Rap Radar Rewind: Lyor Cohen

You know the name. You’ve heard the stories. But now, it’s time for Lyor Cohen to set the record straight. Leaving no stone unturned, the 300 founder discussed the success of his label, independence, and artists Fetty Wap, Young Thug, and Travis Scott. Later on, he spoke on the passing of protégé Chris Lighty, relationship with Jay Z, pioneering 360 deals, and culture vulture accusations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, Hey, Sullen Wilson, Rap right Off and me and
my partner beat Our Miller. And you know, we got
the premiere website out there, rap right dot com. And
now I'm about to take over the podcast game. We're
gonna sit down with the coaches most important voices to
give you that news and information, that opinion. The only
opinion of matter is man here, Rap right Off. Listen up, Yeah,

(00:23):
Rap right Off podcasts Elliot Wilson, Bryan beat Dot Miller
Number ten Beat Wow. It's been alone to know. I was.
I was. I was a little sad last episode and
I was like, I was like that t I one.
I don't know, man, it was good, but it wasn't
we set the ball high. I was like, what you
mean that? Then I listened back and I was like, oh,
this is pretty this is pretty solid. That's might be

(00:45):
another win. The people are loving it to you might
be another win, you know what I mean. I was there, no,
but I think you even felt like it may not
have been that like a plus every right after right,
everything I do is a plus. We're going medalist over here. Baby.
You know you like that silver. You've always said you're
sivil medalists. You're always against a silver medalists now, But

(01:07):
I want to talk on one thing before we get
I guess we got a great guest today. Man, oh
my god, the bar Saiveral High. Everybody thinks it's gonna
be a classic because the guests is just he doesn't
do too many of these. An exclusive. But you know,
I thought it was funny and no disrespect to the
other interviews t I did, but I thought that Iggy
thing was funny that Hot Night seven when they interviewed him,
because he pretty much was you know, they've covered that
beat more than us, right, the whole Iggy, so all

(01:28):
due respect, that's their lane. We didn't really ask about Iggy,
so um, I guess we caught an l in some
sense of like all the miles they got of him
basically saying that he don't really communicate with Iggy and like,
you know, But but I think what's funny is in
this culture now, people run with it and they make
the headline what they wanted to be, which was like
t I Severn's all business ties with Iiggy. That's not
what he said. He said, I'm not really fucking with her,

(01:51):
Like I'm not talking to I don't, but he's still
gonna make money for mother. Like the same thing we
said with Travis Scott is like Travis Scott is grant
hustle whether he listens to t I or not. So
it's like he has a business man. I think it's
like so obvious that, like just because he ain't sunk
with her personally, the relationship isn't good. And that's to
me what she was reacting to on Twitter, like she's
running with it, like I haven't heard the t I
wants to several business ties with me, like this is

(02:12):
one thing, and being like I don't funk with somebody,
but you know, I mean I can. They just ran
with it. You can't blee everything here on the internet.
But I think it's got, but I think it's actually
gotten worse. You don't think it's gotten. Its definitely gotten
worse because even that's not la them you jumped into
with that, right, and it's not confirmed that she's dating
French montem she even mentioned his name, like we he

(02:32):
at least mentioned her name on our ship, like so
now shout at tow she didn't even shout about man,
Like seriously, we're living in the guards. However, man, with
the thirsty beat out out here, it's all about the pool. Quote. Man,
I'm gonna blow up your site either. That's what's so
corny about it. Man, It's just I just had to
get that out real quick, man, because I'm thinking about it.
I had to get that off my chest real quick.

(02:53):
Not that not that we even care, man, you know
what I'm saying. But I'm saying I just hate what
it's information out there. Dark Knight, right, you hate that ship.
But that's why we're here, man. We here to represent
for the people, for the It's all about the culture,
the culture. It's all about the culture. This man's place
in the culture has been questioned at times, man, but
but you know he comes from the day one with
run d f C and everything. Man. This guy's put it,

(03:14):
this working, he's been in for a while. And this
isn't a guy who's gonna run around do all these
different tereviews. Man, we were hard to get up this
man to come true. Yeah, and that the bars kind
of set high, so we're gonna see. Speaking of bars,
uh uh, A little project dropped this week. Did you
hear about it? What is that? You know? I'm waiting
before you get the project. You know, besides the projects,

(03:35):
I like the sponsors. Man. Yeah, to keep the lights on.
Bevil's back out of it again. Shout out the christ
and walcome my people's at Bevil. Man, thank you for
sponsoring us again. You guys are fucking phenomenal. You know
we had to switch up. Everybody doesn't know. Bevil basically
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(03:57):
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this man, just to shave and just prove a point.
You know, you need that smooth bum free shaved man
for the ladies. Man, because you don't want out here
looking like a pack of nerds and hate that. But

(04:21):
that's why you just to walk in this cul one man.
Because they changed the game. They felt like brothers couldn't
get the right situation to get that stuff where it
needs to be. He came in with Bevil and changed
the game, Man, but we're gonna keep it more exciting
for the people listen to our show. Man. We changed
up our code. Man. So that's what you gotta do. Man,
when you go to get bevil dot com today, use
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(04:42):
A R F R E before we have radar. This
one is radar free because you get the first one
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(05:03):
gonna get a special package. Man. Shout out to Tristan
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wrap right up, like I said, Man Triester walking Bevil
with an amazing job with the company, but also supporting
this culture, supporting the right programs. Were honored that they're
continuing to ride with us as we build something. Man
were only like this is our tenth episode. You know,
me and Bat I take this very serious for the culture.

(05:26):
We respect fellow black entrepreneurs and we just here trying
to make great things happen. Man, So go to get
devil dot com once again. The code is radar free Black.
But you were saying about Bars, my brother, Yeah, saying
about Bars. It's a great time to be alive, elliot.
What happened a lot of times? Literally? Why you snitch?

(05:46):
Why you even a little tet? You couldn't hold out
you treating in that for Hey, it's a time to
be alive to you added the hat to begetting man,
you couldn't let it go. Man, I had to go in. Man,
you had to go with beat up. It's for the
cod Like, Yo, why did you go in the earlier?

