Episode 493 | Checking In With Reason

Summary

---

New Rory & MAL

Episode 493 | Checking In With Reason

Date: May 14, 2026
Guests: Reason

---

Episode Overview

This episode welcomes rapper Reason back to the show, now considered "family, not just a friend," as he discusses his new project "Moving Towards Love", reflections on his career evolution, the music industry, West Coast hip-hop, rumors, and the current climate of rap media. The hosts (Rory & Mal) cover Reason’s creative process, recent hip-hop beefs, industry politics, and the role of online narratives. The episode is filled with candid insights, honest critiques, and plenty of laughs, maintaining the loose, conversational, and comedic vibe the show is known for.

---

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Introducing Reason and His Evolving Mindset

• [03:14] Reason is described as "family of the show," practically a co-host at this point.
• Conversation starts on maturity and personal growth.
  • Reason introduces his "color series" of projects, with the newest being "Moving Towards Love."
  • Quote:

    "It's all about progression. ...When you get older, you kind of stop being on the same shit all the way..." — Reason (04:00)

• This album is much more personal and emotion-driven compared to past work.
  • He reflects on being able to release music "in real time," which he couldn't do during his time on TDE.

---

2. The Art of Releasing Music & Industry Reflections

• [05:04] Reason compares traditional label drops vs the freedom of releasing music now.
  • Quote:

    "A lot of times, by the time something gets to the finish line, you already onto the next thing." — Reason (05:12)

• Discusses the value of releasing relevant, immediate music.
  • Admits sometimes, by the time it comes out, he doesn't even know all the lyrics anymore.

---

3. Recent Hip-Hop Events: Kendrick, Drake, and Disappearances

• [07:15] Jokes and speculation about the sudden removal and re-upload of major songs, notably Kendrick Lamar’s "Not Like Us" and "GNX."

• Reason, Rory, and Mal theorize about licensing, label deals, and marketing stunts.

  • Quote:

    "Maybe they're moving stuff around, getting ready for something, or a new deal...maybe relicensing." — Reason (07:54)

• Discussion pivots to the over-the-top internet detective work in hip-hop communities.

  • [12:00] Example: A content creator’s 14-minute conspiracy connecting Jay-Z, hard drives, and ghostwriting.
    • Quote:

      "Let me assure y’all one thing. Jay Z does not have a ghostwriter. Like, I can just assure the s***. For sure." — Mall (13:22)

    • Reason laments about how clips go viral with false or exaggerated captions (15:00).

---

4. West Coast Sound & The Spread of Influence

• [16:00] Debate over why certain West Coast sounds don't travel nationwide, even after landmark projects.
  • Reason explains that for a moment to "travel," multiple artists must build on the sound after a big project.
    • Quote:

      "When Mustard was going crazy, it was everywhere...You just have to have multiple moments." — Reason (16:47)

  • Shoutouts to artists like AzChike, Wale the Sensei, and Chike for keeping momentum.

---

5. Navigating “Messy” Press & The Media’s Role

• [20:21] Reason explains why he avoids "messy" platforms and press.
• Example of wild podcast content: recounting a clip where a host discusses private marital matters on air.
• Quote:

  "I don't want to sit down with no [platforms] that'll talk about their wife like that. Sue me." — Reason (21:12)

• The trio agree that some podcasting environments have blurred boundaries, which Reason no longer entertains.

---

6. Industry Politics & Reputation Management

• [30:15] Reason discusses whether he's become "jaded" after his industry experiences, narrative control, and how splits from labels are publicly framed.

  • He addresses rumors about being "bitter" or "not working."
  • Proud of dropping three projects in a year and a half post-TDE.
  • Quote:

    "The only part I've been jaded about...is just, like, certain narratives." — Reason (30:25)

• On personal relationships:

  "When I see n****s, it's love. ...Never had no weird interaction where somebody didn't want to talk to me..." — Reason (34:39)

  • However, some won't take pictures to protect their current label affiliations.

---

7. Happiness, Agency, and Future Music

• [36:28] Reason says he’s happier, with more control and a solid new team.
  • "Now it's like, I'm having fun. My team is like the homies and people that I really f*** with that I know have my best interest."
  • He’s motivated by artists like Curren$y who outgrew their label identity.

---

8. Dreamville Writing Camps & Studio Stories

• [38:43] Behind-the-scenes of Dreamville’s Return of the Dreamers 3 sessions.
  • Quote:

    "For me...that's still in my career the most fun I've ever had...dog eat dog...whoever could come up with the verses first, you know, wins." — Reason (39:04)

  • Stories of competitive studio environments – Chris Bosh making beats (!), writers swapping verses between sessions, and naming favorite producers from these camps.

---

9. The Limits of Rap Ego, Collaboration & Ghostwriting

• [48:26] Confidence in penmanship, rapper rivalry, and referencing recent public statements by J. Cole.
  • Reason believes even the best can get "cooked" on the right day but holds himself among the best.
• [51:45] Talks about having written for other rappers—sometimes even for lyricists who didn't need it.
  • Quote:

    "I've written for n****s in sessions that...when [the album] dropped, I was like, oh, I wrote three dos. Nobody called me." — Reason (51:49)

---

10. Issues of Collaboration, Business, and Unreleased Songs

• [54:01] Reason reflects on those he’d like to work with but probably can’t—label politics, business, and costs get in the way.
• Favorite collabs recorded with Rock, Ray Vaughn, etc., may never see release due to business restrictions.

---

11. Rap Battles & Battle Rap Aspirations

• [58:36] Reason’s fascination with the battle rap world—he’d still like to do a URL battle, though realistically only with certain opponents (e.g., Charlie Clips, Hitman, NOT Lux or Nitty).
  • He acknowledges styles make matchups.

---

12. “Is the Internet Too Toxic for Artists?”

• [82:48] A key segment on Wale’s recent comments about rap fan toxicity, the business of lists (Complex Top 100 Snubs, etc.), and the impact of negative narratives online.
  • Debate on whether and how artists should engage with toxic fanbases and clickbait media.
  • Quote:

    "There are people out there that genuinely feel that way. ...It could affect your career in that way. ...the Internet’s too powerful today for things to not affect you." — Reason (89:00)

---

13. Pitchfork & Rap Criticism

• [77:09] Pitchfork’s review of Chris Brown (‘1.6’, called "a piece of s***") is criticized as “trolling,” and more broadly, the lack of real, objective music criticism is mourned.
  • Pitchfork’s harsh grading of J. Cole, Jack Harlow, and others – and the futility of caring about such reviews.
  • Quote:

    "As long as your crowd is f***ing with it, I think that's the biggest thing that matter at this point." — Reason (79:32)

---

14. Closing: Where Reason Is Headed Next

• Plug for Reason’s “Moving Towards Love” and a show at The Roxy in LA, May 28.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Maturity:

  "Moving towards love. ...It's all about progression." — Reason (03:38)

• On West Coast Sound Not Traveling:

  “You gotta have multiple moments. It can't just be one moment.” — Reason (16:47)

• On Virality and Misinformation:

  “I literally went semi viral because somebody took something I said...and put a whole different caption over it.” — Reason (14:22)

• On Avoiding Messy Media:

  "I don't want to sit down with n****s like that..." — Reason (21:12)

• On His Happiness Now:

  "I'm super happy...I like making music again." — Reason (36:28)

• On the Industry’s Narratives:

  "I dropped three quality projects...I don't like some of the narratives that went with me leaving." — Reason (31:35)

• On Studios:

  "My favorite artists in those sessions are the rapper that acts like he's writing his verse, but he got 12 verses already..." — Reason (45:02)

• On Internet Impact:

  "The Internet can make narratives about you that make people that could have potentially been new fans not even remotely give you a chance." — Reason (88:43)

• On Feature Politics at Labels:

  “I would love to work with Cal Banks...But business...he’s signed to TDE. I’m not paying that note.” — Reason (54:01)

• On J. Cole and JID Not Collaborating on Recent Projects:

  "I would have loved to see JID on that. But I’ve been...I don’t think it’s an ego thing." — Reason (71:47)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00-02:16 — Ads and sponsors
• 02:16-03:41 — Welcoming Reason, moving towards love, color series
• 04:39-05:38 — Creating music in real time vs. delays
• 05:38-09:05 — Joey Bada$$, Ray, Daylight, internet beefs
• 09:05-13:40 — Kendrick/Drake song removals, conspiracy theories, Jay-Z ghostwriting
• 14:22-19:50 — Social media, West Coast sound, influence failing to spread
• 20:21-22:04 — "Messy" podcast culture, boundaries and content
• 30:15-36:28 — Industry narratives, Reason's exit from TDE, happiness
• 38:43-48:09 — Dreamville writer camps, Dreamers sessions, competitive studio stories
• 51:45-54:49 — Ghostwriting stories, collab politics
• 58:36-61:01 — Battle rap dreams, who Reason would (and wouldn’t) battle
• 77:09-82:09 — Pitchfork/Media criticisms, subjective reviews
• 82:48-90:50 — Wale, internet toxicity, lists, how online narratives shape careers
• 91:01 — Plug for upcoming show and final thanks

---

Final Thoughts

This episode delivers classic Rory & Mal rapport—warm, irreverent, and well-informed—while offering a look inside Reason’s personal and professional evolution. The conversation balances light-hearted debates with honest perspectives on music, the industry, and surviving today's digital culture. Reason's candor about his growth, artistic struggles, and aspirations—combined with topical discussions about hip-hop media and industry politics—make this a must-listen for hip-hop heads, West Coast fans, and anyone curious about the inner workings of today’s rap scene.

---

Transcript

[Reason]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

[Rory]

This is Daniel Cormier from the Daniel Cormier Show. This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless, the official wireless partner of ufc.

[Reason]

Power doesn't wait in the octagon or outside of it. You either make the move or you miss the moment.

[Rory]

That's why you need a network that's

[Mall]

just as powerful as you are.

[Rory]

With Total Wireless, you get unlimited 5G

[Reason]

data keeping you in the action from the walkouts to the knockouts. Now that's a total power move.

[Rory]

Make your total power move today.

[Reason]

Visit totalwireless.com or stop by your neighborhood Total Wireless store. Additional terms apply.

[Rory]

See totalwireless.com for details. Picture this. Me, Reese Witherspoon in London, ordering fish

[Mall]

and chips so often they might start

[Rory]

wrapping me in paper.

[Reason]

I'm traveling with my Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card, so I earn rewards wherever I book.

[Rory]

Travel five times points with hotels, four

[Reason]

times with airlines, three times on restaurants

[Rory]

and other travel and one point on other purchases. Imagine getting rewarded for eating a toad in the hole. Wait, what is a toad in a hole? Visit Wells Fargo.com autograph journey terms apply.

[Reason]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying big wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying. No judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment. Anyway, give it a try. @mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month required. Intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra.

[Rory]

See full [e-mail] forget everything you had planned for this weekend because you are sitting on your couch and winning from the comfort of your own home. I'm here with Spinquest where you can play hundreds of slot games, all the table games you love, and you could even win real cash prizes. New users $30 coin packs are on sale for [e-mail] SpinQuest is a free

[Reason]

to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details. No warrior now.

[Rory]

No conductor. All right, take two. Welcome back. We don't know what day of the week it is. We have no idea what the date is, what the time is. But we are back. We are here with a, I would say family of the show, not friend of the show anymore.

[Reason]

I appreciate that.

[Rory]

He's might as well be a co host at this point.

[Mall]

This is one of the few west coast dudes left that still fuck with me.

[Rory]

You guys maybe have the same enemies now.

[Mall]

Yeah, yeah, we actually allies that. You know what I'm saying? We actually really allies.

[Reason]

The enemy of my enemy is my.

[Mall]

I gotta hold you that. You know you good on the east right now. You know you good over here. We don't worry about nothing over here. Today we are joined by family of the show. Welcome back. Reason is in the house today, y'. All.

[Reason]

I appreciate it.

[Rory]

Pressure off the project. Moving towards love.

[Mall]

Moving towards love.

[Rory]

Yo, I don't know if I believe him, but you know, I'm about to say rappers lie. Towards.

[Reason]

Towards, not, not, you know, there yet.

[Mall]

Towards.

[Reason]

It's all about progression.

[Mall]

It's all about.

[Reason]

It's all about progression.

[Mall]

Moving towards love.

[Reason]

Towards love.

[Mall]

So how did you. How did you. How did you realize that you're moving towards love is a change? You decide, like I need to make changes in my life or is this something that you would just like? It just sounds good.

[Reason]

Nah, I think. I mean, it's a whole. So we're doing a color series. So I had everything in my soul blue. And then this is moving towards love. So everything in my soul is moving towards love. I have two more colors.

[Mall]

Okay.

[Reason]

But I do think when you get older, you kind of stop being on the same shit all the way that you. You know what I mean?

[Mall]

I would hope so.

[Reason]

Yeah. You know what I mean? So you get older, you grow, you mature, you kind of get different interests and whatnot. And so when making this project, I feel super attached to this project, which I know sounds weird cause I made it. But a lot of my projects I've dropped. I'm not necessarily emotionally attached to them still when they drop. But this is kind of like a representation, this whole project of like the last like six, seven years of what I've kind of been through relationship wise. Some of the homies, stuff like that.

[Mall]

You don't really hear artists like admit to something like that. Like you're not emotionally attached.

[Reason]

Yeah, because once you put it up, because it's like I was dropping so much music that was coming way after when I actually made it. So it's like by the time it drops, I'm not emotionally connected to it no more. And then everything in my soul, I was rapping about stories, but they wasn't necessarily related to me. So this is like the first project I've made where I dropped it in real time of where I'm like, you know what I mean? Like mentally and shit at. And it's like actually a lot of stories about me. You get what I'm saying? So, yeah.

