Smoke DZA | ROC Solid w/ Memphis Bleek

Summary

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ROC Solid w/ Memphis Bleek – Smoke DZA Episode Summary

Episode Theme:
Legendary Harlem rapper and entrepreneur Smoke DZA joins Memphis Bleek for an authentic, hilarious, and unfiltered talk about hip-hop, hustling, wrestling, legacy, and the importance of building a brand beyond music. Together, they break down the New York rap scene, industry evolution, business wisdom, and unforgettable moments from their careers.

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Main Topics & Discussion Points

1. Smoke DZA’s Journey: From Harlem to Hip-Hop Success

• Early Days & Battle Circuit:
  • DZA details coming up in the underground rap battle scene before it became commercial ([05:38]).
  • First big break came from songwriting and receiving ASCAP checks, which made his family believe in his career ("That made my parents take me serious" – Smoke DZA, [06:07]).
  • Shice Bubb (Purple City) and Johnny Shipes were crucial in bringing DZA into the industry ([07:58]-[08:42]).
• Initial Industry Connections:
  • DZA clarifies his entry was through Purple City, not Dipset ([07:46]-[08:08]).

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2. Brand Building & Entrepreneurial Hustle

• Beyond Rap:
  • DZA talks candidly about expanding beyond music into weed brands, wrestling promotion, and merchandise ([15:35]-[16:47]).
  • Pivotal advice from Rob Markman:

    "What are you doing outside of rap? You gotta have something else...to make a story for real this day."
    – Smoke DZA ([15:43])

• Business Ownership & Lessons Learned:
  • Stressing the importance of controlling your brand and assets, learning from impulsive decisions, and building a reliable team ([17:10]-[18:44]):

    "Owning is very important." – Smoke DZA ([18:44])
    "If somebody ready to give you something up front, what they making on the back end?" – Memphis Bleek ([18:49])

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3. Influence, Pressure & New York Legacy

• Harlem's Impact & Personal Path:
  • DZA addresses representing Harlem in the hip-hop legacy and embracing his own lane rather than succumbing to pressure ([13:36]-[14:50]).
  • Importance of borough pride in NYC and how everyone claims their territory ([12:54]).
• Recognition:
  • DZA on not feeling he gets full credit, but not being focused on praise:

    "I don’t feel like I get that credit. But at the end of the day, my story's still going." ([24:00])

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4. Social Media, Authenticity & Staying Grounded

• Social Media Evolution:
  • Comparison between eras—today’s artists have more exposure, authenticity is harder to fake ([25:03]):

    "Are you really what you say you are?" – Memphis Bleek ([25:10])

• Authenticity & Family:
  • DZA’s social media is influenced by knowing his family is watching ([26:13]):

    "My kids follow me on social media. My niece follow me." – Smoke DZA ([26:13])

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5. The Fun Factor: Wrestling, Weed & Music

• Wrestling Promotion (Fourth Rope):

  • DZA found new joy in being a wrestling promoter and behind-the-scenes operator, merging fandom and business ([38:37]-[39:33]):

    "I’m having the most fun in the world with that shit right now." – Smoke DZA ([38:37])

  • Talks top 5 wrestlers ([39:52]): Hulk Hogan, Chris Jericho, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Undertaker, and Shawn Michaels.

• Top 5 Smoking Rappers:

  • DZA's picks: Wiz Khalifa, Curren$y, Jadakiss & Styles P (grouped), Memphis Bleek, Snoop Dogg ([49:08]-[50:05]).
  • Bleek shares his era’s picks: Dogg Pound, Snoop, Xzibit, Redman & Method Man, and a surprise mention for Mr. Cheeks ([51:02]-[53:19]).

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6. Business Lessons: Merchandise & Crew

• Divide & Conquer:
  • Bleek reflects on the importance of having a team who can diversify and help build brands, recalling Jay-Z’s advice to delegate and evolve the business, not just bring the street crew ([30:52]-[32:02]).
• Sharing the Wealth:
  • DZA emphasizes supporting and leveraging talented friends for mutual benefit ([29:33]-[30:52]):

    "What good is your comrades if you can’t utilize them? It’s not using them, it’s utilizing them." ([29:35])

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7. NYC Music Scene & Drill Music

• Views on Modern Trends:
  • While not a big drill fan, DZA respects all who are hustling through their art ([54:29]-[55:00]).
  • Shouts out Fergie Baby, J Juan, KY Cash Y, Joey Badass, Griselda ([55:27]-[55:43]).

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8. Legacy & What’s Next

• Personal Legacy:
  • DZA wants to be remembered as authentic, giving, and someone who always shared his platform:

    "Somebody that never hit the plug...always gave back to the culture." ([58:33]-[59:33])

• Proudest Achievement:
  • The growth of the "Smoke DZA brand" from the ground up ([59:58]-[60:41]).
• Upcoming Moves:
  • More music (possible last few years in rap), "Don’t Smoke Rock 2" with Pete Rock, new music with Currency, Westside Gunn, Max B, heavy focus on Fourth Rope wrestling ([60:56]-[62:05]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Parents as First “Haters”:

  "Why they always the first haters, yo? That’s literally your first group of haters...They the first haters."
  – Memphis Bleek ([06:10])

• On Brand Building:

  "It got to be more than just, you know, rap. It’s business."
  – Smoke DZA ([16:21])

• On Ownership:

  "If you don’t own nothing, then you just doing all the footwork as a slave trader."
  – Memphis Bleek ([17:11])

• On Collaboration and the “Buddy System”:

  "What good is your comrades if you can’t utilize them?"
  – Smoke DZA ([29:35])

• Bleek’s Jay-Z Story (Team Business):

  "He was like, 'Yo, you gotta get your niggas to move around and start…None of your niggas got no plays.'"
  – Memphis Bleek ([31:38])

• DJ's Wrestling Top 5:

  "My number one is Hulk Hogan, despite whatever...Chris Jericho...Stone Cold Steve Austin...Undertaker...Shawn Michaels."
  – Smoke DZA ([39:56]-[42:18])

• On Most Fun:

  "Right now, it's the wrestling shit. I’m having the most fun in the world with that shit right now."
  – Smoke DZA ([38:37])

• On Legacy:

  "I never hit the plug...I’m always giving somebody a link."
  – Smoke DZA ([58:33])

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Key Timestamps

• [03:19] Episode proper start; DZA introduced
• [05:38] Smoke DZA narrates his rap origins & battle scene
• [06:07] Parents’ acceptance after ASCAP
• [08:13] Shice Bubb & Purple City connection
• [09:56] Meeting Curren$y & start of Smokers Club
• [14:50] Pressure of Harlem legacy
• [15:35] Start of brand-building, expanding vision
• [17:10]-[18:44] Business & ownership lessons for new artists
• [25:49] Era comparison: authenticity & social media
• [26:13] Family influence on social media presence
• [27:06] DZA’s most personal music project ("Don’t Smoke Rock")
• [29:33]-[30:52] Building and leveraging a team for brand/merch
• [31:38] Jay-Z’s advice about team and business
• [38:37] Most fun: wrestling business
• [39:52] Top 5 wrestlers list
• [49:08] Top 5 smoking rappers
• [53:54] Legacy & what DZA wants to be remembered for
• [59:58] DZA’s proudest achievement: his brand
• [60:56] What's next: new music, wrestling, "Don’t Smoke Rock 2"
• [62:50] Episode close: call to support Fourth Rope

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Conclusion

This episode is a goldmine of hip-hop wisdom, hilarious stories, hard-won business lessons, and pure New York nostalgia. Smoke DZA and Memphis Bleek chop it up like old friends, offering insight into not just surviving but thriving in the ever-evolving world of rap and beyond. The vibe is real, unfiltered, and always 100% ROC solid.

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Transcript

[Sam Jett]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

[Smoke Dizza]

And, Doug, there's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual, even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show.

[Memphis Bleak]

Hey, everyone, check out this guy and his bird.

[Smoke Dizza]

What is this, your first date? Oh, no. We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual together. We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird. Yeah, the bird looks out of your league. Anyways, get a [e-mail] or with your local agent. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty.

[Sam Jett]

On the Look Back at it podcast from 1979.

