No Jumper - The GaTa Interview: Early Days with Tyga, Falling Off, Lil Dicky, Getting into Acting & More

Episode Date: July 22, 2021

Gata shares his come up story with Adam! Growing up in LA, supporting his friends and their dreams, waiting for his moment, making waves, falling off, and making waves again now with Lil Dicky! https://www.instagram.com/gedgata/ https://twitter.com/GaTaGED ----- NO JUMPER PATREON http://www.patreon.com/nojumper CHECK OUT OUR NEW SPOTIFY PLAYLIST https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5tesvmDS8h50LkjnSAWMOs?si=j6sJD6DkR4mk5NZZWnlK7g FOLLOW US ON SNAPCHAT FOR THE LATEST NEWS & UPDATES https://www.snapchat.com/discover/No_Jumper/4874336901 CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE STORE!!! http://www.nojumper.com/ SUBSCRIBE for new interviews (and more) weekly: http://bit.ly/nastymondayz Follow us on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nojumper iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/no-jumper/id1001659715?mt=2 Follow us on Social Media: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/No_Jumper/4874336901 http://www.twitter.com/nojumper http://www.instagram.com/nojumper https://www.facebook.com/NOJUMPEROFFICIAL http://www.reddit.com/r/nojumper JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/Q3XPfBm Follow Adam22: https://www.tiktok.com/@adam22 http://www.twitter.com/adam22 http://www.instagram.com/adam22 adam22hoe on Snapchat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No Jumper. Coolest podcast in the world. And today I'm in here with my man, Gator. What's up with it, bro? How are you feeling? Man, I'm feeling good, man. Long overdue. That's what I'm saying.

It's nice to have you in here, man. I got to refresh myself on a lot of like 2010s-ish era, L.A. hip-hop that I being that I had just moved here from New York at that time, I was not necessarily in tune with like I should have been. But, I mean, you've had a pretty interesting career to just. that has gone you here today. I really appreciate that, man. It's crazy that you say that, because last night, Tori Lane's gave me the same type of compliment,

man. Really? One of these little blogs on Instagram, they posted about me, and he was like, yeah, man, Gayda been an artist. He's been rapping since 2009 with Tiger. So, man, I appreciate that,

bro. That made me feel good, man, to know that people at their eyes open and was paying attention, man. Yeah, I mean, it's cool because you're sort of used to seeing people have, like,

a career trajectory where they come out and, you know, if they don't blow up within the first year or two, then you never hear from him again, And that's just sort of how it's supposed to be. So it's dope to see somebody like you who, you know, has had like, you know, ups and downs and, like, has found himself in a position that seems like, you know, very good at this point. Man, I'm just living up to the brain. You know, GED, I'm just grinding every day.

That's just like me, just never having this quitter mentality. I always want to make sure that I fulfill the destination that I wanted to see myself at. You know what I'm saying? So it's like being here feels good because I know I never quit. You know what I'm saying? That's what it takes to be a true winner. Never quit. You're going to go through a lot of bullshit ups and downs.

you're going to lose a lot before you really get that victory, you know what I'm saying, before you really take your victory lap. Right, because, I mean, like, if you blow up your first time around, you probably weren't going to be ready for it, right? Oh, yeah,

I wasn't because I was young. I wasn't capitalizing on the business. Like, I had features with Little Wayne and all this, and we was just not capitalizing on it. Well, I wasn't. You know, I wasn't thinking about, oh, man, maybe I should try to get a manager, or maybe I should try to, you know,

put my music out there and more in an efficient way, you know what I'm saying? So I was just having fun at a young age, like you said, just letting it, you know, Marinate. Yeah. Okay, so let's talk about, like, when you were real young and shit. So you were born in South Central?

Yeah, South Central L.A. I grew up off Western. That's why I got the Western piece on. I noticed. I used to live on Western by, like, Western in Santa Monica. Yeah. Which is not really probably the part of Western that people think about when they think about the hood.

Yeah, but I'm from South Central L.A., man, I'm with the Crenshaw High School. A lot of people don't know that. People see me and be like, man, you're from Florida. Where are you from Atlanta? But, yeah, I'm from L.A., man, West Coast all day. Why do you think that is that people don't give you the L.A. pass? Because of the way I carry

myself, the way I dress, the way I talk. You know, like I'm not out here all, you know, just, I'm just different, man. Plus, you got to think about it. I'm international, too. I'm well-traveled. So my image or the way I carry myself is going to be based upon the places I've been and the things that I've been inspired by. So

I guess that's why I'm not putting that West Coast boxing. I really appreciate that too, though. That mean the world to me that people say, like, oh, where are you from? Right. But that's interesting because, like, so many people who are from L.A. kind of choose to really lean into that and make that kind of like the focal point of their whole identity and shit. I mean, you do have a Western fucking chain around your neck, so it's not like you're hiding

from it. But that's interesting that you've never felt that way about it. Yeah, I never felt that way because, you know, one thing I say about me coming where I come from, the hood and everything, like, I love it, I appreciate it, and made me who I am today. I'll never forget it, none of that. But at the same time, you got to think outside of that, you know what I mean? Like, when I'm in the hood or things like that, I'm always thinking further above and

beyond, you know what I'm saying? So that's why I never wanted to really just say, yo, like, this is really where I'm from. I'm from everywhere. I want everybody around the world to be able to connect with me. Did you feel like that even as a kid, though? Because I feel like so many people I talked to get sucked into like the local politics of where they're from and shit like that. That was never you? No, I didn't get sucked in, man.

You have an interview right now with a leader, bro. I never signed up for a gang. All my homies do what they do, yada, yada, yada. But me, I've been in the house since I was probably like 15. I didn't come outside until I was 15. I was on a computer. I'm a nerd, bro. I'm a tech geek.

I know everything about computers. I know how to build one from scratch. Really? Ram, ROM, all that. You know what I'm saying? Like, I know how to do a lot of stuff when it comes to computers. So I'm smart. So that's just what it was.

I never really came outside until I got older. And one of my homies, one of my day one friends is somebody that really showed me the neighborhood. Like, really showed me the other side of Western. You know what I mean? So I was really shelled in the house, you know, watching Ninja Turtles and wrestling and shit. That's interesting because when I look back at my, you know, teen years and shit, though, I always, one thing that I think really helped me to like get out and like experience the world was that I was obsessed with fucking like the internet and stuff. And then my mom basically figured out that I was like pirating software and shit on AOL.

So she got rid of the internet. So I had a couple of years there where we didn't have an internet in the house. And all of a sudden I'm out, ride my bike every day, kicking it with girls and shit. And when I look back, I kind of feel like I would have just ended up like a super stay in the house ass, stay on the computer type of kid. and wouldn't have necessarily got out there and really got like my social skills up. Man, shout out to you real quick. I'm sorry, but no jump or water.

That's a big move right there. Wet us water in the world. No jumper water. Appreciate it. Yeah. It's really just a sticker you put on the bottle. But I respect the gander. You're gandering right now.

