#105 - Full Circle Moments with Good Morning Gabe (Blxst's DJ)

We sat with Good Morning Gabe aka Gabe C who used to be an ear for the LA Leakers at Power 106, and is currently the official DJ for Blxst.

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Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Kyo everyone. Okay, Long Okay, Long got the one, the only
good Morning Gabe in the building inthe evening, in the evening, not
on brand, not on We justcoming all the way from Carson, California.
The most Filipino spot in l A. Yeah, one of the most

(00:21):
Filipino spots. Yeah, that shouldbe the Historic Filipino Town. So yeah,
bro, Yeah, Well what's funnybecause like I remember when I first
moved here, Historic Filipino Town,Like I knew it was a thing,
or I at least had idea itwas a thing. But then when I
went there one time, I waslike, I don't really see too many,
Like you know, there's not toomuch Filipino stuff going on, kind

(00:42):
of left. I was there lastweek though, for the ah Man I
totally forgot what they called it,Barrio Barrio, the the body of the
one that yeah, Filipino Festival.I was there and I didn't realize how
hilly it is, but is itreally hills? But it was an incredible

(01:03):
event. I saw probably like fivethousand Filipinos pull up in one week of
promotion, so so lute to them. Less than a week. Yeah,
I mean, I honestly saw itlike last week or a week that's true
for the event. That's when Istarted seeing the flyers. Yeah, and
I was like, oh, it'sbecause Filipinos run deep like they do like

(01:23):
they do, yeah, y'all likewhen someone's like, oh, like I'm
Filipinos, Like all right for sure. Yeah, the support system is crazy.
Well, not to mention that,like lineup that they had was pretty
like extensive. I mean if youjust had like nudes and people just hosting,
not even performing, and like everybodyelse on the lineup was dope.
I think I saw so super SamDJ. There's Yeah. They hosted a

(01:46):
loompia eating contest for a thousand dollars. It was pretty crazy when it was
like double fisting the joints like alumpia. Man, I could never respect respect
what was it like little sized lumpiaor like it was like medium. It
wasn't like the nuts. It wasyeah, oh shit, we'll have some

(02:07):
competition on it. I don't know, man, I just feel like,
after like five loompias, I'm good, Like yeah, you know what I
mean, I can't do more thanthat. Yeah, it's kind of hard,
like being the Kobe Yashi Olympia iswater and just Okay, oh shit,
well, good morning Gabe. Everybody. You know, I think you
and I had at least known abouteach other back in like I mean it

(02:30):
seems forever now, yeah, maybelike twenty sixteen, seventeen or something like
that. Absolutely, so Gabe,he was well so get. I always
gave Gabe his flowers from Afar becausewe were both that different radio stations at
the same time, competitor radio stations. But Gabe, like, bro,
you would fuck with like all thelike most random la cats, super heavy,

(02:53):
and like when I was doing mylunch table, shit, I remember
seeing like, okay, like ifme and Gabe are on like the same
radar about the same person that Iat least know, this person's like cool,
this person's good. Absolutely, andthen me coming up, I noticed
you because you're on the Street team. I was on the Street Team.
You're at Real I was at Power. But then you also were covering all
the artists, like the all theAsian artists that I really fuck with,

(03:15):
like don Quez to be yeah,all that, and then I was like,
oh, you were on my radar. But then I was just like
I can't show them too much.On the other side, and then like
growing up in radio. They kindof like brainwash yourself to be like,
oh, the across the street ifyou want to join across the street or
whatever. And it was like,I mean with what he's doing though,

(03:35):
und you know, like I reallyfeel like that's a thing where it's like,
oh, like just because like we'relike for you guys an example,
like yeah, oh just because we'recompeting, it's like I can't fuck with
you. Was like Dog, likewe're all just yeah, yeah, after
we're all out of it, it'slike, Dog, we could coexist.
Yeah, you can help each otherout. We could support each other.

(03:57):
I want to share a super funnystory because I think I was in a
hotel room. Pause before anybody everthinks of anything, Wait a second.
I was in a hotel room andthe next thing, you know, our
friend Roslyn rest in peace. Shecomes in with Gabe, right yeah,
And so she comes in with thegame and she's like Nico, get and

(04:19):
she paused and she was like,wait, can you guys be in the
same room. Yeah, I don'thate It's crazy. That's how it was
like the tone of it. Itwas like, oh it was the Bloods
and Crips bro the radio version,Yes, the radio version. I mean

(04:41):
nowadays it's you know, it's Drakeversus Kendrick. Yeah, you know,
pig a side. I do wantto shout out Roslyn rest in peace.
But she's like incredible, Like shereally set the tone of really like putting
like Filipino Americans on the forefront.And then I was like, when you
started working with her, I waslike, dang, what am I goal
is to be able to have mywork speak so loud that she'll be able

(05:02):
to see what I'm doing and ablelike like that moment was like one of
the first moments I was able towork with her. So that was a
special moment for me to be ina room with you and her and be
like, oh, dang, we'reon the same track. Like yeah,
I kind of wanted it to be. Yeah, and honestly, bro,
like I know I've never told youthis, but I feel like it was
from that moment on, Like Imean, we already had a relationship prior,

(05:25):
like you know, we were talkingto each other on Twitch and whatnot,
like because it was okay to yepshit, everything was done and we're
just like, yeah, hey,we could be friends. Yeah, But
then I feel like after that moment, that was like the first real moment
where I was like, all right, cool, like we can for surely
just coexist and like now like wecan actually start working with each other and

(05:46):
like you know, some sort ofcapacity and it's cool to just see like
what you've done over the years,like whether it be like you know,
bring together just local LA artists onthe map, Like what really got you
into that? Man? I waslike, I was really like DJing clubs
and all that, and I kindof got over it, and I was

