FULL SEND PODCAST - Lil Tjay x Nelk Boys | Ep. 95

Episode Date: July 29, 2023

Presented by Happy Dad Hard Seltzer. Find Happy Dad near you http://happydad.com/find (21+ only). Video is available on http://youtube.com/fullsendpodcast/videos. Follow Nelk Boys on Instagram http://instagram.com/nelkboys. Part of the Shots Podcast Network (shots.com). You can listen to the audio version of this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & anywhere you listen to podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You know, let's me and your boy Polo are actually good friends. We worked out yesterday. We go to the same gym. That's a sad word. He kind of came in, though, and I swear, I think he just sat on one machine and then he just did. Sat there for 10 minutes left. That sounds like what you do. Yeah, that's why we get along, bro.

That's where we go together. Yeah, it's cheating. Yeah. What's this week, like, been for you? Like, post-album drop. I mean, it's been a lot of work. It's been exciting. A lot of work, though.

Yeah. Just like a shit ton of media? Yeah. What's it feel like, though, like after everything that's like you kind of been through the last like two years almost, you haven't dropped in like two years, how good does it feel to drop? Like the album's fire. I appreciate it.

I mean, it feel good. Like, I mean, like the last two years, I've been just trying to figure out, well, really the last year I've been just trying to figure out when I could drop. In the mix of it, I was still trying to get certain things ready and stuff like that, but it's like I feel like I'm at a new phase. Like I said before in a couple of interviews, it's like my last project with my last album, my label, and I get to move on. So I feel like I'm going to have a little bit more creative control and be able to do things how I want to do it a little better. What do you mean by that?

Like, what do you think the difference will be like after you're done with the label? I mean, the label just like to do things like very strategic and then they have input on what they think is good and stuff like that. We have to come to agreements for me to drop. in the situation now. Are you talking more about, like, timing and stuff like that? Yeah. Yeah, about basically, I guess I would drop a little bit more consistently. And, you know.

Saw 8 million streams in one day. Does that, is that, like, a sign of relief for you? And you're like, damn, thank God, like, this is huge success right out of the gate. Yeah, facts, facts. Facts, it is. I, like, I just be putting a lot of time in it. And I kind of, like, I know, like, I know kind of, to be weird sometimes.

So I just, like, I felt like as long as I put my all into the music, you know, whatever it does is what it's supposed to do, you know? Yeah. I saw that you, in this album, you said you talked more about, like, personal stuff. Like you talked about your family and just stuff you hadn't referenced in the past. So it was like a whole different project. And how long were you working on this one? I mean, it's been two years.

So kind of two years, even though in the middle of the two years, the vibe and the aesthetic of the project kind of changed. So, but kind of like two years, I can say. Yeah. Now, the album's fire. You've always had just like, your music's always been like really fire. And like you hit so many different genres. Like you could do the poppy kind of stuff.

Have you always wanted to do like that poppy kind of stuff too? Because you sampled like, didn't you sampled Bieber's song? One less one or was it baby? Yeah. I kind of like, I like, I kind of want to do what, like, I, like, I kind of want to do what, like, I kind of want to do like a little bit of all. And I feel like it might not be highlighted that much, but without people actually saying that it's that,

they still realize it or they still fall into it because I got songs like on the album, like the song with me and Favi called Blah, Blah. I think that's his best, Fabio's best verse he's ever done. Yeah, now that song is awesome. Yeah, the song's crazy. Yeah. The Kid Leroy tracks fire too.

Yeah, so now when I say that, I mean, like, I got songs on the album from Blah, Blah to the kid. Killer Roy's song. Then you go to a song I call on my phone, which is even a little bit more lighter. And, you know, so I feel like that's my goal to just always stay in different pockets and, you know, just try to touch all genres and get as much people to like TJ's music as possible. What does your, like, fan base and audience go more crazy for? Like, the more R&B type shit or, like, the more harder shit?

I feel like this is the way it goes. All right. So normally, like, for a drill, right? record or like a hard record, I feel like it's easier for me to pick it as in what's going to go, but they don't go as far as if I picked the right, like, a singing song, you know? But like, so like a song like, I don't know what blah, blah, a do, but a song like Zoo York or, you know, like certain, certain like drill songs, they like kind of got like a little peak point that I feel like they just don't be passing, you know, and like a singing

song will go further, you know, but it's harder to know which one of those will go all the way, you know? You can never really predict that, though, right? Yeah, I mean, yeah. Well, I just feel like I'm a little bit more accurate with the, with the uptempo songs, you know? With those, like, melodic type beats and, like, the hooks you do, do you just go in those and knock those out? Like, on the spot?

Yeah, sometimes, like, the song, too, grown. It's crazy because I have, like, I say, I don't know why. right there, that line right there, I might have recorded that. I don't know when the hell I recorded that. The first like four or five lines was recorded. I have to double check on the date in the file to see when.

And my engineer, we was like kind of putting the album together on my engineer. It was like, oh, you never finished this. And I'm like, fuck I made this. And what? I finished that shit real quick. I sent it to LaRoy, like last minute, like, are you trying to hop on this, bro? He sent it back the next couple days. a couple of days, it was up.

How many, how many, like, does he do one attempt when you send it to him? He just tries it one time, sends it to, and you were pretty good? I got one version of it. Okay. I got one version of it. And you just listen to and you're like, this works? Yeah, facts. What about Bobby?

