The Multi-Year Journey of Interviewing Curren$y, The Hot Spitta.
Every hip-hop fan has their top 5 rappers and Curren$y (Spitta) comfortably sits atop my list. Since high school i’ve been enamored with his real life rhymes and story of being an independent artist who stayed in his lane to find success. After consistently releasing music each month that I could relate and ride too, Spitta solidified himself as my favorite rapper.
I attended my first Curren$y concert in 2012, my freshman year of college. I left the show with a newfound level of respect because of the love he showed following his performance. He was a man of the people, interacting with fans, taking pictures and signing autographs.
As I evolved and discovered my passion of journalism, Curren$y was someone I always wanted to sit down and interview.
In May of 2016, I snuck in his concert at Centerstage Atlanta with my college RA and friend Kerel Geary. Following his performance, we waited backstage all night to talk with him. After hours of waiting for him to come out, I took matters into my own hands, conjuring up the courage to walk into in his green room in front of him and at least 30 members of his entourage. The room fell silent and all eyes were on me. Spitta immediately asked what I needed and I began my response with, “First and foremost, I respect you,” then I told him I came to interview him and I wasn’t leaving the venue without it. He kindly asked me to allow him to finish his time with his people and he see me afterwards. Curren$y held true to his word and as soon as he walked out his dressing room greeted me and gave me a drop for my college radio show, The Wave.
Curren$y (Right) dapping me following his concert at Centerstage in Atlanta May, 2016 (Photo: Kerel Geary)
Fast forward to November 2nd, 2017, Spitta came to Atlanta for another show at the new Masquerade and of course I had a few questions for him.
My girlfriend Geneley Childress and I decided the morning of the concert that we were going to attempt to get an interview. We didn’t have tickets so in the hours leading up to the show we made our own media credentials. Geneley and I had just started dating and so she had never rolled with me on this type of guerrilla style mission. We parked the car at Georgia State University and walked to the venue, hands full of equipment with the intentions of completing the mission, one step at a time.
The place was packed with fans. Once we got the door, I told the ticket agent that we were media. He checked his notes and didn’t see our names, but I pressed him a bit and once he saw our media credentials he directed us into the venue in order to speak with one of Curren$y’s representatives to confirm our legitimacy. Step 1 complete, we were in the building.
Once we got to the gate separating general admission from backstage I recognized the concert host, Ft. Knox, a familiar face on the Atlanta scene that I knew. He directed the ticket agent to allow Geneley and I backstage. Boom, step 2 complete, we were in prime position backstage.
My mind began racing, scouting the logistics of how we were going to secure the interview. Curren$y was just feet away mingling with his crew and other VIP guest. One of those guest was legendary artist Talib Kwali, who was gracious enough to give us some time for an interview and a picture.
Julien Virgin, Talib Kwali, Geneley Childress (left to right)
Before Curren$y went on stage, we both stood next to each other. I introduced myself and told him I looked forward to speaking to him after the show, in which he agreed.
Curren$y put on a hell of a show. The fascinating part of it was that he would rap only about 8 bars and then the crowd would finish the rest of basically every song he performed. The way he interacted with the crowd during the show stood out the most. He made you feel like family in a smoked filled room packed with thousands of people. Curren$y credits Marvin Gaye’s legendary 1980 concert at the Montroux for performance style.
“I did not know how to perform [when I had my first show booked] but I had that Marvin Gaye concert, that is where I learned how to be personable. That was the blueprint.”
Following his set, Curren$y showered and changed clothes then personally brought us back into his green room for a conversation.
Despite the hospitality, I was just as nervous interviewing him this time around. Sitting next to and talking with someone i’ve revered for years can be a bit overwhelming. I was kind of in awe but ultimately I was thinking too deep. Looking back I probably should’ve hit the joint with him to calm down a little.
We discussed an array of topics including his love for New Orleans, the influence of Lil Wayne and Max B on his career, upcoming projects and our first encounter years ago at Centerstage.
I apologized again for busting into his room but he quickly stopped me saying, “That’s just in hustlin’, you know what you wanted, I respect that.”
Curren$y dropped plenty of jewels throughout the interview.
He discussed his time being a hype man for Lil Wayne despite having his own aspirations to be on top.
“I know that anybody who I've seen in any position, whether that be in the streets or in music, at one point they weren't in the chair,” he said adding, “It’s all about the moves you make when you’re not in the chair that determines how long you’re actually in that chair when it’s for you; you gotta be a good Indian to be an awesome chief.”
Before we wrapped the interview, Curren$y dropped one final Jewel that sticks with me till this day.
“Shoot that video in front your grandmothers house and upload it. You’ll get to where you need to be so don’t keep waiting until you have all the weapons and tools you think you need. If you have [the idea] then just go and [people] will see your talent shine through no matter what situation you're in and you’ll get where you belong.”
These words characterized the multi-year journey of interviewing my favorite artist. We never had tickets, nor did we have the backing of a large media outlet. We simply had an idea and a goal that we wanted to achieve. He saw the determination and hustle and gave us what we were ultimately striving for; an opportunity to interview Curren$y the hot Spitta.
(Left to Right) Julien Virgin, Curren$y, Geneley Childress.