[Rory]

Has that been the main difference with the last three projects you've dropped off tde that you're able to just drop them in real time?

[Reason]

Yeah. Just being able to have fun. Like, even when we did the Joey situation, like being able to just go in, record some shit, and then it's out the very next day. Like just being able to have shit out when you still in the moment of it and you still excited about it. Cause when you're creative, it's like a lot of times, by the time something gets to the finish line, you already onto the next thing. You know what I'm saying? Like, this shit dropped out. I didn't even know all the words. Like, when I'm shooting content back home, I'm fucking up on the words. That's never been a thing for me. You get what I'm saying? Which is dope.

[Rory]

Now that time has passed and the dust has settled, can you humbly admit, since you are moving towards love, that Joey Badass, in fact, did clean up the entire coast?

[Reason]

I don't think the entire close coast. I think he won against Ray and Day.

[Rory]

Okay.

[Reason]

Yeah. I think that was the real battle. And that's not to say that Ray didn't do well. I thought Ray did well. I don't think it's as big as y'. All, like the big of the gap as y' all think it is. I don't think it's that.

[Mall]

Oh, we supposed to think that.

[Reason]

Yeah. But I think. I think he. I can admit he won that. Like, when the general consensus is something you have to admit the general consensus. Right. More. You got to just admit.

[Mall]

Fuck no.

[Reason]

Okay, all right, cool, cool.

[Mall]

But yeah, we'll get to that now.

[Reason]

But yeah, when the general consensus is something you have, regardless of how you personally feel, you know what I'm saying, you gotta be okay with it. And I think theirs is most of the battle. I just stepped in. Cause I got through a stray. You get what I'm saying?

[Rory]

I thought you had every right to step into it.

[Mall]

For sure. Absolutely.

[Rory]

It was definitely a stray. I appreciate that. Mal said you don't have to be objective. You could just go and say whatever you want.

[Mall]

Death before dishonoring.

[Reason]

I'm with that, though. I'm with being biased in any type of way. Just as long as we know that we're biased.

[Mall]

I'm.

[Reason]

I'm a thousand percent with being biased.

[Mall]

Me too.

[Reason]

Because I'm biased. As fuck when it comes to certain shit.

[Mall]

Okay.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Mall]

All right.

[Rory]

I think we need an alibi for both of you guys. Where have you been the last two days? Can I see your IP addresses? It's convenient that you guys link up and then all of a sudden, Not Like Us is taken down. GNX is taken down real quick. I just want re uploads.

[Reason]

I am not on Drake's side. I want to clear that because that's how it's going to be. Like, I am here promoting my project.

[Mall]

Yeah, of course. Yeah. I'm not trying to make it seem

[Reason]

like I'm just saying that, you know, the allies and enemies.

[Rory]

I'm just saying it's a little. It's a little two of you guys are together.

[Reason]

I don't have enemies.

[Mall]

That's my guy, though. You know what I'm saying? So anytime Reason is in New York, I would hope that he's able to stop by.

[Reason]

Yeah. And songs come down.

[Mall]

Yeah. I mean, I don't know.

[Rory]

I mean, the biggest song of the last two years. Yeah. It just happens to come down and a whole entire album. What do you think about that? Was performed at the Super Bowl.

[Reason]

I don't know. It was weird because it came right back up. So it's like I either think that they're moving stuff around, getting ready for something, or I think, what does that

[Mall]

mean to get ready for something? Like, what is the moving around?

[Rory]

Like, I don't have.

[Reason]

Maybe it's a new deal.

[Mall]

Maybe it's relicensing something.

[Reason]

Yeah, maybe. Maybe they signed a new deal and it's like, you know, part of that deal is the catalog belonging over here. And now you have to move the cat. Like, I don't know. You get what I'm saying? Like, I'm speculating. Like, I don't know, maybe, you know, you sign a new deal and they're

[Mall]

like, the timing of it is very.

[Reason]

Timing of it is. Yeah.

[Mall]

Is very, you know, coincidental, is what I'll say.

[Rory]

Every theory. I don't. This is one of those things that I've gotten calls like, yo, what do you think happened? I have.

[Reason]

I have no idea.

[Rory]

No idea. Hacking. That is kind of insane to me. I know that's obviously possible, but.

[Reason]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Rory]

I can't even get into my own music, let alone someone get into Kendrick Lamar's catalog.

[Mall]

Yeah.

[Rory]

Or YouTube page.

[Reason]

Yeah.

[Rory]

So I don't. The hacking thing doesn't make sense. But even if you move your catalog over somewhere else, they re uploaded it, then took it back down and Put the original. With all the original views up there.

[Reason]

Yeah.

[Rory]

So. But I'm just like, if someone else owns it now and they want to get the royalties, I wouldn't get that either. Or it could just transfer over because they could.

[Reason]

I think it's above. I think it's above my. My pay grade. I don't. You know, I mean, like, I've never had. You know what I mean? Certain business situations that I'm sure that has. So I don't. I don't know.

[Mall]

I'm sure this has happened before. We probably just didn't pay attention to it because of the artist and.

[Reason]

Exactly, exactly. In the situations. You get what I'm saying?

[Mall]

Yeah, But I'm still on the timing of it.

[Reason]

Yeah.

[Mall]

It's just very.

[Reason]

Maybe. Maybe he's. Maybe he's coming with new music, so maybe he announces something on Friday. Like, maybe. I don't know. Yeah.

[Rory]

I mean, does. Does this get you. Not that Kendrick needs it because he stays in the charts, but does this get your stuff to Rechart again? Because now everyone's going back to see if GNX is there and then they listen to Gen X, they click not like us to see if it's back there. Is that a strategy? But even then, I just don't think they need to do that.

[Reason]

Yeah, I don't. I don't think that. I just. I mean, maybe he's gearing up for music. If he is, that'd be. We get Drake and.in the same summer. I would love that. I just hope that whatever music both of them puts out, I just hope that it's not related to the beef. Like, I just want both of them to just go forward and drop really, really fire music. I want Drake to do what he's always done in the summer, and I want Dot to continue to run that he's been on.

[Rory]

So do you think there's any connection with the. Who is? The giant posters that are everywhere now.

[Reason]

I didn't feel like it was until.

[Rory]

It's been a lot of reaching.

[Reason]

Yeah, but it's like the reaching don't feel like it's too out of play. You know what I mean?

[Mall]

So, like, isn't it a QR code? I think then somebody.

[Reason]

Yeah, it sends you to a website. It sends you to a website for

[Mall]

little Uzi or something like that.

[Reason]

That would be fire. I would love. I would love a little short rapper, but that don't seem like Uzi aesthetic.

[Mall]

Yeah, that picture you talking about.

[Reason]

Yeah, that picture.

[Rory]

It's like Saba or some.

[Reason]

Yeah, it's not. It's not enough color.

[Mall]

You said that looks like sa.

[Reason]

That's not enough.

[Rory]

I can't see from here.

[Mall]

That looks like Saba. That. That's. That's a woman.

[Rory]

No, it's his first album cover.

[Reason]

It looks like it's not enough hips and color in that to be, uh.

[Rory]

Yeah, but I mean, that's just odd that they would essentially go right to Kendrick when there's a few posters around.

[Mall]

But you know why?

[Reason]

I get it though.

[Mall]

Yeah. It's time and of it.

[Reason]

Yeah, it's the timing of it.

[Rory]

Have you guys been paying attention to the other nonsense on the timeline today?

[Mall]

What is. What is the nonsense?

[Rory]

Shout out to what's the Dirt? I really do enjoy his content. I think he's a great researcher.

[Mall]

I love Shout out what's the Dirt?

[Rory]

I love his YouTube page. He makes really, really well researched content. But sometimes I think we get way too much into like our Scooby Doo and just start making things up to connect because we want them to connect.

[Mall]

That's the world, though.

[Rory]

No, but this one's getting like a little too far. Okay, so do you remember the rapper Calico that was signed to Get Low?

[Mall]

Yes.

[Rory]

Yeah, Calico was nice. He was on, I think a dipset mixtape at one point. He had a few like Calico. Correct. For sure. So in the Plot Twist IG page, there's a photo of Calico and like a made up cover kind of with the same Iceman font of saying teasers or whatever. So once the Dirt starts doing research and he sees that he was signed to Memphis Bleak, he's in the Fade to Black movie. Remember the moment that. That he's sitting there with Guru and Jay and they're like, yo, be the fuck you. And he's like, I'm still trying to find myself. So Calico is in the studio with Jay Z. There's also a video of Memphis Bleak holding a Lacy drive that all artists

[Reason]

have held in their same hard drive.

[Rory]

So what's the Dirt? Finds an image on Plot Twist where Drake posted a Lacy drive. And then he zooms in on Memphis Bleak also holding one. And because Calico was also in the Fade to Black movie, we can now all conclude that Calico is Jay Z's Ghostwriter. I want 14 minutes of my life back. And then it was next to the Calgary hockey logo. And if you do the research, there's maybe somebody else made that logo and someone else took the credit.

[Mall]

So wait, is that what's the dirt is Trying to say that's today.

[Reason]

That was. That was the goal.

[Rory]

And granted, I watched all 14 minutes. It was interesting. But it's just like. And they were just trying to connect shit to connection.

[Reason]

They wait till the last second to, like, reveal their final. And you like, I could have just not.

[Mall]

I could have watched it.

[Reason]

Yeah, I just could have not watched.

[Rory]

I'm with you. Drake has definitely taken subliminal shots at Jay that we've talked about for years off 30. For 30. A lot of stuff. But I feel like we're reaching a bit when your main focus is Memphis Bleak holding a hard drive.

[Mall]

Let me, let me, let me.

[Rory]

Cause, you know, Calico, listen, I love

[Mall]

content creators that, you know, just try to find a niche and they niche and they lane and all of that. Let me assure you all one thing. Jay Z does not have a ghostwriter. Like, I can just assure the for sure.

[Reason]

Jay Z does not have a ghostwriter.

[Mall]

He does not. Nah, man.

[Rory]

He made Reasonable Doubt and then he needed, you know, he needed someone else

[Reason]

to write for him.

[Mall]

But Calico, that's where we landed at. I mean, no disrespect to Calico, but,

[Rory]

well, people try to put the stole Young Chris's flow on Jay before. Like, people have tried to put little things there and then, see, you're not even doing the science. Drake said he was going to bring Calicos to the Alamo. And there's a movie theater in the Alamo in Brooklyn called Alamo that showed Fade to Black one day.

[Mall]

Oh, okay. So that's what they trying to tie it. Oh, okay. Okay.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Mall]

Nah, we just don't need that. Like, I don't. That rap.

[Reason]

I don't. I don't. I don't be tolerating no Jay Z slander, man. That's. That's my. That's my goal.

[Mall]

I just don't. And I get it, man. You know, I think that people are, you know, when you have some of the greats, people always try to find a chink in their armor.

[Reason]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mall]

Like. Cause it has to be when nobody's perfect. Right? So you need to find whatever you can and be like, ah, you know, but.

[Reason]

And like you said, I just think we in the content space, like, I. I just literally went like semi viral because somebody took something I said on Boulevard Kev and just put a whole different caption over it. And if I never saw the tweet, I would have never even. What was it like it said? Reason says Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick Lamar's poor curation of GNX is the reason for Western sound. Yeah, I do see that. And so it's like, I didn't say nothing like that. So it was like, that's just what content. I literally didn't say anything like that. Like, literally in the video, I didn't

[Mall]

say anything like that.

[Reason]

But that's just where content.

[Rory]

What did they pull to make you say that?

[Reason]

It was a clip. So what they do is they take longer clips. That way they know if somebody clicks on the video, they see three minutes, they're like, oh, I'm not watching that. And I'm just gonna take whatever they said. And then they put a different caption. But basically, me and Kev was having a conversation about how the west coast sound is not popular nationwide. You get what I'm saying? Like, it's not popular nationwide. And I said, I love gnx. It's one of my favorite DOT albums. It's probably two or three for me, which is high on his discography. And Kev asked me why he didn't feel like usually when an album is that successful, the sound travels, and then other people like that sound. You get what I'm saying? And that's been a thing in history. And I told him. I said, the artists that were on it didn't necessarily. Like, it can't just be dot. Like, other artists would have had to follow up after that with the same sound and make moments and be successful. And I just said, some of the artists that were on it didn't. They're not as consistent in their business and dropping music and stuff like that. So the sound couldn't travel because they're not following up afterwards and making moments. You have your artists like Az. Chike. Shout out to Chike. Wally Sensei. There's artists on there that are really dope, and they're.

[Rory]

They're like my favorite.

[Reason]

Yeah.

[Rory]

Probably my favorite feature on Chike is Fire.

[Reason]

Chike is Fire. I'm looking forward to it.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Reason]

Him and Wally. And this is. No. Even though they might take it away, there's no diss to any of the other artists. I just think that when you have a moment like that, you got to start getting your ducks in a row.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Reason]

And I don't think everybody got their ducks in a row and started to. So that is what I was saying in the video, and then it came out. Reason says Kim Kumar. Poor curation of GNX is the reason, but that's what I said. Yeah.

[Rory]

It's an interesting point of. Of that sound traveling or not. I feel like, the Bay Area, Louisiana. Sound that kind of, like, mashed together in this. This era is so specific to y' all that if somebody else did it, it would look too much like biting. Like, if you got a bunch of records that sounded like not like us after, it'd be like, what do you guys think?

[Reason]

Well, it don't have to sound just like not like us, but you got to think about when Mustard was going crazy. It was from all over the planet on Mustard beats. Like, I'm different is two chains. That's a West Coast. So there's. It's. It's possible for west coast music to travel. You just have to have multiple moments. Like, it can't just be one moment of a popular sound having a moment, and then it goes away. It got to be Dot go. And then this going. And it's like a relay. Yeah, exactly. That's literally what it's like.

