The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Ja Rule Opens Up On The Passing Of Irv Gotti, Talks Murder Inc Legacy, Fatherhood, Whiskey + More

Episode Date: April 10, 2025

Today on The Breakfast Club, Ja Rule Opens Up On The Passing Of Irv Gotti, Talks Murder Inc Legacy, Fatherhood, Whiskey. Listen For More!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Early in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning, everybody. It's DJ, Envy, Jess, Hilarious, Charlamagne, the guy. We are The Breakfast Club. Lauren LaRosa filling in for Jess. We got a special guest in the building. The legendary.

Ja Rule, ladies and gentlemen. Yeah, what up? What up, family? Family? Welcome back. How you feeling, first and foremost, brother? I'm good, man. I'm good. I'm good. You know, I've been in and out, but, you know, for the most part, I'm good. I'm good. What's aging better, man? You, your music, or that whiskey that you got now?

That whiskey. I'm good, I'm good. What's aging better, man? You, your music, or that whiskey that you got now? That whiskey. You here to promote, man. We were talking about it the other day. We were saying, you know, from the artists from our era and even a couple of years before, that your music still connects to people. It's aging well.

It ages well. I don't care where you at. Young, old, older, medium, clubs, festivals. It ages well. I don't care where you at. Young, old, older, medium, clubs, festivals. It aged well. Was that the intention when you made those records or just happened? Definitely not. Just sitting there being creative

and trying to do something a little different. Everybody was kind of tackling this or that. We was in an era, Diddy was there doing what Bad Boy was doing and then you had Rockefeller and you had Rough Riders. So it was like a space that needed to be filled and I think that was the space I felt. J-Dub had the ultimate floss and fly and flashy shit going on and X in them was the streets and Diddy and Bad Boy

was Bad Boy and what they were doing with their movement. So I kinda just feel devoid of those female records that was kinda missing in the industry at the moment. I wanna, if you don't mind, I wanna go back a little bit. I've known you for a long time, known of you for a long time, but I don't think a lot of people know the true story of a long time, known of you for a long time, but I don't think a lot of people know the true story of Ja Rule and how you got signed and your

deal and everything with the recent passing of Irv. I just wanted you to talk about that a little bit. We need to crack some whiskey for that. The cups was on the way. Ariadj spread the cups. It's a celebratory story though. So talk about the first time you met Irv and how that was and why you didn't sign a TVT at the time. Well I did actually sign a TVT, so I'll tell the story a little bit. So my man Chris Black, big shout to my brother Black,

you know we was hustling on two fifths in Hollis, you know doing what young hungry black black men do in the hood. Selling drugs. Selling some drugs. And he used to go to the studio with Irv and Mike Geronimo. He used to come back to the block with mixed tapes. Like it was a mixed tape at the time. It was just like little tapes that they was making, basically, you know what I'm saying?

So, I'm like, yo, what's up? Like I wanna go rhyme with Irv and Mike Jaramro at the time he was DJ Irv. So I was like, yeah, I wanna go rap with them too, you know, cause we had like a little group kinda thing we was kinda doing, but not really. I was kinda like more or less the rapper out of the crew, me and my other homeboy.

And so when I said that to Black, he was like, yo, I'll bring you up there. So he brought me up there and that's when I met Irv. And Irv was like, yeah, yeah, he think he nice? He's like, all right, go ahead, put it, get in the booth. Let me see what you do. And for me, that was a, okay, this is my make it or break it moment.

Like this is my moment moment. Like this dude my moment moment. Like this dude right here is the guy that's helping motherfuckers get record deals in the neighborhood. So I didn't leave the booth. I wouldn't leave the booth. I just rhyme after rhyme after rhyme and kept going.

And at the time, you know, I had an arsenal of rhymes. So I was like, yeah, this, this, this nigga got it. So that's how our relationship started. And he brought you to TVT was the label at the time, right? Well, that's the TVT. Um, you know, I was young, I was like 17, 18. I really didn't, I really didn't care. Um, how it was going to play out at the moment, I was just like,

let's get this record there, let's do what we doing, and try to make this movement reality. Before that, it was just like, she was doing the school, beating on the tables in lunchrooms, being in the hood with the homies, rapping wasn't really like a real, with the homies, you know, rapping wasn't really like a real, it wasn't a dream yet, is what I'm saying, you know, until that moment, you know what I mean? Then it really became real to me, like, yo, we could get a record deal, we could, you know,

we could put out some records, maybe we could go gold. And that was the goal back then is to go gold. So yeah, so we signed to TVT. He had Mike Geronimo there first. And then we signed with him. Interesting story about TVT. I tell you a real interesting story about TVT. Because TVT could have been the biggest label, or one of the biggest labels, because Irv brought Steve Gottlieb J.

He brought him X. Ha ha ha. Dre brought him to Chronic. What? I swear to God. He had all these surprise ex's and he didn't know, I guess he didn't know how to capitalize on what was happening with the movement of hip hop at the moment

and how it was shifting and changing or whatever. And he just kept saying no to everything that came his way. And how did it go from there? Because when Mike Geronimo came out, Shit's Real was the record. It wasn't a huge successful record, but it was big. It was enough.

It was enough, especially for Queens. For sure. What made y'all say this is not the place that we need to leave? And did you think it was all the way real? Just that. You didn't sign Dax, you didn't sign Jay, you didn't sign Drake. We just might not be the spot. He may not know what he's doing over here,

you know what I'm saying? Nah, but big shout out to Steve Galeeb. You know, he was, you know, it's crazy when you making a lot of money doing something, it's kind of hard if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Right. Type, type, you know, deal. So he was making a lot of money with TB Tunes,

which was like doing like little, you know, like, what do you call them, like jingles, like jing box like shit, you know, from when he's doing it on the show. Like he was making a lot of those for like different, you know, shows and commercials and stuff. He was making a lot of money doing that shit. So when the hip hop shit came his way,

he really didn't know how to just jump on it and move. And he was carrying his feet. He probably could have had it all if he'd have moved on. So you got the Def Jam. So that, you know, it all just happened so crazy, so fast. You know, like we realized TVT wasn't the situation. And I was on hiatus for a long time after that, for like three years years because my man Black

was part of the group, he went to jail. So he did five years in prison. And so they- Black child or just another man? No, no, my man Chris Black. Okay, Chris Black. So that kind of threw everything off with the group. And so we was, I was basically in hiatus for three years.

I didn't know where I was gonna end up it was it was just in limbo thank you thank you Lordy that good that good no cheers so much love to y'all man appreciate y'all. Smells good. It's amazing. Yeah, it's that stuff. It's so good. It's, you know, check it out. You a whiskey drinker? I'm not a whiskey drinker. I thought you tried the, uh. I did, when I saw Fong get into Uncle Nero's, I tried it, then Beyonce, of course.

