Club Shay Shay - Young M.A Part 1

Summary

Club Shay Shay – Young M.A (Part 1)

Podcast: Club Shay Shay
Host: Shannon Sharpe
Guest: Young M.A
Date: May 27, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this impactful and wide-ranging conversation, NFL Hall-of-Famer and host Shannon Sharpe sits down with acclaimed rapper, songwriter, and entrepreneur Young M.A. The episode explores Young M.A’s journey through fame, personal loss, health struggles, her independence in the music industry, and her authentic sense of self. With a raw and candid tone, Young M.A opens up about personal hardships, addiction, the complexities of family, her rise to stardom, and what keeps her grounded.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Navigating Fame and Privacy

• Young M.A discusses the challenges of living life in the public eye and handling unwanted attention, such as fans secretly recording her in vulnerable moments.
  • [00:00] Shannon Sharpe brings up a viral video of Young M.A in a wheelchair at a grocery store, secretly filmed by a fan.
  • Young M.A: "It's crazy because we were seeing her and she was acting like she was on the phone and the whole time she was recording."
  • She shares her laid-back attitude: "What if I just ain't wanna walk?... I'm lazy, well I'm sorry." [00:14-00:20]

2. The Toll of Lifestyle and Personal Struggles

• Young M.A gets honest about her health struggles, highlighting how the fast pace of life, losses, and habits caught up to her.
  • [04:54] "The lifestyle, you know... dealing with personal things, the music on top of everything. The fame. And then... losing someone close to me." (Young M.A)
• She discusses her descent into heavy drinking:
  • [05:42] "It was always, you know, something we did turning up, but it got to a point where it became a consumption, and it was uncontrollable."
  • She highlights the transition from "just turning up" to dependence: "Slowing down… the consumption is kind of in your view... you're not as busy, your mind is dwelling on things more." [06:48]

3. Recovery, Faith, and Self-Awareness

• Shannon and Young M.A talk about how hard it is to change bad habits and the role of faith in healing.
  • [09:47] "God. Because I'm the type of person, I don't really seek help from people. I'm a self-healer." (Young M.A)
  • Young M.A describes getting through struggles by building a relationship with God rather than just believing in Him:
    • [11:27] "A lot of people don't know the difference. It's like you can believe in God, but do you know how to have a relationship with Him?" (Young M.A)
• She shares how this shift helped her prioritize her health and why she values keeping her personal life separate from her public persona.

4. Vulnerability in the Spotlight

• Shannon and Young M.A address social media moments where her health was exposed (barber video, hospital posts), the pain of betrayal by people she trusted, and learning to forgive.
  • [15:49] On the barber video of her with yellow eyes: She explains she didn’t realize she looked ill, but now believes “maybe it needed to be posted because I would have kept it to myself.”
  • On another video released by someone she dated:
    • [23:51] "It definitely did throw me off… She apologized, we talked about it… I moved on."
• Lessons learned:
  • Importance of controlling your narrative.
  • Becoming even more selective with trust: "Absolutely. Like ten times worse. You know what I mean? It's ten times my radar." [25:27]

5. Self-Healing and Rehab Misconceptions

• Young M.A clarifies rumors about rehab:
  • [25:46] "Nah, I didn't go... I went there, got dropped off there... but I didn't feel like rehabilitation was what I needed because I didn't have an addiction."
  • She emphasizes self-reflection and the importance of addressing the underlying pain, not just stopping the substance use.

6. Inner Circle, Family, & Upbringing

• Young M.A details her mixed Brooklyn and Virginia upbringing, the influence of her mom and absent father, and the profound impact of her brother’s murder.
  • Her mother was supportive and never tried to change her.
  • On being a "tomboy": "I was the only girl on the football team... I was with the bros for sure." [36:29], [37:29]
  • Discusses her close relationship and childhood fights with her brother: "We fought, but I'd fight for him." [50:45]
• The murder of her brother at age 17 shattered her innocence and deeply influenced her worldview and artistry:
  • [53:13] "It is literally a separation of innocence to real life... My whole outlook, spirit, everything, just felt life all at once."

7. Loss and Grief

• Young M.A recounts learning of her brother’s death:
  • The vivid memory of the night and feelings that followed, showing her emotional intelligence and resilience. [54:25–59:31]
• She questions the meaning behind the violence and admits to once wanting retaliation, but now chooses to move forward. [62:29]

8. Music, Independence & Major Moves

• On choosing independence over signing with a label:
  • [64:46] "I just wanted to see what would they do after the song 'Ooouuu.'"
  • Believes independence gave her longevity and control, but admits with the right contract, she could have made more money with a label.
  • "It wasn't about how much money for me, it was how long that money is coming in. See, I own all this." [72:09]
• Discusses the viral success of “Ooouuu” (474 million YouTube views), and the remix with 50 Cent, plus notable remixes by Nicki Minaj and others.

9. Brand, Image & Marketing Principles

• Young M.A reflects on authenticity in deals and promotions:
  • Only endorses brands/products she actually uses: "I still had this innocence that I have to protect. I don't be all sloppy... I'm not gonna just jump at any brand..." [75:50]
• Views jewelry as trophies, not mere flash: "This is my logo. These are my trophies... something that signifies my success." [72:56], [73:01]

10. Identity, Relationships & Sexuality

• Candid about her identity as a tomboy and her attraction to women, with strong emphasis on being herself from day one.
  • "No, I never... I just never did. I didn't know what it was to be a girlish girl." [48:24]
• Shares the importance of a partner who matches her energy—“I like them a little thug too... you gotta be sturdy with it... you gotta be able to fight with me.” [80:59], [81:07]
• On relationships: She’s in a committed relationship with someone from Compton, and prefers to connect in real life, never sliding into DMs.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On God and healing:
  • “God. Because I’m the type of person, I don’t really seek help from people. I’m a self-healer.” – Young M.A [09:47]
• On life after her brother’s death:
  • “It is literally a separation of innocence to real life...My whole outlook, spirit, everything, just felt life all at once.” – Young M.A [53:13]
• On independence:
  • “It wasn’t about how much money for me, it was how long that money is coming in. See, I own all this.” – Young M.A [72:09]
• On authentic branding:
  • “I learned a lot with marketing...I don’t be all sloppy...I'm not gonna just jump at any brand.” – Young M.A [75:50]
• On drinking and regret:
  • “Probably slow down on the drinking. I think the drinking became a lifestyle because Henny was so attached to my name.” – Young M.A [74:24]
• On betrayal and trust:
  • “Like ten times worse...It's ten times my radar now.” – Young M.A [25:27]
• On her mother’s support:
  • “My mom’s was like… I had the best childhood, right, yes, absolutely.” – Young M.A [38:21]
• On representing herself:
  • “This is my trophy, man… This is a trophy. I wear my brand.” – Young M.A [73:35-73:42]

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Important Timestamps

• [00:00] – Viral wheelchair video, privacy and the public eye
• [04:54] – Lifestyle, health, losses, and fame
• [09:47] – Turning to faith for healing
• [15:49] – Barber viral video and forgiveness
• [23:51] – Hospital video leaked by partner, betrayal, and trust
• [25:46] – Rehab rumors, choosing self-healing
• [36:29] – Young M.A on being a tomboy, football memories
• [53:13] – Losing her brother, loss of innocence
• [64:46] – Decision to stay independent in music
• [72:09] – Financial independence and longevity
• [75:50] – Branding, marketing, authenticity
• [74:24] – Regrets about drinking/Hennessy image
• [80:59] – Relationship preferences and authenticity

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Tone & Style

The episode is deeply personal, honest, reflective, and at times lighthearted, with both guests swapping stories and philosophies in a conversational and relatable way. Young M.A is humorous, real, and open, while Shannon Sharpe is empathetic, insightful, and encouraging.

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Summary Takeaway

Young M.A’s journey is a testament to self-awareness, resilience, and the power of authenticity—in music, business, and personal growth. She models candor about her struggles, wisdom in her choices, and strength in her character, making this episode a must-listen for fans and anyone navigating their own path through adversity and ambition.

Transcript

[Shannon Sharpe]

What about when the fan recorded you in the wheelchair at the grocery store without your consent?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, that was weird. And it's crazy because we were seeing her and she was acting like she was on the phone and the whole time she was recording.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You're oblivious to your surroundings.

[Young M.A]

What if I just ain't want to walk?

[Shannon Sharpe]

You was lazy that day, huh?

[Young M.A]

I'm lazy. Well, I'm sorry.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Cause I find that you stealing the motor ride the motor rider, you going around the grocery store and scooter not do that now.

[Young M.A]

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 look 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

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hello. Welcome to another episode of Club Shay Shay. I am your host, Shannon Sharp. I'm also the proprietor of Club Shay Shay. Stopping by for conversation today is one of the most names in hip hop. One of rap's most successful independent artists with over 3 billion streams. She's gone quadruple platinum, a blockbuster rapper, a viral hitmaker, a talented songwriter, a groundbreaking entertainer, global chart topping lyricist, a household name and a culture sensation and an entrepreneur. She's relatable voice of the people and a defining voice of New York. She's received a proclamation from the city from BK New York, Brooklyn, that is. She's a queen with a kid because she's also a king too. Here she is. Young ma.

