Episode 239 | Doubling Down With Chris Brown & Quavo

Summary

Podcast Summary: Episode 239 | Doubling Down With Chris Brown & Quavo

Podcast Information:

• Title: New Rory & MAL
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
• Description: New stories, new laughs, new random hot takes that no one asked for... New Rory & Mal
• Episode: Episode 239 | Doubling Down With Chris Brown & Quavo
• Release Date: February 2, 2024

---

1. Introduction and Contextual Misrepresentation

The episode opens with casual banter among the hosts—Rory, Mal, Damaris, and Julian—setting a light-hearted tone. However, the primary focus swiftly transitions to a heated discussion about Chris Brown and Quavo's interactions within the fashion industry, specifically referencing a recent event at the Paris Rude Fashion Show.

• Mal introduces the topic:
  [02:46] "We were having a conversation about Chris Brown and Quavo being at the rude fashion show and there being a possible tiff between the two of them."

The hosts clarify that their discussion was originally clipped by media outlets, leading to misunderstandings about their stance on the relationship between Chris Brown and Quavo.

2. Chris Brown vs. Quavo: Impact on Fashion Campaigns

A significant portion of the conversation revolves around whether Chris Brown should be considered a pop star and how his presence compares to Quavo in terms of brand influence and relevance.

• Damaris asserts Chris Brown's prominence:
  [09:44] "Chris Brown is a bigger star. He's a superstar because they have more eyes on the superstar than a guy that's just famous and popular in certain circles of the industry."

• Julian counters by highlighting the niche influence of Quavo:
  [08:15] "If they were doing a Target ad campaign, Chris Brown. Yes. Would be your go-to. Because he is a star amongst the world. He's a recognizable face."

The debate touches on the strategic decisions behind fashion brands selecting ambassadors—whether to opt for universally recognized superstars or niche influencers who resonate deeply within specific cultural segments.

3. Racial Implications in Music Genre Classification

The discussion deepens into the racial nuances of categorizing artists like Chris Brown as pop stars versus how their peers are labeled.

• Julian shares insights on genre classification biases:
  [25:18] "As black artists, we do not get classified as pop stars, even when we make pop music."

• Mal connects this to historical shifts in music branding:
  [26:35] "If Adele was black and made the last four albums, they would call it R&B. That's literally. They're not saying that for."

This segment underscores the systemic challenges black artists face in being recognized appropriately within broader music genres, highlighting a disparity in how similar musical outputs are perceived based on race.

4. Mega-Influencers and Industry Dynamics

The hosts delve into the complexities of industry influence, comparing legends like Michael Jackson to contemporary artists.

• Mal emphasizes the uniqueness of Michael Jackson:
  [31:32] "There's nobody that you can compare to Michael Jackson. Nobody. Michael Jackson is the bar."

• Damaris reflects on modern artist comparisons:
  [33:43] "If they're giving a tribute to Mariah, they're not going to go get Adele, who can sing her. They're going to Ariana Grande."

The conversation highlights how contemporary artists strive to match or emulate the legendary status of icons like Jackson, often leading to contentious comparisons within the industry.

5. Universal Music Group (UMG) vs. TikTok: Industry-Wide Implications

A pivotal part of the episode centers on Universal Music Group's (UMG) recent decision to pull their catalog from TikTok due to disputes over licensing fees.

• Mal explains the crux of the issue:
  [60:00] "Universal Music Group, all of their artists, catalog songs, and for the foreseeable future cannot participate in the biggest tech company known to man right now."

• Julian analyzes the financial aspects:
  [65:19] "UMG had a multi-year deal with Meta, who they're paying around three times as much as they're paying TikTok. But TikTok's promotional power is unparalleled."

• Damaris discusses the impact on independent artists:
  [65:19] "If I'm a young artist that has a following on TikTok, but then I sign with Universal and they own my back catalog, I'm starting square zero."

The hosts debate whether UMG should have conceded to TikTok's demands, considering TikTok's significant role in music promotion, especially among younger audiences. They express concerns that UMG's rigid stance may inadvertently stifle emerging artists who rely heavily on TikTok for visibility.

• Mal argues for UMG's long-term strategic position:
  [75:36] "UMG is in a lose-lose situation. Either they lose leverage or they concede to a platform that significantly shapes music discovery today."

• Damaris emphasizes the need for adaptability:
  [71:43] "It's time for the big brothers to adjust to the new times and the ways people discover and share music."

The discussion encapsulates the tension between legacy music conglomerates and new-age tech platforms, raising questions about the future landscape of music distribution and promotion.

6. Call to Action and Personal Stories

Towards the end of the episode, the hosts shift towards personal anecdotes and listener interactions, discussing topics like hypersexuality, relationships, and mental health. While these segments offer a more intimate glimpse into the hosts' lives, they diverge from the episode's main analytical themes.

• Damaris shares a personal struggle:
  [89:58] "I just want to know, how did you get past that?"

• Mal provides advice on overcoming personal trauma:
  [95:03] "What worked was talking about it in therapy and understanding the root of it."

These personal exchanges, while insightful, are peripheral to the primary discourse on industry dynamics and celebrity influence.

7. Conclusion and Promotions

The episode concludes with a mix of humor, further banter, and promotion of their platforms.

• Damaris promotes Rabbit Movers:
  [104:42] "Shout out to Rabbit Movers. You can follow them on IG @rabbitmovers or visit rabbitmovers.com."

• Hosts encourage listeners to subscribe to their Patreon and engage with their merchandise:
  [111:57] "Subscribe to the Patreon. Subscribe to the YouTube. Hit the like button."

They wrap up with humorous reflections on moving houses and playful interactions, maintaining the podcast's signature blend of serious discussion and light-hearted camaraderie.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Mal on UMG and TikTok Negotiations:
  "UMG is in a lose-lose situation. Either they lose leverage or they concede to a platform that significantly shapes music discovery today."
  [75:36]

• Damaris on the Need for Industry Adaptation:
  "It's time for the big brothers to adjust to the new times and the ways people discover and share music."
  [71:43]

• Julian on Genre Classification Biases:
  "As black artists, we do not get classified as pop stars, even when we make pop music."
  [25:18]

• Damaris on Artist Promotion and Platforms:
  "Young girls would rather see a guy that can sing and dance before the rapper that's going to come to the party."
  [20:35]

---

Key Takeaways:

1. Chris Brown and Quavo's Industry Influence:
   The hosts dissect the dynamics between Chris Brown and Quavo, emphasizing the complexities of their influence within the music and fashion industries. The conversation reveals how media misrepresentations can skew public perception of industry relationships.

2. Racial Nuances in Music Genre Classification:
   A critical examination of how black artists like Chris Brown are often pigeonholed into specific genres, highlighting systemic biases that affect their recognition and categorization within the broader music landscape.

3. UMG's Stand Against TikTok:
   UMG's decision to sever ties with TikTok sparks a debate on the future of music promotion. The hosts argue that TikTok's unparalleled role in music discovery means that UMG's rigidity could hinder emerging artists who rely on such platforms for visibility.

4. Industry Adaptation vs. Legacy Practices:
   The episode underscores the necessity for traditional music conglomerates to adapt to evolving tech-driven landscapes. Failure to do so may result in diminished influence and lost opportunities for both the labels and the artists they represent.

5. Celebrity Influence and Prominence:
   The discussion extends to how superstars are strategically leveraged in brand campaigns versus niche influencers, contemplating the balance between widespread recognition and cultural relevance.

---

Conclusion:

Episode 239 of New Rory & MAL provides a robust analysis of contemporary issues in the music and fashion industries, particularly focusing on the roles of Chris Brown and Quavo, and the significant implications of UMG's dispute with TikTok. Through insightful debates and expert opinions, the hosts illuminate the evolving dynamics between legacy music labels and new-age tech platforms, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of music promotion and artist recognition.

For more in-depth discussions, behind-the-scenes insights, and exclusive content, listeners are encouraged to subscribe to the podcast's Patreon and explore available merchandise at newroariamal.com.

Transcript

[Rory]

Dressed like Curious George, too, today.

[Mal]

So the man in the yellow hat. This is Amar. We made T shirts for her birthday.

[Damaris]

Oh, see, now, that's cool. See, that's a cool shirt.

[Mal]

I'm a counselor.

[Damaris]

You should have said that. You should. I'm a. You're not a counselor, actually.

[Mal]

You're a victim, yo. Not at camp, Amara. No worry.

[Julian]

And now.

[Damaris]

You want to be the reason you smile. You want to be the reason you smile. It won't be the reason you smile after you wipe away your tears and dry your eyes. I'm getting the feeling you want to take revenge from the conversations we have.

[Rory]

This is not a megastar.

[Mal]

Let's argue. Wait. Bleep that so we don't get demonetized. Don't put your hat down.

[Damaris]

Huh? Oh, I didn't know we started. My bad.

[Rory]

No, we're here because you and Damaris 10 minutes ago. We're going at it for a smooth half hour, so.

[Damaris]

And that's why she got on Mary J. Blige. I don't want to cry no more Glasses. Because she was wrong and they was killing on the Internet for the last 48 hours.

[Mal]

The first thing Mal says when we walk in is, are you guys here to apologize? And I am not here to apologize.

[Damaris]

I am here to double Julian that asked you that. You here to apologize? Yeah, I asked you. I said, oh, y'all gonna double down? And he was like, yeah, you know, you put your hands on your hip. Yeah, I'm gonna double down. I was like, okay.

[Mal]

And first of all, I tried to forget that that was Julian that asked that question. Talk about throwing a rock and hiding your hand.

[Julian]

Oh, his hands hit his.

[Mal]

Wait. Me and Damaris need to apologize? If we need to apologize, you need to apologize as well. But we'll get to that later.

[Rory]

You.

[Damaris]

You yelled. Yeah, you and Damaris was harmonizing over there with everything Rory was saying.

[Rory]

The best thing about this is the big ad libs. The clip came like. You know, usually when people clip things out of context, and it. But it's like someone else. Eclipse it. The clip came from us, so.

[Mal]

Oh, for sure.

[Rory]

Like.

[Julian]

No, the clip came from Peach, so it's Peach fault.

[Mal]

That's who the clip.

[Damaris]

Like, love and hip hop. They can only edit and clip what.

[Rory]

You say, but shout out PE Because I didn't look bad in the clip. So for that, you and Damaris need to defend yourself.

[Damaris]

No, but you was. You was. Yeah, yeah. You and Damar.

[Rory]

They're right. Catch that part.

[Damaris]

They're right.

[Rory]

I'm laughing their side still.

[Julian]

Rory was barely getting killed. They were on my ass.

[Damaris]

Well, it was because of this the boy sweet 16 bar that you got off at the end.

[Mal]

And we'll get to that.

[Damaris]

And then you was like. I was like. Based off of what? You was like, well, the Migos are bigger in name and recognition than Chris. I think people was like, no, that's wrong too.

[Mal]

Let's give people some context because that clip sure didn't. Was it our Patreon episode or it was our Patreon episode? Subscribe to our Patreon right now if.

[Rory]

You want to see the actual full.

[Mal]

Conversation is there forward slash New Royal Mall. We were having a conversation about Chris Brown and Quavo being at the rude fashion show and there being a possible tiff between the two of them. They had to sit next to each other. Then we argued who would have to get up if they didn't want to sit next to each other, which put us down an entire Quavo vs Chris Brown rabbit hole. It was clipped by our beloved page that made it seem like we were arguing Quavo and Chris Brown, who is more relevant to music. Wise left out that Damaris and I were making a point that Quavo to Gen Z fashion world is status is just as relevant as Chris Brown's right now.

[Julian]

Rude, rude, fat. And I want to bring up that again. We're not talking about Gucci. We're not talking. We're talking about rude.

[Rory]

It's funny because my friend in fashion said Quavo is also more favored in Gucci and Louis Vuitton as well.

[Mal]

So now do we think Quavo and Chris Brown should even be in the same sentence as far as music goes? No, absolutely not. But for some reason, we still argued before we got on this microphone, and I'm still here to stand on every last point that I say. And Demer is getting killed for the sweet 16 thing. I still think somebody that has a sweet 16 in 2024, let's take sweet.

[Julian]

Out of the sweet, is driving them all crazy. So let's just say driving me crazy at all.

[Damaris]

You said let's just. You said boys have. You said boys have sweet.

[Mal]

Diabetics.

[Damaris]

You said.

[Julian]

No, you know what I mean.

[Damaris]

Going by what you said. You said boys have sweet 16.

[Julian]

Okay? So if I take the sweet out.

[Damaris]

Of it, every, every, every boy that's 17 has had a 16th birthday party. We know that that's how numbers go. You said boys have sweets. There is an a whole type of difference between sweet 16 and 16th birthday party. I had a 16th birthday party. I didn't have a sweet 16.

[Mal]

Let's say a boy's kin.

[Julian]

Sierra, that's 15.

[Mal]

I'm aware about Mitzvah. Do you think they want to have huevo or Chris Brown there?

[Damaris]

Boys?

[Mal]

Huh? Oh, never mind.

[Julian]

Yeah, quinceanera is a girl thing, but.

[Damaris]

Yeah, also, I'm right again. I'm right in Spanish.

[Mal]

What do you know?

[Damaris]

I'm writing Latin.

[Mal]

Quavo's name sounds Spanish, though, so I think I'm right on that one.

[Damaris]

Yeah. Yeah, Guavo. That's all it is. Thanks for that, Young. It's Quavo.

[Mal]

Do I have to pause if I say pass the Quavo?

[Damaris]

It depends on what. It depends on what you're asking him to pass.

[Mal]

But I. I loved our screaming match that we had off camera. I just don't know if. Damaris, Damaris, I'm here to stand ten toes with you. If Maul wants to bring his points up, I'll. I argue your side.

[Damaris]

All right, so let me to Damaris's point. Rude. The fashion. The kids at that weird. Rude. Whatever that means. I don't know what that means, but. So you think that if Rude had. If Ruud was doing their next campaign for their spring line and they reached out to Chris Brown and Quavo, and then Chris Brown caught wind that Quavo was going to be a part of the new campaign. If Chris Brown hits Ruigi and says, yo, I am not going to be a part of that campaign. If Quavo's a part of it, you think Ruigi would not say, okay, cool, we'll take Quavo out of it. To have Chris Brown, who is the bigger star.

[Mal]

No, I don't. Well, one, I don't think he would reach out to both of them, knowing that they have beef together. But let's go with a hypothetical. Even when Chris Brown was at his peak. And I hate that this has just made me someone that is shitting on a legend. No.

[Damaris]

And none of this.

[Mal]

When has anyone ever tried to dress like Chris Brown? And this is called. I'm not a fashion Guy. I'm wearing a yellow T shirt with my daughter's name on it and corduroys. I. I'm. I know I'm not the fashion guy, and I shouldn't really be, but it's not a one.

[Damaris]

When I was trying to.

[Mal]

People like these kids try to dress like the Migos, but this is what I'm saying. They have a Fashion part of their brand, where Chris Brown is not a bad dresser. But no one's been like, yo, Chris was the style icon.

[Julian]

Now it was in my inbox saying, chris, put that shit on. So, you know, okay, So I had.

[Mal]

On a big button up at the same time. But that was because of ho. That wasn't because.

[Damaris]

Okay, Brown, but what you're missing is.

[Mal]

I was singing, yo.

[Damaris]

Okay, but what you're missing is if you have a fashion line and you are trying to put out a campaign, naturally you would want the bigger star a part of your campaign.

[Mal]

I would rather have someone that's a little bit lower of a star. Lower of a star Because Quavo was lower as a star. You said a little bit in the world. I changed.

[Damaris]

Okay.

[Mal]

I stopped myself.

[Rory]

How much?

[Mal]

Because we're talking about the whole world, not just the fashion world. I would rather take someone that is a lower star that is known for fashion and is in the fashion world and can touch the younger kids paws than I would just a superstar that has no ties to fashion whatsoever.

[Damaris]

But you're. But that doesn't make sense because you're selling fashion to the world. So.

[Mal]

Yeah. So let me go with the person that's known for dressing to the kids.

[Damaris]

Right now. You're selling fashion to the world. You don't want just kids buying your clothes. You want the world to buy.

[Mal]

When kids. I don't mean just children. I mean. I mean, people in their 20s do. I'm a kid in the early 30s.

[Damaris]

To the world. You create clothes. You want to sell it to the world. Right. Adults buy clothes. Adults buy clothes for younger children. Whatever.

[Julian]

Pause.

[Damaris]

What I'm saying is you would want the bigger star that's a bigger star to the world to push your product versus somebody that's just cooler in certain sections.

[Mal]

I got you.

[Julian]

I got you. Every fashion house has a target audience. They all have target audiences.

[Damaris]

All right.

[Mal]

You actually beat me to it. If they were doing a Target clothing or JCPenney, and it's not me on Chris Brown as far as how he dresses, but if you were doing a Target ad campaign, Chris Brown. Yes. Would be your go to. Because he is a star amongst the world. He's a recognizable face. He would look good in the clothes. Rude is a huge company, but it's of the culture.

