No Jumper - God Tier Podcast #5 - Why Passwurdz Is Oakland’s Greatest Battle Rapper Ever

Episode Date: April 5, 2022

Passwurdz talks about his come up, getting into battle rap, why he's the best from Oakland and more! https://www.instagram.com/pass510/ https://www.instagram.com/mrdizaster/ https://www.instagram.com/lushoneca/ *** Friday April 22nd in Los Angeles | 2:30pm to 8pm *** Purchase your tickets at ppv for the inaugural GTX event THE PRELUDE www.GTXBattles.com Dizaster vs Aczino Geechi Gotti vs Kitchen Qleen Pass vs Aye Verb Big T vs Mackk Myron Saynt vs Chef Trez Holmzie Da God vs FATE Reverse Live vs Don Marino Hosted by Lush One & DelMon Crew ----- NO JUMPER PATREON http://www.patreon.com/nojumper CHECK OUT OUR NEW SPOTIFY PLAYLIST https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5te... FOLLOW US ON SNAPCHAT FOR THE LATEST NEWS & UPDATES https://www.snapchat.com/discover/No_... CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE STORE!!! http://www.nojumper.com/ SUBSCRIBE for new interviews (and more) weekly: http://bit.ly/nastymondayz  Follow us on SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ENxb4B... iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n... Follow us on Social Media: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/No_... http://www.twitter.com/nojumper http://www.instagram.com/nojumper https://www.facebook.com/NOJUMPEROFFI... http://www.reddit.com/r/nojumper JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/Q3XPfBm Follow Adam22: https://www.tiktok.com/@adam22 http://www.twitter.com/adam22 http://www.instagram.com/adam22 adam22hoe on Snapchat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's cracking y'all? This is Godtier podcast on No Jumper, the coolest battle rap podcast in the world talking strictly battle rap. I'm here with my co-host. Man, rapins since I heard the breaks. Macking since the early age, cheddar stack into the pearly gates. You play a partner of choice, so choose up Uno, better known as Lush One, and we got a real dope guest today. One of the most prolific battle rappers in history, he's transcended several generations. And it happens to be his born day, allegedly. That's correct.

Today? The rumors are true. Man, happy born day, bitch. I didn't even know, man. You've been quiet for a birthday boy today, man. You're being humble. All right, all right. Something finished up out the cake later.

I don't know, allegedly. But with that being said, I'm very grateful to be here because I was the passenger in disaster's car earlier. And for those that don't know, he's an incredible driver. I mean like Andretti type handling but like a normal person that's not accustomed to sitting in the passenger seat and disastrous car would literally be terrified for their life like it's it's an experience like he really think it's a race if he didn't have such like like he said I'm one too much man just grandmother speed man he's he's one with the vehicle grandmother Jeff Gordon you feel me grandmother Gordon grandmother Gordon grand grandmother Gordon grand grand grand grandmother Gordon grand grand grand grand grand grand Amy Gordon in the function. But now, I'm really glad you're one of my nearest and dearest, and definitely someone that deserves to be in the seat more than anybody I know.

Born and raised in Oakland, and you're from the north side of town. Yes, that's correct. Which is like, you know, there's definitely been some notable figures that have come from North Oakland. But, like, it's more like, I would say it's like the... Still to this day. FAB? Yeah, shouts to Mr. Fad.

Shut up. It's like the most unknown sector. as far as when dope era. When people, you get your dope era, and shouts out the dope era. When people think of Oakland, they tend to,

they tend to like think about East Oakland as, you know, like, but what defines the north side of town, for those that don't know? I don't know. I guess I would say, and I'm sure you ask a lot of different people, you probably get hell of different answers or whatever.

But to me, like, for me, like, and it's kind of like West Oakland in this sense a little bit, it's kind of like, sort of like, land almost, you know what I mean? It's like, people always talk about how folks from North Oakland are just like hella dirty, kind of grimy, you know what I mean? It's kind of similar like with West Oakland, but in North Oakland there's definitely a lot of different like pockets, which is interesting.

Like there's, you know, big like Eritrean, like Ethiopian communities and shit like that. It's very diverse, you feel me? So a lot of folks thought that I was like East African or something like that back in the day. But, you know what I'm saying? Like, still to this day, like, I mean, you get nice. Yeah. You habisha. That's fine. But yeah, like, you know, North Oakland kind of gets like a funny rap, like, you know,

but there's like, you know, gas kill, man, like, you know, four, five, six. Like, it's definitely deep. And there's like generational families and shit, just like every other part of Oakland. You know what I mean? So, yeah. The stereotypes of North Oakland tend to be like motherfuckers wearing the head to toe fake burberry suits. That tends to be a thing. You're trying to say, man.

And listening. Yo, we see one of those. Listening to hell of bris. Like, fools, R.P. Briss. Fools. RIPRIS, though. Fools, like, that tends to be, like, the North Oakland thing. And I know that the North Side's more connected to West Oakland,

and there seems, like, Oakland's changed a lot over the years, like, as far as gentrification, but it's also, there's still the spirit of Oakland, which remains. Like, how would you, like, define the changes that you've seen in your city? Yeah, I mean, like, it's crazy. I mean, it's very, like, unfortunate, honestly, like, a lot of the, it's difficult. Like, my old neighborhood, for example, is way different. It's way nicer right now.

I go to my old house, which I go by often, and it's like the house I grew up on, grew up in on 45th in North Oakland. And it's, like, different now. It's nice. Like, all that houses are painted and shit. It's, like, a different neighborhood now, really. And it's, like, you know, whatever. That's obviously having a.

safe place is good, but if you're driving out, like, the people who are from there, you know what? People don't mention this. People don't mention this a lot. To be honest with you, man, like, and I can relate to this growing up in Lebanon, like, when you come back and things are renovated, in general, it destroys your nostalgic connection to that land.

So like everything that you used to feel. And just that's to the people that are hearing this that are not, that are not like, oh, so what do you mean? It's better now when you're mad about it. It's not about being better. It's not about how it looks. It's a different culture now and it looks different and your memories that were attached to it are no longer there when you look at it and that fucks with you you know what I'm saying I know how that and I mean that's yeah and I hate that that's a really good way to put that actually and I appreciate that it like

ruins the I mean what you're saying too is it it's like cultural integrity which is hell important yeah and like that's why like in Oakland which is cool I mean because like the gentrification of stuff has been like so egregious like in a place like Oakland or whatever there there's like programs and happening where they're trying to do shit, like, you know, placekeeping and place making, where it's like they're trying to like, it's like, it's like connecting to, it's like, I mean, honestly, it's like these, you know, little organizations, it's like doing their, you know, whatever their best to try to like bring some shit back to it, you know what I mean? And they're trying to like do their little efforts and stuff.

Preserve the integrity of the. They're trying to preserve it. It's like, I mean, it's just like a whatever thing because does it do anything? I don't know, you know what I'm saying? But it's like there's ways to improve a neighborhood without. driving out the integrity of it and driving out the culture that created why it's so significant why people want to be there in the first place. And the thing is like, I can talk about that shit forever.

I want to have a combo with you often. It's really similar though to where I grew up in West L.A., which has been severely gentrified. And the main difference is that the community that grew up there, you know what I mean, which is predominantly at one point brown and black people are now displaced and can't afford to live in this neighborhood. And even regardless of race, just the community that grew up there got forced out to other neighborhoods, had to move to the valley, had to move down to the South Bay or Englewood,

and is no longer over there, which is then displacing other communities and forcing them out as well. So it's like this whole crazy chain reaction. So is it a lot of different people, I would assume, that live there than who you grew up with? I mean, yeah, I would say that North Oakland in particular is like, people don't really talk about this a lot, but it's damn near the most gentrify as far as just like really

making it much smaller, like the neighborhoods where it's you know, the more impoverish, basically, it's like becoming like much like more condensed and now all over North Oakland. It's basically turning like Timisgau, like Rockridge, if you familiar with that area.

And they got rid of Geneva's the best sandwich spot in the north side. That broke my heart. Yeah. Now, um, That type of shit. It's a fucking like pizza, Starbucks or something right now. I completely understand that. It's so crazy how you can relate to that on different levels

because we had a store like that that's gone now. You know what I'm saying? Like, damn, that's fucking crazy. Now, take a stroll with me back to 2003 is right around the time when I actually first met you. And you were at the time, what's crazy about you, you were a child prodigy as an MC and a battle rapper. And, like, you were...

