Rap Radar: DJ Drama

From mixtapes to the Grammys, DJ Drama has experienced success on all levels. So it's only right that his new album, the first in six years, is aptly titled, I'm Really Like That. But don't expect Dram to quit his day job anytime soon. His label Generation Now, home of Jack Harlow and Lil Uzi Vert, is still developing tomorrow's superstars. Making his return to the program, Dram speaks on his new project, upcoming mixtapes, and burying the hatchet with Elliott. And like that...we gone!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yeah, rap right up podcast. Elliott will say be dot
be dot, what's up? Baby? Feeling good? Elliott, y'all are
y'all on the road? Man on the secret mission? Man,
we have Man? What're saying on disclosed location? These rap
right up boys? Man? They always on the move Man, Yes,
sir man, but you know it's always time to say goodbye.
Is this DM Man Dickie Bell Ricky Bell season finale? Man?

(00:24):
The blocks told me was gonna happen and didn't tell
me when. Oh Man, Yeah, it's the season one finale Man,
DJA Drama. Finally getting this episode out of the world,
right ship. We've been sitting on this one. Yeah, episoding
on it for like a couple of weeks now, but
you know, I think now it was the right time
to partly finally get it out. So absolutely your first
shout out to punch Man. It was great. Yeah, go

(00:44):
to New York chopping up with him the West Coast King. Yea,
we kicked it and win in New York. We should
have went to the Garden, right, we were saying. We
ended up doing the thing in New York, but we
could have. We could have sat with him at the
Garden and we got the garden. Man, I thought those
Union guys was gonna kick us out, Manna fly, but
yeah it was. It was a good conversation with punch Man,
and like I said, this is like its first time
on the pod since we did it we five six

(01:06):
years ago back and it felt like a new episode,
you know what I mean? No, absolutely, absolutely, It's funny
because we had the thing where it's like I like
to pore you press them on, like the whole thing
about the gripes of the kids on the internet about
you don't put out enough music to you don't put
enough music, and he answered, you know about quality of
a quantity of stuff. And I see people in the
comments like y'all give them enough pushback about that? Man,

(01:27):
the like they still mad, they still want more TV music. Man,
these fans, they then not have it it, man, Well,
that would turn the interview into anterrogation. We don't do that. Yeah,
what's up with that? I hate when people countique and
say you should have gave more pushback. It's like, what
does that mean? I was supposed to convince him to
do what he just explained why he's doing it, Like
I understand, Like I have to convince him because you

(01:48):
were the fan want the unreleased record that they don't
feel it is done yet. So that's what we should do.
Like we're losing rescipees, Elliott, Yeah, we've been cooking the
recipes for a long time. Be anniversary of my brothers three.
Are you supposed to give each other that gift? That's
what I don't know. Your watch game is pretty strong, man,
I'm scared to give you a gift. Man, I was saying,

(02:10):
I'd have to call that guy tired and see what
I could do on a budget. Me and Jason have
the same jeweler. Hey, man, let's let's go golfing with
DJ Caller. Let's go golfing now. But it's March knife, Uh,
what is this? What years? It's twenty twenty three? Man,
fourteen years ago? Man on the day you know, absolutely,
Biggie pass on March nine, ninety seven. So on March night,

(02:33):
two thousand and nine, many years later, we started a
little website called rapper dot com. Huh, beat, I was
there from day one. Shout remember remember Crystal fair Weather.
Shout the Crystal fair Weather up in this piece. And
we're still up. We're still here. Man, shout out to
big home. We've been holding us down so beat that
how did you survive the blog Arab? When when the
kids tell the story, how how did you survive the blog? Erab?
You know what it is? Honestly, it feels like a blur,

(02:54):
like when people say, hey, you know, I was raised
up on Rapper you grew I grew up on you guys?
What are you fuck is talking about? Man? Like it's
not a magazine, but it's like really a blur. And
then you do the math you realize, oh shit, you know,
fourteen years just kind of went by, but it doesn't
feel like it, you know what I mean. Yeah, I
just remember like just the craziness of us kind of like,
you know, doing this me trying to do this digital

(03:16):
thing and I don't know nothing, and like the site
would be crashing and ship and I'd be all mad,
and like I would like go to a movie theater
by myself and shit and be all mad, like in
the afternoon to the site was back up and then
go back to the office. I mean, we came at
a time where you gotta think about it, like the
iPhone is you know, camera ready? The camera phone? Yeah,
you know, we had to go buy flip cams to

(03:38):
do interviews, you know, and look at us now. Yeah,
I remember Peter Rosenberg had that, like the little flip
camp things. I started going to live shows and like
flip caming concerts and we would put stuff on YouTube
and we would get flagged and ship would get taken down.
And we're just doing everything for content. You know, go
to Alba released parties and they have like a tape

(03:58):
recorder the music and put it on the website. I
did a lot of foul stuff, but yeah, I got
tramp said something. We put up a kaya verse for
Champion or something. I'll remember this and like, yeah, like
on one thing, that's the first time he heard the song.
Like we would be bootleg and stuff like we was
rerunning what's happening and this ship at these uh yeah,
at these concerts and stuff. Man, we didn't say though, Elliot,

(04:20):
we kind of changed the game. I mean people don't remember.
There's no like documentation of it, but we're like one
of the first like ripped things off the radio, ripped
things off the TV. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know we
would have well I remember being the first guy to
like go to a concert and like, why am I
filming the whole concert? You just want who's coming out?
And I used to do the headline. You know, so
and so brings someone so out at the practice. So

(04:43):
you know, we we've been We've done a lot in
over the last fourteen years. Man. Yeah, I think there's
still some of that YouTube. You'll see like a Jay
z Oprah thing. You know'll have to like the little
rappert or watermark on the side and stuff like the
stuff that survived things and people copying and stuff. You know, absolutely, yeah,
but once again, you know, I mean the fact that
you know, south to Paul Rosenberg and you know, to
back this whole brand and the belief in it. And

(05:03):
then you know, all we say, man, so we do
it on nine about what twenty fifteen, six years later
be that's like, yo, we gotta get the podcast. We
gotta pie, we gotta pod man, we gotta a podcast.
It's time to pod shout out to combat Jack, Rest
in Peace Combat, Yes, indeed, rest in piece of Combat
Jack wan Epstein. They kind of stuck the blueprint and
he was like, no, I think we could do it too.

(05:24):
So here we are jumped in and that's what's paying
the bills now? Baby? So when you think rap right out,
you think that, but you also shout, like we said,
big homie, Jimmy. You know all the people, man, dark night,
all the people are testing edgele Lee coming by the
office back of the day and turning our site pink
and shit. Maybe she did that strong with that girl?
What small with her? Man, She's way up to these days.

