By Brittney O
Hip-HopVibe.com Entertainment Reporter
At the top of the year, Black Fortune was nominated as one of the Ten Rappers You Need to Know About! And as the year has progressed, we’ve seen the numbers rise as his latest single, “Nothing to Lose” made its premiere on WSHH.
The DMV rapper took time out to share with us his plans for post COVID-19 and how things are all falling together as he breaks into the music industry with no remorse.
Watch “Nothing To Lose” by Black Fortune below:
Read the entire interview below:
Tell us about the name Black Fortune.
I basically adopted the name “Black” from my uncle that was killed – everyone called me that. Fortune stemmed from a story my father told me about a guy named Tony Fortune who was like a stick up kid – and it kinda reminded me of myself, so I kinda adopted the Fortune from that.
I also want to have great fortune in my life – speaking that into my life because I didn’t come from the most fortunate background.
You grew up in the DMV area correct? Maryland to be exact?
Yes I did.
What is a vivid memory you have from growing up in DMV schools?
Freestyling in the back of the classroom with my friends and beating on the desks. I never really went to class when I was in school so I was always in the hallways or the gym, doing my own thing. There was always crazy stuff going on – I remember PCP heads would run through our schools sometimes or be around our school and they would have to shut the whole school down!
At what point did you know that you really had what it takes to take off as a rapper?
I always knew that! I would say when I was in the 5th grade I made up my first little school rap… it was about volcanoes… yep, we all had to make a rap about volcanoes. My sh** was fly as hell – it was so fly they made me spit my volcano rap to like, five different classes and everybody loved it and everybody went crazy about my sh**.
Referencing your hit single, “OSSH WOP” is ‘OSSH’ DMV slang or did you come up with that yourself?
‘OSSH’ is a my slang – it’s not a DMV slang. I came up with it, me and my guys.
How long did it take you to put OSSHRock Deluxe mixtape out?
It took maybe a few months, you know to get it together, finalize everything and get it perfect. A couple of months, it didn’t take too long.
“Nothing To Lose” is another single that’s gaining mad traction – you illustrate the story so well in the lyrics, which I like. Was that intentional or did it begin to unfold while in the studio with Lil Rich?
Basically once I heard part of the beat – I helped create the beat – it was easy to hop on it because I felt like it was just telling my story.. the beat was speaking for me so it was easy. I guess it kinda unfolded because when I got in there I felt it so I started speaking about my life… my past… and things that I’ve been through.
The video features a female artist that goes by Bia – she killed it. What is your relationship with her?
Bia is like my best friend. She is one of the first people I became cool with when I started coming to LA. She’s a really dope artist as well so shout out to BIA, that’s my Dawg..
Your social media shows a fun guy that really loves music and being creative..
How important is it to hold onto the fun part of the industry once it becomes a job?
Exactly! I like how you said that – I always stress to my manager that we have to keep the FUN in the business. Once it starts to feel like a job I think it messes up the craft… at least I think so.
You gotta keep the fun in it, that’s how it all starts! I’ve made some of my biggest hits just having fun in the studio, you know? I think the industry is so so serious right now – and I’m a serious person too, I know how that goes, but you still have to be happy and put positive energy in the air.
What’s your favorite part of being a music artist? Recording in the studio? Performing live? Interacting with fans online?
My favorite part about doing this music stuff is performing. I LOVE performing.. I love being onstage, interacting with the fans and doing my thing. Performing is definitely the best part of this music stuff. And of course the women… and you know, the money… all of it’s a blessing for real, for real.
What can your fans look forward to from Black Fortune in 2020 once all of the Coronavirus mayhem subsides?
I have a few singles dropping – I have a single dropping very soon featuring a major artist. I’ve got a project coming “OSSH Lords” so make sure that ya’ll stay tuned for that. You can expect greatness from Black Fortune. I have a project dropping in May. I’ll be doing a lot of shows and festivals. You’re gonna see a lot of Black Fortune in 2020 – I will be the biggest artist — if not one of the biggest artists this year.
