1 00:00:15,476 --> 00:00:23,876 Speaker 1: Pushkin. DJ Dramas one of the most iconic mixtape DJs 2 00:00:23,956 --> 00:00:28,076 Speaker 1: of all time. His legendary gangster grills tapes helped propel 3 00:00:28,196 --> 00:00:32,516 Speaker 1: artists like Ti and Young Jez to stardom. His classic 4 00:00:32,516 --> 00:00:36,596 Speaker 1: Dedication series reinvigorated Lil Wayne's career in the early and 5 00:00:36,676 --> 00:00:40,996 Speaker 1: mid two thousands. At their height, mixtapes like DJ Dramas 6 00:00:41,076 --> 00:00:44,556 Speaker 1: allowed artists the freedom to wrap over other people's beats 7 00:00:44,636 --> 00:00:47,716 Speaker 1: and release new music to fans in between their major 8 00:00:47,796 --> 00:00:52,076 Speaker 1: label projects. By two thousand and seven, the underground mixtape 9 00:00:52,076 --> 00:00:55,636 Speaker 1: market was booming, but in January of that year, DJ 10 00:00:55,796 --> 00:00:59,676 Speaker 1: Drama and his longtime business partner Don Cannon were arrested 11 00:00:59,716 --> 00:01:03,276 Speaker 1: by federal agents and charged under Rico laws for bootlegging 12 00:01:03,316 --> 00:01:07,956 Speaker 1: and racketeering. Their arrest resulted in the federal government confiscating 13 00:01:08,116 --> 00:01:11,476 Speaker 1: hundreds of thousands of dollars from their business accounts, but 14 00:01:11,516 --> 00:01:15,956 Speaker 1: the much publicized raid only boosted DJ Drama's profile. In 15 00:01:15,996 --> 00:01:19,356 Speaker 1: the years since, Drama's built a successful record label, and 16 00:01:19,396 --> 00:01:23,556 Speaker 1: it's continued to make mixtapes. Tyler the Creator even crafted 17 00:01:23,596 --> 00:01:25,916 Speaker 1: his latest album, Call Me If You Get Lost with 18 00:01:25,996 --> 00:01:29,116 Speaker 1: DJ Drama's classic ad libs all over it and won 19 00:01:29,156 --> 00:01:32,236 Speaker 1: the Grammy for Best Rap Album in twenty twenty two. 20 00:01:33,316 --> 00:01:35,516 Speaker 1: But at that same time, while DJ Drama was at 21 00:01:35,516 --> 00:01:39,596 Speaker 1: the height of his professional success, personally, he was battling 22 00:01:39,676 --> 00:01:43,836 Speaker 1: an addiction to opioids, an ongoing struggle he's only recently 23 00:01:43,876 --> 00:01:47,756 Speaker 1: started to talk about publicly. On today's episode, Lea Rose, 24 00:01:47,796 --> 00:01:49,996 Speaker 1: who some of you may know as the former music 25 00:01:50,076 --> 00:01:53,716 Speaker 1: editor of Double XL magazine, talks to Drama about how 26 00:01:53,796 --> 00:01:56,956 Speaker 1: he got sober after being what he calls a functioning 27 00:01:57,076 --> 00:02:01,316 Speaker 1: junkie who spent six figures a year on opioids. He 28 00:02:01,356 --> 00:02:03,636 Speaker 1: also tells the story of how Lil John recorded his 29 00:02:03,836 --> 00:02:08,356 Speaker 1: iconic gangster Grills drops in Drama's laundry room, and explains 30 00:02:08,436 --> 00:02:10,956 Speaker 1: why he decided to sign low Uzi Vert and Jack 31 00:02:10,996 --> 00:02:17,996 Speaker 1: Harlow to his Atlantic Records imprint Generation. Now this is 32 00:02:18,076 --> 00:02:21,836 Speaker 1: broken record, Alana notes, for the digital age, I'm justin Mitchman. 33 00:02:22,596 --> 00:02:25,756 Speaker 1: Here's Lea Rose with the Ta Trauma. 34 00:02:26,516 --> 00:02:28,636 Speaker 2: So back when I was at Double XCEL, I used 35 00:02:28,636 --> 00:02:31,836 Speaker 2: to edit a section of the magazine called Show and Prove, 36 00:02:32,796 --> 00:02:35,876 Speaker 2: where every month I would have to find five new 37 00:02:35,996 --> 00:02:39,996 Speaker 2: artists from like all over the country. And I figured 38 00:02:39,996 --> 00:02:42,516 Speaker 2: out that if I talked to mixtape DJs, they could 39 00:02:42,556 --> 00:02:44,996 Speaker 2: kind of like plug me in with who was who 40 00:02:45,036 --> 00:02:47,636 Speaker 2: and who was doing what where, and you are my 41 00:02:47,716 --> 00:02:48,516 Speaker 2: guy in Atlanta. 42 00:02:48,676 --> 00:02:50,876 Speaker 3: I remember I's frequently talking exactly. 43 00:02:51,356 --> 00:02:55,396 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's been about twenty years and your career has 44 00:02:55,796 --> 00:02:59,716 Speaker 2: grown in so many different incredible ways. So for people 45 00:03:00,076 --> 00:03:03,316 Speaker 2: listening who might not be familiar with the function of 46 00:03:03,356 --> 00:03:06,196 Speaker 2: a mixtape in hip hop, can you describe what the 47 00:03:06,236 --> 00:03:09,276 Speaker 2: purpose is just at like the base level, Like what 48 00:03:09,356 --> 00:03:10,956 Speaker 2: is the purpose of a mixtape? 49 00:03:11,596 --> 00:03:17,076 Speaker 4: So a mixtape, obviously, through the years has taken on 50 00:03:17,236 --> 00:03:24,356 Speaker 4: various purposes and different meanings. Me specifically or my brand 51 00:03:24,436 --> 00:03:29,956 Speaker 4: of gangster girls. Mixtapes came at a time mixtapes had 52 00:03:29,996 --> 00:03:34,876 Speaker 4: become almost like street albums in a sense where they 53 00:03:34,876 --> 00:03:39,876 Speaker 4: were based around, you know, one particular artist or one 54 00:03:39,876 --> 00:03:43,756 Speaker 4: particular crew of artists, or a label of some sorts, 55 00:03:44,236 --> 00:03:47,436 Speaker 4: and it enabled that artist to kind of do things 56 00:03:47,956 --> 00:03:50,876 Speaker 4: that they may not have been able to do on 57 00:03:50,996 --> 00:03:54,956 Speaker 4: their major label album in a sense where they could 58 00:03:55,036 --> 00:03:57,916 Speaker 4: kind of have a free for all or you know, 59 00:03:58,556 --> 00:04:01,516 Speaker 4: wrap on someone else's beat, you know, just kind of 60 00:04:01,676 --> 00:04:06,076 Speaker 4: experiment and not worry about, you know, some of the 61 00:04:06,676 --> 00:04:09,956 Speaker 4: caution tape that comes with putting out an actual album, 62 00:04:10,476 --> 00:04:13,796 Speaker 4: so a mixtape and a lot of times and don't 63 00:04:13,876 --> 00:04:16,916 Speaker 4: in the early years would almost be kind of like 64 00:04:17,036 --> 00:04:21,236 Speaker 4: lead lead ups to someone's album, or it would be 65 00:04:21,556 --> 00:04:24,356 Speaker 4: a project that would come in between albums, you know, 66 00:04:24,516 --> 00:04:29,156 Speaker 4: to keep the anticipation high, and you know, then then 67 00:04:29,196 --> 00:04:33,596 Speaker 4: there would be what my my participation in it as 68 00:04:33,596 --> 00:04:37,436 Speaker 4: the DJ is kind of like properly putting the mixtape together, 69 00:04:38,036 --> 00:04:42,116 Speaker 4: sequencing it, you know, adding bells and whistles, sound effects, 70 00:04:42,596 --> 00:04:46,316 Speaker 4: you know, giving what are known as either sermons or rants, 71 00:04:46,476 --> 00:04:49,756 Speaker 4: depending on who you ask, and like you know, bringing 72 00:04:49,836 --> 00:04:53,436 Speaker 4: back records just to kind of like create these moments 73 00:04:53,476 --> 00:04:57,356 Speaker 4: and this excitement of almost like almost like being like 74 00:04:57,436 --> 00:05:01,436 Speaker 4: a coach or the you know, the guy in the 75 00:05:01,876 --> 00:05:05,036 Speaker 4: box of corner who's hyping up the artists in a sense, 76 00:05:05,076 --> 00:05:07,876 Speaker 4: and you know, hyping up the audience as well, and 77 00:05:07,996 --> 00:05:10,956 Speaker 4: just like you know, add my two cents to the records. 78 00:05:11,796 --> 00:05:15,196 Speaker 2: And so when it came to you adding your ad 79 00:05:15,196 --> 00:05:18,836 Speaker 2: libs and your drops and everything, it really seems like 80 00:05:18,876 --> 00:05:22,356 Speaker 2: it's such an art and it's very intentional. First of all, 81 00:05:22,396 --> 00:05:25,316 Speaker 2: how did you develop your style? I was listening to 82 00:05:25,356 --> 00:05:29,516 Speaker 2: old tapes you're screaming it's like hoarse voice. There's a 83 00:05:29,556 --> 00:05:33,076 Speaker 2: little like you know echo effect. How did you develop 84 00:05:33,116 --> 00:05:34,396 Speaker 2: your own individual style? 85 00:05:34,916 --> 00:05:37,636 Speaker 4: Well, it kind of changed over the years, interestingly, and 86 00:05:37,836 --> 00:05:41,076 Speaker 4: so you know in the earlier years obviously when you 87 00:05:41,116 --> 00:05:46,516 Speaker 4: go listen, like I'm definitely more boisterous and louder than 88 00:05:46,996 --> 00:05:50,156 Speaker 4: I may be in today's time. But the style came 89 00:05:50,236 --> 00:05:54,716 Speaker 4: in like that's what mixtape DJs would do. And in 90 00:05:54,756 --> 00:05:57,476 Speaker 4: my era, like you know, I came up listening to 91 00:05:58,196 --> 00:06:02,276 Speaker 4: people like Clue or SNS or or who kid who 92 00:06:02,356 --> 00:06:05,276 Speaker 4: you know, they're all DJs would pretty much say their 93 00:06:05,396 --> 00:06:09,516 Speaker 4: names and like you know, have an echo of fact, 94 00:06:09,676 --> 00:06:12,756 Speaker 4: but they also like it was in a time where 95 00:06:13,476 --> 00:06:18,196 Speaker 4: mixtape DJs were doing more of like shout outs and 96 00:06:19,236 --> 00:06:22,676 Speaker 4: maybe like promoting the stores where their tapes were sold, 97 00:06:22,876 --> 00:06:25,636 Speaker 4: or you know, shouting out the a and rs that 98 00:06:25,676 --> 00:06:28,276 Speaker 4: were getting them records and things like that, and I 99 00:06:28,716 --> 00:06:30,836 Speaker 4: kind of I kind of came up with a style 100 00:06:30,876 --> 00:06:34,796 Speaker 4: where for me, it was almost like adding personality to 101 00:06:34,836 --> 00:06:37,396 Speaker 4: the records. I wanted to be more than just kind 102 00:06:37,396 --> 00:06:39,476 Speaker 4: of like to stay in my name where you know, 103 00:06:39,556 --> 00:06:42,716 Speaker 4: I was kind of like talking shit and you know, 104 00:06:42,956 --> 00:06:46,476 Speaker 4: in a sense like adding my two sense almost in 105 00:06:46,516 --> 00:06:49,076 Speaker 4: a way of like, you know, I don't rhyme. 106 00:06:49,476 --> 00:06:51,436 Speaker 3: You know, my statements don't rhyme. 107 00:06:51,516 --> 00:06:54,956 Speaker 4: But I try to be creative as possible with what 108 00:06:55,116 --> 00:06:57,836 Speaker 4: I say and add to the record as much as 109 00:06:57,956 --> 00:07:01,556 Speaker 4: much as I can. And you know, yeah, in the 110 00:07:01,596 --> 00:07:03,836 Speaker 4: early years, it was like, you know, the type of 111 00:07:03,916 --> 00:07:07,276 Speaker 4: music that I was lending my voice to was was 112 00:07:07,436 --> 00:07:12,116 Speaker 4: very like command and you know, it was intense. And 113 00:07:12,156 --> 00:07:15,316 Speaker 4: then over the years I started to you know, do 114 00:07:16,316 --> 00:07:19,916 Speaker 4: work on various projects. You know, then I started to 115 00:07:19,996 --> 00:07:22,436 Speaker 4: even play around with my tone in my in my 116 00:07:22,516 --> 00:07:24,636 Speaker 4: pitch and like I would do it. I taped like 117 00:07:24,756 --> 00:07:27,916 Speaker 4: Verdi terrororsts with currency where it was like, you know, 118 00:07:27,956 --> 00:07:29,676 Speaker 4: it was it's smoker music. 119 00:07:29,836 --> 00:07:33,556 Speaker 2: So you know, I would you can't come off like screaming. 