
Loading summary
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
Running a business is hard enough.
2 Chainz
Don't make it harder with a dozen apps that don't talk to each other. One for sales, another for inventory, a separate one for accounting. That's software overload. Odoo is the all in one platform
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
that replaces them all. CRM, accounting, inventory, E Commerce, hr.
2 Chainz
Fully integrated, easy to use and built
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
to grow with your business.
2 Chainz
Thousands have already made the switch. Why not you try Odoo for free@odoo.com that's odoo.com
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
at Oppenheimer.
2 Chainz
We're proven because we're grounded in discipline.
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
For 145 years we've been building and
2 Chainz
protecting wealth through every market cycle with
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
precision, clarity and the courage to think
2 Chainz
boldly beyond the moment. This is what market tested legacy looks like for this generation and the next.
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
Put the power of Oppenheimer thinking to work for you.
2 Chainz
Wealth Management gets capital markets Investment banking
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
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 available at public.com disclosure disclosures
2 Chainz
busted appliance this is your sign to
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
upgrade shop at Lowe's to get up
2 Chainz
to 35% off and next day delivery on hundreds of major appliances. Lowe's we help you Save valid through
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
318 while supplies last selection varies by location.
2 Chainz
Order by 4pm available Monday through Saturday
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
subject to availability, fees, exclusions and restrictions apply.
2 Chainz
See lowe's.com appliancedelivery for more details.
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
Visit your nearby Lowe's on Colorado street
2 Chainz
in Kennewick
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
Wasn't that delicious? So good.
2 Chainz
Your bill, ladies.
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
I got it.
2 Chainz
I got it. No, I got it. Seriously, I insist. I assisted first. Don't be silly. You know, be silly. People with the Wells Fargo active cash
Interviewer/Host 1
credit card prefer to pay because they earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. Okay.
2 Chainz
Rock, paper, scissors for it. Rock, paper, scissors. Shoot.
Interviewer/Host 1
No, the Wells Fargo active cash credit card.
2 Chainz
Visit Wells Fargo.com ActiveCash terms apply.
Interviewer/Host 2
All right, Eyl, we back. Special episode. We got the good brother. Two chains in the building. Tony, man. Man, I ain't know he was doing this, man. Yeah, well, you know, I would have came. I would have came. I thought it was just, you know, we got the book coming out. I ain't know he's doing.
2 Chainz
Putting that energy out there. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Interviewer/Host 1
My player. Partner.
2 Chainz
Yeah, man. Play a partner. Nah, man. This. Cole. Ms. Cole. I'm in new. We're in New York, so I could just paint the picture for the Internet. Those who are watching, we're in New York. I think the low in his teens. The high is in his, like, upper 20s or something. I'm from Atlanta, if y' all don't know. I'm from the south, so it's extremely cold to me.
Interviewer/Host 1
Yes.
2 Chainz
And then when you have a. When you have a fit like this, it's not too many places you can wear it. That's a fact. When you see something, say, 23 degrees. Hey, yo, grab. Grab my hat. Grab the hat in the fur boots.
Interviewer/Host 1
Cameraman, pan out so we can see the boots. We gotta get the boots. Can we see? All right, let's. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, that's the shot.
Interviewer/Host 2
Well, first and foremost, congratulations, my brother.
2 Chainz
Thank you.
Interviewer/Host 2
We got the book. This is. The voice in my head is God. So we gonna talk about this. I'm glad to see it come to fruition because you did invest fest for us last year. Thank you for doing that.
2 Chainz
Absolutely.
Interviewer/Host 2
And was talking to tech and manager about the book last year, last summer. So I know how long these book cycles work. So to see it come to fruition now, how does this make you feel?
2 Chainz
Just eager, you know? Feels like an album. Even the rollout, what I'm doing, different podcasts, different interviews, you know, the subjects that I'm touching on may be new to a fan of mine. Some of this, the material in the book, I haven't discussed in music or in interviews. But just the release, knowing that it's here, it just. I'm just antsy, and I'm excited for people to not only read the book, but to. To check out the audio book, because I'm. I'm a great reader.
Interviewer/Host 2
You read it?
2 Chainz
Yeah, I read it.
Interviewer/Host 2
That's hard.
2 Chainz
And then I also added production, like a score to it. Right. So when I'm reading these certain scenes, you're able to feel the actual scene is very cinematic because I have the sound effects of what's going on during the different scenes. So I'm excited about the audiobook, but it's a good read.
Interviewer/Host 1
I saw the. The clip dropped earlier with the. The cartoon of you at the All Star Game. I thought, this is dope. This is exactly what it should be. I wonder, as you went into this process, obviously you put out albums before you compared it to the rollout. What was it like? Or why was it necessary to put out literature at this point?
2 Chainz
Right.
Interviewer/Host 1
Like, we know the legendary music career. Why literature right now,
2 Chainz
I said this previously, but I think growth without reflection is just noise. Just keep growing. So you have to. For me, this book is about me reflecting. It's about me giving myself grace, acknowledging my longevity, acknowledging the things that I did that I did. Right. It's not so much about me pivoting away from anything. It's just about me being more intent in this stage of my career. Me putting out, you know, musical compositions, me even putting out a short film. So literature was another creative risk that I want to take to express myself, but to also. I look at it like my way of giving back to my community. Right. Because hear me out. This voice in my head is God. It's a real thing to me, to me personally. It's the reason why I'm sitting right here where I am now. I feel like my consciousness led to my success. Me listening to the voice when it told me to do certain things led me to a successful place. So this is a book that I. I could not wrote this book when I was 20 or a teenager. I had to truly go through different experiences. I had to win enough to get the wisdom, and I had to lose some. You know what I mean? So this book is. It humanizes me, and I'm excited to put some literature out so people can really see how I think and why I move the way I move.
Interviewer/Host 2
I heard that before. Somebody said that your intuition is God whispering to you, man. Like, so I'm assuming that's we're on the same.
2 Chainz
That's it, bro. I mean, we could. I don't want to end it right here, but we could. We could. I've really been. I've been on that. I've been using my intuition as sort of a navigational tool for a very long time. And I look at intuition like a sixth sense, as, you know, I look at it like, once you really tap into this and believe, because, right, it's you believing and you listening to something that can't nobody else hear. It's trying to warn you about something that you. Something that you can't see. It's a lot of what ifs and what and question marks. So the average person don't got time to sit back and even deal with that inner monologue or that divine, divine guidance, as I like to call it. I'm here to tell you that my divine guidance has helped me make business decisions, Properties in different. In certain locations, man. My divine guidance has helped me do everything from a large scale to a small scale. So this book is like something I'm giving back to my community on, trying to. Trying to motivate them to tap in and to listen to what they have inside of them.
Interviewer/Host 1
Intuition setting in. Like Steve's vision. When you said, that's what we think, was there a moment or a series of moments when it came to you like, yo, this is God talking. He's using me, right? Giving me the footsteps that I just got to follow the path. Or was it like a specific moment in time when you're like, yo, this. There's. There's something happening here. Right. Like, because you said you couldn't have done it in. In your early 20s, you couldn't have done your 30s. It had to be in this moment.
2 Chainz
Yeah.
Interviewer/Host 1
Was it compounding or was it just like a specific time?
2 Chainz
So, you know, they came to me. Would you like to write a book at that moment? When they approached me about writing a book, I have so many levels and different ideas that I thought I could tap into. I see artists do autobiographies all the time, so I didn't want to do what I see a lot of people were doing. So when it came about this book, I started thinking about a lot of my journey, a lot of stuff that I've been through. And all of it kind of funneled back to this voice saying, man, something told me, don't even go over there, or something told me to go over there. And so it was something that I was not aware of early on. But when I thought about these stories that I'm talking about in the book, it was something that told me to either do it or don't do it. And when I look at the outcome, I gathered all the data, my personal data. And I realized that when I listen to this voice, and the voice comes to me out of love, because that's what God is. It's a blessing from within. And all I gotta do is be patient and wait to see what that is. And so then it became time to glue all that together. Like, how does this add value to this? And how does this make sense? And that was the kind of the fun part for me, too, because it was just like, I don't know, man. It's just. For this right here, I think I'm being very, very vulnerable. But at the same time, it's therapeutic for me because I'm able to get out some of these stories that I have been having bottled up. But I'm also able to discuss with my fans, new fans, old fans, whoever that is, into reading or into intuition, what this has done for me. I really believe, like, this is a superpower. I can really. I can really feel eyes. I can feel when somebody looking at me from down. I can really, like. I think women are superheroes. These are just some chapters that I'm ringing off on the top of my head that's in the book. All this stuff is very relative to what I have going on in my life.
Interviewer/Host 2
So some experts, some excerpts from the book. Your mom was a loan officer.
2 Chainz
Yeah. In real estate.
Interviewer/Host 2
Real estate. Loan officer. So how did that exposure to real estate early kind of shape your mindset on owning real estate? I know real estate.
