June 6, 2025 • 19 mins
Legend is a rising hip-hop artist from Arizona with a powerful story to tell. A military veteran who found healing through music, he's bringing his real-life experiences and raw emotion to the mic, blending street smarts with the strength and discipline of a soldier. Now, he's teaming up with Las Vegas favourite DJ CEO for a high-energy album that’s already turning heads.
Known for his honest lyrics and gritty delivery, Legend channels everything he’s been through into every verse. His path from the battlefield to the booth has caught the attention of some of the biggest names in the game, and his upcoming project features heavy-hitters like Bizzy Bone, Lil Baby, Gucci Mane, and The Game.“We’re not just putting out an album—we’re sharing something real,” Legend says. “It’s about resilience and turning struggle into strength.”
With DJ CEO’s club-shaking beats and Legend’s powerful message, this project is more than just music—it’s a movement. Whether you're a hip-hop head or part of the veteran community, Legend is bringing something fresh, fearless, and full of heart.Highlights from Toby Gribben's Friday afternoon show on Shout Radio. Featuring chat with top showbiz guests. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Known for his honest lyrics and gritty delivery, Legend channels everything he’s been through into every verse. His path from the battlefield to the booth has caught the attention of some of the biggest names in the game, and his upcoming project features heavy-hitters like Bizzy Bone, Lil Baby, Gucci Mane, and The Game.“We’re not just putting out an album—we’re sharing something real,” Legend says. “It’s about resilience and turning struggle into strength.”
With DJ CEO’s club-shaking beats and Legend’s powerful message, this project is more than just music—it’s a movement. Whether you're a hip-hop head or part of the veteran community, Legend is bringing something fresh, fearless, and full of heart.Highlights from Toby Gribben's Friday afternoon show on Shout Radio. Featuring chat with top showbiz guests. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to thank God It's Toby Highlights, the podcast version
of my radio show. We've got a cracking interview coming
up for you, and remember, if you want a full
unfiltered chaos, you can catch Thank God It's Toby Live
every Friday afternoon from three on Shout Radio. But enough
(00:22):
of the plugging. Let's get on with the interview.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Start weekend right, thank God It's Toby. If you've got
a smart meter, you should get an electric Iarland smart
meter plan too. Why because you can see a breakdown
of your energy usage like never before, from heating, cooking,
lighting and more. Now you can find out how much
(00:47):
electricity you use by our day and type of appliance,
making your usage clearer and your world brighter. Sign up
to a smart meter plane at electric Iarland. Got i
smart Meta require tees and sees, apply.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
A cast recommends podcasts we love.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Hello. This is Jenny from Redroom podcast, where we go
down a rabbit hole every single Monday. This season, we
are investigating the world of bad influencers, from digital cults
to crypto scams, all the way down to broadsters. The
online world has never been so full of flyers. If
you're a fan of true crime, cult deep dives, or
just the weirder side of things. I think you'll love
(01:25):
the show. So for Redroom wherever you get your podcasts,
and join me down the rabbit hole.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
A cast is home to the world's best podcasts, including
the critically acclaimed West Cork and the one you're listening
to right now.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Legend as he battle tested Arizona veteran turned rapper who's raw,
mess driven lyrics and powerhouse collaborations are shaking up the
rap game and Legend is on the line with us
here just now. How are you today?
Speaker 5 (01:58):
I'm good? How are you guys? Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
I'm great, Thank you, and it's great to have you
on the show today. Now, you have got a brand
new single. It's a song that you've done with the Game.
So what's the story behind that collaboration and what's the
message and the musical style and the lyrics.
Speaker 6 (02:15):
So the song itself is called the Hater's Anthem, And
in a nutshell, what the song is about is.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
All the other diversity.
Speaker 6 (02:24):
And and all the all the things that I had
to overcome throughout my life, not not not just the
music in general, but just over life, over military status
all that. Everybody whoever's ever doubted you, ever said that,
Oh that's not gonna happen ever, laugh at you.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (02:38):
So that's why the song itself is called the anthem,
the Hater's Anthem. So that's in a nut show what
the song is essencely about.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Well, yeah, that's quite a big theme that a lot
of people can relate to, isn't it particularly creative people.
Speaker 5 (02:51):
Absolutely?
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah, So do you hope that a lot of people
will relate to the song?
Speaker 5 (02:56):
I would love for that to happen. Honestly.
Speaker 6 (02:58):
My my oin goal is just the and go to
this song or any song that I that I make,
is just letting people know, like, hey, life is more.
Life is there's more to life than just the fame
the glam, like those like I'm I'm a nineties baby.
So I'm used to that poetic you know, real life
storytelling type music where it's where we talk about real things,
(03:18):
where you could turn on the radio and listen and
hear a song and be like, hey, I'm going through
the same thing type thing, not money girls and whatnot.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
That is the Hater's Anthem inspired by your own experiences
to some extent.
