"Krone" interview
Money Boy: “Have a completely different swag today”
13 years ago, Money Boy aka Sebastian Meisinger wrote local music history with "Dreh den Swag auf". Since then, the rapper from Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus has become an integral part of the scene and has been riding a wave of success for some time now. Before his concert in Vienna's Stadthalle E, we spoke to him about Bargeld, swag, cancel culture and his love of American pop culture.
"Krone": Money Boy, since the pandemic has subsided, you've been performing live almost constantly and releasing new songs on a regular basis. Where does this sudden work energy come from?
Money Boy: I have the feeling myself that I'm as hip as I've ever been - my rapper colleagues told me that a year ago. I could do more shows, but I pick the coolest events. I've had this motivation boost for more than a year and a half. The corona period was an important break for me. During Corona, previously released songs like "Drip Drop" or "Perkys" really took off again. It's great when well-known rappers like Bonez MC or Gzuz share songs of mine. A certain amount of hype built up during the pandemic and I played as much as I could straight afterwards. I had a lot of fun and wanted to take the project to a new level. I've also improved the way I work and producers like Young Kira, who I do a lot with, notice that. When you get confirmation of your hard work with sold-out concerts or good bookings, it's naturally motivating. When I realize that the new songs are going well, I come to the shows with a completely different swag.
During the pandemic, there was a lot of time for reflection, which many people took advantage of. What did you take out of this quiet time for yourself?
I also had a lot of time to reflect and think about everything. What bothered me a little during this time was that I didn't have the motivation and enjoyment of music. But you can't force it and the best way to do that is to switch off and relax. I thought about my plans for the future and came to the conclusion that my career and music in particular were the most important things to me. I also did other things, like the YouTube cooking show "Traphouse Kitchen", which really took off during the pandemic. If I'm completely honest with myself, I always end up with my love of music. By my own standards, there's still a lot possible there and I'm nowhere near the end. I was also looking for other things, but that didn't feel right or authentic.
You have also invested in start-up products and are very inclined towards the business side. Is that also a passion like art?
I think I have a good feel for things that are going to take off. I'm not someone who looks for investments on a daily basis. It often happens by chance and when I have a good feeling, I trust it and follow it up. I like to invest, but that's enough for me. If I got fully involved, I might let myself be talked into anything and believe that anything could work. With all the NFTs and cryptocurrency stories, I was wary. When someone pushes something on me, I'm automatically skeptical. I'd rather invest in soft drinks than crypto.
Rap is very much characterized by material things. What do physical possessions and status symbols mean to you in your life?
To be honest, they mean a lot to me. I'm a very aesthetic person and I like beautiful things. Buying a cool watch and designer clothes has great value to me. During Corona, I thought about whether it was necessary, but if I'm honest with myself, it's incredibly important to me. I don't have to pretend I don't care just because it sounds good. However, ideals are just as important to me. I place a lot of value on honesty and loyalty and would never cheat anyone. I have a totally clear conscience and couldn't do something like that. Certain values and integrity are important to me. It's hard to trust the right people. There are also a lot of great people who don't have the same moral values as me, but you can still get along with them. When I promise or say things, I do them. When I say something in interviews, nobody has to cut it out, as other rappers often demand. The answers come back to me.
How does Money Boy prefer to have his money? Cash in cash or on a card? You're not a big cryptocurrency fan ...
As a rapper, it's cool to always flex with cash. You can't always pay by card and it would be incredibly uncomfortable for me not to have any cash on me. I always have cash in my pocket. If you buy a big Rolex or new sneakers as a rapper, I also think it's very lame to pay with a card. You have to count out the money and put the bills down. I don't want every payment transaction to be documented, because it takes away a bit of freedom. That's too much control for me. Cash in a roll in rubber bands is best.
Keyword "Zwambo" - a slang word for a 20, which you poured into a song that was pretty successful last year. As you've often done in your career, you tried to start a new trend with it. Do you see yourself as a trendsetter?
