The Questlove Show - Questlove Supreme: Steve Rifkind Part 2

Episode Date: September 28, 2022

In Part 2 of the QLS interview, Steve Rifkind tells Team Supreme about giving Mobb Deep a second chance, discovering Akon, and how he has returned to the music business with the same passion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-heart podcast, guaranteed human. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast,

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The director of the NFL's East West Shrine Bowl, Eric Galco, joins the Sports Slice podcast to break down what really matters when evaluating draft prospects. From hidden traits teams look for to the biggest mistakes franchises make to the players flying under the radar. This is the insight you won't hear anywhere else. If you want to understand the draft like an insider, you don't want to miss this episode. Listen to the Sports Slice Podcasts

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, for wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slice of Life 12 and TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Quest Love Supreme is a production of Iheart Radio. What up y'all? It's on Pay Bill from Quest Love Supreme. We are back

with part two of the Quest Love Supreme interview with Steve Rittenden. Steve co-founded Loud Records, put out some incredible albums by Wu-Tang, Ray Kwan, Mob, Teep, and more. If you haven't listened to Part One, please check it out. Steve talks about growing up in the music industry, James Brown-commodews bar mitzvah, his relationship with Tupac, and putting out some hip-hop classics. Check it. I will say that my first listen to that album, 36 Chambers or Cuban Lampes?

Oh, 36 Chambers. So the day that both Marauders and the Wooten comes out, and we're driving up 95 from Philly, listening to this and you know I know it's not not since Prince's fan base

with the album Dirty Mind if I heard what I deem like revision on an opinion of the record when I first heard

the Woot Ting record and not that I was looking from like a commercial standpoint or an underground standpoint but I just never heard something so dirty in my life I don't know

I just like this is way too underground for regular people and yet it almost became the pinnacle of me it's weird it's like they became they became the epicenter in the mainstream of the system that they were against which you know I wasn't complaining they were a rock and roll wu tank was wutank still has power oh yeah they do but I just mean they still are still they not they still not look that as I don't mean like in a four four letter word way like like a four four letter word way like Like, ah, they're mainstream. Right. No, but I'm just saying that I, there's no way you were going to tell me on that first listen that this group. I'm with you. Was going to be the alpha and the mega and the epicenter of what.

But let me ask you a question. Sorry for cutting you up. Yeah. When you heard, when you heard cream and can it be for the first time. Well, yeah. Well, yeah. What did, what, I remember, I remember hearing cream for the first time in the studio. It's the singles.

The singles. I knew, I mean, I knew actually before because I was on the road. I moved to New York and I opened up a New York office and I opened up and I took an apartment in New York and now I was quite coastal. But at the end of the day, when Cream came on it, forget about the car. What mess up on the hook, a dollar, dollar bill you are, and what that meant to me or whatever. Right. But I just knew that this album, there was something fucking special about. Then three months later, my office in LA was on Melrose and Kings Road, where cookies is.

Literally, the building with cookies is. And I'm going to the deli to grab a sandwich, and I see this white kid head down to here on a fucking skateboard with the old Wu Tang Scully singing, Wu Tang Taney, not the fucker. And I knew, Gecko. I said at my age now, I'm 60 years old now. I said that when I'm fucking 60, they're still going to be around. Yeah. I don't know. In my mind, it was just like.

again, I got to go back to the first Jungle Brothers record. Like, the Jungle Brothers' first album, straight out the Jungle, was just like an inside secret for like real heads. Meanwhile, like mainstream America only feels hammer, vanilla ice, like more, you know, mainstream rappers. And- I asked you one question now.

Yes. Jungle Brothers was on Tommy Eagle, right? No, no, that's De La Sol. Jungle Brothers was on Warlock and then went to Warner Brothers for the second album. Okay. And I was just like, just to me, I, you know, once Cream started picking up traction, I was like, wait a minute.

This is almost like if straight out the jungle by the Jungle Brothers really got a chance. Now, I mean, there's a lot of factors into the success of Wu-Tang Clan. But what I was basically leading up to was, upon first listen of that entire record, you knew you had lightning in a bottle in your possession? Yeah, I knew we had lightning when Outcast was throwing a party. When did their album came out to summer? Ninety- Four.

I know, I was at a party, an album release party. I was with Steve Stapp. Okay. And the Emmy, I think Clark Kent was DJ. And the METD record came on. And we're talking and also everybody just went straight to the dance floor. And losing their fuck of mind. And that's when I knew that there was,

it was like my first, like I needed to see it with my own eyes. Right. And that's why I like to be outside. So it was like at the end of the day, like when I see something with my eyes, and that's what made you move to New York, an open up shop in New York. And then you remember the new music seminar? Yes. Right?

Then I said, Clark, let's find the club. Arias, who was area. And they let me do a showcase with the Licks Twister, and all of New York showed up. Shout out to G to Wu Tank's trustee. One of there are many street team people that I've associated Wu with. Gee used to be part of the Princeton hip-hop circle that, you know. Princeton. Yeah.

But, you know, he would also work the Philadelphia market. Like, Rizzo would have, like, his side guys. Or I don't know if G was part of Rifkin's street promotion team or Riz's personal people, but that's how I got hit to them. All right. So I have to ask you the other side of the coin, too, because a big part of my personal success was also being the guy on standby whenever somebody. would mess up, i.e.

