TRUTH ON BEING AN XXL FRESHMAN: “I woke up, I got a call from my team, and they just told me, ‘You made it XXL.’ I feel amazing. This is a goal. This is a dream come true. This is a real big goal in my career, you know what I’m saying? This is a big step to where I’m trying to go because I’m reaching for so much more.

This is a real accomplishment. This means a lot to me. I’m so happy to be here. I’m so happy to have accomplished this, you know what I’m diamond plaques, No. 1 album every time I drop. Stadiums. Arenas. Grammys. No. 1 artist in the world, for sure.

I’m turned up right now. I’m in that mode, you feel me? Like, we’re the youngest in charge of this sh*t right now, you know what I’m saying? So like, it’s perfect timing. This ain’t even no hip-hop, none of that, you feel me? I’m in a league of my own, on a different genre. I’m in my own genre.

It’s my first cover. First of many. I already knew that I was going to make it this far because anything I want, I’m going to get it. Everything I want is mine.

[I’m looking forward to] probably the freestyles, things like that. Just the whole thing, just the whole experience. Just the whole experience is a blessing to be here. Everything was a fun experience to me. Everything was dope, even all the people in it. I can’t wait for them to see the whole thing, because it was a great experience for me. I had fun at that sh*t, for real.

[When the cover comes out], we’re going to pop some bottles. Get a studio set up. Looking at the ocean view, popping it. We’re going to set it up in the penthouse, go get bottles, have my whole team over, have a chef over, you feel me? We’re just going to celebrate and keep working. I got a tweet last year. I tweeted, I’m like, ‘Next year I’m going to make it XXL.’ I made it, did it, for real. That’s a big deal.

[My fans are] going to celebrate with me. Another step closer to where I’m trying to go. We’re doing it together, me and my supporters. They’ve been down since day one. Got so much more to go. For real, for real.

This is one of my best years. Now I just got to keep it going, you know what I’m saying? I’m going to keep it going. I just got to keep working right now. Right now is really the time to go way harder.”Loe Shimmy