The Breakfast Club - Best of Full Interview - Jeezy Talks 20 Year 'Thug Motivation 101' Anniversary Tour, Jay-Z, Nia Long, Soul Survivor +More

Episode Date: December 22, 2025

Best of 2025- KING OF THE SOUTH  - Jeezy Talks 20 Year 'Thug Motivation 101' Anniversary Tour, Jay-Z, Nia Long, Soul Survivor , Recorded 2025. Listen For More!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Wake that ass up. In the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning, everybody. It's DJ NV. Just hilarious. Salomey and the guy. We are the breakfast.

We got a special guest in the building One of the best to ever do it. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of Thug Motivation 101. Ladies and gentlemen, Gizi, welcome. What I'm doing? What I'm doing? What's happening? Good morning. Good morning. How you feeling, brother? Man, great, man. Better than most.

You know what I mean? Great. I was talking to somebody yesterday. This is the other day. And he was like, yeah, I'm on my way to GZee house. I'm like, for what? He was like, I'm opening up for GZ. I said, what you mean? Open it up. There's like GZeezy DJ as a hobby. He just do it to have fun. I said, shut up.

He was like, yes, you started to DJ. Yeah, you know, I used to DJ back in the day. When I was, you know, young in the hood, you know what I'm saying? I hustled up on the DJ set. And I was just going to hood, just DJ on people's porches. That was kind of my thing, but that's how I got into music. You know what I'm saying? So for me, it's just like, it's like a pastime.

But, you know, like the great Andre 3000 said, if you can't find the vibe, you got to create it. So I just invite dope people over to my career, you know what I'm saying, curate it. You know, we might do some red wine and Popeye's chicken. and I might throw on the set, and we just get it cracking. That's what I was. That's a vibe.

Yeah, survive. That's interesting, so that's how you've been feeling, like you haven't been finding a vibe lately, so you've been trying to create one? Well, you know, I like to travel a lot, you know what I'm saying? And I like to live, but also I like to, you know, like turn people on to what I've learned when I've been around the world. So it's less like different types of music, different types of curations.

So it's just dope to have people come up to your house that you trust and just vibe. You know, people get tired of going out, cameras everywhere you know some very distinguished black people in Atlanta and they like to really live so I just like come over to my crib man we just hang out you know what I'm saying it's dope though what type of vibes though is it like um like is it all rap is no no no that's what I thought I said what he played no no no it was like no they was like he played everything yeah house music old school yeah it's vibe you know I'm saying yeah I got so I got a little so I got a little

something you should come nick said I'm here to know all y'all are you're gonna tell about everybody in the house whoever in the house I'll tell you promise if she's going to come to the radio and tell everybody 20 year anniversary

of one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all times yes yes what does it feel like mentally to have to revisit that era to be honest with you it feels like that album was supposed to happen

and even 20 years later just the obstacles that I had to go through to, you know, get this tour going and everything, it just feels like deja vu, but the consequences are not dire.

They just real life things, and you got to show your adversity, and it feels like, I was just talking to somebody about this other day, it's just like, now a soul survivor really resonates with me. It makes sense. You know what I'm saying? Because I'm a soul survivor, and I'm listening to the words, I'm like, oh, this is me, this is who I am. You know, when I wrote

it, it was a record, now this is my life. And it's just like to be 20, because you got to think, like, you think about a pot, and big, you know, what would they have done 20 years in the game? You know what I'm saying? You celebrating all eyes on me. Life after death 20 years later. You know, I don't know.

I don't know. I don't know. Right, right. But I'm living life, and I'm going through, you know, one of those stages where, you know, you get to watch the game line, watch the streets. You know what I'm saying? I'm in this world, but I'm not of it. You know what I'm saying?

So I get to watch it. But at the same time, I already put my work in, so I get to sit back. But I'm dealing with real stuff now, running companies and doing deals and, you know, empowering other people. So it's now I've got to really practice my skills of leadership, but with my catalog behind me, because I can stand on that because it's solid. You know what I'm saying? So I'm not, you know, I'm Frankie Beverly and Mays out here. I can keep going if I wanted to, but I don't got to. Do you have survivors remorse at all?

I used to. You have so many people that you ran into, your partners and people that you did. Yeah, I used to. But everybody knows me. They know I'm solid. You know what I'm saying? But at the same time, my life is about peace, joy, and freedom. And I ain't, I'm saying that to say a lot of people don't survive the war, baby.

You know what I'm saying? It's like, I ain't got no reason to go back. Ain't them to prove. You know what I'm saying? I'm just trying to live my life, make sure my people straight, you know, put as many people as I can put on, and keep, you know, just inspiring and involving my culture. Which is why I'm even doing this symphony tour, which is crazy because I think I'm the first. one to ever take a symphony around the world

to do a tour, you know what I mean, to celebrate, you know, my first debut album, which is about three, four times platinum. I ain't checked last time, but... Oh, I can't wait to put on. That's right. You can go ahead and try for motivation? One-on-on-one.

Yeah. Come on now. And it's crazy because it's like, you know, the only time I remember putting on a suit is for a funeral or a wedding. It's a celebration. And it's not just about, it's not just about, It's not just about, you know, the music.

It's about everybody who came along on this journey with me that are celebrating. Think about where you were 20 years ago. You know what I'm saying? Where you were 20 years ago and where y'all let now. This is a celebration of that because that music reminds you at that time you was out there grinding. But look what you grinded too. So this is a reason for everybody put on a suit in a nice black dress and come out and celebrate. And I do want to say this.