That is very, very smooth. Very smooth. Isn't it? This is the best whiskey I've ever had. Thank you. I'm not dissing, I'm not even gonna say anybody else's smooth. Isn't it? This is the smoothest whiskey I've ever had. Very smooth. I'm not dissing, I'm not even gonna say anybody else's whiskey. All I'm gonna say is, I've never drank whiskey

and not made that face. I'm like, ugh, give me something, we gotta chase it. This is very smooth. We'll get into that in a minute, you know, cause we wanted to really create this for the whiskey curious. You know, for that reaction of a first time, you know, not a first time, but a person who's maybe not a whiskey drinker per se

You know You said Irv brings you to Def Jam and at the time there's so many artists at Def Jam Did you feel like that wasn't your fit? Did you feel like it was gonna be a fight? Did you feel like they were gonna use you the proper way cuz at first I felt like they didn't You know what when I got to Def Jam It was a dream come true. Def Jam was like Motown for any rapper,

you know, especially if you're from Queens, you know, Russell Simmons, you know, they fall for Hollis, Ron, LL. But they were, you know, Run DMC wasn't on Def Jam, but you always felt like they were, you know what I mean, because of the affiliation, but you know, LL, you know, you go list on,

if you wasn't on Def Jam, he was managed by Rush Management, so it was like being on Def Jam was everything. And so having that deal and having the, you know, see what people don't understand is, I had, you know, Lio's back back, Leo had my back from day one, from when it all started. He wanted to sign me first,

but I couldn't get out of my deal with TBT. So in the meantime, Gotti was like, I got somebody else that you're like, and he brought him X. And so, you know, they didn't understand X at first, you know, so that was that tug of war going on.

But then they finally, you know, made the move, or convinced him to make the move, and X became what he became. And then I, you know, rest in peace to X as well. And then I came right after that, but I always had, you know, I always knew that Leo wanted me as an artist on Def Jam.

So that was great. And I knew he was going to want to Earth too, because that's how he kind of sought out to find me in that way. Jam Master Jay, rest in peace. So you know, legendarily, you know, there's this meeting going on in Def Jam, and me and Earth, we used to do this shit, we used to go jack the box. So every time we see Mef and Red's video coming, I mean, Mef and Maryv, we used to do this shit. We used to go jack the box. So every time we see Meph and Mary's, your all I need video come on,

we order our video right after it. So, you know, hope we get the trickle down effect. So, you know, Def Jam, they're having this big meeting up there and the legend of the story is, they're gloating over there, Meph and Mary, beautiful, amazing work. And then this little grainy black and white video comes on

and it's me, that 17, 18, just rhyming with the big voice and J, J-Master J stood up in the meeting, he said, that little nigga right there's gonna be a star. Wow. And Leo said, well find them for me! And that's how that kind of just started, you know, and you know the rest kind of just spiraled into what it was. How did that feel when you first came, DMX came before you commercialized?

Wasn't it like y'all were like a year apart right? Like he came- Well Jai actually came first. Oh okay. I thought it like, y'all were like a year apart, right? Like he came in first. Well, Jai actually came first. Oh, okay. I thought it was 97 Idea. No, I didn't come first. X's music and records and everything came first. But you know, like I said, my situation with Def Jam was already in the making.

It was already in the making in the next game. And then everybody compared you to him, right? And everything that you did was, he's trying to be like DMX. How did that affect you during that time? You know, of course it's gonna affect you, and I'm young too, you know, I gotta chip on my shoulders. I'm like, nah, I'm not trying to be like nobody, I'm me.

And you know, me and the dog, we definitely had our bouts over a little stupid shit like that. But so what I did, and I took an extreme gamble. My first album was very successful. Vinny Verrivici. Vinny Verrivici, yeah. I sold close to two million records on my debut album. And then those things started happening.

He's trying to be like, you's trying to be like, ah. So I said, you know what? I got something for all these niggas. I'ma switch it all up. Went out to LA, got me a big ass fucking mansion out in Hollywood Hills. First time I ever had anything like this in my life. And it was like the most ghetto fucking mansion

you ever wanna see in your life. We had like renaissance furniture in the joint. It was crazy, you know what I'm saying? We had a room that we called the dorm and just 10 niggas slept in there. You know what I'm saying? It was a wild time, but I wanted the music to reflect new times in my life.

You know, things that I was doing now, things I was seeing now, experiencing now. And so I went completely left, grew my hair out. Said, I can't say I look like Axel or Pac. Them niggas never had braids, you know what I'm saying? So I grew my hair out, got braids, you know, was wearing it wild, Jimmy Hendrix, you know, Dan Dan,

just looking, just being me, you know, and the music started to reflect those moments. So it was all your idea to change the image in the music? Yeah, it was, I mean, you know, Gotti just kind of flowed with whatever I wanted to do, but he always, you know, would circle back to, you gotta keep it. You know what I'm saying, don't go too far this way, look, bro, you know what I'm saying, you gotta have your street element, you gotta keep it. You know what I'm saying? Don't go too far this way, bro.

You know what I'm saying? You gotta have your street element. You gotta keep it. You know, you gotta keep the street. And so, you know, cause I'm an artist, a creator first at heart. So, you know, I wanted to do wild, crazy shit. You know what I'm saying?

Everybody like, make it. You know, it was kind of like- Run it back a little bit. It was kind of like reverse Jodeci. And what I mean by that is remember they always tell a story about how they dress Jodeci like hip hop but they did the R&B records. But you still had the screech in you

but you were still doing the R&B records but you were still rapping hard on the R&B record. You know, it's crazy. I listen to like records like always on time, like the Dirty Versions and shit. And I'm like, funny story, it was just in Africa. I was over there building my new school. And so they're playing like the dirty versions

of these records, the kids out there. And I'm like, God damn. My wife is like, yo, they tell them they got to change it, to clean, so the hooks ain't saying anything what he's saying, you know what I'm saying? So yeah, I used to say what I wanted and do what I wanted on the verses, but then the hooks were so pretty that it kind of just cleaned it all up.

Did they give you pushback because of that? Because Gotti is so good, right? Definitely. Gotti will rap all the time, like everything is street with Gotti. But then you went left a little bit and started catering to women and making those type of songs. Was there any pushback at all? Not from Gotti, because Gotti, you know,

Gotti's all about what's hot. Gotti was like the music's hot, shit's sounding right, shit's hot. The one time we, you know, I think Gotti got a little bit nervous, it was Put It On Me. Everybody knew it was a big record, but everybody was like, this is like different. Like, this is like, but I didn't feel it was,

I felt like I was already stepping in that arena, I was already doing the records that had that feel and maybe I was taking it a little step further or whatever but I felt like I was already in that lane so it didn't matter but lo and behold, we put it out and it became the record it was. But me and Gotti were very fearless in that we understood

that this was gonna be a make or break situation. You know, a lot of artists go through what they call the Southmore jinx. And here I am, taking the biggest gamble you could take with a Southmore album. It was like a new debut though, in a lot of ways. That's what it felt like. And that's how I felt. I felt like this is like new Ja Rule. This is like something y'all ain't feel before. This is completely, it's me but it's like me and with a different look to it, feel to it. And they didn't really like that. Def Jam didn't love it. They didn't love the album.

