INTERVIEW: Wale On 'everything is a lot.' Love, Heartbreak, Therapy, Music Business, Being Misunderstood +More

Today on The Breakfast Club, Wale On 'everything is a lot.' Love, Heartbreak, Therapy, Music Business, Being Misunderstood. Listen For More! 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Every day.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Up we click your breakfast club.

Speaker 1 (00:05):
You'll finish for y'all done morning. Everybody is DJ n V.

Speaker 3 (00:10):
Just Hilarry Charlamagne the guy. We are the breakfast club.
Laura Roses here, we got a special guest in the building.

Speaker 4 (00:15):
Ladies and gentlemen's indeed, what's up, Lauren something?

Speaker 1 (00:19):
How you feeling? I am exhausted?

Speaker 4 (00:23):
Uh, your girls stays with Leon and DC and we
drove straight here.

Speaker 5 (00:27):
So yeah, year is this for you? How long you
been in the game.

Speaker 1 (00:31):
It's like, y'all like fourteen thirteen something like that.

Speaker 5 (00:35):
You're thirteen fourteen? What album?

Speaker 1 (00:37):
What is myth album? Eighth album? But then you got
mixed and MG compilations, so.

Speaker 5 (00:43):
It's a lot so all of that music and to
have delivered your best body of work. How does that feel?

Speaker 4 (00:49):
I mean, it's up for debate if it's my best,
but I think it is. But a lot of people's
been saying that. A lot of people just like this
Elsi's top three because they don't want to jump the gun.
But it's good because it's like, I know the artist
that I am, I know what I'm capable of, And
in a weird way, this is kind of like my

(01:10):
first album because well my first album DELO because you
remember attention deficit. I was re mark like I was
just kind of following what I'm doing, what I was told.
Then the MMG stuff, I was really on my own,
but it was under it was in a group, so
it was kind of like, you know what I'm saying.
So this is it feels like my first one. You

(01:30):
know what I'm saying. It feels like an introduction to
a lot of people. Like if you listen to Belly,
it feels like, oh like if somebody was like, yo,
where while they're from?

Speaker 1 (01:38):
Or what is he? What he about your belly? And
you'd be like, oh, you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 4 (01:43):
So having a lot of moments where a new listener
could come in and.

Speaker 5 (01:48):
I hate to say it, whoever, whoever the woman is
that broke your heart, Thank you God.

Speaker 1 (01:59):
Than make you think that. What makes you think of women?
Broke mind?

Speaker 4 (02:03):
Me? Stuff down the album? But you got you got
you gotta tell me what makes it like?

Speaker 6 (02:12):
But for me, it always feels like when you when
you get to a certain point in a relationship, you
feel like you fall into hard you like all back
a little bit even before this album, you know what
I mean, Like what.

Speaker 4 (02:25):
That's a fair assessment. That's like through the music, that's
a fair assessment.

Speaker 5 (02:30):
I feel that off the first song Conundrum, and throughout
the whole album, it's like you want to be in
a relationship like your mother is even stressing like your
when you get me.

Speaker 4 (02:41):
I think it's just it feels good to be loved,
like you really do, like like when you're really trying
to like boss up and do your thing like boss up,
it really do feel.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
Good to be loved.

Speaker 4 (02:51):
But then sometimes it's a matter of like like who
who how can you mesh with somebody with this like lifestyle,
but just like oh you got to get up and
go and stuff like that, Like you know what I'm
saying In Conundrum, I mean that ain't nothing, but like
me having a self realization of like damn, like I
really got it takes a lot for me to like

(03:13):
to reheat this hot like you know what I'm saying,
Like like you know what I'm saying, Like I accept
whatever this is with some and some bread quick, But.

Speaker 1 (03:21):
Do you love me? Not for real? Do you love me? Damn?

Speaker 4 (03:26):
Well, this is quite a conundrum because I don't like
I don't love you, like you know what I'm saying,
like these these awkward situations, cause it's like I'm not
like I'm not a sloppy dude, like I don't be
moving you know what I'm saying, Like if I'm messing
with somebody, like it's you know what I'm saying. But
I also can realize like when in the past, like
five years, like I like one of my exes told

(03:47):
me that I'm just like it's so cold. Is wrong
with like why you so cold? I'm like, I really
come put my finger on that.

Speaker 1 (03:53):
I really don't know.

Speaker 4 (03:54):
Like, but again, over time I realized, like yo, when
you and your r it's sometimes hard to see anything
but that you know what I'm saying, and you're gonna lose.
You're gonna lose people in your life because they don't
understand I know, you know, like Bruh TV film all that,
Like it's hard to like when you lock in, you know,

(04:18):
it's hard to like have that you know what I'm saying,
Like even if your partner giving you space or whatever whatever,
Like you know what it's like when you locked in,
you locked into the thing. Like when I'm working on
the film stuff I'm working on, and I'm like really
in that flow state, like which could last for like
three weeks, four weeks, I'm not really, I'm not in that.

(04:38):
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (04:38):
It can't be in the relationship because you.

Speaker 3 (04:41):
Up here nine times, this is the same sentiment you
have every time talking about the same young lady that
you would not you worked.

Speaker 1 (04:50):
It's it's sim with every relationship, and these are the problems.

Speaker 7 (04:56):
There a problem and watching Us though it felt like
you found a because she's just as famous that you
could balance it with and you was into it, but then.

Speaker 4 (05:04):
You it can happen. But watching Us is his own part,
Like it ain't. It ain't end on a sad note.
We in Vegas, we were in Paris. It ain't in
on a bad note. So I think this is more optimistic,
my my.

Speaker 1 (05:20):
My outlook on it the whole, Like.

Speaker 4 (05:24):
There's more optimistic on this project because I'm a little
bit more optimistic and the idea of it.

Speaker 1 (05:31):
Okay, So the.

Speaker 6 (05:32):
Name of the album is Everything is a Lot? Does
that describe where you are?

Speaker 2 (05:36):
Mentally?

Speaker 4 (05:38):
We see that shook one book right there, like I
remember like reading it on tour, like brouh, like the
levity of like everything is just crazy right now, and
it's like the way we desensitize for everything.

Speaker 1 (05:54):
It's nuts.

Speaker 4 (05:55):
Like five years ago we were not even We would
never say like, goa have a pandemic and the Trump
gonna be back. It's gonna be National Guard, Like I
just love these there's National Guard like in front of
places I grew up at.

Speaker 1 (06:11):
You know.

Speaker 4 (06:12):
That's one, and then two is like, you know, I'm
this weird anominally in the industry, whereas I'm from this
place that I'm the only person really in the in
the black spaces in the industry, and it's like I'm dolo,
like for real, like navigating through it and everybody know
by now like I'm not clique.

Speaker 1 (06:33):
I don't really mingle. I'll be in and out the spot.
I'm ana blur. So it's like, you know, everything is
a lot like this. This is who I am.

Speaker 4 (06:41):
This is this is like this is good, the bad,
the imperfect.

Speaker 1 (06:46):
Wow.

Speaker 4 (06:47):
We all literally like try and figure it out. It
don't matter what your tax reckort is. We all literally
try and figure it out because especially the black people,
we don't know what's gonna happen. For real, and we know,
like certain people playing in our face. So it's like
the levity of how much all of that is and
still like trying me personally, trying to navigate through life

(07:11):
like relationships. Where do I want to move? I would
love to move back to DC, but it's too heavy,
it's too much.

Speaker 1 (07:19):
I can't go.

Speaker 4 (07:20):
I can't even go get my mom from groceries because
it's like, you know what I'm saying. So it's just
the levity of all of it. It's just a it's
a lot.

Speaker 5 (07:29):
Well, what song on this album felt the hardest for
you to record emotionally?

Speaker 4 (07:32):
Probably Survive, because like I never talk about it, like,
but there was definitely like a like a rewiring in
my brain, like like right after ambition, my you know,
my my cousin died the day after his first born
was born, and I was trying to I was really

(07:54):
trying to weave a lot of that, like, you know,
like make sense of it because it just seemed so
like so I really was going through it think still
to this day. But I never mentioned it on record.
And then my little Man racks, you know, that's my
man square. Oh squirrel not here, squirrel outside, But yeah,
that's eight time.

Speaker 1 (08:15):
That's his uncle.

Speaker 4 (08:15):
But you know, like I spent a lot of time
with Racks, Like I've really liked you, like how was
Racked like seventeen right sixteen, And you know, I had
him on my hip, and you know, I'm actually learning
from him, learning from me. I had him, Like the
last thing you hear on for Lauren two is his voice.
He'd be like for the city though, And I remember

(08:38):
the songs called Beverly Boulevard and I remember just riding
around Beverly Boulevard eight.

