And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan - Ep. 267: YG Opens Up. Bad Deals, Hit Records, and a Midlife Crisis

Episode Date: October 6, 2026

Today’s guest is a multi-platinum rapper and songwriter who took Compton to the charts and gave the world “My Hitta,” “Who Do You Love?” and “Big Bank.” From his debut album My Krazy Life to collaborations with Drake, Nipsey Hussle, and Nicki Minaj, he’s built a catalog that’s done serious damage to club speakers. Now, with The Gentlemen’s Club, he’s getting personal and reminding everyone there’s a storyteller behind the hits. And The Writer Is… YG! In this episode we go deep on:- The inspiration behind his new album - The Def Jam singles deal with five album options: "I could have sued everybody" - What he'd tell an 18-year-old holding a label offer- Why having a catalog doesn't mean you own it - What a YG session looks like: tequila, "next beat," and a BPM in his head - How "FDT" got made with Nipsey, and why Def Jam wouldn't release it - The night Nicki said "don't put this out without me" - "Who Do You Love?": three months, hook writers, and Drake telling him to do it himself And much more... Hit subscribe and turn on notifications.Every week, we go deep with the most interesting creatives in music. Follow us on socials: @andthewriteris A special thank you to our sponsors for making these conversations possible. Our lead sponsor, our Patreon! Patreon.com/andthewriteris And @splice — the best sample library on the market. Period. Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:32 Hiring a "Hitman" 8:07 "Were you ever suicidal?" and the homies who said "same" 9:10 Chin up, chest out: what the streets never let you say 10:28 "2004," the song he cut from the album 24:31 Turning himself in while his song blew up, and the label that called his mom 27:31 Signing young: "I could have sued everybody" 28:24 Ross: athletes get rookie orientation, artists get "good luck" 34:57 What he'd tell an 18-year-old holding a label offer 39:40 The masters trap: you have a catalog, but you don't own it 41:30 What a session with YG actually looks like 47:39 Why he made Gentleman's Club: "they were playing with my name" 50:10 How "Hollywood" with Shoreline Mafia got made 53:51 How "FDT" happened with Nipsey, and why Def Jam passed 59:40 Meeting Nipsey: two different gangs, one mission 1:05:56 How do you stay brave when the people around you get killed? 1:10:59 The night "My Hitta" got made 1:13:03 "Big Bank": Nicki says don't put it out without me 1:18:15 What he knows at 36 that he didn't at 20: the streets don't love you back 1:27:20 "Who Do You Love?": three months and Drake's "you do the hook" 1:30:02 What makes a Mustard beat different Credits Hosted by Ross Golan Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to And The Writer is. I am your host, Ross Golan. Today's rap superstar is the voice of this city. He's a politician, a poet, who paints pictures with words. He straight up writes movies. All the way from Compton, this writer is overdue for a Grammy or 10. And the writer is YG. What up? Congrats on gentlemen's club.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Hitman, like, it blew my mind because it's, well, obviously ready to die. The response is cool, too. But what I love about it, when I was listening to it, I don't really go and read a lot of lyrics. But when I heard it, I was like, wait, that's how this. It's an act one and act two.

It's a movie. It's Fight Club. For those who don't realize how good that song is and how good that storytelling. is, was that editing? Did you go in a studio and just freestyle that? How do you write that song? No, I wrote that record. I wrote that record.

It took me like, probably took me like two, three hours to, like, fully write that song. But I wrote that all, like, at one time. Um, I mean, so to get that record, like, when I was putting the album together, you know what I'm saying? it came like in by pieces you know what I'm saying and when I realized what story I was telling like me trying to kill my like my old self um to like really tell like a full in-depth story you know what I'm saying it was like like the last record midlife crisis was like the first real

concept song I had recorded when I was like making an album and then when I recorded that song that is what gave me the concept the storyline how the album was going to end I'm like oh okay I kill myself how did I get here or let me reverse engineer this whole shit and it's like how did I get here you know what I'm Because midlife crisis is like I'm talking about that shit is real like everything I'm saying I've been going through dealing with and all that as real and it's like all right cool. I'm in the album like that. And that was like I'm going to tell a story on me trying to kill my old self and it's like how did you get here and what's all the things you got to go through? you know what I'm saying

that I have somebody feeling like that so um Hitman was like one of the songs that came after that I'm like all right how do I get to telling this story on the album and keeping it like respectable from like

my fans or my list like the streets you know what I'm saying it's like how do we get here you know I'm saying so I was just like really like taking my time like all right I'm really going through

like when I'm talking about um about how do I like really talk about it you know I'm saying through the music in a dope way and you know I watch a lot of TV shows and film and like I love

like everything I watch is twisted as fuck you know what I'm saying it's twisted and I'm like man, like these stories, they got to be twisted. They got to be twisted. And I'm like, it took me, like, to come with a hitman concept. Like, I'm fin to tell a story about talking to a hitman to kill somebody.

And that's somebody at the end of the song is going to be me. That took me like three weeks to like get that concept. Like, you know what I'm saying? because I had songs and I had things in place and I'm like, how do I get from this song to that song? And then how I get from that song to that song? You know what I'm saying? So it was just like just time and just thinking

and just thinking outside the box and it was just like, you know what I'm saying? What was the response? I was trying to figure out, you know, it's pretty clear what you're talking about? What's the response been from your fans with the idea of you killing younger self? I don't know.

It felt like it was, it's, it's, when, um, when Jay-Z came out with 444, uh, I, I remember having this conversation with someone where it was so elegant the way that he talked about being, he grew up and a lot of rappers, like, want to live in this time. Like, they're, they never, they never changed. Like, they're, they'll do. another album pretending like they're 18 or 20. And this is so sophisticated, but it's like a real conversation with the younger self.

Yeah. You know? What did your fans think about this? No, like my fans, like my fans, um, homies, a community, like everybody was, everybody, like, they fucked with it, you know what I'm saying? Everybody, when they listen to the album, you know what I'm saying? Like, everybody is mentioning My Crazy Life.

They're like, oh, yeah, this is like 10 years later for my crazy life. Like, you feel me, this is best album, real stories just my crazy life. So, you know what I'm saying? Like, everybody is enjoying the body of work for sure. Hey, guys, real quick. over 90% of you are not subscribers to this channel. And following the channel allows us to keep bringing you incredible guests each week. And growing the channel to offer more of your favorite writers and producers and industry folk, especially artists.

It gives us a platform to tell their stories to you. If you can, hit that subscribe button. Thank you. Now, back to your episode. Not to keep on the story, but I'm just so interested in this. that the hitman story because i think this is a movie and somebody should make this into a movie to write the response from it was that something that came towards the end of the album or was this something that it came the response was like the second to last song but that i recorded

like but the response came when we start mixing and mastering i'm at the end of the mixing man, I'm like, I'm missing. Like, nah, this story incomplete. I'm like, nah, like, like, nah, it's like it ain't complete.

Like, what, like, what would happen after you find out that you was trying to put a hit on yourself? You know what I'm saying? It's like, like, what would,

the part of you that you're trying to kill, how would he feel, you know what I'm saying? Finding out. You know what I'm saying? That you're trying to kill him. Like, were you ever suicidal in real life?

