(AllHipHop News) Roland “Troy Ave” Collins had the internet talking after he dropped the animated “2 Legit 2 Quit” music video. On the song, Troy raps, “I’m only loyal to my fam. Middle finger from the stand. It’s either me or you.”
Many observers interpreted those lines to mean the New Yorker was set to testify against Daryl “Taxstone” Campbell in the podcast host’s criminal case connected to the 2016 Irving Plaza shooting that left Collins’ bodyguard Ronald “Banga” McPhatter dead. Troy stopped by The Breakfast Club to talk about the issue.
The conversation featured the rapper pushing back against the idea he’s “snitching” on Taxstone. Even though he was questioned several times whether he plans to take the stand, Troy said he was unable to answer for legal reasons but he did discuss addressing the topic in his music.
“If you’re talking about your life and everything you go through – I been doing that. At what point is it snitching if you’re talking about yourself?” stated Troy. “I’m good because I sparked a debate. With the debate that I sparked – not talking about my case, but just in general – 8 out of 10 people will be like, ‘I’m not going to jail for somebody else.'”
He then made the distinction between telling on your co-conspirators that you’ve done illegal activities with and giving information against someone that killed one of your friends. That was followed by DJ Envy mentioning “street rules” in relation to snitching.
“The streets is a myth. It’s not real. Nowhere in the real world does the streets count,” responded Troy. “People have street cred through the roof but their credit score is 500. People in the streets put those type of rules in place to manipulate. The manipulation stagnates [people’s] growth and you stay in an ignorant mind frame.”
Troy also talked about not wanting to be labeled as a “gangster rapper.” He insisted his musical catalog includes party records and Gospel-esque songs.
Throughout the interview, Troy Ave referred to himself as a “soldier of God.” The Brooklyn native also addressed other controversies in his career like his reported feud with Casanova, his highly criticized comments about Pro Era’s Capital STEEZ committing suicide, and Banga’s brother blasting him in the press and on social media.