They didn't love where I was going visually with it. They didn't love it. Really? After doing two million records, they like it. They want you to do what's working. But they broke Don't Fix It. And then you saw four or five. I know, but you can't call that.

Beforehand. Right, and like I said, we was going through a time where a lot of artists was going through Southmore Jinx. You put out that South more album and then do as good as the first album. So I was taking a big risk in doing it. They wanted me to go change the album. Gotti came and he's like, yo, Rull,

this is what they say and I told them go fuck theyself, but it's ultimately your decision, what you wanna do. And I'm like, I'm not changing shit. I'm like, I'm just changing shit. I'm like, I'm just, you know, we just, we just gonna have to, you know, fight, fight for what we believe in. And we did, and it was, it turned out to be a great decision on that side.

I was gonna ask you, in those moments, like what were the conversations with you and Irv Gowdy? Cause I've never met him before, but his energy seemed so sure all the time. But that's a lot of pressure when you, you know what I mean? Like y'all are in it, like this is the big moment, and you gotta say go fuck yourself,

but at the same time it's like, hmm. But you know, Gotti had a different way of speaking and handling things. I've heard. I'm a little more diplomatic. Yeah. You know, but it's cool, you know, sometimes in life you need both sides,

you need Malcolm and you need Martin. You know what I'm saying? So you need somebody to be like, all right, we gonna talk to Martin right now. We don't wanna talk to Malcolm at the moment, you know? So it works, you know? You think you got the- I think a lot of Erv's, I call it passion,

but I think a lot of the rah rah came from the frustration of being a visionary and knowing you're right and knowing that these motherfuckers do not see the vision, but you can see it so clear. I can see what Jai is so clear. I can see what X is so clear. I can see what Hov is so clear.

How don't y'all see it? That would be frustrating too, especially when you see how everything played out. Very, very frustrating. But that's the struggle, that's the push and pull between creatives and the... The suits. The suits.

It's always gonna be the fight. But now that I'm on both sides of it, I get it. I fight myself because I wanna just be creative. But then I'm like, it costs too fucking much to just be creative sometimes. You think that Irv, before he passed, I know you guys had a lot of conversations, does he think he got the credit he deserved? Because when he passed,

you heard every last little thing that he's done. Every record that he's produced. All the behind the scenes stuff, from the making of Belly to everything. It's so crazy, as much as Irv was loud and outspoken, he wasn't about those things. as much as Irv was loud and outspoken, he wasn't about those things. Like he would never, I produced this and I produced, he did a lot of outside records outside of Murder Inc.

that he never really gotten interviews and spoke about or anything. He just kinda just talked about what he did with Me X and Jay, cause we were his favorites. But he did do a lot with a lot of other artists, and big records, and records that should be definitely contributed to his legacy. I'm sitting here with you and I'm thinking to myself,

how do you even talk the job out of her, because you and her have clearly loved each other out loud, and people ask questions like, how did his passing make you feel? It's like, I don't even know if those are appropriate questions. Yeah, like I said, I go in and out. Like, you know, I be,

I'm very understanding of what life and death is. You know, we, we're all born to die. At some point that's gonna happen. One of the other things he always used to say is that is our destiny, but in the middle of that we live. JR, rest in peace to JR as well, JR and Lauren, he always used to say live the dash. Because that's what they put on your tunes, don't 19 whatever, whatever that's what they put on your tunes, though.

19, whatever, whatever it's a, you know, whatever. So he always used to say, live the dash. That's just what it is. You know, so I know that my brother lived, he lived the dash, you know what I'm saying? He lived his life. And so I can be happy and knowing that, but I'm still hurt, you know, by the way at all,

you know, just kind kinda happened so fast. Do you regret it at all? You regret not talking to your brother and being hard on your brother? Like I was listening to Chris, Irv's brother, doing a conversation and he was like, it was the lifestyle and I tried to talk to him, but he was like, just Irv, listen, do you wish you would have been more like,

yo bro, you gotta do this, you gotta go to the doctor, bro, you gotta do this. You gotta understand about Irv. You ain't, you can't, you're not telling Irv that. You now know Irv, when Irv got his money, he wanted something, he's gonna be, yo, I got the record, I got that, that, that, he ain't gonna stop.

And he's the same way with how he wanted to live his life. You like, well, I think last time he was here, he, you know, oh no, no, I'm sorry, it was, it was maybe Drink Champ. Drink Champ. And he's talking about, he's like, you know, like, are you taking care of yourself? He's like, not all the time. But that's sort of, I used to, you know,

one of my last texts to him was, yo, how you doing? You taking care of yourself? How's your health? You know what I mean? How you feeling? You know what I mean? We ain't spoken, you know spoken a couple of weeks or whatever.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm good. So you know, that's her. And I'm happy to know that he lived his life the way he did. Frank Sinatra, I did it my way. So I'm happy in knowing that. But I am a little disappointed because I feel he could still be here.

What does that mean when you say it happened so fast? Like, you know, so of course I'm behind the scenes internally. I'm dealing with this in private, you know, it's not a public knowledge. And so, you know, I felt he was getting better. And then it was one, you know, something happened. I think he had like a mini stroke and he went back to see the doctor and then it just kinda, his health just started

kinda deteriorating from there. And it just kinda happened fast. You know, and I'm like, God damn. But again, it puts things in perspective. It puts life in perspective. It puts life in perspective. Absolutely. It puts health in perspective. It puts money in perspective.

Like, you know, we all out here chasing the, you know, the money that it is to that. But, you know, it ain't, it ain't, it ain't, I know it sounds like cliche shit or whatever, but money ain't nothing if your health ain't good. You can't enjoy it. You know, what's the money, you know,

your family can enjoy it, you know, that's fine. You die, you know, I guess, you know, you get along knowing that, you know what I'm saying? But you can't enjoy it, you know, if you're not in good health. If you don't mind me asking, if it's too personal you can say, you don't wanna answer it. Have you had those moments now after everything

where you wake up and maybe it's like a dream happens and you're like, okay, I hear you or I feel you or something like that where it's a comforting feeling? Nah, I'm not gonna sit here and be saying we having like out of body experiences and shit, you know, I just, like I said, I'm seen a lot of death in my life. And so I've always dealt with it very well. This is the first one that somebody has died

that's very, that's this close to me. You know, that we've built so much, we've done so much together. So it's a little different. But yeah, it's tough. But yeah, I can't say that I've experienced those type of joys, I would call them that. I would have loved to see the gang back together.

And maybe they were, just you know, the whole Murder Inc. family back. Because you guys grinded from the bottom. You made believers out of people that weren't. You know what I mean? Whether it was yourself, R&B. I mean, Irv did Ashanti and Loy. You know what I mean?

And I would just wish the gang would have gotten, was there any chance of that? I think that ship sailed. I think that ship sailed. But not, you know what's so crazy? Me and Gotti used to always talk about this and I used to, you know, it's the old Motown story. Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy.

