#54 - bbno$ Teaches Shayne Music - Smosh Mouth

Summary4 min read

Podcast Summary: Smosh Mouth #54 - "bbno$ Teaches Shayne Music"

Release Date: July 15, 2024

Hosts and Guest:

Shayne Topp (Shane Madej)
Amanda Leighton
Guest: bbno$ (Baby no Money)

1. Welcome and Introduction

The episode kicks off with Shayne and Amanda warmly welcoming bbno$, expressing excitement about his return to the show after his recent bout with COVID-19.

Shayne Madej (00:19): "Thank you so much for coming back."

bbno$ (00:21): "Yeah, thank you."

2. bbno$'s Connection with Smosh

The conversation delves into bbno$'s relationship with the Smosh team, particularly his interactions with Anthony and Ian. bbno$ reminisces about their deep conversations and acknowledges Anthony's positive qualities.

bbno$ (00:47): "I remember the first time I met him, we almost, like, we just dove straight into deep conversation about finding oneself, and I was like, holy shit. This guy's like, a beautiful man."

3. Early Days and Online Culture

Shayne and bbno$ discuss the pivotal moments that shaped online culture, highlighting how bbno$ mentioned Smosh online, which led to their collaboration. bbno$ shares his initial reactions to collaborating with the Smosh team.

Shayne Madej (02:07): "I think Anthony and Ian told me the story. But they reached out to you, right?"

bbno$ (02:07): "So I think I was just mentioning them, and they saw that clip, and then they reached out to me..."

4. World of Warcraft and Homeschooling

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around bbno$'s and Shayne's experiences with homeschooling and their immersion in the game World of Warcraft (WoW). They explore how WoW served as an escape and a creative outlet during their upbringing.

bbno$ (04:22): "Basically my life. My life goal is make enough money, have kids, play. WoW. Ideally, there's going to be a game that's better in it..."

Shayne Madej (05:00): "And that."

5. Creativity, Addiction, and Balance

The trio delves into the challenges of balancing creativity with potential addictions, particularly focusing on video games. bbno$ shares his personal struggles with gaming and how it affects his music production.

bbno$ (11:06): "I have to stick up as baby no money. If you're not lying."

Amanda Leighton (12:35): "I have to like the way you feel about video games sometimes. I am such a workaholic..."

6. The Process of Making Music

bbno$ provides an in-depth look into his music-making process, emphasizing the importance of a healthy lifestyle for creativity. He discusses his collaborative efforts with producer Y2K and outlines his approach to writing and producing music.

bbno$ (17:12): "I'm writing an album right now. And it's like, every time we get in the room, I'm doing it with Y2K..."

Shayne Madej (20:10): "It's similar because you're like, constantly thinking about it..."

7. Evolution of the Music Industry and TikTok's Impact

The conversation shifts to the evolution of the music industry, particularly the role of TikTok in promoting songs. bbno$ reflects on how his song "La La La" became a virally successful track thanks to its integration with TikTok and the Fortnite community.

bbno$ (52:53): "La La La was a shift in culture at the same time because TikTok was becoming such a normalized thing..."

Shayne Madej (50:26): "So you permanently changed the music industry a little bit."

8. Collaborations and Personal Branding

Discussion highlights bbno$'s collaborations, especially with Young Gravy, and how these partnerships have influenced his music. They also touch upon bbno$'s stage persona and his experiences performing in drag, adding a layer of personal storytelling.

Shayne Madej (56:37): "Is Baby Gravy the name of, like, you and Young Gravy combined?"

bbno$ (58:24): "It's kind of disgusting. I just listen to it, boy."

9. Reflecting on Success and Future Projects

As the episode nears its conclusion, the hosts and bbno$ reflect on his musical successes, the lessons learned from viral hits, and his strategies for future releases. bbno$ shares plans for upcoming singles and potential movie projects based on his music.

Shayne Madej (66:51): "Well, damn."

bbno$ (67:00): "Yeah. It's... totally."

10. Closing Remarks

The episode wraps up with heartfelt acknowledgments from bbno$ towards the Smosh team, expressing gratitude for their support and the opportunity to share his music with their audience.

bbno$ (69:16): "I'm blessed. Thank you guys for having me."

Shayne Madej (69:23): "Listen to it, boy."

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

bbno$ (04:22): "Basically my life. My life goal is make enough money, have kids, play WoW."
Shayne Madej (05:00): "And that."
bbno$ (11:06): "I have to stick up as baby no money. If you're not lying."
bbno$ (17:12): "I'm writing an album right now. And it's like, every time we get in the room, I'm doing it with Y2K..."
bbno$ (52:53): "La La La was a shift in culture at the same time because TikTok was becoming such a normalized thing..."
Shayne Madej (56:37): "Is Baby Gravy the name of, like, you and Young Gravy combined?"
bbno$ (67:00): "Yeah. It's... totally."

Conclusion:

In this engaging episode of Smosh Mouth, bbno$ opens up about his journey in the music industry, the influence of online culture, and the intricate balance between creativity and personal well-being. Through candid conversations and insightful reflections, listeners gain a deeper understanding of bbno$'s artistic process and his impactful collaborations. The episode not only highlights bbno$'s contributions to modern music but also showcases the supportive dynamic between him and the Smosh team.

