G Perico on Going Broke, Owning 80% of His Music, Nipsey Hussle & Why Independence Is the Only Way

Summary

Earn Your Leisure Podcast: Episode Summary

Episode Title: G Perico on Going Broke, Owning 80% of His Music, Nipsey Hussle & Why Independence Is the Only Way
Release Date: May 8, 2025
Hosts: Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings
Guest: G Perico

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The latest episode of Earn Your Leisure delves deep into the entrepreneurial journey of G Perico, exploring his rise in the music industry, financial struggles, real estate investments, and his unwavering commitment to independence. Hosted by Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, this episode offers valuable insights into the intersection of business acumen and pop culture influence.

1. Introduction to G Perico and His Musical Journey

The conversation kicks off with the hosts re-establishing their connection with the audience, setting the stage for an in-depth discussion with G Perico.

G Perico shares the origin of his name, highlighting his roots in hustling and the various monikers he held before settling on G Perico:

[03:03] G Perico: "The name came from hustling... It was a joke, you know what I mean? They were calling me G Perico because it always came through with the sack."

2. Prolific Music Releases and Strategic Independence

G Perico discusses his decision to release multiple music projects within a single year, contrasting his approach with the traditional "less is more" philosophy prevalent in the industry.

[04:43] G Perico: "I put out so much music... I can just explain a feeling and a thing to the T. So why not? And then another thing outside of that is naturally the streaming and the leverage and all that."

He emphasizes the importance of owning his music to build personal valuation and influence, rather than relying on sporadic releases that necessitate larger budgets.

3. Navigating the Independent Route vs. Major Labels

The conversation shifts to the challenges and advantages of staying independent after having been signed to a label. G Perico underscores the freedom he enjoys:

[04:43] G Perico: "Independent is the best route for me. I could wake up and do whatever I feel like, and then I'm living like a platinum artist."

He reflects on his struggles with authority and how independence allows him to align his business decisions with his artistic vision without external constraints.

4. Building Wealth Through Music and Content

G Perico elaborates on viewing his music and content as valuable assets akin to real estate. He highlights offers he's received for his catalog but chooses to retain ownership to continue building long-term wealth.

[12:04] G Perico: "People that do YouTube, they buying that out... I realized how even more valuable what I'm doing is whether it's visual content, music... it's like it's wealth."

5. Overcoming Financial Downfalls and Personal Growth

The podcast takes a personal turn as G Perico recounts his past financial missteps, including overspending and struggles with substance abuse, which led to significant losses and time spent in jail. These experiences fueled his determination to rebuild and avoid repeating past mistakes.

[14:27] G Perico: "I lost all that shit and was broke... I stopped drinking and everything. I ain't drunk in like four years."

6. Real Estate Ventures: The Broadway Boxing Gym

A pivotal moment in G Perico's journey was his investment in real estate, specifically acquiring the Broadway Boxing Gym—the oldest boxing gym still standing in Los Angeles. This venture represents his commitment to giving back to the community and fostering youth development.

[20:38] G Perico: "It's like the oldest boxing gym still standing in Los Angeles. Broadway Boxing. My original store was there, my original studio was there... it's a lot of history right there."

He discusses plans to rejuvenate the gym, host a grand opening, and establish a youth boxing league, emphasizing his passion over profit.

7. Brand Building: The Blue T-Shirt Lifestyle Brand

G Perico introduces his Blue T-Shirt brand, positioning it as a progressive lifestyle entity rather than a mere clothing line. He explains the strategic use of scarcity in his releases to drive demand and create a sense of exclusivity.

[41:13] G Perico: "Scarcity, to just get people to run through as opposed to over a week period... promoting the idealism behind the brand and the lifestyle behind the brand."

He envisions the brand as a platform that encapsulates his values and lifestyle, thereby serving as a marketing tool for his music and other ventures.

8. Influences and Inspirations: Nipsey Hussle and E40

G Perico pays homage to Nipsey Hussle, highlighting his influence and the legacy Nipsey left in the LA community. He describes Nipsey as a visionary who balanced street credibility with entrepreneurial spirit.

[52:49] G Perico: "Nip was one of the most influential niggas to ever come up out of LA... he inspired niggas to create their own."

Additionally, he cites E40 as his personal GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) for his business endeavors and consistent success in the music industry.

[58:57] G Perico: "Wayne is the greatest... but my goat is E40. He was like one of the first niggas dropping consistent non-stop and he was a major independent."

9. Mentoring Youth and Community Impact

Through his efforts at the Broadway Boxing Gym, G Perico aims to provide alternatives to street life for the youth in South Central LA. He underscores the importance of guiding the next generation away from the pitfalls he once faced.

[27:37] G Perico: "I much rather use my influence and my energy to help niggas do some other shit... it's important."

10. The Importance of Teamwork and Relationships

G Perico highlights the significance of building a reliable team and maintaining strong relationships. He believes that success is a collective effort and emphasizes mutual respect and collaboration within his business ventures.

[30:41] G Perico: "Relationships are super important... people gotta understand the power of just respecting people."

11. Future Vision: Expanding the Brand Globally

Looking ahead, G Perico discusses his ambitions to take his brand beyond LA, targeting global markets to break through perceived ceilings and expand his influence internationally.

[43:32] G Perico: "We definitely have to navigate throughout the globe... we moving around and spread the message and connect."

12. Balancing Street Roots with Business Ventures

G Perico openly addresses the challenges of balancing his street connections with his business endeavors. He acknowledges the tensions and resentments that can arise but remains steadfast in his mission to blend both worlds responsibly.

[31:43] G Perico: "The two worlds don't blend at all... everybody can't go."

13. Mental Health and Personal Resilience

The episode touches upon the mental toll that balancing multiple ventures can take. G Perico shares his coping mechanisms, including staying engaged with his community and finding solace in his work.

[34:27] G Perico: "If I could help some that can help they and help they, then, you know, it's important."

14. Conclusion: Embracing Independence and Legacy

In closing, G Perico reiterates his commitment to independence, drawing inspiration from mentors like Nipsey Hussle and E40. He emphasizes the importance of creating a lasting impact through his music, brand, and community initiatives.

[56:10] G Perico: "As long as I'm really glued to it and executing... I'm doing the right thing."

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Notable Quotes:

• G Perico on Music as Wealth:

  [12:05] G Perico: "It's like it's wealth. At the end of the day, it's building wealth."

• On Independence:

  [09:32] G Perico: "Independence is the only way."

• On Overcoming Adversity:

  [14:39] G Perico: "I never want to be in this space again."

• On Building a Brand:

  [41:13] G Perico: "Blue T shirt is pretty much like a progressive lifestyle brand."

• On Influence of Nipsey Hussle:

  [52:49] G Perico: "Nip was like... a full stamp of what it is."

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Key Takeaways:

1. Strategic Independence: G Perico's commitment to remaining independent allows him to maintain creative and financial control, fostering long-term wealth and influence.
2. Diversified Ventures: Beyond music, G Perico invests in real estate and fashion, creating multiple revenue streams and enhancing his brand.
3. Community Focus: His investment in the Broadway Boxing Gym underscores his dedication to community upliftment and providing positive alternatives for youth.
4. Brand Building: The Blue T-Shirt brand exemplifies his approach to creating a lifestyle brand that serves as a marketing tool for his other ventures.
5. Resilience and Growth: G Perico's journey from financial downfall to entrepreneurial success highlights the importance of resilience, strategic planning, and mentorship.

Follow G Perico:

• Social Media: BG Perico on all major platforms
• Website: BGPerico.com
• Instagram: @BGPerico
• Twitter: @BGPerico

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Stay Tuned: Don't miss the next episode of Earn Your Leisure for more insightful conversations blending business acumen with pop culture phenomena.

