New Rory & MAL - Episode 351 | Superstar

Episode Date: March 7, 2025

This week has been super busy, and the gang has been outside! We quickly run through their week’s activities (sort of) and then get into Casey Anthony and her attempted OJ-esque rebrand (19:00) . Rappers are turning into actors at an alarming rate, so of course we have to give our top 5 of the greatest to touch both a pen and the big screen (29:10). Speaking of the greats, Jermaine Dupri set the internet on fire after posing a question about the purpose of being an indie artist over being signed to a major (38:48). We discuss why going indie was best for Rory personally - and later get a call from JD while giving him a chance to explain himself (1:15:50). This leads us into a conversation about just how much control record labels have in creating a superstar ; how Tyla might be the next one and if Playboi Carti is already one (47:35). Last but not least, of course we had to let you guys know about new music coming today, make sure you check it out and let us know what’s hit or miss. #volumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. It's Financial Literacy Month, and the podcast, Eating While Broke, is bringing real conversations about money, growth, and building your future.

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I wouldn't go that far. But I'm John Green. Co-host of the podcast The Away End with my old friend Daniel. On our podcast The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to The Away End with Daniel Alarcon and John Green on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice.

Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to me. This is Help From a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the day. dumbest people you know. Listen to help from Hippocrite Wednesdays on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Conky, his best friend and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports. And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA.

Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The volume. Ma, are you okay if I picked the song to start the episode today? Sure, Rory. Spinning through the wheels of fortune like, say jack, you'll pump your brakes, scrap. I only spit it for y'all and niggas like my nigger, Ma, eating space packs. Y'all niggins want me are I picked Why didn't you tell us that beans

Rapped about that situation? Because I don't know if that was about that. All right, rap genius. How else could that bar be taken? I'm just saying I don't know. I mean, if you want me to make it about me, sure. No, make it about it. I didn't make it about you.

Beans made it about you. I mean, yeah, probably. But that was so long ago. I can't remember it. I just cannot believe that you've held all this information from us for so long. For those that didn't listen to our last episode, Maul explained the time that he ate way too many weed brownies.

Oh, my God. And then Beanie Segal called him... I got anxiety talking about it. Like, I started getting the shakes just talking about that. Beanie Seagulled called you Space Cakes. And then, what is he saying in this verse? Space what? Space packs.

Okay. So you went a whole pack. It wasn't even just a brownie. It felt like a pack. When was the first time you heard your name over the airways? First time ever? When did you hear this song? Or were you in the studio when they do this?

Nah. I mean, I don't know. That was what, 2000? 2001? 2002, I think. That was, I don't know, man. I heard so much music. I can't remember.

That's why when we were talking about what came out, whether it was the blueprint or Dynasty. Dynasty. You hear songs getting recorded in 2000, comes out in 2001. You're one of those. Like, oh, you finally hearing this. Glad the world can finally hear this record. I mean, anybody. that's in the studio feels like that after you hear a song for.

Oh, y'all finally hearing that? Yeah, it just came out today. Like, yo, that old thing? Like, yeah. I'm going to something new right now. I also find it funny that like, Beans only does this rap shit for you. Like, he only splits it for more. Maybe I'm the only one that found that bar fucking hilarious. Why is that that funny? Because Beans just doing this shit for you is funny. That's not what he said. Like, he really got into this rap shit, like, just to do it for you.

Y'all first. So you completely deleted that bar. Wait, so you're not y'all? No. It's just you and then them? Well, I could be included in y'all. I'm part of y'all, I guess, depending on who's talking. Yo, that's hilarious.

I'm going to make that your ringtone. Like when you call- Are ringtones back? No. But I'm sure I could make it somehow on my phone. Oh, okay. They still got ringtones. You can still get ringtones.

Having your phone ring, period, to me is weird. Like, whoever has their phone on loud. The only thing worse than your phone ringing is when, your phone doesn't ring, but it does that crazy flash shit. Oh, yeah. I hate that. Like, that is the craziest shit ever to have your phone doing. You're a psychopath if you have that.

Yeah, that might trigger. I don't even have seizures, but that might, that might trigger a seizure for me. You know, you know what group of people we should place on an island? The people that are on the auxiliary. Because I could have answered that for you. We were doing so good. I didn't, I didn't say anything. I said, I could have answered it for you.

I said, I could have answered it for you. But then you answered it, you know what you just went ahead because you was like, you know? The people that are on the speaker auxiliary Bluetooth that keep their phone on loud too. Like you can hear when they got a text? Yes. Yeah. And then just keep letting it rock. Like it's...

No, that's when you're just going, just take their phone and just unplug it. No, unplugged. Get out of my house. Yeah, yeah. I feel you on that. But how's your week then? I've seen you every day this week, Rory. How do you think my week is? I'm exhausted. Yeah.

Coffee has me jittery. I'm exhausted. Productive, though. productive week busy but productive i love busy productive weeks i've been kind of outside too on top of us being so busy i haven't been getting any rest i've been out on these streets yeah never mind all the bean state property like let's talk about you and draymond green and step curry let's talk about you hanging out with the mono warriors yeah i told you he was a mono warrior you went out with them people why you said like that no not like that but like the people that he named the people that he named

you went out with those people i went to draymond green's birthday point the marries tight When did that happen? When was that Tuesday night? I love when you do that. When you scratch your scalp like you don't know. No, he's lying. It's been a busy week. I can't remember if it was Monday Tuesday.

I think it was your Tuesday. We recorded with Lexi Tuesday. So, yeah, then it was Tuesday. Listen, he's our label mate. So, you know, I just wanted to go out. Shout out to Draymond. Happy birthday, Draymond Green. So after we had Lexi on the pod,

available now. Great, great conversation, Lexi Brown. Shout out to Lexi Brown. So her and I went to the birthday party. I must be pussy. Like I have to be. Me and Lexi are sitting there kicking it kind of by the DJ booth, chilling, having a good time.

An NBA player that I will not name walks up to us, boxes me out and whispers in Lexi's ear, yo, I love your game. Listen, I wasn't with Lexi, but I could have been. Yeah, but he don't care about. He don't know that. He don't know that, yeah. Nah.

Well, he's 6-5-66? No, he was a point card. Okay, so 6-4. than me, but that's, you know, not that difficult. He could, he probably didn't see you. It was the elevation. It was just her and I, right? Did you stand up?

No, we were standing up. Damn, standing up and he still couldn't see you. And, like, we were like this. And then he just kind of moved his shoulder in. And then whispered to him. I'm like, listen, she's not with me, but you could have at least, like, checked first. Did she giggle? I'm not going to say what her reaction was because it wasn't favorable.

And it was kind of funny because we talked about how men approach her on the actual episode. So to see that shit in person and like dudes only complimenting her game as a way to try to hit on her was one of the funniest things I've seen. He saw you trying to set a screen. He just got over the screen. That's all. He saw you. You were trying to set a screen. He was like, watch out, man. I'm getting over that. Get over that easy. No, I was really I was not mad because I had no right to be. But I started to think like, oh, I must be pussy. Like how confidently he did not give a fuck about me standing there talking to her was like, all right, man, dude, I have to air this shit out.

No, I mean, the energy, the body language probably wasn't that of people that are in a relationship or, you know, he probably felt the just friend's energy. Probably say, me and Lexington never have chemistry? I mean, not. You didn't feel it during the episode? No. It's radio. It's tangible. They said you put your Sunday's best on, though, when a cute girl came.

Sunday's best is crazy when you got on of the sweats. They said, damn, where you got that shit on? Not have that shit on. This is more dressed up than I was dressed up than I was dressed up with. 100% Now, you wear a t-shirt everywhere else. I had a t-shirt on.

Underneath. A little match-in-set. Which I have been shirtless? Yeah. You got a little match and set-off. If I showed up shirtless to watch the episode, then it'd be some shit.

You gotta go shirtless under the track suit. That's what you got to do. You got to show the chest hair. They said you cross your legs. They said you don't never cross your legs in that chair. They said you had your legs crossed. Yeah, you start.

First of all, with that couch, it's tough because you kind of like dip into it. And the only way to get comfortable. Wait, first of all, it's like, leg crossing is supposed to. Yeah, that's the thing, body language. If your leg is crossed the same way that her leg is, that means that it's, no, it's the real thing.

That's not true. Why isn't that NBA player notice that? Because y'all was standing. You didn't have your legs crossed. I should have been standing up like this. Yeah, you should have been standing. Like a flamingo? Like a karate kid.

Me doing crane kicks at Dray on Green's party. That's what you should have been doing. Practicing your crane. That's your problem now. If you practice, practice you all. are you can see in the dark. Exactly. Exactly.

And we interviewed another player for Don't Know Ball. We was, you know, banking some episodes. And we discussed Chris Mullen for like most of the episode. Shout out to the legend. The legend, Chris Mullen. New York City legend. You know my social anxiety, whatever. I'd be kind of out the mix in the mix.

So I found a nice cozy spot after I got boxed the fuck out and lost the lecture. Had to go find your pride. Yeah, you meant to go find your pride in a bottle of whiskey. I know. yeah I get it Don Julio Yeah yeah So I go to the bar

Happens to be Another white person there We make eye contact It's just an understanding Two Republicans Yeah I get it I get it

I understand I know what type of Yeah We had some thoughts We weren't gonna say out loud But we both We both knew Yeah

And we just got to talking You know Hit it off in like a man way As I'm leaving My fratby was like Oh you know You know what that was right I was like no

No idea I was like It's Chris Mullen's son I was like dog We just talk about him for two hours Yeah fucking five minutes ago

Yeah That was the weirdest shit In the world to me That's the that's the universe You know You put that Put that energy out And you find you

Chris Mullen's son Found That's the energy Yeah Chris Mullen I manifested the Mollins He found you Okay Well

You've been outside too What are you talking about Can you go somewhere last night? I went home I got invited Vaughna hit me And invited me To uh

Was that girls low karaoke Is that the name of it? Yeah it's a great party So he invited me to that But it was raining It was porn. It was nasty outside last night. I was like, nah, it's nothing worse than having to walk to the spot and

going there and everything is your jacket is wet. I was like, nah, I just wasn't feeling that. Yeah, I mean, Dremont's party, I haven't really been like outside, outside in a little bit. I feel bad for these young guys, man. The new hoes are boring as fuck. Like, they're just boring. When you say boring, what do you mean? Like, they literally just sit there and look pretty.

They offer another. Remember when hos used to be fun? Like, Hose would get a party started? Mm-hmm. They literally just sit there. That's because they only speak Zell. You ain't speaking Zell. You know what I'm saying?

That's how you got to introduce yourself. My name is Zell and yours. Listen, I probably should go to more NBA parties like that because all the hos just think I'm like one of their lawyers or something. Like, oh, he must be, he must be Dremont's manager. Yeah. So, you know. You get that vibe in a room for the ball player.

Were they young hos, though? Yeah. Well, 24, 25 is young. Yeah, they were definitely early 20s for sure. And of course, you know, Draymond and Steph far away from the hose. Yeah. Hose weren't getting, you know,

Steph Curry walked in with a mink on. Gangster. I like that. Period. In the rain? Yes. Gangster. I like that.