Speaker 1 (08:44):
This is young.

Speaker 4 (08:45):
It's a nigh from the trenches, like super duper, you
know what I'm saying. Young, And he's just like looking
how like And I'm just like, you know, when you
bring people around that don't be around, like people you
might have grown up with. You bring him to like
the nice hotels or whatever, and it kind of gives
you it gets you back excited because we probably used
to it and it's not like that I was feeling

(09:06):
all them feelings like so we had a great connection
and then you know, we got killed like a couple
of months after, you know, and it's just like and
that's not that's not the first time that happened. But
it's like I don't be talking about that in interviews.
I don't talk about in his songs because it's just
like that joint. It'd be too too crazy, Like you
know what I'm saying. So I address it and survive.

(09:28):
I address it and survive, and it's like I'm just
giving the people like bro, this is why you might
see me, and I'm not like the most jovial you
know what I'm saying. Like it's like and it's NonStop.
I lost like so many people and then even like
Nip like Brah, like he's an artist to most people,
but that's somebody we talked in text. It ain't no,

(09:51):
there's no normal. Nothing nobody can get convince me that
it's normal to be Like coming home one day and
looking at the dude he was texting just yesterday and
got songs with dying on Instagram. Nobody, it's nobody like
it's so but we the fancy sensitized because it's all
chaos and whatever. But like you know, I read Nip

(10:12):
texts like our Texas. You know what I'm saying, Like,
I remember, this is what really sparked the I like
that song, like we tell like, there was immediate person
that we was both in a bad place with and
we was texting and he was like, Yo, they don't know.
They don't know what it's like to pay for caskets
and even mothers that you don't even know, but you
a pillar to the jon't They don't know. They don't

(10:35):
like people don't know. They think it's just like, oh yeah,
lotusly nah man, I got a lot to carry from
where I'm from because they looked to me for a
lot of that and I try to be a hope film.
So like you're seeing your man's die literally on a joint,
you seeing like I got, like I got like fifteen
records with ghosts.

Speaker 1 (10:56):
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 4 (10:57):
That ain't no, that ain't like that do something to
your brain and then when you really know, like what happened,
what like and then put you in a position of like,
you know what I'm saying. So Survivor was like I
had to take it there for the That's the first
time in my career I really talked about that other
side of what I gotta deal.

Speaker 5 (11:16):
With And what about blanco Blanco is I.

Speaker 1 (11:20):
Don't I don't think people cracked the code on Blanco.

Speaker 4 (11:22):
But that's another thing I learned on this media run
is like, oh, like y'all listen to music different now,
Like I go to these players, I did ninety two
Q and I forgot what about I think it might
have even been Blanco and like they was like, yeah,
it's about just just drinking.

Speaker 1 (11:42):
No, this is about like.

Speaker 4 (11:45):
Really avoiding avoidant personality disorder. This is about knowing you
got you gotta do this, but you struggle with it.
I you know what I'm saying, You gotta go in
this room and dah da dah like I ain't ever.
I can be in any room. I can handle it.
But it's also like what I gotta do to get

(12:09):
me there? To get me there? Because it's like like
you're always performing, You're always performing because if you're not
happy enough, I'm sure everybody been because we're all on
TV and radio like.

Speaker 1 (12:24):
Are you okay?

Speaker 4 (12:25):
You're not happy? Why you're not happy? Like, oh, I'm
supposed to I'm supposed to be the entertainment. You know
what I'm saying, Like, and that's and that and that's
that that's draining, Like you know what I'm saying. We've
been doing this a minute, Like we like like they're
gonna be like we're dick heare sometimes, but it's like no,
like no, I'm just actually just decompressing them here. So

(12:45):
in these Hollywood spaces, if I'm not like that, they're
gonna say, I'm whatever the narrative is, So let me
get a little bit of lit like so I can kind.

Speaker 1 (12:54):
Of like get through.

Speaker 4 (12:55):
It's it's kind of like that, and they also like
that being alone, Like I spent so much time by
myself making his albums, Like that's what it is, like
I had to take myself to these places.

Speaker 1 (13:09):
You still love it though I love it.

Speaker 4 (13:12):
I don't know, I don't I almost wonder if the
juice is worth the squeeze though lately you know what
I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (13:19):
To break that down. So you love the music, but
you love them like it's just like.

Speaker 4 (13:24):
It gets a little frustrated sometimes when I just know
that like certain people at the level that we at,
they don't got to do nothing, and I just like
I do my work all the time, and it's cool,
like sometimes it's actually fun, like to see y'all because
I ain't seen y'all a minute, or do feel like
kick it, like you know what I'm saying. Sometimes it's
sparked ideas with me. But like man, media it's different now,

(13:49):
like they might backdoor you in an interview and clickbait
you and make you look crazy, like I be wondering
if the juice is worth the squeeze Because.

Speaker 1 (13:56):
I like rapping. I'm like, man, I got money, I
got I'm cool.

Speaker 4 (14:00):
I could just make songs and just send text text
them out like so you know, I still love the art.
I love writing, I love making music, but like everything
that I gotta do to even get my music heard
is a little frustrating because I was doing like I've
been consistent for so long, and most people when they consistent,

(14:20):
but it's long.

Speaker 1 (14:21):
It ain't no question. I seen you.

Speaker 3 (14:23):
I've seen you on the press running and I've seen how.

Speaker 5 (14:26):
You water get some water waterfall.

Speaker 3 (14:29):
I've seen you on a press run and I see
how you feels like a lot of times you're like, yo,
I'm over this.

Speaker 1 (14:34):
But then when I you know, I seen you in
Hampton Homecoming. Lauren was with me.

Speaker 3 (14:37):
Actually, and I've just seen you your reaction with the
crowd and you performing, It's a different feeling it's a different.

Speaker 4 (14:43):
Look, and that's when you have the music versus music business.
The Hampton Joint was really just like damn you love
but even now, like you ain't like it ain't that
because it's like, yo, okay.

Speaker 1 (14:56):
Another Monday's business. None of y'all.

Speaker 4 (14:58):
Y'all, y'all, y'all ain't nobody but Tupaca Michael jacksona walking
this door.

Speaker 1 (15:04):
They impressed nobody in Y're not like.

Speaker 5 (15:10):
Y'all.

Speaker 4 (15:12):
Yeah, Like I know, I just said impressed.

Speaker 1 (15:16):
Y're not impressed, Like y'all this is.

Speaker 2 (15:18):
I told you that that.

Speaker 1 (15:19):
This is probably what I'm saying.

Speaker 4 (15:22):
Is what I'm saying is like nobody gonna come in
here and y'all be like wow, That's what I'm saying.
Like not like like I ain't do my big one,
like but like like, y'all, this is work. You know
what I'm saying. You're not let me laying. The Hampton

(15:42):
Joint was like more like real, like yo, like this
is black left, this is like, this is music. This
is more of a music business setting right now. That's
what I'm saying.

Speaker 6 (15:53):
I ain't these niggas know you. I never met you before.
I wanted to meet you right from down the street from.

Speaker 5 (15:58):
Where I'm from.

Speaker 1 (15:59):
I grew up listening to you now to call you
you know what you like? You like gave me a
hard time on your ascension snsion.

Speaker 2 (16:08):
But that's it's a blur.

Speaker 1 (16:20):
It's a blur. It's a blurt.

Speaker 4 (16:21):
I don't I don't really remember, you know, but right,
but I'm just saying, like again like you was doing
with com jokes.

Speaker 1 (16:30):
But I did what I was saying him in the
movie Mark Wahlberg, I'm like, Yo, ship.

Speaker 2 (16:38):
Jake, I'm sorry.

Speaker 1 (16:41):
Racist a little bit.

Speaker 6 (16:43):
They don't look the same, yo, but no.

Speaker 1 (16:47):
You know.

Speaker 4 (16:48):
But but my thing is that I don't even hard
but none of that. And I just have to say
that because like the vergo on me that was.

Speaker 5 (16:52):
Like say, it was the joke.

Speaker 1 (16:54):
I don't even know what that's what I'm saying.

Speaker 5 (16:56):
Confusing, I don't know, I could.

Speaker 4 (17:01):
Never well, it don't matter, no more like it never
I like, I don't, I don't even I just had
to say it because I.

Speaker 1 (17:07):
Never mentioned cool. But I love you, I thank you.

Speaker 6 (17:11):
And at the same time, I still talk about everybody.

