#53 - Kid Ink

currently grinding on that independent hustle. His first studio album in six years is officially out. So shout out to kid Inc. And shout out to our sponsors. Man, shout out to odds Socks are single sponsor, all right, always representing. Let me tell you some about odd Socks. They got the draws popping now, Yeah, that's right. You get you the socks, get you the mask at the slippers, and now you get some fucking underwear. Yeah, some fucking you

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So go fuck with odd socks man, and let's get into the new episode with the Hommy Kid Inc. It's the Blue Leg Cash Show Podcast, et cetera podcast, Whole Cash Show special guest kid Ink is here. Ladies and gentlemen. What's up, buddy man? Let me turn my phones off? Yeah, you got to turn the phones off, Brozz. First of all, man, I feel like I ain't seen you since the pandemic. Did I see that? I ain't seen you since the pandemic? You know, did we see each other? I think I

saw you on FaceTime. Yeah, that's probably what it was, you know, that's seeing people. Yeah, I think. Yeah. It's been a crazy year. Man. How have you like, uh, you know, how has the pandemic kind of like has it affected what you do or what maybe with some things you had planned? Like how did it kind of affect life for you? Bro I mean it affected me like everybody else as far as obviously the slow down of traveling and work. I mean, I you know what

I'm saying, work traveling all day. So I had like two overseas tours. I had like an Asia tour, I had an Australia tour. I had a college run. As soon as the pandemic hit, all that got shut Yeah, I know, you do your runs in like the Middle East, you go to Dubai, you all had a lot to do, but everything was ready to go for that run, and uh, you know what I'm saying. I had actually was in Dubai February, and I had heard about everything that was

going on. I was as I was out there and how it was like these possible lockdowns and da da dah. And then I made it home just in time, like literally, I think a couple of days after I made it home, which actually had made it home. My daughter was born the day I made it home on Valentine's Day, and then the whole thing shut down, so I had to handle all that. Like, so was the day you got because it was your wife with you in Dubai because I was with you. She didn't go with you because

she was pregnant, close to delivering. So you know you got back the day she gave birth. Yeah, so you can you imagine if you would have gotten the next day. Yeah. I was in there in the airport, sweat ship. I gotta get back fast, like hold on, just don't don't like yeah no, literally in the airport. Hold on, I'm gonna be it in a minute. Just couples, just chill, yeah, to layover please, damn. That's crazy. That's baby number two,

baby number two. Wow. And that was different because I had to like really handle all that, you know what I'm saying, loo with the crib. Everything was kind of shut down. We weren't able to go to the hospital. And then you're being like extra careful because you got a baby. I was super But I guess that was easy too, because having a new baby you already super careful. So I was already stocked up on everything like hand sanitizers and this and that and everything that people was

panicking over. For a minute. I was a little stocked up early because I already had to worry. I was. I was the same way. As soon as we had a shout out doc Winner. He had like some homie who worked for I don't know, some government agency and was like, Yo, this ship's really about to get shut down. I think it was about a week before it happened. And I went to Ralphs and just I was that asshole who had like cases of rom I still in my garage, still have like a whole entire supply of

ship that is like just sitting there. It's a bunch of y'all, man because y'all y'all went to the store and cleaned it out. And then I went to the store. It was dry. I just I just ran out of toilet paper. I ain't bought toilet paper in a year. Yesterday I went down to the closet to see, like, I gotta go get the new I was like, we were finally out. Why was everybody so worried about toilet paper? Because ass paper is like essential, bro, imagine that was

the most essential thing. Like every time you take a ship, you gotta take a shower. Then if you don't have the toilet paper, I'm like that too. Listen, if it's a rough, if it's a rough, if it's one of those, you got to jump in the shower, you know obviously, but you know, shout out to my wife. You know, I'm like, listen, if we're gonna have sexna take shower anyways, you don't got to worry about it. Nonetheless, damn, So

you're raising an infant during COVID, your wife. You were just telling me your wife just opened a new business during COVID. Yeah, so you was just dealing with a lot of shit. Huh. It was a lot going on. But I think, you know, I set myself up luckily, Like I was already working on the gym, so like everybody who was like dang the gym closed, I was

in the garage getting getting crazy. And then, uh, you know what I'm saying, I got the studio at the house, So that was like mandatory of just you know what I'm saying with the crib. You know what I'm saying, it's worked. I ain't got nowhere else to go, I ain't traveling nothing, So it was easier to kind of think dial in and just be creative and just have fun because it really wasn't nothing else to think about or worry about like that. So a lot of this

album did you record it at home? All of it? All of it recorded at the crib, All of it. I recorded at the crib, mixed at the crib, at the crib. Everything was so you kind of rushed this whole joint. Yeah, man I besides, you've worked with the producer. Yeah, because of what it is. Man I definitely I put it, and it took a little longer than I wanted, just

because of course I was telling you earlier. It started off as like this type of idea and it was only going to do seven records, and I love these seven records so much, and I was like, man, I feel like I need like three more I need And then it started to grow into this big album and it turned into a full album. That's why even before it was like two songs that we had dropped, because it wasn't really a thought process of doing that album until we dropped those two songs. And it's seeing how

manyism were working together and how easy it was. Because I could have put together a project with a bunch of different producers. I get all kind of beasts. I still got so many different records, but the business still, you know what I'm saying, takes time and clearing people, and there's much easier to just work with one guy.

