The Breakfast Club - Rico Love Interview

Episode Date: May 27, 2015

Rico Love stops through to chat with The Breakfast Club Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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They was taking pictures of him. He was like, let me see that picture. He sits down here. He goes, yo, is this position right? He produces everything. That's got to be kind of difficult, Rico. Wow, you know what's crazy? I never even noticed that.

That's crazy. I do that about every situation. I always like, is my posture right when you do interviews? Everything about, you know, is the lighting right? And I always tell them, like, I saw that light move by accident. I know you walked by, you hit the light. I don't know if you want that to be hit like that. Oh, no, it's no big deal.

Is that controlling? You pay attention to detail. Absolutely. Let me tell you something. You know I'm dark-skinned, so we could come up real crazy on camera. We got to make sure every little part, you know what I mean? Let's put some lotion on. That helps, too.

Do some people take that as controlling, though? I never noticed it as much. You know, now until you just said that, I never noticed it. But I don't know how people take it. But you know what? Creatives, I think they respect it. Like a guy who knows, you know, a little bit what he's talking about. A little bit. I just, you know, I be around and I, you know, a little bit what he's talking about. A little bit.

I just, you know, I be around and I, you know, kind of like pay attention to little things and I pick up on little things and I, you know, I listen. So if I overhear you talking about a lens or something like that or different things, then next time I'm somewhere else, I'm like, yo, I don't know, but maybe you should use another lens because I know those type of lens get some fall because I heard somebody say it. Because I heard somebody else say it. And they'll be like, oh, wow.

You know, you pick up on things. You know about everything. Yeah, and I always ask questions. If I see a film of myself and I'm looking a certain way, I'm like, why is that? Oh, because we shot with the wide and we should have went closer on the Zoom.

So now I'm like, I learned that. So next time around, I'm like, yo, don't shoot me on the wide. Shoot me on the Zoom. Information never hurt nobody, man. It never does. But you're a workaholic. Yeah, man.

But, you know, how do you work so hard and still spend time with your family? Let me tell you a story which impressed me. Flew out to Miami, and I spent the day with Rico, right? And me and Rico went to the store, went shopping, and came back. And I would say in 20 minutes, he completed about 10 songs. In 20 minutes, no lie. And these were not— Impossible.

I said the same thing. It's impossible. I don't believe neither one of you. I swear to God. It was— Line it up on line A. All lie. And these were impossible. I said the same thing. It's impossible. I don't believe neither one of you. I am, I believe. Line it up on line A. All right, I got a hook. Did the hook. 20 minutes.

I swear. It wasn't full songs. It was hooks. Oh, got you, got you. Hooks, concepts, and, you know, laying ideas. I lay a verse on this one, an idea to this one. All right, this is the next one. Give me a hook on this one.

I'm going to lay a hook idea on this one. Because I don't write anything down. Wow. I just listen to the music and it kind of like, not saying wow, because sometimes it's terrible, you know, sometimes it's good. I never try to let you hear the terrible. They was like, for instance, shout out to Fat Joe,

Fat Joe wants a record, alright, I got one record for Fat Joe, boom, alright, send that to Joe. Alright, yo, Envy, this record, it was just like, I'm sitting there like, this mother effer is really talented. Now I love the song that you did for Envy, from the first time I heard it. We did a couple of records. Now, I was going to say, was it just him sending you that one, or was it?

I caught Envy personally and said, this is your record, by the way. I don't do records in throwaways. I never do records. I don't shop music. A lot of people, producers, and this is a lesson to a lot of guys, you'll keep yourself way more exclusive if you don't send everybody the same record i would never insult envy like that and send them a record and then he go play it for somebody and they're like oh yeah he said that he said that to me i got that in my inbox so what i do is i'll be in the studio and i'll be selective

i don't even i'll do 20 songs in it and within a few weeks and i won't shop any of them and it'll be months go by nobody has ever heard them but when i get in the studio with somebody and i'm just like you know i think this will work for you you know i mean i believe in collecting catalog and collecting music and not whoring yourself out because that way you become more exclusive and then you'll end up with way more songs on other artists because you feel they'll feel like they feel special like this record was created for me or with me and mine there's only one whack part about the envy record and that's the part where it says DJ Envy in the beginning. Take that out. That's like a classic IG comment.

One thing I noticed about Rico, too, is you don't really stress artists. And I have that problem because I can't stress an artist. I can't call an artist a million times. But you have that same thing. Why is that with you? Because you'd be like, hey, look, if I ask you one time, it's your word. If you don't do it by your word, I just don't F with you anymore. Ever.

And that don't mean I got a problem with you when I see you as love, but it's just on a business. I'm never going to actually do anything for me, ever. If you notice, all of my singles, I never have features. It took everything in me to get Usher and Wiz Khalifa on the remix. Usher's one of my best friends. That's weird, though, because you were a producer-songwriter, so why couldn't they return the favor? You would think, bro.

