The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Larry June, 2 Chainz & The Alchemist Talk Gatekeeping In Music, New Album, 'Not Like Us' + More

Episode Date: February 12, 2025

The Breakfast Club Sits Down With Larry June, 2 Chainz & The Alchemist To Discuss Gatekeeping In Music, New Album, 'Not Like Us'. Listen For More!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...n.

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Starting point is 00:02:37 We got some special guests in the building this morning. We got the Alchemist. We got Larry June and 2 Chainz. Welcome. What's up? Good morning. New album Life is Beautiful is out right now. Early album of the year contender, still early, it's only February.
Starting point is 00:02:52 Early album of the year contender, man. I appreciate that, man. Chainz came in here like, where's my picture on the wall? I was like, I'm walking around here, but his picture is right there next to him. Right there, he got his feet up. He got his feet up. No, I hadn't been to this location.
Starting point is 00:03:05 It's the first time here? Yeah, it's my first time here. Oh, it's been a minute since you've been up here. So how are y'all brothers feeling? We're feeling good, man. How about you? I'm good, man. First of all, chains had to make the walk.
Starting point is 00:03:13 Number one, you're a legend. That's number one. But number two, chains was the first, the first breakfast club show we ever did. Oh boy. And the first person that performed for us or anything was two chains. And how'd you get two chains around?
Starting point is 00:03:24 Oh, that don't matter. That's bad. No, no, no, no. Jess, you weren't here, so at the time we didn't have no money, right? So 2 Chainz did it for the love. And Charlamagne was supposed to handle transportation. And then when 2 Chainz was red hot, I mean red hot, like early incarnations of 2 Chainz. I don't know what word that is.
Starting point is 00:03:44 But Charlamagne was supposed to handle car service. Charlamagne man had a car. Charlamagne didn't say it was a caravan. Picked up 2 Chainz in a caravan. Yes, he did. You just thought that was cool? I had no money. He thought that was how he started it.
Starting point is 00:03:58 But you supposed to let a nigga know a van gonna come pick him up and not a black truck. I didn't know they was going in a van. I thought they had SUVs though. But Chainz, he never be, never complain. Never complain, never talked about y'all. And always, never talked about all the shows love. We always appreciate that.
Starting point is 00:04:10 Thank you sir. How y'all three link up for this album? How we do it? Well, let me see. I know Larry and I worked together before. I'm a fan of his music, you know what I'm saying? He a player, you know what I'm saying? I'm a fan of his music, you know what I'm saying? He a player, you know what I'm saying? I'm a player.
Starting point is 00:04:27 And I don't know, we had a conversation just about doing a couple of records. And he somebody that's into cohesiveness and everything. So he was like, we just need to do one producer, you know what I'm saying? We gonna rock with Al. And it just started becoming like, every time a song was finished it just started becoming like,
Starting point is 00:04:47 every time a song was finished, it started becoming just doper and doper, you know what I mean? And I felt like, man, we probably need to do about six, seven more, you know what I'm saying? And before you knew it, it's like what he said, an early contender for an album out of here. And how did Alchemist get into play? Why was he the producer? Why he was the one that's like,
Starting point is 00:05:02 this is the sound we want for this one? Didn't y'all lock in? We was already working. We had been talking for a while. We had a couple records in motion like the last couple years. I've been working with Al, but with me, a lot of my projects,
Starting point is 00:05:13 they would have different producers. So I would have two or three Al type joints on it. Feel good, but people would just kinda go towards the party records or the trap records. So it felt good for me just to do what I really like to do best and that's rap. You know two chains of those real hip hop beats that boom bat, you know what I mean, that's sun done.
Starting point is 00:05:32 Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo. What about those type of, that sound energizes your pin note, J? My voice is able to cut through on samples. With the trap drums, I be having to like kinda yell a little bit. I can sit down and record when I'm doing these songs. I be having to stand up and record trap songs
Starting point is 00:05:50 and then I be having to kinda be creative and sometimes I hit it and sometimes I miss, but I have to be creative around the drums and kinda peek my head out. But with those loops and things like that, I'm able just to get my idea across. Looser. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:06:04 You get looser on those beats. Because it's like, it's just a fillet. It's not like, you know, like, it's kind of understated the production. So it leaves room for like the lyricists. Like if you got something to say on those type of beats, you're going to flourish. Change, Larry, they're those type of MCs.
Starting point is 00:06:18 Like less is more. Expand on that. Like a fillet? Like a raw fillet of music versus like a stacked up, I would compare like a trap beat to something that's layered up, like it's focused on the vocal section. Some of these are kind of just raw and it's just like a mood, you know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:06:33 Or it's like they're just to move their pen so it's like the focus is on the lyricists. And you know, I mean, Chains, I don't, he's been one, the people who know music know 2 Chainz has always been top tier, would depend, but he always had the knack to make hit records too. But that never fooled me, I could tell the MCs, like a Big Sean or somebody who's like,
Starting point is 00:06:54 yo, he makes hit records, but he can rap extremely well, with anybody who you would put on any list. So that shit conference on the trap is not really, the trap you just do for us. You ain't really, that's ain't. So, of course I trapped before, right? And even on this type of subject matter, I talk about the streets and the trap,
Starting point is 00:07:13 but early on, I'm always throw tech under the bus with this. You know, early on I was doing a mixtape, it was called All Ice On Me, it was a double mixtape, and I had, who doing, oh, was it, it was you and who else, it was him and Scream, and then I gave Tech like some, my yo kid stuff, and he was like, boy, I want some, boy, give me some of that trap, and then when I gave him some of that trap,
Starting point is 00:07:38 he came back with like data saying, boy, I'm telling you, they rocking with this right here, so he was more, as a manager manager more data driven as far as like what the people were kind of leaning towards when I would drop a project that had some lyrics and some trap stuff. You know what I mean? But you know I'm in this thing to like to show growth anyway and to show that anything's possible.
Starting point is 00:08:00 You know what I'm saying? I ain't getting my millions to hours after 30. You know what I'm saying? I'm still out here having more motion than the ocean. Business is doing good. The rap's gonna come out. We're gonna talk about how we got these businesses and this passive income.
Starting point is 00:08:12 We're gonna pop it like that. I ain't spending no blocks. I ain't got time to go to jail, leave my family. I ain't even gonna move. Crash, dummy mission. You could never get me like that. So it's just like I just stay out the way. I'm very, very highly confident in everything I do.
Starting point is 00:08:25 And so that's my comfort zone, knowing that when I walk in the room, my chin up, my chest out, I'm like that. You know what I'm saying? Like, man, God did his thing with me. Now you like to collaborate a lot, Chase. Like, it feels like you like competing, right? Whether it's early on with Drake,
Starting point is 00:08:40 or it's with Wayne, it's with Larry June. Why is that? You never fall back. You always seem like you wanna do that more. I think Atlanta is a place that we just are into doing collaborations, you know what I'm saying? Atlanta artists always, we always work together and work with different people,
Starting point is 00:08:54 we never had that problem, you know what I mean? So, like I said, I respect Larry, I wanted to do this project, it wasn't Larry idea, I was like, we oughta do this, you know what I'm saying? And it was just like. I wanted to do it too. Yeah. I wanted to do it too. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm like, we oughta do this, you know what I'm saying? And it was just like. I wanted to do it too. Yeah. I'm just letting you know, like, I go to Vegas,
Starting point is 00:09:09 I go to Miami, I tell DJ, man, put on that smoothies, in 1991, I tell him I wanna hear that before I get out of here, you know what I'm saying? So it was just about, it was just genuine, organic, like his campaign, it was just organic love, and so. It came. It came rather organic too though, like it wasn't even, we didn't think too much about it,
Starting point is 00:09:25 it just kinda came. He had a few records with Al, sent them to me and then we just kept that shit rocking, it was real smooth. What I like about you, Lyra, you rap about a lot of health and organic living. Like what got you into a mindfulness lifestyle and what made you start putting that in your music?
