If you’re at all tuned in with today’s hottest rappers, you’re probably a fan of Pooh Shiesty.
Signed to Gucci Mane’s The New 1017 label, the rising star proves to be one of the many incredibly talented artists to come out of Memphis. While you can immediately feel the energy in his records, Pooh is just as lit in real life.
Growing up listening to the likes of Chief Keef, Kodak Black, Lil Wayne and more, Pooh is a real lyricist with something to say. Boasting one million followers on Instagram alone, the 21-year-old comes from humble beginnings, effortlessly inspiring and motivating all aspiring rappers in the world that they too can make their wildest dreams come true.
His raw, real-life storytelling in his lyrics yields endless street anthems for his dedicated fanbase, with all his videos hitting millions of views almost instantaneously.
Pooh Shiesty hosted a giveaway on the Monday before Thanksgiving giving away a total of 200 turkeys in the South Memphis Cane Creek apartment complex where he grew up.
Most recently, Pooh teamed up with Lil Durk for an explosive collaboration on “Back In Blood,” following the success of “7.62 God,” “Twerksum,” “Monday to Sunday” feat Lil Baby & Big30, “Main Slime Remix” feat Moneybagg Yo, and “ABCGE.”
AllHipHop: You’re from Memphis, what was the household like growing up?
Pooh Shiesty: It was rough a lot of the time, but I made the best out of what it was. I was never doing no crime. I was struggling for sure, but had to stay down.
AllHipHop: You listened to Chief Keef early on, what did you like about him?
Pooh Shiesty: I f##### with him all around, his style. Of course, the music is what got me on him. I mess with how he comes, I can relate to him. We on the same time.
AllHipHop: At what point did you realize this music thing was forreal?
Pooh Shiesty: When I was 19 or 20, a couple years ago if not a year ago. I was never on no music type s###. I played with it like how a song gets so popular, you keep hearing it. I’d keep hearing the song and start remixing, say whatever I want to say over the beat. Folks said “man, you could really rap.” Being that I always had the lifestyle, I tried rapping and it took off on my first song.
AllHipHop: How’d it feel to get that recognition so early?
Pooh Shiesty: It helped get me to where I am at, it made me want to keep going. They started booking a n*gga and I wasn’t even doing nothing. I’ma get that free money, that’s how I looked at it at the time. All that you see me doing now, I’m going to keep going. It’s going to get bigger and bigger.
AllHipHop: “7.62 God” is at over 15 million on Youtube alone, did you foresee it blowing up like this?
Pooh Shiesty: No, “7.62 God” going crazy still. It dropped like 7 or 8 months ago. It dropped at the perfect time. Most of my raps be about something that be going on now, what I’m going through. It just so happened that I got signed around then and I took over the whole city that day on the video, go watch the video. Forreal, I was riding around the whole Memphis in that video. Everybody with me around the whole city.
AllHipHop: What did it mean to have your city come out the way they did?
Pooh Shiesty: Folks I don’t even like were coming out, I don’t even know. Made me feel like yeah, I’m the dude for real.
AllHipHop: Saw the FaceTime with Gucci at the end of the video, what’s it mean to have Guwop’s support?
Pooh Shiesty: The dude supports me like no other. Our first conversation, he started comparing me to Drake and Lil Baby, all types of s### off the first convo. The dude’s forreal. His support system is strong, he motivates me to keep going. Work hard for him.
AllHipHop: How did Gucci find you?
Pooh Shiesty: He DMed me on Instagram, himself. He DMed my page, nobody knew but me and him at the time. I’m finna read you word for word. I’ma let you know the date too, hold on. [checks phone]
April 10th, he said “what’s up homes?” This is word for word, I said “what’s choppin’?” He said “somebody sent me your stuff, I’m listening. You too hard. You signed already or you by yourself?” I said “I appreciate that love, I ain’t got no deals out. I ain’t signed to nobody, just me and my manager.” He said “what’s your number?” I sent him my number. As soon as I sent it, we talked for 6 hours on FaceTime. We FaceTimed that whole night.
AllHipHop: 6 hours?! What’d ya’ll talk about?
Pooh Shiesty: Everything, we talked about everything. He’s giving me a brief little rundown on him, getting to know me. At the same time telling me about the label, how the industry goes, whatever. He laced me up. We connected, me and dude are like the same people.
AllHipHop: When did you get the 1017 chain?
Pooh Shiesty: The day of the “7.62 God” video, that’s when I got my first chain. See I woulda pulled up or he woulda put it around my neck in person, but the Corona was so messed up. It threw everything off. I had to get the chain sent to me.
AllHipHop: What’s the best piece of advice he’s given you?
Pooh Shiesty: Never snitch. Stay solid, and stay away from lying.
AllHipHop: New single with Lil Durk, “Back In Blood.” Bring us back to when you created this record.
Pooh Shiesty: Durk hit me up like “I f### with you.” I said “appreciate it bro,” he said “we gon’ get some s### in for sure.” I said “where you at? Send your number, I’ll push up on you now.” He said “I’m finna come to Atlanta.” Week later, he came to Atlanta. Called me and said “push up.” I pulled up to the studio and we locked in.
AllHipHop: What was the vibe of the session? Durk’s the best.
Pooh Shiesty: I f### with dude. You’d think we been knowing each other, we went in there and did our thing. After he heard the song and whatever I did before that, he kindly went to the mic and did his whole verse in 2 minutes. I swear to God. I told him as soon as he got up, this joint finna run up.
AllHipHop: 6 million on an audio video alone is impressive, how’s it feel to see those numbers?
Pooh Shiesty: I’m putting on for my section. You got North Memphis, East Memphis, South Memphis…that’s the best part of Memphis, because I’m from there. South Memphis been lit for real, that’s where I’m from. You ain’t gon’ find South Memphis everywhere.
AllHipHop: You still stay back there or no?
Pooh Shiesty: I stay anywhere I stay. I stay in Memphis, I stay in Atlanta, I stay in Cali, everywhere.
AllHipHop: What’s one thing you want fans to get from the record?
Pooh Shiesty: I want them to get the memo, go get it “Back In Blood.” Don’t let nobody play with you.
AllHipHop: Speaking of Durk, rest in peace to King Von. Thoughts on everything going on?
Pooh Shiesty: Rest in peace to King Von, that s### crazy. S### real out here. It shouldn’t take him being taken to see this s### real, s### been real.
AllHipHop: How does music help you cope?
Pooh Shiesty: It help me cope, it puts me in the zone. When I’m in the booth, I be alone. I like being alone. I don’t really talk too much so when I’m talking, I talk in the mic. Whatever I be having to say, I put in a song. I don’t be talking too much in person, especially not to nobody I don’t know. But I know how to communicate and hold a conversation.
AllHipHop: Best encounter you had with a fan?
Pooh Shiesty: All the free s###. [laughs] I never had anything free, they be giving me free stuff. They give me free everything.
AllHipHop: What can we expect from your forthcoming tape?
Pooh Shiesty: No lie, my tape gon’ be everything. You can expect to learn me some more. I’ma get on versatile type s###, switching it up. Not saying you gon’ hear me sing, but I’ma switch it up. I got sauce with this music s###.
AllHipHop: Goals for yourself currently?
Pooh Shiesty: My first goal right now: make my first mixtape history. Next step, I’m trying to get everybody, my immediate folks up out the city. I’m trying to get them out of the way, hold it down.
