FSD: What are some of the big records you’ve produced or written recently?
Yung Berg: The OMG Girlz’ “Gucci This, Gucci That.” Driicky Graham’s “Snapbacks and Tattoos” which was the fastest rising record on Billboard alongside Kanye West’s “Theraflu.” I’ve got a joint with Future called “Trance” — it’s on a new project he’s working on. I gotta joint called “Shorty Where You At” with Mindless Behavior, which will be the first single from their upcoming album in a few months. I’ve got records on Lil Wayne’s I Am Not A Human Being Part 2. Cory Gunz, I just worked with him. Nipsey Hustle — I was on his last mixtape. Raekwon, I’ve been cooking up with him — that was totally random. Salute to Raekwon for that.
The stuff that I’m most excited about are these pop records I’m working on. I brought my guy Sincere from Chicago — he’s down with the Global Gangsters and Jo Jo Capone. I brought Sincere to LA, and he became a party promoter. Sincere ended up become really cool with Rihanna. We were up for a Grammy for Lil Wayne’s “John” record, so we were out in LA. I went out to the club, and Sincere said he was gonna have Rihanna with him. I figured he was just bullshitting or whatever, but he really was with her [Laughs]. While we’re out clubbing, Rihanna tapped me on the shoulder and said “Come here let me talk to you.” She had seen my interview with the Breakfast Club, and was like “You were so candid in that interview. You were honest about everything that happened in your career, and that made me a fan of you. And at that point, I knew I wanted to work with you.” So yeah, that’s the thing I’m most excited about right now — but we’re gonna keep all of the details under wraps for that.
FSD: I think a lot of people watched that Breakfast Club interview, and it really put you in a different light; where people could see that you’re actually a human like the rest of us…
Yung Berg: I was apprehensive to do that interview at first. I’m a real dude. Even though me and Cap-1 fell out, I can’t take back the fact that I love Cap. That’s my big brother. I looked up to him like a mentor — back when we were Ill Noyz. Back when I was rolling around the city with him and Payroll back when I was just a little kid. I’ve always looked up to him. I never really wanted to put all of the details out there, but there were just so many rumors. Like I said something like “Fuck Detroit” and that’s why my chain got snatched. Believe if I would’ve said that, it would’ve ended up on Worldstar. These people don’t miss anything I do or say. I can walk out of Target with toilet paper stuck to my shoe, and they gonna Twitpic me and put it on Worldstar.
I decided at that point, I was just gonna tell the truth. And everyone was like “If you would’ve done that interview a year and a half ago, or two years ago, your career would be in a totally different space.”
FSD: But I think you’ve lived your life publicly since you were a kid. The average person doesn’t know what it feels to be constantly attacked in the news like you are.
Yung Berg: But you know what I always tell people off the record? I tell them that I’m from Chicago — hater city. I’m from the hate capital of the world, so I’m used to it. People told me I wasn’t shit for years. My Mommy ain’t shit, my Daddy ain’t shit. I ain’t shit. So to come from that to get money, to get pussy and to get famous at the same time? Man, fuck what anyone says. I’m like “Whatever.”
But at times it does get out of hand. You guys are talking about some chain shit that happened years ago, and I’ve been nominated for Grammy’s. I’m the youngest artist from the Chi to be nominated for a Grammy, and to sell millions of records. I’ve done so much, but you just want to focus on the negative shit. But that’s what comes with being a public figure. It comes with the territory.
And that’s also why I fell back for a while. I got into this to make music — that’s my love. That’s all I wanted to do. So I just fell back, shut up and did music. I’m all about the music. So at this point, if someone is hating on me on Worldstar or Fake Shore Drive, I could give a fuck.
FSD: You’ve gotta have thick skin to deal with fame and the music industry. But despite the bullshit, a lot of industry people mess with you heavy…
Yung Berg: I fuck with everyone in the industry. Even the people in the streets be like “Man, I don’t fuck with Berg, but he makes good music. He’s talented than a motherfucker.” And I never understood that — how could you say you don’t fuck with me if you’ve never even met me? That’s mind-boggling to me.
Recently, I had a session in LA with me, Twista, Traxster and Mikkey Halsted. And it was one of the best days of my life. Being an artist from Chicago, it was one of the best times I’ve had since being in the business. We talked about everything from top to bottom. It helped my career a lot. We talked about coming up, Mikkey signing to Cash Money, and how the Chi is blowing up. It just put me in a whole different space.
My mentor is Troy Carter, who is Lady Gaga’s manager. He was the first guy to ever put me on and get me my checks in the industry. My manager is Charlie Walk, who used to be the president of Epic Records. I’m rubbing elbows with all of these guys and it keeps me going. People don’t really understand everything I’m doing. They probably don’t know I work with these people or have produced these records. People don’t know the magnitude of it. Like when Baby hits me up on DM looking for beats — this is a side of me the public doesn’t see.
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Chicago needs to embrace Berg and stop hatin on this man.
#shoutout to the lil homie. Hard work beats bullshit any day of the week. Salute!!!!
That was 300 no lie. Shorty deep in this shit
I remember them days at cold city, Did they ever relocate?
anyone I know ever catch this nigga we strippin him believe that
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbN4z49iJpU
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