Best Of 2024 Full Interview: October London Talks New Album, Death Row Records; Working With Snoop,'The Rebirth Of Marvin,' + More

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club – Best Of 2024 Full Interview with October London

Introduction

In the December 24, 2024 episode of The Breakfast Club, hosted by DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God from iHeartPodcasts, the spotlight is on October London. The episode delves deep into October London's musical journey, his recent signing with Death Row Records, collaborations with industry legends like Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, and insights into his latest projects, including the highly anticipated album Rebirth of Marvin.

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1. Signing with Death Row Records

DJ Envy opens the conversation by congratulating October on signing with the iconic Death Row Records, sparking questions about how the deal came to fruition.

DJ Envy [03:03]: "Now you're signing the Death Row?"

October London recounts his initial skepticism and the serendipitous path that led him to Death Row.

October London [04:50]: "This was 2016. And the night before the Super Bowl, he hit me up and was like, yo, I got that person online... it was big homie Snoop Dogg, man."

He describes the pivotal moment when Snoop Dogg, an enduring figure in hip-hop, recognized his talent and decided to bring him on board, signaling the beginning of a transformative partnership.

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2. Collaborations with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre

The discussion shifts to October's collaborations with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, highlighting the creative synergy between them.

October London [11:12]: "I'm actually on the new Dre and Snoop album that's coming out this year."

He expresses pride in contributing to projects with these legends and shares his enthusiasm for their upcoming releases.

October London [11:20]: "The album sounds incredible, by the way. So shout out to Dre."

October emphasizes the supportive and collaborative environment fostered by Snoop Dogg, which has been instrumental in his artistic growth.

October London [21:20]: "He was like, I'm a big fan... I'm actually a happy artist."

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3. Rebirth of Marvin Album

A significant portion of the interview delves into October London's album, Rebirth of Marvin. He explains the inspiration behind the project and addresses the comparisons to Marvin Gaye.

October London [12:33]: "Rebirth of Marvin was done in a week. I pretty much freestyled the whole thing."

Despite initial fears of being compared to the legendary Marvin Gaye, October clarifies his intentions and artistic direction.

October London [16:59]: "We're going to figure it out along the way, but you're going to be the first person that."

He candidly discusses feedback from Marvin Gaye's sister, Zola Gaye, and how it ultimately led to a broader recognition and acceptance of his work.

October London [15:47]: "We have to stop this... they ended up getting on a call together... they completely support you."

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4. Acting on Empire

October London's foray into acting is explored, particularly his role on the popular TV show Empire. He shares his experiences and challenges faced during his time on the show.

October London [30:30]: "That was my first time doing any type of acting. Snoop was like, y'all, I'm gonna... We're gonna add you to Empire."

He reflects on the unexpected opportunities and the subsequent impact of controversies surrounding the show.

October London [31:44]: "That's when Jesse messed it up for me, I was pissed."

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5. Doggieland for Kids

Highlighting his versatility, October discusses his involvement in Doggieland for Kids, a children's project that merges education with entertainment.

October London [34:03]: "We ended up doing that, and Snoop came in. He was like, who is the kid? I was like, it's my son, your nephew."

He conveys the joy and fulfillment derived from creating content aimed at younger audiences, emphasizing family and creativity.

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6. Personal Background and Family Support

October London opens up about his roots in South Bend, Indiana, and the unwavering support from his family, which has been pivotal to his success.

October London [07:13]: "Family, friends, everybody's been supportive."

He shares anecdotes about his father's musical legacy and how growing up in a musically rich household influenced his artistry.

October London [07:44]: "I grew up on... Earth, Wind and Fire... Miles Davis. I'm all across the board."

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7. Future Projects and Artistic Vision

Looking ahead, October London discusses his upcoming album October Nights and his vision for evolving as an artist.

October London [17:24]: "October London is... This new album, October Nights, it's more of a transitional album."

He articulates his approach to music creation, emphasizing spontaneity and emotional expression over adhering to trends.

October London [18:26]: "So, you have to make some noise."

Additionally, he touches upon his ongoing projects, including the Historical Records podcast aimed at educating younger generations through engaging storytelling.

October London [34:52]: "We ended up doing that, and Snoop came in... I'm the co-creator of Doggieland."

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8. Overcoming Challenges and Maintaining Authenticity

Throughout the interview, October London candidly discusses the challenges faced in his career, including handling comparisons to legendary artists and maintaining his unique identity.

October London [24:35]: "I'm super, super competitive... You don't have to be like, you know, you have to be so hard on yourself."

He emphasizes the importance of authenticity and staying true to his artistic vision despite external pressures.

October London [25:09]: "Exactly. That's exactly what I was thinking when."

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9. Community and Cultural Impact

October London highlights his commitment to his community and the cultural significance of his work, particularly in bridging generational gaps through music and storytelling.

October London [43:04]: "And Snoop rode consistently... There's no competition, man."

He reflects on his role in the music industry and his desire to inspire others through his versatile projects.

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Conclusion

The episode concludes with October London reaffirming his dedication to his craft and his roots in South Bend, Indiana. He expresses gratitude for the support from his family and peers, and excitement for the future projects that continue to shape his career.

October London [46:37]: "Good morning."

Notable Quotes Recap:

• DJ Envy [03:03]: "Now you're signing the Death Row?"
• October London [04:50]: "This was 2016... it was big homie Snoop Dogg, man."
• October London [12:33]: "Rebirth of Marvin was done in a week. I pretty much freestyled the whole thing."
• October London [07:13]: "Family, friends, everybody's been supportive."
• October London [17:24]: "October London is... This new album, October Nights, it's more of a transitional album."
• October London [24:35]: "I'm super, super competitive... You don't have to be like, you know, you have to be so hard on yourself."

This comprehensive discussion offers listeners valuable insights into October London's artistic journey, his strategic alliances within the music industry, and his unwavering commitment to personal and professional growth.

Transcript

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[DJ Envy]

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[October London]

Wake that ass up early in the morning.

[DJ Envy]

The Breakfast Club.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy Jess. Hilarious. Charlemagne, the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. Jess is on maternity leave. Lauren LaRosa's filling in. And we got our niece with us today. Nyla.

[October London]

Big Nyla.

[DJ Envy]

All right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And we got a special guest in the building. We have October London. Welcome, brother.

[DJ Envy]

What's up? What's up?

[October London]

Good morning, sir.

[DJ Envy]

Good morning.

[October London]

How you feeling?

[DJ Envy]

I feel good. Feel good, man.

[October London]

Is it hard to put on a double vested suit and tie ensemble in the morning?

