Fetty Wap Returns Home with a Bigger Purpose and Perspective
- Fetty is now spreading that message through his involvement with the Hayze Walks Foundation, an association dedicated to raising awareness and supporting children born with the same condition...
- Instead, he's building towards his future as an artist, father, and philanthropist with a newfound outlook and purpose - all at his own speed.
- When you first came home, what was one thing that you did for Willie Maxwell, not Fetty Wap?
After four years behind bars, Fetty Wap has stepped back into the world without any urgent need for fanfare or flash – just the simple luxury of freedom. It’s a brisk Thursday afternoon, exactly one week after his release from federal prison. Good-spirited and wide-smiled, the Paterson, New Jersey native walks into the studio, comfortable and open for our sit-down.
Earlier this month, Fetty Wap, born Willie Junior Maxwell II, was released through the First Step Act, a legislation aimed at reducing sentences and reuniting incarcerated people with their families.When asked how it really feels to be home, he doesn’t overthink it. “Free,” he says simply. Freedom reveals itself in the smallest moments for him, like when he’s taking a shower without shoes. what once was a subconscious part of his hygiene routine became a reminder of the everyday liberties he’d been living without and no longer takes for granted.Way before prison, the melodic rapper’s life was a highlight reel. His 2015 megahit “Trap Queen” shot him to superstardom almost overnight.The singles that followed – “679” and “My Way” – were a diamond-earned testament to his hustle. Tours, charting songs, and red carpet appearances made up his relentless pace, blurring time and space in his early career. It was a different world then, one he remembers vividly. One highlight of that year was his 2015 digital cover shoot with VIBE. ”I remember that day,” he recalls.”And right after that, I went to jump out of a plane.”
That thrill, it turns out, wasn’t metaphorical.”we went skydiving. I love adrenaline,” he shares, listing off motorcycles, dirt bikes, bungee jumping, and cliff diving.
Fetty is now spreading that message through his involvement with the Hayze Walks Foundation, an association dedicated to raising awareness and supporting children born with the same condition he’s lived with his whole life. “I grew to love myself,” he adds.”You’re going to accept me, or you’re not.”
Fetty Wap is no longer chasing old glory. Instead, he’s building towards his future as an artist, father, and philanthropist with a newfound outlook and purpose – all at his own speed.
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VIBE: Welcome home,first of all.
Fetty Wap: Thank you. Thank you.
How are you feeling for real, for real?
Free.
When you first came home, what was one thing that you did for Willie Maxwell, not Fetty Wap? Simply put, for yourself and not the artist?
Take a shower with my shoes off.
What was that like?
I know it probably sounds crazy, but you have shower shoes when you’re in prison. It’s like stuff like that … but things that you wouldn’t normally think are … you know what I’m saying?
Little things we kind of take for granted-
Yeah, things we take for granted.
really enjoy what I was blessed with. There’s a lot of people that haven’t had this opportunity that I have.I just want to enjoy it this time.
So many people go through adversity and feel that it’s over for them.What advice would you have for people who feel like there are no chances left once they have a prison record?
Honestly, it’s hard for me to give that kind of advice as some days I did feel like that. I talked to my sister a lot and I [would] just tell her, “Yo, what if, what if, what if?” [She would say] “You good, bro. You good, bro.” You know what I’m saying? So you have those type of days, but if I could give any advice, it would just be, if you have anybody in your corner … if you don’t have anybody in your corner, just get yourself a vision board. Write down what you see happening when you get home. Exactly the way you see it happening. when you get home, stick to it.
Would it be safe to say that faith is something that kept you grounded and your integrity intact?
Without a doubt it was. Faith had a whole lot to do with it. I had to just believe in myself again.
I think we all can see you’re looking bigger post-incarceration.
It’s just the hoodie [chuckles].
Have you been hitting the weights?
No,I actually don’t lift weights.
Was there any kind of working out that you leaned into?
pushups, pull-ups, dips, squat, lunges. Regular … prison workout.