Transcript

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[DJ Vlad]

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[G Perico]

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[D Smoke]

What up?

[DJ Vlad]

We back home.

[D Smoke]

Yeah.

[DJ Vlad]

In New York. Shout out to WTH Studios. Tf tf WTF Studios.

[D Smoke]

That's what the hell.

[DJ Vlad]

Home away from home. When we home. Yeah. So we got a Westsider.

[D Smoke]

Yes sir.

[DJ Vlad]

It's always good to do these, these west side mashups. Yeah, we've done a variety of different All Money and the whole entire crew.

[D Smoke]

Yep.

[DJ Vlad]

We just did J. Stone.

[D Smoke]

Yes.

[DJ Vlad]

He was the only one that wasn't part of it. Did you see the All Money in interview? Yeah, hell yeah.

[G Perico]

I done watched all the interviews.

[DJ Vlad]

What'd you think about it?

[G Perico]

That was dope. That was dope. And then my guys, you know what I'm saying, they, they like one of the first people to inspire me what they was doing. Cause it was like we all coming out of South Central. These niggas that I see in traffic stop and holla at. But they was doing a thing though in the world, you know what I mean? So I got to see it and feel it, be around it. So, yeah, all money in is definitely like a big inspo for me to this day.

[DJ Vlad]

That's a fact. We had blast on.

[D Smoke]

We had blast.

[DJ Vlad]

That's my guy.

[G Perico]

Blast. My guy.

[D Smoke]

My brother Sticks.

[DJ Vlad]

Of course, Sticks just got the FaceTime with sticks.

[G Perico]

So, yeah, he's all good guys right here.

[DJ Vlad]

We tapped into the right people.

[G Perico]

Yeah.

[DJ Vlad]

So, G Perico, how is it going, my brother? How you doing?

[G Perico]

I'm doing great, man. It's going great. You know, the opportunity is endless. I can see it. I can feel it, you know what I mean? So, you know, we just making it happen. Executing.

[DJ Vlad]

That's it. So where'd the name come from?

[G Perico]

So the name came from, like, it meant some time now. Originally, I never used to say. But like, it just came from hustling, you know what I mean? And, like, around.

[DJ Vlad]

I assumed. But yeah, you never know.

[G Perico]

And then around the time when I got coined that because they called me G Slim, BG or Skrilla. Like, I got, like three different names in the hood, you know what I mean? Like, my friends call me Skrilla if you hear somebody call me Skrilla. That's one of my friends, if you hear somebody call me G Slim. They knew me way back in the day. Gang banging, BG is just what it turned into. But, like, just hustling around the time, like Lil Wayne and that Jeep Rico is what I'm known to have. So I'm coming through the spots, you know what? I doing my thing. And it was a joke, you know what I mean? And I'm like, nigga, that's my name. So I, you know, I ran with it, you know what I mean? But it was like, it was a joke. They was calling me G Perico. G Perico as a joke because it always came through with the sack, you know what I'm saying?

[D Smoke]

Ain't funny no more.

[G Perico]

Yeah.

[DJ Vlad]

So it was like El Jefe. Like, it was like. They was like, oh, this like. No, this is the Duel.

[G Perico]

Yeah, yeah.

[DJ Vlad]

So here we are. So let's talk about. Let's start with the music. You put out three projects this year so far. Yeah, so far. You got another project?

[G Perico]

Yeah, yeah, I got another one.

[DJ Vlad]

So, all right. Why are you putting out so much music? Most people take the approach where less is more, where they put out one project every two years, one project every. You putting out. You don't feel like that's saturating the market?

[G Perico]

Nah, definitely not. Because with that type of approach comes with bigger budgets.

[DJ Vlad]

Right.

[G Perico]

And that's one thing I didn't have. I didn't have a big budget to $3 million to spend on one project and blow it out. You know what I mean? And then also, like, I got so many thoughts and I done live so much life and, like, I could just explain a feeling and a thing to the T. So. Well, it's like, why not? You know? And then another thing outside of that is naturally the streaming and the leverage and all that. So I stacked the projects to use leverage as my value. So now I'm worth a few million because of all of this music, you know what I'm saying? As opposed to me doing one project and then, you know, running around complaining, ah, ain't nobody fucking with it. And do do.

[DJ Vlad]

So that's your evaluation.

[G Perico]

Yeah, I'm not into complaining. I'm into making it happen and figuring it out. So that was pretty much the best ro on me dealing with, you know, the opportunities that I had. You know what I'm saying? So I got a laptop, I got an interface, I got a mic, I got producers. Let's get busy. Let's build this value up. And then the most important reason why I do it is, like, all my favorite artists that I fell in love with dropped a lot of music, whether it was mixtapes before they album, Wayne Jeezy, Game Wiz, Spitta, you know what I'm saying? All these people that I love and brung me into their lifestyle, and I took pieces of they shit and live with it, you know what I mean? So my whole thing is like, at the end of the day, influence. So I know that with my music, if it don't happen while I'm here and alive, it's gonna happen when I'm gone. I'm gonna influence the entire generation, you know what I'm saying? And I'm creating a whole new lifestyle, a subculture within the culture. You know what I mean?

[D Smoke]

Yeah. 500 million streams. That's a lot. You're building that valuation up. Talk about the process of doing it independent, like you spoke about, Wayne, right? And you spoke about the influence that the old money in team. That's an interesting combo, right? Cause we watched these guys grow up, and we watched Nip do it from an independent standpoint, and we watched Wayne put out the product. So it feels like there's a merger of both those influences in your life. What about the independent route that you've taken?

[G Perico]

So the independent route. I was signed to a label before, so I started off independent with the same mind frame. And just understanding how label operate. All right? I need a digital team. I need pr. I need certain things, you know what I'm saying? So when I signed, already had my. I didn't even realize I had a label of my own, you know what I'm saying? Because when I signed, it was the same thing. Yeah, it's the same shit. The only thing that changed was my output. Now that. Now I gotta go explain while I'm necessary and. And what I mean to the culture, you know, it's different when you walking in the office and people not in the streets, they not feeling the culture, they on the computer, you know what I mean? So it's different. And that was a struggle, but, like, just being independent, I got the freedom to decide. I want to put out a project, I want to drop some clothes with it and do 10, 15 shows with it, you know what I mean? And spread my message and, you know, impact and have all these little small victories that lead up to the big one, you know what I'm saying? So, like, independent for me is the best route. And it's like I always grew up having like, a problem with authority, you know what I'm saying? I was like the nigga in me, the street nigga in me, you know what I'm saying? And when you sign just having an answer to somebody and you pose to be a boss, you really turn into a worker, like, to extent, you know what I'm saying? Depending on how hot you come in, you know what I'm saying? And I didn't come in super hot, so, you know, it was just a struggle. So, you know, the independent is the route for me. Like, I could wake up and do whatever the I feel like, and. And then I'm living like a platinum artist, like, you know what I mean? And my, like, my streams accumulate to a few million, so, you know what I mean? So, you know, now you brought up.

[DJ Vlad]

A good point as far as having to ask permission. That's something I don't think people fully understand. Like, as any hierarchy, like, if you. You gotta ask, you want this single to get put out and they gotta approve it and they gotta do that. And that's something that, yeah, is mentally draining.

[G Perico]

Right?

[D Smoke]

It's frustrating.

[DJ Vlad]

As opposed to just having the independence of just being able to do whatever you want to do. I want to put this out on Friday. I'll put it out on Friday if I want put this single out. If I want to put this artwork out, I don't have to get approval from the label. And different things of that nature. That's actually extremely important for people to fully understand that.

