EP. 103 | 🍦TCspades🍦

We sit down with multifaceted artist TC Spades to discuss his remarkable journey into the world of music. Known for his unique creative background, TC Spades shares insights into his transition from a visual artist to a burgeoning musician.

Discover how his early experiences in various art forms have influenced his musical style and what it means to blend different creative disciplines. From his inspirations to the challenges he faced, TC Spades opens up about his artistry's evolution and future aspirations. 

You can listen to the radio show every Wednesday @ 11 AM EST
1280AM on your Radio 📻
metradio.ca Online 💻 

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Hey everyone, this is Yo.It's your boy, Funky, the coolest
teen rapper online. What's up?It's me Alfie. You're listening to the
Cool Table with a listening to You'relistening to the Cool Table. You're listening
to the Cool Table. And I'mnot sure if you know this, but
right now you're in the cut withmy man, Adriel Smile. Good morning,

(00:21):
good afternoon, good evening, andgood night. Welcome to the Cool
Table. My name is Adril Smileyaka Adrilsmiley dot com aka Adril Smiley Official
aka the Godfather. I want tohear the radio show live. You can
hear every Wednesday at eleven am Easterntwelve eighty a m in Toronto c j
TM Metradio dot Ca. Now inthe cut, we challenge our guest to

(00:44):
fish a type of ice cream beforethe end of the conversation. Joining us
for the first time. This hasbeen a long one coming a long time
in the making. A Brampton legend. PC spades there, happy to be
here man, The Cool Table finallymade it. Appreciate you, Appreciate you.
All of our ice cream for seasonthree is brought to us by Eva's
original Chimneys. Check them out onBloor Street. I know you got one

(01:07):
of the most popular flavors. Thismight be a popular cool table flavor because
I feel like when people come tothe cool table, this says a flavor
they want to try. So tellabout the flavor you chose, and what
do you think your chances are ofactually finishing? Okay, So I chose
Tiermasu. Honestly, I was likesitting with my girl when you asked me.
I was sitting next to her andI was like, she was already

(01:27):
making a dessert and then she's doinglike a churld kind of cheesecake. So
I'm just like, tier Massu doesfilm fire. But I was like,
what would you want in case?Because I was assuming I could bring it
home. I don't know, Ihave to sit here and finish shit.
So she's like maybe vanilla, AndI was like, but that Tier Massou.
Though she's like, do what youwant? I was like, all
right, you could. You canbring it home after you're done with it.
Yeah, but now you're challenging me, right, So I can't let

(01:49):
my name go to go to ways. But yeah, we can see I
could try. I'm not necessarily lactoseintolerance I'm not going to die, but
like I might like get through halfway. And I'm like, I think I'm
tell me a little bit, youknow, like just kind of that full
Yeah, so you're not lack toose, but like halfway through your stomach will
sound like a fax machine. Yeah, a little bit. You know,

(02:13):
what do you call that? Likepartial? I don't know what you call
it. I call this being black. Yeah, there's a point where the
Darey's just like, yeah, yougot it. Yeah. Yeah. My
friend had a wedding and he hada bunch of orders and they were like
all cheese based and it was likefive different kinds of cheese orders. And
he's trinny and I was like,you got all these black people out here
eating cheese before your wedding, brolike shifting in their seats during the reception.

(02:38):
I was like, yeah, theline for the washroom is going to
be for both washrooms at this point, like crazy crazy. I didn't even
know this, and I learned itthrough researching for this interview of How you
got in the name PC Spades mediaclass in high school, and it made
me think of the other options.Okay, all right, and just walk

(02:59):
with me here Okay, of courseyou said TC Diamonds didn't hit. Yeah,
I think TC Diamonds might hit morenow than it did then. I
feel like you probably progressed since then. Yeah, I on you, so
well, we'll think about that aslike, AKA, you know, okay,
TC Hearts. I've heard so manymusic there. There's there's something there

(03:19):
the R and B bag. Yeah, so I think maybe you have some
aks here. Maybe maybe it's stillTC spades like full time, but maybe
you have like diamonds. Yeah,you know, like you know there's Sasha
Fears and beyond, say like thisis your Sasha Fears. You're the first
person to kind of like I justkind of say those things because they're a
fact. But the fact that youput in that perspective, I might take

(03:42):
you up on that offer. Ithink there's something there. Like when I
hear a certain track, I'm like, Okay, this is TC Diamonds on
this track. Yeah, one hundredpercent. Yeah. So we're gonna do
a top five later, but Iwant to give you a heads up,
okay, because I don't want tobring this on you. I know you're
a big Wayne fan, all right, So we're gonna do a top five
Little Wayne songs towards the end ofthe show, so well, I'm already

(04:03):
thinking of it. Yeah, startstart thinking I want to go to before
hip hop because I think, ofcourse people know you what you're doing before
you started making music. But fromwhat I know, you were like always
into media as always what you wantedto do. Can you remember the start
of that? What kind of gaveyou that itch of like I'm going to
be in media from time? Likewhat was the first thing you saw that

(04:25):
was like I'm going to be inthis field? Yeah, honestly, and
great question. I love that.So I started out drawing from basically like
childhood to basically the eighth grade.My dad draws, my older brother draws,
but like in a Caribbean household,especially like my dad in Jamaica,

(04:46):
didn't see drawing as like, youknow, work actually right, like looking
at at it more as like caricaturesfor the tourist type of thing. Right.
So that's just the background of that. But I think where media really
kind of kicked in for me onI probably would say it was because of
YouTube, Like yeah, eighth gradeand it's crazy too. I discovered this
one Canadian YouTuber who did stop motion, but it was like the most amazing

(05:10):
like stop motion I've ever seen,like very like detailed characters, yeah,
like figurines. Right, So thatwas part part of it. And then
DJ Hero a little bit too,because for some reason, like music was
just always like a thing in mylife, right yeah, bro, Yeah,
but I was tapped in when Isaw that. So from that,

(05:31):
I was like, I could probablyfind a DJ like program and like make
my own kind of like you know, flips or whatever. So I was
kind of the start of it,and then I just kept pushing the YouTube
thing. Went to high school formedia and then that was really where I
picked up a camera and said,maybe it's easier to tell stories like with
the pieces already there. I wassupposed to trying to like create the characters
backdrops. I can't believe you justsaid Hero. That just took me to

(05:56):
a place, bro, a differentplace because I thought to Eric a couple
of weeks ago, and he learnedto play guitar. It's a guitar guitar
Hero, shout out guitar Hero.That's heavy, right, And I think
about it, I'm like, there'sprobably a generation of like musicians now between
guitar Hero, rock Band and DJHero that's like what is that? And

(06:16):
Activision Generation because I'm not a gamerat all, like you know me,
Like I played two K like threetimes a year, and I'm horrible,
Like like the computer is twentying meunless I play with like an all time
team's a lebron to Michael. IfI don't do that, I'm losing by
twenty Like that, I'm not good. So when rock Band came around,

(06:39):
I'm a drummer, so I said, okay, I could play this.
I'm plugged in for sure, Isaid, yo, listen, put me
on. Like so I remember thosegames. It's like, Okay, a
game I can actually play for thefirst time, and accessibility that wasn't like
there in video games. Yeah yeah. And then DJ Hero the songs on
there, that's the thing. SoI never actually, I think I got