(05:45):
She's way up like this scot DJ Drama Man coming
off the Tyler, the Creator, the Grammy's and all that.
He's finally giving us. He's finally getting his you know
own album out there to the world. Man, it's drama time.
Man gets the grills. He's really like that. Man. We
listened to the project and listen, it sounds solid. Elliott.
I think it's going to be a contender by the
end of the year. Yeah, what's the one you love?
The gezuh Nipsey one, right, the z Nipsey That one

(06:07):
was the highlights for me. Yeah, that's gonna that make
me want to beat that's list man. You're like Jess
list Man. Oh yeah, but we need to be on
your list. Man. I don't care what our little ragings are,
whatever our views are Man, we one point six million
on Young Boy low views on that. Man, this is
be the best podcast. Man, don't don't fool yourself. Man.
A little aside, Man, as we close season one, let
me get a little humble brag on that. I'm very

(06:27):
proud of the work we do. I feel like we're
the best podcast. We may not be the biggest yet,
but you know, I feel like we're the best. Man,
this is my man. I actually like being an underdog,
you know what I'm saying. It makes me not still comfortable.
So it's like we had more to prove, and I
feel like we do. You know, so drama would say,
we really like that. We really like that. Man, we're
appreciating the journey to Man, let's get into this. Man,

(06:48):
it's the season one finale. We will be back real soon,
but you gotta chew on this one and joy this
one until we come back. Man, before we got out
of here. May be we're gonna get them the videos
for all the season one episodes, right, it's coming all
you're gonna have you on some Netflix shit, Man, bid
them all. Bit watch it. You're gonna bitche watch the catalog.
Manti like it. You know what's what I'm saying, work
like the old ship, watch your old catalog. All right, man,

(07:11):
let's get it to a man. Rap rate our podcast,
DJ Drama. Yeah we really like that. Yeah, rapp right up.
Podcast Elliot Wilson would really like that. Really like that,
DJ d Sir, I like skill legend, legend, one of
the greatest DJ's of all time. Yes, sir, and I
think we just took the podcast game to another level

(07:31):
because we've actually heard DJ Drama's album and you haven't.
At this. I don't know when you when you get this.
By time you get this, you will have heard it. Yes,
if not, it's on the way, it's on the way.
You just played this new album. Yes, I really like that,
he said, he said that. You said you ain't really
playing it for nobody so far. Na No, yeah, the
first Yeah, it's been all in house. So how did
that feel? I gotta ask y'all how it was good?

(07:54):
I really like that. That title alone just stands out.
What do you mean by that? You know, it's kind
of like I think for a lot of my career
outside of the mixtape, so I've been quite like humble,
and you know, even like when I've done interviews, I've
played the politically correct role at TIM So I think
just in this last like year and a half, for me,

(08:15):
it's like, nah, fuck that, like like I've given a
lot to this culture. Like I'm really like that, Like
y'all got to stop playing with me, you know what
I'm saying, Stop stop testing what I've I've done, what
I continue to do with what I'm gonna keep doing.
It kind of got inspired by the Forever record, Um
Jim Jim says on that record, Um, you know, I'm

(08:36):
really like that, and I just kind of ran with it.
You know what I'm saying. It's your first album in
six years. It's crazy you've been doing all this stuff nothing.
I've been doing nothing, just like kicking my feet up.
You know. Yeah. I saw somebody say that actually on
social media other day because I made a comment I said, um,
you know, I brought the mixtape game back to life,

(08:57):
thanks Tyler. And then somebody said something like, uh yeah,
DJ Drama was killing the mixtape dame and then he
got raided and then you know, we haven't heard from
him since or something, and I was like, actually, I've
been running a very successful record label home of a
little Uzi Vert and Jack Harlow among other things. But
you know, I feel it's it's weird because it's like

(09:18):
there's been years recent years when for me it's been
like felt quite successful, you know in definitely in a
financial way and a lot of times. But then I've
also have seen comments like damn, Where's where's dramat or whatever?
I've been in DJ drama or something, and then it's
like think, I'm here, like I don't see But then
you know, I have to remember a time more more

(09:40):
now so than at one point. But you know, there's
still a large group of people that didn't know we
were behind, you know, Uzi or Jack for you know,
some time. And then I think even with coming if
you get lost, it was like, you know, it was
like okay, like dramas back, you know what I mean.
And you announced the proble, Jake, I think I saw

(10:01):
on Instagram you captioned it. You said ingram is a
poor man's sport? Why is anger a poor man's sport?
Because I mean, if you think about it, like for
someone to be able to get that emotion out of you,
you know, to be able to get that rise out
of you. You know what I'm saying, It's like it's

(10:23):
coming down to this level. You know, somebody who can
control their anger, you know, then you're kind of like
kicking your feet up, you know what I mean, and
like in a very relaxed manner. You know. So it's
like it's it's a it's a it's a high high testament,
you know, a better frequency. You've gotten better with that, Um, yeah,

(10:44):
for sure. I mean I've never been one, at least publicly,
like to have shown a lot of discourse or a
lot of like things don't really get under my skin.
And to be honest, I always give a testament to
that to my early days of blogging and double XL,

(11:05):
you know, because it was like for me, just like
with like social media and stuff like, that was an
early time for me where you know, it was like
it was there was my space where it was like
everyone loved you, and then you I got into the
blogger sphere and then I realized everyone didn't love me. So,
you know, through my no pun intended dramas through the years, however,

(11:26):
people have said shit like you know, it is what
it is. I know when I walk down the street
or you know, when I when I'm on tour, when
I go places, all I've ever gotten is love. So
you know, the side talk has never really bothered me
that much. What I do like care about on mostly
is that you know, like I feel like for most

(11:48):
of my career and me and my guys, like, you know,
we've always done stand up business and I'm a stand
up guy. So my reputation is important to me, you know,
for people to know, like, you know, I do good
business and you know I do good by people. You
know what I'm saying, You do good albums too. Man,
it was the vision around this album? Man, what was
the vision? You know, It's it's interesting me because it

(12:10):
was like it kind of you know, I haven't been
an album mode for a while, and it really just
kind of snuck up on me. You know, I have
been working on records for some time, and then you know,
as as the year was progressing, we just kept you know,
going in with records and then just the energy just
felt right, you know what I'm saying, Like, just what

(12:30):
everything that was going on, um, you know, from from
the Grammy win to the success of our label to
just like you know, having the eyes and ears back
on me. It was like yeah and that like okay,
it's time, like you know, let me, let me get
back into this to this mode. Yeah, you contribute obviously
on everyone else's project, but with yourself. Is it difficult
putting albums together? It's not easy. It's definitely not easy.

(12:53):
I guess it's an art and a science to it.
You know. I think that producers and DJ's you know,
when we make albums, obviously for the most part, we
don't you know, wrap ourselves. So it's like, you know,
you have a canvas and you got to paint this picture,
and you know, use use these colors and and and
your pilot and however you want to paint the picture,

(13:15):
you know what I'm saying. So, um, yeah, it's definitely
not easy, you know, and you got to work around
people's schedules and you know, artists or artists, and you know,
it's a lot of the complicated. Part two comes after
the music is done too, you know. Yeah. Time, Yeah,
you know that takes some time and then just just
but really painting the vision. But it's it's really fun,

(13:37):
you know, um, it really is. You know, and just
again like I'm a DJ, you know, like again My
goal was to get my name on a flyer, so
to think about all the projects I've done, or this
being my six studio album, like you know, just to
have that opportunity. You know, I don't take that shit
for granted, Like that shit is that shit is a blessing. Yeah,

(13:59):
you call like Avengers of rat on this project. Man,
you got so who's who? Even even as DJ Dramma is,
it's still difficult to get the people that you want.
It depends. I mean some phone calls are easier than others.
You know, you'd be surprised. You know, there's a guy
like Wayne who still to this day you call them
or you send him a beat and twenty four hours

(14:21):
later you get in Weezy is He's a monster. I
mean that that's somebody who's for sure. It's definitely always
come through for me and always like whenever I send
them something, it comes right back. What was the one
Weasy and album that we deserved? Um? It was the
one with it was Roddy Wheezy and Gucci. You don't

(14:41):
know about that Gucci? Yeah. I think the thing that
was most interesting about listening to the album was the pairings, right,
Like when that stood out to me. It was like
you had Rick Ross West Side Gun, like I never
saw that, and then you also had like Nipsey Jeezy, Like,
how'd you get a Nipsey hustle? Very strong? That's my guy,
man wrest in peace to nip You know, we got

(15:03):
a lot of history together. Um, you know obviously and
beat I wants to argue this, but Crenshaw is part
of the Gangster Grills legacy. Wait, I don't know about this.
You argue that that how to consider Chrishaw against the
Grills project because it isn't a gangster Grills on It's
just DJ Drama presents Crenshaw branding. Man, it's like your

