Unfoonk may be Young Thug’s brother, but here’s a recording artist in his own right here to be a voice for the streets.
Exploding onto the scene last year with his breakout single “Mob
Ties” featuring 24Heavy and Slimelife, who’s music video hails over 3.8 million views and counting, the rising star found music to be his calling, changing his life for the better after serving 11 years in prison.
Previously facing a life sentence, it was Thugger who would help his brother obtain his freedom back, going on to sign him to his Young Stoner Life Records imprint.
Unfoonk went on to appear on two standout tracks on the label’s compilation album Slime Language 2, on songs “Real” featuring Young Thug and “Mob Ties” remix with Future and YTB Trench.
Most recently, Unfoonk unleashed his highly-anticipated mixtape My Struggle, telling his story and inspiring the masses with his distinct raspy voice.
The 12-track project is spearheaded by lead single “Running Out of Patience” featuring Future, with additional features from G Herbo, Gunna, and Lil Keed.
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AllHipHop: “Real” featuring Young Thug is going up, bring us back to when you made that in the studio.
Unfoonk: “Real” was made already. I had did “Real,” “Real” was done. But when Slime heard it, he said “This is it. This the one right here boy. I’m like “Yeah?” He said “This is it, put it down. Put it up.” I put it up and he jumped on it.
AllHipHop: How often does that happen where he’s like “oh yeah, this the one”?
Unfoonk: It happens a lot. If he hears something, he automatically says “I want to get on it.”
AllHipHop: What does that mean to be able to make records with your blood brother who’s one of the biggest rap stars ever?
Unfoonk: It feels good. It feels blessed to be in his presence doing music with him because a lot of folks don’t get a chance to do that. It just be a moment when we’re both in the studio. When we both be recording or doing something with each other, it be a moment. Everybody’s holding their breath like “What they about to come up with? What they about to do?” At the end when they hear it, they’ll say “yeah y’all two right here, that’s what’s up.” We got a lot.
AllHipHop: How far apart are you guys?
Unfoonk: Like 2 years. That’s my other half, my love. That’s my brother, I love him.
AllHipHop: What did it mean to see his career take off?
Unfoonk: It feels amazing. It feels amazing man to see him, because I was incarcerated.
AllHipHop: For 11 years right?
Unfoonk: Yes. So when I seen him take off, I knew then this is it. We ain’t looking back, this is it.
AllHipHop: What was the biggest lesson you learned from behind bars?
Unfoonk: Never take life for granted.
AllHipHop: Were you writing raps back there?
Unfoonk: Yeah, I was writing raps when I was locked up. But here’s the thing, I never used not one of them. I never recorded nothing that I wrote in jail. It doesn’t go right with the flow, it doesn’t go right with the beat. I said “I can’t do it, I gotta try something new.”
AllHipHop: You don’t have one of your most heartfelt raps in there, that you wanted to lay down on a beat?
Unfoonk: I do. I’ve got a song called “All Eyes On Me.” I can’t find the right beat for it though, so I left it alone.
AllHipHop: Is that inspired by Tupac at all?
Unfoonk: Yes.
AllHipHop: Who are your favorite artists?
Unfoonk: Besides Spider, my favorite artist is Yo Gotti. I like how he came up, how he stuck to what he believes in and what he raps about. That’s real, I could listen to him all day. I love listening to Gotti.
AllHipHop: How did “Mob Ties” came about?
Unfoonk: I was in the hood. I was in the hood with my same people I’m around. I get a phone call from Heavy, he said “Hey bro, come to the studio.” I said “s### alright,” so I pull up to the studio. He said “Bro you trippin’, you need to get out the hood. You need to rap. Boy you can rap, n*gga rap!” I said “alright,” so I pulled up a beat. When I pulled up a beat, he said “hey this the beat right here, this the one. This the song that finna take you out of here.” I said “okay,” then he went out and walked out. When I laid the hook down, I came back in and did my verse. He said “S###, who you gonna put on it?” I said “I don’t know, I might do it myself.” I’m thinking “I’ma put Slimelife Shawty on it.” I put Slimelife Shawty on, we dropped that and it became one of the biggest records it is.
AllHipHop: How does it feel to be on one of the biggest records from Slime Language 2?
Unfoonk: It feels good. It feels lovely man, we’re #1. I’m doing something good, we’re #1.
AllHipHop: How was shooting the cover art with the squad in the building?
Unfoonk: That was a sight to see all of us in one little place together, creating a moment. All of us together, we create a big moment. All of us here, we create a moment with each other so that was dope.
AllHipHop: What was the best memory from making the project?
Unfoonk: It was just fun. I didn’t take nothing serious. In this rap game, you’ve got to have fun with what you’re doing. I was having fun, and everyone else was having fun also.
AllHipHop: What is it that you want fans to get from your story?
Unfoonk: The real me. Just because you see me in fancy cars, money, all that, a person still struggles. I still struggle with life, I still struggle with a lot of things. It’s not just that, I’m still going through things too though so I tell everybody that’s still me. I’m still an average dude like everyone else. I act, walk, talk, do everything just like an average dude. I want everybody to know that they’re not alone, I’m here. I’m here with you.
