WEBVTT - Questlove Supreme: DJ Drama Part 2 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:06.320 Quest Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio One. 0:00:06.360 --> 0:00:09.960 I'm QLs listeners and viewers. I see you, Actually I don't. 0:00:09.960 --> 0:00:12.840 But anyway, we are back with Part two of Quest 0:00:12.840 --> 0:00:17.040 Love Supremes episode with DJ Drama. Now don't forget. This 0:00:17.200 --> 0:00:20.640 was filmed on location in Atlanta, Georgia, and we recorded 0:00:20.680 --> 0:00:24.760 this episode in TI Studio, which is really a dope spot. 0:00:25.000 --> 0:00:27.800 So make sure you've watched or listened to part one. 0:00:28.000 --> 0:00:31.400 That's where Drama, you know, my Homide from CAU talks 0:00:31.440 --> 0:00:34.879 about his Philly upbringing, his respect for Questlove and the 0:00:34.960 --> 0:00:41.479 roots and making critical inroads with TI and GZ and 0:00:41.680 --> 0:00:45.400 Fini at driving Atlanta. All right, y'all, let's get ready. 0:00:45.560 --> 0:00:48.839 Here we go with part two. 0:00:54.360 --> 0:00:56.400 As a mixtape. DJ, you're locking it down. 0:00:56.760 --> 0:01:00.720 But as far as now, when you're DJing in clubs, 0:01:01.320 --> 0:01:07.080 if I'm hiring you to DJ a party in two 0:01:07.120 --> 0:01:11.039 thousand and six, two thousand and seven, how long, like 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:13.560 how long is your set? And are you doing just 0:01:13.760 --> 0:01:19.200 exclusive stuff that is exclusive to you or are you 0:01:19.319 --> 0:01:21.919 still just like doing regularly DJ stuff? 0:01:21.920 --> 0:01:26.119 And so really what wound up happening was around that time, 0:01:26.560 --> 0:01:31.000 I actually wasn't doing a lot of gigs because I 0:01:31.120 --> 0:01:37.039 then became DJ Drama and I went literally from getting 0:01:37.080 --> 0:01:40.600 paid three hundred dollars from doing parties in Atlanta to 0:01:40.760 --> 0:01:43.840 them not being able to afford me. And then I 0:01:43.920 --> 0:01:46.840 was also tips DJ, so I was on the road, 0:01:47.360 --> 0:01:50.360 so I didn't really I wasn't doing a lot of 0:01:50.400 --> 0:01:53.520 my own gigs. I would I would here and there, 0:01:53.560 --> 0:01:55.800 I would I would get hired, but I would probably 0:01:56.080 --> 0:01:58.920 do like a two hour set and I would you know, 0:01:59.120 --> 0:02:01.760 but this is all a time when like so I 0:02:01.760 --> 0:02:05.080 guess Serrato was already out right, so I would do 0:02:05.200 --> 0:02:08.080 like big gigs like I remember when Vibe had like 0:02:08.160 --> 0:02:12.520 the Vibe something down here and outcasts perform like they 0:02:12.560 --> 0:02:15.640 will book me for that, or like BT would book me, 0:02:16.040 --> 0:02:19.320 and you know, I was just I was playing like 0:02:19.480 --> 0:02:21.000 I would mix it up. I mean, I would do 0:02:21.040 --> 0:02:23.480 what was hot, but I would also, you know, kind 0:02:23.480 --> 0:02:25.359 of play some gangster grol ship. 0:02:25.520 --> 0:02:28.200 So are you a business in terms of like now 0:02:28.280 --> 0:02:29.960 you have a manager and an. 0:02:29.880 --> 0:02:35.400 Agent and a staff. Yeah. 0:02:35.080 --> 0:02:38.480 The office space like definitely, we had a Walker Street 0:02:38.639 --> 0:02:43.440 was our was our was our office. Niece Denise, Denise 0:02:43.520 --> 0:02:48.360 worked for us. We had I had Jason Brown was 0:02:48.360 --> 0:02:52.720 was handling all the distribution. Orlando McGee was my first manager, 0:02:53.440 --> 0:02:57.160 and yeah, because then I got, you know, the opportunity 0:02:57.200 --> 0:02:59.359 to get an album there. I mean I literally met 0:02:59.360 --> 0:03:02.600 with every late Boot at one point as far