(06:59):
to play it. I've only everplayed it once, but like just like
I was just so fascinated in someof the flips that they had in the
soundtrack in the game, like thatwas what I was tapped into. Yeah,
and then you coming from a drawingbackground like that, that's actually where
I started to like I won anaward when I was in elementary school for
drawing. I actually went to gosee this drawing that I did recently on

(07:20):
display the Centenary Hospital, and whenI went to see it, I said,
this was an award like this,But I thought about like being a
cartoonist and you know, comic books, and I remember you said, like
the frames had to draw, everyframe is kind of stock to you talk

(07:44):
about that, because I actually wentto school for TV and we did animation
and that was like everyone's like leastfavorite class. So like you were,
you were more right than you realized. Yeah, that's so crazy. That
is so crazy. Yeah. Sobasically, like drawing was just a thing,
so I'd like just draw characters,whether they're cartoon characters, comic book

(08:05):
whatever, just like by looking atit. And then it was actually shout
out my elementary school friend Xavier.Hope he's doing well. But what started
out as he was like the onlyother black guy in the school who drew.
So I was like, I don'tknow who this guy is like at
first, right, and became friendsand like friend of me's or whatever,
so he already had for real becauselike we meet, I'm like, oh,
I draw to whatever we're hitting itoff, and he's like he's got

(08:26):
two different comic book like series thathe's been doing since the second grade and
mind he was greatful, bro.So I'm like what, But like at
the same time, it inspired me, so like all the the Narbuto and
like Bleach and like some of theother stuff we're watching, like it just
kind of made me want to makemy own, I guess graphic novel.
So at the time it was likemaybe two different books and it was weird.
Bro was like post apocalyptic but theywere ninjas and like it was.

(08:48):
I had like a bigger kind oflike idea of it. But after maybe
too little, like you know,you make the book out of folding the
paper in half and like whatever,like five six pages. After maybe two
of those, I was like,someone's gotta give, Like, you know,
I am either going to put thison Devian Art and try and go
up on there, or I gotto find another medium or something. I

(09:09):
think there's something there. I feellike as a creative you've shown, you
know, the different parts of yourcreativity and different mediums, So that's something
there. On the point of likestorytelling, I'm definitely not opposed to going
back to it. On the flightjust now back back here, I was
like doodling just for shit. It'slike, when's the last time I did
that? Yeah? And I feellike the part of music like this storytelling,

(09:33):
like there is something there where it'slike, Okay, find this different
way to tell you a story.Like I mentioned this other day, Dave
East song Key Shows like one ofhis first, like you know, songs
that blew him. Yeah, thevideo is what blew that song up because
the video was what showed the messageof the song. The song is pretty
straightforward, yeah, yeah, rocksgirl, she robs him? What the

(09:54):
fuck Keisha? Yeah, but thevideo blue helped bout the song because everyone
could see visualizing the actual story,you know. So I've been thinking about
visuals a lot, because you knoweveryone. I did talk to some people
before the interview because I know somepeople, you know, So I did
my little research and everyone was basicallysaying like yo, like he's just a
creative through and through, like youknow, whether it's music or photography.

(10:16):
And so I thought about that alot, like the Anderson Pac video for
Daydreaming relics like GTA six, andit's like there's all these different ways to
do it. So I feel likethe cartooning and the drawing is like that's
not done. No, for sure. I even to that point when it
came to just the photography and videographyin itself, Like I switching over to

(10:37):
music made me kind of slow downmy creative process like first and foremost,
so I can really kind of finetune in whatever, except with the photography
and videography, I got someone toquick turnaround and just like energy and you
know what I mean, that kindof thing. But this the music added
to my just overall creative process.So I think in the time of transitioning

(10:58):
and just kind of learning and baldand sing and whatnot and just trying to
like make a name for myself outsideof like what people first knew me for.
Yeah, that's when I realized,Okay, I can't abandon it entirely
because regardless, like elements or thingsthat I've learned are still going to play
into what I'm doing. Yeah,but yeah, no, totally. I
can definitely see like different elements likecoming in when the time is right and
when I have the actual means tolike intentionally you know what I mean,

(11:20):
Like, yeah, like have thatimpact. Yeah, I've always thought this
about your career because I first sawyou and you and Ryan were doing those
skits and knowing that you made thechange from like doing stuff behind the scenes
to be an artist, I said, either he is the smartest guy alive

(11:41):
or the dumbest guy alive. Becauseeven myself being in the industry for long
as I've been an industry for seeingartists up close to what they deal with,
I've never envied that to be onthat side. And so when I've
heard you talk about your passion formusic and deciding to go to other side,
I like, you know, he'sdead ass, because you spent a
lot of time with artists well beforegetting into it, where it's like you've

(12:03):
seen the bullshit they've had to dealwith. You've seen the divas they've been.
You've seen someone make an amazing albumthat no one listens to. So
before we even get to that,let's start with you, actually, you
know, putting your foot in inphotography and videography, because I think that's
a part of your career that peopleare of course aware of if they know
you. But I think people werefans of your music, I'd like them

(12:24):
to kind of get a glimpse intothat part of you. Absolutely that was
a really good first moon. Okay, big first moon, Okay, big
up, big up EVAs part waythrough listening to I was just like,
let me let me crack this overshout out for real. But yeah,
so I guess for excuse me,so the connected So the drawing was like.
The first thing I did was lookingfor a school in Bramson to go

(12:46):
to to pursue it further. ButI'm not going. I was like,
I'm on the west side right,Oh my lord, six am. I'm
like, you got me fucked up? You know that, wasn't you?
Bro. So a school opened upnearby called Saint Rock. They had a
media program, so I was like, maybe I can figure something out,
and they had a pretty good pitchjust talking about their things. I'm like

(13:07):
or whatever. So applied. Igot in and then I was like,
okay, maybe I can do thistenth grade. Yeah, long story short.
I in that time in high schoolI kind of more let go of
drying and lean more into the videostuff. But I was doing music but
just for fun, like for myown sake, because I had the means.
Right now, you think you droppedsome some early tapes like on some

(13:28):
I don't know. I was justlike going online and seeing like again Deep
Pride, Tory Lanes, Devin Tracy, Hearing of Sunny Diamond Studios, like
all these local people just kind oflike around there. You just mentioned a
whole list of names from an eraI know people are not familiar with.
Well, that is basically what raisedme, like because of YouTube, Like

(13:50):
grade ninth grade, that was theera. And it's crazy because this is
almost pre Drake in a sense becauseDrake had blown up, blown up yet
that it's like again on YouTube online, we had all these people to choose
from of like like I remember whenTory Lanez was handing out CDs at the
mall, like and to think thatthat's the same Tory Lanes. It's like,

(14:11):
yeah, I that's what I'm saying. Man, it's a trip.
But like those were the and atthat time too, they felt so far
off. But maybe it was becauseof my age at the time and like
high school I wasn't like outside likethat short, so I was like consuming
that while in school for media whilejust trying to like find my footing and
you know, growing and learning.And then by time post secondary rolled around

(14:33):
because I already had a DSLR.I was like, okay, excuse me.
Yes, I'm like I ended upgoing to Guelf Humber, So I'm
like, yeah, I'm in aprogram I already did four years in school
or whatever. Excuse me. Ididn't think of the music as anything seriously,
So I was like, you knowwhat, maybe I might as well
like take what I already have andjust put it to you. Let me,
let me make something happen. Sostarted out with the Instagram and honestly

