One day, walking through the Bronx streets, I just realized that people were stopping me, taking pictures, and noticing me from across the street. I can't even use public transportation anymore, so I kind of stopped going places and started going straight to the studio, going home, and telling people I can't go anywhere anymore.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I had to realize that you can't try to get money, support yourself, and grind doing whatchu need to do at the same time. The music is the grind. You really gotta grind. You gotta find your way around. You can't be stuck tryna get there.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

When I was 13, before I got in high school, I was writing mad raps. I didn't really know if it was good or not, so for a year, I just held them. When I got in high school, I started spittin' bars.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I found my sound through exploring. I was in the studio yelling, going low, trying things, and that's how I found that I have a lot of sounds.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Even though I can't dance, that's, like, the one thing I wished I could do growing up. I used act like I was MJ, doing the moonwalk, tip toes, leg kick, all that.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I pick and choose what I want to put on what. Instead of just dropping a single, I like putting projects together.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Me and Tory Lanez got good chemistry together. We could make a song so easy, but we always like to figure out what we're really doing. We can make a good song, but it gotta make sense.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Growing up in Highbridge was real. Me and all my friends, we never really went to any other places in the Bronx but Highbridge. We always just stayed in Highbridge. It was like territory, to be honest, because Highbridge is like a town.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Some of my songs are turnt up, but that's just 'cause I have to make 'em like that so the clubs can play them.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I started off throwing out 'Artist.' I made that my first mixtape. Then, I threw out 'TBA,' which means 'To Be Announced.'

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

This is the most fun thing in the world to me, making music. Sitting down, I can make songs and not leave the booth, ever, and I love it.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Highbridge - everybody rap in Highbridge; everyone grew up rappin' or playing basketball.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Yin Very Up

You can't say I don't sound like a N.Y. rapper - it's because I don't wanna sound like nobody else.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

You Wanna Use

If it wasn't for the Internet, I don't know where I'd be.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Where T Now

2017 was crazy when I made the 'Freshman' cover 'cause I looked up to it, and I really wanted to be in it. It was motivation for me after that: I kept on going, and I grinded.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Wanted Want Use

Everybody was always telling me to rap and freestyle. I used to go to the park and spit on the mic. If I go to the park, they always gonna give me the mic.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Ways Way Very

I wasn't really comfortable going to college.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Table T Really

You always gonna feel me. That's my main thing. When I'm speaking in my music, you gotta feel me.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Music You Ways

People's hustle in the Bronx is real.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Us T Real

One day, walking through the Bronx streets, I just realized that people were stopping me, taking pictures, and noticing me from across the street. I can't even use public transportation anymore, so I kind of stopped going places and started going straight to the studio, going home, and telling people I can't go anywhere anymore.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Home Art Where

Partnering up with the Monster Energy Outbreak Tour marks a milestone moment in my career.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Mom Men Car

My first mixtape especially - that came from a heartbreak.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I was trying to make my name just Artist in the beginning, but it was weird at first, because I wasn't an R&B singer or nothing. Not an R&B singer. I didn't do no melodic songs, none of that yet.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I was always writing, since I was, like, 12.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I never knew Artist was going to get this big. When I was making it, I put my all into it. But you never know what's going to happen with something you make.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

A lot of people don't know that: that Artist is my name.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

New York sounds like something that I could really listen to. It's like a vibe; it's a hit song. It's a song that you could listen to in five years and still like.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Everybody should start listening to love songs.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

'Remember the Time' and 'You Rock My World' from Michael Jackson were two of my favorite songs ever. My mom used to bump them all the time.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I was inspired to shoot 'Look Back at It' in a high school because I'm like a voice of the youth. When the youth sees me in a classroom, I want them to be inspired to accomplish their dreams. I was just like them in a classroom at one point. It all starts in a classroom.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I got so many people that have my number. It's crazy. I just don't feel like texting anybody back after I get, like, 30 text messages in three hours. I just be chilling.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Everything I do is me. I don't like taking ideas from people unless they're the G.O.A.T.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Being self-made means putting yourself in position to help others put themselves in position to be successful.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I can't even lie: Sometimes, I be antisocial.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

No matter where I'm at in life, whether I'm in the music industry, rich, poor, everybody need love in their life. Gangsta or not, everybody need love in their life. You can't act too hard about that.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Every time I step on stage an' see all of the lights or hear fans singing the words to my songs ,it's a surreal moment for me.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Perfecting your craft is one of the main keys in being successful.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Why do you think my name is Artist? I'm an artist.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I just wanna be relevant.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I overloaded myself with work. I give myself work to do so I don't give myself time to chill and have free time to chill with the family as much.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I'm not really worried about the flashy stuff. I don't got chains and cars. I spend what I need to spend. It doesn't faze me.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

My mom is proud of me. My pops proud of me. Everybody keeps motivating me.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I look at goals, like, what do I want to do and where do I want to see myself. What position to I want to be in going forward.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Its crazy: my name is Artist, and I dead can't even paint.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I don't wanna learn about more science and math. That's not why I'm going to college.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I want people to really recognize that this is what I am naturally good at: I'm really good at making music and describing your feelings vicariously through my experiences, through my past and my future. I want people to relate to me in multiple ways and be versatile in my music.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

I'm not really rocking with mixtapes no more. EPs and albums - that's it.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

'A' comes from Artist. And 'Boogie' from the Bronx. 'The Hoodie' part came from just having a hoodie on a lot.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Having a daughter made my music, I guess, more meaningful. It made me see more of life when I had my daughter.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

If you listen to me, it's real stories. It's catchy and something you can relate to.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien

Me and Thugger could make nine songs in a day and then choose which songs we like the most and think is gonna do something. With other people, it's like, we pick one song, and we hope it's the one.

A Boogie wit da Hoodien