[Young M.A]

My boy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I hook you up. I did you.

[Young M.A]

I like that. I like that. That was fire.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I appreciate your time.

[Young M.A]

Appreciate it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

If you don't mind, I'd like to start here. You had been dealing with some health issues and if you don't mind because maybe someone's gonna watch this and they'll receive and do what you did and take a course of action and become better. So what happened to the best of

[Young M.A]

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[Young M.A]

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[Young M.A]

The situation.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, yeah.

[Young M.A]

The lifestyle, you know what I mean? Just, you know, a lot. Moving fast, dealing with personal things, you know what I mean? The music on top of everything. The fame. And then, you know, you got, you know Situations in your life that kind of like, you know, tarnished you. Like losing, you know, somebody close to me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Correct.

[Young M.A]

And, you know, just a lot of stuff just start to, you know, catch up to you. And, you know, I got, you know, stuck at a, at a dead end at one point in my life.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So, yeah, did this, you said the lifestyle was this before you had started and it kind of accelerated because of the fame, because now all of a sudden you have money. Did it accelerate once you became famous or was something that started once you became famous?

[Young M.A]

I mean, you know, it was, it was always there, you know what I mean? It was always there. It was always, you know, something we, we did turning up, but it got to a point where it became a consumption, you know, and it was uncontrollable.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

At one point, you know what I mean? And I didn't see that coming.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know, I mean, it kind of scared me, kind of threw me off track a little bit, and I didn't know how to handle it. So before it was just like occasional thing, a turn up thing, you know, you hanging with the bros. And then

[Shannon Sharpe]

it became, we turn it up all the time.

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It was like, when do we. If we keep turning up, when do we turn down?

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? It got to that point. But yeah, basically that when do we turn down?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right? How hard was it for you to change those habits? Because sometimes we get into a situation where we do something over and over and over again and people don't realize how hard it is to change a habit, be it good or bad. A lot of times when you're a hard worker, it works because you're a hard worker. You do the same thing over and over and you're good also. But when you have bad habits, those are also hard to change and they might be even harder to change than

[Young M.A]

the good habits, right. I think it kind of stemmed from slowing down. Okay. Know what I mean? Everything start to slow down. And now the, the consumption is, is kind of in your view, right? You're not as busy, you know what I mean? Your mind is dwelling on things more, right? And you know, it came to that point and basically getting over it was. It wasn't really a struggle to get over it, okay. Because it wasn't nothing that I really wanted to do, right. You know, it wasn't something like, like, I gotta, you know what I mean? I gotta do this. It was just like a. A hill I was trying to get over at that point in my life. And I knew I was Gonna get over it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

You know, that was. That was what I knew I was gonna do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

And I'm saying. And when I did, you know, I

[Shannon Sharpe]

ain't look back, basically, whether the situation. Cause a lot of times we. If we have bad habits, sometimes it's a situation that we make sure we don't put ourselves in that situation where the bad habits can arise. Sometimes it's the people that we're hanging around. Sometimes we have to cut people off because there are reasons some of the bad habits keep occurring and we have to look like, damn, I sure hate to do this, but I've been around this person and every time I'm around him or her, something bad goes wrong.

[Young M.A]

And that's. And that's definitely a situation I was. I think I was around. But I don't like to blame.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

Others.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? It's really on me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? I'm grown enough to make my decisions, so I can't really stem on that because I was the one making those choices, you understand? But yeah, man. Just basically, you know, just getting past that situation and really focusing on, you know, what, you know, what I do best.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? It just got to that point I had to get over it. Like, I was too consumed in my personal life.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Young M.A]

And I'm that type of person too, at the same time where I do separate the two.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? Like, even on the. On the Internet, I don't bring nothing personal. A lot of people don't know a lot about me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? When it come to music, it's just music.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

And that's what I try to keep it as, you know what I mean? And I got to a point where I kind of got pulled into the personal a little more than the music, because the music was at a. At a standstill. So, you know what I mean? But like, far as the drinking in itself, it really caught up to me unexpectedly because I was. It was a normal thing at first, and then too much consumption caught up to me, and then I didn't realize what I was really doing to my body.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

Like. Like people don't understand that. Like you. When you used to something normally, like, it's just a normal thing because it never was like a habit.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

It wasn't like I. But when it turned into that, it became scary.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

And I didn't know that part, you know what I'm saying? So that's why I said getting over it was something I wanted to do because it was like. Like, what is. I ain't used to this part, you know what I mean?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, who is that person? And I don't know, maybe you looked in the mirror and did a self reflection or a self check, but who was the person that pulled you aside and say, this ain't it God. Wow.

[Young M.A]

God. Because I'm the type of person, I don't really seek help from people. Like, I'm a. I'm a self healer.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay. I got myself into this.

[Young M.A]

I'm gonna get myself out of, like, I kind of blocked the world out.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay. Okay.

[Young M.A]

And that's exactly why you didn't see me so active in music.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

Cause I knew I had to handle this before they see that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? So, yeah, basically that, you know, sometimes

[Shannon Sharpe]

is that it's the battles that people don't see that are the toughest for us to overcome. Because, you know, because a lot of times if someone sees that you're going through something, they're going to cheer you on. Because, you know, you would go to a football game and everybody cheered and everybody getting right. You go to a sporting event and everybody cheering, everybody get anged. But you're suffering. You're dealing with this on your own. No one really knows what you're going through.

[Young M.A]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And sometimes we get in our own head and the toughest battle to overcome is the one that we.

[Young M.A]

Yes, yes, yes. That we tell ourselves. Absolutely. And yeah, God, I mean, ain't really nothing else to, you know, explain by that. It was just something that, you know, I had to acknowledge. And once I acknowledged that, that was it for me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You acknowledge, you deal with, you dealt with it, and it's probably gonna be something you'll have to deal with every single day. You'll wake up and have to make a conscious decision, well, I want to be the best version of me. How has your life improved since you made that decision? Say, you know what? The old. That ain't gonna cut it. Moving forward.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. Facts. Health.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. Health is wealth.

[Young M.A]

Health is wealth, man. You know what I mean? Fitness and just the. The relationship with God.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

You know, people, A lot of people don't know the difference. It's like you can believe in God, but do you know how to have a relationship with Him? You know what I'm saying? And I think that was like my crossover. It's like I believed in God. I always put God first.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Correct.

[Young M.A]

But I. After this, after this situation, I created a relationship.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, man.

[Young M.A]

You know what I'm saying? That's. It's a different feeling. It's a different energy, motivation, you know, I'm saying. And it led me into, you know, just see, even seeing, like, my mom's, for example, just, you know, we already lost, you know, she already lost a child.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

So just imagine what that was for her. You know what I mean?

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[Young M.A]

And that was also a reality check for me is like, I don't want to do this to my mom.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right. And so you're like, okay, I made this decision. You said, were you religious growing up? Were you brought up in the church? Because you said, I believed in God. And, you know, hey, I prayed for things, but I didn't have a relationship with God. And if you don't mind, equate. Can you explain to our viewers and listeners out there the difference between knowing who God is and now cultivating a relationship with God?

[Young M.A]

Yes, because I think it's when you go through something. Yeah, that's how. That's, that's, that's. I think that's how that's created. Because you can grow up going to church. You know what I mean? You got your. Your grandmother or your mother or somebody just taking you because it's just a traditional thing, and you just know the surface of it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

But when you go through something, like, I don't know how to explain it. It's like you. You have to go through something.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You do.

[Young M.A]

You can't explain that to somebody that never went through something.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

Because it's still going to lay on the surface.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It's a situation. A lot of times we have success and we are like, oh, thank you, God, for this. But when you go through something and you have to say, lord have mercy. Yeah, boy, open your eyes, won't it?

[Young M.A]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because a lot of times when we have success, we really think it's us. Yeah, we really think it's us. But he say, you know what? I'll make you call on me.

[Young M.A]

And that's another thing. You know what's crazy is that I always put God first. Like, I never was this cocky artist, okay? I've been humble my whole entire life, career, everything. You know what I mean? Like, my fans even know that. And I always put God first. But, like, now is like, that part is easy to say God did it because everything's good and gold and glitter. But when you at a low point and God pull you out of it, that's where you see the difference in, oh, yeah, God did that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Nobody but him.

[Young M.A]

Like, God did that right. Yes, that's a, that's the difference right there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

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[Young M.A]

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[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When you saw that, were you upset with him because you said, I don't like to bring my personal to the Internet. I don't want. Hey, if I'm gonna go through something, I'm gonna go through something. My music is one thing. You have access to that take, have at it. But what I'm going through, personal, I don't want nobody to see that. And when you saw that, how did that make you feel?

