Artist Friendly with Joel Madden - Morray

Episode Date: March 19, 2025

On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden is joined by Morray. Morray experienced a rapid come up, including a feature on J. Cole’s 2021 album, The Off-Season, and receiving a Grammy nomination for that very song. Following a four-year break, where the Fayetteville-born MC was unable to release new music, Morray shared his second album, Long Story Short, in February. In conversation with Joel, he opens up about fatherhood, working with J. Cole, the importance of transparency in the music industry, and his triumphant return. ------- Listen to their Artist Friendly conversation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.⁠⁠⁠ ------- Follow Artist Friendly! IG: @artist.friendly TikTok: @artist.friendly YouTube: youtube.com/@artist.friendly ------- Host: Joel Madden, @joelmadden Executive Producers: Joel Madden, Benji Madden, Jillian King Producers: Josh Madden, Joey Simmrin, Janice Leary Visual Producer/Editor: Ryan Schaefer Audio Producer/Composer: Nick Gray Music/Theme Composer: Nick Gray Cover Art/Design: Ryan Schaefer Additional Contributors: Anna Zanes, Neville Hardman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey, what's up? I'm Joe Madden, and this is artist-friendly. On this episode, I'm talking with two-time Grammy-nominated rapper, multi-platinum singer and songwriter, Moray. Let's go. I don't want no bad times. I don't want to have bad.

Yeah, that's crazy. How's it going? God damn. I was just talking about you. All right. Oh, yeah? Hope it was all good. No, it's all great.

I'm trying to tell you. which is a part of my early childhood going, really? Really? What? Early mornings, get ready to go to alternative school?

Yeah. Good Charlotte, come on MTV? Yeah. We all side. That's fantastic. No, that's crazy, bro. That's good.

No, that's crazy. He really here. Yeah. I'm happy you're here. No, I appreciate that, bro. I appreciate you coming. I don't know if it's the weed, but like, it's like...

It might be a little bit above... This kind of fire, bro. Like, shit. I feel like that's how life's supposed to feel. Yeah. Good. The only way I'm... want to live. That's how I live every single day. Yeah, I can tell. Yeah, I don't celebrate 420 because

every day is 420. Every day. Every day. That's why you don't celebrate Valentine's Day because every day is, you're supposed to be. Come on now. If you're like us. Come on now. If you're like us. If you're smart. Yeah, if you're smart. You're smart. And you have a joy for living. No, I do. You know? Yeah. If you have a joy for living, then you're always doing things that you're, enjoy. Yeah. That's actually, if you have a joyful living, you always do things that you enjoy. And I like to be, I like to live. That's a bar. Yeah, it is bar. That's a bar. I have a lot of bars. I know. That's a bar. The truth about life is that most people don't reach any level of enlightenment. So they're stuck in like almost like their own, the prison. Yeah. Prisons of their own

design. Not for sure. Like it could be poverty. It could be drugs. It could be mental. It could be any kinds of addictions. It could be anything that has a negative effect on your life versus a positive one. Because you could be addicted to great things. You could be addicted to working. Like, you work a lot.

I'm addicted to working. The studio for me, I ain't going to lie to you, don't seem like work to me. I can really be in that mouth for 24 hours. Exactly. Fall asleep, wake up, keep doing music. Like, bro, like, that's what I said, this shit don't feel like work.

Like, I'm sitting over here. But technically this. This is my job. You could be like, this is crazy. But technically this is work. Yeah, but it's the fun work. But it's not work. It's not, bro.

That's what I said. You said, you find joy in the thing that you enjoy. That's what I said. I enjoy this shit so much. Yeah. Bro, I'm early to everything. Yeah. Like, no cap.

You were today. Bro, I think I'm the only rapper in rap history that nigs got to tell me like, hey, you don't want to come a later? Yeah. Bro, you're like, you'll be here at 1.45 for 2 o'clock. Yeah, because I'm a grown-ass man. Yeah. I'm actually the same.

Same way. Yeah, bro, I love respecting people's time. Yeah, me too. I think that's what gives me joy. When somebody sees me here, like, oh, shit, you here? Okay. Well, shit. And now the dates just starts fine.

Yeah. But if I came 15 minutes late, it's like, hey, you ready? Yeah. Energy would have been trash. Bro, that's why I like being a good person. I was like being a good fucking person. Yeah. Yeah.

That's it. Do good shit. Be a good person. Good, good money. Right. Make money. Okay. That's fun.

But that's the thing is making money. I was raised in an environment where money was the root of all evil. Okay, come on now. Right. And so I understand the concept of what that means in the biblical sense of what that means. But I understand what it means, but I don't think God doesn't want us to go forth and be great. And what happens when you go forth and you achieve greatness? Well, you make money.

Yeah. It's one of the scorecards. Yeah, for sure. I agree. I really think it's depend on your thought of what you feel it means. Right. The money, money itself isn't the root of all evil. Right.

It's what people do for it. Yeah. It's what they do with it. That's what makes it evil. Right. Money is here to sustain us. It's a poll to take care of us. But if you're spending your money on junk food, now you're gluttonous.

If you're spending money on drugs, now you're doing that. You're spending money on hit men. You're killing us. people with whatever wherever you're spending your money on you can literally buy anything how you use it but say you got a hundred dollars you buy your family something to eat you got like 10 dollar throw each somebody on the street you give it to them your money just made sense yeah like that's what i'm saying like just pay it forward like don't make your money evil but make a lot of it yes make it as heavenly as possible yeah be blessed and i think anything that you acquire money power

notoriety. So fame, anything you can acquire by doing things. It is what you do with it and who you become while you possess it. Not for sure. So we find out who we are. It exposes who we are. It makes you show everybody exactly who you really are. The person is underneath all the, uh-huh.

The money, once you get that bread, the uh-huh, goes away. Yeah. It's never what they think you are is they know who you are now. It's not, okay, well, he might be, no, he's going to be upset. Yeah. Don't do that because he's going to be, because he's going to tell you,

I don't fucking like this. This sounds bad. Oh, now, like, no cap. My first, like, story, bro. No bullshit. Please. My first, like, couple months in the game,

I'm super soaking wet. So I'm like, super nice, super humble. I'm like, yeah, whatever. That motherfucker fucking check hit? I'm like, hold on. I bought me a house,

a new car. I got some chicken. Now it's like, I don't like this beat. It's not good for my ear. Yeah. Like weird shit. I was like,

it took me like a couple of months realize like, bro, get out of this nasty shit, bro. You're a hood digger. Like, go back to yourself. Well, it's awkward growing pains of coming into our own power. Yeah. That way we can have moments. Yeah. And I'm okay with moments because I've had my moments too. Come on now. Where I was like, I never felt important. I never felt powerful. I never felt. And now I do. And now I do. So how do I act. Well, and if you're around a couple of the wrong people, and then you have a bad example, you have your moments.

And I think at the core of your being, if something doesn't feel right, you can't continue to do it. It's not sustainable. I mean, but I think it's a difference between abusing it and using it. Absolutely. Using your power to empower yourself is amazing. Using your power to empower other people is amazing. If you're using your power to say things like, they're eating the dogs.

that is the wrong way to use your fucking power. But there's a way to really elevate yourself in your power. Like, you know what? I have so much that I don't have to step on nobody. Right. I can give it out and I can assert myself in different ways. Yeah. I mean, I think however you use your power,

as long as your power is making you powerful without making people feel less powerful, yeah. You won. And my power is to smile in the midst of everything. Yeah. Whether it's bad or good, I may cry, but after that, that tear,

bro I'm back to being happy again that's my superpower my superpower is fine and joy in the middle of everything yeah I don't give a fuck what's happening the world is all it's been bad it's never been good it's always been yeah the worst it gets the more it brings me to say I trust me right I trust God I trust my faith I trust my people

people that surround me it helps me get stronger in my people and in what I believe in yeah I don't care about getting worse because I still feel good I'm not tripping yeah less yeah and I'm happy yeah I get that for me you appreciate that i really like your lyrics that's fire yeah you're a good writer that's crazy like hey it's click to me it isn't just uh copy paste run of the mill this is what you say yeah it feels like you're telling stories um i was i was i was really excited excited to talk to you the first

time i heard you i was in when i was introduced to you as an artist was on that um track with 21 savage and Jay Cole. And Jay Cole is one of my favorites. Come on now. That's OG. That's big bro for real. He's truly, to me, one of the greats. Nah, for real. That's one of the youngest old niggas I've met my life. His face so young. But he's 40. But he's just got like wisdom. He's, he's master Yoda for sure. Yeah. Bro, talking to him is like, are you wise that one? Like he really give you like that vibe. Yeah. The way you talk about him is how he talked to you. He talks to you in like riddles. Right. It's super crazy how he just jumps. So you thought that was a good. idea? Okay, what about that idea, make you thought it was a good idea? And did you think about

that idea before you had it or was there something? I'm like, okay, is it wrong or right? I don't even know what to think now. Like, he's, he's so smart, bro. It's crazy. Yeah. So the accomplishment, though, is to be on a song with two artists who have years on you, have accomplished what they have in the world. So to be able to go on to a piece of art with two other artists, and hold your own and fill it up with them and it's not awkward. Yeah. It's actually very hard to do. No, yeah.

Most of the time when you hear, that's why it works so well. That's why I think so many people probably loved it. But there's a subtleness to an artist being themselves amongst other artists that are great. If they can hold their own there and be themselves there and it's not awkward, that to me is when you go, okay, that guy's going to be around. Yeah. Coahen, he actually helped me with the hook. That's why I think Kim crossed so well as well, because we worked together.

Right. I went to his crib in the basement and we was in the studio. And, like, we went over how I wanted to do it versus how he wanted to do it. We mixed our ways and we tried different ways. And it was eight takes of this one line and seven takes to this second line and which line sounds better and double as four times. And, you know, it was really us coming together and, like, making it sounds good. Like, sounds as good as we possibly can. Like, his ear for music, bro, is.

incredible. So it was just a blessing to be on that song with him and 21 Savage. Like, I was able to be on stage with them and sing the song with them and link with them. And what? I'm shaking hands in the back of the stadiums of 30,000 people with somebody I listened to before I got famous. Before I was on, I'm playing your music. And I'm like, oh, we get to hang out. It's past the blood.