Man, I didn't have some thoughts, bro. And you know, that's weird. Like, for me, I was like, when I was, like, having those thoughts, I'm like, man, what the fuck's going on? I'm like, nah, bro. This ain't. Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. And it was, like, it was crazy because, like,

As I made the song and I started planning for, like, homies and people and all that. And just a lot of my male friends and other motherfuckers who was listening was like, bro, bro, I didn't feel like that too, bro. Like, man, bro, like, damn, bro, you talk about shit this ain't nobody going to say. And then, like, all the homies, bro, was like, Midlife crisis is like one of their favorite songs, you know what I'm saying? Because it starts like when we come from, you know what I'm saying, the streets, the inner cities, the ghettos, gang culture, you know what I'm saying?

Like, we, we, like, we taught, like, to be tough. Like, that's just all we know, like chin up, chest out, you know what I'm saying? Don't show no emotions, you know what I'm saying, all that. So we taught that. So these things, how we feel, things we go through and the feeling of that, like the real feeling, we don't never talk about it. Like, you will really never know, you know what I'm saying? And I found out, like, when I was making this album and I'm talking about shit,

um, that we don't ever talk about. that's the whole concept of like the gentleman's club like on some grown shit it's like I'm fin to do some shit that that like is not expected that you know what I'm saying from my community and that shit represents me being like

grown you know what I'm saying but when I was playing the records for like people everybody was just like bro I've been feeling like this too bro I've been going through this too and all this shit. Like, earlier,

a song was supposed to make the album, but it didn't make the album. I dropped the song called 2004, like March 2025. And the song start, but the lyrics opened up. It's like, boom, boom. But when I was young, I got raped by a bitch twice my age. You know what I'm saying? So I'm talking about, like, like, when you young

and you come across a older female, you know what I'm saying, and y'all do whatever y'all do. Like, as young kids, we think, like, oh, yeah, I just hit me, oh, no, ah, ah. But really, it's like, if that same thing happened to a girl, you know what I'm saying it's going to be a whole other situation so when I rapped about that in the song

and I'm planning for the homies and people everybody was like bro the same shit happened to me bro I got the same story like bro it was crazy how many people just started talking about like bro I relate to this like with

every song you know what I'm saying and I was like damn I'm like bro that's crazy making this album because I was like kind of like nervous because I'm like man I got to do something that I ain't done because I've been doing the same shit for so long you know what I'm saying and um yeah I'm like man I got to switch it up because like I got to show people that like I do this like you know what I'm saying so I'm like I got to come different and like I was like kind of nervous because I'm like how's people going to like react to this how they're going to

I'm saying, or the fans, or the city. But when I started talking about them things and I'm playing these songs, everybody, it was crazy, bro. I mean, you said, you know, it's like people are saying it's like my crazy life 10 years later. And, you know, in, like, really be smoking where you're, it's like super vulnerable. Yeah. And you just, it's like you're saying, it's not a lot of. people are that vulnerable in this line of work. Yeah.

But you've had kind of a whole career of being vulnerable. Where do you get the confidence to be vulnerable? I mean, I feel like, I feel like it's, for me, it's like, if I'm making, like, music, I'm talking about my life, you know what I'm saying? I'm talking about my life. I'm talking about experiences. I'm talking about right now. past, you know what I'm saying?

So, and like, me as a person for anybody that know me or that have been around me, like, if I, like, if we start talking, like, we're going to start talking. It's either I'm going to talk or I'm not talking at all. You know what I'm saying? So we start talking, we're going to go deep.

I'm going to start to, like, it's going to get crazy, you know what I'm saying? So I feel like with the music or when I'm doing what I do with the music, it's that. But, With the past, like with my past music, like I felt like the things that I was talking about, like you say I was vulnerable, like my whole career. And it's like other things that I was talking about early on in my career was just like,

like it wasn't nothing that the world ain't heard from nobody like me. You know what I'm saying? like it really wasn't like damn we never heard this before or from me from this group of people this type of person you know what I'm saying um but yeah you know I was talking about all type of shit um but with the gentlemen's club album it's like somebody like me from from talking about the things I'm talking about yeah that shit different uh it it it stopped me literally where I was like, I got to read and see if I got that right. So I was like, it's just, it's good storytelling, man. It's legit storytelling. And like, you know, whether you're talking about movies or TV or theater or whatever it is, it's like beginning, middle, and end is a big thing.

And, you know, it's just easy to, it's like there just aren't that many people who are, who are telling stories. In this era right now, it seems like so much stuff is about. is very surface and it's not that thought out. And that shit was thought out. I want to tell a little bit of your story, like where you come from a bit. You're saying, you know,

is your dad's sports teams, and it was the Bulls and Rams and whatnot. What kind of music did you listen to in the house? Rap and Rambi. And Odie's like, you know what I'm saying? My mom's, she, moms rap and R&B. and oldies my pop's rap

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to try now in Splice's sounds plugin. Check it out. Thank you for sponsoring and the writer is. Okay, so we're in your house and there's a lot of rap, R&B, oldies. At what point do you start writing poetry? What point

do you start thinking, I can were you memorizing other people's lyrics? Like, how do you discover that you have a skill like that? Um, Y'all was definitely remembering lyrics. And it was a point in time where me and my, like one of my friends I grew up with and my little brother and his little brother,

I think we was watching, like, 106 and Parker. Like, we was watching one of the little rap shows from back in the day. And it was like, we'd see like, bye, wild and all them. and then we was like we're going to be rappers but then nothing really happened

and like after that nothing happened but then what got me rapping um like I was a part of this click

back in the day and you know what I'm saying it was like high school like clicks and like we had like beef

you know what I'm saying with other cliques and shit like that and like nothing serious you feel me was like click shit like high school click shit and like one of the dudes made a disc song

towards our click and then he said my name in a disc song and you know what I'm saying I was at Fud Records like working at Fud Records no I heard this and then I went to work

Flooders, I'm like 15, something, like 16. And I'm like, I got to diss this nigga back, dog. I'm like, bro, it's no way, right? You hit me so my first song was me dissing him back. And then, like, I ended up just keep doing, I ended up, kept recording, and I just felt in love with that shit. And then I just kept going and then

people was like messing with the music like at school like just regular like man this shit hard play that shit like I'm like man

what like stop playing with me they're like no this shit hard I just kept going kept going and then

man shit just started happening where were you getting the beats from like Limewire yeah it was downloading off Limewater

Yeah, I'm saying it was all, like, it was all other people beats. And were you burning CDs? Like, how did people, yeah. Burning CDs, yep. Different era. Different, yeah. Man, I had the mic, like, it used to be the mic that people go on and they, then what's that shit called?

Or when they used to be talking to people, like, online. Like, what's that she called? Yeah, I know what you're trying about it. Yeah. The little tiny skinny thing. Yeah, it was like a desktop mic that looked like a pencil type shit. And it could curve at the end maybe or something.

Yeah, it had like a speaker on the end of it. You know what I'm saying? Like my sister had her computer, but she had like a real computer. Like, so I did it on her computer. You know what I'm saying? With the mic right there. And then after I kept recording,

I started putting the mic in the closet. Like, you know what I'm saying? Hell yeah Yeah, it was something like that Yeah And yeah, I was burning the CDs, bro Burning the CDs Were your parents supportive?

