Club Shay Shay - Tony Yayo Part 2

Summary

Club Shay Shay – Tony Yayo Part 2

Host: Shannon Sharpe
Guest: Tony Yayo
Date: September 10, 2025
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and Shay Shay Media

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Episode Overview

In this rich, unfiltered follow-up, Shannon Sharpe welcomes back G-Unit co-founder Tony Yayo for a deep, often hilarious, and highly personal conversation. The two dig into the realities of loyalty, success, hip hop's evolution, money management, and the complex dynamics between friends turned business partners. Yayo offers stories from his storied career, from signing his daughter's birth certificate in jail, to iconic music beefs, the G-Unit era, life lessons on money, faith, and humility, plus some memorable tales about working with legends like Dr. Dre, Eminem, Beyoncé, and more. The episode brims with wisdom, laughs, classic hip hop nostalgia, and some sharp candor about the pain and pride of his journey.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Family, Fatherhood, and Incarceration

[03:15–04:01]

• Tony Yayo recollects the emotional moment of signing his daughter's birth certificate while incarcerated at Rikers Island, with a corrections officer as the witness.
  • "That was tough. That's when I knew I had to go home." – Tony Yayo [03:24]
• Fatherhood fundamentally changed his priorities from chasing fame to protecting and caring for his family.
  • "It's not about the money, the cars and the jewelry. It's about taking care of your family and making sure your kids is correct." [03:41]

2. Fame, Hate, and Social Media's Double-Edged Sword

[04:41–08:29]

• Yayo and Sharpe discuss the negative impact of online comments and how easy it is to become a target of hate, regardless of success.
  • "The Internet is undefeated." – Tony Yayo [05:22]
  • "You always get love in your hood last...music breaks all barriers." [08:10]
• The struggle for respect, particularly in his home borough versus international fans.

3. Hip Hop's Evolution & Regional Dynamics

[09:17–18:28]

• Detailed stroll through hip hop history: 80s lyricism, early New York dominance, and the eventual shift to the South (Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans).
• Nostalgia for classic battles (KRS-One vs. MC Shan, LL vs. Kool Moe Dee, etc.), the social consciousness of early rap, and why contemporary music lacks the same exclusivity.
  • "It'll never be like it was in the 80s. Hip hop, not rap." — Interviewer [13:33]
• Spirited debate: Is New York still the home of true hip hop, or has Atlanta and the South surpassed it?
  • "I feel like everybody kind of hates New York. Cause we feel like we the innovator." – Tony Yayo [13:45]

4. G-Unit, Loyalty, and the Realities of Group Dynamics

[22:13–24:56]

• Tony shares his perspective on loyalty and G-Unit's bonds versus business relationships like Jay-Z’s with his crew.
  • "Everybody can't be Beyonce. Everybody can't be Jay Z. Everybody can't beat Nas..." [22:57]
• Conversation turns to issues of credit, how G-Unit was perceived as "the most hated," and why not all members got equal respect.
  • "Game wanted to do his own thing...he didn't have to be loyal to 50." [49:14]

5. Surviving and Giving Back

[24:22–30:34]

• Challenges and dangers of returning to the neighborhood after attaining fame.
  • "You always gonna be a target in the limelight, especially in your hood. Rappers die in the hood, they don’t die in the suburbs." [25:08]
• Importance of supporting and mentoring youth, working with the Knicks’ "Garden of Dreams" foundation.

6. Money, Success, and Hard Lessons

[30:55–34:36]

• Real talk on managing money, learning from past mistakes, and financial literacy often missing in entertainment.
  • "The money thing about money is save it. Save it for a rainy day." [30:58]
  • "We don't go to school and we don't learn about real estate and taxes and sh*t like that." [32:57]
• On impulsive spending vs. the discipline shown by 50 Cent and Eminem.

7. Notable Industry Stories & Hip Hop Culture

[35:23–47:02]

• Studio moments with Dr. Dre's relentless perfectionism and working with Beyoncé before her global solo stardom.
  • "Dre is a perfectionist as well as Eminem. That was an experience." [39:32]
• The economics of touring, being a support act vs. being the star, and handling being "bumped out of the way" as the hype man.

8. Long-Lasting Beefs, Industry Politics, and Keeping It Real

[47:39–51:04]

• Still no love for Ja Rule—some beefs are eternal.
  • "Till the day we're not here, I just would never like you." – Tony Yayo [56:23]
• The line between business and friendship in the music industry, and why it's important to accept it for what it is.

9. Hip Hop Beef, Battle Rap, and the Culture of Competition

[58:34–62:38]

• Celebrating the competitive side of hip hop, from classic battle tracks to the recent Drake vs. Kendrick feud.
  • “I come off of battle rap. KRS-One, MC Shan, Nas Ether vs. Jay Z. Tupac 50, Ja Rule, Tupac Machiavelli dissing Diddy.” [59:03]

10. Brand Loyalty, Influence, and Supporting Black Businesses

[63:20–64:53]

• Importance of supporting emerging brands, not just established luxury labels, especially from fellow Black entrepreneurs.

11. Reflections, Lessons, and Humility

[70:54–74:16]

• Living in the moment and stories of being starstruck around legends, while staying humble and grounded.
  • “I live in the moment, man. Like, I’m living in the moment here. I’m on Shay Shay’s show.” – Tony Yayo [71:21]
• Love for classic tour memories with Nas, Cash Money, and the early days with 50 Cent.

12. Lessons on Loyalty, Egos, and Group Downfalls

[84:00–89:56]

• Yayo’s personal definition of loyalty, acceptance, and the pitfalls of ego—especially in groups and business relationships.
  • “Loyalty is just being real. That’s it.” – Tony Yayo [84:15]
  • “You know your friends for who they are… Accept them for that.” [85:15]
• The tragic consequences of beef (the Jimmy Henchman and Lodi Mac situation) and the very real violence that can emerge from industry conflicts.

13. Final Reflective Thoughts & Legacy

[90:50–95:10]

• Advice to his younger self: Avoid trouble, be careful about your circle, recognize the impact of decisions, and stay humble.
  • “One decision could change anybody’s life.” [90:40]
• Ponders what his book would look like and the lessons of surviving the street and industry beefs.

14. The Future: Podcasting, Cannabis, and Hustle

[96:15–96:38]

• Yayo is looking to transition into podcasting, inspired by recent appearances on big platforms.
  • “Because I could talk forever, man.” [55:50]
• Mentions new music, merch (Free Yayo & Passport Gang shirts), and a cannabis line on the way.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You always get love in your hood last. See, music don't have nothing to do with color, race. The best thing about music is it breaks all barriers.” – Tony Yayo [08:10]
• “With social media now, everybody gets it... Put your kids up. Your kids is ugly. Put your car up. I hate your car. The Internet is undefeated.” – Tony Yayo [05:21]
• “It’s not glazing, it’s not d*ck riding. You give credit where it's due. That's it.” – Tony Yayo on loyalty to 50 Cent [34:50]
• “Give me a simple life. Simple.” – Tony Yayo [38:45]
• “When you in a limelight, you a walking lawsuit.” – Tony Yayo [43:48]
• “I had more fun before the money came in.” – Tony Yayo [46:24]
• “Some people just never get along. And it's cool.” – Tony Yayo on perpetual industry beefs [57:28]
• “Loyalty is just being real.” – Tony Yayo [84:15]
• “You know your friends for who they are… Accept them for that.” – Tony Yayo [85:15]

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Key Timestamps

• 03:21 – Talking about signing his daughter's birth certificate in jail
• 05:22 – The Internet is undefeated (social media hate)
• 08:10 – “You get love in your hood last.”
• 14:47 – Female MCs: giving props to Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott, MC Lyte, and more
• 17:23 – South’s rise in hip hop, the shift away from New York
• 22:13 – Loyalty in G-Unit vs. business with other crews
• 25:08 – Dangers of being in your own hood after fame
• 30:58 – Lessons about money management
• 39:05 – Studio stories with Dr. Dre (perfectionism)
• 46:24 – Fun before the money
• 55:50 – Tony Yayo talks about transitioning to podcasting
• 56:23 – Explaining ongoing Ja Rule beef
• 58:39 – Why the Drake-Kendrick beef was good for hip hop
• 63:20 – Supporting (or not supporting) brands and culture
• 70:54 – Tony on living in the moment and expanding horizons
• 84:00 – Loyalty and friendship deconstructed
• 90:50 – "Stay out of trouble," advice to his younger self
• 96:15 – Promotion: upcoming podcast, cannabis, new music, merch

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Tone & Style

The episode maintains the unfiltered, streetwise, and candid energy characteristic of both Tony Yayo and Shannon Sharpe. Yayo’s voice is authentic, forthright, peppered with vivid storytelling, hip hop history, and hard-earned wisdom. Humor often breaks up the heavier moments, always anchored by a sense of gratitude and humility about his journey.

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Conclusion

This episode is a window into the real-life costs and rewards of hip hop fame, the challenges of staying true to oneself and your friends, and the resilience required to survive and adapt in an industry as cutthroat as rap. Yayo’s storytelling, combined with Sharpe’s insightful prompts, make for an episode rich in entertainment, nostalgia, and authentic life lessons—necessary listening for hip hop fans and anyone interested in the realities behind the headlines.

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For further information or full context, listen to the full episode of Club Shay Shay – Tony Yayo Part 2.

Transcript

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[Tony Yayo]

Good morning. Welcome to today.

[Interviewer]

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[Tony Yayo]

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[Interviewer]

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[Interviewer]

Thank you for coming back. Part two is underway. Your daughter was born while you were incarcerated.

[Tony Yayo]

Mm.

[Interviewer]

How did that impact you not being there?

[Tony Yayo]

That was a tough thing. Cause I signed my birth certificate. Certificate. Her birth certificate. On Rikers island. And the CO was the witness. I didn't want my baby moms to bring the baby there, but she did and I signed it there. Yeah, that was tough. That's when I knew I had to go home.

[Interviewer]

You like, you know I ain't coming back.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah. It's all about the kids, man. That's the most thing, man. It's not about the money, the cars and the jewelry. It's about taking care of your family and making sure your kids is correct. All that stuff come and go. Cars, jewelry, had all kind of cars, all kind of jewelry.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Tony Yayo]

You know, and them experiences, like I said, being in rooms with like, you.

[Interviewer]

People you only dreamed of, you were hall of Famer.

[Tony Yayo]

You know, I'm in a room with you, people don't even know. You know what the craziest story is? Me getting out of jail. My craziest experience was meeting Donald Trump.

[Interviewer]

Really?

[Tony Yayo]

You can Google it. Me and dj. Who? Kidding. He told me to come to radio. I just got out of jail. I'm out for a couple of days. And we interviewed Donald Trump. And I never forgot because it was drug dealer Wednesdays. And we interviewed Donald Trump way before he was president.

[Interviewer]

Right?

[Tony Yayo]

And that's crazy. I even got a shirt signed by him. That's crazy. And now he's the president. But I always felt like he had game.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Tony Yayo]

I always felt like he had game.

[Interviewer]

You mentioned M. His relationship with 50. Your relationship to 50. People called you house end because they say, man, all you do is glaze 50. I mean, excuse me. Glaze M. K for M and so forth and so on. Like, bro, the man got skills. Give credit where it's due, regardless of his color.

[Tony Yayo]

I think with. With social media now it gives. Everybody gets it. Shay, Shay. I think I Heard Jamie Foxx talking about it. Can't even put a picture up. Put a picture up, Nigga, your pants too tight.

[Interviewer]

You can't hate.

[Tony Yayo]

Put your kids up. Your kids is ugly. Put your car up. I hate your car. Like, the Internet is undefeated. And what I learned is I used to let this shit bother me. But I was like, yo, you know what? The Internet is just undefeated. We in times now where you could hands on, tell an artist them. And I feel like that's a satisfaction that back in the days when there was no Internet. No, you couldn't do that.

[Interviewer]

You know what the Internet has done? It has made people accessible. Because like you said, you can get up under their comment, you can jump in their DMs and say, Crazy.

[Tony Yayo]

Everybody get it?