You got people who won't even tweet for you, bro. You got people who, and I don't ask, you know. I just know if I give you a number one record and I'm in the studio with you and we made millions together, you would think I got an album coming out. And these guys will call you and be like, congratulations on the album. Well, put that on Instagram, man, so I can get my followers up, bro. Did you know what Wiz Khalifa was going to talk about on the remix for somebody else? I had an idea, you know.

And that was the reason I called him. And that's just to be honest. You know what I mean? A lot of people try to make it seem like, no, I didn't call you just because of what you're going through. No, that's the time to call you. When we make records about getting money, nobody has a problem with saying, oh oh well you can you relate to getting money i just know you went through some serious heartbreak this song is about heartbreak talk about it why not because men are so comfortable talking about we get money and we went in and this this and that and pop that and shake that

but we don't express pain we don't express uh fear we don't express remorse because we feel like that's weak but i always tell people honesty is the most strong thing a man can be. When you're honest about who you are, you know how good you sleep at night when you tell the truth? You know what I mean? It's like a weight off you. You feel like you got that off. So I just feel like it was meant for him to get on that record.

You do have songs about heartbreak and remorse. Do you ever cry when you're writing these songs? Never. You get emotional? Never. But I'm not against crying. I haven't cried in like a long time but i'm not against anybody that cries you just had a baby recently you ain't cry when the baby was born no i haven't cried yet see what even when my son when my son was born i think i cried when he was

like three months because i just stare at him when he's sleeping and you just kind of get emotional or like um little things they do when they call you and be like you know daddy when you gonna why does mommy have a different last name than us you know you like those type of things you'll be like the only thing that made me get married. But that was one of the main ones. He just thought about that like, hold on, man. That's going to sound crazy. That was one of the main ones. Like, that's a hurt feeling. Like, oh. Because you have no answer.

You got no answer. So for all you ladies out there, if you want to figure out how to make it. Here's a script to tell your kids. Now, I want to go back to you with these artists. Because I find it very disrespectful that none of these guys would show you the same respect. I'm sure that you say none of them. I mean, some of them do. But what it is is like this.

Right. You'll see people out and you're like one thing. I got it. This is rent. I got to say shout out to DJ Khaled because he's the best at this. The best at Fat Joe and DJ Khaled. I think Khaled in all respect. And I think he will admit this.

He learned it from from Fat Joe, who is the president of, you yo, run down on Homeboy and make sure you get on the record. Because I remember, and Fat Joe at one point was like one of my closest friends in the whole entire world, right? So Macho, and me and Joe were really close at the time, really, really close. And Macho would sit in the studio like Debo waiting for me to do the verse. I'm like, bro, I'm going to do it. And Macho would be like, yeah, yeah, I'm going to wait for you. And that's the type of thing.

And you got to respect that because their mentality is get it done. I don't care how it makes you feel. I don't care how uncomfortable it is. But me, I just, my pride. Your ego. It's not ego. That's kind of whack though. Because I feel like if I ask you to do something for me,

and by the way, I want you to understand how this game is set up a lot of times with producers and writers. When I charge a flat rate of $50,000 for a track, and then I do a record for whatever person, and they're telling me, well, since we're getting two records, can we get them two for $60,000? Can we get two? Can we work this deal out and do this, whatever? And you're like, man, of course, because to me it ain't about that. It's really about getting the music out. And that's why I've been able to have a certain amount of records out at one time because I always was working deals with people.

So I feel like if I work the deal for you, it's an unwritten rule like we have. When I come back around. It's love. And it's love. And I'm not asking anybody. I don't even ask people to get on my records because I believe it's impossible for an artist to get other artists, other people in the world to get to know them if they're surrounding themselves with people they're already familiar with right it already bugged it bugs me out um when an artist is like only got

one verse on their record they got somebody featured on the hook and then another person rapping bro you got one verse on your own single how do you expect people to know you even if your record does super well you do shows everywhere why would i buy your record when i really don't truly identify with who you are and that goes in content as well but with me i'll say this i did that for you and that should be a solid and then later i should come back and say and i act simple things envy knows me i'll say you'll post this for me on your joint you know okay i got you nothing then my company my everybody's calling me everybody works for me is telling me bro bro, call him back.

I'm not calling no grown man back about it. Let me post this right now. End of the day. Sometimes you have to have the follow through. End of the day. I tell Envy the same thing. I like the way Caledon do things. Sometimes you got to be on people's ass.

Let me tell you. Let me tell you. Let me tell you. The follow through is one thing, but then when you see me out again, I'm going to tell you something. If I make a mistake and forget something, as soon as I see i'm like i forgot to do that let me do it right now right like since i just saw you let me knock that out for you right now but you know and and again i don't want anybody i'm this is oh you know fun i don't want anybody think i'm looking at these guys

like f them but at the end of the day i just know i'm not gonna put myself in the position where i gotta keep asking you for something. And like I said, Khaled and Joe, they don't care. They're like, we need to get this done. And then you look at how it benefits the artists usually that they do the stuff for. Think about it. If anybody who Khaled has done a record with or put on his record, it benefits both. It benefits Khaled and it benefits the artists. You got a free marketing opportunity for him to market your record. Because you know he's going to market it. And now when you see these guys. Khaled said it benefits the artist You got a free marketing Opportunity for him To market your record

And work a record That you want And now when you see Khaled said he get The same problems though I'm sure but he leans He said the newer artists Are actually a lot harder

For him to get Than the more established Really Yeah But he keeps going Khaled keeps doing it But guess what I bet you they gonna do it

I bet you he gonna sit there In the studio And make sure they do it I bet he gonna call him Every time If Khaled gotta hold Everybody I need all my followers To tweet blah blah, blah, blah, and let them know. He don't care.

