Matthew Cox | Inside True Crime Podcast - Baby E Reveals What Happened After “Finessin” Blew Up

Episode Date: April 19, 2026

After rising from a grinding start to major-label success, Baby E’s hit “Finessin” puts him back into the spotlight, but only after addiction, bad deals, and a near-collapse force him to confront his choices and begin turning his life around.⁣ ⁣ Baby E's links - ⁣ https://www.instagram.com/ibabye/?hl=en⁣ https://open.spotify.com/artist/3AhRH2q3GOnk8r1ZPHBnRM?si=fVJ_nd1bSE2LhceKL_aXtQ⁣ https://linktr.ee/B4BYE⁣ ⁣ Turn your ideas into income with Shopify. Build, launch, and grow your online store today at shopify.com/true.⁣ ⁣ Do you want to be a guest? Fill out the form https://www.insidetruecrimepodcast.com/apply-to-be-a-guest⁣ ⁣ Send me an email here: [e-mail]⁣ ⁣ Do you extra clips and behind the scenes content?⁣ Subscribe to my Patreon: https://patreon.com/InsideTrueCrime ⁣ ⁣ Check out my Dark Docs YouTube channel here -⁣ https://www.youtube.com/@DarkDocsMatthewCox⁣ ⁣ Follow me on all socials!⁣ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidetruecrime/⁣ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matthewcoxtruecrime⁣ ⁣ ⁣ Do you want a custom painting done by me? Check out my Etsy Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/coxpopart⁣ ⁣ Listen to my True Crime Podcasts anywhere: https://anchor.fm/mattcox ⁣ ⁣ Check out my true crime books! ⁣ Shark in the Housing Pool: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0851KBYCF⁣ Bent: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BV4GC7TM⁣ It's Insanity: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KFYXKK8⁣ Devil Exposed: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TH1WT5G⁣ Devil Exposed (The Abridgment): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1070682438⁣ The Program: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0858W4G3K⁣ Bailout: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bailout-matthew-cox/1142275402⁣ Dude, Where's My Hand-Grenade?: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BXNFHBDF/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1678623676&sr=1-1⁣ ⁣ Checkout my disturbingly twisted satiric novel!⁣ Stranger Danger: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSWQP3WX⁣ ⁣ If you would like to support me directly, I accept donations here:⁣ Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/MattCox69⁣ Cashapp: $coxcon69 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So I call up Gates and I'm like, look, man. Wayne loves me and wants to sign me. Vanessa's doing great. It blew up. They bring out the gang unit, SWAT team on me. And the cops like, so you're still going to drop that song, no snitching? What did you do to Grandma? The first charges I ever got, I want to say I was 27, 28.

Had you been selling drugs? Did you, what was? Yeah. Okay. So at the time, I'm like signed a little Wayne. I'm... Okay, how does that happen? Like, are you...

You're a rapper? Yeah, so I'm a rapper. When did you start rapping? Probably about, like, 20. Okay. And by like 22, I had a record deal and a publishing deal. I got signed an Island Def Jam,

and I also got signed to Dr. Luke's, like, publishing label, prescription songs. Did you have a rapper name? Yeah, yeah. My rapper name is Baby E. and like honestly that whole journey is like crazy in and of itself right before i got signed so and at the time i was living in oklahoma city with my aunt i had just like quit my band like i toured in emo bands for like years since i was 14 to like you know 18 19 and just like it was a

really hard tough life like sleeping in the van most nights at Walmart and stuff like that Like, it was, yeah, it was tough. And I started making my own, like, solo music, and I noticed people were, like, really starting to gravitate to it. So, like, I put all my focus on that. And I sent my buddy, who I'd been in a band with before. And so he hears the songs. And he calls me back, like, five minutes later.

And he's like, bro. He's like, this is like, dude, this is it. Like, you're going to blow up off this, dude. Like, you got to do this, man. Like, you got to do this for real. And I was like, okay, like I am, you know, I'm doing my best. Like, and, um, he's like, bro.

He's like, my father has a pest control company. He can get you a pest control license. You can work for the pest control company and, like, make money and save up. I have a studio at my house, like he had a big ass room with like a loft inside of the room. And so I go there and I stay there for probably like year and a half, two years. And I'm just like grinding like crazy with the music. I'm growing locally as an artist and a lot of people have that kind of like vibe about it where it's like, yo, like he's probably going to be up next.

like at least it felt that way and um i met this lady named majestie and she's just like a really nice like sweet lady but like he was a partner in the studio and um there's this guy named like darren who was like i don't know he just decided to build a studio and um he he liked my music enough to where he was like, hey, if you want to record here, as long as I don't have a paid session, like, you can record here as much as you want. So that was a big gift. So I would go to my pest control job, go straight to the studio every night until like three or four in the morning and just, yeah, I was like grinding hard. And one day, Majesty, here's my stuff, like, you know, through the room. And she's like, and she walks in and she's like, oh my God.

like, you know, so many people are like, you gotta check this person out, you gotta check that person out. And it was like, so honestly, like, didn't really take it seriously at first, but like, now that I'm hearing your stuff, like, I want to help you. And she's written a lot of, like, really big songs, but her biggest song is Rihanna's first single, Hey, Mr. DJ, Come Con, the Replay. Her manager at the time was this guy named Chris Anacutei. He went on to get a corporate job at Island Def Jam Records, went on to sign Katie Perry, and just did very well with his career after the Rihanna single. And we started sending my stuff to Chris for like six months.

and he is kind of bread-crumming us, you know, he's like, oh, these sounds so good, like, I love these demos, like, keep working, keep doing your thing, like, keep getting the shows bigger, like, you know, blah, blah, blah, like, we're almost there, we're almost ready. And I had been hearing this for, like, you know, at least six months, maybe I can close to a year. So I'm getting to the point where I think like this is never going to sign me. Like you know what I mean? Like I might

as well move on. And lo and behold one day I get a DM from this guy and on Twitter and his bio reads

like head of ANR at convict music which is a thing and like assistant boo who is acon's brother and stuff and so I'm like oh wow like this guy is really in it and he DMs me and he's like hey like I checked out your stuff like are you sign or anything and I was like no like I have no contracts like I'm wide open like you know and he was like, how soon can you get to New York and have a meeting? And I was like, the second you send me a contract, or not a contract, but a flight, dude. Right. I'll literally hop on the next one out of Virginia. And so he's like, um, all right, give me your name, you know, on your birthday.

And so, like, within probably 16 hours, I'm in New York City. and I'm with like um the assistant boo who is Acon's brother and Acon and you know they had developed artists

before like lady they were like behind Lady Gaga they were the ones that signed Lady Gaga and like believes in her early and stuff so like wasn't like a wild thought to think like you know maybe they could take me and develop me and make me something

and you know and so yeah they take me around and have me meet a bunch of like really big producers and we go to like nice restaurants and you know at the end of it they're like hey like we really like the vibe that's going on like we want to bring you down to Atlanta and talk about like signing you and making this official and um you know I was like yeah of course like I I love that. So I go down to Atlanta, and, like, the first three days I'm there, they're just having me in the studio every day, which was cool, because Future is one of my favorite rappers, and I like them a lot, even before, like,

you know, like, this is way back when his, like, one of his first singles called Tony Montana had, like, just dropped. was like playing everywhere and um it was just cool like me and him were sharing the same engineer and he'd like come in the room and like get files and stuff and like you know what like my sessions would be right after his so like we'd be like crossing paths when i'd be coming in and yeah i just thought that shit was dope i thought it was inspiring and so yeah i'm thinking everything's great Like, I'm writing songs every day. Like, you know, I'm in Atlanta.

I'm thinking they're going to give me a solid deal. And, like, we're going to make this work. And one day I'm in the booth and I can see through the windows, like, you know, I'm seeing, like, balloons come in through the hall and, like, like, a cake and, like, just, like, decorations and stuff. And I'm like, oh, someone who must be having a birthday or something. And I have no idea, like, it was, like, going to be for me. And so one of the dudes comes in, he's like, hey, like, boo, want you to come, you know, in the lobby, we're about to have this party. And I'm like, okay, cool.

And so I go in there and everybody's kind of like, surprise, like, and I'm like, oh, shit, like, surprise what? Like, you know? And I look over and I see him and he's at a table and he's got a contract in front of him. And then there's an empty chair with like a contract for me to stick next to him with, you know. He's got like a Rolex and like a chain and stuff and like keys to a car. Like, I don't know, just like, you know, we're trying to make it look good and like, and, you know, there's cameras rolling, so I don't want to be, like, rude and be like, what is this, dude?

Like, you know, I'm just rolling with it. Like, we, you know, we cheers the champagne and stuff. And he's like, yeah, he's like, welcome to the comic family, bro. Like, uh, like, let's make this official to know. night and I'm like okay like cool you know and uh I like I knew enough like about the music industry at the time and the way the business works to where I flipped through the contract and I could see some of the terms and one of the terms was like it was like um like a 10k advance for my like uh artistry

my publishing, like any creative endeavor, like acting and shit, like a full 360 deal. And it was like a seven album contract with like three options. So basically a 10 album deal. And the advance on it was $10,000. And I was like, oh, no. I don't know. Like I'm not signing this. And, uh, plus the.

Rolex and the chain and the car. That don't mean shit. I know it doesn't mean shit. I'm just saying that that's the exciting part for that. Yeah, so what's the, sorry, but what is the, what are they trying to sell? You get $10,000 in advance. Yeah, they give you $10,000. Well, they're expecting me to just sign the contract blind.

Right. They don't even know. And it's like beads for the natives, right? Like you give them something flashy up front to get them like, oh shit, a car, this and And so you're all excited and then you sign and it's not till a year later when you start to realize like, I've made no money. Starting something new isn't just hard. It's terrifying. So much work goes into this thing that you're not entirely sure will work. And it can be hard to make that leap of faith. Trust me, I know. When we started this podcast, we had no idea if it would take off. And when you're scared, stressed, or just starting out, it helps to have a partner like Shopify on your side.

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Go to Shopify.com slash true. That's Shopify. com slash true. And these albums are selling. Everything's selling. Everybody thinks I'm rolling in money. But these guys gave me 10 grand a year ago. And the label will say shit like, well, we invested so much into your marketing.

Like, you know. Yeah. The same thing with the movie deals they give you. Oh, you get this much. on the back end. There is no back in. They spins it out. We spend 30K on your video.

Like, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, you owe us all the money back. And then you get a small percentage of the profit. But the truth is, is that they didn't spend fucking $30,000. Or if they spit $30,000 on a, or $60,000 or $100,000, it's just another company that they own. Yeah. Yeah. So the cameras are rolling in this room, and they're presenting you this contract.

Yeah, right? And so, like, you know, Boo, he's, you know, him and Acon, their record company is called Convake music. Like, they haven't always lived the most. Right. You know, law-abiding lies. And so a lot of times I don't really go away with a lot of guys. He had these, like, security dudes, which was normal, but they got, like, these guns and shit, and they're, like, standing by the door and shit. And I'm kind of like, what the hell's going on?

And so, so I whisper in boozee here, and I'm like, hey, man, I'm going to sign this contract, but I'm going to, like, fake, like, I'm signing it. And we'll send it to my lawyer in the morning, and we'll, like, negotiate it and get it right. And he's, like, wait, like, hold up. He's like, are you kidding me? He's like, he's like, you saying you don't trust me? And I'm like, and I'm like, no, dude. I was like, I'm just saying like, would you, if I brought you a contract with, you know, that you didn't get to read over at all, like your attorney didn't get to read over,

like you would just sign a blind contract that I offered you? No, you would never do that. like so it's insane of you to expect that of me and he was like man he was like you know like the first day i heard you i flew you out like i believed in you like so heavy and like blah blah blah he was like um he was like i can't believe how ungrateful you are like like you could have the world you worried about a little ten thousand dollar check like you know we take care of you of you blah blah blah I'm like well okay like I'm like look dude it is what it is dog like it's all love we can still like make the best of this or whatever and he's like no no like fuck that like

it's over like the fact you even question me and embarrass me on camera in front of like all my employees and shit and so um he's like stop running the cameras and look man he's like you know, I need to get out of, like, Atlanta. He's like, if I see you in the next 24 hours, like, it's up. And I'm like, oh, my God, dude, like, all because I wouldn't blindly sign a contract. And so, like, he was nice enough to put me in a, like, black, like, kind of suburban, escalate sort of car. And they took me to, like, the condo I was staying at on the way. there. Remember the guy Chris Anacute in the beginning who I'd been sending my shit to for a year

who had signed Katie Perry? I got a call from him like randomly. I'm like, why would he be calling me right now? So I pick it up and he's like, what's up, bro? He's like, I heard you've been like talking to boo and you're thinking about signing with him. And I was like, yeah, I was like, everything's looking good. Like, I was like, he just gave me my contract tonight. and like, you know, like, because I wanted to create, like, a sense of urgency with him. Right. I didn't want him to think, like, yeah, we just had a fight. Like, that deal's totally off the table.

