The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: French Montana Talks 'Mac & Cheese 5,' Bridging The Gap For New Artists, Pop Smoke's Death & More

Episode Date: February 23, 2024

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Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. As a kid, I really do remember having these dreams

and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you. Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best, and you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Had enough of this country? Ever dreamt about starting your own? I planted the flag. This is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Or

maybe not. No country willingly gives up their territory. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets. Listen to Escape from Zakistan. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-istan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey everyone, this is Courtney Thorne-Smith, Laura Layton, and Daphne Zuniga. On July 8th, 1992, apartment buildings with pools were never quite the same as Melrose Place was introduced to the world.

We are going to be reliving every hookup, every scandal, and every single wig removal together. So listen to Still the Place on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hey, I'm Jack Peace Thomas, the host of a brand new Black Effect original series, Black Lit, the podcast for diving deep into the rich world of Black literature. Black Lit is for the page turners, for those who listen to audiobooks while running errands

or at the end of a busy day. From thought-provoking novels to powerful poetry, we'll explore the stories that shape our culture. Listen to Black Lit on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Wake that ass up in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, charlamagne the guy we are the breakfast club we got a special guest in the building rich dirty bronx nigga rich dirty bronx what up french how you doing my brother you know where that intro came from right

dirty bronx you know who called me that? Yeah, man. I'm telling you. We were in IHART, right? We were in Vegas. And I was like, yo, French, you was a... I was like, damn, I'm proud of you. You was a dirty Bronx nigga. Oh, man. That's what I said. But I was so proud of him because I didn't see him.

I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him.

I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him.

I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. I was so proud of him because I didn't see him. People talk about where they came from and the things that they did, but French used to be in the dirty BX clubs and the dirty Brooklyn clubs and the dirty Queens clubs making the DJs play his music. And he was never – that was French.

That's where you would see French. I'm like, damn, you came a long way to – Yeah. I saw him before that. I saw him right before that. When Max was – I mean, this nigga never ignorant getting goals accomplished, right? It's like Coke Boys, creation of kings everywhere.

Oh, you already got it prepared when you have to go to the humble under God. You already prepared. If they ever need to use this, this is what they're going to do. And that's one of my favorite joints in the album, which is the intro. It's called Dirty Bronx. Thank you. And you kind of talk about everything, where you came from, about you on that um oh see oh see yeah time's up yeah yeah you talk about everybody people comparing you to chings and and max with the wave and all that so

i think that's that's one of the the dopest joints on it but why mac and cheese five and what took so damn long french um i felt like you know know, I needed to get everything out the way and then go back to the mixtape vibes. I feel like the game, I always try to go where the puck is going, not where the puck is at, you know what I'm saying? So I feel like the game needed mixtapes. I feel like we lost a lot of, you know, it's like that feeling is not there no more.

Like albums is dope. Everybody's getting used to it. I feel like the mixtape game, just like I want to hear the Wayne mixtapes. I want to hear Ross, Rich Forever mixtapes. I want to hear Wiz Khalifa drop Orange. You know what I'm saying? I just want to get back to that vibe, and I want to lead the wave with the mixtapes. I like how you set the tone with Dirty Bronx.

Why did you feel the need to confront all the negativity that's been directed towards you? Because I wanted to get that out of the way so we could focus on the music. You know what I'm saying? feel the need to confront like all the negativity that's been directed towards you because i wanted to get that out the way so we can focus on the music you know i'm saying it's like you know it's like i learned from from from m&m you know the tactics he used i learned from you know jay when he did 444 and i learned from you know i'm like a student of the game so it's like you know this is this is me interviewing myself on my own album just in case you know because you got your fans but then you also got your haters that listen to your music So the haters gonna hear yourself in there and your fans gonna be right there like I told you

So it's like that's the kind of vibe I was going with you know Ended on five Five because we do need more mix tapes. Why are you ending it on fire? Oh? Man cuz I just wanted to give him my all and just leave it right there Just start something new, but you never know you know Jay-z made the black album and he backed out it then you know so it's like you never know oh so this is a retirement I'm what do you do to make all your money French me yeah I just hustle I've been hustling for a long time i mean we know dirty bronx how many records you sold by the way that was the beauty of dirty bronx because you put a lot of things in perspective i think i knew that you was the most screamed african born artist

yeah but i didn't know you had sold that many records yeah i mean a hundred million no yeah like like like a hundred million between mines and all the features that i was yeah yeah i mean you figure like unforgettable alone is like 13 million. That's just like, that's like by itself. So, I mean, man, I've been on some big record. My catalog is crazy. Yeah. But you say on the album, you say people think it's just your features.

