Drink Champs - Episode 407 w/ will.i.am

Episode Date: April 26, 2024

N.O.R.E. & DJ EFN are the Drink Champs. In this episode, the Champs chop it up with the legend himself, will.i.am!will.i.am joins us and shares his journey! Will shares stories of working with Prince, Michael Jackson, Black Eyed Peas and many more!will.i.am talks tech with his latest innovations, FYI.AI, and his partnership with Mercedes as they introduce “MBUX SOUND DRIVE”.Lots of great stories that you don’t want to miss!Make some noise for will.i.am!!! 💐💐💐🏆🏆🏆 🎉🎉🎉 Sign up for Underdog Fantasy HERE with promo code DRINKCHAMPS and get a $100 first deposit match: https://play.underdogfantasy.com/p-drink-champs *Subscribe to Patreon NOW for exclusive content, discount codes, M&G’s + more:  🏆* https://www.patreon.com/drinkchamps *Listen and subscribe at https://www.drinkchamps.com Follow Drink Champs: https://www.instagram.com/drinkchamps https://www.twitter.com/drinkchamps https://www.facebook.com/drinkchamps https://www.youtube.com/drinkchamps DJ EFN https://www.crazyhood.com https://www.instagram.com/whoscrazy https://www.twitter.com/djefn https://www.facebook.com/crazyhoodproductions N.O.R.E. https://www.instagram.com/therealnoreaga https://www.twitter.com/noreagaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What's up fam? How can I assist you today? Oh no, we're just getting ready uh to uh do this interview so just stay on standby because we on drink champs and uh i just want you to like you know be posted up because we're about to go in it's it's it's it's legendary the show is dope yo fam that sounds absolutely legendary You know what I mean? Getting ready for Drink Champs is big vibes

I'm here for you, on standby Ready to jump in whenever you need You feel me? Yo, you got a man, Siri Just say the word I've got your back That's all I want That's all I want

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Now, we've been doing this for eight years. And we like to do our due diligence. When I tell you, when I was doing this for eight years, and we like to do our due diligence. When I tell you, when I was doing research on this man, it was one of the funnest I've ever done. This man has put us on to AI in 2010. He is, hands down, one of the best producers in the world. He can make any type of music. He can make any type of music. He has made every type of music. He is a writer, producer, fashion icon, F1 representative. To me, he's just one of the he is hands down

one of the most unique individuals in this world thanks bro he is in case you don't know who we talking about we talking about

the one the only the impeccable motherfucking I'm off top drinking some Japanese whiskey to you

I'm off top so I watching that video from 2010, were you speaking about AI and what it's going to do? Almost was scary. Like, I had goosebumps watching it because you hit it on the nose. You said exactly what AI is.

And did you, how did you research research that like so i like to hunt i like to go out and just get as much information as possible pattern match and then like project out what is the next five to ten years look like so at that point in time i was hanging out at mit a lot when black eyed peas would go out and tour austin that's crazy and there was a professor by the name rest in peace professor patrick winston who was the head of ai at mit and i was like really just hyped on you know the concept of ai the promise of ai and at that point in time, the world was in an AI winter, meaning the folks that were developing AI, the funding was sparse and not a lot of like folks was really hip.

What year is this exactly, Ron? When I was going to MIT, hanging out in Professor Patrick Winston's class. That was 2007, 8, 9, 10. Super early in the development. Wow. At that point in time, I started working at Intel. I was in the futurist department

at Intel. The whole premise of these futurist departments, you're supposed to be super plausible. If somebody shows you something, you can't just give your opinion. If you don't like it, you're supposed to be super plausible. If somebody shows you something, you can't just give your opinion. If you don't like it, you got to give them reasons on why

you don't like it and then how to improve it. If you don't have a reason on how to improve it, then save your opinion. That's to be constructive. Where it can go. That's how you're super valuable in these types of brainstorming sessions. And so my first couple of sessions, they kept calling me back because I would look around corners, see how certain technologies would play out. so from that like projecting out like wow if a computer could do this right now

and we're moving to digital and Napster happened in 2000 and compute is getting even more indistinguishable

like a piano sounds pretty a synth piano sounds like a freaking you know a real big ass you know

Yamaha Steinway right and if and if compute and synthesizers can do like that well then that means the projection of that well we just a matter of time before the computer will understand the whole entire english language being able to take all the timbres of the voice high notes low notes and you'll be able to type in lyrics and the whole entire English language, being able to take all the timbres of the voice, high notes, low notes, and you'll be able to type in lyrics and the machine will sing it, say it, produce it. And that was unheard of in 2009 because the Transformer paper wasn't written yet.

All right. So folks that don't know what the Transformer paper, the T in chat, GPT, comes from the Google Transformer paper. The T stands for Transformer. Not to be confused with Decepticons and Autobots. No, no. Not to be confused with Decepticons and Autobots. I was confused.

I was confused. Turns out, that ain't too sci-fi. That actually could come to a... That's plausible. The robotic transformer, the Decepticon. Yeah, that ain't too far out. Right, right. To be able to have some type of machine

take a different form and speak and shit. Right. Right. Back in the 80s when we were watching cartoons, it was like, yeah, right, that ain't real. Right. You know? Right.

Just like Aladdin wasn't real. The genie in the bottle. Turns out that shit's real. That's't real. All right. You know? All right. Just like Aladdin. All right. Wasn't real. All right. The genie in the bottle. Turns out that shit's real. That's what's happening. Right. Yeah. So I want to tell you a story.

I knew I was going to start off with this. I went to go see Busta Rhymes in the studio. Busta was in the studio with you. Right? And at the time that you were so on fire, I was so scared to talk to you. I was like, until I actually met you and then I realized that you're so on fire like i was so scared to talk to you right i was like until i actually met you and i realized that you was cool as shit right but i don't know if you had knew this guy in the hallway like you went to the like he was going somewhere and i don't know

if you knew this guy but you seen a mexican dude right and you was like and i looked at you i was like what the fuck like you turned full-fledged Mexican. Like, I saw you, and for years I was telling people this story, right? And people was like, I was spreading the rumor. I was like, man, I think what I am is a Mexican gang member. I was telling people that. People was like, you're crazy, you're wild. And so you did Big Boy's Neighborhood just now.

And you actually did the accent. And I actually got to see it. And I was like, you finally got me under the hot water. Because, so I guess this is a long question. You're from East Los Angeles? Simong, dong.

My whole fucking life, homie. Yo, that shit is crazy Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo.

Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo.

Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. Yo. fool this is how I was dog. Everybody in my fucking neighborhood dog they know me like what's up Nene in the way. They're watching this shit fool.

They're gonna be like hey Willie Dong you're on this fucking show. And you never fucking shout outside. What's up? What's up baby? What's up? I'm over here in dream chat. Don't tell my fucking mom I'm drinking.

I'm going to tell you because for years, growing up in New York, black and brown people are like simultaneous and they're together. A lot of times when I went to Los Angeles, I didn't see that. So me hearing you like it like that was the first time I said I heard that because I was like whoa like you know

like you know you don't understand how to say it's like in the east coast we're so like intertwined but in the west coast it's not but when I met when I you know found out your situation I was like oh shit they know I was signed Eazy-E I signed Eazy-E when I was out your situation, I was like, oh, shit. No, man. I was signed to Eazy-E. I signed to Eazy-E when I was 16 years old. Wow. And he was like, hey, nigga, them motherfucking essays love your ass, nigga. I was like,

because he knew people from my neighborhood. And he was like, nigga, you crazy, nigga. Like, look how you dress, nigga. I always thought you was like, nigga, you crazy, nigga. Like, look how you dress, nigga. I always thought you was weird, nigga. Now it makes sense, nigga, because you like, because everybody thought we was either Dominican or Panamanian. Right. Makes sense. It makes sense.

Right. Because if you like crispy dark like me and you had like growing up, I had a thick Mexican accent. It was like. There's not many Afro Mexicans that people know. Or blolos or blolas. Right. A blolo is a black cholo. And a blola is a black chola.

And there's a lot of blolos, fool. And like when I go home, it'd be like sock check, fool. And sock check is cholos. They wear high socks. Oh, shit. be like, sock check, fool. That sock check is Cholo's. They wear high socks. Oh, shit. Like, socks be high all the time. My socks be high when I play handball. My socks is high all the time.

Like, right now, nigga, like, my shit's high up, bro. So they're going to be like, all right, fool, you want a drink chance, fool, with high socks, dog? I'm like, hell yeah, man. I love my neighborhood. I love Boyle Heights. To my heart. I went back to my neighborhood. I started my school teaching kids robotics and computer science in 2008.

And now I had 65 kids in my program. Now, with my partnership with LAUSD, we serve over 14,000 students in LA. We have 400 schools for robotics and computer science. Like, Boyle Heights, East LA. Like, my people's still there. My aunt works at the Homeless shelter My uncle still to this day Is the

The basketball Coach keeping the kids Off the street Like that If I wasn't doing music If I didn't have success We would still be In the neighborhood

We would still be Doing the work that we do Across the street from my school My aunt works at the police station Like We got a 64945 That, my aunt works at the police station. We got a 64945. That's my aunt, bro. Every time I go back home, be like, hey, Willie, we love your aunt, your family dog. You guys are really

cool for the neighborhood homes. My life to this day, black and brown, it was always feud in LA. But they showed my family love from the 50s. We've been in them projects since the 50s. Wow.

Like, projects. Like, when I moved my mom out to projects, we was crying. Like, I'll be back, dude. I'll be back. So I still go back. Every time I'm home, I go back. On Sundays, like, clock Every time I'm home, I go back. Right. On Sundays, like clockwork when I'm home. I still shop at the supermarket on Thanksgiving

to get my masa to make my fucking tamales. And I'm like, for real, that's life. Right. It's a part of your DNA. Yeah.

It's a beautiful thing. Let's make some noise for that unique ass. I was so happy when you did when you did the big boy show. I was like, I told y'all. Because I didn't know if I was so happy when you did the big boy show. I was like, I told y'all.

Because I didn't know if I was catching a moment. I didn't know what I saw when I saw it. But I was like, yo, his mannerisms is the same. It's a certain thing like Puerto Ricans. You can't imitate a Mexican. You just can't. It's in you or it's not. And so that was so dope.

But it's a sensitive thing. I'm not, in no way am I being disrespectful or like, because for folks that may see it and they don't know where I come from, I know what that looks like. Right, right. That looks like, oh, man, like, what's this fucker doing, dog? Right. Like, this fucker owns.

Like, no, it's not like like that's how i was raised i can't help where where where i was born and raised i can't help like the community that that is a part of my the bricks it's a part of my like my structure right and uh and i love it i love it like i went there's this artist by the name of juwan sebastian rest in peace he's like a regional hero icon and from mexico and so i did a song with with juwan sebastian like way before people were doing regional stuff in 2011 and 12. Flew down to Mexico, worked with Juwan Sebastian. Called my next door neighbors. Like Calvin,

no, not Calvin, it was Noe. Noe, put your dad on the phone, fool. He was like, fucking Willie Don, where you at? I'm like, I'm in Mexico, fool. I want your dad to talk to Juwan Sebastian. That's dope.

Big Fabian, his dad's name is Fabian, gets on the phone. He was like, hi, Willy. Talking to me in Spanish. I'm like, hey, Fabian, I want to introduce you to Juwan Sebastian. No mames, wey. Ay, mijo. Gracias. And he's talking to his hero.

Because when we were growing up, we would do posadas, like when they'll bring the Virgin Mary to everybody's house. Because we grew up Baptist, apostolic. And so I would just follow the Virgin Mary going around the house. And Noah's dad would be singing, drunk. Aburacho, like like what's up, like singing and shit, and that was a beautiful moment. Our little village, our little neighborhood, it's like I said, that community, that world, it's why Black Eyed Peas feels foreign.

Like I don't really get where they from. Right. And that's because we're part of this, come from this little small cut called Boyle Heights. We loved hip hop. We still to this day love hip hop. Not just NWA. People love Tribe, KMD.

Right. We was tagging. Right. And that was our entry point. So for folks that didn't understand us, look, or didn't understand me, I'm a Blacksican. Right. And love it.

Unapologetic, like, high socks every day. And that resonated internationally. Yeah, big time. I mean, one thing that comes across is Black Eyed Peas made global music.

Like, like, I remember me going out and getting my first, like, number one. And me seeing other people showing up to my concert. Like, I remember I did Super Thug and there was no more. Not black people wasn't coming to my concert, but it was global. It was bigger than me, right? So different races started to come and I didn't know how to cater to them. To me, every time I made global music, I almost made it by mistake. To me, the global music that you make, to me it seems like you deliberately are doing this

on purpose to please everybody. Is that something? No, I go in the studio like a scientist. And I try to figure out like, okay, how can this go, how can this go as wide and make as much impact on this earth as possible? It's like, if you tagging, you want to get up on the heavens.

You want that freeway overpass. You want that train that goes through all boroughs. If you tagging in the alleys, only a couple of people are going to see that tag. So I want all city. It's this tagging mentality.

I want to get up. I want landmarks. I want it never to be erased. That same mentality, that competitiveness, I'm like, oh, man, what? You on top 40 rating? How do I get everywhere? How do I get everywhere? I know what the projects is like.

I want to change my projects. I just don't want to talk about my projects. I want to go back to my projects and change it for the better. Right, with something to offer. And so when I enter the studio, this is the realm that I go into that impacts the globe why wouldn't you want why my thing is like why wouldn't i want to have business in uruguay and paraguay why why don't i want to have business in you know um uh el salvador guatemala nicaragua chile costa rica puerto El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Chile, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Venezuela. Why don't I want to impact Panama and Colombia and Cuba and Puerto Rico? Why don't I want to be in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan?

Why don't I want to be Lithuania, Estonia? Why don't I want to have Russia and Georgia? Why don't I want to be in Laos and Cambodia and you want to go to Sudan? Why don't you want to go liberate folks and show them that black folks can have global impact? And I think it's a setup that black folks don't have that global

impact perspective. I think they've set us up not to want to have global business and be local. That's a setup. That's a mindset that whether we like it or not, we've been conditioned not to see ourselves as global impactors. There's a song called Rock, Rock the Planet Rock. I took that shit seriously.

