1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:01,320 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk. 2 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:04,120 Speaker 2: Any bitterness that might have been there because I hit 3 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 2: and somebody else didn't, or they had an experience I 4 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 2: didn't have, or whatever, that kind of. 5 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 3: Goes away with age. So I'm really talking about the 6 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:11,960 Speaker 3: artists that were. 7 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 2: Around during my time, maybe a little after my time. 8 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:17,319 Speaker 2: You know, you go through this for a while and 9 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 2: you realize what it takes, and then you have a 10 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:21,159 Speaker 2: lot more respect for the people that are doing it 11 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:21,600 Speaker 2: as well. 12 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,959 Speaker 1: Welcome to another episode of the Taking a Walk podcast, 13 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: where Buzz Night speaks with musicians of all genres about 14 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: their career and their love of music. If you liked 15 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 1: this episode, please share with your friends and subscribe so 16 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: you never miss an episode. Today, Buzz speaks with Grammy 17 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: winning rapper and songwriter Young MC. Born Marvin Young in London, England. 18 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: Young MC rose to fame in the late nineteen eighties 19 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: with the chart topping hit bust a Move. The infectious 20 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:53,239 Speaker 1: dance track not only one of m a Grammy for 21 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: Best Rap Performance, but it also solidified his place in 22 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: hip hop history. Young MC has Knew Me useic out 23 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: called fun Part, and Buzz talks about that and more. 24 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 1: Next on Taking a Walk, Young MC how. 25 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 4: Are you sir? 26 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 2: I'm good man. 27 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 3: How are you? 28 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 4: I'm doing terrific. I'm talking to you. Thanks for being 29 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 4: on taking a walk. 30 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 2: Hey may I guess I'm privileged talking to you. I 31 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:20,119 Speaker 2: got a vet on the phone. 32 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 3: We can actually like swap stories. I always liked those. 33 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 4: Congratulations on fun part You must be so excited charting 34 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 4: on Billboard after a twenty two year absence. How does 35 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:33,279 Speaker 4: it feel. 36 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 2: It feels good, to be honest, it feels like a 37 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 2: validation because it's not like I feel like this song 38 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 2: in particular was like lightning in a bottle. It's kind 39 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 2: of the progression of a process. So the fact that 40 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,559 Speaker 2: I'm being acknowledged because I produced the whole track, wrote 41 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 2: the whole thing, no guest stars, no, no big bells 42 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 2: and whistles, other than you know, have an AI character 43 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 2: that I created that's like my label tag or producer tag. 44 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 3: So it's been good that. 45 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 2: The ideas that I've had, I've been able to culminate 46 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 2: them in one song and actually get some traction on it. 47 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 4: You must feel really satisfied by the way it's being received. 48 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 4: And can you talk more about the creative process that 49 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 4: led to this? 50 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 2: Well, okay, the creative process is different for me now 51 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,639 Speaker 2: at this age. For the last seven years seven to 52 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 2: eight years, actually no, because twenty sixteen, So yeah, eight 53 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 2: years plus. I've been on the I Love of the 54 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:33,399 Speaker 2: Nineties tour, and when my career started, my focus would 55 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 2: be getting in the studio, getting the record made, and 56 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 2: then the shows would be what the shows would be. 57 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 2: They'd either be an income source or something to get 58 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:41,239 Speaker 2: me into a town so I could go to a 59 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 2: radio station. Well, since I've been on this nineties tour, 60 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 2: you know, the majority of my income and the majority 61 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 2: of my time has come from storing. So when you're 62 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 2: on stage in front of people and they want to 63 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 2: hear bus to move, you still have. For me, I 64 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 2: still have like ten minutes of stuff that I can 65 00:02:57,160 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 2: do that isn't bust to move before I get to 66 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 2: bust to move. So my thought process was, if I 67 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 2: can give them something that they like, it's great. So 68 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 2: I'm giving them something now that they like that they 69 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 2: don't know. But if I can give them something they 70 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 2: like that they know and still come with us to 71 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 2: move behind it, that would be the best of all worlds. 72 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:15,359 Speaker 3: So that was my thing. 