Yo Gotti Puts You on the Path to Success With 10 Tips to Perfect Your Hustle [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]

“It is super important to know what you are getting yourself into when signing a deal. I learned that the hard way. I signed a couple contracts that I should have never signed in my life and it cost me. I signed a deal where I received $40,000 for signing to a record label for one of my first deals ever and ended up spending $500,000 of my own money to get out of that same contract. The label actually profited off me. But that was just when I was a youngin’ and I thought the plan was get in and you cool. Now I know trust nobody.”

“I think you could get a good accountant, but I think I am the best accountant for me. Can’t nobody count my money like I can count it. I hear a lot of stories… but I just come from the game where I just don’t see it, I don't get how people lose track. Numbers is numbers.”

“The streets taught me investments. It’s basic math. You learn two plus two is four, so I started getting into real estate. I know if I buy I house for $400,000, I sell it for $700,000 that’s $300,000 profit. For me, when I first started dabbling in real estate, it was the closest thing to the streets -- cut and dry. It’s like buying a pack for 50 and flipping and making profit. I could identify to that easy and it’s like when I was in it, I learned more about real estate and contracting and how to rebuild a home. So that’s another business, an investment to see more income.”

“I am one of those cats who doesn’t believe in putting everything from your personal life out. I come from the motto 'if they know less it’s better.’ As far as business and personal, you can look at in different ways. I believe in family, so if you have the opportunity to put your family on then you should do it. But I don’t believe just paying for everybody, to me that’s hurting them, you enable. One thing about me if you are [in my family] and you get a check from me, you are working for it.”

“It’s risk versus reward out here. If you do not take risks, what do you expect to get? It’s a gamble and I am a gambler. I am going to take that risk every time.”

“I think people may regret not following their instincts a lot. As an artist, no one can create your music but you. No one knows what’s going on in your head at the time. Sometimes you don’t even know, it just comes to you. But you go in and put the s--- together then everybody has an opinion. A lot of times, all you have are your instincts. Do you go with your gut or listen to what the people around you have to say? But I think music is about feeling, not just the sound. Is it going to make people move? How are they going to feel when they hear it? That’s something not every critic can point out.”

“Some people forget about the people who were down with them since day one, but then again some of those day ones forget about you. It goes both ways. Then some people look at it like how much do you owe them? If you were really there from day one keeping it real with me and I been keeping it real with you, there is not a dollar amount on that. The fact that we still around each other when I am broke or have money is enough, but it turns into a different story when people start putting a dollar amount on the wrong things."

“You have to do that. I don’t feel comfortable if there are two many ears around in the room when I am talking about business -- or anything for that matter. I don’t want anything I say to travel.”

“I feel like I learn s--- everyday because everyone around is doing something special or spectacular. I look at them and I want to know how they did it. I look into it. I want to know where they come from and more. Some people do not want information but I do. It’s important.”

“I have a lot of mentors. I have a few cats in Memphis in the streets that I have always looked up to. Who they are now may not be who they were back in the day; I mean regarding money and material things, but what they still have mentally I respect that. I can hit them now sometimes, if I am in a situation and I need to know what the big homie thinks because I respect their opinion. In the music industry I have mentors who don’t even help me directly. Like somebody like Jay Z or Diddy, who makes moves publicly that I can look at and study.

"I feel like they are mentors without being one-on-one and directly doing it. People like 50 Cent are also influential. I had the chance to talk to Fif and he taught me a lot about the game. He gave me so many tips.”