At 25 years old and arguably hitting his stride in his almost-decade-long career, G Herbo looks at his life with gratitude and pride. In the past year, the Chicago native celebrated his silver birthday, became engaged to Taina Williams, welcomed his second son and recently released his fourth studio album, 25.

However, speaking by phone with GRAMMY.com one day before the project's release, Herbo reflected on a time in his life when that wasn't the case.

"I wouldn't say I didn't appreciate life, but I wasn't afraid to die," he said of growing up in Chicago's Terror Town neighborhood. "It's crazy, but when I turned 25… I just appreciated life a lot more."

PTSD, Herbo's third album that dropped last year, was largely impacted by his mental health journey after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. On 25, Herbo continues his trademark grittiness and visceral storytelling about his past, but with a new sense of fulfillment and hope as he reflects on who he is at 25: a successful artist, fiancé and father of two.

Here, Herbo talks about his collaborators' and family's impact on 25, his long-awaited joint album with Lil Bibby, upcoming mental health initiatives and more. Read the full interview below.

Your album is called 25 and you turned 25 years old last year. What is the significance of that age to you?

It's a special number to me because turning 25, where I come from, is a big milestone. A lot of my closest friends didn't live to see 25 years old; some of them didn't live to see 18 or 21. My younger brother [Lil Greg] died before his 25^th birthday, so nothing in life is promised.

It's crazy, but when I turned 25, I felt more mature instantly. I just appreciated life a lot more. I've been doing music for about 10 years now, I started doing stuff when I was like 16 years old, and all the trials and tribulations that I went through shaped me into the man that I am today. I went through a lot of emotions making this album and I hope my fans appreciate that. I wanna motivate everybody that listens to think about life a little differently and make plans, because I didn't get where I am by coincidence. It was a lot of hard work, a lot of adversity. 25 is kind of like an O.G. in a sense, but I'm still young. I've got so much in front of me to accomplish. So, that's why naming my album [25] was important.

You hit several milestones this past year; you're engaged, you're now a father of two. How did being a fiancé and dad influence this album?

It inspired me a lot, especially being a father. I get up every day and it's not only about me. You can't be selfish when you have kids, they depend on you so much, and I've gotta make sacrifices and take a lot of time away from my family. So, it's about creating balance and understanding. It's not about what I wanna do or what I have to do anymore. I'm inspired and completely motivated [by them] in every aspect of my life.

Your son Yosohn's voice is heard on "Cold World." What made you want to do that?

That song is actually one of my favorites on the album and my son, you know, he's growing up. I just asked him questions and he was able to do it off the top, it wasn't scripted. He's always in the studio with me. We were just chilling, and I wanted people to get that rawness of: I have a son. I have a life that's depending on me. Hearing his voice on there around the stuff that I'm talking about, it gives you that surrealness.

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You've got a lot of dope features on this album. You and Polo G always have a great chemistry, what's that like being in the booth together or sending verses back and forth?

Mostly we're in the studio together. That's my boy, so it comes out naturally. We're both great lyrically, so I feel like we feed off each other's energy and talent when we're in the studio. Even if we do send records back and forth, we're still giving it our best 'cause we know we're two of those artists that are gonna go hard every time.

We've got a real friendship and I think that's the beauty of our working relationship–we're cool with each other. We get in the studio, chop it up, everything's not always about music with us. When we do rap with each other it's always Chicago-style, too. We're aiming for what we know people at home are gonna like.

How did you and Rowdy Rebel link up?

 Me and Rowdy, we've been locked in for a while. He's a good dude. We used to chop it up before he went and did his time and I've always supported his music. I did a "Computers [Freestyle]" back in 2015, and we've got a lot of mutual friends. As soon as I recorded ["Drill"], he was the first person I thought of, like, "I've gotta get Rowdy on this record." So, I reached out and he came to the studio. He was literally fresh out of prison at that time.

Could you see yourself collaborating with Bobby Shmurda?

Oh for sure, it's a given. I mess with Bobby, too, so we're locked in. I think it's more so just about us all getting in the studio at the same time. Both of us are real busy right now. But I definitely wanna do something with both of them on the same track. That'd be crazy.

"I Don't Wanna Die" is such an impactful way to start the album. How were you feeling when you were making that song?

Southside, he kind of challenged me to do stuff like that. He produced it and when he sent it to me he told me, "You gotta go crazy on this." I think the sample and the kids singing, "I don't wanna die" over the beat, it kind of pulled me to talk about the raw grittiness of being in the streets and overcoming that.

There was a time in my life where I put my life on the line time and time again. I wouldn't say I didn't appreciate life, but I wasn't afraid to die. Feeling that way and feeling the way that I do now, I had to collide those two brains together because I'm not the same person that I was when I was 15, 16, 17, 18 years old. So, I just wanted to put all that in one track and let people understand that life is real out here, people are really losing their lives on the day-to-day.

