Read the full interview on AllHipHop.com!
Richie Wess is here to pave the way for all aspiring rappers in the game, especially those getting money on their own. Regardless of his situation, the Tampa, Florida rapper makes sure he’s getting the bag, as evidenced in his name,
Most recently, the Lost You rapper spent a weekend in Los Angeles, mobbing with Rich The Kid to Coachella and various parties. AllHipHop caught up with Richie Wess to discuss mob ties with Fat Joe, coming up with Rich The Kid, and his current Top 5 artists.
AllHipHop: You were mobbing with Terror Squad for a minute. Talk about your relationship with Fat Joe.
Richie Wess: Fat Joe is definitely the big homie, got a lot of knowledge and game from him. Been rocking with him for maybe 7 years now, it’s always been solid. It’s never straight business or that type of relationship, it’s been really a family relationship. He gave me a feature when “All The Way Up” was at its pinnacle, so that showed me how much he rocks with me. Once it when #1, we still shot that video. When people are at their pinnacle, they’re real selective how they work. That’s just what it is. Even outside of music, for someone to rock with you while their record is taking off, that’s dope.
AllHipHop: I see your Rich Forever chain!
Richie Wess: As an artist, I’m not signed to anybody. My imprint is YTC, Young Trillionaire Click. It’s unique because if you’re a trillionaire, more than likely you gon’ be rich forever. [chuckles] It’s both squads. It’s all relative.
When you’re in this game, it’s so many people you come up with and do business with. Sometimes, you do business and that’s where it ends. Sometimes, you continue to have a career or a lifetime of business. That’s how it is with Rich Forever, it’s always been 100. We rock. When we together, it’s love. When we not, we still reppin’.
AllHipHop: How did you and Rich The Kid meet?
Richie Wess: Man, me and Rich go back like 7 years. Just networking and grinding. When you’re coming up, you build with people that are in position to open different doors. How Rich got introduced to me was by his manager at the time. We were just running it up because we always had an outlet in our market to bring artists through. He hit me like “Richie we’re doing Tampa, Orlando, I got this new artist Rich the Kid.” That’s the first time we met.
AllHipHop: How long ago was this?
Richie Wess: This was during when Rich was living still in Atlanta, so he would come down. We worked on music, shot videos, this was all in the grinding point. As he grew, we continued to work and elevate. It’s been real. Every year’s constant growth on his side, we’re growing together. It’s love. That’s the homie.
AllHipHop: What’s it like seeing him be a father again?
Richie Wess: It’s dope, this is his third. Just lets you know that you can go just as hard in your music, your business, your craft and still hold down the fort. Still be a force in your family. Him and his son when you see them interact, it’s a good vibe. You can tell. [smiles] Congrats to the homie’s new edition.
AllHipHop: “Lost You” sees you in a vulnerable state. What was your mindstate creating this one?
Richie Wess: “Lost You” is based off situations I was going through, what people around me were going through. I spoke on it. You can feel the references in the song is separating yourself from previous people you were around, previous mindstate. When I reference “I sped off in my own lane and lost you,” I’m saying I’m in my own lane. If you wasn’t rocking with it, then I’m already moving forward in that.
That’s the whole theme of the tape. That’s why I love the vibe of the tape because it starts out with “Lost You,” then it takes you through the history of everything I was doing up until the point. The losses and the wins.
AllHipHop: What was the wildest memory from touring with Purpp?
Richie Wess: The wildest memory that I remember [laughs] was at the W in Barcelona. There were dope hotels throughout the whole Europe tour but when we got to Barcelona, there’s a hotel called the W. They have the best penthouse in the whole country, so Purpp dropped 10 bands on the penthouse for the day. Like “f##k it, we getting the best house.”
Pump had this room, it had the spinning bed. We had everything lined up — the party, the set up — and bro got sick. Purpp! We had to cancel the whole night. We spent hella money, had all the party favors available. It was a $10,000 L. It was food poisoning because we’re eating all this different s##t. By the time we finally had a day off and chilled, it just hit him. You know how that s##t is, it had the whole vibe down. Can’t do s##t.
AllHipHop: What is it you want fans to get from your story?
Richie Wess: I want fans to get a story of hustle, motivation, consistency, and just the real. We give you real music, real relatable, we don’t do any of the gimmicks. When you hear my music, you gon’ really understand who I am as a person. Just the trials and tribulations of what I go through, that’s what my music’s about. No cap.
AllHipHop: Who’s your Top 5?
Richie Wess: Make sure they know this aint all-time. Right now I’m still rocking with Future. Guwop, but Guwop is more of a staple than an artist right now. I like that Father of 4 by Offset. You gotta go with gang, Rich the Kidd. YTC. I gotta plug the bro. I like a lot of s##t that HoodRich Pablo is doing just because I know him personally. He’s hard. He’s on Lost You, so we rocking with everybody that’s rocking with me. When you’re working with people, you naturally become a fan of the movement.
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