Blah, blah, blah. It's not going to make it to the show. Can you guys get here in 12 hours? Da-da-da. Just dropped out. Yo, can you guys fly in next week? And literally, at the beginning of Wu-Tang forever, I swear to God, at least 60% of my entire output of doing shows

were based on Wu-Tang shows not attended. During the period of of 97. Are you talking about the Wu-Tang Raid against machine tour? Starting then, but just basically, you know, like the roots might as well have been, you know, the 12th member of the Wu-Tang clan, because literally is like, uh,

we were supposed to come or whatever designated Wu member was supposed to show up and, okay, we'll get the roots instead. So for me, though, in 1997, and I have my theories about this, what are your feelings on Wu-Tang forever? It was a double album.

Right. But did you get goosebumps? On certain songs. All right. The album, I mean, it was a double album. So, like I said, I never get to say myself in A. I got goosebumps on Triumph. I got goosebumps.

I've got the name of the bucket. It's yours and there was one, and there was one more record, which I would have, where I really got goosebumps. But at the end of the day, I put that Twitter together between Wu-Tang and Rage. Right. And, you know, we, um, it was the first million-dollar hip-hop video. Brett Ratner directed it.

Yeah. I, look, no, nothing is glad. I just, I just, I just, from my perspective, that, okay, so first of all, I feel like the strength of triumph was that it was the first offering. I mean, you know, it could have been,

like name any other song from that. It could have been dog shit, the song, not actual dog shit. I mean, it could have been reunited. It could have been whatever, whatever the first song from that album was going to come forth, was going to be an instinct.

Reunited was the song that gave me goosebumps. It's yours triumping. Right. Why didn't reunite it? To me, the opening, reunited. I mean, Richard's verse, you know, was ridiculous in that. I mean, because they started fighting. So let me just tell you where I am, right?

Biggie passes a few months before that, right? Right. Me and Puff had conversations before Big Pass. Who's going to come first? Who will Biggie? And we were both coming with a double out. So Big was always going to come first. Right.

Because I didn't really, we weren't having radio records, right? So we have breadth through the video and like you said, whatever the video was, the video was. But to me, they were a rock and roll group or they were a group, right? So the Rage Tour was, right? We sold 8 million records on that album. that album if they finished that tour right because we already we started in Florida and we were coming up to New York so that was already home base like and sales were going up now we were going to do the bum-fuck you know like the

mid mid mid-mid Indiana right the mid mid mid mid-mid west and West Coast that album would have sold 20 million records and that was always my plan if we It should have went diamond. I agree with you. It should have went diamond. I, you know, I don't know the exact conditions. I don't know, you know, I know it was a fire. I always felt like, ah, whenever someone gets a good formula and they change it,

I wish they didn't make that record in California. I wish they would have stayed. Well, the problem was, if you saw the show, Riz's house got flooded, everything was destroyed. Right. So he had to start from scratch anyway. And with everybody having solar record, I understand what you're saying. Right. With everybody having solo records, in New York, you're being pulled 10 different ways. Everybody's being pulled 10 different ways. Everybody's being pulled 10 in the whole.

They were one platinum, Jesus and one platinum, both one plow, meth one platinum. So it's like they're getting, so them being in one house together and to create that unity, how they had it on the first album, granted it wasn't Chalin and it wasn't in. the basement. Right. Right. But the house got flooded and everything was, everything was destroyed. Can I ask, though, I kind of feel like the end of that rain, kind of not the end of that rain, but at least the stronghold of that initial period, was the hot 97 situation? That was a bad situation. I was on my bachelor's. Could you? Could you? you have rectified that situation or like how do you in terms of are you the type of CEO that has to

talk to the artist to stop them from sabotaging their progress or whatever or could you explain the story that whole hot 97 situation and then like hot 97 not playing wu t'ang anymore and i was i was i was on a plane i was my bachelor party okay i was flying from dallas to alama And, you know, we land and my phone's blowing the fuck up. But, you know, I have all pretty much my senior executives with me, you know, was my brother was a partner, my best friend, my child's best friend, Rich, you know, was a partner, Mojo, who's, you know, became a brother and running promotion. You know, they were all with me.

And I'm getting, you know, this when everybody had, you know, not even the two ways, just a page of so. And, like, what the fuck's happening? And I couldn't get Riz on the phone. And then Tracy, who was the program there was, the high seven, just called me. I'm getting married for a fucking days. Like, called me and just says, go fuck yourself.

Like, you know, just like, I mean, if she was a dude, we wouldn't want the fist, right? But she didn't know that you'd personally, like. She was bent. thing. Right. I don't even think she was so mad. I don't even think she went to the wedding. And she was somebody to the wedding. Don't forget, Wu-Tang was the first rap record that Hot 97 fucking played. They were a dance station. Hot 97 was also on that no rap work day. Right.

Yeah. More music, less rap. They were on that? No, they weren't a rap. I mean, no, how 97 was a dance station. Like, right. Okay. And then Flex was, I mean, between Flex and Angie, they're the ones that took it. to a whole different place where Flex had a show on the weekends, you know, and then thank God, you know, and then thank God, you know, puff came with flavor in your ear. And there was some, you know, and then finally, you know. Right. And he was making those records.

Like, so thank God for him. You know. So there was, it was absolutely unreparable. I guess for our listeners that are hearing, you know, they're doing summer jam. and I don't know if it was ghost face or I forgot who said something out of line fuck hot 97 they don't play our shit

You know, listen Let's keep it 100 There was 75,000 fucking people that Right Right They're making a fortune So we were on tour with rage Right

And at the end of it we weren't getting paid a lot of money yet Right Yeah Really a rage tour and goes, you know, should he have said it? No, but. I'm about to say, that don't help with your argument, though, Steve, with Tracy Netto. It's still like. Just to be clear, artists do not get paid for doing summer shows.

