Checking In With The Kid Mero

Summary

New Rory & MAL: “Checking In With The Kid Mero”

Episode Date: August 28, 2025
Special Guest: The Kid Mero (comedian, writer, podcaster, TV host)
Podcast Hosts: Rory Farrell & Mal
Network: iHeartPodcasts & The Volume

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Episode Overview

This episode is a lively, Bronx-centric conversation between Rory, Mal, and their guest, The Kid Mero. They explore their shared histories growing up in New York, the cultural shifts in hip-hop, the evolution of podcasting and media, and the challenges of parenting in a new era. The dialogue is filled with jokes, nostalgia, sharp cultural observations, and direct commentary on both their personal journeys and wider changes in entertainment and city life.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bronx Upbringing and New York Neighborhoods

• The trio bonds over their Bronx roots and school experiences, swapping stories about neighborhoods, high school, and unique New York dynamics.
  • “BX in the building, bro.” — The Kid Mero (03:42)
  • Discussion of New York's distinct neighborhoods and local culture, with references to Sizzler on Sundays and “mongo pina in his lungs.” (03:59–04:20)
• They joke about never having met despite shared circles, a classic NYC experience of parallel lives (04:30–04:52).

2. Eric Adams & Relatability in Politics

• A critique of NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ performative attempts at being relatable, especially to already skeptical locals.
  • “Eric Adams is...the one person that, if you don’t think you’re living in a simulation, look at Eric Adams.” — Rory (05:32)
  • Jokes about Adams smoking hookah with rapper Nems, doing pull-ups on walk signs, and acting like a character from a '90s rap album skit (06:14–07:40).
  • Adams’ attempts to connect with Dominican and other communities are playfully roasted (06:41–07:14).

3. The Podcasting Boom & Digital Entertainment

• Evolution & Oversaturation
  • Mero reflects on the podcast industry’s transformation from niche to oversaturated, demanding more professionalism and innovation.
  • “Now it’s like everybody and their mother got a podcast. And to stand out, you got to do...something really, really well put. You gotta do TV now to have a successful podcast.” — The Kid Mero (10:21)
• TV and Podcasts Converging
  • Discussion of podcast formats bleeding into TV (e.g., Pat McAfee/ESPN, Howard Stern’s radio-to-TV model), and digital-native shows blending polished production with casual energy (12:13–13:22).
• Virality, Branding, & Social Clips
  • Mero shares strategic insights into using GIFs/memes to become a staple in online group chats.
    • “People will approach me in the mall and be like, yo, nigga, you in my group chat crazy.” — The Kid Mero (19:35)

4. Comedy Segment: The Smokey Robinson “Chinooka” Cameo

• The crew cracks up over a legendary Cameo video where Smokey Robinson mispronounces “Hanukkah” as “Chinooka,” using it as a metaphor for reading without context and making light of public errors (21:03–23:33).
  • “I want to wish Miss Sheila a happy Chinooka. I have no idea what Chinooka is.” — The Kid Mero imitating Smokey Robinson (21:41)

5. Graffiti & Changing New York

• Nostalgic tales about graffiti crews, near-street fights, and how neighborhoods like Five Points and Union Square have lost their gritty roots to gentrification (26:33–32:00).
  • “It was like a rite of passage...if you’re a young dude...and everybody else is like 20 years old, smoke angel dust and shit.” — The Kid Mero (31:02)
• Lamentations over lost cultural landmarks replaced by chains: “We’re losing recipes.” (30:44–31:30)

6. Parenting, Generational Change & Hip-Hop’s Evolution

• Mero and the hosts compare their childhoods sneaking rap CDs with parenting now: kids have unrestricted access to all content, including King Von, Playboi Carti, and Juice Wrld (33:32–45:40).
  • “You could try to stop them as a parent, but they're gonna find it.” — The Kid Mero (49:00)
• Reflections on the progression from Snoop Dogg controversy to today’s more explicit and direct music, and how what was once “crackhead beer” is now culture shifting (45:16–48:31).
• Jokes about setting time limits for devices and struggling to manage digital kids (41:48–42:15).

7. On Podcasting with Carmelo Anthony & Media Training

• Mero shares his experience collaborating with Carmelo Anthony on "7pm in Brooklyn," highlighting Melo’s rapid rise as a natural media personality and the importance of authenticity and vibe-setting in studio (51:11–53:48).
  • “Seeing him get into that space so comfortably so quickly...you built for this champ.” — The Kid Mero (53:25)
• The importance of retaining an audience with authentic long-form content, contrasted with "fake" late-night TV and tightly-scripted corporate gigs (53:48–54:57).
  • “All that late night is dying...that whole, like, [vibe] is played out, you know what I mean? It’s inauthentic.” — The Kid Mero (54:40–54:55)

8. The Future of Sports Broadcasting

• Anticipating a world where podcast personalities trade places with traditional sports commentators, drawing parallels with Peyton & Eli Manning’s alt-broadcasts, and predicting more personality-driven, conversational styles in mainstream sports coverage (57:21–59:27).
  • “Sports is going to end up being the same thing, dog.” — Rory Farrell (57:52)
• Mero describes new platforms like Playback that allow for this style of commentary, hinting that big networks will eventually embrace these digital personalities at scale (59:39–61:34).

9. Advice for Creators & The Business of Content

• Mero’s core advice: take your show to companies that actually make content, not just advertisers, and leverage direct fan analytics (“pitch decks”) to get backing (62:10–63:25).
  • “If you someone, bro, I know you got money, motherfucker. Cause you making a billion PlayStations, so you can’t cry broke to me.” — The Kid Mero (62:17)
• Legacy “star power” is no longer enough: now, it’s about measurable fan engagement, social virality, and being able to sell yourself in new ways (63:25–63:49).

10. Outro and Mero's Current Projects

• Mero plugs his social handles, his solo YouTube series “According to The Kid,” his forthcoming book on fatherhood, and his collective projects with Lisbel Ortiz, Reynio Valle, and, of course, “7pm in Brooklyn” with Carmelo (63:52–64:48).
  • “Working on this book, a collection of essays on fatherhood...I feel like I know enough...and I got stories to fill a motherfucking ten holy texts.” — The Kid Mero (64:48)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Podcasting's Overload and Need for Distinction:
  “Now it’s like everybody and their mother got a podcast. And to stand out, you got to...do something really, really well put.”
  — The Kid Mero (10:21)

• On Mayor Eric Adams:
  “Eric Adams is...the one person that, if you don’t think you’re living in a simulation, look at Eric Adams.”
  — Rory (05:32)

• On Parenting and Access to Music:
  “You could try to stop them as a parent, but they're gonna find it.”
  — The Kid Mero (49:00)

• On Media Training and Authenticity:
  “All that late night is dying...that whole like, [attitude] is played out, you know what I mean? It’s inauthentic.”
  — The Kid Mero (54:48)

• When Comedians Go Viral by Accident:
  “People will approach me in the mall and be like, yo, nigga, you in my group chat crazy.”
  — The Kid Mero (19:35)

• On the Future of Sports Coverage:
  “Sports is going to end up being the same thing, dog.”
  — Rory Farrell (57:52)

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Noteworthy Segments & Timestamps

• Opening Bronx Banter & Eric Adams Roast: 02:24–07:40
• Podcasting’s Evolution (Then and Now): 10:21–13:41
• Viral Comedy & Social Memes: 19:35–20:05
• Smokey Robinson “Chinooka” Story: 21:03–23:33
• Graffiti/Early NYC Adventures: 26:33–32:09
• Industry & Media Analysis, Sports Commentary Future: 51:04–61:34
• Mero Plugs and Closing Thoughts: 63:52–64:48

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Tone & Style

The episode delivers its insights with raw, unfiltered New York energy—balancing comedy, nostalgia, and critical observation. Mero's animated storytelling and cultural commentary are matched by Rory and Mal’s easy rapport and quick-witted pushback, making for a fast-paced, highly engaging conversation for both loyal listeners and new fans alike.

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Perfect For:

• Fans of hip-hop culture, New York nostalgia, and the intersection of sports and media
• Aspiring podcasters or creators seeking industry insights
• Anyone reflecting on parenting and generational shifts in music and culture
• Media professionals interested in entertainment trends and authenticity in content

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Catch The Kid Mero:

• Socials: @THEKIDMERO
• YouTube: AccordingToTheKid
• Podcasts: “7pm in Brooklyn,” “Victory Light,” “According to the Kid”
• Upcoming: Book of essays on fatherhood.

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Transcript

[The Kid Mero]

This is an iHeart podcast.

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[Rory Farrell]

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[The Kid Mero]

To tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited Premium Wireless for $15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun if we made $15 bills, but it turns out that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial.

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[The Kid Mero]

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[The Kid Mero]

Cmn. Ah come on. Why is this taking so long? This thing is ancient.

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[The Kid Mero]

Whoa. This thing moves.

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[The Kid Mero]

The volume.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

It's crazy. You didn't hear that. Yo hit Tyler on the. On the Lloyd. Oh my God.

[The Kid Mero]

Oh no. I saw like I saw him at Prudential the other day and I was like damn, I've never seen this amount of white people saying the Word. Like. Like.

[Rory Farrell]

No. I went to the Kanye west late. I was a Late Registration tour. Which one has Gold Digger on it?

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Oh, is it late registration?

[Rory Farrell]

Late registration, I think, right?