Speaker 5 (17:13):
It's just you know, just funny.

Speaker 4 (17:14):
The game is the game, you know what I'm saying,
like I've that's one thing I've definitely learned, like post COVID,
like the game is the game?

Speaker 5 (17:22):
You remember the joke? Yo? No, I don't remember. I
do want to go back to something just said though
about the Blanco record though, because you said, you know,
trying to ease my mind, trying to trying to ease
my mind, trying to free my mind. Got a three
some with these demons and I need some time, right.
And I always think about, you know, when they when
they have artists, the writer will be alcohol or anything else.

(17:44):
Do you think that people should maybe say, hey, let's
try something else. Maybe.

Speaker 1 (17:48):
I mean, I can't speak for everybody else, I can't think.

Speaker 4 (17:50):
Well, I definitely always say that I think, uh, somebody
record deals should come with.

Speaker 1 (17:57):
Access to a therapist.

Speaker 4 (17:59):
Like we was a lot of money, you know, and
a lot of these kids it's coming from super traumatic
they don't even know how much trauma they have in
them and just navigating through this industry like you're gonna
need it because like brother come in talented artists, we
lose young because they're just getting.

Speaker 1 (18:15):
Thrust into this.

Speaker 4 (18:16):
So you know, I definitely think that's we need to
have some type of mental health like like union with
rappers or musicians, and it should be free to Duke
Gallington uh uh and and uh that's Chappelle. That's where
he went to high school. And Johnny Gill like it's

(18:37):
an art school in DC. And it's like, now Taraji
did something. She did, she gos a wellness thing that
she's doing in the d NV and she they gotta
they literally uh at uh entertainment psychologists in the school.
And I'm like, I think that's so fascinating because it's
like I always wonder what if I had some type

(18:59):
of some some of this knowledge before, I probably would
have carried him when I was in high school, because
I don't think it's in school. So it's like you gotta
take that joint, like you gotta take And he told me,
and like I was just you know, I was I
was doing the principal for the day thing and I
was just sitting in and he was talking about stuff.
He was like, yeah, you know a lot of times

(19:21):
when you perform, you performing three times. You like, you're
performing for yourself, you're performing on stage, and then you're
also performing for the people that need you to be
a certain way when the show is over, like it
don't stop. And he's like, that can cause a lot
of pressure, you know what I'm saying. So once I
heard that me just sitting in the class, I'm like,
this is a very very interesting like thing that's necessary.

(19:47):
And then I'm talking to some of the kids and
I'm like, what makes y'all nervous? What makes y'all? And
all of it was, and he's just like, but they
like jin alpha right in high school?

Speaker 1 (19:57):
Right now? Is that still gen z or is alpha?
You know? They was.

Speaker 4 (20:02):
I'm trying to learn how they operate, you know, and
they're like a lot of it is the pressure of school,
you know what I'm saying. The pressure of like playing
their instrument or doing that, like because it's an art school,
the pressure of getting into college, you know what I'm saying.
So it's just interesting to just see how that joint,

(20:22):
how much like people be thinking that, well, some people
use mental health as like a hook to get something,
but like when that's why, you know, Charlemagne always been
inspirational because it's like I feel like kind of Trojan
Horse the whole, like mental health, Like you know what
I'm saying, and I applied it to like music and
why I'm feeling like I'm feeling, and why I came

(20:45):
in a game as an extrovert, but now I was like,
I rather be by myself. You know what I'm saying.
These are all things that I really couldn't figure out.
So I just feel like it's a good thing that
like if we had a little bit, they don't have
to go, but it should be readily available because like
they need somebody to call. Man, Like, you can't call
your friends from your neighborhood no more because they they

(21:06):
kind of look at you as it, even if they
love you, they.

Speaker 1 (21:08):
Look at you different. Do you have somebody to call?
Do you speak to a therapist? And anybody? Try?

Speaker 4 (21:13):
Like Bro, I saw I saw one of the first
bills that got from this one. I'm like, and then
and then he wasn't even available. I'm like, do you
just made me cry on his couch?

Speaker 1 (21:22):
Bro? Like where you go and left me?

Speaker 4 (21:23):
You know what I'm saying, You got you want to
with barberstride saying or something like you've moved away, so
it do be It's That's That's one thing that I
will say, like when it comes to that therapy work is.
I think it's a little bit even more difficult when
you're somebody that be on TV or that's well known.
You know what I'm saying, because you you know, it's
a look that everybody.

Speaker 1 (21:41):
Gee you like that. You know, oh, it's getting in
the fan territory.

Speaker 3 (21:46):
So you don't want a comfortable talk because that would
be difficult feeling comfortable as a celebrity to talk to
somebody and knowing that he's gonna keep you up moments
to himself.

Speaker 1 (21:54):
I'm I'm, I'm.

Speaker 4 (21:55):
That's the thing I'm still trying to find. I'm still trying.

Speaker 1 (21:58):
To find it. Like I'm something.

Speaker 4 (22:00):
I think it needs to be the exact opposite, like
a white woman or like doesn't know because then it's
just logically putting things together. Or then sometimes I need
maybe it's a black man so he understands the plight.
So it's just deep. It's like a thing that I'm
like trying to figure out.

Speaker 5 (22:16):
Put together a team, like you can't you can't just
have one. That's that's something I learned. You can't just
have one.

Speaker 4 (22:21):
I learned that in the acting world, like you have
to have different cuaches, like like to get your best.
So I get what you mean, like different, like just
to to like to get everything in one place.

Speaker 8 (22:34):
I take that.

Speaker 3 (22:35):
You know what I'm saying, I'll be confused and I
gotta talk to you and then I got to explain
to her what I just told you. And I think
the worst part about the therapy process is damn y'all,
ain't do me like fat joel, y'all let me talk,
nah for let me talk. But like I think the
most intense part of therapy is like finding one and

(22:58):
then like that because because that like you gotta do
you gotta do that session when you unpacked so much,
and it brings you to a crazy like it bring
you like down and it's like I can't do this again.

Speaker 4 (23:10):
This one didn't work. I can't do this again. Like
you know, this one was too expensive. I can't do
this again. So that probably runs more people off than
anything else.

Speaker 9 (23:17):
I think power and problems. You said you feel like
therapy is extortion.

Speaker 4 (23:22):
Yeah, the therapy talks shit. The therapy talk shit for
like backdoor extortion. You're thinking you all heal, but you
really you've gone here, you back on it now, I
go back on that block list. He back on that
black list, You back on that blacklist because me, I
can be y'all can be anything. Me, I gotta be
cautious and I'm on this. I'd rather be single than
double cross ship, because that's that's what it is, all right,

(23:43):
You've got got like my power is being able to
be alone, but my problem is being alone.

Speaker 1 (23:50):
The last three months of the album, I was in there.

Speaker 4 (23:52):
I was in my little band house, pacing fucking all
types of mister childs bags were all around, Like I'm just,
I'm just, I'm all the way in it, just trying
to get everything out my body, everything out of my
mind and my heart, just going for it like you
know what I'm saying, and that that lonely that lonely

(24:12):
thing is a real thing.

Speaker 1 (24:13):
Bro.

Speaker 4 (24:14):
Like everybody want to fake kick it with me outside,
but like like, bro, like the real thing when it
all boils down to it, Like who's around my family?

Speaker 1 (24:22):
All my family in DC. I'm in LA.

Speaker 4 (24:24):
I'm like where you gonna find real? I have to
always talk to black thought about this. I'm like, yo,
like comedians actors to some extent, they hate on each
other too, But like comedians, actors, athletes there's always community.
Hip hop don't got no community. Everybody for theirself. Everybody
is no community, you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (24:45):
Like you didn't have community with when you was with MG.
That's that's I don't. I wouldn't consider that community.

Speaker 4 (24:51):
That's a crew, just like you have your friends or whatever,
like you can't y'all might not have the same interest,
you know what I'm saying. Like, so for me, unity
comes when y'all have the same interest, y'all have the
same like like somewhat idiosyncrasies and like you got the
same thing. Like y'all all the kind of guy that like, oh,

(25:11):
we all played the trombone and we all we all
do we all do comedy. In comedy, you'll see like five,
you'll see done now with Dave. You'll see fourever comedians
helping them like crafted thing.

Speaker 1 (25:24):
It's not really like that in hip hop.

Speaker 5 (25:26):
But they all came up together though, Like I always wondered,
like even when I look at y'all from the old
Double XL Freshman coupleless, like you know, even those people,
wh y'all didn't build something there, Na damn when.