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Tony Yayo]

I think the only person that don't get it is maybe Beyonce. Cause she's. She got the beehive, right? You know, certain Nicki Minaj, certain people, but everybody gets it besides that.

[Interviewer]

Because not everybody's an ex professional athlete. They're a coach, they're a music producer, they're a former writer, they're a former rapper, they're a former this. So everybody feel like their opinion and they feel their opinions matter.

[Tony Yayo]

And then you gotta figure out when a person looks at you like you in a position and you up. We only human, right? Yes, we all, oh, he's stupid, he's dumb.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

Like for instance, the P. Diddy situation.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

Rich. As if I had his money, I'd be on the aisle. I wouldn't even be in this country. I'd be in. I have a spot in Paris, spot in Italy, right. I wouldn't even be talking to, Wouldn't be partying at my crib. Cause I'm aware of the lawsuits, right? You know what I'm saying? That nigga's stupid. That's the first thing A gonna say that got less money than you. There's more people that don't have it than do have it. Be humble. And even if you humble, you still get it. Niggas going, yo, you glazing 50, you glazing Eminem. It don't bother me. Cause I know niggas gonna hate for some reason. But I appreciate the people that show love, right? Cause you know, out a lot of them comments, a lot of people show love and shout to them. Can't focus on the haters.

[Interviewer]

But the way we're wired, you can get 15,000 great comments to say, I love Yayo Yayo with G Unit with him and 50 and buck and. And blanks and games. It's that one multiple comment.

[Tony Yayo]

But you know what's the best satisfying part of that? That block button. Boop boop. You block and you can erase.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

And that's it. And you embrace it. It's gonna always be that one that don't like you. It's cool. Everybody don't gotta like you.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah, exactly. We weren't meant.

[Tony Yayo]

I mean, he glazed at 50. I've been hearing that shit for 20 years. 50k. He washing his car. Eminem, the white boy. Why he like him? I had a hit me and say, yo, how you shout out Eminem? You ain't shout out me from the birthday in the hood. And I'm like, what have you ever done for me in your natural life? Cause you know where you get love at? You always get love in your hood last. Cause they know you.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Tony Yayo]

When you. Meanwhile, I can go to Europe and the niggas Yayo. Yo, yo. I can go to Africa. Yay, yo. I can go to Italy. Yay yo. People show me love. You always get love in your hood last. See, music don't have nothing to do with color, race. The best thing about music is it breaks all barriers.

[Interviewer]

Yes. You know, it's funny that you said that. Cause someone told me, he said, when you become something, it's those that know you and closest to you have the most resentment.

[Tony Yayo]

Exactly.

[Interviewer]

Because they know you.

[Tony Yayo]

Exactly. I done met that could name overseas. Yo, how's your kids doing? Name all my kids. Know my album, know everything, support everything I do. Passport, gang shirt, Free Yayo shirt. But a from the hood won't buy my shit that I know my whole life. But a from a whole nother side of the country is supporting me and love me when I'm not here no more. Those be the niggas at your funeral.

[Interviewer]

Yep.

[Tony Yayo]

That's the crazy part about music. It breaks all barriers. It has nothing to do about color. Because there could be a white boy that know more about hip hop than that hood.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Tony Yayo]

Let's keep it real. Because when you. When you look at hip hop, bro, it's not going nowhere. KRS still torrent Red man still touring. JRU the Damager still touring. Half of the time when I'm in my car, I'm listening to old school. Nas, dmx, Kuji, rap, ks. I might go to Nina Simone. I might. You know what I'm saying? I might go to Bobby Conwell.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

Like I'm listening to all types of music. Music breaks every kind of barrier. I'M could be racist and still listen to your music.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, we go, you know what? We going to be all right though. We. We going to get past it. We going to get past. We us.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, definitely.

[Interviewer]

When Drake sampled your song.

[Tony Yayo]

Definitely.

[Interviewer]

How'd it make you feel?

[Tony Yayo]

Shout to Drake, man. Definitely, man. Cut the check. Drake got the check.

[Interviewer]

He got it.

[Tony Yayo]

It's good. I got the call from Paul Rosenberg and a couple of people that he wanted to use a sample from one of the mixtapes. And I was on it. You know, even when you look at the Drake and Kendrick thing, that was the best thing that happened to Hype Hop. It was like a breath of fresh air. Nice battle.

[Interviewer]

As long as you keep it on wags though, Yale.

[Tony Yayo]

Nice battle. I love a battle.

[Interviewer]

Keep it on wax.

[Tony Yayo]

No, definitely. But sometimes it gets past that. It's always the entourage. It's never.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

Even the artist. Yeah, it's always the entourage. But when you look at battle. KRS1, MC Shan. KRS1 was dissing queens. But we still listen to it.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

From back in the days.

[Interviewer]

That might have been the first with bdp. That might have been. That might have been the first. That might have been the first. And then you had Queens.

[Tony Yayo]

Queens keep on faking it. You know, we was tight, but it was like, yo, this shit is hard. That's what I'm saying. Hip hop. See, I like the 80s hip hop. I had to always bring this up to people. Think about self destruction. Yeah, a lot of people. That was a big record. You had KRS1, cool mode. Big Daddy Kane, Heavy D, Salt and Pepper. All these. Even what was KRS wifey name? Was it? I forgot her name. KRS girl. Was it Miss. Was it Miss Melody?

[Interviewer]

Melody, yes.

[Tony Yayo]

Miss Melody was on there. Like self destruction. We head into a self destruction. All the songs that you used to hear. Even when you listen to Brand new being.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Tony Yayo]

When they talking about cracking songs like, yo, don't do crack. Self destruction. We head into a self destruction. It was the crack era. Like that music was dope. Public Enemy, Fight the Power.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Tony Yayo]

That shit. Like come on, bro.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Doing research. I went back. I did not know until like probably a couple of months ago that Kane was in the Juice Crew All Stars.

[Tony Yayo]

I didn't know that. Was he?

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Tony Yayo]

I didn't know that. Yes. I didn't know that. And Big Daddy Kane, like, hey, Kane, the hot. Hey Kane with the high top I be having. I'll be who you give it to. Cain or Rakim. Cause it's like with them.

[Interviewer]

Ooh, geez.

[Tony Yayo]

See, I was talking to somebody. I'm gonna put it out. And they was trying to say King had more swag than Rakim. But I didn't really agree with that. I don't wanna say what DJ it was, but I felt like they was. What you feel like it was next to Neck, Kane and Rakim.

[Interviewer]

I do. But, man, when Rakim came out.

[Tony Yayo]

Thinking.

[Interviewer]

Of a master plane.

[Tony Yayo]

Rakim. Rakim and Kane.

[Interviewer]

But see, that was the era of the lyricist. When you look at Kane, you look at rakim. Slick Rick, KRS1. You look at those guys. Ll you look at that. I mean, those guys, you could hear everything. It wasn't no mumbling. You could hear every word. And after, like, three or four repeats, you got it.

[Tony Yayo]

And then the list goes on. Cause I did love Heavy D. Heavy D was before Biggie. He was the first fat fly nigga, bro.

[Interviewer]

Yes, absolutely.

[Tony Yayo]

Had hits like. That's why I said it's not down to a top five. Dougie Fresh.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. And then you got. And then you came along in the 90s and you had Scarface.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, that's true, too, Face.

[Interviewer]

Hey, now, you talking about Telescope.

[Tony Yayo]

The ghetto boys. I mean, the ghetto boys was my shit.

[Interviewer]

But that. But see, look, we've evolved, but I don't know. It'll never be like it was in the 80s. Hip hop, not rap. Not like that. No, sir.

[Tony Yayo]

I feel like everybody kind of hates New York. Cause we feel like we the innovator.

[Interviewer]

Oh, we done pass, y'.

[Tony Yayo]

All.

[Interviewer]

Atl. We done pass, y'.

[Tony Yayo]

All.

[Interviewer]

We done pass, y'.

[Tony Yayo]

All. You think so?

[Interviewer]

We pass, y' all don't do that.

[Tony Yayo]

We gotta debate now. We gotta debate now.

[Interviewer]

We gotta debate.

[Tony Yayo]

Cause I'm gonna tell you now. A lot of shit. Remember what I said. We either get killed or indicted. Strike before we blow. Right? We lost Pop smoke.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Yeah. A.

[Tony Yayo]

And then six' nine, he had a buzz till he told on niggas. Yeah. No disrespect to him. I ain't trying to. It's not no clickbait. But he had a buzz before he told on. We got a boogie. He's worldwide now. Yeah, you know, we got. We had a couple of dudes like. But we either get indicted or something happens before it happens. Because you think New York had it for a long time. Think about in the 90s. We had Big Pun, Fat Joe, DMX, D Block. Who am I missing? Hov Nas, Foxy Brown, Lil Kim. Who am I missing?

[Interviewer]

Oh, look, y' all had Cornered the market on basically everything. You go back and look at the women rappers. Roxanne.

[Tony Yayo]

Roxanne, Shantay, MC Lyte, bro, y' all had.

[Interviewer]

Hey, you know who don't get enough credit?

[Tony Yayo]

Queen Latifah. Come on.

[Interviewer]

Don't play with the Queen. Don't play with the Queen.

[Tony Yayo]

I don't give. Queen Latifah is in.

[Interviewer]

Don't play with the Queen.

[Tony Yayo]

She's definitely in my top five female artists. She was the one that. Who you calling a. Yeah, come on. She was unit. Yeah, Unit Y. I was definitely catching that on me.

[Interviewer]

Yes. The Queen. Look, I'm a huge Missy fan.

[Tony Yayo]

Oh, Missy. Ella, you can't take nothing from Missy.

[Interviewer]

Oh, my goodness.

[Tony Yayo]

But she. That's South. Y' all got her. Yeah, she for the South. Y' all got her.

[Interviewer]

But, you know, Atlanta. You know, we the keys.

[Tony Yayo]

Atlanta. Who y' all got? Let me think.

[Interviewer]

Don't do the. Who we got. Don't do that.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, I'm gonna go without Cass first. Before anybody anyway.

[Interviewer]

You could do that. So you ain't gonna. So Future don't get no love, huh?

[Tony Yayo]

No Future get love. Future.

[Interviewer]

Okay, just checking.

[Tony Yayo]

Let's go. But I'm talking about early Atlanta. We gotta go. Jermaine Dupri.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

Outkast. Who am I missing?

[Interviewer]

Well, they set it off when the. At aliens.

[Tony Yayo]

Little John. Come on.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

Cause let's think. Let's keep it real. Little John had a lot of hits.

[Interviewer]

Oh, yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

Jermaine John, who I'm missing. Outkast. You know, I love Outcast.

[Interviewer]

Goody, Goody Moby, Goody Mob.

[Tony Yayo]

You can't leave them out there.

[Interviewer]

You know what? They don't kill the mic. They need to give. They need to give NAR. They need to give CeeLo his credit.

[Tony Yayo]

Nah, CeeLo dope.

[Interviewer]

CeeLo like that.

[Tony Yayo]

But CeeLo was more like a singer, you would think, than a rapper.

[Interviewer]

But see, no, I didn't know he could sing like that. Because when he was Goody Mobi, he never did anything outside of when he started doing. We went solo, and he hit crazy, and he did it acapella. And then people like, hold on. Ain't no rapper got no voice like that.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, definitely. But outkast, Come on, bro.

[Interviewer]

Oh, no.

[Tony Yayo]

Goody Mob definitely did.

[Interviewer]

Goody Mob have a lot free stacks. Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

So we gotta think about early Atlanta before we go in the future. And no disrespect to I with Atlanta, but, you know, I'm always New York, man.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, y', all, you know, you Know, I'm always new. I mean, for the longest time, you.

[Tony Yayo]

Know, that's what's, like, one of the. Try to tell me Cube is better than Nas. And I love Ice Cube, I love nwa, but I'm always gonna say Nas is better than Cube. And no disrespect to him. He's a legend. He's way cool.

[Interviewer]

It used to just be the coast, but it's not. It's done. You know, it's done moved down to the South. Cause it used to be the East Coast, west coast, it was New York, Louisiana. You know what I'm saying?