2 Chainz
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you know, at the time, it's. Man, it just lets you know what you're around. Like, my mama did real estate. My daddy hustled. I did both. I did both. It was almost like it was hereditary, right? My mom. I did both. I did both. You just, like. I think you kind of do. I don't know what you're around or what you see.
Interviewer/Host 2
Follow the footsteps.
2 Chainz
My mama not necessarily taking me to work every day, but she come home with them big, old, big manila folders. The big, long manila folders with. With the yellow stuff marked on, you know, separating the paperwork. And this is long paperwork. Long paperwork, you know, And I hear appraisals, and I hear, you know, certain words that I've been hearing a long time about properties. And she's from an era where they manipulated a lot of the paperwork, you know, people. She later told me that in order to get this one job, because, you know, I'm writing this short film, Red Clay, and it. It's. It's about my life as well. Nonfiction. But you know, I was having these questions about, like, I remember staying in these apartments, like, my. Like, most of my life. And then all of a sudden, we just got a house. And I never knew why. I said, mom, how we get the house? And she said that in order to get this. When she got hired at this real estate company, they made her get the house. That was like, they. She had to get the house so they can work her move and take some money off the property. So I'm like. Cause, you know, we didn't have power. It just almost didn't make sense. We had a house, but sometimes, like this long extension cord going to the neighbor's house in the back, like a long downhill. Very embarrassing. Very, very embarrassing. Nothing cool to even talk. I don't even think I talk about it in my book, but just an extension cord and. But we had a house. You know what I mean? And, yeah, so early on, there was a lot of manipulation in real estate. And then my dad, like I said, was a hustler. So I think just being in that environment, like, really the. The cliche product of your environment.
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah, you talk about betting on yourself inside the book as well. We knew Duffel Bag Boy, but before that, it was the Shoebox Mattress Kings, right? So talk about the idea of buying yourself out of your record contract, having that hundred thousand and saying, look, I'm gonna listen to this voice again, and I'm gonna bet on myself and see where it takes me.
2 Chainz
I was just about to say, something told me to do that, though. Something told me that, like, it was time for me to become my own entity, my own person, my own. I feel like everything happens for a reason. So, you know, before I got to where I was, I think the natural, the courses that I went through, because I can get in any room and I learn from anybody. I'm not someone that feels like I know all the information, and I'm not somebody that feels like I can't learn from somebody that is beneath me. I don't have as much money as. I'm not one. I'm not, like, ignorant. I think you can learn from a smoker. I think you can learn from somebody that is a janitor in a bathroom. I don't look at people. So, you know, for the most part, that situation, something, a voice told me that it was time for me to move on, move on with my life and see what else. And that's another situation of me leaving a situation that's right here in front of me. It's pretty cool. I Mean, it's not moving as fast as I want it to, but it's something telling me, like, leave this situation. I got something better for you around the corner. I can't see around the corner, but I just have to take that and believe it.
Interviewer/Host 1
What stage of the career is this at?
2 Chainz
This is when I'm leaving the stage. You talking about when I became a solo artist? When I left, when I became a solo artist, I literally woke up one day. It wasn't like a bunch of, like, I'm considering doing this. I really woke up one day and made a phone call. Wow. You said, I don't want to do this. I want to be by myself, and I'm here.
Interviewer/Host 2
So the story of 100,000. You literally took $100,000 to the record label, so.
2 Chainz
Nah. So I was with the previous company, and they told me, because at this point in my career, I'm not even really, like, contract savvy. I know I've been in this situation for. It seems like a long time, but I don't know how long a long time is contractually. They're just telling me that in order for me to get out this deal, they're just telling me, before even lawyers get involved, man, it's gonna be. I don't know if it was trying to run me off, scare me, or whatever it was trying to do, but it was like, you know, you give me 100,000 and some points or whatever you can get out of this situation. But at this time, I had been doing shows in the circuit, in the chitlin circuit, and I had about around that much, and I was willing to go to zero because I could already see dates on my calendar where I was gonna run the money back up anyway. I. I could literally. It used to be a time where I could literally, like, count how much revenue I was making on my first, like, the chitlin circuit. When we was doing those.
Interviewer/Host 2
The chitlin circuit, how did that. Cause we interviewed Tyler Perry and he was saying, like, I mean, he pretty much built his whole career off the chitlin circuit, so we don't really hear too much of that term, man.
2 Chainz
It's a rich brother. It's a rich folks down there, man. And when we say the chilling circle,
Interviewer/Host 2
we mean the lower South Memphis, Alabama,
2 Chainz
the Carolinas, the little you can literally get in your car and live on the road in those areas. And they'll. They'll show you. They'll show you so much love and respect, man. And I made my first million in the. In The Chitlin Circle. Not when I became. Not when I signed. I was already. I had a house and everything when I signed my deal. But it was just me getting in that van and going to certain places to. I remember showing Memphis. I remember I had a show in Memphis. No, I'm sorry. I remember going to Memphis and having three shows in one night. Like a show here, having the league go here, do a show, then having to do an after party and then driving back to Atlanta with all this, you know, the back end. You know what I'm saying? I just, you know.
Interviewer/Host 2
And was that. Was that physical CDs time, too?
2 Chainz
This is around the time I'm just starting to get on. I'm like, I had a song called Boo. It was getting on the radio, okay. Spend it when spending got on the radio. So I'm not sure if it was CDs. I think we might have been fading out from CDs. But when that stuff started happening, because Spend it came out before I got the deal too. Like, Ryan, Ryan, get that song right there. So, yeah. And so I had pretty much set a lot of the stuff that I had. Like, my mom had her career. I bought my mom house before I bought mine. Cause I'm having that, like, you know what I'm saying? That black people mentality. Like, anything go wrong, I can always shoot my mama house. You know what I'm saying? So I did that. And it just took me a lot of getting in different rooms. I used to just pay everything cash, pay it all off. Just, you know, had to rewire the way I was thinking.
Interviewer/Host 1
You make the first million, right? I wonder what the voice is telling you then, right?
2 Chainz
Is it telling me to buy some cars? Just tell me to buy a Rolls Royce again?
Interviewer/Host 1
Some. Sometimes you got to go through things to learn them. So, like, this is like, you're in the chiller circuit. You make the million. It's like, let me go spend it.
2 Chainz
No. So what I did was. This is what I did. I'm Keep it clean. I was going to. Oh, man, it just hit me. I was going to buy a Maybach, right? This is the God honest. I was going to buy a Maybach. And I was in St. Louis for some reason, and. And this boy, I don't know why my mind is remembering this right now, but I was around Nelly for something, bro. And Nelly, you. You remember this. And I think I'm telling him about the Maybach or something. He really, like, at this time, like, boy, you. He trying to tell me you don't need this Maybach, I'm telling you. Like. Cause I'm on the road doing a show in St. Louis, when he is telling me this. And he said. He suggested, like, a tour bus, get something like that. And I listen. I told you. I listen. I listen, right? I listen, bro. And I act like I didn't. I wasn't listening, though. I'm like, mom can get this Maybach. Like, I'm telling you, dial that car. He was like, get a bus. So I went and I found a bus and put a studio on it. And they got bunks, you know what I'm saying? The whole thing. And I started hitting the road on my tour bus. This is before I got my record deal. And, yeah, man, I end up investing my money into something like that. That was like an investment because I got my money out of it through traveling. It happened bunks on there sometimes. I didn't have to get rooms for everyone. And then it had a kitchen on there. So, like, I had a stove, like, a hot plate on there. I brought a chef with me. So I was able to save some of my money from eating out and able to feed the crew. And also it had a studio on there. I was able to work. So it was like a really. Like a mobile home. That was one of the biggest. That was one of the things I did when I first got some money. I bought a bus.
Interviewer/Host 2
You mentioned when you brought yourself out of the contract, as far as points, we hear about points all the time. Like, can you explain, like, what points are on for, like, the layman?
2 Chainz
I cannot explain. I can't explain, but I cannot explain it without saying a few. A couple times.
Interviewer/Host 2
It's like a percentage.
2 Chainz
It's a percentage. Yeah. That's a great way to put it's a percentage. But it's not like 1% of a hundred. So it's. It's not like that. But it's a percentage of a project. Because if it was only 1% of 100, we would just be like, that's nothing. But I did have to give up a point for my project for, I think, the first three albums or something. But whatever it was, it for my freedom. I really didn't.
Interviewer/Host 2
It was worth it.
2 Chainz
Yeah, it was worth it, man. And like, I'm telling you, when you listen to that voice, everything gonna work itself. Everything gonna be all right. It came back tenfold. Everything came back tenfold.
Interviewer/Host 1
You were. Obviously, you bet on yourself, you win. But then people are coming back to you. Right now, labels are talking to you. At the time, I think this is like, 360 deals become a thing.
2 Chainz
You again, do that.
Interviewer/Host 1
Listen to the voice talk about that and saying, like, yo, I see what people are doing. I'm not doing that.
2 Chainz
Yeah.
Interviewer/Host 1
How it works out in your advantage.
2 Chainz
Well, 360s came, became very popular. I don't know, man. Let's say maybe a little bit over 10 years ago, it was introduced. I think Leora introduced. I'm not sure.