He said it's like a different code with these newer artists. Like they don't have the same kind of way that they were. Oh, let me tell you something. These new artists got it all figured out too, by the way. They think they know everything. Can't nobody tell them none. Can't nobody tell them what's right or what's wrong. And they never had extreme success.

See, the best part about my career was I started off with usher so i started for us during confessions you understand when when usher was shut down malls like when he was shut down whole blocks and streets it was ridiculous and we'd be in paris somewhere and it'd be like whole everything then you go be just in detroit and the same thing happened so these artists they'll get a little bit of attention and they have a semi hit you know i mean and more instagram followers exactly and artists they'll get a little bit of attention and they have a semi hit you know what i mean and more instagram followers exactly and then they'll be like can't nobody tell me nothing about a record about music and then you look at your discography and you'll be like i probably could though you know i probably could tell you something because i've consistently been

able to do it but you just let these people and time will run its course and you see what happens how does that work with artists that are signed to you because i know you, you know, obviously you and Tierra Thomas are not working together anymore. And you had different ideas on where her career should go. Was it a problem where she kind of felt like she knew? And, you know, she was... You know what it is? Is that, first of all, she's one of the most talented people I've ever met in my life. And that's saying a lot.

One of the most talented writers. Really brilliant. But what happened was, when I signed her, she was writing certain type of songs. And I signed her on. It's like if I married you because I thought you were this way. And then as soon as we got married, things changed. I think it's safe to say everybody knows about the whole situation she was going through with the Wale and everything. I think it put her in a real dark space.

Imagine you're a sweet girl from Indianapolis and you get from indianapolis and you you get on twitter and every day you get on instagram and twitter and people are like calling you names and bashing you and they don't even know the details or anything and they're just going crazy on you now this not me a guy who's been in the game 12 years and seen everything i can handle that stuff you know but a girl who's like i can't believe i didn't bother nobody i really didn't do anything wrong and these people are really coming at me crazy and every single day i think it put her in a dark space of what her writing is concerned and when i she wrote songs like gang signs and popular and bad when i saw when i signed up so then later she started writing different type of records that i didn't think were um superstar caliber records for

her i think um she was bigger than the song she was writing and it's a girl who's super talented could write anything and that's just my opinion of it. So this is, I don't want anybody to take this as me dissing her because I could never do that. I would never. I came on this same show and fought and defended her. So if I came on this show

and tried to diss her, how crazy would that make me look? You basically just said she got whacked though. No, no, no. No, no, no. I said that she, I think they put her in a dark space. Right.

Because you were her biggest champion. You were debuting new songs. You were like, I want to make sure we debut her new single. Every time I was like, I was fighting with the company. I need her on the remix. They didn't want her on the remix,

but they don't know. And I was like, this is my biggest record, number two in the country. I'm not going to put my artist on it. These are the type of things that I was going in for, spending,

we spent, you know, a lot of money, you know, on her and on the rollout without even putting, having a chance to really put out a record. But I think that our visions change and one thing about me is

I know how it feels to be an artist and I know how it feels to be pressured and I say you know what I never want to be in a situation where I'm forcing you to do nothing and we don't like each other so instead of me saying I you don't want to do what I do shelfa until she get her mom right and then I'm own you forever no let you go free you know i mean because i don't want to be in that situation even though people around me was like you need to get this you need to do this i'm like but i don't have i'm not mad at her i just don't agree with what she's going to she don't agree with where i want her to go but you know is that what she wanted

though or did she want to try to still come out but still have it her way or did she want to just not be signed anymore uh i don't know i didn't even i'm gonna be honest with you i had to be all totally honest i didn't have a conversation with her i just told you know i just said i asked in the scope you know i said i don't i don't think it's gonna work out which i like to keep it because i don't even want to try to box her out i didn't want to say well i'm dropping and y'all can't i said which i like to keep it and go straight through in acope And they said no And I said cool Well then

Give her a release Let her do her thing If she feels like she knows Her and her management Feel like they know Let's do that Because I don't want to be In a situation

Where I'm holding anybody down And making them feel a way You know do your thing You're the best CEO ever man But what I do What I do is And I'm gonna be And that probably makes me the worst

Because I've had artists before And they all No artist ever can walk around And say Rico Love did me wrong or Rico did anything. If you look at how close me and Young Chris are. You know what I mean? I took care of Young Chris, bro. You know what I mean? I got Young Chris in an apartment in Miami.