73 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 2: I go back in the studio with the stage in mind, 74 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:19,920 Speaker 2: what would sound best on the speakers, Where could I 75 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 2: do the call and response? Where could I make it 76 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 2: not so not so verboast that that the echoes off 77 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 2: the walls keep people from understanding what I'm saying. All 78 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,119 Speaker 2: of those things go into my mind when I'm going 79 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:30,919 Speaker 2: in the studio now. 80 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 3: Thirty years ago that wasn't the case. 81 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 2: So it makes me excited every record I make because 82 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 2: I'm like, I can't wait to get in front of 83 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 2: people with this. And I think I'm thinking that's kind 84 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 2: of like how rock bands go about it, because you know, 85 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 2: they can kind of alter their live performance to the 86 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 2: to the to the crowd, whereas if you're a track act, 87 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 2: you can only kind of open your you know, alter 88 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 2: your your your your vocal performance. But if I'm craft 89 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 2: in the track for the stage, craft in the track 90 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 2: for a crowd, for an arena, for a festival, that's 91 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 2: pretty cool. And like I said, I've had a thirty 92 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 2: got a thirty eight year career, and it's the first time, 93 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 2: really in the last year to two that I'm approaching 94 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 2: my creative process like that. 95 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 3: So that makes it fun tremendous. 96 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 4: Take me back to the University of Southern California. You 97 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 4: earned your degree in economics, and you met up with 98 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 4: Michael Ross and Matt Dyke. Tell me about that meeting 99 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,720 Speaker 4: and how it ultimately led to big things. 100 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 2: Okay, I have to give you a little background. So 101 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 2: I was living in New York and going to school 102 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 2: in Los Angeles at USC. So we're in the summer 103 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 2: of nineteen eighty seven, so probably May or June of 104 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty seven. There's a record store in New York 105 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 2: called Rock and Soul Records. That's where I bought the 106 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 2: records that I was DJing with. I even dj my 107 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 2: own prom There was a guy in Rock and Seoul 108 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:55,039 Speaker 2: named Eric, and he said he had connections at a 109 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,040 Speaker 2: record company in New York. So I went and made 110 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 2: demos with Eric. Nothing really came of it, but Eric 111 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 2: also knew the guys that the list is Vinyl. He 112 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:05,359 Speaker 2: sent them my demos and then they got me on 113 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 2: the phone. So that was Mike Ross and Matt Dyak. 114 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 2: I get on the phone with them in August of 115 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 2: eighty seven, when I'm going back to USC for my 116 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 2: junior year. I get on the phone with them and 117 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 2: I basically rhyme about four verses that would end up 118 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 2: on my album, and within a week of that phone call, 119 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 2: they sent me a contract in the mail. At USC 120 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 2: I was a student senator representing the student apartments and 121 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 2: the student Senate at USC is setup where you had 122 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 2: different students that were representing different living groups, so they 123 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 2: would represent the dorms or the fraternities or whatever. I 124 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:46,280 Speaker 2: went to the law school representative of student Senate and 125 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 2: handed in my contract a gentleman by the name of 126 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 2: Dave Simon, and I said, Dave, can you look this over. 127 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 3: He had no idea what he was doing. He's not 128 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 3: a lawyer yet, but he had more of an idea 129 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 3: than I did. 130 00:05:55,800 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 2: Signed the contract and then literally started recording. Within after that, 131 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 2: we started recording. Let them know when my name is 132 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 2: young and then Bust the. 133 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 3: Move was probably about a year after that. Bust to 134 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 3: Move was the last. 135 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 2: Bust to Move was the last record I recorded around 136 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 2: January of eighty nine. Came out in May of eighty nine, 137 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 2: and the rest literally is history. 138 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 4: Oh man, love it. 139 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 3: That's all. 140 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,160 Speaker 2: I have to make the story so long, Winn because 141 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:22,160 Speaker 2: the context really adds to it. 142 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:25,679 Speaker 4: It's a great story. How do you think looking back, 143 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 4: you dealt with the immediate. 144 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:30,280 Speaker 3: Fame a lot better. 145 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 2: I dealt with it a lot better than if I 146 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 2: was doing it today, because immediate fame. Everybody in my 147 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 2: neighborhood didn't have cable. Cell phones were bigger than a 148 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:42,279 Speaker 2: briefcase and cost like twelve to fifteen hundred dollars just 149 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 2: for the rudimentary one. So and the calls were very expensive, 150 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 2: you know, like multiple dollars a minute. So the idea 151 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 2: of getting on a cell phone and calling somebody mobilely 152 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 2: was not, you know, a proper idea. There was no Internet. 