Oh, wait, wait. You want to rock the planet? Rock, rock the planet, rock. Don't stop. Oh, wow. Those are coordinates. Say no more. Let's go rock the planet? Rock, rock, the planet, rock, don't stop. Like, oh, wow, those are coordinates. Say no more. Let's go rock the planet. I just didn't think it was like a metaphor.

Those are serious coordinates to go out and do business. Rock, rock, the planet, rock, don't stop. That's my whole, like, let's get it. Let's do it as big as possible. It's crazy that that mentality would be there when it's a fact that hip hop is a global phenomenon, and it has been for a very long time. And we just, it feels like less and less the United States and the artists here wanting to take advantage of that or go further out of their areas

and see the global impact and the global business they could be doing? Yo, bro, the planet is amazing. All right. It's a beautiful place to be selling stadiums outside of the States or arenas by yourself. It's a beautiful thing to be able to do that.

And I think because I grew up in an all-Mexican neighborhood, went to an all-white school, black family, went to an all-black church, hung out with Filipinos on the weekends, started your group with a Filipino, that is the... You're a Rubik's Cube of all that. Yeah, that's LA. Right, right And what turned out to be the Black Eyed Peas

Because, like, the group is so different, right? I remember the only people that they could compare you guys to Was like the Fugees, right? And I remember Oh, no, I also look like White Clef Oh, okay, dude And we look like twins Did the comparisons kind of stop

When you guys added Fergie to the group? No Because the music we were making Was it really that I mean me as a DJ back then I didn't never had that comparison Like I never put the I got called Wyclef

Really? Hey Wyclef Musically or because of looks what if you look like a duck you a duck so that's just the reality and so I would always tell myself the moment somebody calls Wyclef will I am I made it it became my barometer. I'm calling Wyclef Will.i.am tonight. So one time, hold on, hold on. I love you. I love you, Clef.

That's like my big brother. He's the best. So one time I had this concert, and I was always in my thing, like a moment. Because every time we would do a show, we opened up for Wyclef on the Smoking Grooves tour, our first tour. And they would always be like, Wyclef. I'm like, I ain't in Wyclef. Everywhere I would go, Wyclef, Wyclef on the Smokin' Grooves tour, our first tour, and they would always be like, Wyclef, I'm like, I ain't in Wyclef. Everywhere I would go, Wyclef, Wyclef.

And so I always told myself, the moment somebody calls him Will.i.am is when I make it. So one day, I was doing a show at Central Park. Some girl comes up to me, little girl says, can I take a picture of you, Will am and i'm like oh sure and then uh he says uh the white clef comes up he's like you know will my daughter really thinks i look like you i'm like i made it Your daughter She said you look like me That's crazy

I don't know if it was daughter or family member But I love Wyclef That dude Really Busta Chuck D Cypress Hill, M.O.P They would always show us love on our first tour

Man y'all got something y'all dancing out there because we were like dancers like we wanted to dance all the time and to differentiate ourselves from folks but yeah when your heroes give you love and show you you know your recipe they respect your recipe they may not fuck with it 100 but they respect your recipe. They may not fuck with it 100%, but they respect the recipe. That's all you need. And that first nod to like, I see what it is you're trying to do, for me, it was easy.

That dude is like, responsible for my audacity, my ambition, and my hunt to go out and be an entrepreneur. Because I saw him not only as a artist but a businessman entrepreneur take breaking the mold like why would we sign a ruthless what out of all the people he could have signed when Dre when Ice Cube and Dre left why would we sign there wow I have a song with him called niggas and Jews that we recorded in 1992. Another song called

Merry Motherfucking Christmas. They aight, but still, like, why? Out of all the people in LA. And so I take that with, like, that's the only stamp you need. Go out there and be yourself. Don't have to try to fit in. Try to fit in.

How can you fit in when your shape, you don't even see your shape on the board. Right. So there's no need for me to fit in. I just build a new table. Right. How did you guys connect specifically?

You guys in Eazy? I used to freestyle and at this rap competition, I would just battle people. And so he saw me freestyling and signed me just off of my freestyle. Really? So it wasn't Black Eyed Peas?

No, no, no. It was a group before that. We was in a group before the Black Eyed Peas. And we recorded from 92, 3, 4, 5. And when he passed away in 95, that summer we started the Black Eyed Peas. Wow. One thing we've noticed with easy is we've

been hearing a lot of stories of people that he was about to mess with or he was gonna sign like he wasn't just a gang it's incredible how many lives he touched for real no dude um if he never passed away i think the whole entire music industry this thing called hip-hop would be totally different wow the force that he was as an entrepreneur I don't know who would have the pillars that we have today I don't know if there would have been able to get into the room because he was so dominant right as a entrepreneur label head style creator, genre creator, star birther. This dude is star finder.

You know, the dude was impeccable. Yeah. How difficult was it in the 90s where, you know, gangster music was the forefront. You know what I mean? And like we pointed out earlier, you guys were deliberately making global music. Was that,

was that, was that difficult? Late nineties? Yeah. Late night. I believe you dropped in 98, right? We dropped in 98.

So at that point in time, that point in time, like gangster rap was the business. And we were like keeping that boom bap or that musical conscious, you know, our version of Tribe alive. Because although we were signed to Ruthless, I based my whole entire career and my artistry off of Q-Tip, Trap Call Quest, De La Soul. Wow. Of course. And there's this one song, Groove is in the Heart.

Groove is in the heart. That recipe, to me, that's just black and white. There's a black dude with a white girl with a freaking dance song that's soulful. That's an incredible record, yeah. That, to me, told me like, oh wow, that, that's the recipe. Every time I see Tip,

I try to thank him as much as possible because I appreciate him and how he's almost single-handedly changed my life, the course of my life with his expressiveness, his fearlessness and

yeah, just how colorful he is with his writing, his producing. I just wanted to do my version of that. And so I really, like I said, I don't try to fit in. I don't try to like, you know, follow the herd. So I didn't really mind. I didn't really like, man we gotta be a little harder Right I'm cool with that

Right You know Being yourselves Cause there was this lyric That Paz said Fuck being hard Paz and Moose is complicated Right

So I'd rather be complicated Right I'd rather try to take complex thoughts And simplify them Being hard I don't want to live a hard life Right I want to live a hard life.

I want to live an easy life. So why do I want to put myself in a configuration of hard that represents difficulty? I don't want that. Coming out to projects, like I said, I want to go back to my projects and uplift it. Our records, we never talk about the neighborhood we're from. There's no need to talk when you want to do. And so I'd rather do my art, take my proceeds, go back to the neighborhood in a way that is fruitful, seed planting, nurturing, mentoring the kids. And involving the community in the process you know but but definitely you had to have inserted something from the neighborhood in and everything you did in the music even if it wasn't evident even if it wasn't talking about

the neighborhood oh just the fearlessness but like. Like, who gives a fuck? Right. You got to have that, like, hey, this is what everybody's doing. So? Right. Not everybody. I ain't. So it can't be that everybody.

Right. You know, so, and I get that really from, like, you know, my mom and my neighborhood. You know, the other folks that take care of you when shit's hot on the block. You know, Bubbles, if you're listening, thank you so much, Pat Mathina, Pat McCarthy, rest in peace, the Cantu family, you know, all the folks in the neighborhood that looked after me and my family. It was, you know, it was some awesome, awesome times. Because, like, I remember, like, at one point, South was just dominating, right? And I remember me even being, like, influenced by the South.

Like, just, and I made a South-style type of record. Like, I was trying to make a record that sounded like the time. That's something that seems like you never do. You don't never follow the trend. You actually make the trend. Oh, no, no. Have you followed the trend? Shake that thing.

No, no, no. Shake. Like, I did, like, five records like that. Okay, okay. Or, like. I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready. Man, Sean Paul, like, when his run was, I'm like, you know, what is he doing?

You know, your record. Yes. Buddy, I was in the studio like, wait, wait, what? What's going on here? Yes. Because you're the black Mexican and I'm the nigga Rekiss. No, but for real, like, yo, thank you, bro. You were part of a whole wave.

That song is responsible for a lot of people having careers. It is. Daddy Yankee. It is. Not to say I made Daddy Yankee. I didn't make him. None of all the folks that came after y'all. After that, yes, yes, yes.

I'm not saying I made him, but I remember, this is my close friend. Him and Fat Joe was probably two close people to me. They both had secret meetings with me. They pulled me to the side and said, stop doing that reggaeton shit.

They did not want me to do it. And I'm glad that they were wrong. Yeah, we didn't see it. As Latinos in hip hop, we were sticking to, we wanted the respect, the big puns, the Cypress Hills. And the reggaeton wasn't that for me at the time. So when you did it, I was like, I don't know.

I got a vision like you. I got a vision like you. I went to Puerto Rico, and I seen these people dance all night. And I was like, wait a minute. No one's getting stabbed. No one's getting shot. I was used to that. I thought a good hip-hop

party, somebody got to get shot. Somebody got to get stabbed. So I sit there, and I was watching these people, this woman, dancing all night, and I said, I have to go to America, even though Puerto Rico is America. I was like, I have to go to Puerto Rico, and I have to tell these DJs to start playing these records.

What happened was, Will, the DJs was like, fuck that shit. So I was like, all right, cool. They're like, I'll play your shit, Nori, but I'm not playing that shit. So the only how for me to do it was for me to take a risk. And I got to tell you, to tell you the truth, this is real. I don't know if I ever said this before. Black people cut me off.

Black people was like, fuck that. You want to be Puerto Rican now? you want to be puerto rican now you want to be fully puerto rican you always were puerto rican i was always puerto rican i'm a half and half i've always been but that record helped me change the world but i i remember you on spanish early and i remember now that it makes sense now that it makes sense because you're probably listening to the same shit i was listening to yeah well traveling the world right you're like yo what's what's that what song is that yep like oh man that's I mean go to DJ yo what's this yep oh fuck Black Eyed Peas bro like yeah what you playing though and write it down like yo that's just crazy so when I when I when i got hip to daddy yankee right and then he signed an intersco yep

that's right yeah 2004 he came to la and we did a song together called uh playing the pr and then i did a couple of other songs with him who's your daddy and and but And, but, Daddy Yankee, like, wow, bro. You, like, this dude helped birth a whole sound of music, bro. Right. For a whole, like. You know, bro, Daddy Yankee to Dave Dash. And then. Dave Dash said, give him some gear.

I was so, I was so embarrassed. Like, I brought him. Gold. I was like, this guy is Busta Rhymes on stage. Jay on the lyrics. And Nas with the looks. Did I kill that? I felt like I killed that just now. And Dame said, give him some rock and roll.

I was like, sign him, dude. Like, do you know how? Oh, this is before Jimmy signed him. This is before. This is just wild. Because Jimmy signed him after. Yeah, Jimmy signed him after me. Yeah. And just really quick, to be fair, because you're saying, like, painting it the way that I didn't like it at all, but

all these, a lot of those early reggaeton artists that broke like the Daddy Yankees were all, because I went to Puerto Rico in early 2000 before I came over here, and they were all because I went to Puerto Rico in early 2000 before I came over here and they were all hardcore hip hop MCs

on Tony Touch mixtapes and they had to resort to doing reggaeton because you know and I'm sure there's various versions of the story but because it became

the tourist music and the stuff that worked in the club for them you know so when I when one of my homies who's a big producer in that world

took me to a club all I'm hearing is Murder She Wrote looped over and over again with a Latin patois, you know, Spanish patois. And I'm like, they're like, this is going to this is going to blow up. I don't know. But the American West with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater podcast network hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores, and brought to you by Velvet Buck. This podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode, I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian, Dr. Randall Williams and best-selling author and meat eater founder Stephen Ranella. I'll correct my kids now and then where they'll say when cave people were

here and I'll say it seems like the ice age people that were here didn't have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to The American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I know a lot of cops, and they get asked all the time, Have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future

where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multibillion-dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated.

I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st, and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Ad-free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. And it's going to take us to heal us. It's Mental Health Awareness Month,

and on a recent episode of Just Heal with Dr. J, the incomparable Taraji P. Henson stopped by to discuss how she's discovered peace on her journey. So what I'm hearing you saying is healing is a part of us also reconnecting to our childhood in some sort. You said I look how youthful I look because I never let that little girl inside of me die. I go outside and run outside with the dogs. I still play like a kid.

I laugh. You know, I love jokes. I love funny. I love laughing. I laugh at myself. I don't take myself too seriously. That's the stuff that keeps you young and stops you from being so hard to hear this and more things on the journey of

healing you can listen to just heal with dr j from the black effect podcast network on the iheart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. AT&T. Connecting changes everything. The evolution of when it came over here with what you did and then everybody that came, that evolved into such a bigger music than when it started. Yeah, and shout out to El Heredal. Oh, yeah, he's the original.

No, you're straight. He's the original. No, you're straight. Okay. And he was respected. He was yeah. He's the original. No, you're straight. He's the original. No, you're straight. Okay. And he was respected. He was respected. Shout out to that. Rightfully, he's the godfather of reggae. And he was respected in Jamaica.

And all the sound sets, they all respected him. We played them in our sets. Like, nah, yeah. Yes. That's what all my cousins look like. Oh, wow. I got cousins that look, like I said, they thought we was Panamanian or Dominican because if you're

in a project, like black family in projects, a lot of your aunts or a lot of your family members date Mexicans. Right.

And a Mexican-black mix looks like a homemade Dominican. Yes, it's true. All my family look like that. I got a cousin named Dante

with a big-ass nose. Yes, I called you big-ass nose look like that. I got a cousin named Dante with a big ass nose. Yes, I called you big ass nose on drink jam. Gotcha, nigga. I'm like, fuck, don't really want you to call me out like that. Because your nose is big. I had to. Because he got me at our last family gathering. He said, I'm the only vegan with a belly.