[G Perico]

Yeah. Cause it's like a lot of songs is like, you know, they may be something that live for a long time, but a lot of them like are like, best for em to come out in that time where you feeling it, you know what I mean? As an artist. You know what I mean? Now, like the business and the artistry, it don't always blend well, you know what I mean?

[DJ Vlad]

Well, let me ask you this. What challenges do you face being independent? Cause it's like you gotta get your music out there. You got to market it, you got to get the DJs to play it. So like, you know, being on the ground and doing everything for yourself, what do you have to do that, you know, you probably wouldn't have to do on a major? Or do you have to do on a major?

[G Perico]

You. You would have to do it all on a major, you know what I mean? Cause you gotta develop some type of traction in order for them to open up your budget. They gotta see some numbers moving in order for em to really put the machine behind you. Or you gotta be a darling in the building. You know what I'm saying? So it's like, you know, everything that I gotta do would be something that I would normally have to do on a major to get, you know, the traction going. But the, the great part about it all is like, it's all mine. At the end of the day, I own it. You know what I mean? So, you know, that's a. It's like, it's like real estate. Like when I sat down with a financial advisor and they was telling me how they've been advising people to buy content, that's when I realized how even more valuable what I'm doing is whether it's visual content, music, whatever it is, you know what I'm saying? It's. It's like it's wealth. At the end of the day, it's building wealth.

[D Smoke]

Yeah, you're building wealth, but at the same time you build in brand, right?

[G Perico]

Sure.

[D Smoke]

Because, I mean, you just said it. I'm living like a platinum rapper. So most people assume that because somebody went platinum, they made this amount of money because of their records.

[G Perico]

Meanwhile, probably in a hole, they know.

[D Smoke]

Because there's a machine behind them, there's advances that go into that, there's debt that's accumulated because of that. Whereas when you're building a brand, whether it's from, like you have other investments, maybe it's the T shirts, like, yeah, we'll talk about the real estate in a little bit. All that or majority that is coming to you? Or is it all that going to you?

[G Perico]

Yeah, majority, majority, 80% coming to me. And it's like the recouping process is like up. So it's like when you got to 85, 15, like you recouping out of your 15 type, you know what I'm saying? So that's how stand you spend a million and make a million. You only made 150,000, you know what I'm saying?

[D Smoke]

So, you know, simple math.

[DJ Vlad]

So you said somebody, the advisor told you that he's invited people to invest in content.

[G Perico]

Yeah, content.

[DJ Vlad]

Explain that.

[G Perico]

Like, content, like catalog. People that do YouTube, they buying that out.

[DJ Vlad]

Buying YouTube channels, Instagram pages.

[G Perico]

Yeah. Short film, all that. You know what I mean? And then when it been this wave of people selling a catalog, you know what I mean? Like, people came and offered me a few million for my catalog earlier this year already. Yeah. And I'm like, nigga, what I'm gonna do with that? You know what I'm saying? Like, a couple minutes and the way that I spend, like. And then after I said it, it's like I don't have that value in myself anymore, so I gotta create, which is like, it just all depend on how you look at it and how you play it. You know what I mean? So it could be a good thing, it could be a bad thing.

[DJ Vlad]

Well, you bring up a good point because everybody talks about people selling their music catalogs, but remember that kid that sold his Instagram page for 85 million? Dawan Daan?

[G Perico]

Yeah, yeah.

[D Smoke]

Well, they said he did.

[DJ Vlad]

It was a whole profile, millions of dollars. It wasn't just one Instagram page.

[D Smoke]

He had built up, like, I think.

[DJ Vlad]

15 to 20 pages, like over 50 million followers. Yeah, but you could, like Shade Room right now. They could probably sell their whole portfolio for like $100 million.

[G Perico]

Yeah, yeah.

[D Smoke]

The valuation probably crazy on it, because.

[DJ Vlad]

Look at the influence that you have by having that many followers every single day. Like, you know what I'm saying? That's how labels are actually marketing music through, like, academics. These, like, when you just see this random artist, this drill artist that you've never heard of before, just how you feel about this, like, that's not done by accident.

[D Smoke]

Play it while you're streaming.

[DJ Vlad]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[D Smoke]

Well, the way that content is being viewed is different. The way it's being consumed is different. And so you gotta change from the old form. Right? People don't watch tv, people aren't listening to radio at the same. Right. They on their phones. And so wherever the content is being made to have the. The type of margins that you want, Right. You got to make sure that there's not large overhead.

[G Perico]

Right?

[D Smoke]

Which if I'm sitting in my living room with a camera, not much overhead.

[G Perico]

Exactly.

[D Smoke]

You know what I'm saying? So if I can get all that content and push it out with millions of people watching, it's a better business decision.

[G Perico]

Exactly.

[D Smoke]

But you said something. This is interesting, right? You just said the way I'm spending. But you also said you spoke to a financial planner. This tells me that there's somebody inside of you that's like, you know what? I have to have this financial discipline, but I gotta call somebody just to make sure I'm happy. What's that trajectory like for you? What does that duality like for you?

[G Perico]

So it's just like experience, right? So like, when I first came in, I made some money. And then I got me a big ass house, a gang of cars, and then I lost all that shit and was broke.

[D Smoke]

The house and the cars?

[G Perico]

Yeah, all. Everything.

[DJ Vlad]

Damn.

[G Perico]

And I had like a few pair. I ain't even had nowhere to keep all the clothes. Like I had rooms and shoes and shit. Just gave everything away and started over. And I'm like, I never want to be in this space again.

[DJ Vlad]

How did that happen?

[G Perico]

Just spending, partying, believing in the system.

[DJ Vlad]

Spending more money than you was making.

[G Perico]

Yeah, for sure. And believing more in the system than myself, you know what I mean? Believing that like some fairy was gonna come down. Like, I made.

[D Smoke]

I made half a million. I can make another half a million.

[G Perico]

Exactly. And not doing the work. So, you know, I just got caught up in the fun. And then it was like, I spent a lot of time in and out of jail, so that was probably like my honeymooning stage, you know what I'm saying? Lived it up, enjoyed it. And then I'm like, I stopped drinking and everything. I ain't drunk in like four years. Coming up on four years. But congrats. Yeah, it was just experience. And then I was like, all right, I gotta do all this work, rebuild the brand, start creating this momentum again. And it's like, I don't want to do all of this work and then end up in the same place. Like, it's like, where I'mma go afterward. I can't go back to the hood. These niggas are going to kill me if I'm broke. And I come back, you Know what I'm saying?

[DJ Vlad]

Because you know I wouldn't do that. You don't want to leave, then come back.

[G Perico]

Exactly.

[DJ Vlad]

You guys didn't work out, right?

[G Perico]

Is naturally upset. Like it may be somebody that I'm rolling, doing my thing and they somewhere I don't see them now they mad about that. It'd just be little silly shit like that. So it's like I know that I don't want to be in a losing position, so I gotta set myself up. And the way I hustle now is like, not for right now. Cause it's like all the work that I've been doing the last couple years got me living right now. So I'm in a position to where I could hustle for the different next few years.

[D Smoke]

And did going to jail that last time change it for you?