Like, and he was like, oh, bro, he's like, did you sign anything yet at all? And I'm like, no, I haven't signed it yet, but it's looking like we're going to. And he was like, he was like, bro, like, I'll give you 5K, bro. Just hop on the next flight to L.A. and have a meeting with me. And I was like, you know, I'm broke at the time. So I'm like, okay, shit. Like, all I got to do is land in L.A. And you hear me five grand.

And he's like, yeah, you have a meeting with me before you sign with Boo. And he doesn't know that Boo and I had just like falling out. Yeah. So I'm like, okay, cool. Yeah, I think we can do that. Like, yeah, let's book the next ticket, like, which was perfect because I needed to get the hell out of Atlanta. and my buddy who was with me, he just flew back to Virginia. But so I immediately, like, early in the morning, fly from Atlanta to L.A.X.

And I land, you know, the A&R is, like, trying to show me a good time. He takes me to, like, a session with a producer hit boy. And, like, we're just having fun and stuff. And he takes me back to my hotel. and he's like, okay, like, while you're here, if you could work with any producer, big or small, who would it be? And I was like, you know, Dr. Luke. Like, that was like my dream producer at the time.

And since Chris Anacutei had signed the ANR, since he had signed Katie Perry, he had a really good relationship with Dr. Luke. because Dr. Luke did most of her teenage dream out of him. And so he's like, all right, like, I'll see what I can do. So I, like, pass out that night. And the next day I wake up at, like, 7.30. So, like, some banging on my door. And I'm like, leave me alone.

I'm like, do not disturb, you know. I think it's, like, the cleaning ladies or some shit. and like the Visit BetMGM Casino and check out the newest exclusive The Price is Right Fortune Pick BetMGM and GameSense Reminds remind you to play responsibly

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BetMGM operates pursuant to an operative agreement with Eye Gaming Ontario. Banging won't stop so I'll go and look through the peephole and it's like Chris, the guy who would follow me out and he's like, he's like, bro, he's like, we have a really big meeting. He's like, I'm not even going to tell you what it is. I don't want you to get nervous. Like, um, he was like, let's open up your suitcase and like find the flyest outfit you got. He was like obsessed with like what people were wearing for some reason.

and the artist especially. And so we, like, pick out this outfit, and I'm just kind of, like, whatever. Like, this is some shit I would usually never wear, but... And he takes me to this house, and it's, like, this, like, nice house in the hills. It looks like kind of, like, almost like a hippie musician commune.

Like, the house is so big, and, like, there's just, like, studio setups, in like every corner and there's just like a group of people like making music and all these corners together and um we walk in the living room and i see dr luke sitting on the um couch and i'm like holy shit like we're here and um so um i sit down and dr luke's like like, yeah, man, like, it's nice to meet you. Like, I heard you're really dope through Chris, and, yeah, I just wanted to meet you. And if Chris says something's worth checking out, like, I take his word for it.

I'm like, okay. So we kind of, like, you know, build a repertoire for a second. And he's like, hey, I don't have a lot of time. So, like, let's go to the studio and listen to your songs. So we're playing my songs And he would play like 15 to 30 seconds of the song And be like Okay, cool

I thought that was like a sign of him Like not liking it or whatever I was like man that sucks But at the end of the meeting He was like He was like yeah I got this hook that I'm working on Like I got verses from Little Wayne and Bob He's like I just need like a

solid hook like are you willing to give it a try and i was like yeah yeah you know and so he emails me the song and at this point i'm stoked just to have his email and like you know the fact that he gave me a beat to work on that was enough for me and um so we leave and i'm like all right that went as well as it possibly could i guess and it's like deja vu like seven 38 in the morning. My A&R is like banging on my door the next morning. He's like, we got another meeting. We got another meeting. And we go back to the same exact spot. And that's when Luke sits me down. And he's like, hey, he's like, I just want to be honest. Like, ever since you gave me those demos, like, I've been listening to them on repeat. And like, I really love your music.

like I really think you have something special. He's like, I'd even love to be involved with like your artistry, but like since Chris is a, you know, A&R for a label, I don't want to step on his toes and like sign his artist, basically. He's like, but I'd love to give you like a publishing deal as like a songwriter and a producer. And I was like, okay, bad, beautiful. So we do that and we negotiate it in like 24 hours.

hours and it's done and so after that like going into the label with a publishing deal from dr. Luke like that's like almost like having a Willy Wonka golden ticket at the time you know what I mean and so yeah I meet with the label and we play some songs and stuff and like yeah and so I ended up signing my record deal that first week. Okay. With what label was it? This label was Island Def Jam.

Okay, and that is, that's not the Little Wayne record. No. Okay, so that comes to future. How, like, what's the extent? Is this like for a year, or how does a record deal work like that? I was probably signed the Island Def Jam for about, I would say, at least five years, maybe six. and it was funny because my A&R would always argue with me and be like like you could be the next Kurt Cobain, you could be the next like stained or like something

like that or like nickel back or something like why do you want to try to be like Chief Keeve and like blah blah blah and I would be like I'm not trying to be like Chief Keefe man I'm just making what I like, you know? And I don't know. It was just like a rough, it was a rough go because I think he meant well, but he was always trying to push me in this direction of like whatever was hot at the time. And I'm like, bro, like, these are all just fads. Like, you know what I mean?

We should just make good music. And like, so we clashed a lot and it got to the point where we just said, stop talking and I finally get dropped from Island Def Jam Records and at this time I'm on my ass like when I'm curious to like so five years with Def Jam records like what's the lifestyle like like I think you get signed by a record deal like are you going are you kind of going on tour are you you know living like a nice kind of lifestyle or is it still kind of the grind I don't have much money. I'm still waiting for an album to pop. Like, how does that? Oh, no.

Five years ago. No, I got like a good six figures between the two deals. Okay. And, um, I don't feel like the music industry works this way so much anymore, but like, it's all, like, during that time

it felt like, um, the music industry almost just had monopoly money. Like, my A&R had this like expense card that he was just shoes on the most crazy shit like um

well they're not paying the artist anything so but the the fucked up part is it's like I think he's just paying for shit and being like um you know like a nice guy

but it's actually getting put on my bill right okay and the way the deals are structured um for major like major record deals like for every dollar that they make like it's like an 80-20 split so like

fillet will gives you like a million dollars spends a million dollars on your rollouts and your videos and things like that you owe them eight million well yeah you owe eight million before you have to make nine million dollars to get a two hundred thousand dollar check yeah I was going to say and that's the average deal You see the Lou Pearlman? Yeah. And sometimes it's worse. Where they were, he's throwing up, he's throwing like,

who wasn't the back, was it the Backstreet Boys? Who was, who was Lou Pearlman? He created, anyway. In sync? In sync. One of these boy bands and he. Almost want to say he did both of them. And he was, and so they would, they're like some of them are,

they're please putting him in a house. Well, I'll put you in a house. He's flying them all. over the place, giving them party, throwing them parties. And they're just like, man, this guy's super wealthy and he's really generous. And then when it came time, then, and every once in a while, they would get a check for 30,000, 15,000, 20,000. And at some point, their parents come after like a year or so, they're like, listen, you got these kids working three, four days a week doing concerts and practicing the other days and flying them all around. They're doing the

concerts. Like, but you, in the last year, we've made like 60,000. And they're like, we didn't know where this money's going. Like, what are we going to get paid? And so when he pulls out the, he says, okay, well, no, no, you are being paid. And he pulls out like an expense sheet and explains that, no, no, no, they've made like $1.5 million this year. And they're like, what are you talking about?

You only paid him $70,000 or something. And he's like, no, no, no, but that party costs this much. The house costs this much. The plane, the travel costs this much. The stages cost this much. They start adding it up and realize, like, the money we're supposed to be getting, your spending on all of these expenses, not realizing where they thought he was being generous, throwing them $100,000 a party that cost $100,000 over the weekend,

not realizing he's charging you for. So if he said, hey, you know what we should do? We should have a party this weekend. They're like, oh, that's cool. Not realizing what he's really saying is, hey, let's go ahead and have a party and I'll bill you $100,000, even though it doesn't really cost me $100,000. It might cost me $40,000, $30,000. But I'm going to bill you guys $100,000. And when you're supposed to get your check for $120,000 next month, you'll only get $20.

And he got arrested for that? No, no, he got arrested for something else. He was running a Ponzi scheme on top of it on this. Conspiracy, money laundering, fake statements, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He was an interesting con man. But yeah, I mean, that's just, but that's kind of like what they kind of always do, right?

Like they, they, they, they don't really know anything. The one guy is trying to pressure you to sign something, knowing that, and then he kind of owns you. And then, you know, you get $10,000 and maybe in a few months when he realizes you're starving to death, he pays you a little bit more. Just keeps paying, pain, but he's really making a ton of money off of you. Yeah, yeah. So in your first, in your first deal. that five-year deal was kind of similar where it's like it's not as good as he thought it was going to be or um you know I don't want to say it was a completely bad experience it wasn't I learned a lot um but you know there would

be things like hey like you got a session at record plant today like um you're in studio A and record plant's like this legendary studio with like all the best equipment it's like you know, like five grand a day to rent. And then like two extra grand to have like a studio engineer, three grand for the day. So it's like an $8,000 day. And then there's like a thousand dollar per die that you get charged for too. So like, you know, eight, nine, $10,000 day.

And you think you're just having a session in a record plan. You don't realize like, oh, I'm being charged. So they charge that to you Right That comes out of your what like monthly Whatever or? No they're just like basically put it on your tab Right so if if you they could then go to cut your check for 200,000 dollars because you sold a bunch of songs

What you already you owe a hundred thousand yeah yeah so here's your 50 and you go wait a minute I'm I'm My songs fucking everywhere I'm viral I'm going crazy like it's they're playing it everywhere like I see myself everywhere and I just made $50,000 in six months. Like, come on, that's insanity. Yeah. Yeah, there's really no value in actually, like, selling records these days.

Like, a lot of artists really make their money from touring and merchandising and, like, influencer deals and things like that. This is 20 years ago, you know, before iTunes and, you know, they made all their money on albums. Like, touring, they would. record companies would beg them to tour to try and sell albums. Albums. Albums. You say Alblums. Albums.

Albums. Albums. So albums. So to try and get them to sell records. Yeah. There you go. DVD, whatever. So, but, and now it's the exact opposite.

They make all their money touring and they don't make really anything on those fucking songs. Yeah. Like I think a million plays. on Spotify is about 3 to 4 grand which is like insane you get paid a third of a cent

Well if it's costing you $8 or $9,000 a day to be in a studio You get paid a third of a cent Per stream and then that third of a cent gets split probably five to seven ways While all this was happening

So like when I first moved to LA and got my record deal. I met a girl within about six months of being here. And her and I just felt like deeply in love. It was like love at first sight, you know. We just felt like crazy about each other. And we, you know, we started living together. And when I met her, like, I was, I just started like taking like percassets and drinking lean and stuff like that like i didn't even realize the like how you know malicious or whatever they could be you know i thought it was just like some rapper drug or whatever and she was like three

years clean and she would always tell me like you need to quit those like pills and stuff like that's basically a pill like it makes me want to relapse being around you like high on that stuff like i can't be around you, like, if you're going to do that stuff. And so, um, I tell her I quit and I really would just, like, kind of, you know, just hide it from her and take home, you know, in the bathroom and stuff. And so, and just not get super high around her. And one thing led to another, and unfortunately, she ended up relapsing herself. And, and, um, fortunately, she ended up relapsing herself. And, on H. And at the time, I was so naive, I didn't even know what was going on.

