The Breakfast Club - Tink & Hitmaka Talk New Music, "Cater", Harsh Realities Of The Music Industry, Manifestation & More

Episode Date: August 12, 2022

Tink & Hitmaka Talk New Music, "Cater", Harsh Realities Of The Music Industry, Manifestation & MoreSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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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. Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese investigative journalist who on October 16th, 2017, was assassinated. Crooks everywhere unearthed the plot to murder a one-woman WikiLeaks. She exposed the culture of crime and corruption that were

turning her beloved country into a mafia state. Listen to Crooks everywhere on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Wake that ass up early in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Angela Yee, Charlamagne Tha God. We are The Breakfast Club. We got some special guests joining us today. Who we got? Who we got?

We got Hitmaker and Tink. Big Tink. Not the little one. Big Tink. What's happening? Welcome, guys. What's up, y'all? How's it going?

Tink, you don't look pregnant. Just wanted to throw that out there, right off the top. Thank you, Charlamagne. Why did you say that? Because everybody was saying she was pregnant online. Oh, they were? I didn't even know that. No, thank you for that, because everybody's been thinking,

I've been pregnant for a while, and I'm glad you said that. Word. Some days we're just a little bloated. Trust me, I know. Somebody said I was pregnant today. Now, Tink, I want to start with you. You know, when we first started The Breakfast Club, I don't even know, 12 years ago, and Timbaland played you as an artist.

We fell in love a long time ago. A long time. Been a long time fan of Tink. And we knew that you were going to be super-duper successful. And you went through the ups and downs and lefts and rights and roundabouts, and now you're here now. So for people that don't know who Tink is, explain to who Tink is, how you got

your first start and to where you are now yeah tink y'all know me i've been making music for a long time i'm from chicago since 2012 i've been dropping mixtapes when it's diary um you know i got signed with cymbal in 2015 we made some really dope music but it didn't really work out you know the way i wanted it to but why did it work out I just felt like the situation wasn't a fit for me I had a lot of people on a label that were kind of like hovering over my situation so I felt like I wasn't as creative anymore and we had we had a lot of disagreements that's all that album was classic I actually heard the album Charlamagne hurt the album. It didn't come out.

It was Think Tank. So that was in 2015. So, you know, it's just the label situations. A lot of people in the office were having, you know, silent beefs, and it trickled down on the artists. But I became independent at 18. Was it easy to get let go? Was it easy to leave that deal?

Nope, not at all. I really had to, like, tighten up. I had to go and get an attorney, switch attorneys. You know, you got to talk to your accountants and just switch the whole team up on the business side. So that took some time. It took like years. So that's why I took a break in 2017.

I backed off of music completely just to go get my life right. And yeah, in 18, I was finally released. So we had to do some um negotiating behind the scenes but you know Tim he let me he let me go and do my thing and yeah I became independent I signed my distribution deal with Empire so I'm able to just really like release whatever I want free again and yeah I've been making albums ever since and it's really just been turning up and you got Gazi and Hitmaker here with you today. That's big.

Listen, Gazi in the building too? Mm-hmm. I didn't even see Gazi. Shout out to Empire. Do you think people always say Tim might have oversold you, like comparing you to the Aaliyahs and the Lauryn Hills? Do you think that had a negative impact? I do.

It was a lot. And comparisons really, like I caught a lot of backlash. You know, I dropped the record was a lot. And comparisons really, like, I caught a lot of backlash. You know, I dropped the record Million. And it was a really dope song, but I felt like with him kind of, like, comparing me to her and, you know, telling people I'm the next Aaliyah. You can't play with legends like that. And I had a lot of work to do at the time, so it wasn't really necessary. And I remember we dropped the record with Jay-Z and Rick Ross.

I remember that. Moving bass. Actually, y'all premiered it. You got what we got a record with Jay-Z and Rick Ross. I remember that. Actually, y'all premiered it. You got him in trouble for? Yes. Yes, y'all got him in big trouble. Sorry, too. But yeah, it was just a lot of things on the business end that weren't tight. And it kind of just affected everything. It was like a snowball

effect. What does that do to you creatively in a space where you want to do your music and you've been working on music for so long but then the business is a mess? It just holds up everything the process everything gets pushed back like I had albums ready to go you know I had music in a can but the label couldn't promote my music because you know we had an album to release so it was just like everything got put on hold so as as an artist, that's the worst thing. Like, I can't drop and I got heat.