[Rory]

Yeah. They're selling $600 basketball shorts.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Rory]

This isn't.

[Mal]

That's where you would maybe want to lean more to the Quavo side.

[Damaris]

Do y'all. Do y'all realize that this show was in Paris.

[Rory]

Yes. And also for the realize that Quo walked at the Louis show in 2021, so there's that, too. Any other shows, Quo, like. The point is, Quo is more integrated in that scene.

[Mal]

It's harder to sell rude if you're doing a backflip instead of walking. You can't see the clothes was like.

[Julian]

Have Quavo ever did a back, a front? Flip the Merch Madness on Beat? I said, if y'all don't get the. Out my inbox, so.

[Mal]

And we don't have to, like, you know, continue this conversation too much further because it is on Patreon.

[Damaris]

And, yeah, I'm not even giving this topic no more energy. Y'all are wrong. Y'all were wrong, and y'all are wrong now.

[Mal]

Go ahead.

[Damaris]

It is what it is. Y'all are not making no sense. Chris Brown is a bigger star. He's a super, but that's star. You would want your product on a superstar because they have more eyes on the superstar than a guy that's just famous and popular in certain circles of the industry.

[Julian]

Like the circles. The circles of the industry. Like the circles that are wearing rude clothing.

[Damaris]

They were both invited to the show. Damaris. They were both sitting front row.

[Julian]

Exactly. Which means this proves your point more than worse.

[Damaris]

No. No, it doesn't. Because my. My initial point was if Chris Brown had that much of an issue with Quavo and he didn't want Quavo sitting there, I can promise you and 1000% guarantee you that Ruigi himself would have came out and. And ask Quavo to move to another side if Chris was. If that meant Chris was going to walk out of that show, I guarantee y'all that Ruigi would have asked Quavo. Yo, bro, I don't want no issues. Can you just move over here? If Chris Brown requested. And in reverse, because Chris Brown is the bigger star, and he wants Chris.

[Julian]

Brown at his show, and he wants Quavo there, too. That's why.

[Damaris]

Of course he does. He was invited, so obviously. But if it meant that Chris Brown was going to turn and walk out of that door if they. If he asked to move Quavo and they didn't, I guarantee you Ruigi would have stopped everything he was doing and went to Quavo personally and asked him to move, Guaranteed. And that's all I was saying. And only a superstar or a star that is bigger than Quavo can request that and do that if I'm trying to. That's all I was trying to say.

[Mal]

If you're trying to sell hockey gear, is Chris Brown going to be my best option to sell it as a model? No. He's a star, but that's not his world.

[Damaris]

Like, I don't understand what you.

[Mal]

Your point was that you should always go with the bigger star, the more recognizable person. If you're trying to sell something, and I'm saying, not that rude is niche per se, but is a specific type of fashion in a specific culture, doesn't mean you should just go with the biggest superstar. If I'm trying to sell hockey gear, that's a specific culture. You don't just grab the recognizable star. You want someone. That's right. But that's close to your consumer and what they also want to do.

[Damaris]

Right. But as you know, with any campaign, they always go with a star, a superstar. We see campaigns, Calvin Klein, all up and down Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue. They're not getting somebody that's just like, they're going to aim for the biggest star they can get at the moment. That's all I'm saying. Now, Quavo was invited.

[Mal]

Wahlberg, whoever.

[Damaris]

Quavo was invited, Quavo was invited, and Chris was invited. All I was saying was if Chris had a real issue and didn't want to sit next to Quavo and he requested that they moved Quavo, Ruigi personally would have moved Quavo or asked him. Yo, because I don't want to make it seem like it'll be like, oh, get the fuck out of here. We don't want to be disrespectful. That's Quavo. But Ruigi would have asked, yo, Quavo, do me a favor, bro. Just sit on this side. Because I don't want it to be, you know, any issue. That's all I'm saying. And only a superstar or a star bigger than Quavo could request that. That's all I was saying.

[Mal]

Well, Amara's first actual birthday couldn't have came at a better time. I was completely off my phone for this entire exchange. I checked my mentions sort of last night. Can you guys fill me in on what happened on the Internet?

[Damaris]

Regard. In regards to what?

[Mal]

This going viral. I understand, Quavo replied.

[Damaris]

I got a bunch of.

[Mal]

I understand, Chris Brown replied.

[Damaris]

I got a bunch of calls from people that work in industry asking if the conversation was real. They thought it was like, something we were just doing just for clicks and shit like that. And I was like, no, it was a real conversation.

[Rory]

There's so much more context to it and nuance to it, which we're not going to get into here because the actual conversation. Conversation was had on Patreon. Go find it if you want it there. But yeah, the clip wasn't addressing what we were actually talking at all. At all.

[Damaris]

But I think so people coming to.

[Rory]

Your defense in those comments and you coming in here and like coming and be like, I told them it doesn't apply because it wasn't what we were talking about. No idea what we were talking about.

[Damaris]

I think based on the clips, if you say that Chris Brown, if you said the Migos is a bigger name than Chris Brown. People don't care what the context is. They're not.

[Julian]

But that wasn't the argument.

[Damaris]

But that was something that was said and people are responding to what they saw that was said.

[Julian]

Okay. But that doesn't make. And that was for our argument.

[Damaris]

But that was false. The Migos is not a bigger name than Chris Brown.

[Rory]

They had a run more recent than Chris.

[Damaris]

You talk about a run. That doesn't mean you're a big.

[Julian]

Chris Brown is a household name. I'm never going to take that away from Chris Brown. But that just wasn't the argument. So people in my inbox yelling at me, talking about front flips, the March Madness on Beat. That has nothing to do with the nuance of the conversation that we were having. So the shit went viral. Viral. It was on all the blogs and everybody's giving their opinions and calling me and Rory all types of dumb. That's fine. But for the. A lot of people who got the actual conversation was like, oh, I get what y'all talking about. There were plenty of people who were backing us up. But there were. I had the carbs. Whatever the male barbs are. The carbs. Like they were in my.

[Mal]

Oh, I thought that was a typo when you texted that.

[Julian]

No, the carbs, they're like, I don't know what it is about Chris Brown's fan base because it wasn't women. The crazy was I expected it to be women in between the ages of like 25 and like 35. Right. That's who I thought. No, it was 30 something year old men that were on my ass and I was like, oh, like these are breezy fans. Like the.

[Damaris]

They spoke to the fact that the map that you did with the. With the social media following. Because I thought that was funny.

[Rory]

That was in the episode.

[Julian]

It's in the episode. It's not.

[Damaris]

I just want to talk about that.

[Rory]

I'll bring it up.

[Damaris]

No, because the marriage said.

[Mal]

Nah.

[Damaris]

Those are people that subscribe that follow Chris in 2008, and they don't even have their accounts no more.

[Julian]

That was a. That was a very obvious joke, though. In the episode. You could tell that it was a joke.

[Mal]

They rolled over from Facebook.

[Damaris]

Yeah, yeah. Also 100 million more.

[Mal]

He had his Instagram longer.

[Damaris]

I ain't even do that, man.

[Julian]

So he's also been a star for what, 15 years longer than the Migos.

[Damaris]

I ain't do that math either. You got.

[Julian]

Yes. He's going to have more followers.

[Mal]

Do you think there is a world where someone can be hotter but not greater than an artist at the moment?

[Damaris]

Of course, there's a lot of rappers hotter than Jay Z right now. None of them are greater than.

[Julian]

Ice Spice is hotter than everybody right now.

[Mal]

And do you think at certain events, especially for younger people, that could play a role in what is happening?

[Damaris]

I. I think. But hot only means that, see, cause hot is different if you're. If you're more. If you're seen more. Like, if you're out more, you're more accessible, you have more events, you're more doing. That means you're hot. You got features that are currently in the market space. But Chris Brown has one of the biggest songs out right now with Davido DeVito. However, you name. No disrespect. So I'm saying, like, so what does it mean when y'all say that? It's like Chris Brown's record right now is hotter than any record Quavo has out right now.

[Mal]

Also, we were trying to explain in the full conversation, the times we're in now and we've. We've had this convo separately. Music isn't what makes you the most relevant now. Sometimes it's just brand recognition, who you're dating, what you're doing online.

[Damaris]

Like, yeah, that's bells and whistles, though. That's how you dress it up. We always gotta.

[Mal]

And hotter doesn't have much value compared to greatness. Because we were arguing, too, that there was a time when Migos Run, music wise, was significantly hotter than Chris Brown. At one point, Fetty Wap was hotter than everybody. But Chris Brown's been around for 20 years, so that's what speaks to greatness. Our point was based off who was hot at the moment. And that changes things. If Ice Spice would have walked into that rude fashion show, she would be royalty. She'd take precedent because that's just how marketing and the world works, right? Now with face recognition to a younger.

[Damaris]

Generation, as hot as Ice Spice is, I don't think that if she walks into a fashion event in Paris right now, she still is a hotter or a bigger conversation than if Chris Brown does. Only because Chris Brown is not seen at these events like that. So if he decides to come out and go to these events, it's like, oh, shit, Chris is here.

[Mal]

And also, I don't want to put that on Rude's as a brand's jacket. They have much more integrity as far as that goes. But there is plenty of huge brands that do not care as long as that person is famous that week, they are going to come on in.

[Damaris]

Yeah, but it's a difference.

[Mal]

Look at the people that now get invited to the Met Gala. Out of nowhere, influencers who, like, who was it Cardi B bringing up, like, how long it took her to get there. And then now people, yeah, you could be hot that week. And Anna Winter's like, come on in.

[Rory]

Anna Wintour, take Ice Spice to the Met gal.

[Julian]

Yes.

[Rory]

That's crazy.

[Mal]

Which is like. That's what we were saying. Which speaks to what's happening right now. Sometimes it does not matter how great you are. It matters are you relevant this week, which is fucked up. But that's the world we live in.

[Damaris]

Yeah, but that's why I said it always goes back to the product, though, the music. Like, cool. You could have other us going on. The U.S. i'm saying to. And just in period. That's what matters. Like, cool. You can be hot and have a viral moment and have this going on. But like, okay, what is it that you do? You're an artist. What is your music sounding like? What is your impact in that world? If your impact in that world is subpar, then it's like, okay, you may get invited to an event here and there, but it's like when a person that is like a legend in that field, in their, in their craft, walks into a room, there's going to be a bigger talk about that person because that is a solidified, certified legend standing right there. That's not just somebody that's hot. That is somebody that is a legend. Legends cool off and just disappear and go live life and do that. Doesn't mean that when they decide to come out, that's not still a legend that's standing there.

[Mal]

And to us, I agree with you. But right now, the environment we live in, hot is more relevant than legend.

[Julian]

That's just what it is. Like, I don't. Like, I don't support it. I don't like that. Yeah, it's wet, but that is what it is.

[Mal]

And not in the long run, but I'm saying for sure short term, who's.

[Julian]

Gonna get more share? That's what it's about.

[Damaris]

I think it was fun though. I think it was fun for the Internet to have fun with the clip and laugh about it and people to curse people out in the comments and things like that. But they do think that y'all are some stupid. I just want to let y'all know that right now.

[Mal]

Wouldn't be the first time I was called that.

[Damaris]

Me neither.

[Julian]

Nobody under the age of 25 was calling me stupid, so I don't care. But anyway, when we pick our clips, we pick our clips to, you know, do their thing. We never know which one is gonna really, really do its thing. And we deal with the aftermath of what comes. So if people want to laugh and call us stupid, that's perfectly fine.

[Damaris]

But before we get off of this though, in your heart of hearts, like right here in the caught us on, you really feel like 16 year old girls would rather see Quavo than Chris Brown? Seriously though, I'm not.

[Julian]

You really start throwing shit in your heart.

[Damaris]

You feel like 16 year old girls would rather see Quavo than Chris Brown. Seriously, we just saw some white girls say she would suck and Chris every day. 18. Chris was like, yo, I'm flattered. You're too young. That's 18.

[Mal]

Yeah, but what platform was she on?

[Rory]

It was Twitch.

[Mal]

Had some context. No, it's not a shot. She was a great platform.

[Damaris]

Aiden Ross and Chris Brown had a stream and she didn't think it was real. She thought it was pre recorded. And then when she saw that they were really like on camera with her, she decided to get her shit off and she said I'm dead serious. I will suck and fuck you every day. Chris was like whoa. Like flattered, but you're too young.

[Mal]

But, but you telling me that a woman would want to suck and Chris Brown did like, does it surprise me?

[Damaris]

No, I'm just saying that he's not.

[Mal]

A point that blew me away.

[Damaris]

No, but to what Damaris is saying, young girls would like to see the light skinned handsome guy that can sing and dance before the rapper that's going to come to the party.

[Mal]

Young would anybody that's famous.

[Damaris]

I'm not calling them, I'm not calling them. I'm just saying young girls, okay, if.

[Mal]

You get on any generation say I'll suck. And you, you're A horn training. And you need.

[Damaris]

But I'm saying. Rory.

[Mal]

Say it privately.

[Damaris]

What I'm saying, Rory, like a real hoe. What I'm saying is.

[Rory]

Or just suck.

[Damaris]

Young girls.

[Mal]

Yeah, or just suck and fuck up.

[Rory]

Just do it.

[Damaris]

No, we're not promoting that. What I'm saying is they're of age, right? Young girls would rather see a guy that can sing and dance. Any generation when a guy can sing. If you was the guy in school that could rap, it was like, oh, that's cool. He could rap. If you could sing and dance, every girl in the school would want to date you.

[Julian]

And all this is where I want to bring up your age.

[Damaris]

It does. I just said any generation. Any generation.

[Julian]

Generation.

[Damaris]

Singing and dancing is more attractive than rapping with jewelry on. What are you talking about?

[Julian]

That's what you don't understand.

[Damaris]

Any generation is more attracted to singing.

[Julian]

And dancing that thing.

[Damaris]

It takes more skill to sing and dance.

[Julian]

Okay, okay.

[Rory]

Let the mirror speak for younger generation.

[Julian]

What I'm trying to.

[Damaris]

She can't speak. She's 30.

[Mal]

She's not 30.

[Julian]

I'm not 30.

[Damaris]

How old are you? 29. Okay, she's 29.

[Julian]

What I'm saying. I'm not even speaking for myself. What I'm saying is I don't understand how you can't see the difference in how rap has really, really taken on. Rap was Always has. It's always been big. Rap has gotten bigger since you were in high school. Are you seeing what I'm saying? These young girls now love rappers. The singers ain't it. They were saying for so long that R and B was fucking dead. That's not for no reason. There's. That's literally. They're not saying that for. Rap has taken over the rap marriage. Taking over female rappers.

[Damaris]

Chris Brown is not just an R and B singer.

[Julian]

But I'm not.

[Damaris]

He's a pop star.

[Julian]

Brown. I'm not even talking.

[Damaris]

That's exactly who we're talking about.

[Julian]

No, we're. You're talking. I said take their names out of it because I don't even want to make this about them anymore.

[Damaris]

Okay? So a pop star. A pop star.

[Julian]

He's not a pop star.

[Damaris]

Who.

[Julian]

Oh, my God.

[Damaris]

Chris Brown's got a pop star.

[Julian]

Oh, my God. What are you talk. Listen, I don't want.

[Damaris]

What are you talking about?

[Julian]

What makes. What makes Chris Brown a pop star?

[Mal]

Quickly.

[Julian]

Chris Brown makes Chris Brown.

[Damaris]

Hold on. Chris Brown is not a pop star.

[Julian]

What makes a pop star.

[Damaris]

Yo, is that. No, seriously, Seriously. Seriously.

[Julian]

At this Moment.

[Damaris]

What are you talking about? What are you talking about?

[Julian]

No, I'm asking you.

[Damaris]

What makes you think Chris Brown is not a pop star?

[Julian]

What makes him a pop star? What makes him a pop star?

[Damaris]

Really?

[Julian]

What makes him a pop star?

[Damaris]

You got it. You speak for all 16 year olds, bro.

[Mal]

The fuck?

[Damaris]

You just sat here. You just sat here and said Chris Brown is not a pop star.

[Julian]

Can't tell me what makes him a pop star. You can't.

[Damaris]

Yo, can I get some help on this or you just gonna like let her get her shit off?

[Rory]

Well, what makes him a pop.

[Mal]

If you guys were yelling, I didn't want to interrupt.

[Damaris]

Is Chris Brown a pop star?

[Mal]

I think he is.

[Damaris]

Is Chris Brown a pop star? Julian. But is Chris Brown a pop star?

[Rory]

What makes.

[Mal]

That's the only time I've disagreed with Damaris in this time.

[Damaris]

A pop star? What the are you asking me? I'm asking you a question. Is Chris Brown a pop star?

[Rory]

I kinda.

[Julian]

I agree that Chris Brown makes pop. Listen, I agree that Chris Brown makes pop music.