120 00:07:33,276 --> 00:07:36,436 Speaker 4: Yeah, I would have to kind of like come back 121 00:07:36,796 --> 00:07:39,556 Speaker 4: in a mellow tone or or I would start to 122 00:07:39,596 --> 00:07:42,836 Speaker 4: do like R and B mixtapes with people like Chris 123 00:07:42,876 --> 00:07:45,716 Speaker 4: Brown or or Jeremiah, and then it was like again, 124 00:07:45,956 --> 00:07:48,236 Speaker 4: I couldn't come on there yelling and screaming, so I would. 125 00:07:48,596 --> 00:07:51,476 Speaker 4: I would then, you know, find a different tone and 126 00:07:51,676 --> 00:07:53,276 Speaker 4: play around with it, and in the sense of it 127 00:07:53,636 --> 00:07:56,796 Speaker 4: was it's art to me, like you know, it was 128 00:07:56,916 --> 00:08:01,076 Speaker 4: like knowing where to come and what to say and 129 00:08:01,156 --> 00:08:04,556 Speaker 4: how to lend myself to the records, so it. 130 00:08:04,516 --> 00:08:08,356 Speaker 2: Wasn't yeah and when to pull back exactly when to talk. 131 00:08:08,756 --> 00:08:11,956 Speaker 2: And it's really like you're punctuating things that people say 132 00:08:12,156 --> 00:08:15,596 Speaker 2: in a way that sometimes it's subconscious. As a listener, 133 00:08:15,636 --> 00:08:18,316 Speaker 2: you're listening and then you might be like, oh, and 134 00:08:18,356 --> 00:08:22,276 Speaker 2: then that line will sync in and then you start 135 00:08:22,276 --> 00:08:24,276 Speaker 2: to say that as like you start to know that 136 00:08:24,316 --> 00:08:25,156 Speaker 2: as part of the song. 137 00:08:25,436 --> 00:08:28,276 Speaker 4: Nah, and I love that, yeah exactly, so you know, 138 00:08:28,356 --> 00:08:31,396 Speaker 4: and then one of the biggest compliments to me at 139 00:08:31,436 --> 00:08:34,756 Speaker 4: times is when you know, their big versions of Project 140 00:08:34,836 --> 00:08:37,996 Speaker 4: said didn't have me on there, and people be like, yeah, 141 00:08:38,196 --> 00:08:40,476 Speaker 4: it just doesn't hit the same without drama on the air. 142 00:08:40,676 --> 00:08:44,476 Speaker 2: It's really not as good. It's really really not. So 143 00:08:45,676 --> 00:08:48,356 Speaker 2: it's so exciting your drops are so it's just so 144 00:08:48,436 --> 00:08:50,956 Speaker 2: well done. And I just want to play you this. 145 00:08:51,036 --> 00:08:52,876 Speaker 2: I don't know, let's see if you can hear this. 146 00:08:59,716 --> 00:09:00,516 Speaker 1: Twin set up. 147 00:09:00,796 --> 00:09:03,756 Speaker 3: Set up Wow. Yeah classic. 148 00:09:04,236 --> 00:09:07,596 Speaker 2: So that's from Dedication to which now is just like 149 00:09:07,796 --> 00:09:10,596 Speaker 2: widely regarded as the best mixtape of all time. Yeah, 150 00:09:10,836 --> 00:09:12,116 Speaker 2: which is crazy. 151 00:09:12,436 --> 00:09:14,196 Speaker 3: You got your shout out on that that's fire. 152 00:09:14,716 --> 00:09:17,556 Speaker 4: But you know, you guys, you know, you and Double 153 00:09:17,676 --> 00:09:22,876 Speaker 4: XL were very important and influential to like mixtapes and 154 00:09:22,916 --> 00:09:25,916 Speaker 4: mixtape culture at that time. And like and I remember 155 00:09:26,076 --> 00:09:29,076 Speaker 4: like the feeling of, you know, opening up a double 156 00:09:29,116 --> 00:09:31,756 Speaker 4: expel and seeing one of my tapes in there, or 157 00:09:32,316 --> 00:09:34,716 Speaker 4: being reviewed or you know what I'm saying, Like that 158 00:09:34,876 --> 00:09:36,396 Speaker 4: was like the holy grail. 159 00:09:36,596 --> 00:09:37,116 Speaker 3: You know what I mean? 160 00:09:37,156 --> 00:09:39,516 Speaker 4: That was you know, you guys want one of the 161 00:09:40,236 --> 00:09:43,756 Speaker 4: few outlets where you know, we were getting our praise 162 00:09:43,996 --> 00:09:47,876 Speaker 4: or you know, outside of the listener or the person 163 00:09:47,956 --> 00:09:51,276 Speaker 4: who was familiar with the mixtape circuit or what we 164 00:09:51,276 --> 00:09:54,316 Speaker 4: were doing, where a consumer who might not have been 165 00:09:54,356 --> 00:09:57,836 Speaker 4: familiar could find out about you know, what I was doing. 166 00:09:58,236 --> 00:10:00,996 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, you were absolutely keeping the music exciting, 167 00:10:01,036 --> 00:10:02,156 Speaker 2: you were keeping it going. 168 00:10:02,556 --> 00:10:03,316 Speaker 3: Appreciate that. 169 00:10:03,996 --> 00:10:06,836 Speaker 2: So when it came to making dedication to I heard 170 00:10:06,836 --> 00:10:11,836 Speaker 2: you talk about how you would sometimes script out things 171 00:10:11,876 --> 00:10:16,076 Speaker 2: for the artists to say, and in Wayne's case with 172 00:10:16,156 --> 00:10:19,276 Speaker 2: that tape, you sort of like set it up like 173 00:10:19,316 --> 00:10:19,996 Speaker 2: an interview. 174 00:10:20,596 --> 00:10:24,716 Speaker 4: Yeah, so in those days when I was doing tape, 175 00:10:25,356 --> 00:10:28,196 Speaker 4: you know, I would yeah, make a script like you know, 176 00:10:28,316 --> 00:10:31,156 Speaker 4: outside of the music, you know, some of the things 177 00:10:31,156 --> 00:10:34,036 Speaker 4: that were important to those tapes were somewhat of the 178 00:10:34,076 --> 00:10:37,116 Speaker 4: interludes or you know, it was almost like behind the 179 00:10:37,156 --> 00:10:40,116 Speaker 4: scenes of some of the things that you know, you 180 00:10:40,156 --> 00:10:45,076 Speaker 4: wouldn't get from the artists on a project. So I 181 00:10:45,196 --> 00:10:48,116 Speaker 4: when I was when I would do dedications, you know, 182 00:10:48,116 --> 00:10:51,116 Speaker 4: I would almost like write a script out for Wayne 183 00:10:51,516 --> 00:10:54,196 Speaker 4: to record some things outside of the music. 184 00:10:54,516 --> 00:10:57,516 Speaker 3: I would literally like almost like ask him questions. 185 00:10:57,916 --> 00:11:00,436 Speaker 4: So you know, around those times, there were there were 186 00:11:00,476 --> 00:11:04,396 Speaker 4: things about him retiring or him signing to jay Z 187 00:11:04,836 --> 00:11:08,196 Speaker 4: or like, you know, I remember asking him like, you know, what, 188 00:11:08,196 --> 00:11:10,956 Speaker 4: what do you like to watch on television? And that 189 00:11:11,116 --> 00:11:13,996 Speaker 4: was when he was like all I watched the sports, sports, sports, 190 00:11:14,556 --> 00:11:17,716 Speaker 4: you know, and he had actually freestyled over this green 191 00:11:17,796 --> 00:11:21,756 Speaker 4: lantern beat that had been used that was like became 192 00:11:21,836 --> 00:11:24,916 Speaker 4: sports center, you know, where it was like the sound 193 00:11:24,996 --> 00:11:28,956 Speaker 4: of basketball or a tennis ball or what have you, 194 00:11:29,036 --> 00:11:32,036 Speaker 4: and I called it sports Center. And that kind of 195 00:11:32,076 --> 00:11:36,396 Speaker 4: came from my interviewing background, I guess, an the sense 196 00:11:36,436 --> 00:11:39,476 Speaker 4: of like when I would get my drops from the artists, 197 00:11:39,476 --> 00:11:41,316 Speaker 4: I would I would set it up where I would, 198 00:11:41,316 --> 00:11:44,076 Speaker 4: you know, engage him and this is what the fans 199 00:11:44,156 --> 00:11:46,716 Speaker 4: want to know. So there would be kind of questions 200 00:11:46,716 --> 00:11:49,636 Speaker 4: he would answer, and those those who would turn into 201 00:11:49,716 --> 00:11:52,996 Speaker 4: the interludes or you know, the way I would go 202 00:11:53,116 --> 00:11:55,156 Speaker 4: from transition from song to song. 203 00:11:55,796 --> 00:11:58,716 Speaker 2: It's such a good idea because an artist, especially Wayne, 204 00:11:58,716 --> 00:12:00,356 Speaker 2: he doesn't really do interviews right. 205 00:12:00,916 --> 00:12:03,916 Speaker 4: And you know, like those tapes like Dedication one and 206 00:12:03,996 --> 00:12:07,156 Speaker 4: Dedication to, like the interludes if him talking are like 207 00:12:08,036 --> 00:12:10,916 Speaker 4: so key or so memorable. You know, there were just 208 00:12:10,916 --> 00:12:13,796 Speaker 4: things on there that like came out of me writing 209 00:12:13,836 --> 00:12:16,436 Speaker 4: these scripts and him responding to it. 210 00:12:17,116 --> 00:12:20,916 Speaker 2: I have to ask you about Dedication seven. Is it 211 00:12:20,916 --> 00:12:24,516 Speaker 2: coming out? It's been getting teased since I think twenty twenty. 212 00:12:24,916 --> 00:12:26,036 Speaker 3: A good question, I hope. 213 00:12:26,036 --> 00:12:27,716 Speaker 2: So are you waiting to hear too. 214 00:12:27,956 --> 00:12:30,036 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm still waiting to hear, but I'm sure he'll 215 00:12:30,076 --> 00:12:32,836 Speaker 4: start getting the itch. He always starts getting the itch, 216 00:12:32,876 --> 00:12:34,676 Speaker 4: and then you know, I'll get a phone call and 217 00:12:35,076 --> 00:12:35,916 Speaker 4: it'll be time to go. 218 00:12:37,076 --> 00:12:40,596 Speaker 2: How did the original session where you recorded the drops 219 00:12:40,636 --> 00:12:44,396 Speaker 2: with Little John? What do you remember about that session? 220 00:12:44,636 --> 00:12:48,156 Speaker 2: And just talk a little bit about what Little John 221 00:12:48,276 --> 00:12:50,996 Speaker 2: is likes. I think a lot of people sort of 222 00:12:51,036 --> 00:12:54,876 Speaker 2: think of him as maybe a caricature because of the 223 00:12:54,956 --> 00:12:56,836 Speaker 2: you know, because of the Chappelle skit and the what 224 00:12:57,836 --> 00:12:59,956 Speaker 2: I mean talk about what little John is actually like 225 00:12:59,996 --> 00:13:00,636 Speaker 2: in real life? 226 00:13:00,756 --> 00:13:02,476 Speaker 4: All right, Well, first of all, the fact that you 227 00:13:02,556 --> 00:13:06,116 Speaker 4: called the session is the most hilarious thing ever because 228 00:13:06,636 --> 00:13:11,196 Speaker 4: it took place in my duplex in the fourth ward, 229 00:13:11,676 --> 00:13:15,556 Speaker 4: where I where most people would keep their watcher and dryer, 230 00:13:15,956 --> 00:13:19,236 Speaker 4: is where I kept my equipment. So it was the 231 00:13:19,596 --> 00:13:22,356 Speaker 4: fact that it's called a session, like it was not 232 00:13:22,516 --> 00:13:27,196 Speaker 4: in some fancy studio with some big ass mixing board, 233 00:13:27,356 --> 00:13:31,516 Speaker 4: like there was two turntables and a four track in there. 