July 17, 2026 • 49 mins
Before Love Hate 2 arrives, The Dream pulled up to The Cruz Show to talk about everything from Rihanna's long-awaited return, collaborating with Beyoncé and Mariah Carey, the future of AI in music, streaming royalties, songwriting, Jay-Z, Justin Bieber, Frank Ocean and much more. He also shares never-before-heard stories behind some of the biggest records of the last two decades, explains why radio still matters, and opens up about creating timeless music.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's good. It's a lot of good.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
What ups mussy?
Speaker 1 (00:04):
You're checking out the Cruise Show podcast?
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Subscribe, right, Okay, the American Dream is on the Cruise Show,
the Dream Cruise and swing yold.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Hey man, that's it, the Dream. That's right, that's it.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
The Dream is here. We're celebrating love hate too.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
And I appreciate it. Thank you for having me, thank
you for being here. What I'm saying, we appreciated dreams saying, yes, sir,
not in the pandemic, no more. But you know we
caught a few times. Yes, yes we did.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
But we're here. Man.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
You were just talking, you know, we were just talking
about the pandemic off the air. You know, being home,
you start to realize so much about your own.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Home, period, realize everything. And I was just saying, how
I found out there's a movie theater in the house.
And I know that that sounds kind of crazy. That
that's crazy, man, you got a movie theater in your house. Yeah.
But the part you don't think about is I'm always working,
so I don't know what's in my house. So eventually
you find out that your kids are having the time
(01:00):
of the life and you had no idea this whole time, relaxing,
just relaxing, like I don't know what to do. I'm
just thinking about it. We were just talking. I ain't
got a smoke room and nothing. That's what you need,
like something, me and me and my fiance just be
smoking at the apartment.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Man a bowling alley.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Yeah, wow, I'm gonna be at work. I'ma be out
here with you. See it in an arcade room, I
ain't gonna see that either.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Being that that's right, that's right.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
I think we have one. You might have probably in
it right now. I got bro, what's the square footage
of your spot? It's like fourteen sheesh. It's in Atlanta, though, y'all.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
It's different in Atlanta. It's different. Yeah, y'all.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
By the way, love y'all, Love y'all. By l A. Yeah,
I love y'all. But I feel you feel for us.
We feel no.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Man, were getting robbed out here for housing? What what?
Speaker 2 (01:55):
I know that and neighbors live damn near on top
of each other.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Man, let me tell you so, I'm gonna tell you
what really got me cruise. I came out here. I
love it out here, of course, I said, all right,
I'm gonna give me a spot, you know, give me
a little spot. Do my theme ortuzzle man. I got
my state income tax thing back the next year, said, oh,
hell with y'all. First of all, why is it traffic
(02:22):
at twelve pm every night?
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Yeah? Yeah, no matter what are y'all paying for?
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I'm trying to figure nobody's magic.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Yeah, we have.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
To Maybe the sun. The sun is so.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Good, maybe that maybe the vibes.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
You know, the weed is really good out here too,
so maybe that got weed everywhere? Now that I guess
there used to be a thing. Let's go to Calor
real quick and get had. No, no, ain't no more
going to Cala house. I'm trying to figure it out now.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
In Atlanta, though, I'm hearing it's getting very busy. I'm
hearing there's a lot of traffic. I'm here.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
But you know what it is. We figured roadways out.
We like to build things real quick, right, so we'll
figure yeah, it might be a little just for a second.
They'll put Dyala mines together and say, oh cool, we're
just building another specialay right through the right, right, right right,
And a two million dollar home a three million dollar
home in Atlanta is way different.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Than out here. Two million, get you a conduct?
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Hey man, two million? What you talking about here? It's
like a one.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Point five million spot literally down the street. It's just
two rooms.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
It's I'm sorry, I'm talking. Yeah, I'm talking to my friends.
I get it. I'm like, I get the disposable income.
But I'm like, bro, no, no, I don't know unless
you're part of that.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
You know that percentage, that very small percentage where you
can get a house on the hill. You know, like
your good friend beyond say, that's different money.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
You feel me, Hey, I'm gonna tell you something else.
And she that's my sister. We still had the conversations.
Don't let that money for you. She's like, how much
is them taxes? Oh? No, I don't know, Jay, I
don't know they paying those taxes. They I'm paying the taxes.
But you think you think we like it. We don't
like it like that, no matter how much money you got,
(04:08):
exactly like that, you just staying them heels on that ship,
them shows she's doing. She worked every penny. I'm like,
you can leave those heels on that stage, dude, that
show and didn't have to pay those taxes. I think
taxies should just be nolling void for her, just for
going on stage with those heels on every night. I
don't know. I still don't know how she does.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
How does she do it? Dancing and everything? I don't know,
and never runs out of breath. It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
I don't know, crazy, bro. It's so expensive to live
out here. Jay Z's back to work like he's performing.
He's at so Far, He's performing New York. He's got
to make some money.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
He's like, Yo, let me how much you hate me
by this?
Speaker 2 (04:48):
You know love hate too?
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (04:50):
You know you got you know? So far?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
We heard Tampa with Usher on it. Yes, that's crazy.
That's a crazy one.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
I got a crazy one with Tip coming after that.
K called be my Lady Me and Pusher got one
called powder Coat.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
Whoa, whoa, Okay that sounds hard powder coke, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Powder coke the dream and push your t.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Whoa, it's yeah, a nice little ditch that vibe. It's
in that space over there. I haven't done that in
a minute.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
That's the sound.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Kelly's on this on this album. Kelly Rowling is on
this album. Ross definitely's on this album. I got a
couple other surprised No that's right, that's right.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
You know, the dream you're responsible for like this change
and sound on the radio.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Right.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
That's why I always thought the radio killer tag was
so important and so so necessary, because like I think
Timberland changed the sound of radio with his hits. T
Pain did his thing with Otto, and the Dream did
this thing with the way you produce these songs and
write these songs, and then of course the way you
execute the songs change the sound of the radio.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
I mean, that was the I mean, I just like
I tell people, man, I just love doing music. I've
loved it. I've never hustled this business from day one,
and I've been doing music since I was literally a child,
you know, with brass instruments, like literally you know, reading
sheet music. So for me, with that hip hop culture
(06:18):
that happened in the nineties, in that era where I
grew up, and seeing the biggest part of this what
we have now, the reason why we're all here in
this type of a way to even be respected in
this in this in this in this industry, for me,
it was just a love and passion to want to
do it. And so when I got to that spot
and the radio killer things was because I cared even
(06:41):
about radio, Like even now I'm having discussions with you know,
certain people, and I remember when it kind of changed
over and it's like, oh cool, we're just going to
go to the internet and just bypass the radio part
of it. And I was kind of heard, you know,
heard in that way of like damn, like you're not
going to see the people for real, like you're just
gonna fly right over the thing. And they had, of course,
(07:02):
you know those new age artists, and much respect to
them and that, you know, how they do things. But
I feel like it's necessary to see people, you know,
because I feel like we're all the same in here.
When we're in here, oh there's you know, Mariah, and
then there's like no, we're all in this mechanism together.
And I feel like that's that internet thing is such
(07:23):
a detachment. You don't even know what's really going on
on the other side. That's right, everyday life shit.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Sure, sure, absolutely, yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
And I think skipping radio is is is a weird move,
right yeah, because you're right, you're skipping the people.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Yeah, it's the pe right yeah, And it's the same thing.
It's like, I think we were just talking about a
show and certain shows, and of course they're putting the
tour stuff together and they're like, Yo, you're gonna literally
basically lose. You're not gonna lose, but but you're not
gonna gain what you could gain if you just stay
hearing right these records. And I know that it's conscious,
(07:57):
but I just love to see that the people like,
I'm like, yo, no, I'm going to come party with y'all.
For sure.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
In your era, you were selling physicals. It was it wasn't.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Stream yeah, and physicals and hard copies. Because I feel
like people even now, though you want to touch some
of the products that you're buying, you don't want to,
which is how the vinyl came back in that way.
And when I was on my vinyl kick, I think
in twenty eleven and I was just talking to the
labels about vinyls, they were like, man, ain't nothing. I'm like, what, Like,
(08:27):
people want to feel something? Sure? Yeah, and you know,
I feel like I'm paying at least bingo exactly, and
so I'm just at least I'm happy about that part.
But yeah, the whole physical oh yeah, because it's easy
to hide that money without them physicals. That's a whole
nother story, y'all.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
The stream game is crazy. People getting robbed. What artists
are getting robbed?
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Artists, song writers there. I mean, it's just hard. I
think the most it's hard to take have could count
to what that is. There have been certain albums that
shouldn't be on certain sites or whatever that I found
and somebody just uploaded it with a bogus name and
put the dream on a whole different Yeah, it's getting
(09:17):
cash funneled to them.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
By using your name.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yeah, okay, just basically putting the album back up as
if it doesn't exists. It's crazy and my old dollar.
The label isn't even watching it to say, oh wait,
it's two love hates up, which one is getting crazy?
I'm like, there's no red tape here to kind of
(09:41):
stop this. You never think about that. Literally, you gotta
single out. Somebody probably beat you to it and put
it up. Got a couple of little you know, hundred
grand off real quick, and then you know they'll take
it down, but they got a check already. They catch
that check.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
I feel like now is just you know, like because
it's just very like, you know, you love this since
you were a kid. I feel like the music industry
now is just well, how can I make money?
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Quit hustle? Yeah, yeah, it's all hustle. Like, by the way,
it was great when it was the new hustle, you know,
like because you had people from certain especially the Dope game,
you know when it came in, and certain things that
it added to that component. They still actually at least
gave a shit about this part. Now it's it's like
(10:27):
the shielding of the whole. I don't know what they're doing.
Speaker 5 (10:31):
And that takes away from the quality right of what
we hear we.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Are you know it does.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Oh yeah, quality is compromise.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Yeah, the quality which is going to change longevity if
you don't care about the art that you're producing. Man,
and you know that, it's just simple. It's just turned
into a it's more about who's more popular in our way,
asking like why does it sound like this? Why why
isn't it Why isn't there a great pop record out
(11:01):
this year? Like what's going on? It's like because whoever's
popular is leading away. But we also know that doesn't
necessarily mean they have the best music. We notice, but
yet we're still playing, you know, playing to that part
and it costs us overall, like if we love this
thing of ours, you know, because you could only water
(11:21):
it down so many times. You know.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
How do you feel about AI and where that's going
with music?
Speaker 1 (11:27):
I actually that's what it feels like that it's so congested.
It feels like AI to me already.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
It's just so.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Many people just putting things up. It's the same thing.