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[Rory Farrell]

I went to that tour at the Garden, and Kanye said on stage, hey, white people, this is your one night you're allowed to say the N word. And when I say it was the loudest I'd heard anybody rap along to a song in my life.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

That's what we paid for.

[Rory Farrell]

Nobody screamed that hook louder.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

That's what they paid for. They wanted to say that.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

All right. We are back with a new episode. Today, we are joined by somebody that I feel. We was talking like we. We felt like we met each other. It's our first time actually meeting each other. We're actually. We went to the same high school. Not at the same time. I think he went a year after I did. But a Bronx native. Writer, comedian, podcaster, TV host, actor. The Kid Mero is with us today.

[Rory Farrell]

Community activists.

[The Kid Mero]

You know what I'm saying? Let's fucking go.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

My fellow Bronx. My fellow Bronx legend. How you feeling, man?

[The Kid Mero]

BX in the building, bro.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

You went to Clinton? I went to Clinton, yeah. I went in. When you in? 97.

[The Kid Mero]

I got in 97. I'm class of 01.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Class of 01.

[The Kid Mero]

I was trying to figure out if that made me dumb or not. I was just like, wait, it's four years. 97, 98, 99. I got cool.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

You from the Heights, though.

[The Kid Mero]

I was born in the Heights and then moved to the Bronx. All over, like, Throx Night. Kingsbridge, Tremont, and Castle Hill. 174.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Oh, if you lived on Tremont. Castle Hill. You a Bronx baby.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah. You know what I mean? You have to Sizzler on a Sunday.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

You from the Bronx for real?

[The Kid Mero]

Come on.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I'm Fordham. And Creston. Creston.

[The Kid Mero]

L. Come on. You got mongo pina in his lungs.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

You know the God.

[The Kid Mero]

You know the God.

[Rory Farrell]

This is why I said I'm taking a back seat on this episode. This is the Bronx cast. Y' all need to catch up, figure out. I'm sure y' all have cousins. Don't even know.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I'm more than sure we got cousins.

[Rory Farrell]

But you're Puerto Rican.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yes, I'm. I'm Puerto Rican, which is. But I. I never. I never met Mero, man. And it's funny because we literally from the same area. Never. Never met.

[The Kid Mero]

You know, it's one of those situations probably, like, where you in the same building as somebody, but you moving with your People I moving my people.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

That's exactly how it happened. I'm sure we was in the same lobby at some point.

[The Kid Mero]

100%.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Absolutely.

[The Kid Mero]

And I was fucking like, yo, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yo, yo, yeah. My name's Jimmy. This is my Uber end up in Crown Heights. Like, yo, what the fuck, Yo, Yeah, y' all got your own police.

[Rory Farrell]

I mean, what. Well, Eric Adams brought us all together today. You know, at least now finally he can unify after years of you guys not.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I feel like as podcasters, we can kind of gauge when we feel like we see somebody. Like, he's about to get a podcast. Eric Adams is next. He's next up in the queue of person that's about to have a podcast.

[The Kid Mero]

Him and Shaney Sharp is on the.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Phone right now trying to figure it.

[The Kid Mero]

Out, putting a plan together.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, that's how he gonna roll it out. Club Shay Shay. You already gonna do Club Shay Shay. And then he's gonna announce his own. Eric Adams is. To me, he's the one person that, if you don't think you're living in a simulation, look at Eric Adams 100%. Like, you can catch him glitch times. And it's like, yo, this is definitely. None of this is real, dog.

[The Kid Mero]

All this that he says sounds like it could be like a skit on a rap album from the 90s. Absolutely. Like the shit when you.

[Rory Farrell]

Mac and cheese seven, bro.

[The Kid Mero]

Bro, he should be. He should be doing the free Mac.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

He's gonna be on the COVID of the new Smack dvd. Like, he's gonna be good.

[The Kid Mero]

That's right. You know, we gonna go to a nice restaurant.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Smokes, yo, but it is so crazy seeing Eric Adams, like, anytime he. I'm like, bro, this is the mayor.

[The Kid Mero]

Bro. The mayor of New York City should not be smoking hookah with Nems.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Nems.

[The Kid Mero]

I love you. You know what I'm saying? Mayor Coney island, if you. The mayor, if you pop. This is what I said.

[Rory Farrell]

It was a political. Sit down. It was diplomatic immunity.

[The Kid Mero]

I know he was mad about bike lanes and like that. You know what I'm saying? But what the are you talking about?

[Rory Farrell]

Literally, they're about to get rid of Coney Island. I'm sure it wasn't brought up once.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Is this a real Eric Adams tweet? Deep down, I think I must be a little bit Dominican, because we all are in the summer, marching down 6th Avenue in the Dominican Day Parade. Just felt like coming home. Every time I meet Dominican New Yorkers, I'm inspired by the generosity and energized by that pat. Yeah, he's never been. He's never been on Sherman and Nagas generosity.

[The Kid Mero]

I was like, this is a 0.05. You said this was a 20.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

They'll show it. You quick on the haze up there.

[Rory Farrell]

At least he toned it down when he went to Far Rockaway. He got there and was like, y' all used to mad out here.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah, that was crazy. I had a shorty. I'm like, bro, you talk like a mayor.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

That's the mayor.

[The Kid Mero]

You're the mayor.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

He's the mayor, dog.

[The Kid Mero]

You're a politician. This is what I'm saying.

[Rory Farrell]

You don't feel seen. You don't feel it's relatable.

[The Kid Mero]

That's what I'm saying. Like, I think he's trying to do.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

That because, like, he's trying to be too relatable. New York. He's trying to, you know, show that he's really from here and, you know, he grew up here. But it's like, it's a way to do that, right? It's a way to do that organically, fam.

[The Kid Mero]

Where you not forcing it.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Be like, I shouldn't see the mayor doing pull ups on the don't walk side. When I open up my phone, it's like, bro, we don't need you don't gotta be that New York. I understand that's a New York thing, but you don't gotta be doing that.

[The Kid Mero]

You could be clapping while a dude does it.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, that's my cousin Rodney.

[The Kid Mero]

That's cool. You doing it yourself in a Brooks Brothers shirt, bro. Or the Van Heusen non wrinkle joint.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Rory Farrell]

Playing Juicy Just off your iPhone, no speaker, just in your pocket.

[The Kid Mero]

Playing Come on.

[Rory Farrell]

Like, just put a Yankee hat on, sit behind a home plate and call it a day. That's all the New York mayor needs to do at this point.

[The Kid Mero]

Everybody's doing brand deals now. Every guy here's a free idea. Do a brand deal with next chirp. You know what I'm saying? Bring that back.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I feel like he needs a next Hill chirp. Eric Adams is a chirp guy. 100. Do a real new York business over the chirp.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, yo, Yo, I need 20 T shirts. Yeah, bro. How long we been saying T shirts? Yeah, I gotta stop. I need 20 T shirts, bro. They don't know.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, they don't know what that means. They coming. They great to lock all of y' all up, man.

[Rory Farrell]

Listen, Busby definitely is plotting on a whole RICO for Eric Adams. Oh, I'm not saying it'll be true or not, because it's Busby some handsy. Of course, bro.

[The Kid Mero]

He was. He was. It's Fox News is going to run the headline, Touching titties in Turkey. They love alliteration. They're going to go with that. Yeah, he did something Turkey.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

He didn't get a headline. He was out there grabbing titties. Something fucked up. Going to Cuomo. Timing, bro. Like, just bugging.

[Rory Farrell]

Nah, but I think Fox News may adopt Eric Adams. I think that might be the move. He might go full Republican.

[The Kid Mero]

He might. Instead of doing a podcast, he might.

[Rory Farrell]

Do it with Tucker Carlson.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Lisa Evers is on Fox. Is that she?

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah, but like, not that Fox.

[The Kid Mero]

Remember she street soldiers on Hot 97. Like, yo, here's community news. I was like, yo, this is crazy. Black people are wiling.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I'm like, yo, what the.

[The Kid Mero]

What the. That's the story.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, yeah, but black people are w. Out. Yeah. Did she in the hood trying to get in the apartment? You can't come in here.

[Rory Farrell]

She was DMing everybody. Like, hey, can I get a comment on the shooting at Irving Plaza? I was like, no, I know everyone.

[The Kid Mero]

Involved after walking snitch on everybody, you know. Yeah, yeah, hi. No, I would not. Like, I actually.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yo, so Mero, we Now that we're all in this. We're all in this podcasting world, I guess, how much has it changed for the better and for the words, as far as you're concerned? Because you were. You. You've had television shows, you've had, you know, podcasts. Shout out to 7pm in Brooklyn, y' all doing y' all thing. Shout out to Melo and Cass as well. And Cass. Shout out to Cass as well. But how much has it changed for the. And for the worst from your perspective? Like, because you've been doing this for a while.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah, man. I mean, y' all too. You know what I mean? Like, this is like. This is like the. The NBA TV, like, 90s. Like, yo, who's the best rebound?

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

This is Isaiah. This is Isaiah sitting down, apologizing.

[Rory Farrell]

Like, yo, pretending not to hold resentments and try to be objective.