(06:06):
But I sat with it so far, you know, And
how do you how I think people would be too critical?
I mean it's a it's a mixtape, I think, I
mean it's an album. We bought it. But I'm just
saying stylistically, I think what's interesting about Drake is that
Drake as he's cooking up views from the six to
be this kind of like you know, well, prepared master
work of probably more his original style rapping and singing,

(06:29):
like you know, he's just if it's if you're reading
this is too late now this project where he's just
kind of feeding people with different type of music that
fits the vibe of what this whole year is about,
like these Waves. So I mean it's flaws in it,
Like I don't think it's flawless, but it's still fun
to me. And I like a lot of records on there,
Like I don't think it's as good as DS two
or Drake's record, but I think it's dope, and I

(06:49):
think that it almost sets the bar that people feel like, wow,
it would be great if like Kendrick and Cole could
lock themselves in the studio for a week and put
out whatever they make for us. Like I think that
the bars not said. I think people expect creativity, and
I think it almost serves as a victory lap of
of of what Drake and futures impact has been in
the culture this year. And I feel like Drake kind
of took a back seat and kind of fit into

(07:12):
the Futures world and elevated him. So I'd like to
see that because I think from a competitive aspect of it.
You know, Drake's already slidified his position, but it's great
to see Future continue to elevate. And now he'll have
to me have the record sales that now will match
his impact, so on that level, On that level, I
like it a lot, like if Mike still matters. I
think it's like a three and a half out of five. Um.

(07:34):
I think future it's more. I do think a lot
of it's gonna grow on people too that are critical
like it's I think a lot more songs are going
to grow on people that may not like those songs
at for us. But I sorr it's more of a
future project, I think more so than Drake, because it's
like metro booming is spirithading most of it. Wait, dark Knight,
he said Cohen, Dark Knight gotta go get him medicines
historic before New York comes in. I just think he's good.

(07:58):
Is he coming? Is he know? It's the tallest rarely
getting off quick beat out les. It's decent. That's a
decent project. I think it's not superior than DS two
or if you're reading this, but I think it's an
enjoyable It's amazing that they pulled it off. The numbers
are gonna be insane. But I think this, I think
it's a testament to how much interest they can generate.

(08:19):
I think interest kind of trumps the actual product these
days and this kind of climate, and they can generate
that well also just promotion, marketing and just making the
point event. But they are they did but the I
did that they But yeah, just the idea that they
found the time out of their busy schedules to really
lock in a tree funny tree sound out Spy Atlanta.
Shout to Molly, Molly and everybody and Groove chambers Man,

(08:41):
congrats on that. That's a big look for their studio
compound on their tree sound Everybody knows they're important to
the culture. I just think, yeah, we just respect that
these guys took the time to really feed the fans
like they've given so much. Look how much music strikes
throwing out this year, like you know, it solilifies their place,
you know, and you know, I get from a competitive
aspect of it will bring up to meet mill thing,
but you know we'll leave that a later day. Oh

(09:03):
my good, wow, is this realgendary legendary waiting? I'm sorry
I'm sorry you guys, legendary love you. What are you
guys doing? We're just trying to figure it out, Leo.
Does that mean trying to figure it out? That's the bottom.
We all trying to figure it out. Your time with you?

(09:24):
How you just trying to figure things out? Now you're
killing it man, Not not at all. But seriously, you're
inviting people to call. I'm sorry this connect. He was
supposed to be out there dot night. What he's doing here?
Photos of what? There's no video? Yes, you can't talk that.
Do you know what about from Mr Sean? No? No, no no,

(09:45):
you could use the garbage candy. Just hold it over,
keep your hood. We'll be right back room. Welcome to Play,
a new podcast network featuring radio and TV personalities talking business, sports, tech, entertainment,

(10:07):
and more. Play it at Play dot in Hey yesterday,
so we will see rap right off and me and
my partner beat our miller man with the only opinion
that Matt is man here rap right off. I can't
believe you see a lady and gentlemen, we all come, Yes,
yes the afternoon. How are you, sir? I'm very happy

(10:28):
and very honored to be here with you. Guys, Um,
you know, I just don't do any interviews, but I
don't know. Elliot's been begging me for years. I appreciate
your persistence, and I hope you're um audience appreciates what
I have to say. Absolutely. You know, I kind of
legend to this audience because you know this audience, you

(10:50):
know they're insatiable. Like you know, you've always embraced this
new eratist in that age and digital age, and it
gives them access now to go back and look at
all the past stuff. At the same time, I appreciate
what's going on now. So I think that obviously your
name has come up oftentimes and people there's obviously a
myth around you, like can you tell a little fo
where you thought about how that's how how you've learned
to navigate differently in this new era and things two

(11:12):
personal changes you may have made in terms of how
you do business, and I don't I would um not
characterize it as navigation. It is my life ethos and
the mission statement of my life to embrace change and

(11:35):
to find the new ways of of participating and being relevant.
In fact, I change things when things are really good.
I don't wait for them to get bad before I
change them. And Bob Dylan says it best in one

(11:57):
of his great records. If you're not is he being born,
You're busy being dying. And that's how I view how
I live. I'm I'm a risk taker, and but I
don't know I'm taking risks because I take so many
risks that it doesn't feel risk. It's instinctual to you.

(12:20):
But you've always succeeded that way. I think you also
told me once, I think maybe if I'm getting to
make sure I'm getting it right when you said like,
sometimes you feel like if you're like you know how
this business is in the industry, if you're hot a
certain way, everybody's buzzed about you. Like you almost said
to me, I think one time, when you're hot, you
kind of keep it real low key, and then when
you're cold, that's when you stick your chest out like
I'm still hot out here. That's how you carry yourself like,

(12:40):
that's that's that's fundamental. First, My instinct is always to
low pro it, just because I believe in that I
am a frame um to some beautiful artwork, and the
frame is not supposed to overrun the artwork. I'm just

(13:04):
the the the entity or the thing that keeps it's
having a border. And I would like all my life
for people to appreciate the real, true genius of the
artists that I've come across and work with. So I
never understood why it was important for me to grab

(13:26):
a mica get on in videos or anything like video.
I never understood that. And I think one of the
things that artists have appreciated, um over the years is
that I understand my role and you're finding from them

(13:49):
behind the scenes. Um, yes, exactly. So is that the
approach that you've done with three It's kind of hard
to keep a little profile if you got the hottest
one of the hottest artists right now, study will congrats
ly a Fatty Wild, thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, and um you know, um what could I say?