153 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 2: So basically what I'm saying is that I didn't know 154 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 2: the record was successful in the city until I got 155 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:05,799 Speaker 2: to that city and then I went to the station, 156 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 2: or they like it here and I got on stage, 157 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 2: or the crowd knows the record, and then you do 158 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 2: that repeatedly, and you get the idea that you have 159 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 2: a big you know, you have a big record. But 160 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 2: I'm not sitting there reading R and R and looking 161 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 2: at the trends, and even those were you know, we're 162 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 2: lagging in terms of time. So the idea of fame 163 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 2: was a slow creeping thing, and I was so busy 164 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 2: just trying to keep the record going because you know, 165 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 2: we had not seen rap records do this before. I 166 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 2: had seen Tone Lop do his thing with wild Thing, 167 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 2: and I was very close to that. But in terms 168 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 2: of traditionally what rap records did, growing up in New York, 169 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 2: I had no idea that a rap record could even 170 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: get out of New York. So going to LA and 171 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 2: then seeing that, I'm thinking, Okay, I got to get 172 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 2: this national, so you know, get on a plane, go 173 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 2: off the coast, whatever you got to do, perform it well, 174 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 2: do the interviews, do the radio, do all that stuff. 175 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 3: So when you're repeatedly. 176 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 2: Doing that over and over again and not and you 177 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 2: know the mechanations of the business, it's you know, it's 178 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 2: it's rare. You know, I got a rare moment where 179 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 2: I could sit back and say, wow, you know, I'm 180 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 2: really popular right now, I can't there was nowhere to 181 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 2: go and see all the successes in one place. So, 182 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 2: you know, I dealt with it well because of that. 183 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 2: But but you know, I've seen a lot of the 184 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 2: horror stories and I know people that haven't dealt with 185 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 2: it as well, So I'm kind of thankful that I 186 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 2: got through it. 187 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 3: The way I did. 188 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 4: Do you recall the first time you heard your music 189 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 4: on the radio. 190 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:38,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, that would be I let them know on kDa 191 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 2: fifteen eighty am in Los Angeles. 192 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 3: It was an amazing feeling. 193 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 2: In terms of bus to movie with In terms of 194 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 2: bus to move to be a little bit tougher because 195 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:57,560 Speaker 2: Bust to Move happened more nationally than locally. The first 196 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 2: station to play Bust to Move or really to break 197 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 2: me where I did the summer jam and all that 198 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 2: was KMEL in San Francisco. 199 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:07,080 Speaker 3: So that's not a station I. 200 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 2: Would be able to hear locally while I was sitting 201 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 2: in La So my recollections of first hearing myself on 202 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 2: the radio more the local stuff before Bust the. 203 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 3: Move is even thought of. 204 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 4: Got it? Got It. So when you look at the 205 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 4: music community that you've been part of for so many years, 206 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 4: do you find that community generally supportive? 207 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 2: Yes? To be honest, yes, the community that the community 208 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 2: I see is supportive because we feel that, you know, 209 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 2: there's a commonality in our experiences. So any bitterness that 210 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 2: might have been there because I hit and somebody else didn't, 211 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 2: or they had an experience I didn't have, or whatever 212 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 2: that kind. 213 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 3: Of goes away with age. 214 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 2: So I'm really talking about the artists that were around 215 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 2: during my time, maybe a little after my time. You know, 216 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:01,680 Speaker 2: you go through this for a while and you realize 217 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 2: what it takes, and then you have a lot more 218 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 2: respect for the people that are that are that are 219 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 2: doing it as well. So I think that's help in 220 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 2: terms of younger artists. I mean, the whole the whole 221 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 2: business has changed, and the whole approach to releasing music, 222 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 2: consuming music, you know, all of that has changed. So 223 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 2: I can't I can't expect the same level of respect 224 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 2: from them that I would get from peers that have 225 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 2: gone through, you know, similar things that I have. 226 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 4: Who are some mentors you could single out that really 227 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 4: helped you. 228 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 5: Along the way, you know, a lot of the a 229 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:40,680 Speaker 5: lot of the older guys, I mean, and and these 230 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 5: are you know, not like I had a lot of 231 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:45,680 Speaker 5: time sitting and like doing mentor meetings, but just in 232 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 5: terms of how they carried themselves, how they moved, how 233 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 5: they you know, conducted. 234 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 2: Themselves in the music business. I consider Chuck da mentor. 235 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 2: I consider some members of the sugar Hill Gang mentors. 236 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:01,080 Speaker 2: You know, there were other groups in different genres that 237 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:03,439 Speaker 2: i'd see how they, you know, dealt with things in 238 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:04,439 Speaker 2: their careers. 