#47 - Dallas Martin

understand what Dallas Martin does. He's one of the most legendary A and rs in the last decade, a real power player behind the scenes, EVP of A and R Atlantic Records, president of the entire label over at Asylum. Just a fucking real mover and shaker. He's the guy who signed Nipsey to Atlantic. He's the guy who signed Roddy Ridge to Atlantic. Big big, big roots with the MMG family. Just this guy. Let me tell you. If you just want good stories about historical hip hop moments, listen.

If you want inspiration, If you're in the music industry and you want some inspiration on how to get your shit moving and shaken, man, you gotta stay tuned into this podcast. It's about to get real dope. So uh Dallas Martin checking in shortly on the Bootleg cap podcast. Make sure you go support our sponsors though. First of all, shout out to odds Socks. You know there are are are presenting sponsor and they actually just started making boxers

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hammer your fucking elbow sore? You know what I'm saying, Nico be swinging that hammer, asks girlfriend. Uh anyway, go to vapincbd dot com, keyword bootleg Kevin. Save twenty percent out of checkout. Uh, she should go check them out. And let's get into this episode with Dallas Martin, a n R executive legend. Right here inside the Bootleg cap podcast Yo Boutlet Heap Podcast, we got a special guest in here, man, the homie Dallas. It is here, Dallas

smart Man. Welcome brother, happy to be here. Yes, First of all, we got to get the mic close to your face. I'm not used to, you know, having the mic so close artists, So yeah, welcome man. You know, I feel like the last few years you really established yourself as like one of the most powerful dudes in hip hop. Yeah man, you know, on the executive side, the A and R side. For people who don't know at this point in time, what is it? What is

it that Dallas does. And what is it that because you have so many titles at the moment, got a new title, you know what I'm saying. Yeah, So so right now I'm president of Asylum Records, and you know, it's a label Underwarter Music Group, which also has Atlantic Records, Warner brother Records, and a lecture. So they gave me my own, you know, my label inside the situation. But with this situation, I still carry my title at Atlantic as far as I'm EVP of A and R, so

I'm still on the executive team over there. So what it really is is that the Asylum label is more of an upstart incubator system for me to sign kind of more development acts access that I just truly believe in that I feel that are talented that I have to develop. Then once I developed them and get them some spark, I could upstream them to Atlantic to me and give them bigger budgets, you know, just a bigger company to kind of help, you know, push their vision

for it. So you're like sides of the coin. Yeah, so you upstreamed yourself. Yes, that's fuck, It's crazy. So I could go downstairs sign it and take me come there up there exactly. So it's very unique, man, but you know, just giving me an opportunity to work with more people that you know, I wasn't able to work with just being at Atlantic because you know, Atlantic's such a big label with so many big artists. You know, it's hard for you to be a new artist with

nothing going on and get attention at that label. So, you know, this to just create a bridge for opportunity for young artists, for people who don't know where are you from. I'm originally from Flint, Michigan, Okay, And I went to college in Atlanta, Georgia, and that's where I started my music journey. Yeah, give us a like like kind of a background on how you got into the music industry. So my whole goal to go to Atlanta was to get into school at Clark Atlanta because I

wanted to get into music. That was like my dream from high school. And I knew that Atlanta was, you know, a city that was up and coming with a lot of entrepreneurs in the music business. So I went down there, got into school, and you know, just worked them every year trying to figure out a way to get an internship. You know, during that time, it wasn't those social media and easy avenues to break into, you know, even getting an internship. Like nowadays it's more easy, you know, the

Internet and just you know, things that come about. But when I was coming up, we had to go to like the open mics workshops. In our workshops to you know, get played by mad people really didn't really want to be there, giving you fake information and shit like that. So I realized after my sophomore year, I needed to get on my grind and figure out the ways to bring people to me. So that's when I started throwing parties in college and it kind of led me through

an avenue where I was meeting executives. And then I in my senior year, I finally got an internship with your care steward at Depth Jail. Wow, okay, so what year was this? So I didn't get an internship to my senior year? I was about to give up. So you were throwing parties? What youphomore year to my senior year? Like? What year? Like two thousands? So I got to school two thousand and two. So I got my first internship

in two thousand and six. Wow. It's crazy too, because you know, I feel like a lot of people start throwing parties. Yeah, and that's how they get into this shit. Yes, Like Scooter Braun, like that's how he got into this shit. Ye. In Atlanta probably rund the same time. Absolutely, Ye, Scooter was around. I mean I remember him bringing Justin Bieber to the Death Jam office for the first time when he was like thirteen years old. So like, it's just a lot of dope memories from that era. Man Atlanta

was just on fire. Oh yeah, that was like vintage Jezy Tip Luda everybody. It was just crazy fast forward. So you end up interning at Death Jam. And by the way, I just had a I just had to go on Twitter. Were you getting paid the intern Absolutely not? Okay, cool. I just want to make sure because there's this thing going around on Twitter about uh unpaid internships, and I'm like, unpaid internship literally changed my life mind too. And and

I did it for two years for free. I did it for fourteen months, fresh out of high school with a newborn baby. I was trapping at the swap meat selling bootleg CDs on the weekend and working for free Monday through Friday. I feel like the entire generation that we're a part of like that we see coming up now. They don't even know what this like, it's an entitled is this entitlement thing with these with these young men, with these young kids? Man, man, it's in'stant gratification. Nobody

wants to work for nothing anymore. Everybody wants to be rich as the person that put them on immediately is crazy. And the other thing too, is like I've saw people on Twitter like, man, I intern here for a year and nothing happened after. It's like, well, because obviously you ain't had it, bro if you if you, if you were that, if you were that dope and you were putting in the work you need, like it's it's gonna work.