[Smoke Dizza]

That was a big moment for me.

[Mark Lamont Hill]

84 was big to me.

[Sam Jett]

I'm Sam J.

[Smoke Dizza]

And I'm Alex English.

[Sam Jett]

Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it with our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors, like Mark Lamont hill on the 80s,

[Mark Lamont Hill]

84 was a wild.

[Smoke Dizza]

I mean, it was a wild year. It was a wild year.

[Mark Lamont Hill]

I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

[Smoke Dizza]

Listen to look back at it on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Memphis Bleak]

Hey, what's good, y'?

[Kier Gaines]

All? You're listening to learn the hard way with your favorite therapist and host kid games. This space is about black men's experiences having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit of armor? It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability, that does not mean that you need to listen to learn the hard way on the iHeartRadio app. So Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Stephanie Young]

In 2023, Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd was accused of fathering twins, but the pregnancy appeared to be a hoax. You doctored this particular test twice, Ms. Owens? Correct. I doctored the test once. It took an army of Internet detectives to uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing.

[Memphis Bleak]

Greg Gillespie and Michael Mancini.

[Stephanie Young]

My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trapped.

[Smoke Dizza]

Laura Scottsdale Police.

[Stephanie Young]

As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, finally we here at Drink Chance at the fourth annual Black Effect Podcast Festival. We gonna be there, you know, we

[Smoke Dizza]

gonna tear it up, you know, there's

[Memphis Bleak]

A lot of black people there, so you know we're gonna be Black as hell. April 25, Atlanta, Georgia. Please go get your tickets. I'm telling you, go get your tickets. I know how this happened. I' been going there. You've been going there. Go get your tickets.

[Smoke Dizza]

It's going down.

[Memphis Bleak]

Drink Chance 4th Annual Black Effect Black, Black, Black. Black Effect.com Podcast Festival what up, y'?

[Smoke Dizza]

All?

[Memphis Bleak]

This your main man, Memphis Bleak, right here. Welcome to Rock Solid, a production of iHeartRadio and the Black Effect Network in partnership with my guys over at Drink Champs.

[Smoke Dizza]

You should know by now.

[Memphis Bleak]

You should know by now. Yeah, yeah, y'. All. You already know what it is. Yours truly, M. Greasy Meth Blizzle back in the building with another Rock Solid exclusive. Got my brother here, my smoke partner. My. We should be smoke champs, man.

[Kier Gaines]

For real.

[Smoke Dizza]

For real.

[Memphis Bleak]

Young Relly ching Bing and them. It might be smoke after this one, but, you know, I got my dog, Smoke Dizza in the building with me. What's up, my guy?

[Smoke Dizza]

Come on, man. Good playing. Fighting a good one.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right, man. Happy New Year, my brother. Happy New Year. Seeing y' all all out there at that WrestleMania wrestling fest, man. You know what I'm saying? What made y' all get it? How did that even connect?

[Smoke Dizza]

Like, you know, first and foremost, shout out to my brother, Westside Gun.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, wait, hold on. They banned the gun? They said you can't ban the snowman. How they banned the gun?

[Smoke Dizza]

You know. You know, I'mma sa that part of the story for him to tell it, but, you know, we've been making some waves and shit got a little complicated. I mean, so they did do my brother dirty on that note, you know what I mean? But we got into it like, you know, we. Since we was kids, we love wrestling, you know what I mean? And being grown and being able to actually purchase tickets. And some of these guys are actual friends, you know, we support. So we always was front row at WrestleManias or whatever the premium main event was. AEW shit, TNA. But we got the opportunity to do our own thing, so, you know, we got fourth rope.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, that's what's up, man. That's dope, man. Congratulations on that, bro.

[Smoke Dizza]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Memphis Bleak]

Tying hip hop into wrestling was something I ain't never thought, but like you said as a kid, we always was into it. Come on, man. They had what was my man. Animal Steel.

[Smoke Dizza]

Watch animals steal.

[Memphis Bleak]

Used to eat the turnbuckle. Come on, my nigga. You got Big Jon Star, Andre the Giant you know what I'm saying? That's when I was in it with Coco B Win.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah. That's the era that introduced me to

[Memphis Bleak]

wrestling, you know what I mean, my nigga? We always little niggas practicing that shit on our little cousins, little brothers like this. Jumping off the couch like here. Elbow to the neck, nigga.

[Smoke Dizza]

Facts, though.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, that's true, man. That's what's up, man. So you doing the music thing, man. What was the come up, the moment that you was like, let me get in. Let me take this music shit serious, man.

[Smoke Dizza]

Well, you know, I came up in a battle circle in a battle circuit, but it was way before it got commercial, before the cameras really started to play a part to it. But, you know, that gave me confidence. But when I really took it serious, I want to say is, I think once I started writing for other people and getting some of those ASCAP checks, shit, that'll change.

[Memphis Bleak]

That'll make everything nervous. You kidding me?

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah. That made my parents take me serious. You know what I mean? So that was like, why they always

[Memphis Bleak]

the first haters, yo? That's literally your first group of haters. Your mom or your pops, like your brother, all that. They the first haters.

[Smoke Dizza]

It's crazy, but, you know, I was trying a lot of shit, you know what I mean? And you know, my parents is West Indian, so they wanted me to get a job, yo. Go get a job. Like, what are you doing? Like, it looked like I was just jerking wrecked until they seen something and they seen my name on was like, oh, okay. Oh, yeah, yeah, keep doing that.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, this shit paid. That's all they wanted to make sure is you got paid.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah, like you figured it out. So after that, you know, they been on. They been on board. Shit, they my biggest fans.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, yeah. They become the. That's how all the haters are.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, listen, my theory. My theory is the hater is your biggest fan because they have to know everything about you to hate you.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah. That's a fact.

[Memphis Bleak]

So they are your biggest fans in. In hindsight, you know what I'm saying? So we gotta love it. And moms and pops. You know, my mom's. No, she used to tell me, put them raps down, do that homework. Now she looking like, pick them raps up. What you doing? What you talk about? You in the pool.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah, yeah, my mom. My mom's. Ain't she like, you know, she's just happy I'm doing my own thing. My pops passed, but before. Before he did, he was Definitely my biggest fan. He'll be mad at me, but he'll run into somebody and not be the first person he. Yo, you know smoke. Doesn't he smoke? That's my son.

[Memphis Bleak]

Like, that's right. Yeah, he's proud. That's right.

[Smoke Dizza]

He was super proud.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's all you want. That's all you want to do is make your parents proud, man. That's for sure. So I might have this misconstrued. Did Dipset put you in the industry? You got on through them or a different. Nah.

[Smoke Dizza]

All right, so Shice Bubb, shout out to my brother.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's Purple City Burger, man. You know what I mean?

[Smoke Dizza]

Right, Right. You know what I mean?

[Memphis Bleak]

Always had the haze on him.

[Smoke Dizza]

Always. He was the one that introduced me to real weed, you know what I mean? Yeah, for sure.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, Shice had that weed back in the day.

[Smoke Dizza]

Shice is for sure pivotal in getting me a part of the system, you know what I mean? And teaching me how shit works. And I met Shice through Johnny Shipes. That's the first person that actually gave me a shot, you know what I mean? And around, I want to say, 04.05, like, the tail end of what everybody knew Purple City to be with AG and un, like, you know, they was drifting off and doing their own thing.

[Memphis Bleak]

Shout out to us. He's the second nicest with glasses I ever saw.

[Smoke Dizza]

Two Gun.

[Memphis Bleak]

Word up. Straight up. Rest in peace, my man. Batman was the first with glasses, man. That he was nice. And then when I seen On Casa where he came, I'm like, damn, that's crazy. I sleep on these niggas.

[Smoke Dizza]

He's a rapping ass nigga.

[Memphis Bleak]

Word up. He's a rapper's rapper.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah, he's a rapper's rapper for sure.

[Memphis Bleak]

For sure.

[Smoke Dizza]

I came in the tail end of that. And, you know, Shice is still pivotal in my career today, you know what I mean? Like, that's.

[Memphis Bleak]

He doing this thing in the Wii game now, right?

