Published on December, 12th 2022
If you’re a fan of the Los Angeles rap scene, then you’re probably a fan of Joe Moses.
In describing himself, Joe Moses states he’s “The streets. Joe Moses is a living legend. The streets of LA, I’m with LA representation.” And while rap may be his claim to fame, Joe Moses has his sights set on a number of other things that take precedence: being a father, owning and running multiple businesses, coaching his own Pop Warner team in LA, and of course, running his own independent label All Out Bosses Entertainment. But that just goes to show the beauty in being able to leverage one’s music career into different avenues of income, all while taking care of your family and community.
On the music tip, The West Coast spitter is best known for his standout feature on Mustard’s “Burn Rubber” alongside YG, a song that slapped through every nightclub, every party, and every function all across the country. He’s also featured on Ty Dolla $ign’s “Wavy,” which similarly turned into an anthem — beyond just the local scene in the city. Joe recently unveiled his newest project titled From Nothing 2 Something 4, spearheaded by lead single “Freak It” featuring Jeremih.
The Fox Magazine spoke with Joe Moses during an exclusive shoot in downtown Los Angeles. Read below as we discuss his biggest inspiration, coaching football, fatherhood, the new project, relationship with Ty Dolla $ign, starting his own shoe line, and more!
The Fox Magazine is all about inspiration, who or what inspires you the most?
Joe Moses: My father. A lot of people get on interviews and say artists, but they don’t mention the real. Who inspired me was my father to inspire me to be the man who I am today. My father and my uncle were into music. They used to manage artists like Jayo Felony, and my godfather used to have Kurupt back in the day.
I love Kurupt.
He’s a good guy. That’s Unc!
Being that you’re a child football athlete and played quarterback in high school, did you have NFL dreams?
That’s always the first goal. The first goal is never rapping, it’s always to become an athlete. When that goal is not exceeded, you have to go on to what the next goal is. The next goal within our culture is music. If it ain’t basketball, football or anything like that, the next goal is just music. That’s why you get so many athletes that want to be rappers and rappers want to be athletes.
How good were you though?
I was top in the country.
What made you stop?
I fucked up. I did some shit in high school man, I fucked up my whole shit.
Talk about now running one of LA’s most successful Pop Warner teams.
Yeah! Definitely. LA Chiefs baby. I love it. Just to watch my boys’ faces, and still be able to be me. People think I’ll be on some rap shit when I’m out there on the football field, I’m really a coach. All my kids don’t call me Joe Moses, they call me Coach Joe. I don’t let them call me Joe Moses, I don’t really let them indulge in my music.
Really?!
Nah. I’ll put them in videos and shit, but I don’t really let them indulge in the shit that I got going on. That’s my life, it ain’t your life. I try to project a different type of path.
That must be one of the most fulfilling things.
For me, it’s for us to be successful. Nobody always sees the success story. They always see the different shit then the success, they didn’t see when we were out there getting our ass whooped. Now, we the top chapter in California. Motherfuckers is heading for that, so it’s always a great thing. That’s the best feeling in the world for me. No other joy is worth it, then changing them kids lives.
Do you spend time coming up with the practices and drills?
That’s why my scheduling is like… don’t book shit for me on Saturdays. I might go through the week, I go to practice every day. Last week was the first week I missed practice.
Because of music stuff?
Mmhmm. I’ve been on the road, and I hated it too. I love being around my kids.
How old are your kids now?
So I love being around my football kids, but I love being around my kids, period. In general. I got a daughter that’s 18. She goes to Mississippi State. She’ll be 19, November 12th. My other son is in high school, my other son is in high school. I got two 14-year-olds. I got kids. Shout out to all my kids.
New album, From Nothing 2 Something 4. How are you feeling?
It is what it is. The body of the work is always going to be Joe Moses, I’m the most consistent. A lot of n*ggas fall off the earth. Now, I gotta take the branding to the next level. It was never about the music, it was always about the branding of a person. I’m not always loved the way I felt like I should be loved.
I had a conversation with Justin Credible about that the other day, we went back and forth in the DM. I’m like “Bro, just call me. This is my friend over 10 years, so. I expect conversations. He understands my point of views, and I understand his point of views. But the city don’t campaign the real. I’ve been one of the realest in the game for a minute, they don’t campaign me like they campaign everybody else. I be feeling like that sometimes. It is what it is.
Do you feel it’s hard to make it out the local scene?
When you’re real. When you’re actually real. If you’re a copycat, that shit is so easy. I can go sound like Future and everything gon’ be — you know?
When you’re authentic and you’re real, it’s always hard for artists.
What’s special about this fourth installment?