We were getting sick of cutting the labels that said, you know, fucking Nestle or whatever off of them. Yeah. But, okay, so then what, you like turn 15 and you start to like actually get outside more? Yeah. Because I knew, like, where I come from, it's dangerous outside. If you don't know the right people. And you always knew that.

You always knew that. You know what I'm saying? I grew up off a 38th in Western. I grew up off in the 60s. I grew up off of 108th in Western. So I've always seen the culture. Like I said, I went to Crimshaw High School. So I've seen a lot of crazy shit, you know what I mean?

So when I went outside, I would make sure that I was linked up with the right people, you know what I mean, to keep me on the right path. Like, like, yo, stay away from this. Stay away from that. That's why I said, I'm a leader, you know what I mean? Because I never decided to be a follower. Like you said, a lot of people get caught up on what's going on outside. But when I came outside, I wanted to be focused, you know what I mean? So I wouldn't be distracted.

Were you obsessed with rap and shit at that time, too? Oh, yeah. I'm a hip-hop junkie, man. I know everything about music, man. I've been studying the rap game since I was probably like 13 years old. One of my favorite rappers who made me want to start rapping is the brat. Really? Yeah.

So, so, so folk the five. You want to know why, though? Because, look, all the door rappers that was coming out at that time, Ice Cube, Snoop Dog. All these dope artists. I'm like, okay, that's cool. But when I seen her do it and I've seen her swag, I'm like, hold on, she a female. If she can do this, I can do it. So it really brung out the confidence out of me more.

So shout out to the brat, man. That's like the female to start her stuff and made me want to start rapping. That's interesting because, yeah, I mean, like around the time that you and Tiger started doing your thing and stuff, it was like Tiger was definitely coming out with like a very different impression of what, like, a L.A. rapper could look like and be doing. Oh, well, see, that goes to play with us being around Fallout Boy in gym class heroes. You know what I'm saying? So, okay.

He was always different. We got to get the order of how all this proceeded, though. So, okay, you start- Crazy resume. Right. You start coming outside around like 15, whatever. Then what scene do you sort of get into and how do you start being around people and meeting all these people that led to all this stuff?

Well, basically, when I first came outside, like I said, I was hanging out with GZ. We're chilling smoking, doing our sports thing. And then I'm on MySpace, like I said. some girl was in my messages one day we talking yada yada yada she says yo come over in my crib one day i go to her crib tiger's over there she's like yo this my homie yada yada yada he dates my boyfriend i mean he dates my home girl or whatever and i'm like cool so off the rip we like damn okay our names is similar so that was funny gata and tiger yeah that was fun animal kingdom yeah so we thought nothing of it and then after that we just became cool and then we came up with the gd brand and

everything together. And then schoolboy Q was rocking with us. And then we went on tour, did our thing, blew up a little bit, got a little fame. That's how I got the verses from Wayne and stuff because Tiger was over there with Little Wayne and everything. And it was a great run. That was like the first half of my career. It was a dope experience, man. And then I fell off. We can talk about all that. But what, what, so Tiger was already signed and already doing his thing as a. Yeah, I was there at the table when he signed his first record deal for coconut juice and all that. Right. Yeah. Okay. And so, And I know people want to know this stuff too.

So it's dope that I get to say it on this platform with you, man. And I appreciate you asking me these questions because I don't ever want people to think like, oh, well, you on FX and you on this and that with Dickie now. You forgot about your past. Like, nah. Right. I mean, so I appreciate it. No, definitely. Because, I mean, I'm just sort of fascinated by that because that's one thing people always say about you.

It was like, yeah, Gator used to be around Tiger. And then, like, he was part of that whole thing back then. But I feel like, I have interviews I saw. I didn't really see much, like, in-depth information about what you were sort of a part of that whole. Yeah, that's because, you know, when you're in position, you can actually choose how much you want to turn the light on on somebody. You see what I'm saying? You can see how much you want to do for someone, you know what I mean? So that's why people saw what they saw.

But everything that you saw me doing is because I put myself in position. You know what I'm saying? Nobody ever, never handed me nothing. I saw opportunities and I rose and I did my thing. Right. Yeah. So where was your mentality at, though? When you see Taga sort of like going through these opportunities and stuff, it takes like a certain type of mentality to realize.

that there's a big opportunity in sort of being the right-hand man while somebody's experienced and there come up. Like that can oftentimes help somebody to really get off the ground, but I also feel like a lot of times people kind of fuck up the opportunity when that sort of opportunity is in their face. Like what was your mentality at that time on that? Well, my mentality was, I'm happy for my friend, number one. I'm blessed to be here. This is like a dream come true.

We around all the top talent in the world, traveling around the world. traveling around the world, Japan, all through the U.S., so I'm happy. Like I said, I was caught up in the fun, and I wasn't really thinking about the business, you know? I'm just thinking, okay, my boy on, we doing our thing, it's going to crack off, boom. We talk about certain things when the cameras are off, like, okay, we're going to do this and do that. And I was hoping some of those things came true.

And then some of the opportunities that arose, they got shut down because of business or whatever the case may be. And when he transitioned to young money, I was never the person that was going to be like, well, you over here with young money and little Wayne, you should sign me too. I'm like, let me get a deal. I wasn't like that. Like, the songs and the stuff that you heard from me and Little Wayne, all that stuff came organically. Like, I'm in the studio passed out, you know what I mean?

And Lil Wayne wake me up itself. It was never, hey, this is gay to get him on the song. Like, Tiger never did that. You know, everything just happens organically. Like, I never forced anything. That's why people love me because when I walk in go places, like, I'm not the person that's going to be like, unless it's my time, you know? I mean, but...

Were you just benefit... Like, when you talk about getting sons a little way, were you just benefiting to the fact that this is the era in his life where he was just going

absolutely nuts in the studio and just doing so much music. Man, you couldn't tell me nothing at that time, and you still can't tell me nothing right now because nobody could ever take that away from me. I didn't do those songs via email.

I was in the studio right there with him. Like, I was chosen, picked up off the couch, woken up off my sleep. Like, hey, get on the song with me. You know what I'm saying?

So that's priceless. You know what I mean? He really... fucked with us. He didn't wore my jury. You know what I mean? Like, it's just a real, real organic thing. Just like just like how you fucking with me right now, bro. Right. It's just how Wayne is. But he was like,

let me get the GE chain. I'm going on show. We had a lot of shit going on. I don't know if you noticed, but these chains had got snatched at one point from Tiger. Right. You know, while me and Q was there. And yada, yada, yada, let beho. Wayne's so powerful, he get the chains back. And when he got the chains back, he like,

don't ever let this shit happen again. And to let people know that you all got the shit back, I'm going to wear it in the Glasses Malone video. So if you look up Glasses Malone, little Wayne Burman video, you see the GED chains in there. So that's how that went, man. It was like a real family, bro. Like, Wayne is a real boss, man.

He's a real good dude, too. Like, he didn't have to do that for me. Let me get three songs with a nobody. You feel me? Let me just be able to say that for the rest of my life. That's cool. That is like, it's priceless, bro. Yeah, that's fire.