[Young M.A]

All right, so let me explain that situation. Basically, when I did go there, he asked me, was he able to record.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

At that time, when I first. This was like around the time I first got out the hospital, probably a week after.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

I was. My mind. See, that's the difference is I can really go deep into this because I never talked about this. But the day I got out the hospital, I was already. My mind was ahead of. I didn't even look back.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

Like, it wasn't like I dwelled on what I was going through. My mind was, I gotta get back to doing what I Need to do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

Because that's where I was at the whole time. I didn't think I was going to die. I wasn't scared. I wasn't afraid. Nothing. My mind, I already knew I was going to get out of it. You understand what I'm saying? Yes. So in my mind is get back to the normal schedule program. Let me go get a cut. It's been a month.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

You know what I'm saying?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ok.

[Young M.A]

I went to the barber like I always do, right? Went to the barber. Mind you, in my mind, I don't think I look like that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

All you see is you. You like, hey, I'm good.

[Young M.A]

I see the future.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

I see what I'm about to do again.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

I didn't see me. I didn't see how I looked at that time. I'm gonna keep. I look, I felt like I looked like myself. It's almost scary to know, but I felt like maybe that happened for a reason. Like maybe it needed to be posted because I would have kept it to myself.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But don't you think that's kind of foul? He saw how.

[Young M.A]

No, listen, when he posted it, he asked me could he post it. That's why I reposted it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But why would he even ask you that? Think about it. If your man came in here, you know, he had gone through something, you see that? He doesn't look the same. You know what he looked like before that happened to him? You wouldn't go to him and ask him, bro, you mind if I post this? Because he's not thinking. You were thinking. Because like you said, you can see we're the last to see. We're the last to see what we actually. What the shell looks like outside. You know, something was going on inside, maybe they didn't. But the surface level, they can see, right? And for him, look, that's your boy. And I ain't trying to cause no thing. But for me, ain't no way in good conscience I could have done that knowing. Cause I see like, damn.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. Your mind is like, nah, hell nah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't want nobody to see my man's like this. Yeah, but you forgave him. You say we all good over here.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, man, I ain't even look at it like that. My mind was. You know what I mean? Like, even now, it's like it was meant.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wow.

[Young M.A]

You know, this ain't my. My day one man, you know? Yeah. You know what I mean? Like, nah, this ain't one of my day one mans. It's just you know, one of the barbers I was casually going to.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But that's. That's what I'm saying.

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, so that explains it because I don't think your day one would have done that would've put you in that situation. But what about when the fan recorded you in the wheelchair at the grocery store without your cons?

[Young M.A]

Said yeah, that was weird. That was weird. And it's crazy because we were seeing her and she was acting like she was on the phone and the whole time she was recording.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's what gets you in it.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, man. It's cuz you know what it is.

[Shannon Sharpe]

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[Shannon Sharpe]

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[Orderly Meds Narrator]

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[Kal Penn]

I'm the host of Earsay, the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project, Hail Mary, Massive sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth.

[Ray Porter]

I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I'm narrating some of these sections and it's like, okay, yo, yo, yo, is this indulgent? And I really thought about it. I was like, no. At this point it would kind of be betraying the trust the the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that that deeply, emotionally affected me and I left it on the mic. That's great because it served the story. People will say like, oh my God, I cried at the end. It's like, yeah dude, me too.

[Kal Penn]

Listen to Irsay, the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Young M.A]

It's too like, I'm, I'm such a. I be, I be out.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You ain't paying. Hey, I'm going here for X now.

[Young M.A]

I'm going to get some food.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, I'm doing this. What I'm doing. You're oblivious to your surroundings.

[Young M.A]

What if I just ain't wanna walk?

[Shannon Sharpe]

You was lazy that day, huh?

[Young M.A]

I was lazy. I'm sorry.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Let me. Cause I thought that you stealing the motorized. The motorized. You going around the grocery store in the scooter.

[Young M.A]

I do that now. But I mean, you know, at the end of the day, I mean, everything. Yeah. Like I said, bro, these things were supposed to be seen. I don't think it was meant to be hidd. And that's how I look at life. Like, you know what I mean?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right. And then someone that you were seeing at the time, unfortunately, posting an old video of you actually in the hospital, the yellow eyes, the IVs. That had to hurt because like I said, now that's a different situation. That's someone that you believed in, that y' all confided in, that y' all shared a lot of personal things. And for her to do that, you had to feel some type of way.

[Young M.A]

Absolutely. I did it. It threw me off. It definitely did throw me off. But, you know, we did talk about that situation.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know, behind the scenes. She apologized, we talked about it. It's something I don't really want to get too deep into because, you know, you moved on.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You good with that?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, I moved on.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay. I can feel you with that. But I think sometimes we want to tell our own story, whatever, Be it good, bad or indifferent. Allow me. I don't need anybody to try to wr this down for me, because only I know what I went through.

[Young M.A]

Exactly. And it's something I speak about in the music too, as well. So, you know, like, for instance, open scars. You know, I speak about that on the album. Even in the video, I kind of show. Right. Brief images of. Of me in the hospital. But, yeah, it's definitely something where, you know, this is. This is why I'm sitting here now. You know what I mean? You the first one to even have this. This side.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

But, yeah,

[Shannon Sharpe]

given everything that you've gone through up until now in this battle, does it make it more selective of who you trust? Because a lot of times we can. We really don't know a person because we might think we know a person really, really well, and they've never shown a side that would cause you to believe that this person would do something like this. And then all of a sudden you like, damn, how did I miss the sign that there was a potential that you could do something like this. So have you become more selective in who you trust and who you deal with?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, because I've always been like that. So that's why it definitely threw me off, because I've always been attentive to those type of things, you know what I mean? And. But yeah, absolutely. Like ten times worse. You know what I mean? It's ten times my radar.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean?

[Shannon Sharpe]

The rehab. You've gone to rehab in the past, so let me ask you a question.

[Young M.A]

Nah, I didn't go.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You didn't go? No, that was. Somebody put that out there. Yeah.

[Young M.A]

I mean, I was, I was attempting to, but I never did.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So do you. So you like to say. I like to. I like to self heal. I like to do things on my own because.

[Young M.A]

So I'm gonna tell you that story.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

So I. I went there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

Got dropped off there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

And then I looked around because in my mind I didn't feel like rehabilitation was what I needed because I didn't have an addiction.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

Here's what I'm saying. Like, it wasn't no addiction for me. It was like something else is. I need to heal from something else, you know, is wrong that I need to change.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

It's not the addiction. Okay. So when I'm. When I'm. When I first get there and I go inside and you know, basically sign up, I wasn't in there for no. Not even 20 minutes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Damn.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, I went in there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, you should have told him to just wait outside, cuz I'll be right back out.

[Young M.A]

Listen, listen. Damn near. So I went inside, okay. I did meet this, this young lady. She was a fan, okay. And she was like, what you doing in here? I said, I don't know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Sounds a good question.

[Young M.A]

Right. And she was telling me her situation and I was like, damn. Like you, you know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, yeah, you need to be there.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, you need to be there. You know what I'm saying? And then I'm. And then she, she's like basically like. Yeah, it's more people. When I look around, I see like people that's like they not even like knowledgeable or aware of their surroundings. Like they.

[Kal Penn]

Wow.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. It's like you could tell they drugged up.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

Or something.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

And I seen that and I'm like, oh, yeah, I don't belong here.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

So I went to the front desk and told the lady I said, I'm leaving. Like I'm leaving. She's like, oh, you have to da, da, da. I said, I don't have to do nothing. So I called my people. I'm like, y' all come back and get me. I'm staying here. And I got up out of there and went bowling after that. Yeah, man, it was crazy. Yeah, that was it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That was it.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, that was it. That was it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you thought. And then you got around and looked, and I think you. So you saw some of the people that were in there, and you like, I'm nothing like them, man.

[Young M.A]

But I knew that, too. I just did it for my. For, like, my mom's okay, you know what I mean? She didn't really know what to do, and it was really for that. But when I went in there, man, I said, man, let me heal myself. Let me get it together. But, you know, it's unfortunate that it took me going to the hospital to really change, you know, that situation for me. It wasn't going to be rehab, you know, I mean, rehab. But it was almost like they. They threw a rug over the dirt.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They ain't clean it up and clean it up.

[Young M.A]

When I went to the hospital, I had nurses that was West Indian and, you know, was praying for me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wow.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, it was different. Yeah, you know, it was. It was different with the hospital, you know, very supportive black women. Like it was.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's what you needed.