We got an agreement and get it done, especially when you're not working with the big label who you know what I'm saying, maybe a lot of those people are already cleared your label, or it's just an easier system where you know what I'm saying, I'm independent, and we got to handle a lot of clearing and making sure these are selling points and publishing and keeping track of all that stuff. And it was like, Ism is the homie.

He's been the homie. We've already had records together, and he's nice and he's a gold low key and so you know what I'm saying, We just it was somebody I felt like I could work with and get so many different type of records done compared to you know what I'm saying, if I worked with some other producer, maybe it would just all sound to the same to

where it still sounds cohesive. But it's not like box tend. So, uh, when you first went independent, you came on me and had shown and like we did an interview, announced it and you know, made a big deal of it. You've been independent for a while, now, what are the thing I mean? You started off independent, this is how you

came into the game. You know, what I'm saying, by the way, is up in the way gold Now yeah, I think so, I know records off of it are gold or definitely records are you know, I don't, I gotta it's got to be closing with all the numbers. But I just waiting and be giving me placks like yo,

this would gold. Then it feels great when the indie records go go because like, plus, that's more money in the bank, you know what I mean, more money in the bank, and it just you know what I'm saying makes me feel a little bit more like you know what I'm saying, even now with just records like I did all this dolo, some of them in the closet, like you know, for it was any bread and those

records got plaques. Now they definitely still mean a little bit more sometimes and those other records that I kind of knew we're gonna go, like that's gonna go, It's gonna be it's gonna be one. No. But like coming back to being independent and being back in that space for a while now, like what are the things that you've kind of like had to adjust two that you weren't used to with being with RCA, for so long

because you had a very long run with RCA. Adjusting I mean, I guess, you know, because it's everything is more hands on, Like I said, clearances and just certain things as far as the business are probably a little bit more, but I'm not as you know what I'm saying. Luckily I got will you know what I'm saying, helped me with the business side of things, while I still have to do the creative side. But I mean, of

course relationships might be a little bit different. You know, for me going independent, I'll tell you know that I don't get an independent rate. So everything that's like was already what it was, or features or production costs, a lot of that stuff is still the same as when Kittink was with RCA. So I think that's still just coming out of my bags, you know what I'm saying.

I guess you know, those are certain things you gotta probably adjust to more than you know what I'm saying, when you are a little bit more free with doing certain things or samples and you know, just keeping it a little bit more in house so you don't have to worry about all these other stresses that you were able to let somebody else worry about, right, because it's a whole team of all the variables you now got to deal with, supposed to keeping it kind of like

like you said, like, hey, when with one producer, I means we gotta do with one guy to get these records clear, ye, opposed to like getting you know what I'm saying, stuff back and you be it's just the business come back and you be like DANMG, why y'all gotta make this so difficult, Like you know what I'm saying. I'm just I'm rocking, like we're doing independent. Let's just

put something out. Let's just work everybody wants to Yeah, not even like we'll figure it out and I'm gonna make sure everybody's taking care of it, not most importantly, you know what I'm saying, make sure you get your bag up front. But I think when it comes down to all that extra points and publishing stuff that I don't my brain don't get all the way into like that, I started getting confused, Like, man, that's been a month

since we've been talking about all this. I don't even want to do this record no more, Like I wanted to put this out in this timeframe right now, and I've had that happen where I didn't get a record out when I wanted to put it out because the business took so long. And then it's like, bro, I just this was a summer. Now it's November, and you just want me to feel like I got the same energy.

I'm gonna get the same response from this. So again, working with Isam, it was like, all right, I could lock these records and I could tell him this is my beat, like I want to lock this in and I don't have to worry about two weeks later, a month later, he telled me like, yo, I sold I saw that beat. I gave it to someone, the one

that you had, Like I gave it someone else. And it's crazy what happens to me four times a year because you know, producers just be sending out packs and then records that I felt like, oh, this is my single, and unfortunately and then they'd be like, well, look this other guy's got it, and you know it's a major label.

It's a bigger bag, right, And then I'm gonna, of course I want to tell you like nah, but I'm not gonna tell my homie, like especially somebody I rock with, like don't go get the bag and make you know. It's definitely a trade now and I'm gonna let you go get this bag, bro, So take care of me the next go around. Take care me these packs when you get hot, don't don't forget. But you know it is what it is. So you have like a pretty

wild journey as far as like you're come up. You came up with like a just a crazy culte following fan base, mixtapes, your first independent album, and then when you signed, you caught one would show me. That was like fucking how many streams is that thing? How many times platinum is that record? I mean, I don't know. It definitely went on one of Chris Brown's like records, and I was like, oh, breaking records for Chris It's

but it wasn't. Let's let's be real though. It wasn't as if I got signed though, and then like showed me came out. No, no, no, you were putting out other records. But we did. We did try like the Meek Mill right, the Badass record, and I had a couple other singles and I think what was the one lifted produced it? Fuck? It had like a screwed up

like hook the Boston Up. We had the Boston Up record that I remember through Ferg and French from the remix, and then we had some I had some records that were going you know, you had records still for the more so for the core fans. But I felt like, definitely when this show Me hit, it was like show Me was like over right, So then like you kind of go on this run where you have all of these records that are kind of in similar vein to show Me. Not necessarily the same, but like you know,

