No Jumper - Rah Swish Speaks on Pop Smoke's Rise, Being with Him Since Day One

Episode Date: July 22, 2020

Torch carrier for the Woo, Rah Swish, sat down with Adam to talk about his rise and brotherly bond with Pop Smoke, growing up in Brooklyn, working with AXL Beats, being inspired by Herbo and Chief Keef and leaving the streets behind but keeping the hustle mentality to prosper in music. ----- FOLLOW US ON SNAPCHAT FOR THE LATEST NEWS & UPDATES https://www.snapchat.com/discover/No_Jumper/4874336901 FOLLOW OUR NEW SPOTIFY PLAYLIST! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/529mn7of2HBKdLfrAMUzcK?si=rWVBWCuWSXeh0TFYb2P-dQ CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE STORE!!! http://www.nojumper.com/ SUBSCRIBE for new interviews (and more) weekly: http://bit.ly/nastymondayz Follow us on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nojumper iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/no-jumper/id1001659715?mt=2 Follow us on Social Media: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/No_Jumper/4874336901 http://www.twitter.com/nojumper http://www.instagram.com/nojumper https://www.facebook.com/No-Jumper-198283650194402/ http://www.reddit.com/r/nojumper JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/Q3XPfBm Follow Adam22: http://www.twitter.com/adam22 http://www.instagram.com/adam22 and adam22hoe on Snapchat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No Jumpper Coolest Podcasts on the world. We got Ross Swish on the podcast today. Nice to have you in here, man. Woo. Thanks for having. Yeah, my pleasure. Okay, so you're from Canarsie? Yeah.

Let's talk about it. Talk to me a little bit about your upbringing and what it was like going up, growing up over there. I mean, it's regular street shit. It's like, for me, deal with the everyday life of being in the hood, being from the streets and seeing regular street shit. So I feel like that's me and it right there. Right. I mean, I lived in Bushwick from. 2005 to like 2010 so that's a very different part of Brooklyn though as it's been

described to me canarses on some old other shit I live in Brooklyn for that long I never went there one time so it's like it's a whole different planet right yeah I mean you could say that because you're from you know flows you know from getting money so you step over there you step in different parts of Brooklyn like I know it's different but we do I think but so growing up in Canarsie did it seem like that was a place Where like was any like like famous rappers from there or you feel like this was kind of the first wave Nah, like it is really the first wave of Rapers from Canasi doing anything really doing on a big level right. Okay, so

What about like when when did you start to get in the mix like did you start rapping first or were you more like this on some street shit before that or how did this unfold? I definitely say like for me everybody growing up in the hell you know your first result is street shit. That's what you know You for me see that every day, but I started rapping around like like 2015. Mm-hmm. And then I started becoming like somebody in Brooklyn around like 2016. That's when it was like, ah, for me. The hood know me and shit.

I'm known for doing this shit. And you knew pop before you even started rapping, or did that come about once you started rapping? I knew pop before he started rapping. Okay. So, yeah, that was my dogs before he started rapping. So from, like, what age? Or how long ago were you guys cool?

I met him in 2018, the very beginning of 2018, like right after New Year's. Okay. I'm in 2018 and shit. And you feel me? That's when he started telling me like, yo, bro, I'm a rap. And he hadn't even actually recorded yet?

He was just thinking about it? Nah, he didn't have no songs. He didn't be in the studio, none of that shit. But he was just always on it. Like, yo, bro, I'm a rap. Right. I was like, ah, you know. And you were a little bit ahead of him?

Like, you had already been fucking with the music side of things? Yeah, like, I already had a little name in the hood and shit around Brooklyn. So, you feel me? The niggish knew me. And then once he started, you know, I mean, he just took off. He did his thing. Like, what was your impression of him before he even started rapping? Like, were you looking at him?

Like, ah, because it just seemed like he had, like, a certain charisma, a certain energy around him, even when you take the music out of the equation. Did you kind of recognize that right away? Nah, I have you. Because, like, anybody that I know him personally, you know, like, his vibe is different. Like, his spirit is, like, loud. Like, you from me, he really wanted him people, he'd come around and he had changed the whole aura in the room or changed the mood and shit.

So before he even started rapping, that was just his vibe, period. So anything he did, feel me, whether it was sports, games, being on the block, anything for me, me, just how he took is real, like, feel it. So before he was rapping, he got that. So you guys, like, were you there when he first started making music? Do you guys make music together super early on? Yeah, like, hell, you're, like, probably, like, I said, like, his fourth or fifth studio session we were in there making songs.