[Mall]

Song. Yeah, you go, you go, you go,

[Reason]

you go, you go. And if all the music is good, well, then now you'll have niggas from the south being like, yo, who made that? Oh, Lordy. Great. Made that. I want to go fuck with loaded great. Or J.R. made that. I want to go. You get what I'm saying? Like, you'll have that. But because it was just Dot and then not much after that, not much after that, it didn't travel. So you look at it like, if boogie was on that, then boogie drops after that. We know how fire boogie is, so we know that that's gonna be what it is and other things. So that's not. Not. Cause Dot's job is to make a good album. I love that album. So I think he did his job. I was just more saying that it has to be more moments behind it for the sound to really go.

[Mall]

It's the job of the rest of the guys from the Cult.

[Reason]

That's it. That's it.

[Mall]

To kind of adapt that sound, make it their own, put their own, you know, identity to that and then.

[Reason]

And then go have their moment. You know what I'm saying? And then grow their fan base outside of la. And then next thing you know, the sound is what it was. Because when Mustard was going crazy, it was everywhere. Yeah, everybody had Mustard.

[Rory]

Yeah. But Mustard's, like, his sound had a more pop feel. It had the Bay bounce to it and the LA since to it. But it was pop music.

[Reason]

A West Coast.

[Rory]

No,

[Mall]

the sound was popped, though.

[Rory]

It was a more fuller west coast sound. Gnx to me. And we're getting really nerdy was very stripped down, minimalistic west coast shit. It wasn't as digestible as all, like, turn your TV off is the most digestible song, and it's the Mustard one, where the rest of the stuff is very, very minimal west coast shit that I just don't. I think if you're not from the west coast, you look corny getting on that type of shit.

[Reason]

I don't necessarily, but, like, Squabble up is like west coast for show, like, all the way. All the way through. Squabble up is.

[Rory]

All of them are. I'm just saying they're very stripped down and minimal west coast beats, whereas Mustard was giving you rap pop records. It just happened to have a West Coast.

[Reason]

I actually feel like it was the, like. I feel like Mustard's, like, beats were very bare. Like, they didn't have a lot. A ton of musicality to it, but that's part of. Also, like, he's a lord. West Coast. Yeah. You get what I'm saying? I feel like Dot be having, like, Jazz N in the studio and shit, and so that can sometimes pull from some of the west coast sound a little bit. Not saying a lot, but, like, a little bit. But yeah, I just really think it's just about having more moments outside of that, I think more n had to follow up and hit records and not saying it had to be a hit, but get good records, good projects, good moments. You get what I'm saying?

[Mall]

Kendrick did what he was supposed to do, and he created a moment.

[Reason]

He created a moment, created a good body of work, and then he handed the baton to a lot of niggas that nobody heard of. You get what I'm saying? And that's. You can't really ask no more of that. You get what I'm saying?

[Rory]

So, yeah, yeah, yeah. They've been clipping up Kev stuff, and I don't want to make this, like, a. The complex media list, but you've done a lot of press with a lot of people that were on that list, and I always feel like bootleg Kev should be higher.

[Reason]

I agree.

[Rory]

Is it more annoying to go to outlets that are less like Bootleg Kev because you know you're going to actually have good music conversations with Kev. Have you found it to be odd where you kind of have to, as an artist, chase some of the press? That's gonna be a little. A little messy and a little, like.

[Reason]

To be honest with you, you've had

[Rory]

moments before where people have called in.

[Reason]

I don't do messy Press no more. I learned I had my moment. I don't want no more. You know what I mean? Any. That's coe. I don't. I'm. I'm cool. You get what I'm saying? Like, I don't want no more moments.

[Rory]

I wouldn't say like 80 and them are messy.

[Reason]

But shout out to ad love.

[Rory]

I love ad but it can. It can bring some west coast mess when you go over there, bro.

[Reason]

I saw a video literally this morning where T Rail was on there talking to his wife and he calling her a bitch and she talking about fucking Lil Wayne. And that's crazy to me.

[Mall]

Wait, wait, wait.

[Reason]

I don't care. Cause I don't have a relationship with him. So I'll say whatever I want. But like, there's a clip where like he, like, she talking about how she could have fucked Lil Wayne and could have had rap niggas and she chose T Rail. And T Rail like, bitch, get your shit off. I'm like, you niggas are insane. You niggas are insane.

[Mall]

Wait, that was a real conversation.

[Reason]

That's a real conversation.

[Rory]

He was also hitting on Kayla Nicole in front of his wife.

[Reason]

That is a real conversation. I don't want to sit down with no that'll talk about their wife like that. Sue me.

[Mall]

Nah, I think that be mad at me.

[Reason]

I don't give a fuck. I don't.

[Mall]

That had to be. They had to know that they was.

[Reason]

I might got the clip. Hold on.

[Rory]

You don't know their love language. You all can't judge people in that regard, man.

[Mall]

Hold on, Let me sitting down with your wife and your wife telling you I could have fucked Lil Wayne.

[Rory]

Maybe they role play that way.

[Mall]

I'm about to say, nah, dawg, we not. That ain't role playing. I don't give a fuck what script you think you talking about, man. Them niggas, you can't tell me no shit like that with cameras rolling with cameras.

[Reason]

But it's like that's the culture. Like the culture is like, you know what I mean? And they gonna be mad at me, but I don't give a fuck. But like, that's what the culture is like. They just like, it's whatever. I'm about to text you the clip, Roy. Okay, but yeah, it's like that shit crazy to me, bro. And I'm just like, I don't want to sit down with n like that. Like when everything's on the table, when anything's on the table, when we could

[Mall]

talk, when we could say Anything, man.

[Reason]

We could catch up later.

[Mall]

Yeah. Cause if you could sit down with your wife and talk like that, there's nothing you can't talk about.

[Reason]

I'm cool. Like, I fuck with A.D. that's my nigga. I fuck with Pun, too. Pun is my dog. But yeah, bro, it's just. It's a lot. And he was like, I'm in Texas. I'm like, okay, I'm gonna meet you here. But I had already had plans that

[Rory]

I was meeting Lil Wayne, so I had to like, yeah, sorry.

[Reason]

I'm drunk. Wow. Yeah, you is. So you was going.

[Mall]

This ain't drunk.

[Rory]

You know what I'm saying?

[Mall]

Do your thing.

[Reason]

Shut up.

[Mall]

You know what I'm saying?

[Reason]

Back up, back up.

[Mall]

Hold on.

[Rory]

Back up, back up, back up. I took Lil Wayne, bitch.

[Reason]

I had hoes. Oh, God. I was just a growing.

[Rory]

I had hoes. No to the number one.

[Reason]

But Terrell had the personality, and he had. He made me laugh. He actually talked to me.

[Rory]

I was talking to the number one

[Reason]

nigga of this shit. I'm telling you, I fuck with Terrell. I stayed down with him. Let me tell you this.

[Rory]

She said, let me tell you this.

[Mall]

I could have had my way with any fucking rapper. I want it.

[Rory]

I could have had my way with anybody. But I chose Terrell.

[Reason]

At the end of the day, I

[Rory]

told Terrell I chose my heart.

[Mall]

And this made me.

[Rory]

So basically I was trash.

[Reason]

You were trashing your.

[Rory]

I won't say it for you.

[Reason]

I won't say it back on Fig.

[Mall]

I'm going tell you this.

[Reason]

I was supposed to go upstairs and

[Rory]

Lil Wayne, but I did it.

[Reason]

Nah.

[Rory]

Marry your best friend. That's what they said.

[Reason]

I ain't going to lie.

[Rory]

That's how best friends talk to each other.

[Mall]

Nah, nah.

[Rory]

You just don't need to talk like that. I can't. Both of them. They're both. They're a lovely couple.

[Mall]

My best friend is never talking to me like that.

[Rory]

That's how Demerit's taught to me.

[Mall]

I could have went upstairs. I could have went upstairs and Little Wayne, she dragged it a little bit on that.

[Reason]

She should have just left it at the beginning. I think she. I think she felt away about him calling her a. And so she like, you know, I mean, she kind of just had a one up and. Yeah, but my point is that I'm your household.

[Mall]

No, no, no. We not skipping over that. Your household is never the same after that conversation is co.

[Reason]

I'm sure they've had that conversation before. She didn't just have that conversation. You see how he was like, nah, let her get her off. I'm sure they've had that conversation before.

[Mall]

No, they definitely. I'm talking about on camera.

[Reason]

On camera.

[Rory]

Ah.

[Reason]

I don't think they care.

[Rory]

Well, maybe. All right. Maybe I'm getting more mature because I don't think it's that crazy to say an attractive woman could go, Lil Wayne.

[Mall]

No. Like you about to do the man. Y' all change. An attractive woman could Lil Wayne. Your wifey.

[Reason]

No. She wild it out for sure.

[Mall]

I don't think they care. It's wild to us.

[Rory]

Y' all acting like Wayne is hard to get to.

[Reason]

Like.

[Mall]

No, we're not. Nobody's acting like that.

[Rory]

You're acting like Wayne holds out.

[Mall]

Nobody is saying that. You're saying that. I'm saying that my girl, my wife is never sitting on camera saying, I could have fucked Lil Wayne, but I chose to be with this nigga instead.

[Reason]

My point is, classic love story.

[Mall]

Nah, bro, we not doing that on camera.

[Reason]

My point is that I'm moving towards love. I don't wanna be in conversations. You get what I'm saying? Yeah. I mean, after hearing that, I've had my fair share. You get what I'm saying? And I know that. To go back to your original question, I don't really wanna sit down in certain environments. You get what I'm saying? Like, I don't even wanna sit down in certain environment. Cause anything is on the table. Anything is on the table. You get what I'm saying? And I'm cool with having fun and shit, but I'm also about, like, pushing the music. No worrying now, Mall.

[Rory]

Your family reached out to me over the weekend. They are very concerned. It was just. Just notified that you are overpaying for your wireless right now. And your family is very concerned.

[Mall]

I know.

[Rory]

Because you could just unlock savings with 25amonth forever. With Boost Mobile. It's a permanent price. It does not change. And your family is sick of this.

[Mall]

I keep the same number.

[Rory]

You can keep the same number, the same phone, and someone will come and just. Just do it for you. It could come right here. Yes. Here.

[Mall]

And agree.

[Rory]

Yes. So stop terrifying your family. I'm tired of getting these calls. They're concerned for you. This is an intervention.

[Mall]

This is an intervention. Based on average annual single line payment of AT&T Verizon and T Mobile customers compared to 12 months on the Boost Mobile Unlimited plan as of January 2026. For full offer details, visit boostmobile.com

[Rory]

forget whatever plans you have this weekend because you're staying at home and playing on spinquest, and there's never been a better time to sign up than right now. New users get $30 coin packs for just $10 all the table games you love with hundreds of slot games and real cash Prizes. That's at spinquest.com S P I N Q U-E-S-T.com Spinquest is a free to

[Reason]

play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details.

[Rory]

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. May is mental Health Awareness Month, so this is a reminder that whatever you're going through, you don't have to go through it alone. Life is a journey. Some days feel good and others feel overwhelming. Whatever's keeping you up at night, it's easy to feel like you have to figure it all out on your own. But the truth is no one has all of the answers and no journey should be alone. Having someone with you to listen to, understand and support you can make all the difference. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, stuck, anxious or unsure, those feelings are more common than you think. BetterHelp therapists work according to a strict code of conduct and are fully licensed in the US. BetterHelp does the initial matching work for you so you can focus on your therapy goals. A short questionnaire helps you identify your needs and preferences and there are 12 plus years of experience and industry leading Match fulfillment rate means they typically get it right the first time. If you aren't happy with your match, switch to a different therapist at any time from their tailored recommendations. You don't have to do this journey alone. Find support and have someone with you in therapy. Sign up and get 10% [e-mail] Rorymal that's betterhelp.com Rorymal Support for the show

[Reason]

comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public you can build a multi

[Rory]

asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto

[Reason]

and now generated assets which allow you

[Mall]

to turn any idea into an investable index.

[Reason]

With AI it all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue

[Rory]

over 20% year over year.

[Reason]

You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500.

[Mall]

Then you can invest in a few clicks.

[Reason]

Generated assets are like ETFs is which with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio.

[Rory]

That's public.com podcast paid for by Public

[Reason]

Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures [e-mail] Disclosures hey everyone, it's Kal Penn. I'm the host of Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project, Hail Mary Massive sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth.

[Mall]

I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I'm narrating some of these sections. And it's like, okay, yo, yo, yo, is this indulgent?

[Reason]

And I really thought about it.

[Mall]

I was like, no. At this point it would kind of be betraying the trust the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that, that deeply, emotionally affected me.

[Reason]

And I left it on the mic.

[Rory]

That's great.

[Reason]

Cause it served the story.

[Mall]

People will say like, oh my God, I cried at the end. It's like, yeah, dude, me too.

[Reason]

Listen to Irsay the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or

[Rory]

wherever you get your podcasts.

[Reason]

You get what I'm saying?

[Mall]

You've had some interesting, you know, the last two, three years for you as far as industry and things like that have been very interesting for you. Have you, have you kind of become jaded a little bit with just politics of the music business?

[Reason]

Yeah, not really.

[Mall]

You know, meeting people and working with people and taking things more at face value than really thinking that, yo, you know, these are my guys. These are my, these are my brothers. These are my homies.