R and B hooks, one hundred bpm type joints. You know what I'm saying. Very successful, huge tours. You're all Chris Brown Tory, I mean all these tours. Do you feel like that that kind of started to eat away at your like core following or like the ability for new fans to come in and tap in with like what some of your earlier fans fell in love with, because I feel like a lot of fans, kind of the newer fans that were coming in, yeah, started to

kind of just see you as like the radio guy. Definitely, it was definitely like I had two separate fans, especially when you would go to the shows and I would have to like please the core fans and the new fans at the same time, and you can see the

difference and the energies or whatever. But I think, you know, at the time when show Me came out, I love the record, but it wasn't in my head that it was like, all right, we're gonna keep busting these down more so than people were asking for me to bust those down. Like the DJs was telling me like, yeah,

we love this, and you know what I'm saying. Make sure you know what I'm saying always, you know, And it felt like something that was simple too, and everybody was telling me, hell, you sound great doing it, you sound comfortable doing this, and it was like, all right, cool,

you know what I'm saying. I'll rock with it is, you know, much as the hits come through, Like I'm not gonna run away from a hit record, but uh, I definitely wasn't looking forward to it being like the not necessarily I'm gonna take credit for, you know what I'm saying, having a sound, but people like that's the kidding sound. I don't want them to be like that's the only sound you can do. Kidding can do. For the new fans, because I know it's fans that know

what it is. Because like Time of Your Life, which was kind of the first record that you had any radio success with, Yeah, was I think like sixty some odd bpms. It was super melodic and it was just you and those to me, when I talk to certain people, like those are kidd Ink records, like for a nice group, especially people who really know me and people who've been rocking. Like when I put on something like that, they go, that reminds me of a kidd Ink record or the

up and away vibes. It's like, that's a Kidding record, and that's the album that a lot of people familiarized with me before Show Me. They're like, this is the sound that he had or the type of music he was creating. And then you know, when Show Me came out, not only did was it, it was a whole new way to even listen to music at one point too.

Like you know what I'm saying, The people who were listening to those other records sometimes still go to those old websites and stuff to listen to that stuff because

it's not even available nowhere. Yeah, people still be going on there, like, Yo, what I've had somebody ask me like, yo, you should put something out on that PIF, and I was like, so just so you could listen to it, Like I'm trying to figure that's not what you know, what I mean shout out to that PIF, not shout out, but I'm just saying it would be stupid of you to put something out solely on that PIF would make

any sense. Right, So it's like the new fans who only get up to what they got on Spotify and Apple and all that stuff like that they got. They can only backtrack so far. And I'll be thinking too, like it'll people like, yo, you should do a feature with this person. I'd be like I did. I did like two back then. I mean, they're not on the streaming that works now, but it is what it is.

So I don't know what else, you know, what I'm saying to do besides that, but accept it and then just move forward and kind of just work through it. And now just showing proven that I'm independent, I got obviously more rooms, So yeah, now you're independent and you can do whatever you want. At the same time, I had this like I remember when Tiger was making like before it tastes happened. Tiger was making some wild records

that were like, what are you doing? Bro? Like I forget he was, he was singing and there R and B album right, it was, it was. It was horrible. It just wasn't good. Shout out to Tiger. I'm saying me personally, I did not. I did not enjoy that. And I remember just thinking to myself, like, bro, this ship is a no brainer. Like Tiger just put out some Tiger ship and then he put Taste out and I was like, bruh, I feel you on that? Do you feel like because I heard you got some some

ship in the cut? I actually heard the record. You got a rumor shout out to Yeah, shout out bro. I don't know if it was Nelly's supposed to be got on that song. Uh, we we played it. What happened was we played it for Nelly. Uh I think, I think because I think when Rumor played it for me, He's like, yo, Nelly's getting on this. Yeah. We had played it for Nelly and brought it through and then instead we ended up doing two other records and Nelly

for you and me. Rumor and Nelly did one other record and me and Nelly got like four records in the can that should just be working because that's the bro. So sometime he'll just pull up to the crib and then I just be playing play. But I guess, like I feel like you have the like kind of the like like if you were to do a record like show me or you know whatever right now independently, Yeah, you make so much money off of that song right

because it's yours now. So I mean, cause I know you made a conscious decision to be like, Yo, don't send me these beats, Like don't like like this is you know, I'm close with you and your team, So I'm like, like, I know you made a conscious decision to be like, look like stop sending me Mustard beats. Stop sending me you know these kind of records. Have you thought like, Yo, look now that I'm independent, Like

if I catch one now, it's like way different. Have you thought of like saying like, hey, fuck it, let's see what happens? Like absolutely, I think I think what it was was when I was asking people not to send me that stuff, I just needed it for like my mental like creative space to be able to open up and not just I just needed it for myself, so because I was feeling boxed in or insecure about if I could take it different directions still, whatever the

case may be. So but of course I looked back and even just listening to certain records or just getting beats and then just having something to it so quickly and being like, dang, this is low Kia smash. I definitely told myself like, I'm not running away from nothing, especially now that you know what I'm saying, Summer's on

the way. I got a nice little stash up for the summer, and I know that, you know, it's a vibe that people you know what I'm saying, enjoy and I know that I love making you know what I'm saying, music that make people feel good. And I've been missing the summer. I'm not gonna lie. So I've heard some songs that you don't have out that are like what was the There's a record that I know Will was trying to get Kane Brown on. Oh yeah, that's like a hitch, that's like and that shit's like a year

and a half, two years old. That's like a smash. Like these are records that you just got it, just tucked off. But it just needs the perfect the perfect person singing on that hook, and I just it gotta get right. You feel me though, like you got records like that that are like crazy and it was like I think it was just all the time and things like that's like a soundtrack or like the theme song, like you know, summer slam type, shit fast and furious type.