[The Kid Mero]

And, yo, this is the. In reality, like, you know, back then, it was like there wasn't such a saturation, you know what I'm saying? Like, now it's like everybody and their mother got a podcast. And to stand out, you got to do you gotta have like, a gimmick or you gotta have like. You know what I'm saying? Like, there's like a. Or it has to be something really, really well put. You gotta do TV now to have a successful podcast. So that's what I learned is just like from going from like legacy TV network shit, where everything is just like, yo, you know what I mean? Like, everything cross your T's, dot your I's, you know what I mean? Apply that to podcasting and you'll stand out. You know what I'm saying? Like, I watch our shit and it's like a TV show.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, I don't know, we met of a certain age. But you remember when Howard Stern had the show on E, he had the radio sh popping and then he had the TV show and it was just like, even as a kid, I was like, bro, like, this is. Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? This is brilliant, bro. So you double dipping. So like it.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I'm from the entertainment vibes with sex boogie, yo.

[The Kid Mero]

Hello.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yo, who's entertainment.

[The Kid Mero]

Shorty Got a G unit, yo size six model chicks. You know what I'm saying?

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Watching all that. But, you know, watching all of those shows growing up, it was always a sense of having your own camera mic, you know, interview, or going around the community, talking to random people. And now what we doing with podcasting, I guess it's an iteration of that in some sense. But it has to be on a grander scale now to kind of separate yourself.

[The Kid Mero]

Right?

[Rory Farrell]

I mean, I felt like TV even took the podcast model to some degree. A lot of sports tv, so it's just a podcast. Like, this is not a sports show. It just happens to be on tv. You're doing a sports podcast?

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, right.

[Rory Farrell]

Most of those shows.

[The Kid Mero]

And I said, shit. I told him all the time, I'm like, bro, this is a TV show. It just happens to be on YouTube. Like, bro, I got four kids, dog. Like, my kids, we used to come home and be like, yo, Channel five, Channel seven. Like, yo, Family matters is on whatever, boo boo boo morning, whatever. Now my kids come home and hit the YouTube button on the remote. The remote don't even got fucking numbers on it no more. So I'm like, yo, how are the executives sitting up there being like, yo, we're gonna figure out how to revamp TV. I'm like, Bro, you still talking about Channel 28?

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

When that shit hasn't been a thing for 10 years, you know what I'm saying? So, like, TV and the digital shit has kind of like bled into each other a little bit. To your point of TV is trying to be a little bit more Casual. And podcast is trying to be a little bit more polished, you know what I'm saying? And it's like, now we in a weird space where it's just, like, y' all can fuck around and hit up, like, yo, Netflix, I want to license this shit to y', all. You know what I mean? And then keep this shit going here. Like, what Pat McAfee's doing with ESPN, it's just like, yo, I got my shit. I built my shit. People know who I am. People know who y' all are. You got your audience, and then you just leverage that shit, you know, get a little brand deal that's organic.

[Rory Farrell]

We just.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

We just, like, let's just have it.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah, we already had.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

We needed some more light.

[Rory Farrell]

That used to be my nightlight, but I brought it to the studio.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

The nightlight in the room was crazy.

[Rory Farrell]

It boosts my morale. You know, I wake up, like, it's.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

A dimmer on there. If you don't want it too, like, too, you know, too aggressive. Like, dim it a little bit.

[Rory Farrell]

You see, when I bring a chick home and I throw on the little boost sign.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah.

[Rory Farrell]

You know what time they give you a boost?

[The Kid Mero]

Wake up in the morning, it's orange suits like citrus.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, morning.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Let's go.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Time to rise and shine.

[The Kid Mero]

Rise and grind.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Rise and grind, King. Exactly.

[The Kid Mero]

Boost.

[Rory Farrell]

We need a raise for that free ad we just gave you.

[The Kid Mero]

Come on. Come on. And I'm in it, too. So now we're free time. Come on. Now that thing got to be released. Absolutely.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

So now you have a podcast. As a New Yorker, how does it feel having a podcast with Melo, man? Because, I mean, as a. You know, as a true New Yorker, that has to be, like, kind of like a. What the fuck?

[Rory Farrell]

Like, with Brooklyn in the title, though.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah. Well, it was crazy because, like, that was. That was one of the things I was just like. But it was. But you know what? It's like, they, like, you know, when you want to build something, like, you know, that's. That's a. They would try, basically, waivers. It's like, yo, we're trying to build a brand that's not, like, stuck to, like, a person.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Okay.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, y' all are individual brands, like, together and on your own. But, like, they didn't want to do that with. In Melo's case, because makes it so that, like, you can't build that world out. You know what I'm saying? Like, if you bring somebody. At first season one, it was just me and him.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

So it's just like, it's. We started there, and then to build out the world, Cass comes in, Monica comes in, Rudy comes in. Now it's like a cast, you know what I mean? And it's. It's. I always say, like, it's like kind of like the bodega boys model. And, y' all know, man, like, the podcast world, bro, digital entertainment is mad parasocial, bro. And, like, you either lean into it and get paid, or you're like, nah. And, like, you try your best to do what you can do, but at the end of the day, people are interested in what y' all have to say. You know what I'm saying? Like, y' all are very prepared, you know what I mean? You gotta run a show. This is not a vibe fest.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Right?

[The Kid Mero]

You know what I mean? Which I feel like a lot of. To the other point of, like, how has it changed? I feel like a lot of just think, yo, we're gonna get some mics and some cameras, and we just gonna go up there and be like, yo, so what's up? Yeah, yeah, Rory, what'd you do on Saturday? Yeah, and it's like, bro, nah. Like, people want to hear, which I want to say about music, pop culture, and, you know, myself. So I'm like, all right, this is what we're gonna do. We got to sit a week ahead of time.

[Tech/Product Advertiser]

We.

[The Kid Mero]

We gonna talk about, yo, what do y' all wanna talk about? Yeah, I bet closer to the day of taping, we refine that document, you know what I'm saying? And then we go through it, like, you know, but, like, we go. We. There's a structure, but there's. It's also that looseness of, like, yo, we just hanging out.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

It's not too corporate.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah, if it go left, it go left. You know what I'm saying? Yo, bro, when Cat Willis was up there talking about, I beat all you niggas in basketball, I'll race you niggas, I was like, yo, this is crazy. I was like, bro, I'm 42 and I used to be an athlete. I was like, all my body parts are fucked up, and I'm from the Bronx. I got hit by car, stabbed, did it proper, properly take care of my.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Anything.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, ended up at Jacoby a lot.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

You know what I'm saying?

[The Kid Mero]

It was like, oh, and that was.

[Rory Farrell]

Just before your Quince era.

[The Kid Mero]

You feel me? That was like I was 13.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, yo, and you know Jacoby, bro, you could get shot.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

You go in that motherfucking ER waiting room. You go in there. Yo, here's some Motrin, bro. Peace. Peace be with you. I'm like, bro, this is crazy. I'm like, yo, I got hit by four brothers. The OJ shit, the old school joint. And then I went to my family doctor. He was just like, yo, here's some perks. I was like, okay, this is what I needed for Joe.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, this will do it. This will work.

[The Kid Mero]

This will work. Yeah, I can walk again. And then shits wear off. And I'm like, no, I can't.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah. Because when you get by a Bronco, like, it's hitting your whole body, not just one Honda. May hit, like, your hip or something.

[The Kid Mero]

Yo. And the doctor was like, yo, you look. It was the Bronco, because that shit hit you, and you just went like that.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Exactly.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, if it would have been a Civic, then you would have been either under that shit or over that shit.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Exactly, exactly.

[The Kid Mero]

So by the grace of God, we here. You know what I'm saying? And my ADHD made me forget what the fuck I was supposed to talk about.

[Rory Farrell]

I even feel like. Like adding people like you, because I'm not saying mellow. Obviously, mellow's good at his job in that regard, but not everyone with podcasting being oversaturated is running to be like, mellow will have the best opinions ever. So having somebody decades into this is because we saw. What's Megan Markle, what's her name?

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah.

[Rory Farrell]

Most famous chick ever for a year. Peach could get more views than her right now from his laptop and those headphones. Just because you're famous doesn't mean you're interesting. Well, you went to Spotify. Amy Schumer, biggest comic dud and entertaining and funny. I'm not saying. But Michelle Obama sort of famous. Like, we know if we're right, you would think that that would make sense on paper, that Michelle Obama's pocket flopped.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

And that's the thing. I'm like, yo, what do people really listen to podcasts for? Like, I know us. Like, our community is like, yo, I want to laugh, bro. You know what I'm saying? I'm over here slicing oven gold turkey with one AirPod in. Like, I ain't. I'm just counting down the minutes till I get the fuck out of here. I'm trying to laugh, bro. I'm trying to, yo. What? Trying to. What the fuck? What's your opinion on this Joey Badass shit? Like, I want to hear that, because that's what I'm talking about with My.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

People, I think it's a certain language that we're able to speak because certain people, you celebrity, famous, but you still don't speak the language of the people that are probably listening or living reality, for that matter.