The timing. Being able to jump back in it, when I want to. I might even drop the album in a year and some change. From Nothing 2 Something 4 was special for me. It felt like when Kendrick dropped Section.80, it was the timing. Motherfukers was all in the comments like, “Man, Joe dropped some shit! You listen to his wordplay, you listen to how he’s saying it, bro is back.” When you get 96% of all good commentary, motherfuckers saying positive shit, then I did my job.
I love “Freak It” with Jeremih, my favorite song on the project. Talk about how that song came about.
Hitmaka. Hitmaka called me to the studio, he’s like “Bro I got you one.” Jeremih came to the studio, knocked some shit out. We went over some shit and I did my verses in three or four minutes.
Did you just freestyle it?
I did a little bit, then I started writing a little bit. But I wanted every line to be a bar. If you listen to the song, that’s exactly what it is. Me and Jeremih always compliment each other when we do songs. We got songs that we ain’t never put out.
What’s the meaning behind “Instagram” with RJMrLA? Shout out to RJ!
The meaning behind “Instagram” was simple and plain: a lot of women hoeing on Instagram. [laughs] It was just simple. RJ came up with that hook, “Bitch hoeing on Instagram!” I’m like, oh this n*gga crazy. He’s always coming up with some catchy and swavy shit, that’s why I fuck with him. Very talented individual. We make quality, great music every time we drop also. Easy.
Obviously, you got two songs with Ty Dolla $ign on the project. Talk about the close friendship you guys share, beyond work.
That’s my brother, man. He’ll call me right now and be like, “Bitch, what you doing?” That’s our relationship and friendship over the years. Great, incredible friendship. I’m so happy where he’s at, and me aspiring to be bigger as well as an artist. I always tell him, “Bro, I’m coming. I’m coming. I ain’t going to never stop.” He indulged me to do From Nothing 2 Something 4. He got my mind back there to do From Nothing 2 Something 4. It was all Ty$, it wasn’t me.
Really?!
Yeah. He said, “Bro, you gotta…” I’m like alright, for sure. Because I wasn’t into music. My mind wasn’t there. Sometimes, it gets like that.
Did it have to do anything with your label?
Nah, I love Atlantic. Atlantic didn’t do anything bad to Joe Moses, I just wasn’t where I needed to be. Shout out to Shawn Barron, shout out to everybody that signed me at Atlantic. We left on great, great terms. I wanted to be able to drop music when I want to drop music, I want to be able to go to the radio when I want to go to radio. It’s an independent thing for me, going crazy.
What was the challenge between you and DJ Mustard coming up?
Never was any challenge. We didn’t always coexist with seeing eye to eye on certain shit, but that’s still my brother. Never a challenge. I always salute Mustard and support Mustard for what he’s doing. I don’t really try to indulge in negatives, especially on camera or in interviews. If me and Mustard really had a personal issue, the media wouldn’t know it. It’ll be something that we could handle on our end. When I consider you as family — he might not feel the same type of way, but I consider him still as family. I’d never go into the radio and downplay his light or what he got going on, or any situations like that. It was a business decision for him to do him, and for me to do me.
I know you got your own clothing line and shoe line. Can you touch on that?
Cote Ouest is the baby, we just building. I built a shoe. I built an antique Chuck that’s not an All-Star, but my own fucking shoe. An incredible shoe that’s sold multiple units already, that’s been going crazy. I’m my own designer, but shout out to the mother of my kid for helping me create it and helping me get to that point. She’s also a business partner in the whole venture. My boy TR, he’s a business partner in the whole venture. We’ve been creating different patterns and different shit for our next launch.
Talk about signing your new artists.
Oh C4, he’s an incredible kid. A believer, a firm believer. A worker, a hard worker. A kid straight out of Compton, California I believe is going to be the next biggest artist in California. I love him as a little brother. I love everything that he’s got going. London on da Track also came to be a partner with me on the situation. He also produced it along with one of my boys, Dinero. Dinero produced half his shit too. On the creative side, we got a lot of opportunities for that kid right there. I signed him to NWB, first artist. My first artist that’s signed to me. I’m working on another artist, young lady by the name of Polka, She’s definitely going to be the one. C4 is already polished, he’s polished. Polka is a diamond in the rough. Once I get her to understand everything that she needs to understand, it’s going to be a whole different type of ballgame.
What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you?
That I’m a humble individual. I don’t care how much money I got, I own about 10 businesses, clubs, all types of shit. Rapping is the stepping stone that’s trying to get us to the next level of success. But other than that, money’s gonna be made regardless.
What is your best advice for aspiring musicians?
Never stop. Don’t ever take “no” for an option. Failure’s not an option. Don’t ever stop. Don’t ever let anybody tell you that you can’t, just keep going.
Connect With Joe Moses!
Production Credits
Journalist: Shirley Ju
Photographer: Marc Cortes
Creative Direction: Mike Fox
Graphic Design: Michael Bosah
Joe Moses Is LA’s Best Kept Secret: Finding Success In Sports, Music & Entrepreneurship
If you’re a fan of the Los Angeles rap scene, then you’re probably a fan of Joe Moses.