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Transcript613 lines

[00:00]
BBNO$
BBNO Dollar sign.
[00:03]
Shane Madej
Hey, welcome to Smosh Mouth. I'm Shane.
[00:05]
Amanda Leighton
And I'm Amanda. And we have a very, very special guest with us today. Baby, no money.
[00:10]
BBNO$
That is eat. That is me. And this week, a week later. Because now I don't have covet.
[00:18]
Amanda Leighton
That's right. Yeah, that's right.
[00:20]
Shane Madej
Thank you so much for coming back.
[00:21]
BBNO$
Yeah, thank you.
[00:22]
Shane Madej
I was so sad you showed up and you were just like. You got tested and it was just.
[00:26]
BBNO$
Like, yeah, it's not looking good in your mask.
[00:29]
Shane Madej
Like 20ft away from everyone.
[00:31]
Amanda Leighton
Just like.
[00:31]
Shane Madej
I'm sorry, guys.
[00:33]
BBNO$
Yeah. Hadn't had coffee and I was just like, my head was thumping and I was like, oh, man.
[00:38]
Amanda Leighton
Oh, no.
[00:38]
BBNO$
But.
[00:39]
Shane Madej
But, hey, you're back.
[00:40]
BBNO$
I'm back.
[00:41]
Shane Madej
You're back whenever, man. We've already been talking a bunch this morning. Yeah, we were just. You were just talking about how Anthony is a beautiful man.
[00:47]
BBNO$
He really is. I remember the first time I met him, we almost, like, we just dove straight into, like, deep conversation about finding oneself, and I was like, holy shit. This guy's like, a beautiful man. Yeah, it's like, it's interesting because you never know what a person really is until you meet them. And you're like, oh, like, that makes.
[01:09]
Amanda Leighton
Sense because you watch them when you watch them a bunch.
[01:11]
BBNO$
Yeah, yeah, I remember. I mean, like, my brother basically looked like them growing up because it was, like, got the pan hair down and the American Apparel sweater kind of vibe, you know, it was just like. That was like when I was 12. So, yeah, it was just really, really interesting to meet them and do submissive and breedable together. And with you guys, too, it was just like, fucking.
[01:37]
Amanda Leighton
I know.
[01:38]
Shane Madej
I think Anthony and Ian told me the story. But they reached out to you, right?
[01:42]
BBNO$
Yes.
[01:43]
Shane Madej
But you kind of mentioned them online first.
[01:45]
BBNO$
I don't really remember where I mentioned them. I think it was just like. I think I was on Hasan's podcast.
[01:51]
Shane Madej
I think that's what Ian said. Yeah.
[01:52]
BBNO$
Really remember. But I must have just been like, yes, mosh goated, like, nice. It's just, you know, it's like one of those things where there was such a pivotal moment in, like, the shift of Internet culture that how can you forget?
[02:07]
Shane Madej
Right, Right.
[02:08]
BBNO$
So I think I was just mentioning them, and they saw that clip, and then they reached out to me, and they followed me at the exact same time. I was like, all right, boys. Whoa. I was like, what's going on here? And I just remember recording. And I was just like, hey, yo, hold on. They just followed Me. Let me message them. And then they replied immediately. And I was like, okay, cool. That's awesome. That was it. And now we have the sexiest song alive.
[02:32]
Shane Madej
That's true, man.
[02:34]
Amanda Leighton
I remember going on set and just talking to you for a while, and they're like, oh, yeah, this is Baby no Money. I was like, nice to meet you, Baby no Money. They're like, he's on the song, Amanda. And I was like, oh, hey, what's up?
[02:47]
Shane Madej
You in your gigantic heels, eight feet tall.
[02:50]
Amanda Leighton
But I was just talking to you, like, just. I was like, hey, what's up? Nice to meet you. But, like, I didn't realize that you were. I didn't realize anything. Cause I hadn't heard the song at all.
[03:00]
BBNO$
Really? That's hilarious.
[03:01]
Amanda Leighton
I didn't heard that. No, I didn't hear it at all. I got on set, ready to go, as the Dom hadn't heard the song. They're like, oh, yeah, this is Baby no Money. And I was like, oh, my God. And then I. Then we started, like, tying you up on that fucking turning thing. Good to meet you.
[03:15]
BBNO$
Yeah, good to meet you guys.
[03:16]
Shane Madej
You're such a. You are. I think you're one of the first musicians that I've gotten to meet and talk to. And you're so, like. I don't know. You're so chill and normal. I don't know. I would expect, like, a musician to be like, I don't want to talk to you, man. I don't want to talk to you. And you just walk away.
[03:29]
Amanda Leighton
I probably have those moments.
[03:31]
BBNO$
No, I mean, no, not really. It's like, I would say if I'm eating with my family, don't interrupt my dinner time with family in public. I was just like, yeah, if you want to come over for a photo. But if you start, like, striking conversation about what I do with the eqs on my snares and claps, like, please, bro, anything but that. But I will say it's like, I feel like artistry and musicianship is progressing into a world where it's like, you have to be yourself rather than trying to have this facade because. Because social media, if you want to grow as an artist and if you want to have a larger career and a platform is like, you just can't have a facade anymore unless you're, like, a really good actor, which I'm not. So I just am like, okay, I'd rather just chill and play World of Warcraft and talk about poop. Poop. Yeah.
[04:22]
Shane Madej
That was, like, our first conversation. You were talking about World of Warcraft, and I was like, are you fucking serious? I was like, this. This, like big musicians just playing World of Warcraft all the time. Like, yeah, that's awesome.
[04:33]
BBNO$
Like, basically my life. My life goal is make enough money, have kids, play. Wow. Wow. Ideally, there's going to be a game that's better in it, but it's just like, I grew up playing it. I was homeschooled, so I didn't really have too. Too many friends, so I just, like, kind of. I met a bunch of people online. That's kind of like where I devolved into the online understanding.
[04:56]
Shane Madej
That's crazy. I was playing World of Warcraft when I was homeschooled.
[04:59]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[05:00]
Shane Madej
And that's. That's.
[05:00]
Amanda Leighton
You were homeschooled too? Did I know this?
[05:03]
Shane Madej
I was an actor, kid, so I was.
[05:04]
Amanda Leighton
My God, you both were homeschooled. This is why I say shit. And you're like, that's the craziest thing I've ever heard. I was like, public school, I guess.
[05:11]
Shane Madej
Well. And then I tell you about anything online. You're like, that's the craziest thing I've ever heard.
[05:14]
Amanda Leighton
Yeah, I had.
[05:16]
Shane Madej
No, she's. She's famous. Amanda's famous for not knowing about Harambe at all.
[05:21]
Amanda Leighton
Do you know who Harambe is?
[05:23]
Shane Madej
We find out, baby. Nobody, baby.
[05:24]
Amanda Leighton
No money.
[05:25]
Shane Madej
Doesn't know about Harambe. But it's okay.
[05:27]
BBNO$
Rest in peace.
[05:28]
Shane Madej
Yeah, exactly.
[05:29]
Amanda Leighton
Well, no, it's just I didn't have any time. Like, I. My mom put me in everything. Like, I was just.
[05:35]
Shane Madej
Oh, yeah.
[05:36]
Amanda Leighton
My online time was very restricted. Like, I wasn't allowed to watch the Simpsons.
[05:40]
BBNO$
My online time was, like, disconnected by my mom because I was online too long. She would disconnect the Internet and then she would go, like, let's say go get groceries. I'm like, oh, that shit back in.
[05:50]
Shane Madej
It was frustrating. I had to, like, go do stuff in real life.
[05:54]
Amanda Leighton
Wow.
[05:54]
BBNO$
No.
[05:55]
Shane Madej
I played World of Warcraft for about a year because. And I had wanted to play it for so long. Finally got the computer that I needed for it. And in the span of a year, I put in. I think I checked the time, because.
[06:06]
BBNO$
You can check Slash plane. Yeah.
[06:08]
Shane Madej
And it was. It was like months of time in the span of a year. And at 15, I was like, I got to stop. Yeah, I can't do this. But to this day, it's. It's one of my favorite games. But I, like, couldn't. I couldn't. But I was. And I was a Big deal in my server.
[06:22]
Amanda Leighton
Okay.
[06:23]
Shane Madej
I was a big deal.
[06:24]
Amanda Leighton
All right.
[06:24]
Shane Madej
I was.
[06:24]
BBNO$
Now you can. You can know.
[06:26]
Amanda Leighton
You just.
[06:26]
Shane Madej
I was the top warrior in the top guild of my server.
[06:29]
Amanda Leighton
The fact that you said that means you were.
[06:31]
Shane Madej
I had tier two armor when that was the peak. Okay. Tier two armor was a long time ago. This is before Burning Crusade, man.
[06:39]
BBNO$
I feel the thing about. The thing about wow is you can actually like, no joke, hold status if you're really good at the game back then, if. Because they're. They're like everyone min max is now. Which is like basically just. It's like elitism and it's so. It's so annoying. But I feel all right. Well, no, no, no.
[06:59]
Amanda Leighton
I'm loving the thing that. Shane. No, I'm joking and I do. Okay. Every time someone talks about a video game, I just go. I got. My eyes go to the back of my head and I look at like the stars or whatever the fuck is back there. That's fun.
[07:11]
Shane Madej
But I haven't played it in a long time. So you're saying nowadays it's not the same.
[07:15]
BBNO$
Well, so no one knew what to do back then?
[07:17]
Shane Madej
No. Yeah, for sure.
[07:18]
BBNO$
So, like, people. People now wear it, like, might wear green armor if it has like a stat that just like increases their damage basically off like the sole basis of like a. Like a chance on hit kind of thing. So now everyone's like, oh my God, like how. How fast and like how. How pumper can we get? You know, rather than. Back then, it was just like. When I was playing, I just remember like being so confused what to do. Totally having to look up guides and it was like such a. Such an entry point to learn how to play the game. And it was so unbelievably enveloping. I would just sit there and just fall in love with the world and go kill a boar and be like, oh, I killed the boar.
[07:58]
Shane Madej
It took so much time to do anything. Anything. When I played this game, you start at level one. The maximum level you can get to is level 60. And it takes months to get there.
[08:09]
Amanda Leighton
So I can imagine why this becomes a thing that you guys want to do because they give you an end goal and you're like, well, I want to finish. I want to get to that place.
[08:19]
Shane Madej
And you know me, I'm a. I love working and accomplishing things. Right. And when you play a game like World of Warcraft, you put in time and you're going to get. You're going to see something back from it.
[08:31]
Amanda Leighton
Yeah.
[08:31]
Shane Madej
And it Felt so satisfying when, like, I eventually like earned enough gold to get, like a thing that I could ride right around. You know, like, I got this big weird dinosaur that I could ride around on and I was like, hell yeah. And it meant so much to me. But then you just get so addicted and you get hooked on that cycle.
[08:47]
Amanda Leighton
I missed out on like a whole.
[08:49]
Shane Madej
It's okay.
[08:50]
Amanda Leighton
A whole world.
[08:52]
BBNO$
Well, it's interesting because, like, I feel like a lot of video games are unable to create like a leveling route where it's like, oh, here's the story. And then once you get to the end, the story continues. And World of Warcraft just did it better than any other game, like, ever is. Like, the end game was almost better than leveling up. And then leveling up put you in such a world and such a setting that you could actually learn so much about the game. I don't know.
[09:19]
Shane Madej
It rocked.
[09:20]
Amanda Leighton
I can appreciate a story to a game.
[09:22]
Shane Madej
It's got a cool story.
[09:23]
Amanda Leighton
I remember my friend, she was watching the Last of Us gameplay and I started watching it with her and it was absolutely stunning. And I was like, oh, if I were a gamer, I would want this long, drawn out gameplay that has story and lore and beautiful, magnificent things happening. Like, I know that I would be into it.
[09:42]
Shane Madej
Oh, totally.
[09:43]
Amanda Leighton
