WEBVTT - Rapper Kokane Details How Suge Took Over Ruthless Records 0:00:00.400 --> 0:00:03.119 We like to welcome every one to another episode against 0:00:03.120 --> 0:00:07.240 the Chronicles podcast, and I got my boy, ye man, 0:00:07.280 --> 0:00:09.400 tonight we got some special guests in here. Man, we 0:00:09.480 --> 0:00:11.920 got you know, a legend here in the future legend 0:00:11.960 --> 0:00:14.319 the future Hall of Famer, one Hall of Famer, one 0:00:14.320 --> 0:00:17.919 first battlet Hall of Famer, and another one. You know 0:00:18.120 --> 0:00:19.840 you gonna have his time coming pretty soon. But he 0:00:19.920 --> 0:00:21.400 far from them. When either one of them is far 0:00:21.440 --> 0:00:24.239 from them. We got home hes, cocaine and Glasses malone 0:00:24.239 --> 0:00:24.800 in the building. 0:00:25.040 --> 0:00:25.640 Official. 0:00:26.320 --> 0:00:29.000 Yeah, man, So what's happening to night fellas. 0:00:28.960 --> 0:00:31.760 Man, appreciate you having us on this platform. You know, 0:00:31.800 --> 0:00:33.680 I've been minute to come up here for a minute. 0:00:33.720 --> 0:00:35.879 But it's the right time right now, for. 0:00:35.920 --> 0:00:37.800 Sure, for sure, for sure, we've been planning this for 0:00:37.840 --> 0:00:41.520 a minute now. Glasses, this is about this one hundred 0:00:41.600 --> 0:00:42.919 time on the show. So I don't even know why 0:00:42.920 --> 0:00:44.559 I gave him an introduction. I'm starting to think this 0:00:44.600 --> 0:00:46.280 nigga live in the back of the closet or something. 0:00:46.440 --> 0:00:48.199 I was here the first day when you came up 0:00:48.240 --> 0:00:48.720 with this shit. 0:00:49.520 --> 0:00:52.159 Yeah, that's crazy. Look where we're at right now. Two 0:00:52.200 --> 0:00:53.640 Indred sth episodes later. 0:00:53.520 --> 0:00:55.960 I was telling Hey, that shit just old fancy screen 0:00:56.040 --> 0:00:57.680 back here big time. 0:00:57.520 --> 0:01:01.560 Now he's doing a little safon time you tried so big. 0:01:01.360 --> 0:01:05.080 Time Now, that's us dog, that's us man. So you know, 0:01:06.280 --> 0:01:10.000 fifty years in on hip hop man. And you know, 0:01:10.040 --> 0:01:13.200 in those fifty years, I would say probably one of 0:01:13.240 --> 0:01:15.679 the most pivotal things that happen in rap music was 0:01:15.760 --> 0:01:18.080 gangster rap a reality rap. We said, we can start 0:01:18.120 --> 0:01:22.400 calling the reality rap, right. You know, brothers talking about 0:01:22.440 --> 0:01:24.840 tales from the streets, what's going on in their neighborhood. 0:01:26.640 --> 0:01:28.880 One of the forefathers of that on the West coast, 0:01:28.959 --> 0:01:30.479 you know as many You know, you got Ice Tea 0:01:30.520 --> 0:01:32.640 that came before him. You had the brother school, he 0:01:32.720 --> 0:01:34.319 d the did the good. He put his version of 0:01:34.400 --> 0:01:37.119 what it was. But to me, it really didn't gain 0:01:37.200 --> 0:01:40.160 no bunch of significance until it hit the West coast, right, 0:01:40.880 --> 0:01:42.959 and you was one of one of the pioneering labels 0:01:42.959 --> 0:01:46.119 Man Ruthless records. Right, how you linking? How the hell 0:01:46.120 --> 0:01:48.280 you link up with easy? And he was reasonally on 0:01:48.360 --> 0:01:51.200 the right on the California right. How did you link 0:01:51.240 --> 0:01:51.760 up with Easy? 0:01:52.120 --> 0:01:52.320 Well? 0:01:52.320 --> 0:01:55.320 Through my cousin cot one seven above the log go 0:01:55.520 --> 0:01:59.400 mac Recci Peace Laylag the late Great KMG Total Cash. 0:02:01.120 --> 0:02:05.640 It was back in early eighty nine, just when their 0:02:05.680 --> 0:02:08.560 record was about to come out, you know, living like Hustlers, 0:02:09.520 --> 0:02:11.840 And you know, I did a three songs demo put 0:02:11.960 --> 0:02:15.000 on the California and first signed a production deal with 0:02:15.080 --> 0:02:19.920 Larry Goodman and Laylaw and you know that landing me 0:02:19.960 --> 0:02:24.880 a deal through Easy Easy heard me when Hutch you know, 0:02:24.880 --> 0:02:28.079 and Laylong shot the kite to him and take long 0:02:28.160 --> 0:02:31.400 for me to sign because you know, Easy love controversy. 