I wasn't there the first song he made because, you know, I was doing what I was doing and shit, but I definitely heard the first song. Like every like his beginning his whole beginning of the career I heard oh like he sent it to me like yo bro you fuck with this you know how you feel about this like yo bro this shit hot right you I think I should drop this like so that's how we was on it right so with your like did you have any songs that were coming up on like a viral YouTube type level before like his movement started or how was that unfolding no we was dropping music in this shit and oh yeah we had float to iCTV and i was like you can consider that the the Brooklyn world star type shit like for me all the new

Brooklyn rappers if you own that shit niggas was tuned in so that's where we used to drop our music for me around like 2017 2018 and shit like that that's what we just putting it on okay and so was it was the woo thing like part of what brought y'all together is that a big part where you were you both rapping that at that time is that something you just grew up with yeah like you for me once we was on our woo shit it was like you for me everything was just family and the more people you meet it's just all love like we all really knew each other but you for me just coming around you know is i don't got to watch my back for nothing because it's love this is fame and that's how we moved with it right okay so uh how did you guys like when did it start to seem

like this is really becoming more of a real thing like this the the music was actually going to a different level shit when pop did what he did like when welcome to the party really hit and we was like oh shit like the shit real like he doing it like he for me he he he put this shit on a different level it's not just whole shit no more it's mainstream now so he definitely open the doors in me everybody see like yo i take this shit serious now so we could do what we got to do do you remember the first time you heard it welcome to the party yeah yeah i remember the first time it's crazy story first time i heard welcome to the party i was taking the shit right and then you from me it only had one verse on it so i heard the shit and i called them i'm like yo bro the fuck is this i he like yo

bro i just made that shit uh-huh you feel me you're fucking with it i'm like yo bro i need to get over the second He's like, nah, boy, we got to do some other shit, because I already got the second verse done. I just didn't finish in the stool. Right. So I'm like, all right, bro, do that second verse. Now that shit, fire. He's like, nah, I really got him about to go tonight.

And he laid it and then that was it, but I already knew. Once I heard that shit, I was like, nah, that shit is crazy. Like, it was just different. I'm like, there's some real party shit. Like, this make me want to go get drunk right now, go outside and do some crazy shit. So were you fucking with the actual beats and the whole drill sound like prior to that?

Or was that something that y'all sort of like came together? with now I was fucking with them before that like you from me because I actually tapped in with Brooklyn and he used his head and he's like yo bro I fuck with y'all you from me I see I using some of my beats like you from me let's work together so we've been a lot of niggas had a relationship with actual before he really took over for sure yeah because it's like it's kind of crazy the the extent to which that sound like like who are you paying attention to and like studying were you looking at the Chicago shit or were you paying attention to like like any of the London drill shit that was popping off before the Brooklyn wave really took over?

Like, because it's kind of like something that you never really heard of before to have like the main producer basically like engineering a whole sound for the city that's the home of hip hop. But then meanwhile, he's just, he ain't even been there. He's just on the other side of the world fucking supplying the sound. I mean, shit, when I first started doing this shit, people I was listening to, it definitely was like Chicago niggas, like, you know, everybody fucked with Chief Keith. And then I started rapping, I always wanted to be lyrical with the drill shit. So you from me, I used to listen to a lot of herbal.

And I'm like, this nigga be talking his shit. So for me, that's really typed in with them. And then like I said, just once I actually reached out, it was like, fuck it, bro. You got them beats we want. You fucking with us. Like, let's do it. Definitely. So the welcome to party comes out.

And does that just kind of like change everything? Like from as soon as it's out, it just starts bubbling and like becomes a whole thing in New York? Yeah. Like I believe he dropped the old. If I'm not mistaken, I believe he dropped the audio first and then just the reaction was crazy So like shit just changed for everybody around him and himself Right. Yeah and like I remember going around out last year and it already been out for a while at that point, but it was like you know

I was never seen anything like that in New York in years and years where it's just everywhere you went every fucking car if you slow down on the highway You're just hearing it banging out from mad cars it's just like nothing we never really seen before Definitely a crazy vibe For me he touched the people He had like that shit that niggas wanted to hear Did you guys feel like you were Dealing with it? Because anytime that You're like associated with a gang and you have

Music blowing up that sort of Advocates for it you're gonna have like a reaction From people who don't fuck with that Was that like something that you were feeling like From the beginning? No I feel like if your shit potent They're gonna fuck with it And it's simple as that

Niggies that hate you if your shit go They still play shit. So we ain't really worried about nothing else. Definitely. So, okay, so how does your music, like, when did you guys end up actually making your first song together or first song that came out on YouTube and shit soon after that? Damn. The first song we made together, I can't even remember. I think the first song, the first official song we made together was Brush him. And then, for me, we did that shit. We was just in the studio. He was popping his shit. I was popping his shit. I was popping

my shit and he like, all right, niggins. So let's just go back to back on the song. We're going to freestyle. I'm like, ah, he's like, nigga, you can't freestyle. I'm like, nigga, you can't freestyle. So we just want some bro shit, just imping each other. And then we got in store and then we made that shit, you feel me? But then we did a video to it and then we didn't like the video.