You know, Berry Gordy wasn't going to come to the 25-year anniversary because he felt like Mike and Diana and all of these traders, they left him. And when the things was, I guess, he felt the highest and they just went with the money and left the situation or whatever and you know Smokey sat him down he said it's not about who leaves about who comes back and I felt that and I'd always say that to her I said things happen people grow grow apart I said it's not about who leaves. I said, at the end of the day, it's about who comes back.

I said, because that shows the respect and the love was always there. And I think that's important. I think the problem is though, people wait to come back at the funeral. Yeah, right. So you say the ship is sailed. Then we've seen Shanti speak on it

and seen her post about it, so clearly there was still love there. It's always been there. It's always been there. I've tried to clean it up many times, but I got to a point where I was... You tried to be there. You know, something like just let it be

where it is what it is. As long as everybody's called you, I'm fine with it. I think publicly we knew that you were kind of like in the middle trying to figure Everything out and then when everything happened and like she posted and you know she talked to Angie Martinez about you know How she was feeling I know that you guys probably had conversations after and like you know what cuz now it's different because he's not Here anymore. What was that like for you? Cuz you kind of still in the middle, but he's not here anymore and like you know what is I mean we you know It's crazy cuz we had conversations prior right you

know about you know them patching things up and I've had conversations with we got about them patching it up and it's always been on the table but just never happened because she said she threw the olive branch prior to yeah she has she has, she has. And you know, there's been moments when Irv has just been stuck in his ways and just. He's a cancer like me. So it's been hard to patch that up. But I know that he did love her, that I did know, that I do know.

And so that's why I always try to patch it up because I know both sides of the story. I know both, that I do know. And so that's why I always try to patch it up, because I know both sides of the story, I know both of them, and I know that they shared something and that's whatever, but it's just one of those things. But I feel that now that in passing, I feel like everybody will come back and we can do some things together as a unit, you know, as a group, whatever, me, Lloyd, Shanti, you know, and the rest of the crew, you know,

that they've always been on board. How would everyone have felt seeing Hov at the funeral? You know, I spoke about that at the funeral and I spoke to that and I told Hov, I said he would be happy. I know that for a fact. So I let him know that from me. That's dope. All right, well now let's move on. Let's talk about the school in Ghana, man.

I was gonna talk about his daughter getting married. Which way you wanna go? Yeah, whiskey. It's a lot. This shit is scary. I told you. I'm being honest with you, this whiskey's scary. Come on, man.

Now I'm gonna tell you why it's scary, because it's really, really good. And it's very smooth. And you feel a little soft. And the first sip. Is warm. We have got, what do you call it? A banger.

A endorsement from Charlie and the God. It's very smooth. Very, very. Thank you, thank you. Now your daughter's getting married Yes, now did the the young man come to you and ask you and how was that conversation? Oh, he did. He's a really great dude, man. I'm a dude. Tell me man. He's a good guy. He's Jamaican, you know You know, so they have a culture and

a way you know and that us African Americans don't you know what I'm saying. So you know it was very respectful and you know he did it the traditional way. It was cool you know what I mean and of course I'm like. Marry, please take her now. Do you pay for the wedding? Of course. Okay. Of course, that's the part of tradition that needs to change.

That definitely needs to change. Word, I'm like, wait a minute. I got four girls, Charlotte got four girls. Yes. Because your son is graduating from college at the same month, right? Yup, he is. My youngest son, Jordan, he's graduating from SCAD.

And he gonna need a nice gift, and then you gotta pay for the wedding. Yup, so they tapping my pockets for the wedding. Yeah. That's the beauty of life though, right? That's right. When you think about Jod 20 years ago, did you realize, I'm gonna be a father?

Like this is the difference. Well yeah, I was a father 20 years ago. You were a father 20 years ago. But I mean, did you see this part of life? But like grandfather and kids that graduate. Yeah. When I was locked up, like, did you see this part of me? But my grandfather and kids had graduated. Yeah, you know, when I was locked up, right, with this old head, old G, he used to always say, only thing worse than getting old is not getting old.

He used to say that to me all the time. Now that I'm getting old, I finally appreciate that statement, you know what I mean? Because I used to, was a dumb, young knucklehead. I used to think I wasn't gonna live to be 25 and all this other goofy shit, but you know, lo and behold, here I am, 49, looking at my kids, graduating from college and getting married and shit.

So it's a blessing. When you see how many people who have not survived in hip hop, does it give you more of an appreciation of life? Of course. It's a dirty game, man. It feels like only hip hop goes through that. Seeing so many young brothers die at such a young age,

it's kind of crazy. Knowing that, that's how I thought when I was young in hip hop. So it's kind of weird to just kind of seeing it all unfold and that's how these young brothers also think. And it's like, you know, we got to break that cycle too. So how do you tell folks it gets greater later? Or do you just show them?

I think they're starting to see it. Okay. You know, I mean, you I think they're starting to see it. Okay. You know, I mean, you know, they have great examples out there. You know, you see Hov and B and married kids doing well in life. You know, there's other great examples like LL and his wife,

Math and his wife, me and my wife. You know, you can mention a lot. So you see the growth in hip hop. You know, you start to see a lot of artists that you may not even know was married for a very, very long time. You know, Cube and his wife, you know, so there's a lot of us out there that just kind of really embody what love and hip hop is about.

I feel like after COVID too, I feel like the hip hop world. And being his wife. Yes, sir. I feel like the world had a different respect for 90s and 2000 music. Did you feel that as well? Like there was a shift where it went. I seen the bump in my royalty savings.

But why do you think that is? Cause I mean I seen a time where tours were scattered but now I see like a much more love and respect for that era of artists. You know it's hard to put your finger on it because I feel like every era had great artists. I just feel like our era was the biggest in sales. And so, you know, that takes on a different animal

when people get to buy your CD and put your post on their wall. And you know, it's a different connection. get to buy your CD and put your post on their wall. It's a different connection and I think we kind of just, our era, we benefited the most from that in hip hop, I feel. New artists, they got the streaming era in there, making a lot of money and be independent

and go do shows and all that other stuff. But I think the longevity aspect of it and how people kind of fell in love with us as artists, I think that aspect of it is kind of like, it's kind of come and gone. But if you catch them, then you got them, because now you have them as followers on your gram and that, people just don't really un-follow you

or what if they follow you? They're kinda like there, you know what I'm saying? That's, they have a plus there, I guess. And we need age-appropriate tours. Like, you know, when you 45 plus, you wanna go somewhere and still vibe to what you came up on in a safe environment. Who says that we don't still wanna go out

to concerts and stuff? We're gonna party at tour this summer, come on and see us to concerts and stuff? We're at the Party Act Tour this summer, come on and see us, man. We putting it down the right way this summer. But I've seen you in concert, and it's a lot of young people there. It's not you would go there and be like, what is happening?

