Drink Champs - Episode 444 w/ Nelly

Episode Date: March 7, 2025

N.O.R.E. & DJ EFN are the Drink Champs. In this episode we chop it up with the one and only, Nelly! Nelly joins us and shares his journey. Sharing stories from his Country Grammar days to present day. Nelly shares it all! Nelly talks about creating hit records, Apple Bottom Jeans, and much much more! Lots of great stories that you don’t want to miss!  Make some noise for Nelly!! 💐💐💐🏆🏆🏆 *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. 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 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 Drink Champs motherfucking podcast where every day is New Year's Eve.

It's time for Drink Champs. Drink up, motherfucker. What it good be, homies? What it still be? This is your boy N.O.R.E. What up? It's DJ E.F.N.

And this is military crazy roar, yappy yowl, Drink Champs. Make some noise! Now, very seldomly do I get a chance to see an artist come from,

you know, where they coming in the game to the furthest they can go. This brother right here, I've seen him in the beginning. I've seen him go to record labels. I've seen him from being a person that record labels will probably just, you know, take a meeting with to the man being the most important person in this goddamn game. Jay-Z said it and made everyone in the industry mad. The only people, movement, units is M, Pimp, Juice, and us.

This man has three Grammys, nine billboards. I don't even want to count his plaques because it's too much. It's beyond, beyond, beyond. Hits, beyond, beyond, beyond. Legend, beyond, beyond, beyond. Movies, beyond, beyond, beyond. Legend, beyond, beyond, beyond. Movies, beyond, beyond, beyond.

Nigga did a movie with Adam Sandler, nigga. You fucked up, nigga. What he say? This man is a legend. He's an icon. I got to see him. I got to see him grow. I got to see him be the person that he is.

Damn. And I'm so happy to give this man his flowers today In case you don't know What the fuck we talking about We talking about the one The only The motherfucking impeccable Nelly in the building

What up, Chad? What's going on? Did I nail the video? No, look I tried to nail the video You got the side by side My wife said You got the bandana wrong

I said, he get it. You know what I mean? Do you realize how iconic that is? Like, we all on a group chat. We like, yo, we got to do something special. And we just all wanted to salute. Yeah, city in the building. And matter of fact, down here.

Okay. It took place. In Miami? Yep, it was down here. I actually It took place. In Miami? Yep. It was down here. I actually just got done recording. Thank you so much. I just got... Hit me.

It was down here recording a large part of Nellyville. Okay. And... Was it second or third album? Second album. Okay. And we was down here hooping and fucking around and shit like that. And, you know know Got whacked

Won't put the bandaid on it But then I was about to Take this shit off And I was like You know what I'm fucking with it You know what I'm saying We was fucking with City

We was going into the Coming out of the Free City album Okay You know Wanted to keep representing Keep showing my little brother Some love

Cause he was You know He was locked down Didn't get my little brother Some love Cause he was You know He was locked down Didn't get a chance to City? Yeah City That's actually

He did the rap on Ride With Me Okay yeah But he wasn't ever in the video And then we were locked up Wow So You know We named the St. Lunatic album

After him and all of that shit And just started repping the band They like Fuck it I'ma hold cuz down We gon' ride this thing out Until he get out of here Oh cool

So the band they represented Until he came home That's dope Until he came home Yeah Oh, so the band-aid represented it until he came home? Yeah, that's dope. Until he came home? Yeah. Well, I didn't wear it all the way until he came home. Nigga got old and shit, you know what I'm saying? Oh, you know what's crazy?

I heard this, but I didn't pay attention. So I didn't pay attention as much as I should have, rather. So you're saying that That wasn't a style statement You said you actually got nicked Nah it was him Yeah When we first We was down here hooping

Because we had rented a house Or some shit And we had the studio In the house And down there hooping And got fucked up And then I was like Okay cool boom

But we was coming out of the Free City album Little Chick album I was like you know what This might be dope. And I ain't even lying. Some little chick souped my head up. Like, I like the band-aid.

Well, shit, here we are. You know what I'm saying? And we was throwing it up for City. So we kept it rolling. It's crazy because I was on tour. And I caught a cut right here. I don't know if you remember. I caught a cut right here.

And I had to put a band-aid on. And it was like, look at this motherfucker trying to get me. I'm like, yo, damn. Nigga can't even get a cut no more. But look, put a bandaid On him He's like Look at this motherfucker Trying to cut me I'm like yo damn Nigga can't even get a cut no more But look Let's bounce around a little bit Right Yo

Super Bowl 2025 just happened Right And It's mixed reviews Me personally I love to see Hip hop

On that stage But I can't ignore What other people are saying Okay Like What did you feel Because you did Super Bowl in 2004, right?

Yeah, well, I did it twice. Wow. Did it the first time, I think it was like 01, and then yeah, we did it. The next time I did it, but don't nobody really remember us because the nipple came out. Oh, Janet Jackson?

You performed at the Janet? Yeah, we was on that show. You saw the nipple? It. Oh, Janet Jackson? You performed at the Janet? Yeah, we was on that show. You saw the nipple? It was like me, nah, nah. Okay, my fault. That's crazy that it overshadowed by that. I mean, everybody, you don't know who was on that motherfucker. You know what I'm saying?

But yeah, we did it. No, Kendrick did Kendrick. That's right. I don't know what people were expecting him to do. Right. Like Kendrick is, you know, he's a rapper. Right. He's a rapper.

Like, motherfucker, he wasn't going two-step. He wasn't going, you know. I think he did a great job. I think he did a great job. I understood that it is the Super Bowl, so as far as theatrically, some people could be expecting a little more. But I think he did a great job, man. I loved it. And he did him.

Right. And who I also think should get a lot of credit is whoever put that damn show together. Right. Because that choreography and all that movement and simultaneously whoever did that, the behind the scenes, them motherfuckers, they need a raise. See, because, see,

that's something that's very important because, because, see, me and you understand that and I'm going to be honest, as high as I've ever gotten in hip hop,

I've never got the Super Bowl status. So, I still can't relate to that. Like, you know what I'm saying? But can you explain to people like how that shit is? Because you got to really rehearse to do this. Yeah, you in that I'm saying? But can you explain to people like how that shit is? Because you got to really rehearse. Yeah, you in that shit

two weeks of rehearsals. It's like, you know, it's two weeks. In that actual city that the Super Bowl's taking place? Well, I think the first time we did it, we started rehearsals

somewhere else. It was like enclosed into a studio. And they kind of set a mock stage up just to run it through. And the first time, because they really didn't know,

because I was like the first rapper to get a chance to do any of it. And they had me on there so motherfucking fast and my heart pounding and shit. I'm down to that motherfucker. I'm racing like a motherfucker. Like, damn, I'm really at the Super Bowl. So you do all that rehearsal.

We rehearsed for like eight, it's almost like three, four hours. Then it moved to like six to eight hours. Then you might be rehearsing. The closer you get might be like a 12-hour fucking rehearsal. Wow. But, you know, you got breaks and shit in between there. And then, yeah, the shit goes so motherfucking fast.

But, nah, man. You said you did this wall twice. Yeah. Like I said, the second time it was did this With Will twice Yeah Like I said The second time It was With Janet Yeah It was Mia Puff

Mia Puff Kid Rock Um Janet Jessica Simpson I don't know It was a white girl Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake Yeah He was the He was the culprit Okay yeah He went unscathed on that one. That kind of, that kind of, a lot of people like, wait a minute.

What happened? Yeah, like, she didn't rip her nipple out herself. You know what I'm saying? I don't remember. So Janet got the slack for that? Yeah. Really? Janet caught a lot of motherfuckers slack for that.

Which now would have been nothing. And now the way shit is. Well. Now you have Only been nothing. And now the way shit is. Whoa. Yeah, they got- I don't think that- Now see, we have our OnlyFans. Oh, shit. The nipple have OnlyFans.

The nipple itself by itself. So, Nelly, all right, let's take it from the beginning, right? I always thought, like, your plot is always- It was always a little harder than anybody else because one you were like the first rapper coming from St. Louis is that correct? To a certain degree I mean we had a few people man that came up

that came up out the loo but didn't get a chance to really get to but were stars in the loo you saying? Definitely. Okay. Definitely was. We had a bunch of bulletproof records.

And I'm going to forget a bunch of people at this time because I'm on the spot. Right. And that's kind of fucked up. So, Sid, if you know who else. I know it was like bulletproof records because they were really really close with us but they were super gangster nigga and that was the thing with st louis st louis rap was super gangster like like nigga give me that put your kids in the car set the fuck up slap me with a pistol that's how it happened but in a creative way

and we was more doing things a little different. So a lot of people kind of looked at us at that time like, you know, they doing more party and they doing more this and more that. And we was kind of mixing, mixing both of them together. But what you don't remember, first time, I'm going to switch. First time I ever met Nori. Okay, yeah, let's go. It's like 90, I want to say it's like 98. Okay, 98. Penalty records. Uh-huh, I'm going to switch. First time I ever met Norrie. Okay, yeah, let's go. It's like 90, I want to say it's like 98. Okay, 98.

Penalty records. Uh-huh, I'm on fire. My little brother caught in. Uh-huh, that's right. He was signed a penalty. I was a cooter. And we came to your session, and this is why I fuck with you to this day, because I don't know nobody.

All I know is I'm up here by myself with Kuda. I got Kuda Love. What's his name? And we came to your session. And at that time, it was the thin mustache, little hair on the top for real. Very tight shirt. Very tight shirt.

Yes, yes. And he was at the board. And y'all was, he was either mixing or y'all was finishing up. Oh, no. Oh, no. And I was like, yo, what the fuck is this shit? You know, and I'm just sitting in the back. And you was walking around.

You ain't know me from nobody on the fucking planet, man. You dapped me up and gave me some smoke and shit. And I was just like, damn. Goddamn, make some noise for me. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, well, hold on. And I was like, man, I fuck with dude. Like, dude didn't know me from a motherfucking can of paint, man.

And he showed me a lot. That meant so motherfucking much to me. Your hands, you got it queued up? No, you don't get your shine on that. No, no, no. You got it queued up? But you sent me on a text. Yeah.

Oh, he got a speaker. Ah, shit. He got a speaker. Niggas are trying to be professional now. We be professional for you, Nelly. You know what I'm talking about, right? What? You know what I'm talking about?

What you said on the chat? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Two tracks. Let me let you play you something. I know what it's going to be. Okay. Isn't that it? You smell me?

Okay, yeah. But, nigga, don't worry. I don't know. Go to the next one. Go to the next one. Go to the next one. Facts, nigga. Facts.

Because you were talking about the smell me. And you was giving props out because you was like, no, that's not my shit. I got that from somebody. You said, I never take another man's glory. And I was like, that was all right. Did you hear this, boy? Big and sorry is all over the house!

That's the only thing, man. I wanted my country grandma black. I got you. I got you. I've been wanting to tell you that for years. I got you. That's the only thing. I got you.

And one time, you gave me a big compliment, man. We were sitting there, and you was like, yo, I got the word country grandma. I thought of it when I heard you say country grandma because I said it on Super Thug. You said, listen, the whole vibe was you were sending so much. And it's hard when you're like from the Midwest or from the South to get the respect that a lot of people want doing hip hop. Like, don't get it twisted. All over the world, all over the country, everybody know the Mecca is up there in New York. Everybody know that right so when you when you looking at it like that you it's almost like yo you want certain

validation that's that's why uh the og and one of you know one of my greatest rappers and influence pimp c he had a he used to always have an issue with New York to a certain degree because he started early, early, late 80s, early 90s. And when he would come up top, he would never get the love of motherfuckers with boo on them. They wouldn't let him, you know, do what he doing. That kind of put a stain on his view about it. So us being where we from, it's just like, yo, you know, you want to rock New York. You want to rock Madison Square Garden. Who don't want to fuck up the Apollo?

You want that type of situation because you understand that this is where this shit started. So if that doesn't come, a lot of times, you know, you kind of feel like, well, damn, man, why the fuck? Like, ain't this a bitch? And then you be like, well, fuck it then. We going home. Right. You know, so.

Right. But you was never one of those people. You would always give. That's right. Motherfuckers they love. Always show the self love. You know what I always said. What?

What? No, I said it wasn't the people necessarily individually. We wanted to help you out. We have this argument all the time. It's not an argument. It's not an argument. We have a discrepancy. It's a disagreement.

He always says that New York never showed the South love. And I'm saying it might have not been the artists per se. It might have been the environment. You understand what I'm saying? Well, yeah. I mean, you had a lot of people that would speak out because they would come down. Motherfuckers hang out in Atlanta. You hang out down here in Miami.

You can't be on too much bullshit because shit ain't going to go your way. You know what I'm saying? But, yeah, I would probably say the industry as a whole because everything was based up there. Everything was based up there. The labels, street team niggas. It was gatekeeping in a sense. Don't say gatekeeper. The labels, street team niggas. It was gatekeeping in a sense. Don't say gatekeeper. Ah,

yeah, he ain't gotta say it, but it was. I mean, but it was. I mean, but, I mean,

you know, right, I would say rightfully, not righteously, but rightfully, to a certain degree, it's like, yo nigga,

you know, you protecting what you got, and if you feel like you birthed some shit, you gonna hold on to it Till you understand That yo You might wanna

Spread the love around Right You know what I'm saying And then You know Certain things happen But man You've always been that man

I appreciate that Oh thank you man Man Cardan Shout out to Harlem Harlem world R.I.P. honey Years You were hanging out.

A lot of people didn't know you was St. Louis. Hanging out in Harlem. Not because you didn't claim St. Louis. It's because your swag kind of reflected. Well, I was able to make, listen, St. Louis made me who I am. Gave me my talent, all of that shit. Hanging out in New York and then Harlem taught me how to be a star. Because you know New York.

Everybody in New York a star. Nigga ain't doing shit. Nigga, walk up to you selling CDs. Yo, nigga, I got the best CDs in the motherfucking world. I'm that shit. I'm the CD king, nigga. You better recognize that motherfucker. You know what I'm saying?

The confidence is great. Yeah, the confidence is through the roof. So just getting the chance to hang out in Harlem every other day, going up to Penalty Records and all that shit, I was just seeing how things worked from a different perspective. Because where we from, we're looking to get in to the game. A lot of New York and the game from New York was looking like, yo, we are the game.

So I had to start thinking like, I am the game. And then once I started realizing and started thinking like, yo, I am the game. And that's when shit just was like, boom, because like I said said again, you know, I'm hanging out with niggas. We roll up in Harlem. We all in a van. I didn't know what the fuck, like, the battle rap scene was like in New York. So I'm rolling with, it's like me, Cardi.

There used to be some cats called the Teamsters. They was on Country Grammar. And we riding around Harlem. These niggas is jumping out, battling motherfuckers. And I'm talking about niggas just jumping out on the corner, on the corner. And the niggas is like face to face, shoulder to shoulder. So I think, nigga, I'm from the Lou.

I'm thinking, this is going down. I came with these niggas. You know what I'm saying? I came with these niggas. I got to leave with them. So they hop out. Nigga, I hop out. I go up. They like, no, no, no. We rapping. I'm saying? I came with these niggas. I got to leave with them. So they hop out. Nigga, I hop out. I go up.

They like, no, no, no. We rapping. I'm like, well, shit. Ain't nobody. All right. And they spitting on each other. Shit. I'm like, you know, they face to face.

I'm like, oh, yeah, he finna hit it. He finna fuck him up. And these niggas, when it's over, they give each other death. I'm like, nigga, I ain't never seen no shit like this. Not like that. Because we battle rapped in St. Louis, but it was never that intense. Right.

Like, you get that close to a nigga in the loo and get the spit and like, nigga, what? Both eyes. But you battle rapped arguably the most battle rapped person in hip hop. Only by default. I need to know this story. Only by default.

I know I know you and I could have called you and asked what happened. Only by default. But I did know you and I could have called you and asked what happened. Only by default. But I did not never understand that beat. I was crushed. Okay, what happened? You made the song number one. Yeah.

And then what happened? And nigga, I actually had a part of our management team at the time. Shout out to Courtney Benson. Him and his brother Was cool With KRS You know I'm like Nigga this is the teacher This is the god Who cares

You know what I'm saying Never in my wildest dreams Am I ever thinking That anything that I am doing Is on his radar This is disrespectful No nigga Nothing I'm doing is on his radar. This is disrespectful. No, nigga. I understand you.

Nothing I'm doing is on his radar. Why would the fuck would KRS-One give a fuck about what Nelly is doing? Nelly's saying that he's number one. But then you forgot KRS-One had a song called Number One. Yeah, but I mean, come on, my nigga. I ain't from no barrel or no shit, my nigga. I ain't from no barrel or no shit, my nigga. I ain't from no barrel, cuz. I'm down here.

You know what I'm saying? So you didn't know that. No, I know that, but I'm like, what the fuck? So what? Nigga, everybody got songs that's labeled. And you would think that, I'm like, nigga, I party rap. What was you talking about? You know what I'm saying?

Okay, but then I got a call. So what was it, an interview or was it actually working? No, nigga, I got a call. I think Courtney Benson was like, yo, KRS-One, he's mad. You're trying to do that. I'm like, nigga, I'm thinking this is a new group, not the teacher. You mean the group KRS-3 or some shit? Two?

Not one? Like KRS-1? Fuck you mad at me? I'm trying to think. You know, you're thinking, what the fuck did I do? I'm like, KRS-1? What the fuck did I piss off? You know what I'm saying?

I'm like, nigga, fuck off. It's like, yeah, your number one song, you tried to jack her, man. You tried still. This doesn't sound like you jacked her. Okay. So then he does the, you know, he does the battle. He wants to battle Nelly. That's where you at, KRS-One.

