March 21, 2025 • 59 mins
Gotti breaks a 13-year silence with us on Dream Keepers Radio with Don Kilam, sharing his incredible journey through the music industry. We uncover his steadfast commitment to principles over profit, and what it really means to stay genuine in an industry often dictated by commercial success. Gotti’s stories from the Chicago streets to signing with major labels like Cash Money are filled with insights on authenticity, respect, and the transformative power of staying true to oneself amidst the chaos of fame. His reflections shed light on the importance of grounding yourself in peace and love, resonating deeply with an audience searching for connection.
The world of independent music industry success is rich with stories of networking, collaboration, and the transition from artist to executive roles. We spotlight Gotti’s work with artists like G Herbo, Jacques, Baby, Big Tymers, Lil Wayne, Jay Z, Jermaine Dupri, Irv Gotti, and Yung Scooter, as well as his creation of a consulting company to guide others through the business's complexities. Emphasizing the importance of relationships, Gotti shares experiences that underscore how crucial freedom and autonomy are in pursuing a fulfilling career. It's a conversation about leveraging connections, acknowledging contributions, and the vital role of community support in building a legacy.
Finally, we explore the challenges and triumphs of navigating the music industry as Gotti recounts his journey from solo artist to executive, highlighting major collaborations and personal growth. With anecdotes about working with icons like Kanye West and Lil Wayne, the episode paints a vivid picture of the evolving landscape of music. Gotti offers valuable insights into the balance between management and self-guidance, the power of mentorship, and the relentless passion needed to fuel a successful career. Join us for an inspiring exploration of creativity, resilience, and the lessons learned along the way.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
peace and love, peace and love.
It's your boy, don kalam, alsoknown as malik kalam.
There's always prosperity, yourdivine birthright.
We're in chicago, illinois,with dream keepers radio podcast
and I have a special guest inthe building, but the one and
only gadi man, it's an honor andprivilege to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Thanks for having me don kalam dream Keepers Radio.
I'm just excited to answerquestions.
I haven't did an interview inmaybe about 13 years wow, 13
years yeah, I think it's been atleast 12, 13 years.
My last interview I just Iprobably turned down maybe no
exaggeration at least 100interviews wow, I totally
(00:43):
believe you yeah, you know I'vealready heard about the other
situations.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
People want to make you presidents and you said all
money ain't good money.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
It's not, yeah With me, it's principle over profits.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Wow, that's powerful.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
That's powerful.
That's really powerful.
I go by Don Kalam.
I know you don't know too muchwhat I do.
I teach the private life andthings like that.
I came into the game justlearning private music contracts
and learning how really some ofthe labels screw people over.
Hearing your story, it soundslike they made sure you got some
money.
Other labels you don't hearthose things.
(01:20):
We could just use TLC for anexample.
I don't even think they've seenI'm going to drop the number
you gave me, is that okay?
Yeah?
that's cool, so I don't eventhink TLC's seen $650,000.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Yeah, you know what I mean.
You said when you went to thelabel.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
They gave you that.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Yeah, they gave us $650,000 and we split it.
Of course, my lawyer took$20,000, a Shapiro firm.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
That's not even a lot , though that's a good deal.
I think that's all the attorneytook.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Yeah Well, cash Money did right boss, like everything
, I hear stories, but Baby Slim.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
I haven't heard those stories about Cash Money other
than the stuff in the public.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yeah, Baby and Slim took good care of us.
They don't owe me anything Like.
Everything they did was awesome.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
All right, they don't owe me anything like.
Everything they did was awesome, all right, and I just want you
to know, um, I was inspiredwith cash money also when I read
their books.
I don't know if you know theyhave a publishing company, that
they actually write books andthey're big in prison yeah, you
educated me on yeah and um, itmade me feel good because I've
seen so to relate to our peopleI want to get off subject too
much, but to relate to ourpeople, some things need to be
misspelled.
(02:26):
So I've seen there was somemisspellings and things in a
book and that's why people readmy books.
Yeah, that's why my fan base ispredominantly the so-called
black community yeah you know,that makes sense, because people
always try to fix my books.
I said don't fix my books,that's how my people relate to
me.
Yeah, because, hey, it's, it's.
We're not perfect, you know.
I mean ebonics is when the waywe talk isn't, isn't perfect,
(02:49):
english anyways, you know, butyeah, definitely, um, as you
could, as you could tell, I'mnot as connected as you, but I
am connected in the musicindustry man, my people love you
, my people respect you, so thatmade me um.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
When I met you respect you and and I did my
research and it's none but goodthings.
That's why I was excited aboutthe interview and whatever else
you wanted to do.
When I align with someone,someone that's righteous and
they got good energy and a goodheart, I'll go to the moon and
bet that's that's appreciated.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Um, one thing that's different between me and you is
you don't.
I haven't seen you talk anyshit, but I have heard you was
wild back in the day just know,that I have heard you was a wild
young buck man yeah, I thinkeverybody got a pass.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah, my pass is not who I am now, but yeah, I was
wild.
I got into a lot of stuff yeah,cause you're calm cool cool and
collective.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
It's always it's.
Your instagram name is peacefulgod.
Yeah, that's what I see.
That's what I witnessappreciate it's real, because I
say peace and love when I starteverything, but I will cut your
ass out, but maybe that's peaceto me yeah, you know you gotta
find your niche and go with it.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Everybody calling different right, that's right.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Um I you, I sent you some questions, and some
questions like um I just goingoff your bio you know we worked
on your bio and things like that, but let's just start from the
beginning.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
You grew up in chicago yeah, I was born and
raised in chicago, the west side, um cook county hospital, then,
uh, across from flowers highschool on central park, and then
, when I was about four or five,moved to chicago avenue and
mayfield and then I moved tobellwood until I was 14.
I was 13, going on 14, moved tobellwood and then, um, at
(04:40):
either going on 14 or I was 14,moved to my grandmother house on
north avenue and that's why Iended up um staying um and real
quick.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
So when you first started getting noticed and
known I'm sure as soon as yougot spotted, people wanted
pictures and just wanted to talkto you and get autographs.
Was that the case in chicago?
Speaker 2 (05:00):
yeah, it was pictures , autographs, hugs, just
conversations, advice.
Yeah, it was a lot of stuff.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
It never bothered you .
Speaker 2 (05:08):
It only bothered me, like if I was eating with a
family member or my daughter,like I got one daughter.
So if I was with my daughter ora family member, like, yeah, it
bothered me, then if we wassitting down eating, but if I
was just walking or shopping,yeah, it didn't bother me at all
, because that's what I signedup for.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Right.
So, I'm starting to learn thatright now.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Yeah, because the people make you who you are Like
when they paying for concertsand they paying for streams and
they buying your music and youritems, your merchandise.
They make you who you are.
So without them we won't beanything, and I put know that.
(05:50):
So what I know this now is likeyou can try to blend in your
best, but as soon as somebodysay your name, it's just like
they're coming to you.
Yeah, I like being, I think thelast 11, 12 years of my life I
enjoy being under the radar,like yeah, I don't, if I go in
somewhere they don't gotta saymy name, like I'm one of those
people, like some people liketheir names being said and
people running up.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
I like to be under the radar like even when we hung
out in new york.
They noticed your ass rightaway, like people noticed you
even g herbo noticed you rightaway yeah, yeah, it's love g
herbo.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Uh, he actually on my documentary I'm doing oh, wow
yeah, g herbo got on there.
Like he kicked it for a fewhours.
He didn't have to like, all hehad to give me was an hour and
um, we hung out at uh mickey, mypartner mickey restaurant.
He managed g herbo on the southside of chicago.
We hung out there, ate, um,kicked it and won a couple more
(06:35):
places on the south side becauseI'm from the west side, I'm
from out west in chicago.
But, yeah, he showed a lot oflove.
And then, uh, I called g herboa couple years later to do a
feature with this other artist Iwas working with.
He did the feature for me.
Of course he got paid, but healways been cool and respectful
when talking to me and dealingwith me.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
I hear great things.
I've worked with some producersthat have worked with him.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Actually the song we did, Lefty has done some stuff
for G Herbo.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
I think they might have a platinum plaque or go
plaque together.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
I'm not sure.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
I know he got something with Future.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Yeah, and I put a song together with him and
Jaquese oh wow.
Yeah, I put them on a textthread and me and Mickey we
worked it out.
But Jaquese got on a song Ithink it's called Shooter, and
they had sent it to me g herbaland his manager and I sent it to
(07:32):
jaquis and he wrote it and sentit back and I sent it back to
him, so you made connections.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Yeah, so so you, you're still in the game.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
We've never been out well, I'm still in the game, but
as an executive now, and I'vebeen doing a few features, um,
on the strength of hood austinand uh dunn kalam let's go put
me with a couple of guys and, uh, I like where it's going.
And dunn spit, don't let himfool you.
(07:58):
Dunn dunn spit, he's a hip-hopartist, not only a musical
business and mogul, not onlydoes he have a doctrine, but
that private life oh my God, youguys got to get into that.
You guys need to sign upbecause it's going to educate
you and it's everything that youneed to survive in this world
(08:19):
that we live in.
It's a lot of hidden gems thathe gave me in a short period of
time and I'm grateful for it.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
I appreciate that.
Shout out to Austin Hood man,because he's paved the way.
He's opened a lot of doors forme as myself.
And then you know you can'tjust like.
I'm going to tell you why Ilove being around you the most.
Who else can I brag to to talkabout the connections I've made?
Because they'll think I'mtrying to rub it in their face
or something.
You know what I mean.
(08:44):
We can't talk to ordinarypeople about your friends and
the connections that you've madein the music industry.
There's always some shade orsome hate thrown Like do you
think you're better than me?
Like no, I was so happy to beable, so I'm going to tell you
the proudest moment just lastgood to be able to say that
(09:07):
because you was just sittingdown chilling.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Yeah, and I saw him hug you.
He started talking to you andeverybody we was with.
He hugged and embraced andshowed love.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
And then his manager was reaching out for me directly
, so that made me feel good.
He was the one that let meslide through because, you know,
busta had the security with him.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Yeah, I saw, I saw that's good man.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
But yeah, when he seeing you, he hugged the whole
row.
Yeah, for sure, yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Yeah, my relationships go back to when I
got in the game 2000, 01, 02.
So most of my relationships gofar back then, except like with
the Jaquese and the Ayo and TayoG Herba all them, that's within
the last 10 years.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Right, and Young Scooter too.
I like that song you did withScooter.
Yeah, young Scooter my guy.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Yeah, young Scooter Future.
A lot of like shout out toJeezy.
Jeezy put me.
In his new book he wrote that Iwas the first one Took him the
cash money into the studio andhe I met a lot of great people,
man Wow.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
I didn't even know you and Jeezy was connected like
that.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Yeah, me and Jeezy been cool.
I made the song with R Kellyhappen for him Wow so.
I introduced him.
I told him we was at Lenox Mall, I talked to him on the phone.
He got up there in 30 minutesand he was like, yeah, you going
to introduce me.
And I introduced him.
I said Rob me.
(10:25):
And I introduced him.
I say Rob, this, uh, youngJeezy, young Jeezy, this Rob.
And he was like man, I love towork with you.
And R Kelly told him go throughGotti.
Um, send Gotti the song andGotti will tell you how much it
is.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
See, see, see.
One thing I had to teach Austinwhat how to be is.
Like bro.
You need to realize howimportant you are like he,
because it's just come naturalto him so that stuff come
natural to you.
That's a job, bro.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
People get paid to do yeah, that's why I got a
consulting company I ended upgetting a consulting company
gratitude consultant to bridgethe gap and put this person with
that person.
And not only that.
I have like entities in mycompany where I have a lawyer,
do a trust fund and takeeverything out of your personal
name, put it in a trust.
And then I have a guy by thename of pat parlay that teach
(11:05):
you about the stocks and bondsthat you could buy into.
I have a husband and wife thathave 15 different franchises you
could buy into.
Wow.
And then I have, uh, my guyfrom chicago.
He's based out of atlanta whenhe do your health insurance on
your where your life insuranceon you and your family.
Then I got another guy to dohealth insurance see my, my fan
(11:26):
base.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
That's everything you just spoke on.
That's what they need.
You know, I teach trust to stayplanted yeah but when you
understand um private life I'mnot gonna get too deep because
we're gonna focus on your careerbut um, obviously you're not.
You're not signed and have agag order.
You don't have no handlers likeyou.
Obviously you got your freedomof speech intact and a lot of
(11:46):
artists don't and a lot ofpeople don't understand that.
But trust, everything's a trust.
Your name is already a trust,whether it's in a public trust
or a private trust.
So basically I teach peoplejust study the Amish If what I'm
saying is wrong.
Just look at the Amish.
They're protected and they havetheir own trust.
They have their own covenants.
(12:08):
The government can't interferewith a private contract or a
covenant with God.
A covenant outdoes a promissorynote.
You know that promissory note'sa mortgage or something like
that.
So, yeah, that's deep man.
You already got it together man.
So in some of these questions Ihad asked you the importance of
our business.
Was you business savvy?
When you so look, I know yourhistory, your backstory, so I
(12:31):
know you was a streetentrepreneur, correct?
Whatever that means yeah, sothe business side is different.
When you came into the industrythough, right yeah, and.
I'm so if I'm only speculatingthat you invested some of your
own money in your music career.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Yeah, before I met R Kelly, I invested $82,000 into
my project.