You know what I'm saying exactly the movie. Do you feel kind of like if you know you have like okay, look like you said, I got you got shit tucked like this? To me, I think is like a dope project because it's something that's like you're independent now, so why not do a whole project with a producer? Right?

But if you know, like hey, look I got this, this, this, and this, being independent, is it like a little bit harder to be like, look, guys, if we're going to drop this, we gotta make sure we got all of these ducks in a row because we want to make sure it has the best chance to be as big

as it should be. Does it give you kind of cold feet to drop something like that now that you're independent or is it like more like timing, like like you know what I'm saying, because you got like you said, you have some big records, bro, Like I feel like your biggest joints you have you've been sitting on. That's what people tell me all the time. Now, I think it's definitely a timing thing. I don't like you said

getting the ducks in a row for sure. Like after I got the project done, it was more so like, all right, now, how we're gonna line it up a certain way and give ourselves enough time to be able to do boom boom boom boom. Could it was like initially, initially I was like I wanted to put it out at this time. It went two months over the time I wanted to put out, just trying to perfect it the way I wanted it to sound. And then of

course I immediately wanted to put it out. But then you step back and it's like, I'm not gonna do that. It's not a surprise project. Like I want to give it its full potential and you know what I'm saying, let it be seen and heard and give it what it needs to really, you know what I'm saying, have some success instead of just putting it out and which

with records I've done before. By just wanting to put something out just to have content out right, and then they got to kind of get overlooked, just not because the record wasn't hot, it got overlooked because it wasn't put out in a certain manner to you know what I'm saying succeed. So with this project, I definitely it first kind of just wanted to get the content out and let people kind of gravitate towards it the way

they want. But I still want to have some type of impact, especially being from where I was to go on independent. I don't want to low ball and be like I'm independent now and now I'm not doing things it's big, Like I'm not giving you, you know what I'm saying, the same type of energy because I'm independent. I'm just throwing some music out there and seeing what happens. Like, I definitely don't want it to do thathing like that. There's been this big narrative in music over the last

few years about going independent ownership. You know, Kanye led a lot of that with the publishing shit, and and obviously Russ has been screaming that shit at the top of it. You know, Tory Lane just went independent. Yeah, before you shot making in the feats allegedly, but it's kind of been like, you know, I think that we kind of recognize like if you have a cold following, if you have fans like the major label, can they can throw gasoline on a fire that's already going on? Right?

But the fire is already there. So it's like talk about how important it is and like just like coming into your own as an independent artist again, like the second go round, Like how does it feel? Like? How are you like? Like is being independent the way for you now? Moving forward? Would you ever sign another deal or like you know what I mean, like the second go round? How's a feeling? Oh, I couldn't say I wouldn't sign another deal in general. I mean, I definitely

want to see how this run goes. I don't you know, I have certain expectations for myself, but I just want you know what I'm saying, I definitely want to see how it goes and see how I move forward from there. I am in a good space, you know what I'm

saying with my independent situation. I feel like, especially after this project that you know I'm saying, I'll be able to figure out what I want to do and I expect probably to you know what I'm saying, get some calls in, and I'm gonna have to make some decisions.

But I don't know. I mean, if it makes sense, because I understand so if the project, it's not the only project I plan on putting out, by the way, but if this project, you know what I'm saying, gets the response that I wanted to get in, it kind of shines the light on the creative and the different ways I can go, and then that sparks an interest in you know what I'm saying, a major label or a bigger independent label or whatever that understands that direction,

and I feel comfortable about them understand that, and I can continue to do what I'm doing with that backing, of course, because that's how it was when I first went in, and it felt that, you know what I'm saying, confident about I can continue to do what I want to do and it's going to continue to get back.

The only problem that had happened with the label before was like you're saying, what me doing what I wanted to do, but then having to show me record be way more successful than anything I did before compared to probably some independent artists that had a platinum record before they came in, and then you know what I'm saying, I had a lot of success, but for them, they probably still felt like this record did way bigger. So you know what I'm saying, we'll put more energy into

when you give us that type of stuff. If the you know what I'm saying, a newer situation is like whatever you want to dose blah will give you this, this, this, this and that and make it work for me, then you know what I'm saying, I'm gonna hear them out. But also if this project, you know what I'm saying, skyrockets and the bag is you know what I'm saying, crazy, keep running up. Might as well keep running it up.

