jid

JID, who is currently in the middle of promoting his upcoming third studio album, The Forever Story, has had a fascinating and impressive career trajectory. You could argue that this is due in large part to his status as a member of J. Cole’s Dreamville roster, where his artistic vision has been nurtured and protected. But his career could have gone much differently; he recently revealed that he was nearly signed to a different label instead: His hometown Atlanta’s own Quality Control Music, which boasts City Girls, Lil Baby, and Migos as members.

During a quick interview on the street with TMZ, JID recalled how he ended up on the Dreamville roster instead of Quality Control. Watching the video below, you can tell he’s a little shy to be giving an impromptu interview, which begins by noting J. Cole chose to sign with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation rather than 50 Cent’s G-Unit. But when asked if he had done something similar, he admitted, “We was about to sign with Coach K, though. That’s my dog.” He also joked that “I was about to be the fourth Migo.”

So far, that choice has worked out for him; ever since releasing his debut The Never Story in 2017, his star has steadily risen. He garnered even more attention with his 2018 follow-up, DiCaprio 2, and his group project with Spillage Village, Spilligion. Now, he’s on the cusp of dropping what could be his biggest release yet after collaborating with pop stars like Doja Cat, Imagine Dragons, and John Legend and standout performances on Dreamville’s compilations Revenge Of The Dreamers III and D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape.

Judging from the response to his Forever Story singles “Surround Sound” and “Dance Now“, the album may be the one that skyrockets JID into the spotlight for real, putting him on an even footing with his would-be bandmates Migos — who have their own music dropping (separately) soon, as well. The Forever Story is due 8/26 via Dreamville/Interscope. Pre-save it here.