This is crazy. Yeah. It's fire day. Yeah. That's special. That is really special. And that's what a career is full of, is special moments. things like that, but you have to be able to be you.

No, yeah. To where are you from? North Carolina. Okay. Fayetteville, baby. You said, where in North Carolina? Fairville, 26. What was that like?

It was, it was, uh, fable small. Yeah. It wasn't always the best, but I love what I learned from where I grew up. You know what I mean? Whether it was hard, whether it was good, everybody has good and bad times, but I learned how to be a man there. Yeah. And that's why I claim it.

I don't care where. else I ever lived, I was born in New York City. Okay. But I was raised there and I felt like because I became a man, had children, got married, made better decisions and became the person I was supposed to be, I have to claim that place. I mean, I have so much love and like aspirations for it to be better. So I'm an amena. And like my music, my cabello can be with me and has to be able to be able to continue my rhythm. For so, Potion Nine, of Sebastian Professional, has all what my

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on Shopify.com S bar records Yeah So you're married with kids? No, I'm divorced with kids

Okay, okay way better two different things Way better Well, yeah It is good if you can do it well

Yeah You know, like divorcing and getting that right can be tough, you know, can be a very, especially how old were you when you got married? Well, I've been married twice. Oh, yeah. You're a lover. Yeah, for sure. Yeah.

Teddy Barrier. Just trying to be honest. It sucks, bro. Just trying to make it honest. I hate it, bro, because you got to be tough on the streets with these girls, they get me. Yeah, but that's okay. Don't ever apologize for that. Yeah, but no, it's a difference between, you know, wanting to be God and getting got.

You get God. Yeah, most men, we kind of want to be God. Like, go here. Every now and then. Me, I don't be no one. I'll be full-fledging love. Yeah, yeah. Like, I fool don't even know.

Me too. And I'd be like, oh, oh, you're crazy. I did not know you were like this. Yes. I'm over here rubbing feet and you over here plotting and scheming. Yeah. What the hell? Wow.

Yeah. It's just different. It's just very toxic. It's tough out there. It is. I'm the same. I will get got very easily. Yes.

The last girl that got me, it still has me. for 18 years. See, you got me. You were smart. You wanted to get got. You think you slick. See, this is one of the situations.

I want to get got so you got me. See, women think we're on game. We won't get us. Yeah. Oh, yeah, baby, you tame me. I don't do anything else. I just want you. Yeah.

Because I want to want you. Yeah. But no, relationships is hard. It's tough. It's very tough. How old are you? I'm 32.

Okay. Young. Yeah. Just a young man. You fucking heard it. I'm 45. What? Yeah, well, 46 when this airs.

Well, say that. Which birthday? March 11. Oh, my daughter's birthday is March 16th. Oh, that's good. That's crazy. Pisces. That's crazy.

That's who's who? That's probably why I fuck with you, bro. You're, yeah. Mommy, my baby girl. Yeah, baby. Nothing like daughters. Whoa, they'll change your life. I have a 17-year-old daughter.

See, I have a, about to be 12 when this airs. Yeah. She should be 12. Yeah, it's the best, man. My daughter is number one. The best? It's hard work. It's like having another.

wife. It is. That's funny. I was going to say that. When they're younger, it's cute. When they get older, it's like, oh, you're demanding. Right around right around 12, 13. I'm here. It just turns and they suddenly start bossing you around. Like not in a cute

way. It's a lot. Yeah. This is the key when they're under 10. They're trying to stop that admission. 12? That motherfucker's perron. It's going crazy. Hey, Daddy, I seen this on this site. Oh my God, these shoes. Hey, lip gloss? What? Okay, listen. I'm not even ready for you to grow up this fast.

No, stop. You're getting your nails done? I want to cry. Yeah. I'm not that tough. I'm not ready for that. This is crazy. And it goes.

Like, yeah. She's 17. It's been four years of this, five years of this, like change. Yeah. Where she's like a woman and she bosses, she bosses me around, but not in a cute. It is cute. It kills me every time. But it's a bit more fierce.

Yes. Like if she's mad at me, my life actually alters. Yes. Whereas when, you know, kids mad, they pout, whatever. But if your daughter's mad at you, have you fought the silence before? Yes. The silence sucks. Like, I'm a black parent.

Y'all know, if you know black parents, but I'm a new age black parent. Right. So I'm a little different. What's that? What's a new age black parent? So new age black parent is understanding you don't got to do it the way that it was done to you. Right. So have a little bit more like little leash, a little leeway.

Yeah. My daughter runs with that, though. Yeah. Like I'll talk about full blown mile. It's like, hey, baby, girl. I called you yesterday. Read my text. Don't reply.

Oh, I'm left on red. Yeah. This is crazy. Me too. I'm calling. Oh, you're not answering. Oh, this is, this is correct. I call your brother.

Oh, she's in the room. Tell me to get on the phone. Go give her your phone. Oh, hey, dad, until you called me, there's no way you didn't see you saw. You saw. I literally, listen, on my kid's phone, they have to, when they download apps,

it comes to my phone first. I have to approve. I don't care. I don't care. Because it's really about the in-app. Churches. Yeah. It's that.

And what you're trying to download. Right. You're trying to download like X and shit. We're not going crazy because Twitter's crazy. Yeah. But, um, no, but it's like you're on your phone. You just sent me an app to approve. Yeah.

I know you see this fucking text. You didn't reply to my text. So why are you he texting me? Oh, I didn't see it. I was shopping. And then when they do text you, you're like, oh my God, that's so sweet. And then it's like, boom. Hey, can you get me?

For sure. It's, it's, bro. My daughter asked me when my birthday was, right? Yeah. For one, you don't know. It's sad. I won't say anything. Okay, I told her my birthday.

She was like, oh, okay, I'm trying to figure out if you got enough time to get me something so you do so you go about yourself and then you did that. So you were being sweet enough to say we're farther enough apart for you to get a bigger gift and you don't want it to affect my birthday. Yeah, that's thoughtful. I don't know. Only daughters. Thank you.

Only daughters. Yeah. I appreciate your kindness. And yet, we love them. Yeah. What? I mean, it's my baby girl. What? That's my, that's my stink of butt.

That's the thing is I don't know if she realizes any time I get in the way of her plans or her, it's more my concern. Yeah. Just want to know where you're going. How are you getting there? I want to make sure everything's good so that I can not be 10 times more worried than I already am going to be no matter what. That's true. And the tug of war is always like, why are you like even, why are you, like, even?

Why are you even questioning? I'm not questioning. I'm just, I trust my daughter. She's smart. She's good. She is good. But I still want to know. You're a dad.

That's it. It's in our blood to be like, where are you? Because there might be crazies around. That's nothing to do with what you're doing. Nothing. I raised you. Yeah. I know you are locked in.

Yeah, you're good. We're good. But that boy, who I didn't raise, maybe off his rocker. I don't know if his mother or father raised him right. Who knows? Maybe he's a put something in a drink person. Exactly. I don't know who this guy is.

That's how we think. Chad, Brad, lad, his dad didn't teach him shit. Yeah. Stay away from mine. Yeah. That's why we're crazy. You know, and they're growing up and they're becoming young women. So they're like, oh, I'm free.

Yes, you are. Baby girl, you can do whatever you want. Just tell me. Yeah. Where are you? Yeah. That's all. Just a check in.

Just a check in. Just a check in. I'm not going to be like, oh, you're with. Just for safety precautions. That's it. Where are you staying there? Where are you? Yeah, that's it.

It's funny. But, you know, I would say we're in the same generation of dads. I think that we're up, like you said, I think we're a different generation. Like, we talk to our kids. Yes. I don't go, well, I put food on the table and a roof over your head. That's my job. The worst.

No, it's, I actually care how you feel. I care about, are you having a good experience in this life that we're living together? we're sharing and I want to be connected. I don't want to, like, I don't want to control. I want my kids to go and figure it out by themselves, but I want to be a number one support, protector if I need to be, but also just like their guy.

Okay. You know what I mean? See, okay, I like that. The call they make. See, me, I want a little control. Yeah. Like your life until you are 21 years old, Treat it like I'm co-signing with a car.

Right. Before 21, we're co-signing your life. That's right. Whatever decision you make, let's make it together. I feel that. Let's figure out together. Yeah. So I can say, hey, maybe this isn't the smartest because daddy did that and daddy failed.

Right. Let me help you get past daddy. Get there for 21. You're in college. You are grown. I bought you a car. I made you get you an apartment. Live your life, baby.

Yeah. Before 21, but we're co-signing. At 21, it's fully yours. You live whatever life you choose to. But before that, let me guide you. Because a child with no guidance is the worst. Yes. We have rules.

Yeah. But that's your only, like my kids always tell them, your only job is to follow our rules. The only job. And as it pertains to that, go live your life. But like, we got to, yeah, yeah, I agree with you. I think we have, I think we're in the same page. Like, we both want to say, hey, you can live it.

but I got to be connected to. Let me just know what's going on. I just want to be in the know. Being in the dark with your kids is the worst. It's the worst. It's like, for one, like, I'm responsible for your life. And now that some of your life I don't know, it's like I feel like, okay, shit,

I got to figure what's going on. Because why are you not in college anymore? Why are you hang out with this person? They're weird. Why are you, you shouldn't be in the situation. Okay, I understand you're about to be 21, we're drinking, but why are you drinking at this area, in this place at this time? Let's figure it out.

I ain't saying, don't do it. I'm saying, let's be, you're going. smart. There's a way to do it. Let's be smart. Just be smart. Because Daddy got high at 14. I got drunk. At 16, I understand the vibe. Let's protect you. I got drinks in the house. When did you move to North Carolina?

I moved to North Carolina, like around like eight fully, but between birth and eight, it was back and four between there and New York. Okay. Why was that? Fully eight. My dad's from New York. My mom's from New York. My dad's family is in North Carolina. Okay. So when they got pregnant, I guess they just left New York and went to... Right.

My dad always had some shit going on. So I don't know. He had to leave. So we had to leave. So he type of shit. And then we just came back and forth and from 8 to 12, I'm in North Carolina, 12 to 18 Pennsylvania, 18 to now, North Carolina. Okay. Where in Pennsylvania?