14 or 15? I think I might have been 14 See it's crazy it's hard for us to remember I can't really remember And the fact that you saying that right now Actually makes me feel a lot better Because every time people ask me like When did you start battling

I'm always like We're like 15 and then I'd be seeing shit Where I was like I looked 14 and I knew I was thinking about battle rabs then so I'm not even sure at this point But around then I just say 14 15 You know but it's like 15 I'm pretty sure when I was 15 like I entered my friend It might have been 15 when we met

But when you were 14 you was thinking of battle bars And when you finally battle, I think we had the same, like, that's crazy. Yeah, and I was, you know, battling people at school and shit like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course. That type of shit before that. Oh, I get it. Now, like, growing up where you grew up, like,

were you in the mix as far as, like, the street activities, or how did you kind of, like, avoid the trappings? Because, you know, a lot of people from that section wind up getting into it, become D-boys and pimps and all that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, shit, man. How do I say this? My mom's was on my ass, number one.

But even though she was on, you know, I had an older brother, you know what I mean? Shout out to B, you know what I'm saying? My brother, Brian, you know, conversation starter. He's a conversation starter. Yeah, you feel me. Let me just. Inside joke. Yeah, no, let me break down.

Okay, let's go. His brother is like the polar opposite of him, damn year. He's like a character. Great guy, super like outgoing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I remember one time I ran into, I ran into his. I ran into his older brother at the bar And he had a Corona, but it was pink

And I'm like, I'm like, what the hell? Brian, what is you sipping on right now? He's all, well, technically, it's a Corona with Grenadine But I call it a conversation started Wow I think it was in Derek's house, man No, this is at the bar, fool This is at the bar, but yeah, legend either way

So, but so moms was on your helmet, super tough I mean, she was on, like, both of our helmets, kind of. And, you know, I definitely, like, seen, like, people around me, and I was always kicking it, like, with my brother and his friends and stuff like that. And, you know, without, like, putting too many details of shit out there, you know, like, I, you know, folks, like, was always telling me to rap, you know what I mean? Like, it was, like, you know, even I tried to, like, put my hand in certain things like that. What's your first album you ever got?

First album I ever got? First album that put you on. What was the first? What was the who was it? I want to know who was it. I think the first album of my mind, this is going to be out of pocket, but I think it was like,

I think it was like, Culeo. I knew you were to say Culeo. The thing is, that ain't out of pocket. I think I told you that. I think I told you that. For the rest of the world seeing this,

it ain't out of pocket because when you was a kid, when you was a kid, when you was a kid, because when you were a kid, before you found out, before you were able to digest lyricism, when you were just a kid.

I'm talking about his melodies got you as a child. When I was like 9 or 10, he was, that's what I, I thought that was real rap shit. When I first started, I heard that and I was like,

oh, this is rap. Then I found out what rap was. Still fire. How about that? And then like, I started discovering more shit. And then,

you know, just my, like my, it's still, honestly, a lot of my story has to do with my brother and shit. He damn near taught me how to rap.

He showed me why rapping was so cool and interesting. Like, he was, I thought he was the best rapper in the world ever. You know what I mean? B sharp. He was freestyle and battling everybody, killing everybody, just saying hell of cool shit, slick shit. And I wanted to be like that. You know what I'm saying? But I was studying like Cooleo tapes like you were saying.

And then I was getting like West Side Connection tapes and shit like that. And then like I don't know how I was very young, like 10 or something like that around that time. But then I don't know how that was first for like a short period of time. It was like just that. But then of course I discovered like, oh shit, E40. Oh, the click. and then I went retroactive history. Did he first get put on the Bay rapping before like the LA shit?

Or were you more into the local, like did the local thing catch you like Mac Dre? You know, E-40, just all those things. Did they reach you before? Because us out here, we had corrupt and all these guys. I don't really know how, like, bro, the first thing was the Culeo thing to come me. I don't know how exactly. Like, ski low and shit. You feel like me?

Like those were like some of the first shit. But I'm pretty sure that was first. And I don't know. I think I was just listening to that. And I thought that's like, this is rap. This is amazing. Everyone heard Kulio first. But then, yeah. But then I just got more interested in rap, period.

So I wanted to hear like what's coming out. And then I was obsessed with everything that was coming out. I was like, I got to find everything that ever came out of the Bay Area. You know, and like my brother was always slapping like Mac Mall, the Jack mob figures, E-40, you know what I mean? Too Short. All that shit, bro. So, yeah, rest and piece of Jack, man.

Mob and peace, Jack. We used to support our shit heavy, too. So you was a... Coolest rapper, I think I ever met, Brett. Yeah, he's a legend. He was like 11, 12 years old and already people. How did you realize that you had a propensity to actually be a rapper, though? So I think, yeah, a big part of that still is, you know, like me and my brother was in a rap group together.

Like, my brother and his friend, Marcus, Marcus, Marcus made beats who is still I still fuck what he's producing shit on my album that is gonna be out later this year But yeah, they were making music together they were rapping together Marcus was rapping making beats my brother was rapping and then eventually they just thought I was good enough to start fucking with them And they kind of had these two guys that were mentors named Jay and Khali who were like these amazing producers musicians they were fucking with a Scarry X and all these people at the book boogie shack back in the day, which is kind of a legendary, super cutty, grimy studio in West Oakland, where hell of music.

And they really put us on, like, on technical shit. They were, like, teaching us how to, like, write songs and shit. And I was really young. My brother, and I was a little older, but I was, like, 12, you know, and I recorded a song like to the neck, like, my own solo song when I was, like, 12 years old. And they're, like, showing me how to write and shit. And they're, like, kind of telling me about shit that I do that I was already doing, like, compound rhymes and shit.

Like, you know, and then they were like, yo, go back. So that came natural to you, just rhyming multiple syllables at the same time, punch lines. Is that how you, so you start, was it more internal or, or, like, an output thing for you? I don't know. Um, were you rapping about your life or were you rapping about crushing people? Because like, for me, as soon as I started, my whole thing was just always towards somebody. It was always aimed at somebody. I think I was kind of actually like on some braggadocia type shit.

I was trying to be cool. I was trying to be sleep. So you were talking about you more. Yeah, I was talking about me. I guess, yeah, but it's... Because it's that two different style, you either talked about you or you talked about him. But I'm talking about how I'm like better than you. Yeah, so it is about you.

You know what I'm saying? Kind of. I don't know. I wish I could remember. I remember it was called Really Real. That was the name of his life. That's all I know. This is what I really want to know.

In fact, the chorus was like, it's really real on my side of the town. I can't remember out of it. But that's my first one. This is what I really want to know. So it was, he was like 15 when you he battled Ilmac was that was it that footage in

I was a little older than that 17 in that point but so how did you even how did that even happen where was that? We'll get into that because that's an important part of the story but right before you even got there how did you even start battling when did you realize

that battling was that because you know there's a lot of people that are just rappers and then but they have no no desire to like in that ring and shit. Like, what was it that possessed you? There was actually, and I remember being at the career. There was a moment, and it was when Juice and Supernatural,

they played it on the radio. And I don't remember if that was live or if they were just replaying it or whatever. I think they played it live. Yeah, it might have. It was on the wake-up show. It was on the radio. Which was like 2000, 2001. Is that what it happened?

Yeah. It might have been live, man, when I was listening to. Just to create context for people that don't know some of the. You know, younger viewers and all that. There's one of the greatest MC battles of all time is between Supernat and Juice, Supernatural. And they were like the two top freestyle battlers at the time. And the wake-up show, which is like the main outlet for underground hip-hop at the time, through a battle. And they wound up battling each other.

I like to go our record and say Supernatt is still the greatest of all time. So, you know, that's just my opinion. Shout out there. Both of those guys. Both of those guys. Both of those guys. Juice is a monster too. Incredible freestyle rappers, period,

but it's amazing. Just like the off the top ability. But yeah. And at the time, it wasn't like it is now. At the time, battle, you know,

battle rap was all freestyle. It was overbeats. It was on the mic. It was more like, it wasn't even called like rap battles. It was MC battles at the time. MC battles.com.

Well, yeah. Hey, if you know about that, you fucking know. Shouts to the seven, shout to all 17 of y'all that get that reference. But so, so you heard that and you were like, I could do this.

Well, I heard it and I was like, I want to do this. Like, I have to do this. This is amazing. Like, you know what I mean? Did you already know how to do it? I don't know if I ever really understood the concept of it until I heard that. And it was me and my brother. It was like kind of late at night.

You know what I mean? And I remember, yeah, just played on the radio. And we was like, this is fucking, I was like, what do they do? I remember being like, what are they doing right now? Like, they're rapping at each other? You heard Juice be like, it's no wonder, buddy. You ain't good enough to even be my understudy. It's crazy thinking about that now, of where a battle rap is now.