[Damaris]

What are you talking about?

[Mal]

Chris Brown's a pop star. But you did glide over an amazing point that she made and changed the subject. That was a little gaslighty. These girls listen to moody R B. No, R B that they love. They dance. They don't dance. They don't really even sing. Like the shit. I like it.

[Damaris]

But actually direct question. Is Chris Brown a pop star?

[Mal]

But before that you changed the subject.

[Julian]

Change the subject.

[Mal]

But that's what I'm saying.

[Damaris]

Question though. And you said, no, he's not a pop star.

[Julian]

We were.

[Damaris]

Okay.

[Mal]

You deflected off a great point she made.

[Damaris]

What was it? What was the. What was the. What was the point you made?

[Julian]

The conversation we were having where you were said that young girls these days are in high school would rather see are more attracted to a guy that can sing a dance than a rapper. And I'm telling you that that's an outdated concept because R and B is. Has become outdated.

[Damaris]

Okay, that's what I'm trying to tell.

[Mal]

That type of R and B. Cool.

[Damaris]

I heard that point and then I said, Chris Brown is not just R and B. He's a pop star. That's what I said. Right.

[Julian]

Okay, now let me. Let me say what I'm saying. So let's clarify this.

[Mal]

Pop stars don't dance anymore.

[Julian]

Chris Brown makes pop music. And good pop music. Yes. I do not think that Chris Brown is considered a pop star. I also think that Beyonce makes pop music. Does Beyonce get awarded Pop Grammys or does she get awarded R B Grammys? Does Chris Brown get nominated for pop Grammys or does he get nominated for R B Grammys? We have had this argument the same way that they kept saying that Doja Cat was rap when she. Back when she was pop. Not this last album, but before that. Doja Cat was pop. She was not rap. But us, as black artists, do not get classified as pop stars, even when we make pop music. So when you're asking me, is Chris Brown a pop star? To me, yes. But no, he is not an Ariana Grande.

[Damaris]

Favorite pop. Favorite pop rock, male artist. He won that in 2008. Okay, what else? Keep scrolling.

[Julian]

Because that was 2008. That was what?

[Damaris]

Favorite soul R and B artist won artist of the year, R and B.

[Rory]

He won one award that has pop in it.

[Julian]

One out of all his awards. He's not considered a pop star. I don't say that. I love Chris Brown's music. He makes pop music, but he is not considered a pop star. And I'm not crazy for saying that.

[Damaris]

Who's a pop star, in your opinion?

[Julian]

Pop stars are people like, let me think, let me think, let me think.

[Rory]

White women.

[Julian]

Thank you.

[Rory]

Like Dua, Lipa.

[Julian]

They're the only ones that get labeled as pop. That's what I'm saying.

[Mal]

But Beyonce's a pop star.

[Julian]

Beyonce is a pop star, but she's not considered that to this day.

[Mal]

I think.

[Julian]

To this.

[Mal]

I think her last consider. Her last two albums were extremely R B. But she's a pop star.

[Julian]

Yes, but she was. She will never be.

[Mal]

And Chris Brown's one of those. That. His single is usually pop, and then he has a lot of R B on the album.

[Julian]

I. I agree.

[Rory]

Olivia Rodrigo. It's just white people.

[Julian]

It's like. Oh, like little. When you say pop. It's little team white people.

[Rory]

Taylor Swift.

[Julian]

That's what's considered pop. So, yes, he makes pop music. Yes, I enjoy the pop music. Yes, he's a superstar. He'll never be labeled a pop star. That just is what it is. I didn't create.

[Mal]

Okay. But also. All right, to Damaris's point, though, like, I'm looking here, if Adele was black, she would not be considered pop. But I consider her pop.

[Damaris]

What do you mean if she was black?

[Mal]

If. If Adele was black and made the last four albums, they would call it R B.

[Julian]

Yes.

[Mal]

And that's. That's just how they move the gold.

[Julian]

We've been complaining about that on this exact.

[Mal]

Adele, to me, is a pop Star and makes incredible R B. She's one of my favorite artists. But. But that's where race does kind of.

[Damaris]

Show Rihanna and Sizzle sitting right there. Those are black women under pop star.

[Rory]

Well, that was just a general Google search.

[Mal]

I think Sizzle recently became a Yo, y'all a pop star Control. That was a straight up R B album, and it went pop.

[Julian]

Since I had two fights, I had to fight to be considered a pop star. Yeah, but Rihanna has never really made R B. She hasn't made R B in years.

[Damaris]

All right, but you. You agree that Chris Brown is a pop star?

[Mal]

I do.

[Damaris]

Julian, do you agree that Chris Brown's a pop star?

[Rory]

I Damaris made demer. I agree with the Maris said in terms of he makes music that is pop, but categorically he's not a pop.

[Damaris]

So you don't think that Chris Brown's a pop star?

[Rory]

He has records that are popular.

[Damaris]

That won't answer the question. Do you think Chris Brown is a pop star? Yes or no?

[Rory]

I think there's nuance to it. There's nuance to it, which is what Demerit said. I don't want to repeat her whole point, but I like what she said.

[Mal]

What do you think the song I can transform you is.

[Rory]

But that's the pop. Like someone that you can. Drake makes pop music. He's not a pop star. All of our favorite artists can make pop music, but also do other.

[Mal]

Drake is an anomaly because he's in every genre. And that's not fair. I think people that teed the line of pop and R B and have the numbers and the icon status are allowed to be called pop stars.

[Rory]

Sure.

[Mal]

Chris Brown is one of those.

[Damaris]

Chris Brown is a pop. How is this a. And this is what the Internet is saying. How is this a real conversation? I actually direct completely. I asked you a direct question. Is Chris Brown a pop star? And you can't even did that. The answ.

[Rory]

Yes.

[Mal]

The answer is yes.

[Damaris]

The answer is yes. Chris Brown is a pop.

[Julian]

And nobody disputed the argument that I'm.

[Damaris]

Chris Brown is a pop. Dispute. What I. It's no conversation. And it's okay. That's not a knock. It's actually like, yo. That he's a popular star. He's a pop star. He makes popular music. How is this a fucking argument?

[Mal]

Like, how would you consider Prince a pop star or a rock and roll star?

[Julian]

That. But see, that goes into a whole different thing.

[Mal]

But I think it's. I'm not comparing Prince. Chris. I want to make that Very clear. But somebody that teetered the line in the music that they made you could really consider as rock and roll. Yeah, but it was, it was pop.

[Julian]

Yeah.

[Mal]

Michael, in my opinion, had a few R B records, but he defined what a pop star is. That's pop popular music. That's pop chords. It's pop writing. It's pop.

[Damaris]

I'm gonna just go out.

[Mal]

I think Prince is a good example of that though.

[Damaris]

I'm gonna just go out on the limit and say that. If you're on a. A white guy stream and an 18 year old white girl says she would suck and fuck you, it's probably because you're a pop star.

[Mal]

So it's blue. Is blueface a pop star?

[Damaris]

Not, not, not because, not because you're.

[Mal]

Putting way too much on 18 year old.

[Damaris]

I'm just saying because white girls love pop stars.

[Rory]

White girls like rich people.

[Julian]

White girls like black men. What the fuck are we talking about? What are we talking about, bro? That's a good.

[Mal]

Like women.

[Damaris]

Yeah, but she's not saying she wants to black men.

[Julian]

That would have been on there. They're to offer to suck them.

[Damaris]

That's not, that's not true.

[Julian]

Okay.

[Damaris]

I'm not saying it definitely would Drake. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not saying, I'm not saying she wouldn't have. But nine times out of ten little young white girls are attracted to pop stars. They only know about these gentlemen because they're pop stars. They're popular stars. They make popular music. How is this an argument?

[Julian]

You can make popular music that's not pop. And like why are we acting. Like, why are we all acting dense?

[Damaris]

Yo, they literally, they literally.

[Mal]

There was young white girls at gunna show.

[Damaris]

I'm not likely, I'm not, I'm not saying they can't be, but I'm just saying. I'm not saying they can't be at a rap show. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying this kid Chris. Well, not kid, this. Chris Brown, since his inception into the industry has been compared to the King of Pop. He's been compared to Michael Jackson since we've known about.

[Mal]

I'm trying not to say negative things about Chris Brown, but I have feel now that that was an awful take.

[Damaris]

Feel how you want to feel. Was it not a thing? Was it not a real thing?

[Mal]

I liked that conversation people were having. Who was more talented? I know a lot of people thought that was blasphemous. I thought that was a fair conversation. Who was More talented. If you see what Chris can do, art wise, everything. He should never be in a sentence with Michael Jackson. As far as pop star.

[Damaris]

It's not. But it's not that he's in this. I think what people are saying was because he was so young, so talented, can dance, can sing, can perform at the level that he can perform.

[Mal]

One of the greatest.

[Damaris]

We may not have seen somebody do that at such a young age and demand an audience and captivate an audience with their performance as Michael Jackson. There's nobody that you can compare to Michael Jackson. Nobody. Michael Jackson is the bar. He's the one that if you're compared to him, that means you're great. He's the bar.

[Mal]

So I'm not saying that artists in the beginning that just got the. The nod of, oh, this is the next Michael.

[Julian]

Because I'm sure the next Michael too.

[Mal]

For a while when My Way came out, that was another legend. Oh, for sure. But you see that they're both icons but drastically different careers in how they even perform or make music like it shouldn't even be in the same. Michael is Michael like Mike is Mike.

[Damaris]

I agree with you.

[Mal]

And guess what? I listen to Usher more than I listen to Michael Jackson. But Mike is over here.

[Damaris]

We know that. That's not even. I'm just saying when you're compared to a Michael Jackson, it's not because you're just a R and B star.

[Mal]

Did Quincy like.

[Julian]

Who did.

[Damaris]

I don't. I'm just saying that was the general consensus.

[Mal]

I remember.

[Damaris]

So that's all I'm saying. I don't know. I can't name the names of exactly who was saying it. But we all know that they was comparing anytime it was a tribute to Michael Jackson who was performing.

[Mal]

Well, we didn't get the one we wanted.

[Damaris]

I'm just saying when there was a.

[Mal]

Tribute, it should be. It should be Chris Brown.

[Damaris]

This is what I'm saying. And it's a reason for that. There's a reason for that.

[Rory]

But I think that that's. It's his talent level. It's attributed a lot because of how well he can dance.

[Damaris]

Not only how well he can dance. Perform it. A lot of people can dance. Can you perform though?

[Rory]

Yes, but we also weren't arguing those.

[Damaris]

I'm just saying there's a reason that he is in these conversations because of his talent level.

[Julian]

But they also, like Brown, we give. They also had similar octaves, like very talented.

[Mal]

Yeah. That's why it makes so much sense. Because there's back to the Prince point, who's the one they always say should do the Prince tribute? Why am I blanking?

[Julian]

Other than her? Somebody else.

[Mal]

It was someone else. But either way, it's not always like, somebody that's comparable to them or even the best at the current moment or their era. It's someone that just kind of mirrors what their abilities were. Chris Brown.

[Julian]

You can't be at a Janet tribute.

[Mal]

Yeah, like, they. They're not comparable, but we know Sierra could smoke all Janet choreography, could sing to the best of her ability to perform that tribute. That's why. That's the comparison. It's not like they should be in the same sentence. And that's. No, not. Because I don't think anyone on earth should be compared to Michael.

[Julian]

If they're. If they're giving a tribute to Mariah, they're not going to go get Adele, who can sing her. They're going to Ariana Grande. Like, it's a mirroring thing. It has nothing to do with you being as good as that artist or even being the next from that artist. But again, I want to move off of this because it sounds. You're making it sound like we're on Chris Brown, and I really don't like that I said that. Give Chris Brown.

[Mal]

No, no, that just the.

[Damaris]

Oh, listen, I never said that. I was asking direct questions.

[Julian]

His. His. His flowers that he deserves for his artistry.

[Mal]

So you're gonna have to protect me. That's all I'm saying.

[Damaris]

Nah, you good.

[Mal]

He's like one of the few big artists I run into every time I'm gonna look.

[Damaris]

Where are you going?

[Rory]

Every time. I've never seen him.

[Julian]

Highlight room.

[Mal]

Oh, and it was always love before. It's just like two times he's commented, and both times has been me saying something negative.

[Julian]

Oh, he commented on something before when.

[Mal]

We were talking about the selling out in arena thing.

[Julian]

Oh, I didn't know that.

[Damaris]

Oh, y'all said he needed Little Baby to sell.

[Mal]

That's not what we said either.

[Damaris]

All right, man.

[Mal]

Anyways, did anybody.

[Damaris]

You see that? Now you want to get off it? Like, don't do that. Stand on business. Stand on a big box.

[Mal]

We already had the convo. It's available.

[Damaris]

Nah, nah, that.

[Mal]

We didn't say you needed Little Baby. We were talking about support. That's all.

[Julian]

Yeah, y'all listen to Bruno Mars. Let's not leave that out. But okay.

[Rory]

Yeah, there was. See, there's so much more to it.

[Mal]

Anyways, did anyone see the We Are the World doc before we get into some more messy. I do want to take. I want to cleanse. I want to cleanse with we are the World Doc before we get to Mickey and mega that.

[Damaris]

That we standing on business this year. We ain't moving on. Stay what y'all said the whole year.

[Mal]

We're doing Chris Brown.

[Damaris]

Exactly.

[Rory]

Did you guys hear any of the Nikki spaces where she was talking about Meg?

[Julian]

I heard some.

[Mal]

Yeah. I did not see the full. What I think was a 30 minute conversation, but I did see the moments.

[Rory]

The biggest takeaway I saw from it was she specifically said with Meg sitting down with Gail, she was looking for her Rihanna moment. And that seemed to be the snippet that people were running with most. It was a lot of her denying coke and then saying she has more records and all that. But the biggest piece regarding this was her making this jab, including Rihanna into the thing.

[Damaris]

So she said that Meg was looking for a Rihanna moment after being shot.

[Julian]

When she cried on Gayle. She was looking for her Rihanna moment because domestic violence is just like, yeah, you should get a moment. That's what that's.

[Damaris]

It was.

[Julian]

Listen, I.

[Mal]

It was a little distasteful.

[Rory]

A little.

[Julian]

A little.

[Rory]

A little.

[Mal]

And I. And I was on the side. Even though I didn't like Bigfoot, I was on the side of. Nikki is allowed to say whatever she wants to Meg. But, like, Rihanna is minding her business with two kids. Like, why are you bringing me up? And Nikki knows her power. She's a star as well. Like, you can't just. Don't bring me into this. What the. Like, I've moved on. I'm married with kids. Leave me alone. It was weird. It was weird. And I don't want to continue to on Nikki either, but it's just been a weird week, to say the least.

[Julian]

It's just shaming somebody for abuse. While the.

[Mal]

Okay. On the rap side of it, though, I did see there was a leak of the original beat to Bigfoot. Can we look up who produced the real Bigfoot? Like, actually, I'm sorry, what? It's a very sensitive.

[Julian]

And if the beat live, you know, little Jew made it. Megan's producer.

[Mal]

There's words sometimes that you have to use. Oh, she had Meg, little Jewish young tunnel defensive.

[Damaris]

No, you just made it offensive.

[Mal]

Okay, sorry. Anyways, he's the real. He's the culprit here. Bigfoot was not as bad when I heard it on the other beat he made. He made one of the worst diss records of all time based off the beat. That he did. And whoever mixed it because it wasn't that bad on the. On the newbie. It was not great.

[Julian]

You're missing. You're missing. Okay, so, Ma, let me give you some backstory. Meg's producer and her friend. And, like, you hear her, like, his drop is literally. And if the beat live, you know, Lil Jew made it. Megan says it all the time. That's literally her producer from when she was coming up. He made a beat six years ago or however many years ago. Nicki has had that beat. Nicki attempted to do her Megan diss track on that beat. Jude wasn't cleared a beat. That's my homie. Like, that's my.

[Mal]

That's what a lot of artists say.

[Julian]

Yeah. Like, that's my.

[Damaris]

Wouldn't clear.

[Mal]

Judas wouldn't clear it.

[Damaris]

Okay. You could say that.

[Rory]

Legal is always the toughest part to get through every single time. Copyright.

[Mal]

No, my question. I know he produced the original.

[Julian]

Catch them all up. That's what I'm telling you. Catch them all up.

[Damaris]

So, yes, Rory is just trying to make awkward jokes right now.

[Mal]

No, no, no. I'm really. I'm really not. I'm trying to get to who produced the one that we heard on streaming.

[Julian]

That. I don't know.

[Mal]

That's what I was asking. No, I know the backstory that he didn't clear it. And then Nikki was on live saying that's the guy party was saying, you were for a beat. If you want to, you could. Megan Row. I get it. Whoever produced the one we heard first is who I think we should direct our anger at.

[Julian]

Why would you direct your anger to him? She just picked another beat that she had. She picked another beat and put her. Her bars on that new beat. That ain't the producer's fault.