So that must have been a crazy-ass era, though, because last night I went on World Star, and I was searching Tyga and searching Gata and going backwards and looking. and looking at shit from the beginning. And that was like a huge fucking chapter of controversy in terms of like the chain snatching incident and stuff. What can you say about all that?

It just made me realize like no matter where we go and what we think of ourselves, somebody's always watching. You always got to know that. No matter you got money, no money, somebody always watching you. Like this social media shit is real, you know what I mean? So be careful what you post, you know, be careful who you be around. All that shit is real. You know what I'm saying?

Like I said, you got to really think about what you do. doing. Like I said before, I was playing checkers. Now we're playing chess. You get what I'm saying? It's like you got to evolve as a person as a man. So it's just dope to see people paying attention, man. But that's kind of crazy that you sort of ended up in the situation of being on the road and doing songs with all these big artists and everything because, in large part, because you kind of ignored all the gang banging shit that was going on outside your front door. And then all of a sudden you end up in a position where you got to basically rely on the streets to help solve some of these problems, right? Oh yeah, definitely. All the time, bro. And what's so

crazy is, like I said, it's about being respected and connected. You ain't got to be a gang member. You ain't got to be out here pumping fear in nobody's heart. But long as you a stand-up guy, as long as you cross all your tees, dot your eyes, you good, man. You ain't got nothing to worry about. Just be genuine, be pure. And it just is what it is. It's sad to say that I grew up in that environment and them circumstances, but I'm going to make the best of it at all times. I was watching that clip of you Like in Japan for your first time on YouTube Oh man

I could feel the excitement bro Like that was sick as fuck Because it is like I can just imagine If you've only ever even really been in America And then all of a sudden you're in Tokyo I mean it had to have blown your mind Into a million pieces

You just made the hair on my arms stand up I still watch that footage to this day Right Just so I could get that feeling of like Damn that was my first time in Japan Coming from South Central LA You know what I mean coming where I come from that. I mean a lot, bro.

Like, it's dope, man. I mean, yeah, it's, like, hard to imagine. Like, once you're out there, that's the conclusion you're forced to draw. It's like, this is another part of the world that developed, like, almost completely independent of everything that had to happen for where I grew up to develop. Like, you know, the food is 100% different. The people walk differently, move around differently, talk at a different speed with a different intensity, every single part of it. And it was like, that clip when I was watching it actually really did get me hype just seeing you with that, like, loud like enthusiasm for seeing something completely foreign to you, you know?

Yeah, man. And it was like that my first time in New York. Like, I got a New York video up there like that where I was just seeing snow for the first time. And I'm just like, damn. Like, you know what I mean? Some of those moments I'll never forget, man. And it's dope that you've seen that.

I ain't never going to delete that video either. Definitely. Hell yeah. Wait, so, okay, how did you, but how would you end up around Falliboy and all that kind of shit? Because that was like, that's a pretty rare time in L.A. history in which you had, you know, all these rappers kicking it with like an indie. emo punk type group for the first time and like actually really having the the shit blow up

independently of each other and sort of having the genres merged together a bit a lot of that hadn't really happened before at that time right right this how it happened man like I said we was really living up to the brand trying to make it we knew merrose was a cool place it's probably why you put your store over there because you know it was a historical place 15 years later yeah yeah you know what I mean but it's just crazy how like we was over there really trying to get our name out there knowing that a lot of cool people be over there. And it's a chance that we could get some exposure. So one day we was out there passing out Tigers Mix Tate Young on probation,

we see Travis McCoy walking down the street. I noticed him. You know what I mean? And I'm like, yo, that's the guy that scene. Take a look at my girlfriend. And I'm telling T, like, yo, pass him your mixtape. And he walks up to him, gave him the mixtape. And that's how we linked up with Jim Class Heroes and Fallout Boy, that moment right there on Melrose.

Right. And they were already fucking huge, right? Yeah, it was huge, dude. Like, man, crazy, dude. I still, man, I still can't believe I was around it those times. Like when they're out there with four or five tour buses back to back, Patrick, you know what I'm saying? All of them got their buses. It was just a great feeling, man, just to be around that because it grew on me to appreciate touring.

You get what I'm saying? A lot of artists don't like to tour. A lot of artists don't like to be out there with their fans, with people out there sweating, running out. You know what I mean? Like, I really appreciate that aspect of the game. Yeah, a lot of people start acting like it's a hassle. Yeah, like, but see, if you, to me, If you don't like the tour, you ain't no real star, man.

You ain't no real rock star. You ain't no real rapper. You ain't no real musician if you don't like the tour. That's just me. That's just my opinion. Because I'm a fan. We are kind of used to, like, rappers going on tour and sort of having like a more like boring trajectory

where it's like studio, hotel show, get on the road. Whereas like when you're with like a band, I mean, you're like with like a bunch of people who are like the rock stars. So it's more... Man, it's a different world, man. A different attitude, right? Shout out to every. be dope rock band out there, man. I love a lot of dope bands, man. Like, I picked up a lot of,

a lot of game from the rock world. Right. Definitely. So then, wait, so, and you said that the thing about Jim Class Heroes, Travi being cousins with Tyga, that was made up by the label? Yeah, that was made up, man. That was some industry shit that just happened because, you know, it's called a pitch. You know, every time a new artist come out, they got to have some type of pitch or some type of story. They didn't know what to say. About Tiger. That was kind of right. Yeah, they didn't They didn't know what to say. Like, how the fuck this guy from Compton get over here with this dude in New York, you know? So they didn't know what to say.

They're just going to say, oh, they both light-skinned tattoos. They cusses. You know what I said? But it was crazy. Then you just sort of had to go along with that live for a few years and just rock with it? Yeah, just rock with it. Because, you know, at the end of the day, it's Hollywood. It's the industry.

Don't believe everything you read. That's a real, real deal statement. Don't believe everything you see and read. Like, everything is not real. Definitely. So how many years we... And shout out to Travis McCoy, too, while we're talking about him, too. shout out to Travis.

It's birthday coming up, man. Okay, for sure. So, but when you were on the road with Tiger and doing all this kind of stuff, how long did that era basically last? And you were along for the whole, the whole thing? No, I wasn't there the whole ride, but I was there for about a decade. A decade? Yeah, it was a long time, bro.

2009? Yeah, like, no, from 2006 to about. Oh, okay, earlier. No, no, almost a decade. Probably like 2006 to 2011, 12, like around there, like seven years. Okay. It's almost a decade. And when you were, yeah, and when you were, like, where was your mind state at?

Like, did it start to get old to you after a while? Or why did it kind of end? It never got old because when you growing as a brand as an artist, you're always going to be setting goals. And we were setting goals personally. Like, you saw a schoolboy was dropping mixtapes. I was dropping stuff, you know, everybody had a plan. And where the plan went wrong is, you know, when somebody lose their deal and they go to another situation, it's like, hey, there's not room for all y'all, you know what I mean? we came to get tired, you know what I mean?