I just, like, she would tell me that she was, like, fainting, and then, you know, I'd be like, what in the world, like, trying to make her drink water. And then she didn't realize, like, oh, like, you know, he's getting high. And I think I either, like, walked in on her, like, doing it, or, open a drawer and saw like her stash of paraphernalia and stuff again it was just like the perfect storm where like I caught her relapsing and I'm hiding the fact that I have like an oxycodone habit from her and um so basically now it's like okay we can just like be honest and say what we're doing yeah it didn't take long before I, like, read enough on the internet and learned that basically, like,

perks, like, the obvious next step was moving up to, like, you know, like, age, like dog food. So, and I knew she had it around. I, uh, yeah, I started, like, pinching from her stash and, like, uh, smoking it. and like yeah we would just do like sketchy stuff to like make money and get by like we knew this one guy who like worked at a lab that made like uh like hg and one day he like came over freaking out and gave us like almost like you know the drawers that you open up and put like veggies in like two drawers full of just like hg h and he like worked at a lab that made it and he was like look I either got to throw this away or give it to somebody.

Like, do you guys want it? And we're like, yeah, hell yeah, we'll take it, you know? And just, you know, we would flip stuff like that. And just like, I don't know, it was a crazy lifestyle. I was young. And it's my first time with money. And I got this, you know, hot girlfriend. Like, she's a model.

Like, she had been on the cover of French Vogue. And, like, she was also. like blowing up as a DJ at this time too. She'd like pivoting from being a model to a DJ. So my music's going well. Like I'm writing songs for like Miley Cyrus and like J-Lo and, you know, like Juicy Jay and... Do you have any songs that were big that most people would recognize that you

maybe wrote. My probably most recognizable song I have is this song called Bounce It by JuicyJ. It's like a strip club anthem. And I made the beat on that and wrote the hook. So what's the process of like you're just at home writing these songs and then you have like a connect. Like hey, bro, like do you want to shop this around and see if anybody wants to buy this? Like how does that work? Yeah, like, for example, the way the Juicy J thing worked out,

so way back in like 2000, almost like 11, I'd say, like, I was living in Virginia, and this producer was really blowing up at the time named Lex Lugar. He had that song, those songs with Rick Ross and Waka Fogga Flame and such. and at the time having a Lex Lugar beat was like you know the holy grailer of like having beats or whatever and so he had this group that it was his brother and his two cousins that only wrapped on his beats

and they came to me and were like hey we need like a kind of like crossover radio like pop song type deal like can you help us with that and I'm like, yeah. So Lex Luger makes really dark music. So like the first two songs we do were like, yeah, these aren't like radio bangers or whatever. And my producer that I was working with,

he had like, you know, he had some more poppy melodic beats and we made like a radio song. And I didn't know they were making a mixtape with JuCJ at the time. And so like a day or two later, I'm riding on my way to work to my pest control job. And I get this, like, phone call from a Memphis number, and I pick it up. And I'm like, hello? And, like, you know, I would, like, recognize his voice anywhere.

He's like, what I'm, this J. J. 3-6 Mafia? You ever heard of me? And I'm like, yeah, dude. Like, I grew up listening to you. Like, I grew up on 36 Mafia. Like, um, what's up? And he's like, hey man, he's like, I heard that song you did with VABP. He's like, how you feel about me, like doing a verse on it and I was shooting a video for it.

And I was like, dude, like, let's run it, like all day. And so, yeah, J. ends up flying to Virginia. And, yeah, we shoot a video. The song was called Rockstar Stone and ended up home. world star and stuff and Jee J really took a liking to me at that time and I would talk to him and be like man I just like hate my job

I really wish I could do music full time and stuff and so yeah he offered me a deal and at the time I almost took it but my manager you know the lady who got me with Chris Anacutee the kitty pair guy like

um she was like I know you want to sign with juicy jay and he's a good dude but like you know there's just bigger better contracts waiting for you like you know don't don't take this so i'm like okay and long story short um juicy j ends up signing to dr luke the guy that i ended up signing to so i hit up dr luke and i'm like hey like you know juicy jay's like family like you got to put me on that album and he's you're writes back like all caps with like 10 exclamation points right strip club music i was like okay and i literally made the song bounce it the night before so i just immediately like text it back to him and he was like you know that night he was like hey like we're having juicy cut it tomorrow um and it's

going to be the single. I was like bad. And so yeah. How much, and you don't have to say specifically for this song, but like how much would you expect to make from writing a song for a large artist? Um.

Or how is the deal structured? Like how do they, hey, we'll give you $10,000, everything's ours. Or like, hey, give it to us and we'll give you 1% of whatever. No, like most, all right, way most publishing splits go down these days is like if there's ever a dispute about oh i should get

this much percent and you get less if you ever take it to court the law is that like um the judge is just going to split it evenly regardless so like the best thing to do is just split everything evenly. And sometimes somebody who only changed two words gets a cut of the pie and, you know, sometimes you're the guy who changed two words and you get a cut of the pie. So let's say you made the lyrics, you made the, the, whatever, the hook, the chorus.

Someone else writes the rest of the lyrics, UCJ produces it or sings the rest of it. So there's three people involved, so everybody just gets 33% straight across? Yeah, pretty much. Yeah. On that one, Dr. Luke, he, like, pulled it in and, like, he tightened up the beat. And, you know, the song says produced by Dr. Luke, but, like, I made sort of, like, the skeleton of the beat, you know. And Luke just made it sound, you know, like radio ready and stuff like that.

So at this point in your life, you're doing pest control and doing just music on the side. When you got free time, you're mixing, you're rapping, you're rapping. and doing whatever and you're working pest control on the side. Is that correct? No, so I stopped working pest control once I got signed to Dr. Luke and once I got signed to Island Def Jam, I moved straight to L.A. and just lived in L.A. and worked in studios every day. Okay.

I was in studios for like 16 hours a day. basically the record deal just ended up not going the way i wanted it to they finally end up dropping me i feel the sense of freedom and um uh i decided at that time like hey like i'm still pretty young i'm 25 like i should probably go to treatment and get this whole h habit figured out you know like just dragging me down and I knew I was about to make a bunch of money from my publishing royalties. So I was like, I don't want to get this money and then just, you know, have this addiction and, you know, blow all this money on it. So I go through my first treatment.

I was so naive and there's this like, there's this drug called Suboxone that, you know, treatment centers use. a lot of times to help with detox or it's like a replacement therapy kind of thing and I didn't know a lot about it at the time

and so for my first 28 days over 31 days stay they put me on it and tapered me off until on day 28 out of 31 I get completely removed

off of the subs and so like the first two or three weeks I'm like man getting clean's easy man like that was painless like like why didn't I do this before

like then they start winging me off and I finally like run out and go into complete withdrawals and I'm like this is so messed up like I gotta go home in a few days and they're gonna send me home like

you know what I mean like that's such a like backwards way of like treating someone like it's almost like setting them up to be sick go home relapse and then have to go straight back in the treatment and um so i didn't want that to happen and like the day before i was supposed to leave and i had a doctor's note that said like hey he stopped taking his meds today like he doesn't have to do the groups and um this guy walks in who works there and he's just on one. He's like, you gotta go to the groups, man.

You gotta go to the effing groups. Like, you're not effing special. Like, blah, blah, blah. I'm like, I'm telling you, dude, like, I have a doctor's note. Like, radio the front desk. Like, I have a doctor's note. So, like, radio's the front desk, and they're not answering. He's like, he's like, I didn't see a doctor's note.

I looked at the doctor's notes. And he runs up to my bed and snatches the covers off of me. And, you know, when you're in withdrawal, like, it's like you're caught hot and cold all at the same time. It's a terrible feeling to get, like, a blanket snatched off of you. So I'm, like, furious. And I stand up, and I'm like, get the F out of my room, dude. I will F you up. Like, you're getting out of pocket, like, like, go away.

And he has, like, this, like, little evil smirk on his face, like, you'll do what? you'll have me up and then i was like yes dude like get out of my room leave me alone you're acting like insane right now he's like okay and i was like that was a weird exchange but whatever at least he went away you know and so i'm laying in my bed and not even 30 minutes later like the owner of the freaking rehab place like comes up to my bed and they're like hey like uh we want to talk to you down in office about some stuff. And I'm thinking, like, they want to talk to me about, you know, my aftercare plans and, like, what I'm going to do after I get out. And I sit out in the office and they're like, we're sorry to do this to you, but we have a zero tolerance violence policy. And I was like,

okay, like, I wasn't violent with anyone. What are you? talking about and she was like that includes threats of violence and um i'm like what and she's like did you not threaten david that you're gonna like fm off if he didn't get out of your room and i was like come on dude like i was emotional like of course i would never like you know put my hands on someone like i was like he snatched the covers off of me he wouldn't believe that i had a doctor's note he was being extremely root to me. And she was like, well, I'm sorry. Like, you have to leave today.

And I was like, what, dude? And I'm feeling so bad. And I'm like, so luckily I had a friend at the time who was like, you can come stay with me. You know, he was sober too. He was like, we're going to take you to 90 meetings and 90 days and make sure you're good. I'm like, okay. And even though I was still feeling crazy.

crappy from coming off the subs. Like, I really wanted to prove to everyone, like, I got this. Like, I can do it. So I, like, stayed clean for, like, the 90 days. And to celebrate being clean for 90 days, I, me and my buddy go to ride, like, dune buggies out in the desert. Like, there's this place called California City, and they have these, like, eight-mile trails that are, like,

It's just fun, you know? You can ride dirt bikes and stuff like that on there. And we get there, and right before we get there, this, like, huge tourist family rents, like, every single vehicle that's, like, available. So, like, the only two things that are left are, like, these huge 250, like, dirt bike, and Max motorcycles. And me and my buddy are, like, oh, no, man, those things are dang. dangerous like i was like i grew up riding dirt bikes like i don't know and he's like let's just

ride him slow like we can have fun we don't have to like be crazy on him and i'm like okay he's like you know we drove all the way out here and so i'm the one who's telling him like do not be stupid bro like i've crashed these things before like they will get out of your hand before like you realize it like he's like of course dude like yeah and take it easy. And so I'm riding this thing through the track, and I hit this straightaway that's probably half a mile long, and I'm like, something inside of me is just like, dude,

just go for it. Like, you know what I mean? So I'm, like, topping it out, just, like, you know, going as fast as I can hit the top gear, and I'm just, like, going so fast. It feels like I'm, like, literally, like, floating on the snow like or not the snow the sand and i'm like um i have this thought on my head i'm like oh my god i'm going so fast dude like if i crash like i'm screwed like and so um

i see this like formation in the sand and it looks like uh it looks like a like little sort of like ramp where I would just stand up and sort of roll over it, you know what I mean? And little than I know, it was like a rock that it had sand, like, blown against it. And so I'm probably going at least 5560 and boom, I just hit this rock. And I fly like 20 feet, like all over my bike and just like wipe out super hard dude like and so i stand up and i'm like i still have my wits about me i can still like move and stuff and i'm like okay maybe i didn't get like messed up that bad like i had my helmet and my pads on and stuff and so like i walk up to the um i walk up to the bike and i go to pick up the bike and like my right arm can lift the bike and my left hand just like slowly just starts like

going numb like I can't even like lift it and I'm like what's I feel like that's not good and you know like I got all this desert gear on me so I'm like kind of like oh I'm hot like I want to get this shit off me so I take the helmet off take the big pads off I take like the shirt off and I can see where my collarbone is sticking out of my freaking skin dude and I'm just like oh my god like what is this and like you know so have you ever had an injury where like you knew you got injured but it didn't start hurting like super bad until you actually looked at it and saw how bad the injury was right yeah yeah It was like that feeling.