[The Kid Mero]

That part, bro, that's another thing. It's like, bro, you be like, fam. Like, I'm so glad that I got kids and shit and I got bills to pay and shit like that. Cause that shit'll have you focused on, like, yo, this is. Is what I gotta do so you don't get distracted with like, the. Oh, yo, I'm gonna be cool and go over here and be cool with this motherfucker. Yo. Flick it up.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Cause it's like, bro, there's so much of that that it's just like, bro, what if this results in me getting paid? You know what I'm saying? Like, you know what I mean? Or adding value to what the fuck I'm already doing. You know what I mean? Like, it doesn't have to be dollars, but it, like, value, bro. Meaning, like, am I more visible now? Like, am I on a billboard somewhere where somebody's gonna be like, yo, I don't know this dude, but, like, I'm gonna check him out. You know what I mean? Like, the gifts, bro. Like, there's so many gifs of me. And that was on purpose. I would tell, like, production on every show I've ever been on. Like, yo, if y' all doing social shit and gifts, like, yo, I talk with my hands. I'm mad animated. I'd say a lot of wild shit. Just clip everything, bro. And, bro, people will approach me in the mall and be like, yo, nigga, you in my group chat. Crazy. Like, what you be doing?

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

And I'm like, what you be.

[The Kid Mero]

What you doing is crazy?

[Rory Farrell]

Nah, you just be meaning, like, it's all gigs. I just do memes.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah, I make gifts.

[Rory Farrell]

I just be in my cr.

[The Kid Mero]

Just. That's it. Just gifts.

[Rory Farrell]

Reactions.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah, reactions. I'm here helping group chat. I miss the group chat.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

That's me, you know what I'm saying?

[The Kid Mero]

That's it.

[Rory Farrell]

I do a custom1 for $100. Right now.

[The Kid Mero]

Right now. Like, it's like. It's like free cameo, you know? I'm not down bad that. You know what I'm saying? We're not down bad. We're not doing cameos yet, you know what I'm saying? But might start, you know what I'm saying? Hey, you never know, you know what I mean? Every dollar counts.

[Rory Farrell]

I'm Never. Like, we had a cameo for a little bit and it started to feel nasty. It was like, dog, I'd be in my DMs. And if somebody wants a happy birthday, I'll usually just do the video for free. This feels gross now if. If hits the fan and my two year old needs to eat, well, we do all day.com backslash. This is Roy.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yo.

[The Kid Mero]

Happy birthday to you, dear. And Cheryl.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

86 birthday. Hey, 86 don't mean you ain't gotta. You know what I'm saying? 86. You can still take the cameo.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Cameo. I understand because we did it like for maybe a week. And I was like, bro, this is crazy.

[Rory Farrell]

I was doing that already, like four people for free.

[The Kid Mero]

You know, this really just Smokey Robinson 1. The famous Smokey Robinson cameo where he. The two kids had Smokey. Smokey was mother's favorite artist and she grew up across the street from him.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Okay?

[The Kid Mero]

And I guess he didn't know that. So they had Smokey do a cameo. But shorty was Jewish and it was for Hanukkah. So he's like, I want to wish Ms. Sheila a happy Chinooka.

[Rory Farrell]

Is this right?

[The Kid Mero]

Yep, that's it right there.

[Rory Farrell]

Put the volume on it.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

How are you doing?

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah. Surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah. Smokey. Rob.

[The Kid Mero]

You didn't expect to hear from me, but I was contacted by your sons, Jeff and Jer, and they wanted me. They told me that you used to live in Detroit across the street from me. And. Gosh, that's. That's beautiful.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

How you doing again?

[The Kid Mero]

How you doing? Nice talking to you again, I guess. But anyway, you're living in Vancouver now, and they wanted me to wish you happy Chinooka. I have no idea what Chinooka is.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I don't even know what Chinooka is.

[The Kid Mero]

They said. So anyway, God bless you, babe. Babe. And enjoy Chinooka.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Enjoy.

[The Kid Mero]

Enjoy. Chanuka.

[Rory Farrell]

Wait. All right. Ask somebody that is a devout Irish Catholic that was in the no. No Child Left behind program. Can you pull up how Hanukkah is really spelled? Because I might have said the same thing.

[The Kid Mero]

No, no, no, no.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

It is ch, right?

[The Kid Mero]

It's bro. It's spelled like eight different ways.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah, like, okay, like I might have done the exact same thing, bruh.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, that should be me.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Wait, now I'm having know, how is Hanukkah? This is like the K in Chick Fil A, because I. Okay, now that's how I'm used to seeing it, right?

[Rory Farrell]

But I do feel under it. Is it spelled Chinooka or Hanukkah?

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah, look, a Jewish lady. I'm. I'm like, I'm clocking it. She's Jewish.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Now, look, I've seen the ch as well before. I've seen that spelling before. Yeah, but I've definitely seen the h A spelling as well. So now which one. Which one is correct? Because Smokey might not be wrong if.

[Rory Farrell]

If they sent it because, you know, like, with cameos, they'll put, like, certain things. Like, there's a list.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[Rory Farrell]

So if they spelled it that way. Yeah, I'm. I'm sounding it out like I was in space camp.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

This is one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Like, he can spell. He can pronounce. Like, he can read. Like, Smokey isn't wrong here.

[Rory Farrell]

Like, maybe he never wrote down his rhyme. Maybe he was on a Fantasia vibe. Like, ch.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Then Smokey isn't wrong. That's why he said, I don't even know what chinooka is. Now, if you would have put H there, he would have said Hanukkah. He knows what Hanu.

[Rory Farrell]

Jewish.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I'm more than positive Smokey Robinson has Jewish friends.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, he knows what.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

But if Smokey gets cha, he's going to say chinooka. So Smokey's not wrong. We got to get the legend Smokey Robinson a pass.

[Rory Farrell]

Chinooka sounds like a town in Long Island.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I've never seen that video before, dog.

[The Kid Mero]

It is w. The first time I seen that, I was like, all right. I was like, every time I'm depressed, we going here.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I don't even know what Chinooka is.

[The Kid Mero]

He said he's like, enjoy. Hey, whatever, nigga. Like, the energy and that shit was just like, hey, I gotta listen 13 of these. I'm on number 12. I'm about to be out of here.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I never saw that.

[The Kid Mero]

But, like, to your point, like, I'll rather if somebody's in this. Like, I just did this, like, walking here, some dude was just like, yo. And I'm just like, bro, what's your name? You know what I'm saying? He's just like, yo, my name is Quasar. I was like, wow, that's a wild name.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Quasar.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah, but I'm just like, yo. And I'm like, yo, bro, I'm doing mixtape drops with niggas with no mixtapes. Like, I'm just like, bro. Cause like, I'm like, at the end of the day, people come up to you and be like, yo, I don't want to bother this that the Third, I see you out. I'm like, fam, I'm off a 500 milligram edible, shopping for jeans and, Neiman, you're not bothering me at all. Like, this is actually great. I was like, this is great. Because now the salesperson is like, all right, they stopped following me around the store now.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Exactly.

[The Kid Mero]

You know what I'm saying? He wants me somebody.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, he cool. People know who. This guy.

[Rory Farrell]

But now I'm thinking, this is a great way to steal. Now I'll pretend like I've never met you. Oh, picture. And then behind, Mo can go around.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

And stuff his jeans. Jeans, man.

[Rory Farrell]

I got these fleece Dr. J's that way.

[The Kid Mero]

I live with two Casablanca sets.

[Rory Farrell]

We should do a whole Chuka series. Like, the three of us.

[The Kid Mero]

Let's do it.

[Rory Farrell]

The original Jews definitely celebrated Chinuka. For sure. We can do it on. We could do it on two. Fifth. With the Israelites.

[The Kid Mero]

With the black. The black Israelites, bro.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, the original.

[The Kid Mero]

The original. Hilarious, bro. Because Eric Adams put like, yo, I got the support of the Jewish community. And he. Yo, bro, he put. He's like, yo, I got all these rabbis on deck. Like, he put, like, a list of rabbis that with him. And one of them was, like, a black Israelite dude. And he just threw that in there. Like, I know one of them was a child molester. I'm like, yo, this just throwing Hail Marys, bro. Just trying to.

[Rory Farrell]

It's like cameo. He doesn't read it before. He just like, it.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Might be the new level.

[The Kid Mero]

Yo.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Chuka hookah flavor. We might need to open a Chuka.

[The Kid Mero]

Hookah Hookah blessed by Rabbi Black Israelite.

[Rory Farrell]

We getting in shape, Palestinian.

[The Kid Mero]

Come on, baby.

[Rory Farrell]

We make.

[The Kid Mero]

That's it. You remember the episode of Curve with the chicken? You making that happen? Oh, man, this is the Ideation station right here.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Absolutely.

[Rory Farrell]

By the way, everything we say is copywritten because it's been recorded. You told the story a very long time ago, but there's always new fans. And I do want you to tell Merrill the time you almost got jumped by 75 bloods in the Bronx.

[The Kid Mero]

Oh, the same exact shit happened to me. But it was, like, graffiti related, right? So it was just like Bronx versus Brooklyn on the graffiti shit.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Like.

[The Kid Mero]

And I'm with my man Taze, who's like, the UN of graffiti. That nigga knows everybody. So we walking.

[Rory Farrell]

We get off.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I feel like I've seen that tag.

[The Kid Mero]

Before, because that shit is everywhere. Yeah, so he. Yeah, he's like, yo, he's one of these niggas like, yo, what's up, Wiz? You know that?