This is not the opera. You know what I'm saying? You're not going to sit down and cross your legs. This is a party. You know what I'm saying? same time you know shout out to Adam Blackstone you know he he helped me produce it Dee Hodges is he wrote the music he's actually conducting it those brothers are crazy I bought DJ drama with me so you know it's a part I got DJ A's with me

it's a celebration when you were making this album 20 years ago right well you just making songs or were you thinking the future were you thinking catalog because you look at a lot of people in the industry and their catalog is not strong right their first album the catalog is not strong they can't go on tour were you thinking about when you were writing this first album or was it just I'm just trying to get out the hood I'm just I was just trying to stay alive and free and I just wanted to be heard and the reason why that album is so solid is because I put everything in that you know I didn't have another shot you know what I'm saying it wasn't like no labor was looking for me you know what I had spent all these all these all this money to build this buzz and I had this one opportunity and you got to think like I lost my voice I tore my vocal cords you know I had Bell's part, like, all these things happened at one time, and I'm just like, I was humbled. And the album got leaked four weeks before it came out. Think about that.

I was up against all that, and I'm still, like, praying, you know what I'm saying? And it happened. So when I look back 20 years ago, like, I didn't realize what I was doing, but I know to change the trajectory of my family and our generation of wealth and getting my family in a better place that this is all I had. You know what I'm saying? So I put everything in the house. Trapper die and this, yeah, everything. By the way, I probably, you know, was riding around, you're still getting it.

During that time, right. And the Statue of Limitases is up, so, yeah, I want to put that out there, you know. It's interesting what you said about the record Soul Survivor because at that point in your life, you had survived to a certain extent, but you didn't feel that way. No.

I mean, you got to think about it. I didn't really even start celebrating life until the recession. Wow. Yeah, I was, I was. out of it, bro. I was drinking, smoking, living. I'm just holding on. You know what I'm saying? Because I didn't know. Then I woke up one day, it's like, damn, I'm still free, you know? So you thought at any moment it could go down. Yeah, and ain't nothing like that.

That's some type of stress you don't even want. You know what I'm saying? Because it's every day. It never stops. And you're always on edge. You're living from, you know, you're living from a survival mindset. You know what I'm saying? And, you know, when I woke up on that day, when I started to work on the recession,

that's when I realized what abundance was. You know what I'm saying? Because now I'm like, I'm a superstar. You know, I was telling another day, man, I got in the gym, got myself together. My first show in Boston for the recession. session tour, you know, I get the stage and I'm telling the security guard, hey, yo, they're throwing stuff at me. We got to get out here

and get out. He's like, served in all their panties. I'm like, oh, I'm a sex simple girl. I like this, you know what I'm saying? How Krusty and Hall was in panties that you didn't realize. Throwing hard objects. You know, bras and stuff, but I'm like, yo, this is different. Because you got to think, when I was doing shows when

Thug Motivation came out, all the gangsters is in the You know what I'm saying? All the hustlers, it wasn't no women. I didn't have any women fans. You know, shout out to the women fans out there. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, I didn't have that. So when you put that record, the record with Trey songs on the album,

that was them trying to tell you, Jesus, you got to make something for the league. That was me trying to do a record with Trey. Oh, okay, okay. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, you ever hung out with Trigger Dre? Yes. Yeah, he makes you want to do records like that. I was like, I need that.

I need that in my life, you know what I'm saying? Emotionally, do you ever get triggered when you on stage performing some of those records? good to go yeah yeah i'm especially like lately because i'm so seasoned with it that you know everything is like a sermon to me you know i don't take this lightly i don't i'm in a space where i'm um you know i'm definitely um i'm blessed and and i'm grateful to still have people that understand what my mission is because it's my purpose it's who i am like you know a lot of people do this because it has money or some type of um um you know some some type of um you know some some type of something behind it

but this is who I am every day like this is my life like when I walk out of here and I go walk downstairs and I see somebody they ain't talking about the song they're talking about me

like we keep doing what you doing because we're living through you so for me it's just like some of those songs especially like 20 years later to see it because I'm gonna be honest

like Soul Survivor hits so different it's so different like because back then it was a great song you know shout out this is Keir Stewart you know rest of peace he made me put that on the album

you know what I'm saying but my whole thing was like I want to go trap or die you know and imagine if I would have listened to that myself and stayed on that trajectory and then where is that now because when I'm doing this soul surviving arenas and I'm looking at

these kids or I'm looking at these people I'm like I want to do they realize like this is who I am you know what I'm saying and this is me living my dream being on the stage and I'm still getting standing ovations 20 years later you know what I'm saying so I don't know nobody else that can say that there's

soul survivor and mean it like that. So, yeah, that record means a lot to me. And even Trapper died, you know what I'm saying? They're just like, that's real. You know what I'm saying? But you're not sitting on the block with your thing, Cock, no more. No, but we'll talk about that offline. I was going to ask, does the street mentality actually leave, right?

So if you see, I mean, and you've been around Jay, and you've seen his evolution of being always looking over his shoulder to now, when I see him walking to the building, it's like free. I don't have to worry about that. Even when I see 50 more, he feels more free. Do you feel that way or do you feel like I'm always still got it? I mean, but I still got it because I'm not exempt, but I understand what it is.

But, you know, I carry myself with a level of integrity. So it's just like as long as I feel like it's mutual respect, I don't feel like the need to even have to wash the room. But I will tell you this. I've been on a journey for about like almost eight, nine years now. You know what I'm saying? But I can tell you at this point of my mind. my life like I'm really at peace like I don't worry about the things that I can't control and that

it's including people you know what I'm saying so for me it's just like I don't I everybody know me I float around my city or any city what got you there though because it took you a long time to get there what got you there work therapy therapy work uh journaling meditating all that you know I'm saying like I'm not even going to hold you like it's real and when you wake up and you start to realize like okay and you can emotionally regulate and you and you know who you are, you have nothing to prove, there's no better feeling, you know what I'm saying? Because I don't got to prove anything. And by the way, you can see, you can tell because people are attracted to that because they can tell that that's how you feel. Peace attracts peace.