So my pops had Like when this happened My pops had went to jail So my pops was in jail When all this was happening And my mama was supportive Yeah What about, do you have other siblings

besides your sister? Yeah, my little brother, he had started rapping with me and shit. That's cool. Yeah, yeah. Your sister, was she pissy? You stole her computer to go on the rap?

No, no, no, no, not at all. No, my sister was supportive, too. Oh, yeah, super. So you go and you start, you know, spreading the CD, and then people start burning off that, and then it just kind of, it spreads. What's the first time somebody comes up to you and it's like, hey, man, this is like, this is legit.

And I want to do something professional with you. Oh, so, like, the CDs was happening. And then, you know, it's the same time, MySpace was a thing, you know what I'm saying? So, like, I started putting my music on MySpace, and that's what really started moving it. Like, that's what started really moving it. And then, um,

I was talking my music on my space and I was like, it just started like like it started becoming the real thing like you know what I'm saying? Like people was wanting me to perform at little parties and shit like that. Um, you know what I'm saying? I had like dropped out of high school like

like 10th grade. Like I'm like, I'm doing this. You know what I'm saying? I was in the streets and rapping. Like I dropped out. Um, like I got kicked out of school so many times. times I was just like, yeah, this shit is over with.

I'm just feeling, I was just do the music. Right. So, boom, I'm doing that. And then I end up, I end up catching the case. Boom, so I go to jail. And then I bail out like a month later. And then I'm fighting the case. And then I got to turn myself in and do my time.

And when I turn myself in, like I made a song called Free YG. And I put it out like the day I turned myself in, and it was his free-waiji movement, like going on, you feel me, like high school, like shit, you know what I'm saying? I'm like, I'm like 17, 18 at this point. And Tuttle and Booty was out, too. I recorded Tuttle and Booty with Todd 2008. And then I turned myself in like March 2009

and I had to do my tongue And I had the free YG song going I had to tutor and booted on my space Free YG on my space So when I turned myself in I called my mama And I'm talking about my mama Is he like yeah

Nick Van Nexel He just called He's trying to sign you I'm like huh Nick What? She's like, yeah, nickven. Yeah, bro, like, off the Lakers and shit. Yeah, I'm like, what?

I'm like, what? I said, as soon as I go to jail? Like, you can try? Man, so I'll be that motherfucker. I said, oh, I just, fuck. I just triggered my life for it, bro. But, um. How long were you in jail for?

I mean, I only did some months. You know what I'm saying? I did like four months. Could you keep track of how people were consuming your music while you're in prison? Like, do you had any, because, like, this, shit's going crazy because, you know, Tutin and Boot it is like on its rise and you've got, you know,

a free YG record that people are talking about, then how are you able to follow that while in... Well, it was just the phone calls. It was the phone calls. And then, like, I had this click called pushes and you feel me, that click is with, like, Todd was from pushes,

muster was from pushes, right? So crazy. This clique was existing while I was in jail. The homies was having free YG parties and doing all this shit. And that's what got like Nick Van Nexel and all these people was like hearing about like, what's going on with this free YG shit? Like these kids is all campaigning this free while. Like, who fuck is why do you're like, right?

So Nick Van Nex was called, and then, like, when I got out, I ended up getting out in like June, like end of June. And then I started, like, labels were shining me, Def Jam, Atlantic, all this type of shit. So I started doing my meetings and I ended up signing with Def Jam. It was crazy, bro. Did you, you're walking into those meetings. having put out records, but who's helping you navigate any of the business?

Going to those meetings is kind of cool, but these companies can be really predatory when it comes to this shit. No, and you feel me, that's what happened to me. Like, like, how I got signed, like, how I signed my deal

and all that shit, you know what I'm saying? And said, I really could have sued the fuck out of everybody type shit, but, you know, I was, like, young. I didn't really know too much, but, yeah, you know what I'm saying? I was a victim of that show. When the songs really start taking off, like, you know, and there's not a club or a party that didn't have two to them booted playing.

Yeah. That thing's massive. Yeah, thank you. You know, when that starts taking off, do you change as a huge? human at all? No, no, no, no. I was saying before, like, if it's a pro sport, you have these rookie orientations, whether you're drafted first or 780th or 86, whatever the last guy is in football. And, you know, they all go to rookie orientation. They all learn how to deal with success. They all learn how to deal with, like, this is what it's like with, you know, women in different cities.

This is what it's like with health care. Save your money. do all this shit. And in music, it's like, good luck. Yeah, you're on your own. Yeah. Yeah, it's the streets. It's the trenches. So how do you deal with all of a sudden being one of the biggest stars in the business coming straight from, you know, a year before being in high school?

Or two, whatever, I guess, you know, a year before you recorded the song, but three or four years before, you know, after the songs, that kind of. a hit. Like, everyone's got to be calling you asking for shit, right? I mean, not, like, not yet, you know what I'm saying? Like, you know, I was taking care of my family, like, off the rip, but, um, not yet, you know what I'm saying? It was, like, the first record, and I think, like, everybody knew, like, and shit, I got signed, and how I got signed was fucked up and like the money was bullshit and all that like everybody knew that shit so like i don't think it was none of that shit ain't really start to like later on you know i'm saying like later but how i deal with it man i don't know man i i'm saying my family was

it's solid and then um like like i was always level-headed like with like in life like my homies from back then you know i'm saying i always say like you was the perfect one for this to happen to because you like you like you know and knew how to handle all this shit like you know saying like I stayed grounded like I stayed like you know I'm saying I ain't start acting crazy like I'm like like it never really happened you know what I'm saying um I think that's unusual yeah it is and that's they were right though you know to say that to say that you know because there are other people who can't deal with that but not only that the the melody's so good in it that it ends up in you know young wild and free and you end up having part of a number of

one, like full number one record. You have a hit with two day and boot it, and then you have like a radio hit. And that's a different kind of check and a different kind of game. Yeah. You know, the pop game is different than the rap game. Facts. Did you feel like you should write a certain way to match that success? Because that's, you can't get bigger than that.

You're talking about Young Wild and Free? Yeah. I mean, that song ends up, you know, interpolates and you end up on a huge record. But then you realize, like, you have the ability to write anything. You're writing rap hits and now pop hits. Yeah, I mean, yeah. Like, with me, I always been like, man, I'm from where I'm from.

I represent what I represent. And, like, I always want to stay connected with my people in, like, my culture and had like the biggest records, you know what I'm saying, that was like rap, hip hop records, you know what I'm saying? Like, as far as pop record, you know what I'm saying? I would love to have a pop record and have success of a pop record.

But I'd be like, how to fuck do I make a pop record that would connect in a pop world of the type of shit that I'm going to talk about You know what I'm saying? And I always, like I recorded them. Like, I record them, I write them and shit. Like, I love them, but I'm like, like, how would this work? Like, I don't know.

I didn't figure that shit out yet still. Yeah, fair. Yeah, like, I definitely didn't wrote records that sounds like some other shit. But um Do you not let those come out or is it? Oh yeah, no, they didn't came out. They ain't came out. So I just worked on this other record

like last week. It's, it's another genre. You know what I'm saying? It's me trying like, it's me trying to do some different shit. And I'm just like, this record could work. And I just got to fix it.

tweak it up. Like, it's just the first verse I'm trying to figure out. You know what I'm saying? The hook is right where it needs to be. But the music is far. You know what I'm saying? I'll play you this joint athlete. Yeah, I'm excited.

