EP 114: DJ BattleCat: Past Present & Future

Bi Staires from the streets. Hello, five three two one. We'd like to welcome you to another episode Against the Chronicles podcast now with my homeboys, Jill Man, it's night man. We have um, I don't want to say special guests. Man, we have a legend of them this month. You know, DJ battle Cat Man. You know it ain't too many people that can say they spanned three decades and some

ship no forth so forth. Do you realize, Dog, that you've been making music more than some of our listeners been alive longer than some of our listeners been alive. I mean, I know now, but I can I definitely haven't. I have that thought in mind from time to time. But I've just been appreciating the fact that that they they're still passionate about what I do, and they want to be involved, and they want me to finish what

I started. So you know, it gives me gasoline to keep going, all right, you know, because that's just what it is. That's the vibe. Yeah, you know, let me give this proper introduction, DC Powder. You know what I'm saying, BC Powder Official With DJ battle Cat, I would hit the applause, put the little pause through the little clause affects me everything. Yeahlause too across the board. That's real ship, though, And that's one thing about games, the chronicles. We bring

brothers on their positive brothers. I'm talking about for real, for real, that's doing the thing. You got cats out there that say, you know, you come from here, you come from there, you're never amounted nothing. They get this table here, that ship, and that's crazy that reality. They gotta they gotta wake up because you know, divine order's a beautiful thing once you understand what it is and your purpose, you know. So this is the kind of

table I'd like to be at. This indeed. You know, especially you're coming from the area that you come from, you know, choices are limited. You could easily became a victim to your circumstances around the community, but you use your gifts and talents to elevate. Man, it wasn't even so much the darkness. I've seen a lot of light that could have brung me in. You know, because I've seen some guys from my from my soulio, our neighborhood, you want to call it tribe. They was more they

were there was more like heroes in the sense. And I see that they still respect that their family, their mothers and fathers. So when I've seen that, you know, and I've seen the fun that they was having through the the culture and the lifestyle of of doing their thing. It that was the part that drew me in. But you know, once you spend some time a little bit more in debt with them, when you see the other other activities that go on, you know, you you know

your curiosity. You know, if you ain't schooled right, you know, you you could be drawn in and you never know and you don't you don't know what how you built. But some of it has been a blessing. I ain't gonna lie to some of the glad of you're to school, said, I haven't seen with how to you don't be a stand up guy and don't let no one just walk over you and stuff like that. You know, I haven't had a few means on the block that was like, look, if you can't keep your own bike, win't gonna keep

saving you. You know, we're gonna whoop your ass if you ain't uh a standing up guy for your bike. You know what I'm saying. We don't do all the captains say we will be a big brother, but we we can't do this all the time because that ain't our get down doing that all the time. We want to see some dudes who can stand on their own. So next time that situation came around, just toughen up and just you know, still still still still strong, do the battling. He ran off and I was able to

go home with my fucking bike. I was very respected more that way, and I was like cool, that was what iut even being quoted on. But I was quoted on in their heart because they see that I had heart right exactly exactly. It was all I think it was all the path of of living where we grew up as young kids, as young adolescence, you know, eleven twelve, um, watching the Big Homies was was intriguing to really was

that was our neighborhood hero so to speak. I mean, I know you were taught in school, you know, the Malcolm's and the Martins and get you a positive role model. But you know, I looked at the big Old Jesus and then they was protecting the neighborhood. You know. Uh, some of them would school us and then telling us what we should and shouldn't be doing or if we had since enough to venture off in the music orld, do whatever. A lot of the Homies would tell us.

You know, you should that should be your thing. You know what I'm saying. I get it. You want to represent the neighborhood. But you got you have choices, you know that a lot of dudes didn't have. So it's like you said, it was sort of like a teaching lesson or those were are heroes so to speak. Kind of you You you're basically lucky because in the sixties, seventies, and the eighties, the Big Homies were totally different than the Big Homies. You had today exactly what I'm saying.

Some of them that grew up in the sixties and seventies, now you know, they went off to prison or you know, the crack every sucked us up and we lost a lot of good big homies. But back then, like my uncle's, they were there to teach the little homies, the little cats. They wanted to hang around them. So in the backyard did show you how to play basketball? They was they was teaching you if you if you don't know how to fight, then we'll go home. You know, my cousins,

the Duffies. If I lost the fight over there, sat Pedro, the motherfucker's made me dirt. You got the fight, you know what I'm saying. But but in today, these kids, some of these dudes ain't never had a fight. They never had to get down like that. And then you know the majority of them are bullies. You know what

I'm saying. They never had to fighting, didn't here you go, yeah, yeah, I seen that hands on and and that's one thing that I didn't wanna h add to my repertoire on my personality, and you know, and being a young kid coming coming into a younger del because I really didn't

like the feeling afterwards. You know what I'm saying. It left an ugly feeling, and you know you will go home flashing out on your brother or something you know, or family member behind it, you know, because they don't understand that that outside world, you know, it's like it is, and so you you don't have no one for me. For me, I was the oldest, so I still needed a big brother even though I was the oldest. So you know a lot of my big brothers was the

brothers on the block. So I get what you're saying. I appreciate that for the fullest exactly. You know, you've been making rigors for a long time. Like I said it before, Right, you come in the studio with Reppert. Nowaday you're coming there with a repper Do you already kind of have in your mind what you want to do with that artist when you come in. Uh, that depends on the relationship. Early on, I didn't have they

didn't have any records out. You know, I was dealing with people who was brought into it like I would us. So excuse me. All I had was this word of mouth. Uh, sometimes of that invitation to to to to make music for some for someone. So when they get there, um, of course I want to hear where they had, if they got some previous work, you know, cassettes or something, because that's when when the cassette days was our here's something.

And if they didn't hand the material, they was just wrong on this bus, get down acapella, or I'll put an instrumental on. Being a DJ, I would put some instrumentals on and just just here their skill setting voice, you know, and um, I would just go from there.

And then one thing about me with words, I was like to bring the backdrop to words, you know from watching movies, you know, television and going to certain things and seeing people speak, or even growing up on records like the Last Ports and Ports and the Watts Profits and you know, Mom had that plan so that I

got a chance to appreciate word play early on. So by time this hip hop thing came, we're talking about eight eight two, you know, I didn't really start getting down to about maybe I want to say, uh, eight eight eight. So but yeah, that's that's that's my initial thing. You know, it's just handing a voice, and then I just go from mind. Either they're coming with a specification if they're really good with hearing music, you know, knowing what they want. Yeah, got this sample. That's that's what

the hip hop game was when they first started, you know. Um, so they were bringing their little twelve inches or forty fives or concessing. I played, and you want you want to chop up? You want this part right here, chop it, loop it and just arrange it. So they sung that that song structure to their lyrics and then next thing,

you know, week we're rocking and rolling. Yeah, because one thing I noticed that you do really really well is like, let's say you're making the track for eight M. You're specifying it to him, but you still got your signature battle Cat sound. You can still tell that's a battle Cat track. That's a BC Pounder track, you know what I mean? That's about. And to get to it and for those who are polished I do and already have

a track record a good material out there. Of course I listened to it because the thing is just supposed topos to bringing things to the table where it feels like it's relevant but it's still new and it's and it's and you're putting their sound and your sound together. So what I would do was incorporate uh certain instrumentations uh uh, meaning from their previous records. I would incorporate some of it. I know that like with eight, he like jazz, she's like hip hop, he like R and B,

and he like funk. So and you know, to work with him, I'll just make sure that I got maybe two or three of every genre, so I won't I won't miss you know what I'm saying. To cover the different temples and moves swing, it could be laid back and don't want uh our energy jazz track. You might want to lay back jazz track. So I would do one mid temple smooth and one kind of up temple, because that's what you're supposed to do. You gotta go

outside the box. If he never been on something in another style in the vein that he likes, that's that's what a producer needs to do to challenge so on and show diversity in their in their creativity. That's what really creates a longevity relationship with producers and writers in this thing called you know, entertainment. I think it's producers who are crafted and know they work. Basically, you get

producers sometimes who just throw you in anything. But then there are producers who know the artists, like like like like he said, I know what dog raps two, know what they eight wraps too. So it ain't like you gotta like to build a bear bullshit, like let me try to figure out what he likes, or I'm gonna come to the studio with this all kind of ship.