Speaker 5 (03:31):
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 6 (03:33):
So another thing with my music is if I haven't
experienced it personally, then I've experienced it by just being
in the atmosphere of the situation, witnessing it or having
to deal with it with through friends for mental support,
financial support, any just being there mentally and spiritually and
(03:53):
emotionally for other friends. So that's why this music right
here is more than just music.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
It's it's when I say it's therapeutic, it really is therapeutic.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
How do you deal with haters? But then I guess
it's not always as strong a word as that. I
guess any sort of criticism of your work.
Speaker 6 (04:13):
It's always easy for someone to say, oh, just brush
it off.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
Our haters are gonna hate.
Speaker 6 (04:17):
Yeah, it's easy to say that, but it's another thing
to actually do it, and I'll be an advocate for it.
Sometimes we can be in our emotions or.
Speaker 5 (04:25):
And let these words affect us.
Speaker 6 (04:27):
Yeah, but that's all they are is words We mentally
have to prepare ourselves that in life.
Speaker 5 (04:32):
That's what life is. Life.
Speaker 6 (04:34):
Life is going to be full of people that doubt you,
that don't believe in you. But that's not but that's
part of life too, is it's not about what other
people think.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
It's about what you think, what you think you're capable of.
Speaker 7 (04:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
The thing is probably ninety nine percent of hate will
come from people that are not involved with music or
for whatever reason, don't actually know what they're talking about.
And I'm sure most people are aware of that, and
yet they still can let it get to them.
Speaker 6 (05:05):
Absolutely, I've always said that, and obviously those multiple reasons
why someone would dislike what you're doing. Yeah, But I've
always said the two main reasons someone will dislike your
movement are what you're doing, Is there envious to you?
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Are they're jealous?
Speaker 6 (05:20):
Now, I've always been a firm believer in coming from
the military, don't let things get to you.
Speaker 5 (05:25):
If anything, if that.
Speaker 6 (05:27):
Hater is hating, he's hurting. And if he's hurting, that's
just another person you can help. So instead of hating back,
reach out to that guy. But like, look, you're obviously
upset about something. What's bothering you?
Speaker 5 (05:37):
What can I do to help you?
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Absolutely, there must be, as you say, some deeper reason
for it, because I think we've all heard music whereof god,
oh what is that? That is awful? But we've never
even dreamt of messaging or commenting and being just so
horrible to the creator of it. Absolutely, Now this second
goal is going to be part of this massive new
(06:02):
album that you're dropping. It features not only the song
from the game, but also has features from Lil Baby,
Busy Bone, Gucci Mane. So how did you even begin
pulling together such a great line up there?
Speaker 6 (06:16):
First of all, shout out to DJ co. This would
none of this would be possible without DJ CEO.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
Me and him go back way far.
Speaker 6 (06:24):
He's a DJ out of Las Vegas, has ties the Empire,
I'll be honest. So I was up until about a
month ago, I was ready to call it quits. I
had just got my bachelor's degree in psychology, just started
my career, I got kids, I got a family. You know,
it's it's it was time to switch gears. And he
had reached out to me, and one door opened and
another opportunity to present itself. And when you when you're
(06:46):
presented with an opportunity like you just spoke of, how
could I have said?
Speaker 1 (06:50):
No, It's not just an album, it's a statement. So
what does this project represent for you personally? And what
are you hoping people will take away from it?
Speaker 6 (07:01):
For one, I wanna I wanna let all the other
independent artists know, like, look, there's more. It's just like
that saying goes, there's more than one way to skin
a cat, Well there's more one. There's more than one
way to enter the industry. Like it's not about going
to a big record label. It's about like if you
don't have the money to back yourself, it's all about
who you know. And that's the other part is you
will never meet people if you don't get outside of
(07:22):
your circle, Like you have to branch out.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
You have to leave your comfort of your area that
you're at.
Speaker 6 (07:27):
Otherwise that's that's how I would have never met dj CEO,
and I would have never got the opportunity that I'm presented.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Well, yeah, you mentioned dj CEO there, and he's a
Las Vegas legend. So what does that creative partnership that
you have together look like in the studio and how
does his energy compliment yours?
Speaker 6 (07:46):
Well, him being in the industry and knowing the ins
and outs, and then my work ethic coming from the military.
It's the only way I can say is we're just
a huge juggernaut, Like we're just our mission isn't this
album Our mission is finishing the album, opening up another door.
It's more opportunity, creating more opportunity, not just for me,
but for other artists like me, for other DJs like him,
(08:09):
like and in other words, I want to bring power
back to the indie industry where it should be, like
why why why do why don't the artists have a
say so in their own career? Like why is it
up to these record labels? Obviously they have the money.
But that's my whole thing this with this album.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
You mentioned your military background there, which of course will
be a big part of your journey. So how did
you go from your military background to getting involved with music?