(15:23):
bracket show wracked up Incorrectly, he left it out of
the brackets because and I didn't catch until later because
I realized. I was like, damn, which ones did we
leave out? And I was like, we left out Crenshaw.
He was like, that's not a gangs grim that's definitely
against um. Interesting enough, This is actually my second record

(15:45):
with Jez and nip Um. I had a record on
Quality Street Music album. Now I dropped the twenty twelve
called Never Die. Was Jez nipping Jade on there. So
but yeah, I mean, I think that's the that's the
fun about it, being able to put the pairings that
you know you wouldn't expect or you don't see often,

(16:05):
and guys coming together, you know, even like the Saha
and the Russell record. You know that was fun Doug
and it was he you know, it was he really
spitting on there and like that was fun. It's him
like he got like guys to really like whisk Khalifa,
like you guys kind of spit hard, like really go
in like like some you don't often hit him. Maybe
wrapping that sort of like urgency was that you think

(16:27):
that was inspired by you know, the conversations with it
was just to be DJ drama project. You know, you
gotta come with it and they know they can't play around.
It's song for hearing nip Like I still struggle listening
to them even watching you know, old interviews. But you know,
Jeez's verse only is really incredible. That won't really stood
out to me. Geez was very excited when um I

(16:49):
asked him to be on that record, and if I'm
not mistaken, he recorded it the day of takeoff. Some
more more memorial and you know, you hear some references
to take on their you hear some references to Dolf
on their UM. So you know, I feel like you
put a lot of you know, heart and passion in

(17:11):
that record, and even him being on there with Nip.
You know, it's it's tough for all of us to
to to hear Nip, but to listen to Ni for
sure to this day. So but I mean, you know,
for me to have Nip on my my projects means
a lot to me. So still like putting pieces to
the puzzle of how you want to pair certain artists definitely, um.
You know we as a team too, you know, we

(17:33):
kind of like map it out and put a put
a board up and you know, just kind of look
at the names of the records and you know, just
play around with it and saying this person might sound
dope on this, or let's let's go here or let's
go there. And so we saw the Dry East board
on the social media. You like, blurt it out the name.
I blurt it out, but I you know, I left

(17:55):
enough up there to to create some anticipation to the
follow get on your line, say, but I'll do my
own joining this woe man you're paying me with nobody
from the franchise of the generation. Now, I think now
you're a franchise. Jack Harlow is definitely the franchise player.
I like how he says, you're gonna be salty when
I get the Grammy. I mean, at this time, we
don't know if he's gonna get the Grammy. When we
were taping this, but you know, there was some backlashes

(18:16):
seemed like, oh, people just being critical about him being
Grammy nominated. And you know, it's like, as much as
we say we're progressive, like I feel like he still
faces a little bit of resistance. What do you think
it is and what you'll take on on that? You know,
I think that his album was like highly anticipated and
for what people may have expected from it in some ways,

(18:39):
So you know, and I think that we were in
a space where it was like Jack Harlow was everywhere
you looked like he was all over the place. You
couldn't turn at drob. He's a hot drob now and
became a heart drob. He was on fucking four commercials
back to back to back. If you're watching the NBA Finals,

(19:00):
it was like, you know, you look on social media.
It was Jack Harlow, Jack Harlow, Jack Harlow, so you know,
and especially you know him being a white artist in
hip hop space. You know when it's like it's like
like I'm maybe overkilling a way, you know what I'm saying.
So that can it can it can sometimes come, you know,

(19:20):
back to bite the artists in some way. So, um,
you know, it comes with the territory. I think that
he he plays it well, you know, and he uses
it as ammunition. So I'm excited just for the music
he's working on now leading up to you know what
the Winds and you know, the criticisms that he went

(19:40):
through last year. Even on on the song too, you
get a little bit of a got a couple of
bars off. I guess I've been playing around with the
bars a little bit, you know, Jay Stone. I just
dropped the tape with Jay Stone, you know, and I
did somewhat of a hook on there too. So I've been,
you know, just trying it out. We could give you

(20:01):
for your UC performance man that you see oh yeah,
you haven't seen it yet though, Yeah. So yeah, T Paint.
T Paint's podcasts and he has like a karaoke and
he the way he set it up, it is like
if you're if you have a gun to your head
and you have to perform one song was it gonna be?

(20:23):
And I was like, shit fucking juicy and he's like,
all right, go up there and do it. Man, I
know the lyrics by heart, but I performing it is
a little different. My cadence is, if not notorious big.
It's funny that the case of shit talking in the
case of bars right, like you would know better than

(20:43):
But you know, I think that like when I when
I um think about or when I talk about it,
it's like, you know, as much as I don't like
rom like, I take a lot of pride in the
shit that I say on tapes, you know, and I think,
I don't know, I hope it doesn't go over people's
heads too much, but like I be, i'd be feeling

(21:06):
like and I would assume that the reason why I'm
still going and still at it and people still want
me on their projects is because I really be saying
some shit like you know what I'm saying. I get
very creative, Like you know, the song m on French's
new album, it's called Jiza, you know, and it took
the shadow Box and Beat and you know, even hit

(21:26):
me about that. I say at the end of it,
like you know, I'm shadow boxing myself, or I say
at the beginning, I say, um, I do a Coke
Boys reference, but I say it in a way that
they did on the original shadow Boxing. You know, do
you have a script when you go into the booth?
I don't. I go strictly off the top of the head.
It's very seldom. You know, Sometimes just in conversations, I

(21:51):
may write something down just just like a notation of
something like oh that would be hard to say on
the tape. But for the majority of the time when
I go on the booth, I just you know, I
volve off the record and I just try to get
as creative as I can be. And you know, like
it's like for me even at this point, like just recently,
I did this project with this up and coming artist

(22:12):
named Alas. She was an R and B artist, So
it's like I like doing stuff that might be left
the center of what people would expect from me because
I can play with my caden to my voices. I'm
not necessarily yelling like I would on a GEZ project.
And then you know, I talk about my real life.
Like on her project, I said something about you know,

(22:34):
my therapist asked me the other day what my love
languages are, and somebody was like, I wasn't here with
another artist, and it's like, you have a therapist, and
I was like, yeah, I do. And you know, I
think the way just the same way the artists that
we love and we call our greats talk about their
real lives. That's what I do when I go on
projects and tapes, and I have through the years, like

(22:56):
whatever's going on in my life or however it may be,
however may play onto the music. I go in and
talk about it. Let's taking pictures. You want me to
smile for the cameras. I was definitely going through some
shit with We'll talk about the year you had. Last
year you released eleven gainst the Grills. It was eleven
eleven Brandon mixtapes ran. Did you set out to like

(23:20):
release that much music? Nah? I didn't. It just kind
of happened. Did you tell no to anybody? I tell't
know that anything. I don't think I told him anyone, know,
I mean, no one came to me that I that deserved,
and no neither but um, yeah, I think it might
have been more than eleven, but eleven is closed, so

(23:40):
that that would be like one every month, I could divide. Nah,
just kind of happened that way. It was like, you know,
the game was back. What I what I think happened
is that so if we if we look at the
last like, I don't know, what do you want to say,
five six years when did uh, if you're reading this,

(24:01):
It's too late come out? What's that? Twenty fifteen? So
that was kind of the to me, that was like
the first like mixtape that went to streaming platforms, right,
so like before that, you know, there was a difference
when like a mixtape would come out, it would go
to you know, adapt pair for a live mixtapes and

(24:23):
stuff like that. So then if you're reading this is
too late came out and it was kind of it
was known as a mixtape and it went on the
streaming platform So then from there, you know, everything even
in a mixtape space, was going onto the streaming platforms.
And even still like I did do a couple of
tapes like um before Tyler like I definitely have to

(24:46):
shout the West Side Gun. You know, he had me
on a project, um one of my nigga wife and
Lucci we did yep, it was hers I forget whatever
it could have been. Yeah, we did that one. And
then and um I did uh six fifty Lucci with Lucci,
show my nigga Lucci free free wine from Lucci. But