Are you staying on top of that now that you’re home? Are you thinking of getting into fitness or changing up your diet?
Nah, I’m not. I like the feeling of th
That’s honest.
So success for me now,honestly,it’s like,”Let me see what I can do with my kids now.” They’re a little older now, so it’s like, “What do they want to do?” We’re about to do some college. I want to see them in the next 10 years, or the next five years. However it goes, I’ll have an adult kid[inthenextfiveyears[inthenextfiveyears[inthenextfiveyears[inthenextfiveyears
Looking back on this experience, do you believe things happen for a reason?
No, I just don’t believe in that. Like at all. I don’t think anything’s happened for a reason. I think it happened because of certain situations.Whatever situation you put yourself in, the consequence is going to come with that.
As you step back into music, are you looking to tap into a new sound, or are we getting that signature Fetty Wap sound?
you’ll see. Everybody’s going to see. It’s going to be lit. I can tell you this: I’m a little older, so my voice is a little different, but it still has that signature crooning sound.
Over the last few years, many rappers have stepped into podcasting. Do you see yourself doing something like that?
I mean, we were kind of doing that already. I don’t know if a lot of people remember, but it was an app called Periscope, before Instagram Live in 2015. Periscope [is where] everybody used to go to go live and just talk to their fans and show off new music.I feel like that was the first part of streaming. It’s not nothing that I never did before, so I’m definitely down to do it.
How closely did you keep up with what was going on in Hip-Hop over the last few years? A lot has happened. Is there anything that kind of sticks out to you that you were just like,”I
I don’t want to say his name wrong. I like Don Tolliver … leon Thomas. I like kehlani, too.She’s cool.
While you were away, you did hold the fans down with some songs. You had “yams,” “Klassic,” and others. With your first official drop, are we getting mixtape Fetty? Album Fetty … a few one-off singles?
we’re going to get some good music. We’re going to vibe. We’re going to have fun. It’s going to make you feel good. It’s going to make you want to get dressed and go outside.or if you’re already outside, it’s going to make you want to stay outside. We’re going to vibe.
I think people are expecting you to come out and talk about what you’ve been through, and you already made it clear you kind of want to leave that in the past.
Yeah, we’re going to have fun.
So we can’t expect anything with you speaking about that-
Maybe later.
Maybe later in life?
Yeah. I’ve been seeing a lot of “What we were doing in 2016,” but now we’re 2026. I’m not really like a struggle artist. I don’t know if that makes sense, but I’m not really an artist that talks about what he’s been through.When people hear the name Fetty Wap, it’s “Baby, won’t come my way?” It’s a party. “Let’s go have fun.” It’s “I’m like Hey,what’s up? Hello.”
You know, New Jerseyans have been saying the “King of Jersey” is home. How do you feel about that title being put on you?
Willie Nelson’s Involvement with Hayze Walks Foundation
Country music icon Willie Nelson actively supports the Hayze Walks Foundation,an organization dedicated to raising awareness for congenital glaucoma,a condition Nelson himself has lived with since childhood.
Personal Connection to Congenital Glaucoma
Nelson’s involvement stems from his personal experience with congenital glaucoma, a rare condition present at birth. He described feeling different from his siblings growing up,questioning why he was the only one affected. This early experience fostered a sense of difference and a “chip on his shoulder,” as he explained in a recent interview.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, congenital glaucoma affects approximately 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 50,000 newborns. It’s characterized by improper growth of the eye’s drainage system, leading to increased pressure and potential vision loss if untreated.
Impact of Early Diagnosis and Support
Nelson’s mother named him Willie, a fact he acknowledges with a chuckle, but the challenges of living with a visual impairment were more significant. He has spoken about the importance of early diagnosis and support for children born with congenital glaucoma. The Hayze Walks Foundation aims to provide resources and build a community for individuals and families affected by the condition.
The hayze Walks Foundation was founded in 2023 by Hayze Reynolds, who also lives with congenital glaucoma. As of January 25, 2026, the foundation has raised over $50,000 for research and support programs, according to their impact report.