I'm excited. Oh, yeah, you have some other shit. Having Thai Dollar Son and mustard and part of your click is wild. Like, you know, just that's insane that you guys. guys all happen to know each other, let alone Terrace and some of the other people that, you know, we talked about earlier. But going into these record deals in Def Jam and Atlantic,

what kind of advice would you give an 18-year-old artist who wants a deal with Atlantic and Def Jam right now? How would you give, what advice would you have given yourself? My situation was different, though. Like, I got finessex. You know what I'm saying? Like I got like blindsided finessed. Yeah, I don't think like my situation

would happen in these times. But my advice though, you know what I'm saying? Just like make sure you take your time. You know what I'm saying? You don't really sign nothing fast because you ought to understand if whoever reaching out trying to sign you is for a reason, you know what I'm saying?

You feel? They didn't did the mathematics on whatever you got going on, and they think it's a profitable business going on, you know what I'm saying? So don't just jump too quick to sign a deal. But then I'm from the streets, and I know how it is when you're in the streets, you don't got nothing going on, and somebody come with you, offering you some money, and you're like, what? I'm feeling

take this right now you know what I'm saying like I know I know like how that feel you know what I'm saying and I know how important of that money be you know what I'm saying

at the time you know what I'm saying but it's just like it just made so like the contract ain't no like it ain't brazy like my shit was brazy

like you know what I'm saying like like I signed a singles deal I signed a single's deal I signed a singles deal for 25k 12-5 on signing in September 2009

then 12-5 in January 2010 a single deal with five album options oh wow you did bro and like how it all happened is even crazier than that

well no I don't know No, no. Yeah, my shit different. Yeah, it was very different. You know what I'm saying? I don't think that is like going on in these days. I think that there's a lot of information out there, but I think it's too much information, bro.

There's a lot of, you know, there's obviously, you can just put in chat, GPT, be like, is this a good deal? And it's too. And somebody will give you some advice. It's too many people. It's like the industry is like, it's accessible. now like like people know too many people you know what I'm saying like it's like like I don't think that is happening yeah I mean there's pop equivalence of that that that happened a lot in that same

era of you know you get signed by a super producer or something like that and you're in that deal for life like that's that's definitely a pretty common tale that I you know as I always say like it's better to know how you're getting screwed than how not to get screwed in some ways so you can at least deal with some of it but that's been a pretty egregious deal um that said it's like here you are how many of your peers that came out with a hit in 2010 are releasing a number one album in 2026 and like almost none of them like your journey is like is it sucks with kind of deal you ended up in except for here you are releasing number one albums because of the journey you went on

and because of your, like, your wisdom from going through that shit. Yeah. Yeah, no, for sure. Like, that, like, everything I've been through definitely helped shape, like, who I am and just all the things I'm into.

You know what I'm saying? It just fucked up because it's like, like, you would go and you would have a crazy run and you know people don't most artists you know what I'm saying they had a run and it lasts forever longer last and then after that it's tough um and if your deal is like like messed up you know on masters or all that type of shit that's when it really like that's when it really like hit you

and it's like oh what yeah and you like find you like find find out later, like, that's how people be really making their money when they got the and they go sell their shit and they be like, oh yeah, I'm good. I can check. And then you find out like or yeah, so how do I get the money?

Oh yeah, you got to check the kettle of. Yeah, but you don't own a what? Huh? Huh? Huh? Yeah, bro. I mean, it's crazy because now you're this entrepreneur as, you know, like, shoot, like you've like you've done so many different kinds of entrepreneurial things, having been somebody who dropped out of high school at 16.

Like the amount of shit you learned how to do the hard way. But you've done it. Like there are a lot of people who have MBAs that aren't doing that. You know, that's what I'm saying. Like everything I've been through, help shape who I am a day. And it's like, yeah, I can go launch a business. sell this product and this product and this product. And, yeah, it's not too many motherfuckers who can do that.

Like, you know what I'm saying? I'm blessed for that. You're so prolific as a writer. We were just talking like you're in the studio, you know, this week. And you just came out with an album that's, like, huge. Like, you just keep writing. You've been writing and doing mixtapes and albums, you know, since 2008, like, nonstop. And I know what it's like to be in sessions all the time.

And I think there's some, there are different types of sessions and different kinds of music and different etiquette in different sessions and all this stuff. When you walk into a session, walk us through what a session is with YG. man a session with YG man it's all different types you know what I'm saying um a session with YG

so you got the I'm locked in like sessions and you got the vibe sessions you got the playback sessions you got the you got like

or bring some producers here I don't even know these motherfuckers just bring them through and I want to hear beats where you got all different type of sessions

but like the ones or I just been in the past two weeks um really like bro I'm just

I get to the stew I walk in my chit-chat for like 10, 15 minutes, you know what I'm saying? And then we get straight to it. I'm like, play some beach, just start rapping. You know what I'm saying? The phone is out. The voice note record is on.

We got tequila on the table. What kind of tequila? Repasado, blanco, you know what I'm saying? All types. Like, all types. Um, and it's vibes going, it's going. Like, I might have some ideas already,

like some hooks already written or some ideas. And I might tell a producer, like, yeah, I want to make a song, like, just the concept. You feel me, I'm on this. Like, I needed to be some street shit, 100 BPM. Or I need some ratchet club ass-shaking shit,

1004 BPM. You know, um, Um, um, yeah, and I'm, I'm, like, I'm going and I'll record some shit. And, um, like, I'll record. And then if I hear it, I'm like, nah, I'll be like, all right, never mind. Next beat. It said, I'll have do some shit. And if I ain't feeling it, if it ain't, I'm like, no, I get up out of here.

And then, you know, sit talk, play other songs as reference. or like old school records. Like, I'm trying to go here with this shit. But on something like modern, you know, like, man, sessions be, it'd be all over the place, bro. Like, the studio is like, we like mass sciences and laboratories when we're in the fucking studio. You know what I'm saying?

Just vibe and trying shit, talking. Yeah, man, I love the studio, bro. I like how, you know, you have, an ability to interpolate album, some classics, and like, you're not afraid to do that. And kind of like, and you're not afraid to reference, you know, great songs and great artists. Like, even on this last album, obviously, like, you know, there's the M reference and there's a bunch of these things. Like, in your head, who's on the Mount Rushmore of your, who's on your rap Mount Rushmore?

Who are the four best rappers in your life? Tupac, Biggie, Eminem, and Hove. And Wayne, we got to do top five. Yeah. Little Wayne, dude. Like, he, like, like, Pac and Wayne was my, like, you know what I was young, Pock and Wayne was like, you can't tell me nothing.

And then as I got older, You know what I'm saying? The whole shit, I was like, man, this nigga, hold this thing is crick. Yeah, I'm saying? Cause how he rap and like, what he rap about? Like, it's not for like young niggins. Like, you know what I'm saying?

Really like, um. But yeah, when I got like a little older, like in my early 20s, like we were relistened to all the Jay-Z shit. You know what I'm saying? We was hearing the hits, of course. But we'd start bringing. listening to the albums like oh yeah this nigga crazy

but um yeah they're my top fog bro your collaborators you know are kind of like a modern Mount Rushmore too like what you mean my collaborators like you and Nipsey

obviously and you know Kendrick and I mean I understand this is without getting into the beef of it all, Drake, like you have some of these like incredible collaborators that you've been able to work with.