[Young M.A]

Yes, yes. And of course, I had my mother.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right. But, yeah, now, y' all know we're in the time of year. Mornings got a little chill to them by the afternoon, man, it's hot. It's weather like this switches up on you out of nowhere. And you see I love hot. I love my cars hot. I love my sneakers hot. I love my suits tailored, fitted, clean, hot. But let me tell you something. My underwear, nah, that's where I got to draw the line. I need it cool. That's why Tommy John's cooling underwear. I'm talking breathable, lightweight, moisture wicking. They keep you dry when the temperature starts acting different, because there's nothing worse than feeling fresh on the outside. And then, boom, you're uncomfortable. Where it matters most. Feel like you're sitting in a sauna and you don't even have a membership. Tommy John is the solution to all of that. With naturally breathable, stay cool fabrics that have up to four times more stretch than the competing brands, they stop sweat before. And if you're still on the fence, let me tell you this. With your first purchase covered by Tommy John's Best pair guarantee. So if you're not vibing with them, Tommy John will make it right. Look, with over 30 million pairs sold and counting, there are thousands of dudes out there that are cooler, comfortable, and living their better life than you. Don't get left behind this summer. I love my Tommy John underwear. And you will, too. Tommy John Comfort perfected. Go to TommyJohn.com today and save 25% off your first order with cold Shay. Shay. That's S H A Y. S H A Y. Don't short me now. You gotta say it twice in open scars. You said without the henny. I see everything clear now. So alcohol was. You say. Don't like to use the term addiction, but that was your coping mechanism?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, man, that was my kryptonite. Yeah. And it was. A lot of. A lot of people was coming up with other drugs and stuff. I ain't never do no other drugs in my life. It was alcohol and a vape pen.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? I never even smoked a cigarette. Yeah, Some weed. Yeah. But all the other stuff, they was. Yeah, I wanted to clear that, too. I'm scared of drugs, so.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They are.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, man, they crazy, but go ahead.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, I want you to finish this.

[Young M.A]

I don't even remember what we did. Okay.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because you said, you know, alcohol was what you used to cope and to deal with a lot of things. So how often were you drinking? Did you get up first thing in the morning and before breakfast or during breakfast? So how often during the course of a day would you say you drank?

[Young M.A]

It got to a point where it got bad before it was just turning up. Occasional. It was the vibes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It was.

[Young M.A]

We lit and. Yeah, I mean, we did drink a lot, but it got to a point where it was every morning.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

All day.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, I mean, was it a pint? Was it a filth? Was it a half? Was it a gallon? I mean, how much would you.

[Young M.A]

It was a bottle a day. It got to that point, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Half a gallon.

[Young M.A]

Nah, nah, nah. It was a bottle. Yeah, it was a bottle.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

Like the whole bottle.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So 750?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, 750. Yeah, yeah, 750.

[Shannon Sharpe]

By yourself?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, it got to a point. It wasn't the whole time.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

It just got to a point. You know what it was?

[Shannon Sharpe]

What?

[Young M.A]

That it was the withdrawals I was scared of. The withdrawals were scary. I didn't know how to handle that. I didn't know what that was. So when I drunk, it calmed me down. Right. I didn't know what that was.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you do realize you was throwing dirt over that rug you was throwing that rubble over that dirt that you were talking about earlier.

[Young M.A]

Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So was it something you were dealing with?

[Orderly Meds Narrator]

Personal?

[Young M.A]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That you didn't really understand how I need to attack this head on that you was trying to mask? What were you running from? Was it relationship? Was it something in your personal life? As far as family, Was it the music? What were you going through that said?

[Young M.A]

Man, it was a little bit of all. It was family. It was kind of me and my mother's relationship. Relationships, friendships, and the music, of course. You know what I mean? I just felt. I felt disconnected. I felt like, you know, ever since, you know, like 2020 hit, covert time.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

Everything kind of just. Just went off track.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

It was like, I don't know. I, I. And I never been. And I didn't live where, like, I moved. I moved from my house. I didn't move, but I, like, left my house and got another crib somewhere. But I still had my house in Jersey.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

And then I moved to Georgia, and so you in the A. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

So I moved to Georgia, but I was still back and forth.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

But I had got a crib out there in Georgia, and it was kind of like the gang crib.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

And that was one of my first mistakes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, you. Did you think like, hold on, Dugu. I'm from Brooklyn. I'm in Jersey. That ain't nothing but a short commute. I'm going way to Atlanta.

[Young M.A]

Nah. Because I was in Atlanta a lot.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

I was always in Atlanta. So it was like, all right, I need to get a place here.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

I'm here. Two months. Waste of money.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

So. And at that time, New York wasn't as productive. You know, Atlanta was more open.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Young M.A]

And it was more opportunity.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. Okay.

[Young M.A]

So, you know, I took my ways to Atlanta, and it was just. I went in the wrong way. I went in with that demon mind state.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay. Yeah.

[Young M.A]

You know what I'm saying? And I never did nothing like that when I was. When I had my house in Jersey, I. I came with a different aura, energy piece more, you know, in control. That's my house. But when I moved to Atlanta, I got, like, a little, you know, a little condo spot.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

The bros come stay with me. Yeah, we about to turn this up. I came with a different mindset, Came in with the drinking. And then, you know, another thing, too. I wound up getting into business with a liquor brand. So that really. I think that was definitely part of the reason why it really spiraled.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

Because it became the because music ain't as happening. So now I'm jumping into a liquor brand, and now that becomes the main attention for me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, you're from Brooklyn.

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Give me some of your favorite memories of growing up in Brooklyn.

[Young M.A]

Sheesh, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You don't have any good memories of Brooklyn?

[Young M.A]

Nah, a lot of good memories of Brooklyn. Sheesh. I was outside. I mean, being at the park, Lincoln Terrace park, with my cousins. This was a kid.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, as a kid. Summer camp, the park on the block. Manhunt, red light, green light, corn, snow.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, like, so as a kid, what do you want to be? So when you grew up. So as a kid, you're eight.

[Young M.A]

Well, I also lived in Virginia, too.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Really?

[Young M.A]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

I'm surprised you don't got that on there. Yeah, I lived in Virginia for a minute. I grew up a lot in Virginia.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So what was. What did you want to be when you were growing up? Be it in Brooklyn or Virginia, what did you want to be? What did you see for. I mean.

[Young M.A]

I mean, I always wanted to be a rapper.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Always.

[Young M.A]

I was a tomboy, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

I was playing football. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

I was the only girl on the football team. I got a picture, too.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. So cheerlead wasn't in it for you?

[Young M.A]

Nah, hell. Hell, no. I didn't even think about. I would. Listen, man, this something, not like this. Something that stemmed in me so young that I didn't even understand it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? I thought it was weird. Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you always been one of the bros?

[Young M.A]

Nah. For real? For real. Yes, always.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So. So you. So you. You a girl. Y' all ain't have. You ain't have nothing. You ain't want no dolls. You ain't want to. You ain't want no easy makeup.

[Young M.A]

When my mom's. When my mom's got me dolls, I used to cut the hair off, and I used to try to make it to a boy. Like, some of them are boys.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So they gave you a Barbie. You turned him into Ken.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, man. Cause she ain't never give me the kids, you know what I mean? She ain't never gave me, like, boy toys, but I understand, you know, her daughter, but. Nah, but I wasn't really in the house. Like, I was always outside. I was playing football. I'm playing basketball.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you playing with the guys you were playing with? You weren't playing with the guys?

[Young M.A]

I was with the bros. For sure. Yeah. Since a kid. Since a little mini me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Your mom was Jamaican, and you said at one point, half. Half Jamaican.

[Young M.A]

Part Jamaican.

[Shannon Sharpe]

She part Jamaican.

[Young M.A]

And black. She black.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, my mom's black.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And. And so growing up, what was your relationship like with your mom?

[Young M.A]

Oh, I love. My mom's.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. That's my everything. You know what I mean? Growing up, my mom was thorough. My mom is. My mom is real. Brooklyn.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

You know what I'm saying? Everybody know my mom for real. You know what I mean?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Was she tough on you?

[Young M.A]

My mom was like one of those parents where she wasn't. She was strict, but she was lenient at the same time. It was like she got us what we want, you know? But she still made sure we was punished when you think had chores, you know what I mean? But, nah, my mom's was like. I had the best childhood, right, yes, absolutely.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Your dad was Puerto Rican?

[Young M.A]

Yeah. My dad Puerto Rican, yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Are Puerto Ricans black?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Cause someday, I mean, where I'm from

[Young M.A]

in New York, yeah. Puerto Ricans is black.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

We all black.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. Dominicans, all that. Yeah. I don't. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Unfortunately, your father's incarcerated. You still maintain a relationship with your father?

[Young M.A]

He's incarcerated. Not now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, but I'm saying when he was.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, my mom would take us to go see him every now and then when she could, but that's kind of all it was.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? He wasn't never like a father that was like, I don't want my child.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? He just couldn't be there. Cause he was locked up for so many years. And, you know, when he did finally come out, you know, he tried to, but it wasn't. It wasn't like, you know, like fully full on.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. Right.

[Young M.A]

He still had to adjust. So I don't take blame. Like, I never was against my father. You know what I mean? It's just like, I knew my father had situations that, you know, unfortunately.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How were you when he went in? Was he. How did you. Do you remember when he went in?

[Young M.A]

Yes, I think I was like, almost one.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. I was real. I was.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you grew up with him being incarcerated?

[Young M.A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, okay.

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did you understand what that meant? Did your mom break it down to you and say, unfortunately, your father is not here, your father's incarcerated?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, we knew what it was. Okay. We was. I mean, I'm a 90s baby, so that was like a normal thing back then, like, daddy's somewhere, da, da, da. But, nah, my mom's my only thing I could say about my mom. She was like, she never Put his name down. Even though the circumstances they went through, she never downed them. She always acknowledged us that he was our father. I mean, he was my father.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Do you guys currently have a relationship?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I talked to my pops.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's awesome.