(14:54):
it was shout out to my homemideTony Kojo. It was him who really
kind of put me in certain placeswhere I was just like, oh,
okay, this is the place thatI'm comfortable. These are the things that
I like doing. Because a coupleof photoshoots of friends and whatever whatever,
But he was the first person whohe had an internship with Urbanology magazine and
they were doing they were doing Battleto beat Maker. Yeah, So that

(15:16):
was the real first thing that likeactually like put me into the whole mix
of things because he's like, yeah, he got to do some some coverage
for them, and he's like,yo, you and I can be a
team. Let's do it up.The judges for that year were metro Boom
and Sunny Digital and what's his nameone of the guys from what's the group
that Joe Budden was in Slaughterhouse andwhat's the other the other light skinned guy,

(15:39):
Joel I think I think was yeah, yeah, yeah, so those
are the judges, right, andthen Wonder Girl was like there so she
just had you know, Jess hadblown something like oh shit, like I'm
Basically the music space I found outwas like where I was most comfortable.
We got to like interview metro Boomanbriefly and talk to I, so like

(16:00):
that was already like okay, Ienjoy this space clearly, Like this is
a tool that I can get intothese places and I can still be creative.
So that that really got me goingfrom there. And then yeah,
I guess the way that journey wentwas like did that linked up with Roy
Woods eventually because of honestly, shoutout the Homie twists and then this other
dancer homie basically, so they weredancers going viral doing their thing. I

(16:23):
was a guy, you know,doing my thing with the photography and whatever.
So when we eventually linked up,it was like well, we might
as well team up, try andput some stuff together and just ke pushing
it right. They ended up bringingme to so they essentially we were I
don't know if they were cast orwhatever you want to call it, but
Homie plugged them in to be inRoy's video for going Big Up Yourself,

(16:45):
and that homie was day before Toe. Yeah, so he's like the big
Homie. So we first met becauseof that time, like twenty sixteen,
we plugged in and then I sawSunny Diamonds there because he was recording Roy
at the time, and all ofthat pretty much spread from there because like
the next year Roy was then hismanager. Actually Brooks was just like,
yo, you know, we shouldtap in, Like we like what you're

(17:07):
doing, Like we've got some morestuff. And then Sonny was like,
yo, I like what you doand we should tap in, and like
everything kind of branched off from there, so you just were immersed at that
point pretty much. And it's it'sso crazy how it was like a stark
difference of like running around Brampton justtrying to like find places to shoot something
interesting or like put my friends againstlike cool backdrops, so like, oh
okay, not right now in themix, Like, yeah, I always

(17:32):
think that because I feel like youcome from almost a privileged position in a
sense from seeing so many things inthe industry up close that I know a
lot of artists when they're starting out, they don't know that they don't know.
So the thing is like that wasjust so important too, I guess
like my creative journey in the senseof I got to so shout out to
Roy and like even the Dancer homiesand like a lot of the people that

(17:53):
I've been around have been dope enoughto just bring me along. So Roy
definitely exposed me to like a lotof different environments within the industry and like,
you know, the process. EvenDevin Tracy when we first went to
La like there's once upon a timethat's like I'm watching on YouTube that I'm
like, you know, the world'saway and then he's like he's like,
we did a photo shoot at Squareone and he's like, yeah, bro,
I actually remember you commenting like ona video one time or whatever.

(18:15):
Wow, mind blowing. I'm likeyo as a fan, right, but
again, him, him, Royand just like the other homies basically gave
me the confidence to say, likeOkay, maybe I do belong here and
like I do have something to contribute, and yeah, being the background person
initially, that's already what I learnedto like observe and just like play the
role, do what I got todo so that I can help the bigger

(18:37):
picture and keep things moving. Yeah, it kind of brings the you know,
a sense of understanding, absolutely,because I think even myself, like
I started out doing stuff behind thescenes, and so even now, like
I'm thinking of behind the scenes whileI'm doing this. It's like, Okay,
I got one job, but thereare still other jobs that need to
like come together to make this happen. Talk about you connecting with Yes,

(18:59):
Jules, obviously it was a differenttime. Yeah, but talk about that
bro. So same thing and essentiallywhat I what I was gonna say after
the fact was all of it.I'm glad that those experiences happened first because
they kind of gave me the confidenceand understanding where if I went into music
first, probably would have been morefrustrated in a lot of places and trying
to like figure things out. Youhave to see it. Yeah, So

(19:22):
initially at the I'd say we dida little bit of the didn't even do
the roy stuff at that point.Long story short University, it's me,
It's Trasort, it's Ryan and ourhomie Keana as well. We're doing our
videos whatever. We're just like becausewe're already into the pop culture and it's
the culture in general, like talkinga lot of things and whatever. We're

(19:44):
tapped in. So we see that, yes, Jewels is coming to do
a party of ballet in Toronto ripBallet for Yeah, So yeah, she's
coming. I'm like, shit,I've been to Ballet bro and I know
it's gonna be lit, so let'sgo. And then at the time,
I was working at a photo studio, so like I see she's coming,
I'm like, okay, I thinkI can plug this in, like maybe
I can shoot some content figure somethingout. So I think I messaged Jewels

(20:07):
on like Twitter or something. Iwas like, oh, like, am
I cool to bring my camera?And I didn't get a word. I
didn't want to be stopped at thedoor with a DSLR or whatever. Right,
my co workers and friends are like, yo, just do it,
just like go, you know,excuse me. The day comes and I'm
like, oh, you know what, I am just gonna do it like
regardless of what happens, and thatsame day, Jewels is like, yeah,
like come on, bring it in. I was like, oh shit,
so we're lit. So went inthere, shot it up, and

(20:30):
I again, this is like atime where I was like into the media
and whatever, so especially if it'ssomething I'm interested in. Yeah, party
ended by like what one to twoam. It's like the long train ride
back home. And then I wasjust editing, editing, like the video
basically flipped it like as quick asI could. And then Juels just like,
oh, this is tough, likesend it to me, because I
tweeted it to her at first,like yeah, send it and whatever,

(20:52):
and like I didn't know what wasgoing to happen from there, but like
they obviously liked it, and that'skind of the last thing I heard until
south By Southwest twenty seventeen, sothat was like probably or twenty eighteen.
Anyway, one of the south BySouthwest was coming around and I was like,
you know what, I'm going tofind a way there. So I
started like looking up the hashtag tryingto see who I can connect with and

(21:14):
whatever, and then I saw thatJewels was also She ended up teaming up
with forty Ounce Van to do aforty ounce bounce at south By such a
different time. Yeah, names comingout of your mouth. Some people are
like, what is he talking about? Yeah, it's but so they had
to call out basically for media,and I was like, yo, Jewels,
like I literally just shot for you. Here's the footage or whatever.