I'm not gonna be you know what I'm saying, Just jump into it if I could, because I understand the system. So it's not like I don't understand how to run my own situation like a major label or you know what I'm saying, put it together and don't have the relationships, or you know what I'm saying, don't know how to take that bag and reinvest it the right way. So

you know, I know how to like I've been doing. Now, I know how to put together this, I know how to shoot videos, I know how to it's not you know, I know how to market, and we know how to get yourself sustained. TikTok. And I mean, yeah, I think that that's like right to do because really, if you think of the major label ship, the really the thing that they could do is just give you an upfront bag.

That's really all it is. And that upfront bag you gotta recoup at a shitty rate for the most part most people, you know, but you know they can, like I said, pour gasoline on the fire. But if you kind of got the right partner or you have your ship together on your own, like really, what can they do? Right? But mind anything I probably do, Like with a major label, it's gonna be a one and done. So yeah, like and I'm not going in for no, like three to five five years, Like like, look, I got I got,

I got these records, they need infrastructure. Let's let's see how it works and then I'm out and I'll make you guys a bag, because I mean I understood that's kind of what I did for the other label with you know what I'm saying, getting them such a good enough bag the beginning, I could have, you know what I'm saying, just been off the situation and continue to do something else, and they would have succeeded equally because they what I gave them was good enough to clear

out and you know what I'm saying, being the green and dip out. So yeah, they still making that same consistent bread off those records. So you know what I'm saying, that was a successful deal. It was successful. Yeah, I mean they made money. I thought that they really fumbled that last record or as well with Sweety and Wayne. Yeah, that was fumbled. I don't know who to blame it on. We jumped on that record so earlier real and I was like, guys, this is the kidd In record. This

is like we gotta go crazy. And then I just felt like the label never backed it up, right. But I mean, you know what I'm saying, always makes me feel good to open the doors and you know what I'm saying, be ahead of the curve and you know what I'm saying, look at everybody on their bumper now. Yeah, I mean shit, that was really with Sweety too. Yeah, I was like, record could have been and uh, what's the name. Didn't he a to be? Yeah, he hated to be and yeah yeah paper on paper, that's a smash.

I don't know what happened. So, you know, even the record you have a tief your EP a few years ago, I thought it could have been huge, which was still that was still a big record, But I feel like with the use of record, I think there were obviously still some things that could have been lined up and probably situated, so it wasn't. Maybe it's rushed out as I probably wanted it to be out too, as everybody

like I needed a record out. We put this together boom boom boom, but probably could have you know what I'm saying, I don't know, done something different. But the Tie record, you know, I think that was still a big,

a big record for me. I think at the time what it was was which is weird because yeah, all the fans want a certain situation for me, but I think at that time it was a time maybe when I needed to kind of not switch it up, but just maybe throw something in different right before that that kind of made it missed that right, that sound of that vibe and then come back to it instead of

it being maybe something a little too consistent. So people were kind of like all right, but like kind of how when main Chick, which was wasn't my move, but how main Chick came out right off to show me how they weren't able to get to that because they were still here. So like, you know, it's crazy because Main Chick if you would have, like you said, if you would have had a bridge record in between those

two records, may Chick probably would have been. I mean, the main Chick was a big record, was still a big record, a big record, but it could have been huge. It could have i think, had its own legs and been crazy instead of feeling like a follow up yeah, because people were still playing show me Yeah, because show Me research so well radio. That was like one of those songs that didn't go away for like a year and a half on the radio because of researched so well.

So you dropped the follow up and it sad. It's like, yo, I'm already playing I'm still playing the other ship. Yeah. And then people telling me that to my face was like, yeah, how come they didn't know that that was something that somebody That's not something I was They were supposed to know because that's their job. So yeah, I don't know how they are you finding it easier to, like, cause because like I said, you came into game with this

crazy fan base. Since you've come back to being independent and you've been dropping a lot more often. Like I think, was it twenty nineteen you were dropping it felt like once every month, you were putting a new week. We did like one a week. It was a lot of songs in two months. I think you're dropping a lot of records. Have you found it easier to kind of rehash that fan base and like re like kind of because I feel like you, you know, turning into a superstar.

Sometimes you lose those core fans because they kind of feel like, ah, well, yeah, you know what I mean. Have you found it easier to try to like bring those guys back into the fold or build that back up a little bit, because now, I mean, it's certain fans I think that are back to rooting for me because they feel like I'm the underdog. And then you know, I could feel like at the end of twenty nineteen when I was had this idea and making this run, and then twenty twenty half and the energy kind of

shifted a little bit. Of course, of course, I like had records lined up in different things, but it's a timing thing too. I remember having certain records that I felt like were ready to go, and it was kind of like, yeah, but not anymore, so like we're gonna have to wait until this one is you know what I'm saying, give it four or five months and then see if the energy is back ready for it. So that definitely kind of helped. I mean I helped, but

it definitely kind of slowed down my run. But at the same time, I think gave me some more just creative time to get some stuff together and figure some stuff out. And in the midst of recording this project too, I think I was able to open up just getting back into more sinks. Sinks. I don't know if a lot of people know, like movies, TV shows, commercials and stuff,

those are big. I don't know, Like I've always had a niche with just writing records that just you know what I'm saying, resonate over there with that sinking game, and I got back into that, and you know what I'm saying, I think I'm on because whatever I've done like two I've had like two fast and Furious Movies

