On Smallzy's Surgery, we chat with artist Benny Blanco live from his home in LA. He opens up about disliking fame and the attention from his fans, saying “Once I started music, I was famous enough to get into any restaurant, or like skip any line. But like not famous enough to ever have my day ruined. And after I became an artist that all went away. And I don't like it. I know you're supposed to say like, Oh, I love it when my fans come. Like, it's fine when people come, it's just like, it just sucks.”
BENNY BLANCO OPENS UP ABOUT DISLIKING FAME AND ATTENTION FROM HIS FANS – “I KNOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SAY LIKE, OH, I LOVE IT WHEN MY FANS COME… IT'S JUST SUCKS” [5:27]
SMALLZY Do you enjoy stepping forward into the spotlight with your name up in lights? Or do you prefer to be behind the scenes, basking in the glory amongst your peers?
BENNY You know, here's the whole thing. So, my whole life I had pretty much the dream scenario. Once I started music, I was famous enough to get into any restaurant, or like skip any line. But like not famous enough to ever have my day ruined. And after I became an artist that all went away. And I don't like it. I know you're supposed to say like, Oh, I love it when my fans come. Like, it's fine when people come, it's just like, it's just sucks. It just sucks. You know, and it's crazy because I never like when I was a kid if I saw someone famous like I'd like, like look the other way. I'd like be scared to like do like, and like people have no fear. They don't care. They don't care what you're doing. I could be in a gun shootout with the police or something. And they're like, Hey man
SMALLZY Can I have a selfie? Can you help me with a TikTok?
BENNY Yeah, exactly. With a tick tail. Yeah, exactly. Um, it's…
SMALLZY The kids of today. And I mean, kids, I just mean, you know, millennials or Gen Y's. They are ballsy, when they see a celebrity for the clout on their social media, they will step forward and ask. Back in the day, you're right, I would have just hidden and observed from a distance or just gone don't make eye contact. Don't make them think I'm weird.
BENNY Exactly. Or maybe be like, and then like, look.
SMALLZY Or just a subtle nod. Just the nod of like, I know you know, then on with my day.
BENNY You know, I will tell you one thing. I have the best fans for the most part. Like, unless it's night time and people are drunk. My fans are great, until they're drunk. And then like when they're drunk, I get like, every guy is somehow is the strongest man in the world. And like, slaps me on the back when I'm out. And it's the hardest slap I've ever felt in my life. It feels like my soul is leaving my body. And somehow they all want to hit me. Like in a joking loving way.
BENNY BLANCO OPENS UP ABOUT NOT BEING INTERESTED IN MATERIAL THINGS AND HAVING A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE IN A FIRE [11:26]
BENNY a lot of musicians in the neighbourhood, like Herbie Hancock right across the way. And then like the family across the way right across the street from me is like they've lived there for like 15 years and they have kids and yeah, everyone's really nice. No, I don't have a studio here.
SMALLZY Oh you don’t? I like that.
BENNY And I definitely don't party here.
SMALLZY That's A polite and courteous to the neighbours and two. Talk to me about not having a studio at home. Is it to have a separation?
BENNY Yeah it’s right down the street. I can walk. So I used to live at my studio. For many, many years. And one because I'm not one of those people. But like, like I've never really even had a house before this. Yeah, like I have like a house but it was like hardly a house and I was just living in like, a guest room. That was like 100 square feet. Like only a bed fit in the room. I don't like that's not the type of stuff that gets me excited. Like, I don't care about like, material. No, no, I don't care if I lost everything I own I don't care about except, like songs. Yeah, except like just my hardest.. everything else couldn't care less No, no material things. No jewellery, no art. I just have never cared about that stuff. Like I like it. Of course like I do like my clothes but if all my clothes burned, like I was actually in a near death experience. I was in a fire and a lot of our stuff burned and nothing. It didn't really faze me.