That's lit, though I had put aproject out.
Well, my first time I startedrapping in 98, and I put
something out in 99.
The end of 98, early 99, and Ipaid B-Lo from Do from do a
dollar, do a couple of featureswith me, rap and faute um side
(13:08):
from psychodrama um blunt um.
I invested into myself at firstand, uh, I did okay.
I think I sold like 30 000copies, uh, within sam goodies
and certain stores that I had onconsignment that I did an inf
commercial that was playing inthe Midwest, milwaukee, ohio and
Chicago.
(13:29):
It was playing on BET.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
You made all this happen by yourself.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Yeah, I made all of it happen by myself and you sold
30,000 copies.
Yeah, I sold 30,000 copies.
People can't sell 30 copiesright now yeah that's amazing
buy yourself independent 30,000copies.
That's amazing.
I had my label.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
It was called Wata Records lit and it was based in
Chicago based in Chicago so youwas in Milwaukee selling records
.
Milwaukee, indiana and Ohio wowthem the three markets that I
hit first dang you don't thinkpeople are supposed to be
talking about this and you wasable to get deals with stores,
actual stores yeah, well, theytook it on consignment and then
(14:05):
after the first three times withpeople buying it, they start
buying them.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
After my third time going back I had to hear I did a
son in a george music room outhere that was.
That was like the biggest spotmom and pop store george's music
room on the west side on roose.
He was married to MinnieRippleton back in the day.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I'm not sure who that is.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Minnie Rippleton is a dope singer from back in the
day and her daughter is a dopeactress that's on TV on all type
of movies right now as we speak.
Yep.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Okay, I see it's Chicago Illinois.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Illinois.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Yeah, Illinois.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
I'm from Quincy, so I was born in Quincy.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Yeah, and then you went to STL.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Yeah well, hannibal raised in the Hannibal area.
When I was a teenager I went tothe St Louis area.
I was basically forced becauseI had a Fed case counterfeiting
money.
I realized Article 1, section10, only Congress can provide
punishment for uttering andcounterfeiting securities in the
United States.
I asked the judge so why areyou charging me?
He said figure it out, thencome back and talk to me.
(15:12):
And I've been on the searchingever since.
Wow, yes.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
You got a story yourself.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Yeah, yeah yeah, I always wanted.
So first of all, before I evensay this other guy's name, rest
in heaven, rest in power.
Man Irv Gotti man.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Yeah, that's my brother.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
But I always wanted 50 Cent to hear my story because
I got myself out, the feds Gotmyself by doing paperwork and
learning, admiralty law andmaritime law.
Yes, that's amazing.
Yes, and just paperwork, all itis so.
But when you so, when yousigned your major deal, that was
with um, your homie boo,correct?
Speaker 2 (15:53):
yeah, um, boo was already with r kelly in 98.
I got with him in 2000, so boobrought me on board, he gave r
kelly my cd that was popping inthe streets and, um, he told me
to come to the basketball courtwhere they'd be at and meet him.
And I went up there and I methim and we never looked back, we
just was locked in in thestudio.
(16:13):
We did the I Wish remix was ourfirst song to the homies.
That was lost.
Then our next song was theregular Fiesta and after the
regular Fiesta did good on thisalbum, we did the remix Fiesta
with Jay-Z, with Jay-Z, and thatblew.
And then we did the Fillin' Onyour Booty remix with R Kelly.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Oh, that's my shit.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So we did four songs with him in a matter of two
years.
You know in high school that'swhen I was bumpin' man.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Yeah to that.
I can't remember the remix.
I know that I've definitely hadeverybody bump in Since me and
you been linking.
I make sure everybody knows whoyou are, man.
You need to know who this manis.
Y'all pay him his respect, man.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
Gratitude but.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
I think that shit's tight with the Fiesta remix.
Man, you was on there withJay-Z.
Have conversation with him onthe set you was popping before
you even met Lil Wayne yeah,yeah, well, when, when, um, when
, lil Wayne, it was two waysback then.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
This was the end of 02, maybe early 03, I think it
was the end of 02.
When I told Lil Wayne R Kelly'ssituation, they stopped his uh
distribution because of thistape came out.
So I wasn't signed to R Kelly,I was just, you know, making
money with him and Boo wassigned with him, so I didn't
have to get out any contract.
But I told him.
(17:32):
R Kelly told us, like if y'allcould get a deal or something,
we'll do it, because Interscopestopped my budget so I can't do
anything.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
That's some real brotherly shit, though.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Man, he was yeah, when Wayne say man, I know Baby,
a fuck with y'all.
So, baby, I talked to Baby overthe phone.
He was like man, I'm fans ofy'all.
I listen to I Wish Remix everyday.
He said if he asked where it'sat, but I listen to I Wish Remix
every day.
I keep it on repeat what y'allwant.
(18:03):
And I just said the first thingcame up.
I was like we want a milliondollars.
He was like we want a milliondollars.
He was like y'all get out here,I'm going to get y'all a flight
.
Send me y'all name and y'alllawyer could talk to my lawyer
and we'll go from there.
And we went out there and weended up getting $650,000.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Man, that's powerful, yeah For somebody.
Because not everybody can saythat.
Because I had that in my listtoo, that I got man my little
notes right here.
Why do you think Baby chose tosign you?
Because he dealt with NewOrleans, people, right, you know
what I mean, but he was such afan of that song, the I Wish
remix.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
He thought the Fiesta was dope, Don't get it wrong.
But he's at say that I Wishremix.
He used to keep it on repeatand listen to it all day because
he lost so many hundreds.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Right, right, right right.
So I'm just saying I know thatyou're special alone.
Just because Baby didn't gooutside his, he took care of New
Orleans.
Everybody I know, other thanTech N9ne.
People don't know Tech N9ne wassigned.
We can Google this.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
No, tech N9ne was signed, like you say, but Rodney
Jerkins was signed over there.
Lil Mo was signed over there,major Figures, gilly, yeah,
everybody was signed over therethen.
Tina.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Marie was signed over there.
You talking about the singer,tina Marie, with James.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Yeah, none of them got nothing out.
Me and Boo was fortunate to getsomething out, but I don't
think.
I think we probably sold 50,000copies, man, so we didn't even
get a second single.
Our first single was Ain't it,man?
I, I liked it, but I think, youknow, I put it on us like I
don't blame nobody.
(19:35):
Well, I put it on me, I won'teven put it on boy, I don't
blame anybody for right for mymishaps.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
You know it's a learning experience, you know
right, right, yeah, it's, it's,it's tech nine was definitely
signed to.
Uh, he signed to Cash MoneyRecords man back in the 90s,
late 90s, so before you.
So that's crazy, that's crazy.
But he started doing StrangeMusic and doing his thing, but
(20:01):
yeah, so it's just like anytimeI see people that made it big.
Paris Hilton was signed to CashMoney too.
I didn't know that.
Yeah, paris Hilton, lil Bow Wowwas too.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, they found alot of people, but in the
beginning it was just neworleans, to my understanding,
yeah so if you was dealing withcash money, you was something
spectacular for them to put yourmoney behind you.
(20:22):
Because, babe, when you, whenyou see the interviews and stuff
, they didn't even know whojay-z was.
Baby didn't even know who jay-zwas yeah he was just focused on
his crew Mm-hmm.
So Chicago definitely shapedyour music career, correct?
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Yeah, I believe so.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Yeah, and you came in obviously like everybody else
in not-so-good neighborhoods.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Yeah, it wasn't good.
When I was a little kid, my momand dad was staying with my
father's friend and then afterthat my mom and dad was staying
with my father friend and thenafter that my mom was staying me
and my mom and big brother andmom was staying.
Uh, we were staying somewhereelse, but it was on chicago.
I've known mayfield and uhthat's the hood yeah, it's the
hood.
Yeah.
And then my father, uh, I guesshe saved up enough money it was
(21:07):
cheap back then in the 80s.
He saved enough money to uh,enough money, it was cheap back
then in the 80s.
He saved enough money to uh toget a place in Bailwood and I
stayed there for eight years ofmy life and uh, some stuff went
down, uh, with me and somebodyout there and and uh, I had went
to the juvenile detentioncenter for a few months and when
I got out I wanted to stay withmy grandmother.
(21:29):
That's why I said I don't knowif I was about to be 14 or I was
14.
That's on the west side as well.
So I went back to the west side.
I left the west side at five.
I moved back to the west sideat 14 on north avenue with my
grandmother so and you met allright.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
You met r kelly.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
So that was already connected.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Yeah, they was already connected since 98.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Was it your vision to be in a group, or did you want
to be solo?
Speaker 2 (22:02):
No, I just wanted to be solo.
But when it was presented to meI was like wow, because it take
people, especially in Chicago.
Sometimes it take 5, 10, 15years to get on, because people
really wasn't coming here likethat in the late 90s.
They wasn't coming here likethe only groups that was popping
then was like Do or Die,twister, the Brat, crucial
(22:23):
Conflict, psychodrama and maybejust a couple more.
That made it big from Chicago.
But then once the 2000s hit,the floodgates opened.
A lot of people was coming outthere, even singers, r&b.
It was major.
(22:44):
I think the 2000s was major forpeople getting deals in Chicago
.
I just think it's crazy that youwere able to get a deal so fast
yeah exactly because I starteddoing music in 98, and then I
put out my CD in 99 and got withR Kelly right when it was about
to be 2000.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
You know how we talk about affirmations and goals and
stuff like that?
Did you write anything down orwhat was your mindset back then?
Speaker 2 (23:12):
No, I didn't.
I had ran into some troublerunning the streets with the
wrong people and I had went on avacation for 19 and a half
months.
I was locked up and I had a lotof time to think and a lot of
promises was made to God.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
That's amazing.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Yeah, and I just made good on it when I got out.
I just didn't want to go backto what I was doing.
Right it didn't make sense to.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
You did, you helped, upheld your part and God upheld
his.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yeah, so that's why I happened so fast.
That's powerful, that's why Ihappened so fast.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Walking by, faith, not by sight.
Yeah, that's why I tell Onceyou know you have faith, it is
what you want to do with God.
Your imagination is your directlink to God.
Imagination Move around,because faith without works is
dead.
Just move around now.
You know the intention of whatyou want to do.
Now move around.
That's powerful, though youmanifested fast.
So how important is it for youas an artist to understand the
(24:09):
business side of the musicindustry?
Because you've already saidyou've got what's called
Gratitude Consultant.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
And then you have G Enterprises Productions
Productions okay.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
And I have G Enterprises Real Estate.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
G Enterprises Real Estate.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
And then G Productions yeah, g Enterprises
Productions, g EnterprisesProductions, okay.
So it's important for artiststo understand the business side
of the music industry.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Yeah, I think they should read every book, look at
every documentary and study thegreats when it comes to music,
because being an artist and theentertainment part, that's only
really 30%, 40%, the businessend.
You have to know where yourmoney go, your royalties, your
deal.
It's so much money that youneed to know about and break up,
(24:54):
so you need to have theknowledge of okay, what it's
come from when I put my namedown, how important this is,
because you could be sellingyour soul or signing your life
away.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Wow, wow.
Yeah, that's powerful, butunfortunately you wasn't in that
whole situation.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
No, because one thing about it like I don't know a
lot now but I know a little then, a little less than what I know
now.
But I always knew if I don'tknow something, get a lawyer.
And I don't mind paying alawyer the big bucks out of my
money because it's going to helpme in the end.
I never wanted to have my uncleor mom or dad or homie be my
(25:33):
lawyer or manager.
No, that's strictly businessY'all family.
We're going to keep that family.
But if they went to school forit, of course, okay, cool, it
makes sense.
But if you don't have a degreein that you ain't go to school,
you're not professional anddon't know what you're doing.
No, you're not going to mess meand you up.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
I like that, I like that.
So not only is it important toknow the business.
If you don't necessarily knowthe business, or even if you do,
it's still important to have abusiness attorney or a music
attorney or the type of fieldthat you're in.
Have an attorney thatspecializes in whatever it is
you're doing.
Yeah, I agree, I totally agree.
Also, we've been talking aboutpersonal credit and business
(26:13):
credit.
So for any up-and-comingartists, do you think you find
that important that they shouldknow about personal and business
credit?
Speaker 2 (26:20):
I think credit is one of the most important things
that's going to happen whenyou're living in this world and
I believe your personal creditshould be great and then your
business credit.
You need to build that.
So everything you do should goon a trust or should go on your
holding company.
Well, your holding companyshould own everything and your
(26:40):
trust on your holding company.
But I believe that instead ofusing your personal credit,
everything should be bought inyour business name and you can
write off so much when you buyinto your business name and
instead of bond, I think if youget a company car, lease it,
write it off like it's so muchyou could do when you have
business credit.
But your personal credit have tobe good as well, in case you
(27:01):
have to be a guarantee.
But business credit andpersonal credit is so important
because you could have fivehundred thousand dollars cash
but if you have that 800 creditscore on all bureaus and you
have business credit, that$500,000 is not even worth it
because you could get so manyproperties.
You could get so much withbusiness credit and personal
(27:25):
credit that cash can't buy Cash.
Always going to be king, butI'd rather have business and
personal credit buy cash, alwaysgoing to be king, but I'd
rather have business andpersonal credit.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Man, that is powerful , brother.
Listen, because you've beenquiet.