as 0:03:02.639 --> 0:03:05.240 like their interest in signing me as a DJ to 0:03:05.280 --> 0:03:08.119 do a Gangster Girls album, you know, and based upon 0:03:08.200 --> 0:03:10.720 my loyalty and I hadn't known the building, I signed 0:03:10.760 --> 0:03:13.800 to Ground Hustle Atlantic. But but yeah, I definitely had 0:03:14.160 --> 0:03:18.600 staff and a manager and you know, the whole nine. 0:03:19.040 --> 0:03:23.040 So with dedication, Like how did that come to? I 0:03:23.080 --> 0:03:24.720 was on the I was on the bus with Tip. 0:03:25.120 --> 0:03:27.120 We were on the Urban Legend tour. He was on 0:03:27.200 --> 0:03:30.480 the phone with Wayne. I heard him talking to Wayne 0:03:30.560 --> 0:03:32.280 and I was like, Yo, let me holler at him. 0:03:32.919 --> 0:03:35.680 So I remember being on my bunk and I just 0:03:35.760 --> 0:03:37.120 got on the phone with him and I was like, 0:03:37.160 --> 0:03:37.600 what's up. 0:03:37.800 --> 0:03:39.240 I was like, you know, and at that. 0:03:39.280 --> 0:03:43.000 Time, Wayne was was doing his squad up mid Squy, 0:03:43.640 --> 0:03:46.160 so I was using a lot of those songs on 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:48.200 Gangster Grills, so I knew he was kind of in 0:03:48.280 --> 0:03:50.360 his mixtape bag. And I was like, yo, you know, 0:03:50.920 --> 0:03:53.040 we got to get one, and he was like yeah, 0:03:53.120 --> 0:03:54.880 you know, I mean he was already familiar with me. 0:03:55.480 --> 0:03:58.920 And I remember coming off tour for a time and 0:03:58.960 --> 0:04:01.600 I went to stank On and met with Wayne and 0:04:01.720 --> 0:04:04.440 Tez and we just kind of like went over. I 0:04:04.480 --> 0:04:07.480 brought on a bunch of instrumentals, just options and things 0:04:07.480 --> 0:04:10.560 to wrap on and things of that nature, and I 0:04:10.640 --> 0:04:13.200 literally just came up with the name Dedication, just like 0:04:13.920 --> 0:04:16.080 let's call it Dedication and he was like all right, cool. 0:04:16.680 --> 0:04:19.520 And Rob Petroso, who used to do all my artwork, 0:04:19.960 --> 0:04:22.839 came up with the cover, which was you know, legendary. 0:04:23.520 --> 0:04:27.720 And you know, because by that point, Gangster Grills was 0:04:28.400 --> 0:04:31.839 a brand, Like you know, when I was moving them 0:04:31.839 --> 0:04:35.240 throughout the southeast or up north or what have you, 0:04:35.360 --> 0:04:38.200 people were already like okay, if it's a Gangster Grills, 0:04:38.240 --> 0:04:41.040 like we need it, we want it. And the Wayne tape, 0:04:41.120 --> 0:04:42.799 you know, I remember when he sent me to music 0:04:43.480 --> 0:04:45.680 and listening and I was like, Yo, this shit is different. 0:04:45.720 --> 0:04:49.480 This is not the wobbledy wobbley dropping like his hot kid, 0:04:49.680 --> 0:04:54.240 like he's on some shit, like some real bars on here. 0:04:54.440 --> 0:04:57.039 And you know, when I did the tape and I 0:04:57.120 --> 0:05:00.720 kind of I had known like, yeah, this this is 0:05:00.880 --> 0:05:02.840 this is a moment. You know what I'm saying, and 0:05:02.880 --> 0:05:05.919 then it really turned into a moment and so it 0:05:05.960 --> 0:05:07.800 was like it was like back to back from me 0:05:07.880 --> 0:05:10.839 because I just did Trap or Die and then Dedication 0:05:11.080 --> 0:05:14.400 happened and it was like Wayne was on fire from 0:05:14.720 --> 0:05:18.640 you know Carter to dedication to you know, coming into 0:05:18.640 --> 0:05:22.120 his own and so here I am again, this kid 0:05:22.160 --> 0:05:25.520 from Philly went to school in Atlanta, who's now the 0:05:25.640 --> 0:05:28.520 king of the mixtapes with Tip GZ and Wayne or 0:05:28.600 --> 0:05:30.840 like who were the hottest guys not only in the 0:05:30.880 --> 0:05:33.720 South but now in the hip hop And it was 0:05:33.800 --> 0:05:36.599 like I'm in the mix, like I'm the platform for 0:05:37.080 --> 0:05:39.359 you know, what's what's getting these niggas hot? 0:05:39.640 --> 0:05:40.599 In your mind? 0:05:41.320 --> 0:05:44.040 And this is before you know the fans and Rico stuff, 0:05:44.120 --> 0:05:46.720 but like in your mind, what. 0:05:48.279 --> 0:05:52.800 Was the end game? Are you? Like a great question? 