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Earlier this year, rapper Fetty Wap was sentenced to six years in prison after he was convicted on federal charges for helping to run a drug operation in Long Island, New York. On Tuesday, the “Trap Queen” artist gave his first interview since his sentencing, and he opened up about where he is, how he got there and what he’s taking away from the unfortunate experience.
“Some of the things I think about really is being home,” Wap, born Willie Junior Maxwell II, told XXL. “I take accountability for everything I did. I don’t really be blaming nobody for nothing. It ain’t nobody else fault that I’m here.”
“However it may have went down—whatever, like with the people and all that, basically, just not standing tall—but at the end of the day, that’s my fault for involving myself around people like that,” he continued. “And putting your trust in the people that’s not really real—that’s not really who they say they is. So, my whole thing is like, man, just stop f—kin’ with n-ggas, man. That’s how I feel.”
At some point during the interview, Wap implied that it was dwindling music sales that prompted him to turn back to selling drugs.
“Like, aight, the music wasn’t really doin’ that good,” he said. “I’m putting out music, but nobody’s payin’ attention. So, I’m like, man, f*** it. I’ma go back to what I know how to do.”
This was a decision the “679” rapper says he now deeply regrets and that the right move would have been to keep diligently working on his craft rather than give up because his audience wasn’t what it once was.
“I just reflect on some of the shit I did in the last few years, how I feel like I coulda took music a lot more serious than I did,” he said. “And like just keep it that route, instead of this route. I’m just grateful that I’m still here; I’m still breathing. I’m able to see some light at the end of the tunnel.”
Fetty also said many of his fellow inmates—some of whom are facing lengthy sentences including life sentences—are encouraging him to stay on the right path once he gets out of prison. He said they’re telling him to do what he said in the interview that he should have been doing all along: sticking with music.
“I met a lot of genuine people in here,” he said. “So, you know, they all like, ‘Yo, bro, when you get out, man, take that serious, man. Stop fuckin’ around with your blessings before you end up losing it for good.’ So, you know that’s one of the things that I reflect on—really taking music serious and going places.”
Fetty Wap received his sentence of more than half a decade in prison and five years of post-release supervision last May after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. After his arrest, FBI agents recovered 16 kilograms of cocaine, 2 kilograms of heroin, fentanyl pills, two 9mm handguns, a rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, a .40 caliber pistol, ammunition and $1.5 million in cash. Prosecutors wanted him sentenced to more than the six years he was given arguing that he used his music and platform to “glamorize the drug trade,” adding to a long-standing controversy over wether rapper’s lyrics should be allowed to be used against them in court.
Fetty Wap Reflects On Life In Prison And Hopes After Release During 1st Published Interview Since Sentencing was originally published on cassiuslife.com