(14:10):
But listen, the reason why we built this company was
to give access to the creative community in a slightly
different way than what is out there now. What is
out there is fine, The major label system is fine.
There's a lot of great executives, a lot of great labels.

(14:34):
But I truly believe in my heart when I closed
my eyes and I think about the music industry that
I adored and loved. It was more boutique houses and
it wasn't a you know, do you know who was
the founder and blood, sweat and terror of Mercury Records? Okay,

(14:59):
you know? So do you know? These companies have been
pushed together and that guy had a point of view.
That guy woke up every day with a passion to
communicate that point of view. That point of view was
clear to the receptionist what kind of artists they were
going to be involved with, what they represented. So years later,

(15:25):
it's part of this monolith company that the d n
A is all over the place. So you know, when
you talk about what these record companies represent, when they've
been pushed together so many times and there's so many

(15:47):
iterations away from the original founder, it makes it difficult
to stay on tune, you know, just stay focused on
what that label represented, and with three hundred we want

(16:09):
to represent. I don't want to be the biggest when
I walk in the room. I want people to be
really scared right now. I want to already curst this out.
I want to be the most dangerous label, like, oh
fuck this guy again, throwing in the side kind of thing,

(16:31):
or just throwing in the side is like, I come
to play, you better go. You've got to spread out
to catch that ball because I'm getting on the ground.
I'm getting on the ground. So I hope you've come
to play. It's not that you said that. You always
say zero zero and it's four quarters left. That's how
four quarters left. And I want to win and I

(16:52):
have a terrific team. I really believe in the boutique system.
I really eve in a non inter calm, non human resource.
I don't know if you've been up in there. Everybody's
like Leo doesn't have a private office somewhere. He's in
a he's in a mix with the people, the staff.
We're in a pit, and we shout a lot of yelling.

(17:18):
There's no that's what we do, radar. We shout to communicate,
not to be offensive or to hurt anybody's at um feelings,
but to communicate a moment in time that we have
to strike. And there's no layers. And loving the music
and you said you press play like the most simple thing.

(17:39):
Listen to the music, press pay attention to the details,
actually talk to the artists, understand what it makes them
flex into their best form? What gets them tense? And
what's their anxiety? How did how could I be helpful?

(18:01):
How about starting with what could I do to be helpful?
It's not signed to my label and you work for me?
Is how could I be helpful? Like I am someone
that's been doing this since the Cold Crush Brothers. Okay,
and so I would like to be helpful. So let's

(18:22):
start there. How could it be helpful? That's a nice?
How are you? How are you helpful to Freddie Wap?
For example? Let's take us through that because obviously you
hear a record like Trap Queen. Any dummy could recognize. Okay,
that's a hit, but how how do you make it
more than that? How do you groom Freddie Wapp and
get him to where he needs to be? First of all, um,
all praise goes to RGF Productions. Okay, production, explain who

(18:46):
they are people? And I know they hit a tag,
but they Archief Productions is a company that reminds me
of some of the early entrepreneurs in this game. Okay,
their office mobile, their movements, mobile, their focus, their artists,

(19:10):
there's no extra noise, their lean machine and you know
what you guys are gonna have to figure that out.
No stitch stitch out here because they should get an
opportunity to to meet you guys. Um. Um, but a

(19:32):
lot of praise goes because, um, there's a lot of
incubation artists need. Let's let me ask you a question.
You go to med school, you graduate med school, do
you get a scalpel and the brains? No, you go
to residency? Right, So why do rappers? Why did the

(19:53):
world feel like a rapper needs to be ready get
out of the gate. It takes time to understand that
lane that and and boy did he find that lane right?
That melodic thing going on right? And he sounds good
live with it? Two and I know you put openians
alive because you come from that road. Manager a d

(20:14):
MC like, That's what I was impressed when I saw
a Fettie is that he sounds great live doing the
melodies like, well, a lot of you are to struggle
with that. They'll sound great on the record, but then
they can't deliver live. Um. A lot of effort goes
out to a lot of people. There's this is you
know when they talk about um, a success has many

(20:38):
fathers and and and um failures and norphan that loves
that one. I have to tell you there is a
lot of people didn't want to see that man win. Okay,
he's engaging, he's nice, he's focused, he he's come to

(21:00):
play and um, he is thoughtful enough to say thank
you or say you know, what is it that we
need to do now? And focus on and the work ethic.
I mean he just got off to Chris Brown, right,
He's a work machine. This guy's going out stop since
those records that that that poor man can I thought

(21:25):
what you said, how you couldn't even do the crowd.
He can't do cas canceling appearances because this guy's out
here working and doing everything. He's working and doing many
many things. We're trying to be smart and thoughtful and
making sure that there's you know, we don't look at
this in the moment in time. We're trying to visualize

(21:50):
next year, this time, What would Fetti mean this year,
next time? You know. So we're all in March and
April and May trying to think about how what's the
architecture of this you know, how how how can he

(22:11):
continue build upon the strengths? And sometimes that means leaving
some money on the table. That's sometimes set sacrifice and
and but also think about that beautiful expression. And I
used to say this all the time. Have them wanting more,

(22:34):
leave them and more, leave them wanting more. You don't
have to snatch you every dime and and and sing
every song. Leave them wanting more. It's also acting like
you you want to be here for the long haul.
Sometimes if the guy goes after everything is greedy, he
think he's gonna have tomorrow, he may not be here
year from now. You look desperate. You almost have to
have the confidence that it's gonna come back around. I'm

(22:56):
going to be a player, and I have these opportunities
next year, but after that. It's also kind of like
a testament to le Yo because he's really dedicated to
his artist. I mean, I think about you know, he
went outside Warner Brothers with the Loop, a Fiasco, Brecast,
the boom Box. You know they recently, Uh it was
late last year. You went to Atlanta, you hooked up
with Travis Scott, Young Thug and those guys that that

