 What they gonna do with me now? I'm still a troke of the town Got the assistance, I'm hooking them down Reaching the smiles and the frowns Yeah, hop out and we clearing the crowd On them niggas ain't do nothing for you Gotta learn a lot from this It's okay if it's just struggle I came home and made it happen But they all respect my husband What's up y'all, it's your girl Rionni Imani And we're back for another Tocatown interview And today, who we gonna build it? That's a boy man, V.C.I.N.I. man R.G. V.C.I.N.I. Right here in New York, man Stand up, 585, we here, man Wow, what an intro Yeah, so we have V.C.I.N.I. in the building So, yeah, I'm so interested to hear Like, did you grow up in Rochester? Yeah, I was born and raised in Rochester And how was that? It was cool, you know It's, it's, it's uh It ain't what everybody think Now I say that to everybody thinker I think I'll stick, y'all think phones and shit I know how y'all city people be thinking I mean, but Rochester is a little close It's a little connected to the city, I guess In a way, so what would you say? Like, what do people usually think about Rochester versus, like, what it actually is? I think people think that it's like It's, it ain't trencherous down there Like, it get real trencherous where I'm from Murder rate always high Um, it's a lot of people getting money And it's a lot of people making noise from Rochester, too Upstate period, though The whole upstate, the whole upstate, man Is there anybody in specific, like, that you think that people should have on their radars from out there? Um, class murder for sure Um, class murder Of course, Benny, the whole Brazil Little Etho Little pro BGM Black Chamberlain, BGM Chamberlain That's a good, that's a good amount of people All right, so a couple of people that you name will get into a little later But like, how was it going up in Rochester Like, coming into your own with music? Um, so Rochester, I was, I was, uh I started making music at the young age I'm making music like 10 or 11 years old rapping in the studio and all that My brother owned a studio, so He owned a big studio and shit Big company, I was, he had me recording It's just a young age, so I've just been rapping forever But, uh, growing up in Rochester, it was, um It was regular, man, just, you know, regular street shit So I say, like, making music and going up there Because I don't know, like, what the support is, like, out there Like, did you have the support of the people around you while you're making music? Well, in Rochester, I kind of made a name for myself at a young age, so Ever since I started rapping, everybody knew me for, like Like, raw rapping, like bars, you know what I'm saying Battle rap, um, shit like that So it was, it was easy to make a name for myself But I think you're going to get but so big out there Because it's so small, you know what I'm saying So I think, like, the goal would be to, like, Lock down a whole upstate And then, you know, uh Like, my target is in New York City Okay I get more streams out here than I do And in Rochester or Buffalo All my streams come from New York City Okay So you did mention just now you were doing battle rap You were in King of the Rain, right? Yeah Right So where did that change, how did that transition come in? Like, how did you get to that point? And then how did you get into, like, making your album? So with me, I was like, I was always able to make music So I was, I was making music first before I started battle rapping Okay So once I, I just, I, to transition out of the battle rap was easy for me Because I always knew how to make music I think that's what separated me You know, that's what separated me from the other battle rappers So that was, that, that, that was it And then I could do more than just rapping You know, I could harmonize, I could sing, duet, jam Which one do you like better? Um, well, my heart is at, my heart is just real rap Like, you know what I'm saying, a real rap And then I, like, I, I don't want to I think real rap is harmonizing too You know what I'm saying, like, that pain That's, that's where my, that's where all my shit pain All my music pain, you hear it It's all pain, it's all real So you said the real rap is the pain So what do you think about, like, like the diss tracks And like the music with people just I think, I think the diss tracks is, the diss tracks is, is needed I feel like for hip hop Like I feel like hip hop and hip hop wouldn't be hip hop If it wasn't any, like, controversy between other artists But as far as, like, dissing the dad, I always been against that shit If you diss the dad, then that's how people start dying and shit You can't come back from that shit So, of course it's a big thing that's trending right now So you kind of spoke on it, I just want to get your thoughts What do you think about, like, the whole, like, DJs, like, planning or, like, not playing the diss tracks anymore I'll get it, I'll get it I understand it, you know what I'm saying But at the end of the day, I don't think it's gonna stop So it's trending, that's what's saying And it's what's selling So if that's what's selling, that's what they're gonna do Even if they ain't even like that, neither You got people making records that ain't even like that Tell them about smoking on niggas, they ain't even smoking You know what I'm saying, like, that's not gangster Absolutely, I mean, I'm glad to hear your thoughts on that That was just a quick little segue So I do want to go back a little I know, like, you just got out a few, not too long ago So what was your, you don't have to get a detailed course of what your time was, like, in there But, like, did it motivate you at all? Like, did you know what the plan was when you were coming out? Yeah, I wrote, all this was written I wrote all this down, I planned to come to New York My target audience for when I came home was New York City So I planned all of this I planned everything from the day that I came home I had a plan to do