No Jumper - Rico 2 Smoove on Being a Black/Mexican Norteño, LA Rappers Dissing Him & More

Episode Date: June 10, 2024

Rico talks about his upbringing, his music, NorCal, his opps, doing time, and more. 2:30 - He bounced all through Sacramento, Mom was on dr***, they were homeless going from shelter to shelter 4:20 - Says mom was messed up when he was young, says at 11 CPS tried to take him so she got right 5:00 - Says when he was 7yrs old his big brother got locked up for life for attempted m with gang enhancement, says seeing his mom on dr*** was normal because of the environment he was in 6:55 - Says he was embarrassed to see her mom in the park using, says she got clean when he was 11 and he actually went through the process with her, going to meetings 8:32 - Says he’s Black and Mexican and he grew up with his mom’s side which was Mexican 10:10 - Says coming from Northern Cali he’s labeled as a certain type of artist, says he just wants to be labeled as a artist, says he likes to embrace both cultures 13:41 - He was looking for role models when he was younger and ended up with role models who just tried to crash him out 15:20 - Says some people are just so in tuned with the street life they get out from doing a bid and just get back to it 17:12 - Says he lived in a predominantly Asian area also but it was all hood, different trenches but the same struggle 18:27 - His first case was at 14yrs old, him and his friend did a beer run 21:30 - Says he had a conditional release with a time period for him not to mess up again, says he caught a 5yr charge at 16 and didn’t get out until 21yrs old 22:38 - Says getting locked up during those years in his adolescence kept his mind little, says the games and politics took over his mentality 24:03 - Says he feels bad about what he put his mom through at his younger age, says he was being selfish 27:16 - Says during the end of his stay in prison he did productive things, says he was taking college classes and making his own re entry plan for getting out 31:26 - Says when he got serious with music he just wanted to be a voice for people who felt his type of struggle or grew up in his environment, even if their his ops 33:12 - Says he’s never listened to any of his oppositions music unless it came across his page, says he sees them get motion and salutes 34:31 - Says his first real success was his song “Militant Mindset” 37:50 - Says fans took to his music because they seen him advocating and politicking with legislatures in DC 39:30 - Says Big Tone and him linked up and Tone gave him a lot of advice, says right now he feels like he’s moving but he could do better 44:58 - There needs to be 10 Thizzlers for up north, says he’s always been independent for most of his career says he wasn’t going to d ride 46:59 - Says people not wanting to work together because of politics can be a set back 50:01 - Says he’s an old soul and a lot of his old stuff is based Sugafree and the banging on wax album 50:55 - Says he’s not trippin, he was in juvenile hall, got down with his enemies multiple times back to back and the same day they’ll all be programming 52:36 - Says the objective has been to plant people in the industry in order for them to crash out and push agendas 54:10 - Points out 6ix9ine as an example of a plant sent to crashout, says your character and content matters in the long run as far as if it will last Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No Jumper, coolest podcast on the world. And today I'm bringing you a very highly anticipated interview, somebody who I think is definitely one of the most talented rappers coming from up north right now. Rico too smooth. Yeah, what's handing, man? I appreciate it. You already know it's a long time coming?

Yeah, man. No, I've definitely been impressed as I've been kind of dabbling and just like meeting more people from up north and shit. Like, your name just always keeps coming up with everybody. when they're listing off people that they got respect for, people who've been doing it for a long time, your name just keeps consistently coming up. Yeah, my mama, I had seen a couple, like,

the little reaction videos that you had did. I was like, oh, this is nip for the tap in. I'm like, when my mama, it's good for the pull up. Yeah, because, all right, I got into your shit, like, the newer stuff. I feel like how's a different sound, whereas if you go back a few years, you were kind of messing with, like, more of an old-school,

West Coast sound. I did a whole album, so you feel me, the whole album was dedicated to, like, that old, like, 80s, 90s, you feel me, era type shit. Right. Yeah. And which one do you prefer? And, like, what style do you think

best suits you? When I spit that old school shit, I ain't going to lie, like all the OGs and shit, like all my elders and all my elders and shit, the old heads, they really fuck with that shit. So they be more in tune with that shit. So if I had to say, like, I just

mix it up. So I'd be, like, versatile with it. I could be old school gang member, like the whole shit, or I could talk about some struggle with shit and get like real into depth about the shit. Mm, definitely. But I think more as like a flow thing. Like the content could end up being basically the same. It's just about like how you delivery.

Because I feel like your newer stuff to me sounds way more like, oh, this is shit that's going to like really be popping like amongst the younger generation. Whereas you do have a lot of stuff that's like a little bit more focused on like, you know, the older generation as well. Someone say outdated, but I mean, you feel me like I do it for the people that really got like an old soul. like the feel of that old school gangster wreck. Definitely. Okay, so tell me a little bit about your upbringing.

It was Sack from day one? Yeah, I was bouncing all through Sack when I was younger. My mom, she was pretty much a Rolling Stone, you feel me, she was off drugs and shit. So unfortunately, like, we was homeless and shit. We was going from shelter to shelter all through the South Sack area, all through the North Sack. Eventually, later on the road, you feel me. We landed in West Sack. That's my hometown of shit.

That's the hood I grew up in. Which is also called Broder. People be asking, like, they think I'm a blood. They're like, you're a blood? I'm like, nah, this's for the hood. You feel me? When I were going to a depth, you feel me, I don't really be explaining it. But people that know, you feel, they know.

I'm from right outside Boston, so I would be one to perceive it as being a baseball thing. We're not Massachusetts. Yeah. Well, I'm from New Hampshire, but right outside Massachusetts. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, I'm a mom's. Definitely. You're not a baseball fan?

nah i played baseball though when i was uh young nack low league and right a lot of the chicago drill rappers have like baseball history a bunch of those dudes who are popping like our crazy street reputations and shit they got like baseball tales from yeah yeah yeah yeah but i feel like that shit is so out of style now to be honest i mean it depends on what region you in yeah but i've realized also because i met this one baseball player at a poker game and i realized that like baseball is gigantic still and that even though like from our perspective basketball and football and it seemed bigger it's it's huge yeah i mean definitely got a bigger fan base for shirley i mean just be just based on like it's not really a

contact sport everybody like contact sports type so i want to see action you feel me that's a slow out game that's a fact i've been a lot of baseball games start my life and i'm never really like that into it yeah exactly but um all right so do you know like what era of your life exactly your mom was was unhoused or how long did that last for uh um Moms was f*** up for Let's see From when I was probably about like Eight years old

To about 10 She got clean for a little bit She was going to church trying to fuck with it Try to get back on track And we was doing good for a minute But then you know she felt victim back to addiction and shit And we was back on that same path You feel me

She didn't get clean until I was like I want to say 11. Yeah, like 11 years old. But basically my whole life, she was f***ed up, but she had made a comeback because CPS was trying to take me and shit. Really?

So it was like basically they were saying like either, you know what I'm saying? She'd get her shit together or they're going to take me. Plus, my big brother at the time, he was already doing life, you feel me? Without parole, you feel me? So we're the only ones in the family. So if I would have been gone, then, you know what I'm saying?

So your brother got locked up when you were real young? Yeah, yeah. I was at least, like, already, like, seven years old. Okay. What did he end up getting locked up for? He got locked up for attempt of murder and gang enhancements. Right.

That gang enhancement is what really, like, f*** them up, you, for me. Right. So they gave him life without. Do you remember realizing, like, slowly realizing as a kid, what drugs were all about and what kind of condition your mom was in? And, like, what was that like for you to try to comprehend that as a young kid? Well, to be honest, like, I'm going to keep it real. like just based on the environment itself you know what I'm saying I was a product of that so growing up

and it's it's normal you know I'm saying you kind of look at everybody and you see that evident and the tweakers that are on the corner the crack heads that's on the on the front stoops and shit like it's normal to you so you've seen your family like that you just thinking it's normal you feel me so it was never like a big surprise until I started getting older and then learning about the different types of drugs and what the drugs could do to your body and how's it, you know, with your brain and you, you feel, what were you encouraging your mom to get clean as a young kid? Like, I can't even imagine what those conversations would be like when you're so young and your mom's a grown woman, but you're trying to, like, talk some sense into her.

I'm going to keep it real, like, for the longest, my mom, she was, like, introvert with it. So that means, like, she would try to, you feel me, like, to the best of her ability, try to hide it, you feel me? So for the longest, I didn't even know she was doing drugs. stepdad you feel me that she was with you feel me that was her dude and uh always thought he was the main thing i was always like you feel me tweaking and the whole wop but uh come to find out you know they was both in it once i started realizing it then i was like oh man it was like embarrassing because i was already of that age where you i'm saying i'm going to school and and then i see my moms feel me at the park and shit like you feel me like you know some bum

she she twacked back she loss. But that was probably the only thing that was like kind of like real evident was just seeing, you know, the outcome of that shit like damn, that's really fucking you up. So she, but she got completely clean when you were around 11? Yeah. That must have been crazy for you to witness that change in her. Yeah, yeah. So I went, through the change with her. So, you know, in order for her to get her shit back on track, she had a bunch of responsibilities. A lot of them was like going to narcotics anonymous, attending the meetings and shit.

I'm already, you feel me, like, already in the streets already. So she had to pull me from the streets to go handle her business. The whole time, I'm like, this shit is booty. Like, what are we doing here? Like, I didn't get it at the time and then comprehend to me that she was trying to get back on track and try to get her shit right. I'm thinking, like, man, what are we doing all this shit for? Like, she's doing hell of extra shit.

We're taking buses and light rails. But in reality, you know, she was trying to better herself and get back on her feet. So at the time, I didn't really. really know that that's what she was doing. I mean, I was kind of oblivious to it if you want to say that. I feel like when you're young, like when you're in your teenage years, there's a part of you that wants to kind of like reject everything about what your parents have going on and you just want to be with your friends and you're trying to figure out what your community is. And it must have been weird trying to balance, you know, taking care of your mother at the same time. Yeah, yeah,

facts, especially like, you know, growing up, I'm black and Mexican, so I'm mixed. But I grew up just with my mom's. I don't know my dad's side. My dad is the one that's black. So just growing up with moms, we always had, you feel me? So the reality of it was, you already know, in the community,

you know what I'm saying, how everything was set up. I'd be in a predominantly black area, you feel me? It was a straight blacks over there. I grew up in that neighborhood, you feel me, and trying to see where I fit in type of shit. I've seen others.