In describing himself, Joe Moses states he’s “The streets. Joe Moses is a living legend. The streets of LA, I’m with LA representation.” And while rap may be his claim to fame, Joe Moses has his sights set on a number of other things that take precedence: being a father, owning and running multiple businesses, coaching his own Pop Warner team in LA, and of course, running his own independent label All Out Bosses Entertainment. But that just goes to show the beauty in being able to leverage one’s music career into different avenues of income, all while taking care of your family and community.
On the music tip, The West Coast spitter is best known for his standout feature on Mustard’s “Burn Rubber” alongside YG, a song that slapped through every nightclub, every party, and every function all across the country. He’s also featured on Ty Dolla $ign’s “Wavy,” which similarly turned into an anthem — beyond just the local scene in the city. Joe recently unveiled his newest project titled From Nothing 2 Something 4, spearheaded by lead single “Freak It” featuring Jeremih.
The Fox Magazine spoke with Joe Moses during an exclusive shoot in downtown Los Angeles. Read below as we discuss his biggest inspiration, coaching football, fatherhood, the new project, relationship with Ty Dolla $ign, starting his own shoe line, and more!
The Fox Magazine is all about inspiration, who or what inspires you the most?
Joe Moses: My father. A lot of people get on interviews and say artists, but they don’t mention the real. Who inspired me was my father to inspire me to be the man who I am today. My father and my uncle were into music. They used to manage artists like Jayo Felony, and my godfather used to have Kurupt back in the day.
I love Kurupt.
He’s a good guy. That’s Unc!
Being that you’re a child football athlete and played quarterback in high school, did you have NFL dreams?
That’s always the first goal. The first goal is never rapping, it’s always to become an athlete. When that goal is not exceeded, you have to go on to what the next goal is. The next goal within our culture is music. If it ain’t basketball, football or anything like that, the next goal is just music. That’s why you get so many athletes that want to be rappers and rappers want to be athletes.
How good were you though?
I was top in the country.
What made you stop?
I fucked up. I did some shit in high school man, I fucked up my whole shit.
Talk about now running one of LA’s most successful Pop Warner teams.
Yeah! Definitely. LA Chiefs baby. I love it. Just to watch my boys’ faces, and still be able to be me. People think I’ll be on some rap shit when I’m out there on the football field, I’m really a coach. All my kids don’t call me Joe Moses, they call me Coach Joe. I don’t let them call me Joe Moses, I don’t really let them indulge in my music.
Really?!
Nah. I’ll put them in videos and shit, but I don’t really let them indulge in the shit that I got going on. That’s my life, it ain’t your life. I try to project a different type of path.
That must be one of the most fulfilling things.
For me, it’s for us to be successful. Nobody always sees the success story. They always see the different shit then the success, they didn’t see when we were out there getting our ass whooped. Now, we the top chapter in California. Motherfuckers is heading for that, so it’s always a great thing. That’s the best feeling in the world for me. No other joy is worth it, then changing them kids lives.
Do you spend time coming up with the practices and drills?
That’s why my scheduling is like… don’t book shit for me on Saturdays. I might go through the week, I go to practice every day. Last week was the first week I missed practice.
Because of music stuff?
Mmhmm. I’ve been on the road, and I hated it too. I love being around my kids.
How old are your kids now?
So I love being around my football kids, but I love being around my kids, period. In general. I got a daughter that’s 18. She goes to Mississippi State. She’ll be 19, November 12th. My other son is in high school, my other son is in high school. I got two 14-year-olds. I got kids. Shout out to all my kids.
New album, From Nothing 2 Something 4. How are you feeling?
It is what it is. The body of the work is always going to be Joe Moses, I’m the most consistent. A lot of n*ggas fall off the earth. Now, I gotta take the branding to the next level. It was never about the music, it was always about the branding of a person. I’m not always loved the way I felt like I should be loved.
I had a conversation with Justin Credible about that the other day, we went back and forth in the DM. I’m like “Bro, just call me. This is my friend over 10 years, so. I expect conversations. He understands my point of views, and I understand his point of views. But the city don’t campaign the real. I’ve been one of the realest in the game for a minute, they don’t campaign me like they campaign everybody else. I be feeling like that sometimes. It is what it is.
Do you feel it’s hard to make it out the local scene?
When you’re real. When you’re actually real. If you’re a copycat, that shit is so easy. I can go sound like Future and everything gon’ be — you know?
When you’re authentic and you’re real, it’s always hard for artists.
What’s special about this fourth installment?
