Blueface Further Explains His Advice to Rappers Visiting L.A.

Shortly after Pop Smoke was tragically murdered in Los Angeles, Blueface advised artists to get in touch with the “right” L.A. natives before visiting. “People think Cali/LA is beautiful sunny palm trees,” the Find the Beat rapper wrote on Instagram. “I recommend artists coming this way to get in touch with the right natives just to keep you up on speed spoon as you relax an think it’s cool this way that’s when they strike.”

In an interview with Bootleg Kev on Real 92.3 LA, he’s further clarified what he meant. “The way they took what I was saying like, go find your local hood that’s affiliated with what you—honestly, that’s the last thing I’m promoting,” Blueface explained at the five-minute point of the interview, insisting that he didn’t want people to “check in” with the streets as so many had assumed. “If anything, go find you a regular, square that’s got maybe a gun license or permit or even a security guard or even a friend of a friend that can pull up and provide you with the utensils that you need to defend yourself.”

While some took his advice as checking in with local gang members, Blueface has said now “that’s the last thing you should do.” He continued, “They gonna extort you. Fuck that. We ain’t payin’ nobody shit. … They see the palm trees, they’re in the hills. They don’t know that the hood is a 20-minute drive. They coming, for sure.”