Rap Radar: Ab-Soul

got Harvain. You know, I think the life you if you if you're familiar to hip hop scene on social media, you've seen the outpouring the love and support, and you know it just really hits home for me and be you know, being friends with him and all the interactions and you know, literally we we just came from going to the actual service right right. It's so surreal. You know, I was talking to Harvain the day he passed, and just like hours later I got the news that he

was no longer with us. It just it still bugs my mind. It hasn't really sat in. And you know, Horvain, he probably himself on being like the third co host of the fab Orated Door podcast. He's been with us for so many episodes, from Lloyd Banks, Sycamore Styles, Griselda. I mean the list goes on even like weeks prior to his past and he helped us plug with Burner. You know, he was a contact I used to call harvein Connedison because he was the plug everything. So I

didn't know the bird apart how crazy it was. And

that's the thing too. I remember in the service Styles Peace Folk, and I thought it was so dope that like Styles came out, Lloyd Banks came out, because you know a lot of times, you know, industry, industry, behind the scenes giants like you'll hear about they helped so many careers and so many lives, and then they'll have a ceremony and they'll pass away and the artists don't come out, and you know, the show Love and Styles was saying how like he's still getting calls now about

stuff Halven was working on for him that he didn't even know about, you know, right, Yeah, Harven was definitely a workhorse, um young gurus. Also in the building, it was a countless o. There's so many people that came through to the service and Sycamore gave the eulogy, which was really poignant. Yeah, it's a testament to who Halven was. He loved his work, he loved to you know, connect dots.

And I said in an interview of Complex like you never monopolized his resources, so he will definitely be missed, absolutely absolutely, And I saw you had that little cougy sweating on. Paying I had got the word that you know, they buried halvein Um and the and the cougie they were gonna do in the cougie and I was like, all right, well, if they're gonna do it that way, I gotta do it that way too. You know, they

wouldn't want it any other way. So you know, I had to come through where a beaty blue coujie sweater, you know, on tribute to to our guy. Yeah, shout out Rob Barkman too. He had to. He had the cougie join on and he did the obituary also, so you know, just you know us, you know how he touched the lives. And I thought it was a beautiful ceremony. You know, obviously it's it's sad, but then there's the funny moments like one of his daughters made us made

me cry, the other daughter made me laugh. Shout out Kim, his beautiful wife, you know, had a lovely repassed dinner also that I got from say Less was was yeah, dar was dark. Everybody had to eat right for Harvens that he would want it, you know, had to be a fly function. Yeah. Man. I used to call Harven the Jew Long Dong because there's a restaurant in New York City called Ju Loan, and Hoven had a locker there for his looking. I was like, yo, who do

you think you are? Man? And then he graduated to the Carbone and called him the Carbone. He was my guy for restaurant everything. Man. He can't believe it. We're gonna carry forth for him. Man, that's a guy. Man. It's because forever being our hearts was gonna put off for him. Shout man Hovai Man, the whole Hilton family. Man, that's in peace. Yeah. I think he wanted that way for us to continue on. You know. So yeah, like you said, rest in peace. You know what he would

have did to beat that. He would have gave you shit about whatever you're listening about to drop out. Man, I still need to know. Is that Timmy? When is this list he was giving me weeks before the beat out year in list this is the first of all. It is the last episode of Rapperate Up podcast this year. We're in like middle December. What's that about? I like to work man, all the all the season. Christmas missed us, but the Christmas what sends us up? We gotta get

to every wait then we get you right. But until then, man, I want to know what are you dropping this list? Man? This is the time of year where you, like, you know, you give a present to the hip hop culture with this list man, the rappers all year, every rapperate Up podcast episode giving you the business about it. How do you feel, man? When are you unleash again? How do

you feel right now? I think we're gonna go maybe before maybe after Christmas, because Christmas falls on a Sunday, so maybe we might do it on the twenty six boxing day when Rapper's gonna box me up. So we'll see. But it's coming before, God willing. And here's the thing is that I hate the fact that a lot of times people drop these sneak you know, projects right before midnight, you know, of New Year's Eve. I just want to, you know, because remember last time not drop Magic right?

Upset about that because like Dan, this album is so good. So I'm just gonna just wait a little bit longer. But it's it's coming. Please believe it's coming. It's coming, and you know, like it said, it's the last episode of a year, but we already actually recorded our top of Top of Next Year episode. Amazing episode. You know, it was like to celebrate with these guys. Man a Zelda New Year. I think what that really is tradition, you know at the Western every settlements, always a treat

in Horvain. He plugged us in with What's side from Yeah, because old the New Year Man, we're dropping that drop of the year. But this episode, man, I'm excited about this man ab Sol. You know, he's dealt with so much loss in his life, even losing like his friend though you know recently, like you know, ex girlfriends obviously Mac Miller. I think we touched on all that, Like

I think we touched on them. You know, you know how heart it is man from Black Men, to go through these things and go through these losses, and I think that, you know, he puts it in his music and it's just it's just you know, he's at his own battles right with his own demons and stuff, and it's just great to see him, like, you know, building his strength off and coming back to the scene with this with this project, like Canpy Man from Top Dog

Entertainment they getting busy right now. Man, Absolutely, they closed the fourth quarter Stronger. Let's get into it, Man absol Man a friend of oz Man. We're closing out the year strong Man. Yeah, rap right up podcast Elliot Willson great man because this guy's over here after six years A caress to three pocket, I have a new and it's been a long time. So when you've been man, man that helling back to heaven. You know what I'm saying. But yeah, working always working, man, it's been a it's

been a journey. You had the pleasure to come by the Studiotop told me come by playing the album. Man. I think when we put a photo up in there, that's people like, oh the album's real, Like that was really you know, you don't even happen. It's funny because you you leaked the title first. I did, and I thought I thought, uh, I thought, were like we might have gotten trouble. But it was beautiful. Okay, only you,

only you could do that the title for real. I know we would have got the call from what what dop on the phone? That's what Top gets you on the phone that I'm saying, I know what that you know, it would have just been us you would have been green all the time. And man, but you promised me a deeply personal album and like yeah with the title alone, like you know, explain that significance. What it means to call the album Herbert and why is it so personal?

