Episode 162 - DJ Scream

Summary

Grits and Eggs Podcast

Episode 162: DJ Scream
Host: Deante’ Kyle
Date: July 17, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this deeply nostalgic and insightful episode, Deante’ Kyle sits down with Atlanta mixtape legend DJ Scream to trace the rise and legacy of Atlanta’s mixtape culture, the art and economics behind street music, and Scream’s transition from mixtape king to media and podcast leader. The pair reminisce on the unique Atlanta sound, the importance of DJs in shaping artists' careers, authenticity in street music, and the shifting sands of hip-hop’s ecosystem. With personal stories, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and reflections on success and gratitude, this episode offers a raw, candid look at Southern rap’s evolution and DJ Scream’s influence.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Mixtape Era: Craft, Hustle, and Economy

• DJ Drops as Culture & Mixtape Craft

  • Scream describes DJ tags as the "modern day graffiti" and an essential art, contributing to Atlanta’s musical identity.
  • Scream: “It’s the modern day graffiti, bro. That’s what it was.” (05:54)

• Distribution, Hustle, and Economic Impact

  • The mixtape scene fostered its own underground economy—CD duplication, barbershops, flea markets, and even strippers all played a part.
  • Scream: “We had people at the airport. We got people everywhere...it became an economy for people.” (14:21)
  • Selling and duplicating tapes: the duplicator was almost a gatekeeper and connector between artists, DJs, and the streets.
  • Scream: “My two best co-signs, other than the streets, was the duplicator and the strippers.” (42:07)

• A&R Role and Authenticity

  • Mixtape DJs often helped curate, critique, and A&R projects, providing authentic feedback that influenced the direction and quality.
  • Scream: “I was kind of like an A&R...it curated something special.” (15:22)

Breaking Artists and Atlanta’s Unique System

• Stamp of Approval / Breaking Artists

  • DJ Scream’s mixtape stamp made artists’ tapes highly sought after—the equivalent of street credibility.
  • Deante’: “It’s damn near like a stamp of approval.” (14:09)
  • “You existed in a sea of mixtape DJs, but you was able to rise to the top.” (14:12)

• Artist Development vs. Microwave Music

  • Atlanta enabled artists to grow and thrive absent mainstream radio; regional legends like Young Ralph and Gorilla Zoe succeeded independently via tapes.
  • Scream: “You didn’t have to be a mainstream artist to have a name...” (18:40)

• Community and Connectivity

  • Players in the ecosystem—producers, cover designers, duplicators, strippers, club DJs—all interconnected and mutually supportive.
  • Scream: “If Atlanta wins, I win...if Atlanta is on the charts and wins...I can get money.” (73:28)

Authenticity, Competition, and the Role of Checks and Balances

• The Value of the DJ as Curator

  • The DJ not only selected and sequenced songs but also shaped taste and culture, providing critical feedback and gatekeeping quality.
  • Scream on No-DJ Versions: “I still—to this day—me personally...don’t think you can deem it a mixtape without a DJ.” (32:08)

• Competition and Quality Control

  • The era was fiercely competitive (“the wolves out there waiting for you to fall short”—17:59). Without a strong project, another artist would quickly take over the streets.
  • Deante’: “If a nigga fell short...Gucci gonna be on Saturday.” (17:59)
  • “That mixtape era was special...it was really separating like, okay, who just a one hit wonder type nigga...and who the streets gon’ fuck with.” (26:38)

The Transition from Mixtapes to Media

• Gratitude and Adaptability

  • Scream reflects on how he continually evolved: from DJing mixtapes to doing radio, to becoming a podcast host and media entrepreneur (“Big Facts”).
  • Scream: “I was always open to and not stubborn to progress.” (64:52)
  • On the “aha moment:” “If you stay down and you got a good product, you gon’ have that aha moment...” (57:36)

• Starting Big Facts Podcast

  • The podcast originated organically as Scream and Bank took the raw, unfiltered Atlanta conversation format to interviews, quickly gaining a following and embedding lingo ("Big Facts") into the culture.
  • Scream: “The feedback...was so positive. It was like a hit record.” (87:10)
  • “Big Facts...the podcast is in 30 million raps.” (87:17)

• Sustainability, Legacy, and Giving Back

  • Scream emphasizes community, mentorship, and being available for the next generation of DJs and creatives.
  • Scream: “I was elected for this position and I had my time period.” (71:58)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Role and Impact of Mixtape DJs:

• DJ Scream:

  • “It’s the modern day graffiti, bro. That’s what it was.” (05:54)
  • “As long as the authenticity is there, I kinda know bruh talking about something he been through, so he deserved that voice.” (11:52)
  • “I pride myself in not really understanding that when I look at Gucci Sosa...the artwork is art.” (12:09)

• Deante’:

  • “Your tags become a part of niggas lingo...this shit...we was raised up on this shit.” (12:39)

On the Underground Mixtape Economy:

• Scream: “It became an economy for people...paying two or three bucks for these CDs, flipping them for five or ten or more.” (14:21)
• Scream: “My two best co-signs, other than the streets, was the duplicator and the strippers.” (42:07)
• Scream: “Strippers used to be A&Rs, too. For sure.” (43:57)

On Evolution and Community:

• Scream: “If Atlanta wins, I win...that’s it. People don’t understand that.” (73:28)
• Scream: “I was elected for this position and I had my time period...[now] it was very important for me to be Obama and be fair.” (72:02)
• Deante’: “If Atlanta wins, I win…” (73:28)
• Scream: “It ain’t about me. Atlanta gonna be here when I’m gone. And you too.” (74:28)

On Transition and Gratitude:

• Scream: “Gratuity. I be so grateful, bro. I’m grateful to be here...as long as we here, I’m grateful. We’ll figure the rest out...” (91:32)
• Scream: “Every point, I want to empower and give young people as much information as I can. Because at some point...somebody else gotta keep this shit going.” (90:28)

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Important Segments & Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | Highlights | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:06-05:17 | Opening Rhymes & Mixtape Memories | Deante’ & Scream reminisce on the early tape era, meeting fans at grocery stores, the rise of Plies, and discovering new artists. | | 05:52-07:25 | The Art of Mixtapes | Scream discusses DJ tags as “modern day graffiti.” | | 14:09-15:42 | The Mixtape Economy & the Streets | Discussion of street-level distribution, duplicators, strippers as A&Rs, and the barter-system hustle. | | 31:42-33:18 | DJ Gatekeeping & No-DJ Versions | Scream on gatekeeping, “no DJ” tapes, and maintaining standards. | | 42:07-43:55 | Economy of Mixtapes & Role of Strippers | The duplicator’s power, strip clubs as tastemakers, and economic shifts. | | 51:05-57:36 | Scream’s Beginnings & Entrepreneurship | The journey from DJing at house parties to making music his career. | | 59:08-63:33 | Top 5 DJ Scream Mixtape Moments | Candid reflections on Shawty Lo, Dolph, Pluto (Future), Soulja Boy, Migos, and Rich Forever. | | 83:43-90:27 | Transition to Media & Big Facts Podcast | Scream’s shift to media, forming “Big Facts,” and building podcast legacy. | | 91:32-95:10 | Gratitude, Mental Health & Longevity | Emphasizing gratitude, self-care, and being present for the next generation.|

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Tone and Takeaways

True to the Grits and Eggs Podcast’s raw, unfiltered Atlanta spirit, the episode feels like an open barbershop or studio conversation, laced with respect, vulnerability, humor, and practical wisdom. Stories move fluidly between street-level anecdotes and high-level industry insight. Both Scream and Deante’ stress authenticity, gratitude, the importance of community, and legacy building—whether through mixtapes, podcasts, or everyday connection.

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For First-Time Listeners & Hip-Hop Enthusiasts

This episode is an essential audio history lesson for anyone interested in the evolution of hip-hop, especially Atlanta’s unique mixtape infrastructure. The dialogue vividly illustrates the ecosystem of producers, DJs, hustlers, and community figures who fueled an era—and why those old lessons about hustle, authenticity, and collaboration still matter today. You’ll come away recognizing freshly just why the mixtape—and by extension, the DJ—is the soul and connective tissue of Atlanta rap.

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Must-Hear Moments/Quotes:

• “It’s the modern day graffiti, bro.” — Scream (05:54)
• “If Atlanta wins, I win...that’s it.” — Scream (73:28)
• “Strippers used to be A&Rs, too.”— Deante’/Scream (43:57)
• “Gratuity. I be so grateful, bro. I’m grateful to be here... We’ll figure the rest out.” — Scream (91:32)
• “You just gotta be on some other shit...[but] only you can make your shit work.” — Scream (72:57)

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Summary

This is a must-listen episode for anyone who wants to understand what made Atlanta hip-hop special, why DJs like Scream are the backbone of the culture, and how authenticity, hustle, and community drive true success. Scream’s journey, stories, and philosophy are as relevant to entrepreneurs and dreamers as to music heads and nostalgic fans.

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Transcript

[A]

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[A]

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[A]

Woke up in the morning and to God be the glory Thankful for another day to tell my story Put my opinions in the universe and let them orbit I'M from the dirty south with a dirty mouth Might need orbit miss things things on me like a Norbit had to refuse them. Cause my no rest Fusion, she gorgeous. As I dab my sons up and kiss my daughter forehead, Tell them we gonna get to my pockets morbid. Remember living in apartments now we playing Mortgage.

[B]

The white boy told me that like a year ago. And you know I get weary. I still like to go to the grocery store, buy my own fruits and vegetables and shit. It's funny cause he was just saying he worked at Publix on South Cobb and used to sit me in there. I still like to go to the grocery store. I don't care how fucking whoever I become. I gotta go get my own food. Right?

[A]

Right.

[B]

So a white boy is walking up to me and, you know, random white boy walking up to you. You just get a little uneasy, like, what is going on? You know what I mean? You like, dude, and she gets so high to you. And Juicy James mixtape.

[A]

Which one?

[B]

That Blue Dream. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. He's like, man, when that hit the street, though, that shit would turn, man, crazy.

[B]

I know. He's like, thank you, man. I was like, you got that under order now? Like, yo, yeah. Nah, man, I'm sober now, man. But back then, I was in college, and da, da, da. I was like, that shit is crazy, man.

[A]

You were part of. You got a couple of. Bruh. It's a couple of motherfucking mixtapes that you was like, plies.

[B]

Early on, Plies was a sleeper when.

[A]

You know, I'm the type of person, like, whenever I discover a new artist, whether it be off a hit or anything, I'm always trying to figure out, like, where the fuck did motherfucker come from? So I go back and listen to, like, all they music, anything they dropped before. There was a time when you can only find plies, like, on YouTube.

[B]

Yep. He's going through all that labor, man,

[A]

but he has some, though. Like, that's when I was like, because. Because my cousin. My cousin, the person that put me onto the real testament. Like, my cousin was like. He said, bro, this one of the illest intros you ever gonna hear on a mixtape ever. Period, point blank.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And he said, after this, you pretty much locked in with this. Like, whatever, wherever he gonna take you after that, you're gonna be good. So, man, we listen to that motherfucker. I was like, man, what else he got out?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And my cousin like, nigga, that. That ain't enough.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I said, I wanna know everything, like. Cause how the fuck he get an album? Yeah, I'm smart enough to know when I'm younger. Like, motherfucker don't just come out of nowhere. They had to do something, get bigger.

[B]

And that bigger sold up Florida. And then he did it went bigger Drama screen, in that order. But he did a different one with mine. Was a little more gritty, per se. Dramas was a little more. You know what it was. But, yeah, we had that. That shit used to go crazy. True First. That was the name of it.