Lebedon, Pennsylvania. Okay. When they hear this shit, anybody from there, don't fucking talk to me. You don't fucking talk to me. Okay? It's a small town and they know me. Yeah. Don't.

It's not far from Maryland. Well, that's where I'm from. Oh, okay. It's not, it's, east coast. Yeah, is it more like Pittsburgh? It's more like Harrisburg. Harrisburg. Yeah.

I'm like Harrisburg, Lancaster type of vibe. Not far from Maryland. It's not that far. It's a good little drive. We played a lot of shows up there. Two, three blunts and you can get there. Yeah. For sure.

Yeah. Pennsylvania. And then my, actually, my dad's family was from North Carolina as well. What part? So I used to go down there for the summers. Goldsboro. Oh, it's so many boroughs, but Goldsboro's fire. Yeah.

It's clear. I like, girl's decent. Yeah. They were, shot at Goldsboro. Farmers. Yes. We would go and stay on this farm like in the summertime. It's quiet, though.

It's quiet. It's a lot of space. It's very, very rural. Yeah, it's like six hour drive from Maryland. And there's nothing in between a lot of stuff. So it's good. North Carolina is nice. I like North Carolina.

I love North Carolina. I think we a little bit behind the times. Sometimes. You know, Cap. I think we can. For sure. speed it up. Yeah.

Until today. Other than that, I love North Carolina. I love the food. The people, the camaraderies. I love good hospitality. Even though it ain't always real, North Carolina's southern people, it gets to be lying. It's not always a southern hospitality. Right.

But, you know, we fake it very well. Yeah. Yeah. And so are you still in North Carolina? No, I'm actually in L.A. Oh, great. Come on now. L.A. for music is number one.

It just makes sense. Like, the label that I'm partnered with is out here in California. some of the best studios, people, there's so much stuff you can run into, so much opportunities out here.

This is it. Bro, I'm here. Yeah. I live here too. Going crazy. I live here too. I have for 20 years.

Yeah. Oh, and I would say for music, it's L.A., Nashville, Miami. New York is cool,

but it's not like it used to be for music. Like, it's cool. But L.A., it's like everything's happening. For me,

I feel like My place where I feel like, in my heart, that music sounds the best and feels the best when I recorded Atlanta. Oh, yeah, Atlanta. Why didn't I say Atlanta? I ain't go a lot. Like, Atlanta to me, whenever I record in Atlanta, it's just a great song. It just feels like, fuck here, this is how I'm supposed to sound. I would even, I would say, you're right. I would say, I don't know why I didn't say Atlanta. L.A. and Atlanta are the two most. Going crazy. And then Nashville is on like the country rock thing.

Not messing hard, though. Shibuzi. Shibuzi is. Yeah, yeah. From Virginia. Yeah, for real. I like you busy. I thought you're from Nashville. No, but he went to Nashville and started making music and stuff, I think, but he's actually a DMV guy.

Come on now. East Coast. Yeah. So I always root for the guys from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia because that was like our. Logic. Yeah, logic. Come on now. Yeah.

One of my favorite for sure. I love logic. Well, he goes crazy, bro. Who we never met? Bro, I've talked to him on the phone. I think we've even FaceTime. Yeah. But I've never met him.

He's cool. But, bro, I'm saying like. Big fan. I listen to a lot of his shit. Like, if you go to my creep and I'm cleaning up, you'll hear, fuck it with me now. Yeah. Fucking with me now.

I don't know where. What do you think that the first 18 years of your life, what would you say impacted your approach to fatherhood? Honestly, I think the lack there of. Right. You know what I mean? I think because my dad was wrapped up in a lot of stuff that, you know, probably was a lot from at the time.

I mean, I used to blame him so much for it. But like everything that he did bad, I'm doing better. Right. So it's like under 25, fuck you, dad. I go out. Me too. But now I'm like, bro, I'm like a great fucking dad, like top tier dad. Because of that.

Because I don't want my kids to feel how you made me feel. So thank you, but fuck you. But thank you, bro. Like you really made me a better dad by accident. Yeah. So that kind of shaped me. And it seems like my mom actually be the dad and seeing how hard it is for a woman to have to step into that row.

It's like, bro, I got to be a better dad. Like, I don't want my kids to just be raised with their mom without seeing me, hearing me, talk to me. Like, you got to be, like, my, nigga, you could have called. Do something. Right. I'm on the road. I still face it. Like, damn, between, like, you got to be there.

And I think I've learned from the lack of example, how to be an example. And you got to face down the fear of, for me, this was that was, I had a similar, upbringing. My dad wasn't around, and then he wasn't, and then he wasn't. And I think at times he tried really hard. But in the end, I was angry, and he had left, and I didn't see him for many years.

And then I was very angry. And up until about 25, 27, I was just like, fuck you. And then I had kids. And then I was like, you know what? I kind of get it now. Yep. Every guy handles it different. Definitely.

And some guys run away. It's hard out here. It's hard. And a lot of times they had the same experience. They either had a dad who was not there or was abusive or whatever. And the idea of being a father really scared the shit out of all of us because of what we had, the experience of having. And what I learned was instead of run away, face it, get stuck in it.

Yep. And you're not going to have all the answers and you're not going to, you're going to figure it out. But then you start doing it and you get better and better and you get a little momentum. Yeah. And then your kids. seven and you realize you actually have more of a relationship with them at seven than you ever did with your own dad. Tyvar.

And you're like, God damn. Like, well, I want to keep building on this because it's so great. It makes me feel so good. And I'm always thinking, how can I do a better job? But it carries over into our work, though. So what I found is because of my kids, I have made choices that were long term better for my life. Yeah.

And you will. And then my whole, then you get on a different track. Because you're not cutting little corners, you're not doing little bullshit things. And you're starting to live a bit more of a life that has a lot more integrity than maybe... Grow up. Right. And so then you get momentum in that and you find yourself actually succeeding in your career. Yep.

Because of the kind of man you are at home. Come on now. Where you're like checking in your kids. You're FaceTiming. You're doing whatever you have to do. Whatever you have to do. To connect with those kids to make sure they know that you are doing it for them. And that you're there.

Come on now. And I think it's as simple as that. As I tell other guys, like, everybody's in a different situation. Somebody, someone's divorced. Someone's not divorced. Maybe they should be. And they're fighting all the time with their wives. That's the worst.

And there's all different situations. But the kids, I learn myself through my own, you know, my own kind of like come to Jesus moment where I could have gone that way or that way out of just fear. Yeah. I was going to stick in it and just try to be. the best I could do. Yeah. And you build momentum in that.

But the key is just connect with the kids and make sure they know that you're there. I also think that in a marriage, I think a lot, a lot of the problems happen when the husband and wife forget that they're the most important. Yeah. And then the kids. Right. I think, especially if you're talking biblical or anything, you're helping the wife's supposed to be like. Yeah, yeah. Locked in.

That's it. And then the kids supposed to come right underneath and y'all both have the same idea. beautiful family. When you have like husband and wife that treat the kids more important than each other, then you start feeling that way. Yeah.

Then it's like, oh, my kids come before my husband. My kids come before. And that's when sometimes a divorce happened. And now that's an issue because now when you pick the kid up, now they, y'all beefing in front of the kid. Like, raising kids is a lot harder than people think.

One bad decision can fuck up 18 years of your kid's life. That's right. Like being a parent is one of the hardest fucking things because there is no like redos. You can't go back yesterday. Oh, shit, I mean to say that. Let me.

Or Ray Stephanie, no, they're going to grow up and remember at 10 years old, my dad dropped me off. And they argue in the parking lot for an hour. And they said obscene things. And that's all they're going to remember. As a kid, I know I had hell of good times. But all I really remember is the bad shit. And it's all trauma. All I remember is trauma.

I don't remember like going to fucking parks and being pushed on the swing. But I remember people being pushed and being hit and cursing and screaming and dysfunction. That shit fucks you up. Disfunction. I don't remember nothing good. So you have to leave your kids with memories that they can grab onto because they're only going to remember the bad shit. It's from seven years old until they die is when memories count the most.

Yeah. If you're saying I've been in my kid's life from five years old or under and I was there for y'all, they don't fucking remember. Right. By nine, they don't know who you are if you're not showing up in their life. Kids have fast memories. That's why they would show so much. Or kids understand they like one thing and they stick to it.

It's why I watch the same fucking movie all the time. You have to learn your kid how to raise your kid and not being there just isn't an option. It's just not an option. But we understand, like, as men, how hard it is. So when we see the guy who can't show up, whatever it is in him that I feel for that guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Because he's missing out. Because I tell people, look, hang in there until 16.

Yeah. Watch what happens. When your kid's 16 and you've been around and they know you, they become your best friend. Yeah. And they are truly like, you want to hang out. hang out with them. Yeah. And it just gets better and better and better. My daughter's 17. She'll be 18. Like, it just keeps getting better. Yeah. She's cool as shit. She doesn't always want to hang out with me, which is fine. But when we do get to hang out, I fucking love her. She's

dope. She's just cool. Because she's, that's your oldest, right? Yeah. So she's you. Yeah. That's why you fuck with her. Yeah. My daughter's the middle child. She is me. My daughter's my middle child, but she's the most like me than any of my. I have two boys. Yeah. My boys are not like me. Yeah. My daughter just, It's so crazy. I kind of don't like it but love it. Because like you see this demeanor, I'm super cool, super, but there's a, you know, when I get upset,

it's like, okay, damn, this is not the same dude that we just was talking to. Yeah. That's who she is the majority of the time. Yeah. So that's one thing I don't. We all got to have that, though. That's all that. My baby is different.

Yeah. I love you. I love you, Lily. I love you. But it is, it is interesting how most of us go one or two ways. We come up in an environment where we don't have a model. Yeah. And we do the opposite.

or we come up in a house where we don't have a model and we do the same. Yep. And you get to choose one or the other. You can either use, you know, some people wear it as a badge of honor. Yeah. And it's like, yeah, I grew up without a father or I grew up in a hard place and that made me this way. And I think there's some, well, I don't think there's any value to trauma. Yeah.

I don't fucking like it. Not for sure, for sure. I understand people have to kind of like live with it and own it so that they can. It's unavoidable. Right. Everyone's going to have some child. We'll have something. Some have worse than others.