So I never wanted to step on toes and be like, yo, see what's up with me and your new situation over here, young money. You know what I'm saying? Like, I ain't never that type of dude, bro. You know what I'm just a good friend. Long as he went in and he was happy, that's all we cared about. Whatever came around my way, I would make the best of it. Like you said, you never know when this shit going to be over with.

So you just got to make the best of it every day. It sounds like you were being pretty selfless. Do you look back on that and wish that you had been more focused on yourself at that time? Not really Because to be honest I was focusing on myself Like I was doing things That I feel like

The reason why me and Tiger Not cool probably Like I have my own publicist Like you know We both rises So we go into venues And people like Coming up to me like

Yo I want to be a publicist I want to do this And what am I doing? Shit I ain't got no record deal I ain't got no contract With no major labels So I'm not here for me So I was trying to make the best of it

So I started doing stuff Flying out And getting in magazines and stuff And you never know man people will never know the real reason why me and t ain't cool no more and to be honest with you i really don't give a fuck a nigga a nigger a really out here winning bro and i'm still staying true to me you know what i'm saying and the people that i know i love and love me love me so that's all that matter for sure so did you guys have like an actual falling out or did you just grow apart over time and kind of

no we never had no falling out no argument he's not that type of guy that's going to be arguing what you face to face you know like you know some people just be on some all right i won't even speak on it. I'll just cut you off or whatever. Because I don't want to dig too deep into his situation or whatever, but just look at his circle, bro. You know what I mean? Look at Terrell. You know Terrell.

You know what I'm saying? Get Terrell up here. I mean, I... Okay, I think I could reveal that. You know what I'm saying? We did have a conversation about this, but he did seem to say that he thinks it's kind of crazy that Tiger don't really like have anything to do with any of the people that he was around during that

man. Like I said, man, this shit is GED forever, man. You feel what I? This shit tattered on my face. Whether people think we're cool or not in my mind, salute the tiger, bro. You went and doing your thing, you gave us some exposure to platform, and we

do what we're supposed to do. Because at the end of the day, a nigga can't hold your hand to the top forever. You feel what I respect everything you did for me, bro. That's why I'm here, right here with you. You know what I'm saying? So it's just the real truth. I'm just always say that, bro. I'm never going to bash nobody, bro. You know what I mean? I'm never

going to bash nobody. I'm not here to do that, you know what I'm saying? No matter if you fuck with me or not, I'm still not going to bash you. Even if a nigga don't fuck with me, I'm not going to bash you. I respect that. You know what I'm saying? For sure. Yeah. That's how it should be. Okay. So you probably get mad at me for asking about this, but there was a very viral video back in the day where you got into a physical altercation with Stunner Man's Goons, I think. Oh, that was fake too. That title was fake? No, that title, the title was fake. I really got to an altercation. But that was not no Stunner Man Goons. Stuner Goons didn't send nobody for me.

Okay. That was somebody that I knew. You know what I'm saying? One of my boys that I was linking up with, chilling with, Gator drop on me. You know what I'm saying? He's like, oh, I guess Gator's over here.

And that's how that happened. But that never was, yeah. Some more rappers in the title. Yeah, they play with titles. First of all, they said I was still in an iPhone or something. Right. You know what I mean? I'm a tech gig, bro.

I already got an iPhone. You feel I don't need to steal somebody outdated phone or whatever. Right. But whatever the case may be, that was just the title mix up. really got into altercation. Uh-huh. Yeah.

But so how'd you feel about that ended up on World Star? That was one of it was kind of like the early days of that happening, right? Listen, to be honest with you, when that shit here at World Star, I'm like, I'm popping. You know why? Niggis trying to get a name off of me. You get a name off of me, bro. I'm popping. I'm on.

You know what's up with me, bro. I'm running with Tiger. I'm running with Fall Out Boy, gym class heroes. Yeah, you might want to come beat me up. You probably mad. You probably don't like me. You know what it is, bro. That's just what it is, bro.

That's just how L.A. is, bro. Like, you know that, Adam. I know. But that's the whole thing is, like, did you feel from that situation, like, damn, I'm not moving right. I'm associated with all these famous people. Here I am in the hood, having somebody have the opportunity to run up on me. Number one, number one, moving sloppy as hell.

Moving sloppy. I was young. I was probably like, what, 21 in that video, 22? I was young as fuck. But, like, I was definitely moving sloppy. But like I said, the biggest wake-up call was, I'm a somebody. That was the biggest wake-up call. I'm a lick.

Yeah, I'm a lick. You feel, me? like a nigga could be like oh that's gator you know what I mean but if you can get on World Star for beating somebody up then that person is automatically like elevated to a different level of target and when you are artists too and a brand

you got to realize there's people out here that want to put you in a position to where they could violate you put your make your brand look sloppy and tacky you know what I'm saying but at the end of the day when you got a pure heart and you just so real nobody can stop the plan that God has got for you

like I said a nigga did all that and I'm still here. You feel me like. Definitely. Okay, so then in between, what year would you say that the Tiger thing kind of stopped being a thing? Probably like 2012. Okay, and so then what do you move on to around

then? I fell off. I was on the block, posted up with my nigga Jeezie all day. Really? Writing songs in my mama backyard, smoking Newport cigarettes, walking to Maggie's store on Western, buying cigarettes $2 for a dollar. You know what I mean? Uh-huh. You got a Lucy spot? Yeah, I was, I had a

Lucy spot. I'm in the hood, bro. My niggis told me where it was at. They're like, man, you know, Maggie's got the cigarette too for a dog. Man, I was doing bad, bro. See, I didn't know that you could get Lucy's over. I was walking to the county building, bro. EBT. Eat better today. You know what I'm saying? I was doing bad, bro. I was struggling. But how did, how did that sit with you? Like, you know, having just seen so much of the world and, like, you're kind of just

just back on some normal shit. It fucked me up. It made me realize, like, number one, my anxiety is through the roof. I went from traveling in the world to now I'm just stuck. Now I just got to start all over. Right. No cameras, no just me, my mind, my little circle, my personal support system. That's all it was. It wasn't no, all of this right here.

It wasn't none of that. It was like, we need to do what we got to do to get back to what we got to get to. That's why I take my niggi everywhere because every time I was in the dark spot, he was like, man, fuck all that, bro. Just keep rapping. Keep grinding every day, bro. You know what I'm saying? So that's all I was doing, bro, was thinking positive.

I never was thinking like, oh, niggas don't fuck with me. I'm done. I was never thinking that. I was always thinking, bro, I'm Gator. I got songs a little Wayne. I'm talented. Nigger woke me up off the couch to get a verse for me. Technically.

Right. Definitely. You know what I'm saying? But so, okay, so you're just sort of grinding away. Like, did you have anything that happened? Like, because from like the public's eyes, it's like you had this sort of down period. And then all of a sudden you start fucking with a little dicky and all of a sudden you're on again. Was there anything else that was popping along the way that sort of seemed like it was working?

Or were you just sort of toiling away for a few years? Man. It was stuff that was seeming like it was working. Shout out my niggasie. Pick me up in a limo on Christmas Day on the block. You know what I'm saying? Swayzy, you know, buzzing all over me. That's my nigger too right there.