everything that I'm doing I'm just checking off the list So I was focused I'm sorry So what would you say was the hardest part about you making that transition from being locked up Come in, because it was kind of like All right, I got you It was, it's the time, it's the time So it's like coming home, right? And then trying to find time for the people that's important And the people that was there for you while you was in But still trying to chase your dreams at the same time You know what I'm saying? That's the toughest part Because I'll be everywhere Right I'm doing this, I'm doing that I'm on a roll We doing shows I'm out with murder We going A with it, like And I'm still trying to balance that time with the kids Or trying to make up that time that I miss That's the toughest part It's finding balance Now, in terms of the music side, what would you say? Would you say the music scene was different From the time that you went into the time you got up? How good, how good Were you keeping up with music while you were locked up? Yeah, I came home with a whole new sound Like the sound that y'all hear from me now Yeah, like that ain't how I was rapping back then I was really like hardcore rapping back then Like on some cypress So I was really hardcore rapping now I'm harmonizing I'm on a drill scene I'm rapping, you know what I'm saying? I do everything And I, and that I don't do it because it's in, I love it though Like I really love licking that kind of music It's cool to me Okay, so you did it because you Generally liked it not because you were trying to keep up with what was going on Hell nah, I liked it So once I heard it, the whole time I was in jail I was tuned in I had to give a support system They were sending me everything All the music that was dropping I was getting sent So I was able to stay in tune with the new sound And come on Okay So did you start writing balance The tracks for balance when you were in here? Yup, all that whole This whole balance thing was all planned From that period I didn't have no beats of course So a lot of my songs changed Because you know we go in there We just, we're beating on our chest And we making music And then we come home People try to make beats for them And they don't leave coming out right But once I was able to come in the studio And really see how sound on the mic With the harmonizing and stuff Then I was able to start writing new music But I knew the whole theme for my album Was going to be balance So what was that process like Transitioning from heavier lyrics Written down to finding that How long did you say it took? I didn't know a lot The way with my team They had me in the studio Like my first week home And it was like locking me in Like yo 24 hour sessions a day We just sitting in this me and class We in there, we just working We just like me and class recorded Like six, seven songs Before we even dropped Danger Like me and class got last songs together We didn't even drop We just, we just kept cooking How did y'all meet? I'm in class since I was a kid That's like my brother Cause he's from Washington too right? Yeah, yup So y'all grew up How does it feel to like be growing up with somebody Y'all both growing up, y'all both from music It's dope, it's dope Cause I ain't gonna lie like You know we got like old messages and shit Like you know social media messages So we be looking at them just like damn bro Like they just came up So it really happened for us Right, right Wow So what does your team outside of him What does your team look like? I got uh Well I got um me That's my team I'm RMG, he's BGM So we kind of like We kind of come together as one RMG, we uh We a label We officially a label Oh it's RMG the label It's RMG Entertainment We bring in all the shows The Rochester So anywhere upstate it's like kind of RMG kind of like Got it on lock for the shows You know we bring in everybody Everybody who kind of Rochester They usually go through RMG We usually book them and bring them up there Can you start your RMG? Me, my brother Diddy And my brother Rain So you really like a businessman Like you know on the business side You're making your music That's really dope So does that have to do with the balance The idea of balance Yeah so um Yeah so the idea of balance It just came together like Just like I said it was just trying to find the time And then do everything also The business side The street side Just be you know just be valid In all in all places So one thing I think that's interesting though Is because you do Put your pain on the track of course And you have like real like substance To your music But I don't want to say that That's not what we're listening to right now But you know a lot of the stuff That we're listening to is more so for the B And like it gets you hyped and stuff How do you feel about like your music In comparison to like what's like trending Right now Right so uh what I'm learning right now is that It's a crowd for everything And you got to find it So what I'm learning right now is just how to How to talk to my audience Like how to stop worrying about The people that ain't listening to my music And worried about the people that is listening to my music And target people like that You know what I'm saying Because right now it's like Like for instance like You see the hardcore rap It's like it's coming back Like Benny and them got it all sold up And if you see their shows It's like they really they packing up houses They really packing shows for that kind of music And everybody's like yo that music dead It's dead but now it's coming back But I just see it like It's people that really listen to that music It's people that listen to drill It's people that want to listen to harmonize It's people that want to hear pain It's people that want to hear substance So you just got to find it I feel like So who would you say is your audience right now Have you found that yet I feel like my audience would be like Like honestly speaking I dropped the record My