I never thought I thought Steph Curry was going to be like in his jersey. I could never picture him in like clothes outside of. You thought he was going to wear his unarmed? Exactly. You thought Steph being in a clover. on more. Listen, any guy that doesn't even get a shape for his wedding, I could never picture going

to a party in a Mick. I mean, after you finished doing what he did in the garden Tuesday night. Yeah. I mean, you have to show up to Jemar's birthday with a mink on. It's only right. Yeah, I was a little bitter

even being in there. I kind of felt like somewhat of a traitor. But why? Listen, man, I'm the Knicks. I'm the Knicks. He owns the Knicks are me. He owns the New York. New York and Stephs.

Like, he lost one time, I think, in the garden. Really? In his basketball career. I thought he's won every single time. And his basketball. In his basketball career, Davidson included. He's lost one time. And Davidson included, it's great.

In Madison, he's lost one time in Madison Square Garden. He's like 13 and 1, I think, or something like that. That's wild. Crazy. Oh, then, yeah. I mean, I'm definitely a traitor, then. I couldn't be seen next to him. It's a regular night for Steph, man.

What were you last night when the gang was outside, though? Because I was waiting on you. What's going on? Well, we. Oh, you didn't pull up on? I thought he was pulling up on ganging them. Nah, because our meeting went over, and Marlon Kraft had his residency. Oh, yes, yes, yes.

Shout out to Marlon. Which, by the way, incredible. If you can make Marlins' residency, it's what I feel like the New York music scene has been missing for quite some time. Actual live fucking music, people actually rapping.

Like just jam session, fans, like a real community. It was, yeah, felt like New Year Waking shit, felt like Village Underground Sundays. I forgot the name of the venue. It's in Alphabet City, and I feel bad because the venue was fucking fire. I can't believe I'd never even, like, heard of it

or ended up a show. It's a new venue? No, it's been around forever. That's what I was asking. Alphabet City. I'll find it, maybe posted, but it was great. I can't say enough of how good that show is. New Blue?

New Blue, yeah. Oh, New Blue's. Oh, yeah, my man, Docman telling me about New Blue because they do jam sessions in there. They have, like, a lot of producers going in. On Mondays, right? Yeah. That's what the manager was telling me that, like, right after the show. Yeah, my man, Docman telling me to slide through.

I got to go check it out with him on night. He sent me a video. It looked like a vibe in there. Oh, I'm definitely down. You know, that's my type of shit. But, you know, Marlin smoked that shit. It was a really fun, fun fucking time. Okay.

Shout out to Marlin, man. Highly suggest people go to that. But yeah, that's like back to back to back nights out. And then, I mean, I hit Demaris after the show. I was up on her and Yom's was still in the streets. Fuck, no. She was already... Home in my bed.

There's nothing like going home. I just figured Yomi had her out. That's all. Now, Yomi went to another spot. I went home. I'm not playing with Yomi ass. Like, I went home. Yomi outside?

Yeah. You know when they moved... When they moved to the A, yeah, by myself. You tried it, oh. I went by myself. What did I try? I had to go upload RAM radio

or do RAM radio and go to sleep. Yeah. That's what you call it. Had to go home and work. Yeah, and go to sleep. That RAM. That RAM. Go get Rams.

But it was nice seeing Yomi. Yomi was, she told me to tell you all hi and she's doing well. Yom don't even text a nigga no more. See how they do? Move to the A and just out of sight. That's how it goes, though. Yeah, man. It's all good.

I go to the A, I'm gonna just post mad pictures in Atlanta and not hit Yomi at all. Is she gonna keep scrolling past? Not single fuck. Nah, Yon going to hit me. She's gonna try to lick. She gonna try to link. Now I kind of felt the way.

Was it yesterday, two days ago when Yomi texted you to tell like, Loyon. What's up? I'm like, I'm right here. She don't want to say what's up to me? That's crazy. You sex her and say what up to her? Loian reaches out.

You reach out? I mean, I don't like to just be on people like that. No, I'm gonna start hitting Yomi. I'm gonna be like, yo, what's so? Why are you on like, say what's up, say hello when you come to the city no more? What's going on with you, yo? I don't like that. She said she might slide through today, but I don't know.

She was out drinking last night. So I doubt she said that yesterday, but I don't think she's going to do it. She's still sleep. Yombs can hang in Atlanta last time we were there. Yomi hung with us till like 3 o'clock in the morning. You telling me, that's what me, Peege, you know, we was all in the lobby and Peege gave us a a fucking show. He was the magician for the night.

That shit was so funny. I completely forgot. Did we ever talk about that on the episode? Yes, we did. Yo, when I went up to the room, I was still laughing at Peach. I'm like, yo, Peach is a fucking idiot, man.

He had those beers. Got in full character. Oh, my God. You know, that shit was on. Yo, we had to have a magician on the pod. We do have one, Pete. He made the nickel disappear. All right, he'll have to multitase them.

Yeah. Did you see, I forgot what the magician's name was. I feel bad, but he just did a segment with Taylor Rooks. And he threw, like, all the cars on the ground. or whatever, shuffled them, and then took out her phone number with each card. Like, I'm starting to believe like magic might actually be real. That's crazy. Like, it's not just, you know, if I see something like that, I might be like, all right, you know what?

That was crazy. I might be on board. Like, I might be on board with certain, certain magicians. Like, to see somebody do that is like, you have to explain to me how you did that. Oh, I'm going to believe that you're just a sorcerer. Absolutely. You have to break that. What was the mass dude name that reveals all the magic?

Magic. Mass magician has to, he has to reveal how that's done. You have to tell me how you do that. What is, what is about magic that makes black people run? Like, why is that your immediate reaction when a trick happens? We run when we're entertained. That's why. We run for anything. We run when we're scared. We run when you run. Fair. Yeah, like, we just run. We're runners. That's always, it's always fun to watch black people watch magic. Magic Johnson or like magic. Like, you know. Magic is one. Magic as well. Magic Johnson because you got to see us when we watch the Showtime late because we go crazy.

We've talked about what careers we would have besides this. I think I had said a chef, but a magician would definitely be up there. Being a magician would be cool as shit. Like that was just your job. Yeah, if you really knew how to do magic, that's definitely cool. I'm just saying if you could do that with Taylor's number, like you could throw a deck of calls on for and pick up the number. It would be more impressive if he just picked up his phone and called her. That's the real magic.

Like, we say that, but I don't know. You can find anything on the internet these days. Maybe he subscribes to like yellow pages or some shit. That's magic. So subscribing to yellow pages is magic. A monthly subscription so you could get Taylor's number. That's crazy as hell. You know, it'll be super funny if he just wasn't a magician at all.

He just seen Taylor was like, yo, a magician. Let me get your number. Yeah, that's crazy. We got to find out who is that. You don't remember his name? Did she post it? No, I was just... I was looking for it.

I can't find it. You know, sometimes, like, they just be putting shit on your feed of things you don't even follow? Yeah. I think it was one of those. Okay. But, no, I would definitely want to have a magician on this podcast. I would do a whole segment with a magician. Yeah, we should get a magician on.

Yeah, I can't find it. Damn, I'm doing so bad with plugging shit today. Can't find the venue name. Can't find this magician. But, you know. Yeah. Oh, G.S. Magic. G.

G.S. Magic. G. We would love to have you on the show. You're not jacking that? G.S. He got to get a better magician name. That is a little. His name's George Stanton.

So George Stanton, magic. Oh, okay. But his name's George Stanton. George Stanton sounds like a magician. Sounds like an accountant. Well, yeah, that too. Well, those are magicians as well. They know how to make a lot of things

disappear through them Excel sheets. Loyon the Great over there. You don't put that on Loyon. Loyon does everything above the book. Of course. All right. Yeah, he legally makes things disappear. Yeah.

That's really all it was. I loved Matt I loved Ben Affleck in that movie Which movie The accountant Oh Part 2 is coming out soon Is it really?

Yeah I'm excited for that Did he just spin the block again? No, but he said he would He's a he's a block He said if he could get another chance With Jennifer Garner he would Oh that's oh Jennifer Garner

I said yo Ben is going crazy He spun twice on him didn't he He's trying to spend a third time I've given JLo a lot of shit of her maybe being the problem in the common denominator in a lot of things, but Ben, Ben might be the problem, too. No, Ben is crazy. Ben Afflick is absolutely out of his mind, insane. Great actor. But I think he still, I think he really believes he's Batman at this point,

because only Batman spends more than that. What are you doing, man? Method acting a little too far. Yeah, come on. I've seen the Dunkin' Donuts commercial. All right. Anyways, what do we actually have as far as topics today? Saw Casey Anthony's losing her fucking mind, but what else is new? Did you subscribe to her legal TikTok show? I don't have TikTok, and this is probably another reason why I don't. Because if you tell him Casey Anthony is a legal advocate on TikTok, I don't even know what that means.

I don't even know. I didn't even know TikTok had advocates. I mean, what is that? What is her role? She's giving legal advice on TikTok. Oh. Which. Okay.

I get, it could be offensive to people, but don't you want to hear from the person that. Yo, she. Don't you want to hear from a Teflon, Don, like that? Man, that case she got out of. I thought that was open and shut. Yo, I will say I did watch that Casey Anthony doc when it did come out. I have a whole different perspective on that case. Now, I honestly do not think she killed her child.

I don't know, man. I just think her looking at like body language and, you know, if somebody kills your child and they're like saying you did it, I just think your natural reaction would be a lot more. Oh, I'm aggressive. Like, yo, y'all trying to pin this on me. Like, I didn't feel none of that from her. I felt the, I felt to prove it energy from her. Oh, she deserves to be in jail for life.

I just don't think she actually killed her child. You think she know who did? Yeah, I think her and her dad buried the child. I think the child drowned in the pool and they did some weird shit and her dad helped her get rid of the body. Which you deserve to be in fucking jail for. Oh, absolutely. I just don't think she actually sat and, like, killed her. You think it was an accident that happened and they tried to cover it up?

Yeah. But her dedication to not stand out the spotlight, just like, if you get away with accidental murder, just like kind of get away with it. She just refuses to get away. Like, I don't understand. Yeah, even accidental. Like if your child drowns in a pool accidentally, I still feel like if you bury a body, that's still like insane to me.

Like, if you bury your child's body, yes, you should go to jail. Yeah, like, I mean, accidental death is an accidental death, especially a pool drowned. But that's what makes me feel like it's not. accidental. Yeah, like, exactly. If you really love your child and your child accidentally drowns, like, you're going to call the police. They would find me holding my child's body screaming if that was the case.

Like, oh, she's definitely sick in the fucking head. Yeah, that's for sure. But now she's on TikTok and, you know. She says she's been in the legal, like, she's been in the field, like, for all of these years. Like, but like the date is like the day that she had to go to jail. Yeah. She's sick.