0:02:31.480 --> 0:02:35.280 So he tripped off the name cocaine, but he was like, damn, 0:02:35.760 --> 0:02:38.280 it's like when a person is on cocaine, you don't 0:02:38.280 --> 0:02:40.880 know how you gonna your mind state gonna be because 0:02:40.880 --> 0:02:42.520 you do so many different styles. 0:02:43.280 --> 0:02:45.360 I'm fucking with you. So and it take long for 0:02:45.400 --> 0:02:47.720 me to get signed to Ruthless Records. 0:02:47.520 --> 0:02:50.639 Oh for sure, for sure, man, I know Easy Man 0:02:50.680 --> 0:02:52.400 to me, he don't get enough credit for what he 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:54.680 did in the game and what his legacy is, right 0:02:54.840 --> 0:02:58.400 because he pretty much brought street music like to the forefront. 0:02:58.520 --> 0:03:00.480 You know when you heard them records like eight Ball, 0:03:00.600 --> 0:03:03.120 Boys in the Hood and all these different records again 0:03:03.160 --> 0:03:05.400 you a glimpse of California. What funny it was like, 0:03:05.600 --> 0:03:09.000 I came out to California in nineteen eighty eight, so 0:03:09.040 --> 0:03:12.240 that's when dope Man that started hitting across the country 0:03:12.320 --> 0:03:14.320 kind of like and I remember I heard that song 0:03:14.360 --> 0:03:16.840 and I was like, damn, man, I wondered like it 0:03:16.880 --> 0:03:18.679 made me wonder about the city of Conflin. I was 0:03:18.720 --> 0:03:20.280 a nigga, you know, riding on the street with one 0:03:20.320 --> 0:03:22.359 of my homeboys in Cleveland that song came to the race. 0:03:22.440 --> 0:03:23.880 He looked at me and said, Man, you sure you 0:03:23.880 --> 0:03:25.480 want to go out there with them comft niggas and 0:03:25.480 --> 0:03:25.960 them crips. 0:03:28.880 --> 0:03:30.600 So I asked what I was supposed to be over? 0:03:30.760 --> 0:03:33.560 You was supposed to went down where else you had 0:03:33.560 --> 0:03:34.840 the scholarship to go? 0:03:34.960 --> 0:03:38.760 Man, I could have went to Coffeeville, Kansas. I came 0:03:39.000 --> 0:03:39.640 to the West. 0:03:39.440 --> 0:03:43.200 Coast, go to Coffeeville. 0:03:45.640 --> 0:03:48.320 I wasn't having it, man, I wouldn't have it. I 0:03:48.440 --> 0:03:50.840 wasn't going nowhere to know Coffeeville. Man, I knew this 0:03:50.880 --> 0:03:51.800 is where I needed to be. 0:03:52.360 --> 0:03:54.720 What made you want to come to California? I never 0:03:54.760 --> 0:03:56.440 asked you that all these years. I know you, man, 0:03:56.480 --> 0:03:58.360 you know what's crazy outside of football? 0:03:58.440 --> 0:04:00.440 Man. I think I said this a few episodes ago, 0:04:00.760 --> 0:04:03.280 looking at ice T's album because I actually told Darlene 0:04:03.280 --> 0:04:05.000 that shut off to Darlene or Teaz. I met her 0:04:05.120 --> 0:04:07.280 up here and I said, you and iced Ty the 0:04:07.280 --> 0:04:08.880 reason I wanted to come to California. 0:04:09.040 --> 0:04:11.360 So you saw a fucking album covering that made you 0:04:11.400 --> 0:04:12.080 want to come here. 0:04:12.400 --> 0:04:14.920 That was actually that actually led to my decision, man, 0:04:14.960 --> 0:04:18.039 of going to Coffeeville or coming out here to Los Angeles, because. 