And like back then, that was crazy. Yeah, but it's because it's building blocks, man. That's why a lot of people, they need to keep giving credit to the forefathers that come before them is because they made it easier. They made it to where you could advance to that level or nobody would have ever found it. You have to go through those steps. Those were the first building blocks to get to that level of talking about intricate. And it's going to keep getting more intricate.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, right. Oh, God. So, and then how did you actually get into your first battle? When did you go to your first battle? Yeah, I actually thought it. I thought that battle for some reason in my mind was like his, the beginning of history. He was already low-key, the man, like I said, like by the time when I first had discovered, you know, came across him, he was like 15, 16 and was already killing shit. And was like, you were like a child prodigy, you know what I mean?

Literally. Well, it was a thing because it was all. almost like if you know you know type of thing because I had like facial hair. I looked older when I was young, you feel me? Like so a lot of, you know, everybody assumed. People didn't know how young you were. Yeah, you know what I mean? But like, you know, a lot of when they find out there, this dude like had to be snuck in the venue because he's too young. It was like, oh shit. But I'm trying to think of my, I'm pretty sure it was some random event that I battled at the, you know, the up, which is crazy because that's where I battled Danny Myers as the same

venue is where I think I had my first battle ever was there the uptown in downtown Oakland yeah that's right and now it's called something else called crybaby and at the time it was called the black box yes so yes that's right so I battled there I actually made it to the finals in loss but yeah it was dope and then just kept doing it battle Ave you know I mean shout out to those guys antrix DJ flow and all them you know I'm just funny because I'm still fucking with them you know I mean the homie wonder backwood wonder but uh But yeah, those were like really the, you know, the early times. And then I was like, okay, I'm kind of like, all right at this.

And then I met everybody and started meeting all these people that I was watching on the internet and shit. You feel me? And it was like, okay, this is, I belong here. You know what I mean? And at the time, was it like, were you doing that to get more recognition for your music and get on the grinder? Was it kind of like, I want to be a battle rapper? Because like with Diz, that's Diz just wanted to be a battle rapper. You just wanted to kill people for a living.

Like, and, you know, a lot of us had ambitions of being. So nice. I don't think I was even thinking about it like that. I think I just was like, I can do this and I want to do it. To hear your point of view because for me, I want to hear, like, part of this, like, being able to interview you guys and hear this. Because for me, like, that, I always want to see what people were thinking around that time. And that's really interesting to me because I was on some, like, kind of how people look at, how. people were looking at Bitcoin in 2010 and that's how I was back then with battle rap I was like

this is going to be the biggest shit in the world you know what I'm saying and like I don't know if I just trusted yeah but in my heart I did and that's what I feel like I keep on I'm waiting for somebody to tell me the same thing you know I mean like but it's crazy that you still I definitely didn't think it would be the where it is right now is yeah yeah it's it's crazy I mean I don't know if I could necessarily say that I imagine this yeah but I did but I did imagine a successful basically getting away from the stereotype of all you, you're raised this way, you're supposed to be an engineer, you're

cousins, these people, everybody around you is doing all this stuff. Why are you not in school? Why are you not doing this? Hip-hop and battling was my way out to be able to say, like, nah, this is me. I created my life from this because I had no other outlet, especially because I was so fucking violent at the time. You know what I'm saying? So this was my way

out. It was either sports or this, and when I let go the sports, I was going to either start I lose my shit for me, like subconsciously, because you know, yeah, I was like pretty angry and shit, you know? And I had like them violent moments and violent when I was very young too, you feel me? And it was around that time, you know?

And like I felt like it did. It was like kind of a crazy release to just be yelling at somebody and like kind of getting reaction from a craft or being aggressive towards somebody else. What you're saying is what I try to explain to people from outside hip hop back then where they would think like hip hop is like we're so violent.

We're so we talk about like negative things but it's like to be honest with you. out we're venting we're using our words to people don't understand why this art form is the most powerful art form form of communication in music of all time because you put more data into the shit you can't even sing enough details that rap can give you rap is the craziest invention because it's the it's the quickest way to transfer an in plethora of data to someone into their brain and completely like engulf them with just new knowledge you know i mean and it's just a powerful thing. To me, it became my tool.

Like, I needed to use it against everything. And then the battle rap thing, I just, I believed in it to the point, yeah. And I believed in the battle rap to the point where in my head, I was like, if it doesn't go somewhere by itself, I'm taking it there. That's how I was thinking in my head. Well, you know, there's always been, like,

there's a rich history of hip hop in Oakland and battle rap and all that, but it's very often dwarfed by like the mob music, as they called it back in the day. and like the hyphy movement and all that came along and like did you kind of feel like

out of place because like what you were doing is so different than what like the normal kids your age were rocking with like yeah there were definitely I think there were times where it might have been like you know they're not fucking with this shit that I it's funny because now everybody's like oh pass

you're like this great battle rapper you feel me and I'm like bro I remember when everybody in like the bay and Oakland was like this is some nerdie some New York shit I don't know what they're doing. You know what I mean? Like, they didn't give a fuck.

But, but yeah, but at the same time, I like all that shit too. And those were my partner and I had Ella friends doing all sorts of shit. And, you know,

I listened to all that anyway. So, yeah. Yeah, well, as you're coming up, but you're in high school and the Haifi movement is at its apex at that time. I was in high school in 2005, yeah. And then right after high school,

like 06, 07, when like the Haifie thing was super, you know, was swinging. at that time, like, what was it like? Like, what was your experience? What was it like living in Oakland, the epicenter of that being from there? And all this shit is popping up.

Like, you're, everyone's popping this on a daily basis. Bro, popping this on a daily basis with a fucking SpongeBob backpack. Oh, my God. With a bangor. Yeah, I missed out on all that. No books, but just a banger in the backpack and a fucking, like, you know what's that shit called Hype Juse? You know what?

Yeah. The grapple. The grape apple, high fee juice. It was, yeah, it was, yeah, it was, honestly, I think it was, at the time, I don't think a lot, I think a lot of us,

especially people that were my age at the time, like, I don't think we realized how kind of dangerous those days were, like, how crazy it was, like just kicking it, everything would turn into a side show somewhere, you feel me, and then people just, you know,

it was crazy. It was a hectic, like, kind of chaotic time, but at this, and it was pretty violent, like the murder rate at that time was very bad. Like, it was very high. I remember. Yeah, it was like,

Oakland, I think, was damn their number one or something. What was, what's a side show for those that don't know? What's a side show? How do you explain a side show, bro?

It's just hell of cars, man, doing donuts. People get clipped. And it's, hey, but man, listen, if they, those people,

okay, I'm not actually been even saying what I want to say. But, but I'm going to say this. I'm going to say this. It's,

yeah, it's just, you know, end of the night the clubs are closed i mean you know in california the bay area like clubs be closing early like 1 30 and shit like that too and you know folks still be trying to kick it man so usually what ends up happening is everybody pulls the cars up on somewhere like mac mac uh mac marther i which is one of the mainiest like intersections for sysha that's right that's right that's right yeah that's i'm about to say he used to live there we used to go up there yeah yeah yeah and i had like

my partners is from over there from that way or whatever you know i'm talking about and and uh And, but yeah, man. And then basically, it would be just hell of cars would start doing side shows and it turned into a big old crowd and then the crowd turns into a big old circle around the cars. And it ends up being like a whole event. It's hell of people there. Police can't even get through.

Traffic is stopped, all sorts of shit. And you might see some insane, crazy, you know, shit. It's kind of like regular that you would expect it. High performance American vehicles. But you will really see some crazy shit. Yeah. No, like, you know, you can go up in there and not know what you

doing they're not going to let you in there like they got to know they got to know what's up with you you see some have you seen anyone like baps super hard getting in an accident had a side show just like some regular shit like bat yeah i've seen them yeah i've seen cars bat it's just you know just happens cars sometimes you know honestly when i seen it they didn't even get mad at each other like that like it was just like oh shit it's you know just happened got my hype the insurance High fee insurance But yeah, you know So throughout that whole time

Though you're still You know But I was doing that shit during that time Yeah You're battle rapping Yeah, I was like 05 Yeah So 05 scribble jam

That's when The footage you referred to There's footage of you battling We all stated this hotel Because you guys were at a hotel That's what I was about to say We all stated at a dope fiend motel in Cincinnati For those that don't know

Scribble Jam was an annual hip hop convention in of all places, Cincinnati because like the graffiti world there's a magazine for graffiti called Scribble magazine which was in the Midwest and they would throw this annual convention and like Kevin Beecham.