[Tony Yayo]

I felt like it came to a point where. Cause I remember going down, like, early G Unit, we was going down south, and I remember we went to, like, a radio thing. I think we was in Texas, it was me and Banks, and they was like, we tired of. We was there. I'm like, why the habits of radio. Sometimes heavier radio for no reason. Nelson, I don't know what he did. He's the. Brought me to Khaled, too, right? He had us down South. Me and Banks did. I think we in Texas. And he was like, it started off, we tired of playing out of town. Them niggas, we looking around. I think it came to a point where down south said, New York rap.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

Y' all had it for. I'm just keeping it real. It came to a point where down south turned. They back on New York rap. For me, I'm keeping it real. And I love down south rap. But I remember, you know, Mobb Deep shows. They do shows. They hit Atlanta, niggas is turning they back. They want to hear Goody Mob and they want to hear.

[Interviewer]

Then you got Jeezy, you got Gucci Mane, you got Luda.

[Tony Yayo]

They had they time. Yeah. Jeezy and Gucci ti.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Oh, tip. Yep.

[Tony Yayo]

See, yeah, ti is cool.

[Interviewer]

But the 80s still is still my. My favorite time of rap. Cause I'm old enough to. I'm old enough. I'm a teenager. So, you know, I'm a teenager, and so I rock. Him and KRS1 and Kane and Slick Rick and all those guys.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, man.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, them. That's when to me, hip hop was crazy. Video, music box. Everything was exclusive. Like, I remember that. Like, there was no Internet. So when a DJ say, oh, I'm about to. When Tupac and Biggie was beefing and Flex was like, yo, I'm about to play New Biggie, who shot you? Like, we gotta run to the radio in the car. Oh, shit. Biggie about to play the new Flex. Gonna play who shot you? Cause Flex was. You know, to be on Flex was like.

[Interviewer]

Oh, yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

To be on Mount Rushmore at that time, to do a flex restyle. Oh, shit. I'll never forget that. Like going to the radio, running to the radio in the car just to hear. Biggie knew who shot you. Nobody had it. He had it. Only certain DJs would get it first. That's why with music now, it's too much shit coming out. It's too many artists. It's not no exclusivity. Like you said. Even with the social media, there's no exclusivity. Like, I remember when shit was just exclusive. Like, oh, shit.

[Interviewer]

And you had to have more than one song.

[Tony Yayo]

Yes, yes.

[Interviewer]

It wasn't no one song. And you were hitting, bro. You had to put. No, you had to put the. You had. Your album had to be lit. And most of it were lit from front to back.

[Tony Yayo]

The A.

[Interviewer]

And you have some. You have three or four hits on the B side now. Dude had one song and he talking about, we gonna make him a star.

[Tony Yayo]

He got a TikTok dance. I'm lit. But back then, you really had to be lit. Yeah. Your whole album, for sure. Your whole mixtape, Jay Z, Hard Knock Life, Nas Ematic, you know, like, come on, your shit had to be lit for n to even fuck. Even Lil Kim and Foxy. Let's keep it real. Like, I can't take nothing from them. Even though they was beefing, that shit was like they was coming with records Beats. Like, I remember when Biggie, when he said that one line, get off my dick, kick it. You know, when he said. And Lil Kim came in, even the Beats to me was better. Yeah. When you listen to Beats, like when you listen to Life After Death and shit like that and give. Richard died Trying or illmatic. To me, the Beats was like totally different. Not taking that from what the producer's doing now and the sound now. Cause I listen to everything, you know, I listen to Future Gunna, you know, everybody. But to me, the Beats back then was different.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

A Swiss beat, a Timbaland beat. You know what I'm saying? Dre beat. Who else? Scott Storch beat. It was just like, come on. And that shit. And that kind of music lasts forever. Like, we. We 30 years in the game and we still touring. Like I just said, we just came back off tour.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

You know, with fifth and we still touring still. And I do my own tours too, for people. Oh, yo, yo, you see? Hey, I do my own tours. I did tours in Canada. I did a tour across the whole Germany and the Swiss Alps. And that's why I don't care about the hate. Cause I'm like, I got the possibility to do my own tour. Like something with Memphis Bleak. Memphis Bleak said the Nori Yayo said Jay Z didn't have us on tour like he did. Or. I eat my own halal. I eat my own halal too, if you want to say that to Memph Bleak. I'm on my. I just came off my last tour. All I'm saying is when you see Jay Z in the setting, he never really. When he's doing a Beyonce show or whatever, you don't see Memphis Bleak on the stage or him being brought out. You know, even if I'm doing the hype man shit, with 50, he's bringing me out. I'm making money. I'm going to.

[Interviewer]

That's that man girl too. That's it. That's Hov Wife Tour.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, that's Hov. Yeah. Hov Wife Tour.

[Interviewer]

So if I. If hov. I. I believe if Hov was out on his own, he would bring Bleak out. There is no need for him to bring Bleak in a situation where I look like. If this was last tour, you're talking about with the cowboy Carter, right? Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

So to me, because I look at Bleak as a loyal guy. Like, I'm a loyal guy to check, but I look at like fifth. My guy Hervey, one day we had trl and it's. It's the young gun that's there.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

And I'm talking to him and Herve says loud, you don't gotta worry about nothing. You got 50. Jay Z doesn't do nothing for these guys. Like 50 does. And Herve, I think he worked with them too. But he said that to me, and that always stuck in my head. Rest in peace to him. And he was like, yo, you got 50? Cause 50 always. Like, for instance, when he dropped his album, he didn't have to drop the Beg for mercy. He wanted to drop G Unit brand. He branded us on the way with him. You know, until this day, people knock me out the way. 50, 50. Sometimes your own security insecurity might knock you out the way, or people might knock you out the door. I'm never gonna feel away about a celebrity as long as I'm there and I'm getting what I deserve. You know, Everybody can't be Beyonce. Everybody can't be Jay Z. Yeah, everybody can't beat Nas. Everybody can't be Snoop. Everybody can't beat Drake. Some mother might be who at Tupac, the Outlaws.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

That's how I always looked at it. Like, you got 50, you got G unit, you got Tupac, you got the Outlaws, you got Snoop, you got Dog Pound, right? It's cool. It's levels to the shit and it's cool. You know, it's just wanna always outdo you.

[Interviewer]

Cube got a lynch mob.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, lynch mob. It's cool. Everybody can't be Ice Cube, you know.

[Interviewer]

Well, you about to get in trouble again. Cause they say 50 gave you a meal, gave you a ticket when you got out.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, I lived in Battery Park. I used to come out my apartment, see the Statue of Liberty, you know.

[Interviewer]

Damn.

[Tony Yayo]

A lot of look when you look at a lot of rappers, where they die at in their hood. Nipsey was doing a good thing for the community, right? But he died in his hood. Stack bundles, good rapper, one of the best rappers ever. When he died, he died in his hood. Freaky Ty grew up with him watching dope rapper when he died in his hood.

[Interviewer]

What's up with that?

[Tony Yayo]

Cause the hood, the streets never really got no love, man. You could feel like. I think always felt like when I looked at Freaky Ty, I used to buy n sneakers and. Yeah, and look out for n. You should be.

[Interviewer]

You should be. I mean, you should be applauded and you're like, he made it, man. We, hey, one of our guys that grew up in this block, that grew up over here, grew up like us. He made it out. They should applaud that. They shouldn't be envious of that.

[Tony Yayo]

Nah, man. You always gonna be a target in the limelight. That's how I always look at it. You always gonna be a target. That's how I look at it. Especially in your hood. Cause we all rappers die in the hood. They don't die in the suburbs. Nowhere else. They die in the hood.

[Interviewer]

But then why do people get mad talking about, well, he don't come back. He don't come back to the hood. He don't do nothing in his hood.

[Tony Yayo]

I mean, you could do for the hood. You don't have to be there. You know, you can feed everybody with a long spoon.

[Colin Coward]

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[Tony Yayo]

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[Tony Yayo]

Welcome to today.

[Interviewer]

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[Tony Yayo]

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[Interviewer]

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[Tony Yayo]

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[Interviewer]

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[Tony Yayo]

Girl, they're good. Exactly. While they hang in the kids club.

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[Tony Yayo]

You don't got to be there all the time. You might not have time to be there. It's cool. 50 got charities and do for people. You might not be there all the time giving out turkeys in the hood and giving clothes and coats and doing shit and G unit foundation, you know, you ain't got to. You ain't got to do that. Like I work with a foundation with. Through the Knicks, right? And they give back to families that, you know, when they lose somebody, right? Or financial distress or. And it's called a garden of dreams too. Shout out to them, you know, it's. Joe is the owner of the Knicks.

[Interviewer]

Okay. You know Dolan.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, Dolan. And they give back to families that lose parents. They can't bury him. Somebody dies in the family. Sickness, school, mentorship. I went there, I talked to some of the kids. Hey, Boogie works with him, I work with him. I talk with Central C rapper with them. Like, that's what it's about. It's giving back. Cause at the end of the day, you can have all the money the jury. You can have as much money as Lloyd Mayweather. You can show everything. 2000 calls might not like you for that. It's all about giving back, bro, at the end of the day because that's what people are going to remember you for. And being humble, that's one thing. Look. Look how far I've been going humble in the past two years. I got myself hot, started praying, started, you know, leaving a lot of alone streets and started really focusing on myself. And I realized like my podcast deal, working on that now. Fat Joe, volume up. Nori wanted to give me a deal like. And I'm on after this. Prices go up. I hope y' all know prices go up after this, you know, so like, and. And just praying, right? And that my life's been way better, bro. Way better.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. What have you learned about money?

[Tony Yayo]

Oh, man, the money thing about money is save it. Cause save it for a rainy day. Because, you know, as when you first get on and you make all these purchases and you buy this. One thing about Fifth, he always was, like, tight with his money. Eminem tight with his money. So you learn to kind of save instead of spending. And like, my first purchase and my biggest purchase was a house, right? You know, I bought a nice house in Long island and then I bought another house. You know, so like 50 encourages. You get money, go get a house that's like Uncle Murder. He's down with us now. He was signed to Jay Z. He got his first house being down with us, right? That's my man. Wow. Cause Fifth gonna say, you gonna make a whole bunch of money with Fifth. Make, you know, you go on tour, but you gotta think, you go on tour, you make a quick half a million. Million?

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

You know, shout to young Buck. Buck was my nigga, but he was the most impulsive spender. In June, you know, he'll make a half a million. And at that time, we so young, we not thinking about the quarter million. You gotta give taxes.

[Interviewer]

Taxes. Yeah, right.

[Tony Yayo]

So he'll make the half a million, right? I'm gonna buy this car. I'm gonna buy this car. I'm gonna buy a chain. You go to his house. You know, I got a nice bed, bug bed. He had the TV coming out of the bed.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

He got an all white room. His daughter got a door, Explorer room. Then they got the Bentley, the Chevelle, this, that. And you spending the money as you get it. You can go on tour. Say you make a half a million in two months. You're not thinking about the leisure time that you got to pay them taxes. You done spent that money.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

Now you like. Now you gotta go to a. Like a jay Z or 50 and be like, yo, man, I might need a loan on this, but this shit is business. You done spent that money on your own. So I never ever blame for my mistakes, and nobody should. Cause you gotta learn shit on your own. Mother ain't think about that.

[Interviewer]

That's a tough lesson to learn at the time, though, because anytime, especially once you get to a certain tax bracket, whatever you make, you have that.

[Tony Yayo]

But then people around. Let me tell you something, the people that's around, a Beyonce, a 50, a Jay Z, a Nas, they don't give a About the niggas that's around. They don't give a about Yayo Banks. This nigga, this nigga. They care about 50 Cent. That's it. So they're not going to school you the game. We don't go to school and we don't learn about real estate and taxes and shit like that.

[Interviewer]

Because no, no, that's never that. 50 is their responsibility. Hov is their responsibility. Beyonce is their responsibility.

[Tony Yayo]

Whomever the artist, I don't care about the nigga.

[Interviewer]

The auxiliary pieces, they don't care about.

