#276 - Tink

years i've been independent. It's a different vibe, different energy. Yeah, Like, how do you because you've kind of been through the ring or if you will, you've had like a long journey throughout the music industry, right, You've been on the major label side. You've been working with guys like Timbolin, guys like this guy over here who has a bad cigarette smoking problem. AKA. But like for you, like, how how does it feel to kind of like have a

little bit more freedom now? And it feels like you're doing a lot of stuff on your terms now. Yeah, that's what makes it fun. To be honest, it feels like I'm just being myself now. Yeah, when I was first like in the industry or in the game, it was a lot of labelheads over my situation. So you know, I'm just getting back to myself and really you know, being authentic again. Yeah. With the music, I'm able to say what I want to say, you know, work with

who I want to work with. Yeah, it's just that freedom. Yeah for you, Like I feel like when you first came out, too, there was like kind of it was kind of like a weird time to be like a female artist who does like hip hop, slash, R and B. You're kind of like a hybrid artist, right, And now I just feel like it's all lining up for you. How do you feel about just kind of the landscape of music in twenty twenty three as opposed to when you first came in. Obviously the industry's changed a lot.

You know, Yes, I feel like it's it's more accepted. Like you say, back then, it was kind of I was like the I don't want to say, the only one doing it, but it was rare to hear like a rapper. You might have been the only one doing it, right, I hate to say it like that, but maybe she was a female like Lauren Hill. Yeah, so like in my generation, I was the only one doing it, so it was you know, it was it took me a minute to really you know, just put put it out there.

But now it's honestly, I feel like the game is just more accepting. Yeah, you know, we got like artists that are doing like rock and rap. You know, I feel like the music, the genres are blending together more and it's I think it's resulting in better music too, exactly. People are free. Yeah, so yeah, I think, uh, you know, I've always just done me. I've never really put a box, put myself in a box, right, But yeah, it's working. It's working out for sure. You've had some dope records too.

Thank you. I'm glad you brought up the rap. I think people forget that I can really wrap. You could rap rap? Yeah, I can really rap. I mean you've been on your R and B tip like some real ill R and B ship, but you're you can rap. That's I mean, I don't. That's what got me as a fan, was like, oh this call she could bar out, but she also dish. But what's so crazy? Rap is like so hard to really for me, it's really hard to like kick down a door and rap right like

the female the female rappers. You know, it's just a different ball game. I feel like R and B people are more like receptive to my R and B songs. When you first came out, what year was it like on a major label? Twenty fifteen, So twenty fifteen. The landscape of being a female rapper quote unquote, it's way different, way different. It was really like Nikki Yep and then Queen Nick and yeah, shout out to Nikki. And then

there was twenty fifteen. It wasn't a lot of female rappers. Daje, daj Love, she was like twenty fourteen, you know, but yeah, it was definitely tough because and it kind of there was like this female renaissance if you will, around twenty seventeen twenty eighteen, where it was like, and I look at music currently, specifically hip hop, there's like a lack

of real records in rapper right now. Like if you really think about like what has been the smash this year that you go to the club and it's like automatic, like there's ship to play, for sure, there's ship to play, But the days I just there's not like like these dudes ain't making anthems no more at all. Now Glorilla is making a fucking anthem, you know what I'm saying. I love like Megan's making real records, you know what I mean? Shit Coiler Ray the Players record is a dope.

That's a hit. It's a hit, you know what I mean. I just feel like dudes are just like kind of like women are taking over. To be honest, I hear more of the girls rapping than I do the guys, and they're making just better songs absolutely, and we know our audience too, like you know, women are speaking for women. So yeah, you know, do you feel like you should have got nominated for a Grammy? Uh? I don't want to say that now. I think you know, I'm really

hard on myself. I'm a hard critic, So I got a lot of work to put in still right, and like I say, I'm really just getting my foot in that door again. Yeah, so with time, and I don't really make music to like be nominated nowhere. I feel like, you know, if it happens to happen, happens, it happens, and I'm grateful, but you know that's not like the end all for sure. Like I said, so many artists that never really got there. Yeah, got their Grammy or