Yep, shout to Kevin Beecham and there'd be like major performances from the top acts in underground hip hop and then there would be like the main attraction every year would be an MC battle so there was all the top rap battleers. I'm not going to hold you guys. I never went to that shit

Because I thought they were all fucking nerds. Yeah. Some people like this were too cool to go. I was just like, man, I can't do this. I wasn't doing that yet. I wasn't able to use big words yet. You wouldn't be, like, wrong about that. I just, the level of competition was so,

when WRC came around, I was like, damn, I need to be able to shift my shit like that because we was battling at the pit. And in L.A. It was just more of an aggressive. I'll fuck you up, battle rap. There was no, there wasn't, too much of that. Like I did used to

I did a little bit. I was like the only dude and that's why I used to win at the pit. I would add a little bit of my shit. I would morph my shit. But when that shit, but the scribble jam just sounded like a bunch of skibbitty hibbitty flibbitty shit to me. I was like there's no way I'm gonna fucking be able to get into the show. I'm gonna get killed if I go ahead. That's where a nerd rappers

thrive. But I didn't think they suck. I don't mean that in a bad way. I don't think they sucked though. I don't even mean that. When I say it's where the nerd rappers thrive, like I don't mean that in a bad way. It's just like that's what it was. To be honest. To be honest with you though. Like, you got paid.

No, hold on. No, to be honest with you, it's kind of true because my whole thing is this. I don't give a fuck if you're a nerd or who you are or where you're from as long as you have a purpose to fucking rap. That's nice to you. And I think a lot of, and I think a lot of those rappers where dudes are like, I can do it too, man. And they came there and that's what I don't like. I don't like the people to see the shit and they get an opportunity because it's there

and they're participating because it's like a participation fun thing. I look at it as a cultural, serious thing, and you better put your heart into it and your soul. And if you're not doing that, you don't belong in this fucking culture. And I feel like even though that was huge, just let me finish.

Even though that was huge, it still was a little fucking gateway, a little tiny door for the marks to slip through. You understand what I'm saying. No, bro. But overall, I give it respect. I'm not dissonant.

It's just how I thought about it. It's like a nice way of putting it. No, you know how I know you right. I respect it overall. You know how I know you right? Because I felt like Tupac walking through there, bro. Like, yeah, that should just tell you. I literally, because we were battling out here, bro.

Like, I was battling like squads of bloods and people telling me they were going to murder me. Yeah, you know what I mean? Crap blood, do to the essays, all types of shit. And like, when I looked at that shit, I was like, damn, that's like a happy playground for people to battle it. You know what I mean. You would have went crazy. The pressure. I tried to fit in too hard.

Like, when I went to the WRCs, I changed my whole. style to fit in with everybody and I feel like it didn't even work. Well, the thing is like, what you're saying is right and just to add another element to it, it was really dominated by the Midwest and like, you know, East Coast rappers and stuff. We were like our whole group of homies. The thing is like, listen, man. We were the first fools from the West Coast.

Why are these people not rapping no more? See, this is the problem I have. And I've had a problem with a lot of these King of Dot rappers that I've battled over the fucking years. Like these dudes like, like just, you know, they're not battling no more. They're not battling no more. Just the arcanes and the pole riches and these guys. They don't, like a lot of people I've battled in my career, I look back and I'm angry about it.

It's like, why did you do this if you wasn't going to continue? Now you're fucking up my shit because you're supposed to be getting me views while I'm putting in work out here. Now you gave up. So our battle now looks like it's nothing. You get what I'm saying? So my whole thing is, where to fuck are those guys from scribble? Yeah. Well, and that's

They're part timers. That's the thing that I like about. Like, that's what, that's what makes you fire, though. Because you, because you, you survived. And transcended that shit. But I mean, look, to keep it a stack, to keep it a stack, that's where, that's where thesaurus came from. That's for I.

Scribble jam, I changed my mind again. That's where Iron Solomon came from. You got to, look, look, just because you wasn't at the party doesn't mean that it wasn't popping. I'm a salty guy that wasn't invited. You sound, you sound sodium laced. You sound sodium laced, my boy. I'm just saying, man, like, man.

But what you weren't missing out on is this. Pussy, because there was none at Scribble Jam. It's like, man, I was telling you, man. There was no pussy to be had at Scribble Jam. You're like, let's go and freestyle some more in the hotel after. That's exactly what the fuck we were doing. Exactly what happens. That's exactly what the fuck we used to.

But, yo, yo, yo. Where's the after party in my studio freestyle? Not for nothing. Do you remember how much it popped off at that hotel? Like, all like the squabbles and shit? Like, look, look, look. You know what? The battle of the after parties were always the best.

Listen, listen, listen. Those were crazy. So there was. Oh, yeah, we're going to talk about that. I'm not going to say his name. We had bitches there. Listen, listen, listen. Listen, this isn't.

Look, okay, so trigger warning, anyone that's got a weak stomach. I encourage you to step outside for a few minutes. Because his story is kind of nasty, but it really happened. So we're at this dope fiend motel called the budget house. It's already sounds crazy. And it's like you have, you have rappers. The Brackenest hotel of all time. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It's in some hood in Cincinnati. I got to roll one up for this one. And for show everybody is off hop. They're all on heroin like there. Like you see a bunch of nicknames too You see a bunch of dope fiends like nodded off A cool ass nickname Yeah

These gangsters snored hop like you wouldn't believe Remember that? No, they was leaning for show Yeah yeah I remember they was leaning And it was like and then it's all just Rappers and then it was weird Like where the rooms were juxtaposed

It's like two levels There's like an upper level And a lower level and people are staying like With their region Like all the people from New York had their hotel, like their rooms next to each other. All like the majority of it is all fools from the Midwest

and then we have our little like West Coast sector in like the top left little area and like most of us like we're doing this shit hell of punk rock we're sharing rooms that's like you feel me 50 dollar rooms a night and I remember me and past we're both sleeping on the floor. Yeah yes

I remember we're both sleeping on so much floor Cody act RIP Cody X floor damn RIP Cody Codiac's floor We traveled out there broke as fuck I'm supposed to battle him on making money selling our CDs to have enough money to eat. And they pay to get into the venue that we're battling at.

Like, and then pay an additional fee to enter the battle, which we've already qualified for. Like, it was, bro. I had to do the preliminaries. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We had to do the prelim. I actually lost the prelims.

But then they still let you in. But they, but yeah, he was like, nah, fuck that. We're finner. Kevin,

like, came out. He was like, nah, we got you. You're going to be in it. But there's like all types of shenanigans going on at this hotel. There's like different, there's a lot of tension between us and the Midwest fools.

We're like getting drunk, walking up. Like there's a pimp that's posted up there. He's got like some caddy on spinners. It's like during the era of spinners. If she don't know what spinners are, she's too young for you, dog. She's too young for you. So we walk up, we're like spinning the rims. You feel me?

Like you spin the rim. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I was spinning the ribs. Just for the record. Like the record reflect. One of the homies got a pistol pulled on him by the pimp. for like, he was trying to rap battle one of his holes and like, yeah.

And she was, look, look, Shorty was nice. Shorty had bars. All I know is, all I know is somebody through a chair through a window. And that happened because this is the week. So one of the homies was getting, this the trigger warning part.

One of the homies was super drunk, right? I ain't fin to say his name, right? He was super drunk doing the most. And he's like getting into shouting matches with all the Midwest kids, right? he wind up passing out outside like leaning up against the side of the hotel and he passed out.

I'm not going to get too graphic. I'm going to say somebody walked up to him and wiped something all over his face. Oh man. Yeah. You know what he did. Yeah. I mean, you could have said that.

He wiped shit all over his face. He wiped shit all over his face. Oh, God, there ain't no trigger warning in that. He got dude who slapped in his grill. What the fuck is going on, Lush? I thought you was about to say a man violated him in his sleep or something. I was beginning to be like, man, I'm about to get up

and walk away from this shit. Man, he got do-do slashing his face. That is a violation. That is a serious violation. But that's like, nowadays, that's a TikTok video. That's like fucking a random, you know, hey. Not, it gets worse. Because bro, because bro, because we're like,

yo, you all right, you are all? He's all like, I want to shot someone. He's like, everyone's getting shot. What's this? What's this? It went down after that. Yeah, and then it winds up. So then, of course, then we all assembled.

a graphic line for this shit. We wind up assembling, mobbing these fools. They're like way deeper than us. The homie takes a chair, throws it through a window, and you feel me, like,

yeah. And then what? Full on rumble. You all got your asses. Hell no, fool. Hey, nobody get touched. I was unscathed.

For real, though. To keep it a full bundle, like, they wasn't really trying to, they wasn't trying to press lines against the L.A. and Oakland click. But I'm going to tell you like this, Scribble Jame was definitely an interesting experience. They got a West Coast experience out there.

