[When I made the class]my lawyer called me. He was like, “I’m watching XXL freshman.” I thought, “Who?” I don’t even know who the brother is talking about, call me and talk about him watching one. He’s like, ‘You, my guy. You won. This makes me feel good because I know it’s not a lot from my jurisdiction or from where I’ve been since. I don’t even think anyone in Stockton did that.
[On the way to the XXL cover shoot]We drove for about 20 hours… [Editor’s note: Before he was arrested in Arkansas on two counts of possession of a controlled substance, one count of criminal use of a prohibited weapon and one count of theft by receiving]. ni ** A was disappointed, but it could be worse. My situation was worse, and in my heart, I knew I was going to do something productive. So it’s true, nothing can ruin my spirit.
God always finds a way to get ni ** through the door. I’m still doing this. I feel like I’ve finished that drive. My heart is real, so I just know that nothing will stop this part of my life.
[I was excited for] Freestyle and being able to leave Stockton because I was never without a place. So it’s really just leaving. Just like, once ni **a remaining cali, just pressure ni **a shoulders, muthaf **kas don’t ask you sh*t. I really want to leave more experience because it’s a lot of Muthaf **kas, or see it here, or experience it with Ni **a here. Therefore, I feel that I am selfish not taking advantage of opportunities.
Even if a ni **a encounters all these obstacles throughout his life – to go to prison, lose people and sh*t, it’s like ni ** short end without sticks. I’m still finishing it. [Being a Freshman is important for me] Showing to ni ** is possible because ni **a comes from nothing. A ni ** really has nothing. So for people, let me pick it out of everyone, that’s what makes it cherished.
I love my fans [for voting me into the XXL Freshman 10th Spot]. I and my fans rocked, just like they rocked for me. So that’s why they support this. I don’t perform Boogie. I will never switch it. Just like they looked at my story. They saw the altitude. I feel like they just want to go with me where my story goes, and I will go with them my dead brother. That’s very tight.
[When my fans see me on the cover]they go crazy because they will be like “ni ** still making money from prison”. I should have been this young boy never broke the tour again because in prison, ni ** a ** a can’t do that. You will automatically know that when ni ** goes down, they think it’s over. So once they see a ni **a still here, like yes, don’t count a ni **a. ni **Make history, die. ” – Joey Echevarria