234 00:13:31,956 --> 00:13:34,716 Speaker 4: But you know, John has always been one of the 235 00:13:34,716 --> 00:13:42,156 Speaker 4: most down to earth, humble, laid back and giving people 236 00:13:42,196 --> 00:13:45,596 Speaker 4: that I've met within the music business. You know, I 237 00:13:45,676 --> 00:13:49,636 Speaker 4: got to beat him at an early age for me, 238 00:13:50,396 --> 00:13:53,756 Speaker 4: and I was kind of just transitioning from being a 239 00:13:53,876 --> 00:13:57,836 Speaker 4: college DJ to really just getting into the business, and 240 00:13:58,476 --> 00:14:00,716 Speaker 4: he was the king of krunk. It was a time 241 00:14:00,876 --> 00:14:04,596 Speaker 4: before you know, the explosion of the Chappelle Show. But 242 00:14:04,956 --> 00:14:09,436 Speaker 4: you know, John was definitely a very key figure within 243 00:14:09,916 --> 00:14:12,636 Speaker 4: the Atlanta hip hop scene as well as you know, 244 00:14:13,316 --> 00:14:18,796 Speaker 4: being becoming a national an international star. And this was 245 00:14:18,836 --> 00:14:22,236 Speaker 4: at a time when when gangster grills, like as a 246 00:14:22,276 --> 00:14:27,556 Speaker 4: mixtape was just becoming a series, and you know, having 247 00:14:27,596 --> 00:14:32,596 Speaker 4: a host of your mixtape was a very important thing, 248 00:14:32,756 --> 00:14:36,476 Speaker 4: at least from an up North perspective, like you know, 249 00:14:36,476 --> 00:14:38,916 Speaker 4: and I was following a lot of the up Northeast 250 00:14:38,916 --> 00:14:43,356 Speaker 4: coast trends of mixtapes, and you know, people were having 251 00:14:43,996 --> 00:14:47,836 Speaker 4: people like Puffy and Nas and you know, just all 252 00:14:47,876 --> 00:14:52,156 Speaker 4: these you know, huge artists hosting their mixtapes. And I 253 00:14:52,236 --> 00:14:54,036 Speaker 4: was like, yeah, I need to I need to find 254 00:14:54,036 --> 00:14:58,076 Speaker 4: a host for you know, against the girls, to make 255 00:14:58,156 --> 00:15:01,996 Speaker 4: it seem like it was something. 256 00:15:01,756 --> 00:15:04,596 Speaker 3: You know and legit. Yeah, like it make it seem legit. 257 00:15:04,836 --> 00:15:06,516 Speaker 2: It's like a sign to science. 258 00:15:06,836 --> 00:15:08,356 Speaker 3: Absolutely, signs are important. 259 00:15:08,396 --> 00:15:13,116 Speaker 4: So I remember asking like three people around that time, 260 00:15:14,356 --> 00:15:17,516 Speaker 4: and two of them pretty much told me no. And 261 00:15:17,716 --> 00:15:20,316 Speaker 4: John was the one that told me yes, he would 262 00:15:20,356 --> 00:15:22,676 Speaker 4: host the tape for me. And he came to my 263 00:15:22,756 --> 00:15:27,836 Speaker 4: crib again like this raggedy ass duplex I had Fourth 264 00:15:27,876 --> 00:15:31,716 Speaker 4: Ward of Atlanta, and he did the drops for me. 265 00:15:32,116 --> 00:15:34,396 Speaker 4: I think I either wrote out a script or I 266 00:15:34,396 --> 00:15:36,436 Speaker 4: would just tell him, yeah, can you say this? 267 00:15:36,556 --> 00:15:37,276 Speaker 3: Can you say that? 268 00:15:37,996 --> 00:15:42,476 Speaker 4: And in him doing those drops the way he said gangs, 269 00:15:42,556 --> 00:15:47,276 Speaker 4: the Grizzils, Yiks, the Yiksanks, the Grazil you know, he 270 00:15:47,316 --> 00:15:50,596 Speaker 4: did that on his own and he hosted. 271 00:15:50,556 --> 00:15:52,636 Speaker 3: It was the third Gangst Girls I did. 272 00:15:53,636 --> 00:15:55,476 Speaker 4: I had did two before, and at the time they 273 00:15:55,516 --> 00:15:58,476 Speaker 4: were just they were still just like compilations, you know, 274 00:15:58,516 --> 00:16:01,476 Speaker 4: they were just like the best the hottest songs in 275 00:16:01,516 --> 00:16:02,756 Speaker 4: the South that I. 276 00:16:02,756 --> 00:16:03,636 Speaker 3: Was putting together. 277 00:16:04,356 --> 00:16:08,876 Speaker 4: And he was the first host of Gangster Girls, which 278 00:16:08,876 --> 00:16:11,676 Speaker 4: turned out to be Gangst the Girl's four, So you know, 279 00:16:11,756 --> 00:16:14,236 Speaker 4: that tape has him all over it. And then the 280 00:16:14,276 --> 00:16:16,916 Speaker 4: next tape that I did, and I think Gangst the 281 00:16:16,916 --> 00:16:19,756 Speaker 4: Girls five. It was time to put a tape out, 282 00:16:19,796 --> 00:16:23,156 Speaker 4: but I couldn't find anyone the host in time. So 283 00:16:23,716 --> 00:16:26,956 Speaker 4: instead of you know, having a host, I just used 284 00:16:26,956 --> 00:16:30,756 Speaker 4: the little John's voice thing thanks to Grizils and ran 285 00:16:30,796 --> 00:16:35,276 Speaker 4: it back abundance of times all over the music kind 286 00:16:35,276 --> 00:16:38,116 Speaker 4: of like to brand it in a sense, and you know, 287 00:16:38,836 --> 00:16:41,876 Speaker 4: the drop went on to be quite legendary. But yeah, 288 00:16:41,956 --> 00:16:45,916 Speaker 4: John is you know for those who see him as 289 00:16:45,916 --> 00:16:48,396 Speaker 4: a character, like you know, he knows when to turn 290 00:16:48,436 --> 00:16:51,276 Speaker 4: it on and you know, somewhat similar to me. 291 00:16:51,396 --> 00:16:54,356 Speaker 3: I mean, I don't go around screaming all day every day. 292 00:16:54,436 --> 00:16:56,836 Speaker 4: I could do on a mixtape, but like, you know, 293 00:16:56,916 --> 00:17:01,156 Speaker 4: he's he's one of the most creative, hardworking, you know 294 00:17:01,636 --> 00:17:05,476 Speaker 4: guys in the business. You know that really you know, 295 00:17:05,956 --> 00:17:10,116 Speaker 4: has guided himself doing an incredible care you know, from 296 00:17:10,876 --> 00:17:15,356 Speaker 4: production to you know, artists to DJ to you know, 297 00:17:16,076 --> 00:17:17,436 Speaker 4: just rockstar in a sense. 298 00:17:18,236 --> 00:17:20,356 Speaker 2: Did you coach him to say it a certain way? 299 00:17:20,596 --> 00:17:21,756 Speaker 3: No, he did that on his own. 300 00:17:22,076 --> 00:17:24,436 Speaker 2: And when you heard that, like, did you know where 301 00:17:24,436 --> 00:17:25,436 Speaker 2: You're like, ooh, that's good. 302 00:17:25,716 --> 00:17:28,196 Speaker 4: I didn't know. He just said it. He said it 303 00:17:28,236 --> 00:17:32,316 Speaker 4: like that Gangst the Grizzilds, you know, and it was crazy. 304 00:17:32,436 --> 00:17:35,756 Speaker 4: Is that I never realized now looking back on it, 305 00:17:36,276 --> 00:17:40,556 Speaker 4: there was a Hot Boy song prior to Gangst the 306 00:17:40,756 --> 00:17:46,996 Speaker 4: Grills where Manny Fresh actually says Gangst the Grizzils. Really yeah, 307 00:17:47,036 --> 00:17:51,156 Speaker 4: So I'm curious if that's where John got it from. 308 00:17:51,196 --> 00:17:54,796 Speaker 4: I never knew, I really, I've recently just heard it, 309 00:17:55,276 --> 00:17:59,156 Speaker 4: like in the last like two three months where many 310 00:17:59,196 --> 00:18:02,916 Speaker 4: Fresh says Gangster Grizzils. This was a record from like 311 00:18:03,036 --> 00:18:06,396 Speaker 4: ninety eight ninety nine, so it came before a Gangst 312 00:18:06,396 --> 00:18:10,276 Speaker 4: the Grills, and you know, but even at that time, 313 00:18:10,356 --> 00:18:12,196 Speaker 4: that's not even where I got the name for the tape. 314 00:18:12,316 --> 00:18:14,556 Speaker 4: Like I just kind of came up with Gangst the 315 00:18:14,556 --> 00:18:17,516 Speaker 4: girls in itself. So you know, great minds think alike. 316 00:18:17,556 --> 00:18:20,916 Speaker 4: But I didn't know that him saying that would turn 317 00:18:20,956 --> 00:18:24,156 Speaker 4: out to be so iconic or you know, turn into 318 00:18:24,236 --> 00:18:27,116 Speaker 4: like what it is today. But I was always very 319 00:18:27,196 --> 00:18:29,516 Speaker 4: keen on branding early on. 320 00:18:29,996 --> 00:18:33,116 Speaker 2: How did you learn about branding because you're obviously so 321 00:18:33,156 --> 00:18:35,596 Speaker 2: good at it, Where does that instinct come from? 322 00:18:36,356 --> 00:18:39,916 Speaker 4: Well, I remember taking a marketing class in college. And 323 00:18:40,676 --> 00:18:44,636 Speaker 4: you know, I was a radio TV Film major, but 324 00:18:45,316 --> 00:18:48,716 Speaker 4: as a mass communications major, we had to take some 325 00:18:48,796 --> 00:18:50,036 Speaker 4: business classes. 326 00:18:50,196 --> 00:18:53,076 Speaker 3: It was mandatory, and marketing was one of them. 327 00:18:53,596 --> 00:18:56,636 Speaker 4: And I remember just it was during the time when 328 00:18:56,676 --> 00:18:59,956 Speaker 4: I was in college and I was very earnest on 329 00:19:00,036 --> 00:19:04,916 Speaker 4: my mixtape hustle, and my marketing class just like every 330 00:19:05,716 --> 00:19:08,596 Speaker 4: part of the fascinated me into what I was doing 331 00:19:08,636 --> 00:19:13,516 Speaker 4: with my business or my mixtapes, and like I was 332 00:19:13,556 --> 00:19:16,116 Speaker 4: applying everything that I was learning. 333 00:19:16,276 --> 00:19:17,076 Speaker 3: To my craft. 334 00:19:18,036 --> 00:19:21,556 Speaker 4: And you know, I just remember again just like just 335 00:19:21,716 --> 00:19:26,716 Speaker 4: even early on, just studying DJs like Flats and Capri 336 00:19:27,036 --> 00:19:31,636 Speaker 4: and Bizmarcky Rest in Peace, like you know, just just 337 00:19:31,756 --> 00:19:35,396 Speaker 4: how how big of a brand funk Master Flex was 338 00:19:35,796 --> 00:19:39,756 Speaker 4: and you know, watching him and even Clu as well, 339 00:19:39,836 --> 00:19:43,356 Speaker 4: like you know, just just watching like you know, them 340 00:19:43,596 --> 00:19:47,916 Speaker 4: beyond the mixtape, like you know, get endorsements and become 341 00:19:48,076 --> 00:19:51,436 Speaker 4: figures on television and things like that. So, you know, one, 342 00:19:52,116 --> 00:19:55,916 Speaker 4: becoming a mixtape DJ for me was was key because 343 00:19:56,076 --> 00:20:00,076 Speaker 4: the mixtape DJ in hip hop for me was the 344 00:20:00,196 --> 00:20:02,076 Speaker 4: largest life DJ. 345 00:20:02,356 --> 00:20:05,756 Speaker 3: You know. Those were the DJs that were treated like artists. 346 00:20:05,876 --> 00:20:08,916 Speaker 3: You know, those were the DJs that were the. 347 00:20:08,876 --> 00:20:12,676 Speaker 4: One is that people knew outside of the city they 348 00:20:12,676 --> 00:20:17,036 Speaker 4: were from, you know, And even when I was approaching 349 00:20:17,116 --> 00:20:21,236 Speaker 4: Gangster Girls, for me, it was like my goal was 350 00:20:21,316 --> 00:20:26,836 Speaker 4: to create a brand from the mixtape that people recognized 351 00:20:26,956 --> 00:20:28,956 Speaker 4: even bigger than at. 352 00:20:28,836 --> 00:20:30,396 Speaker 3: The time DJ Drama. 353 00:20:30,556 --> 00:20:34,076 Speaker 4: You know, like most DJs at the time were trying 354 00:20:34,076 --> 00:20:37,636 Speaker 4: to make a name for themselves or make sure their 355 00:20:38,196 --> 00:20:40,796 Speaker 4: their name as a DJ was the most well known. 356 00:20:40,876 --> 00:20:43,516 Speaker 4: And I approached it in a sense where I'm going 357 00:20:43,556 --> 00:20:46,676 Speaker 4: to make this brand, this mixtape brand, Gangster the Grills 358 00:20:46,716 --> 00:20:50,996 Speaker 4: the biggest brand where when people see it, they automatically 359 00:20:51,516 --> 00:20:55,236 Speaker 4: want it, regardless of who's on it or you know 360 00:20:55,316 --> 00:20:57,396 Speaker 4: what it is. If they see a new Gangster Grills 361 00:20:57,676 --> 00:21:00,316 Speaker 4: that they're gonna copy it. And I was like, through that, 362 00:21:01,076 --> 00:21:05,076 Speaker 4: then I can kind of double back and create the 363 00:21:05,116 --> 00:21:08,436 Speaker 4: brand of DJ drama, you know, so in those days 364 00:21:08,476 --> 00:21:12,796 Speaker 4: for me, Gangster Grills was a larger brand and DJ Drama, 365 00:21:13,316 --> 00:21:15,876 Speaker 4: and then I started applying, Okay, now I'm gonna go 366 00:21:15,956 --> 00:21:18,556 Speaker 4: and put my my face on on the Gangster Girls 367 00:21:18,556 --> 00:21:22,076 Speaker 4: along with the artists and start, you know, branding myself 368 00:21:22,116 --> 00:21:27,316 Speaker 4: and making myself known once Gangster Girls was already a 369 00:21:27,436 --> 00:21:30,596 Speaker 4: known brand. Yeah, and then you know, just again like 370 00:21:31,236 --> 00:21:34,636 Speaker 4: you know, branding through the years. I guess it's something 371 00:21:34,676 --> 00:21:37,716 Speaker 4: that kind of has come somewhat natural. 