No, but no, now they get, you know, they started getting paid a few years ago. Not a few years ago. Hell yeah. A few years after that. They were getting paid big dollars. I see. I see. Imagine Nikki Minaj not getting paid these different hits.

Yeah, for a hot 97. Well, no, I mean, but just black artists in general just, you know, know, you just are so inept to black radio that you, yeah, I'll do it for free. You know, as long as you keep playing my records. But so there was literally, absolutely no. She for a while, yeah, co-pa, no. So for a while, they even banned all loud records. Yeah, this is a thing.

But this is what was happening to, right, Steve? But why don't I take about it to you? Something wrong. That's what. I mean, I mean, me and Tracy were friends. Who else is she going to take it out of? Right. But you know, Amir, this happened in Philly with beans. Like, it, it happened with Foxy Brown with Def Jam when she cussed out Kobe. They said, we ain't playing these records for a minute. Like that, it feels like a air. I did not know that. Okay. So with, actually, you mentioned Puff. I was going to ask with the opening sketch of side three or side two of the purple tape of, of, uh, Raquan, when they kind of, you know, draw a line the sand with Bad Boy and Wu-Tang,

i.e., the, I guess by that point in 95, Bat Boy was establishing himself as more of a mainstream, middle, middle on the aisle. I mean, I mean, no, I mean, we got to give credit what creditors do. I mean, Puff had everybody. I mean, he had the palm, he's the world in the palm of the sands. He was coming with it after hit. And, you know, what Ray or Go said, you know, me and Puff spoke.

He goes, what was that about? I said, I don't know. You know, I have no idea, but I go, let's just keep it. We're in two totally different lanes. We're not even in the same freeway. Like, you know, I'm just using New York. Like, you know, we're on the Northern State. They're on the LIA, you know, and it's just like, I'm not trying to keep with people.

It's two different things. He's making radio, radio records. we're still making records for the street. And I'm not like, I'm trying to help get as much as he possibly can. Like so and you know, and they worked it out a few months later. So I always wanted to know what the response was because, you know, I. Yeah, no, when when Shug said fuck New York or whatever, whatever the hell he said at the source awards. Right.

That that that's when we all, they all reunited again. Right. And that was that that was like two weeks after we came out with the album. Wow. Were you there for hip-hop's funeral? I was there. No, I wasn't there because my son was just born, so I pretty much was taking that summer wrong. God, we were not there.

Hey, Steve, can I ask a question real quick about these records? Since you have such not made for radio records, but yet and still, it seems like you got to a stride where y'all were picking like amazing singles. I had the best day in our staff to this day. They weren't producing. Okay. No, there was a team.

It was a team. It was a guy by name of a Maddie C, who actually discovered Biggie. You worked at the source. Yes. Right? Was a guy. Matti C of the source?

I remember my name. Yes. Right. Scott Free started off as my assistant. And he got himself into A&R quickly, Stretch Armstrong, who had the Stretch and Bob Beto show. Oh.

And then. Stress was doing it. A&R? Yeah. And then. Stretch was picking radio hits. He was the first one. And then the guy been named as Sean C.

C. Yes. I want to see, yeah. Yes. Speaking of Maddie C. Mabdi, I remember getting Sukhoun's Part 1. How in the world did you guys manage

to, on the second go-round, again, capsule lightning in the bottom? Like, the street team. So I was saying the streets don't lie. The record was cool. It did what it was supposed to be. do but it wasn't a fucking smash and we came in there you know and um i said mattie what are we going to do you know um you know we're cool but this is not going to drive any anything home and he goes

matter of fact havoc just to the remix last night here it is and you heard it and we heard it and i was on my way to how can i be down and um i had a walk man not even at this man I had a walkman and I was in a car with them stretching Bobito. And I was on my, me and Bobito, I used to play basketball. And it was like some type of celebrity game. And they lost their mind. And, you know, they were the first one to play it. They played it.

We gave it to Flex. This is September, October. And then when we came back after Christmas, it's the biggest record in New York. So, but I'm saying in your mom, mind, it wasn't like, oh, well, that didn't make it. All right, what else you guys got? Like, I think another ANR or CEO would have just been like, oh, well, that's stillborn. So what else is down the pike?

But this is unheard of to resuscitate a song like that. When they came to the office, I knew they were perfect, like, who is your first child? and I got my first check and my first plaque and everything else like that. But, you know, when you give a jab, you got to come with a cross or a hook right, fuck right away. Right? So Wu definitely shook people and got everybody's attention. But when we came with Mab, that's when everybody knew that Lab was for real. And I still had the marketing company.

So the bigger the lab got, the bigger the marketing company got. The bigger the marketing company, the more people wanted to be at Lab. and we were like three for three you know well madcap we made a little bit of money but it just did a little over 100 but you know licks it didn't go gold but the licks did 300,000 who did 2 million on the first record and you know and mob did you know they went planting him on the first out so even with you knowing like because me you know I knew of and I had the the fourth and broadway mob did it from the back. Yeah. Yeah. Hit it from the back and all that stuff. Like, but in your mind, you were like, yeah, these guys are going to still be a thing.

