Rap Radar: Burna Boy - podcast episode cover

Rap Radar: Burna Boy

Aug 31, 202353 minSeason 2Ep. 13
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Episode description

Burna Boy is sitting on top of the world and the charts. After making history as the first African solo artist to sell out an American stadium, Burna released his seventh album, ‘I Told Them…’ Here, Burna speaks on his latest project, RZA, GZA, J.Cole, 21 Savage, Virgil Abloh, sampling, stabbing himself, and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Transcript

Speaker 1

Yeah, it was the rap rate off podcasts. My name is beat Ott Ellie Wilson Ellie. I think we're down with the Terroort squad officially now, yeah.

Speaker 2

Man, TV, we need some ts change.

Speaker 3

Man.

Speaker 2

We didn't get no sneakers though, Man, what's going on with that?

Speaker 3

Man?

Speaker 4

We did an amazing interview with Fat Joe and Mayor and I ain't getting no sneaking sent to Miles.

Speaker 2

So I was got no boxes or nothing about you.

Speaker 3

Brother.

Speaker 1

Now Joe didn't come to Queen's and pull up with a pair of Air Force ones neither.

Speaker 3

Man.

Speaker 1

I got to hit him up about that.

Speaker 3

Let's saying.

Speaker 4

Man, size twelve man, Yeah, I remembo. I was at Double XL. I used to try to get into the whole sneaker collection game. But I remember Clark Kent was a size twelve also, so Clark Kent would take everything.

Speaker 2

Clark Kent was the bully on the block.

Speaker 1

Every you know, what was Clark Kent doing the XXL office?

Speaker 4

No, but I mean every dealer at Obie Dealer that I met, Like on my level, what I was trying to learn who got.

Speaker 3

The sneakers in the city, Like who the dealers were?

Speaker 4

Oh, if they got If they got a twelve first I was a size twelve, it would go to Clark Kent and Clock would buy like seven to eight of them. So I'd be lucky if anything was left, you know what I mean, Like he would just hog everything.

Speaker 1

If it's size twelve. Clark wont sin Man.

Speaker 4

Yeah, the point of week go our Air Force ones would come out, you know that kind of thing around port Rica Day Parade and I would try to get a pair.

Speaker 2

Took like eight pairs of size twelve. I took everything from this man.

Speaker 3

But I'm not mad.

Speaker 4

But Yo, everybody love to fat joint of you, right, Everybody love us to Joey krack Man nigg Joe is like I always say that the best for cancer and the history of rap man, Like he knows how to tell a story.

Speaker 1

And you know, you're engrossed, you're entertained, you laugh, you cry, you know. After the conversation, he called me up and said, Yo, beat up man. I go viral without going viral. I'm like Joe Man, I said, people don't believe you. They called him the Joey capp I said, you know what, that might have to be a good song. He's like, you know what, I would do it over my next album, no other record, all these told stories Joey Cat.

Speaker 4

All right, he likes the Joey cap thing. I don't like the Joey cap ding. He likes to Joey Cap thing. Got lead into it, man, But it's funny. I'll talk to you Ellie like I did something with my GQ for it's the online version, and he had told me about the Drake thing about Drake, you know, him bracing Drake and being all the way up and Drake's desire to get on it. But it's funny when you see him talking about these things on video, it has its own life.

Speaker 3

Man.

Speaker 4

If it's not on video medic the public today doesn't even think it's real till they see the person talk about it on camera and then they pick it up. And all the websites picked us up. Man, we was popular this week all these other hip hop websites.

Speaker 1

This week, last week and this week as well.

Speaker 3

Man.

Speaker 2

Yeah, we gotta be popular this week man, because we you know, hip hop in America.

Speaker 3

Man, we're a little bit of slump right now. Man.

Speaker 4

I'm glad we're going international beat now. We're going a little international now, man, get.

Speaker 1

Your passports ready.

Speaker 4

Man, we're gonna take a little international terms. We get into the third quarter of.

Speaker 2

This amazing year rap, That amazing year.

Speaker 1

Of rap, that's a fact. And this week we got nothing other than the African giant himself, burn a boy, burn up boy baby.

Speaker 2

We had him before, men, what are you getting?

Speaker 3

We first in with him.

Speaker 2

It's twenty nineteen, man, twentying that team, pre pandemic.

Speaker 3

The whole thing.

Speaker 1

He didn't even have a Grammy.

Speaker 3

This guy likes us.

Speaker 2

I don't know why he likes us many.

Speaker 3

It's cool guy, he likes us. Man.

Speaker 4

You know, I met It's funny because after we did the interview, which is album released party, I met his mom's is his manager.

Speaker 2

I met the whole tribe. Man, I met the whole cruise. It was super cool.

Speaker 1

Yeah, they you know Bernard Rose kind of deep, not deep, but like tight knit rather all his families part of his management crew and team. And you gotta love that, you know. And those same people were with him four years ago when we did a conversation, so it was good to revisit him this time around.

Speaker 4

Yeah, man, I like to do album a lot too. It's very hip hop influence. We got Rizzo all over that thing. It's like Reid officially executive producer on it.

Speaker 1

I think he's like a fake executive producer. I don't think, but you know, Bong Bong his fingerprints all over you know what I'm mad about.

Speaker 4

We've talked about a lot of amazing things with him, but one thing I didn't know. I don't think of camp an interview. I thought it was dope that he did a whole magazine, like I told him, magazine. Did you see some of that stuff online?