Yeah. But you the main feature. Yeah, because, you know, you still look at the all the way ups and you look at like, you know what I'm saying, like the loyal Chris Brown and all those. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like the loyal Chris Brown and all those. Like, you know, I was part of some big features. And, you know, like the catalog is big. I still ain't selling yet.

I'm thinking about selling it and just buying like this building across the street from you. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. How much do you think your catalog worth? I don't know. I don't know. Honestly, I ain't even get there. But I always felt like you know if somebody's trying to buy something from you then guess you know then how much money they gonna make

ain't nobody buying that to take a loss so you know i always looked at it like that at one time well if you know french you know when french goes out and he knows you he he's gonna invite you to his party right that's who french is as a person like if y'all smoking y'all smoking, y'all smoking together. Y'all drinking, you're going to take care of you. You're going to make sure you're good. Then there was one time where you just stopped, right? Because you said you had to get back healthy. You stopped drinking, you stopped smoking. Are you still in that phase and no more drinking or smoking?

Yeah, yeah, definitely. Definitely, man. You know, when you sit across from, like, a billionaire or something, you know, as soon as you take that sip of liquor or take that puff of weed, like, you're already richer than him. You know what I'm saying? So I just had had to focus up we lost a lot of money made a lot of bad business deals with you know might have overslept and lost a bag might have did this might have did that you know and i got a chance to make some generational wealth and change

generations down you know i'm saying so i was like you know let me just focus up and not and i leave no bags on the table but you have have a fearful i know a lot of artists say that sometimes they feel like that drug or that alcohol puts them in the right zone will you have a fearful like damn if if i don't drink like i used to or i don't smoke that i might not be in the same zone as i was and making pop that or you ain't worried about nothing or you know some of those other records um man i've been Perks for like 10 years. You know what I'm saying? Oxy's, Perks, Drinking, this 20 years.

It got to the point where I wasn't getting drunk or high anymore. Right. Like now I'm higher than I was when I was taking the drugs. My body is just like in shock. But I feel like making music is a passion, is love. It had nothing to do with drugs. You know what I'm saying? It was just like the drugs kept the negative shit around me.

You know what I'm saying? Like the people. I lost people when I stopped doing drugs. I didn't lose the passion. You know what I'm saying? Because, you know, when you drink and you take drugs, you let, you know what I'm saying? You let the devil in. You let, you know what I mean? Like I was you know, when you drink, and you take drugs, you let, you know what I'm saying, you let the devil in, you let,

you know what I mean, like, I was inviting everybody, and everybody wasn't inviting me, you know what I'm saying, everybody, everybody, you know,

everybody, had motives, and some of them had the negative, I mean, I don't mind helping people that have motives, you know what I'm saying, that's how we get our blessings, but there's people that have motives,

that have negative motives towards you, I help anybody that have a you know i'm saying we that's that that's how we get our blessings but there's people that have motives that have negative motives towards you i have anybody that have a positive motive towards me so i feel like i was letting the negative and the positive and that's why things started happening and this and that what about your passion for sleeping with rappers wives that's inviting the devil i am too french uh-huh come on you say on the album but that's but that's where hand came from in the club and they were like you know people try to do business deals in the middle of the club they were like so so so let me tell you the story about that. Okay. So, um, me and Drake was first working on the record. Another sniper? Yeah, working on the record. And the first line he said, he was like, on double M.G., I'll fuck a rapper's wife. He was like, we should start the shit off like that. Then I just, then I just took

it and I just ran with it and I just made the first line there. But what that got to do with doing it in real life, though? Huh? What that got to do with actually fucking rap as wise in real life? No, honestly, I never did. I never fucked nobody wise. Okay, okay. No rapper wise.

Okay. So just rap. Rap cat. Nah, yeah, just rap cat. Okay, okay. You're also on Dirty Brunch. You talk about buying your block, but you said that the Nipsey situation made you pause. Yeah. Can're also on Dirty Brunch. You talk about buying your block, but you said that Nipsey, the Nipsey situation made you pause.

Yeah. Can you elaborate on that? I mean, I feel like watching that video with Nip was like one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen in my life. And I feel like he would, and all he was trying to do was just try to change his neighborhood and just bring some some some great things back and try to buy his block and i felt like watching that scared me away from trying to do the same thing and and and you know because look what happened to chinks chinks got shot in queens you know i'm saying look what happened you know to a lot of people that don't have a name you know i'm saying a lot of fallen soldiers so i was just like you, you know what? So why come back? Why come back and do that when I'm just seeing everybody around me just fall into it?