[DJ Envy]

Not at all. Not at all. I actually love it. Yeah.

[October London]

Fresh look.

[DJ Envy]

Very fresh look. Yeah, for sure. Sometimes I sleep in it on the bus.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Now you're signing the Death Row?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

With Snoop.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Now talk about how you got the deal and. And how he heard you and how that all came together for people that don't know.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah. Yeah. So I was actually on my way to graduating truck driving school.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Trucking school.

[DJ Envy]

Trucking school. I. No, I quit right before I did it. Sometimes, though. Yeah. I was a bot.

[October London]

Truckers. I just don't like how they drive.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, yeah. It's a lot to it. But I. I was about to. I didn't. I didn't do it because I end up linking up with Jazzy Faye. I end up, you know, linking up with him through a friend of a friend, and I got his number, and I text him like, yo, I got these records, you know, blah, blah, blah. But I was sending them records. They were rap records. They were records for future. They were records for all these other artists.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You were producing?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, yeah, I was producing. You know, I was writing them also. Yeah, yeah. Putting hooks on them. And I happened to just kind of sneak in one of my songs that I did called Colorblind, that had that kind of Marvin Lane, and I sent it to him. I just waited, and he hit me back and was like, yo, you got some. You got some heat. You know, I'm linking up with somebody. He didn't tell me who it was. He was like, I'm not gonna tell you who it is or anything like that, but I'm looking with somebody, like, really important legend in the game. I might play it for him. I was like, oh, awesome. Cool.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You thought it was B.S.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, yeah. You know, it's. I've been through the ringer, you know, so I'm like, all right, cool. Whatever. Whatever, you know, So I kept going back to school, all that kind of stuff as Far as trucking and come by, we kept, you know, conversation on and off. So that was like. That was like December when I got to talking to him first. So fast forward to about February. And he hit me up, and he was like, yo, you remember I told you I was gonna play your records for someone? I was like, yeah. He was like, I'm gonna have him call you, or we're gonna call you together, and you can talk to him, and he can, you know, tell you what's up. I was like, all right, cool.

[October London]

What year was this?

[DJ Envy]

This was 2016. Now, okay, 16. Yeah. Yep. This 16. And the night before the super bowl, he hit me up and was like, yo, I got that person online. Hold on just a second. And he was with him, and he was like, yo, it's the big homie Snoop Dogg, man. I'm a big fan. I was like, oh, how did you feel? I honestly, I was like, this. This gotta be a joke. You know, at that point, I'm like, nah, this can't be real. And, yeah, it was. It was real. And he was like, yo, I'm gonna fly you out. Me and Jazzy gonna link up, talk about, you know, how we're gonna do this? We're gonna do it together. I said, okay, cool. And a couple days after that, he was like, yeah, we're gonna fly you out around March. So, you know, I got there March 16, 2016, and that was a rap. That's when I met him.

[October London]

But why? Why just throw away the cdl dream? We need a lot more trouble.

[DJ Envy]

Shut up, man.

[October London]

But, I mean, he was right there.

[DJ Envy]

He was right there. I was right there. But I don't know. It just wasn't. It wasn't. Wasn't for me at that. I mean, I'm not gonna pass up opportunity to ask Newt.

[October London]

I guess the question I'm really asking about is just faith. Like, how does your discernment say, man, even though I've been doing this for so long and I'm right there, I'm gonna have faith in this situation over here to come through.

[DJ Envy]

I don't know. I. I believe in God. So I just kind of was going off of him, and I really was like, no, this is gonna be messed up. You need to go stick with this. Do the nine to five. It's just gonna be another obstacle. You're not gonna make it. The same thing I've been doing for years at this point, I've been, oh, it's about to be on. Oh, now it's not happening. Oh, it's about to be on. Oh, I've done that several times over. So at first I was kind of skeptical. I was like, man, you're gonna go out here, Snoop's gonna hear your music. He's gonna say, okay, cool. You're gonna do one song. It's not gonna go nowhere. What I'm thinking a million things. And it just happened, you know, it just. We got there. Me and him clicked, you know, me and him both are libras. So we did one song. He played one beat. He's like, yo, I want you to hear this track. He played it. We got a. It's called Top Down. Think it's out so still. And he played that record, and I instantly started, you know, writing to it. And I had a hook really quick. And he was like, damn, okay, all right. He's like, going to studio and, you know, record it. Went in there, recorded it. He put his verse on there. He's like, all right, let me do something else. Put another beat. And then I did that one really quick. And he was like, okay, so you got a little work ethic. And then me and him for the next six months, maybe three to six months, just back and forth, working on each other's work ethic, just. He was like, okay, you're for real. You're for real.

[Lauren LaRosa]

How did your family feel about you being like, okay, I was this close, but I'm gonna just go over here and do this thing. Because they've been riding the waves with you, right?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, yeah, they've been riding the waves with me for a long time, but they've been really supportive. Family, friends, everybody's been supportive. I don't know how many times I've called my boy Jamie.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But they in the business, though. Your mom's a singer, your dad's a.

[DJ Envy]

My dad was. My dad was in the business. Yeah, my dad was in the business. He toured and, you know, toured with Earth, Wind and Fire and all that. Probably opening up for him, something like that. But it never really reached this level. So he's ecstatic.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Got you. So that's where you're so full. Like, your household was full of music.

[DJ Envy]

Absolutely.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I hear it in all of.

[DJ Envy]

Absolutely. Yeah. I grew up on before even listening to even rap or even Snoop or anything. I was listening to Earth, Wind and Fire. I was listening to Confunction. I was just not, you know, so many artists. Frankie Beverly, rest in Peace, you know. So I've been listening to old school for a while, and then I started listening to jazz and I started getting into that more. A little bit of Miles Davis. So as far as music goes, I'm all across the board.

[Nyla]

Now, you also, were you before you got the call to go to la? Because how does the truck driver connect with Jazzy Faye?

[DJ Envy]

Well, I mean, you know, it was just because my boy knew somebody that knew some. It was. It was that whole you got to know somebody kind of aspect to it. So, you know, my boy DeMarco Black called me and was like, yo, come over to the house. I got this contact. I was like, all right, cool. I was like, I really don't want to do this, man. I'm doing this. I'm about to do this nine to five thing, man. I'm tired. I don't want to, you know, went over there. I was like, okay, cool, let's. Let's make this call. And then we end up making the call, and it just worked out.

[Nyla]

Were you doing all of this in Indiana, or did you, like, venture out to another city?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, I was doing all this in South Bend, Indiana.

