite camp. It might be a little chaos. But what I do respect, my law. My law. My law. Something serious. My respect on heavy. Not. Cause I'm just no monster or nothing like that, but I just. I feel nothing. I respect all my respects. I'm serious.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Is that. Is that the. Is that the number one currency when you dealing with places? Be it juvie, be it satellite, be it the big house. Is respect the number one currency when you walk into one of these places? Facilities?

[Kevin Gates]

Yes, sir. Body language is the loudest language. Respect is earned, not given. And nobody will ever re. Respect you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you. You got to get it immediately.

[Kevin Gates]

No, I ain't gonna say that. The world knows sugar from.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Do you get tried? So if I. So let's just say I'm going, you know, And.

[Kevin Gates]

And my younger days coming up, I got tested every day. I beat up every day. Win, loser, Maybe gladiator school. From the neighborhood to the jail to everything beat up, all that. But adult jail, I don't have any losses, but I had already been through everything already.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They know you did. They know. So when you. So the first time you went to juvie, you were not afraid?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, I was scared of them.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay. Did you know anybody in there?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah. Had people from my neighborhood.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Enough so they looked out for you?

[Kevin Gates]

Nah. Really? I still had to scoff him. Hey, you and him, y' all do something. I'm grateful that that happened, though. It taught me a lot about who I was as a person.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay. You go to juvie, you like damn. I mean I ain't really.

[Kevin Gates]

And then another thing, all right, I gotta say this. I did get. God rest the dead. I did get what they call bushed or jumped. Yeah and adult jail like. But the people that was involved in it, they not here no more. But I got, I did get and I ain't had nothing.

[Paramount Plus UFC Announcer]

Paramount plus is the new home of UFC and the new era comes out swinging with UFC 324 on January 24th in the main event Highlight Machine, Justin Gaethje faces off against Paddy the Baddie Pimblet for the interim lightweight belt. Plus Sean Suga o' Malley takes on Song Yudong in a stand up war filled with high level striking. Catch all the action from the Octagon and stream UFC 324 live at 9pm Eastern on Paramount Pay per View. Just got knocked out. Stream every numbered event and Fight Night Live at no additional cost with your Paramount subscription. You can also watch pre fight docuseries, full length replays, archive fights from years past and more. It's time to say goodbye to pay per view and hello to Paramount. Visit paramountplus.com UFC to get started Ready.

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[Kevin Gates]

Nothing to do with it or nothing, but they just not here no more. But like even them like you got to kill me. I ain't gonna stop.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What? What would Lee want to get bushed or jumped?

[Kevin Gates]

I don't know what it was about. I don't know how. My lawyer say it's always over a girl.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ain't no girls in there.

[Kevin Gates]

I think I probably was putting that on this in the streets. And then I. I fell on the line he was on. We with the same.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The young lady. The young lady.

[Kevin Gates]

Man, that was my hoe make up.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That was your girl.

[Kevin Gates]

I'm putting that on your. I guess he felt played. I don't know. I mean, I accidentally picked the phone. Cause I thought on my partner, I'm like, I'm over here. Hey, it's my turn. It's my turn today.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You picked the phone up, man, you already. Come on, man. You don't answer the phone at nobody else house. Kev, come on. You wrong for that. No, I can't. Nope, I can't get down with you on that one.

[Kevin Gates]

Don't. We was at her sister's house. It was her cell phone.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Why you answered her? You don't pay the bill. You paying the bill.

[Kevin Gates]

He just kept calling.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He tried to get in touch with her.

[Kevin Gates]

Hey, look. Hey, it's my turn. You gonna have to catch her tomorrow, thug. And he just took that. I really was joking, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know you can't joke with nobody like that, Kel, come on now.

[Kevin Gates]

I know now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You knew then you calling the chick and you calling. You calling all of a sudden. Hey, what up, player? I'm over here right now. It's my turn. She'll get at you on Friday. Today, Tuesday.

[Kevin Gates]

I was really playing, though. I was playing. I picked.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Where they play like that at, Kevin? Where they play like that at where?

[Kevin Gates]

I was a kid then, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I was, you know that it play like that? Cause you was already in the streets.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So, you know, they don't play like that.

[Kevin Gates]

It was whatever. But I was. I really wasn't tripping, though. It wasn't. It wasn't nothing like that. It was like, man, that was my hoe.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That was your young lady. Okay, I get that.

[Kevin Gates]

It ain't no military secret. I'm putting that dick on this hoe. That's how that's going right now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay, but keep that on the hush.

[Kevin Gates]

All that calling, all that, all that stalking, man, I'm a player. We don't do no shit like that. Who raised you?

[Shannon Sharpe]

You a player? He wasn't. Yeah, he was in love with her. He probably done bought a little something, you know, paying the rent. He probably paying the phone bill. Got playing the light bill and all that.