They got a little something. It was cutting, right. But shouts to the homie that got doo-doo rubbed in his face. The thing is, though, the West Coast had the biggest presence there, right? Because that's what I was trying to tell you, like, we knocked down the doors and, like, this fool was one of the dudes that really, like, was knocking down the door. You, El-Mag, Thessorris. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

All them dudes. All the homies. Bowrat, awkward. Yeah. Like all the homies like in it. And it became like a whole thing. So, so me and Ilmac,

that was when Ilmac won. No, that was a year after Ilmac won. That was when the Australian kid. Keep you remembering all the days and Solomon. I'm like you, man. I don't know.

That's good. That's impressive. Yeah, yeah. He's good at like catalogues. That's why we need leisure around. Yeah, I know. He catalogs everything. But, yeah.

And I'm the one that used to take drugs. Ain't that? Yeah, it's kind of crazy. I don't know what it is. So me and, me and, me and Ilmac were friends at the time but we had barely like known each other

you know just kind of like we knew of each other and it was like a mutual respect we had talked on the internet a few times whatever and we got to Scribble Jam and we was like yo if we don't see each other in the main battle we'll like let's just battle at the hotel you feel me you'll get the camera out you feel me

we'll just do like some old school shit like you know I mean? B-box and so I ended up losing to Iron Solomon in that shit And so I, you know, we got to the hotel. He was hella faded. I remember, and I don't know, I don't think I was really drunk. I don't think I drank really at that time.

Yeah, I was very young. I didn't drink at all at that time, so I wasn't, like, loaded. But I remember Ilmac was very loaded, and it was hell of funny. And we ran it, and somebody got on the beatbox and we went at it. What did he say? He said, when he shaves, he breaks the darn shears. It's all clear. He's 16, but he ages in dog years.

I remember It was great But yeah I didn't know I never would have thought Like people still be coming to me Talking about that You know

Like it's crazy Yeah well That was like pivotal For that era And then like coincidentally You wind up You wind up like Really starting to focus on the music

You had a group Animal Planet Oh man Yeah yeah That's my brother apes man How he'd do it man You know I fun with With man shouts out the apes man

Oh yeah man Yeah Apes was good, man. He was always been nice as fuck. He was working on some solo music, and I was in the lab with him, working on it with him and shit like that. Like, yeah, he's still doing it. We fin to do some shit.

We're going to do more animal planning shit. It was like, you know, at that time, it was like my crew, Delmon crew and y'all fools. Yeah. Apes to me was like the best rapper ever. He's amazing. Like at that time, too, like he would just like, because I would bring, I'd be like, hey, man, can you verse for the, for the battle rap homies and shit

because, you know, they all end up writing and the intricate shit. And he would kick a verse and be like, bro, this motherfucker is better than you, man. Like, what the fuck? And I loved that. You feel? I'll be like, yes, man.

Like, yeah, he's crazy. But you wound up transcending all these different errors in battle rap. Like, you know, you saw it changed from the onstage, freestyle battles to the yacopalas, you know what I mean? Like to the grind time era

and all that. Right. And then fast forward. Here you are, 2022. One battle away from winning a hundred bands. That's what's crazy. That's what's crazy. We covered all this history, and to think about it, is that 20 years later, you're at this table, and you're at this table.

And you're battling for $100,000 in the final of a tournament that had 32, right in the beginning? 48. 48, actually. My bad. 48 rappers. And it was a whole season. So you had to win a few battles to even qualify for the playoffs. And then you've had to beat three people.

And these aren't just regular rappers. Every single person that you've battled. Yeah, it was nice. You know, career battlers, getting who I'll get paid. Everybody was trying to kill me this whole season. Every single one, brother. And you started off. Originally, you weren't going to do the season.

And you wound up like, you know. Yeah, there was another. You know, tournament situation, which was really dope that I was, you know, I was signed on for and everything. And it was, you know, I think Gichi had already talked about it and shit, you know, but it was whatever, whatever that was. But it was like the same day as the first battle is that, you know what I mean? I was like, brook. And like, I'm, but then that shit never ended up happening, which was hell of weak. But then y'all hit me up and said, hey, there's an opportunity.

somebody dropped out and I was just like you know maybe you know what I'm saying like and then I battled in two years before I entered this shit and wasn't really a reason there was other like kind of offers on the table it just didn't really work out not because I didn't want to do them some there was like a couple I didn't want to do you feel me like whatever but just didn't really happen and then this shit came along and I was like man you know what I don't even know about winning this shit I've been watching you know like I mean, I don't really care. I'm just going to say, like, the judges is kind of funny, like, sometimes,

and I can't control what judges do. It's different. So whatever, but fuck it. You know what I mean? Like, it couldn't really hurt. If I go into it, just thinking, like, I'm just going to rap hell of good and do what I want to do, you know what I mean, and just be comfortable with it. And fuck it.

I'll just do it. I'm just going to do it. And it worked. And you hadn't wrapped in a battle for a couple years, but you've been really focused on the music. Yes. You got to, wait, when was your last battle before? Where that? 2019.

Okay, so since I battled Danny. Yeah, it was right around that time. Actually, I think when you battle SoulCon. SoulCon. Yeah, yeah, yeah, because I battled it that. Okay, yeah. So, I battled again after that, that year. All right, so here's, here's, here's a part I want to get into with you.

You're battle wrapping the technical shit right now. So you have 22 or 23 days left? How many days are left? No, it's, uh, what's today? Yeah, it's like something like that. Yeah, it's like something like that. Yeah. Okay, so that was the first question.

Like three weekends. Okay, that's the first question. How do you, first of all, I want to talk about how you count your time leading up to a battle. Do you measure it in weeks, days? Well, you almost answered it right now, or even hours. And how do you split your day coming up? I want to know exactly right now. In your day, how nervous are you about, yeah, bro, it's about to get serious.

How nervous are you about? time slipping you as the day goes by and how do you make time for your whether it's your love life whether it's family it's maybe side work or what it is how do you break that apart and how do you isolate and what's the process of that for you right now since there's only three weeks left yeah yeah yeah yeah i count it damn near to the hours but i want to know i hear you i don't actually do it like that but i maybe i should but what i've been been doing, I mean, you know, honestly, before this season, like, you know, I'll come to a, you know, I'm like, oh, I'm getting booked for a battle. You know, it's usually like over a month out or something like that. And, you know, sometimes it's

much more than a month out. You know what I mean? Like so, you know, like for your GTX battle. You got a few months to battle a verb. Listen. Um, but yeah. So it was always like, sometimes I'd be writing still like, you know, actually all the time, I'd be writing still like on the week. Like on the week of the event almost, you feel me? Leading up to, damn near, leading up to the battle, you're writing. Yeah. How long do you stop usually before your battle? Well, that's the thing.

Now that I started this season, I've been very different. I'm very disciplined, or at least I'd like to think is very disciplined, you feel me? But, but like, I have, well, yeah, sort of, you know. That's good enough. It's my version. No, that's good, man. But I am on a schedule, you know, I don't exactly account like that, but what I do is like, I'm going to be done with my material to do.

weeks before the event. All right. So two weeks is I'm going to make it and then I'm going to schedule it out. I'm going to be like on this day and night. I'm not doing nothing but I'm going to wake up. I'm going to eat some breakfast. I'm going to have an apple and some tea and shit and some toast, whatever, and I'm going to roll up.

I'm going to get into the diet. And then like you feel me? And then I'm going to fucking just focus on that, you know. And most of the time it comes to me at night. Like I sometimes will be up like hella late. Like I'll be up till six in the morning and like writing and shit. I eat like a little much of some shit. Yeah.

Okay. How is your diet and your exercise in the final four days for the battle? Yeah, yeah. What do you eat on the day of the battle? I also want to know. Okay. So. Can you eat on the day of the day of the...

First of all, the question is, can you eat a meal when you wake up? Could you eat a meal on the day of your battle? Yeah. Usually, if, like, honestly, if it's like an ideal situation, I have, like, some egg whites and some, like, vegetables or some in the morning or some shit like that. Egg whites and vegetables? Yeah. some kale or something like that.

But you don't, you can't eat too. That's actually pretty damn good, bro. You know what I'm saying? This is actually impressing me because your nerves are so fried and a lot of battlers watching this right now are in their head right now.

Like, damn, Biz is asking this question. This is crazy because our brains are our nervous system, hold that thought. Our nervous system is so fried when you wake up the day of the battle that I look at food like it has nothing in it. It looks disgusting.

And as soon as I finish the fucking battle, bro. I feel like you're going to pass out. No, Like, I'm going to the story to eat a horse. Like, a whole entire animal. Like, I'm going to eat the whole animal. Not just, you know what I'm saying? That's how hungry I get.

