INTERVIEW: Jeezy Talks 20 Year 'Thug Motivation 101' Anniversary Tour, Jay-Z, Nia Long, Soul Survivor + More

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Jeezy Talks 20 Year 'Thug Motivation 101' Anniversary Tour, Jay-Z, Nia Long, Soul Survivor + More

Released on June 11, 2025, "The Breakfast Club" hosted by DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, and Charlamagne Tha God on iHeartPodcasts, features an in-depth interview with the legendary rapper Jeezy. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of his seminal album "Thug Motivation 101," Jeezy delves into his musical journey, collaborations, personal growth, and philanthropic endeavors.

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1. Celebrating the "Thug Motivation 101" Anniversary Tour

[02:25] Jess Hilarious: "One of the best to ever do it."

[02:40] DJ Envy: Introduces Jeezy and the significance of the milestone.

Jeezy discusses the grand celebration of the 20th anniversary of his debut album, "Thug Motivation 101." Highlighting the symphony tour's unique blend of hip-hop and orchestral music, he emphasizes creating an unforgettable experience for fans. The tour isn't just a series of concerts but a comprehensive celebration of his legacy and evolution as an artist.

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2. Reflecting on the Past and Overcoming Challenges

[04:37] Charlamagne Tha God: "It feels like deja vu."

[08:23] Charlamagne Tha God: "I was just trying to stay alive and free."

Jeezy reflects on the inception of "Thug Motivation 101," describing it as a necessity born from his tumultuous experiences. He recounts the myriad challenges he faced, including vocal cord injuries and the premature leak of his album, which compounded the pressures of launching his career. Despite these obstacles, Jeezy's determination and resilience propelled him forward, solidifying his place in the music industry.

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3. Collaborations and Impact on Culture

[15:00] Charlamagne Tha God: "He was like, you got a brand."

[17:04] Charlamagne Tha God: "Putting Jay Z on this song."

Jeezy shares anecdotes about his collaboration with Jay-Z on the track "Dope Boyz Go Crazy." Initially hesitant to involve a heavyweight like Jay-Z, Jeezy describes the seamless integration of their talents and the mutual respect that underpinned their partnership. He credits Jay-Z for recognizing the potential in his music and reinforcing the importance of maintaining one's brand and authenticity.

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4. Evolution as an Artist and Leader

[14:14] Charlamagne Tha God: "Therapy, work, journaling, meditating."

[36:30] DJ Envy: "Do you have those conversations with the younger artists?"

Transitioning from his early "trap or die" persona, Jeezy discusses his personal and professional growth over the past two decades. Emphasizing the significance of mental health practices like therapy and meditation, he illustrates how these have contributed to his newfound peace and leadership. Jeezy expresses a deep sense of responsibility to mentor younger artists, guiding them away from the pitfalls he once faced and encouraging them to evolve beyond stereotypes.

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5. Philanthropic Efforts and Mentorship

[44:09] Charlamagne Tha God: "I've partnered with Lisk for my nonprofit space."

[45:37] Charlamagne Tha God: "Shout out to Charlamagne for my New York Times bestselling book, Adversity for Sale."

Beyond music, Jeezy is passionately involved in philanthropic initiatives. He highlights his collaboration with LISK and the Urban League of Atlanta through programs like the Young CEO program, aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs. Additionally, Jeezy underscores his commitment to prostate cancer awareness, driven by personal connections. These efforts reflect his dedication to fostering community growth and supporting disadvantaged individuals.

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6. Personal Life and Public Perception

[24:00] Jess Hilarious: "We saw you with Nia Long."

[31:50] DJ Envy: "She said, really?"

Jeezy opens up about his personal life, including his relationships and the public's perception of him post-divorce. Addressing rumors and media scrutiny, he asserts his commitment to peace, joy, and freedom. Jeezy emphasizes the importance of maintaining integrity and prioritizing his family's well-being over public opinion, striving to be a positive role model both on and off the stage.

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7. Future Plans and Closing Thoughts

[48:53] DJ Envy: "We appreciate you for joining us."

[48:54] Charlamagne Tha God: "Look on the website to find out when I'm coming through your city."

Looking ahead, Jeezy expresses excitement about the future of his career and personal projects. He announces significant milestones, such as closing down the Apollo with an unforgettable final show, signaling a new chapter in his musical journey. Jeezy reiterates his commitment to celebrating his legacy while continuing to inspire and uplift his community through both music and philanthropy.

