Big Boogie talks 'Redrum Wizard,' collaboration with GloRilla and love for Memphis

Lately, wherever rapper Big Boogie finds himself in Memphis, he feels the love.

“People treat me well — real deal, they treat me how they treat Yo Gotti. They treat me how they treat Moneybagg Yo,” says Boogie. “I was just in the mall shopping and a fan walked clean up on me: ‘We love your style, we love your motivation.’ That’s who I do it for; for the fans.”

The 27-year-old Louisiana-born, Memphis-bred rapper — real name John Lotts — has been gaining fans exponentially with each album since signing to Gotti’s CMG label in 2020.

His latest effort, a Gangsta Grillz mixtape titled “Redrum Wizard” — which he celebrated with a release event last week in Memphis — is an 18-track affair that features production by DJ Drama, and collaborations with Gotti, Grammy-nominated Memphis rap star GloRilla and Brooklyn MC Lola Brooke, among others.

The album comes on the heels of a productive 2023 for Boogie, which saw him tour with labelmate Moneybagg Yo and appear on the second CMG label “Gangsta Art” compilation, as well as make high-profile performances at the Beale Street Music Festival and the University of Memphis' Student Madness.

“Redrum Wizard” finds him advancing his sound and teaming with a group of friends, from Memphis and beyond. “I always make songs, I’m always recording, 24/7,” says Boogie of the project. Of his collaboration with fellow Frayser rapper GloRilla on “Bop,” he notes that he “made a song for GloRilla, ‘cause we from the same hood, same place, same city. That was our first song together, because the world was waiting — and now we taking over the whole world.”

Although he spends most of his time in Atlanta these days — since relocating there in late 2020 — Boogie still feels a deep connection to Memphis, where he first moved as a teen. “We left Louisiana when I was really young," he recalls. "At that time, I was watching my mama go through it, my whole family was going through it. So when I got to Memphis it was a different type of life for me. I never wanted to leave Memphis — I liked Memphis more than I liked Louisiana. Even when my mama and family went back, I stayed.”

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Before he was rapping over beats, Boogie was making them, drumming in school bands. “I was always dancing, I always had rhythm,” says Boogie. “My teacher made me get in band because I was so bad in school, skipping class and all that. They saw something in me before I saw it.”

The support of friends and family were also crucial in pushing him towards hip-hop. “My neighborhood made me rap, really,” he says. “They were like, ‘You can rap, you sound good. It fits you.’ So I started rapping, and my neighborhood got behind me, when I started doing my first little shows.”

“Honestly, I didn’t take it serious until I got my first $500 [for a performance],” he says. “When I found I can make money off it, that it’s a hustle, I was like OK. See, where I’m from I didn’t know about the music business. But when I got paid from one show — I was like, oh my God. I can help my mama out, help my family out. Then I had a child, and I realized I could make music and take care of her too. That’s when I really started taking it serious.”

He began his career releasing a series of mixtapes, including 2017’s “Definition of Pain” and earning underground acclaim for singles like “Life Story.” It was the following year’s track, “Let Me Know,” that garnered him real attention in the industry, putting him on Yo Gotti’s radar.

Following the release of his 2020 EP, “Final Nightmare,” highlighted by the confessional “Mental Healing,” which quickly surpassed a million streams, he officially signed to CMG.

Since then, Boogie has built his following with the breakout single “Pop Out,” which hit No. 11 on the Urban Mainstream charts, and his 2021 album project “Underrated,” which garnered more than 200 million streams on its way to RIAA gold certification. He earned further acclaim for 2023's “Definition of a Big Dude.”

With the new “RedRum Wizard” Boogie’s poised for even bigger opportunities. Though he can’t confirm details officially, he is set to open shows on two major national tours in 2024.

“Ain’t no lie, my year looking wonderful — I just dropped the biggest album of my career,” he says, noting that he hopes to build on his relationship with his audience. “Other than being a rapper I’m trying let them know me more. I ain’t talking about the haters, they nowhere near my life. I’m talking about the genuine supporters, the fans. That’s who I care about.”

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Big Boogie on 'Redrum Wizard', working with GloRilla, love for Memphis