No Jumper - Bishop Snow on Being Black & Mexican, Becoming a GD in California & More

Episode Date: August 15, 2024

Bishop Snow talks about coming up in Oceanside, street politics, and more. ----- Promote Your Music with No Jumper - https://nojumper.com/pages/promo CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE STORE!!! https://nojumper.com NO JUMPER PATREON   / nojumper   CHECK OUT OUR NEW SPOTIFY PLAYLIST https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5te... Follow us on SNAPCHAT   / 4874336901   Follow us on SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4z4yCTj... iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n... Follow us on Social Media:   / 4874336901     / nojumper     / nojumper     / nojumper     / nojumper   JOIN THE DISCORD:   / discord   Follow Adam22:   / adam22     / adam22     / adam22   adam22bro on Snapchat- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No Jumper. Coolest podcast in the world. Today we tapping in with Bishop Snow. Yep. How you feel it, man? Good, man. I'm, kind of nervous. Like I told you, it's kind of surreal being here, but it's dope.

But I feel like you've done all kinds of rapper stuff at this point. But this kind of occupies, like, a different space in your mind. It's a little bit bigger. A lot bigger. I mean, you know, that don't take away from the other platforms I've been on. But, I mean, it's definitely, like, surreal to, like, work with you and know who you are and know this platform and, you know, what it really takes. So, you know, I appreciate you having me. No, I appreciate that, man.

I kept, like, just seeing, like, the thumbnails to your videos and shit. And then when I actually started watching some interview clips, I was very impressed and intrigued by how you carry yourself. You got a very different energy than a lot of people out here rapping these days. Thank you. Thank you. I mean, you know, there's a lot of different personalities nowadays, a lot of different people.

But, you know what I mean? I just try and maintain to be myself, you know? And we all kind of know that the easiest path towards going viral is just sort of crashing out. and acting crazy as content and stuff. So it's interesting seeing somebody coming out of Southern California who's sort of presenting like a very different version of what a successful young man might look like. Yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, like I said, he stay on, but I just try and maintain and be myself and just, you know, conduct who I am, you know.

Definitely. And I mean, I feel like this conversation is kind of similar to the one I was just having because we just had a kid in here named Fay 300 from Fresno. And we're kind of talking a lot about like what, you know, It's sort of weird to constantly be explaining your hometown to people since. If you're not from Los Angeles proper on the West Coast, it feels like there's a lot of different areas that people are just kind of confused about and they don't really know what's going on out there.

Yeah, and I feel like with that, you know, where I'm from, I'm from Ostrassar side, so it's like an hour south from here. So a lot of people kind of just, you know, automatically related to L.A. Without really knowing that we're in North County, San Diego. you know, but him being for Fresno is kind of, it's farther up north. So I can see, like, it's probably hard explaining that, too. You know, but with Oceanside, you know, it's, it can't be difficult because we're 45 minutes north of San Diego, but we're an hour and a half south of L.A.

See, there you go. Yeah, do you feel more at home of San Diego or L.A.? I mean, it'll be real, I feel more home at Oceanside. I kind of, you know what I mean? They each have their differences. My dad's from L.A., so, you know, I was up here a lot as a kid. My, I would take us to Dodgers games as a kid. when my grandparents first got out here from Mexico,

my dad's parents, they were in Watts, and they had my dad in Watts, but my dad grew up in Amonte in San Gabriel Valley. And then when my mom got out here from the Midwest in 84, she was in South Central, but she ended up going to Hacienda Heights. So, you know, coming up here a lot as a kid, you know, I was just used to the two,

but being out there in San Diego, or in the Oceanside and going to San Diego a lot as a kid, you know, it's kind of, I don't know, I feel like I honestly been to L.A. more than I've been to San Diego a lot of the time. There's a little bit more to do out here. There might be more attractions. Sometimes.

Sometimes. I mean, not to take anything away from SD. We don't know a lot of fucking Padreys games lately, though. So, you know, I like going down there. But San Diego does have a lot to do. And, you know, even past that, going to TJ and shit. I was just in Temecula.

Okay. And so when I was down there, I'm seeing the signs on the highway for Oceanside and shit. And I'm just wondering, like, I'm thinking, like, you know, I'm starting to, like, watch some of your shit and, like, learn a little bit about it. But I'm, like, I guarantee if I get off here and we go, for brunch downtown or some shit that I'm probably not going to really like peep any of the shit that's actually going on that you'd be talking about.

Yeah. They kind of changed it over the past like 10 years, I would say. Oceanside was, you know, it's really just based off of the military. So it's a military-based town because Cam Pendleton is right next to it. And Pendleton is the like the second biggest military base in the world.

People don't know that, though, like entire economies and small towns can pop up and like just create little universe is just based on there being a military base because there's so many businesses that have to exist to even just like take care of that group of people. Exactly. So like downtown has a lot of like dry cleaning like for like militaries and stuff

like that like basically where people like take their camees and shit but I mean downtown a lot of landscapers from other areas specifically like Orange County from I understand and they basically came in and bought a lot of that land because when I was growing up a lot of that was just dirt fields and really the only fucking landmark we had was like the house from Top Gunn. You know what I mean?

I was like the only thing we really had. Just randomly that shot the scenes there? Yeah, so the scene where, I mean, I'm not too familiar with the first top gun, but the scene where he goes to his girlfriend's house on the motorcycle and pulls up to the house, and then you can see the Ocean Side peer in the background. Oh, nice. That's downtown Ocean Side. Okay.

And so over time, the neighborhood around it kind of just deteriorated. That became like a trap house from my understanding. When I was a kid, that was like a dope house. And then basically they took the house, renovated it, and then put it in front of one of the new hotels that's right there and turn it into like a fucking pie shop. Wow, really? Yeah. So like I said, so a lot of developers came in and bought that land.

And now we have two hotels downtown, which I mean the rooms are like $500 a night with like rooftop bars and everything surrounding it is just building up. Interesting. So do you know how your parents ended up in Oceanside? And was that like where you were born? Military. So my dad was in military. So my dad, I mean, the story's kind of choppy from my understanding because my dad, because my dad, because my dad didn't really explain it too much, but he kind of, you know.

But you already have, like, way more of an understanding of your parents' background than the average person I talk to when you're talking about, like, knowing what high school your mom went to and shit. Like, people don't really know that on average. I mean, my dad, my dad, I didn't talk to my dad for, like, 10, 12 years. So, like, a lot of the information that I got was more so recent. So even, like, finding out about, like, my grandparents and shit like that or where they're from and in Mexico and all that, like, I kind of found out that all later, you know. Interesting. So my dad, you know, basically had a brief stay in the system in L.A. and basically they kind of gave him the idea, like, the option, you know, military or do your time.

And so he went military, but then he ended up, for sure, college became, you know what I mean, did that whole shit. And then I was actually born in 29 palms, but then when I was three, we moved to Oceanside, or three months old when we moved to Oceanside. So I've been in Oceanside since I was three months old. So literally, like, basically my entire life, that's all I know. And how would you describe what is? like to grow up out there? And were you kind of like kept away from a lot of shit because your parents were in the military? Is there like separate housing? No, I mean, the first few years of my, I mean, growing up, it was just more so like sport. Like for me, it was sports, skating. Like,

I really had a different outlook on things. And I really just really wanted to be a basketball player and a football player and I ran track. So my parents did athletics. My dad was a football player. My mom ran track. So athletics was really the way to go for me. And then not, you know, having my dad around for a long time and kind of the things that kind of transpired when I was a kid with my dad being around. I mean, I'll talk about it too much because I don't like, you know, me and my dad are cool now, so I don't want to throw him under the rug or nothing, you know, but. Okay. So there were complications. Yeah, it was rough. It was rough. It was rough having my dad around for a little bit.

So, and then, so my dad was gone for years, and then I didn't really have any father figures. So, you know, I kind of just went about my own and ran the streets for a long time. and kind of had to learn my own life lessons, and then my father figures were basically just my big homies. How'd you end up getting into the streets, though? Was it, like, right there in front of you, the option of sort of getting into trouble and everything? Yeah, I mean, so away from, basically what we were talking about with Oceanside,

like, away from downtown, you have, you have different hoods in Oceanside. So, I mean, like, if I was an Mawmoff, the East Side, the West Side. I grew up in the East Side, the East Side, the West Side, mid-Valley, Deep Valley, South O, and Tri-City. Shit, forgive me, if I forget. if I forgot any, but each, like, each different neighborhood has, like, two or three hoods to it. So it's, it's Crips, Bloods, and South Siders that are within the city.