[October London]

Yeah, South Bend, Indiana. That's where Mayor Pete used to be. The Pete Buttigieg used to be?

[DJ Envy]

That's right. Yeah. Yeah, he gave me the proclamation before he dipped out of office.

[October London]

What kind of time is that? That must be, like, a progressive time if they elected the first. Well, I don't know if he's the first gay man. Well, he had to be the first gay man. South Bend, right?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah. I mean, it's. Yeah. You have Notre Dame. I live right across the street from Notre Dame, so. Yeah, so you have that. But, yeah, it's a college town is where, you know, it's not too small and it's not. It's not a big town at all, but. Yeah.

[October London]

He gave you what, a key to the city or.

[DJ Envy]

No, no, he gave me the option. He said, either I can give you the key to the city because he had heard colorblind and saw where I was going with it. And it's not. South Bend is definitely not musically inclined at all. It's more sports. It's Notre Dame, or it's Colts, or it's all that kind of stuff. So he was like, you can either have a key to the city. You can have the proclamation. I was like, okay, well, was the key to the city even open up? He's like, you know, nothing, but you can have this proclamation. I was like, really?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Accident?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah. Yeah. I was like, well, I mean, I knew, but I was just. I was kind of being, you know, I was joking.

[Coca Cola Advertiser]

Jokey. With him.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah. What door is that? What is this? Are you. You know, what am I getting off of this? And he was like, no, it's just, you know, I was like, no. I was like, no, I'm good. I was like, what's the proclamation?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But go ahead.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah. I was like, just let it.

[October London]

Just go.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Just let it go.

[October London]

He's a great dude. The secondary piece of great dude.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, yeah, no, no, he's good. He's good. So he was like, the proclamation. You have your own day and they have to celebrate you for the rest of your life on this day. And I was like, I'll take that now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You signed the Death Row?

[Coca Cola Advertiser]

Was.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Were you nervous to sign the Death Row? Because this was the relaunch of Death Row. And I'm sure, you know, with icons like PAC and Snoop and DPG and all that, I'm sure people were assuming the first one was going to be a rapper, right? A hardcore rapper.

[DJ Envy]

But it was. It was you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Was you nervous at all?

[DJ Envy]

Absolutely, yeah. I. I just knew I was in the room when he was finishing the call, like, deals done. Okay, cool. I was like, bet. Oh, this is going to be dope for you, man. You know, you're going to find some dope rapper out of LA or at somewhere like that. And he was like, no, no, no, it's gonna be you. I'm like, what? Like, that don't even make sense. This is gangsta rap label. Like, I thought we was doing this other thing. He was like, no, no, no. You're gonna be the flagship for Death Row.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I was like, ah, Jesus Christ, I better learn how to crib.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, like, you know, I'm working on it, but I'm just like, man, I don't know if that's gonna work out, but it's Snoop. You kind of roll with that. And it worked out. It was just. We were like, we're gonna put out this R B album, whatever this R B album was going to be. We didn't figure out what it was. He knows I'm a multi genre artist, so he's like, we're going to figure it out along the way, but you're going to be the first person that.

[Nyla]

We put out any Death Row, like legacy, like Dr. Dre or Suge, like, commented on your work.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, Dr. Dre has for sure. Yeah, yeah. I've been in the studio with Dr. Dre several times. I'm actually on the new Dre and Snoop album that's coming out this year.

[October London]

Missionary.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, Missionary. Crazy title. I love it. I love it. So I've been able to hear that whole album in full. And that album sounds incredible, by the way. So shout out to Dre.

[October London]

It's on that level, is it? Because, you know, a lot of expectation. Dre and Snoop, they saying it's a follow up to Doggy Style. It's a lot of expectation.

[DJ Envy]

It's. It's amazing.

[October London]

It meets the mark.

[DJ Envy]

It. Yeah, it hits the mark, definitely. So, you know Dre. Dre definitely loves my music. I've played him other stuff too, but he. He really loves. And even that track that I'm on is very Marvin Gaye esque because he, you know, he loves Marvin.

[Nyla]

Wait, now I'm being nosy. Is the project cohesive? Like, is there a message with missionary? Or like, I don't want to give too much.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, I don't want to give too much. I don't want to, you know, I don't need Drake calling me. I do not need that.

[October London]

What happened with the Marvin Gaye, Wasn't Dre doing the mar. What? They were doing a Marvin Gaye movie and he was doing the soundtrack. Were you involved in that?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, yeah, that's what I heard. I heard that there was a soundtrack or something like that or a movie, but I don't know where it was going. And I think I was going to be a part of that, but I haven't really heard anything on it, so. I don't know.

[October London]

When you put out the rebirth of Marvin, I thought you was Bug.

[DJ Envy]

I know. I saw it.

[October London]

I saw it because I felt like you was putting too much pressure on yourself. Because when you compare yourself to mythical, iconic ghosts like Marvin, that's an impossible bar to reach. So what was your mindset when you put that up?

[DJ Envy]

I didn't. That album was not supposed to come out. That album was not. I wasn't trying to be Marvin. Not trying to fill his shoes. I'm not trying to do any of that. That's not what I was trying to do. Like I said, I'm multi genre artist. I just go off of vibes. So if I'm feeling, oh, today I'm going to do pop today, then I'm gonna go in the studio, probably knock out a whole pop album real quick. And I'm gonna go ahead and set it aside. Cause that's what I'm feeling. So I go off of feeling, you know, feeling the music and what I'm, you know, what I'm feeling at that time. So I was in the studio and if You've been to Snoop's compound. He plays music 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through the hallways. And at that time, I was in the studio just going through stuff and trying to figure out what track I was gonna do next. And Marvin played, like, three, four times. So then instantly in my head, I'm already in that zone. So I was like, okay, cool. Then Snoop sent over a track, and I was like, oh, this is dope. And then I started doing it, and I was like, oh, it sounds a little bit Marvin, but I'm just gonna keep doing it. Whatever. Liked it so much that I was like, I'm do another track. And then Snoop came in and was like, yo, this is really dope. Let me know when you, you know, finish with it. Cause he knows I like to work in, like, I like to work in spurts. So I don't do just one track and go to the next. Like, I'm like, well, if I'm. I've done two, I might as well do eight more and make it an alb. And I just put it up. A bunch of records just put up. I finished the record in, like, a week. Rebirth of Marvin was done in a week. I pretty much freestyled the whole thing. As far as freestyling, I know it's different, but it's like going up to the mic and just kind of saying what I feel. Did that, like, back to your place was done in an hour. My Holland drive was done in the hour. Both of those went number one.