Starting point is 00:09:43 I started a little like, I dropped my first mixtape when I was 15. I was kinda talking about a lot of shit that I wasn't really like, really into. Then I had just tuned into my real, what I was into in like my actual life. And when I started rapping about my day to day shit, it just started working for me.
Starting point is 00:09:58 You know what I mean? I'm kinda like him. I didn't make no bread into my thirties really too. So you know, I had to go through the ups and downs and really finding myself as an artist. And when I started talking about the shit that I really liked to do, it just kinda started coming natural for me.
Starting point is 00:10:10 So early on you had a lot of cap in your rap. Yeah, I was 15, 16. You know, I just kinda more influenced by the hip hop. You know what I mean? And the shit, you know what I mean? And just finding myself as an artist. You know what I mean? And when I started doing that and really like following
Starting point is 00:10:23 like what I wanna do, it start working out for me. Did somebody tell you or did you just check yourself? Somebody be like, come on Oh, nobody didn't tell me I was around on it, you know from that, you know, it's okay No, they my environment and shit, but it was just more like What can I bring different to the game? I was like, you know, it's only one me I can talk about my life and what I do and people relate to some people might Not you know people will and I'm thankful that some people do. You talk about financial literacy a lot too, which is interesting because 2 Chainz,
Starting point is 00:10:50 he talks about flexing a lot, right? So, and spending a lot. So how did that mesh in the studio? Listening to a lot of audio books in high school, like Robert Kawasaki and shit and stuff like that and just trying to do better. Coming from that environment and just trying to switch it up and do something different and have longevity in my career. So I start acknowledging myself about things like that
Starting point is 00:11:17 and just put it into the music and letting people know not the major and minor things. But I still flex, I talk my shit. My flex a little different now. I might talk about a $15 orange juice or some shit or like that. I'm the same way. How about with the velour suit, the bucket hat.
Starting point is 00:11:33 The bucket hat, cock to the side, very peaceful. You know what I'm talking about? Now you got a bunch of singles that you drop on different platforms, like streaming platforms and then YouTube exclusives. How do you figure out what's going, drop where? Because they in different places. So when I do that, just the YouTube shit,
Starting point is 00:11:50 I just put it out. I don't think too much about it. I just put it out just more just for the fans and just keeping it going. I don't think too much about it. I talked to Dave, I let him just do it. Like, fuck it, let's do it. Just do whatever we feel.
Starting point is 00:12:03 I don't really think too much about it. What do you like about Larry as an MC? I mean, when, you know, first linking with him, it was like first like the tone, you know, like I go off of music, you know, obviously Rest In Peace, Prodigy, that was like my brother, we did a lot of music together. And sometimes it's just like the tone.
Starting point is 00:12:23 There's something similar I heard with Bodie James it was like Larry Tone was crazy and then I was actually late once I got hip to his shit it was like he was deep in I had to go back and like do you know because like with Larry's music you could you need a tour guide because he got so many different styles like it just depends who takes you through it you know the right way and was like, I dug into his music and was like, okay, I figured it out after a while. I felt like I could make something that'll fit to it. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:12:53 And then when we started working, we did one joint, I think it was, with Jay Worthy, who linked us up. And then it sounded good. And for me, if I can get one that sounds good, the rappers. And then we did the Monaco joint. Yeah, for your album. Monaco joint, yeah. Before we did Great you know Monaco joint yeah for your album before we did great escape We did one joint for his album and it was like I felt like there was potential because sometimes you do one record with Somebody and it's like one and done and sometimes you build a better relationship plus it's like my brother
Starting point is 00:13:17 Yeah, Larry is super likable like he's just one of the coolest guys. I guess my brother So, you know in music you build relationships sometimes beyond. How long did this project take? Because I saw an interview you said, Larry, you said Rapping C-Lon gives you anxiety. How do you cope with that? Working with Chains, he changed that. He worked so quick and he owned my phone. With the verse, I had to switch my whole program up.
Starting point is 00:13:43 This was pretty quick. We got a few records we didn't put out yet and I the verse, with the verse. I had to switch my whole program up. So this was pretty quick. You know what I mean? We got a few records we didn't put out yet. And it was, I was keeping up with Chainz. I ain't gonna lie, he was giving me the sauce and I was, see what I can do. And me come different on here. So like, working with Chainz and Al,
Starting point is 00:13:55 like definitely took me out of my element. You know what I mean? Different patterns and topics and it's making me a better MC. I'm very thankful. Is that pressure though? Is that pressure when you're on your line by the verse? It ain't pressure, it's more like I'm getting better.
Starting point is 00:14:12 You know what I mean? He a real lyricist, he really, really do this shit. So he give me style and I ain't even thought about even doing it. I'm gonna rap like this and try this and just putting me in a different box. Just like when I did The Great Escape with you, I was telling him, I love these beastie dudes. He's putting me in a different box. Just like when I did the Great Escape with you, I was telling him, I'm like, man, I love these beast
Starting point is 00:14:25 produced, he was putting me, you know what I mean, in the deep. And I'm like, I was in on it. I think he made us both step up. Yeah, for sure. Just because of the level that Chang is as an artist and as a perfectionist. Like we went out to Atlanta and got to work with him
Starting point is 00:14:37 in his lab and just got to like get his energy and his world. That was like super impressive. Like when he got built up in his city, it is like I went home like as a different animal just seeing his operation like James is a mastermind so both of us going out there seeing his operation in Atlanta was like super motivating like hey we gotta. I want to ask you. I feel like Wayne was on you like that James. I feel like I feel like I can see you and Wayne working together and Wayne hitting you up.
Starting point is 00:15:05 Like where is the verse? The song is done. No, this was me and Wayne. That's why I was on him like that because I'm used to Wayne shooting it right back. I'm used to thinking I'm finna smoke this guy and he send it back with just some crazy shit with his wind level and some lyrics in it.
Starting point is 00:15:19 And so it was just like telling Larry, don't overthink it, like come on, you know what I mean? So with me and Tune, we actually have hundreds of, we work really fast together. He's someone that I can go in the booth with half an idea and finish it up, what's it like getting the booth and then Wayne will go in the booth with a whole idea. So he'll just, one, take the whole thing all the way through.
Starting point is 00:15:40 So it's just different rhyme styles. But actually working with him has made me a better artist, like he said, I did for him. So it was cool to rhyme styles. But actually working with him has made me a better artist like he said I did for him. So it was cool to be able to like, trickle down and pass that energy on because me doing two projects with Wayne, I'd be lying if I say I ain't get better, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:15:54 Rocking with him, you know? I was gonna ask you, you mentioned earlier with Prodigy, two questions with that. Are you surprised about how much love that Prodigy's getting now in the last couple of years? I feel like people are dissecting what he's been saying and I think they missed it before. I've been seeing it more and more and more recently. I always felt like that was going to happen.
Starting point is 00:16:13 They become more legendary after, you know, because they did so much work. It was insane. And you could just peel back layers of Prodigy's rhymes. He went so far, he was so ahead of his time that it's like, and even them, it's funny, them being small too. I always felt like them being these two little guys, like they would be rediscovered in 20 years by some young kids like Mobb Deep.
Starting point is 00:16:36 If some kid finds them in 20 years, they're going to strike a goldmine. Their discography is unmatched. You know, P's legend lives, he did more than the average person while he was here and even left behind a lot of stuff. So we're lucky enough to be working on the new Mob D project also. So there's another Mob D album coming up. We're half involved.
