Grip talks about the new album “IDFT!?”, Eminem collaboration, and more in a new interview.
Many fans, especially outside the United States, were unaware of Grip’s previous work and the skillset that drew Eminem’s interest when Shady Records announced the addition of a new artist to the family in early July. Shady Records’ newest Signee Grip is all set to drop his label debut album “IDFT!?” this week on the 27th. On the project, Grip has multiple collabs, including features from Royce Da 5’9″ and the label boss Eminem. He sat down with Complex for an exclusive long interview, where he details the new project, signing to Shady Records, meeting Eminem, and more.
Complex: When you shared that picture of you and Em together, was that the first meeting? Were you figuring out the deal and talking business or was it more connecting on a personal level and talking about music?
Grip: That was our first in-person meeting. By the time the picture was taken, we had already sealed the deal. I played him the album that day. So I played him the album, met him and Paul for the first time and some of the rest of the team, talked a little shit about everything again. Played the song that I wanted Em to get on. It was cool, it was definitely a full circle moment.
After that announcement, the Eminem fans got on board quickly. That’s another level of literal Stans supporting you. Does that feel good? Is it a little overwhelming or weird at all?
Some shit be weird, some folks are in my DMs trying to find out about Eminem. But for the most part, it’s people like, “Yo, Team Shady, we support him. Can’t wait for the album.” Of course, we have people who feel like, “Oh, they should have signed so-and-so instead.” For the most part it’s dope man, I finally feel anticipation built for when I release music now, which is dope—you always want that. You spend all this time on a project and then you drop the project and nobody’s waiting on the sh*t, you know what I’m saying? So, it’s dope.
Do you feel at all like you now have to cater to a certain type of person or make sure you make something that Shady and Eminem fans are going to like? Or you’re not even thinking about that?
Hell no, hell no. Eminem signed GRIP, you know what I’m saying? He signed me based off of what he heard. He was like, “I’m f**king with everything,” so I ain’t trying to change shit. I’m not going to cater to anyone really, just going to make what I feel is good music. I’m not pressured by that at all, because at the end of the day I’ve got to cement my own legacy. Eminem’s already done that.
We’ve got to talk about “Walkthrough!” That’s the one with the Eminem feature, and that Em verse is interesting because he’s addressing you directly. He says your name and he’s talking to you, basically warning you about what’s going to come with the success. Did you know that was coming or were you surprised when you heard that?
Oh, no, I was surprised. I think I was on my way to the movies and [my manager] Tigg was like, “Yo, Eminem verse incoming.” And I’m just waiting on it, I’m waiting on it, I’m waiting on it. I keep on refreshing my email like f**k, man. I finally just put my phone in my pocket, I watch the movie, and by the time I get out of the movies the damn verse is there and I listen to it and I’m like, “Oh, shit. He went the f**k off.”
I made that song with Em in mind. And when I played him the album, I just remember him saying that hook is nuts. So, I was like, “Yeah, this is a song I actually wanted you to get on.” In my verse I’m talking about where I come from, what I had to get through to get to this point. Then his sh*t is from a veteran’s perspective, who went through this already and who thought that cash was going to change things, but then he gets into the perils of this sh*t.
We didn’t talk about it beforehand. It sounded like good chemistry, but I’m just glad that he f**ked with it enough to hop on it and give it 32, 40 bars, however long he went. I was excited. That’s huge. The fact that he even mentioned my name, it was one of those things. Now it’s really full-circle. Now I got a track with Eminem. It was a surreal moment.
With that verse, it was like I pulled something out of him. I’m excited for the fans to hear that, I feel like the song is dope as hell. Hopefully that’s a fan favorite—of course, it’ll probably the biggest song. Not probably, it will be the biggest song I’ve done so far, for sure.
It will all be worth it when his debut solo album on a major label is released. When it comes to great things in the future, Grip isn’t holding his breath. It goes against everything he has learned in his life.
Check out the full interview here.
Here’s a preview of our interview with @Grip_SS about his Shady Records debut, I Died For This!?, that will be in a very special newsletter this week.
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