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Belly Gang Kushington (born Victor Thomas) has gone from jail cells to getting flowers from J. Cole and Drake, along with hopping on FaceTime with NBA star Kevin Durant.
Born in Atlanta, BGK’s mother left at birth, and he was raised by his dad, along with his great aunt and her daughter. Seeing his uncles and father partaking in trap activities, Kushington immersed himself in the trap boom of the 2000s and the street tales of ATL legends like T.I., Jeezy and Gucci Mane. “That’s what I thought was cool,” he tells Billboard during a trip to NYC earlier in March.
Kushington followed in his family’s footsteps, which led to legal trouble and a handful of jail stints, the last of which came in 2023. “I got so used to jail that I knew something was wrong then,” he quips. “I’m getting locked up and I know everybody on the cell block. This s–t’s just regular.”
The Atlanta rapper promised to leave the pen behind for good and take his rapping career seriously, as he also has a son to provide for. BGK took on the adopted stagename from a nickname given to him based on having “kush by the ton,” and putting on weight.
Kushington began to gain traction in Atlanta by freestyling to the beats from some of his favorite songs, and caught the eye of ATL-based label Love Renaissance, which is home to 6LACK and Summer Walker. He ended up signing to LVRN in late 2024.
He brought his relentless hustler mentality to rap and hit the gas pedal full-throttle for 2025. With traces of the trap titans that paved the way, Kushington’s motivational raps filled his trapper-friendly The Streets Is Yours debut project, which arrived last March.
His rise was accelerated by a few viral moments increasing his exposure along the way, including selling his $100 white tees packaged like cocaine bricks, rapping in the middle of a shutdown expressway, and having Druski release a skit loosely based on his biracial image.
Kushington continued to build momentum when he recruited fellow ATLien YKNIECE for the “Friend Do” remix in September, which became a breakthrough club hit into the fall, topping Billboard‘s strip club chart for three months, and remaining at No. 2 in February.
With a taste of success in his system, BGK’s looking to elevate and make his presence felt even more in 2026, as he’s preparing an album, which he expects to arrive before the summertime.
Check out the rest of our interview with Billboard Hip-Hop’s Rookie of the Month for March, who touches on an upcoming collaboration with BigXthaPlug, plans for ’26 and rubbing elbows with Drake and J. Cole.
You’ve been all over the place this past year, just non-stop working.
I can’t believe we did that much — tour and all type of s—t, shows, songs and videos. I be looking at the videos sometimes like, “That s—t only eight months ago? That s—t had to have been three years ago!” Every hustler plans for it to work, but this still feels like the beginning. I don’t even count the wins, just coming to work every day.
You’re buzzing in Atlanta — do you feel it everywhere else across the country as well?
We can’t go nowhere [without being recognized]. I think it’s how I look. There’s so many reasons why people walk up [to me]. Some people dead-a– think I’m the white tee guy. Some think I’m the guy on the expressway. The majority of people say I’m the “Friend Do” guy or “Popeyes” guy, then like real music fans. But I can tell there are some people asking for a picture who don’t know where they know me from. We’ll be in L.A. or up here in New York and they’ll ask for a picture and really be like, “I remember him.” That showed me my face got more reach.
It’s getting to the point now, at certain places they ripping my clothes and s–t at shows, it’s getting crazy. I’m happy for all of it. I take every picture, bruh. I just feel like I’m blessed and I could make their whole day. My manager told me the other day, “Bro, you asked for this.” I’m like, “Damn, he’s right.”
You’ve been one of the most in-demand featured artists. Feels like we’re getting something every other week. How do you decide which tracks you want to hop on?
I don’t got one way of deciding. The Bally Baby “Hustlin Mf” was one of them ones I actually listened to in the car. I get in the car, feeling good, that’s what I put on. I started rap by rapping on just other folks’ s–t freestyling. I was about to do that and get back into my bag and then I’m like, “Hold on, bro, I’m him now. I could just be like, ‘Ay, bro, I’ma get on this s–t.’” The Dess [Dior collaboration] came when they actually sent it to me and I actually liked it. I caught a flow instantly. When I can do a verse in 10 minutes, I know. I sent it back.
The Montana [700 collab] was more so real n—a, recognize real n—a. We know what I’m putting down and I know what they putting down in Dallas. I gotta f–k with them. They hit me to kick it at the studio. I gotta link with n—as who putting it down likewise. There ain’t a lot of us anymore. If I feel it’s reason to get on this song, I’m getting on it.
BigXthaPlug hit me up. When I heard the song, I’m like, “This s–t is so hard!” I know he strategically was like, “I want Kush on there.” I had to do that. The beat was so hard and what he was saying was so crazy, I gotta go in.
So the inbox has to be flooded with feature requests right now.