[G Perico]

Hell yeah. Like, that was an eye opener. Because like before that I ain't give a about nothing. Like it. It is what it is. Like we in the. I'm in the life. That's what I'm doing. I know how to get money, I know how to do this. Like, you know what I mean? I'm a gangster basically. And like my first time in a. In a joint, I was still ca. I was catching cases in there. And then when I went back, I had caught it like a cell phone, the little write up and shit. They added 90 days, something like that, four months, something like that. But I'm like, I'm looking around and I'm like, I was on a yard. That was sweet. And then I end up on a yard where everybody got life and nobody's going home, you know what I mean? And then my daughter was freshly born, her mama in jail. My daughter was born in Chowchilla State Prison, you know what I'm saying? So it's like, damn, I can't be. And then just then my granny died. It's like, damn, I ain't got nobody. You know what I'm saying? So just all that in my mind, you know what I mean? It was like I got to get something together. And then when I got it together, I was in party mode. So, you know, luckily I still got an opportunity and still feel fresh and still energetic and like it's not over. Because you know how this is like, you know, once people get a little bit of run, like the first thing that people do in the office is everywhere. It's done. We've this. We don't know what's next, you know what I'm saying? So, you know, blessed with the opportunity to still be here and a lot of good relationships. So I gotta set it up right, you know what I mean?

[DJ Vlad]

So you talking about you do invest in real estate, at least?

[G Perico]

Yeah.

[DJ Vlad]

Cause you own a building. Yeah, right, with our guy Dave Gross.

[D Smoke]

Shout out to Dave.

[DJ Vlad]

So Dave, talk about that. How did your relationship with Dave Gross come about? And how did you get into buying a building?

[G Perico]

So with Dave, his little brother, Sean Mack, rest in peace.

[DJ Vlad]

In peace. From Inglewood, right?

[G Perico]

Yeah, from NHP Pyro. Yeah, that's my boy. Sean Mack was, like, a real good partner of mine, like. And we had just met a couple years before he died, you know what I'm saying? But we hit it off, like. And, like, he was coming through every day, we making music, and he was telling me, yeah, I got a brother, man. He is square, though, man. I remember he came through in a suit, and I'm like, damn, what you got this suit on for? And he like, shit, I've been working for my brother. And I'm like, yeah. And then I seen. I seen who Dave Gross was, but I didn't know that was his brother, you know what I mean? And. And, like, we, like, kind of connected through Sean Mack passing, you know what I'm saying? Like, through tragedy, basically. And we also got the building through tragedy, which is crazy because the owner passed away, you know what I mean? And. And the opportunity was there, and I had the money, so we did it.

[DJ Vlad]

So you just hit him. Like, I know you know about real estate.

[G Perico]

So it went. It kind of went like this. Like, I was chilling with D. Smoke. D Smoke, one of our partners, too, and. And I met him at the boxing gym. I didn't even know he sang or anything like that. I just knew he was a boxer and he'd be fighting, and we was doing a song, and I'm like, bro, I would love to own that building, bro. That's always, like, been a dream of mine. Like, I don't care if I make money or anything. I just want to have it. And he liked me, too. And then, like, a week later, Ms. Larkin died. You know what I mean? So Smoke hit Dave, and. And Dave hit me. He like, wait, this. This Perico hood, you know what I'm saying? So I didn't know Smoke hit Dave. Dave hit me. What's up? What you want to do? Give me such and such. I'm like, all right, let's do it. You know what I mean? So that's pretty much how that came together. And, you know, we just Building it out.

[DJ Vlad]

So what's in the building?

[G Perico]

So it's like the oldest boxing gym still standing in Los Angeles. Broadway Boxing. My original store was there, My original studio was there, which I hadn't been to in like years. You know what I mean? But it was just like a. It's like a lot of history right there. Like, I got my commercial.

[DJ Vlad]

Commercial?

[G Perico]

Yeah, it's a commercial building. I got my first tattoos there. It used to be a tattoo shop when I was like 13. I'm in shot right there. Like, it's just like a gang of history where I grew up right there.

[D Smoke]

So it's your neighborhood?

[G Perico]

Yeah. Being able to own a owner this dope.

[D Smoke]

So the blue T shirt brand, that's where it starts.

[G Perico]

Yeah, blue T shirt. I came up with the idea in that building. So, I mean, developed it right there.

[D Smoke]

Imagine that. Right. Like, I wonder what that's like for you. Right. Like you said, there's these game experiences. You said something probably like ingest. Like, I want to own this one day to now being an owner in it. How involved in it are you now? Knowing that this was like almost like a dream or it came into fruition.

[G Perico]

Yeah. Like, I'm super hands on. You know, it's a lot going on right now. So, like the last month or so, I've been all the way tuned in and getting. Getting the gym like spruced up a little bit so we could do a regran opening and get that back going for the community and start my youth boxing league and everything. So we've been tuned in, putting the team together and everything, me and Smoke. So, you know, that's gonna be big for me. Like, even if I don't even care if I make a dollar off of that. Cause it's like, it's a passion thing for me.

[DJ Vlad]

And that's in your neighborhood, right?

[G Perico]

Yeah.

[DJ Vlad]

And that's. Where's. Where's the area at again? It's South Central.

[G Perico]

South Central? Yeah. On the east side. Yeah. Basically the east side of South Central. Like, it's where the east side start. So it's like some people could say west, some people say majority. 95, 99% of the city call it the east side.

[DJ Vlad]

Okay.

[G Perico]

But the east side start a block.

[DJ Vlad]

After the building, so that's interesting. He was like my brother. He's square, though.

[D Smoke]

I'm sure you're gonna love to hear that.

[DJ Vlad]

Nah, but it's interesting to even like, you know, I feel like language is very important. Yeah, Right. And I feel like a lot of times people well, it's starting to change now, but for a long period of time, like, people were discouraged to do more positive things because it was looked at as lame.

[G Perico]

Yeah, for sure.

[DJ Vlad]

But in raw reality, that's what you actually should be doing. Right? That's the. That's the pathway forward.

[G Perico]

So that's where the life at.

[DJ Vlad]

How are you able to, like, kind of change that mindset within yourself to realize, like, nah, real estate. This is where it's at. Like, you know, glorifying. Everybody starts off glorifying what they see. Streets and different things, that nature. And you realize that that's nothing to really glorify because there's no real win in this situation. Right. So when did that mindset change from you?

[G Perico]

I mean, it. It changed when I was sitting in jail, bro. Cause it was like, I just kind of like woke up one day, I was talking to my cellie. He had life without. And I think I was like 22 or something at the time. And he was 22 when he got life. And he was like, damn near 60. And he looked young as fuck. I wouldn't have thought he was 60, but. And then my homie was in the building. He got life for something that he didn't do. So I'm like, damn, the life really don't bring nothing to you but, like, just heartache and pain. Like, you get them highs, them quick highs, you know what I'm saying? It's like a crack high. Like you own for a second, then it's over. And you fighting these niggas and going through this, and I just, like. It just really wasn't no life to the end of it. And to this day, it's still one of my biggest struggles, though, honestly. Like, I'm gonna keep it all the way real. Cause I was like my first love and my family and my thing, like, you know what I'm saying? I ain't really had no family like that, so it was the hood. So that's one of my biggest struggles. But at the end of the day, the question always come to, like, damn, what's the. Like, what you get out of this? Like, what's the point? Like, to go sit in jail for life or to get killed and don't have nothing and have niggas having a fucking car wash for you and like, you know what I mean? And it's like, it just really ain't making no sense.

[DJ Vlad]

That remind me something.

[D Smoke]

That's like the fish fry.

[DJ Vlad]

One of my favorite rappers of all time was az. He had a dope line when he was like, there's more to gain than just street n fame. Them same thoughts. I fought like sugar Shane. And I feel like it's like quicksand, like. Cause it's alluring. Like you said, to go and to have hood fame and to be able to be the man in your block and everybody recognizes you and it plays to your ego.

[G Perico]

Yeah, definitely.

[DJ Vlad]

And it's something that. It actually is appealing. But it's like you gotta kind of fight that. Cause it's like if you stay there too long, like quicksand, you're going. You don't realize that you're sinking. That's the thing about quicksand. You don't really realize that you're sinking. You think you're just standing there. Before you know it, you're like six feet deep. So it's. That's an interesting dynamic that you said. You're even still fighting that to this day because a lot of people can't understand it. But I, I can understand that aspect of it where it's like you can't really get that feeling anywhere else.