[Smoke Dizza]

For sure. For sure.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's what's up, man. He was out here running around with the. That's when it was piff.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah, yeah. He actually made the word pith in the urban dictionary is. Is made by Shai's Pub, so.

[Memphis Bleak]

No way, man. That's what's up, man. So how did that link bridge the gap for you to link with currency, man? My dog.

[Smoke Dizza]

Oh, man. Shout out to Spitter.

[Memphis Bleak]

Word up, man. New Orleans, That's a good question.

[Smoke Dizza]

And I want to say, like, 09, when we started, like, doing south by Southwest.

[Memphis Bleak]

Damn. Yeah, I was the first ones doing that shit.

[Smoke Dizza]

It was out there.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah. That's around when it first started. 09 ye.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah. And we had the Smokers Club. That was our brand that we was pushing at the time. And we did our first show in south by Southwest. And Spitter was on that show. Wiz was on that show. J Rock and Kendrick Lamar was on that show. Big Crit was on that show. And, you know, that started our brotherhood. But the first time I actually met Spitta was when he was on a freshman cover. And I think that was a little before we did south by Southwest. And it was a session with Mickey Fax. And this is when Spitter was smoking blunts. I know he don't want to hear

[Memphis Bleak]

that, but when I met Spitter, when

[Smoke Dizza]

he was smoking blunts.

[Memphis Bleak]

You feel what I'm saying?

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah, he was the first to the conversion of the Paper Gang. But to answer the question, you know, going to south by Southwest, that's what started the budding brotherhood of all of us. And that's how I really, like, started kicking it with Spit and then, you know, moving to Dame. You know what I mean? When Dame had DD172, that's where we really.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, okay. Oh, yeah, I remember. He was fucking with Dame. Yeah, man. Dame and Spitter had drama, too. Yeah, yo, chill. I forgot about that.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yo, I'm pretty sure they good now.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, of course.

[Smoke Dizza]

You know, but, yeah, that's where we really was like, you know, cutting records and just run around the city and just, you know, camaraderie really got built. Yeah, that was the foundation, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's what's up, man. Currency a good dude, man. Word. I was supposed to go out there to New Orleans and fuck with him. I'm gonna make it out there real soon, man.

[Smoke Dizza]

He's a fucking movie.

[Memphis Bleak]

Trust me. I know. My G. You from a legendary. You know, every borough in New York got they spitters, got they legendary history. Top dogs. Like, being from Harlem, though, like, that's a lot of pressure. Cause y' all put a lot of people came out of Harlem, man. You know what I'm saying? It's too many to name, but you know, the elite main niggas. Mace like, Puff ain't from Harlem, but I don't know how he adapted Harlem, you know what I'm saying? I don't know how that happened. The locks, too. The locks from Yonkers. They adapted Harlem, too. Y' all cheating. Y' all niggas is stealing artists. So we gonna talk about that on another episode. How Harlem be just stealing niggas? Yeah, he Harlem too. You know what I mean? Nah.

[Smoke Dizza]

Cause it's love. It's love in Harlem, you know what I mean? No, it is.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm not hating, but I'm just saying, we never took a Queens nigga. Just like, yo, he Brooklyn. Queens took Brooklyn N. They took az.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah, you did.

[Memphis Bleak]

Niggas definitely think AZ from Queens.

[Smoke Dizza]

I was about to say, yeah, y' all lost them. Y' all lost a few to Queen,

[Memphis Bleak]

you know what I'm saying? Niggas took n. Jacked it.

[Smoke Dizza]

But it's love, you know? You know, it's a five borough thing when we out of New York. But, you know, Queens get the money. You know, Harlem, you know what we do in Brooklyn. You know how y' all niggas give it up and then shout out to

[Memphis Bleak]

the Bronx, we ain't taking no more. We making it now. Brooklyn keep on making it. We making it now. We got new mentality, you know what I mean? It's 20, 26. We gotta get this money, baby.

[Smoke Dizza]

I'm saying.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know what I'm saying?

[Smoke Dizza]

I'm saying.

[Memphis Bleak]

But like I said, being from Harlem, you got Mace, Dipset, Cam, you know, Cam is Dipset fucking the locks.

[Smoke Dizza]

Nah, you can't put the locks in there.

[Memphis Bleak]

Big Al, you know, Big Al McGruff. It's a lot of legendary spitters. Too many to name. Too many, man. But, like, what was the pressure like for you to etch your name in that historical lineup?

[Smoke Dizza]

Cause, you know, Blissful. It never really was no pressure, to be honest, because, you know, I knew where I was from, but I also knew, you know, I had my own path to make and lead. So, like, I think it gave me more of a confidence to be a part of the group of names that you said instead of really having pressure. Because, you know, when I'm everywhere I go, I'm waving a flag of Harlem. And obviously, you know, I'm a New York nigga. So I got a lot of friends that's from the south and the Midwest and the West Coast. So, you know, being a Harlem nigga, I always stand out. Cause when niggas ask me where I'm from, I say Harlem. I say New York.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right. Yo, nobody say that. And it's crazy. You could be in another country and you're like, yo, where you from? Niggas say they borough.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah. You know what I mean?

[Memphis Bleak]

Straight up.

[Smoke Dizza]

Let them figure out where that's. Oh, New York. Yeah. Know what I mean, so I think it gave me more of a confidence instead of a pressure to actually, like, live up to what other N was doing. Because, you know, I feel like not even. I feel. I know, like, I came up in the Internet era, You know what I mean? So it's completely different to how, you know, the guys that trailblazed the way came up. You know what I mean?

[Memphis Bleak]

So, man, listen. Y' all killed this. Listen. I go to my streams, I go to my Spotify and look at my old albums and be like, oh, my shit was weak on here. But then you look at me like, damn. But I went gold. The foot traffic was good. The digital traffic was bad. But for y' all to come up in that new era, y' all paving the way now for the, like, my next segment, what I was gonna go into, the other brand deals, the merchandise, the weed brands, like, everything. How was that? Because I feel like you one of the main, like, the main only artists in New York that really maintain his brand outside of music, where it's not just about music. When they speak Smoke Dizza, right? You know what I'm saying?

[Smoke Dizza]

You know what's ill Blizzle? Like, I was talking to Rob Markman years ago, like, because I used to be thirsty to get on a freshman cover. Like, that was like something that I had to have back then, and I never got it. And all my friends got it. Like, that was next to me. That came up under me. I used to be like, what do got against me? And then Rob told me it wasn't what people had against me. It was like, yo, like, what are you doing outside of rap? Like, you gotta have something else other than rap to make a story for real this day. Like, yeah, you nice. Yeah, you talk that. But what else? And from that day, I was always thinking about my what else? Yeah, because it got to be more than just, you know, rap. It's. It's business.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know what I mean?

[Smoke Dizza]

So putting all those components around, like, the weed, the wrestling, the fly shit, you know what I mean? Like, it's all different brands and ways that I could compartmentalize and make money off these things. So I think just having that mentality made it a little easier for me to develop shit and actually keep it going. And obviously, I didn't do it by myself. Cause nothing great happens alone.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact.

[Smoke Dizza]

So I had a lot of partners along the way, and I still do. So, you know, just taking that serious,

[Memphis Bleak]

you can making my notes look like I'm Steven A Blizzard Cause every time you say something, I look down, I'm like, yeah, that's going into my next note. Yeah, that's Stephen. A blizzle. I need an ESPN spot now.

[Smoke Dizza]

You really good at this.

[Memphis Bleak]

I been told you that he really good at this shit. Good luck. And I was gonna say. Cause, you know, you said your business mind, like, that's what I was gonna say. Cause these kids out here today don't really understand how important ownership is, man. Like, speak to them about how important ownership is behind your brand and how that shapes your. Like, your mentality shaped about that. Because if you don't own nothing, then you just doing all the footwork as a slave trader.

[Smoke Dizza]

And, you know, because the ill part is you learn how important ownership is, not ownership. You feel what I'm saying, right?

