Mook, Myko McFly, and Vee are young, ambitious, and jumping head first into the rap game like a diver with no regard for safety. F.L.Y., aka Fast Life Yungstaz, are sweeping the nation with a new dance craze, taking listeners, young and old, on a sonic ride with their smash hit, “Swag Surfin’.”
The Atlanta natives aren’t concerned with the cut-throat business of selling records. They’re focusing their time and energy on making good music. While in New York City on a humid summer day, flossing iced-out wrist watches, answering e-mails on their BlackBerry Storms, and rocking Los Angeles Lakers fitteds in honor of Kobe Bryant, staging-rapup.kinsta.cloud sat down with the trio to discuss which new jacks they’d like to collaborate with, what they think of the Big Apple, and the gem of advice that L.A. Reid instilled upon them.
1. Who are some of your favorite artists?
Vee: We’re more into older artists like Sam Cooke, The Isley Brothers, Stevie Wonder, and Earth, Wind, & Fire.
2. “Swag Surfin'” is a hot track! Have any of you ever been surfing for real?
Mook: Hell no! There is no water in Atlanta. Maybe when we go to L.A., I’ll try it. I can’t swim, but I’m down for new challenges.
3. What was the first thing L.A. Reid told you as a group?
McFly: He told us that no matter how everything works out, as far as music, to stay in school and finish our education. He wanted us to realize that music isn’t the end-all, be-all.
4. How does it feel to know that the Atlanta Hawks adopted your song as their theme for the playoffs?
Mook: It was a great feeling, and not to downplay the Hawks, because that’s our home squad, but when we were told LeBron [James] was feeling the track, we were way more hyped! We like to believe the Hawks got swept because the “Chosen 1” liked our song so much.
5. Being from the South, how do you compare that scene to the bright lights of New York City?
Vee: Down South, we like to take it slow, take our time with life. But New York is crazy. It’s like Nascar mixed with a war zone.
6. If you guys weren’t rappers, what would you be doing with your lives?
McFly: Probably playing baseball and going to school for drafting.
Vee: I’d be playing sports and working on my degree to be a football coach.
Mook: I would have been McFly and Vee’s agent, Jerry Maguire style, of course.
7. What’s some advice you can give to younger artists coming up?
Mook: Record everything! You never know what you might see or hear after the fact. You could have a [song] in your archives of music that could end up a hit five years from now. But if it didn’t get recorded, it will never be that hit.
8. If you could collaborate with one artist, who would it be?
Vee: André 3000
McFly: Drake
Mook: Jeremih
9. What’s the first thing you purchased with some of your newfound money?
Mook: McFly and Vee spent their first checks on flossin’. I decided to buy some new rims for my Crown Vic.
10. This is a tough business. How do you stay motivated through the trials and tribulations?
Vee: We try not to let problems interfere with our work, but having a sound support staff makes it easier to deal with issues. Being able to call mom at any time of the night is a necessity to any MC.
F.L.Y.’s debut album Jamboree is available now featuring the hit single “Swag Surfin’.”
–Bilal Morris