(06:06):
looking for a new outlet, andI was really inspired from what like the
LA Leakers were doing with Dom Kennedy, YG Kendrick, Nipsey Hustle and being
able to be the foundation and platformfor them and being a voice and being
able to bring them in different roomsand let their music like go like cross
across different countries and stuff. SoI was like, Okay, I kind

(06:30):
of hung up the club scene andI took a break. I told all
the homies I used to promote with, like I kind of want to do
the radio shit. Yeah, Andthen there was a dude named dj Aron
that Yeah, Aaron let me internfor him at a radio station. It
was like an internet radio station.Yeah radio. Yeah. And then that's

(06:50):
why I developed like this passion.I didn't even know it, but I
was just like always up till fouror five in the morning on SoundCloud or
just like looking for the newest sounds. And then I was a social media
manager at Rosard Radio. But thenI ended up giving USB's full of like
all these new music like Eric Bellinger, like just everyone coming up in the

(07:12):
city, and then I would justgive it to him and be like,
hey, these are new songs Ipicked out so you could play them.
And then eventually he started playing hima lot, and he was like,
hey, you have an ear bro, like all these artists are like starting
the pop. And then like withinthe year of working with him, he
said, do you want to workat Power on a six on the Street
Team? And then from there Iwas like, Okay, I'll try it

(07:33):
out. And then when I goton the Street Team, that's when I
really like tapped in because with theStreet Team, we were going to every
single inner city and tapping in withthe youth, and then a lot of
these people were rapping or just likehey man, you should listen to the
home I don't always keep my earto the streets, whether it's like,
yeah, DJing in front of likea boost mobile right central, or like

(07:59):
middle schools or cut I'm already here. I think that's so funny, Like
you mentioned like being on Street Team, because like we all got started on
Street Team, and I just thinkit's so funny, like being on Street
Team. In radio, the likethe locations they send you ship are the

(08:20):
most like ye astimes you feel likeyou're not gonna make it through that event.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, itreally shows you adversity as far as
like you know what songs not toplay in this neighborhood? Oh yeah,
mind you. So like I'm notfrom here, right, Jackie already knew
what I was about to say.So I'm not from here, and so
like we were DJing in front ofa Nipsey store, okay, the Marathon

(08:45):
store, right, and so likeI was DJing, I didn't know where
the funk I was. I'm brandnew to this ship, and so I'm
like, Okay, we're in LA, I'll just play some YG whatever.
Mind you. They didn't even tellus where the fuck we were going.
And so next thing, you know, like a couple of the homies from
the store. They were just like, hey, bro, like you're obviously

(09:05):
not from here. So you're obviouslynot from here, but I just want
to let you know, we fuckwith YG, but you got to tone
it down with that Andy G recordsthat they got. Yeah, yeah,
And you know, it was alllove because they clearly just knew I wasn't
from there, and they're just like, yeah, like, you know,
just just tone it down, bro, And I'm all right cool. But
then next thing, you know,like I see corner of my eye,

(09:28):
I was I was actually with aBrianna. I was with Breathe, And
so from the corner of my eye, like someone was just like talking and
talking talking. They were in thecorner. They were getting beat up,
just like right over in the corner. Yeah, And I was just like,
Okay, I don't know if Iwant to be here. I'm just

(09:50):
like, well, you know cookright, So you Hey and I started
on Street Team at the same time, and he always told me about this
one hit where it was like infront of a liquor store and they were
doing like a meet and greet forsomebody I can't remember what who was it.
So it was fifty cent and thenthey leave, and then later on

(10:13):
that night in the news they say, like somebody got shot at the liquor
store. Once they left, Iwas like, oh, bro, yes,
it's moments like those. It kindof creates, you know, a
better person out. Yeah. Man, I mean, shoot, it's real
in La man. Yeah, That'swhat I loved about the Street Team because
it was like like the kind ofbottom of the trenches and you get to

(10:35):
feel, you get to speak to, you know, different walks of life.
Yeah. Yeah, the community really. Yeah. Yeah. I feel
like that's the best part about radiois like meeting the people, meeting the
listeners of like, oh, likeI'm so and so it was like,
oh, shoot, you're the onethat calls and gives me shit. I
can see it. Yeah, literally, Like I remember there was there was

(11:00):
a listener where her name is Karen, and she always calls in and she's
like, what's up, Jaggie,Like love you, Jackie, You're my
girl, blah blah blah. AndI remember we were at an event and
I just hear her voice. I'mlike, why does that sound so familiar?
And she sees me she goes,Jackie is Karen. I'm like,
oh thank god. I finally gotto meet you. It's just so dope

(11:22):
in front, Like how many timesdid you get that where's big Boy?
All the time? It wasn't evenhigh or just like catch you on the
five and then you're sitting in trafficand roll down your windows were big more.
I guarantee you he's not he's nothere, just in my pocket.

(11:43):
He's on he's on the vehicle,like his face is on there, but
he's not in the vehicle. That'sso fun. Oh my god. Well,
Gabe, Like, I mean youwere working in radio for like Colm
like how many years for Pandemic,probably like with Street Team and on air,
probably like a total like seven sixto seven. Hell yeah. Yeah.
It really was just like learning everything, Yeah, like learning how to

(12:05):
rock a mic. I was reallykind of like hesitant with the mic before
Street Team. I was just like, I'm really just DJ. You got
hired as a host, that's you. How long before you actually got on

(12:26):
with the Leakers? Well, probablylike a year and a half because there
was a guy named Teddy Mora thatI would always Teddy, Yeah, this
is a legend, bro. Hetaught me a lot about like not being
afraid of the mic and just likelike being more confident in yourself because I
didn't know what I was doing.I would just like whenever we would go
places, I would play music.And then he was like, bro,

