In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Vince Staples has once again clarified that he isn’t as wealthy as his fame might suggest to some fans.
Earlier this month, Staples sat down with Jeff Ihaza at New York’s Cherry Lane Theatre for a conversation that touched on several aspects of his career. During the interview, he was asked about improving his skills as a live performer and whether he actually enjoys performing in front of an audience. “Yeah, why not?” he responded.
Ihaza pointed out that connecting with fans in the crowd while performing onstage is “a huge point” for some artists. Staples, however, appeared less sentimental about the experience.
“Probably, I mean, I don’t know what to tell you, bro. … It’s like, my job. I don’t really know what to say.”
The rapper acknowledged that he understands the “escapism” that comes with being a fan, but suggested that financial considerations ultimately play a major role in the industry. “It Really all come[s] down to money,” he explained. He continued, “Nobody asking people that they don’t think have money any of these fucking questions. So the question is, ‘Hey, I think you’re rich, do you like being rich?”
Although Staples enjoys performing live, he made it clear that he also approaches it as a professional responsibility.
“N***as start asking crazy shit like, ‘Do you like being on stage?’” he joked. “I get it, but it’s like, ‘Yeah I wouldn’t do it if not.’”
He also explained the financial demands that come with touring, noting that artists are expected to cover several expenses upfront, including insurance and venue costs.
“You spend all this money up front, and if you don’t sell no tickets, then you don’t make no money,” he added. “Nobody’s doing that if they don’t like to do it.”
When Ihaza eventually asked him directly, “Do you like being rich?” Staples used the opportunity to address assumptions about his financial status.
“I’m not rich like that,” he said. “I got some bread, but I’m not rich. I got less money than the anesthesiologist.”
Elsewhere in the conversation, Staples also pushed back against claims that Black artists are “abandoning” hip-hop when they experiment with sounds from other genres.
“If you say that utilizing certain sounds is abandoning hip-hop, then you don’t know enough about hip-hop to have a conversation about it,” he said. “Because it doesn’t make any sense, literally.”
Watch the full interview below.