0:04:17.880 --> 0:04:20.000 I know you had to compare it like Los Angeles 0:04:20.080 --> 0:04:22.720 Coffee Vielle that. Man, it wasn't even no comparison, because 0:04:22.760 --> 0:04:24.559 I know football in the Midwest is big. 0:04:24.839 --> 0:04:26.840 Yeah, this was. But I'm not thinking about football. I'm 0:04:26.839 --> 0:04:29.000 thinking about what I'm gonna be doing. He yeah, he 0:04:29.120 --> 0:04:32.480 wasn't get all this crip. I said, I'm thinking about. 0:04:32.279 --> 0:04:37.000 What roder the hood they got out there in California. 0:04:37.320 --> 0:04:39.520 You know all of you know what do they call 0:04:39.720 --> 0:04:41.240 extra recular activities? 0:04:41.320 --> 0:04:44.280 You, Darlene boy, for all least you know what. 0:04:44.800 --> 0:04:46.440 That's what I wanted, man, I said, I want to. 0:04:46.440 --> 0:04:47.159 Bra like that. 0:04:47.520 --> 0:04:50.080 I want a chain like that, man, And I said, 0:04:50.120 --> 0:04:53.599 I wanted to sack my boy. Fine, be supplied the sack, 0:04:53.920 --> 0:04:55.320 I said, I want to say. I was listening to 0:04:55.320 --> 0:04:57.880 that music, and it sounded like it made it funes sound. 0:04:58.000 --> 0:05:00.400 Being a D boy was la D boy was crack 0:05:00.440 --> 0:05:01.719 already in Cleveland when you left. 0:05:01.880 --> 0:05:05.640 Oh hell yeah, this started already infiltrating everything. So I'd 0:05:05.720 --> 0:05:08.000 actually start dibbling and dabbling a little bit when I 0:05:08.000 --> 0:05:09.920 was back at the crib. Was the most you've had 0:05:10.040 --> 0:05:13.000 fifty man shooting Ohio fifty man out here. I was 0:05:13.120 --> 0:05:14.120 fucking with zones and ship. 0:05:14.240 --> 0:05:18.080 You know when Ohio fifty fifty fifty piece in Ohio 0:05:18.200 --> 0:05:21.920 had to be little. Yeah, it was a little probably 0:05:22.040 --> 0:05:23.120 is like a dime out here. 0:05:23.080 --> 0:05:25.640 Cut like a motherfucker. It's called that ship blow up, motherfuckers. 0:05:25.680 --> 0:05:27.800 Shit you hit that ship, that shit get the blowing 0:05:27.880 --> 0:05:28.760 up and popping this ship. 0:05:28.880 --> 0:05:33.120 Man, heah, niggas out this everybody on this side of 0:05:33.160 --> 0:05:36.200 the cow just like biggas also that every nigga up 0:05:36.240 --> 0:05:37.000 here soul blow up. 0:05:37.279 --> 0:05:39.800 Yeah, nigga, that ship would blow up in your face. 0:05:40.120 --> 0:05:41.640 That that ship would blow up in your face. 0:05:41.680 --> 0:05:42.080 They came. 0:05:42.240 --> 0:05:48.000 I remember when you first came out, because you know, uh, 0:05:48.279 --> 0:05:51.600 I think ruthless at the time. Your deal was, uh, 0:05:52.040 --> 0:05:56.320 and if I'm not mistaken, went through epic Yeah, and 0:05:56.480 --> 0:05:59.599 uh they had controversy with your name because I remember 0:05:59.600 --> 0:06:03.720 they had promo cards with us on them and they 0:06:03.800 --> 0:06:05.880 had you as who am I? 0:06:06.880 --> 0:06:11.560 Yeah, yeah, that was Al Masaku and Kenny kempso at 0:06:11.560 --> 0:06:16.839 that time, because you know, Worries Morefield was cool. 0:06:17.920 --> 0:06:20.599 But you know, Eric had landed a big deal and he. 0:06:20.680 --> 0:06:24.120 Was considered our West Coastrussell Simmons because it was like 0:06:24.160 --> 0:06:27.159 the biggest deal at that time, with an epic distribution 0:06:27.760 --> 0:06:32.120 he had above the low Cocaine and poor Broken Lonely, you. 0:06:32.160 --> 0:06:34.400 Know what I'm saying, and Broken Lonely. 0:06:35.720 --> 0:06:37.360 That was an R and B group, Chris the Glove 0:06:37.400 --> 0:06:38.640 who did a lot of stuff. 