Oh, me and Fabi was in a stool. Oh, okay. Fobby wasn't even supposed to hop on that track. I got on the track, like, I was just, for me, like, I was fake, gone on the tracks to a while. Bobby, like, you want me on this one? Like, I didn't give it that one quick for me. Like, we were just cool, and he hopped on that shit. And we had dropped some shit called trauma on YouTube, and we took it down, like,

because we had made blah, blah, the same thing. And we like, nah, it's going to kill blah, blah, blah. Which we wanted to wait a little second to drop blah, blah, so we could left from trauma. But that's how I went. What is the studio session with you and Fabi look like? like bro be bringing me mad energy like i'm kind of like my friends or average like i brookin niggas he from brook and i'm from brooks yeah brookin niggas on average to me be having like more energy like you know like him like being into him or like pop more fun than being in stew like

me like me and like my friends is more like mellow so when i go like around fovi like his crowd his energy everything just brings me up yeah you feel me yeah so does he record like like the grr like does he record that every time or they just like it's there just a spot where like the engineer's like yo it's put into like a grr right there oh no that's just like that's like two seconds grpas or type of it's new ones that he do the new ones that's dope you got to keep them fresh right yeah yeah i do everything i do everything fresh too right but yeah you've been you started like rapping or at least writing when you were what we saw like grade six like you would write like shit for your aunt i saw first grade with your aunt yeah i was

I was to say, like, I would say real, real early, probably way earlier. First grade? Yeah, like first grade when my aunt rang down, little rhymes and stuff like that. Like, what, you remember, like, I don't know so long ago, but, like, you remember anything? Like, what kind of poems are you writing? They got to be cleaner lyrics. You didn't start like that. Yeah, no, I didn't start off, like, while.

And what was the rap about, like, getting my education and the way? Like, like, Pokemon and shit? Try to help me. I'm not Pokemon. I used to, like, Pokemon calls, but I never watched Pokemon. Would you ever go back to, like, the cleaner, like, first, grade type lyrics, education and stuff. Nah.

Nobody want to hear that shit. Nobody want to hear that shit. So then you just continue through school. We saw that you were kind of in and out of trouble. And then I think you were in Juvie. And I read that you started to like, all the other guys that were in there were like, yo, you got to start rapping for us. And like at lunches and dinners, they'd gas you up.

Yeah, something like that for sure. I used to like write all the time in my book and stuff like that and just be off to myself. So, right in and then sometimes, I didn't know, what you got? Let me hear something. Oh, I might tell somebody, oh, look at this, what you're thinking about this? Got my little notebook, rapid to him. They're like, oh, shit, got the old tibble. Run that back, run that back.

I'm here that one one one time. Damn. Go crazy, feeling. Is that when you discovered, like, yo, this could actually be something or did you know before that? Yeah, facts. I, like, I was in, I was, like, I remember, like, before, like, I was leaving jail, like, And everybody was telling me, like, even, like, the COs, everybody, like, yo, you dad going to blow to you, just focus up. You could there blow.

I already had, like, my first song was called Resumet at the end. It got the famous little lawns. I ran it back on mood swings that got up on my bird can. It's working. I wrote that at, like, 15 years old in jail. Damn. The officers are saying you're going to blow them. That's how you know.

You're looking at that, too? Mm-hmm. On the way up. Shit. That looks, the other little saying, they used to be, you know, how that shit goes running? back. Damn, bro. So they broke character.

They're like, fuck, this is fire. Yeah. No, it's not broke character. It's like, for me, we still have that type of vibe. It don't be like that stiff. Yeah. What was it like growing up in the Bronx?

It's crazy. Like, I really like, you see this trench care shit? Like, I feel like a lot of people don't even understand for real, like, how, like, serious it is. It's not, like, this is not a gang. This is, like, necessarily me. And it represents, like,

Anybody could be a trench kid, trench kid with my fans. Like, you know, it's just like, I'm really from the trenches and a lot of people don't understand like us, you know, people that's like, that's like, for example, like when I say like Roaches Project, well, it's like, I know niggas, like, a lot of people that really live with rats and roaches, like, you know, because they're going to just, they're going to get into your crib because where you live at, they're going to make their way in, how clean your shit is. You got food, they're coming. What were some of the toughest things like for you growing up? My mom, like, never, like, wanted me to be sort, right? So, like, I got like, so this is what I mean by, like, on some trench care shit. Like, like, you probably never been through this only. Maybe you have, but I don't know, like, my mom are like, let's say if like somebody disrespect her or she here about a problem or animosity, she addressing shit.

My mom is, yo, who want to fight my son? Oh, T. You, fuck him up? Like, that I was, like, my mom had woke me on my sleep before. Like, yo, this nigger said some crazy shit to be there upstairs. Like, you feel me? It's funny as fuck. That's how, like, my life gave, you know what I mean?

Like, took on Easter, he gave me some bread, go to the thrift shop, go get some, for me. So I got to the point, I don't want that shit. And I don't want no bummy ass shit. So I was going to give me some money. Yeah. Yeah, that's wild. And then so you're kind of growing up like that. You get out, then you drop resume, and then everything changed.

from there, right? Facts. Then I started seeing, like... And where do you drop that on? Like, where, like, which SoundCloud? SoundCloud. So, like, did you have other tracks on SoundCloud yet? Nah, that was my first one.

I had put some shit out, cool. It was my first one with a video. I took it right down. I didn't like it. Did you have followers on SoundCloud or anything? No. You just made the account and dropped it. Made the account, dropped it.

How long did it take to, like, after upload did it take to get traction and go crazy? Let's say the first day. They got like 400 views, then 700,000, maybe you got 2,500 in a week. Next week, 7,000, next week 13, next week 30, next week 50. Like, it just went up like that almost immediately. Damn. Did any other, like, artists or anybody find the track or like? Nah, I just felt like it just went up until, you feel me.

Did it go big in New York specifically? It went big in New York for sure. So we're like, yeah. And the SoundCloud and like anything like, you know. The SoundCloud era was crazy too because like not that it was easier back then, but like do you think that was like a good time for you to be in that era where like because a lot of songs are going viral on SoundCloud, right? Because it was so new. I came out like right like towards the end. Like for example, I remember like when I first came home like might have been like the first two weeks.

I had seen about the kid X, X, X, X, passing away. And at the time, I wasn't in tune to his music or almost anybody on that double Excel class of like 2016, I didn't really know the music because when I was incarcerated, I were only listening to like radio, mainstream history, they would play some country music sometimes. Like, you know, so I ain't really like here like of none of them. Like, take K, for example, I never already heard him until I got out. Like, so when I came out, it was like right, right at the end of SoundCloud.