You want to battle Nelly. That's where you at, KRS-One. You want to battle Nelly? That's where you at, for real. All these niggas that's out there, you ain't saying shit to no J. You ain't saying shit to nobody out here. You want to battle Nelly. Like, so I'm like, okay, well, whatever. He did his shit. And I wasn't even planning on saying nothing.

And then we got called to be like, fucking with the Rock the Mic remix. Rock the Mic on my state property. And I was just like, yo, you know what? I'm going to say something, but I ain't going to battle the teacher. I'm a student. That's dope. Who the fuck is you talking about? I ain't going to lie. I was a student. That's dope.

Who the fuck is you talking about? I was like, I was really, because I didn't know KRS had something about you. I didn't know that, so I just heard your part. For years, I thought you was like, no sir.

Why would he take K? Early nanny, I don't do nothing. I kick it. Fuck bitches. Party. Make money. That's all that was on my mind. You're not thinking about beef with the teacher.

Never. Dan showed up with nobody that has inspired me that's, damn, they're 20 years older than me. You know what I'm saying? Like, fuck him with info. He's one of the best to ever do it, too. He's a teacher. You know, and I was,

love's going to get you, all of that shit. Like, that shit influenced us down there, man. And, oh, Wadadadang. Oh, that was like, like I told you again, St. Louis,

anything gangster going to roll in the loo. Anything gangster going to roll in the loo and all of that shit, it just didn't make sense to me. And he was trying to call me commercial,

and I was like, nigga, you did the Sprite commercial? I ain't never did no commercial. What the fuck am I a commercial? I ain't did no commercial

or none of that. You had Uzis before I knew what they was. I seen you on the picture with the motherfucking strap and now my street sweeper in a Range Rover. Now I'm fucking the game up.

You know what I mean? So, shit just sounded weird, bro. How did y'all fix it? Because I didn't understand the politics of him having a project that he wanted to introduce to the world and he,

you're going to go, you're going to go at the niggas that's at the top. At the top. Because you're going to get depressed. You know what I'm saying?

So I took it personally because at that time, again, we was all on God because we from where we from and we know niggas ain't, niggas fake fucking with us.

Right. You know what I'm saying? Niggas just shaking our hand because we within radius. You know what I mean? But Niggas is shaking that hand because we within radius. But if we ain't in hand shaking radius, the face is different. So do you think KRS was capping or do you think that he

sincerely felt like that? No, I think he actually saw opportunity because I did wind up getting a chance to work with him. He was doing a project that was more along the lines of a Stop the Violence type of project. And we got to hang out in Atlanta. And I love him.

You know what I'm saying? I was hurt. I was hurt. And at that time, I didn't do too much talking shit or talking about what we were going to do. But, you know, we was in the loop, nigga. We were ready. We were like, is it rap? What what is it I was like nigga he a teacher

you know cause we had niggas that was wild bro we was young anybody that wanted to beat up KS1 people queens trust me and we gotta give them the pass like he's just the ultimate angel just gotta let him just you know walk but wait I wanna know you guys spoke and did you speak very specifically?

Yes, definitely. And it was explained. And I told him, I was like, yo, man, I love you, cuz. Like, you inspired. You a goat. Right. So I would never, he was like, Nelly, it was never nothing personal. It was this. You did the number one where I'm from. You take a title of Nelly, it was never nothing personal. It was this.

You did the number one where I'm from. You take a title of our song, We At Your Neck. You know what I mean? Something like that. And I was like, okay, cool. No problem. Remember Nas brung it up on E3. He said KRS already had an album called Blueprint.

Yeah. Yeah. It's like some old school shit. Yeah. Yeah. It's some old school shit. Yeah. But then he didn't say nothing to Jay.

Yeah. Like, I'm like, yo, what it been? Nigga, box the nigga your own age. You know what I'm saying? Come on, Jake. You know what I'm saying? Nigga, fight in your own age class. What I do?

So, let me ask you a question. This is me personally. You ever felt a love out of the game? Like felt Out of love Yeah You start questioning Questioning do you want to be in it Yeah

Once the politics Start rolling in Once I Start figuring out Once I start figuring out Somebody was getting paid For the promo tour You know Cause back in the day That's how the street team Niggas used to get you Once I started figuring out somebody was getting paid for the promo tour.

You know, because back in the day, that's how the street team niggas used to get you. They take you to the club. We was working, too. He was street team. They take you there. We was working. Yeah, but they'd take you to the club. You got the highest record. He's a street team nigga.

That's why. Oh, really? Oh, man. That's all good. You know, them niggas, they're going to jail. No shots at you. No, the street team, the head of the street team, the head of the marketing department was the one on the take.

Okay. Not the street team guys. But y'all was in on it. Because you knew what. Well, I don't know. I was in on it. Where you saying? Let him get away with that.

He was in on it. You want to find out who's stealing on your block? Yeah. Go down to Harry House, start shaking the bushes. Whoever come to the door yelling the loudest. Right. Oh, wow. That's who got the bushes. Whoever comes to the door yelling the loudest, that's who got the money. You know what I'm saying? So when we

would come out, you know, we got the hottest song on the thing. We was the first number one video on 106 and Park ever. The day 106 and Park heard Country Grammar was number one. The first countdown. So when we would go into these cities

we were getting told you know you go to the it's a routine you know you go to the to the radio station do what you do boom she's like yo you at a club tonight

she's like alright cool but it's like it's it's promo you on the flyer. You going to get up on stage. You do about two or three of your songs. Same shit you do now.

Yeah. And get a band for it. Yeah. Except they make you do a real show. They'll call it a walkthrough. They call it a walkthrough. Yeah. A promo walkthrough.

Right, right. A promo walkthrough. But then you start finding out, somebody got 10 grand for that. Somebody got 15 for that. Somebody got that. So then once you start bucking on that system, I think ours ended a little early.

You know what I mean? Like, because, you know, when you hustle, somebody making money and you going to smell it. You know what I'm saying? And I grew up hustling, so I'm like

Wait a minute cuz The goddamn club Pat We on the fly Right It's a promo So ain't nobody Making a motherfucker Dive in this motherfucker

You know the DJ Who was just at the Radio station He on the fly with you Right Yeah nigga we going out We Stacey's tonight We up

Yeah my nigga Nelly Coming through You know, you hype. You young. He talking about he picking up a bag. He saying he picking up a bag. He know he picking up a great bag. He like, I'm picking up a bag. He like, nigga, what the way is it here for free? Nigga, he can't even contain his excitement when he got you in there, motherfucker. He know it's already sold out.

I know exactly what you talking about. Y'all give it up. Nelly's in the building. I got that right. We coming through, ladies. He don't know you not getting a bag. Yeah. No, no, I don't know. I'm just, but I'm excited to be there. But I mean, it's a part of the game. It's no ill wills. It's just, that's when you start understanding the politics of it.

And then maybe your love starts waning a little bit. Right. You know what I mean? Because you start being like, damn, bro. But again, you correct yourself. Because now it's like okay nigga but you in so find something that you do love and latch on to that see i'm a positive nigga i'm a glass i'm a glass half full okay i ain't a glass half you see what i'm saying like you know motherfuckers they mad man this ain't enough i'm like nigga okay you gave me? Like, you know, motherfuckers, they mad, man. This ain't enough. I'm like, nigga, OK, you gave me that? Right on. You know what I'm saying?

Because I'm thankful because I grew up having not having shit. You thankful when you get shit. So, you know, I looked at it and found something positive to stay focused on, to be able to be like, yo, that's why I'm a channel. My energy and mine at that time was getting me, getting my family on, putting the city on. 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 Rinella. I'll correct my kids now and then where they'll say, when cave people were here. And I'll say, it seems like the Ice Age people that were here didn't have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to the American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcastss, or wherever you get your podcasts. In my opinion, this is just my opinion, so you could be humble. But in my opinion, you put St. Louis on the map as far as New Age music.

You know what I'm saying? But we always had a lot of good music. It's a lot of jazz, a lot of other things. But for hip-hop, and let me just give you your flowers because I realize you're humble, but you are the person that was the biggest worldwide star. You know what I'm saying? I'm going to be honest with you. I appreciate it.

If you actually Google St. Louis, you're probably the first thing that comes up. Probably the first or second thing that comes up. The only thing I wish I would have did was trademark the loop. The loop? Oh, shit. Oh, you ain loot. The loot? Oh, shit. Oh, you ain't got that trademark? No, nigga. Niggas got you?

Nah, I slept on that one. Somebody did it. Now it's all over St. Louis. Wow. You know what I'm saying? Restaurants called the loot. Restaurants, the baseball team. Yeah, you go to the hotel.

You know how they got the commercial? Welcome to the Four Seasons St. Louis. The loot. You're like, oh, fuck, not the Four Seasons. They got me. So that was the only thing. But thank you, bro. I appreciate that, man.

But like I said, again, it's a lot of, we've always had the talent, just never had the light. Right. You know, so very much an influence. But I'm thankful, man, just to be where I'm at. Right. Now let's talk about, what's the, Real Housewives? Real Housewives. Real Husbands. Husbands, yeah. Yeah, I don't have a housewife. Yeah, my back, you know, I'm dyslexic. I'm at. Right. Now, let's talk about, what's the Real Housewives?

Real Husbands. Husbands, yeah. Yeah, Real Housewives. My bad. I'm dyslexic. I'm dyslexic. So, the Real Husbands. What is that? You, Kevin Hart?

Yeah, actually, when it first started, it started as a skit Kevin was doing because he was hosting the BET Awards. Uh-huh, yeah. And it was,

the original was me, Kev, Bobby Brown, Jermaine Dupri, yeah, and Nick Cannon. If you look at the very first skit that ever was, he was hosting, funny as shit, too. And I knew right there, like, Bobby, man, Bobby Brown. And he got stories. You had them? No, we needed them.

I hung out with him at the Waldorf Astoria, and I'd just drink and just shut up. Yeah. Just let him talk. He got some of the ultimate stories, bro. It's like generational stories. You ain't hear that he cooked fried chicken with cocaine? Nope. Never heard that. He cooked a whole fried chicken with cocaine? Nope. Never heard that.

He cooked a whole fried chicken with cocaine. It's in his book. Nigga. So that's what I seeked him. What I seeked him. That's the only story I asked him about. I was like, yo, my nigga, what did you do? This nigga.

How did you get that confused? This nigga was telling us a story, and out of nowhere, he just threw this in there. He was like, yeah, man, when I punched Scott Baio, and I kept going. We was like, wait a minute, nigga. Back up. He was like, yeah, man, when I punched Scott Baio and I kept going, we was like, wait a minute, nigga, you back up. He was like, what,

what you talking about the truck? No, what, the girl? No. You punched Scott Baio? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I was like, yo, what the fuck? Yeah, them new addition niggas was getting a lot of pussy back then.

Yeah, he was the one. It was his prerogative, though. Who you thought? This is just spitballing. When we were coming up, everybody coming up, who you think got more pussy? You or Mase? We ready? We ready to start the interview now?

Let's go. Let's go. This is back then. Allegedly. No. Allegedly. You locked him down. No.

I ain't going to lie. I ain't going to lie lie You was known as a sniper You know what a sniper is right Yo long distance Long distance I heard a lot about you man I was proud of you bro Give me his jersey

I was buying your jersey I was in the team I'm a married man I am too. I am. We gonna reflect. We gonna reflect. This is back then now.

Oh, reflect him. We reflect him. Reflect him. Yes, yes. I was a monster. Respectfully. You was a monster. I was a monster.

Dead ass. Straight monster. Straight monster. Especially in the band-aid days. The band-aid days? Ah, shit. Keep the band-aid on, nigga. I wish you want to see. Total rise. What you look like? Keep that band-aid days? Ah, shit. Keep the band-aid on, nigga. I wish you want to see

Total Rise, what she look like. Keep that band-aid on. Because right now, I'm sorry, Prince Montana, because right now they said that Prince Montana is the illest sniper right now. Oh, I don't know. He's taking everything

down. He's taking everything down. But I'm saying, in your day, do you think anybody could have fucked with you in a sniping world? In your day. Not in... Hold on. Musically?

We're talking about sniping. Taking it down. I don't even want to put my cat out there like that But Chuck was a monster That's your nickname? AI Oh

You gonna throw the nigga out on the bus I'm with that Only from a perspective Only from a perspective Only from a perspective Back then you know It was posters You know you go If you got my poster on the wall

You got Chuck's poster on the wall And that's That's kind of how it was And uh You won't say his name right now You got Apple Bottoms Apple Bottoms was a very successful company. Apple Bottoms, man, was more than I ever.

Space of Noise for Apple. 25 years, y'all celebrating? Being, well, yeah, because we had to go away for a minute. But 25 years? Does it take you 25? No, not 25 years. I think we came out in 03. Okay, how many years is that?

One of y'all been out for 22. 21, 22. Yeah, 22. Your bottoms is legal to get a drink. Yeah, it is. It's legal to get a drink. 23? Okay, how many years is that? I think it was the first one. 21? 22. 22. Well, your pants is, your bottoms is legal to get a drink. Yeah, it is. It's legal to get a drink.

Yeah, so that came about, you know, hustle mentality. Like, who's my biggest fans? Why am I steady trying to sell men's clothes? And I was- Why, you was trying to sell men's clothes at one point? Well, I came out with the men's line first. What, Apple bottles? No. Okay. That would have been terrible.

That would have been terrible. I feel like I had to have it. That's the fuck, that's men's? No, sir. He's got weird. Hold on. No, sir. Who the fuck was going with him?

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm fucking with you. No, so, yeah, we launched that in like 03, 04. And, you know, it was, it made a lot of money. And you got stores, you had stores in Dubai. Yeah. You was in Dubai early.

Our first flash store. Yeah. Early. Mall of Dubai. Mall of Dubai. Early. Like everybody's just now going to Dubai. You was out there back then

We was out there early man How the fuck you knew to go to Dubai? What the fuck? I didn't man My white boys who I partnered with knew what was up You know what I'm saying? And they knew what was going on over there So they was like

We had been to Dubai maybe a couple times Obviously doing shows But they was like Yo they opening up this big ass mall out there. Either it was just opening or it hadn't been open that long. Right. And they were like, we're going to get your store. And I'm thinking we just going to be in another store in there.

They was like, no, it's going to be an Apple bottom store, flagship store. Crazy. And we was over there and line was down the street, around the corner, all through there. And I didn't think we had enough clothes in that damn thing for uh because we were brand new right you know it was more about the look than anything i don't think we had no product in that like that and yeah you realize how ahead of your time you was though uh with everything i try to be like the music the music the place the melody all that like yeah you gotta

stay that you gotta stay that way because i feel like if you if you are creating then you'll always have an opportunity to win but if you are on on a wave if you if you surfing yeah you know you got niggas who create and you got niggas who surf. There's a lot of rappers out here, they surfing, and that's cool. Whatever the wave is going, they can pull their surfboard out and ride the wave of what's going on.

But I always try to be out there creating waves or move anything. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't. But again, the glasses have full. So I'm going to figure something out real quick. Nah, man, you were so ahead of your time with that shit, man.

Man, I appreciate it. And then, I kid you not, when I first heard that you were in Dubai with a flagship store, I sat back and I was just like, why? Why wouldn't it be in the loo? Until years later, I realized how genius that was I was like

You know I started to go in Dubai And I was like Wow this motherfucker Was so ahead of his time So I just wanted to Actually if you know But let's switch around real quick Do you think

You're one of the fathers Of the rap sing along style I definitely think I'm one of the ones That has Made it popular Popularized it Andized it and took it to a level. But I'm not going to act like, you know, I ain't a product of CeeLo Green. I'm not going to act like I'm not a product of Arrested Development.

I'm not going to act like I'm not a product of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and, like, you know, all of these influences. Even, like, Biz Markie was doing it. Yeah, you're right. That come along. Eric Cermony was doing it. Yeah, but more so in a way of—because, you know, when Bone Thugs came out, they were— Well, they were just— They revolutionized that.

Yeah, they were so ahead of their time as well. You didn't have a lot of people emulating Bone Thugs. I'm sure they know of some people, but no people that was on. You don't look and say, yo, it's another group. Nah, they were unique. You know what I'm saying? Also, Crucial Conflict. That was out of Chicago.

There's a lot of people that had influenced Nelly. But when you're in the middle of the map, that's why if you look at any genre of music, right, a lot of the people who are super huge always come from the middle of the map. Why? Because we are a mixture of everything. Pulling influence from different. You know what I'm saying? Like New York, y'all can get trapped in y'all own

bubble sometimes. Everything is following New York. Cali the same way. Because y'all so big. You don't have to leave. Why you want to just throw Miami in there? Well, Miami is a cultural revolution. It's almost like New Orleans. You see what I'm saying?

And there's nothing more culturally blacker than New Orleans. You see what I'm saying? And there's nothing more culturally blacker than New Orleans. Like, from the food, the speak, the language, the impact, the music. You know, you go down there, you walk into a time warp, because they have a parade

coming down, and it's incredible, and it's exhilarating. But when you're in the middle of the map, you look at Nelly, middle of the map. Kanye is the middle of the map. Eminem, whether you agree with him or not, he's the middle of the map. I thought you were going to say Kanye

whether you agree with him or not. Middle of the map, huh? I thought you were going to say Kanye whether you agree with him or not. Well, yeah, whether you agree with Kanye or not. I mean, but he's an artist. I don't look to Kanye to get life advice. Right, right. I don't look to no entertainer for life advice.

That's the dumbest shit you could ever do. Like, why? Like, your life mirrors an entertainer. You know what I'm saying? We all could be looking at the same tree, but we definitely looking out of different windows. You know what I'm saying? So, I don't get how people, and I don't even mean to break into that type of shit, but I don't see how people follow celebrities for political advice. That's the dumbest shit ever.