Yeah. I mean, they came to the office. They want, I don't know if they were going to smoke a cigarette or if they were going to smoke a blunt, but they went to the bathroom. And this is in like, you know, a corporate building. Right. And they lit, Prodigy wasn't there because he was sick. At the time it was havoc and, you know, some of the guys.

Twelve guys. Right. And, and the Sprinty. just went off. I said, they had a perfect follow-up to Wu-Tang. That's how I looked at. So for you, there still had to be an edge or a rock, or an element of your groups, that authenticity. Yeah. To make it, okay. I see, I see.

Do you mind telling us like a prodigy story? Just because, you know, we were one of the last shows that he did before we lost him. He was like a, he was a brother to me. I mean, just, um, like he he had such a good good soul and you know he just wanted to learn and he was like a sponge I think his oldest son or daughter is my oldest son that I think that like four or five months apart and he would say is your son coming to the office I'm like I don't know why he was I need to come up and I got my kid with me and you know he if he was coming up that means he must have been going over some artwork or whatever he was going through.

So we were fortunate enough, you know, to have a nanny. So I'm like, I'll make sure you see what time you're going to be here. So I just had to get approval for my wife. And, you know, and the nanny would watch, you know, both babies. You know, and he was appreciative. Like, and, you know, we could have arguments and say, fuck you to each other. But at the end of the day,

we would both say, you know, I love you. And, you know, and it wasn't like, we were just fighting for what we felt. And it was never about money. It was always about maybe a single or a tour or something like that. It was not like, we already spent this and we're not going. It was just, it was about passion and really what was going to get to the next level. After the Jay-Z incident in 2001, did you, like, how does a label CEO respond to that?

to reuse, like, no sweat off your back. Just get the next record ready. Actually, wait, can you explain the situation to me? You know, again, I was in L.A. for the summer. Right. I remember getting the call, and I wanted to call Bain.

I'm like, where the fuck did you get that picture? Like, how did you get the picture? Right? So. Ashanti. Oh, we're going to get, you know, I. You know more shit tonight. You didn't need, prodigy.

We're going to get Ashanti. on the show, I, yeah, I got the tea on that, John. Yeah. All right. So, so, so at the, so at the end, it's like, man, like, let's just get to work. And not even about bracing Jay or whatever. It's like, what's this thing? Sticks and songs may break your bones, but names will never harm me.

So, I mean, yeah, we got one on the chin, but you know what? We're still standing and it's not how many times you fall. It's how many times you get up. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep. That's me, Clifford Taylor the fourth.

You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about.

life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. There's two golden rules that any man should live by. Rule one, never mess with a country girl. You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes. And rule two, never mess with her friends either. We always say that trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield, and in this new season of the girlfriends...

Oh my God, this is the same man. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hip-hift. by a truck. I thought, how could this happen to me? The cops didn't seem to care. So they take matters into their own hands. I said, oh, hell no.

I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This week on the Sports Slice podcast,

it's all about the NFL draft. And we've got a special guest, the director of the NFL's East West Shrine Bowl, Eric Galko joins the Sports Slice podcast to break down what really matters when evaluating draft prospects. From hidden traits teams look for to the biggest mistakes franchises make to the players flying under the radar. This is the insight you won't hear anywhere else.

If you want to understand the draft like an insider, you don't want to miss this episode. Listen to the Sports Slice podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, for wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slical Life 12 and TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Why did you decide to sell the label in 99? Because I wanted, you know, when us selling to Sony, we were going to be the third major in the Sony system. Right? Because Columbia ethic and now is going to be us.

And it really wasn't about the money. It was more about my ego, which, you know, was fucked up. I was like, I were going to be the third major. and I'm going to be able to have this be on the same playing field as Jimmy as you know as everybody else because I always felt we weren't on the same playing field and it ended up being the biggest mistake of my life so you left in 99 so like the whole Project Pat period and that that all came three six Mafia like we broke three six Mafia we broke Project Pat we broke Flip um punt pass during that that that all came three six Mafia like we broke three six Mafia we broke three six Mafia we broke we broke Flip um punt past during that that time. We had murder music. Davina was before. DeVino was like 95, 96. But 98, right around the fun time. So that, you know, and it was just,

I never played a corporate game before. You know, we went from a staff of 30 people to the coolest, most creative company out there on both aspects. On the marketing side of things and on the record side of things. You know, we did the deal, and next year you know, I have the staff of 300 people.

And I'm like, what the fuck is this? Like, there was this woman, God bless us all. My name was Tova Hoffman. You know, she was in the 60s calling me Mr. Rifkin. I'm 35 years old, 36 years old. Like, please don't call me Mr. Rifkin, you know. And she was just, and I knew then it was like, how much time do we have left in this fucking deal?

And it was just like, I was stuck for three years. I started having panic attacks, anxiety attacks. I was like, I just couldn't wait to get the fuck out. It was the first time. I didn't know which way to look because I thought I was getting hit every which way I got from corporate. Now, there's another Philadelphia connection that you kind of have. My good friend, Charles Stone, the third, who directed many a Roots video, made his debut with a street classic called Paidem Full, which is, I believe, One of your first loud film, could you talk about the process of getting into the movies?

Again, I didn't want to be in it. We were doing all of, we were doing all of Miramax's marketing through the marketing company. Now, you know, we're branching out. Now I have every film studio, MGM, Merrimax, Warner Brothers, Plus, Records, and the street team marketing went to corporate America. And I sold 25% of the company to a company called Dinner Public at that time, which was the largest. sabotizing holding company in the world. Okay.