You know, I want to be in the market too. And you got somebody making a schedule for you. So yeah, it just makes you kind of like, kind of frustrated. And how does that affect you as far as like wanting to sign somewhere else again? I'm really careful with all my deals now. Like, I really had to get a new attorney. I'm looking through my contracts now. I'm actually reading them word for word. I think when I was younger, I was like 19. So I was just signing. You know what I'm saying? Like signing anything and I wasn't checking things thoroughly. So now I'm on top of it, on top of everything. That's a great question because, you know, Tink is very selective because over the years I've hit Tink a million times.

Like, yo, Tink, this person want to talk to you. This person want to talk to you. This person want to talk to you. I was going through things, Charlamagne. I'm really like, you know I'm really personable

but like when you locked into a situation, you can't really talk to anyone at the time. Like, I was in deals and I couldn't really move at the time like how I wanted to.

So that's all that was, you know. How did you go with Hitmaker? Man, it's everything, to be honest. How'd y'all link? How'd y'all get together? So I'm at Empire. I had been with Empire for, like, some years. And he recently, last year, came to Empire.

Yes, sir. So we linked at the studio, working on music. You know what I'm saying? It was real organic. Like, I met him in san francisco yeah so yeah we just met at the studio we started working on records and um i like the process with him like we make it fun there's not no pressure why are you laughing because it wasn't like that off the rip you know what i'm saying charlamagne already said it you know what i'm saying you know she's already just said it. You know what I'm saying? You know, she's very, very particular about things.

I was introduced to her, you know, just because Ghazi really believed in me. Like, last time I was here, I actually got my gig with Atlantic Records from speaking on, you know what I'm saying, the Breakfast Club. No, I was speaking things to existence. There you go.

And then I got my gig, and I was running into Trials and Tribulations at Atlantic because I had sold so many records for them, multiple number one records. Kind of felt underappreciated, and Ghazi came and scooped me up, and it was a big deal for me. And it was like, yo, because leaving Atlantic and doing all these huge records or whatever, to go in the Empire, people would look at it like, maybe you're going to an independent.

Like, yo, it's going to be rougher for you. But actually, I got in there. I linked with Tink. We did the last album. Charlamagne actually opened up the last album. Appreciate you for doing that. And then, you know, I've done Baddest, Chris Brown, Blue, 2 Chainz, Fireboy, Peru.

I was able to orchestrate that record and have him involved in that. So we rocking. I don't think people realize how talented Tink is, man. Oh, no. She the best. Thank you, Charlamagne. Singing and rapping. I've been singing for a long time. Yes. Yeah, talented Tenk is, man. Oh, no, she the best. Thank you, Charlamagne. Singing and rapping. I've seen it for a long time.

Yes. Yeah, and I feel that, too. But I feel like, man, the more that I'm kind of, like, releasing more music, and I'm really able to push my product now. Like, before, when you sign to a label, you kind of, like, you have to play the back row sometimes, and the bigger artists get, you know, the biggest looks. So now my team team we're really putting

it out there and i think it's reaching a bigger audience now did you ever want to give up with everything that you were going through like you know what f that yes all the time i took a break and i was really like my moment where i was like i don't know if i really need to be doing this i'm not in the right space it was messing with me mentally you know like and i'm trying to take care of things at home you know i'm still in chicago so there's a lot mentally, you know, like, and I'm trying to take care of things at home. You know, I'm still in Chicago. So it was a lot. I always, you know. What did you do during that break?

I had moments. To be honest, I honestly, like, I was more so to myself. I kind of, like, stayed in the house for a long time. And, you know, I started approaching my records again, like how I would do before I got signed. So that's like writing in Chicago writing at home I just went back to what you know my home grounds and kind of just had to tighten up everything but you've never stopped making money off music though you do shows man yeah and that's the that's the best thing like my fans they really like hold me down from way back like day one fans so during that period, they were still waiting and ready to support.

What was your first impression of Ting? Me? He thought I was stuck up or standoffish, you know what I'm saying, guarded or whatever. But, I mean, I looked at it as a challenge, you know, because she's so talented that she never really collaborated with anyone in her whole process. She wouldn't let nobody in the studio.