All right. He's definitely sick. Well, I mean, everybody on TikTok, if you need some legal advice on whatever. whatever it may be. I mean, Casey Anthony is available at your disposal. I mean, you know, just follow her and I don't know. I don't know how you, do you DM on, do you message on TikTok as well? Subscribe to her page. I've never been on TikTok. I can't tell you if you can message somebody. I don't know nothing about TikTok. Slotening, sliding Casey's DMs is fucking nuts. But if you need legal advice, it's not. You know, what's kind of sick. There's definitely

been a couple people that have probably fucked Casey Anthony after the case. Like, that's wild to me. Yeah, absolutely. A lot of people probably don't even know who, like, that she's fucking probably don't even know who Casey Anthony is. Imagine meeting her at the bar not knowing who she is. Have a little quick one night stand next morning. Like, I didn't even catch your last name. Anthony. Don't Google me.

You get in the car and realize who you just fucked. Yeah, because she doesn't have a, like, if Casey Anthony walked in here right now, I don't think I would recognize it. You wouldn't recognize her, no? I wouldn't do. I don't think I would know that that's Casey Anthony. I don't remember her face like that. I don't remember wanting to have sex with her, but I don't remember her face. I don't think she would be one that I'd give the pass for.

Yeah. But I mean, I don't know. And she looks a lot different now. Is that the current video on the left? Yeah. She's older. She's like, what, 10, 15 years older? Yeah.

I guess it's a while ago. All right, well, if you need some legal advice on TikTok. She's an influencer. She's an influencer on how to hide the body and, you know, No, beat the trial, I guess. What is it with people that have, like, crazy high-level murder cases that just won't, like, leave us alone? Like, O.J., the moment he got out, he was on Twitter every goddamn day. Yeah, the world is obsessed, well, especially America, is obsessed with murder and crime and things like that.

Some of the biggest podcasts in the world, murder podcasts, murder mysteries, some of the best documentaries, murder documentaries. people are have this obsession with who did it who done it um where's the body you know what I mean that type of thing it's because it's a story I mean it's a tragic story but it is a story and people want to get to the end and feel like okay I knew that person did it or damn that person didn't do it so I think that's what people are obsessed with just the story and the suspense of a murder are you on the uh side of the theory that OJ's son actually did it and OJ just you know helped him clean up. I've heard that. I mean, I can see it happening. I just, I just watched the, the, what was the Gabby? Petino.

Petito. I just watched that documentary in Clear's Day and her, and the, the guy's text messages, the mother was ready to help him get rid of hide the body. So we know that parents will go to extreme measures to protect their children, even if it means, you know, helping them hide a body that they, you know, a person that they just killed. So I can see that. I don't know if I ever subscribe to that theory in the OJ case. I always felt like OJ didn't do it, but I did always feel like he knew who did it. I don't think, I never felt like he did it, though. I was always on the side that he did it. And then I watched one piece that was the theory about the sun. Yeah, and I believe that one.

It made a lot of fucking sense. So I don't know. Yeah, I mean, I could listen. He either did it or knows who. That's what I'm comfortable. I'm with you on that. No, I don't think he did it. I don't think.

I did it. I never felt like it, but I 100% believe he knew, obviously, he's no longer with it. So he knew who did it. I just think it's crazy after you beat a murder case like that, you just get on Twitter every day and say, yo, it's the juice, baby. Like, we didn't remember that trial. People don't care, man. He was giving, like, sports takes. You got to rewrite your own history. You can't let the last thing that somebody say about you be something that you don't want to be

remembered for, so you've got to rewrite your own history. OJ did not rewrite his history. His history is still his history. When he parried in the ground. Remember that Twitter video? No, I was like, you remember that murder case? I remember you in the back of that Bronco. I do remember.

But his personality and who he continued to be after that case now is why y'all can sit and laugh when you say his name instead of just remember him like a Casey Anthony. Because he has come out and he made a joke of it. He leaned into it. So it made it funny to other people. Which is crazy because somebody actually died. Yeah. Was, I mean, I was...

Two people died. I wasn't even alive when OJ was playing. I'm aware just off stats that he was one of the greatest running backs, but I don't have, my thoughts about OJ actually aren't really football. It's the case. Yeah, absolutely. And he is like one of the greatest running backs ever, but I don't even think about football with him. I mean, Naked Gun is a classic, though.

I haven't seen that since I was a kid. Naked Gun, class. I don't even remember. Classic series. Classic movie series. So, Roy, I looked up your question when you asked, why are people so obsessed with with like murder docs and things like that. One of them is the controlled fear.

Like, apparently we really like fear as humans. We like fear. We like having an adrenaline rush, but we're safe. So it's that thrill, but we're safe from it. So it's like watch. It's the same people, why people slow down and watch car crashes. Like the brain is naturally wired to want to investigate death and harm and fear, but at the same time, stay safe from it.

So as long as it's not happening to us, we like it. And then women are obsessed with the. It's called the know-your-enemy effect. Like, we're obsessed with the person, the danger that is to us and how we can watch it from afar. That's why people pull their phones out when they see some wild shit happening. Like to watch. Instead of helping the situation. You want to keep watching it.

Yeah. I get it. All cooked in the brain. Are you guys caught up on Paradise? Yes. Oh, my God. I watched it. You watched it?

I loved it. I was obsessed. What is Paradise? It's a show on Hulu. What would be the best way you think to do? describe the show without giving away too much. It is a end of the world tale. Yeah.

End of the world tale. Essentially, everything blows up, but they, the elites build like a society under a mountain to survive it. Yes. Everything in the world blows up. Yes. A big catastrophe, like they always are saying, it's coming for us, like an end of the world tale.

But there's one of the bunker cities. There's a bunker city that's created. Okay. But the first episode, which I don't feel like this is giving it anything away because I feel like this would be in the description. The president of this bunker city is killed. And the first season goes through why, what happened, how, like, it just keeps flashing back to how they got to where they are. It's really good, though. No, it's an incredible show.

Paradise. Yes. On Hulu? Yep. It's headed by Sterling K. Brown, who was, if you guys don't know him, that's Randall from This Is Us, the Black Guy, and this is us. He's an amazing actor. He was also in The People v. O.J. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

He played, what's the other prosecutor that was with Marshall Clark? No, Cockerman's on the other side. Carl Dorn. The guy with the glasses. Yeah. The guy with the glasses. Yeah. Didn't he just represent somebody and didn't drop the case?

Nipsey's Killer. Yes. Which, we should revisit. That was fucking weird. Christopher Darden. Yeah, Christopher Darden. That was really, really odd. Wasn't there another Darden that, like, killed, like, police or something like that?

Yeah, Christopher Darden. His name was Christopher Darden? Okay, I knew that name sound familiar. Or Dornner, Christopher Dorner. Dorner? Yeah. Okay. Why L.L. Cool J has not made the limited series about that?

I do not know. They did resemble a little bit, yeah. L.O. would smoke that role. Yeah. Is L.L. a greatest rapper-turned actor? No. Probably will. I mean, but L.L. is a better rapper, has better music.

Yes. So that attribute is up. And Ella has great movies under his belt, great roles. Okay, so he's the best in both categories. Yes, Will is obviously the better in Hollywood. Will is a way better actor than L.L. Kooja is a rapper. Yeah, but L.O. Kooj is a way better rapper than Will Smith. Yes, but Will's, if you're going to do even for even, yes, one is good at one and one is better at the other.

But Will is such an amazing actor that he will always be the best when it comes to those two categories. he's a better actor than LL as a rapper. Do we count Mark Wahlberg? Yeah. Why not? Eddie was kind of nice. Yeah. Yeah, Mark Wahlberg is definitely in that conversation.

I just was Googling. Queen Latifah is definitely asked to be up there. The Equalizer might be ruined in her career, though. That's just we got to keep. I love the queen. I love the queen. But she could have passed on that role in that. Let Denzel be the equalizer.

That's it. Why is Andy Samberg on this list? Andy Samberg. He rapped. I don't know about that one. Dick in the box. I'm sorry. He wrote the...

On the Islander. Those funny, like, songs. I never considered him a rapper, though. Yeah, I'm not. Yeah. We can get him off the list. Most people would try to say that it was Tupac. Yeah.

Yeah, Pock might be number one. I still think Will is number one. Who are you talking? How is Pock number one? He has iconic... Gridlocked really did it for you? That's what... Gridlocked.

It took you there? That was the role. Pock and Jim Belushi is like that's my, that's my North Star of. Gridlock did it for you, huh? All right, come on. Juice, poetic justice, both we could consider classic movies, correct? Juice and poetic justice, you get no debate from me, yes. On top of Pock's catalog, yes, you can definitely debate L.O. Cool J versus Tupac in this category.

L.L. Cool J versus Tupac? Yeah. Because you can't debate Will because I'm not. I feel like one. So Will is the best ever. I mean, I think Will's the best ever. You just said Popwood? I'm saying the 1B, the L.L. Cool J versus Pock.

I think Pock takes that. I ain't gonna lie. What's some of your favorite LL movies? SWAT? Hey, hey. Don't do that. Great movie. I like SWAT.

Great movie. We're not doing that. Love SWAT. I mean, in too deep. Classic to me. That's a classic. Yeah. I'm trying to think.

Oh, Cool, Jay. I'm sorry. Deliver us from Eva is a black classic. I don't know if y'all on that time. Deliver us from Evil. Kingdom Come is also a black classic Deep Blue Sea I was scared

Back to this fair thing I haven't been in the water I haven't been on vacation since Deep Blue C came out Any given Sunday You already know how I feel about that movie Damn Last holiday with Queen Latifah

Damn you think there's gonna bar for bar When the Carols off I might walk I may walk back my take down He's got some classic fucking movies And I mean and What was this sitcom name? Was it in the house? It's in the house, right?

I didn't watch that. You didn't watch in the house? Damn, I'm old. Ice tea. Ice tea is definitely definitely on that list. You got to put him up there. Ice tea was keeping the lights on that fucking long order.

He's on that list. Oh shit. Andre 3,000, he doesn't have a lot of movies, but four brothers. Idol out is classic. Oh, yeah, for sure. Love Idol Wild. DMX. Ice Cube.

Up there for sure. DMX is up there. How do we not even mention? Cube. Ice Cube is probably the greatest rap. See, I think Ice Cube is above Tupac. Yeah. Ice Cube for sure.

He said fuck the police. No, Ice Cube has a insane discography plus a bunch of classic movies. Classics. Yeah, shit, now I think the debate would be Ice Cube versus Will Smith. Ice Cube versus Will Smith? That's a tough one. Yeah, what was the Ice Cube movie when they was in the warehouse

and they got locked in? They was trying to find the hidden like the jewelry. like the gold and stuff that was in the um all about the measurements trespass trespass y'all don't know nothing about trespass classic movie um how could we not

bring up the game and belly two we're not doing that please we not we never does game have a classic discography no yes music yeah absolutely okay but not film plus a classic movie belly two is terrible we don't even talk about that movie I don't know why they what about nize though

we gonna bring up what about nize You know what's crazy about belly food? Don't force me to say something bad about one of my favorite rappers. Nah, I only did one movie, though, right? Thank God. Nah, so you got elevate above this madness. Rory Stahl, because that's one of your favorite movie. Oh, it's incredible, but it's one of the worst acting movies ever as well.