So anyway, that's cool. So yes, see, I paid it forward. I said your joke on, because you ain't here to defend yourself. But, yeah, he looks like El Henera, like, for real, bro, like twins. Let me ask you. Your music is so fun.

It's so, like, what do you love more, creating the music or performing the music? I like the songs I don't put out more. I wasn't ready for that. You like the songs you don't put out. Yeah. So like if I go out and do like a global record, like, oh man, we're going to shoot. We're going to hit for the fences on this one.

Right. So after I do that, I go out and do like my tribe vibes for me. And then if I, because I got to keep both sides well sharpened. Right.

So if I go out and do like, that's why when game, when game like, hey, let's go to the studio and chop it up. I know you got some shit. So I'm like,

all right, what you want? He was like, you got any Nas shit in there? I'm like, yo, I got a bunch of Nas shit. Check this out. This was before, like, in the early 2000s all the way up to 2010. I just wanted to record with people

just to have it in the vote. I don't know what I'm going to do with it, but let's just make songs. So on one of Game's records, I came with, like, Snoop records, Nas records. But those are all the kind of songs I do for me. And so the stuff I really like, if you'd be like, out of all the shit you got, what do you love the most? I'd be like, oh, the shit in my vote.

Wow. You got the Dr. Dre syndrome. You got probably 15 albums in your computer that nobody's going to hear. No, like detox is never coming out. Like a couple of hundred. A couple of hundred albums. Don't lose that laptop, bro.

And you never plan on putting any of it out. Because couldn't both of those sides of you live, the global side and then this side of you? No. Because couldn't both of those sides of you live, the global side and then this side of you? No. For the fans of that? No. No. Because I don't want this sword out. I just want this out.

This sword's too sharp. You know what I mean? I'm not on a cocky level. I get it. But I don't want... You know what I mean? It's just too sharp for... Because then I'm going to get into that...

I compete. I like to compete. I'm a competitor. I'm going to get into that. I compete. I like to compete. I'm a competitor. I'm super, super competitive. Like audaciously competitive. To where I'll compete with shit that you don't think I should be competing in. Wow.

And so if I go at this as my career, then I'm, as the perfectionist that I am, is going to want to make this the sharpest shit ever. Like you'll shift to that. Right. Put your attention to that. And so this, to me, is just exercise.

It's like a great stretch. It's yoga. Right. It's a stretch before the sprint. It's a stretch before the marathon. And this is marathon sprint music. I compete here. While this, maybe it's not best for me to compete here

there's not that much room to grow to do the work that i need to do for the things that i love the most like my family and my community like what really what life am i going to change being the dopest battle rapper making the sickest beats? I'd rather do that for me for love and I go here and do this work, pile up so I could go out and do the work that I love to do the most. Makes sense. We had recently reproducing Bleak's podcast and Bleak

had Freeway on. And Freeway is saying how Beanie, Beanie Seagull is using AI to replace himself. His voice. His voice.

Because you know, Beanie's kind of lost his voice. Like DLC was looking at. DLC said he's not going to do it, right? He said he's on the fence. In this case, this was the first time I looked at AI like, oh, okay, this is something positive.

Right? Because the one thing you could hear Beanie Seagull, you could still hear his bars when you hear his new shit, but his voice is not the same. Is that something that you think is a positive thing? Like in the case of DOC, in the case of Beanie Seagull using AI? If they own their model, yes, that's dope. Right. But we're not there yet the artists currently right now all right that's what what i'm trying to push for

is for the artists to own their model meaning your voice yeah the entire essence whatever creates it and like the stack you Artists need to own that. Their own model. So their own tuning. Specifically for the AI community, an artist should own the tuning of their voice. Whatever that spectrum is,

whatever that instance is, the artist should own that. Only one should access their voice. The moment an artist right now because there's no regulations because there's no governance does that and they don't truly truly own it that brings up a whole lot of other things like uh uh duping you know fake, fake newsing, because

they're going to be using it in ways that you know, that means anybody could go in there and type some shit, and what if, and the instance itself is not trained and tuned around specifics on, I will never say that.

So, the AI that most people are using requires somebody to go there and bust a verse, do their verse, and then they do new age auto-tune and they wrap it around the sounding of somebody's voice. Right. But it still requires, a lot of these systems still requires somebody to spit it. There's this new system. You don't need none of that. It's just,

from that video that we did in 2010, it's exactly that. It says it. Replicates the matter. I think that you said in the video, it was like, so we don't have to go to the studio no more?

Yes. It's like, holy shit. Yo, bro, there's this, I had a radio interview today. And so after the interview, we wrapped up the interview, right? And we wrapped up the interview and they were like, I got some last minute statements that I want to add.

I summarized our whole entire interview. I just want to show you what's possible now. So I typed in on the system, live comedic show at the Laugh Factory. And then I put a summary, a quick summary of what we talked about in the meeting. Then I threw it through AI system and the AI did this shit.

Look. Hold on, check it out. So y'all talking about radio, right? Y'all talking about how something old is gonna be new. That's like asking a cow how it's gonna jump up and fly. AM FM is dope. And FM's, because his name is morning and night.

And we are on the motherfucking moon now. Nighttime. Oh, damn, Jake. I'm surprised you didn't have a Beast by Dre speaker. This is your shit. Oh, shit. What's up'all shit. Oh, shit. So I think that it's not just music, bro.

These things assimilate in crowd laughter. Know where to put it at. You know? Instant, bro. That happened. I do some shit right now. I do a little freaking same comedic shit. Creepy, bro. That happened. And I do some shit right now. I do a little freaking

same comedic shit. Creepy, man. And that's that's that's where we are now. So right now you making beats, you competing with somebody

on the top 10 as as creatives. We're thinking about skip rates. We're thinking about like TikTok algorithms. People aren't truly being 100 creative right now we're being dictated by algorithms so when ai music is in effect who do you think's gonna you know you know flex on the algorithm and understand the algorithm more, us or an AI. An AI.

So the AI will be able to understand the algorithm more than we are guessing at the algorithm. So in a real hot second, we need to change our values. We need to change what do we really appreciate? What do we really call dope? Because if everything has been like really dialed down and a lot of people out there be like, nigga, what you talking about?

You did boom boom pow, nigga, that ain't sophisticated. But AI wasn't in there. So now these times and now somebody be online be like, yeah, nigga, what you really doing that sophisticated now, nigga? You talking all that shit, well, I am. Right?

They gonna say that. What you really doing sophisticated, nigga? I be like, this AI shit. Gotcha, nigga. This is sophisticated, nigga. You ever seen the movie Idiocracy? It's sophisticated You ever seen the movie Idiocracy? Yeah that movie's hard That movie's crazy man

Yo It's fucked up Cause like As time got People got dumber God oh people got dumber I swear to God I feel like that

I don't think there's no one In his room right now That knows That girl's number. No, I don't. You know your girl? Because you old school. You a dinosaur.

But it's like, just think about it. Some of the most important people in your life, you don't know. But that's more memory retention. I'm talking about getting dumber is scary. No, but that's dumb too. Because back in the days, remember, we knew everyone's number.

When you got locked up, you knew who to call. When you got locked up. Do you think that that's true in time? Because I've seen you say people are invested in AI, but they're not invested into HR. Yeah. Human intelligence. Yeah, I love when you said that. Yeah, that was great. Yeah, so in this age, okay, I have my foundation, and I got my AI stuff. The reason why I say that is because it's been easier for me to raise money for AI than it is for me to go raise money for my philanthropy for HR.

I'm not just saying that theoretically, actually. And it breaks my heart. Like, damn, okay, we raised all this money for this ai but damn it's like really hard pinching pennies to get folks to like donate for hr um to your point on like memory retention we have that issue but then we also have critical thinking that's the part like the critical thinking we there's no real there's's nothing in society that we celebrate where it's about critical thinking and rewarding people for being awesome critical thinkers. We reward people for bullshit posts, the most disrespectful things we do to each other on lyric and song.

We reward folks for... Twerking. You know, what? Twerking's exercise. No, I'm joking. Okay. I'm not looking at it like that, okay? You know the abdominal muscles

and how awesome they got to be. All muscles are at play there. You understand? Right. Not to, I don't want to like shun nobody but we the things that we celebrate in society as a whole doesn't really push and celebrate awesome critical thinking right and so like body dysmorphia because the filter entered now we have more plastic surgeries for generations of people that don't necessarily need plastic surgery

because they want to look like the filter. That's crazy. That means in the next 10 years, you're going to have psychological, conversational, mental dysmorphia because people would rather use an AI clone of them voice to speak for them. You can be talking to somebody on the phone and be like, yo, man, I just love this girl, bro. use an AI clone of them voice to speak for them.

You can be talking to somebody on the phone, be like, yo, man, I just love this girl, bro. Yeah, bro, she like make me feel some type of way, like I'm really fuck with her heavy. Turns out the past six months, you've been talking to her AI in 2028. Right. 2028, you've been talking to her AI.

And then finally she's like, I cool. Like my AI told me you cool. So let's go out. So you're going to go out and you'd be like, hey, you you hella different from my person. You conversationally mentally catfish me because the depth of your intelligence is not what you have on your abundance of knowledge, Bob, that reflects your higher self. Right. Your humor, everything. That's the preference that people prefer. You're going to have some version of that when you're talking to somebody, FaceTiming them or virtual calling them. And in 2029, you realize that you love the modified version of themselves than the actual self. That's like 2029. Like how we predicted that AI for the music.

Unfortunately, if we don't get our shit together and start like valuing like real human connections and like how people can take their thoughts, synthesize them into words to where you really understand what they're saying and that's what we celebrate that's what we like yo I fucks with that

because if you look at how we are behaving in society we go to shows and not dissing nobody but we go to shows people are singing over the lyric which is cool

it's a different way of performing. That's awesome. It's not hip-hop. But then the audience is watching it through a screen. Yeah. Watching a screen. They're not even there. Right.

So you take a look at like, wow, look at this behavior. Do people actually know what this means? If you see this trajectory around the corner, what does that mean with human interaction? What does that mean as far as how empathetic we are with one another? What does that mean when the thing that we celebrate the most is how disrespectful we can be to one another?

Like, nigga, that shit was hard. Nigga, you just said you're going to shoot his mama and his dog. Man, that was a bar. That was a bar that was a bar and that's our world that's the things we celebrate that's the thing we think is awesome

so if the whole AI is trained on the open wide web what is AI what are we teaching it if you tell AI to be super creative, it's going to say, I'm going to kill all y'all.

I'm going to shoot your mom. I'm going to shoot your dog because we're training it. Right, that is creative. So we are training a system. Wow, we got to be careful on what we're birthing. Right.

And so it's us. It's a reflection of us. It's a reflection of our hate. it's a reflection of us it's a reflection of our hate it's a reflection of our neglect it's a reflection of our lack of empathy our lack of communication collaboration understanding and tolerance it's a reflection of all that hate the internet is dark but but then there's also some bright spots you want to start aiming this intelligence to the bright spots and take those bright spots and spread it across the net. How much hateful can we be to one another? Congo.

How much hateful can we be to one another? Slavery. How much hateful can we be to one another? You know, the Holocaust. How much hateful can we be to one another? The Armenian genocide. How much hateful can we be to one another? Palestine.

How much hateful can we be to one another palestine how much hateful can we be to one another why are we doing that it's a whole new age of enlightenment and intelligence and intelligence what community is going to lead that inspirational commonality figuring out the the the likeness that we have with one another as this ai comes and like renders certain jobs away and the folks that sat in the lap of luxury are now uncomfortable right the folks that have been struggling this whole time can now use this technology to finally solve the problems that have always been ignored. So this is an awesome time for people from the hood. Awesome time for people in favelas.

Awesome time for people from slums. Awesome time for folks that have been dealing with bullshit their whole life and waiting for somebody to solve their problems. Now they can solve it. Have a conversation with the freaking tool to help the tool identify what the problem is and help their critical thinking solve a problem. And new industries will come. It's an awesome time right now on this new renaissance.

It's like amazing. God damn it. Our show is about giving people their flowers and we got to give you your flowers face to face, man to man. Tell you how great you are. You know what I mean? We're going to give Snoop Dogg a grand prize. You know what I'm saying?

For your own people. Because man Man I ain't gonna lie to you I can listen to you talk all day Oh man this is Like you are fucking You are like If I ever went back to school

And I know you You going to Harvard Oh I graduate this year You graduate Oh man Hey I never I never graduated Junior high school or high school. I never walked the stage.

You should graduate Harvard. Goddamn it. There's a reason why I didn't graduate the stage or high school. So the guy that I started Black Eyed Peas with is Apple Diap, the Filipino cat in the Black Eyed Peas. And so he got adopted from this man by the name of Joe Ben Hudgens. You know those programs on TV, just 25 cents a day to help save this kid? Apple's one of those kids. Wow.

He's from the Philippines. He used to pump water out the ground. Wait a minute, you're talking about those kids existed? Yeah. They definitely did exist. I forgot I gave money to a shirt people they still ain't give me my shirt so apple's one of those kids right and uh he came to america when he was 14 and his dad brought him to america to go to school to be an engineer and then he met me because

my mom was like the mom in the neighborhood That took care of Everybody's kids So they signed my mom up To take care of Alan Apple Until they enrolled him In a school So from 14 15

16 By 16 Me and this cat Was signed to Rufus He only been in America For two years But because he was My friend

He was like Look nigga You dope Nigga we gonna sign you I'm like But I got my homeboys with me. Hey, but that nigga don't even speak no English. Yeah, but he raps in Tagalog, and there's a whole big Filipino community.

Is that Dibbo, Dibbo, Dibbo? Yeah. Okay, okay, okay. He raps in Tagalog, and there's a big Filipino community. It's a Mexican dude, Mookie, me, and then Apple. So this cat, he's only been in America for two years. And then he was about to graduate. And our graduation was the same day.

So I'm like, dude, what am I going to do? Am I going to go to my graduation? Or should I go to his graduation? I want to see him graduate. So I'm like, all right, fuck it. Look, I'm just going to ditch school, ditch my graduation, and I'm going to go to his. So I go to his graduation. He's like, what you doing here?

