Every artist has a story behind the music, and for Fetty P Franklin, that story starts on the west side of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Born on the north side of the city but raised on the west side, Fetty P Franklin grew up around an environment that exposed him to street life at an early age.
At around five years old, Fetty P Franklin experienced another major change in his life when his father was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Even with his father incarcerated, he continued maintaining a relationship with him for as long as he could. Growing up without his father being physically present was something that became part of his life at a very young age, but the connection remained important to him.
Music was also around him early.
Fetty P Franklin remembers being heavily influenced by artists such as Snoop Dogg, specifically songs like “Gin and Juice.” The music he heard growing up gave him another perspective and eventually became part of his own creative inspiration.
His uncle Jason also played a major role in shaping his path. Jason was musically active and exposed Fetty P Franklin to both music and street life while he was still young. Those experiences gave him an early look at two different worlds that would later influence his own story.
At the time, becoming a rapper wasn’t necessarily the plan.
Fetty P Franklin was more focused on street life and the environment he had grown up around. Music was something that slowly became another option. Eventually, he realized that his ability to create music could give him an opportunity to build something different and create a better life for himself.
His first real step into recording came at 16 years old when he recorded his first song at his grandmother’s house.
In the beginning, he didn’t look at music as a career. He looked at it as an expensive hobby.
He was focused on writing lyrics and developing himself creatively, but he wasn’t paying much attention to the business side of the industry. For years, the music was about creating, not necessarily building a career around it.
That approach eventually changed.
Fetty P Franklin started out as a writer, putting his thoughts down on paper and developing his verses through lyrics. Over time, other artists in the studio challenged him to step away from the notepad and become more comfortable freestyling.
That challenge changed his process.
He eventually developed a freestyle and punch-in style that became a major part of how he recorded. Instead of relying strictly on writing everything down beforehand, he learned how to build records in the moment and let his delivery develop naturally inside the studio.
As his confidence grew, so did the music.
Records such as “Grind It Up,” “Check My Resume,” “PUSHA MAN,” “Kitchen Therapy,” “I BEEN WAITING,” “Paper Cups,” “Wide Open,” “BRINKS” and “5’s and 10’s” became part of his journey as he continued establishing his sound and building his catalog.
But there was one record that changed the conversation.
“Jimmy N Johnny” became Fetty P Franklin’s biggest record and a major turning point in his career. The song eventually reached a million streams and generated millions of views on YouTube, giving him the kind of momentum that can change an artist’s trajectory.
The record’s popularity continued growing after Fetty P Franklin performed it on platforms such as Street Juice and later On The Radar.
Those appearances helped introduce the record to a much wider audience and became a catalyst for his growing recognition.
What started as music that he once considered an expensive hobby was becoming something much bigger.
The more people connected with his music, the more Fetty P Franklin began to see the possibilities that came with taking the artist side of his life seriously. The same person who once wasn’t focused on the business was now watching his music create opportunities and reach people beyond Charlotte.
For Fetty P Franklin, the journey has also been about recognizing the signs along the way.
He describes his path as being blessed and believes certain moments of recognition from prominent figures in entertainment helped confirm that he was moving in the right direction. What may have started as an unexpected transition away from the streets and toward music gradually became something he could see as a real future.
Charlotte remains an important part of that story.
His upbringing on the west side, the Earl Billups area, his family experiences, the people who influenced him and the environment he came from all helped shape the artist he is today. His music carries the perspective of someone who has lived through different chapters and understands what it means to turn personal experiences into something that can reach an audience.
Now, Fetty P Franklin is continuing to build.
His latest project, BET THE BANK ON FRANK, is currently available on all streaming platforms, representing another chapter in a journey that started long before the recognition.