The only thing that kind of made it normal to me was seen under individuals, was moms and shit, they was twacked back too. They was p-uped up, so it was even more normal than me, you, you know? Right. So did you feel like you were able to sort of, like, manage or, like, exist well in both communities

in terms of both races, or was it something where you felt like maybe you weren't 100% accepted in either? Well, yeah, of course. You know, you either black, two black, for one side, which would be the Mexican side, or are you just too light-skinned it, and you got fair hair, curly is good hair,

you light-skinned it, or you two, light, you know what I'm saying? So it's like, it's a tug-of-war between each other. I guess the question is like which culture is more judgmental or more accepting? Oh, it's equal. Really? Yeah, I'm, you know-I'm saying? I'm a first-hand believer in that. Like, I've seen racism on both sides. You know what I'm saying? It's equal. I didn't see it. But I feel like now that you've proven yourself and that you're a dude in your city and that you have this respect from the music and whatever else,

that that probably is kind of beneficial because you can appeal to two different audiences more authentically? Yeah, more so. I mean, the title that I have as me being an artist coming from Northern Kelly, you know what I'm saying? They labeled me a certain type of artist, you know what I'm saying?

Which I really just want to be labeled just the artist. First, I'm saying I love music. I fuck with music. I want to rap, but me being having that title, it kind of puts me in a little box. But me being black and Mexican doesn't really, it gives me a little advantage, but I'm still in that box, you feel me?

Trying to get out that box, trying to come up with different ways, how I could get out that jurisdiction so that I could spread my wings, basically. Right, because if you were from a different musical scene, I could imagine it mattering less, but because you're from an area of the country that's so about your identity

and what politics, you affiliate with and shit that I feel like maybe it's a little bit more of a challenge just because it's like so divided? Yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah, yeah. It's like a, you can't appeal to everybody really, you'm saying, you just got to be yourself.

I know I'm black and Mexican. Me personally, I like to embrace both cultures orheartedly, just based on, you know, both sides. I know the struggles, the back history. So me knowing that, you know, I love my race. I'm glad that I'm, Half and half even. Definitely.

But I feel like up north in particular, really all California is a little bit like this, but up north it seems like it's really like this, is that it's kind of mixed. There's like a lot of different cultures overlapping. Yeah, it's a melting pot for sure. And I heard you say this in an interview, and I noticed when I went out there to meet your guys,

that you got like all the different races represented in the crew that you came out here with. Yeah, yeah, for sure. Including the whites. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We mix this diverse as hell. I'm saying, they don't, man. really what you is like you can go to the bay in frisco you see a lot of Filipinos you see a lot of

usos tongans you know you'm saying you might not know what you find out there like it's a melting pot you'm saying for real for real so like the race name was never really like super big of course like racism is always going to be evident no matter what culture or what group segment you is but for the most part we won big pot of gumbo definitely so do you have memories of like the first times that you had to like really kind of put the family on your back as a young kid and like do some some grown ass shit that you maybe the average kid at your age wouldn't have had to do because you said that you're kind of having to fill the shoes for your mom at a certain point

yeah I would say it came to a point when I was supposed to step up you know I did feel my mom as a as a young man I was supposed to step up to the plate but also deep already into the street life and that I had let that get me caught up in the system. And before you know it, like, I was in and out. So I was never really there. So while my mom's is struggling, trying to handle her shit, you know, I kind of left her hanging, you feel me?

That's my fault, you know, but now that I'm grown, you know, I understand that. And I know that I was wrong for that. And I know that if I had to do it again, I know what I would need to do, you feel, step up. For sure. So you, like, get into the streets, at a young age or whatever,

like what did that look like? What kind of stuff are you getting into? I would say, to be real, since my brother was gone, and me and my mom was, you know, moving from location to location, different areas. It was a lot of just meeting new faces, meeting new people, being ready to move to a different location. Like it was always, it could be the blink of eye,

you know, we might get evicted or something. So now she got to figure out where we're going. you feel me? And it might be to a home grow house on the other side of the city or whatever. Whatever the case may be, I got to learn to adapt, you feel me? So with me, I would say the main thing was it was like trying to look up to something, like some type of figure or some type of role model. And what really stirred me more into the negativity side of it was just like getting them

role models that weren't really role models. They weren't positive role models, you know what I'm saying? They're negative, trying to crash me out, trying to spin. me up to do certain shit. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, now I recognize that shit. So that was the street life for me, really trying to see where I fit in, who I belong to, what I'm supposed to be doing as a man, as a young man, you feel me? That's why I was trying to figure out, really. So you're out here trying to figure out how you're going to hustle and put money together and be able to get yourself to a different level like that. And then meanwhile,

you have dudes that are probably already gone and did their tenure bid or whatever. And now they're looking for young dudes that are basically done to crash out on their behalf? Something like that, but not really. Like, I can't say it like that because half of the individuals, now that I'm older, you know, I recognize it that some people don't always

click at a certain age. So some people are just so in tune with the street life or the gang life or whatever they into like that. They could do a bid and get back out and that's all they know. So their mindset is to get back out and continue, keep that shit rocking,

and do what they know was best. You feel me? It's not really they fault. You know what I'm saying? But then again, now that I'm older, I can't give no older, no past because I wouldn't set my young to go for no failure, you feel me?

Or tell them they should be doing this. Like, I'm gonna keep it real with them, tell them how to get it the right way type of shit, you know what I'm saying, guide them. Because I deal with so many dudes who are like, you know, mid-40s or whatever, and they were in the streets and a lot of them went to prison

for a period of time or whatever. And it's like, I get to hear about what they're, lives alike and most of these dudes are like fairly successful as entrepreneurs or whatever but then they also have other people their age who clearly are like still in the streets and like don't really have like a a positive outlook on behalf of the younger generation they they view the younger generation as kind of like disposable right yeah yeah use them real quick abuse them get them up out of here i mean but then again you know what i'm saying some youngsters like myself

like i was i was i was vulnerable you feel me and i was really ready so it was kind of myself too you know as a as a young individual if I had the guidance and had people to lace me up the right way I would have knew that I'm supposed to be speaking for myself and standing on my own tin you feel me and leading by example you feel I mean because when you talk about having to go between these different neighborhoods and shit like we we think of Sacramento as being like very territory based and it's probably not easy to be from a different neck of the woods and just show up in a different area and be able to fit in. Like, was that really challenging as a young kid or what was that like? Yeah, of course. I mean, because,

you know, you get to experience the two cultures. Like, you know what I'm saying? I lived in a spot too where it's predominantly like a lot of Asians too. Like, you know what I'm saying? It was all his shit. I mean, it was all the trenches, different trenches, different cultures, same struggle. You know what I'm saying? That's what I got out of all of it, really. Like, all the places I went to, we're all different cultures, different races, but we're all going through the same shit.

So it didn't make no really difference to me, you know what I'm saying? But you think that that taught you a lot of skills in terms of being able to get what you want out of life or be able to meet people and gain respect and shit like that? Sure, I mean, part of it, you know, your communication skills, you know what I'm saying?

Your character, how you conduct yourself, you'm saying? If you could be around a lot of Asians and them not tripping on you, you know what I'm saying? and you could crack jokes and be cool with them and then go around some classy white-muffalo fimmie that are strictly about business, then I feel like, you know what I'm saying, you got an advantage for sure.

So just being in different environments, learning the ways, the cultures, the whole shit. Yes, for sure. That was a plus. For sure. So you were saying you got locked up from my early age, though? What kind of charges were those?

My first charge, oh, it was 14. It was some dumb shit on some crash. I crashed myself. felt, though. Really, it was me and my cousin Flacco. Me and this dumb-ass niggins decided to go do a little beer run, bottle run type shit.

We had slid, Bob, got the shit, thought we was slick. A good Samaritan popped out. Chase is down. It was just all bad. Long story short, they tried to give Nick's like, attempted, like, assault and theft. Some bullshit.

That was my first charge. I was like 13, 14. But, uh, that was the beginning of it. Boom. Once they got me in now, I was trapped. Yeah, that was my first charge. I did. I was supposed to only do like two weeks,

but I was like acting up in June and all. So I did a month and then they released me. And yeah, ever since that, that's what kind of like, that's what kept the ball rolling. But you saw yourself getting more turned up while you were in there.

Like you start meeting all these different people and they got different ideas about how they get down and you're just sort of learning a lot? Not even that. just like, I mean the environment, period, like, you know, going beyond walls and shit. Like, it wasn't even, it wasn't really too surprising because I was going to community day schools. It's like attenuation schools out there. And now that I'm older, I kind of like resemble the two ways.

It was like kind of like a school to prison pipeline type shit if you get what I'm saying. I don't know if you understand what I'm saying. Yeah, school to prison, how so? Yeah. school to prison pipelines because of the way everything is coordinated, you know, as far as like we have our little recesses, they have security on there with walkie-talkies. Like it just gives you, it gives you the essence of being locked up. And then when I went to June Hall, I was like, oh, this ain't nothing new.

Then, we're just really put in sales, you know what I'm saying? We're confined for us. But other than now, I was like the schools was kind of same shit, you know what I'm saying? So it was just like another level, another level, another level. that's what it basically was to me. But did you get the vibe in high school that, like, the teachers or the administration didn't give a fuck if you ended up going to prison?

Or they almost, like, expected that for you? No, yeah, they most definitely didn't. There's a chosen few for sure. There's always going to be those chosen few, like teachers or staff members that really fuck with you, or they know that you really got problems going on at the house and shit

and that you're not really just a problem with child, you know? They know you fucked up, so they take care of you, you know, by, you know, paying a little bit more attention to you, come chop game with you here and there. There was always ones like that, but for the most part, the overall education system, for sure, failure. How far into high school did you make it? Well, I was in June and all my whole time. Oh, the whole time. 14, like I told you, 13, I caught the first one, and then I went down 14 years old,

and then did a year time for a 211 case, 211 robbery. Did a year in there, solid, pop, bounced out, and I had like a joint suspension. I didn't know what that shit was called. And for those don't know, joint suspension is basically like, you take some time off, you could get let out, but they hang over this time over your head. So they're like, if you fuck up between this time and this time,

we're going to whack your stupid ass. And I guess my offense held a California Youth Authority sentence. So fucking within a year, sure enough, my ass, got caught up, 16 years old, boat, in June all, finding a case. That's when I ended up doing my time time, you know what I'm saying? They smacked me with five years, eight months. At 16, so you were in there until like 21?

Yeah, exactly. I got out 21. Damn. So 28 now. How do you feel like that impacted you, just spending such a huge chunk of your developmental years? Like, you know, you're going in as a lot of people Or get their driver's license, and then you're getting out as people are able to, like,

legally drink and go to bars and shit like that. It's like a big fucking gap in my life. It's a big gap for sure. It kept my mind little for sure, you know, because the little game, excuse me, the little games and politics and shit that they be having going on in CY and shit. Like, you get so intrude with it. It's like, it's normal, you feel me? So your mentality starts being like that, and that's all you know. And, yeah, I was getting like that.

So my time when it was time to get out, for sure, I was lost. Like, man, it's time to get my shit together. Like, I got to get license. I got to get ID, fucking Social Security car, all the types, all the shit that you're not even knowing about even when we're in there. Like, they should have taught us this shit or something. But in there, we're fighting and doing hell of dumb shit. So fucking, yeah, man, getting out to it, it was just like, damn, bro.

