Flash Gottii is a man with undeniable energy. His goal is to bring a lot of energy with his music, which comes to light on stage performing at Made In America or opening for Trippie Redd. Beyond that he’s an extremely persistent person, who refuses to give up on anything he does.
Under management with Wack 100 who manages Blueface and signed to eOne, Flash plans to become the biggest artist this industry has ever seen. With the versatility to sing, rap, and hold a melody, you can hardly box him into any one category. He says so himself, “I don’t want to be in one genre of music, I want to be in all genres.”
Flash Gottii arrived in downtown Los Angeles rocking a 100 ENT chain around his neck, indicating his loyalty to manager Wack 100 (Blueface, The Game). At the core, Flash just loves to make music and have fun — 2 essential parts of the job description.
AllHpHop caught up with Flash Gottii in downtown Los Angeles to discuss how he found his way to Wack 100, studio session with Trippie Redd, Top 5, and more!
AllHipHop: How would you describe your sound?
Flash Gottii: Different. The reason it’s different is because it’s not one same thing, one pattern. I’m doing singing, melodies, rapping, a whole lot of different things.
AllHpHop: Being from Kansas City, what were you seeing growing up?
Flash Gottii: A lot of struggle, but I’ve seen a lot of hope in my city too. I’ve seen a lot of people trying to overcome and make a way for themselves. A lot of persistence. My mother’s not from America, she’s from Africa. She came to LA first. After she got her green card and got a job, she brought my grandma and family out here. It’s cheaper out there than down here, they chose Kansas City because that’s where my dad and his family’s at. I had to understand the struggle of having a mom who really couldn’t speak English. You know how it goes, being a black kid trying to come up with nothing. But seeing that your family’s struggling too.
AllHpHop: Were you a fan of Tech N9ne? He’s the big one out of there.
Flash Gottii: Yeah, I’m a fan of Tech N9ne. Right, the only one that’s ever done something from Kansas City.
AllHpHop: Who else did you look up to growing up?
Flash Gottii: I looked up to Drake. I like Drake. I like Wiz Khalifa. Wiz because he’s himself, he doesn’t care about what people think. He just puts out music. Drake because he’s versatile, of course. He does all these different things with his voice, he’s just great.
AllHpHop: At what point did you realize this music thing was for real?
Flash Gottii: Made In America [in Philly], I opened up for Blueface. I never seen the crowd or nothing. Wack flew me in. I flew in, went straight to the sprinter. From the sprinter to the venue, then we go straight to the back. They hand me the mic like “alright, you about to go!” I’m like “damn, where I’m going?” [chuckles] Go up these stairs, I hear my music. Run out past these little walls. Made In America was crazy, wow. That’s when I knew, I seen everybody rocking. I wasn’t signed yet. I look back at Wack and them, they’re nodding their heads. I thought “damn, this might get serious.”
AllHpHop: How did Wack 100 find you?
Flash Gottii: I was in Atlanta doing a music video, me and Blueface were staying at the same hotel. We’re outside smoking, I said “aye bro, what you want for a feature man?” He’s like “ask that bald-headed ass dude right there.” [chuckles] I look over and it’s Wack. “Aye Wack, what’s your number? Let me get it.” Got each other’s numbers. I sent him some music, he’ll never look at it. I sent him some more music, he never looked at it again. I guess he sent my music to his daughter. He sends all the music that people send him, to his daughter.
AllHpHop: How old is she?
Flash Gottii: She’s 14 or 15. She’s always like “thumbs down, thumbs down. No, no, no.” She heard my music, she’s like “thumbs up.” He sent me one simple text: “yeah my daughter thumbs up your music.” He sent me a screenshot of it. I wouldn’t leave him alone after that. I blow him up, blow him up, blow him up. He didn’t answer. I saw his Instagram post in the morning, alright he just posted. Boom!
AllHpHop: What’d you say to him?
Flash Gottii: I’m calling him, he wouldn’t answer. “Man what’s up? We need to talk!” Then I started going viral on Facebook. I was at a gas station, pumping gas with a blunt lit. Because Cali, it’s legal here. I’m trying to tell the lady like “aye the gas ain’t working.” As I go in there, I see the camera. I get in the camera and see myself, so I got the blunt and start doing the dance. I told my cousin “record this s##t!” He recorded it on the TV.
I take it to the house, put my music to it, put it on Facebook. I was just bulls##tting on Facebook though. I go to sleep, I wake up and my little nieces are like “I seen you on Facebook!” It was 100K, 200K views in a day or 2. I posted it on Instagram. My boy FunnyMike said “don’t take that light, take that serious. You go viral on FB, I started going viral on FB.” He’s a huge Youtuber right now. He invited me to XXL. I did Made In America, then I went on the Find The Beat Tour with Blueface.
AllHpHop: What was the best memory from that tour?
Flash Gottii: Just learning. Looking and seeing how Blueface moves. Took everything in, being right under a big artist.
AllHpHop: How’s Blueface move?
Flash Gottii: He’s moving cool, moves with his people. Of course, he’s a ladies man. But he always handles his business, I noticed that.
AllHipHop: Inspo behind your name?
Flash Gottii: I got my name from getting a car, I had bought a white car. I used to always flash my little money, my little bankroll. Hanging out with girls, they’re like “oh you think you flashy.” I bought my white little car then you know, Yo Gotti used to do white on white a lot. My car’s white, so “oh you think you Yo Gotti.” And I use that for my name. Yo Gotti, he’s a cool dude.
AllHpHop: Who’s in your Top 5?