And to bring it full circle, talking about tim was actually in miami with us i invited him to the studio while we were creating this process and i spoke to tink about it and he was around for the early stuff and tim was telling us like boy you got all these in here she don't have nobody and she kicked me out the studio but just to see the evolution of what she really does and like for her to open herself up because to me my thought process is always like if i got all these records at radio we got to get you at radio we got to take it mainstream and i think her redemption was selling out the chicago theater 3 500 seats by herself headlining that show having all chicago female artists open up for you know i'm saying shout out to gci shout out to everybody there what did you think when you first got in the studio with her you were like okay this is what like you said you wanted to do

more mainstream and radio type of songs what did you think about her music prior to that I thought it was dope you know everybody knows the million record bottom bitch you know and then if you really dig deep into the rabbit hole I actually went before the session you know like I like to go do my little research or whatever because me and Tink, I'm probably seven, eight years older than Tink. So like she grew up in a different era in Chicago. We both from the city. So I just went and did my research and I was just like, yo, where can I take this? How can I put this on a mainstream level to where everybody can see it and embrace it? You know, because she has her cult fan base, but now I just want everybody to appreciate it again. And what makes you want to do another album?

Because, you know, you're releasing an album. What makes you want to get back in the front and run around? You got to pay for that jewelry. Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. I'm good. What we got? Turkey Lane Cut. We got Turkey Lane Cut doing the interviews. I was like, you back outside.

Yeah, I'm back outside. But to me, honestly, because I can. It's not really like, you know what I'm saying, like a big deal like that. To me, like I love putting these records together. Actually, my record, Down Bad, features one of my songwriter buddies that I write all these records with or whatever on the record. And Fabulous and Jeremiah is top 40. It just came out, you know what I'm saying, a week ago.

It was number one most out of that urban radio. So I'm just in a groove, you know what I'm saying? Like when the shot's clicking, you're going to keep shooting, you know what I'm saying? I think everybody in the room can relate to that. How difficult is it for you when you have to make a record, but you also have artists that you're producing for? Not at all. So, you can make a record. Tank might want that record, but you're like, damn, I might want that record for myself.

I mean, Envy, I've been working on my producer album since I was at Atlantic. So, like, bro, like, I just give the record away. Like, if you want it, I'm going to go make another one. Like, here, here, here. So, my music and my album has been reshaped away like if you want it I'm gonna go make another one like here here here So my music and my album has been reshaped several times, you know So what do you guys clash on in the studio when it comes to creativity? What like what are some of the discussions you have who has you know, do you trust him to make this? I think the most thing like we probably clash on I like to overdo my ad libs and like I'm real soulful about the music

So sometimes he'll tell me like, you know, just pull it back a little bit. I'm like, no, the song need a little right there. But it's small things. It's more so like the details about the music. It's not really big clashes. Yeah, like we ain't gonna lie. We got great chemistry. Like I think it's fun working with him actually.

The only moments that we might have and that's why our chemistry is super dope together, is that I go off feeling. You know what I'm saying? Like, when it come to music and how it makes me feel, she's a very cerebral thought process, think it through, you know what I'm saying? I like to take time. Attention to detail with everything, you know? And me, it's like, oh, that felt right. That's the moment.

You know what I'm saying? Let's go with it, you know? But she likes to go back and really fine-tooth comb things, which I learned a lot from her in that process as well. And y'all got the record Goofy. Isn't Goofy like fighting words in Chicago? Yeah. Don't you get shocked for calling somebody a Goofy in Chicago?

Yeah, you got to hear the song, though, Charlamagne. I was saying more so like I'm crazy in love. When I thought about it, when I hear it back, and now that people are reacting to it, I'm like, man, Goofy is a strong word. But I guess I'm saying like, y'all, I'm being, sometimes we crazy in love. We make decisions that we normally wouldn't when we really love somebody. So, yeah, sometimes it can come up like we being goofy. Is it hard for you to find love, Tink, because you are Tink?

Charlamagne, yeah. It's a real thing. Like, it's so hard meeting people that understand this, I guess, lifestyle. And just me as a person, I'm an intellectual an intellectual you know me i'm a thinker very mature so yeah this generation is a little weird it's like you know people don't really be on my same wavelength like that we don't see you posting nobody or nothing and that's the thing i have a hard time like working around too many people because then you have a lot of people, like, dropping their opinions. Or in my case, I make music for women, too.