[Memphis Bleak]

Ownership.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah. And I learned. I learned the hard way. I learned from, you know, just being impulsive and doing. When you just see that one number and you just got to get to that and just being impulsive instead of just being like, you know what? All money ain't good money. And if I wait, I can get triple that, quadruple that. But, you know, being young and having a family, it makes you impulsive. Especially being an artist. A nigga from New York that gotta keep up. You know what I mean? So at the beginning, I made a lot of impulsive decisions that made me have to learn. You feel what I'm saying? So going through that, hitting my head a couple times, I was like, all right, doing the same shit over and over and expecting different results. This is insanity. And I'm not a crazy. So let me slow this down a little bit and. And focus on one thing and then build a team around me to make sure that these things don't happen again.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact.

[Smoke Dizza]

Owning is very important.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact. All these kids, they be so quick. They see the dollar.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

Don't think about the end result. That's how it always says, though. But my theory is, if somebody ready to give you something up front, what they making on the back end, how

[Smoke Dizza]

much is it worth?

[Memphis Bleak]

You feel me? Cause nothing is free. If you gonna give me this, then that means you gotta profit. You're not giving me this money to lose. You gotta think about it that way. So, you know, that's my thing. When I talk to these young boys about all that. Like, you was the first I heard, like, you know, when you listen to the Southern rappers, like the pimp Cs, the Scarfaces, the. You know, even out west in the bay. A lot of the bay areas had that, you know, chill, the smokedelic vibe, the pimp like the pimp feel you like. I feel like the first east coast consistent artist with that.

[Sam Jett]

Do you remember when Diana Ross double tapped Lil Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people? I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush gotta do with Lil Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at It podcast. I'm Sam Jett.

[Smoke Dizza]

And I'm Alex English.

[Sam Jett]

Each episode, we pick a hair, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it, including

[Smoke Dizza]

a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s.

[Mark Lamont Hill]

To be clear, 84 was big to me, not just cause of crack. I'm down. We're talking about crack all day. But yeah, yeah, but just so y'

[Smoke Dizza]

all know, I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack, so I'm starting to see that there's a through line.

[Sam Jett]

We also have eight on the table

[Mark Lamont Hill]

right now, so thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes.

[Memphis Bleak]

I don't think there's a more important

[Mark Lamont Hill]

year for black people.

[Smoke Dizza]

Really?

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Mark Lamont Hill]

For me, it's one of the most

[Memphis Bleak]

important years for black people in American history.

[Smoke Dizza]

Listen to look back at it on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kier Gaines]

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. With me, your host and your favorite therapist, Kier Gaines. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we done enough because people scoreboard wide life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns. Dustin Ross. Cause you find it important to be a good person while you're here on Earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid?

[Memphis Bleak]

Because that's two different intentions, bro.

[Kier Gaines]

Absolutely.

[Memphis Bleak]

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person.

[Kier Gaines]

Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free iHeartRadio app search. Learn the hard way. And Listen now.

[Stephanie Young]

In 2023, former Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd found himself at the center of a paternity scandal. The family court hearings that followed reveale glaring inconsistencies in her story. This began a years long court battle to prove the truth. You doctored this particular test twice, Ms. Owens?

[Smoke Dizza]

Correct.

[Memphis Bleak]

I doctored the test once.

[Stephanie Young]

It took an army of Internet detectives to crack the case.

[Memphis Bleak]

I wanted people to be able to

[Stephanie Young]

see what their tax dollars were being used for.

[Smoke Dizza]

Sunlight's the greatest disinfectant.

[Stephanie Young]

They would uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing.

[Memphis Bleak]

Greg Gillespien. Michael Maranchini.

[Stephanie Young]

My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trap.

[Smoke Dizza]

Laura Scottsdale Police.

[Stephanie Young]

As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences.

[Smoke Dizza]

Ladies and gentlemen, breaking news at Maricopa county as Laura Owens has been indicted on fraud charges. This isn't over until justice is served in Arizona.

[Stephanie Young]

Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Mark Lamont Hill]

A win is a win, A win is a win. I don't care what y' all say. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor iv. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, the Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And for more behind the scenes, follow Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

[Memphis Bleak]

Do you feel like you get enough credit for that? For your contribution on the east side? For that?

[Smoke Dizza]

Damn, that's a good question, bro. No, but to hear n like you say that. And when I'm talking to niggas like Kiss, you know what I mean? And other the niggas that I grew up on that. Y' all inspired me. When I hear from y' all and let me know, okay, you doing it right. You know what I mean? And, nah, I don't feel like I get that credit. But at the end of the day, my story's still going, so. That's right. I'm just. I'm pushing. I'm not really looking for the praise either, like. But to get the acknowledgement is always. It's always good to know that I'm on my path, you know what I mean?

[Memphis Bleak]

So I'm a firm believer whether 1 or 1 million. Right? Cause one could tell a million facts, you know what I mean? So I'm a firm believer of that, man. If one person listening and know and see and can tell, that's all you need, man. And integrity is everything. You can hear it in the music. Niggas know when you authentic or you faking it. You know what I'm saying? You can see it.

[Smoke Dizza]

Cause you know when the cameras ain't

[Memphis Bleak]

off, you can't fake it.

[Smoke Dizza]

We full sizing everybody up. And are you really what you say you are?

[Memphis Bleak]

That's the shit. Social media giving advantage to y' all with where in our day you could hide a nigga, A lot of these artists hid behind the XXL interview, the source mag interview, they video, and then the camera cut off. You never see these guys again. So to you as a fan, you like, oh, he with that shit. And then social media come out and you like, wait a minute. This nigga. Hold on. Niggas mushing. This nigga in his hood, like, he can't even get out the car to go to the store. Like, wait one second. Like, social media ruined it for a lot of. From my era, but I feel like they enhanced it for a lot of. For your era?

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah, because the from or some of the. From my era, we just know that, you know, you don't gotta be if you not a. I'm not a tough guy.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Smoke Dizza]

You feel what I'm saying?

[Memphis Bleak]

Like, that's not the coolest promoting coolest rule the world, baby.

[Smoke Dizza]

You feel me? So I'm just like, you know, I'mma always be unapologetically me because that's all I know how to do.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Smoke Dizza]

Now, do I get angry?

[Kier Gaines]

Yeah.

[Smoke Dizza]

N. I'm human. That's what I'm saying. So, you know, niggas get mad, but at the same time, I know how to carry myself on social media because I know it's other people watching, like, My kids follow me on social media. My niece follow me. Like, you know, I got kids that's looking at me.

[Memphis Bleak]

Shit change, right? You know?

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah. So it's like anytime I post something in my stories, my kids is the first person, the first people there. So that's a fact. I know I'm being watched. And not only that, the world is watching. You know what I mean? It's people watching me that I never seen a day in my life. So I gotta make sure that, you know, I represent the right way for my family at the very least. You know what I mean?

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact. That's a fact. Do you feel like, let me ask you in your opinion. Cause I get this question a lot. People always ask me, what project or what record you feel like best represents you or tell the story about you?

[Smoke Dizza]

I would say a album. I say my album with Pete Rock. Don't smoke Rock.

[Memphis Bleak]

Shout out Pete.

[Smoke Dizza]

That was. That was like the catalyst to me, like, being recognized by people I really look up to.

[Memphis Bleak]

And Pete Rock is a legend because

[Smoke Dizza]

it was like, nigga, you got an album with Pete Rock. How the fuck did you do it?

[Memphis Bleak]

It's a fact.

[Smoke Dizza]

You know what I mean? And Pete was like my Phil Jackson. Like, I was in the studio for every song with Pete, and Pete would be like, nah, do it over.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, you need those.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah. He would push back. Like, nah, I don't know about that. Oh, no, that's it right there. Don't do nothing else. And he was allowing me to challenge him. Like, nah, Pete, I know, you know, everybody love the drums, but let's hold the drums on this one. And he's like, you know what we gonna name the song? Hold the Drums. And that's like, one of my most popular songs.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's crazy. Hold the drums. I told my niggas Che album gonna be called It's Cheech Fault. It's Cheech Fault. It's your fault. I'm in here rapping this shit, man. You did this shit. It's your fault. So if they say it's whack, it's Cheech fault. If it's lit, it's back to my fault, y'. All. Nah, nah, it's still cheat's fault.

[Smoke Dizza]

Nigga's stupid.