Speaker 1

Yeah? I saw the clip after which I just thought that was interesting that his cover looked like a magazine. I ain't think nothing of it, but I know he was actually gonna make a magazine. That's pretty cool too.

Speaker 4

He has like content like him a conversation with him and Resident and stuff like that. But yeah, you know calls on the album as you broke down, and Yeah, to me, it's like it's just perfect balance of like what he does, the Afro Sogna he brought to America and you know it's still to me very rooting the hip hop, even more than his previous albums, you know.

Speaker 1

Right, And of course jess On there as well. We got the homeie days. Just the genius, the genius. He's doing his thing. But I think what was my most interesting parts of the conversation with him stabbing himself.

Speaker 2

Yeah, beat us a genius for digging up these things.

Speaker 3

Man. Again, people to.

Speaker 4

Talk about some real things, like I didn't even remember about Made America. Look like he was injured or something like that, and beat Out asked him about that, and he it was a crazy story about what happens.

Speaker 1

Yeah, because last year Made in America after his performance, literally as he was walking to the back, he just collapsed, like what the fuck, but he broke a leg. You know they say break a leg. I hadn't even meant literally, And he gave a backstory as to what happened. Apparently it was a nice situation. And making a sandwich.

Speaker 4

It's it's crazy, man, man, burn body got to be Burner boy. You gotta be careful out there.

Speaker 3

Man.

Speaker 2

You know I'm saying, give make it too much money? I have too successful, man.

Speaker 1

So what else to do it for them?

Speaker 4

And it don't make your own sandwiches anymore? Man, Come on, man, it's well, it's a help with that, man. Somebody we gotta if I find a cousin of somebody to make him sandwiches man the family.

Speaker 1

I don't think that should be too hard man.

Speaker 4

Now, but this is a hard talking to This guy made super cool mass easy listen, man, and I.

Speaker 2

Got said we're going to that. Can I tell you who were doing that? So keeping that secret?

Speaker 1

That put it in the tuck, keep it in the tok.

Speaker 2

On man, that's anohing, it's another Can I give it a hit?

Speaker 3

No?

Speaker 4

No, all right, d don't let me tease anything. Company man, beat Out, goddamn it. We deliver what the people want. I think people a gonn appreciate this Burntherway conversation. Let's get into it then, yeah, yeah, wrap it our podcasts, Yeah, wrapper it up podcast Elliot Wilson.

Speaker 3

Name is beat Out, beat Out. What's up? Baby?

Speaker 4

I'm good man, feeling good, feeling great man because this guy Man, last time we saw this guy, yes, he was a superstar.

Speaker 1

Yes, now he's a super superstar.

Speaker 3

Burn the boy back. I'm blessed man again. It's been a million years.

Speaker 1

It seems like it's been a million years, but you've been on top of the world. Man, How does it feel right now?

Speaker 3

I mean, everything is all right. You know, I'm doing a lot, you know, so far, so good. You know, obviously I'm still working, yes, yeah, so'st It's some temporary celebrations, you know, for more work. You know, right, you.

Speaker 1

All like the hardest working man in the world right now. But you got this new Thank you for real.

Speaker 3

I told you the stadiums filled up. You know what I'm saying. We know who we call this You got a hundred ks.

Speaker 1

So we're talking about this album. I told him, man, like, what is that title represent? It's self explanatory. It means I told him, you know what I mean, it's something that Yeah, it's one of them.

Speaker 3

I told you some moments, you know where it's like I'm really feeling like a kid again, you know, feeling like I'm a kid again, and I'm just having fun with everything. And it's like at the same time, it's like, you know when you're a kid and you tell everyone something and they don't believe he and then they see it eventually, it's like, you know, how you feel as a kid is That's really actually what this album is. You know.

Speaker 4

I love the Towle track too, because you be popping your shit on that, like that's to be like your MC bag, Like how do you feel we just be saying that popping your ship like bragging and boasting kind of.

Speaker 3

I mean, it's not for me. That's not even bragging and boasting. It's really like just I told the stuff that I told them was going to happen, and then and stuff that I told them I was and I got crucified for it, and now they see that this is really like I wasn't I knew what I was talking about back then, you know. So that's really that's really all. It is. Nothing too crazy?

Speaker 4

What was specific that you could create this sound and it could go, it could travel and go across genre like what specifically? Many people didn't want to I'm telling you, bro, Like you can even go back to something like my Twitter or some shit like that, right, like go back to like my twenty twelve yeah from twenty ten, even like I joined Twitter in twenty eleven, so yeah, from

twenty eleven. You know, then on month, I've said everything that you see today, I've said back then everything, Like there's no there's not one thing I've you see now that I didn't say back then. You know that you would be successful kind of breaking these genres.

Speaker 3

Yeah, not just that I'll be successful. It wasn't even about success. It was about who I was and who I am and me telling them, telling everyone, look, this is who I am and this is what I can do and this is what I will do. You know. But it's like, you know the words seeing is believing. It's like I was the only one that could see, you know, me and whoever else could see the fans, the people, you know what I mean? Yeah, well some of the people. Yeah, you knows.

Speaker 4

Burn of the people that was there was that was front and back of the Now.

