@DubG3 is making waves in hip-hop with his talent and passion. In an exclusive interview with SOHH, the 12-year-old rapper and protege opens up about his journey and unique perspective on the rap industry.
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MusicTranscript
00:00 - All righty, well, it's so nice to meet you.
00:05 I am Yasmin Due with so.com.
00:11 And today we have a special guest with us
00:14 and is the young emerging rapper, WG3.
00:17 How are you doing today?
00:19 - Good, how about you?
00:21 - I'm doing good.
00:22 It's Friday, almost Christmas.
00:24 Do you have any plans?
00:25 - This, I'm gonna stay home with the family.
00:29 - Yeah, seems about right.
00:31 I'm gonna do the same thing.
00:32 So what's your day been like?
00:36 You know, are you on Christmas break?
00:38 - Yes, we just got out of school yesterday.
00:41 - Oh, nice.
00:42 I understand how school is.
00:45 So with school, how do you manage to balance school
00:49 and sports and music at the same time?
00:51 - It can be challenging at sometimes,
00:56 but I try to focus at one thing at a time.
00:59 - So now that you are starting your rap career,
01:06 you know, you're about to blow up.
01:08 So how is it at school?
01:10 Like, how are you perceived now, you know,
01:12 now that you're rapping, you know,
01:14 are you busting raps, cafeteria table,
01:18 or are your friends asking you to rap with them?
01:20 You know, how is that?
01:23 - Sometimes it can be a little crazy.
01:27 Like everywhere I go, people are asking me
01:30 to freestyle and stuff.
01:32 Even a couple of days ago,
01:37 they wanted me to perform at lunch.
01:41 And they wanted me to perform at lunch, so I did.
01:46 'Cause they kept chanting, "Dub G, three, Dub G, three."
01:50 - How was that?
01:53 Like, you know, I know you getting put on a spot
01:56 and everything, like, what did you do in that moment?
01:59 - So I did not know at all
02:02 that I was gonna be performing at lunch.
02:04 I thought it was just gonna be a regular lunch,
02:06 like every day.
02:08 But then we were doing karaoke that day,
02:11 and my teacher told me that I was gonna perform.
02:15 So then I walked around and then ran up on stage
02:18 and started performing.
02:20 - Really?
02:22 Now, that takes real talent just to get on a stage,
02:27 and you're at school, and you're doing a performance.
02:30 Like, what did you do?
02:31 Did you perform your newest song?
02:34 - Yes, I performed "King," yes, ma'am.
02:36 - That is good, that's great.
02:39 Do you have any footage of that, or no?
02:42 - Yes, I do.
02:44 - Well, we definitely would love to see that.
02:47 If you're open to that,
02:48 we would definitely love to see that.
02:50 - Yes, ma'am.
02:51 - All righty.
02:52 So you did mention your new song "King,"
02:56 and you had Mike Jones featured on it, which was exciting.
03:00 So speaking of Mike Jones,
03:02 we actually asked him a few questions about you.
03:06 So he gave us some video responses,
03:12 and that question was, how did he discover you?
03:18 So we asked him, how did you discover Dove G3?
03:22 So we're gonna get our producer to cue the video for you
03:27 so you can see his answer.
03:29 And I'm gonna let you hear it.
03:31 - Hey, what up, man?
03:32 It's your boy, Mike Jones.
03:33 Who I said, Mike Jones, Money Train.
03:36 And I got hooked up with Dove G3
03:38 and my boy, Tony Drake, you know what I'm saying?
03:41 The OG Swarov, make a call, that's all.
03:45 Money Train.
03:46 (whistling)
03:49 Wow.
03:49 - So what do you have to say about that?
03:53 - I mean, it was just an honor to work with a guy like that.
03:58 Who's been in the rap industry
04:01 and is successful in the rap industry.
04:04 And for him to just be able to come out,
04:07 shoot the scenes with me, it was amazing.
04:09 And I'm grateful for him.
04:11 - And I know that was a full circle moment for you
04:13 because you both are Texas natives.
04:15 You're from Fort Worth, right?
04:17 - Yes, ma'am.
04:19 - Okay, okay, well, I'm in Texas myself,
04:22 but I'm in Houston right now.
04:23 So I'm very acclimated with Mike Jones
04:28 and the whole Houston rap scene and everything like that.
04:30 So with you working with Mike Jones,
04:35 like you said it was an honor.
04:38 So how was that collaboration for you?
04:41 Like, how did it like come about?
04:43 He mentioned Tony Draper and everything like that.
04:45 And then you had the opportunity
04:47 to be in a music video with him too.
04:51 So how did this come about for you?
04:54 - So basically we were shooting the music video.
05:00 We were just doing like some beginning scenes
05:08 with just me in them.
05:10 But then I saw this all black Cadillac pull up
05:15 and he hopped out the car.
05:17 We all started going crazy.
05:19 - Really?
05:20 - Yes.
05:22 - Well, that sounds exciting.
