No Jumper - Rayven Justice on Music Industry Conflicts, Gun Violence, East Oakland, & More

Episode Date: November 21, 2022

Rayven talks about the industry, Oakland, QC, Waka, Chris Brown, and more!  --- 00:00 Intro  0:05 Rayven speaks on being under-appreciated in the industry 2:50 Rayven speaks on being 18 years old a...nd how his management took advantage of him being young  5:10 Rayven talks about getting involved with Quality Control and getting a feature from Migos 8:10 Rayven speaks on Waka Flocka Flame helping him understand how to take control of his own career 9:00 Rayven tells a story about how management took his music off of the radio  16:15 Rayven talks about getting inspired when he saw Chris Brown and Bow Wow on TV 18:00 Rayven and Surfa Solo speak on Oakland and why The Bay doesn’t get as much recognition as Los Angeles 21:20 Surfa Solo weighs in on “Bippin” 22:45 Rayven talks about how he met Surfa Solo 24:35 Rayven speaks on losing his little brother 38:25 Rayven on how his radio hit, “Slide Thru”, got him into Summer Jam 40:20 Rayven speaks on how he met Mally Mall and met T-Rell for the first time 46:00 Rayven on going to Oakland High School with NBA Player Damian Lillard 48:05 Rayven on meeting Chris Brown, Sean Kingston, and DJ Carisma 1:03:25 Rayven speaks on PnB Rock and out of towners checking in when visiting California --- 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

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:00 No jumper, man. It's T-Rill, man. I'm back, man. I got my boy Raven Justice here, man. It's happening. Yes, sir. We were just going crazy, man, because, you know, before the camera cut on, like, I was like, hold on. You know, they didn't do you no justice. Man, you're just here the first time, man, you know? And I was like, hold on. My girl, Gina, she didn't even say, you know what? I didn't do my boy, no justice. No justice. You know, no point in ten. But call him back. Come on. You know what I'm saying? Double back me. Double, double him back because you know, that was some bullshit. Hey, shout out to you, man. Shout out to him.
Starting point is 00:00:40 What's the deal, though, brother? Hey, man, blessings, man, it's good to be alive, you know. You know what's everything. There's a lot of shit going on. You already know, so, you know, that's just number one, bro. But, you know, other than that, man, just good, bro. Just living, working, grinding. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:00:56 Staying on it. You've been doing this shit for a very long time. man yeah um um um you know while i was in the you know doing this shit and i was in the industry and i was working with a certain artist i was seeing you you feel me and you know i was seeing the things you was doing and you was right there you know what i'm saying you had a lot of songs you was doing your shit like it was it was it was always there so i feel like you know they don't appreciate this nigga man they don't appreciate this young man you feel me and i feel like, you know, back in the day, internet, I mean, while, not the internet, but
Starting point is 00:01:34 Instagram wasn't as powerful as it is today. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. And with a lot of shit you was doing and a lot of songs you had, you feel me, like, you're definitely unappreciated. Yeah, man, I would have to agree with you on that in certain aspects, but, you know, at the same time, it was, it's just so many details that happened in my career on the back end. Like, you know, again, I'm not an internet, you know what I'm.
Starting point is 00:01:59 I can never see myself going on the internet to express all these details that's going on behind the scenes in my music career. Because I've seen, like, you know, with other artists doing that, you know, it don't get you nowhere, you know what I'm saying? People really don't care. And really, you just give your enemies, you know, reasons to talk about you, you feel? You feel? You feel?
Starting point is 00:02:17 You feel? A lot of it is just to do with the back end stuff. You know what I'm saying? If I were to go in on that, it would be a lot more clear as to why you feel the way you feel. But I would love you to go in on that. And I would love you to express yourself because a lot of artists are going through that today and they need to know how to get through that.
Starting point is 00:02:35 And expressing yourself, you know, it's not like an embarrassing thing. You feel, me to let motherfuckers know what was going on and why you didn't reach these heights or why you didn't go as far as these artists when you was just right there. So, you know, I would love to know, like, what the fuck, you know, you was doing.
Starting point is 00:02:53 Man, I'll say some stuff, you feel, I mean? I'll say, uh, I was young, you know what I mean, and eager to, you know, just to make it out of my hood and provide for my family. So I did a lot of, like, spontaneous things that I wish I could, like, rethink. But then when I get to think in that, it's like, if I didn't do it, then what if I wouldn't have accomplished anything? You know what I'm saying? So it's like, you know, it's hard juggling those two things, right? And then another thing is, you know, bad management, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:03:26 Just having, you know, people that didn't believe in me like I was. believed in myself, you know what I'm saying, around me and didn't see the full vision, like how I saw it, you know what I'm saying? It was a lot of that going on. It was a lot of politics, bro. You know what I'm saying? It was a lot of people wanting their hands in the pot that I had. You know what I'm saying? Like, I even had people coming up and telling me, like, like, man, like people was looking at you like money back when I was just like 18, you know what I'm saying? Like, I wasn't even on the radio or anything yet at that moment, you know what I'm saying? And I just knew I was in this hot seat. You feel of me?
Starting point is 00:03:57 And in my mind at that time, I'm thinking, I'm just saying, like, I know it's going to be rocky, but something telling me just to keep, just to go anyway. You know what I'm saying? Like, just to risk myself, you know what I'm saying? And this contractual stuff, and hopefully something good come out of it. That was how I convinced myself to do it. You know what I'm saying? Like, as far as, like, signing any kind of contracts and paperwork in the beginning of me having
Starting point is 00:04:23 protection, like lawyers involved or any of anything. of that, you know what I'm saying? So, again, it was just a lot of that. It's hard to go into details about it because the industry is wicked. You know what I'm saying? I mean, you know, because as an artist, a lot of artists, when they felt like they ain't doing good
Starting point is 00:04:42 or they ain't reaching a hikes that they should be doing, they're doing like they always blame the management. You know what I'm saying? Or the management wasn't doing this or the management wasn't doing this like, you know? You know? I would say this. Okay. It was bigger than the management, but the management was upon and why things, you know what I'm saying, didn't progress for me in ways that it could have. You know what I'm saying? Like it was so many big opportunities. Like, you know, one being, you know, QC, you know what I'm saying? Like they looked at me, you know, from the jump of my career as soon as I had slide through one of my biggest singles out that came straight to me and flew me out to Atlanta. I went, you know, this was before a little baby.
Starting point is 00:05:27 and everybody. That's how I got the Migos on the remix. Yeah, that's how I got the Migos on the remix. You know what I'm saying? I sat down with them. We was at Roo Chris, me, coach K.P. You know what I'm saying? And everything, you know, they showed me around Atlanta.
Starting point is 00:05:39 They showed me the studios. Everything was everything. I loved everything that I seen. You know what I'm saying? When I called the manager and reported back and let her know, like, you know, I'm fucking with the situation. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:05:52 That's not what the plans were. You know what I'm saying? And in her mind and the people that was behind her mind. They had so much power over me A lot of people, you know, wouldn't have known, you know what I'm saying? So it makes it complicated to speak. They have power over your decision making.
Starting point is 00:06:06 Yes. Because you were young. Yeah. But it was also just, it was grimy. It get political. You get what I'm saying? So do you regret a lot of, you know, do you regret that one decision? I mean, because you can definitely DM my nigger right now.
Starting point is 00:06:24 You know what I'm saying? And I've done. I've done that. I've done that. I've done my due diligence. But I've also understood, like, you know, how they could look at it. You know what I'm saying? Like, and I can't blame them for it either.
Starting point is 00:06:33 You know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, they're hearing me out, but for all they know, that could be some bullshit. You know what I'm saying? Like, you already know how this shit go. You feel what I mean? Like, they offered the opportunity on their end. You know what I'm saying? If I'm them, I'm like, okay, we offered you the opportunity when we, before we even made it to our highest peak as far as where they had now.
