A wise man once said “Real hustlers don’t stop, they keep going“, and who better to personify this notion of outworking the competition than Trap Babyz Ent. CEO, Ganja Mann.
The Detroit native finds comfort in penning flex-rap prose over uptempo production as a means to control the vibe with regard to his emergence in rap. Musically, he’s managed to swing collaborations with the likes of Freebandz Casino, Young Dolph and most recently Pop Lord – a complement to the trap aesthetic associated with his rhyme scheme.
While serving as a catalyst for the streets, Ganja Mann is also a resourceful business owner and entrepreneur.
Not only does he spearhead the role as CEO of his own label, Ganja Mann’s entrepreneurial ventures also taps into the realm of both production and trucking. Moreover, Trap Baby Dre – the rapper’s famed moniker – is a pillar of influence outside of the booth, he’s a family man with a loving wife and daughter.
At first glance, with some assistance from synthesized beat production, he embodies a hustler’s mien – but when the pen disconnects from the pad, Ganja Mann is rewriting the narrative on how to define black excellence by the streets standards. However, he’s never glorified growing up impoverished or blaming his teachers for saying he would never be shit. Much rather, all it took was faith and a steadfast work ethic.
“I just got faith“, says Ganja Mann. “I was rapping, working different jobs and hustling – I just got a good work ethic“, he continues.
Ganja Mann’s highly-anticipated, self-titled project is slated to release later this year and InYaEarHipHop had the opportunity to house a conversation with the Birmingham breadwinner. In this over-the-phone interview, we unpacked his laudable work ethic, navigating the ever-changing music industry and more.
Our conversation follows below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnwL6nX9TxE
Respectfully, is it Trap Baby Dre or Ganja Mann?
When I first came out , before I started taking things seriously, I was tryna push my own stuff, just being from Birmingham. My name was Trap Baby Dre, the Ganja Mann.
Now that I’m taking it seriously and learning what you supposed to do, it’s straight Ganja Mann.
TrapBaby is my label, my real name is Dre.
Talk to me about your imprint Trap Babyz Entertainment
I got the paperwork, EIN, like all that done back in 2014. It’s just me and my brothers, we trap babies you feel me. Whether you grew up like that or whether you trapped in the mind, just being a product of your environment – thinking this is it.
We found a way to get out of that, we was trap babies forreal.
I understand that you rep Birmingham, but you were originally born in Detroit, Michigan. All things considered, what was it like growing up in the Motor City?
It was very cold fasho. You gotta be a strong person to survive that.
It was just me and my moms, pops was in the military. I probably moved to eighty different houses during my lifetime in Detroit.
I was living with my moms and we struggled like regular people, battling ups and downs.
What was the transition like going from Detroit to Birmingham?
Birmingham still the city, it’s just more like a suburban Detroit. I ain’t even gone act like I stayed in the projects or none of that, but we stayed in the hood.
I definitely stayed in the hood my whole life, and then my mom started getting better jobs and what not, so we started living in better neighborhoods, I started seeing better.
When I finally moved to Alabama, I was grown – like 18, 19.
What is the exact nature of your relationship with Freebandz Casino? I see that you two have a record together
That’s like my brother.
When I first started coming to Atlanta, he was the first artist to ever link up wit me, collab wit me – far as being a street guy.
That’s my big bro down here. I done pulled up on em’ at the gas station, everything.
He done helped a nigga out, fasho put niggas on.
Dee325booking, he fasho hooked that up.
It’s actually interesting that you made reference to Dee, because he works with an artist by the name of Pap Chanel – and you two actually have a song together too right?
Oh yeah, fasho. Pap, that’s like sis right there.
She a competitor though, that’s why I like her – she harder than these rap dudes out here, I ain’t even gon lie.
We got one out right now and that shit doing its thing. One of the DJ’s, he got it on the mixtapes and that muhfucka going crazy, it’s a hard song, it’s called ‘Move It Fast’.
Would you consider yourself an independent artist?
Oh yeah, definitely – I signed myself, I signed with Trap Babyz’.
Point in my asking, a lot of your digital content, specifically the music videos, has amassed hundreds of thousands of views respectively. How have you achieved this level of success while remaining independent?
I just got faith.
Bruh I ain’t even start rapping until I was 24. I thought I was gone be a basketball player and then I thought I was going to be in the army.
I was rapping, working different jobs and hustling – I just got a good work ethic.
I’m a dreamer too, so if you wanna say I knew it was gone happen – yeah, that’s true. I feel like I spoke this into existence anyway, by the grace of God.
Speaking of work ethic, it seems like you’re a jack of all trades. You have a production company, other side hustles and you make music. With all of this in mind, how do you manage to find the balance between being an entrepreneur and your rap career?
Right now, I’m just focused on the music. I treat the music like it’s my job. I try to hit the studio at least 3-4 times a week. I wanna come faster, but I got a family too – I’m married and I got a daughter.
Far as my other companies, I’ve built that up to the point where I don’t have to work it, I’m still making money. Like my trucking company. I don’t drive 18-wheelers, but me and my partner make tons of money, and he’s the driver.
And then I’ve been getting more for a long time, so I know what it feels like to be invested in stuff and saving.
With your working experience stemming from navigating the music industry, what do you feel like has been the most challenging dynamic about being an artist?
Being accepted. When I first started in the industry, being around people – sometimes they don’t accept the new dude that look like he already got it going on.
I’m thinking that’s how we supposed to be, you supposed to come in the game shittin.
When these folks was first seeing me, I got on more jewelry than they do, I’m coming with three-hundred thousand dollars worth of jewelry on me, pulling up in this and that.
I humbled myself, because when I first came in, I thought that’s how it’s supposed to be, that’s how you’re accepted.
You don’t be knowing forreal, if they really fuck wit you or they don’t.
I think we can leave it off here. I don’t have anymore questions for you at this time, but before we go – any closing remarks about your upcoming self-titled mixtape releasing later this year, Ganja Mann.
I’ma make it an album, not even going the mixtape route no more.
I got so much music, already got like 300-400 more songs ready to go.
It’s coming out around September, that’s the goal.
With being independent, we don’t have a deadline in place, but I wanna give myself a deadline.
