Following the shooting death of buzzing Atlanta rapper Bankroll Fresh last year, No Plug became public enemy number one in the eyes of many. That became even more noticeable once he did an interview with Vlad TV where he shared his story of what happened that night and said he fired the fatal shot out of self-defense.
Individuals around the slain rapper’s camp weren’t happy about the interview including Bankroll Fresh’s uncle, Marvin Shadi Powers, VP of Digital Marketing for Street Money Worldwide. Powers wrote an open letter to DJ Vlad calling him a “culture vulture” for the interview with No Plug.
Since then, various news outlets have released surveillance footage from the shooting that so far seems backup No Plug’s claim of self-defense.
One rapper that’s remained by No Plug’s side is 21 Savage, who has defended his homie throughout the whole controversy.
AD LOADING...
When HipHopDX’s Associate Producer Ural Garrett caught up with No Plug at The Luxe City Center Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles, he said this about his relationship with 21 Savage who brought him along on his Issa Tour alongside Young M.A.
“[21 Savage] is like my little brother,” said No Plug. “I learned the work ethic. Like he works like a muthafucka. He goes to the studio when we’re in the studio around two to three times a week. He’ll stay in the studio from eight to five. He engineers and make beats. Like he made a beat on Culinary Arts and he does a lot of shit. He’s a lot of motivation for real. He was here last year and he’s here this year. He on another level.”
During the interview, No Plug said that though the first couple of months after the shooting were tense, public perception of him has gotten better since the security cam footage was released.
“It’s way better,” he said. “During the Hi-Horsed Tour, it took me to another level and now we have this tour. It was worse at first, but it’s gotten way better.
AD LOADING...
Looking back, he did admit to receiving threats through social media and feeling remorseful for being involved in a shooting that took away someone that he once considered a friend.
“It really was a whole bunch of Instagram/Twitter little kids who didn’t know what was going on,” said No Plug. “It wasn’t no real street niggas that was making threats to my life or some shit. You can’t get that involved with you because they don’t know me and his situation and how close we really was. It’s cool. I miss that nigga, though.”
On the music side of things, No Plug is planning to release a mixtape soon titled Culinary Arts featuring guest appearances from Offset and Ralo among others. The project is also in honor of Shawty Lo who died in a tragic car accident in 2016.