Like, I met him on tour while I was doing the like the fallout boy stuff and stuff. But when I fell off, he was always a good friend to me. He never was on no, oh, Gator, you ain't on no more. You can't come around. You know what I'm saying? A lot of people do you like that too. You probably saw a lot of that shit, huh? What, man?

Niggies be so fake, bruh. That's why when people come around and I knew they was fake, I'd be acting fake too. Like, yeah, man. Learning how to be fake, important part of the game. Just laughing at these people, man. For sure. At the same time, it's just like, I always knew that as long as I work hard and stay focused,

I was going to be in a good position. Because the mind is the most powerful thing, man. I didn't lose my – well, maybe I did because I am bipolar. So I did go through some dark spaces, bro. At some points, I wanted to quit. Did you know that you were bipolar during all the Tiger stuff? No, no, no, no, no. That was, okay.

I didn't realize I was bipolar until after. Okay. I was trying to, you know, get back in my groove and get back on, and I had a manic episode. Really? Like the episode that you seen in a little dicky episode, that was real. I really snapped the laptop in front of my moms, and I did that in a period when I fell off. Really? Yeah, I was going through it, bro.

I was taking Xanax, drinking alcohol. You know what I mean? I was going through it, man. I was really not using the drugs. I was abusing the drugs. Right. Well, okay, so when you were on the road with Tiger and all that stuff, were you experiencing bipolar shit, but you didn't know what it was

and you just thought you were kind of a moody asshole or something? Definitely, man, because back then, like I said, I always blame it on my youth. Anytime somebody do something and they're young and it's foolish and it's bizarre, you know, you got to just say, he's young and dumb. You know what I mean? So it was a lot of things that I did

that I probably didn't realize at the moment, even in my present, you know, like in the past, like I'll get into a loud, vivid argument with my manager or even Dickie, you know what I'm saying? It's just like I'm a human being, you know what I mean? So whether I'm hot, cold, I'm still human. Definitely.

Yeah. Okay, so you went through that one episode. You're talking about snapping the laptop in front of your mom and shit. Was it really hard? Did it become harder for you to balance that? And turning to drugs must have just made the whole thing worse, I'm assuming? Yeah, because at first I rejected the medicine. Like when I first was diagnosed bipolar, I was like, man, I ain't taking this, man.

I'm good. I'm good, you know? But then it would be days where I would ramp up and I realized like, man, you need to maybe take your medication. Like, you got too over, what, let's say. Like, I wouldn't say energetic, but just like, I was just too amped. Right. You know what I'm thinking?

Too geeked. Like, over something that wasn't even that serious. You know what I mean? So that's when I knew I had a problem. And then I knew I had a problem when people around me were getting hurt. Like, my mom and sister would be crying, you know, just because I'm arguing or something. And they're strong women. So, you know, I got to be off the me rack for them to call the sheriffs to say,

you know what, come get him out the house. Wow. Yeah, you know what I mean? Gizi saw me in that statement. That's why I always take Gizi everywhere because he's seen a lot of shit. You know what I mean? Yeah, is there anybody who can talk to you

when you are going through that sort of thing? Or is it kind of like, like how do the people who love you sort of deal with you when you are struggling in that regard? Well, honestly, now isolation and just me being on my dog and my girl is the best thing for me. Like, when I'm ramping up or something,

it's like I don't expect people to understand. It's like you're not even in my shoes. You don't even probably respect my opinion, you know? You might not be trying to make the same decision as me. So when I'm ramping up or whatever the case may be, I just like to be by myself or then I like to call my manager or get my life coach on the phone or set up an appointment with the therapist or whatever the case may be

or even doing no jumper interview because right now I'm getting free therapy, man. I had anxiety all day. I'm like, fuck, man, what am I going to wear up there? But I used to say that shit all the time about like, oh, you know, I feel like I get therapy when I'm on the podcast. and stuff. But now that I'm actually in real therapy is a very different thing when you're sitting there with somebody who

legally can't tell anybody the shit that you're saying that doesn't know you, that doesn't have anything to do with the rest of your life. And you feel like you can just sort of let loose about your most inner feelings. Like, you know, I get realer with my therapist than I think I'm probably capable. Nobody wants to see me get that real

sitting here on the podcast, you know? But like... Nah, you'd be surprised. I broke down and cried on live TV, bro. People loved it. Really? You get what I'm saying? People... People love when you be vulnerable, bro. Yeah. Like, if you got on here and said some shit that people wouldn't expect, bro, they'd probably be like, damn, Adam, you going through that?

Well, I am too. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? There's definitely room for that, but you also, you're always going to be conscious of what you're doing to your own public image when you really, like, open up and unload publicly. You know, I think that they're, you definitely want to do, I feel like I've opened up a lot more through therapy, but at the same time, yeah, I mean, I feel like...

The therapy thing is kind of difficult, though, too, because basically you're talking to a stranger. Yeah. That's the coldest part of. about it. That's why I rejected it at first. Because when I was in CDRP, which is a chemical drug recovery program, I had a therapist. And I'm like, man,

I'm telling all my problems to this person and they don't even know me. But then after I step back and realize, hold on, that's the best thing to be doing. Yeah. Talking to somebody that don't even know you. Right. Because she probably couldn't, she don't even know nobody who knows me. She doesn't have anybody to tell the shit that I'm saying, you know?

So I really feel like open and like a... We need to make therapy more cool in the urban community. We need to do that. Meek Mill tweeted that yesterday, right? Yeah, somebody retweeted me like, yo, Gator's opening up, so I think we got hope. So that's why I'm saying that right now.

Yeah. We need to make it more cool, man, because mental health awareness is important. Can't be bottling up. Because, you know, people in the hood and shit go through crazy-ass degrees of trauma, but they don't really process it like that. Like, nobody's thinking, oh, I saw somebody get killed

on the street in front of me, so I should probably have somebody to talk to, whereas in, like, upper-class, like, white communities and shit, that's a given. some girl dies at your school from an overdose they're putting you in therapy they're fucking you know like they understand that that's like traumatic whereas I feel like a lot of people in the hood are

they're just so used to going through shit that they don't process it the same way and that's what's so crazy man we should never have to just be used to negativity you know what I mean so that's why I like to just speak up and tell people to go get some resources speak up you know get help because that's the best way to get a solution to your problems definitely and I mean but do you the fact that you basically are like working with like a famous white guy now to feeling

like you can be open about the therapy shit like like maybe if you were around maybe if you were assigned to fucking Gucci man you wouldn't feel like you necessarily had people around who are going to be open minded to you even talking about your mental health situation like that right that's definitely all LD LD gave me the the comfortability of being open you know what I'm saying you see how he express itself he's always his self 100,000% of the time you know what I'm saying so me saying, hey, I'm bipolar. That was all his idea. He sat down with me and my family, you know what I'm saying, respectfully and said, hey, I want to share his story.

Are you okay with that Gator? At first I was like, man, bro, come on, what you're doing, man? You're trying to change up my gander. I'm supposed to be the cool dude. You know what I'm saying? I don't want to be out here looking like I'm crazy. And then he's like, nah, man, you're going to be inspiring people. You're going to be motivating people.