Starting point is 00:16:58 Chains just look like what? Yeah, it's me and half doing the beats. Love that. And Nas is involved. That's hard. Yeah, man, and you know, Nas is involved. Yeah, man, it feels great just even just, like when you hear his voice, again, you're gonna be like, wow, we missed it. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:17:13 Like how much we missed it, it's a void. It's not hearing his voice anymore. Did Metro reach out to you? Because when he was inspired, it seemed like Prodigy inspired those last couple of projects. I reached out to him actually and thanked him for that. Because I thought that was so dope
Starting point is 00:17:26 when they sampled his voice throughout the album and just kept his spirit alive. That was just super. Plus, you know him in Future had a little bit of history as well. Who, Prodigy? P and Future were cool. There's a video that they never came out with
Starting point is 00:17:38 that P is in. Actually a Future video and they never came, I forget what song it was, but they were cool. I thought it was a dope contrast. South artists with the variation from somebody as hip hop as P. I know right. I thought that was dope.
Starting point is 00:17:52 But I think we keeping the traditional live even doing this. That's dope. Absolutely. Like doing me coming from, you know my history and then linking with somebody like Change and Larry and just bringing it all together. I was gonna ask, do you have a bar,
Starting point is 00:18:04 when you, that was my second ask, do you have a bar? That was my second question. Do you have a bar of artists that you work with? You'd be like, I'm not working with him because this doesn't fit. Or is it like, I give everybody opportunity. Larry June fits, Chains fits, but somebody else might not fit.
Starting point is 00:18:17 That might say, yo, I need Alchemist beat. A beat, cool, but yeah, certain artists fit more where I feel like I can make a whole project with like, you know, Rock Marcy, you know, Bodie James, Larry June, Two Chains, of course Prodigy, and I, you know, I do have some like repeat, you know, friends that I work with consistently. I told him I'ma make him a pop producer by rockin' with me.
Starting point is 00:18:37 We done had them conversations like, nah, you know, low-key underground, like boy, stop. Make your ass pop out here, boy. But yeah. I'm ready, you here, boy. I'm ready. I think I get the jacket put on me sometimes with being this like pure-ish, keep it real hip-hop boom. I'm really not that. I love music.
Starting point is 00:18:54 I don't wanna be put in a box. I don't wanna be limited. Even when we did Generations, you know, join on the album, at first, Change was like, he didn't even wanna hear any of those beats. Because we started that record together first, and he was like, I don't want those shorty. Like an alchemist trap, I'm like man.
Starting point is 00:19:08 It was like alchemist, because to me, I have different bags I go in, depending on the artist. Like if you listen to the Rock Marcia album I did last December, those beats sound nothing like these. So I know how to like kind of create different palettes. But that joint, the first change was like, we gonna use this for something else. And then we thought about it and was like, you know what,
Starting point is 00:19:26 we should add that into the album because it's like, it's blending the sounds a little bit. I don't want to, I'm not a purist. I'm not like, I hate that other stuff. Keep it real hip hop. I love all there's good and there's bad. I mean, I don't, you know, in every category to me. I love that song Generations.
Starting point is 00:19:41 You know, the hook is, we the Generation got all these kids on the dirty sprite, we the generation got them on the percys every night, we the generation got them on switches. What was the conversation about that hook? Because Larry, you from that generation, I was influenced by a lot of that. So I know y'all had to have a conversation about that song.
Starting point is 00:19:58 Man, we did. It's just the truth. When you look at, you know how it is, you know, everybody, you get a little older, they try to unk you to death, they try to, you know, they try to drink more syrup than you to death, they try to smoke more whatever than you to death, you gotta be like, bro, we the one turn child out, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:20:15 We the one got you out. It's like when I go back and I listen to somebody like 8 Ball and MJG who I came up on, they had songs like Arm Robbery, they had me lurking, you know what I mean? And so it's the same thing that I know if it wasn't the music, it's the videos, it's the long blunts in videos we had,
Starting point is 00:20:31 it's the double cup, it's stuff y'all daddy was attracted to, and then y'all come up, well not y'all, I'm just talking about in general, you know what I'm saying, some people come up, and so that's where the generation idea came from. We kind of the generation that kinda might have messed up some stuff. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:20:52 You know what I'm saying? Lack of parental advisory going on nowadays. Lack of church, God and everything. You know what I'm saying? So that's where the idea for generation. So how do you course correct that though? Or do you even try to course correct it? Do you just acknowledge it, hey, I know we did that?
Starting point is 00:21:10 I think you just acknowledge it for me. You know, I know it take more than one person to try to save the world, you know what I mean? And so trying to be a frontline soldier was just not my idea for this. It was just more like finding a creative way to say we started a lot of what's going on right now. And it could go both ways too.
Starting point is 00:21:33 That's why I thought the hook was dope because it could be positive or negative. We the generation did it or it could be like an admission of guilt. And it's growth too. Yo, I'm sorry. Yeah, it's growth. We did this.
Starting point is 00:21:43 You know what I'm saying? It could go either way. You know, to'm saying? He talk about taking care of his kids and his businesses too, but he also let you know where he came from and where he knows growth. You know, he young and that's the environment he was in and he letting you know where he at now. He talk about the LLCs and things like that.
Starting point is 00:21:56 So I see, I look at it as growth. Like, you know what I mean? We the generation, but you know what I'm saying? Look at me now. Like I got multiple businesses. Like I'm taking care of my kids. I'm coaching them. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:22:06 So I thought it was dope. The next generation is more prone to listen to somebody who went through it too and survived it than they are to somebody who just telling them, hey don't do this and that, but you didn't go through none of that. Yeah. T-Chainz, back in October, you had announced
Starting point is 00:22:20 that you wasn't with Def Jam, no more, you wasn't going to resign, you were a free agent. Is that still? Yeah, this was my first independent project that I've dropped like, I don't know man, 20, since 20, maybe 11 or something, 20, 10, I'm not sure. 2012.
Starting point is 00:22:37 Yeah, 2012 my first votes, but I was signed a couple months before that. But yeah, this was my first independent project, I just wanted to kind of like test the waters. I don't have anything against Def Jam. I've been with them over a decade. Found, you know, it's ups and downs and everything, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:22:53 But at the same time, I've built a lot of relationships. I, you know, it was just kind of stuff right here. It's just a phone call for me to get up here and stuff like that. Don't nobody have to set up my New York promo or anything like that, you know what I mean? So it was just about getting out here, you know? And it's, for me, the best of both worlds.
Starting point is 00:23:12 I had some great things happen on the major side and now I'm learning how to operate in the independent space. And it's freedom. Do you like it? Yeah, because like, they was like, we need to drop this next month. I was like, we can do this we need to drop this next month. I was like
Starting point is 00:23:31 Christmas they was like we need to come next the end of January then I started being like damn these boys dead. Shelter empire. Yeah but you also got money to change. Like everybody can't be independent that's the part of the independence folks don't talk about. You got to have the paper. Yeah, the paper, you're the budget now, you know what I'm saying? I ain't fully wrapped my head around it. Even Tech was calling me about them
Starting point is 00:23:54 fathers in 50s and 60s. I'm like, good, I don't mind. I'm like, good, man, we just chill. They can't get on Zoom. They can't get on Zoom. They can't get on Zoom. It's a going way out there. It just be different when you playing. You know how it is, I describe it,
Starting point is 00:24:11 you know when you have somebody else money, I describe it like this, I describe it like when you get a runner car, you don't never like stop over speed bumps, you just jump on them, you be like boom, and then when you get your own car, you do like a, you know what I'm saying, you do like a thing, so when you got other people money, you more reckless, you know what I'm saying, is do like a thing. So when you got other people money, you more reckless,
Starting point is 00:24:25 you know what I'm saying, is what I'm trying to say. You got other people money. For me, I'm not gonna, you know, fuck up the bag, but I might be a little bit more reckless. But when it's my money, you go over that speed bump mad slow. Man, what? But the difference between having your own studio
Starting point is 00:24:39 and paying for studio time. When you have your own studio, you can work, go to sleep, come back. When you're paying for studio time, in my opinion, you ain't even got time to go pee. You got own studio, you can work, go to sleep, come back, when you're paying for studio time, in my opinion, you ain't even got time to go pee. You got the goddamn, you just work in, you know what I'm saying, can't be here, so that's just been my mindset to be efficient.