[Mal]

No, I would see a world where she just sent him the acapella and he made the beat around it. No, that's the only world I could see.

[Julian]

Obviously, that didn't happen. She picked another beat that she had in the stash. That's what happened.

[Mal]

It's the same flow. You're just listening to the mix and the awful beat. Like, yeah, I think they. He just did a shitty job of taking an acapella. I think Nikki sent that acapella out to a bunch of producers, and that was the one she chose, which is just a shitty, shitty beat. But if you hear the original, it's not great, but it would have hit way different. Like, way differently.

[Julian]

Way better.

[Mal]

She wouldn't have to post the lyrics. She wouldn't have like it was just bad. So that's. I don't want to on Nikki too much. I'll give her some. Well, let me not give her any bail there because you. You put that out, you pick that beat and you approve the mix.

[Damaris]

So I all that. Where do we think this is going from here?

[Rory]

So I does.

[Mal]

She released the five records.

[Rory]

She's put out eight versions of Bigfoot.

[Mal]

She just put out 10 versions of Pink Friday.

[Rory]

She just put out a. What was it the last one that came out? It's a shorter version.

[Julian]

She has the rap. Only the rap. Only the clean. But Meg is doing the same thing. Meg has a chopped and screw for his. They do that to try to chart because it's forcing people who already listened to the original record to go listen to the new version. And it's all chart games.

[Rory]

Well, at the point. To mall's point. Does Megan.

[Damaris]

Our games with Beef records is hilarious.

[Rory]

Does Megan respond?

[Mal]

Especially when Ben Shapiro out charted both of you.

[Damaris]

That's a sick game they play right there.

[Rory]

Does Megan respond?

[Julian]

I don't think Megan's going to respond.

[Rory]

Not even after the Twitter space.

[Damaris]

No, it's just. Yo, man, I'm telling you, man, it's just we got to. We're going to have to study this type of shit. Like being shot. And I know people like, if she didn't get shot, bullet fragmented. That's still considered being shot.

[Julian]

There was people that said she wasn't shot at all.

[Damaris]

She just. Well, we know that people still think, you know, whatever they want. They think Tupac is in Cuba. We know that. What I'm saying is if somebody fires a weapon and bullet fragments hit you, you were shot.

[Mal]

Oh, I can tell you guys now if bullet fragments hit me, I'm coming in here on this microphone and bragging about how I was shot.

[Damaris]

I mean, but you would.

[Mal]

And I would continually tell everyone, even out of context, no conversation like, listen, you don't even know what it's like to get shot though. Yeah, like I would be that.

[Damaris]

But you.

[Mal]

If I just got hit by a little fragment. You just a little bit.

[Damaris]

And you would be. And you'll be in your right to say that a mosquito didn't bite you.

[Mal]

I'd be. I would.

[Damaris]

Bullet fragment hit you.

[Mal]

I'd be at Ludlow like, yo, yo, you see this little scar?

[Damaris]

Yeah, exactly.

[Julian]

They kick your ass out.

[Damaris]

I just don't.

[Mal]

I was trying to shoot at a girl. I would.

[Damaris]

It's just how many people are fragment.

[Rory]

Like next year vaccine booster What? Saying Roy would have a bullet hole next to, like, his 10 vaccine dabs.

[Mal]

Listen, I would get shot before I.

[Damaris]

Never mind.

[Julian]

You know what? Anyway, yeah, I don't want to just get too much. I don't know. I don't. Everybody, every time I talk, they say I'm caping for Meg. But I just. I just think you should be able to just get shot and actually have sympathy.

[Mal]

But, you know, in conclusion, if no one really replies after this, this was just a cool moment for a few days that's going to pass. Mm. I thought this. I thought. I thought this was gonna be a bigger deal. It was 48 hours.

[Damaris]

Nobody cares. And things don't have the shelf lives that they used to. People move on as soon as they click refresh. Like we don't care. That's why I made a statement to y'all a few months ago. I said, bro, if we was to see former President Trump killed, people would talk about it for 48 hours and move right the fuck on. That's just the world we live in now. People don't give a fuck about anything anymore.

[Mal]

No, if they went back and forth and Nikki had five records on ice and Meg replied to one, yeah, this would go for another two weeks. Which two weeks in Internet time is like seven.

[Damaris]

I don't even think it would go two weeks. It would. It wouldn't last if. If both of these records came out today, which is basically Friday. Right. I don't think we're talking about this past Tuesday.

[Mal]

All right, my. My last point to Meg has to reply. She's put out two singles. She shedding the snake skin or whatever.

[Damaris]

Yes.

[Mal]

And Hiss Not a bite.

[Julian]

You want bite?

[Mal]

No. That's two back to back singles. This is a rollout.

[Julian]

Oh, no. Her album's coming.

[Mal]

She said that. I don't even think she was really anticipating that Nikki was going to reply or drag it the way she did. I think this was a rollout that the label and her were putting together already. She's gonna have to show face an answer to shit. So if she doesn't reply to Nikki, are we about to say Meg, thee stallion doesn't need to go on press run? Because she does.

[Julian]

No, she's not going press run. She has an album coming out.

[Damaris]

Yeah, she said she's not going to reply because the one thing y'all are missing, she never said nobody's name.

[Rory]

Please, come on.

[Mal]

Come on.

[Damaris]

That's what she going to stand by. She going to stand behind it. She didn't say no names.

[Julian]

Yeah, she. She already said that, though. She said, hit dogs going to holla.

[Damaris]

Yeah, she didn't say no names. This is Takeover in Ether. Even though Jay said names, but it was like it was a song on his album.

[Mal]

The hook on Ether was, fuck Jay Z. You bet on my dick. You love my style.

[Damaris]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You're missing what I'm saying.

[Mal]

The interest, the first. The first bar.

[Damaris]

You're missing what I'm saying. Takeover was on an album.

[Mal]

Yeah.

[Damaris]

Ether was a record that Nas has put together and threw out. In response to that record.

[Mal]

He's. Wait, first of all, Jay said names on Takeover.

[Damaris]

No, I said. No, I'm saying. But this version is. Meg has an album. This is an album cut. Nicki's response is just a response to that. I don't think she's. She's not putting that on that project.

[Mal]

I consider Meg, and she would look super funny in the light, the same way any other MC or rapper would. If you put out his. Someone directly replied back to you, then you went on a press run, and your response to Charlamagne and Envy was, I didn't say any names.

[Damaris]

But why not you? Look, she didn't say we would call.

[Mal]

Any real rapper pussy. Like, let's get gender out of this.

[Damaris]

But what I'm saying is she did not say any names, though.

[Mal]

Hit dogs don't throw a stone at your hand.

[Damaris]

Whoever. Yeah, but whoever you decide to attach those bars to, that's on you, because you can totally be wrong about that. Like a lot of things that Damaris was saying, this bar was about that person. She could be wrong in a lot of that.

[Julian]

Good.

[Damaris]

She could be wrong in a lot of that.

[Rory]

Why not?

[Damaris]

I think it's safe to assume that the Megan's Law bar is directed at Nikki. I think that's a very safe assumption. But at the end of the day, she didn't make. She didn't say anybody's name is what I'm saying. So to go on a press run and be sitting there grilled about Nikki. Nikki, Nicky, I could see a world where she's absolutely like, okay, yeah, that's what you. Okay, if you think that's what I was talking about. I didn't say anybody's name.

[Mal]

And we have to. We don't have to drag this. I'm saying if she does a press run. And her response to the Nicki stuff, if she does not reply to the diss is, I didn't say any names, she is going to look nuts. And that's not going to be a good press run. She's going to look.

[Damaris]

I don't think so. I think. I think female. Female rappers have.

[Mal]

If she does that, I think Nikki puts out four disses in a row. If she gets on any publications. Like, I didn't say any names. If I'm Nikki, I'm putting all four out.

[Julian]

I know Meg's gonna come out and say, hit Dog Tyler and brush it off. And I don't blame her for that. I don't blame her for that because I think her shit is. I put. I said. I said what the fuck I was gonna say. Like she said in the diss, I don't really know what the problem is, but like, go ahead. Jealousy. Jealousy from the opposition. Like, I don't. I don't know what the fuck your problem is, but go ahead.

[Damaris]

And in the same way, the opposite way, I don't. Nikki didn't say her name in her diss either, did she?

[Rory]

She.

[Damaris]

She just like, ma. Did she?

[Rory]

I mean, come on.

[Julian]

No, no, she said.

[Damaris]

I'm just. I'm asking what you mean. Come on. I didn't say. She wasn't talking about.

[Rory]

I'm saying she said her government name.

[Mal]

But like, did Drake say Meek's name? And back to back, did he say push his name and W freestyle?

[Damaris]

No, I'm not. I'm not saying that. I'm just asking.

[Julian]

Pushing W freestyle.

[Damaris]

I'm asking because this is going on her album. So she's ready to go on the press. She's ready to do.

[Mal]

Yeah.

[Damaris]

Media to support this. This album. So I'm saying if she goes up there and says, oh, I didn't say nobody's name, she's going to be absolutely right in saying that. She didn't say anybody's name. She never mentioned Nikki at all. She didn't mention Drake or whoever else people are saying bars are attached to. And she didn't mention nobody's name.

[Mal]

Even though that's true. My point in response to that is she will look insane.

[Damaris]

Nah, I don't think she should hold. I think female MCs get a pass in that. Now, men, I don't think they get a pass in that. Women, I think they have the luxury of saying, I didn't say no names. I think women, female MCs have that luxury. It's just a difference.

[Rory]

What's the difference?

[Damaris]

Females have the luxury of saying, I didn't say nobody's name. Whoever y'all think I'm talking about, I believe. Cause you can't say a woman is pussy. You can't say that.

[Mal]

Like, quote Jay Z again, I'm not talking to anybody in this.

[Damaris]

Yeah, but she looks.

[Mal]

He was definitely talking about mad people.

[Julian]

Jay Z stayed.

[Mal]

Said, I'm not talking to anybody in particular. He was talking to everybody. We knew every single person he was talking about.

[Damaris]

But that was a bar. I mean, that, you know, whatever. But he said names, though, on other records, just not that particular record. He came out and said names after that.

[Mal]

Yeah, that's true.

[Damaris]

So, I mean, Nikki, Meg has that luxury. I think if she wants to go in press run. I'm not talking. Whoever y'all think I'm talking to. I'm not making this press run about anybody else other than Megan, Thee, Stallion, and my album that's out now. Whatever, whatever. I could totally see her doing it.

[Mal]

And if. And we're gonna move on right after this. I promise. And if whoever she sits with lets her get away with that, you are now going to see me siding with Nikki in that everyone is in on destroying her. If any interviewer lets Meg get that line off and moves on to. Well, tell me about the producers on the project. I'm with Nicki Zane Lowe. I am with. I am with Nicki Minaj on this entire thing. This industry is focused on getting me the fuck out of here because no one would let Nikki get that off or any other rapper, period. Yes, yes. Roc Nation is the book. Roc Nation is the boogeyman. If Meg can get that off in an interview, they. They are the book.

[Julian]

That's why that doesn't correlate. And second of all, they let her get that off. They let her get that. If you're not. No, if you have somebody. First of all, we've had people on our show that in this certain. If a. Say they're not talking about something, they're not talking about it either. You gonna lose the interview because you're insistent on making them talk about something that their PR rep told you that they don't want to talk about. Or are you gonna stick to the assigned question on the sheet?

[Mal]

But we're not the Salacious podcast. Whereas Meg needs to go two platforms that are based off Salacious.

[Julian]

Why do you think that Meg needs to go to the. The platforms that are based off Salacious? I'm asking now. I'm looking at you.

[Mal]

You don't think Meg the Stallion needs to go to platforms that are based off Salacious.

[Julian]

Why does she need to go. What I'm. What I'm Saying.

[Mal]

So she should just go do rap genius in us.

[Julian]

No, what I'm saying.

[Mal]

Because everyone else is salacious.

[Damaris]

The Gail King years.

[Julian]

What I'm saying is. And Gail King is Meg's what met. From what I see, from what Meg is trying to do with her career.

[Mal]

And I wish Nikki brought up that.

[Julian]

Go towards the pop community. That's what I've been seeing her career going to. She's trying to go towards the pop. Okay, I didn't say that she was. What I'm saying is she's trying to go towards the pop community. She just did a fucking song with Renee rap. One of her other songs was with a pop star. She's been doing songs with K pop artists. Meg is trying to go towards the pop scene because the young white girls love me.

[Damaris]

That.

[Mal]

That can be true, but that's not where she is.

[Julian]

So she.

[Mal]

She needs to go to cultural.

[Julian]

Why would she. The culture.

[Mal]

She needs to go see Jason Lee when the cultural.

[Julian]

The cultural podcast. The cult. Not podcast.

[Damaris]

Y'all do know there's a world where she can do all of that, right?

[Julian]

She can. Of course. But what I'm saying is she doesn't have. He's saying, like, she has to do that for her career. No, she hasn't, because she's gonna be going to all the publications that have been kicking her back in through that whole entire trial. You think she don't got. She don't feel a certain way about that.

[Mal]

Oh, and she has every right not to go to publication on her. Oh, yeah, yeah, of course.

[Damaris]

But I think. I think she can go do Hollywood Unlocked. I think she can go do something with Zane Lowe. I think she can.

[Mal]

Breakfast Club is based on Breakfast Club.

[Damaris]

I think she can do.

[Rory]

Yeah, but to combat your point, Rory, even if it's those types of, like, salacious platforms, you still can have your publicist go in there and say, we're not talking about these three things. Shut the up.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Mal]

And I'm saying that's going to make her look crazy.

[Damaris]

I don't think so.

[Rory]

Not if it's not brought up. Then it's. Then it's not even.

[Damaris]

I'm telling you, there's a difference. I think female artists, they get that.

[Rory]

Passion and you're like, don't bring up certain. And they won't bring it up. And then it'll go out on YouTube and people like, huh? They didn't talk about it.

[Julian]

Yeah. Why didn't.

[Damaris]

Yeah, but it's different if a. A male MC comes in here and he's he made a record like that where we know who he's talking about. And I'm like, yo, so what about that bar? He's like, yo, nah, like, I wasn't talking to nobody. And it's like, no, if a woman says she ain't talking, I'm not pushing the issue. I'm like, okay, then let me mind my business then.

[Mal]

And we're also not that pod that. That wants and goes after all salacious shit. Like. But then again, when in our world, when Benny and Gibbs were going at it, we consider Benny an associate. We went directly at Benny and disagree with him about a lot of shit that was going on with that entire thing and wanted to resolve it.

[Damaris]

But that's different because Breakfast Club taking.

[Mal]

A Meg interview and not asking about this makes everybody look nuts.

[Damaris]

No, no, no, no, no. But it's different, though. It's different because Fred, Benny and Freddie, this situation turned physical. It turned physical.

[Mal]

We didn't avoid.

[Damaris]

No. So at that point. At that point, clearly they have a. You understand what I'm saying? This whole Nicki and Meg shit, do we think there's something there? Obviously, but it's not physical. Meg didn't say nobody's name in this record. So there's things that she could hide behind, like whoever y'all think I'm talking about, that's on y'all. She can definitely stand on that. She can hide behind that. Now, whether or not you think it's. It makes her look good or bad, that's subjective. But she can definitely get away with that. 100 for sure, I guess.

[Julian]

Yeah.

[Mal]

Are we going to more rap beef? Because I really want to get to UMG and Tick Tock. We can get through this.

[Julian]

So much, so much beef. We're pitting so many people against each other.

[Damaris]

And it's Black History Month.

[Julian]

I know, right?

[Damaris]

What are we doing? Martin had a dream, man. He had a dream. This is not Martin's dream.

[Julian]

Where your greats. Why they not beefing? What the Jack Harlow doing?

[Mal]

Yeah, the CIA killed JFK. What are you talking talking about?

[Rory]

That was like 100 years ago.

[Damaris]

Yeah, y'all do for a new one.

[Mal]

A white. White being murdered.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Mal]

Jeffrey Epstein.

[Rory]

Nah, he was one of their goats.

[Damaris]

He's insane.

[Rory]

You really break it down to a lot of people. Epstein was him.

[Mal]

Yeah.

[Rory]

To a lot of people that have money and influence. He was the one.

[Damaris]

Yeah. He wasn't no Kennedy, though.

[Mal]

Y'all are sick for bringing up Jack Harlow like you want harm to happen.

[Rory]

Oh, who's Y'all.

[Damaris]

No, I didn't say somebody wants to happen to anybody.

[Mal]

I did not expect Yassin Bey to get on Instagram and discuss this Drake thing. But what is he doing more press for Yassin?

[Damaris]

Yeah, this is press. Him sitting on IG live compared to.

[Mal]

Doing no press or getting on Instagram for 20 years. Yeah, I would say so. After putting out an amazing Blackstar album.

[Damaris]

No, he.

[Mal]

Two years ago, he didn't do any press.