Like, why would a celebrity give you the best advice politically when he really has to believe that. And me as a man protector and a father first, everything I think about is putting my family first. That's, that's, that's, I have no choice, but to put my family first,

not saying I don't care about anybody else, but my instant thing, like I'm gonna put your family before mine. Why the fuck am I thinking about you first so why would i know what policies is gonna best suit you when i'm trying to create my generational wealth and what's going to help change the course of what my family has been following so i owe that responsibility to my family i I can't, yo, pops had it all. What the fuck happened? He worried about everybody else. What you mean?

He should have been doing this when he worried about how he looked for everybody else. You can't do no shit like that. I don't respect it. That's real. I don't respect it, man. Not as no man. Not if you're saying you're a father. Not if you're saying you're the head of the household.

You're the protector. You're the motherfucker that they see at the doorbell. Nah, you can be the nigga on the porch and tell your wife to go open the door. But my wife ain't opening them doors. I'm going to the door. You know what I mean? Now, you can talk to her once you get past me. But I'm opening the door first.

And I'm protecting everything in my house so my natural instinct is going to be what best suits my house and since I can't do that I remain silent on politics like that I'm not going to never tell you who you should vote for who you should vote for

I would never tell you to do that you should vote for whatever because would never tell you to do that. You know what I mean? Like, you should vote for whatever. Because they be mixing up them policies. You think you voting for this and you fuck around and this is on the bill. Like, damn, nigga, I thought I was getting loans

for underprivileged communities. Fuck around and you didn't cut Social Security for your granny. I didn't know. I told you mother, they didn't tell me that. You know what I'm saying? That shit is a hard thing to watch.

Well, we want you to know that our show is about giving people their flowers when they can smell them. I appreciate it. Their thoughts when they can think them and their drinks when they can drink them. And we want to give you your flowers. I appreciate it, man. To your face. Face to face, man to man. Let me just tell you something.

We're going to make it. Just a few retirement sections. As a sniper, we're going to put it right up there. It was all days. I'm going to be you right up there. We're going to put you right up there. Man, it was all days. I'm out of the office. You know, I'm going to be honest with you. It's only really three people

in this industry that I actually seen like come up from like almost, well, I didn't know the beginning stages in St. Louis, but when you came to New York,

I know your story from there. I seen your story, Fab's story, and 50's story. And I love that shit Like it's like It's like You ever see somebody

And you just know They're going to do it I know I say that And it sounds so simple But it's the truth I saw Pitt like that I saw Pitt Yeah when I saw Pharrell

I was just like He's weird But he's going to make it He's going to go Like he's not me He's not me But guess what I'm not me. He's not me, but guess what? I'm not me.

The world, I'm a minute person. The world is different. You know what I'm saying? Like, being hood is like 2% of the world's population. They can't really, I made those facts up. But what I'm saying, everyone can't relate to being a hood nigga. You know what I'm saying? So, all right, so moving on.

We got your flowers. Now it's quick time with slime. Well, let's talk about the alcohol real quick. Oh, yeah, you have alcohol. hood nigga you know what i'm saying so um all right so moving on we got your flowers yo now it's quick time with slime well let's talk about the alcohol real quick oh yeah you have the moonshine yeah yeah yeah moonshine yeah it's a yeah moonshine it's a moonshine so again ain't nobody slinging that and again it's about knowing your um knowing your lane, knowing who you can partake services to and different shit. So, Mo Shine right here, you know,

yo, but this is the thing though too, we actually got a chance to, man, I don't know what to say. Yeah, you got to be careful with this shit. I ain't even lie to you. So, at the time, I had partnered with somebody different. But actually, same thing I had to do with Apple Bottoms before we blew up.

Now I got to do it with this. Because, you know, when you first getting into things, sometimes your first record deal is not your best deal. And then you find out what the fuck is going on, and you find out the lanes and avenues that you need to go down to get to the place you're talking about. But this is something, man, that, you know, kind of came up with because I'm actually, like you were saying, being kind of ahead of the game, being one of the first people that was able to be in a different lane and still be yourself as far as country music, pop music, and all this other shit. And the country world, and I always... Yeah, country niggas drink moonshine. Oh, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Country niggas fuck moonshine up. I've seen an episode on Netflix about moonshine. Yeah, they were making the shit themselves. I was illegal and all that. Like, I like that shit. So this is the legal moonshine.

This is the legal moonshine right here, man. So, yeah, like, again, you got to be careful with it, man. It is very tasty, I would say. That could be dangerous. Yeah, that's the thing. You look up and you done fucked up the whole bottle, and sometimes that may not be good. Because I see it's peach flavored.

Yeah, got a little flavor. Definitely like the ladies to get a little saucy. I respect that. Because, I mean. They got to pour their own drinks, though. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Make shit for nobody. Make your own motherfucking drink. Yeah, everybody. Make your your own. Yeah, everybody.

Make your own. I get it. I get it. All right, so you ready to explain the rules of the game? Let's go. The rules of the game. Yeah, this is our drinking game. Oh, shit.

I'm going to be drinking. Yeah. Bullshit. No, I'm going to do some more shots. Okay. Well, wait a minute. How many questions? It's like 20 questions. It depends on some Moshe. Well, wait a minute. How many questions? It's like 20 questions.

It depends on you. Okay, look. Let me give him the rules. Then he can decide what he wants to do. We're going to give you two choices. If you pick one of the choices, we're not drinking. But if you say both or neither, like you don't want to answer, basically, then we all drink.

Oh, we all drink. We drink with you. We don't leave you out there. If you don't answer the question. But if you answer, Then we don't drink Keep it moving Okay so everybody Gonna be drinking Mo-Shine

You gonna be drinking Mo-Shine What the fuck I'm drinking Mo-Shine Look what the fuck Good as this game No don't worry about it We all drink a shot Yeah we do a shot

Okay I'm gonna set it off Ooh no I'm not Alright ready Mesa Cam Mesa Cam Yep Okay, I'm going to set it off. Ooh, no, I'm not. All right, ready? Mace or Cam? Mace or Cam? Yep. And any stories, too, that you got, too?

This is about... Any stories or criteria? I would probably say Killer. Only because from the time I met Killer, he's always showed me love. Mace. And this just could have been where he was at in his life.

When I was introduced to him. He was already with Puff? No. But it could have been Kuda Love beat. Yeah, exactly. I was with Kuda, but I don't like how he shitted on, at that time, my little brother, Kardan. Oh. He shitted on Kardi because Kardi was in Harlem World.

Okay. And he kicked, at that time, he had kicked Kardi out of Harlem. Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah, and didn't let Kardi be in the video. That first video with the Harlem wear. Cardan. Yeah, Cardan. Can't call him Cardi B.

No, I said Cardi. You said Cardi B. No, did I? Yeah, you did. No, I said Cardi B in the video. Oh, but that pause changed everything. Oh, yeah, yeah. Cardi B in the video.

Cardi B. I don't know. What did I say? No, no, you're right. You're right. You was right. We heard it. Wait, Cardi B was in the video?

No, not that Cardi B. Okay, all right. Yeah, you, you're right. You're right. You was right. We heard it. Wait, Cardi B was in the video? No, not that Cardi. Okay, all right. You did say her. No, we talking about me. No, you were right. See, that's how I can't. See, I knew y'all niggas knew. K-I-S-1 thought I was talking about her. You know what I'm saying?

Like, nigga, I didn't even say that. But I don't know. Run and take that. But no, at that time, Cardi was like 15 years old. He was young, man, and it really fucked him up that whatever happened, happened. And that's when I was just trying to get on. And I saw how hurt he was. I was like, man, don't worry about that shit, man. I'm about to get on, man.

You know what I'm saying? And I had a disdain for Mace at that time. So is that probably why when y'all met the energy, was it you more or was it him more? No, I mean, eventually it got a shit ton better. Y'all figured it out. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because, again, it wasn't that.

He felt the way that he felt. But, again, if I come with you in the dough, we leaving out the same motherfucking dough together. I ain't bringing nobody with me I ain't leaving with. You know, so at that time, Cardi, that was my family. So he had hurt part of the family. And I was like, shit, fuck that nigga. But it wasn't like that. It wasn't always like that.

Because Mase is cool as fuck now. You know what I'm saying And we super dope But from the time I met Killer It was all love Right Now this is a controversial question No shit Kendrick or Drake?

As far as It's whatever criteria I like that As far as Yeah I mean You can't You can't take away

The artist of Drake You can't take away the artists of drake you can't take away what is what his artistry is to do make hits like he was making hits he's doing his thing kendrick is kendrick he's he's uh i don't know like because i i want to say kendrick is holding down a whole coast to a certain degree but then some might say drarick is holding down a whole coast to a certain degree. But then some might say Drake is holding down a whole country. Country, word. But you see what I'm saying? It's a great point. But it's a difference of—

It feels like we're taking a shot, Nelly. I'm just going to help you out. Man, you leading the witness, man. He was going in to a diatribe right now like this. He was about to get very scientific. Well, it's all good. He's saving you from the— It feels like he's taking a shot, man.

That's all good. Because you go to the light skin karate class With Drake We know that Nah but what I'm saying is I was enjoying the explanation and you ruined it man I'm sorry I wanted Drake If you look at Kendrick You think of more of a

Traditional hip hop superstar When you look at Drake You just think of more of a traditional hip-hop superstar. When you look at Drake, you just think of superstar. You know what I'm saying? Even though he is hip-hop, I'm not saying he ain't did his thing, but it's just different. I don't know. I don't know why people be so mad at him, though. I mean, I understand to a certain degree. But again, it was never about relating to Drake's life.

The man, he started at the bottom. He said he was living at his mama's house. My mama never had a house. His bottom is his mama's house. Again, I'm not looking at life advice

from somebody who mama got a house. I'm listening to these bangers he making. The nigga making banging ass records. He knocking these motherfuckers out. So, you know, I praise his hit making artistry. Kendrick is part of coming from a different, coming from where we come from. That's how you look at it. I don't think Drake coming from where we come from. That's how you look at it.

I don't think Drake came from where we came from. But when somebody makes it coming from where you come from, you look at them a little different. You see what I'm saying? They get a little bit more of a validation because you understand. More relatable. Yeah, and you understand the fight that they had to get to where they are. And you could be like, man, they might not have made it.

You know what I'm saying? But if somebody who started somewhere that you can't relate, you just appreciate what they do. Like, Drake is a phenomenal artist. Kendrick is somebody who you'd be like, yo, I know that nigga. I could have knew Kendrick. I probably wouldn't have never known Drake. That's what I'm saying. So I appreciate Drake's music and the artistry. And I took the shot for nothing.

So you picked? You picked at the end? No, no, no, no. I guess I did. No, if you didn't pick, then we drank. And I don't like politics. I just did that shit. I liked it.

Chingy or Jaquan? The Lou wants you to take a shot. I definitely want to take a shot. Man, you were leading the witness like a motherfucker today. No, no, no, no, no. No, I definitely was going to do that shot. He's going to do it anyway. I know what it's going to be.

Now, Jaquan is my nephew. Like literally? No, but it's family to the sense of Jaquan was super young Like literally? So he's not No But it's family Okay To the sense of Jaquan was super young When he came into the game You know when you come into the game And you 15

16 years old Nigga And you You the one paying the bills It's a different life Right You know man It's a different life

When you that young And now You go from being told What to do To telling niggas what to do And you don't even know You you're not old enough to know why you're telling them to do it. So that's just the difference.

Eve or Missy? Missy. But I like Eve, but Missy, if I had to pick. Ain't nobody mad at you. Ain't nobody mad at you. Ain't nobody mad at you. We got you. No, you said that shit, boy. There's no wrong answers here.

I want the next answer. Go, go. Sexy, red, or Glorilla? Red. I got to ride for the loop. He's from the loop, yeah. Yeah, I'm always riding for the loop. Like, this is how the loop work.

Outside of the loo Can't nobody talk You can't You can't do that Now we'll talk about each other In the loo Right Like

You know what I mean But if you not from there Cause we don't have enough Right right We don't have A lot of artists Like y'all got We ain't got a lot of

Motherfuckers like Atlanta got To be able to Look like something We We are Really all we got. So we can't do that. You know what I mean?

Not to no outsiders. Right. Can't do that. I'm going to tell you something. I was hosting the BET Red Carpet. It's the only rapper I ever ran from in my whole life. That you ran from?

Sexy Red. Only rapper. Listen, I might have caught losses in life. I've never caught losses in this industry. I won every battle I've ever had in rap, right? I mean, I ain't talking about battle, but Sexy Red

is the only person that made me run. Why is that? Don't worry. I'm on the red carpet. Sexy Red is walking through. You know what I mean? Y'all know what I mean. Sexy Red is walking through. The nigga with the headphones laughing.

She stopped. She stopped and she looked at the red carpet and she must have said, yo, I'm going to make this different. So, mind you, I'm with the other wieners over there. You know what I mean? Like, these niggas don't got no platinum records. These niggas ain't made any N.R.E? Like, these niggas ain't, these niggas don't got no platinum records. These niggas ain't made N-R-E albums. These niggas ain't discovered

motherfucking forever. I'm standing there with a bunch of Franks. That's what I'm saying. Holy shit, but Sexy Red gonna come, she gonna recognize me. And she gonna,

you know, so, but I'm sitting there and she looks at all, all the Franks. And she says, she pulls out her money and starts making it rain. I ran. All I was thinking of was a picture of a sexy rag making it rain.

You know how hard I worked in this industry to be who the fuck I am? And I'm like, I'm a stooge. Oh, I kid you not. I did the 30 yards. He was out? Yo, I was like, yo, that's the last thing I need to be on Tubal. Oh, man. What's this shit?

Tubi? Tubi. Tubi. And I'm like that. You're like, what? I'm sorry. What? What?

I realized. What? What, what? So if any, there's no rapper in this world that can say they made me rap. Oh, man.

But I'm gonna get from that. You probably had the first nigga she made rap. All right. Because Shawty mean that, man.

She means that. If anything, she is definitely putting on, but she's authentic, man. She's authentic. If you're going to respect it, believe her heart. Yeah, that's fine.

Know that. All right, Metro Boomin or Murder Beats? Take a shot. Stroke, but I'm going to take a shot because I don't want- You saying both or you saying- Stroke. Stroke. Yeah.

I just wanted to make you need a drink. Yeah, yeah, we good. Okay, go ahead. Yeah, because you didn't go out with me the other night. I ain't going to lie. That has never happened. Let me tell you something. Nigga, I can call Norrie at any time.

What's up? What's up, son? Yeah, nigga, I'm out here. I said, yo, I'm coming down. Nigga, I got 11 on Saturday. You know what I'm saying? Like, come on out. You know, when that pause.

I said, damn. I ain't never heard him breathe. I ain't never heard this nigga breathe a day in his life. I never know how he living. Nelly, I'm going to check. I'm in his life. I never know how he living. So, yeah. Nelly, I'm going to check. I'm going to check. I'm going to check.

I'm going to check. I'm going to check. Yo, I never heard this nigga breathe a day in his life. I don't know how he living. He just moved my car like just in two seconds. He was like, coming to the living room tonight. I was like, okay. The way I said it, because I was like, I want to be some focus.

And he just, he said, I get it. I get it. He said, I'm a grandfather. I'm going to use that excuse. Nigga, I have two. I have two, but he can't call me granddaddy. Yeah, papa, what you get called?

Tupac. Tupac? Tupac. Oh,op? Tupop. Oh, shit. Tupop. He ever call me granddaddy, he out of the will. Goddamn right, don't come here with that. A grand, you better be having money in your hand.

Tupop. I got to get my own publisher. I got to dig up some shit. He can say Tupop or Tupop. But you better not. No, don't come in here with that granddaddy. There's someone called you viejo. Oh, man.

You want that? Sheesh. Oh, my God. Biggie or Big Pun? Rest in peace to both. Rest in peace to both, definitely. Again, being from the Midwest, we didn't really get a chance to enjoy Pun. Right. Because we only had a selective few of songs that was able to make it on our radio station.

Right. In St. Louis and down there. But, you know, his genius and just his lyrical flaw, he's definitely underrated as a lyricist. Pun is, I mean, you know, then you're talking about Biggie, who's probably regarded as the best of one of the best, depending on what you're asking. But I'm going to say Biggie, but no disrespect to pun at all.

You ever got to meet Big? Nope. Okay. You never got to meet Pac? Well, I saw Pac and Pat. Pac never had it. Pac had some tumultuous times in St. Louis. Yeah. What happened to Pac in St. Louis?

Yeah. I like that word, tumultuous. A few times. Yeah. Yeah. Really? Yeah. Like at shows?

Yeah. I mean, St. Louis loved Pac. Sounds like you have intimate knowledge of this shit. As a youngin'. You know what I of this shit. As a youngin'. You know what I mean? Like, as a youngin'. But them old niggas, one of them old St. Louis niggas over there, he probably know a little bit more.

Bob know a little bit more detail about what could actually happen like that because Bob was, you know, Bob was like a local terrorist at the time. Right. He used to own the hottest club in St. Louis. Well, his family did call it Club Casino. They used to call it the Beano. That's where we used to break some of our records and wear 618, who actually broke country grammar. That's the club he was in.

And it used to be the hottest club in the Louvre. And you would come there like when you're still in high school. You're supposed to be 18, older, but you come to that motherfucker when you're like 15, 16. Because they got the cut though. Yeah, we had that in Miami all day. They got the side though. You come to the side though, boom,

but you might have to pay like $25. And Bob used to work there and that motherfucker charged me $65 to get it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, nigga, listen. Hold on, hold on, listen. Let me, hold on, hold on.

Listen, and I don't jump out yourself, but listen. So we come... I don't know who the fuck y'all had in there. Was it E-40 and the Click or the Fab? The whole family of some shit. So it's Ram, nigga. We come to the door. It's usually...

