Photos courtesy of Complex by Timothy Saccenti.
Since Complex, ended their print iteration in 2016, a new in-depth video interview series, dubbed The Complex Cover, started off with a March 13 premiere featuring Chance the Rapper.
Now, Long Beach rapper Vince Staples is “on the cover.” He interviews with hip-hop journalist, Touré, about fame, fortune and fans, but perhaps of most interest to locals is his candidness on what he thinks his local community needs.
Filmed on location in Gulfport, Mississippi during a break in his current national tour, Staples talked about why he’s adamant about building up his Long Beach community, looks back on the support of his family and recounts how watching a documentary on Amy Winehouse influenced his relationship with his fans. He also talks about his second and upcoming studio album, Big Fish Theory.
Speaking on how Staples gives to his community already, such as donating to Long Beach’s YMCA, Touré asked, “What does your community need that you can help them with?” Staples answered, “They need a community. We don’t have a fucking community.”
“We got apartment buildings and a couple high schools, and we got a jail,” he continued. “That’s what everybody has. Everybody has a police station, and everybody has a county building. Everyone needs a sense of community or sense of belonging or sense of identity. There’s a bunch of people walking around with no identity.”