[Tony Yayo]

They just know you got this money. And some people gonna figure out a way to monopolize, like I'm gonna tell you. And I'm not mad at them. But shy money and 50s baby moms turn into real estate agents when they knew we had house money. So I bought my house with shy money off a shy money lady. And it's cool, we kept the money in the family, but they knew to turn into real estate. These niggas got some money, I could make some money off them, right? But screw me, the game. Cause I might not probably bought a house for a million at that time. I could have bought a house for probably a half a million.

[Interviewer]

Right?

[Tony Yayo]

Am I wrong or right here?

[Interviewer]

You're right.

[Tony Yayo]

My first purchase might have not had to been a million dollar house. But that's more money for them at the same time too. But as you get older, you realize that. And I don't take nothing from shop money. He's a good dude, but he made profit, him and his lady, off of selling me that house. It was a smart move on their part, but people never care about the niggas that's around me. I, I listen, nobody ever cared about Yayo. Only person that cared about Yale is 50, right? They only gonna do shit if 50 say do it. The lawyer's only gonna move if 50 say do it.

[Interviewer]

Do it.

[Tony Yayo]

The hotel's gonna be nice. Only a 50 say do. They'll have put me in a crackhead hotel, you know what I'm saying? But 50's like, nah, he gonna be in this hotel. And that's why I got the respect for him. It's not glazing, it's not dick riding.

[Interviewer]

No, you give credit where it's due.

[Tony Yayo]

You give credit where it's due. That's it. That's it. It's not my show, it's his show. And one thing I never forget, I do clubs, you know, house of Blues, shit like that. I don't do arenas. I ain't Chris Brown, I ain't 50, I ain't Jay Z. And I'm cool with that. When I'm on stage and I'm in front of 30, 40,000, these people ain't screaming for Yale, they screaming for 50 Cent. I do My job. Cause it's a business I'm cool with. Everybody in production, stay out the way. I don't bother nobody, and I keep it moving. That's it. I get my money, and that's it. I'm gone. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Your debut album, Thoughts over Predicate Felon. You went gold. You finished second place. The late registration. Kanye. You like? Cause Kanye album.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, Kanye me up that year. I never forget it. Cause he was like, who was the president at that time? Bush. Yeah. He was like, the president is racist. And remember, he went viral before. Going viral was what it was.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

I always had obstacles in my career. Like, I dropped the same day as Kanye. Got locked, came home, got locked up. I'm used to it, bro, but I'm still here, you know? But that was crazy. I probably would have went platinum that same day if it wasn't for Kanye, but he dropped. And you know what's crazy about my career? Cause I remember seeing Kanye in the studio with Dr. Dre.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

And I didn't even know who he was. He was nobody at that point.

[Interviewer]

Cause at that time, he was probably just doing beats then, right?

[Tony Yayo]

He wasn't rapping before the accident. He was doing beats. He was in Dre's studio. He was in 50 ear. I think he was trying to get on the album. I didn't know who he was. And now I look at him like, oh, shit. This is Kanye West. Damn. I remember when ludacris did radio. 50 beat up ja Rule in Atlanta. Punched him in his eye. He had a black eye, running around. Ludacris was doing radio.

[Interviewer]

That really happened. 50 points, y'.

[Tony Yayo]

All. 50. Always beating up Ja Rule, man. That was like, regular thing, man. Ja Rule and them, they. They never really been tough guys to me. Like, Irv. I don't really know him. They just had a tough guy image. Cause they was around, you know. Preen, preen. Chris Gotti just had a story talking about he clothesline 50 playing. 50 don't even play basketball. Niggas just make up shit. Cause it's the Internet. Like, I don't try to glorify this gangster shit, but Ja Rule has never been a street nigga, Right?

[Interviewer]

They be trying to get 50 to respond, huh?

[Tony Yayo]

50 a real street nigga.

[Interviewer]

You know, I saw some lady talking about, well, you know, 50 was one of those little guys. 50 never said he was a kingpin.

[Tony Yayo]

No, no.

[Interviewer]

But you know what I'm talking about. When that lady was saying that was.

[Tony Yayo]

His BM that said that, I think.

[Interviewer]

Oh, okay.

[Tony Yayo]

So she going, he had a whole bunch of yayos. I didn't even work for 50. He had a whole bunch of little yayos. People always try to discredit you. 50 was 15. Oh, so look, 50 was 15 with a forerunner. He was 16, 17 with a Benz. Niggas was getting money. I don't glorify it. Cause we was pumping poisoning hood. So it was not something to glorify something.

[Interviewer]

But you just speaking factual, though.

[Tony Yayo]

Niggas wasn't El Chapo. Niggas wasn't Pablo. But we was happy. A nigga get to a brick in the hood, he happy. You get to a half a bird, you get to 150 grams. 250 grams. Niggas was happy. I felt like El chapo. I had 250 grams. Oh shit. I'm at 250. Oh shit. Of course. But now we look at that money as nothing. That's the whole point. Niggas are dying in the hood over bullshit money. Look how far we've been now. Now that's not even one show. People always gonna try to discredit you and say shit, bad shit about you, you know, and be mad. Cause you might not give him. Money is a. I don't never want 50s money. I don't never want that much money. Money is a every. Everybody's out to get you. Yeah, give me, give me Jimmy Iovine style. I don't want to be no, listen. Give me a little bit of money and I'm good. It's like once the N get you.

[Interviewer]

You want the fortune but not the fame to come along with it.

[Tony Yayo]

It's like once the n get you 100 million, he's or something. Give me 10 million, 20. I'm good. When you and out. When you aiming to get 100 million, it's like everybody's coming for you. Lawsuits, dude. Stick up kids. It's just too much, bro. Give me a simple life. Simple.

[Interviewer]

What's it like working with Dre in the studio?

[Tony Yayo]

Dre is the best experience ever in the studio, man. We used to smoke that Guido. He had this guy in there playing the piano. He was playing nothing but hits. Like I said. Like Kanye came in there. He played records with Rakim. He had, you know, at that point, he had a girl named Brooklyn. He had Shout Joe Beast at that time, he had game. He had a whole bunch of artists. Cause a lot of artists was dope does. Dre is just a real picky.

[Interviewer]

Cause he don't want to work. He works with Everybody he works with you.

[Tony Yayo]

And it ain't coming out. Like, he did records with Dipset. That shit ain't never come out. He did records with certain people. It ain't never coming out. But he's like a real particular nigga. Like, I remember he used to tell 50, do one line over and over again. Do it over, say it like this. And I understood. Sometimes it's not what you say, it's how you say it. Dre is a perfectionist as well as Eminem. So that was an experience. I'm a from the hood. Never had nothing. Never even been to LA. I remember we were staying at the Beverly. 50 told my man, me and my man Weezy. He was like, yo, don't touch the M and M's in the shit. You know the M and M's in the hotel.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, The M&M's cost like $16.

[Tony Yayo]

He's like, whatever you want. We can just go to the store. I know my man. He was mad at my man. Cause he touched the M and Ms, right? Till this day, I still buy that shit. I'm in the fountain blue over here. I stayed there. $20 for a Fiji order. I'm like, yo, I'll just go to the store, have my man funk take me to store order for $3. I'm a hood, nigga. It's never gonna leave me. You know, you could take me out the hood, but it's always in me.

[Interviewer]

You gotta be in the studio with Beyonce. Beyonce is one of the hardest working women. Hardest working people. I don't wanna general. I don't wanna say man or woman, but to see what she's become. Yeah, from where she came, she was big.

[Tony Yayo]

Back then when we was in the studio, I remember Tony Pope kicked everybody out. 50 had a record with her called Thug Love. And they was all in the studio, and they kicked everybody out. It was Thug Love. This was before 50 got shot. Cause 50 was gonna blow up power the dollar. He had Beyonce, he had Ton and Poke. Track Masters at the time was very big. They was working with, you know, big artist P Diddy. They was working with R. Kelly, they was working with JLo. They was working with everybody and got kicked out of the studio. Couldn't be in the studio. That's when it was Destiny Child. But, yeah, it's crazy when you see a lot of artists even become bigger than you. It's amazing. You like, damn, I'm not mad at my career, but they career, well, took well off past mine. Like I said, to see Kanye where he was at. On to see Luda.

[Interviewer]

I think the most impressive thing that I've seen in my lifetime might be Beyonce in one genre and then go to another genre.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, she's outta here. You can't with the B's, man.

[Interviewer]

That shit's, you know, it's crazy.

[Tony Yayo]

Million dollar shit, man.

[Interviewer]

That shit, she crazy.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah. Beyonce is on a whole nother level, you know? To me, it's Beyonce, Taylor Swift, they neck and neck.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah. It ain't nobody else close. Not in, not in, not. I don't know if there's any. It's. I mean, not in the woman's space. Ain't nobody close to those two.

[Tony Yayo]

Nah, nah, it's them two. Show wise.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

They neck and neck to me. Cause I feel like Beyonce came first and then they made Taylor Swift. They had to make something that could match Beyonce. And it's cool. I. With Taylor Swift. I don't really listen to like Beyonce.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Tony Yayo]

You know, they neck and neck. That's ridiculous. The shows and the tickets they sell.

[Interviewer]

I read you went to Jimmy Iovine's mansion.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, that was crazy. That was crazy. Cause he lived. He lived right across the street from the Playboy Mansion, right? So that was like.

[Interviewer]

So he and what you call him, he and home be hills.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah. He had FBI guys with dogs. Like, it was crazy. He had a movie theater in. His tables was spinning. Yeah. You know, people serving us as the tables were spinning. He had a candy store in the movie theater. It was like crazy, man. I had never seen nothing like that. Real money, man. In my first time ever leaving the hood, going to Cali. Like, damn, this is crazy.

[Interviewer]

You like, I don't want this much money.

[Tony Yayo]

I do. I don't want much money. But shit.

[Interviewer]

You know what comes along with money?

[Tony Yayo]

Like. Yeah, I know. You gotta be low key. You gotta be on the low. You have to be low key. Cause them lawsuits, see 50, caught a lot of lawsuits. Cause a lot of beat downs. Dudes getting in jail broke. 50,000, 50 paying that. I'm suing you in 55th.

[Interviewer]

Thing ain't got nothing to do with anything.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, but people associate the name.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Tony Yayo]

That's like one of your camera guys, he slapped somebody right now I'm suing you and Shay Shay.

[Interviewer]

Yep.

[Tony Yayo]

You slapped me right now. Gonna sue you too.

[Interviewer]

I was like, go ahead, we make it even. Slap him back. That's all I got for you. You slap it back.

[Tony Yayo]

Yo, yo, bro. When you in a limelight, you a walking lawsuit. He in the hall of fame. Him and his brother. Oh, shit.

[Interviewer]

He got money, slapped me.

[Tony Yayo]

I got slapped by Shay Shay. You slapped me, Shay Shay, you might fall to the ground. Now that's how a mother look at it.

[Interviewer]

Dave Chappelle.

[Tony Yayo]

Oh, man. Dave Chappelle. Like I said, man, there's so many jewels he got. I told you, when we was out there, I think we was in Ohio, we went to a store. He's a real laid back guy. No cameras. But I told you, you know, look, why you turn down all that money? My belly was full. God made my belly full. The most humblest thing, hurting my life from. From somebody. He don't care about jewelry.

[Interviewer]

No.

[Tony Yayo]

It's just farmland, nice air.

[Interviewer]

They tried to take away. See the thing what, what made that makes Chappelle special. They tried to take away something he never prioritized.

[Tony Yayo]

Right.

[Interviewer]

Which was money and fame.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

So when they tried to strip it from him, it didn't bother him.

[Tony Yayo]

Right.

[Interviewer]

So now he can just like, I'm performing at such and such and it's sold out in five minutes.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

So when they take something that wasn't important to you to begin with.

[Tony Yayo]

Right.

[Interviewer]

It can impact you.

[Tony Yayo]

That's crazy. But you know, other people in public and other friends and family, I know they gonna look at you crazy. You turned down 50 million. That's crazy.

[Interviewer]

But he never valued that. That's why when he left, when Hollywood turned his back on him, you ain't see him go back, try to beat down doors and try to get back into acting. You ain't see him try to get another show.