I just. I was just like, I was so not allowed to watch so much stuff. I don't know if it's like Portuguese Catholic in me, but like, my grandmother would watch us a lot and she was just like, that's lazy, Lazy, lazy, lazy, lazy. So it was like, I felt like, I felt like bad watching stuff, so I would watch old movies that were on reruns, but I. My sister was obsessed with gaming. Like, she was obsessed with the Sims. I thought she lived in the Sims.
[10:08]
BBNO$
I never played that game.
[10:09]
Amanda Leighton
She was obsessed. I think that she's kind of fucked up in a way where she's like.
[10:14]
BBNO$
Damn, loves to watch here now.
[10:18]
Amanda Leighton
I love my little sister, we're best friends. But like, she loves to watch people get in weird situations. Like when I played Age of Empires with her, she's like, all my soldiers are gonna die. And I'm like, you have. Okay, what's this about? It's like her control. She's like, I can control these people. And she was obsessed with that. And she was always getting in trouble for being online so much. So I like, related being online to like, getting in trouble. Yeah, I just never fucking.
[10:46]
Shane Madej
I get that. I feel that too. I still feel guilt about video games.
[10:49]
Amanda Leighton
Really?
[10:50]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[10:50]
BBNO$
Well, you totally. I mean, if I play video games, I. It's interesting because I can't play video games when I'm trying to make music because the constant dopamine hit when you're playing games. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. And you just can't fall asleep. It just clears my creativity. I don't know what it is.
[11:07]
Amanda Leighton
Yeah.
[11:07]
BBNO$
I have. And I've met people that can, like, play Fortnite and shit and still make music. And I'm like, how do you guys do that?
[11:12]
Amanda Leighton
Like, I don't know.
[11:14]
BBNO$
Yeah. It's so confusing.
[11:15]
Amanda Leighton
So when you're. When you're making music, how do you. Are you just like, I cannot play video games when I'm making music. Like, do you set up.
[11:23]
Shane Madej
Is it, like, weeks at a time.
[11:24]
BBNO$
Or is it like. Yeah, I would say, like. So, for instance, 2022, I did, like, 136 shows. And then at the last show on December 17th, I also was, like, completely sober that year. And then I just, like, got super messed up on the 17th and then the 18th. I remember waking up and be like, took a bunch of Tylenol because I was hungover. And then I just played WOW for like, 18 hours straight. And I just played WOW for the next three weeks straight.
[11:49]
Shane Madej
And you hadn't played WOW that whole year?
[11:51]
BBNO$
That whole year. And I was. I was just, like, banking that time to play it.
[11:54]
Shane Madej
Wow.
[11:55]
BBNO$
So I just, like, kind of give myself, like, a relaxation period. It's kind of like a vacation.
[12:01]
Amanda Leighton
Is it better to like, not go for a while and then bank it at the end? Or is it better to just, like, slowly have it in your. Your life weekly?
[12:10]
BBNO$
I just will definitely. I'll find myself just being unable to be creative. And it's like, I would. I'll feel guilty. Not guilty, but I'll just be like, oh, I should probably be working on my career rather than wasting time playing video games. But even if wasting time playing video games is, like, a healthy thing for me, it's like an escape. I just, like. I don't know. I'm so caught up in my own work shit, you know, I'm a workaholic for sure.
[12:36]
Amanda Leighton
I have to like the way you feel about video games sometimes. I am such a workaholic sometimes that my body is like, I've lost my voice. My body's, like, done. So I actually. At a place where I'm like, I need to stop doing certain things that are a part of my career that might. That are just, like, killing me right now or, like, Might not be serving me right now.
[12:56]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[12:57]
Amanda Leighton
Which I find to be really, really hard. And I don't know. I don't know what I would be like if I got into video games. Like, I don't.
[13:03]
BBNO$
You should. You should.
[13:05]
Shane Madej
I mean, we played all of the five nights at Freddy's, and she was actually really good at it.
[13:09]
Amanda Leighton
Yeah, we played all. And she.
[13:11]
Shane Madej
Yeah, you started to lock in to it, so I think you would be really good.
[13:15]
Amanda Leighton
I love horror so much.
[13:16]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[13:17]
Amanda Leighton
So the horror video games were so fun. And I. I was getting. I was getting so into it. It's just like, I maybe use the fucking controller ten times in my life.
[13:29]
Shane Madej
The joystick thing is really interesting to watch. And it's not something I thought about, of, like, how much of a. Like almost like a language or like a reflex it is to use both the joysticks at the same time and be looking and moving at the same time. Because when you and Angela are trying to play a game like Fortnite or something, you. You just don't use your right thumb, like. Or Angela just could not use her right thumb. And I was just like, oh. I didn't think about how much of that's something that I learned throughout my whole life. And it's such a.
[13:58]
BBNO$
Like, it's very interesting because nowadays, like, if you don't know it as a kid, like, hard. You're whack.
[14:04]
Amanda Leighton
Oh.
[14:05]
Shane Madej
Kind of the same as if you don't learn Spanish by the time you're, what?
[14:07]
Amanda Leighton
Yeah.
[14:08]
Shane Madej
12, you're screwed or something.
[14:10]
Amanda Leighton
Exactly.
[14:10]
BBNO$
Yeah. I guess that's interesting. In the Canadian education system, it's all like, French, basically. So I. I remember being like, oh, why do you. Why do you learn Spanish? Like, we learned.
[14:20]
Amanda Leighton
Ours was all Spanish.
[14:21]
BBNO$
Interesting.
[14:21]
Amanda Leighton
We didn't even have Portuguese. Like, we didn't even. We had so many Portuguese people who went to my school, and that wasn't even an option. It was like Spanish or French. But, like, everyone had years and years and years of Spanish.
[14:32]
BBNO$
Cool.
[14:33]
Amanda Leighton
But if I'm not practicing it all the time, you're just gonna lose it. It's like if I had the fucking joystick and I was able to practice it all the time, great. But like, my mind could not connect. It's like tapping your head and rubbing your.
[14:46]
Shane Madej
It really is really.
[14:47]
Amanda Leighton
It's really difficult and it gets so frustrating.
[14:52]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[14:53]
Shane Madej
Yeah. And so, no, it's. It's truly like a second nature thing that if you don't have. It's hard. I think you would get it, though, after A couple months I would get it. But I have frustrating.
[15:03]
Amanda Leighton
I have, like, another addiction. My addiction is like, watching true crime. True crime, documentary.
[15:08]
Shane Madej
That's fine.
[15:08]
Amanda Leighton
And series. I'm obsessed with series that no one has ever seen. Like British series or Dutch series or something in another language. I'm obsessed. I'm like, have you seen this? Everyone's like, never heard it talk about it.
[15:20]
Shane Madej
You know, the thing, though, with. With our job, I feel. And I feel like it's true for you. If any sort of creative job is, like, there's really nothing you can do that is technically a waste of time, I feel like. Because everything is a resource for inspiration. Especially with comedy and especially with what we do, because we do so much at smos, where I'm like, there's no video game you can play. That's technically a waste of time because I've used that as some sort of thing that we make a sketch out of or like, we end up playing that game on one of our shows. So, like. But I still feel that guilt. Yeah, I still am. Like, I'm wasting time.
[15:53]
BBNO$
Well, it's interesting. Cause I do think a relative amount of my identity online is just like, I am a gamer. So I've used the ability or I've used all of my hours that I put into. Wow. Just being like, hey, like, you know, I actually do play that game unironically. So when people come up to me like, oh, yeah, like, what. What class do you run?
[16:11]
Shane Madej
Like, kind of funny. It's like, yeah, your audience relates to.
[16:14]
BBNO$
Yeah. Relatability. So, yeah, I totally hear the sentiment.
[16:17]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[16:17]
Amanda Leighton
It adds another level to you. Yeah, I. I think. I think sometimes when people just focus on one thing, it's just. It's not worth it. I think to be creative, you have to do so many different things. But I can understand how the video games kind of takes out all your creativity. I get that because I think it turns on a part of your brain that is giving you everything you need. It's almost like you already did all the things you could do creatively. So now you're done. You know when you're like, oh, I want to write this script. And you think about it so much that your mind and body is like, oh, I wrote it. It's done. And then when you actually have to sit down and write it, you're like, oh, no, I have to retrain my brain. It's done. I don't know if you experienced that, but I do. When I think about a project forever and I'm a little bit nervous about it. And then when I actually have to sit down and do it, I'm like, my body thought I already did it.
[17:11]
BBNO$
Yeah, no, totally.
[17:12]
Amanda Leighton
You know what I mean?
[17:13]
BBNO$
Yeah. I'm like, writing an album right now. And it's like, every time we get in the room, I'm doing it with Y2K is the guy who made the submissive readable beat. And like, I know it's done. I know kind of where I'm gonna take it creatively and like, I'm gonna try to make like a movie out of all the. And like, put them all, like, amazing conjoined music video kind of thing. So I have it, like, theorized and like, contextualized in my brain, but it's not done. So sometimes I, you know, I can totally understand where you're coming from. It's very interesting because I'm like, I know what I want it to sound like, what I want it to hear, or like, look like visually. But I'm just. It's not done.
[17:53]
Amanda Leighton
You have to physically and I.
[17:54]
BBNO$
And you have to do it.
[17:55]
Amanda Leighton
Do you feel like when you're in the middle of writing an album, do you feel like your night's sleep is really dedicated to literally writing the album as you're sleeping? Like, I don't know about you, but I wake up at three. If I'm in the middle of writing a show or writing something or doing a performance, I'm like, waking up in the middle of the night having these ideas or thoughts or, like, I gotta write that down or it just kind of keeps me up.
[18:21]
BBNO$
No, I actually. I have a really weirdly, like, healthy relationship with making music. Basically, I. I have to be in a very healthy state to make good music. I don't know why, but if I'm not sleeping enough, I can't make good music. So I'm like, focusing on all the other aspects while I'm writing, trying to write the best type of music. I'm like, make sure I'm getting enough, like, B12, like, literally, like, supplementation, like, because I studied. So I studied kin in the past. And I like, know a lot about my health and I know when I am really healthy, exercising, organized, having like, organized life, like cleaning my room, like, being very healthy. I can just make the best art possible. I don't know why. So that's. That's just like, how I've figured it out. So, like, I guess in a sense it's similar because you're, like, constantly thinking about it, but I'm constantly thinking about how I can stay as healthy and, like, stay on top of my sleep schedule and get enough exercise in order to, you know, create the juice in my brain.
[19:18]
Amanda Leighton
See, I want to get to that place because what I'm focusing now, I think a lot of my creativity has come from, like, sometimes when I'm, like, running on empty, like, so exhausted, like, asleep, just like, all right, produce, produce, produce, produce. And it's like, now, as I've gotten older, I'm like, oh, how do I connect this to longevity? How do I make it so I'm healthy and taking care of myself and still allowing the creativity. I think sometimes, like, the unhealthy, like, I'm not sleeping. I'm just going. Going, going. Going is connected to, like, oh, there's the best shit.