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You don't hold that against him that he was incarcerated and you didn't really like grow up with him in your life, right?

[Young M.A]

I used to, like when I was a kid, sometimes I didn't understand, like when he did come out, I didn't understand, like, what was his duty, like, as a father, like, are you really supposed to be father? But I was so used to my

[Shannon Sharpe]

mom playing both roles, doing everything, that

[Young M.A]

it didn't really affect me. It just was like, you know, yeah, I know you my dad, but we didn't have a relationship. And now, you know, I'm older, so it's kind of like, you know, that's pop. You know what I mean?

[Shannon Sharpe]

You mentioned earlier you played tackle football with like, with actual helmet and shoulder pads.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, yeah. Equipment, for sure.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you got down like that, huh?

[Young M.A]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What position you play?

[Young M.A]

I was running back. I was second stream running back and wide receiver.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, I'm at 86.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You catch the touchdown?

[Young M.A]

Yeah. Come on, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What about, do you play?

[Young M.A]

See, the only thing is too, it was my first year, so I didn't start.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

And I was a girl. They was real skeptical about me even being on the team. But like all my bros and stuff was like telling the coach, like, no coach, she could really play. You know what I mean? So it got to that point. But I only played one year, right. I wish I was able to play two, but yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did you. You played. So you were on offense? Did you play defense? Did you want to tackle somebody?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, defense too. I was. I think I was better kind of on defense. I'm not gonna lie. Cause I used to play around the neighborhood.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

And you know, we ain't play with no equipment when you play in the neighborhood.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. Oh, absolutely.

[Young M.A]

There's no equipment on concrete. You know what I mean? Right, right there, Bow. So. Nah, I was. I ain't gonna lie. I hate to like really say what I was. Cause I was really nice.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Like I was a female.

[Young M.A]

I was nice. Like, I was nice. Like I would be the first person they pick on the team.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Damn.

[Young M.A]

Nah, they'll tell you for real.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you like. So if, if I were to describe you, you on defense, you like. Yeah, that's what you like. Ray Lewis and Reed. I mean, you, you that type of defender Better what?

[Young M.A]

Ain't got nothing on me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You see now they do have a, a women's league where they had, where they, you know, they tackle and things like that. If they'd have had that when you growing up, would you have played?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, yeah. I think I would have been into sports either. Basketball. Basketball was like my second favorite, but football was like my go to.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Was it because the bros played football? That's why you wanted to play football?

[Young M.A]

I thought I was a boy. Like I really thought I was a boy. I wasn't even. I wouldn't care about the bros. In my mind, I was the brother. Yeah. It was just in me. My brother. I got, you know, my brother.

[Shannon Sharpe]

My older brother. Yes. And you said you wanted to be just like him.

[Young M.A]

I wanted to be like my brother.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right. And so whether the situation because your father was incarcerated. He was there. Did you look at him as a father figure, my brother?

[Young M.A]

Yes. Kind of. No. Cause he used to get on my nerves. My brother was mad. Oh, he was a big brother for sure. But he was me and my brother, like, we would fight, right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

You supposed to physical fight?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. You supposed to be there? I'm trying to figure a situation where somebody was sibling and they didn't fight. Yeah, that's a rite of passage. You gotta fight. How much older is he than you?

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[Shannon Sharpe]

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[Shannon Sharpe]

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[Kal Penn]

hey everyone, it's Kal Penn. I'm the host of Irsay, The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast I am sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project Hail Mary, Massive sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth.

[Ray Porter]

I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I'm narrating some of these sections, and it's like, okay, yo, yo, yo. Is this indulgent? And I really thought about it. I was like, no. At this point, it would kind of be betraying the trust the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that deeply, emotionally affected me. And I left it on the mic. That's great, because it served the story. People will say, like, oh, my God, I cried at the end. It's like, yeah, dude, me too.

[Kal Penn]

Listen to Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Young M.A]

Uh, three and a half.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. See, I'm three. My brother's three years older than me. My sister's eight years older than me. I try to fight him. I couldn't understand why I couldn't beat him, though. Cause it didn't dawn on me, bro, he three years older than you. Your sister's eight years older than you. It had dawned on me that I wasn't supposed to beat him.

[Young M.A]

Right? I.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Look, you my brother's sister. We gotta, we gotta.

[Young M.A]

We used to learn.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You used to go at it.

[Young M.A]

Yes, yes. But, yeah,

[Shannon Sharpe]

obviously you knew. You were a young lady growing up. How long did you, like? Man, I don't really have nothing in common with no chick. I ain't got nothing in common. I, I.

[Young M.A]

Forever. My whole life.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Really?

[Young M.A]

Yeah. Because even when I used to, like, be around my cousins and stuff, I wasn't. I was always the boyish cousin, right? The boyish female. You know what I'm saying? I was the more the aggressive female. I used to always kind of be mean. I was kind of a mean kid.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Damn.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, I was a little mean. Like, I was a little. I used to fight my cousins and beat them up sometimes. I was a little mean.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? I used to beat up boys in the neighborhood, too.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Damn, you rocking like that.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, it was. You know what I mean? But, I mean, you know, you're a kid, so you don't know no better. But. No, I never. I never. I don't know. I just never did. I didn't know what it was to be a girlish girl. Like, I tried when I got older.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Tried, but that was too. It was too far.

[Young M.A]

Couldn't do it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What did your mom say? Cause did your mom know early on that, you know what? She different. I don't really see anything that makes me think that she wants to be a young lady the way. Because like you said, you played tackle football, which really wasn't common. You know, you hanging out, probably hanging out with the guys, which. And you like, you got. Well, why don't you go hang out? Why don't you hang out with Susan and Jasmine? And you're like, I don't wanna hang out with them.

[Young M.A]

My mom ain't never do that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

She didn't.

[Young M.A]

My mom never even tried to control my preference in anything. I never told her, you know what?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I prefer to date be with. Yeah.

[Young M.A]

For a long time. Because I was scared. I didn't understand.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But don't you think she knew?

[Young M.A]

I think my mom knew. I think my mom knew. I think my mom just was waiting for me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Went to tail.

[Young M.A]

Mm. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You said your brother was your, like, grew up being a father figure. And it said you date the same type of women. Your older brother, you looked at it later like, yeah, I'm trying to think.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. I ain't gonna lie. My brother was wild, man. He was with. Sometimes he more outside of you, man. My brother was with anything, man. If I could tell him today, I like, you had some dirt, bro. You had some dirt, man. Word, son. But yeah, man, nah. Me and my brother, we do not got the same taste. I wish he was here for me to tell him that, man. Yeah. Nah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So how do you. Unfortunately, your brother was stabbed to death by a former friend.

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How did that change you? Because you say you guys were. Even though you fought as youngsters, you guys were close because that's. What. You don't realize it. You and your. Me and my brother fought, but he wasn't letting nobody else do nothing to me. Not talk sideways to me. And you definitely wasn't gonna bully me. Not when he was around. And if he did. If you did something when he wasn't

[Young M.A]

around, I'm telling you, I fought somebody for my brother. I fought this girl. I'm gonna tell you the story real quick. We was at the basketball court, okay. And I don't know if she liked him. She probably had a crush on him.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

Or whatever. Mind you, she's the same age as me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

So he's noticing her kind of like, you know, I guess she was, you know how girls bother you, but they like you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right? Right.

[Young M.A]

So it was kind of in that sense. And I'm just, you know, bouncing the ball and I'm hearing what's going on behind me. It's a few of us. It's like a good 10 kids.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

We outside. Just outside in the Neighborhood. So I hear her, and it's like she's saying little stuff, but she keep coming at him with it. He like, yo, hey, girl, leave me alone before I get my sister on you. Leave alone. I mean, leave me alone before I get my sister. Okay, so I'm hearing it, but see, like, I'm calm. I'm not like a rowdy rowdy. When I was fighting, like, I was. I would calmly beat you up. You know what I mean? So it was like, I'm playing the basketball, but I'm here, but I'm just observing, right? Because I already know I' ma have to, right? So that's already in my mind. I'm just bouncing the ball. I'm just waiting for my time. That's it. I'm shooting the ball. And then she just kept doing like, five minutes later. He like, yo, he say my name, come handle my light work. I just dropped the ball. Walk up, let's push her. You know, back then, it was a

[Shannon Sharpe]

push versus if you. What you gonna do.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, touch your energy, push, you know, I mean, she fake pushed me back and that was it. Rocked her, grabbed her, threw in the headlock, slammed her on the ground, started rocking her like this. She bowled up in a little fetal position. She tried to kick me, me, every spot. All the kids running in like, oh, hit her. Hit her. Hitter. They telling a hitter for me. Cause she was like one of them girls that did a lot of talking. Yeah, she did a lot of that. So, like, even her own peoples was telling me to hit her.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Damn.

[Young M.A]

So like that. Yeah, it was like, that's the type of relationship me and my brother had. We fought, but I'll, you know, I'll somebody up for you. You know what I mean? So. Yeah, yeah, but that was a little. You know what I mean?

