Recently Baltimore rapper Money Jake delivered his new project,Fooly (Reloaded), the follow up to his well-received project Fooly. Exuding a level of confidence that rarely waivers, Money Jake has accepted the grind of everyday life in inner city Baltimore, yet he maintains a sense of humor to go along with his survivalist grit.
Amidst the worldwide shutdown due to COVID-19, rampant police brutality and civil unrest a new star is seemingly rising in the DMV and the streets have his back. Straight out of the heart of West Baltimore, Money Jake has emerged taking his city by storm, block by block from Baltimore’s 1500 Stricker St. and outwards to the surrounding neighborhoods.
“I’m from the heart of Baltimore city, I’m from 1500 Stricker Street,we call it Endless Drive. I started rapping when BandHunta Izzy had done this challenge and my brother put me on to it. I did the challenge, and won it so I told my brother, ‘I guess we rappin now,'” Money Jake said laughing.
Influenced by Baltimore music initially, Money Jake quickly took to the music of Chicago after relating to a similar struggle, which is notoriously and excessively compared to HBO’s show The Wire.
“Coming up I was on more of the Baltimore music, I can’t really say one kind of music but I like a lot of different rappers, Chief Keef and Chiraq was a real big influence in my music because I see the comparison and similarities to Baltimore and Chicago,” Money Jake explained.
From his first tape Professional Shit Talker, back in 2018 until now, he can still see and feel the impact of his words in the streets as every day new people tell him they are down with his music solidifying his connection to the streets.
“They don’t really give a tough guy a chance, because you in the mix and you always outside, they don’t think you know how to be in the music game and how you can turn your mind around. But I can do it all, I’m outside and I can rap.” Money Jake said of the biases people have towards street rappers who speak their mind. “Professional Shit Talker had a big impact for me, I still am getting good reviews on that one, I just haven’t always had the right people to get the music out there and now we do with Von on the team. Von brings the people and the business, I got the music.”