Speaker 4 (25:38):
They talk to people like that, I didn't know we
were talking about. I came in extrovert. I was ready
to talk to everybody, but I gotta I got a
philosophy or like a conspiracy.

Speaker 1 (25:50):
That I think.

Speaker 4 (25:51):
I think like around around anywhere from six to like
nine years by that that bubble, something traumatic happen to
every single person in this industry entertainment. That changes you
one way or another. It might make you more optimistic
about you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (26:08):
What was that for you? You remember what it was?
It wasn't.

Speaker 4 (26:12):
Maybe around the time Shine Drop, I just had my
daughter and I was at her name of ceremony and
I found out I got back door on like like
three million dollars at my child's name is ceremony. I
remember storming out on the phone because I signed something

(26:35):
that was supposed to be something schoolterbron management and then
it ended up doing like a breach for something like
a loophole, and I realized that the lawyer was in
on it, like it was the whole thing, and that
changed me.

Speaker 5 (26:53):
Who was you signed to?

Speaker 4 (26:54):
It was just a I don't even know if I'm
a lot, you know what I'm saying, Because it was
a lot. You do not trust people yeah, And I
remember I was on literally when Zala was born, Like
I'm literally like in the hospital, like like I was
my baby was like grabbing her.

Speaker 1 (27:17):
Know what I'm saying.

Speaker 4 (27:18):
I'm literally looking at my phone and I'm like on
shave room for not being able to attend this Barclay show.

Speaker 5 (27:26):
Why was you on your phone during the label in
and out?

Speaker 3 (27:28):
Man?

Speaker 1 (27:29):
There's some things out you don't want to see. But
I was. I was, I was locked in.

Speaker 4 (27:35):
But I mean like like it's just like, oh, wile
doesn't he doesn't attend his Barclay show when it really
is you know, it was an active god clausing my
contract that say because she was it was due and
like just like that, like how how ruthless? It was
like I'm bringing life into this world and like seeing

(27:58):
what that? That changed me when Lotus flower Bomb dropped.
You know, I'm grateful for all the success, but like
you know, I submitted the song and when I heard
it on our Heart Every Hour one hour Stimulus package, right,
my voices pitched up. They made a couple of changes,
and I'm like that changed me. But it was a hit, no,

(28:22):
but it changed me because like how could you work
on this song and and then like imagine you tapping
in conversations with somebody and it's like going to the
world and like you had on the radio, was.

Speaker 6 (28:31):
Like why do I Yep, it didn't sound like what
it was when you're.

Speaker 4 (28:34):
Fins And it just made me again to trust things
and whatever, you know, you know, I mentioned it on
Joe Show, like just even being like, Yo, you're about
to get this award and get up and then you know,
like embarrassment and all of that. Like a lot of
things changed me, like complex leaking the phone, the conversation
we had even though I was lunching a little bit,
but like what company does that? Like like we've all

(28:57):
called a company and cursed them out. They don't post
it things like that, like kind of like you know.

Speaker 2 (29:02):
Like everybody was against you.

Speaker 4 (29:04):
I mean, coming from DC, there's nobody, Like how could
I not Like it ain't nobody that no ogs from
DC was like, I'm gonna make sure he bro they
you know, there wasn't nobody to go to.

Speaker 1 (29:16):
So I I did feel like that.

Speaker 5 (29:19):
We've had these conversations before off their man, happiness is
a choice, not justsgarding anything that you've ever been through,
but happiness is. I always tell you, man, you gotta
look at how great a career you've had.

Speaker 1 (29:32):
I thank God every day there right now.

Speaker 5 (29:35):
But I look at this and I haven't looked at
this Excel freshman class in a long time. But there's
only like one other person.

Speaker 1 (29:41):
Who's nah, I get it.

Speaker 2 (29:43):
I get it, I get it.

Speaker 4 (29:45):
I don't want you to take it that I'm not
happy because like I don't gotta go work and I
don't gotta work in Popeyes. I don't gotta do that.
I've got to do stuff. That's you know what I'm saying.
I understand it's not physically trying, but like right up here,
like it do something to you. It do do something
because I put myself out there. I've been I've been
put out there for fifteen years. Or like you know,

(30:05):
I gotta known album. When I'm above top, I go low,
get low.

Speaker 1 (30:09):
You know you want from me? That's that's that's really
what I mean everything. I promise you.

Speaker 4 (30:14):
I probably got to thinker scin ninety percent of the
population because what I've been through. I'm not like upset,
but sometimes I like, if you get a thousand things
thrown your way, like one of them going like mess
with you.

Speaker 7 (30:27):
You know what I'm saying, what's the perfect relationship with
you between the industry and an artist like wile, Like
if it could go the way you think it would,
because what you're describing is people just being business as usual.

Speaker 9 (30:38):
I just yeah, get around.

Speaker 4 (30:39):
Yeah, it's just it's just to be feeling with. But
I just in the perfect world is just like the
art is the is the thing right now, everybody's saying,
I got one of the best albums of the year easily,
and then I wanted to be the best album of
the twenty twenties. Then I wanted to be one of
the best albums of all time. You know what I'm saying,
Like that in a perfect world to be like that,

(30:59):
but like so many other things coming to play, like
we're not you know, an algorithm told y'all that while
they not good, like while they not hot, or while
they's this or whatever. Algorithm told you that. You know,
algorithm told you that they played the next song for you.
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (31:16):
So we are So I can't battle that I had
a decline.

Speaker 5 (31:20):
I had.

Speaker 4 (31:20):
I had one of the biggest declines in like seals
nothing tour wise changed, but I had the biggest decline
in sales when it went from uh physical to streaming.

Speaker 1 (31:30):
Like it's just like everything.

Speaker 4 (31:32):
I stopped hitting one hundred first week once I went
to streaming because I'm.

Speaker 5 (31:35):
A high box like everybody else you should.

Speaker 1 (31:41):
That's why I start that.

Speaker 4 (31:42):
That's why I start belly off or they say the
streams fake the box running this thing. Wait, I can't,
Like I like, I can't. You know, it's dead Internet,
three types shit going on. So it's like I get it,
like you know, I can't, but it's like I can't
even play that game like it's it's a it's a
I feel like it's just slapping the face of who
hurking them. That's crazy, It's just slapping the face when

(32:04):
you know.

Speaker 3 (32:05):
Because when they play with your name and you say something,
they say you're emotional, But now you understand why you
take it to heart soul strong.

Speaker 4 (32:12):
Because because and then the other thing is like, I
know I know you'll favorite rappers for real, I know them,
and I'm like you think, brah, you think I'm I'm
just honest with my I'm all these guys, like a
lot of these guys be just like they just be
purple like they're not.

Speaker 1 (32:28):
It ain't like that, I know you for real.

Speaker 4 (32:30):
So it do be frustrating because I'm not trying to
be rob rob whatever. But I'm saying what I say.
I'm I'm honest. I tell you my life. A lot
of people like just you know what I mean. So,
like I look at the industry a certain way, I
look at how it is a certain way.

Speaker 5 (32:45):
What did making this album teach you about yourself that
you didn't know before?

Speaker 1 (32:49):
Oh?

Speaker 4 (32:50):
Man, I took it to the limit. Man, I just
took it to the limit. Like my engineer really really
really good technical and like technic technical cool, but he
don't got that thing that we all got, like you
know that thing like like I'm doing like you listen
to like Blanc or Cornerback going, I'm doing four par

(33:10):
harmonies because I'm like, you know, big Jodysy fans, I'm like,
there ain't no rappers doing no four paromedy.

Speaker 1 (33:16):
And I can't even talk to him.

Speaker 4 (33:18):
About callback get on up you D'Angelo, Like I can't
because there's a thing and I didn't realize how much
it matters for the engineer to have that you know
what I'm saying, because havn't really we was really having
I had to really teach to.

Speaker 1 (33:36):
Him while I'm making an album.

Speaker 4 (33:38):
It was it was the this has been the hardest
thing I've ever had to do, like creatively.

Speaker 9 (33:42):
Ever bou Mi Wow and Mira on the Bens.

Speaker 7 (33:46):
It's kind of like a letter to yourself, Like you're
talking to yourself right with you being so vulnerable and
so honest, and you're saying that like you don't take
it as people like you don't inherit the I'm emotional.
I'm just honest, Why did you? Why did while they
feel like he maybe.

Speaker 4 (34:00):
Maybe I am emotionals like you know what I'm saying,
but it's not it's not without it's not without reason.

Speaker 7 (34:06):
I'm saying, Well, I'm just saying I feel like in
this in this song, when I'm hearing you talk to yourself,
I'm like, yes, I want him to do this often
because I want more music.