Speaker 6 (08:37):
So after getting out of the military, I fell in
a dark place, real bad place. I was mad at
the world. I lost friends, I didn't have answers, I
hated God. I turned to alcohol and drugs and I
got lost. And it wasn't until a real close friend
of mine who happened to be DJ CEO, put a
mic in front of me and he says, look, man, like,
you need a way of vincing, Like try to just
(08:59):
screaming off, cry your heart out on this mic and
see what see who you can come up with. Keep
in mind, this was about eight years ago, and I
didn't and I started doing it, and it was therapeutic.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
I didn't do it to blow up. I didn't do it.
Speaker 6 (09:10):
I did it because I was crying inside. I was
dying inside.
Speaker 7 (09:13):
Yeah, And I.
Speaker 6 (09:14):
Started producing music and I started getting feedback and people
are like, hey, this is actually pretty good. Like I
don't know if it's the anger and the realness coming
out of you, but whatever it is, you got a talent.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
You got an act or a talent for it.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
I guess it's a physical thing. When it comes to singing,
you're letting things out. But when you're writing lyrics, do
you also write about things that are therapeutic and cathartic.
Speaker 6 (09:36):
So I'll be honest, A lot of my therapeutic wrap
sessions of me venting happened in that first four years
of experience. So after the four years, it became more
of Okay, now that I got all that stuff that's
weighing me down, Now, let me focus my real creativity
and let me come up with the message.
Speaker 5 (09:54):
If music worked.
Speaker 6 (09:56):
For me, and I didn't need medication, and I didn't
need drugs, I didn't need bad influences.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Well, shoot, like music can be therapeutic.
Speaker 6 (10:03):
For others, Like you don't have to turn to medication, drugs, alcohol,
Like you know you don't have to turn to that lifestyle.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Absolutely. Now for this new album that you've got, is
there one track on the album that maybe hits the
deepest for you emotionally and maybe one that fans might
not expect to cut as hard as it does.
Speaker 5 (10:25):
I'm torn between two.
Speaker 6 (10:27):
Now, everybody that knows me would automatically assume, oh, it's
got to be the Busy Bone and Crazy Bone track,
because growing up.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
That that's literally that's all I listen to.
Speaker 6 (10:35):
Like, if you ask anybody, hey, who's who's your top five,
they'll give you a list. You ask me who my
top five is, I'm gonna literally give you all five
members that's my top five. But if I had to
choose a track, it's gonna be the dedication track to
my family. So I have I have a dedication track
on the album, not a big feature on it. It's
just me and another artist and just pouring our heart out,
(10:56):
saying thank you.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
To the wife, thank you to the kids.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
It's been a long journey, and just saying thank you,
appreciation is real.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Your artist's name legend? Does that have a lot of
meaning to it because of the journey you've been on?
Speaker 6 (11:10):
Yeah? So I get a lot of people that ask
me that, like why why, why why choose the name legend?
Speaker 5 (11:14):
Like you haven't, like you have you have to establish
certain things before you can call yourself a legend.
Speaker 7 (11:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (11:20):
So the name actually comes from a military story.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
A Cast recommends podcasts we look Hello.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
This is Jenny from Redroom, a podcast where we go
down a rabbit hole every single Monday. This season, we
are investigating the world of bad influencers, from digital cults
to crypto scams, all the way down to broadsters. The
online world has never been so full of flyers. If
you're a fan of true crime, cult deep dives, or
just the weirder side of things, I think you'll love
the show. Search for Redroom wherever you get your podcasts,
(11:51):
and join me down the rabbit hole.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
A cast is home to the world's best podcasts, including
the critically acclaimed West Cork, I'm the one you're listening
to right now.
Speaker 6 (12:06):
And another deep personal story but I'll share it because
it goes in with the name. So during a during
a combat mission we were on. Uh, we got pinned
down and I was behind this pole. And this pole
was less than anything of a pole. It was one
thin little metal bar, like a stop sign. And keep
in mind I I had I panicked, and I had
(12:26):
nowhere to go, and I was literally stuck in the road.
And as I'm sitting there, I could hear the rounds
pinging off the pole. And I got to the point
where and maybe this only lasted five seconds, but it
seemed it seemed like a lifetime. But as I'm standing there,
sitting there, or I was kneeled down, but I was
as I was in the fetal position, just waiting to die,
I didn't the whole time I was there, nothing hit me.
And then out of nowhere, one of my one of
(12:48):
my seniors, popped around the corner with something straight out
of a movie. But had had the had the assault
rifle under his armpit and just was laying down rounds
and he looked at me and he hauled at me.
Speaker 5 (12:59):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
I don't want to use vocal language, but he's al marez,
get your we're in back to the call, get a
move and he's just laying down round So I could
get up and HI tell it out of there. And
ever since then, the story the Marines, my my buddies,
my brothers, they gave me that name. They said, you're
a legend, that you you're a legend, that you didn't die.