(25:07):
with Tyler's album, you know, being as polarizing as it was,
and of course Grammy Award winning look, but the but
the the the way that that project would structure with
me on it and it being like having that mixtape feel.
I think it just set a new space for like

(25:29):
what people used to do with mixtapes or have me involved.
It was like, Okay, now we can do this again
and still go you know to the DSPs in a
way where it's like it's still that mixtape feel. I
can run it back and you know, talk my shit
and you know, it's not one version with me or
without me on it. It's just like this is this

(25:49):
is a mixtape and it's still going on the DSPs.
So after the success of Tyler, I think you know
a lot of people was like, oh yeah, like let's
go get drawn for this and you know, we could
still put it out this way, right, when I stood
out to me was a d day Dreamville, crazy, crazy,
crazy sick man that was. I was performing that all

(26:11):
summer long on tour. It's fun too. Stick was Stick
as a Stick was a record that, like I think
when we dropped the tape, we literally probably dropped it
like the day before a Dreamville festival. Yeah, and they
performed Stick and the ship went off. It rang off
at Dreamville Festival. And that was a that was a
big project, you know, that was a big TAPEUM. And

(26:34):
it happened during a time when I was performing a Dreamville.
I did a gangster real set with Tip Geez and Wayne.
And then as soon as I got to Dreamville, you know,
as I'm uh sitting down with Rob Markman and Wayne,
I find out that, you know, we went to Grammy
Food for Best Rap Album. And it was a real

(26:54):
like it was a real like three sixty moment for me,
you know, just to be a Dreamville festival, to be
performing with these guys that I started my career with UM,
and then you know, to have won the Grammy for
you know, an album, you know, it was like it
was what dreams are made of. You know. Again, this
kid from Philly that came up watching the Roots and like,

(27:16):
here I am about to go perform in front of
seventy five thousand when you know, three monsters, Jesus took
the wand and you know, I just got just found
out I want to gram me for a mixtape series
that I just started in the fourth ward. You know. Um,
so d D was a DDA was a big one.
D Day was definitely a big one, and then Jez
was a huge one too. Um I think that you

(27:40):
know that the feeling, the nostalgia of of me and
Jeezy together, like for those who were there, you know,
it was it was bringing back those times. And then
you know for those who weren't, they were like, oh
this is this is what it felt like. You know
what I'm saying. And you know that's why how a
lot of people know me in a lot of ways
from my early come up with with Jeez. Did you

(28:03):
know that song was gonna be a binger when you
first heard it? Definitely that. I mean shit that when
I when I first heard it, I don't know if
Cole had even gotten on it yet. And then they
were like Cole Hurd, I was like, yeah, I'm on
this one. So yeah, that shit, that ship had that
feel to it was crazy here talking about back to

(28:24):
Jeez a little bit. There was a funny bit on
Drink Shins where he talks about he saw you the
first time and you came, he came to your house
and you're like in the hood, but you still made
him take his shoes off when he came when he
came through. That is a fact. It is a fact. Yeah,
I had carpet you know. Okay, successful, he was on,

(28:44):
but she wasn't on as much as him at that time, right, No,
Actually I was more known than he was. Okay that
talk Joe, Okay, yeah I was. You know, he was
coming to me because you know, Gangster Grills had had
somewhat of a buzz in the streets and he at
that point he had only had his album would come

(29:05):
shop with me out. So you know, this is before
before we even did the streets is watching. So this
was a crib like you know, Tippey came through. This
was where a little John came through where you know,
the signature Gangster Grills drop was born. And um, yeah,
I made them take his shoes off. I made everybody
take the shoes off. When they came at So it's

(29:26):
only right. You know, me and Jeezy have so much
history together, so it's just like for us to you know,
and we went on kind of somewhat of a run
with the tape where we did, you know, a bunch
of shows together and everything, and it just felt good,
like you know, just to think of like where we
where we came from, and like where we started, you know,

(29:49):
to to watch like these records ring off, like the
records that Jeez has, those little stug motivation records, like
the energy you know that they still bring and why
it's definitely timeless. So and it's like watching that or
being a part of that, it's like, wow, who would
have thunk it? You know, you guys like taking off together,

(30:11):
and then you obviously had to fall out, Like how
does it feel like you know, conflict resolution, like to
get back with someone great. It's such a tough time,
Like it's great, you know, I mean it's it's we're
grown men, you know, so like it's like you go
through things and you have differences and it's like to
rectify them and then to you know, think back and
like kind of be able to laugh at it and

(30:32):
you know, be open about it and talk about it.
You know, it's like it's it's just grown man business,
you know. And it's like after being in the game
for so long, you know, you've seen it many times
within our culture, within hip hop, and you know, people
have differences and you hope for and especially when it's
like people come up together, you know, and like like

(30:55):
we did and it's like, you know, we had our
differences and we fell out, and you know, we were
able to patch it up and move on and do
bigger and better things. You guys hit the road as well. Yeah,
how difficult was it narrowing it down because you guys
did the B side shows. It was tough. There was
so many records I forgot about. It was a lot.

(31:17):
It was a lot. We went through them, like we
literally we sat in this room too, and we had
we had a we had like we had to have
like four boards to put all the records on, and
we literally went through like every mixtape and every album.
It's like me and Gez alone have I think ten
mixtapes and then he has, you know some some others,

(31:41):
like I think another like maybe five or six. So
we went through. We literally went through everything just just
like see like what records were gonna do. It was
even when we did the shows, it was like it
was an hour and a half, two hours in like
this was tough work right here, you know, four quarters
right here. People still probably one of the other records

(32:01):
that you didn't um. I feel like we hit pretty
much all the ones that people want it because anything,
I don't know, I might have missed one or two,
but overall we pretty much touched on everything. Is it
just as good? Is that? Is it the same kind
of feeling when like a grown asque man gets the
same response as like a you know, circus circul late,

(32:24):
but you know one of the big songs like it's
a single, like those songs are like B side cut
stay to get the same response. That'sh is dope, like
just to watch because you you think like artists like that.
You know, when he goes and does his shows, you
know he probably has a good forty fifty minutes of
material of the the ones that he has to perform.

(32:47):
But then you know, being able to like to perform
the fucking tramp or die intro and the one like that.
You know that that record to this day still gives
me chills when I listened to it. One of the
best intros of all time for sure, take that Joe
Budden so Um. For us to go up there and
be able to perform that, it's like, you know, it's
super fun and it was just good to seeing you

(33:09):
guys reunited on the Snowfall project. Yeah, man, I feel
like you gave him a boost. It felt like you
got this group. I'm gonna relet jezs fire. Yes, I mean,
you know shot shot my man Cannon to Cannon was
really involved on that project. So it was a group effort.
You know, I feel like we all played our parts.