Speaker 9 (34:13):
I want him out and about.

Speaker 7 (34:15):
But hearing you talk here and right now, it's kind
of like you not letting things get you, but they
are getting to you.

Speaker 9 (34:21):
So I'm wondering why.

Speaker 7 (34:21):
You decided to put a record like this where you're
kind of basically saying I do need that uplifting sometimes
because you've always said I don't care what's going on,
I just.

Speaker 9 (34:28):
Stay away from y'all.

Speaker 4 (34:29):
Could we just like I mean, like it's just you know,
you know, black women put me onto man like Manifest
and all that, Like, so I wanted I just wanted
to put in this song for him, like that joint,
Like it's that joint is really just for black men.

Speaker 1 (34:45):
They ain't.

Speaker 4 (34:45):
They ain't for nobody else. Being on the bands is
for black men. Manifest Like I'm not, I wasn't the biggest.
I'm still not really big on it, but I'm like,
if I'm gonna try it, let me do it in
in the form of a song, you know, like like
and it's like, I'm a mind to myself who inspire
everybody there that's inspiring the youth.

Speaker 1 (35:03):
I want to my horn. I'm just clearing it to you.

Speaker 4 (35:05):
I know you're just mirrit but my fear is only youth,
Like I'm only scared of Like I'm only fearing myself
and what I'm capable of, you know what I'm saying.
So I just have to speak life into my career
because sometimes it do be feeling like I get left
out of a lot of things that I'm not supposed
to be left out of. So I gotta remind myself
like you deserve everything you do. They just want to

(35:26):
get you in the move. They're gonna try us to
work right. Should have never stopped listening to you, And
that's the inner child in me, Like, should never stop listening.
I should have never stopped listening to the child, the
kid that was bold enough to try rap in DC
and may it like that that he's somewhere inside here
as jaded as I am. He's somewhere inside and I'm

(35:48):
trying to pull it out. I should have never stopped
listening to you.

Speaker 5 (35:51):
What made you stop listening to him? Noise Industry, I.

Speaker 4 (35:54):
Think we all stopped listening to our inner child sometimes,
like it's like this this game, you know, failure or
like like not reaching your goals. You try to reroute things.
You try like, man, Okay, I'm gonna do it this way,
I'm gonna do it that way. You know what I'm saying, though,
And sometimes when you do that, you lose your in
a child. I hear comedians talk about it all the time.

Speaker 1 (36:15):
I hear you know.

Speaker 4 (36:16):
Rappers say it in other ways or you can see
it how they've lost their inner child and this industry
would do it to you. Like it's not again, I'm
grateful for my where I'm at, but it's a It's
like playing Madden on like the hardest level, or playing
video game on the hardest level and get harder and harder.

Speaker 5 (36:34):
Year.

Speaker 6 (36:35):
Have you given up on seeing metric success because on
like you say, this album isn't going platinum no matter
how this shit get done.

Speaker 5 (36:42):
I mean, no matter how this shit is done.

Speaker 4 (36:44):
Yeah, you see, you see what's happening to me. You
don't want to let it happen to us?

Speaker 1 (36:49):
So how.

Speaker 4 (36:52):
How deep I go into my work and how the
goals I set for myself? Any man God has go
whatever mine's is? Like yo, like, you see how much
you see how this dun is torturing me as an
as an artist, as a man, as a person, as
a father. Like you see how I was torturing me,
But you like and you lift me up all these times,

(37:15):
and I know I'm not at my best, But you
don't want what's happening over here that break us down?
You know what I'm saying, Cause again the levity I
talked about, it's heavy for you. See, I see I'm
looking at Instagram, Twitter, I'm looking at TV, I'm listening
to the radio, Like, I see what you're going through.

Speaker 1 (37:35):
I don't want it to happen, you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 5 (37:37):
But there's also power and words. Why you don't say
you're going platinum.

Speaker 4 (37:40):
If I'm if I'm talking to That's why I'm honest,
because if i'm if I'm really talking somebody, if I'm
really like that song is like, Yo, you come home
from the club and like she's like like you can
see that she's kind of over like and I'm like, Yo,
this ain't gonna plat no, how Like it's hyperbole for real.
I think you can't go plotting them. But I'm just saying, like, yo,

(38:01):
like sorry, this ain't going I'm doing my best. I'm
trying to do them possible, and I'm losing my mind
in the process. I'm losing my mind in the process.
He ain't going to plat the no matter what I do.

Speaker 6 (38:12):
But you know what I'm saying, I think that's just
the defense mechanism to manage your expectations or your disappointments.

Speaker 1 (38:17):
But I mean I understand the layer of where we're
at right now.

Speaker 3 (38:23):
You know, I want to know we talk about you know,
you talk about friend groups and people that you can
lean on, right we talk about people are working with
like me, Sharla, Jess Lauren.

Speaker 1 (38:31):
We don't hang out with.

Speaker 3 (38:32):
Each other outside of the show, but they are people
that I can call upon if I have a problem
or I can give me advice. Do you have that
in the industry where somebody you could say, Yo, I
need that, or what it is you have.

Speaker 5 (38:41):
That that nigga be hitting to me? Don't let that
nigga fool you. Nah, we don't hang about you don't
always a shoulder for you to lean I don't.

Speaker 6 (38:54):
Invent Sam because he'll laugh right at you.

Speaker 1 (38:58):
A little bit of that.

Speaker 4 (38:59):
Like I like, like my cousin who passed, I was
just telling me about. I was like, now looking back
on it, I was like I definitely was in the
psychosist for like two weeks at least, because I just
looking back on it, just things I was doing. I
remember I called Kendrick round that time. We talked about
like like we just had that was at that time,

(39:21):
and I remember like like getting ready to have my child.
I talked to cold. That was probably only two times
I really leaned on an industry person, you know.

Speaker 8 (39:32):
So.

Speaker 4 (39:33):
But the crazy thing is FoST prophets came up the
next day, post came out this very next day after.
But I ain't take it, you know what I'm saying.
But I think, nah, but I mean he said it's
not really about me. But what I mean, all I'm
saying is that that's that's my I love him, that's

(39:54):
my brother.

Speaker 1 (39:54):
Whatever.

Speaker 4 (39:55):
I just I mean, I think I kind of halted
telling any industry for anything too deep like around that time,
Like I just like, you know what, I don't even
I don't even want to think that they using this,
like you know what I'm saying. So the answers to
that question is no, no, no more no.

Speaker 5 (40:15):
What is heartbreak taught you about yourself? And I ain't
even just talking about romantic heartbreak.

Speaker 4 (40:20):
I'm talking about you know what crazy, Well, well that's
ster romantic heartbreak a bunch.

Speaker 1 (40:26):
Of man it's crazy like because.

Speaker 4 (40:31):
Like the ex that told me that I was cold,
like she was definitely right, you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (40:38):
And but also.

Speaker 4 (40:42):
Like as soon as we broke up, like she got
had a baby. So I'm like, so it's like I
try to like, you know, I don't know if you
have any of year I ever talked to somebody like
for a long time and then like y'all have like
a super small fight with y'all. I never speaking, but
that's happened, and then I thought I was in love

(41:03):
with that person. I'm like, damn, like we just like
like I had like a like about leaving a box
of cereal open and you want to work and never
seen senor again, or you just super on on every
couch in l A like having a time like so I.

Speaker 1 (41:20):
Don't know, you know, that's who did all this ship?

Speaker 4 (41:25):
Nah, it ain't nobody. How come we're not talking about
where to start? It's watching us where to start? Tomorrow
Today something just as much.

Speaker 1 (41:39):
It's just as much sunshine it is. It's rain on.

Speaker 4 (41:43):
You know why I made Tomorrow Today is because at
the time there was so many contrived toxic love songs
like just the fake be toxic, And I'm like, whatever
happened to being like Okay, I'm pressed now what what
we're gonna do now? I'm pressed? Cool, what you're gonna
make fun? Of me, because nobody in your phone is me?
So whatever, who you going to tell? Tell your friends?

Speaker 1 (42:06):
Yeah? While they pressed off me and still what what's
going on? So I wanted to make it.

Speaker 2 (42:11):
I wanted.

Speaker 1 (42:12):
I wanted to make a love song.

Speaker 3 (42:13):
I just wanted to be because I was pressed with
my wife and I was pressed. And look at you
now with the hundred kids, twenty four years.

Speaker 4 (42:21):
Mar man and all them cars and stuff. You got
your partner, I got them right.

Speaker 1 (42:26):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (42:26):
So I'm just saying, like tomorrow today like yo, like
I like, yeah, I'm spending.