It's only $5. Yeah, keep going. It's only $5 going through the front door. Right. $25 usually, you know, on a regular Saturday going through the front door right twenty-five dollars usually you know on a regular saturday night at the side door so i always come through the side door nigga because i was baby face finster you know what i'm saying like even if i were old enough i still wasn't gonna fucking get in so i go to the side door but this day now mind you i only got 115 dollars

in my pocket wait how old are you now uh at that time, I was like 17. Okay. But I got $115 in my pocket. I bought it with Moed. It's $25 to take, yeah, take pictures. Special times. Listen, take pictures. You could get three pictures. You can get two pictures

for $10 or you could get, I think it was like four pictures for like $15 or some shit like that, right? You know the pictures. You got the chars and shit. Yeah, you got. The background. Some nigga that drunk airbrushed a scene or some shit.

You know what I'm saying? At the time, you thought the shit was flying. That was it. That was it. So I'm like, yeah, boom, this nigga charged me $65 to get in this shit. I'm hurt. That's a lot of money for that. My whole night is, I got to reschedule and re, you know what I mean?

Like, I got to set out a whole nother budget. Somebody ain't getting no drink. So, but I went through that motherfucker. That's how I met Bob. Wasn't on good terms, but he's a good dude now. Because he's a granddad. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Make dad for a granddad. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Make some noise for the granddad. Make some noise for the granddad.

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

it seems like the ice age people that were here didn't have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to the American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get

your podcasts. Long as y'all to reach me. Long as y'all. That's an underrated fire movie, man. What's that, reach me? No, on Long as Y'all. I don't know about underrated. That motherfucker made the lights. I'm a little bit upset.

I should have charged more. Yeah, nigga, I was on fire a little bit upset. I should have charged more. Really? Yeah, nigga. I was on fire right around that time. I should have charged a little more. But they were Adam Sandler,

Chris Rock. Yeah, that was a great album. Oh, nigga. Big cast. Ferg Reynolds. Ferg Reynolds. Let me tell you. I'm going to smoke

a cigarette with him. No, nigga. Let me tell you how I found out how far he was, how swag he had. So my granny at this time, now mind you, this was 2004, Country Grammar, then did Nellyville, just coming out with Sweatsuit, the double album.

Like, I'm on fire. I'm like, this is fire. Granny, granny is still, that's nice, Cornell. You're not impressing her. Not at all, you're still, that's nice, You're not impressing her. Not at all. I'm still, I'm still Cornell. Like,

I probably will always be, but she was like, that's nice, Cornell, yeah. I was like, Granny, I'm new in the Grammys.

Yeah, I saw you on the Grammys, baby, you look good. I just had to tell you that. You know what I'm saying? I was like, oh,

you know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, I saw the football thingy when you ran out. Yeah, that was good. You look good. I was like, oh, okay, you know, you can't get no arouse. I'm saying? Like, yeah, I saw the football thingy when you ran out. Yeah, that was good. You look good.

I was like, oh, okay. You know, you can't get no aroused. I'm like, shit, okay. So I'm doing a, I heard you're doing a, we sitting around, and she's like, I heard you're doing a movie. I was like, yeah, granny, I'm doing a movie. You know what I'm saying? It's a football movie. Boom, boom, boom.

I'm explaining to her. Good, baby. I hope you have fun. And I don't know if it was my auntie, somebody said, tell her who in the movie. And I'm not thinking nothing of it. I'm not thinking nothing of it. My granny is like 70-year-old black

St. Louis lady. Not thinking nothing of it. I know who she married. My granddaddy was a motherfucker. On God, you know what I'm saying? Like, straight like that. And I'm like, okay, cool. I say, yeah, Adam Sandler.

I know, my granny don't know none of these people. You know what I'm saying? I'm like, Adam Sandler. She know Chris Rock. I was like, yeah, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds. Who? Burt Reynolds. Burt Reynolds. Who? Burt Reynolds.

Burt Reynolds? Yeah. Woo! That white boy fine. That white boy fine. Listen. I said, what the fuck? It's the most disgusting.

What? Yo. To hear your granny fan out is the most disgusting shit you ever heard. You know what I mean? Like, you like... She like, where are Reynolds?

Oh, I said, who? Oh, yes, where are Reynolds? You in the movie, what you doing, baby? No, I don't get... Super Bowls, Grammys, all that shit. At this time, 22 million records, it don't even matter. That's good, baby.

Burt Reynolds? We had a whole conversation for about 15 minutes. We never talked 15 minutes about my job. Like, probably all together. You know what I'm saying? I tell her what's happening.

All she wanted to know, Burr, what y'all feeling this movie at? So tell me about it. What are you doing? You doing it? I said, yeah, I'm playing a running back. You didn't play, you was a receiver. You said, no, I'm just playing it in the movie. You know what I'm saying?

Because, you know, she know about what I was doing. She was like, no, you play receiver. You don't play running back. No, granny, I'm playing it in the movie. You know what I mean? Oh, okay, you're little. That's where I started living. I was small as shit.

Was she able to meet him or no? Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. But you be on set? Yeah, hell yeah. You be on set, you got all these great people on set, and these motherfuckers is telling stories sitting in the chair. And then your man, Burt Reynolds, sits back like this and goes, everybody shut the fuck up. Niggas ain't even filming.

He's stopping the whole movie. Everybody want to hear this story, because you don't know what year this motherfucker come from. You just don't. You don't have clue. He don't know. You don't know if it's finna be the Hustler magazine, the Playboy magazine, if it's finna be Blonde Brunette. You don't know if it's finna be a dignitary, a politician, a president. You do not know.

He's got them all. And he sits back like this and everybody shuts the fuck up. Adam Sandler telling jokes. Everybody cracking up. Chris Rocks is telling jokes. We got like nine comedians. You know how they start firing at each other and going around. So it's hilarious.

And Burt's just... You know, I remember... Hold on! Shit, shut down. Man, it was awesome. He told us some stories, some shit I can't really say right here. He got family. Sniper.

Oh, he was a sniper. Oh, no, you know his day. He must have been. Boogie Man. Those are the Wild Wild West days. Boogie Man, because, I mean, again, you see how elderly black lady spoke up about him. So imagine what, you know what I mean? Like, probably, yeah, he probably

top three. He probably top three sniper of all time. No, dead ass. You made that mustache infamous. Gotta be top three sniper of all time. Of all time. Okay, Illmatic or Reasonable Doubt?

I'm from the loo. or reasonable doubt? I'm from the loo. I'm going to take a shot. Okay, I respect that. I'm going to take a shot. I'm going to take a shot. I'm going to take a shot. I love how you put the shot down first before you take it.

I like it. That's a real drink of shit. You know I know this. He said he an alcoholic. Don't say that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know this. I know that moment. That moment is like, I'll pace myself. We say that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know this. I know that moment.

That moment is like, I'll pace myself. This is, we got it together. Try it, dude. Like, when you go like that, this is, we keeping it together. You know what I mean? No, he said, I had no alcoholic.

They got to go to meetings. I'm a drunk. Okay. Tupac or Eazy-E? Rest in peace, bro. Rest in peace, bro. Tupac. Tupac? Tupac or Eazy-E? Rest in peace, both. Rest in peace, both. Tupac. Tupac?

Tupac. A little easy, though. Much respect to Eazy, but that's not a... And you say you got no stories with Pac. Just the stories that you heard. No, I ain't got no... You don't want to talk about those things. Yeah.

No, I'm not going to do that. Right. But Eazy-E got the hardest line in the world to me. He said, Ice Cube, write the rhymes. That I say. I was like, niggas said that. Yo. That was hard.

And shout out to DOC, Drink Champs alumni. Oh, listen. I just found out that he wrote Strata Compton for Eazy-E. I didn't know that. I didn't know that. Everybody thought it was Ice Cube. The chronic, all that. Like, y'all don't even know.

No, but for Eazy For straight up confidence The D.O.C. Might be The biggest what if In rap His voice was And what if

Like what could have been Like because That whole album It's the diggy diggy doc D.O.C. was Bananas Coming out of Texas We lost all the young niggas

all the young niggas like what y'all talking about yeah like easy it was easy for him it was truly easy D.O.C. is a super legend

Kevin Hart or Dave Chappelle Kev I love Dave but Kev is my brother you know I told you I came in the door with a nigga like that's not going. If you ask me about family and you ask me about somebody who I like or admire,

I'm going to always roll with the family. Respect. You see what I'm saying? So just putting that out there. Any good, funny Kevin Hart story you could tell us? Both of y'all? Not none. What they say, if you don't want it out there, don't put it out there.

Fair enough. You know? Okay. Rap City or your MTV raps? Rap City. Okay. Rap City. I don't even think, was I?

Yeah, I think I was on your MTV raps. I think I did. I think I was on Yo MTV Raps I think I did I think I See Yo MTV Raps Just always felt like They were working for the man Really Yeah he's right It just felt like

They were working for the man Cause you know I'm old enough to know The history of MTV Yeah right You know what I mean Like when you went To the principal office

And They were lucky To get Ed Lover. Dr. Dre. Well, Dre. Yeah, yeah. You see what I'm saying? They were both Dr. Dre, yeah.

They were lucky to get the two brothers. But you did MTV Rockin' Jocks, right? You did Rockin' Jocks with MTV? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember the sports shit. I intercepted Dan Marino, nigga. Okay, yeah.

You talking about? Yeah, yeah. That's what I'm talking about. Yeah, yeah. Let me tell you something. Okay. I am the greatest musician athlete of all time. All right. Or rapper athlete of all time.

I say that because I don't play, I don't used to play. Rapper elite. I am the greatest rapper elite of all time. Check my shit. All right, so you used to play baseball. I have all three MVPs. Rock and jock, football, basketball, and baseball.

And softball. Whatever else you want to do. Check my shit. Check my shit! The stats. So if... But who... That don't mean that I'm winning. If I was playing

basketball, nah, it's some rappers that could probably out-hoop me. But if we go through all three sports. All right, so two on two, who would be your partner? In what? In basketball. Where they from? It's you, you pick your own team.

But I'm saying, who? Against Gilly and Wallow. Who do I have my best? Cameron and Mace. See, see, see, Gilly can hoop his ass off. Gilly just, I just got old. I wish I could, I wish I could hoop against Gilly when I was like... Gilly's only two years younger than you.

When I was like 40. Yes, sir. Who? To be honest, Gilly. I'm 50. He like 48. Nah, Gilly like, what is he, 48 or 47? Yeah, he just stopped leaving the play. Nigga, I'm 50. He like 48. Nah, Gilly like 48 or 47. He didn't stop.

He's like I don't know. Once you cross that 50 threshold. Hold on. Gilly ain't 41. Nigga, he was with Wayne. He was with Young Money.

He wasn't with Big Money. His knees ain't go out yet. His ACL's still good. No, that nigga, 40. Nigga, I was still doing backflips. Fuck you mean? I just did a backflip on Dancing with the Stars. How old was I?

48? 48 years old. And you did a backflip on Dancing with the Stars? That just lets you know. When I was 40, if I had a hoop against him when I was 40, I could still dunk at 40. Fuck you mean? So what year do you think you lost it at?

Last year. What happened? What made you lose it? He said 50 happened. What happened? I turned 50. This is my year to turn 50, too. I ain't never seen no nigga in the NBA in 50.

I ain't never seen. See, when you are aging, you see niggas still in sports, you know, and you come from sports. You know, I come from sports. You know, I always loved music. And actually, I wasn't even the first person in my family to make a record. My Uncle Rudy, may he rest in peace, was the first one to actually make a record in 1988 that was in my family. Same last name, everything, Rudy Haynes. And that's who got me into music.

He used to have me like at seven, eight, nine years old singing Jackson 5 records and had my whole family as backup and shit like that. And taught me notes and chords and shit. You know what i'm saying so yo my love for music came out of a whole other shit but i was playing sports baseball football basketball basketball was my was my my weakest spoke but god damn everything else i'm now god damn good yeah yeah yeah you better not say that do y'all even play football In New York We got a basketball court

Right here Oh nah I can shoot I ain't playing no defense Yeah me neither Straight in it for the glory I can't shoot all plays Straight in it for the glory I'ma just

My defense is like I go left and right That's it Help You know what I'm saying Yeah Flesh of my flesh Or it's dark and hell is hot.

DMX. Albums, obviously. Flesh. Flesh. Flesh. Rest in peace to DMX. Jada Kiss or Styles P? Kiss.

Nah. It's just only to my... This is... Yeah, your part. Only to my... I know Kiss. Kiss has always's just only to my... Only to my... I know Kiss. Kiss has always shown Nelly love. I do know Styles. Love him, but I have more of an interaction...

A rapport. A rapport. You see what I'm saying? But all of them. You know what I'm saying? That was a point. I was kidding. Yeah, that's fucked up too

because they shit kind of got stalled by some unfortunate things because they could have. They they was on fire. They had a big hit. I had a hell of a run, especially. I mean, they had it, though. No, they definitely did. That will show you that it could it could have been because the run they had they had to overcome so much shit

right right career-wise to be able to do that so you know what it's like like nigga if you ain't fucked up the cop money you have a lot more but you went to the crap game but it shows you what kind of club they are to overcome it that's what i'm saying like what the versus has done for them what they've done after that is crazy. Nah, man. They top five goat group. Yeah. I respect that. Acting or rapping? Rapping.

That's easy. That's so easy. That's easy. That's easy. Because acting from the king without rapping, right? Yo. Yo. Like a somber bitch.

Nah. Good. The Cities, you skipped that one first? I'll take it. I'll take it. I. Good. The Cities, you skipped that one first? I'll take it. I'll take it. I'll take it. No, no, no,

this one. Valde Chico. Mobb Deep or M.O.P.? Mobb Deep. I don't know, disrespect the... M.O.P. M.O.P.,

but I don't think I know the brothers. I don't know if I... I don't want to disrespect them like if I ever met them before, you know, but I'm saying I haven't know if I I don't want to disrespect them Like if I ever met them Before You know But I'm saying I Haven't interacted with them Enough to know

If I have Or something like that So I don't want to Disrespect them Because they hard as fuck But You know Mobb Deep

I did I did a joint with them Me, them and Missy One of my favorite records You know what I'm saying? Yep. L.A. or Miami? Miami.

Thank you. Miami. I'm both. I'm both, though, so I don't know why I'm saying Miami. Well, only because you asking a 50-year-old nigga who, you know, like to chill. You know, you come down here to retire, nigga. You asking a nigga who's approaching retirement age, like the chair. You know, you come down here to retire, nigga. You asking a nigga who approaching retirement age, like Miami. Yeah, definitely.

L.A. is, but I don't know the good, hardworking people in L.A. I tell people that all the time. I ain't never been to the real L.A. I only know Hollywood and all of that shit in the industry. So I don't judge that on the hardworking, everyday people that were brought up and raised in L.A. I only know these superficial motherfuckers. Niggas with butlers. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Drivers.

Gang bangers and shit. You know what I'm saying? So, you know. That's a lot of good folks in L.A. Shout out to L.A. Robin Thicke or who? Oh, Justin Timberlake. It's the white boy question.

Thicke, Robin Thicke. Again, that's family. I'm going to ride with family. And I told you again, your boy just... Your boy threw the sister out there. I said, I don't know why people don't trip out there. Like, that nigga knew what was going to happen. He said, I had no idea. He bought a n out there. Like, that nigga knew what was going to happen. He said,

I had no idea. He bought a nipple slip? Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Like, man, that nigga knew what was going to happen.

He was in on that shit. You think they rehearsed that? Man, that man knew that shit was going to happen. If he didn't, he'd have been like, damn!

Like, you ain't seen his reaction. That nigga kept the pose. He had a sense. That nigga kept the pose. He didn't have a sense. You done pulled the motherfucking titty out. You like, bam! You know what I'm saying? He said, look at that. He had a stance. That nigga kept the pose. He didn't have a stance. You done pulled a motherfucking titty out.

You like, bam! You know what I'm saying? He said, look at that. He said like Superman. Yeah, that's the first thing you done said. It was like, oh, God. What's, oh, you done tried to cover up or something. Nigga, you posed.

But Janet was in on it. But Janet got the, man, obviously. I think everybody was in on it. But that's irrelevant, Nori. All right, my bad. I know JT your man My bad No no no He like

But JT was in on the tour I Means nothing Nori My bad You know what I'm saying She ain't get no slack She ain't get no slack

That nigga went off to Have a hell of a career Like And Jay and shit got paused Nigga And forever stained This nigga's out here

Two stepping Right Doing Shit with Jay Z And everybody Nigga I was hot Jay and shit got paused, nigga, and forever stained. This nigga's out here two-stepping. Right. Doing shit with Jay-Z and everybody. Nigga, I was hot. Yeah. Janet was my sister. I was like my sister, man.

You know what I'm saying? I was hot. Oh, you got to be Penny in real life. That's right, because you're friends with Jermaine Debris. Yeah, we did records. Jermaine Debris, all that. Like, again, this is family, bro. When you watch unfair shit happen to motherfuckers who you give a fuck about, you like, hey, man, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, champ. This thing, he good.

What? Dead ass. He just called her Penny, though, right? Huh? Penny. No, man, he did not call her Penny, bro. No, he been not. Okay.

I don't think he would have. No, he's asking if you called her Penny. Oh, no, me? No. You ain't fucking good to her? Yeah, of course. Yeah, but he's not going to call her Penny, bro. No, he been that. Okay. I don't think he would have. No, he's asking if you called her Penny. Oh, no, me? No. You ain't fucking good to her? Yeah, of course. Yeah, but he's not going to call her Penny. That's her.

