Read the full interview on YoungCalifornia.com.
Introducing our newest segment titled Slidin’ Thru with Shirley Ju. This will be a feature highlighting artists who aren’t from Cali, but somehow find their way here to pursue their one true love: music. This week, the spotlight is on Dice Soho hailing from Houston, Texas. Read more...
Working closely with likes of Trill Sammy and Famous Dex, Dice’s talents behind the mic was soon recognized by legendary producer Mike Dean, who later signs him as the first artist to his M.W.A. label. While H Town is embedded in both Dice and Mike, Los Angeles now serves their current place of residence.
Who is Dice Soho?
I’m just a kid from Southside of Houston — H Town where it goes down and we swangin’ and bangin’… Yeah, I’m from the Southside of Houston: Missouri City/Hancock, to be exact. I been rapping since I was 8, 9 years old. My uncle inspired me, made me want to do it. I got it to it. Had to pursue it. Had to prove it… shit. And then everything just started working during high school: started moving around, touring, doing shows here and there. Shit, we’ve been lit ever since.
If you weren’t rapping, what you would be doing?
If I wasn’t rapping? [pause]. If I wasn’t rapping, I’d probably be mackin’. But either way, I’m still rappin’, mackin’ and trappin’, never slackin’ — just making it happen, know what I’m saying?
You’re coming up during a very specific time of Hip Hop, with the Lil Uzi’s and Lil Yachty’s. Where do you fit in?
Man, shout out to Uzi and Yachty — they’re my dogs. I’m just being myself. Man, I support everybody that’s doing they thang. I listen to everybody… shit. Everybody inspires me. I just like to stay focused. I like to worry about myself, focus on myself, worry about me and my team (Icey Life). And just making sure we focus more than ever.
You’re from Houston, home to some of the legends of Hip Hop, but recently moved to LA. How do you plan on preserving the Houston culture in your music?
Man, just working with everybody. Soon as I get the chance, I’ma help other local artists that’s talented in Houston. I’ma keep working with the Houston legends that’s out there: like the Slim Thug’s, the Paul Wall’s, Z-Ro’s, Bun B’s. Shit, we just gotta figure out to stick together and help one another and lift each other up, cause that’s kinda where we slack a little bit. We don’t really like… help each other as much as other artists do like they do in other cities (like Atlanta, LA, Chicago). So, that’s probably one of my main goals right now: go back to Houston and just do what I can.
I saw your post on IG, you recently gave back to Houston in a huge way.
Oh yeah. Nah, we had a crazy hurricane, flood. What was it called? Oh yeah, Hurricane Harvey.
How many people actually DM’ed you?
A lot. Yeah, it was hundreds of people.
How many people actually DM’ed you?
Nah, not everyone of course not. I helped as many people as I could. That shit lasted like a week, so it’s been really, really crazy. But shoutout to everybody who was helping and still is helpin out there in Houston, like DJ Mr. Rogers, Trae Tha Truth, Paul Wall, Slim Thug, Chamillionaire… it’s a lotta people out there still helping to this day. But we recovering slowly. We good.
I wanna ask, linking with Mike Dean! Did you ever think that was going to happen? How has that journey been?
I really didn’t know that was going to happen to be honest. Crazy thang is, me and my boys used to watch a lot of stuff about him on Youtube and you know, him and Kanye, and all that good stuff. And then, last year when I was on tour with RiFF RaFF in New York, my boy Gustavo had pulled up to the show and he told me, “As soon as you get off stage, we going straight to Mike Dean’s crib.” I’m like, “Oh word?” Shit, we pulled up.
How do you feel about him comparing you as a young Travis Scott?
He did? Man, I didn’t even know that. Yeah man, he fucks with me heavy, man. Especially since I’m from Houston, he from Houston, Travis even from Houston. He from Mo City — that’s where I’m from. So he just fuck with the Houston movement heavy and I really respect that and like that a lot about him. And then shit, Mike Dean be going hard to this day. Man, he go hard with the music: producing, mixing, mastering beats, smoking crazy dope… like shit. It’s always a movie when we together.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from him?
Man, especially music wise, just having a good ear. I’m still learning though, as I’m growing. But he’s got an amazing ear for music: beats, sound, quality wise.
From very trusted sources, people praise you endlessly for your hustle and how much work you put it. Where’d you this drive and motivation?
To be honest, I really don’t know where I get it from. But I just know that I got a long way to go. I didn’t work this hard to just get to this point. I’m trynta to get to the biggest point, ya feel me? Man, I’m trynta to do some big dog shit. I’m trynta to be legendary. I’m trynta to *pewwww* [gun noise]. Go all the way up.
What do you want your legacy to be?
Man, I just want to be remembered as… I wanna open up doors for a lot people. I wanna help other artists. I wanna bring other artists up. I want my circle, my team, the name brand to just go big. I wanna be able to do a lotta big dog shit: open up my own clothing store. Shit, give other people on my team boss positions to do they own shit, whatever they wanna do. I wanna make amazing music number one, I just want to be a great artist. Everyday I push myself. I try to do everything I can. I try to listen to as much music as possible (different type of genres), get ideas, get creative in the studio a lot. Shit, just get better at this shit.
What’s a normal day for you?
I wake up, go train — boxing, a little bit. Probably go hit Runyon with the dogs. Go hiking a little bit. Come back, shower, get fresh.
You go to Runyon everyday?
Nah, not everyday. Not yet. I’m still working on that. We go every other day. Shit, you know, getting high as hell. Going to the studio. That’s my day.
I saw you recently link with 24Hrs. Congrats on the “Understand” music video.
Thank you. Yeah that’s my dog. Yeah man, 24 we got some shit. We gotta lot of shit man. We did some shit a couple moths ago too. We got some new shit, too, we ain’t put out yet.
I wanna ask, you talk about lean, xans — is this the lifestyle you’re living?
It’s for the people that do do them type of drugs, that can relate to it. I don’t do every drug. I don’t think I do no drugs, ‘cause weed is not a drug. I did that song In Houston and I sent it to 24 without the hook, so 24 just did the hook and he sent it back to me and killed it. And shit, we started rockin’.
Dream collab?
[long pause]. Kanye, Big Sean, and Young Thug on one track. Let’s get it. Let’s make it happen!
No Comments