[G Perico]

Right.

[DJ Vlad]

But you know that ultimately it's not going to lead you anywhere.

[G Perico]

Right? It's definitely ego driven. And I kind of like compare it to like somebody that smoke crack. Like, they know it ain't good for them. They try to quit, but it's like they back on it. Like, it's the same with the streets, bro. And the same thing with hustling. Like, you know, like I kind of battle with doing all the time, you know what I mean? But at the end of the day.

[DJ Vlad]

It'S like just keep it occasional.

[G Perico]

Yeah, it's no occasional. Keep it occasional. And not like basically meant not even real. Like for real. Because, bro, it's nothing at the end of it, bro.

[D Smoke]

Yeah.

[G Perico]

You know, every. Every that I know that made it to old age as a street guy. Like, they dealing with so much mentally and then it's like, even the ones that's not like, still made it out with their sense. It's like, all right, you do this shit, you around and be rich in the streets and all this and then it's over. And then you gotta start all over at the beginning of the work world doing some shit that a nigga that's 18, it's a fact.

[D Smoke]

Doing is your supervisor, right?

[G Perico]

And then you already got this nigga ego. I know that shit, it eats you up. And it's like, before I get to that point, I need to like shift.

[D Smoke]

You know what I'm Saying so knowing that, I wonder, like you said, you have the boxing gym and that speaks to youth, right? Giving back to youth, knowing where you're at now, having some maturation, having some occasional tendencies is division now somewhat make sure that the youngest behind me have a different alternative. They can see something different. Right? I know that you coach in summer leagues and doing, doing the boxing gym. So how much of an impact does that have you, the youngest coming up?

[G Perico]

I mean, that's like super important, bro. Cause like, like the next era is the future, you know what I mean? And then just understanding what, what they'll go through if I'm like directing somebody in the wrong way. Like, because I had a group of like young homies after me. They got life, they did, they fried, you know what I'm saying? So. And it was like a lot of them was like following my leadership, you know what I mean? And I ain't know no better, you know what I mean? That like we was gonna end up fucked up, you know what I mean? Even though I saw it in front of me though, you know what I mean? But I was so in awe with like my older homies and big homies. I'm like, nigga, this what it is. This what we doing, you know what I'm saying? So just knowing that, bro, it ain't no life at the end of that, bro. Like, I much rather like how you like boxing or rapping or doing short films or going to be a doctor, anything like. Or owning a building or owning ownership and business building, whatever it may be. I much rather have you doing that a podcast than like gang banging and doing street shit. Because I know where you gonna go. Nobody. This shit been around in LA. It been around over 50 years, you know what I'm saying? Like, all these hoods having their 50th anniversaries like this year, you know what I mean? And then the Crip and the Blood shit been out years before it was individual sets. So it's like this shit been around over 50 years, bro. Ain't nobody beat it yet that ain't like transition. Ain't nobody that stayed in it beat it. And like 90% of niggas not finna get past 25 without being life or like shot up bad, can't walk like. Or shot in the head and fucking mind is gone now, you know what I mean? Like, it's really fucked up, bro, like the real reality of it. So yeah, I much rather have. I much rather use my influence and my energy to help niggas do some other shit. I know I ain't gonna be able to save everybody, but if I could help some that can help they and help they, then, you know, it's important. Yeah.

[DJ Vlad]

So you, you involved in fact 90?

[G Perico]

Nah, nah, nah. I didn't have nothing to do with Vector 90.

[DJ Vlad]

Okay. Okay. So talk about, you know, your path in music streaming. Like, what's the most important thing for independent artists? Is it to focus on marketing or is it to focus on relationships, getting features, DJs, like, what's your path? Like, a lot of people are independent artists, but a lot of people aren't successful as independent artists.

[G Perico]

Yeah, I think this is all equal. Like, it's like the brand. What is it, what's your story, who you talking to, what you representing? You got to identify that so, you know, you can identify your audience. You know what I mean? And it's marketing and like, most importantly, it's relationships. Like, I got good relationships from like, over the years, you know what I mean?

[DJ Vlad]

Just organic.

[G Perico]

Yeah. Just a lot of people that fuck with me and it's a lot of relationships. Like, we ain't never asked for favors or nothing like that. We just tight, you know what I mean? And, you know, if time come to do some business, I know it'll go well, but the relationship's highly important, you know? And like, people gotta understand, like, the power of just respecting people also. Cause the ego shit and the street nigga shit, having niggas being an asshole and a dickhead, like, thinking that, you know, you in a position that's untouchable or shit can't change, you know what I mean? Because, you know, it's a lot of people that's at the. That may be at the bottom of the totem pole right now, this day in fucking 24 months, which flies by like nothing, you know, they may be the top pushing buttons, you know what I mean? So relationship's super important.

[D Smoke]

How is it dealing with the complexity of you got your street dudes that you with.

[G Perico]

Yeah.

[D Smoke]

And now you have business ventures and realizing that some of them can't go, most of them not gonna be able to go with you. Yeah, how's dealing with that complexity?

[G Perico]

I mean, that's a whole nother struggle, you know what I mean? Cause my, like, every time I. I've been on a run since I've been out, first thing I do is go back and grab some of my niggas. Like, look, this, this, this, this. And it never. It ain't worked one time, you know what I Mean, and I'm just realizing that right now, like, damn, this never works. So, you know, it's like, bro, the whole street thing is a struggle. And then, like, my business, guys, like, hate it. You know what I mean?

[D Smoke]

Mixing those two worlds.

[G Perico]

Yeah. Like, nigga, your heart is entirely got you full. Like, yeah, I'm foolish sometimes, you know? I mean, but, you know, that's why I work so hard. So it's like, if we make a mistake, I mean, we could make up for it with the work. I mean, but it's definitely. It's definitely a mission, man. The two definitely don't blend at all. Like, the two worlds don't even understand each other at all either. You know what I mean? But by me being a hybrid, it's good for me, you know what I mean? I just. Everybody can't go. Like the saying go. You know what I mean?

[D Smoke]

Circles got smaller. Everybody can go.

[G Perico]

That's a fact.

[DJ Vlad]

So does that lead to a level of resentment?

[D Smoke]

I was just gonna say that.

[G Perico]

Yeah, for sure.

[DJ Vlad]

How you deal with that?

[G Perico]

For sure, bro, that's like. That's another pressure. That's another pressure on your mind. Just think about, like, just coming from something with people that you love and you fuck with. And then you blessed with a vision as well as the opportunity and the drive to get it done. And you want everything that you got for your niggas, too. But they not trying to understand. Only thing they can understand is create a riff with you or try to discover some type of problem and live off of that instead of trying to find a solution. On how we could bubble, you know what I'm saying? I'm a nigga you could bubble with, you know what I'm saying? Straight up. So, yeah, that's difficult. That's what I run into, like, 99.9% of the time across resentment. It's plenty of niggas that can't stand me right now. But, you know, oh, well, shit don't stop shit.

[D Smoke]

You've been chosen to lead. So I wonder. Cause you work with the word pressure. It's a lot of pressure. A lot of pressure. And it is, right? You're dealing with two different worlds. You're navigating, you're learning, you know, one world.

[G Perico]

Yeah.

[D Smoke]

You're entering this new space in the world of business and business ventures. And you're learning that. At what point do you check in on your own mental health during this process? Because it can be waning. You've seen some tragedies. You've seen chaos and Even in the business world, there's going. There's a lot of shit that is.

[G Perico]

They get tricky.