(13:20):
Like the fact that you were behind that little pole
and we could see the rounds bouncing off.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
Of the little pole.
Speaker 6 (13:26):
How they didn't hit you is beyond me. And for there,
that's that's where I got the name. You're a legend.
Like that story's gonna live with every marine for a
long time.
Speaker 7 (13:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
I think that's the best artist named origin story I've
ever heard, because usually you just get something boring like ooh,
I just used a red de generator or it just
sounds cool, But yours just got a story to it,
and it's personal and it actually means something to you.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
Absolutely. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Now, outside of music, you are also studying psychology. So
how is that knowledge influence the way you write or
you see your healing through music?
Speaker 6 (14:06):
So psychology played a role huge after I got out
and I started using music as a therapeutic tool. It
wasn't until I met my wife that it got me
into that was she I'll keep it real she said,
I need to do something in my life.
Speaker 5 (14:20):
So right, what do you want me to do?
Speaker 6 (14:21):
She's like, well, go to school, use the GI bill,
use use your benefits that the military is going to
give you. So I ended up going to school for
a little associates degree. But in that associates degree, I
had a class, a little small psychology class, and in there,
that class alone broke me. It talked about how humans,
if they could only understand and grasp how much control
(14:43):
we have over ourselves mentally, but we lose that control
because we are too tied emotionally. And ever since then
I could just I just ran with it, like I
wanting to help veterans, try to tell veterans, he like,
all this struggle, all this pain, all this guilt, all
this is because you're allowing yourself to feed into your
emotion and not your mentality. You need to dig into
(15:05):
your mentality and know who you are. Your emotions are
not who you are. Like, we know how to deal
with that. We've dealt with it for the four or
eight year, twelve year, however long you've been in the military.
Now that you're out, you don't have your brothers around you,
so you're losing control, but the control has always been
there and that's the word that got me onto this music.
And like I said, I kind of passed my four
(15:26):
years of venting my anger and my pain out.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
But even when I meet new.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
Artists and I, for whatever reason, they just I've always
been told I'm real, I'm honest, and I'm blunt, maybe
too blunt, too honest.
Speaker 5 (15:39):
But it's also made it so the artists.
Speaker 6 (15:41):
And other people that I meet, they can always come
to me and be like, yo, I need the honest opinion.
Speaker 7 (15:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Well, if there's maybe a young veteran or someone who's
gone through similar experiences to you, who listens to the album,
what would be the one message that you hope the
walk away with.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
So I'll give to advice, one for an inspiring artist
and then one for a veteran because they're I'm gonna
be honest, they're two different.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Kinds of people.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
For young artists, think think outside the box, get creative,
you want to make it. The biggest thing I can
tell you is stop trying to be local. Stop trying
to be that local celebrity, because you're sitting there fishing
your song to a whole bunch of people that already
know you. So how are you going to get discovered
by people who know you?
Speaker 7 (16:24):
Leave?
Speaker 6 (16:24):
Go somewhere else, meet people that don't know you. That's
how you get to discovered. You can't expect someone who
knows you to discover your music because they.
Speaker 5 (16:32):
Already know it.
Speaker 6 (16:32):
Yes, Now, as for a veteran, don't.
Speaker 5 (16:35):
Try to do it alone. You need a support circle.
Speaker 6 (16:37):
I was fortunate enough to meet my wife during that
whole little ordeal. And at first, US military people we
like to we don't like to indulge in our struggles.
It's forget to struggle. We just got to keep moving,
just keep fighting and keep pushing. But that don't work
no more because you're you're alone. But the best thing
we have is your support circle, your buddies that you
(16:59):
still have contact with, and your wife, Like, don't be
afraid to tell your wife if you're hurting, Like yeah,
I feel like crying, I feel like Dyan, Like that's
who's gonna be You're rock. She is going to be
your foundation, but she cannot help you if she don't
know what's wrong with you.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Well, are there any future projects you're working on? Or
is this it for now?
Speaker 6 (17:19):
So I'm gonna disclose couple things, so after this project,
DJ cl is probably gonna grill me for this. But
we actually have something in the works with the Black
Market Records, and so if everything times in, we might
open up every we might open up new opportunity with them.
So that's something in the works. Other than that, my
(17:40):
main goal is honestly having this album create opportunity for
artists in Arizona, artists and artists anywhere, but kind of
just letting them know, like there's other ways to break
into the industry, and hopefully this album will be will
be evident of that.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Well. In the meantime, where are we able to find
the same goal the Hater's anthem and of course the album.
Speaker 6 (18:02):
The album won't be out until December early January. The
single should be released sometime today, if not tomorrow, but
it's on every platform. We're talking Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, YouTube,
We're working on getting radio spins, so it's gonna be
(18:23):
everywhere you can.