And Young Chris did not come to the apartment one time. I would have been there. One time. And that's my brother. We can share those type of things. Why wouldn't he come into the apartment? Because i think what happens is you surround yourself with people you know i mean who i think at that time he can admit who was in his ear saying oh you know you need to be doing this you need to be on this and we you know you need to be a philly you need to

do this and a lot of time home wants you to stay home because they feel like that's how um that's what keeps you authentic but i was like bro come down here think about this when i wrote motivation i'm not gonna come and stand it was laid out it was laid out it was a it was a problem i rented this dope apartment on the beach like right down the street from where i was living at the time it was laid out but and he never went to it one time not one time and it's and and it was crazy he'll even admit to you he was he's like i was bugging i had people in my, you know, around me that was telling me certain things. And I'm going to tell you a crazy story about position. Positioning yourself where the things happen.

I wrote Motivation for Kelly Rowland. And as soon as we finished it, Kelly said, where's young Chris? He should rap on this. No. She said it like playfully. You are lying. I'm dead serious. She said it like, you know, who knows if she was even serious or if she even would have followed through.

But she just said it in passing like real cool. Like, young Christian rap on this. That's your artist, right? You was like. And I was like. Bro, you could have been. It would have ended up probably being Wayne because they would have later said. Let's get, you know how that is.

But at the end of the day, I told him that he was buttoning it. It's always the opportunity always be around and always be available you know i mean i always made myself accessible to the opportunity in the beginning of my career and still even now if somebody calls me right now with opportunity i'm jumping on a flight you know i mean i'm doing things that a lot of people at my level wouldn't be humble enough to do because i just believe in winning and i believe that i haven't made it yet a lot of people look at me and be like oh you do i haven't made it yet because when i when i hang around i live in a neighborhood full of billionaires on purpose because i want to be the poorest person in my neighborhood because i

need to feel like it's no i'm not i haven't hit the ceiling yet it's so far from me and i think so many people feel like they made it and they have not arrived i'm here to tell you you have not arrived yet because i haven't and a lot of people who are above me feel like they haven't when i was just with usher the other night and we was in the studio just vibing right and i'm just like he showed me a new house he just bought in the hollywood hills just for the you know i just a little little joint i bought and i'm like there and he don't feel like he's you know he felt like it's still so much for him to do when i'm around puff and i'm seeing how hard he works i'm like how can i't feel like he's, you know, he feel like it's still so much for him to do. When I'm around Puff and I'm seeing how hard he works, I'm like, how can I possibly feel like any opportunity is too small for me?

When I'm looking at guys like this who going above and beyond to do whatever. You on his network right now. Exactly. You know what I'm saying? Come on. Exactly. So, you know, I got a grind. So I think it was a learning experience for everybody.

But I always lend myself and always believe in opportunity being in present. But just back to the Tiara thing, I believe in her. I think she was a learning experience for everybody. But I always lend myself and always believe in opportunity being in present. But just back to the Tiara thing, I believe in her. I think she's a superstar. You will never hear me say anything bad about her. Her dad called me the other day. He says, yo, I'm going out of the country, some spots that I can hang out at. Yeah, I got you. Me and her pops talk a lot.

He's a super cool dude. Shout out to Kourt. Do you think it reflects bad off you that none of the artists you sign end up popping off, though? Only, I think, yes, it does, absolutely. But I'm honest enough to say those things didn't work out. But I will also admit, you have to admit, I did everything in my power to help every artist that was around me every time. I think that what I didn't do that I should have done was being a little bit more tough on him and like put the fish down a little bit more because I just don't. I hate that force and thing.

But I should have been like, listen, these are the records we. It was a song that Tierra had to call popular that she hates. It's the first. She performed a song for Jimmy Iovine when I first was trying to sign her. Jimmy Iovine and John Janik said, this is the record. Everything leads up to this record she hated the record after she did it I guess

see when she wrote it years ago but we can't we don't know that we just know that it's a brilliant song and it's just a genius lyric and it was so clever and everybody's plan was we're gonna put out a warm up

and we're gonna put this thing on she changed her mind I think in retrospect what I should have did was say we putting this song up on some Puff Daddy because that's what he would have did he would have been like because in her mind I think in retrospect What I should have did Was say We putting this song out Right On some Puff Daddy Right Because that's what he would have did

He would have been like Absolutely Because in her mind She might have done it so long ago And it's so old But for other people It's fresh and new And it's such an incredible record

And it's not a record that You know a lot of people Would say well you know I didn't have any bias So I didn't write this song It was like I thought it was genius And I should have just said

Look listen We putting this record out And then let You be mad at me Because I looked at The Usher situation When me and Usher First heard Yeah I thought it was genius, and I should have just said, listen, we're putting this record out. And then you'd be mad at me because I'd looked at the Usher situation. When me and Usher first heard Yeah, me and Usher sitting in the room, I'm a 19-year-old kid, and we first heard Yeah, we laughed hysterically. Really? We said it's the worst song ever on the planet.