[A]

Yeah. True First.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Cause it was. Cause it's you, DJ Scream, and then it's hood rich and then that heavy in the street look. All right, we got. Hey, is we rolling?

[B]

All right.

[A]

I thought so. Look, you know, in the mixtape days, it's like y' all was taking full advantage of plugging y' all selves, bro.

[B]

You better. We better. We better.

[A]

It's like it was a. It was like. It was like, almost like, clearly a very, like, cohesive decision. Like, look, if we gotta run this bitch back four times, we gonna make sure we plug ourselves. So it's. It's the DJ Scream. Like, okay, this how I know the intro coming. And then it's like, do we run that bitch back?

[B]

Hood wrench.

[A]

I'm like, okay.

[B]

It's the modern day graffiti, bro.

[A]

Y' all was tagging the.

[B]

It's the modern day Graffiti, bro. Yeah, that's what it was.

[A]

When y' all would submit that to artists, did y' all get any pushback from artists about that?

[B]

Nah, man. They wanted that. Like, the pushback would be. Sometimes I'd be like, man, I'm gonna tone it down a little bit. They be like, bro, you ain't go hard. You must not be fucking with my music and all this other stuff. Like, they don't want me to go crazy. You know what I'm saying? So, like I said, it's like the modern day graffiti. It's like a. It's an art to it, if you understand it. Because, like, for one mixtapes, I saw this post the other day. It was like, is what's wrong with the game, the lack of mixtapes, Right? For one, they'll bring me records with samples, and I don't care. Like, I can't get this clear. Give it to me. Like, give everything to me. I don't care. I'll take all liability. I don't care. Sue me, do whatever. Cease and desist. I'm a mixtape dj. I want music. I want exclusives. But some of the best records is Records that can't get cleared cause of politics and business and all that. You dig what I'm saying? So that was one part of the mixtape. We saw that with Lil Wayne, too, and his whole run of records, he probably couldn't get clear. But some of the best music we heard from him, you know what I mean? And I think it's just the difference of it's not so structured. It's not the label telling you, well, we need a radio song and we need this and we need all that. You know, it's just mixtapes. It's just Gucci or Condominium 30 records. Just figure it out, put it out. You know what I'm saying? That's how it's supposed to be to me, you know what I'm saying? I understand that it can't be Limewire and the artists lost a lot of money through that whole thing, piracy or whatever the case is. But mixtapes was a art.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, some of the best mixtapes, it seemed like at one point, especially with, like, Gucci. Gucci, more specifically, is the person I'mma mention just because that's who I would listen to the most. When Wayne dropped the mixtape, if it was Gangsta Grylls dedication drought, those songs only lived on those where, like, sometimes with Gucci, you could go find four or five mixtapes that got the same songs on there. And it was like, he ain't give a fuck. He was just like, just keep it going. Like, as long as it's out there. Yeah, it's out there. How did y'. All. How do y' all do? How did y' all differentiate? Like, was there ever a system of, like, okay, this DJ get these songs for his Gucci? Nah, nah, just go Gucci.

[B]

You just get in the pack and better hurry up and put it out. Cause somebody else might have some of that pack. He got so much music with Gucci, and then Gucci doesn't have, like, at least. At least what we were. There's not a big turnover time. Like, Gucci will hit you. Like, bro, let's draw one tonight. I'm like, tonight? Like, what are you talking about? Like, huh? Like, seriously, like, let's draw one tonight. Let's go crazy. That's just how Gucci is. He has so much music, he be able to have a patch. Word. Just loading up on music.

[A]

Damn.

[B]

So every DJ would probably kind of put it together different, and then you get your own exclusives. That was the science of Gucci. But for some of the other artists, you would kind of get your own, you know, little circle of exclusives and shit.

[A]

So were y' all in charge of like the arrangement? Did you ever send artists beats like, hey, go crazy on this?

[B]

I think they always tell the story of Mike Will'll' to tell you he met 2 Chainz through me. Yeah, that's correct. Mike Will tells that story. I took DJ spins over to 2chainz that made riot. Obviously 2chainz and Mike will made a lot of history. Always like putting producers with artists even if I wasn't doing the tape. That's what I say. Just culturally. I just wanna see the city win. I just wanna hear good music. I'm still a fan. So even while I'm going through this whole run everybody mixtape, it's a little weird because at first I'm like, man, I don't like hearing my voice, you know, that could be kind of surreal. Like do I want to hear my own voice? I ain't so full of myself. But for me it's like I'm still a fan so I can be realistic about kind of where I am. When I saw myself going up the ranks, I'm like, oh shit. I might have the hardest mixtape out. Not just cause I'm me, because I'm a fan. And it really ain't too much going on right now. You know what I'm saying? Like when me and Rocco dropped that summer, I'm like, it really ain't nothing else but this rock on scream like this shit really, it really ain't nothing else but this dirty sprite right now, bruh.

[A]

Listen, you got some shit.

[B]

It's some classic screen.

[A]

Listen, you are single handedly if There is no DJ screen. Future. I'm not a fan of future. Cause 1000 is the one.

[B]

1000 was that one.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Cause it was that road to riches.

[B]

I wish we could get that on streaming. But maybe it need to be where it is.

[A]

Yeah, but that road to riches, that's why I was like, oh, he really like that. Yeah, you know, but then your voice played a very specific role. Cause even like how you talking, like how you talk now, it's not how I feel on the track.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

But it was important because I'm in Atlanta. When these tapes hit the streets, this all you want to talk about. So like even before you go to a live mixtapes or a spinrill or anything, it's like I'm trying to see who got this bitch like on deck. Cause I wanna put this bitch in a car and go ride around the hood and like, bro, y' all heard the new future. New future, new DJ scream.

[B]

Woo, woo, woo.

[A]

It's like. It's like that. It's like where your name become just as if it's a DJ scream mistake. I know that, bitch Fire.

[B]

Yeah, I take pride in that, too. Cause I didn't wanna shout out to my partner, R.I.P. you know what I mean? We created the hood, rich and everything. But I didn't wanna all. I didn't want. I just. I wanted everybody to have a chance. Cause I believe if. If somebody think they can rap and they don't put their time into making music and they want to rap, then it's not for me to tell you that you can't rap, because I've been right a lot. But I've been wrong, too. Like, I've heard some music that be like, that ain't it. And it turned out to be it. You know what I'm saying? So I want to give everybody. I'm not going to give you no names. They're going to be in their feet.

[A]

I had to try.

[B]

Yeah, but I'm just saying, like. Oh. But as long as the authenticity is there, I kind of know bruh talking about something he been through, so he deserved that voice.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You dig what I'm saying? So I always pride on myself in that. From the artwork to everything. Just pride ourself in not really understanding that when I look at Gucci Sosa, Right. I didn't know when I was doing that that this was like art. Like, the artwork is art.

[A]

It is.

[B]

It could be up on the wall, you know what I'm saying? I didn't know from the artwork to which records was going. I'm just going crazy at the time. Just a young nigga going crazy, talking my shit. Shout out to the east side one through the six. This and this Atlanta shit. Yeah. And then I look back and I'm thinking, like, this happened like two years ago. Like, it's been 15, 20 years since that.

[A]

Yes, bro.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

You gotta understand, man. You know, I done been in a lot of trap houses listening to your shit, bro.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You gotta understand the part of we know these songs, we singing these bitches word for word. And, like, your tags become a part of niggas lingo. Yeah, it become a part of niggas lingo. Like, we doing that anytime a nigga might say we would. Like you remember how the Canon shit was. We be doing, like, we use all these tags. So, like, if a nigga say something fire, we'll be like, DJ Scream. Like, we just. Cause it just. It's a part of our childhood, nigga. Like this shit. We was raised up on this shit. Yeah, but you was always repping, but you was breaking artists in a way. Like, they was able to get on certain beats in certain spaces where it's like they was really in their prime and they was giving it up. Gucci Sosa, like, man, when that hit the street, nigga going crazy. Dirty Sprite, though. Yeah, Dirty Sprite. I got my first car when that. When that dropped.

[B]

That's good times. That's good times.

[A]

So when they. With that, I think they on to us. It's a. Put five bands on a fitted wood for three days. You gotta understand, I'm screaming that shit in my car. Cause it's my first car. Yeah, I'm going to pick niggas up. I got that shit running. You know what I'm saying? Cause I'm just excited to have a whip. So I think even with the situation like that, like, where it's important to go get with Hood Rich, even though his future dj Escobar. It's important. We gotta go get with Hood Rich. We gotta go get with DJ Scream. So this shit can be. It's damn near like a stamp of approval.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

And you existed in a sea of mixtape DJs, but you was able to rise to the top. That just speak to the. We work hard to be controlled, too.

[B]

Being the homies, you know, I always shout out the whole family. Hood Richard. I ain't gonna get into every. It's a big circle of us, you know what I'm saying? So we work hard. We had, you know, five points flea market, Canlero flea market, them flea markets, them gas stations, the hair salons, them, the barbershops, them everywhere. We had people at the airport. We got people everywhere. Like, really trapping it out, man. And it became an economy, too. I could talk about it now. It became an economy for people. Like, it was like work, man. I need 400, I need 200. I need a hundred. Like, I need these CDs. Like, I'm paying two or three bucks for these CDs, flipping them for five or ten or more. You see what I'm saying? So, man, I miss it. I talk about it. I miss it. Digitally, it'll never be the same. Cause it's digital now. But I do think that the amount of times I gave feedback to artists about music and track lists and maybe these songs ain't it. I was kind of like an A and R. I'm sure all the mixtape DJs were. It was worth it because it curated something special. I feel like they ain't that buffer now. And that's where we kind of getting lost a little bit with all this playlisty type stuff.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Cause the artists could just. Artists really ain't gotta check in. Not like check in, but they ain't really gotta talk to nobody. They can just make a bunch of music and drop that shit. Yeah, they used to kind of. I wanna know what Scream think about this, bruh. Pull up the patchwork. 11th street, bruh. I want you to hear my new project. See what you think. You see what I'm saying?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Just gives an opinion of I. Yeah. Cause and I had Bigga in here two days ago and bigger. So you and Bigga fucking with it then I must have something, right? That ain't going on now.

[A]

Yeah. Because the thing is, is that there is no, like, there's no checks and balances in the shit. Because here's another thing too. You put this shit out on streaming, it is playlisty, right? But out of 20 songs, if two of them hit, don't nobody care about the 18 Duds classic.

[B]

You got two hits and 40 songs, it's a classic.

[A]

That ass. That shit is. It's kind of crazy how much life can change in just one summer. Last summer looked completely different than this one for me. These days, everything I do is centered around my kids and making sure they're taken care of. Not just today, but years from now. Becoming a parent changes the way you think. You stop thinking only about what's happening today and start thinking about what if something happens tomorrow and you want to know that your family is protected no matter what life throws your way. And that's why I like Policy Genius. They make finding the right life insurance policy simple and straightforward. Policygenius is an online insurance marketplace where you can compare quotes from some of America's top insurers side by side for free. Their licensed team helps you figure out exactly what you need. Coverage, amounts, pricing terms without all the guesswork. They answer your questions, handle the paperwork, and help you find the policy that fits your family's needs. They've also got thousands of five star reviews from people who found the right coverage through them. Having a plan in place gives you real peace of mind so you can spend more time enjoying life with the people you love instead of worrying about the future. With Policy Genius, you can find your 20 year life insurance policies starting at just $276 a year for $1 million in coverage. So head to policygenius.com backslash grids to compare life insurance quotes from top companies and see much you can start saving today. So head to policygenius.com and compare life insurance quotes from top companies and see how much you could save. That's policygenius.com grits. Now, look, before, if they don't get your stamp of approval, even if your name not on it, they put out a mixtape with 20 songs and only 2 songs hit. Niggas is throwing that shit in the street. They like, man, have never listened to this nigga again.