Like, this is life. And then you're expected to, like, get out of it. of that environment and be back on the streets, get your driver's license, like, figure out how to get a job, all this shit. When you just spent five years having your young brain be molded into being a very different type of civilian. Facts. Yeah.

That's exactly what it is. Yeah. I'm saying? Snap back into reality. But when you look back at that time period, if I had asked you when you were 18 or 21, if I had said, like, what do you see yourself doing with your life? What would you have said? Were you solely focused on just being in the streets?

My mind, yeah, of course, my mind was, I didn't give a fuck about none. I'm saying, I used to tell my mom all the time, you know what I'm saying? Now I feel bad about it now that I'm older and shit, but she used to be mad like crying on the phone. Like, meho, like, you know what you're doing to me? Like, you know what I'm saying? The family, like, we're out here, we miss you. I'm just like, man, it's all good. Like, I don't give a fuck.

This ain't none type of shit. That's what I was thinking in my head, but it's because I was being more selfish. So now that I'm older I understand that You feel me like You know I was just thinking about myself And my actions I wasn't thinking about how they were gonna affect the people

That you know actually love me and shit So But you didn't mind being locked up at that point in your life Because you're getting to do all the bullshit That you're feeling Yeah at the time it was kind of like regular So it was like Yeah

I mean Fuck it I'm already stuck like Chuck Who knows when I'm gonna go home type shit But do you think part of that was because Your life had been been kind of fucked up to the extent where like this didn't seem that much worse. Whereas like if I got locked up right now, it would seem significantly worse because I got a good life at this point.

Yeah, exactly. Yeah. For sure. Yeah. Nah. I was like, man, I mean, when I was already knee deep in it around like 16 when I had went back for that case and

shit, like my mom was already probably like six, seven years clean already. Like so she already had been doing good for, for a while. But I was already fucking around. So, you know, I didn't really care too much about, you know, what she had going on. And I should have gave her more props, you know, for being strong and then overcoming that shit. But like I said, I was being selfish at the time. Definitely.

And so your dad was not around during any of this? Do you have memories of him when you were real young? Oh, he got locked up too. Yeah, he got locked up before I was born. Wow. For an attempt to murder, too. So that adds a lot to it, too, the fact that your brother's locked up for a lot of your developmental years and then your dad as well. So you're kind of looking at it as like this is what a man does.

It's like normal shit for a grown man, right? True. I mean, at the same time, you know, I was still wondering. You know what I'm saying? What are we supposed to do as a man? What does a man look like? What's the definition of a man? Because, you know, I'm getting all my intel from different examples that I see throughout the hood.

And a lot of those examples wasn't really it. But, you know what I'm saying? A lot of the ones that are supposed to. supposedly supposed to be negative, they were actually positive too. As far as the certain people that stood on business and lived by certain morals and ethics, you know what I'm saying? I took certain shit from certain individuals and just put it all together and like, okay, this is my point of view and perspective of what a man looks like.

You know, after, you know what I'm saying, getting a little bit from over here, a little bit over here and then putting it together type shit. So you come out of that bid around the age of 21, like really? wanting to be serious about your life? Like, how did that come together? Was it kind of hard to let go of some of those old impulses? Well, towards the end, you feel me? Like, I was, I was, like, I think only one month away from maxing out.

So I had a max out date of, like, January, and I got out in December. So I got out a month before. So towards the end of my staying shit, I was doing a lot of productive shit, like, to get my shit going. Like, they had yoga classes. I took some yoga classes just not too long ago on some funny shit

but they were trying to be funny but they had posted it made viral and whatever the fuck the case may be like this was doing yoga and I'm just like all right like I'm not really ashamed of that like I'm not feeling press or played like I'm still to this day

like I program you feel me so I work out every day I get my issue in whether it be burpees weight lifting and shit you know what I'm saying just to make sure that I get minds in and stay consistent with it. That's dope to here because a lot of people go into jail and get real into working out and then they get out and just completely forget about it.

And to me that's like one of the most important things if you want to have like a consistent, steady mental state. Is that having an exercise program is like the most important thing? That's the main thing because I mean shit, you already got a big head start so when you come out you just stay consistent with it.

You know what I'm saying? You already added the game. But honestly, I wasn't like that. You feel me like? This is just recently. I've been working out for a about like a year and some change now steadily though like consistent with it but uh back to what we're saying to uh y and shit you feel me i started doing productive shit you feel me towards the end of my stay so i was taking little college classes and uh trying to get in tune with the programs and connections that they had on the outside so i was kind of like trying to pre-plan my own

shit out they're supposed to put a re-entry plan together for you but like i said the system this already fucked up for failure. So it was basically like you got to figure it out type of shit. So I was just tuning in with different people and shit trying to get connections and see what I needed to do to take the proper steps to what I need to get cracking. Was rapping in the back of your head during all this? A little bit. It was like, it was like way in the back though.

Like, because I was I was rapping to CYA. but like I started off poetry doing poetry really I didn't really know how to like write my bars and count them and do all the good shit you feel me until one of the homies had taught me this shit and then I did free verse poetry so I would just write whatever came to my mind and make it rhyme you know what I'm saying on some simple shit like that so I had hell of poetry like lined up and someone said I should make it into a rap So I did that one time and I went off of that. And after I did that, like writing raps, the actual outline of what it looks like,

it started being easier for me and shit. But, yeah, when I got out, it wasn't really like super, like my number one goal or intention to just do music. You know what I mean? It was cool. What had to change once you got out that made your focus turn to music? To the music? Yeah.

probably getting in tune with it and I was like fucking around I started to fucking around with the little app It's called BandLab You know what I'm saying It's a little app on you You can download on your phone and shit

You can hook up like a little Your little AirPods or whatever And use it as a mic But I would record shit off that With my cousin Poppy You feel me And uh N nigga we would just release shit

Just random shit We wasn't even doing it like official Like I didn't know nothing about Like the business side of actually doing music So we would cop YouTube beats. That wasn't ours and shit. And then we would write on it and then just put it out.

The feedback is what got me like, oh, okay. Like, what the fuck? They fuck with it. You know what I'm saying? So I started doing like freestyle's and shit. Once I started doing the freestalls and posting those little reels and shit on Instagram, I started seeing my shit go up and get hell of engagement. Once I seen all that engagement, I was like, damn, well, maybe I could do something with this shit.

So that's when I started playing with it a little bit more. Was there anybody locally that had an impact on you that made you want to do the rapid thing? Because, like, we've seen various people make it out of Sacramento or up north and general. You know what I'm saying? Within just my group segment and shit and the people I fuck with, you know what I'm saying? We got D.C. Sneddos and we got young Seiko out there. You know, they were doing all their thing, you know, with the brick boys and shit. And I was fresh out getting into that.

You know, they had shows already lined up and doing shit already. So I kind of like try to figure out where I could fit in, you know, or just squeeze myself in, boo, get some work, network, make certain connections, and just really see, you know, get in where I fit in type of shit, you know. Wiggle through this bitch. But were you thinking about music as the way that you were going to get out the hood or make money, or were you looking at it as this is how I'm going to talk about what's going on in the streets? and maybe even like talk about the people

that are talking about my side. I felt like it was more of like, not even to get at the people that are talking about my side, but to be a voice in general, you know what I'm saying? To speak for every race, you know, anyone that's been through some type of struggle or them felt the type of pain that I felt, you know what I'm saying, growing up in my environment shit,

I want to appeal to them people, whether it's my opposition or not. You know what I'm saying? You know it's real if they fucking with it If your opposition or somebody is telling you Like they fuck with that shit It's because they actually fill your lyrics So in the end

I use it as like a little notebook Like this is gonna be my personal Outlet to let my voice be heard But not only my voice Everybody else is Is there anybody that you don't get along with That you actually think the music is good enough That you listen to it?

No I don't I never I ain't never listen to none of my opposition's music or anybody that I don't fuck with. I never listened to their shit unless it like came across like on the page. You know what I'm saying? But I've done seen a few rappers and shit that be doing their thing and one night. You feel me pushing their shit and uh see them get their little motion and shit. That's cool and shit. But you know what saying? I salute. Definitely. Um, so when it comes to like you get into the music side of things, Was that kind of like the end of you getting in trouble or are you still kind of going back and forth

and all that shit throughout this period of your life? I'm still trying to find myself. I'm still trying to figure it out. So, of course, I'm still seeking. You know what I'm saying? Just like I said, as a kid, trying to find my way. This has been like my whole life type shit. Just trying to find my way.

See, see where my balance is at and figuring out what the fuck do I need to do for me to grow as a person. And so, yeah, it was kind of like that for the most of the period of time, you feel me? Definitely. So when do you feel like you started to actually have some success with the music or like people really started to tap in? I'll say one of my first videos is called, oh no, a matter of fact,

it started off with a single that I did. I had a little distribution deal. at the time with GT Digital, that's gold toes out of Frisco. Oh. But it was... It wasn't... It wasn't like a strict contract or none. It was basically a year distribution deal, you feel me?

And I could drop whatever I wanted to drop on his platform, and I could still drop on my shit, you feel me? Through my own shit. So I first made my first song. It's called Militin Mindset. You know what I'm saying? And basically, I'm just talking about the hardships in America, the struggles of the oppressed people of what we have to go through

and what it's like to endure that. And putting that one out, I just had a little, it was pretty simple cover. You feel me? It was just me posted up. Caesar Chavez in the back, Malcolm X, a bunch of freedom fighters. Basically, the overall message was just like, you know, having that militant mindset, you know what I'm saying, against the government, against all who try to oppress my people.

And when I say my people, I ain't talking gangs. I'm just talking about the race overall, all minorities, you know what I'm saying? I put that out, boom, started getting hell of love from that shit. Hell of people started tapping in young. Oh, man, we like that militant mindset, man. That shit was giving me, like, pop vibes. And like, I love the message, you feel me? And that's what really, like, oh, yep, I need to do something with this shit.

So my next one was called Closer to My Dreams. Closer to My Dreams is another one that touches on more political and struggle topics. You feel me? So that one I followed up with that and I actually made a visual to that with my boy, Shimo Media. Shout out my nigga Shima. We made that video. It was around the time a young black male died out there in Sacramento, California in his backyard. They mistaken his phone for a gun.

and he was in his grandmamas, his grandmama's backyard. You know what I'm saying? They shot him multiple times. So they had a lot of, they had a lot of aggression out there in my city, you feel me? So we went out there, you feel me, on the fluke one day, and it was popping, and we made a video right then and there because it fit the subject that I was talking about. So that one got a lot of reactions. Boom.

We capitalized off that. another one called Only Lord Knows. Shot that with Shimomedia 2. So all three subjects, really, what I started off of, was those topics that I told you about. And that's really interesting to me because, you know, I grew up listening to a lot of like NWA, public enemy shit like this. They had like real social commentary.