Okay. Almost, like, of the prom of SoundCloud. Right. So when that, when resume gets traction and it goes crazy, what happens from there? I started getting hitups from labels and stuff like that. My mom didn't know I was a rap at the time. How do they contact you? On Facebook, I had first, I first had Facebook for a little while.

Then it's crazy because one of my homies, his name Wild 3. He made an Instagram for me. He's like, oh, you got to use Instagram. I'm telling us what everybody using. You're still using Facebook. I'm like, what you mean, bro? Facebook valid. Fuck the Instagram.

He's like, I'm going to make you one. He made me Instagram. He's showing me. He's like, look, you already got fan pages. You ain't even got an Instagram. Like, word? Make me Instagram. I probably picked a page up when it had like 30, 40K.

Damn. Just off that one track. Yeah, like you feel me? No, no, no. No, no. Oh, future. Like to when I really started like having the app on my phone. Like, I let me post on this.

So how many record labels do you think you went to or you talked with before you went with Columbia? Six, seven. And what made you decide to go with them? I had a good conversation with somebody that worked at the label. And I felt like he was out of eye. And he believed in me genuinely. And the money was right. How did you like navigate that situation?

Were you by yourself or do you have like anyone who'd you look to for your? like advice or like, so you were young, you were 17? Yeah. That's crazy. Like I said, my mom ain't even really know. Like, my first time my mom even really knew, like, I was a rapper. I'm showing her contract, like. What did she think you were doing?

What did she think I was doing in life? Yeah, if she didn't know you were rapping. Oh, running the streets. Yeah. You got to remember, I put like this, too. Remember, so I was adopted, right? So I got my mom. But I say my aunt sometimes, and then my mom, right?

And, like, my aunt, I leave her, like, super oblivious to, for me, my mom, I'd be looking like, ain't paying no mind. Like, it ain't no reason even talk about it for what. She's gonna look, man, you're rapping what, rap about what? For me, not paying her no mind. So for me, like, when I, by the time I did it, it was kind of like, for me, I damn there didn't even, like, I ain't want to get in the conversation about what I'm doing. Like, you feel like, I already felt like nobody didn't understand me.

You know what? So I'm like, you know what? I'm in here, everybody. And I kind of like, I used to feel like my mom. Yeah, everybody didn't understand me. I just came out of jail. Everybody looking at me, I'm like a bad kid or fuck up. But you know what I got a plan.

I know what I'm going to do. Yeah, that's do what I do for me. Do what I do. What was that initial bag for that, for the first deal? That's 17. seven figures that's fucking crazy at that age 17

for sure you get like you got like an advance right and you went and spent money is that true you went and spent like 20 grand on Jordans for you and your boys

yeah I don't even think you know it's crazy life changed because if I want to spend 20,000 I can do that too fast right now

I'm thinking about just going to a jet I'll have to hit polo see if you want to go half of me going to jet that shit might be like 60,000 we'll go thirds maybe if you want

where are you going To roll out Miami. Oh, shit. We were about to go there. Yeah, for real, though. I want to. And so basically it's easy. I know how to spend some money now.

And I pulled out $20,000, but that didn't even spend the home $20,000. I took everybody get two, three, four pairs shoes because these wasn't, $1,000 shoes weren't attractive at the time because we had nobody with it. It wasn't like the thing. And Jordans, I didn't know how to spend $20,000

on them Jordan's. Yeah. Like, you feel me? We kind of got everything that looked attracted to our eye. Why was your first instinct like, yo, got 20 grand, I got to go take care of everybody?

Because I felt like that was my duty in life. Like, even to the point where, like, after that, I do stuff for people and I realized, like, I ain't, you're wildly you ain't getting nowhere from that.

That shit is just slowing you down. You're trying to do so much for 100 people. And they're not bringing back nothing in the return for it, you feel me? Yeah. And I used to be so frustrated for myself because, like, why does this person have to struggle when I know him for all these years? Like, you got to do it.

Like, you feel me? Get to the point where nobody got to struggle when I used to think. And now that list of who I do it for slimmed up a lot, you know? Yeah. And then what? You're 17. Well, I would have done the same thing I want to throw it out there. You would have balled out?

I would have taken care of all my people. Yeah, what? Bowling. Yeah. And then what? You, like, started just chilling in the city at 17 after that big bag and just were you staying in hotel rooms for like a long-ass time? I've probably, hell yeah, I was a tweak. I probably, I studied in hotel rooms.

I stay in a hotel room and a car. I might stay at a girl crib. I'm fully signed. I'm walking around with two of the brodies all the way until last year, for real for a friend. I'm walking around with one or two brodies, working around all my chains on. Just going crazy. Yeah, for me, and for the first couple months when I was, got signed, I used to just be in a hotel room. Just keep extending hotel rooms.

And for me, when I'm getting cribs and little stuff like that. How much money in smoking fines have you, did you pay in that year? For smoking fines. I remember it was times where we was getting a smoking fine out of like three rooms every day when I was like 17. Do you pay them or you just gas it? Yeah, I would pay it. I was paying too much. Was there any party that was like,

yo, maybe we should just smoke outside and then come in the room after? Nah, it's not as fun smoking outside, though. I don't know. It was like I was real mature. You know what we used to do? I remember I used to have this hotel that they kicked me out there. Let me go back now.

I think it's because I'm older. More star. They knew I was a rapper than. But we used to, bro, take, like, a bucket of water, garbage can. And shit, that shit was back. And kiss it, man. When did you, like, realize, like, hey, maybe I got to change a little bit and I can't stay in hotels every night and keep up with that shit?

It just, like, it's just, like, it's just whack. Because I'm, I'm, I'm, I used to be trying to have people, you'll book this hotel for me, bro, I'm going to give you the cash or you'll cash up you. Like, I'm really, like, you feel me? Yeah, because you can't even book it. Yeah, before I was 17, way before I was 17, I was like a loner. Like, I used to not be home. I won't go home for five months, four months, you know, probably popping out, stuff like that. So now I just got the money.