Chaos attracts chaos. And the way around that. You know what I'm saying? If you, if you got nervous energy, you're going to attract nervous people. I ain't invite no nervous people to my house. Watch me DJ. You know that. I want to go back. He mentioned Jay Z. Do you remember the moment when Jay Z told you that album was a classic? I remember reading that and maybe double-exel or something back in me. He said to me, you got a brand. He texted me. He was like, you got a brand. And I didn't know what that meant at first, but, you know, 20 years later, I can see that what he meant. Like, you actually stand for something and people understand what that is, right? So it's almost like, your brain could be anything, but my brand has

always been motivation. You know what I'm saying? But if you're coming out with your first album, it's hard to tell people you're motivating people but 20 years later that's what it is I'm still doing what I know how to do best and that's what he was trying to get me to see like stay there you know what I'm saying because you know music was changing you know we all want to be hot

but it's like when you when you when you're on fire in the inside you don't need to be on fire outside you know what I'm saying I ain't got to chase nothing but then I would have you know what I'm saying you know like you know it was snap music it was crunk music I had to figure it out you know I'm rapping and I'm making songs that are the tempo or you know

72 you think about knuck a few bucks you know that was up there so i'm in the club competing with that thinking man maybe i should you know but he was more saying like stay there you good yeah but didn't he tell you that this that album was a classic yeah yeah he did yeah he did yeah he hit me up he was just like yo i think when he heard it for the first time because i played it for him you know i'm saying and yeah he definitely told me he was like yo this this one here gonna live with you and um you know me, I was already on to the next one. I was like, well, what I'm going to do for the next album?

Because, you know, it is you're living from, you know, you're living from that place to survive, but you're like, man, if this work, I got to be ready again, because that's a lot of pressure. You know what I'm saying? I don't know if that helped me when he told me it was a classic because, you know, back then, you know, I was a little wild, so that got to, you know, that definitely, you know, made my head

a little bigger, so that definitely, you know, like, got to my ego. Did you ask him to get on dope boys go crazy? Yes, absolutely. I remember playing it. So first of all, that record was, a record that I heard when I was over somebody else's trap house and they was playing this tip

mixtape. I think it was down with the king and I was just over there and I was kicking and he was playing and they asked me that I hear it and I heard him rapping over the go crazy beat and I'm like damn I said who made the beat

there was like Don Cannon so I left when I called Don Cannon I was like yo I need a beat like that and then he said why not use that beat and I said okay what you mean and he said tip didn't buy the beat he just wrapped over

But I was like, bet, where you at? I'm going to pull up on you now. You got my right now. I got the record. I had a meeting in Def Jam. So I flew in. Me and Coach Kay flew in to New York that morning. He picked me up from the studio.

We flew in. We flew back that same night. On the way back, I wrote Go Crazy on the plane. You know what I'm saying? Flying back to Atlanta recorded that night. I had three verses. Dev Jam came about two weeks later and was all in Passworks. And I played the whole hour.

And when I got to that song, it was all clapping when it was done. And I was like, yo, by the way, I'm putting Jay-Z on the song. I said, y'all need to work that out. So, L.A. read that. I'm putting J-Z on it, but you speak to Hove yet? No. You got to speak it in existence. All right.

And one day for the BET Awards, I was out in L.A. And Hove called me to his hotel. He was like, yo, come out of the hotel. So we sent upstairs in this suite outside on the patio, smoking cigars, just talking, because we never talked about music. We all would talk about life. And then he was like, what verse you're going to take off?

And I was like, we mean. And then he was talking about go crazy. I had three verses. And then he said, I'm doing it, by the way. And I was like, take it. You can take them all off. If that's what you want to do, I'll still on the hook. And I remember, I never forget it.

We was at K-Day in New York, I mean, I'm sorry, in L.A. And Coach K walk in. Like, we doing an interview like this, Coach K walk in. He was like, I can't. got it. And I'm like, what? He's like, I got the Jay-Z verse. Me and an interview, I told the guy, I think it's Julio. I said, Julio, you got, we stopped the interview. I was like, you got to hold

up. And I go outside, I told him to come in the hallway, coached play, press play. And I heard that verse. More than a hustle on the definition. He never stopped. I was like, I was happy at first, but did I start thinking, damn. He bodied you on it. It's okay. It's okay.

It's okay. I was one of Jay-D's best. versus ever yeah I was I was I was like damn okay how did this work you know I think I got him back on seat at all though I think so yeah oh yeah yeah okay so we go no no no no no no Doug Man motivation one-on-one is there a record that didn't make the album because of clearance or for whatever reason that you said damn I wish that one made that album uh yeah it was a bunch of like mixtape stuff uh that didn't make it and the thing about it is like the album really got pressured out you know what I'm saying because uh one of the end who was up there who was trying to get his beats on the album will get a beat on the album

you know I never did anything on his records and I left my drives at Patchworks so I guess he got mad and leaked the album four weeks before it came out so now Bell's Palsy the vocal cords all these things happening at once and now the album's leaked so now I'm sitting there and I'm like what am I going to do because now I got to think of the next plan so I can't go back to the streets you know what I'm saying because now I'm like damn like this is it and I never forget I went to patchworks you know I caught a lawsuit I'll say that you know what I'm saying because I had to read the book right and um and uh you know actually it helped me you know what I'm saying so you know what they say no no weapon you know for him against me self-prime because it

went to all the bootlegs and it spread it everywhere. And the thing that I had the most anxiety about out of the very thing was I had to pick a single, right? And on mixtapes, Trappod, they'd pick it for you. So by the time he leaked it and it was already going, I didn't know what I was going with. I was still pushing Trapa die, the song.