(23:18):
that's something that just comes naturally. Well, first of all, Um,
I have zero fear, zero fear because I have a
certain um design on how I left Number one. Bad
news travels faster than good news. Okay, so all the

(23:42):
most thorough guys, they only want to know if they
have to go to Plan B or Plan C. The
real thorough guys have planned being planned C already organized.
It's it's the rookies that have no Plan B or
sniffed him out real quick on the time that you

(24:06):
have a problem in this business if you don't if
you withhold bad news because it does not allow them
to move to B or C. That's how Leo does mean.
We can't do this, Fetti Crown can't do it. Just
hit it on. He's got responsibility people, um studios, you know, interviews,

(24:32):
he doesn't, he he doesn't. He ends he's a father
and has a relationship and has to be good to himself.
So we all our dearest thing is time, so we
don't need cryptic language. So one of the reasons I've
touched more rap than everybody else combined, and I don't

(24:54):
walk the security guard. I don't have any of those issues.
Um becau was I actually hit it on the head
real hard, real fast. It just feels like a time back,
like during the Rush era when you guys had before
it was was rush correct management, right, So now it's like, Okay,
you got fatty Wap, you got young thug. It's kind

(25:15):
of like your spearheading had Megales you know, recently just
left the label. So it feels like as if you're
mentoring it all over again. It'st kind of like starting
from ground zero. Well, listen, um, I love this journey.
You know, a lot of people were confused. I was
going to a convention about fifteen years ago, um in Miami,

(25:37):
and I was can be down and I don't know
which convention, but I had just sold the company. I
just sold Deaf Champ and I was walking. Most of
the people on the plane were people from the industry,
and everybody looked at me like I was crazy, and
I was seeing the bubbles over their heads saying, my god,

(26:00):
we just read you just got hundreds of millions of dollars.
Why are you going to this convention? And what people
don't understand it's not the destination, it's the journey. And
to me, this is just a beautiful journey and the
I feel I still have a lot to contribute, and

(26:21):
I really believe that there's I hope I could provide
an inspiration for a new generation of entrepreneur, creative entrepreneurs
that team up with capital and actually go out there
and bang and and and make some noise because the
artists needed the artists actually need um attention and care,

(26:47):
mentorship and mentorship. In conversation, how can I be helpful? Yeah,
I was saying that we had him less guest. He
was saying, it's the best of times and the worst
of times because artists now get that stuff out without
any helper assistance. But at the same time, it's a
mess in The pipeline is closed because there's no curators,
there's no people like you and me like helping, so

(27:09):
it gets flooded. It gets the clocks up, the pipeline
is clocked. Yes, yes it is. It's um um the
be careful for what you wish for. You know, digital
revolution is magnificent, but the Levy broke so curation, mentorship, structure,

(27:29):
um team, it's still necessary. So to take to take
us back to fetty, I'm sorry, real quick. How do
you so? Then? How do you navigate that? I think
he's a great example of somebody who could He seemed
like he's just doing on his own he puts a
record ont on SoundCloud years ago. But then you take
it to the process where it's a trap Queen of
six seven nine to my Way to and again, like
talk a little bit about how you were patiently building

(27:51):
this guy up to this moment of this album release. Listen,
Elliott at that is a stupid question. No, no, it's
not a it's not a stupid question. And we could
spend hours. I just want to talk about telling the

(28:12):
process to spend hours. But let's peel back what the
digital revolution actually provides us. The digital revolution provides that
the cream is going to rise to the top. Okay,
and Fetty is hit a nerve so beautifully. It's a

(28:37):
melodic it's a interesting it's not regurgitated, it's not overly
words smith ing. It's something really special and it's not
just once, it's twice. There's a lot of signature to it.
So you know, I would like to take a lot

(28:58):
of credit, but um, the fact that the matter is
is that there's a lot of hard work, a lot
of marketing, a lot of promotion, and a lot of
thoughtful timing. But come on, we got to put our
hats off to this kid. This kid is doing it
on every level and being so self sufficient that the
album contains a lot of songs that he previously put

(29:20):
on SoundCloud, but you'd be mastered the records and change
them up, Like why did you feel like you could
still utilize those songs? They're like really great, like really great,
like Vin You would say to me, why weren't they on?
If you know what I'm saying that you can't um

(29:42):
um win in this world? You know I want Elliott.
One thing that I do want to say. One of
the reasons why this industry is um on bended knee
or hurt is the lack of faternal order in our business. Now,
let me try and sport you back to Okay in

(30:04):
the East Village, Okay after uh Public Enemy show or
or um um after going uptown to six nine in
Jerome at the disco Fever, there was a spot that
we would all show up, every single label, every single

(30:27):
all of those guys, everybody. We just congregate and celebrate
each other's success. I smoke a little bit to relax
a little said, I wish it was just that typically

(30:49):
it was um just before save the Robots that didn't open.
You don't know about that big club in the I
was still with my dad's testicles at that. So the
fact that the matter is is that it was an
industry that people actually adored what we were doing, and

(31:10):
it resonated and we would champion each other's successes. And
where the fund is that these days no one, By
the way, only one person called me up saying, yo,
my man, congratulations three We really we really love what

(31:30):
we're seeing. Well done, my man. Who's up? I'm not
going to say who I'm not. I'm not, I'm not.
Monty Lippmann called me up and just said, I just
love what you're doing. Wow, celebrate each other's successes. I'm

(31:51):
not When did this industry become like full of mean
spirited gossip. You know, where we actually enjoyed people's failures.
How does that feed your family when someone catches a brick,
or someone gets hurt, or someone does something wrong. I

(32:14):
don't know how that helps. But I know that if
someone successful, it's tide rising. It helps the business, It
helps the business, it helps the whole thing. So, you know,
but I think hip hop, I think I think you're
absolutely right. I think social media also helped uh fuel
that monster because people can now, you know, I think
they cost a line of like trying to turn every

(32:37):
criticism into a joke in comedy, and everybody wants to
have the big satire, the big jab you know what
I mean. I think we feel that. But what I
think it's great about this year and I want to
get your opinion of but I feel like, especially in
hip hop, we all feel energized. It's been a very
exciting year in hip hop. A lot of it releases
a lot of good energy, a lot of consistent energy
to the culture. You know, you put out Bar to
six early in the year, Like, there's been a lot
of records and a lot of great energy, and I