I'm still trapping. Like, my mom did not think, oh, you're this mainstream kid. Like, it ain't just work like that, you for me. It's like you're just trencherous kid, trench kid, and you just got some bread for me. Hotel room. Like, you're on the road. Like, you bust in the movie, you feel me? That's how that I go.

I was just, so I finally got a spot. And it was, it was lit. And how hard was that once you, like, kind of became more mainstream and, like, you know, a public figure. What was it like, like, going back to the streets and then going back to doing that? What did you learn along that? I mean, while I was kind of, like, lit, like, it wasn't until I left New York. But when I moved, like, when I lived in New York, all the way until I moved,

I would go probably stay in the city. But the only place I chilled or knew where to chill or how to chill was on the block. So you were liable to see me. Walking the same thing like Kay Flock when he was out and other rappers like that really, really like be front of the trenches. Like you liable if you just come over this way between 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., I mean to 2 a.m. You're liable to probably see me on that corner walking up and down the block, you know what I'm saying? So you treat it the same when you go back?

Now? Yeah. Absolutely not. I can't. Yeah. It's like too, too much, you know? Some people that look at me like regular, but the whole, like, you know what I'm saying, kids that was 10 years old now, before it's 15, I'm saying? Like, it's just, like, it's no, like, at first it wouldn't feel like I was famous or lit when I'm in the hood because it was normal there. But now it's same.

Is there anything you miss about that lifestyle? Man, not really. Kind of, but not really. Is it ever, like, is there any ways you can, like, show love? Still, like, go back there, like, give back there? Because I'm sure you obviously want to do that. Like, is that hard? Yeah, it's kind of be hard because I be feeling like a lot of people

be feeling like I own shit. That's true, yeah. Like, so that shit is a conflict of interest. That shit ain't going to work, you know what I'm saying? And, like, looking out for the community is one thing. But then, you know, like, I know, like, I know right now, like when I'm from, it's people that I'd be saying, yo, T.J. Aura, ain't never do this, do that for me, do this.

But the same people that I say something like that are fucking around or be wearing my clothes, like to extent. Like, I like have like, like, let's say like a wardrobe of clothes I wore for the last two months and just send it back to the hood. Yo, get these out. Yo, who do that? I ain't never do it directly, right? But now it's niggas out there that you, for me, that I grew up with too, but I can't maintain it every day. Like, might be wearing my shit. You see that, that niggins don't be doing shit for niggas, man.

That niggie, man, rich, he left us, for me. But I just look at it as to me. don't understand. And damn, bro, I wish you could understand, you for me. No, that's funny, though. There ain't how late about to go. You're on the gram and your boy's just wearing your t-shirt. He's back home.

Yeah. Should you like that? Yeah, that must be tough, right? Yeah. Does that ever, like, does that get annoying? No, annoying. No, I don't really wear too much stuff, like, repeatedly. No, but I mean, like, people thinking that they, like, you owe them shit or something.

I zone them out. Yeah. You know, when people will be talking nonsense, especially something that I just know I'm right about regardless of how you feel about it's not going to change the way I feel about it, I like to zone them out. Yeah. So being in New York,

you want to tell us about your first link with Pop Smoke? First time I ever, like, linked, well, the first time I ever met Pop Smoke, I was barely even a rapper. I was, I had probably, like, 16K on Instagram around there. And I was, like, so still cool. And it was my boy, Jay Guapo. And we was going, he like,

yo, I'm about to meet this DJ, He's like, yo, I'm about to me DJ Juski at this spot. I'm telling him I'm about to me, Juski. I'm lying. And he like, yo, yo, I'm a couple of you. I'm like, I bet. He's like, yo, my man's got the V. He pulls up, his man's driving, his pop smoke.

For me, so now, I believe it was a video from that day. I don't know where it's at. And I was barely a rap, you know what I'm saying? So now, Jake Guapo's rapping out of that. Time go by. Now I got about like 3 million followers. And my boy Guapo, like, yo, remember my mom? my boy out of that day.

Man, he's like, yo, he's a rapper now. Look at his music. His shit doing night. Pop might have had like two, 300,000, um. Followers?

No. Streams? On YouTube on one video. What was a song? Yeah. No, NPR. NPR. Oh, yeah, yeah.

That's exactly what it was. NPR. It might have had like, yeah, like maybe like 150,000, honestly, to be honest. It was like real, real, real. And I'm like, oh, hey, cool, cool, cool. I might have been going to capture and say I was, like, in love with it.

You know, I'm like, I ain't cool, cool, cool. I remember now it might have been like... Wait, are you... So at this point, are you... You're bigger than him? Oh, I got like 3 million followers at the time. And Pop, like, and Pop probably got like 5,000 followers. Damn.

Right? Yeah. So, boom. So now I'm like, okay, okay. Now I go to do this show in, like, upstate New York. And we sneak into the dorm. I say, we're doing crazy shit. We sneak into the doones.

We're in the girls' dooms. I'm with the whole gang. We're in the dooms. We play party in the girls' dorm. We're chilling getting drunk. And we listen into, like, music. And then basically, like, YouTube playing some, like, drill shit, whatever. And the next song, Come on is Pop Smoke.

It was his new song. For me? And that shit, come on. Baby, welcome to the party. And we like, yo, who this? And I'm like, oh, that's the nigger from Ada-da-da-da. And we ran that, welcome to the party back like five times. And they had just dropped.

I call Pop This is crazy because this is like I'm just playing my first time telling this I call Pop ASAP Like yo hit him like yo

Yo yo what's up bro Woo your music fire I tell Guapa He means got some heat You bring him to the stew I link up with Pop He pulls up With one person

The one person he pulls up with Is Favio Forin What? Favi's not even a rapper Wow That's like some superhero movie shit or some shit. The one person he pulls up is

Favio Forin. And we listen in the Welcome to the party. He plays me, Dior, unreleased. I'm like, whoa, this is heat. Yeah. Fada, la. He's like, yo, which we're going to hop? We're going to hop on one? I don't know. I'm not happening on no Dior. I wasn't fucking that up. You feel

me? I just, it was so new of a sound. I didn't really understand it. He did you hop on that? Yeah, facts. Facts. And you actually said you're like, I'm not hopping on it because it was too high. It wasn't like, nah. We needed a new one. I didn't want to fuck up his wave. Damn. And when we made war,

Pop, like, probably didn't even have like 30,000 followers. Was that that night? I don't want to, that's why I kind of skipped it from that night and when we went made war because, no, it wasn't that night. You guys didn't record that night? I don't think we recorded nothing that night.