So we just like, fuck the video, you from me. And then we never really got to, we do that shit or how we wanted to do it because it got leaked. And then we were just on something like, all right, fuck it. We just going to keep working. We just going to keep working. Right. So what was the first video that came out with both of you in it? The video, we never dropped the video.

But you have other videos together, right? We just did a bunch of songs and we never got to shoot the videos. Oh, okay. Maybe they were like fucking, what was it? Like fan videos on YouTube? They're taking clips and putting it together? Yeah. Damn, they dup me. Yeah, that's crazy. Okay, but so the Welcome to the Party video shoot was, what was that experience like?

because we'll get to it in a second, but there's like a super viral clip of you whiling out after the video shoot, but was there anything in particular about? Because you shot that video like right in Canarsie at all the local spots that you guys be at and shit, right? Yeah, welcome to the party.

That shit was in the hub, but the first day, like that was a couple day shoot, you from me. The first day we did that shit at Long Island, and then that shit was crazy. It was like a Project X-Vob, like whatever you could imagine, that's what that shit had did.

So it was crazy. And then my dumb ass, like, you feel me? I was just drunk. I was hot. And then I got into the argument with the police. And then they fuck it. Like, he was just giving me my racist remarks and shit. And I wasn't going for that.

So then niggas ran up on me, pepper sprayed me. I tried to run. You did the mad dash. I actually thought you were getting out of there. You were going fast as fuck. I got out of there. But I ended up running past the house that we just came out of. And it was already officers dead.

So when I ran past the house, the other officer just tackled me. Tackle me, punched me a couple of times. Like, where you were going to? I was watching that like where the fuck is he gonna go like in Long Island Listen we was in Lugala I was gonna run all the way back to Canorsi I was thinking just camp out somewhere

And you could get an Uber It's gonna be expensive ass Uber But you could probably pull it off right I wasn't thinking I was just trying to get away I'm like yo these niggas Right Did people start tapping in pretty early on In terms of like fucking bigger artists and stuff

Like we obviously seen like A million bigger artists tap in over the course Of his short career But like did you start And obviously the label attention must have started pouring in as well yeah i mean so i feel like i wouldn't say i don't know how early it was they typed in but when they did it was a swam on everybody like because once you like i said once you meet him his energy is real genuine and it's like it just it's just be stuck with you like

you feel it so for me i i know like once he met a couple people they was always going to fuck with him type yeah that was really we were having this conversation earlier but like there was a level to which a lot of people, including people from New York when they first heard, welcome to the party or Dior, they didn't really understand the fucking sound that they were hearing

because it was something so different, so new. And I don't know, like a lot of people kind of forget about the fact that, like, if you want to really be that huge artist that's going to fucking change things, you have to do something fundamentally different.

And was that something you know were like conscious of, the fact that there was like a new sound really bubbling up? Oh, damn. That's, I just say he knew what he had like so he he he just knew like yo I got to get this out there because the sound was different like it was yeah it was different so he knew right

definitely um so by the time the Dior video came out what was that transition like because by that point must have been a totally different level of attention and shit it was already stardom for him like it was just it was just crazy like that's when he come outside all the kids coming out of school to come see him they don't go fuck if School not finished. They come in if they hit pop smoke outside. Like, for me, stopping traffic. Like, for me, just regular stars shit.

Like, for me, he walked around. He got the city, so. Definitely. It was crazy. So you caught a gun charge from that clip, though? I forgot to ask you caught a gun charge when you were running away from the cops at that moment? Yeah, they charged me with a possession of a weapon, a tent possession of a weapon,

and then, like, two assault charges on the officer and then the resistance arrest on the bullshit. So what happened with all that? You're sitting there? I fucking bailed out. I went to the county and shit. I was in the county for like three days, and then I bailed out,

and I just fought the case. And you beat it? I beat it. I had to cop out to something, but for me, you could basically say I beat it. But I couldn't do it. I ain't had to do no time.

Right. How the fuck do you beat it? Because I had a video, pop sent me a video of, like the assaults was the main thing because the attempt, possession of a weapon is, I think that's a misdemeanor still.

So the assaults, on the officers, like, what was they was really trying to slay me with and shit, but I had a video so when I didn't hit nobody. Yeah. So when I went to court, like, we were fighting and shit back and forth, back and forth. Then we presented the video. Then they had to drop the charges, and then they made me, from me, cop out to a lesser charge.

Right, because if you had done anything violent to the cops, I mean, in the video, you see everything from you arguing with them to them tackling you. So it's not like you really would have been able to do anything that wasn't on camera. Yeah, so I had a video. But it took me a while to get the video. So that's why I was going back and forth the corner show. They probably would have been to that. That's crazy.