(32:59):
feel like then you see a competitiveness that isn't a
good way that a DrAk and future can get together
and make a record in those kind of things. So
do you feel do you feel like the landscape with
the Fetties now in and Doug is now in, is
in a much better place this year? I'm all I
all I can say is I hope so. And I
would do everything in my power to promote it. I

(33:20):
would do everything in my power to promote that our
artists and our industry celebrates people's success, and so we
could actually start moving to the light. Okay, just moving
to the light. Okay, how can we be helpful? How

(33:40):
could we elect the next president? How could we be
instrumental in change? How do we act in the role
of responsibility of having the most successful type of music
out here? How do you I was thinking about the mentorship. No,

(34:03):
it's the truth. I mean, I think you're responsible for
a lot of that mentorship in the game, whether it's
bringing in people like Julie Greenwald, uh, tom oscal Wits,
Kevin Lyles, even Chris Lyty to that to that point,
do you see still see that happening in the game
with I guess who you're recruiting or who you're working with.
So everybody my crew used to say, wow, um man,

(34:27):
we're doing all this work and heavy lifting and and
you're getting rich. I said, now, that's stupid. Okay, hopefully
you could understand that. I felt securing myself enough to
hire beasts around me. Okay. Julie Greenwall is the best

(34:48):
record executive in the business, bar none, there's no even
it's not even up for debate. Kevin Lyle is extraordinary.
You you know when you're you're on the field and
you're picking teams. You gotta pick Mike Kayser, Todd Moscow.
It's insanity. They're insane. Come to play humble, will stretch

(35:08):
for that ball when you're you know, thinking that you're safe,
and take that thing away from you. So do How
did how did the death of Chriss lightly affect you?
Because I remember you gave him his first job, like
gating forty grand to start working with you on the rush.
How did that on time with your minds affect you?

(35:29):
Oh boy? Um? How did that affect me? And it
affects me every single day. He was a beautiful man
right now, I see his smile. That smile was infectious
from ear to ear. He was a point guard. You know,

(35:50):
he created a collapse in the defense because of all
the movement that he would make to the basket. Um loyal, loyal,
so on. You know. Um. There was there was an
issue with Sugar one um um year and you know

(36:11):
I had just signed Warren g and I was at
a club and Sugar was there and Chris goes come
with me and took me out the back way and
we went through the and and when I went to
the hotel. They're all out there. He wanted to talk
to me um and took me through the kitchen. He said,
you're in. I'm in, cool, loyal, loving man. We'll walk

(36:38):
a long distance to help someone. It's like that he's
missed every every single day. And how about this an
inspiration for a whole host of other people who looked
towards him or Kevin look too, He's an inspiring individual

(37:03):
and um positivity and and and moving to the light
at least in in honor of some of the people
that have have preceded us in such a powerful way.
So does it bother you? And like, you get criticized
a lot, you know from other exects and people like

(37:24):
Dame dash To call you a culture vote show that
you haven't done things. Does that bother you? Or how
do you feel about that? You know, it actually doesn't
bother me. It would bother me if it came from
a credible source. And if it's a credible source, then
we could have a conversation and actually have a discussion.
Because if someone thinks some some something about me that

(37:48):
I may have done to offend them or hurt them,
or or do something that they misunderstand, then we'll have
a dialogue and then we'll communicate and get to an
understanding and and and move on or not. But you know,
I can't, I can't give any light to that. It's
it's a clown right now. But I think you know,

(38:11):
jay Z, obviously you guys have formed such a strong
mentorship friendship through the years. I mean, obviously everybody looks
at that was such a key component of that def
Jam error with def Jam and murder inc and rough
Riders under one umbrella. Like talk a little about navigating
all those personalities in one place and the competitive nature
that was going on there. That's only I don't navigate.

(38:32):
I think that that's a bad word. I'm never gonna
say that again. That's an implication of something that I
woke up to do. Got you. I wake up every
day to try to help and move it forward. How
could I be helpful? How could I participate? So when

(38:52):
if you if you choose me to be a power forward,
I'm not dribbling the ball reboundund you know, I'm doing
what team expected me to do. You know what I'm saying. So, um,
what was that era? That era was beautiful? It was
healthy competition. People wanted to win, and he went on

(39:16):
talent and it was a creative shop that gave the
the the oxygen, gave the fuel, gave the apparatus the
platform for that creativity to actually go down. Wow, what

(39:43):
a special what a special moment. Man. By the way,
all I could say is to the young people is
take a snapshot and don't neglect the present. Mhm. I
wish I held onto that for a split second more,
just closed my eyes and just said wal because you're

(40:06):
still doing it in the moment, doing it in the moment,
you just got to pull over and say, WHOA really?
This next job rule jay Z month you dropped knock
it off December like Drake DRIs dropped you know, the
new projects responsible for records dropping in December. That's very accurate,

(40:29):
but explained to music. But it's also the structure that
things would benefit dropping at the end of the year,
Like can you explain a little about them in the
strategy of that. This is the reason why they didn't
I want to drop things in shut down as they
think that the retailers were too busy moving product than
Christmas to receiving it. And my theory was parents started

(40:58):
feeling disconnected from what gifts that they could buy their children,
especially culturally and musically. So what they said was I'm
gonna give them cash, and they do what they gotta do.
And so there was the biggest gift in Christmas was cash.