It's like, well, what's the difference. It's like, oh, it's
no different than somebody acting like they're really into what
we're doing and they copy paste, copy paste here you
go to me, no difference. And the reason why AI
could even have have us could be a discussion at
(11:57):
this point means that the music makers and the the
A and R process or even developing artists, isn't that
its greatest space for us to say, hey, I can't
even compete with that. The fact that it even your
thought of it competing means that the bar is solo.
That's where we at.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
That's used it.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
No, it's no point. I mean, I don't think AI
could ever affect what I'm doing because and I don't
think really with any songwriter who takes that job serious
and artists on top of that, because you have to.
You would have to know my experience in life to
know how I'm going to say a thing, do a thing.
A I can only just say what you taught it already, yeah,
(12:41):
which means it's old. But if you're actually supposed to
be leading the frontier of what it is, then it's
like you can't you don't know how I'm going to
say that word or why I would say put a
ring on it, like you know it after the fact
and then it becomes a catchphrase or whatever the thing is.
But you couldn't have known that I was saying. And
I know that that that's a fact because I'm still
(13:05):
enamored when that happens for me and I say a thing,
I'm still wood like, wow, that's a lie, right right,
So if I'm doing it in real time, there's no
way AI is called up to say, yeah, I was
actually gonna be that dope too.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
It's like right, right, I don't think AI is hating
those falsetto notes, yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
And it's not going to use falsetto in that way.
And just tell you a falsetto is probably not even
use it as an as a double untund you know,
And you know those are the.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
So it could copy it can't it can't make Yeah,
I feel like you can just give it something and
it can create something.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
It's just not it's just not going to create tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
M m.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
You know that's a bar. It's not going to create tomorrow.
We have to do that. Yeah, we have to do
that as humans. Yeah, guaranteed. Absolutely, they need to put
a little sticker round of the thing human made human
at the bottom of all of these things.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
I don't at my heart that you know where we
say guaranteed human, guaranteed human, Yeah, because you know there's
no AI personalities and we don't play AI music, So
it's guaranteed human to.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Remind the people that we are the people.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Yeah, I actually like that. He go, hear that again?
Let me download man, Yo.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
The original Love Hate had so many hits on it, dog,
I mean that thing came through.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
I got off of that one too quick, you think so.
I was so excited. Yeah, and you were going because
fast Cars should have been a single on that Purple Kisses.
Purple Kisses could have been a crazy single. Living a
lot with red YEP. That didn't have eight singles on
that record.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
The live record that the live song Rihanna didn't get
its proper push.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Man, Well we never, we never intended. It's one of
those things. Man, somebody got to stop you and just
be like, hey, that's enough. No, I know you want
to move on because to you, when you're creating something,
you're like, already, I don't even want to hear it
no more. I'm like I'm good, Yeah, I'm like ready
to get the love versus money. I got a single,
(15:13):
They're like, yeah, cool, let's get it. And also when
I first, you know, started this this thing, it wasn't
like a dream of art. It was more so I
came out of nowhere. And the reason why I did
that first album truly was I didn't want certain records
to ever be it not placed when you're coming from
(15:34):
a songwriter standpoint, so a lot of records that end
up on the hard drive that nobody never hears and
you have to wait for a vehicle. So for me,
I was like, I don't know, I love Purple Kisses,
but that doesn't mean it's artists A label's gonna love it.
Maybe they won't even get it. I need to do
a body of work where I can basically it's a
(15:54):
menu at a certain point of this is what I
know how to do, and also this is who I am,
and it just ended up being what it was. And
so for me as an artist in that type of way,
And although I am that's that wasn't the ultimate goal
to be that way. And it did swing open the
(16:14):
door for a lot of people in that particular space,
and that was unintentional. I'm happy that it happened, but
it was more so making sure those records like fancy
you would have never heard that regular if I didn't
do it. Wow, Wow, you know who's going to do
a six minute and thirty seconds? And if they did it,
let's cut this down? Sure, Yeah, make this part, this
(16:35):
part and that thing that kills me every time. I'm like, no,
it's already good, it's already done. Yeah, just let it
bread it like this, don't really go with what I'm
trying to do on the.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Stage, right right right?
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Were you at def Jam when jay Z was running
the label. Yeah. Jay actually was the first one to
take shanty and play it at forty forty club. Wow,
he was the first one to play it and we
didn't even know each other like that, Like how we
that's my brother. Now he had had reason to do it.
It wasn't like I was signed to him, but it
(17:10):
never happened. It's one of those it's like, Yo, this
sh is dope. Somebody called me, one of the homies
called me from New York and I was like, yo're
ringing off.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Yeah I was.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
I was like, really, like where he said forty forty
I'm like that's odd. And of course I think once
I saw him again, I was like, hey, man, thank
you. You didn't have to do this, Like, man, shit hard.
I was like, okay, right right, right right, listen to
this album. You know wow. So yeah, it happened just
just like that, even though he was already you know,
(17:42):
on Umbrella at the time. But you know, I don't
even know he knew I was doing this, so because
I didn't know. After I did bid for Jay Holliday,
that kind of was the deciding thing of the reaction
to that was, Oh, I could do a body of work.
Like if y'all fuck with this, I can keep doing this. Yeah, okay,
bet did the did the album and did Shorty's ten.
(18:07):
Actually the first song I didn't even have an album.
It was no rest of no album or nothing. Charlotte's
team was on the radio. I didn't even have a
contract at this jam. That was just l a like
let's see and it just started going crazy. And on
that one, yeah, it's like yo, they went with that
and it was like the building whatever he want.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Yeah, then there's that story right with you. You know
you mentioned Jay holiday Bad. I think whole pulled you
aside and was like.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Bronh Yeah that was on our first to anyone else,
He's like yo, And you know I understood what he
was saying, but not really, but I understood it. I did,
and that was just yeah, because to me, it's still
a part of what my legacy is. So I was
I was looking at it more so in that way.
And I love the idea of giving When something I
(19:02):
could do could catapult another artist into a certain place. Man,
that's my favorite thing to do. And that's why I
know I'm more of a songwriter than I am an
artist in that way. I just when people go get
their trophies on that stage, for me, I feel great
about it.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Does it trip you out knowing that you wrote baby
by Justin Bieber? And now Bieber's like just one of
the biggest music icons in the.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
World performing it.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Coach that a lot of those things I have more
time to kind of kind of just reflect on it.
I think when it's happening, you don't really know. I'm
trying to write something timeless that I feel like somebody
could even be a part of later on in their career,
not something like instantly. It's for that moment and they
never want to hear that shit again, you know, that
(19:49):
was always the plan. But excited for him what it's done.
Trajectory that I could come through same way with Ree
to even write a record that that's that record that
you associate with this one I really know started to
know who Rihanna was. And then on the flip side
of that, you have artists that were great without any
(20:13):
of my help at all, and to even impact them.
That's one of the hardest things to do, is somebody's
sitting there with a massive catalog with all these hits. Yeah,
and you put a hit there that still takes it up.
But that's it's pretty hard, you know.
Speaker 5 (20:28):
With Carey, you guys think so many hits together.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Yeah, that's my Yeah, we're here working right now literally, Yeah. No, Yeah,
we've been working the last five days and we were
just having that same, you know, type of conversation about
(20:53):
how we just worked super well together. And it's that
songwriter bring even with her. She's such a my my
All by her is like my favorite favorite record for
my riot, like ever and and so her just even
the respect for her pen that way and to get
in and be able to collaborate with somebody, I feel
(21:15):
like it's only so many people you want to really
collaborate on that level with, And she's just one of
those ones, you know where you're like.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Her and Beyonce and definitely be you and be have
this relationship when when when you guys.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Have countless songs, I don't even know how many. I
can't put a number.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
I want to keep counting. Let's not put enough.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Exactly, Let's keep counting my g right go most recently
like comfort right like you know you had, you know
you had be out out there cursing.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
My g Hey. Man, you know, sometimes I do what
you gotta do. Man, You sometime a regular word just
don't get it, Like I gotta say ship right now, Like.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
I'm just saying no, me and me and man, that's
my that's my sister. And and I don't say that
lightly at all. We just we don't even have to
really talk about but we talk more about kids. And
like our music thing is so in sync, it's not
even a it's not even a question or delay and
(22:17):
the idea is on. So as soon as we start.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
On. Yeah, is there any difficulty, like writing records for women?
Was there any difficulty even when he started? No?
Speaker 1 (22:32):
I feel like if you really, if you're really like
a guy guy, you already know what women want, what
you want, so you really kind of know what the
code is in that particular way.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
One.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
But I think more than anything, losing my mother taught
me such an enormous I guess less than in empathy,
you know, to empathize with whoever, whether it's whether it's
a guy that I'm writing with or writing for or
or female. So but in this case, it's just something
(23:09):
the connection with my mom that I had that connects
me to these things. And it's certain really conversations I
was previewed to as just a young male in this
in this space with women who are carrying themselves in
a certain type of way, you know, and that thing
you just never know when your blessings play a part
(23:30):
in your life as it plays out, you know, and
it's it's wonderful to see me more so, exercise this
idea of what my mother's heart and soul is.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
Yes, sir, it's almost like your mom is like living
through these Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Yeah, you know, I forgot, I forget who said it
it was. It was somebody in rock and roll. It
was a songwriter.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
But they mentioned that if you listen to a woman
starting with your mother or a motherly figure, yes, and
women on down throughout your life, there is music in
those conversations.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
Absolutely, that's it. That you nailed it. We was just
talking about EMC and I reminded Mariah yesterday we were working.
My mother would say to me if I'm standing in
front of the TV or whatever as a kid, She's like,
you act like you've been bathing in windecks. And so
that line from touch my body is actually where it
(24:25):
came from my mom. It was a line my mom
would say to me all the time. And it's things
like that, where, of course that doesn't even make any sense.
It's the most countryest ghettos thing say. But I'm like, oh,
that's actually a good, clever, kind of not clever, but clever.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Line mom, she's your mom.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
Yeah, and then she is yeah in so many of
my songs.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
No, it's beautiful.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Yeah, she's throughout your entire catalog, now that you say it, Oh, absolutely, yeah, easily, man,
y'all love hate to the features. As you heard, crazy,
song writing is crazy, the execution is crazy.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
We're getting that classic and.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Yes we are. And do you think Playboy Cardi for
that particular thing, well more of them because of him.
We were He works at the same at my same
spot in Atlanta, and and he was like big bro.