(21:36):
They're like, yeah, hell up. And then that was it. That
was just all I needed. Andwhat I learned from that experience was kind
of like just give the door,you know, open the door for me.
I'll figure it out. I'll comeand do what I gotta do.
But as long as I can bein that space, yeah, it I
think that like go get their mentalityof like, okay, like this opportunity
here, and it's like it's barelyan opportunity, but I'm going to like

(21:56):
make the most open it a littlebit more for sure. Yeah. I
think that's a clear through line withall the stories you're telling of like,
hey, I said I'm going toit, I'm going to get it.
When's the last time someone is askedme to shoot anything? Maybe my girl
on her birthday back in March.Okay, that's fine, that's fair.
That's fair something like serious though it'sprobably been a while, but like I

(22:22):
kind of vowed to myself after thefact of like if I'm going to hold
the camera, then it's like onmy own accord, because like I want
to or whatever. I resonate withyour story a lot as the other reasons
we've said. But I used todo videography. It's people who know me
from that time. We probably wearthat's the same events I was probably I
used to inter for Gen nine eightyseven. I was big in the videography,

(22:44):
and I kind of was telling myselfage, maybe you know, maybe
you're not meant to be on camera, or maybe it's not for you,
you know, just trying to convincemyself, you know whatever I was trying
to do. And then I hada realization. I said, you're just
being doubtful. There's no real reasonhere for you, like you've shown you
could do it. Yeah. Yeah, And I actually sold my camera as

(23:06):
like what that was like my youknow, like push your rebirth. Yeah.
I said, okay, I'm notdoing this no more. I'm selling
the camera, literally sold it forpennies, like I think it back to
it. Yeah, And I neededto do that because I think that if
I still had that camera, it'slike a crutch, like I'd still be
you know, shooting and editing allthat kind of stuff. And a few

(23:30):
years after that, my mom actuallygot me a camera for Christmas and it
kind of turned out full circle whatever. But I resonate with that of like,
Okay, I'm done doing this.Like I'm good at this, y'all
know I do this, but I'mdone doing this. No that, especially
because it was definitely a time ofand again shout out to David because David

(23:51):
kind of helped me and day beforeto help me. And I guess my
thought process through those times because Iwas like all these experiences like dope thing
with everybody. But there came apoint where I was like, Okay,
yes I can do and it's noteven about like favors for friends or those
kind of things, but I waslike, how do I actually make this
profitable so I can make it abusiness that makes sense for me. I
didn't want to shoot weddings. Ididn't want to you know, I already
did the photo studio for family stuff. Yeah, so I started trying to

(24:15):
put I guess value on my ideasat that point, So that was kind
of the fuel of like, yeah, like I think I sold I didn't
sell the body, but I soldlike the L series lens that I had
on the canon whatever, you know. And I'm like, yeah, but
if it's not around, Yeah,like I can just like do my thing,
Like I'm not even trying to belike Pigeonholeder or I guess, you

(24:37):
know, people putting their assumptions onyou just because of whatever. I'm like,
I'm bigger than that. So yeah, and I think too, like
making that transition into music, LikeI want to talk about that because what
were people telling you when you decidedto do that? Because I think that,
like I've had my own doubters.You know, everyone has, but
I can I somehow feel like youhad some big doubters in that space because

(25:03):
I think when people don't know youfor something, it's almost like what makes
you think you could rap? Yeah, also talk about that like time and
you realizing yourself, Okay, I'mgoing to actually do this, and those
first conversations you had, whether itwas your friends, your girl, your
parents, like all of the firstconversations, like I'm telling people, yo,
y'all need to know, Like I'mmuch start rapping. Hmm, I
think honestly before I okay, soso it was probably elementary school or high

(25:29):
schools mind you. I was likedoing it for fun at recording the basement,
like my parents knew if there wasa point where I was engineering for
other people, like in my basement. Briefly hilarious, I know, because
it's like I forget about that.But it's like I literally had people I
didn't know for my high school justlike chilling, just so I could do
this read this session if you will, off of like a guitar Hero Mike
mind you, Yeah, Sony Vegaslike or mixed craft want to ve Bro,

(25:52):
Like we were really like out themud with this. This like the
episode where you're naming the most throwall we need to have like a throwback
counter things are naming that that pretwenty ten, Like, Bro, do
your research, kids, because likethis is foundational like information here man.
Yeah if you're born in four ohgod, this episode is going way over
your head, Bro, like likewho oh, but yeah, so those
days I was just doing it forfun. So I distinctly remember, like

(26:17):
I think I was passing through theliving room and my younger brother, like
for some reason was compelled to askmy mom like, oh, what would
you do if Tristan started rapping?And then my mom's like, and I'm
not in this conversation. I'm passingthrough the living room, and then she's
like, oh, he wouldn't dothat, Like I forgot what she said,
but she's like, yeah, hewouldn't do that. And I kind
of like it sat in my headfor like a couple of years because I
was like, I'm not going todo something because I don't want to do

(26:37):
it, like I don't want todo television. But like that's why I
kind of tiptoed around like doing itfor fun, like not really pushing all
the music in high school, likesubconsciously, I suppose. So now the
videography like we did our thing,came back from touring Roy like whatever,
I'm doing my thing, but I'mlike, yeah, I definitely want to
put more value. I guess howmy ideas and kind of expand what I'm
doing beyond just the one thing.Excuse me. So it came a point

(27:02):
excuse me and obviously shout out tolike Drizora for example, and Ryan and
just the homies because we just naturallybecause we're into culture and all these different
things, like we're freestyling together,we're doing music for fun, like whatever.
You know. There's alreadyd a flipto link my Thing and he called
it link my Ting from Scarborough andI actually have a verse on that song
where I like tried to like writea verse. Yeah. Yeah, So

(27:22):
like it was definitely my friends thatI can't even say encourage me because it's
not even like they were like,yo, you should do it. It
was just like because we were doingit and it was fun and it was
a comfortable environment, and yeah,of course I wanted to like participate.
And then I think eventually so thathappened, and there's a point where I
was like, you know what,I'm thinking of ideas, how can I
do this. I'm like, maybesongwriting because it's still behind the scenes,

(27:45):
I can do my thing. Andeventually I was basically trying to, like
I guess run a label where Iwas like, I'll just write songs and
like do the video, do themarketing for everyone, because I like advertising
and that kind of stuff, anddo old thing. And then it was
David who was like, why don'tyou just like slow down? And put
all the energy into yourself, youknow. And I was just like,
huh, I guess you're right,and he's like, yeah, it's be

(28:06):
an artist. And then in thoseearly stages I ended up going back to
talk to my mom. My momwas like, I wasn't trying to deter
you, because I basically told bothmy parents like what was said and why
sat with me, And She's like, yeah, I wasn't trying to deter
you. I'm just like afraid,like as any like black mother would be
of like the world and like youknow what I mean, like a black
individual in these different spaces. Sothat was more where she was speaking from,

(28:27):
so to be able to kind ofput that to us, I was
like, okay, well yeah,She's like I'll always support you in whatever
you do, but you know,I'm just as my child, like I
care for your safety. I thinkwhile she was kind of valid, I
still had already learned how to navigateand like, whether it was a roy
or just some spaces in Toronto,like yeah, familiar exactly. All that

(28:48):
time as a videographer, I kindof learned like how to stick and move,
how to you know, and thenall of that kind of came together
to where I was like, okay, let me now like take it seriously
and actually get back to that recordingprocess. It's also like the change in
identity as well, like in atomichabits, he says, finish. I
just finished it on the weekend.Just just finished it. And he said,

(29:08):
like part of preting good habits islike how you identify yourself. So
it's like you feel yourself as I'msomeone who doesn't miss the gym, Like
I'm someone who I always go tothe gym no matter what. And I
think like when you're changing careers,in a sense, it's like you have
to change the identity of yourself,like I am the rapper, or I
am an artist, or I ama musician. So talk about that is