Just this body of work I put it through like this uh be like imagine like des probably like two thou eighteens. Right, I'm riding with the Big Homie and I had you know, I took like a year off after my last album. You know, I kind of just wanted to reset, you know, try to you know, create some contrast between my last one. My last one was a bit you know, it was a bit uh heavy

like heavy on the ears, still classic to me. But for the record, I'm riding with the big Homie, right, you know imagine like you know, it's like some some new like who is it? Like uh e STG. You know you looked at me turn the music down, like bro, like why you like it seems like bro? Like when you be rapping and like you always like playing like a character. Bro, like you like you a man or something like you y MF you black lip pastor like because like you're from the hood. Bro, Like why you

can't just talk about that stuff. You know what I'm saying, this is like my big homie, like and you know, I'm the you know, I'm the third eye, you know, amongst other things, you know, and it ship just really struck me, like I felt that it hit me like yeah, maybe he's right, like and but that that was That's always been my thing to just uh, you know, to try to have distinction. You know what I'm saying. I'm I'm I'm from l A. I'm I'm I'm from gang culture.

I'm from you know, hood ship, ghetto. That's that's kind of I'm not saying that's all we're known for, you know what I'm saying, But I'm from that. I wanted to take a different approach, you know what I'm saying, Like standing there like it's sitting next to Jay Rock like you know what I mean, like really like you know, not just you know you'll know what I mean. You know.

So for me to just like you know, you know, be that play that roles like now, I need to I need to be a wild card here, you know what I'm saying, Like I need to be like you know, I need to differentiate I need to be a you know, have some distinction. So you know, I like my friends, like my real homies, like you know what I'm saying, They like, I'm not in their playlist, you know what I'm saying. My my my real friend, like they don't

listen to my music. No. But when he said that to me, then it just kind of hit me, because you gotta understand, it's not they all know I'm ill, they all know, they all know him the best rapper alive that goes without saying like bars and all of that. They've been to the shows. They see the effect I represent the hood where you know, I mean, I do that, but I tried. I've tried so hard. I've created these like unwritten rules for myself to just just to have

the distinction. And they respect that. But when he hit me with that, it just kind of just and then he just turned the music back up. It's not a big deal, so he knows, he knows what he's doing, but it's my big you know, like really one of my my big homies, and it she just really struck, like struck me. He me like a ton of bricks, and I'm like, man, So that when I got back

into recording. I just really, you know, I tried to strip away all of these rules that I set for myself about you know, what I can or cannot say, and this and that and playing the character so Herbert, I had to this. This album is for everybody that will never call me Apps. So you know what I'm saying, like, I'm I'm hurt, I'm Herbie, I'm a little herb. But you know, you know what I'm saying, like you know Herbert Anthony. Yeah, title track you said, did never understand

Herbert Anthony? Yeah? Was here time right there? It says, don't understand me on your tattoo. Look look close, what's that? What's at the top? Is it all right there? I don't understand me? Ah you feel me? Yeah? So you know, tend the question I'm I'm I'm also there because I'm a character. That was That was Herbert talking to App. So if you keep rapping it out, damn, I can't stop. But you know, shout out to James blake Man, Shout

out to Mr Morale. You know what I'm saying. Blessing me. Um. I had a lot of I had a lot of a lot of great, great geniuses. Helped me out with this like on on every in in every corner of it, like you know, the production, the you know, I brought in the musicians, like you said on Twitter that you were holding sound Wave fully responsible for what talk about his role on the project. All right, So I mean,

you know, once again I just left. I just really like to point out sound Waves the first producer I ever worked with. I just I just remembered. I was telling that the other day. I was there when sound Wave, you know, he was making beats on his PlayStation into you know, I was there the night he got his first MP NPC. You know what I'm saying, Like, and you know we were kids then obviously, but sound Wave is the one who brought me to TV, introduced me to punch and there and and you know it's it's

been history since then, right. So I always, you know, sound amongst the whole team. Of course, you know, I got to console with the whole team, you know, where you know, we're united front. I always console with Wave, you know, and you know during the whole creative process, right. I feel like, but my last couple of albums, I've been kind of straying away and you know, created a bit of arrogance. You know what I'm saying, to wear a Wave would be like I'd be like, nah, bro,

you're not outside like that. I think you're not really out You're not really out there, You're not really out here like that way, Like I started arguing, you know this this this time I went back home. I didn't. I didn't argue with him. You know, you know, help me Wave, Grammy. This is a Grammy Award winning guy

that that started on this. You know what I'm saying was mock and timbo and like, help me Wave, like I played, I played him what I had, you know, because like I told you, remember, I was gonna drop in getting the curse. Obviously a terrible time for all of us. You know what I'm saying, Um condolences to you know, everybody that you know took took losses at that time. We all went through a lot, you know. But in that it gave me more time to create. And so I immediately went to Wave and I was like,

this is what I got. What you think It's cool? Yeah, I know that's the whole. That's us too, you know, the homies, we don't anything, We don't we don't. Um, we don't gas each other at all. Keep it, you know, to keep us all on the ground even if it's incredible. That's hard, you get it. That's hard. That means that means you did what you're supposed to do. You know what I'm saying. He said that school's not there yet.

That cool. Was like, oh yeah, all right, So what I gotta do, bro, Like, you know, we just we gotta we gotta, we gotta bring in some production, man, We gotta bring in the guys man, you know, and from there um and and mind you like you know, Wave is not completely responsible, man, Like shout out to everybody that was in there with me in the trenches, my boy cow Banks. You know who bought the kids? Super Miles, m Super Miles, um. Who else there I worked with on there and Work I worked with Work.