He already know the direction. So that's a good producer to me because I don't have to sit up and tell him motherfucker life, Well, uh, you should listen to this, or you should listen to this, or you should listen to that. Then you're kind of get my flavor. Good producers already know the artists. Stay working with so off the gate. Or if I'm working with this cat, already know what type of beat to make him, you give

me because that's his track record. So just say you're walking into the door, you would have expectations of battle Cat. You already know what I would have expectations of. He already know what I like, So he ain't gonna come with no ship that I'd be like, Oh, that's some ship that so and so will wrap two or that's something that that cat would wrap two and everything he probably wore. And and then it's like he said, it's good to be diverse. Let you try something different. See

if he liked that. You get me. You know, I ain't just want to mention I'm coming with my bag because if his past relationships or anyone, you know, he still got his his relationship with us with his jeez, are you know whoever he's getting down with. But sometimes when you live life, sometimes different things happened to you in the inside about your taste of music, and you be needing a sound that that is transparent with what

you're feeling. So you know, you mentioned a couple of things that was key now with me being successful, I have had these talks with certain artists who really know music without composing it and challenged me and said, hey, can't you should get back in your bag or let me give you this. If they'll say this is what what else I've been listening to? And I like that because they know I'm gonna know about it once I hear it. Because of my instrumentation, I'm gonna musician first

before the title of a beatmaker. My my first passion's drums and percussion, then keys, so I understand rhythm all away across. Plus I used to pop blocks, so I understand rhythm and dancing. And you know, when you're making music and you be and as you being a DJ, you know, you really know how to captivate a crowd and the audience. And you must be open minded. Because when I wasn't open minded, I see where that got me.

But when I start opening my mind about the different audience, I think, I think, uh, Greg mckin uh and Roger Clayton from Minchael James on me and k they by them being up on the both of those entities, it showed me a lot about how to not lose your crowd, your audience, you know. And so m once I start understanding people as a young kid, they move swings, where they come from and what they're looking to do once they're getting in a place like a club or or

house party. Your thing is is to build the momentum of of a good time, and so you must listen to records that can really captivate and and really move the crowd. You have a responsibility to command the audience and take them someplace where it feels like an adventure. So when they go back home. They're not really thinking about their problems. They really more motivated to do something about, you know, the situation at hand, and music does that.

They really bring a lot of you know, different views and perspective where you you know you you're you have a better chance in life. You know, we heard let the Curtis Mayfields. You know when those who say they live with this type of music, it's also a lifestyle that goes with the music. So you have a responsibility to be that. You know, if this if this music is your it's the soundtrack to your day. And whether you're going to pay a bill or going to see

a girl or see a family member. You know that music and the message in it can set the tone.

And that's what I always understood early owners as a kid being a musician to a world were now producer and he was a DJ too, because I noticed all the great producers are DJs as well, even the ones that don't got DJ in front of the you know, in front of the in front of their name, or you go back to the day and you find out that they did have a DJ at one time, like like when I got an invitation to see Jimmy Jammy

Terry Lewis. Come to find out Jimmy jam was a DJ first before he was a full fledged music musician, and and and and uh it made so much sense abhout his rhythms. It's like it was like they work. You know, that's the West Bend, you know, Alexander O'Neil sarell or even with the rap uh Homie from Long Beach Bad Times that yeah, you know he that's Jimmy jam and Terry Lewis early on with hip hop and R and B. So you're right. And all the DJs that was in the late seventies that I knew that

was producers. Dre is one of them, uh, Greg Royals rest in Peace, Uh, Sidney Thomas, d J. Redge, you know, Egypts and Love and Roger dam guys uh and then the rest of our crew, you know, the rest of my Kady Mixed Masters are end up being producers as well, Joe Cooley, uh, Ralph M. Trasky, Romeo, Jam and James. There's something in the name, you know. And and and it pays It paid off for us doing that. You know, we had a sense of responsibility of getting into the

production world. You know what I'm saying, because we we was it was in the man. We needed music that was relevant to where we from because we didn't have that. My music was kind of all over the place before we found an yea and purpose. Yeah, let's pay some bills real quick and checking in with our sponsors. Do you know what I want to go back to. I want to go back to the eighties. Oh okay, we can go back to the eighties kind of right. Yes,

you remember the California Kick. Yes, I was a kid they mixed Master as well as um uh California Cat Crew remember. And what it was for me is because I always always wanted to be a part of a crew because, like I said, I was the oldest. So if I was blessed not have the hood like E was, say, take me under. They really encouraged me to get out

and do my thing. You know. I was already DJ and the host parties and and black tie affairs and all of that type of stuff and birthdays, but being in the California Cat Crew was gonna I thought would be the next best thing to earn Roger Clayton of uncle Jim ormaner one of the finals. I would be able to earn his trust and respect with a reputation because he wasn't really letting people in and he knew that certain backgrounds of the neighborhoods we was found to

come with consequences. And so that's one thing he tried to do was not alienate people who come from you know, the different parts of the neighborhood. But you know, sometimes it's it's a given if they're uh cheerleading your your your your craft and your reputation, you know, of course they want to come and support, you know, and uh

having people's skills. But that California Cat crew was me, Bobcat, uh kid cat Um scratch Cat, and uh of course Bob himself, you know, so you got you know, Pooky Pooky uh and Bob was definitely not right down the street from me. You know, it was a skip in the hop, you know, traveling from the sixties to the fifties, you know, we got the ben g s they blood, you know, and I used to walk from my hood through their hood to get to Bob. You know what

I'm saying. Because his professional approach and hunger and passion for Dejing was at an all time high. I mean, and and uh that that was the closest guy I could get to to to, you know, to to be able to hand this message over to egyps and Lover and Roger said, Hey, I got a little you know, a little homie. You know, he's on time, he dressed right, his records is up to date, and he knew how

to play. I put him on. I gave him a platform to play, and he didn't run the audience you know, on the fan, you know, or what not, you know, off the floor. He kept him on the dance floor his transition and time and was superb because that's one thing about the art of DJ, and you still had had to represent in a way where you look like business, you look like a DJ, and you look like you come to captivate, you know, uh, invitation to a club

or a concert. So that that helped me tremendously to be up under his his his crew, and it gave me so much game because we end up going I end up going to the same high school that he went to. Well, I could see him hands on and when I seen him play with the Gypsy and Love and Roger, it was it was it was incredible, you know, because we got principles grown adults there, Jona Church, you

know that new vibe. So I'm watching the whole demographic and demonstration of how they had to take another look at Bob and go, you know what, it's not just the food for mother, the photos, cripping and acting. Then asshole, he really have a skill set that doesn't exist in the school because we didn't have that kind of academic or whatever in our class, you know, far as DJ. But you know, it was something to appreciate, and uh yeah,

I just followed his footsteps. I filed shout out to my big brother, DJ Bob, Big Bob, I'm on you. I want to stay during this time period because this is important. What was the streets of l a Like? Because because one thing about Los Ange, there's one thing about music. Period of music pretty much mirrors the community. What's going on in the community at that time. What was the streets of l a Like during that time?