0:05:53.160 --> 0:05:56.800 Let me start, like when do you You're like, hey, 0:05:56.960 --> 0:05:58.919 I need to be puffy or I need to start 0:05:59.000 --> 0:06:02.960 my label or I need like because in your mind you're. 0:06:02.800 --> 0:06:04.479 Like, whoa, I'm just in college. 0:06:05.000 --> 0:06:08.520 You know, in fact seven years ago now, like I 0:06:08.680 --> 0:06:09.599 determined what the future. 0:06:09.760 --> 0:06:12.240 You know what it really was when when I first 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:16.800 got hot or got popular or became that guy. The 0:06:16.800 --> 0:06:20.440 only thing that I told myself, is yo, okay, you 0:06:20.560 --> 0:06:25.680 got here like from ninety two to zero five, like 0:06:26.000 --> 0:06:28.359 there was a lot of legwork to get here. 0:06:29.200 --> 0:06:30.440 You gotta stay. 0:06:30.200 --> 0:06:33.599 Here drama Like I didn't know how or what it 0:06:33.680 --> 0:06:36.480 was gonna be, but I just told myself like, yo, 0:06:36.640 --> 0:06:40.920 like you gotta stay relevant, like somehow, some way, And 0:06:41.880 --> 0:06:44.600 it happened in a lot of forms. I mean, my 0:06:44.640 --> 0:06:49.320 brother over here, like when at the time when Gangster 0:06:49.400 --> 0:06:54.680 Grills was known for trap music and southern hip hop 0:06:54.720 --> 0:06:58.680 to an extent, you know, at the same time, like 0:06:59.400 --> 0:07:02.360 they they're per it was at Apache Cafe or yin 0:07:02.440 --> 0:07:06.480 Yank Cafe. It was Apache and they Little Brother had 0:07:06.480 --> 0:07:09.760 a show and the bus was outside of the venue 0:07:10.400 --> 0:07:12.960 and I came on a bus and we sat down 0:07:13.480 --> 0:07:16.480 and I told them like, yo, I'm a huge fan. 0:07:16.760 --> 0:07:18.080 I have been for some time. 0:07:18.640 --> 0:07:21.760 And then you know, they told me the same in return, 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:23.760 and they were like, what do you think about doing 0:07:23.760 --> 0:07:28.680 a Gangster Grills And I was like, what. 0:07:27.000 --> 0:07:28.000 What are we waiting on? 0:07:28.720 --> 0:07:33.840 But around the same time, I was getting pushback from 0:07:34.000 --> 0:07:37.840 various people like wait, you're gonna do a tape with 0:07:38.080 --> 0:07:41.760 who Little Brother and Pharrell like that's not Gangster Grills. Like, 0:07:42.520 --> 0:07:44.920 how does that make sense? And you know, I've always 0:07:44.920 --> 0:07:48.920 looked at myself like John Singleton and Martin Scorsese like 0:07:50.240 --> 0:07:52.360 I make I can make boys in the hood, but 0:07:52.400 --> 0:07:54.480 then I can go and make poetic justice, and I 0:07:54.480 --> 0:07:56.840 can make higher learning, and I can make baby boys. 0:07:56.880 --> 0:08:00.080 So that was how I approached it, so that the 0:08:00.080 --> 0:08:04.200 the fact that people were like pushing against this is 0:08:04.240 --> 0:08:10.000 not a platform for Little Brother was like so like 0:08:10.720 --> 0:08:13.240 not only like what are y'all saying my ship's and 0:08:13.240 --> 0:08:15.880 I say on the table, Yeah, it wasn't gonna sound 0:08:15.880 --> 0:08:16.240 good on. 0:08:16.200 --> 0:08:19.400 This, yeah, Like, and that was our mentality going into 0:08:19.440 --> 0:08:22.400 it too, because hence the name separate but equals. 