A lot of times when I look at the music game now, it feels like it's very hard for artists to get on by talking about that kind of shit that a lot of times the audience really wants to hear about street shit, crash out shit. Real shit. Why do you think that that was able to catch on as far as your music early on? Honestly, you know what? I've probably just a support system or me representing the way I was because, you know,

people would see me doing a lot of political shit. Like, you know, I was being an advocate and going doing policy down there at the Capitol. and we would go out there and politic with a few legislators and see how we could get certain bills passed for our people and shit, you know what I'm saying? So I think by my fans and supporters seen me doing it and talk about it,

it had more weight to it, you feel? It was more meaning. So I felt like they're like, damn, this was like, you know what I'm saying? He goes crazy. Plus, I'm young. I was fresh out of YA. So I was like 21 years old.

Yeah, like if the audience feels like you're talking about social issues because you're just trying to use it to get somewhere in your career. I feel like that's kind of like a death sentence, but if they believe that you actually really genuinely feel strongly about these issues, that could probably be a good thing.

Yeah, it's gotta mean something. Your shit got a whole way. You can't just be talking about it and not even coming from it or lived it or seen it. You know what I'm saying? You got to have at least one of those. I've seen a lot of people who are talking a bunch of ignorant-ass shit.

And then at some point they realize this is not going to work. So they kind of like switch over to like activist mode. Yeah, it's too late. And almost never do I actually see the fans. Like a lot of times I'll know them. I'll be happy for them. But then I see that the fans don't really gravitate towards it. Yeah, yeah.

You're like, okay, I'm proud of you. Yeah, but I don't think your fans fucking with it. Yeah, too late, basically. So that's with the foundation. That was my foundation speaking on those type of topics. Mm, definitely. So did anybody like reach out to you or help get you deeper into the game at that point? Or what does your career unfold like from there?

I had a few older homies and shit. Shout on my nigga, big tone, you know what I'm saying? Show a big tone. I had, uh, have something went in. Man, this bitch called. I had fucking reached out to him and shit, and we linked up. And, uh, you know, he taught me a lot of game and, uh, let me know his upbringing and how the struggles and shit that he had to go through.

So a lot of that shit kind of, you know, helped me out in the way. But also, you know, my guidance really was my boy Shimo that I said that that's my videos Those first videos that I named and shit that I dropped That's that shit was all through Shimo, you feel me? So we started something and we've been building each other's platform since day one Right, because he shoots videos for a bunch of artists from a lot of shit Right, and we started out at the same time So I started rapping and getting more serious and he started picking up the videos and

Fucking with it a little bit more like You know what I'm saying? Definitely. Yeah. So, okay, like, how did it, like, I don't know, how did you, like, progress from there? Like, how do you view, like, where you're at in terms of the game right now?

Because it does feel like you have, like, a crazy amount of respect and that people really fuck with you, but where do you see your position in the game as being? I feel like I'm moving. I'm moving accordingly, but I could do better just by, you know, certain topics, the way I move, certain videos, like just all together.

forming me to where I'm a little bit more universal. I feel like that's where I'm at. That's what's going to help me break through that little barrier that I'm out right now. Yeah, because we've always kind of said that. And we say that about LA as well, that it's like kind of like this insular scene where there's all these artists who are popping. And for sure, we get comments all the time that are like, you guys talk about Draco the ruler.

Like he's the fucking only rapper of the last 10 years. And these people watching the podcast are in New York. And to them, it's like they don't really understand exactly why we think certain artists are so important. And I feel like NorCal is even a little bit more extreme version of that because you guys are a little bit further away from like the LA labels and all the media and all that kind of shit. So you're kind of boxed in up there. You see it all the time that there can be artists that can get millions of views up there. And it doesn't necessarily translate to the rest of the country or even the state. Exactly.

The engagement, the algorithms, everything. It won't follow up. just based on as an artist, what I learned is that you always got to steadily move. You got to be wiggling full time. And you got to always show your face, you'm saying? You don't need a whole entourage niggas, you feel me? You come just you, a few of your folks, solid ones that you really trust, and you move. You always move no matter where the fuck is at.

If you got to go out of state, make that move, I'm down here in L.A., making this move on a behalf of business, you feel me? So it's like as an artist, motherfuckers got to move, period, and wiggle. You know what I'm saying? So this ain't the next, this ain't the ending of my stop. You know what I'm saying? My destination is I don't know where, but we're going to keep wiggling. You know what I'm saying? Florida, New York, just all the different states, like you said, Atlanta,

try to just keep working, keep working. Seeing what other platforms they got out there for me, too, go tapping with them. Like, that's how I think, you feel? Definitely. Does it feel like coming from up north that there's even kind of like this divide in California? Like you're kind of like blocked off from even working with a lot of the artists from down south and shit. Is that like even a concern or you just happen to be in your own world? Well, I mean, we already know like politics is politics.

It doesn't, it don't take for me to having to like break it down for anybody. Like we see the media, we see what's going on. So if you know it's no, like, It's deeper than whatever the fuck motherfuckers try to make it. But the matter of fact is, if motherfuckers as artists, like I said, you got to wiggle. You got to move. Does it keep us in a little barrier? Of course.

You know what I'm saying? We're from over there. We're from Northern California. You know what I'm saying? We only got so many outlets, you know what I'm saying? That's why, you know what I'm saying? That's one of the main reasons why me and my boy, Shimo, that does videos and shit and also built his own platform is for that reason. We know you got down here

We know you got to sold up You feel me We look it up You can see Top I don't want to disrespect But it's the top sum Your number one podcast

Right So at the end of the day We know that In order for us To even get out that box We got to start thinking At least like more independently Too I'm saying

Build our own shit You know what I'm saying There's no problem with that You feel me And there's no problem With connecting with other platforms I'm saying It's making it work

But you and I know best that in this type of business, it's competitive for show. Just like we're rapping and shit. Any type of shit you do is going to be competitive. So a lot of non-like-minded people, you feel me, you can't really connect like that. So, nigga, what we doing is trying to build another platform where we could just build up, build up, build up. So it's not just over here, over there. Oh, we ain't got shit type of shit. Yeah.

Build more outlets. I always feel like that about any city. Like even, I feel that way when I look at the Chicago shit, is that like there just needs to be more media, more local shit. But now we're in the age of all these different YouTube channels and shit. So, like, from my perspective, if you're a poppin artist in Atlanta, you could go do Dirty Glove Bastard,

and you don't got to necessarily get on the plane or get the attention to no jumper in order to appear on there, you know, which is probably a good thing in the long run. But yeah, up north, you know, something like Fizzlers, It was like, you know, obviously been instrumental in the careers of a lot of people over the years. And it's just NorCal needs 10 thizzlers. You know, it needs 10 different platforms who are pushing their own artists. You see what I'm saying.

You get the message, bro. You're a businessman. The reason why you built this platform is so you could do what you do with it, you feel me? Whether, you know what I'm saying, depending on whatever content you want to post, that's on you. If you know it's going to get engagement and you know it's going to have people talking about it in the comments and getting more feedback. and it's running up, you know, it's chicken, you feel me. The end of the day, we realize that and understand that. That's what we said, Thistler, okay, that's cool.

You know what I'm saying? For the most part of my time, I've always been independent. You know what I'm saying? Any platforms, I've always caught attention of these platforms, you feel me? Not even on no cocky shit. I just did my work, played my part. You know what I'm saying? It was just like, you know, I ain't going to dick ride and do no other extra shit

just to be put on, you for me, or be seen by certain people. And I'm here, you feel me? I'm saying. I ain't have to do none of that. Does it feel weird, though, that there's people that might not respond to your DM in terms of working together who are not even involved in the politics, but maybe, like, observe what's going on in the politics, and they just don't want to take a side where they feel like they don't want to be mixy or wrapped up with certain people? I feel like there's got to be some extent of that happening because there's people that obviously you know that you're not going to work with,

but then there's got to be people who are kind of in, like, a gray area. Right, yeah, yeah. Sometimes you're like, damn, like, people don't want to fuck with us because they look at, like, the whole upper part of the state as being, like, the opposition. Exactly. Even if it's not their opposition. Yeah, for sure. I mean, yeah, that shit's a, it's a setback.

It's a little holdback. Not everybody feels that way. Anybody that's a real businessman, first hand, they know it's business. So the other artists, depending on, they're going to look at it, like, okay, if I do work with this person, is it really even beneficial? like am I going to gain a different crowd, a different scenery, like what's the catch to it? Is he popping himself?

Does he do numbers? You know what I'm saying? So when I'm thinking of it as terms of working with people, even if it's out from out here in Southern Cali, you know what I'm saying? It got to be business moves, you know what I'm saying? You guys got to be able to help each other. It got to be beneficial both ways, not one-sided.

So, like, for the people that do get, like, scared away from the shit, from politics like hey that's on them you feel me it's all good i respect it but at the end of the day just like i broke it down it's business moves if it's if it's something that makes sense then you got to get it you feel me i'm saying like i said you feel me i don't need to say too many times i've been said you know uh people know the politics we know what's going on at the end of the day no i would not do a song with nobody from over here you feel me that's my opposition no does that mean that I'm like fuck these niggas and hell of aggressive and just not woo-woo like tripping no because I'm I ain't I ain't worry about all that I'm I'm trying to do that like I said we got a business

plan so for for an order us to get where we want to be we have to think outside the box and start making plays I'm saying I guess like the question is do you think of everybody in LA as your opposition or at least like within a certain part of rap because like for sure Probably some people do. Or definitely people in LA look at everybody up north. We don't know any of them. They don't even care about the details of it. No, of course not.

I mean, you know what I'm saying? Like I said, you know what I'm saying? Like, we know what goes on, you feel me? The platform, the platforms and the YouTubers, the vloggers, it's really no surprise about what's going on. You know what I'm saying? They publicizes this shit all the time for us. So I don't even need to go into depth of,

about that. But like I said, there's a lot of artists out here, you feel me, that are popping this shit, that are going crazy. And I plan on working with them, you know what I'm saying?

It's not my opposition. Simple as that. It's interesting, though, because that feud, obviously is, like, decades old or whatever, but it feels like it's getting discussed

in the media quite a bit more from both sides of, like, would you work with somebody? Would you do a song with this person? When I had bands on here,

he was talking about how he was interested and like potentially doing a song with artists from down south where they didn't have to be around each other or shoot the video, but they could both hop on the same beat. Yeah.

Which as a hip hop on the same fan, that sounds super fucking entertaining. But also, I don't know if like the other side of that is necessarily going to be interesting. I mean, I see where my niggab bands was coming from for Shirley because I'm an old soul, like I said, like all my old school era shit, you feel me?