I don't want to miss anybody. It's early. I'm rusty, guys, you know. But even for the intro like message in the bottle, like the power that sounds three different parts of it, right, like yeah, and talk about that intro and like this urgency to that right and you know that's one of the that is one of the earlier records that that I made, Like that's probably I probably made that in like two thousand and eighteen. That first sect, like the first that first part, yeah, which was was crazy.

That's the kids super Miles. Yeah, And I told you also, you know, I went into this no concept this time, like you know, you know, you know how I come in with the science projects. You know, I gotta have a hypothesis and you know, and treating everything like it's a you know, like it's a goddamn mid term or something. You know what I'm saying. I just went in. I just made songs straight from their hearts, pure as possible, h vulnerable, you know what have you? And the third

verse I messed about it. He sound a little fed up though, he sounded a little now. That is one of the one of the last things that I did for the album. Uh no, no lie um. Cold Cold told me I needed to keep going. I played the album for Cold early and he heard that was crazy, like he almost kind of wanted to, uh produce it,

like he needs to keep it going. Like you know what I'm saying, like shout out to cos he's he that that boy loves rap, he loves hip hop, but Yeah, he kind of gave me the idea to keep it going, like it's been so long, like two verses wasn't enough. And like you know, here I caught Top like we had we had the mic running and Tops in there and see that's hard you you know say, I caught that briefly in the transition. Mhm am I am I the first one to have Top featured on the album.

Have you ever heard? Have you ever heard? I never She made the cut to shout out to shout out to my my, my, my grandma. I love how she sets the tone with us the script mark eight. Yeah, you know what I'm saying, So God bless my grandma. Still still alive and well still kicking. Did you play for her yet? Um? Not the album? Yeah? And I told her to make sure she don't tell nobody. It's a secret. It's a secret from my family. You know what I'm saying, that my grandma's on there. Did you

ask her to do that for you? Yeah? She but she you know, she she hit me with that and that gave me the ideas. She hit me with that, really, and that gave me the idea because she had sounds like perfect. Yeah, but like I wish I would have got the natural conversation, but like I had to have her give me that, like, you know, so you know, we scripted it out so she could write it. And my grandma's like a I don't know if she's like

a toach master. She's very like critical. It's for oratorically, and I guess that's kind of where I get it from too. You know. She had me, you know, speaking in you know, in church, and I think I want, like, you know, like I said, you know, I grew up in the church and church conventions, like I'm wanting like a ratorical u something competent, like you know, just always speaking in front of the public, speaking exactly plays and

that type of stuff was very important. But even at the end of the song, you got Joe Button on that blunding Warrior, Mom got the budding Warrior Mom. Yeah, the old school, but the old school. Shout out to Rorey you moll too, man, Yeah, you know, you know Joe's you know, Joe is still really one of my favorite rappers ever. I'm gonna keep telling him that. Like literally, Joe is probably still in my top ten. Does he know that he's on the telling that Yeah, he just

found out. He got emotional, like, but we caught that. I remember that earlier we we I had, I had it, I recorded that, and I knew I wanted to use it for something and that that was just that was the perfect place and it's something how TV the caliber of artists they signed. But correct you, you haven't really gone mainstream of something and its aspect of it. They were saying, right, the industry may not recognize you as much as your peers in sense exactly, I'm the underground emperor.

But you know, it's fighting when I had got to go to when I had got to do better, over and over like that's every ingredient of what they would say is like the big single, right, like the great the great chorus, the you know, like the powerful video, like all these all these substances like on the surface you say, well, any artists you can get that Like to me, somebody may not even be aware of you could fall in love with you off that song when

you realize cognizant wise that you were making that level of a record. No, and that that's how the great this records, most of my most effective records, like numbers wise, if we're going to say, happened so naturally, like that was one of the after I hit wave, he was like, you know, he started bringing me records like not you know, not just his beats, but you know, you know all our guys, you know, and like I kind of just I even did that arrogantly, like yeah, way, yeah, watch

what I do. All right, I'm just cool. Uh, I was just cool. Watch what I do with this, you know what I'm saying. But you know, obviously the tone of the records, beautiful record, um it, it created that vibe for me, and it was just natural, like and so I'm very very grateful for how it turned out. I'm glad how it was received in that way. And like I'm learning, I'm learning how how deep it is. Like every every day somebody is telling me like what it means to them when I had my you know,

it's just got to do better. Like it's just conversation with my self, like just telling looking looking the man in the mirror and you know, telling myself to be better. But that being better is subjective. It doesn't it doesn't mean do more. It can mean do less. It could mean you know, uh, it could mean a lot of things. From a lot of scope because and I wanted to point that out because when you watch it with the visuals, it kind of it kind of creates this. You know

a lot of people you know made me cry. I'm tearing, you know, it created that, I think with the visual. But it's not. It's not a sad song. It's it should empower you, should motivate you. And it's not. There's nothing wrong with crying either. Crying is cathartic. It's it's good for you, you know. Um, But I want to make sure that everybody knows it's not a sad zone.

The visual, you know, I powerful, powerful visual if you're to me with that man individually, definitely, it was like I was like, uh like bunging at the you know, like at the amusement parts or something. It was fun. We had really we had real like stunt guys on the on the set, you know, they work with Tom Cruise and ship. It was ready to go. Made me feel they made me feel extra safe, like it was very it was very cool. Did you come up with

the concept for the video? I did not, Um, I have to give that to my boy Mussa encourage me though, share my story my man Omar. Obviously he said he got a staff a staff pick for that vide, his first staff pick. I wasn't aware of what how important that was. That was a goal of his. So congratulations to him and thank him for you know, bringing that to life for me, you know, because it almost reminded me like the jay Z ninety nine problems visual that

noir kind of black and white sent photographer. It was really dope. Even though you say it's not a sad song, it feels like it'd be like that almost serves as a companion track to that record. Huh yeah, and that and that was one of the first records that I made. Also, like that's one of the earlier records. What what I like most about it, be like that is you know that was one of the most difficult songs for me to write. I said, I uh uh, tabes did de beat,