And the label called me and Secure Call me. He's like, yo, he's like, yeah, you can shoot Trapa Dive. That's what you want to do. We're shooting Soul Survivor. How do you want to shoot the video? Came to Brooklyn, shot the video. Everybody showed up, holds. Jim Jones, Cameron, you name me, it was crazy.

It was, it was festive. And the video, you know, we did it like paid in full. It was crazy. It was probably one of the most memorable moments in my career. You know what I'm saying? Because, you know, you always heard stories about Brooklyn. Like, you ain't nobody come to Brooklyn. They're like, geez, we love you.

Like, I'm out in Brooklyn shooting a video, and everybody from the blocks coming out. And the whole labor was there. A lot of guys from Atlanta came in. Like, it was, it was, it was, And when the video came out, it was gone. And I didn't, and I told, I was telling somebody that I knew A-Con from being around the way. Because it was like him and boo.

I couldn't tell him apart. Right. You know what I'm saying? So I didn't realize he was that big overseas. And I didn't, and this was the first collaboration that I have ever done. So I didn't realize doing a record with somebody that you can actually tap it in their fan base, too, on a national level or a global level. And I ain't know that. So it went from me being there to walk through the airport.

You know what I'm saying? Seven to end to catch my flight to, like, now I'm walking through the airport everybody, hey, Khan and you're like, I'm like, what are you from, brother, Africa, man, we love you. I'm like, oh, man. You know what I'm saying? So it was love. And it was just like, one thing I can say about the boy, Khan, he's different. You know what I'm saying?

Because he's over there. You know what I mean? And they love him. You know, I did shows with him in Africa. And I'm like, okay, like, what is going on? Nobody knows who I am. They didn't know who you are. And he was like, you got to be over here a little bit.

bit more and I love that you know what I'm saying and we over the years he hit me up uh you know over the years we always stayed locked in to hit me up the other day it was like yo we number one on TikTok I don't even know what that mean but I'm like yeah that's it poor record so survival oh wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow yeah the male man really flip birds is the judge yeah he did yeah probably why he got them 10 I was trying to get them off about phone a half but yeah yeah shout out to mail man I'm sure that you didn't know that you was such a sex symbol. I'm really sitting here like, how did you not?

I mean, you know, like, I didn't know that then. You know what I said, because you got to think, like back then what I was doing, you know, I was, I'm 5'8. I was 260, skiing bad. I went drinking water. My diet was Waffle House and Christy. You know what I'm saying? I'm partying all day because I didn't know if I was going to be home. You looked like a snowman for real.

Yeah, I was him. Big snow. But you know now. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, now I get it now. I mean, even on the intellectual level, like, I know that. I can sit down and sparred with the best of them. I mean, I know that for a fact. Yeah, we saw you with Neil, Long.

Yeah, shout to Neil. Shout to Neil. And then I was even saying a lot of women in the comments saying, oh, after the divorce, man, he looked even better after that. Oh, wow. I received that. I was saying that. But I know that that was like an intense time, you know, last year you going through all of that, even with, you know, the custody battle that you did, one and everything. Where are things with you on your ex now?

Peace. That's good. Yeah, peace, man. I just, I'm all about understanding. I'm all about what's the best for everybody. Yeah. The greater, you know, the greater good. And it just, like, I'm just telling you, like, my life, right.

I tell myself this every day, like, man, this is amazing. I don't got no enemies. I ain't got no issues. I don't want no enemies. I don't want no issues. I just want peace. I just want joy. And I just want freedom.

I love my freedom. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, I love it. Like, you just talk about. I came up here independently. I just called. Like, I'm coming to the breakfast club.

You know what I'm saying? Like, I ain't got to check in. I ain't got to, you know, I ain't got to talk to no label. I ain't got to do nothing. Shout out to Def Jam, love, y'all. But it's just like, freedom and ownership is everything. You know what I'm saying? Especially when you're talking art, you're talking culture.

You're talking in your mind. You know what I'm saying? Like, I've worked hard my whole life. This is like, this is the season of me. You know what I'm saying? I'm putting myself first at all costs. You know what I'm saying? And it's just like, my peace is everything.

everybody didn't know me know that you know what I'm saying they call me like yeah bro like I love you but don't call me with nothing crazy you know what I wanted to ask you know how was that because you're very private very private person but that was so public did that irk you at all like everybody in your business talking about you um well I had to come to the realization that I know who I am and then nobody else can't tell me different so as long as I stayed on the path of integrity and staying true to myself it wasn't nothing really to worry about because anybody didn't know me like i mean i even heard y'all was up here like no i know i know jiz you know that but that's that's because my reputation exceeds me i'm like i ain't on i ain't on

nothing you know what i'm saying that's i need to be you know what i'm saying so it's just like it comes with the territory you know what i'm saying he who wears the crown it's just like you know people talked about jesus you know what i'm saying they're going to talk about everybody everybody's not going to like you now if i'm a good person to you and you don't like me then there's a problem But if you don't like me because of what you heard or what you think, then I ain't out of my spiritual business. I can't do nothing about that. You know what I'm saying?