And so I'm like, oh my God, like, holy shit. And like, I'm in the middle of the desert. Like, there's, like, no hope unless somebody drives by. And so, like, once you finish this eight-mile trail, they have trucks at the end waiting on you, and you put your bike on a truck, and they have these, like, you know, lanes that drive up through the center of the trails. And by the grace of God, dude,

There's a good guy driving by, like bringing bikes back. He's like, hey, he's like, you okay, homie? And I was like, no. I was like, I need 911. And he's like, yeah? He's like, shit, dude. And he's like, do you want me to call 911 and bring him here? Or like, you want me to drive you to the front?

I'm like, drive me to the front, dude. And so, like, him and his buddy come over. And they, like, I can't stand. And they lift me up. And the dude's, like, carrying me under my shoulders. So, like, my collarbone's, like, I'm like, oh, my God, you know? And I, like, get in the back of the truck. And they drive me to the front.

And luckily, my buddy that I had been riding the track with, he had, like, saw from a distance, like, them putting me in the truck and basically realized I had gotten in a bad wreck. so he like follows us back and we're like so out in the middle of nowhere we asked the lady at the front desk we're like should we call 911 or like is it quicker to like drive to um a hospital and she was like if you call 911 it's like hour hour and a half at least an hour like on a good day She was like, but you can drive. And if you go really fast, like, you can get to a hospital in, like, 30, 45 minutes. Like, nobody's like, okay.

So he throws me in the back of his range rover and they drive me and we get there. And there's this kid who had, like, slipped on his skateboard and, like, had a helmet on and everything. And bumped his head a little bit. And his mom just wanted his brain scan to make sure he was okay, like, like, the most, like, just dumb stuff. And so, I guess, like, in the ER, they have, like, they treat people by, like, how important they think their injury is. And, like, a possible child, like, brain injury, like, goes above, like, a dude with a broken collar. bone and stuff so like um you know i should like show the lady at the desk like the collarbone like hanging through my skin and stuff and i'm like i need to see someone like immediately and i'm waiting

there and they come and they get the kid first and i'm like what in the heck dude so i go up to the desk and i'm like why is this kid getting seen before me like look like my collarbone is hanging out of my freaking skin like you can't do anything to help me like and she's like we have to treat patients by like the importance of their injuries like I'm sorry I'm like oh my gosh and so I finally get seen and um at this point like it's not even about getting high for me I just want the morphine so bad because I'm in so much pain you know what I mean like it's not like I'm like, oh, like, I went to get high again and relapse. Like, I was actually celebrating 90 days of being clean when I went and rode the dirt bikes.

And so the doctor is about to come in and see me. And my buddy, like, I hear him pull the doctor to the side. And he's like, hey, like, I just want to let you know, like, my friend's like a recovering, like, opioid addict. And, like, please don't, like, you know, give him a doctor. bunch of stuff and get him re-hooked, just give them money. I'm like, bro, come on. Like, it's about getting high. Like, I'm actually, like, messed up, man. I need this stuff right now. And so the doctor comes in and has this weird, um, offer for me. He's like, I'm not going to put anything in your veins for you. And I'm like, okay. And he's like,

but you can write your prescription. So he's like, I know you know what you want. So go ahead and tell me. And I was like, okay, like, I was like, you know, 30 milligram, like, OCs, like, and as many as you can write for me. So, yeah, he writes me a big old bottle of, like, 90 OCs, but refused to give me a freaking shot of morphine on the spot. And I was like, oh, my God. So long story short, I recover from all the injuries and certifications.

surgeries from the bike crash. And I decide, like, you know what? Like, I'm going to get back off these opioids again. And I, like, self-detox. And it was a really humbling experience because, you know, I had to move back to Virginia and live in my homies', like, parents' house with him in his loft again. And, you know, work pest control again.

and just like, I don't know, it's not ideal. It hurts the ego once you get a big record deal and stuff, you know, to have to move home and kind of tell people like, yeah, you know, like it didn't work out. And so things are super dead for me at this point. I'm still creating music, but, like, no one in the industry will answer my emails. They just written me off as, like, oh, he's on drugs. like he's a lost cause blah blah blah and understandably so because like i was i was going wild

going bonkers like one time i like slept eight hours through a brittany spear session because i was like yeah i had a session with brittany spears and i yeah passed out for eight hours and um anyway that's just one example and um i finally get this call And Kevin Gates and I had been tight, because I met him, like, you know, right after he had gotten out of prison. And he had this song called Satellites that had been blowing up for a while. And people were really waiting on, like, his new stuff he was going to, you know, right, like, or put out right after prison. And so we worked a lot together and just got to know each other and, you know, really hit it off his friends and homies. and I get a call from his A&R

and he's like, hey, Kevin's making a new album and he specifically requested you. He wants, you know, can you fly out to L.A. and, like, write hooks and, like, you know, like verses and stuff for Kevin, for him to, you know, see if he likes something and wants to cut him. I'm like, yeah, you know, I'm stoked. I'm like, yeah, put me on the next plane out.

And so I go there, and sometimes as a songwriter, it's like, especially when you're, like, really aiming for, like, someone's style or you get really specific instructions. Like, it's kind of hard not to, like, do it too on the nose and stuff. And it's like, at the end of the day, as a songwriter, like, you want to give the artist something that they, don't already have. Like, they can do themselves.

They made 100 songs like themselves. So, like, if you make songs that just sound like what they do, you know, they'll normally gravitate to something different or whatever. And, um, anyway, so it didn't work out that well. And I'm getting ready to leave. And, um, the A&R, Jeff Vaughn, he's like, hey, like, um, do you mind? mine like playing me some stuff you've been working on at home like you know you always got like some cool shit like tucked away like playing me some of like you know the archive stuff and I was like

okay so um I had this like group of songs in mind that I wanted to show them but to like cut the awkward silence finessin was on my desktop so I was like oh the homies like this song when I played at the crib so like I just play finesse in while I'm going through my email and I get through about the first um first verse first hook and he runs over and he like slams my uh my space bar down he's like why didn't you like play this for me like when you first got here dude like what the hell he was like this is the first single man like this is the shit dude like and he's like who produced it and I'm like me like I didn't did it you know he's like who wrote it

I'm like me 100% you know and he was like oh man that's amazing because you know usually when sometimes like when a label wants to get a song if there's too many cooks in the kitchens and they got to write

a deal with like seven writers and four producers it can be like so when you only got a deal with one person it's like you know a lot easier And so, he's like, Kevin's going to cut this tonight. Like, so he FaceTime's Kevin. He's like, I want you to hear this song. Like, I want to see your reaction to it.

And Kevin hears it and he's like, yeah, man, like, that's that shit. Like, yeah, that's the single right there. Like, let's do it up. Like, I'm going to hit that shit tonight. And I'm like, all right, cool. And he, like, sent me videos later on of him. his, like, voice on it. I'm like, this is perfect.

What a way to come back. Like, I have, like, all these Miley Cyrus and Juicy J. You know, you know, like Pitbull and, like, type, you know, royalties. And they're finally about to start hitting my accounts. And at the same time, I get, like, a Kevin Gates single that I produced and wrote. Like, so I'm like, all right, like, I'm up. And oddly enough, Kevin Gates starts uploading videos online where he'd, like, say he would get it like a new grill, right?

And he'd be like showing off his teeth like with the new grill. But he would be playing the song with my voice on it, finesse it. Not like his version, but my version. And this is at a time when like, like, you. Meek Mill and Drake were like, you know, Meek Mill made this big deal about how Drake had ghost writers and stuff. So I'm like, dude, why are you uploading like, you know, like, what are you going to put that song out now

and the whole world's going to know that like a whole other dude had cut it before you? Like, like, what the hell are you doing? And but at the same time, it was a blessing because I had enough people who knew what my voice sounded like and were fans of me and they were like people were like what song is this and I've never seen a reaction to just like clips like that in my life like people were going crazy like hitting up my profile

like drop this drop this is Kevin Gates on and stuff and I'm like okay and so his label sees this going on online and so they're like we need to lock this song down before like you know and so they call me and they're like yeah you want to get like the paperwork straight for finessein like um you know like who's your lawyer like we'll send over our offer blah blah blah and uh like i knew other producers who had worked on that record that were getting paid like 10 12k for like deep album cuts not even single

you know what I mean so I'm expecting them to come with like a pretty hefty check being that it's the single it's already been tested on social media you know it's going to work like so I'm thinking like

I'm going to sell it for 30, 40 grand maybe and if not more and they hit me up and they're like hey man here's our first deal we're offering you and it was like

like for 5k and I was just like dude like what like are you kidding me and I wrote them back and I was like with all due respect like no like 5k is not even close to cutting it like I need like 5k times 10 like you know what I mean and like they're like e like oh we can't give that much to you know like we don't have that left in the budget blah blah blah like and uh they hit me back again and uh they hit me back again and and they're like, we had to fight really hard for this, but like, um, we got you like seven and a half thousand dollars, bro. And I'm like, okay, man. I was like, well, once again, I politely decline and they're like, you know, pretty

pissed. They're like, like, this, like, this is supposed to be the single. Like, I'm like, well, like, you know, I believe it's worth more. And, you know, your artist has. has been like previewing it with my voice on it. Like, at this point, I'm a part of the song. And that was another thing. I was like, you also, like, I don't, not only want higher numbers,

but I want to be, like, featured on the song as well. Because it's going to make zero sense if Kevin Gates puts out, like, a karaoke version of this song. Right. Like, at this point, you got to keep me on the song. And they're, like, you know, saying, like, oh, we can't promise that. like which basically means no like if you can't put that in a contract that like hey you're going to be on the song then you know whatever and so um i turned them down and kevin gates and i's friendship means a lot to me so i

call up gates and i'm like look man your label is offering me like BS numbers on this song like I'm like, you've been posting clips of it with my voice on it. The world thinks it's like our song or my song at this point. Like, we can't put it out just you, dude. Like, that's going to be like a bad look. And at the time, he was saying, like, things like, you know, I want to sign you to BWA, which is his record label. And, like, you know, like, I want to do this up big.

Let's blow up together. And so, like, I'm like, hey. The best way for us to blow up together is we put this out as a BWA song. I stay on the song. You feature. I keep 100% of the proceeds. And, you know, you make more yourself, too. And it's a good start for us to, like, start the BWA thing with me and stuff, you know.

like and he's like man like he's like i gotta be honest with you bro like i feel like you're like you gave me that song and you're like taking it back now and i'm like well dude i'm calling you man to man like i'm not taking it back i'm just telling you like hey i think we should do it together and like screw your label like why like why is you even as my friend like you shouldn't want your label to screw me over like he's like oh, like, I believe the song is worth more than, like, like, you're worried about the short term, like, come up from it, like, versus, like, the long-term relationship that we're going to build together and stuff.

And I'm like, okay, dude, like, you can feel how you feel about it. Like, I want to put the song out featuring you. Like, and I love to shoot a video for it and do it proper too, you know. Right. So, I wait like a month, and I'm emailing him and his engineer every day. Like, hey, can you send me your verse? Can you send me your verse? And he wouldn't send me his verse. And so finally after about a month, I'm with my best friend, and he's like, dude, you got to drop this song.

Like, it's like 420, you know, and he's like, just drop the song, man, just give it to the people, like, see what happens and I'm like oh like no I want to wait for Gates like verse like do it to the people and he's like just drop it dude like he's like if Gates sends you a verse you can like put it as like a remix later and like milk it for even more I'm like you know what you're right so I just like decide you know what I go on SoundCloud put it on SoundCloud and literally just post the link on my Instagram and Twitter, like, hey, the song's out. And I, like, see my Gmail blinking, and I'm thinking it's SoundCloud letting me know, like, hey, your song went up properly, blah, blah, blah. And so I look at the Gmail, and it was Kevin Gates' verse, like, the same verse that I've been asking for for a month.