[B]

You know what's gonna happen to keep it real with you? If a nigga fell short on his project, then you had the wolves out there waiting for you to fall short. Think about that in history. Fall short on Thursday with your project. Gucci gonna be on Saturday. I'm telling you. Let's drop. That's how it was. That's how it was. Like, we used to be in the studio on Bandcamp, like, low. There ain't nothing out there, bro. Ain't nothing. It's just a drought. Now's the time. You know what I'm saying? So that was competitive, too, man. You know what I'm saying? Like, I think it just. We need elements of that back. I ain't trying to be the old nigga. Like, we need to go back to that. But I'm saying we need elements of that back because it just makes it better.

[A]

But it also made Atlanta music because you didn't have to be a mainstream artist to have a name, because you got Gorillazo. He had some hits, but he was eating off his mixtapes. That's why folks fuck with him. People don't remember. People remember. It's going down. People don't remember. New Jock City. New Jack City. Mixtape was crazy. That shit is where niggas was like. Because he did the 100 grand. And then. Niggas don't understand. Young Ralph. Oh, that route had that going. Was with Young Rock.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Ralph on the mixtape.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Same thing with Rocco.

[B]

Yeah, for sure.

[A]

What's the. What's the one. What's the one Tape the animal.

[B]

Oh, Wildlife.

[A]

Wildlife.

[B]

Wildlife. Gift of gas. Swag season. Rocco stacked them up. He stacked them up.

[A]

It was some folks. It was some folks out here. I mean, Young Ralph, for real was like, that was one of my favorite rappers.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Ralph. Every time he drop an album, I mean, a mixtape, that bitch going. You could put that bitch in press. Play that's it. That's all you got to do. He gonna take you top the bottom. Never had no mainstream success, but down there, a legend in Atlanta.

[B]

Oh, for sure, for sure.

[A]

You know what I'm saying? Gucci. We down there feel like. I know I'm good for a new Gucci every month. If not every. Like, shit, he might drop three in one week. And it was important to be in certain spots where, you know, you can get these tapes. You don't wanna like that. What I'm saying, having this shit off of live mixtapes, that shit just went fly like that.

[B]

Yeah, that was. I feel like that's when. When you talk about, like, Chief Keef. I did that too. Juicy J.

[A]

Hold on. What's the Chief Keef one you did?

[B]

Almighty Sosa.

[A]

Almighty Sosa, yes.

[B]

Yeah, that trend. That's. I'll tell you from my bookings when it was like barbershops, flea markets, all that type of stuff, right then my bookings was them hole in the walls. Them trap them trap them hoods. Like, we want Scream to come to a place where people won't come to. You got the money? I'm on the way. You know what I'm saying? That's what it was with the CDs when it went digital. It's a gift and a curse. Now I'm gonna book that Colleges, like, hey, we want you to come to a college and do our homecoming a set. DJ Scream and Play. Juicy J and Chief Kate. You got the money? I'm there. But it was a different thing than the CDs. Just brought a different type of. You know what I'm saying? That was like.

[A]

Like you said, the streets. The street in a real way. Well, you. I mean, but still, you come get a bag. Cause it's also a spot where nigga don't want to be at.

[B]

Oh, for sure. I've been to places. Shouts to my bro Raj. We've been to play. We've been to places. I'm going. So regardless of what they say, I'm afraid I'm going. Like, you got the money? I'm coming. We just going to let you know before you come here, bro. I'm coming, bro. I've been to probably one of the most infamous. The people from Pittsburgh gonna notice. I went to trappers in Pittsburgh. If you've been to trappers in Pittsburgh, I wouldn't go back. But I've been to trappers in Pittsburgh with my jewelry on.

[A]

Sheesh.

[B]

I've been to some places. You got the money? I'm gonna pray we was always all right by the grace of God, but that was the streets. And.

[A]

But you also turning that bitch up. So it's.

[B]

Yeah, but let me tell you another important part, bro. When I got there, I connect with more people. So it started to be like, I don't want to do something like that. So then I got. Then I'm doing mixed CDs in Nashville with a cook Up Boss or Dolphin Memphis, and you know what I'm saying? S money in Pittsburgh at the time, you know what I'm saying? Like, I'm beating the street homies there. And they're like, man, we want to do that. All right, cool, let's do it again. You got business, we gonna do it. We gotta sound good too, but you gotta. Let's do it. You know what I'm saying? I took pride in that too, because again, I understand purpose. Like, my part of my purpose was to help street niggas turn it from that to that. You see what I'm saying? Me. And so I take pride in like, man, I used to be a trapper, he used to be in the streets. He's a rapper now in a real way. Rapping.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That's it. You dig what I'm saying? I can take pride in having my voice on that forever. It's always gonna be a part of their legacy and their history and mine.

[A]

Yeah, and you create an economy too, because like you said before, like, if there is no mixtapes, there is no street. There is no street music economy. Right? Like, we seen niggas get a RICO for this shit, you know what I'm saying? This is a real thing. This is how you know, like N was making money hand over fist in a real way. But they also connecting with artists who have the talent, but may not necessarily be for the industry, but they can get on these beats and rap they ass off. And at the end of the day, that's all the streets really care about. Because you did. If I'm not mistaken. You did. I am Legend Yandro.

[B]

Yeah, mlk.

[A]

Yeah, listen, bro, this is my favorite. This is my favorite mixtape. Yeah, I love Wayne. I love dedication, I love all that. But it's just where I was at in life and then how it started. Tell them, boy. Play tons. When I bet the house on me, I was like, man, and bro, this one I met, I'm fully autonomous. I got my own whip.

[B]

That's funny.

[A]

I'm rolling around like I'm playing this shit on 20. I'm going to the city to grab my shit. I'm coming back to Douglasville with my shit. I'm playing this shit the hallway.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And drove. Underrated lyricist in spaces like that where he could just get on a beat and go crazy. Ain't nobody better. You never think you gonna hear Yandro

[B]

on the Breathe beat, Man, listen, I didn't that project. I'm gonna be completely honest. My mindset was I always wanted to do a DRO Tape. So MLK and everybody hit me. I'm like, I'm hyped. You know, say a DRO one of the ones if you know, you know. But in my mind, I was like, man, I'm still competitive. It's all love, man. Day one, hard as a motherfucker. Like, I wonder what he gonna give me. Because they weren't as hard as a motherfucker. You know what I'm saying? But when I heard I am legend. Cause I'm a big fan of the movie too. I'm like, oh, no, man, I'm not gonna judge. I'm gonna let the people in the streets judge. But, man, he gave us that shit. He ain't holding nothing back.

[A]

That's an album to me.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a classic.

[A]

It's classic, bro.

[B]

Yeah, it's a classic.

[A]

It was the. I believe, if I'm not mistaken, it's the summer of 09.

[B]

Yeah. Somewhere around there. 08. 09.

[A]

It was like either fall of 08 or summer 09. But I just remember that, like, I got every version of that that I like. I like when he just go, bar.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And he just. He gonna give you 52 bars at every bar hard. Yeah, but I like when he get on his stupid fruity swag shit. He gave you that. He gave all making all that money for the strip clubs.

[B]

You're right about that.

[A]

He had every goddamn version of what he do best on that tape. And then to be able to. It's nothing like the true test for me, especially coming up in the mixtape era, is that like, can you hold your own on a classic beat? So if he get on Breathe and stink the shit up, it's like, oof. This nigga ain't the bar spitter I thought he was. Because that's what rap city taught us. Rap city taught us, like, if you really got bars, you get on the best beats and still hold your own. You see what I'm saying? But this also what Wayne was doing. Getting on the best beats and damn near making it where you forget about whose song it Was so like, the competition in that time, especially for artists. This was like, man, that mixtape era was special, bruh. Cause that shit was really separating. Like, okay, who. Who just some one hit wonder type nigga. Like, you good in the booth and you know, you know how to put that shit together. You might got a writer room, you might. You can make a hit, but, man, the streets ain't gonna fuck with you, bro.

[B]

That shit was bad. Listen, you. You. You had to listen. We put in a lot of work, right? But, like, the DJ Scream is Shawty Lowe mixed taste for one. I always long live low. Like, I did not. I felt like something was about to happen, but I didn't know. I'm still. We still figuring it out. Like, it looked good, but we still figuring it out. You know what I'm saying? Like, it ain't that. It's just like, I need to make some money. You dig what I'm saying? Like, y' all still figuring it out. That project was so powerful. The project changed my life. I'm the man one alone. And then we had I'm the Man two still in the tuck on the way. Changed my life. Every person, every person that was my, like, idol called me. Call me. Hey, man, I need you. Huh? You need me for what? I'm feeling like I'm being, like, punked here. You dig what I'm saying? Like, my idols are calling me, bro. I gotta lock in with you asap. I need you. And I'm just, again, I'm just a young nigga, just happy to be here. I don't really know the business yet. We figured it out as we go. But I say that just to say, man, those moments are so special, because I remember, like, low mixtape release party, was it prime time or I forget. But the mixtape release parties was a whole other thing. Like you said, they created economies. You had the mixtape release parties. I remember Pluto's. Just when you thought, like, when Jeezy was doing this shit, it couldn't get no bigger. Cause Jeezy did his thing too. Like, everybody had their moment with their big mixtape release parties. Went to every radio station, you know what I'm saying? Did the interview, had a hit record jump off of that sign. They deal and so forth and so forth. Signed. They homies want to scream to do. They homies mix. That's kind of how the whole future thing came apart. It's like, okay, I'm doing Rocco shit. Hey, bro, we gotta fuck with Scream. Future Scream. Let's get Esco X rated, you know What I'm saying, that whole thing, 1000 was a play. I always salute Rip because Rip was intentional. Like, it was funny because at the time, I used to spend a lot of time over at Duffel Bass Studios over on the Net. And then he would spend a lot of time. I think it was Uncle B Studio with Scooter, rest his soul, and Pluto. So we'll link up. At the end of the day, I'm like, bro, I'm telling you, boy, tit at the time, 102 changed. Tit going crazy. Boy, that man done went on for tour, Wayne. I'm telling you, that boy going crazy. I don't know what done got into him. Tit done going crazy. I hear what you saying, boy. Man, that nigga Pluto said some shit the other day. Boy, oh, boy, I don't know. You know what I'm saying? So I say that just to say, man, I just be happy. Like, I'll be happy in one respect for all that. There's no unhappiness. I just know that in street music, these niggas making some great music. But can you imagine? Can you imagine a Belly game or, like, a Boss Mandelo mixtape?

[A]

We need that mixtape. I say this, those are two perfect names.

[B]

Those are the ones.

[A]

Because those the ones. If a Belly Gang mixtape hit the street, that shit going, that shit gonna feel like 08 again.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And DJing is more so about who got the best playlist now.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Cause ain't nobody breaking records if I listen this. Is this how it used to be? DJ Drama, DJ Scream?

[B]

Who?

[A]

What's. What's. What's your boy Superstar J Quick Superstar, my brother.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

If. If. If I see y' all name attached to something, I don't even got to know the artist.