That's the genius of Hype Williams. We talk about that all the time. That's an incredible movie with awful, awful fucking acting. I don't, but I think DMX, DMX is a good act. It's incredible. Definitely. Definitely. It was a grave, no, X-Um is amazing.

That's what made it even crazier because you have an incredible actor in every scene with some of the worst actors of all time. Like the difference in the range was hard to watch. Belly is the best worst movie ever. Yeah. It's a cult classic without a doubt. Is Tebas and Nas the worst acted couple of all time? I mean like, what the fuck?

That was a spot. I kind of believed when she walked in the house and the niggas were sitting in the living room I kind of was like T-Bos got in her acting bag on that shit

for real that was a good scene we ain't gonna do T-bos like that that was a good scene she did great in that scene she did great

imagine imagine getting shot in the leg and just going home and being like Africa we out give a fuck let's go to the hospital

now nah we out go straight to the airport I think yeah it's just that first opening scene really get people because it's the greatest

opening scene of a movie of all time and then some bullshit. It's some bullshit. Ice Cube might be it, though. He might be the greatest rapper turned actor. I'm still going to go well.

I think Will Smith is a way better actor than Ice Cube. Oh, no, man. Got Rule Fast and the Furious? No, Monica. Best line ever. Listen, Bow Wow and Fast and Furious. Bow Wow. Bow Wow kind of smoked lottery ticket, too.

Bow Wow got a couple on them. Ludacris got some good. films too, though. Oh, I haven't think it, yeah, loot it. Damn. Can we pull up Bow Wow's filmography?

Bow Wow. Like Mike. Roll bounce did it for you? I like Roll Bounce. I do too. Lottery ticket was good. Johnson's family vacation. Like Mike, obviously.

Medea's big happy family. All right. I'm going to go Will Smith, Ice Cube, Tupac, Tupac, Queen Latifah. I don't know who to put for my five.

Maybe LL's there. I think that's my top five. I'm not mad at that. As long as Cube and Will. Pock got classic movies, though. I got to put Pock there. Machine Gun, Kelly? L.L.

I said Cube, right? Cube, Will, Pock. Metham. I ain't going to lie. What he's doing with the Power Series, man? Yeah. I'm with you. I'm with you. I'm with you.

I mean, does all of state property count? You don't put them all together? I mean, they have classic movies. Yeah. Put Hovin there too. He didn't even say nothing. He was in the studio. No, he got that one scene with Dame in the car.

When they robbed the same house? Yeah. But I feel like Jay wasn't acting. I had to talk to Biggs. They write that scene. No. I feel like he was like, I don't even want to be here,

but fuck it, I play myself. And I mean, Streets is watching had some terrible fucking acting. But that's expected. It was young

and just had a camera and the projects. Oh, no, they smoked. It was an incredible movie, but some of the worst acting as well. Streets is watching

is such a brilliant idea, though. Like, especially for a rapper to do that at that time. I don't think we still haven't seen another rapper

do something like that. I mean, we know, Jay has been a shooter before, but when he was trying to back out in the project shooting was one of the funniest scenes. Switched hands? Like, Jay can't do anything athletic at all.

If that was a shootout, he was getting shot for sure. And the worst fucking aim ever, all the fake shots going against the project. Like, who is shooting right now? Sprayed this whole shit up. Sprayed his whole shit up. I feel like that's crazy. Vaughn got to be in that and they didn't, you know, bring you in the mix.

I know they did it in Marcy, but I felt like Vaughn's role should have went to you. I'm not from Marcy. Yeah, but, I mean, Damon Biggs pulled up. Like, they could have brought you from Harlem. Nah, it was a Marcy. That was a Marcy movie. Made sense. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.

I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Yeah. Well, you can find that. out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick you here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we

survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but yeah, yeah, yeah. But just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now.

Thank you for finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. American soccer is about to explode. The World Cup is coming.

Ramers sending on to earn a story. I'm Ty Bramos. I'm Tom Boe. On our podcast, Inside American Soccer, you'll get the real storylines. I'm not worried about Policic. I'm not worried about Balagan. I'm not worried about McKinney. My only concern is what happens in the back. The biggest decisions.

If you're going to look at stats and numbers, he has no shot at making this World Cup team. And the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals. The World Cup is almost here. Experience it all with us. Listen, Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tab Ramos on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. If you are a founder or a freelancer or the friend who always says,

hey, you know what, what if I started that? This is for you. I'm telling you I had nothing to my name. I didn't know a single person in New York. And somehow I'm dressed by Oscar de Lorenta walking down that red carpet. This month, we sit down with entrepreneurs and creators who actually did it, turn the scary leave into a business, a paycheck, and a life they are proud of. Direct center of our happiness or our regrets is whether or not we're taking action on the things

that matter to us. They're not selfish. They're so important. They actually lead to our greatest contributions because when we're living fulfilled, we actually show up better everywhere. We lead better. We're better friends. We're better relationships and collaborators and all those things because we have passion about the things we're doing. If you're trying to build something of your own this year, join us in this conversation. conversations that will make you braver and smarter with your money. Listen to Dos Amigos as part of the My Cultura Podcast Network, available on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

I feel like it was a little bit unbelievable until I really start making money. It's Financial Literacy Month, and the podcast Eating While Broke is bringing real conversations about money, growth, and building your future. This month, hear from top streamer, Zoe Spencer, and venture capitalist, Lekechie. Keisha Landrum Pierre as they shared their journeys from starting out to leveling up. If I'm outside with my parents and they see all these people come up to me for pictures, it's like, what? Today now, obviously, it's like 100%.

They believe everything. But at first it was just like, you got to go get a real job. There's an economic component to communities thriving. If there's not enough money and entrepreneurship happening in communities, they fail. And what I mean by fell is they don't have money to pay for food. They cannot feed their kids. They do not have homes. communities don't work unless there's money flowing through them.

Listen to Eating While Broke from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Why was the internet killing our guy, JD? Saw yesterday. They was tearing them up. Disrespectful to the legend. I mean, I guess he was just asking a rhetorical question. It wasn't suggesting the otherwise, but... What did you say? He said, I'm a little lost.

he tweeted, I'm a little lost. Can somebody tell me what the goal of being an independent artist is today because all of the things that people are chasing is shit that major artists do. What's the thing that indie artists do that make it special? And I saw La Russell chimed in and he said, I think he said, own the music. You know, if you know anything, my La Russell makes sense that he would chime in on that. But I understand what, with Jay. he was saying, I think he was kind of saying, you know, you want to be independent, but then

you want to, you know, do the things that major artists do. You want the things that major artists want. You want the lights, the glitz, the glamour. You don't want the grind. You want to be on the same stage as a major artist when you're independent. And it takes a lot, a lot more work when you're independent to kind of be on the same, you know, field and the same level as a major artist and get the same looks that major artists get. So I think, you know, it was a rhetorical question that Jady was asking, like, how do you want to be, you say you want to be independent, but you want to look like a major artist. I mean, I don't get it because it's not like people say, I want to go be indie, but I don't want to be successful. Like, the goal is to get your music to as many possible people that you can.

Absolutely. Make money off it. Hopefully change people's lives. I don't understand what major and independent even has to do with what the end goal for most artists is, which is to be a star and to get your music heard by as many people as you can at a price that makes you rich. Again, I think it's subjective, though. What's a star as far as you're concerned as an artist? To the specific artist, what does a star to you? What does a star look like? I don't know any stars that are independent. I know extremely successful artists.

like I watched Russ sell out Radio City and Barclays Center independently. Russ, I wouldn't say he's a superstar. He's definitely up there as far as popularity, but I don't know if I know any superstars that are independent. Usher is independent now. Now. Now. I mean, that's, you know. But you know, Hove is independent now.

Yeah, like, yes, you know, but again, Russ is a great example. Russ is somebody who you might not be you know you don't think about when you start talking about superstars but if you go to a Rush show and you see it so the venues that he's able to sell out that's superstar shit

but why would J.D. not understand that some artists just don't want their music owned in perpetuity forever like even the way he's seeing people sell their catalogs like you can't sell your full catalog if you're not completely independent

But he's asking, what's the goal of being an independent artist today? Because all the things that people are chasing is what the major artists get. Yeah, but that's just, it's just a weird point because everyone is chasing to be successful. It's a very, I just don't get it. It's a bad question. The way he asked the question doesn't even make sense. Like, it's a bad question. Well, he did start it with I'm a little lost.

So let's start there. He did start. with I'm a little lost. And he said, can somebody tell me what the goal of being an independent artist is today? Because all of the things that people are chasing is the shit that major artists have. So what is the thing that independent artists do that make it special? Well, somebody... I understand the question.

Crooked eye responded and said freedom. And I'm not against majors as long as the deal is beneficial for everyone. But being indie is the freedom to choose the what, when, where, and how in your remained to pre-responded to crooked eye and said, so you're saying freedom is the perk. So I think JD is wondering what's the perk of being independent. But I feel like that's such a easy question to answer. Even if that is what he's asking, it's like, I mean, the answer's pretty obvious. Even like ransom reply too, own their masters, own their name and likeness, own their

creative direction, own their freedom. We don't have to wait for someone to tell us when we can release a song album, mixtape, tour, interview. We do what we want when we want. Yeah. And to me, I mean, yeah, that's pretty obvious. Yeah, I think JD is probably saying like it's like you're chasing, when he says they're chasing the things that major artists have or get, I'm assuming they mean like Grammys or things like that. But it's like, yeah, it's going to be harder for me to get these things, but I'll keep more of my money in the long run.

Yeah. And I mean, obviously we know JD still hip hop legend. but a lot of J.D.'s biggest stuff is been popping R&B, which is not typically ever an independent world at all. Yeah. Like, J.D. is very much used to that system because to create superstars, you do need a major label to some degree. So that's probably, I'm just sure J.D. is seeing the benefits of what a major can actually do

and provide for you because he's, you know, so, so deaf with Universal. and I'm so on you rather has helped a lot of his artists to become superstars. So maybe he just doesn't see the value in the indie thing because his goals are more on the super side superstar side. I guess.

Yeah. I don't know. See, I know what happened. They was in the studio. One of them conversations came about. J.D. is good for this at least once a month. He does stir up the timeline with shit. No, but I like it though because obviously we told him out, you know, one of the most legendary

producers that we have in our culture. So I like the fact that, you know, this is, to me, this is what social media is about. Like, you know, somebody like Jermaine Dupree, who has accomplished all that he has in the music industry, in an entertainment industry, you know, just having, you know, those conversations in the studio that I've been or that we've been privy enough to be around in real time. And just go to social media with it and just pose the question where it reaches a bunch of different people because it's like, okay, it would be. If it's five of us in here having this conversation and we're all arguing and yelling,

it's like, you know what, let me tweet this. Other artists that, you know, someone who are independent will see this. They'll chime in and they'll, you know, respond to it, which is with Ransom and Crook and obviously LaRussel and others have done. So I like this. I like this type of question posing from an artist or, you know, a producer such as Jermaine DePrie. I can't think of an example right off the top of my head right now, but have you ever had, like, a combo with your friends or even like when we're all?

off Mike in the studio having a great debate or make a great point. You'd be like, I should tweet this thinking like you really smoked something. Because in the room at that time, it felt like you were winning. And then the timeline seems to think otherwise. You don't know how many times I've had that situation. And somebody said, yo, Ma, you got the most, tweet it right now and ask. And I'm like, hell no. Because I know, I know what reading it versus having somebody ask you.