(41:19):
So to me, I wanted to be close to the cash,
and I got jigger Man dark Man ex But then
it starts to take us to the information that Gotty
I guess was the first figure to sort of bring
these artists or attention like he will not not really,
but clar clarity clarity is that IRV was unbelievably important

(41:48):
to that whole thing. That whole thing was wonderful. He
most definitely introduced me to Um, the rough Riders and
the MX and Yonkers in the morning Um he Um
had a relationship and association with Jay Um and definitely

(42:11):
of course with John Um. But his Um fingerprints and
um Um creative energy, energy that I haven't seen in
a very long time, sleepless energy, excited. So by the
way he could recite every rhyme there is. Okay, I've

(42:34):
seen him do Tupac records in the studio, so he's
the real deal. But with Rocke felt at that time. Obviously,
I'll tell people that back then a lot of business
had to go through Dame Day would try to Jay
would be more in the background and stuff like that.
How did you develop that, change that dynamic and have
more of a direct report with Jay? And what was
it like getting to know him? And when did you
realize that there was something even more special about him? Well,

(42:57):
Jay and I have known each other since Big Daddy
came m Okay, So I had a relationship with Jay
way before Rocket Feller Records. So and and and Jay, Um,
it's a very thoughtful person. And and also like saying

(43:19):
thank you and likes giving da to those that are helpful.
Can't get us get him on the show. I'm sure
he's going to do well. I'm ahead, so so Um,
that report was already there. That report was already there,
and he was fully engaged and and Damon wasn't trying

(43:44):
to block him um from having a relationship with us.
Damon was secure and that you know that that feeling
and how he felt about things. He wasn't trying to
have the relation ships simply go through him. So, but
do you feel like that again, his criticism and you

(44:06):
doesn't feel like he feels like you. He was uncomfortable
with you, you and you and you and Jay's relationship
outside of his dynamic, and that your report started to
affect his dynamic and his his power fin that structure.
You know, I don't know the details of that, so
I don't know how, you know, how I could have.
You know, they have to have their own strength and

(44:31):
reliability in their own relationship. I don't know how my
relationship with Jay would have affected that. Um, that's fair. Yeah,
that's fair. That's fair. Um. Speaking of wow, they just
tricked me out? And business models? Um, people often label
you responsible for the three sixty business models? You damn straight?

(44:54):
Do you still stand by that? I still stand by
it in a tent? Why is that case? So? Here?
It is. I'm gonna you're gonna act like you're an artist.
You get to be a meet you. I'm gonna I'm
gonna give it to you right now. Okay, Okay, listen,
I personally believe since the levy has been broken, okay,

(45:18):
and create, curation and an effort is paramount in this.
You know, vast um music, un organized music landscape that
I actually want to invest in you with the belief

(45:40):
right now that you're going to be a very important artist. Okay,
So I'm ready. I'm ready to go through the bumps
the tribulations because I think you're important. Thank you, And

(46:01):
I want the only way that I could actually engage
on that type of level and to invest over that
length of time and not have to worry about um
um my r O I return on investment is that
I have to have a smaller roster because I can't

(46:24):
have this wrap a thousand with a thousand people because
it's just only a finite amount of time. Okay. So
I have to have a smaller roster. And the only
way that I could have a smaller roster is that
the ones that are on my label I have to
make more. Okay. So the only way that I could

(46:47):
make more is to actually be your partner and and
and to have a three sixties. So let me ask
you a question. If if you were and you asked
me to come and and are the restaurant right, and
you said you have this great concept for barbecue restaurant,
you would come to me and say, I got this concept.

(47:08):
I provide the money. Now, if I provide the money,
I'll get half right, Yeah right, So we go off
really successful restaurant and everything like that, and the barbecue
sauce is so damn good that you start bottling it.
Should I not get some action with that? I think?

(47:29):
So it's only fair. I think so it's only fair.
So three sixty is actually let me ask you a question.
Does your manager get of everything? Well, I give, I'll
pay him in other ways, but but we we split
things sometimes. You know the manager managers are getting Are

(47:51):
they making any investment? They're not. They're not making any
investorent yet they're getting of everything. Do they hire a staff?
Did they have you know, hundreds and hundreds of people
around the world with phones and healthcare and everything. No.
So my my only thing is I don't want anything

(48:11):
that's not fair, And I actually want an immersive relationship
with my artists. I actually want to have much less
and focus on them and spend much more on my
smaller roster, which means that I have to be right more.
It's not like a day trading thing. I actually have

(48:33):
to be really good at what I do. Well, you are, like,
what what do you think it does? It makes you
a good negotiator like that? And I thought about negotiation.
By the way, yo, be if you don't like it
and they don't have to do it, may not be
right for you. Okay, you may prefer to be one
of a thousand. Okay you may and and that may

(48:58):
be stylistically right for you. I'm not saying it's I'm
not right for everybody. But what I am is honest
and truthful, and I actually believe that three sixty is
a is really the right dynamics between an artist and
the label. But if an artist is really successful, do

(49:19):
you think that, because I hear this one a lot
of artists, that a label owner or a boss should
take a piece of their merchandise or take a piece
of the show. Why not? It was my capital in
my effort to marketing that that put you in the
position to sell those T shirts. And by the way,
it's not like I'm getting action action. I'm getting a

(49:42):
little bit of action and it just helps me not
have to sign a ton of action and spend that much,
spend a little bit. Ultimately, it's more committed relationships with
a smaller group of artists, more committed relationship with a
smaller group of artists, and a much more risk. I'm

(50:03):
taking a wall taking risk together, wall together. It's more
of a more of a push of a true alliance
and then more of a true of alliance. And it's just,
you know, it's so easy for the establishment to say, oh,
three sixty sucks, and on the face of it, of
course an artist um um doesn't feel right about that.

(50:27):
But if they actually engage in the dialogue, let me
explain something to you. I would much rather like if
I was an artist. First of all, I would want
to be signed by myself or or Julie Greenwald or
or you know what I'm saying, not too many, but
I would seek them out and say I want to
be your partner. I want you, I want your capital,

(50:48):
and I want your people and your guidance. And for that,
if it, if it always is all upside, I do
a lot of great shows because of your effort. I
want to give you a little action that's not doesn't
see that's kind of how j approached it. I guess
what you're saying that makes me think of Jay. He's
not a moves he made with Live Nation like it

(51:09):
seems like that's similar to what he ended up doing.
None of this. If you actually have dialogue and have
the discussion. Doesn't make any sense. It makes sense, But
how do you navigate and make it not about the money?
Because I've heard you said like you don't do bidding
wars and you know, and how do you even sign
an act because you always think about it at you
get acting. He's in there, he has a record, and
he's gonna ask for a million dollars and he doesn't