Like I literally got to the office before my boss, didn't left after him every day me too, man, Like I wanted to make sure he knew that I wanted this shit yup. Yeah, yeah, That's how I was a radio Like even when I started to get paid, I would be at the radio station doing the morning show for free from like four in the morning until about eleven am. Then I'd go do a street hit, which is when I finally started to get paid. So I'd

be doing that shit all day check this out. Then I would do my overnight, so I would literally go home and sleep for like four hours. I'd be at the radio station, you know, eighteen hours out the day,

just just grinding. And I just feel like that's important for people to understand, like this shit ain't like like we we really work to get where we're at, bro, And I think, you know, when you put that that level of hard work ethic into you know the structure of your daily life, like it shows why you know, people like us are where we're at today, you know what I'm saying, because we know what it takes to

get there. That's some real short Yeah. Yeah, So you started an intern What was your first paid gig in the music industry? So from my internship, Shakira Stewart gave me a consultancy with Depth Jam. So from that consultancy, I got to work on projects that he was working on. So my goal was to work on everything he didn't really have time to work on. So I used to

just just be in the studio every day. And he had a my R and B group that he was working with, and I ended up getting their first single. So from that situation, it was they were called brother back in the day. I think they had one song with Fabulous they were brothers. They had to show on BT. It was it was, it was, it was quick. If they would have been out now they've been popping on YouTube with their family and absolutely, yeah they were like this first one. Reality TV really kind of got right

in the music ship. So you know, I got opportunity, and you know, La Reed got to see my value and from there I got hired full time in two thousand and nine at Death Jail Wow, January two thousand and nine, he brought me on full time, So that was like, oh nine, This is like when Rihanna really started to like she was running the label for sure. Yeah. That was like when Rihanna first was like a superstar. Yeah she was and Dream yeah yeah yeah, Rick Ross, Yeah,

it was. It was good times over there. And how what year was j was Jay running Death Jam That was okay, yep, yep, because because Shakira took his not took at spot, but was promoted into that position after he left and Shakier passed away committed suicide and that's what happened. That's how I got with La Reeks. La Re kind of brought me on because he knew what was going on with me. So because I was in Atlanta and everybody was in New York and what was

your title in on nine? When just a director of A and R, just a regular, the lowest level of A and R, you could get what. I'm twenty four years old on my fucking death jam as an A and R. Couldn't believe it. I'm from Flint, Michigan. You're living in Atlanta. I'm living Atlanta but going to New York every week. Wow, living to dream. Couldn't believe it.

First time in New York. I'm going to the Death Jam building, sitting in the motherfucking A and R me with DJ Khalik right, Tricky and dream Lenny, Yes, small, fucking just crazy shit. Shit was mind blowing. I think that there's a very define what an an R does because I think that people who are just watching this, who might not be involved in the music industry, they hear that term so much they don't really understand what it is. So A and R has multiple things that

you have to be good at. So a lot of people think A and R is just hearing a song on the radium, being like that's a good song or I saw an artist and he's dope. What people don't understand is once you sign that artist, you have to help them put their project together, make sure that they have the right songs to put out. Then you have to deliver that album. That means get your artists to give you the project to be like this is it. I'm ready to go in the public with it. You

know what I'm saying, Jesus Christ. So the hardest part of A and R is getting your artists to deliver their album, you know what I'm saying, because their projects their baby and a lot of time artists are insecure with their music at some points in it. And you know that's a big thing for you know, it's very vulnerable situation artists to give music to the world for

the world to critique them of course. So you know, just different levels of A and R. And you know, the record making process is a big part as far as knowing the right writers, producers and people just to

put in the studio with them. So you'll come to the table and say, hey, I think this person would mesh well with this person, So like let's put you in with this producer for see what comes out of it absolutely, and you know, you have to be there in the studio with them to make sure that you know, cause they're not going to come and be like best friends. You're kind of like, you're kind of the middle man. Yeah, so you have to make sure that everybody's comfortable with

the creative process. But you have to know the creative process from both sides, the artists and the writers and the producers, to make sure that everybody could come together, you know, and make Magic Together, which is the hit record. What year did you officially come to Atlantic? So I got fired after my first year at Death Jail because I couldn't deliver an album from an artist that was on the It was Joel Santana, my brother. I love him,

Shout out Joel's you know what I'm saying. He just was in a position where he didn't like what was going on at the label. I don't think it really had nothing to do with me, but he wasn't confident in them, you know what I'm saying. And we and we still remain in good friends and have a good relationship. But La Reid, he let me go. But you know, it was during the time that the music business everybody

felt like was crashing. So the budgets were getting smaller, the opportunities were getting smaller, you know what I'm saying, Because it wasn't a lot of money coming in. This is when Napster and you know, all the piracy was really at a high. By the way, did Joel's ever turn in that album? I was about to say, because that was like twenty ten. I'm like, I'm like that he never did, but you know, I don't recall it. Yeah, But so it didn't work out for me with that situation,

you know what I'm saying. And you know, I learned a lot from that situation, and it was no hard feelings, you know, So I didn't you know, I took a month to kind of just regroup in Atlanta. Then I just got back on my grind and got a phone call one day from Joey II and he set up a meeting with me. He told me he was relaunching the Erman division at Warner brother Records, which eventually turned into Atlantic and he gave me an interview and an opportunity from there. So that was the era when MMG

went to Warner Brothers. So yeah, So so I had a relationship with Rick Ross because Shakira signed Rick Ross and Cheezy. So the first two albums Rick Ross did, he recorded in the in the office where I interned at. So I built a relationship with strong relationship with him and Gucci Pucci. So you know, they just saw my come up and you know I was shake little guys, so you know, they always kept their eye on me.