I can't even convince you because your mind is made up. However, if you know me and we had some type of interaction, I haven't done anything wrong to you. I'm Stefan Curry, and this is Gentleman's Cut. I think what makes Gentleman's Cut different is me being a part of developing the profile of this beautiful finished product with every sip you get a little something different. visit gentlemen's cut bourbon.com or your nearest total wines or bevmo this message is intended for audiences 21 and older gentlemen's cut bourbon boon county kentucky for more on gentlemen's cut bourbon please visit gentlemen's cut bourbon dot com please enjoy responsibly dad had the strong belief that the devil was attacking us two brothers one devout household two radically different paths Gabe Ortiz became one of the highest ranking law enforcement officers in texas 32 years, total law enforcement experience. But his brother Larry, he stayed behind and built an entirely different legacy.

He was the head of this gang, and nobody was going to tell him what to do. You're going to push that line for the cause. Took us under his wing and showed us the game, as they call it. When Larry is murdered, Gabe is forced to confront the past he tried to leave behind and uncover secrets he never saw coming. My dad had a whole other life that we never knew about. Like, my mom started screaming my dad's name, and I just heard one gunshot. The Brothers Ortiz is a gripping true story about faith, family,

and how two lives can drift so far apart and collide in the most devastating way. Listen to the Brothers Ortiz on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Who would you call if the unthinkable happened? I just fail and started screaming. If you lost someone you loved in the most horrific way. I said through your shot 22 times. The police, right? But what if the person you're supposed to go to for help

is the one you're the most afraid of? This dude is the devil. He's a snake. He'll hurt you. I'm Nikki Richardson, and this is The Girlfriends, Untouchable. Detective Roger Golubski spent decades intimidating and sexually abusing black women across Kansas City, using his police badge to scare them into silence.

This is the story of a detective who seemed above the law until we came together to take him down. I told Roger Galuski, I said, you're going to see my face till the day that you die. Listen to the girlfriends, untouchable, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. You know the shade is always Shadiest right here.

Season 6 of the podcast Reasonably Shady with Giselle Bryan and Robin Dixon is here dropping every Monday. As two of the founding members of the Real Housewives Potomac were giving you all the laughs, drama, and reality news you can handle. And you know we don't hold back. So come be reasonable or shady with us each and every Monday. I was going through a walk in my neighborhood. Out of the blue, I see this huge sign next to somebody's house. Okay. The sign says, my neighbor is a Karen.

Oh, no way. I died laughing. I'm like, I have to know. You are lying. This humongous, y'all. They had some time on their hands. Listen to reasonably shady from the Black Effect Podcast Network. on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

I'm Robert Smith. This is Jacob Goldstein. And we used to host a show called Planet Money. And now we're back making this new podcast called Business History about the best ideas and people and businesses in history. And some of the worst people, horrible ideas and destructive companies in the history of business. Having a genius idea without a need for it is nothing.

like not having it at all. It's a very simple, elegant lesson. Make something people want. First episode, how Southwest Airlines use cheap seats and free whiskey to fight its way into the airline business. The most Texas story ever. There's a lot of mavericks in that story. We're going to have mavericks on the show. We're going to have plenty of robber barons. So many robber barons. And you know what? They're not all bad. And we'll talk about some of the classic great moments of famous business geniuses, along with some of the darker moments that often get overlooked. like Thomas Edison and the electric chair listen to business history

on the IHeart radio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast Then that says more about you to me because now you're judging now you judge me there's no judgment here because I'm not perfect by far but if I haven't done anything to you

then you can't take that position because you know the people around me got real love for me and my friends and my circle like I never felt any type of just, but the people who wasn't for me, of course. I mean, that did me as solid. I ain't got to even worry

about cutting you off. You know what I'm saying? Would you ever get married again? Woo, give me up. I'm going to be all the way honest. I love my freedom. Yeah. And there has nothing to do with anything in the past.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I just love my freedom. I got you. You know what I love it. You know, I think life partners are amazing. You know? I would think so. How did you feel when the internet said you was trying to highlight near long

by any means necessary? They weren't lying. It was not lying. You said real niggas don't cheat. But I don't know. Hold on. She said, really? But what I went was real men.

I never cheated. Not like that. No, I don't cheat. What do you mean not like that? I'm saying like, that's a little hanging fruit. If I'm locked in, I'm locked there. We ain't got to be married. Like, I'm just not a cheater.

That's like, I'm not going to cheat my friends. You know what I'm saying? I'm not, that ain't in my blood. That's real. But when you say I was trying to holler, yeah, I was, you know, but I had to be respectful because I was still, you know, finalizing, you know what I'm saying? So, it was hard.

It was, it was tough. Stay and focus. They're going to link you with everybody now. They're going to link you with everybody. I said they didn't link you with Cynthia Bailey the other day. When you did that. No, they wouldn't do that. They sure did.

We love Cynthia, man. Shout out to Cynthia. That's her home girl. You know what I'm saying? No, no, no. Now, now, the other one? Yeah. Anything is the finalized.

I just said the other one. Okay, okay. You said, I was spinning the block on that real quick. Oh, who? Yeah, I mean, on the other one. Oh, absolutely. Yeah, everything is finalized, but we good, man. I'm going to press Vag.

I'm going to hit the park, but, you know what I'm saying? I'm not going to play about that. Oh, so you say we might see her at some of these shows. I mean, listen, she's invited. She's invited. I know she has a beautiful black dress. She's definitely invited. There you go, right.

