The 42 Dugg Interview: The Quarantine, Detroit Rap Legends, and Being an XXL Freshman Nominee
“I feel like everything I do is from the heart, I don’t do no clout chasin’, none of that fake shit. You gon’ get the real with me every time, you know what I’m sayin’?”
Dion Hayes, popularly known as 42 Dugg was essentially “born in conflict.” Being from the Eastside of Detroit, one of the city’s roughest areas, Dugg landed himself into some legal trouble.
At age 15 he was arrested for carjacking and felony firearms possession, this arrest earned Dugg 4 years in prison but he ended up doing 6 after his sentence was extended for a physical altercation with another inmate.
The rapper was placed into solitary confinement after the altercation, which ended up being the start of his rap career. Writing raps while in solitary confinement is what honed Dugg’s rap skills. In the one hour per day allotted for Dugg to leave confinement, he rapped to his fellow inmates and seemingly gained his first fans.
Although in Dugg’s eyes, the raps weren’t very good. In an interview on the Stewe Show, Dugg admitted that initially when he “had got to writing music, but it was a bunch of bullshit.” In 2018, Dugg began to acknowledge rap as more of a serious career path. In 2018 at the studio with fellow Detroit rapper 42 Twin, 42 Dugg wrote his first breakout single, “Mama I’m Sorry”.
The song is an ode to his mother, who was disappointed to find out his jail sentence had been extended for 2 more years. The rapper went on to release more popular singles like: “The Streets” featuring Babyface Ray and “Stfu” featuring Peezy, EWM Kdoe, Bagboy Mel, Cash Kidd, and EWM Buck.
“11241 Wayburn” and “11241 Wayburn Pt. 2” were two projects that led to Dugg becoming a roster member of both Yo Gotti’s CMG record label, as well as Lil Baby’s 4PF record company in 2019. The signing then prepared Dugg’s Young And Turnt mixtape release.
The rapper earned a feature on “Grace” , the fourth track on Lil Baby’s album My Turn. The track was arguably the best track on the album and this feature caused a great buzz for Dugg’s budding name in the industry.
Despite the fact that 42 Dugg has been rapping for some time now, Young And Turnt seems like a proper introduction to the rapper’s career. I recently got a chance to catch up with Detroit's next star to discuss how he's been handling the quarantine, his hometown of Detroit, and why fans should vote for him as an XXL Freshman. Our conversation, lightly edited for clarity, follows below:
Courtney Fields, StereoVision (CF): What are you up to during quarantine? You still going out or staying in?
42 Dugg: Shit, chillin’ for real. I just moved out just trying to get everything straight with my new house.
CF: I feel like right now Detroit having a sort of resurgence in the rap world. You all have a lot of good artists coming up right now... if you had to make a starting five of some Detroit rappers, who would that include?
42 Dugg: Let’s see… Me, Peezy, Baby Face Ray, Cash Kidd, Big Sean, Dej Loaf, 42 Twin. Haha, I can’t just do five though, Eminem you know? I can’t just do five.
CF: You mention Big Sean, I hear him talk a lot about making sure he reaches out to other Detroit artists, do him or any other artists reach out?
42 Dugg: Big Sean reaches out, I fuck with him. Peezy, Dej Loaf, Cash Kidd too.
CF: You and Yo Gotti are very close, I know he’s a great businessman, do you see yourself following that blueprint maybe in a few years? Or are you already working towards being bigger than just rap?
42 Dugg: Man hell yeah! I’m really trying to follow his model right now. I want to do some different things outside of rap, anything really. I’m really just trying to stay focused with rap right now though, just staying in the studio.
CF: Detroit Rap has a very distinctive sound, all the rappers are very lyrical and don’t really follow any trends that are hot among most rappers. I see that in your music as well, do you think that’s a result of being from Detroit, or are you just a guy who’s always gonna be himself despite the circumstances?
42 Dugg: Shit, both… you know I’m from Detroit but it’s like, I’m still gonna be me regardless at the end of the day.
CF: Any guilty pleasures? Any specific brand or item you can’t stop buying?
42 Dugg: Ha, Amiri’s and white Air Force Ones lows, yeah, I’m obsessed with those two. Moncler, Off-White, I’m obsessed with all that, I gotta have all that.
CF: Who are some rappers you wish to work with?
42 Dugg: I’ll work with anybody, anybody who fuck with me. I’m not really just trying to be picky you know, anyone who rock with my music.
CF: When you signed with both Yo Gotti and Lil Baby, was it more a shocking feeling, or were you ready to get to work?
42 Dugg: Both, it doesn’t really shock me now cause they’re my guys now. It’s just like being around all the guys.
CF: Lastly, I know you’re currently in the running to be an XXL Freshman… congrats by the way. Why should fans vote for you?
42 Dugg: Appreciate you... I think fans should vote for me cause I'm turnt... you know what I’m sayin’, I make good music. I feel like everything I do is from the heart, I don’t do no clout chasin’, none of that fake shit. You gon’ get the real with me every time you know what I’m sayin’?
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