[19:55]
BBNO$
The fight or flight kind of thing. Yeah.
[19:57]
Amanda Leighton
And I'm trying to redo it. Like, this here is like a puzzle piece. I'm like, okay, interesting. Wait, how do I retrain my brain to be, like. No, Healthy? You can also be healthy and have a life and be creative.
[20:11]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[20:11]
BBNO$
Yeah. I remember some of the songs that I've made that are, like, my biggest or the best. I don't know. You know the feeling when. I mean, you're married, but you know the feeling when you start talking to a girl or you start talking to a guy, and it's like that light chase and you, like, you're on the cusp. You're like, oh, my God. Oh, my God. Like, I think I might be able to hold her hand. He'll hold his hand. Like, that feeling right in that week is when I write crazy music.
[20:44]
Shane Madej
Really?
[20:44]
BBNO$
I don't know what it is, but it's like, every time, it's just like, I feel like I'm doing everything right, so I don't second guess myself. And I think that, like, small amount of, like, that small pocket of, like, clear casting in your brain where you're like, everything I'm doing is clearly right, so it doesn't fucking matter. And then there's no second guessing. And I just like, yeah, I always am making that's.
[21:08]
Shane Madej
It sounds like that gets you into that flow state where you're just, like. You're in it and there's no thought. It's just pure, like, creativity going through you.
[21:15]
BBNO$
And sometimes when I'm sick, too, because when I'm sick, I'm not thinking. I'm not really, like, thinking about guards.
[21:22]
Amanda Leighton
Down a little bit.
[21:23]
BBNO$
Yeah, my guard's down. And I'm just like, all right. Whatever, I'll see if I can make something good.
[21:26]
Amanda Leighton
Yep.
[21:26]
BBNO$
And then it's just like, oh, this is. This is sick.
[21:28]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[21:29]
Amanda Leighton
That's why I connected to the like that unhealthy place. But I'm realizing that that feeling that you're talking about, I call it like there's like this magic. I don't know what it is. It's like this present magic where I actually hear what I'm saying and I go, uh huh, I agree. And then we say it or we write it and it's like. And that's right. And that works.
[21:49]
Shane Madej
It's like there's one mind.
[21:50]
Amanda Leighton
It's like a big magic.
[21:51]
Shane Madej
There's like a bunch of minds going on inside your head. You're like fighting.
[21:55]
Amanda Leighton
Yeah, I think it's a. Yeah, exactly. It's a trust.
[21:58]
Shane Madej
I get that. Cause for me I deal with extreme perfectionism and that's like been my lifelong battle of deconstructing that where I'm like. When I try to get creative sometimes I just truly get frozen.
[22:09]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[22:09]
Shane Madej
Because it's like I'm battling something that's like telling me nothing works. So I'm like constantly throwing something and it's not hitting the wall. But then I've had these moments where like suddenly it all just clicks and I'm like. And I can just go, yep. But yeah, it takes those certain moments, takes those certain conditions.
[22:27]
BBNO$
It's so interesting because it's like like you're saying you studied psychology, but. And I studied kin. So it's like kind of adjacent and a lot of throughout my education, it's basically just like, hey, so we know absolutely nothing about the brain. And like that is like the basis of what you learn about health sciences and know psychology and sociology and stuff like that. And it's like imagine if we knew enough to a point where we could just bottle that feeling up.
[22:55]
Shane Madej
I know.
[22:55]
BBNO$
And just like give it to people in vials.
[22:57]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[22:58]
BBNO$
People would be.
[22:59]
Shane Madej
It's crack. I dreamed about that.
[23:01]
Amanda Leighton
I don't know if it would be good.
[23:02]
BBNO$
I mean they already have like AI and it's basically doing that eventually. Like unfortunately or fortunately it doesn't. I don't like it.
[23:08]
Shane Madej
It's frustrating. Yeah. In psychology like the main, one of the main takeaways is like you don't know yourself as well as you think you do. And like a lot of studies actually show. It's like actually the people around you know you better, you know yourself. It's like a really weird thing of like people are so sure of their. Themselves in ways where they're off. Not. Not in every way, but just in a lot of stuff. But what's also frustrating more on the personal level of just creativity and as an artist of any kind, is that no two people work the same way. And it's so frustrating because, like, I will. Like, when I was younger, I was constantly researching how other actors or other writers or other comedians did shit, and it was all always different. And I'm just like, God damn. So you do have to learn your own way about it.
[23:53]
BBNO$
Yeah, I guess I have a lot of people that there's a sentiment there, because I have a ton of people always hitting me up. They're like, how did you do this? How did you do this? And I'm like, bro, I just did it.
[24:03]
Shane Madej
You did it your way.
[24:04]
BBNO$
Yeah. And it's just like, that's kind of something that I was saying in the very beginning. It's just like, you have to be yourself, because if you're not, it's just not going to work because it's too difficult to do two things at once.
[24:15]
Amanda Leighton
And I also think when people ask that, like, how did you do this? How did you do this? I think it's more of like, how did you keep going? How did you get inspired? How did you get the motivation? Fans will ask me, how do you keep being creative? How do you keep coming up with stuff? Or how do you literally keep going? And it's kind of all. Part of my work is like, I'm obsessed with this idea of that. How do we as creative people keep going? How do we keep being like, I love this. I still love this when we don't always see results. And I'm kind of obsessed with that because I think that's why acting classes and all these classes where a teacher's like, this is how you do it. And you're like, huh? There's no way, and there's no one right way, but there is a way to consistently feed that part of yourself. And for me, it's like rituals. It's like morning rituals. It's routines. And they don't have to be the same, but they put me in a place where my body's trusting itself. Does that make sense?
[25:18]
BBNO$
Yeah, it's like a sociological case study of how people interact with what you've made.
[25:24]
Amanda Leighton
Yeah.
[25:24]
BBNO$
And it's like, oh, is this raisin gonna be good with this craisin? You know what I mean? Mix them together. But. But, yeah, I totally agree. I. You know, it's interesting Making music for so long, I'd like. I could basically, like, surgically take moments of every single song that I know is why this song is popular. Put them all in one song. It's gonna be a big song.
[25:52]
Shane Madej
Interesting.
[25:52]
BBNO$
I just. I just know I do that, and I do do that. I just do it very, like, slyfully sometimes, because I make music very. Almost, like, I would say mathematically, it's like, I hear a beat, and it's like, all right, where do I need to fill it up?
[26:05]
Shane Madej
Interesting.
[26:06]
BBNO$
That's it. I don't really. I don't know. Sometimes I. Sometimes it's weird because it's like everyone has their own creative flows and their methods and whatnot. But it's like, sometimes I'm like. I don't. I don't think, like, artistically about it. Sometimes I'm like, is this bad? Logically, it's like. Logically, it's like, algorithmically or, like, logarithmically, you know, it's like, if there's this much of a song and, like, this much, it's like, you know, I'll cut a part out, because I just don't think it's making the song better.
[26:34]
Amanda Leighton
You know, it's like, you're a scientist.
[26:36]
Shane Madej
I get that. You're a scientist. Yeah, I get that. So, I mean, we kind of, like. We talk about how I'm, like, trying to learn music. That's the joke. Cause at the beginning of this year, I was like, I'm gonna listen to an album a week. Cause I don't. Like, throughout my life, I've just listened to music, like, here and there. I'm the type that I'm like, oh, there's a song I like. I'm listening to that on repeat. But I rarely listened to, like, albums or tried to actually understand people's sound. And so I never understood it how a lot of my friends do. But I listened to all of your albums before this podcast.
[27:06]
BBNO$
Really?
[27:06]
Shane Madej
Yeah, I listened to all of them. And so I did that. And then. And then you showed up, and you're like, I have Covid. I was like, well, all right.
[27:13]
Amanda Leighton
But now, like, on my playlist, I.
[27:15]
Shane Madej
Listened to all of them. And I. And I've been doing that. I've been listening to a lot of music, but I didn't realize until I started. I was like, okay, I'll listen. I was like, you have a lot of albums. I was, like, blown away. I was like, oh, damn, this started music. And then I was also like, you have a lot of Albums and I'm like, and then you had a million singles before those albums, so I was listening to all of those too. So I listened to all of it. I picked like my five favorite songs, really. But I think I understand a little bit what you're talking about because, like, I really like your music. It's similar to a lot of the stuff that I've. That I listen to a lot because I listen to music when I'm at the gym or when I'm driving. So I kind of like driving to work. So I need to, like, I need, I need energy music. And your music has a lot of energy to it especially. I think you're like the past four years. But I definitely noticed the like, mathematical thing because I think what, I mean, I don't know anything about music, but I think your stuff just, it just fits really well. Whereas a lot of, a lot of music I listen to, like, it's, it's disjointed in a cool way. I don't know, like, just. There's different vibes to it. But yours just like, yeah.
[28:21]
BBNO$
I've had a lot of people be like, your taste is what is good. I'm not saying anything important because I don't have anything important to say, but it's like most people are just like, yeah, whatever your taste, what you like is really dope.
[28:39]
Amanda Leighton
Your music is such a vibe. Because I love that Shane is listening to all your albums. I started listening to a lot of your songs and now they're coming up on my own playlist. You know how Spotify will make all these playlists for you? And then I'm like, oh, my God, it's Baby no Money. Oh my God, it's Baby no Money. It's it, boy. Like, it just keeps coming up. So you're now even if I don't go to you, you're on all my playlists. Yeah, you just have a cool ass sound. Like, it makes you want to kind of dance, it makes you want to vibe, it makes you want to hang out. It makes you. For me, it feels nostalgic in a way. Like, it makes me want to call like an old friend from high school and be like, what's up?
[29:17]
Shane Madej
Interesting.
[29:17]
Amanda Leighton
Want to hang out?
[29:18]
BBNO$
Really? I've never heard that. Also makes you want to hang out is really funny.
[29:22]
Shane Madej
That's definitely.
[29:22]
BBNO$
Hey, guys, want to hang out? Like, hang out.
[29:24]
Shane Madej
Well, it's, it's very positive and like, very positive. It's very positive. A lot of music you listen to and it's like, I don't know, it especially I felt like this past few years, like music felt like had like, even if it, the, the lyrics weren't sad, it just kind of felt like heavy. All right. But this feels like, oh, everything's going to be all right kind of vibe.
[29:43]
BBNO$
Lightheartedness, tongue in cheekness, just I like funny. The thing is, I just have nothing important to say, so let's just say the dumbest shit possible.
[29:52]
Shane Madej
And I would say your music's humble. Your music is humble in a way.
[29:55]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[29:55]
Shane Madej