0:06:38.880 --> 0:06:43.400 Chris signed to Chris one of myselves. Chris was R 0:06:43.440 --> 0:06:44.080 and B singer. 0:06:44.560 --> 0:06:51.000 Oh man, he's an incredible producer. I don't know if 0:06:51.000 --> 0:06:52.159 he was, I don't think. 0:06:53.000 --> 0:06:57.320 But once they signed, once they signed on, we was 0:06:57.360 --> 0:06:58.080 going everywhere. 0:06:58.080 --> 0:06:59.640 The Abbey Road back in the days. 0:06:59.640 --> 0:07:02.840 This was prior England before that, you know out here 0:07:02.920 --> 0:07:08.120 Abbey Road distributors, the distributors, Violet Brown. 0:07:09.120 --> 0:07:09.640 Yeah, that was. 0:07:12.880 --> 0:07:14.520 Get this. It was right. 0:07:14.760 --> 0:07:17.040 It was right over it in wats a little bit 0:07:17.440 --> 0:07:19.840 like like off of Alameda. 0:07:20.480 --> 0:07:23.280 Because actually Abbey Road was where we would go buy 0:07:23.280 --> 0:07:25.400 the records at the count of Abbey Road. 0:07:26.120 --> 0:07:29.120 Brown Brown used to take us around there. 0:07:30.120 --> 0:07:33.960 Still me a gang cassettes going. Don't going through Abbey Road, man. 0:07:33.840 --> 0:07:35.720 You know, oh hell yeah, goddamn. 0:07:35.880 --> 0:07:39.760 They that that was like the biggest West Coast distributor 0:07:39.800 --> 0:07:42.440 as far as a lot of products. So we would 0:07:42.520 --> 0:07:45.200 do a lot of fucking uh. We would do a 0:07:45.240 --> 0:07:49.240 lot of promotional ship at Abbey Road signings and shipped 0:07:49.280 --> 0:07:50.520 for the retailers and all. 0:07:50.560 --> 0:07:52.560 That's what I did E. P. M. D up there 0:07:52.640 --> 0:07:54.200 as a retailer. You know, we would go get you know, 0:07:54.240 --> 0:07:55.840 we had the pictures in our stories back in the 0:07:55.920 --> 0:07:58.000 day when people signing them. We would get those that 0:07:58.120 --> 0:08:02.400 a lot of the the wholesale spots on Abbey Road, 0:08:03.120 --> 0:08:06.320 West Coast record distributors on all those other spots you 0:08:06.360 --> 0:08:09.160 go pick up your retail front and one one. 0:08:09.880 --> 0:08:12.160 That was a one stopping plus back that was back 0:08:12.200 --> 0:08:15.120 in the days. You know, we used to go to 0:08:15.200 --> 0:08:21.240 record Pool's foot recipes. Scott was a big significant part 0:08:21.280 --> 0:08:26.080 of this game. But you know, once they you know, 0:08:26.200 --> 0:08:29.360 it was like about three months before my record was 0:08:29.400 --> 0:08:33.160 gonna come out, and they decided to change it because 0:08:33.200 --> 0:08:36.439 the FCC laws wouldn't permit them to say cocaine, right, 0:08:37.120 --> 0:08:39.600 even though we changed it now saying when you listen 0:08:39.679 --> 0:08:42.640 to cocaine, it's like it's a it's a mind trip. 0:08:42.679 --> 0:08:44.560 You're like, you don't know what this niggas gonna do, 0:08:44.760 --> 0:08:45.800 but it's gonna be funky. 0:08:46.240 --> 0:08:48.280 They wasn't having that. They were stuck in tradition. 0:08:49.160 --> 0:08:51.760 So last name. They changed my name. I had to 0:08:51.800 --> 0:08:54.079 cut out there called Nikkel slick Nigga. A lot of 0:08:54.160 --> 0:08:57.040 niggas was on that shit in nineteen ninety one. I 0:08:57.080 --> 0:08:59.080 finished the record in eighty nine. I had to wait, 0:08:59.400 --> 0:09:01.800 well Bob the Law to put out Living Like Hustlers, 0:09:01.840 --> 0:09:05.000 which was one of the most prolific albums you know, 0:09:05.160 --> 0:09:08.600 on on the project on the West Coast at that time. 0:09:09.320 --> 0:09:12.680 And they changed my name. They said who am I? 0:09:12.800 --> 0:09:15.199 So when a lot of niggas was going to the stores, 