Speaker 3

That's the thing. It's like I wish I did. I wish I really wish I did. But the thing with me is I never really I never really pay attention to names of people. I consider all things that consider irrelevant, you know what I mean, because like I feel like everything is only relevant because I make it. Everything is what I make it, you know. So I don't like to make things what I don't want them to be. You know what.

Speaker 1

One of those things that you're most proud of.

Speaker 3

My family, you know, Yeah, that's definitely my my family and my It's like my family doesn't just include the people who share my blood, you know what I mean, Like you can share my blood even if you didn't come from my mom. You know, you have something about you, my brother, you're stuck with me or something. Right.

Speaker 1

But the album too, man, you produce your A and R. Matthew Bosses. I'm saying his name.

Speaker 3

Right is be Bouce.

Speaker 1

I heard he told the La Times he said this album sounds like a battle.

Speaker 3

Yeah. This there's a lot of kongor fu. Why was that the inspiration for this project? Man? That's from the rism man, Yeah, rulers exact. They got a lot. That's really She's really doing the inspiration behind that, you know, and like he's really put me on a lot of knowledge and stuff, you know what I mean. Yeah, even on his birthday it was with Master Seafood and stuff, you know, like breaking the bottle from like you know, channel all types of energies and stuff, you know what

I mean. It's like this, yeah, man, it's like it goes deeper than just the kung food.

Speaker 4

You know, he goes making records with making albums with Puffy and not making albums with Riza, Like, yeah, what what was How did that connect that you knew wanted to be involved with this project and his rolling it.

Speaker 3

I mean, it's it's something that I always wanted to happen, you know, So it was going to happen because because I told him I'm literally I'm literally like the newest Wu Tang member.

Speaker 4

I was gonna say like that and jesup popping is stuff in the intro.

Speaker 3

Like it's just genius. Yeah, the genius. So how did that come up?

Speaker 4

I mean obviously is involved, but you know you wanted like, how did that come to?

Speaker 3

I told you I'm the newest member hip hop's fifty of year. How does it feel to be tank member? It's great, It's and on to thank you very much. Thank you, everything coming a long way. You get me. Yeah? Is w TAN hip Hop's greatest group for sure? No question.

Speaker 4

What do you remember is the remember the first time you heard them all? To the movement and records of albums that you like growing up?

Speaker 3

Yeah, and to the W Tang begin that's the main one. That's the one, you know if you don't know that one.

Speaker 1

Do you have a favorite solo Wu Tang project?

Speaker 3

I like I like iron Man, I like that's my man. I like, I like the I like the Raekwon Joint, Links Joint, obviously the method Man ship. Yeah, but the thing is cal is like if you don't get it, you don't get it. Yeah, it was so different. Yeah, it's like there's so much behind some ship, like you just have to you have to just you either get it or you don't, you know. And obviously that's the ES is the Genius ship. That's the whole first run

of albums. It was all everyone's ship is crazy, get me, oboly, Now it's my ship, I told them yet me.

Speaker 1

But did you select Jizz personally or did you have other Yeah?

Speaker 3

I needed the ship in the beginning because it's like you see how the Jizitt paints his ship. It's like it's like he just brings shit together to just combines and just it's like he can make the whole thing about Like you see the ship he did it was really about pictures and like painting pictures and like everything he said connects to that, you know what I mean. So it's like, yeah, I needed that genius in the in the beginning, you know, to set it off right, you know.

Speaker 1

And of course Versa got his own solo track.

Speaker 3

With the Jewels of course, twelve Jews twelve Jews?

Speaker 1

Was that something you guys recorded prior?

Speaker 3

Like, how did that? Man? It's like there is always be putting me, be giving me knowledge. You know, you're giving me knowledge, you know? And and uh, yeah, that was just one of our sessions.

Speaker 1

Really, is it any Drew that stood out the most of you?

Speaker 3

Everything is, there's no everything comes. Everything is. You can'd of have eleven jewels. You need twelve.

Speaker 4

You need to do you know, right, Let's let him know knowledge with them understanding, freedom, justice, equality, food, clothing, shelter, love, peace and happiness. How do you apply that to your life?

Speaker 3

You see it boy? Or just shines through. It's like there needs no explanation. You know when I walk in the room, you just feed it. You know. That's the power of knowledge of self. You know.

Speaker 1

It was dope to see him in the risk in the Big Seven video as well. You had the love cameos, so you have bust of rhymes in there. Yeah, ain't shot that right here in New York exactly.

Speaker 4

Except another one where he was popping the ship. Yeah, I need an album just like the title track and the Big Seven slapping him upside.

Speaker 1

The head, sure, but New York City has a real special place in your heart though, right of course, because that's where you broke the record. It became the first African artists to sell out the US stadium. Congratulations, Burner Boy, thank you so much. That's the City Field, City Field. So what was that night like for you? Like, obviously it was excited going in, but.

Speaker 3

I mean it's amazing. I've always said if I was if I was from America, i'd be from New York, you know what I mean. So it's like that's always really kind of showed with the with the support from New York and the I don't know, it's the acceptance. It's almost like I'm a part of the fabric. Yeah yeah, yeah, that's the English whereas you know what I mean. So, yeah, that's that's something I don't play with and I really you know, I really cherish you know.

Speaker 4

But what's it like to perform in certain like these massive crowds, like you have to feel their energy on stage, Like what is that.