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, yeah, Ye. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

What's good? Yo, Shorty over there. Yeah, yo, what's good, baby? You know what I'm saying? Like, yo, super smooth, like, Mitch type of dude, bro, we walking down. This is back in the O.J. days when you. I mean, you call people's choice, whatever your mama do. Yeah, Come through in the excursion, bro. We stopping at. We stopping at post and then we go. Now we going down to Ludlow. Whatever. We go turn the tables upside down, the pianos, whatever. Yeah, bro, we get in the. We get in the car. We smoking on the way there. Boom. We get out the car. My man Nace, he's like seven. The. The idiot dude in the crew that just does. Just to do it.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

He jumps out the car. There's two dudes holding hands walking down the street for no reason. Not homophobia, nothing. Just. It could have been a dude and it could have been an elephant walking down the street. Just jumped out of the car. Just said in their face, bro. Like, right here. I was like, like, this is how we saw the night, bro. Like, I think there was a blunt dust be pass around an excursion, bro. Like, some was going down. So now we walking towards, like, 14, like, Union Square, whatever coffee shop over there. Cuz I knew sure there that was bartender.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Legendary spot.

[The Kid Mero]

Legendary spot. So I'm going over there. I'm like, yo, I'm going to get us all free drinks. I got us. We start walking and there's another group of. With the Steve Tex and the whole. In the grills and the. I was like, Brooklyn. I was like, oh, man, I feel like Brooklyn. Yeah. I was like, these are Brooklyn. I was like, they're graffiti because they got the North F. But they not Bronx niggas. Yeah, bruh. And I recognize him. I was like, oh, that's this one. That's that one. That's that one. And one of them dudes, I ain't gonna say his name. He used to come to the Bronx just to write the Bronx, like, and go over people and be like, the Bronx. I pussy this. That.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

It's crazy how that's. That's a. That was a real. That's a real level of disrespect like that. Like, war started behind.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah, like your whole borough.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

So I was just like, oh, man. Like, I was like, I'm counting in my head. I'm like. It was like eight of us. It's like 14 of them. I'm like, oh, man. I'm gonna start throwing garbage cans. I'm already thinking like, yo, I'm gonna start like Streets of Rings. You gotta go crazy. Yeah. I'm gonna throw a bar. When you throw the knife, I'mma catch and throw it back. I'm.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I'm bus this.

[The Kid Mero]

And the pipe don't come out. I'm hit with that.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Is not going to go like that. Like everything in your mind, you think I was going to.

[Rory Farrell]

Not everything is west side Story.

[The Kid Mero]

I'm out there with my jacket over my head in a puddle.

[Rory Farrell]

And by the way, I've thrown a trash in for. It does not do the damage you think it's does. No damage.

[The Kid Mero]

That works in the movies, Ninja Turtles games.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

That means nothing.

[The Kid Mero]

Genesis, lifetime, generation. You can't just throw projectiles.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

All that double dragon. That's. Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

And also, eating the apple that you find on the street is not going to regenerate your health. Never.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

It actually might give you hepatitis.

[The Kid Mero]

On a platter. That ain't gonna work. So we walking and. And Tay's, of course, you know, smooth, man. He's just like, yo, Les, what up my.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

And I was just like, oh, thank God. The other dude was like, yo, taste.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Boom. Then same. Yo, yo. It's like the end of a literally game. Yo, yo, yo, yo, man. Yo, we're. Yo, yo, we btc. We decay.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

It was treacherous back then. Like, I drive over there now and I'm. I just shake my head. I'm like, yo, if y' all only knew what this looked like maybe 25 years ago.

[The Kid Mero]

I'm like, fam. It was. And it was. Talk about. People talk about New York is a melting pot. Back then, down there was really a melting pot, bro, because I end up in spots like Manitoba. That's like a straight hardcore metalhead club. And I'm in there with gold bottoms and straight backs and a red steep tech, like, tagging up the walls and shit. But it was because it was graffiti dudes in there. So it was just like, bro, you walk down Ludlo, it was pianos. It was like Donnie Brook and Community 54, all these different spots. And, bro, there was, like, real, like, going on. Like, it was like a real energy going on at that time down there. And I feel like now it's just like, all right, bro.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Like, the energy is totally.

[The Kid Mero]

We got a crumble cookie here now.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Exactly like you said. You said a coffee shop. When that. When I heard that they was getting rid of the coffee shop.

[Rory Farrell]

Oh, listen to me.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

That was like the most depressing New York.

[The Kid Mero]

We're losing recipes.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah. Like the coffee shop.

[The Kid Mero]

How do you keep it?

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

That's legendary spots. But it's, it's interesting.

[Rory Farrell]

You say five point. You talk about graffiti. When they just gave five points away.

[The Kid Mero]

They were like that also. We're gonna bust some and make you drive past this white building.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

You tagged.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah, bro. It's like a rite of passage, bro. Like, not nothing crazy. Like, I didn't go up there and do like some crazy vertical piece. I would have to dig my little tags and whatever.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Because you know, it's like, it's like a ranking file. You know what I mean? Like, if you. Like a young dude. Because 8th grade. 13. Like, that's when I was going over there. Like 12 years old. 13. And like everybody else is like 20 years old. Smoke angel dust and shit. Like, I'm like, damn. Used to paint trains. Like, I was like, yo, I'm gonna do my little thing here in the corner. Like, I ain't gonna go over nobody.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

But yeah. Nah, that shit, man. Like this. All these sponsors disappearing.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah. And even that. What was the movie they did with like a whole bunch of a list actors and they, they shot it at five points. They. The city got their money. It was like a fucking $100 million contract. So they could shoot a scene there. And then they were like, all right, we'll just make. We'll Windows now.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah.

[Rory Farrell]

One of the most iconic graffiti places on Earth.

[The Kid Mero]

Earth, period.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

It's crazy because I feel like things like that.

[Rory Farrell]

There you go.

[The Kid Mero]

People from Minnesota need homes.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

From Minnesota, they need homes.

[The Kid Mero]

Okay.

[Rory Farrell]

This city doesn't need culture.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, no, we don't need that.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah. Let's. Let's build overpriced condos with no closet space.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

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[The Kid Mero]

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[The Kid Mero]

Whoa, this thing moves.

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[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

So now, Meryl, we had the. The whole Joey Badass vs the West coast moment. As New Yorkers, you know, me and Rory sat here, and I'm not gonna lie, I was surprised at the way Joey handled himself. We know Joey could rap, but the performance that he put on in that moment surprised me. But at the same time, it's like I was happy because it was kind of like, okay, here's a kid from Brooklyn who understands what hip hop is and understands the moment and is representing a certain part of the culture that, you know, to some people, feel like it's kind of dying. Like that. That era of battling and keeping it just battle. Yeah, not turning physical, not turning. Like this is a battle. This is hip hop. How did you feel in that moment seeing Joey Badass being a hip hop baby put on a performance like that in this era?

[The Kid Mero]

Bro, it took me back to, like, you saying, bro, motherfuckers would battle. It's just like, yo, G unit got beef with D block, D block got beef with Rockefeller, whatever. All right, ho. Freeway fucking the Young. Everybody that's on Rockefeller's going up to flex. We all gonna freestyle, and we gonna take shots at you on the radio, prime time. Like, bro, we sitting around the radio like, this is tv. Like, this is like, in the car.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

We in the car, bro.

[The Kid Mero]

We smoking, smoking, drinking like, yo, oh, knock you off your high, ho. It's tanto. I was like, bro, oh, oh, bro, the styles peeved, yo, you better not wear my shoes, size 8. I was like, damn, this thing can wear a size 8. It's a small ass foot. But all that shit was just like, it was like appointment viewing, but for music.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

You know what I'm saying? And I feel like that that's something that's really getting lost in the culture. It's like, yo, like, damn. But these crews getting together and going up to these shows, going up to Clue, going up to Flex, going up to. You know what I'm saying? And like you said, battling bro, who's the nicest? You know what I'm saying? You know what I mean? My kids. My son's 14, my oldest is 14. And like, what is he listening to, bro? He's listening to like, John Caromatic is curating his shit. You know what I'm saying? It's just like the newest. Like, Carti's not new, but like, you know, Playboy Carti, like that type of shit. It's just like, Ian, I was waiting.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

For you to say that. Cause that's the one name.

[The Kid Mero]

The Rolling Loud.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Like, yeah, Playboi Carti is the one name that I always hear from 14, 15 year olds. And I'm just like, I recognize Playboi Carti's talent, but the music from wherever we from, I can't get into that music. I can't.

[The Kid Mero]

I had to do it by Osmosis.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Okay?

[The Kid Mero]

So I'm in the car with the kids and shit, and I'm like, I'm listening to the. The first two albums. Dial it to me. When I first heard it, I was like, all right, bro, what's going on here? And then I was like, as I'm sitting in the car with my son, I'm like, okay. Like, I understand what this is for. You know what I'm saying? Like. You know what I mean? Like, if I want to laugh, I'm not gonna go watch Grey's Anatomy. You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm gonna watch a Martin stand up or some like that. So I'm like, I get what this is for. This is just like, yo, I'm fucking lit. Cause like, bro, I'll eat like, you know, I mean, like, like two. I don't know what the these shits are called. And I don't know how much milligrams it is, but they shrooms. And they come in like a little waffle cone. It's like a little chocolate shroom.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

You don't know what the you eating.

[Rory Farrell]

Boom, boom.

[The Kid Mero]

I'm being like, two of them shits. And then I'm just like, I understand.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Opens the portal.

[The Kid Mero]

It opened the portal. Now I understand I'm doing backflips into the pool. Like what? You know what I'm saying?

[Rory Farrell]

Like, yeah, now. Now Card is the greatest lyricist of all time.