So Miramax wants, there was a guy by name of Scott Lambert, who was an agent William Morris, who was just a really good friend of, a really good friend of mine. And he says, Miramax wants to do urban films. Like, I can get you a three-picture deal. And I'm like, huh? You know, he's like, he was a brother to me.

I'm like, Scott, that's not going to happen. Why would they give me a three-picture deal? So he sets up a meeting. I don't want to say I think it was Bob Weinstein but I couldn't I couldn't stand Bob I already had a fight with him once

and I beat this shit out of him he meant this oh yeah I was Steve all right we should have those questions too like yeah I mean he was just

the fucking prick I mean when the big earthquake in L.A. happened my office was destroyed I had to send a report because I don't give a fuck who died who this, who that.

And I said this. I said, the next time I see you, I promise him to smack the shit, Eddie. And I hung up the phone. A year and a half later, my son is four weeks old. He was born June, 10th, July 4th week,

at 1990, I'm pulling off. I took a house in the Hamptons, and there's a gas station. I go to take a piss, and there he is. He has no idea who the fuck I am. And,

I can't go with Steve. I smacked him in the face. I said, Bobby, that. And that is our promo, ladies and gentlemen, Steve Rink will be on Questlop Supreme

smacking motherfuckers up. I like it. I like it a lot. Not just any kind. Right? So I got locked up for that. So now I got it. So now we're doing a presentation for Davina. You mentioned the

Vina. Oh, yes. We talk. We talk. So we'll come. And my brother says Miramax is coming with it off by the time we land. It was the mention, which was the sister the label to Miramax was like the indie side um to jose johnathan you're full of shit we land we get to the hotel there's a fucking contract i don't know if my brother forged my fucking signature i

don't even remember signing the deal and next thing you know i have a three picture this all happened within a week a three picture deal and they threw crazy fucking money out of us and then brett ratner says um bane has an incredible story like but i go who's gonna produce it i don't know nothing about. I don't even have to produce a record. Like, I'm going to now produce a fucking movie. He goes, no, you're going to hire this guy, Ron. We hired this guy, Ron. And the rest is history.

And Dane, you know, I'm not going to, the only thing that I did is we had the deal, but this was, I got to give credit to Dane. Dane did everything. He picked John. He did everything. I'm not trying to take his thunder. I mean, he did everything. I just went for the ride. when he asked me to take my name off as executive producer,

I was taking my name off anyway, because it was based on a true story, and I didn't want any fucking headaches people just coming out of the woodwork. Right, coming at you. Yeah, so I was taking my name off anyway. I was like, that's not a problem. We now live in a time in which the African renaissance has truly arrived with, like, African music and African artists getting mainstream success,

but, you know, I know. that you I mean, I won't say a risk, but you were actually ahead of the game. And I believe you signed ACON. Is you not? Yeah. What was it about Acon? And you signed him early, like back in 2004 2005, I believe. He was, right? When I left

glad, I started NSRC records. Right. Right? So I signed Banner. I'm a basketball. Yeah, David Banner and ACON. Yeah. Yeah. I'm a basketball guy. And, um, I break my nose playing basketball. And the macho guy that I am, all I really want to do is cry, but my son is watching.

It must be eight and nine and nine and I want to show them. Like I have blood all over me and I want to show him that it's okay. So I get hit and you don't have to cry. Meanwhile, I'm seeing three of everything. It's like, you know, if the basket's over there, I shut the globe over there. Right. And then I literally just, I never felt pain like and I just passed out.

and when they were taking me to the hospital, Kenny Burns was with him. And Kenny, he goes, you got to hear this. And I'm like, what the fuck it is this? And there was only one record that I wanted to hear. I mean, there's only one record that I said, just keep on playing it over and over and over again. And my philosophy was, like,

I never considered myself an A&R guy. Like, it was always about the team. Wait, did you say Kenny Burns said that? No, I said Kenny had the tape. Right. And he played with me. We were playing the ball and we're not going to the hospital to get my nose tricks. Okay.

I'm just tripping it. Kenny Burns is a part of the ACON story. This is amazing. Okay. So in those days, I flew private. And I just didn't know if I was being allowed to fly. I didn't know what the hell was the matter with my nose. It could have been like a full, you know, brain addict.

I don't know what the fuck I have. You know, they said they broke my nose and I couldn't really fly for 24 hours for infection. So I just said, well, going to Orlando said in New York. And I met Devine. I met ACON. The rest was history. And I pretty much did the same thing. Universal laughed in my face. I said, this is going to be the biggest artist in my career. And they said, oh, this is going to be bigger than war. I'm like, yeah. And they laughed when I got so fucking mad. I was like, you know what? Fuck you guys. And I had somebody that was with me at Laude who started off as an intern in the street team guy.

and then he just grew and grew and grew with me. And then when I started S.C, he became, he was, I gave him a piece of the company and he was my president. Gabby Acevedo. And his wife was pregnant at the time. And I said, God, you do the east and the south. I'll do the west and the Midwest. And we didn't have a video. We didn't have anything.

He took A-Con and I took A-Con for the Boone. And I mean, we may believe boo was A-Con. And we... What? Wait, well? Wow. This is like the Little Richard James Brown situation. We're both Little Richard and James Brown were touring as Little Richard.

I didn't, okay. Oh, it happens. So we had no video. Nobody knew what they kind of looked like. Oh, okay. And at the end of the day, the record broke in Albuquerque, Mexico and so like city. You know, I fly into New York with the record called Locked Up with Stiles City.