You came to, uh, my event innew york.
You listened, you see what thepeople's done, but you didn't
say anything.
Input, bro.
So you, you, you see, we on thesame track?
Speaker 2 (27:45):
yeah, because if you invest in the ra even if you
invest in the ra like these kidsthat's 24, 25 years old you
invest in the ra, you just pay ainvest in the IRA, like these
kids that's 24, 25 years old youinvest in the IRA, you just pay
$100 a month with an IRA.
By the time you retire, that'sa million dollars tax free.
And when you got a Roth IRAaccount, they don't penalize you
if you have an emergency, Ihave to take something out.
So I always I tell Ayo and Tayo, I always tell these little
(28:08):
guys like man, put money up,invest and then don't use your
money, because if you're usingbusiness money, there's so much
you can write off and you canput your mom and dad, or whoever
, on payroll.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
That's right.
That's right, I'm definitely onpayroll.
I'm a contractor.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
You know that's major , because I definitely so.
What I teach is you know theholding companies and the fire
charging order protection statesNevada, wyoming, alaska, south.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Dakota.
Yeah, I was about to sayDelaware.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
And then you know, have a trust, you have a.
It can be a living trust.
I like doing living trusts inSouth Dakota.
You know, on the private side,you know we got those
irrevocable trusts.
There's different types oftrusts that you can go to, but
definitely the holding companiesas the pass-through entities.
I like unincorporatedassociations or faith-based
organizations as my trust, Okay.
(29:01):
So if you understand what adownman is, you understand I
have books, right.
Okay, you're working on adocumentary.
Yeah, so your documentary canbe part of your family library.
Awesome, and now we can handout money tax-free to our family
library.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Just gave me a job.
I didn't know that youfollowing me.
Thanks for that knowledge, yeahit's like private school.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Private school starts with your parents.
Appreciate it.
Your first teacher was yourparents.
Mm-hmm, that made yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
Yeah, I told you A lot of people never even talk to
him.
Some even don't know nothingabout him.
So yeah, that's major.
So we definitely was aligned.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
I want to talk about this too, because this is one of
my weaknesses as Don Kalam, asfar as, like, I'm just being
transparent here with Don Kalamcoming up in the game.
So if I didn't find you asvalue right there, you couldn't
pay me money or something.
I just wrote you off.
So that's a bridge I might havejust burnt, Because money isn't
everything.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
You know what I mean.
No, it's not with me.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Yeah, but that's with anybody.
It really shouldn't be.
And it did take a few higherups.
People will hire up to me tosay, hey, bro, just because I'm
rich, money isn't everything.
I got here because theconnection people are more
valuable than money yeah, I justfeel like your mindset.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
If somebody mindset good and I can learn from them,
that's more powerful than moneyfor me.
Or if it's someone to haveresources they don't have money,
but they have resources okay,now I could use your resources,
you could use mine.
You know it's a trade off, soeverything don't have to be
about money.
With me, like I once I I thinkI had about 30 years old, I
(30:35):
learned it's better having homegirls that you just cool with.
Don't look at sexual.
They'll do way more for you,get more out of them in a
relationship.
I've been so cool with, I'llsay, like non-female friends one
realtor, one, a lawyer, like Igot just so many professional
female friends.
When I stopped thinking with myprivate part it's like man, wow
(30:58):
, this, what life about?
Okay, this connection.
So if you're a less fortunateperson living on the street of
you, working in McDonald's,whatever, I respect everybody
with the same mindset, right, Irespect you.
I don't care if you're thepresident or a celebrity.
I respect you the same way youknow what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
I met this girl at one of these events when I was,
you know, independent artist,just making connections, and we
ended up becoming intimate.
But she took, she said she wasa scientist.
She said I want to be a musicmanager.
You inspire me, don you knowshe, she was a scientist.
Yeah, she said I want to be amusic manager.
I'm uh, you inspired me, donyou know.
She quit.
I didn't tell her to quit, buteverything we talked about she
was doing and so I was just like, oh, let's not be sexual, no
(31:40):
more yeah let's take this shitseriously.
And she's doing, she's mademajor moves, man, major major
moves, yeah, yeah yeah, so I.
So people are more valuablethan money.
So the people are the credit.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Sometime yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
Yeah, sometimes, yeah , I would say sometime, not all
the time, but sometime.
So there might have beensomething that you might not
have liked in life, or somebodymight have said something crazy
to you.
So how do you avoid not burningthose bridges?
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Well, but back in the day my mindset was different,
so you know, I wasn't always howI am now.
So yeah, so I'm just, you know,I'm still learning.
I see how you are now yeah soI'm still learning, like even
today, I'm still learning.
I don't know enough, I stillseek knowledge.
That's why I say, even withmeeting you, I was intrigued
(32:25):
because you taught me a lot andI just sat back and listened,
not even asking everything, justsitting back listening, going
to your book signing, and seeinghow you talk to the people and
and how they taking notes, I'mlike, okay, yeah, I need to take
some notes too.
So sometimes I just sit backand watch, don't even ask.
I see, by action, so by youractions, I see, oh man, he a
family man, he a good dude.
(32:46):
He not just smart and educated,he a good dude and he mean well
, and you like to look out forpeople and I love that.
I'm like man, some people haveit and just keep it to they
selves and you can't die with it.
Speaker 1 (32:59):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So everybody can't come in, soyou the same way.
I see how you take care of yourtribe, but everybody can't be
part of that, so you gotta pickand choose so that's why I put
that shell up facts you know.
But what you know I didn'treally care if you seen that
that's who I am, but what Ireally wanted you to see was, at
the event, like I'm glad I hadsome success stories for your
(33:19):
ass.
So you know cause the peoplesay a lot of shit.
So you can see hey, I changedher whole family business.
They was gonna shut her familybusiness down and the two on
dominican guys.
Yeah, yeah, yeah I helped theirwhole community.
They said they're blocked 200deep.
I'm like wow, yeah, yeah, thatwas very powerful man, because
you know they.
I don't really like to talkabout them because, you know,
(33:41):
maybe somebody's over here theyain't supposed to be over here,
got you, got you know.
But but I definitely likeassist and aid, brother, because
I believe we're on earth man.
What's up the demographics isthe graph of demons.
We're in a day and age where wecan say certain things, where
we can't say everything, but thedemographics of demons
everywhere is united we stand,divided we fall.
So really shouldn't be nopassport to get to any other
(34:03):
country, because we all wantearth and that's how I view
things, you know.
But if you want to be a part ofa certain sector that wants to,
you know the Amish don't needpassports and IDs to move around
.
They go on planes too, you know, officer, you travel enough.
You've seen an Amish person ona plane, yeah, you know.
So how do they get on planeswith the IDs?
So this is the game that Iteach.
(34:23):
That's their private life rightthere.
You know, and uh, a lot ofpeople know.
I don't want to name drop toomuch, but I know that J Prince
has his own thing set up youknow what I mean when you go to
Houston, if J Prince say theycan't be down here, you're not
going to be down there.
But that's how it used to be.
I don't know how it is now.
I know with Charleston White.
(34:44):
Charleston White couldn'tperform down there because J
Prince said no.
You know what I mean.
How I started learning about JPrince was a mutual friend.
We have Winky Wright.
Winky came in the boxing game.
Winky a great guy.
Everything he was talking abouthe knows man.
He knows a lot man.
He's very intelligent, but hesaid he didn't talk about this
stuff during his boxing career.
(35:05):
He said he didn't want to messnothing up.
But as soon as he got out thecontracts, he was cool with it,
started meeting connections andmeeting people, but he's
definitely connected.
Like you, man, he's got his ownlane, though.
You also talked aboutcollaborating with Jermaine
Dupri, so let's just talk aboutit.
Let's talk about Jermaine Duprifirst, and Lil Wayne being able
(35:27):
to work with both of those.
Those are icons still to thisday.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
Yeah, with Jermaine Dupree.
He reached out to R Kelly andtold him he wanted to work with
me and Boo, and he set up theflight, had us at the hotel and
sent the driver to pick us up.
He was very professional.
We got to the studio, Him andUsher was there.
Usher was just coming out thebooth doing the hook and Usher
was there.
Usher was just coming out thebooth doing the hook and he was
like listen to this, and I thinkit took me maybe 25 minutes to
(35:54):
come up with my verse and I wentin there and laid it.
Boo went in there and laid hisand he was like damn.
So then he took us out thatnight and we was young this was
in the early 2000s, so we wasyoung and we just went out, had
a good time, we stayed time.
We stayed at atl, I think threedays.
(36:14):
He um held us suites um in thehotel and, uh, we had a good
time.
It was a good experiencebecause I was listening to jd
before that like I was listeningto jermaine dupree.
Speaker 1 (36:21):
I was like he nice are you talking about his flows?
Speaker 2 (36:24):
yeah, I was listening to his flows, his creativity,
he right, I just was like manjermaine dupree, dope, so it was
an honor to get that call.
When um kales and um black waslike, yeah, he wants y'all to
come out there and um and youget paid and royalty.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
So I was like man, yeah, he paid on the first time
I was doing negative out here soit kales could have hated.
And I told you yeah, he, that'sdeep bro.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
I just want to throw that out there.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
You know what I mean.
So you've always brought thebest out of people, man, because
you know, sometimes it's justshade like that Throw it man
Like, hey I didn't know.
You wanted to do a song with meor you was inquiring about me.
That's lit man.
Do you think all All theChicago's like that in the music
?
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Oh, man, hold on, Let me tell you this.
Back to this.
I'll repeat to my brother, IrvGotti, as we doing the feature
for Jermaine Dupri.
When we get back to the hotel,Irv Gotti and BJ is in there in
the lobby and Irv Gotti lookingat us like man I know them.
And BJ come up like man I'm BJ,I'm from New York.
(37:28):
Them and BJ come up like manI'm BJ, I'm from New York, I'm
with Murder Inc.
That's Irv Gotti.
So we get to talking.
He was like man.
What y'all doing out here.
We was like we just did afeature with Jermaine Dupri and
he was like man, I want to puty'all on Ja Rule album.
He got an album we working onand then I'm working on a Fast
and Furious soundtrack.
I'm producing the wholesoundtrack and we've been
(37:50):
hearing about Fast and Furious.
It was the first one.
So we like yeah, we was likeyou know, we were R Kelly, we
got to run it by him.
He was like cool, let's getback to me, let me know.
And he flew us to New York fora week, showed us a great time
we was in the studio working.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
So you know, with labels you have to get shit
cleared and all of that.
Your shit was just likeclockwork.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
Yeah, yeah, they was clear you know that's unheard of
.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
I just want you to know that I've been in the game
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
That's unheard of.
Sometimes you got to take weeks, years, sometimes shit don't
never get cleared, like, hey, we, not People, pay for features
(38:37):
that don't get cleared amazing.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
So you was with jd.
Another opportunity arose.
Yeah, faith without works isdead, brother.
That's amazing.
And then lil wayne.
Yeah, lil wayne.
Um, was that y'all's firstsingle with cash money?
Or y'all had something?
Else our first single with cashmoney was oh yeah, with the big
time okay and we was on, we dida video for it and everything
that was on hood rich album.
Oh yeah, yeah, that was on hoodrich album and album.
And then I got on another songcalled Sunny Day, me Baby and TQ
.
I remember him.
I think Mickey was on there aswell, if I'm not mistaken.
(39:02):
But yeah, lil Wayne, I'm tryingto see how the man Lil Wayne
meet.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
but whenever we met we exchanged two ways and we
just stayed in touch over thetwo way hold up because you know
for the people that don't knowwhat a two way is yeah, two way
pager is what was out in theearly 2000s.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
It was a way to communicate like a little laptop
, like a little computer thatyou text from, you slide it open
and it's like a little minicomputer.
Speaker 1 (39:31):
All the rich people had them.
She was broke and had one.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
Yeah, it was really dope man.
I'm staying in touch with thetwo-way.
Speaker 1 (39:39):
That's lit.
That's lit.
Hey, can't everybody say thatthat's powerful?
So you linked with Lil Wayne,Jermaine Dupri, Irv Gotti this
song's with Ja Rule and you gotplatinum plaques.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
Yeah, we got plaques from Jermaine Dupri's
Instructions album, ja Rulealbum, painless Love, fast and
Furious soundtrack, birdmanalbum, r Kelly album and the Big
Toms.
Speaker 1 (40:10):
Wow, that's amazing, and they're still relevant to
this day.
Everybody that you've dealtwith.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
Yeah, everybody we've dealt with.
Kanye West produced two songson our album On your album yeah.
Kanye West produced two songs.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
Irv Gotti produced one or two songs.
So you met Ye.
Speaker 2 (40:26):
Yeah, ye was in the studio with us.
Well, we was in the studio withhim in New York.
Wow, yeah, he was in the studiowith us.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
Well, we was in the studio with him in New York.
Wow, man, yeah, what side hefrom.
He from the south side.
He's from the south side.
Yeah, yeah, I think somebodyelse told me that.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
Yeah, we was in the studio with him for probably
about 14 hours.
Speaker 1 (40:44):
Another thing I did want to touch too, because you
definitely was.
You said it earlier about Ican't remember what it was, but
you've linked your own deals.
You was able to meet with yourown people, do your own thing.
Same way with your shows.
It was with the CDs, orwhatever you were selling.
It was CDs back then when youcame out.