Damn. So how did you overcome that? Or have you overcome that? See, I went to Calabasas. Yeah, that's right. No, I'm still not, but I still come back. But it just, you know, at the end of the day, it's just, you know, it always come, you know, it always come from the inside. You know what I'm saying? So you just got to be careful how you, you know, always come you know they always come from the inside you know i'm saying so you just gotta be careful how you you know how you let people get you know get in contact with your touch you can't be just easily touched easily get in contact with easily so anybody can pull up on

you to do anything to you you know i'm saying you gotta be able to be like a hawk on top of the mountain just watch your prey whenever you want something you just go handle your business and dip i feel like that's like that feel like that's like advice for anybody that's making real money. They got a lot of jealousy that come from where we come from. You know what I'm saying? There should never be a situation where somebody can go to the block

and see you at a store or this and that. You know, some people, what Jay-Z said, broke niggas don't want no cash. They just want to kill you. What a name. But even moving to Calabasas, I mean, Pop got in Cali. No, you're not getting through this security.

I live next door to Chris Jenner, next door to Coach Street from J-Lo, Will Smith down the block, his kids walking up. You're not going to get through. They know about that. But at the end of the day, Pop had no security. Pop had a gun on him. Pop had the wrong people around him. I was supposed to meet up with Pop that

night. He had a party at his crib. Yeah, we were supposed to meet up. I went to the strip club, and after the strip club, we were supposed to go to his house because he sent everybody the address for the party. You know what I'm saying? He had put that post up a couple of hours before, and he had no security.

And even when I first went to L.A., when you go to the hills, it's like they don't have no gated communities. It's just like fences like the size of your hip. And then you just jump right over them, you know. So he was supposed to have a party that night? That night he was supposed to have a party. Oh, so that's why people had the Addy.

It wasn't just that everybody was saying it was a post on Instagram. Yeah, he was sending Addys to us, me, and to everybody else that was there. Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha. He had mary um package that was sent to him yikes yeah i said i got that right so what happened with drake on album because i know you and drake made a lot of music you said what happened on this project yeah we did but we got the documentary coming out in june and um he executive producing it so we're just gonna push the records back to that did he have to choose because it felt like, and I'm just listening to Mac and Cheese, in a way it felt like, I'm like, did Kanye EP this?

Or is he just on a few records? No, I mean, me and Kanye was locked in for like a month. Okay. He had rented out the hotel for like a month, and we knocked out a bunch of records. And the sound, we was doing like two different sounds. When I was coming in, we was doing like two different sounds when i was coming in we was doing the sample vibes and we was doing the you know the um that whole like you know him producing and like the whole graduation sound but then the new sound he got now it was something that he was working on

so i was like you know what bro i'm gonna just take these records and i'm just put them on mac and cheese five because mac and cheese five got a certain sound even bryson tiller he sent me like this this afro beat vibe and i was like yo bro send me that grimy one he sent me one so it was just like a certain sound was going for mac and cheese five what was it like working what was it like working with today's version of kanye mac i mean when it comes to music i don't i don't feel like you get too many versions from him you just get the music you know yeah i don't feel like you get too many versions from him i just i feel like he's he's what entertainment is he i mean i feel like being so unpredictable is like as entertaining you know i'm saying not when that shit cost you billions of dollars yeah we spoke about it on the song too yeah i mean but man he said I lost he said I lost eight billions to get the

chains off my neck only to try to put him back on only the only to apologize and say I'll give you a 20% I ain't gonna lie Kanye's on mac and cheese 5 that's hard that's hard you also spoke on uh the the dirty bronze record about how new york djs never used to play your music and you had to go down south to get your recognition i talk about that like that but that's exactly what he said i had to go down there to get popping chopping down because y'all wasn't playing his music. I always support him. By the way, if you think about the last few people from New York that became big time, New York wasn't really supporting them like that in the beginning. No.

Nicki French. Not Nicki. Not the ASAP mob. Not ASAP. Not you. No. I don't even know. Maybe Cardi because it was a little different.

They supported Cardi. Yeah, they supported Cardi. They supported Cardi. I mean, they supported Cardi after they saw so many artists make it without them. They was like, you know what? We got to pick a side right now. 50? 50 is another one?

Yeah. Yeah. Hell yeah. Why is that, Envy? Why don't New York DJs? Why weren't y'all supporting y'all alone? Don't say y'all. I supported French.