In that vibe, like I know where.
[29:57]
BBNO$
I stand in, in like the, the spectrum of, of musicianship. Like I do think there, there's a world where I can turn around and like this RE project, this Y2K project I'm making is like way more artistic. He was like, you know what, let's get a Fantana review. Because if I wanted to, I could take a crazy left turn and just make like seven minute songs. Like I know I could. But I also just like, I don't know if I want to do that. I just, I just like making.
[30:25]
Shane Madej
I think Fantano reviewed submissive and breedable.
[30:28]
BBNO$
Did he?
[30:28]
Shane Madej
He gave a rating to it.
[30:29]
BBNO$
Really? I remember that.
[30:30]
Amanda Leighton
I think I remember, I remember that. What was the rating?
[30:32]
Shane Madej
He gave it like a C. Something which I was like, I was like, you know what? For like Ian and Anthony's like comeback music video in a long time. It's like, it's such a like. And he like clearly enjoyed it. He was like laughing about it. I was like, I was like, cuz I don't know much about Fantano, but I was like, I think he's a pretty tough critic.
[30:49]
BBNO$
So I was like, hey, he's a funny guy. He every time he reviews my music, it's so funny because usually he's saying, he says like this, he says that, he says that it, boy, one of my songs that I put out recently, he put in like best, best tracks of the week. And he was like, you know, baby, no money back with a fucking banger. That's it, Move on.
[31:09]
Amanda Leighton
And we love that. That's what I feel when I listen. I don't feel like I owe anybody anything. I'm listening to it and I'm just like, oh, I can just chill right now. I can just fucking hang out. Like I don't feel like I need to change the world or be a hero or do you know what I'm saying?
[31:23]
Shane Madej
It's perfect.
[31:24]
Amanda Leighton
I love it.
[31:25]
Shane Madej
It's perfect. When I'm at the gym, it is perfect gym music.
[31:27]
BBNO$
It's kind of like when I used to play Diablo ii. Or I still do. It's like one of the games I like, turn my brain off. It's like, turn your brain off. Shit. It's amazing. I'm not trying to provoke anything thoughtful. Unless you're like, what did he say there?
[31:42]
Amanda Leighton
That happens to me. I'm like, the fuck did he just say?
[31:45]
Shane Madej
And having listened to all of it, I felt like you got that vibe more and more and more. I have a specific song. We'll eventually get to it. There's a specific song where I think was the turning point. And, I mean, maybe it was always there, but I felt like there was one song where I was like, okay, this is. And I felt like after that, I saw, like, a different vibe. But maybe I'm wrong.
[32:03]
Amanda Leighton
I'm excited to hear about that.
[32:04]
Shane Madej
I'm an idiot on music. But first, I'm actually curious. Cause Selena did a little bit of research, and she found that you originally planned on being a swimmer before you got into music.
[32:15]
BBNO$
So when I was homeschooled, my mom always put me in, like, extracurriculars just to, like, have friends. And I was really good at swimming. I don't know where it came from, but I just ended up becoming a competitive swimmer. Basically swam for Canada kind of thing. And then I broke my back. I had to give that shit up. So how'd you break your back? I was playing rugby. My dad literally was like, don't play rugby. You're gonna hurt yourself. I'm like, no, dad, I'm an adolescent. Like, I wanna. I wanna party. I wanna. I wanna do dope shit with boys.
[32:44]
Shane Madej
And then I want to play with the men.
[32:48]
BBNO$
And then, yeah, it kind of fell out the window. But, I mean, I'm still fast.
[32:53]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[32:53]
BBNO$
I mean, I don't swim. Like, I don't go out of my way to swim. Cause I can't, like, go to a pool and be like, hey, let's go wade in the pool. You know, I don't do that. I just go in the pool. I wanna, like. I need to be fast.
[33:05]
Amanda Leighton
You wanna do laps and shit.
[33:06]
BBNO$
So I was going to become a swimmer. I mean, like, the thing is, is even if you're, like, number two ever, it's.
[33:15]
Shane Madej
It's tough.
[33:16]
BBNO$
It's tough.
[33:17]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[33:17]
BBNO$
You know, Michael Phelps probably made a couple million dollars, you know, off of sponsorships.
[33:23]
Shane Madej
No, me.
[33:24]
BBNO$
And he's like, the greatest Olympian of all time. Yeah.
[33:27]
Shane Madej
That's a brutal industry.
[33:29]
BBNO$
That is brutal.
[33:29]
Shane Madej
That is like, yeah, no rough. So when did you start, like enjoying music and making any sort of music?
[33:37]
BBNO$
I was like. I was like 20. So about nine years ago. Or like 21. I don't really remember, but I just remember chilling my friends, smoking a blunt, be like, what are we supposed to do? Like doing. Literally, like, what are we supposed to do?
[33:52]
Shane Madej
And then you just started rapping and everyone's like, oh, well, that's what you're gonna do now.
[33:55]
BBNO$
So one of my friends, Seb, he was like, I made a song last night. You wanna listen to it? And I was like, sure. And it was just like, just like garageband, auto tune. Just.
[34:03]
Amanda Leighton
Yep.
[34:03]
BBNO$
Boy.
[34:05]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[34:06]
BBNO$
And. And then we just did it. And I just. I remember in that moment in my life, I was very depressed because I was going through a bad breakup. I was going through my. My like shift in life trying to find myself. I was going. I just like put. Enrolled myself into a community college because I was like, I'm stupid. What am I supposed to do with my life? And in that moment I was like, wow, this made me really happy.
[34:33]
Shane Madej
Wow.
[34:33]
BBNO$
Like be. It was like a beautiful, like, epiphany. And I remember woke. I woke up the next morning, I was like, I want to do that way more often. And I just told the guys, I was like, yo, let's just do it. And then one of my friends just bought a mic and we just ended up doing it often. Like very, very often. And we made like 100 songs together. Just a group of friends.
[34:55]
Shane Madej
Crazy.
[34:56]
BBNO$
And it was. I think maybe one of them was good.
[34:59]
Amanda Leighton
But gonna say like, that's kind of.
[35:01]
Shane Madej
That's kind of.
[35:02]
BBNO$
Oh, they're out. They're out there.
[35:04]
Amanda Leighton
Where? What are they under your name?
[35:06]
BBNO$
No, there. It's under bbg. Broke Boy Gang.
[35:11]
Shane Madej
Awesome. So from the start, you knew that your vibe was like, no money. Cause you went from broke boy gang to baby.
[35:17]
BBNO$
Well, so I grew up in a household and I love my parents dearly. And they just taught me that. Make your fucking money. That's kind of where I grew up. My dad worked like 75, 85 hour weeks kind of thing. So while my mom was homeschooling us. So that was my understanding of what money is. And it's like you basically make money to have a family and a life and a roof over your head kind of thing. So it was like do or die. So that was distilled into me early on as a kid. And then I just kind of used those practices to be cheap and frugal and I am a cheap and frugal person. Like, when you see me ordering an Uber black, it's probably cause I'm on a date. I would never do that shit. And like, this girl I'm seeing right now, like, loves uber blacking. And I'm just like. I'm just like, yo, I'm ripping that Prius until I die. And she knows it. And it's cool because it's like, I'm very open and I understand my boundaries now. And I'm like, don't make me spend money. Cause it actually affects me. It's like I have a trauma with it.
[36:33]
Amanda Leighton
Yeah.
[36:33]
BBNO$
So I just use that as baby no money. And it's like, cool. Whenever I buy myself like pants or something, all of my friends are like, damn, Alex, you switched up. Like, what's wrong with you? You spent $300 on pants. Like, you're fucking crazy. And I'm like, all right, all right, all right.
[36:49]
Amanda Leighton
Oh, my God.
[36:50]
BBNO$
So it's. It's cool. It's like, it's a real part of who I am. It's like DIY or. Or like being cheap or understanding that I just don't need to spend money. It's like, do I want it? Maybe do I need it? Then I'll buy it.
[37:08]
Amanda Leighton
Right? Exactly.
[37:09]
Shane Madej
Did the name come up? Like, was that just like a spur of the moment thing? Or did you work on that?
[37:13]
BBNO$
So my DJ Dan, one of my best buddies, we were in Broke Boy Gang together. And our first show we did. We made jerseys. Basically, we made jerseys with our faces down our sleeves. And then we had numbers behind on the back with our. Our. Our name on the top.
[37:31]
Amanda Leighton
Oh, my God.
[37:32]
BBNO$
It was. It was. It was boy time. It was really cute. It was a really good experience. It really, like, set the playing field, the foundation for like, why I wanted to do this. And I think still holds kind of true. It's just like, I love the art of it and I love just fucking around with the boys. Cool kind of thing. So he just. My name originally was Baby Freestyle. And it just. It was. It was too long. He just shortened it to BBNO Dollar Sign.
[38:00]
Shane Madej
Some. Some have really long names, though.
[38:03]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[38:04]
Shane Madej
Because. What's his name? God.
[38:07]
Amanda Leighton
Here we go.
[38:07]
Shane Madej
Something the Slump. God.
[38:08]
BBNO$
Oh, Ski mask.
[38:09]
Shane Madej
Ski mask. The Slump. God. I remember when I heard that, I was like. I was like, that's a hilarious. I was like, that's long. Like, you gotta say that whole thing.
[38:15]
BBNO$
His name is sick. He's also one of. I think in our generation is probably like one of the most talented like Internet rappers.
[38:24]
Shane Madej
I'm so curious.
[38:26]
BBNO$
He's. His wordplay is insanity. Like you really have to check his music out just on like the artistic perspective. I give him all the accolades. Like, he's so good at flowing. It's like, yeah, it's really like coming from a person who understands how to make music in his general lane. It's like you don't find many people that can just like be pitter pattery the whole way. And it sounds so cool.
[38:50]
Amanda Leighton
Wow.
[38:51]
BBNO$
And I think he does a really, really, really good job of it. I. I'm like a huge fan of his music.
[38:56]
Shane Madej
That's really cool. I've come across a lot of his music just like it's been recommended or whatever. But I'll put what. Put his albums on my, my list. But when I listen to music, especially like rap and stuff, I. I don't understand what makes something good or not. Typically like when I'm listening to it, I'm just like, I like it or I don't vibe with it, but I don't understand the like, the like study of it. Like when you're saying like, no, this is really, really well done. I don't understand what makes something categorically good or not. But I know that takes like understanding.
[39:32]
BBNO$
So there's a. Okay, for instance, like look at Drake. Everything he says he can, he articulates like perfectly and it comes across with like great delivery. So there's like cadence delivery and just tone.
[39:45]
Shane Madej
Sure.
[39:46]
BBNO$
So I remember Rich Brian 21, Savage. I was like, oh, I love, I love these guys music because of their tone. And it's like I, you know, I could go listen to Eminem. God bless Eminem, one of the greatest rappers ever to do it. But I just like don't like his like tone. And I think it's also like there's, there's a little bit more to it because it's like the nicer the mic sometimes like you lose a sound. Like for instance, there's this guy named Black Bear and he, he only sings on a cheap microphone because it makes his voice sound cooler.
[40:19]
Shane Madej
Interesting.
[40:20]
BBNO$
So there's, there's a lot of like small little techy things. Yeah, sometimes like the nicer the microphone for me too, like the worse it sounds. There's some mixing engineers that love keeping more of my like your raw voice. I hate it. I love like distorting my voice with a bunch of compression so it sounds like, oh. So I love a raw voice. And that's where. And that's where like, the, like, you can, like, encapsulate more, like, agroness from my voice.
