Pooh Shiesty is not fumbling his second likelihood. For 1,580 days, the 26-year-old Memphis rapper sat in jail, by no means actually understanding if he’d be a free man once more. He went in at 22 years previous, the identical month he was named a 2021 XXL Freshman. After pleading responsible in 2022, to conspiring to own firearms in furtherance of violent and drug‑trafficking crimes for a theft and taking pictures that occurred in July of 2020, he was sentenced to 5 years and three months in jail. On Oct. 6, 2025, he was launched after serving three years. Now Pooh is again exterior, altering up sure folks, locations and issues with a purpose to stay a greater life.
On Dec. 5, XXL traveled to Dallas the place Pooh Shiesty presently resides to sit down down with him for his most trustworthy interview but since coming residence. The rhymer opened up in a really candid dialog about life inside and his plans for brand new music. Whereas he was pressured to sit down nonetheless for fairly a while, these moments helped him lyrically, mentally and spiritually. Pooh reevaluated his life, wrote extra lyrics, fed his thoughts with books and developed a stronger relationship with God. He is set on by no means going again behind bars.
The automobile connoisseur was additionally devoted to sharpening his pen, which could be heard on his new single, “FDO,” produced by his longtime producer TP 808s. The monitor, dropping Friday (Dec. 12), proves Pooh hasn’t missed a beat. He delivers the identical slick rhymes and boastful vitality that earned him acclaim within the first place, simply with a renewed vigor.
“‘FDO,’ I needed to include this explicit track as a result of it is just like the message,” Pooh tells XXL. “It match across the ‘I am again’ typa vibe. The thought course of on it, I actually was getting it collectively as I used to be in there doing my time. However I could not end it as a result of I am getting new experiences and I am going via new issues. So, like I wrapped it up first day within the studio, with every little thing, the entire coming residence expertise. I could not rap within the track on how my welcome was after I got here residence… I did it after I got here residence and every little thing simply hit me and it got here out good.”
Life locked up is not straightforward, however Pooh Shiesty made essentially the most of sitting in his cell. He introduced some good habits residence with him that he is already making use of to his every day grind. “Understanding, that is one,” he shares. “By no means labored out earlier than. By no means. Studying, I would not simply an excessive amount of of a fan of choosing up books. However I am going to learn all day lengthy. I obtained my studying sport up in there. Realizing like, select between rational and irrational choices, you realize, simply decision-making and pondering earlier than I act. Engaged on my mood. Realizing talk higher. I discovered talk higher. It is lots of good issues.”
Practically 4 years away means the streets have been lacking Mister Pooh’s music. His Shiesty Season album, the hit “Again in Blood,” which simply went eight-times platinum, and different loosies like “Day One” and “Federal Contraband 2” have happy his supporters, however there’s nothing like listening to the brand new and improved Pooh again on the mic. He is additionally sober. “The extra clear model,” Pooh shares of the brand new model of himself that followers can get used to now. “The extra targeted Pooh Shiesty. Clearer imaginative and prescient, I can see clearer now. I obtained it. It is my second run. Like a second likelihood, for actual”
Have a look as Pooh Shiesty discusses what to anticipate on his subsequent album, the rappers that reached out to him whereas in jail, steerage from Gucci Mane, the lyrical workout routines he perfected, his relationship with God, constructing his CMO model and extra.
Watch Pooh Shiesty’s Interview With XXL
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