Is based off, a lot of it was based. off like sugar-free and the banging on wax album that they had out here with the bloods and crips you know what I'm saying I was in tuning from that yes a lot of uh L.A. influence did trickle down you feel me but that was mostly with the blacks you know what I'm saying as far as the blood and Crip life you feel me that that that gangsterism that gang bang and real gang banging shit trickled down my brother used to slap that old gangsters shit so me now looking at it okay I see what they did you feel me as a business move but I still wouldn't do it just based on,

feel me? Like, that's me personally. And you'm saying? You either respect it or you don't. I really don't give a fuck either which way. Is it fuck you and woo-wooop? No. I ain't tripping.

I'm gonna keep doing what I do. You know what I'm saying? Because I done, like I said, I was in juvenile hall, Y, A, then got down with my enemies multiple times back to back. And the same day, we program it. Same day room.

same thugs, my thugs on this side, they on this side, everybody mind their business. It's a regular day. We go to school, we're in school with them. We get down in school. Next day, guess what? It's a regular day. So it's like, to me, shit is really normal.

And I was never the type to really, like, be the woofer, like always woofing behind the doors. We have homies like that on our side, but there's oppositions like that, too, that love to, like, woofing. you feel me, talk shit. And basically we called them nags and why, like J-Cats, people that can't conduct their self properly and shit.

And we'd just be speaking wild and loud and obnoxious. Those are the knacks, you feel, me? We didn't really respect those ones. See, that's the funny thing about, like, there's like two sides to this because on one hand, you always hear about how the Mexicans behind bars and everything run a very tight program. You'd be doing interviews with Mexican rappers,

and you realize like they're not talking about this, that, and the other thing because it's like strictly forbidden to put certain things out there on the internet or whatever. But then at the same time, it does sometimes feel like the fans are most likely to pay attention to people who are kind of crashing out or putting shit on the internet that they shouldn't be. I mean, if we could go back to the gangster rap, the origin of it,

why it was put out, the objective was really so people can crash out. So you get these artists and you mold them, you know what I'm saying? They end up becoming a plant, you know what I'm saying? In the industry, industry plant. And they're not really coming from that background. They're not really from that life. They give them certain propositions to take out,

which would be like promoting drugs, violence. sex, nudity, transgender stuff, no offense to my LGBTQ community, but this is what they do. This is the reality of it, and nobody could tell me difference. But as you go back to the origin of it, the reason why they did that is so that they could keep the funds going and keep us in this one box and keep the cycle going with the drugs, sex, money. They got even they didn't even got to be coming from the hood. They could be little white kids,

little rich kids. But even them, they're getting influenced by that type of shit. Now they're going up, they're popping drugs and doing zanis and all this other bullshit and they're crashing each other out. So the whole mission of this shit is to

be a crash. You feel? To have somebody that crash. That's why you see a lot of these artists that act like crashes get all the attention. Like, look at Snitch 9, same shit. You feel me? He crashed himself out. People were loving it.

The Gangston Code even went out the window because the social media presence and all the cloud shit that he was doing. And he was so disposable to the audience because as soon as he snitched and as soon as the hype kind of wore off, you can't even pay people to pay attention to him now. He'll have some viral-ass shit happen. We'll post about it on the Instagram, but I'll be looking at the numbers and it's like, damn, I remember when everything this dude did was getting so many numbers and now not so much. So you see where I'm going with it, it all goes back to, of course, the whole plan is to have people crash out and to be acting a certain way.

Of course people want me to come on here acting donkey, probably getting drunk and talking out my ass. But I'm not going to do that, you feel me, I'm going to talk respectively, you feel me, consistently with what I'm saying and stand on what I'm saying. and stand on what I'm saying. So if the overall goal is to crash out, why would you want, you know what I'm saying, that example for the rest of the generation, like below that, like, that's weird, you feel me? Because if, like...

Just for the time... Because like how you said, you said that he could post some shit that would have went viral back then, now, and it flop. Millions of people who just kind of moved on. Because it was a phase. Yeah.

The cloud shit and all that other extra shit, it does not last. You got to have some type of essence, a message, your character, everything got to match up to be a whole artist. You feel me? And if you're lacking a few, more than a few, you're not going to last long. Okay, he's funny. He's goofy. When he goes on, he's like hella funny to be looking at, and he's always talking shit.

Okay, nobody's going to want to see that 10 years from now. Like, the songs that you make. If you're making certain songs that don't got no type of weight around it, You feel me? Or no type of positive message. Is that same song going to live 10 years from now? No, it's going to die out because it didn't have no essence. Right.

Yeah, because, I mean, being a rapper in general, like from day one, if you're a gangster rapper, you have, like, a big decision to make. Because, like, the most gangster thing, like, if you were, even if you're EZE back in the 90s, it's like, if you really want to be a gangster, you probably should not be a rapper. You know, the attention you're going to get from being a rapper. is for sure going to limit whatever street activities you got going on. So it's like, but then these artists kind of have that contrast. Or you see rappers all the time talking about shit that could easily get them locked up.

And they're just kind of counting on the idea of the cops not being so in tune to see it or whatever. Yeah. Well, shit, me as an artist, like, I look at it like, there's two ways you could go about it. Like, first of all, storytelling. It doesn't mean that you necessarily did it. It could mean that you witnessed. this to yourself, you've been around it, and you actually seen it, you know what I'm saying? So it's like you have a right to speak on that subject, you feel me, but you're telling it from

a third sense, you know what I'm saying? It's an art of storytelling, you'm saying? Everybody knows that, you feel me, you're telling the story, you'm saying, you're plotting it out, you're letting people know how something went down and what the overall objective was of it, people's feelings, you're explaining that in your lyrics, you feel me? So at the end of the day, that's how I look at what I do, you feel me? Not everything has to be something that I did. It might just be storytelling.

I'm talking about a story that I know of or seen or hood in the hood. Or, yeah, heard in the hood. So you being from a Mexican hood, does that, is it more open for you in terms of working with black artists? Are you like more limited by the politics in terms of the Mexican side of things or is it the same shit with the black artists? My loved ones on that side, you know what I'm saying? Like I said, remember we talked about it. We're diverse down there, so it's a melting pot. So that alone, you feel me, the color barrier, it ain't, it ain't never was like that.

You know what I'm saying? It's not as evident as out here, you feel me? And I know that from being in CYA being locked up and witnessing the L.A. County culture and shit, you feel me? People from being from Compton and Long Beach, everybody throughout Southern California, You know what I'm saying? Like, I was able to get soaked up by all the game they had, you feel me, and learn their different languages and how they move.

So I know that a lot of shit different, you feel me? And we, for sure, are different. So that shit wasn't a barrier for me. My people don't trip. Like, we come in different shapes, colors. I was interviewing a Southerner recently, and he said that one of his, issues with up north as he feels like the Mexicans up north basically dress like black dudes the music is more like black dudes and to him that is not necessarily indicative of being

like proud of your own race and even like the N-word thing which I actually thought was a decent point like if you're really all about your race why are you out here saying a word that is like obviously correlated with the black race yeah no he he had a point bro I ain't gonna lie uh I would expect that response from a person like that if you're from out here and if this is really all you know. I'm not going to hold you accountable for that because this is what you know and this is what you see from over there. Our shit was already rooted. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, I wouldn't even want to say rooted because we have that deep Chicano culture. If you look back into, you know what I'm saying, the 70s and the 60s. And the only thing that happened with us is

that we looked at the style as like, we're not going to be ashamed of it, but it's time to evolve. So a lot of us really kind of like mixed the two cultures and both. Because a lot of us had neighborhoods where we grew up in where it was blacks right there. And we didn't funk with these niggas out there. You feel me? It was more like we all kicked it. They struggling. They thugging a nigga.

We thugging on the block too. Like we had like a mutual understanding. Will we fight? Hell yeah. There might be a couple of little bangouts or whatever. But for the most part, it was never super racial like that. where it was like them is Mexicans and woo-woo. Like everybody knows, especially where I come from Sacramento,

it's a melting pot. So you got every color in that bitch. But go back to what I was saying, originally saying, is that we formed the two coaches together, you feel me? And we felt like that was the only way to really evolve. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, those are our deep roots.

But we're with these, we're with these niggas 24-7, you feel me? And we ain't funkin with these niggas like y'all do. You know what I'm saying? We know now that time has evolved and the shit doesn't change. A lot of the black and Mexican funk ain't as like super like how it was. But like I said, I was in Y.A. So I've seen how it was. They used to call me all types of N words and all types of shit.

So I'm like, you can't tell me anything about anything because any of my people, We go up in there and shit. Like, we was mostly cool with the blacks, you know what I'm saying? A lot of the hummies, I want to say this, too. When I say we evolving, I always want to say like Sacramento and Bay Area and Stockton and places like in the closer Central Valley area. As you get closer to like deep Central Valley, like Fresno and Porterville and Vicerlia, they barely started evolving too.

So I would say that they had like a little. stand office too because certain homies would go get locked up and they'd be like you fools are from sack like you guys are you're from the bay and you could tell we're different you feel me like i guess we're the ones that really had that like multilingual type shit going on so even them being from tillary county or whatever the case may be and them still being homies they still had a problem with at first too but like i said as time went on you feel me we're evolving you'm saying like in music if we want to rap and we got to have some type of sauce. Can't just be all hell of stiff super serrio.

Like that's just facts because nobody really wants to listen to that shit. And that's one of the main reasons why you see a lot of their artists is evolving. It's because they recognize that. So the whole thing was it's like you're saying that, but your younger homies are out here evolving with us. So what is the beef about? Get at your little niggas. They're saying they get a lot evident.

They're not as racist as it was. They're rapping on Northern Kelly Beach. They're coming with a little sauce. They don't wear super dickies choweled up. You still got hoods that are like that. Just like if you go out there, we still got hoods that are like that. I still dress up like that. Like I said, I embrace both cultures.

You know what I'm saying? So you might catch me one day like this and some sauce shit like this, or the next day I might be ninging some house shoes, long socks, and some dickies. It just depends how the fuck I'm feeling that day. But at the end of the day, like I said, I embrace two both. But it ain't no shade on that way. It's like, bro, you got to get at the other young generation out here because we've been doing this because of that reason.

We're trying to break out that period. Right. We've got to have a little sauce to us. Like, growing up with the blacks made us have a little bit more sauce, you know what I'm saying? Like intertwining and we intertwine our morals and principles that we go off with their sauciness. Does that mean that we, strictly act on black

like black politics and how they move no we still got to conduct ourselves we still got to think strategically and be militant at all times like it ain't nothing changed for me it's just like the sauce that we had it's got to be crazy being you though just being in a world where your race

matters so much and you being able to see both sides of it when so many people are really only able to see it from one perspective from one perspective yeah it's a lot easier it's like to me you're not going to tell me anything about no type of racial shit. He's not Rasa and he's not for the people.

Like, at the end of the day, yes, I am. I am for the people, I'm saying? And obviously, I got to be for the people if I got opposition that are telling me that they're fucking with my lyrics or fucking with certain songs and how I came and they're fucking with me as an individual. That says a lot. You know what I'm saying? So I feel like I'm doing right.