And so, I mean, it was in front of me, but I kind of had it in my head that that wasn't an option. So it was kind of like just sports. And when I got, like, 14, 15 and just being around everything and being surrounded with certain people, and it was like, all right, like, I'm going to just, like, you know, my mental kind of started changing. And I was just like, this is what I'm going to do. do you feel like you made that decision or from a sports perspective did you kind of realize that maybe you weren't going to be able to be what you thought you were going to because you seem like a physical specimen you got like big ass muscles you seem like you probably could have succeeded at whatever you wanted to do sports wise or was it that route, you know, but... Was it because your mentality had gotten kind of, like, negative,

and it didn't make you want to, like, succeed or pursue that kind of thing? Very negative. I just stopped caring. I stopped giving a fuck. I was like, I don't really care about too much, and, like, my grades started, you know, I started just not going to class and smoking. All because of this strained relationship with your dad? Nah, it's just a lot of different things.

So, I mean, my decisions in life so me, like, drinking and smoking at a young age and kind of just going about, like, these different routes that I was just like, I don't really care. I mean, of course, probably not having my dad there kind of... might have had some kind of effect on it and not having guidance in that sense. My mom was so busy with work that she wasn't really around too much. So I was just out all times of the day, out three days, not going home, didn't really need to go home. I was just like, you know, if I went home, I was changing clothes and dip it out.

So it wasn't really like, there was nothing too, like, specific as to what happened, but it was just over time I just really stopped carrying. Like, I didn't really, I didn't feel the need to, you know, saying it now is crazy. You know what I mean? Like, I'm 29 years old. look back at like my 13, 13, 14-year-old self, and I'm like, damn, like, I really just stop giving a fuck about my life. Right, because your rational self looks at the life that you previously were living, and you're like, damn, if you had an opportunity to, you know,

potentially go to college and have it paid for by a scholarship or some shit or, like, you know, to pursue sports like that, like, you know, you can do crimes or, like, be part of a street organization or whatever, like, at any point in your life, really, but, like, that the, the desire to do that shit is so much stronger. when you're in your late teens. Yeah, yeah. And I mean, the influence is a lot stronger too. And then meeting the people that I did and being around everybody was like people

that were older to me, a lot older to me. So it was like that influence is just at the same time, they gave me guidance. And it was like I learned from them. But it was just me making my own decisions. Definitely. So, okay, what were the dudes that you were hanging out around? Because you said that Oceanside has Bloods, Crips, and South Siders, how did you end up going a different way?

I met. I was around a lot of different people as a kid. I mean, not only those hoods, but we had a lot of cliques, too. Okay. You know, so, I mean, the people I was around really, like, I'm half black, have Mexican, so it wasn't like I was just around one race at a time. Right. You know, and I have relatives from both races, both sides. So it was like, I just ended up going a different way.

And then my uncle being who he is, so my uncle was one of my older homies, and he's from an organization that's not really even based in California. Right. That's why people are so surprised. There's so many, like, gang. But I never met anybody who was GD from LA or from Southern California. I don't think. Obviously, we talked to a ton of Chicago dudes who rep that in New York.

But then at the same time, I've seen documentaries about kind of more like militant GD branches and other states. And some of them I've even heard say basically that like they specifically do not with other forms of being a GD. So I'm sure there's. I mean, there's really so many options. So I mean, you have folks and you have people. So people's and folks is, I'm not going to compare it to Crips and Bloods, but it's really just one or the other. And you have different types of folks.

So, I mean, being a GD, wherever you are, like, the difference is I'm A GD. I'm not from GD. You know what I mean? I'm not from a certain section. I mean, if I was from Chicago, then it'll be like, okay, maybe I'm from, maybe I'm from 119. Maybe I'm from, you know what I mean, 073, you know, whatever the case might be. But, you know, I'm not really going to go too much into how many states have folks in them, or how many areas have folks in them or the PLA or any kind of structure or anything like that.

But, you know, it's there, is there in different states, in different states as you wouldn't even expect, you know. And so, I mean, of course, like when a lot of things happen, a lot of folks branched off to the south, you know, and we had a lot of, you know, we had a lot of folks down there that way. Really the reason that we have a lot of guys out here is because of the military. That is one of the reasons. Oh, okay. That makes sense. So because, you know, folks would come, you know, be in the military. and then they'd come out this way due to Camp Pendleton or wherever they were stationed at

when they stayed, it's like, you know, that was what it was. So, I mean, me being my age, I was the youngest, I was the only one from California, you know, everybody that was older to me was from, you know, my uncle's from Chicago, my, you know, my mom's side is from Chicago, my, one of my own or her homies is from

Kille, Texas, of course, that's a military town, folks from Miami, from St. Louis, you know, so a lot of these guys are from different states, but I'm the only one that was really this, you know what I mean, that there was this young, and I was from California. And when you're talking about getting into the streets, though, you're kind of making a sound as if you were angry and looking for, you know, kind of to get into trouble or whatever, but then it seems like you actually joined organization

that was probably the most, like serious and intent on, like, they have like a real structure. It's not supposed to be something that's just like rampant negativity for the community. Yeah, it's growing development. And so that was like, before I came home, so to say, a lot of my decisions were just stupid-ass decisions that I decided to do, whatever I decided to get into. But then when I became folks, it was like, you know, there are things in line that keep me in check that make me believe in. And, you know, when I was younger, it was more so like, oh, okay, I'm a gangster disciple, this and that. But, you know, when you get older and then I have more of that growth and development mentality and the people that watch, you know what I mean, that understand that, you know, will understand what I'm saying. without going too far in depth about it, you know, it's, you know, there's certain things that are in line to where, you know, when I say certain things, they'll understand where I'm coming from.

Or even like, shit, I ended up in Glendale, Arizona, right outside of Phoenix, like, two years ago. And I was at a circle of k buying a beer. And then I ran into some guys that ended up becoming folks. And we, you know what I mean, had these conversations, you know what I'm saying? Some words were exchanged, and, you know, they understood who I was. without, you know what I mean, and we have like a no vouch rule. So there's nobody that could really, like, if I go to another state, they can't call nobody and be like, yo, this is so-and-so, he's good.

Like, I'm going to, you know what I mean? I have to stand on my six myself and spit my literature. That's interesting. No vouch. Because I feel like, you know, I'm in like the poker world and vouching is a big thing in the sense of like, you know, if me and you are going to play and you don't have 100,000 on you, but we want to play for 100,000, And it's like if I have a friend who I trust and he'll vouch for you, then it's like there's just like a code amongst like poker players.

That's like I'll assume that you're good for it. And if you aren't, then I can basically ask that dude to make shit correct. Which is, you know, a lot of people would never imagine having that level of trust. That's really interesting. So, I mean, it's like, you know, and even with that and even being in a different area, you know, basically the idea is no matter where I go, I'm a representation of the nation as a whole. So, I mean, we say this thing, which is. like one is all, and all is one.

So basically, I represent the nation as a whole no matter where I'm at. So even if I come in this building, I'm the only one of the folks that's here, everything that I do is a representation of all the guys. You know, and so wherever the guys are at, I'm at as well. You know what I mean? It's kind of confusing in that sense, but basically what I'm saying is I represent the entire nation with all my actions and what I do. And basically I'm giving, you know, certain pieces of lit that make me act a certain way

so I can conduct myself as a proper person. And was it always, is the, like, memorizing your literature and, like, being able to have those conversations and sound, like, fluid with your speech about that shit? That's, like, a huge part of having respect in that world. I mean, not even just having respect, but it's just a representation of who you are. And so that way, you, the guys know, who you are as a person, you know what I mean? And, you know, your representation in a room full of the guys or your representation in public? So do you think that by becoming GD it made you go in a healthier direction in your life,

as opposed to some of the other things you could have done? Way better route. The folks were there when I graduated high school. You know what I mean? And it made me grow and develop. Like I said, it made me grow and develop. It made me a gentleman of a distinguished nature. All of it.

You know what I mean? And, you know, in a more positive note. You know, and through that, I was able to kind of get on that route to where it was like, things are better, you know what I mean? You know, they kept me in check and they gave me that guidance. And not even just guidance in that sense, but just guidance as a person to where I could be a better person. And these guys that are older to me made sure that I was always taken care of or whatever I needed or if I needed a job. You know, if folks were, you know, getting out of prison sentencing and coming out and getting jobs as, you know, managers at grocery stores,

making sure the rest of the guys were taking care of and had jobs, you know. It's crazy because people always want to ask me, like, how we could stop gangbanger or some shit. shit and I'm like it's it's not about that because that's never going to happen it's more about like the gangs themselves have to evolve and change and become more positive like we've seen we see like small examples of that where you can see how like certain gangs will like have you know like clearly like much more care yeah for the people and don't want to just cause destruction and shit like that like I mean is from your perspective is that like is being a GD like something you would recommend to your son or to a young man not some of my son.

I mean, I could, I'm going to utilize the things that I did learn from being a folks and, you know, teach that to my son just as being a good person, you know, characteristics wise. Right. I'm not going to hand my son anything and be like, here, learn this. You know what I mean? You know what I mean? Really, because that's what parents do with the Bible, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Tell your kid, hey, read this shit.