0:08:22.760 --> 0:08:26.040 It's so iconic in so many ways, like how. 0:08:25.960 --> 0:08:29.120 Are you talking Wayne into because you know, to be 0:08:29.680 --> 0:08:31.840 it was kind of perplexing. 0:08:31.800 --> 0:08:35.160 That he chose that beat. Really he chose that. You 0:08:35.200 --> 0:08:36.800 didn't even know I was going to ask you first. 0:08:36.800 --> 0:08:39.080 He chose that beat, all right, Wayne chose And that 0:08:39.200 --> 0:08:42.000 just shows Wayne rhymed over loving it. Well no, no, no, 0:08:42.760 --> 0:08:48.440 I'm sorry. Well yeah, like he. 0:08:47.080 --> 0:08:49.200 Round of a Star and I'm like, god, damn, like 0:08:50.520 --> 0:08:53.040 he's killing our ship more than our ship. 0:08:53.080 --> 0:08:54.640 I was so anti Wayne back then. 0:08:54.679 --> 0:08:55.720 I ain't none of it. 0:08:55.720 --> 0:08:58.200 It's crazy you missed dedication I was. 0:08:58.440 --> 0:09:00.559 I was on the radio is very anti these things, 0:09:00.600 --> 0:09:01.839 and that's what I was known for. 0:09:02.200 --> 0:09:08.400 So but I heard that little brother, but a little brother, 0:09:10.720 --> 0:09:12.800 so you wasn't a gangster girl? Oh yeah, she's one 0:09:12.840 --> 0:09:15.280 of the ones like when are you gonna do another automatic? 0:09:16.840 --> 0:09:22.560 But so what like because that's exactly exactly like but 0:09:22.640 --> 0:09:25.200 I'm saying, like, like the for my mind, I was like, 0:09:25.200 --> 0:09:29.280 did you I was like, man, maybe helped Wayne to gunpoint, 0:09:29.360 --> 0:09:33.040 like you better run over this Philly track like he. 0:09:33.440 --> 0:09:37.679 Was just from a big giant is a head hip hop? 0:09:38.080 --> 0:09:39.200 Yeah you know? 0:09:39.360 --> 0:09:41.080 And and then and then for me it was my 0:09:41.720 --> 0:09:45.920 like again also coming from making automatic relaxations or coming 0:09:45.960 --> 0:09:50.120 from wanting to do this because if y'all like when 0:09:50.480 --> 0:09:53.760 Little Brother approached me and when Pharrell approached me, it 0:09:53.840 --> 0:09:57.520 was so exciting for me because it was one it 0:09:57.600 --> 0:10:00.439 was an opportunity to branch out, and then too, it 0:10:00.480 --> 0:10:03.240 was an opportunity to like feel like I was giving 0:10:03.240 --> 0:10:06.160 back to my roots, no pun intended, but like like 0:10:06.360 --> 0:10:08.880 what like I can make a little brother gangster girls 0:10:08.960 --> 0:10:11.640 or for real gangster grills like oh man, once I 0:10:11.720 --> 0:10:15.640 open this door. That just opens the floodgates for you know, 0:10:15.840 --> 0:10:18.040 for it to go in so many directions and. 0:10:18.040 --> 0:10:20.400 For us doing that when we did Separate equal like 0:10:20.640 --> 0:10:23.920 because my whole thing was, like I hated mixed. Well, 0:10:23.920 --> 0:10:25.600 I love listening to mixtapes, but I didn't want to 0:10:25.600 --> 0:10:27.160 make a mixtape, you know what I'm saying. Like my 0:10:27.240 --> 0:10:29.200 thing was, if I'm going to take time to write 0:10:29.240 --> 0:10:31.760 these original rhymes, I'm not putting them ships over somebody 0:10:31.760 --> 0:10:33.679 else tracks, you know what I'm saying, Like I can 0:10:33.720 --> 0:10:35.800 take them new rhymes, I can put over a new beat. 0:10:35.960 --> 0:10:37.240 You know what I'm saying, That's a new jam. 0:10:37.320 --> 0:10:39.960 I'm loved it. I love that our tape was like that. Yeah, 0:10:40.000 --> 0:10:41.960 we only rhymed of like maybe one instrumental. The rest 0:10:42.000 --> 0:10:43.960 of that shit was all original joints. 