So when I got to one the brothers the first day on the job, I just called Ross like you got to bring May back over here. It's wide open. So you were you were very instrumental in bringing that, oh absolutely, because me and Ross were super tight. You know, I pretty much like you know, Joey helped me put

it together because Joey was the boss. So you know, it was like, you know, my relationship, but you know, obviously, you know, you got Joey, Todd, Moskuwitz and Leo Cohen who are the chairman's and people who are running the company, and I'm I'm the you know, the lowest level A and R. So you know, through my relationship, I brought

the meeting to them. We had the meeting together. You know, Rick Ross expressed to them, you know how important me being involved with it would be if he did the deal there, and we got the deal done two weeks later. I remember how big of a deal that was because I remember, you know, my boy Lee was over at Warner Brothers and lovely love that guy, good guy. There was like no hip hop though it was nothing. It was like, yeah, it was like it was like dry

as fuck. It was Jill Scott, I think, and then and then uh MMG coming over at the time, this is the hottest thing moving. Meek is the hottest thing in the streets. And then even Pill was moving absolutely and I just remember that moment was so big, bro. Yeah that's history, yo, soy, so you I didn't even realize. I didn't even know that you you helped bring that

situation over. Yeah, that's what got me to start it, as far as just getting some credibility because from there, you know, me and while A did Lotus Flower Barb and put out while AT's project that did super well when number one. Then from there I did Meek dream Chasers too, and Dreams and Nightmares, and I pretty much did every MMG project that came out on the Warner

Brothers system until we even transferred over to Atlantic. Yo. So when when you first heard that the Well, first of all, were you around when the Dreams of Nightmares intro was recorded? Yes, we was at the Stai Hotel. I gotta hear this story because I was like, this is a song that will forever get played every single club you go to. Yeah. One of the greatest rap songs ever created. Yeah. So it was crazy because we was all on the high from the dream Chases to

mixtape and clash. It was incredible, you know what I'm saying. It was like we made that project in La at the Boom Boom Room, and like that was probably like the funnest project I ever worked on in my life because that was like we all just coming up and we learned, we knew to La. We're living in La now, you know, and it's just like the studio we had. It was just like great energy, you know what I'm saying.

And this before like Instagram took off, so like a lot of the women that were Instagram big models this day were like, you know, just around hanging out with us. It was just great energy. Made that project. Then me goes on tour and they like, well we need an album. We like, we still got three or four songs coming out from this mixtape. So me gets off tour, we at ross house and he plays us like the beginning with the strings and all the piano. We like, what

the fuck is this? You know this shit is crazy. So then he was like, yo, but this is what I'm gonna do right here. This party stopped and I'm gonna have to beat bully do this parble boom. So then like two or three days later, we had the Satai Hotel and he got the beat finished and he just went in the booth right and he like kind of surprised us that ship Hold a wait a minute, yo, man.

It was like ship was crazy, and like we knew right then and there that that ship was a smash, but we ain't think that shit was gonna be like one of the biggest songs. Yeah, it's crazy because when you hear that record, you're like, this is a great intro. But to ever think that that's like a record that would work in the club, you would never think that, yeah, because we would have went with that for the first single. And also you would never even think to go for that.

There's no drowd as the first single, No hook, no nothing, so it was interesting. But you know, man, listen, man, everything happens for a reason. So what was the first single from there? I'm young and getting it right? Yeah? Yeah, who's on bang kirk Oh? Wow? Because I was and R his project at Warner Brothers. Wow. Yeah, that's crazy. And he had like two joints that went number one. So I'm like drinking cup. Yeah. Kirko was a very talented kid man, so it was good time. Shout out

kirkoa bangs man. So you you you kind of helped spearhead that MMG movement on the A and R side, And I do remember when everything kind of moved over to it at Atlantic. Ye is that when you kind of went over to Atlantic? Yeah, So what that happened was, you know, Joey left for Death Jim a year later, then the year after that we was there for two years. Todden Moscow it started his own company with lee Or

at three hundred yep. So with Warner Brothers, Atlantic and everybody being understand under the same umbrella, umbrella, which is when her music group they just merged all the urban staff and urban artists to Atlantic. Yeah, and then it was like Maclamore at Warner. Yeah, it was Warner was a wrap, it was a rap sure. So Atlantic then we just you know, I went into working with Julie Greenwalll, Craig Kuman, and Mike Kaiser and they really helped like

mow me as executive, you know what I'm saying. So I really, you know, appreciate them because they really you know, took me and you know, kept my path as far as where I was doing. They like kind of took it to the next level. What was the I'm want to definitely get to your work on Nipsey, but what was the first project officially at Atlantic that you were

a part of. So I signed Kate Michelle okay, because I was like, let me do some R and B shit real quick, so they don't want to just stick me in this and our box and the Marion supposed to be oh yeah, so yeah, so we did sposed to be there. K Michelle had two number one R and B albums from reality TV shows, So everybody was flipping out because now it's like, are you doing R and B shit? Now? I met her in New York and I couldn't believe the size of her ass. Shout

out to her man. Yeah, Man, I took a picture with it. I was like, this is this is interesting? Hey, it's crazy because Michelle, I feel like it's like one of the most prolific R and B singers of the last man fifteen years. Like very like we got to put more respect on her name, for sure. Yeah. Man, she's she's very talented, man, for sure. She's very fun to work with, man, and you know, she just keeps

going though. Talk about Nipsey coming over to Atlantic, because I know he was on Atlantic for a while, but it wasn't like announced. Well no, yeah, So what happened was so I started the process of trying to sign Nipsey when I was at Warner Brothers. He didn't want to sign. Of course. Was that when there was conversations about Ross trying to bring into MG. Absolutely. Okay, so you were a part of those conversation of all that

