The Breakfast Club: G Herbo on "Lil Herb," Grief, Family, and Growth

Podcast: The Breakfast Club (iHeartPodcasts)
Date: January 7, 2026
Hosts: DJ Envy, Angela Yee, Charlamagne Tha God
Guest: G Herbo

Episode Overview

In this in-depth interview, Chicago rapper G Herbo joins The Breakfast Club to discuss his chart-topping new album "Lil Herb," reflect on personal loss, becoming a father, his complicated relationship with Chicago, and how he's learned to navigate trauma, growth, and success. The conversation delves deep into grief over losing close friends and family, his comeback mindset, and the importance of self-reliance, family healing, and mentorship in the industry.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Hitting Number One, Creating on His Own Terms

• G Herbo shares the story behind his number one record, emphasizing that it wasn't a calculated radio song but one he made just for fun with Southside and Smack in the studio.
  • [01:13] G Herbo: "I'm not gonna lie. I feel great. It feel great. I just be trying to stay in the moment...just keep it going. Like, I'm not trying to catch another number one. I'm just trying to keep it going."
• On releasing independently:
  • [02:20] He first released the track on his own G Herbo app: “I put it out on my app on a project that I was just recording all samples to… It couldn’t go on Apple Music… The label put it on DSPs in like March, April. So you gotta just trash it and just see what the streets fuck with.”

2. The Power of a Radio Record

• G Herbo credits radio for changing his "bag" (income) and the exposure that came with it.
  • [03:17] "I finally caught that record, that like that life changing record. So yeah, the bag been crazy since."
  • [04:00] On radio royalties: "Once you get a song that really go radio, it just changed everything."

3. Revisiting “Lil Herb”: A Full-Circle Moment

• He describes "Lil Herb" as a throwback to his earliest days and a process of revisiting his hunger and fundamentals.
  • [05:08] "I was just trying to tap into that old hunger, like my old self. And when I be rapping good… my fans be like, oh, that ain't G herbo. That's Lil Herb. I feel like that was one of my best eras of rap."
• Therapeutic Release:
  • [07:30] "Closing that chapter is just letting go. It is definitely therapy that helped me… I shouldn't focus on nothing but music and my family and God."

4. Evolving as a Person and Artist

• Reflecting on turning 30 and the advice from friends and family to let go of old attachments.
  • [09:33]: "Once you touch 30, you start thinking…My girl is my toughest critic…She tell me a lot that I know and I don’t act on."

5. Mentorship and Becoming “the Meek Mill” for Others

• G Herbo explains Meek Mill’s influence, citing how seeing Meek’s rise from the streets to success inspired him.
  • [12:32] "Meek is my favorite rapper… I seen Meek turn rich, coming from the streets… It made me feel like I just want to be like that."
• He sees himself as that example for younger artists, making the effort to be tangible and approachable.
  • [15:53] "I let people see me in the physical. Like you gotta see it…Seeing is believing."

6. Surviving and Giving Back: Chicago’s Drill Era Legacy

• The tragic loss in Chicago’s rap scene is acknowledged—Chief Keef, Lil Durk, King Von—and the host’s note that Herbo’s survival is itself proof of what’s possible.
  • [16:30] G Herbo: “When you’re the chosen one, certain things affect you differently… Surviving in Chicago, just making it out is a blessing.”
• Surviving trauma:
  • [18:50] “I try to get everybody the benefit of the doubt… I always think about the consequences, the repercussions, everything.”

7. On Grief, Therapy, and Loss

• G Herbo gives a raw account of losing friends, his brother, and his father—and how grief shaped and (at times) destabilized him.
  • [24:32] "I've been dealing with death since I was a kid… Losing people I love for 15 years and still managing to wake up and make it happen and be G Herbo…"
  • [26:21] "I'm glad that even going through therapy and growing and healing… I never lost that edge, for real. Because that's how I protect myself…"
  • [27:18] On his little brother’s death: “When my little brother died, I lost myself. I became an alcoholic… I never used to drink. I used to drink a fifth of liquor every single day.”
• Family never blamed him for his brother’s death, but he struggled with self-blame and wishing he could have saved him.
  • [30:44] "I was definitely blaming myself because… I used to have these conversations with him. Like, 'bro, move to LA.'"

8. Avoiding Retaliation and Breaking Cycles

• On not "crashing out":
  • [34:55] "If I think about it three, four, five times, that's when I feel like it's eligible for me to not crash out but react. Because I'm never gonna crash out…"
  • [36:48] “At this point I just think about my kids. That’s the main reason I don’t do crazy shit.”