[B]

Would you see what I'm saying? But let me tell you, there's a. Oh, man, we gonna get. There's a. There's a lot of weird moments with that whole thing, right? I remember the first time I got called a gatekeeper. I was confused. You're a gatekeeper, huh? You talking about, oh, you're in the way. You're a gatekeeper. You're old. I'm like, what are you talking about? You know, people have help. But the thing was, if it didn't work for them or they may not have been good enough to be successful, you know how that is in anything. I gotta blame somebody, right? Oh, man, he in the way with that podcast shit. They match. You know what I'm saying? And that happened in that world too. Where I started to hear that, I'm like, ah, it's simple with me. First, have a good product. Second, we will handle business. It's not complicated with me. I'm not sitting around here showing favorite favoritism. And that's not favoritism. You could ask these people. Like, ask Dolph. Ask these people how it happened. That shit was really kind of simple. Don't send me all your records. All you gotta do is send me three records. I'm gonna know if you got it or not. You see what I'm saying?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But I think the gatekeeper narrative became. That's how we got to the no DJ versions. It's like, well, let's get the DJs out the way. That was a little bit of the unsaid, they cool kind of riff with me and a lot of mixtapes. I was like, supposed to be. I still to this day, me personally. This is just my personal opinion. I don't think you can deem it a mixtape without a dj. It's a demo tape that could happen to get big and work. You know what I'm saying? But you gotta have a DJ for it to be a mixtape, in my opinion.

[A]

I agree. Cause if it's not hosted. Listen, man, I need that bitch to go. I need you to run it back.

[B]

That's a mixtape.

[A]

Um, I was everybody. Everybody in this kind of. I named y' all three specifically. Cause y' all was the niggas I trusted. And because of Gucci, anybody Gucci work with is damn near. He was stamping them too. So like, the superstar J. Quick. So when they got the. I cranked my car with the tip of my fingernail. When he run that bitch back four times, I'm like, bruh, this shit so fucking hard. Yeah, this shit's so hard.

[B]

We need that. We missing that dog.

[A]

But listen, you go back and listen to that music now, and you like, damn, they was really running this bitch back. Because all the music is so microwave shit. A lot of the mixtapes, by the time they finish running it back, that's the end of most of these songs now. A minute and 30 seconds.

[B]

Yeah, you're right. You saying something.

[A]

So when we get, like, Dirty Sprite, specifically, it show us, like, okay, this nigga Future, he got range too. Cause this nigga rapping with a nigga named Chubby Baby. And now I'm gonna go listen to Chubby Baby just. Cause he rap with him. I'm gonna figure out who the fuck DJ Esco is. And like, I'm gonna go listen to young Scooter if he put out a mixtape, because it's like these niggas have stamps of approval. DJ screen stamped it. It's a great mixtape. When they do it again, anybody that's connected to it, I wanna know everything they about too.

[B]

But you see how that work? You just. That's beautiful. No one's hating, no one's gatekeeping. This work how it's supposed to work. I mean, Scooter did what he was supposed to do to be in that position. Chubby, rest his soul, did what he was supposed to do to everybody, did what they were supposed to do to be there. There wasn't nobody that we just straggling along. You're here because you do something. That's the problem right now. Yeah, I don't wanna have to do something, bro. I wanna put up a post and get famous.

[A]

That ain't how that shit work, though.

[B]

That's how it work. It shouldn't work like that, but it's working.

[A]

It shouldn't. Because also every artist that you naming came with a brand and an identity. When you talk about Shota Lo, we know who Shota Lo is. The individual. We know he from Bankhead, we know D Foil. So now we know Fable. And then Fable can go do his own thing. It's like stuntman, Stuntman. But then we got people that are creating, like Fable is creating hits over here, bruh. Spaceships on Bankhead tatted up. These niggas got hits. But then we also remember, like the shadow Low like that on the man. Shit, that. That was him. So when they. With that. What's that shit? When they done done shit, you remember when they was doing like Shiloh was doing, like them hood vlogs. I was there.

[B]

I was there.

[A]

This is what I said this in Boy Hoes. And he say, what, you blind? Need some glasses to see? It's 10, 14 year old with big glocks in the middle of boy.

[B]

He like, oh, real deal.

[A]

Hey, stay from around there, bro.

[B]

Yeah, you know what I'm saying?

[A]

Shiloh and a Char. Like, it's, it's, it's, it's. It's not only about just what you doing. It's about the artists have identities. So they like y' all coming together. It create, it's just a powerhouse. You curating. People trust your ear, People trust your taste level. But also you being a dj, you control the party. So it's almost like you live and die by your taste. So if you put some shit on niggas ain't fucking with it. You could be fucking with your reputation, validity. So it's like you gotta go through all these different things now. The artist, like, if I like it, then it's good. And what I realized, too, is that sometimes the artists don't got a good handle on, like, what the people like versus what they like, for sure.

[B]

But again, this is a cheat code, right? I'm telling you, Gucci or Pluto, just drop you some music. They ain't trying to be too overzealous, man. Just make that shit go. Then you got an artist. I want everything to be the way I want it to be. You're an artist. You have a right to that. But if you talk about a mixtape, I would not take. I would not take your opinion on how to do your mixtape over mine. Respectfully. Now, album, I digress. You know what I'm saying? Cause the album has a different feel, you know what I'm saying? And you gotta get a lot of politics, like we said before. But a mixtape, the best thing you could do. Rip used to be like, bro, if you want your mixtape to be hard, it ain't gotta be hard, right? If you want your mixtape to be hard, just give us the music and get out the way.

[A]

Cause that's y' all art.

[B]

And that was 80% of these classics you talking about.

[A]

Yeah. Cause it's y' all art.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Y' all understand the arrangement.

[B]

We understand that mixtape cover is different than an album cover, right? We understand the duration. We understand the. You don't have a long time. So I gotta make this bitch jam in the first five minutes. I don't have a long time. Cause there's a lot of CDs, you know what I'm saying? You go down to the funk shop, peace treat, you, pick you up about five, 10 CDs. You got about five, 10 minutes. And this shit ain't going. I'm smoking. I ain't feel like you just said you gonna chunk it in the back. That's gonna be it.

[A]

Then we going 3 for 10. Some spots you can get 2 for 5 tapes, but if it's in the 2 for 5 being, it's. Damn, they're like, this shit ain't hitting on that. Yeah, but if it's a singular and it's a 10, and it's a 10 ball, you got to pay all 10.

[B]

Morocco.

[A]

I gotta pay full 10 for this. This motherfucker must go.

[B]

It's an album.

[A]

It's a album.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And perfect point that you brought up the mixtape covers.

[B]

Can't have the right covers. It's a science.

[A]

It's art.

[B]

It's a art and a science. And they're even more picky than we are. Cause them designers won't work with certain DJs, man. I just do scream and I don't do all that. They ain't cheap either. I do scream and two other people, I do them. That's it. It took me a while to get in. Feel what I'm saying? So it's a whole art and stuff.

[A]

Yeah, because the 1000 cover don't look like the Dirty Sprite cover.

[B]

Yeah, that was a whole different. I think like Propane shouts to him. I think he kind of orchestrated most of that. Like future covers. Yeah, future covers kind of came from his internal circle. Right. But if you're talking about a lot of the other covers, you're talking about Dolphs and the Gucci's and the Lows and all that, that came from our designers. And they weren't even people here. The best designers at the time was in Europe. So we got these people in the Netherlands. We hitting on the chat apps or whatever the case is, the Apple chats and all this other stuff, getting these covers done. It's a whole science, man.

[A]

So you got. Are you doing any. Are you doing any original production on these tapes?

[B]

Not. I always say, like I'm the. I'm more like a connect to put producers. Like we've always had a lot of producers. Put producers with them and I can help executive produce with me. Touching beat machines, it become camp.

[A]

It's like a camp. Yeah, yeah. So you working. And so like Spins did a lot

[B]

of beats for a lot of people on a lot of them tapes with Chains or Gorillazo and Travis Porter, their history and everything, like Young la, that type of stuff. We always. He shouts to DJ Spence. He created the mindset of us and being closer to production. Cause he was the first person that says, I'm about to produce. And I was like, man, I support you. I don't have the patience to. I'm too. I gotta go do something, I gotta get out and pet. You know what I'm saying? But he had the patience to become a great producer. And then we started to bring in more producers. If you track that and you track the records we've been attached to, we can go on and on with that. But I think that I always say it's important to know what you're good at. And I think that connecting people, being the Plug has always been, like, a gift of ours. Like, we should put so and so with so and so. Yeah, we should put so and so with so and so. There's an art to that, too.

[A]

Yeah, absolutely. It's. It's a. Like you said, it's an economy, but it also kind of operate like the street, you know what I'm saying? In the sense that you got the people who doing the mixtape coverage, they get money. And there's a hierarchy there where it's like, I only work for the biggest dudes out here. The producers, they making money. And they servicing the entirety of Atlanta rap scene.

[B]

Shout out to my dog CD spot June the Duplicator. Okay, all right. The Duplicator is the plug.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

All right. You ain't got the right duplicator that can whip that up. And like I said, we getting these calls. I need 400. I need 2,000. Somebody got to be able to do that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Knock down. And you're gonna knock down five in two hours.

[A]

500.

[B]

No, no, I'm gonna bring them to you. I'm telling you. You gonna knock them down. I need 5,000. Give me a few hours.

[A]

5,000.

[B]

I'm trying to tell you. I'm putting you down. Like, June is a legend. I try to get him on camera. He gonna get on camera. He gonna knock him down, man. It's a million. Trapper dies. A million. I promise you. I'm gonna call him off. Here we go. Get. He did a million of them. I saw them.

[A]

They don't even understand that part of it, too. Just the people. The duplicate, like you said. The duplicate. The people that was making the CDs, they was pressing it up, telling him

[B]

he needs to talk because he also was a plug. He also was like, they'll come in and ask him who doing numbers. Screen, screen. Smalls. Drama. And the artist hit, bro, I heard you doing numbers. I need to get with you. That's all they care about. My two best. My two best co signs, other than the Streets, was the Duplicator and the Strippers. That's it. Cause I lived at the Flame, so. The Flame. The girls just love you. The girls gonna be like, don't worry. When he come in here, I'm gonna make him do that CD with you. I'm like, all right, cool. Work your magic. Like, whatever. You know what I'm saying? It's a whole culture and economy of Atlanta and how Atlanta operated. But it made sense, and it was cool. It wasn't no bullshit. It Was cool. It makes sense. I'm actually in here with whatever rapper on a Wednesday, Thursday maybe, when this lighter at the Flame, throwing a little money, testing records with at the time Hershey, you know what I'm saying? Or whoever was DJing, you know what I mean? So I'm actually in here testing it. The girls is happy. The girls mess with Scream. I like Scream because I see Scream. That's just their philosophy, you know what I'm saying? That there was a science of like Esco at X Ray. They went to Magic. I didn't go to Magic a lot because I was just a Blue Flame guy. I'm coming from being around Lo and all them. I feel more comfortable at the flame, but I still might pop up at what was the Body Tap or Honest Day shift, you know what I'm saying? Just, I want to see how this shit sound on the speakers and what the girls vibing to you do. You know what I'm saying?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's a whole culture. It's a whole process. That is, again, not knocking nobody and not knocking streaming. But I think that it's the microwave.

[A]

Yeah. Because strippers used to be A and R's too.

[B]

For sure.

[A]

You see what I'm saying?

[B]

For sure.