Starting point is 00:06:54 You know what I'm saying? and they could feel a way about that, somebody trying to return back after. You know what I'm saying? Like it's like now to them, it's like, of course you want to come back and, you know what I'm saying? Come up a mess. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:07:09 You know what I'm saying? So I've done my due diligence on that, but I did that not even, you know, hoping for them to sign me or anything like that. I just needed Coach Kay to know just mentally, you know, where I was at at that time. because Coach K was a real, you know, he was a real solid dude. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:07:27 Like, I could think back, I was, like, I was broken around that time, right? And I remember they kind of scammed our flights to Atlanta, you know what I'm saying, the management or something, right? Me and my cousin go down here, and then we get stranded up, basically. We couldn't come back. Like, we went to the airport. The flights, I guess, back didn't work for us or something like that, right? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:07:48 And we called Coach Kay, and we was like, man, we stranded at the airport, coach. And Coach said, it's good. I got y'all. I'm going to buy y'all some tickets right now and bought us, you know, me and my cousin's some tickets back home. Love for the gate. And then that you and his sign. But I wanted to. I swear to die, bro. I called the management right after the meeting and was so excited. As far as what I seen, I'm like, I seen commotry. That's something that we don't got an open. You know what I'm in your career did you figure out like, you know what? I can, I'm in control of this shit. When Walker told me, Waka Flaka. And it was just too late after that point.
Starting point is 00:08:23 You get what I'm saying? Why didn't you think you were in control? When you're the nigga, the artist, you feel me, you're the one creating the music, you're doing a thing. This is on your back. Being in poverty, bro, you know what I'm saying? And being manipulated and then being shown that they could stop my career in ways that it's crazy, bro.
Starting point is 00:08:47 Like, it'll spook you. You know what I'm saying? I'll say a story. Was that a Bay Area thing, politics, ways where they was like, you know what? We're going to stop all this shit. This is bigger than the bay. Yeah. Shit.
Starting point is 00:09:00 You know what I'm saying? It's bigger than the bay shit. I'll just tell you this a little bit of story. One day I got a call. My single on the radio. You feel me? One day I get a call. He like,
Starting point is 00:09:12 we want you to listen to the radio all day today. I'm all right. I'm thinking everything all good. I listen all that day. That night come. The whole day I didn't hear my song. one time. You know what I'm saying? And they said, and they called me and they said,
Starting point is 00:09:31 did you notice anything today? I'm like, yeah, I didn't hear myself. They said exactly. Wow, they was playing that type of game with a nigga. So how do you explain something like that to people and how you explain something like that to Coach Kay? How do you explain something like that
Starting point is 00:09:52 to Cuevo? You know what I'm? Well, I mean, yeah. I mean, you would, if me, I would have to voice my little pen like bro can you help me get the fuck up out this shit i'm about to die in this shit because these niggas got me fucked up but one thing i noticed though and i asked a question about the management thing you know and i've been seeing you y'all for a long time i had to put a face to the music and a lot of people you know what i'm saying i know when you got to put a face to
Starting point is 00:10:22 the music it was something there that did connect and it was something there that you know they weren't doing on their side and that that that's what you know they weren't doing on their side and that That's fucked up. I remember when I first got my single, man, they wanted to get the first deal. Yeah. Anything that came in, they was like, let's get that. And it was only like for $20,000. It was willing to sell me to a label, any label for $20,000 right away.
Starting point is 00:10:43 Right away, first deal. But didn't want to sign the QC. But didn't want to sign the QC when he had it right on the table. What the fuck kind of sense does that make, though? It just let me know they didn't want me to be big. Yeah. I was a lick. I was a bag, I was a quick little bag for them, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:11:03 That's what I found out later, like, thinking about it all. That's why you got that question. Like, what do you get out of that? Like, because they didn't want to see me big for real. You know what I mean? Like, that's all I can see, you know? So when I kind of caught wind of their lack in my, uh, of belief in me, it pushed me harder to become better at my art.
Starting point is 00:11:25 You know what I'm saying? Like, around that time, I'm like, I'm like, I gotta get better then. You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm gonna just keep getting better at, you know, separating myself, you know what I'm saying? As far as this one sound that I got, because, you know, you could be content with one sound.
Starting point is 00:11:38 So in my mind, I'm like, while this sound is getting catered to and people liking it from me, I'm gonna get better into singing. You know what I'm gonna start practicing my voice work, you know, more on the R&B round. And then I put out another R&B record called between your thighs
Starting point is 00:11:50 and that stream more than all of my other records, you know what I'm saying? So it just taught me like, okay, I got different parameters of how I could take my career. You know what I'm saying? So I was making sure I was getting myself ready for whatever. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:12:03 To stay at it. You know what I'm saying? Like I've seen like, you know, peers before me come and go. That's my fear. You know what I'm saying? Like I'm not about to, you know, come and then be disappear like that. Just because the lack of people of not believing in my talent. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:12:21 Like I still got the talent. So, you know, Mazzie taught me something too. It's just, you know, if he said if it's something that not going on, right, then it's his fault. You know what I'm saying? And I believe in that. So that's why I just push hard, you know, no matter what. You know, I still to this day, like, you're not the only person that feels the way you do. Yeah, for real. I get it all the time. Like, back home, like, when you're going to get back on the radio? Like, like, nigga, shit. Bitch put me, bitch put me on that motherfucker. Yeah. Bitch, I would, you know what I'm saying? Like, when you put
Starting point is 00:12:52 me on that motherfucker, that's what I'm, you know, nigga? The fuck wrong with you, you know. You feel me you know when I do interviews you know a lot of motherfuckers will be like knowing who the fuck I'm interviewing like and a lot of you know you do you do have fans and your fans are going click this but you know outside of your fans you do you have the younger people and you have the no jumper crowd that you know that don't be in tune and it's still you know coming on this you like we get we reintroducing you feel me like so I want to start back you know what you know younger you know raving you feel me coming up where you're you're you from you know you know how you got here um born and raised east oakland california um my dad from
Starting point is 00:13:34 Atlanta so i got a little bit of that in me too you know what i'm saying lived in Atlanta for a few years with him when i was younger um mama from west oakland um went to oakland you know what's middle school uh west lake middle school pymont elementary school went to you know all my years of school in my city uh really it just started you know my dad you know what i'm saying like shout out to My pops, he from Atlanta, like I said, me and my little brother, R.P. My brother, Raymond Justice. We used to always just be around my dad with his artists. Like, I remember a vivid moment when he was kids in Atlanta, and my dad had all these dudes all up in his house in our little-ass apartment, and they was making the beat on the table. And then each one of these dudes just start rapping one after another.
Starting point is 00:14:20 I'm like, okay, my dad owns to something. You know, he's trying to find some type of talent. Like, I think he was like on his ditty shit. You know what I'm saying? Just trying to like invest. He wasn't a talent of his own, so I feel like my dad was just one of them do that's wanted to yearn to just put somebody in position. You get what I'm saying? And I admire that about him still do later down the line.
Starting point is 00:14:39 We moved back to California or whatever, and he meet two singers. And I remember being in the studio and watching them do their thing and stuff like that. So literally I've been around this shit since I was a baby. You know what I'm saying? May I'm not wanted to do music, but I was around it. So it was always in my life. You know what I'm saying? Where was mom at during this time?
Starting point is 00:14:59 Mom and Popper was going through some, you know, some problems, you know what they're in each other. And Popps, you took it upon itself to take custody. Yeah, you know how that go. You know what I'm saying? But that's great, though. I mean, in some aspects it's great, but some aspects it's not, you feel what I'm? Yeah, that's how I feel. Yeah, that's how I feel.
Starting point is 00:15:16 You know what I'm saying? Like being in the midst of, it, because I love my mom. You know what I'm saying? And I don't know about their issues. You know what I mean? It's not really your own, the kids to know. You know what I mean? What's going on?
Starting point is 00:15:26 All I can do is love them both equally. You know what I'm saying? Like I don't love no parent more than the other one. I know they both got their wrong doings and I can't really judge him for that. You know what I'm saying? Like we all live and learn in his life that we live in. So all I can do is just love my dad for who I know he is
Starting point is 00:15:42 and love my mom for what I know she is, you know? So Pops was in the music industry. He did his thing. You learned. He owned. He owned. He on clubs. He was in the army.
Starting point is 00:15:50 You know what I'm saying? He was just one of the big believers. Like, and, you know, as me just studying his life, life like it let me know like why I'm the way I am you know what I'm saying like he was he was Atlantic kid you know what I'm saying and wanted to go to the big city is what he called it San Francisco because initially that was molding your brain and start doing what you're doing now you're like hold on this is it yeah I'm around I'm seeing I'm like okay then what really hit it off off the wall was when the CB came out you know what I'm saying I always like to just give bro his credit
Starting point is 00:16:20 you know what I'm saying Chris Brown came out I'm looking at this young dude on TV I'm looking with my dad again we're already in the music world you get what I'm saying and I'm not trying to be an artist I just know my dad in this shit you know what I'm saying I see the TV and see Chris Brown on the TV I'm like he just literally inspired me as like this young fly dude I felt I was I was that you feel I'm like I can do this shit
Starting point is 00:16:43 that's how I felt when I seen little bow wow come on bro like you know what I'm saying sometimes I just take that person you feel me I love the little bow wow too like come on bro that that was our star You know what I was there? No, I love that. No, God, you feel, me?