Speaker 3

Like for you? Well, I'll speak for myself. For me, it's no different than performing an intimate crowd. The only difference is the ship in your ears, you know what I mean. It's like when it's a smaller crowd, you don't need that shit because I really hate that ship. But like you know, you need you need it right the big in the big, in the big venues and

stuff like the stadiums and the areadas and stuff. You need them because when you go too far from the monitors and stuff, you start to get feedback and you start to maybe you know, you hear it later than it. Yeah you may think point yeah, but you're not. So you need that in your ear too.

Speaker 4

So do you think when you have a big stadium show, your focus is kind of as if you're in an intimate venue.

Speaker 3

That's it's all the same. It's to say, for me, it's the same. I'm gonna do the same thing, you know what I mean. So it doesn't it doesn't really change my performance or my energy, you know what I mean. What what it changes is is obviously my money. You know that change. It's not bad at all, the changes the change, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know. And obviously we get to touch more lives and more people, and that's really the goal.

Speaker 1

You know, you're like a workhouse. Because Ellie and I we caught you made in America and after your performance and you kind of collapsed like it was like something wrong.

Speaker 3

With your leg. No, no, no, here's so check the script. Right before the show, like two days before or some ship. I was in London. I was trying to make a sandwich because like I couldn't find anyone in the crib, right, So I'm going to make the sandwich myself, peanut butter and jelly. Man, real ghetto shit, right, And then I get this, you know, the big bread knife. Because it's like it's I get get bread, right, it's not you American bread or it's Nigerian. It's like it's not sliced. Okay,

you know what I mean. So I had the bread knife tried to slice it because that's the best bread to use for anything. Really, you guys don't know about that, but they excited where I got you, you feel me. So I've sliced it down, put the peanut butter and the jelly, and everything is looking beautiful. And then I've turned into the I've kept the knife because you see it's like a long bar thingy table, right, So I

put the knife on the table. But it's like I didn't put it right, and I've turned around to get a drink to get my ship right, about to go watch these movies, you know, And then I turn around and then I hit the knife and that ship fled. Oh wow, like in landed. It's like some destiny ship. Like I'm getting punished for some ship I did some time ago whatever, right, but fucking yeah, man, So the ship goes in my leg right now, pup some veins

and shit. So I'm bleeding crazy wow for ages. And mind you, it's London, right, so everyone's scared to stitch you up and scared to all the doctors and you have to go to hospital. So I end up going to the hospital and then it's like obviously it's like burning. Boy, it's not exactly the most pleasant experience I feel, me. So I don't even end up getting nothing done in the hospital, right, So I leave still like makeshift. It's still bleeding inside the ship, but it's not bleeding as

bad because I've cut a whole van type ship. Right, So eventually someone we go somewhere to some other type hospital after a long time, and then they get it. They figure it out. Right now I have to have to fly to America and do made in America, right, So I have two options, do it in a wheelchair or just thug it out right exactly. So in the process of doing all that, you know, I made it worse, you know, and then yeah, I'm doing all right now America. It was you tugged it out.

Speaker 1

I would have known until when you got off the stage. You just kind of collapse, like, oh man, a Ligamit.

Speaker 3

Of sge like the ship was bleeding out again, man, you know, and I didn't want no one to see the ship. So it's like I'm really.

Speaker 1

Falling to cover the ship because I don't want to.

Speaker 3

Make it look like I'm you know, because I realized everyone is scared again suit for some ship out here. So it's like the ship has nothing to do with you. It's trying to make some Peter jelly. Yeah you know what I mean.

Speaker 1

So it's like, but you're good now though, right of course?

Speaker 4

Okay, what made you flip your brandy sitting on top.

Speaker 3

Of the world. I literally just do what I want, man, literally just having fun with it right now at this point in time, because it's like you have to understand, man, I've been doing this for too long. I wouldn't even say there's no such thing as doing it for too long when it's something you love. But it's like, realistically, I've been here since twenty ten, wow, you know what

I mean. So it's like this is the and it's like it's not really like I'm doing anything too different musically, because it's like I've always done everything I would like that's my playground, you know what I mean. But now it's a lot. Now it's like I'm in a much freer place, you know, where it's like fuck it, Brandy, Yeah, I can do anything I can afford to do it, you know, Like it's like I could just have fun with it now, you know. So, yeah, that's what I'm doing.

Speaker 4

What made you put twenty one Savage on that joint? What do you think he added to it? Twenty one? He added him to it?

Speaker 3

You know, Like, man, he's actually one of the rappers that actually fuck with because it's like he doesn't you know, when it's not forced, you know what, It's like it's almost like he's just talking, yeah, you know what I mean. And I'm not even talking about him as a person now, like because that's another like I fuck with that too,

like sports stand up nigga. But at the same time, it's like rap music is it's either very serious or it's not very serious, right, and he just finds a way to just be somewhere in the middle, you know. And that's what I fuck with music plague with his shirt, So that's why I wanted to work with him. The authenticity.

Speaker 1

Have you had conversations with Brandy yet?

Speaker 3

No? No? Yet?

Speaker 1

Oh wow, I'm sure she likes the record, I hope. So what do you feel about, you know, the criticism these days coming from fans about sampling because it's a prominent sample sitting on top of the world, and it seems like there's been coming a lot of backlash from fans about artists using samples that I guess aren't as old and you know Dusty from.