Speaker 2 (41:02):
Yeah, it was CDs, you went to Milwaukee.
Speaker 1 (41:08):
So you're basically, what would that?
Speaker 2 (41:09):
be called if I was with a label, if you was with a
label.
Speaker 1 (41:10):
Yeah, who would be putting me in stores?
You know that's a team thatdoes that.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
Yeah, yeah, it is a team.
Yeah, the street team or theA&R.
All right, yeah, the A&R listento the album and make sure get
the features, make sureeverything is right on there.
So, yeah, it'll really be thestreet team that's going out
putting it in there.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
So use your own street team.
Then, moving forward, you knowI got to hear you and Boo talk
and y'all both agreed that youwas booking shows for y'all.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
Yeah, like we did the promotional tour with Cash
Money, they had us on a BET tourwith cash money.
They had us on a um, a bet um.
It was like a little summertour, like something we did like
maybe 12 to 15 cities, butafter that, like we was on our
own, like we didn't have nomanager, and then so all the
shows that we got an appearance,since I had got them for right,
(42:06):
so that's just work.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
So it was just days.
You would be just up callingbooking shows and things like
that.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
No, they'd actually reach out to me.
If I see somebody, they'd belike man my people want to book
you, I'll take the number.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Okay, okay, yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
I'll take the number myself.
I wouldn't give them a managernumber because I ain't have one,
so we ain't have a manager, soI'll take the number myself.
So do you think as far aslongevity?
Speaker 1 (42:37):
goes, you should have music management.
Speaker 2 (42:38):
I like the consultant better, because a manager is
like it's a big babysitter, likethey really got to babysit you
and put their life on hold andeverything catering to you.
A real manager, like they'regoing to make sure all your
needs met and you know they'regoing to work hard for they 15
or 20 percent, whatever the dealis.
So I won't want to be a managerbecause it's just a lot come
(43:01):
with that.
So consultant okay, I couldtalk to you, I could pick twice
a month.
Okay, you got the your two daysand I'm good, and I don't have
to babysit and be worried aboutyou 24-7.
Speaker 1 (43:14):
That makes sense.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
Yeah, because I got my own life and my life revolves
around peace.
When I wake up, I wake up early.
I got to meditate, I got topray, I got to stretch and I
start my day.
You know, that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (43:26):
Yeah, I think everybody should have that too,
as far as, because I believemusic is the sound of angels.
So at the height of your career, as soon as your music, your
song, starts playing, peoplestart moving their whole body,
correct?
Yeah?
So that's how powerful music is.
It can shake your soul, itmoves your soul, it moves your
body.
(43:46):
A woman can think she's goingto find love in the club by the
vibrations and tones she hears.
So when you have a purpose inlife that's going to transfer
into music, I don't care if it'swhat's being said, whether it's
gangster or whatever, whetherit's nasty or whatever They'll
be like, ah, you shouldn'tlisten.
That's exasperated.
If that person has a purposethat energy transfers through
(44:08):
the music, does that make sense?
Yeah, it does.
Purpose that energy transfersthrough the music, does that
make sense?
Yeah, so you know if they'redoing this for God or their
family, you'll start dancing forGod or you'll start moving for
God.
We learn our ABCs through music.
You know, our music was one ofour first teachers as well, so
that's just my opinion.
With it, we come to the worldthrough ultrasound.
Speaker 2 (44:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
You know.
So in the beginning was theworld, the world was God and the
world was with God.
But as far as that goes, whatdo you think your proudest
achievement in your music careeris?
Speaker 2 (44:37):
My what Proudest achievement, your proudest
achievement.
Speaker 1 (44:40):
Something that sticks out to you.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
I think my proudest achievement.
When I first heard my song onthe radio and my grandma and my
mom, they was just so happy forme.
My father, like my whole family, my uncles, aunts, cousins,
everybody was just so happy sothat I think that first time
that I heard it I was like wow.
And then the plaques just wasthe icing on the cake, like wow,
(45:04):
I really put in hard work andachieved these and, uh, just
even been having two songs inthe top 50 of the top 200, like
I just think that's awesome initself, like one being in the
top 10 I think it was number sixor seven on the billboard, the
uh fiesta, and it was like five,six weeks.
So I just was like wow, that'sincredible, that's so surreal.
Speaker 1 (45:29):
Um, who's your top five?
Your top five, I like to sayartists.
I don't really like the wordrappers.
Yeah, but like your top fivehip hop artists.
Speaker 2 (45:40):
I'll go with in no particular order.
I'll go with Kanye West, KanyeWest, my number one.
Then I'll go with I don't knowif I got a top five, that's all
good hey boy, I hope Weezy on ityeah, I'll put Wayne, I'll put
(46:05):
Tupac, but it gotta just behip-hop no, whatever you want me
, okay, so yeah I'll put michaeljackson prince and r kelly,
there you go so r kelly of mygeneration, of my time, no
matter what nobody think or say,r kelly is hands down the most
(46:25):
creative r&b singer I heard inmy generation, like from.
Since I've been listening to,like music as a teenager the 90s
to the late 80s, like 88, 89.
Up until now I still haven'tsaw nobody that could touch R
Kelly like father's writingproduction and singing, yeah,
(46:49):
but besides R Kelly, you can'tforget his show.
Speaker 1 (46:52):
He's an entertainer too.
Speaker 2 (46:53):
Yeah, I just think like that man is like incredible
.
He the first one to give me achance.
Speaker 1 (47:00):
Shout out to Kelz man .
Speaker 2 (47:01):
Yeah, he the first one to give me a chance and an
opportunity, because I never hada job or anything in top metal,
wow yeah.
Speaker 1 (47:11):
I ain't know what a 1099.
I didn't know what a 10-4, Iain't know what anything was, so
he was showing you real lifegang.
Well, his, you were sayingstuff that his accountant did
daryl mcdavid but they made sureyou was good.
Speaker 2 (47:20):
Yeah, he gave me the opportunity but real legit
people like that that wanted thebest for you yeah, because
before that, like my only jobs Ihad before that, you know,
before hustling, when I wasyoung I I sold candy.
At seven, eight years old Ishoveled snow and then by the
time I was 11, I was shiningshoes.
So I was a hustler just tryingto make money.
And then once I got to be 12years old, the streets took over
(47:43):
from there With my experiencesand the stories that I hear.
Speaker 1 (47:48):
LA might get your ass , new York might get your ass,
but it seems like the Chicagocommunity really takes care of
their people.
That's what it's seeming liketo me.
Speaker 2 (47:56):
I think, before the gangs in Chicago it was the
Black Panther movement and itwas like even the gangs.
It wasn't gangs, it wasorganizations like the Vice
Lords and Growth and Developmentand the Stones.
They was in the neighborhoodshelping the families that
couldn't afford food andcouldn't afford things to get to
(48:17):
school.
So they was in a neighborhoodgiving away rods to school and
putting food in people's house,because the dads was locked up
in prison.
Speaker 1 (48:26):
Right, you know, this is the stories in Atlanta as
well.
Speaker 2 (48:29):
Yeah, I get these stories from Atlanta as well, so
that's what they was doing inthe communities and keeping the
community safe, away from peopletrying to come in and rape and
rob and all of that.
So they was the protectors, butI think it came a point where
you know it turned and I don'tknow when it turned, but you
know it did, yeah, but you knowit did yeah, but they was there
(48:52):
to protect the community atfirst though.
Speaker 1 (48:54):
Right right, right right.
I mean.
That's my understanding.
As you know, I'm a Moor.
Speaker 2 (48:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (48:58):
And that's how I was taught.
You know I'm not going to gettoo deep and political with
everybody, but yeah, we givehonors to all the prophets.
But that's amazing because Ijust want you to know, like in
Atlanta, I've seen everybody.
You know I got my start inAtlanta with the hip-hop
industry but I've seen everybodyas brothers.
Like they wanted to help you getahead.
(49:18):
Nobody was hating on peopleLike they'll introduce hey, yeah
, I know such and such Holler atsuch and such, they'll get you
there or like.
It was just no hate, it was allupliftment.
I even heard a freestyle battlewhere you have to uplift your
brother, you have to rap and saysomething good about each other
.
I thought that was amazing.
So yeah, man, now that you'rewhere you're at in your life,
(49:41):
man, how long have you been inthe game?
Speaker 2 (49:43):
20 years Since 2000,.
Speaker 1 (49:44):
yeah, yeah, 20-plus years yeah.
Speaker 2 (49:46):
I started in 2000, and then I stopped doing music,
probably like 2013.
I think I stopped doing musicand just got on a business and
with everything I just wanted tobe an executive and I dig that.
Speaker 1 (50:01):
Yeah, I dig that I dig that for real.
Is there any advice you wouldgive your younger self?
Speaker 2 (50:08):
Listen more, observe, observe, absorb everything you
can, soak it in and uh, lesstalking and learn more.
Slow down and not stop learning.
I think that'd be my bestadvice I would have gave my
younger self that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (50:29):
um, before we close it out, I I'm going to ask you
one more thing Is there anybodythat you would like to work with
right now?
Speaker 2 (50:40):
I think anybody Austin Hood got me too.
I love working with Don Kalam,the features that he gave me.
I'm not just saying thatbecause you're here, but I'm
just saying for you to know allthat you know and for you to
take time out to want to workwith other artists like St Louis
, atlanta, detroit, chicago, newYork.
(51:00):
That's just dope, like justbeing around you in a month's
time.
Well, it's been a few months.
I met you months ago, but I'mjust saying it's like man, I
look at certain things different.
It's like, okay, I see how helooking at it and it's good to
meet somebody like that thatchallenge you or that just wake
something back up in you.
(51:21):
Because before I met you I wasreally just sold on being
executive Hood Records, the vicepresident, and then when you
was like man, you should rap,you could do this, and you still
got a yeah, that gave meconfidence I needed.
I think sometimes we don'trealize what we mean to people.
And you was telling me what Imeant to you and when you was
(51:43):
younger, your brother put you onme and yeah, that made me feel
good, even though I probablywasn't telling you right then
and there.
But on the inside I'm like man.
That's gratitude, like, and Itold you gratitude, but it's
like man.
Sometime, you know, we think at40, some years old, like man,
we ain't got it, no more, weprobably lost it, but yeah, that
gave me the confidence I meanit's like.
Speaker 1 (52:06):
so I try to give flowers to everybody that had an
influence on me, but I justwant you you to know like I'm
rocking with you, gotti, but youknow I first heard of you
because of Boo and Gotti and Iwant you to know Boo and Gotti
is some names that will never beforgotten.
Thank you, like y'all made animpact in the music industry.
Speaker 2 (52:22):
And I think my brother Boo, doping at me as an
artist, I think because Boo,like he a real rapper, rapper
like I look at me like okay, Ithink it was something that I
chose to do so I wouldn't goback to the streets and so I
wouldn't go back to jail.
So I don't think when I firststarted I had a passion for like
boo, so that probably played apart in our career as well.
(52:44):
Um, but I think as it grew andI saw the love and I saw man, I
really can make a living withthis.
I think that's when I reallygrew a passion for it.
But I think it was a little toolate then.
So I think the people that gota passion for it, they were at
the show, they in there and theygoing to make it happen.
Speaker 1 (53:06):
It's this or nothing, and that wasn't my case.
So I got a passion for whereI'm at now.
But what got me known?
Don Colombo Books andeverything that's not what I
wanted to be known for.
Speaker 2 (53:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (53:18):
You know.
So it feels like I got a secondwind, being able to come in
music game meeting you.
Speaker 2 (53:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (53:23):
You know, like I said , we met at the Bro Misfa, the
13-year son.
I thought that was amazing thatthere was adults there too.
That was networking, you know,at a child's birthday party you
know, what I mean.
That was something amazing andsomething that I'll never forget
.
That's how the universe works,yeah, yeah, yeah, no doubt.
But yeah, shout out to mylittle bro for putting me on you
.
And then you hopped on mybrother's stuff Fresco Kane.
(53:44):
He was signed to, so, um, he'sfrom east st louis, reps the st
louis scene, real big.
Speaker 2 (53:49):
I like him as an artist fresco kane.
Speaker 1 (53:51):
I love the feature we did.
Speaker 2 (53:52):
I love the feature on me and boss man be there.
From detroit you put me withlet's go and I like the feature
that I did with you.
We got to do it over, but Ithink we send some stuff right,
no doubt I think it's going tobe nice, man, what we put
together, even even as an artist, like I'm excited about that.
But I'm more excited of being avp, of being an executive,
(54:13):
right that's.
That's exciting to me, right,because I did the rap I did that
I was an artist, right so now Iwant to conquer some new things
, some new goals, and be likeokay, because if I fail I fail,
but at least I tried it.
I'm not not scared to fail andI can say with me and Boo album
with Cash Money it was a flop,it was a failure, but I learned
(54:35):
so much from it and I had greatmemories from it, like great
memories and I wouldn't do itover.
Speaker 1 (54:43):
But I mean, it's like , what are you comparing it to?
Because, you sold 30,000.
It depends on who it is.
I'm telling you right now, you30,000.
It depends on who it is.
I'm telling you right now, yousell 30,000 copies.
That's a success.
Now, these days, it's hard tosell 30,000 copies of anything.
Speaker 2 (54:56):
Well, you know now?
It's just they make everythingabout gold and platinum.
Speaker 1 (55:03):
Right, right, right.