372 00:21:37,436 --> 00:21:40,356 Speaker 2: And its just like it must. It feels like an 373 00:21:40,396 --> 00:21:43,876 Speaker 2: innate ability because you have you have a real solid 374 00:21:43,916 --> 00:21:46,556 Speaker 2: instinct for it. You know, you've been able to maintain 375 00:21:46,636 --> 00:21:51,516 Speaker 2: it for twenty years, twenty years in so many different areas. 376 00:21:51,876 --> 00:21:54,356 Speaker 2: So yeah, it definitely feels like something that comes naturally 377 00:21:54,396 --> 00:21:54,596 Speaker 2: to you. 378 00:21:55,396 --> 00:21:58,516 Speaker 4: Yeah, thank you. You know that's key and hipop. I 379 00:21:58,516 --> 00:22:01,156 Speaker 4: mean when you think about it, I mean from from 380 00:22:01,396 --> 00:22:07,916 Speaker 4: DJ Drama to Gangster Girls to Generation Now to Dedications. 381 00:22:08,276 --> 00:22:11,036 Speaker 4: You know, there's just so many things that that I'm 382 00:22:11,076 --> 00:22:14,516 Speaker 4: attached to that are you know, known within the culture. 383 00:22:15,556 --> 00:22:17,756 Speaker 2: At the height of Gangster Grills, like would you say 384 00:22:17,796 --> 00:22:21,396 Speaker 2: the height was like oh five o six ish. 385 00:22:21,596 --> 00:22:24,396 Speaker 3: I think it's had different different heights. I think oh, 386 00:22:24,476 --> 00:22:25,436 Speaker 3: FABO six. 387 00:22:25,316 --> 00:22:26,396 Speaker 2: Was like the first peak. 388 00:22:26,556 --> 00:22:28,276 Speaker 3: That was the first peak. Definitely. 389 00:22:28,756 --> 00:22:31,356 Speaker 2: Do you have an idea roughly of how many copies 390 00:22:31,356 --> 00:22:34,036 Speaker 2: you were selling per month and how much how much 391 00:22:34,076 --> 00:22:35,436 Speaker 2: you were making per month on. 392 00:22:35,396 --> 00:22:40,436 Speaker 4: The tapes I was probably selling, like you know, between 393 00:22:40,476 --> 00:22:44,316 Speaker 4: each tape it was you know, just coming from my backyard, 394 00:22:44,436 --> 00:22:50,916 Speaker 4: probably like maybe twenty thirty five thousand tapes you know, 395 00:22:51,076 --> 00:22:54,036 Speaker 4: just from me. But then again, like that's not including 396 00:22:54,076 --> 00:22:57,116 Speaker 4: the bootleggers, and yeah, it was bootleg people that were 397 00:22:57,156 --> 00:23:01,156 Speaker 4: taking that were taking masters, so you know, there were 398 00:23:01,196 --> 00:23:04,796 Speaker 4: there were hundreds of thousands of copies, like I'm sure 399 00:23:04,796 --> 00:23:08,836 Speaker 4: in that time there were you know a millionion physical 400 00:23:09,236 --> 00:23:13,956 Speaker 4: gangster girls if we're including the Jezy tapes and the 401 00:23:13,996 --> 00:23:16,876 Speaker 4: Wayne tapes and you know, all the various tapes. And 402 00:23:16,876 --> 00:23:20,716 Speaker 4: then like monetarily wise, I was, you know, bringing in 403 00:23:21,156 --> 00:23:26,436 Speaker 4: fifty sixty seventy eighty thousand dollars a month, like you know, 404 00:23:26,916 --> 00:23:31,436 Speaker 4: money that I had never seen or been familiar with. 405 00:23:32,196 --> 00:23:34,076 Speaker 3: So it was it was all of the time. 406 00:23:35,396 --> 00:23:40,996 Speaker 2: And then all that changed on the morning of January sixteenth, 407 00:23:41,076 --> 00:23:44,316 Speaker 2: two thousand and seven. Can you just tell us quickly. 408 00:23:44,356 --> 00:23:47,116 Speaker 2: What happened that morning? What you remember from that day, 409 00:23:48,236 --> 00:23:48,956 Speaker 2: I got raided. 410 00:23:50,116 --> 00:23:53,316 Speaker 4: I came to the studio that day and I had 411 00:23:53,356 --> 00:23:59,956 Speaker 4: gotten tipped off that they were coming to the studio, 412 00:24:00,036 --> 00:24:02,436 Speaker 4: but I thought it was a mix up and a mistake, 413 00:24:03,236 --> 00:24:05,156 Speaker 4: and I went outside to go move my car. I 414 00:24:05,196 --> 00:24:07,236 Speaker 4: let my employees know, like I just got a weird 415 00:24:07,236 --> 00:24:09,996 Speaker 4: all that, you know, the cops for coming over here. 416 00:24:10,596 --> 00:24:12,276 Speaker 3: And I went to go move my car. 417 00:24:12,396 --> 00:24:15,636 Speaker 4: When I went outside, you know, they pulled up with 418 00:24:16,036 --> 00:24:20,476 Speaker 4: you know, tahoes with the lights and helicopter was above 419 00:24:20,516 --> 00:24:24,676 Speaker 4: my head and they jumped out with M sixteen's and 420 00:24:24,716 --> 00:24:26,596 Speaker 4: you know, told me to get on the ground and 421 00:24:27,236 --> 00:24:30,196 Speaker 4: told me, Tyree Simmons, you're being arrested for bootlegging and 422 00:24:30,276 --> 00:24:35,996 Speaker 4: racketeering under the Rico law. And you know, they tore 423 00:24:36,036 --> 00:24:38,996 Speaker 4: the studio apart, and you know, they were looking for 424 00:24:39,316 --> 00:24:42,596 Speaker 4: guns and drugs, and you know, all they found was mixtapes. 425 00:24:42,636 --> 00:24:46,276 Speaker 4: And I remember being taken down the right street and 426 00:24:46,996 --> 00:24:49,476 Speaker 4: you know, sitting in the hold Excel and somebody tapping 427 00:24:49,556 --> 00:24:54,156 Speaker 4: me like, look, you're on TV. And that was what 428 00:24:54,236 --> 00:24:57,276 Speaker 4: they know is like the day to game change within 429 00:24:57,756 --> 00:25:01,716 Speaker 4: the mixtape world, because like you know, I was like 430 00:25:02,076 --> 00:25:04,316 Speaker 4: top of the food chain. I was one of the 431 00:25:04,356 --> 00:25:07,476 Speaker 4: biggest mixtape DJs in the world at the time, and 432 00:25:08,236 --> 00:25:11,596 Speaker 4: you know it was like, man, if DJ drama can 433 00:25:11,596 --> 00:25:13,356 Speaker 4: get locked up, like nobody's safe. 434 00:25:13,516 --> 00:25:15,756 Speaker 2: What happened when you were in jail? How long did 435 00:25:15,796 --> 00:25:16,276 Speaker 2: you have to say? 436 00:25:16,356 --> 00:25:18,556 Speaker 3: I was only there for like twenty four hours. We 437 00:25:18,636 --> 00:25:20,156 Speaker 3: got a one hundred. 438 00:25:19,916 --> 00:25:23,436 Speaker 4: Thousand dollars bond, and you know, I had a lot 439 00:25:23,476 --> 00:25:26,556 Speaker 4: of hip hop conversations. Honestly, I was you know with 440 00:25:27,356 --> 00:25:30,996 Speaker 4: you know, the guys that were locked up or the inmates, 441 00:25:31,036 --> 00:25:34,276 Speaker 4: like we just had rap talk. But I remember getting 442 00:25:34,316 --> 00:25:40,236 Speaker 4: out and you know, it literally like changed my life overnight. 443 00:25:40,436 --> 00:25:45,316 Speaker 4: I became this I became the representation of like what 444 00:25:45,516 --> 00:25:49,756 Speaker 4: was wrong within the music business, and you know, it 445 00:25:49,836 --> 00:25:52,996 Speaker 4: definitely made me more famous than I was. And you know, 446 00:25:53,076 --> 00:25:56,436 Speaker 4: my record label was pretty excited. They were like, oh, 447 00:25:56,516 --> 00:25:58,996 Speaker 4: we can't pay for this type of publicity. At the time, 448 00:25:59,036 --> 00:26:01,236 Speaker 4: I was signed to an Atlantic record as an artist 449 00:26:01,596 --> 00:26:04,196 Speaker 4: to put out an. 450 00:26:03,236 --> 00:26:05,156 Speaker 2: Album, Official Gangster Grills. 451 00:26:05,396 --> 00:26:08,596 Speaker 4: Yeah, Official Gangster Grills album. So you know they were like, oh, 452 00:26:08,676 --> 00:26:10,196 Speaker 4: how fast can we get the album done? 453 00:26:10,316 --> 00:26:13,276 Speaker 2: Like, you know, there were negative effects, right it wasn't 454 00:26:13,316 --> 00:26:15,596 Speaker 2: all positive when you came out. 455 00:26:15,196 --> 00:26:20,996 Speaker 4: Well, they froze my bank account, so they kept my money, 456 00:26:21,036 --> 00:26:25,436 Speaker 4: they kept like sick figures of an account that I 457 00:26:25,476 --> 00:26:30,676 Speaker 4: had had. But beyond that, there weren't that many negative 458 00:26:30,676 --> 00:26:34,116 Speaker 4: effects to it. I mean, it pretty much made me, like, 459 00:26:35,356 --> 00:26:38,196 Speaker 4: you know, it made more people want to interview me, 460 00:26:38,356 --> 00:26:41,436 Speaker 4: put me on more magazine covers than I was, like, 461 00:26:42,196 --> 00:26:46,236 Speaker 4: made me more recognizable to people outside of you know, 462 00:26:46,716 --> 00:26:51,036 Speaker 4: the mixtape world, and I became, you know, larger than 463 00:26:51,556 --> 00:26:54,396 Speaker 4: I was, you know, And at the time, like for 464 00:26:54,756 --> 00:26:58,076 Speaker 4: another person or another situation, that could have been the 465 00:26:58,156 --> 00:27:00,716 Speaker 4: end of the end of the story, but like you know, 466 00:27:00,796 --> 00:27:03,796 Speaker 4: for me, I was like, this is just one chapter 467 00:27:03,836 --> 00:27:06,796 Speaker 4: of my story, Like this is not what this is 468 00:27:06,836 --> 00:27:09,436 Speaker 4: not going to define my whole career. Like, you know, 469 00:27:09,596 --> 00:27:14,876 Speaker 4: it'll definitely be a talked about moment, but I got, 470 00:27:15,036 --> 00:27:15,836 Speaker 4: you know, so. 471 00:27:15,876 --> 00:27:16,796 Speaker 3: Much to accomplish. 472 00:27:16,876 --> 00:27:19,596 Speaker 4: And yeah, that was what I would I would say 473 00:27:19,596 --> 00:27:22,796 Speaker 4: at the time, not knowing how much of a career 474 00:27:22,836 --> 00:27:25,796 Speaker 4: I was sent out to have. But you know, I 475 00:27:25,836 --> 00:27:29,076 Speaker 4: definitely knew that I wasn't going to like lay down 476 00:27:29,236 --> 00:27:31,556 Speaker 4: and let this be the end, you know what I'm saying, 477 00:27:31,916 --> 00:27:34,836 Speaker 4: especially because of how much I loved the mixtapes like, 478 00:27:35,196 --> 00:27:37,396 Speaker 4: and I felt I felt some guilt. That was that 479 00:27:37,476 --> 00:27:39,516 Speaker 4: was the other only other bad part was the guilt. 480 00:27:39,556 --> 00:27:42,076 Speaker 4: I felt like I didn't want to see this culture 481 00:27:42,236 --> 00:27:44,356 Speaker 4: that I loved so much die on my back. 482 00:27:44,636 --> 00:27:47,276 Speaker 3: You know that I came up loving and wanting to 483 00:27:47,276 --> 00:27:47,876 Speaker 3: be a part. 484 00:27:47,716 --> 00:27:50,036 Speaker 2: Of because it was sort of a situation at that 485 00:27:50,196 --> 00:27:54,556 Speaker 2: time where album sales were down across the music industry, 486 00:27:55,156 --> 00:27:59,076 Speaker 2: mixtape sales were up, and mixtape DJs were making a 487 00:27:59,076 --> 00:28:03,116 Speaker 2: bunch of money and record labels were losing money. 