[Shannon Sharpe]

So did you have any more contact with that? You had no more problem with her? He didn't have any more problems than you?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, it was over for her. I remember she tried to come to the bus stop, and, like, I guess she had a black eye. So she tried to come to the bus stop and, you know, I mean, like, fake kind of act like she was still tough, but I just ain't paying no mind, you know?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, I'm like, you want some more of this? I got something. I got some if you want it.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, man, but that, you know, that was. Kids, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Like I said, unfortunately, your brother lost his life. How did that change you?

[Young M.A]

What did that do? Man, it's is. Is literally like. Like a Literally, like a separation of innocence to real life.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

Like that very moment when I heard those words, like my whole outlook, spirit, everything, just felt life all at once. Like, I really knew what life was at that very moment. Like, now life is. This is real.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Young M.A]

Like that little innocent girl who thought life was, you know, and see my games. I never felt that before. Like, you know, like my mom, we lost, like, my. My grandmother husband, which was like a grandpa to me, you know what I'm saying? Like, we lost somebody like that. And of course that bothered me as a kid, but I'm 17 at this time, so I'm. I'm aware of what life. You know what I mean? Understand what's going on. So it was just like. Like, what you for? Like, y' all for real? Like, this real.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Was it. Was it at night? Was it during the day?

[Young M.A]

No, it was. So when it happened, it was we. Hours. It was. It was at the party or something. But when I found out, it's crazy because that night. That night was so strange for me. And I remember I was with my father. I was with my father. I was going to the Bronx, and that's where he was staying at the time. He was going to the Bronx. And I remember for some reason, that night felt so. I don't know, like fake. That particular night, it felt so fake. Me and him driving. And I remember the Jay Z song playing, they Live Forever. Forever, Forever Young. That song, that Jay Z, I think he resampled it or remade it. And I remember that song playing this before I even found out anything. And I was so into that song at that moment. I never was. But for some reason that night, it just felt so. I don't know. And we get back to the crib, and I remember my pops let me sleep in his room. He slept on the couch. And I remember I'm asleep. My sleep was off around. Probably around the same time the situation must have been happening because, like, wee hours of the day, out of the night. And I remember my. My father's phone kept going off because his phone was in the room. And I kept hearing it vibrate. And I seen it and I see the name and I see my mother calling. So in my mind I'm like, why is she calling three hours in the morning, right? And I'm not paying it no mind. So go back to sleep. And I was still hearing it, but I just went back into a sleep. Got up the next morning, he like, yo, my pop's coming. He like kind of wake me up. He like, yeah, your mother just left a moist. A message on my phone saying, hurry up and, you know, just come back to the house.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Young M.A]

They don't, you know, they don't really

[Shannon Sharpe]

want to get the bad news correct.

[Young M.A]

So they, like, just come to the house. They said something with your brother, so.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So at that time, you don't know anything. It's just something going on with your brother. I knew. It just felt.

[Young M.A]

I knew, yes, that. That very moment, he. When he said that, I knew because my. Then my great grandmother called me. Like, not too long after he said that. She called and was like. She was so emotional. This. She was throwing me off, too, because she was like, your uncle. Then she was like, no, your brother. She was in confusion. You know what I'm saying?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Young M.A]

And my great grandmother don't do that. You know what I mean? Like, my great grandmother don't call me, like, with that energy, like, this is. That's how I knew it was real. He ain't just hurt, right? So she, like, come back to the house. Just come back. I already knew what's up. So the whole time we in the car, that same feeling. Now it's daytime, though, but your father

[Shannon Sharpe]

doesn't know anything either. He's just coming back. Something's going on with his son.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. He's taking me back to Brooklyn.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

Taking me back to Brooklyn to my grandmother's house, my mother house, where I was staying. And we getting there. My mom and my grandmother's gone. He died in Pa. Pennsylvania.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

They already left to go for that. You know what I mean? My great grandmother is at the house with my little sister.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? And I come inside, and she's coming out the room, and she's like, come, come in here. Come in the kitchen when I tell you. That was like the. The longest walk to the kitchen. And I don't even want to say it. It's just like. Because it's gonna. It's gonna. Me. But that's what she told me. She. She hugged me and she just said, like, he's gone. I ain't even. I don't. I don't even know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You don't really were a whole lot after that, huh?

[Young M.A]

I was just angry. I just went in the room. I remember going in the room and I punched the wall once, but I wanted to break the wall, so I kept punching it, punching it, punching it. And what stopped me is my little sister had came in the room and, you know, was seeing me. And my great grandmother went to go Grab. And that's what made me kind of stop. Because my. My little sister, man, she kind of. She's so innocent because she's little at the time. She's a baby damn near. And she's like, katora, I want to get on the computer. I'm like. I'm like, get out of my face. Like, I. Wow. Like, I tweaked out on her. And I just went and sat on top of the step and just. I called my cousin. That was the first, because I couldn't call my mother. My mother wasn't picking up.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

It was in the midst of that. And I called my cousin. And I know she's like, my. She's like a sibling to me. I called her and basically told her the news. And she lived. She didn't live too far from me. So I knew, like, at that situation, I couldn't stay where I was at. Like, at my house. I couldn't stay there. I had to go somewhere with somebody that I knew would understand, you know, what I'm. What I'm going through. I called her and then I told her. I said, I'm about to hop in the cab and come to your house. And that's what I did with that house. And I remember, like, that whole day, I still ain't talked to my mom for. For that whole day.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Damn.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, they was. I didn't even. I didn't even know what to talk to my mom about. You know what I mean? I had. I was too in my zone, and I know she was in her zone. And it was like, if we talk, we gonna break down. You know what I mean? So I went to my cousin house and it was just so strange. Like, even I couldn't sleep. My dreams was like. Like super vivid. But, like, I wasn't sleep, but I was. I don't know how to explain it. It was for, like, a good couple weeks because I was. I had. I had just started school. I had just started my senior year. My brother died September 26th. I just started school. September, my senior year, just started school. And when it happened, I had to be out of school for that whole October, for the whole month. And I went back to school. I. I don't. I don't. It was. Everything was a blur. That whole year. The rest of that year, I don't. I don't even remember because Christmas, every Thanksgiving, all that came up. And I don't even remember what I did those days. Damn. But, yeah, that definitely changed my life. Yeah. Forever. I don't. I Don't even remember the innocence of my life anymore.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Do you remember the young man that took his life? He was a former friend. What was it about?

[Young M.A]

To this day, I still don't think I fully know. You know, people have their stories and theories, but you never know if you. Not he not here to say it and I wasn't there to witness it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

People say, you know, it was an argument they had and that he was probably low key, jealous of him. My brother was a big guy for his age.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

My brother was only 20 at the time when he died, but he looked like he was damn near 30, you know, I mean, beard, you know what I mean? He was big, tall. You know, my brother was. He was big for his age all my life. And my brother was a big kid.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

And so he, he, you know, he used to tell people he was older than the age that he would actually work. So he, you know, he was, he was very, he was intimidating sometimes, you know, And I, I think, I don't know if it was out of fear or if it was out of personal, you know, like. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Cause they, you know, they say that when you stab someone, that's personal because you gotta get up close to em.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, you gotta get closer.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know, sometimes when you use a firearm, I'm at a distance. It's not personal. Yeah, but to walk up, to be up on somebody, to actually be really, really close.

[Young M.A]

That's why I said I don't really even know what transpired. For real.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

There's a lot of stories, but I really don't know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

If you had an opportunity to talk to the person that took your brother's life, what would you ask him? Or you don't wish to have that conversation?

[Young M.A]

I couldn't even tell you, man. Back then it wouldn't have been nothing to ask. I wouldn't.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You want to do something to it?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, absolutely. No, absolutely, absolutely.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Is he still incarcerated?

[Young M.A]

I believe so. It's. It's been a while since I got an update. My. My brother's father side of the family kind of is more involved with that part because it happened where they stay at. Okay. And. But from. I mean, I haven't been told he was released.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know, my mom would know and you know, they automatically supposed to know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

But from what I know, I'm not sure.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Your brother's passing. Is that when you like got into rap to deal with the pain, to deal with the emotion of it? When did you start rapping?

[Young M.A]

Nah. Way before my brother.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You was rapping way before?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, way before my brother. Yeah. I've been writing. I've been with that pen since I was 9, 10.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Really?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, yeah. Wow. Yeah, I was. My brother was trying to rap too, but he couldn't with me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You like? Nah, bro. You just cheered me on that I got this.

[Young M.A]

We did, like, as kids. We did two songs together, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Young M.A]

Yeah. I wish I had it on my mosh face and everything.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But, yeah, his verse.

[Young M.A]

His verse was like, nah, he, nah, chill. My brother, he wasn't lyrical like me. I was real more detailed when it came to that. Even as a kid, my brother was like. He was just like, you know, he could make a song. Like, he was good on the hooks. That's why I said we was like, definitely.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay. Y' all could have did. Y' all could have did something. Okay, okay.