I would think that video would be viral as soon as it fucking happened. Shit happens. Shit happens. All right. So, all right, like, from your perspective, though, how did you think about what you were doing with your career? Because you have your man's, like, exploding. And obviously, a lot of good things are coming your way via that, too. But, like, what was your mentality on how you're going to approach your music in the face of his shit exploding so fast?

keep working because he never he never once did what he did and then like forgot about me type of shit you for me and then like whatever he learned he had just hit me and just tell me like yo bro I ain't going for I was in the office and we was talking about this so I learned this about the game so you should try that so you feel me like a little shit like that he always kept me in the loop what he was doing so it was like I just I'm gonna just keep working eventually I get there so that's how we attacked that's really interesting because I was hearing that story about how he had a meeting with 50 and he had him like 50 thought he was just like talking on his phone or some shit but he was actually writing notes about the shit 50 was saying to him and shit so that's that's

really interesting that like he was so aware of the fact that he was around people that he could learn from and shit real a little bit like he he he he smoked like he and he remember a lot of shit so you feel me he that shit is crazy with that nigga right did but damn so did you feel like you guys were getting an outrageous amount of attention from the police from early on because that was kind of a a theme throughout his career as well. Um, I said like that's, this is, that's what come with it. So like, it ain't really bother us. I can't really speak for him, but from my perspective,

it didn't look like it really bothered him because it was like that when niggas wasn't rapping. Like, you know, in the hood police on you. So you gotta think if I become bigger with music, it's gonna be the same shit and it's gonna grow greater, so. Right. But when something happened like the rolling loud situation where you got taken off the bill,

Was that even surprising to you or was that something that at that point you were kind of expecting that should happen? It was like it was something like an expectation. You just pray for the best like yo, you know, we hope they don't take bro shit off or you for me. He hoping like, nah, I hope they don't take my shit off. But you know, that's what the police do. They're trying to stop out money. They don't want to see us win. So that is what it is.

Definitely. So there's like a tricky part in any rapper's life where they start to like really get the attention and shit, but maybe they don't necessarily have like the money to get out of the hood right away. Was it that kind of vibe where I was like you guys are getting way too much attention, but then also it's like, you know, you're still in that area that you came up in. Nah, I feel like it was just more about comfortability. Like, if you're comfortable where you at, then you're good. But if you feel like you're not comfortable, then I feel like both of us,

we were in a position to change our surroundings if that's what we're nink is running. So it's just like if you're comfortable with the hood or if you, for me, then you could there. Because you were telling me you stay out here now. Yeah, I stay out here now. When did you make that decision? It came out here. I've really been out since like 2017 back and forth. Oh, for real?

Yeah, a long time. What were you doing out here in terms of business and shit? What made you want to make that move? It's because since I was younger, like I lived on my own and shit. So me and my dogs, you know, we did what we did to get our money up. And then it was like, yo, the crib is kind of cheaper. here and shit, let's just get a career. We always gonna go back to the hood and shit, but let's get somewhere where we could vacate, I like have fun and joy where we are and

shit like that. But as far as business-wise, it took me a while because my problem was I was rapping, but I was still doing like street shit. Like I still, for me, I never gave rapping my all, like as much as I put out a whole bunch of music because making music is easy for me, but I never had the time and really sit down and game playing a situation for myself and shit. I was just like, I'm gonna go to studio. I'm gonna do these. songs and then I'm shoot the video I'm gonna go back to the hug and I'm gonna do what I gotta do so it's that type of vibe compared New York to California though in terms of like the lifestyle I mean there's a lot I mean everybody talks about LA like it's so crazy but there's a lot of different

parts of California you can live in there a lot more laid back than being in the city yeah how you and that's what I like about it like you go you go up north a little bit for me for me shit is just calm isn't shit going on so that's what I like about California it's really a getaway for me definitely So, okay, what is stuff like, like, what's pop starts, like, torn and being out here all the time and stuff? Were you just kind of consistently, like, it's kind of an interesting situation to be in that position. Like, were you just trying to be around and just sap up as much game as possible that you could from the situations that he was ending up in? Or what was the thought process?

And that was all him. Like, he had called me like, yo, bro, why do fuck? You're not, why are you not here? Or why you not pulling up on me? And I'm like, yo, bro, I'm working. I'm doing, he was like, no, bro, like, you've got to be around. So he wanted that for me, like, yo, come around and learn what you can learn and take it and use it for you. Like, whether he in the studio working with another artist, whether he,

whether he's talking about his merch, whether he's doing anything, he'd just be like, yo, for me, like, yo, bro, if you could pull up, pull up right now, so you can see what's going on, so you get the pictures. When it's your time to step in this shit, you ain't going to be no fool about it. So was that kind of your thought process, is that you were basically building something up that, but you were waiting for the right time to really start going hard with your career obviously putting out videos and doing your thing

but in terms of like a more major push or something? I mean like that was always my plan like you feel me just when I got the time to take a series but him doing what he did definitely fast forwarded that playing I was like oh shit like you like you can't play you I do it now so and I was on the same time like I do gotta do it now because it's now or never

for me you put us in a position where it's like the opportunity is here for everybody right now. You're kicking in the doors for us. So it was like, yeah, let me, let me do what I got to do right now. Mm-hmm. You'd ever tell you, there's any, like, particular, like, wisdom or anything he's shared with you, like, in terms of, because he's, he's just, like, meeting with all the, at this point, it's great, meeting with so many fucking big-name artists and people in the industry and stuff. Like, was there anything in particular that stood out to you in terms of, like, advice or anything like that?