(12:48):
like all this ship is West Coastshit, like yeah, like they're about
to get signed or or like they'rethe next big thing, and like slowly
those artists started like popping and thenhe was like, dude, I know
exactly who you need to meet.So he set up a meeting with me
and Just Incredible and Teddy and itwas like a year and a half into
Street Team, and it was likeit was crazy because he kind of connected

(13:09):
the dots, like and then Iremember justin just Incredible from the LA leaguers.
He was like, gay, ifif you're the person that Teddy's saying
you are, play me like fiverecords. And then I played them five
records and then like right away hewas just like, Okay, I think
I might need you to DJ myCERRS XM show, but I want you

(13:30):
to stay close, so like we'lljust work together. And then that's how
I kind of got that introduction.And then every week we would just meet
up and then help out curate showsand playlists and stuff, and then eventually
these artists I would I would wantto like I was trying to like figure

(13:50):
out how I could get them playedon the radio, because it's very like
on threstial radio is very hard.You have to like show improve right.
So what I've learned was on alreadyon the Street Team we were doing power
one of six all Star games.We would pull up to different schools and
my job was just to find likethe artists that would resonate with each school,
with each city and community, andthen like to the point where it's

(14:11):
like everybody was like like connecting thedots where people would go crazy because it
was like one take Jay and Comptonor in Long Beach, oh shit,
blue Face and Long Beach Polly,oh shit. And then when and I
do also got to say to andI'm mean to cut you off, but
like this is blue Face, yeahfor his blue face, this is this

(14:33):
is yeah bro, Like this isKlin before these Kalen two for real.
So I want to give you thatbecause it's like you were tapped in with
these guys before they are who theyare. Yeah. I would tap in
with like Rose kranz Vic, hewas really tapped in with the streets cypress
Moreno, they would have like theselike underground parties that I would always go
to, like don't come to LA, And I was like, this is

(14:56):
perfect because they're in a perfect pocketin the underground, like they have like
just enough fans where it's like onthe verge of underground and mainstream. I
could be able to help them getto the next level without even being signed.
So then like knowing that at thePower All Star Games, there was
the programmer like putting everything together,which was dj e Many, and I

(15:18):
know that once he sees this,seeing is believe it. Once you see
it, you feel it, andyou know the whole community's rocking right behind
it. You have no choice.So like when we did his alma mater,
dj e Man's poll high in LongBeach, Okay, right, that's
where he graduated from. And thenhe always likes to make like big events

(15:39):
on it, right smart. Andthen I guess there was a guy that
called off and he hit me upas we're leaving the station and he says,
do you know anyone that could pullup like I know this last minute?
And then me and the homie Brianwere like, yeah, we have
a couple of contacts we could call, and we brought one take Jay and
Blue Face to take over the school, and man, they shut that ship

(16:02):
down. So wait, okay,because now you said you were saying,
like, you know, if youwere kind of like that Doc connector for
you know, the like the talentessentially going to school. What year did
you start there? Uh A power, Yeah, probably like two thousand and
twelve, twenty thirteen. Okay,so you might have been responsible for the
all star game at my high school, which one which is Sure High School?

(16:26):
Okay? And it was Miles ParishOkay, yeah, is that where
we had to speak them through theback because they were like going too crazy?
It was Kay Miles, Yeah,it was Sure Yeah, hell yeah,
oh my god. Okay, Soliterally I or do you want of
the kids running? Because weed themthrough the back. And then they found

(16:48):
out we were sneaking them through theback. So then there's like a whole
like mash pit going to the back, and I was like what are we
doing? So like literally I wassupposed to go because I was a fan
of like kyne In in Miles right, And I remember like I got in
trouble with my parents a day orbecause I lied about some stupid shit probably

(17:10):
and they're like, you can't goto the basketball game. I was like,
no, not the camp. ButI was just like, yeah,
that literally is stuck in my head. That was a crazy moment. Yeah,
I remember that. That's crazy andSure High went up. Though I

(17:33):
remember school we would always put astar next to Sure High because of how
lit they are. Yeah, honestlygoing back to Sure High on the end
of this month, which I'm likeso excited about. And I also remember,
like, you guys took Ariana Grandeto our school. Oh yeah,
that was actually the day I gothired. I hired. I got hired

(17:55):
because they're like, everyone's out rightnow because they're going going to take Ariana
Grande too, Sure High. Andit was in like I remember, because
it went up, like yeah,we called her amphitheater. I remember.
It was so funny because then Cruiseliterally tells me like she never said that,
she never said that. I'm like, but she tweeted that our school

(18:15):
was ghetto. So literally everyone remembersthat, Like I tweet that like at
least once a year. I'm like, remember when are you on a grand
Yeah? Remember that. It wasso funny, Like I think those are
so like core memories. Yeah,ship Man, I mean shoot, I
mean it was It's cool to seelike you bring everybody from like each of

(18:38):
their cities and like actually expose themto you know, these high schools.
I feel like it takes it reallytakes a certain type of ear to like
figure out like who's really popping andthe kids dictate that. Yeah. Yeah,
youth really dictates what what's gonna bepopping. And it's like you kind
of have to listen to it andfeel the vibe that I understand it.