[D Smoke]

It's real tricky. And you can't react the same way to both.

[G Perico]

No, you can't.

[D Smoke]

So when do you check in on yourself, man?

[G Perico]

That's a great question, because that's one thing that I'm still not sure of. Like, I know it's some type of confusion inside of me, you know what I mean? But I don't know if, like, the work. Like, the work and me just knowing that I'm doing something great, like, I'm inspiring motherfuckers. When I see people, like, that's refreshing for me. That's what helped me. Like, you know, I may wake up in a funk, and then when I jump up and go outside, and niggas is like, gee, nigga, whoa. I know what I'm doing is, like, I know I'm on the right path. You know what I'm saying? So that, like, tends to my mental health and, you know, the feelings and the emotions that I go through.

[DJ Vlad]

So how important is it to have a team? And what is. Who's on your team? You know, you probably got a publicist, manager. Like, how important is that to put together?

[G Perico]

I mean, the team is highly important, bro, because, like, I got big vision and, like, just, you know, just want to take over the world. So it's like, we working on movies, we doing clothes, music, visual, all type of different content, working with different brands. And then the division that I got is way broader than that. So, Mike, it's important to have somebody to bounce off of, and it's important to have somebody that can execute on a high level. It's important to have people around that think big, you know what I mean, and see big shit, you know what I mean? And it's also important to. It's a thin line. Like, it's important to be able to be modest at the same time, too, of just knowing where you at right now, but knowing where that you got where you got to take it. So, like, a team is extremely valuable in this shit right now.

[DJ Vlad]

So who's. What's. The members of your team like? The close in the circle.

[G Perico]

So we got, like, management, you know what I mean? We got digital.

[DJ Vlad]

It's like, social media person.

[G Perico]

Yeah, we got digital. We working on a new social media person right now. But, like, digital on the music end, we got pr, and then it's just a few people that, like. I don't want to call them assistants.

[DJ Vlad]

They do a variety of different things.

[G Perico]

Yeah. It's a few people that make sure things get executed and carried out. You know what I mean? But it's very. It's minimal, you know what I mean? It's only, like, three, four people on the team, you know what I mean? And everybody is like, snipers.

[D Smoke]

Super efficient.

[G Perico]

Yeah.

[D Smoke]

So you said you got the big vision. How. How independent is the process? Right. I know you got shows. Are you guys booking the venues? Are you setting the ticket prices? How. How independent is this whole thing?

[G Perico]

So for some of the shows, like, when we hit the road, some of the shows, I do book the venue and we just get the whole thing. And then some of the shows, I get a guarantee. You know what I mean? Yeah. And that's because, like, well, right now I'm getting guarantees damn near everywhere now, but, like, just breaking through the market and just showing that I could bring people out and sell tickets, and I gotta establish, like, ticket sale. You could pull me up and see how many tickets I sold. And so, yeah, right now we just getting guarantees. But, yeah, like, this year, we was booking a lot of venues.

[D Smoke]

Yeah. I mean, you learn so much through that process.

[G Perico]

Yeah.

[D Smoke]

And you get to keep the. Right. The margins are a lot larger if you're doing it yourself. We actually. We went to a few shows with some established artists, and they were like, this is the first time we've actually booked our own show. But I feel like that's changing. Right. The more that people get experience, younger generation sees what the old one did. Now we implement. How do you determine which markets to go to? Right. Are y' all looking at the analytics? Are you looking at data?

[G Perico]

Yeah, we looking. We looking at analytics data, and then also, like, where other, like, west coast artists slide through. You know what I'm saying? Cause there's a few spots that I didn't think, like, you sure we gonna go here? Like, where? And, like, Nebraska?

[D Smoke]

Santa Fe?

[G Perico]

Yeah. Like, yeah, we went through Nebraska. And we tried to go through Nebraska. We went through Nebraska, Idaho.

[DJ Vlad]

I knew it.

[G Perico]

All these different spots, you know what I mean? And, you know, the people came out, you know what I mean? So it was dope. Like, even Atlanta. Like, I was sketchy about Atlanta. Atlanta was sold out, you know what I mean? So, yeah, I learned a lot about what was going on and the work that we was doing this year.

[DJ Vlad]

Which one do you like better? Being booked as talent promoter or actually doing it yourself?

[G Perico]

Yeah, I kind of like doing it back. Cause, like, a lot of promoters, like, aren't really promoters. Like, you Know what I mean? Cause, like, you run across somebody that want to toss you some money, and then it's like. Like, for me right now. Yeah, for me right now, bro. What's more important, like, is the. Of course the money. Like, we gonna get paid, but we gotta make sure this motherfucker filled up, too. You know what I'm saying? Like, so a lot of promoters see me, like, I come through a city is sold out, and they just think that they could have me posted on Instagram a couple times and.

[DJ Vlad]

And that's going to do it.

[G Perico]

Yeah. So, you know, you run into it just. You just got to just fuck with reputable people, though. You know what I mean? At the end of the day.

[D Smoke]

Yeah, it's interesting. Like, the. The. I remember growing up, promoters, it was a thing, like, they actually sold the shows. They marketed it. Now promotion's like, yo, put the flyer up.

[G Perico]

That's the job. Here go the money. Hey, bro. Hey, can you post the flyer again? Can you post the post?

[D Smoke]

Like, you gotta do the work.

[G Perico]

It's like, nigga, this is. You have a job and I have a job, nigga. My job is to come entertain. And I'm gonna come. I'm gonna promote also, because I'm into the overkill. You know what I mean? But a lot of people don't understand they role. It's like. It's just like, damn, what's the word? I'm short on words. Like, people just entitlement. Like. Like, nigga, niggas just don't understand what they doing, basically.

[DJ Vlad]

So as an independent artist, where you make most of your money? Shows or actually selling music.

[G Perico]

Clothes.

[DJ Vlad]

Clothes, clothes. That's more money than anything.

[G Perico]

Yeah, yeah.

[DJ Vlad]

And. All right, so talk about that. So what's the. What's the model behind that?

[G Perico]

The actual brand or just, like, how we moving it?

[DJ Vlad]

How you moving it?

[G Perico]

So it's like we started off just with, like, the scarcity.

[DJ Vlad]

Like, west side Gun.

[G Perico]

Yeah. So scarcity, like, to just get people to run through as opposed to over a week period. Nigga, we want everything sold this weekend, you know what I'm saying? Or matter of fact, Friday, limited drop. You know what I mean? Yeah. So which is like, the limited drop. A limited drop starts off small, and then a limited drop goes from maybe 200 pieces to 500 to 1000 to a couple thousand. And it's still a limited drop, but these pieces is gone quick as shit, you know what I'm saying? So like, just promoting it through, you know, scarcity, and then, like, just Continue promoting the idealism behind the brand and the lifestyle behind the brand, you know what I mean? And blue T shirt is pretty much like a progressive lifestyle brand, you know what I mean?

[DJ Vlad]

Blue T shirt, what is that? Is that, is that a gang reference?

[G Perico]

Nah, it's not gangster at all. It's basically just perception. Like, like we were saying earlier, like as far as the resentment and the, you know, just different shit. Like that blue T shirt is similar to me walking into a circle of the homies. Like, hey, we could make 10 million with this rap shit. All you got to do is this, this, this, you know, man, hell no, I ain't, ain't gonna work, you know what I mean? So it's like just that I experienced is, you know, the idealism behind blue T shirt. Like nothing is blue, you know what I mean? Sometimes it ain't even a T shirt, but it's blue T shirt. Still though, it is a blue T shirt, you know what I mean? Because I'm making it happen. I can make it happen.