I was bringing him to Miami. We were doing sessions and by the way, Ross was trying to sign everybody, he was trying to sign Whiz Yeah. Ross had a

good yeah everybody. Yeah, we really wanted Nipsey, and Don was like we wanted to set up the West coast with them, which I was like big, that would have been big for us, Like to this day, like I still wish in my heart that happened because they everybody what I want to everybody understand, Like you guys, everybody can still have their own companies and do their thing like with me did with Dream Chasers, and like well, I always tell everyone Ross is like one of the

only examples of an artist who became an executive that did it the right way because he I feel like he genuinely wanted every artist on his label to be bigger than him. Yeah, And I think that's the problem most of the time when you have artists signed another artist in their heart of hearts and some ego shit involved, they really don't want their artists to be bigger than them. But Ross, I feel like was like his heart was in the right place and it kind of showed, like

with the success of the label. Before we get to Nipsey, like kind of give me that backstory about how close the Nipsey and Dom shit was, because I always heard Nipsey and Dom are very close to going to MMG. I mean, you know, the talks got you know, very intense, you know, deal structures were talked about you know, things

like that. But you know, one thing I could say about Nipsey and Dom they were very keeping their brand and what they were, you know, what they were developing on their own was very important to them and they didn't want that to be overshadowed. So I think them just being you know, their own bosses were very important to them, and it was like, you know, one hundred percent understandable when they didn't want to do the MMG situation.

You know, it was more so of a you know, we just all wanted that ship to happen because we just know how dope that shit could have been. But you know, at the end of the day, they made it this decision to do their own thing, which you know, still worked out for them. So was was Wiz ever close to doing the MG? I think Wiz was ever close? Yeah, because I remember what was that currency? And Wiz was doing music? What was that? What was that remix with Neo? Yeah?

I know what that record, but I forgot the name of it all right, So you had already been talking to nip prior at the Warner at Warner how did the you know, yes, so the dope ship with Nip Man, you know Nip's really about, you know, just a real solid person. So you just on with him and direct and I just kept a relationship with him even though

he didn't do the deal. And I think that's what made him fuck with me even more because it was just more so It's like I just made sure I sent beats to him, and I was like cause I just was a fan in there, of course, of course. And I just always tell him, like, Bro, whenever you want to do something, bro, just let me know. I'll make sure that I structure the way you want to, like, I know what's important to you as far as your

masters and shit like that. And so when I went over to Atlantic, Steve O was a and all over there too, and he was managing he just started the process of managing Nipsey. So me and Steve O worked together really hard to you know, figure out how to get him over to Atlantic. But one day nip just called me off the blue, like what you doing today? Like shit, nothing, you know what I'm saying, what's up? Like me, let's go to lunch. I'm like, bat meet

me at the Roosevelt in the hour. And we sat at the Roosevelt for an hour talked about what we wanted to do. Then should I want to say, like two or three weeks later, we had another meeting with Craig Kalman. I had Craig fly out to La We sat down at the shit one of the expensive hotels the Peninsula or some shit, and we sat down with Nipp and ironed out the deal structure. And what year was two thousand and fourteen. Yeah, I'm telling you, like a lot of people don't realize Nick, it took us

three years to do the first project. And it also like he was so careful about announcing that. Yeah, we kept a real cush like cause you know, I think a lot of people in the industry knew, but like he didn't announce it publicly until Yeah, a lot of a lot of people in the industry knew. I think a lot of people wasn't aware of like how important his first project that he delivered because he still put out mixtapes people don't remember like during the time. Yeah,

so he still was staying active and working hard. But you know, he really had a vision of how he wanted his major label release to be and it just took some time to do it. But you know what was so dope about our relationship was I never pressured him, you know, make sure that he had everything he wanted to make sure that he could deliver the project he wanted. So, you know, my whole thing was just making sure that

he had everything he needed. Victory Lap was obviously classic, and the attention to detail that you just spoke about, That's why I always appreciated Nip. I feel like everything he did had intention and it was always on purpose. It was like he understands what it means to have a debut rap album yep, and like how important that is to deliver on because he's a hip hop head too,

you know. So the process of you like helping with A and R in that album walk us through that because there was like some records on there that were just so like you know, like hearing Belly on Double Up, you know what I mean, Like like like like like what did you bring to the process, Because Nip obviously had his his the way he made records, but I feel like there were some records on Victory Lap that were just so like elevated from anything we'd ever heard

from him before. So it was dope about those situation, you know, Mike and Keys in fifteen hundred. Man, they were like the producers that kind of laid out the

foundation for the project. And I remember one day, like I brought him Hustling Motivate, you know what I'm saying, And I remember just being there and his eyes lighting up, like when I played him the beat for the first time, and like we talked about him being in the six four times square with hove and a passenger seat, like just talking like it was just like before he recorded that song. It was like that was like our first