And it all comes. The hunger sets in soon as the battle is done. So what I'm trying to ask you is how do you get around that? And that's pretty interesting that you could even eat. That means you're actually calm when you wake up for the battle. Yeah. And honestly, it was always like that before, like, the same. You feel for me?

And then I like, finish the battle. And then I'm like, damn. But then when I started this season, so with my preparation, with my memorization because I finished two weeks before so I have two weeks and I'm saying finished like finish finish finish so I'm like this shit is I'm I have it the way that I'm fin to say it the day of you feel me and so I have time to like kind of work on practicing and rehearsing my nerves are like not shot when I wake up I go to sleep early the night before the battle like every time

this whole season I'm going to sleep early don't even really get up and practice a hell of times like I'll do it a little something like you getting enough sleep yeah yeah I try to those Do your sleeping patterns get disrupted leading up to your battle? To be honest, if you've seen him

like this dude is cozy at these things and he's starting to realize he is like this which is very rare it's crazy. That's why I'm trying to get to the bottom of this shit.

Yeah, you haven't been at the event and I'm just, I just be there chilling. You're kind of like you're in your backyard or like in your living rooms. These dudes are pacing

like mania and he's just chilling and look I'm talking to everybody. Here's the scary thing like I've known I've known Alex being calm is scary.

I've known this. Yes, that's what I'm sure. For 20 years. We've like, damn near a 20 year friendship at this point. Right. And one of the closest people, too, to be honest. And right. For surely.

The cold part is, like, I've never seen you confident like this before. Hey, that is dangerous. This dude told me early in the season. Like, this fool said to me, like, I'm going to win this on a K. Oh, man. And I've never heard you like. Yeah. So he was like, man.

I think it was after the first battle. Yeah. that time early in the season. I think it was right after. It was like after the first battle happened. I've never like normally he'd be like, yeah, we go see what happens. Like what was the, is that your imitation of past?

No. What's the difference? What's the difference? Like when does, because something switched in you as far as like not on money. Well, it's the $100,000. Hey, that's a major motivator. But not only with. Cinema guy voice.

one man one hundred thousand dollars no like the difference is though American dollars like American dollars I feel like you never like you've always been someone that people

knew you were precociously talented you had all these gifts but you never fully devoted yourself to rapping without any other distractions and now like you know you're stepping away from anything that's non

music related or battle rap related, you're fully immersed in your career as past at this point. What was the catalyst for that decision? And how has that affected your life since then? Well, there's a couple of things you were talking about. And one is like the comfort and stuff and just like coming to it. And yeah, it is like I was saying, bro, like I'm coming to it, prepared.

Like I just feel good about what I have. It's like I know that it's, in my head. Like, I'm, there's never going to be a moment where I'm fin to forget my shit at this point. And I'm pretty, like, comfortable just saying that shit, like, right now. That's far. You're not fin to see me in a little. I know. It's crazy.

But the thing is. I trust you, though, because when we're battling, I want to put that out there for people watching. You focused on your battle raps, like, all the other shit, it's on the back burner. So you're not even giving it attention. That's why it's like that. It's different. We get it. And then I'll be like, oh, shit, I don't really know it like that.

I get it. I do. Like, I'll be like. maybe falsely confident about memory of verse from a song. But it's different. Like, it's just the preparation. But at the same time,

it's, there was, you know, just a, there was a decision, honestly, uh, to go full speed into,

like, what I know, like that I'm here to do. You know what I mean? And like what, and a part of that was showing up to the season the way that I have. You know what I mean? That's why I've said like,

yeah, I'm, I'm pretty sure actually. fin to get this shit. You think your first kill gave you like a big taste of blood right there and you were like ready after that first. Yeah, I think too. Yes. Yeah. It was that. But it's kind of different too though. But more so even than that, but that definitely was a part of I didn't even think about that. Yeah. Because you were then you were like, okay, I'm here. Now I'm here. You know what I'm saying? Like it's kind of different. But but the thing that was really interesting too,

for me at least, that was like kind of inspiring or whatever was like I came into this not knowing like if people are gonna fuck with my shit like i was like man i'm kind of rapping different like in this whole like little segment of raps in this verse you're absolutely incredible right now bro like i i don't want to cut you off but bro right now the way you rapping right now dangerous thank you absolutely just flawless like for real like there's nothing anyone can really say about it bro it's it's it's crazy man i urge everybody to watch that shit all your past battles that happen throughout the season, you know what I mean? Like you just be crazy on fire.

Even your last one, all that, bro. So we already know what they expect from you. So your sleeping patterns are good. Your eating patterns are good. You exercise before your battles. You're calm on the day of your battles. And this guy is ready to win $100,000. But the thing is, is that on the days when I'm writing, though,

like that's another reason why I need them two weeks. Because like after I finish writing, I damn near take two, three days and don't even look at them or apps and just be sleeping because I'll be up real late. I'm not getting good sleep. I don't sleep in, so I'm going to be up late. I'm waking up early anyway, and I'm just up. You feel like you're just not in the mood to fuck with them for a couple of days?

Is that what it is? I think you got to force yourself through that. You know what that is? Hold on. Let me put that out there. That's you getting bored of your shit because you heard it so many times. You got to just fucking act like you're saying something mind-blowing to yourself. I think it's spelling.

It's no longer, it's lush. It becomes no longer mind-blowing. Like you're just sitting there. and repeating the same fucking bar. You're sick of hearing your bars. You want to rest from them. But that time that you give away might be a crucial period of time

where you need to be memorizing shit and you need to force yourself to it. That's what I've been... That's what I've been... That's what I've been... You know, that's what I've been... And it's been, like, cool for me. You know, it feels like relaxing.

Because even honestly, when I finish writing and I feel like I got to memorize and shit, like, I get... Here's the thing. I will finish writing it, right? I'll take a couple days. I'll get to it and be like, all right, I'm going to try to kick this off the head,

like, not even look at my shit. And I do it every single time, I just get to it. I'm like, oh, okay. So I got my shit. And a big part of it is just the way that, like, sound not to be like hella corny, but when you just, like, show up, like, as you, for real. Come as you are.

If you really coming up as you are, bro, like, like, and that was what I was saying was so inspiring. After I battled fate, I wasn't sure if people were going to fuck with it. I was straight up rapping. I was just like, I'm just going to do what I want to do. I feel like rapping always works. And I'm going to do. was tight to me,

but I don't know if it's going to go up. But then when it did go up and little moments went viral, like mini viral type shit, I was like, okay. So that's just me. If I can do that this whole time, like, I'm gonna, I'm good.

What do you think, do you think that you've been underestimated throughout your battle rap career because you don't engage in a lot of the back and forth shenanigans that other battle rappers do? You've never really had any controversy, things like that in the realm of battle rap

helps your career like this motherfucker right here, for example. Why be? People have said that to me before. They've been like, man, this fool of pay. You can't really say nothing about him. He's never done no weird. Things happen to me, man. I'm not happening to things.

Things are happening to me. You know what I do want to tell you? Well, you as a target, though. I'm a target, man. You know what I want to tell you? I want to kind of give you something that I think you should hear this and Bill should hear this. You know what I'm saying?

Shout to your opponent, Bill collector. Yeah, man. Shout out to Bill. An incredible, credible artist, incredible rapper, and incredible run in this season. I'm about to cook him, though. So, and we're going to give to all that. What I was going to say was the main motherfuckers made me.

What I was going to tell you is this. I want to leave you with this shit. I want you to count and both of you to do this. Because this is a real big moment for you guys, right? And I think a lot of us as battlers, we let little hours slip us and some of them are very vital. So I feel like the last 72 hours, you guys should take that 72 hours and look at it as hours

and no longer look at it as days and absolutely see where you're going to sleep there and how you're going to like, so you'd be like out of this 72, I'm going to sleep four right here or sleep five right here or six or however, but you need to actually... Full day sleeps like a bat upside down. So, so, fact.

So basically, alien cocoon I go back into it, I go back on. No, but listen, if you count those last hours, it's, I think it's beneficial for you guys because this is a, I don't think you need to do that all the time, but this is a big moment for you guys. And I think every fucking hour matters of your preparation. Do that every time. Facts, I really agree that that's what you should do. But that's, honestly, when you said that, clicked immediately like, oh, that's what I

need to be doing, actually. Like, that's, you know. It kind of like, it's like, I almost already sort of do a thing like that, you know what I mean? But I didn't really, yeah, I'm gonna, now it's like more intentional. I'm the king of the carpets. How to fuck I'm gonna fuck this up?