So that was all LD. He's the reason why I'm able to get on here and just be so comfortable because I'm like, man, LD say crazy shit all day. Fuck it. Wow. That's crazy. Did you, so prior to that, you had never really mentioned it publicly. You would never say on your Instagram, like I'm going through this episode, never, never, never.

You can ask my boy, he knew I was dealing with bipolar for a long time. And it's just now coming out. You get what I'm saying? Like, I never want to express that to someone like, yo, I take eight to ten pills every night. Right. I'll wake up in the morning and I take a pill, you know what I'm saying, just to make sure that my nerves is good. Right. You know what I'm saying?

I didn't want to express that at first, but now we are. You're kind of lucky to be alive at this point in history in general outside of just the dicky thing. I mean, because now people like, you know, bipolar used to just be like something people would use as an insult constantly. Now if you were to say like, oh, that dude's bipolar. He's a piece of shit. He's a crazy fuck. You know, somebody's probably going to check you and say like, well, you can't minimize mental health like that, etc. Yeah.

I definitely been through a lot, man. I'm just glad that I got people supporting me, understanding. And I'm just glad that other people are opening up too. Like now when I look in the media, I see other athletes, other entertainment. there's other rappers talking about mental health. So I feel good that I was able to share my story, man. Right. Damn, that's amazing.

Okay, so, yeah, like, you're sort of in this down, falling off period, etc. How do you sort of, like, find yourself in the graces of Dickie and your career? When does your career start to look up again, basically? Was it the Dickie thing, or was there anything before that? Basically, like I said, I was hanging out with Swayzee going at little shows for him and opening up, like, at the observatory. He'll let me come out, rock out, just play music and just, you know, hype the crowd. But that was never no moment where I felt like, oh, I'm back on.

Because, like, think about it, you can't really impress somebody to have been around the world all. And got songs with Lil Wayne. Show me a check. Right. You feel me? That's what I'm going to feel like I made it. Right. You know what I'm saying?

So I didn't feel like I was on my way until I linked up with Dickie. And then we start touring again. And then I started getting to the money. And then we start thinking about our ideas together. And then he started really letting me know, like, I'm a staple in this system that he's in and his brand. And he made me feel like family, important. So besides the money and the fame and all that,

when he let me know that he was a real person, like when my boy got shot and Dickie sent food to the hospital, that's what I'm like, man, Dickie's a real friend. It's not just about the business. Like, he really care about me as a person, you know what I mean? So that's when I started feeling like I made it when he starts showing his heart. So how did you get

introduced to Dickie and what do you think it was that made you stand out to him as somebody he really wanted to fuck with? I'm sure that over the years he's met a million cool ass dude. that could probably help put him on more game and the rap game, whatever kind of help he needed to sort of get deeper into that shit or to be able to work within that world. What do you think it was about you that made him like,

nah, this is the dude that I want to really be working with? Personally, I think it was just my energy and my resume. And then the connection between this, I'm sorry, I didn't answer your question, but my bad. The way I met him was through Anthony Martini, who was a manager of Tigers, and he linked me up with him, said, I got a new artist or whatever, yada, yada, yada, come meet him. Oh, so it was really early on.

Yeah, and I didn't, I didn't, Dickie didn't like me at first. Because when I first came in, I had a fake cameraman, fake personal assistant, and everything. But basically, I think it was just my energy letting him know that, yo, you're a dope rapper. But, yo, bro, I want to make it too. Right. You know, I think he respected my grind and my mind and just my mentality. And I just put a battery in his back. Like, yo, you dope, man.

So let people know. And that's just what it was. Did you really think he was dope or you just saying that because you made this opportunity? I thought he was dope. You got to think about it. Look, the opportunity is cool. Being a hype man. That's cool.

Go around the world, get some money, get some exposure. People know about you a little bit through this other artist. But at the same time, when I signed up for the job, I didn't just sign up because I'm going to be a hype man for a little Dickie. I signed up because I believed in this dream. Right. I heard his song, ex-boyfriend. I seen the video.

I seen the visuals. You put it up in one day, got a million views organically. You didn't have to pay no company. It just got organically. a million views. And then I heard more music. I dug in and I started doing my research. I heard Westbrook on the farm.

I just heard all his music and I digged into his content. I'm like, yo, his wordplay is phenomenal. No music video looks like his little dicky got the dopest music videos, bro. Seriously. Yeah. I'm not just saying it just because I'm his boy on TV. But ain't no other rapper going to put up a million dollars on their own money and be like, yo, this is what I want to do.

No rapper doing that. They're going to spend their money on jury. The only person that's going to put up a million of their own money for a video is like Dickie and Kanye. Isn't he signed? Why does he have to put up his own money? You see, is Dickie signed? See, people don't even, Dickie not signed, bro. He's not signed?

Independent, bro. What? Independent. He got some, you know, connections and stuff like that. But ain't no Dev Jam. Ain't no Sony. Ain't no Warner Brothers. Right.

You know what I'm saying? That's why I like Dickie because he really self-made. Yeah. Damn, that's far. I remember I didn't really like understand him that well, but then I saw him at fucking Complex Con a couple years ago. and just saw the fucking crowd just erupt when he came out. Oh, yeah, Long Beach. Yeah, and I was like, holy fuck.

I do not know anyone who listens to this dude, but he is fucking huge. This is crazy. And then I started to look into it more. People just respect the craftmanship. He's a genius, man, to be able to put out music and be able to transition and say, you know what I have my eye on the prize? I wanted to do a TV show, bro. Like, how could you not salute that?

Like, the music grab people, you know what I'm saying? Right. So it just is what it is. When he started talking about the TV show, how did you feel about it? And are you surprised that it's gone so well? Because I never would have thought that, like, his music was always kind of like, you know, some part of hip hop fucked with it. But really, like, a lot of people who are kind of outside hip hop. And then a lot of people in hip hop maybe just kind of didn't understand.

I thought, like, oh, he's successful. That's cool. I never seen, like, I never thought the reaction, like, I've seen with the show where it just seemed like universally, everybody was just fucking with it. Like, that was kind of surprising to me. Were you surprised? When it first came out, I was a surprise just due to all the, like, the work that was put in and I knew the people that we had on the show. I'm like, people going to fuck with this, of course.

You know what I'm saying? But as far as it being the number one show on FX and comedy history and stuff like that and we're coming back for a season two, I couldn't see that. Right. Because I'm just dwelling in the moment. You know, I'm like, damn, this first season shows out, people loving it. It's cool, you know? But when I start realizing, like, we're doing it again.

That's when I was like, damn, Dickie, he's doing this shit. Like, he really did it. Right. Even though when he did the first season, it was like big to me. I got the LA Times covering everything. But just to know that you're still going and people loving it more and more, I'm on no jumper today. Like, you know what I'm saying?