Interviewer/Host 2
Yeah, I think Leo.
2 Chainz
Yeah. But basically, what it. What a 360 is, is that artists who make money outside of their music, like, when I say make money, they have deals outside their music that the label is looped into it. And I think it's maybe 20 or something like that. Or something like that. They're looped into that deal. So basically, what the label is saying, and I totally get it. I understand the label, you know, I'm saying, blows you up. You get the popping. Pepsi call you, man. I want you to do this Pepsi commercial. And then the label like, bruh, I piped you up. You gonna give me. I totally get that. But when I went to go get my deal, I had so much leverage that I was merely trying to find a label that could help me internationally. Like, I needed. Like. Like, by the time I got my record deal, y', all, this is on everything. I Look, by the time I got my record deal, I had already done a show in Idaho and South Dakota. I had already been to places like that independently. Yeah. On my own. I already, like, been to Idaho. I'm to my. I'm, like, looking for potatoes to eat. Know what I'm saying? I'm going. You know, I'm cultured, bro. I go to Maine. I go to Maine. What? I'm looking for lobster. I'm looking for lobster. I'm looking for lobster when I go to Philly. Oh, man, look. So this what I'm doing. I'm doing this on my own. I'm going to place it, man, as soon as I'm landing. What a cheese. What? You know what I'm saying? I'm going to these places. So when I go do the meeting, I'm like, man, I want to be an international shoe. I won't be known, you know, all over the world. Two chains, Dos Kadenas, and. So a couple of labels weren't trying to even. Let me get to that point of explaining. They just was like, this is what it is. And, you know, but we here now. So that was my first run with, like, DEF Jam. Like, my first Solo deal with Def Jam was probably, like. It felt like something LeBron would do or Rich Paul would do, you know, it felt that way. I had, like. I had a four album deal, which is like, everybody be having, like, six, five album. I had like a four album deal. No, 360. Then after that, I would just sign for one album. I don't know. Let me think about it. You know what I'm saying? Just on some. On some Rich Paul shit.
Interviewer/Host 2
One year extension.
2 Chainz
Yeah, just one. One more album, man. I'll let you know. And then, I mean, I was going. I'm independent now, but I remember I was gonna be independent five, six years ago. Then the pandemic hit, and then I started getting in line. I said, this was scary. Yes, I'm signing, man. For sure, I'm signing. What's wrong with y'? All? You crazy? Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Then leverage started kind of switching when that pandemic hit. Shoot. But, yeah, man, you said something.
Interviewer/Host 2
You said the record label was like creatine. They add bulk, but they don't create muscle. That's interesting.
2 Chainz
I'm saying some stuff. I be saying some. Chad. GPT get that stuff from me, man. You know what I'm saying? I be saying some fly shit, man. And then I'll be putting in stuff to let you know, like, I'm kind of hip and like, I've kind of be knowing, like the fitness type. Yeah. Like you, like.
Interviewer/Host 2
Like you tapped in.
2 Chainz
I know what tries and buys are, you know.
Interviewer/Host 2
So that's a good bar, though. So, like what? Like, explain that.
2 Chainz
I think you need your own internal team before you plug up to the big machine. That's basically what I'm saying. There's so many words. I think you get a lot of the details and the stuff that you love as an artist from your internal. The other. The bigger label, as we all know as people like to call the bank and all that. They're there to. Obviously, they hope you win, but if you don't, they got something. They got more things up the pipeline. So it's like, look at it like this, right? Look at it like this. A lawyer, they have a hundred cases, then you get in trouble, and you're the one person, and then you think the lawyer only doing something for you. You know what I'm saying? And so that's the same thing that somebody might think the label only doing the label got. So you have to take initials. You gotta call your. You got to get involved in your own. You got to get involved with your. The same thing with music. Like, they got all these artists going on. Let me. And so not to say that I'm calling the label, but I got a team that I can funnel my frustration, disgruntled, happiness, whatever, too, and they can plug up to the machine. And then I think that's how everything just kind of connects and runs smoother.
Interviewer/Host 2
Well, that's what I wanted to get at too, because correct me if I'm wrong, that's how I look at it. As far as I think a lot of people make the mistake of thinking that the label's gonna do everything for them. You still gotta get yourself high. You still gotta do the street work. And even for us, like, we'll do whatever we do with different corporations that just helps amplify it. But it's up to us to make the Instagram post to run around, to make the relationships. Like if we just rely on somebody else to do it for us, even though that they have multi million billion dollar, you know, arms at their disposal, you can't just sit back and say, okay, I'm signed to a label now.
2 Chainz
Like, but that's what a partnership is, right? That's what it should be.
Interviewer/Host 2
That.
2 Chainz
Yeah, I think that's what it should be. I think everybody should do their part and then everything works, you know, like it should. That's what a partnership should be.
Interviewer/Host 1
I think we get confused because we grew up in an era where like, we hear somebody got signed and that's the celebration.
2 Chainz
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But it was because, listen, it was so hard to do that once upon a time. True, it's not as hard now, but it was so hard to be. First of all, it was so hard to get signed then. It was so hard to even know a person that knew a person that was signed. It used to be a. The degrees is closer now. It used to be like, like when I'm coming up, When I'm coming up, I'm coming up in Atlanta and we got artists like at this time, like maybe Kilo and Sammy Sam. I don't even know nobody that know nobody that then that. You know what I'm saying? It's like that. And it's the same thing with like, especially in the south, when my friend Dollar, who I was in Player Circle with, he put me on Wu Tang and even Jay and he would be like, man, you know what I'm saying? But it's like when people, when fans see people like me now and I'd be Like, yo, it's just me. You know what I'm saying? I remember being a fan of people, watching them on tv, never seeing them in person until I became me. But just watching them on tv, wondering how this happened. You know, you hear these Wu Tang stories now, but I don't know that. I'm just looking at. I'm just looking at these. I'm just looking at people. You know what it is when you out here? You don't understand. It's a budget. You don't understand. It's a stylist. It's a. You know, somebody has scouted for this location, this car is. You know, we just, you know, we like the lifestyle. You know what I mean? And so early on, when somebody got a record deal, we automatically assumed, one, that they were rich. And two, it was just like, not the easiest thing to get. And even when I got a record deal, I don't know. When it happens to you, I guess it's different. I feel like I put the work in, but now I feel like a lot of people get record deal based off different things, not just music.
Interviewer/Host 2
It was like getting drafted, getting a record contract. Right, right.
2 Chainz
Okay. The percentage probably like, I ain't look at it. I ain't look at it like that. I ain't look at it like that. I ain't look at it like that. Yeah. Because I just believed in myself. But I guess when you look at like that, like. Like that percentage is so low. Yeah. If you. If you think about, like, college, the people that this. Are you thinking about people that go to college, become a student athlete, then get, you know, and play? It is very. A very, very small number.
Interviewer/Host 1
So if you even put it in that perspective, when Double XL would have the draft class, you'd be the top. You know what I'm saying? It'd be the top 10 or top 12 people make it out of the class. Then you go back and look at some of those classes like, yo, damn, they were pretty spot on.
2 Chainz
Yeah, yeah.
Interviewer/Host 2
Lottery pick, but, yeah, People that wasn't on it. Yeah.
2 Chainz
Okay. If you look at the double XL, that's damn near like the McDonald's All American. Yeah, exactly. Because that's like a. I think they say the McDonald's all American. I think 80 of those cat kids go to the league.
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah, that's the best.
2 Chainz
You almost, like, when you right there on that call, you're almost knowing, like, I'm gonna be there in a couple years.
Interviewer/Host 1
So they're actually making a documentary about it.
2 Chainz
For real?
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah. It's a McDonald's All American, and it's following the history of it and how it evolved to being the number one place to find the next NBA talent.
2 Chainz
I'm telling you.
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah, you brought up team, because I think that's important. You got your team here with you today. Fam's here with you. And then you brought up Jay. There's a couple of things here that are important because there's a story here that you talk about having the opportunity to potentially sign with Jay, but realizing that you might have to leave some of the team behind you to do it and choosing not to do it. So it talks about integrity. It talks about loyalty. Was this the voice in the head that spoke to you at this moment?
2 Chainz
Man, people ask me that all the time. That's a good question. This was before I got my record deal, which is before 2012. I don't think I was that tapped in back then. I think this is something that I probably acquired. 2016, 2017 and beyond. I think I probably had a voice. I just don't think I maybe listen to it as much as I listen to it now. That situation, along with a. Along with just growing up, a lot of situations. Sometimes I wonder what would have. You know, I had situations like that. I think about. Go back to sixth or seventh grade. I wonder if I would have did this or wouldn't have did that. But that was one of those situations. But at the same time, I think my moral compass is in a position to where I wouldn't leave nobody behind that I'm really rocking with, you know what I'm saying, in any situation. So this was a situation where I'm rocking with someone who fully supported me, believing in me. And I feel like this person put me where I could be recognized by some of the hierarchs. So I just wanted him to. Wanted my guy to be a part of whatever was about to go, what I thought was about to happen. And at then, and everything still worked out. We still. Everybody's still amicable and still cool.