Speaker 5 (18:24):
You can find my socials all over.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
Also, just type in asy Legend Music and they're gonna
pop up.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Brilliant. Well, many thanks for joining us on the show today.
It's been great having you here.
Speaker 6 (18:35):
Absolutely thank you for having me man, I really appreciate it.
Speaker 8 (18:40):
Where do you go for Ireland's savviest takes, liveliest events,
biggest discoveries and favorite weekend rituals.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Morning, Hello there, you're very welcome.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
To the program.
Speaker 8 (18:52):
Well over a million of you go to Ireland's number
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Speaker 7 (19:01):
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Speaker 6 (19:25):
Fridays for celebration, good times and relaxation.
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Speaker 6 (19:31):
Listen.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
If you've got that freddy feeling, you soon be dancing
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Speaker 2 (19:46):
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Speaker 5 (19:51):
Thank god it's Toby
Welcome to thank God It's Toby Highlights, the podcast version
of my radio show. We've got a cracking interview coming
up for you, and remember, if you want a full
unfiltered chaos, you can catch Thank God It's Toby Live
every Friday afternoon from three on Shout Radio. But enough
(00:22):
of the plugging. Let's get on with the interview.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Start weekend right, thank God It's Toby. If you've got
a smart meter, you should get an electric Iarland smart
meter plan too. Why because you can see a breakdown
of your energy usage like never before, from heating, cooking,
lighting and more. Now you can find out how much
(00:47):
electricity you use by our day and type of appliance,
making your usage clearer and your world brighter. Sign up
to a smart meter plane at electric Iarland. Got i
smart Meta require tees and sees, apply.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
A cast recommends podcasts we love.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Hello. This is Jenny from Redroom podcast, where we go
down a rabbit hole every single Monday. This season, we
are investigating the world of bad influencers, from digital cults
to crypto scams, all the way down to broadsters. The
online world has never been so full of flyers. If
you're a fan of true crime, cult deep dives, or
just the weirder side of things. I think you'll love
(01:25):
the show. So for Redroom wherever you get your podcasts,
and join me down the rabbit hole.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
A cast is home to the world's best podcasts, including
the critically acclaimed West Cork and the one you're listening
to right now.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Legend as he battle tested Arizona veteran turned rapper who's raw,
mess driven lyrics and powerhouse collaborations are shaking up the
rap game and Legend is on the line with us
here just now. How are you today?
Speaker 5 (01:58):
I'm good? How are you guys? Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
I'm great, Thank you, and it's great to have you
on the show today. Now, you have got a brand
new single. It's a song that you've done with the Game.
So what's the story behind that collaboration and what's the
message and the musical style and the lyrics.
Speaker 6 (02:15):
So the song itself is called the Hater's Anthem, And
in a nutshell, what the song is about is.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
All the other diversity.
Speaker 6 (02:24):
And and all the all the things that I had
to overcome throughout my life, not not not just the
music in general, but just over life, over military status
all that. Everybody whoever's ever doubted you, ever said that,
Oh that's not gonna happen ever, laugh at you.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (02:38):
So that's why the song itself is called the anthem,
the Hater's Anthem. So that's in a nut show what
the song is essencely about.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Well, yeah, that's quite a big theme that a lot
of people can relate to, isn't it particularly creative people.
Speaker 5 (02:51):
Absolutely?
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah, So do you hope that a lot of people
will relate to the song?
Speaker 5 (02:56):
I would love for that to happen. Honestly.
Speaker 6 (02:58):
My my oin goal is just the and go to
this song or any song that I that I make,
is just letting people know, like, hey, life is more.
Life is there's more to life than just the fame
the glam, like those like I'm I'm a nineties baby.
So I'm used to that poetic you know, real life
storytelling type music where it's where we talk about real things,
(03:18):
where you could turn on the radio and listen and
hear a song and be like, hey, I'm going through
the same thing type thing, not money girls and whatnot.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
That is the Hater's Anthem inspired by your own experiences
to some extent.
Speaker 5 (03:31):
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 6 (03:33):
So another thing with my music is if I haven't
experienced it personally, then I've experienced it by just being
in the atmosphere of the situation, witnessing it or having
to deal with it with through friends for mental support,
financial support, any just being there mentally and spiritually and
(03:53):
emotionally for other friends. So that's why this music right
here is more than just music.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
It's it's when I say it's therapeutic, it really is therapeutic.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
How do you deal with haters? But then I guess
it's not always as strong a word as that. I
guess any sort of criticism of your work.
Speaker 6 (04:13):
It's always easy for someone to say, oh, just brush
it off.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
Our haters are gonna hate.
Speaker 6 (04:17):
Yeah, it's easy to say that, but it's another thing
to actually do it, and I'll be an advocate for it.
Sometimes we can be in our emotions or.
Speaker 5 (04:25):
And let these words affect us.