Yeah. That shit is dope. Dude, what about just the fact that they got like fucking thug and gunma and trippy red to just act? Like, I never would have, if I had a show, it would never even occur to me in a million years. Like, oh, maybe I can get young thug to play a role on the show. It just does not seem like the kind of thing that he would ever do. Yeah, but you were around for all that? I was there every day.

Right. Every day I was there. First season, every day I was there. And it's just crazy. Like, when all those people came out, I was like, damn, that's crazy. Thug came, Gunna came. Damn, the Kardashians came.

But then when I sat back and realized, I'm like, hold on. This is the highest level. Think about that. This is the highest level. Like, this is TV, brer. This ain't the radio where people just hear you. People are going to see your face. Rappers want that.

The Kardashians want that. You know what I'm saying? So it's a lot of it. It wasn't, like, unbelievable once I sat there and thought about it. I'm like, damn, this is dope for everybody's brand. Why wouldn't they want to be on TV? You know what I'm saying? So it's just dope, man.

Definitely. Okay. One thing that kind of stood out to me in the most recent season was just, like, the episode where basically there's like a confrontation of, like, you being the black guy who doesn't really fuck with the gay jokes. And then Dickie and Benny Blanco are just in their own world of just making, like, the gayest jokes to each other ever. that episode to me was almost like so cringe that it was kind of like uncomfortable and then

I felt like I finally understood it when you came out and we get to like they get to see themselves through your eyes and like sort of realize like oh like I don't know this is hard to make sense of like what how did you feel about sort of being the voice of reason in that episode well honestly I always feel like the voice of reason sometimes you know because when you're artist and you focus and stuff and you on your path you're not really trying to hear the outside you got tunnel vision you know what I mean and I respect the fact that Dickie comes

to me and be like hey what you think about this and like you said and like you saw I get to be myself right I get to be like man I'm going over here bro you know what I'm saying like that's what I like bro because I'm always the sus one like with AD I'm always the one saying some sus as shit and AD is like oh my god

it's like you're a little Dickie yeah he's basically you know what I'm saying bro it's like the best of both worlds and at the end of the day it's the truth to all of that all that stuff that y'all saw benny and ld doing besides ld and bennie other people doing that you feel me so what's the big deal you know i mean and that's just the world we live in bro you see all this lgb well you know gb tq yeah like it's dude nobody should be offended at this point it's 2025 right now in my mind definitely so were you playing a slightly more homophobic version of yourself in that episode

man I was really being my real self and I don't have nothing against nobody homosexual or nothing I love everybody like that's the best part about being a human you're a human being yourself look at those two words they go together for a reason just be yourself

if that's who you want to be go ahead and do it but nobody gonna be able to say nothing if you win it right you know what I'm saying if you win it so what you win in do yourself do whatever you want you win it that's like kind of well that whole episode is kind of like a metaphor for like what you said of like dudes just sort of getting in their own mind state and thinking that random shit is cool that's not necessarily going to read as cool to the rest of the world like calling each other Chuck 5,000 fucking times.

It's like, you know, it might seem funny just between you and your friends, but there's always that weird moment of like you're trying to process your inside jokes to be funny to the outside world. And sometimes you have to like check yourself and realize like, oh, maybe they're not ready for that. That's not going to seem funny. Man, I love the feedback from that episode because I had people coming up to me like, yo, It was crazy. And then I had people coming up to me like, yo, we loved it. So it's like, it goes both ways, man. Like, as long as you doing what you want to do in life, you're successful, man.

But that had to be like the most contentious episode, right? Because I read a fucking pitchfork article shitting on that episode specifically. Man, pitchfork, man, pitchfork shit on everything. Pitchfork probably shit don't be right now. They shit on everything, bro. You got to think about it. Whenever you do something, somebody always going to have something to say. Right.

So it don't matter what you doing. Just do it. key it up all day, bro. Definitely. Do you feel like you're like past the part of your life where the hate could get to you? Like, do you ever read something on Twitter, on Instagram that like really kind of hits home? Man, I'm way past that, bro. Y'all, y'all seen the resume, man. People know I've been doing it for a long time. People can say whatever they want about me. But long as I'm able to know that I got something to look forward to the next day, as long as my mama happy, you know, long as L.D. happy, that's all that I care about, man,

long as my fans is happy, like, long as I'm happy, like, nothing else matters. You can say, what can you say about me that's going to make me feel bad? I don't know. You know what I'm saying? I already never knew my real mom or dad. You never knew either of them. No, you know what I'm saying? So you were a foster kid.

I was adopted in 18 months. It's like, you can't say nothing to me to make me feel bad, bro. I'm from the ghetto, man. You get what I'm saying? Like, nothing can, I'm strong like that. Like, that's just what it is. That's just my persona. That's just my character.

Like, I've been through a lot of shit. So somebody that don't know me comment it's not going to hurt me. Like, long as they see me, that's all it matters. Like, did you always know as a kid that you were adopted, or did you find out? I didn't know until I was probably like four or five years old. You know, my mom and my sister, they didn't want to really tell me. Uh-huh.

You know what I'm saying? And my mom and my sister is my auntie and my cousin. But, you know, they really didn't want to tell me. They want to protect my feelings. But as I got older, I started, you know, manning up to the story, sharing my story, you know, because I'm proud of who I am. Right. Was there, when you were young, though, like, did you feel like you were supposed to be

ashamed or that you were supposed to feel like something bad it will fuck me up when i would go to van slox park on uh vannes and sloshin all the time i used to play basketball up there and i'll see people up there with their moms and dads and stuff or you go to the barbershop my sister taking me to the barbershop you know what i mean and there's like i see people with their dads in the barbershop you know i mean so little shit used to get like to me but now it don't because i take care of my mom and my sister and i'm the man now so right does that make you want to have kids oh definitely man I definitely want to have kids But I just want to have them at the right time

Which they say you'll never find the right time But yeah man I'm a family man I'm one kid one kid one kid At least like for the guy It's more open-ended For the woman it really needs to be the right time Because their life sort of changes more dramatically

Yeah they can't even have babies after a certain age And stuff like that They have a time limit And you know they're the one with the thing Growing inside of them for like a year So that's kind of controversial too Damn That's very interesting

Congrats to you too man You got a beautiful family, brother. Appreciate, man. Eight months. That's tight, man. Eight months. And she fucking eats dirt now. This is like a new thing I found out about.

She just goes to the plant and she just picks dirt up out of the plan, eats the dirt. So that's, if you want to have kids, you have to get me ready for things like that. I didn't know that was going to happen. Man, I'm still trying to manage my Frenchie, bro. He'd be shitting everywhere. Crazy. I hear that. You also learn a song with Kendrick at one point, too.

Oh, what you just say? Kendrick. Run that back? Kendrick Lamar. Yeah, I got a song. with Kendrick Lamar and Tiger and Schoolboy Q from like 2009 called Summergirl

Yeah, did that seem like a big deal when you were doing that or not so much? It definitely felt like a big deal because I'm like, this is GED, me, Tiger School Boy Q linking up with TDE

and we already knew like, damn, Kendrick on his way up and this one he was still KD you know what I mean? So just to be able to see him really live up to the potential that he had, like he was in there doing that verse

with no pen, no pad, no nothing. We're sitting in the back looking like rookies. You know what I mean? We like, damn, Kendrick just did his whole verse like that. We was mind-blown, man. Like I said, man, I really appreciate everybody that really digs in the archives because I really appreciate those moments.