In that case, it caught on well, but sometimes I let things pass me by. I didn't invent the "Zwambo", it was already a thing on Twitter. I then went viral a few times with things about the "Zwambo" or the "Zwamboss", i.e. the 200 euro bill. People celebrated the topic, which then inspired me to write the song. Unfortunately, "Zwambo" didn't make it into the top 10 for the youth word of the year, which surprised me. But my next favorite was "Auf Lock", for which I shot a music video in Mallorca.
How many "zwambos" does Money Boy walk around with in everyday life?
When I played a few concerts in Germany recently, I withdrew 4000 euros in Zwambos. I just put them in my backpack and I didn't run out of money for a long time. It's a good feeling to reach in and then pay. The "Zwambo" is the perfect bill. It's not too little and not too much and you can always pay well with it in everyday life.
You previously mentioned the "Traphouse Kitchen", which is incredibly popular with your fans. Where does this great talent for cooking come from?
Food has always been very important in my family. Everything had to be home-cooked and my grandparents and my father were already good cooks. Cooking is meditative for me. I listen to podcasts and prepare food, it's the best way for me to switch off. Sometimes I feel like cooking more, sometimes less, I don't cook all the time. I used to try out and learn more than I do now.
Has your professional life already shifted from Vienna to Germany as a result of the collaborations and features?
It's the biggest market, but I also have to say that Vienna is pretty hip in rap. German fans are also aware of this. I share a lot of fans with Yung Hurn and there are other great rappers from Vienna who are becoming more and more well-known. Germany has a much bigger market, so that's where my focus is. A lot of people also ask me why I don't move to Berlin, but that's not an incentive for me. I like to spend a few days there, go to the studio, play shows or shoot music videos, but I feel incredibly comfortable in Vienna, so I don't have to change anything in that respect.
When we last met about five years ago, you told me that it was extremely important to you to gather a circle of trustworthy people around you. Have you managed to do that and has this desire become even stronger over the years?
Today, I have become more relaxed in this respect. Back then, I imposed strict rules and resolutions on myself, but that's no longer the case today. I have no problem letting new people get to know me, but I remain cautious when it comes to business.
How have you changed as a person during this time?
I've become more open overall. To criticism, but also to new approaches and in a social sense. I like to leave my comfort zone and do things that I'm not used to.
You always had to be resistant to criticism. In addition to the many fans, you always had a large number of haters. Have you learned to deal with that over the years?
I learned that relatively early on, but mainly for justified criticism, which you sometimes see as such yourself or for criticism from people you know and respect. I used to push it away more, but now I accept the pain and embrace it. A lot of good can come out of it. When you see that criticism leads to improvement, you feel better about yourself. I have definitely become much more honest with myself. Instead of suppressing certain things, I accept them and try to make improvements.
Are there any other areas in the creative or business world that you would like to work in that you have not yet been active in?
For example, writing a book or acting - I think both are very cool. I've also done a few small things in the acting world and I'm a big fan of movies and TV. I haven't gained much experience yet, but it excites me. On the subject of books, most people who sometimes suggest this to me always want some kind of biography or swag bible, but I'd be interested in something different. I'd rather write a novel, a thriller or screenplays. I have a collaboration going on with a cinematographer who wants to go in the movie direction, and we're pretty much identical in terms of visual ideas. We're roughly planning a gangster movie with hip-hop influences, as we've done before - for example in "New Jack City". It's all still in the early stages and we still have to find enough time for it.
As an artist with explicit lyrics, does a term like "Cancel Culture" concern you, or are you completely over it?
It doesn't concern me that much, but of course you hear a lot about it and form your own opinion about it. Some of the people who want to cancel other people's work are bullying and often do it very arbitrarily and not out of good motives. Many do it to generate attention or because they find it funny - you have to differentiate from case to case. The cancel culture has taken on exaggerated proportions, but you can't really cancel anyone unless you do it to yourself.
Do you set yourself limits when writing lyrics? Are there any areas where your sense of humor would no longer extend?
There are a few limits for me, but they are well known in comedy and music anyway. Basically, of course, I'm in favor of "freedom of speech" in these areas, but you don't have to touch on every topic. If it goes in the direction of xenophobia, you can leave it alone. Topics that are tainted by our past should be excluded.
Are there any texts that you wouldn't write in the same way today or that you would change completely?