Speaker 6 (04:27):
Yeah, but that's all they are is words We mentally
have to prepare ourselves that in life.
Speaker 5 (04:32):
That's what life is. Life.
Speaker 6 (04:34):
Life is going to be full of people that doubt you,
that don't believe in you. But that's not but that's
part of life too, is it's not about what other
people think.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
It's about what you think, what you think you're capable of.
Speaker 7 (04:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
The thing is probably ninety nine percent of hate will
come from people that are not involved with music or
for whatever reason, don't actually know what they're talking about.
And I'm sure most people are aware of that, and
yet they still can let it get to them.
Speaker 6 (05:05):
Absolutely, I've always said that, and obviously those multiple reasons
why someone would dislike what you're doing. Yeah, But I've
always said the two main reasons someone will dislike your
movement are what you're doing, Is there envious to you?
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Are they're jealous?
Speaker 6 (05:20):
Now, I've always been a firm believer in coming from
the military, don't let things get to you.
Speaker 5 (05:25):
If anything, if that.
Speaker 6 (05:27):
Hater is hating, he's hurting. And if he's hurting, that's
just another person you can help. So instead of hating back,
reach out to that guy. But like, look, you're obviously
upset about something. What's bothering you?
Speaker 5 (05:37):
What can I do to help you?
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Absolutely, there must be, as you say, some deeper reason
for it, because I think we've all heard music whereof god,
oh what is that? That is awful? But we've never
even dreamt of messaging or commenting and being just so
horrible to the creator of it. Absolutely, Now this second
goal is going to be part of this massive new
(06:02):
album that you're dropping. It features not only the song
from the game, but also has features from Lil Baby,
Busy Bone, Gucci Mane. So how did you even begin
pulling together such a great line up there?
Speaker 6 (06:16):
First of all, shout out to DJ co. This would
none of this would be possible without DJ CEO.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
Me and him go back way far.
Speaker 6 (06:24):
He's a DJ out of Las Vegas, has ties the Empire,
I'll be honest. So I was up until about a
month ago, I was ready to call it quits. I
had just got my bachelor's degree in psychology, just started
my career, I got kids, I got a family. You know,
it's it's it was time to switch gears. And he
had reached out to me, and one door opened and
another opportunity to present itself. And when you when you're
(06:46):
presented with an opportunity like you just spoke of, how
could I have said?
Speaker 1 (06:50):
No, It's not just an album, it's a statement. So
what does this project represent for you personally? And what
are you hoping people will take away from it?
Speaker 6 (07:01):
For one, I wanna I wanna let all the other
independent artists know, like, look, there's more. It's just like
that saying goes, there's more than one way to skin
a cat, Well there's more one. There's more than one
way to enter the industry. Like it's not about going
to a big record label. It's about like if you
don't have the money to back yourself, it's all about
who you know. And that's the other part is you
will never meet people if you don't get outside of
(07:22):
your circle, Like you have to branch out.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
You have to leave your comfort of your area that
you're at.
Speaker 6 (07:27):
Otherwise that's that's how I would have never met dj CEO,
and I would have never got the opportunity that I'm presented.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Well, yeah, you mentioned dj CEO there, and he's a
Las Vegas legend. So what does that creative partnership that
you have together look like in the studio and how
does his energy compliment yours?
Speaker 6 (07:46):
Well, him being in the industry and knowing the ins
and outs, and then my work ethic coming from the military.
It's the only way I can say is we're just
a huge juggernaut, Like we're just our mission isn't this
album Our mission is finishing the album, opening up another door.
It's more opportunity, creating more opportunity, not just for me,
but for other artists like me, for other DJs like him,
(08:09):
like and in other words, I want to bring power
back to the indie industry where it should be, like
why why why do why don't the artists have a
say so in their own career? Like why is it
up to these record labels? Obviously they have the money.
But that's my whole thing this with this album.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
You mentioned your military background there, which of course will
be a big part of your journey. So how did
you go from your military background to getting involved with music?
Speaker 6 (08:37):
So after getting out of the military, I fell in
a dark place, real bad place. I was mad at
the world. I lost friends, I didn't have answers, I
hated God. I turned to alcohol and drugs and I
got lost. And it wasn't until a real close friend
of mine who happened to be DJ CEO, put a
mic in front of me and he says, look, man, like,
you need a way of vincing, Like try to just
(08:59):
screaming off, cry your heart out on this mic and
see what see who you can come up with. Keep
in mind, this was about eight years ago, and I
didn't and I started doing it, and it was therapeutic.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
I didn't do it to blow up. I didn't do it.
Speaker 6 (09:10):
I did it because I was crying inside. I was
dying inside.
Speaker 7 (09:13):
Yeah, And I.