So a lot of times it's guys in the studio. So I need to, like, clear the, you know, just clear the room so I can say what I want to say without feeling any, you know, pressure from nobody. So that's all it is. I just like to be comfortable so I can like get my you know get my vibe off so who's the guy

that's gonna hear this record and be like oh she talking about me I made her a goofy oh lord I hate to think of it like that that's giving people too much like

right but it's for it's for all of us it could be for a lot of people not like that but it could be for a lot of guys like

I speak for all the women not just you know myself so cause you said I saw you say your main goal was to keep it all the way 100. That's why you shot the video in Chicago, all of that stuff. You're going to tell the truth. I'm assuming it's based on what one of y'all should.

Hey, yo, bro. Not like that. You know something. Nah, as far as Goofy, and this is what the funny thing is, you know what I'm saying? We actually had the pleasure to work with Rico Love and collaborate on this record and um we were playing a beat and we was vibing to it and he came in and kind of like he said the good he wrote the dick got me goofy part and I was like oh that was the vibe he threw out there first

and she just went and ran down the street with it and I was like oh okay please say you got that reference track just in case we ever need the black man. Hey, yo, Nigel. I'm playing around. Y'all got some quotables in these streets, for real. I was going to ask, when Berg was out, there was a $5,000 Berg,

a $10,000 Berg, down to where you000 Berg, and now to where you're at now. So do those people still come to you that knew you back then and be like, I need that old Berg price? But you're like, no, that doesn't exist anymore. I'm hit making that. No, I'm not even going to lie. Like right now, I haven't really been taking like too many advances, and I have song deals with every company that's in the business.

So it's like it's a slated fee. And if I really like you and I rock with you, I probably won't charge you because it's like, what I'm going to tell you, Busta Rhymes has a new single that I just did with Bia coming out. I can't charge Busta. What I'm saying, pay me 60 grand, pay me my rate. Busta is a legend. Same way y'all see me

with Terror Squad chains. I can never charge Fat Joe. Or Tink. Tink? I don't charge Tink. It's a vibe. I ain gonna lie i have charged tink you know what i'm saying it was early it was early now we got to understand it and we partners we and her we we like we so locked in with everything we got going on it's my partner like i ain't gonna lie like she involved with my career i'm involved with my career.

I'm involved with her career. We making decisions together and bossing up together. Tink, do you write for other artists too? I do. At a point in time, I was writing. Actually, people don't know this, but I was writing for Rihanna's camp. I knew that. Yeah, Charlamagne did know that.

I was writing for Rihanna. I haven't really written lately because I've been so focused. But when I take my breaks and there's periods of time where I'm not dropping a lot of music, I'm still working and, you know, shopping records. Do you ever get frustrated? Like, I know I'm better than 95% at all of these people out here. The thought crosses my mind, but it don't frustrate me. It kind of like kind of turned me up a little more.

Like, man, when my time come or when it's really that it's like there ain't gonna be no stopping. Cause if that's what y'all really love it's like wait till the real one. You know what I'm saying? Can run the whole game. But I don't get frustrated no more. I'm in a great space y'all. I'm making a nice bag now.

So that's what it's really about. Like I think people get frustrated when they're not receiving you know receiving a reward. I've been getting mad. I'm happy for everybody right now. I had an argument with an executive one time because they were saying how dope you are blah blah blah and they literally said to me but I just don't think she'll pop

because she's dark skinned. What? Yeah. I'm not going to ever say the person's name. You know what? I'm not even surprised to hear that. That's the way of this industry. It's really sad to hear say the person's name. You know what? I'm not even surprised to hear that. That's the way it is in the industry, y'all. It's really sad to hear it, but at the same time, like, whatever. We hear that shit all the time. And to me, that's what makes me even more dope because it's like, man, people really like me for my talent.

Like, I don't have to do, you know what I'm saying? I don't have to be anybody else. It's really about my music. So, like, I can run the game for as long as I want. Like, no matter what I'm coming out the house looking like, they're going to love me for my music. I actually said to them, no, that's the reason she would, because she represents for a whole group of people that see all that melanin. And they like, oh, OK, she looks like us. But it's a new day now.

