Drink Champs - Episode 424 w/ Mad Skillz

Episode Date: August 23, 2024

N.O.R.E. & DJ EFN are the Drink Champs. In this episode we chop it up with the legend himself, Mad Skillz!DC Alumni, Mad Skillz joins us once again to share his hip-hop journey. Skillz shares stories of working with Will Smith, his friendship with Q-Tip and more!Skillz talks creating music, working as a ghostwriter and much much more!Lot’s of great stories that you don’t want to miss!!Make some noise for Mad Skillz!!! 💐💐💐🏆🏆🏆   *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.

This is an iHeart Podcast. 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 know a lot of cops. They get asked all the time,

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Yes, really, probiotic pillows. We're breaking down what's legit and what's just brilliant marketing. With expert insight from gastroenterologist Dr. Roshi Raj. Listen to Dope Labs on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And it's Drake Chess motherfucking podcast. He's a legendary Queens rapper. Hey, hey, it's your boy N.O.R.E. He's a Miami hip hop pioneer. What up, it's DJ legendary Queens rapper. He's a Miami hip-hop pioneer.

One of his DJ EFN. Together, they drink it up with some of the biggest players in the most professional, unprofessional podcast and your number one source for drunk facts. It's time for Drink Champs. Drink up, motherfucker. What it good be? Hope it's you. It's your boy, N-O-R-E.

What up? It's DJ E-F-N. This is Militant Crazy World. Yappy Yawa. Make some noise! Right now, you know, this brother was on very early on the show. And our audience expanded it. So if we hear us reiterate some questions from earlier, it's because our audience suspended.

But let's just describe who this brother is. When you say lyricist, when you say icon, when you say legend, when you say your favorite ghost writer's favorite ghost writer, he can DJ. We're going to find out for real. Is he going to really put that mic down? I made a segment just for him because I watched him at the BET Awards. And I kept saying, damn, he still got it. Every bar he kept kept saying and I kept saying he still got it so I was like yo I said yo

they said skills is coming I said why don't we come up with a segment a skill skill got it in case you don't know what we're talking about

so mother one only mother fucker skills is coming it's still mad skills. Now, off top, I want to ask this because this has been

a very, very hot topic on Drink Champs. Is Virginia the South? Yo, we talked about this last time. Because to tell you the truth, I meet people from Virginia that remind me of

East Coast all the way. But then there's people when I meet in Virginia that remind me of some real, real South. Okay. I say we right in the middle. Like, I'm going to say the same thing I said before. We right in the middle. So it's like we get a little bit of the East Coast.

I was heavily East Coast influence. You could tell. You know what I'm saying? Of course. But we right there in the middle. And you got all of the HBCUs. So most of the people end up going to schools. And you have to listen.

The DJs had to play a South set. They got to play a New York set. They got to play an ATL set. You know what I mean? They got to play the LA set. So you heard so much music. Historically, it was the capital of the Confederacy. Yeah, it was.

It was the capital of the South. They don't claim that shit. No. Historically, it was the capital of the Confederacy. Yeah, it was. It was the capital of the South. They don't claim that shit. No, but I'm saying historically. But it was the second biggest, I want to say second or third biggest, like, where the slaves were. Like, it was more slaves there than anywhere. Really? Nat Turner, where all that rebellion and all that shit happened right down in Virginia. Nat Turner was in Virginia?

Yeah, where he killed all them white people. I've seen the movie, too. Yeah. I've seen the movie too. Yeah. I pass it all the time. It happened down there. Right. So you being a lyrical giant, I say we

witnessed one of the greatest battles. I can say of all time because let me just tell you why. I'm not talking about the disrespect. I'm not talking about the bars. I'm actually talking about the acknowledgement.

I don't care where I was at. I could have been in an Indian stretch parlor. Right. Doing sweat yoga. Doing sweat yoga. And they'd be like, hey, man, you can drink and drink. Like, these people didn't have to drink, speak English.

So as far as, to me, it's one of the greatest battles. And I know when you're thinking about MC Shan and you're thinking about. Well, the internet had a big part of that. What I mean is, it was like the biggest. What I mean, like, you couldn't go nowhere without people speaking about it. Because of the internet. Yeah, social media specifically. Okay.

What do you think about that? I think Kendrick outmaneuvered Drake. I think he thought that it was going to be easy. But you got to think, like, Drake, I'm going to be easy but you gotta you gotta think like drake i'm gonna say is i won't say was i would say drake is on like a a 15 14 year run his run is crazy hove didn't even right hove didn't even have that type of run and i don't mean hip-hop star i mean rap pop star right you know i mean like he's over there like he's still hip hop, but Drake could sell out O2, sell out with, like, whatever.

So, but Kendrick, I want to say, just outmaneuvered him. You know what I'm saying? Like, those records were very strategic. He kind of did to Drake what Drake and Meek Mill went through. Yes. Like, I believe that at one point,

Meek underestimated him, and I believe that at one point Meek underestimated him, and I believe that at one point Drake underestimated him because of the fact that Kendrick wasn't immediately going back in the studio. So do you think this is the biggest? I have doubt. I'm sticking with it. Okay, we was around for Jay-Z, Nas. Yeah, and MC Shan.

And we was around for Shan and KRS. But the internet made this one. Yeah, that's the big one. Yeah, you know what I mean? But they didn't have a, it didn't have to be a Summer Jam moment. You know what I'm saying? Rest in Peace, Pride, you're on the screen. Or Shan, you know what I mean?

It didn't have to be that. But he just outmaneuvered them, man. And using social media. He used it. He used it as a tool. I feel like that concert was his Summer Jam moment. That concert where he brung Dre out

and he was like, I see you. Well, imagine he himself did his own Summer Jam moment. Right. Because why is it Summer Jam moment? He did his own Summer Jam moment.

That's what I'm saying. That's crazy, though. You don't think that was equivalent? I think that... No, because you had to go to a Summer Jam. He created his own Summer Jam. That's what I'm saying like that's crazy you don't think that was equivalent i think that no because you had to go to a summer jam he created his own summer even even thinking back you got to think so kendrick had a concert where he put on like all la artists everybody in his hood he had all that's the concert we took more the same time drake did that five years prior wow he had a concert after the big mill battle it was all canadian artists right you

know i mean like if you wasn't from canada you wasn't getting on this bill from the old school to the new school so it was like he did what he had already done but it just it was magnified right and and kendrick was just very smart like just the small things like like releasing the songs on youtube but taking the monetization off taking the so people could post his joints and get money off of their reaction videos they could do whatever they want i didn't know that yeah wait who was doing that wait so what was he doing he was he was when he posted his videos he took off the um whatever it is, to where people can't monetize.

Right. He let people monetize off of his video. Like, copyright free. Yeah, copyright. He took the copyright off. If I'm not mistaken. I didn't know that. Go ahead, make your money.

Like, go ahead, make your, it was for the people. Wow. Like, he really was like, go ahead, break your bread. If you get 80 million views on your shit, my nigga, count it up. Like, typically, if someone does a reaction video, it won't monetize. Right. yeah don't get the views but it won't monetize for them he's like go ahead and make your money off of it yeah which was strictly for the people smart man yeah he was smart part of it smart man he outmaneuvered him i want to say outbought him and then and then he made a bop at the end like not like us was just a bop right like it's a bop you can't be mad at it it made a bop at the end. Not Like Us was just a bop. Right.

Like, it's a bop. You can't be mad at it. It's a bop. I think I see the interview with you in 2018. And they asked you, who is the new generation? And you named the big three back then. Yeah. You said. I saw it coming.

Yeah. I saw it coming. I remember when they was all running together. Wale, Cudi, Drake, Kendrick. You know what I'm saying? Nip was in there. But Kendrick, man, he just different, man. I went to see his concert, his Big Steppers concert, Mr. Morale.

Like, bro, it was one of the illest concerts I ever seen. I put it top three, and I seen Mike and Prince. I ever I put it top three and I seen Mike and Prince Wow I put it top three Kendrick showed his last tour It was insane bro And it was like black art Like if you ever get a chance

I think it might be still up on One of them streaming networks or whatever I ain't gonna say their name but look for it But it's Bro I went on a Tuesday I was in VA I went on a Tuesday on one of them streaming networks or whatever. I ain't going to say their name, but look for it. Bro, I went on a Tuesday. Right. I was in VA.

I went on a Tuesday in Charlotte because the tickets was just cheaper. Right? So I go to Charlotte, stay the night, see the show. I'm blown away. I drive back to VA Wednesday, and he's in D.C. Thursday. I woke up Wednesday like, I might go see this shit again it was that fire it was he I just and I and I lie pop out and then he just go back home he just go back inside you'll see him no more until it's time to see him so let me ask you cuz this is something that I was a conflicted with right and i've seen jay the kiss

comment on this when jay cole came out right jay cole made this this this this record and then did a concert and almost like he apologized not almost he apologized and a lot of battle rappers was like why like why but then he said something that was conflicted with me. Because if I'm sorry, sometimes I just got to be sorry. Right. Like, I don't care what's the criteria of that being. And we was like, that shit ain't sit right in my soul. That shit touched me.

As a man that been through all that I've been through, that touched me. But then the other half of me was like, fuck, why you say sorry? So where did you sit on this? When I looked at the video and it was like J. Cole apologizes to Kendrick. I looked at the video. I didn't get apology. That's the first thing. The headline was wild.

He got up and he was like, yo, I did some shit. It wasn't really in my heart. You know what I mean? I knew it when I did it. Right. I put it out there.

I ain't even really go 100 because that's my man. That's my friend. But I did something that was out of my character. Right. And if he want to take it on the chin, cool. If he want to come back and spar up, cool. He got that. But I ain't standing on that because that

ain't how I really feel. And what people got to understand is when you got friends in this game, it's a little different. We talked about that last time. If you're my friend, I'm not going to do anything publicly just for a look

to play you out. I went through that with one of the wrap-ups. I remember when the Entanglement shit happened. Everybody was like, yo, I can't believe he ain't put Will and Jada in the wrap-up. I'm like, that's my friend. I'm not going to waste a 20-year relationship for a punchline for y'all niggas? For a song you don't even buy? Like, come on, I'm not doing that.

Like, that's my friend. So I'm going to see them at a barbecue. I'm going to see them at a birthday party. I'm supposed to put that in the wrap-up for you? Nah, I'm cool. And it might have been like only five people to ask. Like, damn, I can't believe he didn't put that in there. But everybody was like, yo, the joint was crazy.

It was dope. They didn't even miss it. So I'm like, I'm not risking that relationship And I think Kendrick and Cole Are friends You know I also said something on Twitter They fried me for it

They always do They always do They fried me for it And I enjoyed every moment I was like yo Kendrick and Drake In a couple of years Will squash this

And make one of the greatest records Of hip hop history Yeah that ain't happening, North. Nah, I ain't deleting it. Wait, you said, did I believe it or did I delete it? No, it's still there. Did you believe it? Will you ever delete it?

You know why? Because, you know why? I'm going to be honest with you. I got to see Jay and Nas patch that up. I got to see Shan and K-Wrestling One go on tour and do that. I got to see that. And none of them got called the pedophile. Yeah. Damn, man.

It got pretty scathing on this one. You gotta hold that. That's a... Like, and listen. I'm a... I come from battle rap. Love, fear, and art of war. I come from battle rap. If I know that your

sister got an orthopedic shoe, you fuck. I'm going to save you. I'm putting in a ball. I'm going to ball it up. My rules for battle rapping when we did it was, if I'm in front of you and I'm balling you up and I see you ball your hands up, I won. Because now you want to fight me. If I can make you want to fight me with words, you already lost. Right, right.

So Jay and Nas, they were businessmen. I get it. You know what I'm saying? They grew. It was always tension between them. Shan and Chris, I get it. Shit, it's still tension between them. And they squashed it.

That's the illest squash beef. Bro, that's still beef. Last year, I was with, I was working with Mass Appeal and Nas on the 50, the hip hop museum.

Oh, the museum. The hip hop museum thing they did, right? The one in Brooklyn? Right, yeah, they had it in downtown and they took it to LA. I think it's moving

around the world. Shout out to Peter and them. So I'm in there with Nas, Clark Kent. Can you to Peter and them. So I'm in there with Nas, Clark Kent. Can you pronounce Peter's last name? Bittenbender. Peter Bittenbender.

So it was it. So it was it. Oh, it's overrated. Overrated. Okay, okay. So it's me and Nas comes in. And I hadn't seen Nas in years. So we sitting there talking And Clark is trying to tell me

How they want this thing done Because they called me in Because I put things together With whatever So Nas is in there And Clark and Nas start talking I'm just a fly on the wall or whatever So they talking

And they start talking about the old days And Clark says something about Yeah, you know, back in the day Because you know I used to DJ for day to day. And Nas look at him like, like, like, Clark, why you say that? Like, I don't know. Like, I had to post on my wall. What are you talking about?

So I started listening to Nas and I started realizing how big of a fan he is of his hip hop shit. Right. So I'm sitting there and I'm going to fly on the wall, but I'm dead. But I just, I just always wanted to ask him this question So I'm looking at him And I said I said yo Nah I said

Man I just want to ask you Just one question one time He was like what I said yo How was it When The bridge is over dropped Like how was it

Like when I tell you His whole And Ralph And Ralph Him and Ralph Looked at each other like two Queens niggas. They looked at each other like... Oh my God, Ralph is from Queens. So he goes, he looks at me with the most serious look in his face.

Nas looks at me directly and goes, he said, Skills, you ever seen a Hiroshima bomb hit some projects? And I was like, nah. I was like, it was like that. He looked at Ralph. He was like, son, am I lying? Ralph was like, nah, was like it was like that he looked at Rob he was like son am I lying Rob was like nah son

it was crazy and he was like he said when it dropped everybody was like yo they heard about it but they hadn't heard it so they're like yo who got the tape

they're like yo Bobby got the tape he at the barbershop that's even worse they go to the barbershop and yo Bobby where the tape they're like yo

I gave it to L L got the tape he up on the hill like so they running around trying to find the tape. You know what makes it bad? It wasn't just like, because it's supposed to be just between KRS-One and Shan. But for some reason, KRS-One took it on a whole burn. Yes.

And he said, you didn't hear a peep from a place called Queens. Yes. And boy, when I tell you, that was not the best line. Right. He created so many killers. Because people was like, oh, we're going to make more than a peak, motherfucker. You understand what I'm saying? I told KS one day, he just put his head down.

And I said, damn, I didn't mean that. But I want you to face reality. You know what I mean? But it wasn't until Illmatic. That's exactly I mean? But, it wasn't until Illmatic. That's funny. That's exactly what Nas told me. It wasn't until Illmatic. He was like,

we didn't get back until me. He said, you got to understand, we used to go to the city 90, 100 deep and just wait for the motherfucker to play the bridge.

Like, if he play the bridges over that shit, the party's done. Right. They go to, and Uncle Ralph on the side, like, word, I was there. Like, I seen it the side like, word, I was dead.

I seen it. He like, yo, as soon as everything turned the fuck on, yo, the Queens niggas tore this shit apart. He said, yo, we didn't get back until me. He said, so you say something about Queens? You play that record? Nah, you got an answer for that.

He said, yo yo We was running up When we running up On Mad Lion Where your mans at He's like yo I know I know Mad Lion

You signed to your man Where you at And he said yo We was crazy We was crazy We was crazy And I was like It was like that

And he was like I said I said nah I said what was the time How much time Yeah cause Mad Lion Is a little bit after that I said nah But he's right though He was signed to I said, I said, I said, no. I said, what was the time? How much time had passed? Yeah, because Matt Lyon is a little bit after that. I said, I said, no. But he's right, though.

He was signed to KRS-One. No, but this is way after that record, though. Yeah. I said, how much time passed between South Bronx and Brit is Over? Uncle Ralph was like, yo, it was like a month. He said, yo, it was like a month. And it was done. And how long did this thing last?

He said, it lasted for years Still lasts It still lasts Still lasts The record still ring on And that's why I feel like When Queen's cast came out Right

Y'all came out with so much revival Like, we not going back to feeling like that That's a lot of aggression Say something else about my brother No, you know what? That makes sense And then you know what's crazy? That's why

That record was aggressive Crazy That's why that You know, the Nas and Jay-Z battle Was No, you know what? It makes sense. And then you know what's crazy? That's why. That record was aggressive. Crazy. That's why that, you know, the Nas and Jay-Z battle was so, you know, important was because we couldn't lose that one. Like, we couldn't lose that one. And, you know, Nas is my brother. Like, he's my brother. I love Nas.

Like, I can hit him right now. He'll correspond. But at first, you know, I don't know if I ever revealed this. He didn't think Jay was going at him. Like, people were coming up to him like, you got a lot of cars, a little jewelry. None of that fool was getting fooled with me. And I was like, nah. He ain't even talking about me.

He ain't about me. And a lot of people was like, yo, man, it was. So I think that the biggest battle between them was between them. Yeah. Like, it really didn't have anybody gassing them. It was really just them two. But again, you know,

I want to commend those brothers for going out there, giving us a great battle and then, you know, shaking hands on stage. Y'all remember how proud I was seeing that. I know we talk about the beats and all that, but how proud I was seeing Meek Mill and, and Drake squash it,

like letting them get over. But Nas and Jay was the first stepping stone to that type of thing. Because you got to grow, you got to mature. What was it, Jay-Z's B-side concert? Concert, I believe it was. And he brung Nas out. No, no, no. It was Summer Jam.

It was Summer Jam or Barclay. It was Summer Jam. And he came out, because I remember Jay had on a black and Nas had on a green army coat. And how much growth since then. And they just stood there, and the crowd just went crazy. I remember that. It went crazy. Yeah, yeah. That they just stood there. And the crowd was just going crazy. I remember that. It went crazy.

Yeah, that's a great one. So something else that I was looking at all your interviews, and you said, and people start asking you to describe Virginia. And you said something, this is your first line, and I don't know if you know this, but you said, yeah, there's something in the water. Right. Way before. Way before. Oh, you know this, but you said, yeah, there's something in the water. Right. And then Pharrell... Way before.

Way before. Oh, you know what I'm talking about. I said, damn, this motherfucker, the name Pharrell Carson, or Pharrell jacked you. Which one is it? Listen, we always said that. You know what I'm saying?

Oh, there's something in the water. Yeah, but I might have been the first person to say it. On record. That was a thing locally. I saw that. I saw that. On record, you was the first one. Bro, motherfuckers take my ideas like shit you know i mean but when

it's hometown i don't you ghostwriting ideas too so but um how did you feel when you heard Pharrell Announce that? I thought it was dope, man Like, I just I just spun to his His rap party For his movie He shot The Lego movie?

Nah, nah He got another movie Jesus Coming out with like a real For real, like, biopic It's called Landis I think it's called Landis I hope I didn't give it away

Okay, you gave it away And I know I know he's debuting The Lego movie At something in the water This year Okay So it's in October So I'm looking forward to it I don't know What the Lego movie at something in the water this year. Okay. It's in October.

I'm in it. I don't know. What the fuck I did? You in it? Yeah. Listen, it's going to be dope. You got to tell the story

about doing the voiceover. Oh, yeah. I mean, if there's anybody in the world that can tell me to do something without giving me

the full story. I told you. He's just like, yo, I'm doing an animated. I didn't put two and two together, animated, Lego. I was just like Yo I'm doing an animated Like I didn't put Two and two together Animated Lego

Like I was just like He was just like Yo start asking me questions It was on the phone We filmed it We still sent it to them I believe we did I'm not sure

But we And They never They never told me It was a Lego movie So So He drives a commercial

And people was just like Yo man Why you ain't tell me And you got the best part Yeah We're telling how dope he is Like what I don't want to act

Too surprised So I'm like I'm like yeah yeah Sometimes you can't tell people The final project You got to just 100% Because they'll go out

And blow it like Just don't tell them anything What you knew Pharrell And Chad Yeah In high school? No, no,

no. I met them, I met them at a Tribe Called Quest concert. Right. Remember? Yes, yes.

Okay. I met them at a Tribe Called Quest concert and Pharrell was trying to rap for Q-Tip and I can see that.

Yeah. Because you have both Tribe fans. Yeah, the biggest Tribe fans in VA. Like, he was crazy about

Tribe Called Quest. And he wanted to rap for them. I was just on stage with him rapping. And the bus was leaving. And he was like, damn, that's them. And I was like, yeah, the bus had the turn signal. I was like, yeah. So he's like, yo, I got to rap for Tippy.

I got to hit my beats. I was like, yo, that's the bus leaving, bro. He's about to cry. You know what I'm saying? Like, he had missed his shot. And then later on, he connected with him, and the rest was history. You know what I'm saying?