On "Demands," you rap about racism, having to grow up young, trauma. That's another powerful track.

It definitely is. Normally, I don't really rap about stuff that's a trendy subject, I just get in the studio and speak my mind. I think that's why my music is the way it is. I speak from the heart every time. So, I didn't go into the studio thinking that I was gonna make one of those records. It had a lot to do with the production as well, Southside did that one, too. A lot of the production on this album moved me to speak about different things.

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Earlier this year, Lil Bibby hinted that your long-awaited joint project No Limitations is on the way. Can you give us any details on that?

You know, Bibby's real indecisive when it comes to music. He's one of my favorite rappers, always gonna be one of my favorite rappers. That's another person where our friendship is so strong, we didn't really have to establish a working relationship. We grew up together, that's my brother.

We'll be in the studio chopping it up, reminiscing. So we gotta really lock in and say, "Let's record this project." Lock in for 30 days, or however long it's gonna take. That's one of those projects that I have to do, for the fans, for the culture. Bibby's got a lot of stuff going on, he's all the way in CEO-mode. So, I've gotta drag him to the studio.

Right, he's always talking about Juice WRLD's next album, too.

Yeah, he's doing what he needs to do as far as the label. There's definitely a Juice WRLD project coming soon. The next time you hear Bibby on an actual album or project, it'll probably be us two. I think our project will be the first thing he'll put out.

Along with launching your Swervin' Through Stress initiative last year, you also bought your old elementary school to turn into a youth center. How's that going?

Yeah, we bought one of the 50 [Chicago Public] Schools they shut down and we're in the second phase of [transitioning] that now. Once everything's up and running, we're gonna have psychiatrists, therapists–someone these kids can talk to in there every day. After launching Swervin' Through Stress, I wanted to put those resources back into the community where these kids feel comfortable, to have somebody there every day who's actually gonna listen and help come up with solutions to make your situation better. I'm very excited. I can't wait until the facility is done and we can actually have these kids in there.

When you started going to therapy, was that a foreign experience for you?

Absolutely, it was something new. As kids, we didn't really feel like there was someone we could open up to. There were people in the community that cared and lent a helping hand, but it wasn't something that was normalized. It was foreign to me, I didn't grow up that way, and when I started to go to therapy I had to get used to it.

Besides connecting with mental health resources, is music therapeutic for you?

Yeah, that was always my first form of therapy. Honestly, doing music helped me through so many different dark times. When I started doing music, I would write raps for me and the people who understood me and could relate. I didn't really think it was gonna resonate with the world the way that it did. It's been my biggest blessing, because I was able to take care of my family with something that actually helped me. I started going to the studio with stuff I wanted to get off my chest, but couldn't communicate verbally, and it turned into something beautiful.

Chicago hip hop suffered several tragedies last year; the city lost King Von, FBG Duck, Lil Greg. Are losses like that one of the reasons you advocate for mental health?

Definitely. Von, that really touched me. All the trauma and generational trauma that we experience in Chicago, it's normalized. It's so normal to lose people and for people to die at such a young age. My music has always been a product of that. When we're kids or teenagers and we get right to the streets, nine times out of 10 it's because that's all we know. We were taught as a child that that was all we had.

Last year, you were indicted on charges regarding an alleged wire fraud scheme. On "No Jail Time" and "Statement," you talk about the case and dealing with social media rumors, would you like to speak more about that?

Of course I'm innocent. I feel like on the internet, when you feed into that stuff and try to prove your point, it just makes the situation worse. And 90 percent of people on the internet don't really understand the situation. So like I said, music is how I express myself, and with social media, I just take the good with the bad.

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Between two award seasons, A Star Is Born received seven nominations — including Record Of The Year and two nods for Song Of The Year — and four wins for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, Best Song Written for Visual Media twice, and Best Pop/Duo Group Performance.

In this episode of GRAMMY Rewind, travel to 2019 to watch Lady Gaga accept one of the album's first GRAMMY wins for Best Pop/Duo Group Performance for "Shallow."

After thanking God and her family for their unwavering support, Lady Gaga expressed gratitude for her co-star, Bradley Cooper. "I wish Bradley was here with me right now," Gaga praised. "I know he wants to be here. Bradley, I loved singing this song with you."

Gaga went on to express how proud she was to be a part of a movie that addresses mental health. "A lot of artists deal with that. We've got to take care of each other. So, if you see somebody that's hurting, don't look away. And if you're hurting, even though it might be hard, try to find that bravery within yourself to dive deep, tell somebody, and take them up in your head with you."