We can all y'all can all the left right on that um Man during the head during that for years we're talking about like you know, eighty nine, I'm talking about five through like that. That's understand. The streets was vicious, um gang Dangan was vicious. Uh drive by New drive By was that? I mean, Ship Niggas was getting smoked like every every day. I mean especially in content. I

know Niggas was shoot crazy. So the music to me, um and it was all Parliament and George Clinton and and you know the wrap Wrap for us was kind of off, man, I mean, hood Niggas was used listening to or Bounce and motherfucking I heard it through the grape vine. Well that was the Gamester rep that was there before Rep. That was kind of like the music that was. And then you know, you had like you said, we had Egyptian Lover, We had l a dream team

Bobby Jimmy and the Critters and ship like that. Are wrapp didn't show neighborhood substance until Todd in Space came with the t v K takes and they started they started doing the parodies off of like you know, where the Al Yankovic would do. He would take motherfucker's music and make his own songs. So thus we had the battle Ram off the Wrapping Duke. We had motherfucking the Clucks come Out at Night off of Whodini's Freaks Come

Out at Night. You know, we had motherfucking you know, just say no and Spade with the Compton posse and rapping off the genius of love and um. That was our introduction to the neighborhood rap, introduction to nigga selling dope, you know in the neighborhoods Our introduction to the battle Ram and Darryl Gates and the fund Up l ap D and Mayor Tom Bradley and all that ship. That's where I learned about all that ship listening to time tapes because they talked about all that ship. Ship that

wasn't being broadcasted or seen. They was giving you the information about what was going on in the neighborhood. So that was my introduction to ship. You need to bring your ass up your another another. That's then that's with that transition, we started getting the banging on wax, battle Cat and them came along with my nigga Domino and all hips. That's what that was. That's that was our

era of music. It started to transition. I loved I like how you put that because all I could do is just give you the West side of South Central perspective. It was that and then something because uh, the record stores and the DJs UH existed existed a lot in a lot of the South central areas. We had to sloss in the Western DJO down the street right across the street from the Slash and Swape met um we had.

Even in Guardina. It was a couple of other locations where we were a lot of the DJs are homies from the streets will actually go to these v I P and record stores to go get they uh the go get their music. But then the mix tape game for us UH paid off because I was able to start hearing other different neighborhoods uh farther from me, you know what I'm saying, like Compton, Long Beach and and Guarden. I started hearing people's uh expressions of their experiences of

life through music. I was all of them tapes was coming across. And you know which kind of prepared me forebanging on wax, you know, because you had Quick making his mix tapes and and and and it was Crypts actually playing his tapes. I didn't hear from a blood. That was another thing they ignored what you know, wasn't the customed to they is because of the where they was from. But they saw his gift beyond at and so well, now I just incorporated all what was happening

in the streets and it just groomed me. So when Teddy not Teddy, but the homio tweety Bird from Compton and U my other boy Red Rum, you know from from Inglewood. You know, when them two came together with their unique idea to start voicing, uh, the big homies who was more in depth what the real things that was happening without given too much uh you know insight.

You know, they was very good. We're talking about the layers, light layers or the first layers of the greedy, the greediness of cripping and blood and and and uh tribes and tripulations and adversities are broken homes and the police in the whole nine yards. So it groomed me and it prepared me for that. And I think Leon Heywood and a couple of other individuals for that opportunity because I didn't see that coming. That was like a shock, a shock value to my to my craft and what

I'm gonna do better before you doing it? Because you want to hold another subject now, because I was gonna speak on banging on wax. It's connected to all that when he when he said eight, it got close and got real super close. That's the only reason why I

gave you that gym. Yeah, And what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna tell y'all a lot there for you'all youngsters to go do your research and for the ogs to know to know when Banging on Wax hit, it was like atomic bomb in the streets that hit because you for the first time you had every card that you heard go by, whether there was a blood or a crypt, it was playing the same music and it kind of brought something. And um, that album wouldn't go a lot of people radio play. And you know, you

know how Scandler Ship was back then. If it wind't go here to the United States, you know they probably sold West Coast music, especially back then at that time. Anything West Coast. You go to Japan, it was on. We was out there getting We took as Big eight, We took we took dads out there. We took me and Coke. He took dads and glasses out there they

first time in Japan. And we was out there setting CDs four hundred and fifty dollars dog and in fifty dollars so ain't no telling what they sold out there. But not to cut you off, I want to get back to it. I just wanted to drop the significance of that that CD carry. Um excuse but um, you know when that happened, you know, it was some question marks definitely going across my head because I know these it's a it's a g code and how much information

is going to be you know, expressed over this music. Yeah, the thing about it was if we could change the narrative, we had to do it first about keeping it raw and express why this attitude, why this language, why this lifestyle and cultures like it is? Uh? And definitely it comes from poverty, stricken in those situations or father not there or mother not there and and the block hugging you and this is what they're you know, adolescent or rules or lifestyle is going to be. So. But if

the thing was is that that's just embrace it. So it felt weird to to perpetuate the genocide aspect of it, meaning what we've seen, what we're talking, what we lived on the streets, it's now, but to be amplified ten times more because it's another thing, you know, how it is you take a song, you put your own spin on it. But now we're do in the video and now we're putting it on cassette for distribution and the corporation behind this culture, it's gonna be looked at all

kind of ways. So I had to find a name for myself, and it was Sea Rider. I'm more of a rider than a banger. I knew better, you know, And I really wanted to be that for numerous of reasons because I didn't want to uh tarnish a real name that I earned, uh through some heroes and in the in the music industry, and that was battle Cat. I didn't want to be battle Cat from sixties. I wanted to be Sea Riders from sixties. So when people

see that, they're gonna have their own spending perspective. Oh, kid from out of the sixties are over there from the sixties. It's okay. Because one thing I wanted to do was make sure that my own identity personally and professional it was was embraced. Like That's one thing I did level about I still do about the g from my hood day. They they let me be me, and uh, that was a beautiful thing to have that so I

could uh bring that into making the record. But at first you know and you know how it is in the pind if you going to take uh a name that is not on the platform of music and not appreciate it at at all, and you and you and you say rolling sixty r SC who is this dude that's representing us? And when would he win? So it got to the top that and this this is it's a nigger perpetrating us. And then when they found out I was off to a g C and it was actually me and my reasons it's because I wasn't the

one from my hood really rapping. But we had a big hooman from my hood who had a brother named Banded uh uh. He was He was real good and the auto rapping, but he went and did time. So I didn't have no one from my hood to be a voice. So that's when I became that artist for that movement, and the success of it was to really like like when it got to ghetto boy, I mean not ghetto boy, but I would say that the ghetto

boys are what the chronic was. I was looking for the maturity of cripping and blood and to go to another level where We're now not talking about knocking each other's all off, because we already got cousins, brothers, sister's wife's husband from you know, from that perspective going into it. So and then I was looking at it being another opportunity to introduce different other barrels or ghettos or tribes

to another neighborhood. You know what I'm saying, Because in the art of Dijon, that's I always had to dress neutral and make sure that whoever I was bringing with me had an open mind and and didn't bring fear to the table by going with me to these different neighborhoods.