Starting point is 00:16:59 I love that. I remember when I seen Bow Wow in the movie. As soon as I seen that it inspired me, you get what I'm like, how that's like, in a movie? Like, man, it's crazy, yeah. Like, that's so inspirational, you know what I'm saying? So shout out to Bow, that was one, like, that was, I got to give him a salute on that. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:17:16 And then, like I said, Chris Brown when he came out, you know, I'm like, I'm in high school or middle school at the time, you know what I mean? So now I'm like developing, maturing into. to, you know what I'm saying, an older kid. Now I'm, like, wanting more out of life. Because at first, you know, we kind of like dumbfounded. We're running around with girls, and we ain't worried about no money or nothing. So as soon as my mind started rapping around that, and I can remember vividly my dad, I was like, just overly excited.
Starting point is 00:17:41 I'm like, dad, look. And I turn around and look at him, and he's like, that's what's up. He's doing this thing. He's like, well, what's you fin to do? Yeah. And then it just hit me, and I'm like, damn, what am I going to do? So how was it? You know what I'm saying growing up younger in Oakland?
Starting point is 00:17:59 Hectic. That's all I got to say. Like that's to me the perfect word for it. Just hectic. I lost my little brother in the city. You know what I'm saying? Lost friends, of course. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:18:10 I did want to touch on the, you know, how you lost your little brother like in that whole story. But, you know, I did want to see like, damn, how was it growing up in Oakland? Because, you know, Los Angeles is kind of, it's the same fucking thing. Yeah. And you know what motherfuckers would be like, oh yeah, when you're going to go to Kelly, they always say L.A.
Starting point is 00:18:30 Yeah. But they niggas never say the bay. You feel I mean? I wonder why the fuck niggas leave the bay out this conversation when niggas say they're going to go to Cali. One word. Hollywood. That too. That's the aspect that changes are growing up because, like, y'all got way bigger dreams for the gate because, like, y'all see an experience.
Starting point is 00:18:55 exposed to stars and things immediately, like way up there. Like, we all know, we only know us. Like, we only know what we know. We only know we have Pock. Like, he spoke out for us and said he going to rep Oakland. So that's why, like, Pac forever going to be a legend in the bay. Like, he fucked with us and understood the essence of the culture because he came and grew up. Yeah, and was in the streets and rolling up weed in the hood with everybody, like, pop up kissing babies.
Starting point is 00:19:23 Like, really just out there. But it is a tourist city. But at the end of the day, for the city, though, not for Hollywood. But if we go on artists, niggins, nor have got artists. Why do we not say the bay in L.A.? We will only say that out here.
Starting point is 00:19:41 You feel me? But if other others, like, don't say that shit. The bigger mind on TV, like, now they'll, like, guarantee you five years, they'll say the bay. Because we got Curry. We got shit on TV now. You got to remember back in the day it was TV. They're only showing LA.
Starting point is 00:19:58 They're not showing San Francisco. They're not showing Oakland too much to enough to where. Even in the movies. Like nowadays, everybody and a lot of like the Bay Area. There's the Golden State Bridge and the Friscoe stuff. All of the movies now. They think we won. You know, a lot of, we from Oakland.
Starting point is 00:20:12 So we get a lot of like, oh shit, I thought the Bay was like right by LA. Like how in other states everything may be. They don't know we like a state away. If you think about it, we're, yeah, y'all. We like New York, y'all like Florida. Like, it's that much difference. He and Atlanta pulled me to the side when we was in Atlanta. And he was from L.A.
Starting point is 00:20:32 He looked at our ID. He was like, Oakland. And then he even felt like that. He was like, y'all kind of like another place. It is. That's another little island. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:20:43 You feel me? But I want you to describe Oakland. You feel me? And how y'all grew up there and what it is. All right. Well, he's from the East. My name is Servic Solo. grew up in the north you feel me like in the north we we more so like it's a smaller part of
Starting point is 00:20:59 oakland the east oakland part is the biggest part of oakland and it's like west oakland it's like the north and west together make up the east so it's just like we just all grow up like you know just running around like we we with the shit but we just don't have a game culture like we got more so hoods blocks and clicks like you and yo niggas versus me and my niggas it's not Not necessarily set off colors or whatever. That's the only dynamic that changed. And like I said, opportunity. So mostly everybody thugging, pimping, bipping, sipping, drilling.
Starting point is 00:21:35 That's all we know. You know, we know the game. Like, that's all we know is the game. Get the bag, get the bitch. That's my poppy. This bippin shit is crazy. Yeah. The bippin shit.
Starting point is 00:21:46 Right. We invented that. We invented that. We bought that out. We made that a hustle. We made some petty shit. And now we stuck my niggas. Up, all right.
Starting point is 00:21:55 Quality gang. Bipin shit, I would lose my motherfucking mind. Like, my thing, I just fixed this motherfucker window, nigga, god damn. Fix it again, nigga. Stop slipping. Have you niggas ever bit? Hell yeah.
Starting point is 00:22:13 So you was bippen. Man, I, man, I, nigger, shout out my nigga, Killa Fonte, nigger from Oakland, we started that shit. He put me on here. older nigga than me. He rapped to it. But he put me on that shit, put the whole city on, nigga. Went down
Starting point is 00:22:28 for a hell of time. All that shit. Upstacks, Rollies, A thing, foreigns, apartments. Sir, whatever we won't like. First of all. I don't even want to promote it like that. I don't even want to promote it like that because it's crazy. It's people that don't even
Starting point is 00:22:42 matter. But you feel me like, you know right. But man, we up this shit. You feel? I ain't going to lie. You feel me? Like, that's all we know. You feel me? Formerly introduced my nigga. Bip King, you know what I'm saying? Hell, hell, thought. Don't know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:22:55 They have to be clean, though. Oh, God. Bip King, Tommy. You know what I mean? You know what I mean? You know what I? You feel me? This is my little brother, man.
Starting point is 00:23:04 We grew up together. We went to the same elementary school together. He was best friends with my little brother, Raymond Justice. You know what I'm saying? We're just a brotherhood, you know what I mean? Been in the trenches together, you know what I mean? Like, he was always by my side, you know,
Starting point is 00:23:16 every since I heard him in my little brother room. You feel me? I never forget this shit. Like my little brother brought him over to the crib. I'm in my room. It's big breath time. You get what I said? I hear some little nigga in my brother's room talking so much shit.
Starting point is 00:23:30 They're playing the game. I'm just hearing some new voice saying, nigga, I'm that nigga. You knicker's weak. I'm like, who is this in here? You feel me? I get up, I go check him out. I'm like, okay.
Starting point is 00:23:41 I'm liking how you talking all that shit in there because most of my brother friends was like just people I didn't like. Yeah, you know how that go? You know what I don't like none of your friends, bro. You know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah, they were. We don't.
Starting point is 00:23:51 Yeah. So you feel, me, he kind of stood out to me. You feel, it'd be, you know, later, you feel me, when the shit happened to my brother, R.P. Rame again, he was the only one that was, like, always there, bro, like, checking in on me, coming to visit.
Starting point is 00:24:04 You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? I was dinner, like, ready to die. You know what I'm saying? Like suicidal thoughts. You know what I'm saying? Bro came and just, I remember I never forget. He came and sat down with me as I was crying about bro,
Starting point is 00:24:16 and was like, you know, you got to think about what he would want you to do. You know what I'm saying? And he was like, well, you think, you know, you know, better than anybody. I'm like, true. He was like, do you think he wants you sitting here doing this or continuing, you know, on the music? Because me and my brother did music together too.