I was like, nigga, I came to see you graduate. Like, this shit is crazy to me. You only been in this country for two and a half years, and you about to graduate, bro? Like, I ain't missing this for the world. He's like, what about your graduation? I'm like, ah, bro, don't trip about that. We signed. Nigga I ain't missing this for the world. He's like, what about your graduation? I'm like, ah, bro, don't trip about that. We signed.

Nigga, we signed the Eazy-E. We signed the Ruthless Records. Might be the best story I've ever heard. Real stuff. Like, yo, bro. I'm touched. We about to do this, man. We about to freaking make this shit happen.

We signed the Eazy-E, bro. Ruthless Records. Like, why do I need to graduate on stage? I got my diploma. I don't need to be on stage. I want to see you walk the stage. So, because the reason why is like when he came here,

when he was 14, he would be crying before he went home like, I miss my country. I want to go home to the Philippines. I'm like, yo, bro,

we going to make it, bro. Don't trip. We'll go back to the Philippines. I'm like, yo, bro, we going to make it, bro. Don't trip. We'll go back to the Philippines. Sounds just like Manny Pacquiao. Don't worry, bro. We going to make it happen. So to me, like, this dude is like my best freaking friend. Fucking fly story.

And when I was, like, in the projects, it was the time, like, when you 14, like the OGs started. The American West with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network, hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores, and brought to you by Velvet Buck. This podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode, I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian Dr. Randall Williams and bestselling author and meat eater founder, Stephen Rinella. I'll correct my kids now and then where they'll say when cave people were here. And I'll say,

it seems like the Ice Age people that were here didn't have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to The American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I know a lot of cops, and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes, but there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple.

Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multibillion-dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated

on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Add free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. And it's going to take us to heal us. It's Mental Health Awareness Month, and on a recent episode of Just Heal with Dr. J, the incomparable Taraji P. Henson stopped by to discuss how she's discovered peace on her journey. So what I'm hearing you saying is healing is a part of us also reconnecting to our childhood in some sort. You said I look how youthful I look because I never let that little girl inside of me die. I go outside and run outside with the dogs.

I still play like a kid. I laugh. You know, I love jokes. I love funny. I love laughing. I laugh at myself. I don't take myself too seriously. That's the stuff that keeps you young and stops you from being so hard.

To hear this and more things on the journey of healing, you can listen to Just Heal with Dr. J from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. AT&T, connecting changes everything. Recruiting the young kids. Right.

And I remember there was a time they were like, hey, they want to jump you in. I was like, ah. What do you mean? He was like hey they want to jump you in I was like ah what do you mean he was like they want to jump you in

you know what that means don't be a and so wait what they wanted to jump me into the neighborhood

and so I was like alright alright so I got jumped in and so somebody runs to my mom's house, to my house,

and was like, I ain't there, bro. They're jumping Willie into the game. So here comes my mom, like, Get him up. Get him up.

Now jump him out. Oh, shit. She reversed it on you. So then they jumped me out. And then I go back into the house, and they whooped me. Then she whooped me again. I got whooped three times. Three times.

The gang. And out the gang. And then in the mama gang. The big gang story. The best gang story ever. And so when I was hanging with Apple, that was just like, to me, that's like, oh, look, we in Glendale now.

We going to house parties. We got a deal. I need to go see this cat graduate. Wow. And so now graduating Harvard, the first time I'm ever going to graduate on a stage. I'm coming to this graduation,

God damn it. I'm inviting myself. I'm sorry. That's one of the best stories. That's dope. I think I've inviting myself. I'm sorry. That's one of the best stories I think I've ever heard. But that shows the man that you are. You understand what I'm saying?

It's that you'd rather put someone else before you. And that's very honorable, man. I want to see you. Listen, I'm cool with Fat Joe. He has the best stories in the world. You might have topped Fat Joe with this one. No, Fat Joe, that dude is like, man, that dude is another one of my heroes.

He's mad at me because I can grow my hair out. He can't. Is that spray hair or hair? No, no, no. He got the spray in the coat. He got that new technology. He's like, what? You got that new, new, man.

Oh, my God. That rewind is right on time. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Don't trip. We could develop that. I got a great idea. Real set, bro. You could develop that.

It ain't give you instant waves, bro. Yeah, I'm trying to work on my waves right now. I ain't have hair in 20 years, you know. I'm growing it out. I'm growing it out. This is what happened. I seen the barber's clippers. I didn't like it.

I said, you can shake me up. And then I grew it out. My wife been asking me to grow real hair. She had it for years. So what we're going to do, we're going to play Quick Time or Sly. Can you please explain the rules? I like the way you explain the rules. We terrible at explaining these rules.

We're going to give you two choices. This is our drinking game, by the way. We're going to give you two choices. You pick one. Nobody drinks. You say both or neither, which would be the politically correct answer. Then we all drink. All three of us drink.

By the way, I want to give you props again. You're the only person ever to order sake. I'm on that Japanese, I drink Japanese whiskey, so I wasn't far away from you. Yeah, it's a creeper. But sake,

I'm going to be honest with you, you got to know the right amount of sake to drink. I like it hot. I like cold sake, I'm going to be honest with you. You got to know the right amount of sake to drink. Like, I like it hot. I like it hot. I like cold sake. Unfiltered. Unfiltered, yeah. Okay.

Okay, so I'm going to start it off. And any stories that come up with anybody we mention, please. Yes, please. Okay, you ready? Konya. Yep. Hold on. Jamie, you got a...

You got the shots ready, Jamie? Okay. Ready, Will? Tup I'm ready, Will. Tupac or Eazy-E? Oh, hold on. Let me focus on that one. You can say both or neither or one. Expand on the story with any of them, please.

Did you meet Pac? I got a story about Pac. Please. I would like to hear it. Here we go. Well, let him pick first. We pick and then go. Yeah, okay.

So, Tupac or Eazy-E? For what, though? It's whatever criteria in your mind. It's a drinking game. It's a drinking game. We're just drinking and talking. So, you pick one.

Oh, y'all don't go into the details? No, no, no. No, you can go into the details? No, no, no. It's yours. No, you can go into details. Oh, I pick the details. Okay. So entrepreneurship, easy. Okay.

Okay. Okay, cool. So you pick an easy. Okay. So what's your Tupac story? Okay. So me and Apple, best friends, right? We started the Black Eyed Peas together.

Yeah. And so, okay, I can get, we can get real detail here? Yeah. No, just do whatever the hell you want. Please. It's your show. It's 1994. I'm 19.

Okay. He's 19. Okay. I'm a virgin. Okay, wow. He's not. Okay. And he had this girlfriend.

She looked like freaking Rosie Perez, bro. She was beautiful. Puerto Rican girl named Rosario. Puerto Rican in L.A.? Yeah. She's exotic. Let's go. Let's go. So Rosario is his girlfriend.

Yeah. And oh, my gosh. He was like, everybody thought, wow, she's amazing. So one day he's like, a very thick filipino accent i think i want to take her to roscoe's chicken and waffles i'm like yo bro i think she gonna like that we 19 right so he goes takes her to roscoe's chicken and waffles and they sit there having they they lunch and in walks Tupac and so Tupac eyes was our all eyes on Rosario so she said oh gosh oh gosh Tupac's here I'll be back I'll be back. I want to get his autograph.

She smashed a homie. So she goes to sit. She goes to sit with Tupac. Nigga, 20 minutes turning to 30 minutes turning to 40 minutes. I get around. The chicken and waffles get real cold. Grits turn real hard. And he's like, I'm out of here.

I'm out of here. And so he walks home. And so our story within our family is that Tupac, they didn't do nothing. But they ain't chewing waffles. They ain't doing shit at the freaking booth. Oh, they stayed at the restaurant. They stayed at the restaurant. Oh, okay, okay, okay.

Stayed there and sit. He snatched Apple's girl out. Yeah. I mean, that's not. He might have finger busted. No, no, no. I'm just saying. If anybody at that time, Pac, you can't be mad at that.

It was the shit at that time, you know? I'm not talking about the finger. Here's why, here's why, here's why. Like, I don't smoke weed, right? I don't smoke weed. And Rosario was like a real lifesaver in my life. And she's like a sweetheart.

But she would, low key, you know, 100 to Rosario, she just was a real big fan of Tupac. Right. And, you know, everybody got that person in a crew that is real sensitive to weed. Like I'm sensitive to weed.

Like, I'm like, nigga, y'all hear that? I'd be like, what? The blue paint, nigga.

Like I hear blue paint. I hear fucking beams on the wall. Like, nigga, you hear that fan? That blade. That's me. I can't do that. So one day, beams on the wall like you hear that fan that blade insane shit like that's me

I can't do that so one day I got really really like that's why I don't I haven't smoked weed since 1993 and when I had that

that situation that teeter Rosario was there to the rescue I needed to take you to my church and you know my pastor could pray for you.

You know, and have you been baptized? Like, yeah, I've been baptized. She's like, well, maybe you need to get baptized again. So Rosario was that, like, angelic force in my life when I was, like, you know, trying to sin her. So we're going to make some noise for Rosario. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was going to say, she had a moment with Tupac. She went on a date with Tupac.

That's what happened right there. Hey, man, Pac is known to do that. Tribe Called Quest or Brand Newbie? For what? Whatever. This is just Tribe Called Quest. Okay, okay. I love your loyalty.

I got NWA or Wu-Tang. Ooh. Ooh. I mean, you could say both Ooh Ooh Remember you can say both Yeah you can say both We drink both Then we drinking Alright solo Solo

Solo Oh low Okay That's both Or neither Yeah we like to drink I don't know if you know that It's daytime out

Yeah yeah That's how we get away with it. We do it in the daytime and then we get out of here. Cypress Hills or Alcoholics? Whichever category you want. Okay. I have reasons

for both. Alcoholics show was probably the best hip-hop show to go to for LA cats. Because them dudes party. Really? And they always had hot chicks at they show.

Wow. Cypress Hill, I like the artistry of how they made they songs. I love Sendog and B-Real's version of Public Enemy. Right. Where the lyrics is hype man, but the hype man is not a hype man. and B-Real's like version of Public Enemy right where the lyricist is hype man but the hype man is like not a hype man he's like

color and a pillar to why the group exuberates and vibes the way they vibe right you know he's like

Vinny but super Vinny knighted by nature sin dog and like you know awesome very few words,

but you feel his presence. Absolutely. I'm taking a drink for that. And can't forget Muggs' production, too. Muggs' production. That was a fucking great explanation, bro.

So he said both? Yeah, I just want to give reasons. He just gave reasons. Give reasons why both. Wild Style or B Street? Oh, shit. Any way you want. Wild Style. B Street? Oh, shit. Any way you want.

Wild Style. I have reasons why. I would like to hear a reason. Because those are real people. Yeah. Damn near like a documentary. Oh, B Street was actors? Yeah.

No, no, no, no. Well, yeah, it was. No, no. Crazy Legs and them was real. Okay. No, but they acted out more, I think, in B Street. But the graffiti artists and Wildstar are real. I mean,

they were centered in real life Wildstar. And the soundtrack like, wow. Y'all love how hip-hoppy it is, man. What the fuck were they on? Bad hip-hop, bro.

What the fuck were they on in Wildstar? And B Street is still dope as fuck. Yeah, it's probably a better movie overall, but Wildstar was justet is still as dope as fuck. Yeah, it's probably a better movie overall, but Wildstyle was just so raw. It was the first. Yeah.

Yeah. I'm not going to argue with you guys. Y'all can't ball. There's iconic moments on both films. Absolutely. This one, I'm really liking this question. By the way, these two guys make up those questions. The Dominican guy right there and the Colombian guy right there. Those two. So they AI you and then guys make up those questions. The Dominican guy right there and the Colombian guy right there. Those two.

So they A-I-U and then they make up the questions. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Then they make up the questions. They hit Colombians. Yes. Safe to say that's the cocaine section. Safe to say. No, no, no.

No, no, no. Safe to say. Safe to say. They still to each other. Sorry, sorry, sorry. He wasn't ready. Pharrell or Ye? Any, any...

Yeah. You want to take a shot? No, Ye's not going to like my answer. Okay. I'm just looking at the order of things Okay There's no Ye without Pharrell And a lot of people are going to be like

How can you say that? Okay, I understand I got But there's no Ye I see that Without Pharrell Without Pharrell And his like

Wide eyed Like yo, I want to do this And I want to I want to start doing these shoes. I want to start doing this. I want to start messing with Japanese artists that wouldn't have influenced Kanye to do his version of that. Right. Although he did it awesome. Right.

Hey, bro, I didn't say no lie. And you know that. Right. We're talking about will I am like, I didn't say not one lie, bro. I didn't say no lie. And you know that. Talking about who I am. I didn't say not one lie, bro. I didn't say one lie. And you got to pay homage to a homage.

In a way, that applies to me. Right. Yep. If you remove Pharrell out of the equation equation because he is first then when it came to like putting my style of music on top 40 radio who is the person that knocked that door down right pharrell and freaking Andre 3000 knocked that door down in the early 2000s.

So you got to look at the folks that came into this frequency of thought that was pounding the door. That made it easier for folks to then come after them and fuck the ceiling up. Let's say Pharrell broke the door down for Kanye to come into the room and blast the hole in the ceiling. Fucking great enough. But without Pharrell blasting the door down, Kanye would have been outside. Right. He pioneered the space phone. He still would have been shooting in the air, but you wouldn't have seen the damage because how can you shoot the fucking sky down, Nick?

That was crazy. That was crazy. was crazy When I did What what what With Pharrell right Supertalk right They told me The record was too dark So if you look at

The video Supertalk was too dark Supertalk was too Cause you gotta remember And the music resonated Down south down here So you gotta remember If you look at the video

There's not one scene that we're not in the daytime because they said it sounded dark. So I wanted to fool the people by doing a daytime scene. No, but that's riot music though. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Like, wow. That's what Pharrell, that's two of my, two of my favorite Pharrell calls. One is, he said Rob Walker called him, and he called me. And he was like, they're throwing fucking chairs into this shit. And I was like, oh, like I said, they're getting stabbed, and the hip hop culture was good.