So that was my contribution. They wanted to do this thing called banging on wax so we can re educate people and uh and get people to know who's who, because if you ever go back going across Compton, you know you I didn't have no one until I actually did banging on banging the wax. It was I was able to get someone to help me identify what was the lochest dollar or the language or culture of of of Compton. And so that helped me tremendously. I thought banging on wax when I listened to it it was

us banging against them and the crips doing them. But the way you putting it is like trying to change it through music. Um to get to put a different spin on it through music. And I didn't look at it by listening to uh yeah when yeah. I didn't look at it like that like they're trying to change something like like but it was just wrong. And let me let me I'm glad you jumped in and say that, because see, for me, that's why a domino came out

of it. Feel me. We I don't want I didn't want us to be looked at as just that because if you take the pillars of it off, you got some incredible human beings and we always looked at as a fucking animal. So why look at that image as a career. See, because a lot of those brothers wasn't really active our shot callers from their from their hood. They were just being in a sense like what what what what? What? What? What? What? What? Um uh Cube in a sense was a messenger and vood for the

neighborhood and not really active member like me. I wasn't an active member. Drake was an active member. You know, it's a lot of us in this game. We're not active members, but we held a connected understanding the culture of the movement. I mean, but listen, I ain't gonna say I'm not gonna say that that didn't exist, you know,

but um, that was my intent. But yeah, that was my intent, and and and it worked and in more ways than one because I wasn't there to change no one, but it would have been incredible to hear what if the second one had to be that same level of you know this and each other. I still wanted the conversation to open up, to show some maturity from both both sides, you know what I'm saying. And so when you do that, then people can go and say, Okay, that's that's the story, and they really who they are,

but they really human beings underneath all that. Because we're dealing with the mayors, the government, we're dealing with police, we're dining with sheriffs, were dealing with judge. You know, when they heard that music, they're just like, oh ship, they're gone wild. They they not for the become nothing

out of this. So don't you think, uh another you have y'all should do this again, because now and everything is different than the eighties the nineties, with with all this ship that's going on today and and gang members crossing over, you know, able to shoot at the table with each other. You know what I'm saying. From all walks aside now here we are on some total different ship. Now we can speak that. Man if I didn't know this brother from from from being from Tragnew have been

working with him a long time ago. Now we can write about that ship. You can get your bloods, you can get them on the same page and do it. And that would be some cold ship, Big James. I think it got a lot to do with you know, Like I said, the budget that I've seen in the maturity of the Brothers. I've seen early on in the eighties that was crippling and blood. And they still have

some morals and principles. But when you got jeeves that are ignorant and on the dark side and changing a code or whatever that it is, and the perpetuating something that doesn't bring value to the lifestyle of crippling and blood, and then you got them going uh in the circle that they confused. They're like, come on, become me. I see you doing good and I see you providing this and this in from you, But why won't you bring

it all the way out across the board. And it's just like putting the laundry on the table that the ends and the outs of how to will and deal? How when when when do I turn this off? You know what I'm saying. And and a lot of a lot of different neighborhoods, a lot of them didn't want to turn it off because they glorified it. You know, it wasn't you know, I didn't. I didn't. I wouldn't

privy to see those meetings. And even if I was, I know, for me, I didn't want to be in the room and I'm not active and that's not my lifestyle. And I hear this, and then when ship go wrong, then they're looking at who was the who was all in the room when this was being talked about. So I knew then early on, I didn't really want that. I didn't want to be the the what what you know the title that they you didn't want to be

the pup, Yeah, exactly. And there's a lot of brothers who who didn't mean to be there, but they was there because of certain things that they saw them made them comfortable to be there because they wasn't safe at their own crib. They just felt like with them, if I'm getting this love and he's giving me attention and my dad ain't here, on my uncle in here, I

want to be here. So then you got a lot of artists who get inspired to say, funk that I'm carpeting the hard rock and you know, on the wall, but ain't the one even me enough to value what I'm thinking about? So if if that all those pieces not there, fucking I'm just gonna go all the way

this way. And then you've got a lot of g's that would laugh at that and think it's entertainment and think it's the ship, but really you're sucking up someone who could be especial or brilliant or successful to to life. So so when when you when Drey was doing records like a little gettle boy, I was so fucking happy because he spoke from a perspective that the b g S are a little homies always wanted to hear was a U O G take accountability for the bully ship

or the destructive ship. He inspired his homie. So when he said, uh, I'm bigger than you. What you want to do. Didn't know he had you. I cried like a kid because I actually seen those scenarios and that's when I knew Dre was You know, this is this is the type of ship that made even Wonta hug

him even that much more. You know what I'm saying, because that's what was going on, big homies was getting out of penitentiary, uh, bullying the little homies in the game, taking their little sacks, doing all these different types of So when the little homies, I'm here to show you I'm with it. I'm here to say I'm I'm keep funking on day and this is what you're gonna do to me being on me. I ain't trying to fight you, but to fight back and for everybody else not to

see you as a punk. Pa pa, Pa pa. That's all little ghetto Boys was and and he told it the right way and and how this ship actually go down, you know what I'm saying. And that's why I say, if you did another banging on Wax and and of the of the gangsters today, the concept to be way wider than what it was at the first time, because now you've got the older cats and the younger cats kind of linking up and they understand each other, you know what I'm saying, because the world is really up now.

The hoods are not the same no more. Once you change the concept of what it was the first time, you see what it is now, it's totally different. It's it's and and uh, we're quick can wrap together and talk about this ship. Yeah. That that that blew my mind because I actually witnessed at Snoopy's function. I think it was for his birthday or or his wife. And I've seen eight until and quick there, and I cheered up a little bit because you know, it's not from

a soft point of view. It's just like I know him both, you know, you know, when we don't do nothing about it and we don't look outside the box about how to be bigger, bigger than these scenarios and situations, then all leaders and ship you know, they never get uh get going, they never get off the ground and never you know, get past it in the first situation. So when I seen that, I was like, damn it.

Then I seen chill with eight and then I seeing how humble see this is what it what it is when you can see like my real name is Kevin. Battle Cat is a brand. Battle Cat can't be two people. And when you try to put human perspective with another name that ain't really who you are as a person. People really don't know the difference. So when you're trying to turn off your brand or your name, industry name, it's hard to do that because you didn't really from

the gate, uh separate the two. And sometimes you know what, the public is gonna allow you to separate the two because you would have like instance like this, like let's say, for example, you have eight You just said James mother McDonald for ship. Everybody keeps Mom James a brand and who But I'm here to bed I'm here to beg the different. I'm James McDonald was born James McDonald. Mom James was a actor. Mom James, I played a role in the neighborhood to be that guy. Ain't that guy

no more? Because I took myself about the neighborhood. So when I why should I continue to be him? If I continue to be Mom James, I glorified what I did exactly and I can't quit. I'm not there no more. So man, you said it, man, You people just people just want. It's just sometimes people just don't want to get over the fact that you can mature. It's like people want to reminisce on on that character. And like I said, I hear it every day. Why don't you

wrap like you did thirty years ago? I come, you don't talk about the dry byes? And I'm like, dude, I'm not on the block, no more selling crack. What the dudes due in my pocket? Trying to you know what I'm saying, like, I don't do that ship anymore? What about this? The things we're doing the neighborhood. I'm gonna just say on eight the things that they did in the neighborhood and accomplishments that he made from Track. Now, the little homies from Track now look up to you.

They don't look at John Wayne and see John Wayne as the hero. They're looking at you as being a hero. And in the coldest part about the little homies that respect us, they don't understand the change, That's all it is. They don't understand how can you change? You're supposed to be? This is what I what I learned to love, to glorify. And then and they don't think you're supposed to grow up. But and then at the end of the day, we all got to grow up. This man, we gotta grow

up and we gotta learn how to be man. But the little homies and the people in the neighborhood look at us as hero The only heroes they know, the only real motherfucker's they see, the only fathers that they can ever get close to, is the big Homies sitting there on the curt would him on the break walk telling them the homie, this is how you do this, and this is how you do that. But they never had that change. Me ask you this, and he mixed

it earlier that we all go back to this. The Big Homie at one point literally took the place of the father in the house old huh. Yeah, the homies I took. And I can say this from the hood. The homies took, not one specific that one individual. The homies the hood took pops position. Yeah, you know what I'm saying, because once Pops decided to move out of the house, now we can do what the funk we

want to do, how we want to do it. Now we can have the homies, and now we can do this now that I ain't gotta be questioned or told to come home. You know what I'm saying. So once Pops was gone, this is the only motherfucker that you're supposed to fear. It's Pops, nobody in the streets. But once that was gone, these niggas are dude, this is just easy right here. I can do the hood. I ain't. I've never been a follower that because it's one thing I've learned. I'm not gonna follow you just because I

don't hear that type of ship. We're gonna do it this way. And if they don't want to do it this way, I learned I know how to go my way and do my thing. But without all of that, yeah, man uh, the hood became family, especially for a lot of young a lot of young brothers who fathers was in in the house hall. I'm talking about being deep in the hood. And and Mama say them boys ain't your friends. And I can honestly say this, Mama's listed in peace. And since all the way until the day

she died, I took care of her. And and because I felt older, because I used to tell my mom shut the funk up. These the homies get the funk out of here. I mean, very disrespectful to my mother. And it wasn't until I went to prison when a man told me, when you know your mama everything, and you're gonna learn to appreciate. If you don't appreciate now, you're gonna appreciate one day. And I appreciate my mother more than anything, Yeah, I ever did, since she's been

going real ship. So but I was just that ignorant into believing that the homies had my back, that the homies loved me, that the homies gonna make sure everything is good. When I sucked up, They're gonna be there. If I get kicked out the house, I'm a I'm at the Homie house. I got somewhere to sleep. But then at the end of the day, it just blew me away when I found that that all of it

was just a fucking game. It was a joke. Yeah, because like you said, when the father left, they put their own spin and definition and rules, but didn't understand that people that they was putting on, you know, they wasn't built for that. They didn't think about the mental state of mind. They didn't think about a spirit, that there's a spirit in that body. And and when you uh, putting your own spin on it, and it's it's cold custody.