And I can't wait to create more dope moments like that, man. Definitely. Yeah, I mean, at that time, Kendrick, you know, he definitely had a name for himself, but it wasn't like what he became sort of after a good kid Mad City. That's sort of, like, reached a different level. But another reason why it means so much to me, because, like Draco said, way before the fame. You feel on me?

Like, people going to remember that type of stuff. Like, Kendrick can walk in here right now, and he's going to say what's up to me, off the dribble. You get what I'm saying? Like, it's just priceless, bro. Like, I love history, man. You know what I'm saying? That was one of my favorite subjects at school.

For sure. That's how I feel like sometimes when I'm getting ready for interviews and I'm watching this shit for 15 years ago and I'm digging into the deepest corners of somebody's YouTube channel and shit. But, wait, how old are you?

me I'm 35 35 I'm 37 doesn't it feel kind of crazy to have like multiple lives within your life like oh yeah that's what I look back at all those days riding BMX bikes and I'm just like dude that was like another person I can't believe I'm the same person that got to live that life you want to know who made me realize that Riza I just shot a short film or Riza it's a movie coming out called not an artist shout out to Alexis Pappas and what's Jeremy, what's his last name? Yeah Jeremy Tischer he's a producer. But yeah, we did a movie. And while I'm on set,

Rizzo just tells me some real shit. He's like, yo, let me hollate you and stuff. And we're talking or whatever the case may be. And he's like, you got two halves to your life. From zero to 40, that's your first half. From 40 to 80, that's your second half.

And if you make it 80 and beyond, you're blessed. You win it. So he was just like, everything that you're doing your first half as a man, don't bring what you're doing your first half to the second half.

So, like, in the first half, if you blowing crazy money on girls and jury and doing drugs, don't bring none of that shit to the second half, you know what I mean? So that was a good breakdown. And I salute to Rizza for giving me that gym. Yeah, that's real. I said recently, and I feel like it almost kind of is the same thing,

is that you have like the clout half of your life, and then you have like the money half of your life. I feel like the business taking care of your shit part of your life. I feel like so many people spend like their 20s and maybe part of their 30s being focused on like being popular, being well-liked, getting girls out the ass, etc., etc. And then at some point, your temperament sort of slows down a little bit you realize maybe there's not as much for me to gain and just being popular all the time,

you know? No, you're right, man, because when you level up as a man, you want to make sure your responsibilities match your age. You know what I'm saying? When you get older, you be starting to feel like, damn, I ain't got this, I ain't got that. You know what I mean? So like I said, you really got to start focusing and taking care of your responsibilities. I'm still trying to, you know, handle my business every day so I can become better as a man,

as an artist and make sure that my second half is dope. You know what I mean? And if you ask me, looking at my first half, in my second half, I'm doing well, and I'm going to continue to thrive, and I just want to get better, bro. Yeah, we always want people to be ready for the fame and fortune or whatever when they're like 21 or whatever, and that's just incredibly difficult to do. Like, you just need, like, a slow bubble in order to be able to figure out what the fuck you're doing, you know? Yeah, man, you want to take your time, man, because if you just rush it, you can crash and burn, you know what I'm saying?

Definitely. You can crash and burn. And I don't want to crash and burn. I want to fade away. You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? That's true. When you look at your life, what are some things that you really want to accomplish before you're going?

I definitely want to open up a business. I got to have me a storefront like Adam 22. That's one of my goals, man, to have me a store, some type of restaurant, some type of something. I want to open up a mental health facility for the kids in my neighborhood or any, neighborhood based upon yeah you know i mean i got a lot of things i want to do i want to sign talent you know i mean because i can't rap and act forever well i can act forever but i can't rap forever so at some point i want to sign some artists and do stuff like that and just take more of an executive role but other than that man i just want to keep driving bro and just doing well definitely

are you thinking about acting outside of just dave oh yeah i do you didn't hear what i just said what i just did a short a short film of risen right you feel me yeah how was that it was dope I'm doing a lot of good things, man. Like, I got some roles that come across my table. Can't speak on them, but I'm doing the acting thing. Ever since I got a little couple Emmy nods or they were saying like, oh, Gay, this should be mentioned for the Emmys. I'm really taking the acting thing serious now, you know what I'm saying?

Right. I'm really doing it. Yeah, man, one time I talked to Riza at a party and that was kind of part of what was going through my head too is I'm like, I was like 12 listening to you. rap while using angel dust. That's pretty amazing. You're at a very different place in your life, and I'm at a very different place in my life

than when I was at my prime Wu-Tang listening part of my life. You know, like, it's pretty fucked up just to think. Like, you know, because literally none of the cells in your body are the same, like, 20 years later. I'm not sure how long it takes for your whole entire body to regenerate. But, like, that's pretty fucked up to think about, like, that you literally, like, the version of Rizzo that I was listening to at that time, It shares no chemical compounds with where he's at right now.

Yeah, it's crazy, man. Kind of fucked up. We're going to be the same way, too. Real soon. You're going to be old as fuck. You're going to have to wear diapers one day. Oh, man. Not you.

But somebody like us, you know. At some point, you're not going to be able to hold your shit in. I'm going to be good, man. I think I get free Charmin for life. Shout out Sharman. I did a rap battle, a crap battle with them, a little Yachty and a little Dickie. Really? Yeah.

And they told you we're going to give you diapers for life, even though you don't need them right now? If you ever have a kid? That's funny, man. We're going to get in touch? Yeah, man. Fuck. All right. All right, anything else that we should keep an eye out for?

Man, y'all should keep an eye out for my song right now, video coming soon. Check out. Yeah, check out right now. It's on all platforms, Apple Music. Got the music video coming this week. What else? I'm working on a lot of things. Podcasts, Ghetto Brilliant's podcast.

Oh, so you have your own podcast? Are you doing now? Yeah, I'm working on it. Oh, you're working on it. on it, man. I've been working on it for a while behind the scenes, but I've got so much stuff going on, man. It's crazy. But yeah, I'm working on a lot, more music coming. Let me see. Is check the first real music video you've done since all this stuff that's been to have been? Checkup is the first official music video that I've done since I've been on a hiatus.

But I really ain't been on no hiatus, man. I really just been ten toes down with L.D. Helping him and then building my brain on the side slowly, you know. But I'm here now, man. and I got a lot of shit to do and conquer and I'm excited. Motivational. Yeah, and we got all new Dave. Oh, yeah. I don't know when you putting this out.

When you put this week? This week? Probably next week. Oh, well, if y'all put it out before Wednesday, all new day, Wednesday, watch that shit. Let's go. Yeah, yep. My man.

Appreciate you, champ. Much love. That was hard. Gata, No Jumper, coolest podcast in the world. YouTube. Patrons are on the screen right now. Patreon.com slash no jumper. fuck with us. There's boobs on there.

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