Um, we talk so much, it's, like, can't remember about anything, but it's, like, it's just, just work. Like he he was big on like bro just work when you not work and work like for me he just keep working you only going to get better so and that's that's stuck with me now like I'm a studio junkie now like I always want to just work if I'm not doing a fucking if I'm on the studio I need to find a song that just shoot the video too so I have it in the stash or for me who I could network with and shit like that because he was heavy on that like yo bro just work. Was it hard for you guys to sort of leave some of the street stuff behind and in terms of, was that like a very real conversation

about like, we gotta stop doing this, we gotta stop doing this, it's too hot for us to be doing this. I mean, I wouldn't say it was hard because it's like, we doing street shit and the outcome we want out of the street shit is overall money. So now we get in the money,

it ain't hard to leave that shit alone. It's just, you feel me? Just stay on alert. Don't lose your street cents, but definitely fall back off of it so you could do what you gotta do because the object right here is to get more money and become rich.

Yeah, I was one time, I was in a label, or I was in there, but my friend, he was at a label, and he's just in the elevator, and this is, he gets in the elevator, and then it stops at one floor, and Pop gets in, it's like an elevator that's in like a building that has labels in and it and shit. And then Pop gets in, and my homie's just like, oh man, Pop, like, I fuck with you. Like, this is one of us early on, but, like, still already had hits out and shit. And then the elevator stops at another floor, the door is open. Pop sees somebody that he has issues with, and he just immediately gets off the elevator and beats the dog shit out of him. And I only feel comfortable even saying this because

he's gone. But when I met Pop, that was the first thing I said is I was like, yo, my friend told me a story about you. Can you confirm this? And he just couldn't stop laughing. He's like, man, yeah, that's real. He's like, yeah, I can't believe you know about that. That's fucked up. We definitely ain't given no passes. Like, you for me? We stay in on that. So the money changed our situation. It don't change us. So like, you feel me? That's definitely, I could verify that that shit. I wasn't there. I know. like she wanted him you own him right that's crazy um okay so i guess we got to fast forward a little bit but like how did you find out about what happened to him out here and where were you when that

occurred i was in the studio and then i actually had just called my uber got a new cab and then they had it in a group chat like yo something had to pop i i'm like what i'm like i'll just get the information find the details on the shit. Like an hour old lady, niggas, like, yo, I heard you got shot. So I'm like, call his phone, he didn't pick up. I'm like, what the fuck? I'm like, the shit, real niggas is playing.

So I didn't know what to think for me. I just was chilling. I'm like, damn, I don't want to overthink. Like, I don't want to, ain't no fact yet. Right. And then once everybody starts making them clothes and shit, then it was like, aye, for me. Pop dog.

And then I was like, like, just stuck. Like, I couldn't even. Right. I was like, what the fuck? This shit fake. And then after that, you know, Taze follow up after that. And you just think, like, for real. Like, I don't know.

It was just unbelievable. Like, for me, some shit that I ain't ever think of happen. Right. So what were those next few days of your life like? Are you just like, fuck, I guess I should be around the guys of the family or like try to, like you want to help. But it's at the same time. What the fuck are you going to do? Yeah, like, it was definitely like that.

Like, it was definitely on some, like, for me, let me go check the people. I got to check, you for me. but I was just so hurt at the point. I was like, I didn't know who to be around or how to react. Like, you just don't know what's going on. So it's just like, from you just kind of stuck. Like, you just, at that point, I was just living. Like, I wasn't, I ain't had no plans to do none and none.

I was just like, shit. Fuck it. Like, I'm just taking it day by day. Like, you from me, because the shit hurt. Yeah. No, it's super fucked up. Okay, but so in terms of like, like, it's a crazy ass day for us to be doing this interview and shit

because today the cops in LA actually announced that they had arrested five people and they're starting to come out with details. So, like, right now we know that they're saying that it wasn't people that he previously had issues with. It's just people who found the address via Airbnb. So was that news to you or was that, like, kind of what you guys had assumed or expected the answer to be? I mean, that's news to me because I was in the dark situation. I ain't, I ain't get no information on how it was going on. So that's new news to me.

Because we're all like observing the situation and it's kind of like when you think about New York gang bang and you don't think of that shit necessarily mattering that much in LA. Like people, you know, it's like a different world in New York in a lot of ways. So like, I mean, like what was that feeling like? Because obviously you're angry and you want to know how this happened, but at the same time you're pretty much totally in the dark about it. Yeah, like but that was, even though I was in the dog, you feel me, like you still search for information in a ways that you were able to do something. You feel me? Because never in a lifetime while I allow some shit like that to happen and then not be on it, you feel me? But you know how social media is today is hard.