I mean, that's true. It's true. Better than I'm better fucking read it, man. I mean, my relationship with my folks and my relationship with God is two different things, you know what I mean? So that would be different. But I wouldn't even push the Bible on my son. Really? Whatever my son decides to do.

or whatever relationships, my son decides I have what God is completely on him. You know what I mean? I'm not going to push it on them. So, I mean, with that being said, you know, it isn't something that I will push on anybody else because it was my own personal decision to become folks and to come home. So, and it helped me differently than it might have helped other people, you know, teach their own and everybody's experience with this is different. And I've watched it firsthand. So, you know, there's a lot to it.

like I said personally with me I wouldn't have changed anything you know I wouldn't I would not have changed anything because of the things that I've learned you know I feel like but I mean as far as other you know other organizations in the streets teach their own as well however they decide to handle

certain things everybody has their politics and you know what I mean I don't feel like that's for me to speak on do you feel any kind of like connection to when you see like other GD stuff going on or I don't know if you ever been like hanging out with somebody listening to King Vaughn and all of a sudden he's screaming GD K, like, does that not really sit right with you, even though it's completely separate? Nah, I mean, that was what, that was what Vaughn believed in.

You know what I'm saying? And Vaughn was a factor where he was from, you know, and, you know, I don't feel like he went out, I feel like how he went out wasn't right. You know what I mean? And, you know, if that's the case with a lot of different things. But, I mean, personally, I don't listen to King Vaughn, so, you know what I mean? Based on listening to your music, I kind of assume that. You know what I mean?

It's just, you know, it's just different, different tastes. music but I mean there are those people out there that do listen to Vaughn that listen to dirt that listen to you know what I mean whoever they want to listen to and that's completely on him but you're saying that the way that you uh that he went out didn't sit right with you like you mean and just like the feel like he should have caught that fade fairly see there is that but then there's also the reality when you really dig into it and how many threats were being thrown back and forth that if you were Kwando Rondo or little Tim when you saw King Vaughan and you already knew about the reputation that he had

And there's been all this back and forth online of like it's the kind of situation where there are certain people where I feel like if I saw them in public, I would be able to shoot them and get away with it on self-defense just because of shit that has prior occurred. You know, where it's like if it was presented in court, hey, this guy said this, this and this about me. So I was correct to act that way when it happened. I feel like that is kind of understandable at a certain point. I mean, yeah, I mean, everybody's going to go about the situation differently. And basically, you know, Quano, and, you know, his homies being from the streets, like, they're going to handle it however they feel suit, you know what I mean, righteous to. And, I mean, honestly, Vaughn could have went about a different way, too.

I mean, if you really, you know, heard about Von's reputation, he really could have went about it however the fuck you wanted to do. Given his reputation, the fact that he went about that, the way that he did is so shocking because it's not like he was handling his problems with other people in Chicago that way. Yeah, yeah, caught that fade. And, I mean, you know, like I said, if, uh, I feel like he did. did handle it the way that everyone expected it that he would have, you know what I mean, that it would have been a different story, obviously, I mean, and it would have just been another

another one on his list, you know what I'm saying? You know, but I mean, if that's the case, I mean, unfortunately, that's not the case, and you know what I mean, it's, you know what I mean, it's, you know, it is what it is, you know what it is, you know, like I said, it's, it's, it's, it's the name of the game, though, the streets is, the streets is fucked up. So how old are you right now? 29. 29, okay, so you graduated high school?

Yeah. Okay, and then what do you do with yourself after high school? Shit, work some jobs still kind of ran around. Shit, I really just didn't really have any direction after high school. I didn't want to go to college. I didn't feel like that was necessary at the time, so just worked some nine-of-fives. And then it was kind of aimless at first. Like, I really didn't have a sense of direction.

You know, I just kind of did what I did. But yeah, I graduated. I mean, I got kicked out of regular high school after my sophomore year, and then I went to an adult high school program. We have like, what do they call, like secondary schools or whatever, like, just kind of like other schools that you could go to. But my mom worked for one of the community colleges out there, and they had like an adult high school program that she wanted me to go to instead. And, I mean, it ended up paying off because I graduated a little early, which was cool. But, I mean, I went to school four days out of the week, and then the weekend I was just running am up.

So from like, I started going there when I was 15. and then just kind of you know like I said after high school was kind of aimless I didn't really have a sense of direction

What was running a muck like Which is a good expression by the way I love that I love a muck Yeah running a muck A MOK I used to try to write that From like graffiti shit

Didn't really stick But I mean The idle time is the devil's playground And that's all I have Was Idle's time You know what I mean So it was like just Drinking

Yeah drinking Yeah drinking kicking it with the homies, I kicked it with the older folks and, you know, just doing a lot of dumb shit. Definitely. Because it's interesting, like, have you always had, like, the calm head on your shoulders that you kind of project in interviews and shit? Like, it feels like you have a very responsible demeanor and everything, but then you also

always have a beer in your hand. I don't know if you know Julian from Trailer Park Boys, you kind of remind me of that. He always got a glass of whiskey with him. like no matter what he's doing. Hopefully a little better than anybody from trailer park. No, he's like the coolest one of the trailer park boys. But he just always got a drink in his hand. And like, I feel like you're kind of like that.

You always got the Pacifico on deck. I mean. You care about some more? No, wait. I mean, the beer kind of, I don't know, it kind of helped out of the bit. I wasn't going to drink. But they got the pack and I drank a shot of tequila before this. I was not going to drink at all.

But yeah, when I was younger, a little bit more hot-headed and really just just quick to it if anything did happen. I didn't really think about my actions as much, but I always knew that every action has a reaction. Like that was a big thing for me. But I was a little bit quicker than a punch when I was younger. And shit, that was kind of the way I was. But I mean, over time and, you know, when you kind of learn through different avenues of life

at different lessons, it's like you really don't even. even need to be doing that. Like, you got to think about shit before you do it. So you were fighting a lot as a young dude? Yeah, fighting other shit. People might not be able to tell from right now, because you're wearing a baggy hoodie, but you are a swole than a... I can imagine you beating the fuck out of people. I wasn't always as big. But even when I wasn't skinny eye, you know, I've always had hands. Really? Yeah. So how'd you learn to fight? Fighting from when I was a kid, and then I didn't really take boxing until I got older, passed all that.

So when I was like in my mid-20s, I started taking boxing classes here and there. See, that's interesting to get right. In rap or in street shit, you always have so many people talking about their hands. But meanwhile, like, almost none of them seem like they really pursue martial arts. Yeah. I wish I actually did, like, pursue martial arts and stuff, like, all that shit, that shit seems like. Like, boy tie, like, I want to do moretie eventually. But just to know how to do it.

But just to have that, like, structure and foundation of knowing how to do shit right. It's like just because you have been in a bunch of fights and you knocked a bunch of people out doesn't necessarily like a real boxer might look at you and be like, no, not you. Understand the combinations in one through fours and how to hook properly or how to, you know what I mean, or having that cardio.

Like cardio is a big part of it. Which I mean like I was, I was off this shit for 10 months last year. So from May to March, I didn't drink at all. And I don't do anything else anyways. So, you know what I mean? I was just completely sober.

I stopped smoking cigarettes a while ago too. So I was smoking. and like packing Newport's a day back when they were still here. Yeah. For like at least a day and a half. But, yeah, cardio is a big part of that shit. And I just, when I had gotten sober and trained a little bit for that time, or even when I was training before a few years ago and I just, my cardio wasn't there.

It helped me get it right. And just kind of understanding that and understand what stamina is and how much it really takes to stay in a fight for more than 30 seconds. You know, it's a lot. But you do a lot of conditioning shit? Because you seem like you just live weights and are like biggest foot. I do cardio on the side. So, I mean, a lot of people probably don't, you know what I mean? The videos that I do post just show me lifting.

But I do, I mean, I do like two miles on the treadmill. Steve Inclined, I just, like, walk that shit. So it takes me like 45 minutes. But, I mean, I feel like some cardio is better than no cardio. You serious about the diet or is it kind of after that? No, I eat like shit. Raising Cades and Taco Bill. That's the good genetics can overcome that.

Yeah, I'm blessed with that shit. But it's crazy because my dad's Mexican and he's the one that actually, like, he's built. Like, my dad's built. And my mom was just a sprinter. So my mom has like the physique of a runner. So it's like it makes sense. But yeah, the genetics really kicked in on that part. Definitely.

You'll probably wake up at some point when you're like mid-30s and you'll be like, you know what? If I want to keep looking good, I probably need to get the dialed in. Yeah, if you don't use it, you lose it. So I feel like, you know what I mean? I try to stay on top of that shit too, like with my labs. So like getting blood work done and making sure that my kidney functions are right, then my heart functions right.