Interviewer/Host 2
So that. That was Rockefeller.
2 Chainz
It wasn't Rockefeller. It was a situation where I got a call from JD One day, man, forgive me, y'. All. I know y' all tired of. I don't even want to keep going into this, but I had got a call one day from J.D. j.D. Saying, hold on. He put me on the phone with Jay, and it was all of them, and they was just saying, like. But at this particular time, it was when I was telling you about having leverage. I was still independent. I'm doing these shows, I'm moving around. And they just simply invited me to a meeting. And I wanted to bring someone with me. And they were saying, you don't have to bring this person. Now, this person is Tech. But Tech was a dj. His name was DJ Techniques. And I tell this story a lot, too. I think a lot of DJs are bigger than just being a DJ. They do more than just DJ, right? They. They have a mindset, they have a personality. They create. They do different things. So if you think about DJ Drama, we know. I mean, this guy signed Oozy, if you think about Khaled, you know what I'm saying? And so when I. At this particular time, I didn't realize how much the word DJ could maybe pigeonhole or hold you back some. I'm just saying, man, my dog DJ technique, they like. I think JD like, bro, you don't need your dj. You know what I'm saying? Like, I get. And when I look in retrospect, I'm looking, man, like, man, I probably sounded crazy because I'm like, man, I gotta bring DJ says. They, like, man, what the hell you talking about? You're not about to do no show. You know what I'm saying? So we probably was just. It was probably just, man, cross the communication just was off, you know what I'm saying? I'm partially excited. Cause I'm getting these kind of calls every day. They get excited to work with me. And here I am talking about somebody that believed in me, but, you know, he got this. So I remember after that conversation, I told him, you gotta lose that DJ now.
Interviewer/Host 1
You ain't DJ Tech no more.
2 Chainz
You just tack, man, you gotta get that out of there.
Interviewer/Host 2
So at what point? Because you got a lot of businesses. The restaurant, Escobar Lounge, you do real estate, you know. At what point did you say, I gotta diversify? I can't just be an artist? Or was that always part of the game plan from day one was to just use rap as a way to get your foot in the door, but not to just only focus on music?
2 Chainz
Yeah, I think the mentality for me was always to have multiple streams of
Interviewer/Host 2
income off the off the rip.
2 Chainz
Off the rip, off the rip. You know, anything could happen. And then with the restaurant space, once I understood. What consist of passive income could be, then it just changed my life on how I kind of started putting pieces on the board.
Interviewer/Host 2
Cause you had a lot. I forget the line, but it was on the Larry Jr. Album. You and Larry Jr. You was like, the business. Something like, along the lines of, like, having businesses saved me, like. And I mean, like, if I ain't had my businesses, like, so, like, that's important because a lot of times when you fly high, you only focus on one thing. You don't think it's never gonna slow down. Nothing's never gonna change.
2 Chainz
I've been there. Yep. I've had it. I've had that thinking. I've. I've sent out with bankers and, man, look, man, yeah, I ain't about to be doing this. I ain't gonna have to do this. You know what I'm saying? But, you know, and then it's the same thing, man. Businesses, they. They go through a roller coaster, too. Ups and downs, man. Being an entrepreneur is not the easiest thing in the world, too.
Interviewer/Host 2
That's a fact.
2 Chainz
You have to, man, you. You know, sometimes you get paid last, if at all. That's a fact, you know, and so I have businesses that. That struggle, but I'm just a firm believer about just things that I. That I'm involved in and passionate about. And I believe in a cycle of it just nothing. Just being great all the damn time. Once you get that out of your head, you can. You can navigate life differently in a better way. For me, so I understand. Like, I look around the club, big crack, and I be like, yeah, it ain't gonna be like this forever. You know what I'm saying? I get it.
Interviewer/Host 2
You gotta be slightly paranoid at all times.
2 Chainz
Every. You say slightly, man, you crazy. You better be paranoid. You have to be paranoid.
Interviewer/Host 2
That's a fact.
2 Chainz
You gotta be paranoid.
Interviewer/Host 1
I'm gonna apologize in advance. I don't know how we went this far without giving you a huge thank you for shouting us out in the record.
2 Chainz
I did.
Interviewer/Host 2
And then, yeah, talk about the tax levy.
Interviewer/Host 1
You know what I'm saying? So, I mean, it talks about being in the know. It talks about the importance of financial education in the moment that we in. Talk about how you're viewing it from your landscape. Obviously, we've seen. We've been to the restaurants, but you're seeing a lot of your counterparts now getting into this space.
2 Chainz
That's right.
Interviewer/Host 1
And you've been here, so what is that like for you?
2 Chainz
I already knew this. I already knew. I. I'm not lying. So I don't do lame stuff. So I already know that somebody could really look at what I'm doing and get some game from me and get something from me and also know that I ain't know somebody Be like, oh, man, the only reason they did that because me or the reason they got that because they just. This is my personality. Not like that. But as I look around, it's starting in my city alone. And how. I mean, it was already a black city, but, man, so many people that do what I do own so many great things and pieces of property. And as we all know and heard a thousand times, you can't buy no more land. I mean, we're not. You can buy more, but they're not going to make any more land. And so, you know, I ain't lame. I ain't done no lame stuff. Like, I make investing look cool. I make. I make a lot of stuff that people might not be comfortable with. I make it look. I make it look cool because it's just. It's just. It's just really me. You know what I'm saying? It's just I'm so confident in my skin. I know, like, I know like. I don't know, man. I just know, like, I listen a lot. I listen more than I talk over the years, and I've been in the rooms, and so I've seen the ones that do a lot of talking. I see them, too. They come across my timeline. But I noticed somebody can really get some gain just from watching me. Just from really, like a day in, like, 24 hours with me. I know somebody can learn something.
Interviewer/Host 2
How big is Atlanta in your development? Because it's like, for us coming to Atlanta, it is the Mecca of black business, black entrepreneurship. And I think that that even plays a part as far as, like, the musicians. I think it's more of an entrepreneurial spirit from the beginning because the city of Atlanta kind of cultivates and supports black entrepreneurship. That's my opinion. What's your thoughts on that?
2 Chainz
We piggyback off each other. I think it's a great city to network. Everybody's one phone call away, one DM away. You can cut the ribbon on a business at six o', clock, man, and we can send out a few calls. And the mayor would be there. Like, the mayor pull up his crew. We can call him. We can call our mayor, right? You know, like, my mayor. My mayor listened to the same album. He heard your. He heard me give y' all a shout out, too. You see what I'm saying? So I. City is different in the fact that, man, it's so many contributing factors to the success in Atlanta, man, and a lot of it being black people in high places.
Interviewer/Host 2
And to follow up on that, Atlanta you were kind of at the forefront of the music changing. You saw the music change. New York had it. And then you saw around the time your era. That's when it changed. And Atlanta took the torch. You saw that coming, or you just kind of, like, was just in it and it just happened, like, organically.
2 Chainz
I saw it coming because it was becoming more and more consistent with Atlanta. Having records that got out of Atlanta, that got out of Magic City. You know, sometimes we had records that just stayed locally. But it became a time that anything we did, people were gravitating to it. And I come to New York and I hear some like, I can't believe they playing it, because we. It was a time when music was very regional. But then I remember, you know, coming to New York and hearing Atlanta music. I remember hearing it a lot when it first started happening a lot. And that's when, you know it's like your time, because everybody's kind of receptive to what you're doing.
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah, I think it was, yes, Atlanta, but at that early 2000s, it's a Southern movement. It's Wayne, obviously. It's you, it's Tip, It's Jeezy Gucci. It was just a whole thing.
2 Chainz
Right.
Interviewer/Host 1
But the. The Wayne thing is interesting to me. Obviously, this. This is. This is a good friend of yours. There's been a lot of Wayne talk over the past couple weeks. He's on record as one of my favorite MCs of all time. I probably. Probably got in my top five. We used to argue about Wayne and Tip all the time. Being around him taught you a lot, right? You. You speak about learning what work ethic is. Talk about how that shaped your career from that point on until you're at.
2 Chainz
Now. I'm someone that learns in any room that I'm in. I was on tour with. With BRO and just really kind of watched how he move and how convenience was at the. Kind of at the forefront of the success. The convenience of. I just told y', all, man, the bus, everything I just described y'. All, the bus with the studio, with the ship. I got all that for him. Everything that I just described y'. All just got it from watching him. The dry. Everything that I just got it from watching him. I just. I just did like this. This is what you do. I. I guess, you know, And I. I did it. It was. It's like somebody's not hiding, you know, the secrets to success. He's not someone that's. That's hiding. If you pick up on it, good I mean, he's not like, take you to the water and make you drink it either. But if you are smart enough to be around one of the goats in real time, bruh, you can't take nothing from that, bro.
Interviewer/Host 1
I feel like there's not many people that he has the best music relationship with. I feel like you have a music relationship with him and a friendship with him that's very unique and has been cultivated. Obviously, y' all put out the joint album. How are you taking in all the talk around him these days?
