Bobby Shmurda Opened Up About His Post-Prison Mindset: ‘I Feel Like Being Locked Up, It Made Me Smarter’

A few months after being released from prison, Bobby Shmurda has shared some new insight with The New York Times about what he learned from his time at New York’s Clinton Correctional Facility, saying, “I ain’t mad about going to jail, because my mind-state now versus my mind-state before — I probably would’ve been in jail for life before […] The stuff that’s going to get you in trouble or put you in that situation, you can see that from miles away.”

The Roc Nation rapper went to prison back in 2016 with a plea deal on conspiracy to commit murder and weapons possession charges. He was released back in February, but he’s been keeping super-busy, performing at Miami’s Rolling Loud and joining J Balvin and Daddy Yankee to remix Eladio Carrion’s “Tata.” In the coming weeks, he’ll also perform at Summer Jam in New York and the Made in America Festival in Philadelphia.

“When I was young, I used to run towards it,” he added in the interview about his mindset, pre-lockup. “I was a full animal. So I feel like being locked up, it made me smarter. It made me stronger. And it made me badder, but in a good way. Instead of saying, boom, ‘I want to go in the streets and cause hell,’ I’m saying, ‘I want to go in the streets and give back.’ I feel like that’s gangster.” (Indeed, over Father’s Day Weekend the Brooklyn rapper held a “Give Back Brunch” for 200 families, treating patrons of the Win Shelter in Brooklyn to a meal including Bobby’s own Jamaican favorites: curried chickpeas, jerk salmon, and stewed chicken. In addition, Bobby employed barbers to give free haircuts to the attendees.)

Shmurda also offered a glimpse into the new music he’s been working on with names like Swae Lee and Migos, saying, “We’re going to be dancing 24/7. When I dance, it’s to show you that I came through the struggle, but I overcame it and we’re still overcoming it.”

×