0:09:15.800 --> 0:09:16.920 that was like, well. 0:09:17.320 --> 0:09:18.240 Who the fuck is this? 0:09:18.400 --> 0:09:22.719 We look at people, Yeah, but that was that was 0:09:22.840 --> 0:09:25.640 That was a blessing. I'm gonna tell you why, something 0:09:25.640 --> 0:09:28.520 about getting doors shut in your face. And there wasn't 0:09:28.559 --> 0:09:31.959 no secret to controversy. There was like Chuck d NWA 0:09:32.800 --> 0:09:36.280 and NW at that time. There was like a modern 0:09:36.320 --> 0:09:39.880 day bomb squad, you see what I'm saying. And they 0:09:40.000 --> 0:09:45.440 was like, well, fuck Epic Records if you're gonna change 0:09:45.480 --> 0:09:46.479 the name cocaine. 0:09:47.240 --> 0:09:48.360 You know, the easy e. 0:09:48.679 --> 0:09:51.439 The whole fellas over there was very adamant about it 0:09:51.720 --> 0:09:55.640 because they were behind cocaine and they wanted Cocaine to 0:09:55.640 --> 0:09:56.440 come out just as. 0:09:56.320 --> 0:09:58.560 Big as n W had, Brother Law and everybody else 0:09:58.600 --> 0:09:58.960 on there. 0:09:59.520 --> 0:10:02.480 But they closed the door and a lot of people 0:10:02.520 --> 0:10:04.720 don't know. You know where I come from. You know, 0:10:04.840 --> 0:10:07.440 music is embedded in my twenty three chromosomes because of 0:10:07.480 --> 0:10:11.080 my father, Jerverybuddy long Senor you know, who was a ranger, 0:10:11.160 --> 0:10:14.760 composer and writer. Plus my uncle was Willie Hutch So 0:10:14.800 --> 0:10:17.679 it's like, I don't care what y'all decided to do. 0:10:17.720 --> 0:10:20.679 This is my creativity. We ain't gonna compromise it. And 0:10:20.880 --> 0:10:23.080 Eric felt the same way. And Eric was pissed off 0:10:23.120 --> 0:10:25.840 at that time, and that was one of the moves 0:10:25.880 --> 0:10:29.199 he made from Epic Records and saying bye bye going 0:10:29.200 --> 0:10:32.599 over to Alan Grumblatt and Relativity Records. You know what 0:10:32.640 --> 0:10:36.480 I mean, because because Ka whom I was out in 0:10:36.559 --> 0:10:39.400 nineteen ninety one, but it didn't have a critic ald 0:10:39.440 --> 0:10:43.480 claim just because you know, Epic Records was scared at 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:46.160 that time. I mean, if you can't really fault them FCC's. 0:10:46.880 --> 0:10:49.360 He was like, see this nigga come along, nained cocaine. 0:10:49.400 --> 0:10:52.120 They think a nigga just like Escobar or something. But 0:10:52.400 --> 0:10:55.319 it was all about the punk. But they didn't have 0:10:55.559 --> 0:10:57.040 They wasn't hearing that shitty. 0:10:57.040 --> 0:10:59.640 They didn't know what the fuck. But doing that's all. 0:11:00.200 --> 0:11:04.000 It was beautiful because you know, me and the fellas 0:11:04.000 --> 0:11:06.680 got together at Audio Achievements at that time where we 0:11:06.760 --> 0:11:10.800 was recording shout out to Donovan rest in Peace, Donovan 0:11:10.840 --> 0:11:14.800 Dirt Biker. So it was like, man, well shit, man, 0:11:14.840 --> 0:11:19.120 we're about to shoot this do this Niggas for Life album, 0:11:19.240 --> 0:11:20.080 Well we want you on it. 0:11:20.080 --> 0:11:23.200 We're about to do Black Mafia like we want you 0:11:23.280 --> 0:11:23.640 on it. 0:11:24.120 --> 0:11:27.240 And that was the chance for me to get on 0:11:27.600 --> 0:11:30.480 Niggas for Life, introducing the character called sweet Talk. 0:11:30.720 --> 0:11:32.000 Well all right, y'all across the. 0:11:32.000 --> 0:11:35.120 Usc Compton March they do I know, just as well 0:11:35.160 --> 0:11:37.920 as easy saying, man, you'll call mop fucker with your pen. 0:11:38.280 --> 0:11:41.240 I want you to write my part for Appetite a Destruction, 0:11:41.320 --> 0:11:45.160 which I wrote his ten Gangster commandments for that, and 0:11:45.200 --> 0:11:47.680 I was like boom because that was my first platinum 0:11:47.679 --> 0:11:53.320 record in ninety one platinum, and prior to that, I 0:11:53.360 --> 0:11:56.600 had experience and chance to in nineteen eighty nine go 0:11:56.640 --> 0:11:59.280 over to Brixton London. So here I am a young 0:11:59.360 --> 0:12:02.199 coca over there and Brixton London. 