Really? Think about this, bro. The first few lines. Imagine you hearing Sean Garrett in the high-pitched voice screaming, I'm in the club with my homies trying to kick a little bi and put it down on a low key sound dope yeah that sounds kind of crazy no that sounds trash bro we was like looking at it like what is on fire then that was hot think about this that that yeah yeah i'm not gonna let people used to make fun of that line all the time you know what now did you think about it they used to make fun of that and we was like and we still sang it cause it was catchy

we was sitting in Usher's living room and I remember being like a little I didn't deserve to even speak at the time and I remember him looking at me

and he gave me a smirk and I just fell on the floor laughing and Mark Pitts and KP was in the room and they were like y'all tripping this is a number one record

and they tricked Usher they said just cut it we'll put it out as a warm up and you know and they put that joint out and went number one right away. And even Usher, when I saw Usher again, I was like, we was wrong about that.

Why should we ever listen to you or Usher? Because I just admitted that. And that's the situations we are in sometimes. Sometimes we think at Usher's level, this is the confessions album. He had already had 8701 He had already had My Way Both of them sold 7 million each

And he still was able To admit I was wrong Or he had an opinion That wasn't correct And we all have those things So imagine a new artist Who hasn't had

Any success In telling you What they gonna do It's like I should have been like Nah You gonna have to We gonna have to

You know I can live with being wrong So it's like your job to guide. And I think what I don't do, which I should do, is I care so much and I get so frustrated. But I'll just be like, you know what, I ain't going to force you to do it when I should have just. Let the artist be an artist instead of you doing it. But if they knew best, I would be signed to them. Right.

And that's the thing we got out. Have you ever questioned yourself, like, maybe I'm just not cut out to be a label owner. Let me write my songs. No, because that's what people want you to feel. And that's what happens with trial and error. Think about, I always bring this up, think about Royce and Maybach. That didn't just pop off, bro. He tried before and then, you know, certain artists he put out, it didn't work out.

And he stayed down with his homies and it didn't work out but in america's society um that is the definition of success but in urban culture give up is the answer you know why because uh you'll see people comment on you or say something to you like why don't you just do this why don't you just do this and i'm like because i'm not you and i'm not regular and i believe that if you fall you're supposed to get back up and keep trying and at the end of the day what does it cost me what it costs you for me to try and that's the craziest thing about black people is that when we see somebody trying something we love to be like why don't you just stop why how does this affect you like why does it bother you so much if you're a whack rapper i will tell you to quit f your dreams everybody can but people get bad i agree

some people are whack but at the end of the day what does it take for me for him to try it don't do nothing to me because if nobody I agree. Some people are whack. But at the end of the day, what does it take for me for him to try? It don't do nothing to me because nobody's going to hear it if you whack anyway. I love that you put this on Instagram. That's real. I love that you put this on Instagram. Somebody tweeted you, I didn't want to like this Rico Love album, but it's actually pretty good. Why would somebody just not want to like it?

Let me tell you something about our people. At all costs, we want to try to find a way to embarrass you or say something smart we can't even give a cool compliment we can't even say you know what I'm surprised this record is good that would have been cool

but I didn't want to like it that means that means that I went into this situation saying that I don't like you every situation I go into

I try to think the positive or else I just won't do it or else I just because for one thing if I don I always give it, or else I just won't do it. Or else I just, because for one thing, if I don't feel like it'll be dope, I just won't listen. But people just go, I thought it was honest of him to say that I'm a hater. But I had to call him out and say, it's crazy. That's a great feeling, though, that you won somebody over that came into a situation. You know why he say that?

People say that because if I just say, yo, this Rico Love album is dope, guess what I'm going to get? You dick riding Rico. All I this Rico Love album is dope, guess what I'm going to get? You dick riding Rico. All I say with the album is dope. But if you say, I didn't want to like it, it's a different level. If you say, I'm really surprised at how good this album is, then that's one thing. But if you say, I did not want to like it, that means you're saying to yourself, I went into this situation not liking you. A person who never bothered nobody. Y'all don't see me doing

much but i don't be out here doing no corny i don't bother nobody i'm not you know i just mind my business take care of my family and do music when you look on my gram you look all you see is my kids my dog in my studio you think people are afraid to be fans now absolutely yes i agree everybody are artists everybody's an artist but how do you when you make your music how do you decide what you're going to keep and what you're going to give away? It's really easy because for the past two years, I haven't been writing for people. I haven't been writing songs. Because you've been focusing on yourself?

And also because the frustration. We spoke about it a little bit the last time I was here. When you spend time developing and building artists. When I did that Looking For Myself album for Usher, and we worked hard on that record, and then to see them just go with a dance song, after we made this challenging effort to make music that was cutting edge and provocative, and to see the record company come in and say,

all right, that's cool, do this song called Scream that Dr. Luke and Homeboy did, and we gonna put this out, this dance record. And we're like, but that goes against everything we've been building. But Usher's big enough, well, he ain't gotta take that.