[40:51]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[40:51]
BBNO$
But I'm not actually saying anything agro, so it's super interesting because it's like, there's a science to it. Really interesting. But I definitely have just kind of gone off on a tangent.
[41:01]
Amanda Leighton
But I feel like, though that is happening a lot more in vo, especially in, like, commercials, is that they want to hear the raw. They want to hear, like, the inflections. They want to hear the unique differences in your voice. So like, even like the breaths in or like a word that you're saying that's a little bit more passionate than the other thing, they want to hear it. And yes, they want the mic to sound good, but they don't want that polished sound anymore. With your voice specifically.
[41:32]
Shane Madej
People want realness, I think. I think people are desperate for realness.
[41:36]
BBNO$
Well, there was such a long period of music just being basically so cookie cutter and, you know, like, the music's good, but now that there's so much music, you can get whatever you want. I remember someone was talking about, like, Japanese, like, cum metal or something like that. And it's like adding that to the list. If you want Japanese cum metal, like, go get Japanese cum metal. You know, it's like, whatever. Whatever that is.
[42:03]
Amanda Leighton
What the fuck is that?
[42:04]
BBNO$
And I have. I literally have no idea.
[42:07]
Amanda Leighton
Don't know.
[42:07]
Shane Madej
I'm looking it up, man.
[42:09]
BBNO$
And it's like, if you want.
[42:11]
Shane Madej
It's like that guy's lifting £500.
[42:15]
Amanda Leighton
Japanese cum metal.
[42:17]
Shane Madej
Japanese cum metal.
[42:23]
BBNO$
But you can find anything you want. Like, anything. So I. Yeah, I don't know. Music is beautiful, and I'm glad that you're finally getting into it. I am also. Dude, you listen to all my music.
[42:37]
Shane Madej
Yeah. So let's go through it.
[42:38]
BBNO$
That's. Fuck.
[42:39]
Amanda Leighton
I love this reaction so much.
[42:41]
Shane Madej
I don't feel like that's that crazy.
[42:42]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[42:42]
Amanda Leighton
Your music is good.
[42:43]
Shane Madej
No, no, no, no, no.
[42:44]
BBNO$
Surely. But, like, I got a lot of music.
[42:46]
Shane Madej
You do so have a lot of music.
[42:49]
BBNO$
A lot.
[42:52]
Shane Madej
But so the first song, like, you had a bunch of singles, like, for a long time. When did you start working with Young Gravy? Because I feel like so much of your music is with him.
[43:02]
Amanda Leighton
Yeah, that's a good.
[43:03]
BBNO$
So that was in, like, 2016. I basically, like, sent him a message and we just became friends kind of thing.
[43:11]
Shane Madej
Cool.
[43:12]
BBNO$
It was like we were both really low, low key at the time and then started working. We did, like, a couple songs and one song, like, really hit on SoundCloud and we were like, oh, shit. Like, maybe we have something here. And we just started doing a lot more songs together because it was just fun. Like when you make a song, it's like an undertaking.
[43:32]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[43:32]
BBNO$
But if someone else is doing half of it, you're like, fuck, all right, this is fun.
[43:35]
Shane Madej
Yeah, you're bouncing off.
[43:36]
BBNO$
Yeah, you're bouncing off each other. And it's like, it's. It just makes the process easier. I don't know how to explain it. It's like, easier and it's also usually just better because you don't have to listen to yourself the whole time.
[43:46]
Shane Madej
Yep, that's fair.
[43:47]
BBNO$
So it's kind of like a just, okay, check on the box. And we just became friends. I remember FaceTiming him on Facebook because I didn't have an iPhone because I had an Android. And. And he was like, you fucking loser. I was texting him green and I just. I just remember like FaceTiming him for the first time and he never showed his face. So he didn't show his face for two and a half years because he was working at like a. Yeah, he was working at a tech startup.
[44:12]
Shane Madej
So funny.
[44:14]
BBNO$
He didn't want to like reveal his face until it worked.
[44:17]
Shane Madej
Gravy with his whole Persona. Just working at a tech support company.
[44:22]
Amanda Leighton
Yeah, exactly.
[44:23]
BBNO$
So once he did that, or I remember facetiming, I was like, either he's like some 45 year old, like, father that is just like bored with his kids or. Or I have no idea. And I remember FaceTime. Okay, like, this makes sense.
[44:38]
Amanda Leighton
How tall is he?
[44:38]
BBNO$
He's tall as a motherfucker.
[44:40]
Shane Madej
Seven foot five.
[44:41]
BBNO$
No, no, he's six.
[44:43]
Amanda Leighton
Seven.
[44:43]
BBNO$
Yeah, he's like six, six, seven, six, eight.
[44:45]
Shane Madej
He's like, his vibe is so similar to you because I feel like he doesn't take himself seriously at all.
[44:49]
BBNO$
Yeah, yeah, it's interesting. It's like kind of a match made in heaven.
[44:53]
Amanda Leighton
Yeah.
[44:53]
BBNO$
Like, it's also been really beautiful to have someone that I can actually communicate with and be like, these are some stressors that I'm having in my life. Like, how did you deal with them?
[45:02]
Shane Madej
That's cool.
[45:03]
BBNO$
And it's like him and I like actually see eye on a lot of things. Some things we definitely don't, but that's just the nature of things. But it's interesting because it's like a lot of the times you don't really meet too many people in the music business that like, can communicate effectively, I would say. And it's been Interesting. My relationship with him is great. It's. It's beautiful. I'm so happy I have in my life kind of thing.
[45:27]
Shane Madej
Well, this there. Because the first song that I listened to that I was like, okay, I think this is one of my favorites. It was from 2017. I don't know if it's the one that you said blew up, but it's booming.
[45:36]
BBNO$
We have Boomin. Boomin's a good song.
[45:38]
Shane Madej
That song was sick because it's got this, like. It's got this cool, like, R and B, like, vibe, like, beat to it, which I love because I grew up, my parents listened to just, like, R and B and Motown and stuff. So that stuff's very nostalgic. I just loved it. I loved the way you guys rapped over it. I thought it was sick as hell. I was like, this one rocks.
[45:55]
BBNO$
That. That song was really funny. I remember him sending it to me, and I'd be like. Because, like, my beat, my normal beat selection is just more like.
[46:04]
Shane Madej
There's a little more like.
[46:05]
BBNO$
Yeah. It's a little more slow and whatnot. And I just remember him asking me, no joke. And I was going through finals at the time, like, no bullshit for, like, two months. And I was like, yeah, bro, I'll get to it. I was, like, kind of pushing. And then he called me, like, dude, fucking just do it. And I was at home, and my mom was like, yo, can you go mow the lawn? I was like. I was like, all right, I got you. After I mow the lawn. Came back in, did it in, like, 15, 20 minutes. Sent it back to me like, this is fire. Put it out the next day, and it, like, exploded.
[46:32]
Shane Madej
Really?
[46:33]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[46:33]
Shane Madej
That's badass. That's really bad.
[46:36]
Amanda Leighton
So that's more of his. Is that more of his vibe? Always. Is that, like, smoother?
[46:40]
BBNO$
Yeah, he goes more like smoothie vibes. And I go more like, be booby.
[46:45]
Amanda Leighton
Yeah, you're.
[46:46]
Shane Madej
Yeah. Because he doesn't do the fast stuff. Like, basically, you'll occasionally go really fast.
[46:51]
BBNO$
I'm. I'm more synthetic than he is. He's more. He's more like acoustic, I guess.
[46:55]
Shane Madej
Okay.
[46:56]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[46:57]
Amanda Leighton
Such a good mix, though.
[46:58]
BBNO$
Yeah. No, it. We. We blend pretty well together. Yeah.
[47:01]
Shane Madej
But you. You dropped, like, an album a year pretty much after that. Because 2018 was your first album. Baby steps. Then you had 1 in 29. Was 2019 recess or.
[47:10]
BBNO$
I had recess and I don't care at all.
[47:12]
Shane Madej
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[47:13]
BBNO$
Because I had la, la, la. And then I was like, okay, fuck I got another.
[47:16]
Shane Madej
That's right.
[47:16]
Amanda Leighton
Stuck in my head all the time.
[47:20]
Shane Madej
That shit blew up. Unlike all the song, you had songs that were big. But then that song was like, so good.
[47:27]
BBNO$
So I graduated June 7, 2019. I dropped that song that day. I remember my parents were like, okay, let's go for lunch. And I'm like, nope, going to go drop the song. And then my sister texted me saying in the car because she came to the graduation. She was like, what the fuck are you.
[47:41]
Amanda Leighton
Mom and dad are mad at you right now.
[47:42]
BBNO$
What are you doing? This is a moment for you. Like, why aren't we going to be together? And I was like, trust me, this is gonna change my life. And I went. And I remember eating a whole bag of honey Dijon chips, like the big one from the kettle chips. And I remember by the time I released it, I was like, oh. But I just remember lying in bed being like, I just graduated. Let's go get fucked up.
[48:06]
Shane Madej
And honey John chips.
[48:08]
BBNO$
Like, the next day, the song did like five times more than any song I've ever put out.
[48:13]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[48:14]
BBNO$
First day out and I was like, oh, shit. And then 10 days later, it was doing like a million and a half a day. And it was like the biggest. One of the biggest songs in the world. And I was like, whoa. And, yeah, my life, I was making really good money at the time. You know, I had recess out. I had a little bit of success, like, virally and stuff like that. And I was like, I was growing. I was growing, I was growing, I was growing. But that song just went like, yeah, they just took my career off, like, so fucking fast. But the interesting is. Interesting thing is, is I. So I didn't sign it. Ari signed it. And in this moment, I made some massive mistakes, like me not signing it. That means I didn't get any of, like, the actual, like, gatekeeper promotion.
[49:03]
Shane Madej
Sure.
[49:04]
BBNO$
So everything was gatekept. And also La La La was like one of the first TikTok songs. So all the people at radio stations were like, nah, man. Fuck TikTok.
[49:16]
Shane Madej
Damn.
[49:17]
BBNO$
We go payola or get hit the road, Jack. You know what I mean? So. But now it's like, if it's a TikTok song, it's going on the radio.
[49:24]
Amanda Leighton
Exactly.
[49:25]
BBNO$
So we were like. We were. We were like one of the first. And then also we didn't have a contract when the song came out. So when I went to China and I did a festival and I came back, it was interesting because when I got back, the label was all the labels were down our throats trying to sign the song. We were like, what the fuck is going on? Because there's no contract. And I was like, oh, because you're just indie. Yeah, it was just. I was like, oh, it's just 50, 50 with the producer. Like, what's the big deal? And I just remember just being like, supposedly in the label system now. There's something called. It's like the La LA deal. If somebody. Yeah. Somebody just drops a. Drops a song and there's no producer contracted or anything. There's no, like. Like contractual data or information for the label to, like, have clearances to like, be like, oh, yeah, let's just buy it off this guy. Now people call it like the law. Like, law situation.
[50:22]
Shane Madej
That's crazy. So you permanently changed the music industry a little bit.
[50:26]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[50:27]
Shane Madej
Yeah, that's.
[50:27]
BBNO$
It's cool.
[50:28]
Shane Madej
Crazy.
[50:28]
BBNO$
It's.
[50:29]
Shane Madej
Damn.
[50:30]
Amanda Leighton
I did not know that that had so much history. That song.
[50:33]
Shane Madej
That song is gigantic now that it's.
[50:35]
Amanda Leighton
Like, stuck in my head all the time. I'm like, oh, wow. Now I know the history of it.
[50:38]
BBNO$
