Young Thug Speaks Out Against Poverty: ‘When You’re Poor You Do Anything to Survive’

In the latest issue of PAPER,Young Thug sat down alongside his fiancée Jerrika Karlae to discuss an issue that is very important to him... poverty.

The Atlanta-based rapper came from humble beginnings, he and his fiancée Jerrika know first hand what it's like not to have the basic necessities. During the holiday season, it can be especially hard for families to cope, Young Thug took this time to highlight what many families go through while sharing his own story.

"[The fight against poverty] is important and means a lot to me, because it is a part of my background. Where I'm from is real poverty. My mama had 11 kids, and when you have that many kids, you're going to experience hard times. We all got it though — my friends and I were robbers. We were bad ass kids that took everything we wanted."

Young Thug continued, "I never want my kids to feel like they don't have anything. I had my first child at 14/15, so you can only imagine [what it was like in the beginning]...When you're poor you do anything to survive. You rob and take... Now I can give my kids anything they want... The holidays are when families make the most memories. It's the one time of year when the family comes together to celebrate something. Our families celebrate Christmas and food is always the center of Christmas Day. But when you don't have food, the day just seems off.You're not just going to sit and look at each other — you want to be able to eat and laugh [in the company] of your loved ones."

Young Thug apparently goes back to his community where he grew up to help those in need.

"He has such a big heart, if I didn't stop him sometimes he would give away everything," Jerrika Karlae said. "He just wants everyone to feel good."