I'm, like, freaking out, and I'm, like, telling my friend, like, bro, like, we got to, like, take it down and put Gates verse on it, blah, blah, blah. And he's like, no, like, just let it run. And, like, you know, you'll, you have, like, a Kevin Gates remix. And, like, I was like, all right, you're right. And I want to say, like, on the first day,

it got, like, 1.2, 1.5 million plays. Like, it just instantly went bersarck. I don't understand. He, Kevin Gates released your song? No.

He, uh, Kevin, he was waiting for Kevin Gates to send him like a verse, like a line in his song, he never sent it. And the day that he released... So he agreed to do that. Yeah. But he just hadn't seen it. He just didn't do it.

And then the day that it was released was the same day that Kevin had finally sent it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, just fucking too late. Yeah. Yeah. And honestly ended up... I mean, honestly ended up being a blessing in disguise

because the original gained so much traction on its own. Right. Which, you know, is cool because, like, it's like you're gaining traction as an artist. It's not like, oh, you got a Kevin Gates feature, so of course it's blowing up. So, yeah, that happens. It's the songs blowing up. When I tell you, like, literally every single, like, record label and rapper with a record label and stuff is, like, in my deep,

and, like, you know, texting me and emailing me and stuff, like, hey, we're interested in signing you, blah, blah, blah, like, like, pretty much everyone was, like, hitting me up to sign me. The crazy part is I had just got out of, like, a major deal, so I had seen, like, when they put promotion behind the song, you know, just the machine behind it, basically. and it was so cool to see a song that all I did was post a link to no marketing, no nothing. When I trusted my gut, going crazy.

You didn't trust your gut. Your buddy trusted your gut. You didn't want to put it out at all. That's true. You know? Your buddy's the one. Your buddy really needs to be the one managing you. You know what's funny is like,

I had the song and like I would notice, like, print, like, the setting was kind of like, we were allowed, like, smoke, you know, but in that room. And so, like, a lot of the homies would come over and hang out and, like, watch us record and stuff. And, like, like, Phanesan was the one they would always be like, hey, play that Fennyson song, play that Fennyson song. And, like, I was just making so many songs at the time, like, you know, like two, three songs a day that I just, like, thought it was cool. I thought it was good, but I didn't think, like, this is the one that's going to, like,

blow up or whatever. But anyway, so I put it out, and all of the labels and stuff are, like, hitting me up, and I'm just kind of, like, I just got out of a record deal. Like, I'm going to collect the money on this shit and run it up. Like, you know what I mean? And one day I get this DM from this guy named Petey. Like, his Instagram is literally just Petey. And all of his photos are like,

it's like him on a private jet with Little Wayne and Nicky Minaj and, like, hanging out with Drake. And, like, you know. So I can tell he's, like, obviously very entwined in the young money, like, which is Lil Wayne's, like, regular label. Right. Like, he's in twine. fine in the world, but like, I don't know, he doesn't have, like, a title or anything like that.

So, like, I'm kind of, like, wary, like, you never know. Somebody can hang out with them for a week and have a bunch of pictures, and then, you know, there's a lot of just, like, weirdos in the music industry who will try to sell you a dream and stuff, especially when you have, like, a big song going on. So he's sending me up, and he's like, hey, like, are you signed, like, blah, blah, blah. Would you be interested in signing young money? And, like, little Wayne is, like, my goat. He's, like, my hero.

Like, if, like, it was, like, a bucket list. Like, yes, of course. I would love to sign young money. And he's, like, Wayne's really messing with you. He loves your stuff. Like, let's keep talking. And, like, we'll meet up soon and blah, blah, blah. So we talked for, like, two weeks.

And I finally get to the point where I'm just, like, look, I got other labels who are like giving me real number figures and like offering me real deals and like, you know, like I can't keep just like dragging along and like, you know, getting messages from you who I barely know you could be anybody saying that Wayne loves me and wants to sign me. Like, I was like, if Wayne wants to sign me, tell Wayne to call me and let me know he wants to sign me. I was like, other than that, like, I appreciate it, but we don't. don't have much to talk about. He's like, oh man, he's like, you really going to pull my card like that? He's like, he's like, give me like 10 minutes. He's like, I'll have a, he's like, I'll have a phone call that shows you it's real. And I'm like, okay. So I'm waiting there for like 10

minutes and I get this like FaceTime from like a 504 number, which is New Orleans, Louisiana, which is where Wayne's from. I'm like, oh, well, crap, I wonder who this could be. So I opened the FaceTime, and I'm like, hello? And it's like, he's got, like, the phone in his lap. And, like, so you can see, I'm guessing, like, it's a Rolls Royce. You know, they have, like, stars in the top, you know? And I just see, like, smoke billowing out.

Like, and it just looks like the phone is kind of, like, on his lap. And I'm like, who the heck is this, you know? And I'm like, hello? like and he just like picks up the phone he's like that's real enough of you white boy and I'm like I was like yeah man I was like pleasure to meet you I like oh you're my and like he just like hung up and I was like okay I don't know what that was but I guess you know I'll go the other label I was like that's you know confirmation that he's serious and sure enough

Within like a week, we go and we meet up in L.A. and hang out. And, like, you know, we just hit it off. And I feel like, you know, Young Money is, like, a good place to, like, you know, do my thing. And it was like, I said it was like a dream come true. Like Little Wayne had never even, like, really signed or, like, messed with any sort of, like, white dude or white rapper at that point. Like, you know, so, like, I don't know. just a big honor period whether I was white or not like um so yeah I signed a weezy and um I'm just like going crazy like I'm like touring with him and like

having to like you know find ways to like score you know the stuff I need like on the road and like there's like these like secret websites I knew about and stuff and like uh I don't know it was just like a crazy time and eventually I just tell the young money crew like hey like I want to go back home and record and stuff like I appreciate you guys bringing me on the road but like you know like it's only going to take me so far because you know Wayne was nice enough to like bring me out every night and perform my song finessing with him but like like other what does that do for you yeah does it sell you more songs or maybe i mean and especially as the songs getting like two or three more years old it's like it's like it's kind of like beating a dead horse

like it's like yeah the people who see that show that night that might like bring me some followers and exposure whatever ultimately i knew i just needed to go home home and like lock in and make records and just like shoot videos and do my own thing again. And so I'm living in this condo in Sherman Oaks with my girl. We've been together maybe like, I don't know, eight to ten years at this point. Like we've been together a long time on and off. Right. Honestly, like, money was tight, and I knew enough people who would ask me, like, where to get stuff from.

And so, like, I eventually just would get enough to, like, basically, like, give it to them and be able to do my stuff for free by, like, selling, you know, like, an ounce or something like that at a time. I was talking to my girl about it, and I was just like, you know, like, if I ever got it. caught doing this like it's not like a judge or a DA is going to be like oh this kid was just supporting his habit and helping his friends out a drug dealing charge is a drug dealing charge so I was like you know like I should say they they would say all that and they still charge you with they still charge you with yeah yeah I'd still get a drug dealer he'll still say you know he's doing it to support his habit yeah well by the way he was also selling so he's got to get the charge Yeah, it's no different than just actually doing it.

Right. And I was like an internet nerd at the time. So you know how Reddit has like these like sub things? Substacks, what do they call them? They're called like something. Right. All right. Okay, yeah, yeah, okay.

But it's like R, say you're into like racing cars, R-dash racing cars. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Did you know what I said? Yeah, he said substack. Oh, subside. But yeah, yeah. I don't know what I'm talking about.

They have it for anything. YouTube analytics, anything, yeah. So there was a subreddit car called R. Opiates. And it was just basically like, it was dumb, but you would, like, post your scores and, like, say how good it was. And, like, let's talk about, like, the life of being an opioid addict. I don't know. It was kind of a dark place. But anyway.

And once you're on there long enough, you get. like hooked up with this other subreddit that's a lot more exclusive called opiate roll call. And opiate roll call was section off into states, and then you would click the state, and then you would click like the, basically like the area code you were looking for stuff in. And say, so like say if someone was like getting rid of stuff, They would put like, hey, I'm a local friend. I'm a good friend to have.

Like, I can take care of your needs. Just let me know. And they had a review system to where, like, if people would see that person and have a good experience with them, they would put, like, plus signs and be like, this is a great friend to have, like, no shadiness, like, blah, blah, blah. And if you were, like, a scammer or, like, a dirt bag, like, they would, like, attack you and be like, negative, negative, negative. This person scammed me.

They sold me nest quick powder, blah, blah, blah, like, you know. And, like, even if people would try to make, like, new usernames, like, and start doing it again, they'd be like, this is the same person. So, like, it was an interesting little, like, you know, ecosystem. And so that's how I. like basically stayed afloat on tour like because you know and hit up people like like i even in south dakota managed to like get stuff like i would hit up the people and just basically be like hey like if you help me out and and don't do me dirty like i got like two free little wane

tickets for you blah blah blah and like yeah i met a lot of cool people um oddly enough doing that but um so i'm back and I'm not on tour with Wayne anymore and I decide like okay I'm gonna start selling drugs so I start out in the subreddit our opiate roll call I'm like I'm gonna build a good like you know rapport there and get a lot of plus signs and stuff and so I start doing it on there and it's just like slow and like a lot of the people who were hitting me up were just like broke and asking for really small amounts and stuff. And like, I don't know.

I was just kind of like, all right, whatever. Like, this obviously isn't like the way. And I thought about it and I was like, you know what? Like there have been times where I needed stuff. And on Craigslist, if you know the right lingo, you can't do this anymore. But back then, people would say, like, roofing tar for sale, $80 a gallon, which meant, like, $80, like, a gram. And they would say, like, getting rid of some of my mom's fine china, which meant, like, you know, like powder, like snow. They'd be, like, call me if interested.

And they'd, like, say they had mess to there, or ice. Say they had ice too, they would say, like, ask for crystal on the number. So like, if your law enforcement, like, even if you know, like, what they're doing, like, it's just, there's no warrant that's gonna be like, like, you know, he's not like obviously selling drugs or anything.

Like, so I decide like, you know what? I'm gonna try putting one of those like, ads up and just see if anyone calls me like dude to my surprise i put up the ad and like the first night just started going bonkers and i was like i was like oh and like it was also like scary because like um i thought about sort of like the obsec and the security of it and i was like you know how can i make sure these people aren't like cops and like Also, how do I kind of get a scan on who they are? And so, like, I would tell them, like, hey, I made this, like, ghost Facebook account.

And so I would tell them, like, hey, like, I need a photo of your, like, license or passport. And I need, like, your Facebook. Because if you have Facebook, someone's Facebook, you don't only have access to them. You have access to their mom, their dad, their boyfriend, their brothers, their sister. their friends, you know? Like, anyway, it was just a great way of having, like, information on people. And so, like, yeah, I get these people's info,

and, like, I would, like, look at the ID and the photos and make sure they, like, match the person that I was meeting up with and stuff. And, like, there was some app at the time that I bought that, like, you could run through and see if it was, like, a law enforcement, like, number and stuff. And so, like, yeah, I try to keep it as, like, safe as I could. And within maybe two weeks, three weeks, like, we had bought, like, two extra phones.

And, like, we had to take the ads down off of Craigslist because we got so many calls. Like, the clientele just went, like, insane, like, overnight. And so we go from, you know, like being bored and, like, trying to, like, get people on Reddit to, like, hit us up to, like, holy crap. Like, our entire lives would be, like, answering calls. Hey, I want this much. I want that much. Like, weighing out the stuff and, you know, running up and down the stairs. and the craziest part about it, or not the craziest,

but one of the funniest parts about it is like, the condo we were living in was like this like super like sort of retired like Jewish community condo. It was like a very like quiet neighborhood and like not a lot of like stuff like that was going on at all. And like even before any of the like drug dealing, stuff happened. They like really didn't like the fact that we moved

in and you know, I think they just kind of maybe saw the tattoos and stuff and like whatever. They would like complain about like smells constantly and even though we weren't even smoking and just stuff like that.