Yeah. And it does make us who we are to some degree. Yeah. But I've always said I am who I am despite it, not because of it. But that just showed you that it made you stronger. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We have to go through something. Yeah.

Like, I am a Christian man that lives a normal life. I may smoke, I may drink, but I love the Lord, but he still told me, you're going to go through some things. Yeah. You can't be strong. if you don't go through things that make you stronger. How can you be somebody that says, oh, I learned a lesson if you didn't go through nothing. You ain't learned nothing.

Even in school, even if you never went to nothing in your life, but the hard lesson you did was having to study for a math test. You still learn that lesson of how to study and be diligent for that math test. So it told you something in life. Or if you're somebody that got to deal with drugs, take care of your family. It may be different spectrums,

but that's still two lessons you had to learn. You got to go through that trauma. Some people use the trauma as an excuse. Oh, my daddy wasn't there, so I ain't there. No, it's supposed to shape you to be better. You pose to go through downfall. So when you get up, you're like, shit. I just came from now I can be as happy as I need to be

because I was just here. Now I'm here looking to go there. Once you get here, it's like you get to appreciate all else here. I just like to always progress. So anything that got to do with progression, whether it's trauma or not, like just appreciate that shit. Yeah. Bro, I'm sitting here with you after four years of being nowhere.

Literally, sit on the couch thinking about shit. tripping, bro, like wanting to put up music, label shit, going crazy. And now I'm putting out a project and now I'm happy. People are responding to me. I'm getting OD-in for people who don't talk to me no more. Now they're like, oh, hey, bro, you got the same number? I don't. No.

But I got that feeling again. Bro, like perseverance. If I didn't go through shit, I wouldn't appreciate being across from you the way I am right now. This is just amazing, bro. And I love going through shit because I get to grow through shit I don't never go through nothing I grow through everything

Yeah That's just the vibe for me What was it about the past four years That you were stuck Not doing anything What do you think it was? Really it was just like I'm a person where I love

Transparency Whenever I feel like something It's in the dark Or I don't know something Now I'm confused And when I confuse I don't trust When I don't trust I panic

Because if I can't trust It was like okay Okay what the fuck is going on now I don't think you got my right choices of hand. Now I'm asking questions. Now the answers I'm getting, I don't like. And I was like, okay, Moray, you are in a spot where you don't know business like that. You just

grew up for real. Turn 30. You are a grown man now. You're starting to make better decisions. You realize, oh, shit, I'm in a spot where I don't want to be. Oh, I don't think I can get out of the spot. What do you do? How do you do it? What's the moves? Different management, different lawyers. It's like, it was a whole bunch of stuff going on.

I'm like, ah, where does music fit in? Right. It's funny how that works. I'm an artist. Okay, Mori, focus on the music. Oh, snap, my kids. Okay, dang. One of them got get put down right now. So I had to put down the music to focus on my kids. Then it's like, okay, my kids, I can't focus on y'all because I'm losing the music. Now I got the music. Now I'm in the legal battle. It's like, what the fuck I can't win? Until I did. And now I'm like, bro, fuck the last four years. I'm worried about the next foe running for a president, bitch, I need my turn. I don't get fuck.

Yeah, but I think it's important to share that story because when I think the experience of an artist making a career is a long process. Yes. Okay. And it's one part music and then one part business. Yes. And then one part life. Yeah. So you have to live a life so you can write music.

If you don't have anything real to talk about. You can't write. Then you can't write. And it's not going to be the same. Yes. It's not going to be the same. You get it. And some artists get lost in the sauce, and that's okay too, because that's part of finding your way back and finding your way back and finding your way back.

What I realize is the most important part of me is the kid who said I could do this in the first place, 15-year-old who had no money, no relationships, no-fucking know-how. Hungry. And hungry to be somebody. Yes. And do something. And it was in my mind, I didn't have opportunity to go to college. I didn't know how to get a job besides waiting tables or doing whatever we were doing to pay the bills.

And at a very young age, was tasked to take care of my mom and do all the stuff. And so I had to grow up a little fast. But the music gave me hope. Yes, it did. Like, oh, I could do that. I could be somebody if I do that. Wasn't athletic.

I wasn't all the things that I wasn't particularly at school. I didn't do well, which was weird. I tried actually in school. People always, you must have been. crazy when you were teenage I'm like, no, actually I wasn't. I tried to get good grades. I couldn't.

Nah, but you listen to a song like anthem and you think you was a crazy kid. You're like crazy. You were like, what that? He said, turn it up. Party, you raging? Well, as soon as we got on, it was over.

Again, different now. We were like, oh, we are going to we're going to be those guys. That's my shit, by the way. Thank you. Hold up, bro. What you hear? I got to tell you, really,

every morning, I used to smoke weed and listen to that shit before I walked to school. Bro, no bullshit. Yeah. In the hood. Head phone. Nah, you can't bob

toward the way. You got to be like, well, you know, we had a job. But I'm, yo, don't want to be just like yo. But I got the angry face on, this is the anthem on you.

I'm like, yeah. You said what? You crazy, bro. In there, viral. Yeah. I just had to tell you that stuff. No, I love that

because that's who we are. Brush your heart. You know, it was kids. who wanted to be noticed, wanted to be somebody, and were at the same time, like, fuck everybody. You won't.

Because we were so on our own for so long, we didn't feel like everybody cared about us. That's true. It's why I've always struggled to belong to any large group of people, whether it's politics or like... I'm a little older today. You know what I mean?

Exactly. I don't be with nobody. And then we got on in the music industry and then just like you're explaining, in that situation where you find yourself in some legal thing where you're like, what the fuck? They can sue me? What the shit is?

Just because they want to? Or they can do this or they can do that? And then you're just, you're like, I just want to make music. That was it. And I just want to make a living. Yes. And I want to take a shot. Take my shots.

I want to get after it. And then you get into the game in the music industry and it can get you. Yeah. Then you get over the. that. You go through that. You always do. You're smarter. Uh-huh. And you've learned. Not to say you weren't smart. Now, it wasn't that I wasn't smart. Yeah. It's that no one took the time to teach me. So I had to teach myself and that takes longer. Come on now. Now, had I got into the music business at 18 years old and all those motherfuckers. Yeah. Had said, hey, so now I want you to, I'm going to give you the game.

Yeah. We're going to meet once a week for an hour and in five weeks, you're going to know how everything works. Come on now. That's what we should do. Yeah. It's like going, they could have put us in Harvard, but because we had to do ourselves, we were just fucking DeVry. And, right, and.

Fucking, well, it's actually something more like this business is so, there's a side of this business that's so cold. Yo, like cold blood. Like, the street's cold. Like, bro, no, forrefer. Like, no bullshit. I will kill you and take everything you have.

The industry is like the hood of shit in the world. Right. And it's crazy. And so what I find is from my honest experience is those early, those early industry guys who took advantage of me in little ways and some in bigger ways. And you got your little scars to show. For sure, for sure. I now say thank you. Oh, yeah.

You should have killed me. No, you couldn't have killed me. That's a thing. They definitely try. Yeah. That's the vibe. You shouldn't. You shouldn't stop trying.

I'm a fucking gladiator. But you grow up. up into a full grown man. Yeah. I say this to artists like keep going forward. Yeah. Because it's not just about the music. It's about your journey. It's about you getting stronger. It's about you learning and it's about what you become on the other side of it. Because what we became and now at our age is we are the music business.

Yes. Our company, we take a lot of pride in it because one, we tell people what we tell people what we wish they would have told us when we were there age. When you're 18 coming into this game and like, we're not going to lie to you. We're going to tell you what you should know. We're going to tell you what I would do if I could go back. Here's the decisions I would have made differently. Yeah.

And I'm not here to own anyone's art. I'm not here to own anyone. Yeah. I'm here now the most healing experience that we've had with our company. We started this company 12 years ago. Okay. Yeah, I wasn't much older. than you. I was probably like, you have 30, 33. So it, and coming up the same kind of experience

you just had, you know, going through some hard things where you're like, what the fuck? How is this even right? How can these people hit me up like this when all I want to do is make music? I see. And then somewhere we, we turned a corner and went, oh, fuck it. We can do whatever the fuck we want. Yes. So we started a music company and then we said, what, what's the values of the company going to be? Because we didn't even know what, uh, Who's going to even fuck with us? And it was, let's just be the guys we wish we would have met. Oh, that's fire.

And let's try to help people get there faster. Come on now. So that they know what their power is, what their value is. And hopefully we help artists build careers that they're proud of, where they own more than they don't. Yes. Masters and shit. Yeah.

And publishing and all that. So they're dealer smart. But also build lives that they want to live in and not kill. themselves. Yeah, bro. You know what I mean? That's the dark part about the industry. Dark part.

That people don't really get that you can work yourself so fucking hard and put, and give yourself some goals that's so hard to obtain that you feel like you've never going to reach it. And now you're stuck in a limbo of, man, I don't want to be here no more. Yeah. We got to avoid getting there. We got to start being a little more comfortable as musicians. Like, I am comfortable and proud of my art.

Put it out. If you're happy with it, be happy with it. I think it's a lot of pressure with being an artist where I'm in the room with people, like you saw people, like you help people out with their business and want to get them to do better. There's artists who don't have that, but got major labels, right? Majors, but are dicks. Yeah. Go in the room, put on facades, and be people that you don't want to help, but get the most help.

But the people who are helping, it seems like they don't have the bigger platform they need to to actually help. You know what I'm saying? I don't know if I'm rambling, but it's like you have big-ass platforms. who don't want to help nobody, who don't care about nobody, and ones who are, who can be just as big if they had just enough voice.

It's just crazy to me. No, it's, yeah, no, it makes sense. What I find a lot, from my experience, what I find, what I see, industry-wide, you know, is there's the gatekeepers and the middlemen and, and then I think you have artists

who are successful. Yeah. But at the core, they're terrified. Yeah. Of not being as big. See, the deal. difference with me that I learned is I was big. Yeah. And then I was not as big. And then I was maybe big again for a minute or the like I had that roller coaster ride. And then one day I just got

off it and said, I don't fucking care how big I am. That's what I'm saying. And I just want to put my music out, right? That's what I was talking. Exactly. But then what, anytime that I believe you experience a negative like vibration from someone is fear. So it's even if they're the biggest artists in the world, they have rings and rings of people around them to protect them. Yes. And I get why that, I get why they do that. I see that as the larger the group that enters a building with one artist, the smaller they look to me.