[Memphis Bleak]

Word up. Yo, yo, like, doing the brand and the hip hop shit, man. Like, like, how do you stay focused on diff my high words get fucked up Keeping it separated like one from the other. Cause I'mma tell you, I've been in this business. I had the Brands get low. I done had the brand Kush gang. We got the rock solid moving, we got the weed brand mind, right? And I ain't got one T shirt on nobody, nothing. Cause I'm not from that era. You know, at Rockefeller, we had somebody that did that, a whole department. You go down there and tell them, yo, I want this done. You had boxes of T shirts next week in the office waiting for you. You came up with a logo, you sent it downstairs. Bobby Dash, run that shit downstairs. Boxes of headbands, hats, T shirts was waiting. So I never knew where to go out and get that plug, that footwork for that. It's not like the capsule. So spot.

[Smoke Dizza]

See, for us, you know, I just utilize my.

[Memphis Bleak]

My.

[Smoke Dizza]

My buddy system, you know what I mean? And like how I separated is sometimes you can't separate it. Sometimes the world's just meet regardless. As much as you try to separate them, sometimes it just makes sense to, you know, cross brand certain things. But I lean on my buddy system, you know what I mean? Like, what good is your comrades if you can't utilize them? It's not using them. It's utilizing them. Like, you know, like for instance, Wes makes some of the best merch in hip hop, if not the best merch.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, he killed it.

[Smoke Dizza]

I wear his like, I wear Balenciaga, Gucci or anything else, you know what I mean? My man Steve and Quasi, they got kill off season the lever shit. I'm always. And I'm wearing that. I'm paying top dollar too, you know what I mean? The same way how I'mma spin with any of these other brands, it's not only to support my friends, but I like fly shit. And I'm gonna utilize them too the same way, you know what I mean? So it's like you gotta. You gotta build your farm of people around you. And all y', all, you know, we all feed off each other. Like, we, you know, we don't charge each other for features or no shit like that. Like, nigga, we just. We working, we working.

[Mark Lamont Hill]

You know what I mean?

[Smoke Dizza]

Like, keeping it pushing, keeping it in the family. It's really like the black dollar when. When you think about it, you know, I mean, we keep it in the family. We always going to expand it.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's what's up. That bring me to a story. I remember being a young, right? It was probably like about 21, 22, and I'm walking in. This is when we did. We was in Def Jam office Rockefeller on 50th. Yeah. And I'm walking in the building, coming in there. I got two, three of my. With me Jay coming out. And I'm like, yo, Hov, what's up, man? I need. I need more radio support. I'm telling this. I need. You notice when the merch. The label wasn't the same, Rockefeller. This was at the tail end where you put that call in. It wasn't boxes of T shirts waiting no more. You know what I mean? And he was like, yo, you gotta get your niggas to move around and start, you know, none of your niggas got no plays. None of these niggas don't know how to move around. So I'm looking at my N like, nah. All my niggas know how to do is shoot.

[Smoke Dizza]

That's right.

[Memphis Bleak]

That nigga was like, then you need new niggas. So I'm looking at him like, nigga, I can't get rid of my. These my niggas, my childhood friends. I can't fault them for only knowing how to hold it down. And he was like. But bleak. We don't got no beef. Niggas don't need to hold it down no more.

[Smoke Dizza]

Nigga had to think like, damn, even

[Memphis Bleak]

my new niggas ain't make no merch. I went, got some new niggas. They make no merch. They in the. They. Yo, they in Florida at the range, learning. They preparing. Like, if they go down.

[Smoke Dizza]

Oh, man, I gotta send you some mockups. Blizzle. Just. I send you the mockups. A way to get it done. Just go, come on, hold me down, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

Put me in the game. I got you, yo. Word. The merch.

[Smoke Dizza]

I got you. I got you.

[Memphis Bleak]

We slipping, dog. That burner man told me, yo, bro, I make. I. I don't even wanna. You know, Sometimes you're like, talking personal conversations you have. Cause then they won't talk to you again.

[Smoke Dizza]

Bernie like that, he's killing him.

[Memphis Bleak]

He is destroying them.

[Smoke Dizza]

That nigga's in a wheelchair right now performing, though.

[Memphis Bleak]

You lying.

[Smoke Dizza]

I think he tore his fibula or some shit like that.

[Memphis Bleak]

Ah, nah. Niggas ain't even athletic. How you do that? A blunt. You can't smoke a blunt and turn the fin and tear the fib. Yo, How you rolling up? It's true, yo. It's true. It's not athletic. Those are, like, sports injuries. My.

[Smoke Dizza]

Like, yo, when I seen it, I was like, how the did he do that? But I seen it on the Internet. But then I also seen him in front of like, 5, 000 people like

[Memphis Bleak]

last night, I said, get better, my man. Get the fib right, man.

[Smoke Dizza]

Damn.

[Memphis Bleak]

I remember I broke my shit, man, in Miami. Got hit by a cab riding them scooters, and then had to do Summer Jam in the wheelchair. I thought I was Biggie. Cause God bless. I seen when Big got in his car accident, he had a show and he had the girl wheeling him around. So I thought I'd do that as Summer Jam. It wasn't that legendary. It wasn't that legendary. No one remembers. Wasn't that legendary, yo. It was legendary in my mind,

[Smoke Dizza]

remember, though.

[Memphis Bleak]

Word. Yo, what keeps you grounded in this business? Being through, you know, having all the relationships you have. Being through all the situations, deals, independent, you know, records not going like you wanted to go. What keeps you grounded as an artist the way you like, man, I'm a still stay focused, you know what I'm saying? Cause a lot of niggas, you know, they tend to give up and not know how close they was.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yo, I ain't gonna lie. I be one of them artists like I used to be, where it's like, man, fuck this shit. And then there'll always be one thing to bring me right back. But just being persistent, you know what I mean? And just knowing that this shit is a marathon for real.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact.

[Smoke Dizza]

You know what I mean? So, like, I guess keeping me grounded also is looking at people that. That actually gave up. You know what I mean? And not saying maliciously, like, respectfully, like, I don't wanna be like this nigga. I gotta keep it going. You know what I mean? And obviously, you know, the people that believe in me, that I'm actually doing this for them, too. You know what I mean? So it's like, I can't give up, nigga. Done came too far anyway. So it's like, I ain't come this far to just come this far.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact.

[Smoke Dizza]

Feel me?

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact. That's a bar. I ain't come this far just to come this far. That's a bar. I think what French just said that right in his new joint. With him and Max? Yeah, with him and Max, man. Shout out the wave. The coke wave.

[Smoke Dizza]

The coke wave.

[Memphis Bleak]

See, yeah, I'm 50. The coke wave. They got me back on the coke wave.

[Smoke Dizza]

They turn this shit up.

[Memphis Bleak]

Almost on the fifth flow, and I'm on the coke wave. Shit is bad music influencing the old heads now, yo. So out of everything, man, like, you do the sports. Y' all got your sports entertainment thing. Man, you got the brand companies, you do the music. What's the most fun? You think you can't say all three?

[Smoke Dizza]

Nah, all three ain't the most fun. Because, you know, obviously, nigga, we came up smoking. So just to be able to move. How we move with the weed is, like, that's unfathomable. You can't. We can't fathom that.

[Memphis Bleak]

Being from where we from, New York? Y' all gonna wait till I move to legalize it after y' all done lock me up in every county, been in every precinct, pay every fine for the bud. And every time I got locked up, it always a school zone around where the fine go. Extra 500. Cause you in the school zone. I got locked up on the gw and they said I was in the school zone. Where the fuck is there a school? On the bridge. Word, like. And this is when they came out with the mason jars, my nigga. I just lit the L, and the cop right there, the smoke going up. It looked like a cartoon, the smoke going up. He saw me. Whoop, whoop. Nigga pulled me over like, this is one of the funny stories. We gonna go back. I'm sorry, but I gotta tell this story because. Got the mason jar. If you know a Chia Pet, that's what the mason jar felt like. Looking where the stash is in the car. That shit felt like it was growing. As the cop was walking up, it was growing more like, I just put the shit on the dashboard. Like, fuck, it ain't nowhere to put this shit.