(51:30):
deserve a million dollars? So how do you make it
not about money and convince somebody that this is the
right place to sign? Like, how do you how do
you deal with those? It's easy to just walk through
the economics with them. I mean, this is not brain surgery.
So if you want a million dollars, let me show
you what I have to do to get to a

(51:51):
million dollars. Now have costs of capital. I have an investment,
that investor that wants his action, and I have a
staff that you want them in your in your behalf.
And I could get Joe Schmo, I could get you know,
you know, the real people Durant And it's people right,
you want you want the real people? So you know

(52:15):
then it's black and white, it's you know when someone
says I want a million dollars, yeah, it's to me,
it's it's the lack of education, and I think, um,
we need to do a better job in education, better
job and transparency. I want um to show people and

(52:38):
artists and and um what's going on. I want to
walk them through it. It's, you know, highly educated artist.
I think he's a better artist personally. So you're not
givings and Alexis to any artists these days. I haven't
he did for all. No, no, no, no, no, that's

(53:03):
that's you know, there's just so many Listen again, I
don't do any interviews, and so you know, the reality
is is that I hear stories every day about me
that just shocking, you know what I'm saying? And they

(53:25):
made twists and turns, and you know what could I say?
It's it's part of the gift and the curse of
not having you know, direct line to to your fans
and and and actually doing interviews. Can we tell about
another one of yours, young thug. He seems like a
very unique We some about him with t I also
like you look at him, you might think that he's flamboyant,

(53:46):
is look or whatever? But he obviously has it comes
from the streets. He has a strong pedigree. He's a
very unique individual. Like talk about working with him, and
I know he had been to different label situations. He's
fearless and he's creative and he doesn't spend any time
looking at anybody else. Nobody else. He nobody could label him. Um,

(54:09):
nobody could judge him. He doesn't wake up every day
trying to figure out what anybody's saying about him or
if they none of that. Let's just get back out
of my just loves create, creating. If if he could
never come out of the studio, you would never see him.

(54:29):
Why is this new thing the slap season? Why was
that a mixtape? Why didn't you guys put that out?
Like what's unfortunately? Um, all these recordings were stolen and
they've been all over the internet. And felt that, Um,
I mean it just broke his heart. I mean, here

(54:50):
is a guy who's worked for years on these recordings
and then before you spread out, it's spread out. So
what he said to us, because I was a host
to this, and he said, I just want to organize
these in a way because they're really good records, in
a way to understand it, um, instead of it just

(55:13):
being in the ether and and just have a piece
that's organized and and um, you know, I think that
he had the foresight to that was the right decision.
Well you disappointed that so but the bar to six,
to me, a lot of the controversy, the whole Little
Way and all that stuff, to me kind of overshadowed
the record a little bit. I wasn't disappointed about any

(55:34):
of that. I'm disappointed about misunderstandings that the reality of
anybody actually understands. Is that the reason why thugs started
rapping is because a little Way. Okay, he thinks he's
the best, and he pays homage to him all the time.

(55:55):
So but he's controversial, and you know, he we actually
wanted to name this a different name, but we couldn't
said with an X right or something like that, trying
to change it and and and that didn't work. And
so this is how how it turned out. But the
reality is that he admires and respects little Wayne. And

(56:16):
and again the haters don't even spend any time reading
or understanding or listening. But with Bergman, wasn't Birdman imagine
him at the time with the whole Burdman Wayne conflict
isn't He's also just getting caught in the middle of
that situation. Birdman was not managing him at the time. No, no,
but the Birdman Wayne conflict to me, in a some
sense obviously effected. I think that that was a misunderstanding

(56:40):
why people were presuming um um the worst when it wasn't. Okay. So,
and what about the reason split for all the megos
and quality control? I don't know anything about that. You
mentioned that like five minutes ago that Megoes is still
under contract, but it's on the three hundred, still part

(57:02):
of the family, So I don't actually know what you're
referring to. They're no longer with the label, but maybe
we did that with the new release of the new
mixtape that they're no longer with three hundred. So I
thought that was pretty interesting. Well, I will investigate with
that when I get back to the office. But um,
they're incredibly talented. I mean, those guys are unbelievable, unbelievable talent,

(57:27):
and you know, but there was a little setbacks some
of the members off set, going to jail and stuff
like that. How did that, how did that hurt the group?
In out of album listen, you know they're one third
one third one third, so one third unfortunately is you know,
waiting for his due process and um, you know it's

(57:48):
it's it puts a lot of strain. It's it's difficult.
Speaking of difficulty, I was telling us how difficult it
is to deal with Travis Scott at times he doesn't
listen well and you know he's a handful his magic
still right, like can you speak about you? So um um,
Travis is one of the most creative, most most He's

(58:14):
a force. Let's be clear. At up and Down, you
had Justin Beaver, you had Rihanna, you had all the celebrity,
and he's a start of room. He's a start room.

(58:38):
These are people that are coming out in support of him,
of course, and what he's doing. So he is, uh,
whenever an artist is moving against the grain. Let's be clear.
He's punk rock, right, He's punk rock. So he going

(58:59):
to act that it's rebellious, Okay, he's He's going to
ask why every way till Sunday, and he deserves an answer,
and we have to. We don't want rap music just
to be one way. We want all flavors of rap music.
We we right, Yeah, of course this is Travis Scott

(59:22):
is important. And the fact that rodeo and call you
like that Rodeo. The fact that the fact that that
that that UM, he has a lot of energy and
wants to know why. It's fine with me. I want
to tell him why. I want to explain it to him.
I want to do again again what I said to you.