Yeah. Like this question that Jermaine tweeted, I know if he. actually you actually could hear him asking the question the context is totally different yeah and give more points and more context to what you only have so many well now you can tweet as much as you want right is it's not a character limit on tweets anymore no i just see porn so i'm guessing there's no no there's character limits if you don't pay for twitter oh okay okay okay okay i deliver right to elons pockets yeah you can put it right in there you had it to i when i saw they like changed it to 280 and then to unlimited, I thought I was going to be happy about that. I don't really go above 140 anyway.

No. That was a good number. That's why I just never paid for because I'm like, I don't tweet that much. Roy, do you ever regret not being, like regret being independent? No, not at all. Because you are fully independent, right? Completely. I will say, because compilation albums are very tough, because everything is feature-based and getting features is tough and you're waiting on other people's time. It would be way easier if I was on a major. The resources of one, money. Because, you know, a lot of what I do in my project is based off personal relationships, the people that are doing it to make the song. They're not looking for like a verse fee or anything like that. I could probably get some bigger features if I was like, you know, I have a,

I have a button. Do you need 50K? Yeah. And not, you know, I don't believe the rumor that major labels can just hit a button and make your song go crazy, but they definitely... You don't believe that? I think it's way more complicated and way more factors than just going, this is a hit in your superstar because I'm universal. I think they have- I think that's exactly how easy it is. Then why wouldn't they do it all the time? Because it would be obvious. Why is a superstar rare then? It would be way too odd.

Is a superstar rare? Yes. I don't know. Why can't they just? I still don't understand the Playboy Cardi thing. Still. But to me that's not major label shit. That's him building a cult and court.

fan base that like that type of shit. Close to play. Bill Cardi showed him, he's mobbing and screaming and... Yeah, but he built a crazy community, and I don't think it was a major going... What was the song? You're asking the wrong person. But that's what I'm saying. I don't even know what the song...

But that proves the point to me. This is no knock to Cardi, but I'm just saying when you have... Because he's a superstar as far as I'm concerned. I can't attach it to a like, what was the record? What was the moment? What was the... I just can't see it. And I mean, I think that kind of proves the point then,

because we don't know what that major label button moment was. It was over time. He built that community. And if major labels could do that, why when Rihanna has clearly retired, they didn't go, new Rihanna? Because Rihanna doesn't want to put out music. I know, why can't they just create a new Rihanna then?

If they can just hit a button. I mean, I feel like Tyler's on the way. I like, all right. Now you disrespect to Rihanna. I like Tyler, too. But let's not even put certain people in a sentence. You're not, you miss what I'm saying. I'm not saying, I'm just saying that I could, the same package, the same way Rihanna came out and people kind of were like, a little hesitant on deciding, you know, if they liked her or not.

Because I remember that. I remember pondered replay and all that. I was there for that. I remember those moments. I'm just saying they got to a point now with Tyler, smash with her water record. Okay. smash, right? But I could see them kind of putting her through the same type of, you know, that's kind of like,

she's obviously a beautiful, a beautiful woman. I could see her at some point in time getting into the beauty space. Okay. The music, the same type of, you know, Caribbean, Afrocentric, that type of vibe. I could see her then now, them pushing her more into like real R&B lane at some point. Okay. I could see her sitting her with certain writers, R&B writers, producers, getting her real R&B sound,

getting her away from the African just Afro beats type of vibe. I could see that for Tyler. I could see the music industry absolutely pushing her through the same type of gauntlet that they did Rion at one point. And shout out to Tyler

because she's obviously talented and she's dope. But you can see it like, okay, I've seen this play before. I mean, how that mean when she makes anti or rated on? Yeah, but you're talking about how long How long until Rihanna's career did that happen?

Oh, later on. Exactly. So it's the same point I'm making to you. Give it time. Let's watch a rollout, but I can see it early. Like, okay, they're going to sit Tyler with a real R&B producer, get her a real R&B album project, and it's going to, now she's into the R&B lane,

dominate. I wouldn't say R&B because R&B singers are not really successful these days. Like R&B is not the successful genre at all. Rihanna wasn't even R&B. Rihanna is a pop artist. Yeah, but I mean, yeah, but R&B pop pop is just popular. Like, we know R&B is pop music. I'm actually shocked this take is coming from you

because you are typically the person that has so much respect for actual, like, legends that you hate when we even compare. Like, the person that hates Jello when we say it's a good record to even compare to other legitimate artists, you rightfully so get upset. So that's why I think it's kind of nuts

that you would put Tyler even in a sentence off a hypothetical. No, but I'm, you're making it too much of a comparison. Yeah, I feel like you're dragging it a little bit, right? You're making it too much of a comparison thing. I'm not saying Tyler. I'm saying the same thing that they did from Rihanna. They started out with her roots, her sound, her culture.

It was that heavy. It was Caribbean heavy with Rihanna at first. It then transitions into sit her with Neo. Let's get these records. Get her with the dream. Get the umbrella and all of that. Let Jake put a verse on that. You know what I'm saying?

Like, I could see them doing the same thing with Tyler. No, one million percent. They're definitely invested in going to make sure she could, continues to be a very popular artist, but I just don't think it's just a label thing at that point. Like, Water was successful, yes, because the majors did get behind it and you could not fucking escape that song. But Water's also an incredible fucking song. Absolutely.

I'm not, I'm not saying it's not. Yes, major labels know how to push the button on incredible records to get them in front of more eyes and ears. like let's not just say they hit a button on on anything it takes two to get to that superstar level they'll put some bullshit out that'll just play on radio you worked in the industry you you mean to tell me you don't think it's it's just a simple phone call for them to say you know what we're going to get her on the view with whoopee we're going to get her on this with her we're going to put this artist on this show with that daytime TV it's literally just phone calls but that doesn't make you a

super star I agree that the major system back to the the superstar shit, you need a major to have those connections. Yes, with a major, you'll probably get on Fallon easier. But that doesn't mean you're going to stay on if the music sucks. That's what makes superstars. Yes, they get buttons pushing them, but they deliver. The button pushing is literally, yo, get her in the studio with Mike Dean, get her in the studio with this person. It's literally just the label making calls that they already have with people but they already have relationships with. Like, this is the next superstar.

You can create the next superstar. You can absolutely push a button and say, this is the next superstar. I agree, but what is the deciding factor that makes them a superstar and keeps them in the game for 15, 20 years? It's their talent level as well. They have given plenty of artists

an opportunity to be on Fallon and do a live performance on late night TV. Doesn't mean they become superstars. Yes, the majors give you an opportunity. And a lot of people don't. How much talent do you need today to be a superstar? Well, who are the superstars up today? A lot because there isn't, there isn't it?

You don't need a lot of talent. You don't need a lot of talent. You don't need a lot of talent. Who is a superstar right now? Whoever you want to name is a superstar. I'm saying you today in 2025 to be a superstar in the music business, you do not need a lot of talent. Because a lot of superstars that we can name are not great vocalists.

I'm not going to put no names on it. They're not great vocalists. Without all the bells and whistles and tricks, and shit on the mixing board, they do not sound that good. They cannot dance that good. So what are we talking about? Why are you acting like it's so hard to make it? If a label decides this is the person we're investing in and we're putting the house

behind, that person is going to be successful. We've seen it time and time again. And then we see people that are like, damn, she sings better than her or he sings better. How is that a super? He dances better than him. She dances better than her. How is she not a superstar? There's things that go into being.

So first of all, that's why I said, what's a superstar? It's a superstar is somebody that just has that It's a confidence thing It's a it's a you allude this type of energy like you know I'm saying Why you may not be the greatest singer or greatest dancer When you walk in the room is something about you that people say I like this person That's definitely a factor for sure that's a talent and in like a No that's what made Rihanna but that's what made Rihanna but that's a lot of these art makes a movie star

It's not the acting I agree with you that is definitely a point so it's the same thing in movies It's the same thing in music you can't you can't name I don't need to be able to hit that note. If I sing it to this mic and you do what you got to do behind that board, I hit that note by the time you hear it. I'm not saying every superstar is Christina Aguilera when it comes to singing. But you cannot name me one superstar that is not extremely, extremely, extremely talented. Not one.

I think the only one that people would argue would be Rihanna. And that's not shade of Rihanna because I absolutely love Rihanna. But it's been well known that people have doubted her vocals over the year. Said that she wasn't a strong vocalist, said that she's not a strong dancer. Rihanna is just going aura for aura. You can't out. She was born to be a store. She was born to be a star.

Born to be a star. And what did Rihanna do? Her entire career. Deliver incredible classic music despite not being the best vocalist spirit. Jennifer Lopez is not a good vocalist. She's a fucking superstar. What's a part of delivering those records? What's a major part of delivering those records?

Is the people writing them and producing them? He's not lying about that. Why are you acting like this right now? You make music, bro. The amount of references with Rihanna records I've heard. And we not, I don't know. On people that could sing better than her for the reference. Wait, wait, wait, wait.

Wait, wait. Wait, wait. I do not want to make this a Rihanna thing. I'm not trying to make this a Rihanna thing. I'm not trying to make this a Rihanna thing. I'm talking in general. Why are you acting like you can't just take this person, this artist, and once you put them in a room, Roy, right now, if you put me in the room with Dream and whatever

fucking other producer you want to put me in the room with, I could make a fucking hit record. Mo, I guarantee you there are thousands and thousands and thousands of songs that label sent to the dream that did not work out. Of course.

I'm not saying it's not. I'm just saying when the label decides that they have this person, like damn, this person right here, this is the next stuff. So why don't they do that? Why is Tanashi not a star? Why is she not a superstar?

They try very hard. And Tanasha can sing and in the world for her. Every opportunity. And by, I do think she's talented. Not the best vocalist all the time either. Does kind of have a it factor. Why didn't that work out?

Why didn't Rita Oro work out? Yeah. It's not foolproof. Like, I get what Mall is saying. Like, it does help, but you have to be that girl. If you're not an or that boy. If you not that, then there's no button in the world they can press that will give you. You might have one hit, but it's not going to give you longevity.

Like, it's just not going to happen. You can't fake that, especially for too long. You can't fake it for too long. because Rita ORA is a perfect example because they put the fucking house behind her. And that is what separates it. Anyone can get the opportunities from the majors. They themselves are what keeps them on.

Yes, of course there's help. There's writers, producers, but so? There's plenty of people that get those shots and put out bullshit. Plenty of people have worked with Dream, have had Timberlin Beats, had every fucking publication look that you could get

and did not make it. because they weren't a superstar. Like, I won't say Doge Cat's a superstar, but she's a star. Y'all just, hold on, wait. Y'all just called Playboy Cardi a superstar. If you can call Playboy Cardia superstar. Y'all did. That was how this whole entire conversation came about.