[Reason]

I think you just learn over time, like who you have real relationships with and who you don't in what situations is like love and people just fuck with you. And then it's like people just fucking with you for the situation. You get what I'm saying? So I wouldn't necessarily say jaded. Cause I'm now at a point where, like, it don't really bother me. It's like if I move how I wanna move, regardless of how you choose to move is how you choose to move. So if I fuck with you and I show you love, it's just. Cause I genuinely fuck with you. And even if that love ain't returned, I genuinely don't feel no type of way. The only part that I've been jaded about a little bit during this whole process is just, like, certain narratives. You get what I'm saying? And that's the part that kind of, like, bothers me a little bit. You know what I mean? Like, even when my split, it's like, you know, we on both sides try to make that, like, as amicable as possible, shit, just be cool and stuff like that. And there'll be narratives out that, like, oh, reason's bitter because of this. Or, you know, he could have released music. And it's like, I just like to let the work show. Like, we've dropped three projects in a year and a half. So if I.

[Mall]

That's true.

[Reason]

You know what I'm saying? So if I.

[Mall]

And I feel like me and Rory might have spoke about this. That was very intentional. Yeah, very much like I could have been doing this.

[Reason]

Because one thing I stand on is my character, my work ethic. I never want the narrative to be that I'm somebody that didn't work or that I didn't put quality. I dropped three quality projects. Quality projects mixed with the Dead, Apple, mixed with Deluxe Records, mixed with eps. I love that area of my career because it taught me a lot as an artist and I learned so much and I picked up so much support and so many fans. So I'm forever grateful for. But I don't like some of the narratives that, like, went with me leaving like, that was. That's the only part I feel like, of the industry that I kind of feel away about is that there's narratives that just live out there. And it ain't really nothing that I can kind of do to fix the narrative.

[Rory]

Do you think there's more besides just the quote unquote didn't put the work in?

[Reason]

I think it's a few. It's like the didn't put the work in 1. The reason got dropped. 1. When it's public that I wanted to go, it's a few more that I don't wanna, like, stir the pot, but you get what I'm saying? But, yeah, it's just a few narratives. And it's like, at the end of the day, it was just. It's business. It's two entities that wanted different goals and just saw it going different ways. And then when we saw it going different ways, we left. Like, it could be that simple. You get what I'm saying? But I also don't completely blame the public because I also have to take accountability for my part. Like, the beef happened and I used the beef to get out of my deal. And so I make that bed. I gotta lay in it. Like, some people are gonna take things that I say a certain way just because I use that to get out of the situation. You know what I mean? So that part of it I gotta take accountability for and I just gotta be okay with that.

[Rory]

Was there any fear of being blackballed?

[Reason]

A little bit. But I also feel like where the Internet is now, which is so dope, you could just go straight to your people. People that fuck with you. You can go straight to your people. There was a fear of certain platforms won't with me or they won't want to have me on and this and this. But luckily, I feel like, because I've been a solid person and maintain my own relationships. Yeah, there's a couple platforms that I could tell. It's kind of like not with me, but other than that, it's like, it's been. It's been pretty much love as you.

[Mall]

I'm not with you.

[Reason]

I'm not. I'm not doing that.

[Rory]

I was trying.

[Reason]

I can't.

[Mall]

You know, I'm not even that type of.

[Rory]

They have a relationship with Lil Wayne.

[Reason]

Yeah, I'm blackballed over there. I'm black, but thank God.

[Rory]

Which is crazy.

[Reason]

I'm sure they would. They would still have me up there.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Reason]

Because it'd be the most messiest in the world. Maybe one day I'll go, what's the

[Mall]

relationship, though, like, on a personal level with, like, you and a lot of the guys from over there, though, like. Cause obviously things change professionally for you and business wise. But, like, you know, we say, you know, the business, but business can affect personal relationships.

[Reason]

For sure. For sure.

[Mall]

And it does more times than none. But, like, what's the personal relationships like for you right now? And do you not no longer have any personal relationships that you kind of, like, feel away about? Like, damn, I'm mad that me and this person no longer are.

[Reason]

Like, I feel like my personal relationships is like, when I see niggas, it's love. Like, I don't ever see. I mean, I'm in la, I run into artists from TD all the time, and I've never had no weird interaction where somebody didn't want to talk to Me or. You know what I mean? Or avoid. I do think it's kind of funny that it's been a couple times where I've run into. I'm not gonna say which artist, but like, they about to take a picture of us and they like, nah, don't take a picture. But like, I'm glad to see you. You get what I'm saying? So that part. But I also understand that part of it because it's like, you know, but

[Mall]

why not take a picture?

[Reason]

I just think that, you know, it's about how they wanna run their program with how things happen. You get what I'm saying? So if their thing is like, this is our brand and reason isn't a part of it, I can see them being like, you know, don't take the pic. You know what I mean?

[Mall]

That's my man. Like, I don't fuck the brand. Like, this is my homie.

[Reason]

I'm just saying, like, that's. I can understand it, is what I'm saying. Like, it ain't for me. I'm just saying I can understand it. You get what I'm saying? I can understand not wanting certain associations. Like, I asked to leave. So it's like, if you ask to leave, you know, this attachment can't be there anymore. You get what I'm saying? And I don't feel no way about that. You get what I'm saying?

[Rory]

I could see if it was a verse or something where it's like, maybe there are certain people in that camp that you don't get along with. But a picture or what's up? Like, I don't think that's that crazy.

[Reason]

I don't know. I do see a different. I'm not mad at that, you know what I mean? For being the thing, you know what I'm saying? And on top of that, it's like, I never want to fuck nobody's situation up. So it's like, if there is a thing where it's like, if you do this, it's going to be this. I'd just rather rather us not take the pit. I get it.

[Mall]

I'm saying I understand that. But I mean, from what I know from this, it's not that deep. Where I don't think that's a picture with you, like, that's gonna fuck business up for somebody.

[Reason]

Yeah, I don't think it's that deep either. I'm just saying, you know what I mean?

[Mall]

I don't think it was that deep. But overall, though, are you in a happier place?

[Reason]

Yeah. I'm super happy. That's the part of it that I'm just super thankful for, is I like making music again. I was in a space where. And I've talked about this before when I work, when I made portraits. Exactly. When I made portraits, I was depressed. Like, I went through a lot of shit that I'm gonna talk about on the last color of this color series. Cause that'd be, like, the most personal, vulnerable one. But I was just in a bad space, and it felt like work. It felt like I was clocking in just to, like, watch the clock and then leave. And now it's like, I'm having fun. My team is like the homies and people that I really fuck with that I know have my best interest.

[Mall]

Have you changed?

[Reason]

My money is in a better side, too, like, management. And, yeah, it's a completely clean slate, but I was already rebuilding a new team. When we was touring Porches, it was basically like, my new team plus one person from tde. So I was already kind of, like, formulating a new team because I knew that I couldn't just go out there alone. So, yeah, it's like my happiness is in a better space, my finances in a better space. I feel like the music is in a better space. This is my favorite album that I've ever, you know, made. Period, point blank. Like, it's. And. And the reception behind this project has been incredible. So I'm. I'm super happy. Like, I don't have a day where I wake up and regret it. I have days where I wake up and I'm annoyed by saying that I did poor curation and that I did poor, poor curation. I have days where I wake up and I'm annoyed by shit like that.

[Rory]

We're gonna clip that up again. Just that part, though.

[Reason]

Not just that part. Just say, Dot has.

[Rory]

That's actually. That's the name. That's the name of the episode. Yeah. Dot has pure CL and Photoshop reason as Kendrick.

[Reason]

Yeah, I. I wake up annoyed, you know, I mean, at times, just because it's like, you know. You know, I. I can't wait to, like. Like, I'm trying to build my own thing, and I can't wait to be, like, currency where people don't even relate him to being signed to Lil Wayne. I think that. But that takes a long time when you're. When you.

[Rory]

It did.

[Reason]

It took a long time.

[Rory]

Now you think about it, though, you

[Reason]

don't even think so. I can't wait for that. And that's Just what I'm focusing on is creating moments, putting my foot on the gas. Like, you know, we're gearing up the next project already, like, you know what I mean? So I just want to flood and drop music. Yeah. I'm just working nonstop.

[Rory]

What were some of those dreamboat Return of the Dreamers sessions like? Dreamville did what I thought was one of the coolest rollouts, where they invited everyone to Atlanta super crazy to put together their collab that was returning Dreamers.

[Mall]

Two or three?

[Reason]

Three.

[Rory]

Three.

[Reason]

Yeah, three.

[Rory]

I thought that was genius. And clearly there was a lot of clips and footage. What was that, like, week like, being mav. And that would.

[Reason]

For me, that was that that's still in my career, like, the most fun I've ever had. Like. Like, in any part of my career, just because of, like, I. I thrive in environments like that where it's like, it's very competitive. It's like dog eat dog. Like, it's. You know, you talk about walking in a session and there's six artists in there and 10 producers, and whoever can make the most fire beat, and whoever could come up with the verses first, you know, win. You get what I'm saying? For the most part. And the nature of it was just super dope. And I got to build a lot of relationships off of that. You get what I'm saying? And I thought what Cole did was genius, not only for the music, but also as a CEO of a label where it sets up your artists and their career. I thought it was super fire. Cause what people don't talk about in that is, like, Cole literally had. And I feel like it'd be okay to say this, but Cole literally had, like, a Dreamville studio in there also, where it was like, only, like, Dreamville N could be in there and working. And when all the bigger, bigger artists came in, even while they're working on songs, he's also pulling them into the room to work with Dreamville artists. So now you setting up your Dreamville artists that may never get in proximity with this artist or that artist to have features for their albums and future work that can end up being something that benefits their career. And I think as a CEO of a label, that's genius, because who's not going to pull up to that session?

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Reason]

You know what I'm saying? So you in the room with Ross TI Chris Bosh was in there making beats. That was crazy.

[Rory]

I do remember seeing Chris Bosh.

[Reason]

Chris Bosch was in there making beats.

[Rory]

I remember seeing that on Twitter.

[Reason]

And it was Kind of fire, hall

[Mall]

of Fame basketball player.

[Reason]

Yeah, he was in there tall as. With a.

[Rory]

With a. Yo, being tall in the studio is funny.

[Reason]

Yeah, he was. He was making beats. Making beats like he was making poor champagne.

[Mall]

I never knew that.

[Reason]

Yeah, he was making beats. He was in the studio, and they was fire. Like, that was dope. And so it's all these artists coming in and out, young nudies in there fuck with. You know, I could go on and on, like, with all the artists that's in there, and they're in proximity with all of the artists. And in those type of environments, there is no ego. It's nobody. Like, oh, Wale was in there. I had a song that released with Wale because of that session. In those type of environments, there's no ego. Where, like, one nigga's like, oh, I can't fuck with you, because you this art. Because we all in the same room. We all in the same. Same level, right? And then they're giving you a chance and hearing you rap. You know what I mean? And n. Like, oh, you fire. You get what I'm saying? So, you know, it. It ended up being really dope. Ended up being really dope.

[Rory]

Yeah. Those are like the cooler writer camps to me.

[Reason]

Yeah.

[Rory]

Because you and I did one which was also Dreamville related.

[Reason]

What movie was that for Creed. Creed.

[Rory]

For Creed.

[Reason]

Yeah.

[Rory]

And this wasn't a Dreamville thing. This was a Lionsgate, whatever was doing Creed.

[Reason]

And they just brought EB on to

[Rory]

do the joint, and they printed out a sheet for everyone of, like, the topics you should be writing about. And it was like, like, loyalty and strength, and it's like, bro, perseverance. Like, you got to use these words in what you write.

[Mall]

Yeah,

[Reason]

I was in there rapping about and jewelry. Loyalty.

[Rory]

When we walked in, like, you had to get your, you know, your picture taken and to fill out all this NDA, which I'm probably breaking right now. And then they handed me a sheet. I'm like, what the is.

[Reason]

It was kind of crazy. It was kind of crazy. Good music that came out of that, too, though. Yeah.

[Rory]

I still the record. Me Boss and Baby Tate.

[Reason]

And Baby Tate that. I still want to use that.

[Rory]

That. That was one of my favorites.

[Reason]

Damn. I wonder if I.

[Rory]

Me, Ari and Drew from. They did a great record. Like, a lot of really cool. You and Kaz did, like, seven records.

[Reason]

We did, like, seven joints. Yeah, we did. We got. We did a joint called Champion with Ari Lennox. I did a joint with Kaz Jid plus made the beat who else on it? Aaron Ray. That record's super, super crazy. I would love to be able to put that right. Yeah, a lot of good music came out of that, too. Yeah, I did get in that camp, too. I smoked that camp, too. I think I had, like, two joints that landed on the project.

[Rory]

Yeah, it's fun to also kind of just watch those writing camps of, like, who was really talented and who.

[Reason]

That's my favorite part.

[Rory]

My favorite Quiet, like, in the pettiness of.

[Reason]

Me quietly loves my favorite part.

[Rory]

Like, the biggest artist was quiet. Not doing shit over there. Like, oh. Cause you to need. Like, you need a couple.

[Reason]

It don't feel comfortable.

[Rory]

You need your own room and lock the door. And then.

[Mall]

Because ain't who they say they are, man. We can say it. Not until you get in the gym, you be like, this ain't got no jump shot. You average 20 with no off a crowd. Oh, they set screens for you. You ain't got no bag. You can't get your own shot.

[Rory]

But also, you see the opposite, too, because that was the first time I'd been in the studio with Baby Tate, and she was going room to room writing insane verses in five minutes and then walking out and then going to the next room and getting, like, some Afrobeat.

[Mall]

Then she was on some raps from Atlanta.

[Reason]

No. Where's Tay from? I don't think she's from Atlanta. I don't think she's from Atlanta. But Tate is nice.

[Rory]

She's so talented.

[Reason]

Like, nice.

[Mall]

Yeah, she's from Atlanta.

[Reason]

Her mother's famous from Atlanta. I genuinely thought she was from somewhere else. But, yeah, Tate is, like, dumb, nice, stupid. Tate is super nice.

[Rory]

Like, she was out rapping quicker than all the guys.

[Reason]

He's a friend of y' all on the show, too. Singer. Why am I blanking on his name? Drake.