I'm coming for the platinumplaques too.
Yeah, but how can we reach you,man?
Speaker 2 (55:11):
We're going to close it out, man.
How can we reach you?
Man, we're gonna close it out,man, how can we reach you?
My only social media is myInstagram.
Peaceful Gotti, that's one word.
P-e-a-c-e-f-u-l-g-o-t-t-iPeaceful Gotti.
And then for my businesses, Igot websites for all of them
genterpriserealestatecom.
Gratitude-consultantcom.
Genterpriseproductioncom.
Speaker 1 (55:34):
That's lit.
My new Instagram is Don Kalam.
Underscore legacyD-O-N-K-I-L-A-M.
Underscore L-E-G-A-C-Y.
Don Kalam Legacy.
Tap in and tune in with DreamKeepers Radio.
Much peace and love.
peace and love, peace and love.
It's your boy, don kalam, alsoknown as malik kalam.
There's always prosperity, yourdivine birthright.
We're in chicago, illinois,with dream keepers radio podcast
and I have a special guest inthe building, but the one and
only gadi man, it's an honor andprivilege to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Thanks for having me don kalam dream Keepers Radio.
I'm just excited to answerquestions.
I haven't did an interview inmaybe about 13 years wow, 13
years yeah, I think it's been atleast 12, 13 years.
My last interview I just Iprobably turned down maybe no
exaggeration at least 100interviews wow, I totally
(00:43):
believe you yeah, you know I'vealready heard about the other
situations.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
People want to make you presidents and you said all
money ain't good money.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
It's not, yeah With me, it's principle over profits.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Wow, that's powerful.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
That's powerful.
That's really powerful.
I go by Don Kalam.
I know you don't know too muchwhat I do.
I teach the private life andthings like that.
I came into the game justlearning private music contracts
and learning how really some ofthe labels screw people over.
Hearing your story, it soundslike they made sure you got some
money.
Other labels you don't hearthose things.
(01:20):
We could just use TLC for anexample.
I don't even think they've seenI'm going to drop the number
you gave me, is that okay?
Yeah?
that's cool, so I don't eventhink TLC's seen $650,000.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Yeah, you know what I mean.
You said when you went to thelabel.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
They gave you that.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Yeah, they gave us $650,000 and we split it.
Of course, my lawyer took$20,000, a Shapiro firm.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
That's not even a lot , though that's a good deal.
I think that's all the attorneytook.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Yeah Well, cash Money did right boss, like everything
, I hear stories, but Baby Slim.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
I haven't heard those stories about Cash Money other
than the stuff in the public.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yeah, Baby and Slim took good care of us.
They don't owe me anything Like.
Everything they did was awesome.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
All right, they don't owe me anything like.
Everything they did was awesome, all right, and I just want you
to know, um, I was inspiredwith cash money also when I read
their books.
I don't know if you know theyhave a publishing company, that
they actually write books andthey're big in prison yeah, you
educated me on yeah and um, itmade me feel good because I've
seen so to relate to our peopleI want to get off subject too
much, but to relate to ourpeople, some things need to be
misspelled.
(02:26):
So I've seen there was somemisspellings and things in a
book and that's why people readmy books.
Yeah, that's why my fan base ispredominantly the so-called
black community yeah you know,that makes sense, because people
always try to fix my books.
I said don't fix my books,that's how my people relate to
me.
Yeah, because, hey, it's, it's.
We're not perfect, you know.
I mean ebonics is when the waywe talk isn't, isn't perfect,
(02:49):
english anyways, you know, butyeah, definitely, um, as you
could, as you could tell, I'mnot as connected as you, but I
am connected in the musicindustry man, my people love you
, my people respect you, so thatmade me um.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
When I met you respect you and and I did my
research and it's none but goodthings.
That's why I was excited aboutthe interview and whatever else
you wanted to do.
When I align with someone,someone that's righteous and
they got good energy and a goodheart, I'll go to the moon and
bet that's that's appreciated.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Um, one thing that's different between me and you is
you don't.
I haven't seen you talk anyshit, but I have heard you was
wild back in the day just know,that I have heard you was a wild
young buck man yeah, I thinkeverybody got a pass.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah, my pass is not who I am now, but yeah, I was
wild.
I got into a lot of stuff yeah,cause you're calm cool cool and
collective.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
It's always it's.
Your instagram name is peacefulgod.
Yeah, that's what I see.
That's what I witnessappreciate it's real, because I
say peace and love when I starteverything, but I will cut your
ass out, but maybe that's peaceto me yeah, you know you gotta
find your niche and go with it.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Everybody calling different right, that's right.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Um I you, I sent you some questions, and some
questions like um I just goingoff your bio you know we worked
on your bio and things like that, but let's just start from the
beginning.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
You grew up in chicago yeah, I was born and
raised in chicago, the west side, um cook county hospital, then,
uh, across from flowers highschool on central park, and then
, when I was about four or five,moved to chicago avenue and
mayfield and then I moved tobellwood until I was 14.
I was 13, going on 14, moved tobellwood and then, um, at
(04:40):
either going on 14 or I was 14,moved to my grandmother house on
north avenue and that's why Iended up um staying um and real
quick.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
So when you first started getting noticed and
known I'm sure as soon as yougot spotted, people wanted
pictures and just wanted to talkto you and get autographs.
Was that the case in chicago?
Speaker 2 (05:00):
yeah, it was pictures , autographs, hugs, just
conversations, advice.
Yeah, it was a lot of stuff.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
It never bothered you .
Speaker 2 (05:08):
It only bothered me, like if I was eating with a
family member or my daughter,like I got one daughter.
So if I was with my daughter ora family member, like, yeah, it
bothered me, then if we wassitting down eating, but if I
was just walking or shopping,yeah, it didn't bother me at all
, because that's what I signedup for.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Right.
So, I'm starting to learn thatright now.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Yeah, because the people make you who you are Like
when they paying for concertsand they paying for streams and
they buying your music and youritems, your merchandise.
They make you who you are.
So without them we won't beanything, and I put know that.
(05:50):
So what I know this now is likeyou can try to blend in your
best, but as soon as somebodysay your name, it's just like
they're coming to you.
Yeah, I like being, I think thelast 11, 12 years of my life I
enjoy being under the radar,like yeah, I don't, if I go in
somewhere they don't gotta saymy name, like I'm one of those
people, like some people liketheir names being said and
people running up.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
I like to be under the radar like even when we hung
out in new york.
They noticed your ass rightaway, like people noticed you
even g herbo noticed you rightaway yeah, yeah, it's love g
herbo.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Uh, he actually on my documentary I'm doing oh, wow
yeah, g herbo got on there.
Like he kicked it for a fewhours.
He didn't have to like, all hehad to give me was an hour and
um, we hung out at uh mickey, mypartner mickey restaurant.
He managed g herbo on the southside of chicago.
We hung out there, ate, um,kicked it and won a couple more
(06:35):
places on the south side becauseI'm from the west side, I'm
from out west in chicago.
But, yeah, he showed a lot oflove.
And then, uh, I called g herboa couple years later to do a
feature with this other artist Iwas working with.
He did the feature for me.
Of course he got paid, but healways been cool and respectful
when talking to me and dealingwith me.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
I hear great things.
I've worked with some producersthat have worked with him.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Actually the song we did, Lefty has done some stuff
for G Herbo.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
I think they might have a platinum plaque or go
plaque together.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
I'm not sure.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
I know he got something with Future.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Yeah, and I put a song together with him and
Jaquese oh wow.
Yeah, I put them on a textthread and me and Mickey we
worked it out.
But Jaquese got on a song Ithink it's called Shooter, and
they had sent it to me g herbaland his manager and I sent it to
(07:32):
jaquis and he wrote it and sentit back and I sent it back to
him, so you made connections.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Yeah, so so you, you're still in the game.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
We've never been out well, I'm still in the game, but
as an executive now, and I'vebeen doing a few features, um,
on the strength of hood austinand uh dunn kalam let's go put
me with a couple of guys and, uh, I like where it's going.
And dunn spit, don't let himfool you.
(07:58):
Dunn dunn spit, he's a hip-hopartist, not only a musical
business and mogul, not onlydoes he have a doctrine, but
that private life oh my God, youguys got to get into that.
You guys need to sign upbecause it's going to educate
you and it's everything that youneed to survive in this world
(08:19):
that we live in.
It's a lot of hidden gems thathe gave me in a short period of
time and I'm grateful for it.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
I appreciate that.
Shout out to Austin Hood man,because he's paved the way.
He's opened a lot of doors forme as myself.
And then you know you can'tjust like.
I'm going to tell you why Ilove being around you the most.
Who else can I brag to to talkabout the connections I've made?
Because they'll think I'mtrying to rub it in their face
or something.
You know what I mean.
(08:44):
We can't talk to ordinarypeople about your friends and
the connections that you've madein the music industry.
There's always some shade orsome hate thrown Like do you
think you're better than me?
Like no, I was so happy to beable, so I'm going to tell you
the proudest moment just lastgood to be able to say that
(09:07):
because you was just sittingdown chilling.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Yeah, and I saw him hug you.
He started talking to you andeverybody we was with.
He hugged and embraced andshowed love.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
And then his manager was reaching out for me directly
, so that made me feel good.
He was the one that let meslide through because, you know,
busta had the security with him.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Yeah, I saw, I saw that's good man.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
But yeah, when he seeing you, he hugged the whole
row.
Yeah, for sure, yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Yeah, my relationships go back to when I
got in the game 2000, 01, 02.
So most of my relationships gofar back then, except like with
the Jaquese and the Ayo and TayoG Herba all them, that's within
the last 10 years.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Right, and Young Scooter too.
I like that song you did withScooter.
Yeah, young Scooter my guy.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Yeah, young Scooter Future.
A lot of like shout out toJeezy.
Jeezy put me.
In his new book he wrote that Iwas the first one Took him the
cash money into the studio andhe I met a lot of great people,
man Wow.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
I didn't even know you and Jeezy was connected like
that.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Yeah, me and Jeezy been cool.
I made the song with R Kellyhappen for him Wow so.
I introduced him.
I told him we was at Lenox Mall, I talked to him on the phone.
He got up there in 30 minutesand he was like, yeah, you going
to introduce me.
And I introduced him.
I said Rob me.
(10:25):
And I introduced him.
I say Rob, this, uh, youngJeezy, young Jeezy, this Rob.
And he was like man, I love towork with you.
And R Kelly told him go throughGotti.
Um, send Gotti the song andGotti will tell you how much it
is.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
See, see, see.
One thing I had to teach Austinwhat how to be is.
Like bro.
You need to realize howimportant you are like he,
because it's just come naturalto him so that stuff come
natural to you.
That's a job, bro.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
People get paid to do yeah, that's why I got a
consulting company I ended upgetting a consulting company
gratitude consultant to bridgethe gap and put this person with
that person.
And not only that.
I have like entities in mycompany where I have a lawyer,
do a trust fund and takeeverything out of your personal
name, put it in a trust.
And then I have a guy by thename of pat parlay that teach
(11:05):
you about the stocks and bondsthat you could buy into.
I have a husband and wife thathave 15 different franchises you
could buy into.
Wow.
And then I have, uh, my guyfrom chicago.
He's based out of atlanta whenhe do your health insurance on
your where your life insuranceon you and your family.
Then I got another guy to dohealth insurance see my, my fan
(11:26):
base.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
That's everything you just spoke on.
That's what they need.
You know, I teach trust to stayplanted yeah but when you
understand um private life I'mnot gonna get too deep because
we're gonna focus on your careerbut um, obviously you're not.
You're not signed and have agag order.
You don't have no handlers likeyou.
Obviously you got your freedomof speech intact and a lot of
(11:46):
artists don't and a lot ofpeople don't understand that.
But trust, everything's a trust.
Your name is already a trust,whether it's in a public trust
or a private trust.
So basically I teach peoplejust study the Amish If what I'm
saying is wrong.
Just look at the Amish.
They're protected and they havetheir own trust.
They have their own covenants.
(12:08):
The government can't interferewith a private contract or a
covenant with God.
A covenant outdoes a promissorynote.
You know that promissory note'sa mortgage or something like
that.
So, yeah, that's deep man.
You already got it together man.
So in some of these questions Ihad asked you the importance of
our business.
Was you business savvy?
When you so look, I know yourhistory, your backstory, so I
(12:31):
know you was a streetentrepreneur, correct?
Whatever that means yeah, sothe business side is different.
When you came into the industrythough, right yeah, and.
I'm so if I'm only speculatingthat you invested some of your
own money in your music career.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Yeah, before I met R Kelly, I invested $82,000 into
my project.
That's lit, though I had put aproject out.
Well, my first time I startedrapping in 98, and I put
something out in 99.
The end of 98, early 99, and Ipaid B-Lo from Do from do a
dollar, do a couple of featureswith me, rap and faute um side
(13:08):
from psychodrama um blunt um.
I invested into myself at firstand, uh, I did okay.
I think I sold like 30 000copies, uh, within sam goodies
and certain stores that I had onconsignment that I did an inf
commercial that was playing inthe Midwest, milwaukee, ohio and
Chicago.
(13:29):
It was playing on BET.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
You made all this happen by yourself.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Yeah, I made all of it happen by myself and you sold
30,000 copies.
Yeah, I sold 30,000 copies.
People can't sell 30 copiesright now yeah that's amazing
buy yourself independent 30,000copies.