I got into the superstar thing, but I do not think Playboy Cardi is a superstar. I do. I think that a superstar is a different pedigal. He has a literal cult following. But that's not, when I think superstar. You can't have a cult following and not be a superstar. Taylor Swift is a superstar. Beyonce is a superstar.

Justin Bieber is a superstar. The guy guy is a superstar. Beyonce is a mega star. It's a little bit different. Beyonce, Michael Jackson, you entering into mega. Arne & Donna is a superstar. Usher's a superstar. Y'all don't think Playboy Cardi's a superstar?

No. Usher's a superstar. Rihanna's a superstar. Bruno Mars, superstar. Playboy Cardi is not a superstar. No. He's a star, but he's not a superstar. I think there's a little bit of a difference.

And so back to the Doja Cat thing. If Playboy Cardi tweet right now that he's in Union Square Park, it's going to be pandemonium on 14th Street. What, all right, what if Ariana Grande tweeted that? They shut the city down. Superstar. Yeah. I think the same shit we'll have with Playboy.

Superstar. If Playboy Carty tweets, I'm in Union Square Park right now playing my album. It's going to be pandemonium of town. I agree. He's a very popular. Nah, I don't say popular. He's a superstar, bro. We're not doing that.

I don't understand it. I'm going to be the first to tell you. Maybe it's outside of what I'm my algorithm. I don't understand it, but I recognize a superstar when I see. one. Playboy Cardi's a superstar. He's A-list in hip-hop. That's not a C-C-C-Cide. How ever much cut you want to put on that dope, Rory, do what you got to do. What's the biggest venue that... Playboy Cardi's a superstar. What's the biggest venue that he's going to sell out? Oh, don't do that because Playboy Cardi can sell out some venues.

I'm not taking anything away from Play-Boy-Cardy. I'm aware of how popular... I believe you could sell out the garden. I wouldn't be shocked if he sold out the garden. That's a superstar. No, that's a star. Bro, you... When he sells out MetLife, then talk to me. Well, he has two shows. I think he can sell out MetLife. Nah, come on.

Don't you ever see if I met life? Like, that's insane. There's a handful of people that could do that. Travis Scott is a superstar, yes? Star. He sold out MetLife. He's a star. Yo, you tripping.

What are you talking about? Nobody can fucking squabble up. That nigga, Playboy Cardi is a superstar, bro. I'll fight you one-on-one. I don't give a fuck. I don't need no help. Playboy Cardi. It's a superstar.

Why do you take that far? Why don't you need help? I'm just saying. Why is that so confidently? I don't even like that. I'll take the one-on-one. Playboy Cardi's a superstar. If this podcast breaks up because of Playboy Cardi is a superstar.

No, I'm just saying. Playboy Cardi to me is a superstar. I think if you have a cult following the size that he has, bro, that's super star. That's not easy to a team. When I think about superstar, I think a talent. So I won't agree with you on that because I think that talent is a factor no matter how popular you are. I think in order to be a superstar, you have to have the accompanying talent to back it up.

Which one of these does not belong? Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Justin's a mega star. Lady Gaga, Madonna, Rihanna, Ariana, Ariana Grande, Playboy Cardi. Which one does not belong here? No, because I don't even like your tone

that the way you dropped your tone when you said his name and all of that. Don't do that. Because I think that all of those artists that you just named, I think they'll do a song with Playboy Cardi. I think he can get a feature

with all in them. Ice Spice got a record with Taylor Swift. We're not doing that. Playboy Carter could get a record with Taylor Swift. We're not doing that. He just got a song

with a superstar. The weekend. Exactly. He's on tour with the weekend, actually. The weekend is a superstar. Yeah, Playboy Cardi's right there. You've never seen a tour with two superstars except for Jayze and Beyonce. And I don't even know if Jay Z would be considered a superstar.

We're not doing that. Call another one. That was a superstar tour. Jayz is a superstar. We're not doing that. We're not doing that. JZ is a superstar. Roy, you're podding.

I mean, we don't need topics that bad. No, he ain't. He ain't pod. We don't need topics that bad. He's tripping. Say he tripping. He's tripping. With no love to.

Stop, Roy. Just stop. Superstar? Just. Jay Z's not a superstar? Just stop. Yo, what's up with you?

Stop, bro. Star. No. Jalen Brunson is a star. Jay Z's a fucking superstar. He's a mega star in my world. Jay Z is a fucking superstar. What are you talking about star?

Are you crazy? I just reserved that for people that I'd named. He started a billionaire walk club. He walks with billionaires in the morning just to get his steps in. That's superstar shit. What are you talking about? No, that's a, That's the superstar business man.

Whatever, however you want to, again, put as much cut on the dope as you want, Jay-Z is a super-encher that I would say that Michael Jackson and Jay-Z should be in the same sentence. But if somebody was being objective and put up the stats of both of those people, they do not belong in the same sentence. Do you keep saying? Michael Jackson ain't no superstar. He's a fucking God. Like, that's what I'm saying. Like, you can't.

Michael Jackson, Taylor Swift, Beyonce are not superstars. They surpassed that. That's what they, that's why they bring a mess. And maybe that's where our disconnect in this conversation is then. If going off the definitions you guys are saying, then yes. Jayzy is a superstar. If we're having the level of megastar in this mix, Jayzie is a superstar.

Cardi is still just a star, even if we're adding megastar into this mix. Yeah, I don't, yeah, I'm not really going with that. But again, I'm using an old school definition. But I think this is our A-list conversation all over again, and I think that we just all... Well, I did want to get back to the point of if, Labels can just do that.

Why don't they do it more? That was my original point too. Yes. Well, again, because everybody doesn't have that thing about them. They don't have that air about them. They don't have that presence. They don't have that, you know, that thing. Sometimes they try it with certain people and it just doesn't work.

But again, when you have certain people, sometimes they get it right. And I just think that, you know, we got to start just acknowledging like, yeah, now definitely they push the buttons on that artist to make it a little easy. Artists is talented. Artists, you know, has that thing. But the labels definitely do a thing where they're like, you'll listen, we're going to pull out all the stops for this person. But it's usually because that person has something.

They absolutely do that. But it's because that person, again, they have that thing. So then the deciding factor is not the labels, because again, the labels try it with some people and it doesn't work. Then the deciding factor is that artist, which goes back to the labels cannot just push a button and make an artist a star. The artist has to have star quality already. Yeah. I think we are actually kind of all agreeing with each other. in a weird argumentative way.

Fuck that squabble up. No, I don't think so. Scuble up. But even like, I will say, Eminem would probably not be a superstar if he did not have Jimmy Iveen, Interscope, Dr. Dre. He would still be an extremely talented, talented rapper,

one of the greatest people to pick up a pen. But yes, the majors made him a superstar, but that came with his talent as well. I think there is deciding factors where people wouldn't have been superstars if they didn't have a major, but they still would be talented. Yeah, yeah, there's a lot of people that are talented. Talent is something that a lot of people, you know, in music or film and things like that that they have. But again, sometimes talent is just not enough. Yeah.

I know a lot of talented people. And I'm like, damn, why are you not? You're way more talented than this person. Why your shit ain't? And there's other things, work ethic, you know, things like that, that factor in. and, you know, little attributes that you need as well. When you're talking about superstar shit, you have to be, you know, you have to go literally, you know, black out into what your art, your craft, lose friendships, not speak to your family. You got to be willing to go down those type of holes to just become who you want to become.

And some people are not willing to do that. But more times than none, if a person has that air, that quality about them and they have just a little talent, labels will push a button to magnify that little talent. that that person has because they believe this person is a star, why they might not be as talented as they may not be able to sing like Whitney, but. And to me, outside of Rihanna's taste level, her quality to me, her real, real raw talent is hard work.

Because like you guys were saying, when she first came out, it wasn't like obvious that she was going to be the next one. She worked her fucking ass off to even get to that point where her vocals weren't the best, but could make number one records. Like I went to an early Rihanna show, and then I went to the,

was unapologetic tour, the difference in her performances was insane. There's no way you do that and improve like that if you're not one of the hardest working people. I mean, yeah, that's part of it.

But again, you know, we've seen what Cassie looked like early and we thought it was going to be something. I mean, we thought she was on her way. What Ryan Leslie was doing with her, the music that they were creating, undeniable records. Yeah, me and you.

Was there another undeniable Cassie record? Me and you was a classic. I miss you, girl, I miss you girl. I'm going to make you my official girl. And long way to go. But official girl with Lil Wayne is doing.

She has some joint joints. Oh, for sure. I think. At one point, Tierra Marie might have had a bigger record than Rihanna. Absolutely. This is what I'm saying. So, you know.

She was a priority at Jeff him before Freyana was. This is what I'm saying. When they were there at the same time. Yeah. But Kareem where I stopped, look at the difference in that. You can't, Rihanna's undeniable with her hard work. And even if she wasn't a priority. You have to be able to sustain it for sure. And she did that. I ain't mean to scream at you. I don't know if I scream at you. I mean to do that to me. I mean to do that to Marie might, to me, Tierra Marie might be on that side of it's not about hard work. They came and saw this, this light skin girl and they pushed the button on her and I was left in the dust.

even though I had the talent. Listen. So. I'm not saying that you can't push the button and have your moment. A label can create a moment and an artist does not fucking deserve it all. I'm not saying that. But you see when they're not talented or have that it factor, it was just a moment. Absolutely.

Because they pushed that button. Of course, Tiam Marie, she was like, what, 17, 18? Like, I don't want to, like, say this if she did write the record, but I'm assuming, like, she was given that record. They put a crazy budget behind the video. of course service did 106 apart TRO put JZ in the fucking video Like yeah Those were button pushing shit

Yeah But you see that that's not the only thing That can keep someone around But also to her credit Label politics Fucked her shit up as well It wasn't I don't want to say like She didn't work hard

And that's why she didn't make it A lot of fuck shit was happening Timing is a huge thing too Timing luck and politics Also are factors in all that shit Yeah no it's other things That play into being You know

Getting to that superstar level but, you know, the label recognizing that, you know, we have something here, let's kind of like amplify this. Let's kind of like put the nitrous oxide in the trunk. Like, it works. I think Amil had some of the worst timing ever. Like, I feel for her. I think she was on her way. But what was going on at Rockefeller around the time she was starting to have her moment moment was fucked up.

Yeah. So even though she was super talented, no buttons could be pushed at that time and everything broke off. and she was, you know, only relying on them to put the music out. So timing is a huge thing as well. Absolutely. Timing is everything. But with that said, Playboy Cardi is not a special. He tripping.

I can't wait. I can't wait for Playwood Cardi to announce a surprise show. And you just see exactly how crazy that shit is. Yeah, it'll be nuts and then he won't show up. That's superstar shit. Only the superstars could do that. That's reserved for the superstars. I got a show and I won't be there.

and it's still sold out. Yeah. Superstar shit. Outside of like money, legacy and all that, I do envy that I can't do superstar shit. Like when Mariah Carey the rumors would be like, she needs like 100 puppies on her rider in the green room, like only yellow M&Ms and shit.