You know, like people got to really come get around me and see what's going on now. And she gets busy. Is that a real? You still live in Chicago? So I'm in Chicago, but I'm also in L.A. a whole lot. Because I love the Chicago connection, too, between y'all, just to know that, like, you guys are both from Chicago. We got a lot in common. Me and him got a lot in common.

Tell the truth, Executive Hitmaker. You hear things like that, right, about artists? Especially women artists. Not necessarily about skin color, whatever, but I've just seen people make so many wrong decisions. And even with my departure from Atlantic Records, like, this is what happened. Someone, L.A. Reid offered me a label deal. And I came back to Craig, and I was just like,

yo, like, bro, like, I know I work for y'all, but this guy want to give me a label deal. Is this big amount of money? Let me go get my bag. You know, I'll still create the hits and do whatever I need to do. And he was like, no, you can't do that. You can't do that. And then they offer me a deal. And I don't think that they gave me the deal because they wanted they believed in me to get the deal. They just gave me the deal to keep me in that system and keep me locked in or whatever

and just pacify me in the situation. And I wanted to grow and elevate and work with up-and-coming artists and work with different people, sign people, work with artists like Tink. Because I was thinking L.A. Reid offered me, like, man, you could just work with whatever artist in his label, and if it works out,

we'll put them under your banner. You know what I'm saying? Similar to Game and 50 Cent or something like that, how he has all these different acts that were signed. So I was really trying to elevate, but I think that the game, man, is going to be the game.

Look at me. I'm Youngberg. I'm Iceberg. I'm Hitmaker. I got a documentary. I got all types of stuff coming soon. So if you stay in it long enough, man, you're going to see a lot, man.

Do you miss the rapping at all? You miss it? Hell no. Like, come on. Like, that shit is so, like, it's a dangerous job it's more dangerous than ever right now and then not only that uh it's a self-serving like probably like an ego thing stroke ego why i would want to do that right now or rap like i honestly want to

be behind the people that's really doing it and killing it because i've experienced it and i think there's not enough executives that have actually been artists before and been on the other side to really know and appreciate the artists and know where the artist is coming from and actually be in the trenches making their records with them. Are you going to work with RSVP? I already did.

Like, and there's no bullshit. They got one. And them niggas is the funniest niggas ever. Like, yo, when y'all have a breakfast club with Ray J and all them, boy, y'all going, it's going to be, it's going down in history. It's going to be like, Irv Gotti drink champs. Like, it's going to be big. Oh going down in history. It's going to be like Irv Gotti drink champs.

It's going to be big. Oh, we already know. Ray J is a marketing genius. There's nothing dumb about Ray J. Anybody who thinks that is a goddamn fool. Ray J knows exactly what he's doing at all times, and I cannot wait to see how he rolls out a RSVP. Exactly, yo.

Now, what about A1 Bentley? He said you don't make your own beats, and you rely on other producers like OG Parker and Smash David. How do you respond to that? I do. I don't make beats. I'm a curator of everything. You know what I'm saying? Like I come up with the ideas. I'm the person that says, you know what? He's like, I want to. Yeah, I want to. I want to sample this. And I have a guy that replays everything for me and similar to cater or I want to do this and I want to do that and I get with the right people and I put the right people in a room. I'll write the record with the people, as you can see on my Instagram or whatever, but I don't program beats.

I'm not I'm too 88. Like I want to I want to do too much to really sit down and like program beats. Have I programmed beats before? Absolutely. On songs that have came out before that have plaques to them? Absolutely. But when you're working with this heavy volume or whatever, no one man can sit there and lie like, oh, I did everything myself.

So even if a person that programs beats, he didn't do everything. Timbaland had Danger and Scott Storch and everything. So I think that that's the dirt they throw on you

when you get real successful. And then it's like, oh, well, you don't do this and do that. And shout out to A1. I didn't find that wrong with it, though. Hold on. You don't make no beats at all? Or you do make beats and then it's like oh well you don't do this and do that and shout out to a1 a man i didn't find that wrong with it though hold on you don't make no beats at all or you do make beats you just don't make all the beats no what i do is i'm the producer behind the whole session i'm the person that brings in everything you know i'm saying i'm the like i'm

the orchestrator i'm the quincy jones of this shit you know i'm saying so i know the right people to work with i know the right people to pull in i know know the right people to pull in. I know what drum loop I want to use. I want to know what top line I want to use. What music bed I want to put behind this. I actually facilitate the whole move. That's what a lot of major producers do. They don't sit there themselves. They've always said that about Diddy, Khaled.