That's how I see it. The older I get. That's true. Whenever I see a guy walking with so many people, I go, wow, he's so scared. Nah, look. I didn't thought about that. Damn, you're so scared. I got 40 niggas will be up like that.

Well, yeah, yeah. That makes so much sense. Listen. Yeah. I can't be alone in the room with you. Yeah, because I'm nervous. Because I'm scared. Yeah, that's true.

So I got all these people with me. I'm not dissing. I'm not saying it's not. Some people could argue they need it for security. I understand that. You could also hire really great armed security professionals and have a serious, like, legit. I would say this. Who's shit?

Sometimes it don't work that way. It's different. Now, me, I'm sure. solo dolo. Yeah. Because Morey don't make music that required me not to be. Right. You know what I mean?

But when you make music and you got a lot of beef out here, sometimes those armed security guards who are, like, are detailing, may not be a detail in the streets. Right. You feel I'm saying? Like, yeah, they can secure you. But hood politics sometimes get in the way and sometimes that can get overpower. So like, I understand needing for security.

But if you're just not of the street for real and you ain't doing nothing in the street for real, you got no beef, no smoke, you got 50 people with you. that person is scared of interactions, that person is good of conversations. Right. That, for sure. So what I'm saying is I'm not criticizing the person. I'm saying what I see.

Okay, okay, okay, go. I'm not saying I still wouldn't want to hang out with the guy and gets no one or maybe he's cool. I'm just saying, well, what my initial perception of, of that is more like, huh, I wonder why, I wonder what they're so scared of. That's how I see it. I don't know, because scared is. Because it's not just rap either.

I does not. I think some people just, some people like to have the camaraderie. Right. Whether it's rap, whether it's rock, whether it's country, you're going to see people with people. Right. It's just having people around make things better. And I think if you're somebody who, like I say,

who comes from a place where the people around you have protected you for your whole life, I'm probably not never going to leave you guys. Right. Wherever I'm going, because I know before this you were there. So now you're here. So those I understand. You know, but like I said, like me, I'm a peaceful person. I don't really come with like a whole bunch of antics.

It's like I like being who I am. And I understand that I can protect myself too. Just because I'm by myself, though, man, I'm by myself. She's close. You know what I'm saying? And then plus these works. And I move with respect too. So it's like when I feel like I'm walking around the street,

if I see a fan, if I see somebody who knows me, I'm going to take the picture because I would take it regardless. If I'm in the studio with a bunch of rappers and I'm by myself, man, I'm going to treat you how I would treat you whether I got 30 people by myself. Sometimes the energy is different without those 30 people. Right.

Sometimes when 30 people come around it's, hey, what's up, dog? Yeah, yeah, yeah, there. 30 people are gone. It's, oh, what's up, man? How you feeling? Yeah.

Bro, I thought you was, I thought you was big gangster. Oh, no, it just, you know, it's my persona. Oh, that's your, so this your real voice? Oh, I've been being me this whole time, but you're not you. That's funny. That's what I don't like.

I don't like when it's the entourage there. Oh, you're the biggest, toughest guy in the world, but when they're gone, now you're going to be friendly and do TikTok talks with me. It's kind of crazy. Yeah. You would just a shooter. It's weird. Yeah. And at the same time, I've been around a long time and been in a lot of studios with all

different kinds of artists from rockers, rappers, to pop stars to everything. I get, it's overwhelming. You get thrown into this thing and you just want to keep swimming. You want to keep your head above water. You want to keep competing. And you got all this stuff going on. And like, I get it. That's why I'm not one to criticize. I try to understand what they must be going through to be needing to roll the way each different way. You could ask too though. Yeah. Sometimes I guess you could real quick. Why you got 30 people with you? Isn't that expensive? You just like it? Do you pay for all this stuff? Yeah like who's paid is not? Simple as that. Who's that? That's how you see 30 people be like hey real quick. Can I just where's okay I know you you you're the leader. Real quick. Why do

this and just see what he say he might be like shit i don't even know bro just be chilling but then some i like i see different groups rolling around and it's a business oh yeah yeah like it's a whole business like when wayne was in here he is a whole company he has a whole business he's got people doing stuff and he's literally working while he's little way yeah yeah he's working he's got yeah he's That's a little way. He goes in, he answers a bunch of questions. He tells it. And then he comes back.

We have a talk just like this. And then he's back to work like on site. He's got a sprinter, like an office. And he's working nonstop. I need that. And I was like, I actually picked that up from him. I'm like, I need like a home office that I roll around it. A rolling home office is an RV somewhere.

We fire. Just have like an RV set up. Just move along with that shit. He also needs protection. But it is, it's quiet. Like you kind of notice, like, oh shit, there's definitely a couple guys here. For sure. See, Wayne is, again, and Wayne, he's older, too.

So, you know, Wayne, he moved a little different. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's an old-o-o-G. Yeah, yeah. Not old, but older OG. Been around for every. He's not allowed mouth or like, I got these guns, I mean. No, he's, I'm little Wayne.

More probably like Wayne now. Is it very elegant? Yeah, he's, he aged very well. Yeah, it's elegant. He's aged very well. He's smart. He moved like a boss. He's one of my favorite.

Sixteen, little. Wayne different. May we would have had like the whole noia projects out here like going crazy. When we were touring

in the 2000s, we definitely had a lot of guys with us. It's a different five year. Young 20s. But even rappers you see now that's like older

and age, they may have five people with them. Right. Like you ain't seen them. You age into like some kind of like you age until your pack.

Right. Like I thought with 30. But in five, years I'm gonna have three, like a strong three out of this 30, that's still here because they add value. You start realizing when you get older that a lot of people in the group not adding value, they're just taking from. There's something super, there's something very elegant about a tight, small group that moves into a place where you're like, cheerio vibes. Those guys are serious. Yes. But like, there's an elegance to it. Yeah. It's friendly, yeah. But also kind of like,

it's only a certain bunch of friends that you can talk real life with. Yeah. Now, there's friends that you smoke with, friends you go out to hang out with drink, there's vacation friends, and then there's your real friends. They may not all click the same way. Like, I have a group of friends that will never click together, but I get bits and pieces from everybody. I got friends I talk to about music, friends I talk to about business, friends I talk to about bullshit and friends I send memes to. It's just like, you just choose, I place people. Yeah. I think that's all, I think nowadays people don't know how to place. They're trying to place everybody in the same friend group. No, you they don't get along. This thing is like anime and this person likes French films.

They're not going to be cool. That makes no sense. Keep your pockets. That's it. Let's talk about long story short. Yeah. Come on. Now, how long did that take to make? A lot of the songs I've had for like two and a half three years. Okay. And then a lot of the songs, well, half of the songs I made like recently within the last year. Right. Just, you know, recollecting what I've been going through and just wanting to really just tell my story and the shortest way possible without missing it. anything. You know what I mean? I thought 12 songs was enough. I love 12 songs. Come on. Come on. 12 is my magic number on an album. For verses two. Yeah. That's my shit. Yeah.

Those say it's incredible. Yeah. It's a great album. Thank you, bro. I love it. It feels a lot more gospel. Come on now. To me, which is nice. It's nice like right now, I think. A little gospel. Did you grow up? Of course. Like in like church? Yes. Okay. Brother, listen. So did I. When it comes to my pop upstairs, that's my dad. Yeah. You feel me?

I talked to him. Like, I talked to you on the, like, bad day is your pop. Today was really crazy. Like, I did this and did that. I just need you to forgive me real quick and just, I can start fresh tomorrow. That's how I thought. But to me, it feels like gospel should feel. Yes.

There should be something raw and real. And I think great gospel is super raw. Yes. People telling stories of their own failures, their own. moments in life their own experiences where they needed God and that to me is the gospel that actually

those are the stories. I mean you got you pull from biblical. Everybody in the Bible been through something. Yeah. Every disciple got some Peter was aggressive out here fighting and cut knickers. Yes. Matthew was a tax collector being weird it's like you got to find. John was

a drunk. It's like boy you got to and Mary used to give it up. You know what I say? Like bruh. Yeah. We all Everybody's surviving. You feel me? This life is about making it. Yeah. I don't give a fuck if you make it just to work, you made it.

It's all it is, man. Get up and pick that shit up. And I like that the church had taught me to be me. My church always told me the mantra is, come as you are. Right. Give me fuck who you are, what you've been doing, what you came from. When it comes to God, when it comes to faith and religion, just come as you are, bro. I used to, bro, listen, I used to.

to be a different nigga. Yeah. Now I understand I'm forgiven for what I did in the past that caused me to be that guy. Right. Now I can be this guy because that guy died. Right. I'm just happy that I learned that from church. So you experienced forgiveness.

What? Yeah. Bro, can't nobody forgive me faster than GOD? Do you think that a lot of guys don't turn to their younger selves and try to get forgiveness because they feel like maybe they won't be forgiven? Yes. especially depending on what you did. Yeah.

There's no heavier conscience than a man's. Right. Not to discredit women's conscious because I don't want no smoke. Right. Well, you can only come from the experience of being a man. Being a man. We're not as expressive. Right.

As far as like, oh, I'm going through a bad time right now. I want a boohoo cry. We just go through it. It's just like, yeah, shut up, take it. Shut up. Yeah. Stabbed to get in the back. That's cool.

Oh, lost everything. That's all right. Nobody got to know. Keep going. How you doing? bro, hey, I'm great. You said what? Now I'm in the room

fucking drinking this bottle of tequila smoking every blunt I got really going through it. That's just having the mental strength is crazy for like a man going through the truth. I ain't going to lie to you. It's hard. It's hard.

We forget we're people. And we're just surviving. Yeah, man. It's in our core DNA is just to survive. And then when you get stuck in survival mode for too long, the worst. What I found I struggled with the most in success was how to actually hold it.

Yeah. Oh, shit. And feel it. And actually not just. Go to emotions. Yeah. Yeah. Because I was so impoverished.