[A]

Because if they'll dance to it, that mean niggas will throw money to it. That means the club going crazy.

[B]

This how I get my money, son. I don't care about what you think about your music, boy. It's how I get my money play

[A]

that make me want to dance. Yes. Cause listen, if I don't want to dance to your music, you making my job hard, nigga.

[B]

I'm not gonna make no money. You did, and then the DJ ain't gonna make no money. And then nobody makes it. That's what I'm saying.

[A]

The precedent of economy was important.

[B]

It created an economy. And now you gotta think strip clubs is tough. I mean, onlyfans is popping strip clubs is tough. They don't close down. I think I counted 15 strip clubs in Atlanta, and we used to be one on every corner.

[A]

Yeah, right?

[B]

So that changes the economy of that. Whatever the girls is doing now. Right. It's really tough for DJs. I feel bad because it's like there's not enough money in a hookah lounge for a DJ to make a certain amount of money. I can't go to Club Esso and DJ for less than whatever that number is. It's too many people in here, bro. I can't do it. You feel what I'm saying, but the hookah lounge guy, bro, we only, only 40 people can fit in here. We can't pay you scree. All right, then wait till I just come to kick it. You know what I'm saying? All of this is just an economy,

[A]

you know, I think we're a lot better now about talking about mental health than we were even five or ten years ago. Folks will tell you to protect your peace, check on your friends, take care of yourself, but when it comes to truly asking for help, a lot of people still hesitate. And that's why this really stood out to me. BetterHelp's 2026 State of Stigma report surveyed 2,000Americans and revealed that 85% of Americans believe that getting support is wise, yet 74% says society discourages people from doing so. Think about that. Almost everybody agrees getting help is the smart thing to do. But somehow people still feel judged for actually taking that step. That's the gap we have to close. If somebody in your life is struggling, sometimes the best thing you can do is simply remind them that it's okay to talk to somebody. There shouldn't be any shame in wanting support. One thing I like about BetterHelp is they make it easy to get match with more than 30,000 licensed therapist. They ask you a few questions to understand what you're looking for. And if the match isn't right fit, you can switch to another therapist at any time. They've helped more than 16 million people worldwide and they have an average of 4.9 out of 5 star ratings from over 1.7 million client reviews. Don't let the stigma stand in the way of support. Start therapy with BetterHelp. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com grits that's B E T T E R h e l p.comgrits betterhelp.comgrits how excited was you? Okay, you even. You get the tape? You probably got your. Your dedicated spots that you go DJ at anyway, right? What was the spot where you like, did. Did you pick and choose between artist and song? Like, okay, I'm gonna break that in this spot versus I break that over here? Or was you just excited to have a record and like, I'm gonna go put. I'm playing that tonight.

[B]

When they booked me, they knew what came with it. I used to do the cave, right? I don't know if. If you know, you know the cave on the east side? The cave was all hours after hours. I would go on at three. You feel me? So I go on at three. And then like, everybody just following them. They're leaving prime time, leaving other spots. It's an after hours. But you got a live mixtape. Literally, like, I didn't play. Like, I'm not playing for no club. I'm you. You came to get a mixtape. Got my drops. I got everything. We bringing it back. You're getting a mixtape. You might hear a record that you ain't gonna hear ever again. You only gonna hear it here, and they know it word for word. Damn. You see what I'm saying? Like, that's what came with me and the places. And even when I went on the road, I tried to create. I tried to create that same feel. I learned something very fast when I got on the road going through the south that I was joking about this other day. You better play a lot of boosie. When you leave out of Atlanta, you better play a lot of boosie. A lot of it. And I had done a project with Boosie, but I had to create this feel of like, kind of idea because Boosie was so powerful. I've never like, Boosie was powerful. Like, you had to play. You could just keep playing Boosie. I'm like, I ain't got but 30 minutes to DJ. Wouldn't you just play Boosie? They're okay with that, you know what I'm saying? So I just tried to always take that feel, especially when he was incarcerated. Like, free Boosie, Free Boosie. I do a free boosie set or whatever the case is. I always try to take that feel wherever I went and kept that mixtape feel, you know what I'm saying, on my sets.

[A]

I think Boosie's genius was he ain't care about the big markets for sure. If I do well in big markets, that's fine. But I know that it's niggas on the south side of Winston Salem that feel like south side superstars for them.

[B]

And they'll book you every month over and over and over and over and over again. I went through that, man. Probably prior to the Atlantic, Maybach deal, I spent a lot of time in Columbia. God bless Columbia. They fed me Columbia. Knoxville, Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee. Little bit of Memphis, Birmingham, Alabama, you know what I'm saying? Jacksonville, Florida. Like, these the places when I get there, they're like, thank you for coming. I'm like, why wouldn't I come? They're like, people don't come.

[A]

Yeah, we get a lot of that too.

[B]

You know what I'm saying?

[A]

Birmingham, Nashville.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Shit. Raleigh.

[B]

Raleigh, for sure. Raleigh, Rocky Mountain, that whole Carolina run. You can run and get money in Carolina for two weeks.

[A]

They gonna show up, bro.

[B]

For.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Them folk gonna pull up, man.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. When we did our. We announced our tour, Charlotte and Raleigh sold out damn near immediately.

[B]

They gonna be grateful, too. They gonna thank you for coming. You gotta thank them for coming. They like, oh, thankful.

[A]

I'm thankful to them. They thankful to me.

[B]

Right.

[A]

It's love, though. It's certain spots. Well, it's because it's like. And they get overlooked and they still

[B]

have what's called, like, important. They still have the fan. Atlanta and Fan is a tough place. Who's gonna be a fan?

[A]

Everything rap, too, bro. Yeah.

[B]

I'm hard, too, bro. A dj, too. I got podcasts, too. I got one, too. I got a clothing line, too. You know what I'm saying?

[A]

So it's like, they got everything. Yeah.

[B]

Only State Farm arena brings out fans.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like concerts.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Other than that, it's tough. Like, it's tough.

[A]

How. How. When did you know? I know. We talked earlier. When did you know? It was like, I'm going the DJ route.

[B]

I was young, bro. I was in. I think we stayed in Riverdale College park at the time. My parents moved around a lot, and I knew I couldn't rap fast. I'm not good at this. This don't make sense. You know what I'm saying? I'm not good at this. I'm not. I don't like this. You know, I like it. I love it, but I don't like it. For me to do it right then I'm looking on TV with niggas who can rap. Like, Outkast. Oh, them niggas can rap. I can't do that. You know what I'm saying? So when I got turntables. Did not. It just felt like. There's a story about Kobe Bryant and the first time he held a basketball. He just felt like it was weird. Like, a sense of peace. I tell people all the time, like, I have. Like, I've suffered in the past from, like, anxiety, panic attacks, all that bullshit. Right. Never had one on turntables. Never. Like, if I'm having a panicky day and I go to the turntables, it's like medicine. It's better than whatever medicine they would have tried to give me. So it just felt like at home, I naturally was good at it. That's not me saying that. People were like, you're good at this. I'm like, I don't even know how. I don't Know what I'm really doing yet. But I was naturally good at it, man. I always say it saved my life because, I mean, you know Atlanta, so I could have easily did this or that or that or this. And I still got people who got into that can't get jobs because they got into and this, that, and the third. The neighborhood always respected it. Nah, bro gotta go dj.

[A]

He.

[B]

He gonna go DJ and make some mixtape. At the time, it was mixed tapes. So I would go make mixtapes and let get mixed tapes. You see what I'm saying?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Now bro gotta go make mixed. He can't go. He can't go. Hit no car, nothing. Nah, bro, leave bro out of that. But I wasn't like no punk or nothing. Cause they was like, he the music nigga.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You see what I'm saying?

[A]

But the thing is, it's like, I think that's be the other thing, too. That's where the fake shit. That's where the fake shit fucks shit up. Is that they don't understand, like, the streets respect you.

[B]

Whatever you do, just be yourself.

[A]

If you just be yourself, just be yourself.

[B]

This is what I'm on. I ain't on that. I get money, I do music. I do hair, I do nails, I do clothes. I rob Whatever you own, then you own. Oh, that's the nigga who robbed. Yeah, that's the nigga who going to school. Yeah, that's the who.

[A]

Why would you let that nigga in the car with you? You know he robbed people.

[B]

That's what banks say all the time, bro. That's what I said, too.

[A]

It's like. Like when the people. The one thing that I love about Atlanta is that a nigga will tell you who he is.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

It's up to you whether you're gonna believe him or not.

[B]

I'm a scammer.

[A]

I know that. You rob n. Right. I'm not letting you in my car.

[B]

Right. Oh, I'm a scammer? Don't give me your wallet. Don't let me know where near your wallet, bruh.

[A]

I'm not putting. I wasn't even putting the code in my phone around it.

[B]

Exactly. I am a scammer. All right, cool.

[A]

Then what I do and I did with the girls.

[B]

That's what I be telling with the girls. She told you what she was. Oh, bro, I thought I could change her.

[A]

No.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

You can't even change yourself.

[B]

Y' all not making sense.

[A]

Yeah, you know the thing that I. The one. One of the quotes that changed My life is. You think about how hard it is to change yourself, and then you think about how much of a chance you gotta change to somebody else.

[B]

That's crazy.

[A]

You see what I'm saying?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Cause we go against ourselves all the time.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So then you think, oh, yeah, I'm just that nigga.

[B]

Right. That I could change a whole nother human being to what I want them to be.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Your ego is.

[A]

Yeah. Your shit crazy.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And the delusion like you sipping the Kool Aid.

[B]

For real. Yeah.

[A]

So where does the thing I know that you mentioned in the mixtape world, that Shawty Lowe was the one where it's like this, where I felt like I was. But when did you know, like, I'm a dj? It probably was a.

[B]

Here go. My story is short. I got out of school, I went to tuskegee. I was DJing there. I came back, I got a job at Guitar Center. Somehow I did a tryout and ended up on tour. Shouts to Montel Jordan. That was my first tour. Met some lifelong friends. Shout out to my brother Remo. I just learned the industry. That was the purpose of it. I ain't make no money, but I learned the industry. And he taught me a lot, too. I always salute mine. He taught me a lot about just manhood, for real manhood in the industry and being yourself. Right. It was like a polar opposite. Cause I'm out with a R and B artist, learning the ropes. Came back. And however it worked out, we were doing, like, big high school parties. Like Shouts to Wallow, the Shot Caller, Shania, Rip, Lil Rip, and all them at the atrium. You know what I'm saying? And this is like, Knuck, if youf Butt Broke Through There, like the Trillville Scrappy, all that broke through there. And I'm the DJ for most of these parties. You dig what I'm saying? Somehow I end up on tour with Crime Up. They the homies. You know what I'm saying? We always see the Grove and shit. That was way different than being on tour with Montel Jordan. You know what I'm saying? Way different. Way different experience. So by that time, I was creating enough money to. I always look at it as. It's your career when it can pay your bills, right? So when I started to get in that space, then I knew, like, okay, now I can say I'm a dj. Like, this pays my bills. I might not be. I have the money I want to have yet, but I'm paying my bills. I use that same analogy with rapping Podcasting and so forth and so forth. It's good from a standpoint of just having a love and a passion for it. But at a certain point, this has to pay your bills, right? Or it's a hobby. It can be an expensive hobby at that. Yeah, DJing wasn't cheap back then. Talking about records, you gotta buy records, you gotta keep up your equipment. It ain't like now where a nigga get down there, DJ on their phone. It wasn't that. That shit was expensive. So I have to make some money. You dig what I'm saying? So around that time, I say I knew. By the time me and Rip got together and it was hood rich, we had already kind of shook on it. Like, we gonna figure this shit out. We don't have it figured out, but we gonna figure it out, and we gonna. We're gonna figure it out. And you talking about, like I say, with any business, a sustainable business, hood rich, entertainment, I mean, we probably didn't make no money for a couple years. A little bit of here and there, you know what I'm saying? That's why the aha moment, like I always say, is, like, I tell people, like, in entrepreneurship and faith and music or whatever the case is, if you stay down and you got a good product, you don't have that aha moment. Because there was one year we couldn't stop the money from coming. Literally, like, God damn. You know what I'm saying? Oh, this was worth it. You know what I'm saying? But when you got down figuring it out and, you know, eating chicken wings and fries every day, you like, is this worth. Am I tripping? You know what I'm saying? But I know I got something. Cause this is the thing. The people will let you know. We say the streets, but the people will let you know. They give you that with your podcast, right? Probably early on. Like, bro, don't stop. Keep going. Yes, Like God talking to you.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

You feel what I'm saying? We got that with big facts. Early on, it's like, bro, don't stop, bank. Keep going. I'm telling you. Yeah, all right. That's God talking to you. That's what I go off of now if I go out and don't nobody tell me, keep going. I need to evaluate this.