He would let me the album and played a couple
of records. I think on the third record, I think
it was like the third one right, shout out to
(25:28):
my guy, just this up in here, he said, hey, man,
what's the a's where's the radio killers? I was like, man,
He's like, nah, man, you tripping, And so I went
back in. It literally was like, and that's just one
(25:50):
of those students of a thing you know that's on
the outskirts. Seems like a butterfly just floating through a thing,
noticing that he's paying attention to a thing that happened
and saying like, hey man, you need that thing that
you do. We want to hear that, like okay, cool cool,
because me I had like how I went to the
second album, so my brain is like, oh no, I
(26:11):
want to hear that shit.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
It's almost like a you know, it's like a vocal
stem writer, like a that's your signature.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Yeah, and it's yeah. That's one of those things I
really like hard on myself in that in that type
of way where I'm trying to it's certain songs, I'm
trying to make sure the song is so good that
it doesn't need a tag, and that's that would be
like a song like Love on Top, whereas you wouldn't
even know I wrote it, like you have to go
(26:40):
to see if I wrote it or not.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
But it's the credits.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
But to me, it's a challenge to write a record
where it's not I don't want you just getting a
dream record because it's oh, this is because you put radio.
I know that it's yours versus I don't know who
the fuck wroke this, but this is good. And then
to find out like yeah, and so I had went
I went through that phase of a of a thing.
But I'm back.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
It's almost an easter egg though, because then, yes, the credits.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
As a music lover, right, you checked the credits and yeah,
and there's the dream and you're like, yo or the
government name right, It's just.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
Like, oh ship, yeah, now it makes sense.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
No, it's it's delightful man to still even be able
to do that. We came up in the era of
checking credits time talking physicals. Remember that physical man reading.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
The thank you, thank.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
You, thank you.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Yeah, my finals, yeah, as long as hell because I
had done them in a while.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I'm like, yes, thank you, thank you for so legendary. Yeah,
that that.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Part of the I think twenty ten, twenty eleven, when
it went a lot digital, the songwriters and produce you didn't.
They didn't even care about putting those things on any
platform where they were streaming. It wasn't even a credit
list of anything. So it costs people like me because
(27:58):
everybody's like, I think dreams that it's like, well, why second,
I haven't. There's no physicals really but not buying those.
Everybody's downloading everything on it. We don't know who and
you're not featured in it, bingo, you.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Can't tell if it's you or not. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Yeah, so yeah, it's hard telling certain people. Last song
you wrote was single Ladies, and I'm like, nah, I
don't know what what's going on again?
Speaker 2 (28:24):
Single Ladies was such a monster.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
To many insane man popping.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Dream, I Love Your Girl?
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Was that a subliminal disc to Wayne's was Lollipop? The
subliminal disc back? Oh man, you know this is crazy.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
The TikTok lord is crazy.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
The craziest thing I recently told this story, probably because
and now I'm getting asked about it, which is kind
of hilarious, is when I did my whole album and
if you know me and Tricky said it best. It's like,
if you know Dreams, shout the trick, shout out to
my guy, just got the song right a Hall of Fame.
It's like, if you know dream Dream is not paying
(29:10):
attention to nothing that nobody is doing. I just don't
have that type of gear. And if I have a problem,
I'll just call somebody on the phone. I'm just old
school like that, Like I don't do a whole.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
No, but when it's about a woman, it's different.
Speaker 1 (29:23):
Now yeah, probably, but I'll say I'll say how how
my my good friend and ex wife Nivea said it
at the time as she told a person, no, he's
actually that good at writing songs, and the person just
couldn't be, like, no, no, you gotta be talking about
right right. I think you've proven that he's really No.
(29:46):
But at the time, you know, I'm new.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
He can't be.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
He can't be that spot on with a thing. I'm like, man,
I'm writing stories. I'm not even it's not even a
it's just here.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
I don't sure.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
And you know, and so yeah, going over to Wayne's video,
which we could shut out to Wayne absolutely and and
so to see the videos, Oh that's cool. I'm so duh.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
Have you heard loll like? Is that about me?
Speaker 1 (30:19):
It took a while, That's what It's crazy. It's like
where you under a rock. And also, I was working
so much at that time, like you, I understand that's
the year. I'm going crazy crazy. I don't look up.
I'm on and I'm a vergo. I have a problem.
I'm here with it. If it ain't about what I'm doing,
I don't even see it. I can't tell. And I
(30:40):
don't think people look to me as that type of vessel.
So nobody, even in my camp, even operates in that
type of if I had a riding camp, it'll probably
be different. But we're a soul, right and.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
Like a negative stigma.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Yeah, So for me, I didn't pay attention to after
and it was like, oh he was talking about wait
what but why why? Oh? Okay, but but there's nothing there.
It's not right, And so took him a while to understand.
It's like, there's nothing, nothing, nothing there. I don't know
what it's going on. It's like, I love you too, bros.
Speaker 5 (31:23):
When did you know that you could that you were
a songwriter?
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Man, I didn't know that songwriting and those things more
so probably was a business in itself, like coming from
band and all these things that I was doing musically
when you're in Atlanta and in the city had just
started to take shape as far as a music thing
in my childhood. So we didn't understand really the business
(31:50):
of how it worked. Oh and plus I grew up.
You know, it's a church. Like when you're black and
you're in the South, you're in a church. And if
you're in a church and you're a kid, you like
there's no way around it. And those things kind of
lead you into the space of just doing creative things.
Rap just got big all of a sudden, So rap
(32:11):
and being witty was more of what my thing was.
I wasn't even thinking about the idea of melodies and
writing together like it was. It was just this form
of creativity for me. And so after I kept doing
it and doing it. I remember seeing maybe somewhere in
the nineties, I don't know if it was mid or
ninety four, whenever it was, and I was at the
(32:33):
good old Lenox Mall, and I remember seeing Dallas Austin
and I saw this car that he was driving. I said,
that's peculiar. That's how did you get that? So know
how niggas on the West Side got it?
Speaker 2 (32:50):
But how did you get it?
Speaker 1 (32:51):
I don't think you got it that way though, So
how did you get it?
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (32:54):
Said oh man, you know about that? That what you
can get that by writing the song on the music? Yeah. Man,
it happened in an instant, just like I was, like,
so a car inspired you be right back. Well, because
it's certain things. If you do see an sl you
know the dope boy guy. You know where that came from.
And I grew up in a house where the scariest
(33:16):
person in my neighborhood was my grandfather, so we ain't
even play those type of selling drug games. He just
killed you himself, like he ain't play these type of games.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
You're more scared of him than the.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
Literally he was fighting post like yeah, he's he was
on one and then he was old school from the
country country. So for me, that wasn't even a way
I was going, even though I could look at it
and say, oh, this is dope. I had my regular
jobs and did my regular nine to fives, put my
rims and my spokes on my car with a regular
ass job when I saw certain type of car, though,
(33:50):
I'm like, you can't there's nothing regular job about that
at all. But I love it now. How I get
one of these verraris? And when somebody told me how
you get it? And it didn't come with prison time
you went and got it. Let's go, let's go, yeah, man.
And what was that regular job by the way, Oh man,
(34:11):
you didn't even want to I'll tell you about one
of them. Oh Jesus man, I had this thing where
you had to stack You never really think about magazines
and stuff like that because you grab them one at
a time.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Yeah, right, right, it's different.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Yeah, it's cool. It's working this place called the News Group,
god man, And it wasn't like now where everything a
I was actually would have helped back then, right, I
would have helped back then. You watching these orders get filled,
like just saying to like a service station or to
a target or whatever it is, and each one of
(34:47):
them goes into a bend and you don't know, Like
guys said that, you take a Volgue magazine, put it
on an ebony with a with another one and you're
sitting there. But these magazines you're loading just that little
thing on this side of the out of the basket
of these, the other one that close it up. That's
one box. It's gonna be four at the bottom of
(35:08):
that palette, four four four four until you get six
high saram wrap because you don't the machine thing whatever
whatever they was doing, they didn't couldn't afford the machine.
You just now you see the joint is just yeah, yeah, no,
because the whole time, let me tell you something, and
(35:36):
I was young, and it hurt. I can't even I
think about it right now, like no, I'm writing another
song immediately. We're never going back, man. I thought there
wouldn't be nothing worse than a whopping. At least the
whopping is over. Wrap those palettes up. You're doing that
for eight hours after that, I wanted to extra money
for them vogues and they're spokes and them dates. Yeah,
(35:58):
that's called third that's that's that third shift, and that's overtime, bro.
And I wasn't no drugs or nothing, so I felt
every piece of it was no weed taking it out
or another. It was just tiling all the news and
even the thing.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
What's just paid?
Speaker 1 (36:16):
The pain? No, man, it was painful. It was. It
was painful.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
I can't even lie. That does make you appreciate so much?
What crazy?
Speaker 4 (36:24):
You know?
Speaker 1 (36:25):
I'm just thinking about my movie.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Theater, about that plush movie.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Right. What y'all do to get in here? I know
why I'm in here? A dream? Do you think we're
ever getting a Rihanna album? Yes, there's no way, there's
no way possible. I am absolutely Are you sure? I
am so sure? You're positive? I am positive. Money on it,
put money on it. Yes, absolutely, a new Rihanna album?
Speaker 2 (36:52):
Will see it soon?
Speaker 1 (36:54):
See now you're going too fun? Okay, No, no, y'all
be surprised. Wow, you know, I might be surprised. Sometimes
when you stop asking for things, they disappear.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Right, true, very true.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
It's a dream, you disappear. That's actually. Yeah, I'm kind
of made itself. I was minding my business at the house, just.
Speaker 3 (37:13):
Like what nineteen year gaps between the between the first one,
yeah and yeah and certain records I was doing.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
I was just, you know, my palette, trying to make
sure I stay in this. You have to exercise that muscle.
If you don't like anything, it doesn't mean it probably
won't go all the way. But I don't like the
idea of not being able to write current things that
are you know, that can last a lifetime. Like, I'm
not in this business just to be Oh, you're a
fixture and you just get to be here because your
(37:42):
lineage or your legacy. And I'm like, no, I want
to be able to compete right now. Nah, that's right,
that's right. I'm still bringing it to the table. Yeah,
I don't want to go no free. I tell everybody
about these B albums. They're like, yo, man, it's your
sus man. You got this many records on there. It's like,
y'all don't understand twenty four hours a day. I'm working.
There's no she don't. She loves me to differ. She
(38:04):
don't play them type of games with her own career.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
You ain't got that thing. You ain't on the train.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
That's real ship right there, just saying.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
Nah, So you've heard Beyonce and Rihanna songs that we
haven't heard yet.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Well, yeah, I've heard everybody's songs that nobody's right right.
Speaker 3 (38:27):
No, No, I see, I see, I see what you're saying,
and I see what you're not saying.
Speaker 1 (38:31):
I'm just saying I've heard some things.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
Now we're waiting on it.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
Man.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
I know you've heard it because I'm sure you've worked
on it. Yeah, busy making.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
Calls and let's just say I'm working on our behalf.
Speaker 2 (38:44):
Wow, there we go. Okay, that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
I'm working on our behalf. I promise you that I'm
on the phone.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
Okay, yes, sir, Yo. You know what what clip also is?
Speaker 4 (38:55):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (38:55):
You know surfaces on the on the you know on TikTok.