Yeah. I was like. Come on now. And I was not letting the pain and the joy in of what I had been through. Yeah. Until you can let the pain in. Yeah. Whatever that means for anyone.

Let it in. To let the pain in of the suffering you went through and then the joy in of that life is different now. See, I think it's let the pain out and let the joy in. Yeah. I think you got to let out what you've been through and then the joy starts filling you up. As you let go of the bullshit, the good shit starts coming in.

Right. But people who don't feel joy is because you haven't got rid of the bullshit. Right, you stuck the pain down and you just hold it. That's when you know you would never feel joy because you got, it's combatting with too much. bullshit. Right. It's just hard. Like I think if we just figure out, okay, I got too much pain built in me. Let me just try to like, just open the spike. Let's air out first. It may bubble up, close it back. Close the back. Don't let the bitch spill. Yeah. Do it again. Yeah. Slowly but

surely and start pouring something that shit out. Like, it takes time. And we're growing, like, we're growing up still. As a man, I'm 32. And I know by 45 of I'm going to figure something else out. Like, by 35, I'm like, okay, something's different. Like, as he's, you know, he's, you know, We're all growing. Women, men, whatever you are, whatever you claim to be, you're going to grow past the 21 and 18 they tell you. Oh, 18, you're done growing. No, not mentally.

Mentally, you grow fucking fastest shit, sometimes faster than what you can fucking grasp. You're like, hold up, I'm not supposed to be here. Shit, I'm panicking. Hold up. That's why I was, like, for four years, I was like, whole, bro, when I finally realized, oh, shit, I could have done a lot better than what I'm doing right now.

I could be actually doing something. That's why I was like, I started panicking. like, oh, man. We all have done that. I'm in the spot, but my feet are going, but my body ain't moving. You know what I mean? It's like, yeah, I want to go somewhere,

but, like, I just can't. I imagine Flas sitting down and just doing this as fast as he can. He's going to stomp a hole in the floor, but he's not going to move. Yeah. I felt like super, like, stuck. And that time, and, bro,

like I said before, bro, I'm so, like, I thank God. I'm just, I'm blessed. I thank my project for coming out and the way people've been talking about it, bro. I'm just happy to be here, like that, like on earth. And I haven't been happy to be on earth for a little minute. Yeah, it's tough.

I ain't going to lie. Earth kind of fucked up right now. Yeah. The earth is going to do some shit's not yet. Absolutely, it is. It ain't going to lie. Yeah. I'm not even litter no more, and I'm a hood, nigga.

I used to litter all the time. Yeah. Like, like, I used to litter all the time. Now I'm like, man, pick that shit up. Yeah. This is, we are dying. This is crazy. Yeah.

Don't throw that plastic recycle. Yeah. Bro, I'm telling you, this is weird. I got a whole trash can in my house for recycling, regular trash, glass bottles. Oh, you're recycling now. It's happening to me. Oh, you're recycling now.

This is trash. God damn. That was, I'm about to care for the planet. This is crazy. I mean, that is where we're at. Yeah. I'll be so, bro, I'm watching. I am, let me get the word right.

I am a pescatarian. Oh, so you only eat fish and shellfish. That's it, bro. I may slide a little chicken. That's actually pretty good. A little grilled chicken-in if I can't, you feel me? Sometimes. Yeah.

But other than that, it's majority. Bro. Predominantly. Predominantly pescatarian. Right. For sure. Pee. Pee is crazy. That will pee it up, pause.

But that it's like... You've got the peas. That's a pee. But that I grow it up, it's like, I realize it. Like I said, growth and development. I realize of how much. And I never used to. I used to eat that shit. I used to eat steak, fried, pork chops, ice beats. I eat everything. Now,

you, sir, what's on the menu? Do you guys have a C-Bass or? Yeah, like, Brandzino? Yeah, Branzino. Yeah, you said that butter, caper sauce on it? I need, hey, you guys have butter cake? Do you guys have the butter cake? Do you guys have the bailey's? Oh, great, great. That's why I can't a lot to you. What's the good about coming for the hood and being famous, bro, when I first got, like, bougie? You have a lot to learn about food. This shit was hard as hell. I don't. I don't. I was hard as hell. I I was looking at the restaurant show and ass. Like, Nobu. What? Nobu. Let's go. I wasn't noble in Malibu.

Yeah. My first time. Nobu Malibu is fucking, I'm in the back. Bro, I went on my team. I'm in the back. Though it's dark, the lights on, the waves is crashing against it. So I'm like, oh, this is flex type shit. We were like, I mean, we had got, we didn't get on a plane until we were 20.

And we had never ate sushi or anything like that. So when I came out here, I went to fucking, like, Dan's rocking sushi. Like it wasn't even like now I wouldn't eat there to be honest with you I'm being honest I'll be honest It was sketched but it was sushi at the time. I was like god damn this is really good fish on rice And and then I got hooked on sushi now I like no bill or whatever I like it no cap I love sushi It's so good that's my favorite but my first time flying was 28. Yeah, I never flew for 28. Oh I came here so I was eating sushi from me I said look at that stank-ass fish you

Bro, this is nasty Bro, I'm at a meeting at, um, damn, what was at? I don't know, what was at? We had some little restaurant, something, I think towel. Yeah. With a towel.

Yeah, yeah. And it was like, oh, we got sushi. I'm like, I mean, that shit. We got a whole bunch of foods stood up. You're meeting these people. I'm like, cool. So I thought trying little foods and shit is good. They were like, oh, damn.

I said, let me just try this little sushi. I don't, I don't even fuck with this shit. And I'm looking at it like, oh, this is a little nasty. Yeah. No chopsticks because I didn't know how to use them yet. When fingers. Straight finger.

Yeah. Pick that little motherfucker up. I was about to eat it. My home boy said, wait. Better put some goddamn soy sauce on that shit. Yeah. She said, boy, don't you eat that shit on that soy sauce. He said, it's going to hit you hard.

It's your first time. I did that my fucking soy sauce. Little, little dab. Change my life. Life changing. Sushi kind of, I'm eating all kind of sushi. Crab, shrimp, tuna, salmon, salmon, with rice, no rice.

We're sushi experts. Sashimi. Going crazy. Give me all that shit We're sushi experts Me I need the My soy sauce I put a dab

Of the wasabi Stir it up Yeah You feel me Pizza ginger Bring it up Leave it in that too Let it sift

A little lemon I think about that Try that Let it Next time Yeah Ditt And I'm a beast

With chast it Okay I'm a beast I'm gonna give you A couple Little sushi Uh Caut

Cah boy Okay In the soy sauce With the wasabi I do the same thing Squeeze some lemon Okay Trust me

Okay. Come on now. I got to. And then the other sauce you have to get. What sauce? Ponsu. I fuck a Ponsu. Are you crick?

I only do Ponsu. I only do Ponsu. Everybody misses out on Pondu. Ill sauce too, though. Like, ill sauce is good. If I got a naggy, I need ill sauce. It's like dessert. Yeah.

But Ponsu and then Yuzu paste. I never had that. Yousu paste? Just ask him for a little Yuzu paste. I got to. And then when you have one. Whitefish. What is Yuzu paste?

Yuzu is like a berry. Okay. That's spicy. But it's not like wasabi. It's a different kind of like spice. It's almost like a citrusy spice. Okay. So if you do Yuzu on a white fish with a little lemon and salt.

Come on now. And then a little Ponzu. It'll blow your mind. I like the little orange eggs. Yeah, yeah. The little, the row. Bro, that shit is going crazy. Yeah.

Bro, my first time, L.A., I got boozyish. I saw drinking like Boba Tee. Yeah, yeah. Boba time. I was fancy and shit with a little big straw. I'm like, yeah, I just drink boba. First I'm having Starbucks. I was 28.

Bro, I used to hate on Starbucks. I'm from the hood. I ain't eating that bougie-ass shit. Okay, so one of these days... Now, I'm crazy. One of these days, we got to go have sushi together. We got to do it, bro. And I'm telling you, I'm going to show you my

chopstick skills, I'm nice, bro. I got a little... And my crib, I got my own chopsticks plate. It got my name in grade. I got for my birthday. Because they know I love sushi, bro. My birthday had a hell. I had a big ass.

That's my favorite. That's my favorite. I love sushi. I like this year. I'm a bit. Mottesia. No boo. But I did get sick on time.

I had it five days in a row. You can't eat that much. Yeah, no. Yeah, I went to the doctor. He was like, hey, hey, hey, brother, he can't fucking around and get parasites. Don't fuck around eat this. I said, oh, you can eat that, bud?

You got to paste yourself. It's like, it's like a once a week type deal. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I didn't know. I was bustling that shit every day. I don't know if this is actually real or not, but it's a tradition that I've kind of just taken on because of the exact thing you're talking about.

After every meal, me and my brother and his wife, my wife sometimes, she doesn't really believe that we're, but I'll do a shot of tequila after. Come on now. And supposedly it kills any bacteria. Yeah, sake while you're eating. But we think that a shot of tequila will kill. It's pure.

Maybe. It's pure. Maybe. I'm going to use it because I like, Or sometimes maybe hot tea with lemon. I don't know. Hot tea probably works, for sure. To kill like miso soup?

If there's bacteria. A little bit of miso? Yeah. So for the, but so back to the record. Okay. I don't know. I feel like this record is the first thing. When I listen to it, it feels like you've arrived fully.

Yeah. As an artist. Yes. Bro, it's only because you're an artist, bro. You know what the fuck going on. You know, you're like finding your way. You're doing this song. You're doing that.

it's good. Like you hear the talent. Like, I'm telling you, I knew it when I heard that song with Jay Cole and 21 Savage. I was like, oh, I actually looked you up. Come on now. I was like, who's the other guy on the track? So like, that's a, that's how, that's artist development. That's why you do those things. Aside from also just working with artists you admire, I love 21 Savage. I love Jay Cole. So if they called me, I would go to. Come on now. You know what I mean? For sure. So, but this album, them feels like a brand. It feels like you've arrived

with your sound, your brand, and I also think that, and I don't know how you classify, not that you have to, but I do think that there's a gospel opportunity that hasn't been addressed in a long time.

Like I think good gospel music with like a modern gospel or even gospel adjacent brand is interesting in a world full of of people kind of all doing the same thing, you bring like unapologetic point of view with the gospel thing that it feels like there's a purpose.

