While incarcerated in 2014, Mozzy made a list of things he wanted when he got out: an SUV, two or three chains, a cool little duck-off spot, $50,000 in cash, and $50,000 in the bank. Shortly after his release, the Sacramento-born rapper blew past all of those, thanks to income from album sales, song features, and show money. So he set new goals, including plans to continue feverishly releasing music, to solidify his greatness, and to ensure a secure future for his daughter. “My hunger is everlasting,” he said from his Hollywood porch during a recent FaceTime conversation. “I’m foaming at the mouth. I believe it belongs to me.”

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For the past year, Mozzy, 28, has been enjoying each and every second of life in Los Angeles. His new place is six hours from his hometown neighborhood of Oak Park, where his time in the street provided him with an abundance of stories to tell through song. Born Timothy Patterson, Mozzy has been rapping since the age of 14, first making a name for himself in Sacramento as Lil Tim. While his parents dealt with addiction and their own incarceration, he was raised by his grandmother, who owned multiple properties around Sacramento. Even after he built relative buzz at home, he didn’t think a sustainable music career was in the cards. “Don’t nobody feel this hunger,” he said, like he was placing himself back in that time. “Don’t nobody recognize this talent. Don’t nobody recognize this sincerity.”