In an era where image often overshadows integrity, GB Gutta Da General stands out as one of the few artists whose story holds the same weight as his bars. Hailing from Roanoke, Virginia, GB represents loyalty, trauma, triumph, and transformation — the raw ingredients that built the backbone of American hip-hop. His journey from 11th Street to Lincoln Terrace Projects isn’t just a tale of survival; it’s a blueprint for turning life’s hardest lessons into legacy.
HHS1987: GB, let’s start at the beginning. What first pulled you toward music?
GB Gutta Da General: Music came to me before I knew what purpose was. As a kid, life was moving fast around me — two different neighborhoods, two different energies. I spent my days between 11th Street and LTP, what we call LTP4L. My grandmother’s place on Gandy Drive was the heart of everything for me. Right across from Burrell Memorial Hospital — the last Black hospital in Roanoke — that spot holds history you can feel. I was raised by that block, but music became the one thing that helped me process everything I was living through.
HHS1987: Gainesboro carries a legacy a lot of people don’t know about. How did being raised around that culture affect you?
GB Gutta Da General: Gainesboro had a spirit to it — like our own version of Black Wall Street. People woke up with pride in that neighborhood. But the crack era flipped everything. You saw fast money, heavy movement, and real consequences every single day. Even with the chaos, the older OGs gave us codes to live by — stay loyal, stay sharp, move with purpose. That mixture of pride and pain shaped the way I see life.
HHS1987: Family seems to sit at the center of your story. How did your upbringing guide your decisions?
GB Gutta Da General: Family was the anchor, even when everything around us was out of control. Pops ended up locked up, and as a young dude, that changes you — you want to do right by your family, you want to make them proud. My brothers and I had to learn fast what loyalty really meant. Where I’m from, disloyalty can cost you everything. That code still follows me. GB and LTP aren’t just names — they’re the people who built me.
HHS1987: What made you fall in love with the craft?
GB Gutta Da General: The first time I heard “Jam On It,” something clicked. That track pulled something out of me — I wanted to rap, perform, create. I started battling around the neighborhood, beatboxing, doing little performances anywhere they’d let me. At first, I didn’t realize people were taking me serious. But when folks started asking for more, I knew music wasn’t just a hobby — it was my lane. Before long, I was opening for big artists, and that confirmed it. This wasn’t accidental. This was destiny.
HHS1987: What was the first major pivot in your career?
GB Gutta Da General: I ended up in New York with Uptown/MCA — back when Puff was still grinding as an intern. That era was electric. Being in those rooms showed me what the real industry looked like. The deal didn’t go through, but the experience elevated me. I came back home hungrier than ever.
HHS1987: You’ve talked about hitting low points. How did you climb back up?
GB Gutta Da General: After the New York situation, doubt set in heavy. That’s when I connected with a crew called Broken Kings. They believed in me at a time when I didn’t fully believe in myself. We threw shows that either lit the room up or got us booed on stage. One night, the crowd went so crazy it turned into chaos — not violence, just energy on a different level. That moment showed us we had something real.
HHS1987: What lessons from your early life help you navigate the industry today?
GB Gutta Da General: Your beginnings don’t lock in your ending. I’ve been broke, locked up, counted out — but none of that stopped me. Every loss sharpened my voice. My story started in 11th Street and LTP, but the message goes way further. Pain becomes purpose when you refuse to stay down.
HHS1987: What’s the mission now?
GB Gutta Da General: Legacy. I’m focused on guiding the next generation — showing them you can rewrite your narrative no matter where you start. I still rep GB and LTP heavy, but it’s bigger now. Every track, every move is about empowerment.
HHS1987: Any final words for the supporters?
GB Gutta Da General: Much love to everybody who’s ever pushed me, supported me, or just believed in my story.
We’re nowhere near done. This is all evolution. The General is still marching forward.
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