That song basically, like, I remember my agent calling me and he was like, you're set for life, bro. You know that, right? And I'm like, what do you mean? He's like, no, you're, like, really set for life with this one. This is a. This is a super hit.
[50:55]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[50:56]
Amanda Leighton
And agents don't say that ever.
[50:58]
Shane Madej
I'm curious after because a question I ask with music a lot, a game I like to play is like, what song is going to be still, like a big song ten years from now? Because it's hard to know because songs can get big and whatever, but, like, it's been a long time since that song came out. Like, it's been like five years and it's still a big song. Like, it's. It doesn't seem like it's going to go away. You never know what's like.
[51:21]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[51:21]
Shane Madej
You know how like. Like Hit Me Baby One More Time by Britney Spears. Right? Like, it was gigantic at the time. But it's like, that doesn't mean it's going to be around in 10 years. But it's like, it's still gigantic. But it's like you just. I'm always. I love just thinking about that of, like, what's going to still be the song that we're listening to.
[51:38]
BBNO$
It's interesting because there is. There's so many records now that are like, flash in the pan kind of thing. It's like, boom. They're huge. And then they die.
[51:47]
Amanda Leighton
Yeah.
[51:48]
BBNO$
And then it's like, oh, I don't really care about that. But I think the one thing about La La La is. Was a shift in culture at the same time because TikTok was becoming such a normalized thing for everyone in everyone's day. And then when people think about TikTok or people think about Fortnite, there's like this weird, like, mesh. It's like Fortnite blew up in 2019 super, super, super hard. And then La La La. There was like a. Basically there. Basically the Fortnite community made montages to La La La and every single montage just exploded. And that was like a massive avenue promotion for me. And I used to have so many, like, Fortnite gamers being like, bro, thank you so much. Like, your song blew my. Blew my shit up. And it's like every time I post La La still people are like, man, this. This ran 2020. This ran 2019. And it's so interesting just like how people have nostalgia. And it's also crazy when people are like, yo, I was seven when that song dropped. Like, I see a comment, I'm like, that's fucking.
[52:54]
Shane Madej
Oh, that's smosh a lot. Like, dude, I grew up watching you. And I'm like, what?
[52:58]
BBNO$
Yeah, it's crazy. It's crazy.
[53:00]
Shane Madej
So you had all those albums. Then you had La La La, which was just a single, but 2020 is the album. Good Luck, have fun. That's the one where I think there's a song that I'm like, okay. I feel like this. Like, really, there's a song that. There's a song that, in that one was that this was, I think, my favorite song that you've ever dropped. It's kind of a random one I love, but it's react. It's Ima with Lentra from Good Luck. Have fun. It's got such a cool beat. Like, I don't know, it's just my. It's. I was just like listening to. I was like, oh, yeah, this one. This one slaps.
[53:34]
Amanda Leighton
You think this is the one that.
[53:35]
Shane Madej
I felt like before this, you had, like, you had a really sick vibe. But something about that song felt like it kicked into this. Like, there's just so many songs you drop nowadays. Especially like your recent to like it boy and little freak that. I'm just like, these are. This is like a fudgeing party banger. And like, Ima was the first one. I was like, this is. This is like a song you put on At a party and it's going to like up it to the next level. That's what I felt like. Whereas your other songs were like, these are really good, like rap songs hang out and it just like. I don't know, it just, it had a different. I don't know, I felt like there was a little bit of a different vibe. The same vibe, Just a little bit different.
[54:11]
BBNO$
No, I. A lot of people really like that song. I feel like it's just because it's bottled up and it's like speed.
[54:19]
Shane Madej
It's.
[54:19]
BBNO$
It's like, it's like as fast as, like as fast as I humanly can rap kind of thing. I was just spitting gibberish.
[54:26]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[54:26]
BBNO$
You know, it's like, it's a cool song. Also, the music video is great. I got Jimbo.
[54:31]
Shane Madej
I don't think I've watched the music. I just was listening to this.
[54:33]
BBNO$
It's me fully dragged up.
[54:36]
Shane Madej
That's awesome.
[54:36]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[54:37]
Shane Madej
Oh, wait, Yeah. I saw, I saw some huge ass tits.
[54:40]
BBNO$
It's so.
[54:41]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[54:45]
Amanda Leighton
That'S amazing.
[54:46]
BBNO$
Yeah, it was a really, really good time. I think that was the first time I've ever been like you. Okay, so I get noticed every so often in public. But I remember when I was in full drag, like I shaved my beard kind of thing, like full drink, five hours of makeup kind of thing. I didn't tuck because I was like, I'm just not gonna do that. But I was walking around in public in Victoria, B.C. and it's a really progressive city.
[55:12]
Amanda Leighton
I love Victoria.
[55:13]
BBNO$
Amazing.
[55:13]
Amanda Leighton
It's so beautiful.
[55:14]
BBNO$
So beautiful. And I just remember everyone was just howling at me and they were like, yeah, like, fuck it, you want free coffee? And I was like, I feel super famous.
[55:24]
Amanda Leighton
Were you in drag at that moment?
[55:25]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[55:27]
Amanda Leighton
Oh my God. So you're shooting the music video around Victoria?
[55:29]
BBNO$
Yeah, it was.
[55:31]
Amanda Leighton
That is. That was amazing.
[55:33]
BBNO$
That was like the most like famous I've ever felt. It was like, I was like, holy shit, man. Life pretty good.
[55:40]
Shane Madej
That's awesome.
[55:41]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[55:41]
Shane Madej
That's sick as fuck.
[55:42]
BBNO$
If anyone has the chance to actually do like super high level drag, I would recommend it to anyone.
[55:46]
Amanda Leighton
You should do it again.
[55:47]
BBNO$
I. Yeah, I. I mean, so in Philly, I made a promise to some guy that every single time, every guy. Some. No, he was in the mean green. He's like, hey, bro, like, you should do drag in Philly every time you come back. I was like, all right, so I'm just going to do. Every time I do a show in Philly, I'm Philly I'd love to see that in full drag. Yeah. I don't know why I agreed to it, but I'm like, fuck, I love.
[56:11]
Shane Madej
That you're going to honor this random guy's.
[56:13]
Amanda Leighton
It's weird what you agree to. Yeah, yeah, I'll totally do that.
[56:16]
BBNO$
Because it's also, like, fuck it. Why not? Who cares?
[56:19]
Amanda Leighton
No, I think you should.
[56:20]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[56:20]
Amanda Leighton
That sounds amazing.
[56:21]
BBNO$
Yeah, it's sick. So I. Yeah, I'm already, like, trying to. I remember we're booking for next year in 2025 to do a tour, and I was like, no, we got to do Philly because I got to do drag.
[56:31]
Shane Madej
He said what?
[56:32]
BBNO$
My agent was like, what? I'm like, all right, no, no, let's do it. Let's do it. So funny. Yeah.
[56:36]
Amanda Leighton
That's amazing.
[56:37]
Shane Madej
A random question I have is, is Baby Gravy the name of, like, you and Young Gravy combined? Because, like, a lot of you have a couple albums with him, and it's like, it says, Baby Gravy, Baby no Money, Young Gravy.
[56:48]
BBNO$
Oh. So. So you can just add that as like, an SEO thing on Spotify, but basically, like, us collaborating is called Baby Gravy.
[56:57]
Shane Madej
Got it. Okay.
[56:58]
BBNO$
I figured.
[56:58]
Shane Madej
I figured Baby Gravy.
[57:00]
BBNO$
It's kind of disgusting.
[57:01]
Shane Madej
I just listening to it, I was like. I was like, where's Baby Gravy? Come in.
[57:04]
Amanda Leighton
Where. Where is Baby Gravy?
[57:07]
Shane Madej
Which one is Baby Gravy? I'm listening for Baby Gravy.
[57:10]
BBNO$
Imagine if it was like, a mix of both our voices honestly cooked in a fusion dance. Yeah. Yeah.
[57:16]
Shane Madej
The next song that I really liked is. I felt like this is more Young Gravy's type of vibe, but I thought you were really awesome on it. Is what's up from Eat yout Veggies. Really dig that song.
[57:26]
BBNO$
That song is really good. Yeah. It's weird because I remember when I made that song, I was like, I really, really like the basis of what this song is. But it just, like, didn't do well for whatever reason. And I was like, I really thought the song was going to do better. But that's something that. It's also interesting. Cause it's like, if you like something.
[57:43]
Amanda Leighton
I know.
[57:43]
BBNO$
I was just gonna say other people might not.
[57:46]
Amanda Leighton
Normally the thing that I love the most, people are like, yeah.
[57:49]
Shane Madej
I'm like, it's always crazy to me.
[57:50]
Amanda Leighton
What?
[57:50]
Shane Madej
Yeah, yeah.
[57:51]
Amanda Leighton
Why? Why is that? I don't.
[57:54]
BBNO$
It's like, for instance, like, this it Boy song I put out recently. Like, people really are fucking with it, like, probably more than most of my songs, like, ever.
[58:02]
Amanda Leighton
I loved it, boy. It's really good.
[58:03]
BBNO$
I remember before I put it out, I was like, I like it, but is it too tech housey? I don't know.
[58:09]
Amanda Leighton
It is tech housey, but I'm kind of into it.
[58:12]
BBNO$
It's a good song.
[58:12]
Shane Madej
It Boy rocks because it's very similar to Ima. I think it's that type of, like, amped up.
[58:17]
BBNO$
You're gonna really like the next, like, five songs from me then.
[58:19]
Shane Madej
Fuck yeah.
[58:20]
Amanda Leighton
I can't wait to see your videos of your next songs if you're making them into, like, a movie.
[58:24]
BBNO$
Oh. So I'm doing, like, six songs this year that are all singles. And then the. The Y2K project is. It all kind of has one tone because he produced it all. Whereas, like, It Boy was produced by two different guys, and then the other song beforehand was produced by another person. So there's gonna be, like, a contextualization to it all.
[58:42]
Shane Madej
Cool.
[58:42]
BBNO$
So. And then I'm thinking about shaving my head and growing my beard out, wearing aviators and always having a cigar in my mouth and, like, oiling my body up in every video.
[58:51]
Shane Madej
Yeah, man. Okay, cool.
[58:54]
BBNO$
Baby.
[58:55]
Amanda Leighton
No, daddy.
[58:57]
BBNO$
Think about Brad Pitt and Fight Club. That's kind of like.
[59:00]
Amanda Leighton
Were we just talking about this?
[59:02]
Shane Madej
Brad Pitt and Fight Club did not have a beard and oily face.
[59:04]
BBNO$
No, no, no, no.
[59:05]
Amanda Leighton
But I'm thinking the button.
[59:06]
BBNO$
I've been working out, like, religiously.
[59:08]
Shane Madej
Okay.
[59:08]
BBNO$
So I've been trying to, like, really watch what I eat and, like, so much of weight and look like Brad Pitt in Fight Club.
[59:14]
Shane Madej
Badass. Okay.
[59:15]
Amanda Leighton
We were just talking about Brad Pitt, and he's the hottest he's ever been in Legends of the Fall.
[59:20]
Shane Madej
Yeah, we agreed Legend of the Fall was his peak.
[59:22]
BBNO$
Yeah, he's. He's stupid hot. That guy is uncomfortably good looking.
[59:27]
Amanda Leighton
He's. He's very hot. Yeah, but he's.
[59:29]
Shane Madej
But you had to take. You had to take that Ocean's Eleven. He wasn't that.
[59:31]
Amanda Leighton
Was that.
[59:32]
Shane Madej
Not even that good.
[59:34]
Amanda Leighton
He was fine.
[59:34]
Shane Madej
Kind of crazy.
[59:35]
Amanda Leighton
He was fine.
[59:36]
Shane Madej
All right, moving on. Another one of my favorites is Chipotle. I feel like that's, like, peak, like, you guys not giving a fuck.
[59:44]
BBNO$
Yeah, that was. I wrote that. We wrote that song in, like, like, 18 minutes.
[59:49]
Shane Madej
That's awesome. Yeah, I was always. I'm always so curious, like, when you're working on an album, like, are you waking up and working on music all day every day, or is it kind of like, like, Spurts of inspiration. And you're just kind of like.
[60:03]
BBNO$