[A]

Nah. If a nigga did, hey, boy, good shit, bro. He like, damn, damn, damn. I might not be doing the right thing.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. That one passionate enough.

[A]

The streets will tell you what you what? The streets give you the directive, keep going. If the streets tell you Keep going. You better keep going. You got something, but you can feel it too.

[B]

You can feel it for sure.

[A]

You can feel it. Hey, listen, man, one or two niggas tell me, keep going. Cool. 20 niggas tell me to keep going. I got something, bro.

[B]

You better keep going.

[A]

I got something.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So I'm gonna ask you this because I want to move. I want to talk about bitfest too, and just how that came to be your top five favorite DJ screen mixtapes.

[B]

Here we go. That's like grouping. I always tell people if they ask that, it's like grouping your kids. I always answer it this way of. I'll go five moments. Because I can remember the five moments. This is not to. A lot of my brothers have passed away, man. And this is not to, like, you know, belittle any of the moments.

[A]

Right?

[B]

Obviously I say with Shorty Lowe, you know, man, when he passed away to see Beyonce pay tribute. And they know, and to this day, they know what that is. It must be two sides, like, that changed my life, you know what I'm saying, man? Dolph was so special. Welcome to Dolph World was so special. And it was so. It was just special, bad. And then what was it? High class street music that me and Bigot did. Dolph was just special. Dolph was one of them ones where in moments I had the thought, he got it. You know what I'm saying? Like, it wasn't. No, it wasn't a long thought out process. Like, he got it. Like, bro got it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I don't know who he is. I don't know where he. I don't know what he got it.

[A]

The first time I heard Dolph, I

[B]

knew you already know. It's just one of those, you know, he got it. You know what I'm saying, man? Being a part of Pluto future is special because I respect him so much. Because he said things that. He said things that seem so big, but they came to life. So it's almost like scene manifestation. Like, and he wasn't like yelling. It'd just be in the studio, bro, I'm finna be big bro. I'm gonna be doing like a ring. I'm gonna. I'm big bro. I'm telling you, it's gonna be crazy, bro. Like Michael J. He'll just be saying, it's so cool. And then you look up, he doing it, and he's doing it. You know what I'm saying? That's special, man. It's a lot. This gonna sound Crazy. But my first fan base. Fan base came from doing Soulja Boyz mixtape. That's when I started to have a fan base. Before, I was. There's a difference between being like a DJ and I dj, Right. But now I'm a little bit of a brand because these kids like me because I did Soulja Boy's mixtape and it was like a unit. Not unorthodox, but you're just thinking like, he's an online person, right? So with him being an online person, you're not thinking like mixtapes, the streets and everything. But he was very intentional on doing that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That's why we did a few mixtapes. So I always shout out him too. Because from MySpace to Twitter, aligning with Soulja Boy at the time, I got a cheat code. I know I'm coming in at 100 plus.

[A]

You is, though. Because the thing is, there was a point of contention about Soulja Boy. He was the first nigga that we got to know from the Internet versus getting to know him straight from the street.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

So it's like the street was hesitant to embrace it. And he was making a lot of dance music, but at the same time, 14, 15 years old, Soulja Boy mixtape was jamming. That was my shit.

[B]

You see what I'm saying?

[A]

That give me a high five was my shit.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

We was like, I got bassmates. Like, that was the shit, bruh. Yeah, he had that shit.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then the one that took me international, I always gotta salute Ross and the rich forever. Like that. That. That was. That was. That was another moment of the phone is ringing and people now is a whole different type of people calling me to how you got my number again? I ain't tripping that you got my number, but it's like, damn, how you

[A]

get it more, folks.

[B]

Yeah, that was. That shit was crazy. You know what I'm saying?

[A]

Yeah. Ross is a brand.

[B]

You know what I'm saying?

[A]

It's the. It's the Rick Ross is theater for street niggas. You understand what I'm saying? It's very like. It's upscale. Like, you feel like you gotta wear a suit to listen to this nigga music, you know what I mean? Especially Rich forever. What's that, bruh? Look at me. Yeah, that. Come on. You feel like damn near. Hey, man, look. Let me. Goddamn. Let me put some champagne. It's like a reflecting on the times, you know? That hard, man.

[B]

Yeah. Soundtrack to it. Don't mention the homies. Amigos is big too. You know what I'm saying, YRN shouts to Ray G, Corey B. That was at a moment, honestly, when I first thought about. I had to start thinking, like, what am I gonna do? Cause I can't do this forever. Like, everything has a. Now I gotta. I'm starting to get into interviews, doing radio interviews, starting to have moments there or whatever the case is. But I'm smart enough to know that shit. If this shit already went from CD to digital, it could go from digital to nothing. You see what I'm saying? So I was smart enough to think ahead. Even when we were in the streets with CDs, I remember literally calling the homies, like, bro, we gotta get digital. What you talking about? We get money. It don't last forever, bro. You gotta know it don't last forever. See what I'm saying? So that's when I began. That's when I started taking, like, before. Like, if you look at way old interviews, I'm just interviewing Waka flocka, pinky porn star. Just on some. They the homies. They around shit. Yeah, I'm not. I'm not. I don't think about my questions. I'm not even asking questions. I'm just really talking to them. I can't even talk properly. You know what I'm saying? Like, what the fuck up, bro? What the hell going on, bro? You know what I'm saying? But that's when I started to look at it, like, hold on, man. Like, I'm gonna probably have some important conversations. I need to tighten this shit up.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

You know what I'm saying? And now they give me an opportunity to do radio, which is more structured and everything like that. And three years ago, I would have said, fuck all that. But this is opportunity for growth. You dig what I'm saying? Which all led to media podcast. It all worked out. You dig what I'm saying? But that's because I was always open to and not stubborn to progress. You dig what I'm saying? Yeah, I say that just to say, what are we talking about? Oh, Migos. Yeah, Migos are special, too.

[A]

Hey, man, the Migos shit. I always kind of pride myself on being early this shit too. Just like, having taste. And I remember I was in the car with my partner. I was like, this is a New York air nigga tune. So, you know, me and him, we normally listen into something that's a little bit more bar heavy. So I put that shit on. He like, you like this. I said, man, this hard, bro. This finna be big. He like talking about Hannah Montana. I said, bro, trust me.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Then the Emmy Smith come on, and he's like. He's still, like, apprehensive, but you can tell, like, he can't stop himself from moving. I said, bro, I'm telling you, bro. I said, it's something about this shit. What's the first one?

[B]

The first.

[A]

What's the first one? Hurricane Rick. Hurricane Rick. Hurricane Rick.

[B]

Hurricane Katrina.

[A]

Yeah. Katrina coffee, bro. When that bit dropped, I said, hey, D, nigga. Got it. But what it was, Quavo understood how to make a contagious hook take off and take off and quiet as kept Offset. They was going so crazy with the rapping.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

It's like they brought back the triplet flow, so it's something that's familiar in hip hop already. It's definitely a Southern thing, too.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Unless, you know, you talking to niggas from Cleveland and they gonna say it's. And there's a lineage there. There's a lineage there. But we know. I know the triplet foe from Memphis, so it's like, oh, these niggas got it.

[B]

Oh, this is hard.

[A]

They got a hook that you don't have to think too much about, so it's easy to remember. And then they finna come and wrap their ass off. No, that was, like, automatic, bro.

[B]

I respect them so much, man, because Offset told this story recently. They came was in Mean street, and they had wire and they had a mixtape. All right. I'm doing the mixtape with Ray G and Corey Bay, and I'm listening to it when at the end of it, just my honest opinion, it's cool. I think they were a little drawn back, like, it's cool. Shit, it's cool. Let's work. You know what I'm saying? They was hard. I knew they was hard. But even with any of these people, my excitement kind of was away from them. Cause I know if I get too excited, then there's a sense of comfort. You give me your feed. Want my feedback? I'm gonna give you my real feedback. This hard. This hard. This cool. This cool. You know what I'm saying, bro? When I tell you I respect them, they ain't bitch up. They went back and brought me that what y' all heard. That's not the first wire in. They went back in. So a lot of that shit that you heard, like, if I would've just been like, this is it, and been like, a yes, nigga, yes, man. Nigga, it would have been different. I went through that a lot, bro. I had to get Cursed out, life threatening, everything. Dealing with rap. Cause I'm giving you my real ear. Because at the time, for sure at the time, I'm all in it. I'm in it. Either I'm in it or my partner is in it. So we know what it is. One of us is at the club every night. One of us is at the strip club every night. One of us is in the traps. This is my circle. We know what it is, Right? So that was all part of that ear. But I respect them from coming back and not bitching, not being in their feeling. They brought that shit. They brought it.

[A]

That YRN was. That shit was. It was like damn near every song was a hit, bro.

[B]

Came with it.

[A]

How long did it take you to not only realize but to be comfortable in how much power you had?

[B]

You know, the thing for me was always to be fair. That's why it kind of did. Made me feel away when people start saying, he's not fair. Because I'm like, nah, bro, what are you talking about? Like, I know the conversations. Like, I don't have conversations with niggas like, bro, I ain't got it, but I need you. All right, well, let's just shake on when it work. I think it's gonna work. You'll fuck with me. I still need it. I need you to pay me, but I get it. I can't let this get out to everybody. Cause I'll be fucking broke. But just keep your word. I keep my word with Sentinel and Amigos. Like, they kept it real. Like, man, we ain't got that right. We got a budget, but we gotta make this shit work. We just gonna shoot you. This. This cool. Whatever the number was is adjusted from what I usually would charge. All right, Y' all just make sure y' all fuck with me when I need y'. All. Somehow, some way, it worked where it's like, oh, I got nominated for, I don't know, a BET Hip Hop Award or something like that. And I particularly remember the niggas that kept it real was K Camp and Migos. They pulled up on the love. I can make my money off of this. See what I'm saying?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So that was the conversations that I had. I was like, how you gonna say I'm not fair? I took that shit kind of to our. Like, what the fuck you mean, I'm not fair, bro? I've always been fair. Now it's not fair for me not to be able to have an opinion on your music. Yeah, that's not fair. Yeah, oh, you showing favoritism. No, I think that this is. It's like some shoes. I think that these air max are better than these dunks. Like I have a right to that opinion. You might think that someone else can do your mixtape better. I'm not in my feelings about it. I'm a fan. Oh, you wanna fuck with whatever bigger holiday techniques. I'm a fan. I wanna hear this shit. Oh, them niggas going hard. That's how we work. And that's how the city work.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

When it became so much about even right now in this media space with us, bro, you know how much love me and bank show niggas.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

How the fuck you gonna say we not fair. You just gotta be on some other shit.