[October London]

Wow.

[DJ Envy]

So that's how I do all of my music. So I put it away. I was like, all right. That was fun. I was in that Marvin Lane grade. Let me put aside now. Let me get on this Bryson Tiller Lane real quick, because that's what I wanted to put out. That's what I thought Dog wanted me to do. And that's not what happened. Dog came in and was like, what you doing? I'm like, I'm just putting it up. I'm start on this. He was like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. We're putting this out. And I was like, no, Nobody want to hear old school right now. He's like, trust me. This is. The lane is open. Nobody's doing it right now. Let's just do it. All right, cool. But it sounds a little bit like Marvin. He's like, no, don't worry about that. I'm like, they're going to chew me. They're going to chew my ass up. So, you know, we started sitting with the album Back to your. We put it out. We didn't even pick a single. We let the audience pick. They pick. Back to your place. They pick Mulholland Drive.

[October London]

You know how many girls I know that love Back to your place.

[DJ Envy]

For real?

[October London]

Yes.

[Lauren LaRosa]

That song is. I didn't even. I forget what I was playing, but I think it might have been maybe on Instagram, but that song. I was like, what is this song? I was telling Envy that, like, that is how I found you. Because of the song, I didn't know who you were. And then I heard the song and I was like, who is Octoberland? I started Googling, like, Death Row. Like, it just.

[DJ Envy]

All of it.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah. But it made me. I was so interested. I'm like, okay, if Death Row is gonna go for this type of sonic sound, he has to be talented. So it made me want to listen to more. Cause it just was completely different than what I thought it would be. But I know that some people did have things to say. But a lot of people love the music because it sounds good. But I know that Ziola Gaye, who's Marvin Gaye's sister, she had made some comments that she liked the music. But she did say that she was just confused why you would wanna sound like another person and not do original songs. Like, what do you get out of it? Did you get to have a conversation with her? Any of his family, or.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, I did. You know, she was. Seemed like she was mad as hell at me, which I knew that was going to happen. I was like, you know. And Dog wanted to name it Rebirth of Marvin. I did not. I was like, let's just call it the Rebirth. I tried to push towards that, but, you know, I'm. I'm following, you know, at this point, I'm like, okay, all right. You know, Dog has a plan. I'm just going to go with it. He's been right this whole time. I've been with him for a long time. I know him. Let's just do that. And we called it Rebirth of Marvin because that's what he wanted to title it. And then, yeah, she was not happy about that because she was like, yeah, you can sing. That's great. But you. You sound like my brother a little bit. And it's freaking me out. And I was like, that's cool. I just wish she. At that point, she didn't go, you know, on wax and say, oh, social media. Yeah. And just. I wish she just would have called me or called Dog or somebody like that, because Then people got on her that love my music, that love, back to your place. So then they attacked her. And I'm like, we have to stop this. But then, you know, we end up getting on a call together, me and a few of the other family members, and they were like, we completely support you. We understand now that you're not trying to be Marvin. You don't even want to fill his shoes or anything like that. You were just in a vibe. And I was like, that's what I've been trying to tell everyone. Like, that's not me. I was just feeling something for people.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That never heard you. Right. Because we're introducing you to some people that might not have heard you listening. Some people might think that you are mimicking artists. Right? Cause you just said I was in a Marvin zone, and then I was in a Bryson zone.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[October London]

Even on the new album, it's like, old sounds like old R. Kelly a little bit.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So who is October London and what does the sound come from? Because when I first heard, I thought it was like, well, that's his voice. He can't change his voice. If he sounds like Marvin, he sounds like Marvin.

[DJ Envy]

You know what I mean?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But who is October London, then?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, October London is. Okay. So this new album, October Nights, it's more of a transitional album. It's getting out of that lane. I'm finally being like, okay, guys, let's get away from this. When it's. When you start the album, you know, you have. You have Touch on Me and all those records like that. And then, yeah, like you said, R. Kelly's been, you know, my top number one artist. Because, I mean, the writing style, I mean, come on, it's Kels. Then once you get towards the end of the album where you have the big record called Time, that's me. You know what I'm saying? Like, those records, that's me, like, enjoying myself. And then the third album, obviously, when I. Whenever I do that, then you're going to get all of me. But right now, it's just kind of showing people that I can do these waves. And I know that we're missing this sound. I'm not necessarily taken from everybody. I just have been listening to everybody so much, like Kels and Ronald Isa and all that I just take just a little bit, put it here. But I don't really take from them. I'm just taking that vibe to give you that vibe, give you that love and that pain and that. That, you know, what you feel, what we've been Feeling for years.

[Nyla]

So though this is a transition project, I still feel like sonically production kind of sounds cohesive. Do you have like a built in team that you work with or did you decide to work with new people for this project?

[DJ Envy]

I mean, usually, Usually. And Snoop will tell you, usually I do everything myself. Like, I write, I produce, mix, I master, I engineer myself. Because I'm like, I got to get it done right now. Like, I feel something, I need to get done. I don't want to sit here and be like, oh, hey, engineer, what's up? I can be there at 4:00. No, no, no, no. I got to feel this now. So I learned to do all this stuff on my own. So I do on this album on October nights, I teamed up with producers like Jeff Giddy, Pooh Bear. I got with Baby Face. You know, obviously Snoop executive produced the album as well. And I got with my homie Superfly. Also. Everybody knows Superfly. So, yeah, Legend in the game. So he came through, put his spin on it as well. And it came out really. It came out really well because we had kind of went through a thing where I submitted like this album. We were like, all right, let's change this. Let's put horns here, let's do this. And it just turned out so beautiful. I love it.

[October London]

I would love to know what the Babyface sessions were like, because I know Babyface. He didn't want you to come in on nothing except for you, I'm sure. So what was that energy like?

[DJ Envy]

It was good energy, man. We pulled up, he was just ready to get down to business, like, immediately. There was no, oh, let's kick it and chill, let's eat, let's have a little breakfast and all. He was just like, all right, you ready? I'm like, yeah, let's go in there. And we did the session. We knocked it out. It didn't even take all day, really. He went to writing it. I just let him do his thing because, you know, you're in front of a legend. I'm not trying to be like, well, I do this and that, not by doing. I'm about to sit here and what you need me to do, give me.