We recorded like the next time. But that night, I remember when I met Pop, Favi was like kind of like just his, like, friend in the cut, like, entourage. And Favi played me Big Drip. And I'm like, what? I'm like, it's heat. Send me this.

And this was my theme song for the next three months. Was Big Drip? Yes. That was before it was out on anything. Before he was out. Like, when he had a little one, two songs with some other hood rappers. But Big Drip was my shit. I run up to the label show, my whole label.

Like, yo, look, I don't know. Look at this song. Look at this song. Fee me. And then eventually that shit wound up, you know what I'm saying? It sucks that the situation happened with pop because we're supposed to be, you know? Wow. Because we like day ones in this shit, you know?

You guys made some fire tracks. Facts. Most people hate the sound of metal on metal. I mean, I get it. It can make your skin shit. Here at Full Sin, we do what many other companies don't. We product test the living shit out of everything. Metal on metal to us.

That's music to our ears. Get your shoddy tools, boys. Good luck. What happened? So you do War War successful and then you guys just, because I know you did Manikin with him and... Yeah, even like the song, you know the song, she want to fuck with the woo.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, like that, let me take you to the candy shot. All that shit, that shit was recorded with, like, With me and him, originally, for me, anything, for me. How cool and different is that when it's, like, you three from New York? Like, I know you have a good relationship with Polo, but he's from Chicago. So does it mean a lot more when you guys come from the same spot? I mean, it's just the only difference, for real, is that certain things like me and Papa know, like Polo won't know.

I could be like, yo, I don't know, yeah, yeah, that bitch from Wu, such and such. Polo not going to know what I'm talking about. I'm talking about some New York shit, you know. What does that mean? like can you translate that what I just said yeah yeah we're not from New York either

that's why no I but that was like some like fake and general shit but like like I could just be like oh yeah that bitch from Brownsville from me okay I seriously and pop might know

who exactly who I'm talking about because we from New York same area yeah same chick though we can't have that specific conversation for what about like the flows

the flows I mean you pop and Fabby go like it's similar yeah it's definitely more serious similar. We got the same lingo as kind of like, you feel, with Polo. It's like a different, a little different of energy facts. What was, uh, what was Pop like in the, uh, in the studio? Pop, being real. Pop, kind of used to tell me like, like, yo, T, like, I don't even know how this shit, even going crazy T, like, I ain't a rapper T. Like, I'm just putting the sauce.

You heard me, like, pop, like, I swear. then get make a hit and we just be in a stew like this and he'd be like the mic the mic yeah like hit ooh like for me and that shit just you run that shit back like yo everybody jumping taking shots going crazy you feel me he had that same style where like he could do the melodic shit too and the hard shit like just like you right yeah facts but but basically for better words it's like almost effortlessly yeah but is it when you guys were in the studio is like a party Like, would we fit in there or no? Yeah, yeah, facts.

You might have to get a upgrade. Bronx is more laid back, you know? Like, for me, I probably, oh, it's good, y'all. I might go sit down on my phone. Might talk to a little vibe or something. Pop going, yo, take your shot. Yo, get up. You know, turn that up for me.

Everything will be more live. Yeah, I feel like if I was in there and you walked in, you'd like ask me to grab you a water or some shit. Nah, I ain't going to actually have me a water. You be the bartender? Yeah. Put me to work right away. When did you and Polo?

You guys did pop out together. When did you guys like become close? Obviously that track went crazy. That track still slaps anytime you put it on too. When I met Polo, he was just in New York for a label. And we got the same label. And he was just starting. And like somebody linked this up.

Like you'll do some with on Polo. I'm like, yo, I just had heard about him probably like a week before that or two weeks before that. And I'm like, oh, yeah, yeah, feel me? Let's get in this, dude. We made pop out. I really ain't even like that song like that. Like, I didn't hate it, but I didn't see it being what it was. Like, you know, even to this day, I feel like this is like our biggest song, both of us.

You don't like it? And I think we both have a lot of songs that's better than pop out. Yeah. Feel me? But it's our biggest. Yeah. Yeah. But it's our biggest.

I feel like that song hit, like, the call. crowd and shit. Yeah. And like... Facts. Yeah. So, yeah, then I guess we did the video. I mean, we did the song.

And then it was like New Year's and came up and he's in New York. I'm like, what you doing? He's like, nine, just out here. I think he's where his, like, his girl and stuff. And I'm like, yo, pull up to this party. It was this party like two hours away out of the city. He's like, all right. Well, we was in a car.

It's crazy. We never spoke about this after this. We was in a car like 10 of us. in a big body. We drove like two hours to the party, mansion party. We went to Lauren. It was my friend,

my son, Molly, Lauren Hill's son. We in Lauren Hills crib through pop-out video. Went crazy. That's where you did the video? Yeah. Facts.

Fuck. And so you had that success you guys didn't know you were going to have. Did that, at that point, you're like, yeah, we got to just get on more tracks together, like building that relationship? Or are you guys just like boys?

No, like, Now, once that happened, it was like a guaranteed. I didn't, like I said, I didn't expect that. At the time, we probably would do a song and we might do like 100K, 70K views in a day. Pop-out did like a million views in a day. So it was like, oh, shit. A track was huge. And I think I remember my first time hitting like 100K likes on Instagram was taking a picture with Polo.

Really? Yeah. So it was like, yeah, that's what. that's when he to come. Yeah, I mean, I don't want to, like, Polo's, I love Polo, but a lot of people say, like, that song really, like, jump started his career. Yeah, nah, it did.