Starting point is 00:24:53 So what do you like more, major or indie? I have been independent, you say October, so not even six months yet. But for this to be my first independent project, I'm geek now, for this to be my first independent project, I'm geek now. For this to be my first, and then me come this way, I'm kinda, it looks like a reinvention of Bantoneo. I'm like, I'm out.
Starting point is 00:25:13 I'm out. But you know, when you spend other people's money, steal your money. Yeah, you gotta pay it back. Gotta pay it back. So it actually steal your money. Yeah, that's probably why I'm so efficient with they checks. So do numbers matter this time around though? Do numbers matter, because it's a still your money. That's probably why I'm so efficient with they check check. So do numbers matter this time around though?
Starting point is 00:25:26 Do numbers matter because it's a whole different game? For me, I kinda ain't been studying numbers for a long time because like, I'ma be real, I don't, me or my team, we not, we so late to the bot party and the streaming party, once you hear about it and who doing it and all that stuff, you kinda get discouraged like, man, you know a lot of people are helping themselves
Starting point is 00:25:51 or whatever you wanna call it, or cheating or whatever it's called, but then I think about how I go in the studio nightly, I come up with this stuff, nobody's beside me helping me come up with a hook, nobody, I don't know if this is smart or not, no one has helped me write something to, I don't know what it is, but I'm able to go in
Starting point is 00:26:06 and still come up with a dope idea every single night. That's what give me the life I got with this stuff. You know what I'm saying? Other than that, I think I'll probably be somewhere else with it. Me knowing I can go tonight and make something incredible, that's what got me. You in D2, right?
Starting point is 00:26:22 You got your own company, right? From the beginning? Yep, I was with the Warner Brothers in 2017 That's what got me. You in D2, right? You got your own company, right? Yeah. From the beginning? Yep. I was with the Warner Brothers in 2017 for like two years. Did a couple EPs with them and then I went fully distro kid for like a couple years. Just straight on the cell phone app and then I teamed up with Empire. What do you like better?
Starting point is 00:26:41 Man, I like independent. I can just go drop shit whenever I want to do it. I don't gotta think too much about it. I don't look at the numbers at all. I might say it a lot, but I just put it out. It's more like a long term game for me. It's like buying stocks in your self-like. Putting the music out. It's streaming. You know, you streaming
Starting point is 00:26:58 now. You gotta just click that button and it's coming. So it's like stocks. I'm putting that shit out. You either go like it or you don't like it. Yeah, it's not about acknowledgementgments, it's about your art. I don't gotta go platinum or nothing, I would love to. You know what I mean? But I'm just keeping it going. Just keeping it going and expressing my mind
Starting point is 00:27:12 through the music and people relating to it and I don't think nothing of it. You know what I mean? And then tonight y'all performing Jimmy Fallon's show. This is your first late night TV. My first time. My first time here too, it's crazy, legendary, man. I'm over here looking around like,
Starting point is 00:27:25 damn, we in this motherfucker. Who gave you the game, Larry? Because I mean, you got such a good head on your shoulders. I mean, like I said, you talk about financial literacy, you talk about mindfulness. One of the bars I love on this album, you say, I never had a bitch that was hard to keep. Found out, found one solid hole was all I needed.
Starting point is 00:27:40 I'm like, for a young man to understand that, especially the lifestyle you live in. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Expound on that line for me. Um, just from, you know, I had my kid early, 19, you know what I mean? I was forced into being a single father very early and it just kinda changed my mindset on even having women around, period.
Starting point is 00:28:00 My son ain't been around multiple women at all so it was like, it's showing him like, cause I'm not married and then like that. So he never really got to see, see that. So I had to always like, let him know that, look, I'm not married like this, but it's good to get married. You know, if you have one person that you dealing with.
Starting point is 00:28:14 And I wasn't always like that, but as I got older, I started understanding like, man, one solid woman can change everything, you know. You say older, you 33. Yeah, I'm, you know, but yeah, I'm still doing numbers. Yeah. Yeah. That's right.
Starting point is 00:28:30 Numbers. Yeah, man, I feel like I done lit this shit like a couple times, I ain't gonna hold you. I feel like I'm way older and I feel like they know peace. Peace, like having one solid woman is peace, you know what I mean, I feel like. I haven't really experienced that fully yet, you know what I mean, but I'm getting there. You know what I mean, I feel like, you know what I mean, I haven't really experienced that fully yet, you know what I mean,
Starting point is 00:28:47 but I'm getting there, you know what I mean, but I think it bring a lot of peace, it can help you work more, and I realized that when I was recording that song. So was it your father, your uncle, just life? Like. It was more like, because I used to have multiple, you know, I was a multiple kind of guy,
Starting point is 00:29:01 like you know, I had a honeycomb hide, I was, you know what I'm saying, spots like a cheetah, you know what I mean? You know, okay. So I was moving multiple kind of guy. I had a honeycomb hide, I was spots like a cheetah. You know what I mean? You know, okay. I was moving and grooving. And it was taking up too much of my time. You know what I'm saying? From working and being with my kid
Starting point is 00:29:15 and dealing with this situation. And this happened and I got called texting. Too much extra shit, you know what I'm talking about? So yeah, that's kind of where that line came from. How important is that, Chainz? Because you a married man yourself, you always see you out with your queen. How important is that to have that?
Starting point is 00:29:30 Oh, it's very important for me, man. Especially having somebody that makes sure I take care of it, makes sure the home straight, makes sure the little Michelin and stuff straight. Someone that fully supports me, listens to my music, critiques me. She sent me a very, very dope message. The morning I woke up.
Starting point is 00:29:45 The first message I read was from Keisha saying, basically saying I was a lyrical god, just doing what she's supposed to do with my ego. You know what I'm saying? Massaging that thing. Yeah, you know and so, you know, me and her, we laugh every single day, man. We got the same habits, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:30:03 We go out, you know what I'm saying? She come to Candyland with me. It's just like, you know what I'm saying, we go out, you know what I'm saying, she come to Candyland with me, it's just like, you know what I'm saying, and when you find somebody like that, I love that line as well, you know what I'm saying, we shot the video for that, I thought I was like, bomb, saying one, but I don't think they kept my part in the video, but anyway, that's why it was cool
Starting point is 00:30:21 working with him, because even though, the difference between him and I think Wayne is Wayne is a more metaphoric type of MC, you know what I'm saying, style MC, you know what I'm saying, and wordplay physics. With Larry, he just like, very direct lifestyle driven, you know what I'm saying? And so it was cool for me to pop out my lifestyle,
Starting point is 00:30:40 like bro, I'm having this going on, let me talk, you know what I'm saying? It was more like, it was more like cool ways to express that you not dumb, you know what I'm saying? It was more like, it was more like cool ways to express that you not dumb, you know what I'm saying? That's what this project really is, it's just a cool way to express that like, man, them ain't no dumb brothers right there, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:30:54 You inspired me too, seeing you, how you move with your wife, I'm like yeah, that's how you do it, like that's how you rockin' and got your kids and that's real, you know what I mean? I was really inspired by that, you know what I mean? Even you talking about your wife all the time, I'm like yeah, that's how you do it, you know? That's real boss shit, every boss got they queen, you know what I'm talking inspired by that. You know what I mean? Even you talking about your wife all the time, I'm like, yeah, that's how you do it.