He's still one of the most influential people in the world. You know what I mean? I love Pete, man. I sent him a picture the other day of Fife, rest in peace Fife and rest in peace Dave from Daylight at that show. Wow. Rest in peace. Because Fife rest in peace Dave from De La at that show. Wow. Rest in peace.

Because Fife had, you know, At the show that y'all met, I'm dry. Yeah, every time, you know, Fife would go to a city, he would wear the jersey or whatever the team was. So he had on a Virginia jersey. He had on a Virginia sweatshirt at that show. All right. Yeah.

Let me ask you a cliche question. You ever thought Virginia would be this popular? Absolutely not. Right. No, not in hindsight, because like I said, when I first came out, it wasn't nobody. You know what I'm saying? It was just- It wasn't even locally?

No, it was locally, but wasn't nobody making no dents. And Teddy was out, but Teddy was playing Harlem a little bit, too. Yeah, Teddy was, it was Rump Shaker and then, you know, you had Akil and him rapping his little brother.

They was from Harlem, you know what I'm saying? So they shot the video of Virginia Beach, but we didn't, yeah, we didn't know them. You know what I mean? So I tell people all the time,

like I was, you know, I was the first one. So it's almost like I look at rappers now and cats be like, oh, you know, I put my neighborhood on, I put my city on. And when I look at rappers now and cats be like, oh, you know I put my neighborhood on I put my city on and and I'm when I look back and I'm like that put a whole state on

Because it really wasn't no nobody else from Virginia. I was the first person you ever heard Like so for me it's like damn I'm gonna put a claim in there. I don't want motherfuckers to forget that it was me you know what I'm saying like and and and once they came I made it successful you know I'm saying shout out to Magoo because I I did my thing and then they started doing their thing I got dropped you know I'm saying I wasn't I was back on the local scene then Magoo pulled me back in you know I'm saying? I was back on the local scene, then Magoo pulled me back in. You know what I'm saying? He told Tim and Missy, like, yo, we got to get him. That nigga, Ping Game, is nasty. We got to get him.

And the rest was history. Now, I heard you say that you didn't want to be a ghostwriter, but you seen Missy pull up in a purple Ferrari? Lambo. Lambo, okay. With purple piping on the seats. Nigga, still don't got that shit. Still. In 2024. Me and Petey Pablo With purple piping on the seats. Nigga, still don't got that shit. Still. In 2024.

Me and Petey Pablo seen that shit at the same time. You would have thought we saw a ghost. Shut up, Petey Pablo. Yeah, you would have thought we saw a ghost when that car pulled up. It was like, niggas can have that? Right. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's possible. And she wasn't even, this is not artist money.

No. Okay. She wasn't, Sylvia was begging her to put an album out. And she's like, I'll put an album out if you give me a deal. Like a label. This was before the group that she was in? No, this was after Sista. Oh, okay.

But that was with Jodeci and Devante and then the Swing Mob. That failed. So then they came back. Then she became... Jodeci and them was from Virginia? They from Charlotte, North Carolina. Okay, okay. You know what I'm saying?

But they was raised... They had Tim. Tim was under them. Genuine was like DMV. So, yeah, all of them was around. Jesus Louise, Papa Cheese. Yeah, man. God comes down.

And calls Nori. Fat Joe, Fat Joe, Fat Joe. Happy birthday, Joe. We are Drink Champs. Yo, Fat Joe, Fat Joe, it's his birthday. Happy birthday, Joe. We on drink chat. Joe, we on. Yo, what's up? Mad skills, mad skills, man. What up, Cleck?

I'm good. You good, man? Love you, brother, man. Love you, brother, man. It's been a while, man, but always love you, bro. Always love you, too, bro. You already know, always. Yo, happy birthday, brother, man. Love you, brother, man. It's been a while, man, but always love you, too, bro. You already know, always. Happy birthday, brother.

I love you, Yanori, boy. You look like you in DC. No, no, no. We recorded Drink Chats. I'm going to hit you up as soon as we finish. I just wanted to say happy birthday. All right, bye-bye. All right, love, love.

That's dope. Yeah. Joe's a good dude. He's actually getting the key to the city tomorrow. That's dope, man. a good dude He's actually getting The key to the city tomorrow That's dope To New York City man Let's make some noise for Patrick

And it's his birthday Damn what the fuck Was I saying He was talking about Ghost writing And not wanting to be A ghost writer Oh yeah

Yeah yeah yeah God came down from heaven Said Max We need you to save humanity Whether you perform this song Or just write this song What would you prefer? You perform the song or write the song?

I'll probably just write it Okay God says a song You're going to write to save humanity. Doesn't matter what kind of criteria song. So what artist would you want to say your words? And then what producer would you pick to produce that record? Pharrell got to do the beat.

God damn it. I knew you were going to say that. Pharrell got to do the beat. God damn it. I knew you were going to say that. Pharrell got to do the beat. The artist, I'll probably say Kendrick right now. I'll probably think Kendrick. Even though I doubt he need anybody to write anything for him. Right, of course. It would be Kendrick with Pharrell on the beat.

Last time that happened, that was all right. That was an anthem. We going to be all right. That's Pharrell made that? Holy shit. That's Pharrell on the hook saying we going to be all right. That was the anthem. We gon' be all right. That's Pharrell made that? Holy shit. That's Pharrell on the hook saying, we gon' be all right. Do you hear me? Do you feel me?

Yo, you wildin'. Yo! Yo! Yo, I didn't know that. I'm not even going to act like I did. Like, yeah, no, no, no. That's going to be my mission today. I'm going to educate Norrie on a lot of shit.

Yo, I ain't going to lie to you. Like yeah That's gonna be my mission today I'm gonna educate Nori On a lot of shit You know I ain't gonna lie to you Because It's something that I heard you say You said they don't give a fuck right now They don't even buy albums with credits Yeah So I ain't gonna lie

I don't know like Right I don't know sometimes Like when I look at a person's Song Sometimes I don't even see people Saying features Right

Yeah it's like It's like different Like You ever thought that? Because we come from the era where when your album dropped, I wanted to know who produced it. I wanted to know who your A&R was. I wanted to know where the address was for your record label. I wanted to know who your management was.

Who you were thanking. Who was your thank yous. That's how I learned rappers' real names I heard you say that Like I learned Their real names Yeah

Clifford Smith I'm like oh shit That's Method Man You know what I'm saying Robert D Like I know We used to play that game We would just throw out

Names Clifford Harris Oh man We're going to steal that game We'll give you your publisher Yeah of course We'll give you your publisher Take my shit off

We'll give you your publisher But yeah So and right now They say Of course. We'll get you up on the shit. Take my shit off. We'll get you up on the shit. But yeah, so and right now, they say it's disposable music. But it's actually disposable everything. Yeah. Songs don't even, songs be like two minutes long. Yeah. Because people's attention span is so short.

It's like a TikTok era. Right. You know what I'm saying? These kids, they just want to get it and go to the next one. Right. You know what I mean? So the songs be they just want to get it and go to the next one. Right. You know what I mean? So the songs be so fast, and sometimes they catchy, sometimes they not. And then sometimes these kids can't even perform these songs.

Like, you see them live, and you're like, damn. Damn. That shit don't hit the same way. No artist development. Because they damn near made it in a vacuum where they don't even remember what they made. Bro, the song ain't even mixed. Right. They just uploaded it. And it went crazy. You know what I even remember what they made on it. Bro, the song ain't even mixed. They just uploaded it. And it went crazy.

You know what I'm saying? That's the problem. I tell these kids a lot. I'm like, yo, man, listen. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that you hot because you got this amount of numbers on TikTok or you got a million views or da-da-da-da. You could fake the views.

You could fake the followers. You could fake the likes. But can fake the followers. You can fake the likes, but you can't fake making people care. You can't fake that. So if you could have 80 million followers, you show up in VA and I heard that it was only 40 people at the show

last night. I already know what that is. Like, y'all faking the funk on some real shit. You know what I mean? You can't fake making people care, man. The records got to connect. If they don't connect, keep making records. Right. 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. I'm Michael Kassin, founder and CEO of 3C Ventures, and your guide on good company. Apple Podcasts. We dive into the competitive world of streaming, how she's turning so-called niche into mainstream gold, connecting audiences with stories that truly make them feel seen. What others dismiss as niche, we embrace as core. It's this idea that there are so many stories out there, and if you can find a way to curate and help the right person discover the right content, the term that we always hear from our audience is that they feel seen. Get a front row seat to where media, marketing, technology, entertainment, and sports collide. And hear how leaders like Anjali are carving out space

and shaking things up a bit in the most crowded of markets. Listen to Good Company on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Who's the uppercutting artist you're listening to? Oh, man. It's a couple cats from VA that I'm checking in now. It's a cat named Noah O. He do a lot of stuff in the city.

Noah O? Noah, like N-O-A-H-O. Look him up. Dope rapper. Because he Noah O. It's a couple cats. It's a cat named Michael Millions. He's a good engineer and he's a dope MC. Radio B. Those are a few cats from my city that have put their claim. And they're lyricists. You know what I'm saying? They care about bars and this line connecting. It's not just, oh, I got a catchy hook.

It's some people that are still trying to keep the lyricism thing alive. And I appreciate that as an MC. Now, wait. Do we think that the Kendrick and Drake thing is enough to bring back that into the mainstream? I don't know if it's enough because we already back to the stupid records. Yeah. But Kendrick rapped circles. Like, he rapped. And it was so crazy listening to him because even when I listened to one record, he would change his voice four times. I felt like I was listening

to four people. So I'm like, oh, that's four different movies. And the entendres in that motherfucker. Right, you know what I'm saying? So I don't know if Kendrick and the Drakes and the J. Coles are enough because, you know, back in the day, we had way more than three bars. You couldn't get a deal if you didn't have bars.

You couldn't get a deal if you couldn't get bars. They didn't sign this stupid shit. But, you know, it's a changing climate, man. And I'll never be, I'll never discontinue or disrespect a young black man that's helping his family get out the hood or get his mom a crib and help his sister go to school. I don't give a fuck what kind of music he make. You know what I'm saying? If you did that for your family, offer that one little song you did, I got love for you young man. I just hope I hope you

realize as you make more music it's more to you than just that. It's not the creator. I don't ever fault the creator or someone that's making the music that might do its thing. It's the audience that's changed. The appetite of what they're into.

It used to be where they were more cerebral and then yeah went way far from that i just did a project maybe like two weeks ago i put out a spoken word project and it's more like poetry like it ain't even i'm not even rapping that was spoken word is poetry yeah but it's it's it's called a seven number ones but it's almost like some of the stuff was so personal, I just felt more compelled to just say it than to try to rap it. You know what I'm saying? I just took another lane.

And I like to see artists grow and try new things. Because you get stagnant, man. You don't want to keep doing the same shit over and over again. That's why I quit the rap up. You know what I'm saying? You know, somebody told me,

I'm sorry to bounce around real quick. You know who the real ultimate winner is of drake and kendrick you know they're both on the same same label yeah ultimately republic and the scope universe on the universe someone that was in the system told me that nothing was moving while they they was battling like they put everything into a whole right because i i seen that i think that with ll and cannabis i've seen def jam go crazy for ll i've seen def jam go crazy when ja and dmx was beefing yeah and they're on the same label you think record labels benefit or of course but i don't think i'm gonna be honest with you let me give a record label a little bit of credit.

A little bit of credit. I don't think they start the beefs. But I think once the beefs start, they know how to like engage. I don't know. I think some of them have been instigated by labels. Maybe instigated,

but I don't think full-fledged start. As a businessman, as a businessman, if I start Coke and I see how well Coke does. I'm talking about Coca-Cola. We're in Miami. I'm sorry.

I know I'm in Miami. If I start Coca-Cola, I'm a smart businessman if I start Pepsi, too. You know what I mean? What's the old fat guy that died in prison that started the Backstreet Boys? Oh yeah, Perlman. He started the Backstreet Boys and then he made their competition. They didn't even know

they was on the same fucking label. They just said Nego from Pharrell's own boy, Nego. They just said that Nego got accused of putting out ice cream or Bae Bape or whatever. And then he also controlled the bootleggers. Like he was making the bootleg.

Listen, it's hard. That's when you are moving in that type of space. It's only right that you think bigger. You know what I'm saying? Like think big, man. Like stop thinking small.

Put, put your own competition out there. It's crazy. We don't even have no male groups. I was telling somebody the other day, we don't even have no male singers.

We don't even got a group. Ain't no new edition, no type of boys. I mean, we don't even have three groups that sing. We don't have none of that. Yeah.

And I feel like every eight or nine years, it should happen. You know what I'm saying? There should be a boy group out right now killing it. Outside of Juanmo, shout out to now killing it outside of Juanmore.

Shout out to Juanmore, which is Juanye from Boyz II Men. He got four sons and they killing it. But that's it. I mean, groups have gone away completely. Don't nobody want to share the money no more. And that's crazy. That's crazy you think about it right now. I ain't even think of it like that.

Bro, it's probably three brothers right now that grew up together in Tallahassee and they probably can sing their ass off. They only want to split the money with their brother. Like, will we ever have another Wu-Tang Clan? Right, that's too many motherfuckers. The only one now I can think of is maybe, what, Flatbush Zombies? Yeah, that's too many people.

Then before that, Odd Future. Who? Odd Future. But Migos is, no, Migos is only three and it ain't even making long. I can compare that to Wu-Tang Clan. You just stay over there and spread three niggas

to nine. Come on, man. Yeah, nah, Wu was different. Your vegan pizza. Come on. What you say? Wu was different, but I think a lot of times

we get people, they don't even want to be clicked up because they like, I got to split it with homie and homie. I don't want to do that. Right. So now now that's why i think that's why we get so many songs was just like a solo artist you don't think labels also is just they don't want to deal with groups anymore either listen bro if something come across fire and it's and it's already blowing up yep it would make sense for them like let me find two two singers that could just sing

right like we'll never have another johnny you. You know what I mean? Like, them days is over. Right. It's crazy. Don't nobody want to share nothing. Do you feel like you got discovered by Q-Tip? Yes. Yes. Hands down.

He said it before. And, yeah, I wouldn't be here without them. Shout out to Tribe Called Quest getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That's right. That's right. I forgot to tell you. Yeah. Rock and roll. That's right. That's right. Yeah.

So, um, and shout out to, you know, Ali, Jerobe. Should have invited Jerobe. That's right. Um,

yeah, nah, man, I definitely, I owe, I owe a lot to that man. You know what I'm saying? And I'm very grateful that he pulled me out of that tree.

Right. And said, spit some bars. You know what I'm saying? I wouldn't, it wouldn't have been no mad skills without that moment. So I'm said spit some bars. You know what I'm saying? I wouldn't have, it wouldn't have been no mad skills without that moment. So I'm happy that it happened.

You know what I'm saying? Shout out to Q-Tip. The abstract poetic, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. Yo, yo, his impressions. Yo, can we pull up that clip? That's on the group chat.

The second clip. Not the first one. From the show? Yeah. Then later on. Cause I remember I said, I didn't know if i had his number yeah like i checked and you was like yo make that call now if you got the number and i was like i

don't even think you're gonna answer then you made the call he didn't answer we thought you thought he had you blocked yeah but you was not blocked and he picked up and he picked up y'all kicked it y'all checked it you chopped it up i believe you said one tear yeah i believe that was a dope moment that was. That was a dope moment. That was dope. That was a dope moment for us. It was. We hadn't talked in like almost 10 years.

That was a dope moment for us. But to be honest with you, that was a personal moment for you and him. So since the show, you know, we trying to do our Maury checkup shit. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah, yeah. What happened six years ago? I definitely have connected with him.

We talk a lot. I went up to his crib and we spun like a DJ set together, like four turntables, two by two. We went back and forth. He does a stream on his platform and I went up there

and hung out with him and it was just good to see him, man. Yeah. That's the homie, man. I love that dude. I toured the world. I filled up there and hung out with him. And it was just good to see him, man. That's the homie, man. I love that dude. I toured the world. I filled up two passports fucking with you. I seen the world messing with Jazzy Jeff, man.

So, super dope dude, man. I love him. You know what I'm saying? That's my brother. Let me tell you something. So, I rode on the jet with him to Leo Combs. Yeah, yeah. I saw that picture.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then we, so I believe it was there and back. But on the way back, it was just me and him. And I didn't want him to ask me about that moment. Because I didn't know if y'all passed it up or not. But here's what's crazy. This is how you know this man been all over the world. His wife opens up like a package or something she had every charger

ever made yeah all the adapters all the adapters that's what i mean i said charges you understood what i said she had germany switzerland even though they probably the same you know what i'm trying to say like everyone's a different kid i was like yo i was like because i was i was like um i said i was getting up and i was like i'm gonna go um to my seat to go get my charger I was like, yo, I was like, I was like, I was getting up and I was like, I'm going to go to my seat to go get my charger. She was like, I got you. I was like, what the fuck? Everything. That's how you know when a person just travels.

Well-traveled, man. What's your favorite place you've been to? I'll probably say Australia. Australia. Australia was clean. It was the cleanest city I ever seen in my life. I couldn't believe it was that clean. And diesel kangaroos.

Yes. Sydney, Australia. Thailand. They got beautiful beaches there. Place called Phuket. These are places you performed at? Yeah. I love LA. I got a spot in LA, so I go back and forth between L.A. and V.A.

Right. But yeah, man, Australia was probably one of the most pretty, and Cape Town. Cape Town's beautiful. That's South Africa. It's like Miami with the mountains and the cliffs. That's South Africa. Yeah, South Africa, South Cape Town, yeah. Beautiful.

You did our show before. We gave you your flowers, but we need to give you your flowers physically Okay Face to face I couldn't believe this Yes What? That you came before we started

We started Yes, yes Well, let me tell you something, Skills When we made this show It's to give people like you People who Who stood the test of time Who stood the test of time

And motherfuckers Stood on your motherfucking monkey foot And motherfucking did what you gotta do and you dedicated your life to hip hop and hip hop recognizes that we love you, we respect you and want to give you a shout out yeah I saw y'all get somebody else this

and I was like damn I ain't get that one you came right before we started the tradition oh really? nah this is dope man, I'm just gonna go up in the studio this is this is power. Let me ask you a quick question right? This is me going through your discography right? You clearly can make any type of music right? Whether it's even like club music, girl music, street music, you know, bar music, whatever, whatever. Do you think that the fact that because some like some bars, even me knowing the record, I have to go back and be like, oh, shit, that's what the fuck he meant.

Right. And this is years later. Like, and I'm an emcee. Right. And sometimes you go over me. Right. Do you think that was Do you think that was a plus

For your career Or you think that might have been One of the The parts Because you might have been The smartest guy in the place Right Like the smart kid

In the slow class Almost Yeah You know what I mean Nah man You get A's in the resource room Right Nah I really feel like

I realized Once I made that transition man I realized that People like what I say They just don't necessarily have to hear It coming from me Right You know what I'm saying

So once I realized that And that light bulb went off I realized that I could write anything And people call You know what I'm saying, and ask for things. And sometimes it's things that I can't even fathom that I get a chance to do. And as much as people stick it to me for this, it was all for the wrap up.

You know what I'm saying? The wrap up was a creation that came from- Sorry, you said the wrap upup. You know what I'm saying? Like, the wrap-up was a creation that came from. Sorry, you said the wrap-up or rapper? The wrap-up. Wrap-up. Okay, I'm sorry. It was something that, you know, it started and people ran with it and did their own versions of it. You know what I'm saying?

But that whole thing started on, like, Stretching Bobbito. I did a Stretching Bobbito freestyle in, like, 93. It goes that far back? Like, from just tying things together like that. You know what I'm saying? So that started in 93. So now we in 2024 and I almost look at it like how many motherfuckers did something in 93 and they can still do it in 2024? Jordan can't jump from the foul line no more.

That shit ain't happening. Shaq can't post up in the paint like he used to. So for me, when those calls come, it's because I was able to do that. Even when the whole Rock and Roll Hall of Fame shit came in, I was like, I don't know if I could do this. But it turned into something and once I saw all of those people Idris Elba, Lisa Keys, Chris Rock, Kevin Hart saying all them Jay Z lines and then I saw Blue Ivy at the end and I was like I did that. Right.

You know what I'm saying? I created that. That call came because yo we know when it come to this hip hop shit you the dude that could connect them dots. That's how I ended up working with Nas and Masterpill for the for the and the wrap up last year at the BET awards like you don't get them calls if you're not good at

what you do and I'd imagine in answering to what you're asking that if you're a top tier lyricist it's easier to to come down from that creatively than to be to have no lyrical ability and try to scale up. Right, right.

You know what I'm saying? Like that Jay-Z shit, I did that Jay-Z Rock and Roll Hall of Fame shit in nine days. Wow. Like that happened fast. Right. Like Questlove called. And you curated it? I wrote it.