Definitely, because times have also changed. In 2010 or 2011, my music was still like the wild west. I was mainly concerned with the shock effect, which I still celebrate today. I love comedians and radio presenters who are all about shock value and build their fame on it. A lot of things wouldn't work today and I've also changed over time because you can't do some things like that anymore. Back then, you could try out a lot without being canceled. But you can make enough jokes without being too shocking. Of course, I was also interested in attracting attention, but it was sometimes done in a cheap way. You can quickly say something crass or controversial, but it's not creative and you can't be proud of it. Things are changing and that's a good thing.
From today's perspective, would you cancel your own songs?
I wouldn't play many of them live anymore, but I wouldn't cancel anything. At the end of the day, all these songs are art and I stand by them.
Have you completely buried your alter ego YSL Know Plug by now?
No, he's in a lot of songs and rhymes and I still think YSL Know Plug is a cool AKA. But I wouldn't make another album under that name.
You are heavily influenced by American pop culture in all areas of your life. Was there a particular defining moment in your life?
It started with my family and basketball, which I played for a long time. I always looked to America and the culture there suited my taste. I'm a big fan of the American mentality in some areas. For example, the idea of freedom and the way they do business over there. A lot of it is about independence and with little regulation. A lot has changed over there, but this spirit is still there. Over the years, however, I have let go of some of the guidelines from there and stopped pretending to be someone else. I love the fact that Americans dye their breakfast cereals in bright neon colors. I no longer question it too much, but stand by it.
Keyword self-employed mentality: Do you feel more attracted to the USA than to Europe from an economic point of view?
If you take care of all the things that are important to you yourself, you also feel free in Europe. Of course we pay more social security and more taxes here, but I also benefit from that in many areas. I can't say what I like better and I think things are cool the way they are.
Would you consider the USA as the center of your life?
It used to be my dream, but I've now spent a lot of time there and have changed my mind a bit. You can be in the USA for up to three months at a time without a visa before you have to leave again and that's enough for me. The fascination of the past has waned a bit and when I fly there now, I'm definitely business-oriented. I fly to producers, sound engineers and videographers because the cities there also have the best backgrounds for music videos. I still do the cool road trip to a barbecue restaurant, but when I fly over, it's always for business purposes.
Are you East Coast or West Coast? On the one hand, in terms of hip-hop, and on the other, purely geographically and in terms of the landscape.
I've always been a bit closer to the East Coast because I've been there more often. But musically and in terms of the sounds, I'm more oriented towards the West Coast. I would also like to go back to Los Angeles because I haven't been there for a while. I like the lifestyle there. Then there's the South, like Atlanta, Down South, where there's also very strong rap that inspires me.
It's hard to imagine with your output, but have you ever had writer's block or moments where you had no inspiration at all over the years?
There have been a few phases like that from time to time. If I wanted to be cool, I would deny that, but then I would be lying. It happens to almost all artists at some point in their lives and once you realize that for yourself, you can deal with it much better. It happens to the greatest artists and they eventually fight their way back. Before the internet, people thought everyone was perfect and happy, but today the world is much more open in that respect. I definitely benefit from that. I also find it much easier to present myself in public, even with my weaknesses.
Could this openness go so far that you would eventually make music under your real name Sebastian Meisinger?
No, I find that atypical. It's funny how many people call me by my real name at concerts and on the street. It used to bother me, but now I celebrate it and find it funny. It's all cool. But I don't make music under my normal name.
Are you good with the selfie culture of your fans? Ultimately, you're a big fan of other rappers and athletes yourself.
I'm a big fan of that and as an artist, I want it as validation. Some people like to complain about this, but I think it's ridiculous. You choose it yourself and you want to be known. If you don't feel like it, then you can wear a mask or stay in the deep underground. If I'm wearing jogging bottoms and just want to get something quickly, I'm sometimes briefly dissatisfied because I don't look so fresh in a selfie, but that's only for a few minutes.
Money Boy live
On April 13, Money Boy will be playing at Vienna's Stadthalle E. The concert is already completely sold out. However, you can find all other dates at www.moneyboy.at, some of which are scattered all over Austria:
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