Yeah, and I feel like in the long run, as far as you becoming like a national artist, it's like having that identity would probably help you in the long run because you could speak more authentically to both audiences. Yeah, because I know how both regulate. I know how both act. And honestly, that's why I grew up in the hood that I grew up in and it was predominantly what it was. That's why I am what I am and what I represent, you know what I'm saying? And I stand on that. I love it because all the shit that it taught me, you feel me, as far as just being a man altogether, you know what I'm saying? Conducting yourself in a proper way.

You know what I'm saying? Respect. You know what I'm saying? When you're talking to somebody, look at him, you know what I'm saying? Be on point. Be mindful of where you're at. You know what I'm saying? All those are the things that made me who I am, you feel me?

And that's why I rock so hard with my side. So you were talking about coming in the game, doing a lot of stuff with a message, more politically minded and stuff. And it's interesting, though, because as I listen to, like, your other work and your newer stuff, it's like it does seem like you speak on some politics and what's going on locally,

but then you also kind of steer clear of being too explicit with it. Or in particular, I feel like you don't like to give too many details about the inner workings of what's going on. Whereas like a lot of rappers, especially coming from up there, is pretty much just like a fucking politics lesson for you right there, even if I don't understand it all. Yeah, bro, honestly, you know what I'm saying? To each is own and no offense to anybody, you know what I'm saying?

The homies are just doing what they feel they should be doing. Do I think it's the right way to go about it? Nah, I feel that, you know what I'm saying? It kind of makes us look weak because over the time period and shit, I've seen certain oppositions making certain moves and doing certain shit that I think is goofy. So I feel like if we feedback with the same type of shit, I'm saying it's a negative don't, a negative and negative don't make a positive, but it's not going to work.

So I feel like motherfuckers should just really just showcase their talent. Like it ain't even got to be no extra ass shit, especially since everybody's doing their thing. Obviously, motherfuckers is popping over here, motherfuckers popping over there. motherfuckers popping over there. Obviously the two names is popping up. You know what I'm saying?

So it's like, I don't know. Just work hard. Niggas showcase your work. Like there's a lot of, there's a lot of like, so I'll be watching a YouTube documentary sometimes.

I'll watch YouTube documentaries about motherfuckers from states I never even thought about and groups and races I never even thought about. And it always kind of strikes me how much of this shit just comes back to social media

and how social media didn't exist than a lot of these beefs and shit wouldn't exist. Yeah. Because it's just literally like, dudes who have beef with each other where their whole neighborhood, beats with the southern neighborhood,

and they might be 50 miles apart. But because of the rap shit, it feels like this shit is like right in front of your face in terms of the disrespect or whatever. And it's unfortunate because it makes it so easy for the cops to like observe and piece together who has issues with each other and shit like that. And you feel bad because it's like you know that these kids

are really doing that shit because they've been taught that this is how you handle things. It's like you have to publicize your fucking business. That's how you're supposed to move, but I mean, half of it is not even them thinking, you know what I'm saying? So it's not about them thinking how they're supposed to be moving. They're not really thinking to begin with. Make certain moves. Poor judgment.

It happens. I've done it already multiple times. That's why I am the way I am. And you'm saying, I could go on the podcast and talk to you, you feel me? And I sit here and act a donkey, you feel me, or get spun up by dumb shit because, you feel me, I'm here to talk business, you know what I'm saying? I'm going to answer your questions wholeheartedly without doing too much, you know what I'm saying? Definitely.

Yeah, and you do seem more respectful than the average person, but it's interesting how many rappers from down south or whatever feel the need to kind of throw your name in the mix. So he seems like you're kind of the guy who gets brought up more often than not these days. You know what they say? like, I mean, if you're not really even talked about, then I guess you ain't really doing too much, you know what I'm saying? Especially if you're an artist, you know, you're

somebody that's trying to promote theirself and market themselves. So, in reality, it's like, shit, that's just helping my career, you feel me, and I ain't even tripping, you know what I'm saying? I ain't got to fight, fire with fire. Certain songs that a nigga dropped, you feel me, it was

just for the time being, boom, get them out the way, now it's time, you feel, me to work. Drop some albums, drop some songs that got some, uh, some messages in it to let them know, like, you feel me? Like, I don't just rap this certain way. Obviously, you said you heard the old school gangster type rap, and then you heard some of the newer shit that appealed to the youngs. Like, I'm versatile with it, so that's what I'm doing right now, just showcasing my work.

June 14th, Herminator is going down. Northern Kelly West Coast. Cop that album. That shit when it goes stupid. What's Herminator mean? That's my, that's my dog. He's my producer. Oh, okay.

You know what I'm saying? Also my DJ when we go out to do performances and shit. He's out here right now. Thugging with me. Oh, nice. Yeah, because, like, we were doing a stream the other day and we ended up playing this song by this dude, Rich Rabbit, who's a black southerner,

and he was just fully taking aim at you. Like, it wasn't just like a little diss. It was like, oh, no, he, like, really hates Rico too smooth. And I wasn't really sure if that was something where you guys had run-ins or anything, or is this all internet? This is, bro. Obviously, like, come on, someone with that much time, you feel me?

It's crazy because his other homie to, from the same hood and shit. Like, he had followed me and shit. I followed back peeping in my eyes. I didn't even know he was a southerner at first. So I seen all the pictures. I'm like, damn, this nigga with hell of Mexicans and shit. I was like, oh, shit, okay.

Can't the push. I seen it. Basically, I felt like, okay, if my opposition is following, maybe they might be real fan or, like, a supporter, they fuck with it, or are they just trying to watch me? And I'm just like, all right, well,

I'm going to see. I'll watch you back. But it ain't got to be something to where, like, I'm on their shit lurking or doing no weird shit. It's like, I see him doing music and shit. So I'm like, okay, they're popping on. They're a little shit. They got this shit going on.

But to backtrack, like, yeah, his, his homie, like, you feel me, like, was trying to be smooth and shit. So, this nigga came out of left field. I didn't even know. I was like, who the fuck is this? They sent it to me. I was just like, my cousin was just like,

bro, you better not say nothing to that. I'm like, even this is, you feel me? Right. Give him a little motion, but. But to really put somebody's name in a song, like he put your full name in the hook of the song, that's like a lot of promotion right there. Yeah, full heartily.

I was like, damn, this is. That's crazy. It shit flopped too. That shit didn't even do no numbers. I'm like, bro, you did all that shit for no reason. I'm thinking like, yeah, at least you feel me do it business-wise. Like, I've seen other people drop you from me this side, this side. Niggins is doing numbers for me from both sides.

And I'm like, okay, they're getting chicken. They're collecting royalties. I don't know what he was doing with that. That's not collecting no royalties. That's like more like clout, trying to get clout and shit. But from your perspective, there's, like, no real tension there. It's just internet shit. I don't even know this thing.

Come on. Damn. That's crazy. This be real. Your name was coming up in a conversation with Roddy Racks, too, about, like, the potential of competing on a song. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you're not open to that idea.

It's a little too controversial. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like, you know, I ain't got to get all disrespectful about it. You never heard of a respectfully decline. Hey, no, man. If people know what it is, then it shouldn't even be, you know what I'm saying? It's something that a subject that's just being pressed upon, you know what I mean? For a minute now.

Some people try to get around there and I think, I'm like, nah, you know what I'm saying? I stand on solid principles. You know what I'm saying? And it ain't never like it's okay, it's shade to him. He's doing music. He's doing his thing. And if you think about it, you know what I'm saying? From a business perspective, you feel me?

He threw me a alley-you without, you feel me, trying. Getting you posted on a bunch of mean pages and shit. I'm in opposition like not directly but directly because like obviously all here they got their own opposition that they beef with half of them

is South Siders themselves so it's like I'm saying this shit is deep everybody knows what's going on it's like no no need to even get in death but like I said you'm saying that that helped me out I told you about fucking

or you told me about rich rabbit or whatever the fuck. That helping me out. So I'm like, bro, fuck it. And then, boo, you hit me, you make this happen. I'm like, this is all part of my plan. So I'm like, I'm going to use it as leverage. Not the wrong way, though, you feel me?

I could be crashing out, fighting fire with fire, trying to make dissons and doing all this extra shit and putting all my titles. You feel me, hella specific. Yeah, putting your ops name in your YouTube title, Like blank this song is kind of You know what? I give it a little smart

Because you know I'm smart enough to know that You know it catches in a logarithm Yeah It's good for YouTube It's good for search engine optimization Exactly But for sure

Yeah It's still Yeah It's still That's how you That's how it goes to show You like Even my people

Probably seen it I was like What the fuck Bunk And just swiped it Yeah Yeah it's a little weird To me too

Um Where are you at right now in terms of like partying and shit? Because I've seen some footage of you from interviews back in the day and stuff. You've got the lean out, doing all that stuff. What's your thought process on that as you get older and everything? Well, shit, you already know. Like I said, I've been like a year strong, a year and some change. Just working out consistently.

Oh, okay. So that keeps you away from drugs and shit too. That alone is like, you feel me? Like, I'm not going to lie. Like I was trying to double dabble at first. So I was partying on weekends and getting back to it on Monday. You feel me? And starting the week off, going strong.

Weekend it comes again. So I was kind of going backwards, you feel me? As you get older, that is way harder to pull off. Exactly. That Friday, Saturday, Sunday really does not make the gym feel good on Monday. Hell not. So just feeling that and, you know, I affected my body and my performance. I cut back on a lot of shit.

like I'm not just a sober gopher type of nigga, you feel me? I still could drink a few, but I limit it and I don't overindulge, you feel me, to where, you know, I'm shit-faced and blacking out type of shit, you know? No, yeah, definitely. I saw a little bit of footage of you talking about

how much it affected you losing your brother while he was locked up. Yeah. So we talked about him before. While he was doing that sentence, what happened to him while he was locked up Was that an overdose situation? Yeah, yeah, but, you know what I'm saying?

Not to go into debt. You know what I'm saying? There was some balloons that popped inside of stomach. So it wasn't like he was using drugs. That's another funny thing. Because niggas be talking, you know what I mean? And just be saying dumb-ass shit just because they think they know of it because they listen to certain interviews.

And they know my bro died off of overdose. But matter of the fact is, you know what I'm saying? Balloons have popped inside of shit. And you'm saying? While he was trying to sleep, he was trying to get him off. He got a few of them out. And instantly crashing out and fucking they pop. Holy shit.

So, yeah, overdose, but in his sleep. But was that, that must have been tough to have to deal with that while he's locked up. Oh, yeah. I'll talk. Well, my mom for Shirley, you know what I'm saying? Like I said, she had just been clean for hell alone. She was, she still kept a silent, you know what I'm saying? I don't know how she did it, but she was out there to the neck.