[Rory]

Drake was not at the Cree writing camp with me and Ree.

[Reason]

With Drake.

[Rory]

No, he was there, but nothing made it. He was there, but nothing.

[Mall]

Man used nothing.

[Reason]

Yeah, Drake ain't make that. He ain't make the pr.

[Rory]

Was like.

[Mall]

He was.

[Rory]

He was one of the.

[Reason]

He wasn't send no pics.

[Rory]

Michael B. Was like.

[Mall]

I don't know what you talking about.

[Reason]

It was. I'm blanking on his name. And I'm. I'm. It's. I'm trash for blanking on his name because he's a big deal, but he'd be wearing, like, the. He dressed like a rock star, but he a singer. I'm. I'm blanking. He's on project, though. Yes. Stupid Nice.

[Rory]

I don't know if I.

[Mall]

Was I there?

[Reason]

I don't think I went two days.

[Rory]

You were there for a while.

[Reason]

Yeah, I was there for like four days. But St. John was there.

[Rory]

Oh, St. John is stupid nice.

[Mall]

Oh.

[Reason]

And my favorite artists in those sessions are the rapper that acts like he's writing his verse, but he got 12 verses already. And he just plugging and playing and he just. And he sitting there like he coming up with it. And then he go in there.

[Mall]

You had that for three hours.

[Reason]

And he rapped 24 bars. And I'm just like. And then I look on LA leakers, and the 24 bars is on LA.

[Mall]

24 bars.

[Reason]

It's like, that's my favorite rapper, too.

[Rory]

Red Roof. Go see.

[Reason]

Come on. Red rose, White ceiling. Yeah. Nothing but paint and blood.

[Mall]

Yo, but that's, you know. But that's what. That's. Because the Internet, before the Internet, you could get that off, you know, Bro,

[Reason]

I get it off.

[Rory]

That's what they used to do.

[Reason]

I don't feel no way about Chuck. Red Rose, White Ceiling. That's like. That's what the era came.

[Mall]

But it's just whack because now that the Internet is.

[Reason]

Yeah.

[Mall]

Could take them videos and piece them all together. Like, yo, he took that same verse to 30 different.

[Rory]

To me, it was really game in the parking lot when that kid was freestyling the game, pretending like. Hold on.

[Mall]

He didn't know what he said. Yeah, he said what I say, what

[Reason]

I say, what I say.

[Mall]

Red rose from the service spoon.

[Reason]

My favorite is Kobe Bryant. Okay. When I'm wearing my black mamas I'll be in a red rose. Come on, Chuck. Get your off.

[Rory]

Chuck.

[Reason]

Come on, man. Ever.

[Mall]

For sure.

[Rory]

So many freestyles that ended up being songs of artists that we thought.

[Reason]

Yeah.

[Rory]

It's just now when you pretending like

[Reason]

you freestyle, I'm okay with that. I'm completely okay with that. We pretend all the, man. Chuck, get your off.

[Rory]

You know how many classic songs when they went to Tim Westwood in London, like, no one's gonna hear this.

[Reason]

Yeah, nobody gonna hear this.

[Mall]

Oh, God. Yeah.

[Reason]

This is for them. And then that go viral. You're like, huh?

[Rory]

Yeah, I forgot they had a camera there in 2007.

[Mall]

That's funny.

[Rory]

What. What were some of your favorite producers that were at some of those camps?

[Reason]

Elite Love Elite. Shout out to Elite plus from. I think he's with Ear drummers, if I'm right. Plus super Crazy Omen. Omen is also. Yeah, a lot of People know that he produces also. Omen was super fire Cal Banks. He was from. You know, from the camp. But Cal Banks is always one of my favorite producers. Trying to think it was a lot of dope niggas. Me's trying to think. Cause I don't wanna lead nobody off. And then, like, niggas, like, you had a chance to shout me out. But it was a lot of really, really dope niggas in there. That was fire S1 super crazy.

[Rory]

I mean, S1 just, like, legend, in my opinion.

[Mall]

This is.

[Reason]

I don't think S1 went to Dreamville camp, but I know they played a pack at.

[Mall]

Was there.

[Reason]

Maz was there.

[Mall]

Yeah, yeah, super nice.

[Rory]

Could do everything.

[Reason]

Yeah, he could do everything. He could do everything. Maz is super nice.

[Mall]

He's just an incredible, like, creative.

[Reason]

Yeah, creative. Yeah, he just. Yeah, he just.

[Rory]

He just, like, sitting on mad features with Cole.

[Reason]

Bruh. Bruh. I don't know what mez like, drop. Drop. Like, I don't. I don't understand, bro.

[Mall]

When I found out that was his first time directing that.

[Reason]

Cole first time directing that video, bro,

[Mall]

like, ever in life. The first time he ever directed anything. Like, he didn't even know the language to use on set. Like, he was like, I just want you to make the camera go like this. And I'm like. And that's what you came up with? Like, that just let you know the type of brain.

[Reason]

Man's just super. He's super nice, bro. Super nice. Like, yeah, he's a dope creator. But, yeah, there's a lot of talented N s. And then, like, Rory said, you know, you meet some people and you like, damn. Like, you know, your career has gone a certain way, but you not really. Like, I'm better than you. Yeah, yeah. Like, well, I think I'm better than a lot of N. But that's just my confidence.

[Mall]

That was something that. When Cole went on his press run and, you know, he said, you know, I don't think I'm better than. I think that was the first time we saw rapper. A rapper say that. Cause we. As a rapper, you know who you're really better than.

[Reason]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Mall]

But you don't ever actually say it. Yeah, Like, I'm not better than.

[Reason]

But I think they also kind of. People also kind of took out of context what he was saying. Like, he wasn't saying that these N are better than me. What he was saying was that. That there's. When you get to a certain level of penmanship on any given day, A can get you. That's what he was saying. You get what I'm saying? It's like, on any given day, like, I'm very, very confident in my pen. Like, I. I personally think I'm, like, one of the best rappers on the planet, period, hands down. But on any given day, a, like, jig can get me. On any given day, I'm trying to think of another nigga. Like, a. Like, I'm trying to think of niggas that's in my peer that I feel like, because it's tough. It's tough.

[Rory]

Nigga's so confident, he having a hard

[Reason]

time figuring out who he better be in my peer class. It's not a lot of n that I feel that way.

[Rory]

Think Lil Wayne could get you? That was a callback. Right now, that was just a callback.

[Mall]

That was crazy. Lil Wayne.

[Reason]

But, yeah, I think that's what Cole was saying, is that, like, on any given day, a nigga could jump.

[Rory]

You know, I just think it's frustrating to hear. Cause we've heard plenty of rappers that we know are not the best have that confidence. It's cool. Whatever, sport, you can say that. But somebody that could easily say they're the best, and we're not about to question. But I think that's saying they not the best.

[Reason]

But I think that's the point behind it is, like, a lot of these niggas just be saying that.

[Mall]

Oh, for sure.

[Reason]

Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, they just be saying that. But if you really, like, confident in yourself to where you don't have to, like, overdo it, you can be like, oh, he got. Like. I've said that plenty of times on songs. So I'd be like, oh, yeah, that ain't got a better verse than mine. Like, he got me on that.

[Rory]

Jokes aside on the Wayne shit, Wayne said he was the greatest rapper alive and then convinced us afterwards. Cause all like, yeah, people have selective memory. When he started saying that, nobody was out the gate. Like, of course.

[Reason]

Nah, for sure.

[Rory]

He just like, yo, what the Is he talking?

[Reason]

He just put in the work and then started. We looked up, like, a year and a half.

[Rory]

Okay.

[Reason]

He even made Jay say it. Yeah.

[Rory]

After the show me what you got.

[Reason]

HOV came out and said it was like, all right. Like, all right, you got it. It's high clip. It's a high clip.

[Rory]

So I just think you have to prove that for it to matter. But Cole saying that, I don't. It was a little bit of a letdown.

[Reason]

I Think it was a letdown because of everything surrounding it, because of the whole apology and stuff like that. I think it was let. But I didn't feel that way about it. And I'm not caping for him. I didn't feel I understood what he was saying. He talking about n like, Black Thought and Lupe fiasco. I think for the last six years, Cole has been the best pin on the planet. Period, point blank. But I also know that if they in a studio session, like, Lupe can get Cole on a random day. Like, I know Black Thought could get. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? I know Drake can get Cole on a random. I know Doc can get Cole on a random day. So. So, you know, I think that's more what he was saying. But we just in a time now where everything is being dissected when it's coming from, you know, that situation dissected, clipped. You get what I'm saying? Like, posted everything narrative like, you know what I'm saying?

[Mall]

Like, even if you didn't say it, you said it.

[Reason]

You said it. You know what I'm saying? Like, I just. I didn't feel away about it. But I do understand what you're saying, like, why people felt that way. But Coldpin is, like, nasty. Cole's pen is nasty.

[Rory]

No, don't let someone stand next to Cole with a hard drive. All of a sudden, we'll be having dissecting conversations.

[Reason]

All of a sudden, Omen wrote. Homer wrote Friday Night Lights.

[Rory]

Have you been in a session and seen someone else write for somebody else?

[Reason]

I've written for in sessions that. I was just talking about that off camera that it's an album that came out, like, two years ago that when it dropped, I was like, oh, I wrote three dos. Nobody called me. I'm like, damn, niggas could have called me.

[Rory]

Did you hit their team to be

[Reason]

like, I don't care. I got a feature?

[Rory]

Okay, fair enough. Did you think that person needed, like, did that shock you when you had to write it?

[Reason]

Yes, that shocked me. That shocked me. Yeah, that shocked me.

[Mall]

But it's like, why y' all niggas talking to codes?

[Reason]

You said what?

[Mall]

Why y' all talking to. I sound like y' all talking to codes.

[Reason]

No, he's.

[Rory]

I have no idea what he's talking about. He literally have no idea what he's talking about.

[Reason]

He don't know who I'm talking about. He don't know.

[Rory]

I have no idea.

[Reason]

Yeah, but he just. He know I'm not gonna say the Name. But he asked me, did it shock. It shocked me because, like, this is like, a nigga that could really rap rap. And I don't think he needed it, but it happened. You get what I'm saying? Like. And, like, you know what I mean? Like, he fucked with the ideas and he took them, and then the album came out. But so I was just shocked because I'm just like, damn. Like, niggas ain't say nothing. You get what I'm saying? But I just used it and spun the block. Got a feature.

[Mall]

I mean, it worked.

[Rory]

Now they're going through the feature list.

[Reason]

Yeah, I'm mad. Feature ain't coming through the feature list.

[Mall]

That means. So whenever the next feature comes, that's who he's talking about. Yeah, that's exactly what you're talking about.

[Rory]

But mall you've been in sessions. Have you seen. Because that's happened with someone that I consider could rap, rap, rap. And yeah, yeah, I had to help, which shocked me a lot.

[Mall]

Any sessions that I. I've ever been in.

[Rory]

Which was fine, though. It was a collaboration.

[Reason]

Why are you telling people about our sessions?

[Mall]

Any session that I've ever been cut

[Rory]

a lot of your bars down before, though.

[Mall]

Reason. No, when.

[Rory]

Reason. 12 bars out of a reason verse,

[Mall]

just like, all right, this.

[Reason]

Find the nicest way to cut. He like, this just your fire. But, like, this section, we could do.

[Mall]

Yeah, we could do.

[Reason]

You know, I feel like it's nice, but we could just.

[Rory]

If we get right to it, you gotta start using buzz words. Like it won't with the progression.

[Reason]

Like, the energy in this don't match

[Mall]

anything other than shut the up. Like, so we just rap.

[Reason]

You know what I mean?

[Mall]

Like, so is there anybody that you looking forward to working to that you probably feel like, you know, because of things that happen, it probably won't happen.

[Reason]

I want us to do more records with Cal Banks. That's probably not gonna happen. I think.

[Rory]

Why you say that, though?

[Reason]

Because the business. Like, he's signing td. Like, I'm not.

[Rory]

I get it.

[Reason]

I'm not paying that. That note that they. That they gonna send over for that. Like, I'm not.

[Mall]

They'll charge you for that?

[Reason]

Yes.

[Rory]

Well, now, sure.

[Reason]

Yes. But. So, man, certain shouldn't be charging for verse. No, Captain's a producer. I'm saying I wanted his beats. So you gotta, like. You gonna pay your producer so you can.

[Mall]

Yeah, I get that.

[Reason]

But, like, yeah, to hit you over the head, though. I mean, Cal Banks make a lot of money per beat. I would Want a homie discount? I want the. You know what I mean?

[Mall]

And you don't think that that's there no more?

[Reason]

Nah, it's not gonna be there. But Cow Banks, I would love to work with Cow Banks Rock. Me and Rock had a bunch of records that'll never come out now, which I hate, because that's my favorite artist from td and we made a lot of really, really dope records. We made a record called Government Cheese. Is Fire a lot of this record?

[Rory]

Yeah, send me that shit. Yeah, that shit is fire.

[Reason]

Super Fire. So we got a lot of records that I would have loved to put out, but it's probably not gonna happen. And then, sir, those would probably. And Rayvon. Rayvon. Me and Rayvon got a lot of records that won't come out. Me and Rayvon was, like, kind of working on, like, a full ep, just kind of, like, sporadically. And so those won't come out.

[Rory]

But what do you think? You can use those songs and just maybe, though, on the Government Cheat shit. J Rock's verse is crazy. Super crazy. Yeah, so I hear why you would not want to put it out without J Shit, but some of those. Would you?

[Reason]

I would like. Me and Ray got. What is that shit called? It's called, like, Battery. I think I would use that if I was able to use it.

[Rory]

It.