Yeah, inbox is flooded. I wasn’t doing features at all. YKNIECE and YTB Fatt were the only features I did. Inbox been flooded with money, but I just feel like I’m not here to make money off collabing. I think being strategic about it or going off a natural feeling makes more sense. It makes more sense to link with somebody or put art together than pay for something. If you gotta pay for it, I don’t even need to be doing it.
Who’s on your potential feature list you’d want on a track?
I don’t sit around like, “I want this person on a feature.” Obviously, I’m a businessman and I’d take a Drake or Travis Scott feature. Maybe like a 2Pac verse or an Adele hook. That’s dream s–t. We can go downstairs and there’s a n—a playing the violin — a homeless man — and that could be so hard [that] I want a feature.
The “Friend Do (Remix)” was No. 1 for three months on our strip club chart. Did you feel that when you were out in Atlanta?
I was on tour when it first took off. I had to get home. The day we got home, I went to Candyland that night and we previewed YKNIECE’s verse and s–t went crazy.
What’s the plan for you album-wise for the rest of the year?
I’m working on an album right now. Soon as it’s together, it’s dropping. Probably in the next couple of months. Probably gonna drop again after that. Every dope boy got elevation, but a good artist don’t ever leave what got them there. That’s a thin line between trying to show elevation and you gotta think my life’s different now. If I’m rapping the same way about my life and memories, it’s going to go hand-in-hand. I don’t got a title for the album yet. We got a lot of songs with a lot of people.
Do you feel any more pressure to deliver now that you’ve made it in a way and got some spotlight on you?
Nah, if anything, just new fans and different types of supporters. I got 12-year-olds rocking with my music. If anything, I really shouldn’t introduce them to Fentanyl. No other pressure other than that.
Is that something you’re conscious about when creating?
I think people could feel that. I always refer back to an interview with Pharrell and he was talking about how you could feel the energy and the confidence in a song. I could have the same delivery, but you could feel that confidence.
I think that’s what makes you special in a way. It would be so hard for me to remain motivated and do this again and continue to chase success.
I always been a person that [feels like] someone’s chasing me and I gotta keep running. My music is motivational, because I’m motivated by everything in front of me. I’m meeting new people and it shows me how broke I am today. I ain’t nowhere near comfortable.
How was linking with J. Cole in Atlanta?
We just went to support, and he was like, “Shoutout Belly Gang.” He came over there, “Ay, boy, you going crazy, don’t change nothing. Keep that s–t just like that, I’m watching. I’m a fan.” That was crazy, because I didn’t think J. Cole knew who I was. Especially from a conscious artist. I’m kinda street, but vulnerable too. I don’t think he was necessarily saying sonically, but keeping that s–t 100 like you been doing. It’s always good getting flowers from people who made it that big. I know I’m doing something right.
How was seeing Drake in Houston at Area 29?
His team had seen me post-I was out there. Like, “Pull up, The Boy wanna meet you.” I pull up and out the gate, he gave me my flowers. His first words were, “Is that Belly Gang?” I didn’t know they know who I was. He actually told Area 29 to give me rest of the money he had in there, too. Walked in the club, he got a mic set up right there where they dance at. I don’t understand how he records on it. I guess he makes the club be quiet.
You were on tour with Lil Wayne last year as well. How was hitting the road?
I ain’t gonna lie, I can even see in my peers that tour really broke me in as a performing artist. My manager was kinda worried that my performance wasn’t moving as fast as the buzz was going. Now my performance is in front of the buzz. I controlled the crowd. I’m really comfortable and feel like I’m in this [office] right here. Doing 17,000 people every night and I ain’t have no hit or nothing out. I had to win them over back then. Now it’s like clockwork. First show I was really nervous. Just did the songs and I had a script. By the last show, I was going out there and winging it and those were the best shows.
Your mom left at birth and you reconnected with her at 23 for the first time?
I met her for the first time at 23. I might have been an infant or something [before that]. I just wasn’t feeling it, bruh. Not my type of person. I ain’t sitting around longing for a momma. Why am I gonna bring on these problems? Family is hard enough as it is, I don’t need more of that s–t.
Have there been family members popping out since the fame?
I was talking to Jelly Roll one time, and I had asked him for his number, because we were on email. He was like, “I ain’t got no number, I just work on the email.” He was like, “Bro, I don’t want anyone reaching me like that.” I was like, “What the hell?” Now I understand. I’m the highlight of everybody’s day in my family and I’m already working 24/7. You got the bills and people get mad.
What’s your goal for the rest of the year?
I just want to continue to be able to work every day. I don’t really got no money goals, no number goals. I just want to learn how to be happy. I’m still learning how to be free and a regular citizen. I still think people are watching me. This s–t is bliss for me right now.
