The Deep End with Fatboyshaun in Scalping Tickets To Get To Heaven

Last week, Fatboyshaun released his highly anticipated album" Scalping Ticket To Get To Heaven," an 8-track magnum opus filled to the brim with gritty production & lyrical aggression that displayed the life and times of Shaun. A private listening party at Fresco in his hometown of Corpus Christi was made as a celebration of the hard work he's put in to perfect this project with his friends & team over the last few months. It showcases the effort and enthusiasm he put into making this the spectacle it was. WAVEZ members/Club Galleria Founders Kevin & Carter, who attended the event, captured behind the scene footage of the event and stated the place was full of respect & support for the art that Shaun produces out. The essence of brotherhood was among the emotions in the atmosphere, and you can hear that throughout the tape. I'm here to break down each track off the album to understand the courageous process of Shaun's mind during this album's recording technique.

The album was a monstrous take in storytelling and being an onslaught of perfection when it comes to rap. I truly felt an aura of the 90's era of hip-hop when this album played, and I'm sure you'll understand more when you deep-dive into the project.

"PhakeIntro"

PhakeHawaii is the voice of hatred in the intro; the skews of ill intent are pouring out of him to hate on Shaun's success, the vices he's taking, and his pen game being a lousy effort to be a fan of, which is jealousy in its realness form. This intro is done to play the part of fake love that Shaun gets from the two-face people in his presence, showing support but turning around, they pray on his downfall, and Hawaii does a great job of analyzing that in the intro.

"Sttgth"

The self-titled single is the most potent of tracks by far since it shares the epitome of the message behind the project's title. I think it speaks in a volume of the growth he's endured from his time as an adolescent to now. He shares his experiences and conquest in life that's has got him to where he's at in life.

"roadrunnin" feat Roman Gabriel

Gunshot barrage set off the essence of the record right off the bat, then Shaun levitates his rhymes to peel off more grime that drips over the opps that his machine gun blasted away in the field of the record. The feature Roman Gabriel supplies more ammunition to continue the arsenal hunt of letting off the choppa to the naysayers and nonbelievers, thinking that the caliber these emcees hold ain't shit but little do they know they do.

"80's."

This record sounds like the theme music to a championship, even with the raps sounding like a score to a Scoreshe flick when the villain is winning at the end and heading off with the loot, never to be seen again. It's the skillset of his words hitting on all the targets like a trained marksman that I applaud. He can get in and get out while leaving the places filled with destruction like a bank heist, and just like that, he's accomplished a score to sit back and reap the benefits.

"Fckndummiez"

Automatically I like this record since the intro sounds like something that would be found on Wu-Tang tape. I have shared my thoughts on this particular single giving me flashing of the back and forth chemistry of Rae & Ghost, which I still stick to that comparison because the raps fly like bullets in an octagon. Ain't no way to get out but going up yet by the time you get there, you're full of holes from top to bottom thinking on how you should have made better choices. Shaun & Jxylen are on the other side of the barrel; let that marinate while you contemplate future decisions.

"Deaded"

Shaun is speaking of the things he was raised on while holding secrets meant to stay with him until he's in the grave. Going off listing the goals he's needing to accomplish before being buried 6 feet which is where his mindset is at, he knows life will end, but he won't go broke, and I can feel that to the fullest.

"Swine" feat HVN

This single was the only one released well before the album was out, so many listeners got to resonate with it already, but it still holds up as the ultimate fuck you the crooked pigs in badges. Middle fingers to the lawful powers that roam the street killing innocent people, we mourn the lost and demand justice with a mighty fist, and if needed, violence will be necessary.

"Fatboylarry"

The last track off the tape stands alone of being the anchoring of your journey throughout the project, and this single has to be my favorite. This track mimics the ways that Westside Gunn works, being a belligerent wordsmith over harmonious production while spitting some of the most lethal lines that don't feel like he's rapping but venting. The beat is what gives it that ability to sounds so soulful yet so aggressive.

Before we go, we attempted to walk into the pearly gates with open arms but didn't have tickets to enter. Waiting for us at the doors was Fatboyshaun, who shared ways to get into Heaven on short notice; here's how the discussion went.