[Damaris]

No, he sat down Qualis.

[Mal]

He did quality podcast.

[Damaris]

He sat down on a podcast and he made a comment about one of the biggest recording artists in the world. And I think that he started receiving some backlash for it and starting to see his name be attached to some things. And he felt like what he said was, like, taken out of context maybe. So he wanted to add more context to it. And then letting people know, he reached out to Drake via dm, via Dave Chappelle and other people that probably have access and communication with Drake to basically clear up and make sure that he didn't. When it seemed like he was disrespecting Drake's talent or Drake's craft. And I understand that. Cause sometimes you say things somewhere and it grows legs, and you're like, whoa, that's not what I was. Kind of like what y'all was saying about Chris Brown, right? Same shit, but this was a little more direct and personal. So I think that this is most.

[Mal]

Most.

[Damaris]

No. When you say things and it goes viral and it was taken out of context. And now there's a.

[Mal]

Now there's a. I know. I know almost.

[Damaris]

You know what I'm saying? And now you have a. Now you think that the artist may have an issue with what you said and feels away about what you said. So this is most like, nah, hold up. I want to clear this up. I don't want it to seem like I'm discrediting Drake and saying he's not talented and he's not dope. I just think that I. What we said is he requires more to say somebody is hip hop. He requires you to.

[Mal]

He didn't walk it all the way back.

[Damaris]

Yeah, he didn't walk it all. He was just trying to give more context to what he was saying. Like certain substances during certain times of the world, things that are going on. Hip hop is a voice of the people. You should address certain things culturally, certain things politically, and things like that that are going on that are happening. Which is what he was saying he would like to see Drake do more of.

[Mal]

And this is Another one of those pardon my face moments while I speak. I did disagree a bit with Yassin on that. Like, if Drake's not that guy, should he force certain type of substance or speak for a certain community?

[Damaris]

I would rather not. Because if you're not that guy, you're not from that.

[Mal]

Don't speak on it the same way. And I'm not comparing the two situations. I've come on here and said really dumb political points, like, I shouldn't. I shouldn't be the one to do that. Like, sometimes I should do more research before I spew shit. But sometimes that comes from a place of. I feel pressure. If we have a platform, things should be talked about. I just don't know if I'm the guy all the time after I've even tried to be that guy.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Mal]

So I feel what. I feel what Yassine's saying. But if Drake is not that guy, he has a lot of substance in the shit he knows about. So keep it there.

[Damaris]

You can't force him to want to talk about things that he probably is not well informed on or, you know, things that he doesn't really feel passionate about and things like that. Like, I respect that. I respect if an artist is like, I don't touch that. Because it's kind of like when in the Jordan documentary when people were mad when Mike didn't support the local official that was running for some type of position, and they were like, damn, well, why you didn't support him? Or why are you not backing him? And MJ said, yo, I don't get involved in that. And people were mad. But he's saying like, yo, I don't. Because I don't know much about that. I don't know what his policies are, what he's doing. So I'd rather just stay away from it. I'm not gonna support it and give him my blessings and things like that if I don't even. I'm not into that. I don't. That's not what I do. I'm into this. This is what I do. So sometimes people. Yeah, but that's because people of that caliber are expected because they're put in such a high position.

[Rory]

Because the amount of influence that you can have.

[Damaris]

The amount of influence you can have. But what Jordan said was, I don't want to use my influence in that way, because I don't really know about that. I don't. So I'm not gonna use my influence there. So I think that, you know, you just gotta look at what people's passions are and what they're into and things like that. And it's like, okay, so you can't expect this artist to create art based around the things that you're passionate about because they have a bigger platform and you would love to see them talk about it. But if that person's not into that, then they're totally in their right to not speak on that.

[Rory]

And sometimes it's about the money, because Jordan even said. And they believe in that doc as well. He's like, republicans buy shoes, too. When people are like, why aren't you more vocal about politics? And he's like, some people just want to build wealth and to play both parties and to not be associated in one way or another, because it's basically, pick a side. It's pick a side.

[Damaris]

And Mike is saying, I'm not picking a side.

[Rory]

When you split your audience, you lose money. And if you're really trying to build an empire, in Drake's case, I think he's about his money. You shut up and just play the good guy.

[Damaris]

I want Republicans, Democrats, and whoever else to support my music if they like it, to buy my sneakers if they like it. So I'm not picking a side because I'm not into politics. There's nothing wrong with that. Everybody's not into politics.

[Mal]

We know that. Drake studies the landscape constantly. He saw J. Cole put out a freestyle of saying, hey, I don't know everything. I'd love to learn more. And then all of the Internet said, shut the up, you misogynistic piece of. It's like, J. Cole. Yeah, I'm never gonna say a word. Then if the Internet looks at fucking Cole crazy.

[Damaris]

I saw something the other day on Instagram. They asked Snoop something about Trump, and he said, yo, Trump ain't never did nothing to me. And I was like, oh, they about to try to cancel Snoop now. Same thing.

[Julian]

They're not about to try to cancel him. He just sounds stupid. But they not about to.

[Mal]

Yeah, because even in the same breath of what we're saying, you can also just flat out say, I. I don't know. Speaking of canceling artists, though, TikTok just had all of the Universal Music Group artists canceled for possibly eternity. All right?

[Damaris]

That means nothing to me because I'm not on Tick Tock. But I do recognize that that is a big deal because most Tick Tock videos, if not all, have music in them.

[Mal]

To me, this is, I like music, industry wise, the biggest thing to happen since Spotify introduced streaming on a mass Level.

[Damaris]

Yeah, it's pretty. It's a crazy.

[Mal]

This.

[Damaris]

This affects over 90% of TikTok, I think.

[Mal]

For those that don't know, as of Wednesday, January 31, UMG, Universal Music Group, all of their artists, catalog songs, and for the foreseeable future cannot participate in the biggest tech company known to man right now.

[Damaris]

And this hurts nobody but the artists.

[Mal]

So TikTok proposed paying artists and songwriters a rate that is a fraction of the rate that. That they similarly. Similarly. See, I can't even. Similarly close enough situated major social platforms, UMG said. TikTok accused UMG of putting their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters. UMG then replied to TikTok in the press that TikTok only accounts for 1% of its advertising revenue. Which to me kind of like proved TikTok's point. But this is nuts. Did you guys ever see the Spotify TV series? Like just about the creation of Spotify? I think it was on Hulu.

[Rory]

Yeah, it was. You mentioned it before. I never got.

[Mal]

It's a really good series. If you haven't seen it, it's up there like with the Uber series, it's. It's just one of those. If you're into this type of, you need to go see it. So in the series, which is pretty accurate, that's a good representation if you want to get a back history of how tech companies and the music industry have combined. So Spotify had this great idea, created all these routers and all this that made it capable to stream all music from a computer, but they needed the music. So naturally they went to the major labels which all laughed in their faces because they own all the back catalogs of every artist ever. And it's like, why would we move to the beat of your drum and what you want and license this shit when we own what you need to even create? This entire thing was a back and forth. Looked like Spotify was never going to exist. The result was the three majors all have ownership within Spotify. That was the only conclusion that they could all come to, which to me is a fair one. At the end of the day, Spotify is a tech company, but they revolutionized how the masses can get music with their phones and their computers. But also why the majors are so important. Whether we like it or not, own all the music that we listen to. If I'm a major, I'm definitely telling Spotify no, I'm just not licensing some shit to you for a fee. I need to be a part of your tech company. Which to me is completely fair. Spotify had no leverage because they were the first. I mean, there was other streaming sites, but this was one that obviously changed everything. They had no leverage. TikTok now being who they are and who they're backed by, has a little bit more leverage than the average tech company. So them going in to negotiate with say a Universal, Warner or whatever is not looking at it the same way as Spotify. But the majors in, as arrogant as they've always been and as late to the party as they've always been, still thinks the whole world needs to beat to their drum because they have the Catalyst catalog, right? And TikTok did not budge and said it cool, we won't need to use your catalog. And the majors have never been treated that way in their entire existence, whether it be movies, because they went through this with, you know, Universal is not just, um, Universal music group. They own movies. We've seen it with Disney buying up every last other streaming site. They've never been treated this way or ever met their match before. I appreciate them not budging, but I think they're in a lose lose situation if they budge now, whatever the next tech company, of course Tick Tock is here to stay. No one's trying to argue that. But inevitably, like the World Turns because it's flat, there will always be a new tech company that's going to need music. And UMG has never feared that because they always had the leverage. If they cave to TikTok, now we're, now we're in a situation where our negotiations aren't the same as they were with Spotify, with Apple, with everybody else. But if you don't cave and you stand on your business, as arrogant as the majors are and TikTok continues to move the on and your artists are affected now, you've lost all leverage that you've ever had because clearly you're not needed for these tech companies anymore when it comes to back catalog or future relationships with artists.

[Damaris]

How does this, how does this help?

[Mal]

The only people that suffer in this entire thing are artists.

[Damaris]

But how does this help independent artists?

[Mal]

I think in a good way. I mean, if you take away, I mean umg, we don't even, that's everybody. We don't need to say Taylor Swift, Drake, et cetera, like they, they have almost everybody. I think it helps independent artists. I think it takes some leverage away from the majors too with doing deals with other artists. If I'm looking to sign and I'm the hottest thing moving right now on YouTube or whatever. And you take away my music being able to be promoted on Tick Tock, do you think I'd ever fucking sign with you?

[Damaris]

Right.

[Rory]

You know, I'm also thinking from, like, a younger artist perspective. Where younger artists are being discovered is on Tick Tock. So say, yeah, I'm a young artist that. That has a following. I blow up on TikTok, as most are doing now, and then I sign to Universal. Universal, their legal team, before the ink's dry, will own your back catalog. So immediately you're telling me is the day I sign with you, you're going to now have the rights to my back catalog and then rip it off a platform that I got my name from.

[Damaris]

Right.

[Rory]

And then what? I'm pretty much starting square zero because, say, I have a million on TikTok, but my Instagram has like a hundred thousand. My following's over here. So now we're isolating. We're depriving my audience. That got me to this point, and now I have to. What, do this on. In. On Instagram and Twitter or wherever now.

[Damaris]

So it's basically like creating another. I have to go to this label.

[Rory]

You're just robbing artists of. It is the real losers of the artist. I mean, to the point they're already.

[Mal]

Now we're losing all promotion, like, no matter what, to some degree. And I'm not. I've been on record not being a majors type of person. I think with certain artists, majors are actually great for you. I think it's awesome. And I think independence are great for other artists. But if you rob me not only of my masters and probably the fair share of profit outside of what you put up, for me, it is what it is. That's the industry standard. It sucks, but that's cool. Now you're robbing me of my promotion. Now I can't even promote my record to get the pennies off the dollar that I'm getting now. Tell me now you're legitimately a bank of America.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Mal]

You're not even a company as. As far as promoting my music. Like, you go to a major because they can help make you a star. And whether we like it or not, TikTok is a huge fucking part of that now. Julian, Take that out.

[Damaris]

It's like there was a Pharrell just did an interview where he was saying that if you could find it, he was sitting down with a podcast, I believe, or he did an interview somewhere. He was saying that he doesn't feel like artists have to sign to labels anymore. More than ever now. Like there's no need for an artist to, to sign a major recording deal.

[Mal]

And I think that was a premature statement based off the majors relationship with Spotify that is being part owners and with TikTok and with platforms like Instagram, if you erase that then at this point find a drug dealer to, to finance your dreams. Like, yeah, what are we doing? What are we doing at this?

[Damaris]

What's happened before?

[Mal]

I know, but it's different when you're taking so many resources. And on top of that we just watched Universal, Warner, all these reports that they're laying off half their staff. Right now the music industry is laying off more people than any other industry at all. So now I don't have a staff, I don't have access to the biggest platform. Okay, you're going to give me 100 grand to record an album that I don't own, that you're going to give me pennies off the dollar. Why?

[Julian]

Yeah, what I'm seeing. So I'm seeing some financial people who are talking about that. So basically TikTok paid UMG 110 million. They're paying them around $110 million per year. TikTok is comparable to Facebook Meta, with whom UMG had a multi year deal with in 2022, who they're paying I think three times as much. They're paying 200 to 300 million per year to license the content, so doubling damn near tripling what TikTok is paying. Right. However, you're not gonna, you can advertise on Meta in Facebook and Instagram and all of that. It's never gonna get the type of coverage that it's gonna get on TikTok. So I don't blame Tick Tock for not wanting to pay as much, but that is a big difference.

[Mal]

I don't think this is my personal opinion. I, I read all the articles and I have no inside information. I think UMG went in for an actual percentage of TikTok the same way they have done with every other tech company. How they've dealt with YouTube, how they dealt with everyone and they were needed. TikTok is a platform that of course we know Taylor Swift records go crazy on there. We know there's dances with every artist. They don't live and die by a back catalog or future music. They just don't. People are going to generate videos because they love TikTok and like making TikTok Tox, they'll dance to anything. That's actually kind of the beauty of Tick Tock where they almost treat it like soundcloud of a rabbit hole where those sounds and that, like, even if you don't have a huge following your can pop on Tick tock. So if you take that away, where the kids are not focused on trying to dance to what the hottest song is right now or have a back catalog. Yeah. Some random DJ could just make a beat and if it has the right dance, it's out of here. We've seen it a million times with TikTok. I think Universal finally met their match because they had every right to deal with vivo and YouTube that way. Every single right to deal with Spotify, Apple music in that capacity. Because when we use those things, we need back catalog and we need future catalog because those are strictly sort of music platforms. They're tech companies, but it's music. Tick tock is. That's just a portion. Sure. They don't. They find Universal finally met their match. And I think Universal, I don't think it's caving. I know you've been big brother forever, but adjust with the times. Adjust with the time.

[Damaris]

I was gonna say, I think it's just time for the big brother to just adjust to the new times and the things that are going on. The way people discover music, the way people share music, the way people fall in love with artists and things like that. It's a more organic way of doing it. With TikTok, people post videos, people like the video, the video goes viral. People are like, damn, that song is dope. I like that song. What song is that? I've done it. I've seen clips and things like that. And I'm like, yo, what song is that? So it's just a sign of the time's changing and I think Universal is still trying to stand their ground and say we're the most dominant figure on the block. That may be true, but there are other ways that artists are spreading their music and growing their music now that I think you want to be a part of and help. Help to grow it in that direction as well. Like.

[Mal]

But straight up too. Before you go to Maris, did Universal not straight up say, not even cryptically, we do not give a single about music. Their response was tick tock is 1% of our revenue. We don't care about that. So 1% of your revenue is coming from Tick Tock and music Cool. I get that. So now you're going to take away the biggest promotional thing ever for your music division. You are saying we do not give a single about music. It means Nothing to us, it means nothing at all. We're telling you it's 1% revenue over here. It's biggest promotional. So y'all. Well, that's saying.

[Julian]

That's saying not the music.

[Mal]

Yes. I'm saying you to music.

[Damaris]

It is.

[Rory]

But you're speaking shareholder language because that. You're looking at it because they. They.

[Mal]

No, of course I am.

[Julian]

Yeah.

[Rory]

Yeah. But I'm saying. Yeah, it's not. It's not. Obviously. I would imagine the label, the people at the label are like, well, shit, now what are we going to do? Yeah, but, yeah, if you're looking at it holistically, if you're looking at a pie chart and you see 1%, you're like, fuck it, we'll eat that.

[Mal]

If I'm Lucian, I'm looking like, yo, y'all. Y'all just said, fuck me.

[Rory]

For real? Yeah.

[Mal]

You said, fuck me and everything that I brought to this company. Yeah. And even though it is 1%, whatever. Back to perception as well. Like. Like, you guys had to start 360 deal. Because we know where you can leverage celebrity. Taylor Swift changed the economy. It was based off of music. Everyone's saying music now. Our artists, their promotion, it's barely a penny to us, y'all.

[Julian]

But I don't.

[Mal]

I mean, that's like, I'm. That's. To me admitting we are eventually and have been planning on dissolving this, this entire thing.

[Julian]

Okay.

[Mal]

This is a fun hobby.

[Julian]

I think you're going far. I think you're going really far with that. I think you're taken to what they. When they said tick tock pays 1%, I think you're taking that.

[Mal]

I'm not saying that's. I know it's 1% of their revenue. What they get paid out by tick tock. $100 million is one.

[Julian]

But I don't think that.

[Mal]

Which makes so much sense. But if the future is going into tech companies and Tick Tock is the biggest one, that was the only one that was going to make them budge and stood on their business and they decided to say, fudge you to TikTok. To me, that's saying, fudge you to the future of music. Because no matter what, music is going to be with tech companies. No matter what, I think they're going to have to do these deals again. And when they say no here, it's just going to get worse the next time. And they're saying, fuck this music department.

[Julian]

But I think it's. This is the thing with. I think they're. They're not saying fuck.

[Mal]

They didn't say fuck you the title there.