And I was on my way to C-YA. so it's like bro pass away I'm getting sent off to CYA oh so you weren't even able to go to the funeral or anything like that? They did not my shit oh shit yeah I had a hearing for show just to talk about it

and just due to my behavior and shit I was acting out and it was like nah we think this nigga's gonna be a flight risk or whatever the fuck that was there is that hard to feel like you have closure when you're not able to like

be involved in any kind of like family get-togethers or ceremonies to honor him? Yeah, yeah. My brother, he didn't really have a big ceremony either, so it was like even that fucked the nigga up, just thinking about it. Like, most of his niggas that he knew, you know what I'm saying?

Or people that he knew, you're dead prison, you know what I'm saying? So he didn't have like a big-ass funeral with hell of the homies popping up. It was just like, they sent his body from prison to the shit, you know what I'm saying? Boop, got him cleaned up type of shit. and they just had like a little rinketing shit

I mean my mom did the best she could so hey shout out to her shit she did her thug she was strong I was in WA I seen pictures and shit of it seeing that you already know I was already on my way to WA so I was still

crashing out at the time I would my my maternity didn't come to like way later damn my condolences that's terrible to have to deal with that like that um okay so where do you feel like you're at in your career at this point and how are you going to get to the next level? What do you think is the thing that, or like what do you really want to accomplish as you

continue on in your career and everything? Short term goes, I always go short term, long term, short term meaning that you feel me you can work on those right now and it's doable, you know what I'm saying? You could accomplish that. The long term is the bigger picture. So the short term is just coming out here networking, you know what I'm saying, connecting with certain artists out. here. Obviously, this is the first interview that you have me on here.

Shit, if you got anything else, cracking that I could be involved with, pop out, just networking, you feel me? But I'm a high and buy type of niggas, so I'm going to do my thing, boom, pop, and then go to the next location, and I'm just work. I'm moving. That's the short term of it. Just get out my jurisdiction, come out this way, not only this way, like I told you. I know you said on the last interview, you was like, Texas being a threat. My perspective. And people try to make that as if I was saying that we need to go to Texas and fight them.

And I'm like, nah, it's like a lyrical competition, music competition. Okay. Well, yeah, you know, sometimes you know you got to be more specific because you personally already know how certain platforms or bloggers and shit, they could easily book, take your shit. And then mix it up. Next thing you know, you're publicized, which you said this and this. And that was a half of it. But that kind of blew my mind because the title that those pages put on it, if you actually watch the clip, I say in the clip, like,

y'all need to worry about Texas. You all need to go to war against Texas. Lyrically. Like, I say it in the thing, but then the title on the video does not include that. It makes it sound like I'm encouraging people to form fucking militias and go to Texas to go to war, which I do not know. I get what you're saying now that you break it down.

Yeah. But I still, you feel me, think, like, now wouldn't even be the time really to even be doing a lyrical competition. it should be more hand in hand, especially since, you know, Hispanic period, you feel me? Like, believe it or not, you know, everybody knows, like, we're going crazy right now.

So it's like, at a time like this, for even people throwing out all the controversy, motherfuckers got to try to get around it and still find their way, you feel me, and make it bigger than what it is. So instead of, like, being competitive with them, I say, just like I'll say, I'll go Texas next.

Right. And I'm not going to go to Texas to do a competitive lyric. I'm going to go down to work. Right. I want to see what's up with artists is out there that are popping, who I would sound good with, who's with it to work with me. And I want to make music. Definitely.

And that work? Yeah, no, definitely. I see what you're saying, though. Yeah, yeah. I get what you saying. Because I'm an old-school hip-hop head in the sense I've been listening to shit since the 90s. So when I say that kind of shit, I'm referring to the fact like, you know, I feel like L.A. is in competition with,

Chicago, Atlanta, New York in terms of like being the most relevant city in hip hop or whatever. Right, just having that hip hop. Clearly we're trailing some of the cities that I just named right now. But for sure in the long run, you know,

I feel like every different city should kind of be at least somewhat cognizant of that because every different city is like kind of trying to do their best. But obviously everybody's also like in it for themselves to a certain extent or in it for their neighborhood or their like crew or group of people or whatever. But, you know, when you look at,

Texas and L.A. and Northern California all kind of having like Hispanic artists that are all making noise at the same time. I mean, it's actually like a very positive time. And I feel like this is going to end up with like some artists really like kind of reaching the next level and like becoming like national superstars. Like we've just seen it coming out of like South America and Mexico and shit as well. And it just feels like for as long as hip hop has had Hispanic people in it, you haven't really seen them necessarily get to the same. level that you've seen black artists get to and I feel like that's probably changing

in front of our eyes. Exactly. And it all goes back to like, even what I was saying, my barrier is just that alone. From Sacramento, I'm from northern part of Cali, you feel me? So that's that box that I got. Other people got their own boxes too. You know what I'm saying? We all got

our own boxes that we need to break them barriers and feel me? And you said certain people are popping up and going viral and really doing numbers and shit like that. So that's how I looked at it too I was like okay how they I seen the one where they like spent your words up

so I was thinking that you meant that too I was like this nigga sound crazy like why would you want to be competitive against another state if you could go over there and actually do more beneficial shit by working with them so that's what I thought you feel me but now I know that what you're saying I feel it compete on success

yeah yeah not violence right yeah yeah and even like the disson thing like that's like less productive than being able to work. It don't last long. I mean, you feel me? Like, of course, a lot of people made hits and shit with disses and shit. Tupac being one of them, you feel me?

Biggie being the other. But at the end of the day, like, those were those ones that actually, you feel me, super popular. There's no really other disses like that, you feel? Except for the Chicago niggas. Those niggas talk shit all day. They are crazy. But also when you really look at it, like, I was having this conversation with a billionaire black the other day.

It's like, how many artists? can you look at from Chicago from the last like 13, 14 years and really say like, oh, they're successful. They're like rich from this shit. It's realistically maybe like five to 10 dudes who've actually like done well for themselves. And really only a handful of them that are like legendary status. For sure. And it's usually like that.

But I mean, you know who I have a lot of faith in is that Mexican OT. Me seeing him like going on Joe Rogan and shit. And I'm like, oh, fuck. He's going crazy. I'm like, that shit right there is like to me like he could. kind of be the real breakout Mexican artists over the years. I feel like, you know what I'm saying? If he's a real nigger, then first or foremost, he's going to let down that ladder

for his people, most importantly. So that's why I was like my objective would be real beneficial because I plan on going out there, seeing what I could wiggle in, where do I fit in? Where can I can make some music with somebody, you feel me, and get tapped in with this and who knows, you feel me? For sure, like you doing a song with an artist like him is like infinitely more. beneficial to your career in the long run then you get into a dis thing with him or whatever like that's that's going to get you a little attention on the blogs and shit for for a week and then it's just going to be

like whatever okay and then it's a bridge that's burnt too where it's like oh like now you're never gonna have anything to do with each other you probably can't be on the same show they're gonna book you on the same festival it's like a whole bunch of bullshit whereas just keep a player you feel me as much as possible you know what other artists and shit like i said it's all business they made business moves and did certain shit to get where they at. So, I mean, everybody has to do that as an artist. You got to figure it out yourself. 100%.

So, yeah, like, do you ever make music with the thought process of, like, what's going to happen to this song in the long run in terms of it becoming commercially successful or being a big hit? Or is your mentality more like, I'm just doing my thing and just see what ends up being successful? It's more of that. You feel me? I don't work too hard on some shit. and just like hope for something out of it.

I'm just like, I know I talk my shit on this one. I liked a lot of the songs on the album, and I just hope really people just fuck with it. Of course I'm looking at it from a business side, so I make sure that all my shit's cool, be in mind. You know, I do my own distribution and shit, so I'm not signed to any labels. But, like, just staying fully,

dedicated and committed to this shit like it's what's gonna build me up altogether 100% Is there any artists in particular that you would really want to work with that you think you'd sound good on a song with? Shit, not that I could really think of, oh, I ain't gonna lie, like

a lot of females and shit from my area and all around like through the Bay and shit, they'd be fucking with K-Line for real. Oh yeah? Yeah, yeah. That's dope. Him, they fuck with Blass. I feel like certain moves like that is like some that's

more beneficial for me as a artist just based on like they're more universal and have their fan base is bitches Yeah, that's got to be nice. You know what I'm saying? I don't, you know what I'm saying? I got a big fan bases. It's a lot of niggas, you feel me?

I'm saying? Ain't nothing wrong with that, but at the end of the day you got to have it equal to actually be putting all that revenue back into your shit. So, him

Kailon for real I feel like those are two you from you out here that you feel me I would work with just based on like that shit would probably go up yeah girls seem like

they like street dudes but I'm pretty sure they're listening to R&B when they're driving around yeah all times I mean shit we have functions and shit or if we're kicking it

with some bitches they don't want to hear a bunch of motherfucking dissons unless they're little ratchet bitches from the hood yeah the other bitches are into that shit

they're just a little few and far between the ratchet hood bitches of course I mean, they thugged out. But, you know what I'm saying? Even them, they don't want a whole night of that. I'm saying, ain't okay here for a cool little minute,

but they're going to want to shake some ass and, you know what I'm saying, get jiggied with it. So if you ain't coming with no shit like that, then your shit's going to stay right here. So that would be a cool little move. Nah, that's some truth to that. Who are your favorite other Ricos throughout history? Rico Suave, Rico Reco Reco Reckles?

The RICO act. We don't like that one. Yeah, I'm fairly don't like that one. I already don't like that one. Shit. It threw me off with that last. That's off the top, so I did not have that written now. See, I don't know other Ricos but me, man.

But you got that nickname from, would you say? Like, they were just, you were like the Mexican dude who was around a bunch of blood? My god parents. Oh, they gave it to you. My godparents gave me that name. When I was coming up in that. Young nigga, I was probably like 10 or something. Yeah, 10 years old.

So I was already thugging the streets and shit. And they called me Puerto Rico, you feel me? Oh, right. That's how I started. I looked like a little Puerto Rican kid, like skinning. This is when I didn't have my shit braided up or nothing. My shit was hella crazy, curls and shit. But they know I was mixed, so they just thought I was Puerto Rican.

So they called me that. Went to Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican. Rican Then RICO And then I got out When I got out from When I got out from YAA I was like

I'm gonna make up my own name That Is unique Because I know You feel me As having an artist's name You don't want something That everybody else had

Right I know the RICO Reckleses and all that shit So that's why I didn't Put anything that was like too close RICO too smooth You look at RICO too smooth I'm the only one on there

When I was Watching that old video You fighting in jail It was like your hair all puffed out, right? A little hard to tell which one was you. That's exactly how it is. Yeah, it's a little puff ball.