0:10:44.000 --> 0:10:46.760 Can we discuss the no drama version though, Like you know, 0:10:46.840 --> 0:10:50.760 I've had a saw well yeah, but yeah, so. 0:10:52.640 --> 0:10:57.560 What we did we did We did the tape and 0:10:57.559 --> 0:10:59.560 that was in like we did some that was like 0:10:59.559 --> 0:11:03.120 oh it was six yeah, so maybe like what like 0:11:03.760 --> 0:11:08.040 two years later, like we did uh we called drama 0:11:08.040 --> 0:11:12.000 free version because at the time when we were out, 0:11:13.400 --> 0:11:15.920 it was a drama free version because we had the mixtape. 0:11:15.920 --> 0:11:17.360 But like all your drops on this stuff. 0:11:17.600 --> 0:11:20.199 But then if if if I'm not if I remember 0:11:20.200 --> 0:11:22.560 this correctly, I think who we were putting it out, 0:11:22.720 --> 0:11:25.000 we were putting the project out with they just didn't 0:11:25.040 --> 0:11:27.079 want Yeah, I mean it was straight up you know 0:11:27.080 --> 0:11:29.960 what I mean, because retail wouldn't they wouldn't put it 0:11:30.000 --> 0:11:32.120 in like you couldn't get in certain stories like it 0:11:32.200 --> 0:11:34.439 was a mixtape exactly. So we were just like, all right, 0:11:34.440 --> 0:11:36.840 well here's the records. They was original records and they 0:11:36.880 --> 0:11:38.559 was our fucking records, So you know what I mean. 0:11:38.800 --> 0:11:39.800 I mean, I get it. 0:11:39.840 --> 0:11:41.680 I mean the fact that it was called Drama Free 0:11:41.760 --> 0:11:43.480 was definitely kind of made me sad. 0:11:43.600 --> 0:11:48.000 But it wasn't no like that wasn't a shot and 0:11:48.320 --> 0:11:50.040 it was just like it was just like free. 0:11:52.400 --> 0:11:56.800 It's kind of catchy. It's catchy as a motherfucker's shape. 0:11:58.520 --> 0:11:58.880 I got it. 0:11:58.920 --> 0:12:00.800 I mean, they're not the you know, they're not the 0:12:00.800 --> 0:12:03.480 first person to do a version of the tape without me. 0:12:03.520 --> 0:12:06.800 I mean, Crenshaw exists on on streaming platforms. 0:12:06.320 --> 0:12:08.680 Without me on that one hurts too, like you know, 0:12:08.920 --> 0:12:11.079 like that was I was part of it. 0:12:11.240 --> 0:12:14.280 I was part of Crenshaw, aren't you the spice and 0:12:14.320 --> 0:12:15.640 the bells and the whistles. 0:12:15.720 --> 0:12:19.640 Yeah, like like that that was the thing about that 0:12:19.760 --> 0:12:20.040 was one. 0:12:20.120 --> 0:12:22.640 I mean hence why because when I did the table 0:12:22.640 --> 0:12:25.520 with Geez, like, the music didn't exist without me on it, 0:12:25.559 --> 0:12:28.719 So all the DJs had to play the versions with 0:12:28.760 --> 0:12:30.680 me on it, and he didn't give it out without 0:12:30.679 --> 0:12:32.720 me on it. So you would go to the club 0:12:32.800 --> 0:12:36.640 and hear gangster grills all over because the music didn't 0:12:36.640 --> 0:12:37.640 exist without me on it. 0:12:37.640 --> 0:12:39.480 Sounds like a do over. It sounds like, I. 0:12:39.480 --> 0:12:42.120 Don't know, it's like almost hearing a Dela jooring without 0:12:42.160 --> 0:12:45.240 the siren and the Dila dilla beats beats. Yeah, like 0:12:45.320 --> 0:12:47.280 he thought he was sucking shit up, like nobody will 0:12:47.320 --> 0:12:49.320 rhyme over this shit to be that made it better? 0:12:49.400 --> 0:12:52.360 I mean yeah, I mean you know, I like, to me, 0:12:52.440 --> 0:12:55.400 it would hurt like I've never listened to the separate 0:12:55.440 --> 0:12:58.400 but equal drama free version, like I don't even it 0:12:58.400 --> 0:13:01.679 would hurt my soul to to me this, I think. 0:13:01.480 --> 0:13:04.360 The separated egal drummer fee version. So and it's crazy. 