[Julian]

No. I think they're standing on their business. And this is why, because out of everything that TikTok pays to the labels, TikTok paid last year to the labels around 400 to $500 million. TikTok made $18 billion. Are you seeing what I'm saying? So to them it's like we want.

[Damaris]

A bigger piece of the pie.

[Julian]

I. I take up about my. My catalog is about 30% of the music that's being used on this app that is majorly majority based on music. And you're going to tell me that you're only paying me $110 million a year that I have to. You have to stand on your ground on that. You have to.

[Mal]

I agree with you. That's why I started with saying UMG is in a situation. There's no win for losing. Like either way you. You're losing all your leverage. You finally met your match. I think. I think UMG is worth more than $100 million from tick tock. You crazy? Of course. I believe that they should definitely go. They should ask for somewhat of a stake, Even if it's a.001% that we bring a lot of here. But Tick Tock in China is looking at this like these kids making their own sounds and they're going viral. We don't need your. Yeah, but if I'm an artist, I think it feels like a.

[Damaris]

You isn't Tick Tock band in China?

[Rory]

No.

[Damaris]

Tick Tock is banned somewhere in one of those countries over there, North Korea.

[Rory]

Well, nothing's allowed there.

[Damaris]

I'm sure Tick Tock is banned.

[Rory]

So it's a Chinese owned company.

[Mal]

It's definitely a Chinese owned company. Something.

[Rory]

Full bans on Tik Tok. Afghanistan. Damn it. India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Nepal and Somalia. Damn, the pirates can't scroll on there.

[Mal]

And just to give you guys crazy.

[Julian]

And just to give you that instead of giving you like percentages just for the listeners to make this a little bit easier. So there's a. UMG has a recording. They have recording music and they have publishing rights music. So from today, the recording music, which is 3 million over around 3 million songs have disappeared. The publishing music is an additional 4 million songs. So like there is. These are. I want to give you all numbers instead of just percentages. This is a lot of music. Like a lot of music. So.

[Mal]

And TikTok won't suffer.

[Rory]

TikTok doesn't need that shit.

[Mal]

Yeah.

[Rory]

So this is my question. Like if you're universal, rory, if it's one.

[Mal]

If it's 1% of your revenue.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Mal]

I'm saying for future business and for the overall big picture, you should cave.

[Rory]

Yes. 100.

[Mal]

You should cave.

[Damaris]

Yeah, but that is easy to say when you're not.

[Mal]

I'm Monday morning quarterback. I don't know.

[Rory]

No, but this is also going to hurt their bottom line. Like now, I've never went public to the initial conversation.

[Damaris]

It's like, why do you think they didn't cave though? Because like you said, if you cave now, you're gonna have to cave to.

[Rory]

The point you made. They're the big brother. They're like it. We've never had to bend the knee before. Why would we start now?

[Mal]

And I'm saying quietly, they could have just done it. Because to me, this back and forth brush, it is an ego thing.

[Julian]

Yeah, for sure.

[Mal]

If you would have quietly caved. And you're also now saying which you're snitching on yourself to me. And listen, I'm just a dumb guy in a yellow T shirt. One per. You didn't have to laugh. Yummy. One percent of your revenue comes from Tick Tock. Okay? So for the betterment, if I believe in UMG and music and my artists and want people to continue to sign in my label and continue to care about music, I have Sir Lucian Grange over here. I may cave and come to a compromise based off 1% of my revenue.

[Rory]

Yes.

[Mal]

For the future of UMG, I will cave to some degree with TikTok. Now, if there's real politics, because it's China and there's some other shit that is way deeper than we know about, then I should shut the fuck up. Because they made. They made all of the NBA shut up when they said the word China. So I don't really know.

[Damaris]

I mean, we, we do know this though, in this type of business situation, if. If one side doesn't kind of adhere or cave, like you said, it's really just all ego based. Yeah.

[Rory]

I think they'll come back knocking.

[Damaris]

They have to. Yeah, they have this. You have to.

[Julian]

Well, that's a negotiation. Are we gonna see who caves? Caves first?

[Rory]

Well, it doesn't need to ca. It's gonna have to be you and me.

[Julian]

Well, hold on now. Well, hold on.

[Mal]

A position they've never been in because Spotify had to caveat.

[Julian]

I'm going to name some UMG artists.

[Damaris]

You don't even have to.

[Rory]

You don't have to. But.

[Julian]

No, but I'm just, just we can.

[Damaris]

We know, we know the listeners. Just two. Just name two of them.

[Julian]

Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny.

[Damaris]

There you go. You don't even have to name the third.

[Rory]

Ariana Grande.

[Damaris]

You don't have to own it. I mean, you have to go there.

[Julian]

Billie Eilish, Harry Styles.

[Rory]

We're saying names that to TikTok don't mean shit. Who gives a fuck? TikTok doesn't need these people.

[Mal]

And I could see UMG being arrogant enough to say, like, Taylor Swift moves the economy without TikTok, I'm saying it ruins the future opportunity to have the next superstars. If you're eliminating the biggest promotional tool.

[Damaris]

You'Re closing the door on the. On the next generation.

[Mal]

Drake is not going to suffer. Taylor's not going to suffer. A lot of artists aren't going to suffer.

[Damaris]

You're closing.

[Mal]

And I also think UMG really focuses the most on them. But do you think this company is going to die with Taylor Swift and Drake? Like. Like Universal's been around for how long?

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Mal]

Do you not see a future in this? That could be something too. Same way everyone's selling their catalogs. There's probably a lot going on that we're Monday morning quarterback. Like, we don't know what the. Is happening. We're going based off what we see here. But that could. Universal could think they had the. They made the best decision they ever could have because the music industry as we see it is over. So why the fuck would we cave there?

[Julian]

I know you guys are saying that this doesn't affect TikTok. TikTok is unaffected by this. Right? And I get where you're coming from with that because TikTok, I get where you're coming from with that. But what I will also say is, okay, for example, Drake, Drake. Drake's album dropped every Tick Tock on the timeline. I'll speak for American Adult. Tick Tock was Drake songs with dances and other stuff. Whatever you do on Tick Tock with the Drake playing in the background, if Drake's album drops and you can't do Tick Tocks to Drake's music, that will force people to go to reels. Like, people will make real people will.

[Mal]

Still be addicted to TikTok the same way if Drake, Taylor Swift, all the huge artists we're talking about came together and boycotted and was like, Yo, TikTok, all our fans delete that shit because we can't use our catalog on this, then I could see an effect happen. Yeah, these kids don't care if Lucian Grange is Like, oh, man, they don't even know who that is. And I'm telling you now, Drake, Taylor Swift, none of them are ever going to say a bad word about Tick Tock. The kids are just gonna be like, well, I can't do a Drake song. I guess I'll move on to the next sound.

[Rory]

On to the next one. Yeah.

[Julian]

Like, but what, what I'm saying, if.

[Mal]

They all came in solidarity and Taylor Swift was at the super bowl in the, the booth and like had a, a sign, like the way Prince had slave over his mouth and was like, tick Tock. Because Taylor Swift and Prince are the same, then maybe you could have some effect, a tiny effect on what's going on with Tick Tock. Taylor Swift and Drake are just as afraid of China as Joe Biden, so they're gonna shut up.

[Julian]

But what I'm, what I'm saying is you're saying, okay, onto the next song, onto the next sound. So much of the market share. So what? Who's the next. Are you seeing what I'm saying?

[Mal]

Like, Drake and Taylor don't own the catalogs.

[Julian]

No, I'm talking about why would, why.

[Mal]

Would they go to bat for umg?

[Damaris]

What happens with TikTok? What happens when TikTok decides to become a label?

[Rory]

They should have been signing artists, but they don't need to.

[Mal]

That's what. Yeah, like that to them, that's ass backwards.

[Damaris]

Like kids, I'm not like, oh, your little label, they don't need, they don't need to do it. But now what if TikTok says, you know what, in response to this? Like, we're gonna create an artist division. Like, we're gonna, we're gonna become a label.

[Mal]

We're.

[Damaris]

Find these kids that their Tiktoks are going crazy. Sign them to deals, give them percentages.

[Rory]

That approach made sense to what we argued in the past about what SoundCloud should have done. Yeah, because that was a more.

[Damaris]

So take artist, take a page out of that book. But this is.

[Rory]

Tick Tock is so self sufficient that it doesn't like it. To Roy's point, it's peanuts to them. What is an artist making music to them?

[Mal]

I don't have the answer to your question. I have a question to your question. Same reason why Apple Music never did it. Same reason why Spotify has never done it. What. What would be the point to them? The way I watched Apple Music do that exclusive deal with Chance and a few other rappers and then Stop Love My Wife, and then Spotify never signing a single Artist ever. Because like imagine, I mean, well, we've been exclusively signed there, but imagine signing to Spotify and they're guaranteeing me the front page, everything a major does. I could sign directly to the tech company that owns the hardware, of course I will. But the tech companies looking like, why would I do this? Is. You're an advertisement. You're an advertisement. So someone can buy this to listen to your shit. Don't care about that. Like, why would I. Why would I do a label?

[Damaris]

Sounds like somebody has a monopoly on the game.

[Rory]

Well, Chinese, what if this is the only. Because, okay, so Universal, they tried. They. This doesn't look good to them, at least from our perspective. Maybe you're right. Maybe they have another play that they can leverage. What if Warner, like, what if all the majors, what if Universal goes go see other majors and goes, hey, take. I don't know what your deals are, but if we can get all agree to take all of our artists down, do you think then something like Tick Tock would have to bend or do.

[Mal]

Something Tick Tock said or an article I read suggested that all the other majors have already resigned and came to a fair negotiation.

[Rory]

Oh, that's hilarious. Well, Universal's themselves.

[Mal]

Yeah, but. And also at the same time, like back to this Ego and big brother Warner, Sony and Universal are all arguing about Disney plus right now. Netflix, like, shit, that's way bigger than Drake albums. Like, yeah, they're not going to come together for the art of music at all. Like, their fight is with owning, streaming and monetizing their back catalogs and using that as leverage to continue to own the tech. And they all look at each other as competitors. Not. They're not coming together. They're competitors. With Ego, that would never happen. They don't even let artists. Sometimes shit doesn't get cleared because you have a feature from a Sony artist and you're on Universal, right? And they will legitimately block what would help you, which internally helps them. They would block it because they don't fuck with Sony, saying it happened a bunch of times. That feature is not getting clear. We don't have a relationship with them. Fuck them. They're a competitor. Why would you work with somebody like that? Well, I don't know. I thought it helped all of us right now. We don't work that way, bro.

[Julian]

I watched, I watched what Disney did to the Hulk just because they couldn't get the rights to his solo movie. And the way that they destroyed an entire character and his entire character arc made him so unlikable. Because they could not get the rights to his solo movie.

[Mal]

You know, it's the same reason Fox News fired Tucker Carlson. Nobody's bigger than the program. Like, I don't care that you're the number one TV guy. We have been around forever. You're just the hottest thing moving right now. We don't give a fuck. And in UMG world, I think that's how they've been viewing music at this point. How do we own everything that an artist does outside of music so we can leverage their celebrity where the real money is?

[Damaris]

So let's ask the real questions, Damaris. How scared are you now that you can't use some of your favorite artist music on Tick Tock?

[Julian]

I don't use artists. I don't really use music on Tick Tock. I talk on Tick Tock a lot.

[Damaris]

Oh, that's what you do.

[Rory]

But that's the point.

[Julian]

Yeah. That's actually what gets pushed the most now is people talking on Tick Tock. I can't remember the last time I used a song on Tick Tock.

[Mal]

And to be quite honest, TikTok's a better promotion for artists when they do the dances and those songs than it is for TikTok. It's more lucrative for the artist from a promotional.

[Damaris]

Yeah. Oh, absolutely.

[Mal]

Like, Tick Tock will just have somebody, you know, mouth this sound. Just talk real quick.

[Damaris]

Yeah, that's what lucrative. The MASH tried to have us talking to our phones. I was like.

[Mal]

I don't know if I'm like, how much money you think Tick Tock made off Meg's sassy dance?

[Julian]

Hold on. Okay, now wait a minute.

[Mal]

Compared to what Tick Tock makes?

[Julian]

No, obviously, compared to what?

[Mal]

I don't even think. I don't even think it made it to.

[Julian]

But that management level, that's what made a. No, you're bugging. That's what made a lot of people join Tick Tock. That's what made a lot of kids join Tick Tock is when that dance went viral. So I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna take that from you.

[Mal]

That's a lot.

[Julian]

Really, really big moment.

[Mal]

100, 000 people.

[Julian]

Yeah, but at the time. But this is at the.

[Mal]

It's a lot to me. 100,000 people is a lot to me.

[Julian]

It is. When that happened. That happened during the pandemic. Tik Tok was nowhere near as big as it is now when that happened. So for them, that was a moment. Me, personally, that's what I think. But now it has turned because that was back when TikTok was a dancing app. Remember when Tik Tok first came out? It was Tik Tok.

[Mal]

Drake conformed to TikTok during the pandemic. Tik Tok did not conform to Drake. Tik Tok, he was in his. He was Tootsie sliding in his. His living room.

[Julian]

Y'all do know that TikTok was original, originally the musical lyrics app, Right? Do you guys remember musically? Okay, so you can't sit up there and say yes for Tick Tock has always been. No, no. Tick Tock was a music app. It started as a music app. Right, sure. So where people can mouth other mouth over songs and things like that and different artists. It got the reputation for a dancing app because music dancing obviously goes together. It has grown over recent years into a whole different monster, but that is still where. Where its roots were. So, yes, back in those days, Facebook.

[Mal]

Started as a bashing woman website. Now it now owns my thoughts. Like, things change.

[Damaris]

Those are the days. Bring it back all my life.

[Mal]

Like, I feel you. I feel you. But things change so drastic once you get to San Francisco and it becomes backed by billion dollar investors.

[Julian]

Yes, of course. We see.

[Mal]

You can build a community. We can own that community.

[Julian]

Yeah.

[Mal]

Things change drastically. Oh, you have the software five years ago.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Rory]

We're gonna buy you.

[Mal]

Yeah.

[Damaris]

And you own that? We'll buy you.

[Mal]

And anyone that uses that, we own them now.

[Damaris]

Sick world we live in.

[Rory]

Should we play some voicemail?

[Mal]

You've got mail.

[Damaris]

Oh, I forgot. We have voicemails. Yes, give us some voicemail.

[Rory]

All right. Pivot into a sexual one.

[Mal]

Man winning in court is crazy how y'all knowing everybody.

[Damaris]

This Quan from Louisiana, you know, Much love to y'all, but I had a question, and it's. It's for everybody here, but it's mostly Ferrari because, you know, he. Let's say we have a similar past, you know what I'm saying? Which I ain't gonna trauma go on any of that, but which led to issues, hypersexuality and things of that nature. And I just want to know, you know, how did you get past it, you know what I'm saying? Like, obviously, I don't have a problem getting women meeting women, you know what I'm saying? Talking to women, whatever. It's just that most of my relationships with women are sexual, you know what I'm saying? And very recently, I met somebody, a young woman who I wanted to be more with. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, more than just you Know I want my old lady type. And I feel like my over sexuality kind of messed, like, kind of that up a little bit. So I kind of just want to know, like, beside. Well, therapist, obviously. Obviously.

[Julian]

Answer, most likely.

[Damaris]

But how did you. How did you get over that? Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, I feel like when I told her physical touches, my love language, she kind of like that turned off her crazy, like, you know what I'm saying? Appreciate the help. You know what I'm saying? Love y'all. Love what y'all do. But listening for a minute.

[Mal]

Physical touch can be a love language, right?

[Damaris]

It is a love language.

[Mal]

Yeah.

[Rory]

If I'm.

[Damaris]

But he's trying to say, since you're such a horny devil. No, he's a horny devil.

[Mal]

He's saying he's been molested before, which means hypersexual, and he has trouble having real relationships because he's focused just on physical. Because he has a hypersexual brain, because he was introduced to sex way before he should have been introduced to sex. And when you have a mind that is mush and is developing and someone introduces something that should come way later in your life, it takes over most of your brain, which can fuck up all relationships. I understand what he's trying to say. I don't want to give the cliche answer because he already brought up, like, I understand therapy. I will say, for me, what worked was talking about it in therapy and understanding the root of it and making yourself more aware of it and seeing the behavior you have and where it's caused makes you more conscious of it, which allows you to change it a bit. You become more patient with stuff. You don't view things the same way once you understand the root of it. But, I mean, he's. He's made somewhat progress already of understanding his hypersexuality based off what happened to him when he was young. It takes the work on changing that, because once you realize it, that doesn't make anything you do okay. Like, I'm still on that side. I understand. If you've been abused before, it is unfortunately your job as an adult to make sure you don't. Not to say he's gonna abuse anyone, but right that you do the work to change yourself. And that takes some time, and you should get some grace through that. But you have to do the work if you don't want it to affect the rest of your life. Because once you're. Once you're 40 years old and you've been through sexual Abuse. Nobody is going to look at that as an excuse. If you are lashing out or treating people poorly, like we'll get where it comes from. But you're in a don't now.