Which I need to do that shit because I'm going to drink it too much lately. but yeah I mean after after I finished the album or whatever I kind of just started uh I kind of I don't know whenever I finish a project or something I just kind of take some time to myself and uh unwind a little bit and kind of live life and see where it takes me so that way I have something to write about so right but yeah lately I've been I've been jiggered a little bit more to usual but I still work out every day so definitely what uh so what kind of music were you listened to as a young dude uh my mom was actually the biggest inspiration as far as music like I listen I listen to a lot of different shit, but I listen to my mom playing music in the house. I mean, crazily, not that

crazy that I mean, everybody that listens to music listens to Michael Jackson, but that was one of the biggest influences in the house listening to music growing up. Easy to forget how gigantic he was. Insane. The biggest pop star ever. I had a, I had a VHS and it was like all of his greatest hits, but it was all the music videos. So we would always watch the music videos. He also had like you know real cinematic music videos before almost anybody exactly so and and um i mean growing up my mom played a variety of different things so i mean i listened to a lot of uh she lit she played a lot of classic rock when i was a kid so a lot of lead zepplin a lot of pink floyd um so you got a very well-rounded bass of music when it comes to music yeah i mean so another thing that i listen to a lot

when I'm trying to study music and how to structure a song properly or even like how to get a chorus better, I listen to a lot of 80s rock and a lot of 80s pop. Really? A lot of 80s music. I feel like 80s music was just so well-rounded. Yes. And it was just made, it's timeless, even to now, you know.

The movies, everything about the 80s, I feel like it was all so well done. So I listened to a lot of that, a lot of 90s music as well. And then I kind of was able to build my own understanding the music too, because like growing up, so I was born in 95. So it was like growing up, we had those like now CDs. So that was one thing I did get constantly was like a CD. Yeah. I had a lot of CDs growing up and the now CDs had like a variety of music on it.

So I heard a lot of... Now that's what you call music. Yeah, yeah. Episode one through 50. At one point, they were advertising that shit on TV constantly. Yeah. I mean, I didn't have one past like seven. But I mean, even that, like here and knows it was cool to have.

But I mean, as far as other music, my mom really just put me on music like crazy. But you didn't mention any rap shit. When did you get interested in rap? So rap when I was growing up was like Outcast, M&M, but more so Outcast. I listened to a lot of Outcast, a lot of Biggie. My mom was really big on East Coast hip-hop. To this day, I say, I'll say it a million times. I'matic is the greatest hip-hop album in all the time.

Agreed. And that's just coming from me. Yeah, I still go back to it all the time. Yeah, Lauren Hill. I'm trying to really think because I get so stuck when it comes to this because there's just so many from so many things in my head as far as music. Yeah, I mean,

earlier on, my mom didn't listen to Jayzy as much. I guess we did listen to a lot of reasonable doubt. But as far as the blueprint, I was never really familiar with it as a child. Tupac was played a lot, which Tupac is one of my biggest influences, you know, of all time. Shit, I mean, who else?

Who else was from the 90s that I can't think of right now? Goody Maher was another one that was played a lot of miles. So not that specifically West Coast? Some of it. Some of it. My mom did play a lot of, I mean my mom played like a lot of NWA

specifically. That's so interesting because your sound is so distinctly West Coast. Like no mistake in it. I had to get that over time though. Like over time that was when it kind of became like more so West Coast and it was because earlier on I guess my bigger

influences growing up and like my teenage years were like the Nipsey Hustle the YGs, the Mac Miller's, Big Crit. Shut up, Big Crit. Who else was in that era? Like that whole 2010, Kendrick, of course. I remember the first time I heard Kendrick, I actually watched the Rigged Mortis music video,

and that was like, like, from that, I just did a deep dive into his music, and that was, like, one of the biggest inspirations as far as everything, you know, song, more so, like, song subjects, though. so like what to really talk about and even with Nip I mean I feel like

Nip his earlier projects like Bullets and got no names all those volumes but I remember the first Nip song I ever heard was The Hustleway and that was like just insane to me just hearing that and then at the same time what I was going through like a lot of those songs just kind of like led me the way like let my way

through a lot of different situations in life but yeah like I said those earlier like the 2010 like double XL freshman class like with J. Rock and J. Cole. Jay Cole, J. Cole, another one. You go back to those covers, and it's absurd. How many of those dudes went on to be gigantic.

Legends, legends. There's a lot of legends there. And, like, Nip, like, I said, Nip and Mac Miller, like, I'm so, like, you know what I mean? Like, it sucks that they're gone and the things that they went through, you know, and everything. But, like, the fact I'm never going to meet them, like, not even just make music with them, but just being able to have a conversation with them. Like, that was, like, something that I really looked forward to when I was younger. Yeah, definitely. But yeah, no, a lot of those guys, a lot of those guys were heavy influence of mine.

But as far as earlier on in my life, I mean, of course, like, the Chronic 2001 was one that was played in my house. My brothers played a lot of music, too. So it was like a mix between what my mom played and when my brothers played. Shit, beastie boys. I mean, really, everybody. I mean, Doggy style was playing in the house, everything. When did you start thinking about making music? Who led you in that direction?

When I was, shit, I want to say, When I was like 13, I really got into like really digging into, I've always had that love for music, but as far as making it, I didn't really understand it or like really get into it. I started off singing actually. So, yeah, so R&B was like a first thing of mine. So like, that was being like genuine fan and shit. I thought I was like, I thought I was genuine like singing a hose and shit. That was like a real thing on when I was younger. So but the two years that I was in high school, freshman and sophomore year, I actually did choir.

So choir was another thing that kind of kept me out the way. doing that and staying busy with that and learning learning a lot about how to sing and all that shit so yeah R&B was a really really big inspiration of mine when I was younger so that's how it kind of started off and then and then I didn't start rapping into like actually writing raps until I was like 18 19 that was when I kind of wanted to try it and I didn't really believe in myself at the time there was a lot of self-doubt on like if I could really get it done but you know I listen to enough rap and studying enough rap I felt like I could really do it so what had to happen order for you to start taking it serious, is it just starting getting more and more serious over the years?

My son being born, actually. So my son being born. So my son was born in 2021, and I didn't write my first actual rap song that I recorded until March 2021. So I've been actually doing the music for two years. Wait, what's your kid's birthday? January 8th? Okay. Mine's November 14th. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, right there. Yeah. So yeah, January, January 8th was when my son was born. And then from I kind of pursued it, but 2021, I only did a few songs, which ended up being my first album, which I, like, it's crazy, like, actually thinking about everything that I've learned within that time, and been able to kind of, like, you know, learn about, like, production and, you know, mixing and getting all that shit done.

But, yeah, that became my first album, which I released January 15th, 2020, and then from there, it was kind of just full speed ahead. What was the actual effect that having a kid had on your brain? because for sure it'll change anybody anybody who's living a well thought out life as soon as you see this this seed of yours

just walking around the room it'll change how you see the world just breathing man from the second he was born it really made me like get on my shit because even my baby mom was pregnant like I was still getting into it with other people from the city and it was like I was still

outside a lot of the times so you know she was pregnant in the house and you know I was you know at the time I was staying with her and, you know, like, I would just be out up to no good. I wasn't doing anything too crazy, but I was just, you know, that was when I was fighting a lot. I wasn't doing anything like extra super dumb or anything.

I understood I had a kid on the way, but it was like a lot of the things that kind of came back from my past as far as like, you know, shit that I had got into with people, you know what I mean? It kind of started coming back up. So it was like, you know, Not even, not even karma in a sense, but just bad relationships with people that I had, you know what I mean? Or fallouts or people that I got into it with years ago kind of came back and it was like, like, all right. Now it's time.

Like, I'm not fit to just stay in the house and tuck my tail between my legs. Like, I'm going to go outside and I'm going to, you know, make sure that everything's cleared up. Which now, now it's completely different. The people that I got into it with, like, I'm seeing my f*** at the bar. You know what I mean? That I used to get into it without in the streets. And it's like, you know, they're telling me that they're proud of what I'm doing. That's dope.

which is crazy But, you know, and, you know, during that time, it was very trying. That's, I guess that's the best thing I could say is it was trying.

So there was a lot of shit that kind of came up, but, you know, when my son was born, it was like, everything kind of switched. Like, I didn't give a fuck

about any of it anymore. You know, it was like, I'm always gonna be who I am. And that's kind of where, like, so like, Bishop was a name that I had even before the rap.

So, like, Bishop was a nickname that I had before that. So everyone that knew me before that knew me is Bishop as well. Why did they call you that? big pock fin and and uh you know what i mean as a kid like i would just kind of act up and do like

crazy shit and then it was like in a comparison to juice so that's where bishop comes from okay and the snow is my mom's last name okay so when i started rapping i tried to just put bishop and then i guess there's too many artists with bishop so i was like what can i do yeah that's a tough part you got to pick a name that you can google yeah exactly and it made sense too you know what i mean so so yeah that's where bishop came in and um yeah it just started just started doing that from there. But, I mean, having the kid and having Gio, my son's name is Giovanni, it was like, life-changing, you know, it made me want to do something for the better.

It made me want to be productive. It was like, damn, okay, now how can I set him up for success so that way he can be better off than I was? And like I said before, like, my dad's back in my life. Like, he's out in, he's out in Vegas and shit. I go see him when I'm out there. But, you know, that time of not having my dad around, it really just made me want to be there for Gio, like, every, you know what I mean? Like whatever I could do for Gio.