[Reason]

So it's a couple of them. It's a couple of them. But me and Ray just made a lot of really dope records with a lot of energy to them. And I feel like we work the same. Like, we work super fast. We don't overthink things. We kind of just move through things. And I feel like me and Ray could have put out a lot of really, really dope music. You know what I mean? We could have really fucked shit up. And so I do hate that. That'll never be a thing. You get what I'm saying?

[Rory]

Could you at least squash the beef between Baby Dee and Ray Van? Just for the culture. Do it for the culture.

[Reason]

For the culture. They still got on. Y' all still got ongoing beef. I don't have beef with no from the West Coast. God bless y'. All.

[Mall]

Yes, you do. Cause you my nigga. And I got beef with niggas from the west coast, so it's lit now. What the you talking about?

[Reason]

Nah, you don't got beef when I got beef when? Friday, right?

[Mall]

Hey, look. But now we don't know when this is coming out, though, so we can't even say that.

[Reason]

Oh, my bad.

[Mall]

Take that out P. Can't say that. We can't say that.

[Reason]

Yeah. But, yeah, me and. Me and Ray, we made a lot of dope. We talked about doing LA leakers situations together. Like, it would have been fire. It would have been fire.

[Mall]

So why you let Raven want to check our temperature like that?

[Reason]

Walk around in that with his chest out. I heard that, you know, y' all was closing the crowd in so that he couldn't see y'. All. And like, what he say on the thing? He said he came up there to check your energy. Yeah. And it wasn't the same when he pulled up. Big Ray. Yeah, yeah, Big Ray Wap. It's the Ray Whopper. Big Ray and y' all energy was all the way different when a West coast pull up and talk to you and y' all and stare you niggas in your eyes and talk to you.

[Rory]

I mean, this in a very non. He was a very lovely gentleman. He was one of the nicer people I've met. He was a nice. Everything was nice in that moment.

[Mall]

I was just reminded of it's the Internet, man. Like, you gotta. You gotta know when it's real life and it's the Internet. And it's like, all right, I get it. I'm pretty sure Hulk Hogan saw Macho man backstage and it was all love. But then once the bell rang, you hit me with a chill.

[Rory]

Like, once you sitting with DJ Head and Gina, all of a sudden it's like,

[Reason]

told me that he coming to check you energy. And the energy wasn't there.

[Mall]

When my energy was always the same. Wherever I go, any room I go in my energy.

[Reason]

I said that. I. I know you personally. Your energy is always.

[Mall]

Yeah, it's always the same.

[Rory]

Also crazy about it was filmed.

[Reason]

I'm not doing this, man. I'm not doing, Like, I'm salty and

[Mall]

I'm like,

[Reason]

shout out to Ray.

[Rory]

You brought up y' all joint ep. I was. I. I'm trying to dead the beat.

[Reason]

Bring up him punking y'. All.

[Rory]

No, he punked me and mall. So there's no beats. He checked us. We done. I'm trying to me getting punked as

[Mall]

a grown man is hilarious. That is the funniest in the world.

[Rory]

And at a media room.

[Reason]

At a media room.

[Mall]

Crazy. How hard did Joey Badass back to this kick. Daylight's at. We ain't heard nothing from day. Where is Daylight at? Have you spoken to him? Is he cool?

[Reason]

I haven't.

[Mall]

He don't even play basketball no more. He used to post his don't do that.

[Rory]

I. I just seen Day on Instagram playing basketball. I just seen him playing basketball.

[Mall]

He back in LA fitness. I. I ain't seen him. I'm just saying. I don't. He used to show us clips after the battle. It's like, damn daylight. No, he don't even play ball no more.

[Reason]

He don't even like him with sneakers.

[Mall]

Yeah, like, what's up with Dave, man? He all right.

[Reason]

I don't. I don't know.

[Mall]

You don't speak to him?

[Reason]

I haven't spoken today. I haven't spoken today.

[Mall]

Yeah, that's my nigga. Hopefully he good, man. Wherever he's at, whatever he's doing with

[Rory]

artists, having to do so much other shit outside of just making projects. Would you ever enter a URL type arena?

[Reason]

That was actually on my bucket list when I first, like, when I first, first got signed on my bucket list was to do a URL battle. I think I would still do it, but right now I'm just like. That was when I was having three year gaps in projects. I would have had time to like, you know, really map it out. I would have to really. Cause that shit. That's the best. Those are the best lyricists on the planet. And so incredible. But I had a list of niggas that I wanted to, like, go against if I did do it. And I still would want to do it one day if it makes sense

[Rory]

outside of the obvious. A list. A list ones. Because you'd have to do a few

[Reason]

battles before you got there.

[Rory]

What would be some of the.

[Reason]

I do a few battles before I get. All you got to do is just go on the Internet talking up. If you build up a fight quick enough.

[Rory]

All right, so. So this Lux right now. Let's try to get this.

[Mall]

Yeah, you can't start. It's a progression.

[Reason]

I don't like. Like, I would. I would. I would battle Charlie Clips. Not because he's not nice, but because. No, I know. But because there's a chance that he might not take me serious and only show up with one round. So if I win, that's a big bragging point. So I would battle Clips. I would battle Hitman. I would battle. Wouldn't battle Rock. Wouldn't battle Surf. I wouldn't battle Lux. Outside of those three, I probably like battle pretty much anybody else. And I wouldn't battle Nitty. I wouldn't battle Nitty. N is too nice. I'm not gonna win.

[Mall]

Nitty is nice.

[Reason]

Nitty's stupid nice. Yeah, Yeah. I like Him Rock is my favorite, and I think he's stupid. Nice. Lux is a God, and I battle more if I had the chance. But that one, I wouldn't be able to just battle, but I would battle Mook. I battle Mook.

[Rory]

I took that Mook hate personally just now.

[Reason]

Nah, I just think that Mook.

[Rory]

You don't think Mook is in the same conversation as Tay Rock?

[Reason]

It's not about the conversation. It's about styles. Like, I don't think Mook's pin is where the other people's pin is that I named. It's just angles with Mook, and I feel like I do angles well. Like, I. Storytelling, perspective, rap. Like, I feel like I do angles well.

[Rory]

But Mook does it the best. He does the best where it could come across. Simplicity compared to somebody like Uncle. I don't think it's daylight.

[Reason]

Yeah, I don't think it's more effective. I don't think it's. I just think that it's. It fits my style of writing better. Like, I think my style of writing fits with Mook's style of writing better. So I would like that battle. I'm not saying I would win. I'm just saying these are battles I would be interested in. I'm not interested in battling Lux on no Way in no Land. On reason.

[Mall]

Making that very clear. Like, I'm not interested in battling Lux, not on my vision board.

[Reason]

It's not.

[Mall]

It's not about it.

[Reason]

It's nowhere. Yeah, yeah, but these are niggas that, like, I would. I would be excited about it. I'm not saying I would win, but those are niggas I would be excited about. Yeah, battling. I'll be excited about battling.

[Rory]

I. I wonder if anyone like, smack or. Or any of those platforms have ever reached out to rappers. Like, if you and Jid just decided, yeah, no, be like, do it in the same type of arena that you're. When you're not going against battle rappers, you're going against your. Your peers that make music. Yeah, I. I can see why it's the same. I know you your pen. But, yeah, there's a lot to lose for someone that's just making music to go into an arena and get smoked that way. But I think in the Internet, like, at this point, if you lost, if you put out a good song the next day, no one's gonna care.

[Reason]

But ego gets in the way of a lot of really, really dope things. It's the same thing with, like, the NBA and the one on one Competition like one on ones will be super. It should be something. And that don't mean that a nigga's better than you in basketball because he beat you on a one on one. Because basketball's a five on five. But egos get involved. Egos get involved in features. Like Joey. Joey just tweeted something about that where he was tweeting. I thought he using Cole as an example wasn't really accurate, but he was basically tweeting that there's a lot of artists that certain collabs and features don't happen because of ego. And where he comes from is like he done been on records with the best spitters. And it's like we just rap. And whoever get the best that day, they get it and you move on. I think that's the way to look at it. When you talking about progressing hip hop. I feel like hip hop is in. It's kind of in the space. It is. I was talking about this on a dead apple with New York. I feel like New York, the Legends is love them to death. But they didn't. They didn't pass the baton the way that they should have passed the baton. Like they don't be working with artists. Niggas only want to work vertically or horizontally and never like what vertically means up and down. But you get what I'm saying? And I don't subscribe to that. That's why I work with the Kai Cashes and the Reuben Vincents and the Iman Nunez and all the type of. I work with them because that's the only way. And I'm not saying I'm the biggest artist, but that's the only way for the shit, the revolving door to keep spinning. You get what I'm saying? And a lot of niggas don't do that. That no worry.

[Rory]

Now today's show is brought to you by our presenting sponsor, Hard Rock BET Florida Sportsbook. And we are in the second round. The Knicks have swept the Sixers. So we can just put that over here. But there is still a lot of second round basketball happening right now. Where the lights are brighter, the pressure is on. Some series are tied. So it is time to bet with Hard Rock. Especially the same game parlays. Even if you're late to tip off. Don't worry, Hard Rock bets let you live, Betsy. Bet all game long from the first bucket to the final buzzer and maul. You can score $150 in bonus bets. If you win today, just put $5 down and if it hits, not Only do you get those winnings, but an extra 150.

[Mall]

I like that. Download the Hard Rock Bet app today and let's get the party started. Payable and bonus bets. Not a cash offer offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in Florida. Offered by Seminole hard Rock Digital LLC in all other states. Must be 21 plus and physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee or Virginia to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling In Florida, you call 1-833-play- wise in Indiana, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem wants help, call 1-800-9 with it. Gambling problem, call 1-800- gambler Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia.

[Rory]

Ma, I know you see the difference in the beard. I know you see.

[Mall]

I know the difference.

[Rory]

You was, you was, you was, you was looking like, yo look a little more amber today.

[Mall]

I thought it was a staple, but it was a little, you know, it was something different.

[Reason]

Something.

[Rory]

Oh, man, I, I've, I've went through a lot of beard products that typically just dry out my very, very sensitive skin. But I've been on my baskin lather and finally found something that actually works with my skin. I've been basking in the lather every single time. The shampoo, the conditioner, and they have the oil that, that softens my beard. And, you know, summer's coming. You want a woman to run her

[Mall]

fingers through your beard, you got soft beard. It has to be.

[Rory]

Softener is needed.

[Mall]

Very important. Important.

[Rory]

This, this, this ginger hair sometimes gets

[Mall]

a little rough, but it's not the best. The skin under the beard too, though, you need to be conditioned. And, you know, and I know there's

[Rory]

a lot of people out there with some patches. I'll just say some people's beards don't connect. Damaris hates those types of guys. They have an oil as well that just makes your beard fuller.

[Mall]

Okay.

[Rory]

Like sometimes I have to grow my beard out because there's like a little, there's a little patchiness right here.

[Mall]

Just a little something.

[Rory]

But that, that's been great as well. I use the, the beard balm, especially if I'm on the move and just need my, my, my beard to smell better.

[Mall]

And Rory, it is important while you do enjoy bass and leather, it is important to point out that it is black owned and family operated company, a brand. The CEO, Shayna's younger sister was misdiagnosed. They said her hair may never grow back. So the family took things into their own hands, created products for them and now you know the hair is healthy.

[Rory]

It's full explore viral bestsellers and products of healthier hair of all types from Basque and Lather. Go to Basque and Lather Co and use code Rory and mall for 20 off. That's 20 off at baskinlather co.com code rory and more. Whether it's slots or live dealers, spinquest.com has the fun and action you're looking for with Spin Quest exclusives, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and even live dice with craps and bubble cross craps. The games never stop so you don't have to and right now new users get 30 coin packs for just 10 bucks. Play [e-mail] SpinQuest is a free to

[Reason]

play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details. Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi

[Rory]

asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, operators, crypto

[Reason]

and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue

[Rory]

over 20% year over year, you can

[Reason]

literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500.

[Mall]

Then you can invest in a few clicks.

[Reason]

Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio.

[Rory]

That's public.com podcast paid for by Public

[Reason]

Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc, SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice.

[Rory]

Complete Disclosures [e-mail] disclosure

[Reason]

hey everyone, it's Kal Penn. I'm the host of Irsay the Audible and Iheart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast I am sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project Hail Mary Massive Sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth.

[Mall]

I'm really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get

[Reason]

teary as I'm narrating some of these

[Mall]

sections and it's like okay, yo yo yo, is this indulgent And I really thought about it. I was like, no. At this point it would kind of be betraying the trust the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that that deeply emotionally affected me and I

[Reason]

left it on the mic. That's great cuz it served the story.

[Mall]

People will say like oh my God, I cried at the end. It's like, yeah dude, me too.

[Reason]

Listen to Irsay the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or

[Rory]

wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mall]

This is Rob Gronkowski from Dudes on

[Reason]

Dudes with Gronk and Jewels and talk about a perfect partnership. I'm here to tell you about protecting your end zone with Dude Wipes. If you're still wiping with toilet paper paper, you need to listen up. Dude Wipes are a wet, extra large flushable wipe that leave nothing behind in your behind because they are wet and we all know wetter cleans better. Unlike dry wiping with toilet paper, Dude Wipes clear instead of smear. Goodbye dingleberries. Goodbye itch and irritation. Plus if you take Gronk sized Grumpies or as I like to call them, Gronky Baby Wipes won't do. You need extra big Dude Wipes to handle the job and they come in different scents and pack sizes, including a single use on the go pack that you can take wherever you go for that home field advantage. So don't fumble the ball with toilet paper. Stop being an A hole to your B hole and start using Dude Wipes. Available on Amazon and major retailers nationwide. Ride Dude Wipes Best Clean Pants down.

[Mall]

I think it's definitely an ego thing why Jid is not on any of the cold songs on this album or the mixtape that he put out. Nobody can convince me otherwise. You don't have an artist.

[Rory]

You know, I disagree with you.

