You may recognize Brooklyn rapper Joey Bada$$ on the TV screen in “Mr. Robot,” on a giant Calvin Klein billboard in SoHo, or on the radio with his catchy single “Devastated.” To many, it seems the 21-year-old is having his breakout year.  But in hip hop circles, the rapper, whose real name is Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott, has been well-known since he dropped his first mixtape “1999” four years ago. Fans who weren’t accustomed to hearing his work on the radio or seeing his face on TV cried “sell out!” But that doesn’t bother him.  "Well, you know, we did sell out … every ticket on the ScHoolboy Q tour,” Scott said with a grin, referring to his opening slot on the Los Angeles rapper’s tour, which makes a stop in New York at Terminal 5 on Sept. 11.  “People gonna say what they say, I could definitely understand the fans’ criticism,” said Scott, the co-founder of the hip hop group Pro Era. “It's a different sound they never heard from me. It's essentially part of my growth."  Greta Kline of Frankie Cosmos brings her sweet tunes back home  Until now, the young rapper was not known to write songs that are, in his own words, “catchy as f--k.” In an attempt to calm the worried fans who’ve been tuning in since his debut “B4.DA.$$” (before the money) dropped, he insists he’s not giving up his socially conscious style.  “Dude, just chill out, one song, one song,” he said. “This one song has gotten me many places so if you a fan, you should be happy and hope what you want is on the way, ’cause it is."  The Flatbush native admits it’s difficult to thrive in a music industry that awards formulaic choruses and alienates experimental work. He blames major record labels that dish out money to dictate radio playlists, aka payola.  Scott’s peer Chance the Rapper is looking to change this tradition. The Chicago artist launched a campaign to get more independent artists on commercial radio. Scott believes musicians have to make music that appeals to a broader audience.  "Independent artists need to step up to the plate to make songs for the universe, the world, not just songs that are more towards their core fan base,” he said.  Scott’s songs touch on his hometown of Brooklyn, family (he still lives with his mother) and struggle. Unfortunately, sometimes all three come together.  Last month, his cousin, Terrell Henry, 22, was shot to death in Bushwick. He shared a Daily News article on his Instagram page that said Henry was “shot to death for no apparent reason.” Henry was hit in the back and neck coming out of a deli after buying iced tea around 1 a.m.  Henry was an aspiring FBI agent about to start his fourth year at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Henry had no criminal record.  "To see that happen to him is just terrible,” he said on a topic he’s reluctant to talk about. “He was one of those people that just brought you good vibes every time he was around. He always brought love and energy.  "For that to happen, it's like damn, we still not safe out here. That can happen to anybody at any moment. Just when I thought Brooklyn was getting better, it's not, it's really not."  He said his cousin supported his career “to the point where people thought he was a Pro Era member.”  Rap music is often associated with money, drugs and violence, but Joey Bada$$ steers clear of criminal activity. He’s spit about fears the people around him may get hurt because he was the target.  “I'm a believer in people owning guns, but it's just guns get into the wrong hands and people do senseless acts with them so it's a double-edged sword,” he said.  Scott will be looking over his shoulder as he heads out on tour.  "It's crazy bro, you just gotta watch your back everywhere you go."
It looks like Joey Bada$$ is having a breakout year, but he's been known in hip-hop circles since his first mixtape dropped four years ago.