You know, if I take them to go, we go get food, I'll take him to the trampoline park. Whatever the case may be, I take him to the beach. He wants to go to the beach. You know what I mean? He loves the water. There's a lot of people who have had trying relationships with their father. It feels like they are kind of like condemned to repeat those mistakes. It seems like you went the opposite way.

I don't really feel like that. I feel like everybody has a choice, you know, and I feel like, you know, the righteous choice. Of course, like there's no other way. There's no other way that I would feel that I don't want to be with my can. every day. You know what I mean? And that feels right. And even if it's not every day, like I still, like, he understands. Like, there's times that I'm out filming music

videos, shooting music videos, shooting reels in the city. And, you know, him and his mom will, like, drive past me. And then they'll pull over and say, what I mean? Like, and I'll, you know what I'm saying? Give him a hug, give him a kiss, tell them I'll see him another time. And I mean, and then they'll go about their time. That can be the hardest part about having a kid for me is just accepting that it's like, I have to go work.

Like, I'm not going to see you for a week. Yeah. And I have to to take the fact that it really, really hurts my feelings and my soul to be away from my kid, but that it's like, it's more important for you as a man to go out into the world and accomplish things that make it so that your kid can be comfortable financially, as well as to be able to look at your dad's achievements at some point and be able to be proud of them, especially in a situation like yours where trying to be a rapper, trying to make it as a rapper, you've got to go the extra mile.

You got to like, you know, what defines who's going to be successful is somebody trying to make it as a rapper is the person who's going to put in the late nights and exactly be willing to go the extra mile whereas yes sitting on the couch and watching your kid play all day feels good it's like a warm fuzzy bubble of good feelings yeah but you can't just be the dude who sits on the couch like you're meant to be something bigger than that as a man yeah exactly and then i mean it's cool it pays off because the way that i do see that now is because my son uh my son's on youtube a lot so he has an iPad and he goes to youtube a lot and he follows me on YouTube, so he'll, like, go through and see my shorts.

And then, like, as soon as he does, even if I'm chilling with him, and he'll, like, more than my shorts will pop up, and he'll be like, dad, like, you know what I mean? And so, I mean, it also implemented him in the music videos and putting him in music videos and showing him like, yo, like, this is, like, this is you. You know what I mean? And so I'm like, you're going to see this again one day. It pays off in that sense. So he sees it, you know.

He may not fully understand what's going on right now. You know what I mean? He's three and a half now. Right. But, you know, but I'm going to make sure that he set up for the future to where he understands why all those times happen to where, like, you know, I was out. You know what I mean? Like, like, I tell him, though. I'll tell him, like, you know, he gets it.

Like, oh, I got to go do this interview. Oh, I got to go shoot a music video. Oh, I got to, you know, because I just shot a music video in Vegas. So I was out there for like three days. And, you know what I mean? I'll go see him before my trips and I'll be like, yo, like, I'll be right back, you know? And he gets it. You mentioned the reels and the YouTube shorts.

Has that been a big part of people first seeing you and shit? Man, it's the biggest part. That shit goes super viral. Like, that's a consistent way for people to get eyeballs on themselves. Man, it's one of the biggest parts about it. It's funny because my management, like, so my manager owns the independent label that I'm signed to, but he also owns this clothing brand too. So everything is really in-house.

Right. He does, he does all the time for the barbershop and shit that I've seen you in in the one vlog, right? It's a different. It's a clothing store. Oh, it's a clothing store right now, barbershop. Yeah, master. And so it's like, so basically they, um, there's two brothers. they started the company.

My manager started in high school, so start a sophomore year. He started this clothing brand, and then basically from there, I mean, he already did photography. His brother went to UCLA and did, went to school for videography. He did a bunch of other stuff, too,

but he shoots all my, his brother shoots all my music videos, he shoots all my pictures, and then he does all my cover arts, everything. So everything is in-house. So at the same time, these two guys that are doing my pictures, editing my cover art, shooting my music videos and my reels,

they also own the music label that I'm signed to. And then they all the clothing brand that I wear. So how established were you before they tapped in? Or to what extent do you kind of like... They tapped in as soon as I dropped like my second music video. So like literally, so within these three years... And they're totally local too. Yeah.

So it's all, we all, like, we're all from the same neighborhood. So they're from the east side as well. They just grew up there and they, you know what I mean? They played soccer growing up. and really just kind of just chased and pursued that. Like they come from like their family. Like all of them are just so like business savvy. And they understand it.

Like their parents own a, on a soccer store in the next city over. They own the clothing store. And it's like everything is really in-house. So they come from a very like business savvy family. They understand all of it. And so going back to the reels and all that. So when I first started working with them, they were like, yo, you got to get a TikTok. You got to start posting more on Instagram.

And so like when I first started to start posting more on Instagram. So, like, when I first started working with them in, like, August, 2021, I had, like, 2,000 Instagram followers. And I didn't even have a TikTok yet. So no following on YouTube, anything like that. And so they were like, yo, like, short-form content. And I was like, bro, like, I don't want a fucking TikTok. Like, if I look like with a TikTok. Right.

So, like, going back, like, press a rewind a little bit. But it's not just you, because even if you signed to a major label, what are they going to tell you? They're going to tell you, get out there and make some goddamn TikToks. Even if we, even if we did sign to a major label, I'm still going to push that shit every day. Like everything that I do post, like all the TikToks and all that shit, that comes from my phone. They shoot it and then I add my audio and then I trim it to where I want it to be based off of the song or whatever the case may be. And then I post it. Like I just posted a TikTok before we got here.

So, I mean, I've kind of learned that like it really just depends on like location and how it looks because the more I'm kind of doing it, the more I'm seeing the international effect that it has. So in a sense All my short form content is showing the rest of the world What California looks like So California when they see the palm trees When they see the LA skyline When they see even things in Oceanside Like when I post a lot in Oceanside

And they see like because Oceanside still has No matter how developed it's getting Still has those grungy parts So like the east side is still the east side The west side is still the west side The deep still looks the way it does You know So you know

Those people see in California They get an understanding of it and they fall in love with it, you know, and then they want to look further into it, and then it's like, okay, this is a California sound. Like they know, you know, not taking away from other California sounds too because California is so broad. I mean, like, you know, even away from me, like, you have the big sads,

you have the EBKJBals, you have all the EBKs. You know what I mean? You have that sound, you know, so no matter what it is, like it's still going to be that West Coast sound. Did you always kind of go in the direction of that more slowed down, G-Funk old-school West Coast style or was there a time where you might have gone in a different direction? I've kind of always followed it, but now it's kind of where I'm at a fork in the road as to like

not changing it, but how can I make it better? Because I've seen that with a doggy style, who I know you've worked with as well, where it's like he was kind of like fully committed to that aesthetic and sound and it feels like as time goes by, I see him like opening up a little bit more and more. Yeah, I mean, I feel like as, I can't, I can't speak for a doggy because that's, you know what I mean? But that's my boy. But it's like, I feel like as artists, we kind of stagnate. Not stagnate, but I feel like we feel like we become kind of repetitive in a sense to where we don't want to stagnate is what I mean.

Don't want to just make the same song over there. We don't want every video to look the same. You got to switch it up in order to keep it interesting. Exactly. And I mean, like even the noise that he made with, we different, what he did. with say it with your chest. You know, there's so many different songs that have that sound that did really good.

And at the same time, we want to keep making that sound because that's what we love, but we want to get better ultimately. The goal is to get to that next step. How can we better that? And it's kind of difficult sometimes because it feels like the West Coast rap scene is doing really good,

but how do we get it to the mainstream? How do we get it to the rest of the world and really make it, you know, boom like that. Which, I mean, like I said before, like, EBKJBO and, you know, Big Sad, they make, like, all these, you know, all these artists that are out here, you know, you know, had MoneySign not passed away, had, you know what I'm saying,

like, had Draco not passed away, like, we would have been at a bigger level still. It would have been more of a push because that's what we need is we need a push collectively. I feel like everybody kind of gets so, like, separated and kind of like not involved in politics but like just so everybody has their own belief so

they kind of push a different way instead of just having a collective which I guess that's what Biggs had and the dudes from from Black songs from Black PC Baby Stone Burlis. Yeah Baby Stone Burlis yeah so so them like that's a push that really just needed to happen and it's a good sound you know what I mean so

you know I feel like as a collective with the West Coast the more that we do that the better it's going to get. And going back to Doggy Style, like Doggy Style's collab with a lot of good, really good artists. And I feel like a lot of West Coast artists have, but I feel like as a whole, we just need to be a collective and just fucking push it instead of worried about like what's what or who's who or what, you know what I mean? Which I mean, we really have put a lot of the race to the side. There's some politics that, you know what I mean, have been put to the side and really just everybody really just works. And Rowdy racks lefty gunplay, like, you know what I mean?