He ain't gotta accept that sometimes people make decisions because they feel like think about that remember the year conversation now you're questioning yourself you're like maybe they're right

so maybe they might be right this time and I don't you know so I think sometimes when you go into situations with artists I did a brand the brandy I mean

what's the last brandy I'm 211 me and Sean Garrett did the majority of that album and I thought it was some incredible records on there. And then when the album came out, we thought we were going

to get this push. I gave, shout out to Brianna, I gave Brianna a super discount for like five records and I'm thinking, because I don't think about that up front,

I'm thinking about legacy, I'm thinking about, I have the opportunity to be on the greatest, one of the greatest singers of all ever album. I did a record and then she say,

all right, cool, you know what, i don't want to do from do the album no more i'm gonna go do the game the tv show i'm gonna go do this and i'm gonna and it's like all right this thing that i take so serious by the way i'm a person who really you know this everybody i think could notice about me i'm very serious about music i'm passionate about it so every song means something to me it's not just a check you rarely hear me talk about money you hear me i even get frustrated when people ask me about money i'm like how much money did you make on this i'm like i

don't like talking about stuff like that but um i got frustrated because look at every song is a baby to you i wrote a song on brandy's i'm called no such thing is too late and harley breathing and paint this house and can you hear me now and these songs were incredible to me some of my best work how much you make a little song not Not, man, not nearly enough. You know what I mean? And you look at it and you're like, these songs meant so much

and it's frustrating. You spend all this time. I think you spend a year on an Usher album. You spend, you know, six months on this Brandy album. You do this,

all these projects that you're really passionate about and they're out of your control. It's like you had a child and then somebody takes it and just raises it how they want to raise it. And you're like, but that's my child. And that's how I felt how i felt so i just felt like you know what let me do something that i love and obviously um artist you know it's just you know

it ain't the same type of paper now i completely understand why you want to be a solo artist yes now it makes perfect sense because you know people will say that too like why you want to be an artist why you should be a singer, songwriter, songwriter? And also, just listen to the music, man. It's personal. Listen to the music and listen. This album is so real to me because it's my honest contribution. It's like me saying who I really am and how I really feel. And, you know, I don't come out all forced, man.

I don't do a bunch of corny stuff. When I look at some people that came before me and people be like, well, this person did this. But I look at it and I'm like, it looked like he trying. It looked like she trying. It looked like it's too much. But with me is I get in a van and go from city to city and do a hundred interviews in a day. I go do promo. I just left LA. I did promo all day. I got off the plane and came straight here. And then I got a full day and then I go to sleep and I wake up at 6am and I got to audition for a movie. and then I got to do the same thing, promotion all day. And then the next day, the same thing,

then I'm going to plane up, fly to Miami, spend time with my kids. This is serious to me. So when you look at this effort that I'm putting forth, if nothing else, you could say, it got to be something to it because the man made too much money in the other world to be just doing this

and not making the same type of paper. Why is it easy to swallow your pride to go out and do the new artist hustle? The stuff you don't have to do, like do the 100 interviews in a day, but you can't pick up the phone and say,

hey man, can you do this record for me? Because it's something I'm doing for me. Got you. Now when I'm, I control that. I control how hard I work.

I can't control if you're going to say yes and I can't control it. And one thing I'm uncomfortable with is a no from a person who I think should say yes. I would rather us,

I would rather us not even talk about it because I don't want to feel a way about it. I'm the same way. You rather I would rather us Not even Talk about it Cause I don't wanna Feel a way about it I'm the same way You know what I mean And it's the same reason Rico's love is really light

What about when you Dealing with a girl What about when you Dealing with a girl You done tricked off A lot of money Whatever whatever You took her out

And you're like Yo let me get some of that pussy And she's like no He's in a relationship Um Man you know what If me and my girl Took a girl out

And we spent a bunch of money on her And she was acting funny My girl would tell her Sweetheart you gotta go That's funny I just wanted you to give me The same answer you gave before Cause that sounded like rape

Oh my gosh shut up Somebody that's supposed to say yes Well you could not like it That don't mean you're gonna take it You know what I'm saying The album is out right now Turn the lights on Turn the lights on

TTLO Yeah real quick though The album is super important to me I want y'all to understand The meaning behind Turn the lights on A lot of people will say You named your album

Turn the lights on Obviously because you say Turn the lights on On every song you write It's a true meaning I think the lights They represent success And they represent success and they represent

money and they represent things that happen to you um when you become successful i want to write about so when the lights come on you even even on the intro i talk about it it's saying what you gonna do when the lights come on like if you if you went from one day not having none and then the next day somebody gave you 10 million dollars your life changes like that and your views on marriage your views on relationships your views on relationships your views on monogamy they change and instead of me making a whole album about how many cars i bought in my big house and this this and that i said well let me talk about how those things affect you as a person so it's really strong titles this song called for the kids and it's talking about

a lot of us in in life and in relationships people stay in relationship but because of the kids and um it's a song called run for me and this is a true honest story i broke up with my girl for like three months this album takes place within that space when we've broken up for three months that's what the whole album i don't like when somebody that's supposed to say yes says no now the run for me is such a strong song and what it represents is it was a girl i was seeing when i was broke up with my girl and i was really into her and i was feeling it and i just said to her one day, you know what? I can't I can't mess with you no more.

And even watching this interview right now, I know she's going to be like looking at me like shaking her head. But I was I can't mess with you no more. She's like, what? What? I said, if my girl called me right now, I want to get back with me. I'm going to get back with her. Damn. And that's just me being a hunnick because I know where this is going.