Starting point is 00:24:34 And he was, you know, he was just like, man, you know, he gave me the options in my mind. I never thought about it like that at that point of view. And it just helped me kind of like, you know, mold my brain into, you know, dealing with all this pain and agony I was going through. and then putting it to use to putting on for my bro instead. Let's rewind a little bit. What happened to little bro? It's just, you know, when it comes to sit like that,
Starting point is 00:25:02 it's just so many stories that you hear. You know what I'm saying? Like, bro was with the shit. I'll just say that. You know what I'm saying? He was outside. This was his, you know what I'm saying? One of his niggas day was outside with it.
Starting point is 00:25:11 You get what I'm saying? You know, in the hood, you're like I haven't heard many different stories. I really can't tell you exactly what happened. I just know my brother. I know his temper. You know what I'm saying? His nickname was high head. I heard.
Starting point is 00:25:26 So you don't know the initial conversation or what sparked? Yeah. I don't know why. You know what I'm saying? This happened to, bro. But what actually happened to lead to his death? He got shot? Yeah, he got shot.
Starting point is 00:25:38 So let me tell you my account, because we was like in high school or whatever. He went to, it was like a school on the top of the hill, school on the bottom of the hill. He went to the bottom. I went to the top. But he was going to transfer to Ohio. the hoop so Raymond you feel me he went back to Ohio to train for basketball and then coming back home he was with some girls or whatever some niggas try to pop at the bitches or whatever and then um you know he like hold on nigga woo regular shit and then um
Starting point is 00:26:08 he like all right i'll be back or whatever and then they they popped him or whatever you feel me awesome like while he was walking off type shit popped him he like he was he was hitting the like You know, the back area of his neck and shit. Like, so he was trying to, you feel, me some weird shit, like that regular hood shit that we all, we all, you feel me, was up against. Because we had, that summer, we had lost, like, 10 or 20 homes. He's all 10, 20 niggas, like, all, like, R age, 17, 16, 15. Like, that one summer, it was just bapping. And then he, he ended up, like, after the summer, he ended up being one of the people that got killed that same year.
Starting point is 00:26:48 Like it was just so turnted in the town like That's why now this stuff that's going on ain't so dire to us The older generation right before that invented the internet Invented because we we got the best of both worlds We was there before the internet and we birthed it So that's some before the internet type shit like some street shit that like he said just be happening in Oakland That day How did that shit like affect y'all like mentally as far you know
Starting point is 00:27:17 When you got the news. It just changed us. You feel me? It changed the whole city. Like, everything was just different. Like, the whole city. Like, we, we conquered a movement out of it. Like, it put hell of people on.
Starting point is 00:27:38 Like, it drugged hell of people down. It made hell of people start being with the shit that wasn't with the shit. Like, that start, like, embodying his energy trying to, it just, it unloading it to a frenzy. Yeah. Yeah. That's crazy, man, you know, losing somebody like that and I ain't going to lie to it, man. That shit.
Starting point is 00:27:59 I've been through that too. I've been through that too, you know, and I've seen the whole, the city shift. And just my inner, you know, my people, you know what I'm saying? That's been close to me. It shift you and it fuck you up. You know what I'm saying? But it's like, like, does it help you for the best? Yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 00:28:20 Like, did it make you, like, did it make you worse? It made me, I was hella shallow at first. I was a happy-go-lucky-ass nigga, like, hey, nigga, we're the bitches, nigga, we yon shit, nigga, fuck, niggas. Then after that, it, like, it made me realize, like, this shit really life, like, seeing, like, families really hurting, like, seeing, like, the whole breakdown of how bullshit affect people. It switched me to get up off of that.
Starting point is 00:28:49 It made me way more mature. That's why I start talking then. Like, bro, we got to be better now. Like, because that's the path that he was on. We went from going to, like, juvenile hall and da-da-da-da-da-da to, like, making an honor roll and, like, graduate. So that was the path we was already trying to be on before, you know, just being in our environment and our city, some bullshit happened to us.
Starting point is 00:29:13 Because essentially everything really happens for a reason. And it's just like, damn, if this would like, to happen would I be here today? Would I be sitting here? Will I be doing this music? Will I be concentrating on these different things? Will I have my kids? Like, everything happened for a reason.
Starting point is 00:29:32 And then it's just like, it's that motivation. It's like, like, does this keep me motivated to keep doing what I'm supposed to be doing? You know what I'm saying? Definitely. Definitely. Do it. Did that situation keep you, like I'm saying, motivated? then and now yeah yeah the only thing yeah the only thing that keep you motivated
Starting point is 00:29:56 then and now yeah to like the like because you know you gotta had that that that that extra drive to like let people talk shit like let people like you know get away with shit you know you wouldn't you know you weren't you weren't on like and like you said the with the unappreciation stuff that's why I watch a lot of superhero movies because superheroes are unappreciated but the the thing that they that they provide is very necessary so it's not about the appreciation like sometimes when you gift it it's about giving it's not about what you receive because you already receive the gift to give everybody can't even get a self-none so it's like in every artist nigger no artist in his age is appreciated no artist
Starting point is 00:30:40 not from drake not from anybody we all we are not appreciative of the monument till it's gone because we still got a stress about work. We don't have time to really appreciate some fucking art. Like, I like this shit. I don't blah, blah, that's ass hot. And we still got life still too. So, you know, that's what that death gave me, that outlook on deepness into life, for real,
Starting point is 00:31:04 to where I'm not worried about being appreciated. It's like I got my family, my daughter appreciate me. Like, don't give a fuck about what you saying in some comments. Yeah. And too, like, you know, like, I, I'm better at influencing now. You feel me? Exactly.
Starting point is 00:31:20 I'm better at influencing the nigga here. I can guide you here and there. I've been through this shit. Like, I know what you're going through. Being through these depressed modes. You feel me? Like, I know what's the deal? Like, maybe you might need therapy, because, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:31:35 Like, you feel me? Like, it ain't shit. I ain't nothing wrong with it either, especially in our community. You know what I'm saying? Like, they really do, like, look down upon that shit. but everybody do need help, you feel me? And everybody do, like, need somebody to be there with to cope with. You feel me?
Starting point is 00:31:52 Well, we always been took advantage of in every aspect of doctors, they're therapy. It always been taking advantage of from a black standpoint. So with anything structural or business or corporate, nigger, we got our guard up, nigga. We got to learn how to not or finesse, but that's just what it is, nigga. Fuck therapy and everybody.
Starting point is 00:32:10 I'm not telling nobody my business. I'm not telling it because, nigga, y'all not understanding of what go home, I'm going to tell him like, nigga, my mama and then beat my ass or my mama and my daddy fighting hos in the wall and knew that I can't tell now because legally they got to go and do this. And so there's no therapy for me. They don't understand what I go through. So where's the therapy?
Starting point is 00:32:31 Now so it is with more black therapists being able to, so it's not so the structure of life isn't so racist no more to where we got those dynamics now. So that's why I say, yeah, we can break through now. but we just got to understand a standpoint we coming from as black people and I want you to touch Raven, you know, on the influence of dad and how important a dad being in your life, you know what I'm saying, like helped you through this shit. Because a lot of black fathers aren't there for their kids.
Starting point is 00:33:03 True. And him being there, you're looking at different things. Like, I know that shit helped you. Yeah. You know, my dad, you know, he's not a perfect man. You know what I'm saying? Like he got his, his fault, just like any human on earth. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:33:19 But now that I'm older, I've appreciated, you know, like you said, just having them and having the dad. You know what I'm saying? I grew up with inviting my friends over and having to tell him at the dough, like, man, my dad crazy. You know what I'm saying? Like, he'd be getting drunk, you feel me? And when he get drunk, he turned into another person. So I'm just letting you know, you know what I'm saying? and all my friends and laugh
Starting point is 00:33:43 and was like, man, we ain't worried about that shit, man. And they'll come in and experience him and then laugh about it and enjoy what I thought that, you know, could potentially re- fuck the relationship. Well, my partner's like, we're not coming over your house no more.
Starting point is 00:33:59 So I was trying to protect that. You feel me? And each one of them, even this nigga right here, all love my dad. That's probably going to be me. You know what I'm going to be. Probably going to be the truck. That's probably going to be me.
Starting point is 00:34:11 I ain't even lying. That's probably going to be me. Like, fucked up. Oh, God. He got OG that everybody gets love, man, for real. Shout out of Hulk justice, man. Yeah, let's take it back to this Chris Brown influence. You know what?