Allows gonna say on the grand but I see it.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
Don't take.
Speaker 3 (39:01):
It's you, jay Z. I think Frank Ocean Grammy stage.
Jay Z says, I want to thank the swamp meat
for his.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
Hat and you're wearing a boys and a hood hot
yes what yo?
Speaker 3 (39:14):
He was obviously, you know, having fun with it, but
like you were up there, it's the Grammys.
Speaker 1 (39:17):
Everybody's in suits. I think you got you got a
bandana all with that. Yeah, I did it on purpose too.
I did it on purpose.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
Why so defiant it was?
Speaker 1 (39:27):
It was because I mean, evidently we've seen me on
there with suits on. Of course, that was one of
those moments where I don't know what was going on
with the Grary's that year prior something, and I was like, hmm.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
Also it was like a protest.
Speaker 1 (39:41):
Bingo and so it was like, yeah, you know what
slummy slum slum slum slum today, this is what we're
gonna do. And yeah, Ja's Jay always joking about something
like he's just Jay is just pretty hilarus. He's not
funnier than I am, but he his timing of when
it's time to be funny is usually impeccable. And I'm
(40:05):
like that good because I wouldn't have got away with
the same joke at that time on Jay simply because
he's still at that point. O G and I'm with
but he does know that I know how to take.
He knows me well enough to say, oh, dreams idiot,
So I could definitely say this and he's gonna get me.
I'm gonna get him back so bad. I'm just trying
to figure out when and how I'm gonna do. I've
(40:26):
been playing it. You have no idea. I'm seeing him like,
for real, I'm gonna get you.
Speaker 3 (40:32):
But when he said it, you put your arms up
like I don't care, Like that's right.
Speaker 1 (40:35):
Yeah, hey, because at that point I really didn't care.
But I just felt When I got back to the
back and I was like, that was a good one.
He was just dying laughing in the back. I was like,
that's good.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
The speech was over, y'all were walking away and the
mic was still on, and he caught it and said,
I want to thank the swap meat for his hat.
Speaker 1 (40:51):
No, he had that means he already thought about it.
That's how Jay works. Yeah, he already thought about it.
He's like, hm, oh, I know, I got it. Yeah,
that's what's up. Yeah, that's his way of saying. Also,
they don't win it up here no more. And I'm like,
you don't tell me what to wear. That's right, that's
what I want to wear. Yeah, man, I'm you know,
I'm a dream and you were cooking. Man. Yeah, I'm
showing at his birthday party with the same thing on.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
You should, yeah, you should.
Speaker 1 (41:14):
It be a good one.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
You think he's working on a new album, jay Z
the Silence says.
Speaker 1 (41:23):
So he got a show in New York show over
here so far?
Speaker 2 (41:26):
Bro, that's eighty thousand people.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
You eight just did it two nights.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
In a row. I think we're always working on Yeah.
Speaker 5 (41:35):
Frank Usian. You guys have some pretty timeless songs together.
Speaker 1 (41:39):
Man. I love Frank. I don't know where Frank is
right now, Frank, no one Frank. Frank does a thing
that I wish I could do, just disappear for a bit.
I don't know how he does it. It's just like
when we need him, he's there. But the craziest Yeah,
I'm just literally still finding out. I have a movie theater,
(41:59):
so I'm just I'm like, it's like, where is Dream? Oh,
He's right there?
Speaker 2 (42:05):
Thanks?
Speaker 1 (42:05):
Thanks telling them where.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
I am, y'all. I was telling Nico yesterday.
Speaker 3 (42:09):
You own I don't know how many franchises but you
on Popeye's I.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Sold those you sold over?
Speaker 1 (42:15):
Yeah, so I got off those things. Okay, Yeah that
was really good. Good for me. By the way, the
best is the best part about it. I feel like
it's learning something about different franchises and how to move
your money around outside of just music. Sure, yeah, I
feel like that thing if you could trust it, y'a,
(42:35):
don't understand my The the best investment I know that
I have is me. I'm the only thing that brought
back a certain return that you can't match every time,
and so it's hard to compete with when you're like
looking in your you know, if you got a portfolio
at all, saying I want to invest in this, because
(42:55):
you didn't, You're like, it's that same time writing these
songs and doing this and creating a whole new publishing catalog.
What is that word? It's like, oh, you just created
a forty million dollar catalog, and so now you're competing
with so why would I put my money here? So
you have to really, you know, so and using it
and looking at my publishing as as it's a commodity,
(43:16):
versus looking at it as oh checks in checks out,
knowing that yeah, you may get paid even for my
producer fees or whatever the things are, and I don't.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
I try not to.
Speaker 1 (43:27):
Ask for much because I don't want to have to
wait for it to recoup one And I try to
make sure I stay in a reasonable space so I
can give myself a chance to create more opportunity for
songs to be wherever they need to be. And then
doing that, these catalogs that I have, I like, have
three active catalogs at the same time, which is just crazy.
(43:52):
Thinking about me when I signed my first publishing deal
and to be able to own that publishing and say,
oh cool, this time is going to go to this
and by the time this gets to twenty this would
be worth this amount. And knowing that you've done it
before and continuing to do it, it's a whole other thing.
Speaker 2 (44:12):
Yeah yeah, man, got my gears turning out?
Speaker 1 (44:14):
No?
Speaker 3 (44:15):
No, nah, Yeah, it's business man, this is what it is.
So you sold off your franchises?
Speaker 1 (44:19):
Do you own anymore?
Speaker 2 (44:21):
I need?
Speaker 1 (44:22):
And that's what And that's the other part. It would
take the time because I'm so hare. I have a
virgo problem. I have to be like, what y'all doing
over there?
Speaker 2 (44:31):
Right right?
Speaker 1 (44:32):
I said more biscuits.
Speaker 6 (44:35):
During that chicken sandwich frenzy thought yeah, oh no, it
was killing it every month Like then it was I
was like, yo, y'all, go stay here forever and let
me think do I want to get in this business
or get in.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
The other one. And when I feel like it's approaching
time in my art situation, I'm like no, because it's
and it's just hard to trust people with your bread
like that. You know, it's a lot of components when
but I'm doing my music, I'm in that room, and
so you become you know, spoiled in a way, if
that even makes sense. Versus there's five other people managing
(45:10):
a process of a thing, and I don't know if
you might be doing a little You never know, you
never know, And I don't even want to have that thought,
like wait, this thing'd only made five last month, but.
Speaker 3 (45:24):
Now, but some people can't help themselves, right, and some
people found out who they are.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
Yeah, And I called it just you catch it just enough,
like oh you're stolen enough. That's it. Cut it out
and it's just going to happen. Because whenever you're dealing
with something so big, it's no way around it. Back
to my trusting. So I have that thing where I'm like, well,
I trust me with my investment. As far as these
particular things, what helps this thing out? And how do
(45:52):
you create real wealth and investing in Even if you're like,
oh it stocks it stocks, like, no, man call me
with before a series A. I don't want to. I
don't want to get into a stock investment where it's
already the public knows about it, somebody else knows about it.
By the way, I'll wait my turn and wait for
something to become something or or or relationship that I
(46:15):
have to say. Hey, man, we're doing this. You want
to get in? That's right, you get in from the jump,
because that's the only way you can create real wealth.
You can't create it once Google has already done what
Google is gonna do. You're like, oh cool, I got
some star I got Starbucks, and you gonna put with
two million in Starbucks and make what three hundred dollars
a day? Like come on, man, like, no, you won't
(46:35):
put two million from the beginning. Jump from the jump. Yeah,
it make two hundred million, just saying that's it man.
Speaker 2 (46:43):
Yo, Love hate too. July tenth, Yes, it's gonna be
a hot summer.
Speaker 1 (46:47):
Yes, sevent ten.
Speaker 2 (46:48):
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (46:50):
Let's go, so you can go get ready cause I'm
trying to just we're trying to get ready for this
twentieth anniversary of Love Hate. Y'all know what we're doing, Yes, sir,
that's all it's about.
Speaker 2 (46:59):
That's it. That's right.
Speaker 1 (47:00):
I'm already outside in my mind even need this cane.
In a minute, I might keep it with me though
it's in.
Speaker 2 (47:08):
Good luck, it's a vibe. It's right.
Speaker 1 (47:10):
I'm okay, I'm gonna hold on to this. But people worry.
Speaker 2 (47:13):
I worried.
Speaker 1 (47:13):
When I saw you walking in I instantly worried about man.
I could even move my leg about a month and
a half ago. That thing was just stuck like chuck.
Oh dang, yeah, that thing was doing nothing. I was like, oh,
I'm aging. This is amazing. Yeah, it's the quad which
is right above the need.
Speaker 2 (47:29):
Did you get an operation?
Speaker 1 (47:30):
Yeah, man, go in there and cut that thing open,
gone up and there the NBA career, Yeah, exactly, good.
Speaker 2 (47:38):
Good.
Speaker 1 (47:39):
I don't think I was worried about my golf swing.
So once that's right, Once I got cut on, I
was like, oh, I never noticed that if you're if
it's this leg. You don't really push off on it
that much playing golf. And I was like, oh, I'm good,
all right. I just want to age gracefully. That's it, right,
that's all man, not a little to you the Dream.
(47:59):
Really appreciate it. Love hey to thank you, thank you
for having me. Man, I appreciate it this any time. Man,
don't be a strange never Man, I gotta get your number. Man,
just kick it with you.
Speaker 2 (48:08):
Let's go. Yeah, you know, I've been interviewing the Dream.
Damn near my entire career.
Speaker 1 (48:13):
Man, Man Spence is old six o seven. That's a
long time, sir.
Speaker 2 (48:17):
Vegas, y'all.
Speaker 1 (48:18):
Don't ask me for enough. What's wrong with jobs? That's
right kind of wage? I get old? And now Yo,
can you come up here, nigga? No, I just had
another room and coming over there, I just found another room.
Going anywhere, come to the house. We gotta do the
next interview with this movie later.
Speaker 2 (48:35):
Yeah you should. Let's go. What are we watching? Something new?
Something old? You watched that new Michael.
Speaker 1 (48:40):
Jackson joint, absolutely amazing. What are we watching? What will
we watch? Obsession? Something on Netflix?
Speaker 2 (48:47):
Is it a movie? Is it a show?
Speaker 1 (48:48):
Is it a series that's crazy obsession with crazy brain seals.
Speaker 2 (48:52):
Right there, bro, what's that going?
Speaker 1 (48:54):
No, no, no, no, yo, I don't even know you
wanna talk to you know, let's just watch like Gladiat
or something. Let's just say, let's go to the other side.
We're good, No, you're not entertained.
Speaker 2 (49:09):
That's right, yo, The Dream Cruise Show Real ninety two
to three.
