Levi’s recently partnered up with Snoop Dogg, a long-time friend of Levi’s®, to launch a project at the YMCA’s Youth Institute in his hometown of Long Beach, California. Levi restored their music studio, brought in more equipment, invited the elite Grammy-winning musicians and producers behind 1500 Sound Academy and had none-other than Snoop Dogg himself teach a hands-on masterclass in musical production and business.
Why did you want to help the YMCA’s Youth Institute?
It’s great that we can lend our professionalism to inspire and hopefully help these youths get to where they need to get in this field. The more information you have, the better you’ll be on and off the field, meaning in life in general.
Why did you want to partner with Levi’s® to make it happen?
First of all, I’ve been rocking Levi’s® before I met Levi’s®. As in, Levi’s® has been a part of my family before I even knew they were my family. And then once we forged a relationship and became family, it only made sense for me to do things like this. And the Levi’s® Music Project already had this partnership with the Youth Institute that’d been established with Vince Staples before. I was just tapping back into it.
Why is it important to you to come back to your hometown of Long Beach and give back to the local community?
We didn’t have a center like the Youth Institute when I was learning to make music. We just had imagination. I’ve always wanted to do something in Long Beach to help the kids that are cut from that same cloth as me. There’s a room full of greatness right there. Long Beach breeds greatness. That’s just what it is.
What is the importance of learning and dedication to being successful in music?
If it’s something that you love, you’re gonna be dedicated to it. Nobody has to push you, nobody has to coach you, nobody has to make you do it. You have to be disciplined enough to know that.
Are there lessons that you learned in making music that applies to other aspects of your life, like in your business ventures?
Yeah, I learned that I can multitask. That I didn’t have to just be the best or the dopest rapper, that I could be the best businessman, too. I could be the best football coach and the best father. I could be the best at whatever I wanted to be. I just had to put my mind to it.