Starting point is 00:34:24 You know what? You looked on TV. You said, you know what, nigga? That's me. I'm going to do that shit. And how did you start incorporating that shit into your everyday, you know, music career? Well, I started off rapping. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:34:40 Like, at that time, I'm going to do that shit. a shout out the pack too you know what I'm saying like they was just out booming with vans on vans at the time and a bunch of other songs so you know they was from right up the street Berkeley you know what I'm saying like that's 10 minutes 15 minutes away from Oakland you know I'm saying yep and that was an inspiration of his own you know what I'm saying them boys was everywhere like globally like I'm seeing them in New York they came out with the ducky chain you know they was setting trends early like for all of us look the vans the skinny gene look and all of that you know what I mean so I'm like man these dudes and took over the world like you
Starting point is 00:35:11 You know what I'm saying? So they're up the street. That was one inspiration. So I started rapping. You know what I'm saying? I used to go by Fresh Kid Arjee at first. A lot of everybody around in my hood know me is that. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:35:22 You know what I'm saying? Like, you know what I'm saying? Fresh kid. What's the deal? Like, nigg I really know you, d'iaguer. Yeah, like that's the old shit. Yeah. For real.
Starting point is 00:35:32 Yeah. So yeah, man. And then, like I said, I was in that, I was already kind of doing music at this point. Then when Chris Brown came out with the singing shit, it just inspired me to like, inspired me to like try singing and I ain't gonna lie god wasn't good you know what I'm saying like right away and I kind of like and I kind of like I'm gonna just do kind of like you know rap a little bit of rapping and a little bit of singing you know what I'm saying because I can hold a little tune I felt you know what I'm saying at the time but I was way more better at the rapping shit you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:35:57 And then shout to my partner young doja man I never forget this he he really I got to give him the credit for you know really who I am today you know what I'm saying as far as the singing realm right one day, because at this time I'm trying to hoop. You feel me? One day I'm walking down to the store and you know how some in some apartment structures you got to walk down the stairs and then you can hear
Starting point is 00:36:19 yourself loud in the staircase. So I was singing the Chris Brown song or something. I don't know what I was singing, but I was singing it and I guess it was sounding good. You know what I mean? And when I came back from the store my partner told me to come upstairs. He had his own studio in his house. He was way more into music than me at the time.
Starting point is 00:36:35 So when I went in there, he played me some R&B, I'm like, yeah, I'm fucking with it. It's clean, man, you know? He was like, I want you to sing on it. I'm like, bro, I don't sing. You know what I'm saying? We try to shut the deal. And he was like, I just heard you singing right outside.
Starting point is 00:36:52 Yeah, like, I don't fuck with it yet. Hold on. Yeah, but he's like, I heard it. He was like, whatever I heard outside sound good. I'm like, nah, bro. You feel me? He may be nervous. You feel me?
Starting point is 00:37:02 I'm like, nah, did he hit me with this? He said, okay, bro, look, if you don't fuck with it, we could just delete it. I'm like, we could just delete it. He's like, yes. I'm like, let's try it. Do you feel me?
Starting point is 00:37:17 So then I got up and then we wrote this little hook or whatever and I sang it the song called Miss Lady is still on YouTube to this day. And that's my very first like singing song. You get what I said? And when I did it, I just heard all the potential in myself. You feel me? Like I'm hearing me. I'm like, damn, the guy sounds hell of good for real.
Starting point is 00:37:35 Because he kind of helped me like, record. I didn't know how to even record at the time. So he like stacked your vocals and do this. And he mixed it a little bit and did some shit. And then he made me sound like, you know, more open on the speakers and shit. So I'm like, and this is before auto tune. So I, you know, I sounded, to me, I sounded like terrible but good at the same time. So I'm like, I've got potential. If I, if I keep working at it, I could be good. That's what I told my younger self. You feel I mean? It's like a sport to me at that point, like playing basketball, riding a bike. You feel me?
Starting point is 00:38:04 If you keep doing something, you can get good at it. So I'm like, fuck it. I'm just be a beast that's singing shit. So I just swapped out the whole rap shit and then start singing on everybody's song in the hood. Like all the niggas that I knew that was just in the neighborhood, just rapping and shit, going to eight studios and shit, just getting on anything. I didn't give a fuck what kind of beat it was. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:38:23 Like, it could be a rap. They're like, but it's the beat ain't no singing song. I'm like, I don't give a fuck. Do you feel me? I'm like, let me just get on it. Yeah. Because what was, tell him like, what was your, you know what I'm saying? saying your break song like you know what I'm saying the one that broke you nigga out there the one that
Starting point is 00:38:39 broke me was called slide through slide through slide through and and you know that particular style was um was new at the time you know what I'm saying before everybody doing the you know the sack ring the singing rapping vibe that everybody got going it wasn't that and I was I was I was told that by the radio station owner in in the Bay area you know what I'm saying like I remember my song was number one like every other week number one number one number one number one Number one, I'm on the radio. And I'm just, in my mind, I'm wondering like, damn, this is crazy.
Starting point is 00:39:09 Like, this is a dream coming true, right? He told me to come to the office one day to ask me to do summer jam. Of course. This is, like, the biggest dream in everybody in the Bay's mind. Like, if you get on that stage, you didn't made it.
Starting point is 00:39:21 You know what I'm saying? For sure. For show. For sure. You made it. So I'm in the office. I'm looking at him. I'm like, of course I want to do it.
Starting point is 00:39:28 You know what I'm saying? He's like, all right, bet. You know what I'm saying? And it was the option. you know you could take a little bit of money and then get like probably no promo on the radio people just know that you're going to be there or you just you know what I'm saying just do it for the love and they just show you love I'm like I just want to get shown love show me love I'm do it for free you know what I'm saying this is a dream come true to me it's not about the money so I took that
Starting point is 00:39:49 and then he told me at that point like it was like you know your music works really well on the radio and I'm like dang really he was like yeah whatever type of style that you got I'm like I call it I didn't even know what it was called. You get what I'm saying? That's how I knew it was. I'm like, I'm just, I'm singing, but I'm rapping. Like, I'm melodically rapping.
Starting point is 00:40:08 I didn't even know how to tell him this. But you've done a lot of songs with a lot of people. You know what I'm saying? It was, it was just like, damn, you're moving. Come on me. Like, my boy moving, you know what I'm saying? That's that, that's that soil we from the soil of E40s and two shorts. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:40:25 Like, the reason why people still even know them today is because of how they working and how they be moving. Like Salute to E-40. Like he stayed with a song every, you know what I'm saying? Year. Year or two. You get what I'm saying? He'll catch one.
Starting point is 00:40:39 Like that's inspirational to us. You get what I'm saying? Like, damn, he, he, his age and still doing this shit. From the beginning of his career. Look, one, one song, you know, I had my eye on here. You was at Molly Mallhouse. You had a song with Delo. You hear you was in that Ferrari.
Starting point is 00:40:54 I was like, what the fuck these niggas is doing that Molly Mallhouse, because? What's that song? I was called I'm like Oh no That was called Gooning Yeah Shout out
Starting point is 00:41:04 Yeah Welcome home nigga Yeah Shout out my nigga I'm gonna bring him up here too You know what I'm saying We was doing a whole bunch of shit To you feel me
Starting point is 00:41:13 I had my nigga A little blood up here too You feel I'm doing the thing That's crazy I'm having a lot of Oakland Niggas coming to building No worry about nothing
Starting point is 00:41:22 Yeah I'm like Hold on But you was moving around Oh me what you was doing over who connect was that that was de lo connect for doing that in that molly mahouse oh no that was me me and molly that's you know me and molly go you know i remember me molly molly out here in l.a when i had slide through going for me in the bay it didn't you know how it is like
Starting point is 00:41:40 it didn't it wasn't here yet so when i didn't like when i felt like i conquered my city in my area i was like i need to go to l.a now immediately you know what i'm saying i came straight down here you know what i mean and i remember going to some club and i seen molly maule in there he came in there with all these niggas and shit. You know what I'm saying? They was trying to tell people to move. I'm like, I ain't moving. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:42:01 So I waited until he kind of like got next to me. And I'm like, hey, and he got his glass on. He probably can't even see up in here. I'm like, my name, Ravens. I'm in his ear. My name Raven just as I sing. I'm from Oakland, bro. We got to work.