Press play on the video above to hear Lady Gaga's complete acceptance speech for A Star Is Born's "Shallow" at the 2019 GRAMMY Awards, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of GRAMMY Rewind.

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On their new Jersey club-inspired single "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born," Japanese hip-hop duo Creepy Nuts narrate the inner monologue of a confident man, unbothered by others’ negativity and the everyday pressures of life.

In this episode of Global Spin, watch Creepy Nuts deliver an electrifying performance of the track, made more lively with its bright flashing lights and changing LED backdrop.

"Before I show them my true ability/ My enemies run away without capability," they declare in Japanese on the second verse. "Raising the bar makes me very happy/ ‘Cause I’m outstanding, absolutely at No.1."

"Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" was released on January 7 via Sony Music and also serves as the season two opening track for the anime "Mashle: Magic and Muscles." The song previously went viral across social media for its accompanying "BBBB Dance."

"Basically, the song is about it’s best to be yourself, like flexing naturally. Of course, even though we put effort into writing its lyrics and music, it’s still a song that can be enjoyed without worrying about such things," they said in a press statement.

Press play on the video above to watch Creepy Nuts’ energetic performance of "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born," and don’t forget to check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Global Spin.

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Twenty-six-year-old rapper Anycia truly lives in the present. The Atlanta-born artist describes her most viral hits as if they were everyday experiences — she's simply going out of town on "BRB" and mad at a partner in "Back Outside" featuring Latto. 

Despite her calm demeanor and cadence, Anycia is a self-proclaimed "firecracker" and credits her success to her long-held confidence. 

"I [command] any room I walk in, I like to introduce myself first — you never have to worry about me walking into the room and not speaking," Anycia tells GRAMMY.com. "I speak, I yell, I twerk, I do the whole nine," adding, "I see tweets all the time [saying] ‘I like Anycia because she doesn’t rap about her private parts’... are y’all not listening?" 

With authenticity as her cornerstone, Anycia's genuine nature and versatile sound appeal broadly. On her recently released sophomore LP, Princess Pop That, Anycia's playful personality, unique vocal style and skillful flow are on full display. Over 14 tracks, Anycia keeps her usual relaxed delivery while experimenting with different beats from New Orleans, New York, California, and of course, Georgia. 

"I'm learning to be myself in different elements. I'm starting to take my sound and make it adapt to other beats and genres," she says. "But this whole album is definitely a little showing of me dibbling and dabbling.

The rising hip-hop star gained traction in June 2023 with her sultry single, "So What," which samples the song of the same name by Georgia natives Field Mob and Ciara. When Anycia dropped the snippet on her Instagram, she only had a "GoPro and a dream." Today, she has millions of views on her music videos, collaborations with artists like Flo Milli, and a critically acclaimed EP, Extra. On April 26, she'll release her debut album, Princess Pop That, featuring Cash Cobain, Luh Tyler, Kenny Beats, Karrahbooo and others. 

Ahead of the release of Princess Pop That, Anycia spoke with GRAMMY.com about her influences, maintaining individuality, working with female rappers, and using her music as a therapeutic outlet.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Where did the title Princess Pop That come from?

Princess Pop That is my little alter ego, and my Twitter and finsta name. It's kind of like a Sasha Fierce/Beyoncé type of situation. 

The cover of your album gives early 2000 vibes. Is that where you draw most of your inspiration from?

Yeah. My everyday playlist is literally early 2000s music. I even still listen to [music] from the '70s – I just like old music! 

My mom is a big influence on a lot of the music that I like. She had me when she was like 19, 20. She's a Cali girl and has great taste in music. I grew up on everything and I feel like a lot of the stuff that I'm doing, you can kind of see that influence.

I grew up on Usher, Cherish, 112, Jagged Edge, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Teena Marie, Luther Vandross and Sam Cooke. Usher was my first concert, ever and actually my last concert — I went to his residency in Vegas with my mom. That's like our thing.

I know you had your hand in many different professions — including barbering and working at a daycare — how did you get into rapping?

I always liked music, but [thought] girl, we need some money right now. Rapping and music is cool, but I always had one foot in and one foot out. When I was [working] my jobs, it was more this is what I need to be doing right now — but I wasn't happy. 

It got to a point where I noticed that I was doing all these things, and it worked but it wasn't working for me. I didn't want to get caught up; I didn't want to be stuck doing something just because it works. I wanted to do something that I actually love to do. I decided to quit both jobs because I was literally making me miserable. 

I feel like that's what happened with a lot of our parents — they lose focus of their actual goals or what they actually wanted to do, and they get so caught up in what works in the moment. One thing about me, if I don't like something I'm done. I don't care how much money I put into it, if I'm not happy and it doesn’t feed me spiritually and mentally I'm not doing it. Right after [I quit] I was in the studio back-to-back making music. It eventually paid off.