You hear that about Dre sometime. That's great company. I didn't put you in that company. I didn't say that. It also helps put other people on who are talented. And so, you know, I think that's important. Think about all the producers that were there. If it wasn't for Diddy, they wouldn't have connected.

Diddy was the one that took the sample, put the harmony there. That's all that he does. And I was talking to Fat Joe, and he was like, when it comes to that, you're a genius. You know how to pull the beats, where the hook should go, where the where the drop should go he was like people think it's an easy job but he was like it's like no other and spotty talented producers too like to say this person's really dope i'ma put them on put them in position and get them a check and then they could blow up too here's a quick example because i want to give it back to the team like forgive me uh a boogie look back at it the the song was six minutes long when they had it.

I was at A&R at the company and also a producer. They gave me a song. I went to Hawaii with Boogie. He gave me all the files. I shortened the song, added the snap, and turned it into a three-minute and 30-second record and rearranged the whole song. And that's the song that y'all got from a six-minute record. So if that ain't producing, I don't know what producing is.

Do you care, Tink? If he doesn't do his own beats? It don't matter, right? No, I don't care. Well, T brought up you guys brought up the song cater so let's talk about that song whose idea was that to do i remember first of all i love that song and i love the idea of catering you know thank you to somebody and give being vulnerable enough and trusting somebody enough because it does take vulnerability and trust to feel like i want to cater to you so whose idea was it how did that all come about with sampling Cater?

Yeah, Cater was my idea. He asked me, like, you know, what's the list of songs that you want to, you know, I guess sample or reference on your album. Cater was the first one on the list, and he actually brought the beat in the next day. So when you mentioned, like, do you really care? He really does. He plays a big part in, like, making these records

because he'll go out and put a beat together in 24 hours. Next day, I went in the studio. I laid down the verses. I wrote that one myself, so it kind of just fell. You know, I wrote it really quickly. But, yeah, that's how that record came about. Next day after I wrote it, he goes back in and adds in the drums and whistles.

We called 2 Chainz. And yeah, 2 Chainz, he heard it. He loved it. It was real organic. What do you do to spoil your man? What do I do to spoil him? I like to buy gifts. I like to take trips. And you pay him? I like to do a lot.

Well, it's not that I'm paying, but... But I will accompany you. I will come and set things up. It's equal love. Uh-oh. I didn't know it was a secret that Ghazi was here. Congratulations, Tank. Big gold record.

Certified, baby. This is my first. That's your first flag? I know, Charlotte. Wow. Congratulations, Tank. Yeah, she was so cool with her reaction. She was just like, oh. No, this is big.

Y'all know I'm just a calm, chill girl. Thank you. Oh, y'all, this is great. Yeah, I ain't. No man going to pay for no trips once they see that gold plaque. She got all the money. She going to cry in the car, man. She going to cry in the car.

Yeah. You going to pass it back up? What kind of car would you rather cry in? Somebody kind of flick it. Somebody kind of flick it. Yeah. Now, how do you know when a man is worthy to be catered to? You want to pass it back? I'm kind of caught with you by the crying. I really, really appreciate it. Now, how do you know when a man is worthy to be catered to?

You know when he's worthy when he actually shows you that he cares and he puts in effort and it's not just all talk. It takes time, though. It's nothing, you know. I'm not saying I'm catering the first week, first month. But, you know, after a while, you got to get to know somebody because, like I say, the honeymoon stage is real. So it takes time and you really got to be around someone a lot to feel them out and know what's genuine and what's, you know, just to get to you. You know what I'm saying? Like you'll cook for him and stuff like that?

I'll cook. A lot of times, though, I'm really not even like like, at home with, like, enough to make a meal. What's your dish? What's your go-to? I was going to ask that. I love to make, like, I do this steak and I put it in the oven and I add the potatoes. Listen, no, it's good. Steak in the oven.