(18:59):
You gotta follow it. Yeah.And then it was like it was like
from there, I was invited tolike the mixer meetings, and you know
that that's like an elite club.You're in the meeting with like E Man,
DJ flly Feil, Sour Milk,all these guys and Big One at
the time, all these guys likedamn, these are the big leagues,
these guys that's been doing it forgeneration. You're like, I really got

(19:21):
ship. I remember it was likethe first day and they're like, Gabe,
everyone knew who I was because Istarted bringing artists around. And then
Soar Milk was like Hey, Ithink they want you to play a record.
And I remember the first time Ihad a phone, I was just
so nervous my handki. It wasit was like this, yeah, I

(19:41):
got this record. He's like comingup, my god, exactly exactly,
you know, for from like anartist perspective, right, because I know
you get this question still to thisday, but like what does it take

(20:04):
for like an LA artist to gettheir song like on the radio? And
I'm asking you because you're very experiencedwith this or not, you know what
I mean. Yeah, it wasjust it was it was different for the
time because it was like it wasjust something that I kind of like finessed,
like finess like a little format oflike expediting songs. Of course you're

(20:26):
gonna have to, like, youknow, kind of like have an undeniable
song, impactful song where like someone'sfighting for it, whether it's someone in
the community or or any anything whereit's like it'll get into like the hands
of the right person and then they'llbe able to bring it. But majority
of the times is really on likethe person championing that record, right,

(20:52):
and what kind of like what whatstats do they have behind them? And
it's like okay cool. Oh damn, Oh he's fucking with it. Oh
he's fucking with it. Okay.Now we will be able to because in
mixer meetings it's really on. Everyonewill play a song and then we'll vote
on what song they should put amixed show yea and in rotation. And
that's a hard thing because you havefifteen DJs and everyone has their own songs,

(21:17):
so of course they're going to votefor their own song. But then
like when they start picking and thena song is like okay, it's going
crazy in the club and six sevendifferent votes, okay, it has to
be like that undeniable record yea thateveryone agrees on, and of course it's
going to have that one moment yeahwhere we're like, okay, that's it.
I still don't know how to diefor you is passing those mixer meetings.

(21:37):
That's crazy. The weekend, there'ssome songs that will never hit the
mixer meeting and it will just havelike crazy crazy ratings that will just be
underiable, that won't even like pastthat anymore. It would just go straight
to a yeah, you know,it's like, oh, we gotta play
this, and it's like every Drakerecord and every cool the other day and

(22:06):
he was like downloading some music andhe was just like he I walk in.
He's like, so, am Istill playing? Drake. I'm like,
I mean, until we say otherwise, than I guess we are.
Radio is like it's such a differentbeast man, and it's like from your
experience because technically, actually you've beenin radio longer than both of us,

(22:27):
maybe even a little bit combined truthfully, So like what's the difference that you
see from like radio from when youstarted versus now? Oh dang, I'm
not sure. No, honestly,I'm not too sure because I haven't really
been paying attention like to radio now, like like as far as like terrestrial

(22:49):
radio. Yeah, but I knowthat, like it was such an old
school method, and I know thatlike now with like technology is kind of
hot to kind of use that samemethod where there's the PPM programming format that
they used to like figure out whatsongs people kind of tune into and tune

(23:10):
out to. But I feel likethat's kind of well outdated, outdated.
Yeah. I feel like even likelike ratings when it comes to ratings too,
that the way that we've we knowhow ratings are calculated is outdated in
itself to where it's like I remember, so this is crazy because like we

(23:30):
like obviously use like Nielsen for theratings, but I remember I used to
be a Nielsen like person. LikeI like my dad had gotten something in
the mail and he was just likeI signed this up for this. You
guys got to like literally wear thisand put this in your bag and it
looked like a fucking pager high school. And I look like I have a

(23:51):
page that is so crazy that theygot to carry it around just get the
ratings for the radio. Yeah.Why, Like literally, my dad like
is single handily responsibly like responsible forlike the top point one percent of Howard
Stern's ratio. That man literally playedHoward Stern every morning dropping me off at
school. But it's like so crazy. Yeah. How you say, like

(24:15):
a lot of the stuff that weuse is outdated. Yeah, it's crazy.
So it's kind of hard to likereally see if it's working. Yeah,
yeah exactly. I mean amongst themany artists that you've like worked with,
because I've seen you at just themost random shows pushing like so many
different LA cats. Huh, it'scool to see that you are flourishing as

(24:37):
blast DJ. It's fucking dope,bro, thank you man. It was
it was that was like the endof that wave because it was like the
LA Leakers gave me my own opportunityat the New at night, right,
So we would have a midnight showpretty much breaking all LA. It's dedicated
to breaking all LA artists, localartists or not even LA, just West

(24:59):
Coast artists that normally don't have thatlight. Yeah. So then I would
play for a whole hour from midnightto one all the songs, like all
the hits right all through Grido CharletMafia. We would break everyone and then
everyone I would. I would alwaysgo to all of their shows and figure
out and be like, hey,my name is Gabe, I work with
LA Leakers. I got to figureout the right record with you, right,

(25:22):
So then I would always tap inand hear this one name I would
always reach out to, like Kaylinforro for real being over do, like
hey can I get this record clean? And he was like, Oh,
there's a there's a dude that youshould tap in with because he's producing all
these records. His name is Blastright and the homie Jason Cash was like
yeah, Blast is the guy thatyou need to meet right now because he's

(25:45):
like he's producing everyone's hits. He'sa crazy producer really yeah. So like
Bozo being overde produced by him,right with it produced by Blast. Oh
hey yo. Gouta was like anLA classic in twenty sixteen with Kendrick Lamar
Problem and YG on the remix.He produced that, so he was like

(26:06):
a really big producer underground that wasjust like sweeping the streets. So then
I reached out to him, andthen he was like he started like a
I want to be my own artistat one point, like I want to
be my own artist. I'm startingto rap on these things. And he
had this tape coming out called thesix Tape one uh and ended up being

(26:30):
a timeless mixtape to represent the city, represent Los Angeles, and like its
purest form, it was like verysimple G funk shit or like real like
damn classic timeless music honestly six Tape. When I first heard it, I
was like cool, like it givesme that West Coast feel, but it's
chill yeah, and it's too muchyeah yeah, and it's like damn,

(26:51):
this ship feels right, Yeah,it feels right, And I remember I
was on Stupid Young's tour. Wewere going a tour for Mazi, but
Stupid Young was supporting Act and thenone of the tapes that they kept replaying
was the six Tape tape and Iwas like, oh shit, this is
the guy, this is this iskilling it. But then I remember it