2 Chainz
I love him, man. Can't nobody say nothing, do anything to change how I feel about him. I love him deep down inside, like, I love the man.
Interviewer/Host 1
Dwayne Carter. That's my guy.
Interviewer/Host 2
How family. That's something that, you know. You obviously got the podcast with your son. Yeah. You brought your kids here today. Your wife. How has that played a part in your success? Cause I just saw something with Iman Shumpford saying, like, a lot of the NBA players go broke because they start having kids. Multiple baby moms. That's like a thing broken families. That's a dynamic that has taken down a lot of men. We see it now, even all over. How has your family played a part in your success?
2 Chainz
Played a big part of my success, man. You gotta. My co star is. She's a. She plays a great leading role in the household. My kids beautiful and smart, and I'm someone that's very involved and want to be. That's the main thing. Like, I want to be at the recital or at the game or at whatever I be. I'll be wanting to be there. Like, it's interesting seeing something that has your DNA grow up. And I've been able to watch it up close, and I'm sure watching it from afar, it's a pretty amazing, too. I'm sure if you don't see your kids for a couple months and you see them, I'm sure that could be pretty amazing, too. I'm not gonna knock that. But, like, when I don't see mine for a couple weeks and come back and just like, okay. You know what I'm saying? Like, it. Whatever it is, it only just gives me a great feeling, man. I don't know. I just feel like that that was my way. I think that was in my car. Is to have a family stay grounded, you know? I think I'm not. Think I've matured very early, man. I was outside very early. I was. I had sex very early. I sold drugs very early. I stole cars very Early. I just did a lot of things very early. So by the time I got to an age where people started doing some of those things, I was already maturing as an adult.
Interviewer/Host 2
And we getting to see artists mature, too, because it's like we see you and your family, we see Ti. His family, we see Jay. Like, when we first started to listen to music, it wasn't too much of that. It was. Everybody was young. Everybody was just doing whatever they was doing. So now it is changing because it's like the music is maturing because the artists are maturing.
2 Chainz
Yeah, the music, man, I can't wait to put out my next project, man. Some fly shit, man. This project. My next project is with Static Selector, but it's. It's produced by Status Select. I've been talking about it, but I got 1500 and rants doing production on top of his, and I just revamped the whole project. It's called Players Only Live Once. But it's. It's my best way I describe it is white suit, red wine, no stain.
Interviewer/Host 2
Living on the edge.
2 Chainz
Living on the edge. Is that it?
Interviewer/Host 2
No.
2 Chainz
Is that. Is that crazy? No margin fabric. I'm talking about no Marge. No margin fabric. You feel me? White everywhere. Only serving red. I'm just trying to put you down. That's what my music. That's what this feels like that I'm putting out. So I'm excited about it. But right now, I'm doing a book tour. And this is my first book. And this is my first time being an author. It won't be my last, but it was a lengthy process. I learned a lot about the book space and I learned a lot about myself while creating it. But my. My. This music that I have put together, and it's ready. It's getting mixed. I'm done with it. It's like. It's some player stuff, but it. It's like. It acts. It acts as age is what I'm trying to tell you. That's what I'm going back to.
Interviewer/Host 1
That.
2 Chainz
The X's age, you know? You know what I'm saying? It's. It's. Pinky. Let me get a. I might add that to it. That's one of them. I can make an announcement. Yeah. Earn your. Lee, we moving to Africa, wherever the hell y' all be at. So it's like one of them things. Baccarat glasses. You for real, boy? Hey, boy. I'm finna go to the studio tonight, but we doing baccarat glasses tonight, boy. Come on, man.
Interviewer/Host 1
It is You. You talked about the book process. We are fresh of going through that process. It's interesting because you did the audiobook. We also did the audiobook. What was that like for you, being in the studio? Obviously, you are a recording artist, right? A slash hyphenate. You're going to be a New York Times bestseller after the book comes out. But what. What was that like during that? Doing the engineering of you actually having to dictate and pronunciate. Like, how was that for you?
2 Chainz
I'm fine. I'm fine. And I listened and I listened to. I listen to audiobooks, okay? So I've listened to, like, the stale ones, and I've listened to some that had a little affliction. And so when I'm reading the stories, I'm already knowing I'm damn, they're changing the voice on some of that shit. I'm damn near. He said, I'm doing all that with it. You know what I'm saying? And like I said, I'm one of them kids. I used to raise my hand when it was time to read out loud. Yeah, I done read the word. I done read the word before I done got to it. So I'm reading and then looking up at y'. All. Why, you know what I'm saying? I'm doing that up there, you know, and just. I'm doing that one up there very early. Look for the big words. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm going, yeah, yeah. So I'm doing that. So, you know, I wanted to do that. And then first of all, listening to myself, listening to the audiobook back, it's like, damn. It's funny, like. Cause I don't realize I talk like that. I don't realize I have an accent. I don't realize any of that stuff. But, like, listening to the book is like, but you got some words you need to work on. You might not be Stephen A. But, you know, But I'm genuine, man. I'm me. I'm transparent. I'm very vulnerable in this. And this is a very, like, introspective piece of work, man, from me. I think people would be very surprised and talk about.
Interviewer/Host 2
And reading the book is difficult because we actually read it. I didn't like the way that I sounded, so I actually had a professional come and do it over. For my part, for real. Cause I listen to audiobooks, too, so I didn't like the way I sounded. And I felt like it wasn't the best. So I know firsthand how difficult. Well, it was easy to You. But for me, it was difficult.
2 Chainz
Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, I'm reading, I'm reading. I don't know. I was probably. I probably read four chapters a night until it was done right? But they got it set up. They got it set up in my personal space, my personal studio space. So I was comfortable. I'm having. Probably got on slides or something, and I got the mic set up and it was just like reading out loud. And I don't know. I don't know. I mean, you know, obviously after you get to reading so long, your energy could fall off. So they have someone letting you know about maintaining the energy. But I don't know. I think it was very important for me to read mine personally. It was very important.
Interviewer/Host 1
It's one of those things. It was like you're in the studio all day. I think being in education helped me do it because I'm used to reading to kids.
2 Chainz
Okay.
Interviewer/Host 1
And so I remember it's the first time I ever sat down in front of a classroom. The kids were untying my shoes, they were punching my leg, and I'm just like, how do I now focus on these words? I gotta show it to em. And then all of that prepares you for the moment of now getting in that studio. The toughest part is when somebody's in your ear. Like, you missed the. On that last sentence.
2 Chainz
Wait, wait, wait, go back. You didn't say, wait, wait, wait, go back, go back. Yeah. And, man, it could get. Like I said, it got a little lengthy. But when I was knocking three or four chapters out a night and still recording some music, though.
Interviewer/Host 2
And you work with our friend Charlemagne. Yeah, Black privilege. Talk about that. How did that relationship come about, man?
2 Chainz
I'm gonna be truthful, man. I was working on this book, and all I know is Charlamagne capped his way in there. Some kind of. But all I can tell, Charlamagne is that mental health.
Interviewer/Host 1
This sounds like it.
2 Chainz
Yeah. I think I. He's just smart, man. You know, I'm, you know, he know I'm a winner, you know what I'm saying? You know, when I put something into the universe, most of the time it's successful. So it was nothing me and him sat down and even talked about, man. I looked up, I seen his name on something. I was like, okay. You know what I mean?
Interviewer/Host 2
But you also helped him out with crystals.
2 Chainz
Yeah, yeah, I brought him down.
Interviewer/Host 2
You want to talk about that?
2 Chainz
Yeah, he has a few crystals, I think. Well, I know down in South Carolina, where he's from, and I know the owner of, like, all the crystals at Baltimore. He's a friend of mine. And, you know, I be having my hands in a little something. And he. Charlemagne was interested in that. That I had my hand in. So I introduced him to this cool, cool guy named Jonathan, and they built their own rapport. And he opened up. I think he opened up more than one. Yeah, he doing his thing. So at times I want to ask for a royalty rate. That'd be that black. That'd be that black. Don't it, man, You. Oh, some shoot me, son. Be that black. You can't just let some of that. That's the black effect right there, man. You gonna shoot me some new black tax. Yeah, man. Yeah. But it's. It worked out for you.
Interviewer/Host 1
Obviously, you've been successful. Shotty mentioned watching your kids and be a part of their lives. I mean, you got one of the top young basketball players in the country, man. For a guy whose love was basketball, what is that like? Like watching him be, like, be way better than you. I didn't want to see.
Interviewer/Host 2
Is he. Yeah.
Interviewer/Host 1
What do they have number 10 in? Is he number 10 in Georgia or what?
2 Chainz
No, he's in. He ranked nationally, but.
Interviewer/Host 1
Nationally, okay.
2 Chainz
He topped 25 nationally. We just left to get here today. We just did a tournament in Cincinnati. Yeah, they'll probably put out a new ranking. This youth sports stuff is.
Interviewer/Host 2
It's crazy.
2 Chainz
It's crazy.
Interviewer/Host 2
It's crazy.