But that's their old school. And it feels crazy for us to think that. Because when I'm thinking about that, I'm like, if I saw you at a Ja Rule concert, I'd be like, why is Charlamagne here? At a Ja Rule concert? Because for us, it's like we go because it's nostalgic and it's fun Because I'm thinking about that I'm like if I saw you at a job Because I feel like why is Charlamagne here? Because we for us it's like we go cuz it's nostalgic and it's fun and it's like whatever Y'all are ours now like back up

R is now like back up, old head. Ah! You're so young. Not enough of that. My daughter's 23. It's so young. Feels the same way. It's so young now. When she listens to that music, she feels like that's her music.

Like she loves that music, but she doesn't look at age. She's just like, that's my song. I hear it on the radio. Because it feels good. That's how it feels. You put on y'all songs and it's like a good summertime day. Like, you know, if you feel it, it's different. But for sure, when I went, I forget,

I think I was in LA when I seen you. It was very, it was younger than me. I was like, oh, wow. I got a good generational push because, you know, that's what their mothers were listening to and stuff like that. I asked them sometimes, you know, they'd be 25, 20. I'm like, what you know about the job?

You know what I'm saying? I'll ask them and they'd be like, my mama, my big sister. I was like, okay, I got you. I do you one better. My daughter didn't ran into you so many times. I'm Camila Ramon, Peloton's first Spanish speaking cycling and tread instructor. I'm an athlete, entrepreneur, and almost most importantly, a perreo enthusiast. And I'm Liz Ortiz, former pro soccer player and Olympian and like call me, a perreo enthusiast. Come on, who is it? Our podcast, Hasta Abajo, is where sports, music,

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I was supposed to say you made me know it. The song come on and she be singing, I be like, you know who that is, right? She like, no. I'm like, you know, forget it. She had no idea. I seen you do it the other day. She just said hello to you and she, you know, whatever. She seen you at the mall.

She said, I'm going to sing it. She said, I'm going to sing it. She said, I'm going to sing it. She said, I'm going to sing it. She said, I'm going to you know who that is, right? She like, no. I'm like, no, forget it. She had no idea. I seen you do it every day. She just said hello to you and she, you know, whenever she see you at the ball. And she had no idea you sang no social.

She was like, really? I'm like, yeah, but she's 23 years old. She had no clue. But I think now with like the bridging of the gap with like social media, it's like you kind of, cause a lot of times too, like I know my niece, she will play certain songs and I be like, how did you even know that song?

It's TikTok. And she'll literally say, oh, it's TikTok. And she might not know who you are, but she can sing the song word for word. Y'all rule created a whole genre of music. I feel the same way. I don't know some of the new kids, but I can sing the songs.

I know the songs, so. Y'all rule was Drake before Drake. Who you yelling at, O.H. The singer, I'm sorry, it's the whiskey. Hold on, the whiskey. It's the whiskey. Take that whiskey away from me. I know you feeling cause I'm getting high. I know you feeling cause I'm getting high, but don't be yelling at me.

My bad, my bad. So the whole singing, rapping hybrid. Yeah, absolutely. That was Jah, literally. I definitely own that space for a minute. You know, I'm not the first artist to sing and rap obviously, but you know, I like to think that I was, or like to say, or own the fact that I was the first artist to really create duets, hip hop duets. Like, you know, you don't know if I'm real

is my record or JLo's record, or you don't know if I'm real is my record or JLo's record, or you don't know if Mesmerize is my record or Shanti's record, because the way I wrote them, I'm so infused in the record, I'm on the hook with them, she got a verse, I got a verse, it sounds like what Tammy and Marlon would do back in the day as an R&B record, so that dynamic really didn't exist in hip hop

until I started doing it, because I had the delivery of writing those records. And so at the time I didn't know what I was doing, I just kind of wanted to be on the record and be on it as much as possible. I'm like, shit, I'm writing a record for Jennifer Lopez. I need to be on the record, like really on the record. So I'm on the hook, I'm on the verse,

I'm in the first verse, and then she comes in and I got my own second verse, then she comes back on the third. I wrote it that way so it can be a back and forth kind of thing, and I think I started that. I saw you said you wish the internet was around during the time of like you and 50s back and forth, but listening to you tell that story,

I'm like, aren't you happy that it wasn't? Cause getting to enjoy that without social media, without feeling like you had to post it and tag it and talk about it. Like, you know, you sometimes you gotta show certain elements of certain things. Social media was good for that. Social media is good to show certain things.

That's all I was just saying. Got you. Without getting too involved. What similarities did you see in the situation between Kendrick and Drake and you and 50 and just, I'm just talking about as far as how, you know, the public turned on consumers. Yeah, I mean, you know, that's, man, you know,

fans are fickle, you know, I knew that, you know, that's fickle. I knew that. That's what made me kinda transition how I look at how I make my money. It was kinda like, okay, I can't put all my eggs in this basket. I kinda diversify in a lot of different ways because if these niggas flip on me for whatever reason, I ain't like the way I fuckin' wore my hat,

you know what I'm sayin, another day or whatever. And you know, it's that, you know, music is a crazy thing, you know, but I do see certain things that are similar and just the way, you know, public perception, you know, how people can kinda, you know, turn their back on you because you're winning so much. I think that's what, you know, people really did. I think that's the issue people really have with Drake.

He's just fucking too hot, you know what I'm saying? The boy don't lose. And people wanted to see him get a little bit of debt in his arm. That's all. Did you ever want to reach out to him? For what? That man is fine. You know, the crazy thing is, and the crazy thing people don't understand with my beat, That's all. Did you ever want to reach out to him? What? That man is fine. You know, the crazy thing is, and the crazy thing

people don't understand with my beef, and I'm looking at the same thing with Drake's beef, I'm like, he's rich, he's chilling. They think of me, I'm like, I'm rich. You feel like that now, though, but in the moment, you probably was pissed off, like, yo. I was, but the end of the day, see, the crazy thing is, things can look so much bigger

and deeper in our small bubble. Right. But I'd go places and I'd feel that it. You know, for a minute I had the energy was there, don't get me wrong. Right. And you know, we was fighting motherfuckers and you know, it was what it was. But after a time, it's not that. And the energy's gone and people was like, yo, Rue, I love his music.

I fucks with Rue, I'm going to his shows. So it was never that, you know, where it was like, okay, I'm suffering in my financial state. So yes, I had to suck up some things that I was feeling from a fan's point of view, but at the end of the day, I can hang my hat on. What I came to do, I accomplished. My family's good, I'm good, my money's right.

Fuck it, I got some haters. If you don't have haters, then you ain't doing something right, you know what I'm saying? And you move on with it. So I always looked at it like, you know, people, you know, fans and the people around you is like, oh, Drake's all here, Drake'll be fine. I'm still here 25 years later doing what I do,

getting six figures a show. It's like, I don't want people to ever think that, you know, a rap beef is that important to the grand scheme of things. Like, you know, people are not Drake's investors and people that do business with him. Business, what do you mean? What is he doing?

That's not happening. So there's a lot of aspects to it that people don't understand. A lot of layers. You ever stop to think to yourself, you know, all those years ago, you put out the Clap Back record, right? And when you put it out,

everybody was like, what is Jive doing? But now, 25 years later, not only is the record dope, everybody uses the term clap back, literally. You'd probably be in the sharing room comments like, this is mine. I should have trademarked that. I might consider her. It's going.