05:24 So when you're seeing a black Cadillac pull,
05:26 you was like, oh, who's in there?
05:27 Who's in there, right?
05:28 And the whole shooting, it had to have been fun.
05:34 It looked like a fun video.
05:35 It looked fun to shoot.
05:37 - Yeah, some of the scenes were really fun.
05:40 - Well, that was cool.
05:41 It was cool.
05:42 I was watching, I was like, this is a really cool,
05:46 it's like a very cool music video
05:49 and it's for the kids too.
05:51 Like you guys were in the school, y'all were outside.
05:53 Like it was a good vibe.
05:55 So I also wanted to ask you,
06:00 going back, you said it was an honor to work with Mike Jones
06:04 and you had the ability to work with him.
06:08 And you are now starting to curate
06:13 or create your rap career.
06:16 So being at such a young age,
06:19 what did you know you wanted to start rapping?
06:22 Like what was that drive?
06:24 - So I wanted to start rapping
06:29 because I used to go with my dad to the studio
06:33 and I used to like sit there
06:35 and watch him do his raps and stuff.
06:39 So then I asked my dad, can I make a song?
06:43 And he said, this is nothing to play with.
06:44 You have to take it serious.
06:46 And I was like, yeah, I want to take it serious.
06:47 I want to make a song.
06:48 So then we went to the studio the next week
06:55 and I did one verse
06:59 and my dad wanted to see if it was good or not.
07:01 So he sent it to Draper
07:03 'cause he knew Draper was gonna keep it 100 with him.
07:06 So then Draper reached out to my dad
07:12 and he was like, make him do another one.
07:14 So I did another song and my dad sent it to Draper.
07:18 He said, make him do another one.
07:20 And then I did another one and he said, yeah,
07:23 we got something.
07:24 Then ever since then, that's how it started.
07:26 - That's really great.
07:29 So at what direct age were you?
07:31 Were you like seven, eight?
07:33 - I was 10.
07:38 I just turned 10.
07:40 - You had just turned 10
07:41 and you're like 12 right now, right?
07:44 - Yes, ma'am.
07:45 - So that's actually was two years ago.
07:48 - Yes, ma'am.
07:49 - So that is great.
07:51 And for you to start two years ago,
07:54 I feel like rap was embedded in you.
07:58 Like you already had that talent.
08:00 Somebody just had to pull it out of you.
08:02 So that's really good to hear.
08:07 So going on to the next question that we have,
08:12 we asked Mike Jones a second question
08:14 and we asked him,
08:16 'cause he doesn't really co-sign with new rappers, right?
08:20 So we asked him, what about Dove G3 got your attention
08:25 and what makes him a special talent?
08:28 So here's a video here.
08:31 (video playing)
08:32 - I think it's just really just the lineage
08:35 that he come from behind.
08:37 You know what I'm saying?
08:38 His pops, you know what I'm saying?
08:39 I already been in the game.
08:41 You know, you got Tony Draper co-signing you.
08:43 You got a lot of life around him.
08:48 You know what I'm saying?
08:50 Plus he's talented.
08:51 You know what I'm saying?
08:52 Got his own flow, got his own skill,
08:53 but it's good to have that support around you.
08:56 So that really just help it, you know,
08:58 take it over the top, you know what I'm saying?
09:00 - Wow.
09:04 - Yeah.
09:05 How does that feel?
09:07 You talked about like,
09:09 you know about your experience and everything with him
09:12 and him saying you have a lineage behind you, right?
09:16 And you just spoke on how your dad made you,
09:19 well, you went to the studio,
09:21 he made you do the verse over again
09:22 and everything like that.
09:24 So, like I said, you probably already had that rap gene
09:29 inside, that hip hop gene, which is pretty good.
09:33 So what do you have to say about what Mike Jones
09:37 just said in the video?
09:39 Kind of touches the same thing though.
09:41 - It's just amazing for a guy like that
09:44 to say things about a child like that.
09:48 Like that, you don't get that every day.
09:51 And especially for a guy like Mike Jones,
09:53 who's been doing it for a long time,
09:55 that don't happen every day.
09:56 - Right.
09:59 Well, that just shows how much of a talent you have.
10:02 And, you know, you have like this drive that we,
10:07 most likely everybody doesn't see as often,
10:10 especially you being a young rapper as well.
10:12 Prominently we always, you know, like older rappers
10:17 and you know, things like that,
10:18 but you're coming on the scene and it's very different.
10:22 And you're making music for your generation, for the youth.
10:27 So it kind of coincides with, you know,
10:32 you're really doing your thing.
10:35 And that's just really refreshing to see.
10:38 So, you know, definitely keep doing what you're doing
10:40 and just never stop, just keep going.
10:42 - Thank you.
10:44 - You're welcome.
10:46 All right, so my next question for you,
10:51 so, you know, like we talked about the youth
10:54 and your music and everything and who you cater to.