And it just gets like berserk. The way I ran the business, I treated it like a business and my sort of like M.O. was like, hey, I'm going to be the dealer guy that like, I've always wanted, where you call and you get what you pay for and it's not going to be short, you know what I mean? If they say, hey, I'll be out in five, ten minutes, they're

actually out in five, ten minutes. Like, I'm just the simple stuff of like, you know, answering quickly and like because you know I knew what it's like like and when you're on um when you're when you're on age like um your dealer's kind of like your master in a way and if they're not answering and you can't get like you know you you miss work you miss you know important stuff like yeah I just never wanted to be that guy to people and like if I couldn't help them out I'd, you know, tell them, like, hey, you got to go somewhere else for tonight or whatever, but. Anyway, we're doing this. We're running it, like, a chick-fil-a in and out, like, just, you know, full service, like, happy customers.

And we're going by secret names. I'm telling people that my name is Sebastian or Bash, and my ex, my ex, She's going by the name Nikki. It would be so embarrassing sometimes because I would go and, like, you know, getting someone's car to, like, bring them the stuff they had ordered for me. And I would get in the car and I'd be like, all right, I was always like a money first guy. Like, give me the money and count it and give them their stuff and be like, hey, have a good day. And they'd be like, hey, um,

there's this rapper guy named Baby E, like, you look just like him. Like, are you Baby E? And I'd be like, nah, like it's so crazy. Like, so many people tell me I look like that guy. Like, it's so weird. He's like my twin brother or something, man.

Like, and they'd look at me like, okay, dude. At this time, did you have the face tat? Yeah. And did Baby E have the face tat? Yeah. Yeah. And then, like, there was this one girl who,

was like, I told her, I was like, no, like, I'm not baby E, like, I don't know what you're talking about. It's weird. Like, and she pulled up my Instagram and she was like, bro, this is you. Like, you have the same exact face tats and everything. Like, why are you lying? I'm like, it's crazy. I'm like, all right, you can't tell nobody about this.

Like, you know what I mean? Like, and she's like, she's like, what? Like, I don't get to tell people like baby E's my drug dealer. I'm just like, no, dude. Because I wanted to keep these two, like, really separated, you know? Like, after everything I had been through with people just kind of judging me for doing drugs and stuff, last thing I want him to know. But one of the craziest parts is, like, you know, the producer guy I was assigned to,

like he had done his thing, you know, with certain products when he was younger. And he almost got this weird kick out of like knowing that I was doing that. So it's running like a machine, like, you know, everything's great. Like, I'm thinking, like, I'm so far gone from the thought of, like, thinking that we're ever going to get busted by police because like I'm going to like re-up and I'm going into these like gang and like cartel houses and I'm seeing you know bricks like stacked 10 feet high of everything you can think of

and you know they just got dudes with like machine guns and like there's just like a cute chick at the front like with like a little desk and like a money counter you know and you know as long as you showed up with the money like they let you leave with what you want and it was as simple as that you know as long as you were doing good business there was never any problems um like I don't know like if you're from the valley um a lot of people will probably know um at the time there was this thing called Manny's delivery service, right? And you had the number, and you could literally call,

and whether you wanted grams or ounces or multiple ounces of whatever, they would literally, like, deliver it to you. And, like, if you became a regular enough customer, you would, you know, get in, if you're getting enough stuff, you would get invited to, like, a warehouse or something. to like go pick up the stuff. It created this big void because, like, even though people could call the number

and get the stuff from them themselves, it was like a long way, you know, like the guys were constantly busy with deliveries and stuff. So they would, like, call us and request, like, hey, do you have, like, Manny's stuff, blah, blah, blah. And we'd be like, yeah. And so eventually Manny's delivery service gets busted. like they get like five 10 spots rated and it creates this big vacuum where in the valley like

so many people went to manny or the people they went to had also went to manny too and luckily we had known other people to get supply from so when that happened like we had a whole another surge and like, just long story short, like one time we literally tried to go watch a two-hour movie dude like right around

the corner from our house. And we had this rule, like, don't lurk around the house, like don't hang out, you know what I mean? Like, don't make our like block hot basically. And we come home from this movie and we just

had all these miss calls and text on all of our phones, but we were like, whatever, like, we needed a break. And we get back to our neighborhood, and dude, like, there's just, like, traffic jam of just, like, I don't know. If I had to guess, maybe, like, 40, 50 cars that were just waiting for us to get home. Like, it was just insanity. They knew where you lived? They knew the building we lived in. We never let anyone know, like, what door we came in and out of, like, all they knew is we came out of this building, and, like, yeah, and that was very much on purpose. Like, so, yeah, two or three years goes by. Everything's going great. And, like I said,

I had seen such other bigger things going on that I thought, like, if law enforcement's looking for anyone, if they're trying to take care of anyone, they're going after. after the big guys with the stash houses. Right. And, like, they're not worried about some white dude and freaking Sherman Oaks flipping, you know, this and, you know. But sure enough, one day my ex, the girl that I was, like, doing this whole thing with, she, like, we would stay awake, like, not even, we wouldn't even do, like, the upper drugs, you know what I mean? Like, we did like, like, the age and the

banish bars and stuff, but, like, we'd still be up for three days sometimes and stuff. And, um, she goes and gets a re-up. And I stay at the house and, like, keep taking care of the customers. And I noticed, like, man, she's been gone for, like, two or three hours. Like, it should have taken her, like, an hour at most like where is she and like calling her and she won't answer um um so she had went and

re-uped and put like it was like a ton of stuff in the um passenger seat next to her she didn't even put it in a bag and cover it or anything and she falls asleep at a freaking red light dude and The cops pulled up behind her immediately see what's in the passenger seat, you know, and her, like, passed out probably with, like, a foil or something in her lap, like, you know. And she convinces them that she has that much stuff because, like, she's just a user and she's not selling it. She just wants to get it for cheaper pricing and blah, blah, blah. and they're like, so they only charge her with like basically possession instead of like with intent to sell or anything.

And she had like a tiny bond. I ended up having to go like bond her out for this stuff and everything and like get the car from being towed. And so she comes back and I'm like, mad at her obviously i'm like you know you're slacking you're slipping like i would never do that like how could you do that i was like you're not allowed to like go outside right now like you're too hot like i want you to just stay inside and like weigh the bags and like handle the phones like you need to like sober up and like work on yourself and like really think about what just happened

And so little than I know, the cops that had busted her decided that they just were going to start, like, basically, you know, surveilling our apartment. And they knew which one she lived in. And they see me coming in and out of the freaking door every 10, you know, 15 minutes. getting in three cars, making hand deals, like, I'm obviously, like, you know, moving drugs. So they began building a case on me, and I guess just taking photos. And I think in my discovery it said they built, like, a four to six months case on me. And so they couldn't get a warrant, though, because they didn't know my name. Like, my name wasn't on the lease with my girl.

So, like, I'm kind of like a ghost to them. anyone they might have talked to who, like, I had sold to, would know me as, like, Sebastian or Bash. So, like, that was just in them on a wild goose chase. One day, this kid I knew for a long time, he had been going through it. Him, his girl, and his little baby girl are, like, living in, like, the extra spare room at his dad's house. His dad owns a construction company, and is, like, giving him a job. He's on probation. but of course his dumbass relapses.

And, like, I knew him way before the drug dealing and all that stuff when we were both just, like, buying from, like, the same guy. And he calls me literally crying one day. And he's like, dude, like, I'm, like, in withdrawal. It's, like, I have to go to work for my dad in a couple hours. Like, I'm so sick. I don't know what to do. Like, I've heard you're, like, doing it real big right now.

Like, if there's any way you can help me and just, like, you know, do me a solid, bro. Like, I swear I'll pay you back, even if it's in small payments, like, whatever. And I had to, like, go towards where he was at anyway. So I was like, you know what? Like, as messed up as this is, I was like, I'm going to do a good deed and give this guy some free drugs. And, like, hook him up. So I give them like six grams for free, which is pretty substantial. And how that's eight times six is, what's eight times six?

48. 48. So, yeah, that's like $480 right there. And I give them like a free, like, you know, eight balls. That's how much? $4.80, because it's $80 a gram. Yeah, 80 times six. I was just, I think it was, I thought it was like $48.

No. No. Yeah, I gave him $480 worth of stuff. I don't have any friends that close. Dude, I was making so much money hand over fist at the time. I was like, you know what? Like, I'm just going to do a charitable thing. I know what it's like to be down and out.

And like when you're hooked on opioids or like age or whatever, like it becomes little. literally, like, food for you. Like, you needed to survive. It's not like you even want to do it to just, like, you know, get high or check out or whatever. It becomes, like, a source of just, like, literally functioning. And I told him, I was like, I'm going to give you these six. And then, like, you need to go to the methadone clinic or something, dude.

Like, you know, like, he's like, yeah, thank you, bro. And, like, I knew he liked, you know, the snow. So, like, I gave him, like, a free eight ball of snow. And, like, so I would, a lot of times, if I was doing stuff related to my business, I would get in lifts and Ubers because there was a law that, like, say, the lift or the Uber got pulled over, I could put the stash, like, in the seat. Yeah. And the cop found it.

Could have been the last guy. Yeah, dude. I don't know where that came from. Like, they're, like, I don't know if that law. still exists but yeah that's like pretty much why I would do it and um so they had tailed me from my house and all the way to meeting up with this guy so like I pull into the parking lot where he's out I literally just jump out of my lift throw the stuff on his lap and tell him how much it is and I you know give him a pep talk like hey you're going to be all right

like just like take care of yourself and remember this when like you know somebody else needs help or something bro like just pass it along and he's like oh thank you bro like you're saving the day for me blah blah blah so i tear out in my lift because i got other errands to run and the police has been tailing me and by the time they pull into the parking lot my lift pulls away but they had seen me like hand him stuff in his car So they follow him all the way back to his crib, which is like 0.2 miles away from where we met up in the parking lot. He pulls into his driveway and the police park behind him light up. And they walk up to him and like his like dad standing on the porch and his like baby mama standing there like holding the baby.

And he's like, oh my God, like check. and, you know, he's dumb, so he was, like, getting high immediately, and he's got, like, foil on his lap and stuff. And they run his name, they see that he's on probation and stuff, and they can see just how scared he is, you know. They're like, so listen, here's the deal. We can either violate your probation right now, give you new drug charges, do this all in front of, like, your family,

or you can do us the simple favor of telling us the first and last name of the person who just gave you the stuff. Like we saw it happen in the parking lot. And he's like, so like, what does that mean? Like, you'll just completely let me go if I give you his like real name. And they're like, yeah. And so he ends up giving him my real name. I guess they look me up and see my, like, they let him go? my photo on the license and they just completely let him go then even take the drugs from him like

so as crappy as it is and i would never stench on someone like i can kind of sort of see why he would just be like all right there like yeah he's in a bad spot life life's just going and all going to shit the last thing i need like what kind of glory am i going to get for you know he's on so whatever um i don't even blame him i would never do it myself but whatever. And so at that point, the cops were able to get a warrant with my real name. And so I didn't only get hit with a SWAT team. I got hit with a gang unit, LAPD gang unit SWAT team,

which is like SWAT team times 10. Like, you would have thought they were coming to get El Chapo or El Minchot did. Like, when I tell you they were in like every window, every freaking, an escape route like it was like weird it was like some seal team sick stuff or something but um so the night before this happens um my buddy calls me and he's like dude i just got freaking robbed like i don't have nothing my phone's blowing up i got a bunch of customers to take care of and like i really need to make the money back tonight all the plugs are like asleep and stuff like It's like super late as hell.

And he's like, please tell me you have like some stuff. You can like, you know, help me out with. And I'm like, yeah, have plenty. So he comes over and he buys me out. He buys me out. He buys everything I got. I'm talking about all of the age, all of the, you know, the Chris, all of the snow, like all the bars, you know, everything.

