In the words of the great philosopher Ferris Bueller, “life moves pretty fast. And if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” L.A. rap phenomenon Lefty Gunplay would definitely agree. This Friday (May 2), he releases Can’t Get Right—his fifth full-length project in just over a year. Back in November 2023, he was released from federal prison after serving more than 9 years on a gun charge, and he hasn’t wasted a moment ever since.
At first glance, Lefty might not appear to have much in common with an ’80s movie character. While Bueller was a fresh-faced white boy from suburban Chicago, Lefty is a hardcore rapper from Baldwin Park, California, with face tats, icy grills, and a feature on Kendrick Lamar’s smash album GNX. Lefty is the voice you hear near the end of “TV Off,” saying how “Sh*t get Crazy, Scary, Spooky, Hilarious.” And while Bueller might have been hilarious and a little crazy at times, he was a fictional character. Lefty, on the other hand, could not be more real.
Born Franklin Scott Holladay, Lefty was raised by a single mother in a trailer in Baldwin Park, a small, predominantly Latino town in the San Gabriel Valley, 20 miles east of downtown L.A. The city is known for having the world’s first In-N-Out burger, and for losing too many young men to gang violence, but Lefty is putting it on the map for something more positive. He lost a lot of friends along the way and got locked up before falling victim to something worse. Although he hasn’t added it all up, he estimates that he spent almost half of his first thirty years on earth incarcerated.
“When we had heard about Lefty Gunplay two years ago, we was like, ‘Oh, yeah, he’s dope, he’s cool,’” says Money Mike of Mike & Keys, the ace production duo that shaped the sound of Nipsey Hussle’s classic album Victory Lap. “But we wasn’t really trying to work with him, just cause it looked like so much street and gang stuff affiliated to it. We didn’t want to really deal with that.” That was before the homie JasonMartin, aka Problem, brought him to the studio. “When we met him and actually spent time with him, that’s when we were like, ‘Yeah, we’re gonna work with him,’” Money Mike recalls. “We just like him as a person,” adds J Keys. “He’s smarter than what people might think.”
With beats featuring Problem, The Game, and Wallie the Sensei, Can’t Get Right is a major step up from the string of self-produced mixtapes Lefty dropped in 2024. Songs like “Gangsters Get Scared” show a type of musical maturity and vulnerability that Lefty couldn’t show during all the years he spent in Juvenile Hall, L.A. County Jail, and Pelican Bay State Prison.
Now that he’s a free man, Lefty is always making up for lost time. After landing a lucrative deal with OTR Records, he launched his own clothing line with plans to move his family out of the hood. VIBE caught up with Lefty this past Sunday, one day before his 30th birthday, as he took a moment to stop and look around before getting back to the grind.
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VIBE: Thanks for taking a minute to talk with us.
Lefty Gunplay: Thank you for taking an interest in what I’m doing. I used to love VIBE magazine throughout the time of being incarcerated and stuff like that. I used to always order that magazine. VIBE is one of the main magazines that they have in jails in California.
I remember we used to get artwork in the mail from readers who were behind bars. They would draw pictures of our covers.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, and they’ll send them in. I remember that they had a little section for that in the magazine. Those VIBE covers were a big thing. I would read it all the time in prison. And I’d tell myself that one day I’m going to be on it.
That’s deep. Well, let’s start at the beginning. You’ve made a big impact over the last year. Your name has been ringing out.
Yeah, you’re right. I absolutely did. You know, I take pride in that—that I did a lot this year.
100%, man. It’s hard to ignore. Obviously, the GNX look was big, but you made a lot of moves prior to that. You dropped that “Jail Talk” when you came home in 2023, and your SoundCloud has been flooded ever since. Four mixtapes last year, and now you’re the first artist featured on GNX to follow up with a full project.
I’m glad that you recognize that. Thank you.
You’re part of the new generation of L.A. rap, but I was really impressed when I heard your song “Chito Flow” where you did one of my favorite BDP styles from way back in the ’80s. That “Wa-da-da-deng….”
Oh, yeah! “I knew a crack dealer by the name of Peter / Had to Buck him down with my 9 millimeter.” Yeah, throwback song. And I tried to twist it my own way.
That really impressed me because the young generation doesn’t always check for the pioneers. Much respect to you for that!
That’s real Hip-Hop, you know. I appreciate that. That’s one of the hardest bars ever. I had to remix in my own way.
So, what are you bringing to the new generation? What do you think is missing right now?