[Damaris]

It's not an excuse.

[Mal]

It's. It's time to change. And that sucks because it's like, damn, like you had that feeling of like, oh well, no one protected me or cared about me at that time. Now it's my job to pick up the pieces and not be a shitty person, right? Unfortunately, yeah.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Mal]

And I know it's like the tough love version of it, but you will just continue to have awful relationships that will affect you in a terrible way. At the end of the day, it's a selfish act as well. If you want to have a real connection with somebody, you have to do the work and realize where your actions are coming from and disconnect yourself from that experience the best you can so you can have a healthy relationship with people and understand it wasn't your fault, but you are now in control for the first time. That's the beauty of it when you look at it. You were never in control at that time. Now I'm in control and it was up, but I can control now how I can work with people.

[Damaris]

Right.

[Mal]

So that's my advice. Was that good?

[Damaris]

I think you got it. I think you got it right.

[Julian]

And if you're.

[Mal]

These are sensitive topics. I don't know if.

[Julian]

Yeah, you did a very, a very good job. I agree with you. The only thing I'll add is as far as her getting turned off by physical touch, you can have physical touch as your love language, but that doesn't always mean sex. So if you didn't make that clear to her because a lot of times women, a lot of men's love language, they think it's physical touch because they think sexual wise, right? When a lot of them, they don't know that their love language is actually words of affirmation and a whole bunch of other shit. So they will mostly will say physical touch. So that's why it turns a lot of women off. But yours probably is physical touch because of what you've been through. But you need to learn how to channel that physical touch into other ways. Because when physical touch is your love language, it doesn't mean that you like sex. We all like sex. It means that you like hand holding, you like hugs, you like cuddling. So that's. Physical touch is your love language. You being hypersexual is not physical touch being your love language. Because there's actually no love involved in that. But I do hope that you get the help you need. I was just giving you some insights into why she was probably turned off by that.

[Damaris]

I like cuddling, too. Until it gets too hot.

[Julian]

Hot. You look like you get hot when you sleep.

[Damaris]

Yeah, I. Really hot. I sleep naked. I got to. I can't sleep with clothes on. I wake up, shirt soaking wet. Everything is wet.

[Rory]

But dream or just not just hot.

[Julian]

Just, you know, my most comfortable relationship. As long as our feet like our feet.

[Damaris]

I never had a wet dream. I never understood that. That's it.

[Rory]

Having a soak shirt from a wet dream is crazy.

[Damaris]

Where were you in your dream? He was in Dawney Park.

[Mal]

And that means you had no bottoms.

[Julian]

On in a shirt or Miss B. Nasty's wrangler.

[Damaris]

Oh, Miss B. Nasty. Shout out to Miss Be Nasty. I want to shout out every episode.

[Mal]

But also, I think it was brave that you called into a podcast to have that conversation, especially this one. Yeah, those are tough things to have conversations about, but.

[Damaris]

Well, I mean, you know, he feels like he shares that with you.

[Mal]

Yeah. And it. It's just something that's you're able to get over.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Rory]

How often Rory, do you field.

[Mal]

You guys bring it up every day, so.

[Rory]

Yeah, not us, obviously. Well, we're doing it as a psa, so people like this gentleman can call in and share and feel comfortable. But how often do you, like, feel dms or. Or, you know, messages from people about that stuff?

[Damaris]

Well, they think Rory is, like, lying about it most of the times. Or joking about it.

[Mal]

Yeah, well, I don't think he's joking, but they just make jokes because y'all make jokes.

[Damaris]

Jokes. Well, I think sometimes that's. That's like. What is that called?

[Mal]

I would never.

[Julian]

Mechanism. Coping mechanism.

[Damaris]

It's not words of affirmation.

[Julian]

No.

[Rory]

Making fun of him being touched. I think that's a word of affirmation.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Mal]

Ma, actually, can you demonstrate in an Irish household. Yeah.

[Julian]

The love languages for me? Can you give me a demonstration, like an example of the love languages? I would love to see what you think. Showing love in that.

[Damaris]

If I show you physical touch, we might get canceled. I'm not gonna do that.

[Julian]

Okay. We cannot do that. What are all words of affirmation?

[Damaris]

You are beautiful, you are powerful, you are confident. You know what I mean? Like, I support you. Things like that.

[Julian]

Okay.

[Damaris]

There's nothing you can't do that's not.

[Julian]

Yes, but in love, like.

[Mal]

Like, what if there's stuff she can't in love.

[Julian]

Shut up.

[Damaris]

Oh, yeah, you can't cook. I'm affirming that. You cannot cook.

[Julian]

You can't affirm that. Nobody, baby.

[Damaris]

Those are words.

[Julian]

But in love, it's more like in love words. Or in relationships, words of affirmation are more like. Like, I love you. I appreciate you smell. Okay, You. Yeah. Thank you for making my life easier.

[Damaris]

Like, I do all of that. Like, when they're giving me head, I'm like, that is good. You're doing a great job. Keep doing it. No more of that spit.

[Rory]

No, that's a twofer. Because that's physical touch and words of information.

[Damaris]

Exactly. And acts of service.

[Rory]

And quality time.

[Damaris]

If you're paying for it. I'm knocked over them off the board.

[Rory]

And you're receiving a gift. That's all five of them.

[Damaris]

Yo, come on, fam. I'm not a legend over here. Head is the ultimate axe for what I gave all.

[Rory]

I think head is the ultimate love language.

[Damaris]

That is the ultimate.

[Mal]

So many words of affirmation in physical.

[Damaris]

Oh, my God.

[Julian]

What? Well, that's talking.

[Mal]

And that's quality time.

[Damaris]

Quality time. Quality times. Acts of service, it's everything. When you have sex, that's the best.

[Rory]

Gift you can get.

[Mal]

But we gotta stop letting women think head is a gift.

[Damaris]

Well, I'll take it.

[Julian]

Did you have it before? If you didn't have it before, it's a gift.

[Damaris]

I love that gift. That's a gift. You can.

[Rory]

I was gonna say, rory, what gifts do you expect from. From.

[Mal]

I'm saying, like, if it's my birthday, don't give me head.

[Damaris]

And that's the gift you want more than just head?

[Mal]

Give me head on Arbor Day.

[Damaris]

Yeah, that should be.

[Julian]

When is Arbor Day, Rory?

[Mal]

When the trees.

[Julian]

No, when is it, though? What date?

[Mal]

In spring.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Rory]

April 26th.

[Damaris]

There you go.

[Mal]

Everyone knows that. Yeah, I didn't think I needed to say that. Because everyone knows.

[Damaris]

Because everyone gets special head on Arbor Day.

[Mal]

My seed sprouts every Arbor Day.

[Damaris]

Head is a gift, and I want it every day. Keep giving me that gift, please.

[Mal]

Isn't love kind of like all five of these, though, outside of receiving gifts?

[Rory]

Well, that's why it's called love languages.

[Julian]

It's way. There's ways or not ways to show love. They're how you receive love best. Your love language is how you receive love best. For example, you could go buy me you. Well, now, I won't say me. Some girls, you can buy them a Birkin, right? Some girls, you can buy them a Birkin. But if you don't tell them that you love them, they will not believe that you love them.

[Mal]

That's why I said receiving gifts was the one I was taking out. The rest of these, though, I think should all be part of love.

[Julian]

No, it's not. Yes, yes, A good relationship encompasses all of the love languages, of course. But some people receive love different, you know, differently. Like you will prefer acts of service over words of affirmation. Correct? People showing people doing things to make your life easier is how you would. Would prefer to receive your love over somebody just saying I love you.

[Mal]

Okay, but isn't love a compromise to some degree?

[Julian]

Rory, is it not a philosopher with a tin hat on every.

[Damaris]

You said his love. What?

[Mal]

Love is a compromise, right?

[Julian]

No, love is not a cop. Relationships are compromises. Love is not a compromise. Relationships are compromises.

[Mal]

See, now you're the philosopher. If somebody's not great at giving words of affirmation, and that's the best way I receive love, but I love this person, I'm not going to be mad at them for that. They're just not good at words of affirmation.

[Julian]

Yeah, no, but that might not be the part. Okay, but that might not be the person for you. That's. That's the. The purpose. And that's the reason why people do these relationship tests. Because you're supposed to. A relationship is not just about I love you and you love me. That won't keep a relationship going. When it comes to relationships, our puzzle pieces have to fit and we have to understand each other and be able to gel well. So if I am a person who needs to hear I love you, and you're not comfortable saying I love you, but you'll buy me every gift and touch me and spend quality time, none of that will matter to me if I never hear you say the words. So we are not a good fit.

[Mal]

If you want someone to say I love you is. That means my love language is words of affirmation. It's like one on one shit, not saying I love you.

[Julian]

You know, I'm not really trying to debate.

[Mal]

I'm trying to understand, okay?

[Julian]

Not just. And I don't want to just use I love you, but it's a good example. Not. Some people don't say, you know how I tell you I love you all the time? Like all the time I tell you I love it.

[Mal]

But you say you love everybody, so we don't. It doesn't mean. It doesn't mean you're one of those.

[Julian]

At the End of the day, some people are not comfortable saying how they feel, period. Let's not just say I love you. They're more comfortable showing you how I feel. You have. You'll. In dating. Y'all don't date men. I date men. You'll hear that. Well, I didn't. What do you mean? I didn't tell you that I appreciate you or. What do you mean? I didn't tell you I love you. I did this for you. I did this for you. This proves my love to you. And it's like, okay, but that's not my love language. I need to hear you say these words. I need to hear you think. Say that you think I'm beautiful. I need to hear you say that you need me and that you appreciate me, or else I won't feel it no matter how else you do it. That's why I just think that people should. If you want to be with somebody and you want that relationship to last and have that passion and that heat and that happiness throughout, I personally think you have to learn to show love in your partner's love language, period.

[Mal]

Okay, again, I wasn't trying to debate.

[Julian]

Yeah, but that's. Yeah, it's just, you know, it's. It is. As far as showing those, like, yes, a relationship is a compromise, and you do, do need to learn how to love your partner the way that your partner best receives love, or else the relationship is not going to last that long.

[Damaris]

Yeah, I agree.

[Mal]

We know.

[Rory]

I mean, head on Arbor Day also.

[Damaris]

Oh, man. April 26th. I can't wait.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Mal]

To answer your earlier question, Julian, people that DM me, I still bought depression on the old pod and people would DM me all the time. And I reply, it was making me more depressed and making me more anxious. And, like, people would dump their problems, and I, you know, I would reply because I felt some type of way, and they were saying, yo, you made me feel seen. And, like, podcasting doesn't talk about this. It was before Charlemagne, so I enjoyed it until, like, it became a. A not a burden, because that's a bad thing. I don't like doing that anymore because it's going to affect my life. Like, I'll lose sleep thinking about a stranger that DM me that I replied to of how they're doing. It put me in a bad place. So I'm cool with, like, voicemails and having this conversation because it's here. But if I'm on the. On my phone and, like, I see a notification and then I see that unread. And I was having a conversation about depression or some other. I don't want to be this stranger's call.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Mal]

Like, and then what if something happens? And, like, yeah, I just don't need that in my life.

[Damaris]

We talk about that a lot. Like, sometimes at these live shows, you meet people and they say, oh, you know, you saved my life. I was contemplating suicide. And this. That. That's. That's heavy, man. That's heavy. To just throwing somebody. Cause it's like, whoa. Like, you were thinking about suicide, but I'm the person that was, like, the voice of reason in your head, and you were looking forward to, like, listening to me every week.

[Rory]

Like.

[Damaris]

Like, that's. That's heavy. People don't understand how heavy that is. But that's, like, a really, really heavy thing to tell somebody, because I know me. I'm not. Well, I am.

[Julian]

But you tell people to kill themselves every other day, so I don't know why they would ever want to listen to you. To keep themselves on the legs.

[Mal]

You probably tell us people need tough love.

[Rory]

You have a mental illness.

[Damaris]

I mean.

[Rory]

Yeah, that's probably more accurate.

[Julian]

Well, they do.

[Damaris]

That's true. Yeah.

[Mal]

And most of it, I mean, I've watched people say that tomorrow, and I think it's cool when. Not cool, but I think I appreciate it when people say it at live shows and meet and greets and everything. To what Julian's question was, though, I had to stop with the DM because then I started feeling responsible for.

[Rory]

Yeah, you started wearing people's trunk.

[Mal]

Yeah. Like, what the. And now I'm like, yeah, unread messages. And they're like, about possible suicide. And then it's like, all right, what? I can't attach this to my life.

[Damaris]

I took a page out of Ike Turner's book one time when a guy told me he was gonna kill himself. If you die, I'll kill you. He was looking at me like.

[Julian]

Nah. But this their great black hope. For real.

[Mal]

That's.

[Julian]

That's who they.

[Mal]

That's.

[Damaris]

And they love me. They love me.

[Mal]

Oh. Oh, Maul.

[Julian]

Yeah, they love you. They do.

[Rory]

Black History Month.

[Damaris]

Shout out to Black History Month, yo. Shout out to Rabbit Movers. Shout out to my guy Anthony and his. His partner Mercedes. They helped me move my stuff yesterday.

[Julian]

Love them.

[Damaris]

Yeah, they was dope.

[Rory]

Well, can't wait to not see it.

[Damaris]

It's a bunch of boxes right now, but, you know, can we go to.

[Mal]

The old spot that we never went to now?

[Damaris]

Oh, sure. Yeah. Over there.

[Rory]

Now that it's vacant.

[Damaris]

Yeah. Go over there.

[Julian]

You know, they would have unpacked for you if you. Rabbit does that. They unpack.

[Damaris]

Yeah. No, I didn't need them do all that. I just need to move. Move the boxes. But shout out to Rabbit Movers if you ever need anything moved, please give Rabbit Movers. You can follow them IG rabbit movers website, rabbitmovers.com very efficient, very quick. I was. I was. I was surprised at how fast they got all those boxes out of there. Like, they. I was sitting there, like, trying to look at, like, the method, and like, that was impressive. Like, they moved that really, really quick.

[Mal]

Did you pack everything up?

[Damaris]

I packed most of the stuff.

[Rory]

Did they over? Yeah. How did it.

[Damaris]

They would have. They would have. They helped pack some of the stuff. But Jesus. Like, you know, because I knew I was moving, so I've been taking, like a couple days out of the week past two, three months to just kind of sort. Sort of start packing up. But you better than me.

[Julian]

They pack my whole closet and everything.

[Rory]

Really?

[Mal]

Yep.

[Damaris]

Yeah, they would have.

[Rory]

They helped two of my friends move. I put them. Because by way of Damaris. I got. They contacted me. I put them in touch with my friend. They just helped them move.

[Julian]

Great.

[Damaris]

Really, really efficient, quick. Really cool. Good people. So anywhere, if you need any. Anything moved, anybody needs to, you know, have their stuff packed and shipped or whatever, Rabbit movers on Instagram, rabbitmovers.com. give them a call, and they definitely get the job done. Super dope.

[Mal]

So thank y'all.

[Damaris]

Appreciate y'all.

[Mal]

New spot. Does it feel like a new chapter? Do you feel.

[Damaris]

Oh, my God. Like, I'm gonna sage Headspace. Yes, I'm gonna sage. I'm gonna, like, clean out all of the evil spirits that were there before me. Even though it's a new spot. Nobody ever lived here before.

[Julian]

You gonna bring mad, new evil spirits in that bitch. Valentine's Day. Come in, please.

[Rory]

Why not?

[Mal]

You're gonna have evil spirits helping you unpack?

[Damaris]

No.

[Rory]

When was the official day? The move in the first.

[Damaris]

Right. Yesterday.

[Rory]

You take a big. Did you, like, christen the toilet yet?

[Damaris]

I didn't have any wipes with me. No, I couldn't.

[Rory]

Damn.

[Damaris]

Yeah, that's gonna be a good tonight, though.

[Mal]

So you just held it?

[Damaris]

No, took a. At the old spot. Just still happen.

[Julian]

Oh, damn. Not you leaving them a gift.

[Damaris]

Yeah. So now I got you. Yeah.

[Rory]

Upper Decker.

[Damaris]

I didn't. I didn't flush. It's still there.

[Rory]

One's housewarming. Yeah. Thank you.

[Damaris]

Housewarming. Men do that. Single man.

[Mal]

Sure. Really? That's an excuse to have a kickback and get a blender.

[Rory]

Housewarmings do come with nespresso.

[Damaris]

Like, how many blenders do. Is somebody gonna bring you? Like, I have seven of those already. Thank you.

[Mal]

Yeah, people, they don't coordinate. You usually get a lot of the same and then.

[Damaris]

I'm not doing a registry for a housewarming.

[Julian]

I was about to say you're supposed to do a registry for a housewife.