Steak in the oven. So it cooks like a roast and you add the potatoes and then you want to put a vegetable on the side, asparagus. I might do, you know. We need a video i would no it's so good it's similar to like a roast okay so it's really tender and it just you know it kind of like just falls apart similar to a roast yeah now what are the songs on that list of wanting to sample mine the boy is mine yeah now that song yeah i sampled that song well we put it together it's featuring money long um but that record was it became a little issue if we being honest that was one of the harder records to clear really yes i was sweating um i guess on brandy's side shout out to brandy but it was like a process. We had to have

a few conversations. She had to hear the record first? She had to hear it. But yeah, it was just like, you know, she wanted to really make sure that it was in good hands.

And to piggyback off of that, I've worked, you know, I've been close to Ray J for my whole career. I've been close to Brandy my whole career. And, you know,

she's very particular about people remixing or flipping or sampling her records like I brought her to the studio before and I was like playing records

that I flipped to hers this is a few years back and she was like no let me sing my own records so like she's very particular about that

but what I can say is that you know at the end of the day it made the project and we really appreciate her you know what I'm saying cause y'all get to hear Tink and Money Long do something crazy. We love Money Long.

For real, for real. I can't see you fighting over no man, Tink. I can't see it either. I'm really not even like the type to argue with nobody about no man. Y'all never seen me argue about no man. Well, never seen me argue in general. But you have gotten goofy though. Yeah, I'll admit that.

I can get crazy about him and make a crazy decision. But I think arguing with another woman, that's kind of backwards. It's like the guy is more of the issue than that woman. You never got a DM like, you know, that guy, I mess with him too? Yeah, I've had a few DMs. Damn it, man. You can't respond. That's my thing.

Like, if you respond, you're going to give them, they're going to have confirmation. So I don't say nothing. Like I said, I bring it to the guy. You know what I'm saying? Because it could be one of the days, somebody else tomorrow. Oh, my God. After he lies. After he lies.

You're going to make me feel bad. What's this? What would you say? Oh, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't even know what you're talking about right now. That's right. Don't practice bad're talking about. I don't even know what you're talking about right now. That's right. Don't practice bad habits, bro. I'm there.

Now, what's the most you ever spent on a man? He's very into this for some reason. I think the most, maybe $20, $25. For what? I like to buy jewelry. I like to buy designer, nice pieces, nice coats, jackets. You take it back when things don't go right I want to

I know you gotta get it back and then break up I want to you think about it in your head like I should never I should never spend that

how does a guy kick it to you how do they meet you cause you say you don't go out as much so how do they kick it to you it happens

on rare occasions that's the thing I'm not an internet girl. Like, you'd have to really see me outside, maybe, you know, in passing at an event. I don't know, at the studio. You know, that's why I say you got to really be involved in this lifestyle to kind of meet me. Because all I do is music. I don't have time to really go to the clubs and kick it every weekend.

So, yeah, it has to be like in passing rare occasion now what other songs did you say you wanted to flip i want to hear some other ones that you put on that list um if you're doing what did we put on the list i wouldn't say too much of it right what made it what songs so people know i know it's cater made it that was the first one of course um the boy is mine was. I also had a few records. Did I have some TLC joints on there? There's a lot of girl groups. I'm always trying to flip.

There's one called Bro Back that's on there. That's kind of like Knockin' the Boots. It's a little vibe of that. Knockin' the Boots. I think I put Computer Love on there. I'm a big fan of old school, 90s. Stevie Wonder. Vibes.

Yeah, it's a little vibes on there. But it's a 16 track, so it's crazy. With this album Pillow Talk coming, what does success look like for both of you? That's a great question. To me, success is what we're doing, like growing my audience. You know what I mean? It's not even about like an amount or a bag. It's more so like reaching further than Chicago and what I've been doing so I feel successful

with the first album here at the moment we came with that one I had no idea that it would be like you know number one on Apple and you know we had some great moments within that record and it really lasted you know what I'm saying they really took to it so with this one I just want to keep progressing like I want to make sure that I'm growing my audience and not just staying in one lane. What about you? For me, honestly, it's just doing whatever I can

and make sure that she receive every flower she deserves, you know, and whatever it means, carrying the bags, you know what I'm saying, producing a song, writing that, sitting on the phone for two hours while we talk about things, game planning, sitting with guys, flying cross-country, anything, being at the breakfast club. I just want to make sure that she gets the proper look that she needs because she's a gem to the music business and to just in general in life, for real. Thank you. And I will say, too, he's also helped me.