10:57 So I noticed that you have this movement
11:00 called the age appropriate movement, right?
11:03 - Yes, ma'am.
11:04 - Your bio, you put leader of the age appropriate movement.
11:10 So can you tell us a little bit about that?
11:13 - So basically it's the idea where kids have music
11:18 to listen to for their age.
11:22 Right now in this world,
11:25 we don't have the age appropriate music for my generation.
11:30 We have to listen to grown men and women rap.
11:35 And I feel like I can make a change
11:37 by doing the age appropriate movement,
11:40 but we can have all, well,
11:42 we can have all something to listen to.
11:44 - Right, and that's what we were saying.
11:49 Like, it's very refreshing.
11:51 You get a chance to just make music
11:54 for those that are around the same age as you.
11:57 And it's a substance,
11:59 meaning like you have music that, you know, makes sense
12:03 and it sounds good.
12:06 And, you know, it's very, just very on brand for you.
12:10 So how do you think your music,
12:18 your music is resonating with hip hop fans,
12:22 your age compared to other artists,
12:26 like younger artists that have been going viral
12:30 for their raps, for example, like Lil RT, right?
12:33 A lot of people have,
12:35 talking about his rap substance and everything like that.
12:41 You guys are kind of in the same age range.
12:45 And some may say that his music is not age appropriate.
12:50 But how do you tend to, you know,
12:55 keep the ball going with your fans?
12:57 Like, how are you like, you know,
12:59 just trying to keep that audience together with your fans
13:03 that are around your age?
13:05 And more so like,
13:10 how do you continue to keep it resonating with them?
13:13 Like the topics that you may rap about,
13:15 like what's the inspiration behind, you know,
13:19 the topics that you're rapping about in this music
13:22 that are, you know, you're trying to put out
13:25 for those that are in your age range.
13:27 I hope that made sense.
13:29 - Yeah.
13:30 The things I rap about is because I want kids my age
13:38 to be able to relate to my music.
13:42 And like, no shame on Lil Rt Blake.
13:45 Kids his age aren't doing what he's doing,
13:49 so they really can't relate to him.
13:51 A nine year old isn't,
13:52 a regular nine year old isn't like,
13:55 around all this violence and stuff
13:57 and doing all that stuff at his age.
13:59 And for me, I wanted the people that listen to my music
14:04 to be able to relate to it.
14:06 So if they relate to it, they'll like it a lot more
14:10 'cause they'll like it a lot more
14:12 'cause like they can relate to it.
14:15 - Yeah.
14:19 So it's definitely things that you've experienced
14:22 in your 12 years of life
14:23 and things that others experienced
14:28 and things of that sort.
14:30 So that's really good to have.
14:32 And yeah.
14:34 And you know, you're just keeping the ball going.
14:36 You talked about trying to balance school
14:39 and rap and sports and things like that.
14:41 Definitely with sports,
14:44 'cause I know that's another big thing with you.
14:47 So Marcel, what do you see yourself doing more full time?
14:55 Like, you know, you continue to do sports and rapping.
14:57 Do you see yourself doing sports more or rapping?
14:59 - I feel like I don't have to give up one to do the other
15:08 because I feel like right now I'm on a stage
15:11 where as long as I focus on what I'm doing,
15:15 I could do anything that I put my mind to.
15:19 If I just focus on rapping while I'm doing rapping
15:24 and focus on football while I'm playing football,
15:26 I feel like I'll be able to do both.
15:29 I won't have to give up one for the other.
15:32 - That is a good answer to have.
15:37 And a very wise answer too, because I'm like, what, 22?
15:42 Sometimes I feel like I have to, you know,
15:44 try to take out one thing or the other
15:46 to figure out what will work or whatever.
15:49 But that is a good mindset to have.
15:51 But definitely school first.
15:54 I can tell school was very first for you.
15:55 Very intelligent, by the way.
15:57 So I know school is first
15:59 and you probably had a good upbringing as well.
16:03 So that's really good.
16:05 And one last thing.
16:10 Do you see yourself, you know,
16:17 putting on new projects for the new year?
16:19 You know, 2024 is almost here.
16:21 So what's next for WG3 in 2024?
16:26 - What's next for WG3?
16:33 I feel like I can really get,
16:36 I'm gonna release another single here in a couple months.
16:44 And I'm gonna really start getting back
16:49 in the studio a little bit more.
16:51 And I'm gonna like,
16:54 try to take this thing as far as I can.
16:56 - Yeah.
16:59 Yeah, I love to, look,
17:00 we're gonna be on a lookout for that too, okay?
17:03 We're gonna be on a lookout for that.
17:04 We wanna hear the new music
17:06 because we was up in there jamming King.
17:08 So we want to see more from WG3.
17:11 And yeah, it was just such an honor
17:14 to meet with you today and speak with you.
17:16 Hope you could come back next time and we can chat again.
17:21 - Yes, ma'am.
17:23 Thank you for your opportunity.
17:25 (silence)
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