That's amazing.
I had my label.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
It was called Wata Records lit and it was based in
Chicago based in Chicago so youwas in Milwaukee selling records
.
Milwaukee, indiana and Ohio wowthem the three markets that I
hit first dang you don't thinkpeople are supposed to be
talking about this and you wasable to get deals with stores,
actual stores yeah, well, theytook it on consignment and then
(14:05):
after the first three times withpeople buying it, they start
buying them.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
After my third time going back I had to hear I did a
son in a george music room outhere that was.
That was like the biggest spotmom and pop store george's music
room on the west side on roose.
He was married to MinnieRippleton back in the day.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I'm not sure who that is.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Minnie Rippleton is a dope singer from back in the
day and her daughter is a dopeactress that's on TV on all type
of movies right now as we speak.
Yep.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Okay, I see it's Chicago Illinois.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Illinois.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Yeah, Illinois.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
I'm from Quincy, so I was born in Quincy.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Yeah, and then you went to STL.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Yeah well, hannibal raised in the Hannibal area.
When I was a teenager I went tothe St Louis area.
I was basically forced becauseI had a Fed case counterfeiting
money.
I realized Article 1, section10, only Congress can provide
punishment for uttering andcounterfeiting securities in the
United States.
I asked the judge so why areyou charging me?
He said figure it out, thencome back and talk to me.
(15:12):
And I've been on the searchingever since.
Wow, yes.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
You got a story yourself.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Yeah, yeah yeah, I always wanted.
So first of all, before I evensay this other guy's name, rest
in heaven, rest in power.
Man Irv Gotti man.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Yeah, that's my brother.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
But I always wanted 50 Cent to hear my story because
I got myself out, the feds Gotmyself by doing paperwork and
learning, admiralty law andmaritime law.
Yes, that's amazing.
Yes, and just paperwork, all itis so.
But when you so, when yousigned your major deal, that was
with um, your homie boo,correct?
Speaker 2 (15:53):
yeah, um, boo was already with r kelly in 98.
I got with him in 2000, so boobrought me on board, he gave r
kelly my cd that was popping inthe streets and, um, he told me
to come to the basketball courtwhere they'd be at and meet him.
And I went up there and I methim and we never looked back, we
just was locked in in thestudio.
(16:13):
We did the I Wish remix was ourfirst song to the homies.
That was lost.
Then our next song was theregular Fiesta and after the
regular Fiesta did good on thisalbum, we did the remix Fiesta
with Jay-Z, with Jay-Z, and thatblew.
And then we did the Fillin' Onyour Booty remix with R Kelly.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Oh, that's my shit.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So we did four songs with him in a matter of two
years.
You know in high school that'swhen I was bumpin' man.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Yeah to that.
I can't remember the remix.
I know that I've definitely hadeverybody bump in Since me and
you been linking.
I make sure everybody knows whoyou are, man.
You need to know who this manis.
Y'all pay him his respect, man.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
Gratitude but.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
I think that shit's tight with the Fiesta remix.
Man, you was on there withJay-Z.
Have conversation with him onthe set you was popping before
you even met Lil Wayne yeah,yeah, well, when, when, um, when
, lil Wayne, it was two waysback then.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
This was the end of 02, maybe early 03, I think it
was the end of 02.
When I told Lil Wayne R Kelly'ssituation, they stopped his uh
distribution because of thistape came out.
So I wasn't signed to R Kelly,I was just, you know, making
money with him and Boo wassigned with him, so I didn't
have to get out any contract.
But I told him.
(17:32):
R Kelly told us, like if y'allcould get a deal or something,
we'll do it, because Interscopestopped my budget so I can't do
anything.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
That's some real brotherly shit, though.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Man, he was yeah, when Wayne say man, I know Baby,
a fuck with y'all.
So, baby, I talked to Baby overthe phone.
He was like man, I'm fans ofy'all.
I listen to I Wish Remix everyday.
He said if he asked where it'sat, but I listen to I Wish Remix
every day.
I keep it on repeat what y'allwant.
(18:03):
And I just said the first thingcame up.
I was like we want a milliondollars.
He was like we want a milliondollars.
He was like y'all get out here,I'm going to get y'all a flight
.
Send me y'all name and y'alllawyer could talk to my lawyer
and we'll go from there.
And we went out there and weended up getting $650,000.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Man, that's powerful, yeah For somebody.
Because not everybody can saythat.
Because I had that in my listtoo, that I got man my little
notes right here.
Why do you think Baby chose tosign you?
Because he dealt with NewOrleans, people, right, you know
what I mean, but he was such afan of that song, the I Wish
remix.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
He thought the Fiesta was dope, Don't get it wrong.
But he's at say that I Wishremix.
He used to keep it on repeatand listen to it all day because
he lost so many hundreds.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Right, right, right right.
So I'm just saying I know thatyou're special alone.
Just because Baby didn't gooutside his, he took care of New
Orleans.
Everybody I know, other thanTech N9ne.
People don't know Tech N9ne wassigned.
We can Google this.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
No, tech N9ne was signed, like you say, but Rodney
Jerkins was signed over there.
Lil Mo was signed over there,major Figures, gilly, yeah,
everybody was signed over therethen.
Tina.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Marie was signed over there.
You talking about the singer,tina Marie, with James.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Yeah, none of them got nothing out.
Me and Boo was fortunate to getsomething out, but I don't
think.
I think we probably sold 50,000copies, man, so we didn't even
get a second single.
Our first single was Ain't it,man?
I, I liked it, but I think, youknow, I put it on us like I
don't blame nobody.
(19:35):
Well, I put it on me, I won'teven put it on boy, I don't
blame anybody for right for mymishaps.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
You know it's a learning experience, you know
right, right, yeah, it's, it's,it's tech nine was definitely
signed to.
Uh, he signed to Cash MoneyRecords man back in the 90s,
late 90s, so before you.
So that's crazy, that's crazy.
But he started doing StrangeMusic and doing his thing, but
(20:01):
yeah, so it's just like anytimeI see people that made it big.
Paris Hilton was signed to CashMoney too.
I didn't know that.
Yeah, paris Hilton, lil Bow Wowwas too.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, they found alot of people, but in the
beginning it was just neworleans, to my understanding,
yeah so if you was dealing withcash money, you was something
spectacular for them to put yourmoney behind you.
(20:22):
Because, babe, when you, whenyou see the interviews and stuff
, they didn't even know whojay-z was.
Baby didn't even know who jay-zwas yeah he was just focused on
his crew Mm-hmm.
So Chicago definitely shapedyour music career, correct?
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Yeah, I believe so.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Yeah, and you came in obviously like everybody else
in not-so-good neighborhoods.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Yeah, it wasn't good.
When I was a little kid, my momand dad was staying with my
father's friend and then afterthat my mom and dad was staying
with my father friend and thenafter that my mom was staying me
and my mom and big brother andmom was staying.
Uh, we were staying somewhereelse, but it was on chicago.
I've known mayfield and uhthat's the hood yeah, it's the
hood.
Yeah.
And then my father, uh, I guesshe saved up enough money it was
(21:07):
cheap back then in the 80s.
He saved enough money to uh,enough money, it was cheap back
then in the 80s.
He saved enough money to uh toget a place in Bailwood and I
stayed there for eight years ofmy life and uh, some stuff went
down, uh, with me and somebodyout there and and uh, I had went
to the juvenile detentioncenter for a few months and when
I got out I wanted to stay withmy grandmother.
(21:29):
That's why I said I don't knowif I was about to be 14 or I was
14.
That's on the west side as well.
So I went back to the west side.
I left the west side at five.
I moved back to the west sideat 14 on north avenue with my
grandmother so and you met allright.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
You met r kelly.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
So that was already connected.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Yeah, they was already connected since 98.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Was it your vision to be in a group, or did you want
to be solo?
Speaker 2 (22:02):
No, I just wanted to be solo.
But when it was presented to meI was like wow, because it take
people, especially in Chicago.
Sometimes it take 5, 10, 15years to get on, because people
really wasn't coming here likethat in the late 90s.
They wasn't coming here likethe only groups that was popping
then was like Do or Die,twister, the Brat, crucial
(22:23):
Conflict, psychodrama and maybejust a couple more.
That made it big from Chicago.
But then once the 2000s hit,the floodgates opened.
A lot of people was coming outthere, even singers, r&b.
It was major.
(22:44):
I think the 2000s was major forpeople getting deals in Chicago
.
I just think it's crazy that youwere able to get a deal so fast
yeah exactly because I starteddoing music in 98, and then I
put out my CD in 99 and got withR Kelly right when it was about
to be 2000.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
You know how we talk about affirmations and goals and
stuff like that?
Did you write anything down orwhat was your mindset back then?
Speaker 2 (23:12):
No, I didn't.
I had ran into some troublerunning the streets with the
wrong people and I had went on avacation for 19 and a half
months.
I was locked up and I had a lotof time to think and a lot of
promises was made to God.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
That's amazing.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Yeah, and I just made good on it when I got out.
I just didn't want to go backto what I was doing.
Right it didn't make sense to.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
You did, you helped, upheld your part and God upheld
his.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yeah, so that's why I happened so fast.
That's powerful, that's why Ihappened so fast.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Walking by, faith, not by sight.
Yeah, that's why I tell Onceyou know you have faith, it is
what you want to do with God.
Your imagination is your directlink to God.
Imagination Move around,because faith without works is
dead.
Just move around now.
You know the intention of whatyou want to do.
Now move around.
That's powerful, though youmanifested fast.
So how important is it for youas an artist to understand the
(24:09):
business side of the musicindustry?
Because you've already saidyou've got what's called
Gratitude Consultant.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
And then you have G Enterprises Productions
Productions okay.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
And I have G Enterprises Real Estate.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
G Enterprises Real Estate.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
And then G Productions yeah, g Enterprises
Productions, g EnterprisesProductions, okay.
So it's important for artiststo understand the business side
of the music industry.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Yeah, I think they should read every book, look at
every documentary and study thegreats when it comes to music,
because being an artist and theentertainment part, that's only
really 30%, 40%, the businessend.
You have to know where yourmoney go, your royalties, your
deal.
It's so much money that youneed to know about and break up,
(24:54):
so you need to have theknowledge of okay, what it's
come from when I put my namedown, how important this is,
because you could be sellingyour soul or signing your life
away.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Wow, wow.
Yeah, that's powerful, butunfortunately you wasn't in that
whole situation.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
No, because one thing about it like I don't know a
lot now but I know a little then, a little less than what I know
now.
But I always knew if I don'tknow something, get a lawyer.
And I don't mind paying alawyer the big bucks out of my
money because it's going to helpme in the end.
I never wanted to have my uncleor mom or dad or homie be my
(25:33):
lawyer or manager.
No, that's strictly businessY'all family.
We're going to keep that family.
But if they went to school forit, of course, okay, cool, it
makes sense.
But if you don't have a degreein that you ain't go to school,
you're not professional anddon't know what you're doing.
No, you're not going to mess meand you up.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
I like that, I like that.
So not only is it important toknow the business.
If you don't necessarily knowthe business, or even if you do,
it's still important to have abusiness attorney or a music
attorney or the type of fieldthat you're in.
Have an attorney thatspecializes in whatever it is
you're doing.
Yeah, I agree, I totally agree.
Also, we've been talking aboutpersonal credit and business
(26:13):
credit.
So for any up-and-comingartists, do you think you find
that important that they shouldknow about personal and business
credit?
Speaker 2 (26:20):
I think credit is one of the most important things
that's going to happen whenyou're living in this world and
I believe your personal creditshould be great and then your
business credit.
You need to build that.
So everything you do should goon a trust or should go on your
holding company.
Well, your holding companyshould own everything and your
(26:40):
trust on your holding company.
But I believe that instead ofusing your personal credit,
everything should be bought inyour business name and you can
write off so much when you buyinto your business name and
instead of bond, I think if youget a company car, lease it,
write it off like it's so muchyou could do when you have
business credit.
But your personal credit have tobe good as well, in case you
(27:01):
have to be a guarantee.
But business credit andpersonal credit is so important
because you could have fivehundred thousand dollars cash
but if you have that 800 creditscore on all bureaus and you
have business credit, that$500,000 is not even worth it
because you could get so manyproperties.
You could get so much withbusiness credit and personal
(27:25):
credit that cash can't buy Cash.
Always going to be king, butI'd rather have business and
personal credit buy cash, alwaysgoing to be king, but I'd
rather have business andpersonal credit.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Man, that is powerful , brother.
Listen, because you've beenquiet.
You came to, uh, my event innew york.
You listened, you see what thepeople's done, but you didn't
say anything.
Input, bro.
So you, you, you see, we on thesame track?
Speaker 2 (27:45):
yeah, because if you invest in the ra even if you
invest in the ra like these kidsthat's 24, 25 years old you
invest in the ra, you just pay ainvest in the IRA, like these
kids that's 24, 25 years old youinvest in the IRA, you just pay
$100 a month with an IRA.
By the time you retire, that'sa million dollars tax free.
And when you got a Roth IRAaccount, they don't penalize you
if you have an emergency, Ihave to take something out.
So I always I tell Ayo and Tayo, I always tell these little
(28:08):
guys like man, put money up,invest and then don't use your
money, because if you're usingbusiness money, there's so much
you can write off and you canput your mom and dad, or whoever
, on payroll.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
That's right.