We're not just having fun. We're catching feelings right now. And I know that foot, no matter how deep our feelings get into the situation, if she called me right now and say, alright, cool, I want us to be back together. I'm going to leave and I'm not even going to ever talk to you. But why did y'all break up anyway? Man, you know, I was

out here being a hoe. Keep it 100. You know. Why not? Out here wilding. And you know, we deal with those things. I spoke about that on the album as well. We deal with things and you know, man,

we wild out sometimes. We just really, and then you mess up and then what happens is sometimes, it's one day at a time. You got a song called The Affair.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like a lot of, it's a lot of real records. But wouldn't you want that from your artists?

I think, think about this, right? Think about this. We get on Instagram and we get on Twitter. We go on social networks. We go on Ball Alert. We go on Shade Room to find dirt about personal lives of our artists. And that's the thing that

gets the most attention. But then these incredible artists, they don't talk about personal issues on their projects. And they wonder why they don't sell. They're buying your personal life on social media and somebody else getting paid for it. But why don't you give examples of the truth that you went through? they don't sell they they're buying your personal life on on social media and somebody else getting paid for it but why don't you give examples of the truth that you went through that don't mean you have to give details or what day or what girl what person

why don't you give a little bit of who you are and and i'm gonna be honest with you do i expect my arm to sell a bunch out the gate probably won't probably won't but at the end of the day one year from today i promise you we're gonna be in a different space because we're gonna work this record and you introduce one person if every week you get a few more people to tell a few more people to tell a few more people you gotta work it and you gotta say something that's worth hearing it's only so much we could turn up it's a bunch of club records and guess what they know when they when they listen to that record in the club and they're like cool your first single was a big club anthem but guess what what? In a few months, it's going to be another one of you.

And we're going to be sick of that sound. And as soon as that sound is over, we're going to be sick of that. And the producer is really eating more than the artists are because they're like, cool, when you're gone, I'm going to still be me. You're going to come and go. People are not going to, they're not attached to you because you haven't given them something to hold on to. When I first listened to So Sick by Ne-Yo, I was like, bro, this is a genius song. It made me want to know

who this guy was. It made me feel something. And I think artists are making records that don't make people feel anything. And that's why they don't stick. And that's what I was talking about

yesterday. I was talking about The Little One Can't Believe Me. It sold a million records, but it ain't stick. You know what I'm saying? A lot of those songs. But I think at that level,

he already has people who love him. And that's a different conversation I'm talking about more establishing new artists who are trying to establish a base the reason why they don't know

what's so important to me is because it was a chess move you know why it was a conversation starter I can't believe he said that the reason why bitches be like what's so important

is because it was like I can't believe he said that and now people gotta come to know who Rico Love is and I don't know some artists who have had bigger records and people don't know who they are and they know who I am. Because you have to.

Who is this dude? Even if they like you whack or you this or you ugly, you black, you did it. They still know who I am and they still recognize me. And I think music has to do that. If you're not doing that as a new artist, if your record is not saying something for real, I'm telling you that big club record. Enjoy it. Enjoy it. I think another thing people enjoy about you, though'm telling you, that big club record, enjoy it. Enjoy it. I think another thing people enjoy about you though

is you do have something to say. Even when you see you in your interviews, you're honest. You've got something to say. Even on Twitter, you engage with people. Absolutely. People don't have no personality.

They don't. And it's nothing to them. And you know what? I've been in the game for a long time and I've seen a lot of things. You know, Mace raised me. Learning under Mace, learning under Usher,

being under Puff and all these guys and watching them, it's like so much you could pick up. And I think so many guys spend time with artists and they don't pick up

on the things that are important. It's just like if you've been on a, I know guys who've been on world tours and couldn't tell you anything about any cities. Because you know what they do?

They go in their room and they smoke. And then when it's time for the show, they come out the room, do the show, get some girls, go back to the room, and they smash, get some girls, go back to the room,

and they smash, go to sleep, go to the next city. And I'm like, you're not even educating yourself based upon your surroundings. I'm going to live life, bro. Because guess what? Everything you live, everything you see is regurgitated when you're a true creative. Everything that I absorb in my mind,

I can give it back to the world, and I can learn, and I can educate myself and teach others through that education. And I think we don't do that with our records records and that's why we don't sell albums and that's why artists like um akanya west can put out a record without no singles whether people like the yeezus or not it had no singles and he's still platinum at the end of the day end of the day kendrick lamar don't gotta have a radio smash people believe what he has to say and they believe in him jay cold i'm so inspired by these guys even

drake i listen to drake and i'm like drake is a genius you know why because he jumping on y'all records and he using y'all records for the foolishness and he making his record about the real stuff it's like all right cool you talking about nothing but i know you're gonna get attention i'm gonna jump on the record remember jay-z used to do that everybody jay-z would be like oh he's the new guy jay-z call you what up i want to get on your record oh my god jay-z want to work with me and then he'll be like yeah i'm gonna take this wave from you and then go about your business when you're not hot no more you're not gonna be able to call jay-z no way drake is doing exactly what hove used to do come on genius the houston records genius but guess what go crazy when you

listen to his record it's like a guy who smoke all the time but don't buy weed you know i mean when you smoke he smokes when you go to his house he he be like where the weed at i don't buy no weed matter of fact what you still doing here one last thing do you want to see um floyd and pacquiao fight again no floyd don't got nothing to prove to pacquiao he beat that man he beat him oh because i know because i saw floyd well i don't know if you guys saw this but floyd was actually tweeting him reached out and reached actually tweeting him. Floyd reached out. And reached out to him. Yeah, he reached out and said he's giving me four free tickets to his next fight.