And, you know, I feel like there's, you guys all must push each other in some ways because you guys all connect with each other on, you know, what, uh, on what a new generation, like all the guys, you know, to somebody who's, who we're going to interview in, 20 years or in 15 years, they're going to be like, I grew up, those are the best rappers, you know?

Are you aware of where you are on the pantheon of rappers? Am I aware where I might? Like, so this last album, The Gentleman's Club, another reason why I wanted to make this album and really showcase my storytelling, ability and rap ability was because I felt like motherfuckers was playing with me in my name as a rapper as an artist. You know what I'm saying? I felt like I felt like that was playing with my name. And while I went through the process and really talking about that to other people, I found out that I was part of the reason why these people was playing with my name because, yeah, I'm saying.

I just started doing shit to get out my name. deal, you know what I'm saying? Like after my first album, too, I just was putting shit out, trying to get out my deal. You know what I'm saying? So I found out like, I'm part of the reason. But this album was really me coming from my respect as an artist, you know what I'm saying?

So to ask you a question, you just ask, like, no, I don't. You all I'm saying? Straight like that. But like, I know like I know what I feel like I should be and all that and I know my my capability and it's just like all right I just got to read show these motherfuckers you know what I'm saying you have a really good sensibility in finding features that are not necessarily mainstream and not giving a shit

like you're fine with putting somebody who's talented who might not be famous on your records. Oh, you. And there are a lot of people where it's like the only way that put someone on a record is if they lift up there, like, Spotify, if you can connect to their Spotify, so the followers can help the algorithm do the thing. And you're like, nah, it seems like you're finding people that are cool but are not at the same level that you're at or some of these other, you know, bigger names are at.

And, you know, for Hollywood, that's an amazing sounding record. The Shoreline Mafia is a big, you know, it's awesome, but it's not. It's like part of that kind of connection that you guys are creating is what makes that special. How does that collab come about? So, Ty produced that record. Ty fully put that whole thing together. You know what I'm saying?

He was like, hey, I'm calling O'GIS to the studio and we're going to work on some shit for your album. I'm like, all right, bet. And then the night, oh, Gizi pulled up to the studio. studio, you know what I'm saying it was the homie birthday. So I go to the birthday party and then tie there. He's like, bro, you coming to the studio tonight? I'm like, yeah, is you going?

Because you have to party. He like, yeah, no, I came real quick. I'm going to go to the studio. I'm like, all right, I'm going to meet you there. So then, boom, I left. He left first and I left like an hour later. And then I pull up. And, oh, geez, he was at the joint.

and Hollywood was being made, you know what I'm saying? So that's how that record got made, but of the whole, like, like, me and Shoreline Mafia, we got to, like, those my, you know what I'm saying, my young bros, you know what I'm saying? Um, and I think Todd, like, was, like, he know my relationships and shit, and he know, like, he know the YG brand and the YG world, and he knows shoreline, they whole thing.

You know what I'm saying? You feel me? So he's like, yeah, we fin to do that. It makes sense like the people, you feel me, the city. You know what I'm saying? They're going to go crazy. And yeah, he put that together. Yeah, I love that throughout all these, your whole discography,

it really feels like the story of L.A. And, you know, I think everybody lives in their, many bubbles in LA. Yeah. But, you know, like Go Loco or these records where you're bringing in the Hispanic community and it's like Hispanic rappers featuring on stuff too. And having all that is like it's such a colorful way of looking at L.A. and not, uh, I just don't know a lot of people who do that, who are like, who look at, who cross,

not just genres, but these, like, ethnicities within L.A. And that's what makes L.A. great. And I just feel like a lot of people are scared to do that. And it's like, that's one of the things that makes the YG records cool because it seems like you're fine with doing that. Yeah.

Let's go back to the Nipsey relationship. No. I hear from some people that are sitting over in the next room that you have the coolest and the craziest nipsy stories of all time. So I definitely want to hear some of those. But FDT was a record. I know I'm going all over the place. But I wrote my notes about that song.

It's like there was an era when Bob Dylan's political and Bob Marley's political and all these people are political. There aren't a lot of genres in the United States that are still political. And a lot of the big stars, they might post something political, but they won't sing about it. They won't rap about it. They just won't go there. And you kind of went straight for the jugular, and he did it with Nipsey, who's like, obviously, you know,

comes from a different gang, a different part of Compton. How did that song come about? How did fuck Donald Trump come about? Yeah. Yeah. So, Nip from South Central. He from South Central. It's like, probably like, 15, 20 miles away.

You know what I'm saying, from each other. But the song fucked Donald Trump. So we was working on an album called Two of America's Most Wanted. And we was in the studio, at Mussel's Studio, I think. Yeah, we was at Mussel's Studio. And we were starting this album, you know what I'm saying? And it was, the concept was two of America's Most Morning. And this was like 2016, like March, we're in the studio.

And we're rapping, you know what I'm saying? We doing like records is really, like the concept was, it's like, me and that, we both gang members, you know what I'm saying? Um, so, you know, it was really fin to talk about, like, just all game shit and really, like, giving people insight and, like, educating them on, on, on a culture, like, updating them on the culture. Um, and then as we doing this album, you know, you feel me, this is the time. Trump, like, announced, like, he was going to run for president. You know what I'm saying? So all this shit was on the news and, like, you know what I'm saying?

There was a whole lot of shit happening and coming out, Trump races and all. It was a thing that happened at a school in Georgia. It was a black college and it was something to happen with a girl up at a rally. And, you know what I'm saying? It was, I forgot exactly what happened. and like what was said, but that thing had happened and, like, we was all just talking.

Like, we were like, yeah, nah, we ain't really, we ain't really fucking with the Trump shit. And, like, everybody was talking like that, you know what I'm saying? So, all this was on the news. So, like, one day I'm like, hey, bro, like, if we're doing an album called Two of America's Most Morning, we got to have a song called Fuck Donald Trump, peer point blank.

And he's like, oh, he's like, yeah, I'm with that. I'm like, yeah, He's like, yeah, hell yeah. Like, you know what I'm saying? Because, like, everybody was talking about this whole Donald Trump thing at the time. So, boom, we ended up leaving the studio. And then I go back to the spot. And then I had this beat in my computer that was slapped.

And I just had it. And I'm like, I'm like, oh, I think this beat of fit this shit. And then I start doing this. Fuck Donald Trump shit We go back to the studio the next day I'm like Nip I think I got it I play him the beat

And I'm like fuck Donald Trump Right And then I'm like Yeah but you should say it though And he like Nah nigga you say it And I'm like nah bro Like you should say it like

And he like bro Say it like that shit's saying hard I'm like already bad So boom the shit I like the hook and niggas is just like oh yeah this shit for the

this shit for the fuck some shit up and then we start doing a verse boom I do my shit he do his and then we like on the last verse we gotta go back and forth and we gotta we gotta you feel me at this time

at this time you know I'm saying Trump was saying like a lot of racist stuff, tourists, like the Mexicans and all that. And at this time, it was nobody who had a platform from the Mexican community really speaking for the Mexicans, like, in a real way, you know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying?