That's right, I'm definitely onpayroll.
I'm a contractor.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
You know that's major , because I definitely so.
What I teach is you know theholding companies and the fire
charging order protection statesNevada, wyoming, alaska, south.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Dakota.
Yeah, I was about to sayDelaware.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
And then you know, have a trust, you have a.
It can be a living trust.
I like doing living trusts inSouth Dakota.
You know, on the private side,you know we got those
irrevocable trusts.
There's different types oftrusts that you can go to, but
definitely the holding companiesas the pass-through entities.
I like unincorporatedassociations or faith-based
organizations as my trust, Okay.
(29:01):
So if you understand what adownman is, you understand I
have books, right.
Okay, you're working on adocumentary.
Yeah, so your documentary canbe part of your family library.
Awesome, and now we can handout money tax-free to our family
library.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Just gave me a job.
I didn't know that youfollowing me.
Thanks for that knowledge, yeahit's like private school.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Private school starts with your parents.
Appreciate it.
Your first teacher was yourparents.
Mm-hmm, that made yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
Yeah, I told you A lot of people never even talk to
him.
Some even don't know nothingabout him.
So yeah, that's major.
So we definitely was aligned.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
I want to talk about this too, because this is one of
my weaknesses as Don Kalam, asfar as, like, I'm just being
transparent here with Don Kalamcoming up in the game.
So if I didn't find you asvalue right there, you couldn't
pay me money or something.
I just wrote you off.
So that's a bridge I might havejust burnt, Because money isn't
everything.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
You know what I mean.
No, it's not with me.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Yeah, but that's with anybody.
It really shouldn't be.
And it did take a few higherups.
People will hire up to me tosay, hey, bro, just because I'm
rich, money isn't everything.
I got here because theconnection people are more
valuable than money yeah, I justfeel like your mindset.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
If somebody mindset good and I can learn from them,
that's more powerful than moneyfor me.
Or if it's someone to haveresources they don't have money,
but they have resources okay,now I could use your resources,
you could use mine.
You know it's a trade off, soeverything don't have to be
about money.
With me, like I once I I thinkI had about 30 years old, I
(30:35):
learned it's better having homegirls that you just cool with.
Don't look at sexual.
They'll do way more for you,get more out of them in a
relationship.
I've been so cool with, I'llsay, like non-female friends one
realtor, one, a lawyer, like Igot just so many professional
female friends.
When I stopped thinking with myprivate part it's like man, wow
(30:58):
, this, what life about?
Okay, this connection.
So if you're a less fortunateperson living on the street of
you, working in McDonald's,whatever, I respect everybody
with the same mindset, right, Irespect you.
I don't care if you're thepresident or a celebrity.
I respect you the same way youknow what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
I met this girl at one of these events when I was,
you know, independent artist,just making connections, and we
ended up becoming intimate.
But she took, she said she wasa scientist.
She said I want to be a musicmanager.
You inspire me, don you knowshe, she was a scientist.
Yeah, she said I want to be amusic manager.
I'm uh, you inspired me, donyou know.
She quit.
I didn't tell her to quit, buteverything we talked about she
was doing and so I was just like, oh, let's not be sexual, no
(31:40):
more yeah let's take this shitseriously.
And she's doing, she's mademajor moves, man, major major
moves, yeah, yeah yeah, so I.
So people are more valuablethan money.
So the people are the credit.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Sometime yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
Yeah, sometimes, yeah , I would say sometime, not all
the time, but sometime.
So there might have beensomething that you might not
have liked in life, or somebodymight have said something crazy
to you.
So how do you avoid not burningthose bridges?
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Well, but back in the day my mindset was different,
so you know, I wasn't always howI am now.
So yeah, so I'm just, you know,I'm still learning.
I see how you are now yeah soI'm still learning, like even
today, I'm still learning.
I don't know enough, I stillseek knowledge.
That's why I say, even withmeeting you, I was intrigued
(32:25):
because you taught me a lot andI just sat back and listened,
not even asking everything, justsitting back listening, going
to your book signing, and seeinghow you talk to the people and
and how they taking notes, I'mlike, okay, yeah, I need to take
some notes too.
So sometimes I just sit backand watch, don't even ask.
I see, by action, so by youractions, I see, oh man, he a
family man, he a good dude.
(32:46):
He not just smart and educated,he a good dude and he mean well
, and you like to look out forpeople and I love that.
I'm like man, some people haveit and just keep it to they
selves and you can't die with it.
Speaker 1 (32:59):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So everybody can't come in, soyou the same way.
I see how you take care of yourtribe, but everybody can't be
part of that, so you gotta pickand choose so that's why I put
that shell up facts you know.
But what you know I didn'treally care if you seen that
that's who I am, but what Ireally wanted you to see was, at
the event, like I'm glad I hadsome success stories for your
(33:19):
ass.
So you know cause the peoplesay a lot of shit.
So you can see hey, I changedher whole family business.
They was gonna shut her familybusiness down and the two on
dominican guys.
Yeah, yeah, yeah I helped theirwhole community.
They said they're blocked 200deep.
I'm like wow, yeah, yeah, thatwas very powerful man, because
you know they.
I don't really like to talkabout them because, you know,
(33:41):
maybe somebody's over here theyain't supposed to be over here,
got you, got you know.
But but I definitely likeassist and aid, brother, because
I believe we're on earth man.
What's up the demographics isthe graph of demons.
We're in a day and age where wecan say certain things, where
we can't say everything, but thedemographics of demons
everywhere is united we stand,divided we fall.
So really shouldn't be nopassport to get to any other
(34:03):
country, because we all wantearth and that's how I view
things, you know.
But if you want to be a part ofa certain sector that wants to,
you know the Amish don't needpassports and IDs to move around
.
They go on planes too, you know, officer, you travel enough.
You've seen an Amish person ona plane, yeah, you know.
So how do they get on planeswith the IDs?
So this is the game that Iteach.
(34:23):
That's their private life rightthere.
You know, and uh, a lot ofpeople know.
I don't want to name drop toomuch, but I know that J Prince
has his own thing set up youknow what I mean when you go to
Houston, if J Prince say theycan't be down here, you're not
going to be down there.
But that's how it used to be.
I don't know how it is now.
I know with Charleston White.
(34:44):
Charleston White couldn'tperform down there because J
Prince said no.
You know what I mean.
How I started learning about JPrince was a mutual friend.
We have Winky Wright.
Winky came in the boxing game.
Winky a great guy.
Everything he was talking abouthe knows man.
He knows a lot man.
He's very intelligent, but hesaid he didn't talk about this
stuff during his boxing career.
(35:05):
He said he didn't want to messnothing up.
But as soon as he got out thecontracts, he was cool with it,
started meeting connections andmeeting people, but he's
definitely connected.
Like you, man, he's got his ownlane, though.
You also talked aboutcollaborating with Jermaine
Dupri, so let's just talk aboutit.
Let's talk about Jermaine Duprifirst, and Lil Wayne being able
(35:27):
to work with both of those.
Those are icons still to thisday.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
Yeah, with Jermaine Dupree.
He reached out to R Kelly andtold him he wanted to work with
me and Boo, and he set up theflight, had us at the hotel and
sent the driver to pick us up.
He was very professional.
We got to the studio, Him andUsher was there.
Usher was just coming out thebooth doing the hook and Usher
was there.
Usher was just coming out thebooth doing the hook and he was
like listen to this, and I thinkit took me maybe 25 minutes to
(35:54):
come up with my verse and I wentin there and laid it.
Boo went in there and laid hisand he was like damn.
So then he took us out thatnight and we was young this was
in the early 2000s, so we wasyoung and we just went out, had
a good time, we stayed time.
We stayed at atl, I think threedays.
(36:14):
He um held us suites um in thehotel and, uh, we had a good
time.
It was a good experiencebecause I was listening to jd
before that like I was listeningto jermaine dupree.
Speaker 1 (36:21):
I was like he nice are you talking about his flows?
Speaker 2 (36:24):
yeah, I was listening to his flows, his creativity,
he right, I just was like manjermaine dupree, dope, so it was
an honor to get that call.
When um kales and um black waslike, yeah, he wants y'all to
come out there and um and youget paid and royalty.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
So I was like man, yeah, he paid on the first time
I was doing negative out here soit kales could have hated.
And I told you yeah, he, that'sdeep bro.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
I just want to throw that out there.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
You know what I mean.
So you've always brought thebest out of people, man, because
you know, sometimes it's justshade like that Throw it man
Like, hey I didn't know.
You wanted to do a song with meor you was inquiring about me.
That's lit man.
Do you think all All theChicago's like that in the music
?
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Oh, man, hold on, Let me tell you this.
Back to this.
I'll repeat to my brother, IrvGotti, as we doing the feature
for Jermaine Dupri.
When we get back to the hotel,Irv Gotti and BJ is in there in
the lobby and Irv Gotti lookingat us like man I know them.
And BJ come up like man I'm BJ,I'm from New York.
(37:28):
Them and BJ come up like manI'm BJ, I'm from New York, I'm
with Murder Inc.
That's Irv Gotti.
So we get to talking.
He was like man.
What y'all doing out here.
We was like we just did afeature with Jermaine Dupri and
he was like man, I want to puty'all on Ja Rule album.
He got an album we working onand then I'm working on a Fast
and Furious soundtrack.
I'm producing the wholesoundtrack and we've been
(37:50):
hearing about Fast and Furious.
It was the first one.
So we like yeah, we was likeyou know, we were R Kelly, we
got to run it by him.
He was like cool, let's getback to me, let me know.
And he flew us to New York fora week, showed us a great time
we was in the studio working.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
So you know, with labels you have to get shit
cleared and all of that.
Your shit was just likeclockwork.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
Yeah, yeah, they was clear you know that's unheard of
.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
I just want you to know that I've been in the game
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
That's unheard of.
Sometimes you got to take weeks, years, sometimes shit don't
never get cleared, like, hey, we, not People, pay for features
(38:37):
that don't get cleared amazing.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
So you was with jd.
Another opportunity arose.
Yeah, faith without works isdead, brother.
That's amazing.
And then lil wayne.
Yeah, lil wayne.
Um, was that y'all's firstsingle with cash money?
Or y'all had something?
Else our first single with cashmoney was oh yeah, with the big
time okay and we was on, we dida video for it and everything
that was on hood rich album.
Oh yeah, yeah, that was on hoodrich album and album.
And then I got on another songcalled Sunny Day, me Baby and TQ
.
I remember him.
I think Mickey was on there aswell, if I'm not mistaken.
(39:02):
But yeah, lil Wayne, I'm tryingto see how the man Lil Wayne
meet.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
but whenever we met we exchanged two ways and we
just stayed in touch over thetwo way hold up because you know
for the people that don't knowwhat a two way is yeah, two way
pager is what was out in theearly 2000s.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
It was a way to communicate like a little laptop
, like a little computer thatyou text from, you slide it open
and it's like a little minicomputer.
Speaker 1 (39:31):
All the rich people had them.
She was broke and had one.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
Yeah, it was really dope man.
I'm staying in touch with thetwo-way.
Speaker 1 (39:39):
That's lit.
That's lit.
Hey, can't everybody say thatthat's powerful?
So you linked with Lil Wayne,Jermaine Dupri, Irv Gotti this
song's with Ja Rule and you gotplatinum plaques.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
Yeah, we got plaques from Jermaine Dupri's
Instructions album, ja Rulealbum, painless Love, fast and
Furious soundtrack, birdmanalbum, r Kelly album and the Big
Toms.
Speaker 1 (40:10):
Wow, that's amazing, and they're still relevant to
this day.
Everybody that you've dealtwith.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
Yeah, everybody we've dealt with.
Kanye West produced two songson our album On your album yeah.
Kanye West produced two songs.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
Irv Gotti produced one or two songs.
So you met Ye.
Speaker 2 (40:26):
Yeah, ye was in the studio with us.
Well, we was in the studio withhim in New York.
Wow, yeah, he was in the studiowith us.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
Well, we was in the studio with him in New York.
Wow, man, yeah, what side hefrom.
He from the south side.
He's from the south side.
Yeah, yeah, I think somebodyelse told me that.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
Yeah, we was in the studio with him for probably
about 14 hours.
Speaker 1 (40:44):
Another thing I did want to touch too, because you
definitely was.
You said it earlier about Ican't remember what it was, but
you've linked your own deals.
You was able to meet with yourown people, do your own thing.
Same way with your shows.
It was with the CDs, orwhatever you were selling.
It was CDs back then when youcame out.
Speaker 2 (41:02):
Yeah, it was CDs, you went to Milwaukee.
Speaker 1 (41:08):
So you're basically, what would that?
Speaker 2 (41:09):
be called if I was with a label, if you was with a
label.
Speaker 1 (41:10):
Yeah, who would be putting me in stores?
You know that's a team thatdoes that.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
Yeah, yeah, it is a team.
Yeah, the street team or theA&R.
All right, yeah, the A&R listento the album and make sure get
the features, make sureeverything is right on there.
So, yeah, it'll really be thestreet team that's going out
putting it in there.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
So use your own street team.
Then, moving forward, you knowI got to hear you and Boo talk
and y'all both agreed that youwas booking shows for y'all.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
Yeah, like we did the promotional tour with Cash
Money, they had us on a BET tourwith cash money.