488 00:28:03,196 --> 00:28:06,156 Speaker 5: It was like the Waid Wad West, Yeah, because I 489 00:28:06,196 --> 00:28:09,756 Speaker 5: mean technically, mixtapes weren't even supposed to be taking money, 490 00:28:09,876 --> 00:28:13,436 Speaker 5: Like it was always the quote unquote for promotional use, 491 00:28:13,516 --> 00:28:15,716 Speaker 5: only stigma attached to it. 492 00:28:16,236 --> 00:28:20,516 Speaker 4: And then, you know, outside of what myself for, you know, 493 00:28:20,756 --> 00:28:25,076 Speaker 4: other well known mixtape DJs were doing, there were also 494 00:28:26,556 --> 00:28:32,116 Speaker 4: just not even DJs, but mixtape guys that were stealing 495 00:28:32,476 --> 00:28:38,316 Speaker 4: MP three's and hacking Gmail and getting records that weren't 496 00:28:38,356 --> 00:28:41,076 Speaker 4: sanctioned by the artists or the label and they were. 497 00:28:40,916 --> 00:28:41,636 Speaker 3: Putting them out. 498 00:28:41,796 --> 00:28:46,236 Speaker 4: So you know, it was it was becoming like overly saturated, 499 00:28:46,876 --> 00:28:49,356 Speaker 4: and you know, it was it was becoming a problem. 500 00:28:49,436 --> 00:28:52,716 Speaker 4: And then on top of that, the music business was 501 00:28:52,756 --> 00:28:56,156 Speaker 4: in a decline. Album sales were in a decline, so 502 00:28:56,316 --> 00:28:59,356 Speaker 4: you know, it was kind of like some were looking 503 00:28:59,356 --> 00:29:01,516 Speaker 4: at it like, oh, this is the this is the 504 00:29:01,596 --> 00:29:05,596 Speaker 4: music business way of sending a message. The mixtape DJs 505 00:29:05,716 --> 00:29:09,876 Speaker 4: like yo, y'all going to stop this ship here money. 506 00:29:10,436 --> 00:29:13,716 Speaker 2: But meanwhile, you were promoting the artists like Wayne and 507 00:29:13,796 --> 00:29:15,876 Speaker 2: Jeezy would tour off your mixtapes. 508 00:29:16,716 --> 00:29:20,996 Speaker 4: Definitely, I mean the artists were you know, they were 509 00:29:21,876 --> 00:29:24,916 Speaker 4: able to go on and you know, tour and make 510 00:29:24,956 --> 00:29:28,076 Speaker 4: money off of the music that was coming off of 511 00:29:28,116 --> 00:29:31,356 Speaker 4: their mixtapes as well as you know, those mixtapes were 512 00:29:31,436 --> 00:29:34,916 Speaker 4: used as promotional tools to lead up to people's albums, 513 00:29:35,196 --> 00:29:37,436 Speaker 4: you know, they were they were part of the marketing 514 00:29:37,516 --> 00:29:41,716 Speaker 4: plan of the labels, like, yeah, before we do an album, 515 00:29:41,756 --> 00:29:44,636 Speaker 4: we got to go against the girls to create some 516 00:29:44,836 --> 00:29:46,596 Speaker 4: hype and anticipation. 517 00:29:46,396 --> 00:29:49,036 Speaker 2: Right, And the labels would pay for them at times. 518 00:29:49,236 --> 00:29:51,796 Speaker 4: They would. They definitely would. Yeah, I was definitely getting 519 00:29:51,996 --> 00:29:53,516 Speaker 4: paid by labels to do tapes. 520 00:29:53,956 --> 00:29:56,116 Speaker 2: Did it scare you after the raid? Did it stop 521 00:29:56,156 --> 00:29:57,036 Speaker 2: you from doing tapes? 522 00:29:57,876 --> 00:29:57,916 Speaker 4: No? 523 00:29:58,116 --> 00:30:00,116 Speaker 3: I didn't. It didn't scare or stop me. 524 00:30:00,436 --> 00:30:04,476 Speaker 4: You know, I kind of stopped the regular number gangst 525 00:30:04,476 --> 00:30:08,156 Speaker 4: the Girl series that I had been doing because I 526 00:30:08,316 --> 00:30:11,676 Speaker 4: was more focused on individual artist tapes. But I went 527 00:30:11,756 --> 00:30:15,836 Speaker 4: and did like Gangster Girls sixteen and seventeen after the raid, 528 00:30:16,836 --> 00:30:20,756 Speaker 4: and I continued to do mixtapes as. 529 00:30:20,596 --> 00:30:21,436 Speaker 3: Did other people. 530 00:30:21,476 --> 00:30:24,596 Speaker 4: I mean, you know, it was mixtapes are part of 531 00:30:24,636 --> 00:30:28,876 Speaker 4: the culture, like they'll never go anywhere, even though through 532 00:30:28,876 --> 00:30:33,756 Speaker 4: the years they've changed of how they may be presented 533 00:30:33,836 --> 00:30:34,676 Speaker 4: or looked or. 534 00:30:35,116 --> 00:30:38,956 Speaker 3: What have you. Like, I continued on after that. It 535 00:30:38,156 --> 00:30:39,796 Speaker 3: didn't stop me. 536 00:30:40,956 --> 00:30:42,836 Speaker 1: We're gonna pause for a quick break and then be 537 00:30:42,916 --> 00:30:50,556 Speaker 1: back with more from DJ Drama and Lea Rose. We're 538 00:30:50,596 --> 00:30:53,196 Speaker 1: back with more from DJ Drama and Lea Rose. 539 00:30:56,156 --> 00:30:59,956 Speaker 2: Recently, you did a talk as part of a mental 540 00:30:59,956 --> 00:31:02,156 Speaker 2: health awareness month with Shanty Dass. 541 00:31:02,436 --> 00:31:03,556 Speaker 3: Yeah, and you. 542 00:31:03,436 --> 00:31:09,436 Speaker 2: Opened up about your struggle with opioid addiction. Did you 543 00:31:09,436 --> 00:31:11,436 Speaker 2: decide to come public with that. 544 00:31:12,516 --> 00:31:21,276 Speaker 4: My opioid journey started somewhere around like twenty fifteen or 545 00:31:21,756 --> 00:31:26,876 Speaker 4: something around there, or to be honest, like a lot 546 00:31:26,916 --> 00:31:31,636 Speaker 4: of it started because of my issues with sleep, Like 547 00:31:31,716 --> 00:31:36,436 Speaker 4: I was, I had really bad sleeping patterns and stuff, 548 00:31:36,476 --> 00:31:39,276 Speaker 4: and I started drinking a lot of lean in the 549 00:31:39,356 --> 00:31:43,276 Speaker 4: early two thousands, and you know, by kicking that habit, 550 00:31:43,556 --> 00:31:46,916 Speaker 4: I then started to I think I went from mean 551 00:31:47,036 --> 00:31:51,836 Speaker 4: to dank, then to percocets, and you know, I started 552 00:31:51,836 --> 00:31:54,476 Speaker 4: to realize it was a problem around like maybe like 553 00:31:54,556 --> 00:32:00,036 Speaker 4: twenty eighteen, because I had never I never really knew 554 00:32:00,116 --> 00:32:07,596 Speaker 4: the effects of withdrawals, and I went through withdrawals from 555 00:32:07,596 --> 00:32:11,196 Speaker 4: percocets and it was like a pain or a feeling 556 00:32:11,316 --> 00:32:14,516 Speaker 4: I never felt ever before my life. I remember telling 557 00:32:14,516 --> 00:32:16,556 Speaker 4: myself at the time, like I'll never go another day 558 00:32:16,596 --> 00:32:19,396 Speaker 4: without a percoset. And that was really where my like 559 00:32:20,396 --> 00:32:24,676 Speaker 4: my addiction or my habit like went into like a 560 00:32:24,756 --> 00:32:30,716 Speaker 4: different space and it really became a serious issue and problem. 561 00:32:31,196 --> 00:32:36,636 Speaker 4: And in twenty twenty, right when COVID hit, I went 562 00:32:36,676 --> 00:32:40,036 Speaker 4: to rehab and that was my first That was my 563 00:32:40,076 --> 00:32:43,916 Speaker 4: first time in rehab and in a facility trying to 564 00:32:44,276 --> 00:32:48,036 Speaker 4: you know, deal with my opioid addiction. And I spent 565 00:32:48,156 --> 00:32:52,396 Speaker 4: some time there during the beginning of COVID, and I 566 00:32:52,436 --> 00:32:57,156 Speaker 4: came out and I stayed clean for some months, and 567 00:32:57,236 --> 00:33:01,996 Speaker 4: then I relapsed probably around the end of twenty twenty. 568 00:33:02,436 --> 00:33:05,956 Speaker 4: So I went through all of twenty twenty one back 569 00:33:06,076 --> 00:33:09,436 Speaker 4: on Berks and then I was about to go on 570 00:33:09,556 --> 00:33:14,396 Speaker 4: tour in twenty twenty two, and I just remember having this, 571 00:33:14,556 --> 00:33:19,236 Speaker 4: you know. And and while I was in rehab the 572 00:33:19,276 --> 00:33:23,196 Speaker 4: first time I met my therapist. I had tried therapy before, 573 00:33:23,356 --> 00:33:26,556 Speaker 4: but I didn't really find a person that was very 574 00:33:26,676 --> 00:33:28,996 Speaker 4: suitable for me. And when I went to rehab, I 575 00:33:29,036 --> 00:33:32,676 Speaker 4: found a therapist that just was the perfect fit for me. 576 00:33:32,956 --> 00:33:35,836 Speaker 2: In what way, like what did she provide for you? 577 00:33:36,196 --> 00:33:39,836 Speaker 4: She provided when I told her when I sat down 578 00:33:39,836 --> 00:33:42,836 Speaker 4: and I pretty much in our first session told her 579 00:33:42,876 --> 00:33:46,076 Speaker 4: my life story or as much as I could in 580 00:33:46,356 --> 00:33:50,836 Speaker 4: an instance. I just remember her responses to me or 581 00:33:51,156 --> 00:33:56,316 Speaker 4: her assessment of me was so on point, off top, 582 00:33:56,476 --> 00:33:56,836 Speaker 4: and it. 583 00:33:56,756 --> 00:34:00,236 Speaker 3: Was just like, you know, it was almost mind boggling. 584 00:34:00,676 --> 00:34:04,396 Speaker 4: The feeling that I got from the therapist prior to 585 00:34:04,436 --> 00:34:08,276 Speaker 4: her was almost like a warm blanket, you know. And Amy, 586 00:34:09,156 --> 00:34:11,076 Speaker 4: who was my current therapist who I met, was like, 587 00:34:11,876 --> 00:34:14,316 Speaker 4: you know, she didn't take any she didn't take any shit, 588 00:34:14,556 --> 00:34:17,596 Speaker 4: or she didn't let me get away with bullshit, or 589 00:34:17,756 --> 00:34:19,236 Speaker 4: she helped me accountable. 590 00:34:19,356 --> 00:34:19,556 Speaker 3: You know. 591 00:34:19,596 --> 00:34:23,196 Speaker 4: It wasn't if I would tell her something that you know, 592 00:34:23,276 --> 00:34:27,316 Speaker 4: I was doing or you know that was not good. 593 00:34:27,476 --> 00:34:29,116 Speaker 3: She would be like that you're. 594 00:34:28,996 --> 00:34:34,356 Speaker 4: Full of shit, or that's no, that's not good. 595 00:34:34,636 --> 00:34:34,876 Speaker 3: You know. 596 00:34:35,476 --> 00:34:39,436 Speaker 4: So once I left rehab, it was it's a place 597 00:34:39,476 --> 00:34:40,236 Speaker 4: called out sign on. 598 00:34:40,716 --> 00:34:43,676 Speaker 3: Because of the law, I wasn't able to have her 599 00:34:43,716 --> 00:34:46,756 Speaker 3: as my therapist for a certain amount of time. 600 00:34:47,516 --> 00:34:50,236 Speaker 4: But after that time passed, I reached back out to 601 00:34:50,316 --> 00:34:53,436 Speaker 4: her and was like, you know, you said, after the 602 00:34:53,476 --> 00:34:57,596 Speaker 4: two months or three months whatever, you know, I could 603 00:34:57,996 --> 00:35:01,156 Speaker 4: see if you were available, and she was like, yeah, 604 00:35:01,316 --> 00:35:02,076 Speaker 4: we can so. 605 00:35:02,636 --> 00:35:06,516 Speaker 3: And she had tried to hook me up with another therapist. 606 00:35:06,236 --> 00:35:10,196 Speaker 4: Too for me to go see what I left the facility, 607 00:35:10,596 --> 00:35:12,836 Speaker 4: and even with him, it was it just wasn't the 608 00:35:12,916 --> 00:35:14,156 Speaker 4: right fit, like she. 609 00:35:14,276 --> 00:35:15,196 Speaker 3: Was just the one for me. 610 00:35:16,476 --> 00:35:20,556 Speaker 4: I relapsed in twenty twenty. I was taking perchas all 611 00:35:20,596 --> 00:35:25,876 Speaker 4: through twenty twenty one. I had a situation where I 612 00:35:26,116 --> 00:35:27,636 Speaker 4: literally almost overdosed. 613 00:35:28,276 --> 00:35:29,556 Speaker 2: Where were you when that happened. 