What were you doing when you were 12 years old?
You probably weren’t making music videos that were getting over a million views on YouTube.
A local SoFlo kid is doing just that and more. His name is Fat Cat.
Move over, Garfield. There’s a new fat cat in town.
Fat Cat (rapping): “I know we’re young but I’m ready, ’cause if you’re ready, I could change your life if you let me.”
That’s Darriel Cannon, aka Fat Cat.
We caught up with the 12-year-old rapper at Miami’s Circle House Studio.
First question: why the name Fat Cat?
Fat Cat: “Because when I was born, I was a baby, I was fat, and I had eyes like a cat, so my mom just named me Fat Cat as a nickname, but we just stuck with it ever since, and it became my rap name.”
This Miami-based Cat has been writing his own raps since he was 9. He doesn’t have to look far for inspiration.
Fat Cat: “When I rap, I like to talk about what’s going on around me and like, for an example, how my day is.”
His day must have been going pretty well when he wrote his latest single, “Options.”
Fat Cat (rapping): “Don’t know who’s the one for me, so many options.”
The video for “Options” got more than a million views — in less than a month!
Fat Cat: “I was like, ‘Dang, a million?’ That’s more people that live in Florida itself.”
OK, so Fat Cat’s figures are a little off. But his music is right on point.
Fat Cat: “It’s just feel-good music. Grown-ups listening to it, little kids are listening to it, higher teens are listening to it. I feel like it’s overall great music.”
He feels a connection with the SoFlo performers who came before him.
Fat Cat: “Some of my favorite artists lived here, and they made their music here. They were born here, like, it feels like I’m a part of them.”
Being a preteen carries with it certain other responsibilities besides rapping. It should come as no surprise that Fat Cat’s got that covered as well.
Fat Cat: “I try to find time to rap, but school is always first ’cause, you know, can’t do nothing without school. Actually, I’m in gifted. That’s how smart I am. Not to brag, but…”
Hey, it’s not bragging if it’s true, right?
Cat also does pretty well on the football field for the Cannonball Youth Club. Fact is, this is one Fat Cat who plans to make a run for glory.
Fat Cat: “I see myself as one of the biggest artists ever.”
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.