[October London]

A lot of coaching, like.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, I mean, he. Yeah, he did, man. In the lab. We actually. Yeah, it was a lot. I'm not going. Okay. I can't. I can't hold you. It was a lot. And he knows it was a lot because I was like, oh, it was funny because we were doing the takes. He was like, oh, okay. Let's do this first take of this, and I do the line. It's like, all right, let's do it again. Now do the line. I'm like, okay, that second one was perfect. We're good. That's what I want to say. All right, we're good. Let's go. Let's go to the next line. He's like, nah, let's do it again and again. I'm like, okay, all right. Okay, cool. All right, we'll do it. And then he's like, all right, cool. Now you're ready to really do it. I'm like, I thought we were just doing it. I thought that was it. He was like, oh, no, I wasn't recording at all. I was just making sure you were on top of it.

[October London]

I thought the classes get made, though.

[DJ Envy]

I'm like, okay, cool. So see, and that's. I'm not used to that. I'm used to, like. I said, back to your place. One take. Boom. The first line, it was just boom, boom, boom. I just make it quickly. And even when I told him that, he was like, yeah, no, impossible. Like, no, that's how I do my records. So he was like, oh, so I'm really, at this point, you know, like, putting you through it. I was like, yeah, but it's cool, man. It's all good. I'm. I'm, you know, ready to learn. It's all good.

[October London]

Did you ever think in your life that you'd probably sign to ovo or did you ever want to sign the ovo?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, I did. Absolutely. I'm a fan of Drake, so, yeah, I definitely wanted to. I remember having conversations with Snoop, like, hey, you know who he should go to, man? Who I should do some records with? Let me go over here and go to Drake. He's like, yeah, yeah, no, for sure. Yeah, I'll call him. All right, cool. And then I wait, and here go Kendrick.

[October London]

Messed all that up, man.

[DJ Envy]

Kendrick. That's a whole other thing. Yeah, but I like them both.

[Nyla]

Why did you ask that?

[October London]

His name's October.

[DJ Envy]

Oh, yeah. So I wanted to be that, you know, I was like, I'm October. Birthday's 10:17. This would be perfect fit, but.

[Nyla]

Or Gucci.

[DJ Envy]

Gucci is 1017. Yeah, that's right. That's right. But Snoop is a great, great fit, man. I just love. I really. I'm actually a happy artist. Like, I talk to so many artists that are just so unhappy and depressed, and, you know, it's like they have people over their shoulders all the time. And that's not what happens at Death Row. Snoop is like, hey, how you feeling this week? I'm feeling like a pop record. All right, cool. Call me when it's done. That's it. There's no stress about it. There's no, ah, we shouldn't do that. Let's do it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's right.

[Nyla]

Being someone who has done it all for so long, like, for yourself, what was the transition like, having to take the lead of, like, other people with your vision?

[DJ Envy]

Tough? Yeah, very. Because I've just been, like I said, I've been doing this for so long. Learning, doing this engineering thing, doing the mixing, doing all this stuff. And I'm just like, okay, I can get this done. Because I look at a lot of artists. It's like, oh, yeah, I really want Sade to drop another album. It's like, oh, eight years later. I don't like, it doesn't. In my head, because I just taught myself in my head. I'm like, it'll take that much. So. And I look at other artists, too, and I'm like, well, you got all the resources. You have everybody's number in your phone. Why isn't your album getting done quicker? Like, why aren't you? Maybe they're not in the zone. Maybe they're getting pressured. I don't know. I just. Like I said, I'm a happy artist, so I'm not pressured by anything. I'm financially stable. Like, I'm good. So I can go in the studio right now and be like, okay, cool. You need. All right, I'll work on the third album right now. Or I'll work on a country record. I work on a pot, whatever. Because he. That's what helps me make great R B is by switching genres, taking a break. Because I don't want to. I don't want to be Marvin. So let me not get too heavy in that bag. Let me go over here to country real quick and write this real quick and just take a break and then go over here to something else.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How was Tool with Maxwell and Jasmine Sullivan?

[DJ Envy]

Amazing, amazing. Two great artists, me and Maxwell Close, man. He's just a really great dude. Like, he's been making sure everybody's taken care of and just been amazing. The crowd is just absolutely. Just is. I'm in, like. I'm in awe of. They sing word for word, even my stuff, you know, and me opening up for them. Like, I did my first tour in January, which sold out majority of the tour, and they were singing it then. I was like, I don't know if they're gonna do it this time. They. They're doing it this time as well.

[October London]

Have you done surprised by that? You say even my stuff, like, you didn' People know your music?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, no, because I just. In my head, I'm just still this dude in Salon, Indiana, that's trying to make it. I still feel like I'm going to the studio just trying to. Oh, man. I really hope they like it. I still have that.

[October London]

So impost. Slight imposter syndrome, kind of.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah. I'm just like. I'm like, man, there's. There's no way. I don't think they're going to like this. I don't think Snoop's heard me say, I don't think they're going to like this a hundred times over. I did not think they're going to, like Rebirth of Marvin. I didn't think they were going to, like, back to your place.

[Lauren LaRosa]

What?

[DJ Envy]

I was like, no, there's no way. I was like, this ain't. This ain't hot right now. And they love it. And I'm just like, okay. So that's why I like letting the people decide.

[October London]

So you let. Real quick. You let the. You were kind of letting the trends of R B guide you as opposed to what traditional R B is because you make to me traditional R B. But you thought because of the way people make R B now, they don't want to hear this tradition.

[DJ Envy]

Exactly. That's exactly what I was thinking when.

[October London]

I got some hoes.

[Nyla]

Oh, my God.

[October London]

You wanted to redo Ain't But Holes and Tricks.

[DJ Envy]

R B version, actually. Yeah. I think dog's gonna watch us. Thank you, Charlemagne. I'm definitely gonna credit you on that. I'm gonna send you. I'm gonna send you something.

[Lauren LaRosa]

That's how I broke through. Like, when I heard it, I was like, who is. I thought you. Honestly, I thought you were like an older God, like, some. I. I really was so surprised. I was like, what is this song? And then I just kept hearing it. So to hear that you didn't even think that we were gonna like it. I'm like, that is insane. I'm so happy that you didn't get in your own way.

[DJ Envy]

Definitely.

[Nyla]

Definitely would like to add that I went to that show at Barclays. The mic was on. And that was really impressive, too, because a lot of people vocally live don't hit, like, the actual record.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, yeah, no, the mics were on, man. Max's is on. Jasmine's on. Mine is on. I make sure I let people know. Like I'm not an auto tune artist. I had my phase. When T Pain came out, I was everything. I have a list of albums in my hard drive that are just, you got everything. Oh, that are just like so T Pain. It's ridiculous. You know what I'm saying? So I was like, oh, this is it. Boom. I'm gonna do this.