I mean, them even being able to be in the same room, but. was like unthinkable when they first came out. They were making it clear they were not doing it. And now they were in the same room, the dumb music together, doing that Thizzler Cypher. It's like, they got past that.

That's nice. Yeah, it's dope. It's dope to see. And, you know, I feel like, like I said, they can, everybody can really make that sound pop.

And it's like, how do we get it past, how do we get over the hump? You know what I mean? Which I mean, of course, platforms like no jump or a thizzler and full community, like they all do their part.

And, you know what I mean? You guys all make it possible for us, you know, to really get over that hump. But it's like how much more extra push do we need to do? Right, yeah. So it's kind of like the big question is like, you know,

you want to just like be yourself and just hope that the audience resonates with the shit that really comes from your soul. But then at the same time, it's like you kind of have to tailor your shit to a certain audience if you want to get a certain audience or at least the fans want to see you be able to fit in in different dynamics on different types of beats.

Like is it totally like out of the question when you, you know, certain rappers or rap, over like, you know, completely different style beats. Like, are you curious about, like, how you would fit in on those types of beats? No, not really. I kind of pride myself in feeling like a versatile artist, I guess. So I felt like if I did want to do that, then I would try it.

I was really curious about that. But then recently, Honorable C-note sent me a beat who worked on, who works with Future in Metro. He sent me a beat personally. It was like, yo, let me know if I go with it. And it was a hard beat. But it's completely different sound. and then what I would usually rap on,

and my flow is completely different sounded that I, like I, I approached it like a suicide voice flow, so it was like completely different, but it's, you know what I mean? I feel like personally it came out well. And, you know, I feel like you really just need to challenge yourself

as an artist sometimes instead of being comfortable in that pocket. It's like, yeah, you found that sound that will work for the audience, but how much better can you get? Like, you don't really know until you try. And when you break that level of comfortability, then, you know, you can really branch out to other forms of or other genres, whatever the case may be.

I see a lot of artists come out over the years who really have like a distinctive flow, but then they're not really ever able to adapt from there or like do anything different. Whereas like the artists who seem like they survived long term are the ones who were able to kind of adjust. I mean, I don't really, you know what I mean? I don't know about anybody else because, you know what I mean? If that does happen and I mean, you know, it is safe to branch out sometimes. But like I said, I hear a lot of different flows nowadays. Like even with Kendrick, Kendrick sounds completely

different, like his flow, like his flow on euphoria, the flows that he used on euphoria, that's another thing too. I'll talk about it a little bit, but I feel like his flows on euphoria were a lot different than the ones of the past. I feel like you have to elevate as an artist as a whole and see what you could do that's better. So that's where I'm kind of like stuck in right now

is what other flows can I use, what sounds can I use, how can I make my music better? I feel like really it's just about pushing myself to be better and how can I be better as an artist and then the rest is going to come up with it. How much time you spend record? recording? Recording. I spend more time writing than recording. I feel like the time really comes in writing. So you'll get a beat and just listen to it for long periods of time, just writing

in your phone or something? Yeah, so I mean, whether I get a beat and I write to that specifically or, I mean, even I'll like sit there and freestyle over YouTube beats to kind of use, get my sound right and see what other flows I can use what sounds right in my ear. Because sometimes you might write it and it might not look cool or it might not sound cool when you're writing it down or whatever. but I mean shit I mean like I'll write

I'll write all the time like I'll It kind of almost takes more These are all just different songs Yeah it's just different notes Like sometimes some of them might be Some of them might be reminders You know what I mean

Some of them might be like Ideas of shit My phone looks exactly the same Except it's interview questions Yeah you know what I mean I had like I made a fucking note Pointing shit when I was like I'm just go with it

But you know what I mean But yeah I mean it really just comes to like like, how else can I be better, which is studying other music, freestyle in over beats or writing the beats that I get, or, you know, there's different ways I can go about it. You know, so. You ever try punching in or it's just not for you? No, that's really not for me.

I mean, I have punched in more now. So because of the flow switches that I try to do now, I'll find myself punching in a lot more. But punching it specifically freestyle in, no, I've never tried it. I never really have tried it. because I kind of feel like I get more of a conscious thought out of my, out of my, but I feel like that kind of puts me in a cage too. Because I feel like when you freestyle shit,

it kind of does come off of the dome. And it, it forces you not to use the same words and flows and saying so much, you know what I mean? So it is something that I've been curious about, something that I have thought about. Like, I'm never going to say no to what technique because at the end of the day it could make me better. I've always been kind of fascinated

with hearing people talk about how in particular with Gucci Main, how you would be in the studio with him and he would record his verse one of his other homies would record their verse and then it's like it's on you and you do not have like an hour to record your verse

like no you better knock this shit out in like 15 20 minutes because this is almost like a sport and Gucci's already moved on to the next game and if you want to be able to fit in in this environment you're going to have to just be ready to just be on call go for it. Yeah, I mean, I feel like everybody's recording process is different,

but in that aspect, that it sounds right, you know what I mean? But even with anybody that, I mean, I have been in studio sessions with people to wear, like, my first song that I did with Yellow Hill. Shout out of Yellow Hill, he's somebody that really, like, looked over me from the beginning when it came to the business shit, really, like, even just the rapping shit and just making sure that I understood certain things and was willing to work with me, you know what I mean? But when I did my first session with him, it was me, him and steals.

and we have a song called So Much Drama and like he was just like Hey yo if you're gonna write this Cause like yellow like freestyle His whole shit, what's in? So that was where I kind of understood like damn Okay so people do this like He's like if you're gonna write it like we're gonna go to the store

We're just gonna come back and then you know what I'm saying Knock it out I had like 20 minutes and I wrote my shit And I was just like just typed it out really fast You know but not even really fast But just kind of like went through and tried to get the flow right And tried to go based off of what he did but at the same time, try and be a great artist on it.

You know what I mean? So instead of rushing a process and having something quick, it was like, how can I make something good that's going to perform well for both of us? Definitely.

So, I mean, and that's my thought process with anything, but yeah, that was the first time I really had that punch and experience to where I, like, heard it, and I was like, damn, that shit actually really works,

you know? But yeah, I guess that's kind of where I relate to that in a sense, but with my studio sessions, I usually record before, and then whatever, I have, I'll do like three to four songs in that little session by myself, because I'm on studio. So it's not like I have to like book a session and sit in a studio with somebody else and

like kind of feed off of what they're doing. And with the features that I have done, because I just recently started doing features, you know, it's just like stems being sent back and forth. So it's like I'll do the song. I'll come up with the song idea. I'll hit up somebody that I know that I feel like can really like sound good on the song that we've already discussed work together, I'll send it to them, they'll send it back. You know, and then it's like, that's how, that's how a lot of those, a lot of those features came up on the album I just did. So that's kind of how I get a feel for the feature side of things

and working with different people. But I mean, you know, I feel like the more I go on, the more I'll be in studio sessions with people and then we'll be able to, you know what I mean? I'll get a different feel for things, but I'll try to punch you in thing one day, hopefully. That's honestly just the more comfortable you get with it as well. because, like, realistically, if you're, like,

rapping and seeing success for, like, five more years, at a certain point, over the course of the five years, you're probably just going to get in such a groove rapping that it's just not going to, like, require as much mental energy to get a verse out, you know? You look at, like, the Migos and shit. It's like they seem like they could write a rap, taking the shit.

Give me five minutes, I'll write a verse. Yeah, man, and so that's, I mean, but I also study new music that comes out, too, so that way I can get better with writing those verses. So like Blue Lids by Schoolboy Q that came out this year We don't trust you by Future Metro And then like Might delete later by Jay Cole

When those came out of those Everything on them You know not even just the hype around them But it was just like these are artists That I've listened to for so many years Because all those projects are so different Sonically than what you do But like what do you feel like you're kind of taking

From each of those artists That having a different sound The diversity between the tracks Understanding that you know what I mean there are different flows that I need to use. So, like, and even, ironically, like, the one that stood out to me the most was probably the future Metro album. Like, we don't trust you.

Like, that one stood out to me so much in just the flows that are on it, the beat selection. I listened to that I think so many fucking times when it came out and I forgot. I listened to it in a minute. The way the future, like, structured those choruses, like, all of it. You know what I mean? It's so, because I feel like that, it's such a contagious sound, which, I mean, doesn't take away from any of the other shit, but, you know what I mean? like schoolboy or j cole but you know and schoolboy was so uh i feel like he was so much more

creative on blue lips you know and in the way that he structured those songs and the sound changes and all that and j cole just just rapping the way that he did on on my delete later i feel like those are the big things that i took from those three albums and you know i feel like the project that i just did mission have too it's like it was like a feeler for that but i feel like my next project needs to be bigger than that so therefore i'm going to take what i learned from all the music that i listen to right now. When did you actually start going viral or when did your music first feel like it was cracking off?