Flash Gottii: Drake. Tupac. You could say Biggie. I like Nas. I like the dude from Outkast, he’s hard. André 3000, I like him. He’s weird and he does his thing. That’s my boy.
AllHpHop: What’s your favorite Drake song?
Flash Gottii: Probably “Marvin’s Room” or “Controlla,” just because it’s so creative. “Controlla,” “Marvin’s Room,” all that s##t’s different. When he’s singing, doing all the different melodies and mixing them in with the different samples, that’s dope to me. That’s next level, separating him from everybody else.
AllHpHop: How did you connect with Trippie Redd initially?
Flash Gottii: My management (Wack) linked us up in the studio. Trippie has songs with The Game, and that’s Wack’s artist too. We went to the studio for a couple hours, just smoking. Chillin’. Doing what we do. Listening to each other’s music, vibing. I’m listening to his new album, his rock album. He’s listening to my EP. We ended up collabing, and made “Paper Chase.”
AllHpHop: Bring us back to the studio session for “Paper Chase.”
Flash Gottii: Playing songs, I’m like “man, I’m looking for a single for you to get on right now.” He’s like “wsup, play some stuff.” I was already playing some music so after that, I said “I probably want you on one of these.” I started playing the song. Once he heard that, everyone in the room looking around like “boy that’s hard, you need to get on that!” He’s like “alright.” We went up. Cooked up.
AllHpHop: Did you learn anything from working with him?
Flash Gottii: He’s very humble, calm. He deals with a lot of people, but he’s just calm. Doesn’t really snap at people or anything. Just have fun with it. If you’re not having fun with this, it’s irrelevant to be doing. That’s what I‘m learning too. If you’re not having fun, there’s no point to be stressed out.
AllHpHop: What is it that you want fans to get from your music?
Flash Gottii: Fun. Energy. What they get when I perform. Just rage, have fun, wake up. If you’re feeling down, make you feel good about your day. Touch you in different ways. Trying to make you understand that you’re not the only person going through things. We all go through things. Basically have fun with it. I want my fans to really have fun with my music. When I perform, everyone’s having fun. It’s a good time, good energy.
AllHpHop: Were you nervous that first time performing at Made In America?
Flash Gottii: Yes, oh my gosh. I was so nervous! I prayed and just went out there.
AllHpHop: How was touring with Trippie Redd?
Flash Gottii: We just got off tour. LA and Anaheim were supposed to be the next ones, but Coronavirus. Last show was Vegas. It was amazing. We did a lot of shows, a lot of cities. A lot of different people. It was crazy. We partied in every city, kickbacks. I don’t want to see another kickback in forever. [laughs] We’re doing too much, partying after events. We hit every big city too: Miami, Atlanta. Lil Wayne came out in Miami, crazy.
AllHpHop: Thoughts on the Coronavirus?
Flash Gottii: Man, it needs to go away. It’s f##king up the money. If anybody lost somebody to it, rest their soul. I hope it doesn’t spread and get too bad. I think it’s hyped up too much, it’s some government s##t.
AllHpHop: What’s one thing you want fans to get from 20/20 Vision?
Flash Gottii: It’s going crazy right now, go stream that. Different vibes. I’m showing everybody how I can come. “He can go in that lane, oh he can do that too? Oh s##t, I knew he could do that.” Now, the album’s going to show them…
AllHpHop: What are some goals at this point in your career?
Flash Gottii: Well, I just finished my second tour. First it used to be touring, now it’s keep it going. Get bigger, keep coming out with good bangers. Keep dropping. I want to see what “Paper Chase” does too, it’s doing real good right now. Keep growing, do my own tour eventually.
AllHpHop: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Flash Gottii: Just boss status man, boss status. A mogul. I’m trying to be a huge artist. How these young dudes are coming up for real, being bosses. It’s not just about myself, I want to expand, do real estate. I want to have an artist too, I want to sign artists. I want to have Platinum, Gold records. My own tour, have my own artist, put on for my city the right way.
AllHpHop: How do you want to give back to Kansas City?
Flash Gottii: I want to do a lot of things. I lost my mama to cancer, so I want to go back home and do little walks to raise awareness for people. I want to give back. I really want to build a shelter for people back home for the homeless. Because I was homeless at one point in LA. I lost my spot, I was trying to figure it out for a minute. After I lost my mama too. My mom’s from Africa, she always wanted to build a missionary back home too. I want to do that too.
AllHpHop: How’d you push through from being homeless?
Flash Gottii: My mom found out she had cancer, that’s the whole reason I started doing music. When she found out she had cancer, I was just running around the streets. Decided to start doing music, she’s like “alright, that’ll work.” Because I didn’t know how to get no real ass money. I’m about to use my image and my personality to try to get some real money, get you a good doctor. We’re going to fight through this.”
I never knew much about cancer. I knew you go bald, I thought it was a process. Because all my friends, we’re like “yeah people have cancer. Ah she went bald, her hair grew back, she’s alright.” I never really delve in there. When my mama said she had cancer, 10 days later she died. She already had stage 4. That’s my motivation to get through everything. I made a promise to her I was going to do this. I want to hold my end of the bargain, fulfill my promise to my mama. I know she’s with me so I want to make her proud, along with my family. I have a brother and two sisters. I’m not going home, there’s nothing there. I have to make it happen. There’s no plan B, only plan A.
AllHpHop: What can we expect next?
Flash Gottii: The album, more singles off the EP. More videos, visuals. My album, I’m ready to go. More touring. I was supposed to go on another tour that my label set it up with 300 Ent. They wouldn’t tell me, they’re going to surprise me. But Corona messed up everything.