[Smoke Dizza]

He said, I'm caught.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm caught. So of course, he take me out the car. Take us to the precinct. We get down there, I got the bleek on my arm tatted. Then they could go to take pictures. You got tattoos? Know how they hit you with that? Let me take pictures. Nigga take a picture of my tattoo. He look and say, you Memphis Bleak. I'm looking at the nigga like, well, I just. You think I'm a f. I'm that much of a fan? Nigga, you bugging like. Nigga was like, come on, man. Tore this shit up and let us go. Word. My nigga on some G shit. Like, I'm a fan, nigga. Rock for life, nigga. Why you ain't say that on the bridge? Like, I ain't know that worked. Next time. Hey, y' all heard of Rockefeller?

[Smoke Dizza]

Said, I ain't know that work

[Memphis Bleak]

my bad. But that. That weed story you just said made me think about that, man. But I was asking you the most fun. Yeah. What you have the most fun or the most intriguing thing that, that you wake up and drives you the most,

[Smoke Dizza]

give you that push right now is the wrestling shit. I'm having the most fun in the world with that shit right now. Cause it's like, you know, it's a new business and I'm getting to like mingle with people that I grew up watching. And I'm learning not from a fan perspective, but from the business perspective, like behind the curtain actually being, you know, one of the owners of a wrestling promotion. You know what I mean?

[Memphis Bleak]

That's different.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah, it's super different because we indie, but we, we, we work on a major structure. So I'm learning so much and I'm getting to put my knowledge of being a fan for 41 years to test. So I'm having the most fun with that shit. I mean, just creating matches and putting new wrestlers on, giving shots, you know what I mean? And just being embedded in the game.

[Memphis Bleak]

So we can sign wrestlers for sure. Chicho, find us a wrestler, dawg. Somebody in the hood think they got that mat skill. Find us a wrestler. We wrestler entertainment now. You know what I mean? Yo, so shit you been. Let's go. Top five all time wrestlers.

[Smoke Dizza]

Top five all time. In order.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, nah, no order.

[Smoke Dizza]

All right, well, I'mma go. My number one is Hulk Hogan.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right. I don't care.

[Smoke Dizza]

Despite whatever.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, despite the controversy. Know they was a hoka maniac.

[Smoke Dizza]

And not for nothing, Blue Zoo, that was my man. Like, oh, you knew him? I knew that was my man.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, I never met him. And they said he was racist. Come on, dog, you darker than me. You know what I mean? Like, dog, you know what I mean?

[Smoke Dizza]

Like, I went and had dinner with him and all that like a couple years ago. That was my man. And shout out to Nick, his son Nick. Nick's still my homie today. But Hogan, Chris Jericho, I love Chris Jericho because he got the fucking art of reinventing, you know what I mean? That n reinvented for the last 30 years, just every year something different. And he done won every championship and every promotion. Stone cold Steve Austin, you know what I mean? Like, he ushered in to add an era in wrestling that, that came in

[Memphis Bleak]

drinking a beer, that crack. A can of beer on your head. Yeah, straight up with the bad leg too. That had the stinky leg early.

[Smoke Dizza]

With the knee brace and the Jordan and the jorts. Word, had the jorts before John Cell, he just wasn't wrestling in them. But he's Coming out with the jorts, the cam and the beer and the middle finger. Yo, I mean, Undertaker, the Undertaker changed the gang.

[Memphis Bleak]

They could come out, shake the rope on you and choke you out.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah, because we knew it wasn't. It's not a human walking the earth. That's like the Undertaker. But we all took him serious, you know what I mean? Like, he had the art of making the fans believe.

[Memphis Bleak]

But it was rumors about him. They was saying they doubled the Undertaker. Like they put a new Undertaker.

[Smoke Dizza]

Nah, the eyes. So that was 1990, 1995, when they did an undertaker. First undertaker thing for SummerSlam. And they had Prime Time Brian Lee playing Undertaker. So just to confuse.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, they said that with the Ultimate Warrior too.

[Smoke Dizza]

Before that they doubled Kerry Von Erich. But now that's not true. That's just people just chatting. But my number five is probably Shawn Michaels. Heartbreak Kid.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right. That's right. The Heartbreak Kid. My Heartbreak Kid. What was it? The Heartbreak foundation or what was it?

[Smoke Dizza]

That's the Hart Foundation.

[Memphis Bleak]

Heart Foundation.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah, that's Bret Hart and Jim the Anvil.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, that. See, I was tag team because them niggas, the killer B's. The Road Warriors.

[Smoke Dizza]

See, that's your error right there.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, my nigga. Yeah, the Road warriors was my shit. Yeah, before they merged it when it was the nwa.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah, before they went to wwe, before

[Memphis Bleak]

they merged, it was wcw, wwf. Then they merged, they made it. Did what? Wwe.

[Smoke Dizza]

All right, so WWE came because WWF is the World Wide Wildlife Federation. So they had like. They lost a dispute to them, so they had to take the F and turn it into E. And it's sports entertainment. Like, they didn't wwe, don't they not like cold wrestling.

[Memphis Bleak]

That shit is insane, man. I told you Jake the Snake was my nigga. Nigga, put the snake on you. Word.

[Sam Jett]

Do you remember when Diana Ross double tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people? I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at It podcast. I'm Sam J.

[Smoke Dizza]

And I'm Alex English.

[Sam Jett]

Each episode, we pick it here, Unpack what went down and try to make sense of how we survived it.

[Smoke Dizza]

Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s.

[Mark Lamont Hill]

To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just cause of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all

[Memphis Bleak]

day, but yeah, yeah, but just so

[Smoke Dizza]

Y' all know, I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack, so I'm starting to see that there's a through line.

[Sam Jett]

We also have AIDS on the table

[Mark Lamont Hill]

right now, so thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

[Memphis Bleak]

Really?

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah.

[Mark Lamont Hill]

For me, it's one of the most

[Memphis Bleak]

important years for black people in American history.

[Smoke Dizza]

Listen to look back at it on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kier Gaines]

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. With me, your host and your favorite therapist, Kier Gaines. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people, scoreboard wise, life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns. Dustin Ross. Cause you find it important to be a good person while you're here on earth? Or are you a good person because you're afraid?

[Memphis Bleak]

Cause that's two different intentions, bro.

[Kier Gaines]

Absolutely.

[Memphis Bleak]

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person.

[Kier Gaines]

Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free iHeartRadio app search learn the Hard Way and Listen now.

[Stephanie Young]

In 2023, former Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd found himself at the center of a paternity scandal. The family court hearings that followed revealed glaring inconsistencies in her story. This began a years long court battle to prove the truth. You doctored this particular test twice, Ms. Owens? Correct. I doctored the test once. It took an army of Internet detectives to crack the case. I wanted people to be able to see what their tax dollars were being used for.

[Smoke Dizza]

Sunlight's the greatest disinfectant.

[Stephanie Young]

They would uncover a disturbing two more men who'd been through the same thing.

[Memphis Bleak]

Greg Gillespie and Michael Maranchini.

[Stephanie Young]

My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trap.

[Smoke Dizza]

Laura Scottsdale Police.

[Stephanie Young]

As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences.

[Smoke Dizza]

Ladies and gentlemen, breaking news at a Maricopa county as Laura Owens has been

[Memphis Bleak]

indicted on fraud charges.

[Smoke Dizza]

This isn't over until justice is served in Arizona.

[Stephanie Young]

Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Mark Lamont Hill]

A win is a win, A win is a win. I don't care what y' all say. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor iv. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, the Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes. Athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And for more behind the scenes, follow Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on

[Memphis Bleak]

TikTok, then you add, my man Animals still eat the turnbuckle.

[Smoke Dizza]

You know, he's. Come on, he's a judge in real life.

[Memphis Bleak]

Who?

[Smoke Dizza]

George Animals?

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, chill. But you know what a lot of these young niggas need?

[Smoke Dizza]

What?

[Memphis Bleak]

The iron Sheep move. Put a little in the camel clutch. That dropping his flag. Like, I'm going straight. I'mma be a doctor now. What's that you did to me? Nope. Remember back in the day, niggas was practicing the moves on niggas in the hood. Like put a little nigga in the Campbell clutch.