[A]

Well, also, I think this another thing. Yo, work your one like work, work, work. You can do it without me because it's the thing.

[B]

Let me say something. I gotta say that.

[A]

Yeah, say that.

[B]

You know how happy I was when like rich homies and little babies made it without me? I didn't have nothing to do with that. I don't wanna know no bitch. Oh, I don't know these. It wasn't that. When I finally met rich homies, a lot of respect and love. I didn't know him. I was happy. Cause guess what? The city in good hands. That's the way I look at it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It ain't. No, it gotta be about. It's never been about me. Nobody can document on a camera me saying it's about me. Ever find it? Ever?

[A]

Yeah, it was working before you. It was working and it's gonna work after you.

[B]

It was working with Jelly and Edward J. And all them before me. I'm just the humble person that was put. It's like being elected.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I was elected for this position and I had my time period.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And it was very important for me to beat Obama and be fair.

[A]

Yeah, that's your turn was up.

[B]

I'm okay with it.

[A]

And you there for counsel. Hey, I did it. Hood.

[B]

Rich King, my young brother. I'm on with him all the time. Go crazy, Keem, Spin, Swan, whoever, go crazy. That's how we keep this shit going. Any young. I can't keep up with all the young DJ niggas. But I try to just to call him and be like, bro, you doing your thing. I fuck with you. You need me, call me. Hey, okay then. That's crazy, man. I don't even know if this real, bro. It ain't about. That's how it should be. Cause I know how I felt when Jelly called me in. Nabs, I just wanna salute you, man. I'm here to take my number. That's important. That's what they have in the basket in the NBA. A young nigga can call Shaq, bro, I need some advice. Football nigga can call a og. Man, I need some advice. That's what I wanna be. That's fair. Fuck all the other shit.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So as long as we keep it fair, we should keep it fair for real. That's all I'm saying. Don't be in your feelings. Cause your shit ain't working. Cause of you. Cause only you can make your sh work. I cannot make your shit not work. I don't have that much power. You just ask me. I don't have that much power. Yeah, I might have some power to help your shit work. I don't have the power nor do I have the desire to stop your shit from working. Yeah, that don't even make sense. I don't make money off of that.

[A]

You can't flip the switch.

[B]

Don't work like that.

[A]

Because also as a dj, if your shit working, it's working for me because I get to play your shit. And I know the club going up.

[B]

And if Atlanta wins, I win. That's it. People don't understand that if Atlanta wins, think about this. If Atlanta is on the charts and wins and this, that, and the third before I became Scream, I could get money. You know why I can get money? Because they would say All Star is in Phoenix, Arizona. I want an Atlanta dj. I don't give a fuck who it is. You know what I'm saying?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So keep that mindset and then we'll be straight. I think everybody kinda in our city a little bit has started to try to make it a little bit about them. You know what I mean? It wasn't that. I think that the tip, Jeezy, Gucci, Luda, that whole era, Lil Jon era worked because they might not have been all buddy buddy and held hands, but they fuck with each other enough to keep the business of Atlanta and the culture going forward.

[A]

That's what it was about.

[B]

That's all it was.

[A]

It was about Atlanta.

[B]

That's all it's about. It ain't about me. Atlanta gonna be here when I'm gone. And you too.

[A]

Hell yeah. Hell yeah.

[B]

So our best interest is to try to keep this business going for our kids and our kids kids and the young ones so that they can have an option to do some shit and make some money. Off of what was built before us.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Back with Shaadee and all that shit. You know what I'm saying? The mojo in them. Like, I didn't build this, bro. This is just.

[A]

This episode is sponsored by Baskin Lather. You know, one thing I've learned as I've gotten older is that not every piece of advice is meant for you. Especially when it comes to hair. For years I was trying products and routines that everybody swore by, but my hair wasn't responding the way I wanted to. My hair is very fine. It's color treated, it tangles easily. So I had to stop assuming that what worked for someone else was going to automatically work for me. Once I started paying attention to what my hair actually needed it instead of following every trend, things got a lot easier. That's one reason why I appreciate what Baskin Leather is doing. They create products specifically with textured hair needs in mind instead of taking this one size fits all approach. Their stimulating scalp and hair bomb is made with 100% natural ingredients and helps nourish hair, reduce breakage and add shine without feeling greasy. And their hair hydrating mist combines aloe vera and avocado oil to help with dryness, frizz, detangling and keeping hair hydrated. I also love that they're a black owned family operated company. This brand actually started after the founder's younger sister was told her hair might never grow back. Their family took matters into their own hands, created their own formulas and today her hair reaches all the way down to her hips. Explore viral bestsellers and products for healthier hair of all types from Basque and lather, go to Bask and Lather Co and use code grits for 20 off. That's 20 off at Baskinlather Co.com code grits. You know what? That is very. It's very cool that you saying this because this just made me think about something. Nobody from that era ever said they was the king of Atlanta. T. I might have said king of the south. But he specifically didn't say Atlanta for a reason. Because Atlanta is an economy. We need Ludacris, we need Outkast, we need, we need Lil Jon and we need the DJs. We need the strip club. We have an economy here. If one person make it all about them, they gonna take food out of everybody mouth. And also you wanna be the king of Atlanta. That shit gonna come with getting your head choplaw.

[B]

You gonna have a lot of. This is not, not this.

[A]

This ain't no place you could just move around like that don't. This shit too small.

[B]

Don't work like that.

[A]

It don't, but it wouldn't operate right.

[B]

Because we players first. This is a player city. Yeah, A player. Just mean we cool. As long as I'm getting my money, you getting your money, we cool.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

We don't go into nothing else. We play. When you start that king shit, you get gangster in New York.

[A]

That's why N. Yeah. Cause niggas always did want to be the king of New York. But Tilt was like, I'm gonna be the King of the South.

[B]

That's what it is. Cool. Yeah.

[A]

And n. Like, all right.

[B]

Yeah, cool. You gonna have to prove it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

He did a damn good.

[A]

Damn good job.

[B]

You know what I'm saying?

[A]

A damn good job.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But I think the thing about Atlanta is it needed everybody, and everybody understood that I'm here to play my role. Is there anybody that you ever did a tape with where it was, like, a one and done, but you thought, like, damn, this might be that, like, day the next up, and it just didn't play out like that?

[B]

Hmm.

[A]

Has anybody ever did a tape where

[B]

you mean, like, did a tape and thought it was gonna be.

[A]

Or even. Even if the tape was hard, just the artist didn't pan out the way

[B]

you thought they would if that ever happened. It was just, like, street shit, legal type shit.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Niggas just got wrapped up into, like, legal shit, and I can't think of none. I don't think a lot of those were, like, Atlanta situations. Those might have been people from other places, like, just got wrapped up in some legal shit. I mean, I've got. Me and. Me and Rip have got deposits, and niggas got fed charges. You know what I'm saying?

[A]

Damn.

[B]

Like, that's just kind of what come with it. We got deposits and niggas don't die.

[A]

It's a lot of niggas from the south, like, not even from Atlanta, but, like, somebody like Adobe or a little fat and shit like that. That's what made me think of it. Cause it's like, man, this nigga's like, damn.

[B]

Another important one that I have to put out there. Because Adobe was my brother, man, and Dobie was. I don't think the world understands. I still talk to his mom from time to time. I just talked to Frank White, actually interviewed his mom, like, do B, bro. Dobe was special, man. And I hate it because there's always been. I went to school in Alabama, in college, so there's always been a Lot of talent there. The Dirty Boys, Deuce, Conrad, so forth and so forth. I keep naming names, but he was gonna be the one to really open up. Up the doors for like, man, you know, we saying something over here, like, south got something to say. It's like, damn, Alabama got something to say too. Like those. That one, man. Damn. Yeah, yeah,

[A]

that was something. I meant to talk to Tip about this shit too. You know, Tip had a lot of folks like Meat Mill was there first. Travis Scott was there first. He got doe. It's a lot of people, even in la, like after the LA tape. Tape. What was that? LA tape?

[B]

Future with futuristic.

[A]

Futuristic swag.

[B]

Swag. I think. Yeah.

[A]

Well, he had the NBA or NFL on there. That's on.

[B]

Should be futuristic, man.

[A]

That was. So. It's another thing too. Yeah, I seen this. This how. Like this. How influential this is. I started seeing get the little part down the middle with the fade on. It's like the. Was super influential. But I just like. It's like a lot of people came through Atlanta first before they got they bigger deals or whatever the case may be. This is where it was at.

[B]

You had to listen. Dolph came down here, they was fucking with like, chains. And Gucci did a tape with me, man. Everybody from. Everybody from Memphis, you know, Gotti used to be down here. Other artists.

[A]

Him and Gucci used to do a lot of shit together.

[B]

For sure at the time. I remember it was surreal to me because shouts to DJ Black, he made the plug. He introduced me to the Three Six Mafia family. So the next thing you know, I'm on the phone with Project Pat. Now, I am not gonna have too many moments where I don't. Whatever. I'm on the phone with whoever, right? But I'm on the phone with Project Pat here, man. We gotta link up, nigga. This is Project Pat.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

The only synonymous closer thing being a Decatur nigga is if y' all put me on the phone with Play or Fly, which eventually happened. Yeah. You know what I'm saying?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So I would've fallen with Pat. Pat is a friend of this day. He always just give me game. Like nothing. Like just. That was just meant to happen, you know what I'm saying? But I remember intentionally, we did the Juicy J mixtape and he was hyped because I brought him here to shout outs to Meazy Obsessions for his first Atlanta show in a long time. He did my birthday party. It was amazing, you know what I'm saying? All that type of shit. But I say that just to say, man, I don't think the narrative and the conversation is, do you still need Atlanta? Right. That's the current narrative. Everything is tricky because of social media. The word need is subjective because of social media.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know what I'm saying? But I still think that there's a very big value in my record is going in Atlanta. It's still important.

[A]

And having somewhere, like, having somewhere where this thing lands.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You understand what I'm saying? Cause being outside in Atlanta, I go places and people know who I am and they show me love. But I be liking when I get the love here.

[B]

Oh, for sure.

[A]

Cause it's the home. This like your home base. And N in Atlanta also don't care nothing about you being famous.

[B]

That's what I was just saying.

[A]

So if they show you love, it's real, it's genuine. And they not gonna take up too much of your time. Cause it's like. Like you said, everybody do everything. So it's like, N. I'm popping, too.

[B]

Ain't that approach funny, though, when people come up to you like, bro, I ain't on your dick or nothing. I just wanna let you know, I be like.

[A]

That be so crazy. It's a wild way to approach me, bro. Just show the little vest, bro.

[B]

I wanna let you know I ain't on your dick or nothing, bro. I ain't on that. I ain't on all that shit with you. But I fuck with that pop.

[A]

I don't even be fans of nigga.

[B]

Yeah. I don't be fucking with N. I wouldn't even really walk up to a nigga like this, But I'm gonna just let you know, like, it's cool, bro. But shit, man, we might as well flick it up, bro, you want a picture, bro?

[A]

Brad, just say you want the picture.