No. Hey, man. Of course. No, I ain't calling her. When I see Peter Parker, I'll be like, yo, nigga. You different, man. I see Spider-Man, I'll be like, yo, Spider-Man, nigga, what's up? I don't call a nigga his real name.

You're not going to call Janet Jackson Penny. No, no. You're not going to do that to Janet Jackson. No. I'm just asking. Nah. I'm asking. I don't call a nigga His real name I play poker You're not gonna call Jackson Penny No no You're not gonna do that To Jackson No I'm just asking Nah I'm asking For a friend

First name Nah he's Never did it Next one E Michael Jackson or Prince Who What Michael Jackson

What the fuck You talking about Him I don't even know you Why You look like you should Wear the Michael Jackson With the zippers I talking about Damn he's playing I don't even know you Why why You look like you should Wear the Michael Jackson With the zippers

I feel like I feel like at one point You had the zipper Chaps in your ass out Like What are you talking about Like Who the fuck

Don't wear that Like Better than some High heels in your ass out Like What you talking about Like How is that a good person

For real Like No I love Prince He's a goat in your ass like what you talking about like eyes out of comparison for real like no I love Prince he's a goat like but what are you talking about come on man Mike

and plus you right snipers yeah yeah Mike was a sniper yeah he's like cheers

uh Rockefeller Rough Riders I'ma drink Yeah I do it Somebody call out like yeah I'ma drink Cause I fuck with both of that Cheers Motherfucker stacking up cuz

That's you Nori go Yo That's you, Nori, go Yo That's you, Nori Where your grandpa glasses? Don't try to pull Pull him over Your pal nigga What's the union?

Where your glasses at, grandpa? Grandpa Fuck that I'ma just I'ma just be blind, nigga I'm not Alright, cool Jordan or LeBron? Fuck that. I'ma just be blind, nigga. I'm not fucking... All right, cool.

Jordan or LeBron? Jordan. Jordan. I was born in the 70s, nigga. But I'm not taking nothing away from LeBron because some of my family members are stoned, and I get it. You know what I mean?

It's always the moment. What you see in real time is going to always have more effect on you than what you heard about. You see what I mean? It's always the moment. What you see in real time is going to always have more effect on you than what you heard about. You see what I'm saying? Rick Ross or Fat Joe? Joe. Joe's family. Not love for Ross, but

Joe's family. I want to Roth, but Joe is family. I'm going to point something out to you. A lot of people don't know that I was hanging out with Jay-Z, and Fat Joe had one of the biggest records all the way up. I believe that's what it was, right? All the way up. And Joe hit me and was like, please hook me up with Hov. And I was like, I don't know how to do that. Turn around and say, hey, man.

Yeah. This is when they had beef. They had beef. No, this is when the beef was kind of like that. I mean, but they were still wearing on talking terms. They were on talking terms. That's what I mean. That's what I mean.

So then Joe hit me. I hit Bleak. And me and Bleak was like,, alright, let's try to make this settle. So we got Joe and Jay-Z on the phone, and then from there, these motherfuckers, they did the remix,

they did everything, and me and Bleak was like, nigga, they owe us. They owe you niggas. Like, they owe us. Like, nigga, we did this. And hip-hop owe y'all, too. That's how I be feeling. All that shit got to happen for a reason.

Them chain reactions, you know what I'm saying? So let me ask you. Uh-oh. That wasn't a statement. That wasn't it. You was drawing the nigga in. Yeah, let me get you. Let me get you.

That's you in. I got you in. This is from the glasses. This is from the glasses. This is what I did to Joe. But I feel like this is what Joe is doing to you. I feel like Joe feels like

he put you and Ashanti back together. He needs 20% on that baby. Fuck yeah. You didn't hear what he said? No, yeah. So he needs 20% on the baby because he said. 20% on the baby? Because he said.

He said, I'm not negotiating that with you. He said, versus, like, versus, he invited you, correct? Yo. And then she was on Jarusa. Yo. And I ain't going to lie to you, that famous walk, when you walked across that stage. Yo, it was uncomfortable. But you was going for that goal.

No, I was going for it. It's uncomfortable. You was going for that goal. I mean, no, listen. That walk is so legendary when you perform and you see her and you say, I'm going to get mine. I respect that. From the whole time I walked there, and truth to the thing, because I wasn't expecting that. I had somebody with me when I came there.

No, I'm just saying. No, I did. I had somebody with me when I came there just because I wasn't on that. I'm like, I'm here for Joe. My nigga. And then we come and when we get in, we walk down the steps. And I bump into Mama just on the phone and she turned around

and look up at me like she saw a fucking ghost, nigga. It was just, and I just grinned and walked past. And we went in Joe's dressing room, and we was just hanging out. So I guess she gave the word, whatever the case. But I didn't want the intensity. I didn't want it because I'm here celebrating these brothers' music, you know, because I fuck with Ja, I fuck with Joe,

obviously, and they fuck with each other, so you don't want it to be crazy, so I didn't, you know, I was like, man, let me go on over here and break the ice. That's what I asked you. That's what that was? That's what I asked. what that was that's what I

that's what I that's what I cause that walk that walk was serious yeah do you remember I forgot who was in my way I think it was Josh

I had the nerve to be performing like I'm going by move nah I think I bumped it I was like oh fuck

but you saw her rub the back see niggas don't want to slow that down and show the rub on the back They always like Yo you with all those Yeah she

That was I'm going to be honest with you And she would try to act tough She would like Yeah I did that She walked over You know Chris Chris like what you want to do

Babe Chris saying what you want to do he was gonna stop me you know what i mean so she gave she gave a rub on the back man she knew what time it wasn't or no move along no no no no no no we do kind of. Joe was a good. Yeah. Joe was always, you guys got to get back together. Something does not feel right in the order of our business right now.

Nelly, what are you doing? I was like, nah, Joe. He used to always say that. You're my brother. I love you. But you know how I feel about my sister. She's the greatest. You have to get back. Joe, I'm not

with that. It's not going down. I'll call you. So, yeah. That was crazy. I guess so. If that was his plan. Let me just tell you something. If that was the plan for the West Ham.

I put the back together. He can have that credit. He can have that credit because if they fuck up again, I know who to call. I didn't do it like that. Oh, shit. God damn it, Joe. She took a hit. Okay, go ahead. Thanks for the shit. Oh, I didn't do it like that. Oh, shit. God damn it, Joe. She took a hit. Okay, go ahead.

Thanks for the hit. Oh, shit. Oh, I didn't think of that. That was it. The American West with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network, hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores, and brought to you by Velvet Buck. This podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode, I'll be diving into some of the lesser-known histories of the West.

I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian Dr. Randall Williams and 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. The Chronic or All Eyes on Me? The Chronic. The Chronic. Hell yeah, The Chronic. I love Tupac, but All Eyes on Me ain't his best album. Me Against the World is the shit. Yeah.

Me Against the World is... That's a double disc, right? That's a double disc, right? No. All Eyes on Me is the double disc. Oh, All Eyes on Me. Me Against the World is the joint. He dropped when he was in jail.

Yeah. Yeah. Like, no, nigga. It is... Oof. Where was you at when The Chronic dropped? Like, where were you? The Chronic...

High school. I was in high school because the chronic... What was that, 92? Yeah, I was in high school. 92? I was in high school. Depending on what part of 92, I might have been a junior. I might have been a senior.

Right. UGK or OutKast? Drink. I'm in. Drink. Drink. There's no way I can.... Drink. Drink. There's no way I can. No, no way.

Like, because ain't no OutKast probably and ain't no Nelly. That's how much influence UGK got on OutKast and me. Like, Pimp is him. Oh, shit. We got to do. Like, Pimp is him. Oh, shit, we got to do that shit. Pimp is him. What's that? Shit for Bum B. Oh, we can do it. And we're going to do it with... See, I got the burgers and shit. No, I want some burgers, though.

This shit's fire. That's right. Manny Fresh or Swiss Beats? Fresh. Love Swiss. Love Swiss. Manny Fresh made 400 Dats? Fresh. Love Swiss. Love Swiss. Manny Fresh made 400 Degrees. I'm not saying that's Swiss, but again, where I'm from, it's definitely regional. Like, 400 Degrees?

Juvent? Yeah. You see me? I eat, sleep, shit, and talk rap. You see that 98 Mercedes on TV? I bought that. I had some felony charges. I fought that.

They said to no return, but still were brought back. Boy, Chris. You be zealous. Jermaine Dupri up with Timberland. JD. Love Tim, but again, fam. And JD. Sniper. Sniper. love Tim, but again, fam. And JD,

sniper. Jermaine Dupri? Sniper? That's why he a sniper. That's why he's a good sniper. I mean, he was with Janet Jackson, so. That's why he's a great sniper. That's why he good at what he do.

Because everybody, JD, see? He under the radar. On a lot of shit. And I'm only saying that all bullshit aside because of the music. I see the love you always give to J.D. I love that. He a legend. At that time, you know what I'm saying?

Respectfully and outside of current situations, him and Puff do versus. Puff is going to get murdered. Easy. Easy. I'm going to be honest. You got to think about Jermaine Dupri's catalog. I love Jermaine Dupri's catalog.

It's not good because that's what I'm listening to. Wait, you been on the East Coast? No, I wasn't going to. Did you say East Coast? What you mean? What I'm saying is back then, had they done versus. JD. Puff is smart.

He knew he didn't want no parts. He didn't want no parts, JD. He knew that. Puff is smart. Puff ain't. Biggie catalog. Total catalog. Biggie catalog. I mean, you got to go more than that, though. Craig Mack, he. Biggie catalog. Total catalog. Biggie catalog.

I mean, you got to go more than that, though. Craig Mack. Craig Mack. Craig Mack, what? Now, you again, at this time, why you think he wanted to hold versus in New York? J.D. can hold versus anywhere. Puff only wanted to hold versus in New York. Massacre Garden. He only wanted to have itus in New York Massacre Garden

He only wanted to have it in New York But it's the biggest arena in the world He only wanted to have it in New York In the biggest arena in the world In the world? I only wanted to have it in New York I don't think that's the biggest arena in the world No, you said the biggest

Most famous Change your language, brother Whatever you want to take it, go buy it Whatever you want to take it Whatever you want to take it The Madison Cougar is the biggest Basketball platform in the world Entertainment platform You do realize when you're talking about

JD I'm not taking nothing away from JD You're talking about going all the way back to Chris Cross All the way I'm To create Chris Cross To always All the way Clothes backwards I want my clothes backwards

You know what I mean Like so You wear your clothes backwards No you didn't What did he didn't do though Four days Yeah What is it that he didn't do

Nah nah I can't take nothing from JD Shit dancing for Houdini Shit Yeah I gotta give JD All his fucking accolades All his props All his flowers

I got you I cannot take it But you gotta to go back to New York. I understand. No, just because I saw it more. You know what I mean? You got to go home.

I respect it. I respect it. I already told you how we get down. I told you I'm going to be biased for the loop, for all this. I don't feel like

I'm being biased. What I feel like I'm being is more what I saw. Like, I got to see this a little bit more. I told you, everything you see impacts you more than what you heard.

But that's why I said y'all only basing it off of what New York media gave you, what New York radio gave you. You see what I'm saying? And what would be the criteria? Jermaine Dupri actually produced hands-on most of his records. So why are you going there? No, I'm saying? Hold on. Ain't no just produced.

Roll. Like, you know what I'm saying? It's about criteria. Fucking. Since we be having criteria on Dream Taps. No, we talking about you got to have a criteria. Oh, let them fucking battle. I think.

All right, so what? You want Puff to do Wu-Tang records with it? You got to have a criteria. If Method Man is on the record. I mean, if he get a producer credit for the motherfucker, even if you just said that. But see what's going to happen. He can get the producer credit.

He going to get the right credit. And then he probably referenced the fucking song. Because you can lock JD in the room by himself. He will come out with the song. He can perform it. He can make the beat. And he can write it. Smash.

You can lock him in that motherfucker with the song. He can perform it. He can make the beat and he can write it. Smash. You can lock him in that motherfucker with an MP and he will sit right by that motherfucker and do that. Write that bitch melodies. Boom. And then you start sounding like this is my confession.

This man, I thought I could say all that shit. All this stuff. Yeah. So you start hearing about his stories, that this nigga's sniper stories that he put in the record. Other people? That's his story. Now we got to listen to these records carefully now.

That's his story, man. We confess this is Jermaine Dupri's confession. Oh, shit. They're being. I'm just riding along with it Let me get a Lock ourselves in Thank you man

Alright Jesus Alright I'm in for the next one Go get the next one The chronic No we said that one We said that one We said that one

We said that one Mmhmm You got your glasses Nah you can see I can see everything I'm playing my card You can see the future Yeah okay Um Um Wu-Tang or N. can see the future. Okay.

Wu-Tang or N.W.A.? N.W.A. Fuck. Greatest group of all. Who said that? Greatest rap group of all time. Greatest rap group of all time. Eazy-E got the whole group multi-platinum.

Eazy-E is multi-platinum. Ice Cube is multi-platinum. Dr. Dre is multi-platinum. Came backE is Multiplatinum Ice Cube is Multiplatinum Dr. Dre is Multiplatinum Came back Did a whole nother album Like It's like It's like New Edition to me

New Edition is the greatest Group of all time I was listening to New Edition this morning Because Everybody in that bitch Went Multiplatinum Came back together Them niggas went Multiplatinum together

Everybody went their way Went Multiplatinum Came back together Went Multiplatinum. Came back together with Multiplatinum and then separated the gear. Shit. What you talking about? New edition. You got Bobby

Brown. You got BBD. You got BBD. Even Ralph was... Ralph Transbank. Johnny Gill. You had a nigga who didn't even start come in and get some, you know what I mean? Like, boy, baby.

And then the producer nigga, what's the nigga? Mike Bivens. Michael Bivens. He was a part of it. He was a part of BVD. All that shit. Yeah. Man, that's crazy.

Them niggas went ape shit. Oh, right. Like, dead ass. We got Bobby Brown out of that, nigga. Yeah. Cocaine chicken. Hey. That's all he got out of it. Oh, right. Like, there it is. We got Bobby Brown out of that, nigga. Yeah. Cocaine chicken. Hey. That's all he got out of it.

I love that shit. I've never done cocaine before, but if I'm going to do it, I'm going to do cocaine chicken. He was adding the cocaine in the chicken? What are you talking about? Life's changing. You know, I said it earlier. The nigga, he has so much coke in his house. He did it by accident.

Let's just. He did it by accident. He didn't. He thought it was flour. So he. So he did it by accident. He didn't. He thought it was flour. So he. So he dipped it. Yeah. He dipped his shit.

Right. This is in his book. I'm not making this up. This is in his book. And every time I see him, I'm like, tell me about the cocaine and chicken. Nigga. And he tells me the story. He doesn't give a fuck.

But did he eat it? Did he say he ate it? I've never asked that question. That's probably how he knew it was cocaine. That's right. I knew it was. That's right. I knew cooking it is enough. Nigga, the smell in that house at that time, you know, he had, I mean, yeah, like, what's that smell? I don't know.

Pharrell or yay. P for real. Again, Pharrell. Again, family. Love Ye, Midwest. You know, love Ye's artistry. Let's say that shit. You know what I'm saying? I don't know what my nigga be on sometimes.

Like, man, you got to help yourself at some point. You just got your money back. You going to go ham again Damn Like you wanna edit that Knock yourself out I'm just saying But good lord You know you just be watching like

We love you but sheesh I don't know go ahead Go for it You wanna take a shot I'll take a shot Yeah, but sheesh. I don't know. Go ahead. Go for it. You want to take a shot? I'll take a shot. No, no, no, no. You want to take a shot?

And fuck it. Let's just do it. Let's just do it. Because you know why? Got it. Why is that? Salud. Cheers.

What the fuck? Is that tea or something? You can try some. Let's definitely try it. Listen, you my friend. They make that. It's called Mama Juana. What? It's called Mama Juana. They make that in that. It's called Mama Juana. What?

It's called Mama Juana. They make that in a tub in Kindle. This is a story. He makes up the story. I make up the story. I let him do it. People with dirty feet. Well, nigga, you just told me cocaine and chicken, fried chicken.

I'm like, what the hell? That was not a true story. No, I know. That's why I'm believing you. I shouldn't have. No, you can't come back to them stories. You're correct. You could have told me anything. Analog or digital?

To do what? Nigga, I am computer illiterate. I don't know. So he's analog. My son right now, nigga, he been hooking up the electronics in the house since he was 12. That's it. Once I realized he knew what the fuck He was doing that was a wrap

Sounds like we taking a shot Man that boy was 9 years old And can hook up the video game In every TV in the house That was it I don't know what the fuck do analog do Nigga that's how hot the hair was created I mean I know of the fuck do analog do? Analog Nigga, that's how hot The hair was created

I mean, I know of it But I'm saying You saying analog or like Like, you know, recording on tape Versus recording digitally on computer Why you ain't say that? Real, you talking about Real to real?

Yeah, exactly That's analog Yo, what do you prefer? You so far away from That's like the glory I remember, man You the new reality, man. You different. You different, man.

You different, man. Technical terms and shit. You wearing gloves and stuff. You pop up. He like... No, no, no. But it's what we recorded on. No, I got you.

Real to real, digital. or dat to ADAT. The dat analog is what it is. Okay, shit. Well, ADAT, not, well, it gets taken. Yeah, ADAT. Because real to real was too much. If you go ADAT, you go real. The small dats were digital.

No, real to real was before that. Real to real, then you had the dats with the big VCH tapes. The VCR tape tapes. No, real to real was before that. Real to real. Then you had the dads with the big VCH tapes. The VCR tapes. And then you had the little dads. And the little dads were digital. That was when we went digital. Oh, okay. See?