Yeah, superstar shit. Like I kind of wish I could get some of that shit. I feel like I'd get really, really creative if I had the juice for somebody like, well, we have to get your 100 puppies. Exactly. Superstars. That's reserved for.

We have to get 100 puppies. Yeah, reserved for a select few. you. I forgot what artist it was that kind of explained insane riders that did make sense. Because there was always articles about like artists just being super divas and like look how weird these people are, what they make venues go through. He said, yeah, I only put yellow M&Ms on my rider because when I walk in the green room, if they did that, I know everything else is covered. Yeah. Okay. They put little weird detail shit and that would be the same fact. Like they covered that.

If they did that, then the shit I really need, like the right water where, like, they did it then. It's just to force people to pay attention to details, which makes sense to me. I understand that. I can definitely understand that. Yeah. Yeah, but my bad, I mean, you know, I gave the little animated, get a little excited and, you know, you're my guy, you're my friend. I don't want to yell at it. Listen, I'm going to say I forgive you on Mike and then hold in my actual resentments and just be passive aggressive.

Talk to my therapist about it and not ever to you. No, but do you think that, because it is, it is health. for I think friends to debate and arguing. Of course. I don't know I never take that shit. No, no, no, I know that. But have you ever, like, physically fought one of your friends? Yeah.

And are y'all still friends? Yeah. We were friends since. Like, real friends? But when did y'all fight? I was about saying. It was in high school. Like, when I was first.

Oh, okay. Yeah, I'm talking about it. It was over a fucking bed at a sleepover. Yeah, no. We scrapped. Like, we, that was like the first time I really felt like, like, sore as fuck after a fight. The next day was a lot.

I was probably fighting for mad long, too. Just dumb. I don't think you could ever really, well, as teenagers, yes, I can understand. But as an adult, do you think that you could fight, like physically fight a friend and go back to being friends? Not as an adult. I don't think as an adult, I don't think so. I think high school, younger, like, that is kind of part of growing up. Like, you definitely fight with the people in your neighborhood that are your friends.

Like, I don't know. Just growing. up with kid emotions that that can happen and as long as you know there's no grimy shit you can move on and just be friends as an adult though i think that's kind of weird yeah because i feel like i don't even like think adults should really fight like that if it's not a legitimate fucking reason yeah so let alone with a friend like i'm not fighting my now you know 34 years old i'm not gonna do no i just think that you know younger you don't understand we don't well we didn't understand how to express certain emotions and certain things we was feeling you know as as young male

But as a grown man, I think if you get into like, you go to blows with like one of your friends, I don't think that y'all are real friends. I think that there's something that one of y'all were kind of like harboring and it just came to a head. Sure. Because I've been down that road. Like, you'll have like little debates with a friend and they'll say something and you'd be like, I just need a reason. Like you was holding, like you can tell when they was holding that, like, yo, you've been waiting to get that off.

Because what we're talking about right now? Cardi Dallas. Yeah, like, because what we are, Playboy Cardi ain't going to bring that emotion out of you. Like, you ain't going to tell me like, yeah, and I ain't like what you're like, wait, what? I'm diving this party shit. Yeah, but like, nah, as grown men, I don't think that you could come into like a physical blows with your friend and it'd be like, nah, we back homes. I just don't like when I see. That's a new feeling for me, though.

I will say, I never fought any of my friends in my 20s or early 30s or anything. But I would probably, if you asked me that question a couple years ago, I would say, yes. Yes, it would have to be a legitimate real reason to fight. And I think you guys can go back to being friends. At 34 going on 35, no, I'm not going to. A friend of mine, he called an altercation physically with my friend. A friend of mine called me out for a fight one time. Well, he didn't call me out.

But it almost came to like, we almost came to blows. But I knew what it was because we had had conversations like a couple weeks before. And I knew what he was dealing with and going through. So in that moment where he was like, it seemed like he wanted to fight. If you were there, I looked like I got punked. Because I was like, you know what, you got it. But I knew why he was, you know, those emotions was there because we had had like a real talk. He was going through some things, you know, financially.

He wasn't in the greatest space. So it got a little. But I recognized it and I was like, you got it, bro. You know what I'm saying? And that's my, you know, that's like a friend. But I knew in that moment, if I responded with a great. we would have came to blows and it would have been whacked because I know what he was really going through at the time and that energy wasn't for me.

No, of course it wouldn't be. In that regard, you just have to learn how to carry your emotions because fighting you wouldn't get him out of that financial disaster. There was no grand prize at the end of the fight. Absolutely not. I mean, unless he, like, robbed you for your debit card and ran right to the ATM before you could cancel it. That's different.

After he beat you up, maybe? That's different. Yo, Jady is calling me. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.

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Mark this is the second episode where we've discussed crack So I'm starting to see that there's a through line We also have AIDS on the table right now So Thank you for finishing that sentence I don't think there's a more important year For black people

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I'm not worried about McKinney. My only concern is what happens in the back. The biggest decisions. If you're going to look at stats and numbers, he has no shot at making this World Cup team. And the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals.

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How you feeling? What's happening? How are you? I'm good, bro. So we was just in here talking and your tweet, you know, came up that you tweeted out last night and me and Rory were talking. I said, I know J.D. was probably in the studio having one of them conversations and just wanted to get the feel and the vibe of the outside world and see what they were feeling. But so about the tweet, how did that come about? What was you in the studio talking about?

Because I know that's where you was at. Yeah, I was in the studio. I was actually by myself. So I saw something that said Instagram had they made a new function where that is the commercial said

it could be the greatest thing for independent artists. And at that second, I'm like, okay, so he left out major artists. He said independent artists only. So then I'm like, okay, so I'm checking it out, I'm looking and seeing what it is. And it says that, you know,

you could play, independent artists could play their new music, for their fans for 30 seconds in the DM and it helps their algorithm at Spotify, right? So, I mean, at that point, I'm just like, okay, cool. So then I just wanted, like I said, this just made me ask, like, what is the special thing about being independent?

Like, the special thing, right? And I was just reading right now waiting on you to call me that, you can go this way, that Steve Stoufell. ownership, control, freedom of all the things that have been taken from artists since the beginning of time. That was his response. That was his response to you? Yeah, that's his response.

Steve's taking that from artists. That's the answer. That's the answer. I just was saying, like, you know, in anything that we do, it's a special thing or reason why you want to go to the NBA if you were in college. It's a special reason that you want to go to the NFL if you play Pop Warner. It's a special reason that you go to Paris for Fashion Week. It's a special reason, right?

I was asking what is the special reason? And it's crazy that people got so mad about the question because they get mad about everything. Yeah, but I'm saying when people get mad, it lets me know that it's something else going. on because you can't you can't you can ask me a question i'm not going to get mad like you ask me any question you want to ask me i'm not going to get mad and start saying crazy shit to you like well because well you know i mean i'm not going to do that i don't have a reason to do that and it's it's like and ultimately like i said i wasn't picking at nobody that's independent if that's what you do that's cool but i'm also saying if i was a person that just was coming a bump coming into the world

and i was like i want to i want to go independent And I ask somebody what's a special, what's special about me being, if I go independent? And you told me ownership, control, and freedom, I'm, I'm going to be left with looking for something. Maybe I'm, maybe my goals are too high. But that, that doesn't give me enough because I know people who've gone to masters, they get their ownership, myself. I know people who's going to to the majors and they get control myself. I know people that's gone to majors and they get the freedom to put out whatever they want myself, right? And I've seen other people do this, right?

I have seen it where these labels hire people who get in the way, right? And they get in a way of people like myself and then it's a problem. But it's all business, right? It's all business and it's all, that's the part that I'm trying to make sure people and a younger generation of people understand. It's all business, right? If you say better contracts, I don't, that's not, that's not a specialty of going independent because better contracts is based on your business mindset, the lawyer that you have,

and how you create a deal. It's all about, you know what I mean? Like, Magic Johnson was offered stock into Nike and he didn't take it. Michael Jordan did deal. Michael Jordan, mother made the Nike deal and Michael Jordan's a billionaire, right? It's all about business. It's not. And even in sports,

right? When you look at sports and you look at fashion, right? I look at Ferrell, right? Farrel became the creative director of Louis Vuitton. That's a company that he doesn't own. He works there. Now he's a creative director. He has a deal with Moet.

He has a deal with Tiffany. Why ain't nobody saying, why aren't Pharrell creating his own clothing and doing, you know what I'm saying? It's like, it's interesting to me that only in the music business, we have this mentality. And every other business in the world is the same. It's just business. So that's all I was asking. I wouldn't really trying to, what did y'all think when y'all read it?

Well, I said, I started with, well, J.D. did say I'm a little lost. So I started with that. I said, I think that people read the, you know, they read it out of context. that if you, if you posted a video asking it, I think people would have understood the context. I did. I went to, that's what I'm saying. That's what the Steve Scott coming is on my, on my Instagram page. So I posted, I went live because somebody on there said, J.D.U. Tripping. And I said, okay, I'm going to go live so you can tell me why I'm tripping because all I did was ask a question. Right. I didn't even say nothing. Right. I'm trying to figure out how I'm tripping

by asking a question. No, I totally, I totally understand that. And we, was in here saying like, you know, I think that it got what you asked was out of context. People didn't understand the context of it. Because I did feel like you was just trying to figure out like, well, what is it that y'all want, you know, if y'all want to be independent, but y'all want the same thing that the majors want. So what is it that y'all want on the indie level? Like, what are y'all after?

What are y'all chasing? And like you said, you know, you've gotten control of your own, your masters and gotten all of this creative freedom and to do whatever you want on a major as well. So, again, it's all up to how you structure your dad. deal and go after what you want. But you can do that on a major level. You don't, you can't, because you can have a terrible indie deal as well. You can have a terrible situation independent as well.

Like, I look at like, like, say Francis Kanye deal that was at Def Cam. From my understanding, Kanye had one of the most glorified deals that Universal has ever given an artist, period, right? Just one of the biggest deals that favor any artist, period, right? And as a person, if you're good and your music is great, like Kanye music, you can get whatever you want. I think that that's another thing that people don't understand. And like I said, when I first started making music, the goal was to make a demo, hit the streets, run around New York, go to L.A., have meetings and talk to people and see if you're going to get signed. I get it now.

It's just like you just put the music out. I get it. But like I said, none of that was what my question was. I'm just asking, what is the perk of being independent? Right. And I guess, like I said, Steve Scott being, you know, United Masters, him saying that I just posted what he said because I guess that's it. That's it.

You just get freedom and creative control and that's it. Right. So cool. But you've had that on the major yourself. Yeah, like I'm saying, by the way, I've seen, rest in peace, my brother, Irv Gotti. Irv Gotti own Murder Inc. That's why when he sold it, you know what I mean? He got big, bag, this and the third.

He owned it. If you write your music, you own all your publishing anyway. Right. Right. That don't even have nothing to do with a label or majors or not, right? I'm a guy that's been writing songs since the beginning, 100% of, I don't know nothing about people taking my royalties. Right.

It ain't all the names. Talk your shit. Talk to your shit. There ain't no other names to put on there. I'm just saying. You know what I'm saying? There ain't no other names for me to put on the records for it to go that direction. If you write in your own music and you're sitting in the studio every night, the credit automatically, I mean, you know, it don't automatically come to you. You've got to fight for what you got to do.