Starting point is 00:31:05 You know, that's real boss. She's every boss got they queen. You know what I'm talking about? So, yeah. How old is your son? 13, he just turned 13. He at the hotel right now. He at the, I had to bring him out of school for this, man.
Starting point is 00:31:15 But see, okay, so how does that work? You know what I mean? Cause you don't hear about a lot of single dads with these careers. How do you juggle that? It's tough. He was touring with me since he was little. I probably trained him on a Sprinter van.
Starting point is 00:31:28 So sometimes I can make it work, my dad, he'll help me, or my grandmother, or my mama fly in and help. But it get times like this where it's like, you gotta slide. Come on, pack up. We get the online work in, you get to get them a room, and we just try to get it done,
Starting point is 00:31:44 and I'm just trying to make it happen. It do get tough. Yeah, you change it. It be on your conscious like, damn I'm doing the right thing as a parent, you need to be at school for these three days or whatever. But he learning other things too. Different circumstances.
Starting point is 00:31:56 He learning other things so, and he very like ahead of the game for that, just from traveling with us and seeing different things, been able to meet, you know what I mean, artists and he a big inspiration. Y'all talk about that though on Life Is Beautiful. Y'all talk about trying to balance being a father, and y'all careers, so that's conversations
Starting point is 00:32:14 that y'all have off the mic? I think it's just evidence. It's just the energy. He gonna talk, you know, he spoke about Eli a couple times, and then, you know, I'm, Halo like the second highest earner in my household. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, baby. He get money.
Starting point is 00:32:31 How do you do what your son could? Have you ever looked into the night sky and wondered who or what was flying around up there? We've seen planes, helicopters, hot air balloons, and birds. But what if there's something else, We've seen planes, helicopters, hot air balloons, and birds. But what if there's something else, something much more ominous, that appears under the cover of night? Silent. Unseen.
Starting point is 00:32:54 Watching. They may be right above your car late one night as you cruise down the road, or look like mysterious lights hovering above your home? Drones. Or are they? We used the word drone because it was comfortable to other people. One minute it was there, and one minute it wasn't.
Starting point is 00:33:14 Oh, that is beyond creepy. Do you feel like this drone was targeting you specifically? Yes, absolutely. Listen to Obscurum, Invasion of the Drones on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Some people won't give you the real talk on drugs, but it's time we know the facts. Fentanyl is often laced into illicit drugs and used to make fake versions of prescription pills. You can't see it, taste it, or smell it. Suppliers mix fentanyl into their products because it's potent and cheap, and the dealer might not even know. Keep yourself and others safe by knowing the real deal on fentanyl. Get the
Starting point is 00:34:00 facts. Go to realdealonfentanyl.com. This message is brought to you by the Ad Council. Hi, I'm Arturo Castro, and I've been lucky enough to do stuff like Brat City and Narcos and Roadhouse, and so many commercials about back pain. And now I'm starting a podcast because honestly, guys, I don't feel the space is crowded enough. Get Ready for Greatest Escapes, a new comedy podcast about the wildest true escape stories in history. Each week I'll be sitting down with some of the most hilarious actors and writers and comedians to tell them a buckwild tale from across history and time.
Starting point is 00:34:32 People like Ed Helms, Diane Guerrero, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Zoe Chow. Titanic. Charles Manson. Alcatraz. Asada Shakur. The sketchy guy named Steve. It's giving funny true crime. I love storytelling and I love you, so I can't wait.
Starting point is 00:34:47 Listen and subscribe to Greatest Escapes on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is John Cameron Mitchell and my new fiction podcast series, Cancellation Island, stars Holly Hunter as Karen, a wellness influencer who launches a rehab for the recently canceled. In the future, we will all be canceled for 15 minutes. But don't worry, we'll take you from broke to woke or your money back. Cancellation Island's revolutionary rehab therapies like Bad Touch Football, Anti-Racism Spin Class and mandatory Ayahuasca ceremonies are designed to force the cancel to confront their worst impulses.
Starting point is 00:35:37 But everything starts to fall apart when people start disappearing. Kieran, where have you brought us? Cancellation Island, where a second chance might just be your last. Listen to Cancellation Island on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I see your son hollering at women. No, Halo like that. Do you tell him to chill out a little bit, wait a little bit, or? I ain't never told Halo even be humble.
Starting point is 00:36:07 No. No, no, no, no. You that cocky, stay there. Do your thing, do your thing. Yeah, you know what I'm sayin', stay there. You that confident cocky don't even, man, humble. We don't, I don't, cause he always ask me, what does this mean,
Starting point is 00:36:17 what does this mean? If he ever ask me what humble mean, I'm like, I don't know. I don't know, stay like you are. And it's just about, you know, installing confidence, especially in, you know, young black boys, you know what I'm saying? I'm on him about getting his books done, whether he's reading on the way to training or whatever,
Starting point is 00:36:30 but it's just, it's a blessing to have. Because I honestly feel like he is a direct reflection of my father who passed in 2012. I felt like, hey, he's just too mature to be nine years old. He certainly is. Yeah, so I'd be like, man, and he's sarcastic, just like my dad was. So I really, I'm into, you know,
Starting point is 00:36:49 I'm a spiritual type of person, so I'm kinda into that. And then my two girls, they growing up driving, my oldest is driving to school, so it's just like, you look up, man, next thing you know, you know, the house gonna be empty in a little bit, or whatever that is, you know what I'm saying? But it was cool to kinda pop about it over these whatever that is, you know what I'm saying? But it was cool to kinda pop about it over these type of vibes, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:37:09 And that's what it is. I don't think it's about what the numbers we gonna do. I think if we thought about that, we wanna drop the week of the Super Bowl knowing that that's gonna height Kendra's numbers, you know what I'm saying? I think it was about putting out a project that has replay value.
Starting point is 00:37:26 I haven't heard one person that just played it one time. I keep saying I can't take it out, I can't stop playing it, and I can sleep good at night knowing that. What do you want Halo to do, man? Because Sky's the limit for a young Halo. So what do you want him to do? You personally as a father, what would you want to see him do? He's going to go into the league.
Starting point is 00:37:43 Okay. He's going into the league. So you want him? He's going into the league league. Okay. He going to the league. So you own him? He going to the league, that's all I can really say. Did you go to the Super Bowl? No, I didn't go. I didn't go to the Super Bowl. I watched it at my studio back in Atlanta
Starting point is 00:37:54 with a couple other guys. I had the chef cook. And I just, I actually had a show in Chicago on Saturday with GZ. And so I came back to Atlanta Sunday because I wasn't sure how, it was some question marks about the New Orleans trip and I just came home and chill like that
Starting point is 00:38:09 and then I came back out here yesterday and we shot a video last night. And that's another thing, he got an awesome team. That's why I like working with Larry too. He got a really, really awesome team and they would do stuff on my own like let's shoot. Let's, you know what I'm saying? I love that, I love that.
Starting point is 00:38:25 And so I landed at 11, we shot the video like one. You know what I'm saying? He up, I'm up, we came and you know so. And I'm coming straight from Vegas. I had done Club Liv right before. First, soon we got the airplane, we straight to the video but it be hard. We getting it done, we looking like, happy we did all that.
Starting point is 00:38:45 Kinda tired, but like, lookin' back like we did that shit. Now comin' from the Bay Area, how difficult is it to get that sound out, right? Cause a lot of times, when people think of the Bay Area artists, they put them in a box. Yeah, yeah, yeah. How difficult was that for you? You know, you gotta jump over the loops
Starting point is 00:38:58 and come from different angles. You gotta be, first you gotta be respected. You know, they gotta know somethin' about you. Like, know that you ain't like, just a random dude talking about this and that. But you gotta jump over them loops. Like, I was blessed to be able to have connections in ATL, you know, living in ATL when I was a kid
Starting point is 00:39:14 and coming from a different angle and working with people over there. Like, one of my first mixtapes was with TM88, A2A Mafia, he gave me a beat pack. That was my neighbor, you know what I mean? They thought me and him was brothers growing up, so when I started trying to get into it, I hit him like, man, I need a few beats. That's the dope thing about Atlanta.