Speaker 1 (49:11):
Let's go. Yes, sir, Hey Jack your rich from The
Cruse Show. Thanks for listening to The Cruise Show podcast.
To make sure to subscribe, and hey auto download so
you don't miss an episode. So so
What's good. It's a lot of good.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
What ups mussy?
Speaker 1 (00:04):
You're checking out the Cruise Show podcast?
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Subscribe, right, Okay, the American Dream is on the Cruise Show,
the Dream Cruise and swing yold.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Hey man, that's it, the Dream. That's right, that's it.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
The Dream is here. We're celebrating love hate too.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
And I appreciate it. Thank you for having me, thank
you for being here. What I'm saying, we appreciated dreams saying, yes, sir,
not in the pandemic, no more. But you know we
caught a few times. Yes, yes we did.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
But we're here. Man.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
You were just talking, you know, we were just talking
about the pandemic off the air. You know, being home,
you start to realize so much about your own.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Home, period, realize everything. And I was just saying, how
I found out there's a movie theater in the house.
And I know that that sounds kind of crazy. That
that's crazy, man, you got a movie theater in your house. Yeah.
But the part you don't think about is I'm always working,
so I don't know what's in my house. So eventually
you find out that your kids are having the time
(01:00):
of the life and you had no idea this whole time, relaxing,
just relaxing, like I don't know what to do. I'm
just thinking about it. We were just talking. I ain't
got a smoke room and nothing. That's what you need,
like something, me and me and my fiance just be
smoking at the apartment.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Man a bowling alley.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Yeah, wow, I'm gonna be at work. I'ma be out
here with you. See it in an arcade room, I
ain't gonna see that either.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Being that that's right, that's right.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
I think we have one. You might have probably in
it right now. I got bro, what's the square footage
of your spot? It's like fourteen sheesh. It's in Atlanta, though, y'all.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
It's different in Atlanta. It's different. Yeah, y'all.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
By the way, love y'all, Love y'all. By l A. Yeah,
I love y'all. But I feel you feel for us.
We feel no.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Man, were getting robbed out here for housing? What what?
Speaker 2 (01:55):
I know that and neighbors live damn near on top
of each other.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Man, let me tell you so, I'm gonna tell you
what really got me cruise. I came out here. I
love it out here, of course, I said, all right,
I'm gonna give me a spot, you know, give me
a little spot. Do my theme ortuzzle man. I got
my state income tax thing back the next year, said, oh,
hell with y'all. First of all, why is it traffic
(02:22):
at twelve pm every night?
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Yeah? Yeah, no matter what are y'all paying for?
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I'm trying to figure nobody's magic.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Yeah, we have.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
To Maybe the sun. The sun is so.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Good, maybe that maybe the vibes.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
You know, the weed is really good out here too,
so maybe that got weed everywhere? Now that I guess
there used to be a thing. Let's go to Calor
real quick and get had. No, no, ain't no more
going to Cala house. I'm trying to figure it out now.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
In Atlanta, though, I'm hearing it's getting very busy. I'm
hearing there's a lot of traffic. I'm here.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
But you know what it is. We figured roadways out.
We like to build things real quick, right, so we'll
figure yeah, it might be a little just for a second.
They'll put Dyala mines together and say, oh cool, we're
just building another specialay right through the right, right, right right,
And a two million dollar home a three million dollar
home in Atlanta is way different.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Than out here. Two million, get you a conduct?
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Hey man, two million? What you talking about here? It's
like a one.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Point five million spot literally down the street. It's just
two rooms.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
It's I'm sorry, I'm talking. Yeah, I'm talking to my friends.
I get it. I'm like, I get the disposable income.
But I'm like, bro, no, no, I don't know unless
you're part of that.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
You know that percentage, that very small percentage where you
can get a house on the hill. You know, like
your good friend beyond say, that's different money.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
You feel me, Hey, I'm gonna tell you something else.
And she that's my sister. We still had the conversations.
Don't let that money for you. She's like, how much
is them taxes? Oh? No, I don't know, Jay, I
don't know they paying those taxes. They I'm paying the taxes.
But you think you think we like it. We don't
like it like that, no matter how much money you got,
(04:08):
exactly like that, you just staying them heels on that ship,
them shows she's doing. She worked every penny. I'm like,
you can leave those heels on that stage, dude, that
show and didn't have to pay those taxes. I think
taxies should just be nolling void for her, just for
going on stage with those heels on every night. I
don't know. I still don't know how she does.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
How does she do it? Dancing and everything? I don't know,
and never runs out of breath. It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
I don't know, crazy, bro. It's so expensive to live
out here. Jay Z's back to work like he's performing.
He's at so Far, He's performing New York. He's got
to make some money.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
He's like, Yo, let me how much you hate me
by this?
Speaker 2 (04:48):
You know love hate too?
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (04:50):
You know you got you know? So far?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
We heard Tampa with Usher on it. Yes, that's crazy.
That's a crazy one.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
I got a crazy one with Tip coming after that.
K called be my Lady Me and Pusher got one
called powder Coat.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
Whoa, whoa, Okay that sounds hard powder coke, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Powder coke the dream and push your t.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Whoa, it's yeah, a nice little ditch that vibe. It's
in that space over there. I haven't done that in
a minute.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
That's the sound.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Kelly's on this on this album. Kelly Rowling is on
this album. Ross definitely's on this album. I got a
couple other surprised No that's right, that's right.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
You know, the dream you're responsible for like this change
and sound on the radio.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Right.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
That's why I always thought the radio killer tag was
so important and so so necessary, because like I think
Timberland changed the sound of radio with his hits. T
Pain did his thing with Otto, and the Dream did
this thing with the way you produce these songs and
write these songs, and then of course the way you
execute the songs change the sound of the radio.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
I mean, that was the I mean, I just like
I tell people, man, I just love doing music. I've
loved it. I've never hustled this business from day one,
and I've been doing music since I was literally a child,
you know, with brass instruments, like literally you know, reading
sheet music. So for me, with that hip hop culture
(06:18):
that happened in the nineties, in that era where I
grew up, and seeing the biggest part of this what
we have now, the reason why we're all here in
this type of a way to even be respected in
this in this in this in this industry, for me,
it was just a love and passion to want to
do it. And so when I got to that spot
and the radio killer things was because I cared even
(06:41):
about radio, Like even now I'm having discussions with you know,
certain people, and I remember when it kind of changed
over and it's like, oh cool, we're just going to
go to the internet and just bypass the radio part
of it. And I was kind of heard, you know,
heard in that way of like damn, like you're not
going to see the people for real, like you're just
gonna fly right over the thing. And they had, of course,
(07:02):
you know those new age artists, and much respect to
them and that, you know, how they do things. But
I feel like it's necessary to see people, you know,
because I feel like we're all the same in here.
When we're in here, oh there's you know, Mariah, and
then there's like no, we're all in this mechanism together.
And I feel like that's that internet thing is such
(07:23):
a detachment. You don't even know what's really going on
on the other side. That's right, everyday life shit.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Sure, sure, absolutely, yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
And I think skipping radio is is is a weird move,
right yeah, because you're right, you're skipping the people.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Yeah, it's the pe right yeah, And it's the same thing.
It's like, I think we were just talking about a
show and certain shows, and of course they're putting the
tour stuff together and they're like, Yo, you're gonna literally
basically lose. You're not gonna lose, but but you're not
gonna gain what you could gain if you just stay
hearing right these records. And I know that it's conscious,
(07:57):
but I just love to see that the people like,
I'm like, yo, no, I'm going to come party with y'all.
For sure.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
In your era, you were selling physicals. It was it wasn't.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Stream yeah, and physicals and hard copies. Because I feel
like people even now, though you want to touch some
of the products that you're buying, you don't want to,
which is how the vinyl came back in that way.
And when I was on my vinyl kick, I think
in twenty eleven and I was just talking to the
labels about vinyls, they were like, man, ain't nothing. I'm like, what, Like,
(08:27):
people want to feel something? Sure? Yeah, and you know,
I feel like I'm paying at least bingo exactly, and
so I'm just at least I'm happy about that part.
But yeah, the whole physical oh yeah, because it's easy
to hide that money without them physicals. That's a whole
nother story, y'all.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
The stream game is crazy. People getting robbed. What artists
are getting robbed?
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Artists, song writers there. I mean, it's just hard. I
think the most it's hard to take have could count
to what that is. There have been certain albums that
shouldn't be on certain sites or whatever that I found
and somebody just uploaded it with a bogus name and
put the dream on a whole different Yeah, it's getting
(09:17):
cash funneled to them.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
By using your name.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yeah, okay, just basically putting the album back up as
if it doesn't exists. It's crazy and my old dollar.
The label isn't even watching it to say, oh wait,
it's two love hates up, which one is getting crazy?
I'm like, there's no red tape here to kind of
(09:41):
stop this. You never think about that. Literally, you gotta
single out. Somebody probably beat you to it and put
it up. Got a couple of little you know, hundred
grand off real quick, and then you know they'll take
it down, but they got a check already. They catch
that check.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
I feel like now is just you know, like because
it's just very like, you know, you love this since
you were a kid. I feel like the music industry
now is just well, how can I make money?
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Quit hustle? Yeah, yeah, it's all hustle. Like, by the way,
it was great when it was the new hustle, you know,
like because you had people from certain especially the Dope game,
you know when it came in, and certain things that
it added to that component. They still actually at least
gave a shit about this part. Now it's it's like
(10:27):
the shielding of the whole. I don't know what they're doing.
Speaker 5 (10:31):
And that takes away from the quality right of what
we hear we.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Are you know it does.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Oh yeah, quality is compromise.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Yeah, the quality which is going to change longevity if
you don't care about the art that you're producing. Man,
and you know that, it's just simple. It's just turned
into a it's more about who's more popular in our way,
asking like why does it sound like this? Why why
isn't it Why isn't there a great pop record out
(11:01):
this year? Like what's going on? It's like because whoever's
popular is leading away. But we also know that doesn't
necessarily mean they have the best music. We notice, but
yet we're still playing, you know, playing to that part
and it costs us overall, like if we love this
thing of ours, you know, because you could only water
(11:21):
it down so many times. You know.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
How do you feel about AI and where that's going
with music?
Speaker 1 (11:27):
I actually that's what it feels like that it's so congested.
It feels like AI to me already.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
It's just so.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Many people just putting things up. It's the same thing.
It's like, well, what's the difference. It's like, oh, it's
no different than somebody acting like they're really into what
we're doing and they copy paste, copy paste here you
go to me, no difference. And the reason why AI
could even have have us could be a discussion at
(11:57):
this point means that the music makers and the the
A and R process or even developing artists, isn't that
its greatest space for us to say, hey, I can't
even compete with that. The fact that it even your
thought of it competing means that the bar is solo.