Speaker 6 (09:14):
Started producing music and I started getting feedback and people
are like, hey, this is actually pretty good. Like I
don't know if it's the anger and the realness coming
out of you, but whatever it is, you got a talent.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
You got an act or a talent for it.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
I guess it's a physical thing. When it comes to singing,
you're letting things out. But when you're writing lyrics, do
you also write about things that are therapeutic and cathartic.
Speaker 6 (09:36):
So I'll be honest, A lot of my therapeutic wrap
sessions of me venting happened in that first four years
of experience. So after the four years, it became more
of Okay, now that I got all that stuff that's
weighing me down, Now, let me focus my real creativity
and let me come up with the message.
Speaker 5 (09:54):
If music worked.
Speaker 6 (09:56):
For me, and I didn't need medication, and I didn't
need drugs, I didn't need bad influences.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Well, shoot, like music can be therapeutic.
Speaker 6 (10:03):
For others, Like you don't have to turn to medication, drugs, alcohol,
Like you know you don't have to turn to that lifestyle.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Absolutely. Now for this new album that you've got, is
there one track on the album that maybe hits the
deepest for you emotionally and maybe one that fans might
not expect to cut as hard as it does.
Speaker 5 (10:25):
I'm torn between two.
Speaker 6 (10:27):
Now, everybody that knows me would automatically assume, oh, it's
got to be the Busy Bone and Crazy Bone track,
because growing up.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
That that's literally that's all I listen to.
Speaker 6 (10:35):
Like, if you ask anybody, hey, who's who's your top five,
they'll give you a list. You ask me who my
top five is, I'm gonna literally give you all five
members that's my top five. But if I had to
choose a track, it's gonna be the dedication track to
my family. So I have I have a dedication track
on the album, not a big feature on it. It's
just me and another artist and just pouring our heart out,
(10:56):
saying thank you.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
To the wife, thank you to the kids.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
It's been a long journey, and just saying thank you,
appreciation is real.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Your artist's name legend? Does that have a lot of
meaning to it because of the journey you've been on?
Speaker 6 (11:10):
Yeah? So I get a lot of people that ask
me that, like why why, why why choose the name legend?
Speaker 5 (11:14):
Like you haven't, like you have you have to establish
certain things before you can call yourself a legend.
Speaker 7 (11:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (11:20):
So the name actually comes from a military story.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
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(11:51):
and join me down the rabbit hole.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
A cast is home to the world's best podcasts, including
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to right now.
Speaker 6 (12:06):
And another deep personal story but I'll share it because
it goes in with the name. So during a during
a combat mission we were on. Uh, we got pinned
down and I was behind this pole. And this pole
was less than anything of a pole. It was one
thin little metal bar, like a stop sign. And keep
in mind I I had I panicked, and I had
(12:26):
nowhere to go, and I was literally stuck in the road.
And as I'm sitting there, I could hear the rounds
pinging off the pole. And I got to the point
where and maybe this only lasted five seconds, but it
seemed it seemed like a lifetime. But as I'm standing there,
sitting there, or I was kneeled down, but I was
as I was in the fetal position, just waiting to die,
I didn't the whole time I was there, nothing hit me.
And then out of nowhere, one of my one of
(12:48):
my seniors, popped around the corner with something straight out
of a movie. But had had the had the assault
rifle under his armpit and just was laying down rounds
and he looked at me and he hauled at me.
Speaker 5 (12:59):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
I don't want to use vocal language, but he's al marez,
get your we're in back to the call, get a
move and he's just laying down round So I could
get up and HI tell it out of there. And
ever since then, the story the Marines, my my buddies,
my brothers, they gave me that name. They said, you're
a legend, that you you're a legend, that you didn't die.
(13:20):
Like the fact that you were behind that little pole
and we could see the rounds bouncing off.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
Of the little pole.
Speaker 6 (13:26):
How they didn't hit you is beyond me. And for there,
that's that's where I got the name. You're a legend.
Like that story's gonna live with every marine for a
long time.
Speaker 7 (13:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
I think that's the best artist named origin story I've
ever heard, because usually you just get something boring like ooh,
I just used a red de generator or it just
sounds cool, But yours just got a story to it,
and it's personal and it actually means something to you.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
Absolutely. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Now, outside of music, you are also studying psychology. So
how is that knowledge influence the way you write or
you see your healing through music?
Speaker 6 (14:06):
So psychology played a role huge after I got out
and I started using music as a therapeutic tool. It
wasn't until I met my wife that it got me
into that was she I'll keep it real she said,
I need to do something in my life.
Speaker 5 (14:20):
So right, what do you want me to do?
Speaker 6 (14:21):
She's like, well, go to school, use the GI bill,
use use your benefits that the military is going to
give you. So I ended up going to school for
a little associates degree. But in that associates degree, I
had a class, a little small psychology class, and in there,
that class alone broke me. It talked about how humans,
if they could only understand and grasp how much control
(14:43):
we have over ourselves mentally, but we lose that control
because we are too tied emotionally. And ever since then
I could just I just ran with it, like I
wanting to help veterans, try to tell veterans, he like,
all this struggle, all this pain, all this guilt, all
this is because you're allowing yourself to feed into your
emotion and not your mentality. You need to dig into
(15:05):
your mentality and know who you are. Your emotions are
not who you are. Like, we know how to deal
with that. We've dealt with it for the four or
eight year, twelve year, however long you've been in the military.