239 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:05,320 Speaker 3: You know. 240 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 2: But having said that, there was a lot of you know, 241 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 2: h explore, exploration, Christopher Columbus stuff that I had to 242 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:16,240 Speaker 2: do myself. So I ended up mentoring some people, even unknowingly. 243 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 2: You know, people have pulled me aside and say, I'll 244 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:19,559 Speaker 2: watch how you did this, and you gave me advice 245 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:20,120 Speaker 2: or something like that. 246 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 3: I did it and it worked. 247 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 2: So I try and see that as a as a 248 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:28,079 Speaker 2: kind of ongoing process. I'm not There's a lot of 249 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:31,079 Speaker 2: people that try and gatekeep, and I'm not really one 250 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 2: of them. So, you know, the people that didn't gatekeep 251 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 2: with me, I'm very very thankful for. 252 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:41,440 Speaker 4: Are you still in touch with Chuck d Yeah? 253 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 2: I can, yeah, yeah, from time to time. Last time 254 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 2: I talked to Chuck was on a podcast and then 255 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 2: he had reached out to me. I'll put stuff up 256 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,319 Speaker 2: on Instagram about my successes and whatever, and I'll get 257 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 2: likes and that kind of stuff. So if I need 258 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 2: to reach out to him for something, for a question, I. 259 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 3: Can definitely get to him. So it's one of. 260 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 2: Those things where I know his experience can definitely help 261 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 2: me in certain situations, So you know, I wouldn't hesitate 262 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 2: to reach out to him. 263 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 4: And when you look at the state of the music 264 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 4: business now compared to when you started, where do you 265 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 4: think it's at? 266 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:21,960 Speaker 2: I mean, that's that's kind of a loaded question. But 267 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 2: there are negatives to it, and how much music is 268 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 2: being put out, and how fragmented everything is, and the 269 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 2: lack of artist development and all those things. Having said that, 270 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 2: there's a lot of great music out there. So I 271 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 2: try and pull the good things. I try and look 272 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 2: at the good things and say, oh, you know, this 273 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 2: is a great vibe or a great great feeling. Let 274 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 2: me try and incorporate this into my music. Or you know, somebody, 275 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 2: you know there's a new subgenre of music. Let me 276 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 2: see if I could adapt that into what I'm doing. 277 00:12:57,760 --> 00:12:59,719 Speaker 2: So those are the positive things that I try and 278 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 2: folks on. But the you know, the way that I had, 279 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 2: you know, months to go out and promote us to 280 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:09,679 Speaker 2: move and it didn't hit right away, and it took 281 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 2: a while to cross over, and and we tried different things, 282 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:16,240 Speaker 2: and you know, it. 283 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 3: Took a while to get radio. 284 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 2: All of those things. Was like, you wouldn't have the 285 00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 2: opportunity to do that today they say the records, Oh, 286 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 2: we don't you know, we don't we don't have you 287 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:28,320 Speaker 2: know this not even six weeks. We didn't sell this 288 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 2: much in the first week. You know, we didn't get 289 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 2: this many streams, So we got to really consider if 290 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:36,439 Speaker 2: we have a hit here or not. That's the thing, 291 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 2: you know, they kind of I feel bad for the 292 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 2: artists now because you're still putting your blood and sweat 293 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 2: into it. And there's a lot of good records that 294 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 2: really fall by the wayside, and when I find them, 295 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 2: I turn them onto people DJ friends and alike and like, oh, 296 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:50,679 Speaker 2: where'd you get this from? And it could have been 297 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,880 Speaker 2: something that went through their inbox, you know, three or 298 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,959 Speaker 2: four months earlier, but they didn't either didn't pay attention 299 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 2: to it, or if it's not resonated with the crowds 300 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 2: of for they got to keep it moving, you know, 301 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 2: so that that makes it tough. 302 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 4: You moved to Queens at eight years old, I believe, 303 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 4: is that when you sort of like really knew you 304 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:14,880 Speaker 4: had a deep connection with music. 305 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, I actually moved to Queen's. I was probably a 306 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:21,160 Speaker 2: bit younger, maybe four or five, but then eight was 307 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 2: when I started looking around and seeing what would later 308 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 2: become hip hop DJs in the basement's spinning records, and 309 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 2: I started rapping. So and I would have been eight 310 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 2: in seventy five, and by seventy seven I was rapping. 311 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 2: It was more a self expression thing for me because 312 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 2: there was no way I was leaving school. 313 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 3: But it was a good hobby. 314 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 2: I wasn't into graffiti, I wasn't into athletics, I wasn't 315 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 2: into you know, mischief if you will. So I felt 316 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 2: that the self expression of rapping was something that I 317 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 2: could really to show my individuality with plus use my vocabulary, 318 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 2: be able to think quickly on my feet, be around 319 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 2: older kids, and sit in So it served those purposes. 