[Damaris]

Yeah. That sounds pretty.

[Mal]

That's a lot.

[Julian]

Well, I do.

[Mal]

I bring you a Scarface poster.

[Damaris]

Please don't. I hate when I walk into God's house and he has Al Pacino on his wall. What the are you doing? It's not a real character.

[Julian]

The gifts I always buy for, like. So I keep this rule period. For like, new married couples. So wedding gifts and housewarming gifts. I bring something that I'm going to use when I go to your house. So I always buy people, like really nice crystal wine glasses or crystal champagne glasses. Like. Like things that I'm gonna use. I don't know why I've always done that. I mean, they need them still and they're still nice gifts.

[Mal]

But it was like the time I told you guys that my dad got my mom a Belgian waffle maker for Christmas. And then he never spent another Christmas there again.

[Damaris]

Fire.

[Rory]

That's hard.

[Damaris]

Well, I. With your dad. Yeah.

[Rory]

I always get people plants.

[Damaris]

Yeah. That big ass dumb ass plant you got sitting out in the reception area. Get that out of here.

[Julian]

That should look like something from here.

[Damaris]

That is so big and obnoxious. Put that in the lobby. That should go in the lobby's fault.

[Mal]

You helped me dig it out.

[Damaris]

Oh, yeah.

[Rory]

I wasn't gonna not. I was. He. He needed.

[Damaris]

I think that belongs downstairs in the lobby.

[Julian]

I think it would be not big enough. That big ass. That is huge. I hate it.

[Damaris]

I mean, it's. The lobby is bigger than that space over there for sure.

[Mal]

Yeah, we didn't really think it through.

[Damaris]

Yeah, that was just. It's a obnoxious big ass plant for no reason. Well, that plant belongs like in the wild.

[Rory]

Well, it was.

[Damaris]

Yeah. That's why you need to leave it there. Like you bought that big asso Grand. Yeah.

[Julian]

I have a perfect place for it in my house, though. I'll take it.

[Mal]

Movers are going to take it.

[Damaris]

Live at the White House. How big is your house? That's a big ass plant.

[Mal]

If you want to take in the meantime. Yeah, it's it's too much here.

[Julian]

Yeah.

[Mal]

Rabbitmovers.com.

[Rory]

I like it.

[Damaris]

Do we have.

[Rory]

Do we want to do another voicemail?

[Mal]

Sure.

[Damaris]

Do we?

[Rory]

Let's see. Oh, this is actually fun. This is. So we have the Iraq caller call in the guy that was crazy.

[Mal]

He has a name.

[Rory]

What was his name?

[Damaris]

Rory?

[Mal]

I don't know, but he. I don't think of him as the Iraq caller.

[Rory]

I just think, well, that's how we said we have two listeners out there. He's one of them. So people know who we're referring to. So he did the quick recap. His girl wasn't sure if she wanted to commit to doing the program in the States. It's too difficult. So he's like, what do I do? Do I stay with her and go somewhere else, or do I leave her and to the States? We have a caller, another guy from Iraq who did that, and he's here currently doing what this guy's doing. So he's calling to give him advice.

[Mal]

Spoken to two of two already. Hey, Julian, my name is Taha.

[Damaris]

I'm just leaving a voicemail or I don't know if it's just a message. I don't want to DM you or anything. So regarding you, you played a voicemail on the podcast about this Iraqi guy that's a resident, that's a doctor that wants to.

[Mal]

So, anywho.

[Damaris]

So I have some tools. I have some information. I'm actually a resident as well. I go to UAMs, and I'm Iraqi as well. I was just over there not too long ago. So I just wanted to get in touch with that guy. I might have some resources to help him because, you know, that's just something I would like to do. So if you can get me in touch or contact information or something with.

[Mal]

Him, maybe his email or whatever.

[Damaris]

I really appreciate it, but yeah, I just. I just want to see if I could help or anything like that in terms of his medical residency here in the US and his papers and stuff like that. So, yeah, just please, if you can just hit me back through my email or something, that would be great.

[Mal]

Thanks. That's really nice.

[Damaris]

Oh, Todd, that was cool.

[Mal]

I think Julian misheard. I think he's from Left Rack City, not.

[Damaris]

Yeah, Iraq. I know that it's from the same.

[Mal]

Iraq that Nori's from.

[Damaris]

Yeah, he's so sour on the weekends.

[Julian]

And the weekends are so well.

[Rory]

Yeah, I wanted to play that on air so if the other guy hears it, he can also maybe leave a voicemail. Leave a Phone number, and we can make the connection. But I thought that was cool.

[Damaris]

Yeah, that was cool.

[Mal]

That's beautiful.

[Rory]

And something to help him get through his process, because that shit has got to be brutal. Yeah, we thought moving.

[Damaris]

I mean, it's not more brutal than living over there. You know what I mean?

[Mal]

Don't ever win. Yo, are Rabbit Movers International?

[Damaris]

They are Rabbit.

[Rory]

Iraq.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Mal]

Rabbit. Iraq is crazy.

[Damaris]

Iraqi rabbit. They can help you move if you're stuck in the rubble. There's no trouble in the episode.

[Julian]

Please stop the fucking tape.

[Mal]

Yep.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Mal]

We still haven't moved troops out of there.

[Rory]

Oh, speaking of troops conspiracy, this is definitely where we should transition. But the Jordan troops.

[Mal]

Oh, we can talk about that on Patreon.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Damaris]

America's back.

[Julian]

Why y'all want to make Patreon the politics pot?

[Rory]

Well, it's gonna be politics and religion, because we owe them the rest of that conversation too.

[Julian]

Like.

[Damaris]

Oh, yeah, I forgot about that question.

[Rory]

Oh, it's happening. Yeah, we're doing it all.

[Damaris]

You. You got more context to your answer.

[Rory]

I sent you guys a pod to listen to. I know. No one listened to it.

[Damaris]

No, better. Well, I was moving. I had an excuse not to listen.

[Mal]

That's actually Tom. An actual birthday?

[Damaris]

Yeah, it was a mars birthday.

[Julian]

What did you guys do for her actual birthday? I called you. You ignored me. It's fine.

[Mal]

We went to the aquarium, and then we went to lunch, and then we ate dinner, and then I prayed for all the family to leave.

[Damaris]

Yes.

[Mal]

You know, a birthday.

[Damaris]

A birthday. Everyone get the out, please.

[Mal]

Yeah, it's tough.

[Damaris]

I know. It's okay, man.

[Rory]

Ready for next year?

[Mal]

I mean, is everyone. Is everyone invited?

[Rory]

We're gonna do it all again.

[Mal]

I gave in to all the family for the first birthday. Yeah. Next year, y'all can send the cards.

[Damaris]

Like, yeah, next year you can skip the first birthday is the one. And then, like, maybe do it again around five.

[Julian]

No, don't have her next birthday party until she's old enough to ask and say, I want a birthday party.

[Mal]

I actually want to make the next birthday about Amara instead of the entire family. It was ever. It was everyone else's that I had to deal with. Like, we're not even here to. You guys buy your 50 aquarium tickets. Like, me and Kia and Amara would have went to the aquarium without you. Now I gotta. Now everyone has to come.

[Damaris]

Yeah, yeah. Wait till she's.

[Mal]

Next year is about Amara. It's not about everybody else. There was. It wasn't even a cool aquarium. 50 bucks. I didn't see one dolphin. Where was the aquarium at a mad.

[Damaris]

As Rory thought he was gonna see dolphins for 50 in New York City, so.

[Mal]

So.

[Damaris]

Oh, my God.

[Mal]

First of all, at the Atlanta Aquarium that I've been to twice, they have a full dolphin show. Yeah.

[Rory]

Because that's.

[Mal]

Thank you.

[Rory]

Aquariums in the world.

[Damaris]

That is not an aquarium in the world.

[Mal]

Atlanta has the best.

[Rory]

It's one.

[Damaris]

It's a prison.

[Julian]

It is a prison.

[Rory]

Definitely in the country.

[Damaris]

Prison, guys. It's a water prison.

[Mal]

But I used to pay for the Q100 to go to Rikers.

[Damaris]

Three to three to guys, three.

[Mal]

The gods, three. Why would I want to three them?

[Damaris]

Three to dolphins. I want them to get out of prison, man.

[Mal]

They had, like, nothing. There was that American dream. You know the mall that's like, Yeah, I know. I've been worth negative 800. No, it was actually a article I read. That whole mall is in the biggest.

[Damaris]

Debt, and the one in Jersey.

[Julian]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mal]

The one next to MetLife.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Mal]

Which is like. I mean, it was a nice aquarium, but I don't know. It's just. It wasn't Atlanta.

[Damaris]

Yeah.

[Mal]

And I took Amara tomorrow to the aquarium in Seattle. And you guys know I'm obsessed with otters. The entire thing was otters and, like, actual real water life. Like, this was. I saw a seahorse. None of those sharks were there.

[Damaris]

I'm a good.

[Rory]

Yeah. So the Georgia. The Atlanta Aquarium's on all the top aquariums in the country. It's one of the best. So I wouldn't think New Jersey is going to compete.

[Damaris]

Definitely not.

[Mal]

I mean, I'm not here to defend New Jersey, but it's, like, one of the biggest ports in the United States. They can't get a shark there, but they get one to Atlanta.

[Julian]

They probably don't have the. You just said that the mall is in debt. I don't think they can afford Sharkey.

[Mal]

They're in debt because they put. That mall is incredible. I'm not here to. On the mall.

[Julian]

Yeah.

[Mal]

It's insane. Like, it's actually insane. But there's, like, four people there. Like, no one goes to it. They put so much money into it. And there's, like, real roller coasters in that, a real water park, ski resort all inside. They couldn't get a Beluca whale there.

[Damaris]

No.

[Mal]

They got a ski lift.

[Damaris]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Mal]

Actual roller coaster inside.

[Damaris]

I think I'll go to the Bronx Zoo soon. I haven't been there, so I've never been.

[Julian]

Can you take me?

[Damaris]

Yeah, we could do that, actually. Let's do that.

[Mal]

I haven't been there since I lost my virginity in 2004 before.

[Damaris]

You should go back to the same spot you were.

[Mal]

I know I didn't. Animal. But, like.

[Julian]

Like your actual virginity or like, your molestation? Virginity.

[Damaris]

See, there's two different virginities. If you got molested.

[Mal]

If you were to get molested, though, it might happen at the zoo.

[Damaris]

That sounds like a movie.

[Rory]

That's like a Curious George book.

[Mal]

You're sick.

[Julian]

You're. You're ex. You know, that was dark, Julian.

[Mal]

Did you just call him sick and dark after what you just asked me to my face?

[Julian]

Right, Because I really want to know. You said.

[Damaris]

Did you lose your mind?

[Rory]

You dressed like Curious George, too, today. So.

[Mal]

The man in the yellow hat. This is a mar. We made T shirts for her birthday.

[Damaris]

Oh, see, now that's cool. See, that's a cool shirt.

[Mal]

I'm a counselor.

[Damaris]

You should have said that. You should. You're not a counselor, actually.

[Mal]

You're a victim.

[Julian]

Yeah.

[Mal]

Not at camp, Amara.

[Damaris]

Not at camp.

[Mal]

I just wanted to see otters.

[Julian]

Yo.

[Damaris]

That is wild, bro. Holy.

[Mal]

No. Damaris. When I lost my actual virginity, we went on a field trip to the Bronx Zoo, and then afterwards.

[Rory]

Wait, it was that same day?

[Mal]

No. Yeah. No, I didn't. No, that wasn't.

[Julian]

He wasn't molested the Bronx Zoo day. What is this?

[Mal]

Okay, bro, who was the guy that called in? That's not how you lost your virginity.

[Damaris]

Hey, Taha, help Rory. He's gonna hit you back, and you help him.

[Mal]

No, the first time I had consensual.

[Damaris]

Sex was the day you left the Bronx Zoo.

[Mal]

We went on a field trip, and then afterwards.

[Damaris]

Got you.

[Mal]

Great day.

[Damaris]

No, that's better.

[Julian]

I'm sorry, Rory. I love you, and I'm sorry that you went through that.

[Damaris]

No, you're not.

[Rory]

No, that was the good.

[Damaris]

What the.

[Julian]

Yes, I am.

[Damaris]

All right, well, let's finish up.

[Mal]

I lost my virginity to a Lloyd Banks mixtape, so it wasn't that romantic.

[Damaris]

That is crazy.

[Mal]

What?

[Damaris]

Oh, now I. Now that makes sense.

[Mal]

Now I understand the actual fact.

[Damaris]

Now I understand your affinity for Lloyd Bank.

[Mal]

I had an affinity before that.

[Damaris]

No, no, no, no, no. Well, obviously, you lost your virginity to his music, so.

[Mal]

Yeah, but I was. I played the mixtape.

[Julian]

You put that on, you say? Yeah, let me set the mood.

[Mal]

No, you're trying to. I don't. It was.

[Rory]

Which money in the bank?

[Mal]

Big with draw. I don't think it was money in the bank, no. Yeah, I want to spend more money in the bank. Part three.

[Damaris]

That is a sick cashing in.

[Rory]

You definitely cashed in that day. Good job, Roy.

[Damaris]

Wow. Did you ever tell Lloyd Banks that? That.

[Mal]

No.

[Damaris]

You should tell Lloyd Banks. I would, actually. We should record Rory telling Lloyd Banks he lost his virginity to his mixtape.

[Mal]

We should.

[Julian]

Oh, my God. That'd be a perfect tik tok, bro.

[Rory]

You saw this cover Banks and said this will put her in the mood.

[Mal]

No, I. You're talking about a classic mixtape series, by the way.

[Rory]

Yeah, it's a great series, but not the to.

[Damaris]

Yeah, like, I think that's the part you're missing. We're not saying the music is bad, but I don't. Just didn't. Wouldn't put that on.

[Julian]

Why would you lose your virginity too? The Beatles.

[Damaris]

It was a commercial plan. I don't know. It might have been. No, actually, it might have been the Price is Right. Might have been on TV or something.

[Julian]

Yo, I'm screaming because I was watching.

[Damaris]

Tv, he was watching tv and Price. I think Price is Right or something.

[Rory]

There's no music.

[Damaris]

Yeah, it was. The TV was on.

[Julian]

Oh, Jesus Christ.

[Rory]

That's. That's the song you nutted to.

[Mal]

Well, it's only two minutes long, so I was trying to think. It was probably that one.

[Rory]

It's probably the intro.

[Damaris]

It was the intro.

[Mal]

I nut it before he started rapping.

[Damaris]

He nutted before the beast. The drums came in.

[Rory]

You nutted on digging the ditch intro.

[Mal]

And then, yo, and then I don't think I got. Until the big withdrawal came up. I really based, like, my first sexual partners off what Lloyd Banks mixtape was happening.

[Damaris]

Yo, that is crazy.

[Mal]

It's not that crazy, though. If you were my age at that time, though, bro, that was what people were listening.

[Damaris]

I'm going to let you say you are the only person that has ever lost their virginity to Lloyd Banks.

[Julian]

No, I ain't gonna do. I ain't gonna do that. I ain't gonna do that. I'm sure somebody else has lost everything to Karma.

[Damaris]

To Lloyd Banks playing in the back.

[Mal]

Smile.

[Damaris]

No, I don't think nobody Smile is beautiful. Lloyd Banks playing while they lost their virginity. That is so crazy.

[Mal]

I won't do it just for Rel and his editing purposes, but Karma, you don't think I would play it, but.

[Damaris]

Like, I'm not playing.

[Mal]

No, like, it's featuring Avant, I think, right?

[Damaris]

That's still. It's still Lloyd bank still. Like, I just. That's just weird.

[Julian]

Piggy bank came on one time when I was having sex.

[Damaris]

Oh, God, that explains a lot. That explains why you always like, yo, how much money he got.

[Mal]

But also, I didn't set the mood with Lloyd Banks. It was what was playing.

[Damaris]

No, you put it on and then had sex.

[Mal]

I was excited. Was inexperienced. I was dating, not dating. I'm sorry. I was a girl that was dating a senior, and she was my age. She was my friend, and she was way more experienced than I was. I didn't know I was ready to have sex.

[Damaris]

She was a little hua.

[Mal]

I mean.

[Julian]

She was a young girl discovering herself.

[Mal]

Yeah.

[Damaris]

Oh, love those.

[Mal]

I appreciated that. She was a freshman, a senior. She helped. She walked me through it.

[Damaris]

Oh, shout out to her wherever she is in the world.

[Mal]

I have not the slightest clue.

[Damaris]

Well, we'll finish this on Patreon. Patreon.com Subscribe tickets available for DC Howard Theater, March 23rd. Newroariamal.com Merch is available. Well, some of the merch is still available. Not much of it. Some of it is still there. Subscribe to the Patreon. Subscribe to the YouTube. Hit the like button. Are you hating? We'll talk to you soon. Let's head over to patreon. Com now.

[Mal]

New warrior now.