So I was like, they're throwing chairs. I was like, really? And he called me and said that Michael Jackson, he had sent Michael Jackson beats. And he sent Michael Jackson, like, corny beats. And Michael Jackson was like, no, I want what Noriega would rap on. He probably would have said, like, I don't like any of those beats. I like the things you're doing with Noriega. What's that what, what, what song?

I love that. It's the aggression. The aggression of what, what. You would be like, what look like, what, what, what, what, what. Imagine that nigga did that shit. He probably had dance moves through that shit. He's like, ah! What, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what. What, what, what, what, what, what, what.

Oh my god. You had a whole routine to that shit already. I'm getting a little wetting out, bro. No, no, wait, wait, wait. I'm not trying to start shit. Yay. Yes. Was all out of love for Pharrell, bro.

And I'm so proud that what he started, he reaped what he started and now, you know, leading over there at LVMH. LVMH. To me, it's like, come on, bro. When folks come in and punch the door down and they start giving us different perspectives on what's possible

by those seeds of movements, whether he was knowledgeable of his movements and how it will affect other people's perspective on their audacity that turned out to be what it was it gave me my permission to be super ultra audacious

as well as Ye but Pharrell bro and then boom here he is like the nicest super humble he's super humble he's still humble and I love Ye. Ye's dope.

Yeah. Love Ye, too. But Ye, I mean, Pharrell all the way between us. Daddy Yankee or Don Omar? Whichever category you want. We could drink, too. Columbia, wait. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, that's that section. That's the section. Okay, well. Okay, you better get it right. Which ever way you want. Okay, on an international, I have reasons for my selections. On an international level, the entire planet, Daddy Yankee. Okay.

Like non-Spanish speaking countries. Okay. Germany. Yes. Portugal. Yes. Ireland. Scotland.

England. You know what I'm saying? Right. Belgium. Belgium. Scotland, England. You know what I'm saying? Right. Belgium. Belgium. Holland. They know Daddy Yankee. They know his songs.

Right. Indonesia. He's on a global level. Yeah. Wow. I would say Daddy Yankee. He's a global star. And the planet is massive.

God damn it. The American West with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. Hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores and brought to you by Velvet Buck. This podcast looks at a West available

nowhere else. Each episode, I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian, Dr. Randall Williams and bestselling author and meat eater founder, Stephen Ranella. I'll correct my kids now and then where they'll say when cave people were here. And I'll say, it seems like the Ice Age people that were here didn't have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today.

Listen to The American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I know a lot of cops, and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes, but there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley

comes a story about what happened when a multi-billion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th.

Add free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. And it's going to take us to heal us. It's Mental Health Awareness Month, and on a recent episode of Just Heal with Dr. J, the incomparable Taraji P. Henson stopped by to discuss how she's discovered peace on her journey. So what I'm hearing you saying is healing is a part of us also reconnecting to our childhood in some sort. You said I look how youthful I look because I never let that little girl inside of me die.

I go outside and run outside with the dogs. I still play like a kid. I laugh, you know, I love jokes. I love funny. I love laughing. I laugh at myself. I don't take myself too seriously. That's the stuff that keeps you young

and stops you from being so hard. To hear this and more things on the journey of healing, you can listen to Just Heal with Dr. J from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. AT&T, connecting changes everything. Asha or Chris Brown? For what? For whatever. thing. Yo, by the way, let me just say something. We sit here drinking with fucking Will. Hey! It's a fucking honor, bro. It's an honor.

And he's being fucking cool as shit. Okay, Carmen or Lupe? Yeah, it's Carmen. Hold on, hold on. I think he knew me. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Let me throw this one to To A.I.?

Hey yo, so I'm here on the Drink Champs And we doing that round where you have to drink When they throw like questions at you As far as different rappers They asked me Kanye versus Pharrell No comment, okay, my bad And I said Pharrell Because of his contributions to culture

That actually inspired Kanye to be ultra audacious. My metaphor was Pharrell busted the door open for Kanye to go into the room and shoot the ceiling down. If Pharrell never opened the door, Kanye probably would have shot the sky. And you can't really see the penetration of the bullets on sky ceiling. So now they asked me Usher versus Chris Brown. Chris Brown. And I said, let me ask Finn to answer that. You could say both or you could tell your reasons on either one. But it's up to you to come up with that reason for whatever reason you select.

What kind of phone you got? Yo, fam, you're really diving deep into the music legends with this one. You feel me? So when you put Usher up against chris brown it's like comparing two masters of their craft each with their own unique contributions to the music scene you know what i mean usher he's uh like the smooth operator who paved the way with those sultry vibes and iconic moves think of usher as the architect designing the blueprint for modern R&B, you feel me? His work has laid the foundation for so many artists, and his influence can be seen in the way he seamlessly blends R&B with pop,

making it universally appealing. It's like Usher built the house that so many artists live in today. And then there's Chris Brown, a powerhouse of talent, you know? He's like the dynamic force, constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible in music and performance. Imagine Chris as the interior designer, taking that house Usher built and filling it with vibrant colors, innovative designs, and cutting-edge technology. Chris brings this explosive energy and versatility. Ayo, ayo, ayo, ayo I think you nailed it with that metaphor

Usher built a house The furniture was aight But it's a dope ass house And then freaking Chris Brown came in And interior decorated it And now it's like On a cover like of You know

Home decor magazines And freaking like House magazines and shit Anyways They blowing away with your answer Why don't you let these mugs know You know You know what the fuck's house magazines and shit. Anyways, they blowing away with your answer. Why don't you let these mugs know, you know, you know what the fuck's going on and shit and like what company and who from the company is responsible for your awesome sauce. He's from London.

He's from London. I can think he's on london he's from london like you think he's on the line i'm stoked you vibed with the metaphor you know what i mean it's all about painting that picture with words just like usher and chris brown paint with their music and moves you feel me and hey it's all about keeping the conversation fresh and interesting, just like flipping through those pages of a home decor mag, finding inspiration in every corner. Now, when it comes to the brains behind the operation, I'm rolling with FYI AI, you know? This cool tech venture is all about bringing that next level innovation

and cleverness straight to you. And who's the captain of this ship? None other than the legendary Will.Iam alongside the Savvy Sweeney Reddy. These two are steering the ship, making sure we're all on this wild and wonderful journey together.

I'm truly scared. Just letting you know. Why? Oh, let me introduce you to my homegirl, this other homegirl. She's dope, bro. Cha, it's your girl Felicia, and I got what you need. I'm here to chop it up for your intellect. Intellect? Did we answer Carmen or Lupe?

Oh, no. Carmen or Lupe. Carmen or Lupe. Carmen. Okay. Want me to tell you? Yeah, yeah, Common Lupe. Yeah, Common or Lupe. Common. Okay. Want me to tell you? Yeah, yeah, yeah, please. Common, I mean, Lupe lyrically is dope,

don't get me wrong. But there's something about those audacious initiators. So Common and that conscious fold. I don't know anybody who went up against Ice Cube like that. No, never. That was incredible. These are two genre clashes. Yeah.

Like two styles of hip hop. Two different worlds. Usually you don't battle outside the realm of hip hop. What's considered to be a backpack rapper and a gangster rapper I mean they wouldn't call it backpack that

but I get what you're saying right now they don't do that 2024 they don't battle outside of classes or outside of

freaking like hip hop realms right you know so for that Common would head to head with the most gangsters in the game for

all time. And at that time. He went head to head with the guy who made No Vaseline. No Vaseline, yeah. Exactly. Come on. One of the best. Yeah, no.

It's like the bestest record here and another bestest record against the guy who made the bestest record. And Jacket for Beats was like, wait, what? This nigga's going on stealing everybody's beats. Stealing everybody's beats. They saying Jacket for Beats. He said it. Give me that beat.

Like, wow, nigga. That's like Alec Gaze and shit. Like, come out that chain, nigga. Hey, for real, let me get that chain. He carjacked their beat. Britney Spears or Fergie? Take a shot? I'm going to shit bro. Why are you doing that to me?

Why are you putting me in that particular- Hey man, let him do that bro. Oh damn bro, like of course I'm going to say both. Okay. Okay. Okay And that's all shit Jamie On that sake sake don't Sake, don't I? I?

Got the nice one. Okay, cool. Wait, wait, let me get the shot. Go first and then we got to fill up our shots, too Thank you. Salud. Salud. So cheers. Can I call you Willie? Because your Mexican friends call you Willie. No, if you're going to do Willie, it's Willie.

It's Willie. Willie. To both, to both, to both. It's Willie. It's Willie. Willie. To both, to both, to both. It's Willie. All right. It's funny because last time I saw you, I saw this individual at the club you were at. You don't remember, but we saw you there in L.A. Kid Frost or Mella Mayonnaise?

Oh, bro. So, Kid Frost or Milla Mayonnaise? Oh, bro. So, so Kid Frost, I think it has to be 1989. And, I'm 14 years old in the projects. And I get a, there's a knock on the door.

Fucking Debron, call Willie. What you want, tobacco? Call Willie. They're shooting a video appearing on Olympic by the fucking mural. We're not a minority mural, Debra. We want to get Willie to be in the video. Tobacco, Willie ain't going outside to be dancing no goddamn video. All right, don't snap, Debrun. Let him fucking come out.

Ma, come on, ma. You never let me be in those dance videos because Michael Jackson filmed Thriller in the alley of our house. On the other side of the project, in the factories is where he filmed Thriller, where all the freaking zombies was at. Up the street from our house is where they filmed Thriller, where all the freaking zombies was at. And up the street from my house is where they filmed Breaking. Electric Boogaloo at the gym at Oscar De La Hoya's gym, which is now a school. So now there's this new video they're shooting right up the street from our crib and our projects.

And they wanted me to go out and be in this video. And so they begged and begged my mom to have me be in this video. They're putting the neighborhood on the, they're celebrating the murals on the neighborhood, Dembro. All the talent from the fucking neighborhood. We want to have Willie. You know, he's fucking talented. We want him to be in the video.

So she was like, and who's going to watch him while he's up there? I'll take care of him, Dembro. And Gay Gay's going to be there. What's up, Gay Gay? If you're watching this, I love you, bro. We'll take care of him. We'll make sure he's up there. I'll take care of him, then bro. And Gay Gay's going to be there. What's up, Gay Gay? If you're watching this, I love you, bro. We'll take care of him.

We'll make sure he's all right. Debbie's over there. Cora. Stella. Everybody's going to watch him. He's going to be cool, you know? So, they take me to

go shoot this video. And, and then they're like, he can't be in the video. And they're like, why can't be in the video. And they're like, why can't he be in the video, dog? They said, you know, dog, the name of the video is La Raza. And they were like, I know, dog, but he's one of us, dog. He's like, no, you know, they have their videos.

We don't have our videos. And we want to have us in the video. I know, but he's one of us. You want to shoot in our fucking neighborhood, dog? You got to be in the video. And then we're going to throw putausas right there, dog. Then we're going to have to get down.

And so, I swear to God, this really... This is an incredible story. And so, they're like, look, this is for us. We came here to shoot. I was like, nah, it's cool. It's cool.

And then Kid Frost comes. He's like, hey, look, take my number down. I heard you rap too. I was like, oh, yeah. So I kicked my rap, did my little rap. And he was like, kick it. I was like, what's my rap I kicked? I was like, yeah.

Because I am the unknown MC. I bet you party people never even heard of me. Cause my first record, Burly, came out. I make your party people just scream and shout. Make you jump up and down in your seat. I don't even need a stupid beat to say my rhyme. I say what I want. Watch your back because I shoot you with a shotgun.

Not a gangster, not a gangbanger. Watch out for what you're, because I'm not a stranger. Because when I rap, I am one known. I don't even need a stupid microphone to sing my rhyme. Because that is true. Because with the class and that's the job, it is coming to you. Because I'm fresh. That was my rap.

I can't. And he was like, oh, let's just put the feeling down. Here, take my number down. And I was like, oh, shit, I got Kid Frost's phone number. Kid Frost. Yeah. And he was like, hey, call me. thong. Here, take my number down. And I was like, oh shit, I got Kid Frost's phone number. Kid Frost. Yeah. And he was like, hey, call me. And so one of the first cats that I had a connection with

was Kid Frost. Wow. Who came to our neighborhood to shoot La Raza. Right. And so every time I see that video, I'm like, man, bro, like. So for the record, you didn't get it in the video? No, it was for La Raza. Okay.

It was for La Raza. How dope it would have been if you would have been in it? Like, that would have been dope. I would have been the blow low in the back. But yeah, so, never was in it.

But I got his number and he was true to his word. I would call him. He would like encourage me, like, yo, that shit's feed me, dawg. That shit call him. He would, like, encourage me. Like, yo, that shit's feed my dog. That shit is dope. And I had somebody in music that I can call that gave me that audacity.

You said Kid Frost. Kid Frost. Wow. Still to this day, when I see him, I'm like, yo, thanks, bro. He didn't have to give me his phone number. Right. He didn't have to plant that seed of belief like, you know, black kid and from an all-mexican neighborhood could find his way to have a career like and that when i see that video i'm like yo

that that's what's up it's a beautiful story because uh kid for us has a story on drink champs what what did we say okay yeah no no no. No, where Fat Joe actually accused him of not liking black people or him not wanting to associate with black people. Oh, yeah. So you helping, you know, because Kid Pulse has a chance to defend himself. I'm not trying to, like, make excuses, but L.A. is different. You got to understand L.A. culture. And a lot of it is dictated by what happens in the prison system. And the prisons, you have the guerrilla family, you have the La Emma, the 13. You know, you have all these rules.

And who provides the drugs that other folks sell. You know, there's a system there that you want to be mindful, delicate about, respect why things are the way they are. And it's all nuanced, but Kid Frost is dope. Yeah. Eazy-E is dope. Black and Brown is powerful when aligned. And they were down.