Speaker 3

Like back in the day days. I mean, for me, it comes down to two things I understand. One is either I don't feel like well, I'll speak for myself again, right, I'm not gonna speak for generally because I don't know I feel me, but for myself, as far as I'm concerned, every time I ever seen someone complain about that, there's an agenda behind it. It's not the sampling they have a problem with. It's either me they have a problem with, or something I represent they have a problem with, or something.

It's something it's not. It has nothing to do with the with the sampling, because at the end of the day, all the greatest musicians on earth have sampled way more than I have. You know what I mean. All the musicians that their fat whoever is complaining about is a fan of, has sampled some ship more than I have. Yeah, man, it's like it goes deeper than that, you know. So for me, it's like it makes no different. I'm gonna do what I want at the end of the day

is long is. I'm enjoying it, and it's what I's what It's what I have in my mind to do. You feel me, it's like none of them. For me, it's like without the samples or whatever, the song will still be the same as far as I'm concerned. Like speaking for me, But if I put a sample on there, it's either because the producer did that and I have no idea about the ship, or there's something I want. There's a message I want to put across the ads to the message I've already, you know what I mean.

It's like, for example, for lost Loss right Pig two, for example, for that one any beats in the world you put that the vocals over, it's it's still gonna sooner slap the same way, right, But then I wanted to sample that it wasn't mind enough for me ship because of the message behind the song, you know what I mean. Yeah, So it's like a kind of it's almost like I wanted to because she's talking about the opposite of what I'm talking about in her ship, you

know what I mean. So that's kind of why I wanted. I wanted that that match there, you know what I mean. So with that, when you put that together, it's like the whole it's like, oh shit, this is what he means, you know what I mean. Yeah, So that's really it's like if I wanted it to just be a bop without if I didn't want, like if there was no message, no cheeky little message behind it, like then I wouldn't you know what I mean, It wouldn't be needed, you

know what I mean. But sometimes it is needed. You know. You want to hear Brady say, you're sitting on top of the one exactly exactly I heard it.

Speaker 1

I mean, it's been almost a year since your last project. When did you start getting the recording process for this?

Speaker 3

I never stopped recording, you do slow down. I never stopped recording the album, and I never stopped recording, uh my albums, Like I got a bunch of albums right now that's like ready to go with that might never even come out, you know what I mean?

Speaker 1

So after Love the Mind, you're still you're still.

Speaker 3

Writing, Yeah, after I Love Domini. Even before that, there was supposed to be two albums. They're supposed to come out before that. I have the Good AI album, you know what I mean? I have the I had the Reckless and Sweet album. But then it's like I don't want to do that no more. So it's like that's never coming out. Right.

Speaker 1

It was also a roomor that you were supposed to be doing a mixtape with the.

Speaker 3

Oh yeah yeah, if I could sit you right, yes, yeah man, But like, yeah, they fucked that up for me.

Speaker 1

Right, We're gonna what's gonna happen to those unreleased songs?

Speaker 3

I don't know.

Speaker 1

Yeah, I have to get a Burner Boy Lost Tapes project.

Speaker 4

Speaking of someone we Lost. You paid a lot of honors to a Virgil album on this project. Can you speak on your relationship with him and why that was so import.

Speaker 3

Yeah, man, I mean because, man, apart from the fact that it was the greatest designer ever, it's like he was such a big inspiration to us coming from where we're coming from, you know what I mean, Because when you see a brand like like, let's not even go from pirates and stuff, right, and then to off white and stuff like that, you know what I mean, It's like and then you see the name behind it is

a name called Virgil Eyeblow. It's like that does something to us coming from where we're coming from, because it's like, damn like and then you see the nigga and then these it looks like that, right, he looks like that, He talks like that, he thinks like that, you know what I mean. And it's like for me that that just kind of that just opened the flood gates for us, really, you know what I mean, in the fashion world, you know.

So yeah, man, that's why I don't I don't really play about his name, you know.

Speaker 1

Did you guys have a personal relationship?

Speaker 3

Of course, it was supposed to you to be the creative director for the last album. Wow. Yeah, that's why the skitch you're hearing Virgil speaking, that's him, me and Runnie speaking about the creative direction of the last album, like how it was supposed to be. Wow. You know when did you find out about it? It's passing, man. I think I was on the plane on my way to London.

Speaker 1

It's still don't seem right, it still seems like surreal.

Speaker 3

Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 1

Another person that did make the album, it's Jay Cole. That was kind of unexpected. Then on the outro, how did you with j Cole connect?

Speaker 3

It's a long story. We got time. It's a podcast. It's a podcast, baby to say radio. So the first time I think he came to that Jurior one time and I wasn't around. And then I think Doc kept me hitting everybody around, trying to you know, trying to connect me and Ja Cole and stuff, because I think Jaco wanted to do something on one of the songs I had released at the time of some Ship, but I wasn't around and stuff, and I had a lot going on, you know, away from music that was you

know what I mean. So I went my head wasn't really in the right place, you know what I mean. So fast forward to what last year was it? Last year must have been last year. Late last year, we came to New York. I don't really know the dynamics behind how everything happened, but somehow I end up in the studio with J Cole and a bunch of basketball players tall as hell, you know. And then yeah, before any music, we just we're just all just talking about

real stuff about life and everything really, you know. And and for me it's like I don't really get I don't really talk, you know, I don't really like have conversations with people that don't really live with me and stuff like that, you know, Like and I have them long conversations like that. So for me, it's like I found myself just going off and just uncomfortable. Yeah, it's just it's just going off really. And then before we start, he just goes bro this niggas Tupac and then I

look around to see who he's talking about. It's me, like, like Tupac and app from reincarnated in Africa. Damn, that's that's kind of deep. Let's make some music and that's the story. Thanks.