0:12:01.920 --> 0:12:03.400 Like bricks is cracking. 0:12:03.440 --> 0:12:09.240 This shit is crazy. But yeah, but you know, those 0:12:09.320 --> 0:12:10.319 doors being. 0:12:12.320 --> 0:12:15.800 Shut on me is a is a significant reason why 0:12:16.440 --> 0:12:19.120 I'm the most featured recording artists in the world because 0:12:19.600 --> 0:12:21.679 you know, at that time and you know kids and 0:12:22.320 --> 0:12:25.880 you know, things was political. But I've always kept working 0:12:25.920 --> 0:12:27.760 in nine times out of ten when I go to 0:12:27.760 --> 0:12:32.400 the studio, whatever style I'm doing, I'm blessed enough that 0:12:32.440 --> 0:12:35.400 the other artists would be like, hey man, this this 0:12:35.440 --> 0:12:38.959 ship is cracked. Put the ship on there. So that 0:12:39.040 --> 0:12:42.079 really that that first door being shut in my face 0:12:42.120 --> 0:12:45.800 by not by me not being played on the radio. 0:12:46.320 --> 0:12:49.560 I think it's a significant fact that I work my 0:12:49.720 --> 0:12:53.640 ass off and twenty three, you know, thirty four years later, 0:12:53.679 --> 0:12:56.559 I'm over four thousand and one hundred and twenty eight features. 0:12:56.800 --> 0:12:57.400 You know what I mean. 0:12:57.840 --> 0:13:00.839 I heard a thousands of the motherfucker, So I got 0:13:00.840 --> 0:13:03.400 about a thousands at the DOE thousand. 0:13:03.600 --> 0:13:05.480 So it's it's unheard of, and a lot of people 0:13:05.559 --> 0:13:07.319 look at me and I'm like, nah, that's some bullshit. 0:13:07.360 --> 0:13:10.679 But people know what's happening because I can show you 0:13:10.760 --> 0:13:13.320 better than I can tell you. And I ain't never 0:13:13.360 --> 0:13:15.080 think about being the most featured artist. 0:13:15.160 --> 0:13:15.440 I was. 0:13:16.280 --> 0:13:21.320 I was the person that was, you know, influencer, just 0:13:21.360 --> 0:13:26.600 as well as influenced by your m and your doctor 0:13:26.679 --> 0:13:29.560 dre's and above the laws and your dcs and the 0:13:29.600 --> 0:13:32.600 list goes on and it's like still sharp and still 0:13:32.679 --> 0:13:35.160 at the same time. So you know, that was the 0:13:35.160 --> 0:13:38.320 beginning of something that was very good because years later, 0:13:39.080 --> 0:13:42.880 you know, the resilience of any artists that stay consistent 0:13:43.320 --> 0:13:45.680 is the reason why they manifest and where they are 0:13:45.720 --> 0:13:47.920 today is because this game is brutal. 0:13:47.960 --> 0:13:50.400 It's worse than the dope game, you know what I mean. 0:13:50.720 --> 0:13:54.439 But music was embedded in me, and I was like, shit, man, 0:13:54.480 --> 0:13:57.400 I'm gonna keep going and I'm not gonna throw in 0:13:57.480 --> 0:13:59.599 the towel because a lot of people became one of it. 0:13:59.679 --> 0:14:00.920 Wonders than throughing the town. 0:14:01.960 --> 0:14:04.760 We could look at each other here and as old 0:14:04.840 --> 0:14:08.640 gs and as elders, you know, It's a blessing to 0:14:09.120 --> 0:14:12.040 go back and see youngsters all over the world now 0:14:12.800 --> 0:14:16.360 being intrigue with what's going on, because we used to 0:14:16.360 --> 0:14:18.080 be