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Notable Quotes

• Jeezy on Overcoming Adversity:

  • [03:25] "It feels like deja vu, but the consequences are real life things and you gotta show your adversity."

• Jeezy on Maintaining Authenticity:

  • [13:33] "I've been on a journey for almost nine years now, and I'm really at peace. I don't worry about the things I can't control."

• Jeezy on Collaboration with Jay-Z:

  • [17:04] "We were all in Pat's works, and I told him, 'I'm putting Jay Z on this song.' It was a transformative moment."

• Jeezy on Philanthropy:

  • [44:11] "We got two things going right now. One for entrepreneurs, young entrepreneurs, tech spaces, and another for prostate cancer awareness."

• Jeezy on Mentoring the Next Generation:

  • [36:30] "It's my moral obligation to show them evolution and that you don't have to change to evolve."

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Conclusion

Jeezy's interview on "The Breakfast Club" offers a profound look into his evolution from a groundbreaking artist to a compassionate leader and philanthropist. Celebrating two decades since "Thug Motivation 101," Jeezy underscores the importance of resilience, authenticity, and giving back to the community. His reflections serve not only as a testament to his enduring legacy but also as an inspiration for future generations to pursue their passions while maintaining integrity and purpose.

Transcript

[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[DJ Envy]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Jess Hilarious]

Wake that ass up early in the morning.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The Breakfast Club.

[DJ Envy]

Morning everybody. It's DJ Envy. Jess. Hilarious Charlamagne Tha God. We are the Breakfast Club. We got a special guest in the building.

[Jess Hilarious]

One of the best to ever do it.

[DJ Envy]

Celebrating the twentiet anniversary of Thug Motivation 101, ladies and gentlemen. Jeezy welcome.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What up do what up do? What's happening? Good morning. Good morning. How you feeling brother man, great baby. Better than most, you know what I mean? Great.

[DJ Envy]

I was say I was talking to somebody yesterday. This is the other Day. And he was like, yeah, I'm on my way to Jeezy House. I'm like, for what? He was like, I'm opening up for Jeezy. I said, what you mean, opening up? There's like, jeezy DJ as a hobby.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Do it to have fun. I said, shut up. He was like, yes.

[DJ Envy]

You started DJing?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, you know, I used to DJ back in the day when I was, you know, young in the hood, you know what I'm saying? I hustled up on the DJ set, and I was just going to the hood, just DJ on people's porches. That was kind of my thing. But that's how I got into music, you know what I'm saying? So for me, it's just like. It's like a pastime. But, you know, like, the great Andre 3000 said, if you can't find the vibe, you gotta create it. So I just invite dope people over to my crib, you know what I'm saying? Curate it. You know, we might do some. Some red wine and Popeyes chicken, and I might throw on the set, and we just get it cracking. That was like.

[DJ Envy]

He was DJing for real.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. Survive. Survive.

[Jess Hilarious]

That's interesting, though. So that's how you've been feeling? Like you haven't been finding a vibe lately. So you've been trying to create one?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, you know, I like to travel a lot, you know what I'm saying? And I like to live, but also, I like to, you know, like, turn people on to what I've learned when I've been around the world. So it's just, like, different types of music, different types of curation. So it's just dope to have people come over to your house that you trust and just vibe. You know, people get tired of going out, cameras everywhere. You know, some very distinguished black people in Atlanta, and they like to really live. So I just, like, come over to my crib, man. We just hang out, you know what I'm saying? It's dope, though. What type of vibes, though? Is it like. Is it all rap? Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah.

[DJ Envy]

That's what I thought I said. Was he playing all his music? They was like, no, they was like.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He played everything. Yeah, house music, old school. Yeah, it's vibe, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, I got soul. I got a little soul. I got a little something. You should come. Nick Sabia tonight. All y' all invited, you know what I'm saying?