Starting point is 00:42:13 And he said, I know about you. Put your number in my phone. Let's, let's connect. And then he really did. He was like, I'll fly you out to Vegas to my mansion so we can really work. I'm like, it's good. He flew me out to Vegas. I was like my first time in Vegas and shit
Starting point is 00:42:25 you know what I'm saying? Yeah, give me some of the Marley Ball stories because when I went to that nigga house I'm like, I'm like, niggas is bawling but I'm like, damn! This nigga got tigers. What you doing? What you doing?
Starting point is 00:42:39 Yeah, I ain't trying to put you out there, but you already know my nigga, you feel me? Oh yeah, you already know. You know what I'm saying? I guess it was off of that. But I've never seen that though. I never seen him doing that off a year and I mean. You feel me?
Starting point is 00:42:52 I already know. You feel me? I already know. A dude is a master producer. He's a master producer. My nigga had, yeah, my nigga had Rose Royces, you know what I mean? Yes. He had madebacks.
Starting point is 00:43:02 He put a nigga in the back of a Mayback by first time. He's intelligently, you know what I mean, maneuvered through. Yeah, he did. You get what I'm saying? You get what I'm saying? He had producer teams, you know, he's behind a lot of production, too, not just like so. He had a poo bear over there. Yes.
Starting point is 00:43:15 One thing about Marley, man, shout out to Molly, man. He know talent, for one, and he know how to put together a hit. You know what I'm saying? Like, he knows when it's one. you get what i'm saying it was a dope pleasure working with him then and then even we just stayed working after that he had moved to la and i went up there and worked with him some more you know what i'm saying like me every time me and him work we always make something that's like just dope you know what i'm saying last thing that we
Starting point is 00:43:36 did was a a video me him and um rich the kid song called on purpose that shit was dope you know what i just came back from germany as soon as i landed he like come to the crib we're doing the video right now we got all the girls here rich the kid already i'm like how did you know like it was like perfect time he didn't even know I was coming to L.A. or where I was coming from. As soon as I landed, he hit my phone and said, where are you at? I'm like, I just landed in L.A. from Germany. Been gone three months. He's like, come to my man, and we're shooting the video today. Right now. Straight to his house. Shot the video. You guys here? Like, you know, you start evolving with your
Starting point is 00:44:11 sound too and you start, you know, when you start singing, I think it was, what is it called? Do it, Justice, too. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Do it justice too. And then that's, that's, that's, that's, That was a cool one. And then Arn Bay. When I went to these, I'm like, okay, I'm listening to the, listening to him, he's doing this thing. But Arn Bay, I'm like, this nigga mastered is Chris Brown sound. Oh.
Starting point is 00:44:40 I love this messy-assinger. I'm like, okay. That's dirty. My in and out, all the shit that fades the stacks, the whole little shit. I said, okay, my nigger really was influenced. I fuck with it. But it was good music. But I can hear the influence.
Starting point is 00:45:00 But if you're not really like listening to you, like interviews and all that, your motherfuckuckers saying, you know? I'm gonna tell you the truth. I love Chris Brown, bro. I'm a big fan, right? Yeah. But that's, he got a lot of big fans, right? I didn't give, like, the only
Starting point is 00:45:14 comparisons, like, there's a reason for it is because our voices sound almost the same. You get what I'm saying? Yeah. How did I, how come? Could I project my voice to sound like his? You feel me? That's my natural singing voice.
Starting point is 00:45:27 You feel me? You just practicing. No. You can't practice. You can't practice to sound like someone else's, you know what I'm saying? If I could, I would. If I could sound like Chris, I'd sound like that nigga right now. That's what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:45:40 No. It couldn't have been that. You know what I'm saying? You practicing them stacks. Come on. Tell the truth. I'm a real big, I'm a real big R&B head. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:45:50 Like around that time, I'm listening to a pretty. Ricky. I'm listening to Presby when he left the group. You know what I'm saying? I'm listening to Donnell Jones. Avon. You know what I'm studying from all of these greats in my ear when I'm in high school. I'm really a popular loner at this time. I'm going to school with Damian Lillard. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:46:06 Shout out of Dane. You know what I'm saying? Are you with the school with Damian? Yeah. Damn. I watched, I knew he was going to be a star, bro. Y'all the same age? Yeah. Oh my God. I remember. I was watching this nigga in high school. Yeah. Doing everything. He's doing
Starting point is 00:46:22 now he been amazing you feel me that's crazy I'm at the games bro at oh I'm looking at this dude shooting all these crazy ass long jumpers and it's going in and he's like got this calm energy about it he's not a show off dude at the time he more quiet you know what I'm saying
Starting point is 00:46:38 he from we're from the same hood he's over you went to Oakland high yeah with Damien yeah too I remember every day me and Dave was to just shake each other hands right and he used to trip because I used to I used to be working out all the time at this time and I used to have a strong grip. And he used to be like,
Starting point is 00:46:53 bro, why are you gripping my hand like that, bro? He can break my shit, Nick. I'm trying to play basketball, nigg, do you fuck wrong? I'm like, nigga, stick your game up then. Now he's rap, too. He asked you for a song yet? No, no, no, no, no. Oh, why he ain't ask you for nothing? The nigga, rap. You'd be singing, you're great on the hook.
Starting point is 00:47:13 And the verse. Our music is different. Yeah. So, you know, I think that's just what it is. You feel? Too explicit? Yeah. Like, I'm too explicit. Like I like to sing about everything. You feel like me? He got to keep that image going. Yeah, he's an elite.
Starting point is 00:47:27 So he need his music clean away. You get what I'm saying? And I'm sure we could do one. You feel I mean? But shit, only time I tell, bro. Because he can't kill no ops in this shit. He can't do none of that. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:47:38 And he can't talk about sex like that, I don't think. You know what I'm saying? Two sex of songs. Like, that's my go-toes. You feel? Yeah. Either some street shit, some club shit or some sexual-ass shit. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:47:49 And his is a lot about like, you know, the struggle and, you know, you know, overcoming, you know what I'm saying, very positive messages, you feel me? I don't really have positive messages in my songs like that. Yeah. So back to Chris Brown. Did he ever hit you? Like, hey, homie.
Starting point is 00:48:03 I actually met Chris Brown a few times, bro. Like, me and Chris actually hella cool. Like, you know what I'm saying? He's very hard to get in touch with, you feel me? Of course, because he's a superstar. You feel I mean? But when I did meet him, we met it in Hollywood at hookah, at a hookah, at a hookah called Hollywood Hookah, I think.
Starting point is 00:48:19 And it was one random ass night. I'm with some girls and shit. And they're like, yeah, we fin to go to you want to come with us, Ray? I'm like, yeah, where are we going? We're going to go to Hollywood Hooker. Chris was going to pull up. I'm like, oh, damn, for real. I'm like, what Chris? She's like, Chris Brown. I'm like, oh, yeah, we out. So we go or whatever.
Starting point is 00:48:35 And I knew the owner of the spot too. So when I go, the owner, like, oh, what's up, Ray? When you get back in town? I'm like, I just got back like two days ago. You're like, oh, come on. So we get us all in. We go up to the upstairs. And as we're going, he didn't know Chris was coming. So I'm telling him, I heard Chris coming tonight.
Starting point is 00:48:52 You know what I'm saying? He's like, is he? I'm like, yeah, that's what I heard. He's like, oh, shit, well, come on. I'm going to get you set up before you getting here. So we go all the way upstairs to the VIP section, and there's a DJ up in there. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:49:04 And 10 minutes later, I hear hell of screaming going on downstairs. You know what I'm saying? Chris Brown coming in with all his people. You feel me? He come up to where I'm at. And the owners purposely, like, I think, like put us in the same area. you know what I'm saying so he when he came up he sat directly across from where I was sitting
Starting point is 00:49:21 I'm basically already sitting right here where we at and then he was like him coming in and sitting right there you feel me came in there he was talking to Karucci still at the time so she came in and sat across that side of the room and then in my mind I'm like this is so real moment this is crazy you feel me like yeah you know what this is so real this is crazy right here you feel me so I'm like okay something got to happen I don't know what so I think in my mind I'm gonna go up to the DJ, I'm gonna see if he got my song. He might have didn't. You know what I'm saying? I go up to him. I'm like, yo, he kind of tried to brush me off a little bit. You feel me? I'm like, my name, Raven Justice. Like you said, a lot of niggas just know my name, but
Starting point is 00:49:57 don't know my face. You feel me? As soon as I said my name, he was, you the name. And he typed in his computer, my name, and he had like seven of my songs. And I seen Slide Thule Tho. Slide Tho was my biggest song at the time in the bay. You know what I'm like, I'm like, I need you to play my song, bro. Like, play that for me. And he like, it's good. Give me a couple of songs. I'm gonna play it after a couple of songs. I'm like, it's good. I go sit back down, chill. Chris Brown got one of his cousins with him at the time.