614 00:35:30,116 --> 00:35:33,796 Speaker 4: I was in Atlanta, I was at home, and I 615 00:35:33,916 --> 00:35:36,596 Speaker 4: was taken to the hospital and I was put in 616 00:35:36,596 --> 00:35:42,196 Speaker 4: a situation where they were going through ten sixteen, which 617 00:35:42,436 --> 00:35:44,556 Speaker 4: means they were going to keep me for a certain 618 00:35:44,596 --> 00:35:48,476 Speaker 4: amount of time because of when they gave me the narcan, 619 00:35:49,156 --> 00:35:53,236 Speaker 4: which they give to people who are almost going to overdose. 620 00:35:53,316 --> 00:35:57,876 Speaker 4: Like I kept nodding off, and like, you know, it's 621 00:35:57,916 --> 00:36:03,036 Speaker 4: supposed to keep you awake. Luckily, there was a nurse 622 00:36:03,196 --> 00:36:07,316 Speaker 4: or someone in the hallway who was in there talking about, 623 00:36:07,316 --> 00:36:09,996 Speaker 4: oh yeah, you don't know DJ Drama was he did 624 00:36:09,996 --> 00:36:13,556 Speaker 4: all a little Wayne's mixtapes in the two thousands whatever whatever, 625 00:36:14,076 --> 00:36:18,996 Speaker 4: And they violated the hippo law and I was if 626 00:36:19,156 --> 00:36:21,036 Speaker 4: if they would have kept me in there, I went 627 00:36:21,076 --> 00:36:22,796 Speaker 4: to I had to go shoot this movie. 628 00:36:23,316 --> 00:36:23,836 Speaker 3: You people. 629 00:36:23,916 --> 00:36:26,836 Speaker 4: I had to go shoot you people, and I would 630 00:36:26,876 --> 00:36:30,676 Speaker 4: have missed it. And because they violated the hippolags, I 631 00:36:30,716 --> 00:36:33,676 Speaker 4: was able to get out early and leave the facility. 632 00:36:34,356 --> 00:36:38,556 Speaker 4: And you know, even I remember going on that movie 633 00:36:38,596 --> 00:36:44,636 Speaker 4: set and during breaks of filming having a conversation with 634 00:36:44,756 --> 00:36:49,796 Speaker 4: Jonah just about his struggles with addiction and things of 635 00:36:49,836 --> 00:36:50,356 Speaker 4: that nature. 636 00:36:50,396 --> 00:36:53,676 Speaker 3: And yeah, Jonah Hill and we had a. 637 00:36:53,676 --> 00:36:56,476 Speaker 4: Really like in depth, like you know, heart to heart 638 00:36:56,556 --> 00:37:00,076 Speaker 4: talk and I told him, like man, like I literally 639 00:37:00,236 --> 00:37:04,356 Speaker 4: just was in the hospital like because of my addiction, 640 00:37:04,516 --> 00:37:07,116 Speaker 4: and you know, he really opened up to me and 641 00:37:07,196 --> 00:37:08,596 Speaker 4: like gave me some. 642 00:37:08,436 --> 00:37:10,556 Speaker 3: Good it's a good guy, that's good advice. 643 00:37:11,316 --> 00:37:13,916 Speaker 4: And I knew at that moment that I really, you know, 644 00:37:13,956 --> 00:37:16,236 Speaker 4: I just I wanted to get clean because I used 645 00:37:16,236 --> 00:37:18,676 Speaker 4: to tell Amy all the time, like my biggest fear 646 00:37:18,756 --> 00:37:21,476 Speaker 4: is ending up like Michael Jackson or Prince, you know, 647 00:37:21,636 --> 00:37:26,596 Speaker 4: and just like opioid is such a dangerous drug because 648 00:37:26,716 --> 00:37:30,276 Speaker 4: like you know, there's no there's no end in sight, 649 00:37:30,436 --> 00:37:32,596 Speaker 4: you know, and if they could take the lots with 650 00:37:32,636 --> 00:37:34,116 Speaker 4: Michael Jackson or Prince, like. 651 00:37:34,876 --> 00:37:36,636 Speaker 3: Who the fuck am I? You know what I'm saying. 652 00:37:37,396 --> 00:37:40,836 Speaker 4: And the fear was like that was always my fear, 653 00:37:40,996 --> 00:37:43,516 Speaker 4: like death, you know what I'm saying. So I went 654 00:37:43,556 --> 00:37:46,636 Speaker 4: on I was going back on tour again in twenty 655 00:37:47,156 --> 00:37:52,196 Speaker 4: twenty two with Whiz and Logic, and I was scared 656 00:37:52,276 --> 00:37:55,076 Speaker 4: because you know, I felt like I only had like 657 00:37:55,116 --> 00:37:55,916 Speaker 4: three options. 658 00:37:56,356 --> 00:37:57,316 Speaker 3: Three options were. 659 00:37:57,796 --> 00:38:00,396 Speaker 4: I'm either going to go on tour and I'm gonna 660 00:38:00,756 --> 00:38:04,836 Speaker 4: buy an abundance of perks and be taking too many, 661 00:38:05,396 --> 00:38:09,236 Speaker 4: or I'm going to go on tour and I'm not 662 00:38:09,276 --> 00:38:10,596 Speaker 4: going to have them and I'm going to be going 663 00:38:10,636 --> 00:38:13,796 Speaker 4: through withdrawals. Or I'm going to go on tour without 664 00:38:13,876 --> 00:38:16,316 Speaker 4: them and be trying to find them and buying them 665 00:38:16,356 --> 00:38:18,996 Speaker 4: from somewhere where I shouldn't be and they're gonna have 666 00:38:19,036 --> 00:38:21,596 Speaker 4: fentanyl in them and it's going to be a hazard. 667 00:38:21,716 --> 00:38:23,116 Speaker 3: So I called. 668 00:38:22,836 --> 00:38:28,116 Speaker 4: The the rehab place that I went to erform outside 669 00:38:28,236 --> 00:38:32,796 Speaker 4: on and maybe like a week before tour, and I 670 00:38:32,956 --> 00:38:34,756 Speaker 4: just like, look, I'm about to leave, I just need 671 00:38:34,756 --> 00:38:37,756 Speaker 4: to try the detox for a couple of days before 672 00:38:37,796 --> 00:38:41,716 Speaker 4: I go. And I went there and I got on 673 00:38:41,836 --> 00:38:44,676 Speaker 4: the boxing, which I had gotten on the time before, 674 00:38:45,036 --> 00:38:47,076 Speaker 4: but I didn't stay on it. And this time when 675 00:38:47,076 --> 00:38:50,876 Speaker 4: I left to go on tour, I stayed on Boxin. 676 00:38:50,716 --> 00:38:52,196 Speaker 2: And that's the detox drug. 677 00:38:52,796 --> 00:38:55,796 Speaker 4: The boxing is a Yeah, it's a it's a drug 678 00:38:55,876 --> 00:39:01,036 Speaker 4: that they give people to detox off of opioids. It 679 00:39:01,076 --> 00:39:05,276 Speaker 4: blocks the receptors in your brain that most people get 680 00:39:05,356 --> 00:39:07,156 Speaker 4: high from opioids off of. 681 00:39:07,596 --> 00:39:09,796 Speaker 2: Does it blocks the craving to do it? 682 00:39:10,476 --> 00:39:11,276 Speaker 3: Yeah? It does. 683 00:39:11,596 --> 00:39:15,916 Speaker 4: It blocks the cravings as well, because by blocking the receptors, 684 00:39:15,756 --> 00:39:18,956 Speaker 4: it doesn't allow you to have those cravings. 685 00:39:19,276 --> 00:39:21,876 Speaker 2: In a sense, it seems like there's two cravings, Like 686 00:39:21,916 --> 00:39:25,156 Speaker 2: there's a physical craving like your physically your body's physically addicted, 687 00:39:25,476 --> 00:39:28,676 Speaker 2: but there's also a mental craving of just wanting that 688 00:39:28,756 --> 00:39:34,236 Speaker 2: feeling of escape. Absolutely, does it block the mental craving 689 00:39:34,276 --> 00:39:34,716 Speaker 2: as well? 690 00:39:36,276 --> 00:39:40,116 Speaker 4: I would think so, but you know, some of that 691 00:39:40,236 --> 00:39:43,356 Speaker 4: maybe it's just kind of like a mental thing in 692 00:39:43,356 --> 00:39:43,756 Speaker 4: its own. 693 00:39:44,116 --> 00:39:44,556 Speaker 2: Yeah. 694 00:39:44,596 --> 00:39:47,356 Speaker 4: You know, for me, it was more of me wanting 695 00:39:47,396 --> 00:39:52,476 Speaker 4: to stop anyway, and the hardest part at that moment 696 00:39:52,676 --> 00:39:58,116 Speaker 4: was more of the physical addiction and you know, not 697 00:39:58,116 --> 00:40:01,236 Speaker 4: not wanting to go through the pain of the withdrawals 698 00:40:01,276 --> 00:40:02,236 Speaker 4: and the things of that nature. 699 00:40:02,276 --> 00:40:05,556 Speaker 3: But if there is the boxing or supplicate. 700 00:40:05,236 --> 00:40:07,956 Speaker 4: Like, there is a part of it that definitely stops 701 00:40:08,116 --> 00:40:12,876 Speaker 4: your the mental craving as well, you know. So, yeah, 702 00:40:12,916 --> 00:40:16,116 Speaker 4: so when I got back from tour or when I 703 00:40:16,196 --> 00:40:20,716 Speaker 4: ran into Shanti, I had at that moment and time 704 00:40:20,796 --> 00:40:23,476 Speaker 4: had been like six months clean or seven months clean, 705 00:40:23,916 --> 00:40:27,476 Speaker 4: probably the longest I had had been clean since I 706 00:40:27,516 --> 00:40:31,316 Speaker 4: had started taking opioids. And you know, I knew that, 707 00:40:32,156 --> 00:40:34,276 Speaker 4: you know, when we started talking, she was she. 708 00:40:34,316 --> 00:40:36,836 Speaker 3: Asked me if I would be open to share my story. 709 00:40:36,996 --> 00:40:40,796 Speaker 4: And I know that, you know, a person like myself 710 00:40:40,876 --> 00:40:44,436 Speaker 4: in the position that I was in, especially when no one, 711 00:40:45,116 --> 00:40:49,276 Speaker 4: no one was aware of my addictions or my issues 712 00:40:49,316 --> 00:40:52,516 Speaker 4: and that and with that, you know me sure my 713 00:40:52,556 --> 00:40:56,516 Speaker 4: story could help someone else out. So yeah, you know, 714 00:40:56,996 --> 00:41:00,156 Speaker 4: she offered and gave me the platform to speak on it, 715 00:41:00,196 --> 00:41:02,316 Speaker 4: and you know I was more than happy to do. 716 00:41:02,396 --> 00:41:07,436 Speaker 2: So, Yeah, how prevalent are opioids in Atlanta? Just like 717 00:41:07,476 --> 00:41:10,236 Speaker 2: in your circles, Like I mean about people drinking lean 718 00:41:10,276 --> 00:41:12,796 Speaker 2: all the time, we see people holding styrofoam cups. But 719 00:41:13,396 --> 00:41:15,756 Speaker 2: how prevalent actually is it? How big of a problem 720 00:41:15,836 --> 00:41:16,356 Speaker 2: is it. 721 00:41:16,356 --> 00:41:20,316 Speaker 4: It's very It's it's like common. I mean those were everywhere. 722 00:41:20,356 --> 00:41:22,916 Speaker 4: I mean, that was even what happened when I got 723 00:41:22,916 --> 00:41:25,156 Speaker 4: back on them. I mean, you know, I was able 724 00:41:25,196 --> 00:41:30,556 Speaker 4: to stay clean in those early months because the world 725 00:41:30,676 --> 00:41:34,076 Speaker 4: was shut down, and you know, I wasn't outside or 726 00:41:34,076 --> 00:41:36,836 Speaker 4: I wasn't I wasn't in places where I could get them. 727 00:41:37,196 --> 00:41:39,756 Speaker 4: But as soon as kind of like things started to 728 00:41:39,796 --> 00:41:41,956 Speaker 4: open back up, or I was you know, out and 729 00:41:41,996 --> 00:41:45,076 Speaker 4: about in Atlanta, and Atlanta was somewhere that was open 730 00:41:45,836 --> 00:41:48,196 Speaker 4: a little more earlier than most places. You know, I 731 00:41:48,276 --> 00:41:51,276 Speaker 4: ran into you know, people who were selling them or 732 00:41:51,836 --> 00:41:54,556 Speaker 4: where I could I could get them just that easy again, 733 00:41:55,396 --> 00:41:59,556 Speaker 4: and you know, or just even in regular circles of 734 00:42:00,076 --> 00:42:05,796 Speaker 4: studio sessions and you know, you know people pop hills 735 00:42:05,836 --> 00:42:07,996 Speaker 4: like it's it's it's a common thing, you know. 736 00:42:08,156 --> 00:42:11,556 Speaker 2: So do people talk about addiction, like do you feel like, 737 00:42:11,636 --> 00:42:13,476 Speaker 2: now that you've been through what you've been through and 738 00:42:13,516 --> 00:42:15,836 Speaker 2: you have more education behind it, do you want to 739 00:42:16,236 --> 00:42:19,236 Speaker 2: reach out to people and help somebody who you see 740 00:42:19,316 --> 00:42:20,716 Speaker 2: might be dealing with addiction? 