It's going. I was like, no. Jasmine Crockett might have. Jasmine Crockett might have. It's going, my clap back. Sheesh, but yeah, I laugh at stuff like that. I even laugh at moments of certain records that came out that didn't really translate as well as they should have, I felt, at the time.

But I played them now at shows and people sing them word for word. So I'm like, I was listening. You know what I'm saying? I was paying attention to these records, like Wonderful. Oh, Wonderful Fight. Yeah, but it was my first number one record in the UK. You know what I'm saying?

So yeah, it was dope, but it was popping over there. You know what I'm saying? It wasn't kicking it the way it should have. I fell over here, you know? But, you know, so certain things like that, I feel now. And Clap Back is another one, you know, when I do it. It wasn't kicking it the way it should have. I fell over here. So certain things like that I feel now. And clap back is another one. When I do it, it's like, oh, now everybody knows the words to clap back.

Okay, I get it, I got it, it's cool. But you know, music is subjective, man. People like artists, they don't like artists. You don't gotta like Ja Rule. That's cool, you know what I'm saying? People that vibe with me, fuck with me, come fuck with me. That's what it is. People who don't, it's cool.

I don't know you anyway, you know what I'm saying? So it really doesn't bother me at all. It's also interesting to me that you, all 50, have not outgrown each other. And what I mean by that is, if you talking to 50, Ja gonna come up. if you talking to 50, Jah gonna come up. If you talking to Jah, 50 gonna come up. Yeah, I mean, I don't bring him up, per se, at all.

No, we do. Yeah. The media does. Yeah. But you know, because I think that's because he's, you know, a troll, and he keeps it going. You be throwing jabs, and throwing them back, but you be, you be, you be.

You know, I'll go to the circus once in a while, you know what I mean, but I really like to stay clear of that shit. Yeah, cause when the residency stuff happened, I was like, oh Lord. You know, I like to have fun sometimes and poke jabs at them too, but that's all it really is. It's like, and to me it's like, it's silly,

you know, we're both successful black men. I think the focus should be on, you know, continuing to make sure that we pay it forward, push it forward, make sure the culture keeps going forward. I think that's more important. You know, I see some of the things that he gets involved in is just fused on something like, like throw it up my nigga, you know what I'm saying?

Like, you know, that's what I be thinking to myself. You know, and so when I see the things that he does, and you know, he did the, the, the, the, the earth, the smoke and the nothing, you know, I'm like. How do you feel about that? You saw it. Of course, nobody likes all this goofy shit,

but it's goofy shit. You know what I'm saying? So I'm like, I'm not, I'm not, you know, Prem said it best. You know, I spoke to Prem the other day. He's, you know, Prem said it best. You know, I spoke to Prem the other day. He's, you know, Prem has always got the right words and shit and the right word, things to say. Because I was hot, you know what I'm saying?

I was hot. I was ready to go nuclear and shit, but you know, I said, you know. So I spoke to Prem anyway. And Prem said, yo, he said, you know, Ru, he said, here's what you gotta understand about who we are and what we are. He said, we are masters of self-defense.

And I said, I love that. I said, because I'm not, I don't want to start trouble, make trouble with people, you know, but if we got to get into it and make it, oh, I'll fucking end it. I'll put it to where it goes, I'll take it to the next. So that's why I'm like, you know what, that is the best description of what I am and who I am as a man that I could ever think about.

You know what I'm saying? Because that's who we are as men. We're here to protect our family, protect our homes, defend our honor, our names, our reputation. That's what we're here. I'm not here to be a bully and bother people. I'm not, that's not, that's not what I'm here to do. You know what I'm saying?

But I am a master of self. But in a way you do have to understand why Fifth feels the way he feels. When you think about everything that y'all been through. I really don't. Really? Yeah. Fighting, the shooting, the stabbing.

What shooting? Yeah, we ain't got nothing to do with that. Oh, well, nevermind. I know people like to say it, but they ain't got nothing to do with us. You know what I'm saying? I know the reality of it all, you know what I'm saying? And that shit ain't got nothing to do with us. I know the reality of it all.

That shit ain't got nothing to do with us. I guess it's good for people to play that when they want to play that and then play victim when they want to play victim. Like I said, I leave it all alone. I live a really, really cool life. I'm in a good space. So I'm like, you know, if you, sometimes you just gotta remove yourself from the circus and that's what I've chose to do.

So that's why I've been being real quiet and cool and just enjoying my time and shit. You know, it's funny, cause you know, like, you know, I'll get DMs and shit from, you know, other enemies. What they say, a friend of a... Yeah, a friend of a... The enemy of my enemy.

Enemy of my friend. Yeah, so I got a lot of those, you know what I'm saying? No, enemy of my enemy of my friend. You probably don't think you'll be responding to that because you probably don't get down with that, right? No, no, no, but it be like people y'all know very well. They'll hit me in the DMs and be like, yeah, you see this thing that fucked me. Hold on, people y'all know very well. They'll hit me in the DMs and be like, you see this fucking bitch?

Hold on, so y'all, you know what's so crazy? Because we say that all the time. When Ja Rule was going through his situation, Ja got jumped. That's why I don't really like to compare to Drake, Hendry thing. You got jumped. So all of those relationships you never made amends with?

Yeah, me and Game is cool. You know, Buster's cool. Eminem for a moment. Me and Axis, Game is cool. You know, Buster's cool. Yeah, Eminem for a moment. Me and X is cross-weak cool. You know, but the rest, yeah, nah. They all on that side of you. Okay. So I don't pump with them niggas like that.

Even all these years later, you just like. You know, it's like, you know, Charlamagne, it's like anything else, like the Cold War, man. Like we can exist without having to coexist. No, no, no. It's cool. Now, I gotta ask, you know, what was your mind frame and what were your thoughts when he said

that they were bringing the Fyre Festival back? I'm glad you brought that up, Mr. NB. What was the, I know you was like, no! I'm glad you brought that up, Mr. Indy. What was the... I know you was like, no! I'm glad you brought that up. Remember when I was here at Brown that time? And my good brother Indy was like, Ja! How? How could you have a partner?

That's bullshit. That's shit. That's shit. That's shit. What's in this whiskey? What is in this whiskey? What is in this whiskey? Yo.

Now he just moved. Charlamagne. Charlamagne. Charlamagne. That's a clock it. That's how you clock that. See how you can clock it. Clock it.

Clock it. Okay. He clocked that thing. You can clock it. Clock it. Okay? You clock that. Okay? You say that. It's in my brother's memory. But, baby... My brother. Now you understand. That was so smooth. We gotta cheer so you can understand it. Because that was so smooth.

I don't either. You should've let me accept it. I said, wait till I see this nigga here, boy. I said, I know. I just booked know either. I know. You shoulda let me ask that in the end. I said wait till I see this nigga here, boy. I said I know, I said boy. Yo, I just spoke to y'all so many times. Y'all was way holding that, boy. Oh yeah, I said now we gonna get a hold of this. That was good.