Okay, wow. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right, so Questlove called because Jay-Z's getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Right. And you can't put an artist up there and let them do, allow me to reintroduce myself. That shit is corny. Right. So they have to figure out a way to tribute Jay-Z so Jay-Z will come.

Right. Because Jay-Z's like, I'm not going. Mm. And they're like, yo, it's the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Like, you have to go. And you know, Hov, he's like, I don't got to do shit. This is when him and LL got inducted? No, yeah, yeah, yeah.

OK. So that video montage that played with all the celebrities, I wrote that word for word. Oh, wow. So Questlove calls. And it was weird because I was in a barbershop. And he's like, yo when when did you stop listening to jay-z i was like what he's like when did you stop listening to hope i was like well i said what's the context of the question he said i remember you saying back in the day

like you used to you could hear a jay-z song one time and quote the bars i was like yeah back he was he was i used to love when hope would get mad at like you know what i mean like when he was mad at jimmy's man as he was a different guy he really talked this so i said maybe like i said the last thing i really enjoyed was maybe four four four it was it was super dope he was like okay cool i need you to do your thing your wrap up stretching by beatle thing but i need you to do your thing, your wrap-up stretching bambino thing, but I need you to do it with all of the quintessential Jay-Z lines. And I'm like,

I said, okay, that's going to be fine. He said, I'm about to pitch the idea to Beyonce. So I'm like, okay, that'd be dope. He said, but I need it in nine days. And I'm like, yeah, I don't know if I can pull that off. So he's like, well, you might not have to. She might say no. So I'm going to hit you back. So he hits me back. He's like, Beyonce said I don't know if I can pull that off. So he's like, well, you might not have to. She might say no.

So I'm going to hit you back. So he hits me back. He's like, Beyonce said she'll do it, but she don't want to do it by herself. She want other artists to say Jay's lines. And I was like, oh, that shit will be fine. He was like, yeah, so you on the clock. And I'm like, fuck.

So I'm listening to DOS effects, whole fucking, can I get open, stick your finger in the dike and all like all of these i start there and i'm all the way up to four four four so all of the quintessential lines i will not lose it's about to go down like all of those lines like how you did with bt okay so so starts hitting me, and once I got the piece together, now it's the double entendre of who's going to say the lines. Mm. So Beyonce's going to say, what's better than one billionaire, too. Right. You know what I mean?

Like Dave Chappelle was going to say, they say words are a weapon. So when you shoot, meet your death in less than eight seconds. So then the ill part was David Letterman says, they tell David Letterman, you're going to say, I keep one eye open like CBS. And he's like, y'all want me to say that? Why? That's not even a cool line. And they're like, no, no, no. If you say, I keep one eye open like CBS

it's going to be the coolest line of the whole shit so Jay is at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame thing let me ask you does Jay know this is going on? no he has no clue so Jay goes to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame they do the thing

and he just he's sitting there with Jay Brown and all them and this montage just comes up. Right. And it starts with Beyonce. So they got the camera on hold and they got the camera on the thing. This is where the Cavaliers play.

There's 30,000 people in there. So you watching it live. Cleveland. So boom. So they running through the lines and he got this look on his face like, wow. And it's, you know what I mean?

It's Samuel Jackson. It's Tyler Perry. It's black Hollywood. And they all saying my words. My words inspired by Jay-Z. Except for David Letterman. Right. No, no, no.

That one too. No, I'm talking about black guys. Right, right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm fucking with you. So they get to the end, they get to the end, and Blue Ivy pops up,

and she says, congrats, S. Carter, ghostwriter, for the right price. I feel you. And you know, and it's like, it's a curse word in there. So Jay is looking like,

yo, is my child on the jumbo truck? Right. I mean, then she says the line, she says, we made your heads tighter. Yo, so he stops and he looks like, damn, they got me. So he does his speech. And I'm in the crib. I'm in VA. I'm at the crib.

I don't see this happen live. It's in little splits and beats or whatever. So I wake up and it's like two in the morning and i get a text from quest love he was like i said how did it go he said yo he loved it it was crazy jay tweets he tweeted and he don't really ever use twitter like that he tweeted yo whoever made that video package i'm gonna cry in the car that was amazing so i'm i'm like, damn, that's ill. So then I get a text from Questlove, and he's like, yo, J about to hit you. So I'm like, yeah, whatever.

That's just not. Right. So I go to sleep. It's 2.30 in the morning. I go to sleep. I wake up in the morning. I got a text from Ho. And I'm looking at it, and I'm just like, just like damn what does it say I can't really tell you

that I mean like yo you did an amazing job no you ain't got like you did an amazing he's like I can't tell you look everybody it's the top joint but I wake up to text from home and I'm saying? Like, I score for y'all, but it's the top joint. But I wake up to a text from Hov, and I'm like... This is exactly how you write, yo. Yeah, that's how you write. And I'm like,

yo, this is crazy, man. Like, for Hov to say, yo, what you did was brilliant, man. Like... Yo, that's fire. It's amazing. You know what I'm saying?

Like, to... Fire. I frame that. I can even hear the laugh Right You know You don't get texts From Hov every day

That's dope By the way He writes bars and texts He's still writing bars He's still writing bars So man So you know For me to have that moment

And um You know Rock and roll Hall of Fame That's forever Yeah You know what I'm saying Every year around his birthday They post that video

You know what I'm saying And I just be sitting back Like the proud father in the room Like yeah Hall of Fame, that's forever. Every year around his birthday, they post that video. I just be sitting back like the proud father in the room like, yeah, I did that. And it says a lot that you got the call like a fucking superhero. We need this. Quest love, the king of coordination. It's almost like if you want

hip-hop, if you want to congratulate or celebrate hip-hop and you want to congratulate or celebrate hip hop and you want it to be done right, it's only a few people you're going to be able to call. I think it's a little less than a few. Right. It's not a lot. I mean, now that I think about it, yeah. Especially with proper historical context.

Who else you respect enough that you think that could do this? Black Thought could. I thought of Black Thought. What I mean by that is you making it make sense and then have the crowd participate. What you did at BET Awards was so fucking... I know I'm bouncing around,

but it was so brilliant because you was showing love to the bouncing around, but it was so brilliant because you was showing love to the old school, but you was even showing the new school people that was there that they actually subconsciously knew these lyrics. Like, I was watching this shit. By the way, wasn't we there? Yeah, we were there.

I saw you on the red carpet right before. So, we were watching the old school people feel appreciated, but we were watching the new school people feel a part of it. Right. I ain't never seen that gap bridge. Right. The bridge in that gap like that.

And I was like, wow. And you, you was, I'll say this behind your back. So I'm going to say this in your front, your face. You were so brilliant of using the lines that was like, so, so like, like you heard this in your mom's house like universal they knew the hip the hop even if they didn't know it even if they never heard that record live or heard that record if you say somebody that's grown up in hip-hop you have to you have to finish that yeah like so that was that whole 50 50th year hip-hop wrap-up i didn't even want to do that shit right like when they called

me when when jesse collins called me that's the guy that produces bt he produces all of the award shows he called me and he was like yo i when he pitched it he's like i got an idea i want to pitch to you i was like what's up he was like i was thinking about uh a 50-year hip-hop wrap-up on the bt awards and I was thinking maybe you could write it and I was like yeah I could do that and he was like yeah okay cool so all right let me know who your people is and we I could make the connection I was like well who who's in it he was like it's for the BET Awards I said yeah but like who's gonna who who's in it he was like I was thinking you was in it.

I was like, I'll do it for you. I heard what you said. He was like, yeah, he said, but it can't be no longer than two minutes. He said,

I know, I know asking for you to wrap up 50 years of hip hop in two minutes. I know you're going to miss some shit. It's cool, but can you do it in two minutes? I was like, yeah. I said,

who's going to say it? I'm still not, I'm still not confused. He said, I was, he was was like so you could knock it down send me a draft I'm gonna get you with Adam Blackstone and then we gonna rehearse and then we gonna shoot the awards on the 25th so I go who's gonna say it right he was like you? I said, say what? He said, the rapper. I said, on BET? He was like, yeah.

I said, live? He was like, yeah, the ones is live. And you remember at this minute, it was a writer's strike. So it wasn't no writer. Oh, that's right. Right, but if they didn't do the show, they would have missed the 50th year of hip-hop. Right. So he's like, I was thinking you could do it. I was like,

oh, yeah, yeah. I said, well, yo, I had a gig out of town, but let me call him and tell him I'm going to have to cancel, and I'll call you back. Let me cancel this gig. He was like, all right, cool. Just hit me back. This is my cell. I hang the phone up. I look at my man and say, I'm not doing that shit. He was like, what do you mean? I said, bro, I'm not getting on BET and doing

no 50 year wrap up. He said, who else they going to get to do it? I ain't going to lie. Who's your man name? Let's pick him up. Money. DJ Money. DJ C. That's exactly, if I was in a car with you and you got in that car, that's exactly how I was in the car with you And you got that call That's exactly how I would have answered that So the story goes So he says I said bro

I can't do that He was like why I said bro Do you understand I've done the wrap up For 20 years Do you know what It's going to look like

If I get on TV And fuck up the wrap up And he was like You're not going to Fuck that shit up I said bro I don't know I don't be boring like that I just write I ain't been and fuck up the wrap up. And he was like, you're not going to fuck that shit up. I said, bro, I don't know. I don't be boring like that.

I just write. I ain't been, I got to do a red car. I'm not doing that shit. He's like, nah, you got to do it, son. You got to do it. So they talked me into it. I go to LA. I wrote it.

I wrote a small piece and I did it over the instrumental for Maybach Music. Right. Just as a skeleton. Like this is what I wanted to sound like. I want the band to play some crazy strings. I wanted to sound. I get there. They got the shit on the jumbo on the teleprompter. I ain't never fucking looked at a teleprompter.

I'm rehearsing this shit. I'm reading the words. The lady on the teleprompter. I'm rehearsing this shit. I'm reading the words. The lady on the teleprompter got this shit all back. She got DJ Kool Flash, Africa Handbottle, all the names y'all fucked up. I'm spazzing because I'm

like, this ain't right. But you know, it's like, oh, you get two minutes to rehearse, then we got to go on to da-da-da-da-da. I'm like, yeah, bro, I'm not doing this shit. I'm telling my whole, I got my whole squad with me. I'm like, bro, I'm not doing this shit. I'm not going on TV and fucking up the route. I'm going to be a meme, bro.

They going, I'm going to be playing for the rest of my life. They like, nah, you got it, you got it. I go back to rehearsal the next day. She got the names right. But I still don't, I still don't like it. I'm like, yo, so how's the band going to play? They're like, yo, Skills ain't no band. I said, what you mean?

Shout out to Blackstone. He said, yo, it's just tracks. I said, well, yo, what the fuck them niggas over there with violins for? He said, oh, that's for Busta Tribute. They doing Pasta Gavassi, but it's not real. It's just a track. I said, bro, you want me to do it over Maybach music? He was like, nigga, you got beat with Rick Ross or something?

You don't know? This is crazy. By the way, this is hilarious, by the way. I said, bro, I thought y'all was going to play something live. He said, skills, it ain't no band. He said, trust me, just do it over the track. I'm like, if I do it over the track, then that mean I do it over the track Then that mean I gotta spit it It's gotta be on tempo

If I fuck up the beat keep going Wait how far out from the show is this? Wait two days out Bro I'm walking around In my head just While I'm saying these bars Over and over Cause I can't fuck up on TV

Show day come You know how they do They get you there at 10 in the morning and they keep you there all fucking day. Oh, trust me. Then the show comes.

They start. Oh, skills, you're going to take it to your seat. I ain't been to no award show in years. I see you on the red carpet. Yeah, yeah. I'm like, yo,

this shit is lit. Right. I get there. I'm watching everybody else perform. D-Nice, MC Lyte. They doing all the little tributes on the stage.

Kid Caprice. Everybody killing it, but they doing songs. I basically got two minutes acapella at the BET Awards. Right? Boom. I go back to the trailer. I got the track on. I'm walking around. I'm trying

to remember this shit. Hopefully this bitch on the teleprompter don't fuck it up. Skills are ready for you. Mad skills are ready. I'm like, fuck. I throw my fit on. My drip is on. I go out there. I walk over and Patti LaBelle

standing next to me. Last time I was here, she was shooting the day after. I'm watching Patti LaBelle. standing next to me, which was last time I was here, she was shooting the day after. Y'all be like, you got to stay. I'm watching Patti LaBelle. Patti LaBelle goes before me, I believe. She did a Tina Turner tribute. Patti LaBelle goes on stage,

starts singing Tina Turner, and forgets the words. I look at Twitter. They dragging Patti LaBelle. I'm like, what you think they gonna do to me? Because when we at home and we watch a tribute, the first thing we think is when somebody fuck up,

we be like, yo, why does this thing cost so-and-so to do that? He would've nailed that. And like, yo, how Patti up there fucking up the words to get Patti out of here? They should've called Letty. And I'm sitting there like, yo. Skills, you up? They put me on the fucking joint.

I'm sitting in the middle of the stage. And you know how the wars are. We need everybody to their seats in one minute. Motherfucker still, yo, I'm going to call you fam. I'm knowing this line, nigga. People still moving around. Yo, yo, hit my line, bro. All this shit. We're live in 30 minutes. I'm sitting there like saying the words back and forth, back and forth.

All right. And we're on in 10. Bam. They do the countdown. You hear MC Lygo. Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Mad Skills. I walk out. The fucking music starts playing

And I look right in front of me And it's Busta Rhymes Sitting right there with his family And Busta Oh this is when Busta got the lifetime award Busta got the lifetime award So Busta's sitting there With his whole family

And he gonna critique you Right You can't fuck up his fucking The Dungeon Dragon And his family And his family I And his family. I say the first line of the song, a child was born in 73. Not even she would realize what she would grow up to be.

Busta goes, facts. You know how Busta voice is. I hear Busta voice. Facts. And I just look at Busta. And I just started saying the rest. It was almost like when we in the cypher. Right, right.

You spin the air. You buy it with me. I said the whole shout out to Busta Rhymes. He probably don't even know how much he helped me that day. Wow. Because I ain't even looking to tell a problem. I just, I had somebody that was hip hop Hip hop lifeline

Right And I said it And I spit it to Buss And when I got to the last line You never thought the hip hop And Buss was like Take it this far Shut up and shit

I was like God Hey Yeah Shout out Buss man Cause You know I wanna Say skills You know I wanna bring up BET real quick Shout out Bust, man, because... You know, I want to say, Skills,

you know, I want to bring up BET real quick. Because for the past couple of years, like, let me even have you, like, to know that you'd curate that section. And the awards show. Like, the awards show, I've been going. I'm not an awards show guy because I got ADD, you know what I mean?

Like, I move around too much. You know, from the resource room, special education. What's up, got ADD. You know what I mean? Like I move around too much. I can be known from the resource room, special education. What's up, y'all? You know what I mean? So, you know, I haven't been good,

but I've been going these last years and not only have they made me feel welcome, they got, they're getting it. They're doing it right. I would say

they 98% got their shit together Of course An award show Is always going to be hiccups There's always going to be An artist That wants yellow peanuts

You know what I'm saying And purple grenades You know what I'm saying Yellow peanuts And purple grenades Yeah you know How that shit is So you know what I mean

But they've been doing it And I wanted to big up The whole BET staff Being professional And his whole staff, Jesse Collins. Yeah, Jesse's doing his thing. And moving on, you just bigged him up, but I want to big him up because I spoke

to him this morning. It's crazy because for years since recently, but back then on Violator, we would both be late night guys, like him staying in the studio late. You know, now I'm an early in the morning person.

Like I'm a, and me a bus, I only speak to the bus from five to seven in the morning. Right. And he's going in. Right. I'm waking up.

So we've been missing each other. So the other day I just called him and I was just like, yo, man. And I was like, don't change the subject. And he was like, what do you mean? I was like, don't change the subject. I know how you reflect. You turn it back on me and I don't want the props right now.

I want to just talk to you. And he was like, what's up? I was like, yo, I don't think there's no other artist doing it at the level that you're doing it for this long. He's selling out shows every fucking night and i say and your outfits look like it's 2059 like he's not he's in a few he passed matrix he passed neo yeah he's on some different shit like i'm not looking and i'm like yo i'm just proud of him and that's my friend yeah no you gotta love it man to watch where he come from in the trials and tribulations that Boston been through.

He's still got the same squad, still scratch it tall, still spliff. You know what I'm saying? They still mashing. Same energy, if not even more energy. Not even more. One of the best performers and lyricists, artists in this game, man. I love where you come from. It's inspirational to watch artists from our era still flourishing. You know what I'm saying?

I get a lot of flack for saying this, but I still believe it. You know what I'm saying? I always said it. And it's probably more relevant now today than it is when I was saying it. I've been saying this for five, ten years. There is no rapper bigger, more famous,

got the best hip-hop catalog, can wake up in the morning and do everything that he want to do and go to bed at night and do everything he did that day and never change who he was and is as a person. And that's Snoop Doggy Dogg. Oh, hands down.

There is no rapper bigger, more famous, and got a better catalog than Snoop. Let me just say something, because I swear to God I wanted to say this. Other than basketball, volleyball. No, I don't think I've watched the handball. Breakdancing fucked me up. No, no, no. Don't take the one chick for all the breakdancing. That's all I saw.

That's all I saw. Don't disrespect me. She fucked it up. I saw the breakdancing there. Bring your legs back. I had two of them from Florida. Let me just tell you something. I have never wanted to watch The Olympics in my life

Ever Because of Snoop Snoop And he was still being Snoop He crip walked With the motherfucking joint That was hard That was hard

I was like I almost didn't I almost didn't want him To crip walk But this And by the way It was a white person Crip walk

Yelled at him I don't know if you noticed that He did it but he represented Hip hop So good Like he didn't have to burn He didn't have to drink You knew he was burning

His eyes were still Snoop's eyes But he He represented America But In the circle of America, that's us. He did such a great job. Incredible job. He made me want to watch the hurdles.

And the people with hurdles. I'm like, oh, I was. No other rapper. Yes. From five years old to 85 years old. Right. That person, everybody for that age and still in between knows exactly who he is. Yes.

You don't see him and go, yo, man, dude look like Snoop Dogg. You see him and go, yo, that's Snoop Dogg. Yep. Like from a murder case to the Olympics to America's representative. Is that the name of his next album? From a murder. To the Olympics. Word. To America's representative. Does that have to name his next album? From a Murder Case to the Olympics. Bro, I don't know of no rapper in the world that could do that. And his catalog, and people always say, oh, Skills, nah, that No Limit album was trash, Skills. Snoop don't got the best catalog in hip hop.

I'm like, bro, when I say catalog, I say songs that people know you for, a song that you are on. And if you perform it in your show, that's a part of your catalog. Snoop got so many records that you forget that he's on. That transcend hip-hop. That transcend hip-hop. I saw Snoop Dogg in Amsterdam. This might have been 2010, 2011.

He came out on stage. Willie Nelson had a show the next day. Snoop got a show this night. I come to watch Snoop. Snoop come on stage at 11 o'clock. This motherfucker performed 45 minutes. The first 45 minutes

was just guest appearances. And they was all hits. I'm talking P-I-N-P. You forget he on that. He was on Fuck Them Up and Niggas Got Some Dicks. He was on that. This motherfucker did 45 minutes of guest appearances.

By the time Midnight hit, the first Snoop Dogg song he did, he was like, dude, Superfly said, man, Snoopy, you ain't even did none of your shit, homie. And all you hear is, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, gin and juice. I was like, yo, this shit is crazy. I didn't realize he had that many songs. Like, Snoop has so many. And here's another clincher. All of the hits, they all got his name in them.

So you on stage and you going, you don't even realize that you're going, Snoop. Or Snoop Dogg. Snoop Dogg. Like, bro, he got so many records that you forget he on. Snoop let me like, oh, he don't have no hits. He had no reasons. I'm like, yo, his last hit was 2018. He was on fucking, I'm living my best life.

I ain't going back. You forget how many records he on. Wow, I forgot that. Nobody got more. L.L., I love you. Nobody got more. Nobody. LL, I love you. Hope, second close. What?

But Snoop got the best hip hop catalog ever because you don't think that he's on these records. The last thing that you think about when you hear one, two, three, and to the four, you don't even know. You don't even, it don't register you. That's not even his song. Right, that is Dre's. That's Dr dray's song

when snoop come on stage and go that's not even his song right it's the motherfucker he got so many bro he got too many records man like that's the one person i ain't met yet that i wanted me because i'm like you never met snoop never met snoop in my life. Two times Drink Champs alumni. Thank you, Snoop. I told Fuzzy. He told me. He hit me. I got the text to prove it.