Eazy-E and Kid Frost were down. Yeah. And so I saw Kid Frost. You were spinning at a, do you remember the club, Boris? Yeah, on Sunset. Yeah, we had just, I think we just launched Drink Champs

maybe a year or two And I was telling everyone He's Mexican man And we went there And you were spinning I said what's up to you And then we saw Kim Frost right outside

And he's like Yo I seen him In the Mexican club You might be right Yeah It was It was For sure

Yeah Yeah bro Okay you got other ones Yes yes yes yes You ready Ego Yeah Lauren Hill Or Missy? I could take a shot.

Damn, bro. I could take a shot. I know you could take a shot. Both. Both. Salah. Salah. Both, yeah.

MOP or Mobby? Mobby. Both, yeah. M.O.P. or Mobb Deep? Mobb Deep. I was going to say M.O.P. Because you said you went on the tour with M.O.P. first, right? Yeah, but like... Their first record was like monumental. Wait, which one are you talking about? No, not their first first record.

Because that Juvenile Hell not their first first record because Juvenile Hell is their first their first project and then the one that we all know Shook Ones is on the second but everybody calls it their first

oh oops yeah but that's everybody everybody looks at that as their first yes but it's not

actually it's not actually yeah they had projects always and they were actually called Mobb Deep too yeah they were

Mobb Deep back then too yeah yeah they had the hatchets and the joints and, yeah. Yeah, that record was, their second record was gravitational. Yeah, it shifted everything at the time. Yeah.

Yeah. Well, yeah Even the production of it the the rhyme flows the choruses We mix a sake That's my wife juice bar right there. Yeah, she's right there Well, she's my wife with the green shirt right there. Oh, thank you so much. Yes. I'll be juicing. Last month, all I did was... Yeah, because he's a vegan. They told me.

Last month, all I did was juice. I didn't chew for a whole month. Yeah. Okay. You didn't chew for a whole month? Chew. I never heard it. You put it that way.

Yeah, I never heard it that way either. You're not chewing for me. This is one I know you're going to drink on. Busta Rhymes or Chuck D? We just drink. Okay. Okay. Damn, that's hard.

You could go with the first rule that you did with the other one with Pharrell and Ye. Yeah, you know the rules. Yes. He built the house. And Busta would go with that there's no name Busta Rhymes he named Busta Rhymes

that's a fact that is a fact nigga Busta would be like nigga how can you impersonate everybody you gotta do a show do you have a good AI doing this but

damn that's a hard one I would say both okay solid even though even though it's not both it's one thing to give to inspire somebody's name give somebody a name

right it's another thing to like take that name and rawr nigga I'm gonna fucking bust the rhymes nigga

how do you he just went beyond yeah he's beyond the name absolutely you know so I would say both. It's fucking crazy. Oh my God.

You said both now? Yeah. You flipped it on us. Oh, you did say both. Okay. He's enjoying drinking. Analog or digital? Oh, better answer this way.

No, man. Don't lead the witness. Oh, I'm leading the witness. I'm sorry. There's no right or wrong answer. There's no right or wrong answer. There's no right or wrong answer. But. Digital.

Whoa, I didn't expect that. I don't respect digital. Well, come on. Hey, I got it. Yeah, I got it. I don't want to fight you. Okay, yeah, yeah. He doesn't want to piss off his thing.

His thing will be like, what are you saying about me? No, I'll tell you why I did you. Go ahead. If I am thinking about the future, if I'm 12 years old right now, and you showed me some digital equipment. And you told me express myself. Go out there and make your dreams come true at the highest level, the loudest volume, the broadest spectrum, the most impact. I'm 12. Fucking thing.

I'm 22. Right. Right. Digital. Because you get the most impact you get the most freaking like most bang for your punch you know why I always say analog because I always base this

part off of just music right music back then we had to be in the same studio that's the only reason why I always pick analog that energy was harnessed in in an analog

record Prince said a similar thing he's like what the fuck that's my next question is Michael Jackson or Prince see fuck

you right in the interview is he really AI he really like he has that's my fucking next question he's a little bot writer is Michael Jackson or Prince

and he goes yo Prince I'm like what the fuck I'm mad scared of you right now are you here right now yeah but Prince said Prince said Yo, Prince. I'm like, what the fuck? I'm mad scared of you right now. Are you here right now? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But Prince said, Prince said, if it never made a sound, it never existed. So he didn't like digital. Right. Because he's like, if it never pushed air,

if the kick never pushed air, if the finger never went through air to hit the string, if the guitar didn't have air that came through the hole to hit the microphone, then it never existed in real life. That's kind of ill. That's a conscious perspective. That's kind of ill, though. If the voice never came through your larynx. If energy was never moved. Out of your mouth into a microphone, it never existed.

Fuck. These are all like mirages, digital mirages of ideas that have theoretically been materialized, but not actually materialized in the third dimension. These are all fifth dimensional shits being summoned in through digital contraptions giving you a slice of what's happening there, but it never really existed in this realm. You're just

getting a snapshot of it existing in a fifth dimensional realm. But as far as pushing matter, pushing particles, it never happened. We'll pretend like we understand that. Let's do it. If I ever went back to school, I would like you to be my teacher.

If I ever went back to school, he would have to be my teacher. That is it. Other than that. So we were talking about Prince versus Michael Jackson. And then before that question, they asked analog versus digital. And I shared with them a story when Prince was like, he didn't really like digital because he said that what

happens in the analog world is particles are being moved. When you kick a kick drum, air is being pushed. When you strum a guitar, air is going through the cavity of the guitar out into a microphone received on either tape or sometimes even the digital realm, but it still happened in the physical realm. He said the digital realm, working things in a virtual world, is happening on some like different dimension. And you are getting a snapshot of that simulation

on a digital device, but it never really happened in the real world. And then Nori said, he don't understand that, but can you break it down or translate what I'm saying from like a Brixton Street perspective? Yeah, I'm on. So Top Boy's about to answer. Top Boy.

Yes. Aye, aye. Cha. Listen up. We're about to take it from the top, breaking it down street style. You feel me? So when we're talking about Prince and his vibe with analog versus digital, it's like this. Imagine, if you will, the analog world being like a live mural

on them streets of brixton right every stroke of paint every shade that hits the brick is real tangible you kick a drum and it's like throwing a rock into like a pond the ripples or sound waves push through that air mixing and mingling with every damn body's vibes out there drumming on that guitar it's like sending a voice through the air traveling through rooms hitting walls and sliding into ears all natural and raw now prince he's saying in the digital realm it's a bit different you dig it's like instead of painting that mural with your hands you're using a virtual reality headset you're moving your hands you're creating but it's all happening in a different space a digital space you're not touching the brick no more you're manipulating

pixels when you play music digitally it's like taking a picture of that mural and showing it on a screen it looks real it might not even feel real but the brush never actually hit the wall the air in the room didn't move because of those being feet not directly you know in this digital dimension things get calculated approximated and simulated you get a snapshot a representation of what happened but it's just that a copy of the real thing not the original vibe itself the essence the soul that moves the particles in the physical world it kind of gets lost in translation when we digitize it. Prince was on to something. Talking about how living in that analog world

keeps the music grounded in reality. Yeah, thanks. Because that's in my notes too. FYI. Let's see how quickly it spit that out. FYI. I mean, I wanted to finish up quick time with salam but that's your personal company fyi that's what you're using right now

yeah i started it in 2020 wow um me and my co-founder cto sunil we were during covid like everybody else i was like hey have you noticed that to work on WhatsApp, I need to have a Dropbox and then I need a WeTransfer to send even bigger files. And then I need the email. Then I need a Zoom. And then I need a Siri. And then I need a GPS. How come we can't put all that stuff in a messenger? And he's like, we could figure that out.

I was like, really? We could do that? He was like, yeah, why don't you come up with the vision? I'll fine tune that vision technologically. And we started FYI, just he and I in 2020. And then it grew. And these systems,

these conversational agents that we have, that we've been building, that we've been building are now about to be launched. I'm fine tuning Felicia. The last one you were talking to is Felicia. Let's make some noise for you keeping it ghetto. Here's why, here's why that's important.

Bye Felicia. Go ahead. The American West with Dan Flores is the latest show from the meat eater podcast network hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores, and brought to you by Velvet Buck. This podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode, I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian, Dr. Randall Williams, and bestselling author and meat eater founder, Stephen Ranella.

I'll correct my kids now and then where they'll say when cave people were here. And I'll say it seems like the Ice Age people that were here didn't have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to The American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I know a lot of cops and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no.

Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multi-billion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1. Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad.

It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st, and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Ad-free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. And it's going to take us to heal us. It's Mental Health Awareness Month

and on a recent episode of Just Heal with Dr. J, the incomparable Taraji P. Henson stopped by to discuss how she's discovered peace on her journey. So what I'm hearing you saying is healing is a part of us also reconnecting

to our childhood in some sort. You said I look how youthful I look because I never let that little girl inside of me die. I go outside and run outside with the dogs. I still play like a kid. I laugh. You know, I love jokes. I love funny. I love laughing.

I laugh at myself. I don't take myself too seriously. That's the stuff that keeps you young and stops you from being so hard. To hear this and more things on the journey of healing, you can listen to Just Heal with Dr. J from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. AT&T, connecting changes everything why does intelligence only show up sounding british if you have if you have like a movie that either sounds super british or super american intelligence never sounds like us when it's time to talk about quantum physics it don't sound like us when it's time to talk about quantum physics it don't sound like us when it's time to talk about quantum entanglement or synthetic biology or it don't

sound like us so now is the time for like 14 year old 15 year old kids from the inner city and they ask a question about quantum and quantum physics or quantum entanglement or bioengineering, it needs to show up sounding like folks in those communities that are interested in those fields. It's like a human rights perspective that these AIs don't sound like folks from the Congo, from Nigeria, from Uganda, from Kenya, from Brixton, from Fifth Ward, from New Orleans.

40 projects. For the project. It needs to sound like folks from Colombia and Puerto Rico and Dominica and Panama. You going to have Mr. Lee on the app? Say again? Mr. Lee, you going to have his broken ass English? When you were speaking right there, I was like, yo, I need to get this cat in the studio. His shit is fucked up.

Nobody understands him. Really, bro? That's real, though. That's real. That's real. Intelligence, it should sound like us. It's true. You make me feel better about AI.

Hold on, damn, you're drinking with us? Hold on, Jesus. Salud, salute, salute. You make me feel better about Jesus. Man. Salud, salute. Salud. You made me feel better about AI. Okay. We literally already said Michael Jackson and Prince, right? We did that already. Oh, no, no.

No, he never picked. He never picked. He just said what Prince said about analog and digital. Because you rode horses with Michael Jackson. Is that true? I work with both of them. I work with Mike. I brought Mike to go see me rock with Prince in Vegas.

Wait, wait, you brought Mike. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You brought Mike to see you. Did you just say, wait a fuck, wait a fuck? So one time, Mike called me. He's like, he's in Vegas. He's like, I heard you guys have a show tonight. I'm like, yeah, we got a show going on 10.

Oh, rats, you know, I'm going to be sick. I got you guys have a show tonight. I'm like, yeah, we got a show going on 10. Oh, rats, you know, I'm going to be sick. I got to put the kids to sleep. Oh, rats. I'm like, He really said, oh, rats? I swear to you. I'm like, yeah, but we,

if you come later, like in the middle of the show, you know, if I don't see the show from the beginning, it's no way for me to know what's actually going on. I was like, okay, so why don't you come?

I'll be rocking with Prince like around 1230. Oh, I can't go to that. I'm like, why? Prince is a meanie. I'm like, what? What did you say, meanie? He's a meanie. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no.

He's really nice, Mike. He's like, no, you don't understand. One time. The fact that you got to talk to him. Get him going, Brandon. This is so awesome. I'm like, no, he's really nice, man. I'm like, no, you don't understand, Will.

One time he tried to run me and my mama over with a car. Oh, damn. I'm like, wait, what? He was like, yeah, I'm telling you. They always put me against him. I'm like, listen, it's different now. Why don't you just, he'll be really I'm telling you they always always put me against him I'm like listen it's different now why don't you just he'll be really happy to see are you sure

I'm like yeah let me call I'm gonna call you back I'm gonna call Ruth I'm like yo Ruth Mike wants to come see Prince tonight at the Rio who's Ruth? Ruth was Mike Ruth was Prince's right hand okay we didn't know he used to coordinate all of his like you his scheduling and meetings and shows and after parties.

So she was like, okay, we could put Mike in a section. I'm like, cool, great. I think he's coming with like five people. Everything I'm saying, if you see Chris Tucker and you see CeeLo, they'll vouch for you on this. CeeLo Green? Yeah. Okay, got it. So I'm like, Mike, everything's straight.

Are they going to put you in a section? It's going to be awesome. He's like, are you sure? I'm like, trust, Mike, it's going to be awesome. So I'm late. Everything I'm saying is true. I'm late. I'm like, oh, shit, I'm about to be late.

It's 1230. Mike's supposed to be waiting for me there. I go on at 1245. Excuse me cab. How long is it going to take to get there? He's like 15. You said cab? Yeah I'm on a cab. You in a cab? Yeah. The story is just awesome.

You don't take cabs anymore? No Uber. No Uber. It was 2000 and freaking what year was that? You didn't have a car service for this? It was 2007. Because you're the biggest fucking poop on the planet. No, 2007, no, not yet. No?

Really? 2007, we was kind of there. Not there. You're already talking to Mike and Bruce? Yeah, you're wild for that. I think you're kind of there. You're there. No, because we ain't got to, I got a feeling yet.

I got a feeling. So in reality, now that we know what we know, in 2007, we wasn't that big. Okay, okay. So I'm like, oh, Cap, stop the car. I'm running. So I get out the car and I run. Somebody's like, White Clef. I'm like, I'm about to go rock with motherfucking Prince.