2 Chainz
It's crazy. My son literally graduates in 2034, and they have like a 2034 class. 2030, you know, and it's real. I can't even tell you how many fights I almost saw at this AAU tournament this weekend. I mean, the sheriff came real, real, like passion from coaches, parents, kids. And in the fourth grade, I did not have this much passion about anything but these kids. And. Oh, man, it's just. Man, I love being around it right now. I mean, if you haven't been around youth sports, whether it's football, basketball, if you just don't have motivation anymore, just go around those kids, man. I mean, the way they jump up and down, the way they talk like adults, the way they. The mannerisms, you mix that with wherever they. From, whatever household you throw that with. Background music and some Nike, some Kobe, says John Morantz, and you got some entertainment going on, man, I love watching it. I love having a kid that is just so poised and so humble. We're having a podcast with my son, with him being. Cause he asked me in this tournament, like, the game started Getting lit. And he didn't warm up. He said, hey, all these people coming to watch me play, they asked me that. And I said some other people didn't want to come see play, but, you know, they want to see. You know, and they want to see you do good, and they want to see you. They want to see you fail, too. You know what I'm saying? They want to see them fail, too. But I don't know, man. I think my son. His superpower is confidence. I've been installing that confidence and this little black boy for so long that it's hard to really rattle that, you know what I'm saying? He got a couple things to work on, just like I do. But he's only 10. And I'm just very. I'm very. I'm very proud of that. I'm very proud of that kid.
Interviewer/Host 1
That's a dope accomplishment.
2 Chainz
I'm proud of that kid.
Interviewer/Host 2
But it's also changed, too. Like, as far as youth sports, kids have personal trainers now. The NIL deals now in high school, kids is getting millions of dollars before they even go to the league. Cause you're a sports fan, too. So what's your thoughts on, like, how it was before and how it is now?
2 Chainz
This is long overdue, you know? You can't go on that long without no kids, man. Literally, bro. We used to be hungry in college. Like, we used to be hungry, D. One full ride scholarship, full ride whoppers were 99 cent, boy. You know what I'm saying?
Interviewer/Host 2
But you was hungry. But you was also hungry. You think these kids is hungry? Cause even I go to the NBA games, half of the. They're just running up and down the court. You think that they really hungry now.
2 Chainz
You get hungry if you know something on the line. Know what I'm saying? Some of these kids know something's on the line. Mm. And I think you start identifying those kids by the hunger you see, and the way they move and the way they play. Some of these kids, like, before they. If they ever don't even go to the league, they can get some money now. Get the right LinkedIn information, do the right investment, who knows what, and they can change their life through NIL money. And I think. And I know for a fact my son, he'll probably get it in high school, but I'm just saying, like, this time is way overdue, man. You got people that, man. We got people that went to college, man. We love, man, that boy. I just seen Jalen Rose, man. That man said he was the first person ever named Jalen in his whole. In the world. I'm trying to explain that to Halo. He's like, what do you mean? I'm like, you know how we got like Jaylon Johnson on our team? And I'm like, yeah, you like, you know, like Jalen Brunson. I'm like, bro, home. The first one ever, you know what I'm saying?
Interviewer/Host 1
The All Star game, they had six Jalens on the court at the same time.
2 Chainz
For real.
Interviewer/Host 1
They didn't know it was Jalen Brown, Jalen Durant, Jalen Brunson, Jalen Durant, and the dude from Jalen Johnson.
2 Chainz
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, a man ain't get a nickel, man ain't get. A man ain't get five, man ain't get free dinner. So I think that some kind of way, you know, and it could get out of hand and make certain teams lopsided. It just depends on, you know, you have these boosters who have. They can, they can pay for a championship now. But if you can't do it, you know, let's do. If you got enough money to buy you a great team, you know, make sure these kids eatin though, man. That's what it's about, kids, man, them coaches come to your parents house, they be looking around. Them folks know you ain't got no money when they come recruit you, boy. You know what I'm saying? Some coaches are compassionate about that. Like, damn, he come from this type of environment and some are not, man. They numb to it.
Interviewer/Host 1
You think that's the wave. We watched Indiana do it this year. I mean this is a team historically has had the worst record in the history of college football. You got a big booster like Mark Cuban coming in. We're going to bring the coach in national champion. I saw Mr. B said he's trying to do that for Eastern Carolina.
2 Chainz
I'd love to see him do it.
Interviewer/Host 1
Right, but who.
2 Chainz
I'd love to see him do it.
Interviewer/Host 1
What about Atlanta?
2 Chainz
No, but like think about Mr. B. Where you talking about going?
Interviewer/Host 1
East Carolina.
2 Chainz
East Carolina, right. Think about all the little Carolina little. The possibilities these kids got now. Because he buying it now. He can't buy the referees and maybe he can, but he can't buy. But he can bring in the talent as far as Atlanta. I mean we have a lot of people that have cavalry in Atlanta, dude, we know. I don't know if you want to bring them to what, Tech or Georgia.
Interviewer/Host 1
I was thinking George, Georgia's already powers, which used to be A basketball school.
2 Chainz
Yeah.
Interviewer/Host 1
Kind of hasn't had the same fortune recently. Yeah.
2 Chainz
We. From that Kenny Anderson, Tech era.
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah. Dennis Scott.
2 Chainz
Scott Marbury Travis.
Interviewer/Host 1
Travis Bassett.
2 Chainz
Marbury.
Interviewer/Host 2
Marbury.
2 Chainz
Marbury era. Oh, my God. I remember he caught a. I remember when he got there and caught this alley oop in the game, and I was like, yo, yo, this. He was like, laying in the air.
Interviewer/Host 1
This man was like, it's been a minute. Well, they went early 2000. They went to the Final Four.
2 Chainz
They was like that. All the names we named Jared Jack. That's when they was like that.
Interviewer/Host 2
Jared Jack.
2 Chainz
It was probably the last time they was like, they played for the chip versus Jared Jack. Yeah.
Interviewer/Host 2
Well, speaking of the book, before we wrap business, what's the. What's the worst financial move that you made and what's the best financial move that you made? Like, what's the. What's the biggest mistake and what's the biggest. Like, when.
2 Chainz
Let's talk about the bad stuff. I invested into a dispensary. I invested into this place called Pineapple Express, and they basically just ran off of my. My money. The reason that. Cause there's some millions involved. And the reason that. That not only hurts because it's the amount of money, it hurts because I tapped on some of my friends, not like business partners, some of my friends, on giving them an investment opportunity to be a part of something that was legal and should have been. Been having some payouts. And I was just trying to, like, I went to some of my friends. That's the best way I can articulate that. I went to some of my friends and I was like, you know, give me 50 or 100, and I'm gonna put, you know, and just. And then. So for these people at this dispensary to, you know, basically fold on the things that they promised. And it's been multiple years, so I'm just trying to get that lawsuit handled. That's a whole lawsuit. To just get all. Get everything back from that and more. And then I invested in a SPAC that I thought was going to be successful. And that junk smacked me. Smacked me. Talking about took me. Smack me. Dispense respect. I know. It's one more. Expense. Respect, man. Come on, man. I've made some. I've made some bad investments. Oh, man, Come on. One more.
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah.
2 Chainz
Oh, and I invested in a land easement because it was like, what certain billionaires do, you know, when they hit you with that one. Billionaires do that. All the money they hit you with that I put Some money on some land easement that was supposed to give me some kind of tax benefits and I lost some money there. The land easement was not as much as the SPACs or the dispensary. But I, I can't sit in front of you and act like everything I've done.
Interviewer/Host 2
Yes, I mean, it's part of it. It's part of it.
Interviewer/Host 1
I can't let you out on that note though.
Interviewer/Host 2
Well, what's the best, what's the best thing you've done financially?
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah, give us the best and I got. We gotta, we gotta talk music. But go ahead, tell us the best.
2 Chainz
The best investment was first buying the dirt. This is one of the best. It's one of the best. My best investment is those kids education that has private school. But I bought the dirt to where ESCO is now. I bought the dirt, then put a business on the dirt and then turned that into. A cash paying business. And then, so that was, that was, that was lucrative. My wife, I bought her a daycare that she still owns. She doesn't work there. Obviously somebody else has. But that's very lucrative too because AI can't make kids. You know what I mean? That's gonna be all right.
Interviewer/Host 2
And those daycares is expensive.
Interviewer/Host 1
Tuition, them.
2 Chainz
Daycare is something else.
Interviewer/Host 1
That's tuition.
2 Chainz
That's a daycare of something else. Man. That money, that money's different, but that's through property. Let me think about something that I did. I, I invested in SpaceX.
Interviewer/Host 2
Oh, really?
2 Chainz
Yeah, Very early on. Early, early on. Man, if I told y' all what I got in on SpaceX at. I know y' all know that I'm actually, I'm, I'm, I'm invested in Anthropic too. I saw what they just said about that.
Interviewer/Host 1
I don't know how valuation. Yeah. Or the government situation.
2 Chainz
Yeah. What do you think? What do you think that's gonna do for my investment? I'm in front of the right guys.