He was like, yo, I'm going to come see you at the Olympics. But I didn't know what the fuck he was talking about back then. We know now. I thought he was hot. And then I'm like, oh, this nigga's hosting the fucking Olympics? The American version? Listen, and he never changes who he is. That's the best part.

He doesn't compromise himself. He doesn't compromise. You know what you get when you book Snoop. Love that dude. Who's your favorite rapper? Rakim. I can see that. My whole DNA is Rakim and Kane.

Your top five? In no particular order. No particular order. Five is Black Thought. Okay. Number four, Ice Cube. In no particular order No particular order Five is Black Thought Okay Number four Ice Cube Number three

Ho You don't like Ice Cube bro? Yes I love Ice Cube Number three is Ho This is not as much as you Number two is Kane Number one is Rakim Cause I'm the type of person

I can't put people In front of the person That they influenced Oh that makes sense I couldn't put Ho in front of the person That they influenced I couldn't put Hov in front of Kane But you didn't put Snoop in there Nah Snoop Famous

I said famous in catalog No disrespect I ain't heard Snoop say a line in a few years That I've been like ooh that's a hard ball It's just Snoopy doing what he do. You know what I mean? When he stopped focusing on trying to be the best MC and started focusing on

making songs that people remember and being memorable, Dre taught him that. He went into a different space, but Rakim and Kane are my whole DNA. You realize Rakim didn't curse? Yes. He did once. Somebody said in Mahogany.

He did once with in Mahogany, right? Yeah. Someone hit me and said, y'all lying to the people. And Mahogany's such a dope record. I don't remember. Yeah, Suck the Ram and Miss the Show.

That's the only time I ever heard him curse. And you're manicured on point. That's never been said on Drink Shots, by the way. Your shit's just way. I feel like it's like a haircut. I only got two hands. I got to take care of my hands.

You know what I mean? It's been shining. Quick time? You got it? Listen, what's going on with these shots? Who's doing what? Sonny's going to drink for me. You got to ring her. All right, Sonny, come in. Sonny going to drink for me. You got a ringer. All right, Sonny, come in.

You want Paul to drink for you? Take a shot for skill. Yeah, take a shot for skill. He drives. Okay, okay. You're going to have to take some shots. You can make small shots. We can take small shots.

Not water shots. We can take small shots. Unless you want Sonny to drink for you. Sonny can drink. Sonny BBT right here. Come on, Sonny. But have one shot with me at least. Of course. Since I've been drinking. Of course. I don't know

there's some sober champs today. You have a shot, right? I'll get some refill, man. Of what? What you looking to see? What you miss? No, no, no. This is Quick Time. It's live. This is our notes. We played this last time.

You know the rules. I don't think we played it last time. No? Yeah, we didn't do that either. I didn't get this last time, and I didn't get Quick Time of Slime. So then, Dan, you're supposed to have some drinks here, because you might not drink. It's up to you. All right, come on.

Okay. So we're going to give you two choices. If you pick one, you don't drink. Nobody drinks. If you pick one You don't drink, nobody drinks If I pick one, nobody drinks Nobody drinks If you say both or neither The PC answer We all drink

So if I say the PC answer We all got to drink Y'all do that now? We've been doing it Y'all started this shit after I left Remember when I was here And I did We've been doing it Y'all started this shit After I left Right after Like the flowers and this Remember when I was here And I did

Give me Give me five rappers That'll never be In your top five And y'all niggas Ain't wanna answer No Man they got me

On click time What's wrong Alright Alright You ready This one Wait wait wait One more thing

Anybody that we mentioned This is all positive Any story with them Just let's bring it up. Let's talk about it. I see where y'all going with this. By the way, it's the Colombian and a Dominican over there. And small shots.

Let's give them some small shots. Don't have to be nothing crazy because it's a long game. KRS or MC Shan? KRS. Okay. Any story with KRS? I do remember a time When

He had a song And everybody in my neighborhood I had a I think the nod factor was out I was popping a little bit Everybody was like Yo, KRS got a song He dissed the shit out of you

And I was like What are you talking about? And he was like No, KRS got a song It's crazy And I'm like What? And he's like Nah, he dissed you you gotta go at him and i'm like i'm not rapping against no KRS-One what are y'all talking about so then i finally hear the song and i think it was um MC's act like they don't know and he said um he said MC's can only battle

with punchline rhymes or something he was was like, that's the problem. You have no skills. And I was like, nah, he ain't talking about me. And I remember there was this one thing that he said back in the day. He was like, yo, if you're in the top 10 or you're in the top 10, I already got a diss rap lined up for you. So I was like, all right, I got to write a rhyme for Chris. And I wrote, I'm young,

I'm like 22, 23, I wrote a rhyme. It's a KS one? Did you ever spit it? It's a KS. Do you remember this rhyme? No, I don't.

Just in case I came, because you know, Chris don't give a fuck. It's back in those days. So I might have saw Chris and he'd been like, I was absolutely talking about Chris.

I'd be like, oh shit. But yeah, I don't saw Chris. He'd have been like, I was absolutely talking about Chris. I'd be like, oh, shit. But, yeah. I don't even mean to. Your ass is my favorite. I love Chris. I love Chris. But I would hope that Chris would see me say that and say, I taught him well. Because I had some bars for him, too, like he had for everybody else.

All right. We need to ask him if that bar was about you. Okay, Big L or Big Pun? Rest in peace to both. Yeah. I used to get a lot of Big L comparisons when I first came out. Yeah, I can see that. Because we both had that nasally flow.

Maybe the voice, yeah, yeah. But hearing Big l back in the stretching barbito days when i would hear big l and and i started it was too it was a couple rappers that i knew they were we were similar and it was common and it was big l but big l had a rhyme pattern that i was like if i'm a rhyme i can't do that i can't do what he's doing because big l would do y'all i'm a wild child with the wild style your guns go boom boom my guns go pow pow from hollum uptown he would always do double syllables and then and so i was like i can't ever rap like that i already got a voice

that sounds like him yeah yeah so i can't do that the flow isn't similar at all yeah the voice was similar The flow was different The first album Common was heavy You did the high line Right You know what I mean So if something happened And you put it in a ball Common already got it In the record

By the time you say it In the cypher Like oh you biting Common So you're like Damn this nigga But he was on Relativity So Common Records Singles was coming out

Like crazy But they were saying This in his first album When he was doing that That flow that he changed afterwards. Yeah, yeah. And every time I heard Big L, he used to run that pattern back and forth. But pun was one of my favorites, the way he would put words together.

So I would have to say Big Pun. 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 But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. 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. I'm Michael Kassin, founder and CEO of 3C Ventures and your guide on Good Company, the podcast where I sit down with the boldest innovators shaping what's next.

In this episode, I'm joined by Anjali Sood, CEO of Tubi, for a conversation that's anything but ordinary. We dive into the competitive world of streaming, how she's turning so-called niche into mainstream gold, connecting audiences with stories that truly make them feel seen. What others dismiss as niche, we embrace as core. It's this idea that there's so many stories out there. And if you can find a way to curate and help the right person discover the right content, the term that we always hear from our audience is that they feel seen. Get a front row seat to where media, marketing, technology, entertainment, and sports collide. And hear how leaders like Anjali are carving out space and shaking things up a bit

in the most crowded of markets. Listen to Good Company on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. LL or cannabis? Y'all for real? This is the biggest question. All right. He loves to blame me. I love L. I saw L one time back in the day at this club in D.C. called Love Nightclub.

Sounds like LL belonged there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Violated days. You know what I'm saying? L was killing them. You know, and he was, I saw him going up the steps. And, you know, just after the second run, so I don't really want to run into, I don't want to speak to none of my heroes because Run did already get fucking dirty.

Which is a classic hip hop. Oh, I have an extension for that Run story too. So I see L coming up the steps and L says, I said, yo, what's up, man? My name Massey. He's like, I know you all beat. Yo, you dope, man. You dope.

You don't put out enough records b and i was like i'm all fucking raucous like what you want me to do like you want me to make him put my shit out he was like yo yo put some more records out b i was like damn that's some records you know i mean like the fact that he knew so yeah i'll have to say LL. He did Cannabis Dirty. But one thing I want to say about Cannabis is that we can't say that... I think people forget how ill it was that moment that Cannabis had

when he came out on the mixtapes, on the Clue mixtapes. Oh, insane! Beats from the East? The bars that he had, everybody was going crazy over Cannabis. And I think what happened between him and LL kind of people forgot about that. He just caught a bad one because ll ll is probably and this is just from me viewing him from then till now ll is probably the most competitive rapper in the fucking world right like he he seems like one of those people, he likes to compete.

I'll never forget when I heard the Who Shot Ya record, and I remember seeing the video, and Keith Murray was in the fucking beginning, and it was all black and white, and then they had Foxy in the video, and then LL came on, and LL was like, yo, female rappers can get it too. I don't give a fuck,

dude. I was like, damn. I was like, damn, what Foxy do? Like, yo, that's just tone and poke, all this. Like, damn, LL, he still seems very competitive, which I guess that's, you know, that's what drives him, and that's dope. That's dope. He still has that.

I wish I could have had that career. Like, that career is amazing, to do what he did. And to see what he's still doing. Yeah, man, I saw him on the Rock the Bell shit with The Roots and Amazing Show. And he was doing all this shit. He was doing out songs, walking with a panther. And now he wearing bell bottoms. Let that man do what he want to do.

That's my man. That's my hero. Let that man listen. He from Queens, man. That's my hero. That's my hero. Y'all the best borough for the rappers, man. That's my hero. Okay. I mean, we know that. Kendrick or Drake? Kendrick. We's my hero. Y'all the best borough for the rappers, man. That's my hero.

Okay. I mean, we know that. Kendrick or Drake? Kendrick. We already did that. K-Dot. Cube or Common? Ooh.

Common. I can't tell him that story. Well, please. Tell us. It's just us right here. No, no. I'll tell you. I'll tell you

because I never told this before. Yeah. So, I'm on Raucous, right? And I did this record call, So Far So Good. And I'm in Philly. I'm in Philly and somebody called, this is in 2000, somebody called a studio phone. They call it the phone studio. My manager goes, yo, it's a dude on the

phone they said they want to talk to you about clearing a song i was like who is he's a guy named derrick dudley he said man is common i was like common common sense he's like yeah like oh shit hi boy i'll get on the phone common gets me on the phone i'm like he's like yo what's up i'm like what's up man he'm like, what's up, man? He was like, yo, so listen, I got this record, man. And I think he was on Geffen or whatever he was on. He was like, and we shooting a video today. He was like, but if I don't get all these samples cleared,

they not going, there's no budget. They not going through with it. I was like, okay, why you need me? He's like, I pre-most sampled your voice. And I was like, what record is it? He was like, it's a record called your voice. And I was like, what record is it? He's like, it's a record called the game. And I was like,

hi. He said the line to me. I was like, Oh shit, that is me. He's like, yeah. Primo scratch you into the hook.

Like, yo, where you at? You need a fax machine. Like, can I get this cleared? Like today? And I was like,

yeah. Like, he was like, yo, if you ever need anything, let me know. And I was like, actually, I'm on raucous. I'm, you know, I'm still trying to get there. You know what I mean? yeah like he was like yo if you ever need anything let me know and i was like actually

i'm on raucous i'm you know i'm still trying to get there you know i mean like i i would love a verse and he was like all right cool yeah i got you so i was like all right bet he said we're gonna fax you over the paperwork i said all right bet my manager goes who's my cousin at the time he said what'd he say i said they want me to clear this record my manager goes whoa get that shit in writing. Because I know how it is. When it's your turn, niggas disappear. I was like, what?

I said, maybe in the real Billboard hip hop world, it's raucous and common, bro. Like, we, this ain't Def Jam and Elektra. Like, I can't see that. Like, you're cut from the same cloth, you feel. Right, we cut from the same cloth. He like, skills? Get that shit in right. I said, bro, but he need the video. He need it cleared today.

He was like, I'm telling you, get the paperwork. I said, nah, I'm not going to. I called Questlove. Yo, is Common good? Is he good? Nah, nah, Rush, he good. I called, you know what I mean? I called Blackthorn. He like, yeah, yeah, nah, he good, bro. I called, you know what I mean? I called Blackthorn.

He's like, yeah, yeah, no, he good, bro. I said, all right, man. They passed it over. I signed it, sent it back. My record, Tom. I can't find this. Right? And Rasheed, I love you.

I never told him this. I can't find him. The label's like, yo, this the first single. This is dope. I'm like, yo, I got a comment. Comment going to do a verse on it. It's perfect. They like, yeah, all right.

I'm like, I remember I went to a Lox show. Lox was in VA and I was telling Styles. I remember Styles saying, yo, beloved, if shit is fucked up on your side, the game is done, B. And I was like, I can't find this nigga. This comment was heavy on his acting shit, right? So, we get ready to shoot. I hit Talib quietly.

I said, yo, I need a verse. But Talib does the verse. He on Rockers too. He's like, I got you. So we get ready to shoot the video. Common kept going to different studios. And they was trying to run. You know how they used to run the budget up?

So they like, yeah, yeah, we need Chung King for eight hours. We need a full budget. And you know, Rockers like, yeah, nah, we got $2,500. You got four hours in court. It's not about to be that. He finally cuts the verse. And I'm like, damn, this shit is dope. He killed it.

Six months later, though. So my shit been delayed. I've been waiting on this verse. Chris Robinson going to shoot the video for me. Who's doing all his videos. But Chris Robinson's little brother, Chris Robinson gonna shoot the video for me who's doing all his videos but Chris Robinson's a little brother Chris Robinson was like skills your video budget is so cheap I can't put my name on it raucous ain't raucous ain't spending no bread like that I'm I'm gonna do the video but I'm gonna sign it off on my little What was it? Robot films? Yes Okay Right? Boom

Chris shoots the He already shoot the video He probably sent me the treatment Crazy I'm trying to find a comment I just want you to be in the video I can't find it nigga Again

We nine months late But you never got a hold of him So it's not like You don't know if he's dissing you No But then Here it comes. It happens.

Oh, damn. Here's the shit. I got over it, but here's the shit. He's in Budapest or some shit shooting a movie, right? I think it was that movie with Angelina Jolie or whatever. Remember when they was doing the guns and the bullets? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Remember that?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get him on the phone i say yo man like this is my first single and i and i'm really i'm really adamant i'm like bro i watch your career i watch how you move like we we cut from the same cloth like i it's my video. It's the first single. And this nigga tells me. This nigga says, yeah, I'm not really trying to do no videos. I said, bro, but Chris Robinson is shooting it. He just shot nine of your last videos. That's the member of the Textify video.

He shot all his videos. I'm like, yo, Chris Robinson is shooting it. And he just tells me no. Like blatantly like, nah, I'm not trying to shoot no video with you. And I'm like, what the fuck is this? Months later, he do a movie and the movie come out with Queen Latifah. Just right. Remember, he was the lead man.

Rasheed, I love you, but this is the story. It's on drinks. I got to keep it a bean. And they promoting the movie, but they doing it like grassroots. They at theaters. Like, yo, Queen Latifah is at low 16. And Common is, I was with Jazzy Jeff. We was at the Palms in Las Vegas.

And Rasheed is downstairs. When you say Rasheed, you talking about Common. Common. That's his name. He's downstairs with the little table out front and people coming to see the movie

and Jeff like, yo, let's go downstairs and check out Common and Latifah movie. I'm like, I don't want to see that shit. Fuck that movie. Does Jeff know

what's going on with you and Common? Jeff don't know. Okay, okay, okay. Petty Gang Mafia is in full effect. I go downstairs. Common is downstairs, chilling. And I see him, and I'm looking at him like, you low-key kind of just jerked me.

Like, you called me one day day and you needed something right then, and I got it all for you. And then when it was time for me, you ain't returned a favor. Like, yo, I never think you would be foul. Like, that's how I'm thinking. I see him. Peace, peace. How's the brother, man?

Peace. Peace, peace. Peace, King. I'm like, peace, how's the brother, man? Peace, how's the brother? Peace, King. I'm like, peace? I feel like Lars Professor. I'm like, yo, peace is not the word to say. This ain't peace. And I want to say it to him so bad.

He's like, oh, man, how's the brother, man? Oh, love, love. You know, it's all that. And I'm sitting there going, I'm really like, I'm tight. I'm tight. Jeff looking at me like, yo, what's up? Skills, energy, oh. We go watch the movie.

The whole time, I'm hating. Fuck this movie. We watch the movie. We watch the movie. We come back out, comments still outside. Oh, Jazzy Jeff, skills. Oh, peace, peace. What y'all think of the movie. We come back out. Common's still outside. Oh, Jazzy Jeff, Skills. Oh, Peace Peace. What y'all think of the movie? I'm like, Jeff was like, yo, it was dope, man.

Dope. And finally get to see you in the lead. Man, you dope. He looked at me. He probably didn't even remember this. He was like, oh, Skills, man, what you think of the movie? I was like, yo, Latifah killed that shit. So I hold this grudge

for years. I hold this grudge for years. He don't know this. He probably looking back, he probably going to see this like, damn, I didn't do that video. And then maybe like a couple weeks ago, I was at the Roots The Roots did a

Hollywood Bowl And it was like The thing they did For the Grammys But it was Jungle Brothers Monty Loves It And he came out

And um Me and Rashi Me and Com On stage doing EPMD Versus going back and forth So he probably He only I never told him this

But I was tight About that shit for years But I had to let it go But I was tight Wait wait Go back to what I had to let it go but I was tight go back to what what did Styles tell you again because I was just like I told Styles about the whole shit but you know and it was you know it's the paperwork you know what I'm saying so Styles was like yo hey I'm not even smoking a blade like that he's like yo skills if shit up on y'all side of the game He's like Yo this shit wild What do you mean by that

Like the back pack The back pack Videos together Like we over here fucking with you I find that hilarious I was just like And every time I would see him it was peace peace How's the brother

And I'm like the brother's fucked up That's what I wanted to say Shout out to Common though Peace, peace, how's the brother? And I'm like, the brother's fucked up. That's what I wanted to say. Shut up the comment, though. Shut up the comment. We just had him at B-Rock. You got a pic. You got a pic. Hold on, hold on, hold on.

There, you fucked me up. So it was, oh, it was slants. It was. Let me ask you this before we keep moving on. I can't believe I told you that. Is that word backpack wrap up derogatory? Hey, man. Like I told y'all before, I think it's only two kinds of music.

I think it's good music and bad music. I agree. You know what I'm saying? So they're going to categorize it regardless. And people are going to use things. And they're going to, you know to try to keep us in a box. Or divide. Right.

Bro, I started as a rapper. I'm a writer now. So I did a movie since I was here last. And it was funny because y'all had Rap Man on here. Yep. Right? I look at Supercell. I'm watching Supercell. Just watch it. I saw your tweet. Watch the first episode. I was like, damn, this shit is dope. Yep. Right? Mm-hmm. I look at Supercell. I'm watching Supercell.

Just watch it. I saw your tweet. Watch the first episode. I was like, damn, this shit is dope. Yep. I kept seeing created and written by Rap Man. I was like, where the fuck do I know that name, Rap Man? What?

I was like, I know that name, Rap Man. I watched the whole series. I'm like, damn, with season two, I come out tomorrow. This shit is crazy. Right. Where the fuck do I know that name, Rap Man, from? I went to his page. I looked at it. I was like, damn, I come out tomorrow. That shit is crazy. Where the fuck do I know that name Rap Man from? I went to his page. I looked at it.

I was like, damn, I know some face. I'm sitting there one day. I'm looking, and I'm like, oh, shit. I remember him. He used to do wrap-ups in the UK. He started in 2012. He did wrap-ups up to like 2018. I used to see him all the time.

Wow. I DM him, and I go, 2018. I used to see him all the time. Wow. I DM him and I go, yo, I watched your show. I loved it. I knew I knew your face. You used to do then you used to do wrap-ups back then. He was like, Skills, bro. Oh, man. I took your whole shit. I took your shit, man.

I was like, I knew I knew you, man. And he was like, oh, bro like oh bro I took your whole shit man I used to do the rock box And I was like yo that's so crazy So for And I told him I said bro To go from writing wrap ups to writing

Movies I look at people like you I look at people like Cube I look at Queen Latifah like I've done a film since then it's a documentary But still like, bro, to watch y'all do that and rise up like that, the sky's the limit for all of us, man. You know what I'm saying? Like, hip-hop is global. Shout out to Rap Man, man. And if you haven't watched Supercell, watch Supercell. Watch our episode with him as well, man. Nipsey Hussle or DMX?

