After the massive success of his single ‘Disrespectful’ and recently inking a deal with Roc Nation, GASHI is undoubtedly on his way to the top. Despite his recent accolades and successes, the Albanian emcee has been working at his dreams for a minute and is finally watching them come to fruition.

We were able to catch up with him before his set at Breakaway Music Festival this August in Columbus, Ohio.

Who is Gashi?

Gashi is the Trap Bono.

What’s the journey been like for you to get to this point? The world is at your feet.

It’s like walking through a hallway and everything is made out of icy hot.

Jay-Z really threw away your tape? Why?

I guess I should have worked a little more on the cover art.

How did you end up signing a management deal with him, then?

My song “Disrespectful” took off and everybody wanted me to sign with them.

When it comes to making it in music, how big is the psychological battle with remaining upbeat versus quitting? Because I imagine that’s something a lot of people struggle with.

Quitting is not going to speed up the process so that’s never an option. You just gotta keep going. That’s the key.

In a year full of enormous releases and viral antics galore, how have you managed to stay afloat?

I made my uber driver go viral. I’m just not willing to lose respect to go viral.

A recent Rolling Stone article revealed that A&Rs are going more for viral stars because of their audience versus developing hidden talent. Based on what you know, do you think that’s a good approach to have?

Talent and substance is everything. Viral is the flavor of the month, and a month nowadays is barely one minute before people forget and move on, and do a new dance challenge.

What can we expect from your upcoming project Stairs 2?

If DMX, Bono, Kanye, Kid Cudi and Phil Collins had a baby in the 80’s; it would be “Stairs 2.”

Your song “YouTube Comments” has one of the most interesting concepts in recent rap history. How did that come about?

I’m always seeing negative comments in everybody’s Instagram, YouTube and Twitter and I just wanted to make a song for my fellow artists to not really give a fuck about what people have to say cause were all really going to die anyways so fuck it.

Do you pay any attention to comments on social media? If so, how does it affect your creative process? Everyone has different tastes.

Well I just wrote “YouTube Comments” based on this, and on top of that, I love it because it keeps me updated with what is really going on. Eye to the socials is like the modern age ear to the streets.

With more than 75 million cumulative streams from your catalog, are you comfortable with your career so far or are you anticipating more? Why or why not?

I’m nowhere near comfortable and it’s what keeps me going. I can’t wait to start releasing all types of genres to the world and showing everybody there’s no limitation.