I was about to say was it locked up? Okay. Right. I come to New York and this is, you know, Republic was known for doing their research. I should you not. There's a fucking rapport like this. Must have been 50 pages on every store in Albuquerque in Utah. You wouldn't believe how many fucking stores that were.

you know, between Target at the Walmart and the shit's going through the roof, sales wise. And we're like, what the fuck is going on? You know, and I'm like, I'm trying to bring it east. And, you know, now, you know, and we had to change our philosophy because Republic was a radio company. They didn't understand street records. So I had a cover like, like Philly came in, Boston came in, Connecticut came in, Miami came. you know, New York was the last one to come in, you know, and then it was Mother's Day. And I get a phone call from somebody who goes, what the fuck did you do in Brooklyn? I'm like, what are you talking about? You know, and the truth is I really didn't do anything.

We just, we surrounded New York where it would just have to leak in. And with the Kings Plaza Mall, you know, the record was being played in every fucking car. You know, that Monday, Ebrook calls me up. as we're adding the record, you know, and then two weeks later, like, the research was, like, number one requested and, like, top three call out. I mean, the record broke. And the, right, it was the first week, I think we scanned 3,000 records. It was the lowest sound scanning record I ever had in my life.

First week. But each week, it didn't go 3,000 to 1,500. So they stayed at 3,000, 3,200, 3,100, 3, 300. And when that fucking thing just took off, I mean, by the fall, we were at $60,000 a week. And we didn't even come with Lonely yet. I was so tired of that record. Good God they played the shit out of that record. I have a confessor about locked up.

I have a confession about locked up. And this is before the era of Shazam where you can't find out who the artist is. I swear to God for a good. 21 seconds for good 21 seconds I said holy shit Roberta Fleck

comeback of the century I'm gone but but locked up with Stiles Pete was also a remix I didn't hear his verse but Acon's voice

was so I can't describe it. It's a compliment to Acon, such a compliment. I'm not saying this androgynous, but I literally thought it was a woman singing and because it was done in such a rich alto and I never heard this voice before for 20 seconds. I was like, wait, it could happen. I was like if Lauren Hill and Aretha Franklin working together, I was like, yo, let me find out that Roberta Flag is about to come back like a motherfucker.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversation. with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told,

and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. There's two golden rules that any man should live by.

Rule one, never mess with a country girl. You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes. And rule two, never mess with her friends either. We always say that trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield. And in this new season of the girlfriends, Oh my God, this is the same man. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist.

I felt like I got hit by a truck. I thought, how could this happen to me? The cops didn't seem to care. So they take matters into their own hands. I said, oh, hell no. I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves.

Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This week on the Sports Slice podcast, it's all about the NFL draft, and we've got a special guest. The director of the NFL's East West Shrine Bowl, Eric Galko, joins the Sports Slice podcast to break down what really matters when evaluating draft prospects. From hidden traits teams look for to the biggest mistakes franchises make to the players flying under the radar, this is the insight you won't hear anywhere else. If you want to understand the draft like an insider, you don't want to miss this episode. Listen to the Sports Slice podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Slical Life 12 and TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Okay, wait, before I let you go, there's one question I always ask of every label CEO. Can you tell me three X that you almost signed that were close but no cigars? Cheesy. You could have signed. Daisy. V&V, RSI hated me so much. And because we took them for so much money, they didn't want to give us any more money to sign Jay.

I go back with Dane since he's 15, 16 years old when he was managing original flavor. Wow. Wow. So that's dope. So Jay, he wasn't in act, but he was, to me, one of the best executives, you know, Irv Gotti. When he had Mike Geronimo, we tried to get the record. Shit. And Irv will tell you this.

Whatever reason, we couldn't get the sample cleared, and then BMW was saying you're wasting your time. And this was literally, I just signed my update. They said, you're wasting your time, and we're not going to give you the money to find something else. So if I didn't deal with Mike, I'm sure Irv would have ended up being with me. Are you talking about Master I-C or that second single that he had that was more puffyish? No, the first single.

The first thing. Oh, master, I see. That's a goddamn masterpiece. Yeah. Oh, wow. Jay Z. And then M&M. And then M&M.

You had a chance to sign him. Yeah. Yeah, but the thing was this, if he stayed with us, and I had to know with Paul Roosevelt a few weeks ago, he wouldn't have been M&M 400 million records later. Right. He would have been Eminem 50 million records. He was an underground rapper. And you know, and you talk about Jeannie in the bottle, right?

So you're talking about him and Dre just creating magic. That, you know, he would have been Bob Dee. He would have been Wu. Your pun, we had a pop record on. It was still not a player. But, you know, he would have been just in that lane. That was the only thing we knew how to do. Wow.

So I know that, you know, what I think is also interesting about your story is the fact how the lineage goes down from your grandfather, your father, and now your son is an MC, correct? So my youngest, both my sons played ball. Okay. You know, one played college, another one played for a famous high school out in L.A. And he didn't want to go to college. And out of nowhere, he just taught a racket.

And he put out a record and shouldn't. Put the record out himself. He did, you know, a few hundred thousand streams. Flex played the record on his own. Without knowing the connection? No, knowing the connection. Okay, okay. But it was during the holiday, so he had a two-week run.

And he was going to music school in Florida, full sale, and it was just, you know, my son, he doesn't want to read it. He needs to see it and feel it. So he lost his love from, doing like real school work. That's not him. So, you know, he has 12, of his friends are like his crew.