[Kevin Gates]

You wasn't paying no phone bill? No. Charlotte was with you, I guess, probably When I was in jail or something, I forgot she was just. You was something.

[Shannon Sharpe]

She passing the time off.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah. You was something to do. You heard. You know, it was cool.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So y' all find. Y'. All. So you find yourself on the same line.

[Kevin Gates]

I ain't never know how he look. He knew how I look. And then he already had, you know, his little people back there or whatever. It wasn't nothing major, though, then. It's so crazy. He ain't even want scratch. He was little. He wasn't even want scratch. He wasn't living like that. For real. He talked good, though. But no.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So he tried to send. He tried to send his boy for you, the goons for you.

[Kevin Gates]

Come on. Come on. You know, he ain't want to do nothing. But one of his partners, you know, they had jumped me or whatever. But then after they jumped me, it wasn't really about nothing. Cause after that, I still led the prayer call. I say, tomorrow, when we wake up, we're gonna do it again. Yeah, I had a little eye. Had a black eye. Little eye.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Kevin Gates]

Probably had a little. You know what I'm saying? Bust me up a little bit. Nothing major. Little lip, little eye.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Cool. Then you come back tomorrow. Let's do it again.

[Kevin Gates]

Well, somebody else was on the line that we all had mutual respect for. Cause I used to date his son. He cool.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, damn, Kev. How big is Baton Rouge? Like 25 people.

[Kevin Gates]

Shit. From Baker to Gonzalez, you blink your eye, you be done. Pass through it. It's small, right? But they got a lot of trophies come from Baton Rouge. A lot of living legends come from them. Yeah. Yeah. I'm blessed to have grew up, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So at 13, you get your first juvie. Okay. You get out. Did you say, you know what? I ain't going back. I'm gonna live. I'm gonna be on the straight now.

[Kevin Gates]

I was still seeking acceptance. I was running with some older dudes, and I was seeking acceptance for them. And Point, I'm gonna show you what's happened. All you gotta do is point. And I guess it was. They put batteries in my back. I mean, I guess. But I was seeking acceptance. Cause I was looking up to some dudes that wasn't even like that for real. So I was, like, seeking acceptance like all young kids, impressionable kids. Just them respecting me made me just feel so great. But I'm like. As I started maturing in the game, I'm like, y'. All. Really, y'. All.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm about a life that y' all not About. And y' all putting y' all juice. Y' all battering me up.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, everybody. Everybody's been a R2D2 before. Everybody's been a robot. Some people still are, but I no longer operate off batteries.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, what's up, y'? All? It's your favorite, unc. Proud partner of Roast Sparks. Have you ever had one of those nights? Maybe you're watching a movie, just laughing? She's snuggles in closer on the couch, and boom, it's on. Now, in these moments, you can't get caught slipping. You gotta be ready to perform like it's the big game. You hear me? And that's what Roast Sparks come in. These bad boys dissolve right under your tongue. No water, no worries. And here's the kicker. That dual action formula stays active for up to 36 hours. Now, you ain't hard for 36 hours. Let's get that straight. But when the moment strikes again, when or again, you're ready to rise to the occasion. With roast barks, you get harder, you get more control. And everybody's leaving the room with a smile. That's what I call a dub baby. And check this out. If you prescribe the new sexual health patient and get $15 off the first order of Roast Sparks on a reoccurring plan, just go to Ro Co Shay Shay to find out if prescription Roast sparks are right for you again. That's Ro Co Shayshay. Now, you know your aunt gotta shoot you straight. Rose Sparks is a compounded drug that means it's allowed to be prescribed under federal law, but it isn't FDA approved, and it doesn't go through their reviews. For the full safety info. Hit up Rocosafetyinfo. So, fellas, stay confident, stay ready, and let them sparks fly when the moment is right. So let me ask you this. When did you come to the realization, Kev? Say, you know what? I'm done with this. Unless I absolutely, positively have to get down, I'm done with this.

[Kevin Gates]

The last bid I did, how long would that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What would that stretch?

[Kevin Gates]

33 months?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Drugs?

[Kevin Gates]

No. They tried to. They tried to say that I. It was in Chicago. It was crazy. I never heard of this charge, though. But they tried to say I was a convicted felon with a firearm, which I didn't have a firearm, but they say I'm a gang chief. I'm not even from Chicago. I've never been in a gang, but I just. Weird.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you done been locked up a lot of places, though, Ken. What's a lot more Than one different states.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah. I have.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Louisiana, Chicago, Chicago, Canada. Canada. Ohio.

[Kevin Gates]

Yep. What. How you know about Ohio?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Can't.

[Kevin Gates]

Get it in Ohio.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Kevin Gates]

And they got some real out there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Really?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah. Good people.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So after.

[Kevin Gates]

That's crazy. How you know about that? Oh, you done your homework. You done done your research? Let me find out. You done your research.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I was okay in school. I wasn't great, but I was okay.