(29:30):
that change in terms of like youhaving to view yourself differently, but as
well, like you didn't send outa press conference, like also when Russian
came out and then every everybody knows. But I think until then people are
meeting you and like are you areyou telling them? What was kind of
the movement in that because I think, like, again, you were successful

(29:52):
at something before, so to tellpeople you're doing something new, how did
you maneuver that. Yeah, soI think so for the last point,
it's not necessarily that I had hatersor naysayers, but like my mom's opinion
was one part of it, andthen I guess the other part were definitely
people who had already known me foroutside, like as a photographer. So
if I run them into them incertain places, whether it's not necessarily asking

(30:17):
for shoots or whatever, but they'relike, oh, yeah, how's the
whatever going, And then in thoseconversations that would just that's when I kind
of had to start saying like like, yeah, I'm not really doing that
too too much, Like I'm probablyI'm doing a little bit of music now,
Like I wasn't like too heavy ortoo adamant on trying to do those
things. But another homie, soRoss, we print what you want.
So I met him through Devin Tracy. He was one of those people too

(30:38):
that was like I remember like talkingto him about it because I was starting
to get frustrated where it's like,yeah, people keep kind of seeing me
for what I did and not necessarilytapping into what I'm doing now. And
it's like I understood, obviously,yes they know me for that, right,
But I'm like, Okay, howbetter can I change that perception and
whatnot? And I can't fully rememberwhat he said, but he gave me

(30:59):
that confidence and what he was sayingof like just do what you're doing,
let people think what they want tothink, and like, you know,
when the time is right and withwhat you're doing, it'll it'll come around.
And literally, to his point,did Russian started doing like the other
records as well? And then Ithink as well, when I started like
performing and going outside and all theseother elements of it coming together, that's
when people started to kind of takeit seriously. But yeah, especially in

(31:22):
those spaces where I was performing andwhatnot. I think I think by taking
myself out of like I wasn't completelyout of the spaces I used to be
in, but at least like thecircumstances where people would know me as a
photographer, showing up in those placesless and then showing up in the music
spaces or the you know, thenetworking spaces and and doing that from there.
It's such a difference. Like somethingthat I can actually relate to is

(31:45):
like we will know you one wayand you're in that space in one way.
It's almost like a jump scare,you know what I mean, Like
and like talk about your first timeperforming as like a new artist, because
you're probably in spaces where you werethere as a photographer, you know,
like I would I've been here before, but I've been here, you know,

(32:06):
front stage taken, yeah, andnow I'm here on stage where it's
like if someone is familiar with you, they're like, who gave him the
mic? What's his camera? Totalk about you first time performing in Like
yeah, that whole thing. It'sfunny that you mentioned that because now,
so the whole south By Southwest storywhen I was like cold em cold dming
people and whatever. One of themwas a homie named Tyler. So at

(32:30):
the time, Tyler's from New Jerseyand then he was in Texas for south
By excuse me, So he partneredup with someone named like Spratt excuse me
to do a showcase and it waslike sponsored by Source magazine or whatever.
So they had that going for alittle bit. So I met him at
the one show when I first wenton my own to shoot, and he
was really hospitable, like dope homie. He's like yeah, like yeah,

(32:52):
we can roll together, like nory. So I did that in the Yes
Jewels things. Now a couple ofyears later, I see he's still doing
his thing, and I'm like,he posted about south By Southwest twenty nineteen,
so I was like, like,yo, you got space on that
setlist there like messed up. He'slike yeah, of course, and like
student budget at that time. SoI was like, Okay, if you
can just hold it down for me, I'll get you the money when I

(33:12):
have it. Blah blah blah.He's like, don't worry, like you
just come do your thing and we'lldo it up now. I was like
all right, bro. And thenyeah, I had like a couple couple
of records under my belt or atleast like SoundCloud, like a little bit
on streaming. So I was like, okay, first thing I did because
I think I was. I don'teven know how I ended up back at
the spot, but shout out enzbecause he had a studio over by like

(33:37):
Cherry Street kind of yeah, yeah, grand sound whatever it was. So
anyway, I shot for him.So that's how I had the studio at
first, but I can't remember howI got back in there. So anyway,
I meet this other person and shoutout to spaces in my head right
now, but I can't remember.His name starts with the D and he's
like a classic like an og journalist, black journalist, hip hop used to

(33:59):
have dreads now Dalton Dalton. Yes, So I met Dalton through somebody and
he was holding a thing at likethe Black Music Space or whatever. Yeah,
a lot of people dropping gems inthere. So I met someone in
their name Toy, and Toy wasan artist, but she was also a
vocal trainer and whatnot. So Iwas like, yeah, I'm just starting
my my journey or whatever. She'slike, yeah, like we can work

(34:20):
together, Like you know, I'mkind of getting into the artist development as
well and just like vocal training,so we could definitely figure something out happening
with her. And I'm like,yeah, so this is my first performance
coming up in south By. I'mgoing to figure out a way there.
But like I would love to beprepared. And I've been on stage in
high school, like announcing, talkingto people all that kind of stuff,
right, so I'm not new tothe stage, but performing definitely different.

(34:40):
Yeah, So we pretty much spentlike three four weeks just working on like
my stage presence and like she's like, yeah, study these study j Cole,
like all these different people, likeyou see how comfortable they are on
stage and like their interaction with theaudience and those kind of things. And
I was like, Okay, soshe put things into perspective for me.
And then yeah, it kind ofworked itself out to where that my first
show ever was in Texas in Austinkind of a room full of people like

(35:02):
one homie, my homie Josh whocame with me to Texas, and then
a room full of people like didnot know. So I was able to
kind of really immerse myself in justlike that experience. And you know,
I think I think it was agood one because it might not have been
like the best music in comparison towhat I have now our best performance,
Like it was cool, I heldit down. I didn't I didn't like
shake too too much. Yeah,but I think the thing that was positive

(35:24):
for me in that experience was comingoff of stage. A lot of people
were just real They're like yo,I see the potential keep going though,
or like you know, they're likeyo, like I fuck with that.
And there was a guy that waslike, yeah, we got a studio
at the B and b come bytomorrow, like let's cook up. Yeah,
so that was really kind of thatThat what gave me the confidence to
say, like, Okay, aslong as I'm putting my all into this,
like someone's gonna see that energy,you know, first performance too.