You can't really do that. So you can't really do that. So you feel you take the right precautions when you're doing shit. But yeah, when you heard about the fact that the address leaked on social media, though, is that just kind of like, it feels like that's kind of maybe a product of the fact that he was so new to being famous and shit that he wasn't necessarily thinking about that stuff as being as dangerous as it could be. Yeah, definitely. I feel like that's like, that's some shit you don't even think about. Like, that's why it's so crazy because it's like, you're just taking a picture. You don't even really, you're not thinking, like.

That people had to be uncovering clues and figure shit out. You don't think that far ahead, especially when you're not where you feel like you're in danger or you should be looking over your shoulder and shit. So that's, that situation is just crazy. Yeah, that's super fucked up. And the other thing that came out today is that some people are speculating. and that pop actually shot one of the dudes when this situation went down? Is that news to you as well?

Yeah, I don't know about that because I wasn't dead and I don't, they didn't announce that, so that's new news to me too. Does that in any way make the situation feel like it makes more sense? Because that was like a lot of the conversation going around about it was just like, you know, like how could he have been in that situation without security or without somebody watching over and protecting him or whatever? I mean, that shit don't make more sense to me because none of this shit makes sense at all, you feel me?

That whole shit to me is like, it's an unbelievable story, so nothing makes sense to me. So I ain't, I ain't believe in shit because I wasn't there. For me, so everybody can have their stories or what they're assuming shit. We don't know. We wasn't there. What, uh, how has it been seeing, like, how has it been seeing the city react to it? And really, like, you know, he's turned into, like, such a god of the city. Like, his image is, like, immortal.

It feels like it's going to be the kind of thing, like, with Biggie or Pac or whatever, where it's just going to, I don't know. It's hard to imagine the city, like, moving on or forgetting how much of an impact he made during his short time being in the star, in the starlight. No, like, I feel like the city, the probably never forget him. And as long as I'm alive, I'm going to make sure niggas don't forget him. Because, you feel me, that's my brother at the end of the day. So I feel like he'd do the same for me.

So you, for me, I'm gonna definitely do that. And it's like, I really, it's a good vibe. Like, when you're in the city, and you just see, like, everybody playing his shit. Everybody got on his merch. Like, niggas is really doing this for pop smoking. And for me, that's ultimately what he wanted. Like, he wanted the hood to come together.

He wanted New York to be a different vibe. So it's like, we accomplished that. He accomplished that. So, you feel me? I know for me, he's looking down. He's proud. And he achieved his goal. So, that.

So that's definitely good. Definitely. So, like, your album, was it Wu Forever? Yeah. So what, like, you know, you go into that project thinking that, you know, you want to honor his name and you want to make the album, like, sort of pay tribute in a way? Like, what was your mentality in terms of putting out your first project after he passed? I mean, like, it was definitely, like, definitely going to honor him out for me because

that's what he do. But it's still, like, it was still, like. I'm back in my head, it still work, for me, and we had that type of relationship. Like, if some happen, you feel me, like, a niggas is sad or mad, Nick, he hit, yo, yo, Ross, stop being a bitch, bro.

Like, stop moving like that, bro. Like, you're gangsta, bro, like, don't, you feel me, so, that's playing back in my head, too. Like, the nigger don't want me crying and shit. You don't want me sad all day, like, you for me. Yeah, nigger, get in your bag, like, for me. That's what I told you to do anyway, get in your back. So it's like, I worked on that tape.

I had that shit done in the, about a month, a month and a half. And it was just like, I, I'm definitely going to make bro a part of this. And then I'm going to let the people know how I'm coming too. Like, we're definitely going to continue doing this. Do you have unreleased songs with him that you weren't able to put on the project because of label shit? I got a couple unreleased songs with him, but I wouldn't say it was a problem with label shit.

It's just for me waiting on time and working everything out appropriately. Yeah, because it's always like, I mean, the labels, the way they act about, like, letting anything out from artists when they first passes. It could just be crazy as fuck. Yeah, I really know that's a hectic. Yeah, definitely. Okay, but so in terms of his album, there's been

like a bunch of conversation about, you know, basically like none of the Brooklyn artists being featured on it and shit. Cowboy was, well, he's not from Brooklyn, but he was very vocal about not being appreciative of the fact that he got removed from the album. Do you respect that? You feel like the album should have been maybe

more true to some of the shit that he was doing? during his life or do you think that you know it makes sense to you because it's you know the label's going to do what they're going to do with it like yeah like in this situation i feel like dude's best for pop smoke me whatever's going to feed his family best keep his name living longer and like do it's best for pop smoke so if they feel like having Brooklyn rappers brooklyn drivers when the album wasn't was best for him then fuck it me that's for them to decide but i ain't i don't feel no type of way about it or nothing. It's just like, for me, I'm, I'm a stand on do what's best for Pop Smoke. Yeah, because there's been like a lot of little