[Kevin Gates]

Nah, I was looking at that one where you was like, yeah, sound like. Sound like Johnny can't read.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I said, that's my dog. That's my dog. So I'm just trying to figure out how you go from that. Were you rapping before you did. Started doing all this stuff or. Rapping was a byproduct. Say, you know what? Let me find something I could do that I can make an honest living doing.

[Kevin Gates]

I fell in love with the Hustle. I never really took music serious, okay. I started taking music serious when I started watching everybody do what I wanted to do, okay. And I was like, I'm gonna take this shit serious. But by the time I was taking it serious, I still had other shit pending. I had to go, you know what I'm saying? Face all that shit. But I was addicted to the hustle, right? Cause if you ain't got no money, you ain't shit. I fell in love with the hustle. It's like I had a vendetta. I just wanted to. I just love the hustle. Like when Mitch said on paid him for I love to hustle.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Do you eat?

[Kevin Gates]

Plea.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Do you believe people look at you differently? View you differently, Treat you differently?

[Kevin Gates]

If you got paper, think or no?

[Shannon Sharpe]

No.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, they do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Cause they say money, you know, hey, you don't need no money. And people gonna treat you the same. Gonna look at you the same. Women gonna treat you the same. Gonna look at you the same.

[Kevin Gates]

That's not true. I wish a woman would come in here and tell me, well, it's not about the money. Well, go get a bum off the. From over there, off skid row. I bet he has a great conversation. Go get him. Move him in your house. Since money don't matter sounds silly, but.

[Shannon Sharpe]

If you go back, you look at Louisiana, you got Wayne, you got P, you got Boosie, NBA, yb, Mystical Soldier, Slim, C. Murder, Juvie, Webby, Currency, Birdman, bg. You saw all that coming up. You was around it.

[Kevin Gates]

Yep.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And you still didn't want to do right until you wanted to do right.

[Kevin Gates]

It's not that I was trying, but I also Was trying the other way.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Exactly.

[Kevin Gates]

Yes, sir.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, you can't serve two gods. You'll love one and despise the other.

[Kevin Gates]

You could just love both of them.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Nah, you can't love. You can't love too. One of them got to go. Cause remember we had a conversation. We had the conversation earlier.

[Kevin Gates]

It's about the law of equivalent exchange. So, yeah, where your attention goes, energy flows, wherever you put the most, that's where you get the most out of. So what you do most, you do best.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Absolutely.

[Kevin Gates]

So I agree with that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And what you love to do, what your passion is, who you gonna be really. And you put your time into that passion, you gonna be good at it. Whatever your.

[Kevin Gates]

I love creating new music.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You love creating drama, too.

[Kevin Gates]

No, that's not true. I don't love creating drama.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What you thought you was doing when you was going to juviating out?

[Kevin Gates]

I wasn't creating drama.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What were you creating, big bro?

[Kevin Gates]

My grandma hustle. My grandma said dope. Remember? Little in charge, man, come on, man. Like, what? My grandma. My grandma. Hey, come on, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you were exposed to that at a very young age. So really, theoretically, that's kind of all you knew.

[Kevin Gates]

Y' all seen my grandma on Instagram talking against the shit. Stop playing God bless the dig. I mean, I'm trying to, you know, I'm trying to, like, give to you the wrong way, but. Cause I don't want you to feel like, you know what I'm saying? But, man, my grandma said dope won't. It ain't no military receipt. I'm a real street, unfortunately.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Kevin Gates]

Like, I done hypes, I done junkies and everything. I ain't trying to come out here and be like, I just done been bad my whole life. I done been on the block. Say, ain't t I got a 20pk? Come eat that, man. Yeah, this me. Like, I can't be nothing but me. Damn. I made a better way because I don't ever want my children to experience the things that I experience. My children, if they be in the streets. I failed as a father. I don't miss the streets, but I love it. I like street shit.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know, you can never go back there.

[Kevin Gates]

Too big of a fish. Yeah. And the game ain't the same no more.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What changed it?

[Kevin Gates]

They started moving the goal post. You know, it's not like. And it's crazy that I'm sitting in here with, like, dressed the way I'm dressed, talking about how the streets used to be. It just. It used to seem like it used to seem glorious. It used to seem honorable. Now it's a lot of slime ball activity, you know what I'm saying? When you looking at it from the outside looking in, you thinking, man, man, they getting money over there. They all loyal to each other and all that. You don't know, nigga. You don't know when soon as you pull off, they talk about you behind your back. You don't know soon as you go to jail, your main man trying to. He trying to lay. You don't know that. You know what I'm saying? It's just different. You don't know that he done went in there and made a deal. He done came to you wearing a wire. He done did a. You done did a control buy. Like you don't know that. It go like that. Then they got these other rules. Like once you really get to. You know what I'm saying? Just talking about some old shit. They got a rule called irrelevant conduct. Like just talking about some shit. You ain't got no business, you know. It's different though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, it seems like you got it just in time.