record we did together, you know what I'm saying. So you know, it was just like little thing, but more so it was just like beats. Like you know, Nipsey liked to just have be staid. He fuck with and he respected just my opinion on verses and structures the songs and things like that. But you know, that shit was pretty much all put together with Nipsey's vision. Were there any records because you hear rumors and stuff, but were there any features that were supposed to happen or

that that didn't end up happening on Victory Lap? No, not really. I mean, I think the biggest thing was important to him was the Kendrick feature, right, yeah, and that was I mean jay Z. Of course everybody wants that. But you know, with jay Z, everything happens for a reason. And of course he got the song with jay Z, Now that's amazing. Of course, Puffy getting Puff Puff Daddy to talk shit, was that something that was Was that

like a hard thing to get him in that? No, So what happened was the album was done, Yeah, and he wants to go play it for Puff And I think Puff was just so inspired when he heard the project that he had to put his fingers on it, you know what I'm saying, in his ear and his touch on it. And you know, Nipsey is a big you know, you know, Puffs one of the people he

really look up to in the music business. So of course, you know, if you have Puff one and to work with you and you know, add certain elements to the project, you're gonna let him jump in and do that. So, you know, I think it was just inspiration based. Is there a lot of like is there? Because we had Jaystone up here and he said that there's obviously a lot of unreleased Nipsey music out there or not out there, but you know, stuff that he recorded. Is there gonna

be any sort of album. You know, we've gotten a pop smoke album. I mean, Tupac passed and we got a I mean, shit, we know how manyms he put Andre died, But is there any any discussions of even exploring that. I mean, you know, everybody knows how big of a perfectionist Nipsey was, and you know from me, I wouldn't be comfortable being involved with putting out no more Nipsey music in the future because he's not there

to approve it. And I don't want to stand on this thinking that I'm powerful enough to say no, that's what he would have wanted. So if Black Sam or somebody in his family or you know, somebody that you know that I feel like could make that call wants to do it, of course I would help out. But I would never want, like I think he left the legacy that's so crazy in that last project. I just

wouldn't want to cloud it. That's fair, you know, was because because Rocks in the Middle was a record that kind of came out as like a Lucy was that supposed to of the next project? Right? Yeah? Yeah, we were about to start doing more features and like, damn, man, Yeah, because I remember when he dropped the record, he came up to the station and and I was like, Yo, so is this the single? He's like, it's just a song for now, you know, like we go yeah, damn.

I mean, especially with the success that had, you don't even know that would have catapulled it too, and we had Yeah some ship. It's crazy talk to me about Roddy because it's funny because Nipsey was actually the first person that ever introduced me to Roddy Ridge. And and I have one of my uh friends from Phoenix JD Films, shot all of Roddy's first video, so he did like die like all the early ship. So I'd kind of been up on him, you know, I remember when you

guys first signed him. I've already been kind of hip to what he was doing. You brought Roddy into the fold in Atlantic. Ye, how did you end up meeting Roddy Ridge? Give us that, you know, because I feel like Roddy's one of them ones that you know, whenever he drops is over. Yeah, for sure. I'm definitely looking forward to that. So, you know, after all the stuff was going on, just like with the success with all

the artists. I was really in a space where I wanted to find something new and work with something from scratch. And when you when you guys started working together one and like Roddy was like he didn't have a sh song got had three thousand followers. Yeah, I was gonna say, like I remember, like like when I saw that, I was like, Yo, that's dope that he got that you fucked with him because I remember looking at his followers. I was alread following him. Remember he only had like

ten thousand followers or something. Yeah. So I had a couple of interns at the time. One was Keifa Ye and I met Keifa through Nipsey, So Nipsey was just telling me, you know, he's a good dude or whatever. I really didn't know much about Kifa, and Keifa was very consistent as far as you know, building a relationship with me. So I got him an internship to work

with me. And you know, with all my interns, the main goal is to kind of like I set up like accounts for them to go through Beats, So I have people send me at Beats and and every week I'll be like, yo, bring two or three artists to me that you fucking with that you've seen online or whatever, and we could go over and go through music. And Roddy was one of the artists that Keith for saw on YouTube. So when he played it for me, I was like, Yo, find the kid and let's figure out.

Get him in the studio and see what he could do. He reached out, got Roddy in the studio, played me a couple of records, and I was like, Yo, this kid's amazing. So I went to the studio to see Roddy in action, and he did like three or four songs in one night. I couldn't believe it because a lot of artists, you know, they can't make music that consistently, and you know, they always got excuses or something's wrongs. Like It's like like you'll be in the studio for

eight hours and you came away with one record. Yeah, So right then I knew. I was just like, yo, man, I gotta get this kid signed because he's just he's special. And Craig Kalman happened to be in LA during this time, and I just took him to me with Craig, and Craig was like, you want to do it? Just do it and you got the deal done. Do you feel like that that is the the because you know, we look back at Nip and Nip had been the name. He was obviously huge, I mean huge in the hip

hop world prior to Victory Lap. You know, he was already a staple. But Roddy Rich was someone who you like, we like, not no one knew who Roddy Rich was, you know what I'm saying. And I think that that's when I when I think of like labels and like where things are now, it feels like the days of that kind of shit happening are gone. Like you got to already have all this shit going on. At least it's still a g I was gonna say, even Simba, you know, we can get to simm a little bit.