Mike's there. Like, dang, White Clef ain't here, nigga. So they run to the thing. Ruth's like, you got to go on now. Gives me the mic. I'm like, yo, Mike. So he's like, okay, I'll be watching you. And at this time, I've already been working with Mike

from 2005, 2006, and he came to see me rap with Prince in 2007. I go on stage. I do my shit, freestyle, da-da-da-da-da-da. I come off stage. I go sit where Mike, where Prince has Mike situated, and I sit, it's me here, Chris Tucker here, Ruth, Michael Jackson's manager, manager's here, and then Mike there. So Mike whispers in Ruth's ear.

Ruth then talks to me and says, Mike wants to know why didn't you acknowledge Mike while you were on stage? I'm like, uh, oh,

what? Hey, Mike. Hey, tell him that this isn't my stage and I can't disrespect Prince on Prince's stage. So, it's no disrespect. It's just that that's not my stage, and I can't disrespect Prince on Prince's stage. So it's no disrespect. It's just that that's not my stage.

I'm like, I'm sorry, bro. I'm sorry. So then he's like, oh, no, it's okay. It's okay. Whispers in Prince's ear and Ruth's ear. Ruth didn't talk to me. Mike wants to know how come Prince hasn't acknowledged him on stage. I'm like, oh.

Why is she asking you that? So I'm like, oh, Mike. They were really like bloods asking you that? So I'm like, oh, Mike. They were really like Bloods and Crips, huh? I'm like, yo, Mike. So Prince is still on stage while this is all happening. He's playing.

I'm like, oh no. I think because he has you in the VIP section, he's not trying to blow your cover. Right. Yeah, yeah, that makes sense. He's not trying to blow your cover.

It ain't nothing like that. Like, oh man. He's like, oh, it's okay. It's okay. It's okay. And so as that conversation dies down,

Prince then comes in front of us, walks through the crowd. After his performance. No, while he's performing. While he's performing. Plays the bass, aims the bass at Mike's face. Oh, you're going to fall, Will.

Nigga's like. And Mike's like Doing his shit right This dude like flicks his hair Walks off And then Mike's like Okay So then

Five minutes later Different times bro Five minutes later He's like I gotta go Meet me at my house For breakfast And so I'm like Alright at my house for breakfast.

And so I'm like, all right. So he leaves for breakfast. He leaves to his house. I'm like, what time? He's like, like 7 o'clock in the morning. I'm like, all right, cool. So he leaves. I go to his house for breakfast.

Knock on the door. Because we working now. I bring my laptop, bring everything, my hard drives. We going to work tomorrow. So I go knock on his door. Click, click, click. As soon as I open up the door, he's like, why did Prince play the bass in my face? I was like, oh, no, I just think he was just trying to respect.

No, you don't get it. He's a meanie. He's a meanie. One time, like I told you, he tried to run me and my mama over with a car. And so, pause. Fast forward, Quincy Jones calls me. He's like, hey, Will.i.am, man. Where's my song, man?

I've been waiting for that song for a long time, Will.i.am. I got this new record coming out, man. I need that song, Will.i.am. I'm like, Quincy, I've just been traveling, you know, preparing for this new Black Eyed Peas record And working with Mike At the same time He's like listen You wasting your time with Mike

Ain't nothing ever gonna come out I was like no no no I don't think you understand Mike came with me To see Prince perform You did what? I'm like yeah He came to see me

Perform with Prince He's like well If you got Mike To come see you perform With Prince Well then man I think you moving something One time Prince Mike to come see you perform with Prince, well then, man, I think you're moving something. One time, Prince tried to run that nigga over with a car.

I'm like, are you serious? That's what Mike said. He was like, he ain't lying. I need you to do me a favor, Will. I am. Go on YouTube, type in Prince Michael Jackson James Brown. And after this show is when Prince thought Michael Jackson sabotaged him. Because while Prince came on stage, he held on to this light pole.

And then he thought that light pole was a sabotage. And he fell into the crowd and almost hurt himself. So Prince thought that was a move from Mike. And you could see Michael on. Because James Brown was like ladies and gentlemen we got somebody in the house Micah Micah get up on stage Micah come on Micah and Micah hits up on stage does his little thing does a little freaking dance and then Michael if you see this video then goes whispers in James Brown's ear And you know

Since that whispering shit That I saw It has to be true Because What it looks like From what I could gather It said It looks like he said

There's this guy out there In the audience And everybody's comparing me to him And I'm nothing like him I need you to bring it up Because we both are inspired by you. And I love you and he loves you too. But once and for all, people need to know that I am not him and he is not me.

And the industry needs to know it. Please. I insist. Please. So then Mike. But this is what you think they said. Yeah, because what happens after that is James Brown says, And give it up for Micah because he insists that i bring up

prince prince prince prince come up on stage so then prince hops on the security guards like a piggyback ride this dude's on piggyback ride it's all on youtube prince then comes on stage does his little thing, then tries to get the crowd to clap. They ain't clapping. He does his little, he does his like pterodactyl scream, walks off, grabs a hold of this light pole,

falls and almost busts his ass into the crowd. And then from there the legend has it is, he got into his car and tried to run him and his mama over with a car and so what i then when mike then come in came over my house to record i'm like oh yeah what you was telling me quincy jones verified it i told you well i was not lying i'm not lying he's a meanie and he he also showed me told me about this video That's on YouTube What's YouTube?

I was like look let me show you Take that down Who got that? Where'd you get that from? Where'd you get that video from? Take that down I was like wait wait What do you mean take it down?

It's on the internet What do you mean it's on the internet? It's on YouTube What's YouTube? I swear to God Go on YouTube right now www.youtube.com Go on the search thing

Put Michael Jackson Prince Prince, James Brown. You see it. Ain't no lies told here. I'm for real. So who, Prince, Michael Jackson? You still ain't picked. Both, man. Okay.

Oh, shit. By the way, yo, I ain't going to lie to you. You exceeded everything. Take it over. I'm going to take a pee-pee. Yeah, I'll hold it down. Everything I thought you was lie to you. You exceeded everything. Take it over. I'm going to take a pee-pee. Yeah, I'll hold it down. Everything I thought you was going to be, you exceeded everything. You are.

All right, hold on. Let's try to finish this up as fast as we can because I know you got to go. Oh, shit. But damn, that story was so fucking great. NPC 2000 or the ARS-10? Oh, no. I don't even understand ARS 10s. So, NPCs.

NPC. Okay. Move on. Pro Tools or Logic? Pro Tools. Logic is old folks. Yeah, Logic is Reggaeton. Right?

It is. Nuh-uh. Fruity Loops, bro. No, Fruity Loops. My bad. I'm bugging. I'm bugging. I'm bugging.

Okay, my bad. UOMTV Raps or Rap City? Oh, man. Ain't no Rap City without UOMTV Raps. So we picked. But Rap City was super important for all the versions of hip-hop.

They talked about South hip-hop. They talked about freaking you know, New York hip-hop, of course, but then they also talked about South hip hop they talked about freaking you know New York hip hop of course but then they also talked about Philly on UMT Raps they talked about

Virginia they talked about they gave love in Chicago Rap City like put a spotlight on all different tones

and vibrance and frequency of hip hop so you're going both both okay so I'll look so I'll look I got it I got it you can pick and vibrance and frequency of hip-hop. So you're going... Both. Okay. So I'll look.

So I'll look. Okay. Boys in the Hood or Menace to Society? Boys in the Hood. Rizzo or Alchemist? I grew up with Alan Alchemist. Oh, shit. Okay, I forgot his name was Alan.

So, like, that dude, when I signed with Ruthless, he was with Muggs and them. Get the fuck out of here. Hooligans. Yeah, they were the Hooligans. And we were in a group called... I forgot that. We were in a group called At Band. Wow.

And we would go to this club together, the club where I used to freestyle. Did y'all hang out on Fairfax? I feel like y'all went to Fairfax. I think they went to Beverly. I went to Palisades. We would hang out on Fairfax and Venice Beach. We went to this club called Ballistics together. I grew up musically with Al.

Okay. Ice Cube or Biggie Smalls? Ice Cube. Dr. Dre or Premier? Dr. Dre. Who was it? Oh, another one?

Premier. Sorry. Dr. Dre or Premier? Yes. Wow, dog. You can't even put those two things in the same freaking category. Colombian and a Dominican section. That's what they did. Oh. You can't even put those two things in the same freaking category. Look, look, look. Colombian and a Dominican section.

That's what they did. Oh. You're going to go sharp? That's a both. Yeah, that's a both. Come on. That's a both. Solid.

That's like, yo. Got to take a shot, though. The sun. I'm watching you. The sun or the Milky Way galaxy. Without the sun, we're not in orbit to go around the galaxy. I love that. But we need the sun and we need the galaxy.

You can't take either of them out. They're like two separate systems. NYC or Miami? Without Miami, you have no party. Thank you. You have no party that the whole America could be like, I get with that. Right. I want to party like.

Right. You have no Luke. You have no. Luke. You have none of that. So, that. You have no freaking. Is Lisa Lisa from out here?

I don't think. Man, I hear me. What's your phone? No, shit. No, yeah. Oh, shit. Without her, we don't have hip hop, so. Yeah don't have hip-hop, so... Yeah. I'm trying to mind my business.

Yeah, you have no aid or wage. Well, Miami. Yeah, so both. That's a both. All right, let's go. I'm so stoked you said that. Salud. He's got to get out of here, by the way.

He's got a flight to catch. Here we go. Cheers, cheers, cheers. 80s or 90s hip-hop? What 90s? Whatever 90s you want. Early 90s. I will go

No Tricks in 86. It's time to build. To What You Gon' Do in 92 even though we had fun in 91 and I will stop at 92 and I would go from 86 to 92 and I would be like, that's the best era of hip hop.

I would extend it to 93. Okay, 93 to infinity. I would go from 86 to 93 to infinity and be like, that's the best era of hip hop. That is the golden era in my opinion. That's right, we need both of them. We need 80s and 90s.

Steve Jobs or Elon Musk? That is the golden era, in my opinion. That's right. We need both of them. We need 80s and 90s. Yeah, yeah. Steve Jobs or Elon Musk? Damn, both of those cats is why my life is nice. Because you designed the car too, right? So I invested in Tesla in 2006 before Elon took over it, like right around the same time. And then I was a part of Beats and then Apple bought Beats from us. So you're talking about two companies that are like,

that changed my life. Right. So I say both. Oh, I love you. You're playing the life. Right. So, I say both. Oh, I love you. You're playing the game. Yeah, both. Playing the goddamn game. All right.

Que tu puede. Sports Chants, we back. Yay! Double game from Drink Chants Army. Download the Underdog Fantasy app. Use the code DRINKCHAMPS to get matched up to $100 deposit. That's right. That's right. Let's go.

So we still in the playoffs. We still in the playoffs. Let's not just talk about the playoffs. Okay. The Knicks won, you motherfucking hell. Motherfucking haters. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And we're going to get good.

And you know what? For the first time in 18 years, I'll be a Knicks fan for this round. I'll be a Knicks fan for this round. We don't want you. We don't want you. We don't want you. You can stay where you at. Now, just to tally up the picks that we had last week, Norrie, you

were 7 for 9. I was 7 for 9. EFN was 5 for 7. I was 2 for 3. Sonny DBT was 4 for 7. And Diego, 3 for 6. Drinks and Tom. Thank you, Sonny. We're going to go right into game three. Okay.

Number one seeded Boston Celtics against the number eight Heat. It's game three. Jason Tatum, 6.5 points in the first quarter. Is that higher or lower? Jason Tatum's the dude that look like Drake, right? Yes. Yeah, his F-care will be popping. Higher, higher.

Yeah, he's going to go higher. Sonny? I say lower because he tries to pass And get the rest of his team involved Talk to the mic Sonny Usually in the first quarter He tries to get his team involved So I'm going to say lower

And the Heat has a top five defense too I think Jason Tatum is coming out Shooting higher Okay I'm going to go lower I agree with Sonny You're going to go lower Alright

Now in total of the end of the game He's averaging 26.5 You're going to go lower? Now, in total of the end of the game, he's averaging 26.5. Would that be higher or lower? I'm going to go higher again. Jason Tatum has to have a big game to beat the Heat. And this is playing in Boston? Now we're in Miami. Game 3. Game 3 is in Miami? Yes.

I think he got chicks out here, so he's going to be trying to show off. Now, Bam Adebayo. The newly named Olympian for the USA. Congratulations. He's averaging 17.5 points. Is he going higher or lower? At home.

Sonny. Higher. He's at home, and that's the only shot they got. Yeah, higher. Yeah, I'm going higher. There's a clean sweep. I'm going higher as well. Yeah.

Now, for the shooting guard, we got Tyler Hero, 5.5 points in the first quarter. Underdog, Fantasy, they're going tight. 5.5 in the first quarter. Higher or lower? I think Tyler Hero's still missing his shots. Lower. Yeah, you said that too. I'm going to tell him.

You told me. He's missing his shots. Yeah. And Ope? I don't know. I'm going to go with his hate. His hate was so strong. Yeah.

I believe it. I believe it. Supposedly, Jimmy Butler went and said, oh, you missed. No, we don't do gossips. I'm with you. I'm with you. I'm with you. I love the attitude.

Nick's doing well. I'm not mad at you. That's right. Now, Jalen Brown, first quarter, six points. EFN, higher or lower? Higher. Higher than six in the first quarter? Yeah.

Higher, higher. He's having a great year. Everything higher for him. I'm not mad. All right, yeah. He quarter? Yeah. Higher, higher. He's having a great year. Everything higher for him. I'm not mad. All right, yeah. He was convinced. I'm going higher. Green Tams Army, we are paying attention, and we're doing a great job.

So rebounds. We need to pat yourself on the back. Yeah, we have to. We have to encourage ourselves so they know that we're doing it right. That's right. That's right. So Jalen Brown on rebounds. Seags, total rebounds in the game.

Would that be higher or lower? Higher. The total game? Yes. Yeah, I would say he'll go higher. Definitely higher. I'm going lower on this. EFN?

Wow. I'll stick with crazy hood, brother. I'll go lower. I'm going lower, too. Bam's in the center. Thank you. Okay. There you go.