[Kevin Gates]

It ain't no consequences. It ain't no consequences behind. You know, like, people ask me, how you feel about people that rap. It ain't about no street code that make me don't rat. What make me don't want to be a rat is that we do not sacrifice the lives of others for our own self preservation. So that's like if you a Christian and you subscribe to the Christian faith. Like I told my. I had. My lawyer told him, Judas told on Jesus.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You did 30 pieces of Shiva.

[Kevin Gates]

And so I never want to be like that. We don't sacrifice the lives of others for our own self preservation.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, that's. That's. I get it. I get not snitching if you're in discreet. Because if you're in discreet, you know what comes along with the activity?

[Kevin Gates]

Everybody. Everybody telling them. I mean, they got some. They got some. They got some.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Kev, I ain't gonna lie to you, Kev, I ain't in the street. You did something, somebody. I'm telling. Now, I didn't sign up for that, Kevin.

[Kevin Gates]

But unk, based on my assessment, and you know, to be honest, I wouldn't do nothing gangster with you. I wouldn't even put myself in that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I sure appreciate that.

[Kevin Gates]

I wouldn't put myself in that predicament and I wouldn't even expose you to some shit that you might not be ready for mentally Spiritually or physically?

[Shannon Sharpe]

No. Uh.

[Kevin Gates]

What that boy estg say, first time I hit something with that blick, I had a weak stomach.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Lord have mercy. So you see all these figures around you in Louisiana doing it. Is that when you like, okay, I'm gonna take it serious. Because people around you, it's easy. It's not easy. I shouldn't say easy. But when you see people that grew up in an environment like you and can do something, you have to think that you can do it.

[Kevin Gates]

Mm. I ain't seen no doctors and lawyers.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You thought hustlers and pimps, huh?

[Kevin Gates]

Without due respect. I live under that old law like the ism, but I'm not no pimp. I don't take cash out of bitch ass. I'm too much of a protector for the like. My heart ain't built for that. And they say to thine own self be true. So, you know, I just ain't got the heart for that. To be no pimp. I couldn't. My heart ain't gonna let me do it. Cause I love heart. I'm a lover. So it's like if you violate, I'mma demonstrate right there. I'm not even gonna let my woman go through nothing. I'm gonna protect her at all costs. So I had to pick something else more suitable for me, right? But I respect every man hustle, but that ain't my hustle. I like that I'm in that whole. I'm in that hardball lane, that black top in between them yellow lines, right? But like I say, I'm so glad that. I'm so glad that I've been delivered from that bullshit.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, we trying to keep him from going back. Don't go back.

[Kevin Gates]

Don't make me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, Lord. P. You see, Master P and I've met P, talked to P. He a great dude. For him to be able to do what he did, you know, selling and to get and. And to. Now he's a multi hundred millionaire. What does P mean to New Orleans?

[Kevin Gates]

I don't know what he mean in New Orleans. I know what he mean to me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What do you mean to you?

[Kevin Gates]

That man still come knock on my door to this day. We live in the same neighborhood. Yeah. And I'm like, man, that. That's still. Man, that still pulling up like he in a projection. Hey, wake up. Get up out that. Nah, he proud of me though. He proud of me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What was the first time that you met P?

[Kevin Gates]

I kind of grew up knowing them okay. Since I was a kid.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What have you learned you see a guy that, you know, tried out for the NBA, made it to the last cut, became this mogul.

[Kevin Gates]

That's not the Master P. I know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, I know.

[Kevin Gates]

You know the other one, the ice Cream man. No, I'm. He. He always been a hustler. He always been a hustler. A dog by that paper. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I read that Boosie hopped on one of your tracks at a discount.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, something like that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Something like that. What does that mean? When you see somebody that's already made it, that's in the game, and they say, you know what? You good, dude, bro, it was beautiful.

[Kevin Gates]

Cause he showed love. Like, he was texting. He was texting everybody. But he showed love at a time when he didn't even have to.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kevin Gates]

It was beautiful.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Does that mean more to you when somebody gives you favor and they don't have to.

[Kevin Gates]

You ain't had to do that, but you did that, and I respect you for that still to this day. It was like in 2008 or something like that. 2007. He didn't have to do that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He didn't have to do any of that at all. Birdman. Did Birdman try to explain you to Cash Money?

[Kevin Gates]

Something like that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What happened?

[Kevin Gates]

I don't know. It's like, when I saw him give, I saw him give. I saw him bust down 100 million with his team, like, in front me, and I was like, I want to do this for my team. He's like, you gonna do it, nephew. Your Aquarius is in you. You gonna do it. And that was all the motivation I needed. Wow. But when I was over there with them, I already had my own record label, though, right? Like, I followed in the footsteps of Master of Cash Money. No Limit, Trill nt. I followed in the footsteps of them. I wanted my own record label. Breadwinners.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Jim Jones. Jim Jones told the story on Drink Champs that you wouldn't sign with Cash Money unless they introduced him to him. Jim Jones. Any truth to that?