See they caught between seeing glory and successive finances and parties and a girl getting sicked on them or giving them some some bread. You know, everything is not really earned and understood with some sense of rules that that that they can use for corporate America, Right you feel me? So what happens when that mentality come to a dead end and you try to sure this is I've been seeing how they burned the streets to the to the sweets.

It started early on and uh like that's why I was asking earlier about when the big homes that never teach us when to turn it off and not it being looked at, its being soft, like just don't belong here because cripping and blood and it is not in corporate America, but really it is. When you look at the job description they gotta do. That's a lot of them that crypton blood had good ass jobs at uh something a lot of places, so they knew they had

to put a suit on. I've seen a few of my g's come home with soups and ship on our janitorial outfits on some ship. So it was it was. It was confusing in the sense and some of it wasn't. Some of it was like wow, uh looked at him this way, but you didn't know he had a responsibility outside that where he was still respected but not soft. But he knew when to bring the the g G

hand to a certain situation. Because we've got a lot of people in corporate America who don't have street skills, reality skills, and know how to talk and learn how to read body language, you know what I'm saying. So that's why for me, I was really fortunate and blessed to have some gs that wasn't demonic trying to pull me in. But it was challenging a lot of times, especially seeing certain homies get killed that love that it was built like that and something that wasn't built like that.

You know how that the total package I'm I know the streets, I know how to talk with this, I know how to talk and then corporate American, I know how to talk to you whomever it was in front of me, and I know how to talk to the the street ship. I know to talk to the package dog. All right, Phyllis, let's pay some bills real quick. We'll

be right back. So when you talk about the artists today and when we you know, I mean our gis that built this ship, when they have to step away because that's not what they get down is and the benefits is not there and none of that. It's still being looked at like, oh, you ain't sure your buster. You just left us and you won't give us no

next level what it is. You know, it's because a lot of the Gez did so much ship without turning it around that by the time you do want to say something that makes sense because you can see yourself in them. They just just got a whole different outlook on life and a mentals and spirit and perspective of life is com bro so. But the thing is, I'm understanding that I see eight everyone is here. They just grab a few. You ain't gonna be able to get them.

All the ones who wanted to get them make a difference, and that and and and the rest is gonna do what it's gonna do, because that good book is the same way. Everybody ain't going. Okay, I can honestly say I'm trying like a mug to grab all the ones I can and help all the ones I can, and I tell you I've been doing it. Uh. I ain't even want to bring that up. But I had a cat that really felt like he didn't want to be

here no more. I had to call norm. I be in the position I'm in and it's easy to talk to somebody, but if I say something fun up down, it's on a different level. And I talked to his well, his uncle pray from me. Once his uncle said that prayer from me. He blessed my words to come out of my mouth for this man to receive it. That's what I asked for, and it was good, and not only him, but quite an other few. I had a brother sent me a picture of his son with it

with a cap and he graduated. And he said, because of you, my son graduated. And I didn't bury it that I knew. I'm I'm doing good exactly. So just like you said, we can't take everybody because everybody don't want to go. And now they gotta a calling that's beyond our control because of what they feel that's important that they want to stand on. They married day day rules,

they go, they see something totally different. So all you can do is, you know, be there for him but don't totally alienate yourself from it, because so you'll be surprised another over talking of you, James, you'll be surprised what your your your influence or another period of time in your life where you're gonna play something that you can't even imagine or you really you know you have something about yourself, but you never know you're gonna play

this role. So when you start to look at life on a whole, another spectrum, a whole, another frequency, a whole, another purpose than than than than what you've been doing, that's amazing to see. Who are the faces one? This miraculous thing happened? Was this miracle thing happened? I hadn't been in. I hadn't been in some crazy things like I should I say this? I was very instant a mental and conveying the message for Mr Harris Harry y'all, for me being who I am as a producer and

the man and the father and the husband. I never thought that my input, in my tone of voice and everything about me would help someone else take it serious and do their part to make sure that this message got you know, delivered, and and it had an effected him coming home a man God is good all the time, you know. And let me ask you this because we're talking about help from people, right, Yes, you can answer this to eight. You can answer this, James. You all

kind of feel it, you know, being people. Anytimes you get in the public eye, how do you tell because one thing about the homies, you could tell him yeah fifty million times, but one time you say no, they forget about the other fifty million times. When do you eventually just say? When do you eventually cut it off? You know, I think what it is when you for me um, if you're support and your contribution to saying something to him. I guess when they see it as

like Dracula, you know he can't stand the light. You feel me. So when you see them like wanting to be real dark and don't want to value you on a whole another level where they're talking to you in a very disrespectful way, you know what I'm saying, then, Dan, then you just gotta just smile and go Okay, that's where he that's where he had ain't gonna make you weak.

It's you know you're keen. You're a man if you can really pay attention to knowing that you know what even if he's disrespecting me and from the others that respect me, I still know the difference without being looked at as a wheenie, you know what I'm saying. So I know I know how to walk away and just

smile about it and go on. But some people feel like if they're in front of their peers and you're trying to give someone something, you know, and the little homie or whatever you know, act like you want to get off on you because he don't feel nothing about you. He just was for some reason to day you just he was the strong that broke the camel's back, you know what I'm saying, And you're in front of your peers when this is happening. Sometimes you know, some guys

gotta just go there. But it really don't. It doesn't answer the situation, you know what I'm saying. You know, it's just I hope, I'm hope I'm getting to it.

You know, I just know when I've been in situations like that, I just know, you know, when I see it and it's overbearing and it's gonna take you, it's about to take you out of character, and you feel like, you know, you gotta just sit back and just small sometimes when I smiled, because the first thing the motherfucker gonna do is tell you if they really know you and know the type of person you are, the first thing you do was gonna tell you, man, don't trip

off that ship. Yeah, I mean, because if you are that changed person that the motherfucker has seen, then no, because if they know what you come from, they respect you more for being that motherfucker. Go just smile and be like you know something. It shows that you have changed your character and not that motherfucker you give me and a lot of maturity comes with that for deeper, they respect you more. Hang around just taking my kind

of weakness. And I'm telling you all right down against chronics, I ain't appreciating that ship. And I'm gonna slapping the funk out of one of your motherfucker's that keep playing with James funck Mom, James. I keep telling you all that, but mess with James. James McDonald's gonna slap your ship out, you ja. And you know I think that is when I hear you reach out like that, you know what I'm saying. I'm not going to just laugh and stay

to the sun like and say that's James. I think for me, when I hear you speak like that, it's just say just remove yourself, stay in the name that you've been in. And because it don't matter if you've got a good thing or a bad thing, they're still gonna say fuck fuck James because we're seeing that well Park, that's not here, Biggie or anyone who's been here, uh,

Nipsy the whole nine yards, you know. So it's like, um, it's almost like giving them a sense you're giving them power that it touches you that much and that words can affect you, you know. Um, And I ain't gonna say that's that makes you soft at all because it touched you because see, really you have a heart and you really just want them to look at the light of what you didn't put out and what it and and the benefits that can come with it. So for those who is on the opposite, it is what it is.

