New Orleans-bred rapper Kidd Kidd, can easily attest to his importance in the rap game as far back as the early 2000s. Back then, he signed deals with Lil Wayne and Young Money, as well as 50 Cent’s G-Unit record label, before founding his own imprint.
Now, he is gearing up to release his highly anticipated Street Fame LP. In the process, he is opening up about his decade long journey as one of the Big Easy’s most respected MCs.
Connecting with J. Cole Through Sqad Up Crew
Originally, Kidd Kidd broke onto the scene in 2002 thanks to Lil Wayne and the Sqad Up crew. Since then, he has gone on to release 11 solo albums since 2011. Not to mention, Sqad Up delivered at least six mixtape releases between 2002 and 2003.
In an Instagram post, Kidd Kidd writes about the legacy he, T-Streets, Gudda Gudda and their associates left on the game during the Sqad Up era. He recalls the first time he met J. Cole in New York and how Cole expressed his fandom of the crew and their unique sound.
“Dope story first time I met @realcoleworld up at Quad Studios in New York he told me how he was a fan of me since Sqad Up days and he rapped my whole pay for it freestyle. Dat shit blew my mind cause I was like my n- I’m a fan of u #legendary or Nutin btw Kendrick Lamar did the same thing but hey what do I kno StreetFame coming soon,” he wrote in the caption of the post.
Kidd Kidd has also collaborated with several major artists including the late rapper, Young Dolph. In 2018, they worked together on his track, “Right On Time,” from his album, Unquestionable. In 2015, the NOLA rapper appeared on the XXL Freshman Class cover. He stood alongside artists such as Vince Staples, Fetty Wap, K Camp and Shy Glizzy, among others.
Street Fame & The Rollout of Reallionaire Records
After nearly a decade of grinding in the music industry, Kidd Kidd decided that it was time to start his own label. Having experienced what it was like to release music independently and through the infrastructure of a major label deal, he knew what it would take to get his label, Reallionaire Records (RLLNR Records) started. After delivering three projects in 2020, he released his 12-song album Real Is Rare, last year.
Right now, he is currently gearing up for the release of his highly anticipated Street Fame album. His latest single, “Crooks” is just a teaser to what he’s cooking up for the next project.
Kidd Kidd’s Beginnings As A Young Money Artist
In a new interview with the Atlanta-based media outlet Diverse Mentality Podcast, Kidd Kidd speaks to the hosts, Quake and Vito, about several of the milestones of his journey including being recruited for Young Money. Along with his experiences with Drake, Nicki Minaj and Tyga, becoming at odds with 50 Cent, forming Sqad Up, nearly signing a deal with JAY-Z and more.
The massive two-hour-plus interview illustrates the full scope of Kidd Kidd’s career in never-before-seen fashion. The former Gudda Gudda and Bobby Valentino collaborator even discusses the highs and lows of his life including the near-fatal shooting. The incident left him wounded by six shots and occurred right after he initially met 50 Cent in 2011. They also discuss the role he played in one of Lil Wayne’s defining hits — his 2008 anthem, “Mrs. Officer.”
Watch the clip in full below and revisit the uncut interview in its entirety here.