[B]

You want a picture, bro?

[A]

I'm down to take the picture. It's all good. So transitioning out of music into media and Big Facts being one of the biggest podcasts in the culture, for one, Y' all was just in Drew ski skit. That was hilarious.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

But also kind of becoming, like, synonymous with is if you a rapper and you talking about this street shit, you gotta come sit down with her.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

We just gotta make sure it's hot. We just gotta make sure you all right. How does that. It just forms into that naturally. But how was that transition into media from music?

[B]

So there's two paths. There's scream, there's. I'm burnt out from touring. I did some Tours, I had a record deal, did an album, all this other shit. So I decided to. Like I said, I decided I'll do radio. Just kind of like in between. I don't really know what I'm gonna do right now, but I know I need to clear my mind a little bit. Cause I probably was moving for 15 years, like, non stop, and could fuck with your mental health too. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. So I get with iHeart. IHeart decides to give me a radio show, like, all week long. When I signed up for it, I was taking it serious to a certain level. But then when I heard the whole, man, he can't do. You know, somebody tell you you can't do it, I'm like, oh, nah, I gotta do it. Because y' all think I can't do it. You know what I'm saying? Like, I don't really, really care like that. But now I gotta do it. So anyway, I sometimes wondered. I'm labbing doing interviews every day, every day, every day. All the homies is coming through. We had a magical moment with the Janet Jackson interview that I did and all that shit. And that's labbing me in one respect. I don't know what I'm training for yet, but I'm training, I'm doing that. Obviously you have bank over here who's evolving, you know what I'm saying? Me and bank are just running to each other here and there. Whatever the case is always just supported whatever he had going on. He's just a good brother, you know what I'm saying? And he's evolving. Him and Hannah come up. No, no, no. The first thing that happens is Future drops an album, right? He drops an interview for the album. Is bank interviewing Future. I am listening to this shit. I think I text him or whatever the case is. I'll tell my partners, this shit is gold. Like, this is it. This is how niggas want these conversations to be. I'm coming from studying this shit because I'm looking at what Tax Stone is doing. He ended up having this situation. But I'm like, bro, if a nigga can do a Tax Stone, doing up there, down here, that's what planted the seed in my head, right? But I was like, shit, I gotta align with the right person or persons. You know what I mean? So just how it all works. Bank come in, I'm doing an interview. He's doing the shit show. Him and Hannah are there, right? I'm like, bro, what you doing with the interview? Like, the pie you gotta do that shit. Cause you know, bank like, bro, help me do that shit. You know what I'm saying?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, man, I'm a little bit different. I don't know what everybody else bullshitting you. You tell me to go do the shit. It's Tuesday. We gonna be doing it Friday. I don't fuck around. We gonna do it. Right. So long story short, he's like, bro, if nigga set it up, I'm there, right? All right, cool. It's set up like a week later, right? So here it is. He's like. He walk in, he see cameras, like, oh, this shit for real. Like, oh, yeah. Hell yeah, bro. We gonna do it. We gonna try to do it. Let's just try it. We don't know what. We don't know nothing. Let's just try this shit right, man. And the feedback from the first conversation, it's called Big Facts. We came up with the name and everything. The feedback from the first conversation that me and him had was so. Was so positive. It was like a hit record. And I'm just telling him, like, bro, this is. This is needed. They need it.

[A]

Became synonymous with lingo, too.

[B]

Lingo.

[A]

Cause it's like when a nigga say Big Facts.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

It's like, that's y'. All.

[B]

Yeah, for sure. We definitely took that over. Yeah, we took it over for sure. Yeah. Big Facts, like, the podcast is in. 30 million raps.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Everything. You know what I'm saying?

[A]

How does it feel, though, to be able to have a second win where it's not, you know? This is very relaxed. Yeah, this is relaxed.

[B]

Yeah, it's more relaxed.

[A]

This ain't DJing.

[B]

No. No.

[A]

This ain't being on tour with an artist.

[B]

Right.

[A]

It's relaxed.

[B]

Yeah, man, I've had. I've had. I'm be honest with you, bro. I've had a lot of blessings and wins, bro. I ain't gonna lie. Like, after the day when. The day when they hit drama for the. The Rico and all that, Like, I didn't. This is how I pay my bills. Like, what the I'm gonna do? You know what I'm saying? Like. Like, I. I don't know. But even from there and that whole running and mixtapes and then Ross calling me to give me a deal, putting me in a different space with that. Then the radio, and then even one radio station going to another and doing serious radio and all this other stuff. But you know me, man, I just go with what feels right. And I knew that I already know how to hold a conversation. Because I've been doing. I've been. Now at this point, I've been doing radio 10 years. So what am I doing this for? I have to be doing this for something. You know what I'm saying? So then the balance of the of bank just being bank, and then just the balance of it like, it still came with trials and tribulations. Cause you gotta think for everybody. We was rolling. I'm talking about. We was rolling. Then Covid hit.

[A]

Oh, yeah. Fuck yeah. Yeah.

[B]

Shit. I remember one of my partners who be in the tech world just text me. This is way before anybody knew about it. Download Zoom now before they start charging for it. Like, what the is Zoom? But I'm gonna go download it because my tech partner that told me about bitcoin, and I ain't listening. You know what I'm saying? So I'm gonna go down. I'm gonna get it right this time, right? So it wasn't the same as bitcoin, but it worked. And I'm like.

[A]

It was able to sustain.

[B]

I'm like, babe, we can goddamn keep it going. We can't keep it going. This shit fucked up, man. Covid, fuck all that. This shit is some bullshit. It's some bullshit every time, you know, just do some bullshit, right?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm like, nah, bro, just try this shit, bro. You can do it on your phone. You like, I can do it from the house, bro. You can just be right at your crib. I'll be right at my crib. Hit tip with somebody and tell them to click the link. Let's just try this shit. Boom. Perfect. You know what I'm saying? So now we trapping it. Now we dropping facts every day in the crib. Since we can't go outside or whatever the case is. It did just how it works. The universe and God, we got that Gucci, boy. We got that Gucci. That shit was probably bigger than versus that week.

[A]

Damn.

[B]

Gucci went crazy. You know what I'm saying? So how does it feel to have another win? Like, for me, bro? As long as people. As long as people give me that energy of keep going, I'm gonna keep going.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know what I mean? At some point, at this point, at every point, I want to empower and give young people as much information as I can. Because at some point, I have to. Whether I go back to Africa or whatever the case is, somebody else got to keep this shit going.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

So I want to give as much information, as much game as possible to just Help other people. And for me, I just open a restaurant. You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm an entrepreneur first. Like, I come from selling Tootsie Rolls and candies and shit in school to save up to get records. I'm a hustler first. Yeah, so. So that's the thing I want to continue to get better at and great at is just being an entrepreneurship. Seeing the Big Facts network just become the new TBS or some shit. You know what I'm saying? Like, those are the things that keep me motivated. But I think a lot of my success and longevity, because they ask me this a lot when I do panels and go talk to people and everything, like, how have you managed to sustain and remain relevant? Gratuity. I'd be so grateful, bro. I'm grateful to be here. He want me. Why you for real? All right, cool.

[A]

I'll do it.

[B]

You know, my wife be like, you're weird. Like, you know who you are. Like, sometimes I don't, you know? But gratuity, bro. And that's what I tell people. Like, I can't. Like, it's. It's like an allergen. I can't be around people who complain. So if we were in here and one of your partners was complaining, I'd probably, like, go be in the corner or two. I can't be around this shit. It's too much to be grateful for. We here. Yeah, we can figure the rest out. As long as we here. It's people who ain't here or don't have they all five senses or they don't have they health. You dig what I'm saying? Long as we here, I'm grateful. We'll figure the rest out. I got partners doing. They're never getting out of jail.

[A]

You see what I'm saying?

[B]

You see what I mean?

[A]

Like, they're not or just never gonna take a breath again. So there you go. I tell my wife. My wife was like, you know, when you with women for such a long time, they still want you to always, like, prove that you love them. And she asked me, she was like, how much you love me? I'm like, I love you more than anybody else in the world. But how I supposed to know? I said, you the only person that hear me complain. She was like, touche, nigga.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

Touche, nigga.

[B]

That might be right about my wife. She hid my little complaint, you know what I'm saying?

[A]

If I'm gonna tell anybody, I'm gonna tell you that let you know. Cause you know how to go in the world. She said, man, when you out in the world, can't nobody tell. Nothing wrong with you or you thinking about now. You don't let the world see you sweat.

[B]

It's almost a mask.

[A]

So the fact that I can come here and feel vulnerable enough to. You know what I'm saying? That's where you know. You know what I'm saying? But I think it also come to that, too. I'm thinking about it at all times. Like, you know, even to be here have you here. Like, when bank pulled up, it wasn't a thing where I had to go through all these different channels. It was one phone call, boom, I'm there. Same thing with you. One phone, boom, we there. And it's like, you know, we've been talking about me pulling up on Big Fest, but that's just, like, time and schedule. We gonna get it together. It's like, I be grateful that, like, these shows that I've watched where they had, like, great interviews or when I was on the road driving trucks and y' all dropped a good interview. And I could like this for the next hour and a half.

[B]

I'm good. You're good? Yeah.

[A]

Now I could be in the same room as these people, bruh. I'm blessed, bro.

[B]

How would you complain, man? I see and hear so many rappers complain about what they wished for, man. I gotta go down, do rehearsals and do drops and shit and interview all this, bro. What? That what you want?

[A]

That what you want?

[B]

That's what I'm saying. Like, you got to have a weird. You gotta have a weird relationship with your guy right now. That's like. That's like your kid asking you for all the toys. And then the kid be like, I want all these goddamn toys, man.

[A]

I had to check myself sometimes, too. I think sometimes your body. Your body just be tired. And when you tired, your mind can't have no positive thoughts.

[B]

That's real.

[A]

But that's also a time where you be like, hey, I need to rest before I start complaining. You're right about that. Let me rest.

[B]

You're right about that.

[A]

Cause one thing I learned about myself is that anytime I'm having doubt, anytime I have anxiety is usually when I ain't been getting enough sleep.

[B]

You gotta have that nourishment and that sleep and all this stuff that my therapist and meditation and all this stuff over the past five, six years, I learned that you have to have. You gotta drink water. Start there. Sure. Start right there.

[A]

Yeah, start with the water.

[B]

Yeah. Start with some hydration. Now, you're right about that. It's hard. It's hard to be grateful when you're thirsty or hungry.

[A]

You see what I'm saying?

[B]

Yeah. Or sleep.

[A]

You see what I'm saying? I ain't happy to be alive if I'm hungry.

[B]

Yeah, exactly. Life could be better if I wasn't hungry.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, man. Precise. You pull pulling up, man.

[B]

Not anytime, bro.

[A]

I'm grateful. For real.

[B]

Nah, for sure.

[A]

Thank you, bro. Yeah, thank you, man.

[B]

Keep going, bro. You know I'll be telling everybody. I'm gonna just let you know. Keep going. I might get a picture, too. Yeah, man, let's make sure we get

[A]

a plate before we go, man. But thank you, man. This legendary DJ Scream in the building. Legendary dj and now, going on, legendary media personality. There you go, my dog. Appreciate you, brother.

[B]

Salute. Look, hood Rich B. I just want to rap.

[A]

Yeah. They say without the proper labor, faith

[B]

don't stand a chance.

[A]

I put my faith in faith and stand on fertile land I planted seeds out of indeed turning the trees before Rest in peace tease get printed of me.