Nigga, all right. I didn't know that. Say that like that. You like recording on up. Do you like the Sarah? So fuck that real to real. Yeah. All right.

So I'm going to ask this back then we'll get back to the interview. Okay, loyalty or respect? I think if you give me your loyalty, then you respect me. Because you ain't going to give your loyalty to a motherfucker who you don't respect. You know what I'm saying? Like, who would do that?

So it's gotta be... It's gotta be loyalty. You see what I'm saying? Because I can say I respect you, but not be loyal to you. But I can't be loyal to you if I don't respect you. So, it'll...

Nah, I'm just saying, it's just logic. You know, you didn't know that? Analog or dat Nigga Nigga ain't say digital He didn't say dat No my bad He didn't say cassette tape

Or CD What we doing I said loyalty Yeah I know It was so beautiful Fuck it It was so beautiful I gotta take a shot with you

Yo you get that Tell my wife on you, Nort. I felt like y'all was going to jump me earlier. You texted me and said, I'm going to call you with my wife. I was mad nervous. Oh, no. I was on the phone. I was on the phone and

what the fuck was she doing? I was like, damn, two entertainers. Oh, no. I had to save my son. She was trying to put some shit on him and take pictures. What? She was, you know, she was dressing him up. This nigga is the only nigga that never leaves.

He changes clothes to change rooms. He never leaves out. Like, I ain't never seen more fucking. Yeah, I've never seen him change clothes. Like, he got on another outfit. What happened? It's like, it's noon. It's noon. No, she's dope seen him change clothes. Like, he got on another outfit. What happened? It's like, it's noon. It's noon.

No, she's dope as fuck, man. It's noon. She's a great mother, man. She's a great goddamn mother, but it's just like, damn, bro. I feel funk. When he get older, he going to be like, damn, come on. He might be like, it's new. Better you than me, nigga.

How is it being the father? Is this your first time being the father? No, that's all you're talking about. No more shots. In the century. No, of course. You ain't let me finish. No, listen.

I'm looking at the bigger right there. Century was an exaggeration. Okay, you know what I mean. Like, being a new father. At this age. How old is the kid? Because your son is going to wear tight jeans. No, no, wait.

I don't know what you're talking about. Your son right now? The new one? We talking about the new one? How old is he? He's six months. Oh, six months. Okay, okay.

He's going to have meta glasses. That's the months. Okay, okay. He's going to have meta glasses. That's the scary part of being a father of a young kid. It is. I mean, it's possible. It's very possible. But, I mean, you know, again, you get to this age, you done had children before. It's a little different. Like, my daughter was first.

So, when she would cry in the middle of the night, you know, you pop up. And then she also your daughter. So, you know, as a dad, it's extra. More, right. It's extra. You're like, why is she crying? You get up in the middle of the night. By the time my son was born,

that nigga be yelling through the night. I'm like, yo. He was like, you good, you good. That nigga got to learn. You know what I'm saying? That nigga got to learn. Everybody ain't going to just be running to you as a man in America. I'm teaching them now, you know what I'm saying? They got to learn. Everybody ain't going to just be running to you as a man in America.

I'm teaching them now, you know? You know, because your girls, when you a father, it's just a little different, you know? I feel like they all can come home, and I fucked up because I told my daughter, yeah, baby, don't worry about it. You can always come home. You always got a room.

My son, he can come home, but he get the couch. Eventually he got to get the fuck out. He got to. He a man. You got to go. You can always come home and sometimes it may not shit. When shit don't work out, I ain't knocking that because you got to get back up on your feet. You know what I'm saying? But just know, nigga, this is

temporary. You know what I mean? You going to get out here? You going to work? You going to do something? You ain't going to lay up on me? No, not as a man. And then I said some shit like that to my daughter as far as, you know, baby, come home and let's just say she's always daddy's girl.

Oh. Yeah. One, two, three. Oh. But she won't lean. That was the point you made. That was the point you made. No.

She won't lean. She took it literally. And I can't, I can't, yeah. I can't do nothing. Nah, she don't stay with me like that. That's my baby. Better know, she still thinks she's daddy's little girl. There she is.

That's a good thing, man. Nah, it's a great thing. It's a great fucking thing. It's a great fucking thing. That you could do that. That's a great fucking thing, bro. That's what you went for, right? Yeah, that's my cat, though.

So, it leads me to my cat though So It leads me to My next question Is going to be very awkward After the fuck we just said Because I'm with you But I also got to ask you About Tipitrail Yeah

What about it? Credit card Shit famous In the ass It wasn't my idea You do know that though It was the ladies. No, it was the ladies.

No, it was... What was that? White chocolate? I think it was something like that. Or the dancers. The chips? Yeah, because we was running out of ones.

And I said, all I got is my card. I said, I'm going to swipe it. She said, go for it. No, you're going too fast. She probably charged you, too. Okay, tell them all. Yeah.

Because, first off, was BET uncut? It was already out. It was already out. Yeah. Okay. It was already out. And at that time, like I told you, you know, we was making all kinds of music.

We make music for everybody. So I was like, fuck it. I'm watching this show. I want to make a video for this shit. You know what I mean? Again, shout out to Miami. Shout out to Miami. Uncle Luke, you know what I'm saying?

Oh, shit. You know what? I'm going to shut up, Bob. He threw one of the most famous Uncle Luke parties in St. Louis ever to be recorded. Luke did a Luke party in St. Louis? Well, he did a beach party, a fake beach party in St. Louis. You know, we ain't got no goddamn beaches or no shit. Right. But

somehow these niggas brought in trucks of sand all kind of and did some shit. They made a beach in his mouth? Niggas made a beach right there, right on the riverfront too, right? Not too far from where the casino at in the Four Seasons. But he brought Luke and Luke brought Miami.

He brought the ladies. Thank God for Luke. God bless Luke, man. So this is where the swipe happened? Nope. Oh. This is where I would probably say my wanting to put my own video on BET. Your version of that.

Because Luka's doing the peep show. Well, no, hold up. Before that, I said that to say when I was like, damn, you could do this in music. This is like awesome. You know? You can have this type. I'm trying my best, my nigga, because I do not want my nieces and my nephews to see it. The adult version of this shit.

So, but no, I'm talking about when he did his party and he showed Luke live up close and in person and it wasn't on TV. Like I told you again, the shit that you actually see has more of an influence on you than some shit that you might see on TV. So the concert was live in that motherfucking person. And it's hella live. It looked different, nigga.

Talk about HD, it just looked different. I was like... It is different. I'm going to make some videos like this. Like, this shit going to be... Tip Drill tomorrow.

Yeah. But it eventually led up to tip drill because it was like Uncle Luke and them from 58 and all that shit, Pop That Coochie and all that. And it was running. I was just saying their influence on me even wanting to do it at a certain point because I'm always like,

yo, I want to make one of those type of videos. But at that time, Universal was like, you going to fuck up yet? You know, it just was what it was. And then BET came out with Uncut. Which is crazy that they did that. That's the discrepancy that people are having. Did you make that for BET or was BET already created?

No, we was doing Dirty Versions, the remix album. Okay. Well, we remixed a lot of the songs. And that was one of the songs. Tip Drill was the remix to E.I. And we was like, yo, fuck it, because Universal wasn't going to shoot no videos. We hadn't planned on shooting no videos for the remix. Right. And I think we might have shot Tip Drill with our own fucking money or

some shit, if I'm not mistaken. But when I saw that BET uncut, I was like, well, fuck it. Let's do a video for this. Because we're going back and forth. They don't want to shoot no video. So let's do something like this. This won't be expensive.

Because video budgets back then, niggas was eating. You didn't even have to do nothing but just bring niggas water and you might leave with $2,000 a day. So, but that's how that came about as far as Tib's Real. I wanted to do the remix to E.I. and

Benny Boom? Was that Benny? Can you Google it, Haz? Was that Benny Boom? Who shot that? But the swipe of the card was Was that Benny? Can you Google it, Haz? Was that Benny Boom? Yeah. Who shot that? Yeah. But the swipe of the card was always credited to the...

But it wasn't my idea. It was the girl's idea. It was the girl's idea. She ran out of the money. Because we ran out of wands for a split second, and then we had to call up over there at Magic City, and they brought... Oh, y'all were in Atlanta?

Yeah, we was in Atlanta. We was in Atlanta at, what was that, what was old boy's name? Ray Buchanan. The nigga used to play for the Falcons. His wife wanted us to shoot a deal. She's a legend. She's a legend.

She's a legend. I ain't lying. It wasn't his idea. His old lady was like, oh, you ain't gonna use the house. I don't know who had that connection. But old lady was like, oh, you can use the house. I don't know who had that connection. But I was just like, yo, what's your wife going to say? She was like, she's the reason y'all shooting it. I said, no shit.

I love this shit. I love this shit, man. All right. All right. So, E-I, E.I., uh-oh. Remix. Tip Drill. That was the remix?

Tip Drill was the remix. Yeah. But E.I. was the first one. Yeah. That was on Country Grammar. What's the first record we came out with? Country Grammar. Country Grammar.

Yeah. Let's talk about that. The album? No, talk about the song. The single? It actually came out in like 98, locally. Okay. Locally.

Then that's what kind of got us, you know, the deal, so to speak. Because 618, who used to DJ at the club, I was telling you about that Bob's family owned in Illinois, East St. Louis, the Beano. We used to take records over there and he would break them after we did Gimme What You Got. So it was actually out early

and then got us noticed. Then Universal, I re-recutted it. I re-recutted it with Universal Records. I like you re-recutted it. And we put it back out again. But Universal never really liked Country Grammar. They just thought it was a cool record regional. But they never really liked the record.

They didn't want to go with it first. I had to fucking kick and scream. We talking about the same Universal that signed To Lil Wayne, Drake Yo, yo So, even with that If it wasn't for cash money We might not even got signed to Universal Why would you say that?

Even when I was coming up there to penalty Nigga, my four demo records Was Country Grammar, E.I., Ride With Me, and Batter Up All four singles off of Country Grammar Those EI, Ride With Me, and Batter Up. All four singles off of Country Grammar. Those were my demo records. You know, you sitting in somebody's office, those are the records you playing.

The four records off of the album. And they're not identified. Now, about 12 labels was like, God damn. You know, I was trying to sign the penalty. I feel you, my nigga. I thought I was going to get signed the penalty. No, because I seen it.

Go ahead. What can I do? No, but I thought I was going to get signed the penalty. Yeah. I always touch it. But it never, you know, it never happened like that. So then we kind of was just shopping the shit. Like, Lior, Lior said, I don't know what to do with that.

Scarface. He had just had Scarface. You're not just meaning the Repentee records. No, we mean everybody. We went through, you know, New York got all the record labels. And it's Kuda Love walking you through these meetings? Some Kuda Love, some, we had a bunch of people that was working in our favor, so to speak. Even Trel, who played a large role the homie trail played a large role in

um uh us being signed and being successful and even hooking up with cuda he actually is the one that gave cuda the tape trail i met trail in cancun of 98 remember when everybody used to go to cancun and shit back in the day for spring break and all of that and i went went down there in 98, but I went down there to sell T-shirts and shit, nigga. I was hustling. They just came back. I'm managing them and say, yo, nigga, we just left Cancun. This was like 97. He was like, y'all, you got to come, nigga.

You know, I'm back home. I'm a hustler. I'm trying to see what's going to come of it. I just wasn't back then just into taking trips, nigga, just to have fun. Like, so,

you know, when you a block beater, you a block beater, period. And to lead that block, got to make sense. Like, damn sure not to be going to no beach,

nigga. I wasn't cultured. Like, I didn't lead the loop. You know what I'm saying? Like, I wasn't cultured. I don't know,

like, just the way to have fun. I fun was playing some space, some dominoes, some shit, eating, and going to his terrorist club. But Trail, I actually met Trail the night he said we were staying in the same hotel. And like I said, again, for it to make sense, I had to figure out something. So I brought a whole bunch of T-shirts down to Cancun because love and them had just came back and said, yeah, you got to come, man. It's cracking. They got these clubs. They blow the mist and shit

out the ceiling. It's wild. And they had this, what happens in Cancun stays in Cancun. They got a saying. Before Vegas started. That shit was down in Cancun. That shit came out of Cancun. What happens in Cancun stays in Cancun. And that's where I met Trellis. He was staying in the same hotel, and I had these T-shirts.

And the nigga bought, like, two T-shirts, like, full price, too. I ain't even had to, you know, I had to take 15, so I started at 30. What? And nigga bought two for 30, two at 30 apiece. I was like, nigga, throw them extra. You know, man, he was cool as fuck. Come to find out, when we left that came back to st louis this nigga was in um my manager's basement somehow he had met my manager's um

wife's sister wow come down this nigga's in the basement i'm like yo he like yo he was like yo i heard you got a rap group this is your your manager. And Trail knew damn near everybody. So Trail had our demo CD, too. He passed it, I think, to the Rough Riders. He passed it to a lot of people. So it's documented. It's a few people that was like, yeah. What's the name that had it?

Dame? Dame Dash? Yeah, Dame. Dame had it. Because Dame actually said something he said yeah they asked him is one thing you great say yeah i should have signed nelly he said he said after looking at it i i should have signed he said but it was it came from trail and if you know trail you know trail always he's a good dude, but he always coming to you. With something. With something. You know, he's boom, boom, boom.

So you don't know. And it just happened that at that time, Trill was passing out them country grammar CDs. And Dane was a little hesitant on that shit. There's a lot of people that passed up. Shit, JD, my brother, he passed. JD, motherfucking. You didn't have your clothes on backwards? Nah. You stuck on that

Nah Nah At that time But wait wait And I might have missed it You know he had the braids and shit This is that This is that JD

You guys might have missed it But you said Passing out Country Grammar CDs So the demo was the album already? My four songs Yeah My four songs was Country Grammar

E.I. Ride With Me And Batter Up Wow All the four singles off of there. That's crazy. We put some other shit around it. So nobody could say a label made those records with you?

Like A&R didn't do those records for you? No, ain't nobody. That's you, guys. Fuck yeah. Yeah. Hell yeah. That shit wouldn't have sounded like that. You could tell when a motherfucking label started getting into an artist project. If you know enough,

you can tell because you still got to be versatile. Versatility is the key. That's why I give Jay all his credit because when you can stay around Dr. Dre, Dr. Dre ain't having it. Dr. Dre ain't coming out unless he got him a young hot nigga.

Ever. If you take his history, he had Eazy, he had Snoop young hot nigga. Ever. If you take his history, he had Eazy, he had Snoop. Eminem. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Kendrick. Yeah, you know, and every time he do that,

he makes a historic project almost to a certain degree. You know what I mean? So he knows that hip hop is for the youth by the youth. You know, so they will always have the large majority of controlling it. He knows that hip hop is for the youth by the youth. They will always have the large majority of controlling it. The problem is now hip hop then got old.

Just like when anything gets old, their opinions get stronger. 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 Rinella. I'll correct my kids now and then where they'll say when cave people were here and I'll say it seems like the ice age people that were here didn't have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand

how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to The American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You know what I mean? Because when we was young, we had no opinions. Nope. You ain't give a fuck about nothing at 25. I don't know. You got no opinion about that shit. Like, I'm just saying, like, older people got opinions.

Well, I don't think that's right. That's why they talk like that. You don't say that shit. That's funny. Sonny's like that all the time. Yeah. Well, I don't think that's right. Because you done been through enough shit to where you're judging that from something.

When you're young, you be like, I don't know why them niggas tripping. Fuck them. I don't care. So, you know, that's why you gotta let the kids do what they do. I just hate all these old niggas shitting on the babies.

Why is y'all shitting on them, man? Motherfuckers. You say goat legend legend all that shit now they weren't saying that shit when country grandma dropped so i know what it feel like when right right he felt that way too when you're the one that people are saying you're fucking up music because they said that to me oh he's fucking up in hip-hop that's not bumblebee what the fuck and you know what i'm saying like and when you're that person it don't feel like legend go inspirational you don't you don't feel like that you don't feel like that at all you feel like why y'all fucking with me

so change the station nigga nigga. Turn it off. Right. Like, you ain't doing it against them. You're just doing you. Exactly. But that's how we sound to some of these babies. You know what I mean? So I'm just inquiring.

Try to understand a little more from the older hip-hop generation. Try to understand what it was like then when could nobody tell us shit i had a person told me yo don't put that song out you're talking about a drive-by i said nigga this shit hard i said yo you mixing a nursery rhyme with a drive-by you're gonna have little kids singing about a drive-by at that that time, I gave not too fuck this old nigga. He trying to fuck up my shit. Oh, he hating. That's the only

thing that's going through my mind. He was right. I still didn't give a fuck. You know what I'm saying? Because I was young and thugging. What? What? What? What? What? Oh? What? What? What? Oh, no.

Yeah. That's how you was feeling. You couldn't tell your shit. No way. Oh, no. Swear. I love this shit, man. I love this shit.

But let's talk about grills. You tore a wall. Yo. Changed the game. Yo, Grills actually came on. We were putting more records on to Sweatsuit. We were combining Sweatsuit. One from Sweat, one from Suit.

Combining the album, throwing some more songs on it. You know how they get to doing that shit. Wish I, just knowing what I knew now, definitely should have been making motherfuckers pay for more when the labels would make us do that type of shit and we weren't up on it.

But when you look at those extra songs that now, digital. No, like when you merge an album, when you merge two albums, because in order for qualify for an album it just has to be like nine songs but you're giving eight well i know could be could be i think they keep changing it because they might not be changing it you could be right but it's somewhere along that lines right so but what i'm saying is when you look at, we was putting 15, 16, 20 songs.

And if you look at now, what I'm saying, now with the spins and the streaming shit that you can get, oh, my God. Motherfuckers, yeah, we gave a lot of shit away. We gave a lot of shit away. We fucked up. But grills came about because we was putting some more shit on there. And I went down to Atlanta. And this is when I understood JD's philosophy on how he was making hits.