That was real good. Yeah, yeah. I said, cause yo, it's possible, right, Envy? You right. No, it's impossible. Oh, messing. Oh. Niggas be doing fuck shit behind your back. Man, I swear to God.

But you more cognizant of that now, who you attach your brand to, I'm sure. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. And you know what's crazy? And, Andy, you can probably attest to this. Like. Yes, he can.

Attest? The beauty of all of, you know, you don't want to go through nothing like, you know, those types of situations, but the beauty of it is, now when I vet a situation, people don't get mad at all. Like when I'm like real anal about it, like nah nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, I don't know, let me just check a little bit more, see what this is about. They do not, like, it's no sweat, they're like, I get it, John, I get it, I get it.

You know what I'm saying? So that, I guess, is a plus for things where people are very, you know, forgiving when it comes to how hard I'm vetting the next situation that I'm getting into. You have to. You have to. You really have to.

Well, with Amber Opal speaking of vetting, I was watching the interview where you talked about, and we this before we were talking about the taste and stuff and I Honestly, mr. Licker Thomas the liquor. I'm sorry. It's amber opal is the whiskey Not even capping this shit really good The first whiskey I've ever tasted I'm like, yo this shit is actually really good. You wanna drink it? Come on, man. Total Wides, we are in Total Wides. You ever had any? Old Fashioned, you can do it in car. I feel like this, in the morning,

you could do this in like a good coffee. Yeah. It tastes like an Old Fashioned already. Yeah. Oh, you used Ice Cube. Yeah. What do you smell? Smell it, what do you smell?

I'm getting tore up online because I poured the fucking shit over ice and called it neat. Motherfuckers mad at me. Yeah, why would you get ice? You didn't drink it, money. You didn't know ice online because I poured the fucking shit over ice and called it neat. Motherfuckers mad at me. Yeah, why would you get no ice? I made a mistake. Please, back up both of me. Leave me alone. But you did a good job with this. What do you smell when you smell it?

It's like sweet and smoky at the same time. See? That smoky taste that you taste, that smoke finish, that is a Chinese tea. Chinese black tea that we use called Lapsang Souchong. You see my black brother back there? I'm gonna give him all the props because he's the whiskey enthusiast out of the crew. And so this blend, he was sweating, you know what I'm saying? You see he's bald too, so he's back there sweating,

putting this blend together the right way, and he did the damn thing with it. And you know, I was the guy that was tasting it that was you, that was you. That I'm not really a whiskey drinker, but tasting it was like, I could drink this. So I was important to the tasting when I thought I wasn't. I was sitting there like, man, I don't know what I'm tasting.

I don't know if this, whatever. And they're like, just taste the shit. I'm drinking A, B, C, D. I'm like, they all kind of taste the same. Just tell me which one you like. You know what I'm saying? And so that's important. And we wanted to really nail that for the whiskey curious.

You know what I mean? People who are maybe first time whiskey drinkers are not really whiskey enthusiasts. Why whiskey for you? Well, it started as a business venture. I'm not gonna lie. During COVID, I'm with a really, really great investment group. We were doing a lot of crazy investments.

So we got into like Web3 stuff and NFT stuff. We know who's doing that stuff. It was like, it was fun investing. During like gaming investing damn near during COVID. So one of the things that came across our desk was a whiskey DAW. And a DAW is a decentralized, organized, autonomous organization. Decentralized autonomous organization is what a dial is.

So it's basically like a group of people get together and we're all on a board and we all get to vote and make decisions on how the company rolls. So we did this and what it was is we bought a whole fucking warehouse full of whiskey out in Iowa. And we were gonna wait till the whiskey age hit its seven year mark when it became

like a premium bourbon and just flip it. So that was the plan. But as we got hit our seven year mark, some of the guys in our group started busting open the barrels and making personal bottles for home and shit. And so, you know, me and Herb decided, let's start something really, really dope. And so we did that.

But what happened was he found a distillery out in Baltimore. So this is where this batch is actually made because they told us don't use those barrels because that's premium bourbon now, if we infuse it with the honey, it's gonna dilute the aging. And so we decided, well, we didn't actually decide.

They recommended that we buy their three-year-old, two-year-old barrels and make our blend. And so that's what we did, and amazing partnership thus far. The blend is amazing as Charlemagne has said several times. How difficult is it to get into these stores? What's the hardest part? It's been a little bit challenging but you know we were able to get into a really dope diversity program before they stopped

DEI. What distributors? So we're with Park Streets and they distribute us through California and Florida. But you know, we're looking to do a major distribution. So we'll probably sign with R&DC really soon. They have a national footprint, so we'll probably sign with R&DC really soon. They have a national footprint, so we'll deal basically with them. But we're doing great.

We do our diversity program that we were able to get into. And people don't like to talk about it, but I think it's important that you do talk about these programs because they do help us as a black culture, black people. And I think you should look into it or whatever. They're gone now, so it doesn't matter. But while they were here,

people weren't talking about it enough and these are some of the great programs that were out there. And so we got into it and we were able to get into 102 doors at Total Wines and in 10 cities like right off the bat as a new company. So that was a plus. And then of course we have distribution online as well.

You can get us at sealbox.com and Reserve Bar as well. Do you change the, do you try to change the landscape? And the reason I ask, right, you coming out as an artist right you remember the drink at the time was Hennessy yeah then it changed the vodka yeah and it changed the tequila yeah do you try to change the landscape of the clubs or you say now we're not taking the club right? No no yeah we definitely because we're in 11 we're in Draze you know we definitely wanted to take it. Oh you places where people with connoisseurs would understand it.

That makes sense. Okay, marketing wise, that makes sense. Absolutely, absolutely. And you know, I want to do something really, really cool. I'm looking into it, how we can make it happen. But you know how they have bottle service, and they bring in the bottle service. I want to do a little something different.

When you order a bottle of Amber and Opal, you'll get your own, you know, mixologist, and they'll come with a menu of drinks that you can actually make, and they'll make for you right there at the moment. That's fine. So, you know, it's a little different twist on what we do on bottle service,

but it's still bottle service. Instead of a big silly car and all that sort of shit, you know, somebody you can actually sit there and learn about the- Make your drinks for you. A lot of times when celebrities do alcohol brands, it's like everything's already done and a brand comes and you. A lot of times when celebrities do alcohol brands, it's like everything's already done and a brand comes

and you're like, hey, put your face on it, sit next to it. I know that this was the complete opposite for you. Yeah, no, yeah, it wasn't that. What have you learned business-wise that you thought you already knew, but being in spirit you were like, ooh, okay. You know, it's crazy. I knew that this was gonna happen,

what's happening to us right now, because it happened to us when we was in the clothing business when I had Irv and Jeffrey, me and Irv had that company, and the more doors we got into, the more clothes we had to actually make. So we didn't have the white label deal, and so it was all coming out of our pocket.