They're all in the NBA. So he's going to be an intern for Rich Paul starting in December. Nope. The way you're talking about basketball, I feel like your true passion is owning a team or... Nah, I've lost so much money in basketball.

I mean, I'll... I'm just a fan now. That's all I'm going to be. I've lost tens of millions of dollars. But did you try to? No, never try to own a team. But like my philosophy in life, and this is where I've learned from my dad, if I could help one person and save their life and put him in the right direction,

then I did my job on her. No money could, you know, that feeling of saving somebody, you can't put a price on that. And, you know, so when me and my wife split, my kids are interracial. Okay. And they all came out different complexion, all three. You know, and one came out really light skin like a tractor wrap. So when we split, she moved to Florida. And there's an area called Delray Beach.

And in this one area in Delray Beach, it's probably the most gang affected in all the flour in a five-block radius. And there was a gym there. And she threw them in there. And she goes, you got to learn how to stand on your own. And she wouldn't let me go to any games. And then finally, like, I didn't know what AEU was or anything like that. And then I don't know where.

I think she was coming out to late. I don't know where she was going, but she goes, oh, you got to pick a balance at 2 o'clock. It has a game at 12. I get there at 1 to watch the game. And I knew he was gifted. And then, but I don't know that he had two other games that night. You know, one at 6 and 1 at 9. I was in heaven.

And I just started going to the games. And, you know, they respected him for who he was. And I just minded my own business. I wasn't going to try and buy a team. But I didn't know that he was 11. And he was playing on a 14-100 team. And they didn't win a game. And now, and he wasn't talking to me with me and his mom separating.

But now he was back in my life. And I said to the coach, I said the season can't be over. And he says, well, you know, it's over. I'm like, you got to find something. I go, he goes, well, there's a tournament next week for a 12-and-under team. I said, well, Alex is 11. How old is eight?

And, like, we end up putting six guys on the team. He goes, who will coach? I said, I will. He says, what do you know about basketball? I said enough. I shit you not. I go 70 and O. That whole fucking something.

70? 7-0. 7-0. 7-0. Florida is known for football. I know nothing about football. Half my team are professional football players right now. So they were just the best athletes in the world. And I just had them press and they could all shoot to shoot out of their ball and junk.

And they were, how old was that? He was 11 to 12 at that time, right? Yeah. And I really thought I was to become a professional basketball coach. Like I had him traveling. We won states. We won nationals. We won the world games.

And I just started to take it on challenges. And then I get a phone call to buy a tournament, which was like a record convention. And just like one thing went to another, and I lost my shirt. But at the end of the day, that is my happiness. Music, right? Music is the closest thing to God, right? Right. Make your laugh.

It can make you cry. Just your memories. It just touches your soul pure. And basketball just, it just touches me too where I get fucking crazy. do you still get an itching or like just one more hit metaphorically speaking as in drugs

not like a hit single but just is I mean are you addicted at all to the adrenaline yeah of finding that rare gym so I got this kid right now his name is take 45 okay from San Diego California

18 years old self-contained produces himself he had eight monthly users on Spotify. And now he's closing in, I want to say, a little under 200,000. He had 25 followers on TikTok, and we're closing in on 300,000 followers. And all this kid is just keep on putting out music

and putting out music and his energy is fucking ridiculous. And people will say to me, it's, you know, it's nothing what people are used to be putting out. But you know what? My old day, one of my old day and our guys on the West Coast brought it to me. And it's, it's different. He's self-contained. And each day we're going up slowly, but he's going to break.

I just don't know when. I don't know how to read records there, but the adrenaline that I get every day, just seeing it if we're up 10 streams or 1,000 streams or getting on a new play list. I had, I was sick for a while. I had a mess heart attack eight years ago. Well, that's why you lost the weight. No, I just lost weight because I didn't want to get another heart attack. That's what I meant. That's what I meant. That's what I'm in.

So, yeah, I was dead three times. Oh, man. What was that experience like? Was it just overworking? Was it stress? It was never going to the doctor and not taking care of myself. If I went to a doctor and said, hey, your blood pressure is high. You got to do something. You got to lose 10 pounds. You got to do this.

You got to do that. But it was, I'm not blaming my ex-wife. I'm not blaming anybody. It was just me not taking care of myself. You could say stress. You could say this. You could say that. But it was just, you got to know your body

and you got to just take care of yourself. You know, you got to make yourself a priority. Not somebody else. Yeah. You know, we all learn that in the pandemic. Thank God. No, you can't be a victim. And I, you know, and just like,

who wants to hear a victim story? No. At least not of your own self. Yeah. So you don't feel like a stranger in the strange land in terms of like... Yeah, I do. I have no idea what the fuck. Okay, good.

I mean, I have no fucking proof. I call the Empire distributors. Guys who me is the smartest guy in the music business. I don't want to bother him. So I speak to his, like, what can I do today? Like, I used to make a call sheet. Right? 200 fucking people

be some mixed show guys my street team guys I got five guys right and they all work with me who are all like VSP's I mean I sit here like just twiddling my fucking thumbs and I'll take a nap at three of five

but I'm just saying that today like how is it different now promoting especially with the internet at the helm you were the internet in the early 90s but you have nobody

promote to. Like you can't promote you can't promote Spotify. The record, they don't want the record on the radio yet. So my day was today, I got him a booking agent at UTA. Right. And I was really excited to do your thing. So

I went to lunch, made a few calls, and just thinking about the podcast all day. Sound like freedom to me. That's a dope day. That's amazing. Seriously. Wait a minute. I'm going to get crushed if I don't ask one Asher Roth

question. Oh, yeah. All right. Could you talk about your work with Asher Roth and like It was. I mean, as as great as Ash it was, I know he's from Pennsylvania. Right. The guy named Jerry Clark introduced me to Scooter.