(35:47):
Yeah, like that's a crazy pose. Like it just kind of ended up
in that kind of way. Yeah. Again, it's like you're immersed because
I think about when you when youstart as an artist, a lot of
your validation is from other artists.Yeah, you know, it's like it's
like knowing that I belong, likewe're both talented, Like do you respect

(36:07):
what I do? Sure? Andso to have that like from the jump
in a sense from the one thingliterally that when we were in La.
So I went to La with withDevin Tracy and whatnot. So that was
I guess my first time out inLA for work purposes, not with family,
and yeah, great time we're doingour thing, he's performing, has

(36:28):
interviews and whatever. There's just thisone moment where we're like we're driving somewhere
just freestyling in the whip and likeI'm now chiming in too, because it's
like, yeah, you know youwith the homies and whatever, and that
was like also a piece of thatvalidation where I was he was like yo,
like that's kind of hard, andI was like, bro, like
I'm still low key a fan,like he's the homie now like that.
So those like moments kind of gaveme the validation like ahead of it and

(36:51):
then now the performance and then likepeople like Davante like tell me, yo,
exotic snacks is hard and whatever,just all along the way those people
definitely like I don't know, itjust did something for me where I was
like I'm I'm I'm here for areason like not so existential, but you
know what I mean, Like itis I would say kind of yeah,
because it's like you've arrived, Likeyeah, I think there's there's that co

(37:12):
everyone says like when your adults becomeyour rivals where it's like rookie say a
lot in basketball where they're like ittook me like fifty games to realize I'm
in the NBA, you know,like I get I'm playing in the NBA,
but I'm like, oh, likeI'm on a roster too, like
see me too. And so that'spart of it where it's like you're now
an artist where they're like, yo, like you're one of us, Like
you know, it's not like you'rea caricature of an artist. No,

(37:35):
it's like you're really that guy.So it's like I get that though,
and I'm very I'm very thankful forthe people that kind of see you for
the person you are and and arejust like so positive and and supportive.
Yeah, before we get to ourlittle Wayne top five, because I'm very
excited for that. Wayne, Wayneraised us bro. So that's a very
important one for One West. Now, to me, that is like a

(38:00):
hip hop version of Break from Toronto. And I can't even tell you how
much times I had that that hookless, like in my head, like screaming
it for no reason when you firstsend that to me. What was your
inspiration behind that? Because why Ilike that song a lot is one is
it is very localized and like ifyou know for one West, you know,

(38:22):
but I think about all the highwaysthat these American rappers name so that
we can repeat you know what,And I like when we do that because
there's no reason for us to knowthese highways in LA. There's no reason
for it. But somehow we cantell you about the Brooklyn Bridge and tell
me about areas in Los Angeles crazyyou know, so I liked I like

(38:44):
that you kind of did that onthis So talk about the inspiration behind that
song for sure. A couple ofdifferent things. So definitely not not directly,
but I do remember this one timeAmani was telling me like like I
was playing her early music and shewas like, Yo, I think you
should kind of like tell more ofyour story, you know, people to
buy into, like the artist himself. So that was like a good little
piece that kind of stuck with methrough time. But yeah, honestly with

(39:07):
that record, So I got inat Diamond Factory studio obviously met I met
Brandon Brown in there, and thenI met Cooland as well shout out to
the homies so where they feel like, yeah, I think Cooland was in
the studio with Brandon already at thatmoment, so when I walked in,
like we chopped it up and whateverwhatever, and essentially he's together, like,

(39:27):
yeah, we should work on something. So it was actually Cooland who
sent me the sample first? Sonot like the percussion or whatever, but
that that sample that you hear inthe track. Yeah, yeah, he
sent me that first. Excuse meand it was pretty much pretty much how
you hear it like in the record. So I was just kind of like
trying to create melodies and then andthen I don't know, some just came

(39:50):
about. It was already sounding Torontoand likes. I was like, yeah,
flying foam Wes speed and just builtout the chorus, brought that back
with the sample and then band andthen basically expanded on it and added the
percussion. Was just so you wrotethat without the percussion? Yeah, yeah,
yeah, that makes a lot ofsense. Now I don't normally like

(40:10):
I'm just very open. So whetheryou're putting the beat in front of me
and I'm just like catching the vibe, we're building it from scratch, like
I'm cool for it either. Butthat's just yeah, that's one of those
few where that is exactly how ithappened. That's a talent as a writer,
because I feel like, you know, if you can write without the
percussion, that's like essentially okay,like this, I'm the one taking the
lead here, you know what Imean? Yeah, I think I think

(40:34):
from from like because it was beingbuilt up and it was in a pack,
mind you, it was in apack. That's what it was.
But because it was something I guessit's like for me that that also kind
of helped with you know what Imean, Like you can almost visualize where
you're going to take it, Sothat was that was the inspiration as well.
Yeah, what's your what's your writingprocess? Like? Are you a
pen and paper person? Are youwriting your phone person? Like? I

(40:58):
think, well, yeah, Iuse my phone because I feel like i'd
too slow fin and paper. Butyeah, I don't know. It's not
exactly because Drake was doing the BlackBerrything, but it's just the tools,
you know. Yeah, But yeah, whether I hear I think, if
it's me cut on the beat,if I can find like the melody or
figure something out, I'll usually piecethat out and then I'll put the words
to it what fits the vibe.That's very interesting. I agree with the

(41:21):
money about like you being more likeopen in your music. I say,
this is like, this is almostacross the board. I have barely ever
seen this be wrong. An artistwill have a song that is like either
their biggest song by far, orlike the song everyone resumes too on their
project, and then they'll tell mea story about song, and M'll be
like, yeah, I wrote thisabout the time I tried to kill myself,

(41:42):
and you'll be like, okay,oh wow. But it's like putting
that in the lyrics. It's likethere's some kind of osmosis energy with the
universe where the more you're honest inthe lyrics, the universe kind of kind
of rewards you in a sense absolutely, And I think about that with you
because like you have such a uniquestory to tell in your music where it's
like again is a clear example ofthat. But every time you add more

(42:05):
and more of that in your music, the universe has rewards that of like,
Okay, you told you told themthis. It's kind of and it's
kind funny because I see it theother way, where the beat is good,
it could be a good song,but someone is like I just want
to make something fun and it usuallynever works out, you know, But
when you make that bop on likeyou know, your deepest darkncy from somewhere,
Yeah, for real, it's adifferent thing. Now. I gotta

(42:30):
I gotta say this. Lil Wayneis the probably the artist who doesn't do
this as much as we're saying andit's like being real if you remember,
yeah, literally, but he's likea he's like a unique genius in that
case. So I'm going to giveyou some of my favorite little Waye songs
that's a jog your memory, okay, and then you can give me yours

(42:51):
because I want to see what kindof Little Wayne fan you are, because
they're definitely distinctions. First. Firstoff, my least favorite Little Wayne song
is how to Love. Yeah,how to Love is just like when that
song was popular. I'm not goingto say it's like my least favorite,
but like I like it, butyeah, not as much as the other
records. Now, how to Lovehad me guess, like, you'll cut

(43:13):
this off? No, I couldn't. I couldn't. I was I was
like all the Little Wayne songs likecome on, but you know why though?
Yeah, obviously that was the mostpalatable, like yeah, and it
was it was like trying to himbe able to make that you know,
but hate him but and everything butI feel you though, So start with

(43:35):
one. Top five Little Wayne songsfor me. These are no order,
but these are the songs that Ilistened to a lot. Love to listen
to Kobe Bryant, that Little Wayne. That one was was a lucy yeah,
and it's in that no Ceilings erawhen Kobe was in his prime.
But that's one that if you putthat around around my family and my cousins,

(43:55):
you're gonna hear like you're gonna hearlike four Niggas go forward. So
that's one of them. On Fireoff Rebirth, that beat is just crazy,
Like I didn't love Rebirth basically atall, but that record there,
but that that was that beat wascrazy hustling music. Obviously a classic,

(44:15):
like that's one that I still playall the time. Back in one.
This one is like I don't listento it as much, but this is
like from my childhood that I'll neverforget. Is three Peat. Three P
was one that it was like atthat time, wasn't yeah card three?