(33:30):
At the end of the day. It's still like, you know,
I'm I'm the bells and the whistles. You know, Um,
it's Jeez who is the main player. You know, I'm
I'm Scorsese. You know what I'm saying, He's the narrow
so um. But you know, I think as a collaborative
effort between myself, Cannon and Jeezy, like you know, we

(33:52):
snow was in a position that he hadn't been in
some time. And you know, I saw something on one
of the lists or something that he said, you know,
best comeback of the year it was Young Jeez. So
it feels good to see see my man, you know,
get his get his do and his flowers. So what
are the ingredients to making like an impactful mixtape from

(34:12):
from Like DJ Drama's perspective, you got to treat it
like an album first of all, like as much as
it's a mixtape, you know, and then there's different forms.
You know, in today's day, you know, we see more
more formats of it being you know, new original music
than than the dedication style where it's like freestyles and

(34:34):
things like that. But even if it's even if it's
a tape where it's a mixtape and you're doing freestyles,
I feel like, you know, the best ones are when
you kind of pick beats that people wouldn't expect or
you know, obscure beats in a sense, like not just
like the hit records, like one of my favorite tapes

(34:55):
to this day still of course as the Pharrell mixtape
and for that one, because you know, the beach that
he chose, weren't you know, he rob don't like liquid
swords and you know, just like he ROMs on trap
or die like shit. You would never think for where
I would wrap on Um definitely, you know, just the
sequencing of the project. I feel like intros are very

(35:19):
very important on a mixtape, you know. And then for
me when if someone has me involved in a mixtape
like you, I want you to have me in mind
when you're working on it in a sense, like give
me room to breathe, Like give me spaces where I
can do my one too. Like you know, I hate
I can't stand when I see people talking like I

(35:40):
wish DJ Drama would stop talking all over the music.
I don't talk all over the music like I talk
in my pockets, you know. I talk where I'm supposed
to talk. And then like when the artist is there
to do and spit their bars, I let them rock,
you know what I'm saying. So and it's just you know,
good placement. There's time, you know, the good good bring

(36:03):
back and you know, and and just for me just
like to be as creative as possible when it comes
to the music and just really just play off the music,
like I try to be as creative as possible what
I say and for it to make sense with whatever
the song is. I thought in the album, you did
a good job of like a great job of like

(36:24):
you know, these sort of like super thug kind of
like you know, like like looking for the club eggs,
that kind of energy hip hop shit, and then like
you have records that more cater to the female audience
of the sense, right, Like that's what you get in
your Hey Bababy bag, right. Talk about that balance is
like you take pride in kind of those records absolutely. Um.
You know, one of my biggest records in my career

(36:48):
was is Wishing with Chris Brown. Um, so you know,
we all love women and we all to you know,
make women happy, so you definitely want to cater to
that audience as well. And then you know, through my career,
like even through the mixtapes, like there's been a lot
of mixtapes for me that you know, have been you know,

(37:10):
female orientated, like Chris Brown in My Zone or Jeremiah
Late Nights, even the most recent one I did with Ala,
Like you know, so yeah, I feel like the mixtape
world at one point was very male orientated or mixtape
DJs in a sense. And then you know, for me,

(37:32):
it's just like I guess and it's trying to change
that or being a part of just the transition of
you know, mixtapes also, and as time went on, mattering
to women as well. Those those more challenging to construct
those songs and like at a particular moments on this album.
But you did it. You're very proud. I wouldn't say
more challenging, you know. I mean for me, it's like

(37:54):
I feel like I do that just as well as
I can scream on you know a street record, you
know what I mean? Like, you know, I like women
to how to talk to him? What's the enjoy with
all the female rappers on it? That's what Lakia CALLI
and Columinati and you know I there was no way

(38:16):
it was going to make an album in twenty twenty
three without you know, having some female representation on there.
So um, I think those those are you know, three voices,
new voices that I wanted to showcase and give, you know,
opportunity to show how do determine what's quality street music?
I mean definitely went in it hits them speakers, Oh yeah,

(38:39):
it sounds when you hit them. You got to feel
the wind from the alsburgers. So like a versus up
to standard at the par like, would you inform the
artists like can you do it? Again, Yeah, I would
go in and give them constructive criticism. Absolutely, you know,
I think that's necessary and I think that you know

(38:59):
that that's what one would want. And as other as
people have done with me at times, like yo, I
need you to come a little arder, like you know,
my GZ does it to me all the time, like
yeah when he's definitely he made me go back in
on snowfall. Like on the song Grammys, UM, when I
gave him the first draft, he was like, Yo, how

(39:21):
how did you do this tape in this song and
not mentioned that you had a fucking Grammy? And I
was like, yo, I bad you right, I went back
in like yeah, I really got that, Like so, what
do you keep the Grammy? It's it's in my crib.
I have it like a trophy room, um, and I

(39:44):
have some BT awards in there. I got, Hey, I
got my JUSTO Mixtape awards and yeah there we go,
yeah recipes just so I got, um got some some
other awards. And then I built a glass case and
the Grammys in there. And then I put a poster
board up behind it and says best Rap Album and

(40:06):
it's like calling if you get lost to cover. So
it looks pretty nice. Do you know what talent makes
of all the gangs the girls crazy that he's so
to help resurrect um. I've talked to him about it,
you know. I mean I definitely like I definitely give
him his his praise and his do you know? And
I've like I thanked him multiple times yo, like do

(40:27):
you are you are you watching this? Like you see
what you did? Right? And he um he said it
was like you know, it was like it was like
the bear that was just hibernating, you know what I
mean that he woke up so but I you know,
I had no Tom do not you know, or make
sure to give him his credit and his his praise

(40:50):
for like really you know, bringing this energy back and
like you know, kind of bringing a new life to
gangster girls for sure. So the one song we didn't
get to hear at this time, the Tyler intro, man,
can you give us a hit or what to expect?
It's gonna be high energy. It's gonna be high energy.
You're right. It's gonna be a hell of a way
to start an album. It's gonna be a health of

(41:12):
a way to start an album. And I feel like
it's it's only right, you know, to start the album
with the creator. So he's got to beat at this time.
Oh yeah, yeah, he's definitely got to be its Cannon beat.
Oh Don Cannon groupie man can the market this year,
but get to some of these beats. Yeah, man, Cannon's
you know, he's back at MOE. I mean he had

(41:33):
a hell of a couple of years. Actually, uh the
last two years. I think like he did a rundown.
It was like twenty two placements or something like. Yeah,
he's quietly a monster. Let's break down. What are some
of the peopleople may not know that we could pay
page might be busted. Like, what's some of the classic
Don Cannon productions people should be aware of. I mean,

(41:55):
of course there's to Go Crazy, Yes, Jeezy Go Crazy,
Jez and j Easy, there was fucking um Cannon cann
a remix artist, storytelling outcast Um numbers on the board,
numbers on the board. But that's a classic. You got
some shit circulate, Circulate, zeazy Um. It's another Jeezy one too.

(42:19):
What's the other one? Mister seventeen five, that's that low
key might be my favorite JEZ record, Mister seventeen inspiration great,
great record. Yeah, they got good chemistry together. Yes, they
got good chemistry together. So you know that's my like,
I feel like Men Canada like Batman is Superman. You know.

(42:43):
I saw him do an interview the other day and
he says, I'm like, it was like Batman around and
I was like, nah, fuck, it definitely not Batman around.
He's Batman is Superman. So what character is this Lake
Guy Man generation? Now Man lake Man? I would Lake,
Lake would be like Lakes like Professor X. It's like

(43:04):
Professor X for sure, and be congratulated. Congratulate man. It's
a little item in the business side generation now read
it be up with Atlantic congratulate you. And that's what
I smelled. Bag drop. It's a bag drop in the
comments like Crisp hunted out of bills when I walked
in here. Lake definitely has a new vehicle outside. We

(43:24):
should all go hop better to a card to a
card test and that thing. Let's talk about the earth
Day generation now. Like Drama reminded me that the first
time he was on here, Uh, he was trying to
put pitch who was evert to us? Yes, And he said,
I wasn't receptive at the time. I felt like this
was like the very beginning of rap Rate Our Podcast.
When do't y'all start rap rading our podcast like twenty seventeen, No, no,

(43:45):
hell yeah. I feel like we were one of the
first to do it. Um. And so I think I
was pitching Loozy to you to do the podcast and
then you were like, well, you have to come. That's

(44:06):
pretty on brand. And this is like, so this had
to be like I don't know if Love is Rage
was out yet. It might have just came out or
it hadn't come out yet. So min twenty fifteen, this
is like, this is in the midst of the Drake
and Meek situation. This is like the first time I

(44:29):
talked about it was coming to see y'all. So I was,
and it was like, you know, I took those shots
for my man, Like I was like, damn, I gotta
you know, be the sacrificial lamb because we're trying to
get oozy this look. So we came and did the
rap Rate Our podcast um, and that was you know,
that was one of the first interviews, and we was
introducing them to y'all for sure, and I was trying

