FNF Chop’s “Fireman” is a 2-minute burst of energy

Read a brief Q&A with Richmond, VA rapper FNF Chop, whose new EP No Way Out is out today.

April 28, 2022
FNF Chop’s “Fireman” is a 2-minute burst of energy FNF Chop in "Fireman"   Video by Plane Jane Creations.

Don't ever count out FNF Chop. When the Richmond, Virginia rapper has his back to the wall, he'll always find a way to turn the tide in his favor. "The worst shit to me is fucking up. I swear to God I hate that shit so much," he says over video call. "I do better with people doubting me than I do when I'm in a good mood. It turns me into a different type of animal. I can't afford to fuck up."

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In 2019, Chop released his thunderous breakout single "Walk Down," which got him looks in his city and a few club appearances, but he would be arrested in May 2020 for a parole violation. While Chop was incarcerated, "Walk Down" unexpectedly caught a second wind and made him push the song a little more. The re-shot video for the song would have his friends and loved ones wearing "#FreeFNFChop" shirts while he made an appearance via video call from jail. Since being released from jail in December 2021, he's been focused on music in hopes of forging a better future. His new EP No Way Out, which is out today, is a seven-song introduction to Chop's sound. Thumping 808s, grimy piano loops, and Chop's intense voice. Premiering today on The FADER is the music video for "Fireman."

Below, watch the video for "Fireman" and read a brief Q&A with FNF Chop.

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The FADER: What was growing up in Richmond like?

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It was different, because no matter the fact that I grew up with everybody, I still was an outsider cause I was from Baltimore. I grew up fighting. None of us kind of connected fully. You got friends like y'all [like] yin and yang. Y'all might both don't even know where each other at and you go to the mall and bump into each other. Like what the world, you following me now? I ain't had none of those. I was trying to figure my own stuff out, doing my own little thing.

How did being an outsider in Richmond affect you?

It made everything harder for me. It gave me more fight. If I come around, y'all projects, age 13. Y'all already got y'all homeboys, y'all little cliques, and everything. Y'all don't even know who I am. I'm not in the house, I'm not in the back porch. I'm outside. I'm walking up to the football field where y'all playing football asking 'Who got next?' I had to make my presence known.

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How did it feel when you saw the re-shot video for "Walk Down"?

I felt good when I seen the cameraman, just being out there, especially while locked up. I'm in jail right now, I got about a year left and I got a cameraman at my momma's house shooting a video. I'm telling my momma, "no, take off from work this day, you gotta get dressed up. Make sure everybody at the house so y'all can be there for the video." And she like "what?" It's like planning a wedding almost. You know how you get ready for the wedding, all the jewelry, favors, and stuff like that. I'm in jail, setting up a music video.

It's interesting to me that you have YungManny, Xanman, and Stunna4Vegas on here. Richmond is kind of in a weird spot because it's not really considered to be part of the DMV and obviously isn't part of the Carolinas either.

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I like the fact that we separate, I'm gonna keep it a bag with you. You can't never categorize us. The only hard part about [that is] I gotta go super hard cause we not connected to nothing. That's why I had to reach out to the Xanmans and the YungMannys and the Stunnas. like, look man, let's tie our lil loose ends up to get it really moving. People be so for self and they ain't give me too much for self vibes. I feel like the song with YungManny gonna be crazy. That's one of my favorite joints.


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FNF Chop’s “Fireman” is a 2-minute burst of energy