I supported all of them. Yeah, I had like the whole Cocaine City era. Then I had my whole Max B era. Then I went down South and made Choppa down. Then I was like scorching hot. Then I was like, you know what? New York ain't showing me no love. Let me go down

South. Then I made Shot Caller after Max B got locked up because I was so much blackballed because everybody turned their back on me because max b was just tearing everybody ass up yep and after he got locked up he just left me with the black ball i was just like so i just locked in with harry fraud and we made shot caller it was like i got put into a corner it was like yo is he that i'm gonna fight through this with music or

i'm just gonna just be like you know what you remember that kid used to have mixed names with max so just like you know but it took me 10 years. Like, it was like, oh, two, I dropped the first cocaine city. So, oh, nine. That's when I got signed. You think a lot of that's because people didn't think you serious as a rapper? Because they remember you as the DVD guy? At first.

Yeah. At first. But the DVDs, you know, there was a time where Envy had an artist. Red Cafe? Red Cafe. It was a time where Envy had an artist Red Cafe it was a time with Clue had Fab it was a time where K-Slay had Pap

Greenland had so nobody was letting nobody rap so this one guy named Smack came out with the most brilliant idea ever bringing all the rappers and he was putting Shea Davis on it. Yep. I was like, yo, I know all the drug dealers.

I know all the rappers. Let me make Cocaine City DVD. And I'm putting myself in the middle. How you put Shea Davis? People didn't know I was the one making Cocaine City DVD. People thought it was somebody else making it, and they was putting me in it. So by the time the fifth volume came, Akon called to sign me. You know what I'm saying?

Because they didn't even know I was the DVD guy with this and that. But the whole object the whole time was for me to be a rap star. You know what I'm saying? So I was making the money. We would make cocaine CD, we would make make 30 30 000 copies five dollars a piece you'll make about quarter million to half a million dollars and promoting myself wow people was paying smack fifty thousand dollars to get on smack dvd every time i was making three hundred thousand dollars to five hundred thousand every volume and i was putting myself on it by the time the fifth volume

came it was just like so I was always ahead of myself like from the beginning. You're making a half a million dollars a DVD? But you know, you put it right back into it. So you was always investing for the big picture. So by the time Akon signed me That when he gave you the fake watch?

Oh man, shout out to my brother Akon. The second watch was fake too. Both second watch was fake, too. The second one was fake? Both of them were fake? Damn. No, no, no. I ain't going to do that. Shout out to Akon.

But, you know, we had a shopping deal. Then after that, the shopping deal didn't work because he had Lady Gaga and this and that. Whatever didn't work. But, you know, I appreciate Akon just for the opportunity. Then after that, that's when I got with Max B and this and that. Whatever didn't work. But, you know, I appreciate Akon just for the opportunity. Then after that, that's when I got with Max B and this and that. But that's what it was. How's Max doing? Because I know there was rumors that he was coming out last year.

Yeah, he just put Come On Home on his page. So we all weighing. Yeah, we all weighing. How do you introduce Max B back to this era of hip-hop? He is this era of hip-hop. He is one of the most viral max b's like the wave guy like nah that's he's a silver surfer he's like remember back then he was he was viral off of youtube we would just sit there and watch youtube and just go just go ham

so it's like you know it's the same thing just youtube on in the app i wonder do you do you feel like you you didn't take the dvd thing to the next level because i feel like the next step would have been a website for y'all yeah you know what i mean yeah but i feel like that wasn't my passion you know i'm saying you always follow your passion if that was my passion to make dvds i would have been the biggest dvd biggest blogger biggest but my passion when i the idea when i first got it was for me to rap you know what i'm saying so i went through them 10 volumes of me like sacrificing and sacrificing and going to meet up with people and having somebody interview them and doing all that. I don't want to do that shit.

Just to put myself in the middle, but I had to sacrifice. I had to give people what they know until they knew me. And once they did that, I was like, okay, cool. Now let's take over this rap thing. I ain't got to call nobody no more, just make music. All right. That was the passion. How instrumental was Gucci Mane

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I was making a rocket with a black powder, you know, with explosive warhead. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets. Bullets. We need help! We still have the off-road portion to go. Listen to Escape from Zakistan.

And we're losing daylight fast. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-istan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, guys. I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together.

You know that rush of endorphins you feel after a great workout? Well, that's when the real magic happens. So if you love hearing real, inspiring stories from the people you know, follow, and admire, join me every week for Post Run High. It's where we take the conversation beyond the run and get into the heart of it all. It's lighthearted, pretty crazy, and very fun. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. As a kid, I really do remember having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you. Alicia Keys opens up about conquering doubt, learning to trust herself, and leaning into her dreams.