But Dot sent me that record early that. You know, he always like sending me records. You think, you know, he's that kind of guy like you. I was like, man, you know what, like I want to do this, I don't want I don't want one punchline in this. I don't want one metaphor. I don't want no bars on this song. I just want to I just want to write it and it'd be as clear as they as

easy as possible. It was so difficult for me, really, and that that taught me a lot about myself, like and it made me h for me, it's more difficult to be simple than it is to be complex. As a lot of apartments I would turn me up like, and that's real. I am an interesting individual, like I have to when I'm writing music. It's kind of like a thing for me to have to have a metaphor punchline of some sort, which you know, I'm not saying it's a bad thing, right, It's what I'm known for, right,

which is its creative right. It's a skill, it's a craft, but that's not what it's all about at all. And and sometimes you could get lost in that. You can lose the point of what you're trying to portray by just trying to come up with a bar that not everybody that's gonna go over somebody's head when you want to. Sometimes you just they just need to understand it. The first time you get what I'm saying. That's why you said I I decorate my emotions in metaphors, tell stories

with allegories so and so, so and so forth. But who give a ship the long lost their six niggas got rich talking nonsense gets yours like you're given a nod to, Like there's no divide of like I'm gonna look down at you because you may not be Mr.

The superlyricists if you make something that correct. Yeah, That's what I'm saying, and that that's another reason why, you know, I felt like it was important for me to like just take a break, Like you know, I took a year off from writing and recording all and know I've been writing every like focused on rapping every day since I've been a teenager, you get what I'm saying, Like that was very important for me to do, like to just set back. I was becoming a critic, Like what

the what do I know? Like who am I to tell? Like to say, what's whack? Really like and I understand, Like that's cool, Like that's the culture, Like oh you're weak, Like that's the competitive nature and it is subjective. I am entitled to my opinion. But as an artist, though as an artist, though not just a listener, I feel more of a responsibility, especially being older. Now I'm not old, but I'm like right there in between like the the little homie and the big homie, Like that's yeah, who

am I too? These kids are like who am I to? Like? These are kids I don't care if I like their music or not. Artists art right, and these are just young young kids like trying to make something to themselves, trying to do something, like doing something creatively, Like who am I to really judge? And I said, I ain't got no gather? Did I say that before? I'm not standing on when I'm I'm not practicing when I'm preaching.

You know, I found myself getting into that space, so it was important for me to just step back and you know, really pay attention. You know, I saw that you tweeted um a couple of weeks ago that you said you damn it of making this album? Right? God is good? How did you stay alive during that process? Because God is good? Simple as that, As simple as that. It's not even though I stayed alive because God is good. I think I made sure I put that in all

caps and no cap you feel me, right? That's after that twitter, I was like, oh man, this is fucking click bait. I was so I was so serious, you know what I mean. I just battle with that too, like like like I said, like I did like to do better videos, you know how you know initially I might. No, I'm not trying to sell that interesting, right, it is interesting and and it's even more interesting when you know, like I said, even I'm blessed to be working with

my family. I'm working with my boss is my bosses. My managers are like my family. They're my brothers that I grew up with. Literally most of I went to is one of my best friends. And before I met Top Dog, I didn't even know top with his dad, like me and Moose, I have a different relationship, you know what I'm saying. And he's been more hands on with the business now, right, I respect is he's always going to give it, you know, give it, you know,

straight up. I just didn't like But but it's my testimony. A lot of people would that reach out to me. The common thing I hear and see is, oh, man, you don't you don't even understand, like you saved my life. And they might they might not mean that literally, but the you know, the sentiment, like you you help me, like I understand. I always make sure to say, especially when I see people in person that get to get at me that way, I say, no, you say my life.

You know what I'm saying, it's a it's a it's an exchange. Like I want the people to know that this is me giving my testimony. This is what I do. I can tell my story and I can't. Now I can. I really may be able to save someone's life for literally because I've been there. You know what I'm saying, I understand that I have to have a better understanding

of you know these things. And you know, is it still tough to record the catitle track for example when you let them you know, talk about rehab of depression battles and things like that. Is it is it still difficult to get that out? Difficult isn't quite the word? Uh gotta be you know, gotta be brave for courageous. You gotta be courage Yeah, you gotta you know, And

like I said, man like God is good man. You know, I pray for strength and I walk as everything in my power to try to do you always gotta go better, to do better, like to do better, everything in my power to try to do what God will do, right, Like that's chasing, and that's being being as open and vulnerable as possible. And then once you realize that this is such a co I mean things, people are going through it. People, but you know, people look at online

and everybody is smiling though. You look on Instagram and everybody's having a great fucking time positive. Yeah, you go over to the crypt though right after they took the picture and they're depressed as hell. You need need therapy, you know what I'm saying. People, we're going we're going through it, especially especially during you know, the time that we just that we just went through. Everything changed. So when I realized that, it gives me more strength to

share my testimony. So everyone knows that they're not alone. For somebody that thinks that, you know, it's a lot of it's a lot of emotions that come with dealing with you know, depression, anxiety, addiction, shame, denial. You know, we're all going there. Why anybody know the majority of the world is going through it and you're not alone. You are not alone. Like on positive vibes, you know you talk about is like you're worship and I know you lost your friend or dough Burger, you know, rest

in pieces. How did you like manage and cope with those losses? God, it's good, I mean, and I don't think that's something that I ever that I ever get over it. I don't even know if I'm if coping. I don't even know. But but what I what I this goes back to what I'm saying. You see, I were like I know this this is you guys a journalists, right. I was just with talking to another another one of

the guys that I respect. You know what I'm saying, if it bleeds, it leads ship like that, like you know what I'm saying, Like and like I battle with that, Like I'm like how I'm talking about like my brother. Yeah, was kind of like that like in FM, like I didn't even really know if I could keep doing this without you know what I'm saying. He was like my eyes like you know my you know he's the one that watch your step. He was on stage with me. You know, people call it like I think he was

just my hype MANU that and that. If you watch the footage, he's making sure I don't fall off the stage. He's moving me around like getting lights out of my face, like and that's just rap stuff. But you know what I'm saying, that's just that's just music stuff. Like and I'm talking about this and I know it's effective, like and that ship just kind of a battle with that ship man. Like but but it's my testimony. Somebody else

went through it too. I respect that. I understand that, and so that's where that's how I find comfort in and sharing that because I know people who have who have lost took losses as big and it's it's it can always be worse. Always, even when you think, you know, when I think that's it, it's something else that can happen to me worse than that. You feel what I'm saying it's ironic because it's like when you talk about those losses, a lot of people got me so damn moment. No, no,