Speaker 1

I feel like that record, you know, the funniest ship.

Speaker 3

We didn't even make thanks that. They made some other shit and then Thanks kind of happened later on.

Speaker 4

But I was just saying, thanks isn't like this like sweet gratitude record. It's like, this is the motherfucker thanks. What is by that direction?

Speaker 3

I mean literally feeling like that at some point, you know, like I don't feel like that right now. I think I'm over it, like you know what I mean. But like at the point of me recording that song, that's

that's how I was feeling. I was feeling like like I'm just it's like almost like everything I'm doing just didn't matter or they didn't see they didn't understand the gravity of what m what I was, what I'm doing or trying to trying to do, you know, like and even though they ripped, they reaped the rewards, you know what I mean, it's like they still don't understand that this is where it comes from, this is what's happening, This is what this nigga's been trying to do, you

know what I mean. So it's like that shit kind of made me hold up, is this the motherfucking thanks? I get bro, Like you know, like but then again it's like I do get I do get paid for it.

Speaker 1

So sorry, or you don't feel like you're underrated at no point do you.

Speaker 3

I mean, that's a word I've kind of I've kind of heard about myself throughout my career, Like.

Speaker 1

Cole said, you got the world on smash Yeah.

Speaker 3

But like no, I'm not talking about now. I'm saying, like this is hearing not this is the first time I heard that for a minute, but like that's something I heard almost every day for yeah, the first like eight years of my career.

Speaker 1

Wow, you know, so yeah, you're here now though, when I got another song that's bubbling on the radio. Man can't escape at Talent Bans too big, zech VERTI Void touches its gold Man, they can hit record. How'd you end up on that record?

Speaker 3

It's just destiny man, you feel me. It's like in life, man, just sometimes you don't. Sometimes destiny just happens and it's like you just knew it was meant to be, you know what I mean. It's like even the way we connected like me Byron and uh Kels and even Prince Swanny, you know what I mean, Like these is it's like we just met. We met like when we met, but then it felt like we just known each other forever,

you know what I mean. And for me, that's more important than anything else, you know, when it comes to this shit. For me, when I come across some shit that feels real, it's like I really, I really hold on to them things day. You feel me because it don't really exist much, you know. So all the people you make music with at this point, it's gotta be on those terms. It has to be yeah, most likely or or you or I get a big check the bag. The bag has to be a bag bag.

Speaker 1

But I'm sure you and Dave have good chemistry too.

Speaker 3

He's on My Brother Man sign My brother for real, Like yeah, man, I love Dave Man.

Speaker 1

We had him on the back in the day as.

Speaker 3

Well, always telling him it's a weird guy. But like that, that's what you get for. That's like the genius shit bro, David. David should have been building rockets or some shit, you know what I mean. Like I always ask him why you even rapping?

Speaker 1

Like I mean, he's also an actor too.

Speaker 3

Yeah, it's like That's what I'm saying. It's like, why are you even doing that? Bro, like you could literally be building rockets or some ship. You could be fucking inventing time machines or some ship. Bro Like, that's the type of that's how kind of mind he's gone. You know why.

Speaker 1

I think he was like the right voice for cheat on Me, just.

Speaker 3

Because man, Like you know what I mean, It's like I don't really like doing so to people, to be honest, man, you know. So it's like if I do songs, if I only like really doing songs with like like my people, you know, like people that I have, you know that we can talk about do something else other than the music, and then go back to the music, you know what I mean. Like that's what and that's what Davis. You know.

Speaker 1

I think my biggest takeaway from the album as well, in addition to the music, is that the run time it's like under and now it's an easy listen. Is that like the objective this time around?

Speaker 3

Yeah?

Speaker 1

Do you feel like the last project was a little bit too long?

Speaker 3

Nah? I just feel like I give it. I give everybody more than I should do yourself, you know what I mean. That's all times and in every aspect of my life, I feel like I always give people more than I should. So this is me adjusting. You know that success help you make that adjustment.

Speaker 1

That's your favorite song to record on this probable that every single song was a favorite.

Speaker 3

Process. I mean, like the process of recording the ship. Every one of them was an experience for me because you know, some of them were in different places that I've never been in my life, like if I'm Lying with Still Bengals recorded that in Saint Martin. You know, I was supposed to do a show, but then the rain came and then took the stage away, and then

I couldn't do the show. But then I was stuck in Saint Martin for a few days, almost a week, you know what I mean, And Still Beangals was with me, so we just made it. That's where we made the h the if I'm Lying tune, and we made a couple of other tunes and you know, put some finishing touches on the Mariana song was to do. I liked it. From my line is really the acoustic guitar just Bengals just literally just went out to the beach in the rain.

M h. I see the nigg in the rain with his laptop on the beach and then it just comes back and he's like, bro, go ahead, you know, go ahead. Then he plays it like ship. And then at the time it had a lot of sounds of the of the waves and the water and stuff on it. But then it's like you kind of have to take some of that out because it was a bit too much. But then it's like it's some of it's still there

if you listen, you know what I mean. But like that's really it's just stuff like that that makes me, you know, proud of the recording process because it's like it was it was it was an experience, you know.