Me and it was like, oh, we're going to speak up for the Mexicans. So, like, we got them, like, peer point blank. We, we fin of speak up. And, yeah, so we did the verses, started them off like that. And then, boom, we playing a song. Song done, we planned it. And then I stopped the music.

I'm like, hey, bro, you really want to put this song out? He's like, yeah, cool. I said, hey, I said, hey, listen, bro. we probably don't get in some trouble we put this song out he's like fuck it can we get in trouble let's put the song out

I'm like all right fuck it like and then we put it out so like I was trying to put it out through death gym you know what I'm saying because I was on us in them and you know what I'm saying

they heard it and was like yeah no we can't put this out yeah we can't put this out I'm like huh so we ended up putting it out ourselves we put it out ourselves bro man that shit started going crazy that's just start going crazy bro we fucking shot

the video it was crazy video shoot was crazy put the song out start moving death jam ended up hey uh yeah so um yeah we figured out the way we can put this out like shit was crazy but yeah that's how that record got made That's awesome. How did you meet Nipsey? I met Nip at 1,500 and another studio, like, 2000. How does that work being in two different gangs? Yeah, so me and the Nipsey thing was never supposed to work. Like, it was never, like, post-a work, you know what I'm saying?

And I think like, so Ranch from 1500 is how me and Nick met because I'm recording with them at their studio. And then Rance told us this later though, but Rance was like, I got to put Nip and YG together. Like they got to, you know what I'm saying, Link. So, Rance told Nip to pull up to the studio when I was up there, and I ain't even know, right? So, boom, that's how me and Nick met. He pulled up. Boom, we met. And I think, like, Nip was fresh.

Like, we both had just got out of jail type shit about it. Like, I think Nip had got out after me or before me some, right? but I think Nick was like fresh out. Boom, we met. And when I was in jail, you know what I'm saying? It was like some Crip niggins up in there. They was all talking about Nip, like, Nip hard, like, ha, like, you feel me? So that's how I heard, like, about Nip.

Like, oh, when I was in the county. So when I met him, I was like, bro, I'm like, yeah, and shit, I know who you is. Like, you know what I'm saying? me, I didn't heard about your shit and all that. I'm like, yeah, bet. You know what I'm saying? So that's how we met. And then, like, we started doing music together after that.

And, yeah, bro, we just, like, we just connected. We connected. And, you know, I'm like four years younger than, bro. So when we, like, Link, you know what I'm saying? And we just start hollering and shit. Like, we was on the same mission at the same time, representing the same place, just two different sides. And then, like, Nick, like, he, like, whoever meet Nip is going to take a liking and just gravitate towards him because he's like, he's not, like, are you going to think you going to see the gang member or that? but then when you meet him, like,

he, that and some, you know what I'm saying, on some other shit. So I just think, like, yeah, bro, it just was like, we just connected and we started doing music, and then, you know what I'm saying, we started, niggas start being at the studio,

doing all that with each other, we start going out. We start, we start, like, you know what I'm saying? It just kept growing, bro. And, um. What's the craziest story you guys have of, of going out.

Going out. Crazy story. All my story, like all my crazy stories is like street shit, you know what I'm saying? That I can't really talk about. But let me see. One of the stories,

Nip got a show, he got a show like downtown. I pull up with a couple of my homies. And this is back when me and Nip first started hanging and people. People didn't like it, you know what I'm saying? Like, I'm saying it was dangerous, you know what I'm saying? People ain't really like it.

So, they tell me to come to his show. And I'm like, oh, shit, there's going to be a whole bunch of cribs. So I'm like, damn, I'm like, fuck it, I'm pulling up. So we pull up. Oh, my God, bro. It's like a hundred's cramps. And I'm like, it's probably like me and, like, I don't know, five or eight homies. and you know like we went red and shit

and it's just like we walk in and it just and it's just like it just get cracked like it's just like you feel the like you feel the energy shit and then you feel me nip like no cause with us kid I'm sick so he with us

I was like what the fuck you feel it was about first time seeing nip like like on that type of shit like pressing the alarm. And then it's a lot of other crazy stories. Like, we used to pull up. Like, me and Nip would get banned from, like, clubs and venues.

Like, the same. If Nip was banned, I was banned. And we was banned for the same fucking reasons. Because, like, the entourage and just everything that came with us pulling up. So, like, we'd be at a spot. Oh, no. Y'all can't get in. Oh man

It just go left You can't tell us we can't get in bro Do not do that Do not do that Bro, it's gonna go left So we used to be outside Tripping on motherfuckers Like bro just let us in

And it's gonna be like This ain't gonna happen Like We had a lot of those stories Um I'm trying to see It's a lot of stories, bro It's a lot of stuff

That I don't want to speak on Because you know what I'm saying You know when you're talking about how dangerous it was. Like, obviously what happened to Nip, what happened to Slim, what happened to, you know, I'm sure you have a long list of people that you've been around that have been killed for things that just shouldn't, it just shouldn't happen. Like how, from us, in a way from like a songwriting perspective,

Like, how do you, how do you stay vulnerable and feel like it's okay to be, how do you, in a way, how are you brave enough to continue to tell your story when you see other people that you've worked with get killed for being who they are? Like, how do you stay brave? Oh, just knowing, like, this's basically all you got. Like, this is all I got. Like, like, if I don't do this and tell my stories, like, what I'm going to go pop? Like, yeah.

Like, what are you going to, like, what you're going to do? Like, you know what I'm saying? It's tough. Like, it's tough, bro. You know what I'm saying? But it's, it's, it's, yeah. like what else you're going to do you know what I'm saying like you're going to go I mean you can do other things but it's like as an artist like that's proud of who they is what they represent

and where they from it's like it's like bro like what you're going what you're going to do I just think like what it did for me is is just watch like who like I'm around more, you know what I'm saying, and things that I'm doing, like, places I'm at and all that. You know what I'm saying? But as far as making the music, keeping it true, you know what I'm saying, to the culture, you know what I'm saying, what it's representing. It's like, he, like, you know what I'm saying?

You really can't change that. I mean, this is 12 years ago. but the video for like bick and back being bull, like that, that's the craziest video because it feels like it's like you're there. Yeah. Have things improved since that?

Things like what, what do you mean? I just like... The culture or me? Yeah, the culture. And, I mean, both. I mean, like, you look at that video, and for those who haven't seen that video, it's, I mean, it's really,

just people should see it. It's telling like a real, real story. It feels like you're there. It feels like you're in this, you're in Compton. Is it, is that culture a safer place in to be, to be a kid, to be, to be at that time, 24 years old? Is it safer to be 24 now than it was 12 years ago in that culture? I mean, crime has dropped. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's dropped for sure but it's like those situations still happen like it's like it's like normal you I'm saying you're hanging out you outside large group of people chilling you got gang wars going on

whoever you beefing with find out child outside hanging out they're going to try to come through it's normal when that happened, you got to go back. You know what I'm saying? That's just, that's the culture, bro. Yeah. That's the culture, but, like, shit has definitely, like, changed and, like, crime has dropped, like, a little bit for sure. When you have songs that are...

you know, right now there's like, there's sort of like the cultural hits and the stuff that's on like rap, radio or rap playlist. And then there's stuff that's crossing over. And this is a lot of your career, some of the stuff like Feetru and Jeremiah or whether it's the, you know, my hitta or whatever it is where you're experiencing that. Does it feel different when it's something that crosses? crosses over or can you see the difference in your crowds when you're performing? Can you see anything different? Oh, yeah, no, it feels different. It feels different. It looked different.

