TOB Duke gives Kanye West's kicks the biggest co-sign, accepts Matthew Stafford comparison and talks his mini-me ahead of Father's Day (Exclusive)
It’s honestly not everyday you get to kick back and chop it up with one of the hungriest and most humble new artists in the game right now - of course we’re talking about TOB Duke - the Interscope heavyweight with bangers like ‘King Kong’ and ‘Spaceship’ already to his name with plenty more audio classics on deck.
The Detroit-raised, Los Angeles-based rap artist has plenty, plenty, plenty and plenty of things to talk about these days from his newly released Time Will Tell studio effort with a deluxe low-key coming together to how he’s managed to juggle daddy duties and looking out for his own family at just 20 years old. Plus, he digs deep into his love for quite possibly Kanye West’s best foot apparel invention yet along with the debate between Motown’s classic American Coney or Lafayette Coney.
Needless to say, this is the exclusive of exclusives with TOB Duke chopping it up with yours truly - Drake’s stand-in double, Cyrus - buckle up and enjoy this non-stop conversation. Some highlights are below and of course keep scrolling to get more than 20 minutes of chop up session goals.
At this point, as an artist, as a signed artist, as a label artist - someone who has been doing this, not for a long, long time but a long time, do you hate the interview process and are you like, ‘I hate doing the PR’ or is it case by case? Be honest.
TOB Duke: Nah, actually I was overwhelmed. I was waiting on all this stuff. I wanted to do all this like, I want people to know more things than what they all know just just based off of listening to my music so I wanted to do like interviews and I was really excited about this.
That’s perfect. My next question was who do you hate in the industry? No, no, no. Kidding.
TOB Duke: [laughs]
Do you feel like Matthew Stafford at some point because with the Detroit background, everyone knows you from those Detroit roots. Making it out to LA, championship run with Matthew Stafford? Are you seeing the similarities? You see where I'm going with this man?
TOB Duke: A man listen to me. You got to know that I was in LA when the Super Bowl was happening, right there cheering for my boy. So yes, that was the Detroit Rams. That ain't real. But they got shirts made. [laughs] Yeah, yeah, facts.
Who had an easier transition embracing the LA lifestyle more and a lot quicker you or your daughter? I think she’s still about two years old now man and I know she's probably like Detroit was cool, but I love the sunshine and the beach like there's all that stuff but then for you as well as an artist and just someone that can like network, who has embraced the LA lifestyle more quicker?
TOB Duke: I would have to say me. I don’t know. I feel like my daughter just have fun wherever she goes. With her being two, for some reason, even at two I feel like she still understands a lot like, just based off of the energy you know, that I be getting. As of right now, as I'm elevated in this life, you know, I'm working on like, getting her around me more because I'd be having to take sacrifice of not being around her so I can create that life where, you know, she could wake up to that every day. You know what I'm saying? It's like it's a process right now. She's been to LA but she’s not really with me like how I’m like. Soon enough, soon enough.
I know it's gotta be super difficult. Maybe it's not as difficult as I imagined but I know out there in Detroit you you got the classic Lafayette Coney versus an American Coney. You got the deep dish pizzas, you got so much of that stuff. And I know is that then you come out to LA and everything's very clean and really nice and pretty. You know there are like Pink’s Hot Dogs and Susie Cakes - but just the food transition. Have you found your go-to spots yet outside of like a Roscoe’s which is classic and In and Out Burger or do you just miss that Detroit style of food?
TOB Duke: See, it’s crazy because I was just talking about this. Like I was literally just having a conversation with somebody about like Detroit just got some of the best food. I don’t care what nobody say like we got some best food. But LA I think they focus too much on like when it comes to food like I like I like Veggie Grill and stuff like that. Like, Kluckin Chicken, I don’t really get the chicken, I just get the french fries. I like their french fries. That's a spot out there. Like um, I think they focus, in LA, I think they focus too much on like, the display. You know what I'm saying? Instead of the flavor for me, definitely. So like, transitioning from Detroit food to La food. They definitely need to focus on like, flavor, like, you know, it's always about decoration.
I appreciate your love for the kick game. I saw some New Balances but also some fire Nikes, it doesn't matter. It seems like you always put enough emphasis on making sure the pair you're rocking are fuego, fire, caliente. Are you a true sneaker head or do we give that nod to management, low-key?
TOB Duke: I ain’t even going to lie. I be dressing my management. I really like, do this. It’s in my blood. It’s in me. Not on me. It’s in me. You feel me? Aye. You feel me? The kicks. I got it from my dad. My dad they call him Tennis Shoe. Like his nickname is Tennis Shoe. It’s because he’s got so many kicks. I just got that swag from my pops. It’s in me, not on me.
Shout-out to TS! Tennis Shoe, Tennis Shoe in the building! And so have we caved into the Croc lifestyle? I’ve seen brolic dudes just straight thugging it out with like a pair of red Crocs on and I’m like, ‘Yo fam.’ Are we going to finally accept the Croc lifestyle and the Yeezy slides. You can be honest.
TOB Duke: [grabs a pair of his adidas Yeezy Foam Runner shoes] These! The most comfortable! You get these, you won’t put your foot in an actual shoe. I’m trying to tell you. This? You see this right here? It’s all you need. No laces. You can run. You can swim in these. You can go in the water. You can do whatever in these. You can get into the shower with these. Kanye, I need this!
I love you Kanye! Look. Give me an endorsement. You see how I’m promoting you? Come on man!
Check out the full, unedited chop up session with TOB Duke below.