I think a lot of times we are built to doubt the possibilities for ourselves. For self-preservation and protection, it was literally that step by step. And so I discovered that that is how we get where we're going, this increment of small, determined moments. Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Like grace. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best and you're gonna figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. On Thanksgiving Day, 1999, a five-year-old boy floated alone in the ocean. He had lost his mother trying to reach Florida from Cuba. He looked like a little angel. I mean, he looked so fresh. And his name, Elian Gonzalez, will make headlines everywhere. Elian Gonzalez. Elian Gonzalez. Elian. Elian. Elian Gonzalez.

At the heart of the story is a young boy and the question of who he belongs with. His father in Cuba. Mr. Gonzalez wanted to go home and he wanted to take his son with him. Or his relatives in Miami. Imagine that your mother died trying to get you to freedom. At the heart of it all is still this painful family separation. Something that as a Cuban, I know all too well. Listen to Chess Peace, the Elian Gonzalez story, as part of the My Cultura podcast network available on the iHeart

radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hola mi gente, it's Honey German and I'm bringing you Gracias, Come Again, the podcast where we dive deep into the world of Latin culture, musica, peliculas, and entertainment with some of the biggest names in the game. If you love hearing real conversations with your favorite Latin celebrities, artists, and culture shifters, this is the podcast for you. We're talking real conversations with our Latin stars, from actors and artists to musicians and creators,

sharing their stories, struggles, and successes. You know it's going to be filled with chisme laughs and all the vibes that you love. Each week, we'll explore everything from music and pop culture to deeper topics like identity, community, and breaking down barriers in all sorts of industries. Don't miss out on the fun, el té caliente, and life stories. Join me for Gracias Come Again, a podcast by Honey German, where we get into todo lo actual y viral. Listen to Gracias Come Again on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. When I went down south with Deb, I used to see Gucci like once in a while.

Like he would pop up to Deb and this and that. But every time I seen him, it was always love. And he came to my video shoot. Matter of fact, when I shot Choppa down, he just showed up to the video time I seen him, it was always love. And he came to my video shoot. Matter of fact, when I shot Choppa down, he just showed up to the video shoot and he came

and it was a vibe. I wanted to know when, how's Diddy, have you spoke to Diddy? How's Diddy doing? Because I know you assigned to Diddy at one time.

Yeah, I spoke to him in New Year's. I spoke to him in New Year's, checked on him, he's doing great. For sure. You embrace a lot of young artists from the Bronx too like you got

a few of them on this project yeah, shout out to D-Dang shout out to Kenzochi in the back, they're both from the Bronx I got 41, they're from Brooklyn 41, yeah yeah, they're on the album 41, Jen Carter too? yeah, Jen Carter, yeah, they're from Brooklyn what makes you Juice, Jen Carter too? Yeah, yeah, Jen Carter. Ty Ty?

Yeah, yeah, they from Brooklyn. What makes you want to embrace the young generation like that? Man, I always looked at myself like the bridge when it comes to the music game. I felt like I could always tap in with the Kanye's, you know what I'm saying, the J's or whatever it is, and still tap back in with the Pop Smokes, the Shmurdasders and do this do this and that i felt like i was always like the bridge in between you know they go talk about the bronx right there they go did they search off come on grab his teeth get them some chairs who is that who are these who is this it's deep thing oh okay okay okay

okay now you just signed them recently right yeah yeah it was 10k they signed the 10k oh okay with coat boy 10k boy 10k gumbo how hard is the look on the back how hard is the break of artists nowadays um man i think i think the artist has got to want it you know what I'm saying I think there's no there's no certain structure or menu to it I feel like

you just can't have no plan B you just got to want it you just got to go all out for it what's the expectation though what's the expectation

for a rapper in 2024 I think there is none there's so many I think there is none there's so many yeah I think there is none. There's so many. Yeah. I don't feel like you could put, with social media, I don't feel like there is none.

I feel like, you know, I mean, you just got to have that character, you know? You had those big brother conversations, though? Like, you know, because I know whether it's recording and spending or being on time and all the stuff that you fucked up with. Do you have those big brother conversations? Like, let me walk you down. Yeah. You know, I saw him in the studio. I'm like, yo, bro, there's no other place you should be outside of this studio. Like that room right there on four walls.

