Favorite music venue in Los Angeles?
It would have to be The Roxy Theatre. A lot of famous people who are currently big right now—and a lot of people who have perished— have performed there. The Roxy is a stamp that says, “You made it.” If you sell it out, it’s a big deal in L.A.
Best music store?
Tower Records used to be a big, big deal. I used to go out there, get the new Michael Jackson, Snoop Dogg. I bought one of my first rap albums there; it was Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told, by Snoop when he was signed to No Limit Records.
Favorite rapper from L.A.?
He’s not from here, but I am going to say Tupac because he represented the city so well—he did “To Live & Die In L.A.” He went to the Slauson Swap Meet, Baldwin Hills, and Crenshaw Plaza to shoot the video. I remember that so vividly as a kid.
Favorite jewelry shop?
A lot of the jewelers in the diamond district, one being Bobby The Jeweler downtown. I started getting into jewelry when I started getting money, but I always knew about it. But I started off going to the Slauson Swap Meet, and that’s where I got my first chain, first ring—my whole little kit and caboodle.
Best place to show someone from out of town?
I take them to the Westside. Gotta take them to the Venice-Santa Monica area so they can feel the breeze. I also like going up the coast, through the mountains, and to Malibu Canyon.
Favorite Santa Monica restaurant?
Cha Cha Chicken. They got the jerk chicken-pineapple enchiladas that I love, and the Caribbean vibe is dope. They have the walls painted with all these bright colors, and when you get out there on the patio, you can really feel the mist in the air from the water.
Favorite spot when you were growing up in L.A.?
I gotta give it up to my people, man. Shout-out to Earle’s hot dogs on Crenshaw. I’ve been going there since I was in middle school, so that’s a place I like to double back to and show love. I love the owner; she’s such a sweet lady, and I can’t get in there without getting that playas punch.
Comic book shop?
I go to West Coast Comics. I got a collection at home and in my mom’s garage. I’m always tapped into the Marvel movies, and I love collecting Funko Pops.
Best tattoo parlor?
Sprung on Ink—it’s by King and Western. Shout-out to my boy Jesse. Man, he did about 80 percent of my work. He’s a real OG and tatted everyone up-and-coming of late. He tatted me, Nipsey Hussle, and the list goes on.
Favorite barber?
In my younger days, I went to New Millenium barber shop across the street from my first job in L.A., at McDonald’s on Crenshaw. Shout-out to Trendsetter; that’s the big homey who really made me like rap music a lot more because he was a rapper himself. Nowadays, I go to my boy Lamb Chops, who works at RVM Cutz on Wilshire. He used to cut me before basketball games in middle school and high school.
Sports team?
be honest with you, I like every L.A. team. Just to be able to say that our city has a team is something. It’s dope to be able to support a city like that.
Favorite location for a first date?
I gotta give it up to Koreatown because I like to show people that I am tapped into different cultures. I also love El Cholo on Western—you gotta get the coconut margarita. It’s also very dear to my heart because I’ve been going there with my sister and mom since I was six years old.
Best spot for a break up?
I’d have to take her to Griffith Observatory. The only reason I say that is so she could see the whole city. And it’s just a symbolic way of saying, “The world is yours.” Sometimes breaking up is a positive thing because you could be holding someone back from really being happy.