Speaker 1

It has like a Bob Marley kind of feel to it, you know, like when I was listening to it, if I'm lying, if I'm lying, just well, I don't know about that. But what you know about normal? That's I think that's my my favorite one so far.

Speaker 3

Man.

Speaker 1

That sounds like a hit burner. Man.

Speaker 3

The funniest thing about normal. I recorded that one in l A. We made I made that song in l A and in some studio and then thirty minutes into the now actually like ten minutes into the session, Rich the kid just comes and yeah, it just comes and kicks it with us. It's just kicking it. We're just smoking and he's dead the whole time while I'm recording the whole song. And then after that, just you just that was like, Bro, this is the crazy ship I see. And then you just jumped in. He just jumped in

his car and left, and then I just left. We just and then I ain't seen him sincere.

Speaker 1

The kid blessing his beat out what they said, Wow, it's crazy do but it sounds like it sounds like something, you know what I mean, Like it sounds like a hit.

Speaker 3

Yeah. So you spoke a lot about hip hop, like what like we go again.

Speaker 4

We're very very reflective of hip hop with the fiftieth year, Like have you connected with that in any way, like when you look at how far the cultures going, Like what's your take on how it's kind of being celebrated.

Speaker 3

This whole year. I don't know, you should ask you wrap out that question. Me. I'm I'm out here just having fun with it and just you know, just I'm just really I'm kind of just living our childhood dreams, you know.

Speaker 1

Yeah, that's all it is, checking off a lot of boxes in one of those childhood dreams. He did win the Grammy. Finally. You know, last time we talked, you didn't have the Grammy. Yeah, yeah, that means we are talking a long time, four years.

Speaker 3

Damn. Where is the Grammy? Where do you start? The Grammy? Right now? Is in Legos. Yeah, it's one of the houses in Legos. You stare at it and just get it motivated, like, well, I'm never in Legos, probably there like in a month out, the month after twelve and the whole yeah right, you know, so it's like when I'm there, I just get that. I tried to do everything.

Speaker 4

Because that's the foundation. But that's that's home, you know, and second homes London.

Speaker 3

You're mostly in London. Yeah.

Speaker 4

I was thinking about some with hip hop too, Like people ask me all the time with the like what's the future of hip hop?

Speaker 3

And you know, you're hit part of hip hop? Right obviously not this is the future. That's literally why I was going with it.

Speaker 4

I was trying to tell people like the way people love you know, aprofusion, these type of sounds like you understand exactly you.

Speaker 3

Speak to that like even someone like you know with you even a deca. So it's a much like this, right, you see how this table is this circle that's life and everything in it. It's a circle. The world there's a circle. Everything is a circle. So music and everything, it's a circle. Ye starts from the motherland Africa, what was around everywhere blah blah blah, right, goes through what it goes through, changes, blah blah blah, comes back mm

hm to the motherland. And you know when it left the motherland, it was just it was like a seed. Now it's gone and come around and it's it's everything. So now we're throwing it back around again, you know what I mean. It's just it's just gonna keep going like that, you know. So at the end of the day, it's like for me, hip hop is not hip hop is is a lot deeper than rapping or dancing or or you know what I mean. It's like hip hop

is it's everything now, you know what I mean. Everything is hip hop now, absolutely, you know what I mean. So it's like and it's like apart from the fact that everything is hip hop now, it's like we're in the point in life right now where there's all the lines are basically so blurred. There's no genres anymore. Really and truly and realistically, there's no there's no more genres. It's like we saw just one big part. Now you've been a major force in that change, of course, So

that's that's really what it is now. So for me, it's gone round and it's come back and become this part, right, you know what I mean. And at the end of the day, man, it tastes great, It tastes great. You just joined.

Speaker 1

Will be your name burna ship burner, just burning, that's who will get a beato. But you are the pioneer of afrofusion, like you. Even they credit you for creating that remy category. How does that feel? You didn't have the grammy. Now you have a whole category kind of inspired by your whole movement.

Speaker 3

Ship. I don't really like to First of all, it's God that did it, you know what I mean, You don't mind. But for me, it's like I just wanted to create something that that was me, you know, because I'm not someone that is bound by any by any any any brackets or any boxes or any you know what I mean. I've never been so it's like I've always needed my freedom, you know what I mean. And a profusion is that freedom for me? That's why I

created it, you know what I mean. And it's like it's not like it's not like people weren't free before I created the termine for fusion, for fusion and stuff, you know what I mean, Because there was artists that was free minded also and also didn't believe in whatever box they were trying to put them in, you know what I mean. But for me, it's like I really didn't want to be more than anyone else. I feel like I didn't want to be put in no box,

you know. So I created a box that you could put every box in the box in the box, you know. So that's really what afrofusion is for me. And yeah, that's why that's why it's so great now because it's like now you hear it, you can hear anything, any kind of music, you can hear it, and then you be like, oh, you try to find what it is? Is this is this afrobeats? Is this R and B? Is this no nigga? This afrofusion because it's like, yeah, an afrofusion is anything you want it to be. You know,

it's not it's not a strict genre. It's not it's not even a genre. It's just it just is, you know, and I will and hopefully the Grammys understand that, you know, and don't try to make it so streamlined and be like, oh, only one type of you know, only fucking I don't know how to explain it, man, But what did you do? Even with I guess it ties into the album title, right,

I told him. It's like if young artists, I'm sure people tell you try to make your music this way or fifty certain and you're saying, no, you're free with your art exactly. You don't need to there's no formula to make it hit, or you don't even need a hit. I don't even like that word here, like for music, you know, because it kind of takes away the essence

of it, you know. It's it's like music should be like me spitting out myself, a version of myself that can never that doesn't have pashable skin, you know what I mean. I feel like that's what it should be. And then when it now starts being dictated and determined by this journal or that books and this, it's no longer me. It not becomes static estatic instead of me leaving myself, you know, what I mean. I hope I'm makeing sense. I tend to sound crazy, and.