[The Kid Mero]

Of all time. I get it. You know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, like, yeah, the pew pew.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

All that shit makes perfect sense.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

And it's just like. It's like, to me, you know, like that. Like, I don't know who said it. Somebody's definitely said this before, but the. The rapper on the track is. Is just like another instrument on the track. So it's like, we are hip hop babies, so we expect a certain standard of, like, lyricism and, like, what are you saying? Yeah, I feel like the new generation is just like, how does this sound? Like, sonically, like, what? It's just like, it's more about the music. That's all they care about.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

We cared about lyrics. The music madded. No, of course we were more like, yo, what is he saying?

[The Kid Mero]

Right?

[Rory Farrell]

But even. Even when it got, like, melodic and less lyrical, I still understood it because the melodies were cool. Now does Cardi even have him? Like, he's like.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

It's like ad libs.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Freshness, emotions.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, I don't know who. Like.

[Rory Farrell]

And to me, the producer of that record should be like, primary artist.

[The Kid Mero]

That's it to me.

[Rory Farrell]

Like, if Cardi was producing all that himself, I'd be like, yo, I get it. Hey, you guys, I listened to the last album just because we have a podcast. I wouldn't have done it. If we did it.

[The Kid Mero]

If we did it.

[Rory Farrell]

And the whole time I was like, yo, Zardi's beats is hard as. But this is awful. I don't know why is the producer not the artist on this.

[The Kid Mero]

And the crazy is. It's like, he. I don't know if he just keeps changing up his flow or what he's doing, but he's maintaining that relevance in that age group.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Oh, no, he's a super.

[The Kid Mero]

He got him in, like, a full Nelson, bro. Like, And I'm like, what else do I listen to? So my kids listen to all different. Like, my daughter is 8 years old and listens to nothing but King Von Bro and, like, Chicago. Like, I don't know. Like, I. Bro, I do not understand.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Everything I had in the house.

[The Kid Mero]

I don't understand it.

[Rory Farrell]

Yo, you got to stop eating shrooms at home. Maybe be a better parent.

[The Kid Mero]

I don't know.

[Rory Farrell]

Feel, yo.

[The Kid Mero]

I'm like, I'm the one parent. You know, Parents don't give a. I set up the time limits. All that.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Has to be off at.

[The Kid Mero]

8Pm 8pm you not sliding nowhere. Okay?

[Rory Farrell]

All your better be dead by seven.

[The Kid Mero]

End of the day, all your better be okay. You know what I'm saying? And because you got gymnastics at 6pm.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, you got to get up early.

[The Kid Mero]

You got chilling practice tomorrow.

[Rory Farrell]

Tomorrow 63 better be toast by then.

[The Kid Mero]

Crazy. And it's so wild. Cause I'm just like, where did this come from? And it's bruh.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yo. But it's not crazy though. Like, knowing the life that you had, how you grew up in the city, and now you have to be like a real dad, bro. It's like, yo, who gave me kids?

[Rory Farrell]

Like, yo.

[The Kid Mero]

And it's bugged out because I'm like. I try to tell him. I'm like, bro, we in Jersey now. It's a different environment. Yeah.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

You try to create that. Yeah. Like, you don't have to go through what I went through in the city. Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

And like, I talk to people all the time.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

And King Von is still blasted in the house.

[The Kid Mero]

Still blasted in the crib, bro. Through the Bluetooth throughout the the house. I'm like, how did you figure this out? How did you figure out? I was like, I couldn't figure this out. When I went to go see the crib before I bought it. Yeah, it had the speakers through the house. I was like, how did you figure out how to use this before? Like, what the is going on here?

[Rory Farrell]

And why the speaker test with Vaughn? Like, the first time. First time you get a new car or a new sound bar, whatever you try to like, what's the first record I'm ever gonna play?

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I'm like, what.

[The Kid Mero]

What the. Whoa. Oh, where's that coming from?

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Vaughn and surround sound is crazy.

[Rory Farrell]

That's when your boost moment nightlight come on. Like.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah, she come out. She got locks on. What the. What's going on?

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yo, that is hilarious.

[Rory Farrell]

Crazy.

[The Kid Mero]

But they all got very different music tastes. Like my oldest is like Cardi and he's like a little bit of indie rock. Like the Yachty Tyler. He loves Tyler. Tyler. We went to go see Tyler and Yachty opened and like my. So 14, 12, 10, and 8. 8 year old is on King Vaughn. She's my only daughter. She's on King Vaughn all day and X and xxx.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah, I was wrong about him though, because I. I was scared of that whole. And I was being too much of an old head. When. When he passed, I started listening to his music. I was like, oh, Oh, I get this guy's fire.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah.

[Rory Farrell]

And I died. Prejudged and I shouldn't have, bro.

[The Kid Mero]

I did the same, bro. Cuz it was, it was. That was. The top three was Juice, wrld, King Von and. And who the. Did I just say? Xx and I was just like, bro, you're an eight year old girl. Like, what the. And it was the 10 year old started listening to Juice World.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

I'm like, is Juice World, y' all Tupac? Cause I remember when like they asked Bronnie, like, yo, you chose the number nine. Why'd you choose the number nine for your jersey? In my mind I'm like, yo, my dad's a six, so I'm gonna be nine. Or nah. Juice World.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah, you was staying way too.

[Rory Farrell]

You thought it was a Drake lyric or something. Nah, nah, nah. Yo, but Juice World was, was super, super talented.

[The Kid Mero]

That's what I'm saying.

[Rory Farrell]

First of all, was that the ghost of Vaughn. Cut that out.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

V came to slide.

[Rory Farrell]

No, we weren't saying anything bad. I actually totally understand why people like Vaughn. I like Vaughn when he was alive, it was just a little too authentic for me. Cuz I knew he was telling him truth. Like that's what was the scariest part about Vaughn. I was like, nah, he. He telling the truth. I shouldn't be enjoying like actual crimes like this.

[The Kid Mero]

Right? And like again, to like the, to the, to the 90s hip hop babies, it was like all that was like crime.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Nas Escobar, like Joe Crack. You know what I mean? All this, these motherfuckers just say this in like plain English. Like they used to at least like to kind of like disguise it a little bit. Like with like rhymes and like schemes and shit. Now it's just like, yo, I took a perk to 30. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Perk 30 is it?

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah. And the song's called Perk 30.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

You know what I'm saying? And when you go to find on Spotify, there's 18 perk 30.

[Rory Farrell]

And then you sitting there on perk 30. Like, I get it, I get it.

[The Kid Mero]

I'm listen to all these joints, cuz I can't move my limbs.

[Rory Farrell]

My perk 30 playlist.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I can't move my lips.

[Rory Farrell]

I can't reach the phone to get to Spotify. But I will say that is an insane three for a eight year old mind to have.

[The Kid Mero]

And I'm like, yo, you're gonna be dangerous in the future.

[Rory Farrell]

A depressed demon, you know what I'm saying?

[The Kid Mero]

You got three older brothers.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

But I think the way that we were raised, I think that it helps Though, Like, I don't have children yet, but I think that it helps because when I was. When we were growing up, I had to sneak to listen to Snoop Dogg. My mom wouldn't let me listen to Doggy Style. Like, it just was not something my mom was let. And it's funny now because my mom is the hugest Snoop Dog. Oh, I love sneak. You have to sneak and listen to that shit like you used to. You would almost beat me. Whoop my mother. If you open the door and I'm listening to Doggy Style now, you're like, yo, I love Snoop. I'm like, bro, there's a difference between.

[Rory Farrell]

Martha Stewart, Snoop and Welcome to the Jack Off Hour.

[The Kid Mero]

No, no, no.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

But, no, my mom love my mom. She loved the music, though. She just, you know, growing up at that time, she just didn't want me to find and hear that because, you know, people say the music doesn't influence.

[The Kid Mero]

It does.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I didn't know what a 40 ounce was before Dre and Snoop. You know what I'm saying? But you would have.

[Rory Farrell]

Like, they weren't gonna really. You would eventually find out when you went to.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yes, but my mom didn't want me to find out when I was 13.

[The Kid Mero]

Right, right.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

You know what I'm saying?

[Rory Farrell]

Of 40 ounces at 13. No, that wasn't drinking 40 ounces at 13.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I'm also 10 years older than you. So now in 2001.

[Rory Farrell]

Okay.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

You know what I'm saying? Yes. Like, you would be. You know what I'm saying?

[Rory Farrell]

Like, it's 2003. I appreciate you.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

2003. Yeah. Yes.

[Rory Farrell]

40 ounces. Not that popular back then.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

It wasn't a New York thing.

[The Kid Mero]

Nah, not back then. It was like. That was a very west coast thing.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, Minister Society was like, what is up? Why that beer so big?

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Forties was crackhead beer.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah. Listen.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah, it was like, balance.

[Rory Farrell]

When I was like.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah, yeah, bro, this thing is.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah, that. Then that's the.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

That was alcoholic shit, Snoop, for sure.

[Rory Farrell]

No, we were drinking high gravity still reserved shit in 03 04, and it was not crackhead shit whatsoever. It was just. It was cheap, right?

[The Kid Mero]

And my brother's younger than me, and they was doing that in college. He was like, they were doing them, like, having contests and shit. Like, yo, who could guzzle? I'm like, bro, that's crazy.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

I was like. I thought I was bugging because we was taking the 22 of Heineken and then putting cough syrup in the shit and then drinking that. I Was like, no, this is crazy. Y' all doing even craziest shit up there.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

And the crazy shit is like, I was saying, like, being a dad now, coming from our generation, you know, you listen to Von's lyrics worse than what Snoop was saying.