It's like them showing you they left from their right. Okay, cool, that's where you at. Good. I didn't have to spend a lot of time with you to find out that's where you're at, and that's that's what you want. Good Now, I have the upp a hand and how to move for my define order in life, like how you are today. I didn't know what it takes for James, Big James to get here. But whatever James did, he didn't value the opposite. He didn't give him He didn't give light

life to it at all enough to get here. So I salute you for whatever process you had to take to get And that's the thing, man, you know what, I look at it like this. I don't give my emotions to somebody. I don't care about it. If you're sitting up there telling me you know you feed me this, I'm just go now. If me and this man have a disagreement, that's go bother because he's a friend of U. Yeah he me and let me have a disagreement and

you have a disagreement. If I'm in the wrong, I'm gonna reach out and apologize about it because somebody that's not edifying to me or whatever, it's like, good, I'm glad you're shooting your heads now. That way, I don't have to mess with you at all. I try to show everybody that I am human and there's multiple size to all of us. Regardless if I announced mym James H. James McDonald still carries some of those traits that dude had.

You know what I'm saying, which is I can go from zero to a huntred and be violent at any time because that's something I learned in the hood, in the streets. I know how to do that, so and I can't throw that away. So that's one of the that's very valuable to me. But just being on a different level, you know, I thought people should would appreciate

the fact that I'm not there. I'm not in the street being self destruction, self destructive, but I'm I'm sitting at a table talking to men, you know, on some productive ship, you know, teaching these young cats that we don't have to be fools and stupid and ignorant. We can We can grow up at fourteen. We can learn the difference and know the difference at fourteen fifteen years old.

We don't have to wait and say if I knew what I know now at the age of thirty five, if I knew what I knew then at I would have been a better person. That's funny that because see, if you you we all know the demonstration is in front of the world and then and it should be

enough to see the dudes and the dumps. But because they doesn't they I guess they don't see enough for them to want to be right and appreciate that that they saw that they feel it's it's it's only pure pressure if you're weak, that's what I'm looking I'm looking at it. It's only pure pressure when you don't really want to value anything that's gonna take you and yours to that next level. So and we've seen that before us. It's a choice at the end of the day and

the beginning of the day, that's where you're at. That's cool. Uh. If I come and see you, I see you, but don't be mad if I'm not there. But then I learned not even tell them that because they're gonna do what whatever they want to do regardless. But my thing is just learning not to put myself in the situation where I have to be approached. You know, if I don't want that serenity and peace, I know where not

to be. And sometimes it's just hard because when you come from a place where you love you, it's almost like you you become a fucking uh tourist. Now you're going to visit where you used to be and and damn, I'm motherfucker that's gotta say something about it. But I'm learning a lot. Just let it be. If there's nothing there and your mom ain't there, you're unto, your brother ain't there, don't go. Don't let it be, because you the mink should inherit the earth. It's can't be just

the block of tract. Knew where I started at. If I got a passport, if I got folks who I know, they got property and in a different life oversees him. How is my only uh purpose? It's it's just to be right here, right it's crew. Yes, that's being a grown man because there's no benefits. We don't know a

lot of people who are really winning. Yeah, this is our in the city where we come from, where people really have to understand the other agenda at him, politics, everything they want us out, okay, well the ones they want to be here and you want to buy up

the block. It's a certain thing that has to go on, and you have to really know yourself and you really got to know the people that's in your community and really try to help provide something where they are really strong mentally, physically, the whole nine yards, so they can maintain if we're conceiving kids and bringing them into the earth. I don't know, minds all the minds. They love where they come from, but they want to get out exactly.

I love the fact that I've seen that them, you know that in them when they turn into television on looking at geographic channels, looking at mechanics and the other different ships that these networks provided, and then seeing that damn, oh, that's just what they they they they they they passion is what ship. If this music ship don't go all the way, then I'm for to take the best of what I do got and put that in there them

and just live with them and live through them. I'm gonna do that then, And that's why my adults who step outside the box, you know you no Snoop is one of them. I mean I see him creating jobs and opportunities from different walks of life. Um. Only only I have to say the entertainment aspect of who these people are, it is because I hadn't seen them with my own eyes, not because I'm friends with them. It's just the stuff that come across my radar without even asking,

and I'm gonna tell you what Snoop man. No, you can't come up to Snoop on those Snoop Dogs ship or eight on the m C eight ship when they're doing the football field with them kids. You're wrong to get rolled about that. Motherfucker'xactly that this is this is says a man that non this, this is what I'm talking about, Jams. Now we're seeing like the platform that you have right here. I never heard and never seen your voice until the day that that You've decided to

bring Chames to this platform. It was very very intriguing to hear. Jeez from that perspective, right A wrong because you hear so much talk. I don't hear no one trying to challenge you and say that these things it's not solid and not real. I And then it goes hand in hand. If your lifestyle, meaning the fruits of your labor, is solid and consistent and you're bearing the fruits of what you putting into it, now, who in the hill is going to doubt that? Now? They don't

have no weight, you know what I'm saying. So that's another thing that made me respect, you know, against the chronicles. You know what I'm saying because it's hero is that that are gainst us that's been killers, that's been murderous. You know what I'm saying, Because I don't condone all is the circumstances of it. But it's just amazing because when you look at that good book and it's it's

killing and has been some kind of way rewarded. You know what I'm saying, When you're doing it for righteousness, you know what I'm saying. So it's not to be glorified. But you know, just like when we we when we watched certain Italians and they got a bad blood that's sucking up the organization and the structure of how it is. And then they gotta go grab one of the members and send him off and knock him off. You know, we kind of embrace that, but it got took him

the wrong way. It's another way where they can live where it's like it's like if we could use that power that's so hard and so dark and and dominic demanded, and and and and and say, nigga, you're going to school today, Nigga you for to learn something? Are you

for the get beat the funk up? I never had, I never seen enough of that perspective, like taking that power and saying no, nigga, nigga, you're gonna dress right to that nigga or you can't even be from the set everything that we did, yes, and now now we're talking about some some gritty ship. Now we could do that. We could do that. We if we want to bring the upper excellence of our hood that we love so much.

What you know, how what goes with that? You know you're gonna be it's gonna be some rebellion us and it's gonna be possibly some darkness and something if you'll tell you something happy. What are you seeing is powerful because what we're doing right here, we ain't supposed to

be popular. You know what's supposed to be properly, We're supposed to be on here this and something some nine times bigger than you know what I'm saying, biggest we we kind of have the amount of people listening to this show wherevery we that we have is actually amazing. It shows that people still want to hear real ship. Because my thing is this, I have brothers sometimes in box met oh man, I know this about such a sex. I know this about sex because we're not here to

put down no other person. Yeah we're not here just like what America is doing. But we just one of them. We couldn't then, we couldn't say ship. We better not have it in our mothers our thing is the uplift ningggers who have been through struggle and who have been through those those transitions of changing themselves, like like James saying, I'm not mile, James, don't warm James McDonald. So respect that transition of who I am Now. You just think about the last time Snoop seen this man. He was

at the trial with him. So just imagining that transition that somebody would have came in both of their ears back then and say, hey man, Snoop James Mark James, we have a podcast. One day He'd I'm like, what the hell not that you know what I'm saying. Just think And you would have told Snoop back then, hey man, you can be the biggest rapper, the most recognized rapper in the world. One day they both have been like, don't do something. Look at it though, mask the way

the universe work In's funny that you said. And and a lot of people have a lot of complaints about why artists are magnified and big like they are or whatever. It's only temporarily. But one thing I do admire about them, they believe in themselves. Even if the ship is off and it will make a lot of sense, it's still the word integrity, integrity, it's still trust, it's still confidence, it's still something. They turned that into something. Now the

content it's another thing. Like I was remember what Dre was saying, like, look, I get it what the content is. That's because he lived it two this and't bit just orgies the whole nine yards. He didn't done it already, but he wants some ship with some substance. And to him, that's what longevity is. Because we really ain't doing a

service to the people we say we preach. We if you say you grew up on the al Greens and the Curtis Man and the Dotty half the Ways and or even the Parliament, I mean, listen, even with the phone, at least Roger was saying on so rugh, so tough, don't worry about your troubles, just get on down. So it's always been a message with the phone. That's why

