Today, Atlanta trap rapper 550 shared another personal look into his past street life with a visual for “Masquerade” featuring KC Da Beatmonster. With the Chase “DJ Southanbred” Walker-directed video, 550 lets you into life as a drug dealer and his hope for those trying to take a different path. “Masquerade” will appear on 550’s forthcoming album, Hoodlum, which will be out on CKP Records on Jan. 26. Hoodlum will include collaborations with Future, 21 Savage, Yung Mazi, Will A Fool and more.
550 explains, “I came from burglar bars and prison cells. So this Masquerade started as me dodging police, robbers, snitches and snakes. When you’re at the Masquerade, it’s hard to see the Hate, Disrespect, Jealousy and Disloyalty but remember it’s possible to find your way through it. For me, I’m not a rapper. I’m just a trapper. If you ain’t a rapper and you got a trap, work your trap whatever it is. Respect!”
About 550
Street music resonates best when it’s honest and genuine.
Fairytales and facades will never last but rather blind the youth. Dishonesty has led the next generation to become lost and 550 wants to fix those mistakes. Raised in Atlanta’s notorious section of Kirkwood, cousin to Future and Bossman Casino, the street poet has seen it all. That’s why he’s the perfect man to lead the youth.
Born Darren Buice, 550’s debut project, Street Kingz, made waves because of its unique style, real lyrics, and A-list help over the course of 15 vibrant tracks. But, before rapping, life was very different.
Buice was notorious in his neighborhood as being the youngest to drive a Mercedes S550, earning him the name 550. Even though he had family in music, he had no ambition to be a rapper. His focus was getting money so he could take care of his family. After an intense invasion attempt at his home, which led to over a hundred rounds being fired, 550 ended up getting sent to jail in 2009 and served a four-year prison sentence. Hardship was plentiful in 550’s life.
“My best friend was shot in the back of the head right in front of me,” 550 describes while discussing his experiences. “When I was 17, my other partner was killed while I was in prison. The only thing the streets give you is death and lost time. Neither one of them you can get back.”
In 2013, he was released from prison and joined Future while on the Would You Like a Tour? It was after hitting the road did he find his passion for rapping and he hit the ground running. Street Kingz was released in 2014 and featured production from Metro Boomin, K.E on the Beat plus guest appearances from Casino and Young Thug. In 2016, 550 dropped two collaborative projects, 50 a Fool with producer Will-A-Fool featuring his hit single “80s Back” with his blood cousin Future, and 2 Fat Niggas with Casino that had 21 Savage lay a guest verse. In 2017, 550 dropped Paper Trail and partnered his label of the same name with Crown King Productions (CKP).
Outside of his tapes, 550 has made records with some of today’s biggest rappers such as Kevin Gates (“Boss Shit”), Waka Flocka (“Traphouse 550”), Young Nudy (“Paranoia”) and more. All of these guest verses were able to happen because of mutual respect, “I never paid for any feature,” says 550.
The focus now is 550’s upcoming album Hoodlum, a 17-song LP that he describes is similar to the Bumpy Johnson story.
“I’m like the Bumpy Johnson of my hood. I got a lot of people together. I stopped a lot of bullshit and brought a lot of unity back to the hood. We gave back for real and we put a lot of people on their feet, gave people jobs who didn’t have them. We didn’t do it for Instagram but people know, people who know my team knows. I’m the Bumpy of the hood.”
Follow 550 on Twitter and Instagram.
550 enlisted Chase ‘DJ Southanbred’ Walker to direct the ‘Masquerade’ video