You know, I just like to defend things that I believe in. I wasn't trying to even add him. You know what I mean? I just was saying how I felt about the fight. And at the end of the day, every time Floyd fights, every time he fights, they say he's going to lose. And every time he wins, they say that he did this and he only won because of this or this person. Or it's boring. It was boring.

But at the end of the day, I felt like the fight, if you think the fight was boring, which I don't, is only boring because of Pacquiao. He's the only one who didn't fight his fight. Floyd fought the way he fights. Floyd fought the way he always fights. The way he fights. And he stood in the middle of the ring and he challenged him. Now, it was a few times where Floyd would grab him and, you know, collect himself. He's trying to figure it out the first few rounds. But after that, he was here. He was taking the flur times where Floyd would grab him and, you know, collect himself. He trying to figure it out

first few rounds. But after that, he was here. He was taking the flurries. He was even dodging the flurries. So at the end of the day, I don't want to see... I don't believe Pacquiao

deserved to fight Floyd in the first place. He took too many L's. And that's just me being on it. He took too many L's and you don't deserve to fight no champion. You keep taking these L's

from the people that he already beat up. So Floyd taking the fight was like, cool, I'm going to do you a solid. Since everybody want the fight, I'm going to do you a side. Since everybody want the fight, I'm going to do it and they're going to cash me out.

But you don't deserve to fight him no more. And he was a sore loser. I don't think I lost the fight. Yeah, come on, bro, you lost the fight.

So did you know him before he reached out or you just? No, I didn't know him. Okay. I still don't know him. He reached out

and just said, you know, it ain't like I'm, you know, I'm not going to probably be at Floyd house tomorrow and you don't know that. I was just wondering

if y'all knew each other at all. No, no, we didn't know each other. He just was like, you know, you got four probably be at Floyd house tomorrow he just was like you know you got four free tickets to the next fight his next fight comes in September and you don't hear nothing I'm going to be like, Rico told me to get his tickets in. Nah, Emme's going to be like, yo, we need our tickets. Remember you promised Rico ball tickets? Two for me, two for him.

I need one. I got a quick question before we stop that, all right? All right, this is a thing I dealt with. I had a conversation about this. If your girl don't like boxing, do you take her to the fight? If you got floor seats, you better. See, that's what I don't agree with. You got to because... You have to.

Who are you going to take? Who are you going to take? But listen, it's a big space program. That's why it upsets me because think about this. You got friends you grew up with your whole life. That love boxing. Love boxing. And you like, I don't watch sports.

I don't watch this. And as soon as it's time to do that, it's like... You got to take her. So when we going to the fight? Absolutely. So you got gotta take her I'm sure she probably Do a lot of things for you

That she don't really wanna do She wanna do everything So then she gotta cash So then she gotta cash in But if you got like a pot Your father like love Like nah I gotta take pot baby But you getting four

I'm getting four So she can go So it's a lot It's a lot of my homies Gonna be upset bro Yeah but That's your girl You ain't getting them tickets unless you follow up.

So I just. So. You got to follow up. You need to follow up. I'm going to tell her we got to bring some girls with us, too. We can't just be at the fight. After the fight. Yeah.

Well, it's the breakfast club. It's the homie Rico Lo. Turn the lights on. Turn the lights on. Turn the lights on. Turn the lights on. Turn the lights on. Turn the lights on.

Turn the lights on. Had enough of this country? Ever dreamt about starting your own? I planted the flag. This is mine. I own some. I like some. Had enough of this country? Ever dreamt about starting your own? I planted the flag. This is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete.

Or maybe not. No country willingly gives up their territory. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets. Listen to Escape from Zakistan. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-A-Stan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best.

And you're gonna figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, my undeadly darlings. It's Teresa, your resident ghost host. And do I have a treat for you.

Haunting is crawling out from the shadows, and it's going to be devilishly good. We've got chills, thrills, and stories that'll make you wish the lights stayed on. So join me, won't you? Let's dive into the eerie unknown together. Sleep tight, if you can. Listen to Haunting on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Jenny Garth, Jana Kramer, Amy Robach, and TJ Holmes bring you I Do Part Two, a one-of-a-kind experiment in podcasting to help you find love again. Hey, I'm Jana Kramer. I'm Jenny Garth.

Hi, everyone. I'm Amy Robach. And I'm TJ Holmes. And we are, well, not necessarily relationship experts. If you're ready to dive back into the dating pool and find lasting love, we want to help. Listen to I Do Part Two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.