Authenticity, you know? That’s the biggest thing that I’m bringing—authenticity. I’ve never let nobody write my lyrics. I’ve always wrote all my own songs, and I’ve always told a little glimpse of what the Latino lifestyle is in L.A., and it wasn’t good. But I’m trying to inspire the world and the kids and give back to the community. That’s really what my mission is. You never seen a Latino take it as far as I’m taking it. It’s for the culture. And I’m breaking barriers, opening doors. It’s never been done before. When are you going to see a Latino with Kendrick Lamar? That was a big thing out here for the West Coast. It was legendary, and I’m so glad that I was a part of that. I can’t imagine! I’m living my dream.
How did the “TV Off” feature come about? Do you remember when you first got the call?
Honestly, I thought they were messing with me. I didn’t believe it because I like to joke around a lot and play pranks with my staff and my management. But it was a surreal moment, and I was like, “Nah.” And then, you know, we got there and it was real. It just happened, and it happened so naturally, you know? And still to this day, I still talk to Kendrick here and there. He’ll send me his love, or we talk through our teams. And I appreciate him. He blessed me. He really gave me a chance, you know, and put me, a few of us on. So, now it’s like, what am I gonna do with it? And I guess time will tell.
Can you just take us back to that session? You said just a few words, and they made such a big impact. Did you know that’s what it was going to be? Were you supposed to just do the outro? How did it come together?
I had no idea that it was going to have that impact. I’m not going to sit here and lie to you. It took off. It really did. I remember walking into the studio, and then I met K Dot, and he started playing the “Grand National” beat. I was hearing the beat for “TV Off” and, you know, the rest was history. It just happened so quick. He was like, “What the hell you said?” I said, “Crazy, scary, spooky, hilarious.” And him and Mustard started bouncing their heads, and they said it was a hit. You know, they were excited. It’s always the ones that you never think are going to be the ones that turn out to be the ones. But that one was really the one. They’re our words now—me and Kendrick’s words. That’s our thing.
What do those words really mean to you? Because I’m sure you’ve seen how people analyze everything. Have you seen what they say about that line on Genius? The website says that each one of those words represents a certain song that Kendrick did in the battle. But how did those words really come to you?
Freestyling. Freestyling off the top of my head. It happened right there. When I’m with friends, I would always say, “He’s scary,” or like, “that’s hilarious.” Or like, say if I’m in my neighborhood and I see a street, you know, you know, really bad street in Los Angeles, I’d say “Ooh, it’s spooky down there!” You know? Just stuff like that. But they just blended so well. It’s hard to explain. You gotta really meet me in person and be in the studio with me to really understand Lefty Gunplay. I really take this rap thing seriously. “TV Off” is dope, but that’s not what I want to be remembered for, you know? I know he put me on and he gave me that opportunity, but I gotta work harder and do better and not just let it be that. I have to keep putting on for the West Coast. He gave me a boost, and I gotta keep at it. Everything gotta be better than the last one.
Are there going to be more records with you and Kendrick?
I signed an NDA, so I don’t want to expose anything and get in trouble and stuff like that. I wish I could tell you guys everything, but I can’t. Idon’t know nothing. He’s full of surprises, though. I didn’t know he was gonna drop that album the day he did. I wouldn’t be surprised if he dropped something else.
Word, word, word. We’ve been hearing rumors.
He’s a different type of artist. He likes to keep his stuff real mysterious. And that’s the way it should be, you know? It hits different when we don’t know.
When did you drop that Rookie of the Year mixtape? That was early last year, right?
Yeah, last year when I got out of prison. That album did really good, too.
How fast did you make it after you got out?
Like a week after I got out of prison. Within a week or ten days, I was already talking to Interscope, 300 Entertainment, Jonny Shipes. And I didn’t even have one song out, not one music video.
Why do you think? When did you press the button in your own mind and heart to say, “I’m gonna do this?” Like, when did you realize that this was your direction in life?
When I was in prison, there was an investigation for some stuff, and I told myself that if something were to happen to me and I lost a couple more years, I wouldn’t be able to live my dream, which was to rap. Because I’ve always wrote poetry.
Really? So you were writing poetry before you were rapping?
Well, I won a talent contest in elementary school. I rapped a Kanye West song and a 50 Cent song, and everybody went crazy. So I always loved to rap. And I would see the new Latino rappers and I’d look at them and say, “I could do that.” I would see the OhGeesy, and I said “I could do what OhGeesy does. He’s my skin color. I live like him. I could do that.” And that’s what I did. Now I’m next to OhGeesy, and I’m making records with him, and he’s my friend. I believed it, and I really did it. It’s a lot of hard work, too, but I feel like it’s certain superstar qualities. You either got it or you don’t.