[Tony Yayo]

Nah.

[Interviewer]

Because you tried to take something that he didn't value to begin with. Right. You can only harm someone if you take something that they value.

[Tony Yayo]

Right? Yeah. That was a sponge for me when he said that. Carl got my belly full already. Yayo. Like, damn. When you hear somebody turn that amount of money because people, you know, kill selling. So for that kind of money. Yeah, for sure he's turning it down. I'm like, wow. And he said, carl got my belly full. That was a jewel for me, man. Definitely.

[Interviewer]

When you saw John Cena do your dance, what'd you think?

[Tony Yayo]

Oh, man, that was crazy. He always give me props, though. He always say his brother amped him up to do it. And he always give me my props. I wish I would have made some money off of it though, some way somehow. That dance was actually made with 50 son Marquis, because I was on the run and I think he was at that video shoot. And I always used to go, what are you gonna do in the. I remember him as a kid. What are you gonna do when the police see you on tv? Ao? And I'd be like, I'm just gonna do this dance. Cause remember, I was in the club on the run, right? That's where it originally came from. In the club. Video shoot. Good times, man. I tell you, I had more fun before the money came in.

[Interviewer]

Right? Well, they brought it back because I think Angel Reese did it in the.

[Tony Yayo]

Yes, I think Angel Reese, she did it. You know, she's definitely an entertaining basketball player. I think she had a double. Double overnight.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

And John Cena just. He made it towards.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, John Cena, yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

He always give me my props for it. Admit to it.

[Interviewer]

So, you know, you mentioned this earlier. I sat down with Fat Joe and I asked. I said, fat Joe Yale was telling the story. I think you guys was at a radio station. And you tried to make peace. And you went to dap him up.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, with Khaled. No, that was Khaled.

[Interviewer]

Khaled, yeah. Khaled would tell his story.

[Tony Yayo]

I told my man Nelson, right?

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Tony Yayo]

I told him. I said, yo, listen, I don't wanna. Seductive was out. Meanwhile, my street team's getting chased around. Cause street team used to go through it. G Unit, street team used to get shot at, chased, beat up, all kinds of shit. So my street team was going at it. Cause you put a Yale post up, 50 post up, mother's on you. Right?

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Tony Yayo]

I told him, I don't wanna go to radio. We go to radio. Cal is there.

[Interviewer]

Did you know he was gonna be there?

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Okay.

[Tony Yayo]

My man Nelson. Cause sometimes people that do radio, really, they understand radio, but they don't understand the street politics, right? I told him, let's skip this. We don't have to do this, right? Yo, we gotta do this. I make sure I go up there correct. He got his guy there. I'm not gonna say no names. Cause like Callous said, he ain't wanna say no name. He know who he is. He's a street nigga. He's well known. He's certified. And his waist is bulging, right? From then. From that day on, I knew it was on. This is Florida. Niggas got choppers and all kind of shit. I'm not taking nothing lightly. Cause I leave New York, I'm not one of them New York niggas. To think, oh, I'm from New York. We the toughest. I know I can get it in St. Louis. I know I can get it in Atlanta. I know I can get it in Florida, for sure. I know I can get it.

[Interviewer]

Use the Dallas. Yeah, for sure.

[Tony Yayo]

I'm a paranoid nigga. That's what kept me alive this whole time. You know what I'm saying? That's what keep you alive. I'm a paranoid. So, you know, I went to shake Cali's hand, and he did what he was supposed to do. You, yo, you know, at that time, he was getting extremely hot.

[Interviewer]

Because here's the thing now, if you know Cali, Callie's all about. Yeah, he one of them guys. So for Cali not to shake your hand or to say what you.

[Tony Yayo]

But we the industry most hated, though. That's what I'm trying to tell you. To this day, they still hate us, you know? Do Zoe Banks get his credit? No. Do Yale get his credit? Do 50 get his credit? Yeah, when 50 do shit, that's amazing. They always gonna praise 50, right? You know, but everybody don't get their credit. Game, do we get his credit right now?

[Interviewer]

Right?

[Tony Yayo]

Even Buck. I can't take nothing away from none of them. We all sold records and did big things. But do we get our credit? No. Cause G Unit was the most hated. Our separation with Game is Game wanted to do his own thing. He wanted to collab with other artists. When you look at it in hindsight, he didn't have to be loyal to 50 because everybody ain't gonna be loyal to 50. Everybody ain't gonna be a Yayo. Everybody ain't gonna be a Banks, right? He more wanted to do his own thing, right? When you look at it in hindsight, that's cool, right? It's just the way he went about it. Just a little more humble, you know, Because Game come game. I remember when he called me to be on his album, and I was like, damn, hell, yeah. That's dope. I remember speaking to his moms, and she like, yo, I was happy for him, right? You know, I'm one of them that embrace any that come to the team, because I thought it was family. But then when I realized about the industry is this. It's not. These people ain't your friends, your family. It's just business.

[Interviewer]

Is there ever. Is there. I shouldn't say ever. Chance we have a percentage fifth. Yale Banks book Game.

[Tony Yayo]

I would love that. That would make us a lot of money. But 50 don't need the money, though.

[Interviewer]

50 done with it?

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, he done with it. He don't care about G Unit no more. He's passed. He's on the films and got a in Shreveport going on and liquor and all kinds of shit. But as for me, I look at it like I wish a lot of shit just didn't happen, you know, Buck was a dope artist. Game is a dope artist. Banks, I still talk to Banks this day, you know, but that, that'll be dope. And even if it couldn't be Game and Buck, if it was me, banks and 50 and do like a mixtape tour, that would be, that would be cool with me. Cause that's who I really grew up with.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Tony Yayo]

That's why I can't never get mad at Banks. I mean mad at Game. Game was from la, you know what I'm saying? He was from.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, he ain't grow up with you guys.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, Buck wasn't from Tennessee. He didn't grow up with us. But for me, me outside looking in, I'm seeing dudes with cars and jewelry and I'm like, damn, motherfuckers ain't happy. But you know, the thing about groups and with music is there's always egos.

[Interviewer]

Yep.

[Tony Yayo]

That's why you can't have a self destruction in the music game now. It's too many egos.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

Jay Z, Nas, 50. You can't put them in the, in a room and make a. We are the world record. Too many egos.

[Interviewer]

Fat Joe say man, I wish I had me a Tony Yale. So I give my right hand to have a guy have a Tony Yale.

[Tony Yayo]

I love Fat Joe. Fat Joe's working on a deal for me right now for my podcast cuz he see the.

[Colin Coward]

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[Tony Yayo]

Good morning. Welcome to today.

[Interviewer]

From back to school to tackling your to do list, the Today show is your best start to the day. It's a new season and every morning we're here to help you take it all on as the forecast calls for football all across the country, blockbuster stars, live concerts, and so much more. Wake up to where it's all happening.

[Annabe Sofa Advertiser]

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[Tony Yayo]

And the best way to start is together.

[Interviewer]

Watch the Today show weekday mornings at 7:00am on NBC.

[Tony Yayo]

Okay, ladies, when I said we came to play, didn't I mean it?

[Annabe Sofa Advertiser]

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[Tony Yayo]

We can get massages at Sense's spa.

[Interviewer]

Have a meet and greet with Black Panther.

[Annabe Sofa Advertiser]

Ooh, I love him. And I can't wait to sunbathe on the private island. And the kids will be fine.

[Tony Yayo]

Girl, they're good. Exactly. While they hang in the kids club.

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[Tony Yayo]

Thing and do it well all day.

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[Tony Yayo]

You see the numbers I've been doing on Drink Champs and Breakfast Club and Math Hoffa and Vlad. Shout out to Vlad because Vlad is a big platform. There's, you know, I've done Interviews where I do 18 million views, 24 million views, million dollars worth of game, you know, so now I want to transition to the podcast. This is what I want to do. Because I could talk forever, man.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. So now you wanna, you know, instead of people asking you questions, you wanna ask other people.

[Tony Yayo]

Maybe you could put me on. Maybe Shay. Shay could put me on. What y' all think? I don't know?

[Interviewer]

We get some info, we exchange some info. You keep some bull job going. What, you took a shot at the job?

[Tony Yayo]

Ja Rule?

[Interviewer]

Yeah, about them little ticket sales. Listen, why you gotta do that? Yeah, man, okay. The man ain't selling like he once did. It's okay. He's not fifth. He's not gonna be fifth, and that's okay. Why you gotta keep jugging?

[Tony Yayo]

You know what it is with Ja Rule, it just, you know, it's just something. Till the day we not here. I just would never like you and.

[Interviewer]

He low hanging fruit, though.

[Tony Yayo]

You don't gotta. That's true. But you ain't gotta. You ain't gotta like me. It's the thing is, you know, he was winning. All you had to do was stay in your lane. You shouldn't even even answer 50. But 50 played the chess game with you and beat you at your own game. You know what it is with them? They was blessed and they tried to block 50's blessings. And that's what them up. Cause God don't like ugly. I once heard of somebody say that they tried to block 50's blessings when they was blessed already. You should have just left it alone.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, you should. You know, my grandma used to say this all the time. My grandma say, boy, God don't like ugly. Sometime he don't like pretty.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah. And even with the earth things like, I didn't say nothing bad about him when he passed away. But it's still them. And if some God forbid happened to me or 50 or anybody in our group, I know it'd be us. Sometimes life is just like that. Some people just never get along. And it's cool.

[Interviewer]

So you're gonna be. You're gonna be arguing with John you 100 years.

[Tony Yayo]

I just don't with y'. All. I don't with a lot of people in the industry, right? They not my friends. And I had to realize that the hard way.

[Interviewer]

You got stabbed. You were in the fight with and you got stabbed.

[Tony Yayo]

I got cut. It was nothing serious. Got cut right here with a scar right there and a little scar on the finger. It just looked like a lot because blood was coming out, right? But it was scratches that could have went left because that thing was there. If it was in that room, there would be no Ja Rule. There would be no 50. I put that on my father. There would be no Ja Rule, there would be no 50. Cause somebody would have squeezed. Somebody would have went to jail and Ja Rule would have been finished. They came with crutches and butcher knives and fruit shit. Like, come on. Like, they ain't come with no artillery. We had artillery. But if that gun was in that room, and I shit you not, if that gun, the.45 with no safety was in that room, there would be no Ja Rule or whoever else was in that room. His brother, Irv. Brother. Who else was in that room when we was getting it on?

[Interviewer]

You said earlier that you thought the Drake and the Kendrick Beef was good.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

For who? For hip hop. For Kendrick.

[Tony Yayo]

I think it was good for hip hop. Cause at that point, all we was listening to was Sexyy Red. That's all my man Strike. Work in the club. Like, that's all I was playing in the club was Sexyy Redd. I'm like, oh, shit. This is hip hop. I come off of battle rap. KRS1, MC Shan.

[Interviewer]

Yep.

[Tony Yayo]

You know what I'm saying? BDP, BDP, Nas, Ether versus Jay Z. Big time hip hop. Tupac 50, Ja Rule, Tupac, Machiavelli. This and Diddy. This and Jay. He even Dis. Prodigy. Yeah, Rest in peace. Prodigy and Prodigy was my joint.

[Interviewer]

LL and Cool Modi.

[Tony Yayo]

Remember, we had la la, they had New York. Dog Pound had New York, New York and Big City of Dream.

[Interviewer]

LL and Fab.

[Tony Yayo]

LL and who?

[Interviewer]

Cannabis.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, cannabis.

[Interviewer]

Cannabis. My bad.

[Tony Yayo]

Come on.

[Interviewer]

Cannabis.

[Tony Yayo]

Second round, Knockout cannabis Came on one. LL was working Dog Pound when they had New York. New York, Big city of dreams. Remember that? Back in the day. I think they got shot at, too. Snooping them. When they came to New York, when they shot that video, there was a rumor. I don't know how real that is. I love Uncle Snoop and Dog Pound, but. And then Prodigy and Them had LA la. Big City of Dreams. Cause Pac was this and them, right? That was hip hop. I'm not gonna sit here and not say I didn't listen to Machiavelli. But I'm definitely listening to Biggie. Who shot you? I'm not gonna say I didn't like that. That was you listen to.