controversies popping up where people want to have opinions about different things going on in terms of how his image and his, you know, whole movement has been represented after the fact. Like, there was the whole conversation about the Virgil designed album cover that people weren't fucking with at first. Like, did you feel, did you agree with any of that criticism? And do you feel like it's even like cool for the fans to have opinions about stuff like that? I mean, I feel like people are going to have their opinions. You know what I? He not hated to say if you would have liked it or not. So it's like your opinion is your opinion. Some people said they like not a lot of people said they liked it,

but some people said they liked it. So I feel like the opinion is the opinion and whether or not if they should out of, I don't know. That's crazy right there. I got mixed emotions about that. I feel like it was a good thing that the fans was involved. And I feel like, I don't know, then it could have been cool if nobody knew. So it's a toss up. Yeah, it's crazy because, like, you guys' music has become so big that you got all kinds of random-ass kids in Germany who got opinions and shit. It's not just like the city.

It's like anyone in the whole world can just be voicing their opinions about it, right? Yeah, definitely. Definitely. Yeah, one of the other craziest things I've seen, too, is just the fact that on Twitter right now, if you do hashtag Wu, it puts the fucking image of his head. I only seen them do that for a couple things in the history of Twitter.

Like, that's crazy. I fuck with that shit. Yo. I've seen that shit. I'm like, no, that's a big move right there. Like, that's fire. I'm like, man, does Twitter realize that they're kind of sort of like

getting in on the gang banging right here? I don't know if Twitter really understood what that meant if they should necessarily did that. Twitter on a lot of woo shit. Hashtag wool. Yeah, that's got to be rough if you're on the other side, huh? We ain't worry about them. Um, okay, so a couple of bars, like, stood out to me on your album, though.

Is one when you said, I'm fucking this bitch from the front and I got a toe in my mouth? I was like, oh, this is a different kind of guy right here. That's a different type of lyric right there. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, occasionally you got to just, is that an example of you just keeping it super real? Or are you just trying to make people laugh with that? That's real shit, like you see? Thanks, my girl.

I've been there too, that's my girl. You know, I go. Shit happens. I noticed you had like a poker bar in there too. You said something about Ace, King, Queen, Jack 10, suited. Where are that kind of? You play poker? No, never play poker in my life.

You just know the words? Yeah. I just knew, like, was that shit cool? What you got all those cards or Royal Flesh or something like that? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I just knew like that. So I just, I ain't going to lie. I probably Googled this shit to make sure it was right.

I can't remember right now. But I probably did that. And I was just like, I got a poker ball. Like, I just, that's how I make my music. Like, I just see shit. I probably seen like a poker commercial, so I don't know. Right. And it's like, shit, I'm put that in a ball.

Have you ever gone through time periods or it was hard for you to, like, be motivated to record or where it didn't necessarily, like, feel right? Like, was putting this project together in a struggle at all? Or was it didn't feel normal? This project itself, it wasn't a struggle because I was in goal mode. Right. I was just like, like, for me, it's, I got to do it now. I gotta step up to the plate. No matter how anybody else

feel with what they say, I gotta do this for bro. So I was really locked in. Like, I had the tape done and didn't even realize because I over-recorded. Like, I just had like 30 songs. It was like, oh, shit.

Like, we got a project here. Like, let's pick these songs out and put it in a project. So it was just straight work for me. Definitely. So what are you planning on doing in terms of promoting this project and shit? You're just like shooting a bunch of videos right now?

You got a whole plan coming out with it and shit? Yeah, like, I got, two videos done off of it I'm gonna shoot another one and then I probably leave it at that three videos before me. He's 10 songs with three videos probably leave it at that and then we just gonna keep moving how we're moving like we

I feel like we're doing it right right now with marketing and pushing it. Definitely you got any other like artists that you're still closely affiliated with out of the whole Brooklyn scene and shit like is there anybody in particular that you're really still working with and shit? Yeah like shout out

Jake Guapo. He's on the album, right? Yeah, me and him got a lot of shit coming. Favi, that's my dogs right there. Chef G., Sleepy Hollow. Shout out, Chef G. My boys right there, you feel me. And then if you want me to list all of the wolves,

let me just shout my boys out now. Fetti Luciano, Young Costumato, Social Geek. You got a curly side. That's my brother right there. You got my boy, Zay-G. You got Daffy Wool, Dread Wool. So it's a lot of us. Maddie G's?

Maddie's who that? You know what I'm talking about? Oh, it's this white kid who was like he was always gang banging on Instagram and shit. You know what I'm talking about? Maddie G's from Instagram and he was burning the fucking other side flags and shit. But then I heard that his dad like stopped him like, no, you're not allowed to gang bang anymore. You took away the privileges. I mean.