I do. I do want to know what inspired you to reimagine the album in this way, though. Because I'm sitting there, I'm like, your symphony orchestra, black tie. Twist your fingers up, bang, motherfuckercoccur, bang. Yeah, but when we did it with the, we did it in Atlanta, was the first one. It was no feeling like that because there was a lot of people that I saw. And by the way, I've been trying to do this for, you know, at least five years. But it was like so many people that I saw in the crowd that I knew personally that I was just proud of what they was in.

that because they're successful, they're this or that, but they don't want to come to a show where they feel, I want to bring my woman out. I want to get, I want to go to dinner before and hit a spot after. This is a celebration. This is a show or a concert. This is a one night, you know, one man, one mic thing. And it's just like, why not celebrate the evolution of it?

And also, I would like to add that I feel like it's my moral obligation because I was the one that told these kids to trap it down. I feel like it's my moral obligation. is so evolution in this and that you don't have to change to evolve you know what I'm saying it's like if you make art it should grow with you right it shouldn't you shouldn't have to be a different person because I think that's what they run into the roadblocks it's just like I got to be thugged forever you know what I'm saying and that's if that's how you feel that's how you feel but I'm I don't I'm got to be on the block with my you know what I'm saying like now I'm

in the boardrooms right and that's okay and my thing is my is my mind because I know I'm a lot smarter than what. And I don't been through enough to know that if the press is on, I'm not worried about losing my job. They may be. I'm going to make sound decisions because I've been through it before. So that's my gift. But for the culture, it hurts me to know these young men and to see them in these situations they are. I care, bro. Like, I don't care with nobody. These are my little brothers. And I know I can't change them, right? So I can't judge them. The only thing I could do was what I saw, like, hold them. you do for me. Just leave by example. You know what I mean? Just do your thing and just

leave the door open or the back door at least because it's not easy. Like to even get to this point and all the turmoil and the doors that got closed on me just to even do this, this project. You know what I'm saying? I had to really realize like, okay, you steal you. So you got to really, you know, do this the right way and that's on your own. But you got to realize they ain't going to let you let you in this door like that. But so I got to make sure I leave the door open for the kids that's coming up with the generation behind them because if you really look at it,

when Trapper Dye dropped, Thug, Motivation, all this, if you've seen the influx or street cats that got into music because they was like, man, I saw Jesus. That's real. I'm sure, yeah. I know people that he actually was affiliated with, got down with whatever cities he's been to, whatever.

So I know if he can do it, I can do it. The only problem is the rules are different because there ain't nobody, ain't no big homies. So it's like the Wild Wild West. You know what I'm saying? It's a part of why I'm listening to the house, music these days you know what I'm saying because it's like I love the music but it's a different vibration so I don't need that all day I can listen to it in the gym right but I'm not going to listen to it you know when I get up in the morning to go do what I got to do because I want to

keep a you know but at the same time I feel like it's my moral obligation like in my heart you know what I'm saying like that's my purpose to to inspire and to um to help culture evolve like that's my purpose do you have those conversations with the younger artist though and the reason I ask is yeah it's like you said you know we talk about it all the time right we did a lot of super stuff back then but there was none of this right there was no internet right they weren't telling on themselves but now it just seems like it's the cool thing to tell everybody what you did whether it's illegal or not which is the wow crazy because there's no integrity and there's nobody to follow which is why I don't

do a lot of interview you know what I'm saying I come talk to y'all you don't kick it but I don't got nothing to say to somebody who who's looking for ignorance from me you know what I'm saying I'm not I'm still operating by the cold you know what I'm saying these people are the goalposts. I don't like that. I don't want playing that game. You know what I'm saying? Every time it's something different.

Why is there something different for them and not me? You know what I'm saying? Or us. So for me, I feel for them because they don't got nobody to follow. You know what I'm saying? And there's nothing like giving somebody this, because you got to think about it. Like, Joyn got the type of money he got, but he didn't get LeBron money for playing. So they're giving them a different type of money and they're using the money.

They still got trauma. They still got things going on that's so important in them that they feel like they got to deal with. But now you're giving them. money to feud of war. Man, I've seen this kid on TikTok a couple weeks ago. Remember I was showing you that video, the dude was literally in his room crying to his girlfriend because his ops had came up on some money.

And he was serious. He was like, man, they're going to have all type of chaplas and switching. He said, that shit ain't fair. I'm like, first of all, why are you recording this? He's probably trying to get him a safe haven't. Something happened to me. You know what it is?

I don't respect it. You know, I said I wasn't going to talk about it when I came up here because I feel like it ain't none of my spiritual business, but as somebody who's been in the game or part of the game and in this world or not of it, I just want to respect it. There ain't no integrity. Like, everybody getting up here,

they're talking too much, they're saying too many things, and that's okay, then the next generation will do the same thing. And even worse, it even worse. And I'm only concerned about the culture, because at some point, when nobody respects it no more, they're not going to respect the art form. It don't even matter what you say. It'll be like, we'll be obsolete.

