Atlanta, GA – Given the influx of artists these days, Lil Yachty’s mother Venita McCollum has developed something the growing list of rapper matriarchs may be able to put to good use.
Her first book Raising a Rapper is being billed as a “step-by-step guide for parents rearing kids with dreams in the entertainment industry” and even delves into financial and legal matters.
“There is this belief that all rappers come from poverty, and this simply is not the case,” McCollum said in a press release. “There are so many things that instill a sense of fear in parents whose kids want to enter into creative industries. I’ve learned so much along this journey and hope I can calm these parents’ fears based on my real-life experiences through my son’s rise to stardom.”
Yachty, 22, has since gone on to be a platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated starting player for the mighty Quality Control imprint and admits the confidence to blow up was instilled in him from the get-go.
“I always knew this would be my story, even when I was working at McDonald’s by-day and networking with artists by-night,” Yachty added. “You can’t convince anyone else that it’ll work for you until you convince yourself. When I walked across the stage to graduate, I had a plan, and my mom had another plan. But there’s no way I could have really gotten started without her on board—I wasn’t even old enough to sign deals by myself at the time.”
Since leaving her full-time job in 2016, Venita now serves as the CFO of Lil Boat Sailing Team, Yachty Touring and Boat Boy Publishing in addition to managing her blog In the Closet with V and podcast, Tha Wrap-Up with Venita.
Raising a Rapper is currently available on Amazon and RaisingARapper.com in paperback, ebook and audiobook.