Speaker 4

Then then it connects to the people and then you can go back and say I told them people that didn't believe you could do it exactly and.

Speaker 1

Ins addition to the success, you know you ain't do it by yourself. You have this team that I'm a fan.

Speaker 3

I have a team.

Speaker 1

I have my family family, like talk about their role in you know, your trajectory and your success because it's it's been the same team, same same family forever. Right, Like you have your mom on as your manager.

Speaker 3

You can't change your family. Trust me. I'll be wanting to a lot, but you can't. So. But some can't make it work. Why do you think you're able to make it work? My vision? What I want is what is going to happen. I'm gonna make it happen, you know, regardless of whatever, I'm gonna make sure it happens because this is what I want. You know, this is how bro, God has created us in his image. Even the Bible says right and God says, let that be light, and

there was light. What does I tell you that means you can do that shit too? He's giving you that you understand. Now, if you don't know you can do it, that's where you don't have knowledge of self. You understand. I have knowledge of self. I know that when I want light, I'm gonna say, let that be light, and in my eyes, I'm going to see that light. It might take a bit longer for you to see that light, but I see it and I'm telling you it's there, but you can't see it yet, and then eventually it

just it just gets blinded. How do you maintain that patient stuff for artists?

Speaker 4

Like, like you said, you're not an overnight sensation, right working It's been a long journey. I think a lot of times artists will get frustrated if they don't have instant results, and especially a younger generation, they expect to get their TikTok thing or something that's gonna pop off fast, and if it doesn't, they might not keep that same drive of the music.

Speaker 3

Like what do you think that that's not what they should be doing? They shouldn't be doing music? Then should I try to tell the boy they should be doing There should be YouTubers or something connected to that, you know, because music is not that, you know, music is not it's not perishable goods. It's not you know what I mean. It's not a quick fix. Know, it's life. You understand felt I said, music is spiritual. If you play with music,

you die yourng That's how deep he saw it. There's a reason why he saw it like that and why he said that, you understand, and I be. I spent my whole life looking for the reason why he said that, on what it really meant. And when I found out, it's like, bruh, it wasn't even that deep. It was so simple. It was literally so simple, man, you know. So yeah, And it's so simple that I can't even say it here because it's like our understanding may be

different and understand. It's like wisdom and knowledge I may give, but understanding is up to you. I understand. Now there's some things where there's some wisdom and knowledg is that I can't afford for your understanding to ruin, So I just keep those to myself. You know that makes sense.

Speaker 4

But those in the right path, like what do you think it was for you to try to keep us saying that patience to that drive that it's gonna I'm gonna be able to one day say, I told them.

Speaker 3

And that's really what that's that's what I'm explaining to you as I said, that's not what they should be doing. Yeah, because it's not that it's like for me. If it's what you're supposed to be doing. You don't need that patience, you don't. You don't see it like that. It's just natural. Just yeah, you know what I mean. Self confidence of

a line. It is good to have to but that doesn't come from nowhere, you understand, it comes from your reality and what you your knowledge, your understanding, you know what I mean, that's where it comes from.

Speaker 1

Because it seems like after yay, you know, you was going this way and then last last came and you just kind of went through the stress.

Speaker 3

That's fair like, well see that's how you see it. I see it different, really, yeah, I see it as I went through the stratus for the minute I was I got let back into the UK in twenty sixteen. Since as soon as my leg touched that sort what uncle see? What did I say? After I thank God and all that, I.

Speaker 1

Said, it's over for y'all, y'all be the title next now, I.

Speaker 3

Said, I said, that's it's over because The only reason it wasn't over the whole time is because I wasn't allowed to leave my content a really for seven years of my whole career, you know. So that's that's a head start for everyone and for you know what I mean. Yeah, So it's like for me, I've just always known. I've just always known myself. You know, really all this, you know, you told them, I told them, and you won, yes, sir,

and you put on for the city boys. Man, boys believe now with this album.

Speaker 4

Man, thank you too long, and we'll pull up in legos when you're.

Speaker 3

Ready to man, I'm ready when for you A man, I go back. I'm not sure after this little promo run, We'll let you get another Grammy, get another Grammy. We'll go to Grammy. It might be too crazy for you then, because my people love Grammys.

Speaker 1

Oh man, you go rap rate off podcast Bro The Boy rap Radar is Interval presents original production from hyper House, produced by Laura Wasser, Hosts and producers Elliott Wilson and Brian B.

Speaker 3

Dot Miller.

Speaker 1

Presents Executive producers Alan Coy and Jake Kleinberg. Executive produce Paul Rosenberg. Editing is Sound Design by Dylan Alexander Freeman, recording engineer Mike Urban, visual director Josh Perez, operations lead Sarah Yu, business development lead Cheffie Allen Swig, and marketing lead Samara Still. Make sure to follow rap Riator or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts

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