(44:51):
to be like, yo, this this guy's hot and you
were like, no, you gotta come. But I was also
was in one of the clubs of New York and
like it was a show. I think you hosted the
show and who was He came out to what was
the record to tell me what you want? Yeah, what
do you want? What you want to me? That was
the first record that like I knew of him. You
may not realize that because he's got some of the

(45:12):
gotta hit now, you know, he's built a great career,
but like that feature was the one that he did it.
I forget the club in New York, and I saw
the way the crowd was reacting, and that from that
moment on I started to really But it was that
the show that it was was I think post Malone
was there too, Was it that one? No? No, but sure,

(45:32):
And there was a heavy police presence because I gotta,
I gotta. I got a picture of a I got
a picture from that show and it's me Vert and
post Malone. Um Davis came out that night too. You
might you might not remember I might get the one.
I think that might have been a one though, but
that record was like yeah, right, yeah, definitely what you
want that was it even that was that was the

(45:53):
record before Love's Rage, So yeah, so it was around
that like I didn't I like that song, but I
was still like we still need drums, right, Bobby, I
be because, like you said, because of the Drake Meet
thing was going on at that time. So it was
like I was able to take it. You know, you
got the you got, I'm gonna get this exclusive. I'm
ask these questions so you know me and can I said, Canny,
you gotta come with me. Yeah, interviews like that, So um,

(46:16):
that was fun though. I mean, look, that was a classic.
That definitely was a classic interview. And that was around
the time I was that was the last album I
had had put out. So you know, fast forward six
years later, Diamond Plaque from Ouzy Crazy and has one
of the extra two Life Life Now he has arguably
one of the highest records in the game right now. Incredible.

(46:39):
I just want to rock going crazy. Um, and he's
working on a new album, so you know, I mean
it was he it was he's like had a hell
of a career, you know, and I think that you know,
he's a staple artist definitely for his generation. And you know,
even if you look at like the double XL class

(47:01):
that he was part of, and you think about the
the the cipher and like what people had to say
about that class. And we look at that class now,
like all those guys are like you know, yeah Kodak
Black yahdi UZI like yeah and made men like So

(47:22):
to have an artist like that, you know, for us
and our name of our labels generation now it's like
it's a testament to you know, what we stood for
and what we were always trying to do and again,
must be proud of that conflict resolution. Yeah, absolutely, I mean,
you know, it's like it's like, you know, first off,

(47:44):
time hills everything, you know, and I've been in the
game so long and you know, I've I've had conflicts,
so it's like you almost kind of just gotta let
it play out in some ways. And it's like, you know,
of course there's there's always bickering or always has been
with artists and their labels and things, and you know,

(48:06):
for us, unfortunately it played out publicly, you know, which
obviously no one wants to see. And then you know,
during that time, we took an approach or a stance
where we didn't like come out publicly and defend ourselves.
And you know, we were made to look like the
bad guy, you know, from even from other companies that

(48:29):
you know, I didn't have to paint it that way,
you know what I'm saying. But for us, it was like,
you know, we're stand up guys. We do stand up business,
you know. And to be here in a space where
you know, we're us in vert or like family, you
know what I mean, and back working and and and
back in a in a good spot. It's like you know,

(48:50):
Tom Hills off right, and time seems to be on
you guys's side. I mean, like with artists like Jack
Harlowe and Little Oozy, people often talk about like it's
no development, you know what I'm saying, But these guys
are pretty developed. What it is about generation now that
you guys are doing that, I guess other people aren't
doing a tough work, you know. I mean I think

(49:12):
for us to like we're like the three headed monster,
like um Me, Cannon and Lake with um how we
approach our position within the culture, you know, like Lake is,
you know, a mastermind when it comes to business, when
it comes to touring, when it when it comes to

(49:32):
you know, just the behind the scenes work. You know,
he does that effortlessly and an incredible job Cannon. You
know when it comes to the music, like he we
call him the Wizard, you know what I'm saying, when
it comes to the sound and the sonics and you know,
behind those boards, like that's what he does. And then
I'm DJ Drama, Like I get to go out there

(49:54):
and wave the flag and you know, um do the
interviews and be vocal or you know, like kind of
just just be the mouthpiece for what Generation now is.
And you know, we we we like we let our
artists be who they are, you know, be as creative
as they want to be, and we support them as

(50:15):
much as you know they want and in the directions
they want to go at and you know we're as
involved or as not involved as they want us to
be at times. So you know, we're very boutique label,
so it's small. So it's like, you know, we we
can give our artists the attention that's needed, you know
what I'm saying. We don't have ten acts or you know,

(50:38):
multiple acts where it's like you know, we're just trying
to see who who who wins, Like we're very invested
and invested. When we sign somebody like we believe in them,
and yeah, you know, I mean we just we see
that passion and the guys you know, from very early on,
like those are two guys that I feel like, you know,

(51:01):
they knew their vision and somewhere or somehow we're gonna
be here. You know. We were just also were able
to lend them the shoulders to stand on to you know,
move a lot faster, or stand next to us to
you know, be able to say, like, Yo, this guy's
up next. Because you said on the Jack solo record,
like you were saying, how when you went to Kentucky,
told everybody that this is going to be the guy.

(51:22):
I was saying, this guy from Kentucky. I was telling
everybody like I'm telling you like Kentucky, Kentucky, this guy's
gonna be it. You know. I mean there's somebody in
this room, sitting in one of these seats that wasn't
really believed. Yeah you man, I didn't. Yeah, Jack, I
was front that Jack. Yeah the article you wrote where

(51:44):
you said, oh I have to admit I'm wrong. Oh yeah,
that was wrong about Jack Harlow. Yeah, we're supposed to
do a conversation with Jackie you was kind of yeah,
you believe, but you know I've been doing that my
whole career. Also, the dropping half fell off, it was

(52:06):
gonna be over for man. Let's talk about that. Yeah,
go ahead, let's get somebody get things off. Yeah, go ahead.
I thought that I was just how did you? How
could you ever think that drama had and I don't know,
like things were in a bad spot and there was
it was unspoken tension. You know how this game is

(52:26):
like if somebody's you know, it's a cold game. Man,
you know what it is like if you got to
stay hot in this thing? And I think there was
a downtime for you and you got up and resurrected
even more majorly than you haven't had your whole career.
Look at me now, I love being hotter than ever,
how how did you? Damn? You was wrong? And you're
still being humble, man, telling you shit about this album? Man,

(52:48):
if you're being humble on this inter of you, No,
let's not hold on. Let's go back to this. Let's
go back to this. So after all that I've gone
through and all that our history, not even just our history,
just even through my career, Like there have been times
when I've faced some adversity you know what I'm saying,
and had to fight back from it. So I just

(53:11):
it baffles me for you to think that I would
it would be over for me, Like how many times
do I have to tell y'all and show y'all like
I've been here, I'm here, I'm not going nowhere, But yeah,
what's the what's the key? Though? Like you could say
a certain point though, like you know you caught up

(53:33):
in this Drake Meeksheit, you're becoming somewhat of escapegoating it, right,
I've been through that. I know Ouzy to fall out
with uzy ye, so like the odds are against you,
like talk to you know, just ups and downs in
this business, Like what advice would you give to somebody
to maybe going through a hard time where certain people
aren't returning their calls or then not being treated like
with the respected relationships they used to have, Like how
do you how do you rebondful? So let's put in

(53:53):
a context first of all, because let's start with the
raid number one. I got locked up for fucking mixtape
and they took everything and people thought it could be over.
Then I went through, you know, the g Z and
Gucci situation, then there was the Drake and Meek and
then you know the Oozy. So it's like, you know, you,