But like that's why I fuck, I appreciate that about you and your track record is like someone like Roddy Rich, Like you guys really built, like Roddy built from the ground up, you know what I'm saying. Like you guys built with him and drop mixtapes with him, and there was every everything was was it was I mean to you know, for lack of better words, it was like a marathon, not a sprint, you know what I'm saying. Yep,

for sure. Do you think that that kind of like Roddy Rich kind of and his success kind of changed your career And like people's like, like, yo, like Dallas, really no, I mean obviously it's easy. Absolutely, absolutely, because every time I had success with you know, the MMG situation,

they was gave Ross credit. Well, yes, mmg Ross is hot. Yeah, They're like, but people don't understand I'm in a studio with the artists at Ross is still an artist at the time, so like I'm day to day with everyone, so it's like, you know, I was like, damn, I ain't really getting then with the Nipsey shit was like Nipsey still was Nipsey, even though what we did with Victory Lab was special and you know, even getting him to sign with a major was a big deal and

shit like that. So I feel like the Rioty shit was like, Okay, this was done with nothing from a scratch, you know what I'm saying. So I think that was just very important with people realizing like, Okay, what can we say about him now? You know what I'm saying to kind of put it everybody, Yeah, the critics to the to the Sideline. Do you remember talk about because Roddy's album, you know, one of the biggest albums in the last ten years, The Box is one of the biggest.

Is there is when Roddy did the Box, did he go back in and add to eat like, like, No, he had that from Jump so that was already in there in there when you heard like he did that, like when he recorded, like Roddy does voices and a lot of his songs that people are going to start realizing as far as like when he keeps more music out, but he's always he always does shit like that. That was like his idea. That was part of the beating. Absolutely, it was not part of the beat. It was already's idea.

It's funny cause I was I was in Hawaii on my honeymoon when the album came out, and that was the record. I remember everybody was talking about I forget which record with a big feature on it. But I remember telling DJ A man like, Bro, I'm in Hawaii riding around in the convertible, this is the Box. Shit is the one, Bro, Like It's so crazy because that was like one of the last two records recorded before he turned in his projects. So we already had a

roll out playing with everything besides the box. Damn, that's a videos so long to get out. It's crazy because I haven't seen an artist besides I think Kendrick's damn record as far as like songs that just ran radio for as long, like high Fashion, balling the like these records are still like in power rotation and radio stations. Absolutely, it's like they researched like it's it's insane, bro, It's it's it's crazy. Uh. I mean he's been teasing this

new feed the street ship. Is that what's next? I hope so he hope. So how many how many records you sitting on? At least a hundred, one hundred at least Roddy does like five songs a day. It's crazy. He makes so much music. Like Roddy, could he walk in here right now, set up a studio right here and make ten songs on this table. Yeah, it's it's, it's it's He's like one of those you know. I tell people there's a few artists that it's hard for

them to make a bad song. Yeah, yeah, I feel like Roddy's like shit, like you listen to all his shit, Like it's like hard for I feel like post Malone is one of those guys. Were like, there might be some post Malone songs you might not fuck with, but it's hard for Postmoone to make a shitty song like Roddy Rich, Like Roddy's one of them artists. Was like, just his melodies are so crazy, like the way he

can float on a verse. Nah, he's special, He's He's he's definitely, you know, like he's like one of those artists that come around every ten years, one hundred per one hundred percent. Were you, uh, you know, with with the lack of Grammy nomination for the Rap Album of the Year, was that something that you kind of took personal. I don't really take the Grammy stuff personal no more.

I just you know, at the end of the day, man, like I think we do music to kind of you know, for the culture and to feed our families and things like that. I don't really know. We got a Grammy with Rex in the middle of course, so you know, that was a highlight moment, but you know, at the end of the day, like just seeing the success that Roddy has now and you know, just the kind of way he's living life is just that's the the dope

shit to see. Are you instrumental in the new in the new music he's working on or just doing his thing? He's doing his thing, I think, I think right, he's at the point where you know, him and Keith for are kind of so locked in. I'm just whenever they need me, I'm here. I'm here, but you know, whatever they need from me, of course, But you know, I

don't think Roddy needs help from anybody, that's fair. So some of the newer artists that you're working with, I know you're you're playing a part in Corday's new music. I've heard some stuff with some He's got some crazy features. We won't talk about those, but he's definitely got some ship. Yeah, that he's that is in the can. And then Simba, Yes, so Simba is somebody who you know, you're really kind

of helping, Like it reminds me of the Roddy situation. Yes, and Simba, you know somebody who we had what year do we have Simba on the show twenty seventeen something like that. It is a while ago, but Simber somebody who has been around. Yeah, but like, I feel like it was kind of like a like an unpolished gem that was just sitting around it, like you know, it just needs like somebody needed to just come along and be like, Yo, yeah, let's let's do this shit. It was.

It was crazy because me and similar relationship started off real organic. So his producer, he has a producer named Cast, and I'm super cool, shout out to Cast. Yeah, Cast, what's up? He was hitting me and he's like, excuse me. He's like, I got this artist. Man, I think he's the next jay Z. It's a lot to say, right, So I'm like, man, So you know when you get these causes at A and R, you be like, yeah, sure, all right man, yeah you got the next hole? Right.