Starting point is 00:39:29 Just everybody just co-mingles with each other. That's the dope thing. I'll do the mood to Atlanta if you want to. And just my first, the way I met Wayne was just like this. I was obviously selling weed, but I was using the money to book Studio Time and Patchwork, which is like a renowned studio in Atlanta that's owned by one of the ex-Falcons players.
Starting point is 00:39:56 Everybody would be in there. You know, that's where people went. And so I was in like a little B room, and baby, them from Cash Money was in the A room. 30 Cash Money dudes, whatever, whatever. So somebody came to me and Baby, them from Cash Money, was in the A room, 30 Cash Money dudes, whatever, whatever, so somebody came to me and said, hey them boys, them boys next door need some weed. So I'm like, I come over there, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:40:12 It's like, the number one, you know what I'm saying? I'm being cool, but like, he wasn't smoking at the time, but he had some other guys, they take my weed, I'm telling them, I think the Zips was like 450 at the time, you know? You know what I'm saying? I take, I give them the Zips. Don 450 at the time. You know what I'm saying? I take, I give them the Zips. Don't know money come, you know?
Starting point is 00:40:29 Damn, I'm gonna have to say, I don't know why I can't give nobody no weed. I ain't in that position. So I ain't no going to New Orleans with them. Follow them about this 900. $900? I don't know about 900. Follow them about this 900.
Starting point is 00:40:44 And so this was before Katrina. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10.
Starting point is 00:40:50 $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10.
Starting point is 00:40:57 $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10.
Starting point is 00:41:04 $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. $10. It was many years ago. And at this point, I'm not a full rapper, I'm a trapper. And one day, Wayne comes over, and we go out in the indoor pool, and we smoke some gas together, you know what I'm saying? And that's how I met Wayne, following Baby to New Orleans about these $900 that he eventually gave me. Did you ever get the $900? I got the money.
Starting point is 00:41:22 Okay, okay, okay. I got the money, came in with a new car, he was like, y'all, something bought the car, I came like that. I said, hey man, hey OG, I really, I'm really gonna need that. I'm way in New Orleans. Really, he like, oh so he go slim, oh he did it, so yeah.
Starting point is 00:41:35 You should've never collected it, so every time you see him, you could be like, yo, you owe me $9,000. That would've been more valuable. No, I needed it. He needed it then. I looked up, I was on the way to New Orleans by then. I'm like, they go to my, all right Slim, we out here.
Starting point is 00:41:49 We out, where we going? Let's, I'm going, I ain't got nothing to do. I go to New Orleans by then, I'm not a hunter, but you know. You ever thought about changing your name again? Cause you went from Titty Boy to 2 Chainz and now you, you know, you a mogul. You ever thought about? I go by Tony.
Starting point is 00:42:01 Okay. And Bantonio. Bantonio. Bantonio. I ain't say 2 Chainz the whole album. Damn, okay. And Bantonio. Bantonio. Bantonio. I ain't say two chains the whole album. Damn, I ain't even think about that. I did.
Starting point is 00:42:10 Damn. But that was intentional. Absolutely intentional. Wow. Now I wanna ask a hip hop question. Favorite production on a beat? Mine is always Shook Ones, Mobb Deep. So I'll start with you, Alchemist.
Starting point is 00:42:23 Favorite production. Of all time? All time. I mean, I got some, I'll just say maybe so what you saying, Mobb Deep. So I'll start with you, Alchemist. Favorite production. Of all time? All time. I mean, I got some, I'll just say maybe so what you're saying, EPMD. That beat always pull my mind. I ain't ready for that. You ain't ready for that?
Starting point is 00:42:33 Cause I shoot one, you know, I just picked one. No, if we used to my favorite like, Al, you know, we had to be a certain producer. I can't just say favorite beat of all time, I don't think. That's tough. Too broad. That's too broad. That's too broad. That's wild broad, ain't it?
Starting point is 00:42:46 How many damn songs are there? Cause just that one song that you always hear, that beat be just like, ugh. And that's always shook ones for me. Every time I hear shook ones, it's just like Jesus. But then you hear set it up in the party, you be set it out, you know what I'm saying? You got all these, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:42:57 Different pockets for it. I think for me, I'm a mood drifter. Moody? Yeah, me too, I'm the same. I'm a mood guy. So this morning when I woke up, I listened to Life is Beautiful because that's what mood I was in. I'm a mood guy. So this morning when I woke up, I listened to Life is Beautiful because that's what mood I was in.
Starting point is 00:43:09 That's right. Larry? I'll go ahead Larry. My Young Canyon. I heard that beat man, that thing was stupid. It just came on, it's like a movie. When I can see it, I saw it. When the beat came on, it was like, saw it.
Starting point is 00:43:23 That was the last one we did too. That was number one. The intro was the last one we did too. That was number one. The intro was the last one we did. We did that in Atlanta. We just talked about two shorts. When we did it, that boy, now we did that in LA. Yeah, money in. We did that in LA.
Starting point is 00:43:35 Like four in the morning, remember? Oh yeah, that's right. But it was the last song we did. Yeah, that's right. Party. Why'd y'all name the album Life is Beautiful? That's how we was feeling at the time. Like life was feeling beautiful.
Starting point is 00:43:47 Chains came up with that one, right? Yeah, because honestly the song that Larry did, Life is Beautiful, I really love that song. I really love that song. I love the context, the content of it. And then when I thought about it, and obviously I thought about it before the, because I thought about the LA fires as well
Starting point is 00:44:07 because I got homes in LA. And so I was like. But any of them affected? Nah man, God's good. I'm trying to sell one y'all so I'll let me. But I said it to say that, I didn't want to be offensive to somebody whose life wasn't beautiful at the time, but I kind of just overrode my opinion on that
Starting point is 00:44:31 and I just brought it to the guys. I think we should call it Life is Beautiful because I think if you just got life, period. You know what I'm saying? If you just got life, period. That's what I was trying to pinpoint right there. One line I love on the record too, you said, I don't gatekeep, I was trying to like, you know what I'm saying, pinpoint right there. One line I love on the record too, you said, I don't gatekeeper, I want everybody to eat.
Starting point is 00:44:49 And that's very true about you. Has there been a time when a gatekeeper tried to keep you up? All the time, man. You said it's mine. I'm impressionable, man. I'm somebody that, somebody would probably try to set a screen or try to block on,
Starting point is 00:45:04 but man, I'm someone that truly believe that if it's for you, it's for you. So, but yeah, I've been somebody that, somebody that probably try to set a screen or try to block on, but man, I'm someone that truly believe that if it's for you, it's for you. So, but yeah, I've been in that. I'm saying now we talk about numbers and all that. This is a big secret been going on for years how people been manipulating the game. Ain't nobody came and say shorty. I just seen a little dude in my,
Starting point is 00:45:18 in Candyland in my club. He said, I do the billboard stuff. Shorty, I said, Bill, what's that? I do the billboard. He said, artist name, I ain't even gonna say. He said, he tried to show me a page. So I said, shit, if this what you do, you know, cause everybody asked for my number.