[Mall]

You don't have an artist signed to you that's that dope that can rap.

[Rory]

I'm doing a concert my 20s and my 30s. Not there for my 20s.

[Mall]

What about the mixtape?

[Reason]

Yeah, no one's on the mixtape. Nobody's on the mixtape.

[Mall]

This was just Grammy nominated. He should be on something. Your artist is nominated for Rap Album of the year and he's not on nothing.

[Reason]

But you have to see it from the perspective of like his like you

[Mall]

got Future album don't really have no features.

[Reason]

They don't really have no features. Damn near like. I think that that's one of the

[Mall]

knocks of Future on your album and not Jid.

[Reason]

Future's doing a hook.

[Mall]

Jid could do hooks too. Have you not heard this album?

[Reason]

No, you're right. I think very highly a Jit. I just. I don't think it was ego with that thing. I think it's a concept album. I think he saw it a certain way. I think Cole has done so many.

[Mall]

So he saw Future and Timbs on his album and probably somebody else that we missing. But he didn't see his artist that his Grammy nominated.

[Reason]

Who has a rap verse on Cole's album. Who has a rap verse on Cole's album.

[Mall]

What about the. I'm just saying. What about the mixtape before the album?

[Reason]

There's no features on the mixtape.

[Mall]

It should have been. That's what I'm trying to tell you. My artist, this. That is a rapper. That's dope. Is Grammy nominated for rap album.

[Rory]

Where we disagree is when he did all the Return of the Dreamers albums. Like you could never say. Cole has not tried to put on for every artist that's ever been signed to Dreamville like he did that already have one for himself.

[Reason]

I'm not.

[Mall]

I'm not saying that he stopped his

[Rory]

career plenty of times to get on.

[Mall]

I'm saying how many songs he on his album 20 something.

[Reason]

Ma says J.I.D.

[Mall]

can't get a verse.

[Reason]

Ma says, terrible curiosity.

[Mall]

I said, j. Cole had a terrible curation of the fall of Jed should have been on that album.

[Reason]

I would have liked to see Jed on the album, but everybody would have. I don't think it's an ego thing, though. I would have loved to see Jid on that. But I've been. That's the part I don't agree with. I don't think it's an ego thing. I would have loved to see Jid on that album. And I think Jid can rap with anybody on the planet. I just don't feel like it's an ego thing.

[Mall]

Okay. Do you think anybody else that's an artist of that magnitude who has an artist like Jid signed to them at the time.

[Reason]

Time.

[Mall]

And that artist is Grammy nominated. It's not going to be on their next album.

[Reason]

Depending on the concept of the album and the timing.

[Mall]

Y' all love sticking to that word concept, bro. A should have had Jit on that vision board on his concept album. He should have thought about Jed and one of his concepts. He said, yo, you know who will sound crazy right here? This that I'm signed, that I signed that's currently Grammy nominated. He would Sound crazy right here? Nah, but I'm gonna put Tim's right here by the horns, and then we gonna get the fuck out of here.

[Rory]

Tim's feature's incredible.

[Reason]

Yeah, it is.

[Mall]

I'm not saying it's not, but Jed is not just a rapper. He's. He can see, he can. He can hold a melody, he can. He can flow like. He can do a bunch of different things.

[Reason]

He could fit. J can do everything he. I'm sure J submitted for the album, and I'm sure the best things for the album got picked.

[Mall]

Oh, so you're saying Jid is not dope enough to make.

[Reason]

No, that's not what I said.

[Mall]

Damaris said that Jid is.

[Reason]

I did not say that. I'm always said that.

[Mall]

Damaris said that Jid's execution of his verse was a pure character.

[Rory]

I think she just straight up said is trash.

[Mall]

Yeah, no, that's what she said. I'm sure he submitted

[Rory]

Bring that over here.

[Reason]

Shout out to J. That's my. J could do everything J is. Is.

[Mall]

He should have been on that generational talent. I don't care what you.

[Rory]

Yeah, I. I would not be surprised if album jcole is on.

[Reason]

You know what I would have liked to see on that album? I was talking to K about this. I would have liked to see, like, a. A Dreamville record where, like, this is gonna sound kind of weird. But every artist is rapping a verse, but they're all coming in at different times of the verse. But they're telling a story about how Dreamville is created. But it's all the different artists rapping different parts of the verse. So it almost sounds like there's one voice that's rapping the story of creating Dreamville, but different artists are plugging in. I think that would have been fire.

[Rory]

Wait, like when they came into the.

[Reason]

Does that make sense? Just the curation of thinking about making a label and then making the label. So maybe when he starts talking about signing Kai's, it's like he's like. And I go to LA and I met this kid. And then Kai's voice comes in. Ra rapping the same raps. You know what I'm saying? Like, but, like, raps that part. I just think that would have been dope.

[Rory]

Instead, we got the Tupac and Biggie story.

[Mall]

Hold on.

[Reason]

Fire.

[Rory]

Oh, God.

[Mall]

Dude, that was fire.

[Reason]

Fire.

[Rory]

That's how I know I'm the only objective person on this cup.

[Reason]

I'm biased when it comes.

[Rory]

Great. I just. Yeah, yeah, I know the Biggie in two box store fire.

[Mall]

Wait, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. So Cole wasn't on Jed's album?

[Reason]

We're not doing that, bro. We're not doing. They've done a ton of records together. They didn't do a video. We're not doing that. Shout out to Cole.

[Mall]

All right, so y' all say this, and then. And then next next year, when it come out that Jit is no longer signed to Dreamville and he ain't, y' all gonna be like, yo. Nah. But, you know, things happen. I'm just calling in that.

[Reason]

I don't think sign there no more. That is beef.

[Mall]

I'm not saying beef.

[Rory]

If not on Iceman, I don't even know what's going on Iceman. Yeah, I got.

[Mall]

They not Grammy nominated.

[Reason]

I got an issue.

[Mall]

They're not Grammy nominated.

[Reason]

Nominated.

[Mall]

This was nominated for Rap Album of the year. It don't get bigger than that. Like, what are you talking about?

[Reason]

So Roy woods got to be Grammy nominated to be on Iceman?

[Mall]

I'm saying if Roy woods is Grammy nominated for album of the year and he's not on a Drake album, I don't think they with each other.

[Rory]

You're telling me Smiley wasn't grim nominated?

[Mall]

See, y' all being funny. Y' all cracking jokes, and then. And then we're just sitting down with Kev next year, talking about. Yeah, you know, just got funny over there. Then I'm gonna look like a prophet once again. All right, well, go ahead. Get y' all off, then.

[Rory]

Once again.

[Mall]

Get your off. Yeah, man, I'm feeling like a prophet. Yeah. Rewind the tapes y' all gonna see. Rewind the.

[Reason]

Yeah, I think I. I think it's. It's completely fine. I think. I don't. I haven't talked to about that, but I don't. I don't see it that way. I don't. I don't. But I know if Jit was on there, he would have. It would have been fire, bro.

[Mall]

He's. He's incredible. That's why I'm saying he. It's crazy that he's not.

[Reason]

Not.

[Mall]

But then looking at Jid's album and Cole ain't there, it's like, damn.

[Reason]

Like, he's been not saying they haven't worked together. We know that he's been on Jid's albums.

[Mall]

I know. I'm talking about the album that was just Grammy nominated.

[Reason]

Oh, yeah. Cole got to be on every single Jid album.

[Mall]

I'm not saying he do. I'm Just saying he's not there. And then Cole's most anticipated album, jid is not There. And the mixtape that he put out before the album, Jid is not there.

[Reason]

Nobody was. All right.

[Mall]

Okay, that's like 30 songs. He could have been on, like, 30 songs nowhere. All right, Y' all got it.

[Rory]

No Calico on the Black album. Explain it.

[Reason]

What was the last Smiley feature, y'?

[Mall]

All naming?

[Rory]

That's not Mr. Two. What? What's the song with Smiley and Drake party on this, Mr. Tumaza. See, you're not Tumaza enough. You don't even. You're not Tumaza Party on this album.

[Mall]

I don't know who's on this album, bro.

[Rory]

Okay, well, he. All right. In most defense, he did just do a joint party album.

[Reason]

He did. He did. I was definitely full of. I was definitely full of. Yeah, I was definitely full of the. Yeah, for sure.

[Rory]

But no, I feel like Cole, Kendrick, and Drake have all done well with the features with the artists that were signing them. Well, I mean, Kendrick was signing TDE, but still looking out for TD no,

[Reason]

but I get what you're saying. Yeah.

[Rory]

I think they've all done a very great job at that.

[Reason]

Yeah, I think.

[Rory]

I think took the whole blueprint and did the same thing.

[Reason]

For sure. For sure. I agree with that.

[Rory]

What's up with your west coast brother, Chris Brown? You ran up in Pitchfork while he

[Mall]

was out here in New York.

[Reason]

I don't know what's going on with Chris Brown. I have no idea what's going on.

[Rory]

Piru is 1.6 on Pitchfork. Yeah, that's on Pitchfork.

[Mall]

They got to be trolling, man.

[Rory]

It's kind of. It sucks to see what Pitchfork has become, because at one point, they were like the nerd place that we would go to for actual, real, objective people that actually we don't have. It's not like, yo, we'll give ice Spice A9.9 and Chris Brown A1.

[Reason]

This album is a piece of that.

[Mall]

Then. That's just to word it like that.

[Rory]

Outside of what Pitchfork used to be and why we love.

[Reason]

Yeah.

[Rory]

Why are they now? You're trying to keep up with the. With, like, the blogs.

[Reason]

Yeah, we almost don't have, like, actually, we almost don't have nothing like that, though, right now. No. More like, period. Like, it ain't nothing.

[Rory]

That's like, listen, it's out there. It's just not. It's not that popular.

[Reason]

Popular. Yeah.

[Mall]

I'm saying this album is a real piece of. Is crazy.

[Reason]

It's crazy, crazy.

[Mall]

Like again, I get if y' all don't like the album, but to word it that way about one of the greatest artists of his generation. And bro, this album is a real piece of. We've never. We haven't seen that about people who albums are really pieces of.

[Reason]

It couldn't be moving towards love.

[Mall]

Nah.

[Rory]

They've ranked Ice Spice. They move it towards clickbait.

[Mall]

That's what they moving.

[Reason]

Yeah, I saw that. The Ice Spice joint. That was crazy.

[Mall]

They gave Ice Spice 7.6.

[Reason]

Yeah. And they gave like Dots album lower. And then somebody. Was it called Cole's. I'm lower too probably. Cole. I'm lower. Yeah, yeah. That was crazy.

[Mall]

Should have had you.

[Rory]

And listen, I'm. I'm not above an extra point. I'm not. I'm not above the trolling and the fun, but I just don't feel like Pitchfork is.

[Reason]

Oh, that got my up.

[Rory]

5.3 is a little.

[Reason]

5.3 is crazy.

[Rory]

What have they given other Cole albums?

[Reason]

Oh no, I haven't paid attention to Pitchfork in a long time.

[Mall]

And that's the thing. I think that that's what they.

[Reason]

That's why they want people to start

[Mall]

so they have to do things like this album is a real piece of. They got to do like cuz they know people are not really looking at it like that.

[Reason]

I haven't really paid attention the offseason.

[Rory]

6.5.

[Reason]

That's crazy.

[Rory]

That's Roy favorite Cole Al.

[Reason]

Wow.

[Rory]

They have KOD at 6.3.

[Reason]

Wow.

[Rory]

I didn't know that the Pitchfork hated Cole like this.

[Reason]

Yeah.

[Rory]

Oh, now, well, now I definitely understand why Chris Brown's getting a 1.6.

[Mall]

That 1.6 is crazy.

[Reason]

They would have G a 1.6.

[Mall]

Yeah, they said his albums are real piece of shit.

[Rory]

1.6.

[Mall]

What you think they'll get out of six?

[Reason]

That shit is. I don't know, man. But that's why like nowadays, like you just got to go to your people and just as long as your people fuck with it. Which I haven't really been paying attention to how this album has been received by Chris Brown fans. But as long as your crowd is fucking with it, I think that's the biggest thing that matter at this point, man. Listen.

[Mall]

Cause I think Chris Brown, I think he spoke about that and I think he debuted with 70,000 first week, something like that. He spoke about it. But I mean, listen, bro, when you packing out stadiums. Yeah, who gives a fuck what Pitchfork is saying?

[Reason]

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to say.

[Rory]

Single With Leon the week before and then just announced shit like, yeah, they

[Reason]

gave Monica a low rating.

[Rory]

You thought. You thought that would be a 10 to them.

[Reason]

I thought it would be. I like that album.

[Mall]

You like Monica, Jack?

[Reason]

I like Monica. I like Monica.

[Mall]

Get the out of here.

[Reason]

Shout out to Jack in Hollywood company. I like Monica. You don't like that series where. I'm not trolling.

[Mall]

I like.

[Reason]

Listen, there's joints.

[Mall]

That must have been the album he

[Reason]

wrote for that he got the swap for. No, that's. That's.

[Mall]

I wish Reason wrote Monica. I will stop podcasting if I ever found out that reason Monica. Nothing in the universe makes sense anymore after that. I'm like, all right, you know what? I just don't know what the Is going on.

[Reason]

You ain't hear my pockets, fam.

[Mall]

If I find out that you wrote that album, bro, I'm. I'm done. Because it's like, I don't know what's going on anymore.

[Reason]

I didn't write Monica. I.

[Rory]

Have you dated Monica before? Because we still don't know why Jack called it so maybe you were the Ghost rider and that's why. And then it backed. He called you like you, Yo. Why didn't you tell me that that was.

[Reason]

That that was gonna be a thing? Nah, but I'm not. I'm not trolling. I like that album. I do. Like, I was surprised when I got on the Internet and saw the reaction.