[The Kid Mero]

Oh, yeah.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Like, it's not even close.

[Rory Farrell]

I'm not even remotely close.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

You know what I'm saying? So now when you. But now as a dad, you understand it. Cause you're like, this is their era. This is the artist they like. You know what I'm saying? I couldn't listen to Snoop, but I probably will let my daughter listen to Vaughn. Cause I understand, like, it's the energy. It's the. I don't want her to go out and do what she's. But it's like, I can't take that away from her. Because that's just this generation.

[The Kid Mero]

That's it. That's. That's what they like. You know what I'm saying? It is what it is. You could either you could try to stop them as a parent, you could try to stop them from doing the thing.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

They're gonna find it.

[The Kid Mero]

They're gonna find it.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

You know what I'm saying?

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

It's more accessible than ever now, bro.

[The Kid Mero]

With the Internet. Forget it, bro. When we was growing up and it was like very limited. Like, if you gotta download some shit, you really had to want that shit, bro. And then half the time, it would trick you and be like, oh, shit, oh, shit. The ambitious as a rider remix with dmx, Jay Z, Nas, Snoop Dogg. I'm like, this can't be real.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

And then you download it and it's a fucking porno.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

You know what I'm saying?

[Rory Farrell]

It's a fake Bill Clinton right off Napster. You download the wrong one and it would be someone doing a Bill Clinton impression.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

But crazy.

[Rory Farrell]

I'm with you on that Style of parents again. It's only been two and a half years, but I'm already thinking of, like, when she gets older. Of course I'll be a fucking paranoid. Not helicopter parent or whatever words they use now. But kids are going to find this shit. Whether like.

[The Kid Mero]

Like I keep.

[Rory Farrell]

Because they're just going to do behind.

[The Kid Mero]

Your back, like, that's the worst thing ever.

[Rory Farrell]

They're gonna find it no matter what.

[The Kid Mero]

They're gonna find no matter what. And it's just like the happy. You gotta find, like the happy medium as a parent of like, yo, all right, bro. Like, don't be big, bro.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

I started smoking weed at 13 I ain't stopped, right? You know what I'm saying? So I'm like, I'd be a hypocrite if I was just like, yo, bro, like, nah, y' all can't do this. Y' all can't do that. My shit is like more like alcohol, you know what I mean? Cause I'm like, yo, bro, like, when y' all we in Jersey, y' all are gonna eventually be driving around, you know what I mean? Like, so easy with the drinking, you know what I'm saying? Like. Cause we ain't gonna make you do nothing but sit somewhere and play Call.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Of Duty, you know what I'm saying?

[Rory Farrell]

Way crazier and dumber shit on alcohol than they are any type of weed, you feel me?

[The Kid Mero]

Like, and I know, cause like, I'm like the smoker. My wife is a drinker. So, like, I be having.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I'm driving home watching Carmelo Anthony. Obviously over the years, I will say I've always felt like Melo was well spoken artist, you know, one of the smarter athletes and, you know, did a lot of dope shit away from his sport. But to see what y' all are doing now, I am. It is dope to see Melo in that space having those conversations with athletes of today, the younger generation, guys that look up to him.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

How has it been working that close to him? And what are you most surprised about in working this close to Melo?

[The Kid Mero]

Yo, honestly, with the speed with which he played, picked up like the media game, you know what I'm saying? Because it's like a lot of, bro.

[Rory Farrell]

That like, outside looking in, it was.

[The Kid Mero]

Crazy, you know what I mean? So it's like, y' all know how to do this. Like, y' all are professionals. Like, I've been doing this. I'm a professional. Melo's been dropping 50 for the last. You know what I mean? However many years.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Different space for him.

[The Kid Mero]

It's a whole different, like, space. It's like telling me, tomorrow, like, yo, fam, we're gonna teach you to be a heart surgeon tomorrow.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

And I'm like, all right, bro. But like, it. If you got something. If I. If I got the number one heart surgeon in the world next to me, you know what I'm saying? I'm not saying I'm that, right? No, but somebody that's experienced and it's like, yo, we gonna do this, we gonna do that. And also just like instilling like the. The, like the atmosphere of the show, you know what I'm saying? Like Bringing that culture of like, yo, when you come over here, bro, this shit is. We vibing, bro. Like, this is his studio. Like, you know what I'm saying? This is his shit. Like, you know what I mean? Like, shit ain't rented. Like, you can do what the fuck you want in here, bro. If you a smoker, come in here, have your little L before the interview, whatever. We chop it up like this, like, before we even got cameras rolling. By the time we get into the interview, we already been chopping it up for at least half an hour, you know what I mean? So that's something I learned, like, along the way. Like, at mtv. I call that shit like fucking TV community college. Cause it was like, it taught me how to do camera stuff.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, yo, if you got something really impact, like, yo, straight to the single, you know what I mean? Or like, open up to camera, this type of shit. The advice was like, yo, how do you produce a show that people actually give a fuck about and wanna watch? And how do you do that every day, which is one of five days.

[Rory Farrell]

Difficult things on earth, you know what I'm saying?

[The Kid Mero]

Like, and to. To hold people, like, to. That retention is so important, bro, because it's like, yo, views. Yeah, no doubt. Click through your for 10 seconds and on to the next retention. If I got you. If I have a half an hour show and I got you to lock in for half an hour, I got people tweeting like, yo, I'm coming to the crib to watch this. I got five episodes of this on the DVR or whatever. You know what I mean? Like, it's. You know, but to the mellow thing, it's like seeing him get into that space so comfortably so quickly. Yeah, I was just like, bro, this is. Yo, you built for this champ. Like, you know what I mean? And now he's doing the NBC thing where it's just like, bro. And I told him, I was like, nah, this is a different game. This is like a. This is. This.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Polished, you know what I'm saying? Like, you might have to. Yeah, this is a little more corporate. Like, you know what I mean? Like, you. You know the language that we use on here, you might not use over there, but it's just really. Just like a. It's like a dial, bro. Like, I'm mero all the time, bro. But I know when I'm on Disney Chann, I gotta be a little bit more turned down. When I'm on Royal Malbro, I say what the fuck I want, you know? What I'm saying, like, it's just different. And that's how you learn how to be a professional. And he learned that shit very fast.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah. Yep. This Andre 3000 bar always sticks in my head. Off Blonde. When he said Dan, was I working too hard? I love our long form content, but I do. I'm jealous sometimes of TV people and the corporate gigs that they have where you need to speak for one minute and then go to commercial break, bruh. And you getting paid the same. And I'm sitting here for fucking six hours.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

And you know what's crazy?

[Rory Farrell]

It's not a complaint. Just like, damn, all right. That's such an easy. You're giving me a script. I just have to sit here like this, do that and move the fuck on.

[The Kid Mero]

And I don't even gotta sound natural. I gotta do the. Tonight we're gonna be talking about Rory and his two and a half year old child. And now she listens to King Von in the crib next.

[Rory Farrell]

Goodbye, Ms. Rachel. Hello, King Von.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, it's. And it's crazy, bro, because I'm like, I work so hard at like taking that. What's in that prompter and making it sound like we talking like this.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

You know what I mean? And I'm like, yo, that's where entertainment is headed, bro. As you can see, like Colbert's out of here. Like all that late night is dying.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Like people fam. Like that whole, like it's. It's like played out, you know what I mean?

[Rory Farrell]

It's inauthentic. And that's why it's.

[The Kid Mero]

And that's why it's like falling flat.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

That's why I think that, you know, with guys like Lamelo, you know, getting hired by NBC and going, you know that. I think that's where it's headed. I do feel like we are close to having. Hearing. Watching the game and hearing sideline reporters curse. I think they want to get close to as close to real personalities, real emotions, reactions. I love seeing what Jamal Crawford is doing in the space now.

[The Kid Mero]

That's my dog, man.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Melo Taylor Rooks. Like all of these young. Just the young energy, this new vibrant energy that they are putting on television because like, yo, these are the people that we know. They speak the way we speak, they speak our language, they understand the things that we do. And it's good to have a player like Melo or Jamal Crawford talk about the game because one, they played at that level. But these guys that are playing looked at them like, yo, Melo, Is. He's him, he's. He's God, you know, I mean, so it's good to have that, that, that real, you know, just look over on the sidelines and see somebody like Carmelo. Now NBC having Michael Jordan and you know, people like that, the most insane thing.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I don't know what they plan on doing. I don't think I. My guess is I don't know. Well, NBC has a lot of money. I don't know if they can afford Michael Jordan for full time, a full season.

[The Kid Mero]

Absolutely not.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I do think it'll be playoffs, finals. I see him doing something in the finals where, you know, whatever team's in the finals, they sitting at somebody like, let's say like Giannis, he's in the finals. He would sit down and talk to Jordan before Game 2 and say, yo, you know, what do I have to do when I go in there and Mike is like, yo, go in to be yourself, be who you are, that type of thing. I don't think we're going to see Michael Jordan sitting up there like just.

[The Kid Mero]

Chucking Ernie and them. No, no, no, he not doing it.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

I don't think they can. NBC got a lot of money but.

[Rory Farrell]

Well, not enough because Bill Cosby was going to buy it.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

But that's what get there.