Speaker 1 (42:32):
So what love tricky to dress? Try I play with
my heart.

Speaker 4 (42:35):
You're gonna need a man, no glove, the ship being cold,
it's not cold right now. I'm optimistic, So it ain't
who broke your heart all the time. It's like I
seen you ten minutes ago, dropped you off. I really
want to spend and come back. I don't want to
wait till tomorrow. Fuck with you like that.

Speaker 5 (42:51):
Oh you in love right now?

Speaker 4 (42:53):
Damn, oh oh boy, don't give me no poem.

Speaker 5 (42:58):
Yo.

Speaker 6 (42:58):
You're in love right now.

Speaker 1 (43:00):
Yes, right away.

Speaker 3 (43:01):
So whatever happened now, you're go get in trouble and
get back to the crib Now, I don't know.

Speaker 4 (43:08):
I don't know if I should answer that. I don't
know if I don't know how to. I don't know
how to answer that question.

Speaker 7 (43:14):
What you mean you don't know how to? You're dating
that you would contemplate being in love with, or.

Speaker 1 (43:21):
You don't want to put your heart out there. I
think all of the answers is in the album, Like.

Speaker 9 (43:28):
No, for sure, I was going to say when you
said to.

Speaker 1 (43:30):
Because you actually ya.

Speaker 4 (43:31):
Actually y'all actually cooked with the questions because I was like,
I ain't know what y'all really got lyrics and stuff.

Speaker 9 (43:37):
It's amusing.

Speaker 5 (43:39):
I mean, I'm still I'm even thinking about the nunderum
when you start off, my baby mother told her new
husband she had to move on.

Speaker 9 (43:46):
She was ready to be a wife.

Speaker 4 (43:48):
She's trying to be a wife, and we've been fighting
for too long. But that's the price. That's the price
of his life. I pray for GUIDs in and coupons.
Sh is expensive on your heart. I can't say nothing.
I can't and and uh damn, okay, here's a little
bit that I'll say that I won't turn away. The

(44:09):
original line was my baby mother told me she loved me,
but got to move on.

Speaker 1 (44:14):
I was like why and now the hallelujah.

Speaker 4 (44:18):
Then I changed it to my baby mother, Uh told
me it's fuck me, I'm about to move on.

Speaker 1 (44:25):
I was like why.

Speaker 4 (44:26):
Then it turned to my baby mother told her new
husband she had to move on. So those are all
the stages and the making his album that had happened.
We already we already we ain't we been not together.
Like you know what I'm saying, She's a great mom.
I don't really got nothing bad to say about her,
like we bump heads, but like great mom, solid woman,

(44:47):
all of these things. Uh, it just didn't work, you
know what I'm saying. And I went through all them stages.
Loved you, goodbye you, fuck you, goodbye. Hey, I got
this guy. I'm out. And I will say, like the
craziest thing about it all is like he's a really

(45:10):
good dude, and it's like, Bro.

Speaker 1 (45:12):
It could be a it could be a real.

Speaker 4 (45:15):
Like learning or teaching a moment for like niggas understand, Like, Bro,
you don't got to be like he not You're not
in the media, opt you know what I'm saying. Like
the dude, the dude does community stuff. He does he's
really good with Zalah.

Speaker 1 (45:33):
Like he's just.

Speaker 4 (45:34):
Saying, like I could see he's like a nigga as
you could go out and have a drink with like
you can. It's okay to move on in your life,
you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 5 (45:41):
And how long how long after y'all broke up?

Speaker 4 (45:44):
I mean, uh, I don't even I don't even know
because I wasn't when it was over.

Speaker 1 (45:50):
I just I checked out of that so I wouldn't.

Speaker 4 (45:52):
I wouldn't in their business and I never you know,
and then you know, cole parenting is a thing that's
like it's it's different for everybody.

Speaker 5 (46:00):
About it is coming up? Did you man?

Speaker 4 (46:05):
I might have to come up here with old boy
and and and talk about because it really brou like
if you if like.

Speaker 1 (46:12):
You have a child was in my like it do
matter who they be around.

Speaker 4 (46:16):
And he's he's just a dude that's like we got
It's almost like I like he get why I couldn't
do it, and I get why he can't, you know
what I'm saying, Like he'd be on it like bro
like I get it because you know a lot of
artists too. He'll be like, man, I get it. Like, bro,
you're trying. You just you're doing you. You know what
I'm saying, I'm gonna bring it. I'm gonna bring her over.
Like you know what I'm saying, Oh, this is what

(46:36):
happened at school because I can't even talk.

Speaker 1 (46:40):
I can't. It's it's hard for me, my daughter mother to.

Speaker 4 (46:43):
Even talks the like we we respect is love.

Speaker 1 (46:47):
It was just like it's too much.

Speaker 4 (46:49):
So me and slim Be talking and it's like kind
of refreshing because it's like I don't got worry if
you know what I'm saying, I don't got worried. And
also like you know, they just had another kid, and
it's like my daughter got brother.

Speaker 1 (47:03):
Now that's a that's a new reality for me, Like
you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 4 (47:07):
And he just make he making it easier than it
could it could be really difficult, and you know what
I'm saying, Oh, I'm grateful for that.

Speaker 5 (47:15):
What's something you want your child to learn from watching
your journey? Not your music, but just your your life?

Speaker 4 (47:21):
Man a lot actually, because it's like she don't she
don't understand, like you know, like when we was growing up,
like we was all really really was we just ain't
have nothing. And you know, you got two immigrant parents
meet it U DC and have me like they trying to.

Speaker 1 (47:38):
Figure it out. I just like, how hard, like how
hard I work?

Speaker 4 (47:43):
So she don't got you know, like even sniff anything
close to what I had to go through. Oh no,
you know my cousin Banger, the actor, he's on wire
and all that. Like we was, you know, I was
the baby. We always used to walk could we live
in DC that to Maryland And I just remember like
my mom would drop us a banging house and all

(48:05):
of us walking to school.

Speaker 1 (48:06):
Like I look back at that.

Speaker 4 (48:08):
It's like, bro, we ain't have not tag for real,
like for so long, and it's like our job. You
just trying to make sure like she don't even got
sniffed dad, you know what I'm saying. But sometimes and parents,
and it's crazy because what we do, We got more
money than people our ad parents are, so they getting
these they getting these other environments that we put them

(48:31):
in because we got we got you know what I'm saying, Like,
so it kind of shapes their personality a little bit.
I just think it's kind of crazy, Like you know
what I'm saying, Like you know, having no you know.

Speaker 1 (48:43):
Private schools and all that exactly.

Speaker 4 (48:47):
So yeah, but like I just wanted to have like
like more than what I had, And maybe I might
obsess over it too much because I work crazy to
be like, yo, everything is taken care of, you know
what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (48:59):
But that's a big thing.

Speaker 4 (49:00):
I just learned to know how hard I go, and
then when she get to the agent, she find her
passion whatever it is, to understand like, this is this
is what we do in this family.

Speaker 1 (49:10):
We work, we go hard, we grind it out.

Speaker 5 (49:14):
Beautiful.

Speaker 7 (49:15):
The text that you sent your mom, Wow, the album
with all this great praise that the album is getting.
Mom listened to it, did she say you did?

Speaker 5 (49:22):
Okay?

Speaker 1 (49:23):
My mom is not like she don't like she don't.
I don't. I still don't.

Speaker 4 (49:31):
It's just like, Mommy, you don't understand or you don't
really care.

Speaker 1 (49:34):
It's one of the other.

Speaker 4 (49:36):
But it took a long time in my career for
even to even acknowledge this is a real job, you
know what I'm saying. I think it was when I
met Obama, when I performed at the White House, because
that's that's the biggest picture in the living room now
you've been doing it for that long and that was yeah,
that's crazy, right, But it's like I can't be mad her,
like she my mom had a hard life in Nigeria.

(49:59):
She early got here, like you know what I'm saying.
So it's like sometimes I try to be like get
like juice her up, like mommy, you see what I'm doing,
like ain't you happy? Like and she's just like yeah,
that's nice, like you know what I'm saying the subjects.
So I don't know. I think it's just like as
we get older, like like I just I do be
y'all like want her validation. I ain't really care when
I was younger, like my whatever, like like I still

(50:22):
pay bills and take care of it like y'all, like
wanted her to know, like you know what I'm saying
because I was really bad, like I was really troubled
when I was a child, like I ain't go to
no regular school after second grade, when from second grade
to the last semester of my senior year, I was

(50:43):
in all types of different programs.