I didn't understand this shit. So I went down. We got down there probably like Tuesday. We went out. And JD went out Tuesday. We didn't do nothing. We went out Wednesday in Atlanta. You know, every day is somewhere.

And we was going out every night. And I'm like, you know, we in the studio. We doing some shit. We fucking around. But I ain't getting what I need. And JD was like, fuck it. Could we be in there? He's like, yo, let's go out.

I said, damn. All right, cool. Where we going? He said, we going to go to Magic City. Fine. You know, you don't need an excuse. I was like, okay. okay i thought he was gonna go to another place all right cool so we go to magic city boom and i'm in there and i forgot what song come on but it was something to the beat that that gave me um the melody for the grills and the concept and I was just in there and I was saying something and I was over in one area and JD was up in another so I came over

that's like yo nigga I got it burnt out we left us we left Magic City went straight to the studio and he started playing that infamous. Dun, dun, dun. Dun, dun, dun, dun. Dun, dun, dun, dun. Dun, dun, dun, dun. And I was like, you know when you hear something over your face. I see me right now.

Yeah. Go ahead, go ahead, nigga. Go ahead, go ahead. So he was like. Now, here's the key. That only came because that was the vibe we just left. That was the vibe that literally just left. I was doing the same shit. You know what I'm saying?

I had told him what I was on, and it's there in the middle of the club. And he went right back to that motherfucker and kept that vibe and was like and I was able to come up with the hook and everything and I actually did two verses. It's a verse on Grills that never been heard. I did

it but I took it off because I wanted the features on there. So we put Paul Wall on there. We had to get Paul Wall on there. Because at that time, him and TV Johnny was killing the game with the grills. And they had the grills. Yeah.

So I called Paul. I said, listen, do you? Don't worry about it. You know how sometimes the motherfuckers, when you do different styles and shit, you kind of like want to say, yo, how you hear me on the record? Because I do that a lot. Because if a motherfucker say, yo, I want Nelly on the record, I don't know which Nelly you talking about. Right. Because I'll go in there and do one Nelly.

You might be looking for another Nelly. So I'm like, yo, which Nelly? Like, how you, just give me a reference of a sound or a melody of how you heard Nelly. Right. But with J.D., I didn't have to do that with both verses. So then when Paul Wall came in, I said, J.D., I said, Paul, I said, you can do whatever you want, but you got to say, what it do, baby. It's the Iceman Paul Wall.

I said, you can say whatever else you want to say after that. I said, that's all I need. That's all I need. Open the line. That's all I need and I'm out of here. I already know what that shit's supposed to sound like. You know what I mean? I might not be able to play it, but I know what the fuck it's supposed to sound like.

And I know why he's the right person for that. So we got Paul on there and actually Murphy Lee album was coming out, but we had Ken Folk album out. And it was originally It was originally going to be Murphy Lee on the record

But It got switched To Gip and Ali Because they had their project out Ken Folk And Murphy didn't get on that record Because they had their project out, Ken Folk. And Murph didn't get on that record. But it was going to be Murph at first because Murph was somebody who was trying to get the pressure folk.

You know what I'm saying? But JD, I thought we was going out every night. JD said, no, nigga, I'm working. He said, y'all partying. He said, I'm standing up on the couch. I'm listening to tempos. I'm watching what motherfuckers got on. I'm watching the dances. JD talking about the strip club.

He talking about every club. Every club. I'm thinking every night we going out. He's studying. He's working. Right. That's why when I came to him with that hop about how I felt and what I want, he was able to duplicate that same feeling as soon as we got back to the studio.

You know what I'm saying? Because he was already on that. And I was like, damn, nigga, I've been kicking it all week. You've been in here working. I thought he was. That's genius. Yeah, he did. I'm just... I'm going to be honest with you, bro.

Yeah. We love you over here. He's being honest with you. He's being honest with you. You ain't drunk all the time. And we love you. And by the way, I'm going to be honest.

It's beautiful having you here with us. And we love you. And by the way, I'm going to be honest. I love you, man. It's beautiful having you here with us. Because a lot of people don't know how hip-hop you are. People just look at your accolades and where you went to. People don't understand the struggle. I've actually seen that. I've actually been a part of that, but fuck all that.

You scaved through this whole shit, and you won. What's it mean? The game? Yes. Yeah, but it's all, it's a fight. You're the first, let me just tell you something. It's a fight. What's it mean? The game? Yes. Yeah. But it's a fight. You're the first.

Let me just tell you something. It's a fight. It's so hard to break through the barriers that you broke through. That's what I'm asking. I appreciate it. Yeah. Yo, well, listen, again, half full, so I'm always grateful. Being able to do what, not just me, myself, but even my little brothers. Like, he produced four or five tracks on Country Grammar.

He rapped on Country Grammar. We named the St. Lunatic album after him, Free City. So, was it hard work? I don't ever want to say that it's hard work, because I know somebody that went through harder shit. Right. You know what I mean? So not to be at a place of being thankful is cool. But when you watch other artists think that they are struggling,

when you're just like, yo, nigga, I was just thrown in the deep end and was told to swim. You know what I mean? Like, I didn't, ain't nobody break Nelly. That's what you got to understand. Ain't nobody break Nelly. My area wasn't hot. You didn't break it.

You were swimming upstream. Tell me somebody. Who ain't been hot? Kanye got a chain from Rockefeller. 50 got stamped by Dr. Dre and them and them.

Nelly got thrown into the pool. Know what I'm saying? Like, if you look at a lot of the shit that's even if it's around my time or whatever,

not discrediting Anything cause these is all Dope ass artists That inspired me in one way or another Get Rich or Die Trying Is one of my favorite albums Of all time Motherfucking Ye you know how I feel about

The Ye I know I gotta make sure I say that The Ye that I know Is gotta make sure I say that the E that I know is this new nigga's tough different yeah he's different he's definitely different but

everything else nigga even my brother Jai he got to be on a song with Hov before he came out you know this shit Drake had Wayne so you're saying you had nobody I had nobody You know, this shit, Drake had Wayne.

So you're saying you had nobody. I had nobody. I had nobody but my city and the niggas that I came to the club with. That's all we had. That's all we had. But hold up, with that being said, though, because you guys have been skidding around the whole, when you went to Harlem and all this, y'all talking insider talk. People watching, they don't know, how did you get to Harlem? How does the connection with

Harlem world happen? Cardan? How does that connect? How does that happen? That all came through Trail. Again, that all came through Trail. Like I said, again, when I met Trail down in Cancun, and he was motherfucking hanging. He was actually down there with Mase and everybody,

I think a whole bad boy or whatever the case he was down there with. And once he came back to St. Louis because he had ran into our manager's wife's sister, they wound up being together. So he got the album, and he was like, yo, this shit is dope. I'm going to try to help. And he brought that shit back up to New York, and he was trying to pass that around to the connects that he knew that's how we got off the topic because we started talking about um who he passed it to and i was like dame dame had it i know he he got it to um i think it was d from rough riders and a few other people for

up here in new york but the shit never spawned it off. But he said, yo, I'm going down to Atlanta. Jermaine Dupri is having a birthday party and I know Mace is going to the party. I'm going to try to get the tape to Mace. So we was like, fuck it, cool. Is your tape to Mace?

Trailhead. So we was like, fuck it, cool. So we drove down to Atlanta in a, at that time, minivan. Staying like kind of right outside. J.D. got this party at the motherfucking, what was that, the art museum? Yep. He had a party at one of the art museums down there, motherfucker. This the time all limos, niggas rode in limos and shit. I like limos.

You like limos? I like limo era. But they had like motherfucking aisles and blocks of fucking limos just parked outside. And we was parked down the street a little bit in the minivan. They probably thought we were rob niggas. That's how shady we was looking, nigga. Compared to what was going into the party. Everybody was dressed up.

So we outside the party. Trail took dressed up. So we outside the party. Trail took our manager, T-Love, in. We standing outside. We waiting. Slow down, nigga with the mask. He run up to the door, just on some fuck it, and talking to the boy. He say, yo, could you tell our manager that we out here?

We just looking to who and who. And dude said, okay, what's your manager's name? Who is you? He was like, yo, we St. Lunatics. He's up for Tony Davis. The nigga goes down the list of the shit and said, oh, y'all on here. Oh, shit. He said, what?

He said, yeah, y'all on the list. Man, that nigga ran back over there to where we was. They said, yo, nigga, we on the list. We get in. Nigga, we shot the motherf over there to where we was. They said, yo, nigga, we on the list. We can get in. Nigga, we shot the motherfucking car. Like, so we going into a JD party. Now, mind you. You don't know JD at the time?

No, not like that. We know Bob. Okay. We know Bob. We know Bob. We know Bob. We know Big Bob. All right, Bob.

We watching you, bro. Bob was the motherfucking man. We watching Bob. We got all these stories right now. Low key. Low key. He got some stories too So we He was like fuck it

So we go in there Now mind you nigga I'm literally Still Representing where I live In St. Louis I'll just say that You know what I mean

So my attire Is reputable Of cars Upon which my street. Like a crib? He's trying to skate it and you're like, walk it off. Do you mean this? So everything I got on, I got on a St. Louis blues, dirty. I got on the big blue and gold.

I got on some motherfucking blue. Then they're like blue dickie shorts. I bought this motherfucking pants. We like fucking, we going to the party. Now, mind you, nigga, we sticking out like a toe thumb. There's no way you don't see us. Everybody in this motherfucker is fly as fuck. Nigga, Elton John in this bitch, motherfucker.

Elton John in this motherfucker. All kind of motherfuckers is in this shit, right? So the way the party is set up, when you go up these steps to the VIP area, you got this party right here so everybody can see you. So we walking up these motherfuckers and you can tell everybody like, who the fuck is these niggas? Why is

they in the party? Look at what we got on. We like, ugh. So we following Trell and Love and they take us over to the section where Mase was at and Trell was like, yo, the group out from the section where Mace was at. And Trell was like, yo, the group out from St. Louis I was talking about, you know what I'm saying? And Mace said, give the tape to Cuda.

Give the tape to Cuda. That sounds instrumental. So, yeah, very is. Because, you know, if Mase would have had it, you know, he would have had it. He never heard it. He never listened to it. Kuda got the tape. Kuda, he said, good, man, good B.

You know what I'm saying? Trey was like, yo, son, you know, he bigged us up. And as soon as Kuda got to the thing, you know what I'm saying? You good, brother? You all right? What is that? You not good, B? Go ahead.

Come on. You all right? Hold on. I'm all right. Y'all just foul, soft people. Go ahead. Go ahead. No, he said give the tape to Kuda.

I don't even know where the fuck I was at, if I don't want you. You gave the tape to Kuda. I don't even know where the fuck I was at, fucker. What's your name? He gave the tape to Kuda. I said, everybody, give the tape to Kuda. So gave the tape to Kuda. Kuda left the party, jumped in whatever fuck he was in and played it. The nigga called us about an hour and was like, yo, I'm fucking with it. Can y'all get up to New York?

And I got a studio. Come up, hang out. Let's just knock out some records and see what come from it. So we was like, yeah, cool. Made our way up to New York. He had a studio. I think it was in Jersey. Was that shit in Jersey?

He had a studio in Jersey. Nigga, we thought we was in New York. It makes sense. You couldn't have told us nothing. No, I'm just saying. Well, yes and no. I'm not going to say that. I'm out of that.

That's y'all politics. For down south people, it does blend in. No, but I'm saying it felt like it because we didn't know the difference. You know, when niggas ain't never really left where they left from, you just know it. Boom. So we did the studio. We stayed for about two days. We stayed,

actually stayed in the studio. Then we slept on the floor. We just recorded some records for him at that time as the group. And he took them shits. He was shopping them.

He probably shopped them for like what, a couple months maybe? Couple months. And then he was like, yo, I don't know about the group, but I think

if Nelly, I said, I think I can get Nelly a deal. Because you guys were presented as a group first. Always, always. I wasn't doing solo records at all like that. But at that time, y'all was shopping as a group? Yeah. St. Lunatics. As a group, St. Lunatics.

Okay. And he tried to shop it as a group, but he was like, yo yo I don't know if I can get the group a deal He said but I think I can get Nelly a deal Then he can put the group on And who was this guy again? Kuda Kuda Scooby to the game

Now I know my duty When Mase was like I think he was managing Kuda And he got that famous line in the record Kuda Scooby to my game Okay cool So we like

We think Kuda the man Any nigga get a shout out in the record Especially a hit record. Yes. So we followed up with him on some other shit and he was like, yo, I think I can get Nelly a deal. But

no, no. I was in the group. So I'm a team player. I play sports. Again, I play sports my whole life. I'm a team player. I was brought up like that. I'm very coachable. So if I got a bad first, I'm a team player Okay It's my act I play sports Again I play sports My whole life I'm a team player I was brought up like that I'm very coachable So if I got a bad first

I'm a bad first If I got a bad ninth I'm a bad ninth Whatever it take to win Whatever the coach told you You was good Whatever it take to win So I was never

A solo artist Because I would We would do records I come in Do my verse And I'm I'm back Beating the block You, and I'm back beating the block.

You know what I'm saying? And then I started working at UPS because I needed some insurance because I just had my daughter, but that's more. So that's how. But it saved me. No, this is what it feels like. It feels like that's the typical industry. How you separate? Right. No. Divide and conquer type of vibe. You know what I'm saying?

You think like that after there's something to divide and conquer for. Right. When you're in the beginning, there's no way you're thinking like that. Because as long as you remain loyal, as long as you do what you're supposed to do, then how can they divide and conquer? Now, they did try to put me out, and I was like, no. They were like, yo, you get on, you can put the group on, whatever, hold on, hold on. And I was like, okay, sound good,

but I need it in the paper. You had it in the paperwork. In the paperwork, it said if I sold this amount of records, St. Lunatics has a group. Automatically get the deal. Automatically. And I think it was only like either $350 or $250. It said.

What's the thing you did? The first day the album came out, they brought me a gold plaque. And the group did have a deal. A group a deal and everybody had a solo deal. They were like a Wu-Tang clan in a sense. And much respect to the Wu because they had a good influence on us too.

So can you explain that to us? So once you went platinum, right? Then you had a deal for all your people. It wasn't even about going platinum. We just had to sell... He didn't have to go platinum. As a total, all I had to sell

was, I think, $350. Love said it was $250, but I think it was $350. Well, $350 is going to be gold if you think about it depending on when it happens. If you up to $350 at that time in two or three months, nigga, you gold easy. That means you're going to be gold eventually.

You already gold because they didn't already re-up and you you done re-shift Right But if I mean you know If you at 350 In fucking two years Then yeah

I guess There's no reason To get a group a deal You know So you baked into Your deal Made sure it was In the writing

To make sure the group Had a deal Made sure it was In the writing And not just I gotta put them On homies You was doing

Your version of the Wu-Tang deal Which had Well I don't know of the Wu-Tang deal. Well, I don't know what the Wu-Tang deal was. But I'm saying, like, you're making sure that everybody was eating. Well, yeah. Well, making sure that the label sticks to giving them an opportunity. Right. Eating, yeah, you got to cook.

Well, it depends. If you cook, you're going to eat. Right, right, right. If you don't cook, you ain't going to eat. You're going to be relying on a normal motherfucker to feed you. But if you can cook, you can eat. So everybody had an opportunity to go out there and cook. The group cooked.

And our whole shit probably would have been different if he would have been out. Because, you know, at that time, whatever song you was on, if you had a feature, that was the next motherfucker to come out. He was actually on Ride With Me. But because he wasn't out when Ride With Me came up, because Ride With Me would have been a launch for him. You see what I'm saying? You want to come over here? It would have been. That nigga don't drink like that.

Nah, I'm just talking shit. Nah, I'm just saying. He don't drink, though. Yeah, come on. We want to share. We want to share. We want to share. Nah, I'm just talking shit. Nah, I'm just saying. You don't drink, though? Yeah, come on. Bring my chair over here. Bring my chair. Bring my chair. Nah.

What was that? Oh, that was me. God, I was fucking up shit. I'm like, no, don't charge me. Nah, nah. Nah, we got it. No, but if he would've been out,

our course would've been different. It wouldn't have been the way that it turned out. would have been different. It wouldn't have been the way that it turned out. Hey, why that nigga get the comfortable chair? I'm older than him. That shit got arms.

You got hydraulics on that shit. Damn. Norah, you played me me That chair was an option Nah Nah we love y'all You gotta line up the chairs When you get here Niggas need options

This shit Nigga ain't no support Nah I'm listening See that My bad I didn't know that I don't know

Yeah You know You gentleman ain't As slick You know what I'm saying I got the same shit he got My bad. I didn't know that. I didn't know. Yeah. You know, you gentlemen ain't as slick. You know what I'm saying? I got the same shit he got. My bad. My bad.

All right. Look at that, homie. Nah, it's good. Tell these niggas, tell these niggas, man. Oh, man, I'm just City, man. City Spud, whatever you want to call him.

No. City Spud, man. Yo, so he would've been after the rivalry. He would've been the first. Because he was fun he would have been after the rivalry he would have been the first he was on the rap he did the rap part

so wait he was on the demo originally no he was on the record yeah he was on the demo no you wasn't on the demo no he wasn't on the demo

I put him on there once we did the album once we did cause we re-recorded everything but he wasn't in yet. You in jail? And this record is fucking number one?

How does that? Nigga, he made money in jail. They charged him to be in jail. Wait a minute. Yeah. I need to hear about this. The jail was charging this nigga to be in there

because he was making too much money. Oh, yes. Yes, sir. Wait, what? Yeah. $10,7 money. Oh, yes. Yes, sir. Wait, what? Yeah, $10,714.38 a year. Damn, he got it. And the cents. Yeah.