(27:12):
was like we were like in thatsprinner and that was the only tape playing
like the whole tour time. Iwas like, this is hard. My
favorite song off the out of themixtape was Savage, so I kept telling
him. I was like, bro, you need to give me this clean
so icle, premiere it. We'llgo crazy. We went crazy for months,
and then he was It was justlike, if you guys know blast

(27:33):
hit us up because this guy's gonnabe some special. He's gonna be something
special. So we ended up settingup a date to bring him in the
radio station. And then the worldwas kind of coming to a close.
We kind of had to shut downon March thirteenth. Yeah, and you

(27:55):
know, I was like, butI got let go from Power at the
end of that month, and thenI was like, what's up. I'm
trying to drop this album. What'sgoing on? I was like I don't
work at Power no more, andhe was like, it's all good.
I want you to DJ for me. The listening party is coming up September.
I need you to rock with me. And I was like okay,

(28:17):
and then we started playing some shit. Uh and then he let the album
kind of marinate with the world andthat shit was like the reception from that
nuts yeah, nuts I had.I remember. I remember I had Cook
telling me like Cook was the onewho put me on a Blast uh huh.
And I was like, damn,this guy's like so fucking good.

(28:37):
And Cook has a really good eartoo, and so I remember I remember
listening to Blast for the first timeand I had the same sentiments. I'm
like, this guy is gonna besomeone who's just gonna take over man.
Yeah. And it's cool to seeand you know, honestly like it too.
Yeah man, I mean a bigpart of it, dude, like
trying to break his records when virtuallyall he's doing is producing for you know,

(29:00):
everybody, and he doesn't even havehis name out as a rapper yet.
Yeah. Like, and I mean, shoot, you're on fucking Coachella
stages now and everything, like DJpacks like Bro you need to be playing
this in your rotation, like beinglike one of those like radio pushers radio
single. How does that feel like? Literally like just being not full circle

(29:22):
moment of literally being there from thebeginning where he's telling you like I want
to like make myself as an artist, and then being on the Coachella stage
like, yeah, that was wild. I remember just sitting backstage just like
kind of reflecting and just like reallylike having this sense of reflection where you're
like, wow, we started likebeing able to kind of be at the

(29:47):
beginning and now we're here like alot of artists aren't even able to be
on these type of stages, soyeah, this is like a real moment.
And I was like it was verysurreal. But like with me,
it was like I feel like I'mliving in my name kind of because like
my mom named me Gabriel, andthat's the angel of you know, the

(30:08):
communication angel being able to wow,right, Gabril really told Mary that he's
gonna have a kid named Jesus.Right. But then it was just becoming
more of like a messenger and beingable to have my time at power and
represent these artists that normally don't getthe light and being able to shed a
light to them. And now oneof the artists on the last wave of

(30:32):
right before I got fired is ableto take this ship global and he took
me on tour to see the world. What islands I have never seen before,
like New Zealand and yeah, yeah, London, like just seeing different
pockets right and getting out of theregional section and just being able to see
music resonate. I'm literally having goosebumpsright now, bro, because literally,

(30:56):
like you know how Gazy says likefrom the Bay to the Universe, yeah
type ship, Like you're literally aliving example of taking the West Coast and
taking it around the freaking world.So like I mean, you don't hear
the applause, but right for real, like it makes me, like,
it makes me super proud knowing that, like you know, are the music

(31:19):
that we all grew up with isgetting heard around the world and it's reciprocated
well absolutely, and it's timeless music. Like the ship that Blast is talking
about is ship that we go throughevery single Yeah. Yeah, perseverance like
love, like being able to dealwith family Like that's I think that's what
it is. Yeah, it's literallylike all the stages of life that no

(31:41):
matter, yeah, no matter whetheryou're young, like an adult or whatever.
It's like we all go through thisship mm hmmm. And that's what
it is. Yeah, and wegot to persevere through it. Yeah,
you know, going through it,yeah, bro, And I think that's
just what it is, like allhis music, like we're going through it,
whether it be like in your relationshiand your personal life and your career.
Like even the last record he dropped, like it just I just felt

(32:04):
like Heart and Empty or the Faderecord, because the Fade record is huge.
Oh yeah, the Fade records fire. But I was talking about the
Heart record, okay, yea andempty. Heart ain't empty because there was
like no drums on it. AndI remember telling you this like a couple
of weeks ago. I was like, it resonates with me so well because
there's no drums, so I feellike I'm just hearing everything he's saying.
Yeah, it's nuts man. Yeah. And it was a dedicated rest in

(32:29):
peace. Angelo. He was adude that he went to high school with
Filipido Cat as well. Very lovingand I remember meeting him at the No
Love Loss That'sening party and man,he was supporting me through the whole journey.
And it's also about like his familythat he lost as well. So
it was like real big moments likethat was just like crazy to kind of

(32:50):
see it come to life, youknow. Yeah, so I need you
to clear it up for the internet. Gabe tell Us is Blast partly Filipino.
No, he's not. He's actuallynot Filipino or else his name would

(33:13):
have been Blustos. But he's not. That's me. He's no, he's
not, but he's not Filipino.That's crazy. He's like one fourth,
right, I mean, he canrun with it. I remember when we
had him up at the station,like we were all like, bro,

(33:35):
honestly you could just say you're Filipinoat this point, and he was just
like honestly like IM yeah, yeah, I don't know what it is,
but maybe it's like the things thatwe were talking about, right, like
the pure love being just like likereally one hundred, like being like street
but still like loving. Yeah,different angle really I remember vulnerability, yeah