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[DJ Envy]

That will last a lifetime.

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[DJ Envy]

Who you see all the time, share.

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[DJ Envy]

Sub y'all. This is Questlove, and I'm here to tell you about a new podcast I've been working on with the story pirates and John Glickman called Historical Records. It's a family friendly podcast. Yeah, you heard that right. A podcast for all ages. One you can listen to and enjoy with your kids. Starting on September 27th, I'm going to toss it over to the host of Historical Records, Nimini to tell you all about it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Make sure you check it out.

[Coca Cola Advertiser]

Hey, y'all, Nimini here. I'm the host of a brand new history podcast for kids and families called Historical Records. Historical Records brings history to life through.

[DJ Envy]

Hip hop, Smash, slam. Another one gone. Bash, Bam. Another one gone. The cracker, the best. And another one gone. A tip of the cap. Cause another one gone.

[Coca Cola Advertiser]

Each episode is about a different inspiring figure from history. Like this one about Claudette Colvin, a.

[Lauren LaRosa]

15 year old girl in Alabama who.

[DJ Envy]

Refused to give up her seat on the city bus nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing.

[Coca Cola Advertiser]

Check it.

[Lauren LaRosa]

And it began with me.

[Coca Cola Advertiser]

Did you know?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Did you know I wouldn't give up.

[Coca Cola Advertiser]

My seat nine months before Rosa?

[Lauren LaRosa]

He was Claudette Goldman.

[Coca Cola Advertiser]

Get the kids in your life excited about history by tuning in to Historical Records because in order to make history.

[DJ Envy]

You have to make some noise.

[Coca Cola Advertiser]

Listen to Historical records on the iHeartRadio.

[DJ Envy]

App, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You know, I'm gonna get on, like, doing this and that time we're like 10 times over, like, oh, okay. Nope, that didn't work out. Oh, I got this meeting with Nevermind. It didn't work out.

[Lauren LaRosa]

So this is really random. But speaking of, like, trying to, like, things not working out. You were on Empire.

[DJ Envy]

I was on Empire, Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

And then you were. So you did. I read about it. You were doing really well. They were talking about making you a bigger character. Empire.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah. Then all the Jesse, the Jesse Smollett stuff happened. You look like a lion, though.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You definitely look like the baby that.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Lucious had that we didn't know about when you walked in, I'm like, I know. He was. That would be so perfect for you.

[DJ Envy]

Oh, man, Come on, man. No, I mean, yeah, I thought it was. That was my first time doing any type of acting. Snoop was like, y'all, I'm gonna. We're gonna add you to Empire. Like, I can't act. He was like, yeah, you can. I'm like, no, I can't, man. That's not my lane. I'm just. Come on, man. And I went on. Come on, man. And I went on there and. And did it. And the director was like, how long you been acting? I was like, today. He was like, I think we should sit down and talk. I'm like, okay. This is the thing. I still think I'm dreaming. So I'm like, there's no way even being on here. The breakfast. I've been watching y'all for a long time. Just like. Just as I was sitting in the background, I was just like, damn, this is really happening. So that's how I kind of felt on Empire. So then when Jesse messed it up for me, I was pissed.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I turned on the news, like, as.

[DJ Envy]

Soon as I turned on the news, I'm like, oh. I was like, come on. Come on, man. Come on, man. Don't do me like that, Skinny.

[October London]

It's interesting, right, because these are the type of stories when you really, really take off. Everybody's gonna be like, damn, this guy came out of nowhere. But you've been with Snoop since 2016.

[DJ Envy]

2016.

[October London]

That's great. Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Just doing background stuff, like doing. You know, when I first got with him, he was like, yo, I'm about to go on tour. Want you to come on tour with me. So me doing a small crowd, it didn't start off that way. It started off with 50,000 people. So now when I'm doing this with Max, Max is like, you're really comfortable on stage. I'm like, yeah. I'm like, small crowds make me anxious. Really small crowds. If I'm in a crowd of, like, 100, I'm like, I can hear everybody's thoughts. I'm like, that nigga ain't hitting that note like that, you know, like, oh, he sound a little dry today, you know? So doing that kind of just molded me to be a better performer. So doing that, and then now coming on this tour where it's, you know, tens, 20,000 people, it. It just feels. Feels normal to me. And being with Snoop since 2016, I've just been doing that, been touring with him several times overseas, everything, and just doing, like, the. The. All the stuff with him and Martha Stewart, like, I did the song for the him and Martha Stewart show, the Cooking with Mar, you know, and I did that record. And then all his albums from 2016 I've been on. I've been doing backgrounds or I've been doing hooks. So I've just been chilling and really caking up.

[October London]

Does October London trust his own talent? Not his ability to, I guess, sound like others, but do you trust your own talent?

[DJ Envy]

Absolutely. I've been doing it for a while, so I know exactly what I can do. I have so much stuff in the hard drive that I can't wait to drop. Like, it makes me anxious even being on the bus. This whole tour, I'm just listening to the records, and everybody gets together and we listen to all the records, and we're just like, yo, this is really just the starting point. Like, they have no idea what's to come. You know, let's.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Can we play a record?

[October London]

Oh, go ahead.

[Nyla]

I was gonna say, I know that you're involved on the Doggieland for Kids.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Nyla]

Talk to me about what do you. What exactly do you do?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I've been. That's what I'm saying. So, you know, Snoop's been looking out for a long time. Snoop came in the studio one day or one night and was like, hey, what do you think about doing a kid's record? And I was like, yeah, that's fine. Whatever. I can do that. I made one kid's record. He came back in the studio. All right, let me hear what you got. Played it. He was like, dope. Can you do another one like that? I was like, yeah, of course. This time, I called my son on FaceTime. My son's seven. And I was like, hey, I need you to add some vocals to this. He's like, okay, dad. You know? And this time, we did a record called Brush Brush. So we ended up doing that, and Snoop came in. He was like, who is the kid? I was like, it's my son, your nephew. He was like, oh, snap. Like, okay, cool. I think we should do an album. All right, cool. Give me till tomorrow. Cause I'm quick.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm like, me till tomorrow.