I don't, no, I don't apologize. It's I'm just what battle with a battle with that ship. Man. It's difficult to like sell because I know it's effective, like business wise, you get what I'm saying, Like like like I said, like Mussa who encouraged me to share my story, it's my brother, you know what I'm saying, but we're in the music business. Like when when he's been through this everything that I'm discussing, he's cried with me about it, of course, and when he hit me, you know, when

he hits me and he's my boss. Now it's like, yo, we need to do this, Like how hear it? Like I gotta click in, I gotta click to Okay, I'm talking to my boss now, it's not it's not my it's not my my nigga, Like yo, Like how much eldest bro. We was just crying about this and he's not saying that he knows that this is your testimony, like liberate yourself, like get it off your chest and you can do what you do. This is what people love you for. You help because a lot of one

of the best songs and you get one. I can't listen to it. I've never I've never even listened to the Book of so for the roun. I did it, you know, you know, like I said, my my my home, my my brothers who are also my my team, my manager, you know, and said I had to do it. I understood that I did it. I cried like every four bars doing it. You know what I'm saying, and I got the funk up out of there, like real talk. But you know, at the end of the day, man,

you know, God is good. Man, I'm standing tall, you know what I mean. I'm here, I'm alive, and well, well I saw something to it. You said, do we do? We have to mention these people that are going. We have to keep them in that sense and even now because if they if you don't say their name after they're going, they died twice. I don't know where I heard that, but that just sticks with me. Man, if you don't say their name again after they passed, they died twice. And that's just and mebe I just lost

a good friend whole vain. You know, in the business, we all everybody's going through it. That's you feeling. And that's where that's where I get to. That's where I get the curt I guess that's what helps me. Co. You know, you guys like aside from this, I respect, I respect you. You know you guys are like masters of y'all craft as well artists as well what y'all do, and I respect the record. You know what I'm saying,

We didn't chopped it. You know, so y'all that gives me comfort to know that, you know, my big homies can they can relate, you know what I'm saying. But even the release of the album has significance right to release date. Oh exactly. God is good. God is good. December sixteenth is Loriana's birthday, my girl Lori Joe. That was beautiful with like how it landed on, Like like what are the released days, Like are they like Fridays?

Friday's name? Is that not? It's just just that's just beautiful, you know what I'm saying that, You know, like I'm saying it, and it never goes away. I still her mom is still my mom, Like I still talked to her like fre like her family is my family, Like it never goes away, Like you never get over those things. It's no, I don't even think coping isn't even like it's kind of desensitizing to you know what I'm talking about. But I feel what you're saying, like I love because

we have to deal. We have to keep You have to keep walking. You have to get up and keep going or you're gonna or you're not. You're either gonna, like you're either gonna get sit down and not get up or again, or or get up and go harder, right, that those be those defining moments, right. So I love how you eulogize Capital Stees on Joey Badasses Project Survives Gill and he's also on your album as well. Yeah, correct, Like was that therapeutic for you just to get that out? Absolutely?

Like you know, and that's you know, me and Joey have that. Like that's what I'm saying, Like same tax forty seven forty seven, man, I still and that's okay. How I called one that said they got my phone, hey something like forty seven is number we got that from Capital STIs Capital sts created. You know, it's the big homie over there. You see what I'm saying. And didn't I didn't know because to the to the public,

it looked like Joey you get what I'm saying. He kind of was the face of it seemingly right, you know, bro, because and they and these kids are younger than us and we're following them me and don't like getting you know, these kids are are crazy like that you know there man, that that's the way of thinking. It was was incredible, right, So every every day. I look at my phone. I see forty seven at least two or three times a day. Like I checked the time and I said, like it

was three forty seven? What up? Though? I don't They never left me. He hasn't even left me. He's like on my shot, Like you know what I'm saying. You know, you bit your ass up, running late, sneaking math in a trip on you kids. I mean, I'm gonna talk. I'm gonna talk true black boy joint to get us positive again. Yeah, yea. I never heard nobody happier to be rumbing over djer. You was there? Yeah you feel me? Yo? It sounded good. Good are you feeling me? Brother? Listen?

Let's and man, I always just wanted to say that, like premo, like just that alone, like yeah, you know what I'm saying, yo, before I was asked, before I even found my my name, you know what I'm saying, Like I that was a that was a bucket list thing like that had to happen for me, Like I really love how this album came together. Man, it's I to think like this is this I've had this this project together and it maybe even you know, give credit to the the length of time that I had, you

know which, you know, I appreciate everyone's patience. You know what I'm saying. I know y'all was getting at me in the comments. I know y'all love me, man, That's why I'm doing it, man, and I love y'all. I appreciate again, God damn, don't push me. I'm close to the edge. No, rookie, you know what I'm saying. Who where do I get that from? Yeah, don't push right, it's all is it's it's hit like and you know,