[Interviewer]

Hit him Up.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, of course. But then Biggie came back with all kinds of shit. Who shot you? You know what I'm saying Biggie is. Come on. Biggie and Pac B. I think that that was entertainment for the world at that point. Even though it's sad that they both died cause of the situation.

[Interviewer]

But they didn't keep it on wax.

[Tony Yayo]

Let's act like we didn't like that, didn't like that battle. And let's act like magazines and publications, what we had back then. Bob Source.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

Come on. New York, Louisiana. West coast. Beef. East Coast, West Coast. Let's act like. Come on, bro.

[Interviewer]

How did Jay Z and big pun dissing 50?

[Tony Yayo]

Remember 50 had how to Rob back in the day?

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

And he was talking about I robbed Pun without a gun. Rest in peace. To punish.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Tony Yayo]

And Jay Z, you remember he had that joint, I'm About a Dollar. That was a hot record too, right? He said, I'm about a dollar. What the is 50 Cent? I forgot, was that on the. What album was that? That was Hard Knock Life. No. Yeah. Cause 50 dissed him on how to Rob, right? See, how to Rob was a crazy record because that's the first time a rapper actually kind of dissed every rapper, Right? But it was comical. Cause the mad rap. No rad rappers on there. Rodney Jerkins, he said, this ain't serious. But the rappers took it serious because it's all about image. Rappers don't want to hear their name. She can get real.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, for sure.

[Tony Yayo]

Pun. Pun snatched up who Kid back in the day for leaking up a record. Who Kid always talk about it. Throw him in the van. Pun wasn't playing with niggas. Like it's serious. Certain niggas ain't.

[Interviewer]

But Pun was really like that.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, Joe and them was really like that. Like people for real. Yeah, Joe and them.

[Interviewer]

The Bronx come that bad, people be somebody called Jonocchio. What, like Joe B. Lot say Joby. You know, be stretching the truth a little.

[Tony Yayo]

His stories is funny as hell.

[Interviewer]

But I like crack.

[Tony Yayo]

The beefs we had. I love crack. Like Pistol Pete.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

And Joe and the niggas that was around was serious because like Bronx Spanish niggas in the Bronx is as dangerous as black people in the Bronx.

[Interviewer]

Wow.

[Tony Yayo]

They dangerous too. You know, you got Spanish gangs. Trinitarios.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

You got Dominican power. You know, these pull out machetes and shit, you know, they come to struggle too, Right. You know, and them motherfuckers that he had around, them niggas would. They would die for the cause. Pistol Pete and all them, they would. They would. I think they would have died for Joe as well. As we felt like we would die for 50, right? They felt the same way.

[Interviewer]

Help me understand. Cause 50 had a great shoe with Reebok at the time. I think Jay was the creator director of Reeboks. How did that go? I mean, everybody making money. How did it. How did it fall apart?

[Tony Yayo]

Yo, I don't. I don't even. I honestly don't know. I know I was making over 100,000 a year just wearing a shoe, and we wasn't wearing it. And I know 50 got mad at us one day. Cause, you know, you got Dion, I got Dion, Louie ON Whatever. And 50 looked at everybody's shoes and was like, nigga, none of y' all got the shoes on. Cause he knew what marketing was.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Tony Yayo]

He wore the G unit Junior Colvin was selling. He wore it. You know, he wasn't wearing it. We was wearing Louis Vuitton, shit like that.

[Interviewer]

They wouldn't pay you no money, though.

[Tony Yayo]

No, we got paid.

[Interviewer]

Not for Louis Vuitton.

[Tony Yayo]

No, I'm not from Louis Vuitton. I'm talking about.

[Interviewer]

But that's what I'm saying. That's what he understood the marketing aspect of it. He's like, how can you expect us to sell something that you're not wearing?

[Tony Yayo]

I mean, we do it to this day. I got on Louis Vuitton right now. You got on Dior. But I got a black brand right here. Top Flexa and another black brand.

[Interviewer]

I mean, if I had. What you call it, If I had a shoe, I'd be having on my shoe.

[Tony Yayo]

Nah, that's cool. You should have had your shoes. I'll wear them, too.

[Interviewer]

Now we gonna send you a bottle. We gonna send you with a bottle of shoes.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, send me a bottle. Like, I don't mind supporting. Like, sometimes I feel like we'll support other brands and we will support other people's brands. Like the guy that I'm wearing, this top Flexa. I'm not getting paid for this, right? G unit. They not cutting me a check for this. I just like the hoodie. But I like wearing, you know, people at hungry brands, too. I don't mind. I like Kiff. I love Ameri. I love Louis. I love that too. But I want to, you know, buy other stuff too.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

And we. And look, we'll spend big time money, like a Louisville shirt. Yeah, you want to buy a t shirt. That's $650 for a short sleeve, that chrome heart T shirt. And a dude in the hood might have a shirt as well as that. And Might be selling that for 150. And we don't want to support. Come on, man. We got to support. Come on.

[Interviewer]

I agree. I agree.

[Tony Yayo]

Even on tour, I like to wear like other people brands. Max Siegelman, this guy's the next guy. He has deals with New York Knicks, Rangers, all these people. I still, you know, I wear his, but I wear my man topplet from the hood that don't got nowhere near them, right?

[Interviewer]

When 50 jumped on the stage with Jay Z, Daddy T. Oh, yeah, I remember that.

[Tony Yayo]

That was fun.

[Interviewer]

So what go? What go? What? What do you go? What's going through your mind? He, like, 50 done lost his damn mind.

[Tony Yayo]

This crazy. I think you gotta be a little crazy to be successful, right? And that's what 50 is. 50's really crazy. He'll say I'm crazy, but he's crazy, right? Like, right now. We did a tour. We did dates. He flew to Australia to do Street Fighter. I'm like, this gonna go fly 23 hours in Australia. He don't even want to take a break, you know? Like, he's. He's crazy. Something's really wrong with him.

[Interviewer]

Like, right?

[Tony Yayo]

I'll be looking like he'll go to the gym three times a day. You know, he's doing push ups, I'm doing push ups. I'm rolling up. I got canvas there. I'm walking through Paris, you know, I got my cognac, you know. You know, we totally two different lifestyles, right? But he's going to the gym three times a day, getting ready for the Street Fighter film or getting ready for what he do. And, you know, I respect it. But everybody ain't 50 Cent, man, right?

[Interviewer]

Dave Blunt dissed 50. You think 50 gonna respond?

[Tony Yayo]

Nah, man. Sometimes I. As a matter of fact, he said he pushed him down some steps or something, right? I think he said that, right? He said it pushed him down some steps. But sometimes I'll be like, 50. You on a whole nother level where you don't have to respond.

[Interviewer]

You don't have to respond to everything.

[Tony Yayo]

To certain people or say certain things, like Meech or little Meech, right? Or Ross or Dave Blunt, because these guys are not doing what you're doing. They're not going on tour. They can't even. Some of these guys can't even. Let's keep it real. Can't make it to these markets. The big dogs with Live Nation, dog, right? See what I'm saying? 50, NAS, Jay Z, probably Bon Jovi, right? Live Nation. Like, these dudes ain't getting Chris Brown, Live Nation. These dudes ain't getting 200 million out deals, 400 million outdoors. It's levels, bro. 50's on a whole another level. And I'm not glazing, as they say. That's what they say, glazing.

[Interviewer]

That's the glaze. That's the term.

[Tony Yayo]

I ain't glazing. It's just the truth. It's level some. You know, Drake. I'm not on Drake level. I'm not on Kendrick level. It's cool.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

You know, some of these dudes getting 5 million the Weeknd. These guys might get a million dollars for a walkthrough. It's levels to this shit, Nikki. You know, there's levels and it's cool. You just realize there's levels to the shit. You ain't mad at nobody.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. And just because I'm.

[Tony Yayo]

There's a lot of people 50. I feel like. You don't have to say nothing, but 50's crazy. He's been like this his whole life when he's on the block. Oh, shit. 50's coming.

[Interviewer]

Just because I'm not on. Just because you're not on someone level doesn't mean I'm not pretty damn high up. Yeah, because sometimes you may. A lot of times the mistake that we can make, yo, is that we measure our success by somebody else's.

[Tony Yayo]

Exactly. It's just. I hate when. Bump me out the way. 50. 50. I just don't like that. Hey, I hate that. You know, like, I just hate that. Just don't bump me out the way all the time. You want to 50. Cool. He's on a whole another level. Like I said. Shit.

[Interviewer]

You know, they come up from 50.

[Tony Yayo]

Listen, all I'm saying to you is this. I want to be the. To leave my room.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, for sure.

[Tony Yayo]

You know, you can have the sweet Beyonce, Jay Z. 50. Y' all can have the sweets. Yeah, I don't want to leave my room. I want to go to the hood and get a beef patty with cocoa bread. Sometimes I want to go get some macaroni, yams, chicken. I want to do that. And I'm good. Quit doing that.

[Interviewer]

Right. You know, Would you ever get married?

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, why not? I think sometimes the. The industry keep you from getting married, you just gotta pick the right kind of lady.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

See, I like my ladies from the hood. I don't. I don't like nightlife. I don't. Strippers, bartenders, they cool. They beautiful women, ig. I like women straight from the hood. She can have a 9 to 5 and look as good as them. So for me, you know, I can get married about that time soon.

[Interviewer]

It's about. It's coming down.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah. It gotta happen soon. Nobody wanna die lonely, right?

[Interviewer]

Is that what you're. So you only gonna get married because you don't wanna die alone? You probably should have thought about that earlier.

[Tony Yayo]

You right, but nobody wanna die lonely. And I think.

[Interviewer]

I think you don't wanna die lonely or you don't wanna die alone, because there are two different things. You can be lonely and not be alone. You can be alone and not be lonely.

[Tony Yayo]

I never thought about that. I don't wanna die either way. But what I'm saying is, you know what? You know what it is? Cause when you look at everything, everything is based, like, on money. Yeah. Right. So it's like, got a lot of money and be like, oh, shit, she gonna have half of this or half of that. Like, what's. The football player just got married, Travis Horner, and he's getting divorced, right?

[Interviewer]

Is he?

[Tony Yayo]

That's what they said. That's the rumor going around. His wife 140 ring, man.

[Interviewer]

I ain't looking, man. If it's on the Internet, I ain't believe it.

[Tony Yayo]

Listen. Well, that's going around now. That's dumb. You know what I'm saying?

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Tony Yayo]

I understand. Safeguard your shit. You make a certain amount of money, of course safeguard it, you know, but give your lady something, I guess, or whatever you want to do, but just make sure you safeguard it.

[Interviewer]

I think people give it that Cristiano Ronaldo package.

[Tony Yayo]

Right. I think people look at marriage as a business plan.

[Interviewer]

It is, it is. It's a transaction between two people.

[Tony Yayo]

We shouldn't look at it like that, though. Cause when our parents got married, they didn't look at it like that.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, but the parent. When our parents, they didn't have money like that. Exactly, exactly. They wasn't in the business that we're in currently.

[Tony Yayo]

But see, that's the thing about money. You can have money and still not be happy.

[Interviewer]

For sure. Absolutely.

[Tony Yayo]

That's the thing. And then you can have a. You come on, like, put it like this. Having money and having kids when our parents. It was not even about that.

[Interviewer]

No.

[Tony Yayo]

Like, that's how I look at it.

[Interviewer]

Acting 50 got this thing going up in Shreveport. You trying to get. You trying to get. You got.

[Tony Yayo]

I'm trying to get down 50. Get me a job. I'm trying to get. Yo, listen, I'm trying to do this podcast thing. I Got cannabis deals going on. I'm still doing shows on my own.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Tony Yayo]

Like I said, I was just in Germany. I did my first show in the Swiss Alps. You believe that?

[Interviewer]

Wow.

