Billboard sat down with YG to find out how his track “Big Bank” came together as part of the “How It Went Down” video series.
Speaking of his Mustard-produced song featuring 2 Chainz, Big Sean and Nicki Minaj, YG tells Billboard that he was in a studio in Atlanta with Mustard and his “homie Nano,” where they were talking about what they wanted their new music to sound like.
“I told Mustard I wanted to sound like the old us, the old YG and Mustard, 2011,” YG says. “Heavy 808s… little friendly sounds and shit… [Mustard] was making a beat, and he was about to pass up the beat. I’m like, ‘No, that’s the beat. That shit fire right there.’”
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So as he tried to figure out what to do with the beat, Nano suggested making a track called “Big Bank,” and the lyrics started flowing from there. Following that, the group had a conversation about who they wanted to feature on it, and as YG reveals, 2 Chainz was the first person who came to mind. They also decided they needed someone who could rap, opting for Big Sean.
Approximately a week before “Big Bank” was scheduled to be released, Nicki Minaj jumped on board, with YG explaining, “DJ hit me like, ‘I got a surprise for you, bro…I sent it to Nicki. She hopped on it.’…He sent it to me, and I’m like, yeah, this shit fire.”
“Man, when people hear this song, I just want them to have a good time,” YG notes. “I want them to party to it. I want them to be motivated to get them some money. If you not from where I’m from, California, West Coast, LA, when that song come on, I want you to feel like that’s where you at. And get you some money, most important.”
You can hear the full story of how YG’s “Big Bank” went down by watching the video above.