0:13:04.440 --> 0:13:06.040 I thought it just me and you have never talked 0:13:06.040 --> 0:13:08.679 about none of this shit. So man, when we did that. 0:13:09.200 --> 0:13:11.160 We did that record, and I always just want to 0:13:11.160 --> 0:13:14.160 thank you man, because I sent you those records. Like 0:13:14.200 --> 0:13:17.360 when I manage at the time, Dough, me and Poot 0:13:17.400 --> 0:13:20.800 finished everything and I just put the records in a sequence. 0:13:20.840 --> 0:13:23.320 I put all the songs in the sequence, skits like everything, 0:13:23.720 --> 0:13:26.000 and I was like, I think this worked. But whatever, 0:13:26.040 --> 0:13:28.720 I'm sure Drama do his thing. He'll change it up whatever. 0:13:28.800 --> 0:13:31.360 I trust him. And so when they sent it back, 0:13:31.400 --> 0:13:34.880 we were on tour and Doe was like, yo, Drama 0:13:34.920 --> 0:13:36.640 just sent the joint and I was like, all right, cool, 0:13:36.679 --> 0:13:38.440 and I opened it up because this is you know, 0:13:38.600 --> 0:13:40.840 MP three's, so you will open it and see the 0:13:40.880 --> 0:13:43.320 track listing first before you loaded the shit up, and 0:13:43.360 --> 0:13:45.160 you kept the track listening the exact same way I 0:13:45.200 --> 0:13:47.120 did it. And I was like, holy shit, you know 0:13:47.160 --> 0:13:48.319 what I mean, Like that was just a. 0:13:48.320 --> 0:13:50.880 Big ohst to it when I listened to it and 0:13:50.920 --> 0:13:52.640 I heard it and then I heard it in the 0:13:52.679 --> 0:13:56.720 way that the skits were and everything, like I'm not like, 0:13:56.800 --> 0:13:59.160 you know, I know, part of my job is, you know, 0:13:59.200 --> 0:14:01.000 there's people that want me to put it in an 0:14:01.120 --> 0:14:05.120 order or or however to do my thing, but I'm 0:14:05.160 --> 0:14:08.400 not going to mess with something that's already dope, you 0:14:08.440 --> 0:14:10.280 know what I'm saying. So for me, it was already 0:14:10.800 --> 0:14:16.320 like okay, here's my bells and my whistles. But if 0:14:16.320 --> 0:14:19.160 this ship flows the way it flows, like watch watch 0:14:19.480 --> 0:14:24.280 change perfection, that's always I appreciated that, man, bro, Like 0:14:24.400 --> 0:14:26.760 I mean you like the Little Brother and the Pharaal 0:14:26.840 --> 0:14:29.240 tape like came out at a time, and it came 0:14:29.280 --> 0:14:32.120 out literally like back to back, and those tapes are 0:14:32.280 --> 0:14:35.720 so important to me because again, like you know, from 0:14:35.760 --> 0:14:38.000 where I come from, from the cloth that I come from, 0:14:38.040 --> 0:14:40.400 and for what I was being known for at the time, 0:14:40.560 --> 0:14:43.320 and not that I was fighting against it, but it 0:14:43.400 --> 0:14:45.520 was like yo, like I want to show the world 0:14:45.600 --> 0:14:48.440 like I am hip hop like to it's full, like 0:14:48.560 --> 0:14:50.600 I am from the cloth, you know what I mean. 0:14:50.880 --> 0:14:53.400 And to be able to do those two projects were like. 0:14:55.440 --> 0:14:57.720 We had a point to prove because you had We 0:14:57.760 --> 0:15:00.080 both had a point because for you, you know, you 0:15:00.080 --> 0:15:01.720 said it was proven like we were from that cloth. 0:15:02.080 --> 0:15:04.000 For us at that time, you know, we were coming 0:15:04.000 --> 0:15:06.200 off the Minstrel show and it was just like ah, 0:15:06.240 --> 0:15:08.320 them niggas, they just some backpack hate niggas. It was 0:15:08.360 --> 0:15:10.560 like no, we fucking wrapped, you know what I mean. 0:15:10.680 --> 0:15:12.800 And it was just like, look, it don't matter if 0:15:12.800 --> 0:15:15.160 it's trapshit whatever, like. 0:15:15.320 --> 0:15:16.320 And just beat the South. 