[Jess Hilarious]

She gonna tell about everybody. Everybody in the house. Whoever in the house, I tell you, I promise you, she gonna come to the radio and tell everybody. 20 year anniversary of one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Jess Hilarious]

What does it feel like mentally to have to revisit that era?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

To be honest with you, it feels like that album was supposed to happen. And even 20 years later, just the obstacles that I had to go through to get this tour going and everything, it just feels like deja vu. But the consequences are not dire. They just real life things and you gotta show your adversity. And it feels like I was just talking to somebody about this the other day. It's just like now Soul Survivor really resonates with me. It makes sense, you know what I'm saying? Because I'm a soul survivor. And I'm listening to the words. I'm like, oh, this is me. This is who I am. You know, when I wrote it, it was a record. Now this is my life. And it's just like to be 20. Cause you gotta think like you think about Pac and Big, you know, what would they have done? 20 years in the game, you know what I'm saying? You celebrating, all eyes on me. Life after death. 20 years later. I don't know, Pac might have been DJing his basement. I don't know what I'm saying. But I'm living life. And I'm going through, you know, one of those stages where, you know, you get to watch the game line. I watch the streets, you know what I'm saying? I'm in this world, but I'm not of it, you know what I'm saying? So I get to watch it. But at the same time, I already put my work in, so I get to sit back. But I'm dealing with real stuff now. Running companies and doing deals and empowering other people. So it's now I gotta really practice my skills of leadership. But with my catalog behind me. Cause I can stand on that because it's solid, you know what I'm saying? So I'm not, you know, I'm Frankie, Beverly and Mays out here. I could keep going if I wanted to, but I don't got to.

[DJ Envy]

Do you have Survivor's remorse at all?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Cause I used to.

[DJ Envy]

You have so many people that you ran into and partners and people that you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, I used to. But everybody know me. They know I'm solid, you know what I'm saying? But at the same time, my life is about peace, joy and freedom. And I ain't. I'm saying that to Say a lot of people don't survive the war, baby, you know what I'm saying? It's like, I ain't got no reason to go back. Ain't nothing to prove, you know what I'm saying? I'm just trying to live my life, make sure my people straight, you know, put as many people as I can put on and keep, you know, just. You know, just inspiring and involving my culture, which is why I'm even doing this symphony tour, which is crazy, because I think I'm the first one to ever take a symphony around the world, to do a tour, you know what I mean? To celebrate, you know, my first debut album, which is about three, four times platinum. I ain't checked last time, but, oh.

[Jess Hilarious]

I can't wait to put on Tuxed, a nice watch.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I mean, Tuck, motivation. One on one.

[Jess Hilarious]

Come on, now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And it's crazy because it's like, you know, the only time I remember putting on a suit is for a funeral or a wedding. It's a celebration. And it's not just about. It's not just about, you know, the music. It's about everybody who came along on this journey with me that'll celebrate. Think about where you was 20 years ago, you know what I'm saying? Where you were 20 years ago and where y' all at now? This is a celebration of that. Because that music reminds you of that time you was out there grinding. But look what you grinded, too. So this is a reason for everybody to put on a suit in a nice black dress and come out and celebrate. And I do want to say this. This is not. No, this is not the opera. You know what I'm saying? You're not gonna sit down and cross your legs. This is a party, you know what I'm saying? At the same time, shout out to Adam Blackstone. He helped me produce it. Dee Hodges, he wrote the music. He's actually conducting it. Those brothers are crazy. I brought DJ Drama with me, so, you know, it's a party. I got DJ Ace with me. It's a celebration. What I'm saying.

[DJ Envy]

When you were making this album 20 years ago, right, Were you just making songs, or were you thinking the future? Were you thinking catalog? Cause you look at a lot of people in the industry, and their catalog is not strong, Right? Their first album, the catalog is not strong. They can't go on tour. Were you thinking about that when you were writing this first album? Or was it just. I'm just trying to get out the hood. I'm just.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I was Just trying to stay alive and free. And I just wanted to be heard. And the reason why that album is so solid is because I put everything in there, you know, I didn't have another shot, you know what I'm saying? It wasn't like no label was looking for me, you know what I'm saying? I had spent all this money to build this buzz, and I had this one opportunity. And you gotta think, like, I lost my voice. I tore my vocal cords. You know, Bell's Paul. Like, all these things happened at one time. And I'm just like. I was humbled. And the album got leaked four weeks before it came out. Think about that. I was up against all that, and I'm still, like, praying, you know what I'm saying? And it happened. So when I look back 20 years ago, like, I didn't realize what I was doing, but I know to change the trajectory of my family and our generational wealth and get in my family in a better place, that this is all I had, you know what I'm saying? So I put everything in there. I'm Trapper die in this. Yeah, Everything. By the way, I probably, you know, was riding around, you know, still getting it during that time. Right.

[Jess Hilarious]

That's interesting.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The statue of limitations is up. So, yeah, I want to put that out there.