Right. It's just part of business. And like I said, I wasn't trying to shit on nobody. I was really just asking a real question. I didn't know that niggas was going to get mad to me about asking the question. I'm like, I'm like, God. Because I'm saying, I still don't understand. why the guy on Instagram said

this is be the thing for independent artists. Why can't just be the thing for everybody? Right, right. Okay, I see what you're saying. Like, what is, what is, what is, what is, what is, like, that's, that's what that's, that's what, like, that's, that's, okay, so wait, why is this special for independent artists? And he's not saying, this could be crazy for musical artists, period.

Right. I get it. And then somebody, the last night somebody told me when they got on phone, they was like, you know, JD, it's because, uh, independent artists, we need everything that we can get. So any little thing that we can get is a special thing for us. And that's what I'm saying. Like, it's all worth conversation and talking by people just get mad about you asking a question. It's crazy. Yeah, yeah. They taking it, they're taking it personal like you asking them directly. Like, why you want to be independent? Like, that's how a lot of people took that. I don't care.

I was offended. Rory said, well, I was offended. I was offended. He said he was offended. Roy, you got offended it off. Nah, no. You can't get offended at all. He's just fucking with you. You just joking.

Oh, yeah, I'm saying. No, for real, I don't, that part I don't get. I don't understand that. Because I'm like, all I did was ask you, like, what is the special thing? Right. You know what I'm saying? Like, niggas bought Louis Vuitton, Timberlons. It's special.

Right, right. Right. I remember a time in my life when I said I would never pay $2,000 for a pair of shoes. Right. It was a time in my life when I said this. Right. Right. But then I start chasing special.

Right. Right. You start chasing special. Niggas want, niggas buy, niggas got sneaker collections. Niggas buying $2,000 joins. Why?

Because they're special. Right. So that's all I'm asking. What special about being independent? Right. I totally understand that. Before we let you go, we had another conversation.

Do you believe that Playboy Cardi is a superstar? Um, yes, but without the music. I still don't understand it. Like, I believe he's a superstar, but I can't. attach it to the, like, I don't know the music. I mean, because superstardom, superstardom is not musically connected at all times, right? Like, I thought crisscrossed was superstars when I first saw them, and then we didn't have no music.

Right. That's what made me, that's what people wanted to work. Yeah, so I believe that people can be superstars without the music. You know what I mean? I think that, I think that we connect the two together. I don't, I don't, because like I said, I can see an artist walking down and street or I can see a person moving around and just be like, okay, I see how people paying attention to this person, they're a dance star. They got something about them. And then,

then if you put the music to them, the right music, then it all adds up. I think that that's what, from what I hear, right? Because I never really go to rolling loud and see Playboy Cardi perform and all that, but from what I hear, and when people tell me his performances and all of this type of stuff the way that people react. They're reacting as if he's a superstar. Right. But it's, yeah, but you can't connect it to the music necessarily. It's something about him. It's a quality

about him. Yeah, it's not a musical thing to me. It's more it's got to be all about just his personality, his swag, the way, you know, his aura, yeah. His aura, yeah. I get it. 100%. You'd be telling his aura? No, not me. All right, bro. We just wanted to get some clarity on that.

I appreciate you for calling me back, man. My dog. Please, bro. All right. I want to have that conversation with him in person because I wasn't going to let him get a shit off yelling. About the independent thing? Yeah.

I'm lost how he would be lost in that. Whatever this program he was talking about that he saw the ad for, it's harder for independent artists to get in the algorithms, to get on a Spotify playlist, to get all that. It is much easier for someone on a major to get that. So if there's a program that is allowing, artists to get into those algorithms without having to be on a major, that's only important for independent artists. Because that program, people on majors already have. It's called the entire

digital team. But there you go. No, no, I know. I agree that majors will get you on a playlist before independent all day. It's harder for independent artists to do that. So of course I see why whoever was advertising that would try to cater it to the people it would matter the most to. So that's where I'm confused with J.D. is confused at. And also yes, J.D. owns

his masters. Irv Gotti owned half his masters. They had joint ventures with major labels because they had a proven track record that was undeniable. There is no risk if I do a deal with Irv Gotti. Look at what he's

brought this building. Right. But Irv did. didn't get any percentage at all when he brought DMX to the building, when he brought Jay to the building. But they said, oh, Irv has brought our last two superstars and he's got this guy guy, Jirool, we should do a joint venture. And Irv had the leverage at that point to say, doc, no, you need to give me, this is a 50-50 joint venture that we're doing. And because Irv had proved himself. J.D., before he did the Soso Dev joint venture, had proved himself to be a fucking genius.

Right. So, JD's speaking from a deserved privileged place. Like, not everybody is Irving J.D. They had leverage, which is tough to have. And it takes time. And you've to sign a shitty deal usually before. And they had, what we're talking about, talent. Undeniable talent.

Right. And proof that they were profitable. Fuck talent. Yeah. We know you can make hit records. Absolutely. So I don't really understand what J.D. was saying at all still. Okay.

Even in context. I'll text him and tell them that so you, y'all can have a. No, I, I'd love to. Over some vegan ice cream, I would love to. Which I need to get a... They sell it at Walmart, or Target. I got to get some.

It was really good. It might be in other stores now, but I know at the time, it was definitely in Walmart. Even if you're not a vegan, but you like ice cream. Great ice cream. J.D. has amazing ice cream. Great ice cream. I feel like there's a pause somewhere in there, but I just can't find it. No, I was pausing myself by saying J.D. is good ice cream.

He was being gay. He just... Roy, speaking of Playboy Cardi, he has one week left to drop IAM Music or his label will have to refund all of the pre-orders. I don't know if we think that's going to happen. I think the music will end up coming out. I don't see the labels refunding. If he was independent, he wouldn't have to do that. Points are made.

Freedom. Points are made. But I do think the album will come out. I don't see them ever letting it go to everything. I don't think he's ever going to put music out ever again. Like in life? Yes. I think he like kind of enjoys.

what this mystery is now. Or he'll put out like a blank CD. He might be able to sell a blank CD. Oh, he would definitely sell a blank CD. Superstar shit, see? See how I reeled you right into that. Only superstars can do that. I reeled you right into it.

Not only could he do that, he also has the ability in a fan base that would call it genius. Classic. I could hear it. Yeah, y'all don't hear it. No, that could be, that would be a thing on Twitter. Like, yo, y'all really don't hear the music.

People like, wait, what? She went over y'all head. Yeah, y'all really, no, I really hear the music. Y'all don't hear, your, your shit is blank. Like, I could see people getting into a bag and forth about that. I wish that happened with Playboy Cardi's music. I'm mad, I have to hear it. Really?

I have, no. I don't really, like I said, I don't, I can't connect it, but he is a superstar as far as I'm concerned. Other music coming out tonight, well, if you're reading this, it's already, or you listen to this is already out. It's going to be. Jello and Glorilla. It's going to be a long Friday from all, because you. know that's a bona fide hit. Jellon Glorilla?

I don't even need to hear it. It could be a blank CD. That's a fucking record. That's the label's pushing the button. Back to what I'm saying. They invested fucking $7 million. I know they did. I know that.

That's their button. $7 million. That's how much a button costs? How much your buttons cost? So you're telling me you don't think Jello's put in the necessary thousand hours to get that glowrilla feature? No, I don't think he did at all. Don't think he did.

But whatever it is. I ain't know Aida. Get your money. Gunna and Turbo, classy. Classy Girl. Wu-Tang has a mandingo. I mean, I don't know who. Listen, we got to talk to the brothers at Wutang to see.

Is it an album? I don't know what it is. Whatever it is, I don't want no parts of mandingo. No, but I'm assuming it's an album, though. I feel like there'd be more promo. Bootang, I mean, I got a... I know they're going on tour, but... I just feel like there'd be more promo if Bhutan putting out a full project.

Yeah, I don't know, but whatever it is, I'm checking out of it. I'm checking it out. Benny the Butcher of the outcome. Little Dirk Deep Thoughts. And those are just some of the projects dropping already out now if you're listening to this. So a lot of new music coming out. Good Friday for music.

I feel crazy even saying this. Benny is going to be the first album that I hit play on. But I think Jello and Glorilla is going to be the first thing I go to at midnight. Yeah, because you just want to hear if I'm right. Just so you can text me and be like, yo, fam, you don't want to walk that take back. Anytime Nas puts anything out, I drop what I'm doing to go listen. You don't think I give a goat like Jello the same respect? Same respect as Noss.

I like that for you. Is Jello a superstar? No. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Not even cool. He's on his way like Tyler, though. No, he's not.

It's the same thing. No, it's not. Water and, what's the name of the other record? Jell's record? Tweetaker. Water and Tweeker is not the same thing. I mean? Not even clear.

You shut up. If you smoke some water, you might. You ain't listen to Tweek us in four weeks. Pissing me all. You get so mad when I. get crazy bars off. Like, it's starting to feel like jealousy at this point. Jewell. Of you? Nicker. I mean, man, sir.

It's been a rough week for you. I smoked you at the top of the week. So I understand. It's been. You did not smoke at the top of the week. By the way, you were saying, your Instagram comments were saying that you won, but the YouTube comments said, and the Twitter comments said I won. No, I went to the YouTube comments after you said that and you misleaded me. You tried to manipulate me. No, they don't. Okay. They say I won. Okay. Everybody. Well, we all see the best.

We all see what we want to see. Wait till the major push that button for me. We all see what we want to see. Either way, man, some good music coming out. I am excited to hear what Benny did with this project. Same. So yeah, definitely listen to that. Support these artists.

Support all dope artists, man. We need to continue to support dope music. So a lot of good music out this Friday. What you got going on this weekend? I'll be in chilling. In house? Relaxing. Reset.

The way I was outside this week at 34. is not the same as when I was 20. Recovery. I need to recover. Yeah, take a nice shower, bath, whatever you got to do, soak. Any plans, baby D? No, I'm going to start, what's the new show, surrender, severance. I'm going to start severance.

Severance is great. I'm going to start that paradise show. It's dropping Sunday. Yeah, that's it. I'm going to start that Paradise Show that I've been talking about. What's this vlog on this week? On my week. And got the special guest Yombs in it?

You know it's going to go crazy. Oh, yeah. Yon's, she shot it? I mean, I assume she's a creative director. shout out to Yon. Shout out to Yon. All right, well, have a safe weekend. Be safe. Be blessed.

We'll talk to you in a couple days. I'm that nigga. He's just ginger. Peace. It's Financial Literacy Month, and the podcast, Eating While Broke, is bringing real conversations about money, growth, and building your future.

This month, hear from top streamer, Zoe Spencer, and venture capitalist Lakeisha Landrum Pierre, as they share their journeys from starting out to leveling up. There's an economic component to communities thriving. If there's not enough money

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or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Daniel Alarcon, and this is my friend is much more famous than I am. I wouldn't go that far, but I'm John Green, co-hosted the podcast The Away End with my old friend Daniel.

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