Now that you're out, you don't have your brothers around you,
so you're losing control, but the control has always been
there and that's the word that got me onto this music.
And like I said, I kind of passed my four
(15:26):
years of venting my anger and my pain out.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
But even when I meet new.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
Artists and I, for whatever reason, they just I've always
been told I'm real, I'm honest, and I'm blunt, maybe
too blunt, too honest.
Speaker 5 (15:39):
But it's also made it so the artists.
Speaker 6 (15:41):
And other people that I meet, they can always come
to me and be like, yo, I need the honest opinion.
Speaker 7 (15:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Well, if there's maybe a young veteran or someone who's
gone through similar experiences to you, who listens to the album,
what would be the one message that you hope the
walk away with.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
So I'll give to advice, one for an inspiring artist
and then one for a veteran because they're I'm gonna
be honest, they're two different.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Kinds of people.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
For young artists, think think outside the box, get creative,
you want to make it. The biggest thing I can
tell you is stop trying to be local. Stop trying
to be that local celebrity, because you're sitting there fishing
your song to a whole bunch of people that already
know you. So how are you going to get discovered
by people who know you?
Speaker 7 (16:24):
Leave?
Speaker 6 (16:24):
Go somewhere else, meet people that don't know you. That's
how you get to discovered. You can't expect someone who
knows you to discover your music because they.
Speaker 5 (16:32):
Already know it.
Speaker 6 (16:32):
Yes, Now, as for a veteran, don't.
Speaker 5 (16:35):
Try to do it alone. You need a support circle.
Speaker 6 (16:37):
I was fortunate enough to meet my wife during that
whole little ordeal. And at first, US military people we
like to we don't like to indulge in our struggles.
It's forget to struggle. We just got to keep moving,
just keep fighting and keep pushing. But that don't work
no more because you're you're alone. But the best thing
we have is your support circle, your buddies that you
(16:59):
still have contact with, and your wife, Like, don't be
afraid to tell your wife if you're hurting, Like yeah,
I feel like crying, I feel like Dyan, Like that's
who's gonna be You're rock. She is going to be
your foundation, but she cannot help you if she don't
know what's wrong with you.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Well, are there any future projects you're working on? Or
is this it for now?
Speaker 6 (17:19):
So I'm gonna disclose couple things, so after this project,
DJ cl is probably gonna grill me for this. But
we actually have something in the works with the Black
Market Records, and so if everything times in, we might
open up every we might open up new opportunity with them.
So that's something in the works. Other than that, my
(17:40):
main goal is honestly having this album create opportunity for
artists in Arizona, artists and artists anywhere, but kind of
just letting them know, like there's other ways to break
into the industry, and hopefully this album will be will
be evident of that.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Well. In the meantime, where are we able to find
the same goal the Hater's anthem and of course the album.
Speaker 6 (18:02):
The album won't be out until December early January. The
single should be released sometime today, if not tomorrow, but
it's on every platform. We're talking Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, YouTube,
We're working on getting radio spins, so it's gonna be
(18:23):
everywhere you can.
Speaker 5 (18:24):
You can find my socials all over.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
Also, just type in asy Legend Music and they're gonna
pop up.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Brilliant. Well, many thanks for joining us on the show today.
It's been great having you here.
Speaker 6 (18:35):
Absolutely thank you for having me man, I really appreciate it.
Speaker 8 (18:40):
Where do you go for Ireland's savviest takes, liveliest events,
biggest discoveries and favorite weekend rituals.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Morning, Hello there, you're very welcome.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
To the program.
Speaker 8 (18:52):
Well over a million of you go to Ireland's number
one radio station, Artie Radio One. Listen now on Artie
Radio Player.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
Another Carlsberg zero Definitely midweek match, Definitely for the grand
Old Stretch. Definitely the best tasting zero zero beer in
the world. Probably get the facts, be drink aware of visit, drinkaware,
dot i e.
Speaker 6 (19:25):
Fridays for celebration, good times and relaxation.
Speaker 5 (19:29):
So turn the radio up and just listen.
Speaker 6 (19:31):
Listen.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
If you've got that freddy feeling, you soon be dancing
on the ceiling. Or because of your host, Toby.
Speaker 7 (19:38):
Grand Man, if I guess some brilliant out.
Speaker 6 (19:41):
Of music's fantastic Tommy is terrific and this feature is
a classic.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Soon it's reach now, hides and start now beat can right.
Speaker 5 (19:51):
Thank god it's Toby
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