intro to my record it kind of opened my eyes up It's like damn everybody want me to rap again That's how I come to get a release That's so now like yesterday I did the 1055 interview When I freestyle on that I went crazy And everybody's just like Yo bro you got to rap again Like this is what you do You got to rap again bro Like that's what they need So now I'm like damn I don't really know it's like I want to do the drill I want to I want to harmonize And I want to rap I want to do it all And there's no reason why you can't Yeah, so I think I'm still like finding my audience Right Honestly Okay Well you worked with a lot of different artists We already spoke about class You got Lil Park goal, Lil West And a few more Oh yeah how was that like collabing with different artists It was cool It was cool I tried to keep it on I tried to keep it I wanted to keep it Rochester On my first one And then I um But I linked up with Trab That was like my biggest That was like the biggest The biggest feature for me was like Trab and then murdered But Trab was big Because Trab got me lit Like out here You know what I'm saying Trab really And that was dope Like he pulled me up out here In the Bucks Pulled me up to Queens And had me in Queens We shot the vid And everything was fire But from that day Ever since I released that song You know it's like You got your little metric tool So you can see who Who listen to your music And all my music All my streams It's coming from New York City though Like I get more streams That's why I say like I get all my streams from out In New York City I get more streams Like that So I know you already know For the battle rap and stuff But what moment was it that you Realized that you were going up With your music Like yours? I think it was um I ain't gonna lie The first record I dropped And I came on First record I dropped And then it was like One of them shows I did I opened up to somebody And Rochester JDM Oh it was Kissed Yeah it was Kissed And it was going crazy And I'm like damn This shit really happening Like everybody ain't gonna lie Like you know you see people Singing this shit Like they really going through it That shit be dope Like I did this song called Patience I was watching these people Seeing this song like Like they went through that shit Like they me The world This shit is in there Like really singing that shit I'm like nah this dope This is dope feeling There's a couple songs That you have like that That I feel like Can be relatable For like a whole bunch of people That are listening Especially like anxiety I think that that's one that Really like That's one that really hits On for people though That's why I did it though I did it I did it for that I know it's a lot of people suffering from that So I wanted to do it And I got somebody in my family That suffered from it So I wanted to do it Just to you know That's like a whole another But all that is real Like I see that's what I'm saying I'm like making music like that And people know that it's real Like people could hear that shit like Nah man this nigga ain't captain Man man love So of course in our song We talk about like Your brother taking pills And you witnessing that In a big part of hip hop culture Right now is like A lot to do with the drugs And the pills and all of that Like do you have any thoughts on that I remember me thinking that Shit to be like yo I ain't ever gonna lie Like y'all remember Future right Any drugs niggas say he take That shit pop Right that shit crazy Niggas talk about a drug We never heard of niggas Next day everybody's on that shit Niggas don't even know what that shit is Just be a whole lot of followers and shit Like I've watched me interviewin' shit Niggas like you stupid as hell Pop a perk right now man Shit ain't no perks Shit ain't no perks right now man Niggas just pressin' up these motherfucker pills Like crazy You don't know what's in them shit But everybody's still poppin' them Man they don't even care So it's just like It's a lot of followers You won't even know what the I don't even know how to answer that Like that shit ain't never gonna stop And it's sad to say They gonna blame it on hip hop That's what they blame it on How influential do you think music is on its listeners? I think it's very influential It's like it's spooky I think about it Drill, drug, everything man But do you think that like artists should Keep that in consideration when they make any music Or is it on the listener to know Nah I'm an artist And it's hard to do that You can't even do that Cause that shit that surrounds you That shit that you really going through So you can't like what's it supposed to put a cap on that shit The kids is I mean like you growing up You're supposed to You know You're supposed to Take that shit in your own way Understand it But it's tough though It's tough I know it's tough As a kid to see this shit And want to do it You know what I'm saying That's what they want to do So what would What advice would you give to someone Maybe who's like Watching this stuff You said it's tough for kids Like to hear this stuff And not be I guess interested or intrigued In like trying to experiment with it Or whatever Like is there any advice that you would give Like to young people who may be hearing this If we talking about like the streets Or like taking drugs Or like we talking about making music Like which part of it We talking about drugs right now We gonna get to So the drug part is like As if you a kid You could see like So you see the ups I know they only looking at the ups of this shit How these niggas look like they having fun and shit For the kids I would say To go look up like All these motherfuckers that's dying from this shit These kids dying from this shit Taking fake pills They don't even know what it is Word Well on the positive No I saw that you were doing a lot of good performances You opened up that Roland Loud Which I thought was really dope How was that That was fire I was like That's big I was dope