That's where we at.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
That's used it.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
No, it's no point. I mean, I don't think AI
could ever affect what I'm doing because and I don't
think really with any songwriter who takes that job serious
and artists on top of that, because you have to.
You would have to know my experience in life to
know how I'm going to say a thing, do a thing.
A I can only just say what you taught it already, yeah,
(12:41):
which means it's old. But if you're actually supposed to
be leading the frontier of what it is, then it's
like you can't you don't know how I'm going to
say that word or why I would say put a
ring on it, like you know it after the fact
and then it becomes a catchphrase or whatever the thing is.
But you couldn't have known that I was saying. And
I know that that that's a fact because I'm still
(13:05):
enamored when that happens for me and I say a thing,
I'm still wood like, wow, that's a lie, right right,
So if I'm doing it in real time, there's no
way AI is called up to say, yeah, I was
actually gonna be that dope too.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
It's like right, right, I don't think AI is hating
those falsetto notes, yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
And it's not going to use falsetto in that way.
And just tell you a falsetto is probably not even
use it as an as a double untund you know,
And you know those are the.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
So it could copy it can't it can't make Yeah,
I feel like you can just give it something and
it can create something.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
It's just not it's just not going to create tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
M m.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
You know that's a bar. It's not going to create tomorrow.
We have to do that. Yeah, we have to do
that as humans. Yeah, guaranteed. Absolutely, they need to put
a little sticker round of the thing human made human
at the bottom of all of these things.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
I don't at my heart that you know where we
say guaranteed human, guaranteed human, Yeah, because you know there's
no AI personalities and we don't play AI music, So
it's guaranteed human to.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Remind the people that we are the people.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Yeah, I actually like that. He go, hear that again?
Let me download man, Yo.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
The original Love Hate had so many hits on it, dog,
I mean that thing came through.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
I got off of that one too quick, you think so.
I was so excited. Yeah, and you were going because
fast Cars should have been a single on that Purple Kisses.
Purple Kisses could have been a crazy single. Living a
lot with red YEP. That didn't have eight singles on
that record.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
The live record that the live song Rihanna didn't get
its proper push.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Man, Well we never, we never intended. It's one of
those things. Man, somebody got to stop you and just
be like, hey, that's enough. No, I know you want
to move on because to you, when you're creating something,
you're like, already, I don't even want to hear it
no more. I'm like I'm good, Yeah, I'm like ready
to get the love versus money. I got a single,
(15:13):
They're like, yeah, cool, let's get it. And also when
I first, you know, started this this thing, it wasn't
like a dream of art. It was more so I
came out of nowhere. And the reason why I did
that first album truly was I didn't want certain records
to ever be it not placed when you're coming from
(15:34):
a songwriter standpoint, so a lot of records that end
up on the hard drive that nobody never hears and
you have to wait for a vehicle. So for me,
I was like, I don't know, I love Purple Kisses,
but that doesn't mean it's artists A label's gonna love it.
Maybe they won't even get it. I need to do
a body of work where I can basically it's a
(15:54):
menu at a certain point of this is what I
know how to do, and also this is who I am,
and it just ended up being what it was. And
so for me as an artist in that type of way,
And although I am that's that wasn't the ultimate goal
to be that way. And it did swing open the
(16:14):
door for a lot of people in that particular space,
and that was unintentional. I'm happy that it happened, but
it was more so making sure those records like fancy
you would have never heard that regular if I didn't
do it. Wow, Wow, you know who's going to do
a six minute and thirty seconds? And if they did it,
let's cut this down? Sure, Yeah, make this part, this
(16:35):
part and that thing that kills me every time. I'm like, no,
it's already good, it's already done. Yeah, just let it
bread it like this, don't really go with what I'm
trying to do on the.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Stage, right right right?
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Were you at def Jam when jay Z was running
the label. Yeah. Jay actually was the first one to
take shanty and play it at forty forty club. Wow,
he was the first one to play it and we
didn't even know each other like that, Like how we
that's my brother. Now he had had reason to do it.
It wasn't like I was signed to him, but it
(17:10):
never happened. It's one of those it's like, Yo, this
sh is dope. Somebody called me, one of the homies
called me from New York and I was like, yo're
ringing off.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Yeah I was.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
I was like, really, like where he said forty forty
I'm like that's odd. And of course I think once
I saw him again, I was like, hey, man, thank
you. You didn't have to do this, Like, man, shit hard.
I was like, okay, right right, right right, listen to
this album. You know wow. So yeah, it happened just
just like that, even though he was already you know,
(17:42):
on Umbrella at the time. But you know, I don't
even know he knew I was doing this, so because
I didn't know. After I did bid for Jay Holliday,
that kind of was the deciding thing of the reaction
to that was, Oh, I could do a body of work.
Like if y'all fuck with this, I can keep doing this. Yeah, okay,
bet did the did the album and did Shorty's ten.
(18:07):
Actually the first song I didn't even have an album.
It was no rest of no album or nothing. Charlotte's
team was on the radio. I didn't even have a
contract at this jam. That was just l a like
let's see and it just started going crazy. And on
that one, yeah, it's like yo, they went with that
and it was like the building whatever he want.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Yeah, then there's that story right with you. You know
you mentioned Jay holiday Bad. I think whole pulled you
aside and was like.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Bronh Yeah that was on our first to anyone else,
He's like yo, And you know I understood what he
was saying, but not really, but I understood it. I did,
and that was just yeah, because to me, it's still
a part of what my legacy is. So I was
I was looking at it more so in that way.
And I love the idea of giving When something I
(19:02):
could do could catapult another artist into a certain place. Man,
that's my favorite thing to do. And that's why I
know I'm more of a songwriter than I am an
artist in that way. I just when people go get
their trophies on that stage, for me, I feel great
about it.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Does it trip you out knowing that you wrote baby
by Justin Bieber? And now Bieber's like just one of
the biggest music icons in the.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
World performing it.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Coach that a lot of those things I have more
time to kind of kind of just reflect on it.
I think when it's happening, you don't really know. I'm
trying to write something timeless that I feel like somebody
could even be a part of later on in their career,
not something like instantly. It's for that moment and they
never want to hear that shit again, you know, that
(19:49):
was always the plan. But excited for him what it's done.
Trajectory that I could come through same way with Ree
to even write a record that that's that record that
you associate with this one I really know started to
know who Rihanna was. And then on the flip side
of that, you have artists that were great without any
(20:13):
of my help at all, and to even impact them.
That's one of the hardest things to do, is somebody's
sitting there with a massive catalog with all these hits. Yeah,
and you put a hit there that still takes it up.
But that's it's pretty hard, you know.
Speaker 5 (20:28):
With Carey, you guys think so many hits together.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Yeah, that's my Yeah, we're here working right now literally, Yeah. No, Yeah,
we've been working the last five days and we were
just having that same, you know, type of conversation about
(20:53):
how we just worked super well together. And it's that
songwriter bring even with her. She's such a my my
All by her is like my favorite favorite record for
my riot, like ever and and so her just even
the respect for her pen that way and to get
in and be able to collaborate with somebody, I feel
(21:15):
like it's only so many people you want to really
collaborate on that level with, And she's just one of
those ones, you know where you're like.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Her and Beyonce and definitely be you and be have
this relationship when when when you guys.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Have countless songs, I don't even know how many. I
can't put a number.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
I want to keep counting. Let's not put enough.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Exactly, Let's keep counting my g right go most recently
like comfort right like you know you had, you know
you had be out out there cursing.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
My g Hey. Man, you know, sometimes I do what
you gotta do. Man, You sometime a regular word just
don't get it, Like I gotta say ship right now, Like.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
I'm just saying no, me and me and man, that's
my that's my sister. And and I don't say that
lightly at all. We just we don't even have to
really talk about but we talk more about kids. And
like our music thing is so in sync, it's not
even a it's not even a question or delay and
(22:17):
the idea is on. So as soon as we start.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
On. Yeah, is there any difficulty, like writing records for women?
Was there any difficulty even when he started? No?
Speaker 1 (22:32):
I feel like if you really, if you're really like
a guy guy, you already know what women want, what
you want, so you really kind of know what the
code is in that particular way.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
One.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
But I think more than anything, losing my mother taught
me such an enormous I guess less than in empathy,
you know, to empathize with whoever, whether it's whether it's
a guy that I'm writing with or writing for or
or female. So but in this case, it's just something
(23:09):
the connection with my mom that I had that connects
me to these things. And it's certain really conversations I
was previewed to as just a young male in this
in this space with women who are carrying themselves in
a certain type of way, you know, and that thing
you just never know when your blessings play a part
(23:30):
in your life as it plays out, you know, and
it's it's wonderful to see me more so, exercise this
idea of what my mother's heart and soul is.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
Yes, sir, it's almost like your mom is like living
through these Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Yeah, you know, I forgot, I forget who said it
it was. It was somebody in rock and roll. It
was a songwriter.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
But they mentioned that if you listen to a woman
starting with your mother or a motherly figure, yes, and
women on down throughout your life, there is music in
those conversations.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
Absolutely, that's it. That you nailed it. We was just
talking about EMC and I reminded Mariah yesterday we were working.
My mother would say to me if I'm standing in
front of the TV or whatever as a kid, She's like,
you act like you've been bathing in windecks. And so
that line from touch my body is actually where it
(24:25):
came from my mom. It was a line my mom
would say to me all the time. And it's things
like that, where, of course that doesn't even make any sense.
It's the most countryest ghettos thing say. But I'm like, oh,
that's actually a good, clever, kind of not clever, but clever.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Line mom, she's your mom.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
Yeah, and then she is yeah in so many of
my songs.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
No, it's beautiful.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Yeah, she's throughout your entire catalog, now that you say it, Oh, absolutely, yeah, easily, man,
y'all love hate to the features. As you heard, crazy,
song writing is crazy, the execution is crazy.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
We're getting that classic and.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Yes we are. And do you think Playboy Cardi for
that particular thing, well more of them because of him.
We were He works at the same at my same
spot in Atlanta, and and he was like big bro.
He would let me the album and played a couple
of records. I think on the third record, I think
it was like the third one right, shout out to
(25:28):
my guy, just this up in here, he said, hey, man,
what's the a's where's the radio killers? I was like, man,
He's like, nah, man, you tripping, And so I went
back in. It literally was like, and that's just one
(25:50):
of those students of a thing you know that's on
the outskirts. Seems like a butterfly just floating through a thing,
noticing that he's paying attention to a thing that happened
and saying like, hey man, you need that thing that
you do. We want to hear that, like okay, cool cool,
because me I had like how I went to the
second album, so my brain is like, oh no, I
(26:11):
want to hear that shit.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
It's almost like a you know, it's like a vocal
stem writer, like a that's your signature.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Yeah, and it's yeah. That's one of those things I
really like hard on myself in that in that type
of way where I'm trying to it's certain songs, I'm
trying to make sure the song is so good that
it doesn't need a tag, and that's that would be
like a song like Love on Top, whereas you wouldn't
even know I wrote it, like you have to go
(26:40):
to see if I wrote it or not.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
But it's the credits.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
But to me, it's a challenge to write a record
where it's not I don't want you just getting a
dream record because it's oh, this is because you put radio.