were working on another one. They you know what I'm saying, people were sending Space Jam ideas and this and that, and it was doing trolls and all these different movies was coming out, and I think, I, you know what I'm saying, just tap back in and just writing for that type of game. And so your records, the records you write for, like like, are those like your records ended up on that stuff or is sometimes just stuff that you write that ends up someone else doing them

or so like this. So I've had a couple of different ones, like sometimes you'll get the list that'll tell you what they need and then you get, you know what I'm saying to it, just start writing a bunch

of different stuff to send it through. And then I've had records that like there was a record I did on the Ism project for the album that I lost to a movie sink because you know what I'm saying ISNM played it for his people and they were like, Yo, that would be perfect for this movie and I was like, yeah,

but that's for my album. So like that was another thing that happens where it has set me back to because I think losing that one record, which I felt like I needed and it had a and sounds set me back and I had to replace that with like I need so that happens. Does that song then just belong to the movie company. Yeah, So like they're like, hey, look, we're putting this in the movie. It's ours if we put it out on the soundtrack. Yeah. So, like I sold it to them, and then they you know what

I'm saying through you know what I'm saying. Whoever, they wanted a couple different rappers on there and maybe had somebody racing the hook blah, and then you know what I'm saying, I send it to me. I added some stuff, or you should put some ad libs here, you know what I'm saying. We still work on the record together, but once it's there, it's it's there to do it, you know what I'm saying. They went for the movie,

right right, right right? Yeah. I think the scene game is a part of the game that a lot of artists don't understand or like understand even how to get involved in that. Because you'll hear some records you're be like, man, this should be great on a movie or something. I don't even people understand that world. It's like it feels like a different world, right, the movies, the sports is big for me. Like I had the Dodger championship song

and the song that they play that's a bad series opener. Yeah, so the Dodgers just shoot a bag, you know what I'm saying. Some tickets maybe, but uh it will and then uh so like I get those I've had different you know what I'm saying, Like championship spots, video games like all that stuff. It's real fun to me, Like that was something that growing up I always wanted, so like I always wanted to have a song on the radio, but then like I got a song in the video games. Yeah.

The video game ship is like could you we always be playing Madden or two K and it's or even like Tony Hawk when I was growing up, like all them songs like you Knew by Heart by Heart Bro's songs I know with the records at all. It's songs I know from like Dave Mirror that I've never Yeah, because it's like you play the game so much, like, oh, this ship is crazy playing. I was walking around singing

these songs friends, like what is this? Did you play the new Tony Hawk like remastered edition that came out not okay, so I want to I had to buy. I had to step back from the video games for a minute. Just diving in. I'm bad. Once I dive in, I dive in. And then especially during the pandemic, especially during the pandemic. So for me, I had to step back from the video games, especially when I was doing this project, because I was I got lost in there, locked game. I play of course two K so two

K got the whole story mode. So once you get locked into that him, I'm out here living hoop dreams. And then anything fighting game like UFC is my joint. Uh you know, Call of Duty's. I play all the regular games, the ones I get locked in on, be like the Batman, Spider Man, Spider Man Rocked the Switch, Super Marios is all fire. But I had to step back for Arkham series games were sucking five fire like my some of my favorite games. That's when I found

out I had a problem. I think I went like a month and I was like, yeah, I've been playing every day you get I had every any of the new consoles, the PS five Man PS five, I don't rock with Xboxxbox Man you know, I'm not gonna lie. PS five ain't got no game yet, just like they did four. Neither of them got games yet. It's like bro, I told my son he was so hyped to get I mean, I got a bunch during Christmas, but I was like, yo, you realize, like there's no games yet.

That's what they did with PS four last time. It was like you get Call of Duty two K, Spider Man, yeah, and two other games and then you got to wait six months go to no fucking games. Got a way to the summer and like low key that. I mean, the graphics are better, but unless you got that crazy TV, like if you just got a normal four K TV, you barely can notice the difference. Difference. You gotta have like an ill ass TV with this type of rep.

My boy was breaking it down. He's like, look for you to really like notice the jump in graphics, you gotta really have like a fucking three four thousand R TV. Yeah, just to notice the difference. I could imagine it's somebody who bought a PS five and my son's in his room on a thirty two inch fucking ten eighty P TV, like, yeah, the graphics look better, I'm like, they look the same. Yeah, I got every same game. I guy. Yeah, it's like

pretty much the same fucking thing. It's it's kind of crazy. Yo. So you've sold over fifteen million records through your career. Like I said, I'm bad with the numbers, but that sounds Yeah, that sounds good. That's a lot. If I could count like that is that's that's man, blessing. Do you ever like reflect on like that's a lot? Bro? Like,

some people never go platinum in their life. Fifteen million is a number that you could stop making music tomorrow and be like, man, I sold fifteen million records in life. You ever like think like shit like us worldwide? I don't know, because the thing is to that that fifth Harmony record. Hopefully it'll go diamond at some point in my life and I'll be like, I'm part of a diamond record. How many feel like they're like seven million worldwide?