(34:01):
for sure, for sure, justbeing very vulnerable and letting it out there.
And we were kind of like searchingfor I mean, like Filipinos love
Kaylani when she came in and itwas a great like R and B set
right that it was like, oh, these songs like we really relate to
it. Bryce and Tyler the samething, relate to it. And now

(34:22):
Blast comes out and everyone kind ofgravitated to it as far as like Filipinos.
I remember the first show to startoff the whole tour, Seattle,
Seattle, and it was like alot of like a lot of eighty percent
seventy Asians, but really Filipinos.And we got into the spinner and he
was like, why do Filipinos vocalwith me so much? And I'm just

(34:47):
like trying to do it's me.I guess they're just real lovers. I
think it's because we could really singsong. It really comes down to,
I mean, amongst other things,but for me, it's because I could
sing his songs and I feel likeI feel like I'm the one singing it,

(35:07):
you know what I mean. Becauseit's just that relatable. Yeah,
Like it's not like it's not hardshipthat like you know, no one is
like like that's just for one typeof person that like grew up a certain
type of way. It's like again, it's like vulnerability. It's open and
really anyone goes through the same shit. M hm. So what do you

(35:28):
think, what do you think hasbeen like your favorite experience, like just
really moving across the world, likedoing what you just absolutely love, oh,
being able to connect. In Australia, we did this crazy festival called
Promised Land, and I remember beingbackstage and I remember I got a hommy

(35:51):
named Chad. He manages Common Kings, Common Kings, Dyna Jane so hyped
to see Blast, big fans ofBlast and Blast, and I remember beginning
of that tour, I was playinglike thirty minute sets before I brought out
Blast in New Zealand and stuff,and I was playing like Fia, like
Island reggae joints right yeah, AndI was playing Common King Sammy J.

(36:13):
And those were the first songs Iwould start my set and then man,
it would be so nuts, likeeveryone was singing. It was like crazing
worship. Yeah, no like Sammythe Sammy J reception is cool. Yeah.
And Blast would ask me, hewould be like, what songs are
you playing? I've never heard theship in my life. And then being

(36:35):
able to like maybe like the ninthtenth show on that tour, being able
to connect them and like, oh, this is the guy I was playing.
These are common kings, this isSammy j oh shit, is Blast
like being able to be like,oh shit, yes, full circle moment.
It's no wonder he's like going intolike the island. It's cool about
Blast. He could like adapt adaptto a lot of things, Like he

(36:58):
had this record where he had aU K accent, fucking bodied it.
But he'll like he likes taking itto the islands, right, And that's
why you see like ship the newrecord rewind with fade and he doesn't seem
like he's out of place. Heknows how to adapt so quickly, which
Filipinos are really good at adapting.I was literally about to say that,

(37:25):
bro, careful, you might showme these dance moves on my give me
a couple of years, show meturntables. I'll show you DJ Know these
guys are people that adapted so wellin their environment, and then give them
a couple of years, they'll bereally good at that ship, maybe even
better than you sometimes. So whatyou're saying is Blast is at least five

(37:49):
percent trying to figure it out,so like crazy to be like to is
that like ever since I've been withNico and like I fully like understood Filipino
culture. I'm like, fuck,like are Filipinos really bad at anything?
Like, like I'm like, man, what the fuck? Man? That's

(38:12):
great. Y'all can see, y'allcan dads, y'all can do anything.
Doctors really good exactly, they'll pickup everything that you don't want to do
and then a really good job,you know. And it's so cool about
Filipinos, especially in America. Right, anytime you talk to anybody about Filipinos,
they'll be like, bro, Iused to have a co worker that

(38:34):
was Filipino. He always made sureI ain't like of course, when I
first entered my family, like thefirst thing, like we we went to
like family parties, and the firstfamily party I took them to, my
uncle goes, oh my co workersFilipino. I was like, oh my
god. And then my other myother uncle was like, yeah, so
Joe Coy, I really like guys, can you please? But it's cool

(38:58):
though, because it's always positive.Yeah. I mean, like they'll always
share a moment where they looked outfor it, you know what I mean,
where like yeah, I mean thisjob, I think about it I've
never heard anyone speak bad about likea Filipino. I mean, unless it
was like I was like, wait, unless like it was Manipaccio and like

(39:22):
your Mexican Like yeah, it wasstill at the same time, respect Manupacy,
that amazing fighter. At that time, he was called the Mexecutioner.
Yeah him about that. I laugheda little bit too hard on that.

(39:42):
I remember being in my uncle's garageand we would definitely watch and like we
would be watching fights and we'd belike, well for what, like like
at this point, but yeah,it's so funny just to see Like I
remember DJing Day day Booze. Iwas like, that's when they turned eighteen.
Yeah, Davos and then they wouldhave the fight at the Davos.

(40:06):
There's like three Devuo's like DJ andthey were like, let's puss it because
we're gonna be watching money. Okay, after the bike we can do the
process. Oh No, if Iwas if I was the daughter, I
don't know if i'd be happy orlike, I mean, the girls were
into it. They're like, okay, to do what they want. Filipino
Independence Day at that point, Yeah, that's what every time he had a

(40:30):
fight that's yeah. Everyoneould rally,that's crazy. It's super cool to see
like just Filipino culture specifically like reallyget their roses and like we're starting to
do like so much ship now.Bro. Like even I don't know if
you know him, but I thinkhis name is like m M well well

(40:52):
well o GM our music generation hehas like here something like that. So
I only just recently got put upto him because he was doing a lot
of like rolling loud press and thenlike I was like, who the fuck
is this guy? Right? SoI clicked on his page. I saw
he was Filipino. I was like, eh, automatic followings. Yeah,
it's cool, it's cool. Yeah, And you know, it's cool to

