Kevin Gates has gone through a pretty notable transformation. Beginning his career with mixtapes like The Luca Brasi Story and In The Meantime, the New Orleans rapper had trouble breaking into the mainstream. His first mixtape was released in 2006. However, 2015 was a monumental year for the rapper, and Gates does not plan on stopping now. In a new interview, Gates discusses his personal and musical growth, and how he exemplified such traits on his debut album Islah. Gates also discusses his outrageous Instagram presence, his recent marriage, and the views that others seem to have of him.
Gates first discussed his feelings about the release of Islah. When asked if he was nervous, Gates replied, "I don't have that fear no more. I had that fear when I was first droppin' a project, the butterflies is kind of gone. I heard the album. The b**ch is raw."
Gates then went on to discuss his maturity and growth as an artist, as exemplified in his newest material.
"The song quality, it's just different, he said. "The way the songs are put together and arranged. I don't mean like the tracklisting or the body of work. It's not boring on the ears, the flow pattern and everything. It's just beautiful. I got better."
Gates explains to XXL that the name of his album, Islah, comes from his recently born daughter, saying, "Because it's my first album and [Islah] was my first daughter. I'm kind of metaphoric when I think."
Gates the expanded on the importance of family in his daily life. "I always wanted a family. I used to live with my grandmother. I used to wonder why the other kids in school went home with their mothers and fathers. I wanted to be the guy that got married. I wanted to be the guy with the children and the white picket fence. I never had that. And these other people that say they come from the streets and don't aspire to have a family. What's good about the streets? Once you grow to the realization, that hold on the game is rigged. These dudes with money that's ballin' out here, they are rats. Once you see that it's really bulls**t, why not want a family? I like being with my family. That's my party."