Everybody been telling me my whole life that I was special, and I should have did something with it. But I just channeled it to gang banging. Recently, I started to channel into the music, more doors are opening, and I’m proud of myself for the turnaround that I did. From where I was at, sitting in that cell to now, I’m a Platinum artist, number two on Billboard. It’s crazy!
That really is crazy. Do you ever pinch yourself and wonder if you’re dreaming?
Yeah, right now I was just driving my car and my song came on the radio and I saw my face come up for a single I did in L.A. And it was a trip. It was a surreal moment, just hearing myself and seeing my face. But that all has to do with Kendrick Lamar. He really put me out there and let the people of the world see a glimpse of who I am. And my people are really appreciative of him. And the Black and brown unity out here is crazy with the Latinos and the Blacks, you know? It’s a lot more positive than it has been in the last few years. And I’m all for it. It’s a beautiful thing to see when we mesh together, and we make music.
Yeah, that’s a very important point. Remember when YG and Nipsey Hussle made that “FDT” record, and they were talking about Mexicans and African-Americans coming together?
Yeah, yeah, I remember that. Let’s get it going again!
Why is it so divided? Where does that tension come from?
You know, Los Angeles is the home of the gang bang. Every other street is a different neighborhood, so it’s just the gang environment. It makes the landscape and everything out here, the tension and everything is just so… in the jails, they just automatically split you up by race: Mexican, Black, you over here, you over there. So we’re trained to think that way. And when you’re back outside, it’s the gangs. The gangs are a big problem out here, but it’s never going to go away. Gang banging will never go away. We gotta learn how to work around it and figure out something better for kids to do.
Sounds like you’re really speaking from the heart.
It’s been getting really bad. A lot of violence has been going on out here. I’ve got a friend, he’s an upcoming rapper. He passed away last week. What if I could have helped him? What if I could have told people he’s a good rapper? I feel like I’m not doing my part by turning around and giving back to my people after K Dot put me on. So, you know, I gotta give back to my people now and give the love out to whoever’s working hard. But yeah, the violence has gotten really bad out here, and I want kids to know that they don’t gotta gang bang. They could rap. You know, if I’m rapping, they could rap. Rapping takes up your time and helps kids stay out of gangs.
I’m sorry to hear about your friend’s passing. What was his name?
Oh, SuckaFree 104. He was a Latino rapper from Lenox. A really good rapper. But it’s a shame that we don’t notice until he’s gone, you know? We gotta enjoy our moments with these artists while they are out here. People don’t realize what it is ‘til it’s gone.
Speaking of Black and Brown unity, you worked with JasonMartin, aka Problem, on this album. How did you link with him?
Problem shouted me out on Drink Champs with DJ Quik. And then I met him later on through some good friends of mine, AD and AceBoy Pun. From there, Problem introduced me to Mike & Keys. And when I met Mike & Keys, they weren’t ready for me either. They’re like more calm guys, but Problem is like—trust me, bro. Since I met Problem, the rest has been history. That was my first interaction with having a real relationship with a Black guy where he turned into a close friend, almost family, you know? That broke the barrier in my mind. My prison mentalities, they’re the ones that made me see things different.
Problem’s like my uncle, and I’m blessed to have him in my life. He’s such a genius with the West Coast sound and everything. He has me trying different things. I allow myself to be produced with him. I allow Problem to put me on whatever beat he wants, whether I like it at first or not. And it’s been working out.
Doughboy
When DJ Hed first posted your song “Can’t Get Right” on social media, he mentioned how it’s important to allow yourself to be produced. Was that difficult for you to shift into that mindset after doing so much stuff yourself?
Other rappers from my age group that were in similar situations—I don’t want to say no names, but some of them were on Kendrick Lamar’s album. I would see these rappers with us in the studio, and they didn’t like the beats. They were kind of hard-headed, like, “I don’t want to do that.” You know? And I’d stay and be like, “I’ll do it.” Next thing you know, it’s a hit.
I listen to this man. He knows what he’s talking about. JasonMartin is a real genius. He’s really respected out here with the West Coast legends—you know, Snoop Dogg, The Game—a lot of connections. One day I asked him, “Are we making music? Or are we doing this just to sell it because I’m hot? I want to know that you really are putting in your heart and you believe in me.” And he’s like, “Yeah, I believe in you.” And we’ve been locked in ever since.
As someone who grew up in Baldwin Park, what does it mean to link with someone who reps a legendary city like Compton?
