Studio Sessions | Yummy Pearl's first collab after prison was with Gucci Mane

Yummy Pearl, once the first lady of Quality Control, is now forging a new path forward. But, those moments she never thought would happen continue to propel her to new heights.

“[Working with Gucci Mane] meant a lot to me because [I’m a huge fan]. I never really thought I was going to get that opportunity. I didn’t think that would be the first feature I ever got when I got out of prison,” Yummy Pearl told REVOLT.

In this installment of “Studio Sessions,” Dare Records’ new signee breaks down Quavo’s lasting influence on her music, making her new single “Get Right,” and Zaytoven’s instant magic.

I know you started with Quality Control. What do you remember about those early sessions with up-and-coming artists like OG Maco, Lil Baby, and Migos?                                         

Well, Quavo gave me the “Ooh Yummy” ad lib. He said it in the background of a song with Young Thug as an ad lib. We heard the song and Quavo said, “You hear that in the back? That’s your new ad lib.” OG Maco and I went to college together, so we knew each other from college. Takeoff was very quiet. Offset and I were the coolest. When I got over there, Lil Baby was not Lil Baby yet. He was probably on the same level as me. I had just gotten out [of prison]. I still support them, and they still check in with me.”

Are there any unreleased collaborations or songs you did during that time on QC that you wish would come out?

I have a song with Gucci Mane from 2017. That song is hard as f**k. I wrote my part first, and then he just put a verse on there while I was in the studio with him. That meant a lot to me because I’m a huge Gucci Mane fan. I never really thought I was going to get that opportunity. I didn’t think that would be the first feature I ever got when I got out of prison.

What deep thoughts or complex emotions of yours did you unearth while you were locked up?

I dug deep into love and loneliness. I’m so used to writing songs that don’t have anything to do with love. When I was locked up, I went through this phase where I can’t talk about money, glitz, and glamour all my life. My relationship before I went to prison was very rocky. I never planned on getting married or having kids. I never wanted the love life because all my brothers were ho bags (laughs). My dad was as well. So, that’s what I grew up with. So, when I was locked up, I felt I probably do want to find somebody. I might want to get married. So, I wrote about it. But, even then, I still didn’t believe it.

You’ve also been in the studio cooking up with Zaytoven. I saw a video of you and him working at what looked like someone’s house in 2015.

Yeah, that was Zaytoven’s house.

What’s your creative chemistry with him?

Zay has worked with a lot of girls. I knew I was going to work with him. He supports the underdogs. At that session, Yung L.A. was there. He penned some lyrics and came up with the melody for the songs I dropped. He asked me what I was feeling and I told him, “I wanna boss up on these little a** n**gas” (laughs). He went to mumbling and stuff, and I had to put the words to it. But working with Zaytoven is always a pleasure. It’s always quick with him. He always brings that hometown style too. I’m not even from Atlanta, but I just remember all the Gucci Mane songs that he came up with that I used to listen to. It’s amazing to see him cook up in two minutes. In two minutes, you’ll have a beat in your face.

If he came up with the beat in two minutes, how long did it take you to make the song?

I already have the idea. The way that I write is I don’t write full songs. I just jot down a bunch of bars. So, by the time I get done writing a song, it’s 100 bars. Then, I pick and choose what I want to go where. Coming up with the hook is the worst thing for me because I like to be more complex, and the industry is kind of dumbed down right now, so you got to make them catch on. Nobody wants to learn s**t. Nobody wants to think too hard. That’s why I have probably two or three people I work with that just go in there, mumble, and they might pick a flow or melody as they hum into the mic, and I have to put all the words to it.

What do you need in the studio to make your best music?

I need people to leave me alone. That’s why I don’t work with people. They tend to talk and do a lot in the studio and can’t be still. They talk loud and try to talk over the beat while I’m trying to write. So, I just need people to leave me alone. It’s hard to write with writers when you’re co-writing. People start talking too much, and I’m just trying to write my bars. I don’t need any liquor. I didn’t even drink liquor until I was 25 years old. I used to smoke like a chimney from probably 2012 to 2015. But I didn’t smoke in the studio, and I don’t do molly or any of that. 

Why did you choose “Get Right” as sort of your comeback single?

I meant that motherf**ker right there. I got the beat because I went to the producer’s house, and he showed me a video of his cousin FN DaDealer. It was literally a hook, a verse, and another hook. The song was going off, and my eyes were so big — I was still glued to the video, wondering where the rest of it was. I said, “That ni**a needs to add another verse.” I played the whole song probably three or four times. So, I wrote him like, “Little boy, you need to rap. You don’t need to be in the streets. You need to take rap seriously. Learn from me because I was one of them b**ches that should have been rapping instead of scamming.” He signed with Young Thug a few months later after he started taking it seriously.

I always have to go in circles a little bit. The video kept me so glued that I said I wanted to make a song like that. I want a hook, one verse, and then the hook. And that’s what I did. When I got done, I went to the producer’s house. He’s one of the producers who leave me alone. He guides me when I’m rapping. He was like, “You could say that better. You could say it like this.” When I started rapping the song, he was with it. 

Are there any collaborations you are proud of working on in the studio?

I know I can get features, but I just don’t be trying to be in the studio with people. I’m a loner. I worked with Derez De’Shon in 2014. He was writing hits, and I went to the studio to work with London [On Da Track] and Derez was there. So, we were going back and forth, making songs. The song was so hard. Now, that’s a song that I wish would come out. I don’t even know where it’s at. It’s been a long time. He had me singing a little bit.

I didn’t know you could sing.

I ain’t know either (laughs).

What do you envision for your career in 2023?

I just want to build my hometown. I think that’s all I want. I also want to hit the evil laugh on these [people] that tried to do me wrong (laughs). I’m not going to hold no grudges or anything, but I want to hit that evil laugh like, “Ha ha” (laughs). I got a big single dropping in 2023. It’s so hard. It’s called “Big Wetty.”

If you could lock in, in the studio with anyone, who would it be?

I would lock in with Rihanna because all my friends got a crush on her, so I would love to just lock in with her for them. But as far as me, I’m a little ratchet. I think GloRilla would be OK in the studio with me.