That's your bank. That's your vote. Anywhere out of that room, you're no good to nobody. You know what I'm saying? He just came home from jail. So like you're out of that room, you're no good to nobody you know i'm saying he just came home from jail so like you're out of that out of that room you know good because you know you're liable to get in trouble a lot of people get caught up with the wrong things you're liable to be around the wrong thing so i just feel like that room right there you know what i mean like you just gotta make as much music as you can because you never know you never know when you're gonna make that one record

that's gonna change your life forever and how do you deal with the artists now because you've seen everything i mean you didn't see shootouts you didn't see death you didn't see so much because you've been there yeah but you also do know part of your music is being there yeah and being able to write that and rap that and all that you know no i'm saying you're gonna you're gonna do that but but sometimes you get caught up too much in that. You know what I'm saying? Especially if you come home from jail, you want to live the life, you want to do this, do that.

I mean, it's just when things happen to people, they never expect it to happen. That's why it happened. Yeah. When things happen to people, you never expected it to happen. That's why it happened. Mm-hmm. Chinks would have never went into that hookah spot 4 a.m. In morning in the morning by himself if he knows that no he has security he has security

yeah he has security when i'm in everything well you guys shot it was in the car so i mean yeah he got shot six times in the car he has he has security with him and everything it was four in the morning leaving the hookah spot going chasing a joint on the side of a road. You know what I mean? He didn't expect that to happen. That's what I'm saying. When you think about all the violence that you've seen, were you afraid to sign drill rappers?

Hell no. We was drilled before the drill. We was the original drill. Grab a chair. Where the chairs at? Come with D-Tang? Come on, get a chair for D-Tang. Yeah, bro. Because everybody was saying, like, there was a period it felt like labels were about to back away from drill.

We were drill music before drill music. Me and Max B, we had beef with the whole New York. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you don't think drill is a sound. It's just a lifestyle. It's a lifestyle. A lifestyle of energy. Yeah, Chicago is like that

So what is drill D-Thing? What is drill right now? Yeah go ahead How drill is like Anybody do it Like you can just come from college And just Had a whole good life

And just drill rap now Like niggas just do that now Wasn't like that for me When I was coming for me But I had to really do shit like But that's the problem though You know what I'm saying? Like a lot of rap

Like you saw Pat Joe say 95% of his lyrics were lies Not this new generation Nah shit like but that's the problem though you know what i'm saying like like a lot of rap like you saw pat joe say 95 of his lyrics were lies not this new generation no right he started you can't lie true that's bad we can't lie i really live i really was rapping what i really lived do you see like you gotta feel like you know what i gotta get out the bronx the bronx is crazy the craziest people in america come from the Bronx and all of Florida. Shit is whack, bro. I'm different now, though. Get up, go anywhere I want now.

I don't got to stay here. Yeah. Kenzo, what is the drill to you? To the mic, to the mic, to the mic. I feel like, like, French, it's a lifestyle thing. Like, because, like, I feel like you connect it's a lifestyle thing. Because I feel like you connect with people through music based off of the vibes that they give you and the feel that their music gives you. So if somebody, like you said, if somebody kept rapping and it's like you know this person is in college and they're doing drill rap, it's not really going gonna stick as much as you know like french come out here talking about him growing up through the struggle and shit like it's gonna be more relatable fucking

rappers wise i feel like like he said that shit he's really i don't know about that but i feel about i feel like like it's a it's like a lifestyle thing it's like what you talk about and like what type of vibe and energy your song or music has is what gives it the drove. Do you feel like people have to live their lyrics though? Because I want y'all to lie.

I don't want you I feel like I feel like Yes. You have to. And no because your music it has to be relatable to people who don't know.

Because a nigga like me is not going to drag it. Nah if I know you then I do nothing before the whole world you got the whole world hype i know what's going on now you thinking about it in like a like a doing shit way but like on something like how you said fresh could be capping about fucking fucking rappers wives but

that's some relatable shit somebody out there fucking fucking a rapper wife like you feel me so you're talking about another nigga lifestyle no so just rap about another nigga no i'm just saying music is to be relatable. No, and I never do that. It's the perfect balance to have with she, you call him best friend? Yeah. Yeah, it's a good balance to have her with you, though, because I understand, like, the street part of it, you know what I mean?

But you don't only want to appeal to the street, you know what I mean? It's people that look up, that will look up to you, and that looks up to you that is not going to be in the street and still feel like they can do what you do, but not in the street, though, because everybody ain't got the heart you have. You know what I mean? And so she's a great balance to what you just said. You don't feel like that? Don't be like that. I do a little bit.