X, because you know I had the X story right before we was here when X passed. Okay. When me and X was at the KFC. Tell us the story again. Y'all remember when I was here last and I went to the airport and DMX was at the airport, and the flight to New York got delayed. And my baby moms came back around and picked us both up, and we went to get some chicken at KFC. And we walk into the KFC, and the girl's looking at us like, oh, shit, I know these two niggas. And she looking at us, don't say nothing. She's like like, oh shit, I know these two niggas. And she looking at X, don't say nothing.

She's like, oh shit, I know. And then DMX, she's like, can I help you out where you want? DMX says the infamous line, let me get an eight piece, no skin. She's like, what? No skin on my shit. And this before Boneless,

like any of that shit, this is 98. So he bugging, he bugging. I've never seen nobody order chicken with no skin. Four boneless, like any of that shit. This is 98. He invented it. I've never seen nobody order chicken with no skin. He got it. He ate it. We went back to the airport, like five. We fly to JFK. And it's a small plane, 16 people, and me and DMX in first class.

And he's telling me the whole premise of Belly because he about to go shoot it. And he's like, yeah, I got this movie, you know what I'm saying? T-Boss with me and shit. You know what I mean? Nas, it's going to be crazy. And I'm sitting there like, yo, this nigga is wilding. And it's me, DMX, and like 12 white business.

And everybody hears the story because it's a small plane. You know what I mean? He come home, he go to Jamaica, get his shit right. You know what I mean? He come home. You know what I mean? He go to Jamaica. Get his shit right. You know what I mean? Then he come back. Nah, I ain't with it. You know what I mean?

But it's going to be crazy. Like, hype will shoot this shit like a movie. And I'm sitting there like, yo, can you bring it down a little? It feels a little. You know how you like, yo, you got to relax. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's how I'm like, you got to relax. But there was no telling X to relax. No, there's no relaxing.

He was how he was everywhere. He went rest in peace to the dog, man. Missed that dude. Yeah, I missed him. And rest in peace to Nip as well. Yeah. I used to drink wine in front of him. He was like, you drinking that sister juice?

I was like, damn, my nigga. That sounds like him. A tribe called Quest or Brand Nubian? that sounds like it a Tribe Called Quest or Brand Newbian Tribe it's going to have to be Tribe even though I love I love what Brand Newbian

did in the beginning Poobah was one of my favorite rappers of all time but Tribe Tribe was it for me like when I saw Tribe Called Quest, I saw myself. You know what I'm saying?

They were the native tongues, that whole thing. They was the gateway to, you can still be yourself. Right. I ain't got to be a gangster rapper. I ain't got to be from the hood. I ain't got to be, try to be super sexy. I could just be that. So Tribe, man, that first album.

You know what? You fucked me up. I always kind of attributed that to my era to Pharrell, but I'm forgetting Pharrell got that from Tribe. Yeah, no, absolutely. And Tribe got it from Jungle Brothers. Yes. Yeah, we got to go further back. Yeah.

Tribe changed my life. I literally have a t-shirt that says that and when I wear it, it's literally true. They tribe changed my life like i literally have i literally have a t-shirt that says that and and when i wear it it's literally true like they really changed my life i never told you like you know from queens that i looked up to them so much right and when i met wife i'll tell the story one time because i took his line and he said bo know this and bo know that right no jack the boat and i was like no we know this and no we know that but Bo know Jack. And I was like, Nori know this and Nori know that. But Nori know Cat. Why? Because Nori booked that. If I had seen me,

instead of me like... He was like, I'm getting you back. I was like, what? That sounds like five minutes. He was like, I don't know which line I'm going to take. I'm going to take your shit on yourself. Shoot it in your black to make you know you saw it, Mom. Nori, I'm going to get you back. going to take your shit on yourself and just shoot him in the back.

You know he's talking about, I'm going to get you back. And I was like, hey, by the way, I'm like, yo, I'm trying to pay you. I'm trying to show love. He was competitive. Like I said,

he didn't care. Like he looked at everything like a sport and he looked at everything like a game. Yeah, I get that. When I say a game, not playing around. I mean like shit like that. Okay, say a game, not playing around. I mean, like, shit like that. Okay, Nas or Jay-Z?

Yeah, I can't pick one of those. So then finally take a shot. I got a text from Hov on my phone. I did work with Nas last year. Yeah, and you got a record with Nas on Timbaland, right? Yeah, he watched me. Oh, shit. I didn't get it like that.

You got a drink in there? Yeah, it's not in there. Okay. Jamie, what happened? Well, I wasn't sure what he wanted. Okay. He says he'll take whatever. Whatever, y'all.'t look at it like that. You got a drink in there? Yeah, it's not in there. Okay. Jamie, what happened? Well, I didn't want to show what he wanted. Okay. He says he'll take whatever y'all do. He wants my Mojana.

Here, give it to him. Yeah, give me some of that. Small shot. I'll take it. Yeah, Nas watched me on that song, but I just, damn, he really put me in the fucking dirt. Who? Nas. What?

Really? I came back to the studio. Tim played that beat And I'm thinking They gonna play my So imagine coming back Into the studio And you think You don't even know

Nobody's been in the room You just come back Oh so you don't know He's on a record I come back in the studio I'm thinking Jimmy Douglas They mixed it

This the clean Crystal clear version. B, come on. I hear splat shot dudes, the gas I use. Ice dangle off my chest because my cash improved. Nice knuckle game. Chip tube, way a buck and change. I want the dough.

Fuck the fame. Already made history. Y'all can have that. That ain't shit to me. I was like, God. Jesus. The way Nas floated on that, I wanted to say

take me off, but I was like I got a song with Nas. I'm the only nigga from Virginia got a song with Nas at the time. So I had to take it. Yeah, yeah. Now you gotta take it again, man. We didn't see you. It didn't happen.

Oh, that's not that bad. I love this one. By the way, I just want you to know they make that in a tub in Kindle. Who makes that with his feet? Just so you know. I'm just playing. I'm just playing. I'm just playing.

I'm just playing. I'm just playing. That's a joke. NWA or Public Enemy? Damn, I wanted that one. Damn. I just played That's a joke NWA or Public Enemy Damn I wanted that one Damn Chuck D Remember I told you I teach at a college

Chuck D was one of the people That wrote a letter To the dean Oh wow Telled him to hire me Damn Oh wow I still got the letter framed

You asked him to do that? Yeah And he did it The crazy part, the letter looked like graffiti Hand wrote it, it looked like graffiti It wasn't a type letter Signed Chuck D. Public Enemy He wrote it like graffiti

To the crazy But In WA And I'm going to say this And I'ma say this And I mean this Because I don't think it's ever been a group That when they came in

They changed everything And the shit Was never the same after that That's very true Gangsta rap came in And the shit never left Since NWA Right So I would have to say That's very true. Gangsta rap came in, and the shit never left since N.W.A. Right.

So I would have to say N.W.A. is the most influential hip-hop group of all time. So it's N.W.A. See, me, I think they're both influential in the opposite ways. Yeah, I think they're the same on opposite sides of the spectrum. Even on the opposite sides of the coast, too. They were my two favorite groups forever. Yeah. Yeah.

I just know when niggas realize that they can rap about their hood and talk some gangster shit, they never stopped. Right. It never stopped. And N.W.A. hit the pond and it rippled, and that motherfucker's still going in 2020. And I think the next iteration of that change was Master P. Yep. I think that changed a lot after that. Yep, it definitely did. Definitely for good.

Okay, Cold Crush or The Fairest Five? I gotta go with Cold Crush, because Kaz was a problem, bro. I listen to them old tapes. Kaz was a problem, bro. I listen to them old tapes. Kaz was a problem, man.

So was Mel. Shit. Yeah. Listen. And you want to talk about changing the game? After the message, the game changed. Yes, facts. The game changed. Yes. Facts. Nobody knew that they could rap about what was going on in the neighborhood for real until that happened. I sat down with Master G from the Sugar Hill Gang.

Yeah. And I asked him. And I asked him, I said, yo, when you rapped, everybody rapped the same way. Right. They would say a long ass sentence with a word that rhymed at the end. I got something, something, something, something, something, something, something, something to talk. I got something, something, something, something, something, something, watching niggas play basketball. That was how everybody rapped.

And he was like, right. I said, who the fuck changed it? Because. Melly Man. But here's the thing. Because the first time I heard it was running them right that's when i recognized but meli mel came first but i didn't realize for lack of a better term meli mel and them was first because that i think it sounded like a pause meli mel came first even though sugar hill uh rappers delight jack kaz even though Even though Sugarhill Rappers of the Life Jacked Kaz But everybody thought

That they had to rap the exact same way And then Melanin came in And shortened it So that phrasing wasn't that long Sentence with the word at the end no more It was a child is born No state of mind Blind to the ways of mankind

It was way more words rhyming in the right the rap scheme changed yeah and once it changed it never went the fuck back right nwa did that nas did that right you haven't started changing you haven't heard nobody rap like that right since you hear a nigga rap like that now you're like oh that's that old school flow that right then they gotta be 80 rapping like that you know what i'm saying like it's not the same but so i would have to say mel you know what nah furious five cold crest i can't choose okay i can't choose all right salute i can't take you like the drink so you go whatever whatever okay biggie or tupac rest in peace of both rest in peace both and Rest in peace both

And you met them both right I met Pac in the elevator Jack the Rapper Did we talk about this last time Oh no I met Big Wait you just But yeah yeah yeah

Stay with the elevator Cause I've heard Elevator stories with Tupac And they were always Something crazy going on He was in the elevator Jack the Rapper He was coming downstairs

He had the Carl Canard vest on With the bandana Was there a beef about to pop out? That was the shit When Luke and them Got the beef And with Death Row Pac wasn't on Death Row yet

The Cowards and Compton record When they threw They threw bottles and shit Down in the In the Marriott Marquise And I remember getting off the elevator Itise And I remember getting off the elevator It was crazy I remember getting off the elevator

And I saw Russell Simmons And MC Search Right And My man was like Damn that was fucking

That was Tupac And I wasn't a Tupac fan There's a digital underground Tupac Yeah yeah yeah So he's not involved in that beef at all No no he wasn't involved in that. Biggie, I was on the same label as Junior Mafia. Atlantic.

Yeah, Big Beat Atlantic. Big Beat. With Reef. Shout out my man Reef. Reef, okay, my man. Daddy Reef. Yeah, me and Reef did my whole first album. I remember going to, I remember I stayed, I stayed two blocks up from Unique Studios.

Oh, Unique, I love Unique. Right, so you walk past choir, you go down, Unique Studios Oh Unique I love Unique Right so you walk past Quad you go down Unique was there I was living there Yeah I was living there I lived in a place In Big B

Moved me to New York So I could do the album Cause it wasn't No studios in Virginia Like that But Cause it was cheaper For me to come to New York

I lived on I lived somewhere In New York Where you had No business living I lived in like 49th somewhere in New York where you had no business living. I lived in like 49th and like 6th Avenue. At Radio City Apartments.

I'll never forget it. I had a little maid that used to come every, every fucking, every week. But I remember going in the quad. Who was the fucking maid? I wasn't fucking the maid.

But that's what you said. That's the way, that's the way he said it. I had a little maid. I was like, the way he said it, I was like, I had a little maid. I was like, yeah, I was living in New York.

I used to get on the end of the R, you know, go down to rock and soul, get records or whatever. I remember going in the quad when they gave Biggie the deal, Biggie and Un the deal. And me and the artifacts was like, yeah,

it's about to be a rap. Yeah. Backpack niggas. Because yeah, yeah. Dynam's about to be a wrap. Yeah. They were on Big B too? Because, yeah, yeah, Down to My Soul. That was the first record I was ever on. I love this remix. It's one of the best. Going to the studio, big in there, C's, and I think it was Reef.

I can't remember if Reef introduced me to him and Un. I can't remember if it was Reef or somebody from the label. This is Undiaz Entertainment? Yeah. And he said, yo, this Madskills. You know what I'm saying? He knew him, Big B. I said, what's up, man?

I was supposed to be in Game Pound, and he was smart. He said, damn, Duke, them Tims is leaning. And I was like, he looked like I had on Tim's, but they wasn't fresh. My buns wasn't fresh. But I'm like, I'm like, damn, this nigga just grabbed me.

I'm like, I don't even know this nigga. And you can't do that with Tim's. I didn't know. No, you got to understand, I really look like I wear construction in my understand. I really look like I was construction in my. I got like I was on the fucking. Yeah.

So he was like he didn't he look once and he was like, damn, dude, them Tim's is leanest. He falls out. Oh, my God. Shout out to Steve. And then like, so we do, he has my beat. Clark Kent plays in the beat for Move Your Body. And he wants the beat. But Clark has already told me it's my beat.

Who wants it? Big Big. Okay. So Clark is like, you can't have that. That's Mad Skills B. And he like, who? The dude with the beaded tail?

He's on Big B. He came in and labeled me. He was like, and the other one, that's for Jay. He's like, man, you give this nigga everything. Talking about Jay. And then Clark goes, well, Jay is my artist. You're Puffy's artist. He was like, man, but this joint is...

Clark, come on, man. Man, come on. He was like, nah, man, I already promised that the mask kills. So he's like, all right, whatever. We do the song, and I'm like, remember, I don't know no hooks.

I don't know what the fuck a hook is. So I just lay three verses. Clark like, yeah, we're going to put a hook in here. Move your body. And I take everybody, move your body. I sample Big and Havoc from an old Mobb Deep record. This is in my notes. So Clark, Biggie hears the record And has to clear it

Oh Because it has Everybody Move your body And he like Yo you owe me Clark You owe me And Clark like

Yeah I got you I got you And I think that was I think the next record He hooked him up on Was Brooklyn's Finest But And I I didn't find this out until 2020.

I'm talking to Clark on my podcast, and he just goes, yeah, I can tell you about that time, big one of them. I said, yo, what the fuck do you mean? He could have had it. I said, yo, why you didn't give him the beat? He was like, yo, he said, because it was your record. I wasn't going to give him your record. And I was like, but we didn't know what was going to happen and how big it was going to turn into the greatest ball time ever.

But Clark was like, yo, you know me. I'm loyal. And I was just like. Clark is like that. That's dope of Clark. That's my OG. I got to give it up. Biggie almost had my shit.

That's hilarious. Lox or Dipset? All right. I'm going to say they both are important to the culture. But anytime you say them two names, the first thing that pop into my head is the fucking battle. Right. I never thought I would see the day. Me neither.

And I love Killer. I love, I love Jim. I love the locks. I never thought I'd see the day where Jada were out cam cam. Mm-hmm. Because he was more entertaining.

He was more funny. You know what I'm saying? And they're also people. They're also people. But when I looked at that battle, what I realized was that, shout out Technician too. Yeah, absolutely. That battle would not be the same without DJ Technician. Yeah, he decided.

But what I realized from that, the locks of brothers, loyal, they friends, they brotherhood. They done a million shows together. So for them to get together that night was light work because they done that a million times. Dipset got together that night for that night. Right. They probably hadn't really spoke too tough before that. So I know as an outsider looking in, it was a, it had to be a cold day in Harlem the next day. You know, I'll tell you the truth.

You know, I was, you know, they all my brothers. I love them both. But I was kind of being nosy. And I remember the day before, I just called them all. And I remember, you know, Jim being in one place, Cam being in another place. And I don't think Jewel's actually answered.

But I remember me calling Kiss and then hanging up and then calling Styles. And they're like, yo, you know, we're right here. And I'm like, oh, like, you know what I mean? Like they were together. Like, you know what I'm like, oh, like, you know what I mean? Like they were together. Like, you know what I'm saying? So, um, and they were, they were, they were like planning. It was rehearsing. So, um, I think that, that was a difference.

I don't think, I don't think, and let me, let me, let me go on a limb and say, I don't think the locks is overall better group than Dipset at all. I don't think, I don't think either. Or I think that night it was about who, who had the better performance, who had the better focus. And that was them. And that was, and that was about who had the better performance, who had the better focus. And that was them that night. And that was them. I loved it.

As a fan of hip hop, it was such a beautiful night. It was. And, you know, to see that, to see them popping shit and getting chippy with each other, you know what I'm saying? Not violating, not going too far. It was respectful. You can tell. You can tell they was people.

Yeah, yeah. You can tell they had talked before. They like, just don't say nothing crazy about You can tell they was people. Yeah, yeah. You can tell they had talked before. They like, just don't say nothing crazy about fucking like, you don't say this, nigga. But I knew from the beginning when Cam came out and said, yo,

y'all niggas got to go first. Y'all not home. You not home, nigga. We at home. Y'all not home. And like reminding niggas like, yo, these niggas is from Yonkers, bro. They not from the city. Like, nigga, we at home.

And then Jada looked at that nigga and said, yo, hey, Cam, you live in Miami. Drop that shit, Jada. I was like, it's over. I knew then. I knew then, but. I didn't catch that. I didn't catch that. Oh, man, it was crazy. That was late but... I didn't catch that. Oh, he said...

Oh, man, it was crazy. That was late in the show when he said that. But beautiful battle, man. And hip-hop won that night. Yeah. So I would have to say The Lox. Okay. Rough Riders or Rockefeller?

Damn, yo. I'm going to say Hay Day. I'm going to say hey, Dave. I have to say Rockefeller. Because I was such a fan of them together, Dane Biggs and Jay, and what they created. Them showing us black millionaires and businessmen. Even though it didn't end up the way. Every time I hear it's a record by Rel called Love, Love for Free. And every time Jay come on that record and the chords come on, you hear Jay-Z go, this is Rockefeller for life.

This is Rockefeller for life. I still think about, damn, what that could have been. If it would have been for life. If it would have been for life. You know what I'm saying? I'm going to leave that subject alone. So, Rafa. I knew you was going to stay away from it.

You just went too allegorical. Yeah, you super close to it. It's like, whoa. Yeah, you super close to it. Oh, stay away from that one. Very good. Glue or flex? Mmm.

Mmm. away from that one. Clue or Flex? Clue is a... Flex is a better party DJ, I would say, than Clue, for me. I've been to a Clue party. It was cool. I've been to Flex. Flex, try to match it. Definitely different kinds of DJs. Two different kinds of DJs two different kinds of DJs

as far as influential they both Flex is super influential in New York City and across the world clued the mixtapes that was our lifeline

for years showed me the money part one and Kaluma Natti all that shit they both controlled one controlled this yes

they both had different they was getting money In different ways But it was all under music And I It's still versions On Clue songs Clue tapes

That I still haven't heard To this day I'm going to say Clue I'm going to say Clue I think Clue is the greatest Mixtape DJ of all time Yeah And I think

Funk Flex is the greatest Radio DJ of all time Flex and i think uh funk flex is the greatest radio d all time flex made me miss flights before yeah like when the reflects say pull over i'll pull over yeah but you'll pull over new york city i'm like like i don't even understand that this is an act or if it's an act or not i just i just really want that. I only got, I think I only got one flex bomb in my life. Mm. And I did. Literally one?

No, no. He hit it a couple times, but it was, I redid the Slick Rick record, Lick the Balls. Yep. Lick the Balls. And he loved it and dropped it And put the bombs on it And I just remember Having that feeling Like damn Like

We in the city And fucking Flesh dropping bombs On my shit I knew what it felt like You know what I'm saying Only once though But yeah

Kanye Or Just Blaze Obviously producer wise It could be anything Remember it's i would say i would say just blaze because he's a nicer person you don't like that's his criteria you got a story kanye story yeah yeah this is pink Polo Kanye.

Yeah. Okay. He lived in Hoboken, New Jersey. Okay. I'm on Raucous. It was a dude named Howie McDuffie. Okay, I remember that. Remember Howie McDuffie?

Fat boy. Yeah. Used to talk all slow. Yo, kid, I can take you up to Hot 97, yo. I'm like, I'm going to take you over to this dude named Kanye. He do beats for He about to be the new high tech I remember him saying that

We go over to his crib And he got the It was a Roland VS-1680 Remember those? So he playing me these beats And I'm listening to the beats Because I got a deal My album's coming out on Rockers

I got a budget So Kanye trying to get on He played me a few beats He burned burned them to a CD. And I'm leaving and I'm about to get the train and go back to Virginia. And he writes down his number and his name or whatever. And he's handing me the CD for the beats. I took him, I've been like 12. So he's handing me the CD. I put my hand up, and he did like this. He was like, hey, can I just explain one

thing to you before you take these beats? I was like, yeah. He was like, if you don't like the beats, and you don't want to use them, don't put my shit on no mixtape. Don't leak my beats.

That's how I eat, B. I was like, all right. This is early cocky. He's like, yo, that's how I eat, man. He's still cocky. You ain't the only person

that got these beats all over the place. So if you don't want to use them, cool. Just, I don't want to look up and you want a new whoop-de-whoop. And I was like,

all right, cool. I was like, all right, I got you, bro. Like, no doubt. You know what I'm saying? Respect. So he handsty woo. And I was like, all right, cool. I was like, all right, I got you, bro. Like, no doubt. You know what I'm saying? Respect. So he hands me the CD. He was like, no, but I'm serious, though.