It's different for sure. Tell me about the day you wrote Mahita. Yep, so My Hidda, so must have made the beat out here. It was like 2013. And, um, like we vibed. to the beat. And then I had the concept. I'm like, my nigga, like, my nigga, my nigga.

No, you know, I ride for my motherfucking niggies. Like, and so I had that concept in my head. But I didn't do nothing with it. And then we had went to Atlanta to really lock in on the album. And then, um, muster playing the beat. And Gizi was at the show. studio at this time. And like, you know what I'm saying?

We starting up the album and must have playing beats. He played that shit. And then we vibing out. And I'm like, yeah, I got an idea. You know what I'm saying? It's this song. And then Jizzy, like, you got to get Rich Homi Kwan up over here right now. I'm like, shit, call her. Like, you for the A?

So, Jizzi had Rich Homi Kwan pull up. And then we went up in the other little side room And I gave rich homie Quine the concept But of my nigger's shit And then he just went crazy with that shit You know what I'm saying He went crazy Did verse

Like I did my shit And then Gigi like yeah You feel me This the one I'm gonna hop on I'm like already back And yeah that's how that shit happened bro It's a big record Yeah

Big Bank's huge too, man. I mean, to have those four people on a record is legendary. That also seems like a headache trying to get all those people together on a record. It seems like a lot of teams. And how does a song with you, Two Chains, Big Sean and Nikki Minaj actually come out? Um, it really wasn't really a headache like that, you know what I'm saying? You know, I've been knowing two chains for, but when they, when his name was Titty Boy, you know what I'm saying? Um, yeah.

What? Yeah, yeah. I didn't know that. Yeah, yeah. This is news to me, and this is fantastic. And I appreciate this news. Keep going? Yeah, so.

Yeah, I was knowing two trains for a long time. And then Big Sean, been knowing Big Sean since the, I'm saying, a long time, too. And so, and shit, when I sent it to them, you feel me, that was, like, fast. And then, you know, like, we sent it to Nikki. And we was waiting on Nikki for, like, a little, like, some little time. And like we was going to put the song out with me and Tuchin's and Big Shot, I think. And then Nikki finally tapped in and was like, no, don't put this shit out without me on that motherfucker. Hold the fuck on.

And I'm like, oh, shit. I'm like, all right, bet. We're waiting. And then, yeah, it came through. And yeah, that motherfucker came out. like at the media no video put that thing out

I think Big Sean featured on one record of mine and I had one song with Nicky and they're like I don't know they're just legends man yeah for sure when you're writing are you writing on on your phone on a pad

in your head phone phone laptop shit I like had why shit in my head But I got to, like, if it's in my head, I got to get it on a voice note because if not, you know, that shit going to be gone. Can you recite, like, once a song comes out, because obviously you just have so many records that have come out. Like, do you have a great memory?

Can I, if you're saying, you know, this stuff off of my crazy life, can you recite those lyrics? Or do you have to refresh that stuff? No, most of the my crazy life joints I can recite. But I Like the hits You know what I'm saying The hits So it's like

We all recite that shit Because I perform it all the time But um Like the album joints Like I probably have to refresh A little bit Do you get stage right All the time

Really? Before every time I walk on that motherfucker I think every artist Do bro Right Like Like Where does it come from?

What are you scared of? It's just regular. You're gonna walk on stage. All lies on you. It's like, ooh, it's regular, but it's like, it's a part of like, you get stage fright, but it's normal. Like, it's like, that's a part of it. It's like, yep, I'm gonna get ready to go out.

I'm feeling, I'm gonna be nervous for like, that time I'm walking to the side of stage, on the side of the stage, but as soon as you hit that stage top and you out there, it's like, yeah, I'm here. What's up? Like, it's go time now.

Yeah, there's something about, I always say, like, I like having performed. I feel that way about, like, writing songs. Like, I like having written a song. Like, some of it's, some of it's hard. It's just hard to do. But once you're on stage, like, it's easy to turn it on. For some reason, it's like, you go extra hard because you're like, well, it's the only way you deal with it. I'm here now.

You're either going to be the kind of person who goes on stage and they're so nervous they clam up and they're like, cower, you're the guy's like, this is my stage. When did you realize you could perform? Man, performing, like, people always tell me I could perform since I started doing, like,

since I started performing, you know what I'm saying? Because you were in the studio first, if the first thing you did was a distraction. But I was in the parties, though. And so I come from, like, and I was one of the kids that was at all the parties, all the parties, all the ghetto hood shit, high school shit, whatever.

I was at the parties, you know what I'm saying? So having a good time and turning up and like dancing and shit, like, yeah, I was one of them kids, you know what I'm saying? So I think that shit translates to, like, me being able to, like, perform. What does YG at 36 understand about L.A. YG at 20 didn't. About L.A.

L.A. L.A., like you're talking about L.A., Los Angeles. We're talking about, like, Los Angeles County, the city, the point, or we're talking about the, like, the hood, the streets. Let's do both. Both.

We'll start with the hood. The hood, the hood. It's nobody's bigger than a program. You know what I'm saying? Nobody's bigger than a program. Brown. Or the streets don't love nobody. You know what I'm saying?

Like you be in love with the streets. Like, in love with the streets and the culture. And, yeah, that shit don't love you back. And, you know, you get told that as a young man. Like, you get told that your parents tell you that. Family tell you that. Certain homies, older homies tell you that.

and you always like always brush it off and think like oh you just old you just saying some old motherfucker shit and then life happens and it's like damn everything he was telling me was right like you know what I'm saying um being 20 and being now being 36 I know now or what I didn't know back then being from L.A., you can live eight different lives or eight different cultures. You can live the beach life, Malibu, like all that,

Santa Monica. You can do all that and be in that world. You can be in the valley. You can be the valley. shit you can do the valley shit you know I'm saying you can do the

you can do the Hollywood like shit you know I'm saying you can play the streets you can you can be you can do the

the skateboard scene you can do the Hollywood the lights camera action like I want to be an actress actor and it really happened, you know what I'm saying? You can go 45 minutes south and be in Newport Beach living that life. Like, it's so many different, like, lives you can live in L.A., you know what I'm saying?

And it's all, like, in the same. Like, if I want to leave here and go do play Malibu, it's going to take me, like, 45 minutes, you know what I'm I'm saying. If I want to live here and go do Newport Beach, it's going to take me 45 minutes to an hour. If I want to go and do some, like, it's all, like, close, you know what I'm saying? But you can live, like, a whole, like, all these different, like, lives and shit. Being out here, but when you young and you grow up where you grow up at, you think, you feel me, that's all it is. And you're stuck in that world.

and then what I learned when I got older it's like you know what I'm saying people be like you ain't never live nowhere else

you ain't never I said nah I brought in LA my whole time like I didn't went and I didn't went to record music like in other places

but like moving like really moving nah I never really did that and like you know what I'm saying how do you like how do you do that

and I'm like I can live eight different lives in this one city. Like, I don't need. I got the beach. I got the mountains. Like, big bear. Like, like, what are you talking about?