I'm always trying to restore the feeling. Of course, I love that feeling with you and punch Man together, man, good man, get me started at it every time? Why why did punch yo? Why did he go so crazy? Or that you guys have great chemistry on tracks to go bro like that's punching sword one man. He's only right the last time. Oh yeah, yeah, he's it's a punch has to and he usually usually you know when I'm conceptual in my last attempt, my last efforts all

classics by them. You know, you're my old ship, by my old album. Um. I usually had he usually like I get him at the end and let him kind of like summarize the album, kind of like how DoD had me do apps those outro type thing. I think I probably got that vein from Like Okay, I'm gonna have Punch come in there at the end and have him, you know, do a summation of of what I was trying to do it in a verse right, And he's great for that. You know. Obviously he's one of my

biggest mentors. You know what I'm saying. Who keeps you shot lyrically because like obviously Punched, you know he because in the corner there is only one. I'm capting man Man just I'm a student. I'm a student, I'm a fan first love this ship man, like everybody, I'm everybody. I'm influenced by everybody, old or new. It was dope to see you during the pandemic. I guess you came out of your hiatus with Russ on his Chop project and you guys are the ticket of the base. It

was so good to hear you, Yo. It was crazy because you know, shout out to rust Man, fucking the young legend. And I'm gonna tell the I'm gona tell the blood on this truth about Russ I have to because it's it's it's beauty, it's poetic. Because we were just talking about punch. Punch sends me a text like saying, uh. He sends me the record from Russ And I kept seeing this kid like I kept seeing him Rust Restaurant. I keep seeing I've never heard him though, send me

the text the record, crazy record. He was like, yeah, the kid Rush wants you on this. I said, who, Like, who is it? I was. I was like, yo, what would you do it? Mind you I have I've never even heard him. I kept seeing him though. I almost want to say I've seen him like talking about Primo Like I'm like, yo, he was like oh yeah. He was like oh yeah. Like his hustle is is kind of unmatched, like his his his his fan basis like you you you should tap in like he on the businesses.

I'm like, all right, beat, I pop it up. But I get you know, I get his line. We chop it up and he tells me bro. He like sends me these screenshots. He said he you know Russ' is

like that, he's real. He wrote up. You know, Russ's the fucking young legend yet real real talk um sends me these old screenshots of these old tweets from like the long term mentality days of him harassing for me to send like for to send send me beats, harassing me, and then I think he even had one like one one day I will work with app Soule save this tweet like ship like that, like before we even do the record, and before I even hear him. I haven't

even heard him yet still, but but I have. I go looking I said that like the way Lows and I'm like this because hell no, because I hear the I of the Raps first, I hear who That's my first time hearing him ever. So when I go do the I'm I'm I'm, I'm like really impressed. But you know, by it coming to fruition for him, he's showing me these old tweets. That's that shows dedication, right, I go look him up like this guy's are fucking superstar and

I've been I've been rocket. We've been rocking to this ship and I didn't even know what it was them like you know what I'm saying, So shout out to us the who want what? Video? He sends me the treatment and you know how usually with treatments. It's just kind of like a mood board, like how they wanted to look so rich. He they and the moved board. It was the basement. I called him a meeting and I'm like, yeah, bro, like you're gonna get ticket to He was like, Bro, that was just the like that

was just the cut. We gotta yeah, we gotta read them, we gotta. He said, Bro, what the fun hung up in my face a week later or whatever, I'm on the I'm on I'm backing the smith. What the funk is going on? Yo? Shout out to russ Man, shout out the big tigger Man like YO, like, oh it's yeah. So yeah, that was I had. I had to get that on in my rambling and like, oh no, you're not. I'm rusty, absolutely not. Yea. I still want to know

why Absol can't fo with Herbert though. That was about boy King rich He's fucking hilarious, he said, on no report Cards, Yeah yeah, I had. I don't know if like on a Fallacy, which I told you, like one of my favorite records, Like King Richard still owes me a million swishers, right, that's like one of my close Like that's the guy used to like I used to get off of work. Remember this is when I'm still driving my little bit to be in the end of the bucket. Yeah, I get off work, I go get

to chocolate Swishers. Two dollars shots at E and J. You feel what I'm saying, Go get me a two for fifteen up sack from the homie. You get what I'm saying, Make that work out of two blunts as skimpy as hell. I go pull up on Rich and I smoked with him and and and we back. We freestyle to death, like y'all can look him up. If y'all we got a song called House of Sin that's out like you can hear him wrap. He's actually incredible.

That's a that's a whole another story, but he's He's one of the guys that I could be my complete self where I didn't have to be cool, and like we we laughed and ship and he knows what it what I did to get here more than he knows how determined I was for the ship. Like you know,

So that's in everybody, every expert that you hear. It's really the people who like that, don't I had them say ship that they would say, you know, like, it's not this for This is for everybody that still calls me by my name and will never cut you can about him app So, man, you know what I'm saying, little herbs is the top sponsors your first tat for like a hundred dollars, which was tattos, which tattoo to

pay for it. And that's how I knew. That's how I knew I was in Okay, T T D Dog Entertainment the original logo on your shoulder, Wow, the first one I got, But now I got more. I got more T D E signia on me than anybody in the gang. I am the gang, right, I am ganging them right for the game. Even pulled up the Kendrick and Paris are Dog. Yeah, I'm the guard dog. Yeah you said, I did what? I went to Paris and pulled up on a Mr. Morale, which which what you mean?

Ked you go to one of these shows in Paris? No? I didn't. I didn't. I went. Um. I called him out here that show was out here. Yeah, I called him at the at the Staples. Okay, that was a great shot. Everybody's excited to see you together. That's man. My brother man, like I said, when Mr Rawl, I don't, I don't eve want to get started about it. I get emotional, Like that's what I'm saying. I know what I know, I know what it what it took, I know what it took. What I know what he did.

Like you know what I'm saying. And that's what I'm saying, Like I'm not tolerating. No, I'm not tolerating no disrespect from the homies. Like I'm not tolerating none of that. So he's he's in my top five I or not? Jay Z nots died. They just asked me. They just asked me, I did I did the Reddit thing I never did. Yeah, who's your top five? And I kept the top five? Top five? That's the list. Oh yeah,

in a few weeks after now, you took the time off. Okay, but I think I think you had I've been going, so you took a break so I couldn't include you on the list. But I think I did make a mention of your your contribution to the Rust songs, right, Okay, that's that's cool. Yeah, but you know, I ain't. You know what I'm saying. It's so good, that's you know what I mean, I gotta, I mean, you gotta work harder. But let all these let look and so I did.