Starting point is 00:50:24 You know what I'm saying? He's literally sitting directly across from me. He played, the DJ played loyal, and then he gave me a cue, like, I'm about to play slide through next. I'm like, go ahead. You feel me? You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:50:35 Let's go. He played my record. Immediately his cousin stood up and was fucking with it. You know what I'm saying? I'm like, okay, you know what I'm saying? Chris Brown looked at him like, oh, okay, he's fucking with it. All right, whatever.
Starting point is 00:50:46 He got his phone and shit. You feel me? And then I'm like, oh, let me just stand up and see, you know what I'm saying, and introduce myself to Cuzz, you feel me? Hey, this is me? You know what I'm saying? He's like, this you? That's crazy.
Starting point is 00:50:59 I'm like, yeah, he's like, Nick, I'll fuck with this song, bro. And as we're conversing, you know what I'm saying? Chris Brown is looking at what's going on. He probably didn't know what was, you know what I'm saying? This is his cousin. So I'll be on shit too, just like him, you feel? And after we done, I look over at Chris and he like, this show song?
Starting point is 00:51:16 I'm like, yeah I fuck with this song I'm like right on bro I appreciate that you know what I'm saying and I just just took that moment you know what I'm saying
Starting point is 00:51:25 like I didn't do nothing thirsty I didn't go over there and try to say like did you want to make you on the remix then like you know what I'm saying I wish I'd be done there now could have probably done so I would have been thirsty as a bitch
Starting point is 00:51:34 I ain't even go lie hold on this motherfucker you fuck with the song you fuck with a leg hold on that let me get your number nigga let me let me what we're gonna do
Starting point is 00:51:40 what we're gonna do you all that what we know Look, look, you crazy. This is my only opportunity. You got me fucked all the way up, nigga. What? I feel you.
Starting point is 00:51:53 Yeah. That's how I feel now, right? But look, look. Yeah. Yeah, it's all good. It's all good. We're from the town, nigga. That's not, I know.
Starting point is 00:52:00 Yeah. We can't be over the dick dick. Like, that's out, you know. No, he's been looking at green brown niggas. He's, he, dude. He don't know that. He don't know that.
Starting point is 00:52:12 Yeah. So I can't be doing all that right now. But I'll tell you this, like, right after we conversed on that, I sat down there and I was just like mind blown. I didn't even go lie to you. I'm like, this is like crazy right now. You feel me? Like, Chris, fuck with my son. Like, nigga, that's tight.
Starting point is 00:52:29 And as I'm like, in taking that, I look back up. No, he was like, Chris Brown was like, hey, and I look back up at him. I'm like, this nigga just called me again. I'm like, what's up? He like, you got another, you got a video with you on a bike in the hood, huh? I'm like, yeah, I do. He was like, I fuck with that video. I'm like, right on again, brother.
Starting point is 00:52:49 I appreciate it. So he throw you a lob two times to come over here and fuck with me. You know what I'm not knowing that's no managers. You feel me? I ain't had no manager at the time. Oh, that's a lot. That's a two lives. He's like, is the nigga going to fuck with me?
Starting point is 00:53:04 Let me throw him another live. Come on. I'll fuck with the one on the bike. Let's do it. Peep this, right? So right after that, I'm like, right on, bro. You feel me? He's like, for sure.
Starting point is 00:53:12 And then he tells Karucci while, slide through playing because she dancing in the corner to it he's like this him you know what I'm like okay we like this on you know what I'm like all right on you know she said we yeah so three loves this thing here I think you to your girl oh yeah I mean I mean look bro I'm just I'm not from a so you ain't never you ain't never been to the studio no song no we're not used to this you ain't you ain't never really got close to him still I did after after the fact after that, I don't know, before that, but it wasn't really, like, me saying nothing to him. I was with DJ charisma one time, and we had went to the session that he was in,
Starting point is 00:53:51 and it was him, and, like, Tiger was in there, Sean Kingston was in there. I was there. You was there? I was there. I was there with her. You found me? And then, like, it wasn't like a thing where I could just, like, hey, what's up? Like, you know what I was in?
Starting point is 00:54:03 I remember that studio session. Yeah. And he was up in there, killed shit. Todd Dollar was sign was up in there making the beat. They was going back and forth off ideas. Like, the shit was just dope as fuck. You know what I'm saying? And you're sitting in the corner.
Starting point is 00:54:15 I ain't go lie. This is what I did. Chris Brown had kind of like stood where charisma was and I was right behind charisma. So I started singing like melodies and shit over the beat. You know what I said? I didn't go lie. I got to do something.
Starting point is 00:54:32 I got to do something, nigga. You know what I did? No, but he did hear me. When you heard me, I was like, I was nervous. Because when you're doing shit like that, either two things going to happen. Get your ass, a body here.
Starting point is 00:54:45 Get this nigga up out of here Or who is this? That's number one though You're her number one though Yeah, number one is like it's 90% chance 90% chance Get this thing up out of here You feel me?
Starting point is 00:55:00 So I'm over here risking it all right now Doing this shit You feel me? Charisman everybody on the line Yeah Everybody on the line Never bring him back Who could
Starting point is 00:55:10 You never For real For real though It could have went left Right Yeah Oh shit, hold on. I'm on fucking, I don't know how that happened.
Starting point is 00:55:20 Yeah. Slipery. No, so when I did the little shit, the singing shit, he had heard me. And then when he heard me, I've seen him. Then he went back to in his own way. You know what I'm saying? That's all I needed to know. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:55:36 Like, he fucked with, you know what I just said? Like, that's tight. It's something like I'm a, like, you got to assume I'm young at the time still. I'm like 23. You feel I mean? I just came out of Oakland. You know what I'm saying? and experiencing all this new shit
Starting point is 00:55:49 that I've never ever experienced. I'm around Chris Round. And nigga, I was just in middle school who inspired my career and he's right here. You get what I'm saying? So it's just kind of like mind-boggling. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:56:00 When it finally happens, you feel me? And then it was another time I'm seeing Chris. And it's a funny story too. I went with Christmas, they had a matching party. Him and Sean Kingston. You feel I'm? I went.
Starting point is 00:56:13 I think it was like a game or something that day. Seattle was playing. And we go in there and I'm just you know I'm all around just walking around the spot or whatever I ended up seeing Chris he was just you know entertaining being him you feel me I go where in the Chris at the kitchen area I go say what's up to Sean real quick I turn around coming back Chris noticed me you know what I'm saying but I didn't know you get I'm saying like he he looked and he was like what's up nigga in my mind I'm like it's so many niggas over here people over here he might not even be talking to me you feel me so I I was just, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:56:47 And then I look back, he's like, you, nigga. I'm like, oh, my bad, you feel me? Like, what's up, nigga? I'm like, oh, shit, what's how in here? He's like, I see you, nigga, nigga. You're in the same spots. I see you in the studio here, nigga, what's the deal? This for a lot.
Starting point is 00:57:04 I'm not knowing, though. Everything. He ain't no dunker. Yeah, he ain't no dunker. He's not trying to finish. He's shooters, dude. We got to shoot this shot. To rewind, to rewind back to the hookahs.
Starting point is 00:57:15 shit right before he when he was getting up ready to leave I went up to him oh no um somebody wanted to take a picture with me and him and then when that happened I just told him straight up I'm like bro like you aspire me bro you get what I'm saying like if it wasn't it for you I probably wouldn't need to really took this shit all the way serious and he just looked up at me and was like right on bro you get on what I'm like 100 you feel me and then um he was getting ready to leave then he came up to me before he left and he was like hey get my cousin number he was like he if you hit him you get it's gonna get to me and I'm like it's good him he like him yeah I'm like I got you shit my hand and was like it's good and I'm like all right for show he cut his cousin came
Starting point is 00:57:55 up to me he was like what's your number gave him the number we changed numbers but I just you know I never heard nothing back you feel me yeah I'm different when you're not can talk to the actual source then it's all good I mean like I said the in between those two projects I seen the progression even though I still heard a little bit of what I felt like, you know, you know, a little bit of Chris, but still, if you can actually do that, that range is ridiculous. Yeah. So I actually felt like, okay, I see the regression.