(41:14):
see him do his thing because itreminds me of you, like, you
know, just like really advocating forartists at that point. And I'm like,
cool, agree, you know whatI mean? I see I said
the same thing when I saw hispage too. Yeah okay, but he
has the youth, Yeah he hasit. He's locked in into like a
different generation sound and I fuck withit. Yeah, Okay, he's really

(41:34):
out here. Yeah, bro,it's nice to see that we're we're we
are we as a people right aremore willing to enter these spaces and feel
that much more comfortable doing what weneed to do because you ask any of
this to us, Like even fiveyears ago, like this wouldn't even be
a conversation right now. It wouldalways be conversations of like we need to

(41:57):
do more, we need to dobetter, we need to do this.
But now it's like, yeah,we're at the forefront. We're living it
now, like this is what we'vebeen asking for for the past couple of
years. Yeah, I feel likethat, just like that whole like ever
since the pandemic, I feel reallylike like I've just been able to witness
because I've been with Nico that Filipinosare just like in your face all the

(42:22):
time now and it's like there's nodenying. Yeah, at this point,
it's new. Yeah, it's stillyeah, but it's like you guys are
at the forefront it and it's amazingto see. It's crazy, but it's
amazing to see. Like it's reallydope, and you guys both have a
lot to contribute to that. Tobe honest, you guys both have your

(42:44):
fair share of like what you've donefor the community, For what you guys
did for like radio and all thatand still are continuing to do. It's
fucking insane, even Mexicpino podcast.Like I went to the festival, the
Food Festival, yeah, and Iwas like me and my girl, oh,
we're in awe. We were justlike, damn, you guys are
able to impact the culture the communitieslike in a short amount of time too,

(43:07):
Yeah something like that. Yeah,but I mean like like stuff like
that probably takes like ten years,fifteen years to kind of build. But
it was just like dope to seeit come to life. Yeah, and
it's really yeah, it's really dopewhen it comes to like the Food fest,
especially like when we see because werealized like we're not like we're not

(43:29):
the Mexicpino generation, the ones afterus are and to see like families like
come up to us and just literallyshove their kids in front of us,
and like Mexicpino, I'm like,okay. Literally, a lady she like
handed me her baby. She's like, can't you take a picture of my
baby? The baby's already in myarms. I'm like okay, and she's
like Mexicpino. I was like okay, Like yeah, but it's so it's

(43:53):
so cool to see that, likeyou know, we're all doing this for
either one of our cultures and andhelping give a voice. Yeah. And
I remember like always thinking about likejust being up at five four in the
morning, like is all of thisgonna make sense? Like I don't know
if this is gonna make sense.This is all just groundwork, and we're
going all in on sacrificing a lotof our relationships with our family and sacrificing

(44:16):
a lot of just opportunities to beable to be in this position, yeah,
which never had a blueprint, Sowe don't know if it's actually gonna
work. Yeah, but for somereason, I feel like in our heart
it's keep it keeps telling us tokeep going. Yeah, And you know
what the hard part about all ofit is that, like you know,
whether it be like Mexican families orFilipino families, Like we're so close to

(44:39):
our families, Like we are veryclose knit, and we're all about like
wanting to like be about each otherand being present. So like I like
to say, like the difficulty thatcomes with being Filipino and being in this
industry is that like you have toseparate yourself from that like to a degree.
Now you have to. I haveto. It's insane, Like I

(45:01):
I've there's been instances like when Istarted in radio and like doing all these
other things that I do, Iwould I would tell Nico, like,
you know, I feel guilty.I feel it's crazy because like you,
you're so trained as Mexicans and Filipinosto be like you gotta work hard.
You've gotta like constantly grind. You'vegotta do this. You can never say

(45:23):
no to an opportunity, but yetyou still feel guilty when you're there and
you don't. You can't really learnto appreciate the moment sometimes because you're just
like Okay, well what's the nextthing I'm gonna do? Or my mind's
like oh man, like I'm missingthis family like gathering or whatever because I'm
working, but also I need towork because I need it to work.

(45:46):
It's it's that's that struggle I thinkwithin our cultures. Have you had like
any sort of struggles like that withyour family, would trying to figure out
like what exactly it is that you'redoing. Yeah, it was like dude,
my mom my dad always gave mea hard time. You know,
sometimes where I like they would giveme ultimatums like quit the power on the
Sixth Street team or else you can'tsee my home and then I would have

(46:07):
to like seeing my girl's crib orjust like not come home because I was
like, dude, like this iscrazy. This might be the time where
I switch jobs because it's like theiracceptance is not there. They wanted me
be a nurse, and if Ican't make my dreams happen by twenty five,
I gotta be a pharmacy be inschool for pharmacy tech. And it

(46:29):
was just like shit, I didn'twant to go do it and the like
when I reached that age, Iwas like, no, I'm gonna stay
here. I'm already in the buildingwhere all these people I look up to.
I gotta make this shit happen.But it's just like the like family
parties. And then the Aunties starttalking literally, is they want to listen
to us? What do you do? You play music? Huh? Wow?

(46:51):
Disco disco? Huh? You don'tthink I know what it is to
I do? Oh gave you youplay with singers? Huh? I'm a
singer through and I think that's likethat's what it is to like there's that
fear that our families have where becausewe're entering unknown territory. It's like,

(47:14):
well there's no security and it's justlike and we have no one to be
like, oh, this guy didit, so you're good, don't worry
about I'm trying to be that personthat people say, like, you know,
so you're trying to be that peopleexactly. It's like it was so
hard, but it was like fastforward to now, it's like all that

(47:36):
negativity kind of went away. Whenmy mom was like so hyped to put
in the group chat with like thecousins in the Philippines, like you need
to watch at six o'clock pm PSD, he's gonna be on YouTube. I
was like how much she was rallyingfor me. It was just like brought
a tear in my eye because atone point you're about to dead this dream
and it's like I'm so glad thatyou know you were able to or I