I do. I understand. I understand. You're a star. It's bigger than the streets now I understand But you feel like You've been through it

So you only respect What people have been through Yeah that feel me So I don't even care about that I'm trying to change my life too But I don't care about None of that period Drill

None of that no more bro Just being me And for instance The OG You gotta tell him Like when you see hip hop Under attack The way that it is

You see people getting You know Lyrics bought up in court like you don't you know you don't want to be confessing the things on records that's the fact i had to learn yeah yeah they got they got ahead with the rico too what oh that's why you did the three yeah that's the reason i stood longer i was about to come home bro they went they went through what thug and i'm going through at an early age. Wait, wait, wait.

He got a crazy story because he's got a story even with the group that he was with. His man took the gun charge for him. They went through what Big and D-Rock went through at an early age. They already got a whole documentary and he's not even in his early 20s. Well, that's good you learned that lesson already though that's beautiful so so what's next for y'all what's next what's next for the artist because i know usually you do compilation and you you coat boy yeah we're gonna do coat boy seven he got um he just dropped like two singles i'm gonna do a video today too yes

nah he's not he's moving like he came to my crib love it yeah came to my crib. I love it. Yeah, he came to my crib in L.A. I go to sleep. I wake up 8 in the morning. I hear all this noise. I'm like, what's happening?

Y'all just called the camera guy. We're shooting a video. I'm like, bro, it's 8 in the morning. French is still one of those guys that call me at 6 o'clock in the morning about records and your records and your records. Every couple of weeks, three weeks, four weeks, French is going to hit me. And he always say, did your number change? I'm like, no, nigga, my number didn't change. I'm always singing the record.

French is on it, man. How old are you? 18. 18. Oh, man. 19. Oh, y'all babies. Yes.

Y'all babies, man. That's right. But they doing it. Where you shooting your video at? Angola, this song right here is like, I had to bring them back to the old me a little bit. Because the way I've been rapping a little bit i've been trying to change it up people want some like now we need the old d thing back like i like we don't know if he still got it like we don't

know if he's the same like he changed i i i just hit him just go crazy one more time to go some freestyle i went crazy on that song no they're going jacked out like nah he really back we'll do that like on the block okay everybody come outside dude on the block everybody with all black dickies i'm gonna say that about everybody though yeah like yo you don't sound like the last record it's always not even the last record like before i went to jail i know that demon time no more like nah he changed bro i didn't go anywhere yeah yeah you evolve with or then you try to give them a new sound they're like oh no your core fans like they

we went to Ode You back to Ode You gangsta bro I'm like alright but I'm gonna give it to them they can't say none after this one after this one

they gonna say like nah he's just different but then look you gonna drop a couple of songs and then they gonna be like we went to Ode You back to Ode You the one that you just gave them

two months ago yeah it's only two months later I'm trying to like evolve and elevate well keep doing that absolutely because that's how you grow your audience you grow bigger you you appeal to other girls and other guys you know what i'm saying like it don't be scared to to like try different stuff yeah that's how you've had longevity right first yeah hell yeah consistent hell yeah French sound good

on any verse he could be on a reggae song a Spanish song a drill song an afro song don't try to put me in the box

don't try to put me in the box I took my first chance with Unforgettable that was my biggest record in my career that was a risk you thought that

was a chance that's not like when you hear it that's not like an undeniable hit no but people people from the streets wasn't doing afro bro like what i played it with some people he was like you better not put that out it was like that was before that afro wave yeah i was like where was that bro i was like the first person to do it that's why that's why it's the biggest Afro record to ever come out. And it's the most streamed record to ever come out of New York. Out of Jay-Z, out of Nas, out of Nicki,

out of Cardi. Nobody records streamed more than Unforgettable. That's crazy. Because I took a chance with a sound. Is that why you shot it over in Africa? Yeah, I shot it in Africa because it was just like, you know, I'd like to take it back to the homeland.

Tell them what you said, Jess. I said you shoot a lot of his videos in Africa yeah I love this you know you shine a light on them. You shine a light on the artist. You know, it's a whole package deal. I just wanted to know why. Different, man. I got to hear. He got a record with DeVito coming out. He got Drill Afro. Drill Afro. I got to go crazy on that.

Luke, I'm putting that together. Hell yeah. Hell yeah. That's amazing. But they still got you under the microscope, though, French, because didn't they search your PJ? Yeah. Columbia?

Yeah, yeah. Hell yeah. I mean, but it was like the whole Coke boy thing. didn't they search your PJ? Yeah. Columbia? Yeah, yeah. Hell yeah. I mean, but it was like the whole Coke Boy thing. They probably Googled the name and seen Coke Boy. Yeah, like, you know. Wow. And it was in Cali.