The timing. Being able to jump back in it, when I want to. I might even drop the album in a year and some change. From Nothing 2 Something 4 was special for me. It felt like when Kendrick dropped Section.80, it was the timing. Motherfukers was all in the comments like, “Man, Joe dropped some shit! You listen to his wordplay, you listen to how he’s saying it, bro is back.” When you get 96% of all good commentary, motherfuckers saying positive shit, then I did my job.
I love “Freak It” with Jeremih, my favorite song on the project. Talk about how that song came about.
Hitmaka. Hitmaka called me to the studio, he’s like “Bro I got you one.” Jeremih came to the studio, knocked some shit out. We went over some shit and I did my verses in three or four minutes.
Did you just freestyle it?
I did a little bit, then I started writing a little bit. But I wanted every line to be a bar. If you listen to the song, that’s exactly what it is. Me and Jeremih always compliment each other when we do songs. We got songs that we ain’t never put out.
What’s the meaning behind “Instagram” with RJMrLA? Shout out to RJ!
The meaning behind “Instagram” was simple and plain: a lot of women hoeing on Instagram. [laughs] It was just simple. RJ came up with that hook, “Bitch hoeing on Instagram!” I’m like, oh this n*gga crazy. He’s always coming up with some catchy and swavy shit, that’s why I fuck with him. Very talented individual. We make quality, great music every time we drop also. Easy.
Obviously, you got two songs with Ty Dolla $ign on the project. Talk about the close friendship you guys share, beyond work.
That’s my brother, man. He’ll call me right now and be like, “Bitch, what you doing?” That’s our relationship and friendship over the years. Great, incredible friendship. I’m so happy where he’s at, and me aspiring to be bigger as well as an artist. I always tell him, “Bro, I’m coming. I’m coming. I ain’t going to never stop.” He indulged me to do From Nothing 2 Something 4. He got my mind back there to do From Nothing 2 Something 4. It was all Ty$, it wasn’t me.
Really?!
Yeah. He said, “Bro, you gotta…” I’m like alright, for sure. Because I wasn’t into music. My mind wasn’t there. Sometimes, it gets like that.
Did it have to do anything with your label?
Nah, I love Atlantic. Atlantic didn’t do anything bad to Joe Moses, I just wasn’t where I needed to be. Shout out to Shawn Barron, shout out to everybody that signed me at Atlantic. We left on great, great terms. I wanted to be able to drop music when I want to drop music, I want to be able to go to the radio when I want to go to radio. It’s an independent thing for me, going crazy.
What was the challenge between you and DJ Mustard coming up?
Never was any challenge. We didn’t always coexist with seeing eye to eye on certain shit, but that’s still my brother. Never a challenge. I always salute Mustard and support Mustard for what he’s doing. I don’t really try to indulge in negatives, especially on camera or in interviews. If me and Mustard really had a personal issue, the media wouldn’t know it. It’ll be something that we could handle on our end. When I consider you as family — he might not feel the same type of way, but I consider him still as family. I’d never go into the radio and downplay his light or what he got going on, or any situations like that. It was a business decision for him to do him, and for me to do me.
I know you got your own clothing line and shoe line. Can you touch on that?
Cote Ouest is the baby, we just building. I built a shoe. I built an antique Chuck that’s not an All-Star, but my own fucking shoe. An incredible shoe that’s sold multiple units already, that’s been going crazy. I’m my own designer, but shout out to the mother of my kid for helping me create it and helping me get to that point. She’s also a business partner in the whole venture. My boy TR, he’s a business partner in the whole venture. We’ve been creating different patterns and different shit for our next launch.
Talk about signing your new artists.
Oh C4, he’s an incredible kid. A believer, a firm believer. A worker, a hard worker. A kid straight out of Compton, California I believe is going to be the next biggest artist in California. I love him as a little brother. I love everything that he’s got going. London on da Track also came to be a partner with me on the situation. He also produced it along with one of my boys, Dinero. Dinero produced half his shit too. On the creative side, we got a lot of opportunities for that kid right there. I signed him to NWB, first artist. My first artist that’s signed to me. I’m working on another artist, young lady by the name of Polka, She’s definitely going to be the one. C4 is already polished, he’s polished. Polka is a diamond in the rough. Once I get her to understand everything that she needs to understand, it’s going to be a whole different type of ballgame.
What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you?
That I’m a humble individual. I don’t care how much money I got, I own about 10 businesses, clubs, all types of shit. Rapping is the stepping stone that’s trying to get us to the next level of success. But other than that, money’s gonna be made regardless.
What is your best advice for aspiring musicians?
Never stop. Don’t ever take “no” for an option. Failure’s not an option. Don’t ever stop. Don’t ever let anybody tell you that you can’t, just keep going.
Connect With Joe Moses!
Production Credits
Journalist: Shirley Ju
Photographer: Marc Cortes
Creative Direction: Mike Fox
Graphic Design: Michael Bosah
