S. Samuel
It appears Atlanta's Waka Flocka Flame is postponing retirement plans heading into 2012 with the announcement of a sophomore album in the works and aim to be next year's biggest artist.
If all goes accordingly, Flocka will begin crunching in serious studio time over the next few months.
“It felt like a rushed project. I’m going to do it first quarter (2012) because I need to put my all into it,” Waka Flocka continued on his recently pushed back album, “Triple F Life.” “I felt like I was trying to please the label and not the people that really listen to the music.” Flocka also hinted at another breakthrough guest spot on his upcoming album: DMX. “I’m trying to put a song together with DMX; he needs to get back on the scene!” With 2011 drawing to a close, Waka Flocka offered a bold prediction for the new year. “I’m gonna be the No. 1 artist of the year. That’s not a prediction, that’s a fact!” he proclaimed. (Billboard)
Last month, Flocka confirmed reports suggesting he linked up with former Death Row Records owner Suge Knight for career advice.
“Suge is just here because I just grab game from Suge,” Waka explained in an interview. “[He’s] just giving me the game from a guy that had a multi-million dollar company. He’s showing me this, this and this. He’s showing me the mistakes he made so I don’t make the same mistakes. I’m just getting game from him. He’s just a real n*gga so I’m just saluting him. To tell you the truth, I wasn’t looking [for a West Coast co-sign and fans]. Like, ‘I got Suge, I got the West Coast.’ … I wasn’t looking at it like that but it comes with it.” (Hip Hop News 24/7)
Earlier this year, Flocka said a lack of motivation to maintain a rap career steered him into planning retirement.
“That’s absolutely true,” Flocka said, confirming his retirement tweet. “The game as a whole is fake. I’m tired of just going through what I go through and then at the end of the day, the forecast is always rain. It always rains on my world. It’s so many different haters, fake smiles, fake hugs, so to prevent myself from doing anything, I’d just rather quit. I’d rather work at Walmart than rap and that’s my word on God. Yup. I’ll put that on Jesus Christ, I ain’t lying. It’s something I could never explain because people aren’t living this lifestyle. So at the end of the day, people living the lifestyle can probably understand why I’m doing it. At the end of the day, I’m just doing it for my friends and my family, get them straight and then it’s over for me.” (V-103)
Following the announcement, SOHH hit up Flocka’s mentor/rapper Gucci Mane for his take on the retirement talk.
“Me just being honest, I’m one of Waka’s biggest fans,” Gucci added when asked if he believes Waka will really retire by 2012. “I’m a huge fan of his music, you know what I’m saying? Me just being a fan and seeing how he is when he goes into the studio, I would hate for him to stop rapping because I like what he’s doing. Every song he’s every made, I’ve liked. He goes hard. So I would hate for him to leave the game because I think he’s bringing a whole new thing to the rap game. He’s got his own style.” (SOHH)
Waka Flocka Flame’s Triple F Life is slated to drop in 2012.
Check out a recent Waka Flocka Flame interview below:
