#38 - DJ Drama & Generation Now

the dopest. Got to tap in with all the Generation Now, which is DJ Drama's label, Don Cannon's label, the Homie Lakes label, So got to tap in with some legends and really just dive into the whole entire mixtape era. You know, just a lot of history with Don Cannon and DJ Drama that impacted so much of our culture here in hip hop. And I was really excited to talk to these guys. Got a shout out to our sponsors, man time shot to odd Socks, hit up odd Socksofficial

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keyword bootleg keV at checkout. So go do that and let's get into episode number thirty eight with Djdrama, Don Cannon, and Lake aka Generation Now right here inside the Bootleg cap Podcast Yo Bootle cav podcast, Very special episode, all three of these guys in the same place doing an interview. You guys ever done an interview altogether? No Generation Now Man, Don Cannon, DJ Drama, the Homielake. Appreciate you guys for pulling up man, well, I pulled up on y'all. Actually

so appreciate you. Yeah, listen, man, like here, I've been obviously wanted to talk to John for a long time, but I think it's so dope to have all three of you guys here. I heard that this is the first time you've been in the studio for a long time since March. Damn you feel very special. Yeah, damn special. And I had to I had to come out for guests. I appreciate that, man, I would get goost most of

the time so much. I got so much ship. I want to like dive in with you guys on because I know you've been a lot of people don't know you're kind of the man behind the scenes that people probably know the least. So kind of break down who you are, what you do? Damn to start. They know these guys, these guys are you know, Yeah, no, they do what they do. I mean, and I like it that way. I don't even know how to describe it. Man. I feel like I'm just like the third piece of

the puzzle. You know. It kind of makes the makes the wheels turned behind the scenes, you know. M hm. We'd like to describe it as like cannons the music drums facing on the business. So we'll just put it that way. So you handle the business to an extent of your history, break down a little bit. You just went to a nice, real quick rundown. Started off managing people. Uh used to work with Freeway, work with the state property guys for many work with Valentino, worked with Druma,

work with Mace. Actually that's what I started with. Oh you started with Mace? What years? This is the Welcome Back era? Okay, okay, So that's the first person. Was that the Opportunity Waity Welcome So that was was that the album where he had the Brewers had on the cover. That is the hat the Brewers had cover. Yeah, so you know, been around, uh, been working with these guys ever since. We actually all went to school together. Where they want to Clark, I want the More House, which

is like right now, right right right, Yeah. And if I've ever been to a nightclub, the DJ dramas DJ AT, he's there passing out shots two strange women, nonetheless with a blunt in his hand. For sure. No, I mean you guys have obviously, you know, done something special with Generation now. I feel like, you know, Dram, like you being who you are and being a DJ, and and like successfully and we're not just talking about successfully doing the label shit, Like we're talking about like Uzzi's one

of the biggest fucking artists in the last decade. Jack Harlowe's superstar right now. So like, not only are you like doing your thing because you know, with your connections, you could do your thing with whoever is on your roster, but to like really really be like a prominent source of new talent in the music industry, it's just impressive, man, Like, you guys have built something really special. No, I appreciate that.

It's very rewarding, Like you know, like just to think about my career and the successes I've had as a DJ, and you know we've had as a coming up as the affiliates and and you know, putting things together and projects and and doing it and just really elevating and you know, in some senses it feels like reinvention, you know.

And and just even somebody brought it up today, like, you know, like or I put a tweet up that I just found on on Twitter and this guy said, he said, DJ Drama really went from t I to g Z to Uzzi to Jack Carlow. That's crazy, you know, And I was like, you know, it was it was it was like the highest praise for me. How it felt, you know. I mean, ship dude, I tweeted earlier or later last year, You're the greatest of all time. Yeah, I appreciate that. I forgot about that you did. That

was that was an interesting conbo. Yeah, I was watching that that that versus and I was like, yo, like Dramas got his hands all over this entire Like like Atlanta is arguably the most important city in like it's New York obviously for sure, but like Atlanta is where

everything is, the culture starts and everyone else follows. Atlanta and it's been like that for fifteen years, I'd say even maybe twenty maybe twenty, right, I feel like Atlanta's had the most dominant run in hip hop over and like I just don't feel like anyone has ever had more moments and influence and just has been a part of more history than you. Good looking and by the way,

amazing DJ as well. I appreciate that. Yeah, we try to cover all grounds, all capacity, and you know, it's just like it really is because you know, I love this shit, like I've been doing it for so long, and you know, just just to I and we try not to get comfortable on what we've accomplished already. And then you know, just like being able to navigate and you know, being a DJ, it's like because we play music and we've been able to navigate through hip hop

through a lot of times. It's like, you know, that keeps me on a cusp and keeps me like really addicted to new shit like at all times, you know what I'm saying. So so yeah, I mean it's my my my DJ hat is has been very helpful and you know, the career as an executive and you know, finding and you know, helping new talent and you know, turn it into what we did. And of course you know, s litt hit records are in your own right, you

know for sure. And then you guys, I'm curious too because I was when I was just talking with Seddi Hendricks, And what I appreciate about Generation now is you guys truly like every artist really is getting it out the mud. Like it's not like there's not a fucking magic switch to hit. Like people really think Jack harl is a new artist, but if you've been tapped in, like he's been doing his thing with y'all for like three years

and you know, and the same thing with Seddi. Like I think that like the work is what kind of you know, I feel like you guys are very conscious of the work, like and making sure like, hey, look, it's not as much because you guys could probably sign whoever, you know what I'm saying, But you guys definitely take the long way, like someone like Jack Harlowe, who this is not like he had a buzzing single and you guys grabbed him up and then just you know, through

some gasoline on the fire. You guys built the fucking fire from the from the jump, So talk about that, like just your guys is like talent process, Like what is it you got to see in an artist to want to bring them over the generation now? And the same thing to be said about UZI too. By the way, you see an artist conviction? Uh? Inspired artists? A lot of artists come to you. They're not inspired, you know

what I mean, they just don't have a vision. Uh, they just want to wrap and I you know I personally just you know me and drawn work, and so long we've known it. You know what we've known when we've seen people with conviction. The people that used to be at you know five three two. Glen Iris was like his house that was the hub for all this, you know what I was at. And we usedtill just watch so many people, like we watched David Banner to come in a white van and be like, Yo, I'm

not leaving it so I get against the girls. Or you know, Paul Wall came down here and we used to do used to LATEX New York parties and he used to be like rapping. You know what I'm saying. Certain people you just they eyes just tell it all for them, you know. And I think that's what happened. A lot of artists like Jack came in that was the eyes, you know, Uzzi even SETI like a lot of the artists you just know, you know, it's that feeling like, oh, they're gonna do whatever it takes to

get there, you know what I mean. Yeah, I think there's they all have that in common. Like that's one thing I could say about definitely the three of them, you know, and when it comes to generation now on the label, when I think about Uzzi, Jack and SETI like their passion and they're like, I'm I'm gonna get there, Like all three of them have have that instinctively and like to a thousandth degree. Yeah, I saw something on Twitter. It's like you can't want it more than your management

or your label wants. Just then you're wasting everyone's time. And I feel like a lot of artists like you'll meet that her fire and you know, sh it just doesn't work out. And it's and it's really like they're a lyrics lacking in that they're doing music because they can not because they like they want to, you know what I mean. Absolutely, absolutely take me back to seven Man,

because listen, I got a drama. I gotta thank you and and and you can because I made so much money selling gangster grill mixed cases from the time I was sixteen. That's where the name mister Thanksgiving came from, because I used to go on all the message boards, download all the tapes, go on mix unit dot com, steal the artwork fire. I had the fucking printer at the crib, friend, go to the office, maskt the jewel cases. That's a good old day. How much how much you

think you made, dude? Every weekend? I was at least I mean I was like seventeen, man, I got the Swap Meet. I had my little space at the swap mean, I was probably making like a rack of weekend. So that's great. It's five bucks a tape, five for twenty. Yeah, it was. It was drama. It was you and the Southern Smoke Ship. It is that ship so small. June the radio of course as well. But yeah, you know, the mixtape era was so special and it was like it was just there was just something about it that

that I don't know if we'll ever get back. But you know, you obviously your biggest mixtape PJ of all time. But when you got arrested. I remember buying the I bought a free drama shirt off of a mixed unit. First time I ever met you, I was wearing it actually, So when we met, wasn't it like right after the It was the same. It was seven, right, I was a scrub in Phoenix. Yeah, I was. I was working at the radio. So maybe it was a year. It might have been my second album, promo run or something.

I don't remember. It's probably six it was. It was no, it was after, Yeah, it was like right after or maybe it was like super Bowl was out there or something. That's what it was. It was the super Bowl because I remember that. It was like a couple of years, maybe right after that. But yeah, man, like that moment when you got you got raided and you got arrested, you got arrested, You didn't get arrested. Were you around it? Nah? It was crazy. Though. I was on my way to

the studio. I was in the car with Freeway. We were actually on our way there. And mind you, we weren't just like we were. We've been friends since college, but it's not like we saw Lake every day. So right, put let's put that in perspective, right, so this is the day that I was actually about to come over there. It so happened to be coming over there. Yeah, we're gonna pull up. I don't know if we were working on a mixtape or working on something, but we're gonna

stop over there. And uh, I remember Mace was there the night before. I brought Mace over there. The night before we had actually took pictures to do a mixtape that they were Wow that never came out Mace and Drama. Yeah. Yeah, And uh we drove by and we saw that ship. We kept going and uh, honestly, we thought it was happening to the studio that was next door, because it was a studio literally next door to Drum Studio, And uh, we thought I was getting ready. We was like, man,

we're just gonna keep it moving, you know. Wow, we were right and too cool at the time either. Yeah. I feel like that's one of those historical moments. It kind of changed so much in in in you know, the hip hop culture, man, and it kind of was like the the beginning of the end of the mixtape era. Yeah, of the as how we know it for sure, as we know it where you could just pull up, I

mean and obviously you know, things were changing. It's interesting looking back on it because, like you know, everything literally went digital appt Yeah, after that, it was straight to the z share link and you had to download, and then that Pith came along and then I also feel like after that the change really came and like how artists were put in mixtapes out because you know, you got to think about right after that, that's when like Wiz and Cole and Kendrick and Drake and it was

all original music, but they were still like mixtape forms. So yeah, they were still technically mixtapes and kind against their deals. Yeah, like that was like I feel like what happened with you guys kind of kicked off that whole era of almost like it was the mixtape era and then the blog erag the blogs became the new mixtapes. Yeah, so when you get arrested, you get raided, Like, what's the thought process, man? And did you have any idea that that could be that that could happen? Nah? I

really didn't. Never in a million years would have thought that. I mean one, because we were like we felt like darlings of the industry in a lot of ways, like we were hot, like I was on fire, you know what I'm saying, And like, you know, we were also in bed with so so much of the music industry with all the labels, not only for me in DJs, but then you know from labels were paying for gangster grills and you know, I had an album deal at

Atlantic at the time. So when it all went down, it was like, yeah, our minds were blown, like I in a million years. Never like we said, I thought they were coming for the studio next door on some shit. I didn't think they was coming to get me. And even when it we first like went through the motions, I didn't comprehend it, you know. And it's so weird because there's so many like different theories or or reasons how and why it happened, you know what I mean.

But it regardless, it changed the whole game, and like it literally changed the game overnight, you know what I'm saying. And the mixtape game was totally different after that, and you know it, you know, it was the top of the food change. So a lot of niggas was doing what we were doing with like yo, if they go get drama and them, like I remember, they got like big Mike and they got they got some yeah, but not like that, no one. I don't feel like anyone's situation.

They made an example of you guys because yeah, like it was just it was crazy. So but I mean, and you know, it also made us more famous than ever, you know, so it was like it's it kind of set up for the first Gangster Girls album and yeah, so I mean, you know, looking back on and it's like, who knows how shit would have played out in our

careers if that may not have happened. But but you know, another part of it too, was like I felt a lot of guilt at first when that shit happened because I felt like, damn this ship, like this here's a culture that I like grew up up like loving and like you know, you're the guy reason why Yeah, I'm like, damn, this shit's gonna die on my shoulders. Like I felt terrible for for a minute, you know what I'm saying.

So I remember even when I like first did Against Grills or like when I did the tape when me and Wayne did Dedication three, it was like I can't let this ship down on you know, on my dime. Like you know, I'm letting all the guys who came before me down so to see where quote unquote mixtapes are now today or just even because I feel like they really it was a phoenix that arose from now, Like if you look at it now, in whatever form, mixtapes are bigger business than they ever were, you know

what I'm saying. Yeah, now they're they're monit. They're fully monitored artist favorite. You feel what I'm saying. So you know, I do miss like the energy of like you know, it was re mixes in the freestyles and ship yeah, and and it was it was just different. And now it's like even when people drop mixtapes to a certain degree, unless you get all your your everything cleared, like it's just, you know, with all due respect to the mixtape sites,

is everyone wants to on all the DSPs. Like I don't even I still haven't even like tapped in with the Wayne tape because I'm just I'm not downloading. I'm like, you know, like because it's not on the DSP. I wanted to be. And at a time when we were doing it, it it was like everyone there would there were no DSPs, so it was like you everyone had to have whatever gangster grills. Yeah, so back then, right, give me the process, So you do a gangst the grills.

And for people who don't kind of understand like how tapes circulated back then and kind of what you got, like you were actually like were you wholesaling tapes out from your headquarters? Yep? Yeah, was whole selling them out from the headquarters. And then we was we had a whole system shot a man Jason Brown. We would uh

wholesale them out from the studio. Then you know, also the mixtape sites would do what they do, and then who knows what the bootleggers was doing, so they you know, from canals, so like a mixed unit was like a

big site, right, would stuff straight from you? Yeah? They would, uh huh yep yeah, because I always wondered, like it's you know, the whole idea of a mixtape is kind of bootleg anyway, right, but then you would kind of know when you'd get like the official joint because it'd have like the back black riding on it and on the CD. Right yeah, or how you kind of know you know what I'm saying, right, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, right, yeah for sure. So you guys, would you guys just

kind of had your own little distribution system. We was we was killing shit. That crazy crazy. It was like what was your like a like a wholesale Like if if if somebody like what were you selling your tapes were hold like it was light like two dollars. It would vary from like two dollars to four dollars depending on where you know, where the market was. That's crazy. Yeah, and yeah, I mean that's shit. I know how cheap it is, especially you know you guys probably had twenty

five CD burners going. Yeah, and it'll probably costs us like thirty cents of CD or something like that. Trying to think of the costs. Man used to go in that back room in terms of be back there putting the CDs together like New Jackson bro just like Wag and enjoyed something many boxes Field oh Man used to be able to go back there. I remember I used to go back there whenever I needed all of it.

I just go back there and get the twenty five hottest new mixtapes because he was doing they was doing one every other week between them three between him since and Cannon. Yeah, there was one coming out every week. So you go over there you got applies tape and every genre from you know, you got a Joe Budden mixtape, you got Killing Mike. Would you? Would you guys wholesale

other people's tapes for them? No, only affiliate. We only did a Interestingly enough, I don't know if you know this, but so back in the day, we wound up meeting Kanye very early on and we wound up getting some drops from him. He was on tour with Quality at the time. And we also my man Damien Lemmon used to work at Vibe magazine, so he had his He had Kanye's college drop out super early, super super early.

So we had a copy of the album and and Joe Button was on It was on his promo runs when Pumping Up first came out and we had we had we got Joe Button to host the tape. So at the time and Cannon was like, uh, Kanye and Joe Button didn't really feel gangster grills. At the time, it was like we need another we need another mixtape series, like what should we call it? We called a Generation

now Wow. Actually I remember burning those CDs and it was like almost like a tape that had just a bunch of new ship on it generation now yeah, I used to burn those. Yeah, that was our side tape. Something didn't fit and like I had all y'all's names on it, right, Yeah, I remember those. So that's how long. That's how long we've had the name. Damn. Yeah. So Cannon, talk about how you and Drama initially linked up, like

your guys's history. We linked up in college. A good story because I went to I used to kick it with my man Harris, right, and Jabbar is one of my closest people in Philly. He wasn't coming to Atlanta the school and I was. He was like, yo, when you get down there as a kid named Drum, he's dope. You need to get with him. He's already with the roots and and and bahamadd and just working with Ohama did and uh. He was like you make beats, y'all

should hook up. And my whole thought process like he next to the roots, about to get course some beats, you know what I'm saying. So I came to school. I met him on the pan one time and I and I gave him some beats and I think he took it home and he came back was like, yo, he beats hard. You need to come by the crib, you know and work on some ship. And we just we went to the crib and worked on some stuff. I think he was, you know, rest in peace to

Jackson and them guys. Beats benk his records, but he was just like flooding my beats to people, you know what I mean. He was like actually he was the former. He was my managers that I remember, like, you know what I mean. And at that time he was making beats. Also if you could find that thirty two beat CD, that's a classic, if you find his thirty two BCD. But uh yeah, he was making beats. I was making beats and we were just we was just kicking ship. Man.

It was times where I actually got kicked out of school, right and I ain't tell my mom she knows now, but I got I got kicked out of school and I ain't had no place to live, and he kind of took me in like you know for a little bit, and I would go back and forth between him and Trent Setter had a duplex, and I would go back and forth to the crib if I got on his nerves vice versa. So until I got my you know, my stuff together. So you know, we was we went

to the club, he was DJing clubs. I started going to club with him and you know, taking the craids and just filling in doing different things. And also, uh you know when we was making the mixtapes, we just was you know, putting the stuff together at the crib. Oh yeah, I got you know, it was just his His crib was the hub. I keep saying, uh five through to Glen Iris, like that was the hub. It was just the shack where you know, he had a nice little room. Any and everybody was in there. T

I was wrapping in the bathroom. Scrappy came by, a little John came by, anybody. You think of two chains, Monica, you know what I mean. Wow, It just was in this crib and it was just the place to be, so I wouldn't want to be nowhere else. He had the records. He had like a whole wall of records. You know, I was sampled dusty little crib too. Yeah. It was the best everything. No, it's not even like a nice condo or nothing like. It's Dusty was in

the hood. It was in the food. You know, good go to music until it's time and you know, disperse and you know, play our role with those you know what I'm saying. Yeah, so you obviously started as a producer. You're I always say this, You're like one of the most fire producers. Thank you, bro, appreciate it. Yeah, did like Drom convince you to start doing the mixtape thing as well or was that something that just kind of naturally happened. I actually I started DJing when I was

five years old. Okay, so you were you are already djaying as well. Yeah, So I grew up wanting to be shot, you know what I mean. When I was eleven, I wanted to be in the NBA and make beats. While was a rapper first, and then I was making beats Shock, Better Point Garden, Chris Ball, no doubt, no doubt. Yeah. But uh and then and in high school how I

used to make my money. I was making mixtapes. My first DJ name was the Last Don and I used to just you know, make I think they leaked The Iron Man and ghost Face early, and I was like the first person to put on my mixtapes. So I had that some underground dudes like elder Head Toucher and all that stuff, and I used to put them on tapes and I used to just move them through the high school because that's how I made money. I was

the hustle in high school. So even if people owe me money, I would just get like, you know, they would bring their khakis. I sell the khakis to somebody. There's shoes. But the tapes was the main thing. But then when I got to Atlanta, I was like, Yo, I need to get on some producing, you know what I mean. But DJing came so wild because I was DJ on campus. A couple of guys saw me and was like, Yo, you need to come do Chili Pepper and all these clubs. And when I did those clubs,

they was like, Yo, you're dope as hell. DJ and I just got gigs. So it just started falling place. But we started started rocking together, and it was like it was sometimes where DRAWN was getting so hot on the mixtape game that I was doing a lot of the gigs, you know what I'm saying. He was just so hot At a point I think he was like I didn't even wanna fuck with the clubs like that no more. I'm just you know, I'm over here, and I just did a lot of the gigs. You know

what I'm saying. Could somebody was doing tapes and I was on tapes too, like in the earlier years, like and I'm don't even talk about like I'm talking about even when he was in college, because I used to. I used to set up on campus. Cana did the tape called the After Party. I remember, Yeah, that was my college, you know what I mean. So I used to like, hustle, our tapes are myself and they are him, And Trance said that I give them credit for me using my real name. My whole life, I ain't even

like my name, you know what I'm saying. So they was like yo, can and like, oh my god, it's just whack. You know, it turned out, you know what I'm saying, But I didn't like it for a long time. But you know, I credit them for doing that. You know, in Philly for some time now, Cannon has been like a a name people. What's up Cannon. But even before we was telling before that happened, we was telling him

they would never call me by my name. They was like, Cannon, it wouldn't be like Donnie Brasco, this is like what fire name like he do you remember the like the beat that like kind of changed your uh like kind of changed my life as a producer. Man crazy, Yeah, I could say, I could say go crazy, But the one that I get the most accolades from the most people I would never thought i'd ever speak to it was Cannon Wayne. Yeah, And that was the reason why.

Is like I went to when I started traveling, bro, I was running into everybody like Premiere and all these people, and it was like, Yo, I need to holler at you. And I was like, yeah, like when you made when you made that beat right, like was your like drop like like like did you make that beat like or did you add that later? Like what was the process of that record with Wayne? I'm gonna tell your story. So so this is I came about when I when

I did go crazy. H N R. From Atlantic I forgot his name at the time, but he was like, Yo, I want you to go work with Trick Daddy in Florida. Now Orlando did it? It was this guy you forget his name, but uh. I went to Miami and I went to Circle House and I was busting my brain or what I can make Trick Daddy that feel like me and Miami at the same time. So at that time, it was like, come on ride this train. It was like,

you know, a Southern base record. And I was like, yeah, I'm a East Coast to ship out, and how I wind up flipping it? Trick Daddy ain't really like it. You know, he was working on a Madonna record at the time. What the fu. Yeah, it was like Trick Daddy was going to strip club every day from like eleven in the morning to like six and alfternoon. It was I think if Madonna was on a hook or something. It was something that's some huge ship. I think. No, Trick was crazy. So my whole thing was like I

love Trick as a rapper. I was like, damn, I just wish he could come in the room and be like, Yo, I don't like this, but I like that. But it just ain't work out that way. But I wind up leaven the stuff there. But it was a dude fiend that was there. I don't know if you know Fiend. Yes, Fien was right today. Yeah, he was. He's a phenomenal writer. So he was like coming in the session and loving everything I was fucking with. He was like, bro, I love that he was the first person to do a

cannon hook. He went on there and was like, I got the a K. I'm with the cannon and that was it. You didn't know that he was the first person that used the drop. It didn't go all the way through like everybody, but he was like, yo, I got it a K with a cannon and I was like, oh, that's fire. But it never amounted to nothing, so I wind up taking a record back home. I think I gave it to him first. Now, yeah, you gave it the Buster, No, remember, because Orlando gave it to Bohagen.

Bohagen had it first. Yeah, he remember Behagen, and then after that it was Buster and then Busting to Bust. I don't think bo Haagen did cannon though. I think he wrapped on it, but he didn't do the layout. He might not. He didn't beat. Yeah, Busted did the layout. Yeah, Busted did it. Bust had it first. Yeah, he went dumb. You know what I'm saying. Yeah, because there was different iterations of that record. I remember he went dumb and then he wound up giving it Dwayne and then Wayne

just went stupid. The craziest thing is people don't know is Wayne wrapped the whole beat three minutes long. We had to make the verses because he just wouldn't stop. He just he just is in the in the in the booth. He wrapped the whole thing straight. I still got that version too. Yeah. So I was going to Miami. It was when Cali was shooting Holler at Me and everybody went to Miami for that video and we were just that dedication. I was going to go to Circle

House to go pick up dedicated. That's crazy because that's where the beat was made too. But I was going to Circle House to go pick up the music for Dedication too, and uh, it was that same night. And then I went over there and I was like, yo, I got this just beat. My man made, like to see if you funk with it for the tape and I was the last song he did for dedication to and Spaz and like the next day gave it back to me. Yeah. That was That was the whole making

of that. And people don't really know that story, but I try to tell that story because that was like a magical mistake. You know. When I was making that record, it was like, oh, go crazy. Was the same way when I made it, go crazy. It was for artists. We had named Willy the kid. The kid Yeah, shot to Willy, Shot to Willie, And I think I was making it watching Dead Presidence first artist, Yeah yeah, And I wind up giving it to him and t I wrapped on it, but he didn't. I wind up giving

Willy another beat because we couldn't get it right. Something happened. We couldn't get that record right for him, so I gave him another beat and then that went to draw you know, and that's yeah, go crazy is one of those ones. Man, It's like, how crazy was it when you heard jay Z's remake was about to say his first beat out the gate? It was crazy because I remember Coach K like, yo, got something for you, got something for you. I'm like, man, whatever whatever you're talking about.

I thought I didn't know what it was going after. It was gonna be like a g Z and a couple of people that you know, and and uh when he said jay Z, I said, I wait to hear it when I believe it. And to this day, I think jay Z performed it at birthday birthday bad Ford in the come and I had I wouldn't come, but I came. I had a loaf of bread in my throat. When I heard I seen all them people, I said, oh, ship, it's real man, you know what I mean? Because I didn't know what I was doing at the time. We

was just was having fun. Yeah, you know what I mean. It was just everything we did was fun, you know what I mean. Damn, that's crazy man. Yeah. That record is like one of those ones. Is like I remember, like first time I pressed played on that CD. That was the one record because I'm like like a boombab hip hop ad and that record was like it was like hearing GZ in a different light, you know. Yeah. That was one thing that I did strategize. I was like, yo,

because go crazy. Original had break be drums on it, and I was like, how can I get this sound and him together to make it that? And I always wanted to sit in front of like him and Jay in the conversations like Yo, what did you hear? Jeez? Do that made you want to do sixty four bars of classic verse? Because I you know, Jay does a verse, he does some special verses, but that one just long.

It was different, you know what I'm saying. I was just trying to figure out, like what did jeez, say on there that made you like, oh man, I gotta go crazy, like you know what I'm saying. So I just I just you know, going through that whole prop that that whole process was was fun because we were just doing us. I don't think we I mean, we had objective to make money, but I think at that time I was just happy to be a part of sacks.

You know what I mean? For sure? Back then, like when the Gangster Girls the hottest shit, right, could a label pay you to do it? Like like let's say it was an artist that was you didn't know about, could they cut the stimulus check? And he did plenty of times? What got a thing too at the time. I mean it may be a little different now, but even there are artists like Yogatis an example of that, Like the first tape we did together, he paid me

and he was he had just got signed. So these are still artists that are like you know, we know of today. You know what I'm saying that the labels were still cutting checks for so it would it would it would vary, like they would come from all avenues. What was you about to est though? I was gonna say, what what was the biggest, Like what's the like, what was the going rate? It got up to? Like twenty five thirty thousand? Damn, Like I take you that's crazy.

And then like so give me like so like so something like the Little Brother Gangster Grills, right, which was so dope because Little Brothers obviously from the South, right, but they kind of you know, it's crazy because back then, I feel like we really separated types of hip hop so much more than we now. They told me it wasn't gonna make sense when I did that. Like now, like people can work with each other and people don't

even bat an eye at it. Back then, I like remember, like how how crazy it was like when you heard Talip Quality and jay Z on a song together. Absolutely, and so you do there's a lot of that. Yeah, Kanye had a lot to do, but you doing the Gangster Girls a Little Brother? Was that your idea? Was that the label coming in? No, that had nothing? That was me and Little Brother. I mean I was I have been a fan, Like I'm we're hip hop heads too, so you know what I'm saying. I've been a Little

Brother fan. And when I remember we wound up, we ran into each other. They had to show a Yan Yant cafe here in Atlanta, and I went to go see him and we talked about it on the bus. And it's looking back on it, like again, little Brother tape and the Pharrell tape. Like when I did those tape crazy like though at the time, Gangster Girls was still known for like t I g Z Wayne Bumbee, So it was it had a certain you know style to it or it was like street music, you know

what I'm saying. So I remember people being like, you gonna do it Gangsters with who Little Brother Pharrell? And I was like watch this and you know, like even for me, like that was getting back to my roots to be able to do something with them, you know what I'm saying. So they they you know, them being a fan and me being a fan. It was like it was it was perfect. Like I was so excited to do those tapes too, to really just start branching

out and going different directions too with the brand. Yeah, and then like how many Like so okay, like you mentioned the Pharrell tape, which is fucking so fine. Cannon actually goes DJ that hotel. Oh you did, okay, Okay, But I'm just curious he was on the road. Questionable question questionable. You and Pharrell, like you decided to do against the Grills. Does he just handle all the creative

or are you sending him ideas beats? It was both was sending him ideas and beats and he was he had a phenomenal uh uh outline of where he wanted to go with it. He definitely picked some incredible beats and we gave him some. And you know, and I what I used to do is I used to write out a script. I used to have a script and it basically was like literally like me interviewing the artists and that would kind of give me a formula for

the tape. So you know, that's when I used to do interludes and talk and chop it up, you know, just kind of piece and those stuff that stuff together. Like so so yeah, I mean and again, you know I met I met Pharrell when Tip was on house arrest, like before we did Down with the King, so we had we had got acquainted then, you know, so he was familiar with me early on in my like in that part of my career. So then you know he kind of touched back and was like, Yo, I love

what you're doing like we gotta do on. I mean, to this day, it's the only mixtape he's ever done. You know, it's just you know, us being fan like it was monumental like and no, that's that's the tape too. Like you know, I meet a lot of kids today, not even kids anymore, but you know they'll be like, yo, that pharreal gang like the same way like the Gzy and a Wayne tape is to to some That's how you know a different cloth is to the to the Ferral tape per se, you know what I'm saying. So yeah,

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by supporting odd socks. Let's go. When was like when did you realize or like you guys as a crew like that Gangster Grills was like the brand, like well I know that like the early tapes, but like what was the one like like the one that like like do you remember that moment where you're like with levels? It was, I mean, yeah, it with levels, because shit, I think about like Gangster Grill six. We had like

Bone Crusher David Benner and Killer Mike Houston. It was like we wound up seeing nothing, but like when fifty when Give Richard I Trying came out, we wound up finding this like bootleg spot in the Tuck in the West End, and we literally saw like give rich of I Tryan's walls full and then Gangster Grill six walls full. So it's almost like flattering one hundred percent, like it was the most flattering thing ever. I was ecstatic. So

then there was that level. Then there was like the t I down with No The t I meets Gangster Girls Uh in the Streets was literally the first tape that was just one artist. You know. Before that it

was just like compilations. It was a mixtape. Sudden, it was that level that we knew, Okay, it's something I remember, you know them even tell I remember we went to like mix Sure Power Shummitt that year, and I was thinking about taking more of my neo soul tape than I was the tip tape and Sense and kind of like nigg you bugging, like the fuck are you talking about?

That's just how hype. I was just on the automatic like a whole another series I had, but right right right right then, and there was I can't even imagine you like talking your ship over automatic relaxation. That's what that. There's some trivia. What was the first Gangster Girls not the first Gangster Girls tape? What was the first name? How was it? Jim Crowbos that was one? And then how the South was one? So the South was one?

That was That's when we knew it was like, oh, okay, you know what I'm saying from the college day, yeah, because it was moving like that was our first South tape. And then obviously the Tip Down with the King that was that was a big tape that started garding some more attention. That was you couldn't go nowhere, especially in Atlanta night. That the one that Jack and for Beats on it. Yeah, that was one I had Jack and for Beats on it. Jack and the Beats. That's that's

still my favorite. That's like peak t I m cing right there. It was going crazy. And then g Z what's the first streets is watching the first GEZ tape and that was like, you know, g Z before Jez was Jeezy, Gangster Girls was Gangster Grills. So you know it was that tape was like the first of its kind where it was like it was an artist that no one was really familiar with compared to like Tip

tape or Bumbe tape that came before that. And then obviously like Trappidized, like the world changed, like everything was different. So so yeah, I would say going up to that level that was those couple of tapes to figure it out initially doing that first tape with Jez, was that like, did you guys have an organic relationship or was it like was how did that like, how did that initially start? So the house, the crib that he's talking about five

thirty two, Glen Iris in the fourth ward. Our neighbor around the corner was Coach k Okay. So we met Coach when we moved into the neighborhood and he befriended us early and we befriended each other. He had this group called Jadis Bobby Creek Quarter was actually in a group wound up signing to to Shady Up and then you know we were all huh, slick pullo, slick pullo. Oh for okay, so Slick was slick. Yeah. He was

one of the original rappers too. So then we you know, Coach was telling us about you know, just this new artist he had and Jez's first project was actually called Come Shop with Me and he had this van. Yeah, I remember seeing that. He's like in New Jersey. I remember buying it from when he used to sound like trick Daddy Wow. And then so we knew. So yeah, it was it was pretty organic. You know, he came, he came to me and we like we met at this restaurant called Harry and Sons, and you know, we

he pretty much showed me. It told me his whole vision like this, you know, the streets is really fucking with your drama, Like you know, I don't even know if you realize how much the streets is fucking with you. And you know, he told me it's the movement in the campaign, and yeah, it was. It was definitely it was really organic. I mean even interestingly enough, you know

it's Atlanta too. So you know, Lake was running in the Carbon fifteen around Tom and was telling early in the game, Yeah, telling me I got my man Jeezy, and I'd be like, huh, like, what are you talking about? Drama? Be telling me about I Actually I actually met name too, in a different occasion. I was in my dorm and I used to have a window in my sit up my DJ setup, and producing said up was in the window. He used to come in. That's with the shorty that

was my next door neighbor. He ran by my window one time and he was like, you make me fire. You know what I'm saying, Get you some beats. But it never turned into nothing because I you know, we wound up meeting a little later. He always reminds me of that. By the way, I knew you sit he was making beat to your fucking dorm. Niggas did say that not too long ago. I remember that. He reminds me remember what he was talking about. I remember seeing him. He's always had bread and I was like, well, who

is this cat bro? And I used to look. I used to come out the door and I looked. He had like this six forty five some crazy ship and I'd be like, okay, that he's something, you know money. Yeah, we wound up seeing him a little later and I was like, Okay, that's the And he used to come to club Envy all the time to his record, play that record. Yeah, it used to break bread to get that record play time. What's the craziest uh B MF party or event you guys, I've heard stories about these

parties that are legendary, insane. What's the craziest thing his birthday? Yeah, me birthday party, nothing, nothing with it to this day. There was a Magic City party where I literally saw regular women turn into strippers like shot the Hannah Kang. That party was crazy. You used to have like animals, Yeah, yeah, and I put that together. The invitation. Remember you used to open it up and it talked to you. It was like that like a diploma, Like it came rapped

like in a diploma. You opened it up and I think it was blue. Eventually, like yeah, come to hang with big Meat. To the jungle. I was like tigers, it was grafts. It was all types of ship. Yeah. They got girafts there that girafs shit everything. Yeah. I

was a legendary time. I mean just even you know, like and we're talking about one of the craziest, but like just on a regular night of visions on a Tuesday or was it Thursday, whatever the night or oh both of them, you know them niggas would literally come in and be like fifty one hundred deep and everyone would have a bottle like this is like early It was just a different time, like nothing was like that era,

you know. Yeah. I remember one specific time I was DJing off night and I think it was what it dude Pippin. I think it was uh either gz gz and Bumbee, And one night I played it and it was like, every time you play that joint, put one hundred dollars on the table. Man, I think I left for thirty five hundred. I'm not even lying, Oh I'm lying. I think in fact, every time they was like this. Every time I ran it back, they was just dropping it like this, and I was like, oh shit, this

is real. Yeah what I'm saying making I probably was making two hundred and fifty dollars for the whole night. First sure, the first time I ever saw any real money was because of BMF Like so no. But even before the l A trip, Uh, I was doing Gangster Girls. I think it's still when it was like regular mixtape and I asked Blue DaVinci, like, yo, do you want to sponsor a tape? Like you know, I put a song line, put your logo on and everything. He was like like how much I was like, like, you know,

like eight you know what I mean something? He was like eight. I got this, no problem. I'm thinking eight hundred dollars. You know. He literally takes me to a crib and gives me eight grand. Like I'd never seen that type of money like that ship. I had that eight grand for like, I literally had the cash and I had it in my closet maybe for about a year. You know. I'm still making okay money, but never where I had gotten eight grand one one time. It was

like it blew me away. It was a shot that those guys man shot, the blue shutter shot, the me shot, the t you know, I mean, it was just a it was. It was. It was a special time in the lit Correct me if I'm wrong, y'all. But this isn't isn't that the eraror where throwing money and the eric comes from absolute and rain comes from absolutely from that era Like and if it didn't, I'm gonna give it to him because I've been in so many like DJ and strip clubs where it was piles of money

this high. Bro, I've never seen nothing like the HM, JD, Nelly them, they all it was different. It was different, Bro, what which it was different what the people do in the strip clubs before we made it rain, Like I don't even remember, like how did the transaction dances? Dances? I suppose yeah, like it changed the West Coast. We're not you know, we come from a culture where it's like we're not throwing nothing. You know what I'm saying at all, you know, like it's it's amazing a thrown.

But what they used to do, like the briefcases and trash bags, like come on that ship, was that it was legendary. Wow, that's legendary. So obviously generation. Now you guys a flagship artist UZI, Yeah, it's from your hometown. How did you guys meet UZI? I remember the first person that put me onto him was was it was either Will from Taylor Game or Tie right, Yes, that about Yeah, I think it was Tied. I think it was in Boston with Tie and we're in his room

and he was just playing off SoundCloud. I was like, what is this that came from us being on tour and with those guys. Shout to those guys. So I was actually the first one to give it pay show? Oh wow, like a real pay show in La his first showing up you want to hear some crazy shit. In two thousand and fifteen, I had a birthday show that Berner was supposed to headline in Phoenix and Burner couldn't show up, and Will was like, look, man, do you want me to get Zy? Do you want me

to try to get Uzy to do it? And at the time, I was like, I don't know if these people will give a fuck who little Uzzy is. Because they were there. It was like a real like it was like Burner and bos from Dream. It was like some rap shit, right. I was like, I was like, I'll pass, Like like, don't make the call, you know, idiot? I am crazy? But but nah, But like, how did you guys? Initially find Uzi ken Uh? I was working at death Jam. I was vice president in UH and

I wind up a lot of people don't notice. When I was trying to DJ, I was trying to transfer over and doing ed M DJ wise and I got connected with this guy named Sudrettist Yes and scam. He represented me for about a year and some change and he had me and just incredible, you know, I seem just incredible fucking Billboard. I was just like, holy shit, this is crazy. So I was like, y'all want to get in this circuit. He was like, y'all gonna put you on that same circuit. So I started doing Houston,

Vegas and Atlantic City. My first Atlantic City gig, I think it was at MGM or something. I had to drive. I had to fly into Philly and drive to Atlantic City. And when I drove to Atlantic City, turned on the radio and I was listening to Diamond Cuts. Diamond Cuts is a different story too, because I used to DJ for Miss Jade, and when I didn't go on the road Miss Jade anymore, I seen Diamond Cuts some time. It's like, Yo, you should take over what I'm doing.

You know what I mean with Miss Jade. And so when I'm driving down there, she's playing just in the mixshell and I heard the songs called the Real Uzi and I was like, Yo, this sounds special. What is this? I called her immediately, like YO, who is that? She was like, Yo, it's an artist I'm working with named luzi Vert. I was like, yo, I come back from Lang, don't want to meet him. Time went by, I didn't get a chance. But the next time, it's like next

time you're Philly. Come up, what's another weird situation. I lived in, you know, this area called East Falls right off for Ridge Avenue. They had a next door kind of little city called Manyum And I went home and I was like, I want to meet this kid. He's probably in North Philly somewhere somebody basement recording some crazy shit. Right. He's like, yo, Arren Manyum. So I was like, oh shit, that's walking distance from the Crabs. I went to MANYUMK

went to the studio listen to some songs. He was in the studio, just silent as a motherfucker, acting like he know, was not just you know, he was just being him. This guy uh, I forget the manager name, Damn Buzz Okay Buzz was there. He was just you know, speaking for him. He just kept playing me crazy records. And I was like, yeah, this shit crazy. So I go back to Atlanta. I tell them, like, yo, we could do this shit again. Because at the time we

wasn't really doing no record label stuff. Draming was building the studio. He's like, y'all want you to see some shit. You guys you know went down that road before. Yeah, yeah, we did the affiliates and then I went to La was trying to figure some things out. Moved there for like eighteen months. Then like it came back home. But me and John started communicating. He was like, Yo, I want to show you something when you get back to Atlanta.

I came. He was building Mean streets, uh five one, which is now the famous Father one Mean Streets, and I uh and I seen it and I was just I went in to the studio and he was just asked me about equipment. I was like, damn, you gotta get this right, mic and you know what I mean, those speakers, we could do that. And you know, he had a radio room and everything was getting built out and it was just special. So I was like, damn.

As we started working and I was, I was coming to the studio more regularly when he was doing stuff, and I was like, y'all found this kid. We need to do this shit. I'm telling you this shit gonna work right. And then we was like shit, we all in. We never really told each other, knowing nothing, but he was like, Yo, this is gonna win. And this is like our first time, like as the three of us because we're always like make and drums relationship in ours

was different. Me and Lake would meet up and talk forever. He would get me so much money on the mixtape side, just hosting and he would bring Freeway over to the crib and shit like that. And then they was doing some stuff, so we all combineded, you know what I mean. And then we finally got Ouzy to Atlanta, and I think his first he recorded in January. He never left. He just stayed I'm not going back on you know what I mean. So that's how the whole play came together,

and then we just worked on it from there. It was just you know what was that the Like was the Carnage record, like his first like big look Yeah, yes, yeah, because I remember that record, like just going up in the club and and and that really being like I had heard the name because of like because it will but like, oh ship, this ship is yeah, And when

I speak about conviction, think about it. When I was talking to him and trying to get him into the fold, he was already talking to as ABMs already he was Kanye was interested through this kid named Charlie Heat, and Charlie Heat was working with Kanye. He was trying to bring him there. He sat loved him, uh Rich the kid and him was it was in a little space, so it was like, you know, it was a lot going on at that time. You know, while we was trying to figure out how he was going to do

the deal, we still had a name. I think we waited like six months trying to figure out what the name of the company was gonna be. We were just like nameing shit anything. Just signed him in this go. We didn't. You know, it was just a tough just trying to figure it all out because it was so

it was so sudden, you know what I mean. Even at that time, I was trying to even though we was doing it, I was gonna take our situation and try to do it through Death Jam and that didn't work out because it was just so much going on. I brought so much talent to death Jam to just wind up not getting signed that I was just like, yo, it's time I learned some stuff like who I brought Rich on me Kwan. I told him about the Migos,

I told him about Iggy Azelia. Very early. I actually tried to sign Asap Rocky in the Asam Mob and when I couldn't get them because they was already getting ready to get committed. I seen that Iggy Azella was there. She had a song called Pussy. It was like twenty eleven. I sent the email. It's like, nah, you know what I'm saying, wind up getting signed later. It was just so much random shit that you know, I was just

telling them about and it just didn't work out. Uh. There was some like Dirk and Reese that there was something that we kind of like nurtured logic. These are all the things that we no, I got no oppressed. But we all were like when we were to Cali was meet him, No, I d We're all like a hub. So we were just bringing things in trying to work it. I think, uh uh, who is it? Jenne Ioki. We just had a mean team. We were like administration, so

you know what I mean. So when we were when we were doing all that, I was learning so much. I was like, Yo, we can do this because I already know how the buildings work. You know what I mean. We're in the building. Yeah, yeah, I knew for three years. I said, oh man, I learned so much, let's let's go do this ship outside, you know what I mean. And I was just almost certain, you know, it had

almost gotten over to Atlantic, he was. It almost took like the finding the right artists to like, you know, we had tried to sign a couple of other people initially when we first got going, Like we took a couple of trips, and we had flown to see a couple of people, and like we always had them like right here, and we would lose them at the last minute. And that's why we were so adamant about the uzy thing. Did you anybody that we would know that you? Absolutely? Yeah,

Like I think the first one was Ot Genesis. We did playhouse with Ot one night and night Ot from a while back, and I ended up dming him and I think I overslept and I didn't end up checking my responses and when I woke up and checked the next day, I think bust Alady So tried to sign Tori trying to sign Tory Lanes. Yeah, we met with Sasha early in the game, right and steam House Steamhouse theme House had met with about Tory lanezgos. Yeahs wow, you tried to so because like I heard so, was

Gucci the first person to like kind of find the migos? Yes, well, yeah, because Gucci was already in business with them. I think like before you went to John and so you guys tried to sign them prior to the QC thing happening. It was around the same time. I mean, at the same time that I was like we were in talks with them, they were also meeting with other people, so were other there were other entities in Atlanta, you know,

that were interested in new of them and everything. But you know, I mean we had a great report with them early on, Like you know, I you know, Quavo tell you like the first time they went he's been in New York was you know, I took him up there for a meeting. I had brought him out to Birthday Bat the first time doing Birthday Bash was on my set early on, So you know, I mean definitely, you know, see what those guys became, you know what

I'm saying from those early years. But but yeah, so it was because of those situations that we were like like yeah, we you know, let's let's we can do this. You know what I'm saying. All Right, I just joked on a candy. Yeah, we had true Man and then and then yeah, so I had been in Atlantic as an a and r maybe about it a year and a half already, and you know, I was kind of

trying to like find my way. You know, Canda figured it out a lot differently than me, you know what I'm saying, just as far as like, you know, how how it was going to maneuver because Atlantic was was trying to put me in with other artists that were already on the label. And you know, it was cool,

you know what I'm saying. I had a good rapport, but it wasn't you know, we finally kind of when it was time to renegotiate, you know, they literally was like it was kind of you know, a little a little shaky, and it was like listen, you know they believed in me. You know they knew that, you know, because of our rapport. You know, I had been signed there as an artist and everything and just our relationships. They are like, listen, we want to give you another shot.

You know what I'm saying, Let's let's figure this out. You take me in streets, you guys, you know, take Uzzie and was just like, you know, let you guys figure out how you want to do it instead of us trying to put something on you. And we was like bet you know that was a perfect situation for us.

Off to the races. Yeah. So and then you know again like you know, I remember the first time we met Uzzie was when we were on tour with Wiz and he we had a show and like the Philly, Philly, New Jersey area, he came to the show and first I remember the first day he got on the bus, he cracked on my jeans or some ship like Uzzy fashion, you know what I'm saying. So, but you know, he always had that energy, and then you know, he always

knew like you know, he definitely had a vision. So it was almost like he paid for some of that ship. But he didn't like when I was in Philly, I met him the first time, meeting in South Street. He pull up in this truck as him and his cousin, big buff as cousin. I'm like, what they think They're about to beat me up or something. So we were on the street and he was like, yo, take a

walk with me. So we walking were talking and you know, I mean, we going to different stores and he'd be like, oh, that's the kid Oozy and I'm like, yo, no way, I didn't know this kid. It was very early, but they was like, yo, fuck with your ship. So it made me do a little little investigation and it was like he had already been doing like little things like beat battles, I mean rat battles and ship everywhere. So I'm like, okay, that's how they know because I was

going to store. They was like slightly starstruck a little bit. This is early. I'm like, wait, what's going on? That's what I knew. I was like, yo, yeah, it's crazy because for a long time, bro, we always tried to get a Philly artist, you know what I'm saying, And it's just happened to be the time they give a Philly artists. Everybody told us, yo, you got to get an artist from the South, you gotta get an artist

fro himself. It was like, yeah, we're open to it, and that just fell in our laps and somebody who's not like the traditional and that's what's what's even crazier about it is, you know, obviously we all know, you know what Philly rappers sounded like before that or what you know, the perception was, you know what I'm saying. So when Uzi came along and he was just like he was, there was nobody else like him, especially from Philly, Like we want to grab me water in I got.

I got a half a damn cough drop stuck in my fucking throat where those red candies were. Yeah, much better Jesus. Anyway, I wanted to ask, like I just myself, what is the current relationship with Uzzi, because you know, I mean everything's kind of been public that there's obvious some disagreements, and you know, what is your guys current relationship with him? He signed a generation now he pretty much does his thing, you know, and like we support it and allow it, and you know, I'm very proud

of him. Yeah, yeah, I mean it's pretty much like the basic you know, like record label artist situation. You know, he's at a state where he likes to kind of control his own creative thing. He's always you know, been a part of other than Cannon being super hands on and pretty much he controls the time and the dynamic like change between everybody like win like like I mean obviously, you know, I feel like you guys kind of brought him up in the game, right, and then there's obviously

a disconnect that happened. Like it's always human nature. You know what I mean that that's what happens. You know, you've seen him with the best, you know, doctor Joran Snoop, Like there was no real problem. You know people put out there. But it's just like when you become an artist, you can't even me as a part car producer. At some point when you have the success, you'd be like, yeah, I did this, you know what I mean. I did this,

so you know what I mean. So I you know, I ran into those things where you know, honestly, nobody know the story. In two thousand and eight, I was feeling myself and I kind of left them out. I remember that in the cold, and I was just like, you know, obviously it was it was something between us that had nothing to do with them, but it was just like, man, I do it. I could do it

on my own. Fucking you guys had your like little pause in your relationship, and it was just like it was it was weird because this is funny, this is why I'm talking about it. But it was like we were throwing shots at each other on the tapes and we would see each other and everything cool. I saw them like multiple times, and I just always thought when we see each other, it's gonna be it's gonna be something, you know what I mean. I'm just it's me and

my cousin. It was ten twelve deep, you know what I'm saying. And we were always cool each other and it would be cordial until you know, me and Drom just sat down. I was like, I think it was at Jersey Mikes or some yea, And by the time we got like what we even talk about? It's just nothing, you know what I'm saying. So it always happens with this stuff. And you know, as you make music, uh,

things happen, people want to do things. I think with UZI too, with our situation is that obviously on our end, we would never have wanted any of it to play out in the public. You know, I think a lot of artists and record labels go through similar situations. I feel like it's just kind of like a generational thing, like when people get angry with what it's a generational thing because of social media, you know what I'm saying. Yeah, of course that's how they expressed themselves. That's how they

express themselves. And you know, from on our end, like you know, we never you know, we never really even went on a platform and you know, defended ourselves or you know, anything like that, and we just we didn't really want that, you know what I'm saying. And this I mean obviously wanted to. We didn't want to be painted as no bad guys, you know what I'm saying. But I mean, I'm sure the fan like his fans

are crazy. Oh yeah, it was it was killing a social media I had to take a pause, you know, I think, thank you, it was he like I definitely had to like get off for a quick minute. But you know, I mean, it's crazy just you know, I don't get any of that anymore. But it's like, you know, we we wanted to. We've been in this business so long.

You know, our reputations are everything, of course, so clearly, you know, I guess more than anything, you know, we let Tom tell you know what I'm saying, and you know, more like again, he's he's family, he's our artist, so you know, we don't want anything but the best for him, you know what I'm saying. I always you feel what

I'm saying. So it was like for us, we just had to allow, you know, we just had to let it play out and you know, fans are going to say what they're gonna say, or people are gonna have their interpretation who don't know us per se, and you know it is what it is. Like I think, did you guys get like a blunt of the blame from fans for Eternal Take taking a blunt all of it? What was like the story as to why it took

so long? Like if you if you don't mind getting into it, like what's the story or why did it? Like why did it take so long? Was it was it? You know? Because I think that they literally put the album out when you wanted to. That's the craziest part about everything, Like I like, you guys were holding them up.

And I mean this is the most basic thing that I tell everybody, Like we are in the business of selling music, you know what I'm saying, So there is no benefit to us to hold any of course not It's just not even logical, you know what I'm saying, Like we don't eat if music doesn't come out, you know, So like I don't know what power, struggle or what pride like would allow us to even do something like that.

So ultimately, like for real, these guys put music out sometimes they come to us two days before that used to be, I mean, and its main plan because remember we came at the transition from the physical age to the digital and so I remember when Canon would come to me and be like, Yo, this kid wants to put a project out tomorrow and I have to clear your ten beats, you know, and so on and so forth.

Like it's literally a feeling. And when they have the feeling, like they call me and the ship has to come out, you know what I'm saying. So we don't really get any benefit from like withholding or like saying something can or can't come out. You know, when it's ready, We're ready for that ship to come out, too, Yeah, I mean, like like he dropped pretty much what two albums and back to back? Is that? I wonder too, because like you know, obviously your guys is kind of situation has

been public. In my head, I thought, is he trying to put out like is he trying to get out of his deal as quick as possible? Because you know there's like Drake, Like Drake you know did that with the you know, like like artists have done that, you know in the past, Like when when or is it just the deluxe play because he kind of low key can deluxe play off? Yeah, just to think it's just just a deluxe play. Yeah, I think it's just something you want to get off. And I don't think he

wanted to keep both vibe in that name. So it was like one one half of the album was kind of like the first we had it was the World, So he didn't want to keep everything because I think the Eternal Hockey he just wanted to have like this, you know what I'm saying. And then right right, right right,

it's just something you know. And then with Jack, like your guys are story finding Jack because you know, if you saw Jack Harlowe uh when you guys first signed him, you know, he doesn't scream like Superstar, looks like he looks like like like someone who works at the geek Squad, a best buyer or something, you know what I mean. And he's from Louisville, which is like a place that's not known as like a talent hub. Yeah, I mean, drawn pretty much really kind of steered that in the direction.

But again when we all met, it's something that the guys have and they I and they the way they carry itself is like Bro, that's gonna be some work, but it's gonna work, you know what I mean. And that's we all see it. We're like, man, we gotta do that one. We got to it don't matter what he looked like. It it's the feeling. It was the energy that he had. He already had a squad with him. His producer was dope at his producer still as dope

as hell too. For one. You know, it just was like it just was there and it was like, let's do it. You know what I'm saying. It didn't take too much. And it's hard to get these guys to agree. Like so it's three of us, right, and it's supposed to be two out of three, But really I'm usually just the guy that's waiting to say yes, right. I bring a lot of stuff to the table, and it's hard as hell to really convince this guy. And it's hard as hell to convince him too, you know what

I mean. So a lot of stuff that comes to the table, especially from our n R staff, Like it's a lot of stuff that shot down. So when we see something that we like, like we really attached, I can imagine like the like the success of what's popping had to really like, it had to be sweeter than a lot of stuff you guys have done before his generation now, because I feel like at that time people were kind of like, well, you know, with the oozy shit being out there, and then you know, Jack Harlow

comes back, what was it? I mean, is it triple platinum? Yeah? Like that. And the craziest part about that record was, I remember when we played it in the music meeting and I loved I'd already heard it on Spotify and I loved the record, But it doesn't it didn't have like it wasn't like a traditionally formatted song, like when you first heard it, you're like, wait, I gotta figure out where the hook is? Type ship? But how like

sweet was that? Like? It almost was like I felt like if I was y'all, I would have been like, yeah, motherfucker, we did it again. We did at some point, but we also, like us not staying in the public and doing too much chedder chatter made it even more sweet. Absolutely, you know what I'm saying. That came out and yeah, it was just like let's keep working, man, just make some ship. Like we still had the fun in it, you know, what I mean. And to make it even better,

we have been working with Jackie. He's been making these certain type of songs and we always say to him all three of us, yo, you can rap, but he always like, yeah, I know, but I want to. I got this vibe. I'd be like, you can rap, you know what I'm saying. So when that came out, it was like, Bro, your first big record rapping. You see what I'm saying. And he started out like that Dark Knight was a rap record, and we just always stuck

with that, you know what I mean. So that's what makes it sweeter that we just put our head down and just kept working and it just popped up. It wasn't like, oh, we got to hit y'all, we ready. It was just like, man, we walk and rolling again. And I don't know, you know, sometimes I feel like, you know, we've maneuvered through our careers. I don't necessarily want to say underdogs, but feeling like, yo, like this is what we do. Like we've been doing this a

long time. We got to show you again, this is what we do. So it's like, you know, even through that, it was like again us not really being vocal about it and just working and you know, having the results we have. It's like, you know, like come on, guys, like, duh, We've been telling you this for years. This is what we do. We're gonna keep doing it, you know what

I'm saying. So yeah, I mean obviously it was definitely like it was a sweet feeling, you know what I'm saying to you know, to come out through the year of twenty twenty and you know have such a productive, you know moment for generation now. Yeah, Like and I feel like too, you know, like you said, you guys kind of started this with the transitional period of where music was and how it was consumed and especially now right,

like the playlisting shit is kind of crazy. Yeah, it's really like the gatekeepers of people's careers smaller real shit, you know what I mean. Like it used to be like there was like twenty five blogs that if you could get on one, like four of them, like you could really you know. Now it's like you gotta there's like this many people that choose the like who's the next, right,

you know what I'm saying. I'm curious what would be some advice you guys would give managers who are managing artists or just young artists who are up and coming trying to navigate their way, who are dope, you know, maybe have a little bit of traction, but just trying to navigate their way through the current musical climate. Because I do feel like the first thing every artist wants to do is get on a playlist, and I'm not

sure how like realistic that is for everybody. Yeah, now that's a tough question because even when it comes to the playlist, like I'm you know, I can only imagine what it's like, you know, coming from trying to make it, and you know, it's like, you know, damn, they're impossible

to get on playlists, you know what I'm saying. So to me, I feel like the the DSPs are the new radio and in my opinion, and I think the first thing I would tell a young manager and a young artist is is like, don't short change the process. Like I think a lot of these kids everything is so microwavable that they want everything so fast, Like I get so many d ms every day, Like how can you put me in contact with, you know, a digital

marketer that can get me on rap cavear. They're not asking to get on you know, realists down south and take the steps up. They want to take the leap from the directly to the top. And you know, I say this all the time, Like rap, to me, that's the only game that really doesn't have a system of checks. And like, you know, there is a kid that can honestly make a song in his bathroom and get on rap caviaar. But there's also a guy that's been rapping

for fifteen years that can't get breaks, you know. So what I would say is, don't short change the process for real, if you love it, it's gonna show. Like the guys that are the big guys, the guys that are the ones like that are consistently the ones that we think about. Those are the guys that put time and energy into this shit. Like the guys that you think play around, they don't as simple as you think. Uzzi's music is that kid literally lived in the studio

all day every day. He works on his melodies. He thinks about every concept. Another thing I would tell the kids is is uh, you know, and it's something that they've actually created. Is you know, I think you need to blend the lifestyle with the music. A lot of people are attracted to the lifestyle before the music. So I think that's something that Uzzi and Cardi Playboy Cardio, who does a lot of work in here too, They've they've gotten kids attracted to the lifestyle, you know. Yeah,

they're into Yeah, they're into the personality. The person is even more than the absolutely yeah, so that makes them fall in love with the music. And I think that's that's the attraction that Uzzi's fans have to his music. It's almost like an emotional attachment. They feel like they are him, you know, they feel like they are that kid that's going through the same emotional say, if you can make people care about you and make good music,

then you know, it's just a matter of time. You just got to make people give a fuck about you, because, like you said, like so many people are making music. There's great music we'll never hear because it's hard to be relatable to have people give a fuck about you. Dram I know, you know, you just did the Black Soprano Family Gangster Grills. Yes, shout out to Benny who's

out here in Atlanta now a lot. How active are you trying to be like still with you know, doing doing that kind of ship, like, I'm all for it. You know, people people come to me all the time like either ask if I'm still doing tapes or still show interest in doing tapes, you know, So like I love that one was on the DSPs. You know I was on the DSPs. You know, I just didn't want with Tiger. Yeah you did do one with Yeah. I was on Yeah, Shut the West Side Got I was

on his album. So you know, I'm when it comes to tapes, like you know, it's I'm not going nowhere, you know what I'm saying. This is what I do. Besides, you know, I mean as much as I'm an executive CEO, you know, label owner, fucking studio owner, I'll still go and DJ somewhere, you know what I'm saying, and rock, you know what I mean. So I got some I got some more projects coming this year. Actually that's gonna surprising people when it comes to some tapes. So I'm

looking forward to to those being humble about that. To some ship coming, a new Drake album. I got some ship coming, Drake Gangster Girls coming. Yeah, I would definitely do that of course for that. Uh got some ship, I got some ship. That's it. It's just randomly Like, did you ever get annoyed when no DJ versions of your tapes would go? Well? Yeah, because I felt like

that happened because of me. Like I literally feel like people got but it was it was it was part of annoying, and it was part complimentary, you know, because one of the reasons why I think it started to happen is because a lot of music off the tapes, you know, would have to live in other places with the radio, radio and so forth. So you know, they literally had to create that, you know what I'm saying.

And you know I tried to. Once that became a thing, I was like, all right, how can I navigate around this? So I was like, all right, let me kind of you know, uh, you know, come back, fall back a little bit as far as how boisterous I am on the tapes to try to make people still not do it no DJ version. It didn't always work. They still did no DJ versions. But you know, I'm one that kind of you know, I don't, I don't. I try not to get caught in, Like I don't want to

call it bitterness. Like yo, if that's the way it is, all right, let me figure out how to work around you know what I'm saying. So, like, you know, I do a currency tape and verdict Terris, I can't scream on a currency's music the way I do fucking you know whoever or little brother exactly, I get it. So yeah, I mean you know, I took it as a as a former compliment to like we I think we later grew into like let them have it. There's so many people should call us, be like, yo, can we get

the jeezy music with no talking on it? No niggy Yeah, well, you know you'd be at fucking whatever strip club across the America. I've been in and they're playing the drama fucking version in the club and it's thanks Vin. I think it was a little off fault, but I think a little bit of most fifty percent of it. I noticed when I meet people for the first time, they say, yo, and these these people had great albums, great stri come

to and be like, Yo, I ain't gonna lie. We just thought you'all was gonna turn us down on the tape, so we just did it without y'all, you know what I mean. Damn, I don't know if I ever told you. I just just random people. I ran into like, Bro, I just didn't think about it asking. I just thought it was shot in the dark. It was on you wasn't gonna listen because there's so many people that used to hit us on my space, like of course, you know I still here to this day about some of

these producers. They'd be like, Bro, I used to hit you on my space. Here you ain't respond. Boy used to send me packs every day in one day. You know. It's just so many people and I think that's what happened a lot of that times, like damn, no DJ version. It's like a lot of people just ain't ain't saying ass. But you still to this day people will tell you that it's just not the same. It's not the same.

It's not the same, man, for sure. Yeah. Can what do you I mean on the production side, what are you work like, do you have any shit come like coming soon or like I know you're working with everybody, so yeah, I mean it's crazy as twenty twenty was. Man, I was twenty five placements in just quietly had crazy. I really had, you know about thirty. But there's something

that didn't go across, you know, right right right. It's just that's quiet because they say the new producer gets three placements year, and I'm forty one still getting twenty five to thirty. It's crazy, so I'm happy for that. You know, this year is probably gonna be even better because last year I set my goal to make five hundred beats in one year, and I normally don't work that hard, and I did it, so I have tons of leftovers. If you're watching this, you're gonna get tapping.

I send your pack. I mean you just said you you are. You've seen Killer Mike. You've been working with him on the load, really and I think you heard yeah telling me yeah, yeah. So I've been working with him. We've been talking on the phone two hours about everything, and then the last thirty minutes will be like, yo, music, I got bars. I'm gonna show you the pad because a lot of times we've been me and Killing Mike been trying to work since two thousand and eight and

it just never worked. But it wasn't like this is your first time, get absolutely shit, but he's always Yo's crazy. When you sit down for five minutes, sit me some beats, and I would send them beats. Even through running jewels. It was like he would take. He's like, Yo, I'm gonna do to run the Jewels. When I get off of my own, I do it. So this is one and I'm like pet Peef projects that I'm like, Okay, finally about to do something. But the record that he

just sent me, he didn't tell me. He just sent it to me. He didn't say a word. I was like, Oh, Okayne's probably the one I heard. Yeah, what was fire about? Cannon too? And the production is like the same way we navigate, just kind of like errors and genres. He does on the production side too, Like he's in with you know, generational artists as well as new niggas and you know, like young niggas coming ups like Cannon can can play in a lot of you know what I mean. Yeah,

it's true. It's just dropped the mixtape. I'm on that. It's just so much, you know, but production is yeah, herbo. I'm just trying to really, my my next wave is SETI Hendricks really because I want to I know what he him, Yeah, I had to. I had to just chop myself off. I was. People were saying I was using a bad word with him, but I called him the trap art Kelly because he has like trap antics, not because he's pissing on women. He has bro his melodies retarded and he could do so much and it's

like bro. It reminded me with some like woman's threat, like R. Kelly joints and like some of them joints, and I was like, yo, he need like pain, but on that level pain Like he talking as shit, but it's like woman's threat. You know what I'm saying, real shit. And I think that once I let him get off what he got to get off now just to be in the street, I'm just going to jump into like Okay, I tried it once we had Hands Down, which was a dope ass record and it did well for people.

But I want to just kind of bring him into where he could see like, oh shit, now I'm cooking with gas. So that you mentioned Seddy run down before we wrap up, Like you guys have a full roster, so kind of you know what's what's next, who's next, and you know, give everybody kind of a rundown on what's next for the label. I mean, jack off to a wonderful will start, you know what I mean. Uzzi's off to a great start. I'm pretty sure he's ready to drop this year SETI is. He's moving through situation

where we got a new video to new videos. It's about to drop. That's gonna be crazy. But still working on the projects. And we also got a Calluminati, which is a fan favorite on TikTok and all them just been a fan favorite. Saprio new success. She's been in this space for about four years. Carvina Jones is R and B artist. We we tapped into that. I think that secretly we've always did a different a lot of music. I started off my first mixtape, Drawn with Selling was

an R and B mixtape. Blake's always been in the R and B world. He knows that, like the back of his head has always been in. It was relaxation tapes and just different things. And I think that we're gonna bust open a whole nother space when we get her going. She's a special, great talent, and those are things I was focus focusing with. But I think mostly the SETTI kind of the next Yeah, I just feel it, you know how you feel something, I feel I feel

the energy to feel it. I feel it. It's just going one connection and then everybody's gonna be like, yo, you know, take that one record, that's it. Yeah. So all right, well well look I appreciate y'all sitting down with me. Absolutely appreciate you coming out. Man. I love the studio and you guys are killing the man so fun fact, the room we're in now, What's Popping was

made in here. It was probably the first record that was made in this building, in the New Generation Now building, which we built this building because of the success of a little Uzian Generation Now from starting in main streets. Wow. Well that's how it goes. Special room in here. I saw those guys man shout to the whole roster, shot to Uzzy, and I just want to shout out Jack Harbor for keeping Caucasian humor alive, because he'd be saying, ship bro, it's like none other dude. No, but it's

like it's me white boy humor. Yeah, white boy. I always tell him, I'm like, bro, these these motherfuckers don't get white boar humor. Just I'm money made. Need like an hour board to hear your white boy humor. Yeah, it's suspect as fun, it's not yours. Yeah, okay, yeah, yeah, guys can get away with murder. Oh yeah, I don't even want to ship. Yea, absolutely, it's Will Farrell. You know what I mean. Put that in our group chat in me, dude. These guys curved the ship out of them.

These guys hate my guts. Anyway, listen, you guys, I'm looking forward to your year on the producer side drama. I know, was it last year you put out the record West Side Gun? Was it was it? It was that year? It was last year we got something more drama drama. Yeah, I got I got some ship coming. All right, we'll listen. Look and you know like you're I don't have anything coming. Yes, he does. Money. Money's got all the money. He has all the money, the

money money. And he's also the founder of the Paul George fanclub. O. He loves PG thirteen can ball, Yes he can ball. You don't. PG don't hate me, but you know what I mean, we have arguments about this ig. You can ball, bro all right there it is perfect, man,