It feels like there is some, like this record feels like it's a one part gospel record to me that needs to be called that. So that's guess what I'm saying is like when I grew up with a lot of gospel music. And I really liked it when I was a kid. There was something really comforting about it. And soothing and healing.

Yeah, and it was something that it was one of the things I actually thank my dad for was music. We didn't have a great relationship, but he gave me great music. It was Motown. My dad, too. He's a rapper. Right. Right. So, well, what if we're like our dad's fully realized?

Yeah. What if we are our father's like fully realized versions? I think so. You know what I mean? I think so my dad would be hating low key because he wouldn't be a rapper so bad and I made it. Yeah. He's like, he's motherfucker. I think he better to me.

I'm better at this. Putting it together and putting it out into the world is a lot harder than just wanting to be a rapper. Wanting it and doing it are two different things. And then surviving doing it is a whole other thing because it's also probably the most dangerous job in the world is being a rapper. Yeah.

And the second most dangerous... Being the artist, period. The second most dangerous job in the world is just being fucking famous. Yes. Survive that. If you don't kill yourself, you're one of the lucky ones. Yeah. But if you think about that, putting it together, going forth into the world, and succeeding

is a whole different. It's virtually impossible. Now, it really is. And to touch what you were saying about the project, like, I had to go through that to realize my sound. And the fact that you said, like, oh, it sounded like, that shit made me feel really good because you were artists and you know that shit is hard, bro. I ain't going to laugh.

But, yeah, I found my sound. I found more. I found my vibe. I found my flow. And this project was like my first runner saying, okay, finished product, of Moray, here you go. And the reception I'm getting in my DMs and the reposts.

I'm loving it. And it's like, bro, they get it. They're getting where I'm coming from. I'm not trying to harp on nothing or sound sad. I'm trying to be triumphant. This is what I've been through. This is what hurt me. This is what brought me down to this level.

But this is how I'm getting out of it. This is where I'm at now. This is how I'm feeling. One of the last two songs on my project is Good Day. Carolina. I'm letting you know I am happy now. And I'm from the Carolina. So I'm going to get through that shit, playing. Like, we're not tripping. You feel me? I'm a grown-ass man. So, like, when you said that, it resonated and that shit made me feel real good, that you got it, bro. That shit is crazy. I'm a student of music. So I look at records and I check people out

all the time. It's why I do the show. I love this conversation. I love the person behind the music and the brand to figure out what they went through or what they did. because everybody listening is trying to figure out their own life. That's true. And everybody deserves a shot to go do what they want to do and to try to be great. Most of the time we are discouraged from doing that or we're sold a bunch of kind of like hot air.

Yeah. No, the truth of the matter is, is you have to be in your life every day. You have to go forward. You have to try. You've got to problem solve. You've got to work hard. Yep.

You got to believe in yourself. And you've got to aim upwards and try. but you only get to be you. That's true. Don't get to be anyone else. No. So no matter how great that other guy might be, the other artists. The comparisons.

I don't get to be him. I think that's where human downfall is. Social media, as great as it is for pushing whatever narrative you want to put in. It's great. It's terrible for the brain. It sucks when every day a normal person is seeing a celebrity and trying to be them. You work at Piggly Wiggly. This person is a multi-million-dollar.

recording artists. They got a fucking boutega bag. You just spent all your fucking money on a boutega bag. Now you can't pay your fucking rent. Comparisons is trash. Step into you. Be you.

And own it. Be happy with what the fuck you got. There's some people that's worse than you. And if you're worse, that somebody worse than you. And if you're worse, so on, so forth, it never stops getting worse. Because if you get to a point

when you have the worst you can be, someone's dead. I don't know what else Live your fucking life Bro like I've As a human I've been through the comparison Everybody compare me to the right wave When I first came out

I'm like bro I don't compare myself to nobody We make two different kind of musics My home boy No he ain't a home boy But boy go through like a lot of depression A lot of I'm going through Getting out of depression

That's complete opposite language We actually could work together on the song Go fucking crazy But because they try to pin us Against each other Because of a comparison When we're different, it probably won't ever happen. You know what I'm saying?

Yeah, yeah. No, I know that. I know I've lived that. Be yourself. Yeah. And just love your fucking self because nobody's going to love you like you. Yeah. Nobody's going to push you like you.

Like you said, you got to fucking try. You got to be your best. You got to try to love yourself. You got to try to love others. You got to try to be successful. If you're trying, you're doing it. Just put your fucking foot in from the other and go. One day at a time.

That's it. And own all of it. On where you're at. If you work a piggly-wiggly, you're making an honest living. Come on. Don't be ashamed of that. But if it's not where you want to be,

start stepping towards where you want to be. But if you are where you want to be, that's cool. I think it's cool as shit when I meet someone who's doing what they love. Pigley-Ree type jobs. And I was comfortable. I had a car. I had a crib. My kids was good. Christmas was coming around the corner. I had gifts. Yeah. I didn't think about shit.

I worked at Food Line. I worked at Food Line distribution. Yeah. Yes. So we worked for the same company. Same company. It's just crazy. No, got out of shit.

Yeah. I've done these jobs. I was like, I understand, but like, I wasn't trying to live outside my means. I will tell you, though, when I worked anywhere, I was the best. Yes. Now, I was the best bag boy, best cashier. I started as a bag boy, then I moved to cashier. See, at the distribution center, you got a little palettes of the stuff that we sent to your store.

Yeah. So we used to have competitions all the time. We used to get, like, afraid of like 120 items and you get two hours to do it. The one that does it under two hours, you get more money, incentives. I love that fucking job. The best paying job I probably ever had in my life. That's like a regular person. Yeah.

Bro, I was racking it in and whooping ass. It was crazy. I worked at Golden Corral as well. I eat there a lot, though. Yeah. Now, bourbon chicken over mashed potatoes is the vibe. You're a little of a frie. Hey, you're a little of it in my life.

That's hard. Maryland and not too far from more. So y'all go to crowd there too? Yeah. And food line. And food line. The only reason I know Pigley, It's because of the summer I would go to North Carolina.

Yo, I did not know fool I went there for. Yeah. Pigly Wiggly is a blast from the past, though. Bro, pigly Wiggly, no cap. I've been to one in real life. A lot of people who haven't been there is crazy. But Pigley Wiggly Wiggly is exactly what you think it is. You walk in a bitch.

It looks exactly how it sounds. Yeah. You're in a pigly Wiggly. There's like a pig. And the pigly Wigley. The sign is a pig with a hat on, smiling. With a curly tail. He just looking at your head.

Y'all go down there. Come on. Get this swine and this beef. We got everything. you need that though pigla wiggled. So one more thing about the record. So if you're not being authentic, you can't do something. Yeah, for sure.

And I feel it in your music. I feel there's some authentic gospel. Oh, yeah. Gospel. God is in there. Calling. It feels like you need to express something about your relationship with gospel music. And I can feel it in your influence.

And right. I don't think I would ever like do gospel music. You would never just do a gospel record. I've done it in the past. Okay. And I know I'm not a gospel artist, but God has done so much in my life that I'm going to tell people who listen to my kind of music, how good God is. Right. The best way to help God is to talk to the sinners.

Hey guys. I'm like you. Let's go over there. That's the music I make. Right. I tell how good God is that he on my side, no matter what, I tell how much I'm praying. I put it in my music for the ones that can digest it the way I'm giving it to them. Right.

A lot of people can't digest Jesus and God. It's like, oh, shit. it's getting heavy. Yeah, yeah. Nah, but if I just said, like, I've been in bad situations, now a nigga up now. You hear it.

Yeah, yeah. But I even got to say it. It's like, you're praying. But you're like, okay. Yeah, because he just told me to tell you that. Yeah. I don't know who you are, whoever this song.

My music, I don't, it's my life, but I write it for whoever can relate. My favorite song is FTA. What? That's my, I didn't make it out to pop, the nigs thought they had me cook FTA.

Yeah, I ain't going to lie to you? That's my little bopper. Even my little bopper. Wow. Wow, wow, I like that shit. That's your own. Yeah, I like that one. Mine's is breakthrough.

Yeah. Because I just like, because that's the most gospel. Like, I felt honed into gospel when I made that song. Yeah. Hearing the beat and then, like, me stacking my vocals, like, doing the, I've never ways to. I've known ways to. I've never ways to.

Like, try to, like, add them together and stack them, like, how I would a church. And it made me feel. And I just wanted to sing. And whenever I sing more, I tap into the gospel more. That's why I said. Like, God isn't everything I do. Like, I don't have to say I'm a specific genre for, to say, I rock with God. Like, I rock with God so hard.

Like, if he ever, if I felt the inclination of saying, Moray, don't ever do music again, I would stop. The way, and I'm getting goosebumps, because he's talking to me, the way that I move in my life and the way that God talks to me, the way he moves with me, bro. I'm so receptive. Right. Like, I just walk. I can be in a horrible situation. I can have nothing. And out of nowhere,

fun call, good news. Faith and trust in God is why I'm still here, bro. Like, it's why I smile every day because in the midst of the darkest shit I've been through in this industry that I don't talk about or I won't talk about, God is in the midst of all of it.

Yeah. Teaching me lessons. So now that this time around, I can do it the way I was supposed to. Yeah. I'm just, bro, I'm living in that lesson of, yes, I have trauma from what I went through. Yeah. But now I get to grow past it. Now the people that did me dirty get to be my footstool now.

Now you get to see my success. Now you get to see me smiling still because you thought you took my fucking smile. That's the thing that evil people want to do. They want to take your fucking smile. Bitch, I'm going to smile for the rest of my life. I don't give a fuck. What you're talking about? Chee?

Caso type shit. I'm having me a good life, bro, because God said I deserve it. So I'm taking it. I feel the same way. We say it in our house all the time. go forward and have faith. Come on now. Just go forward.

That's it. And have faith. The key for my whole life has been to go forward. Yeah. Don't stop. Nope. And if I could give anyone ever any advice when they say, oh, how did you do this or that, this or that?

And I'm like, I don't know exactly no. I know that I went forward every day. And I just figured it out. But I had faith that if I go forward, that the path would unfold. Yeah. And that as long as I go forward and I'm walking on the path that unfolds, it may wind, it may turn.