[Smoke Dizza]

I'm telling you, that's how was getting put to sleep. Yeah, put the Ted DiBiase million dollar dream on a next thing.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, my man. Damn. When they was the nwo, what's my man had the slick hair with the toothpick? Nah, that water juice. Razor Ramon put you in his. Come on. These young niggas dropping they flag my. I'm telling you, you'll get a young nigga to get out the gang.

[Smoke Dizza]

Not off the wrestler boo.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, the Irish, she came in with the bent up shoes and kicked Asshic was like that. Yeah, he was like that. My. That's what's up, man. So let Me ask you this. You gave me your top five wrestlers, top five, all time smoking rap niggas.

[Smoke Dizza]

Oh, nobody asked me that.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, man,

[Smoke Dizza]

I know. Order. I'm gonna go, where's Khalifa?

[Memphis Bleak]

He gotta be up there.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah, he up there. Currency, of course.

[Memphis Bleak]

Gotta be

[Smoke Dizza]

Kiss.

[Memphis Bleak]

Kiss.

[Smoke Dizza]

Kiss and Styles. Actually, I'm gonna put. We gotta put them together as a group.

[Memphis Bleak]

Okay?

[Smoke Dizza]

Kiss and Styles. I love smoking with them and hearing stories. So that's three.

[Memphis Bleak]

You, me. Oh, shit, I'm in the Smokaholics.

[Smoke Dizza]

You in there four. And then my fifth one. My fifth one, I'm gonna put dog in there. Cause this nigga Snoop always fuck. Anytime I ever smoke with this nigga, I be coughing and shit.

[Memphis Bleak]

I be wild embarrassed. I got beef with Snoop. It's up, it's up. Every time I see Snoop, it's up. That nigga only nigga smoke me out where I like. Yo, f. I can't. I'm done. I'm too high. I can't smoke no more.

[Smoke Dizza]

Twice.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know how the first time it happened, it like, this ain't happening again. Next time I see this, I don't care how many blunts he roll. This ain't happening again. And then I get up with him again, and I'm like, this happened again. Yeah, My yo, I got a picture with Daz and Snoop and corrupt up in the picture, it's so much smoke in the room. The smoke look like it's posing with us for the flick.

[Sam Jett]

Word.

[Memphis Bleak]

My Snoop, it's on, it's up. He don't even know it's beef. He don't even know it's beef. It's up soon. It's up. Soon as I see you. 400 roll.

[Smoke Dizza]

Nah, dog be smoking me out. Word.

[Memphis Bleak]

Anytime I. I was waiting for you. I was gonna be like, no, Snoop. But then, nah. My top. My top five smoking rappers from my era, I gotta put. If you put a group, I gotta put the dog pound. Gotta put Snoop. I gotta put my nigga Xzibit. Got to.

[Smoke Dizza]

Let me see if you missing one that I. I bunch y' all two niggas up together on the weed shit. But let me.

[Memphis Bleak]

Who else I gotta put up there, man? I gotta put red and meth as a group, too.

[Smoke Dizza]

Okay?

[Memphis Bleak]

Without red and meth, I'd be smoking sticks and seeds in my weed. I felt like Biggie was talking to me. I still pick seeds out your weed. I felt like that shit was a straight shot at me. Cause I was at some show and I'm throwing mad shit. And then I heard the verse, and I'm like, that N was talking about me. Biggie shitted on me. That was about me. That was about you.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

And Red and Meth, we got to la, and they was like, what you smoking on? And I showed them. They like, come on, little bro. Come with me. And they took me to the homie, and I got some shit, and that changed my life. So they gotta go up there. Who else from my era that was a major smoker fucking hauling? Mmm.

[Smoke Dizza]

See, I think about backstage when it was you and Ja.

[Memphis Bleak]

No, Ja is a smokeholic, but Ja, yo, I love my bros, man. I love you, Ja. You know I love you. You my nigga. But Ja still smoke dispensary weed. He don't care. Like, you know it's levels to this shit. Ja don't. He don't care. He's smoking. It don't matter. Like, rolling. He don't care. So that's why. Nah.

[Smoke Dizza]

Okay, okay.

[Memphis Bleak]

No, he up there. He a honorary mention. But nope, I don't care. Cause you my man. Nope, nope. You my man. Who else? I'm trying to think. Cause it's a few niggas that I done burnt it down with. We done blazed it. Mm. Yo, this one out the left field. Niggas would never think who paused his name, though. It's 2026, too. You my bro. You might have to Change your name, Mr. Cheeks.

[Smoke Dizza]

Word.

[Memphis Bleak]

You definitely gotta change your name.

[Smoke Dizza]

Name.

[Memphis Bleak]

It's 2026. I love you, my. We can't call you Mr. Cheeks. Not in 2026. My.

[Smoke Dizza]

I didn't even know he was a Buddha head like that. What?

[Memphis Bleak]

The Lost Boys. Yo, I was in Miami. One of the illest smoking sessions I had. I'm in Miami. It's me, Mr. Cheeks. And corrupt.

[Smoke Dizza]

Wow.

[Memphis Bleak]

Like, would never think. And them my bro. Like, man, Cheeks, you got to pull up. We gotta talk about this new name. In 2026, we reinvent Shawn Blizzle. We changing his name. Fuck that. That's my dog.

[Smoke Dizza]

I'd like to get an alternative.

[Memphis Bleak]

He gonna wanna fight me when he see me. Cause he from back in the day, you know, niggas be like that. I see you and be like, yo, you owe me five minutes. You owe me five minutes. You know a nigga will see you and be like, yo, five minutes.

[Smoke Dizza]

I ain't got nothing to do with that, Legend. I ain't got nothing to do with that.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah. But Cheeks up there, he a smoking ass nigga, too, man. I gotta put him up There. Blow it down heavy with your boy. Word. Another thing, man. What's your take on the direction you feel New York music scene is going?

[Smoke Dizza]

Shit, That's a tough question, because I want to take myself out of it and answer it non biased. I think it's interesting. I'm not really a fan of drill music like that, but I respect anybody getting money from their craft. And it's art. Art is art.

[Memphis Bleak]

I think the way you might want to say it is the way I say it. I'm a fan of drill music, just not the actual real crime you're rapping about in the music. Because if it's a real crime, I don't like it. Now I feel like an informant. You told me too much information. Like my daughter say tmi,

[Smoke Dizza]

you know, But. But, you know, I'm a fan of. I'm a fan of people that's saying something.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes.

[Smoke Dizza]

You know what I mean? So I like artists like Fergie Baby.

[Memphis Bleak]

I like.

[Smoke Dizza]

I like J Juan. You know what I mean? I like KY Cash Y. I like Joey Badass.

[Memphis Bleak]

Joey be spared.

[Smoke Dizza]

You feel what I'm saying? And obviously, you know, Griselda, clearly.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, them niggas, I told, yo, I seen Benny in Atlanta. I told that nigga. Y' all niggas gotta have a plantation where y' all breeding these fucking artists like mutants. Like, it gotta be. Cause come on, man, how you just finding 38 stove guard? Like, first of all, we still dealing with west side Benny, and we ain't even digest y' all niggas yet. And y' all coming with new niggas.

[Smoke Dizza]

Nah, but the ill popping part is the. That you name, they've been around. I'm saying, like, I got a record with Special six Me Special Nipsey. So special. Dumping. Yeah. Rest in peace, Nip.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, Nip was, man. He was on his way, bro. Every time I listen to that album, I'm like, he was. He was so. He was that close to taking this whole over, bro. It's crazy.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah, they robbed us of them.

[Memphis Bleak]

Word. So. So another question, right? Cause you know how a lot of rappers be like, I'm not a rapper. I'm a hustler. I'm a hustler that rap. So do you feel like you're a rapper with a brand, or do you feel like you a brand that just rap shit?

[Smoke Dizza]

That's a great question. I'm both. I'm both. You know, regardless, rap or not, I'm gonna find some way to get some money.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right. Hustler baby.

[Smoke Dizza]

So that's. That's the hustler's spirit. I mean, I'm a Harlem. I'll figure it out.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, all the work. Yeah, all the work. Harlem all day. Couldn't even walk two steps. Got it right here. Poppy. Poppy right here. Fish scale. Fish scale. Fish scale. Poppy, right? Poppy. You like, nigga? I came to buy some sneakers.