got their awards, but I mean not barely. Just won the Grammy last year and it was like twenty twenty five years later after he's deserve Yeah, it's crazy. Yeah no, So yeah, this new album is well, first of all, explain the title. So my new album is called Thanks for Nothing, and it's going to be released in February. And I really wanted to make a project that was like geared towards the women, of course, but Valentine's Day is coming up, and you know me, I'm always speaking

for my ladies. Yep. I'm always talking about heartbreaks and relationship issues, and that's like my So I was like, it's perfect time. Thanks for Nothing, it's the album. Is that what you tell like X, That's what I tell my ex. Get you go through a breakup, it's like, thanks for nothing, thanks for wasting my fucking wasting my time. That's it, you know, thanks for nothing. Is that the hardest part about going through a bad breakup where it's like I just wasted like some prime real estate in

my life with this fucking guy. Of course, that's the that's the worst part about it. You can't get time back, but you can get lessons from it. True, that's the upside. You know you always learn, Yeah, learn from everything. But I like how you said that though. It's like, man, it took my time and wasted it. That's true because you're in your twenties early thirties, Like you're like, yo,

like this is the prime of my life. Yeah, don't take that lightly, don't waste my exactly, and I'm twenty seven, so like it is like that prime you know that age, right, you know your Yeah, but you know we don't have no more time to waste. So you and a mister Berg a hit maker? How many times platinum? One hundred millions of I mean, where are we at berg over there? Excuse one hundred and twenty So nonchal disguis crazy, super talented, got a ear for hit records. How you guys have

been working together for a while now. But in terms of your guys is cohesion. It's almost like the R and B version of like DJ Premier and Goou from Gang Star, or like you guys are like very much like in sync with each other and putting these records together. Explain like your guys' relationship and the chemistry there. You know what's really dope about us working together. Were both from Chicago, Yes you are, yep. So when I when

I met hit Maker, it was very comfortable. You know, like I'm an artist where I like to kind of go on the studio alone and you know, I like to just kind of be free and have the room to myself. Right when he came in, it was easy to work with him. I didn't feel like bombarded. It wasn't like, you know, singing like this, do this. A lot of producers are pushy, right, and it's not like that. Why and he understands me too, Like we're from the shat,

so he get my lingo. You know, he understand my language. So it just made it really easy. Yeah, I feel like you guys, are any of your guys like because he is? He did he did the whole album. Yeah, the whole album. Executive produced the whole album. Wow. So so that's major, you know what I mean? Like, like you say, one hundred and twenty million, it's a long a billion, close to a billion, thirteen billion streams. Yeah,

that's major. It's a lot, you know. Yeah, super slept on guy over there sitting on the on the rug over there. We need more chairs by the way, Sorry, guys, it's the first day of the new place. We need more chairs. It's obvious. Yeah, congrats, it's really nice. Yeah, the front building is where it's at. But nah, we're here, uh for you? Is there any features on this album? So I have one feature, very very very special feature. Should I give away the surprise? Guys? So Ti dollar

sign is on his album sign? Yes, listen, that's like legendary for me. I really really, you know, just always have been a great fan of Alien. That's hie. He's just so good. He's just like he's like a cheat code. For sure. It's a cheat cheat code, but on our record, we're going back and forth, so it's a real real record. Did you ever think that Tye and Berg look like they could be kin to each other in some capacity?

Like if grew out dreadlocks, like it's the eyes, he might be able to have a second career as a title sie stand in You know what I mean? You've heard that before? Burg or am I being? Am I being like ten percent racist? Right now? Like? Yo? For sure? The iced tea thing? Okay, Yeah, yeah, iced t no iced tea son. No, he is iced tea son. That's Iceberg right there, for sure. There it is. What's up, guys, Hey,

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Let's get back to the interview. Uh for you give me your R and B Mount Rushmore? Oh, Beyonce Okay? Mary J. Blige Okay, Laurie Hill m h m hm, love me some scissor. Yes, all females on the Mount Rushmore. Yeah, yeah for sure. Not the other guy from Chicago who's a legend, but you know, not the best person. Who's that Robert Kelly? You say his name? Now? I gotta rus for the ladies. I feel like that's why I really lean on. I want to credible. You love so os.

