“I just signed with Paul Rosenberg,” Gorilla Nems proudly exclaimed. The announcement marks the beginning of a partnership that’s been brewing for almost a year, culminating in a momentous signing in June. As the ink dries, anticipation builds for Nems’ forthcoming album, Rise of the Silverback, fully produced by Scram Jones, which hits Friday (August 18).
These days in the music industry, major breakthroughs are both rare and remarkable. For Nems, a Coney Island-born certified veteran, the journey has been one of relentless dedication. Paul Rosenberg‘s reputation has been firmly established through his involvement with Eminem and Shady Records, but his management has shaped and molded the careers of The Alchemist, blink-182, Cypress Hill, D12 and numerous others. Goliath Music starts with Nems, christening the next chapter with corporate backing by Virgin Records.
“I feel f##king validated, man,” he said. “Years of hard work… all this sh#t wasn’t in vain.” His partnership with Goliath Records not only validates his past efforts but also marks the beginning of a new era for Brooklyn’s vibrant Hip-Jop scene. In this exclusive interview with AllHipHop, Nems provides insight and inspiration into his burgeoning empire, creative process, and also the significance of this pivotal moment in his career. Brace for impact…
On How He Ruined His First Deal With Def Jam & Shady Records
I was at the bottom. I was homeless. I was addicted to wild, different drugs and I messed up. I had opportunities. My first kind of deal that I was supposed to f##k with was Def Jam with Spit Records. It was Stretch Armstrong’s label back in the day. It was supposed to be me and my partner, George Burns. That was one act. Then they had Joe Budden, that was another act. And then Jinx Da Juvy. So us three separate acts was supposed to be on Spit Records. Jinx, I don’t know what happened to him. Joe Budden, don’t know what’s up with him. And we f##### that one up. And then later it was Shady and I was talking with them. I was up there all the time. And then that didn’t pan out. And then just was like, man, I had my opportunities and I f##### them up. You know what I’m saying? Me.
How At 10,000 Hours Turns Into Self And Professional Mastery
If you are a f##king bus driver, put in 10,000 hours, and you’ll be swerving through the city streets like, [SKIRRRRRT]. You know what I’m saying? I put in way more than 10,000 hours in just Hip-Hop. My whole life is Hip-Hop. You know what I’m saying? Everything I do is Hip-Hop. You know what I’m saying? I’m not married and I don’t have children because I live a Hip-Hop lifestyle. Because I want to do what I need to do to pursue this dream and I don’t need anything holding me back. That’s how I lived my life all these years.
So the 10,000 hours been happening, but it’s like it’s, to answer your question now, I wasn’t just rap. It’s 10,000 hours, just life in general. A lot of these artists don’t know who the f##k they are. They don’t know who they are as people, let alone artists. And I feel like I got to this point because at this point in life, I know who I am as a person. I’m confident in who I am as a person and especially as an artist.
From Underground Rapper To Business Empire
I treat this s### like a business. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning, I make myself some coffee and I sit in my f#king bed and I post on my four Instagram pages. I got the Nems, I got FYL brand, which is my clothing, my store in Coney Island. I post on that. Then I post on my “Outside with Gorilla Nems” page, which is my podcast page. And then I post on the, Don’t Ever Disrespect Me. That’s frivolous videos. If I’m outside f###### with people, I’ll post on that. But I treat that sh#t like a business where I do it… that’s the first thing I do in the morning. You know what I’m saying? Before anything else, before I take calls, before I look at my texts, because I treat this sh#t like a business.
F##k All That Lyrical Miracle Sh#t!
If you ain’t been through nothing and you ain’t got nothing to talk about, who gives a f#ck how nice you are, you could rap better? There’s a million rappers talking about how nice they are and how much better they are than other rappers that nobody gives a f#ck. Some of the illest rappers, nobody gives a f#ck about them because it’s just like, all right, bro, you saying a lot, but you ain’t saying nothing.
When it’s album time, f##k that lyrical, man. The real sh#t hits way more than lyrical all the time. All the time. I’d rather hear some real sh#t, ’cause people go through. You’re driving around, you might be going through a breakup. You’re driving around, your cousins might pass away. You know what I’m saying? You listen to some sh#t like that. Real sh#t beats lyrical all the time.
On The Possibility Of Doing Music With Eminem
If people are expecting that, I feel like when you come into sh#t, in any aspect of life, expectations lead to disappointment, you know what I’m saying? You build yourself up. And then with me, expectations lead to me getting angry, because if I expect you to do something and you don’t, I feel like you played me, and if you don’t do it, now, it’s f##k you. You know what I’m saying? So if Em gave me a verse, that would be next level sh#t. You know what I’m saying? At this point, I don’t even know if he knows who I am. I would assume he does. But if he don’t, Em’s one of the biggest artists in the world, you know what I’m saying?
That would be a dream come true. At this point of me being in the game this long, it’s just like I’m going to just keep going with my head down and if it happens, it happens. If not, so be it. If it’s supposed to happen, it’s going to.
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On The Evolution Of Nems…
I feel like I’m evolving definitely as a man, and I feel like the people that listened to me before have grown as well.