Every tenured rapper has a different formula for success or a strategy for longevity that’s unique to themselves and their work ethic. With Tyga‘s career trajectory spanning more than a decade, he’s forged a blueprint for himself that has garnered countless streams, major collaborations, a host of mixtapes, EPs and albums, and then some. Tracks like “Rack City” in 2012, collaborations like “Bedrock” with his Young Money home team in 2009, and his recently released effort with YG, Hit Me When U Leave the Klub: Playlist, prove Tyga has made a mark for himself.

The inception of Tyga’s career, which dates back to 2008’s “Coconut Juice” with Travis McCoy, saw the hip-hop space operating much differently. He came up in an era when music relied heavily on downloads, but Tyga has assimilated with the times. In an exclusive interview with XXL, the rapper discusses these changes: a time when artists go viral for their music on social media channels like TikTok, album sales have taken a backseat to streaming numbers, fans digest music differently and tours aren’t as successful as they once were.

“Now, it’s so many people touring… I feel like fans, people don’t have so much money to be spending $1,000 on this ticket,” says Tyga, whose Str8t to the Klub Tour with YG and Saweetie was canceled back in July. “And then tomorrow, this person is $500 a ticket… So that’s why these festivals do good because you get to see all these artists, your favorite artists, in one place. So, I think with touring, it has to be more of an experience.”

Tyga, a fan of old school hip-hop hits, and Drake and PartyNextDoor’s earlier music, is also into newcomer Teezo Touchdown‘s album, How Do You Sleep at Night?. The Los Angeles native has even joined in on the intersectionality of hip-hop and sports, participating in Verizon and Uninterrupted‘s Verizon Run the Playlist campaign series, which features NFL players curating their own Apple Music playlists. The brand also has its own content series in which Tyga engages in a conversation with Derwin James of the Los Angeles Chargers about new music, the impact certain songs have on fans in the stadium and more. But it’s worth noting that T-Raw isn’t intentionally penning a Chargers anthem.

Check out the full conversation with Tyga below, where he discusses longevity in rap, Teezo Touchdown’s album, hip-hop tours being canceled, whether or not he considers himself and OG an more.

Watch Tyga’s Interview With XXL

Take a look at the trailer, featuring Tyga’s upcoming episode on Verizon and Uninterrupted’s Verizon Run the Playlist series with Los Angeles Chargers’ safety Derwin James, below.

See the Guide to Rappers Touring in 2023