741 00:42:21,236 --> 00:42:25,036 Speaker 4: Absolutely, I mean definitely, because I know how easy it is, like, 742 00:42:26,316 --> 00:42:29,156 Speaker 4: you know, for it to become a problem, you know, 743 00:42:29,356 --> 00:42:33,596 Speaker 4: and yeah, you know it's it's scary. It's the scariest 744 00:42:33,596 --> 00:42:36,556 Speaker 4: part and the most dangerous part is that, like it 745 00:42:36,676 --> 00:42:40,636 Speaker 4: was a five six thousand dollars a month habit I had. Wow, 746 00:42:40,796 --> 00:42:45,836 Speaker 4: I was spending close to six figures a year on opioids, 747 00:42:45,916 --> 00:42:51,516 Speaker 4: and like I was in a position where I could 748 00:42:51,636 --> 00:42:55,676 Speaker 4: afford the type of habbit of doing that. The average 749 00:42:55,716 --> 00:43:01,076 Speaker 4: person can't do that and the next step after opioids 750 00:43:01,196 --> 00:43:05,996 Speaker 4: or not being able to afford consistent percosets heroin, you 751 00:43:05,996 --> 00:43:09,396 Speaker 4: know what I'm saying. And you know that the rich 752 00:43:09,476 --> 00:43:12,916 Speaker 4: person or if you watch shows like Dope Sick or 753 00:43:13,356 --> 00:43:17,396 Speaker 4: the new Netflix series Painkiller, Like the more education I 754 00:43:17,436 --> 00:43:21,396 Speaker 4: got about, you know, just the opioid crisis and understanding, 755 00:43:21,516 --> 00:43:25,636 Speaker 4: like it's so easy to see how people can fall 756 00:43:25,676 --> 00:43:27,516 Speaker 4: into these traps, you know what I mean, and not 757 00:43:27,596 --> 00:43:30,076 Speaker 4: even not even be aware of it, you know, because 758 00:43:30,396 --> 00:43:33,756 Speaker 4: when I started out, I started out taking a five 759 00:43:33,796 --> 00:43:38,116 Speaker 4: miligram percocet, and it was this feeling of euphoria. And 760 00:43:38,116 --> 00:43:42,276 Speaker 4: then once you take that for a period of time, 761 00:43:42,556 --> 00:43:44,596 Speaker 4: it doesn't do anything. So then I have to take 762 00:43:45,156 --> 00:43:47,276 Speaker 4: three of those, and the next thing, you know, I'm 763 00:43:47,316 --> 00:43:51,156 Speaker 4: taking one hundred and twenty milligrams, you know, to feel that. 764 00:43:50,596 --> 00:43:53,476 Speaker 2: That feeling and throughout the whole day, like you would just. 765 00:43:53,876 --> 00:43:56,756 Speaker 4: I would it got to that point and that happened. 766 00:43:56,796 --> 00:43:59,276 Speaker 4: I would wake up, I would take a thirty. Then 767 00:43:59,316 --> 00:44:01,076 Speaker 4: in an afternoon, I would take a thirty, and then 768 00:44:01,076 --> 00:44:04,356 Speaker 4: at night I would take three thirties and a fifteen 769 00:44:04,596 --> 00:44:06,396 Speaker 4: or something to go to sleep. 770 00:44:06,796 --> 00:44:09,076 Speaker 2: Did it affect your career in a negative way, it seems, 771 00:44:09,236 --> 00:44:12,236 Speaker 2: because didn't you do Tyler's album during that time period? 772 00:44:12,916 --> 00:44:15,796 Speaker 3: You know, I was able to really like hi, did 773 00:44:16,196 --> 00:44:16,556 Speaker 3: I mean? 774 00:44:17,116 --> 00:44:19,636 Speaker 4: You know, there was a time when I was calling 775 00:44:19,636 --> 00:44:24,156 Speaker 4: myself like a functional junkie, like not the tour I 776 00:44:24,156 --> 00:44:26,956 Speaker 4: did last year, but the tour I. 777 00:44:26,916 --> 00:44:30,316 Speaker 3: Did in twenty nineteen. 778 00:44:30,876 --> 00:44:35,756 Speaker 4: In twenty nineteen, you know, I was on percosets constantly, 779 00:44:36,556 --> 00:44:39,356 Speaker 4: but I would do them during the time, like in 780 00:44:39,396 --> 00:44:41,916 Speaker 4: between when I would have to work or I would, 781 00:44:41,996 --> 00:44:44,876 Speaker 4: you know, I was working out every day and working 782 00:44:44,956 --> 00:44:47,316 Speaker 4: and then you know, still taking perk, So I think 783 00:44:47,396 --> 00:44:49,436 Speaker 4: I was I was able to hide it for the 784 00:44:49,436 --> 00:44:53,396 Speaker 4: most part. Like it had more of a negative effect 785 00:44:53,436 --> 00:44:56,596 Speaker 4: on my life more so than it did my career, 786 00:44:56,676 --> 00:44:59,716 Speaker 4: you know, your personal life. Yeah, more of my personal 787 00:44:59,716 --> 00:45:02,036 Speaker 4: life than so much my career. Yeah. 788 00:45:02,036 --> 00:45:04,316 Speaker 2: I imagine it can make you sort of withdraw from 789 00:45:04,356 --> 00:45:05,636 Speaker 2: people emotionally. 790 00:45:05,996 --> 00:45:07,436 Speaker 3: Yeah, it definitely does that. 791 00:45:07,916 --> 00:45:12,476 Speaker 4: And your vision and you know doesn't You don't always 792 00:45:12,476 --> 00:45:15,676 Speaker 4: make the best logical decisions. 793 00:45:14,796 --> 00:45:17,796 Speaker 3: On them, so you know, it's just it's just not good. 794 00:45:17,836 --> 00:45:18,636 Speaker 3: They're just terrible. 795 00:45:19,476 --> 00:45:22,076 Speaker 2: Now that you've had a little bit of distance from it, 796 00:45:22,116 --> 00:45:24,916 Speaker 2: what do you do to stay resilient? What do you 797 00:45:24,956 --> 00:45:26,796 Speaker 2: do to stay clean? 798 00:45:27,916 --> 00:45:30,276 Speaker 4: I look forward to the twenty second of every month 799 00:45:30,916 --> 00:45:36,916 Speaker 4: because it's another monthly anniversary of my sobriety. I hit 800 00:45:36,956 --> 00:45:41,156 Speaker 4: a year on July twenty second, So now this is 801 00:45:41,796 --> 00:45:45,836 Speaker 4: thank you Sonoun was just thirteen months. And you know, 802 00:45:45,916 --> 00:45:51,556 Speaker 4: I get more fulfillment and enjoyment of the longevity of 803 00:45:51,796 --> 00:45:55,236 Speaker 4: saying clean and sober that I do from wanting to 804 00:45:55,276 --> 00:45:58,236 Speaker 4: take a purpose at and never wanting to go back 805 00:45:58,236 --> 00:46:00,076 Speaker 4: to that, you know, it's not worth it. 806 00:46:00,596 --> 00:46:02,996 Speaker 2: Do you continue to take some sort of medication. 807 00:46:03,556 --> 00:46:05,396 Speaker 3: Yeah, I take a shot. 808 00:46:05,476 --> 00:46:11,036 Speaker 4: It's called a supplicate shot, which I take monthly, and 809 00:46:11,116 --> 00:46:15,476 Speaker 4: that definitely is supposed to help with you know, cravings 810 00:46:15,596 --> 00:46:18,516 Speaker 4: or even feeling the effects of an opioid. 811 00:46:19,116 --> 00:46:19,276 Speaker 3: You know. 812 00:46:19,316 --> 00:46:23,316 Speaker 4: I remember a time recently, or a couple of times recently, 813 00:46:23,356 --> 00:46:29,116 Speaker 4: where they've been right in my face, you know, around 814 00:46:29,156 --> 00:46:34,236 Speaker 4: and I had no desire to engage or indulge, and 815 00:46:35,156 --> 00:46:37,116 Speaker 4: I was extremely proud of myself for that. 816 00:46:38,556 --> 00:46:40,236 Speaker 1: We have to take another quick break and then we'll 817 00:46:40,236 --> 00:46:42,996 Speaker 1: come back with more from Lea Rose and DJ Drama. 818 00:46:47,516 --> 00:46:50,156 Speaker 1: We're back with the rest of Leo Rose's conversation with 819 00:46:50,396 --> 00:46:51,236 Speaker 1: DJ Drama. 820 00:46:52,316 --> 00:46:54,276 Speaker 2: So I wanted to ask you a little bit about 821 00:46:54,756 --> 00:46:59,516 Speaker 2: your background. What was your home life like, like early childhood? Like, 822 00:46:59,556 --> 00:47:02,036 Speaker 2: what do you remember about the house you grew up in. 823 00:47:02,156 --> 00:47:04,676 Speaker 2: Was it a house filled with music? Were your parents 824 00:47:05,316 --> 00:47:06,036 Speaker 2: into music? 825 00:47:06,516 --> 00:47:06,916 Speaker 3: Yeah? 826 00:47:07,276 --> 00:47:10,596 Speaker 4: So I grew up between my mother and my father. 827 00:47:11,396 --> 00:47:14,796 Speaker 4: They split up when I was around two, and I 828 00:47:15,476 --> 00:47:18,116 Speaker 4: spent like equal amount of times between both households. 829 00:47:18,516 --> 00:47:24,756 Speaker 3: But my dad was a huge duop fan and he 830 00:47:24,996 --> 00:47:27,156 Speaker 3: had a large record collection. 831 00:47:27,876 --> 00:47:30,836 Speaker 4: I remember my mom had a lot of records too, 832 00:47:31,916 --> 00:47:37,436 Speaker 4: And they definitely both played a lot of music within 833 00:47:37,756 --> 00:47:40,516 Speaker 4: the household. And my dad, my dad also listened to 834 00:47:40,556 --> 00:47:42,716 Speaker 4: a lot of jazz. My mom listened to a lot 835 00:47:42,796 --> 00:47:46,516 Speaker 4: of jazz, a lot of early eighties R and B, 836 00:47:46,916 --> 00:47:50,156 Speaker 4: seventies R and B. And you know, I just remember, 837 00:47:50,476 --> 00:47:54,356 Speaker 4: you know, being introduced to hip hoping at an early age, 838 00:47:55,116 --> 00:47:58,596 Speaker 4: you know, having a keen love for it. But even 839 00:47:58,676 --> 00:48:01,476 Speaker 4: over all, even just a came up for music, like 840 00:48:01,796 --> 00:48:06,276 Speaker 4: you know, I grew up listening to Big Daddy Kane 841 00:48:06,636 --> 00:48:10,116 Speaker 4: and Guns and Roses krus One a Metallica. 842 00:48:11,236 --> 00:48:13,716 Speaker 2: Did you ever feel like, because being mixed race, your 843 00:48:14,116 --> 00:48:16,556 Speaker 2: dad is black, your mom is white, did you ever 844 00:48:16,676 --> 00:48:18,956 Speaker 2: have a period where you felt like you had to 845 00:48:19,036 --> 00:48:20,236 Speaker 2: sort of pick a side. 846 00:48:21,916 --> 00:48:22,116 Speaker 3: Yeah. 847 00:48:22,276 --> 00:48:26,036 Speaker 4: I mean as a young child, you know, I definitely 848 00:48:26,116 --> 00:48:32,276 Speaker 4: had some identity issues, you know, definitely being so fair 849 00:48:32,436 --> 00:48:36,276 Speaker 4: skinned or light skinned, you know, and my father always 850 00:48:36,396 --> 00:48:39,796 Speaker 4: instilled in me, like about my blackness, and you know, 851 00:48:39,836 --> 00:48:42,476 Speaker 4: at a young age, it was kind of confusing because 852 00:48:42,476 --> 00:48:44,876 Speaker 4: it was like he would tell me that I'm black. 853 00:48:45,596 --> 00:48:48,036 Speaker 4: I'd be like, well, okay, but my mom is white, 854 00:48:48,596 --> 00:48:51,876 Speaker 4: and you know, just I would always get questioned a 855 00:48:51,956 --> 00:48:56,716 Speaker 4: lot like about what I was or you know, how 856 00:48:56,756 --> 00:49:00,036 Speaker 4: to identify myself. So you know, it would go from 857 00:49:00,836 --> 00:49:02,836 Speaker 4: me saying I'm black to me saying I'm mixed, or 858 00:49:03,276 --> 00:49:06,076 Speaker 4: me having to explain to people or what have you, 859 00:49:06,356 --> 00:49:09,356 Speaker 4: or you know, being fair skinned but having you know, 860 00:49:10,276 --> 00:49:14,596 Speaker 4: certain features like big lips or curly hair, and you know, 861 00:49:14,876 --> 00:49:15,396 Speaker 4: just like. 862 00:49:16,916 --> 00:49:20,276 Speaker 3: Growing up in I guess the eighties and the nineties in. 863 00:49:20,356 --> 00:49:25,436 Speaker 4: That time, Like they're definitely worth some times of confusion 864 00:49:25,756 --> 00:49:29,956 Speaker 4: or or trying to you know, who I've identify with 865 00:49:30,116 --> 00:49:33,236 Speaker 4: more or picking aside or things like that, or you know, 866 00:49:33,796 --> 00:49:37,716 Speaker 4: friend groups and you know, just school and you know. 867 00:49:37,876 --> 00:49:38,436 Speaker 3: Things like that. 868 00:49:39,596 --> 00:49:41,716 Speaker 2: Yeah, how did your parents meet? 869 00:49:42,116 --> 00:49:49,196 Speaker 4: They met because they both were very active in like 870 00:49:49,756 --> 00:49:56,036 Speaker 4: conscious and liberal political movements, so they met kind of 871 00:49:56,156 --> 00:50:01,356 Speaker 4: both working around civil rights in the mid to late seventies. 