It was like the capital of cocaine. Damn. Yeah. So they didn't have no reason? They just. No, they didn't have no reason. And you couldn't do nothing. Nothing about it.

God damn hey I just see the dogs walking out I'm like it was going on yeah you thought it was funny yeah let's get into a wreck it off down oh two more questions made in the USA mm-hmm you talk about you know just your appreciation for achieving success in America what does that mean you man I mean being born in Africa coming here Made in the USA. Mm-hmm. You talk about, you know, just your appreciation for achieving success in America. What does that mean for you? Man, I mean, being born in Africa, coming here at 13, not knowing English is a different hustle than if you're born here and used to the life. I felt like made in the culture shock and just

come in here especially learning english not knowing english but not also just not that trying to do the worst fucking job you can do which is rap so you pick the hardest job you know i'm saying you come right to the mecca of hip-hop you know i'm saying when when it was hard to make it you know i'm saying when you had big pun down the street and you had like you know so i feel like million usa is kind of like that was like one of them stories like then hustling i'm talking about hustling on there like literally getting again getting crack from my cousin and telling him my mother stole it. I mean, my mother seen it and started crying just so I could sell it and buy my own work and start selling work.

And it was just like doing little things like coming up and just like, you know, we learn from, you know. Shout out to Luke out here back there. He been from my block for like 20 years, so he's seen the struggle. So making it in the USA, you know, it's just it's just something it's just something i'm proud of you also you know they don't give you enough credit for the community like we say anything i said now they body that 20 years later look what they doing that's crazy bro yeah and you don't get enough credit for the community service you do i mean just around the world yeah you donated 500 canoes yeah to

mcoco it's crazy like the city is under the waters it's like i've never been nowhere it's like that it's like you take it you take a canoe from like from like the bridge side and it and you like you stay on the canoe for like a half an hour then you just approach this city that's all underwater like nah it's crazy like yeah like half of the half of the cribs under the water then like only like the two floors up and people just nah the living was crazy when i went there nah i'm like i think like 300 000 people i don't know i don't know how it got like that but it's one of them wonders of the world oh she said was it a flood or something yeah i don't know i don't know the history but it was just a blessing to see that and a blessing to

see that i can help the same thing with uganda we went and opened up a hospital over there same thing with morocco we went thousand yeah quick relief one yeah for that for morocco same thing for the bronx open up school program i, whenever we get a chance to give, we're always going to give back. Yeah. It wasn't true that you said that J. Cole was supposed to executive produce? My first album, yeah. J. Cole heard my first album in Miami. We was all in Trina House, and I was playing it for him.

And he was like, yo, bro, let me executive produce it. Then we was on tour with um club paradise tour with drake so we all just jumped on tour but honestly part of me was like yo i'm gonna let him just put his name on it but if i'm gonna do an album with j cole i'm gonna want j cole to do with me from the beginning so i could benefit from the j cole experience you know i'm saying i come to him with an album already done like y'all just slap your name on it who you think you have better chemistry with Cole or Drake I feel like Drake for something yeah yeah y'all like one and two y'all go back and forth Drake yeah Drake my twin man that's that's my bro me and him definitely got better better chemistry just just because you know

when Drake first came and people didn't really know who he was. He came in, you know, to New York and this and that. And we met up. And we met up, like, again in Miami when I was doing Ross' album. And we did State Scheming. And Drake first heard it when Ross played it for him. And he was like, yo, I heard the whole album. I want to do this joint. You know what I'm saying?

And just, like, we're building out from pop that you know the whole thing I felt like like it was it was more natural that's crazy that's to a Drake's best verses well I mean and pop yeah yeah not definitely it was it was it was moments no say it was moments that was crazy who smashed more Kardashians you would drink Jesus Christ. Okay. Ha! Mac and Cheese 5. Mac and Cheese 5. What you want to get into? What song you want to hear? I mean, since we got Drill in the Building, let's go to that 41 song.

Okay. All right. Well, we appreciate you for joining us. Man, thank you for having me. Ladies and gentlemen, Mac and Cheese 5. Make sure you get it. It's out today. Lucha D-Tank.

Lucha Kenzo beat. Yep. And it's the breakfast club. For real, for real. New York in the Building. Ciao. Wake that ass upTank, Lucha Kenzo beat. Yep, and it's the breakfast club. Pharrell Pharrell, New York in the building. Wake that ass up early in the morning. The Breakfast Club.

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