I gravitated to the phone. They wasn't talking about no genocide and fucking their own home me up and taking their own bitches or wives and cousins and nieces and daughters. They weren't doing that with the music, so I know they had so many challenges and like, damn, letok listen to this content. But then we need the money, you know. I'm pretty sure Legends has been in those those kind of scenarios and had to allow it to go. But

the ones that didn't clear it, I understand. It's because if you're gonna do us as this is our skin, this is us So why are we gonna depreciate all this great message and music that they did? So once you changed to perspective, that's like when when you did Growing Up in the Hood over more Box of the Ounds, it was, man, we loved it. Everything that you blong to the table. Y'all you did was give us a perspective from Compton, how women can be, our niggers can be.

What was challenging and how you got through it. That's why I don't like to hear a song where it's the first and second third verse. It's like, can we get a song where if you if you come from a dark place, speak on it now? What was the the changing point? That could be the second verse? Okay, the third versus another perspective you got, So you don't have to continue where you was on the first verse.

That's what we gotta do it now. Don't do a whole song where you just this nigga did me wrong and I sucked him over, and this and this and that he got to me. You okay, you let your guards down? Can you take accountability? Can you say in that verse that I understand now why that energy was in my circle because I allowed it. My perspective of perception about it was was was cloudy. I put my

own spin on what I thought this relationship was. Yeah, he gave me the body language like he was with it and he understood me, and then we departed from each other. But really he didn't look at it like I did. He just got alone to get alone. But really he had a hit and agenda. So what is

that call? You know? And what those those titles you got, conrads, you got, uh, you got uh you know, uh, all those different titles A confidant, you know, you know, it really makes you want to pick up a book and go back and look at the true definition of what the words is, so you can understand, you can understand the body language when you see it without putting your emotions all the time on the front line with things.

But if we're gonna go on our own understanding and putting definitions into words that don't really mean anything, then you can't be mad at the person on the other end that is gonna, you know, not really get where you're coming from, because you really the access has got to show that they really can can appreciate and they understood where you was coming from. Hold that thought, brother, We'll be right back, And I got one question, one more question for you, bro, And I appreciate you being here.

It's long. You've been working with Dr Drake for over twenty five years, right, that's personally and profession personally, professionally, right, what is it about him? I know what it is. I got an idea what it is. But what did you think about him? It makes him so special? The upper extra. I would take the special outum, even though

I looked at the definition of what it is. I think the special part though, if I had to keep it in there, knowing what the definition is is when he's not thinking for self and he's uh, unpredictable and how he wants to give with no intentions. That's the special part. Then the other part is he's not I wasn't raised with him, so I have to have an open mind every time I come across him, and it's always positive energy. I think, what it is? What what

my bro is? If you bring something to the table and you put it in you put it in that circle into a conversation, you really have to be about it, know about it, and bring the history of how relevant and powerful it is that you're putting meaning information in his in his presence, because if you're saying some ship that can't stand the test of time, let alone for yourself and it's nothing, it's you know, how could you put this into his his presence? Like it holds value?

You know, So know what you're saying and and live what you you know what you know you know, and so if you don't, then he's not really enthused. Yeah. Yeah, that's why you get a little ghetto boy because he was so detailed and so descriptive with it. It's like you watch the movie when you listen to some of them songs, listen I admire the fact that you know your ego and pride can act like I'm with this

that I don't come from. But once you recognize that it's not your cup of tea and that's really not how you made up and now you're tired of manifesting

that personality or vibal whatnot. You know, when you don't uh find when you don't find a way, you know, I guess with dre like I don't, I'm not he He's not going to do a lot of explaining why this and why that and why this unless it's something about you where he would bring something special to the table or something personal from the table, or you know, from his perspective, where cat this and this and this and this happened And this is why I was inspired,

This is why I did this. I get those gems every once in a while without having a long conversation. It's just the right energy and the right situation. Would you be surprised how it's going to come out? And if he feels in his heart that you trustworthy, I think, because you know he's in his own lane. But you know, you know how it is like I don't see eight all the time. I don't see James all the time. But whatever you're doing to not be on the funk up radar says a lot about how I could confining

you and give you a jeweler two. And that's that's that's kind of like what I see with him right now. He just he's still fine tuning him. That's because you're successful. Don't mean you still are you through with learning all you threw We're going through ship, And he was. He was smart enough to walk away from certain things in

his life. Like you said, he knew wasn't right. He got to that point where he had to think about at the beginning, it is all good because this this, this, this platform, this just print out that you put in front of me sound like we've been making. We're there. So you drew out the right ship. But then at the end of the day, when I see your true colors, I see what ship is. Damn it's just really for me, it's just kind of ship I want to be. I'm going down with you, goddamn ship. I don't want to

be a part of this ship. And and because he wanted to be a human being without saying that the ego, the ego and pride, the ego, and pride is thrown out the wonder the dumb ship. I can give you an example, and I can say that because I'm just I'm just saying if I'm a consumer point of view, just like when Uh at the Source of Wars, I've seen how the audience was of that entourage was responded when he said what he had to say. Yeah, a few that could and shoot or would spoke their perspective

about Damn. I didn't understand what it was and why it had to be that when I heard the young man. I mean, you know the brothers said what he said on the stage. You know, they didn't know that was gonna come with it. They thought he was gonna get his award and go a different route. So when that was said, and then I watched the cameras to be put on the entourage, I'll sing what that is, and it's not me judging. We know what that is. It's pride, It's funny, it's it's the same ship what I was

saying with the gang Bang. You know the same thing. When we don't want to point it out, ain't no men in the room. Everybody just gonna roll because if it's an expression being seen like you you don't you don't like that, and you got something to say about it? Dan, you you you feel to be done in the way you can't even imagine. You know what kind of ship is that you know? And and and and in the corporate America or just as a people we looked at like, damn,

where's the values, Who's a man? Who's a stand up guy? It isn't as somebody got to be So imagine how many years that was, and the and the and the and the first man we've seen that needed that had to be a man was Andrea Young. And I heard he was in an easy situation when he when he

made this decision, but he survived. And you gotta understand that man is a is a big brother to me because the O G s of and big brothers of this music game and as a producer is the Sleps, is the Pools, is the dres is the Egyptian Lover, is the Bob Cat and is the l A Posse l A Posse, did l L Cool J Ship Muffler, Durroll Pool and Bob and name Niggas is still here to this day. And they got a better perspective for life. So when I could have been encouraged to go the

same way exactly what Drey was going. When I seen him doing all that, I was just like, I couldn't judge, and I think got some black a bits talking about my perspective or my appreciation that I had for him, and then I've seen this and then this ain't him. That's one thing I learned is to keep my perspective to myself. Now I did have loose lips, but thank god it didn't sink sink my boat. You know what

I'm saying. I have to say that I had to look at it a different perspective because someone can take what I say and if they got a strong enough reputation with the person that I love, that can go and turn that turn that ship around, and then next thing, you know, he ain't feeling me. But one thing I do know, man, No man is my savior. You know what I'm saying, You're not my God. You know, if I bring something life altering and disrespectful where you feel like you gotta take me out and I was the

cause of it, so be it. But if it's not, I'm really ain't gonna feel you fear you for Ship, I'm not gonna do that, you know. And that's one thing I think it is with Dre. Just to sum it up, he can't stand yes or no, sir niggers and he and you might get talked to in a way if you don't know what you're talking about that way, you know what I'm saying, because if you study someone outside looking in, it should be enough for you to go. You know what. I only need to brain what is

needed in this in this room. If I get a phone call or if I come across the path, you know what I'm saying this, do that and keep it pushing. Other than that, don't be having a question mark really with him like that. It's called the vine order. So the only thing I bring to anyone eight y'ard when I see y'alls that that's like when I pulled up with him, my personality and my vibe was so free spirit. That's the first thing I said, Ship, I'm yeah, I ain't gonna let you'll put an ap be on me.