How many records in that period? Yeah, that's crazy. It might be diamond worldwide, But it's like that record was probably one of the biggest. I need to update that plaque. I probably only got the two million one yeah, but no, but like you know, that's a lot Man, that's a big that's a big career. I mean, you know, and for you to still keep going. But do you ever reflect, like, yo,

like everything I've done so far, it's impressive, man. I know sometimes sometimes it's like probably easy to like second guess yourself or doubt yourself when you need the hottest

artist anymore. But like, bro, like you've had like a crazy run so far, Nah, I get I definitely get time to reflect on it more now, and I think back like nice little run, especially when I think about the years in so like I look at other guys and how long they actually been in the game, and I think about like when my first project dropped, when people actually start paying attention, like twenty fourteen, twenty fifteen, Like, you know what I'm saying, wasn't like that long ago

compared to some people who've been in the game for like twenty twenty five years. I feel like I still got, you know what I'm saying, some grinding that I could do. I feel like I still got some time of success, especially when I see like a lot of the old heads still just doing big things later in their career, like a lot of time, multiple runs, multiple runs. I've

seen so many people have just multiple legendary runs. You've seen like Fat Joe keep coming out perfect example, Fat Joe keep coming out, Gucci Man to keep coming out with something crazy. You know what I'm saying. Those are people that you know, you look up in like two Chains, still coming out like everybody, even like someone independent like Freddy Gibbs, Freddie Gibbs. You know what I'm saying too.

You see people who run right now, that's crazy, right, People who you've seen years in maybe slow down or you didn't think it was getting what they needed to get as far as respecting and getting nominated for Grammys and stuff that makes you you have no choice but to feel inspired and motivated, like, oh I got that time to figure stuff out. Not saying I'm just sitting back, but it's like I got time to steal, you know what I'm saying, thrive. So have you felt the narrative?

I know you, you know you're you pay attention, but like there's been means and shit like what happened to kid inc My kid ink fell off? Yeah? Is that something that bothers you or is it something that motivates you? Or do you even pay attention to it. It's a little bit of both. The reason that bothers me is because I feel like like we were talking about having

certain you know what I'm saying things aligned. I feel like I've had somebody say, you know when you're dropping something new, and then for me, I'll be like, I just dropped something new two weeks ago, how did what made that count? Is new for you? Or or me taking it serious as this was a record I wanted to put out, or you just think I'm just throwing stuff out like you know. So I think it's definitely still up to me. I guess to I guess put

that energy into certain records. But you know, it'll bother me to an extent of I don't want nobody thinking

I'm chilling at the crib like working. I'm blessed, but I'm not ever content with just sitting at the crib and just going we collecting all these voices and da da da, and it's like, nah, I'm at the crib working constantly, thinking, being creative, trying to figure out what's something new I could do where everything is going, especially because I'm somebody who doesn't really like sit back on my old records and look at them and think about you know what I'm saying, Oh this is something I

need to redo again, or what if this would have done this? I'm I'm always moving forward, so like people will come over the crib and hear everything I got stashed in they can they like why yeah, dada da, But it's you know what I'm saying, figuring everything out and just getting not wanting that to happen where people

are overlooking records. It's definitely you know what I'm saying, They puts me in that place like all right, I don't want to just put this out and I know it's a smash, but it seems like, you know what I'm saying, I got to figure out the way to get back in people's face or build the momentum in the right way to where they just automatically it's back to clicking and then they go, oh that's crazy, instead of being like just not hearing it. I think it's

like you drop this project. Just keep dropping, bro, that with the songs and the videos, and that's I got this project done. I think I had already. Guys have been shooting hell of videos of Maddy J shooting videos with my bro Maddy J. I had already started another like EP kind of project that's gonna be with somebody else, doing like a mix of not really hip hop or something just more I think a little bit more worldly

type music. And then I plan on dropping probably Up and Away too this year by that summer hopefully, and then uh, what's up with It's the Rumor Joint coming soon? The Rumor record is definitely coming soon. We're just getting everything together. That's definitely one of those ones that was a big record that needs some clearances and it's gonna take some business time. But I think everything is set in stone. I got a couple things I need to finish on the mixing side of things, because I'm real

hands on with that. So I got the session at the crib probably you know what I'm saying, tweaks some stuff, but it's already lined up to you know what I'm saying, go, I just got to hit my deadline. If there's an artist that's watching this that's on the come up, would you give them advice to stay independent or go with a major. Let's say they got a little bit of momentum.

It's different for different artists. Everyone's situation is different, but because it's certain artists who I never think should go to a major, and there's certain ones who I think need to go to a major so they get the looks. So who do you think, like like like talk about the type of artists you think would need to go

to a major and or should stay independent. Like an example, I think, like from my perspective, if you have like a song that goes viral, but you really don't have a following, like you might want to go the major route, right, because then you they'll maximize that record because that record might be the only opportunity you have. Let's say that Board in the House kid, right, Yeah, that record that

went viral. I haven't heard from him since, but he signed a deal and then they put the Tiger on the remix, and I think that was probably a smart play for him. No, definitely a smart play if it's somebody who's got a crazy following like Russ or somebody, or let's use let's use like blast last, Like is he signed to a major, No, he's got a partnership with Rebel Music. I think that that's somebody probably who's

really dope and will succeed doing their independent thing. But if he was signed to a major, could he be world wide artist? Absolutely? So you think or like, that's like saying if Roddy rich didn't sign to a major or just stayed independent, do I think you know what I'm saying. Yeah, I think Roddy Richard of major is so you blasted? A major is essentially what a slidfyd

is a superstar? Yeah, yeah, I think so, because he has those type of records that I think get overlooks that are way that are huge, you know what I'm saying. Or you know what I'm saying, radio ready or just a single that everyone will like just because it sounds sonically just good. Have you worked with have you got to lique him at all? No? I feel like you guys, Yeah,

I think so. I was definitely a fan early and then you know what I'm saying, I'm somebody too, cause it's like I'll be a fan of people and then once they get like their wave going, I'll hit people up and be like congrats to this and that, and then I don't I feel like I'd be seeming like the person who hopped on the wave more so when I'm just like seeing it like from the outside like thing.