(48:00):
was able to take that risk andbe like, no, I really feel
it in my heart that this thislane has to be paved, has to
be paved, especially in LA oneof the biggest markets in music. In
hip hope. How does it feellike, because I know, obviously Nachos
from the Bay and he moved toLA and I'm from here too, how
does it feel for you to notbe like I guess how do I word

(48:25):
this? How does it feel foryou to like be able to make it
here in the place you grew upin? Ooh? How does it feel?
It's? Man, it's an amazingfeeling, like really, just to
be able to kind of be like, Okay, this is what I want
to represent, not give up andbeing able to kind of put people in

(48:50):
their different pockets and represent man,that feeling is like who It really just
gives me chills, just because that'sall I wanted. Yeah, I didn't
have a B, I didn't havea C. I didn't like no.
I wanted to represent this generation thatwas unspoken for. And then now I
get to represent my city, Carson, Los Angeles. I get to represent

(49:14):
people that I came up with.Like, damn, that's a moment.
That's a moment like growing up inLA and playing on the Lakers. It's
like, now you get to representthe city that you came up in.
Yeah, Like I mean like andI have those same sentiments to like growing
up in like East La Montabello.It's like, like I really get to
do what I love in the citythat I grew up grew up in.

(49:37):
I remember one time there was likesomebody who you know how like helicopters fly
over Dodger Stadium. There was onevideo that someone sent me there like hey,
I couldn't see this high up,but I'm pretty sure this is you
on the screen and it was froma helicopter point of view. I'm on
the screen at Dodger Stadium and youcan see like the game going on.

(50:00):
Bro. That right there is whatI fucking worked so hard for and then
finally paid off like that. Crazy. Yeah, it's fucking crazy. It's
insane. Well so positive. Yeah. I remember moments right when I was
in high school and I would listento the newt Too with DJ fell Feil,
and I would always be so excitedwhen they would finally play Tot and

(50:21):
Yg or even like just played Jerkrecords that we would all dance to,
right, and they're like, ohshit, he's finally getting his moment.
Like that was the like times whereyou really remember. It's very nostalgic and
you're like, now you're in aposition in that same position, and you're
like, oh fuck, it's fullcircle. Yeah, it's like manifest destiny

(50:44):
moment. You excited and you're there. So I gotta ask you because I
asked Nico this before and he saidthat it didn't really like exist in the
bay, but like the shuffling era. Were you ever a part of a
shuffling group? No, I waspart of a jerking crew. Yeah yeah,

(51:04):
but it was like we did notcompete because we were just Filipinos with
tight ass pants just going crazy.Let me find out you how to study
belt. Oh yeah, matter offact, you were. You were around
at Power during that time when CatDaddy dropped, because I remember on Cat
Daddy he said let Power one sixbang this ship. Oh yeah, No,
I was in there like two yearsbefore when I was okay, okay,

(51:30):
but I remember that though. Ifeel like Chris Brown was in a
music video that shit was crazy.Chris Brown. Oh yeah, yeah,
yeah, played this ship. Iremember like just that whole era of like
shuffling in the jerking era and everythinglike that. That was such a crazy
like moment I guess here, likeI was just like I think about them,

(51:52):
like that's literally so embarrassing. Yeah, that was a great era.
Not too many friends that shuffled,though, did you. I had a
decent amount of friends that shuffle andalso jerked. Okay yeah yeah they were
jerking. Yeah. I was likeI remember, like like school dances,

(52:19):
there would be like shuffle battles.I'd be like, I want to go
home already. This is this isyou've never seen. Shovel battles are hard,
bro. I'm thinking like l mFO party and like that. Literally
exactly what you're thinking is exactly whatit was. Well, on the last
note, speaking of music, bro, we want to play this very quick

(52:43):
game with you. It's called rightSo basically what that means in Spanish is
like get out, get out.So basically this is like one gotta go.
So after I list these things,you got to pick one that gotta
go, and then afterwards we justgot to say cool. Yeah all right,
so Gabe, one gotta go.Six tape one, No love Loss,

(53:08):
six tape two or before you goby blast damn. Wowah that's tough.
I'd rather I'd rather fid of meso hard. Yeah, because like

(53:29):
sixth tape was what started off sixtape two. Let him know that we
could do this with different producers andwe could double six to twelve. Damn
before you go. It's just showingyou that I could do every everything out
of LA and make an R andB album. When was the last one

(53:51):
lost? Set everything off? Thatwas the one that said up Yeah that
was lost was all just blast andthen the deluxe was with Chosen and got
it. So no love losses likethe one that really touched the world.
So six taped two if I hadto, You're like, like, please,

(54:15):
let me have a job. Butthose are really good records and it's
crazy to even I say that becauseall all of those projects, it's kind
of like held so much like value, like you explained it, like they
had their own like story with it, like yeah, you can play them
all today and they all still resonatetoday. Good looks on the tough ass

(54:36):
question. All right, what areyou ready? One? Two, three?
And just like that games camera died, perfect timing. I was trying
yeah over damn okay, yeah stillyour voice? Well gave where can everybody

(55:01):
find you? Bro at? Goodmorning? G A b E. All
social media except Twitter because they blockedme for some reason. My account got
hacked and then the guy started likeselling crypto and then they banned them.
I was like, that's not evenme though, but yeah, good morning
Gabe. Where you can find me. I have my own show on Serrus
XM on with SoundCloud called The Lookout. Every Thursday is non pm Eastern,

(55:25):
six pm Pacific, And uh yeah, Facebook slash Facebook and hom slash Gabe
is cool. Okay, even I'mwith that. I'm gonna go on that,
and uncles are like, okay,that's where you want to type in
with the family on Facebook for sure. My name is Nico Blitz and good

(55:47):
morning Gabe the Filipino Phantom Sir.Peace out, y'all.