Q: First off, the title of the album “Scalping Tickets To Get To Heaven” is such a fire title, where did the inspiration come from to naming it this?

A: Yeah honestly I know a lot of artist work on a project or a piece of work and then title it based off the cohesiveness or consistent themes, but the title “Scalping Tickets To Get To Heaven” came to me before I even started the process of working on this project. I was my ma dukes first child, she was 16 when she had me soon after she also gave birth to my brothers Marcus and Antonio. They were like back to back births not twins or nun, but they passed as infants to some shit called sids or sum like that, basically they suffocated in their sleep. Since then I have always told myself I would do whatever I gotta do to get back to them. “Scalping Tickets To Get To Heaven” means something different to each person, its up for individual interpretation. What would you do to get to heaven and be back with your passed love ones?

Q:I think the intro is the most important part of a project and I like on sttgth, you share more intimate emotions with yourself and the growth you’ve experienced so far to make you the person you are today, what was the feeling like making the record? What was going through your mind?

A: The intro is my homie @Phakehawaii basically just talking his shit, its a skit and he killed it. I followed the intro with the self titled track, because its exactly what you said me reflecting on things I’ve been through and things im going through, and I felt that was od important to give to anyone that was gonna tune into my project and give me a chance, because up until this point I have never had what’s considered an “official release”. Honestly of all the tracks on the project STTGTH is my overall favorite, because it hurts to listen to. It was raw emotion. Im not a vulnerable person I don’t speak on my problems, I was raised to deal with that shit and keep it to yourself, cause when you let people know what you going through they got the upper hand on you and I just can’t operate like that. But in the music its different I can say how I truly feel and if you judge me for what I say or have done, then simply fuck you. People always gone love or hate your music and your artistry and to anyone that hate it suck a dick I truthfully don’t care!

Q: I hear throughout the project that many of the record are heavily inspired by the Griselda camp not with the way they sound but the way there delivered, if you could have anyone on that label hop on a remix to any of the tracks who would it be and why?

A: Griselda is crazy, Ive been getting this a lot and I think its cause people just aren’t use to anyone actually rapping anymore…. Rap is so basic and boring now. Not to discredit anyone but that autotune shit not hard son, and if you can actually bar off and flow and that’s what you doin you wasting your potential. But to answer your question I personally get od inspired by Griselda just because they’re transparent with their music its all there for you to hear. I grew up on the grimy east coast shit even though I was raised in the south. My pops put me on doom, nas, jay, and wu tang. So that’s the shit that really get me inspired to flow and rap how I do. If I could get one feature from anyone in Griselda??? thats a though ass decision cause gunn doesn’t miss, benny really washes anyone, and conway made “LULU” bro that’s such a difficult question, lemme get back to you on that one.

Q:What tracks stood out to you the most when making the project and does it still share that same sentiment now?

A: The first song I worked on for this project was “Swine ft. HVN”. That was my favorite song for a while, I received feedback on it from different people and they let me know they wasn’t really feeling the feature, but I work with people I see sum in not people I look up to or none of that shit. If you purchased a physical copy then you probably heard the last track “Ginger Juice” that shit so od g. Banco Ray really did his thing bro we literally just hit the studio for like 2 hours and that shit was made. I was on the way to link with him and needed a beat and my boy Khiry (@FlomaxxRoach) just sent a beat over and it was up from there. FcknDummiez also really stands out, because Jxylen (@_Jxylen) is stupid bro, how he do what he do don’t even make sense to me. Like bro just fr one of the best I’ve ever heard, track (FcknDummiez) just has a feel to it…Make you wanna do some real ignorant shit.

Q:Fckndummiez sounds like the way Rae & Ghost would enter into a record together especially the way you & Jxylen served off raps back & forth, what do you think of that comparison?

A: Crazy comparison… To even be spoke of in that regard is crazy to me, but I am appreciative. Those are goats like solidified legends so for you to even say that is a great feeling. I sent Jxylen that track and he had it back in 24 hours, which honestly is how most of the project worked. The basis of all the work was done in like a month period, the rest just fell into place leading up to drop date.