They had us on a um, a bet um.
It was like a little summertour, like something we did like
maybe 12 to 15 cities, butafter that, like we was on our
own, like we didn't have nomanager, and then so all the
shows that we got an appearance,since I had got them for right,
(42:06):
so that's just work.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
So it was just days.
You would be just up callingbooking shows and things like
that.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
No, they'd actually reach out to me.
If I see somebody, they'd belike man my people want to book
you, I'll take the number.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Okay, okay, yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
I'll take the number myself.
I wouldn't give them a managernumber because I ain't have one,
so we ain't have a manager, soI'll take the number myself.
So do you think as far aslongevity?
Speaker 1 (42:37):
goes, you should have music management.
Speaker 2 (42:38):
I like the consultant better, because a manager is
like it's a big babysitter, likethey really got to babysit you
and put their life on hold andeverything catering to you.
A real manager, like they'regoing to make sure all your
needs met and you know they'regoing to work hard for they 15
or 20 percent, whatever the dealis.
So I won't want to be a managerbecause it's just a lot come
(43:01):
with that.
So consultant okay, I couldtalk to you, I could pick twice
a month.
Okay, you got the your two daysand I'm good, and I don't have
to babysit and be worried aboutyou 24-7.
Speaker 1 (43:14):
That makes sense.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
Yeah, because I got my own life and my life revolves
around peace.
When I wake up, I wake up early.
I got to meditate, I got topray, I got to stretch and I
start my day.
You know, that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (43:26):
Yeah, I think everybody should have that too,
as far as, because I believemusic is the sound of angels.
So at the height of your career, as soon as your music, your
song, starts playing, peoplestart moving their whole body,
correct?
Yeah?
So that's how powerful music is.
It can shake your soul, itmoves your soul, it moves your
body.
(43:46):
A woman can think she's goingto find love in the club by the
vibrations and tones she hears.
So when you have a purpose inlife that's going to transfer
into music, I don't care if it'swhat's being said, whether it's
gangster or whatever, whetherit's nasty or whatever They'll
be like, ah, you shouldn'tlisten.
That's exasperated.
If that person has a purposethat energy transfers through
(44:08):
the music, does that make sense?
Yeah, it does.
Purpose that energy transfersthrough the music, does that
make sense?
Yeah, so you know if they'redoing this for God or their
family, you'll start dancing forGod or you'll start moving for
God.
We learn our ABCs through music.
You know, our music was one ofour first teachers as well, so
that's just my opinion.
With it, we come to the worldthrough ultrasound.
Speaker 2 (44:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
You know.
So in the beginning was theworld, the world was God and the
world was with God.
But as far as that goes, whatdo you think your proudest
achievement in your music careeris?
Speaker 2 (44:37):
My what Proudest achievement, your proudest
achievement.
Speaker 1 (44:40):
Something that sticks out to you.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
I think my proudest achievement.
When I first heard my song onthe radio and my grandma and my
mom, they was just so happy forme.
My father, like my whole family, my uncles, aunts, cousins,
everybody was just so happy sothat I think that first time
that I heard it I was like wow.
And then the plaques just wasthe icing on the cake, like wow,
(45:04):
I really put in hard work andachieved these and, uh, just
even been having two songs inthe top 50 of the top 200, like
I just think that's awesome initself, like one being in the
top 10 I think it was number sixor seven on the billboard, the
uh fiesta, and it was like five,six weeks.
So I just was like wow, that'sincredible, that's so surreal.
Speaker 1 (45:29):
Um, who's your top five?
Your top five, I like to sayartists.
I don't really like the wordrappers.
Yeah, but like your top fivehip hop artists.
Speaker 2 (45:40):
I'll go with in no particular order.
I'll go with Kanye West, KanyeWest, my number one.
Then I'll go with I don't knowif I got a top five, that's all
good hey boy, I hope Weezy on ityeah, I'll put Wayne, I'll put
(46:05):
Tupac, but it gotta just behip-hop no, whatever you want me
, okay, so yeah I'll put michaeljackson prince and r kelly,
there you go so r kelly of mygeneration, of my time, no
matter what nobody think or say,r kelly is hands down the most
(46:25):
creative r&b singer I heard inmy generation, like from.
Since I've been listening to,like music as a teenager the 90s
to the late 80s, like 88, 89.
Up until now I still haven'tsaw nobody that could touch R
Kelly like father's writingproduction and singing, yeah,
(46:49):
but besides R Kelly, you can'tforget his show.
Speaker 1 (46:52):
He's an entertainer too.
Speaker 2 (46:53):
Yeah, I just think like that man is like incredible
.
He the first one to give me achance.
Speaker 1 (47:00):
Shout out to Kelz man .
Speaker 2 (47:01):
Yeah, he the first one to give me a chance and an
opportunity, because I never hada job or anything in top metal,
wow yeah.
Speaker 1 (47:11):
I ain't know what a 1099.
I didn't know what a 10-4, Iain't know what anything was, so
he was showing you real lifegang.
Well, his, you were sayingstuff that his accountant did
daryl mcdavid but they made sureyou was good.
Speaker 2 (47:20):
Yeah, he gave me the opportunity but real legit
people like that that wanted thebest for you yeah, because
before that, like my only jobs Ihad before that, you know,
before hustling, when I wasyoung I I sold candy.
At seven, eight years old Ishoveled snow and then by the
time I was 11, I was shiningshoes.
So I was a hustler just tryingto make money.
And then once I got to be 12years old, the streets took over
(47:43):
from there With my experiencesand the stories that I hear.
Speaker 1 (47:48):
LA might get your ass , new York might get your ass,
but it seems like the Chicagocommunity really takes care of
their people.
That's what it's seeming liketo me.
Speaker 2 (47:56):
I think, before the gangs in Chicago it was the
Black Panther movement and itwas like even the gangs.
It wasn't gangs, it wasorganizations like the Vice
Lords and Growth and Developmentand the Stones.
They was in the neighborhoodshelping the families that
couldn't afford food andcouldn't afford things to get to
(48:17):
school.
So they was in a neighborhoodgiving away rods to school and
putting food in people's house,because the dads was locked up
in prison.
Speaker 1 (48:26):
Right, you know, this is the stories in Atlanta as
well.
Speaker 2 (48:29):
Yeah, I get these stories from Atlanta as well, so
that's what they was doing inthe communities and keeping the
community safe, away from peopletrying to come in and rape and
rob and all of that.
So they was the protectors, butI think it came a point where
you know it turned and I don'tknow when it turned, but you
know it did, yeah, but you knowit did yeah, but they was there
(48:52):
to protect the community atfirst though.
Speaker 1 (48:54):
Right right, right right.
I mean.
That's my understanding.
As you know, I'm a Moor.
Speaker 2 (48:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (48:58):
And that's how I was taught.
You know I'm not going to gettoo deep and political with
everybody, but yeah, we givehonors to all the prophets.
But that's amazing because Ijust want you to know, like in
Atlanta, I've seen everybody.
You know I got my start inAtlanta with the hip-hop
industry but I've seen everybodyas brothers.
Like they wanted to help you getahead.
(49:18):
Nobody was hating on peopleLike they'll introduce hey, yeah
, I know such and such Holler atsuch and such, they'll get you
there or like.
It was just no hate, it was allupliftment.
I even heard a freestyle battlewhere you have to uplift your
brother, you have to rap and saysomething good about each other
.
I thought that was amazing.
So yeah, man, now that you'rewhere you're at in your life,
(49:41):
man, how long have you been inthe game?
Speaker 2 (49:43):
20 years Since 2000,.
Speaker 1 (49:44):
yeah, yeah, 20-plus years yeah.
Speaker 2 (49:46):
I started in 2000, and then I stopped doing music,
probably like 2013.
I think I stopped doing musicand just got on a business and
with everything I just wanted tobe an executive and I dig that.
Speaker 1 (50:01):
Yeah, I dig that I dig that for real.
Is there any advice you wouldgive your younger self?
Speaker 2 (50:08):
Listen more, observe, observe, absorb everything you
can, soak it in and uh, lesstalking and learn more.
Slow down and not stop learning.
I think that'd be my bestadvice I would have gave my
younger self that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (50:29):
um, before we close it out, I I'm going to ask you
one more thing Is there anybodythat you would like to work with
right now?
Speaker 2 (50:40):
I think anybody Austin Hood got me too.
I love working with Don Kalam,the features that he gave me.
I'm not just saying thatbecause you're here, but I'm
just saying for you to know allthat you know and for you to
take time out to want to workwith other artists like St Louis
, atlanta, detroit, chicago, newYork.
(51:00):
That's just dope, like justbeing around you in a month's
time.
Well, it's been a few months.
I met you months ago, but I'mjust saying it's like man, I
look at certain things different.
It's like, okay, I see how helooking at it and it's good to
meet somebody like that thatchallenge you or that just wake
something back up in you.
(51:21):
Because before I met you I wasreally just sold on being
executive Hood Records, the vicepresident, and then when you
was like man, you should rap,you could do this, and you still
got a yeah, that gave meconfidence I needed.
I think sometimes we don'trealize what we mean to people.
And you was telling me what Imeant to you and when you was
(51:43):
younger, your brother put you onme and yeah, that made me feel
good, even though I probablywasn't telling you right then
and there.
But on the inside I'm like man.
That's gratitude, like, and Itold you gratitude, but it's
like man.
Sometime, you know, we think at40, some years old, like man,
we ain't got it, no more, weprobably lost it, but yeah, that
gave me the confidence I meanit's like.
Speaker 1 (52:06):
so I try to give flowers to everybody that had an
influence on me, but I justwant you you to know like I'm
rocking with you, gotti, but youknow I first heard of you
because of Boo and Gotti and Iwant you to know Boo and Gotti
is some names that will never beforgotten.
Thank you, like y'all made animpact in the music industry.
Speaker 2 (52:22):
And I think my brother Boo, doping at me as an
artist, I think because Boo,like he a real rapper, rapper
like I look at me like okay, Ithink it was something that I
chose to do so I wouldn't goback to the streets and so I
wouldn't go back to jail.
So I don't think when I firststarted I had a passion for like
boo, so that probably played apart in our career as well.
(52:44):
Um, but I think as it grew andI saw the love and I saw man, I
really can make a living withthis.
I think that's when I reallygrew a passion for it.
But I think it was a little toolate then.
So I think the people that gota passion for it, they were at
the show, they in there and theygoing to make it happen.
Speaker 1 (53:06):
It's this or nothing, and that wasn't my case.
So I got a passion for whereI'm at now.
But what got me known?
Don Colombo Books andeverything that's not what I
wanted to be known for.
Speaker 2 (53:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (53:18):
You know.
So it feels like I got a secondwind, being able to come in
music game meeting you.
Speaker 2 (53:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (53:23):
You know, like I said , we met at the Bro Misfa, the
13-year son.
I thought that was amazing thatthere was adults there too.
That was networking, you know,at a child's birthday party you
know, what I mean.
That was something amazing andsomething that I'll never forget
.
That's how the universe works,yeah, yeah, yeah, no doubt.
But yeah, shout out to mylittle bro for putting me on you
.
And then you hopped on mybrother's stuff Fresco Kane.
(53:44):
He was signed to, so, um, he'sfrom east st louis, reps the st
louis scene, real big.
Speaker 2 (53:49):
I like him as an artist fresco kane.
Speaker 1 (53:51):
I love the feature we did.
Speaker 2 (53:52):
I love the feature on me and boss man be there.
From detroit you put me withlet's go and I like the feature
that I did with you.
We got to do it over, but Ithink we send some stuff right,
no doubt I think it's going tobe nice, man, what we put
together, even even as an artist, like I'm excited about that.
But I'm more excited of being avp, of being an executive,
(54:13):
right that's.
That's exciting to me, right,because I did the rap I did that
I was an artist, right so now Iwant to conquer some new things
, some new goals, and be likeokay, because if I fail I fail,
but at least I tried it.
I'm not not scared to fail andI can say with me and Boo album
with Cash Money it was a flop,it was a failure, but I learned
(54:35):
so much from it and I had greatmemories from it, like great
memories and I wouldn't do itover.
Speaker 1 (54:43):
But I mean, it's like , what are you comparing it to?
Because, you sold 30,000.
It depends on who it is.
I'm telling you right now, you30,000.
It depends on who it is.
I'm telling you right now, yousell 30,000 copies.
That's a success.
Now, these days, it's hard tosell 30,000 copies of anything.
Speaker 2 (54:56):
Well, you know now?
It's just they make everythingabout gold and platinum.
Speaker 1 (55:03):
Right, right, right.
I'm coming for the platinumplaques too.
Yeah, but how can we reach you,man?
Speaker 2 (55:11):
We're going to close it out, man.
How can we reach you?
Man, we're gonna close it out,man, how can we reach you?
My only social media is myInstagram.
Peaceful Gotti, that's one word.
P-e-a-c-e-f-u-l-g-o-t-t-iPeaceful Gotti.
And then for my businesses, Igot websites for all of them
genterpriserealestatecom.
Gratitude-consultantcom.
Genterpriseproductioncom.
Speaker 1 (55:34):
That's lit.
My new Instagram is Don Kalam.
Underscore legacyD-O-N-K-I-L-A-M.
Underscore L-E-G-A-C-Y.
Don Kalam Legacy.
Tap in and tune in with DreamKeepers Radio.
Much peace and love.
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