[Young M.A]

Like, we could have did something. He didn't care to be too lyrical.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean?

[Shannon Sharpe]

So, yeah, your hit song, 474 million views on YouTube.

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Damn.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. Trying to get that half a bill.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, the whole YouTube check hit pretty good with all them views.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, man. Absolutely.

[Shannon Sharpe]

If that's what the. Is that the reason why you never sign with a label? Because you saw like, hold on. I don't need to sign with no label. Y' all taking half my money, taking all this. I can just do this on my own and keep all my bread.

[Young M.A]

I wasn't always. I wasn't, like, against the labels. It wasn't never, like, against it or, like, for that matter. I just wanted to see what would they do after the song. Ooh.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

You know what I'm saying?

[Superhuman Shaq]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

Because that's easy, right? It's already the training.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Young M.A]

But I need to know what's the follow up for me? Where's. Where's the. Where's the. The. The power the machine gonna be after the. You know, after the song.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right. And so go ahead. Go ahead.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. So, you know, once I wasn't delivered that, then I said, all right, well, I gotta do this on my own.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right. That was it. And you were okay with that?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, I wasn't. It wasn't. To me, it wasn't about money. Cause that's really what was the conversation mostly about was, you know, money and radio and stuff like that. But I was already, you know, I was already kind of getting my little money from shows and stuff, and I already kind of had, you know, radio relationships with people at the radio. So I was Kind of building, you know, underground.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

And this record was just like my golden ticket. It was like, okay, bet. Like I'm gonna continue on this train

[Shannon Sharpe]

because you've already shown them proof of concept.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. Y' all see what I could do, right? Yes, exactly.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So what are we discussing? What are we talking about? Well, we don't know what you can do. We don't know if the people gonna be relate. You're gonna be relatable, bro. Did y' all that. You hear the song here? Put that song. Hey, my man, put that song on. Yeah, this it right here.

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So what we talking about?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, man, come on now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Make the money. Right?

[Young M.A]

It was just. I think too. Another thing with me is that I think I was kind of comfortable with the.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes, okay, okay, I see.

[Young M.A]

I mean, so.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So looking back, if you could go.

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[Shannon Sharpe]

And now superhuman Shack.

[Superhuman Shaq]

I keep telling them not to say that. I'm no superhuman. Believe it or not, I struggle with moderate obstructive sleep apnea or OSA in adults with obesity. Moderate to severe OSA is a condition where breathing is interrupted during sleep with loud snoring, choking, gasping for air, and even daytime fatigue. Let's just say it could sound a lot like this. Sound familiar? Learn more@don'tsleeponosa.com this information is provided by

[Shannon Sharpe]

Lilly, a medicine company.

[Orderly Meds Extended Narrator]

Are you trying to get weight loss support through telehealth? But it feels overwhelming and rushed. Check out orderlymeds.com now. Orderlymeds.com was built to be different. Here you connect with real doctors who take the time to understand your goals, review your eligibility and guide you through a plan that's right for you. Orderly Meds provides access to proven GLP1 medications like semaglutide and Tirzepatide, including both name brand options and personalized compound versions when appropriate. So you have choices backed by clinical oversight, not guesswork. It's a simpler, more supportive telehealth experience designed around people who want clarity, care and confidence in their weight loss journey. And your medication is delivered directly to your home in discreet packaging. So you're expecting experience stays private from start to finish. Do your research, ask the right questions, then visit orderlymeds.com podcast for an exclusive offer. Again, that's orderlymeds.com podcast. Individual results may vary. Not medical advice, eligibility required. See Cite for details.

[Orderly Meds Narrator]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures [e-mail] Disclosures hey everyone, it's Cal Penn.

[Kal Penn]

I'm the host of Earsay, the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast I am sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project Hail Mary, Massive sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth.

[Ray Porter]

I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I'm narrating some of these sections and it's like okay, yo yo yo is this indulgent. And I really thought about it. I was like, no, at this point, it would kind of be betraying the trust the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that. That deeply, emotionally affected me. And I left it on the mic. That's great, because it served the story. People will say, like, oh, my God, I cried at the end. It's like, yeah, dude, me too.

[Kal Penn]

Listen to ears. Say the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oback. Would you. Would you stay independent or would you have signed with a lady? You stay independent.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, I've been independent forever.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right? So that's all you know?

[Young M.A]

That's all I know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? And I remember now, it seemed to be a thing. It's becoming a thing. Right. But I was on this way, way, way before, you know what I mean? So. So I'm glad to see people, you know, having that understanding of the opportunities that's available and accessible in 2026.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? Just off the social media itself, do

[Shannon Sharpe]

you believe you've made more money being independent or with. You had that machine? Because I hear a lot of, you know, I had a lot of artists on here. It say that machine.

[Young M.A]

I'm about to say, I think if I had the machine and of course, played this smart and made sure the contract was solidified the way it should be, I probably would have made more money.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean? It would have had to be that contract. Had to make sense, right? Saying. But yeah, Yeah, I don't doubt that. You know what I'm saying? But it wasn't about how much money for me, it was how long that money is coming in.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right. See, you say, see, I own all this. I own 100% of this. Yeah, absolutely not 20% of this.

[Young M.A]

Exactly.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So. So the money started coming in. What was your best. What was the first thing you got when that check came on in? And you're like, ooh, damn.

[Young M.A]

A house. A house for sure. Yeah. Bought my house out. Yeah, yeah. House, a car. That was it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Would you get a rose?

[Young M.A]

No, I got an Audi A7.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ooh. Okay.

[Young M.A]

You know what's crazy? I manifested that car. I used to always speak about that car in my music.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

And I got it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. I'm not a big car person, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

I'm not like, I don't have a hundred cars.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Seems like you're a big jewelry person, though.

[Young M.A]

Not even. I just.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What you mean, not even?

[Young M.A]

This is my logo.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The whole group. Look at the grill.

[Young M.A]

This is my logo. This is something that's. These my trophies. It's something that signifies, you know, my success.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Young M.A]

So I wear it like a trophy. I don't. I'm not. And I mean, I calm, Rolly. I'm just like. I'm a subtle person. I don't like. I don't like the attention.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So would you let me ask you a question? When people see you for the very first time, tell me what you think they think. They think calm.

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And I don't think they think that

[Young M.A]

people think I'm humble. Cause I give humble when I speak to them. Yeah. I don't think none of my supporters know, like, I'm not that rapper, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I see that big old chain. I see that big old Cuban. That's lifestyle.

[Young M.A]

This is my trophy, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, I know.

[Young M.A]

This is a trophy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. You wear the trophy. Think that's it again, normally, trophy.

[Young M.A]

I wear my brand. I wear my brand. This is my brand. Just like. Ain't this your brand?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, this is my brand.

[Young M.A]

It's just not on your neck.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, yeah, that's my point. See my trophy? Normally they on the mantle. I don't wear my trophy. And then you got these big. You got this in.

[Young M.A]

I mean, listen, this is forever grills. And my earrings is. That's just like makeup.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Would you do anything different if you could go back and do what is. What are some of the things. Maybe you don't even want to do anything different, but if you could, what would you go back and do different in my career? Yeah,

[Young M.A]

Probably. Probably slow down on the drinking. Yeah. I think the drinking became a lifestyle because Henny was so attached to my name, because that's how I came out talking about Hennessy. You know what I mean? I kind of influenced that vibe.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They break bread with you?

[Young M.A]

No. That's why I regret.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you gave them a lot of free advertising?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, I did, for sure. And we made that initiative to set something up, but it just.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It never materialized. Nah, it's kind of hard. And that's what I learned about the business. It's kind of hard to do something for. Let's just say you want to promote a soft drink or you want to promote a car. It's kind of hard to get them after you've already gotten a million clicks and views because it's like, well, you did it for free. Why would we pay you.

[Young M.A]

Right. Exactly.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And that's how they think.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. And that's understandable.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes. And so that's what I tell people. Why would you do something for free when someone would pay you for it?

[Young M.A]

Exactly.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's how they think.

[Young M.A]

Right. That's why I was just, like. I had to take that on the chin. There was nothing I could do about that. You know what I mean?

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you have advertised Google, Pixel, Beats by Dre, Pandora, Adidas, Fashion Nova. What do you learn most like doing deals now in the space that you're in? What do you learn about advertising and marketing yourself?

[Young M.A]

I learned a lot with marketing, just knowing how. Even with controversy, knowing how to promote. And also, like. Like, with me, like, I still had this innocence that I. I still have to protect. Like, I don't be all sloppy. Like, it's. It's deals that came to me about weed packs and stuff like that. You know, I don't smoke weed often, so I'm not gonna just jump at any brand that don't signifies what I really do. You know what I'm saying?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes. So you like to promote products that you actually use.

[Young M.A]

That I actually use.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because then it's. Then it's easy.

[Young M.A]

Right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

You don't feel like. I don't really need to.

[Young M.A]

Because I can't fake it yet. I can't fake it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean?

[Shannon Sharpe]

So, yeah, 50 Cent did a remix to Uli.