That's a great album. Yes, yeah, she did her ship, you know, and says is like a pioneer. She's like in her own laying her own world. Yeah. So yeah, she inspired me a lot. You know what it is too, It's like, you know, you're an amazing female R and B artist when you can get like a dude to like appreciate and this is true because you're you're you're the same type of artists where you can like because there's a lot of female R and B for me that like, well, this is not I can't relate to this.

It's like, you know, I'm not a scorned woman. But then when I be hearing your ship or I'll be hearing scissors shit, I'm just in like yeah, and that's that's the beauty of it. But what's so crazy? I feel like a lot of guys are they get like upset behind my music because I kind of keep it too real and too honest. So I'm glad to have your support, you know what I mean As a guy, Yeah, a lot of guys I see it all the time, like man, you know, my lady's mad at me because

of you, or you got me in trouble. You know I would, okay, give me like a song lyric that might've got a guy in trouble that Dave got a record don't tell nobody with Jeremiah. So that's like dropped it a long time ago, but to this day goes crazy, like way the guy is cheating keeping on the DL ship. You tell you with the bros and you out with a bitch. Oh yeah, say you're at the crib and you leaving her place, pull up to the crib nigga line my face. Wow. So just real ship like that.

I I love to come round and like same way the guys rapping like they drop bombs and shit. That's how I'm coming for the women. I love it. So yeah, I'm glad to have some support from the males. Might have forgot about. Oh shit, how could I overlook? So the last record we just wrapped it. That's why there's another feature with Young Blue and it's called Stingy. Amazing record. You know, working with Blue is so, you know, so easy. He's got a super dope tone too, very unique. Come on,

So Stingy is dropping really soon. It's gonna be on radio as well, produced by your maker and it's a vibe. You know. Were you guys in the studio together for that one, No, we weren't. He actually uh sent it to me and we kind of just went back and forth with it until it was right for you. Like,

what is your like writing process? Because obviously being able to rap, being able to like do the lyrical shit, but also being able to like write songs, like, are you open to input, like when it comes to like top lines or hooks or shit like that, because obviously you're in the studio with Berg. Berg is obviously a great songwriter. Yeah, because I'm open now. I used to be really really like, you know, I kept my music really to myself. I'd write it at home and go

to the studio cut it by myself. You know, nobody would hear my shit until it kind of was about to release. But now working with it, he kind of introduced me to working with other writers. You know, He'll he'll have the studio open and it'll be like ten people in the booth at once. So I think it's good in the industry. Honestly, everybody's taking taking you know. Yeah, if you've been in like an actual studio session, you kind of know what it is. It's like it's like

a bunch of it's just a free flowing flow of ideas. Yeah, and we get a lot of shit done quicker. Like it could be the engineer given ideas to exactly and for some reason they never get any credit. Shout out to the engineers, yeah, shout out to source. You know, sources engineering my last album. So we've been working really really hard. But yeah, everybody has like a input into the ship now, so you know we're coming harder. What is uh? So the Grammys just got wrapped up? Uh

Harry Styles when I'm in here. But for you, what was your favorite album? Okay? I don't even want to go Grammy cycle because it's a little confusing to remember what came out from September to September. But what was your favorite album last year? My favorite album last year? I like underground like artists, not even underground, but like Brent Fire's. Brent Fire's album is crazy toxic. I played

that ship out, very toxic, toxic album. I love it, Yes, So for me that was my top album, you know, and I don't mean to say underground, but I love like you know, people that aren't may not be on a radio twenty four to seven, so those are He's a beast. His band is crazy too, super crazy paining. What about on the hip hop side? Hip hop side? Man, it might have been a light year for REP. I mean there was some good ship. There was like a Kendrick Pusher te okay, okay, okay, what else was dope Blast?

Year Future Okay, future, damn near R and B artist now like wait for You, It is like a brilliant R and B record. I feel you, But yeah, I'm still locked in with R and B. I guess I didn't really turn into much much better on that R and B shit. Yeah, I've been going through it. So Okay, the guy who won Best R and B Album that Chris Brown did not know who he was? Did you know who he was? I didn't know who he was at all? Okay, but you know, did you some someone knows?