[Nyla]

Tomorrow's crazy.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah. Colorblind. When we came out in 2016, we came out. When me and Snoop came out with colorblind. I did 18 songs in two or three days. Wow. I got myself sick. And he was like, all right, you need to go back to the hotel, like. Cause I was like, no, one shot. You get one shot. And that was my one shot. I'm knocking out eight so I'm very. I knock him out really quick. So he was like, okay, cool. So I knocked out the album. And then he called Claude Brooks and he was like, yo, I got an idea for a show. Let's call it Doggieland. And now I'm the. I'm the co. Creator of Doggieland Dope. I am the voice of Woofie and I do the music.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's dope, man.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[October London]

You don't see this type of artist development no more. You don't see people just like, working with an artist every step of the way, you know?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And then most artists want it right away. Remember, he'd been signed since 2016. Most artists would have left in 2017. Was like, I ain't popping yet.

[DJ Envy]

I'm gone.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You seen the vision?

[DJ Envy]

Absolutely, I saw the vision. But Snoop would tell you I gave him a hard time too. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, yeah, I get you. What artists did you see?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Popping was like, yo, that could have been. That should have been me. Bryson Tiller.

[DJ Envy]

I wouldn't say Bryson Taylor. Bryce Stiller came out of nowhere to me, I was like, oh, this is dope. I'm actually a fan of Bryson Tiller. I don't know what artists came. I know one artist that made me actually kind of pissed me off, to be honest. And that was. And that. And I'll tell you the story. Why. So it's 2004. Who was popping? Who just came out with. Just gotta make it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Just gotta make trace.

[DJ Envy]

Yep. All day. He got the braids. I got the braids. He light skinned. I'm light skinned. And my boy Travis looked at me and was like, damn, you gonna let this eat you up like that. And he just walked away. And ever since then, I've just paused. Definitely a pause. Pause moment. Sorry.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He should have paused the back door before with the key. But go ahead, keep going.

[DJ Envy]

If he ain't paused, he missed it. He missed it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But go ahead.

[DJ Envy]

He missed it. So. So at that point I was like, okay, cool. It made me competitive. So I'm super, super competitive. Like, I've been on. I'm not gonna say the artist, but I've been on different shows where, you know, several artists on this show and they'll do certain things and I'll go in the back room and I'll put on Michael Jordan's Last Dance and I'll sit there for about a good 30, 40 minutes. Watch that. And I'll go out there and compete. Yep, everything's a competition dog. Snoop will consistently like it's. Not a competition, man. You don't have to be like, you know, I have to be so hard on yourself. I'm like, nah, nah. You see that high note he did? No, no, no. I can't let him live. Damn.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I love that, though.

[October London]

How exhausting was it working with Tyrese?

[DJ Envy]

You know, Tyrese is a. Is a great friend of mine. He's a great dude.

[October London]

He's a great guy.

[DJ Envy]

He's a no great dude. It's not exhausting at all. He just. He's passionate. He's just a passionate person. He literally wears his heart on his sleeve, and you gotta give it to him.

[October London]

Sure. But how exhausting was it working with him in the studio? We all know him like. Like, I just want to know, like, bedroom Bully, how long did it take y'all to make that record? Record that didn't take a day. Not with him, Badge.

[DJ Envy]

I don't know how long it took him. You know how long it took me? So he sent. He sent the record to me and was like, I got this record. He called me, so I got this record. I think you'd be great on it. It's very Secret Garden. I was like, okay, bet. Just. Just send it. I was in the lab, already sent the beat, and I was like, yo, this is dope. And he had a little bit of his vocals on it, and I was like, okay, cool. So that really. I wanted him to do his vocals first because the competitive part. And then I was like, no, I don't worry about. You know, it's Tyrese. I ain't tripping. You know, we brothers. I went ahead and put my part on there, then he put his part on there, and that was it. But it took me, you know, 30 minutes, knocked that out. I don't know how long it took him to get his knocked out, but for me, it was. It was nothing. But Bedroom Bully is. And that's on the album too. It's on his and mine.

[October London]

When you do a song like that, do you feel pressure to always deliver to a woman sexually?

[DJ Envy]

Absolutely. Absolutely. I love cars and women, period.

[Nyla]

Did you guys make this record before or after you almost burned his house down? That's just what I heard.

[DJ Envy]

This was after.

[Nyla]

This was after.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah.

[Nyla]

You burned down Tyrese house.

[DJ Envy]

The person that almost burned his house down is sitting right behind me.

[October London]

No.

[DJ Envy]

Oh, yeah. What?

[October London]

This was the house in la?

[DJ Envy]

No, Atlanta.

[October London]

Atlanta, okay.

[DJ Envy]

Tyrese's Atlanta house.

[Lauren LaRosa]

What happened?

[DJ Envy]

Burning hookah.

[Nyla]

That's a shame that you knew what it was.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's the Only way you burn a house down nowadays is hookah.

[October London]

The hookah.

[DJ Envy]

Because, you know, we were listening to some music, and we're all, you know, drinking, except for Tyrese. Cause Tyrese don't drink. And my boy Jamie was listening to the music. He got hyped up, and he was just like, whoa, you know, this the record.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's going to be crazy.

[DJ Envy]

And he got up and he knocked it over, and nobody noticed at first. And I turned, I looked, and I was like, I saw security moving really fast. One of the security guys moving really fast, he started patting on the floor, and I'm like, what the hell is he doing? Stanky leg or something. I don't know what the hell he's doing. I was just like, okay, cool. All right. I guess he's filling the record. And I look, I'm like, oh, oh, oh. The rug's on fire. His Voltron rug's on fire. I was like, oh, nice. So he's trying to put that out, grabbing the coals off the thing and all that. And Jamie felt bad, and Tyrese gives him. Gives him shit every time.

[Lauren LaRosa]

What flavor was the hookah?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Damn it.

[DJ Envy]

I don't even know.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I'm just trying to see was it worth it.

[DJ Envy]

I don't know. It might have been, like, mango berry cream or something.

[Lauren LaRosa]

That yard almost burnt that house down. Mango berry.

[DJ Envy]

I know, right?

[Lauren LaRosa]

That's crazy.

[DJ Envy]

That is not a good way to go out. So, you know, every. Every time Tyrese sees Jamie, he's like, he can't come in my house. He can't come out. Yeah, he owes me a carpet. But, you know, he lets him in anyway, so it's good.

[October London]

Now, the song Time. Did you have wedding song in mind when you wrote that?

[DJ Envy]

Absolutely.

[October London]

Okay.

[DJ Envy]

Absolutely. So time actually is. We are in 2024, so that was done in 08. So what do we. It's 15, 15, 16 years in the game. It's been sitting in my hard Drive for 15, 16 years. So that's an old song. Old song that me and my. One of my best friends, Mike Letter out of Miami, we did that record. And, yeah, I played it for. For Dog. I think I played it maybe four or five, six times. And he remembers, and then doesn't remember, but he remembered it this time. He was like, yeah, we should put this on the album. And I loved it because I've been waiting to put that album out because it's just a beautiful ballad.