[Kevin Gates]

Okay, well, you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You, you. I got you here right now. Well, tell me what it's. Tell me the truth.

[Kevin Gates]

I mean, if that's what they told him, I'm. I don't know the conversation they had, but I didn't even. I never even signed to them, so.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right. Well, maybe because you didn't meet him.

[Kevin Gates]

I met Jim Jones. And that ain't. That is not the story.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That baby. That baby was caught. Why you didn't say?

[Kevin Gates]

I don't know. But when I met him, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, like.

[Kevin Gates]

And we still got a Great relationship to this day. So I don't want to say that up cuz I didn't even hear that interview or see that. No one ever this new information to me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Kevin Gates]

But I don't know what they told him. But when I met him and we had developed our own relationship and rapport, we've been like brothers ever since. Wow. And he taught me a lot about the industry and the label. And I'm be honest, Jim Jones was the flyest in the game. Like that's the. That I looked up to. Like hey, shout out to Jim. Capo, capo. But yeah, he was the flyest in the game at that time.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And then you meet Wayne.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, I met Wayne.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How old was Wayne when you met him?

[Kevin Gates]

I don't even remember how old I was. I had just got out of jail 2011, so I might have been like 20 something. I had a jail 2011 and I met Wayne. Maybe 2011 or 12, I don't remember. It might have been the end of 11 or the beginning of 12. Don't make me lie to you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So that group, I mean, you got young money, you got no limit. What's the young money with Wayne Drake.

[Kevin Gates]

Nikki, who wouldn't have wanted to be there?

[Paramount Plus UFC Announcer]

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[Kevin Gates]

That was like. That was like. At that time, they was like the Roman empire of the music industry for sure. And I was like Hannibal Barker.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So what? What's up?

[Kevin Gates]

Nothing. Here I am. That's what's up. Oh, my bad. Ask me that question again. What's up? Yeah, ask me what's up. Me, I'm what's up, bro.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, why didn't you get down with them, brother? Money. That's the money you talking about. A hundred men you can bust down 100 mil.

[Kevin Gates]

I don't think it was in alignment for me. It might have not been in the cause for me. I believe in allowing things to happen how they supposed to happen. Okay. Like me and Bird, man, we still got a great relationship. Me and Wayne got a great relationship. We do. There's no static or no smoking or nothing. But it just wasn't in alignment for me at that time. All right, well, help me and then I probably wouldn't be who I am if that situation would've happened.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you don't feel like you missed out on anything in that situation?

[Kevin Gates]

No, you believe everything.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You believe everything happened for a reason and there's a purpose behind it. Every act.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, rejection is protection. You don't know what you being protected.

[Shannon Sharpe]

From, but you just gotta trust that you're being protected.

[Kevin Gates]

You gotta know disappointments come with it. So I accept my wins the same as I do my defeats. But. I love where I'm at right now and I love the man that I have become. Nobody owns me now. Just no, I just. I heard Denzel said that at All American Gangster. Nah, I ain't gonna say that.

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[Kevin Gates]

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[Kevin Gates]

I'm around a lot of good people and I met a lot of great people and I get to be myself every day, right? How many people get to wake up and be their authentic self? Like when I walked in here, my uncle's, I just hugged I like I ain't gotta be careful, right? I could just be me. And people love you and respect you more when you authenticate.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, you can be that better than anybody.

[Kevin Gates]

Cause, yeah, I'm me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You got you copyrighted. I'm me, Wayne, the best rapper from New Orleans.

[Kevin Gates]

In what? In what time?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Anytime. The greatest rapper from New Orleans is who?

[Kevin Gates]

He one of my favorites. He one of my.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm just trying to figure out who you gonna say better than Weezy.

[Kevin Gates]

He one of my favorites. He's one of my favorites.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay, do you see this debate going online?

[Kevin Gates]

You want me to be honest?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. You already know what I'm about to say.

[Kevin Gates]

I don't really do social media. A lot of social media.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kevin Gates]

And to be honest with you, when I wake up, like, it's so crazy. Like, I make a post and just turn my phone off and go about my day, and my partners will text me, man, say, boy, man, you out your mind. Like a lot of people from jail, man, hey, my girl say, you, man, you out your mind. What did I do? I just told the truth. What did I do?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, I get you. You might not have heard it, but there's a debate online that says NBA YB is better than Wayne in his prime.

[Kevin Gates]

You want me to be honest? Yeah. I don't even entertain those kind of conversations. With all due respect, I'm grown.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Kevin Gates]

With all due respect. Like, me and my wife, we get up and we work, we pray, we work out, we go to the gym. I do things that is gonna raise my frequency.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kevin Gates]

Small minded people discuss people, I guess. Medium minded people discuss events. And people like me, we discuss ideas and entrepreneurship and business and all that. So that's what my mind be.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You got it. You got a YB tattoo, though.