I did the thing. I ready, Like, I just I have my top five down because I'm just terrible with favorites, like I really so many. You know what I mean. I have my top five. It's not gonna well, it can't change. But jay Z, Nas, Dot Lane, Loupe Fiasco in that order that top five. Everything after that it will not be. I can't. I can't even do like but that right there, just so just show us understood. That's how I feel. Favorite song of Mr Morale, I

got mine. Mine keeps changing low key the intro. But when you said that, you know, it's first thing came to my mind. Came please everybody but low key to bath he was. I grieve different. I agree that ship different. I felt that ship. And that's what I'm saying. Like you got the Populan and we said, I s I got secret something going to die with Yeah, no cat, cat, Yeah, you know you know the vibes not the vibe I'm back. Yeah,

you know what I'm saying. I'm from the hood man, not the raperd the real hood, doing the game game back in the game in the house man that Lama crossing the mouse. Man, I mean, listen, I still you know, I still go you know, I don't wonder whether to think like I just like finally went back. Come on man, like I'm still come on, man, I'm still outside like you know, not like that. But like you know, I

tapped in, you know I'm tapped in. So but but it was good that I got to really get give them, like to get get him light and and and really get all my guys to get a lot of it was a reunion for a lot of us. We've all been you know what I'm saying, like because we're trying to get to it. Ain't no time we've been. We've hung out enough. That was where we was hanging out bullshit, And you know what I'm saying, we gotta get to it.

You know what I'm saying, Like you keep seeing somebody same person a day that I I mean, you're not going nowhere, you see what I'm saying, Like straight like that, so and and and and even that like els right, but like my one of my one of my my homies are fresh Man rest in Peace was in there. Not not the fresh that not short dog, but one of my homies. He's in the video. You know, boom he had just like he hadn't been home a year, like you know what I'm saying, and I got to see it,

like you know, we're supposed to. He was like almost family to me, like you know what I'm saying, but on some you know, you know, some on some gang and you know what I'm saying, you know, beyond that with him. So glad I got to see him, like lost him like shortly after that. Yeah, and he even been home a year, bro, And then the same fucking day my dog guys cash. That's why you see him. That's why the video begins and ends with with cat

my dog yo. When when I lost my dog, Bro, you got because you gotta understand, like he was there like during my recovery process. You know they say, um, you know, having a pet like kind of it can it can help with your speed up your helper assist your recovery. And I believe that ship was just me and him, like it's me and him like after that, bro, like oh my god, Like so you know, I'm glad I got to see my man, you know, And I'm glad Cash got to the most beautiful fucking dog I've

ever seen, a perfect two face. Like we used to take him out like the like the old like the old ladies will be like, oh my god, he's perfect. Markings like these are like dog ladies like that, like you know, like are very very critical about their pets and you know, get the grooming, you know, on schedule. You know, oh my god, his markings are perfect, his his his coat, you know, the most beautiful dog I've

ever seen. I thank him so much, man Man, Man's best friend, as I am crying right now about Cash right now, so so um. Thanks to the art anything for the art we got to. Yeah, you gave a little, gave a lot of yourself on God to Wrap. You said that was a difficult song to write. It was difficult hearing saying that you attempted suicide and that you broke your leg and your teeth. You don't even know why you did it, That's what you said lyrically. What

led you to that moment? Which moment writing it or both? Okay, First of uh I was under the influence, Uh I kind of don't. Uh I've I've said, I have said publicly everything that I've indulged in on on on one of my biggest songs called drugs right, which is an acronym for don't ruin us. God said, Okay, it's like that clear. I got that acronym from loope to shout out my man um. I was under the influence. I was in a trance. It was not it was not

a conscious decision. I was literally it was literally out of my control. I woke up. I woke up on the ground, my friend, like, God is good. God is good, simple as that. Got a wrap though. What's what's very interesting is that is I want to make this clear to I actually wrote most of the album prior to that. I kind of finished the album before I did that, which is very interesting. That means that, you know, I

think I was in a very vulnerable place. Uh you know, you know due to the I guess the substances at the time, they served their purpose. They they they I'm not gonna give the substance to credit, but I'm saying it made me as vulnerable and open as I need as I needed to be. Got a wrap I did like I kind of like had started it on another record, Like I kind of had that got a wrap. But really I just got a rap. I knew I wanted to do that, you know what I'm saying. I had

that idea like on another kind of record. But when Primo finally came through, I'm like, oh, this is it. You feel me? And I had started it. Then I did what I did. Other things, I survived, other things happened. I took other losses. And so that's where you hear the hunger, like, that's where you hear that that So it kind of like everything had to happen for me to create this album. That's why you know every everything is, Everything happens, everything happens, how everything is as it should be.

I'm trying to I'm really trying to practice that to who much is given right, much is tested? Like and I you know, I'm the black lid pat like I called myself the prophet I call I called myself all these things. I call myself the god a wrap, right, I'm a human being poetically, I speak highly. When I step in the booth, I can I become Batman? You know what I'm saying. But and and that's to empower. It's to empower because when people say it, when they

recite cited. They're they're saying I. So it's like they get to be as strong. I understand that you hear what I'm saying. If you if you memorize, if you memorize my song, you can be the guy to wrap that. Just gotta wrap two. You can be the prophet too if you're saying it, you get and I keep that in mind, like just so it's understood. And that's why that what's so important for me to do for this album.

It's like, don't get it twisted. Like I don't want people to think like I'm on some holier than down like worship me like bout you know what I'm saying, Like I am not God, I am not the Messiah, I am not Like I don't want people to really think that. That's what I think. I say it poetically to speak highly of myself, to walk at too, to try to walk as such, because that's the goal, right

to try to try. So what this Church on the move me because you know at the end, Church on the move, Church on the move, does that mean it seems like you still the competitive spirit on there? Like you find some shots off in the verse? Yeah? What what? What shots what do you mean? It sounded like it sounded like you were talking to a specific rapper person names. Who did you think I was talking about? It sounded like you were talking about Kid Cutty? Did it? It did? Yeah?