Q:CuffedGod produced most of the record off the project, what the chemistry like during this tape since I know you worked excessively with him in the past?

A: Cuff my lil cousin. Not blood related but we known each other our whole lives type shit, our families were real close when we was kids and still are to this day. Cuff is a key piece bro, you don’t find many producers at age 16,17,18,19 doin what cuff is doing. He can do it all foreal, he can make any sound you ask him to make. Most times we just lock in at my crib for hours on in and he just do his thing. I make lil suggestions here and there but for the most part our chemistry is locked and he know what he doing, so I just let him do his thing cause shit gone knock regardless.

Q:What is one thing you want someone to take away from hearing this album?

A: Crazy I just had this convo with my pops yesterday… I said it before music is always up for interpretation and I can’t force what I want anyone to think on my fanbase. If you wanted to take anything away from my personal opinion on the project. Just understand ima do what it takes to get where I want to be, my family gotta eat, my niggas gotta eat, and if you not tryna help me eat stay out my way. Also I feel like when anyone (as an artist) tries to push an agenda with their music it becomes unauthentic just take my shit how you want if you like it I love you if you don’t then keep listening to that bubblegum rap shit y’all got it.

Q:I know from last year hearing your “heavyweight freestyle” from it being such a vibrant release to your project now that sounding more grittier, what help made that transition?

A: Shit basically I was in the process of still finding my sound and myself, but don’t get me wrong ive always known I could bar off and say whatever the fuck I want and its gone sound good and nobody in my city could ever out bar me, known that since a jit. I spent a year in LA and during that time I had time to reflect on what I was doin in life and how I was living type shit and one day I just woke and knew I had to give this music shit my all. I think feeling so alone and away from everything I loved and everything I knew put me inna new headset as an artist. Ima quote benny the buthcher “ had to switch it up cause hustling don’t come with a pension” basically im make this rap shit work for me. What you hear now is what you gone hear, I found me, it took along time but we got it now!

Q: Share with me some of the things you added to the cover art of the project, i see you have a few pamphlets of prayers and then two tickets to House Of Rock on there with you headlining the event,, something your speaking into existence for a higher power to hear?

A: Honestly g that wasn’t me. I sent Norrin (@Phakehawaii) the project once It was finished and sent him the pictures cuff took and he did his thing. Not to say I didn’t have a vision, but I believe in the people I work with. I know that if I hit Norrin and tell him “Yo this the idea” he gone go od and make my idea a million times better. Thats how bro operate he a fucking machine bro. When I got the artwork back I was shocked bro, because it was exactly what I wanted without even knowing that’s what I wanted. I like how he incorporated all the angelic symbolism, prayers, and quotes. Truthfully that’s what I was saying on the project “ill do what It takes even if I gotta be evil”, because I don’t believe in religion and all that shit. Religion was created to keep people of color and minorities held back. They created false hope that if you pray and you pray and your pray everything gone work out, because they understand how smart, powerful, and creative we are. They couldn’t let us have access to that knowledge. What im saying on STTGTH is do what you gotta do to get to your paradise, don’t let nobody tell you what you can and can’t do.

Q:I know during the project’s release you dropped the visual to Sttgth, do you have any other visual from the project dropping as well?

A: Nah we moving forward. We did swine last year in LA, then STTGTH here in corpus. My team the strongest team I’ve ever had and we gone keep pushing forward and build off the momentum.

I just wanna say some quick shit and thank yous if y’all don’t mind. First of all thank y’all for having me for this. Thank you Cuff (@Cuffedgod), Thank you Norrin (@Phakehawaii), Thank you Thomas (@Thomasyeets), Thank you Nick (@NuEra_Creative), Thank you Roman (@romanxgabe), Thank you Banco (@BancoFromTx), Thank you Khiry (@FlomaxxRoach), Thank you Stevie (@steviefolarin), and thank you Jaylen (@_Jxylen) . If I missed anyone im sorry. But overall thank you to anyone that helped on this project and help me get this shit done. We just gone keep pushing and build this shit up. I love y’all and couldn’t have don’t it without y’all.