(59:42):
How could I be helpful? I want to be helpful.
Is it different this generation of artists dealing with them
in terms of either management of being labeled boss, in
terms of those kind of conversations that it was with
Big Daddy Cane and you know back in the Death
It's not different at all. It's not different with UM.
We're in the people business. Every single person comes with

(01:00:02):
their own baggage, their own paranoia, their own concerns, their
own feelings about themselves and about the world. And all
I try to do is try to explain to them
that they have a real opportunity to change their socioeconomic
um um status, that they could actually um create wealth

(01:00:28):
and influence the outcome of a lot of things. And
for example, they've never heard someone saying this to them.
You know, most artists think that they go to a
radio station and they say this themselves, how fast could
I get off at this station? What I tell them

(01:00:50):
is this, you should be here to kick you out
right is happy to buy that time, but they have
to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars that you're getting
for free. So your strategy is, how do I stay
on the air as long as I can because you're
creating value that PEPSI or GM or Procter and Gamble

(01:01:13):
or any of those UM companies would be happy to
pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for the moment. I
say that they man except Kanye because when he said
he took Kaye around for he first started to blow
up that that was such a labor taking him around,
educating him with that those type of things through the business. Right, Kanye,

(01:01:36):
I mean, you're talking about a marketing sonic, creative genius
that will be considered one of our great American UM authors, writers,
cultural ambassadors. You also call him the most talented man
you ever met. He's just beautiful and beautiful and important,

(01:02:00):
and we should honor him every day and say thank
God when we wake up, we should say thank you.
We got we got fucking Kanye in our lives. But
remember the game may not have a job if it
wasn't for Kanye. Who knows for this new generation? Right,
the new generation artist, He's he's the blueprint. But remember
we thought he should just be a producer back in

(01:02:21):
the day. We're like, you can't wrap your producer. You
could be Dr Dre. Why do you want to rap?
You're wrong right this interview? I love it. We were
wrong though, right do you know? Do you know what
this evening is? What's that? Oh? It's a Jewish holiday
of sorts? Yet yes, so we got to wrap it
up with this puppy along. Okay, I think almost that.

(01:02:42):
This is amazing man, Thank you Leo. So you're so welcome.
We didn't even talk about let's talk about we don't
talk about some of the um. Um. You know, you
probably don't know who a J is A J Scratcher's Yes,
I do. Bill Adler wrote a very beautiful piece. Bladler
informed me that a JP scratches that passing cratch. What

(01:03:04):
a beautiful guy, enthusiastic, um just loved, just optimistic and
and wanted to help. Had a legends Thanksgiving every year
up in the Bronx. I mean, listen, rap music isn't
right here right now. It's it's come from someplace and

(01:03:27):
we should celebrate it. You know, I'm really piste off
at n y U and and um piste off. I'm
not going to name the developer, but Bill Adler sold
his UM to I think it was Cornell. Now, n
why I try to convince n y U to have

(01:03:48):
the museum, the hip Hop Museum at the Fourth Street
subway station, and build a beautiful hood on it and
just have a living museum that thousands of people go through.
We got the hip hop Archives in Cornell. That's not good.

(01:04:09):
We have to is insane. I actually have to celebrate
UM where where we've been an honor where we've been.
It's important to I love the fact that we we
talked about Chris. There's so many jetmasters. I mean, the
people know yours more manager for three years beginnings. He

(01:04:31):
taught you everything, right, God, they renamed the park at
the m c A, m c A. You know, just
so many, so many um incredible people that we're so
critical to us right here. I don't know how, but molecules,
moments and times impact. We don't know how this journey

(01:04:56):
gets to where it is, you know, and I do
believe in staying in the present. But man, let's honor
and respect the past. Let's celebrate people's successes. Let's actually
you know, bring people up here and and and give
them an opportunity to communicate positive things, not just hate negative.

(01:05:18):
But do you think that people feel like they can't
balance it? Like you can have those great feelings in
your heart, but at the same time, like you said,
you're you're the ultimate competitor, you want to win big.
I think sometimes people feel like they can't balance both,
that they can't have that compassion but at the same
time have a killer instinct and bess can, you absolutely can,
most definitely can. But the reality is is I don't

(01:05:42):
think people actually want to stretch out for the ball.
They don't want to skin their knees, they don't want
to they don't want to hurt themselves. They want to
bend down and pick it up. But you know, UNI,
we're getting our uniforms dirty out here. Are there any
two artists that are and then your career? No? No, no,

(01:06:03):
So there's no one like a fitty Weather reminds you
of Hey have you reminds me of someone from like
the Deaf jam era or during the One or ever
or anything like that. No, no, no, no, but there's
I don't want to say the references because I don't
want to put a stamp on it, but there's there's.

(01:06:25):
We're all barring and before we go. Oh. You also
say that your drive is always to find the next thing,
like and that your favorite part is taking an artist
from obscurity to celebrity, like when the first get big.
So talk about that, and like you know how people
should harass you with CDs want to see you because like, yeah,
no female rappers, No female rappers, you have to want them. Okay, Okay,

(01:06:49):
well I think they're necessary. Okay, um, I yes, please
do stuff. And I actually do want to find the
next thing. I have a real opportunity to build an
extremely valuable company. How do you like the name? Three?
Isn't that? Don't take your time on that album cover

(01:07:13):
looks right through your logo guy. I'm a logo guy.
But talk about that in detail. We talk about that
transition from Warner because you took your time before three hundred,
there was always rooms that you're also going to manage
you just gonna manage like Kaye and just be a
manager like no, no, what, I didn't take any time.
I actually I didn't take any time. You know. The reality,
The reality is there is no shortcuts to this thing,

(01:07:38):
this thing being great things. It's a long, arduous process.
You can't be Elliott Wilson overnight. You don't want to
be Elliott Wilson overnight because there's a certain amount of incubation.
There's a certain amount of of of time that goes

(01:07:59):
into understanding. You have to learn from your mistakes. You
have to, you know, there's so many things that make you.
And so this was not overnight, and I didn't have
any um um slow start. I had a fast start.
MANU second second the second largest independent label in America.

(01:08:26):
You know, thank you so much, and listen. The only
way we could be successful is we have to work
our assets off. We have to be really good, we
have to get really lucky, and we have to have
people like yourselves that are willing to give us a
shot and help us along. This is you know, this
is not a line. I need you guys. I need

(01:08:49):
radio out there, I need press people. I need them
to say you know what three is important because it
may start a new generation of entrepreneurs and reinvigorate. Like
you talked about the reinvigoration of the scene right now,

(01:09:11):
wouldn't it be nice to have a reinvigoration of the
apparatus of boutiques that are dedicated to really good ship.
Let's keep going. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank
you for your time. Wrapper it Up Podcast, Out of Here,