My whole life, I've been surfing on carpets on the sky and shit. I know, like your cousin got the jug on the carpets. You'll be out, your cousin and Glendale. I'm over here, fine you who's carpet up. With that being said. With that being said. You mentioned.

You've mentioned multiple times in our previous conversations that there's been like a major shift in your mental health for the positive and that's like one of the things that you attribute to your success in this season and the fact that you're in this position to battle for 100K.

What was like the biggest change to your mental health that, you know, that got you to this point? Oh man. I mean the biggest change, man. the transition. I think you know, I've been through some things, you know, before and like, you know, there was definitely

like, you know, there's certain battles maybe where people are like, oh, pass didn't really do, like, well, you know, there's maybe a couple like that or something. And, you know, honestly, with the thing that's interesting is during those particular times where times where life was just really crazy and chaotic for me, you know what I'm saying? And so being able to, you know,

just, yeah, like, you know, reading up on mental health and like, you know, going through like therapy and shit. Eating mushrooms. And eating mushrooms occasionally, you know what I'm saying? And stuff like that. You know, like all that shit is, is. And just, I mean, for me, it was really like a journey

and everybody's is different, you know, like kind of figuring out who you really are, what you really want, what you want to do. And, you know, a big part of that too is like during that two-year time, that two-year break where I wasn't battling or anything, And I was working on a lot of music with my crew, Grand National. Shouts to Grand National. Yeah, shout out to the team, man. And, you know, a big part of our community and us.

You know, it's like a lot for those that don't know. Oh, man, there's so many artists in there. Kevin Allen, formerly known as Erk the Jerk, Monty Draper, Brookfield, Deuce, Black Achilles, Ian Kelly, Jane Hancock, Kate Lamont, you know what I'm saying? And Mo Green, Dee Bledso, damn, I hope I'm not leaving nobody out, but there's so many people, producers and musicians and stuff like that. And a big part of what we do, because there's so many of us, we do like talk about mental health a lot. Like we actually, you know, for a minute, we was getting together like every, you know, once a month. And we were just talking shit and it wasn't music focus or anything, you know.

But then it was like we could exercise the stuff that we're talking about. Having adult, you know, conversations, like, you know, normalizing that being a thing, like, talking about what you're not okay with. And it's interesting because, like I said, you were in the past, your talent was never in question, but there were moments where it's like, I can just tell you weren't present. And to see you now is this whole new focused energy. And it's very scary. This is like the level of skill I always knew you could personify. something interesting, you know, in battle rap, there's different contingents. Like, you know, you were mentioning earlier, Diz, like, the nerds in battle rap, or there's, like,

the backpack side, and then there's, like, the more, like, gutter side of things, you know, like the U.R.L smack scene and all that. And do you feel like you've been kind of overlooked by that whole other contingent in battle rap when, like, you know, you have an upbringing that might be similar to a lot of those guys more so than the other sector? Yeah. was that a politically correct man that's a funny way to put it yeah that was good i like it i mean how how could i say that without sounding like a fucking janky-ass white person you feel me like

like how else could i say that that was that was great no um i think uh i would never really say if i ever if there was ever any moment that i showed up like not present like as you said and somebody overlooked me maybe because of that or some shit, you know, like, then I could never, you know, like, that's on me, you know what I mean? Like, I think that, and, you know, it's just so happens to be now where I'm doing the best that I think I ever really been, and everybody is fucking with me and people are, like, showing love, you know, from every different angle. You're on the cover of Champion magazine. Hey, man, come on. Shout out to Jay Black, man. And, you know, the thing is, is that whatever, people say whatever they want on the internet and shit,

But, like, everybody has been known what's up. Like, you know, I've been seeing these guys forever since back in the day. And they know what's up with me. And they fuck with me. I meet these guys now. And they're like, bro, I've been watching you since, you know, I was, you know, you would hollow, blah, blah, blah, blah. That was the first battles I watched and shit like that.

You battled Havana. You've battled DNA. You got some big names on your resume. Yeah. Cajon. Yeah. You battle Chishon. Brze Rossin.

Chill Jones. Damn. And Bruce. Charlie Clips. You know what I? That's an insane resume. That is, bro. And coming up, April 22nd, you feel me, on the GTX platform, you got possibly your biggest

ball? Yeah, I was about to say the same thing, your biggest battle probably. Yeah. Because of where your trajectory is your biggest battle, this is your biggest battle. It depends on if you, you know, you might call a battle for a hundred thousand of your biggest battle. Right, right, right. Yeah, but as far as where, yeah, this is my biggest match of my biggest opponent.

Because when you battle Hollow, he was way, you know, you battle Hollow and all of them And they were way in their early days. They were in the early days. So, you know, I mean, if you want to look at it now, this is your most high-profile matchup. That's what we're trying to say. Bigger is probably just a, you know, general. No, I was saying that's fair, bro.

And I feel like you and Averb, like, match up really well. And you're both incredible rappers. But, like, you have, like, you're ideologically so different that you guys are both going to have a lot of shit to say. I don't know what you mean, man. I guess we've been to have to find out. Todd ain't feeling that. He ain't feeling that, man. Pat.

I ain't trying to. You going for the 3-0 or what? I try to blow the spot on no angles. What's you mean? I'm not going for a 2-1. Okay. You're going for the big 3-0 body bag? Yes.

That's Def Curry? Come, bro. Come on. First, I mean, it's avert. And, but it doesn't even matter who it is. I'm trying to do that every time. Yeah, you know, each one. I'm treating these guys like I'm battling Lux.

Like, every time I'm like in this seat, I'm like, I'm battling Lux right now. I want to ask you more shit about it, but we would be given away too much of your approach. So there's like no real way to ask you how you're going to approach it. But yeah, that's going to be crazy. I encourage everyone to tune in GTXbattles.com. There's no real way to ask them. Listen, you definitely are going to be interested to see how this one goes. It's going to be good.

Now, every is amazing. And yes, I do think that we have like, we've been talking about that for a long time. He's been, he's been talking about you. He's been talking about it too. Like every, you know, once in a while he would bring it up and shit. And I'm like, bro, like, I'm ready, bro. What's happening? No, I'm juiced to see how that unfold.

Now, um, at the, so, you know, you're in this S1, King of the Dot S1. And, uh, the rumor around the playground was that whoever wins this, whoever wins this 100K is going to be going up against the current KOTD champion real deal. Now, when he was interviewed about potentially, battling you, he had some choice things to say and was kind of thought, you know, wasn't super psyched about... What?

Why is Lesh doing this, bro? I'm surprised to be honest with you. He's serious? Well, apparently he feels like he felt slighted. He felt like... He felt like Pass didn't really... Is he lying right now, Pass? Is he doing some shit? I don't even feel like that's the real deal's character. Well, I just kind of felt like it would be unfair

for him to have a platform to discuss it and not you. So... Here you are you. He can talk about whatever you want, but I'm not really interested in talking about real deal. Okay. Okay. So what did he say exactly?

Come on. You brought it up. You might as well tell us. Oh, well, you know, I'm not trying to make, I'm not trying to. What? He said something about me battling him or some shit like that. He said, he said, due to the fact that he's felt overlooked by you and like kind of dismissed over the years, anytime the prospect of the two of y'all battling has been brought up you've kind of like been like

nine feeling that shit or l-o-l like tweeting l-ol at the prospect of battling him and he kind of like he's like well if there were to be an opportunity to battle you know i would need him to acknowledge that acknowledge my skill set and that you know and and show me some respect but with that being said so do you have if so do you have plans of trying to to get that champion show. Be nice, pass. You ain't gotta be nice. Stop being mean, man.

That's crazy for Diz to say that to me, bro. Fucking. I actually feel like... Pot kettle. I'm actually, wait, no, it's making me question everything now. I feel like he's being facetious. Like, I can't... No, no.

Yeah, no, I'm not... So you're not interested in pursuing that? No, you never go see Paz versus real deal, bro. No. Okay. So even so the, so winning that title shot, you're, you're cool would just... He's just going to take the hundred and run it to the sun.

And then you're straight with him. I didn't say that, but just, yeah, I'm not... Oh, you got a thing right there, but... But yeah, we're not... I don't think you're going to see that one anytime soon, or ever actually in life. Now, um... I need a hundred racks to do that. Well, you very well could...