You know what I'm saying? Because there ain't no integrity, behind what we're doing or saying because we're doing anything and it looks like we're doing anything for money right right and I don't like that because I'm not doing anything for money you know what I'm saying I probably turn down more than I accept because it got to be in line with my purpose and that's just me I'm not asking nobody else to be that way but when you speak of the culture you can see why people kind of stay away from it because they're kind of like I don't know if I want to be affiliated with that you know what I'm saying because I don't I don't you know if

all my kids are going to think is that you know that I was a artist and that's it I'm a father first I'm a man first you know what I'm saying I'm a CEO first you know what I'm saying I'm a big brother first you know I'm saying I'm all the things I'm a son you know so we can't just get categorized and boxed into what we are as far as coaching and go live that out because then if something happened to

your kids are the ones that suffer you know it ain't nothing like having a daddy that was rich and now we ain't got nothing because he made a decision for what he thought was right that had nothing to do with anybody and you asked me earlier and I ain't calling no names because I ain't trying to call nobody out

because I love them but I don't want to sit on these cats beds in their house in their room like hey man we got to talk bro like I don't call like hey man what you got going bro like come pull up on me let's talk about this

and I don't did it so many times and I think that the disconnect is when these labels are giving these kids these type of money money equals respect to them so it's like I'm not not listening to you because you ain't doing nothing for me and I got this, which is fine. Now, sustaining it is a whole different conversation, but even keeping you, because now

you've got the chance to change generational wealth, you know what I'm saying, or either put your kids in a difference between your kids going to public school and private school or having those type of friends when they grow up because that's what it's about, like their relationships and who they're going to meet and grow up with and go to college with and all that because it ain't about you is about your kids right but just imagine that everything's going great everybody's loving this new life we got and then you just make a decision that's purely based on emotions and ego and i tell everybody man a bad day for the ego is a great day for the soul you know what i'm saying because i've had to make so many unpopular decisions but it all worked out for me because i'm in peace

right and and i ain't got to play you know what i'm saying it's like i don't got to play the game because if you come over here you know what I'm saying we're going to be in the right it's not even it ain't even about being gangsters it's about being a man it's just like

I don't want to be nowhere around there I love y'all you can come one on one on one but don't bring all your partners I don't want to be bothered at you know what I'm saying but I feel for them

because you know it's a lot of wet pillows in that penitentiary man you know what I'm saying there's a lot of wet pillows I do want to say in regards to the music you used to make 20 years ago

you can't beat yourself up about that because you was doing the best you could with the information you had at the time and when I listen to Thug Motivation 101

a hustle is a hustle I don't mean that it's leading me to the screen and I don't want you to think that I'm tripping I'm saying because I always knew as a position of leadership I always understood that

now what I was going through when I was going through I just wised up over time and started to listen to the people who was really trying to help me right because they really were and they were people that I wouldn't expect you know what I'm saying

There were people that was reaching out, having these conversations. But I took heed, and I was just like, okay, tell me about that. And you got to stay curious. You know, you got to ask the questions. And then when you start seeing what's happening around you, it goes back to the streets. Like, I knew what not to do based off how I saw these people getting in this trouble. So I'm like, I don't want to do that. I ain't the jail type.

I'm going to tell you right now, I can't see sitting nowhere and not being productive. So I don't want to even put myself in a position like that without me having to. You know what I'm saying? But I don't regret anything. I don't regret my hard times I don't regret my lows I don't regret my highs I don't regret my run-ins

I don't regret anything because it all taught me a lesson you know what I'm saying and I understand that now and I can say that whole hardly so when somebody comes and talk to me I can say bro look I can't tell you what to do

but I'm gonna tell you like I don't know how that's gonna work out because this is what happened over here this is what I've seen happening with this person now you can take that data and that information and you can do whatever you want with it but I can assure you that

if you do that there's gonna be some type of cost of it for sure when you go on a journey like this you know for your 20 years of Thug Motivation 101 does it make you like does it make you reach out to like all the people you came up with like have you spoken to Big Meach yeah solid okay yeah everybody's solid bro i mean it's peace man working my home is love baby you know what I'm saying for me is you know I'm like I said man it's all good me bro you know what I'm saying all good well what's the deep album cut that you really enjoy performing of Thug Motivation 101 man I mean listen bro I can't get past intro you know what I'm saying

hit the kitchen lights yeah cockroaches and you gotta you gotta wait till you hear this with the um with the symphony you know what I'm saying with the symphony and I need everybody know I'm coming through your city I'm coming through your town um it's gonna be amazing one night only and you got to pull up and going back to your other question about me reaching back out I think it's more important for me to reach forward so shout out to LISC, who I just partnered with, for my nonprofit space, and shout out to the Urban League of Atlanta, who I reached out with for my young CEO program, because it's like... What is LISC? I know you do that with the Street Dreams Foundation.

Yeah, LISC is, so we got two things going right now. We definitely got the prostate cancer campaign going on. I had a couple of friends that go through that, so we locked in there. But it's definitely for entrepreneurs, young entrepreneurs, you know, tech spaces. is just you have it. Like we're showing them how to set up their lives so that they can win. And same thing with the Urban League of Atlanta. Same thing.

We've got the Young CEO program. You can go on my Instagram. Check it out. You know, anybody from the agent. What's it? What's the age of 17 to 24? And we send it up. We're putting them with mentors, all that.

And by the way, like, this is who I am. Like, I love this. And somebody asks me, how do you do both? They're all the same. You know what I'm saying? We still motivating. It's all the same to me. You know, we get to jump on the stage,

but then we get to go help some people with prostate cancer. We get to jump on the stage, and we get to go help mentor some kids. You know, I love it. And you're saving people. You know, people can live a much longer life if they just go. And I know I said this last time, but I got to say it again,

because you saved me, brother. Shout out to Charlemagne for my New York Times bestselling book, adversity for sale, because I ran into a situation where I had an issue with the public and I called Charlamagne's like, who published your book? And he put me with somebody and we went on to sell

a New York Times bestseller. Yeah, so thank you, my brother. Thank you for all the years of motivation with the music, man. My last question, if you could go back and tell 2005 GZ one thing before TM 101 drop, what would it be? Go order. Because I was a little reluctant because, you know, I was scared of failure.