Experiment shit I was dope I was dope itself Would you say like that was One of the highlights of your career so far Yeah I believe so And I wasn't even like You know I was on set with murder So it was a big moment Just to be around all them people You know what I'm saying Then just knowing Knowing Travis Knowing Bucks Like afterwards They brought me around everybody Like you know what we went to the Some bowling shit And we They had me around everybody Like he was introducing me to everybody So I met a lot of people You know what I'm saying That was a dope experience Were there any other moments that you could think of Like up the top of your head That's like Then like they Besides what I was saying Even the dirt like You know the Rochester The Dirks and Rochester Just performing on that stage Man it was dope There was a lot of people there So it was a sold out event And then just I think now What I'm doing now Like I'm a lot of that Went on fire I always wanted to go to a Rochester radio station And burn that shit down Because we ain't had that We had a radio station there That wasn't really supporting us So now when I came home I started making noise They called me up there I made them up I said man I'm gonna burn this bitch down I'm sorry God That's good So that was a big moment for me I ain't even gonna lie That shit happened yesterday But that was big And then I came here to do this Shit the next day So it was like We were gonna turn this shit up So you getting the year started Like Strong you coming in So what else can we expect from you this year What you talking about? I'm gonna drop I'm not the dropper I'm a dropper I'm gonna drop like a rap album No for them too For the fans I wanna hear that For the fans I wanna hear that real music I'm gonna drop a rap album I'm about to drop some drills Shit too Oh Yeah Where can we look out for that I'm trying to drop I just recorded the drill I'm just I don't even wanna talk Like really I gotta put this feature on it though I'm trying to get this feature together for the drill And then Yeah we gonna make it happen The feature Yeah for sure So is there any Any Can we get any details on that Or you wanna hold it down I gotta hold it down Okay That's fair I know I know what to say this I got one I got one feature That I'm working on with It's for my rap shit though It's uh It's with Millie's Okay So yeah I got that that I'm working on That's gonna be big Thanks Is there anybody who you would like to work with Um and again Yeah Hit on the drill side Or on the uh It could be whatever Give me five It could be On the drill side It could be Meet Mill Rod Wave Dirk Uh Love Baby I gotta be a female I ain't say no female Um Let me see Um I'll go with it Aw don't you wanna say Niki Yo I don't know what female man Nah Who you listening to I'm listening to Who you listening to Yo Matter of fact I'm mine Yo what shorty name Who'll be doing all the freestyles Maggie Nah What's the shorty name from Instagram Who'll be talking like She'll be talking about Lady London She fired Okay So now of course I'm gonna ask you As an upcoming artist What is some advice that you would give To other upcoming artists Learn a business Learn a business first Fuck making music Learn a business first Learn how to make money off your music And then and then push it And um That's really the main thing man Learn how to tap into every revenue Learn how much One song can make you like 10 times To like tap into every rev Every stream and site Learn how much you're getting off Of each stream from each site And do your breakdown sheets And um tap into your metric tools Man understand where you Understand how to talk to your audience And who listen to your music Is there something that you learned About the business of the industry That you wish that you would learn A little sooner Yeah absolutely um I think it's really the business side It's understanding how to make money off your music Cause remember like it was this soundcloud wave Going on back in the day They were like you know these soundcloud rappers Man them little niggas was making mad bread Off of that shit And people wasn't really tapped in They wasn't tapped in to that And they just now starting to tap in And get into it but I wish I knew about it Cause I wasn't Like I was literally We was gonna broke on this shit I was gonna broke on this music I was doing this shit my all Spending all my money on this shit now I don't do I make I make I make all I make bread off this music shit now I tap in to A thing Make money off these streams And everything else I do I don't play around with it Now correct me if I'm wrong But I feel like I saw something Or read something I said like When you got out you tried to like Buy all of your beats Yeah that's the fact That's what I did too I was trying to buy the exclusive Rights to all my people Okay excuse that's what it was Yeah yes yes that was the smart one Yeah yeah yeah I was trying to do that Just to own up own on my publishers But that's it you know that just Just came from reading and all that Just trying to understand the business But then um you know Producing maybe they ain't stupid Some niggas I have none Like I uh I get 80% I just take my 20% But some of them sold them to me though Some of them sold me 100% pub 100% exclusive rights Took the beat off of YouTube or like But some of them was like You know now I feel like you're gonna go up I need this 20% pub on your shit Or They okay all right well Is there anything else that you feel like You know you would like for people who are watching To know Um yeah I just want everybody to Go stream my album Dallas man You ain't gonna be disappointed man Um this is vcyaniv.ca and and ii On all social medias or platforms Um vcyani tv on youtube Go subscribe And go tap into that album And you ain't gonna be disappointed I promise man Talking to town They're gonna have a new tour I appreciate you talking to them Thank you for coming All right y'all see you in the next episode