A year ago. Well, a little over a year ago. So when I did so, my team was telling me to post like on Instagram every day but I didn't even have to share, like Instagram used to have an option where like I wouldn't have to share the feels like to the reels to my feet. To the feed, yeah. And so I could just share

it straight to reels. So for a while there I was like posting every single day. But I was doing the reels with the words on them. I was at a to them every day. So I was doing that and then I was just like, like, this isn't really like, I'm not getting anything from this. And then I posted like two and then they got like 300,000 views and then my following went up like crazy. And I was like, oh shit, like this does work. And so I was already posting them on TikTok, but on TikTok it wasn't gaining that much traction. And so- The hell of that, man. It's so weird to figure it out.

Crazy. And I don't even think YouTube shorts was out yet. So it was like, or it might have been, but I wasn't paying any mind to it. So I posted. a few songs, they did really well, but then when I realized, like, the repetition of it in the choruses and posting courses, posting catchy choruses, you know, and how to write more songs. So, I mean, I had released so much music in between that that I realized what songs were doing better than others. And so, you know, a lot of myself, like two songs, in particular, the truth, and when I'm gone, gain more traction. So the truth, the, and the chorus is just super simple. Like, I just wrote it, it just, I ride, I hang, I bang, I drink, I drink, I, I

smoke, I tripped and did. And it was like, it, like, so many people would use it on reels that it kind of just like blew up through streams. And so, I mean, to this day, like, right now, that's my biggest song, but I have a lot of other songs that are newer, that the production

and the mixing is much better. So, like, I just feel like I treated this new album like a brand new start in my career. But basically those songs did so well and blew up and brought a lot of people to my, to my, to my fan base, I guess, so to say. And so, like, when in

shit, within a year so 2012, August 2022, I was at 400 monthly listeners on Spotify and by July last year I was at, I think I hit like 104,000 monthly listeners.

So it was like within that time just promoting myself every day which like I'm a big before I was nervous to do that shit because I was nervous to put myself out into the world. But now I have an understanding like if I don't promote myself

and who will. Right. You know what I mean? So within that time I would just post every day and posting on Instagram and TikTok and all that, like my following just kind of blew up, which I mean, even now, like, with the new music that I've dropped, I dropped to like 60 or 70,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, and then with the new music, I kind of was able to jump back up.

And, like, you know what I mean? Which I mean, as much as I do it because I love it and, you know what I mean, I have a goal to be one of the best to do it, which is like always the, always the goal. it's cool to see those numbers kind of pay off. You know what I mean? But that was when it kind of started. Things started going viral and then TikTok started popping off. And then TikTok has really been the way to go.

Like it's really like recently, it's paid off a lot more recently. Like it's translated to my streams a lot more and a lot. You know what I mean? A lot, a lot more. That's interesting because I always feel like TikTok is this one I have such a hard time with. Like I'm just so used to post it on Instagram and Twitter and Snapchat and, you know, TikTok, like, I got my following to a certain point. At one point, I was, like, real motivated to, like, make TikToks every day.

I want to get to a million followers on TikTok. And, like, I don't know. At a certain point, I just ran out of steam. Like, it's like, there's only so many things I can focus on. No matter how good I do on TikTok, it's not really going to result in money. It's just, like, promotion, which is good. Yeah. But it's also, like, I'm 40-fucking years old.

I've been doing a podcast for, like, 10 years. It's like, how much promotion do you really need at a certain point? But, like, as a rapper, for sure, especially, like, I feel like TikTok is so aesthetic. It's so about how you look, what kind of level of engagement with the camera. It feels like you have the background or like your scenario, even like the lighting.

All this shit just matters so much. The quality of it. Yeah, there's so many people who pop off on TikTok and get huge just because they're good looking. Or they just seem kind of interesting looking. You know, the kids with face tattoos and shit are always going to get like an outsized amount of attention on TikTok just because it's so image-based.

Yeah, yeah, and I mean, you know, it's been able, like, I've been blessed enough to work, like, and get that kind of result from it. Instagram, I feel like, so my homie memo, he runs the whole, like, night of the blacks are kid in L.A. Oh, okay. Yeah, so he kind of said something to me one day. He was just like, yeah, he was like, Instagram is different than TikTok, because everyone wants their Instagram to look pretty. TikTok is kind of like, you know, I feel like certain platforms, though, because I feel like Instagram, he said everybody, like, like, like, Instagram, he said everybody, like, like, like, like, like, you know, like. Instagram wants their feet to look pretty, but everybody on TikTok just doesn't give a fucking, they just keep posting. Which, I mean, I kind of realized that, and I was like, wait a second, yeah, which I mean, what I was doing.

Like, at first it was like, I just wanted my Instagram to look good. Like, I'm not going to post every day, like, whatever the case was. And I try and be a little bit more versatile on Instagram because I kind of try and show, like, more now. I try and show a little bit more my personality on Instagram and who I am as a person. And then TikTok, it was kind of just like TikTok. I just fucking just blow my shit up, like, today. It's like a fucking slot machine. Yeah, literally.

You just need to pump as many quarters into that thing as possible, and you might just end up hitting the jackpot and getting 50 million views. And that's, like, the best thing that ever happened to you in your career. Yeah. It's just so hard to predict. Exactly. And it pushes it, but you know what I mean? And, you know, that was a motivation for a long time.

And I mean, it still is. And however else I can promote my music, too. Right. But just getting that right and making sure that I understand. But always looking for different ways to do it, too, you know, however else I can promote. promote myself because I am signed to a independent label, but I'm not, like, I don't have like a major label deal, and even if I did

get signed on a major label deal, I'm still going to, I'm still going to post that shit the way that I do. Have you had those conversations with big labels and stuff? They usually, they reach out to a lot of people even early on. No, no. I mean, they reach out to my manager if they do, but, I mean, they've had a conversation on one label. It wasn't, it was another

independent label based out of San Francisco, but, you know, just trying to make sure that the, you know, I also want to build myself a little higher too. Like I want to build myself a little bigger before we start having those conversations because I feel like one, I haven't done enough. Two, I haven't had that song that's kind of like, you know, like the underrated by Osama or the...

Which, by the way, I just saw Billy Elish having a conversation about that song and calling him Zoe Osama, which... I didn't hear that. I didn't hear the audio, but I was scrolling through when I saw the, because I saw the producer, Zique, who I work with. Yeah. He had reposted it. And, I mean, I follow Zoh, too, but I just seen that.

I just seen that. She's having that experience, like, two years after I had that experience, but for sure, I had the same exact feeling. Like, somebody sent me the song, and I was just like, this is, like, one of the best songs I ever heard. Like, this is just an automatic classic. And it's on the No Jumper channel, and it still gets, like, hundreds of thousands of views every month, which is crazy.

I know. I remember that, yeah. So, yeah, that song, or I haven't had the Johnny Dang by Mexican O.C., like I feel like I haven't had that yet. So I feel like I wouldn't want to have that and then have that conversation because, like, you know, of course, after that, it's getting better every time. But like I said, I feel like I haven't had that yet, which comes to repetition and practice. You know what I mean? That's a weird thing because it's like one giant hit is worth more.

It's worth a thousand times more than like the other 50 songs you made before. Like you just, you just need to hit gold. It's that one time that everything just works perfectly together. And once I hit that, I feel like it'll trickle down and people will hear the rest of my music. Exactly. I mean, other people are a fan of, you know, luckily. So, you know, once I figure that out, then, you know what I mean? So do you feel like being black and Mexican, do you feel like that makes your potential audience bigger?

Or do you feel like it almost kind of is just confusing for the audience? I haven't really thought about it like that, honestly. I was actually talking to somebody one day before I started rapping and I kind of tried to divide the two. I wasn't trying to divide the two, but it was like what is going to be more. of that audience, you know? And he was just like, no one's really bridged that gap between both. So like, why not just make your music and then just, you know what I mean, just represent both sides.

And so it was never like I was going to not represent more one, like one side or more of the other, but it was kind of just like I didn't understand that split, you know, or what would come with it, you know. So, I mean, of course, from the get going, it was like, yeah, like, you know, I am both, you know, I'm half and half. But there has been a great amount of support from both sides. It hasn't leaned over to one side one and the other. Like, the people that I meet, you know, when me and me and my cousin Raya just went to Phoenix last November.

And, you know, I went to the mall. We went to a few different malls and, like, people were recognizing me both races, asking to take pictures of me, both races. And then one of the shoe cleaners at one of the malls, like, I thought he was going to ask me for, you know what I'm saying, to clean my shoe and started spit one of my songs to me. Wow. So I was like, fuck. Like, this is crazy, you know what I mean?

But he was, you know what I'm saying? He was black. He was a brother. And then, you know, a lot of the other people that I asked me for pictures were Mexican. So it happens both ways. Which side do you feel like you tend to, like, relate to more culturally? I don't really feel like I relate to one more or the other. I mean, I guess because, I mean, I am in tune with both sides of my family.

So both sides of my family, you know what I mean? It's not like I grew up. Just because my dad wasn't around, doesn't mean, like, you know what I mean? I still had that connection with my dad's side. So, like, my aunts, you know what I mean? They were still living in L.A. One was living in Redondo. You know what I'm saying?