Though some one knows. Yeah, but I do feel like Chris deserved he deserves Listen. I think Chris Brown is probably him or Jamie Fox in terms of just talent in one body, the most talented motherfuckers in the world, because like, Chris Brown can dance, he can sing, he can pay an entertainer, he could fucking uh, he could play basketball. I just mean talent, I'm not even tomorrow, just everything. And then you got Jamie Fox. You could do stand up, he can act, he can that's crazy.

He is a comedian as well. Those two are like the two unicorns. If we're just talking about raw talent, Chris Brown's like I feel like I feel like sometimes we don't appreciate Chris enough. Absolutely, I do feel like he's like the closest we have to Mike. He's our Mike. He's our Mike for sure. So yeah, to see somebody else win like that, it did break break our hearts. You know, I felt I felt Chris on it because Chris Brown's almost hard it was. I mean, look, I

don't even like the other guy. I didn't listen to his album, so it could be better. And that's the thing. I hadn't heard of it. I didn't listen to Harry Style's album. That's lot of Grammys. You know, we gotta be careful giving, you know, give any award shows too much. Well, you know what they did this year. They realized nobody was watching, so they just made that ship hip hop as fuck, right. I heard they had a hip hop tribute.

It was not just that, it was like the whole show ended with like jay Z wrapping out of the Last Supper when DJ Khalad and Little Baby did freestyle at the Grammys. This is amazing. It was amazing. Well, I'm glad to hear that. Though we do need more, you know, just more involvement. I don't want to suck up his name. I think it's Jesse Collins, the guy who produced the Grammys, but he's the guy who always does to be who's been doing the BT wars the

last few years. So they had to kind of tap in because and then people were talking about the Grammys in a positive way this year. Yeah, but that's the thing, you know. Rap really influences everything. So you know, if you want people to tune in, you gotta you gotta

balance it out. Yeah, for sure. Have you been able to link with like someone like Scizzy who you're a fan of, or like any of the other any of your you know, because there's a lot of people who are doing their thing that have come out kind of after you, like a girl like Doja cad or Sure. You know. So Miya says that we haven't met, but she always shows love on like socials and yeah, she's always supporting you know when I drop, So it's love there.

I can't wait to run into her. Yeah, you know, so I can, like, you know, since we gotta go to the studio, got to got to that'd be legendary. Yeah, that's not a dream. Collapse is a you know she's Pioneer. What's up, y'all, bootlet keV here. Hey look my bookie. Man, it's a big weekend in sports. The big game is Sunday Chiefs versus Eagles. I'm all in on the Eagles. I like Jalen Hurts, over on the passing yards, over on the rushing yards. Anytime touchdown score, give me Dallas Goddter.

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you're in Vegas, pull up on them man, Hardean, Las Vegas. Yeah, how do you feel about because obviously Chicago has is probably man Chicago. If we just think about like the history of hip hop that's come out of Chicago, it's very diverse. It's vast, I mean, in my opinion. Yeah,

you know, Kanye's probably got the best discography ever. And then you got like the new shit, which is like you know, obviously shout out to Dirk and those guys, Polo Gi everybody, but like is there anybody in Chicago that you're you're checking for that maybe we haven't heard of yet. Ah, that's a great question. You know, we have a few singers that are really doing that thing. John Doe is dope. There's a singer Santa and Marie.

But you know what, we really had our big run in like twenty twelve when Keith and We're going crazy. It was it was just different for all of us. But yeah, Chicago, we've got very talented. I think we get a lot of flat because like the violence and shit or like you know, just because our nature. But yeah, I mean listen a lot. I mean you know that is that there is something to be said that we think at Chicago's it goes straight to you know, the

shootings and killings. Yeah, sometimes I think that over overrides like you know, talented sh we got going also just the city in general, because like I know, it's not like like I think when a lot of people think of Chicago, they think it's like bad everywhere, and it's like a great city, just a great city. And then on top of that though, like you know, people coming out of Chicago, we aren't evil people or you know, we got great. You know, we do great things in

the city as well. How do you deal with like nine degree weather? I'm just curious, like, what do you do? Do you just stay inside? O? Yeah? We got like you have to layer up. I can't tell you how many coats and scarves and ship like that I have. Crazy, would you like I just wouldn't leave. I'm uber eating everything exactly, Ober eas deliver everything. No, But for me though, I think you know, we're used to it, Like we grew up in and we walked to school and cold

like that. So Jesus, I guess it's like accustomed to it now. Yeah. Okay, we talked about your Mount Rushmore R and B. What about a shy town. Oh that's good. We gotta have yeah, of course, jesus. Mm hmm. That's deep because we got like all like classical rappers, but then we also got like the new generation. Like there's two spots that should not be disputed. It should be