[D Smoke]

So you, this makes sense, right? So like if it's a limited drop, I'm assuming now when I go to the shows, I know who the real supporters are because most times they're going to have the blue, yeah, blue T shirt brand on.

[G Perico]

Yeah, I don't. Cities like that shit feel good to win. You hit a different city and niggas already got you selling stuff at the.

[D Smoke]

At the show for show at the core audience. How do, how do we envision this? Because you said that there's a big vision, there's two, this is a two part question. Can the, can that vision be fully executed while in la, right? Or do you have to actually navigate throughout the globe?

[G Perico]

We definitely have to navigate throughout the globe. Now LA is a big market, it's an important market. It's a market that you gotta have, especially being from la. But it's, you know, if you don't step outside of that, then you just like, it's a ceiling, you know what I mean? It's definitely a ceiling. So you definitely gotta like step out and move around and, and spread the message and connect and learn new shit in different ways to do shit. Like you can't know everything, but LA niggas do know everything, you know what I mean? So, you know, that's also something that I had to overcome. Like the LA nigga, the Crip nigga in me, you know what I'm saying? That nigga, fuck that, you know what I'm saying? So yeah, we definitely gotta step Out. So, you know, we moving around and Ali speak a little bit more on what we doing right now. Later. But yeah, right now we, you know, we outside the box for sure.

[D Smoke]

When you said Idaho, I'm thinking to myself, if there's people in Idaho, there's definitely people in uk. Yeah, definitely people in Paris and Lagos, Nigeria.

[G Perico]

So. So we send shit to. We send shit to London, Japan, Toronto, a few, like Vancouver. I ain't really been, like, I ain't been doing the orders in about a year. But when I was doing the orders myself, like, these were spots that we were sending shit to.

[DJ Vlad]

It's direct shipping or you have it like.

[G Perico]

Yeah, direct. So I got everything at one spot.

[DJ Vlad]

And then my orders did it gets sent out?

[G Perico]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I got somebody that come through. He come through once a week, ship everything, you know what I mean? And when we do drops, you know, but we doing like more consistent drops now. So, yeah, he come through once a week, get the orders out. And then I got the studio right there, we working. I got my camera guy right here. We could shoot a video at any time. We shoot an episode. We about to start season three. You know, my vlog, so, you know, why is it we vertically integrated? We integrated, my man.

[DJ Vlad]

So talk about the. The content, the vlog. And why is that important? And whose idea was that?

[G Perico]

I wanna say it was my idea. You know what I mean? I can't say if somebody's like, you need to vlog. And I was like, yeah, but for the most part, it was my idea. And I just feel like people need to, like, see the lifestyle, you know what I mean? People need to see what's going on. Cause I come from an era of if you know, you know, nigga, like, but this ain't the time if you know, you know, because it's so many motherfuckers they show. So, you know, you know what I'm saying? And that's the game. Like, show me something. Let me see something. Like, how is you popping? You popping up on. How many times you popping up on here and what are you doing and how is you inspiring me and why do I want to with you? You know what I'm saying, what I heard. You know what I'm saying? And then like, the way that the street culture is like, just taking it like, nasty turn right now. Like, you got to put it out there, like where you, you know, where you coming from and what you represent. You know what I'm saying? And then again, that's like, lack of budget. Like we don't got like millions to spend at one time. Not yet, you know what I'm saying? And it like in this next run we will, you know what I'm saying? And we still going to flood like that. But you know, we got to give it to him, you know what I mean?

[D Smoke]

So it's more music, more content. Is the blue T shirt brand, Is it more items as well? Is that as part of the plan?

[G Perico]

So this year we moving into items like backpacks, household items, you know what I mean? Have real estate in people house. That's always good. We just looking to create a brand that people could really live by, you know what I mean? Just for a lifestyle, everything you doing, blue T shirt could be involved.

[DJ Vlad]

So essentially your music is a commercial for the clothing.

[G Perico]

For sure.

[DJ Vlad]

Clothing is number one priority.

[G Perico]

Yeah, clothing and touring is like neck and neck, you know what I mean? Yeah, but like clothing like smoke and everything though, honestly. And like you say the music is the commercial for the brand. That's crazy. That's what, like that's what Jigga told me. That's what Emory told me.

[DJ Vlad]

Well. Cause you know what's funny about that? Cause who told us that was Dame. Yeah, so Dame, that was Dame told us that he was like, yo, when he does his movies, he was like, yo, I'm wearing my clothes. He's like, this shit is an hour long commercial for me to promote my marijuana, promote my clothes, promote my liquor. Like I could promote everything like within an hour without you even knowing I'm really promoting it.

[G Perico]

Exactly. And that's what we getting into. Movies. Hot Shot 2 with DJ Drama is on the way and we got a movie coming with that. And like you said, that's a commercial for the brand, you know what I mean? It's a commercial for the brand of myself and just everything that I represent. You know what I mean?

[D Smoke]

So who are some of your icons or some people that you look up to inside of the world of brand building? Well, I guess fashion. Cause I feel like we had this conversation with Burner and his thing was the merch. The merch, the merch. Yeah. The marijuana is cool, but the merch, the merch, the merch. And now I'm hearing it from you. That was the merch.

[G Perico]

The merch, yeah.

[DJ Vlad]

You know Burner makes more money off of off a merchant than cookies. Did you know that?

[G Perico]

Yeah, for sure.

[DJ Vlad]

You know that?

[G Perico]

Hell yeah. Yeah. Burner.

[DJ Vlad]

Yeah, I was surprised. I didn't think. I wouldn't, I wouldn't.

[G Perico]

Yeah, that cookies is that cookie's booming, man, for sure. But yeah, people like Burner, you know what I mean? So many different designers, bro, that I'm inspired by. And just people that got brands like we. That's like a whole hour long conversation right there. Like, but I would just say I'm just. I'm just inspired by like, success. And like, with me, success don't always mean who made the most money that year, you know what I'm saying? It's kind of like who made the most impact that year, you know what I'm saying? And who touched the most people, which ultimately equals dollar signs, you know what I'm saying? So.

[DJ Vlad]

So who inspires your fashion? Cause I see you got the chukas on. That's very vintage New York.

[D Smoke]

What Chukas?

[DJ Vlad]

I mean, the constructions.

[G Perico]

Whoa, whoa.

[D Smoke]

Shaq. Shadd, my boy.

[DJ Vlad]

What happened? So that's a New York thing, not an LA thing.

[D Smoke]

Well, he knew he was coming here.

[DJ Vlad]

Well, that's what I'm getting at.

[G Perico]

I had something else on. Like, I slid through salt. So we went around the corner to do something before this, and I was trying to go do some shopping before I jetted, and I just. Only I wasn't feeling the J's I had on. I'm like, I need some tims with this. You know what I'm saying? That's gonna set me off, right? I went around there and then I was trying to make it to evil. But yeah, man, bro, the fashion is inspired by like a multitude of people, bro.

[DJ Vlad]

You've been into fashion for a long time.

[G Perico]

I mean, I've been getting fly for a long time and. But this is my thing, though. Like, like real fashion people and fashionable people like, kind of look at me like, ugh. You know what I'm saying? Because I'm like just like a fly street guy. Like, just not necessarily fashionable, like fashion show type. Yeah. If that makes sense. You know what I mean? I'm just like just a fly street.

[D Smoke]

You're not wearing the couture Runway show, if necessary? Occasionally.

[G Perico]

Yeah, Occasionally. Like, I'm a mix it to like, to where you could. I still look like a South Central guy.

[DJ Vlad]

I was about to ask you that. That's what I was getting at. So New York, obviously is the home of fashion. We can say, right?

[G Perico]

We could say, yeah, that's like no dispute. That's for sure.