Starting point is 00:45:33 I said, I see you again. If it's meant to be the next night, he in my club with the same jacket and suit on. So then when I seen that, my antenna say, I don't know if you really about business, cause you got the same stuff on them. Yes, they just judging. I shouldn't even been judging,
Starting point is 00:45:50 cause boy what he showed me, start popping up like little bitty measles. So what he can make you apply your screams or something? He just was like, I do this, I make sure. And we was in the club, that's another thing, I hate talking in the club too, y'all. I can't get y'all and I don't wanna get too close, get sick, if you spit on them I'm gonna go crazy.
Starting point is 00:46:13 So that way I kinda be, y'all might think I'm funny, man. Let's clear this up now. Let's just write a letter or something. Write a letter? Maybe write a, I don't know how we should communicate in the club if I don't give you my number, let me think on it, but just getting really close to me, if I'm sitting down over me, I hate that.
Starting point is 00:46:30 So I'm gonna stand up and if you in my ear, I don't like that. It's too loud. It's too loud, then I gotta see which ear to do. I gotta see which one is the uncloggedest. I be like, oh, maybe this one. I got headphones all the time, so I don't know. That's just a part, but I did see some stuff
Starting point is 00:46:49 and then it popped up a couple weeks later, so I probably need to find Lil Buddy. What about you, Lang? You had to get yourself out of the closet. He'll be on the spot, he'll be wearing the same shit. He'll be on the spot. He'll be back in the club, same outfit. Like, I heard you on the Breakfast Club.
Starting point is 00:47:01 Right. He got the recipe. That's right. We gonna out stream Kendrick this week, I'm gonna call him. Damn! That system rigged. Move your ass. Move your ass.
Starting point is 00:47:13 What about you Larry? And you too, I want you. Yeah, I think a few times, you know what I mean? But I don't really see it as much. I'm not gonna lie, I be in my own bubble, but I think people do try to gatekeep. But I try to do my thing so much that I can avoid that as much as possible when I focus on the,
Starting point is 00:47:32 I'm more fan-driven, like, for the people, so you can try to gatekeep with the, if the people rocking with me, all the haters, it don't even matter, like, the people is the people. I'm still doing digits, you know what I mean? I'm still pulling up, hopping out, drinking orange juice, popping my shit, talking about Rory still doing digits, you know what I mean? I'm still pulling up, hopping out, drinking orange juice, popping my shit out. Rari Hemp.
Starting point is 00:47:46 I'm talking about Rari's and shit. You know what I'm talking about? That's because I'm focused on the people. You know what I mean? The fans, like, listen to all the outside and shit. I don't really, you know, they go, oh, he shouldn't do this, all right, can't get him on that show, then woo woo, fuck it.
Starting point is 00:47:57 We gonna keep going outside, we gonna keep hopping that trunk, and we gonna keep doing numbers. You know what I mean? What about you, how they try to keep you away from certain artists? I mean, just straight up gatekeeping is corny. It's lame. Corny. Anybody who does that is like a sucker to me. Like you're insecure. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:48:13 To me, gatekeeping has got to be some of the dumbest shit. There was some stuff I encountered over the years, but more than that, I encountered the opposite. DJ Premier. When I first met him and was around him, I met Jay-Z my first time with Premier and he was like, yo, this is Al, he's dope. He got beats. And what I took from that was like, Premier's the utmost level of secure.
Starting point is 00:48:35 He's not afraid, if you gatekeeping, you must be afraid that these next guys are gonna come take your spot. Get up out of there, that's nasty. I don't approve of gatekeeping. Like we stand against that, you know what I mean? Come take your spot. Get up out of there. That's nasty. That's nasty. I don't prove of gatekeeping. We stand against that. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:48:47 Now you did meet the Grams. Originally, was that a gospel record? Was supposed to be a gospel record? The sample is from a gospel record, yeah. What gospel artist you made that dog shit for? No, I didn't. Oh, you just sampled a gospel. Oh, I was like, what?
Starting point is 00:49:00 That's right. Yeah, nah. And I, you know, yeah, that's a gospel record. Here the sample was. How do you feel when people make your beats like this record? It happens a lot to me. It does happen to you a lot. Like 50, remember the animal thing back then,
Starting point is 00:49:16 and it was the bang bang, and I've become like, I wanna be Switzerland, really. I try to tell the rappers, hey, I'm Switzerland, like, leave me out of it, you know. But they end up making me the battleground. I mean, I'm indifferent to it. It's like, I'm not, I don't have a dog, you know? So it's like, I make beats. Do people get mad at you though?
Starting point is 00:49:34 Cause sometimes, I know you like, but look, here's the beat. I don't know, I'm not a. Sure, for sure. But you know, in that case, I had sent the record to Dot, like, excuse me, months before that happened. And I heard it when everyone else heard it. So it was like, yeah, that was one of them situations where it was like, I don't like to get involved in stuff.
Starting point is 00:49:52 But sometimes it happens. And it was tricky during the time when P and Maudeep and Nas had me for Jay, it was always a weird thing. It probably stopped me from doing work with Jay back then. You know what I mean? But all that's the past. When you post to? What did y'all have?
Starting point is 00:50:08 There was times we spoke, for sure, back then. You know what I mean? Definitely. But you was so click with Mobb Deep. You remember back then, it was like, there are instances where they're like, damn, they're family and it would kind of be awkward. Listen, man, this is a crazy question because I asked him,
Starting point is 00:50:23 I said, do you feel more like an East Coast producer or a West Coast producer? And he was like, West Coast, 100%. And then we walked into my pizza spot and it was like two New York kids. Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo. I made my bones in New York. I ain't never thought about you
Starting point is 00:50:39 with the West Coast ever in my life. Thank you, bro. You are synonymous with East Coast production. No. I mean, it's where I'm from. So, the Cypress Hill, but no, I never. Thank you, bro. You are synonymous with East Coast production. No. I mean, it's where I'm from. So what's the Cyprus Hill? But no, I never. Bro, thank you.
Starting point is 00:50:49 Never. All right, okay. Thank you. I definitely made my mark out here. If somebody had to tell me to look like the top 10 East Coast producers of all time, I'm putting Alchemist on that. Look, bro. I mean, he does.
Starting point is 00:50:57 Absolutely. And I lived here 12 years. If I didn't know him, I would think it was from Queens. I mean, I put in a lot of work here, you know, so I mean, it's a blessing, and New York embraced me, and I had an opportunity at the time to work with like think about at that era Like I was working with the locks Bob deep, you know How'd I get now which is cool first I went to NYU and then I just stayed here I was already tied in with Mugs, long story short.
Starting point is 00:51:25 He connected me with Mobb Deep, and everything happened from there. That's why I love Mobb Deep forever. I actually had to ask Pee when he was beefing with Nas to go work with Nas on Godson, because that's where we go back to the beef thing. I respected Pee as that, and Pee was, during their beef, and Pee was like,
Starting point is 00:51:42 oh, I know you're gonna give him some heat, but go out there, go out. He gave me the blessing to go do it, which was always appreciated before that. But yeah, I mean, that's how it started. From Mobb Deep, it was like. Wasn't we gonna make it for Jay-Z? It wasn't for him, I played it for him though.
Starting point is 00:51:57 Yeah, it was hip hop, you know, hip hop, you know, Campbell has been my brother for a long time. And I used to go over there and play beats. And one time he popped his head and he just checked it out and it wasn't for him I guess but, yeah. Two Chainz, why did you lie to Drake about being good? Kendrick said Two Chainz said you good but he lied. Why, why, why, why, why you do that?
Starting point is 00:52:19 I don't, you know, I just think it was kind of like some word play because Drake and I got a song called No Lie. And so when he said he lied, I just felt like, I don't know, but I didn't take it as no kind of way. I don't think he was taking a shot at me. I've heard all type of instances where somebody want me to say something back.
Starting point is 00:52:41 I just think it was a moment where it was about Atlanta artists. I do have a couple plaques with Drake, probably three or four plaques with Drake. I think a lot of the people in that verse got something with them, so that was just Kendrick Whale just dialing in on some subject matter type stuff. When you first heard it, what was your reaction?