It’s a trip, man. Who would have thought, like, a brown kid, a Latino kid from Baldwin Park would ever link up with Kendrick Lamar? Or JasonMartin? It’s unheard of. It’s. It’s not normal, and it’s a different time out here. And I’m glad that you’re shining a light on it, because it’s different out here. It feels better now. Like, you just feel it. Everywhere I see, I’m embraced by everyone. You know, Black people embrace me. Latino people embrace me. It’s like a win for the West Coast. It’s like I play for the Dodgers when I walk around here. That type of stuff. Everybody’s like, “Hey Lefty!” It’s all love out here.
Let’s talk about the song, “I Can’t Get Right.” It’s the single. It’s the title of your album. What does that bar mean to you?
They call me Lefty because I can’t get right. Not cause I’m left-handed. I learned from my mistakes and stuff like that. But I used to be like a knucklehead, you could say. Like a troublemaker when I was younger. I would always make mistakes, so my homies would be like, “He can’t do nothing right. We’re gonna call him Lefty.” And that’s how the name came about when I was 14, 15. And it just stuck.
That was the same time when you started getting in trouble with the law, right? How much of your life did you spend behind bars?
I want to say like half of it. Probably a good 14 years, if you want to add the Juvenile Hall time and the county time. All added it up it’s at least 11, 12, 13 years—I’m not sure. But it’s over 10.
That’s crazy. And how old are you right now?
I’m 30. Today’s my birthday.
Oh wow—Happy Birthday! But man, that’s a big part of your life.
I got arrested when I was younger. And you go to prison, and it feels like time freezes. You get out, and it’s like your mentality’s still stuck where it was at. But I’m learning how to adapt out here in the real world. This is the longest I’ve ever been out—a year. This is my first time spending my birthday free in like 10 years or 11 years.
Oh, my God, man. What are you gonna do? What are your plans?
On Friday, we had a birthday bash. A little get-together with TrueCar, HoodTrophy Bino came. A friend, Young Drummer Boy—he’s a Latino rapper…YS, Hitta J3 came, and they all performed for me. And I performed at the end, too. Yesterday, I went to a performance with RJ and Siete7X. He’s on Kendrick Lamar’s album, too. So I popped out to a little birthday party, and that was fun. And today I’m chilling and I’m talking to VIBE magazine.
Yeah, you are. And I feel very honored to speak with you because I respect what you’ve done with your life and how you’ve turned it around. I’m glad that you’re talking about it in interviews. I can see that you don’t want young people to make the same mistakes that you made.
I do not. And if that little statement—whoever reads it—if it helps one kid out there, then, you know, that’s the whole point of this. My mission is accomplished.
Let me ask you a question, on some real sh*t. I’m sure you heard about another artist who was on the GNX project who got into some problems in his life recently. Even though he had this big music opportunity, he also went through some personal tragedies. He lost his child and his home and expressed his pain on social media. He even made some disrespectful remarks about Kendrick. What are you doing to avoid those kinds of situations? Because you’ve got a lot of attention on you right now. And you were behind bars just over a year ago.
The fame. Sometimes, if you don’t know how to deal with the fame or the social media comments, I feel like it could really mess with your head. Especially when mixing it with the gangs, and the fame, and the money, and just everybody. You know, people think that’s what it is when it really is not.
But I know who you’re talking about, and it’s all love for him and everything he’s going through. I just want to let you know that I messaged him immediately and told him that I loved him. I told him that I’m here for him. Whatever mistake he made, may he learn. I believe in second chances. You know, he’s a really talented individual, and it’s really messed up. We got so much limelight on us, and people see everything. But God bless him and I hope he’s good, and his family. He is a good friend of mine. I don’t really know what’s going on, but God bless him and everything he’s going through. I really mean that.
I was glad to see that he made a statement afterwards where he kind of sent love to Kendrick. Because of his stress, he said some disrespectful things. But it was cool that he made that statement.
Yeah, he manned up and did the right thing. Cause Kendrick did nothing but put us on. He didn’t have to do none of this, and he really put us all on.
Are you the first artist out of everybody that is featured on GNX to put out a full album? I think I kind of feel like you might be.
I wanna say that I’m like one of the top artists in Los Angeles right now, Mexican or Black. I want to say that. I’m out here, I’m in my own lane out here in L.A. I’m running it up, you know. I’m not stopping. I also got nominated for the XXL Freshman Class for the 10th spot. Who knows if I win that, too?
I saw that. That’s a big look.
Yeah, that’s a cool accolade. But I’m thinking a VIBE magazine cover would be a cool one, too.
Hey, let’s go. Let’s get it, man. One step at a time, you feel me?
Yeah, for the culture, man. For the culture.
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