Kanye in Chief Keith. Keith has to be because I think Chief Keep is one of the most influential artists him both of them, but Derkio is also going crazy exactly. It's so hard. You know, we got different vibes like everybody is a goat in their own right. And that's the thing about Chicago. Fill out too much. No, it's okay. We got Kanye and I would have to put comedy in like lyrics. Lyrically, one of the greatest MC's to ever live is okay, Chief Keeth. So we got three

and it is one more. Can I get a spot on the mountain, you know for the ladies ship? Yeah, I'm gonna go up to Hey, shout out to Chicago amazing female artists too. Shout out to Shauna. Shauna, Come on, No, that's big sis. What's so crazy? Man? Life is just like crazy had a relationship too? Oh really Yeah, I feel like they grew up next to each other neighbors. Yeah, so that's big sys to me as well. So shout

out to Shauna. Dreezy is from Chicago. Yeah, you know, another dope rapper and she's hard how hip boys fire? Hey girl, that's my point. You know, we got a lot of talent for sure. Chicago's want to do you? Yo? Listen, do you remember crucial conflict I do of course? Or do do or die? Do or die? Twist man speeding up mobsters Twister was a for a second in my life, Twist and Do or Die was like that Heads or Tails album, or there was an album or the penny

on it. Oh my god, fucking perfect album. Damn. And then crucial conflict was beefing with bum Thugs and Harmony about who was doing the sing song of fast rap first Yeah, good times man, the Midwest Rap beef Cleveland, Verus, Chicago. I'm old as you can tell. I see well. Listen the new album Thanks for Nothing, Thanks for Nothing, February twenty fourth. It's amazing, you know what I mean. Like I'm coming for the ladies. That's all I do. So give some ladies out there. You've been through I'm sure

you've been through heartbreaking your life. Give me your advice to anyone listening that's going through a bad breakup. Yo, my advice to anyone listening, if you're going through a bad breakup, I want you to know that it is not the end of the world. Life goes on and life gets better. Hm. You know what I mean? Keep your head up and you deprized, you know, don't forget that part. Never forget that part. Mm you ever kid a guy's car I have kiv. I hate to admit that.

I hate to admit it. I key guards I in the past, when I was younger, I cut a couple of tires, turp some clothes. I haven't torn clothes, but I did get get at the car. You got at the car? Did you break the window? No? I didn't break the window. But I put him on a flat Damn. What do you do like? You just get a knife and just you know, yeah, it was a knife. Wow. And his car was in the drive. And then I caught him cheating. You know what, I did catch him cheating.

I actually caught him through his iPad, so you know exactly his eye his messages went to his eye cloud and wow, so he didn't even know. He left the iPad back at the crib thinking he was out here, and and I went through every message. Wow, yeah, fuck his tires up. Yeah. I regret that. Though I'm really a change person, A lot of people don't know that I've changed so much, so much growth. I interviewed Gorilla and she said that she caught her man cheating and she snug a gun at the club and she was

about to murder in the club. She pulled a gun out on and I love to kill real shit, right yeah, so hey, I mean listen, who cares about a tire or two? Right? Little yeah, just change it. Listen the album, go run it up. And uh, I'm assuming it's early in the year. We might get another one this year. You never know. Absolutely, I'm working on a few more crazy projects. My fans have been just a mixed, a winner project, a right project, you know what, I think.

I want to do that for sure and drop it as a tape that's not even like political eight song, ten song where you're just going in facts. That's a fire idea for real. Yeah, just to like you gotta just remind people exactly and they wanted to, so yeah, you never know. Watch out there, it is Tank. Appreciate you pulling up. Thank you. Keev perf Lef