So, yeah, music sessions are like, hey, come over at 2. And if we get nowhere in, like, two hours, we kind of just give up.
[60:11]
Shane Madej
Interesting.
[60:12]
Amanda Leighton
That's so smart. Because I feel like after two hours, you keep pushing. Cause you're like, well, I'm not gonna leave without anything. But you should just give up after two hours.
[60:20]
Shane Madej
Yeah, should. That's interesting. But, like, do you work? Do you have. Are you given time limits when you're working on an album? Is it like, oh, this is due this time?
[60:28]
BBNO$
I give myself, like, a generalized time limit because release schedules and like, promotion, it goes, like, on a monthly basis kind of thing. It's like, if a song doesn't do well and you keep promoting it, you're like kind of beating a dead horse. So it's like, move on to the next one kind of thing. So at least from my perspective, it's like, drop 10 songs a year, have, like a month off kind of thing. And then usually if I'm dropping an album, I personally, like, doing like three months of an album cycle or like four months, where it's like one song every two weeks. So you're like, really in people's faces. Okay. And then it's just like, you know, you're kind of just in the conscience of your fans.
[61:13]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[61:14]
BBNO$
But, yeah, I don't know. There's no right rhyme or reason behind anything. Like, you could, for instance, like, my end goal, long story short, I was having a conversation with this girl I'm seeing, and she was like, what happens if your career goes apeshit over the next five years? Like, do you foresee us, like, being together kind of thing? And I'm like, if anything, if my career goes apeshit, that means I can just do less. So I, like, look at Playboy, Cartier, Frank Ocean, though. Motherfuckers do nothing.
[61:44]
Shane Madej
I love Frank Ocean. Quite literally. Yeah.
[61:46]
BBNO$
Like, does nothing. Literally.
[61:49]
Amanda Leighton
And I still listen.
[61:49]
BBNO$
Nothing. Exactly. So it's like, he's like, you know what? Maybe I'll make a tweet. Haha album. Biggest thing in the world. And it's like, all right, man. Like, sick.
[61:59]
Shane Madej
I think about that with some YouTubers who just can drop a video once a year and it's the biggest thing ever.
[62:05]
Amanda Leighton
That's the way to live, though.
[62:07]
BBNO$
Well, it's. It's unrealistic.
[62:10]
Shane Madej
Totally.
[62:11]
BBNO$
It's. It's.
[62:12]
Amanda Leighton
It's.
[62:12]
BBNO$
It's like some people.
[62:14]
Amanda Leighton
Yeah, for some.
[62:15]
Shane Madej
If you're lucky. And that happens.
[62:16]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[62:17]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[62:17]
Amanda Leighton
I don't know.
[62:17]
Shane Madej
If.
[62:18]
Amanda Leighton
I don't know if I could do that. I love what I do.
[62:21]
Shane Madej
Well, also, some people just go like, so what I'm obsessed with is like authors and like, oh, yeah, that's. I love books. But I was. I'm reading a book by Brandon Sanderson right now and this guy writes so goddamn much, he's dropping books all the time. And he'll just be like, oh, I wrote a secret book. I didn't tell anyone that I was writing a book. I got another one and I was researching. I was like, before he had a book published, he had written 13 novels. And he's still just. And he's like, he's gotta have so many millions of dollars. He's. He's got so many tons of bestsellers, but he just. Just keeps doing it. He just doesn't stop. Same with Stephen King. It's like some people, they're successful and they just. That's just how they work. And some people, once they're successful, they don't.
[63:02]
Amanda Leighton
Stephen King, I read about him. So he writes all these short stories and he says if he's in the middle of a book and he like gets an inspiration for a short story, he will stop and then write the short story and then go back to it.
[63:13]
Shane Madej
It's insane. No, that's.
[63:14]
Amanda Leighton
He'll just like go back and forth.
[63:16]
Shane Madej
Mind boggling to me.
[63:17]
BBNO$
The King.
[63:17]
Shane Madej
Steve K. Back to this really quick. The. The last song because obviously also two truly of my favorite songs. Viewers are it Boy and Little Freak. Those are truly two of my favorite because they're so pretty.
[63:31]
BBNO$
Well this year then.
[63:32]
Shane Madej
Yeah, dude, I'm digging this vibe. But the other one, this is the song Courtney was listening to a ton and it is awesome. Is you need Jesus. That song is so.
[63:41]
Amanda Leighton
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I've heard that song.
[63:43]
BBNO$
Yeah, that song rips.
[63:45]
Shane Madej
That song is really sick. And then you know, obviously like Edamame and stuff is awesome. But those are my favorites and I did listen to all of it, but it boys all your.
[63:54]
BBNO$
Yeah. What do you.
[63:56]
Amanda Leighton
That's amazing.
[63:57]
BBNO$
Did you listen to. Yeah, like also like listening to my music in that much detail. Like, dude.
[64:04]
Shane Madej
But I listen to it all. But I will say, like, I am not. I'm still not great. And I listen to it all like once. Some songs I listen to a bunch. Like I've listened to it boy a ton. Listen to Little Freak a ton. I've listened to Edamame a ton. Ima I listened to a bunch of times, but I'm still not great. At, like, listening for lyrics or, like, deciphering the music. I'm truly just listening to it and vibing to it so I don't have, like, a breakdown to a detailed level.
[64:30]
Amanda Leighton
Well, you kind of just did, to.
[64:32]
Shane Madej
The best of my degree.
[64:33]
BBNO$
Did you listen to the albums, like, one album at a time?
[64:36]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[64:36]
BBNO$
Yeah. Okay. What was your favorite? Like.
[64:41]
Shane Madej
It'S interesting because then if I'm going, like, by. It all blurs together because I just was like, I would finish an album, I'd start the next. But if I were to pick, like, an album, then I don't know, in a way, like, some of your early ones are fun to listen to, like, all the way through. Then, like, a recess or, like. But I don't know if I have a favorite album because, like, I was just picking up, like, songs. Do you have one that you cherish?
[65:11]
BBNO$
It's interesting because Recess was, like, right when I blew up.
[65:15]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[65:15]
BBNO$
Kind of thing. So everyone's always. A recess is you're, like, most influential album because it's like. Because you took a sound and ran with it.
[65:23]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[65:23]
BBNO$
And it's like, it. My fans are definitely right about that one. I don't know. I do think I Don't Care at All has, like, a great place in my heart where I think that music stands up super, super well to this day. It's like. It's like Y2K and I tried to really just touch every genre, and we're kind of doing that again on this next album, so that's fun. But, I mean, I don't know. The first album was obviously one of, like, my first things where I put together, and I was like. It was a ginormous undertaking, and I understood the intricacies of having to put an album together. So there's a place in my heart there.
[66:04]
Amanda Leighton
Special.
[66:04]
BBNO$
But I don't know. I. I don't really critique my music, like, that much. Once it's out is out. I definitely think. I definitely think my worst album is Good Luck. Have Fun for.
[66:14]
Shane Madej
Really.
[66:15]
BBNO$
I think. I think I just, like, it was. It was a Covid album. I was, like, reluctant to, like, not, like, waste songs and not put things out. And now I'm being like, I just made basically 100 songs, and I. I'm only banking, like, six to put out this year.
[66:29]
Shane Madej
Wow.
[66:30]
BBNO$
So it's like, now I'm being way more intentional, and it's paying off like, crazy, so. Cause, like, if you put a song out and you flop it and it's just not good or something. Like that. Because you're trying to just put out all your music because you're so emotionally attached to it, then you might. You know, you waste like that. Period.
[66:51]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[66:52]
BBNO$
Where is it a waste? I don't know. Is it art? Yeah. But it's also a business. Right. So.
[66:57]
Amanda Leighton
Right.
[66:57]
BBNO$
I kind of. I unfortunately, view it like that sometimes.
[67:01]
Amanda Leighton
But I think that's smart to do that, because if you emotionally attach yourself to each project that you do, it's gonna wear you down over time. Like, you have to throw out so much shit against the wall and then take like, oh, there's one good thing out of here.
[67:14]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[67:15]
Amanda Leighton
And I think that if you. If you put all your love and soul into every little thing, you're just gonna be exhausted.
[67:24]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[67:24]
Shane Madej
Yeah.
[67:24]
BBNO$
No, totally.
[67:25]
Amanda Leighton
So I think that's smart.
[67:26]
BBNO$
Yeah.
[67:27]
Shane Madej
Well, damn.
[67:28]
Amanda Leighton
Damn.
[67:28]
BBNO$
Well, damn. Thank you for listening to my music, man. That's great, bro.
[67:31]
Shane Madej
It's. It rocks.
[67:32]
Amanda Leighton
Good. Your voice sounds.
[67:34]
Shane Madej
So I guess I'll listen to this music.
[67:36]
BBNO$
No, no, but, like. But. But it is interesting because it's like, I don't. I don't know how to explain. I'm sure you guys feel this too. It's like when you meet people that are like, oh, like, I actually, like, really like your music. It's like, what the.
[67:48]
Shane Madej
I, you know, I do feel that I do.
[67:51]
BBNO$
It's, like, weird when people go, I.
[67:52]
Amanda Leighton
Listen to Smoshmouth religiously every single Monday. I'm like, what?
[67:57]
Shane Madej
There is definitely a part of me that's like, why? Like, I'm just like, you're entertained by that. I, I. It's. It's tough. Like, there is that voice, but, like.
[68:04]
Amanda Leighton
I said that if there's people that I am, like, a fan of and I'm watching and they. They are talking normally as people, I would fucking watch it every Monday, too. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, I think that there's a realness, that there's a connection that we have and that people really want to see and connect to. And it's like, I've started to get better at receiving that stuff rather than being like, huh, are you all right? I've started being like, oh, okay, cool. I'll keep going.
[68:33]
BBNO$
Yeah. There's like, this weird, like, external validation thing that is like a. It's like a constant. The constant validation is super interesting because you only really notice a negative.
[68:44]
Amanda Leighton
I know.
[68:45]
BBNO$
It's so fucking weird. And there's, like, 2 million people listen my music every day on Spotify. It's, like, so cool. It's like, what the fuck? And then I see a comment, hey, yo, this shit's cringe, bro. And I'm like, ah, not the cringe. I know.
[69:00]
Amanda Leighton
And you go to bed thinking about that one comment. You just focus.
[69:03]
Shane Madej
And they know. They know what they did.
[69:06]
BBNO$
Yeah. They're just sitting there.
[69:07]
Shane Madej
They only said it. Cause they know. Like, thank you so much for being here, man. Thank you so much for being in so many smosh things.
[69:13]
BBNO$
Yeah, dude, I. I'm blessed. Thank you guys for having me.
[69:17]
Amanda Leighton
We're blessed, baby. No money.
[69:19]
BBNO$
Well, should we all hold hands?
[69:21]
Shane Madej
Let's all hold hands, guys. Listen to it, boy.
[69:23]
Amanda Leighton
I can't reach you.
[69:24]
BBNO$
Friends? Family?
[69:25]
Amanda Leighton
Finger? No, no.
[69:27]
Shane Madej
My gross finger.
[69:27]
BBNO$
What happened to your finger?
[69:28]
Shane Madej
I cut it off with a vegetable peeler.
[69:30]
BBNO$
Ah.
[69:30]
Shane Madej
Had to have it sewn back on. Thank you so much. Your music rocks. Listen to it, boy. And listen to the other songs. You're going to be dropping other songs soon, I'm guessing. All right.
[69:44]
Amanda Leighton
Okay.
[69:45]
Shane Madej
All right, we'll see you later. Bye.
[69:46]
BBNO$
Bye. That's me, that's right. That's me, that's right.