(44:35):
I think it's the intro on thecard of three. So three P is
one and then the other one withhim and Birdman pop bottles, Pop bottles.
When I was like a teenager,I was walking around my driveway,
looks up lock a parking lot unsolicited. No one's talking about, no one's
talking to me, the teachers tryingto send to talk. I'm just saying

(44:59):
that over and over again because hehas so many quotable linesable line so that's
that's my five. Give you someinspiration? What what's your five? Little
Wayne song? You don't got tohave an order, but just as is
your fire Yeah, I'm gonna takelike a similar approach, so one that
I didn't like bump to too much, but it was still like I guess
important to the story was was itFireman? Fireman would have been my fireman

(45:22):
is because my cousins put me shoutout Tiana and p Evan, but like
Tianna was a super heavy like Waynefan, so she kind of like put
me on to be honest, andlike I remember, just like those days,
I'm hereing Fireman, I'm like,what is this? So I'm like,
what's going on? Yeah, hustlermusic, I'll throw that into I
honestly discovered it a little bit late, but just like from the video with

(45:42):
the baby Yeah, oh my god. Yeah, because the the video had
the clean version back in the daywhen it was BT now we call it
BT then because they always play oldsongs. Yeah, but that was like
doing the song of dis Service hasthe clean the dirties are so much better.
That's the version. Yeah, it'slike the real, the real,

(46:05):
real one. Excuse me, Isay another one that I honestly forgot about
with stun like my daddy with DaddyDaddy yep riding bicycles, thinking is Kawasaki's
that should have me teed up?Bro? What's that three? So I'm
going to I'll give you an honorablemention think this one. I'll slide in

(46:28):
its place first just because of likehow much I overspan it. But six
foot seven, six for seven gotoverspanned by all of us. Man,
I swear bro on my my iPod, my workout playlist for the y MC,
even though I'm like ninth grade,Like I feel like Corey guns is
just like all of us has paidthe SPAN's bills to this day, I
have no reason to know that verselike the back of my hand, Bro,

(46:51):
No for real, like that thatreally that affected me? And then
okay, yeah, I think thisone because yeah, I'm going the things
that impact I think I would haveto say it was off of uh I
think very soon it's a dedication six. Yeah, top of dedication six.
His dedication six like came at atime where it was very impactful. It

(47:14):
was called or no not even seeI'm gonna have to give like two honorable
mentions, not Dedication six. Sorry, it's actually off the Carter five.
The Carter five. Yeah, there'sone song that literally impacted me and I
can't even remember the name right now, but I do remember twenty three songs
on the Carter five. I can'tbelieve he did that. It wasn't Uproar.

(47:37):
It was called Don't Cry Mona Lisa. I think I think it's perfect
Strangers. Yeah, but there's somany on Carter five. It's perfect strangers,
perfect strangers. Actually, like thatmoved me, like on a deep
level. But there's so many tookhis time on that record, like so
many on on Carter five that Ifuck with? Yeah was that five?
Just now? Yeah? One more? I got one more then? Okay,

(48:01):
off a dedication six, I'll doeasy Sneakers because again, wow,
you're a real you're a real Wayfan. When you mentioned Dedication six,
it's like, I feel like peoplewill get at me for not mentioning the
other dedications, but just at thetime too. No, there's I'm trying
to say away from like the freeyou can mentioned all of those ceilings,
like the swag surfing run This Townis obviously a classic. I think you

(48:24):
know the thing is like growing up. The Upgrade You Freestyle that was like
the beat of my head right now, Bro, crazy Upgrade You Freestyle was
the song that made me a Waynefan, Like I liked him everything.
Boub Grade You Freestyle was I waslike, Noah, he's betting everybody else.

(48:45):
Different level. Yep, yeah,so he's he doesn't get his flowers.
I don't think I'm saying, brothat that same reaction with me with
six foot seven, because I think, like I knew whatever my cousin you
know what I mean, suddenly likemy daddy heard it here and there,
but six foot seven, Like Iam on YouTube looking it up and just
watching the video and like line thatwas one of those songs where I really
had to like go and look ateach line lyrics, line by line.

(49:07):
Yeah. Yeah, Like Wayne wasthat guy. I gotta say this,
like maybe maybe the next time youcome on, we'll do our next top
five the best Drake and Wayne songstogether? Yeah, because that they had
a whole tour, so of coursethey got record, They got a whole
a whole group of songs together.Because I think that Wayne is one of
those artists that doesn't exist anymore.And he I kind of compare him to

(49:29):
Lebron and basketball, where I thinkWayne ruined rap from this perspective where everyone
tried to imitate what he was doingwhen it's only he can do it.
Like a lot of dudes who arenot writing and only freestyling in the booth,
y'all, not Wayne, that's aWayne. You need to write to
that level. Yeah, No,that's you need to write the face tattoos.

(49:50):
It's like Wayne was like four albumsdeep before he had all these tattoos.
If you see you watch their musicvideos, young that's a young boy
and no tats, no piercing DwayneCarter. So it's like you having one
song out and having at across yourold face. It's like, yeah,
a whole different level. And thenas well, it's like the drug use.

(50:12):
I feel like he popularized that,like the Lean Broah. I'm pretty
sure I knew Aboutlee before I reallyknew about what lean was. You know.
I remember I had my own whitecup when I was like in high
school, and I'll tell you allI had in it was was ice and
iced tea. But I was tryingto be on by Wayne just because shout

(50:37):
out, shout, out Wayne Man, like, oh my god, thinks
we are doing to imitate Wayne.Yeah. The last thing I will say
though, Dedication especially like just affectedme because right before that we were in
Miami. So that's when Roy tookme to Miami. That's one of the
Wow that was one of the stories. So you were you were like you
like felt it come out in themix, bro. And then so basically
Wayne was there and then I actuallygot to see him perform, and I

(50:59):
did not on my phone out becauseI was like, this just feels like
such a once in a lifetime moment. Yeah. And then Dedication six,
I was like super spinning that outwhen I came back. Wayne's on my
bucket list. So when he whenhe came here and I didn't see it,
it really hurt my heart. Yeahyeah, yeah, no, he
did a history. Yeah yeah,yeah, Drake was the unknown open.

(51:22):
Wayne is one of those guys.Guys. Yeah yeah, let's let's stop
this b because wait is one ofthose guys. I What I do really
like about this era, and Ithink like you're part of this in a
sense is like you have the understandingof what came before you. I think
that a lot of artists don't have. And I think you being in the

(51:43):
mix helped with that because me andChristmas saying before you showed up of like
somebody's artists, they're getting popping.It's their second song they ever put out,
and no artist development, no understanding, never been on a stage,
none of that. And so Ithink like that is the one thing where
you can you can tell the differencealmost right away. I think back in
the day everyone had that. Nowyou're like, Okay, he don't know

(52:04):
what he's doing. He definitely hassome training that he's done. Like you
can see, you can see thedifference. This question is forward looking.
Okay, I'm gonna speak something inexistence. Absolutely, when people get a
hundred million dollars, they get anexotic animal. That's just how the game
goes. I don't make the rulesthe rate of passage, passage initiation.
Michael Jackson with his monkey, JustinBieber with his monkey, you really had

(52:29):
a monkey. Mike Tyson with histiger, or the birds or the I
guess the tiger's for exotics. Definitely, when we get one hundred million dollars,
what is an animal you're going toadd into your life? So my
girl has Snoopy. Snoopy is obviouslya little dog, or to get him
an exotic sibling. Honestly, ifmaybe like a link, if there's a