Starting point is 00:53:03 Well, I can tell you that people who named me didn't say felt some type of way, you know what I'm saying? So I was okay with it, you know what I'm saying? You got other line of artists like me at home. You know, so I don't. That's a little baby, little baby's a hen. He said, keep me out of that. I don't want my name in here.
Starting point is 00:53:17 Yeah, some people didn't want their name. Some people was like, why you didn't say my name? And it just, you know, like it was just a moment. It was just a moment, but it didn't say my name and it just, you know like it was just a moment. It was just a moment, you know. But it didn't do nothing to me. I know, I think my Harmony, my middle kid definitely says somebody asked that school. But it didn't get, it didn't get hacked.
Starting point is 00:53:37 It wasn't. It wasn't. I ain't hear about it. I ain't hear about it. Yeah, it's. What you mean? You ain't never heard nothing like this? No, I didn't hear it.
Starting point is 00:53:44 I didn't hear it. I didn't hear it. No, he said, we do the line up line. The last verse. I never heard that full song. Really? No, I didn't hear that full song. It's dope. Cause this is like five minutes.
Starting point is 00:53:55 What on purpose? Like you repping for the light skins? You like I refuse to listen to this brand new song. It's crazy. I fuck with everybody. I just didn't particularly hear that song fully. I heard a lot on Instagram and stuff like that. I was doing an album with him at the time,
Starting point is 00:54:08 so I wasn't really listening to too much shit though, like that, but you know Kendrick, salute Kendrick, he hard, respect the Kendrick for sure. I just didn't know he brought you up, that's crazy. You never heard that last verse? By the way, it's a phenomenal last verse. I did see people comment on the picture, like kept saying like that,
Starting point is 00:54:22 I'm like what the fuck they talking about? I did see that, but I never heard it. You gotta. You know what it is, you know, it's not a lot of songs with three verses in one. Oh, it's three verses, exactly. And so it's three verses, it's the third, you know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:54:33 That's my opinion, I don't think. It's a big song. I mean, a lot of songs these days are just one verse. Yeah, I don't believe you in here. I don't believe you in here at all. I already did. That's my excuse, I didn't hear that. I didn't hear that, that's one of the very thing I love.
Starting point is 00:54:42 Yeah, nah, he not cap out. He's not lying. He's not lying. He in his own bubble, that's why I love it. Wayne, that's why I love him. Me, That's not everything I love. He's not lying. He's not lying. He's not lying. He and his own bubble, that's why I love it. Wayne, that's why I love him. Me, that's why I love me. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:54:50 Just being my own bubble. I mean, of course I know some of the things I need to know, but I really be clueless to a lot of stuff and I'm cool with that. I'm just cool with that. You ain't hit with Kendrick Dish you on the floor first? No. No.
Starting point is 00:55:01 I'll be coming. He said he don't even like the Muffin June. Pull that up, pull that up. Oh God. One last question for Chainz, how does it make you feel when you hear guys like Tyler the Creator co-signing this album, Life is Beautiful, and he actually said to Chainz,
Starting point is 00:55:18 you on this type of time is yes, with a bunch of S's. It feels good, I have a great rapport with Tyler, I don't think people know, you know what I'm saying, great rapport, and he's booked me for Sloganod before. When I was in a wheelchair, he booked me and was in the front, so I've listened to his last couple of albums and supported what he has done and then I guess this one just spoke to him.
Starting point is 00:55:46 And he has a lot of influence, so it felt good for him to not hold his nuts on something that he thought was very tasteful. And I didn't ask him to do anything. He just did it. So, you know a lot of these artists are gatekeepers. I don't know if you wanna call it gatekeepers. That's another version of gatekeepers for sure.
Starting point is 00:56:04 They're not gonna get so many props. Like, I don't know if you wanna call it gatekeepers. That's another version of gatekeepers for sure. It is, man. I can get so many props. Like, it's not gonna cost you anything. It's just hard, but I can't let nobody know it's hard. Like, it's in the, I'm totally opposite. I think I deal with that sometimes. I deal with that sometimes, but it's something that don't matter to me. Tyler's a man, I appreciate that.
Starting point is 00:56:16 I respect him crazy. Me too, me too. Who are your peers, Larry? Like, what's your class? Man, that's a good question. Maybe change G, D, T, I, back to the A, E, 40. No, that's a different generation. I'm talking about your class. Oh, like my.
Starting point is 00:56:32 You said he don't hang with the young niggas. Damn. You really are OG with this. Yeah. Yeah, he really like, what do you, he really. I grew up, I'm gonna get you wrong, Clarence. You know, Messy Marv, Juice, the Jack, a lot of classic Bay area shit.
Starting point is 00:56:44 They was older, I always hung with a lot of older people. You know what I mean? So I really didn't really know too many people, but when I was in the A, I met OG, Mako, TNM88, a lot of them rappers like that, that knew Atlanta, like the Fat Man Keys and all that, Curtis and all them. So I kinda, all that, you know what I mean? So I seen that whole era and shit like that.
Starting point is 00:57:08 At 19 I became a father, so I wasn't really, I was trying to get my bread up. I didn't have no whip or nothing. I was trying to really, I said I got nine months to get my shit together and I just put my head down and I just was trying to just create this world for myself so I- That's dope.
Starting point is 00:57:22 Yeah, I kinda missed a lot. I didn't go to no proms, I didn't do none of that. I was so trying to create this world for myself. So I kind of missed a lot. I didn't go to no proms. I didn't do none of that. I was strictly, yeah. Life is beautiful now. Well, let's get into it, June, off the album. What y'all want to hear? Life is beautiful now.
Starting point is 00:57:37 Text like, the single, Bad Choices. What y'all want to hear? Generation? Generation. Generation? Well, let's get into Generation. Pick up the album and streaming right now, 2 Chainz Larry Juh and the Alchemist. It's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. Suck it to me.
Starting point is 00:57:51 Wake that ass up. It's in the morning. The Breakfast Club. This is John Cameron Mitchell and my new fiction podcast series, Cancellation Island, stars Holly Hunter as Karen, a wellness influencer who launches a rehab for the recently canceled. But everything starts to fall apart when people start disappearing. Karen, where have you brought us? Listen to Cancellation Island on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Calling all Yellowstone fans.
Starting point is 00:58:32 Let's go to work. Join Bobby Bones on the official Yellowstone podcast for exclusive cast interviews, behind the scenes insights, and a deep dive into the themes that have made Yellowstone a cultural phenomenon. Our family legacy is this ranch. And I protect it with my life. Listen to the official Yellowstone podcast now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Starting point is 00:58:59 Some people won't give you the real talk on drugs, but it's time we know the facts. Fentanyl is often laced into illicit drugs, but it's time we know the facts. Fentanyl is often laced into illicit drugs and used to make fake versions of prescription pills. You can't see it, taste it, or smell it. Suppliers mix fentanyl into their products because it's potent and cheap, and the dealer might not even know.
Starting point is 00:59:19 Keep yourself and others safe by knowing the real deal on fentanyl. Get the facts. Go to realdealonfentanyl.com. This message is brought to you by the Ad Council. Hey, it's Alec Baldwin. This past season on my podcast, Here's the Thing, I spoke with more actors, musicians, policymakers, and so many other fascinating people like writer and actor Dan Aykroyd. I love writing more than anything. You're left alone, you know, you do three hours in the morning, you write three hours in the afternoon, go pick up a kid from school and write at night and
Starting point is 00:59:53 after nine hours you come out with seven pages and then you're moving on. And actor and comedian Jack McBrayer. The most important aspect is the collaboration with people that I like, I trust, are talented. That has been the Jack McBrayer.

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