Rising from Athens, Georgia, 18-year-old rapper Lil Darius is igniting the hip-hop scene with his undeniable talent and relentless dedication. With a growing buzz, he’s poised to make a impact on the rap game.
What was it like growing up in a place like Athens, GA?
It was cool; it wasn’t too bad. It wasn’t rough, like how everyone says it is. It was cool. But it was just like every day was the same thing. You get up every day and try to do something, make some money, do stuff like that. It really wasn’t a lot to do, though. Not a lot of recreational things.
What did you end up doing for fun in such a slow-paced environment?
We were playing basketball all the time, having little football games in the neighborhood, but in ninth grade, things got different. That’s when we started learning the real value of money. We used to try to do whatever we could. That’s when we started gambling, and doing whatever had to do.
It appears as though you started to blow up young. Did you have any difficulties growing up so quickly?
Not really, I guess you can say my fanbase is older. They’re young, so they’ll go to clubs and things of that nature. But it wasn’t that bad.
Do you feel like it was easier for you to transition into doing more grown-up stuff?
Yeah, for sure. Because I’m around so many adults it also makes it easier. My fanbase might be younger, but doing adult stuff is just normal to me.
When you were coming up was there anyone there to help you get connections and make a name for yourself?
Not really, I didn’t have any co-signs, if that’s what you’re asking. Nah, not really. Me and my managers built this ourselves, me and my team that I got. I got a great team. I’m grateful for my team, but just having like rap partners or rap friends, no. I ain’t have none of that. It was harder for me and my team to do everything by myself.
How old were you when you decided to take this seriously and make this your career?
Probably like sixteen or seventeen. What really made me take it seriously was when I signed. When I signed I was like “you really don’t got no choice but to put your foot on the pedal”. So guess when I signed it just made me take off.. When it comes to the steps I took, I used to try to stay consistent, stay in the studio a lot. I was always in the studio.
Coming from a small town in Georgia, did you ever have an interest in making a name for yourself in a bigger city like ATL? If so, can you describe those connections you’ve made with local ATL artists?
I just feel like you have to most definitely work with people to grow. Because you have to see their fans, grab their fans, see if their fans gravitate toward you. The artist I really hooked up with in ATL was AntiTheMenace, Huncho; that’s my dog too. We all hooked up and we are just all doing our own little thing in ATL right now.
Would you consider yourself lucky, or do you think you got to where you are by being exceptional?
It wasn’t luck, I could tell you that. Everything was hard work, and I’m still trying to work hard. Nothing was given to me and nothing just happened to come. Everything was hard work. I had to work like every bit of the way.
Did you see any of this success coming, or was it a surprise to you?
I didn’t really see it coming. Like you said, it came out of the blue for sure. Like one day you’re working with your friends, and then the next day, you meet someone who could change your life. It just so happened to occur and I’m grateful for it.
Growing up, who were some people that inspired you to take the path you are on now?
Early ages were probably like T.I., Lil Wayne, and Jeezy. But this is just what I used to listen to growing up. Once I got older and gravitated towards a style, I guess you could; it was Lil Baby, Future, and Drake. They were the main ones that took a toll on me for sure.
Are there any co-signs that have made you feel like you made it? Or are you still waiting for more recognition from the community?
I really am waiting on more recognition, but I did get a tad bit of co-sign from (Lil)Baby, and he’s my favorite artist. He followed me (on social media), I bumped into him one time and he told me, “He going you hard!”. Shot a little comment under my video. Stuff like that, makes you feel good. Just like somebody taking me under their wing and being like, “Y’all gotta go mess with him, he hard!” I ain’t really had that yet. Not from a big-name artist, no.
You have worked with some pretty prolific artists at such a young age. Do you feel like older rappers have made an effort to uplift you and your career?
For sure, when they get on songs with me and they do their thing, that’s for sure showing me love. But like I said, just taking a big brother hug on me. I don’t feel like I’ve had that yet. I don’t feel like anyone came and shouted me out. I. Dot could change someone’s career for sure. But I don’t think I’ve gotten that yet.
Detroit rappers are really getting a lot of shine right. How was it to work with artists such as Peezy & Babyface Ray?
One of my managers is very close to Helluva. They’re cousins, so they’re locked in with each other. Helluva always supported me. He’s a super producer, for sure. Looking back, I can say he is someone that has come out and publicly supported me. When I’m in ‘the D’, I’m always good. So Helluva just plugged me in with a few different artists, and it just worked.
It was fun and they’re older dudes, so they were throwing me some game on the low. We might not be around each too long, but when we see each other, whether it’s in the streets, or industry events anything, they hold me down for sure and I really appreciate that. Both of them are real. I mess with Detroit heavy.
How old were you when you started going out to Detroit and making moves out there?
Detroit was the first place I flew to outside of Georgia. I went to Detroit when I was like 16. ItNovember. was in December or November. I went with Helluva and we made like ten songs in like two days, two four-hour sessions, me and Helluva went crazy. He really showed me love out there. He took me to my first strip club and everything it was lit. Detroit is definitely a second home.
You have a song called “Feelin Like Rylo,” do you two have any collaborations planned for the future?
Yeah, we’ll most definitely lock in. We do have a song, though, called “Regular.” I made that song before I even met bro. I used to just love how he raps, and loved his punchlines, so when I made the song, it was just me telling everyone that I could do different stuff. He liked the song too. When I met him; when he and I made our first song together, he told me he heard the song before and he thought it was hard.
Kiara Coleman
