What exactly happened at the party?

I was threatened by others. Someone I so-called look up to. Saying, “We gon fuck you up the next time we see you.” And I was like, “Let me stop being me.” I started to go back to, “I’m just gonna go eat anything, and just be hiding myself and shit.” And then I was like, “No! I’m not doing that no more! I don’t give a fuck! I’m — me.” And that’s what led me to coming out and shit.

This was in New York, right?

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It was in the middle of the goddamn afterparty at the Up&Down club. Everybody that was in there was in there. I’m in here around these Vanguard Awards and I’m accepted and I took pictures with Chainsmokers and G-Eazy and everybody and we all friends. And I’m here in the middle of the floor, no security, and they coming and I just step to the side and they see me and stop and the biggest motherfucker in the game goes, woo woo woo, “Next time I’ma fuck you up!”

And all security and everybody stop like, “What the fuck.” And the guys with me was like, “What you do?!”

I don't have nothing to say. All I did was smile. And I guess they took that as a threat. I was confused, like, “It can’t be little old me. I’m just a goddamned old record from way back when. What the fuck am I doing causing stresses and pains?”

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It was a big group of people approaching you?

Around all that security, the dude that’s doing it — we have a platinum-selling record together! The guy! The leader of the crew! This a nice VMA party, bruh. This ain’t no little back alley on the southside of Atlanta. Do you think I’m on some let’s buck shit?

I guess it came back from my freestyle, from that Tim Westwood. When I’m rapping, people think I’m throwing shots. I ain’t rapped no names! All I did was rap!

What’d you do next, after the incident?

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I was like, Let me go ahead and withdraw and put something out [on Twitter] in case some shit ever happen to me. ‘Cause everybody did see that, but I know everybody so scared of those motherfuckers that if anything did happen to me they’d just be like, “Yhh.” Then I went back to L.A., and then I moved here to Portland. [Pause] And if I look at your track record — when I was really in the streets selling dope you was on the goddamn TV screen-acting. I just met you on a song together and then y’all acted funny style on me. Or maybe I acted funny style on y’all. But somehow our relationship didn’t work out, and then the next time I saw you again you tried to threaten me.

What was the last time you saw Drake before that?

I’ve only seen him probably like three times. I’ve never been able to bring him out on stage and do my song featuring him. I’ve only been able to go feature on his stage with my song. Other than that, and at the [“Tuesday”] video, it ain’t no convo. Because the tweets and all this land of miscommunication …

You’re talking about the old tweets that surfaced after you broke through, where you had some fun at Drake’s expense. You think that’s made him cut off communication?

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I mean, that can’t just be it, right? It was before I even knew you. We can get past that. Excuse me for being fucked up in the hood and wanting to be a comedian. While I’m on a goddamn social network. People talk about burning bridges. What did that bridge lead to for me?

How was shooting the video for “Tuesday”?

Business. Boom boom boom, do this and be out. And I’m like, Oh shit, I’m really having real emotion. I’m from the southside and the biggest motherfuckers in the game is fucking with me and my music!

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My brother’s kids, I tried to pull ‘em out of Nickerson Gardens, which is like the bad projects in L.A. Had them stay with me while I was trying to do my music. I’m like, “Listen to grandma! Take care of my dogs! Y’all need to drink more water!” They like, “Fuck you! You fat!” [Laughing] They used to eat me up. That helped with my confidence cause you know you can’t do nothing to a little kid. And of course their favorite artist was Drake. And then the song came out and they like, “Whaaaaaat! Makonnen!!!” Then they started listening to me. I told Drake that story when I first met him. And he was like, “Ha.”

Where was that first meeting? At his Calabasas place?

Yeah. It was a dream come true. And then, Wow, its actually kind of sad up here. I’m in this pool and I’m the only person swimming and shit. And he had to go back on tour. I was like, Oh, he probably tired as fuck. He don’t have time to enjoy any of this shit. That’s probably why he giving me time. He working! I get it man. He definitely hard-working. I give him the utmost respect.