0:15:16.400 --> 0:15:18.960 I mean, so it was like even that in that 0:15:19.080 --> 0:15:22.520 sense of what people were looking at was Southern hip hop. 0:15:22.640 --> 0:15:25.080 And then you know us doing that tape and separate 0:15:25.120 --> 0:15:27.200 but equal like as a title and y'all being from 0:15:27.240 --> 0:15:29.880 the South, like it all it all just made it 0:15:29.960 --> 0:15:31.040 was It was great. 0:15:31.120 --> 0:15:31.920 It was a great moment. 0:15:31.960 --> 0:15:33.920 Now it really was, man, And that was just I'm 0:15:33.960 --> 0:15:35.840 so thankful that you know our pass like crossing the 0:15:35.840 --> 0:15:38.280 way he did that shit was amazing, amazing. I know 0:15:39.000 --> 0:15:41.800 that you rehashed the story over and over and over 0:15:41.840 --> 0:15:46.400 and over again, so I'm trying not to beat an 0:15:46.440 --> 0:15:49.680 already dead horse that you moved past. I mean, the 0:15:49.760 --> 0:15:54.600 question is basically like in two thousand and seven, I'm 0:15:54.680 --> 0:16:01.080 trying to figure out how an industry that utilizes you 0:16:02.480 --> 0:16:08.080 to break open their artists like and again, I'm a 0:16:08.120 --> 0:16:09.480 stornch East Coast head. 0:16:10.240 --> 0:16:14.680 You know, Tarik himself listen to nothing but your mixtapes. 0:16:15.280 --> 0:16:17.760 So this is how I'm learning about Wayne, Like, this 0:16:17.800 --> 0:16:21.440 is how I'm getting my education on what I need 0:16:21.480 --> 0:16:24.440 to learn about the rest of America except my niece. 0:16:25.160 --> 0:16:27.440 And I'm trying to like, and I understand that there 0:16:27.480 --> 0:16:30.880 was a period between two thousand and three in two 0:16:30.960 --> 0:16:35.000 thousand and eight, especially like with record labels not knowing 0:16:35.080 --> 0:16:37.720 like if they're going to survive now that streaming culture. 0:16:37.440 --> 0:16:40.720 Like you know, we already had the sign napster. 0:16:41.080 --> 0:16:44.800 Yeah, yeah, like around two thousand and three whatever like 0:16:44.840 --> 0:16:48.560 that just starts, But I'm trying to figure out how like, 0:16:48.560 --> 0:16:55.760 like you were definitely utilized and used to break open people, 0:16:57.000 --> 0:16:59.640 like so just in general and not like from one 0:16:59.640 --> 0:17:02.000 to ten, How shocked were you when you came home 0:17:02.000 --> 0:17:04.600 and like, wait, what the fuck is this? Like did 0:17:04.600 --> 0:17:07.000 you did you have an inkling of a clue? 0:17:07.359 --> 0:17:10.439 Like none? Or even even when the ship was selling 0:17:10.520 --> 0:17:14.800 like hotcakes? Twelve, even when she was selling like hotcakes? 0:17:15.200 --> 0:17:17.600 Was there any person that was sort of like, have 0:17:17.720 --> 0:17:20.879 you ever received pushback from anyone that like you rhymed 0:17:20.920 --> 0:17:24.240 an instrumental over and like Jame's like, hey, why'd you 0:17:24.320 --> 0:17:24.800 use fronting? 0:17:25.040 --> 0:17:25.960 Or why never? 0:17:27.040 --> 0:17:28.920 It wasn't on the artists like that was a badge 0:17:28.920 --> 0:17:30.960 of honor to have someone to like wrap over you. 0:17:31.240 --> 0:17:31.800 It wasn't that. 0:17:31.960 --> 0:17:35.080 So, I mean we there's a there's a there's a 0:17:35.119 --> 0:17:37.760 lot to unpack here. And again, I know I've told 0:17:37.800 --> 0:17:41.280 the story. One part about it is, first off, it 0:17:41.400 --> 0:17:45.439 shows the disconnect within the labels. Right, So as much 0:17:45.520 --> 0:17:50.880 as the marketing departments loved me, or the mix show departments, 0:17:50.960 --> 0:17:54.160 or you know, the promotion department, how much I meant 0:17:54.200 --> 0:17:59.360 to them, the legal department of a label didn't understand. 