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After Cosigns From Drake and LeBron James, Doe Boy’s Humility Is Paying Off

Toronto, ON, Canada / Radio 88.8 - Demo
Michael Saponara
Mar 8, 2022 | 1:56 PM


Following his March 2 interview at the Billboard New York City office, a spirited Doe Boy posted a video celebrating his No. 1 spot on the Heatseekers Album chart from February and declared himself the “biggest, hottest artist since 2022 started.”

While the East Cleveland native’s confidence is certainly never lacking, it’s his humility that allows him to live in the moment and has played an integral role in his success navigating hip-hop’s industry maize over the course of the past decade.

 

Whether it’s Drake inviting Doe Boy to pull up to the 6 God’s Los Angeles estate, LeBron turning up to one of his tracks, or Kevin Durant wanting to visit the trenches of Knowles Ave., the FREEBANDZ rhymer’s ego never gets in the way and allows him to enjoy some of these larger-than-life moments.

“If LeBron [James] posts me right now, I’ma show that off because that’s a big deal,” Doe Boy explains while periodically sipping on a bottle of Patron. “That ain’t nothing you should be acting nonchalant about. I’m not one of them people that think I’m too good for everything.”

The 27-year-old took another step in his ascension with the release of his versatile OH REALLY album — based on his signature ad-lib — in late January. Doe Boy wants to expand his fan-base beyond the grimy street tales with hopes of a mainstream boom coming in the near future as he serves up something for just about everyone to digest. Look no further than Doe Beezy pushing his pen and looking inward with the reflective deep cut “LIFE GOES ON.”

“It’s just about growing,” he continues. “I want more fans and it’s more people in the world than the people that just be on what I be on like drill time and s–t. There’s some people who don’t like that all and I want to reach them too.”

Check out the rest of our sit-down interview with the Cleveland resident below.

With fans having over a month to sit with the album, how do you feel about the fans’ reception to OH REALLY now?

They loving it. I feel really good about the project. They feel the same way we felt about it when we were putting it out. They received it the way we wanted it to. We thought the impact would be [there]. It happened exactly how I knew it would.

I fell in love with hip-hop after Get Rich or Die Tryin’. You also spoke about being a fan of 50 Cent and how he was able to make street records, but also incorporate the ladies.

50’s the GOAT. Growing up, that was my favorite rapper. That s–t was life-changing, especially with the movie [aspect]. 

I appreciate your humility and ability to live in the moment and not be above some of these cool moments you have. 

Rappers, they be just faking. They be trying to seem like they not excited. They be trying to seem too good for certain stuff. Like this is how I feel. I don’t get why they do that because they be happy though. I don’t know why they be acting like they not. That s–t is corny.

You topped the Billboard Heatseekers chart in February.

If I would’ve dropped on a Friday, I’m telling you I would’ve [already gone No. 1]. But I like the way that No. 1 Heatseekers look — that’s beautiful for sure.

How was linking with Rowdy Rebel for “AIN’T MY FAULT” in Brooklyn? I saw you went to the Pop Smoke vigil as well.

That’s how that came about. I didn’t even know I was going there. [Rowdy Rebel] was just like, “Where you at?” I said, “I’m at the hotel.” He pulled up like, “Hop in.” Next thing you know, we at Pop Smoke’s candlelight in Brooklyn. I was just thuggin’ with them the whole day. We went to a house party, went to their hood, and then hit the studio.

On “Respectfully,” you interpolated Lil Wayne’s “Steady Mobbin” and “A Milli” with some tricky wordplay. Was he a major influence on you growing up?

Yeah, people gotta catch that s–t, they ain’t gonna be hip to it. “Riding with a draco, what’s a goon to a goblin/ A Milli a milli n—s I wish,” all that references back. A lot of people don’t catch that, that’s crazy you did. Wayne was one of my favorite rappers too. All them Dedications and s–t. Can’t nobody f–k with dude for real. 

How involved is Future in the day-to-day creation with your projects?

He executive produced all my projects. What’s crazy is this project is definitely his favorite one out of all of them. His favorite song on there is “CRY FOR ME,” and the s–t I got with Vory. He was like, “D–n, you really found your pocket and you really in your bag.” You can just tell the growth and he really inspired all this s–t. When I need him it’s like, “Hey, what you think of this?”

I was in L.A. with him and [Kanye]. I ain’t gon’ lie, his Netflix documentary — dude is crazy. He reminds me of myself though. I’m not fried to the point the way he be doing, but the manifestation part. He know where he wants to go and he’s gonna do it exactly how he wants to do it. I wish I had a camera following me the whole time. I’m about to start though. 

How’s your relationship with Kevin Durant? He wants to pull up to Knowles Ave.

I was just talking to him. You know, I had to make sure he knew I was out here. That’s the homie. He a good dude for real. He’s really tapped in with the culture. He a hood n—a. KD is with the s–ts. He don’t give a f–k. He commented, “Take me on Knowles Ave.” That’s crazy for real. This is Kevin Durant. This goes back to what we were talking about earlier. That just ain’t anybody. He talking about trying to come to my hood. He’s coming on Knowles for sure. Watch for it. I just found out he was a rapper. 

Even LeBron James posting a video to one of your songs out here had to make the price go up.

That changed a lot. People was like, “Oh s–t.” That’s LeBron James, not just anybody. When you got LeBron singing your song in the middle of the party, and he gangbanging in a meeting full of white people, you not even supposed to be doing that in there. Everything about the s–t made it so turnt. 

Your journey to getting signed to Freebandz is insane. I can’t imagine that happening today with you first hopping in Future’s UStream and then getting his phone number through someone on his team.

I tricked the n—a out of his phone number. He left that motherf–ker on my voicemail. It was probably two years later to getting signed. I was doing my thing working. I was just doing me regardless. I still did the mixtapes with Lex Luger and was focused on trying to blow myself up and I knew it would come when it was time. 

In the past, you’ve said “certain jail days are fun.” Expand on what you meant there.

When you in jail, you gotta make the best of it. I don’t want people to get the idea that jail is fun. I don’t, but when you’re in there certain moments are funny as hell. You’re dealing with so many different kinds of people. N—as is funny as hell in there. You make the s–t the best you can. 

With Young Dolph and Nipsey Hussle being killed in their hometowns, does that change the way you move around Cleveland?

Yeah, definitely. I understand most rappers get killed in their hometown. The hate in your hometown is always gonna be different in your hometown than anywhere else. Motherf–kerss really don’t like you and got reasons not to like you.

I know I gotta move a certain type of way in the city. I don’t really like being there but I do for certain s–t. At the end of the day, this is where I come from so I’m always going to embrace it and put on. That’s what make me who I am. The s–t that’s going on is what makes Doe Boy, Doe Boy. Normally, when I be out there, I don’t be having security for real.

How was it locking in with Drake and having him hitting you to come to L.A. to bring that “Oh Really” out there?

That s–t was another moment too. Just flying to L.A. and going to his house and seeing how he operates, that s–t is hard. That dude really think he the president, for real. He really moves like that. He told me he could get me to Canada, and I got felonies. 

Do you guys got some s–t in the stash?

We might. [Laughs.]

What do you hope people take from this album?

He growing up and bossed up. He’s next level with this s–t. I still got a long way to go.

 

after cosigns from drake and lebron james doe boys humility is paying off