[Jess Hilarious]

You know, it's interesting what you said about the record Soul Survivor, because at that point in your life, you had survived to a certain extent, but you didn't. You didn't feel that way.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, I mean, you gotta think about it. I didn't really even start celebrating life until the recession.

[Jess Hilarious]

Wow.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, I was out of it, bro. I was drinking, smoking, living. I' ma just holding on, you know what I'm saying? Cause I didn't know then I woke up one day, it's like, damn, I'm still free, you know?

[DJ Envy]

So you thought at any moment it could go down.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. And ain't nothing like that. That's some type of stress. You don't even want, you know what I'm saying? Because it's just. It's every day. It never stops. And you're always on edge. You living from, you know, you're living from a survival mindset, you know what I'm saying? And when I woke up on that day, when I started to work on the recession, that's when I realized what abundance was, you know what I'm saying? I'm saying. Cause now I'm like, I'm a superstar, you know. I was telling him the other day, man, I got in the gym, got myself together. My first show in Boston for the Recession tour, You know, I hit the stage, and I'm telling the security guard, hey, yo, they throwing stuff at me. We gotta get out here and get down. He like, sir, no, they're panties. Oh, the sex symbol down. I like this. You know what I'm saying?

[Jess Hilarious]

How crusty and hall was in paintings.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That you didn't realize. Throwing hard objects, you know, bras and stuff. But I'm like, yo, this is different. Cause you gotta think, when I was doing shows, when Thug Motivation came out, all the gangsters was in the front. You know what I'm saying? All the hustlers. There wasn't no women. I didn't have any women fans, you know, shout out to the women fans out there. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, I didn't have that.

[Jess Hilarious]

So when you put that record, the record with Trey Songz on the album, that was them trying to tell you, jeezy, you gotta make something for the lady.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That was me trying to do a record with Dre.

[Jess Hilarious]

Oh, okay. Okay.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know what I'm saying? Yeah. You ever hung out with Trigger Dre?

[Jess Hilarious]

Yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. He makes you wanna do records like that. I need that. I need that in my life. You know what I'm saying?

[Jess Hilarious]

Emotionally, do you ever get triggered when you on stage performing some of those records, though?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, especially, like, lately, because I'm so seasoned with it that, you know, everything is like a sermon to me. You know what I'm saying? I don't take this lightly. I'm in a space where I'm definitely. I'm blessed, and I'm grateful to still have people that understand what my mission is, because it's my purpose. It's who I am. A lot of people do this because it has money or some type of something behind it. But this is who I am every day. This is my life. Like, when I walk out of here and I go walk downstairs and I see somebody, they ain't talking about the song. They talking about me. Like, we. Like, I keep doing what you doing because we living through you. So for me, it's just like some of those songs, especially, like, 20 years later to see. Cause I'm gonna be honest. Like, Soul Survivor hits so different. It hits so different, like. Cause back then, it was a great song, you know, shout out to Shakir Stewart, you know, rest in peace. He made me put that on the album. You know what I'm saying? But my whole thing was like, I want to go trap or die, you know? And imagine if I would have listened to that myself and stayed on that trajectory. And then where is that now? Because when I'm doing this soul surviving arenas, and I'm looking at these kids or I'm looking at these people, I'm like, I wonder, do they realize, like, this is who I am, you know what I'm saying? And this is me living my dream, being on the stage, and I'm still getting standing ovations 20 years later, you know what I'm saying? So I don't know nobody else that can say that they're a sole survivor and mean it like that. So, yeah, that record means a lot to me. And even trap or die, you know what I'm saying? It's just like, that's real, you know what I'm saying?

[Jess Hilarious]

But you're not sitting on the block with your thang cock no more.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Nah. But we'll talk about that offline.

[DJ Envy]

I was gonna ask, does the street mentality actually leave? Right? So if you see. I mean, and you've been around Jay and you've seen his evolution of being always looking over his shoulder to now when I see him walking in the building, it's like, free. I don't have to worry about that. Even when I see 50 more, he feels more free. Do you feel that way or do.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You feel like I'm always still got it? I mean, but I still got it because I'm not exempt. But I understand what it is. But, you know, I carry myself with a level of integrity, so it's just like, as long as I feel like it's mutual respect, I don't feel like, the need to even have to watch the room. But I will tell you this. I've been on a journey for about, like, almost eight, nine years now, you know what I'm saying? But I could tell you, at this point in my life, like, I'm really at peace. Like, I don't worry about the things that I can't control. And that is including people, you know what I'm saying? So for me, it's just like, I don't everybody know me. I float around my city or any city.