(54:14):
I feel like you you don't. You can't show your
greatness until you're tested with adversity, you know what I mean,
Like you have to get knocked down to get up
for people to be like, Okay, he's he's the real one,
Like that's the real deal, you know, the same way
in sports in it some way is like I think
that's what makes Lebron great in so many ways, is

(54:35):
you know, being you know, counted out and being able
to you know, still do what he's done. Um. But
I think again, like even through all those things, and
and again I won't. I won't. I'll take accountability there
at times that I may have made some mistakes or
you know, not always made the correct moves, you know,

(54:59):
even through some of those situations with people. But I
do stand on the fact that at the end of
the day, like I'm a I'm a good I'm a
good guy, Like I'm a stand up guy, you know,
and I can I can say when I'm wrong or
you know, make amends when it needs to be and
just beyond that, Like you know, I have such a
love and a passion for the culture and for what

(55:22):
I do. It's like, you know, that's what it comes
down to. Like you know, I was, like I said,
like I just was trying to get my name on
a flyer like so to be here after this much
time and I love the game so much and want
to continue to give to it and have done so much.
It's like I'm never going out bad, like you know,

(55:43):
even even at times when I've been counted out, Like
that's just that's motivation for me, you know. And it's
crazy because even like my mom always says this to me,
even like outside of business, just even in my personal life,
for just things like she's seeing me at times where
like my back has been against the wall and the
way that I prevail or you know, come through like it,

(56:07):
that's one of the things that she's always proudest of
me about, like watching me, you know, in those type
of situations. And I can account that with my career too,
Like you know, you're not the only person that man
have thought that at the time or or at various times,
and it's like look at me now, but I am
a very humble guy. You know, I talked my shit

(56:27):
on records and everything. I think in the last like
year or two, I've been a little more vocal, like Nigga,
I am the culture, like stop trying me, Like y'all
gonna stop playing with what I've done out here, like
I'm one of the greatest to ever do it, you know,
And it's just um. But you know, I like being
an underdog at times too, like you know, I've I've

(56:49):
been put in that position and I've played that role,
and you know, I'm I'm content with that, Like I'm
content with continue and be like I told you, like Nigga,
I told y'all. So, why have you been able to connect,
you know, throughout these years with the new generation? Like
you're a generation who act, you know. I mean there's
a lot of artists, a lot of DJs from like

(57:10):
the nineties even in two thousands that just aren't prominent anymore.
Adapt Yeah, they candidat why have you been able to
do that? You know? That's a good question, I feel
like because one one, I think like the beginning of
my career or like me being a mixtape DJ, Like
for me, it was I was always addicted to like

(57:32):
the new shit, like being like ahead of the curve
or like you know, what was what's what's the new ship?
You know, And that's not to take away from like,
you know, I think hip hop turning fifty, like being
able to go to a Wu Tang and Na show
and have just as much fun as I could at
a Playboy CARDI show, you know, Like you know, I'm

(57:53):
I'm I was a teenager in the nineties, so that's
my era. I love that, you know, That's what I
ride around to and to Daylight Souls. Uh. Coming to streaming,
I can't be more excited. And we got against the
worls coming in a little side um. But you know,
I think that I've just been able to adapt, Like

(58:15):
one thing for me, even when I first got in
position or when I first became like that guy like
in the in like oh four oh five or six,
Like for me, it was like, okay, you got here,
Like how do you stay here? Like relevancy was always
key for me, Like it just always was something that
I felt was important, you know, And you know, we

(58:37):
know how first of all, it's incredibly hard to do
in hip hop for a long period of extended period
of time. But um, we also know how important that is,
you know what I'm saying, even to the public, Like
you know, even there were some years when the a
lot of the public may have not have seen what
I was doing because we were building generation now and

(58:58):
we were having artists were in the forefront. But me myself,
you know, being back out here and you know, being
you know, on projects or however people may see me,
it's like it's a good feeling. Um, And you know,
I feel like this shit keeps us young forever, I
said on the tape, Like you know, I'm forever twenty one.
Like the store my hip hop. Can you know, really,

(59:22):
you know, this music business, if if you allow it to,
can you know, keep you feeling rejuvenated and feeling vibrant.
And that's not me trying to be something I'm not.
I'm a forty four year old man about to be
forty five, but you know, still being able to connect
with the youth and you know, a younger generation. And
I think that, like you know now, it's like there's

(59:44):
a that's a generation that like grew up on gangster
grills and you know, even now, a younger generation that
may not have as much grown up on gagst grills
as getting hip to it and what have you. And
that's like as as much for me it's important to
do tapes with legacy artists like a Geez or a

(01:00:05):
Push or a French or something. It's also like for
me it's like about you know, finding and working with
new artists as well. Like I think that's always been
what separates me from other DJs too, is that I'm
not just a DJ that's like all about who the

(01:00:25):
hottest person is or you know, the biggest artist, like
I'm working. I've work with new niggas all the time,
like and I think that, you know, people respect that
about me, and that's something that I enjoy doing, like,
you know, being a part of like new movements. I
forgot to beat out you both. The news of a
Push your Tea gangster grilly you did went crazy. Yeah, man,

(01:00:46):
So he was on my Twitter space is talking about
you know, the list of stuff like that, and Push
your Tea was then we got spilled the beans that
you guys are working on against the grills this ship
and can you talk about that? It's pretty exciting. Um,
It's something that's been in the works for a minute. Me, Stephen,
Victor your head had some conversations. I'm thinking Victor might
have came to me. It might has still been like summertime.

(01:01:09):
It was, you know, it was somewhere mid in the
year and it was just like, yo, you know, twenty
three we want to do a Gangster Grills. And you know,
at the end of last year, I think when Push
did an interview, he mentioned like, next year, I'm doing
an album and a mixtape, and I think I might

(01:01:30):
have retweeted it and pullite the Eyes or something. I talked,
you know, I checked back in with us with Victor
and then Yeah, Push got on the Twitter spaces when
we was on Yeah, and we announced it. So I
can't give really much more details than that. You know, well,
it's gonna be like original production. Other people's beaks. It's

(01:01:52):
too early. Okay, it's too early. I can't give it.
I can't give up. The good jetis. This is gonna
be one of them ones. It's very highly anticipated. Last
time in Push work together on a Gangster Grills was
U Yeah, Volume three. I did Volume three, So you know,

(01:02:13):
I'm excited for this. You know, I'm excited, definitely like
you know, pushes push, and you know the space that
Gangster Grills is in right now, it's like, what better
time any twenty twenty three gangster grills lined up that
you know absolutely six right now? Montana yep, Jay Stone

(01:02:33):
Stone Yep. I've been in the studio working with two
c um damn it. There's definitely some more. What am
I not? Jewel Santana? There's more for sure, There's definitely more.
It's gonna be a busy year. Yeah. I know you
always talked about the outcast when it never happened. Yeah,
is there one that you still like aiming for on
the wish list? Definitely a black thought Gangster Grills. I

(01:02:56):
feel like that's you know, full circle. They soul is crazy. Yeah,
day I soul that that's that's gonna be dope. I'd
like to do a brand fire as one um not okay.
So you know there's been some conversations about it, Unlicia
Keys Gangster grills. So yeah, do you like doing a

(01:03:18):
basic grills like the dedication style or do you like
doing the more original production? I like them both. That
Now the only thing for me is is that if
we're gonna if I'm gonna do a dedication style with
an artist, I would want to make sure we go
and you know, dot our eyes and cross our teas
so it can go to the streaming platforms, right, you

(01:03:40):
know what I'm saying. Down the Fat Joe one got
taken now and then there was another one I did.
Who was it? It might have been like I think
it was Jack Quis, which was a super dope tape,
but you know, we he it wasn't original music, so
it couldn't go on the streaming platforms. And I just
feel like today in twenty twenty three, like, if we're