And so I'm pumped. I'm like, I just got to wake up early and go see my guy and get more stuff. But, like, yeah, yeah, that was a big, you know, purchase. And so I had nothing left in my house except a little bit of personal, like, you know, age for me and my, you know, habit or whatever. So I had two safes, like one that was up in my, like, you know, bedroom. and every time it would hit, you know, between 5 and 10 grand, I had this other safe downstairs where, like, my truck was like, there was a truck parked in front of it,

and that's where I'd keep, like, the big stashes of the product and, like, the large amount of monies and stuff like that. And I would close it and lock it, and then drive the truck right up in front of it, so, like, no one could, like, rip it over, open and get into the safe if they ever found out where it was. So I had emptied out the crib. Like we literally didn't have like any stuff.

We didn't have any money up in the crib. Like it was like the one time it was ever like that. And I like, I'm about to go to bed and I'm like so stoked because I turn off my phone and I'm like finally going to get a few hours of rest. I just hear this super unfriendly. knock, like boom, boom, boom. It's like out of a scary movie or something. I'm like, what the hell?

Like, when I tell my girl, I'm like, babe, like, go look at the people and see who that is. And so I'm more worried about, like, getting robbed by, like, another criminal than, like, the police. Because, you know, after two or three years of getting away with it, it's like, you just think it's never going to come. And she walks up and she's like, babe. like somebody's like either they taped it up or they have like their thumb on the peephole and I'm like oh okay like I'm like this isn't good like this is obviously some like bad shit somebody's trying to like rob me or whatever so I have this like tactical shotgun at the time and I walk up to the door and I just like cock it one time so they like can hear

here like, hey, this is what's on the other side of the door, if you really want to come in. And it was like weird. It was like out of a movie. We could almost hear each other's heartbeats. Like, it was so silent on both sides. And I'm just like kind of standing there. And I like take a couple steps back. If they're going to kick in the door, like, they're going to get a blast as soon as they walk in. That would have been a mistake. Oh, terrible mistake. And so I'm standing there. there, and I didn't know this, but the SWAT teams, they have these, like, heat sensors. So they can see you walking around your house and what you're doing, and if you're standing there

with a freaking gun, like, they know exactly where you are and what you're doing. But I guess they see me standing there with a gun pointing out the front of the door, and they're like, okay, we got to come in crazy because, like, I'm just like, reveal yourself. I'm like, be a man, like, tell me who you are, like, Lisa, your freaking name, like, finally. Like, I guess they use, like, a mini-C-4 because this definitely couldn't happen with one of those, like, rammers, you know?

And I had, like, double doors in my condo, these two big, huge, beautiful double doors, and they just both go, bam! And, like, shat, shrapnel, freaking flies all over. over my face and like hits me and I'm wearing like you know underwear and stuff and like um I'm like I'm like ah shit like and all I see is just like smoke and like and I'm looking and I'm like this are either like cartel hitman or like some like military officers or some shit like who the hell are these people like they're all tacticaled out and stuff you know I'm like drop the weapon

drop the weapon. I was like, all right, I'm going to drop the weapon. Do not shoot me. And they're like, don't make us count to three. They're like, three, two. And I'm like, and I drop it. And then they like, all just like tackle me, you know, and being rough with me. And I guess trying to teach me my lesson.

And they arrest me and they arrest my girl at the same time. And they take us and they sit us down in the living room like at my computer desk. and they're just like going through everything just turning our apartment like upside down dude and the head like I guess guy on the case like walks up to me and he's like look dude we're gonna bring dogs in here we're gonna turn this place upside down

like you got some nice furniture and mattresses like you might as well just tell me where it's at dude we're gonna find it And I was like, bro, I was like, I promise you, like, just for the sake of my time and yours, like, there's nothing in this house do fine right at this moment. Like, he's like, okay, you want to play that game? And they're, like, ripping through our, like, you know, super expensive couches and just, like, just being jerks, just taking, like, nice books and throwing them off the shelves, you know. know, like, they're taking apart, like, every AC vent, like, just running dogs through, and, like, and, you know, they eventually get to the point where they're like, okay, there's

nothing in here. Like, he's like, it's, you know, you hit it well or, like, whatever, like, we can't find it. And I was like, I'm telling you, like, there's nothing here. And so he's like, you know what you're here, what we're here for, right? Like, you know why we're here to get you, right? And I'm like, no, sir. Like, I have no clue.

Like, you know, I don't know. Like, I haven't even seen the warrant yaga's got, like, trying to play cool and stuff. And so they take me and my girlfriend in. They take us both in separate interrogation rooms at the beginning. I just, I told her, I was like, just play the, like, dumb girlfriend role that, like, you don't know why.

they were here, like, if he's selling drugs and I'm breaking up with him, because I didn't know that, you know, like. She's on probation for fucking drugs. Yeah, but, like, you know what I mean? Like, like, she's so beautiful that, like, you wouldn't believe the type of shit that, like, people will fall for from her. They kicked in my door and said, you know, you know why we're here. I'd be like, my girlfriend's selling drugs.

She's already on probation. I'm shocked. You guys waited this long. No. No, no. You know she has a history. I mean, she's already on probation. You guys caught her two months ago with the light.

Yeah, that was, you know, at the time, that was baby girl. So I'm not going to throw her down the drain for that. Like, and at the end of the day, it was mostly me, for real. And so. Are you at the police station? Yeah, so we're at the substation at this point. We're getting interrogated. and she just played the like stupid girlfriend

and I didn't know any of this was going down roll and they end up just like letting her free like no bond no charges or anything they're talking to me and like from the moment the interrogation starts I'm like hey I'm not going to say anything I want a lawyer like you're wasting my time and yours by trying to interrogate me

like and eventually they you know they're trying to like good cop bad cop me and they're like man like you have all this going on with your music and stuff like because i guess they have been lurking my social media while building the case on me and they're like like man your sign with like little wane and stuff like why are you out there doing all this on the street i'm like i don't know what you're talking about man and like uh at the time um um I had this song I was about to put out called No Snitchin. And the cops, like, he's like, so you're still going to drop that song, No Snitchen?

And I was like, yeah, it comes out in like two days, actually. And he was like, well, we're going to find out if you really mean what you say in your rap? And I'm like, I already told you, dude. Like, I want a lawyer. Like, they bring me a burger and a Coke. And they're like, come and sit down and they're like, look, man, we can tell you're like a smart and tell you. like a smart, intelligent kid.

And we get it. You got sucked into a life of, like, selling drugs, the fast money's coming in. Like, you're obviously really a musician. That's what you love and want to do. And, like, you just made a mistake, man. This is your first charge. And they were like,

you don't even have anything. Yeah. They're like, so this is what we're offering you. They're like, we'll give you a completely free you can walk out of here today, no charges, and you'll get, you'll be an employee of the state of California. You'll get, like, state of California, employee benefits like health insurance and dental,

and we will pay you a monthly salary to continue selling drugs and moving up, and all you got to do is, like, feed us information about your plugs. And they're like, you literally get paid to be a drug dealer and get health insurance. And like, like, you'd be making as much as me. Like, and you're going to get to keep all your drug dealing money. I was like, you know, that sounds like, that does sound.

That's carte blanche to be a full-time drug dealer. I was like, you know, like, you know what? Now that I think about it and you mention all that, like, there's something I really like to tell you guys. And they're like, yeah? And they're like, yeah, I knew you were a good kid, man. And they, like, go to write it down on their, like, notepad. And I was like, so, yeah, what I like to tell you is I'd like to speak to my fucking lawyer. And they're like, fuck you, man, like, you fucking wasted our time.

Like, and then take the burger and throw it away and shit. And they're like, put them in a towel, sell by himself and shit. Yeah. And so I'm like, what a... ever dude and um and i knew like in the in the back of my mind they didn't find shit at my crib they were literally dude pulling in straw so bad that they were like putting one dollar bills they had found in like you know pants of mine like in evidence and shit like took all my laptops took every single like louis Vuitton duffel bag all my girl chanel bags like everything

They have control buys on you? Anything? Not that I know of. Or you would know. Yeah. That would have come out. You know, he sold it. They just, they just had.

I won't see I two. You bought three times from CI2. They just had, you know, like, I was so sleek with it. Like, but, you know, how many photos do they need of me getting in cars and doing hand-to-hand and counting money in the middle of the street before it's like, what else would you be doing? going and they have the new guy who snitched on me and told me that you know told them like oh he's a big drug dealer now blah blah blah so um i mean that's enough for what probation you know what so this is what happens so my they bail me out they give me this like um like 50,000 dollar bail my girl bills me out immediately um and and And I hire this lawyer, just the fucking great white shark of criminal defense in the area, Van Nuys.

Like, you know, if you got him, like, you're good. The whole time, he's like, you're good. Like, they didn't find shit at your house. Like, even if we got to take this to trial, like, they're not going to get shit. Like, you know, you might get offered, like, maybe some, like, what is it called when you go to rehab, but you're not actually like staying there every day um it's like a diversion program where you're like uh i forgot what it's called outpatient outpatient rehab yeah like uh yeah so like it was like you probably get like six months of outpatient or something like like we'll work it out

like you'll be good like you won't serve a day one and so like at this time honestly i'm so deep in my addiction that like honestly I would wake up and throw 10 Xanax down my throat like that was like a start of my day I was taking 40 to 60 Xanax bars a day like

insanity on top of doing like you know tons of Finney and like what do they offer you what do you get so we're going through and my lawyer's doing this thing where he's just like prolong

over and over. Every time we go in, hey, we need more time, and then we come see him, you know, 90 days later. And the reason why he's doing that is because after like a year, year and a half, the judge is going to be like, all right, we've been spending a year and a half on this kid who, you know. You got, you got, you got, with no drugs in a bunch of photos and some people saying. Yeah, like, so my lawyer's trying to wear him down.

And like, bear in mind, Like, the first day we go into court, my lawyer walks up to, like, the district attorney and is like, oh, like, tell Marge, like, we can't wait to come over and have our lasagna this week. And I'm like, oh, like, and he walks up to the judge, and he's like, you owe me nine holes, you owe foggy, like, blah, blah, blah. Like, you're just mad. I beat you on the last game. And so I'm like, oh, yeah, like, my lawyer's in with, like, the judge and the DA. like we're good and one day i had just like not realized his office number was calling me you know so like i'm thinking i'm just going to show up he's going to do another like let's make it last longer thing

and he's like why haven't you been answering my calls and i'm like oh like i didn't notice you were calling me he's like dude like we got to talk and i'm like what's up and he's like they got into your cell phones. I'm like, okay, like, what does that change? Like, they already knew that I was, like, selling stuff and, like, you know, they had photos on me doing it. Like, they had someone admitting that, like, and I was like, technically I gave that guy stuff, like, but whatever. And he's like, no, man, he's like, I'm your lawyer. I told you, like, you got to tell me everything. And I'm like, I need to you everything and he's like you didn't tell me you were like buying guns moving like freaking large amounts of ammunition out of Vegas and stuff like that and I was like oh I was like wait

what and I like had forgot about it and I was just so deep in the like hustling game that anything that came across my table that I could make a dollar on at that point I was like yeah and there was a dude who basically had access to a lot of cheap ammunition and weapons, and I knew a lot of guys who wanted a lot of cheap ammunition and weapons, and the dude's supply was in Vegas, and we would have, like, um, trucks and U-Hauls bring back, like, we'd get orders, you know, and like, and like, it was something crazy, like, you, like, we were getting, like, crazy, like, 50-cow bullets for, I don't even know, like, this is just like a wild guess, but like, say, 25, 30 cents, and then flipping them for, like, a dollar or something.

Like, I don't know. It was a big markup. And when guys are buying, like, 100,000 bullets or something, like, that adds up to a lot. So I forgot I even did this. And I was like, oh, I was like, yeah, you know, like, yeah, that was just like a couple things. Like, I was never, he was like, dude. He's like, that's like interstate like arms trafficking. And I'm like, what?