0:17:59.480 --> 0:18:02.440 They haven't clue, they don't get it. Like what wait 0:18:02.480 --> 0:18:06.000 what like that that's not cleared? Like we're not you know, 0:18:06.680 --> 0:18:09.600 we hold on. So they're you know, I was friends 0:18:09.640 --> 0:18:12.680 with the promotions in the marketing side, but yeah, the 0:18:12.760 --> 0:18:16.200 legal department didn't. It didn't make sense to them, why 0:18:16.200 --> 0:18:19.600 are we giving this free music out? And then this 0:18:19.760 --> 0:18:23.800 is also a time where outside of my mixtapes, there 0:18:23.800 --> 0:18:29.200 were hundreds of other mixtapes that weren't sanctioned that people were, 0:18:29.400 --> 0:18:34.000 you know however, getting MP three's hacking for whatever way 0:18:34.000 --> 0:18:37.040 they were getting them. Music was coming out that people 0:18:37.400 --> 0:18:41.280 didn't give permission for. And then on top of that, 0:18:41.840 --> 0:18:47.080 around this time, these mixtapes Minds and others started to 0:18:47.160 --> 0:18:50.800 show up in best Buys and then targets and in 0:18:50.880 --> 0:18:54.879 walmarts with barcodes on it and so in that, you know, 0:18:55.400 --> 0:18:57.920 and that made it confusing. And I just spoke about 0:18:57.960 --> 0:19:00.560 this on math Hafa because they brought up, you know, 0:19:00.640 --> 0:19:03.760 after I got raided. One of the people they asked 0:19:04.040 --> 0:19:05.840 about what do you think about what happened to drama 0:19:05.840 --> 0:19:10.960 was Wayne? And Wayne said, drama needs to Drama needs 0:19:11.000 --> 0:19:15.119 to play the game fair or smarter like Clue or 0:19:15.240 --> 0:19:17.280 Kalid or something of that. 0:19:17.440 --> 0:19:20.200 But is it the same? I mean, the reason why 0:19:20.800 --> 0:19:21.440 I never. 0:19:21.280 --> 0:19:25.240 Took offence to it is because you know, when these 0:19:25.320 --> 0:19:28.560 when these because there's all there was a street code 0:19:28.960 --> 0:19:31.920 that went along with mixtapes for promotional use. Only right, 0:19:32.320 --> 0:19:34.879 everybody knew that we were making money, and you know, 0:19:36.000 --> 0:19:39.399 that's how I was supporting myself. But when they started, 0:19:39.400 --> 0:19:42.320 when the mixtape started to show up in the stores 0:19:42.359 --> 0:19:45.920 with bar codes, as an artist, I could understand how 0:19:45.960 --> 0:19:49.160 one could fill the type of way promotion because they're like, wait, 0:19:49.200 --> 0:19:51.560 hold on, why is this? Why is my ship in 0:19:51.680 --> 0:19:53.720 Target with a bar code? And I'm not seeing a 0:19:53.720 --> 0:19:54.280 dollar from it? 0:19:54.320 --> 0:19:56.040 So they're okay, not seeing a dollar if you just 0:19:56.080 --> 0:19:57.520 selling it the way you're selling it. 0:19:57.400 --> 0:19:58.639 Like from to an extent. 0:19:58.800 --> 0:20:02.040 I mean again, now look looking back on it, if 0:20:02.320 --> 0:20:05.640 at the wise age of forty four that I am 0:20:05.720 --> 0:20:08.800 now in my twenties, the type of money that I 0:20:08.880 --> 0:20:10.720 was making, and I would you know, I would have 0:20:10.760 --> 0:20:14.400 easily thrown someone at twenty five or fifty if I'm 0:20:14.680 --> 0:20:17.280 making X amount of dollars, like just as a quick 0:20:17.320 --> 0:20:18.840 thank you, it would have It would have been a 0:20:18.920 --> 0:20:19.600 nice gesture. 0:20:19.720 --> 0:20:19.840 Like. 0:20:20.119 --> 0:20:22.000 But you know, on the on the other end, these 0:20:22.040 --> 0:20:24.440 guys are going and doing shows for one hundred and 0:20:24.440 --> 0:20:29.160 fifty two hundred thousand dollars off of what we've built together. 0:20:29.320 --> 0:20:32.320 So you know, I don't count anyone's pockets, nor did 0:20:32.320 --> 0:20:33.440 I feel like anyone should. 0:20:33.240 --> 0:20:34.199