9. Family, Communication, and Healing

• Opening up to his partner:
  • [43:32] “Now I talk to her about everything… I should tell her what I'm feeling and what I'm going through. She gave me grace when my little brother died…”
• Advice from his partner’s father:
  • [45:40] “He told me...leave that [stress] at the doormat before you walk in the house. Walk in the house with peace… You got to be grateful to make it in the house.”

10. “Blended” Family Turning Into Family

• G Herbo expresses happiness and gratitude over the peace between Ari and Tyena, emphasizing unity over taking sides.
  • [46:46] “You don’t really play the middle. You just play right and wrong… I just want everybody to be a family.”

11. Industry Relationships and Healing Humor with Funny Marco

• Details working with Moneybagg Yo and sharing a humorous reflection on the infamous “Funny Marco” viral moment.
  • [49:19] "Yeah, I did [think about how I affected Marcus]. But at the same time, I didn't…They called me there to hurt his feelings…I apologized."

12. Thanking Himself—Celebrating Growth

• On self-appreciation:
  • [51:45] "You got to thank yourself and congratulate yourself. Cause I'm one of them people…soon as I drop a project… I be on to the next."
  • [53:14] "You got to grasp into it and be grateful for what you have."

13. The Ongoing Weight of Trauma

• On nightmares and sleep paralysis:
  • [54:23] "You still, that bad… I still got a lot of healing to do. Some nights, like, for real… I woke up every single hour cause I had five, six nightmares. I can't sleep…"
• On seeking peace:
  • [57:09] "My biggest thing, like, what bring me peace for real is just being around my kids… that just brings me so much comfort and peace."

14. Relationship with Chicago

• Talks about his deep love for the city, how visiting is both dangerous and comforting, and his family’s unbreakable ties.
  • [58:24] "I love Chicago so much… it's home for me… My heart's still in Chicago. My mom [is] there, my aunties there, my grandmother there, my friends there…"
  • [59:50] "I go to clubs every time I'm there, I go to restaurants, I don't sit in my hotel, I go outside in Chicago… It's smooth, it's dangerous. But Chicago is a great place, for sure."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On healing through music:
  • [24:46] G Herbo: "Rap has always been a form of therapy for me… I don't really realize all the shit I'm talking about…until I'm hearing it, like, on the speaker…"
• On responsibility and family:
  • [13:24] G Herbo: "I retired my mom when I was 16 years old… that's a lot of pressure."
• On survivor's guilt:
  • [30:48] Charlamagne: "So were you blaming yourself? That’s why you was trying to escape?"
  • G Herbo: "Yeah."
• On leaving trauma at the door:
  • [45:40] G Herbo: “He told me...leave that [stress] at the doormat before you walk in the house…walk in the house with peace.”
• On self-congratulation:
  • [51:45] G Herbo: "You got to thank yourself and congratulate yourself… grasp onto it and be grateful for what you have."
• On spiritual struggle and sleep:
  • [54:23] G Herbo: “I ain't gonna lie. I still got a lot of healing to do… Some nights, like for real…I woke up every hour cause I had five, six nightmares…”

Timestamped Highlights

• 01:13–03:56: G Herbo breaks down the organic success of his number one and the independent release strategy.
• 05:08–07:19: Exploring the “Lil Herb” mindset, full-circle growth, and creative hunger.
• 09:19–11:24: On turning 30, personal evolution, and learning to follow intuition.
• 12:32–15:41: Meek Mill’s direct influence and becoming a role model for younger artists.
• 16:09–18:50: The cost of coming up in Chicago and survivor’s guilt.
• 24:28–28:08: Discussing therapy, grieving his brother, and hitting emotional rock bottom.
• 34:50–37:59: Not “crashing out;” choosing healing and protecting his kids.
• 43:32–45:40: Learning healthy communication in relationships; leaving the day’s trauma at the front door.
• 49:19–51:32: The Funny Marco controversy and lessons on trolling.
• 54:23–56:22: Nightmares, sleep paralysis, spiritual beliefs, and longing for peace.
• 58:24–60:45: His relationship with Chicago, balancing danger with love, and community impact.

Tone & Language

• Open, raw, and reflective. G Herbo holds nothing back about pain, trauma, healing, and the grind.
• Inspirational but honest. The discussion mixes tough truths about the streets and personal loss with encouragement about growth, resilience, and the importance of family and self-care.

Summary

G Herbo’s “Best Of” interview on The Breakfast Club is a deeply personal and candid exploration of not only his new music, but his journey through trauma, grief, fatherhood, and finding peace. From his roots in Chicago’s toughest streets and carrying the responsibility of family from a young age, to learning to leave pain behind and celebrate success, Herbo’s story is one of reflection and perseverance. The conversation offers inspiration and unfiltered realness for both fans and anyone navigating hardship, personal evolution, and the hustle to survive and succeed.