[Kevin Gates]

I guess so.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Y' all cool?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, so all so.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Also, ain't no beef between nobody. So also the New Orleans rappers. Y' all cool. Y' all get down.

[Kevin Gates]

Well, me and YB from Baton Rouge. Okay. But I'm kind of. I'm New Orleans and Baton Rouge. I'm both. I've been back and forth my whole life. I done lived in both places, but everybody from Louisiana pretty much get along. Yeah, but it's like when you say who's better? I just don't even entertain them kind of conversations.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I can get down with it.

[Kevin Gates]

Like, that's not even. Like, I don't wake up to discuss what other people doing. Forgive me. That's just that it's not what I do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, we good. Who haven't you worked with that you like to work with.

[Kevin Gates]

No, you been hurt. Hurt by someone else. You could tell by the way you carry yourself. I don't know who that is, but if you let me eat, here's what I do. I'll take care of you. Rihanna.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, you want the word riri?

[Kevin Gates]

Well, she got children and you know all that right now. So if she get time right, she one of my favorites. You talking about rap or just anything?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Whatever.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, I want to work with Rihanna, Sza, whomever. And then far as I just think we'll sound good together, then if we talking about rap. I done work with everybody I ever wanted to work with in the rap game. I wish I could have did a song with Biggest Smile. Okay. And Big Pun. That have been. Yeah, that have been hard.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Tick tock.

[Kevin Gates]

They had me wanted to be a big old fat man. They just made it just look so fly.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You down. You done lost £40. You don't. You was that guy. What you mean? Wanted to be one.

[Kevin Gates]

I was titty man, bro. I was real titty man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you had. I mean, you down now.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, but it wasn't flat in. It was uncomfortable. Ooh, God. Thank you, God. I don't want to be the fat rapper. Thank you, God. I prayed to lose that weight. I never had no surgery or nothing. I still got bite of dysmorphia. Cause some days I wake up and just feel like I'm fat, right? And I'm thankful for my body dysmorphia. Cause it's what keep me disciplined.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You ain't take that zempic, did you?

[Kevin Gates]

Mm. Mm. You ever notice people that take that? Yeah, you just seen me come.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, yeah. I mean, you, you, you. I mean, you, you, you.

[Kevin Gates]

You seen all of the brain.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They don't. Yeah, people that's on that zempic, they. They don't. The muscle texture, the head be big.

[Kevin Gates]

Head be bigger than they body look like.

[Shannon Sharpe]

If I feel.

[Kevin Gates]

Head be big, body be little.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Let's talk about it. The 2016 trend where basically you go back and you post from your 2016. Do you remember anything about 2016 that you would like to post?

[Kevin Gates]

I can't really post the stuff I wanna post, but I would have to take. I would have to take a photo of the picture. Mm. Well, no, no, no. I got some. I got some pictures probably in my old phone somewhere.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, get it out. I mean, that's 10 years. I mean, you get to look back.

[Kevin Gates]

You get to see. I ain't got icloud, though, you know? I never had icloud on there on my phone. Oh. So you know. But yeah, 2016. Shit. They probably got some shit circulating on the Internet. I was that thing then. I was that thing in 2016.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, 2016, debut album. It's debuted at number two. You're right behind Drake.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah. It all got taken away.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How it get taken away?

[Kevin Gates]

I went to jail. I fumbled. I dropped the ball. I was nominated for a Grammy while I was in prison.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Damn.

[Kevin Gates]

Ouch.

[Shannon Sharpe]

If you weren't in jail, you think you'd have won?

[Kevin Gates]

I don't know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you would have liked to find out, huh?

[Kevin Gates]

Ouch.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How different is your life? Do you think your life is different if you have the Grammy? As opposed to what now?

[Kevin Gates]

It's not about that. It's like the gold medal at the Olympics. Doesn't make you. It doesn't do anything for you. But I want that gold medal. Who knows? I might get one this year.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, second biggest album in 2016 behind Drake.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Why do you play the pop game? Why a. Why ain't you, like, say, you know what, do what Drake and Future did, you know, play the pop game?

[Kevin Gates]

I do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You do now, or you. You.

[Kevin Gates]

I've been doing it. Most of what you. Well, I don't even want to say that shit, Fred. Most of what you see in the industry, if you go back and look into 2016 all the way to now, look inside of everybody image, it's a touch of gates.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Outside of you going to jail, being nominated for a Grammy, the second biggest album, is there anything you remember about 2016?

[Kevin Gates]

Mm, That was the most miserable time of my life. I just made it look good. I was depressed, bro.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay. Got the second biggest album. I mean, you got a lot going on.