My grandma before she passed away, she was in Azusa. So it wasn't like it leaned or triggered to more side than the other, one side more than the other. You know, I wish I was fluent in Spanish. I'm not fluent, but I was fluent in Spanish. Yeah, so I mean, but, and I don't really know anything about my family in Mexico. I still have family in Mietrocom that I don't know about. and I know a little bit more about this side on my dad's side, like history-wise more. But yeah, I mean, as far as, as far as relation to one side of the other, it's kind of, honestly, it's really the same.

Like, I love, I love the fact that I'm both. Like, I'm blessed to be both and I love it. And it's cool to fucking, like, you know what I mean, to know that I am, you know, black and Mexican. Like, it's dope. It's fucking dope. Definitely. Who stands out to you as, like, other prominent mixed, people in the rap game or

like I have Rico too smooth on recently Yeah yeah we go Rigo too smooth I've I've uh I've actually hard as a record Yeah no he is yeah and I've heard a lot of his stuff too Um Um But I mean I've I'm familiar with who he is through

Through Instagram and everything but yeah him Who else is who else is me? Yellow Hills mix yellow hills He's actually the same His dad is Mexican his mom's black Right um so of course him Um I was trying to think of

Who else is mixed? Who else is... I thought Drexler joined was mixed, but he's just Mexican, but he's hell of dark skins. It's full Mexican. He's full Mexican. And his brother down in Mexico, too, his brother's hard too.

But Drex has been killing it. That's another person that's been killing it too for the West Coast. Seeing him and seeing, you know what I mean, somebody that's that young to be able to really like trailblaze for that, you know what I mean? For the whole race, you know what I mean?

And even just where he's from. and being from Orange County, you know what I mean? But yeah, no, Drex, I mean, I feel like that still creates a little bit of like people kind of look at that because he does look full black. He looks black. For sure. And, you know what I mean, he's fully from Mexico, you know? So, I mean, you know, either way, either way, you know, like I said, as far as people

being mixed, but I mean, if they are mixed and more power to, you know what I mean, all power to them, you know what I mean? But even if they're one or the other and they're still connecting with that side, you because a lot of these artists are working together. Roddy Racks had a song, you know what I'm seeing? Roddy Rax has a lot of songs. He has a song with Yellow Hill now. Lefty Gunplay has a lot of music.

You know what I mean? I was saying that his song with RJ, I think, has like 10 times as many views as anything else he put out in the past couple of months. That song's hard, too. It's all right. But, I mean, he has, like, Boulevard babies and all that. You know what I mean? Like, a lot of these artists are working together and it's dope to see.

You know what I mean? Because, I mean, there's really like, there's a division there in a sense, but it's not really like it's, you know, they're moving past that. But you said that you didn't even really like think it was a thing or think it was a big deal at all until you kind of got older, which I could definitely see. Like I've known a lot of people throughout my life that were mixed that didn't seem like much of a topic of conversation, but then you're in the public eye and all of a sudden people want to discuss it like crazy.

Yeah, yeah. I mean, I don't look at it too crazy. I mean, my whole family tree looks fucking crazy. So I never really looked at it specifically like that. I just understood where I was. Growing up where I grew up, you know, in the East Side, it's a very multicultural. We have Samoans in the neighborhood. We have blacks.

We have Mexicans. Filipinos in the neighborhood. You have a lot of different people in Oceanside as a whole. But predominantly where I'm from, like, you have in the neighborhood, you have a Crip gang that is mostly black. You know what I mean? I know some Puerto Ricans from there. And then you have a Mexican gang. like what's predominantly Mexican

with some black people. And so like you know, you see these things and even just away from the gangs, it's like it's a melting pot. Like we all grew up playing basketball together. We all, you know what I mean? Like no matter what it was. Like it wasn't until we were older that that kind of became a thing, the separation due to races.

Because in Oceanside, it's you know, it's more so it's more so like race-based when it comes to certain things. So, you know what I mean? But yeah, I was kind of I was kind of blind to it, not blind to it, but I just didn't really care about it too much until, you know what I mean? I got older and I saw that, you know, a lot of people did give a fuck about it.

So, but yeah, I mean, like the guys that I brought with me, those are my cousins and my brother, you know what I mean, and they're all Mexican. You know what I mean? A part Mexican or, you know what I mean? They're full Mexican, you know what I mean? So it's, yeah, like I said, I was blind to it until I got older. And then I started seeing the difference. And then, of course, people, when you get in public, people want to discuss it. or if I look the way I do and I start speaking Spanish and people obviously want to discuss it. So, you know, it's a topic of conversation most of the time, but I just look past it.

I don't really, you know. No, for sure. So you said that you definitely see your path as trying to be one of the greats. Yeah. What do you feel like you need to do in order to get into that conversation more? A lot more.

You know what I mean? Like a lot more, a lot more. a lot more work, a lot more versatility, a lot more you know, no matter what it is, like branching out and working with people from different areas or, you know what I mean, or just being better as an artist. I feel like working with other people is going to make me better as well. And studying, shit. I mean, just being, I mean, even being well-rounded in other areas, like, I want to get into acting, stuff like that.

And kind of just like, I know that's not going to contribute to the rap career being one of the best, but I feel like there's a lot that I want to do it in my life that is just going to make me, you know what I mean, in that, in that conversation. I think that, like, rap is a launching pad for a lot of things, you know? It's like the same way I feel like you're not going to make, like, $100 million doing a podcast or being a rapper. But I've seen a lot of people become rappers and then make $100 million from, like, creating a product or figuring out some other business or whatever.

Like, I feel like there's the acting thing. I mean, you've seen a lot of fucking legendary rappers who basically at some point where just like this rapping shit ain't worth it anymore when I can get movie roles and make millions of dollars on TV shows and shit, you know? Yeah, and I mean, if that's the course that I want to go, I just really just want to be versatile,

but I need, you know, more work to put out there to get better, to study, and really just be, consistent. I feel like consistency is really the biggest thing and just being consistent, but becoming better at the same time. creating a brand obviously that's something that I've learned from watching Larry June do his thing a lot

you know what I mean and he's reached out recently like you know what I mean really that's cool complimented yeah yeah saying complimented what I've done and you know what I mean he kind of got it he's an album mode right now so you know what I mean he's and he's really busy so you know but

but for him to have reached out even at one point and tell me like you know what I mean what I'm doing is dope cool yeah because he's something somebody who, you know, he might not have necessarily like the most gigantic songs, but his like overall brand has opened so many fucking doors and he has so many crazy opportunities and things that, because I interviewed him back in 2016, downtown L.A. And to see like the level of love that people have for him now is crazy.

The growth, the growth and the branding and understanding that side of things and even seeing him as an artist and how versatile he could be as well. You know, I've learned a lot from that. I mean, a lot of different, a lot of different people. But I mean, I feel like as far as the growth and to become one of the best, I feel like it's really just consistency, which I mean, he even says, you know what I mean, and keep going, you know what I mean, and don't stop. Like, it's really just, it's really big.

I'm really big on that right now, especially. So just keep my foot on the gas pedal and, you know, I don't need to take a break. I don't need no days off. I'm good. Like, I stay in the gym to keep my mental sane and I just fucking, you know, write this music to be creative and, you know, get my word out to the world. Hell, yeah. While you were saying that, I had this vision of you being out in Oceanside

and people coming up to him being like, bro, I saw you on a no jumper. You're going to fucking make Oceanside proud. I mean, that's, you know. Is that ultimately a big part of the goal? You want to let the whole city know that, like, I was able to put this shit on the map more than many people who came before. I just want to represent the city as best as I can and just be the best that I can be,

you know, and stay in my own lane and just let the world know where Oceanside is, where it is and just, you know, that we got a story to tell, you know. It might not be what it used to be back in the day, but, you know, it's always going to be home and it's always going to be the place that I love, but at the same time, like I said, just putting it out to the world, you know, and being able to be on this platform and represent myself and represent the city is cool, you know, something I see.

It's been an honor to have you, man. Thank you. Thank you for having me. Appreciate it. Anybody want to thank? Anything you want to promote in general? Yeah, everybody, the whole team, Mad Strange, out of Oshasasas, California, everybody that I've been able to

and blessed to work with all the artists, all the producers, everybody. Shit, I'm really trying to think. The Homi Memo, Nided the Blacks came for helping me start, you know, this journey. The homies that, you know, my cousins and my brothers

who help me in my worst times and are getting me through the best of times, you know, and, you know, shit, you know what I mean? The home team, Oceanside as a whole. Just shout out to the city. Shout out to, you know, Diego, California, the whole West Coast, and, you know, let's really just put all this shit on the map for the rest of the world to see.

Helly, man. Appreciate you. Thank you for coming through. Thank you for having me. Bishop Snow, No Jumper, coolest podcast, like, comment, subscribe. Tap in with my man on all streaming services everywhere. Yep.