like that when we used to look at old 0:14:18.120 --> 0:14:20.920 records and we used to we was like, then, who 0:14:20.960 --> 0:14:21.360 did this? 0:14:21.600 --> 0:14:22.200 Who did that? 0:14:22.960 --> 0:14:26.800 So now it's going back because of the computers of 0:14:26.920 --> 0:14:31.400 worm up digging into crates and it's right on time, man. 0:14:31.440 --> 0:14:33.920 So you know, I'm happy. I don't live with no 0:14:34.000 --> 0:14:37.200 regrets through the good and bad. You know, the same 0:14:37.280 --> 0:14:39.800 thing that's designed to kind of stop you was the 0:14:39.960 --> 0:14:42.480 very same thing to catapult you years later. 0:14:44.320 --> 0:14:47.600 And see, you know what, you being around Drake kind 0:14:47.600 --> 0:14:49.880 of in this I ain't gonna say it's emphacy stages 0:14:49.880 --> 0:14:52.240 because it's by the time Drake was doing NWA, he 0:14:52.280 --> 0:14:54.880 had done world class recking crew and all kinds of 0:14:54.920 --> 0:14:58.240 other stuff. But you getting to work with him back 0:14:58.280 --> 0:15:00.600 then versus you getting to work with him now, kind 0:15:00.600 --> 0:15:02.520 of like in the prisons when you guys start doing 0:15:02.560 --> 0:15:06.520 all the stuff aftermath and everything like that. Did you 0:15:06.520 --> 0:15:09.040 see any difference in his production style or was he 0:15:09.080 --> 0:15:09.800 more laid back? 0:15:10.360 --> 0:15:14.160 It was it was dre is a phenomenal producer and 0:15:14.240 --> 0:15:18.240 a phenomenal DJ. First of all, you know, so back 0:15:18.280 --> 0:15:21.960 when they was doing any thing with Lonzo and Macola Records, 0:15:22.440 --> 0:15:24.560 can't forget about my coola of course. 0:15:25.080 --> 0:15:28.200 Yeah so yeah, yeah, yeah. 0:15:28.600 --> 0:15:32.040 So I had the privilege I choose my words carefully. 0:15:32.520 --> 0:15:36.200 I had the privilege of seeing doctor Dre, you know, 0:15:36.240 --> 0:15:39.920 and above the law and DC and mc ran. But 0:15:40.000 --> 0:15:42.800 when I would see Dre in the studio, man, he 0:15:42.920 --> 0:15:45.680 mastered that SB twelve like nobody. 0:15:45.360 --> 0:15:48.360 He never mastered. He was like, you know, back then, 0:15:49.200 --> 0:15:50.200 doctor Dre was like. 0:15:52.800 --> 0:15:55.360 So it was like considered the West Coast bomb squad, 0:15:56.000 --> 0:15:57.840 you know, because he was a hell of a DJ. 0:15:58.520 --> 0:16:01.760 And to be able to to see him, you know, 0:16:01.960 --> 0:16:05.760 knights up there with him in Easy arguing like him 0:16:05.760 --> 0:16:09.640 and Easy used to have arguments like Easy was like, man, 0:16:09.680 --> 0:16:13.120 put this shit on, like this man. Dre was like, nah, man, 0:16:13.120 --> 0:16:16.840 we don't want to do that shit, man. But they 0:16:16.920 --> 0:16:20.360 still came to an agreement and came up with two 0:16:20.400 --> 0:16:24.280 of the most bombased classic records that arguably one is 0:16:24.320 --> 0:16:27.840 greater than the last, but they both greater. And that's 0:16:27.840 --> 0:16:30.800 straight out of Compton and Niggas for Life, And those 0:16:30.840 --> 0:16:34.720 guys gave me an opportunity I remember in nineteen eighty 0:16:34.800 --> 0:16:37.400 nine when Warren G and. 0:16:37.440 --> 0:16:38.520 Jewel Rest in Peace. 0:16:38.600 --> 0:16:40.960 They used to be at audio achievements and they used 0:16:40.960 --> 0:16:43.440 to be the highlight because they used to always bag. 0:16:43.960 --> 0:16:48.440 Warreng G said one time to Jewel, he was like this, 0:16:50.400 --> 0:16:53.480 I make you chuck my dick and then want no bullshit. 