I ain't going to lie for both of us. That was our first time being in the top 10, for sure. Yo, can I ask you about the chain stuff? Yeah, what about it? I heard that there's a rumor that you still, there's still, the police still have four chains, four Cubans. Yeah, the police got, like, four Cubans and mine. I probably, I didn't even count it,

but I know they got a decent amount. right around four. And how do we expedite the process of getting that back? I mean, if you got people that can help me, I love to help. I mean, I love to know them because I've been trying and they've just been playing with me. They took them out as evidence to my situation, what happened with me. Yeah. But fun fact, I had on like one Cuban and a watch when I got shot.

Everything else was in my hotel safe. Yeah. And I'm like, all right. So if I keep the stuff that I had on. We won't even argue that yet. Let me get this stuff out of the safe. And they ain't give it to me. I don't know why they're doing that.

And they claim that that's like an evidence thing? Yeah, you got like a million dollars in my stuff in possession, but we're figuring it out. Bro, that's fucking wild. That is weird. They're probably all fucking trying them on taking photos or some shit. That's what I'm saying. Like, what if that guy might be borrowing it going out to the club?

Yeah, it's a club in the spot, right? With your shit on. Sweet, but I know. They only play with certain type of people It was crazy in this world, you know Yeah What about the collab with Ice Spice? How did that all come together?

And you bought her a chain, right? What a watch? A watch? 150K Something like that What watch was it? Oh, damn. You look it like

That's a splash. Was it plain Jane? Nah, I don't think so. Oh my God, bro. Well, how do you like make that decision, like, yeah, I'm just going to splash on Ice Spice like this. They call the Splash? Yeah.

I mean, that's a splash, 150K Richard. Oh, that's shame about none. That's right? I live like, you feel me, I live a high life and I feel like it was like some longevity in it. You know, I feel like she was going to be an artist that stick around. For sure. I consider New York City my shit.

You feel me? Welcome to my shit. You know what I mean? That's it. It's freaking little. What was your reaction when you bought it for her? I wasn't even there. That's the real shit.

Oh, damn. That's crazy. It makes it more of a flex, bro. He wasn't there when they gave it to her. Oh, damn. I thought it was a whole. So how'd you get a delivered to her? I had the Julie give it to her.

And you're just like, yo, this is from T.J. Yeah. That's pretty sauce. Yeah, that's crazy. But, yeah, I had met her before, before I got shot, China and stuff like that. And it didn't work out like that. And I kind of like, as she was coming up from before months dropped up,

like we used to have conversations about being strategic with her, like about what she doing and stuff like that. So as she was going up, like, her success was like exciting to me, you know? And gangster who had came out, vobing, you know. And it was her first time going on the charts. And I was like, you know, hmm. You deserve a little. Do you ever think you have like a kind of like an eye for the talent?

Because you talk about Pop Smokehead 5 can the gram starts glabbing with you. People under, bro, one, I was young, right? So I didn't get in the right approach. And I was also like a little bit risky with my money and how I could sign. Like, Favia would tell you like that nigga prior, bro, I digger the sign of me for whatever fuck. I'm like, I'm like, yo, bro, look, I'm going to get you sign. You feel me? I didn't even really like, you feel me?

I ain't processed life like that yet you feel me but I definitely do got a for sure there's way more people that are from the beginning you know you just tell them then you kind of collab with them and then they fucking take off

I posted K Flock he had like 30,000 on the gram and two days later he got 300,000 yeah you just two three days later you post a new story my gram yo you're the litmus in New York

everybody go follow K flock at K flock at K flock at K flock at K flock at K-Flock. Oh, damn. What does he say to you after that? Yo, you know the vibes, my hug, good looking, cool.

Don't me? Damn. That's lit. Yeah. Yeah, nah. Is that just love or like you, like, managing him or like? Okay. I knew him since I was like 11 years old.

And I'm saying, and I've seen the potential and just knowing him, yeah, I've seen the potential. And I'm like, nah, I got to help him, you see what? Push him through. And I get satisfaction out of that. For sure. Yeah, I feel you.

I get, like, real satisfaction out of it. And then I look at, like, how, like, life was going. And I kind of, like, almost feel like I predict it so much that that's things like why, like, I give ice or rich because it's like, in the moment, it's like, wow. But it's like, I look at it different. Like, damn, like, just made history. Another one. Yeah. As in, like, another person, another star at the city that I could genuinely say that I supported and was there for him for me.

McGinnett. It's like, I should add it to my catalog, you feel me? And we lit, like, yeah. You feel me? You kind of this shit. And that's what makes it my shit. Because anybody will tell you is like, what's you're really going to say bad about TJ? Like, he really there for the city, you know? Yeah. Do you think that's lacking? Or like, obviously, you're pretty passionate about it, but do you think there needs to be more of that, like, support coming from everybody? I feel like, I don't care what people do. You feel me? Me and my city, you know what I'm saying? I'm putting, this is how I feel like I contribute. Yeah.

Like, I put on to S&A. And I do, we do need to see more of that. I take it back. We do need to see more of that, you know? And I feel like some people do, though. But in New York City, I don't know. I don't know of you, for me. If that's not the most common place to be like that.

Yeah. I feel like you don't really see that that much. Maybe Atlanta more, but like, the Chicago, you don't really see that. And I feel like, honestly, like, deeper than, like, it being competitive, I feel like... Stop. Do you know how fast you were going? I'm going to have to write you a ticket to my new movie, The Naked Gun.

Liam Nissan. Buy your tickets now. I get a free Chili Dog. Chilly Dog, not included. The Naked God. Tickets on sale now. August 1st. I feel like you damn near like...

I feel like me, you're going to have to work hard to be bigger than me. You know, so it's not like it's a thing like, you know, I'm scared or being like... like competitive because you can get harder than me, you know, at a moment or whatever out or not. But it's like I'm gonna always be TJ. Yeah. And I established that so now everything else. Like if you come and you break every record and I assisted you, you know what I'm saying? That just added to me. Like, I just helped another live, you know? How competitive is that? Because like, you're dropping an album pretty much. Uzi just dropped. Thug just dropped. Gunner just dropped. So like, do you, is that something

you're looking at? Are you only focused on yourself? Nah, because Can you not talk about Gunna in front of me and T.J. 2, Stani, please? That's more of a year. Nah, this is... I'm just... I don't... He's on the charts. I don't... It's not like that with him. There's people in this

world, right? It's probably a Japanese artists, right? Yeah. That outsells me by a million times, right? I would never want to be him. You know, I'm always, like, be fun being T. You know what I'm saying? So...