[Young M.A]

He is the official remix. He didn't do the remix. He's the remix. Yeah, it's a lot of remixes, but that is the only official remix. Everything else was just what people just decided to do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You like? Hold on. I'm gonna need that check, though.

[Young M.A]

For 50.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Not for 50. I'm sure 50 broke, y'.

[Young M.A]

All.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm talking about everybody else that keep doing

[Young M.A]

was crazy. Cause everybody did it. It was a big viral thing. It was a lot of big artists that did it. Nicki Minaj did one. I think even Meek Mill and the Game, when they was beefing, he was using my beak to go back at each other. I'm like, wow, this is crazy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Beyonce did a birthday post. She did a birthday post and let you open?

[Young M.A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Damn.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, that was big.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So when you got the call, when her people reached out and said, hey, you know, X, Y, and Z, we like with you. So what were you thinking?

[Young M.A]

I mean, at that time, everything was coming, you know, coming my way. So it was definitely like, you know, like, oh, okay, we going like, this is big. Like, but it's crazy. Cause at that time, when I did go to open, everything was a rush. Cause I had another show right after. So I didn't even have time to linger around and even get to meet her.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Damn.

[Young M.A]

I met Jay Z, though, right? I met.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, Ho, what's up? Talk to your girl right quick.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, I met Ho. So that's, you know, that's a blessing in itself.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Absolutely. Yeah, you like, I ain't even get a chance. I ain't get a chance to holler.

[Young M.A]

I didn't even get to meet Beyonce, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hold on, Kehlani, you shot your shot. Nah, he said, I like them tatted. Me too, though. You know what I'm saying?

[Young M.A]

Hey, Kehlani, everybody think that that was like me trying to shoot my shot? Nah, I'm just a witty rapper, right? You know what I mean? I throw little bars in there. And, you know, the first person I thought of that's a female that's super tatted was Kalani. And it went with the punchline. So, nah, I never shot my shot. She cool, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

We cool.

[Young M.A]

Like, Kalani is sturdy. Like, we even supposed to did a couple songs together. But no, I never shot my shot.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But do you find it now that, like, anytime someone see you talking to a female, let's just say for the sake of argument, you like, hey, how you doing, girl? Good to see you. People automatically try to put two and two together, say, oh, yeah, they did.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, they did a lot. It's a lot of false information out there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You like, well, damn. I mean, I might have been trying to shoot a shot, but y' all done blew the thing. Y' all fuck me up.

[Young M.A]

Fuck me up, man. It's over. I gotta move on. Not as the doing that a lot, man. He was doing that every. Every female I came next to, if. If they definitely. If they had, like, a name, they tried to throw, I don't know, something in there, and I'll be like, oh,

[Shannon Sharpe]

man, damn, cuz, you. It was like that with. With Halle Berry. You, you know, you gave Halle a hug and it was like, well, damn, Halle Berry. That's a good looking woman.

[Young M.A]

That was. A lot of people don't understand. Like, that's a different level of a woman. You know what I mean? Like, that you got.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't know. I don't know if y' all ever seen this woman in person. Yeah, she's beautiful, but camera, a TV movie don't do her justice. Absolutely don't do her justice.

[Young M.A]

Yes. And spirit is beautiful, you know what I mean? So when I met her, connection off rip. She just had such a good spirit, good energy and. Yeah. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful person.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Do you have a celebrity crush?

[Young M.A]

No.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No. You're not into celebrity hug?

[Young M.A]

I used to.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You want to down a regular, everyday young lady?

[Young M.A]

I'm in a relationship.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, you in a relationship. Is she normal?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, she ain't no famous girl.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know, become them famous. There's a lot of that Internet, a lot of things come with that.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. And then, I mean, I dealt with most of the girls I've dealt with wasn't so, so famous.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Young M.A]

You know what I mean?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Is that by choice? Is that deliberate?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. It's not. It wasn't a preference for me to have to be with a girl that's famous or not famous. It's just what I'm attracted to, like what comes across. I don't care what you got going on.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you did say you're tight. Brown skin, of course, pretty brown eyes.

[Young M.A]

Hello.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Slim waist.

[Young M.A]

Hello.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But her hips are wide.

[Young M.A]

Hello.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Thick thighs.

[Young M.A]

Yes, sir.

[Shannon Sharpe]

She about five, five, five, six. Pretty. You know, pretty sitting high, tight leg across what you see. So you want a lady. Lady. So when they say, you know they want you order like that right there.

[Young M.A]

You know what's crazy? Yeah, but I like. I like them a little thug too, though. You gotta. You gotta be sturdy with it. You know what I mean? Like, okay, you gotta be able to fight with me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ah, okay. Well, I'm saying we ain't gonna never butt heads. Cause I don't want that.

[Young M.A]

I don't like a female that's too, like, ditzy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Too girly. Girly. You don't want that. Girly. Girly.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. If you gonna get on my nerve, okay, I'm too aggressive. And you might be too timid for me. Like, definitely how I move, you know what I mean? I need one thorough like me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So in other words, it's gonna take a special. It take a special type of woman to deal with you.

[Young M.A]

Everybody can't handle you my girl right now from Compton.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, damn.

[Young M.A]

Yeah, so that's it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That works.

[Young M.A]

That works. Brooklyn.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Compton. Brooklyn.

[Young M.A]

Yeah. See?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay. Yeah, yeah, I feel you.

[Young M.A]

I mean, so.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So, so how. So how did you guys meet?

[Young M.A]

Through a friend of mine.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Young M.A]

Through a friend of mine. The natural way. Like in person, right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, yeah, ain't no more. Cause you know, they say. What was I reading? That there's like 80% of the people, eight guys have never asked a young lady out on A date. I would assume it's pretty the same for a young lady because, you know, back in the day, you actually meet somebody like, hey, how you doing? You meet them at the, whether it be at the gym or wherever you meet somebody at, you would ask them. Now you got social media, you slide. Hey, what's up? You know, you got. Hey, you put the emoji, the looking eyes. Or you put, you know, hey, hey, how you do?

[Young M.A]

Never in the DMs.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You ain't slid.

[Young M.A]

You ain't never slid? Never. Never slid in no girl DMs and bagged her like that. Never.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you still slid in mine. So you still. So you still old school. You go, hey, you could do it the old fashioned way. You go like, hey, what's up?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, if I happen to run into you or you hit me first, you gotta hit me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So what, so they slid in your dm?

[Young M.A]

Yeah, they slid in my dm.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay. You. Oh, okay. So you. I. I was under the impression ain't nobody been in nobody dm, but they

[Young M.A]

been in your mind. Yeah. And, and I'm.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You respond, absolutely.

[Young M.A]

And that's, that's when we meet. And I go from there. But nah, I never slid in nobody DMs.

[Shannon Sharpe]

This concludes the first half of my conversation. Part two is also posted and you can access it to whichever podcast platform you just listen to part one on. Just simply go back to Club Shay Shay profile and I'll see you there. And now, Superhuman Shaq.

[Superhuman Shaq]

I keep telling them not to say that. I'm no superhuman. Believe it or not, I struggle with moderate obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA in adults with obesity. Moderate to severe OSA is a condition where breathing is interrupted during sleep, with loud snoring, choking, gasping for air, and even daytime fatigue. Let's just say it can sound a lot like this. Sound familiar? Learn more@don'tsleeponosa.com this information is provided by

[Shannon Sharpe]

Lilly, a medicine company.

[Orderly Meds Extended Narrator]

Are you trying to get weight loss support through telehealth? But it feels overwhelming and rushed? Check out orderlymeds.com now. Orderlymeds.com was built to be different. Here you connect with real doctors who take the time to understand your goals, review your eligibility, and guide you through a plan that's right for you. Orderly Meds provides access to proven GLP1 medications like semaglutide and Tirzepatide, including both name brand options and personalized compound versions when appropriate. So you have choices backed by clinical oversight, not guesswork. It's a simpler, more supportive telehealth experience designed around people who want clarity, care and confidence in their weight loss journey. And your medication is delivered directly to your home in discreet packaging so your experience stays private from start to finish. Do your research, ask the right questions, then visit orderlymeds.com podcast for an exclusive offer. Again, that's orderlymeds.com podcast. Individual results may vary. Not medical advice, eligibility required. See Cite for details.

[Orderly Meds Narrator]

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[Kal Penn]

Hey everyone, it's Kalpen. I'm inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with my podcast, Hearsay, The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. Every episode, I nerd out with amazing guests and dive into the best new audiobooks available on Audible. It's the book club for your ears. Listen to earsay, the Audible and iheart Audiobook Club on the iheartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Young M.A]

Honestly, Honestly, Honestly, no one wants to think about hiv, but there are things

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[Young M.A]

Things like prep. PREP stands for pre Exposure Prophylaxis, and

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[Young M.A]

you're exposed to HIV to help reduce

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your chances of getting it. Prep can be about 99% effective when taken as prescribed.

[Young M.A]

It doesn't protect against other STIs, though, so be sure to use condoms and

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other healthy sex practices.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ask a healthcare provider about all your

[Amazon Ad Narrator]

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