Speaker 1 (50:45):
Like yeah, do you want to make I just want to.

Speaker 4 (50:51):
Be like yo, you like you know what I'm saying,
Like I know it's an orthodox like whatever. But like
see how they see how they react when I go
to Nigeria, Mommy, like you see how whatever. So I'll
be trying to you know, make her. But you know
Nigerian parents, man, they they like that, like a lot
of immigrant parents was like that.

Speaker 5 (51:09):
So you mentioned on the album a couple of times
that she basically wants you to get married.

Speaker 1 (51:14):
Man.

Speaker 4 (51:16):
My brother got my brother like since the last album,
my little cousin whom he met his wife at like
an album release party a long time ago. They married,
got beautiful family. We went to Nigeria, a crazy wedding
and all that stuff, you know Naderians like they five

(51:37):
outfit changes, choreography all that.

Speaker 1 (51:40):
You know. It was the time.

Speaker 4 (51:41):
Then my brother he getting married out here, kind of
a smaller thing. He wanted to do a low key
but it's like like dang, I went from never been
to a wedding until like some of the close people
in my life getting married and like you know, all
the aunties dead, all the grandmothers they are, like all
the elders dead. And I'm you know, coming in like

(52:02):
it ain't no way I cannot be me, Like you know
what I'm saying. So I'm hearing it from everybody, So
what are you doing? What is your own wife? What
are you doing? Like it became a theme, like and
I'm like literally working on the album while I'm at
these weddings. And it's like I like, all right, I
get it, you know what I'm saying. I get it. Yeah,
But also there is a thing that I hope none

(52:27):
of that, like my elder Nigerian like uncle, I don't
take this wrong with it, but like there's a culture
of well it goes for a lot of immigrant parents,
like they always want to show their friends, Oh look
my son just got married. Look at that wed my son.
There's the doctor, my son just graduated college. Like you
know what I'm saying, They always want to do that.

(52:48):
And you know, I don't know what more. I don't know.
I don't know. I don't think the music shit phases
my you know. So I hear the marriage thing and like,
you know, understand why.

Speaker 5 (53:00):
You can't find some money though, because he now, okay.

Speaker 4 (53:04):
You know she thinking she'd be thinking like man, she'd
be like trying to put like put blind dates together.
I'm like, Mommy, ain't no way like I'm like, these
girls are finessing you like they know what they trying
to they telling them they're trying to ask. She's like, no,
she doesn't know your famous is it? She's not Jerrying
and she's from Baltimore, Like you know, mommy stopped. We

(53:27):
always gonna happen when it happened, like don't try.

Speaker 1 (53:30):
But she was like, yo, this is not ni. Jerry
is nineteen sixty, Like wait, will.

Speaker 2 (53:34):
They be finding your mother? First of all?

Speaker 1 (53:36):
Like, man, they now she got you know, she got friends.
She be our friends.

Speaker 4 (53:40):
Now she keep it low for real, like she keep
it low but like she got you know, church friends
and all that. Okay, oh, like you know, like she
thinks she's doing the right thing.

Speaker 1 (53:48):
God bless them.

Speaker 9 (53:49):
Are you dating too?

Speaker 8 (53:51):
Mary?

Speaker 9 (53:51):
Right now?

Speaker 1 (53:52):
Yeah? Man? Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.

Speaker 4 (53:55):
I have that realization within these four years, like I drop,
Like I'm like, bro, it's like a lot like because
that that that you find shit that that wears off
in like two weeks. Like then it's like yo, can
we laugh? Can we like can I can we decompress?

Speaker 1 (54:14):
You know what I'm saying?

Speaker 4 (54:14):
Can we do we ever? Like what our interests? Like
that keep this jump you know what I'm saying. Can
you understand me if I don't feel like talking for
like a day or whatever, like just be those things
and like you really want again, You want to build,
you want to keep going to whatever. Every all of
us in here got something up then that nobody's complacent.
You gotta find somebody that's like that make you not complacent,

(54:38):
that make you feel like your wife, make you feel
like y'all still in it. Like you gotta pick the
person that's like you really can see yourself really building
with like when things when when babies come, wait, fluctuates
or you know, you around a million perfect joints a day,

(55:00):
like like you know what I'm saying, Like you it matters,
Like don't nobody want to be like having a juggle
about one hundred emotions unless you on that poly ship.
But I don't know, we don't know how that that
if it's that sustainable with that, but yeah, it be
it dating in the.

Speaker 5 (55:17):
Marry Nigerian and you don't ever want more than one.

Speaker 4 (55:21):
I think that's an old trope. I don't know if
that's it's accurate, but I used to think, like you know, yeah,
maybe every spread like so.

Speaker 1 (55:31):
I'm never alone, but I don't know. I don't think
so you don't got patience.

Speaker 4 (55:38):
But also a lot of people in that world kind
of like they settle. The women settled like, yeah, he
don't got patience, but I'll take what I can get
type thing you.

Speaker 5 (55:48):
Don't want to ask you man, You know, everything is
a lot. I think it's your best body of work.
When I when I heard it a few weeks ago,
I was like, oo, this is classic Wale, Like it's
just like everything that you love about Walle is in
this album. And I think about jay Z when he
was on Breakfast Club thirteen years ago and we asked
him who from this new era we're gonna he is
gonna be around in the future. Name three people? He said,

(56:10):
obviously Cole, he said Drake absolutely, or for Drake absolutely,
Kendrick as well, and then he said just on Shill
Will and wanting it, hile A is gonna be here.
So you have that kind of vision. So who do
you see now that's gonna be here ten years from that?

Speaker 8 (56:23):
Uh?

Speaker 5 (56:24):
Have they reached the level to get a shout up?

Speaker 1 (56:26):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (56:27):
Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 8 (56:27):
These people that I'm about to mention definitely reached the level.
I mean obviously Jake Cole Drake absolutely, uh, Kendrick as well.
I think just just on on He's talented, very talented,
but just on on share will and wanting it. Yle

(56:49):
A is gonna be here as well.

Speaker 5 (56:51):
Yeah, you think about that statement thirteen years ago and
you here still, you know, giving us terrific musical.

Speaker 4 (56:56):
First of all, you're gonna you're gonna fly that in
the thing. Just making sure these whipper snappers need to know.

Speaker 1 (57:05):
But right, Nah, what was the end question? Again?

Speaker 5 (57:10):
How did that make you feel?

Speaker 1 (57:11):
Oh? Ship?

Speaker 4 (57:13):
I remember that day actually because that's when I was
at Regnation, and I think Emory was like like like
I always used to come like come upstairs off like
just being with everybody, like the whole like building, whatever.
And Emory was like, y'all, y'all, Broy, you're gonna like
what You're gonna like what Bro said on it? You

(57:34):
know he sound like he Bottimore, He don't like what
like what Bro said on it on the jont Man
I was talking about like you're gonna see and then
uh then I then I actually then Jake came around
and he was just like whatever like and then like
when they when they finally hit.

Speaker 1 (57:50):
I was like, oh, you.

Speaker 4 (57:51):
Know what I'm saying, like like okay, I'm not gonna
I'm not gonna let him down at all, Like you
know what I'm saying that joint. It keeps me motivated
to this day that he he saw that in me,
because it's like but then, like now that I'm way
older now, I think back to like what could make
him think that? And I remember when we was when
this is when I first dropped out of school, Like
people don't understand, like when I was torn with my ronson.

(58:14):
We was opening for Ja, so he had his eye
on me for a long time. I remember I forgot
where we were. We just like like maybe like a
week stretch, and he that's what they started being comfortable
letting me around, so like he got him up. We
slapped boxing and everything at this point, and I remember
he saw me because I ain't had no songs out

(58:35):
like that. I have mixtape songs and I'm doing like
sixty thousand people with Mark having to keep the crowd going,
and he saw around the time more about nothing drop.
He saw the process of me hearing the song with
them like Bungalow eight or one of them clubs and

(58:56):
like bobbing my head to it to like it being
on the mixtape, to me performing it because I ain't
have no joint. So I sampled this song called Black
and Gold that was big in like the UK Island
around that time, and that made it like an EDM song.
And I remember walking off that stage and he dapped me.