[Mall]

Cuz nobody expected that sound from Jack Hall.

[Reason]

Yeah, but that's okay.

[Mall]

No, it's not. He got to develop a sound first before he just completely turns into a whole different art.

[Reason]

Did you say that when Drake dropped? Honestly, nevermind.

[Mall]

But Drake had given us those type of.

[Reason]

I'm just really just like trolling with it.

[Mall]

Yeah, but he gave. Drake gave us those type of sounds before that.

[Rory]

That. So you think this is his 808s and heartbreaks?

[Reason]

I wouldn't call it that, but I know you would.

[Rory]

I think in theory, try to pull, Honestly, never mind 15 years into Drake's career.

[Reason]

I know, I know. I think in theory, like, if an artist get the urge to do some

[Rory]

different, then I don't think there's anything wrong with that. It was bad timing.

[Reason]

And you know, I think without that interview, the album is received a lot better. I think without the interview about being blacker, the album is received.

[Rory]

I think it's received. Received in a. A very regular way at that point. It was received terribly after the.

[Mall]

What did they get Monica?

[Rory]

Yeah, I don't know. 3 point something 3.1.

[Mall]

And they gave Chris Brown a 1.6. That is crazy.

[Reason]

So Chris Brown's album is worse than Monica.

[Mall]

That's what. That's what Pitchfork is saying.

[Rory]

Wait, they gave. I'm not even like a cutting crazy fa. Like that. They gave man on the moon a 4.9.

[Reason]

Yeah, yeah, let's just.

[Rory]

And that was at the time when

[Reason]

Pitchfork was like, yeah, let's just cut Pitchfork off.

[Mall]

Let's just cut Pitchfork.

[Reason]

Let's just not talk about Pitchfork before

[Rory]

we get out of here. Did you guys see Wale was on Ebro's Apple Music Show? I. I think kind of saying the same we've been saying about hip hop fans and media at this point and where she was at, which let's get prepared if. If you're hearing this and Iceman is out, this is exactly what I think is going to be happening of what Wally said. Can we play that one?

[Reason]

I complain about the fandom and the toxicity of the fandom and what social media has done.

[Mall]

It don't look like. It don't look like, like in the

[Reason]

90s, 80s, or like any generation, like, you would. You would never imagine, like, the artist fans, like, taking it so far. Like, almost like sports rivalries, like, and it's like, dog, you know this. You know this hip hop shit.

[Mall]

Can I cop me?

[Reason]

Yeah, go ahead, cough. You know, this hip hop shit was based on, like, unity for real. Like, yeah. You know what I'm saying? And it's so. It's not unified, like, whatever. And it's like kind of like, you know, but, you know, at the end of the day, like, it's. It's still a. It's still, like, it's not in its infancy, but it's still a very young genre. And we are in a different time now, digital social media. So we are where we are now.

[Rory]

Damaris, kill him the way you killed me on the complex media list when they asked for a quote and I said, hip hop fans are turning into the worst football tailgate of all time. That's the same shit. While they saying there. Yeah, but you like this. This isn't even like this. This is like drunk behavior in a parking lot at MetLife for a fucking Giants Eagles game. Of where we've gotten, like, no one can enjoy music anymore.

[Reason]

Yeah, yeah. Like, if you listen to one, you can't listen to the other. You can't like, both. You know, there's like, it's just bad. It's toxic.

[Mall]

I don't believe in none of this

[Reason]

shit you don't believe. What.

[Mall]

But you're talking to a. That never believes cyber bullying, though. Like, I thought that was stupid when tried to make cyber bully. Just don't go on the. Don't go on that.

[Rory]

Just. You could just do that. Yeah.

[Mall]

Turn your phone off and enjoy the music.

[Reason]

And we're talking about for adults. We're not talking about for children.

[Mall]

Yeah, like a cyber bullying for an adult. Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?

[Reason]

I like that she had to clear that up, because it's like, that is. That's a fact. Yeah, but. Yeah, I mean. Yes, but at the same time, it's like, what if, like. And I'm talking about the people that work in the space. Your job is to be in that space and work in that space. You can't just be offline, period. You can't, because you're not.

[Mall]

Yeah, but as an artist, who can't we. Again, Pitchfork.

[Reason]

I'm not even just talking about artists. I'm talking about even y'. All. Like, you just can't. Like, you can't just not be online because that's part of your job.

[Mall]

I'm not online.

[Reason]

Oh. I don't be online. I see money bags every fucking day. You're online.

[Mall]

Yeah, but that's not me being online, though. Like, I don't. I don't know what's going on outside of what I'm for.

[Reason]

Looking.

[Mall]

Looking at. So, like, if I'm. If I'm looking at something, I'm going right to that. I don't know. Rory. Got to tell me, a lot of that's going on on the timeline.

[Reason]

What if you're on there looking at. Looking at what you're looking at, but then your mentions are playing you, like, what am I mentioned flooded for? And then you look, and it's like, you get what I'm saying?

[Mall]

But a lot of those is bots. A lot of those is fake pages. A lot of those is.

[Reason]

No, I agree with you that we shouldn't let it affect us the way that, you know, certain things affect us. I'm just saying I don't think it's as avoidable as you are.

[Mall]

It's making it for me because I've

[Rory]

seen Wale say shit on podcasts and. And certain fan bases will dedicate the next month trying to destroy Wallet.

[Reason]

It's crazy. He has that curse, too, where, like, anything he says can be turned into

[Rory]

a negative and gets taken out of context.

[Mall]

But at the same time, because Wale does shit like this, see when you don't address that, you don't give that no energy. So, like, niggas gonna say, wale could put out the greatest album in the last 20 years tomorrow.

[Reason]

Shout out to his last album. That was incredible.

[Mall]

I think the W Leon Thomas. I'm surprised that record is not number one one. That feels like a number one record to me.

[Rory]

Climbing the charts every day like that.

[Mall]

Thomas Records feels like a number one record.

[Rory]

But then you get into the mix where the Internet does matter to an artist in 2026. What was the list of the 100 rappers who did that? Was that complex?

[Reason]

Oh, yeah, Complex.

[Rory]

Complex did 100 rappers.

[Reason]

Yeah.

[Rory]

100 rappers.

[Reason]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Rory]

Wale is not in the top 100.

[Reason]

Yeah. And Reason wasn't. That's crazy. That makes no sense.

[Mall]

And reason wasn't.

[Reason]

Reason wasn't. That's insane. Insane. That's insane.

[Mall]

Yeah. I just.

[Rory]

The record that he has with Leon Thomas coming off that album, the not making the top 100, that's crazy because. Yeah, yeah, the Internet can control that type of stuff. When they decide to go against you. Yeah, you're there. And not to say that it's a. It changes too much with an artist if you're on the complex 100 list, but it does show you that there is a clear agenda happening at the moment. Moment where the Internet is against you. So it can affect an artist.

[Mall]

I'm just saying.

[Reason]

I think it does affect.

[Mall]

Yeah, it can and it does. But when you sit down with Ebro and speak about it and talk about it and then you're on other platforms talking about it and then you tweeting about it and things like that, you giving that energy and they like, oh, yeah, we got them. We fucking. We getting.

[Reason]

And that'd be their whole goal.

[Mall]

But once you don't speak on that

[Reason]

shit, I can't tell you how many. Sometimes I've gotten in my feelings and actually responded back to a fan, and then the response is like, oh, I can't believe you responded. You one of my favorite rappers.

[Mall]

It happens all the time, bro. If Wale just continues to put out the dope music, the dope albums that he's been doing now, if he wants to speak about not being ranked in the top 100, that's completely different. Because that's crazy that he's not.

[Reason]

He should be a top 30.

[Mall]

But. Yeah, but for online toxicity and shit that fans are saying online, man, all of that. Yeah, yeah, don't speak to that. Keep. You got an incredible album. Yeah, you to me, Wale don't have a whack album. Keep doing what the you doing. Yeah, like you wanted to fly. It's one of the illest. Got one of the dopest albums. Keep doing that. Keep doing what you doing that online shit, man, that ain't. It don't really. It don't really do the things that artists say it does. Until an artist is sit on the platform saying it's affecting certain things, like you giving that shit energy.

[Rory]

That's the catch 22 of. Of the Internet. Because I'm sure Wale would say that the Internet was a huge reason of why he's where he is today. Wale was one of the first people on Twitter. Wale was what was crazy during the blog era, like, Wale really utilized and understood the Internet in the beginning to catapult his career. So once you in the Internet, you in the Internet, like, you can't. You can't go back and forth like.

[Reason]

Yeah, and the Internet can make narratives about you that make people that could have potentially been new fans not even remotely give you a chance. There's artists that have narratives about them that. It's like people won't even listen to what they put out, period, point blank, because of the fact that there's a

[Rory]

narrative about that or I'm on this side and that person's affiliated with somebody on that side, even if they not.

[Reason]

You get what I'm saying? It's like, that's a real thing. I've gone through that. I've literally seen people be like, reason on Drake's side, we ain't listening to that shit. And that's just period. And who knows, it could be a bop. But my whole point is that there are people out there that genuinely feel that way. You get what I'm saying? And so it could affect your career in that way. I do agree with you that. That you shouldn't. I do agree with you that you shouldn't give it like a shit ton of energy. But I don't agree with the fact that it doesn't affect anything. I think the Internet's too powerful today for things to not affect you. You know what I'm saying?

[Mall]

I think that you give that shit energy and you give those people online, because for all the people that's online that hate on Wale and talk shit about Wale, it's a bunch of motherfuckers that support them. And I think that's where you focus at and that's where you put the energy towards all that other. You giving People a reason to be like, yeah, we it. Let's keep, let's keep adding them. He's just with him. He on Ebro, talking about us.

[Reason]

I might be the next one you respond to.

[Mall]

Yeah, you're giving that energy, man. Like, I just, I don't know, I'm just, I'm just different, I guess.

[Rory]

Maybe I'm not there yet, but if I was, had Wale's career, the record he has right now, plus that album, and I'm not on the top 100 list. I'm gonna be tight, but I would speak to that and I'm gonna think

[Mall]

I would speak to not being on

[Rory]

the top 100 list. Specific agenda against like, this is part of personal. Right?

[Mall]

Yeah, no, I'm with you. I would speak to not being on the top.

[Reason]

That record is insane.

[Mall]

The Wally Leon Thomas. Yeah, bro. That's the number one song.

[Reason]

I, I, I'm in 100.

[Mall]

That is no different than. Yeah, the shitty guy with Usher. What was that? Matrimony. That's. That's the other joint he had with Sierra. What was her name? Tierra Thomas. That's that same DNA. That's that, that's that Wale Lotus Flower Bomb. Yeah, that's right there on all. So, I mean, Wale is dope, man. I just think I would like to see W just not pay that no mind and continue doing what the he doing.

[Rory]

Cuz W is ill. Yeah, well, reason, we appreciate you. I know you have some shows coming up.

[Mall]

Moving Towards Love.

[Reason]

Yes, Moving Towards Love. We at the the Roxy May 28th in LA.

[Rory]

Okay.

[Reason]

Roxy May 28th.

[Mall]

May 28th.

[Reason]

Yeah, May 28th. So go get your tickets if you in LA May 28th. I got my dog Keon Bell with me. Iman Europe and Sham 10, they're all rocking with me. And I'm gonna bring some of the homies out. It should be dope. Yeah, that's right. And Moving Towards Love is out.

[Mall]

Moving Towards Love is out.

[Reason]

One of the best projects of the year. I stand on that reason.

[Mall]

Keep doing what you're doing, man. I love this new energy. I love this new, this newfound motivation.

[Reason]

Thank you.

[Mall]

You seem a lot more into it and, you know, I think it's nothing but great things for you coming from

[Reason]

this point on, so I appreciate it.

[Mall]

And anytime you're in New York, man, come kick it with us, man. You know where. Always, always, you know where we at. I'm that nigga, he's just ginger. That's reason.

[Reason]

No worrying now. Get a full body reset anywhere you go with Dr. Teal's magnesium spray. It's a concentrated magnesium blend of pure Epsom and Dead Sea salts all bundled up in a convenient on the go bottle. A few quick sprays will relax your body and mind and keep you feeling recharged all day long.

[Rory]

It's wellness you can feel and you

[Reason]

can find it in your local bath aisle. Dr. T. Teals Yep, you needed that.

[Rory]

I'm here with Spinquest where you can play and win from the comfort of your own home with hundreds of slot games and all of the table games you love with real cash prizes. Right now, thirty dollar coin packs are on sale for ten dollars. For new users, it's [e-mail] that's S-P-I

[Reason]

N Q U E S T Spin Quest is a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details.

[Rory]

This is Daniel Cormier from the Daniel Cormier Show. This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless, the official wireless partner of ufc.

[Reason]

Power doesn't wait in the octagon or outside of it. You either make the move or you miss the moment.

[Rory]

That's why you need a network that's

[Mall]

just as powerful as you are.

[Rory]

With Total Wireless, you get unlimited 5G

[Reason]

data keeping you in the outfit. Action from the walkouts to the knockouts. Now that's a total power move.

[Rory]

Make your total power move today.

[Reason]

Visit total wireless.com or stop by your

[Rory]

neighborhood Total Wireless Store.

[Reason]

Additional terms apply.

[Rory]

See total wireless.com for details.

[Reason]

This episode is brought to you by Bobcat. They started the compact equipment industry through grit, determination, and a whole lot of think we can't do that. Watch us. They set standards, broke records, empowered people to build bigger and higher, to dig deeper, to make the impossible possible.

[Rory]

We've all been there with doubters telling

[Reason]

us what we can't do. Who cares what they think? We don't need their permission or forgiveness. We just get things done. So go ahead and doubt me, judge me, challenge me.

[Rory]

But when the time comes, watch me.

[Reason]

Bobcat this is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.