You know what I mean? because I had so much on the line, so it was, like, real pressure. You know, it ain't nothing like everybody looking at you like a way out. You know what I'm saying? That pressure's on your shoulder, but then you're also looking at yourself, like, because it's different if a record label is inquiring you and you hide in the streets and on your, like, they're pushing this issue. Like, this is your money.

This is your time. This is your energy. So if it doesn't work, you know, nine times out of ten, you don't spend all your bread. and now you've got to figure something else out and you don't turn you back on everything you knew as far as like the streets to take this chance. So I always said go harder because there was a lot of times

where I was like, I was sitting back not being the star that I could have been because I was having, what did it call the imposter syndrome? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, because I was in these rooms with these guys that was really writing and really like, this is what they'd be doing their whole life. And I kind of just stumbled into this.

And it wasn't until I just realized it like, but you're real though you are who you say you are and you don't have to be as witty you can be realer and that was my thing so when I was saying if it's taken too long to lock up

I was talking to the people who knew what I was talking about so everybody wasn't going to get there and that's the that's what I had over everybody else I knew how to talk to the people that mattered to me and it wasn't until I really figured that out is when I was like okay

I can live in it like I said I was I was three albums in before I woke up and I was just like I took that book bag with all those not bricks. I meant like weights in it because it was heavy. And I just took it off and through it. And I was like, I'm going to be a star. I'm going to be a star, man.

You know, so the motivation to me was a blur because it was like it could have happened. It might have not happened. But everything I went through I'm grateful for even right now to this day because there's nothing that I go up against that I don't go. what would I done in 2005? You know what I'm saying? How would I have worked around this? And I love it because when people put me in a, you know,

like if I get in situations with business, and I call back and I call my team the next thing and be like, yo, we're going to do this. They'd be like, oh, man, I knew it. We got them. You know what I'm saying? Because they tried to box me in. I figured it out.

So, yeah. And a lot of ways, this tour is like you being able to relive that time but actually enjoy the moment. Enjoy the moment, man. And I want people to enjoy it with me. I'm going to say this, like, this is for us, you know, put your black suit on. If you don't got a bowtie, put your black dress on, let's have a good time. Let's celebrate.

Let's celebrate, you know, evolution. Let's celebrate life. Let's celebrate our wins, our losses and everything. Like, let's have a good time because I don't want to keep coming and we doing it. Like, you know, you can do a show, but I want an experience. You know what I'm saying? You know what I want you to see what I'm trying to say. And again, this is a party.

This is not, you know, you just come and sitting down, you know, this is not. the opera. Shout out to the opera, but it's not the opera. Gotcha. We appreciate you for joining us, man. I appreciate you guys. And where they go to get tickets? Oh, you go to GZ. It's a TM101 Live.com. Tm.101.1.org.

That's right. We appreciate you for joining us. Let us know what you're in New York. We definitely pulling up. Oh, yeah. I want to say this before I leave. New York is going to be lit because I'm actually officially closing down the Apollo. I'm doing the last show there until they do the renovation. So they're going to sit down for the rest of the year. So I will be having an official last show with the Apollo. it's going to be crazy.

Look on the website to find out when I'm coming through your city. Shout out to the Breakfast Club. Shout out to you all. Yeah, well, there you have it. Yes, sir. It's Jeezy. It's the Breakfast Club.

Good morning. Wake that ass up. Earl, it's in the morning. The Breakfast Club. I'm Stefan Curry, and this is Gentleman's Cut. I think what makes Gentleman's Cut different is me being a part of developing the profile of this beautiful finished product. With every sip, you get a little something different.

Visit gentlemen's cut bourbon.com or your nearest total wines or Bevmo. This message is intended for audiences 21 and older. Gentleman's Cut Bourbon, Boone County, Kentucky. For more on Gentleman's Cut Bourbon, please visit gentlemen's cut bourbon.com. Please enjoy responsibly. I knew it was a bomb the second that it exploded.

I felt it ripped through me. In season two of RipCurrent, we ask, who tried to kill Judy Berry and why? They were climbing trees, and they were sabotaging logging equipment in the woods. She received death threats before the bombing. She received more threats after the bombing. I think that this is a deliberate attempt to sabotage our movement. Episodes of Rip Current Season 2 are available now.

Listen on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Short on time, but big on true crime. On a recent episode of the podcast, hunting for answers, I highlighted the story of 19-year-old Lechay Dungey. But she never knocked on that door. She never made it inside. And that text message would be the last time anyone would ever hear from her. Listen to Hunting for Answers from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Whether it is getting swatted or just hateful messages online, there is a lot of harm. There is a lot of harm and even just reading the comments. That's cybersecurity expert Camille Stewart Gloucester on the Therapy for Black Girls podcast. Every season is a chance to grow. And the Therapy for Black Girls podcast is here to walk with you.

I'm Dr. Joy Harden Bradford and each week we dive into real conversations that help you move with more clarity and confidence. This episode, we're breaking down what really happens to your information online and how to protect yourself with intention. Listen to therapy, for Black Girls on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Dr. Laurie Santos from the Happiness Lab here. It's the season of giving, and this year, my podcast, The Happiness Lab, is partnering with Give Directly, a nonprofit that provides people in extreme poverty with the cash they need as part of the Pods Fight Poverty campaign. Our goal this year is to raise $1 million, which will bring over 700 families out of extreme poverty. Your donation will put cash directly in the hands of these. families in need, and they'll get to decide how to use it, whether that's school transportation, purchasing livestock, or starting a business. Plus, if you're a first-time donor, your gift will be matched by giving multiplier, which means more money for those in need. Visit givdirectly.org

slash happiness lab to learn more and to donate. That's give directly.org slash happiness lab. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.