320 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 2: And then you know, I was lucky enough to be 321 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 2: able to make. 322 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:16,360 Speaker 3: A career out of it. 323 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 4: And your time at USC in terms of studying economics, 324 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 4: that really had to have benefited you then and still 325 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 4: to this day. Is that right. 326 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 3: In an indirect way? 327 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:35,680 Speaker 2: Yes, okay, So obviously the stuff I learned in classes, 328 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 2: then it teaches you how to deal with money. On 329 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 2: the other hand, I've never written my degree down on 330 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 2: a job application, so the typical help that a degree 331 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 2: would give you, I have not necessarily gotten. Having said that, 332 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:50,480 Speaker 2: I always knew when I was in a meeting that 333 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 2: I had options, and the people I was meeting with 334 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:54,600 Speaker 2: knew that I had options. I didn't have to sit 335 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 2: there and take the first crappy deal that you threw 336 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 2: at me, because I could go somewhere else. And that 337 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 2: was before the money came. And then once the money came, 338 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 2: they assumed somewhere correctly that I wasn't going to waste it, 339 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 2: and especially with an economics degree, that I know how 340 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 2: to put it aside and make a life for myself 341 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 2: and not by myself on the street. So those things held. 342 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:17,520 Speaker 2: And this is what I tell people all the time. 343 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 2: It's like, oh, what about the you know what about 344 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 2: going to school for four years and spending that money 345 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 2: and spending that time and not writing it down on 346 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 2: your job application? What purpose that college served? And I 347 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 2: tell people this all the time. College shows you how 348 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 2: to finish It shows an employer that you know how 349 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 2: to finish. It shows you yourself that you know how 350 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 2: to finish something. And if I say that that's the 351 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 2: greatest thing that I got out of going to college, 352 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 2: that would probably be the truth. I pick up a 353 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 2: project Oh it's going to take six months. Oh it's 354 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 2: going to take a year. I've done that before. I 355 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 2: went through four years of college, graduated, got it done, 356 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 2: you know what I mean. So those, you know, those 357 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 2: kind of aspects are really the most the most prized 358 00:16:58,080 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 2: things to me. 359 00:16:58,560 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 3: With college. 360 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 4: You've had a multifaceted career, you know, singing, rapping, acting, 361 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 4: what else that you haven't done? Do you sort of 362 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 4: crave to kind of put into your tool chest, if 363 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 4: you will. 364 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:18,919 Speaker 2: At this age, there's not really anything that new that 365 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 2: I want to explore, you know, for the first time now. 366 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:25,239 Speaker 2: I want to take the things that I do and 367 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 2: do them better or hone them. That's really my focus. 368 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:32,760 Speaker 2: It's like the whole craving of doing something new. It's like, 369 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:35,200 Speaker 2: if if you're successful at one thing and you can, 370 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 2: you know, strive to get more success at that one thing, 371 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:41,159 Speaker 2: keep doing it, keep doing it. I'm not going to 372 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:44,199 Speaker 2: do something new to prove something to somebody else, you know. 373 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:46,879 Speaker 2: And I'd rather take the experience and the knowledge that 374 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 2: I have in the field that I do and show 375 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 2: that while I still can, you. 376 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 3: Know, while I'm still able to do it. 377 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:56,119 Speaker 2: I'd rather have that focus than take time to do 378 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:56,640 Speaker 2: something else. 379 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 3: I directed a film, I. 380 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:01,119 Speaker 2: Did some acting even that, you know, I'm glad you 381 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 2: have had that in my tool chest. But having said that, 382 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 2: my short term and at least media term future is musical, 383 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:10,199 Speaker 2: and I'm really looking forward to the music that I 384 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 2: can come up with with the perspectives that I have now. 385 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 4: I want to congratulate you on fun part brand new 386 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:20,679 Speaker 4: music from Young MC, and thanks for all the music 387 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 4: that you've given us over the years and you continue 388 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 4: to give us. Really grateful for that. 389 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 2: Thank you man, Thanks for they of you this wonderful time. 390 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 391 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:36,160 Speaker 1: Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends 392 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 1: and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking 393 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 1: a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 394 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:46,160 Speaker 1: and wherever you get your podcasts.