[Tony Yayo]

Me, I couldn't ski for shit. I wasn't trying to ski right. Skiing is not for me. I'm seeing little kids come down the slopes. Cause where's the level? I think it goes red.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, they got different levels that you get on.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, man. You ever skied before? Nope, I never tried that shit. I was bugging. But you know, five star restaurants, living the life. I live in the moment, man. Like, I'm living in the moment here. I'm on Shay Shay's show.

[Interviewer]

Have you ever been starstruck?

[Tony Yayo]

All the time.

[Interviewer]

Who made you starstruck?

[Tony Yayo]

Big Daddy Kane, Coogee rap. Wesley Snipes, the Kardashians, Mike Tyson. But my starstruck is I always keep my composure though, right? I'm like, ah. Not like that. No shit like that.

[Interviewer]

But you thinking to yourself, like, damn, I can't believe.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah. Cause we from New York. So New York, they could see a rapper, see a Nas, and they might be. Yo, Nas, what up, Fab? What up, New York? We never be extra. Yo, Joe. Yo, 50, what up? Yo, yo, yo, what up? That's New York for you. New York ain't blazing nobody.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

You know what I'm saying? But for me, I'm starstruck in a silent way, like. But I'm going to say something to Tyson. Like, Tyson told me to expand my horizons with the caviar. He ain't remember. I remember.

[Interviewer]

You like it? Do you like caviar?

[Tony Yayo]

I fuck with caviar. I'm a Hollywood now. See, that's the thing. I could still eat a beef patty with cocoa bread. Eat some caviar escargot in Dubai, some caviar pancakes. You know, I expand my horizon. That's from Tyson. Chappelle. My belly full, right? You know, Wesley Snipes, dancing in the. I done watched new Jack City 300 times in like.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

That's one of my favorites. You know, I'm a movie guy, man.

[Interviewer]

You toured with Nas?

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah. That was an experience too.

[Interviewer]

Really?

[Tony Yayo]

It was a Nostradamus experience. It was me and 50 on his tour bus. Had Jungle all his people there. That was crazy. That was the moment in life.

[Interviewer]

I met Jungle when we did Queensbridge.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah. Nas probably wouldn't remember, but for me, that shit was big, like. And for me, what's crazy with Nas was he had Drop Illmatic you know, he's talking about weed and blunts, but he was on the bus reading books, so that shit was different for me. I'm like, damn, this shit quiet on here. This nigga ain't smoking that weed. I'm an addict for sneakers. 20s of Buddha and chickens with beepers. So I'm like. I'm thinking it's gonna be big blunts burning. Nah, this was reading books, huh? Yeah, Nas was reading books, man. So I was like, damn, this. This real jungle. And them, of course, they wild out.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, right. For sure.

[Tony Yayo]

You know, but for me, I'm like, yo, this reading books on here, like, really reading. And, like, that's how you knew he had them balls and was kind of smart. Cause he was saying some shit like, I with Nas.

[Interviewer]

You on Cat. You on tour with Cash Money. And.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, that was our first tour ever. Me and 50 opened up for Cash Money Jennings, Cash Money, and Rough Riders.

[Interviewer]

Wow.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah. That's when 50 had how to rob. He was doing one record. That's how far we came.

[Interviewer]

Wow. That was a long time ago.

[Tony Yayo]

Definitely.

[Interviewer]

You ever look back? You like, damn. You look at where you are currently, and you look back where you came from. Do you like, I love it.

[Tony Yayo]

To me, like, I was like. I said, I listened to Fat Joe Jealous One's Envy. So we had beef with him. I listened to Wu Tang, had beef with him. Ghostface don't like me till this day, but I with Ghostface, you know, we had beef with Wu Tang. Like, I look up to dmx, like, so it's like, even when you beef.

[Interviewer]

With everybody, y' all was beefing with everybody. Damn.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, they all friends. With 50, though. He got the money. They not friends. I remember one time we was with Wu Tang, and they was like. I think it was Rizza in them. And they was like, everybody come back there. Except. Except, I mean, we just won 50 back there. No Yayo, no nobody.

[Interviewer]

Damn.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, Wu Tang. I Wu Tang, though. I came up listening to them, you know, I remember I got banned from mtv. Red carpet. Like, I know how the industry is. Just 50. My whole career, just 50. Just 50.

[Interviewer]

But you cool with that?

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, I'm cool with it. Don't bother me.

[Interviewer]

You spoke about how Bleak said that fifth. Don't look out for you.

[Tony Yayo]

Don't look out for him. Yeah, go ahead. Go ahead, say that. I don't wanna cut you off.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, no, that fifth. No Bleak.

[Tony Yayo]

I said fifth look out. Yeah, Jay, don't look out.

[Interviewer]

They'll look up for Bleak. Like, fifth look out for you?

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, I don't think so.

[Interviewer]

He said it. He said. Bleak said it. Bleak said, Hov doesn't look out for me. Like 5th looks out for.

[Tony Yayo]

And then he said he eat his own hollow. He eats on his own. I eat on my own, too. I go on my own tour.

[Interviewer]

But now he's trying to take a shot.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah. Cause that and it's a cool shot because I just came off tour, right? When have you seen Bleak on tour, on his own, Right. If he's doing something with Freeway and Siegel and them like that. It came to a point where 50 was helping Siegel. All I'm saying is, when you look at a situation, Jay Z is not a bad guy. Bleak is not a bad guy. I'm not saying that. I'm saying to you that Jay Z was all business with them niggas, right? When Buck up on his taxes. 50 apiece him off. Know what I'm saying? When Prodigy bought a house and needed more money. 50 a piece or more Prodigy of paying back. You understand what I'm saying? I've seen shit like that.

[Interviewer]

So in other words, you're saying HOV has always kept it busy.

[Tony Yayo]

Business. 50. The thing with 50 is it was business, and we was friends. I don't feel like Bleak was Jay Z friend. I don't feel like Young Guns was Jay Z friend. I don't feel like. And that's okay.

[Interviewer]

I mean, you probably should have learned or known early on what type of relationship that it was definitely. So therefore there's no misunderstanding at a later date and time.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah. So I seen 50.

[Interviewer]

But he shouldn't measure his friendship by what you and Fif have. Yeah, but a lot of people do that.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, definitely.

[Interviewer]

Man. My boy. Man, I wish my boy looked out for me like that. Or I look for my boy. My boy don't look out for me. Like you're such a. But y' all don't have the type of relationship that me and Phil have.

[Tony Yayo]

Exactly. Like, I've seen. Been on the block with Fif. I don't know if Bleak was on the block with Jay.

[Interviewer]

Right?

[Tony Yayo]

I don't know that. And I'm not taking nothing from him. I'm not here to blow shots or discrediting them. All I'm saying is I seen fifth piece people off when they had tax problems, Right? Behold. Jay did it. But he did it with Lil Wayne later on, right?

[Interviewer]

He did it with Wayne. He helped shooting him Savage with an immigration lawyer, right? He helped DMX when DMX wanted to.

[Colin Coward]

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[Tony Yayo]

Good morning. Welcome to today.

[Interviewer]

From back to school to tackling your to do list, the Today show is your best start to the day. It's a new season and every morning we're here to help you take it all on. As the forecast calls for football all across the country, blockbuster stars, live concerts, and so much more. Wake up to where it's all happening.

[Annabe Sofa Advertiser]

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[Tony Yayo]

And the best way to start is together.

[Interviewer]

Watch the Today show weekday mornings at 7:00am on NBC.

[Tony Yayo]

Okay, ladies, when I said we came to play, didn't I mean it?

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[Tony Yayo]

We can get massages at Sense's spa.

[Interviewer]

Have a meet and greet with Black Panther.

[Annabe Sofa Advertiser]

Ooh, I love him. And I can't wait to sunbathe on the private island. And the kids will be fine.

[Tony Yayo]

Girl, they're good. Exactly. While they hang in the kids club.

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[Tony Yayo]

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[Tony Yayo]

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[Tony Yayo]

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[Interviewer]

Right? Because I think the thing now is that a lot of people like is upset at hov. I don't know if upset may be too strong of a word, but like he see Dame dash going through it right now. Dame helped him and he see Dame struggling and he's not lending a hand out. I just felt that at that point Dame is taking so many shots.

[Tony Yayo]

Do you feel like Dame was too cocky, though?

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

But forget the cockiness because Tata and all them other niggas is eating all them other niggas that was over there.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, Tata.

[Tony Yayo]

Boy, maybe Dame should have been a little humble. And I don't got nothing against Dame. I love what Dame.

[Interviewer]

But you can't take no shots at the man. And then if they expect the man to help you, you.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, of course.

[Interviewer]

You done took shots at the man.

[Tony Yayo]

That's the same thing with Buck in 50 or game in 50. Once you take shots I never took.

[Interviewer]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. You're not f to take no shots at me. And then get down on your luck.

[Tony Yayo]

And Think I'm banks never took shots at no 50, right? I never took no shots at 50. No. We brothers, we might have a disagreement, right? But what I'm saying to you is it must have not been a brotherly relationship over there. It was more business. And I understand ho with that. Cause 50 didn't have to pay bucks taxes or help him with that. It's business, right? If I make a half a million. If you make me a half a million and I spend 250, and I'd be like, shake, shake, damn, I fucked up this money. Can you let me?

[Interviewer]

No.

[Tony Yayo]

And if you say no, right?

[Interviewer]

No.

[Tony Yayo]

Because people always remember when you say no, they never remember.

[Interviewer]

They never remember the yeses, right?

[Tony Yayo]

They don't remember if you say no, is you in the room? No.

[Interviewer]

They never remember the thousand yeses. Only the one no, Right, right.

[Tony Yayo]

That's it.

[Interviewer]

Man.

[Tony Yayo]

Right?

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Tony Yayo]

See? So if you say no, you make me a half a million, I spend a quarter million or maybe 300. I'm like, yo, shit, I'm up. IRS in my back. And you say no. I'm mad at you now. Nah, that don't make no sense. You gotta handle that on your own, brother.

[Interviewer]

What does loyalty mean? If somebody says, yale, what's loyalty to you?

[Tony Yayo]

I think loyalty is not judging a person. If they tell you something, like if they tell you something personal, like if you tell me something you're going through, we listen.

[Interviewer]

We don't judge.

[Tony Yayo]

I listen. I don't judge. I don't go back and tell 20 people.

[Interviewer]

Thank you.

[Tony Yayo]

I think loyalty is never looking at watching pocket watching. I think loyalty is never side out in a man's girl or his side chick or whatever he have, his wife or whatever it is. And I think loyalty is just being real. That's it.

[Interviewer]

If Fifth was wrong, could you tell him that he's wrong?

[Tony Yayo]

Fifth crazy. It's hard to tell that nigga he's wrong. It's like dealing with a terrorist. It's hard to tell him he's wrong. But I think you know your friends for who you are. Like, I got this loud friend. I got this friend that's crazy. I got this friend that might be a troublemaker. I don't want to hang with him. Cause he gonna get us in trouble.

[Interviewer]

Yep.

[Tony Yayo]

Every time we hang with this. I think knowing your friends for who you are, like, I got friends that I might not talk to in a while, but I still love them. I still got love for them. But you know your friends for who you are. This friend Might be all about theyself.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Tony Yayo]

You might have that friend. This friend might be a troublemaker. I got a friend like that. Always start in trouble. My man Thirst. I could say his name. Always start in trouble.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Tony Yayo]

I got a friend that maybe he's always a liar. I got a friend that's crazy. You know what I'm saying? I think you know your friends for who they are, accept them for that. Yep.

[Interviewer]

I always tell people, accept a person as they are not how you wish them to be, and you'll be fine.

[Tony Yayo]

Yep.

[Interviewer]

How do you people. How do you get people to set their egos aside for the greater good? Cause I think you kind of alluded to that a little bit in the situation with Buck and some of these other guys in G Unit. Is that they weren't able to set their egos aside for the greater good.