And I was like, all right, man. I heard you. I'm not a four-year-old. You don't got to explain something to me twice. So we at the door, backpacks on, about to walk out. So he forced you forced the uniform. So it's the third time, the third time. So I'm like, all right, man.

And it's in a little clear case or whatever. So he hands it back over. He was like, he said, yo, I'm for real, man. He pulls it back again. Howie McDuffie goes, yo, this. He pulls it back again Howie McDuffie goes Yo this He pulls it back I said yo I heard you But to the point

I'm like yo I really don't I don't want this shit You know what I'm saying Like The fuck like So Between Yeah he was

That's my Kanye story He was He was Crazy back then He was a little weirdo Back then Did you ever get to use a beat? No, I didn't. I had one

and I did like one. I remember me and Howie used to play it a lot. I was going to go to me doing the shit he told me not to do. I was going to go to Hot 97 and I was going to rap over it

on K Slay shit. But I rapped over something else. Because K Slay was probably, rest in peace, K Slay. Rest in peace. K Slay was probably the first DJ in New York that just totally fucking disrespected me. Like, like, shitted on me. And I was just like, why? Wait, what you mean?

I was. I don't remember. This went left. It was just like, why? Wait, what you mean? I was... I don't remember this. It was... Nah, I didn't say this last time. It was a video shoot for... Styles had a song on Rockets with Pharoah Munch. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What was it called?

My Life, My Life? Yeah, yeah. We was all in the video. It's a dope record. M.O.P., Fox, Rest in Peace Fox. It's a big record. She's in the video. We all at the video shoot It's a dope record. M.O.P., Fox, Rest in Peace Fox. It's a big record. She's in the video. We all at the video shoot.

I go to the video shoot. I go get a slice of pizza, Tech and Steel in there, everybody in the video. I go get a slice of pizza. I'm walking back across the street, and I want to say it's Graff. I want to say Graff was out there. It might have been Papoose, and it's K. Slay. And the drama hour was the hottest shit in the world. So I just,

me being me, I say, yo, man, like, how can, I say, yo, Slay. He like, what up? I say, yo, how can I get on the drama hour? And he didn't even look at me.

This nigga said, man, you got to be nice. And he looked over there. I'm like, my man, my man look at me like, I'm from Virginia. We used to niggas disrespecting us.

But you're not going to do it for too long. So I'm like, you saying I ain't nice? He's like, nah, I'm just saying, get on the drama. You got to be nice. Still ain't looking at me. I go to the Rockets the next day. I say, hey, nigga, I don't give a fuck how y'all pull it off. I got to get on the drum.

Hot 97. Tell me when and where. I don't give a fuck how you do it. Howie McDuffie, Finesse, Slay, I'm going to come up there with the Rockets. I'm going to bring Pharoah. I'm going to bring Mos. I'm going to bring Kweli. He had a new

rapper named DOE or whatever. I'm going to bring Madskills. They all going to freestyle on your shows. Slay like I bring them up. Because it's just guests on the show. And I think this Pharoah, I think Pharoah had a, what Simon says. Simon says, get the fuck up. Right. I come up with that bitch with a vengeance.

I'm pissed. I don't even, I think Mo showed up. Pharoah didn't. But they still let us come. So I go up there. This 50 Cent had just dropped in the club. It's going around. Most did his verse for Beef.

The same shit he spit on the Chappelle show. It come to me. I said, yo, throw that 50 shit on. And they threw the 50 beat on. And I blacked the fuck out. Like spaz. And he goes. I get to the end of it.

I think I did sick. Like I was sick before Big Daddy Kane was doing this. I was sick when Biz Markie was a cute baby. I was doing all these. I was sick when Bobby Brown was fucking dancing for shit. And I was doing all this shit. And he gets to the end of the freestyle. then he, I guess the board op or whatever, I think his name was Malachi.

And I heard he said, hey Malachi. He was like, yo, that might be the hottest freestyle nigga ever spit up here be. Like, yo, that shit was crazy. And I just looked at the nigga and I just walked out. You know what I'm saying? I was like at the nigga and I just walked out. You know what I'm saying? I was like, yeah. I want to say it's still on YouTube somewhere. Like, look up Madskill Skills, K. Slade, Drama Hour.

I blacked out. Like, I lost it. But it was a good moment. But, yeah, K. Slade lit a whole fire in me. So, appreciate that. Rest in peace. Rest in peace. Rest in peace. 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 MeatEater 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, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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. I'm Michael Kassin, founder and CEO of 3C Ventures and your guide on good company. The podcast where I sit down with the boldest innovators shaping what's next. In this episode, I'm joined by Anjali Sood, CEO of Tubi, for a conversation that's anything but ordinary.

We dive into the competitive world of streaming, how she's turning so-called niche into mainstream gold, connecting audiences with stories that truly make them feel seen. What others dismiss as niche, we embrace as core. It's this idea that there are so many stories out there, and if you can find a way to curate and help the right person discover the right content, the term that we always hear from our audience is that they feel seen. Get a front row seat to where media, marketing, technology, entertainment, and sports collide. And hear how leaders like Anjali are carving out space and shaking things up a bit in the most crowded of markets.

Listen to Good Company on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. As many of y'all know, Drink Chance wants to give flowers while people are here to receive them. Giving flowers and celebrating our legends while they can still smell them. We have partnered with What The Flower to create this movement where everyone can give flowers

to the legends in their lives. You can now order a custom flower box for the someone you want to show appreciation to by visiting www.wtflowers.com and paste your orders. Primo or Pete Rock?

Those are both my guys, man. So you're taking a shot? Whoa, whoa, whoa. It's a good drink. You know what? Primo sampled me. Yeah, but you didn't get the verse from Common.

Yeah, I didn't get the verse from Common either. But Primo sampled me a couple of times on the game, and he sampled me on a J.Ru song. So I'm going to go with Primo. I still want to rap over Primo B. That's like my... You have it? I have it have i never rapped over primo b what because you got um one mic one um one mc and one dj damn i got a song with p rock damn yeah damn and that come p rock album is dope yeah you know aspire aspire love that album timberand or Pharrell?

No, we not doing that. Yeah, we are. Oh, that's right. WBA. I'm not doing that. You got a drink in there? I don't know. I'm not drinking that. Actually, I like that one. Damn. Pharrell and Timbo.

That's a hard one. Chris Brown or Trey Songz? No, we not doing that. Pharrell and damn Timbo. That's a hard one. Okay, next one. Chris Brown or Trey Songz? Nah, we not doing that. You got the show right there. Come on, man. What are y'all doing to me, man? Come on, man.

How y'all gonna pit Virginia artists again? What happened? You did that, bro? What the fuck you doing to my music, bro? You did. You dropped a drop. Come on doing to my music, bro? You did. You dropped a drop. Come on. First, Booz, you almost broke my record.

Yo, boot up. What the fuck, Eric? What happened to me, man? Yo, Eddie had it in his throat. Yo, I had anxiety. You should have seen your face. You like this. No, no, I had anxiety.

Booz, you ain't seen this shit, Booz? I saw it. I saw it. Yo, I was like, no, Booz. He held this Booz record for so long, so he's giving it to him. He's doing it. But we're, no, Boojoo. He held this Boojoo record for so long, so he's giving it to him. But we're in the middle of talking about streaming. So Boojoo grabs this shit, and he's like,

this is not funny. And he's like this. What is this? It's the intellectual property. And he was taking it out of my mouth, and I'm going to the cloud, and the cloud, and the cloud, and the cloud. And then, wait, wait, how did it be?

Yeah, but it's like, give me my record! Yo, but in my mind, I'm like, the irony that he's saying that physical is more important than digital. But he's throwing it to the music! I'm like, no, Buju, stop it! Yo, you gotta see him in space, cause he's like, even though Buju said that he's the illest shit in the world, he's still running that record! No, I thought he was gonna win. I thought he was going to win. I was going to be like, oh, no. He held that record just like he held yours. That was your voice on that record, but that's mine.

Right, that's my paper. That's Blessing. That's final. Yo, that's hilarious. That was dope. Oh, man. Okay, hold on. Where's the next one? Trey and Chris, y'all wild?

Yeah, yeah. Nah, that's dope. Missy or Eve? Missy. Oh, okay. You made it. Missy or Eve? Missy. Oh, okay. You made it. Clips or Dog Pound? First of all,

it's going to be the clips. Okay. That's family. That's family. But I do have, not even a story, but I do remember, and you probably don't,

most people probably don't remember this, but we were talking about when I thought KRS-One. This threw a crowd at you, right? So at the beginning of New York, New York, when the song comes on and you start hearing the fade in, and you start hearing, and they start talking New York. Yo, B, yo, B. Yo, word to mother, son.

And then you hear niggas say Yo I got mad skills son Like right in the beginning of the song Oh they did say that Yo it's these niggas talking about me Nah But I knew I knew they was trying They was

I knew it was They was dissing There was There was no question But I always remember that Like damn like That isn't corrupt Say my name in a song

You should have sampled that, though. It's so low, though. But if you go back and listen, you can hear it and shit. Yeah, I was so mad when Pac didn't mention us. He mentioned Mark. It was our record. I was like, damn, bro. I mean, he didn't even say, he didn't mention us at all.

Like, I was like, did you go do a remix or something? I wanted to smoke. I wanted to smoke. I was in L.A. L.A. What a crazy time, man. Okay. Where we at? M.O.P. or Mobb Deep?

Yeah. I wanted to ask that one. You took too long, buddy. I got an M.O.P. story. Please. They did a show in V.A. at this club called Flavors. And it was them I want to say original

Original Gun Clappers OGC And it was J. Rue Right Motherfuckers wasn't feeling J. Rue So they was The damager They was tossing shit up on the stage

Or whatever And it was It was like yeah We not really here for that Where is this again sorry It's in Virginia Virginia okay He had come clean.

Yeah. You want to front? It wasn't fucking with him. J.R. was dope, though. It wasn't fucking with him back then. It was early. I don't even think the record had caught on. Oh, so before the record was a hit.

OGC comes out. They do their thing. Where's you the gun clappers? And then M.O.P. come on stage. I'll never forget it. Them niggas had A slew of people with And fame

Got on the mic And was like yeah you know what I'm saying We from New York you know what I'm saying Brownsville whatever he was saying Mash out posse You know we about to do a couple songs We gonna fucking rap You know what I'm saying

We gonna play some joints We gonna get it off in here You know what I'm saying I'm gonna let y'all niggas know now Any of y'all niggas throw some shit up here'm going to let y'all niggas know now. Any of y'all niggas throw some shit up here, I'm going to punch y'all niggas in the face, and my man right here going to jump off the stage.

My man right here going to jump off the stage and kick all y'all niggas in the face, Breachbirth style. Word to mother, son. Play my shit. And the beat came on, and everybody just stood there. And I was like, yo, these niggas are scared as fuck.

Like, they literally came on stage and scared the audience into not doing anything while they fucking rapped. And I mean, they going, how about some hardcore? And niggas knew that song, and nobody's going, yeah, like Roy. And I said, no. small call and niggas knew that song and nobody's going, you ain't like Roy. They were so scared the crowd wouldn't even say the hook. I watched it happen.

I swing past the hotel because my DJ was dropping off his equipment or whatever. They all in front of this rinky because it's a college town. It ain't no five star hotels in this town. It all in front of this rinky because it's a college town. It ain't no five-star hotels in this town. It's in Petersburg. They stand in front of the hotel and I didn't even know they knew who I was. I'm dropping my man off. I give him a pound and I just hear fame go, hey, yo, man, skip.

I'm like, shit, this nigga know my name? I'm like, what's up? Yo, where the weed at? I'm like, what's up? Yo, where the weed at? I was like, I don't smoke. I'll find you something. I don't smoke, you know what I'm saying?

But I was like, I remember saying like, yeah, man, I'll get y'all. I sent my man over here. So I sent my DJ to go talk to him. I think they hooked him up with the plug that night. But I just remember how scared they had everybody in that club. It was, but it's clips all day. I think they hooked him up with the plug that night. But I just remember how scared they had everybody in that club. It was,

but it's clips all day. I think they said that. In Virginia, man. They came down there and scared the audience. Yo, man. Next one, E. Fuck him up.

Crazy. Teddy Riley or Q-Tip? Q-Tip. Come on, man. He said that quickly too money style. Let's do it. But everything's funny because every time I, when I see Teddy Riley, he don't even call me mad scared. He just that quickly too money style.

It's funny because every time I see Teddy Wright, he don't even call me Mad Scared, he just call me Virginia. Every time I see he say,

what up, Virginia? He don't even say my name. He just says Virginia. We got the same lawyer.

But yeah, it's Q-tip all day and y'all already know why. Okay, loyalty or respect? How about trust? Damn, he threw a third one in there because i feel like this i feel like i feel like trust is i'd rather be trusted than love because i feel like if if i trust you

i'll go through anything with you if i trust you the love gonna be there regardless if i trust you, I'll go through anything with you. If I trust you, the love going to be there regardless if I trust you. So for me, outside of loyalty and respect, even though you didn't ask, I would say trust. But if I had to pick one, I would say the loyalty. Because if I got the loyalty, the respect will come. Yeah. You know what I mean?? Yeah, you know what I mean? They write in the same vein. You know what I mean? So yeah, I would say loyalty.

You said you had a... We're going to recap the Run DMC story. He has a follow-up to it. I got a follow-up. You remember the first time I was on here and I said, here's the quick version. I said, Run from Run DMC

Played me three times In my life I stuck my hand out Tried to give him a pound Niggas pat me on the back Walked off I told y'all this story However many years ago

And it goes viral It's the biggest moment From my drink tank Mad Skills tried to beat up Rev Run. Everybody seen it. It was an aggressive story on your part. Y'all caught me at the end of drink champ. And let me tell y'all what y'all did.

Let me tell you. Let me explain something to you. This is what y'all did to me last time. Because I'm smarter now. I came here last time. The show is called Drink Champs. It is what it is. I get it. I'm a lightweight. I came here last time. The show is called Drink Champs. It is what it is. I get it.

I'm a lightweight. Right, right. I counted how many shots I took on Drink Champs. It was 11 fucking shots. Can I tell you something, though? When we recounted you coming on Drink Champs, we're like, we don't think he drank. 11 shots. Ask God now.

God, you don't have to get me. In our radar, we're like, no, I don't think he drank. 11 shots Ask God now God now had to Get me out of here In our read up We're like Man I don't think He drank to me Let me tell you The most disrespectful shit

This is the most Disrespectful thing EFN and Nori Ever did to me I did all of those drinks I say I'm saving this story For the book

Nori says No no You gotta tell me I tell this You ruined the story You ruined your book Fuck your book It's for chance That's what we do I tell the story. Ruin your book. Fuck your book.

It's for chance. That's what we do. I tell the story. Story goes viral. The next week, I watch Drink Champs, and Cam is on here. First time Killer came, I think. Yeah, yeah. Cam was on here, and y'all said, yo, make some noise.

Killer Cam. I haul him all that shit. Y''all off the camera drink and that nigga says yeah I ain't drinking and I go I couldn't do it I could've denied the fucking drinks always so boom anyway I go off of the rails and

tell this story about how I was gonna beat up Run from Run DMC I actually find The video Of when Run Violated me At the concert You showed it to me

You had this on He showed it to me It's on my gram Oh wow I dubbed the video Of after When he said Yo he ain't no photographer

He working That nigga like He ain't give me the hat I did see the video Right Okay So the moment Was viral From when I said Oh, okay. I did see the video. Right? Okay. So the moment was viral from when I said I was going to jump him.

Then the video, everybody like, damn, skills got received. This really happened. Right. Fast forward. The moment dies down, whatever. I'm in VA. It's my birthday. I'm out with my family.

Getting something to eat. Chill night. It might have been like a Tuesday or something. Charlie Mack called you? Charlie Mack called. It's my fault. Charlie Mack from Philly. Because Charlie Mack had talked to Jazzy Jeff and said, yo, I seen an interview where this nigga Skills talking about he was going to beat up Rhyme.

What the fuck is wrong with this nigga? Yo, you don't talk about our legends like that. Come on, we're not doing that, baby. You know how Charlie is. We're not. Jeff, Jeff, skills got tightened up. And then Jeff tells Charlie, who he's known since he was 6, 7, 15, he said, Charlie, I was with Skills that night, and

it was warranted. What? He said, yo, if Skills would have took off, he kind of had Charlie. He had legs. He got wild disrespected. No, no, baby, I'm going to make this right. I'm going to make this right. It's my birthday.

I'm with my family. My phone rings. It's Charlie Mack. I'm thinking he called me to tell me happy birthday. Or tell me, you know, maybe Will might want to start working on some music or something. He's like, yo, where you at? I said, I'm out eating with my family. Yo, step outside.

I said, ain't nigga, I just said I'm with my family. You hear me? Skills. It's me, baby. I said, Charlie, I know who it is. It says Charlie Mack. I'm with my family. We right in the middle.

You know what I mean? I know that the cake is coming in a minute with the happy birthday. Everybody ordering. Charlie, step outside. Where you at? I said, I'm with my family. Step outside. I said, Charlie.

I said, Skills, do I ever ask you for anything? I said, I'm with my family. Step outside. I said, Charlie, I said, Skills, do I ever ask you for anything? I said, no. Well, can you do me this one favor and step outside for a second? I can't hear you. It's busy in there. I said, all right. I walk outside. I tell my family.

I step outside. I'm by myself outside in front of this restaurant. Hello? I said, hello? I hear somebody say, is this Mad Skills? I said, oh, shit. You know that voice. As soon as he said it, I was like, this is run.

He says, am I speaking to Mad Skills? I automatically turned back into the 13-year-old kid. I said, yes, sir. He said, first of all, I want to apologize to you. I said, no, no, no, no, no. I said, no, no, no. I said, you don't have to rev. You don't have to do it.

He said, no, no, no, I do. I do have to do this. He said, let me do this. I said, OK. He said, I want to apologize to you for how I treated you when I met you, when you was 13, when I met you again, and then the last time that I saw you with the hat. He knew the three-star. Well, he said it on the show. It went viral.

He went chronical with everything. So I said, yo, man. He said, no, no, no. He said, it's not cool. It wasn't cool then. It's not cool now. He said, I just want to apologize to you because I didn't know who I did not. I did not that you have to be somebody to be treated a certain way. But I was another person.

Then I want to apologize to you now. And I said, oh, man, I said, run. I really appreciate that. He said, and also I'm sitting here and I'm looking at, I have your hat right here. I said, right where? He said, I have it right here. He said, I'm old school. I got a pen and I got some paper.

So if you tell me your address, I'm going to send this to you, FedEx, and it will be to you next two days. I spit my address. Right? He says, he said, and I heard it's your birthday today. I said, yeah. He said, happy birthday.

Wow. I said, wow. Thank you. He said, that's all love. He said, he said, I heard this story. It was moving around.

A couple people told me about it. And I was like, I asked, I asked some people. Drink chance, man. He said, I asked some people. He said't see Drink Champs, man. He said, I asked some people. He said, and I thought to myself, who knows everybody? Charlie Mack knows everybody.

So I called him and I said, do you know a guy named Mad Skills? And Charlie said, that's my guy. He said, I need his phone number and his address. Charlie said, I'll call him right now. So they called me and it just happened to be. Oh, so they wasn't together. He went three way. It happened to be my birthday.

I give him the address. Charlie says, look, do me a favor. When you get the box, don't open it. FaceTime me when you're about to open it. I said, all right, cool. Box comes in two days. I FaceTime Charlie Mack. I got the box in front of me.

I got a camera. I got a camera here. I got the box in front of me. I got a camera. I got a camera here. I got to get this moment. FaceTime Charlie Mack. Charlie Mack picks up the phone. Charlie Mack says, yo, you got it? I said, yeah. He said, hold on.

He clicks over. Two faces pop up on my phone. It's Charlie Mack on the top box, Rev Run on the bottom. Rev Run goes, yo, you got the hat? I said, yeah. Charlielie said open up the box baby open that shit up charlie going ham i open up the box it's a note in it it says um two two mad skill i can't remember what it says paraphrasing two mad skills enjoy your birthday here's your hat keep doing great things rev run I'm looking at the box.

Run goes. Charlie goes. He said, now, he said, that's not a new hat. That's a hat that I wore before. That's not. I didn't just get you a hat. That's one out of my collection. So that's one of the prized ones.

I was like, oh, man. I said, Run, thank you so much. He said, how you feel? I said, yo, I feel like a 13-year-old kid again, man. I'm wilding right now. Charlie says, yo, put the hat on. I take the phone, put it on the thing. I take the hat.