Now, like, looking at your opponent in this finals right here, your bill collector, he's at an incredible run, you know, like, is this someone that you envisioned battling outside of the context for 100K, or are you kind of surprised that this is like the matchup? You mean as far as like how the season wins? Yeah, yeah, yeah. From the beginning and out, yeah, yeah. Nah, man, a lot of people, you know, a few people was like,

I was going to be you and Bill, you know, it wasn't like, yeah, especially when I started seeing Bill and he was really going crazy and he was in his, like, you know, real rapper bag and he was doing, I kind of think he tapped into a similar thing with me. as far as just being like, I'm just going to do what I want to do. And it's fucking working. He's killing it. And so, yeah, I, you know, even before people said it, I was like, yeah, me and Bill would be a crazy match.

Like, I didn't know how the, what is it called? The playoffs was going to, like, be, you know what I'm saying? As far as brackets and shit. So I was like, I don't know if I'm a battle him or whatever. But then when it started, I was like, if I see him, it's going to be in the finals, you feel me? So you already were anticipating, like, to run into Bill. Low key, yeah. That's fire.

Yeah, yeah. Hey, that means this is a match that was meant to happen. That's going to be a crazy-ass fucking battle, man. Now, you battled all over the world. You battled in all through the states. You battled in Canada. You battled in the UK. Any other countries?

Sweden. Oh, yeah. Was it when we were out there? No, I wasn't out there in the same show. I think it was from some different, it was different people. Honestly, bro, I can't even remember, but, like. So far. But it was Henry Bowers, though.

I battled that dude. Dave, you battled Henry? That had to have been after me then. Yeah, it was after, yeah. I can't remember. Yeah, it was definitely after y'all had that trip, like where it was like everybody was out there. Yeah, yeah.

No, when I battled Henry Bowers, I went out by myself. Oh, for now. Yeah, I went out to that shit. Like, I battled him. But I think when we went back to Malmose when we were all out there, that's when I battled.

Yeah, that's the one. Dude named Zeps. And then, like, some other guy on the stage, maybe all out there. You know, Hobson was performing. forming all that shit happened i fucking smacked the fuck out of that one dude and fucking fired on his homie and fucking tore the whole club and that's what i was going to ask you yeah we definitely weren't there at the same time do you have no that would have what's a breakdown like do you have

any crazy memories or stories of battling overseas that people oh man not barely bro like i remember being uh with caustic in in london um and you know we had battled the day before and then we had a two on two the next day. Wasn't ready for it whatsoever. Is this on don't flop? Yes. We went there on a... Shout out to go, bro.

They had a... You know what I mean? What I do. My dog, er. You know what I do? What I do, what I gotta do? It's my boy, ugh. You know what I do?

Don't flop all day. D-F-A-F-Z, bro. Let's fucking go, brother. You already know, bro. I'm still here, bro. I haven't left, bro. They had a... They had a two-day event.

And it was, we, I had a, we, you know, I had a battle and Kossack had a battle on day one. And then on day two, we did a two-on-two together. And we basically went into that thing, like freestyle. Like, we wasn't ready whatsoever. But we stayed up, like, all night. And that's what I did with Shoddy. We stayed up all fucking night, Brad. Just like, was fucking around and shit.

And then we kind of had the crazy, I don't know if, you know, we had a round that was kind of like, you know, memorable and shit. It was like the Uncle Jimmy shit where we basically tell a story about these motherfucking. One of them, the dudes who was battling like getting like, you know, violated.

For real? Violated by Uncle Jimmy. Was that a true story? No, no, no, no, no. It was just some funny shit. We just like, dude, like you look like one of them kids. We ended up taking it all because we were just fucking around. Y'all kept going off the multi.

Yes, exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I feel like I remember. We was fucking around. Uncle Jimmy. We was fucking around at, like, you know, we was at McDonald's. McDonald's and shit, like at 4 in the morning, Cortez was there, bro, and we just was

freestyling this shit, just fucking around, and we was like, wait a minute, bro. And we wrote it, like, right then, you feel me? And then we just went the next day. McDonald's in Europe is fire. Yeah, it was cool. It's different. Yeah, it's different. It is, yeah, I guess McDonald's.

I don't really have no crazy. Overseas is always been different. I really have no crazy. Were you there when, when, you weren't there when Kostick, like, ruin the guy's marriage in the battle? No, no, no. We're squabbing on stage and all that. No, I was not.

Well, you definitely... Oh, yeah, he got into a fight out there too, huh? He show did. I think so, bro. He show did. Oh, yeah, him and soul fought. Fucking battle around. So, before we sky up out of this thing, you got an album coming out.

Yes. What's the concept? What's the title? What are the particulars? Oh, man. Yeah, the album is called Flowers. We dropping that thing on April 1st. It's official.

Is that like flowers like you're smoking right now, Or flowers, like, give people their flowers where they're still alive to smell them or all the above? It's all of the above and more. You know what I mean? Like, I mean, the story is going to come out with the album, definitely. There's definitely a plan. You know, me and my team, you know, the Grand National folks have been extremely, like, you know, they've been fucking with me on every step of the music.

And it's been really beautiful, you know, having like a guy like, you know, Kevin Allen. Yeah. If y'all don't know, man. Y'all wasn't a part of this. Y'all wasn't outside during the hyphy era. If you don't know about Urk the Jerk, the Jerk, you feel me? You play that song right here. I just want to fuck you right here.

You play that right now anywhere, and it's going to go up. Like, he's a legend. But he's also like this. That was Satiana, but like melodic years before that happened. And he's had a few hits, you feel me? But he, you know, but he's also like this. That go dumb song he had. He's also a really, you know, what a lot of people, I don't think, knew at that time.

Maybe he's like. Stop provoking lyricists. Yes, he's like an amazing rapper. He's a hip hop head. He's a big fan of battle rap. He watches all that shit, you feel me? And he's, you know, and so he's also like a musician, a producer, a singer, a photographer. He does hell of shit.

And so, you know, and the whole team is just filled with, like, hell of talented people. We all really work together as community. And so, like, I'd be in the lab. They were there with me. You know, like, a lot of times they were like, okay, you got to sing it this way or do this differently. And then they'd be putting hands on and say, okay, we need to get Brian Simmons with this amazing musician, Fantastic Negrito, et cetera. Am I tripping to be like Grand Nash kind of has the energy of somewhat like of a Bay Area

TDE type situation? There's been a, I mean, people, folks have said like, you know, and I mean that in the best way possible. Like that's, you know. People have said, I mean, our whole thing is that we, it's just genuine like community work we're trying to do. Like, it's really like, like, I was. saying we really all get in there together as rap camp when we there you feel me it is like similar

maybe to out like td or dreamville or then maybe operating shit but it was just what we wanted to do is just like we just we're going to spend a few days in the lab and and do this shit and you know they would bring in other musicians and they'd be like are making arrangements on the song they're helping me with the order on the album and stuff like that and um you know like my album cover which you know i don't know if it's going to be out by the time this is out or not i'm not i'm not I'm not sure, but it could be, but either way, it's this beautiful cover art and, you know, Kev shot it, kind of directed it, and it's the whole thing. So, yeah. But there is a story with the album that will be, yeah.

And that's something that you don't see too often from battle rappers is how, like, you're not just, like, making tracks, like, random shit. Like, you really have, like, a whole cohesive project, and you're thinking outside the box. it's not just regular. It's come a long way from the braggadocious raps of you being 12 years old. You, you a whole grown man in this motherfucking streets, bro. I'm very proud of you. Excited what the game has in store for you.

You got on the 2nd of April. You're battling for 100K. The 22nd. I think I'm pulling up to that. Come on, man. The 22nd, potentially the biggest opponent of your life. And, yeah. You're going to go to Sizzler.

We're going to Sizzle. You know, they still got that nostalgic taste of this shit. No, you never saw white man can't jump. But it's all good. You guys always treat me like a full foreigner, man. He just, I'm from the war, but I've seen some of the shit, man. White's man can't jump just come out to Lebanon last year, buddy. One day, one of my Lebanese cousins is going to kill us.

And then I'm going to be like, hey, my bad, bro. So now he's just going to perpetuate stereotypes, I guess. Like, no, but yeah, I definitely got to pull up to that and fucking, we're excited for you, bro. Yeah, you deserve this shit like more than anybody, man. You're one of those people that, you know, you've been there from day one. You're grassroots dude that has kept it fucking, you know, solid with the culture since day one, bro. You never went Hollywood. You never did no fake shit.

You always, you know, kept it true to the shit. You still going hard even after 20 years, bro. And people like you deserve their flowers, deserve the whole fucking bouquet, the cake and get to eat it, man. And we're just happy to see it, bro. You already fucking up, man. Unwavering, you feel me? Like West cone shit, too. At the end of the day, you know how we get down, man.

It's some West shit right now, man. Full-blown on display. So we love it. Show them what's really real, man. Come on, man, yes, sir. And we fight out here, man. We're about to your podcast. Yee.