And so what you start to realize is, the hotter you get, the more product you have to actually make. And the clothing industry is a little bit tougher because you're dealing with seasons and so if you don't sell it in that season, it's last year's thing or last season's thing and now you're out into the bargain stores

and you're losing profit on your retail sales. But what's good about alcohol is it's alcohol, so they can sit on the shelves for a while, but you still want it to move. You don't want it to be sitting too long and they feel it's not moving. So it's a little catch 22 on how you gotta kinda get people to sample the product

before they go into a store and buy a $70 bottle of Ambinopoul with 69.99 as our retail price, but how do you do that? Well, one of the ways we're trying to do that is going to the dope restaurants and the dope night spaces, and so people can say, all right, let me get a cocktail of that off, or if there's a bottle at the table,

they can taste it off there in the restaurant, they can get a cocktail that's a lot cheaper than $70, and they can taste it and say, I like that, I'll a cocktail that's a lot cheaper than $70 and they can taste it and say, I like that, I'll go buy that. It's one of those things you just gotta kind of keep grinding it and sourcing it out. Why the name, Amber and Opal? My brother came up with the name,

but I love when he went with it. My thing about names, and that's what I tell him, he's like, you gotta come up with a name. I said, I said, heard. I'ma tell you something about name. A name is a name is a name. The product has to be right. So he came up with a beautiful name and the product is right.

And so this is amber and opal. The amber is obviously is the hue of, you know, what we're looking at and the color of the, you know, but the Opal is, it's a precious stone. And it's the only precious stone that comes in multiple colors, brown, white, black, tan. And so we wanted that to be encompassing

of our message of inclusivity. We are a black-owned brand, but we're not a black brand. We want everybody to enjoy Amber and Opal. So that's kind of where the name came from. That's crazy you said a name is just a name, because it's not just a name. It's not, you can have a great name, but you can also have a terrible name.

But if your product is great, then it becomes Uber, then it becomes Twitter, and you don also have a terrible name, but if your product is great Then you never know it becomes Twitter You know you know fuck it does it or you can have a name like murder ain't right you got to change But the name work because the product was great. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes, so we have to change it for you know other reasons But but I say that because I've come up with so many names of things and that's what I've learned along the way. We can come up with an amazing name,

but if the product is not dope, nobody will remember the name. Yeah. You know what I mean? Or you can have the worst name in the world, the product is amazing, you're Uber. You know what I'm saying? You know, whatever these crazy names that people come up with.

Do you own part of Mardin? Yes. You do own. This is my last question, I guess. Now we gotta go to Ghana. Oh, go to Ghana. We go to the school in Ghana, talk about the school in Ghana that you built. Yeah, so I just got back from Ghana yesterday last night. I built a sixth classroom block in Nwasu, Ghana.

Amazing feeling. Probably the most important thing that I've done in my career as well. I say that because this is something that's gonna live way beyond me. All the thousands of kids that get to go to this school and learn English and learn math and science and history and all those great things. It's really, really

special. And what people have to understand is we're not in Accra. I land in Accra in Ghana, that's the capital, we drive two and a half hours outside of Accra to Nwasu where it's like really, really, really small villages of people and they don't have much of anything. They don't have really a lot of fresh water and they don't have, of anything. They don't have really a lot of fresh water. And they don't have, so we had to build the bathrooms there so they can have sanitary places. They're still teaching the girls how to be sanitary with themselves, wash themselves, things of that nature, and with their menstrual cycles and stuff like that.

We was at a tribe out there just now where they still believe that the blood from a woman's menstrual cycle is evil. And so the women have to go into an outhouse for seven days. What? And while they're doing their menstrual, and then go back.

So it's also a learning experience that we're offering out there too. And I did this through Pencils of Promise, Andy and School of Bronze Foundation, they do really, really great work, man. So I've been working with them for the last few years and you know I You know broke ground on the school last year and this year, you know, we're here opening the school cutting the ribbon Amazing

It was just about you know when you spoke about changing the name You know for the feds and you know You talked about earth passing earlier and how you felt like it it happened so fast does it ever make you feel like damn we survived so much that you didn't think it would end the way it ended? Yeah you never really think about the ending right? How it all plays out. I don't know how it all plays out. I don't think anybody really has that scripted in. It's just one of those things that I'm blessed to know that I'm here and I wanna keep his legacy alive as long as I'm here.

It's just tough, man. It's a tough one for me. Really, really tough one for me. We appreciate you for joining us. Absolutely. If you're out and about, pick up the new whiskey, Amber and Opal. Yeah, for sure.

You said the Total Wines? Total Wines, yeah. We going to other spaces too. I ain't never seen you drink this much. Yeah. Really good, I mean. I love that, man. It's really good.

No, but that was how we, when we first tried it, the last time you were not up here for an interview, but we just ran into you, I was like, this is whiskey. Real smooth. It's no way. Yeah, Lauren, she definitely gave it the stamp of approval. Yeah, congrats.

She's a drunk, so she's a good. She called you a drunk, not even alcohol. No, she's a drunk. Oh no, I'm sorry, she does a lot of taste testing. That's a good girl. I told you a drunk, not even alcohol. No, she's drunk. Oh, no, I'm sorry. She does a lot of taste testing. That's what she does. Wow.

Well, actually, I used to work in the spirits industry. So, you know? Boom. Period. That's how I knew to tell you to smell it. But that big nose over there, I'm about to come across this table. This is nasty.

All right. Ladies and gentlemen, it's Jairo. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Wake that ass up. Early in the morning's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Wake that ass up. Early in the morning. The Breakfast Club. I'm Israel Gutierrez, and I'm hosting a new podcast, Dub Dynasty, the story of how the

Golden State Warriors have dominated the NBA for over a decade. The Golden State Warriors once again are NBA champions. Today, the Warriors dynasty remains alive in large part because of a scrawny 6'2 hooper who everyone seems to love. For what Steph has done for the game, he's certainly on that Mount Rushmore. Come revisit this magical Warriors ride. Listen to Dubb Dynasty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Why would you do that to me? Heart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Why would you do that to me? Los Angeles, 2021. A friendly neighbor appears out of nowhere and promises to make all my dreams come true. Let's not forget that David Bloom was a professional con artist. So you didn't stand a chance. But my dreams soon turned into a nightmare. I'm Caroline Demore. Listen as I take down my scammer on Once Upon a Con on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Camila Ramon. And I'm Liz Ortiz. And our podcast,

Hasta Bajo, is where sports, music, and fitness collide. And we cover it all. De arriba hasta abajo. This season, we sit down with history makers like the Sucar family who became the first Peruvians to win a Grammy. It was a very special moment for us. It's been 15 years for me in this career. Finally things are starting to shift into a different level. Listen to Hasta Bajo on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.

Are you hungry? Colleen Witt here, and Eating While Broke is back for season four, every Thursday on the Black Effect Podcast Network. This season, we've got a legendary lineup serving up broke dishes and even better stories. On the menu, we have Tony Baker, Nick Cannon, Melissa Ford, October London, and Carrie Harper-Howie turning Big Macs into big moves.

Catch Eating While Broke every Thursday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your favorite shows. Come hungry for season four.