My brother and they be your friends too, so you just be like all right, man, you know what I'm saying. So he's telling me like man, So I'm like, man, it's no way you have the next hole, bro. So anyways,

I do this a little thing at my office. It was called Past the Aucs where I had like mad music producers and writers come and I have food and drinks for everybody, and we just was in the conference room playing music and sim was stepped to the AUCS court and start playing me his music, and I was just looking like, Oh, this kid is different, you know what I'm saying. I just knew he had a different

energy and Sims just a likable person definitely. So when I set up a meeting with him the next day and they played me some more shit, and I was just blown away, and I was like, we're going to New York next week. Took him to New York next week and just signed him. Wow, Like I think Julie her two records, she said, welcome to Atlanta Records. I'm like, damn, Julie, you gotta you showing all your cards. So Julie loved

him immediately. The whole staff loved him, and you know, like, if the COVID shit didn't happen last year, I think, you know, Sim, he would even be further ahead than he is right now. Yeah. I think, like, you know, because I remember talking to him, and I think, you know, obviously a lot of the stuff you guys had planned kind of got yeah, got rearranged, yes, but I think

it all worked out. Yeah. I mean, really that La Leakers freestyle is I think what really kind of showed everybody like absolutely, this motherfucker is here, Like who is this guy? We got so much love from that man, and it's just like, you know, the feedback was great, and you know the project. You know, we're really excited for a first project. So now I think the Gold just stay consistent with the music and just getting music. And some of those records that he played that those

are still coming out there, they're still coming out. They were just going through sample clearances that are clear now. So we got a lot of shit. Why why didn't So there was a record that was supposed to be on his album called west Side Griselda, Yeah, why didn't that? It was the sample things Jason Cash? About Jason another artist who you're working with? Yes, so Jason Cash somebody else that I'm working with right now out of sign from the West Coast. So I'm still excited about him.

But I met him through Simba him a symbol. We're making a lot of music together and I just loved his energy and ship. I mean, the music he's been making, it's been crazy, Like I'm really excited for everybody to hear his shit too, So you know we're doing something special. Man.

I got a studio out here we called the Trap, and you know, it was just like a great music space where you know, creators could come and it's no egos and everybody's working together because we're all trying to see each other when so you know when people come there, man, it's just special music that's being made. Who's somebody who you tried to sign that didn't work out that you kind of were like, ah, that almost happened. Yep, dam

that had been crazy. I was probably it was out of me and one other label and I didn't push the button on something that I should have did that I regret to this day. And he went with the other label instead. So something. So it was it was close. I was there. It was in Atlantic office and everything we're close. I had him come to the studio and in the night he came to the studio, I had meet Roddy working again, like it was one of those nights. So you know that's one that you wish you could

get back. Man. Yeah, I can only imagine a big fan of himself. Yo. Has you know somebody who I heard you know someone who Jason Cash got a great relationship with, Yeah, is Blast, Yes, Blast from my Knowledge is still not signed. I don't think that's true. I know he was with Red Bull, yeah, but I but maybe maybe it's just the last time I talked to him, some shit has changed. Yeah, But I feel like Blast is one of them one. He's incredible. Him and Cash

got to smash together, got a smash. The people don't realize they came up together. Jason was telling me stories about like he was just bringing Blast everywhere with it back in the day. Yeah, they got a dope relationship, man. So it's glad to see like them go their own ways and come back together, you know what I'm saying.

So it's it's it's dope to see for people watching this who are artists or for you know, I always tell artists that there's really no excuse for you to not be on your ship in twenty twenty, twenty twenty one, because you know, the Internet from from from when you

first got and we're talking earlier. You know, the days of like you needing to meet someone and past them your tape or all that shit's gone, Like you know, you're straight to consumer now, But like, what are the things that you would tell up and coming artists that they need to have like together, you know what I'm saying to be taken serious. I mean, you know what bothers me. A lot of up and coming artists don't even take the time to figure out who the players

are in the game. So you know, like I hate when people come up to me and they'd be like, oh, you work me, what do you do? Like it'd be like then they'd be like, oh, can you take them? Like, I'm not about to explain what I do there. Like you know, like when I was coming up, I knew who everybody was at every label, So if I didn't run into them, I would know something about their story to be compelling enough for them to want to take my information. Nowadays, you'd be like, bro, move right, know

what I'm saying. So, I mean, honestly, you know, I think what helped me best was being a student of the game and realizing what people did before me to get to where they're at, you know, reading books and things like that to kind of help put me on the path to understanding what it takes to be good at what I do. But you know, I think just understanding that and just work ethic. You know, the entitlement is at all time high, at all time high right now.

It's very it's very concerning for me, you know what I'm saying, because on the artists side, and on the and on the background, like you know, like on your side, yes, it's bad man, Like you know, everybody wants the big salary, big check, but don't want to check in. That's all ship. You know, what do you look for in an artist? When? When you when? When you know? Is it obviously metrics aside because we've already established it, that's not that's not the end all be all for you. What do you

look for? I like when so right now we're in a wave of you know, I want to say baby Roddy's of course, you know what I'm saying. I like when there's like a wave of music going and I hear something that's going completely in the other direction. That's why Symbol was dope for me at the time, because nobody was rapping no more. It was everybody mumble rap was big, and you know, all these little whatevers. You

know what I'm saying. I feel like even the guys who get credit is like good rappers now aren't even really good rappers. Yeah, they're just good rappers compared to like what's going on out Yeah, like outside of like the Griselda's and like the Gibbs and all that shit. But like on the mainstream side, there's like people who really get credit for being like dope that aren't even that dope. I'm like, they're dope for like compared to who you know what I'm saying. So, so you like

that original the originality. Yeah, I'm just like when something like when there's a way going, I like somebody that's going in a total different direction. That's fair. You know, that's fair. What's next for you, man? Right next for me is really turning Asylum into a powerhouse label breaking some acts this year. I got Side of Baby and Kendo Many. It's my first two acts on my Asylum roster that are a priority for me. So making sure that you know their projects are amazing and you know,