I know that it's yours versus I don't know who
the fuck wroke this, but this is good. And then
to find out like yeah, and so I had went
I went through that phase of a of a thing.
But I'm back.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
It's almost an easter egg though, because then, yes, the credits.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
As a music lover, right, you checked the credits and yeah,
and there's the dream and you're like, yo or the
government name right, It's just.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
Like, oh ship, yeah, now it makes sense.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
No, it's it's delightful man to still even be able
to do that. We came up in the era of
checking credits time talking physicals. Remember that physical man reading.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
The thank you, thank.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
You, thank you.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Yeah, my finals, yeah, as long as hell because I
had done them in a while.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I'm like, yes, thank you, thank you for so legendary. Yeah,
that that.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Part of the I think twenty ten, twenty eleven, when
it went a lot digital, the songwriters and produce you didn't.
They didn't even care about putting those things on any
platform where they were streaming. It wasn't even a credit
list of anything. So it costs people like me because
(27:58):
everybody's like, I think dreams that it's like, well, why second,
I haven't. There's no physicals really but not buying those.
Everybody's downloading everything on it. We don't know who and
you're not featured in it, bingo, you.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Can't tell if it's you or not. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Yeah, so yeah, it's hard telling certain people. Last song
you wrote was single Ladies, and I'm like, nah, I
don't know what what's going on again?
Speaker 2 (28:24):
Single Ladies was such a monster.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
To many insane man popping.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Dream, I Love Your Girl?
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Was that a subliminal disc to Wayne's was Lollipop? The
subliminal disc back? Oh man, you know this is crazy.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
The TikTok lord is crazy.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
The craziest thing I recently told this story, probably because
and now I'm getting asked about it, which is kind
of hilarious, is when I did my whole album and
if you know me and Tricky said it best. It's like,
if you know Dreams, shout the trick, shout out to
my guy, just got the song right a Hall of Fame.
It's like, if you know dream Dream is not paying
(29:10):
attention to nothing that nobody is doing. I just don't
have that type of gear. And if I have a problem,
I'll just call somebody on the phone. I'm just old
school like that, Like I don't do a whole.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
No, but when it's about a woman, it's different.
Speaker 1 (29:23):
Now yeah, probably, but I'll say I'll say how how
my my good friend and ex wife Nivea said it
at the time as she told a person, no, he's
actually that good at writing songs, and the person just
couldn't be, like, no, no, you gotta be talking about
right right. I think you've proven that he's really No.
(29:46):
But at the time, you know, I'm new.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
He can't be.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
He can't be that spot on with a thing. I'm like, man,
I'm writing stories. I'm not even it's not even a
it's just here.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
I don't sure.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
And you know, and so yeah, going over to Wayne's video,
which we could shut out to Wayne absolutely and and
so to see the videos, Oh that's cool. I'm so duh.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
Have you heard loll like? Is that about me?
Speaker 1 (30:19):
It took a while, That's what It's crazy. It's like
where you under a rock. And also, I was working
so much at that time, like you, I understand that's
the year. I'm going crazy crazy. I don't look up.
I'm on and I'm a vergo. I have a problem.
I'm here with it. If it ain't about what I'm doing,
I don't even see it. I can't tell. And I
(30:40):
don't think people look to me as that type of vessel.
So nobody, even in my camp, even operates in that
type of if I had a riding camp, it'll probably
be different. But we're a soul, right and.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
Like a negative stigma.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Yeah, So for me, I didn't pay attention to after
and it was like, oh he was talking about wait
what but why why? Oh? Okay, but but there's nothing there.
It's not right, And so took him a while to understand.
It's like, there's nothing, nothing, nothing there. I don't know
what it's going on. It's like, I love you too, bros.
Speaker 5 (31:23):
When did you know that you could that you were
a songwriter?
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Man, I didn't know that songwriting and those things more
so probably was a business in itself, like coming from
band and all these things that I was doing musically
when you're in Atlanta and in the city had just
started to take shape as far as a music thing
in my childhood. So we didn't understand really the business
(31:50):
of how it worked. Oh and plus I grew up.
You know, it's a church. Like when you're black and
you're in the South, you're in a church. And if
you're in a church and you're a kid, you like
there's no way around it. And those things kind of
lead you into the space of just doing creative things.
Rap just got big all of a sudden, So rap
(32:11):
and being witty was more of what my thing was.
I wasn't even thinking about the idea of melodies and
writing together like it was. It was just this form
of creativity for me. And so after I kept doing
it and doing it. I remember seeing maybe somewhere in
the nineties, I don't know if it was mid or
ninety four, whenever it was, and I was at the
(32:33):
good old Lenox Mall, and I remember seeing Dallas Austin
and I saw this car that he was driving. I said,
that's peculiar. That's how did you get that? So know
how niggas on the West Side got it?
Speaker 2 (32:50):
But how did you get it?
Speaker 1 (32:51):
I don't think you got it that way though, So
how did you get it?
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (32:54):
Said oh man, you know about that? That what you
can get that by writing the song on the music? Yeah. Man,
it happened in an instant, just like I was, like,
so a car inspired you be right back. Well, because
it's certain things. If you do see an sl you
know the dope boy guy. You know where that came from.
And I grew up in a house where the scariest
(33:16):
person in my neighborhood was my grandfather, so we ain't
even play those type of selling drug games. He just
killed you himself, like he ain't play these type of games.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
You're more scared of him than the.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
Literally he was fighting post like yeah, he's he was
on one and then he was old school from the
country country. So for me, that wasn't even a way
I was going, even though I could look at it
and say, oh, this is dope. I had my regular
jobs and did my regular nine to fives, put my
rims and my spokes on my car with a regular
ass job when I saw certain type of car, though,
(33:50):
I'm like, you can't there's nothing regular job about that
at all. But I love it now. How I get
one of these verraris? And when somebody told me how
you get it? And it didn't come with prison time
you went and got it. Let's go, let's go, yeah, man.
And what was that regular job by the way, Oh man,
(34:11):
you didn't even want to I'll tell you about one
of them. Oh Jesus man, I had this thing where
you had to stack You never really think about magazines
and stuff like that because you grab them one at
a time.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Yeah, right, right, it's different.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Yeah, it's cool. It's working this place called the News Group,
god man, And it wasn't like now where everything a
I was actually would have helped back then, right, I
would have helped back then. You watching these orders get filled,
like just saying to like a service station or to
a target or whatever it is, and each one of
(34:47):
them goes into a bend and you don't know, Like
guys said that, you take a Volgue magazine, put it
on an ebony with a with another one and you're
sitting there. But these magazines you're loading just that little
thing on this side of the out of the basket
of these, the other one that close it up. That's
one box. It's gonna be four at the bottom of
(35:08):
that palette, four four four four until you get six
high saram wrap because you don't the machine thing whatever
whatever they was doing, they didn't couldn't afford the machine.
You just now you see the joint is just yeah, yeah, no,
because the whole time, let me tell you something, and
(35:36):
I was young, and it hurt. I can't even I
think about it right now, like no, I'm writing another
song immediately. We're never going back, man. I thought there
wouldn't be nothing worse than a whopping. At least the
whopping is over. Wrap those palettes up. You're doing that
for eight hours after that, I wanted to extra money
for them vogues and they're spokes and them dates. Yeah,
(35:58):
that's called third that's that's that third shift, and that's overtime, bro.
And I wasn't no drugs or nothing, so I felt
every piece of it was no weed taking it out
or another. It was just tiling all the news and
even the thing.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
What's just paid?
Speaker 1 (36:16):
The pain? No, man, it was painful. It was. It
was painful.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
I can't even lie. That does make you appreciate so much?
What crazy?
Speaker 4 (36:24):
You know?
Speaker 1 (36:25):
I'm just thinking about my movie.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Theater, about that plush movie.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Right. What y'all do to get in here? I know
why I'm in here? A dream? Do you think we're
ever getting a Rihanna album? Yes, there's no way, there's
no way possible. I am absolutely Are you sure? I
am so sure? You're positive? I am positive. Money on it,
put money on it. Yes, absolutely, a new Rihanna album?
Speaker 2 (36:52):
Will see it soon?
Speaker 1 (36:54):
See now you're going too fun? Okay, No, no, y'all
be surprised. Wow, you know, I might be surprised. Sometimes
when you stop asking for things, they disappear.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Right, true, very true.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
It's a dream, you disappear. That's actually. Yeah, I'm kind
of made itself. I was minding my business at the house, just.
Speaker 3 (37:13):
Like what nineteen year gaps between the between the first one,
yeah and yeah and certain records I was doing.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
I was just, you know, my palette, trying to make
sure I stay in this. You have to exercise that muscle.
If you don't like anything, it doesn't mean it probably
won't go all the way. But I don't like the
idea of not being able to write current things that
are you know, that can last a lifetime. Like, I'm
not in this business just to be Oh, you're a
fixture and you just get to be here because your
(37:42):
lineage or your legacy. And I'm like, no, I want
to be able to compete right now. Nah, that's right,
that's right. I'm still bringing it to the table. Yeah,
I don't want to go no free. I tell everybody
about these B albums. They're like, yo, man, it's your
sus man. You got this many records on there. It's like,
y'all don't understand twenty four hours a day. I'm working.
There's no she don't. She loves me to differ. She
(38:04):
don't play them type of games with her own career.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
You ain't got that thing. You ain't on the train.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
That's real ship right there, just saying.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
Nah, So you've heard Beyonce and Rihanna songs that we
haven't heard yet.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Well, yeah, I've heard everybody's songs that nobody's right right.
Speaker 3 (38:27):
No, No, I see, I see, I see what you're saying,
and I see what you're not saying.
Speaker 1 (38:31):
I'm just saying I've heard some things.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
Now we're waiting on it.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
Man.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
I know you've heard it because I'm sure you've worked
on it. Yeah, busy making.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
Calls and let's just say I'm working on our behalf.
Speaker 2 (38:44):
Wow, there we go. Okay, that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
I'm working on our behalf. I promise you that I'm
on the phone.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
Okay, yes, sir, Yo. You know what what clip also is?
Speaker 4 (38:55):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (38:55):
You know surfaces on the on the you know on TikTok.
Allows gonna say on the grand but I see it.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
Don't take.
Speaker 3 (39:01):
It's you, jay Z. I think Frank Ocean Grammy stage.