I was in Atlanta. The scooter, I think, was still in college. He just reminded me a little of myself. I thought he was a little bit more full of shit, but I thought he was brilliant. and I offer him to become president of company with no experience. Huh?

You gave Scooter his start? I gave Scooter his first record deal. Shit. Now I feel like there's a question that I should be asking that I don't know to ask because, again, you keep on pulling these historical... I gave Scooterror. So this is what I'm proud of. I gave Scooterich, his first record deal with Escheron.

I gave Guy O'Sary. I got him his first deal. with Henji and Evil Lee with Ruben Rodriguez at the pendulum record. Wait, what? So you just didn't start at Maverick? Guy was 18 years old. You gave, oh shit, okay.

No, I didn't sign him. I made the deal for Guy. So Guy was managing Hengi? Yeah, and Evely. At the age of 18? Yeah. You're managing, I think, at the age of 16. And I begged him to, I go,

let's start an independent record company, and he fucking said no. Wow. Okay. Give us another one. Give us another one. I want one more. It's at least a three.

Yeah, like, give me some more. Start bragging. Bragg on yourself. This is my nory moment. I mean, I can't brag on myself. But, you know, Scooter, I open to become president of SRC. He said no. I said the guy that started a record company.

He said no, and I made the deal. And then I'm. And that's, you know, and then Riza, me, you know, Me, Reza and Fetch out, you know, those are you not. I got it. Can I ask you an awkward question that probably nobody ever asked? Was it ever awkward to have that many 5% is on a label?

Thank you. Good night. Honestly, we should have asked that to Dante also. I mean, the black man is God and the white made is devil. They were all on my wedding. I mean, I never thought about it to just now. Like, I never came to my, you know. I also asked that to know.

I wanted to know at some point where the where do they stop because I feel like also at a certain point you're helping to make money too. So you don't fuck with the bag. You don't ever fuck with the bag. But that's interesting. Yeah. You never fuck with the bag. Right. The only one that we had issues with was Dead Press.

Oh, yeah. I forgot about that press. But at the end of the day, I probably handled it wrong. It was my my ego was hurt. It was like, how the fucking didn't they not trust me? Are you serious? Yeah, I mean, I mean, I was... Were you there for the second album?

No. I can tell. Okay. Oh. No, I wish that second album should have blown up and it didn't. But then you look at, you know, MOP, N-E-Up. You know, it was just like... Those are records to this day, you know, that still give me... Goose pops.

Yeah. Stay around forever. No, I mean, this is the first time I think you and I are talking, man. But I've heard them. But just stand up things about you and, you know, all the respect that you had. And this is like a long, long, long, long overdue conversation, man. I thank you for coming on the show. You in New York or you in L.A.?

I'm currently in New York. All right. So next time I'm in, we've got to go to dinner. No doubt. No doubt. We'll exchange numbers. That's right. You got a daughter too. Yeah.

All right. Where do you guys want to go for dinner? I'll set it up and I'll... Wait. Sugar, Bill, nothing, no questions? Well, I just, I mean, Steve, it sounds like you made a lot of close friends and a lot of people hate you, which makes you an authentic Steve. So congratulations on that.

And, but what a great career. I mean, no. just too much, too much to process. Incredible. Yeah. I really wish I was there at Radio City for that night at the loud celebration. That night was so fucking special. I mean, it was, I mean, I think it was X's last performance.

It was. And it was right before everything shut down. Yep. Yep. It was amazing. I was in LA. Radio City would never be the same after that. They never said, they never said,

so many people backstage in their life. Good time. I also wanted to know how that was organized and went on. Well, on behalf of Suga Steve and Bill and Fontego and Laia, the great. The great Steve Rifkin. Yes. Thank you for the music. Thanks for the music, man.

This was amazing. Oh, I didn't talk too much. No, we lived for rabbit holing. What is that? One of those words They go together Talk too much We don't know

So until next time Ladies and gentlemen And I promise you That I will have better Camera Working They used to I mean

At least I mean Steve looked professional I'm just I feel like a drunkier But Anyway Thank you for doing our show

Well Yeah You're not a drunk So you're getting I can hide too much. All right, we'll see you on the next go-round. Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. It's Questlef Supreme.

Questlef Supreme is a production of IHeart Radio. For more podcasts from IHeart Radio, visit the I-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me.

Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators,

and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. When a group of women discover

they've all dated the same prolific corner They take matters into their own hands. I vowed. I will be his last target. He is not going to get away with this. He's going to get what he deserves. We always say that trust your girlfriends. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe.

On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This week on the Sports Slice podcast, it's all about the NFL draft. And we've got a special guest, the director of the NFL's East West Shrine Bowl, Eric Galco, joins the Sports Slice podcast to break down what really matters when evaluating draft prospects. From hidden traits teams look for to the biggest mistakes franchises make to the players flying under the radar. This is the insight you won't hear anywhere else. If you want to understand the draft like an insider, you don't want to miss this episode. Listen to the Sports Slice podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, for wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 and TikTok Podcast. podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.