Like, and he's like, that's a respectful charge. That's like made a bank robber. And I was, I was like, what? He's like, here's the deal today. They're going to offer you a plea deal where you plead guilty to the drug jailing charges. And they're going to offer you. three years in county jail he's like which

you'll maybe do like a year six months to a year of that like you might even get out in three months like you never know after that like two or three years of house arrest and then after that like three more years of probation

I'm like holy shit this is like a freaking nine year sentence like he's like it's taking that deal or they're gonna move the trial the case over to the ATF and you're gonna be fighting like federally like interstate trafficking and gun like um is that like 10 years oh probably I don't know like I would guess like you know arms trafficking interstate like tons of ammunition 50 cow like not just like bullets not nine mile like and hell of guns and stuff and like me and my friends would just like trade guns and stuff sometimes too and so like

he's like yeah so unless you want to go up against like the ATF and like have to pay me another like 15 grand to start litigation on a federal case and whatnot like I suggest you really take these like three years and just like you know see what like we can like do before this. this, like, he had been, my lawyer had been telling me, like, hey, there's this guy I know who, like, helps dudes in the, like, house arrest section and stuff. And, like, you're most likely going to have house arrest on this case. So, like, I think it's really important you call him and, like, you know, get a report with him going and stuff like that. And I remember thinking, like, what am I supposed to do? Call this guy and be like, hey, my lawyer,

told me to hit you up, I'm going to be on house arrest and maybe, you know, a year or two, like, I don't know, like, what more do we have to talk about? But I called him nonetheless. I remember right before, like, I went into the courthouse that day, my lawyer told me, like, give that number to your girl. And I was like, okay, that's a nod request, but I give that number. I go in the courtroom and I take the plea deal for the three years. And then I think three years of probation and then two years of house arrest and three years of probation. You mean three years of incarceration? Yeah.

Okay. Three years of jail. Yeah. Incarceration. So they booked me into the Twin Towers. down in downtown L.A. And I'm just like, it's really hitting me. I'm also, like, withdrawing, you know,

because, like, I didn't expect, like, I'm going to jail that day. Like, L.A. County is just, like, a straight up. Like, it's like an insane asylum at times, dude. It's so dirty and just nasty and such a terrible place to be. And, you know, it starts sinking in. Like, wow. Like, this is where. my actions got me like this is like terrible like i can't wait till i can get out of here like lesson learned

you know and um how long were you sorry how long were you lock up okay until you got out of there okay so it took them about 48 hours it's so overcrowded in l.a county like jail that like sometimes it takes them 36 to 48 hours just to like move you into, like, a pod that has, like, a bed. And the beds will be, like, six beds high and shit. Like, you know what I mean? Like, yeah, it takes 36 to 48 hours just to even get booked in and get, like, a bed a lot of times.

So after, like, you know, I finally get a bed and stuff, like, they give you this, like, this code that you can, like, call out on. I call my girlfriend, and I'm just like, just really down in the dumps. I'm sad. I'm like, you know, this is terrible. Like, at least she's out, you know, like, taking care of the dogs. And she starts seeing weird shit to me, like, hey, babe, like, if you could have anything you want for dinner tonight, like, what would you have?

And then I'm like, what? Like, what the hell kind of question is that? I'm like, I guess like, you know, fried pork chops with like mashed potatoes and like some gravy and something like that, you know. And she's like, okay, she's like, well, you're going to have that tonight. And I was like, what are you talking about? Like, I'm thinking she's trying to be on some like hippie-dippy, like law of attraction. Like, I'm going to, you know. Focus.

Focus on it. Yeah. I'm like, you know what, dog? Like, I don't got time for this tonight. Like, I'm in fucking hell right now. Like, I didn't call you for this kind of bullshit. Like, and she's like, well, I don't know. Something tells me that I'll see you tonight,

and I'll have that dinner cooked for you. I'm like, well, he must be getting high or something. Like, so I just hang up on her because I'm mad because I'm just like, you know, why play with my emotions like that? And so, like, I'm hanging out about two hours later. The CEO walks in my room, and he's like, hey, Lowry, like, roll it up. And that usually means you're either going home or you're getting, like, repositioned in the jail. Like, you're going to, you know, get to get your own cell or something.

like that or whatever. It moved out of like the big dorm pods. You know, there's these lines you follow. And he's telling me to follow the line to like the exit of like the jail. I'm like, what in the world? Like, why are we going to the exit? And, you know, I get up to the place where they're like, you know, you're, what's your inmate number?

What's your booking number? What's your name? Like birthday? And I was like, am I getting like? checked out right now and they're like yeah unless you don't want to be and i was like no no like i definitely want to you know get out of here and i get out within a few hours and um i had my phone on me and i turn my phone on and i call my girl and i'm like babe like you will never believe this like i'm out of jail and she's like yeah i know yeah like i don't want to like include

criminally myself or anybody or anything, but let's just say, imagine if someone happened to get a contact that had the power to punch you out of jail as long as you had a release date, take care of your, what is it called, house arrest, and you could pay off, like, years of probation, offer like a price and as soon as you sent the money they would you know no matter if you got three years or ten years as long as you had a release date they could punch you out and like it'd be like if you had a friend like that who could do it if you know what I mean so but I think it was just God looking out for me you know the fact that I got punched out early but anyway um you Yeah, so it was like a weird sort of like I didn't learn my lesson.

And I, because I'm like, oh, I can just like, I know the guy now. Like, I have the plug, like, no matter what I do. But the thing is, is like the probation was like 20, 30K a year to get rid of. Right. Which is kind of hard to come up with. After it just paid for my lawyer and all that stuff like that, like, I don't know. Yeah. just wasn't. So I was like, whatever. I got my, you know, jail taking care of, or, you know,

God helped. And my jail, you know, sentence got reduced. And, uh, my house arrest just, you know, it didn't have to happen. And I'm, I'm on probation. And, um, I'm thinking very clearly and making great decisions. And I decide, oh, they already busted me. They're not going to use the resources to continue watching me and, like, seeing what I'm up to anymore. I'm kind of scotch-free. Like, I'm going to just keep selling, you know what I mean?

And so, yeah, I go right back to what I'm doing, and they bring out the gang unit, SWAT team on me for a second time. Yeah, I end up doing, like, four months on this one, and after that I'm just, like, after the four months I was just like I can't do this anymore man like um yeah so like I straighten up for the most part I stopped selling um I'm still like using but also living my life and more so pursuing my music again and just like getting more into a more normal lifestyle yeah that kind of brings me to where I am today. Like, um, the summer of like 23, I went down to like Florida with my

family and just got in nature and I like desox myself and I did really good. I stayed clean for about a year that time. Like the end of December of 24, like right as it was going into 25, there's this nonprofit organization called Music Cares that helps out musicians that are on, you know, drugs, or they need help with, you know, rent, or it's a great, great organization. Like, what they do is just amazing. I couldn't shout them out enough. They've helped me many times throughout life. and, you know, I think they're ran by, like, the Grammy group, the, like, recording arts academy. And, yeah, so I've been cleaning for about a year, and I started slipping up and falling off again, and I called Music Cares. And to be honest, like, I know I've been to rehab, like, at least 25 times, like, maybe more. And I had just never truly finished it.

And the programs have never stuck for me. And so, yeah, at the end of 24, I go to this place called Cirque Lodge in Provo, Utah. It's beautiful in the middle of mountains. It's like, I believe it's like the top rehab in the country or something like that. Or they're definitely like top three. Yeah, they just had like a really great program. They take you on like helicopter rides through the like mountains in Utah. They have like Indian like sweat lodge sessions.

There's a lot of cool stuff, man. And it was the first time I ever like finished treatment. I've just been clean ever since and just, you know, doing my A thing, working my steps. You're still doing music? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I will always do music. I just released a new song called Drunk Diles, 24 and 25. I released two albums.

Emo Redneck was one of them, and the other one was called Chopper in a Dream. Yeah, I'm also like a songwriter and a producer, and I spent a lot of time working, like, behind the scenes and just, you know, making songs for the artists that need them and trying to, yeah, like take an artist's vision and really bring it to where they want it to be. I don't know.

The weird thing about that is, like, I said, like, if I aim for an artist, if they're like, write a song for a grand, I, like, hit it too far on the nose. But, like, every placement I've had, I feel like I'll play the stuff I wrote for, like, the certain artist, and they'll be like, okay, that's cool. And I'll be like, can I, like, show you what I've been working on for my new album, you know?

And I'll play my artist stuff, and that's, like, always the songs that they're like, what is going on with this? Like, you know what I mean? Can we cut this? Like, can we have this song? Mostly I just kind of just write songs that I'm like, if I wasn't sing it, how can I expect someone else to like really feel it and want to sing it too. I feel happy and blessed man like I'm so lucky that you know things could have went so differently and a lot of people don't come back

from just how deep and dark it had got for me. I don't know if anyone else is going through that like I know a lot of people have trouble with this but even if it's not the God, in the Bible or whatever, like, what helped me the most and connected for me is, like, just tuning into, like, whatever spirituality is for you. Like, most of the people I know that have gotten clean and stayed clean and stuff, like, whether they find it through Christianity or Buddhism or, you know, just their own understanding of, like, hey, I believe there's a higher power of some sort. Yeah, I've just been in touch with my spirituality,

trying to, like, you know, put positive stuff into the world through my music. And, yeah, man, I'm just happy and blessed. What happened to the girlfriend? Oh, man. Okay, what happened with the girlfriend? So we were on and off for, like, about 15 years. And about a year ago, I had like finished that rehab I told you about that Cirque Lodge place in Utah and so I come back and I'm living in a sober living which was like a halfway house or whatever and I write her this long heart fraught message and I say hey I'm not expecting us to get back together today tomorrow next week or even next month all I want to know is is there any place

place in your heart that is willing to explore us, like, romantically again. You know what I mean? Simple as that. Like, the way she responded, like, I know her well enough to know that, like, if she was really serious and, like, you know, she would have said, like, yes, like, I love you to death. You'll always be, like, the love of my life. I just think you should focus on yourself, like get back on your feet and really like fulfill some of the goals you've been having.

And like, but yes, like I still want to pursue us romantically. And she wrote me back with this sort of like vague, like, oh, you know, I love you so much. But like we both have so much to work on separately. and blah, blah, blah. And, like... It's not... Yeah, like, you know, and I just took it as like, okay, that's her nice way of saying, like,

love you. We'll always be best friends. Like, you know what I mean? We went through, like, hell and hot water together. But, like, yeah, it's time to move on. That's the message I received. And so I move on, and I get a new girl. and she's like a total norm like she's like like every other girl I've ever dated is like a like toxic stripper like sugar baby

like just like bad news bears you know covering in tattoos like a type of girl and my new girl she's just like all-American blonde listens to like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter, you know, like never really had a lot of like bad family trauma, no daddy issues or anything. Like we like she's like a, what's it called? A psychologist, like a therapist. And she's getting her license in California right now. But yeah, just a super normie chick. And how do you convince your grandma to get?

get a face tattoo really quick. How do I convince my grandma to get a face tattoo? Okay. Is this, what does this say on your face? What is this? Misunderstood. Misunderstood. Okay.

And your grandmother has? Check your, I texted you, Matt. I sent you a picture. Yeah. Oh my God, bro. What did you do to grandma? Uh, oh, dude.

Oh, my God. Okay, so like, we're sitting there and I'm visiting. one day. Me and my grandma have always had like a really just like funny sense of humor with each other and she's like well since I'm your grandma

like doesn't it only make sense now that like I should be the one that like goes and gets a face tattoo and I thought she was like joking and I'm like actually like that would be really hard

me me like if you ain't got that face tat like and she was like you think so like it wouldn't look weird and i'm like no like as long as you didn't get like some gangster stuff like as long as you got like a little cutesy thing like some flowers or a rose or something like and she was like well let's go get it let's go get it right now and so yeah we go to a random tattoo shop and everybody in the shop is like oh my god dude like can we like videotape this happening like you know what i mean and they're like this one lady is like trying to talk the artist out of it she's like just like don't do this to this lady like you're gonna ruin her life like how do we know she's of sound mine blah blah blah blah i was like trust me my grandmother's of sound mine like she's cool

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