It's actually kind of fucked up. I'm even mentioning him on here because who the fuck is this kid. But I mean, shout up to Madi G's. Whenever I meet anybody from Brooklyn when I was meeting with a bill. Billy I brought him up. They could not believe that I knew who the fuck that was. They were laughing so hard. You had to catch me before as Maddie. Shout out to Maddie G's though for making it on no jump-up. Shout out to you, Maddie J's.

That's real. Yeah, I don't know. Like, you feel like shit been moving slow in New York in terms of everything in terms just with the whole pandemic and shit being shut down as that kind of changed the vibe in the city. It's been a weird summer in comparison. Yeah, hell yeah. Like, that shit whacked. Like, I ain't gonna allow. Like, you know, everybody used used to be in outside. I don't get into room. And the hood niggas is still outside. We ain't following no rules.

But it's just like stores are shut down. You can't go shopping. You can't go to get nothing to eat. You can't do nothing. So like that shit is really wacky. You know, for artists, like that shit's stopping our shows and shit. Like we're trying to get outside and perform and shit. So definitely.

Yeah, one thing I seen that I thought was kind of crazy is that you had 6'9 basically like showing Pop, Mad, Love, acting like this is one of his favorite rappers or whatever. And then the album comes out and Pop's got lyrics where he's just basically clowning him. There ain't no rainbow his shit. That part, yeah. That's it. How do you feel about that, though? Is that, like, is there any chance of, I don't know, like, was there any chance of them having been cool in reality?

Like, if they had, if he had, like, you know, six times locked up during Pop's Rise and everything. I mean, if Son ain't do what he did, maybe. Maybe. But, you street niggas before anything. He don't tell. It's not happening. So with that situation coming in the life, niggas never get up a boy.

So, I mean, if you fuck with him, he fuck him, that's good. Like, you know, like, definitely support him. Do it, like, his shit is dope. Why not fuck with him, but. Definitely. Is it blow your mind that 50, ended up being involved so much in the project? And, like, just because that's, you know,

coming from a person in your age, just like, you know, that was like a god, a rap when you were a kid. And it's not surprising though because I feel like it was going to happen eventually. Like whether there would have been a song or just something, them working together. So it wasn't surprising that he did jump on it because I know somebody had to tell 50 how Pop felt about him. Because if you knew Pop, you know how he felt about 50. So it was like, I was good.

I was happy to see 50 for me. That what he did. I'm like, yeah, that's definitely some stuff. shit pop would have won it. Right. Yeah, that's just crazy because I remember having that conversation super early on after hearing the first a couple big pop singles where it was like, man, this shit reminds me like when 50 was coming out in terms of like having somebody having that energy coming out in New York. I mean, like, pop definitely looked up to 50. Like, so he gave you that vibe. Like 50 was that guy for all of us. Like me and him had arguments like, nigga, I know more 50

10 songs, dude. I know more juvenile like we had them arguments so like 50 definitely had a big impact on all of us. Who's winning the versus battle 50 or T.I? 50.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. No offense to Tia. But you know I'm from New York. I don't even know no Tia. So I'm probably know like two of them. Bring them out. Bring them out. That's Tia?

Oh, but that's Jay Z on the hook. Yeah, but I think he's sampled. Yeah, you're right though. It's still in New York. That's there. Come on. And I go like Tia. I got a top back.

I used to listen to top back when I was a kid. Yeah, Tia, I got a lot of classic songs. I personally probably feel closer to the 50 hits just because, you know, being from the East Coast, that seemed extra special. Yeah. You got that, though.

So what else are you working on? What are the people out there need to know about you in terms of staying in the loop? I'm just, right now, I'm in the recording process is just going crazy again. I'm back in work mode. If I want to drop another project right now, I could. So, you from me, I'm just working.

And then we're going to map out the next project. But staying in tune me is like just for me. Stay in tune with any one of the wolves. The woods is doing it. You want me shout myself up? Hell yeah. Find me on Instagram at Ross Swish. Twitter.

NBA. Whoa. That's my old Twitter. Twitter. Real Ross Switch. You feel me? And we're just doing it big. We're taking this woo shit to the top.

Pop put us in a great position to win. And we're going to win like we're supposed to. That's what he wanted to do. So we're going to keep it going. Oh, yeah. Yeah, rest in peace of pop, man. I'm glad that we could get your perspective on not just your career, but his career. And, you know, just somebody who made such an impact on the culture

and the short time that he was in the spotlight. It's kind of, you know, it's good to have that on record. Not definitely. Yeah, well. We do his thing. Appreciate your time, man. It was good to have you on here, and sorry for your loss. Appreciate you for having me, man.

You know, you're going to take this to the top one more time. Rest in peace, pop, smoke. Rest in peace, KJ, bowler. And go mess with my man's album, too. That shit was hard. Woo. Appreciate y'all. No Jumper coolest podcast in the world.

Take us on YouTube, SoundCloud, iTunes, like, comment, subscribe. Nojummer.com, if you want to support. Rest of peace, Pop, Smoke. Thanks. Appreciate y'all.