AllHipHop: How does music help your mental health?
Unfoonk: It smooths me out, it benefits me. I get to rap about what I really want to say. I get to rap about what’s going on in front of me, I get to say what I want to say. I can walk down and see somebody doing something, it might touch me the wrong way. “Okay, I’m finna go rap about this.” Music helps me express myself a little better than people can understand me, so I express myself.
AllHipHop: Do you freestyle or do you write?
Unfoonk: I freestyle.
AllHipHop: Someone said “‘Real’ is the hardest s### out.”
Unfoonk: I seen that, I appreciate you. Appreciate it.
AllHipHop: I know Thugger had his birthday recently in Atlanta, how was that?
Unfoonk: Lit, lit situation. You know, everything we do is lit. It was lit. Real life animals, tigers, all types of s###. It was lit, everybody that joined us was family. The whole ass community enjoying the vibe, coming together creating a moment with each other. It was lit.
AllHipHop: What do you get someone like Thug?
Unfoonk: You won’t believe this, I asked that question. I said “what do you get a person like that that has it all? What do you get him?” He don’t want nothing because he just wants love. He wants real love. He wants us to stand around him, showing that you f### with him. Showing that you got him, that you genuinely love him.
AllHipHop: So what did you end up getting him?
Unfoonk: I had got him a ring, a bracelet, and some earrings.
AllHipHop: Someone said “You and Thug need a whole project together.”
Unfoonk: It might be in the making. Right now, we’re both focusing on our own project. I’m about to drop a project. He’s about to drop his project. We’re both focusing on our own project, but it’ll happen.
AllHipHop: How did “Running Out of Patience” with Future come about?
Unfoonk: My A&R VeeDoe said “hey Pluto said to pull up on him,” so I pulled up on him. We did one song together. After that, I had done some more songs. I said “Where he at? Ay bro, call Pluto. I wanna know where he’s at.” We called him, he said “I’m over here at the studio, pull up on me. So I pulled up on him, he’s over there kickin’ it. He said let him hear something, so I let him hear some songs and he jumped on it.
AllHipHop: What did that mean? because that’s a legend.
Unfoonk: It means a lot to me. He’s family, shout out to him. I’m thankful for what he did, he didn’t have to do it. That was love.
AllHipHop: Someone said “we need another Unfoonk and Future song.”
Unfoonk: It’s coming. Trust me, it’s coming.
AllHipHop: One thing you want people to get from your My Struggle mixtape?
Unfoonk: The real me. I want y’all to get me, the real me. This is all me. I didn’t put no sugarcoat on not one of the songs on the album. Either I’m going through it, I’m doing it, or I’m finna do it. It’s me, all me.
AllHipHop: What can we expect from your new project?
Unfoonk: Expect a lot of things. This time, I want to go uptempo a little bit. Just a little bit. I’m still going to be down low with the struggle. I’m still going to be all of that, but I want to let them know I can switch it up a little bit.
AllHipHop: We gon’ get some singing s### or what?
Unfoonk: Most definitely.
AllHipHop: What are you most excited for next?
Unfoonk: #1. I want to aim for the #1 spot. I hit #1, that’s what I want to aim for.
AllHipHop: 3 things that you need in the studio at all times?
Unfoonk: A Dr.Pepper, ice, and a pack of bubblegum. [laughs] I know folks say that’s weird. This boy said a Dr. Pepper, ice, a pack of bubble gum, and I’ma stay in the studio all night.
AllHipHop: How was it linking with Blac Youngsta?
Unfoonk: Oh man, we’ve got some shhh. We’ve got a song dropping. That’s brother, I had to hit y’all with that. It was amazing man because I be looking at celebrities like pstt, they don’t be paying attention to us folks that’s just coming into the game. But then again, I met him. He was down to earth. He said “I’ve been watching you bro. I’ve been watching your interviews.” He’s like “Bro, you can tell a real one from a fake one.” That’s where it picked up and we locked in together.
AllHipHop: He’s funny as hell too. Was it fun?
Unfoonk: Yes, very hilarious, but I get him. He’s going through a lot so he keeps himself laughing to keep from breaking down on some s###, that’s why I get him.
AllHipHop: What’re you most excited for this year as the world starts to open back up?
Unfoonk: I’m working because that means I get to do tours. I get to go on tour. I’ve been doing shows, I did a little something last night. I’ve got some shows coming up so I’m really trying to focus on getting this tour together.
AllHipHop: Anyone you wanna collab with that you haven’t?
Unfoonk: Yeah, Yo Gotti. It gon’ happen. I ain’t rushing it, it gon’ happen. He’ll get the wind of me and he gon’ make it happen.
AllHipHop: What do you like to do for fun, when you’re not recording??
Unfoonk: You won’t believe this, everybody says I’m an old person because I like to sit in the house. I like to sit in the house, meditate, walk around my house, think and chill. I just want to chill. I be around people all day, everyday. I be wanting to chill, facts.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let the people know?
Unfoonk: Yes, y’all stay tuned for me and Blac Youngsta “Silent” man. It’s coming very soon. Ya’ll will not be disappointed.