Interviewer/Host 1
I think Anthropic will be okay. There's gonna be a part of the segment that's looking at it like great. I'm glad you didn't do it. Now what happened right after they said no? Their competitor said yes.
2 Chainz
Yeah.
Interviewer/Host 2
Open air.
Interviewer/Host 1
So we got, we gotta watch that. But you know, you have Microsoft as an investor. You got Amazon, that holds ownership in it. They'll be fine. I think they'll be fine.
Interviewer/Host 2
How'd you get in SpaceX?
Interviewer/Host 1
You can't wait for that IPO, huh?
Interviewer/Host 2
That's a big, that's a big one.
2 Chainz
Well. And now we're already at a trillion one point.
Interviewer/Host 1
Well, it could be up to 1.5. With the Xai situation being merged.
2 Chainz
I just had like a 40 minute. It was. I was in the right place at the right time. I know some PE guys that would. When they came across their desk, they would give me the opportunity to, you know. And, you know, with investments, I gambled, so it kind of feel like gambling with certain investments. So a lot of times I wrote shakes too big and certain stuff and not checks big enough in other things. But, you know, the whole thing is like, you're just trying to come up with some multiples, man. You know, And I got in with SpaceX very early. Let me go back to that. Got in there very early. And, man, I. Could I just tell y' all off the air, it just felt like I got in, like, early bitcoin. Let me just say that I got in very early.
Interviewer/Host 2
Yeah.
2 Chainz
Wow. But I'm in on that. And I'm. So that's a. That's a good one. But it hadn't IPO yet. But I need. I'll tell y' all when we get off because I got something to ask y'. All. All right. And then let me see if I got one more out there that. That could. I think that's a good one, though.
Interviewer/Host 2
I think those SpaceX, anthropic.
2 Chainz
Yeah, those are Z. I don't know if you've seen Zen Water. It's a water out that said water. I said that. But Zen Water is. A guy by the name of Lance Collins did Zen Water. He did body armor with that Kobe deal. You remember that Kobe 18 million. I think Kobe put in or something. He did that. And if you look at Zen Water, you see a lot of investors like me and Harden and Travis Kelson, a few other guys like that. But he is someone that's been in the beverage space for many years and have sold different beverages to different companies once they scale. And so I've been with him very early on, too, and I feel confident about that. Some other stuff that I invested in, I just don't know. I'm praying, hope something happens. But I think those three right there, I feel like, like. Like I said, I'm a little skeptical on anthropic, but AIs. AIs is gonna.
Interviewer/Host 1
You only gotta get one out of 10. That's the average.
2 Chainz
They say one out of 10. Huh?
Interviewer/Host 1
And you got the one.
2 Chainz
The one.
Interviewer/Host 2
Like, it's like baseball.
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah. You're not going back 300, though, if you bet. You're not great.
Interviewer/Host 2
I think James Harden told us about this in water.
2 Chainz
Yeah, right.
Interviewer/Host 1
Yep.
2 Chainz
For real.
Interviewer/Host 2
Yeah, he told us about it.
2 Chainz
Yeah.
Interviewer/Host 1
Because we. We were talking about the Kobe deal with him, and he was one of the people that got mentioned. I think Mike Trout was involved as well, but, yeah, they did. They did pretty well on that.
2 Chainz
Yeah. And. And. And you see that being like. You see, like, that being a trend with black athletes that got money now. They learning where to parlay it, and they hearing about these Kobe deals and, you know, some of this stuff wasn't out loud. I think that's the main thing. Some of it wasn't transparent and wasn't out loud. You had no clue. It was like some of us people that look like us got in those rooms and was not passing on the information, was not becoming or becoming. And that's how I got caught in the dispensary stuff, because I'm trying to be a bridge to my. My brothers. I'm like, yo, let me put you down. Let me help you out. Let me. Give me this, you know, and it just. And that. I'm really salty about that because I was trying to really help some of my friends. In that instance right there in my
Interviewer/Host 1
head, the true just went off when you said they. They didn't want to build that bridge.
2 Chainz
Yeah.
Interviewer/Host 1
Because that's what happens.
2 Chainz
Right.
Interviewer/Host 1
Which is why, like, we've become kind of a place that becomes the bridge. Like, hey, here's the information. Here's what we're hearing in those rooms. Here's how you can execute on it.
2 Chainz
But it's important. Y' all keep doing that.
Interviewer/Host 1
Go ahead.
2 Chainz
Sorry.
Interviewer/Host 1
I want to talk about true because Grammy night. I'm watching the performances live. They ain't have two chains performing, but she's okay next year.
2 Chainz
Okay. Yeah.
Interviewer/Host 1
Bieber's up there, got the guitar. His box is on, putting the beat together. You get to that hook, you press the ad lib button. Yeah, yeah. I said chains. I was celebrating it. What was that moment like for you, man?
2 Chainz
I was just starting to get text messages because I wasn't watching it when it was going on. But Justin Bieber is a friend of mine. We've been friends for a while, and he invited me to a studio session that I could not make because I was in another state. I wish I would have came hindsight. And he ended up sending me the UConn record to do ad libs on. So when people hear my yah on Justin Bieber's song. He didn't steal that. Like, that's a new Yah. That's straight out the plastic. It's brand new. It's brand new. Straight out the rack. No clearance. I cleared it, but it wasn't on the clearance rack.
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
2 Chainz
And yeah, man, it's cool to be a part of these little moments, man. I, I, I can't write that type of. Like, I can write the yeah, I don't even have to write that. But I'm saying, the story behind and how it. This man up there singing in his
Interviewer/Host 1
draws like Rent was.
2 Chainz
You dig what I'm saying? And boy, he hit him with the yeah. And you know, people hear me, like, bro, he using your ass. I'm like, you know, Because I don't know if people were just not hearing it for the first time, but it was a great experience. And it just like, man, Like, God, just be. He just throw me out there sometime, man. You know what I'm saying? I'm doing something right, bro. That's all I can say, man.
Interviewer/Host 1
I was thinking about this on the way here today when we were talking about our performance aging right? Like, maturing. I feel like you've walked into this space where you fit in in every arena. Like, you talked about the day in the life. Like, if we saw you at the Cardi B concert, it's like, oh, Chain should be there. You had All Star game on the court. Oh, yeah, he should be there if he's Invest Fest. Invest Fest. He should be there if he's at Magic City. Oh, he's supposed like, you fit in all these environments.
2 Chainz
I should be at the Cardi B show. I wrote something on her project. I should be at courtside at the Hawks gang. Cause I have a partnership with them through the Skyhawks. I should be in Invest Fest because who else I'm investing? What else you say I'd be doing Magic City? I own my own strip club as well. Let's do that. Candy Land. Can't forget about Candy Land. So me and Magic, we, like, we work in the same field.
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah.
2 Chainz
You dig what I'm saying? Magic came to my club for my birthday, which, like, seeing magic, Mr. Magic in my club was like a highlight for me, you know what I'm saying? His sons come through all the time. But a lot of stuff that you naming, bro, it's not a reach for me. It's organic is what I'm trying. That's what I'm really trying. It's really organic, bro. I know you just ringing it off the top of your head. But everything you name is so organic to me. I'm not looking out of place. I'm not contouring myself to fit in. None of that stuff you talking about. It's just really me.
Interviewer/Host 2
You wear many hats?
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah.
Interviewer/Host 2
No point to that.
2 Chainz
Well, I'm trying to keep this one on. I just thought. Look, look, I just thought, you know what I'm saying? In New York, you know what I'm saying? We used to say, man, you say, man, your hat drunk. When you just throw it on any kind of way, man, you ain't drunk the hat. So I just got the hat. This like, look, check me out. It's very ghost face Killer of you, man. I love ghost face. I love wuang. Y' all know that.
Interviewer/Host 2
Yeah, but no, I was saying, like, you last year at Best Fest. I'll never forget Shaka bars. You had. You told him to come over to the club. So you had, you had. You had dinner with Shaka bars and your strip club. That sums it all up, right?
2 Chainz
Like that.
Interviewer/Host 2
That sums up two chains, Alkaline.
2 Chainz
This why he tripping? No, this why he tripping. He says your brethren, you know, you so, so, so, so, so, so. I know, you know, I know he vegan. I got the vegan pizza restaurant in. In Atlanta. So I said, hey, man, go try my vegan pizza spot, man. Okay, he go, I already called and order him a pizza, but he go in there and just order his own. So now he got too much pizza. And I'm like, you know, you. So he said, I got this piece for you. I'm like, no, this is for you. So now you got this piece. Then he meets me at my strip club. And you know, he's like, no, you know I don't drink. You know, I say, get the man some water. The man trip out cause it's alkaline water. He stunned. No dancers, no nothing. No dj, no ambience, no pole. This man said, yo, virgin, you got alkaline water in the strip club. I've never seen this. Yo, this man has alkaline water. The man did a drop with me. That man do a drop with me at the club. Hey, man, this man come to this club. This man got alkaline water. I kind of know the benefits, but I mean, the way he was acting,
Interviewer/Host 1
number one reason you should show up.