Starting point is 00:58:24 I really honestly look at it as a compliment. It is. It is. Compare me to him. It's like. But a lot of people do compare you to her. They do. I mean, I can see it and I see the range, you feel me?
Starting point is 00:58:33 So let's fast forward into, you know, what you're doing now. You feel me? Like, what you're doing now? What you're working on now? You feel me? And you're my brother right here, you feel me? Well, this is my, like I said, This is my artist's solo.
Starting point is 00:58:46 I've been pushing, you know, getting his career in order. You know, he was just a hood street nigga. You know what I'm saying? Like, he wasn't even, excuse me, he wasn't even into music. Like, he wasn't trying to do no music. He was just, yeah. Like, got no one of them, they was just around. And I just told him, like, you don't want to do music?
Starting point is 00:59:02 Yeah. Like, it's money in it. And as soon as I said that, he was like, how much? Let's do it. And ever since then, you know, it's been on the popping for him. And, you know, it's been fun doing that. getting him, you know, in the circus of meeting whoever I know, you know what I'm saying, and introducing him to the world.
Starting point is 00:59:19 And y'all should definitely fuck with him and check his music out. He talented. And we actually just dropped a new single. New single, not enough out on all streaming platforms right now. Video coming soon. Right now, what I got going on, though, is I got a new tape coming out call Ray. Got Sada Baby on that thing. Got one of the members from Bone Thugs.
Starting point is 00:59:43 crazy bone to be exact 24 hours and a bunch of other you know what I'm saying a bunch of other my friends on there say too much I'm saying too much yeah you know I don't want to say too much but the music is dope
Starting point is 00:59:55 I put my foot in his music for show I believe it's going to definitely showcase just you know my growth as far as my age and you know how long I've been living and you know just the change ups of the wordplay everything
Starting point is 01:00:11 bro I have fun doing this project man and I believe everybody going to have fun listening to it because you're still independent right definitely independent yeah so you know you're independent you know and how you know marketing that shit you know putting it out to the world is that like still like a easy thing for you or is it like a little bit more difficult I mean I have like over the years I've built like a fan base you know what I'm saying which I appreciate shout to all my day ones and the ones that's you know just now finding out I got a solid of you know side of a little core fan bass, that's cool. But like you said, you know, it takes way more, you know what I'm saying,
Starting point is 01:00:47 just to release a record, you know what I'm saying? Like, you got to have PR, you got to have a team involved, you got to have a rollout plan, you know what I'm saying? And doing that takes a while, you get what I'm saying? And I was even talking to him, like, we got to start getting back to the days where, you know, people spent more time on finding, you know, that one song, you know what I'm saying, that set a person career off. You get what I'm saying, the pose from, you know, dropping, you know, a bunch of different mixtapes, a bunch of different songs just kind of trying to keep up with everybody's momentum yeah i guess as far as releasing you know what i mean i want to kind of step out of that and um come at the game like how we used to do it you know what i'm saying
Starting point is 01:01:23 like catered more than one single worked that thing for about six months and see what the world do with it you know six months to a year six months to a year you know yeah six months to a year and i feel like you was doing like i said i got you here because i felt like you were doing a whole bunch you were around when we were around you had a bunch of songs you know me my niggas couldn't put the uh the face to the, you know what I'm saying? Exactly. You feel me? Like, and then now you're still doing your thing. You feel me? Like, you ain't let your foot off the gas. You know, I know, I know, like, where artists, they start evolving. They start, like, paying attention and putting a little
Starting point is 01:01:58 bit more into the music and not putting so much out, you feel me? Yeah. That's, you got to be intricate in there when you, you know, doing that shit is the importance of that shit is, like, really crazy. So, and I feel like that's the stage that you at right now. But I feel like, you know, I'm a, I need to shed a little bit more light on that thing because I see what the nigga doing, you know what I'm saying? I appreciate you, bro. And I fuck with him. You feel me?
Starting point is 01:02:22 I feel with him? So I'm like, let me get this thing up here. You know what I'm saying? Do it up. You feel me? But like I said, you know, before we go, like I said, before we go, like I want people to know what you got going out again, you know what I'm saying? Instagram's all the whole little shit so they can be in tune.
Starting point is 01:02:38 Everything is Raven Justice. You know what I'm saying? R-A-Y-V-E-E-E-E-N. J-U-S-T-I-C-E. Like I said, I got a tape on the way. I got an EP after that on the way. I got M-Z-E-FetyWop on that thing. OMB Peasy on that thing
Starting point is 01:02:51 so I'm one of the artists I'm always working ahead you know what I'm saying I'm never like subtle or satisfied at any moment videos out the ass coming you know just different a bunch of different things I'm getting into investments now you know what I'm saying I've been studying you know our peers of the music
Starting point is 01:03:09 you know what I'm saying cats like dirt cats like RP young dolphin you know hearing their stories and I'm like damn man I could have you know been already doing a lot of different things that I'm just now like knowing I could do you get what I'm saying so I'm on to a whole bunch of different things to outside of the music
Starting point is 01:03:24 so you know I'm just I'm living and I'm learning and you know every day is a blessing you know what I'm saying and you know the music is something that I love and it's never gonna stop until the day I die you do what I'm saying and yeah bro that's really all I like to say man more work more more shit on the way
Starting point is 01:03:41 stay tuned one more thing before we leave I want I want artists out here especially that's not from California I know the importance, you know, of checking in with people, making sure you are all right, knowing your surroundings, you know, and, you know, going back home to your fucking kids. Right. You know what I'm saying? Like, don't be too prideful to get fucking security.
Starting point is 01:04:02 You know what I'm saying? I have niggas around you. Like, so let these niggas know how to move out here in California. Me and bro was likely we just having a conversation about, like, something like this topic. And just from our losses alone that we know. We just know, like, you know, certain people are put on this earth to be just be just soldiers to let us know, like, don't do this. You know what I'm saying? It's like certain, like, when the OGs go to jail and they try to express to the young niggas, like, man, you shouldn't do this.
Starting point is 01:04:30 You feel I mean? I'm telling you because I'm going through this. You know what I'm saying? Because kind of like with the P&B rock shit. Yeah. Like. RIP, him, like, I felt like it just was a whole bunch of things in there. Like, that could have been avoided.
Starting point is 01:04:44 It was. It just take a little. serious like wherever you at take it serious take the niggas that look like PNV the skateboarders the niggas that look like for real anybody that looked like Kat Williams anybody that look like me
Starting point is 01:05:00 him you just know that it's possible that it could go down and if they own that they own that so and you're probably not going to see it coming that's the thing about Kelly like so just be cautious one of our niggas that got shot hell of time
Starting point is 01:05:16 times, man. Always tell a shit like that. I always tell me how to move. Like, he say, Ray, you're too important. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, you need to send other people to the store for you. He was like, I got shot because he was like, when you get shot, this is what he's telling me from his experience. He was like, it's out of nowhere. You will never expect it. It'll be a day where you think it's all good. He like, then be the times where you get it done to you. He was like, so I don't want a day where you, oh, I'm just going to go to the store and get some backwoods and you think it's good. and then it ain't it ain't you get what i'm saying so it make you super cautious on everything you're doing every step you're making you know what i'm saying like and i take that i take that i take that in bro and i take that all that ism uh and apply it you get what i'm saying yes sir and uh y'all should too man just take just these things these tragedies they like bro said earlier like everything happened for a reason so you know this is just you know another one of the reasons to just just just to keep us all like notified as humans. Tighten up. Tighten up. Tighten up. Yeah, so make sure, you know what I'm saying, tell niggas in Instagram, YouTube, where they can find you. Raven justice again, R-A-Y-V-N-J-E-N-J-E-N-Justis,
Starting point is 01:06:27 everything. There's your brother telling me your shit. My shit is Surfer Solo, everything. S-U-R-F-A-U-R-F-A-U-L-L-O. Fuck with me. Yes, sir, you know what I'm saying? And fuck with me, you know what I'm saying, back on fit. Y'all make sure y'all tune here with my shit, too. If you want something for the ladies, make sure you go social rella.com. Use my call, T-R-E-L-L. And yeah, it was nice to have on my brothers here, man, we out, gone. Hey.
Starting point is 01:06:51 Yeah.

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