[DJ Vlad]

So it's like, that's part of the culture. Like you had to get dressed. Everybody, you know, in. In middle school, high school, it was like, you know, But I feel like la, that's not the same culture, right? It's not the same pressure to get fly.

[G Perico]

Nah, Louisiana, like, more flying. You got fly in la, you know what I'm saying? It's just not like fashion fly driven.

[DJ Vlad]

It's not like. Yeah, it's not super focused on that.

[G Perico]

Yeah, yeah, it's not fashion, like high fashion driven. It's just like, just clean fly, you know what I'm saying? Like, you know what I mean? And it's, it's pretty much a uniform in la, like, if you want an inner city type, you know what I'm saying?

[DJ Vlad]

So let me ask you this, speaking of la, how. How big of a role was Nipsey Hussle to the city of la? I mean, obviously everybody, you know, appreciated him all over the world. But in la, like, you know, just from hearing from you and talking to Blast and different people from la, that wasn't even a part of his immediate inner circle. But I could just see different influences. Like how, how, how impactful was that to actually see his rise and his, you know, rise to power.

[G Perico]

Like, Nip was like. See, the thing about Nip was like, he was one of them that, that you gonna see on the block. Like, you gonna see him out and then he like, from, like, one of the most notorious hoods in la, you know what I'm saying? And he's there, like, front and center, and you may bump into him. Like, me and Nip used to bump into each other all the time early morning, you know what I mean? So he a dude you gonna see, but he's from the culture, he's from the lifestyle, and he's like just a full. The stamp of what it is, right? But the twist is he's also like a nigga with big vision that's making it happen outside the box. And he's moving across the world and across the country, and you could see him in your face and see he's doing great shit, you know what I'm saying? And, like, the city always loved him, you know what I mean? Now, people everywhere else that wasn't from this shit probably didn't get it until after he passed away. But, like, Nip was like, probably like one of the most influential niggas to, like, ever come up out of LA from our era and probably the eras before and a few eras after, you know what I'm saying? Like, his influence was unmatched. Like, he inspired, like, niggas that, like, naturally posed to hate him, you know what I'm saying? Like, and you know, the city loved him, bro. I don't think it'd never be another, like, never ever. Like, that nigga was just special, man. Like, he was special. Like, he was like the first motherfucker that was, like, it's okay to think, it's okay to read, like, I'm still a gangster, you know what I mean? Like, but it's okay to bring all these slashes into your game and you could still be here. You know what I mean? So, yeah. Nipples.

[D Smoke]

Yeah. I mean, the influence is. Is. I mean, extremely strong. It may not be another hymn, but I feel like the influence, it's like the PAC theory of I Might not be the rose. That goof from concrete. Yeah, that theory where it's like, I might not change the world, but I'll spark the mind that does. I feel like if there's artists and maybe you know, better from the city of LA more than just one that can carry that torch. So even what you're doing with the youth, I feel like that's important. I feel like you creating brand, that's important. You doing shows in la, that's important. We'll get to that. The Novo Theater. But, like, do you feel that word pressure to carry that legacy or part of that legacy?

[G Perico]

Nah. Because, like, at the end of the day, bro, like, Nip is his own man, his own thing. He had a vision of his own, and, you know, he completed to a certain point, and it's then turned into something else after he's gone. Like, he did a great thing. Like, he created a. Like a forever brand, you know what I mean? And, like, he inspired niggas to create their own. So, like, I would never, ever in life, like, even insult bro or like, lack of better terms, and sold my own vision, like, trying to walk in the next man's shoes, not walk in.

[D Smoke]

His shoes, but spark the next generation in your own way.

[G Perico]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, yeah, so, yeah, I definitely. I don't think it's any pressure because, like, what I learned from, bro is it is, you know, like, whatever my mission is and whatever I'm on, as long as I'm, like, really glued to it and executing and, like, really serious about it, I'm doing the right thing, you know what I mean? Like, even if another thing I learned is from bro is even if people don't understand, because it was a lot of people that didn't understand, bro. You know what I mean? And even if people don't understand and I know that I'm doing The right thing in my heart, my mind, and my soul, then I'm in the right direction, so it's no pressure.

[DJ Vlad]

Who's some of your favorite artists that's coming up out the what, the West? Got a lot of dope artists that's, you know, bubbling right now on, like, the R and B side, like Ty, Dollar Sign and Blast. And then on the rap side, who's some of, you know, people that you actually listen to?

[G Perico]

Wally. I think Wally going like. Like Wally the Sensei, bro. I think he going to, like, change the world, honestly, you know what I'm saying? In all honesty, like, bro is like. He just speak from a whole different place than everybody else. And it's like, you know, it's not like, selfish, like, you know what I'm saying? Like, he really giving you him, like, uncut, unfiltered, like, it's shit you could feel, you know what I'm saying? And it sound great. Like, Wally dope, Ruchi dope. It's like, it's a lot of people, man. I don't want to get to naming people and leaving nobody out, but, like, the LA is definitely bubbling right now. You know what I mean? And. And about to hit another, like, major wave.

[D Smoke]

Help, my brother.

[DJ Vlad]

Yeah. Nah, it's been real, man.

[D Smoke]

We appreciate the construction Tim's first. Let's do that.

[G Perico]

The construction Tim.

[D Smoke]

We appreciate the Versace lens.

[G Perico]

Yeah, for sure. B, I G, B I G. I felt like P O, P, P. A.

[DJ Vlad]

Very reminiscent came through.

[D Smoke]

You knew the assignment, my brother. So from two New Yorkers, who'd you. Who I got. We appreciate you.

[DJ Vlad]

Who. Who did you grow up? You say you grew up on Lil Wayne?

[G Perico]

Yeah. Weezy. That's Wiz Spitter. You know what I mean? Jeezy, Jeezy, Jeezy. The game you said Gucci game.

[DJ Vlad]

French Montana.

[G Perico]

Yeah. Like, all these different people that was just flooding, like, just giving us content, like, you know what I'm saying?

[DJ Vlad]

That YouTube era, like that mid-2000s, 2005, that type of time.

[G Perico]

Yeah. And beyond. Yeah. So it's just like. Just a lot of people just, who's your goat?

[DJ Vlad]

Who's your great. Who's. Who's your. Who do you think is the goat for you, personally?

[G Perico]

My goat.

[DJ Vlad]

Your goat? Not like E40. Seriously, E40. I would expect you to say Wayne, because most people from that era, they think Wayne is the greatest ever.

[G Perico]

No, Wayne. Wayne the greatest. But, like, when, like, my goat, like, just, like. It's just more than just rap. Like, he, like, 40, like, of course I wasn't there when all that shit was dropping, but I'm a student of this shit and like he was like one of the first niggas dropping consistent non stop and he was like a major independent, you know what I mean? He owned all this shit and then he got all these different businesses and the nigga still tight. It's not like other OGs when they drop shit. Like the youth is still playing E40. Like we still go crazy when we see 40, you know what I'm saying? And he, and I think he just like a, a great example of like business and how to, how to age in the game and still be the and still be successful and do other. So yeah, E40 man. My final answer.

[DJ Vlad]

Shout out to 40 water. Yeah, shout out to E40 man. Good dude. We had him on the show, ran into him a few times, said to.

[D Smoke]

Some spirits, nice, good dude. South dude.

[DJ Vlad]

Good dude. All right, my brother. I appreciate it, man. How can people follow you with social media and all that?

[G Perico]

BG Parico on pretty much everything.

[DJ Vlad]

It's summer all year round.

[G Perico]

La. In la it rained for like three days and then we back to time.

[D Smoke]

To put the jet skis on the lake.

[DJ Vlad]

That's a fact. All right, thank you guys for rocking with us. We'll see you next week.

[G Perico]

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