(59:16):
He was like, dog, you different, you'd be figuring it
out because he saw when I just get your hands
up random hip hop dah da to me doing an
EDM record and be like, Okay, I know they gonna
know the hook and they got I figured that out
early and he always admired that. So I think that
when he said the resilient thing, he saw everything that

(59:37):
I was going through with them, even the chilling video
like when the debut don't want them to Si the Park.
It was completely different. He was in the office. He
saw what I was going through. Pretty earl video. They
actually put it out with a green screen in the
background instead of what it was supposed to be. He
was there with that and he just see how I

(59:58):
kept maneuvering, like yeah, I kirk out online, I'll be mad.
But he would see how like land On my feet
or like bounce back with something. So I think that's
why he said that, like looking back on it, but
it rejuiced me for my like I'm always I always
think about that.

Speaker 7 (01:00:12):
Yeah know that that sounds like community, right, and that's
how you said it was that sounds like management management,
But that sounds like but do you know how many
times you have management but like they don't care enough
to even watch you go through these things and do
as much as they can and give you props to
push you into the.

Speaker 1 (01:00:28):
Use a business though it is definitely not gonna. It's
definitely been.

Speaker 4 (01:00:32):
And also like he is Michael Jordan and Michael, you
can't ask Michael Jordan why the thirteens don't fit like
the twelves, you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (01:00:41):
So it's like it was business. He definitely took a
liking to me.

Speaker 4 (01:00:44):
But it's still like I'm still earn earth like Earn
and the potential, not saying that that's why, but it's
just like, you know, I don't I don't look at
that as community. Community is me asking black dog, like, yo,
what you think about this hook or this this flow
of this cadence like or me talking to young Chris
about like, man, what you think like sending them a verse?

Speaker 1 (01:01:05):
Like what you think that is?

Speaker 4 (01:01:06):
It's on right, Like that's that's the communities stuff like that.

Speaker 6 (01:01:12):
We got indy visuals coming for everything is man?

Speaker 1 (01:01:15):
Uh force aby fire man. What you're doing after this? Uh?

Speaker 5 (01:01:23):
Now, yeah, we're gonna we're gonna put out some visuals
when people finish this album. What's the one truth you
want them to sit with?

Speaker 1 (01:01:30):
I want them.

Speaker 4 (01:01:31):
I want them to feel like they watched a movie
like whatever, however, if you like it, love it, hate it,
you know, watch watch the movie and and understand if
you if they take it like, oh this is a movie.
I didn't like it or I didn't understand it.

Speaker 1 (01:01:47):
Cool as a movie.

Speaker 4 (01:01:47):
You run it back and watch it again and look,
you know what I'm saying, Look, go look online, go
on read it whatever that it break down.

Speaker 1 (01:01:53):
I want them to.

Speaker 4 (01:01:54):
Really see the whole picture because I'm I mean that
the work starts now with that album, Like you know,
the work really starts now, like okay, it's out, like
all right, let me make let me push like my songs,
let me make sure they're in people's hands, like and
that they know the movie. So any feedback is appreciated

(01:02:16):
because niggas can feel how they feel. But like, don't
not don't look at it like oh, a playlist or
nothing like it ain't that. This is a this is
a real thing. These stories are in it. They're weaving
within each other.

Speaker 1 (01:02:28):
Let's get into a join of that.

Speaker 5 (01:02:29):
Well, I got one more at this point in your career,
what part of a while later you feel people still misunderstandable.

Speaker 4 (01:02:36):
I think people think I'm angry. I even sit it
on mirrors. The people people think you're crazy, and the
crack is think you too aggressive? You know what I'm saying,
Like where I live ain't no black people, so it's
like I can't even like, you know, I'll be trying
to go for my little jogs and put the shisty
on because it could be anybody. Actually, I was jogging

(01:02:57):
on my neighbor on time and Rihanna text me was.

Speaker 1 (01:03:00):
Like, Yo, is that you running around? I was like,
what what you mean? You know what I'm saying? And
I was just like, how did you see me? She
was like yo?

Speaker 8 (01:03:07):
Me?

Speaker 1 (01:03:07):
And Rocky was driving past me, So are you running?
You know what I'm saying?

Speaker 4 (01:03:10):
But a little quick snubber, but it makes sense to
the question. Let me what was the question again? Let
me talk back at this point in your career. You know,
what do you think people still misunderstand? Yeah, they think
I think they think I'm like mad all the time.
And it's like, bro, I just be out the way
and like, well I was going back to the running thing,
Like bro, I just be running. I got this little

(01:03:32):
thing I run. And it's like it's always the feeling
of like they white people thinking I'm upset, and then
when I come in my own culture, they be like
he's whining.

Speaker 1 (01:03:45):
He's up just because everybody try to.

Speaker 4 (01:03:47):
Play too cool and I just be saying what I
say like people just to be thinking I'm mad, and like, bro,
I'm not mad at all.

Speaker 1 (01:03:53):
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 4 (01:03:53):
Like when I'm mad, i'all gonna know it for real,
you know what I'm saying, Like because I'm I'm I'm
a I'm a veteran crack shout like like but no, no,
I'm not. People just thinking nigga mad. I just be
over a lot of this. I'm over like the fake stuff.
I'm over like, oh, let me get the feature, then
let me pop off and let me never let me
act like you know what I'm saying, I'm over all

(01:04:15):
of that. And then you know, the over face might
look upset, but some of your joke I laugh like
you feel me like if it ain't nothing funny, I
ain't about to be said.

Speaker 1 (01:04:24):
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 4 (01:04:26):
People just think I'm upset all the time, and that's
that's gonna be further from you.

Speaker 1 (01:04:30):
I love you, all right. Well, let's get into it, Joe.
What you will hear? So? I got a requests I
want Can I hear four songs? Why not? Because I
want to know. I want to know what record?

Speaker 4 (01:04:49):
Because like literally I asked everybody their favorite song, it's
always a different jump. So let's pick three three okay, okay,
can everybody? Can everybody just give me one? And then
m hm, he said where to start?

Speaker 9 (01:05:01):
Yeah? I know that w one't been out there though,
But that's my one.

Speaker 5 (01:05:05):
Powering problems, power problems.

Speaker 4 (01:05:09):
I won't say pound problems now, that's just the one,
just the one that I know they didn't hit out.

Speaker 1 (01:05:18):
Yeah, okay, that's a good choice.

Speaker 6 (01:05:20):
Belly cool too, but power problems.

Speaker 4 (01:05:23):
I feel like belly is like my I was telling
I was telling the label this, so I think Belly
is my like this is my new Wiet song, Like
this is if somebody want to know who he is
about where he's from.

Speaker 1 (01:05:39):
Belly is the jump.

Speaker 4 (01:05:41):
But I will say out of them three we can
do Belly Pound Problems in uh City on file and
then corner Bottles one get corner? Can we squeeze half
a corner bottles in there?

Speaker 5 (01:05:57):
It's one you almost sound like Ross.

Speaker 6 (01:06:00):
Oh my god, yes, I want to like click.

Speaker 9 (01:06:07):
It because I'm like, is this like a blink backround?

Speaker 4 (01:06:10):
It was homage. It was like the style I thought
it was, you know, because that's like a little nod
the Ross, Like you know what I'm saying, Like I'm like,
it's always gonna be, always gonna be locked in, you
know what I'm saying that I wanted to show homage
in a unique way. And also like you know, if
you've seen Godfather, like you know how like nuanced it
is like if you know, like I always always I

(01:06:34):
used to see myself as Sonny like because like hot
head and make like you know what I'm saying, I've
kind of like smoothed it out a little bit more
and like it's more of a Michael, now you know
what I'm saying, Because Sonny got spanked because he couldn't
control his temper for real. Michael was more like, you know,

(01:06:55):
you know what I'm saying, and afraid those there's a
lot of freidos running around. It's just they can't. They're
not they don't need to be in no rooms type stuff.
So yeah, but as far as the flow and the beat,
that's all like me just paying homage to rows like
I ain't.

Speaker 1 (01:07:09):
A lot of a lot of people said I sound
like I don't. I don't. My tone is completely different
than here, So I just start.

Speaker 9 (01:07:19):
Did he know that that homage was coming or he's
finding out?

Speaker 1 (01:07:22):
He might be finding out right now when you hear this.

Speaker 3 (01:07:25):
All right, Well there you have it, Wile album.

Speaker 1 (01:07:28):
Everything is a lot is out now. We appreciate you, Brotter.

Speaker 4 (01:07:30):
Thank you, and I'm sorry. I'm like still a little
time from last night. Literally, so the junk with me
and Leon I ain't changed.

Speaker 1 (01:07:42):
I slept in this. It came in, so thank y'all.
The great It's wi It's the Breakfast Club.

Speaker 2 (01:07:48):
Good morning every day, click up, Breakfast Club.

Speaker 1 (01:07:54):
Finished, y'all.

Speaker 5 (01:07:55):
Dump