You know, I've never really had a big, big radio record. Kater is doing well. It's about to be top 20. So that's success for me. That's different. That's something different outside of what I've been on. Because I'm not crazy, too crazy about like, man, I need to have a radio record.

But when he came around, he was like, you know, embody, embrace radio. And now I'm, you know, pushing, coming to see everybody. I've been playing Kater for a long time. Thank y'all. I'm so grateful for that. Top 20, that's rare for me too so and we got to finish your first gold plaque congratulations again independently y'all this is a big deal and speaking of doing stuff like this you know you

always let your guard down in your music are you letting your guard down more when you sit down and have these conversations yeah exactly and that's why i I say having somebody like Hitmaker, he'll be in my ear like, you know, certain things you want to do and it's okay to open up and talk to the executives and talk to the, you know, is it the PRs?

Yeah. Things like that. I think it's important. I come from that cloth from being an artist. I think that a lot of people get caught in the streaming era right now where artists

that are up and coming or just new to the game will be like, well, I'm streaming, so I don't give a fuck. I don't need to talk to nobody. I'm putting money in my pocket. But I'm a prime example

that relationships in this business last forever. So you want to make sure you reach out and get very personable with people because you never know what they might be able to do for you or what you might be able to do for them.

It's a very relationship-based, you know what I'm saying, business. And I'm super, super proud of her, man, because she, you know, from where we started to where we at right now is just truly a blessing and now we're about to take this even all the way to the top for man hit make i'm glad you standing next to think like this man ronald applaud you because tink is the she's been the and the best is yet to come for her and he's glad too trust me yes yeah let's get this yeah wait i want to ask you she makes you look good. Since you brought up relationships and things like that,

what about sisterhood when it comes to the music? What women would you feel like, okay, these are people that I know I could call on. This is who I would love to do a tour with or collaborate more with. You know, I want to go on tour or even do a record with Summer Walker. A lot of times people really have been like trying so hard to like, been trying so hard to put all of us against each other so much or they just compare us. So I think that would be really dope. I like what she does and I love her music.

There's plenty of artists in the game, especially R&B. We got Ari Lennox. She's very special. Her voice is crazy. SZA. Me and SZA, we always like commenting. Little things like that

go a long way sometimes. Just showing that support. Like, I see you, girl. You look good. And, you know, the subtle things make a big difference in this game.

They all big you up. SZA, I seen SZA, Cardi, JT from the City Girl. They've all big you up. Cardi. Yeah, that was very big. I think maybe a year ago. Cardi just made a statement

like, yo, it's time. And, you know, we got to stop. Just stop playing with her. She really putting in work. It was something to that degree. So that's big, you know what I'm saying? Like, women, we so, like, competitive, and it's so easy for y'all guys to link up and make things happen. But, yeah, I'm all for the women uniting.

You know, I would love to go on tour with all those girls. All right. Let's get into the single. What y'all want to hear? Yo, yeah, let's take, yeah, top 20, you know, I would love to go on tour with all those girls. All right. Let's get into the single. What y'all want to hear? Yo, yeah, let's take, yeah,

top 20, you know what I'm saying? Let's keep Kata going and then Goofy coming right after this, you know what I'm saying? Let's play both of them. Yeah,

play them both. Let's play both. Appreciate y'all, man, for real. Well, let's do it. It's Hitmaker.

When Pillow Talk coming up? Pillow Talk, yeah. August 19th. That's a great statement, August 19th, so that's next Friday. Is there anything you want

to manifest or lie about and throw out there now? Oh, man. What did he lie about? I didn't lie. He said he had a deal. That's how he got the deal. Manifestation. I don't think he lied. He probably was in negotiation. He said he lied. No, I didn't lie. I was talking to

people and then it happened that way. I just want to manifest. Tink is triple platinum right now. Triple platinum for Tink right now. We'll talk triple platinum right now. There you go. Guys, we're running back. And thank you for my flowers, Tink.

I appreciate you. Thank you. Congratulations. All right. It's Hitmaker. It's Tink. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.

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 Zaka-stan. 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,

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