I start putting the hat on. When I start putting the hat on, Charlie Mack goes, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run. Charlie starts going, Ricky, Ricky, Ricky, run. I'm like, yo. So I put the hat on. Charlie said, cross them arms, B-Boy style.

Cross them arms. I crossed my arms and look at both of them. They like, yeah. I'm like, yo, this is crazy. That's some Twilight Zone shit, bro. And I posted that on my gram. and it was 2,000 comments. People being like, oh, this is, this, I love when hip-hop connects, and the story ended up well. And that's how the story ended up.

I got the hat. And I got a shoe signed from DMC, so I got the hat from Run and a shoe, a shell toe in my studio from both of them. Let's go, man. Me and your friend are so happy that story broke. He's like, yo, man, we're so happy because it's one thing to document our history.

And then it's one thing to keep making it. Yes. Because that's what we're doing. We're documenting it. But we keep making it. We're making it and documenting it. And for us to have anything to do with that, that's pretty, pretty, pretty good, man.

And you hit me up about it, man. Yeah, man. It was dope. I make some noise. It happened, man, but it happened. Yeah, man. Hell yeah. Hell yeah.

So you and Jeff is cool. You and Reverend is cool. Yes. Okay. All right. Cool. Shit. I want to ask you, because I really do love this record. Okay. That you did with the Artifacts. Mm. Okay. All right. Cool. Shit. I want to ask you because I really do love this record that you did with the Artifacts.

That's my first time I was on wax. Tell me a story about this record and R.I.P. Tame One. Yes. I love the Artifacts. Tell me about this record. I got signed to Big Beat, I want to say right after the new music seminar when I battled Supernatural. Because it was like, I had sent out demos, but my tape was just sitting in offices, sitting at Tommy Boy, sitting there loud.

Nobody checked it. Right. I do this seminar battle, and everybody I send the tape to is all in the same room. Reef, Eclipse, Search from Wild Pitch, everybody's in the same room. Reef, Eclipse, Search from Wild Pitch, everybody's in the same room because it's the DJ battle and the MC battle, the Clark Kent's battle.

I do the song, I mean, I do the battle and then the next Monday it's like a bidding war. They like, everybody trying to sign this kid Mad Skills.

I don't sign yet. I go back and forth. Q-Tip takes me to Stretch and Bobbito. I do another freestyle. That goes up and Reef got me like a changing

faces budget. I had a big ass budget. That's how I was able to get Q-Tip, Clark Kent, all these people and the Artifacts. Reef was like, I want you to, I got a song, I mean, EZLP did that remix. Listen, EZLP. Shout out to EZLP. Yeah, got a song I mean Easy LP did that remix

listen Easy LP shout out to Easy LP shout out Easy LP he did that remix and um Easy LP did that remix? yeah I didn't

hey little brother hold on a second bro I did not look deeply into this yeah don't you read Upside Down? no bro

nah he got it right so I did the song and um I remember when it came out, I remember buying a cassette single, and I saw my name, you know, my name in the credits, and featuring my government name for the ASCAP, BMI, whatever. And I was like, damn, like, so the Artifacts was the first people

to actually let me get on. Because they could have said no. Right. You know what I'm saying? Like, I don't know about dude. Like, he ain't from Jersey, he ain't hometown. Like, you know what I'm saying? But they let don't know about dude. Like, he ain't from Jersey. He ain't hometown. Like, you know what I'm saying? But they let me get on.

And I'm forever grateful to them for that. And it's a great record, man. Yeah, it was a super dope record. I wish we had did a video for it. We didn't get a chance to. It was on the table for a minute, but then we didn't do it. But yeah, that was Reef and the Artifacts just showing love. Like, he the new kid.

Let's get a verse from the new kid. Right. I heard you say on a interview, you said you made one girl record, right? Mm-hmm. And you said the reaction you got for it, you said you wish you would have been LL. I was. I told you. What's the name of that record?

It's a record called For Real. It's called For Real, He Don't Own Me. Yeah. And Bink did that song. And Bink already had the hook and everything. Somebody else was singing it, and I heard it. That's in my notes. He Don't Own Me.

Yes. For real. Yes. Okay, I see. And that was probably the only, that was probably one of the first records that I was like, I seen how I reacted with women. And, you know, I was like, damn. I really looked at LL different after that.

Right. Like, damn. Because as a DJ, like, you know, as a DJ, we play for the women in the party. Right. Because we know the dudes coming regardless. If there's women there, it's going to be, girl, they're going to be there. So I just wish that I had started earlier. But those types of records are very keen to people's successes

because you can always perform those records. I just dropped a record. Well, I dropped a video for a record maybe like a month ago called The Golden Girls, where I name every female that's ever been mentioned in a rap song so benita applebaum jane david veronica veronica damn i ain't put super well i said i said from the golden era so so she's the end of the golden era he's the end of the corner so the funny part is so i shoot i get a new camera and i'm just at the studio and i came with the idea. I was like, this might be dope.

It was 50 years of hip hop, blah, blah, blah. I was like, yo, this might be dope to just shoot a little video, throw it on IG, whatever, whatever. I shoot the video, edit it myself and throw in all of the clips of all of the girls and the shit goes up and people are like, yo, this record is so dope and so fresh, man. This is what hip hop needs. This is, and I'm like, yo, this record's 12 years old. They don't even know.

I just shot a video for it now because I got a new camera. But it's like the record old as hell. You know what I'm saying? But it still resonates with people. So when you make things like that, man, you got to pay attention to your audience and what's missing in the marketplace, too. You know what I'm saying?

So it was just one of the things. It a dope idea so i just did it if you had a chance to do it all over would you oh if i had if i had a chance to do it all over my first record would have been bonita bonita bonita i would have started with a girl so so okay so elaborate on that this mad skills what would this mad skills tell this mad skills? Great question. Go for the bitches. No, let me stop. Or would you even interfere with that mad skills?

I wouldn't interfere with him because his path was his path and I wouldn't have been I wouldn't have been seasoned or smart enough to handle all of this shit that might have came my way then I was so busy barring up I was ready to rap against anybody I thought if you had the best bars you would be the best rapper not the best-selling rapper right you know I'm saying um did did selling matter to you Like did Did how many copies you sold Cause I mean The era we were in In that time frame

That didn't really Matter as much Yeah it didn't really matter But maybe at the major When you were signed Yeah Maybe you were I might

Yeah I didn't You know I got let go Or whatever I didn't sell enough But that was right But when the Jiggy era came in So Right

Crush on you came out And get money And it was over for anybody All that money Jiggy era came in. So Crush On You came out and get money, and it was over for anybody. Jiggy got to do some more. Jiggy with it. No, no, no. Just the Shiny Sue era. Okay. The shiny suit.

The hump and everything. Bad Boy era. The Bad Boy era. Locks Jiggy. Locks Jiggy. Bad Boy in the 96 coming into 97 before Biggie passed away. It was Shiny Sue era. Oh, I hated them niggas.

Who? Everybody on that side. I had on army fatigues at that time. I had on straight army fatigues when they got on shiny suits. You still got it? What? You can still rap?

Nah, I don't really rap. I knew you was about to try to not. No, no, no. No, no, I spit every now and then, but I just, you know. I ain't going to lie to you. I'm only going to rap if Nori raps. No, no, no. And Nori ain't rapping.

He's going to do the hook. No, but that's something I forgot to ask you on Quick Time with Sly. Rapping or DJing? I heard you say somewhere. DJing. What I lost, the passion that I lost in rapping I found in DJing Did you DJ before rapping? A little bit

Not really crazy So you found this passion afterwards Yeah Was it pre-pandemic though? It was pre-pandemic Okay It was pre-pandemic By pandemic I was

You said you lost your passion Of getting in the booth You lost your passion From getting in the booth And that's when you started to DJ Yeah Is that one meme that's in the booth You lost your passion From getting in the booth And that's when you started to DJ Yeah Is that One of the main bits in the truth?

Um I just did a show Back in VA Uh My last My last hip hop show And I really had fun And I had rapped them records in

In years You know what I'm saying? And um I had a whole I had a whole festival Like done That show was crazy It was dope I was shocked Congrats man That many people years you know what i'm saying and um i had a whole i had a whole festival like that show crazy i was shocked congrats many people you know what i mean and i brought out freeway freeway pulled up talib qawali pulled up you know i'm saying um my man raheem devon pulled up uh had my homies

butcher brown they played with me and it was a dope show. And I hadn't spit some of them songs in 15 years, 12 years. And I had a ball at that show. It was good. So if the bag right, I'd probably hop back out and do a show. You know what I'm saying? But that was my last show in Virginia. And I went out with a bang. That shit was nutty.

It shut the city down. The city is still on me, texting me daily like, yo, we have to do a festival next year. Like, you have to. But you thought that was your last show? It was my last show. As a rapper? As a rapper. Nah, man.

You fucking... Yeah, I am. I'm telling you. I say that all the time, too, though. Right? Nah, you do. You say it all the time. You say it every year.

What was the last show you did? How long ago when you did a show? I did Rock the Bells. But then I can't front because that's me as a DJ. Last summer, right? That was last summer or two summers ago?

Rock the Bells? I think you did two summers ago. Two summers ago. You did it before the 50th year of hip hop. But you did something during... I did BET, but I ain't perform. No, he ain't perform. I was friends.

Oh, yeah, BET. That was before that. That was't perform. I was friends. Oh, yeah, BET. That was before that. That was 2020. Lovers in France? Oh, Lovers in France. No, that was in between that. Okay. And that was clearly for a bag.

I didn't want to perform. Like, you know, there's certain times you want to perform. You know what's crazy? I heard you mention the nod factor earlier. Uh-huh. And that's one of my notes. On the nod factor, you said, you're like a black president because you ain't seeing you. And did an actual reaction.

Hold on, hold on, hold on. Two-part question. When you wrote that, was having a black president that far out? Yeah, Nori. Right, right. Because you got to understand, the song I heard before that was Pac. And even though we ain't ready for a black president, you know what I mean? Right.

I heard that before. Oh, Pac's record came first. Right. Okay, okay. So that was something I could never foresee. Right. But that's one of the punchlines that I'm so glad that's changed now. That got changed now.

It's not like I can say, yo, you go to the hood, niggas still killing niggas. That still happens. But I'm glad that when I rap that song now, I got to change the line. You're glad that was wrong. Yeah, we have a black person. Are you glad that was wrong?

I'm glad that was wrong. I'm glad that's wrong now. And hopefully, you know, we'll be able had a black president. Are you glad that was wrong? Are you wrong? I'm glad that was wrong. I'm glad that's wrong now. And hopefully, you know, we'll be able to change that again this year. You know what I'm saying? Because it's like a whole bunch of, when I look at it, listen to rap, Donald Trump was so cool back then. Guess who's a black Trump? Yeah.

Like, it's like. Yo, do you ever, do you ever listen to any of your old bars or punchlines and just cringe? Oh, yes. All the time, right? Yes. It's horrible. I was a horrible person. I heard something I said the other day, and it was in a freestyle or something. And I said, yeah, yeah, y'all rappers, all y'all rappers, my sons, get out the way.

Disrespect pop, and you're going to get popped like Marvin Gaye. And I was like I was like I can't believe I said that Because it was the shock value Right Right But Cause Nas told us

He was snuffing Jesus And now you're the OG So we starting to get crazy Yeah you know what I mean Like I hear I hear bars now You're better than the grandpa In you right now

Yeah You're like We talked last time And I was like Yo my daughter was like Yo What are you doing Don't you have class tomorrow Why are you time, and I was like, yo, my daughter was like, yo, what are you doing? Don't you have class tomorrow?

Why are you doing this? And I'm like, ah, it's cringeworthy lines, man. Yeah, I'm not going to lie. This is how I know I'm 1 million percent getting old. Or I am old. I'm in the... We old, bro. We old.

I'm in St. Thomas the other day. And they just thought, I don't want to say The girl's artist name And they just like And I'm just listening Like Offended He's like

I'm a fool I'm like And then I thought about it And I was like That's probably how they felt When I was talking about Tech nines And shooting up the block

Absolutely You were somewhere You like You were somewhere Saying now you like me, getting head on the highway. It's like, you hear that now, you're like, yo. No, but at least he wasn't crashing it. No, but I'm telling you, I couldn't fight it. It was the lyrics were so vulgar. And by the way, it was just like,

I get it. I get, I get, I'm who my parents, I get that. I get that part. Like I get that, but I was just like,

wow, is this what's happening now? And I'm, as I'm saying it, I'm like, you sound just like the old folks. Yeah. Like I can't,

I can't identify with some of this shit. Like I couldn't identify with drill music because I don't know like, but wait, but I don't I did I can't identify with some of the shit like I can identify with drill music Hmm because I don't know like but wait, but I don't think it's fair and this is probably the old person in me Is there oh, I don't think it's fair to say the similarities in that because people actually are killing themselves Raving about it Dancing on graves social media all about it like it's a very big it's a different thing and the crazy part is i never think that any generation is going to like the music of the generation after it but not liking it and disrespecting yourself is a whole other level

but the only reason we had a connection was because we were sampling our parents' music. So when we said, we would say, yo, it's this new song, Big Papa Ma,

you gotta hear it. She's like, there ain't nothing but the Ozzy brothers, boy, y'all ain't doing nothing new. So we had that connection. These kids got smarter.

They're like, oh, I gotta get Ronald Ozzy 50% of my shit? Hell nah. Hey, hey, make that beat on the thing from scratch. I don't give a fuck. Don't sample nothing. I got to get Ronald Ozzy 50% of my shit. Hell no. Hey, whoop, whoop. Make that beat on the thing from scratch. I don't give a fuck.

Don't sample nothing. I want to own 100% of this if it goes up. And once it does. Sample my fart. Let's make that work. Right. So it's like they got business smarter from not taking. They absolutely did.

You know what I'm saying? Because they still got to pay before, but now they're like, nah, we're just going to make this shit from scratch and we're going to go up. And yeah,

I don't like it, but it ain't for me. Like I told you before, it's like, it's like my son got the car now. It's his car. Go fuck it up.

Damn. But fucking it up could be very detrimental right now. It could be. Don't kill yourself in it. No, I ain't going to lie.

Don't drink and drive. Don't drink and drive. Don't drink and drive. Just drink, champs. One main percent, I got to loosen up on the new music because I was just like... Sometimes it makes you...

Sometimes it makes... I don't mind. I love the era of music that we came from. Listen, I tell my man, my man said this to me and he was like, yo, think about how far we came.

If you were a person that breakdanced on cardboard and you uploaded your song to the internet and you posted your picture on Instagram, look at what you lived through. Wow. Absolutely. Hip hop wise. That's a lot. Lucky. You know what I'm saying Like we

We seen a lot 9-11 in between there Yeah 9-11 in between there Yeah they carry a boom box Yeah all Yeah God damn And to the

Yeah they carry crates Yeah To the To the walkman Don't DJ down We saw the MP3 players Like we seen a lot In our day

Right So we just gotta be thankful That we had it when we had it Now it's theirs And now we get why The older people say Well I love my era Yes a lot in our day. So we just got to be thankful that we had it when we had it. Now it's theirs. And now we get why the older people say, well, I love my era. Yes.

Because they're like, well, this is my era. Back in my day, I never thought I was going to do that. Listen, bro, I've said to myself and my man said it to me,

he was like, he said, when you start talking about these stories when you are older you gonna sound crazy as fucking Forrest Gump he said because it don't even sound real and I was like I can't imagine talking to my grandson and saying yeah you know I used to put out a song every year and people used to wait for that one song every year yeah shut up grandpa be lying

no and one time i did a song for i wrote a whole piece for and they put it in the rock and roll hall of fame for a rapper named jay-z shut the fuck up no you didn't you said no i did i they put me on bt one time and i just did a whole piece about the whole thing in hip hop. No, the fuck. Yo, stop lying. Granddaddy. Like that don't even sound. It doesn't sound real. Yeah. And then I got into a beef with,

with Shaq and, and I was beefing with these. That almost, it doesn't sound real. We seen a lot of shit, bro. A lot of shit. We covered a lot of ground.

Let me tell you two things that my kids say to me. One, I'm not proud of one one I am proud of. We walk in the grocery store and we walk past the beer and liquor and my son says, daddy's work. Not proud of that. Not proud of that. You could have kept that. No, no.

But it's real. It's real. It's real. But every time he sees a boom box or vinyl or break dance. Daddy's work. It's real. It's real. But every time he sees a boombox or vinyl or breakdance. Daddy's work. Daddy's work. That's dope. That I'm proud of.

That's dope. You know what I'm saying? Jesus. So don't do half of daddy's work, please. Don't do that half. Focus on this half. Now, one of the craziest, dopest records ever made and ever slept on is Extra Abstract Skills. Yes.

That record is so, so dope. And I listened to it recently. And I'm just like, this, I wish, like, that's one of the phenomenal records. Like, what was you thinking coming up with that? I had, I wanted to get beats from Large Professor. So me and Reef, we would go out to Flushing. And you got up on the hook as well, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

We would go out to Flushing, and I wanted to have Large Professor on the record. He already did a song called, that we had called Skills in 95. But I fucked up because on the Tribe album, Large Professor had told Q-Tip, never say the year in the song because you date the song. So I needed another song. I wanted Q-Tip on the

album. He was coming back and forth to the studio. And Paul, shout out to Paul, Large Pro, I would spend so much money with him because He was coming back and forth to the studio And Paul Shout out Paul Large Pro I would spend so much money with him Because he would just buy records And then just come to the studio And listen to them

He wouldn't have the beat loaded up in the SP He would just come to the studio And sit down And make you listen to all the And you had to pay for what? That studio time? And we in there unique 12 hour block It was in Queens, unique 12-hour block.

It was in Queens, the power play. We was in the city. In the city, okay. So he's sitting there, put the record on, and you just keep hearing the needle skipping through joints.

And I can't tell this nigga how to make a beat. So I'm like... And you said you never worked with Primo. No, no, never worked with him. That's how Primo is. Just sitting there. Just sitting there, boom, boom, boom.

And then you hear a little something, and he'll loop it up. He'll do it. I'm like, damn, that's kind of funky. That might be dope. He'll erase it. I'm like, yo, Paul, you erase that? Yeah, nah, nah, son. That wasn't it.

Word to mother, son. Word. Yo, you going to like this next one, baby, Paul. Word up. Word. Word. He's just talking. Yeah, it's precious.

And so I'm in there like Yo we been in here six hours Nothing good This shit already Fifteen hundred dollars And he like Yo word yo Something mad hungry son

Yo We gonna order Yo we ordering Yo what we doing Talking to the engineer Engineer like Yeah I might get me a I might get a plate

You know So yeah word Let's order from there order them over son and i'm like make this fucking beat dog so he finally gets me a beat i like this is the south talking to the north yeah i finally get the beat he likes it and i tell q-tip i said yo paul got this this crazy joint he's like where it's like that i was like yo it's crazy he's like i gotta get yo i gotta hear i gotta hear that joint so i play it for him he like, word, word, it's like that. I was like, yo, it's crazy. He's like, I got to get, yo, I got to hear, I got to hear that joint. So I play it for him.

He like, word, word, this shit crazy, son. And I'm like, you want to hop on? He was like, I got something. And he come by, he take his time, but he come by the studio. So I'm sitting there and I'm like, yo, I got a song with Large Professor and Q-Tip. Fucking fire. On my album. You know what I'm saying?

I'm like, in my mind, I'm like, yo, I'm out of here. This is gone. This is hip-hop's finest. So we do the song and it turns out dope. And I just still bug out over the fact that I think sometimes I just take

it for granted like, yeah, yeah, I did that. But I'm like, yeah, that's one of them ones. You know what I'm saying? It was a good record and um i still i still thank paul to this day because that time that it took for him to find that loop and put them drums on it right and made it a classic so right and do you not think that those records and that record the whole album went as far as you thought it was going to go um When they asked me what I wanted to accomplish with that album, I said, I want people to know my name, and I want them to know where I'm from.

If I was thinking smart, I would have said, I want to sell more than Thriller. And then they would have known my name and where I was from regardless. But I look back at some of the stuff I did, and it's hard for me to process that I did it. You might catch me on a humble day for the most part. I'm super humble. I'm usually humble when I'm not rapping.