You mentioned a name and you said a lot of things and the great Kid Cutty. You think I would? I would this kid cutting the Great Kid Cutty on a song called Church on the Move. I mean, peace be unto you. Come on, y'all, trust this guy with the list they look listen. Cutty is a is a turn that we use like you know, you know what I'm saying. It's kind of some criph. You know what I'm saying. Shore got Yeah, but now just clearing that up, clearing that up. And I didn't think about that. Somebody

brought that to my attention afterward. I wasn't about to change it. No Cutty, you no cutt, Kid Cutty. Let me say this. I do have a bone to pick with kick Cutty. I have. I actually haven't met him yet, which is a fucking crime with me and like not made come on me and Cutty come on what and he put dot on solo Dolo part two and not me? What I have I got a bone to pick with a cutty funk with me mans still time mane, that's the problem. East Coast untrained ears. I love it and

there we go. But see, I I get, I get how this works. I'm trying to I'm trying to play the game. I need. I needed that combo. Yeah, somebody's gonna somebody's gonna click bait the funk out of that. It's absolute beefing with hear the got mescuity. I see the headline. I say, did I pronounced that right? Miss Cutty? Shoutout to Kid Cutty man like genius man, absolutely, what's some of your favorite lines on this project? Because there's a lot of a lot of hard clever. Definitely no

stopping him, just keeping it a book. I'm on one. George Washington. I like the Atlanta you gotta earn and see that's listen. You know how old that song is? Why did it land after the finale of Atlanta? You gotta understand too? Man. Shout out to Donald Glover my brother, Yeah, man, really, my brother. Really. The last time I saw him I was in New York. This was years ago. Last time I saw him, he had this like low key jazz lounge situation he invited, like me, says Joey. Um, you

know it was so intimate, so nice. Just jam session was their freestyle and he was just jamming out right. We finished the show and he's backstage. The last time I seen him literally ever or spoken to him. How ald me, Man, you get me? You know, hell at me man, real talk, he said, Yo, he's talking to me and Joey He's like, man, I'm about to man think about writing the show man, Like I think I got a crazy idea for like a show. You guys ever think about acting? He was like hell yeah yeah.

He was like, okay, we have I think I think I had a crazy idea for a show the last time. And even Joey is like, Yo, this is ill and I and that I wrote that song so early and it landed. It landed right at the finale of Atlanta, Like that is Poetics one of the one of my favorite shows. By the way, no no, no, no, uh

no bias at all. It's Jamius. Did you watch the show of course that that Google that Goofy the Goofy movie bust And you said something about that on Twitter one time about oh yeah, I shout shout out Tevin Cambell And that was before that, you're like, shout out to Tevin Campbell man, like got myself, Yeah, please do please don't let me check it out on Netflix and goofy movie. Yeah, man, but yeah, that's what everything is as it should be. Yeah, had I dropped had I

dropped it in, it wouldn't have had sense. It would have made sense because Atlanta was still out obviously. But now it's so it's like the timing exactly, like right, it's perfect, it's perfect, perfect, right. Well, I appreciate Herbert Man Herbert the album, Herbert the Man Man. I love the cover too. Man, he's a little baby Man the Man, like not the uh not the God. Yeah, that cover is dope too, Like did you got to find that my auntie? You know? Uh? Ain't he gave me a bowl?

Come my auntie? Like you know, she's like my my my second mom. You know what I'm saying, my mom's sister. What I'm saying. She keeps everything, she's you know, she she she has a scrapbook of everything I've been meant, she's she's my biggest fan, my biggest supporter. I let you know, she keeps everything. She she's the one that has all our family pictures and all of that. And once I told her what when I found out, when I real when I did decided, excuse me, when I

decided that I was gonna call the album Herbert. She fell in love with it, obviously, and she had been saving that picture for something, like she knew that picture was going to be for something just because of it, like the happy hand. She knew she had been hiding it from me because she knew that was gonna be

for something, and that was perfect like everything. Shout out to shout out Tuesday's a what I'm saying, Like, yeah, shout out to my my, My entire family and friends has been you know, dealing with me through this whole process, man, and I've been a mess. You know what I'm saying. I love all of y'all to death. Y'all know who y'all are. Y'all are the reason I'm still here and still kicking. I do it for y'all, and thank you too. YouTube generally. You know absolutely you feel me. Y'all know

how y'all know. You know off the record, y'all know how you know aside from this music ship. You know what I'm saying, I really you know what I'm saying. Respect what y'all do a period for that, you know what I'm saying. For the world, for the world, for the culture. They'll take six more years, six months on one another. Give me one more, give me one year challenge. Okay, that's what's today. You close out, You close out this year strong, your clothes out next year as well well.

Yeah fourth quarter half give me into another December Okay, fair enough. Yeah, maybe I'll keep Maybe I'll keep my December sixteen. Maybe maybe we could keep its gotta land on the Friday Friday. We'll figure it out. We'll figure it out. But yeah, give me a year. Yeah, you got you know you can help me. Man. I gotta make your next list. Herbert, Herbert, Herbert, don't turn your top, don't turn you don't tell your top ten albums. Listen. Yeah, man,

As the chat appisode has entered the chat god damn. Yeah,

thank you, Herbert, thank you, thank you. The Rap Rate of podcast Yeah Rap Rador is an interval presents original production from hyper House, produced by Laura Wasser, Hosts and producers Elliott Wilson and Brian b. Dot Miller from Me Devo Presents Executive producers Alan Coy and Jake Kleinberg, Executive producer Paul Rosenberg, editing his sound design by Dylan Alexander Freeman, recording engineer Mike Urban, and special thanks to Josh Perez,

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