Uzi dropped like a week or two before me, he might out sell me this week again on his third week. I don't give a fuck. Like, you know what I'm saying? Of course, I wish I was number one. You know what I'm saying? We strive for the best. But one, it just probably won my time, for me.

And two, I'm still T.J., like, I established being cool in my own lane, you know? And, like, to me, I'm damn near the biggest because in my head when I think about where I started from. I don't know where everybody started from. When I think about where I started from and where I'm at, it's like, what else, what else do I want? Yeah. Yeah, that's true. That's a good way to look at it. All right. Just being, yeah. I was going to say, though, there's definitely been times, I can't think of specific situations, but like where artists will drop on the same day as somebody else. And it's like kind of out of spite. You know what I'm talking about? Yeah. But that's just like, it's kind of funny, but it's also like, is that risky to do shit like

that. It is a competition though in a certain way it's still there. It's a competition for who posts I got number one

you know? Yeah. And what me personally what I actually realize with my brand is I like just like looking at

history, I'm not like a person that it's hard for me to compete for number one against a big artist because I think I go up for like

trends and I got my own solid core fan base that it's not cool in just the world just to, oh, let me go just check out T.J. album. I feel like it's my fans that like T.J. and like, if we listen to T.J. that runs it back and run it back and run it back that make me go up and go platinum, you know, deeper than just everybody listening at one time. Yeah. So it's kind of harder for me. I feel like to explode in

the first week. I've never thought about like that, like I was looking at the church on like Taylor Swift's four, I think, right now. Yeah. And but it's like she, she makes songs where everybody can listen to. So you're talking about how you have that loyal fan base that's just gonna be with you no matter what. In the long run

that's way more important. There's a lot of fucking Swifties out there. T-Swift's fire, yeah. Do you fuck with that or no? With Taylor Swift? Yeah. I don't really listen to Taylor Swift.

I like her old tracks. And that's what I mean, though. But like, you feel me? I would never want to be Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift probably lives way richer. And, you know, like she probably got way better piece of mind.

I just would never want to be would you ever go out of your lane and do like a track with like an artist like that or like a just completely different yeah for sure the better myself yeah I'm going on against my like you know morals and that which it should it yeah it would be good well what made you look up to be real when you were young like not a lot of rappers would say that I mean one I'm like real real real complacent with myself like you know I don't care like for me what it is I was a kid and I used to like like at the little dance moves the girls used to be on All the girls I liked in school used to like Justin Bieber. I used to be like, damn, I got to do that. I got to sing, dance and get a guitar. That's what it's going to take because, you know, she now,

I got the source to know what they like. Yeah. When I was young, I was trying to figure it out. So I think that's kind of. What was your favorite old school Bieber track? I like one time. One time. One time.

You would never. You would never throw that on the ox. Like if you were on a party bus going to like the club, would you ever have the confidence To throw that on the Hawks and this guy will do that. Not going, not going. I mean, if you have a party bus full of white girls on the way back from the club at 3 a.m. If you put on Einy Meany, it's probably one of the best tracks you can play. With Kingston?

Yeah. But in fact, no, it's not going to. It has to be on the way back to the after party. Are you willing to try that? Yeah, we probably did it. I always go up with John Kingston in real life. That's my boy. Yeah.

For me, I always go up for me. So I didn't even really remember that was him. I remember talking mad shit. Like, you fat, nigga. He's talking mad shit. And he's like, man, I got hits. Yeah. Hits, thing.

He went hit ass. He's like, what? He started throwing the bitches. I'm like, oh, he played that. He need me. I'm like, oh, he brought me back for a second. Yeah. No, he's got one other song.

He performed a guy. He has a couple. No, no, no, no, not like that. Like a beautiful girls. Beautiful girls. Yeah, beautiful girls and so. Yeah. He like, yeah, though.

No, that wasn't shade, my bad. So, I'm going to kind of change it up, but can we talk about how, like, you were supposed to leave to Paris the whole situation and just how that whole moment and that night has, like, kind of affected your life? Man, yeah, I thought life was good, sweet, and then I woke up. My eyes couldn't move. I mean, ever since then, my life has been definitely changed. I think about things a lot more. I try to be a lot safer. You feel me?

In a barbershop earlier, just trying to get, like, trim. I had no time. I was trying to trim my shit. You feel me? I'm almost fucking up my shit. Somebody walked past the glass. I'm looking like, you know what, for me? Shit, I got a PTSD, dealing with it.

It's life. What's going on right now? Yeah, you call yourself like, what, the miracle kid? Yeah, I have a miracle kid. Shit, there's a miracle. I got shot seven times or upper body about a year ago, and I'm fine, you know? I know. when you hear that it sounds like what the fuck like seven shots what it's like yeah well i mean

it's crazy too because from 50 cent from new york he had a similar situation have you guys talked like has he reached out to you at all yeah i spoke to 50 cent i spoke to 50 cent we shut out and talking and stuff like that did he like did did a lot of people come out and give you like words of advice and like specific people that were just there for you like supportively? I mean, yeah, I mean, I had a cool conversation with 50 we spoke and took a little picture. It went viral.

We ain't really like lock in like that, to be honest, though. It was just like, you for me. For me, my son, Farrell, me take it back because for a legend, that's how I speak. But not Farrell was with Farrell. And we had like some, a good two days, a chilling, talk, and recording. And he dropped some good jewels on me. after I got shot. What was it like when you woke up in the hospital?

Like you were in a coma for five days, right? What was that like when you like, do you remember anything when you just like just woke up where you're just like, what the fuck just happened? I woke up and I had a nurse, her name was Lauren. And I remember she woke, I woke up and it wasn't like the movies. It was kind of like a movie, but it won't, because I didn't wake up with the light in my face. Like what's something? But it starts like a little blurry.