(01:04:02):
gonna do it, let's do it, you know what I'm saying, Like,
and it might take a little bit of tim but
it can be done. Speaking of that, yet, we are
dropping dedication to UM on streaming platforms this year and
it's gonna have some new music along with it. So
that's that's pretty exciting. UM. But yeah, I like, I mean,

(01:04:23):
if it's like if I'm if it's Wayne, absolutely like
it's it's hell of fun for him to you know,
get on the hottest beats and you know, go crazy
and what have you. But it's just like for me, definitely,
I would just want it to touch as many people
as possible, and by doing that it means going to
the DSPs. Absolutely. And I also see that Jack Hollow

(01:04:45):
is going to come to a super Bowl near you
man to Rito's commercial you piped that. I peeped it.
I saw that. Yeah, that's happened. Jack Hollow's getting a
lot of big checks. Would it comes to Jack call? Like,
what's the most I guess gratifying part watching his success
the whole thing? Really? I mean, you know, is it

(01:05:06):
like a moment specifically that you just standing like Dan
dis Guys really made it. I mean just even now
like getting ready for his first movie where white men
can jump, you know, watching him host the MTV Awards
was pretty big really for me, Like I just remember
even during the NBA Finals, I think being at home

(01:05:30):
and watching the NBA Finals and it was literally like
two back to back commercials was a Kentucky Fried Chicken
and New Balance like back to back commercials with Jack
Harlow on him, and I was like, yeah, this ship
is crazy, like I remember, you know, and he fucking
walked into the studio like with his glasses and his
curly hair and to see where he is now it's like,

(01:05:54):
you know, I'm just I'm really proud of him. I think, like,
you know, it's like this and I never had in
some ways, So yeah, it's all gratifying, you know. It's
like it's amazing the scene and just that you know,
definitely even hosting Saturday Night Live, I guess one thing
for artists to perform on Saturday and Night Live. And

(01:06:16):
it's almost like after the first time he did it,
when he when he performed, I just had this feeling.
I was like, yo, next time he does Saturday and
Night Live, he's gonna be hosting Saturday Night Live, you know.
And I don't know for the younger generation if Saturday
and Night Live means to them what it means like
to us of my age or our age, But like

(01:06:38):
that's a big fucking deal, you know, that's huge and
that and only so many hip hop artists have hosted
and performed like what Megan the Stallion, Jack Drake, who
else is maybe Kanye I don't know, but like, yeah,
it's not too many hip hop artists that I've done
both and maybe Queen latinfa. So yeah, um, he's done

(01:07:01):
a lot of a lot of amazing, big big things
in his career. Yeah, Churchill Downs one of the best
songs of twenty twenty two, by the way, crazy video
of the derby. We had a lot of fun at
the derby. That was a lot of fun. Um that
was That was probably like the most epic derby ever,

(01:07:21):
Like even for the people there too, you know what
you guys were doing. No, they didn't always well, the
Kentucky Derby knew that we were shooting a video. The
people at the Kentucky Derby weren't. They didn't know. They
just wound up. You know, one point we went out
into the audience and fucking Drake and Jack Harlower right here,

(01:07:45):
and it was a frenzy. It was crazy, but it
was a fun time. You know. It was definitely a celebration,
you know, Jack being from Kentucky and that was I've
been to Kentucky during the Kentucky Derby, but I had
never actually been to the actual like race, so you know,
and everybody's dressed up and you know, you put your

(01:08:08):
fly colors on and shit. So and Jack's like parents
were there and his family and you know, his mom's
in the video with Drake, So his parents and his
parents are like the coolest, like super cool, you know,
so um when we have a great relationship with them too.
So yeah, that that was That was a moment. That
was a hell of a moment. Great. Remember when that

(01:08:29):
leaked you had that conversation about it. Man, I was
so upset. I told you don't worry about drivers. Everything
is okay, because it was like, yo, man, the fun
he called me up. Yeah, we we we were actually
performing in Boston. We were doing a new Balanced gig
and like literally like while we were performing in the

(01:08:52):
song leaked. And then I think like um Neil him
told me like yo, like the song just leaked out.
So he called um Jack called Drake like right there,
like because we were trying to think like should we
just drop it or like, you know, what do we do?
And you know, they went back and forth and we

(01:09:12):
decided not to drop it, like you know, and tried
our hardest to you know, erase it off the internet
as much as as possible. You got to catch up
with those things. And then m Jack had even before
it had leaked, Jack was planning on putting some more
bars on there. So I think that was part of
you know, him being upset was that that version got out,

(01:09:36):
so then it looked like, you know, the league happened,
and then he chose to put some more balls on afterwards,
you know what I'm saying. Yeah, so when it drops
like drop, don't worry about it. Ything's great, great song.
We needed to worry about was when people hate it. Right,
you were telling me it was good momentum for the
album too, and I was just like, you know, that

(01:09:56):
was like our you know, that was like our secret weapon. Like, yeah,
I couldn't wait. We didn't announce that Drake was on
the project or something, so we wanted to be like
hit him with that. But it worked out. Yeah, it
worked out. Everything. Great song shout, they wonder, a lot
of great songs that I really liked that album. Yeah,
get out of your drums this shit, man, why is

(01:10:16):
this one of the best albums of the year. Man,
talk your shit and listen man, um man, I can't
believe you know, I think that, you know, for me,
it's like as much shit talking as I do, you know,
on on people's songs or whatever. Like it's it's it's motivation,
Like you know, I look at I look at what

(01:10:38):
I do or what I've accomplished in a lot of ways,
and like not even just in my success, but in
our success. Like you know, next door in main streets,
I have a sign up this Field of Dreams, and
it's like, you know, field of Dreams is if you
build it, they will come, you know. And and like
I've accomplished so much in my career, you know, I've

(01:10:59):
done some amazing things, you know. And even I'm two
decades in, you know what I'm saying, and to you know,
I'm hotter than ever, you know what I mean. Like
it could be argued that this is the hottest I
may have ever been in my career. You know. So
at forty four going on forty five years old, after
two decades into the music business, to be able to

(01:11:20):
say that shit is like, you know, that's that's rare,
that's very rare. So to be on this album, to
have the star power on this album, you know, creatively,
it's an amazing body of work, you know what I mean.
It's like me talking my shit, you know, the best
of the best in hip hop, and you know, I

(01:11:40):
just like we really like that, Like that's what we're
doing for, you know, so you can tell the world.
I really like that, you know what I mean. And
like for a long time, I was I was the
one that was, you know, quite humble and you know,
laid back and you know, but like, bro, stop playing
with me, Like niggas don't do what I do or

(01:12:00):
done what I've done for the culture. And Elliot's gonna
stop counting me out. I give you two more decades,
you got it. I'll take that, you know. But it's all,
you know, it's it's all for the love of the culture.
You know, hip hop is turning fifty this year, you know,
and I've literally been DJing for thirty years, you know

(01:12:22):
what I'm saying, So like just to put it in
context like that, like you know, it's it's ship's it's amazing,
like you know what what hip hop has provided for
us and you know, given to the world, Like it's
the most dominant music genre ever, you know, conquered pop culture.
We conquered, we conquered it like we we are that,

(01:12:42):
you know what I mean. And with that, like you know,
I really like that, like that we're gone, we ain't gone, yeast. Yeah.
Rapp rador Is The Interval presents original production from Hyperhouse,
produced by Laura Wasser Olson Producers Elliot Wilson and Brian
b do mill Hermittiful Presents executive producers Alan Coy and

(01:13:03):
Jake Kleinberg. Executive producer Paul Rosenberg. Editing his sound design
by Dylan Alexander Freeman, recording engineer Xavier Hayes. Special thanks
to Travis Cochrane, Caleb Steals, Giles Williams, writer and an
War Operations Lead Sarah You, Business development Lead Cheffie Allen Swagg,
and Marketing lead Samara Still. Make sure to follow a

(01:13:25):
rapperator or listening on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Stitcher,
or wherever you get your podcasts