That was an atonement thing or endearing, daring thing to say that. I appreciate the time y'all here, and y'all were sitting outside. So I'm like, damn, and I'm so super late. I knew I wasn't because it was seven thirt so so, but I wanted to show that as a form of greeting my brothers who are really taking time out for the individual's lives to talk with me, you know what, saying, We're gonna make sure. I always want to make sure that at least one of us

is here before the guests get here. You know, asked them, and I always asked them, do you have any particular needs or wants? Do you have anything? Do you want? Some people might want water, you know what I'm saying, Some people might need you know what I mean. So you know that's what I love about now besides the title of being gangster. Chronicles, Well, I'm sitting at the table with men who are passionate with principles and morals.

So that should be the new evolution of the gangster is to have a chronicle, have chronicle things to share with the world. You feeling, That's what it is right there, that part right, You hit it right in the head. Man. But before we go, we can't leave without you talking about this man. The word in the streets seals man that you're working on the album right now. Man, it's gonna be out towards it one. I heard it everybody on their dog. So what's the news, and we break

some news on this mother, Yes we can. I have a song called I'm from Around the Way. And when you look at your purpose and your gift is bigger than the block. And the fact that I seen early on in my career royalty statements from records being distributed and sold and played on all different platforms that you

can never imagine. When I started seeing that I was being appreciated from South central California and Japan, Canada, Detroit, It's like, Okay, now, this must be a gift that guy gave me that my mother and father didn't see coming, that I would have the ability to touch the masses of the world. Now, how can I continue that? Well, first of all, I understood what this thing was, It's

called hip hop. Then I understood the entertainment business. Then I understood that it's life, hardships and good that goes with it that can really be appreciated, like in the form of a movie or anything. So I said, you know what, I gotta tell my story because everyone got there um stories about battle Cat, but they really don't

know how battle Cat came about. So they need to introduce to the world through battle Cat who Kevin is that helped battle Cat become who he is, which is a voice for the on song and heard of life not just entertainment. So I got a single call I'm from around the way because I'm from everywhere, you know what I'm saying. And Uh, I did a EP. I have an album and to have, but I got an EP where I think everyone is gonna be able to appreciate my story. Uh. The song is being mixed now.

Um the singles should be out maybe U sometime the first two weeks uh of July. Um, I get a chance to this give the world my perspective as a man, as a father, as a husband, as a musician, as a producer. Uh and uh and and and someone who's who's loved you know, I even speaking on the things A little bit of people not appreciate me. But one thing I did bring was accountability, so it won't be looking like I'm just trying to be bigger than someone or you know, my life was just perfect like that. No,

I took the imperfection and turning into perfection. So I ain't here to judge. I'm here to just love. I'm here to bring some good music. I'm here to finish what I started. You know. Um having my brothers on the West Coast that are producers slash artists like Quick and Dre, They've both been such an inspiration to us all, but they don't have to be the only two remaining that could uh fulfill being a voice for their coast

in the world. So that's what I'm doing. And uh yeah, we we can't wait to play some of them records because you know, we got the radio show man. You know, wake your punk ass up, man, Let's go. Let's gonna be on. Let's gonna be on every Friday nights, you know, every Friday nights. Luck, every Friday night. On that note, I did leave y'all, uh uh, I think about thirty to thirty five minutes, not forty five minutes of my classic hits. Uh. I just need to get your email

and forward. That makes I did that before I got here, for sure. I got so much ship. Yeah, I'm gonna have to do part two, three and four and give a whole catalog of records and from artists independent to the majors that I ever worked with. I never did that for anyone, but gainst the Chronicle seemed like it's one of the homes I can plant that seed. And I'm gonna tell you, and I'm gonna tell you one of the things that we're doing. I promise you wanta

lect you bouty here. You know, I got the battle up in there, so you know I'm spoiler right, Let's time is wasted. One thing I'm gonna say is this man, we gotta call it wy up for the you know, for the thing you know, but it's what your punk asked up radio. One of the things we are gonna do is you can hear those classic Battlect records, but you go hear the new heat the battle Cat. Yeah, because my thing is this and I love the other radio stations to play the old stuff. My thing is this.

Eight didn't stop making records. He's still got stuff that like to meet. The stuff he putting out the day it's killing the stuff he used to put up. Wow, you know what I'm saying. He's making that music. Back then, we know what that was. It was great music. But this new stuff is even more positive than the time of where he is right now exactly. So that's what I want to show. Yeah, we're playing as far as the music person to show that brothers are still out here.

Actor and if you were on the West Coast and you got a home, we're looking off for home first, not no, no, officially nobody else, but we been with it. I was told that my age is the same around the same time when Quenche Jones did the did the Thriller. So I feel like when I'm at now, I'm in my thriller moment right now exactly. You know what I'm saying.

So I got something to say. Big shout out to stand Shepherd, big shout out to postar Entertainment, big shout out to me and wife is get down new shoes entertainment. And um, I just got a bunch of beautiful things happening that really involved y'all too as well. So don't be don't be surprised when I I get to hitting y'all doorbell for something that's that's out of your comfort zone.

But it's gonna be definitely something that I think is rewarding to such a platform called against the chronicles, you know, And that's one thing when you do these interviews, you know a lot of people you know, need they status, core rep or you don't need to be validated. I don't need none of those in the above. I'm here to give. I came with my with my hand uh to bear gifts, not when my hands open looking to receive. You know. So y'all already did that by creating this platform.

I think the world it's gonna really appreciate you guys twenty thirty years from now from having us because this we never had this before and have people for these from these authentic walks of life. It's just amazing. So you know, um, we ain't tripping to what the numbers is. They're gonna climb anyway, because when people get tired of the boys shit like preatures behind the pool kit and they want something real that's gonna stand the test of time,

they're gonna they're gonna say, damn, thanks the Chronicles. It was this. Damn that was that was something we didn't see coming, you know, And so I'm glad we're putting y'all putting the work in and having me a part of this. Man, Thank you, again a time. Man. It's so when they have no fellers another way before we go out of here, man, I wanna I want to say, uh, I'm you know, share prayer from my uncle Malcolm. But Dad, yes, sir, right down, and we're going through it every day. But

we're there as family. Yes, and uh, we're gonna give a shout outs to Monster Cody. Wow, you know, and it wouldn't be Gangster Chronicles if you didn't do that right. And I gotta give a shout out to my whole girl, big Mama Backstreet. You know, she just passed away. She's a right to die. And I'm with a big time and uh that was my girls show man, love your family while they're here, and let's not fight each other and let's embraced each other a piece of positivity. We

gotta here. Well. That concludes another episode of Against the Chronicles podcast. Be sure to download the I Heard Happen. Subscribe to The Gangster Chronicles podcast for Apple users. Find that Purple Michael the front screening your phone. Subscribe to the show, leave for comment and a rating. Executive producers for The Gangster Chronicles of Norm Steele, James McDonald and Aaron M. C taylor, our visual media directors Brian Watt, shows,

audio editors Taylor Hayes. The Gangster Chronicles here's the production of the Black Affect podcast Network and I Heart Media. Any questions to comments hit us up The Gangster Chronicles Podcasts at gmail dot com. Peace be safe out there.