[Tony Yayo]

Right. Cause in a group, there's always egos. All right? More girls like him. He got more money. He's more flashy. He's in shape. He got better calls. He got this. Don't worry about that. Don't worry about what banks getting paid. Buck shouldn't worry about what banks getting paid. I shouldn't worry about what Game being paid. Game sold more records than me. If he get paid more than me, cool. Let's negotiate a price. My price might be lower than games. Banks sold more records than Buck, or Buck sold more records than him. We should be able to negotiate a price. It should be a G unit tour without 50. And he says that. Like, it should be where we could sit down and be like, yo, we gonna go get this money. Like how you see Lil Wayne and Juvenile and everybody. But there was some beef with that. Cause Dirk got into a little beef and he got off the tour. But we all started off as friends. Why we can't get money together? It's all about keeping the legacy alive, you know, with Game, our situation got sticky because of Jimmy Henchman was his management. You know, I feel like that Beef, I never had a problem with Jimmy Henchman. That was inherited from Chris Lighty. Chris Lighty and Jimmy Henchman never got along. You know, that was they thing we messed with. Chris Lighty violated Rest in Peace to him. You know, he was a big part of 50's career. A big part of Fat Joe's career. A big part of LL career, A big part of Foxy Brown career. A big part of Diddy career. A lot of artists and on and on. You know, he was a pillar of hip hop. He worked the tunnel One of the most dangerous clubs to work at. You know, I should always shout out Chris Lighting, because I remember being that Violator with Mona Scott, which is a genius. She got love of hip hop and all that stuff, right? You had James Cruz there, right? Which was a smart guy. You had Yandy, which was smart. You had Claudine, which worked with ll, so that was like a part of the machine. But that beef was inherited. And then, rest in peace to my man Lodie Mac. You know, we went down, they said we slapped Henchman son. You know, the thing that wowed me about the Henchman situation was how you want to sue me and kill me. You gotta. It gotta be one or the other people. You know, my life. When I write my book. Listen, when I write my book, it's gonna be one of the craziest books ever. How you want to sue me and kill me. And I could talk about this, because Henchman down for Natural life for selling drugs anyway. He was putting drugs in, like, stereo speakers and shit like that. Dumb shit. He was being watched. Feds watch everybody in this business. But there's no way you could sue me and want to kill me, Slap your son. Cool. I understand you want to kill me. Just kill me. Or you could have took my. I always looked at that situation like he could have. Instead of killing my man Lodi Mack, supposedly. But he got arrested for it. Cause all his niggas told on him, right? Right. All the niggas that he had doing dirt with him, shooting the mother house up. His driver is all documented. I ain't snitching. I ain't telling not. It's all documented. It's all in paperwork. Those are the same he had doing dirt, told on. Right? But I looked at my man Lodi Mac, which. All right, we slap your son. I understand you want to kill somebody, right? Supposedly. And I didn't even slap his son. My man did. Right? Supposedly. And instead of, I think killing my man Lody Mack, I think you should have just kidnapped him, broke his legs, broke his arms, and we would have got the point. I understand. When it comes to your kid. Cause it's touch your kid or anybody else's kid. I understand. But with that situation right there, rest in peace to my man Lody Mack. I always felt like y' all didn't have to kill him. Y' all could have just beat him up bad, right? Break his ribs, break his arms, break his legs. Right? We would have got the point. I know I would have got the point. Damn. Tortured this cool and drop him off. I'm quite sure he wouldn't have said that. But he got unalived over some rap. And that's when there's a thin line between the industry and real.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

And it's always been like that being with 50. It's bulletproof trucks and getting shot at and all kinds of shit. Serious. Even with the Ja Rule, like I said, if. If a pistol was in the room at that time, Ja Rule wouldn't even be here. He wouldn't be here. I would have finished him.

[Interviewer]

I'm glad there wasn't no pistol in.

[Tony Yayo]

I wasn't no rapper at that point. I was a street nigga. So for me, nigga, that's what we live by. And it's a sad thing, but come in there, that's nothing but self defense. 50 probably. If 50 would have did it or I would have did it. No career and Ja Rule would have been out of here. Cause the pistol was there. And that's how easy it is. One decision could change anybody. Life changing. But I'm glad that didn't happen. Cause look how far we've been.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. You know, as you sit here today, what would you tell your younger self?

[Tony Yayo]

Stay out of trouble. Word. Stay out of trouble. But sometimes it's not the artist, it's the entourage around you when you're young. And it's the energy around you and people around you. That's why you see, even with a lot of artists like you see Dirk's situation, the around you. You know what I mean? You see any artist niggas getting in some shit. Could be the niggas around you. It's not always the artist. But you know who's gonna be to blame if something happened. And Shay Shay there or I'm there. Oh, Shay Shay was there. That was his. Ain't saying what the nigga did. Yeah. Niggas are saying Yayo did that.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Tony Yayo]

I would tell my younger self, stay out of trouble.

[Interviewer]

Damn. You got. I think J. Cole. Wasn't J. Cole supposed to sign with G?

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah, J. Cole always shout to J. Cole. He always showed me love. J. Cole, 50 was sleeping upstairs in this mansion. And J. Cole was downstairs in the studio. He was doing Simbo. And I'm like, yo, 50 with the sign. This mother 50 was upstairs sleeping. J. Cole was downstairs in the studio.

[Interviewer]

And Nicki Minaj too.

[Tony Yayo]

Nicki Minaj. I was on her early. Fendi was just. He didn't want us on it. Like the office. We was on Nikki. Nikki used to be in Nikki Came a long way. She used to be in a studio called Sak Passe. You know, my man Bundy, my man Maserati, Fox, Rest in peace to him. Stack Bundles used to be in there. It was a well known studio that's on the north side, right? And Nick used to be in there. And she used to go hard rhyming in a mixtape she wasn't on, right? So now you see how far she been. Cause she's like, come on, she's like a pillar of hip hop. We was on her tour too, man. I mean, the Barb tour, that was like crazy, man. Wow. But you know, that was a studio. She used to be in Queens. So I've been like a Nicki fan and been on Hudson's. Cause we seen her like from level to level. I've been to Sak Pasay a couple of times, but never there when she was there. But people always told me she was in there with Stack, you know, Rest in peace. Stack Bundles, he was another legend. You know, I always said Jim Jones had the dream team with them. He had Max B and Stack Bundles. I felt like them motherfuckers was just Max went to jail and Stack got killed. Rest in peace.

[Interviewer]

Do you feel that Biggie is a better storyteller than Cube? Because Cube responded, I think you said it. He responded like, if asking, he would ask, is writing movies or writing for others, does that still count?

[Tony Yayo]

No, we talking about writing music, movies. Can't take nothing away from them. But like, to me, Biggie was like a ultimate songwriter with one song. Today's agenda Got the suitcase up in the century Voodoo Moon 112 Tell em Blanco sent you Feel the strangers if no money exchanges Got these niggas in ranges to leave their nose brainless all they told is stainless Cause he's telling the story and you're seeing it. Or when he talk about a story to tell Being at another guy's crib and the N. He's a New York Knick. And that's storytelling. Slick Rick, you know, storytelling. To me, every rapper ain't a storyteller. No, Slick Rick was a storyteller.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Tony Yayo]

Come on. When you see me walking down the street and I start to cry Cool. Come on, welcome back. Come on. To me that's like the ultimate storytelling on Nas. When he say, I ran like a cheetah with thoughts of an assassin or when he made the song of being a gun and he was a gun and he was talking about how gun affect the community, but he was being a gun. You Ever listen to that song? Yeah. I gave you power. You do. Think about it. What he's talking about is ahead of time. It's like, even with the kids now, a kid will have a gun, he'll shoot at one person. And it gets addictive. So when you look at the Nas song, I gave you power, I made you buck. Well, I made you crazy. How you like me now? It's an addiction, right? A get slapped around, be beat up. He shoot his gun a couple of times and he got props in the neighborhood. Everybody look up to him now, leave him alone, don't with him. And now it gets addictive. Now I'm shooting that. So when you hear the song I gave you power, that's what the gun that. Them songs like that to me last for centuries.

[Interviewer]

I read that Hot. You're the reason hot one was a successful show.

[Tony Yayo]

Definitely.

[Interviewer]

You wanted the first guest and you told them they need to change the format.

[Tony Yayo]

Definitely shout out to hot ones. I told them to change the format. You gotta eat the wings with me. You want me to eat these wings, you gotta eat them with me. And that actually changed the format of the show.

[Interviewer]

I think I did hot ones. Did we do hot ones?

[Tony Yayo]

I was the first artist to ever be on that show. And I changed the dynamic of the show. They even admitted it. So shout to them.

[Interviewer]

So why'd you do it?

[Tony Yayo]

I don't know. I just was like, yo, you gotta eat the wings with me. You want me to eat these hot ass wings, you eat them with me? And he just was like, okay.

[Interviewer]

Did you eat them all?

[Tony Yayo]

Nah, this shit beat. I'm Haitian. I can take some spice, but I don't know. I don't know down south, what's the spicy?

[Interviewer]

No, no, no, no. I ain't no, I ain't no hot. I ain't no spicy.

[Tony Yayo]

I know y' all eat spicy shit down there.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Nah, you going further down. You going to lo. That's when they start eating the spicy. The gumbo and all that other stuff now.

[Tony Yayo]

Yeah. Cause it's Haitians. We got the pickle. We got certain kind of spices that we like. I like spicy. Like, I like jerk chicken. I like spicy food. So that was cool.

[Interviewer]

Hey, you got anything you want to promote?

[Tony Yayo]

I want to promote the podcast. Coming up. Fat Joe, volume up. What's up? Or maybe Nori or maybe barstool. I got the cannabis line about to drop. What else? I got tours coming out. I got music coming out. I got the free yayo shirts about to come out. Passport gang shirts. I'm just hustling. And I appreciate being on the Shay Shay show and I appreciate y' all.

[Interviewer]

For watching Tony Yale chitchat.

[Tony Yayo]

Appreciate you bro. Shay Love you man.

[Interviewer]

Love you man.

[Tony Yayo]

Got me drunk right now all my life been grinding all my life Sacrifice hustle paid the price Wanna slice, got to roll the dice that's why all.

[Interviewer]

My life I be grinding all my.

[Tony Yayo]

Life all my life been grinding all my life Sacrifice hustle paid the price Want a slice, got to roll a dice that's why all my life I've been grinding all my life.

[Colin Coward]

This is Colin Coward from the Colin coward podcast on Fox 1. Now you can stream your favorite live sport so you can be there live for the biggest moments. That means NFL Sundays and college football games, nascar, Major League Baseball, postseason and more. With Fox one, you get it all live edge of your seat plays, high octane moments and that feeling like you're right there in the action. Fox 1 We live for live streaming.

[Tony Yayo]

Now.

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[Tony Yayo]

Can small acts make a real impact in the world? Sometimes a small thing has the power to become more something big and meaningful.

[Colin Coward]

And when it comes to helping children. No act is too small.

[Tony Yayo]

When you fill up at the Purple Giving Pump at Shell, a portion of your purchase will be donated to support charities in your community. The Giving Pump Pump Easy to stop, Easy to donate from 9125 to 103125.

[Colin Coward]

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[Tony Yayo]

Of $0.01 per gallon of the fuel.

[Colin Coward]

Pump from the Giving Pump or a minimum donation of $300. Lily is a proud partner of the iHeartRadio Music Festival for Lily's Duets for Type 2 Diabetes campaign that celebrates patient stories of support. Share your [e-mail] duets Mountjaro Tirzepatide is an injectable prescription medicine that is used along with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar glucose in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Mounjaro is not for use in children. Don't take Mounjaro if you're allergic to it or if you or someone in your family had medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome, type 2. Stop and call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction, a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain or vision changes. Serious side effects may include inflamed pancreas and gallbladder problems. Taking Mounjaro with a sulfonylnorrhea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Tell your doctor if you're nursing pregnant, plan to be or taking birth control pills and before scheduled procedures with anesthesia. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and may cause kidney problems. Once weekly, Mounjaro is available by prescription only in 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 milligrams per 0.5 milliliter injection. Call 1-800-LilyRx 800-545-5979 or visit mountjaro.lilly.com for the Mountjaro Indication and Safety Summary with warnings. Talk to your doctor for more information about Mountjaro. Mountjaro and its Delivery device base are registered trademarks owned or licensed by eli Lilly & Company, its subsidiaries or affiliates.