Walk us through your music making process. 

A blunt, a little Don Julio Reposado, a space heater because I’m anemic. Eating some tacos and chicken wings or whatever I’m feeling at the moment. It’s not that deep to me, I like to be surrounded by good energy in the studio. 

People like to say female rappers aren’t welcoming or don’t like to work with each other. You’re clearly debunking this myth with songs like "Back Outside" featuring Latto and "Splash Brothers'' featuring Karrahbooo. What was it like working with them and how did these collaborations come about? 

Karrahbooo and I were already friends before we started rapping. It was harder for people to get us to do music because when we were around each other we weren't like, "Oh we need to do a song together." We had a friendship. 

Working with Latto, we didn't collab on that song in the studio. I did the song myself after being really upset at a man. I made the song just venting. I didn't even think that I was ever gonna put that song out, honestly. Latto ended up hitting me up within a week's span just giving me my flowers and telling me she wanted to do a song [together]. I ended up sending her "Back Outside" because I felt like she would eat [it up] and she did just that. 

She did! Are there any other female rappers you’d like to work with?

I really want to work with Cardi B — I love her! I'm also looking forward to collaborating with GloRilla. 

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Many female rappers come into the industry and feel like they have to start changing themself to fit a certain aesthetic or archetype. However, everything about you seems super unique — from your voice to your style and appearance. How do you maintain your individuality? 

Being yourself is literally the easiest job ever. When you're doing everything you're supposed to be doing, you're being genuine while you're doing it and you’re just being 110 percent authentically yourself — I feel like everything works out for you perfectly fine. 

I haven't had the urge to change anything or do anything different. The reason people started liking me was because I was being myself. Even if it wasn't accepted, I'm not going to stop being myself. I do what works for me and I feel like everybody should just do what works for them and not what works for the people outside of them. 

That's what creates discomfort for yourself, that’s how you become a depressed artist — trying to please everybody [but] yourself. I feel like people lose sight of that fact. Aside from this being a job or a career for me now, it’s still my outlet and a way I express myself;  it's still my form of art. I will never let anybody take that from me. It's intimate for me. 

Speaking of intimacy, what was the inspiration behind "Nene’s Prayer"? I want to know who was playing with you.

I was just having a little therapy session in the booth and everyone ended up liking it. Instead of getting mad, flipping out and wanting to go to jail I just put in a song. Even though I said some messed up things in the song, it’s better than me doing those messed up things. 

Have you ever written a lyric or song that you felt went too far or was too personal?

Nope. A lot of the [topics] that I [rap about] is just stuff girls really want to say, but don't have the courage to say. But me, I don’t give a damn! If it resonates with you then it does, and if it doesn't — listen to somebody else. 

Exactly! What advice would you give to upcoming artists trying to get noticed or have that one song that pops?

If you got something that you want to put out into the world, you just have to have that confidence for yourself, and you have to do it for you and not for other people. I feel like people make music and do certain things for other people. That's why [their song] doesn't do what it needs to do because it’s a perspective of what other people want, rather than doing [a song] that you're comfortable with and what you like.

How do you want people to feel after listening to ‘Princess Pop That?’

I just want the girls, and even the boys, to get in their bag. Regardless of how you went into listening to the album, I want you to leave with just a little bit more self confidence. If you’re feeling low, I want you to feel like "I am that bitch." 

It's a no judgment zone. I want everybody to find their purpose, walk in their truth and feel like "that girl" with everything they do. You could even be in a grocery store, I want you to feel like the baddest bitch. 

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In 2020, Megan Thee Stallion solidified herself as one of rap's most promising new stars, thanks to her hit single "Savage." Not only was it her first No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100, but the "sassy, moody, nasty" single also helped Megan win three GRAMMYs in 2021.

In this episode of GRAMMY Rewind, revisit the sentimental moment the Houston "Hottie" accepted one of those golden gramophones, for Best New Artist.

"I don't want to cry," Megan Thee Stallion said after a speechless moment at the microphone. Before starting her praises, she gave a round of applause to her fellow nominees in the category, who she called "amazing."

Along with thanking God, she also acknowledged her manager, T. Farris, for "always being with me, being by my side"; her record label, 300 Entertainment, for "always believing in me, sticking by through my craziness"; and her mother, who "always believed I could do it."

Megan Thee Stallion's "Savage" remix with Beyoncé also helped her win Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance that night — marking the first wins in the category by a female lead rapper.

Press play on the video above to watch Megan Thee Stallion's complete acceptance speech for Best New Artist at the 2021 GRAMMY Awards, and remember to check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of GRAMMY Rewind.

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