But I have to be moving forward. Yeah. And so any time in my life where I would say I made mistakes would be when I was stuck. Yeah. And I stopped moving forward. And that would be like the thing I learned would be, no, don't stop. Keep going forward. And it doesn't matter how far forward you get every day if it's an inch or a mile.

When you feel stuck, though, that's when you're not in faith. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. When you're going and it's not stopping. Takes faith. you're on that path. Yeah.

You're right where he needs you to fucking be. If you're just, okay, this is working. This is good. Oh, this is, that's when you're walking in destiny. When you be like, what's my next move? What am I need to do? Oh, I feel anxious. Oh, you're out of the path.

Hey, hey, a, a, a, abort. You're following your own path. I learned that. Whenever I start thinking too much without my creator, I can't create. And if I can't create, he can't create through me, nothing's get created now I'm stuck I only feel stuck when I stop

listening I am attentive my ears are open I've been in this spot so recent like when you're talking about like you probably went through in the beginning of your career like I just like went through it so fucking fresh to say more right you really just came out of some shit that he brought me out

of and like it's just bro it feels so good I was like I was like I can explain like the feeling I have in my body right now it's bro I feel like I'm on fire I feel it but like a like a good like a blue flame. Like not hot, but it's like, damn. Flame on.

But I feel when I sit with you, I feel like there's a real clarity. Come on now. Like there's like a real understanding of when you say God pulled you out of something. Yeah. Or maybe you rediscovered your faith in what God can do. I do. You can have levels of faith. Yeah, for sure.

You can know deep in your soul that God is there without depending on him. Even praying. And you, yeah, even if you're not in action on how you... What? You walk up and talk to yourself. You're talking to God. Yeah. God is in you.

If you say, dang, I'm going to have a good day today. He heard you. You're going to be good. But then suddenly something shifts and you go like your faith goes into action. Yes. And you start going like, no, no, I'm going to put it by, I'm going to put it all on God. I'm going to rely on God. That's what he's going to show me the way.

That's what he wants. And you get up every day and you start looking for the way. I think I was already on the right path in the beginning. I think the path he put me on in the beginning. I didn't have to go through what I went through to get here. But because I veered off that path for the last four years, I was off the path. Right.

I used to, bro, it's so crazy. I used to say stuff and it used to happen. It sounds weird. No, it's not weird. I just be like, bro, I ain't got a lot to you. I can't wait to do a show for like five other people. The other one's talking about. I just feel it.

I just feel it. I just don't happen soon. Next week. Oh, more you got to show. What's the crowd? 5,000. Oh, that's... Dejaveu, that's crazy.

Yo, I ain't allowed to be cold to get me for a song. Oh, shit. I'm a song of cold? Oh, that's... Okay. I need to go on a tour, cool. I talk about it. Now, it's like, manifestation was going crazy.

And when I stopped talking, like, this is happening. This is happening. Now I'm like, I'm nervous. Where's... Now I'm scared. That started happening. Like, once I started talking about that, that...

Once my tongue started speaking death on my career and death and my... my emotions and it started just falling apart the music i was writing started coming true like i was saying like how and i wasn't sad i had millions of dollars writing songs about being sad and i wasn't sad when i could just wrote my life i'm trying to be sad so my life became sad the songs that i'm listening to i'm like damn i said i was here and i'm i didn't came here speaking the the tongue is so powerful So when I make music now, I am, I understand that I can't talk bad on your life. Right. You're listening to me.

So no matter what I say, I want you to hear a couple of things. Love yourself. Love your pain. Work through it. Grow through it. No matter what song, whether it's FTA, Carolina, breakthrough, mud baby, breathe underwater. It's the same message. Fuck the messenger.

Did you get the message? bitch I text you did they go blue or did they go green right what we're doing here green is weird great no cap I always I'm gonna judge green I'm gonna judge somebody when it's green I just text me gonna agree I'm gonna be blowing you know you know it's a you know when it's green you don't trust them bro green to me just makes me feel with somebody's green like yeah you're like come on it'd be like regular regular regular green is there not one person here listening, I'll do this show.

When you get a green text, your eyebrow goes up. Bro, sketch. You go. Did he give me a text down number? Is that green? Is that a phone? Did I get the B phone? Bro.

The B phone is crazy. The burner? If I get the B phone, if I ever find out that somebody out of Tess the green was like, oh yeah, that's my second line. That's strange. What's the next thing for you? A tour. So you're going on tour?

Bro, I just, yeah, I'm trying to put it together right now. now I figure out like what cities because I haven't I've never had a show on my own okay I've never had like a okay more headliner never okay I've just always been on opener or like a rolling loud or whatever it is okay so I'm just putting that together right now okay figuring out what cities what it looks like what songs I'm doing it's like it's exciting as fuck because I've never done it so I'm hell of nervous to not fuck it up yeah I ain't go a lot to you I've haven't been nervous in a long time and right now I'm like more you cannot fuck up your own show this is got it crazy And I'm getting

fucking new DJ knew everything So it's like It'll be fine You gotta practice Yeah I'm a practice

kind of person Like let's run a studio for a week And go over the same set As much as we Seven hours a day Brother Yeah

You need to smoke and break Go smoke But come back inside Yeah Let's work this out Yeah A good rehearsal Is like an all day hang

Yeah I need at least a week though Yeah Yeah Just to figure out Like song structure What

Because the first day We might I'm going to put my shit together, run through it a couple times. Sounds good. But maybe tomorrow I might be like, yo, I want to do this song here. Like, I need more time because I want to give a great show. Like, if you watch, like, rock shows, like, all live vocals, live band. Like, bitch ain't on MP3s?

And I'm not doing that. We rehearsed for at least a week. At least. Yeah. Usually a week is good. I don't use MP3. Unless we're doing, like, last time we played, because we were off for like six or seven years. and then we went and did one show

we rehearsed for that one show for a week. Come on now. And it was worth it because the show was fucking great. Bro, that's live instruments. Yeah, and there's fire and there's stuff and there's all the stuff. Just having a live band is such a fucking cheat code.

It's crazy because you can just be like play. Change the tempos. Change the key. Me, I use live tracks. Right. So it's whatever the song is. The song is. I can make a slow. down a little bit, but just whatever the song is, you feel me? Like, yes, it's not real vocals, but

I did my first live performance in New York with a drummer, a keyboardist, and I'm a pianist, and a bass. It was fucking... It's so good. Oh, my God. It's a different... They slowed it down. Because it's all live and it blends together

in real time versus sitting on top of a track. Yes. You know what could be cool, though, is if you... Because touring with a live band's expensive. Yes, it is. So that's the problem. him. It's trying to figure out, okay, I'm going to go out on tour. All we care about on tour is not losing money. Yes. We want to make money.

Yes. But it depends on how many shows you're doing and all that, you know? So we're just trying to figure out, can we bring as much as possible with the opening bands, make sure that we have a good bill. So like when people come, they get a great show. It's like a bunch of good bands. But then the show with the lights, the visuals, and we're designing each one. So it's expensive because really good people, all that stuff, right?

but we spend it because we don't play that many shows anymore and we're like we're doing like seven shows this year or something and they're costing us a ton of money yeah but we we're only doing seven shows so we're like if we're gonna do seven shows we got to do it all the way so that's the balancing of the budget right of like figuring out and so if i was like like with you if i couldn't bring the whole band i would say like you could bring maybe a drummer and a bass player or what you could do is record all of it live. Oh, have that band. Now, that just hit me to ding.

Now, that might be fire. And so instead of running just album tracks, you get in the studio, you record the whole show live. Yeah. Multi-track it so someone can mix it. Come on. And then when you do it through the live show, it's also multi-tracked. You can run it through the board so they can still mix.

And then your vocals will be with, like, that would be one way I would do a live show. That's a hard. If I was up against, like, time, also just getting a band that can go on tour. Yeah. And so there's so many things people don't know about. No, that's hard. And I'm locked in with the niggins. I just did a little band thing with, too.

So that's a good idea. That's a good, that's a good. That's a lot. Yeah, okay. I'm like learning shit. That's hard. I'm still in that, though. Yeah.

I mean, you gave it to me. No, we're just, we're just rapping. We gave it to me. We're just rapping. No, but that's a good idea. I ain't going to lie. Just because you don't need nothing crazy. You familiar?

A good little live session through the whole show Bring that shit to the Yeah, with the DJ payout Yeah, that's a vibe Because a live band to me Just sounds so much better It's so much feeling

It feels like homie Yeah It's real homie That's all like Damn like when you go See a live show And the band is there It's like

They just killed this shit Live bands are It's fun Yeah My favorite thing is drums though I ain't a lot Like hearing the drums live Like, oh my God

Like bro That should turn you on Yeah It's weird It's a weird feeling It's why people People like music. Yes.

That motherfucking keep that beat. That beat? No, bass. Damn, never mind. Base, that's my thing. Drums and bass, the rhythm section. You know what my favorite, like, rock song of all the time is? What?

Queens of the Stone Age. Oh, yeah. No one knows. Yeah. Bro, the drum solo and the do do do do do the do. It's a great band. Bro, I mean, that song is. So the guy who produced that record.

Yeah. Produced our record with the anthem. Are you serious? That's why they both great. That's interesting. That's hard. That's hard. I need to talk to him.

He can give me something. Yeah. He's a great. He's a great producer. I need something. Make a hip hop trap, soul, blues with rock. And give it to me. He's an incredible producer.

He's that. Yo, whenever you hear that song. His name's Eric Valentine. He's a, he's a musical genius. I need one of those because Nick. Murray. Yeah. Thanks, man.

Thank you, bro. Did we cover everything? We covered. This was a great conversation. This is crazy. Congrats on the record. Thank you, bro. And congrats to everything that you ever done, bro.

I've been a fan. I told you, bro, since the beginning. It's crazy, bro. Appreciate it. Yeah. Thanks for coming. Yes, sir. Come on now.

Yeah, bro. Thank you for listening to Artist Friendly. We really appreciate it. If you like the show, you can also follow us on Spotify. You can follow us on Instagram at Artists.Friendly. And you can watch us on YouTube and Veeps. Leave comments. I always read them.

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