Yeah, see, I'm saying? Niggas have a controversy over that shit, too. They always say random shit, too. They talk about it was this guy and this guy. True to the fact that that backstory, you feel me, I could talk on this because it was something when I was young. But I was 16, you know, at the time. And I probably was fresh there in Y.A.

just getting into the shit you feel me I already got down a few times in intake this was the mainline Super Max in Tualami Hall but it was a young it was a young dude but he was a little bit older than me probably like 26

not like 24 but he was from Lompoc his name was writer long story short that's who I was finding in the shit and the reason why we was finding the backstory is because we had a homie that was in a super max and lockup. You know what I'm saying?

And they got something that you call high power. I'm saying? When you go high power, basically you don't fuck with no other group segments. And you're putting the K over everything, basically. But his thing was like, the homie, he was putting the K on all South Siders.

So we was out there, you feel me? And he was saying, like, fuck them nigs. So they knew that and he was coming back and shit, and they tried to throw like three fights out of him. It was like, hey, you know what I'm saying? man, we're going to throw three faders at your homie because that nigga was back there whacking theirs.

So the homie told us, we're like, shit, none of that. Like, you feel me? We're not from now how you fight three niggas back to back. So we did our due diligence by taking two of those fades so that you only had one fade. So I fought Ryder. And then the homie at the time, you know what I'm saying? He fought this nigga named Curley. He was from Salinas.

was upstate South Sider. Yeah, we did our thing, boom. You can see it, like not too much, but we got maced the whole shit. As I was saying, I'm like, why are they sitting down now? I'm like, oh, okay, they got it. No, no, but he had, he got me with a cool one. He had dropped me, you feel me? And you can see him in the video, too, like this, go over me,

and he just, boom, let me back up. The reason why he let me back up, because in the politics on there is that if you hit somebody on the ground and that means that you wanted to crack up, I mean it's both sides, we're all gonna fight. Because we had homies in the corners. So it's respectable if it's standing up, but as soon as you start kicking a dude when he's on the ground.

Now everybody's fighting. Boom. That's like college for a war, yeah. Because he didn't want to do all that extra shit. That's got to be tough watching UFC when you see him beating the shit out of the guy once he's down. Well, hey, streets and the streets, ain't what I'm saying? The old UFC, they used to be able to like kick a

a motherfucker in the head when he was on the ground. No, I mean, that shit was gross. Like, really didn't look healthy or good for society at all. So you got knuckle huds, though, on both sides, though. Some people, you feel me, if they choose to, then they choose to. But that's what's going to happen. Obviously, that was a decision not to. We got back up, pull, poop, boat, got down.

And remorrah told you already, I got down with way more than a few south-siders, you feel me, back to back. And the next day, we program it. You know what I'm saying? It was like regular. So to me it was like just handling business in there But it was just YAA games now As I got older we fought over a hell of dumb shit

You know what I'm saying That wasn't a real that wasn't a dumb shit That was actually positive because we actually want to help the homie So we did our due diligence And win lose tie Hey I got down you feel me I for surely didn't turn nothing down Or I didn't stay in the background

And not fucking you feel me Raise my hand because that was the back story of it and I was the first one like shit man we ain't letting that happen what kind of repercussions you gotta deal with from that though they throw you in the hole or anything well for that yeah oh so in the CYA

basically you go you'll go down on lockup in your in yourself for like two days and then the next two days the gang coordinators and shit they'll all come out with the COs and they have something that's called C-I you feel me and it's like this you got staff members on that side staff members on that side and they bring you guys out

you know what I'm saying to see if you guys are cool and willing to continue the program so most of the time we already talk about it like we're already know like that fight we got down boot where it got back we all hey everything Gucci they're like yep it's good me we're like all right for sure when we come out you feel me we'll just let them know it's good or if it was bad and the South Sider felt played or if I felt played and I wanted to continue it I could have just been like, nah, fuck that shit, bro. When I see you when we come out,

we're going to get down again. But instead, we wanted to move forward. Plus, if we would have did any extra shit, they would have sent the homie back to a lockup. So it was more of a strategic little plot twist behind it. Is the gang coordinator, like, just a random person? Is it somebody that you have, like, respect for it? It looks like you.

Really? You should definitely listen to him then. No, not I think of it, bro. Hey, this isn't for niggas I know, Chad. You know what I'm saying? Sad Chad. If you were in Chad, tell me this nigga don't look like Miranda. Nah, he reminds me of Miranda.

He's got the essence. But why are you listening to him when he's telling you, like, we got to figure this out? Like, is this somebody who actually has respect from the gang coordinator? Yeah. No, we don't really respect him like that. Oh, okay. It's more of, uh, we're dealing with it from the back end. This is what we're, what we're showing.

showing to them to the COs and shit. We're already handling them. We know what we're going to do and shit. But this is their protocol. They have to do that. To say that, oh, we had both wards seen and they write it all down, you feel me, and documentated, you

know, you feel it? To let people know what they're actually doing with us. Basically, that's why they call it Gladiator School, because they had plenty of those times where, that's why I'm like, bro, they seen that. The hummy got that on camera. That was one shit. I was there for five years, eight months.

I got him plenty more fights and riots and all types of shit. So people that blew that shit up, oh, he got a job. Like, bro, you don't know the backstory. It was thugging, period. There was other niggas that I respected from that side because they was thugging the same way.

And getting to know their culture and seeing how they is, seeing how we rock, of course, we still ain't the same and we ain't buddy, buddy for show. But if we're on some gangst of shit and someone's matching that same energy, you like, all right, it gives you a different, it gives you a different shit, you know what

saying? Because you're clashing. But you see it, you're like, okay, yeah, another person sees it too. And it's more like mutual now, you feel me? You guys know each other, you guys, you feel me? It is what it is. When it's time for business, though, too, both sides, neither one will hesitate to get it popping.

It's crazy because watching that, I almost feel like, damn, like how do we get people on the outside to work their issues out? like that. I don't know if it's possible. It takes a lot of communication skills and critical thinking. For me and there, they gave us a lot of shit that they just fed to us, but they didn't feed it to us properly

because since we were gang members and felons and shit at the time and being caught up in the system, we just needed someone that we could actually respect wholeheartedly to spit it to us a certain way. But there was a lot of gems in the critical. thinking, fucking programs and shit that they had in there. So that's what I utilized, you feel me? And then I put that into actually being a man.

And I know that a lot of the shit was useful, but they didn't put it on us the right way. They just threw it out because it was protocol. That's something that they have to give us to throw out. Yeah, give them their counseling, give them their, you feel me? But in reality, we're going through it. We're having our own political issues. like it's greasy for us you feel me so we're not giving the fuck about none of that shit

but just that alone you feel me teaches us too as young adults we're all young adults we have to do critical things based on the politics and certain shit we got to make certain moves okay well if we do this then we go on lockdown and uh the homie has to go get a visit and he needs to get some shit or whatever the case may be like you know You got to think wisely, you feel mean, you can't just be thinking about yourself. There's a lot of knacks that just go off of their own emotions and they fuck it up

for everybody. So I say as a young nigga, it did teach me that too. You know what I'm saying? You got to think strategically. Before war, you always want to think of a way to have peace and still coexist with the other. Feel me? Whether it's the blacks, Southsiders,

whites, whatever. You always want to think of something. You always want to think of something so it's not more about just thinking recklessly and being selfish you know what saying you got to think if you're not a thinker then you're going to be a crash and making hell of decisions that's going to fuck up everybody yeah so people like the crash out thing is like such a common phrase that people use now but that really is the definition of it is like it's crashing out doing something impulsively and not having a plan or not considering what's going to happen next after this yeah it's some impulsivity even when I was locked up as a

they had labeled my shit. I had a little disorder, impulsive disorder. And you know what I'm saying? Probably a lot of gang members if you were giving a bill of health. They probably all got it. We're all impulsive.

It's almost like required. So it's like the same shit, you know what? I mean, it is required, but still as a gangster or even as if you're a father, you got to think about all this shit. Everything follows back to you thinking strategically implying out your moves, you feel me?

Even if you're doing certain songs or whatever, you got to think of the outcome and how is it going to look on you for the police and all the shit that we talked about, I already think about, you feel me,

beforehand. I just go with my heart, you feel me, and I deal with the repercussions afterwards. Sometimes I don't make the right decisions, but for the most part, I know that I made a wrong decision and I need to correct it.

So I'll do what I can to correct that shit, you feel me? Yeah, because like the impulsivity is kind of that explains why you see dudes who their whole life is they honor gang banging but then they look down to somebody who joins a gang when they're 21, 22, 23

because in their mind this is a decision that only a young man should make. Yeah, because you know, your brain is still developing. You're not even a full man yet, I think till they said 25 or 24. For sure. I hear people talk about how

from the age, of like 16 to 21 is like the danger zone for young dudes in prison and shit and by the time you get past 21 even is when you really start seeing people like able to have a different outlook on life but when you're in that like that gladiator part of your life it's just like much harder to get people to change that's why a lot of you feel me a lot of relatives and loved ones you feel me not even my loved ones but other people from different sides and shit they had that mentality just based on you know what I'm saying that's all they know you can't blame them I'm saying, blame the environment that they came from.

Blame the system. You know what I'm saying? Blame the education system that failed them. There's always a backstory to everybody that act out. Definitely. So, okay, anything that you want the people to keep an eye out for, anything that we need to make sure we cop when it drops? Out here, I ain't going to lie.

When I slid out here, fucking, I knew that fucking we was going to be out here. So we made sure that, you know, we did like a little three-day, little excursion type shit. So we wasn't out here tourists and they're doing no dumb shit. We had tapped in with a few artists. Shout out my nigga Tizi. Shout out that niggas, Simon. They stood on business.

And we got some hot shit coming soon, you feel me? So I just want everybody know that, you know what I'm saying? I'm working. I'm going to continue to working. I'm going to step on my boundaries. My album dropped, you know what I'm saying? June 14th. Cop that motherfucker.

Me and Hermanators. by Hermanator solely produced by him. I got some party shit on there, some struggle shit, and I got some shit for the bitches. So, you know what I'm saying? It's diverse on that. Just go back to what I was saying, you feel me? Now, it's time to just showcase talent, you feel me?

I ain't got to fight fire with fire. I know where niggis stand. You're going to just see my talent really prove itself and show you, you feel me, before anything. No, yeah, I agree. And I like the way you conduct yourself and the fact that you don't talk about a bunch of bullshit that you're not supposed to be talking about and shit.

I feel like out of everybody I met from up north, you might have the most potential for sure. So definitely, you know, keep it going because I feel like you could be a big-ass artist. Oh, yeah, for sure. Appreciate that. Yeah, yeah. Appreciate you, man.

Rico too smooth, make sure you turn them up on all streaming services and Instagram, et cetera, and cop that project when it drops. Shout out to you, man. Appreciate you. Yes, sir. No Jumber, coolest podcast on the world. Check us on YouTube, TikTok, Patreon, and Instagram, like, comment, subscribe,

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