helping them whatever I could do. You just signed a kid from Indiana too. I just signed a kid named Jay Lou from Indianapolis. He's on some trap soul ship that's incredible. And of course I got some with Jason Cash that are up next for me in Cordat as well. So uh, Sat the baby. Yes, that was somebody who was already on asylum, was right. So you I remember you told me you're like yo, when I found out that Ken the Man was on the roster, I'm like, yo,

this is this is this is dunk right here. Absolutely? How is it working with the baby? I've had some really interesting experiences with him. We did an interview here that never came out because he was falling asleep throughout the whole interview in the studio. I don't know, or it could have been what was in his cover one of the two. But he's a very funny dude. And then there was he booked the studio one night and they had bro oh my god, they booked both rooms.

It was this. This was like June No, like COVID was not even a thing. Like my engineers are hitting me like what do we do? I'm like nothing, it's a rap studio. We're gonna get one of these every once in a while. Absolutely, But what's it like? You know? Yes, So my first time working with Sada was last week. He came to LA for a week and work and you know, man, I really got to just understand this process.

He's a very hard worker. I think he has a vision to you know, his madness, of course, and I think he just wants to be respected as a as a dope artist in his music game. You know what I'm saying. He's putting out a lot of records, a lot of content, and you know, I just think that this year is going to be one of those years that I think he's gonna break as one of the big artists in the game for sure. And then Ken the Man is She's from Houston. Yeah, Ken the Man

is exciting because I never got a female. It's a female and her name is it was confusing, Yeah, so I guess the whole personas you know. She she she could get on her man with the ladies, you know what I'm saying. Her management listen hit me and was like, Yo, can I bring Ken the Man up? This was what a year and a half or two ago, and I was like, yeah, what's his Instagram? She said, oh, it's a girl. I was like, what the fuck? But then

she came in spas the funk out. Yes, freestyle is dope, as she did with Yeah, She's incredible, So be on the lookout for her. And then are you currently Like are you always looking for talent. I'm always looking for talent. But now you know, like as I'm like getting higher up as far as just like I got a team, I got, I got a and RS now, so you know, of course they're bringing stuff to my attention every day.

But you know, I gotta really make sure I'm balancing what I have the right way, because I don't want to get so many artists that I'm losing focus on. You know, the artist I have is asylum going to kind of act also as like like a distribution platform for some artists, kind of like in the in the way that like there's like Empire, so you're gonna be doing some distro and then if something really starts moving,

that's when the upstream happens. Yep, yeah, it's it's it's it's It's great for me because I could do so many unique deals. I could do joint ventures, fifty fifty split, seventy thirty splits, like just it depends what an artist wants, what services they want, and you know what they want to bring to the table, because you know, if you want to stay independent, you want to do a one off mixtape to see if you even like how we

structured over there at Asylum and things like that. It gives opportunity to get you know, into the system, see if they like it and don't be tied down for five or six albums and saying fuck the label on their next tweet. Well, historically, Asylum is known as a hip hop label. Back in the day, it was like bud B and I mean it was Mike Jones on the side, Mike, Mike Jones. Is that are you strictly looking for hip hop as that wasn't Mike Jones. Mike Jones,

Mike Jones. I mean, I'm definitely gonna keep it hip hop, you know what I'm saying. But I do want to do some progressive R and B shit, you know what I'm saying. I think Jay Lotta is a great artist that we're going to introduce to the world that's going to really you know, show that trap soul because I think trap soul is going to become like a real force in the music business right now, you know what

I'm saying, like artists. Someone just said that should be its own John I forget who tweeted that, yeah, trap solo. I think Cevo did. Yeah. By the way, shout out to Bryson Tilling. He the first one. Yeah, sure, he definitely opened up the door for it, you know what I'm saying. So a lot of these artists, man, you know, they from the street, but they sing. Do you find it hard balancing because you're a family man. I'm a

family man. I feel like it's hard to kind of balance being a boss and moving around and like kind of that work life balance is Like how do you kind of do that? Man? Because it's tough. It's tough, man, I mean shit, It's like, you know, I have to really just make sure that I only go to the studio. Like I can't really hang out with my artists as much as I want to when they're going to clubs and things like that. I really just have to focus on the office and be with them in the studio.

It's got to be something special, Yeah, it has to be something worth it. Like you know what I'm saying, I can't just go to the club with you because y'all taking some hose out, you know what I'm saying. So, like I'm assuming you want to be going to All Star Weekend now exactly right right right like that, Like there's no point for me to be like, what am I going out there for? That's fair. Yeah, that's what you got to pick and Jews those those moments absolutely

I feel you. I'm on that same ship. Yeah. So you know, things that make sense for me to be at, Like if I have an artist doing something special in the city that they you know, they mean something that that I mean some of them, I'll be there. But you know, a lot of artists respect that I do have a family, you know what I'm saying, So they're going to make sure that you know, they're gonna let me know things they want to be at. But you know, I think artists may focus is me being in the

studio with them opposed to the club Boom. Well, look, Dallas, appreciate your time. Yeah, appreciate you man. Thanks for having me man, it's good fun. Yeah. Yeah, I think your story's dope, and I think you know, I always tell everybody, man, Yo, Dallas, like, your come up has been crazy to witness. Bro. Absolute appreciate it. Podcast wrapping up Boom, Thank you man,