[Kevin Gates]

Still gotta fly to go. Gotta go to court, back and forth to all these different court hearings. Gotta fly. Fly to a city that you don't live in, get on the plane, get off the plane, go to court. That's draining. And then with everything else that was going on, it just wasn't. It wasn't. I wasn't at peace, Right? I wasn't at peace.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you do understand why you were having to go to those cities, right?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah. I believe in accountability. Okay. That was my fault, right? That was my fault that I missed out. There wasn't nobody else's fault but my fault. Cause if I. I knew better, I ain't about to sit up here and say, I ain't no better. I knew better. I knew better. And I was fortunate, right? I was Fortunate that that judge didn't abuse discretion. Cause he ain't have to. He could have smacked me, but I just told him, I said, I'm gonna go ahead and cop out. I wanna take it to trial. But I still wanna salvage what little of a career I do have. Right. I could have litigated for myself, Judge. Well, why didn't you? Because you seem very intelligent. Cause I'm a nigga, that's why. And he laughed. It's in the minimus. The minimus is the people. That the record? Yeah, yeah. It's the stenographer.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Kevin Gates]

The report is, I could get the real version, but, you know, everything be redacted and you get it from the clerk. Well, you know some shit. Yes, sir.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I read you dm Drake, Rhianna, Meek Mill. I just wanna know this. Why aren't you afraid of rejection?

[Kevin Gates]

I was a. You say I didn't dm.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I said you did.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, I was afraid of rejection.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, if you DM him, you ain't afraid of rejection.

[Kevin Gates]

That was before I DM'd him. I had to just swallow my pride and DM all of them. I DMed all of them. And I was like, let's work something. My number. And that was big for me. I know they got a lot going on.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Kevin Gates]

The only one responding was Rihanna.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Really?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah. She told me, she say, I'm proud of your growth. And I was like, thank you. Thank you. Wow. I ain't know you could see me, but thank you. She was like, I'm proud of your growth. I'm proud of your journey. That what she told me. And I was like, thank you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That meant a lot, didn't it?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah. Cause it's like, it let me know that the world watching, the people you don't think be watching, be watching.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You went on. Did you go on tour with Cardi?

[Kevin Gates]

Something like that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What you mean, something like that? Either you did or you didn't. Gaetz.

[Kevin Gates]

I mean, I had went on tour with him, but it wasn't like I was on tour with him.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm confused.

[Kevin Gates]

Cause it was like six dates.

[Julian Edelman]

Yes.

[Kevin Gates]

You know, I was support, and it was beautiful. It was. A lot went on. Not with her camp or nothing, but in my background, I had a lot going on then. So it wasn't. I ain't really get to, you know what I'm saying, enjoy it the way that I should have.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you want to do more dates or you just had so much going on that you weren't allowed to enjoy it, period?

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, I Wasn't able to. My head wasn't. I wasn't in the right space. I'll say that. But the way everything going on tour is, like therapy for me. I love performing. I love getting on stage. Right. Cause I get to see, like, everybody love me. And then when you get off stage, it's like you back to plain old Kevin.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right? Yeah. Let me ask you a question. How do you just. How do you determine who you gonna put in a song like this song? Super General with Nikki, a freestyle. You mentioned her. Did she ever respond?

[Kevin Gates]

Not that I'm aware of.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Why would you even put her in the song?

[Kevin Gates]

Nigga won't lay. What you mean, who? Everybody wanted to lay dick. We had a. Everybody. Everybody wanted to lay.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Who wanted to have sex with Nikki?

[Kevin Gates]

That sound. They gonna lay dick.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I want Nikki. She need Kevin. She's still playing around with Kenneth.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, I said that. I did that. Please.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't. I don't know. I don't know.

[Kevin Gates]

Please forgive me. I'm just so deeply not sorry. Please forgive me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Kev, I'm gonna be honest. I don't know. I mean, maybe some might think, oh, he put me on a song. That's nice. Let me do what he says he wants to do. But probably there probably another way. Probably a better way to go about it.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, it probably was, but I just Was. I was just going. I was just going that day. I went in there and just let everything out.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You didn't want to keep anything in.

[Kevin Gates]

I just let everything out. And, hey, it's what it was. So I believe in accountability, and I'm fully prepared to accept whatever come behind it. Like, I'm fully prepared.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm just trying to figure out if you were to ever meet this person in person. Meet this person in person. What you go, hey, how you doing? Nice to meet you. Yeah, it's good to see you, too.

[Kevin Gates]

I ain't gotta say nothing. I don't speak unless spoken to. Now, if you speak to me and be like Kevin, you know how you could. You right. Yes, ma'. Am. I could have said it a better way.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, you couldn't. You could not have said nothing. Or you could have just let.

[Kevin Gates]

No, I ain't say nothing. What? I said I want n. She need kept. She still playing around. Yeah, you playing around.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, you said you want to have sex with her.