Jay Z says, I want to thank the swamp meat
for his.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
Hat and you're wearing a boys and a hood hot
yes what yo?
Speaker 3 (39:14):
He was obviously, you know, having fun with it, but
like you were up there, it's the Grammys.
Speaker 1 (39:17):
Everybody's in suits. I think you got you got a
bandana all with that. Yeah, I did it on purpose too.
I did it on purpose.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
Why so defiant it was?
Speaker 1 (39:27):
It was because I mean, evidently we've seen me on
there with suits on. Of course, that was one of
those moments where I don't know what was going on
with the Grary's that year prior something, and I was like, hmm.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
Also it was like a protest.
Speaker 1 (39:41):
Bingo and so it was like, yeah, you know what
slummy slum slum slum slum today, this is what we're
gonna do. And yeah, Ja's Jay always joking about something
like he's just Jay is just pretty hilarus. He's not
funnier than I am, but he his timing of when
it's time to be funny is usually impeccable. And I'm
(40:05):
like that good because I wouldn't have got away with
the same joke at that time on Jay simply because
he's still at that point. O G and I'm with
but he does know that I know how to take.
He knows me well enough to say, oh, dreams idiot,
So I could definitely say this and he's gonna get me.
I'm gonna get him back so bad. I'm just trying
to figure out when and how I'm gonna do. I've
(40:26):
been playing it. You have no idea. I'm seeing him like,
for real, I'm gonna get you.
Speaker 3 (40:32):
But when he said it, you put your arms up
like I don't care, Like that's right.
Speaker 1 (40:35):
Yeah, hey, because at that point I really didn't care.
But I just felt When I got back to the
back and I was like, that was a good one.
He was just dying laughing in the back. I was like,
that's good.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
The speech was over, y'all were walking away and the
mic was still on, and he caught it and said,
I want to thank the swap meat for his hat.
Speaker 1 (40:51):
No, he had that means he already thought about it.
That's how Jay works. Yeah, he already thought about it.
He's like, hm, oh, I know, I got it. Yeah,
that's what's up. Yeah, that's his way of saying. Also,
they don't win it up here no more. And I'm like,
you don't tell me what to wear. That's right, that's
what I want to wear. Yeah, man, I'm you know,
I'm a dream and you were cooking. Man. Yeah, I'm
showing at his birthday party with the same thing on.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
You should, yeah, you should.
Speaker 1 (41:14):
It be a good one.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
You think he's working on a new album, jay Z
the Silence says.
Speaker 1 (41:23):
So he got a show in New York show over
here so far?
Speaker 2 (41:26):
Bro, that's eighty thousand people.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
You eight just did it two nights.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
In a row. I think we're always working on Yeah.
Speaker 5 (41:35):
Frank Usian. You guys have some pretty timeless songs together.
Speaker 1 (41:39):
Man. I love Frank. I don't know where Frank is
right now, Frank, no one Frank. Frank does a thing
that I wish I could do, just disappear for a bit.
I don't know how he does it. It's just like
when we need him, he's there. But the craziest Yeah,
I'm just literally still finding out. I have a movie theater,
(41:59):
so I'm just I'm like, it's like, where is Dream? Oh,
He's right there?
Speaker 2 (42:05):
Thanks?
Speaker 1 (42:05):
Thanks telling them where.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
I am, y'all. I was telling Nico yesterday.
Speaker 3 (42:09):
You own I don't know how many franchises but you
on Popeye's I.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Sold those you sold over?
Speaker 1 (42:15):
Yeah, so I got off those things. Okay, Yeah that
was really good. Good for me. By the way, the
best is the best part about it. I feel like
it's learning something about different franchises and how to move
your money around outside of just music. Sure, yeah, I
feel like that thing if you could trust it, y'a,
(42:35):
don't understand my The the best investment I know that
I have is me. I'm the only thing that brought
back a certain return that you can't match every time,
and so it's hard to compete with when you're like
looking in your you know, if you got a portfolio
at all, saying I want to invest in this, because
(42:55):
you didn't, You're like, it's that same time writing these
songs and doing this and creating a whole new publishing catalog.
What is that word? It's like, oh, you just created
a forty million dollar catalog, and so now you're competing
with so why would I put my money here? So
you have to really, you know, so and using it
and looking at my publishing as as it's a commodity,
(43:16):
versus looking at it as oh checks in checks out,
knowing that yeah, you may get paid even for my
producer fees or whatever the things are, and I don't.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
I try not to.
Speaker 1 (43:27):
Ask for much because I don't want to have to
wait for it to recoup one And I try to
make sure I stay in a reasonable space so I
can give myself a chance to create more opportunity for
songs to be wherever they need to be. And then
doing that, these catalogs that I have, I like, have
three active catalogs at the same time, which is just crazy.
(43:52):
Thinking about me when I signed my first publishing deal
and to be able to own that publishing and say,
oh cool, this time is going to go to this
and by the time this gets to twenty this would
be worth this amount. And knowing that you've done it
before and continuing to do it, it's a whole other thing.
Speaker 2 (44:12):
Yeah yeah, man, got my gears turning out?
Speaker 1 (44:14):
No?
Speaker 3 (44:15):
No, nah, Yeah, it's business man, this is what it is.
So you sold off your franchises?
Speaker 1 (44:19):
Do you own anymore?
Speaker 2 (44:21):
I need?
Speaker 1 (44:22):
And that's what And that's the other part. It would
take the time because I'm so hare. I have a
virgo problem. I have to be like, what y'all doing
over there?
Speaker 2 (44:31):
Right right?
Speaker 1 (44:32):
I said more biscuits.
Speaker 6 (44:35):
During that chicken sandwich frenzy thought yeah, oh no, it
was killing it every month Like then it was I
was like, yo, y'all, go stay here forever and let
me think do I want to get in this business
or get in.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
The other one. And when I feel like it's approaching
time in my art situation, I'm like no, because it's
and it's just hard to trust people with your bread
like that. You know, it's a lot of components when
but I'm doing my music, I'm in that room, and
so you become you know, spoiled in a way, if
that even makes sense. Versus there's five other people managing
(45:10):
a process of a thing, and I don't know if
you might be doing a little You never know, you
never know, And I don't even want to have that thought,
like wait, this thing'd only made five last month, but.
Speaker 3 (45:24):
Now, but some people can't help themselves, right, and some
people found out who they are.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
Yeah, And I called it just you catch it just enough,
like oh you're stolen enough. That's it. Cut it out
and it's just going to happen. Because whenever you're dealing
with something so big, it's no way around it. Back
to my trusting. So I have that thing where I'm like, well,
I trust me with my investment. As far as these
particular things, what helps this thing out? And how do
(45:52):
you create real wealth and investing in Even if you're like,
oh it stocks it stocks, like, no, man call me
with before a series A. I don't want to. I
don't want to get into a stock investment where it's
already the public knows about it, somebody else knows about it.
By the way, I'll wait my turn and wait for
something to become something or or or relationship that I
(46:15):
have to say. Hey, man, we're doing this. You want
to get in? That's right, you get in from the jump,
because that's the only way you can create real wealth.
You can't create it once Google has already done what
Google is gonna do. You're like, oh cool, I got
some star I got Starbucks, and you gonna put with
two million in Starbucks and make what three hundred dollars
a day? Like come on, man, like, no, you won't
(46:35):
put two million from the beginning. Jump from the jump. Yeah,
it make two hundred million, just saying that's it man.
Speaker 2 (46:43):
Yo, Love hate too. July tenth, Yes, it's gonna be
a hot summer.
Speaker 1 (46:47):
Yes, sevent ten.
Speaker 2 (46:48):
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (46:50):
Let's go, so you can go get ready cause I'm
trying to just we're trying to get ready for this
twentieth anniversary of Love Hate. Y'all know what we're doing, Yes, sir,
that's all it's about.
Speaker 2 (46:59):
That's it. That's right.
Speaker 1 (47:00):
I'm already outside in my mind even need this cane.
In a minute, I might keep it with me though
it's in.
Speaker 2 (47:08):
Good luck, it's a vibe. It's right.
Speaker 1 (47:10):
I'm okay, I'm gonna hold on to this. But people worry.
Speaker 2 (47:13):
I worried.
Speaker 1 (47:13):
When I saw you walking in I instantly worried about man.
I could even move my leg about a month and
a half ago. That thing was just stuck like chuck.
Oh dang, yeah, that thing was doing nothing. I was like, oh,
I'm aging. This is amazing. Yeah, it's the quad which
is right above the need.
Speaker 2 (47:29):
Did you get an operation?
Speaker 1 (47:30):
Yeah, man, go in there and cut that thing open,
gone up and there the NBA career, Yeah, exactly, good.
Speaker 2 (47:38):
Good.
Speaker 1 (47:39):
I don't think I was worried about my golf swing.
So once that's right, Once I got cut on, I
was like, oh, I never noticed that if you're if
it's this leg. You don't really push off on it
that much playing golf. And I was like, oh, I'm good,
all right. I just want to age gracefully. That's it, right,
that's all man, not a little to you the Dream.
(47:59):
Really appreciate it. Love hey to thank you, thank you
for having me. Man, I appreciate it this any time. Man,
don't be a strange never Man, I gotta get your number. Man,
just kick it with you.
Speaker 2 (48:08):
Let's go. Yeah, you know, I've been interviewing the Dream.
Damn near my entire career.
Speaker 1 (48:13):
Man, Man Spence is old six o seven. That's a
long time, sir.
Speaker 2 (48:17):
Vegas, y'all.
Speaker 1 (48:18):
Don't ask me for enough. What's wrong with jobs? That's
right kind of wage? I get old? And now Yo,
can you come up here, nigga? No, I just had
another room and coming over there, I just found another room.
Going anywhere, come to the house. We gotta do the
next interview with this movie later.
Speaker 2 (48:35):
Yeah you should. Let's go. What are we watching? Something new?
Something old? You watched that new Michael.
Speaker 1 (48:40):
Jackson joint, absolutely amazing. What are we watching? What will
we watch? Obsession? Something on Netflix?
Speaker 2 (48:47):
Is it a movie? Is it a show?
Speaker 1 (48:48):
Is it a series that's crazy obsession with crazy brain seals.
Speaker 2 (48:52):
Right there, bro, what's that going?
Speaker 1 (48:54):
No, no, no, no, yo, I don't even know you
wanna talk to you know, let's just watch like Gladiat
or something. Let's just say, let's go to the other side.
We're good, No, you're not entertained.
Speaker 2 (49:09):
That's right, yo, The Dream Cruise Show Real ninety two
to three.
Speaker 1 (49:11):
Let's go. Yes, sir, Hey Jack your rich from The
Cruse Show. Thanks for listening to The Cruise Show podcast.
To make sure to subscribe, and hey auto download so
you don't miss an episode. So so
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