Yo. Well, yeah. It was like, so if you're worth more than what the government gives them per year. What? Then they charge you for... Yeah, that nigga paying for it. So instead of the feds paying for it... To not go nowhere.

That's wild. I'm paying for my dress, my shoes, my t-shirts. This nigga out here with band-aids. Yeah. Yo, yo, don't start that shit. I just started trusting this nigga. For a long time, he look over his shoulder like, no, but when this nigga first came home,

he had to be careful. He didn't like quick shit. He didn't like people? I mean, I guess it's movements. When your movements, I don't know. I mean, it's natural. Yeah, you know, niggas join. No, but it's really natural when you didn't do it nine years.

That's what I'm saying. Niggas' movements matter. That shows you not to like people. We on the bus moving. Too loose. Whoa. No, that is loose. You just went like this. That's loose.

I didn't say that. They was walking around and calling each other boob shits. I'm like, what the fuck is this? It's like, man, bitch. I'm like, oh, you niggas trying to die. Call me a bitch? And y'all

calling each other bitches. Yeah, that's right. The American West with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network, hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores, and brought to you by Velvet Buck. This podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode, I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian, Dr. Randall Williams, and bestselling author and meat eater founder, Stephen Ranella. I'll correct my kids now and then where they'll say when cave people

were here. And I'll say, it seems like the Ice Age people that were here didn't have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to The American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So what's the next thing? Because I'm going to be honest with you. I was in Hawaii.

I went, um, what's her name? Sexy Red. That shit came on. You was in a club? I was in a on. You was in a club? No, I was in a pool. I was like, she want to shoot everybody.

I used to want to shoot everybody. Yo. Is that what rap is going to these days? I think that's what she's going to. See, this is the thing. And there's no disrespect to any of our great female artists, period. Because I'm a fan.

Again, I don't judge. I don't judge. You see what I'm saying? And men have taken so much as is warranted, as is justified. Men have taken it for speaking the way that we do about our women in music. Right? Right. So. But when you look at a span of when women have literally controlled the music, controlled the music, the biggest songs. Or definitely, definitely songs of like sex, very much, very much sex off the band very much you sort of saying like um and again they get they can do that it's not an issue but if you look at their stories they're doing it more so because of the business when you

when you think because they're rapping but they're married married. And boom, boom, boom. So in other words, you know, whole music was cool until a real host showed up. Minus the Lauryn Hills, minus the Queen Latifahs. Real whole music was cool until a real one showed up. I don't think a PB's, keep going. You're going to go to the real whole bathroom? No, I'm just saying, like, a real, some real shit.

Yeah. And then a real one showed up, and now everybody like, whoa, where you think it was going? Don't shit on our little sister now because she telling her truth. Y'all open the door for her to tell her truth. So don't shit on us. You know what I mean? Like, nah, don't shit on us. It was cool till a real one showed up. When they say King Von, gangster drill music was cool till a real one showed up. Until motherfuckers started getting shot the fuck up.

So, you know, gangster music is cool until the real ones show up. That's just facts. And Shawty came with that reel on their ass. And either you can say what you want to say about it, but it's there and it's possible because of something that came before it. Right. If you mad at anything that's before you or in your face right now, don't get mad at what's in your face right now. Get mad at how it got there.

Okay. So let's say this right now. Because that's what we advocate as a community because they, you know, should have be like, yo, you know, you get mad on our brothers because they got to do this, they do that. But we say, yo, track the history

and then now you know how we got here. So that has to be a factor in anything you don't like. If it's anything you do not like, don't question the why you don't like it in your face. Question how what you don't like

is there. But now we have an opportunity to shed light on other things. St. Louis. Who right now in St. Louis? Who's doing it right now? You know what? Who's repping St. Louis right now? I mean, everybody that come out to Lou rep to Lou. Because it's a great thing.

But who do y'all see as the next evolution Of MCs coming MCs specifically My son work with all of them right now He can get a whole list Who hot out there You got JR JR is always

JR is A St. Louis legend He's dope But I'm talking about them babies. Well, Maestro. Slow there. There's a little homie with him there. He fire as fuck.

I don't even use my studio no more I can barely get in there My son produces And he got his crew Them niggas took over man They look over I got a schedule I got a schedule time

In my own shit I got a schedule I got a schedule time In my own shit He produces? Yeah What's your production name? I can't hear you.

Trizzle. Trizzle. Trizzle. Yeah. All right. I told you that nigga had to get out. He better come up

with something. I love him to death. I will pick him up from anywhere. But we going to go find you something to do together. You got to do it right.

You got that right. I'm going to go with you. No, but he dope, man. And I love it because he loves it. Because you don't, you know, just because your kids sometimes

get into what you do, sometimes they might feel like they supposed to. And I never want what I'm doing to make them feel like they shouldn't decide who they want to be.

You know what I mean? Or work for that. Right. Only thing I want them Or work for them. Right. The only thing I want them to do is be good people. I just say, yo, just be a good person. 100%. I don't give a fuck about none of that other shit. I mean, I hope you do something productive.

What's the name? But just be a good person. At the end of the day, just be a good person. And that comes with just knowing, treat everybody with respect. I don't give a fuck how much money they got. Let's talk about pimp juice.

So after the respect, you want to go to pimp juice? Yes, I do. No, yo, pimp juice, that was in the pimpin' era. Did he pop in your collar? He definitely was popping her collar. I mean...

I don't try to pop my collar asking a question. Listen, I didn't understand what kind of situation I was putting myself in with pimp juice. And not from that. I'm talking about a nigga from the pimps. Oh, the pimps? They came at you?

Not like that, but nigga, the pimps? Oh, nigga, not like that, but nigga, the pimps was something, nigga. Nigga, we went to Cleveland. Shout out to Cleveland. Nigga, you know,

you Midwest niggas, you got a bunch of these cities, a lot of other people may not, but when you from the Midwest, you got a lot of favorite cities in the Midwest that everybody may not be like, nigga, that shit poppin' like that. But Cleveland at the time, like Cleveland, all that Cincinnati, the Minnesotas, all that shit, when we was first getting on, nigga, we loved doing shows up and down that motherfucker. You know what I mean? So, because it was rough in New York. First couple of Nelly shows. It was rough.

I got to tell you, nigga, it was rough. I don't know if I want to say shit. You don't want to say nothing, Nori? I'm holding you personally responsible. Because I knew you first. Damn. You were supposed to put the word out. You should have hit me.

Nah, my nigga, we went to Cleveland and all the pimp, because that's why they gave me that pimp juice, the glass. Nigga, we walked in the club. It was after the concert. We was on tour. We walked to the club. You could see all these niggas right here, right? Cool. Our section is here. The way the club is set up,

all the VIPs like this, the club is in the middle. So our VIP, our section was over here. So we come through the door behind. We can see everybody. We go to our section. One song, we see these niggas. We like, oh, yeah, niggas. One song came on.

Them niggas, pow. We like, them niggas right there. Next song came on. Them niggas, pow. Like, closer. We like, another song came on. Them niggas, pow. The third song. We like, another song came on, niggas, pow. Like, the third song, these niggas was in the section.

Nigga, I swear to God, it was like a click. It went, huh. Oh, shit. Them niggas had their whole section over here. Oh, God, they had their whole section over here. And it was like 20 of them with the chalices. And they had brought me my pimp juice cup. 20 of them with the chalices and they had brought me my pimp juice cup.

All the pimps had chalices? Nigga, they are in the club with the chalices. He's studded in everything. Fill him up,

fill him up. Look. Continue, continue. No, I mean, I wasn't going on that good. You couldn't believe it? I had the same experience.

The police came in. I was at the players' ball here in Miami, so I know all this shit, too. Yeah, but let him finish. No, I'm just saying the experience with these brothers is unlike no other. We in the Cali. So you was the pimp of the year?

Nigga, what's the pimp? No. But you got it right. No, I didn't get pimped. I got the player of the year. Oh, player of the year Oh player of the year Yeah Player of the year

Congratulations But you got pimped You got pimped of the year I never got that I never got that I got a dope ass chalice I think it's reserved to Oh you just got a smoker chalice

Damn You shitting on me No No Yeah yeah Okay Nah I never got Never got You shitting on me, Carl. I'm a little one. No. Yeah, yeah. Chill. Okay. Nah, I never got pimp or player of the year, but we, nigga, Don Magic Juan, the brother Don Magic Juan.

Green and yellow. Green and gold. Nigga, we in the studio. I don't know. I hope cuz don't get mad. But we in the motherfucking studio, me, Unc, Snoop, and Don Magic Wine.

We smoking, we smoking, the blunt come to Don Magic Wine. Magic Wine, he snorted through his nose. Oh, shit. Nigga, on God, try to hand that motherfucker to Unc.

Unc said, shit, that's yours, shit. Nigga, on God, tried to hand that motherfucker to Unc. Unc said, shit, that's yours, cuz. Yo, I'm saying, like, we could not believe this motherfucker had hit this blood through his nose and then tried to hand somebody that motherfucker. Unc was like, shit, that's yours, cuz. You keep that? For life. I had never seen no shit like that before in my life. I said, this man J, I mean, I guess the nose knows. The nose knows?

Oh, God. Yeah. You can see it. Yo. man I'm so proud of you thank you champ I really I really like um

we come from alumni uh like you know college people have they shit well we have our own shit Yo We got that society

But you come to find out That you can't fuck with everybody in that society We can't As far as the hip hop But I think the The common ground That you can find with anybody can be a foundation for any type of relationship, you know what I mean? So regardless, regardless of what it is, it's like, yo, if you could find a common ground that

that means that much to you that you're able to be like, okay, you respect that, okay, I respect that. As far as you won't go that far, I won't go that far. Right. You know? But... You my homie, fly. You my homie.

Let me just tell you something. Like, I'm going to be honest, man. I love what you did. I love... Because you know what? I saw... What I saw was determination. And who to love.

He saw the vision. He saw the vision. That's crazy, man. He had to, because I didn't, not like that. I mean, I was just in the group. I was in the group. St. Louis. And I'm going back and forth, me and City, because like I said, again, he was producing a lot of music back then as well as rapping.

So I would go sometimes and sometimes I would take him because we stayed in T-Neck. We stayed in when I used to come up to Penalty Records. He came up to Penalty a couple of times. Let me ask you, not showing up to that a couple times. So let me ask you, not showing up to that video, being locked up, how did that make you feel? I mean, by what?

The video? The Ride With Me video? I mean, by that time, I had so many videos. You was used to that part. I didn't even think about it. No, but this is the one that you featured on, though. Yeah, but I'm focused on what's going on in here. Make the mold. You know what I'm saying?

Yeah. By that time when it was just like, okay, I done made the decision where I have to. Mentally prepare yourself. You got to do that shit. Be where I am. You got to deal with what you're dealing with. Right. I'm going to be where I am.

That's cool. That's dope. That's the outside you're dealing with. Right. I'm going to be where I am. That's cool. That's dope. That's the outside. Yeah, but I have to be where I am. I couldn't believe they were charging that man to be in there, though. That's the craziest shit I ever heard in my life right now. Wait, what was the other one? They were charging him to be in jail.

Like, because he making money. He getting publishing. He getting royalty. It's like you. Like, he get his publishing off Country Grandma. Like, contrary he making money. He getting publishing. He get wrong. It's like you. Like, he get his publishing off country, grandma. Like, contrary to rumor. Like, or whatever the fuck. Come on, come on, come on.

He's getting charged. Can we rewind this? I don't know what the fuck you got to do with me right now. Say that again. So, for all inmates, the government, they get a certain. Is that just the state is that just the state of everywhere it's everywhere there's a federal penitentiary federal gives the state a certain dollar amount per inmate per person that's how they get mattresses they pay for the

pillows the socks the t-shirts the underwear everything. So if you are worth more or as much as what you can get per year for each inmate, then they make you pay it yourself. Wild. But I thought that was your Missouri law. I ain't know that they doing that shit.

So niggas in jail right now in New York paying that? No. No. That's what I'm saying. That's state then. No. But everybody ain't in St. Lunatics.

Everybody ain't. No, I know. But it's some niggas. I mean, without saying some names right now. But it's wild because in third world countries, they make you pay to be in prison. Like, you got to pay for that stuff. That shit, you just. They don't know what they paying?

Shit, that nigga who paying though? Yeah, but then you gotta have the Attorney General in the state that's on that like that. You know what I'm saying? That's wild, man. Mr. Lee just said in English nobody's gonna understand.

On the tour? Let's go. Yo, we get a chance to rock out. Party at tour. Myself, Ja. There's a couple people in there. I'm taking the tics back out with me.

Well, you know, City always been here. Me and majority of the crew. Except for one. Except for one motherfucker. Ali? He will never be anywhere near anything I'm doing. Like,

don't wait till I get drunk to start doing that subject. My bad. Nah, you should have said that. We should have talked about this earlier when I could have composed myself. All right, then I'm going to chill. Nah, it's all good. I'm just talking to myself.

You know why? It's me. Nah, I don't hold that shit in my heart. Let me just say something. Outside of looking in, that's the inside of looking out. I actually witnessed the St. Lunatics as a happy, conglomerate

group. I saw it. Me. I'm not saying I'm the best person to have a vision. What I'm saying is I saw it. And

I loved it and I loved it. I actually loved, you know, I'll tell you a story. Akinori told me one time. Akinori, you know, put it in your mouth. Akinori told me one time, he's like, yo, you know what?

I think I had, I did Atlanta and then I did Milwaukee. And yeah, I did Atlanta and Milwaukee right behind me. Which is the same force. Right? And then, you know, Akilele told me, he said, you know, you are rolling with the same amount of people of Nelly, the same lunatics. But it's only you in the RE.

So he basically told me I was MC Hammer. What the fuck? He basically said, he said, I don't. I got you. And he's like, yo, Nelly's number is 10 million. And I had the same amount of people that I was rolling with me. But that's where we're from. Again, and then go back to when you're young and you're thugging, you're not listening.

You know what I'm saying? And it goes to what I was saying about the older people having a lot more patience with the young ones. Because you got to know what we didn't do. Like, we always like to say, we had OG we listened to. Yeah, and we didn't, and we didn't listen to. And, you know what I'm saying? It's just not like that. But...

But let's just... But with you, but with you having a lot of them people out, you probably had a lot of brothers that was from your area, a lot of brothers you was trying to help. I want to save everyone had a lot of brothers that was from your area, a lot of brothers you was trying to help. I want to save everyone. I tell you, like, well, I can only tell me that. I can only say, man,

you know, you have so many people with you. I mean, I look to you. Because you hoping a lot of them motherfuckers, though, are going to... I want to save everybody. Hold on. Well, not just save everybody, but you hoping there's somebody in there that's looking around that's going to find a lane.

It's not about you carving out a lane for everybody. What happens is that niggas think it's your job to carve them out a lane It's just to help them see more Than they would have saw on their own All you supposed to do is help a motherfucker see more Than what they would have saw on their own It's up to that person If that person ain't got it, they ain't got it

So why should you stake your reputation On a motherfucker who ain't gonna go hard Cause a motherfucker that go hard You ain't gotta stake your reputation on a motherfucker who ain't going to go hard. Because a motherfucker that go hard, you ain't got to stake your reputation on it. He going to go. You know what I'm saying? It's like, nigga, if you know you got to go do dirt, you ain't going to take a nigga who might shoot. You going to take a nigga who you know going to get down.

But how hard is it? Because for me. Are you thinking you know going to get down. But how hard is it? Because for me. Or you thinking they're going to go down. Come to find out some niggas just want you to carve that shit out. You like, damn, you look back like, nigga, you, you, you, yeah. Because for me as a leader, right? Mm-hmm. The hardest job in the world.

Hardest job in the world is to lead. It's really, really. The hardest job in the world is to lead on any level. Just know that. I'll put it a little bit. Hardest job is to lead with good intentions. Because if you lead with good intentions,

you're going to be critiqued. Well, those are your blessings. You can lead with bad intentions. Okay. But you're the you're the one with the most initiative. You're the one with the most drive. You see what I'm saying? Because you can have bad intentions. They do it all the time. Cults.

Motherfucker follow a cult off the side of a motherfucking mountain. You see what I'm saying? Like, give you that money. That motherfucker make you dress a certain way. Have a sex with your wife and your daughters. Like, a motherfucker can mentally fuck your head up to where you truly are believing in this person and you are allowing things that you know, on the other hand, are truly immoral to what you should believe or how you do.

But he got you so fucked up up you believe this is the right thing to do you can't tell me that's crazy you know what i mean so being a leader it's still hard for that cult leader that still up at night worried about how you gonna keep control or how he worried about an uprising at any moment he's working that harder you know like the devil the devil work harder than god harder he up all night he worked. You know, like the devil. The devil work harder than God. Harder. He up all night. He work harder than God. He fuck with the devil. He gotta change a motherfucking mind. A little

bit. Take a picture. You know what I mean? You're a granddad. Oh, get you some water. Get you some water, folks. We're about to take a great picture right now. Get. Get you some water. Get you some water, folks. We're about to take a great picture right now. Get this old man some water. Let's take a great picture.

Drink Champs is a Drink Champs LLC production, hosts and executive producers, NORE and DJEFN. Listen to Drink Champs on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts thanks for joining us for another episode of Drink Champs hosted by yours truly DJ EFN and NORE please make sure to follow us on all our socials that's at Drink Champs across all platforms

at TheRealNoriega on IG at Noriega on Twitter mine is at Who's Crazy on IG, at DJ EFN on Twitter. And most importantly, stay up to date with the latest releases, news, and merch by going to drinkchamps.com. This is an iHeart Podcast.