It has been said that the secret to becoming a millionaire is not in one’s ability to do something great, but in the ability to do something great time and time again. When baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr. was celebrated for breaking Lou Gherig’s consecutive game streak of 2,630 games in 1995 it wasn’t just the fact that he showed up for work every day. It was the fact that he had been playing at such an elite level over that 16-year span. Consistency is key. Much like what Cal has done in baseball, you would be hard pressed to find an emcee who has been more consistent than Shante Franklin, known to his “Jet Lifers” by the name Curren$y.
The New Orleans artist essentially grew up around hip-hop royalty. Brother of No Limit mainstay Mr. Marcello, Spitta cut his teeth in the rap game rolling with the tank at No Limit Records. He even landed a spot on The 504 Boyz album as well getting some shine in a commercial for the ill-fated P. Miller sneaker. We’ve all got to start somewhere, folks.
He went on to become the very first artist signed to Lil Wayne’s Young Money imprint. Yes, even before those guys. At the time, things were slow moving at the infant label. He was ultimately released from his contract amicably before his debut album Life at 30,000 Feet (which was subsequently converted into a mixtape) could ever see the light of day. Undeterred by industry red tape, Curren$y decided to take matters into his own hands by launching Fly Society, and eventually, Jets International in 2011.
It’s been on ever since.
Andretti’s timeless work ethic and non-stop hustle would even make Pac and Gucci Mane tip their caps respectively to his breakneck pace, releasing 38 studio albums, indie albums, mixtapes, EP’s and collaboration projects since February 2008— that’s a staggering 1.4 months between projects on average in that time (maybe he learned this hustle from his years as Weezy’s protégé)! Jet Life soon became a lifestyle brand that celebrated all of Curren$y’s favorite things: music, cartoons, fashion, girls, cars, and of course, copious amounts of marijuana— all of which he’s rapped about extensively over the years. As if that weren’t enough, he then parlayed his independent grind into a major label deal through Atlantic for him and his homies, Jet Life Recordings, LLC in 2012.
With a new studio album all rolled up, Curren$y is ready to blaze one with his cult-like fan base once more. Pilot Talk III is set for release on April 4th, his birthday. As is tradition for the Pilot Talk series, Ski Beatz will be at the helm for the bulk of the production accompanied this time by Miami hitmakers Cool & Dre. Rumored to be rounding out the project are anticipated guest features from Lil Boosie, Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Ab-Soul and others. Expect more of Andretti’s laid back braggadocio, irreverent humor, coast-to-coast influenced beat selection and “Seinfeld”–style observations, all constants in his alchemic formula for making bangers.
Much like how Cal Ripken elevated his level of play in big games, expect Curren$y to once again be on top of his game on his next studio album, which is par for the course by the way. As baseball’s “iron man”, Cal Ripken left it all on the field, causing the hometown fans of Baltimore to beam with pride; Spitta has done the same in “The Big Easy”. Though Curren$y may not have a hall of fame career just yet, if recent history has taught us anything, it’s that he’s far from done. Don’t be surprised if his persistence gets him mentioned with the greats when it’s all said and done.