Born Charles Jones, Jacksonville rapper Foolio has a lived a life that belies his moniker. Losing 15 friends to violence before the age of 20, and almost losing his own life when he himself was shot as a teenager, Foolio has the perspective & maturity of a much older man. “I feel like I lived a whole life. I been through so much,” he says. Foolio’s biggest musical influences are Drake and Eminem, and drawing creative inspiration from those two vastly different artists has made him very versatile. His flow can go from melodic to rapid-fire in one verse, and he also shares the aforementioned hip-hop greats’ propensity to get very personal in his songs. “Music is my therapy,” says the Florida native. Having dodged literal bullets as a teen, and the figurative bullet of long term imprisonment as a young adult, Foolio believes he has a greater purpose. “I ain’t supposed to be here. God got me here for a reason,” he says. With renewed focus, Foolio’s career now has forward momentum. In July 2018, he released 6Toven, a mixtape collaboration with legendary producer Zaytoven. His newest project, “Never Wanted Fame,” is out now. Even though he’s put some distance between himself and his past, Foolio has not forgotten the community that raised and motivates him. “When I leave, I want to be known as that one kid that helped everybody & ain’t expect nothing in return. ‘He just wanted people to live.’ You only get one life to live.” His name may be Foolio, but he’s wise beyond his years.