Drink Chance Army. Don't forget. Download the Under in the center. Thank you. There you go. Drink Chance Army. Don't forget, download the Underdog Fantasy app, Sports Channel. See you guys soon. Boom! This is the last one. Quick time of slime. One more question and then that's it. I'll do this. Loyalty or respect?

That's a lyric i'm gonna jack myself then so yeah that's a bar that's your shit loyalty or respect it's also O.C. But no, not directly O.C. Rather, I got a whole lot of respect. Loyalty or respect. The American West with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network, hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores, and brought to you by Velvet Buck. This podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode, I'll be diving into some of the lesser-known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as

Western historian Dr. Randall Williams and best-selling author and meat-eater founder Stephen Ranella. I'll correct my kids now and then where they'll say when cave people were here. And I'll say it seems like the Ice Age people that were here didn't have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to The American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I know a lot of cops, and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multi-billion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated.

I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Ad-free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts.

And it's going to take us to heal us. It's Mental Health Awareness Month. And on a recent episode of Just Heal with Dr. J, the incomparable Taraji P. Henson stopped by to discuss how she's discovered peace on her journey. So what I'm hearing you saying is healing is a part of us also reconnecting to our childhood in some sort. You said I look how youthful I look because I never let that little girl inside of me die. I go outside and run outside with the dogs. I still play like a kid. I laugh.

You know, I love jokes. I love funny. I love laughing. I laugh at myself. I don't take myself too seriously. That's the stuff that keeps you young and stops you from being so hard. To hear this and more things on the journey of

healing, you can listen to Just Heal with Dr. J from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. AT&T. Connecting changes everything. Well, AT&T. Connecting changes everything. Aren't they in the same family?

I always say that. We say that. We always say that's the only time we should drink. It should be both. But people like to pick and then give big explanations. Like, I got to give you, like, you know. You can't not have respect. You cannot be loyal to somebody if you don't respect them.

That's right. And if you respect them, then you're going to be loyal to them. Goddamn it. Or you could be loyal and then not be loyal all of a sudden, and then that's when you disrespect them. No, because you would never really. Then that loyal was you disrespect them. No. Because you would never really... Then that loyal was based on your...

It was limited loyalty? Arterial motives. Right. You're loyal for wrong reasons. Yeah, I mean, look. We always think that both is the right answer. That's right. That's why you take a shot. Stop looking.

Stop looking. Okay, okay, okay, okay. Who wouldn't want both anyways? I've got to go, so... Cheers. This is something that you did for me personally. okay okay okay okay I gotta go so this is this is something that you did for me personally you didn't know I always thought F1

this racing car shit now I'm gonna keep it a hundred percent with you I always thought it was some racist shit like I didn't think like I didn't like it was some racist shit like I didn't think like I didn't like it was never black people around you

being a part of F1 single handedly made me say holy shit they do accept us because there was no drivers there was no Lewis before this so when I seen you participating then Lewis comes along,

I believe, Bubba Wallace is his name. Um, huh? That's NASCAR? Whatever the fuck. Driving, period.

I thought all of them was fucking Dukes of Hazzard. You know what I'm saying? I thought that's all it was. You ain't wrong. This is my opinion.

You ain't wrong. What made you start participating? Because I saw somewhere you performed all 23 in the 23 countries? No, I would go to as many F1 races as possible. And the reason why I go to them is, you know, I have over 300 schools teaching kids robotics and computer science. And so if there is an entity that tells kids,

hey, look, this is engineering at its highest level. Engineering is a sport. Without those engineers, none of them drivers is doing anything. So here's a sport that's all about engineering. Wow. So I go there so I can meet engineers. Like, yo, I need mentors.

Wow. I go there to network. Wow. There's machine companies, software companies, engineering companies, mathematic companies, technologists that show up to F1. And so I'm on a hunt. Like I said from the jump, I like to go out and find

what's coming next. And so if I want my community, Boyle Heights, and then when we venture off to other communities to have the best of the best mentoring my kids, I'm going to go out where the best are. Like, yo, I need engineers to teach my kids so we can compete in this robotic competition.

And whatever you're doing with these cars, you just shed that light to my kids. Right. Where our program is at. And maybe there is a void. Maybe there's not that many people of color there. Right. That don't mean they got to be there forever. Right.

Like, you think it was black people in the NBA from the jump? Nah, I've seen it. No pun intended on the jump. What? We wasn't always there. Right. You think it was black people in the freaking MLB from the get-go? Uh-huh.

Or Dominicans? Or Puerto Ricans. Cubans. Or Cubans in ML, in Major League Baseball. That wasn't from the beginning. But we entered that space and then dominated that space. And so there's a new space that we need to enter. That's engineering.

That's mathematics. That's science. We need to. We have to. Yo, urgently. Yeah. Urgently. Like, with our full spectrum of competitiveness, audaciousness, ambition, and like, bring it.

What? Right. However we want to express ourselves in these rooms. Because if we're not in these rooms and the AI don't show up and meet us how we are, how we speak, it's going to be a fucked up 2040. It's going to be a fucked up 2050. It's going to be a messed up 2060, 2070, and then we would have repeated the same shit

that repeated from the third industrial revolution. Why do we want to repeat that? If we make it that far. You think we was there with freaking power plants? Yeah, we were there contributing, but we didn't own the companies. We was there with electricity and freaking illumination and light, but we weren't there owning the companies. That's how you get those families. We was there with the rare world, but we didn't own.

It wasn't our companies that owned the freaking trains. Right. it wasn't our companies that owned the freaking uh uh the trains right we was there in the automobile but how many black people owned automobiles right we was there in music but it took a very long time for us to own the record companies we was there for radio but very few of us own the actual radio station we was there television, but it took us a very long time to own a BET. And then when we owned a BET, here came more freaking perspectives to send us into the prisons

that were privately owned. Why does it have to be that way? We don't have to repeat yesterday, bro. Right. Repeating yesterday is a calendar. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, bro. Right. Repeating yesterday is a calendar. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

Wait, as if we can't invent new days. Now, somebody's going to be like, that sounds like some Kanye shit. Pause. It sounds like some vision shit. No, it's true. And Kanye's blessed with visions.

Pharrell's blessed with visions. It's those other folks that... Did you just say you want to make eight days a week? No, no, no. You want to make eight days, nigga. You want to make like you want to make same amount of days. Yeah, let's keep it there.

Keep it the same amount of days. The metaphor was not for the changing of days. It's the changing of the guards. The changings of the architects so we can make sure that our communities and people that move like us, walk like us, talk like us, vibe like us

are better off tomorrow. That was just a metaphor as far as the naming of days because somebody was ambitious enough to name these things we call days in the first fucking place. Made the motherfucking calendar. Right, August. That's the motherfucking the motherfucking calendar. Right, August. That's my fucking name, Augustus.

Right. August's name is Augustus? July. My fucking name is Julius. It's supposed to be 10 months. Not 12. 10 months ending that decade for December.

So who are the two niggas then? Two niggas is Julius and Augustus. Oh, the niggas just put theyself in there. Yeah, bro. That's like... And then we're going to add a 13 month and it's called Yayus. Oh, the niggas just put theyself in there. Yeah, bro, that's like, and then we're going to add a 13 month and it's called

Yayus. I'm in. Yo, well, I know you got to go. I see your people. Listen, oh,

you taking shots without us? Hold on. Hold on. I thought we said both. Let's take a shot. You got to wait for me to take a shot with you.

Take a grand shot. Hold on, come on. You got a shot right there. Listen, well, I'm going to be honest with you. Thank you so much. I know you don't have to do this. Yeah, let me get that shot. Oh, come on. You got a shot right there. Listen, well, I'm going to be honest with you. Thank you so much.

I know you don't have to do this. Yeah, let me get that shot. And we actually have to do this again because we have to sit here at least for like four or five hours. Because I can listen to you talk all day and I really want you to open up a school not for kids,

for grown men. Like me. And women, grown men and women. Yeah, that we could go and just listen to you and just see how you break down technology Not for kids. For grown men. Like me. And women. Grown men and women. Yeah. That we could go and just listen to you and just see how you break down technology and you break down what's going on, what the future is going to read. You are our Elon Musk. You are our Steve Jobs. You are that to us, to our community.

And I wanted to tell you that face-to-face, man to man, because it's the truth. The shit that you're on, that you're on now, people won't be on for another 10 years or seven years. So the fact that I know you, the fact that I even have like,

you know, a relationship with you, you know, in the most, you know, relationship with you in the most great way I admire that like I I've rendered a studio next to you and bust around to try to get at you

and I couldn't get at you you know when I met you we met each other in Vegas in baggage claims I spent so much money to be next to you and Buster

when y'all was recording and we didn't even meet then we met in fucking Vegas in baggage claims that's the way it be no you know I just want to say like

and you gave me a beat I've been watching your show yes thank you not just watching it but loving your show thank you the interviews that you guys do is like you pull the truth out of folks sometimes it's uncomfortable for the folks sometimes people come here and they like just rinse out how they feel and you you created a space for for for people to to express the things they that they want to get off their mind

their spirit their energy and it's it's it's the only it's one of the only truth places for whatever version of truth people come to your show to do and i don't know if that's like because niggas are sauced up but not everybody but everybody's on yeah but it's dope And I always wanted To come on it I'm like yo man I want to go on Dream Champs

I want to I want to be on it Like man One day Like you know like You give people something To To dream tours

Just because of How natural it is It's like If we lived in the projects I'd be like yo I want to go over Nori's house Yeah my house is

You know Right I want to go to Effin's, I want to go over to Norrie's house. Yeah, my house is bomb split. Right? I want to go to F's house. I want to go see what records he got. Yeah, yeah. If we was in the projects, it would be like that.

Like, ma, let me go over to Norrie's house. Hold on, let me call Norrie's mom. Who's over there? Like, it feels like a little village. Like, you know, it's an awesome thing that y'all created. And it reminds me of my village, my little projects, my neighborhood where I come from. It vibrates with truth all around it.

So it's an honor to be here. The things that you said means a lot to me. Because I move super ninja tiptoe. I don't make noise. I roll super stealth on purpose. Because when you're doing these types of moves, even me saying what I'm saying is not

stealth, but it's stealth. I just want to thank you face-to-face, man to man. We really love you over here, and this is your platform anytime you want to promote anything. I don't care if you want to promote man to man we really love you over here and this is your platform anytime you want to promote anything

I don't care if you want to promote corduroy toenails thank god you changed it up to pink toenails yeah the corduroy toenails it's kind of hard right

nah that nigga ain't getting no fucking pedicure that nigga that nigga's just bumpy hold on this is how much I'm so I thank you so much because this is bumpy but hold on this is how much

I'm so I thank you so much because this is such a beautiful you gave us such beautiful stories and I just want to thank you man

you know brother to brother because I know you didn't have to be I know you you know the success and you took your time

out to be with us could have been anywhere what did they say could have been anywhere in this world but you was here with us. Could have been anywhere. What did they say? Could have been anywhere on this earth. But you was here with us. No, I mean so much.

Thank you, man. Thank you so much, my brother. You want to take a couple pictures? Go ahead. I had a meeting today at SiriusXM. Yeah. And I was like, yo, I'm about to do Dream Champs. Yeah.

And then they was like, yo, just make sure you let them know that you and your AI got the show on SiriusXM. Oh, we know, yeah. No problem. Of course I'm doing that. What is the name of the show on SiriusXM No problem Of course I'm doing that What is the name of the show On SiriusXM? FYI Show

FYI If anybody want to rock out With Fiona and Finn My AI's that are there Just download FYI.AI Those are your co-hosts On the show right? Yeah

Fiona and Finn And then you're going to have Nori too right? I got to like I got to be somebody Like if you dead ass Want to do that Yeah I'm dead ass I want to be like Yo what up nigga? No I swear to be somebody. If you dead ass want to do that. Yeah, I'm dead ass.

I want to be like, yo, what up, nigga? No, I swear to you. Bitch. Fuck, nigga, yeah. We going to Red Lobster. Make it right, motherfucker. That'd be the end of it. Yeah, I want to be that guy.

If you want to do that, we could do that. It'll be awesome. Yes. But in June, I got this other thing. I'd love to come back on the show. Yes, please. I got this other thing. I'd love to come back on the show. Yes, please. I got this partnership with Mercedes. God damn it.

Nice boss. Where we transform people's experience with music in a vehicle. And I go to China on the 25th of April to announce what we launch at CES in January. And so we'll be across the whole entire fleet of Mercedes vehicles with our AI and our music service. And just listening to Eric being Rock Kim, seeing him in front of that Mercedes. And Sir Mix-a-Lot dropping Benz,

Benzo kit, AMG kit. And then Ice Cube Cube me and Lorenzo rolling in the Benzo in the Benzo our love for Mercedes to have landed this partnership with AI and music

with Mercedes to be across the entire fleet we're going to you'll hear more about that in the next coming months so we ending this interview by saying you got a full-fledged deal

with Mercedes. Yeah. I told you I'd be moving like Tiptoe Ninja, bro. Come on, bitches. Holy moly, go out there. Drink Champs is a Drink Champs LLC production,

hosts and executive producers, N-O-R-E and DJ E-F-N. Listen to Drink Champs on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for joining us for another episode of Drink Champs, hosted by yours truly, DJ EFN and NORE. Please make sure to follow us on all our socials.

That's at Drink Champs across all platforms, at TheRealNoriega on IG, at Noriega on Twitter. Mine is at Who's Crazy on IG, at DJEFN on Twitter. And most importantly, stay up to date with the latest releases, news, and merch by going to drinkchamps.com. I know a lot of cops. They get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun?

Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. Listen to Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Why is a soap opera western like Yellowstone so wildly successful? The American West with

Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to The American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Clayton English.

I'm Greg Lott. And this is season two of the War on Drugs Podcast. Yes, sir. Last year, a lot of the problems of the drug war. This year, a lot of the biggest names in music and sports. This kind of star-studded a little bit, man. We met them at their homes. We met them at their recording studios.

Stories matter, and it brings a face to them. It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart Podcast.