Like, I saw it the Newport Laguna and it felt like you can cabal or some shit. Like, it's like, what are we talking about? Like, I grew up, obviously, in Chicago. And I remember somebody saying to my parents, like, if he moves west, like, he's not coming back. And it was this, like, thing. There's just, like, ego about California that people outside of California hate. And then he moved to Alabama. and like you can see mountains from that from where we're sitting right now.

And if you go up on that street right there, you can see the ocean. Exactly. Like literally right here we can see mountains and ocean and wineries and skiing and like music and sports and like whatever you want. It's like there's a reason why there's an ego here. And it's just it's tough. Once you're here, it's hard to argue against it. Yeah, bro. That sunshine tax is maybe worth it.

the new album, I know we keep talking about it, but that's because it's really good. One of my favorite phases, when Tyler the Creator does, you know, tears this like whisper track, and he's like, I can't whisper it. First thing he says, just made me so happy because you're like, you just know what it's like to be in a studio when you're like, how do I see myself in this song? And here's this like, one, I don't know how you do it. because nobody can whisper that law and not like pass out.

No, for sure. For sure. On God, when I heard that shit, I was like, oh, bro, it's crazy. But he did some tidal creditor shit. Like, he just came whole opposite. Like, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. It's really fun to have conversations with people who are authentically themselves.

And I appreciate the fact that from the beginning, you've been a storyteller, even in the songs that are, like, meant to be, you know, like these positive, like, we're just having fun. Like, Tudh and Buddha is not supposed to be something. It's nowhere near what we're talking about. We're talking about Hit Man as far as, like, the meaning behind it. And, like, what does that mean?

And, you know, the collaborations you've had and the along the path have just been iconic, It's really been fun to watch, man. It's exciting to have you on the podcast, so thanks for being here. Thank you, man. Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

What song did we not talk about that we should talk about? Off the album? Sure. I'm glad you talked about hitman because that's like my favorite rap record off the album, like album, hip-hop, rap, storytelling. It's definitely hitman. A lot of our viewers love hearing stories about songs, of course,

because that's the coolest shit in the world, how these songs are made. So I'm going to just go through a couple songs. I just want to hear some stories around them. All right, all right. Don't tell them with Jeremiah. How does that song come about? And that's a huge record. Don't tell them came about.

Sigelmore brought that record to me. And at the time, Sycamore was my ANR, and he was Jeremiah ANR, and he was a little dirt ANR at DevJamp. And he brought me that record, like, right when I was starting to work on my next album, my crazy life. He's like, hey, look, I got a play for you, I have a record for you, while we work on this album, I got something. you know what I'm saying you know what I'm saying out of move I'm like all right

bet man what's up he played it I said ooh I said yeah I said alright bet I'm from going to walk this and um yeah we put it out and then funny story about this record right

they like hey he's trying to shoot the video I'm like all right so boom we do all the video shit I pull up to the video Jermah never come you know what I'm saying

the video don't come out Jamar never pull up you know what I was up there for like some hours like bro what's going on Jamar you owe me one that's crazy who do you love with Drake

yeah video's sick yeah yeah how did that song come about um that song came about so muster had the beat. He played the beat in the studio

when I was in Atlanta working on an album. And that beat, when I heard it, you know what I'm saying? I couldn't figure it out. So I was like, yeah, this shit, bane, but I can't figure it out. But then Sycamore heard it. And he was like, bro. He's like, you got to do this beat. Like, you got to do this beat.

And I was, like, working on, like, we worked on that song for, like, like some months and we had like people trying to write hooks Torrey lanes did a hook we had like writers doing hooks and I'm like

nah these ain't it these ain't it and then we came back to L.A and you know what I'm saying he's like bro you gotta figure this song out so I just like

we just sat in the studio for like two days just working on that song and then um you all I was like, I think I got something. And then boom, I laid the hook.

So, okay, hold on, I missed the part. Before I started really working on the hook and said I had sent the beat, you know, I'm saying, the Drake. And I'm like, hey, you know what I'm saying? This is a joint. And then he was like, yeah, this shit slap. And I'm like, hey, do a hook. And he was like, nah, I think you should do it.

you know what I'm saying so it's your record I'm like I bet like I feel that like so then you know what I'm saying that's when we went to go and work on a record and it took a nigga like three like three months to really figure it out and then when I finally figured it out

like I did my verse and I had of the hook I sent it over and then like yeah yeah this shit and then he hopped on it I've worked with mustard once It was a long time ago Was it sort of a different A different phase of his life and whatnot?

Yeah You've got so much of your discography has mustard on it Yeah, mustard on need some more beats, nigga I'll put us on a text chain Yeah, put us on the text In case you guys haven't been talking I'll just Well, just be a three of us

I don't know him No, I'll play Is it you who said mustard on the beat? Yeah, yeah, yeah It's pretty crazy. What's your relationship with Musa like right now? Oh, that's my bro. You guys have really gone through the whole journey together.

It's wild. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, that's my bro. What makes his beats hit so hard? Because it's like that thing where I think, you know, when people see actors and they're like, oh, I can do that. You know, like, I could do this movie. I could do that scene.

It's like, no, that took years. of like, of going to acting class and doing that. Yeah. Mustard beats are like that I can make these beats and no one can make these beats. Why is it that he made, like, what is it about mustard beats that are so good? It's a lot of things that are going to. I feel like, I feel like, well, what I know, shit that I know is one of the things is, for one. And this is not all DJs, so that's how you know much is special.

But for one, he's a DJ, you know what I'm saying? And he grew up DJing local parties, and his uncle is DJT. And he grew up with DJing and doing all that shit, like Snoop and all them, like everybody from the West, you know what I'm saying? So like Uncle T used to have mustard, like at these parties, must have got pictures of him at snooping them parties. When his uncle was DJing, he got pictures him as a baby, like, at the parties. You know what I'm saying?

Like, so it's like, like, mustard DNA, like, is different, right? And he had DJ, so, like, what I learned, while like muster shit so special but every DJ don't got this you know what I'm saying by the way because it's like a nigga didn't work with DJs who make beats right but like muster know what people want to hear like in the LA party you know what I'm saying he know what they want to hear the tempo you know I'm saying the sounds you know what I'm saying and it got I feel like it got a lot to do with him being a DJ but also him growing up, like, in that world, seeing that shit.

And then, you know, like, we spent time on doing my shit. Like, simplicity was always, like, my shit. Like, you know what I'm saying? And then, like, Ty also taught mustard, like, a lot of shit about producing, you know what I'm saying? And muster took his, his, um, what he learned from Ty and put his own twist on it. And then, you know, Musta been doing this shit for 15 plus years at this point.

You know what I'm saying? So Mustard is also like a nerd with the music shit too. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like he'd be in the studio. Like, like he'd be in the studio. Like he'd really be in the studio. You know what I'm saying? So that and I'm probably leaving out more shit.

But, but yeah, bro, like, like, mustard shit is different. I used to special, you know? I work with producers and motherfuckers send me beats that sound like mustard. And I'd be like, bro, this shit is not in. Like, this shit is not in, duh. A lot of producers, like, can make trap music

and it's like, like, it sounds like good. Like, but, bro, it ain't too many motherfuckers, you know what I'm saying. that can make the West Coast modern sound, like in it sound authentic. Man, I appreciate you doing the podcast. Appreciate you for having me, duh. There you go.