I watched you grind up. I remember when I was the only person listening to you and then I hit you, and then you might think like, dang, they just trying to hop on the wave. Have you reached out to Blast? I don't remember if I reached out to Black. I know, I feel like I might have sent Blasts the DM or something, or because I work. I got a record with Bino, Bino's crazy. Yeah, I got a record with Bino right now, and I remember that's kind of where I heard Blast was from. Beano had a record. So

but now I planned on reaching out. You know what I'm saying, I was letting it just that might be a vibe you and Blast. I think that'll be easy vibe because I hear when I hear it, I hear already what I would would do, and how comfortable that would be. Hey, he's working, man, I know he works with Mazie a lot. You know, obviously him and Bino got I think they're working on us follow up to their tape. But you know he's going crazy right now.

He's definitely going crazy. It's dope to see that, for sure. Yeah, that'd be that'd be wild that'd be that might be like that has to happen. Yeah, I think that has to happen. I've been honestly, I was thinking about it, like like, if you're going to come back with like one of them R and B type records, has got to be blast. Yeah. Yeah, i'ma have I'm have hooked that up. Yeah, that'd be crazy, that'll be fire. Well, look, the album is out Friday, Friday, Thursday night midnight Thursday.

Actually this will come out next Monday, so the albumill already be out. Actually, I don't know when this is gonna come out. I'm ask Will when he wants to drop this, because we might drop it Friday. Yeah, but you know it'll be out out album out alive thirteen records, three already out, so ten brand new records. Y'all never heard? Videos coming, videos coming. I gotta you know what I'm saying, Night and day video drop day at the album, and then I wanted to stack up a bunch of videos.

I got a couple of different promo videos for some of the records. But I kind of want to take that first week and see what people are rocking with and make sure I give them that first one metrics and be like, all right, this is what they're fucking with, like this is what they want to see a video to right now, and then go back to just doing a video for everything. By the way, did you ever find out who fucking got in your house? I don't. I didn't find out who got in my house. I

know what they look like. I've seen, I've seen in the screen. I just didn't know if like anything ever came to that, you're ever getting your ship back or they were hitting houses like in your neighborhood, right, yeah, they was. They had a whole little thing going on. And then you know, the police came to the crib. They they thought I did it, like damn the insurance they was giving me to talk and I almost got

hot with them in the crib. And then uh, after that, they had like some some uh I don't even know what you call, some police officer or whoever detective there we go, i'muck police, some detective I was supposed to call me and uh give me the rundown of what was going on and updates, And then every time I tried to hit them up, there was never no updates like that, And I wasn't trying to really keep up with the police like that, so I just kind of

let it go. These fools I got jacked. They jacked my whip I was at the bank, followed me out of the bank. I stopped at the UPS store. While I was in the UPS store, these fools blew out my back window took fifteen grand cash out of my trunk. The cops had their car and they couldn't like the license plate was like fuzzy, but they could have figured it out. They had video of the girl who followed me out of the bank and got in that car, and I had never heard. I'm like, bro, did y'all

even try to get my ship back? So be honest, I tried way harder than them for that first week and me too, Like I had got to a point where I'm the one who got the footage because I went I went to the gas station that I stopped at, and I had to chip off the guys. Look, give me the footage. They had to follow me here because I went here before I went to the other spot where I got robbed, and I had to give I gave the cops the footage, like I got the footage

that was right that's the same thing I did. I gave cops more footage, and I went to the neighbors and it was one of those things where they were supposed to be able to go through some other people's cameras in the neighborhood and they be able to spot you know what I'm saying, because I saw the car, but I couldn't see no plates. In the way that

they did, it's a whole run. They got a whole route out the neighborhood, through the neighborhood where they don't have to know what they were doing, go straight to the freeway. I lost like, I lost like five chains. I think my girl lost like two chains. Bracelet. To be honest, I did have insurance, but they wasn't covering that. They didn't cover it. They didn't cover anything. I had paperwork and all that ship and I went through you know what I'm saying, everything I needed to go through,

but they wasn't covering it. Learning experience, man, Yeah, I learned from it. Yeah, look, kid Ink, appreciate you coming through. New album. Hey, let's let's for the radio show. Introduce a record man, which I don't know, Uh, it'll be two out whichever one you are gonna have clean for me. Oh yeah, okay, you just need to give you that today too, all right? Uh y'all, what's up this? Your boy kid ink right here and this is my new record, red Light Off the Project Alive. You already know what

it is. We ain't here baby Alumni back game, one time Boulet Kid. Whoop whoop,