2 Chainz
Yeah, it's the alkaline Candyland. Make sure you come through. We got alkaline water A day in her life.
Interviewer/Host 2
Well, congratulations, my brother. Get the book, it's out. Out now.
2 Chainz
It's out now. It's out now.
Interviewer/Host 2
Barnes and Nobles, Amazon.
2 Chainz
You can go to2cordsbook.com as well. Enter for the sweepstakes. I have for people to actually sit courtside with me at a Hawks game. I think I'm gonna be running this sweepstakes up to maybe about March 11th. But you go to twochangebook.com I'm taking care of the rooms. If I have to fly you in and all that stuff. One lucky person gets to sit next to me. All this drip, all this demeanor, all this aura, you know what I'm saying? And as I have a disclaimer that I put on every platform that I've been on. If you are a female and you have a different situation at home, a situation that is going through whatever turmoil or, you know, you have trust issues at home, just know that to tell your significant other that you're just supporting. You're supporting me, you're supporting the book. But nothing more, nothing less. If you are a man, if you come to this game with me. I love the fact that you are a fan, but if we could talk during timeouts and halftime, that'll be cool. Cause I really be watching the game. If you want to talk during the game. I'm not going to be mad at that. But I just want to let you know how sometimes I'll just be locked in. And it may seem like I'm ignoring you, but for the most part, it's for any lucky fan that wants to go through the owners. I have different experience. I go to the owner.
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah.
2 Chainz
I park where. I park it across from. It says owners right there. Just so.
Interviewer/Host 2
Just so we're clear.
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah.
2 Chainz
And then I walk through a door, and then it's another lounge. Not the lounge where you got to have a little. The little thing. A lot of them folks doing this in the car, breaking on, you know, all that breaking. So it's just. I'm offering someone an experience. Owner's lounge, two chains. I'm not sure if you should ride with me or not. I gotta figure that out. But just being next to me is a great experience for a game. Halftime. We can run off. Why I did this song, who I did this song, why I think this person, whatever. But for the most part, you know, once Again, go to twochainzbook.com make sure you check out my new book. The Voice in My Head Is God on all platforms. The audiobook is dope, too. And once again, thank my. Thank my boys. Right here and earn your leisure for allowing me to get on here and promote and market my projects. Yeah. Appreciate it.
Interviewer/Host 1
Go to Barnes and Nobles, go to Amazon, Go to as many outlets as you can. We need diversity. This is how we make sure that it's showing that it's crossing different demographics. And we're gonna have you at number one.
Interviewer/Host 2
And the last thing is who. Who would be the ideal person to read this book?
2 Chainz
That's a good one, I think. Okay.
Interviewer/Host 2
Who.
2 Chainz
What voice I hear reading that? More. You mean to read it? Like who should read the book? Like who should read the book? Oh, man. I think the person that. Good one. If you have ever said something, told me. I think you should read the book. Let me see the book. If you. If. If you have ever said something,
Interviewer/Host 1
fire.
2 Chainz
Something told me to watch this episode. Something told me to go balency boot. Something told me to wear silk pajamas in public. Something told. Something told. Something told you not to do it again. Whatever that is, this book is for you. We gonna try to find out what that something is. We gonna tap into it.
Interviewer/Host 2
There you have it. Make sure y' all check it out, man. Thank you, my brother. Appreciate it.
2 Chainz
Thank you, man.
Interviewer/Host 2
Yes, sir.
Interviewer/Host 1
Yeah.
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
Are you a fraud paying American? 1 in 4 tax paying Americans has been a victim of identity fraud. With Lifelock. If your identity is stolen, they fix it, guaranteed or your money back. Last year, billions in refunds were stolen. Could be from your salary, overtime or second job gone. But this year you don't need to stay a victim because this tax season fraud paying American is something no American should have to claim. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit lifelock.com iheart Terms apply. I'm U.S. transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The sound of a seatbelt. It's one of the most important sounds in our car. It means everyone is ready and everyone is safe. The more our kids see us put on our seatbelts, the more natural it is for them to put theirs on too. Make it a priority. Buckle up every time. Hear the sound. Make it a habit. Paid for by nhtsa.
2 Chainz
Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with
Interviewer/Host 1
a message for everyone paying Big Wireless way too much.
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
Please, for the love of everything good
2 Chainz
in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month.
Interviewer/Host 2
Of course, if you enjoy overpaying, no judgments.
2 Chainz
But that's weird. Okay, one judgment.
Interviewer/Host 1
Anyway, give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch upfront
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first 3 months only then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full terms@mintmobile.com Taco Bell is rolling out the new Chicken Bacon Ranch Street Chalupas.
2 Chainz
And here's the thing. You l you can't just get one.
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
They come in twos.
2 Chainz
And thank goodness they do because these
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
toasted Cheddar street chalupas filled with slow roasted chicken, crispy bacon and avocado ranch are stacked with bold flavor that keeps you going. Back for more Chicken Bacon Ranch Street Chalupas only at Taco Bell. Get yours today at participating US Taco Bell locations for a limited time only while supplies last.
Interviewer/Host 2
It's football season and now you can
Narrator/Commercial Announcer
get anything you need for game day delivered with Uber Eats.
2 Chainz
Well, almost. Almost anything. You can't get a running back, but baby back ribs? Yes, Uber Eats official on demand food delivery partner of the NFL. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
Podcast: Earn Your Leisure
Hosts: Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings (iHeartPodcasts)
Guest: 2 Chainz
Date: March 6, 2026
This episode features artist and entrepreneur 2 Chainz (aka Tauheed Epps), who sits down with Earn Your Leisure hosts Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings to discuss his journey in music, entrepreneurship, investing, and personal growth. The conversation bridges the worlds of entertainment and business, as 2 Chainz opens up about major wins and losses, independent hustle, investing in ventures like SpaceX and Anthropic, and the spiritual voice guiding his decisions. The episode also delves into his new book, "The Voice In My Head Is God," providing a window into his reflections and evolution.
[03:01 – 07:56]
“Growth without reflection is just noise … this book is about me reflecting.” — 2 Chainz ([06:13])
“It’s very cinematic because I have the sound effects of what’s going on... I’m excited about the audiobook.” — 2 Chainz ([05:20])
[07:56 – 12:26]
“My divine guidance has helped me do everything from a large scale to a small scale.” — 2 Chainz ([08:04])
[12:26 – 14:40]
“My mama did real estate. My daddy hustled. I did both.” — 2 Chainz ([12:43])
[14:40 – 25:44]
“I had so much leverage... by the time I got my record deal, I had already done a show in Idaho and South Dakota.” — 2 Chainz ([22:51])
“The record label is like creatine. They add bulk, but they don’t create muscle.” ([25:44])
[25:44 – 31:34]
[31:34 – 35:34]
“My moral compass is in a position to where I wouldn’t leave nobody behind that I’m really rocking with.” — 2 Chainz ([32:01])
[35:34 – 40:00]
“Being an entrepreneur is not the easiest thing in the world… sometimes you get paid last, if at all.” — 2 Chainz ([37:07])
[40:00 – 42:27]
[42:27 – 44:35]
[44:35 – 47:18]
[47:18 – 52:02]
“I'm one of them kids. I used to raise my hand when it was time to read out loud.” — 2 Chainz ([49:43])
[52:47 – 54:26]
[54:26 – 61:03]
“We used to be hungry in college… D. One, full ride scholarship, full ride, whoppers were 99 cent, boy.” — 2 Chainz ([57:25])
[61:03 – 68:29]
Losses:
Wins:
Real Estate Play: Bought the land for his Escobar Lounge, developed it, and turned it into a high cash-flow business. Also bought a successful daycare for his wife.
“I bought the dirt, then put a business on the dirt and then turned that into a cash paying business.” — 2 Chainz ([64:18])
Early SpaceX Investment: Got in at an early valuation (“Like I got in on early bitcoin... could I just tell y’all off the air”) ([66:16]).
Anthropic (AI) & Zen Water: Invested in AI company Anthropic and in Zen Water (connected to the Body Armor/Kobe deal).
“I got in with SpaceX very early. ...Let me just say that I got in very early.” — 2 Chainz ([67:16])
Recognizes the importance of sharing deal opportunities with his circle, though that trust was tested by losing money in certain ventures.
[68:44 – 71:47]
“It’s important y’all keep doing that.” — 2 Chainz ([69:57])
[71:47 – 75:14]
[75:14 – end]
“If you have ever said, ‘something told me,’ this book is for you. We gonna try to find out what that something is.” — 2 Chainz ([78:10])
2 Chainz is unfiltered, humorous, insightful, and candid throughout. The conversation is inspiring and practical, blending personal anecdotes, financial literacy, and music industry wisdom. He is relatable about failure as well as success, makes entrepreneurship approachable, and preaches the importance of intuition, collaboration, and community.
If you're interested in music industry mechanics, entrepreneurship, building generational wealth, and the true stories behind cultural icons’ success, this episode is a goldmine.
[End of Summary]