Rapper Chris Webby is repping for all the lyricists in the suburbs.
Growing up in Connecticut where manicured lawns and tree-lined streets are the norm, this former Hofstra University student is making a name for himself in the rap game.
He has collaborated and performed with some of the most respected rappers in game. Philly’s own Freeway, Big K.R.I.T., Mac Miller and Joell Ortiz have all big upped the 23-year-old suburban rapper.
GlobalGrind caught up with Chris Webby to talk about his music, how he ended up on probation, his celebrity crushes and everything in between.
Chris recently dropped a new video entitled “Webster’s Laboratory” featuring Freeway, so check him out here.
Plus check out our exclusive interview below!
GlobalGrind: You’ve been headlining your own tour. How does it feel to not be opening for somebody else?
Chris Webby: It’s cool. It’s cool to open for people too, don’t get me wrong. I grew up doing that. It’s a very important part of the grind. But it’s amazing to have your own show and your own tour. This has been a wild experience.
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What’s been the craziest thing to happen to you on the road?
There’s been some shows that really stick out in my memory. But last night was crazy because Freeway came out. And I did the song with Freeway and then he stayed on and did a song. It was crazy. So that was dope.
Tonight is going to be sick because my dad’s coming out to play guitar with me on that. And I’m gonna have a drummer for some of the set, so that’s gonna be tight.
How has being from Connecticut affected your music?
There’s not a huge amount of hip-hop coming from Connecticut. It’s not known as a hip-hop state. But being that it’s so close to New York and Jersey, it’s definitely influenced by the East Coast rap style, punch lines, etc. That tends to be really where it started in the East Coast, with punch line rap. I’m very punch line heavy. I grew up in the cipher, freestyle all the time and all that shit. But Connecticut was interesting. I went to private school, so there wasn’t a ton of hip-hop around me. But you find your own way to make it work.
Who are some of your musical influences?
Off the bat, Eminem, of course. But everything from classic rock to reggae. I love both of those genres on top of hip-hop. I listen to some house music, some dub step. I just like to listen to music. All kinds of music. As far as rappers go, Kanye. Eminem was the first one, but a lot of the dudes during that period. Early Ludacris, Jadakiss from back then, etc. I was open to whatever back then. Once I found hip-hop, I loved that shit.
Do you remember the first hip-hop record you ever listened to?
The first album I got was Chronic 2001 edited version. That came out in ’99 and I was in fifth grade. For a fifth grader to listen to that shit, it’s pretty explicit. Especially me with all these youngsters.
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What is your dream collaboration?
That’s really hard to say, honestly. I think it would be really cool to collab with a band like Red Hot Chilli Peppers or something like that. Something new to hip-hop. Obviously it’s dope to collab with rappers, don’t get me wrong. I’ve done stuff with Freeway, Gorilla Zoe, Apathy from Connecticut, Joel Ortiz …That’s always cool. I feel like there’s cool collabs out there to be done. People in hip-hop are really starting to broaden their horizons and it’s going in a lot of directions right now.
If you could collaborate with any pop artist that’s hot right now, who would it be?
I don’t really listen to radio. What’s pop right now?
Justin Bieber, Gaga…
I think Gaga would be cool. She’s a total f*cking weirdo. I consider myself a big weirdo, obviously in a different way, but that could be cool.
When is the last time you did something really weird?
People tell me I’m weird every day. I’ve got weird ass cartoons tattooed all over me. That’s Super Mario, I got a Ninja Turtle, the Mario bullets, Transformers, Mortal Kombat, all that weird sh*t.
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Can you tell us something that most people don’t know about you?
I’m pretty open with people. I let people know as much as they can.
Do you have any celebrity crushes?
Yeah, Mila Kunis. I love her. There’s a lot of hot celebrities, but there’s something about her. I like that exotic look she’s got.
If you were sent to a deserted island and you could only take three albums with you, what three albums would you take?
I would take Chronic 2001, Slim Shady LP and Legend by Bob Marley. Especially if I’m on a deserted island. There’s nothing better to listen to on an island.
Do you have any nightly rituals?
I do actually have a thing. I’ve eaten Oreos since I was a little kid. But I don’t just like Oreos. When I was a young kid, I used to have two Oreos and a glass of milk every night. Then I got a little older and it was three Oreos strictly every night with a glass of milk. And now it’s four. Occasionally if I’ve got the munchies really bad, I’ll do five, but I keep it at that.
What’s your favorite thing to do besides making music?
The three things that I do a lot are play video games, work out and have sex. Those are the three things that keep me sane all the time when I’m not on the road doing shows.
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Where’s the craziest place you’ve ever had sex?
I try to make it back to a bedroom or a bathroom or some sort of room. Preferably a bedroom.
Or somewhere with four walls?
Yeah and something to lay on and hold on. We need some sort of organization. I had sex in a playground recently. That was pretty cool.
Fans probably throw themselves at you all the time.
Yeah, but they tend to also be pretty young. I’m getting old.
What do you prefer? The ass or t*tties?
I get asked that a lot. It’s just so hard to say. It’s not important to have huge breasts, it’s just important to have nice breasts. Big ass is great. It’s a great thing to hold onto. I’d have to say that’s a toss up.
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In your professional opinion, what is the best weed out right now on the streets?
Well I’m on probation, so technically I don’t smoke right now.
Chris Webby does not smoke.
Now to answer your question, I think the best weed I’ve ever smoked to this day, the highest I’ve ever gotten, was some straight weed. Not anything else, God knows. But AK 47. It’s really good.
What are you on probation for?
When I was in college, I was at Hofstra University, on a scholarship and everything. It was pretty f*cking sweet. My friends decided to rob a drug dealer and I drove the car. Just got involved in a really shitty situation and ended up getting in a lot of trouble, got ratted out. It was pretty wack. And I got kicked out of school. That’s really what set me on the path that I’m on right now, because everything else got f*cked up. Plan A… it was always my Plan B, but I told my parents it was Plan A, I said, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna go to school and do something’ but in my head I thought, ‘I’m gonna be a rapper.’
What do you think about rappers who use the n-word?
White people don’t use that word. End of story. It’s a rule of hip-hop. It’s a rule of people in general, but especially if you’re a hip-hop artist. Watch your tongue. I took that word out of my vocabulary. I don’t use it ever – by myself, with people. I don’t think it’s the biggest deal in the world, but why not avoid it? Just know your role and the hierarchy of hip-hop.