You know what I'm saying? I just found, just through therapy, I just found out in the last year and some change that I got imposter syndrome. What is that it's like when when a person refuses to accept their flowers or all of them you know I'm saying like so for me I'm very I don't I don't I try to you know I mean but I can't change people's memories like people come up you're disconnected from who people perceive right because i never i never i never want to walk around like i got a big head like like life humbled me early i felt like so but for me it's like people in my life now like no no you you have to accept that you have done some amazing things and it's okay right to say that you've done it

like you know i mean like i get people come to me like, yo, my first hip-hop show was you, man. You was the first nigga I saw from the hood on Rap City, bro. When I saw you, I knew I could make it and da-da-da-da-da. And I'd be like, you know what I mean? I don't want to,

don't put me up there because there ain't no way to go but down from there. So for me, it's a weird place to be in. Sometimes I talk my shit, like earlier today, I was like, yeah, nigga, I put a whole state on by myself. You know what I'm saying? That's a weird place to be in. Sometimes I talk my shit like earlier today. I was like, yeah, nigga, I put a whole state on by myself.

Right. You know what I'm saying? That's a fact. I'm not bragging. That's just what I did. Right. You know what I mean? So I teeter from that place.

Which is every artist is going to teeter on that. Yeah, I think so. You don't want to get too big headed. Because the thing is that ego is what is driving that. Yes. And what I believe is that ego is necessary in artistry. Yeah. And creativity.

Yeah. You cannot be creative without ego. Right. Because the ego is what gives you the confidence to say, I'm going to create this and then give it to the world. Right. And once you put it in the world, once you put it out there, it's the public's perception. Right. You can't take it back once it's out there.

You know what I'm saying? So if somebody say, yo, man, that shit was trash. You just got to eat it. Yeah, you got to eat it. You can't because you get back. You know what I'm saying? You can't. And it's like when Rap Man was on here, he was like, I read all the messages, bro.

I read them all. Like, I can't. You know what I'm saying? I remember talking to Charlamagne. I remember telling Charlamagne, I was like, I don't know how the fuck, I don't know how the fuck you even look at your social media. And Charlamagne was like, Skills, I don't read my comments. I was like, what you mean? He said, I haven't read my comments in like five years, bro.

I don't read your comments. He said, you know when you open Instagram and you see the one that's at the top and then the one that's at the bottom? He said, I see those. But I don't open my comments. And I was like, damn. I was like, you would have to not do that in order to live in that space. Because you talk every day. And people giving you their opinion every day. Sometimes it's like, he's like, I don't read that shit.

I'm like, damn, that's a good tactic. You shouldn't read them. You shouldn't. If there's something you could do over, what would you do over? I don't know if I would do anything over. I think I would do it just the way I did it. I probably would

start taking writing seriously earlier. Ghostwriting? Yes, just writing songs, period. Before Missy pulled up in the... The skill of you being able to write. Yes. Right. You know what I'm saying?

Like, I probably would have did that. What about you? If I could do over? If you could do something over. I would try to sell out much faster. Wow. Jesus Christmas. What about you?

I would have started trying to do everything I was doing today earlier in high school. Like I started at the end of my senior year and I felt like I had an advantage then, but I would have even started earlier. Yeah. But let me reiterate my answer because I do mean that, but I mean it in this way. I wish I would have knew that this was not love. This was more about business. Like, you know what I mean? I was like,

until I met Pun, I did all my features for free. I didn't know people was charging people. And Pun was like, hey, Ponna. Come out there. Like, hey, man.

Especially when you hot. That's 15 grand. And I remember me and Pony and even then I was doing it getting bread but it was still love like I was still I remember and I'll say this real quick I showed up to a video and it was Maya's video

and I got paid and this was cool Rayquan got paid and they showed up to the video and then Raekwon wanted another payment for the video

and I remember her label like oh shit man like Raekwon is a bad person and they're like yo Nori's a good person like so I'm like

cool cool Raekwon got paid and when it came back time for Maya to do my record guess what she was where Common was at she was her and Common was together.

Not literally, y'all. Right, right. They didn't return the favor. And I remember it was a guy named Hakeem Islam or Hock Islam? Hock Islam. Hock Islam. That was in charge of her project. And I came to him, and this is the guy who

thanked me for being on time at the video, for showing up, for wearing the clothes that they asked Ray Kwan and we're done in the clothes that they were asked for I did all that I did I was under the sparks sparkles I did all the dumb shit that I was supposed to do as an established artist but I was trying to form a relationship and so anyway when it came time we went to see him and he was like yeah we're not going to go in this direction and I was just like oh okay that's what we do I was like okay I can't wait to tell my face because I almost guarantee you she doesn't notice right she says she's down to be on here and we go take vegan shots whatever she comes I'm gonna drink

liquor with her um let's talk about the executioners okay um rock Ra Raider. Rest in peace, Rock Raider. Rest in peace, man. He scratched on my first album. He was on this album? Yeah, he's on All In It, and he's cutting on another record. And that's when I knew when somebody is so good, it's hard for them to do something very simple. So imagine telling Steph, yeah, I just want you to just lay the ball up right here.

Steph Curry. Yeah. I love how you call everybody their first name. He goes crazy with the names, and we're all like, we're guessing. Yeah, yeah. I shoot from way, I shoot from outside the gym. You're like, yeah, but just, I just want you to lay it up. That's all you want?

Yeah. So I have Rock Raider in the but just, I just want you to lay it up. That's all you want? Yeah. So I had Rock Raider in the studio, and I'm telling him to do, I'll tell you, he's like, how you want the scratches? I said, I want it like, cop, cop, cop, cop, cop. And he like, that's it? That's ridiculous. And I'm like, yeah, just cop, cop, cop, cop, cop. You could have done that yourself.

I wasn't, but you know, Rock Raider, you know what I'm saying? I want him on a joint. So the tape run, and he's like, they're like, alright, one, two, three, he's like, and I'm like, nah, that's not it. And he's like, I thought

you wanted, and I'm like, that's what I want you to do. He's like, that's it? I run it back. Three times over. And in my mind, I'm'm going he's so good he can't he can't do so i'm like yo you you gotta call one of your homies in here because he ended up doing it but it took so long because i and in my mind i'm like why you just can't do the simple shit and he like that's what i do when i was 10. I passed that. But to his defense, yeah, to his defense.

He was so advanced. He's so advanced. And you're asking him to dumb himself down. That represents him, too. Right, right. So when I hopped on the song, the executioners, they was on loud. And he reached back out and he asked me, he was like, yo, Skills, you working on the execution album? Can I get a verse?

I was like, of course. And the first thing that popped up in my mind. Did he tell you, I want you to do- He was like, yo, do you? And the first thing that popped up in my mind, I was like, yo, I should come in this joint and rap like Bone on they shit. I should come in here and rap like Bone Thugs. I know they want some hip hop spitting shit, but I should come in here and fucking do triple syllables and shit. Because, you know what I mean? It was just an inside joke with him, but yeah, the Executioners, man, like four of the dopest DJs

I've ever seen in my life. They changed the game. Them and the Beat Junkies. You know what I'm saying? Everybody. And the allies of Miami. The same way you have a story about Carmen, right? And I kid you not,

I don't know if you and Carmen sat down and spoke about it recently. No, we haven't. Yeah, this is what I'm trying to say. I love him, but I held the grudge for. Yeah, this is what I'm trying to say. I love him, but I held the grudge for him. But this is what I'm trying to say is Common would probably sit down and be like, his mind was so... Focused on acting shit. He probably won't even remember that.

Right. Is there anybody in this world that has a story about you like that? Man, you diss somebody. Yeah, come on. Every one of us diss one person by mistake. Accidentally. Here's the thing. I take it so, I remember one girl telling me,

she was like, yeah, you don't even remember me. I spit for some balls for you, and you told me I just need to stop rapping. And I was like, but that kind of sounds like you a little bit. I would never say that. Yes, you would. I would never say that. Yes, you would. I would never say that to a person. Maybe it was another dude.

This guy said it. That guy. It was another dude. It was another dude. It was on an Instagram. Happy skills. By the way, that's Larry. I know.

So he says, I think I might have posted something about it. It was Big's birthday, and I put up the Big story. But when he said, damn, dude, your Tim's leaning. And he said, yeah, I remember being backstage at a club in Norfolk, and you was walking behind Junior Mafia, and the story sounded like right. I was like, oh, yeah, he's probably in the hood. I was probably rolling with them, Money L and them.

He's like, yeah, you got to the back door, and they closed the back door, and they ain't let you in. And you was standing back to him about, I'm mad skills. I was like, I would never say no shit like that. Like, you had me up until the end. No, you said that shit. You said that shit, G. And I was like, I don't remember saying that, bro.

Like, so, like, how you was talking with Rap Man. You was like, yo, why is it always the negative comment that we always run to? It could be a hundred people telling you, yo, you great. You amazing. You changed my life And then it's that one But it's like we have to overcome that negativity Because this is what I realized

About social media These motherfuckers They don't care if they wrong Or they right They just want to get attention I don't have that bone In my body because I'm like, I'm still really outside. So I can't go on my podcast and just say, yo, she trash.

Her whole song trash. If I ever saw her, yo, I probably just mush in her face. She trash. Because I might be somewhere DJing and a nigga might come and say, yo, what you say about my niece? You can't Joe Button, niggas, you saying? I can't do that. You know what I'm saying? So, because I'm like,

I'm still really outside. So for me, it's like, I realized that they not, they don't want to be right or they don't want to be wrong. They just want to get attention. Right. So it's put there to get a reaction.

So people get online and say the most outlandish shit just because they go, yo, look, I got this, yo, I got like look, I got this. Yo, I got like 80, I got 80,000 likes off of this crazy ass comment. Like, but I can't say that. Sometimes not people, remember.

Sometimes it be bots. This is crazy shit. This is the reason why I, when I post, I post and I basically get the fuck out of it. Got you. I get out of there. You drive by on tweets? I do drive by. I do drive by tweets for sure I might stay on the ground for a little while

Because it's something that my cleaning lady taught me Your cleaning lady? Let's hear this Something that she taught me For years I would There's roaches And then there's I'm going to be back later Blunts right? This is all going to be back later blunts.

Right? This is all weed related. Like, yeah. These are big blunts you say I come back to later. But for years she would come into my ashtray and if these blunts that you come back to later

she would throw them just the fucking way. She's a good clean lady. And then I would be like, yo, you can't tell? No. And then I started to think about it and it's like, how could she tell? Right.

This is good blunts. This is two or three good blunts in a world full of fucking trash. Yeah. She's supposed to throw this shit out. That's her job. That's what I feel about social media. It's like, even though I might be the good blunt, I'm standing in the fucking field full of asterisks. Yeah.

That's pretty profound. That's a dope analogy. That's pretty profound. That's my video. That's my video. And I'm going to take a food for the asterisks. Yeah. That's pretty profound. That's a dope analogy. That's pretty profound. I swear to God, my cleaning lady. I learned that from my cleaning lady. I swear to God, because I'm like, yo, because I swear to God, I'm going to embarrass myself. I'm going to keep it real with y'all.

I've been smoking hash brunch lately, and I've been smoking diamonds. You know, this is mad expensive. So when I put this shit out, and she threw it away, I went in the garbage. I went in the garbage. It's brand new.

You know, she had just took out the bag. But literally, just that garbage and I went in and I picked the two or three that was good out. And then I looked

and my wife is looking at me and she's like, why are you digging in the trash? She's like, you look like George from Seinfeld. Like, what are you doing in the fucking garbage? And I'm like, I can't even explain. Like these ones are like a hundred dollars. And I'm looking and I'm like, it's not going to make sense.

And I'm like, and then I'm saying, yo, but that's the cleaning. Like she shouldn't, she should have known. And she's and look, and I'm like, how can she know what's good and what's bad? That's how I feel about social media. It's like, how could you find out who the fuck is the good or the bad? It's all in the fucking bed full of fucking ashtray that all should be dumped out. But it's also a tool. Yeah.

My bad, my bad, my bad. It's also a tool that we got to use because it's, you can't, the one thing we can't change and run from is technology. So I love the fact that you could have an idea today and sell it to everybody to fuck with you tomorrow. You could say, yo, y'all saw that shit I did Saturday. Y'all talking about y'all with bottles. If I threw them up, were they up? Or somebody saying Yo Nori's performing in Connecticut tomorrow You can be like

No I'm not That bag ain't come Right So nobody's gonna go to that show Cause they like Nori said it on his page From him He's not scheduled to perform at that

I like how you can Yeah I like that You know what I'm saying I like it You like black Twitter? Yeah I do Listen let me just tell you something Whenever I wanna feel humble You go on I'm saying? I like it. You like black Twitter? Yeah, I do. Listen, let me just tell you something.

Whenever I want to feel humble. You go on black Twitter. I go and say something stupid shit. Just so they can just attack me and I'll be like. Like. I feel like at some point I might do like some sort of experiment where I just start saying the craziest shit just to see how far. Oh yes. You know what I mean? Yes. And you'll create a whole other audience. Yeah.

Just to see. And when it happens you'll look at it. Y'all gonna read the tweet and be like, Skill's probably doing that thing he said he's doing because there's no way he'd believe what he just said right here. Yo, son is wild. And it's gonna get to a point where you're going to be like, I don't know if he fucking around.

I got to, I'm going to hit him. Yo, you know you wilding right now. So it's like, think about how many people would even think to say that. You know what I mean? Like, it's a crazy space, man. It's crazy. This is a two-part question. One, I heard you say that you could be great.

You just can't be the best if someone goes right for you, right? Right. I also wanted to ask you, because in this new day and age, when I watch these young kids perform, I don't see them perform on the beat. I see them perform with the vocals. Yes. Can they consider themselves a real MC if you them perform with the vocals. Yes. Can they consider their self a real MC if you're performing

with the, and I'm talking about the whole show, with the vocals on it? Is that considered? And so it's a two part question. So, performing,

if you're rhyming with the vocals and can you ever be considered a GOAT if you had someone GOATs right for you? You can't be considered a GOAT. You can't?

If you, if somebody wrote for you. Okay. I don't think so. I agree with that. You could still be considered one of the best you could be one of the best but you can't be the goat okay it had to come from you okay um the the analogy of performing over vocals i think that shit started when people started just going to clubs but it wasn't a performance. It was just,

yo, so-and-so them over there got a section. We just, so-and-so is at Blase Blase tonight. Or poor sound systems as well. And they will go, they will go, and you didn't get paid to perform.

You just got paid to be there. So the promoter might try to sneak this. You might try to throw something in. Yo, we're going to throw on your joint. If you want to say something to the people people they hoping you're going to do your song and they're like nah he paid for no performance money like you just gave him boom boom boom so you got a dj there he just gonna play your right he don't got the tv track he don't got

the instrumental that ain't your dj so you throw on the record and that that's the way you can move in different cities without having a DJ. So if the DJ at the club just play your record and you rap over it, you don't got to pay for that plane ticket. You don't got to pay for that hotel room. Yeah, but I think you're talking about our day. I'm thinking about right now. No, I'm talking about these cats now. But right now, you got a hard drive. You got that in your phone.

You got your instrumentals in your phone. You got dropbox. I don't even think they make instrumentals. Hold up, guys. As someone who's managed artists, a side of that is having artists perform at terrible venues that had

terrible sound systems where the mics were horrible and some of these younger artists were like, I'm not going to go through that again. I'd rather just play my record with my vocals and I'll just try to do as best I can over it. I'm not going to chance having bad mics and bad sound systems

and bad monitors. If the sound in the club is trash, the hit record ain't going to hit. Dreams and Nightmares ain't going to hit the same way if the speakers in here is trash, the hit record ain't gonna hit. Dreams and Nightmares ain't gonna hit the same way if the speakers in here is trash. Period. The audience is blaming the artist.

You know what's crazy? You know what really, really, really, really, really, really taught us that? Was Capone and Noriega. We were on a worldwide tour. There's certain records that they didn't make instrumentals for back then, right? So we didn't have time. We didn't know.

We went to Europe. We do an hour and a half show. We go, because we only do like 30, 40 minutes in America. So we're thinking like we tore it down. We get off the stage. They're like, how do you like this show? They're like, the vocals, man. We're like, what? We just gave y'all an extra 25 minutes. And they was like, do you like this show they're like the vocals man yeah we like what

we just gave y'all an extra 25 minutes and they was like they didn't care they was like yo but you guys rapped over the vocals and we like

why am I coming to see you word I don't know that matters this was only like records like that that we didn't have have you know

for you know what I mean so like super super underground B size super C size I don't even know if that's a thing you know what I mean? So, like, super, super underground, B-size, super C-size. I don't even know if that's a thing. You know what I mean?

Super C-size. Yeah, yeah. But I'm like, when you left the studio, any engineer that has a right frame of mind is going to give you the main song, the clean version. The TV track. The instrumental, the TV track, and the Aka fucking Pelham. You supposed to have all that when you lead a studio in for every record but every most engineers are only doing it for what did you say the single was okay that's where that's coming but you should have it for every record and that's

just about being prepared right but they these kids they don't you know they don't care about that no you think it's ever going to change hell no no. We stuck. Stuck, Nori. Yeah? We fucked. I'm going to go ahead and take a shot to that. Oh, shit. Hold on. Let me follow you. You ever seen the movie Idiocracy?

Mm-mm. Okay. All right. Cool. Hold up, man. Wait a minute. I suggest you see that movie Idiocracy because that's what it's- We stuck, Nori.

We stuck. E-F-S-I-O. Yo, man. So is there anything else you got to say to the fans? Anything I missed I got a movie out You can check the movie Okay where's the movie at

It's on YouTube It's streaming I did a movie called Mad Skills and the 90's Girl Brunch About that It's dope man I saw it It's dope

Um So yeah Um I saw When I saw Rap Man on here I was super inspired Cause I was like Damn like

Nigga went from writing Rap ups to writing movies and TV shows. But I already had mine, but I'm definitely going to dive more into film. Still teaching. Right. You know what I'm saying? Right. You know, still writing. Doing a lot of TV sync work.

Right. You know what I mean? So, yeah. You know, having fun with it. Yep. Is there ever a chance for you and Zulu to wrap up together? Absolutely not. Oh, no.

Nah. Nah. Nah. It's like you say, it's no beef. It's just fun. No, no, no. It's no beef. I got, you know, I got love for him.

You know what I'm saying? Y'all never ever seen each other? We never even met. Okay. That's the crazy part. That's funny. We talked in the DM one time. You're both funny dudes.

Yeah, you know, he a wild, funny nigga. You know what I'm saying? My stance on him now from what it was before is definitely like, it's crazy. Like, when I stopped doing the rap, when I look at all of the shit that I did in that time since I've been here last, it's like I don't even miss the song. You know what I'm saying? You're talking about I did the Jay-Z, Rock and Roll of Fame, BET. I did a festival in my city. I even did a film.

You know what I'm saying? Like, I did so much in that time. So, you know, I don't miss it at all, even though people still hit me up about it. I don't miss it at all. Do you have a favorite wrap up you did? the first one the first one yeah that was the

inaugural one man I remember I listened to it maybe not too long ago when I was like I got to the point where I was like when I said

I said Snoop stop smoking endo Michael Jackson put his baby out the window oh yeah and it's like cause it's like

they time capsules, man. You go back and listen to them, and they tell you so much. And when I think about all of the people that, you know, have, you know, borrowed that concept, like, you know, we talked about Rap Man, and I just hit Nate Burrows, and today he used to do an NFL wrap-up. He on Good Morning America now. You know what I'm saying? Like we talked about before, so many franchises

and just people just doing their own version of it. So I'm glad I started something that people love and now it's just time to keep starting new traditions. Oh yeah, for sure. Well, continue to do your thing, man.

Hope everybody... Yeah. I got my flowers. That's right. Yeah. Go take a picture and do some drop. 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 it's at drink champs across all platforms at the real noriega on ig at noriega on twitter mine is at who's crazy on ig at dj efn on twitter and most importantly stay up to date with the latest releases

news and merch by going to drinkchamps.com hazardous sounds rise of the machines past, Pasture Mentals Volume 1, available now on all platforms. Download today. Rise of the Machines Song Contest, seeking out all artists that want to take their career to the next level? Go ahead and join today by downloading the album, picking out your favorite beat, and making a song, verse, or hook to it.

Submit it to hazardoussounds at gmail.com, and you will be judged by celebrity judges DJ EFN, Dream Champ's own SB Killer, platinum producer, and Scram Jones, multi-platinum producer as well. You can also submit via IG by recording a video and performing the song. Simply tag Rise of the Machine Song Contest and we will repost your video as well. Winners will be announced September 7th. Join today and may the best artist win.

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 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. Your gut microbiome and those healthy bacteria can actually have positive effects. Your mental health, your immunity, your risk of cancer, almost any disease under the sun. This week on Dope Labs, Titi and I dive into the world of probiotics, the hype, the science, and what your gut bacteria are really doing behind the scenes. From drinks and gummies to probiotic pillows. Yes, really, probiotic pillows. We're breaking down what's legit and what's just brilliant marketing.

With expert insight from gastroenterologist, Dr. Roshi Raj. Listen to Dope Labs on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart Podcast.