0:16:53.600 --> 0:16:55.760 And then Jewel was so covid she said, well pull 0:16:55.800 --> 0:16:58.720 the motherfucker out there, you know what I'm saying. So 0:16:59.400 --> 0:17:03.400 those times around there, you know, seeing Jude, even michele A, 0:17:03.800 --> 0:17:08.960 Warren G above the law, Doc mc ran, Rescue, pece CPO, 0:17:09.680 --> 0:17:13.320 Chip DJ Train, Rest in Peace, you know what I'm saying, 0:17:13.800 --> 0:17:17.679 It was incredible because you got to realize all the 0:17:17.800 --> 0:17:23.560 success that came from ruthless. It's a significant reason why 0:17:23.600 --> 0:17:27.000 because of ruthless success is the reason why Death Row 0:17:27.119 --> 0:17:29.360 is successful, is the reason why. 0:17:29.320 --> 0:17:31.000 West Coast is successful. 0:17:31.359 --> 0:17:34.560 Of course, big ups to my twin, my og Pont 0:17:34.600 --> 0:17:37.639 the iced Tea. You know, he laid down the foundation, 0:17:38.240 --> 0:17:40.480 taking some of the elements because he knew the East 0:17:40.480 --> 0:17:45.440 Coast roots, but then easy put the shit on steroids 0:17:45.480 --> 0:17:48.760 because he took a chance being from Compton, and Compton 0:17:48.840 --> 0:17:52.720 is a significant part of West coast because they gave 0:17:52.800 --> 0:17:55.200 cats from Pomona, they gave cats from. 0:17:56.200 --> 0:17:57.600 Cleveland, you know what I mean. 0:17:57.720 --> 0:18:00.840 And that was the mission statement, you know, when Easy 0:18:00.960 --> 0:18:04.240 decided to put up his water money, you know, and 0:18:04.320 --> 0:18:07.440 his dope money for this to happen. Is the reason 0:18:07.480 --> 0:18:11.680 why years later it became a multi, multi, multi billion 0:18:11.760 --> 0:18:15.000 dollar industry helding. 0:18:14.800 --> 0:18:17.680 From the West Coast. So you know when you tell. 0:18:17.480 --> 0:18:22.200 Me that that Easy don't get his credit he deserved, 0:18:22.520 --> 0:18:28.000 that's genuine because he don't. Man, do not because Easy 0:18:28.119 --> 0:18:31.520 took a chance on us. Man, you know, he never 0:18:31.600 --> 0:18:34.200 made you feel like a two dollar bill the nigga 0:18:34.280 --> 0:18:36.760 used to roll with the Compton had in the back 0:18:36.840 --> 0:18:40.320 with the big ass body, bends quartiers and woo peopoo, 0:18:40.400 --> 0:18:42.720 pulling off greate nuts and made you feel like he 0:18:42.840 --> 0:18:46.520 was a multi million dollar nigga. So I learned that 0:18:46.680 --> 0:18:50.040 from him, how he was able to not just mex 0:18:50.440 --> 0:18:55.080 mess with brothers from the hood, but mess with essays 0:18:55.280 --> 0:18:57.480 that was a no no and political at that time. 0:18:57.920 --> 0:18:58.919 He took a chance. 0:18:59.200 --> 0:18:59.840 Then he went. 0:18:59.680 --> 0:19:03.520 Out the coast because he had the vision to say, Man, 0:19:03.840 --> 0:19:06.399 I'm listening to these dudes from Cleveland. They're gonna be 0:19:06.400 --> 0:19:10.199 the next this, this, this, and that Eric ideas a 0:19:10.200 --> 0:19:13.639 lot of people don't know people. I ain't gonna say bite, 0:19:14.280 --> 0:19:18.720 but was inspired by his ideas. Even all of us 0:19:18.720 --> 0:19:22.439 can say that no, mam, So you know, for me 0:19:22.520 --> 0:19:28.639 to be here and being that I was able to 0:19:29.880 --> 0:19:32.359 do what I was able to do, as being on 0:19:32.440 --> 0:19:36.200 all these records, I always pay homage to Eric, right, 0:19:36.320 --> 0:19:39.440 and of course I pay homage to Dre and everybody 0:19:39.480 --> 0:19:43.160 else that invited me on the project. It would be 0:19:43.640 --> 0:19:46.120 my blind arrogance if I was to say, yeah, I'm 0:19:46.119 --> 0:19:48.960 the most speached artist, but love is a two way street. 0:19:49.160 --> 0:20:04.480