(52:52):
way for me to get a linksand like sustain it. You got you
got one hundred million dollars man,whatever you want. I guess, like
a links or a Bobcat. Maybea bobca that's more like climatized to Canada
that environment. But I say thatnot too crazy, But that's like my
favorite. You're going safe with it. I like that just the one bob
cat. Are you getting a gangof them? Maybe one? Because I
guess if I had a gang,and then poor little Snoopy, who's like,

(53:15):
did your little seeing a gang?And just like these big old cats
they're protecting him, you better Yeah, if that's the case, maybe too
tweens. How I'm thinking of itis like maybe you got one that you
take what you on the road.Yeah, you know what I'm saying,
You've got a road cat and yougot a home cat to the chill,
you know what I'm saying. Makingsure we got like the double Excel tour
bus so that he has the spacethe whole separate bus. Now you gotta

(53:39):
have someone on staff, just absolutelyjust for that. I was just reading
Rob four nine's like a rider thing, and then the amount of the detail
of that, I'm like, yeah, I'm gonna have to get to that
level. Yeahodcast girl, that that'sinsane, Like do you have anything on
your on your rider yet? Likeyou have you gotten to that diva level?
You're gonna say, I need onlyyellow. I think so when I

(54:01):
when I curated the North by Northeastshow like two years ago or three years
ago, now, that was probablythe first time I was asked about a
writer in that sense as like mean artist, and they were telling me,
They're like, yeah, get specific. So I think I think there
were skittles. I think there waslike some sort of it, Like so
it's called sour peaches, Ok,yeah, fuzzy peaches. Fuzzy peaches.

(54:22):
Yeah, that'd probably be like asspecific as I get. If I really
had like the rain to like gosuper dumb crazy with it, Yeah,
definitely need the Fiji water m maybebottles of ting just because you need that,
you know what I mean? Awhite rum, not rain nefew,
but like some sort of like Jamaicanwhite rum. So I don't kill myself,

(54:43):
but we can all enjoy a vibe, maybe some some tequila as well.
Really, now's not bad, likeyou got a big entourage. Yeah
it could, but like I alsodon't want to like going down, Like
it's like yeah, end of thenight, Like I'm not performing. I
know, I'm like chilling. Ican actually like sip on that. Otherwise,
Yeah, yeah, you can't sitbody of me. Bro, you're
thinking about the Ray now because likewhen we grew up, like that's what

(55:07):
our parents had in the fridge.It's still in the crib. But like
I'm thinking that for drum cake,you know, like light application. Yeah
exactly, a little da Yeah.Yeah, it's like starting your drinking journey
with Ray Nephew is ridiculous. Bro, my pandemic birthday, And honestly it's
because it's resorted. I'm not evengonna say shout out to him for this
one because's now was like, Yo, what are you doing? You're not

(55:28):
drinking and we're on like I'm onInstagram live receptions. He's like, yeah,
go find something. My dumb assalready like in on a cooler or
something. I'm like rummaging through.I tried fortified wine or some port wine,
some weird shit. I was like, I don't know why I did
that, and then I ended offwith a shot of Ray nephew, so
of course I died. You're twists. Yeah, there's a point. I'm

(55:49):
on I'm on face a group FaceTimewith friends, and I'm like doing the
homely speech because obviously I'm not turned, and I start I can't. It
just fades like I don't know.I knew they were and I just can't
remember now what I was saying.And then I transition to the next day.
Oh my god, yeah that Ray, all the stories. Yeah,
save Array. I want to thankyou for joining us. Let's let's take

(56:13):
a look at this ice cream.And you did not get that much into
it, but every single bite Idid have though, yeah, I don't
want to spill this anywhere. Everybite was absolutely amazing. Definitely that is
tearssue. That's certified. No,I want I want to try actually haven't
tried the chair massou one. SoI'm gonna pop by Eva as I guess
on myself, shout out to Eva. Have to get a second pint for
myself. Actually, yeah, no, that you can actually finish last but

(56:37):
not least we have the second mindin the radio show called Wednesday Wisdom as
motivational quote or sake, either youremind yourself of or the people around you.
So what's that for you? Aquote that either you always remind yourself
of we're always sharing with your people. Mmmm. I think one that really
kind of hits me just from childhood. Mind. It was like a long
ass thing, but I was kindof insuring it. But there's this picture

(56:59):
that hung in my house, andI was like a nice little thing with
a poem and it basically says,like the poem's called don't quit the rest
of you must, or when theroad you're trudging seems all uphill, when
the funds are low and the debatsare high. I'm saying it out of
order, but essentially the silver liningon the clouds of doubt. So I'm
saying it out of order. Long, sorry, short, don't quit no

(57:20):
matter like how how tough things get, like there's always going to be some
sort of silver lining. It mightnot be like immediately you know what I
mean, right in front of youare perceivable, but trust that, like
everything happens for a reason as longas you're able to kind of stick within
yourself and and and like really justlike stay ten toes and just like,
yeah, I'm anna push through regardlessof if it's a positive or negative experience,

(57:43):
because at the end of the day, it's all, you know,
for the bigger picture of the biggercause it's always going to come back around
for you no matter what. Ilike that. Jordah Hill said this in
an interview less eloquent, but hesaid, don't quit because if you don't,
if you quit, it's guaranteed youwon't make it. Yeah, if
you don't quit, there's a chanceyou will make it. If you quit,

(58:04):
there's absolutely no chance you're going tomake it at that point. And
so I like that one a lotbecause it's like, of course things get
tough, it's hard to stay positive. But I think it's as simple as
don't quit, because I feel likethat is sometimes easy for people to grab
onto. You know, things gettough and it's like, Okay, I'll
just quit, I'll just leave thisalone, you know. And I feel
like if you have them, ifquitting is not even an option, the

(58:28):
things that you'll do are going tobe very different. Endless bro endless options.
To me, Yeah, all thosehard days to me or like the
tough parts of the journey. I'malways just like it's a part of the
story at the end of the day, because you can't have a great story
without some sort of trials and tribulation. Yeah, and something that I heard
my mom say, which I I'mdying to believe, she's like, as

(58:49):
bad as as bad as good,it's going to get good. So if
you stick with that, it's like, all right, this is rock bottom.
I know I'm about to catapult them, you know. And I think
about it with a lot of famous, rich people who have been through so
many things that it's like this personjust getting a full time job would have
been success, let alone becoming abillionaire. So it's like we have to

(59:10):
have that that moment would say Okay, it's gonna be fine, We're gonna
make it through. I want tothank you for joining. You dropped a
lot of gems in this episode.I think that anyone who this episode is
going to see a brighter light forthemselves from what you've already accomplished. I'm
excited for you got going on thissummer. I think we I think we
have another interview in the works becauseyou do have a lot of stuff happening.

(59:32):
I'm always ready, bro, youdon't even need the ice cream like
shout out EU, just for freeconversation for real. No, no,
this is this was a good one. I think this is an instant classic.
I will say so myself. Ijust want to hear the radio show.
Find us online. I met radiodot T twelve eighty am in Toronto,
c j t M. Of coursewe're on Instagram as well, at

(59:55):
the Cool Table Live on YouTube,at the Cool Table Live at all episodes.
The Cool Table can be found atAdrielsmiley dot com. Until next time,
know yourself, Know your worth.M