Yeah, but not. I mean, I don't even remember me in Blame. I'm just making up in the room. And I'm in the hospital bad. I'm like, that's the fuck? And it's like, I don't know if I was tired, lazy. It probably was just the drugs. But like, I almost like, oh, I'm in the hospital.

Like, I didn't think to get up. I couldn't get up. But I'm just like, chilling. Then a lady come in. And she's like, oh, he's up. And it's the movie started. Damn. That is like a movie.

She's like, yeah. She's like, oh, she's like, I'm sick. You didn't look so good last week, buds. And I'm like, last week, what? For me, I can't talk. But I'm like, what you mean last week? You bugging. And for me, I came.

Probably took, like, another probably, like, might have been 30 minutes. It might have been like an hour. I've seen my mom walk in. I meant, oh, shit. She's sorry. What was your mom's reaction to that? My mom, gee, she, like, she went already crying.

She kind of, like, she knew I'm going to be right. for me the for me yeah the alleged person that that had

that got locked up for showing me for me that nigga he had got caught that's like the first thing I remember my mom was like

oh yeah somebody got locked up for your shoe you're gonna be a height she's like ooh woo she's kind of like she's cocky

she like my height man You know, you feel me? Like, word, that's crazy, you know. Do you wait when she tells you that, like, are you immediately angry at the other situation? Angry at myself. I was thinking myself, I let anybody do anything to me. I don't know who did what.

I just know that if I got shot, how fuck I let me get shot, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. That's why I was really mad. Like, what? I let what happened and I couldn't just, I couldn't understand, like, how. Yeah.

And I thought I, like, knew better than that. So when you're healthy again, you're able to leave, what's, like, the first thing you do? And, like, did you make any immediate changes? Yeah, I got security full time. I mean, I just rested my mind. And, yeah, I kind of, like, a couple changes I don't point out my security pointers, but, you know. Yeah. Yeah.

How much of you is thinking about music and, like, your career at that point? Music is my whole life. I just, I ain't never stopped thinking about music. I was in a stew in the hospital. I brought the stew to the hospital. Really? Yeah, I couldn't even breathe him. Shad my lungs trying to record.

What the, that's crazy. You said you weren't, like, religious before, but do you believe, like, I don't know, it happened for a reason or something, or, like, you're meant for more now? I definitely always feel like I knew I was meant for something good I didn't even really feel like I knew it was a possibility but I didn't really feel like I was going to die

you know and I didn't want to be like in my head like mixed with the drugs but in my head I don't like I don't want God to think I'm cocky you feel me so I'm like I don't know how to even really think about it but I'm like I don't feel like it's my time I feel like you good

but how do you feel like you good you shot seven times and you don't even feel the pain. So I'm like, am I good? Damn, like, you feel me? Yeah. I wound up being good, but I felt like I was like... Yeah, seven times is fucking insane. That's crazy.

That could... It's got to be some sort of crazy sign, though, right? Like, surviving something like that is insane, like, right? How does it feel to go from that? And then recently, you performed in Portugal. We saw you brought out... I was in Portugal. It was in Portugal.

Where you brought out speed. Yeah, speed. UK. Oh, yeah. Wireless. My fault. So you're performing in the UK, you brought out speed. Does it hit you when you're, like, performing again?

Like, holy shit. And were you a fan of speed before? Facts, facts. Facts. Honestly, I found out about speed through, like, I don't know exactly when he started. But definitely before, like, I was well aware of speed before, like, he came out. You know what I'm saying? I don't remember exactly.

my first impression or how I found that about speed but I just knew me about seeing him on line and he got tuned in

and he told me that I was one of his favorite artist and I'm like yo pop out the wireless let's go turn up real quick fuck

and do you pay attention to like any other like internet or YouTubers um type a little bit yeah

I'll be tuning and like I got like a kid his name a little 50 little 50 yeah he's on YouTube yeah

on YouTube. What's he doing? He's playing with, like, bad-ass toys and shit. Let's go. And he'd be watching, like, Funny Mike. Oh, yeah. And I'm tuned in with a little 50, you know, for other son, Tom. Nah, that's my son.

But I'll be, we be tuned and watching, like, funny Mike. And what else he put me? He put me on a couple things. That's dope. Like, no boys or? Yeah. Would you ever bring them on stage or not? If they come.

If we get thirds on the jet? If they come. Two, on the Thursday, definitely we go on the stage. You're going to make a video, hey, then you're going to go to the don't. Do you have, like, a favorite venue or like a favorite song to perform? I like performing moves from it. That's a banger. For me, all pre-pop, sports, facts.

Why did the album come out on July 14th? It's crazy because that's the date the label gave to me. They just like, yeah, for me. It'd be like, yo. It's a good day. You feel me? But coincidentally, it's the day I got released from the hospital. So I got a shot.

It's a coincidence. I got a shot on June 22nd and I was in the hospital to July 14th. Damn. That's crazy. So that's like the 2-2-2. Yeah. That's dope. Well, yeah, no, I think you got to run.

but we appreciate you coming through and the album is fire. Yeah, album's fire. Come on the stage and on the shows. Bro, let's go. I see no more. Fuck, we've been partying a lot, so we were going to skip rolling loud.

We were going to go to Rolling Loud. Yeah, I, we go. Do you love Miami, like, in Rolling Loud there? Miami lit. Miami lit. Do you think Miami is the hottest chicks? Easiest place in the country? To think LA.

L.A.? I like L.A. I like Miami for the yachts, but I like L.A. I've seen you a booby trap before. Ha, ha. Oh, you see me? Yeah, we were next to each other. I was like, what's good, what's good?

You didn't dab me up that time, but I think maybe now you show some love. Fire, it's smack. That's the own, like, crowds, I'll be from in my move. Hell yeah. All right, bro. And last thing is we got to fucking, whatever, please, give the fucking Cubans back. Facts. I need those for a little bit.

And then I'll give them to you. Facts, facts. Facts. All right, bro. Thank you for coming on. I appreciate you, bro. That's fire.