[October London]

You didn't do nothing to it. You just. That's how it was recorded.

[DJ Envy]

It remixed. Okay, yeah, yeah, remixed. And. And we added. We added some organ to it. Superfly came in and added, like, little. Little things to, you know, little splashes. But other than that, same record.

[October London]

When you wrote that in 08, what was your mindset? Was there somebody you wanted to marry or somebody you wanted to spend the.

[DJ Envy]

Rest of your life? No, I was a. I was a SAP man back in 08. So I was doing everything I possibly could to, you know, I was doing. I was doing the most.

[Nyla]

Yeah, but ain't nothing like a.

[DJ Envy]

No, like a. Kind of like a, you know, I was sucker. You know what I'm saying?

[Lauren LaRosa]

What's wrong with that?

[DJ Envy]

Nothing wrong with it. But, you know, you would tell a.

[October London]

Woman stuff like that. I want to spend the rest of my life.

[DJ Envy]

Oh, my God. I had poems and. Oh, dad, nothing's wrong with it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Charlamagne had poems too.

[DJ Envy]

She did.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You was texting the poems or you would, like, mail them? I feel like you would mail them.

[DJ Envy]

I was. I was. I was.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I'm just asking.

[October London]

Depending how old you are. That's the era we come from. We come from that, you know, he's. A couple years ago with me. Yes. No, maybe.

[Lauren LaRosa]

And I just want to know because why. Nothing wrong with people. We always be online. Like, we miss that. Like the begging.

[DJ Envy]

Begging. We love you.

[Lauren LaRosa]

We love you. You was doing it and you guys.

[DJ Envy]

I was writing a lot of poems back then. For some reason, I can't write a single poem now.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Who tricked you out just by. What happened?

[Nyla]

No, something happened, man.

[DJ Envy]

I got my heart broke, so I was just. I was kind of. And then got my heart broken again. So.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to laugh.

[DJ Envy]

No, no, it's all right. No, no, you're just laughing my pain.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I hate to hear that because that.

[October London]

She'S been hurt. So she'd like to see men that have been hurt.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Men, though. She likes white men.

[DJ Envy]

Oh, Brad Pitt. Travis.

[October London]

Kelsey.

[DJ Envy]

Travis.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, Caleb Plant.

[October London]

But your light skin. So she's willing to meet in the middle.

[DJ Envy]

Oh, nice. That's dope.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But she went to Delaware State hbcu.

[Lauren LaRosa]

All right, what else? Y'all got more questions for him.

[Nyla]

The sappiness makes for great music.

[DJ Envy]

Absolutely.

[Lauren LaRosa]

That's what I was trying to say.

[October London]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Even the record Eternity, that got on the Color Purple soundtrack, that was a 15, 16 year old record. I did Eternity right after me and Mike did Eternity right after Time.

[Nyla]

So Third Shift was a fresh, freshly done record. I saw you just preview that.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, yeah.

[Nyla]

Was that the bridge or the hook that you was playing? Who was in there conducting this?

[DJ Envy]

What, the host record for Third Shift?

[Nyla]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

I went to Jeff Giddy and Jeff was like, yo, you want to record it here? I was like, no, I'm going home. And I flew back home to South Bend. I recorded there and then send it to Dog. And Dog was like, yo, this is something fresh. This is something new. And then went back to Jeff Giddy and got another track, which is Kill Shot. So Kill Shot and Third Shift was produced by Jeff Giddy.

[October London]

So you still live in South Bend?

[DJ Envy]

Absolutely. I'm not. If, If I leave, it's not gonna be anywhere. I'm not going to la. I'm not going to New York. Miami is my weak spot. That's my weak spot.

[October London]

Is it good? Because you probably get grounded when you go home.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, absolutely. I get to be around family, friends, like people on tour with me. Like, they're my day ones. Like, I don't. I feel like I might lose myself if I go and move somewhere where I have to be seen all the time and red carpet all the time. And I just feel like I'm gonna lose myself. So I. I go back home, I can come to New York, come kick it for the weekend, come see y'all. And then I'm back home. I'm right back home because my son is there, he goes to a great school there. And I just, you know, I like being with my son. I like chilling, being at home. And if I need anything or something goes wrong, I'm right there where I need to be.

[October London]

So, you know, two final questions. How did your mom feel about Mama?

[DJ Envy]

She loved it. She. She loves it because we played it in the studio for a bunch of people not too long ago. I think that was maybe last month or something like that, or maybe soon. I don't know, time is flying by. But we played it and she gets teary eyed every time. And one of the people that were in the studio, she's like, oh, my God, like, I love Mama so much. And it's just. Does your mom know that you, you know, you made this record? And I was like, she's sitting right behind you and she's. Oh, you know, so, yeah, the mama. I really cannot wait to put that record out. I cannot wait because I. I love the record a lot. And I actually did that when Snoop's mom passed. Wow.

[October London]

So when Snoop's mom passed with the inspiration for you to write that.

[DJ Envy]

Exactly. So when Snoop. Yeah, the day after Snoop's mom passed. He was in the studio, and I was just like, I got my boy. I got him. And I went in there and I just did it. And then I was like, yo, I want you to hear something. And I played it for him, and he just, you know, broke down crazy.

[October London]

It made you appreciate your mom still being.

[DJ Envy]

Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely. So, you know, I just think it's a great record. I can't wait to drop it.

[October London]

And that's one of the reasons you probably don't want to leave South Bend ever.

[DJ Envy]

I don't, Nah. I just feel comfortable there. People, you know, like, everybody knows me. I know them. Nobody really messes with me there, you know, nobody's messed up any of my cars yet. So that's great. So I'm pretty good. I'm happy there, you know, as of right now. And it's really cheap to live.

[October London]

That's the cost of living is important.

[DJ Envy]

Cost of living is very important. So, you know, you go do all this and then just go back home and chill. Come on, you know what you want.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

To hear off the album, what you want to hear. Let's play something.

[DJ Envy]

Well, she brought up third shift. Third shift, so might as well play third shift.

[October London]

All right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, October Nights comes out this Friday, and we appreciate you for joining us.

[DJ Envy]

Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And let's get into it. It's October London. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.

[October London]

Wake that ass up early in the morning.

[DJ Envy]

The Breakfast Club.

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[DJ Envy]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[DJ Envy]

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[DJ Envy]

Just say, hey, meta.

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