[Rory Farrell]

If you get there. Yeah.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Come on.

[Rory Farrell]

Like that's how they count the money. It was affordable.

[The Kid Mero]

He was buying love. They got mellow and Mike nowadays.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah. But it's gonna be dope to see that though.

[Rory Farrell]

I would love like yellow eyed crash out Jordan to just be a part of that.

[The Kid Mero]

I would love that. But NBC is like, we can't have that. Yeah. Like because. But to your point, like if it was a digital show, bro, that would be like the most.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Craziest bro. Fuck MrBeast and whoever and like the top three people after him that would catapult out of this world, bro.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[Rory Farrell]

Well, let me ask you all this because how close do you think we are to a world where what Peyton and Eli do with the games is going to be the norm? Where they are podcasting the whole game.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Shout out to Paul Pierce and kg? They do that. Yeah.

[Rory Farrell]

Like how close do you think for like regular on TNT when you just turn on the game, it's going to be the norm for that. I don't think we're that far away from. In 10 years. I could see it being completely like that 100%. Cuz these younger consumers, we grew up with regular announcers.

[The Kid Mero]

This.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah. Like these younger kids listen to content the way we do content. Sports is going to end up being the same thing, Doug.

[The Kid Mero]

I like, it's sports, music, everything. Like, with the sports thing, I think it's a little bit more complicated because of all the rights and like that. Like, yo, we got the rights to air this game. We got the rights to air that game. Which is crazy to me because they used to be like, I'm 42 years old.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

When I would fucking turn the TV on on a Sunday, every game is there. And if I wanted to fucking go to my man's crib or, like, use my man's college email to get Dish Network, whatever, and get Red Zone and all that other shit, I could do it. It's all in one spot now. It's like, this game's on Amazon. This game's on this channel. This game's on this channel. Netflix. I'm like, bro, what the fuck are we doing? We back to cable.

[Rory Farrell]

And I mean, but everything, again, in business recycles itself. I can see because of the TV rights personalities, podcasting during games being important. There'll be a higher tv. Like, if Peyton Manning and Eli are coming with a huge fan base that podcast during a game the whole time. And then let's just. For example, they sign just to Fox. Fox now has leverage with TV rights with the owners. Like, I think it's going to go back to how podcasting was or even when streaming started, when we just had chance on talking about Chance exclusive first album deal. You can only listen to it here. You're coming with an audience. I think that's where it's gonna go.

[The Kid Mero]

That's where it is, bro. Like, it's. It's. It's there already. Yeah, just. It's just like, I feel like the legacy TV guys are trying to figure it out, and they. And they're having a hard time because they all 75 and taking ginseng. You know what I mean?

[Rory Farrell]

To try to remember, I could see a world where you and mellow language sitting there. You guys are the commentator. I don't necessarily need somebody to tell me who's passing to who all the time. Sometimes I need real banter while I'm watching, right?

[The Kid Mero]

Like, yo, this dude's about to do this. Like, I did. So shout out to my guy Sam at Playback. So Playback is this. Is this new thing. It's like Twitch, but for sports.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Okay?

[The Kid Mero]

And when I was at NBA All Star, he was like, yo, we just got the license for NBA. And we. We've had. We got the License for NBA. We just got the license for mlb. So I did like, a little, like, run. Like a little run of games with Dylan Batancis from the Yankees. And it was that. It was like, yo, I'm in the window. He's in the window. Like, it was Boston Reds, it was Red Sox. Yankees brought Katie Nolan in. She's from Boston. We all talking shit about each other's teams. He played the game, so he's talking, like, insight. Like, yo, in this. Yo, this count right here, Aaron Judge is gonna be looking for a fastball middle. If he gets it, he's gonna hit a home run. Watch. And then he hits a home run, and everybody goes crazy. Oh, shit. And Katie's like, oh, oh, y' all Yankee fans. So it's just like. Like you said, like, it's a different type of. Than just Brunson. That's both the Bridges. Bridges shoots three, which I love, cuz.

[Rory Farrell]

I grew up on it. But I know these younger.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Bro, it has to be personalities that they relate to that speak the way they speak. And, you know, that's. That's just what it is. Like, Snoop. Snoop did something at the Olympics, I think.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah, he killed.

[Rory Farrell]

All this is happening. I'm saying it's going to be the norm amongst the big parent networks at this time. Like, it's not just going to be the twitch thing.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

It.

[The Kid Mero]

It's going to be.

[Rory Farrell]

I see a world with baseball where they switch commentators with innings. Third inning, the three of us come in and we just do the third inning.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah. And it's like, yo, y' all from New York. You're from. Yo, yo, Yankee fan, one expert.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Like, yeah, it makes.

[Rory Farrell]

Everyone has to get creative with the.

[The Kid Mero]

Apple did it when they did their baseball coverage. And, like, it. Like, it didn't go well or whatever. But I'm like, yo, you got to give, like, that Runway.

[Rory Farrell]

Look. It'll be.

[The Kid Mero]

You know what I'm saying? And I'm like, if you give it Runway. And like, yeah, you take a L financially, like the first two, three years, write that off, bro. You're a huge network. You're Apple.

[Rory Farrell]

Like, listen, you're the only people without tariffs right now.

[The Kid Mero]

I'm like, yo, listen, like, look. And look. I. I just. I just peaked over at the pr. You about to start slathering networks.

[Rory Farrell]

Oh, no, no, no, no.

[The Kid Mero]

I'm not about to touch.

[Rory Farrell]

Listen. But it's my daughter in this.

[The Kid Mero]

Straight up. My thing is this. I. As a. Like, as a TV guy, writer, person, like, any of the advice I have for people that are in that world or creating stuff of. Yeah, I want to go to a network and be like, yo, we want to bring our show to a network. Go somewhere that makes things.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

And what I mean by that is, like, you know, there's certain studios that all they make is content.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

If you someone, bro, I know you got money, motherfucker. Cause you making a billion PlayStations, so you can't cry broke to me. You know what I'm saying? Like, Amazon, like, yo, bro, you sold a thousand Bibles at this hour.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

You know what I'm saying?

[The Kid Mero]

So, like, I know you're not broke, right? You know what I'm saying? So I think that's really where entertainment is headed, where it's just like, yo, we gonna bet on these dudes? Because. Or the people that are willing to bet on, like, original ideas and not just like, yo, the new Marvel movie is. Companies like that. Because they got. And they could be like, yo, you know what? If we take L, we take L. But if we don't, we look like fucking geniuses because we just came up with the next succession or whatever, you know?

[Rory Farrell]

But I mean, shit, that's entertainment one on one to me. Because, shit, even in series, you don't make any money until the second or third season when it's proven like, you got every single TV show or anything that goes out, you're going to lose in the first. I don't care who the fuck you are.

[The Kid Mero]

Don't matter. Like you said, it could be star. And now it's switching where, like, everybody's. Like, you said, like, if you have a fan. Fan base. If you have, like, numbers. That's. Man, I'm sure y' all are tired of this. Pitch decks. Yeah, Pitch decks with analytics. Yes, that's all. Like, you a one sheet.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yes.

[The Kid Mero]

With pitch decks and analytics. You bring that to Verizon or whoever, and they're like, I bet, bro. We'll sponsor your.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

For five years. Like, that's where. That's. That's where we at. You know what I'm saying? It's not like, yo, I'm Tom Cruise, bro. That's enough. Like, nah, bro, it ain't.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

It's not like you gotta sell something, bro. Like, you gotta go something. Do a Snapple commercial, motherfucker. Like, do something. Like, everybody. Your favorite person is in an ad doing something.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Absolutely.

[The Kid Mero]

Like, that's where we at.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Merrill, let them know where they could catch you at, bro.

[The Kid Mero]

Yo, you know what I'm saying? It's. Hekid Mero on all socials, no spaces, you know what I'm saying? No funny shit. I don't try to get Q T H e k I D M e R o everywhere. The YouTube channel is cordingtothekid. There's accordingtothekid is on there, you know what I'm saying? That's just me talking about an old man, you know what I mean? Being mad about things like these stupid dating shows and people taking their shoes off on planes. There's Victory Light, the illustrious podcast, podcast with Lisbel Ortiz and Reynio Valle, you know what I'm saying? My co host and 7pm in Brooklyn, of course, you know what I'm saying? With the guard, Carmelo Anthony and my guys, Cass, Monica, Rudy, the whole gang, you know, and working on this book, a collection of essays on fatherhood, you know what I'm saying? Something like that. Ben Greenberg at Random House, you know what I'm saying? Because I feel like I'm there, you know what I mean? Like my oldest son is going to high school. So I'm like, all right, bro. I feel like I know know enough. Oh yeah, you know what I mean? And I did stories to fill a motherfucking.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Absolutely.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah.

[The Kid Mero]

Ten holy texts, you know what I mean? So I'm ready.

[Rory Farrell]

Yeah. Love it.

[Rory & Melo Podcast Host (Rory)]

Appreciate you for coming through kicking it with us, Mero. That's the kid, Mero. I'm that nigga. He's just ginger.

[The Kid Mero]

Yeah, no warrior.

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[The Kid Mero]

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[The Kid Mero]

Ugh. Come on. Why is this taking so long? This thing is ancient.

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[The Kid Mero]

Whoa. This thing moves.

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[The Kid Mero]

This is an iHeart podcast.