[Mark Lamont Hill]

Fuck.

[Memphis Bleak]

I don't want no coke today.

[Smoke Dizza]

Don't get hit with the rabbit food, you know what I mean?

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh my Jesus.

[Smoke Dizza]

Had that real zip. And then go in the building, hit you with rabbit food, come out a whole nother building. You be looking for that for three years.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact.

[Smoke Dizza]

So you give up like, ah, it. It was just 400.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Smoke Dizza]

I mean, but I'm both, you know what I mean? Because I'm also. I'm definitely a rapper, you know what I mean? Like, it's like that be on the Internet.

[Memphis Bleak]

Like, I ain't the Internet, saying, you're Internet.

[Smoke Dizza]

You made that announcement on the Internet.

[Memphis Bleak]

You an Internet.

[Smoke Dizza]

So I'm. I'm definitely a rapper.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact.

[Smoke Dizza]

1,000%.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact, man. Respect, man. So when it's all said and done and you chilling, got that J grandkids running around, cuz you might be on Jays by then, might not be a blunt. You might come for paper game, you know what I mean? Me too. I might be there with you slowly, slowly. But I don't know, it's. It's hard. It's difficult.

[Smoke Dizza]

We gonna get there.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, get there. But you know what I mean, what you want your legacy to be outside of just being a Harlem New York rapper? What do you want people to remember, Smoke?

[Kier Gaines]

For.

[Smoke Dizza]

Somebody that put that shit on somebody, that. Somebody that was authentic to his mission and just to himself, you know, I mean, a wordsmith. I mean, and just somebody that never. I never hit the plug, you know, I mean, like, I'm. I'm always. I'm always. I'm always giving somebody a link, you know, I mean, like, I'm not trying to hide the plug. I've always shared my platform with anybody that was around me. So somebody that gave back, you know what I mean, to the culture and then, you know, anytime, like I said. I said this in another interview, but this is about to be my shit anytime you smoke some good weed. Thank you to God.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, that's what's up, man. Hell yeah, man. What's one thing you. It's a question people ask me, so I'm trying To figure the right way to ask you that you felt like I took this thing from zero to a hundred that you most proud of, that you look back and say, this is exactly how I planned it.

[Smoke Dizza]

Wow. I think the Smoke does a brand.

[Sam Jett]

Mm.

[Smoke Dizza]

Well, I mean, that's definitely something I took from 0 to 100. Where it's like, you know, sometimes when I'm telling stories and I'm like, damn, that really fucking happened. I mean. Cause it's like I never sat with something for a little while and was just like. I never celebrated a move for more than a day of it happening. Like the next day. I'm like, I'm trying to do new. I'm trying to create new history. So I think the Smoke does a brand from 0 to 100. To see where it came with, where I started and where I'm at today. Yeah, I'm proud of that.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's what's up, man. What's. So what's next, man? What's next? What can people expect? What's next from Smoke, man? You know what I mean? Like what you got, what you working on? What people should expect, like, you know What I mean? 2026 is the year the horse, man.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah. Nah, for sure, for sure. I mean, definitely more music. I think I'm winding down with the music a little bit. I think I'm like on like a three year watch, you know what I mean? Give or take. But definitely more music. Trying to collab with everybody that I love and respect. We need to get that blizzard dizzitape.

[Memphis Bleak]

Let's do it, man. Come on, man.

[Smoke Dizza]

I'm working, you know what I mean? And you know, obviously don't smoke rock. Two with Pete Rock. I got a crazy record that I'm about to drop with with Talk about it 3 with 3 of the people that love, you know what I mean? I'm gonna just say I got a record with Currency west and Max B. Oh.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh.

[Smoke Dizza]

That's how I'm gonna kick the year off. Yeah. I mean, I mean, so by the time. By the time this interview drop, that joint will be out. And then fourth rope, you know, I mean, fourth rope is really what. That's what I need everybody to be invested in.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right. Fourth rope. Turnbuckle jump off the fourth rope.

[Smoke Dizza]

I got my flyway champion.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know what I'm saying?

[Smoke Dizza]

This guy right here.

[Memphis Bleak]

Come on, man. Come on, man. What's up, man? Happy New Year, my guy. Love, man.

[Smoke Dizza]

Way champ. Here, take. Take your jewelry, man. The.

[Memphis Bleak]

The real. The real one Right.

[Smoke Dizza]

West side got give an opportunity to pro wrestlers all over the place. It's been a blessing for us. For real, so.

[Memphis Bleak]

Real one.

[Smoke Dizza]

Just showing love. Appreciate y'. All.

[Memphis Bleak]

I got you, man.

[Smoke Dizza]

Love talking about wrestling.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right, man. Had. You know, karate and all that. Yeah, yeah. These guys have been throwing wrestlers in their bars. Yeah. So they got their own promotion now. That's right.

[Smoke Dizza]

We out here hustling, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

We working hard. That's right, man. Much respect, man. Definitely, man.

[Smoke Dizza]

Brother. The real one. But yeah, get on YouTube. Subscribe to 4th Rope. Follow us on Instagram. Make sure you pull up to one of the shows, come get some of that good merch. Come catch the real one live. Catch the Hardy Boys, our tag team champions live. Catzilla 5:2, our world champion live, and then the whole fourth rope roster. I'm hoping to have you there this year.

[Memphis Bleak]

Come on. Hell, yeah.

[Smoke Dizza]

We tried to get it last year.

[Memphis Bleak]

I know, man.

[Smoke Dizza]

This year we gonna.

[Memphis Bleak]

I'm there this year I'm there. Right, Chicho. Locking the gate.

[Smoke Dizza]

Nah, we gonna get it right? But yeah, man, just expect all cool shit, man. Cool, authentic, original culture shit, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's exactly why I fuck with you, bro. That's why you a solid nigga, man. You always gonna be family, man. We need more cool niggas in the world. Is fake, tough guy shit. Please stop. Or we gonna have a nigga throw you off the fourth rope on your head. Nigga, please. You know what it is? It's rock solid Doucet.

[Smoke Dizza]

Yeah. Oh.

[Mark Lamont Hill]

Shout out.

[Smoke Dizza]

Cha Cha Charlie, man. Josh, Bishop, Joe, Alonzo.

[Memphis Bleak]

You already know. He's silent. This rock solid smoke dizza. Fourth rope, baby do say jit. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows at. And you can follow me on any social media platform under the name Memphis Bleak. You see anybody frauding, flag them.

[Smoke Dizza]

And, Doug, there's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show. Hey, everyone, check out this guy and his bird. What is this, your first date? Oh, no. We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual together. We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird. Yeah, the bird looks out of your league. Anyways, get a [e-mail] or with your local agent. Liberty, Liberty. Liberty. Liberty.

[Sam Jett]

On the Look Back at it podcast in 1979.

[Smoke Dizza]

That was a big moment for me.

[Mark Lamont Hill]

84 was big to me.

[Sam Jett]

I'm Sam J.

[Smoke Dizza]

And I'm Alex English.

[Sam Jett]

Each episode we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it with our friends, fellow comedians and favorite authors like Mark Lamont hill on the 80s,

[Memphis Bleak]

84 was a wild, I mean, wild year.

[Mark Lamont Hill]

I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

[Smoke Dizza]

Listen to look back at it on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Memphis Bleak]

Hey, what's good, y'? All?

[Kier Gaines]

You're listening to learn the hard way with your favorite therapist and host kid games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere. But you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit of armor? It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability, that does not mean that you need to listen to learn the hard way on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Stephanie Young]

In 2023, Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd was accused of fathering twins. But the pregnancy appeared to be a hoax. You doctored this particular test twice, Ms. Owens? Correct.

[Memphis Bleak]

I doctored the test once.

[Stephanie Young]

It took an army of Internet detectives to uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing.

[Memphis Bleak]

Greg Gillespie and Michael Mancini.

[Stephanie Young]

My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trapped.

[Smoke Dizza]

Laura Scottsdale Police.

[Stephanie Young]

As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Sam Jett]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.