872 00:50:02,036 --> 00:50:05,396 Speaker 2: Cool. Yeah, Philadelphia seems like a very politically active city. 873 00:50:05,796 --> 00:50:06,396 Speaker 3: Definite. Yes. 874 00:50:07,196 --> 00:50:09,916 Speaker 2: Okay. So in addition to every thing that you've built 875 00:50:09,916 --> 00:50:13,476 Speaker 2: with the mixtapes, with you know, with your podcast, with 876 00:50:13,596 --> 00:50:17,476 Speaker 2: the albums you've released, you also have now a label 877 00:50:17,556 --> 00:50:23,516 Speaker 2: imprint called Generation Now, and you've signed two of the 878 00:50:23,716 --> 00:50:28,156 Speaker 2: most now successful hip hop artists, Little Ooze, Vert Jack 879 00:50:28,236 --> 00:50:31,636 Speaker 2: Harlowe and they're really living up to the name of 880 00:50:31,716 --> 00:50:34,676 Speaker 2: the imprint. Yeah, just talk about how you found them 881 00:50:34,796 --> 00:50:37,036 Speaker 2: or what it was about them that you knew that 882 00:50:37,276 --> 00:50:39,116 Speaker 2: you wanted to sign them. 883 00:50:39,956 --> 00:50:42,876 Speaker 4: A lot of it was their conviction upon meeting them, 884 00:50:43,396 --> 00:50:49,676 Speaker 4: their own desire to be great, to be stars, to 885 00:50:49,836 --> 00:50:53,676 Speaker 4: be you know, the best of the best. You know, 886 00:50:53,756 --> 00:50:58,236 Speaker 4: they both kind of in a sense like went against 887 00:50:58,276 --> 00:51:01,156 Speaker 4: the grain. You know, that's something that you know, I've 888 00:51:01,196 --> 00:51:04,276 Speaker 4: always been keen of. Like even if you look at 889 00:51:04,316 --> 00:51:07,316 Speaker 4: my story about you know, this kid funtil you moved 890 00:51:07,356 --> 00:51:13,796 Speaker 4: to Atlanta and dominated you know, southern mixtape scene, like 891 00:51:14,316 --> 00:51:18,156 Speaker 4: you know, a little Oozi wasn't the norm of what 892 00:51:19,676 --> 00:51:22,516 Speaker 4: people were used to have artists of what Philadelphia artists 893 00:51:22,556 --> 00:51:27,236 Speaker 4: sound like, right, Yeah, and you know that definitely attracted 894 00:51:27,356 --> 00:51:28,636 Speaker 4: us to him. 895 00:51:29,596 --> 00:51:31,756 Speaker 2: But how did you know he would have longevity? Like 896 00:51:31,876 --> 00:51:33,636 Speaker 2: when you were starting to talk to him and hear 897 00:51:33,676 --> 00:51:35,876 Speaker 2: his music, Like, how did you know that he's someone 898 00:51:35,916 --> 00:51:38,156 Speaker 2: who's worth investing long term in? 899 00:51:39,396 --> 00:51:42,316 Speaker 4: I mean, to be honest, I don't know if you 900 00:51:42,396 --> 00:51:45,636 Speaker 4: ever really do you know. I mean, it's like it's 901 00:51:46,596 --> 00:51:49,236 Speaker 4: it's the music business. I mean, it's all at gamble, 902 00:51:49,396 --> 00:51:52,196 Speaker 4: you know. I mean, I definitely saw the talent in him. 903 00:51:52,476 --> 00:51:55,716 Speaker 4: You know, I saw his Again, it's the conviction, like 904 00:51:56,516 --> 00:51:58,676 Speaker 4: he knew he was a rock star, and you know, 905 00:51:58,876 --> 00:52:01,836 Speaker 4: he was always very confident of like how dope his 906 00:52:01,916 --> 00:52:03,636 Speaker 4: shit was, or you. 907 00:52:03,676 --> 00:52:08,236 Speaker 3: Know Jack is. You know there's videos of Jack rapping 908 00:52:08,356 --> 00:52:09,796 Speaker 3: at twelve than thirteen. 909 00:52:10,076 --> 00:52:14,316 Speaker 4: Like I stand behind his ability to want to be 910 00:52:14,436 --> 00:52:18,876 Speaker 4: great and to want to have longevity and you know, 911 00:52:19,516 --> 00:52:22,756 Speaker 4: wanting to be a great performer and you know, which 912 00:52:22,836 --> 00:52:27,236 Speaker 4: he wasn't always, but you know, I mean again, he 913 00:52:27,396 --> 00:52:31,036 Speaker 4: was a sponge that you know, we watched like soak 914 00:52:31,116 --> 00:52:34,716 Speaker 4: it up and we're able to lend our shoulders to 915 00:52:35,676 --> 00:52:39,556 Speaker 4: artists and bring the knowledge and then you know the 916 00:52:40,036 --> 00:52:43,196 Speaker 4: years of legacy that we have and you know, to 917 00:52:43,316 --> 00:52:45,236 Speaker 4: help them for their careers. 918 00:52:46,156 --> 00:52:49,716 Speaker 2: When you and Lake and Cannon are talking about signing 919 00:52:49,836 --> 00:52:53,476 Speaker 2: Jack Harlow to the generation now, that becomes a huge 920 00:52:53,556 --> 00:52:56,636 Speaker 2: co sign for Jack and that can change the trajectory 921 00:52:57,156 --> 00:53:00,476 Speaker 2: of his career. Right, What was it about him that 922 00:53:00,676 --> 00:53:01,876 Speaker 2: made you confident? 923 00:53:02,396 --> 00:53:05,676 Speaker 3: I just was always impressed of how comfortable in his 924 00:53:05,836 --> 00:53:10,996 Speaker 3: own skinn he was. And like its note of you know, 925 00:53:11,116 --> 00:53:13,756 Speaker 3: of hip hop or you know we we we we 926 00:53:13,916 --> 00:53:15,676 Speaker 3: had a fond. 927 00:53:17,076 --> 00:53:21,276 Speaker 4: Interest in the same films and movies, and you know, 928 00:53:21,396 --> 00:53:24,956 Speaker 4: watching him rap like you know, lyric lyrically, and like 929 00:53:25,716 --> 00:53:28,956 Speaker 4: what he in the conversations I had with him of 930 00:53:29,076 --> 00:53:32,116 Speaker 4: what he where he wanted to be, and you know, 931 00:53:32,236 --> 00:53:34,916 Speaker 4: where he wanted to go as an artist, like he 932 00:53:34,996 --> 00:53:38,116 Speaker 4: wanted to be one of the greats, and like, you know, 933 00:53:38,316 --> 00:53:41,116 Speaker 4: that was enough for me. That was like, here's this 934 00:53:41,316 --> 00:53:45,036 Speaker 4: kid from Louisville, Kentucky that looks like Napoleon dynamite that 935 00:53:45,316 --> 00:53:47,956 Speaker 4: you know, like it's going to shock the world. So 936 00:53:48,836 --> 00:53:52,316 Speaker 4: you know, again, I just think like I've always found 937 00:53:52,356 --> 00:53:55,356 Speaker 4: a lot of success and and someone kind of like 938 00:53:55,436 --> 00:53:58,836 Speaker 4: going against the grain. And I remember having conversations with 939 00:53:58,956 --> 00:54:01,956 Speaker 4: the label and you know, some people being a little 940 00:54:01,996 --> 00:54:04,956 Speaker 4: skeptical about us signing a white artist, and I was like, look, 941 00:54:05,076 --> 00:54:07,276 Speaker 4: it's not it's not the year. 942 00:54:07,156 --> 00:54:10,116 Speaker 3: Two thousand anymore. Like them is not the only one 943 00:54:10,196 --> 00:54:14,196 Speaker 3: that can exist. Like you know, just sit back and 944 00:54:14,276 --> 00:54:16,916 Speaker 3: watch what we do. You know, we did it again. 945 00:54:17,796 --> 00:54:21,436 Speaker 2: Yeah, you guys have had tremendous success. Congratulations on Thank 946 00:54:21,476 --> 00:54:24,116 Speaker 2: you on all the success. What are you working on now? Like, 947 00:54:24,196 --> 00:54:26,836 Speaker 2: what's next? I know you're working on probably a million things. 948 00:54:27,756 --> 00:54:31,116 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm in the process of finishing up a book 949 00:54:31,156 --> 00:54:37,876 Speaker 4: deal who memoir, potentially a memoir Stay tuned. Generation Now 950 00:54:37,956 --> 00:54:42,596 Speaker 4: we have our management company, so we now have a 951 00:54:42,716 --> 00:54:47,996 Speaker 4: little Tyler, Ruby Rose, Mariaha scientists on Generation Now Management. 952 00:54:48,116 --> 00:54:50,916 Speaker 4: We're in the process of signing some new artists, one 953 00:54:50,996 --> 00:54:55,396 Speaker 4: of them being this artist named kay Cash and another. 954 00:54:55,156 --> 00:54:57,156 Speaker 3: One that will announce very soon. 955 00:54:57,716 --> 00:55:00,796 Speaker 4: I'm finishing up this tour with Snoop and Wiz and 956 00:55:01,396 --> 00:55:03,236 Speaker 4: going to go right into start working on a new 957 00:55:03,276 --> 00:55:07,756 Speaker 4: album and then we all we're working on some film 958 00:55:07,836 --> 00:55:08,596 Speaker 4: projects as well. 959 00:55:09,436 --> 00:55:12,596 Speaker 2: How are you sleeping now, like a baby, I. 960 00:55:12,716 --> 00:55:15,556 Speaker 3: Just sleep peacefully. You know, I'm at a space and 961 00:55:15,716 --> 00:55:17,796 Speaker 3: where you know, life is amazing. 962 00:55:18,396 --> 00:55:21,156 Speaker 4: I get up, I work out, and you know, my 963 00:55:21,316 --> 00:55:24,356 Speaker 4: day is pretty fulfilled if it's a normal average day. 964 00:55:24,356 --> 00:55:26,996 Speaker 3: I put my ass to bed about eleven eleven thirty. 965 00:55:27,596 --> 00:55:30,076 Speaker 2: That's great. Thank you so much, Drama for doing this. 966 00:55:30,236 --> 00:55:32,876 Speaker 2: I appreciate you so much and I'm so proud of you. 967 00:55:33,876 --> 00:55:35,156 Speaker 2: So good to be connected again. 968 00:55:35,516 --> 00:55:37,676 Speaker 3: No, for sure, it's great to talk to you all 969 00:55:37,716 --> 00:55:38,116 Speaker 3: this time. 970 00:55:41,036 --> 00:55:43,836 Speaker 1: Thanks to Djdrama for being so open about his addiction 971 00:55:44,196 --> 00:55:47,516 Speaker 1: and recovery. We wish him continued success. And personally, I 972 00:55:47,556 --> 00:55:50,116 Speaker 1: look forward to the return of the greatest mixtape series 973 00:55:50,156 --> 00:55:53,196 Speaker 1: of all time with the dedication seven. Whenever that drops. 974 00:55:53,836 --> 00:55:56,356 Speaker 1: You can hear all of our favorite official djdrama tracks 975 00:55:56,396 --> 00:56:00,036 Speaker 1: on the playlist at broken record podcast dot com. You 976 00:56:00,076 --> 00:56:02,476 Speaker 1: can subscribe to our YouTube channel at YouTube dot com 977 00:56:02,636 --> 00:56:05,196 Speaker 1: slash broken Record Podcast, where you can find all of 978 00:56:05,276 --> 00:56:08,356 Speaker 1: our new episodes. You can follow us on Twitter at 979 00:56:08,436 --> 00:56:12,196 Speaker 1: broken Record. Broken Record is produced with help from Leah Rose, 980 00:56:12,436 --> 00:56:16,796 Speaker 1: Jason Gambrel, Ben Holliday, and Eric Samer. Our editor is 981 00:56:16,916 --> 00:56:20,836 Speaker 1: Sophie Crane. Broken Record is a production of Pushkin Industries. 982 00:56:21,036 --> 00:56:23,396 Speaker 1: If you love this show and others from Pushkin, consider 983 00:56:23,436 --> 00:56:27,636 Speaker 1: subscribing to Pushkin Plus. Pushkin Plus is a podcast subscription 984 00:56:27,836 --> 00:56:31,276 Speaker 1: that offers bonus content an uninterrupted ad free listening for 985 00:56:31,436 --> 00:56:34,156 Speaker 1: four ninety nine a month. Look for Pushkin Plus on 986 00:56:34,196 --> 00:56:37,436 Speaker 1: Apple podcast subscriptions, and if you like the show, please 987 00:56:37,476 --> 00:56:40,516 Speaker 1: remember to share, rate, and review us on your podcast app. 988 00:56:41,036 --> 00:56:43,916 Speaker 1: Our theme music Expectkenny Beats. I'm Justin Rischmith