[Kevin Gates]

Y' all want lady who don't. Anybody that meet. Well, the old Nikki. Anybody that meet her and say that they ain't want a lady, You a lie. That's a beautiful woman. I won't lay. What you mean?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did you want a relationship with her?

[Kevin Gates]

If it get to that, Well, I.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Thought that's the way I supposed to say relationship. And then the other part that you're.

[Kevin Gates]

Talking about, I'm a lady first. I don't even. I jump in a relationship, I might not be getting what I bargained for. You ain't never been with a. And ain't even oh how it's supposed to be.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes, I think a lot.

[Kevin Gates]

I'm psyched up. I'm psyched up about this. I'm psyched up about this. And she just buku, regular Buku meaning, like.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, I know what buku is.

[Kevin Gates]

Buku regular. Like, I done had women like that. I'm the psyched up. Ooh, this. Yeah. And I just. And get over there and be disappointed. I done had a lot of disappointments.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But let me ask you this. Were you disappointed because of who she was? Who she was? The image, the Persona, the thought. She's a singer, she's an entertainer. The lady that you was having that you thought she was gonna be Mecca, she's gonna be that. This gonna be.

[Kevin Gates]

Ooh. Nah, it ain't been a lot of women like that. Just as a man, you see something, you be like, ooh, she look like she's some little texture.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Damn.

[Kevin Gates]

You be sitting back. I be like, say, unc, check out her right there. She look like she's. She look like she split.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm like, yeah, she look. She nice.

[Kevin Gates]

No, she look like she's some little pressure over there. Any man that say that, that's not how they feel. They land. Now if. Now if you my partner and it's your old lady, I never look at her. I don't play like that. But if she fair game, she fair game. Is she fair game? Even if she going. But she. For somebody that I know that I got a relationship with, I ain't with that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, you shouldn't.

[Kevin Gates]

I ain't built.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Even if she. Let me ask you a question. Even if she had been with somebody you knew and she no longer with.

[Kevin Gates]

That person, how close the person is.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, Jesus Christ.

[Kevin Gates]

One of my partner partners. Like, one of my partners didn't know she. I ain't never. That's like one of my partners me going bust their baby. I can't do that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No.

[Kevin Gates]

Now, if it's you somebody, I just know who you is, But I don't just know you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You don't get down with him like that.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah, we ain't rocking like that, then, you know, that's different.

[Shannon Sharpe]

She got her.

[Kevin Gates]

I'm a punish that, y'. All. I might have taken a God if it go like that, because I. I'm. I lay back like I'm a. I like for a woman to, like, come at me. I guess you. You go like, I'm. I like to kick it with them and all that, but I. I really. I kind of like to play. Had to. I like when it be that sexual tension between me and that woman. Yeah, but, like, we seeing who gonna go with the first move. Like, I play hide the. With a little bitty, and they just.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Be like, so this young lady, you feeling her and she feeling you.

[Kevin Gates]

I want you. Yeah, but I just.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you wanna see who gonna make the first move that who really trying to see who really trying to see who first.

[Kevin Gates]

Yeah. And I'm gonna put us in a position to where you gonna have to go with your move. You know, we might do dinner dates a few times, then the next time, hey, look, I cook. Go by the hoes. You cook? Oh, yes, ma', am, without question. Who taught you how to cook? My grandmother taught me how to cook.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What you cooking? What's the deal? What's the meal?

[Kevin Gates]

I'm trying to touch her. I'm trying to touch her soul.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The mere fact that you bring it over there. You cooking for her, and you try to get at her like that.

[Kevin Gates]

Nah, it's just. I ain't trying to get at her, but I'm about to be in. I'm in this. We in my house now. Yeah, I got on the nice little pants. Yeah, yeah. You can see the luggage now. You can see the lumber. And I'm cooking for you. Might do a little steak. Might do some couscous. Might do a potato or something. You heard me. Play a shit. Play a shit. Oh, my God. You could. Then my seasoning game so on point.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Cause you from New Orleans. Cause you know that love that season.

[Kevin Gates]

Oh, yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. My seasoning game on point. Yeah. Watch a little movie, you know, play a shit. Then, you know, Then me on. Then you know, I talk to the movie. So I tell her, hey, look, babe, please don't. Don't judge. She be like, what I would judge? Baby, I be talking to the movie. You be talking to. Baby, I be talking to the movie. I ain't gonna lie. I be talking to myself too, baby. But I be talking to the movie. He be talking. So the movie come on. And I be like, he gonna do that stupid ass. Oh, my God I didn't know you were this funny.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You're.

[Kevin Gates]

You're.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You are.

[Kevin Gates]

Oh my God I didn't know you're this funny where my wife and I'm lying. She know what she know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

This concludes the first half of my conversation. Part two is also posted and you can access it to whichever podcast platform you just listen to part one on. Just simply go back to Club Shay Shay profile and I'll see you there.

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