[DJ Envy]

What got you there, though? Cause it took you a long time to get there. What got you there?

[Jess Hilarious]

Work, therapy.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Therapy work journaling, meditating, all that, you know what I'm saying? Like, I'm not even gonna hold you. Like, it's real. And when you wake up and you start to realize, like, okay, and you can emotionally regulate and you and you know who you are. You have nothing to prove. There's no better feeling, you know what I'm saying? Because I don't gotta prove anything. And by the way, you can see, you can tell because people are attracted to that. Cause they can tell that that's how you feel. Peace attracts peace, chaos attracts chaos. Ain't no way around that, you know what I'm saying? If you got nervous energy, you gonna attract nervous people. I ain't inviting no nervous people to my house. Watch me dj, know that.

[Jess Hilarious]

I wanna go back. He mentioned Jay Z. Do you remember the moment when Jay Z told you that album was a classic? I remember reading that, and maybe double.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

XL or something back then. He said to me, he said to me, you got a brand? He texted me. He was like, you got a brand. And I didn't know what that meant at first, but, you know, 20 years later, I can see that what he meant. Like, you actually stand for something and people understand what that is, right? So it's almost like your brand could be anything. But My brand has always been motivation, you know what I'm saying? But if you coming out with your first album, it's hard to tell people. You're motivating people. But 20 years later, that's what it is. I'm still doing what I know how to do best. And that's what he was trying to get me to see. Like, stay there. You know what I'm saying? Because, you know, music was changing. You know, we all want to be hot, but it's like when you. When you. When you on fire in the inside, you don't need to be on fire outside, you know what I'm saying? I ain't got to chase nothing. But then I would have, you know what I'm saying? You know, like, you know, snap music, it was crunk music. I had to figure it out. You know, I'm rapping and I'm making songs that are the tempo or, you know, 72, you know, you think about knuck if you buck, you know, that was up there. So I'm in the club competing with that, thinking, man, maybe I should, you know. But he was more saying, like, stay there. You good?

[Jess Hilarious]

Yeah, but didn't he tell you that that album was a classic?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. Yeah, he did. Yeah, he did. Yeah, he did. He hit me up. He was just like, yo, I think when he heard it for the first time. Cause I played it for him, you know what I'm saying? And yeah, he definitely told me. He was like, yo, this. This One here gonna live with you. And you know me, I was already on to the next one. I was like, well, what I'm gonna do for the next album? Cause you know how it is. You living from. You know, you living from that place of survival. You like, man, if this work, I gotta be ready again. Cause that's a lot of pressure, you know what I'm saying? I don't know if that helped me when he told me it was a classic. Because, you know, back then, you know, I was a little wild. So that got to, you know, that definitely made my head a little bigger. So that definitely, you know, like, got to my ego.

[Jess Hilarious]

Did you ask him to get on Dope Boys Go Crazy?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes, absolutely. I remember playing it. So, first of all, that record was a record that I heard when I was over somebody else's trap house. And they was playing this Tip mixtape. I think it was down with the King.

[Jess Hilarious]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And I was just over there, and I was kicking it, and they was playing it. They asked me, did I hear it? And I heard him rapping over the Go Crazy beat. And I'm like, damn. I said, who made the beat? It was like, don Cannon. So I left, and I called Don Cannon. I was like, yo, I need a beat like that. And then he said, why not use that beat? And I said, okay. What you mean? And he said, Tip didn't buy the beat. He just rapped over it. I was like, bet, where you at? I'm gonna pull up on you now. You know what I'm saying? Right now. I got the record. I had a meeting in Def Jam, so I flew in. Me and Coach K flew into to New York. That morning, he picked me up from the studio. We flew in, we flew back that same night. On the way back, I wrote Go Crazy on the Plane. You know what I'm saying? Flying back to Atlanta, recorded it that night. I had three verses. Def Jam came about two weeks later, and we was all in Pat's works. And I played the whole album. And when I got to that song, it was all clapping when it was done. And I was like, yo, by the way, I'm putting Jay Z on this song. I said, y' all need to work that out. I told L A Reid that I'm.

[DJ Envy]

Putting Jay Z on it. But you ain't speak to HOV yet, right?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, you gotta speak it in existence. All right? And one day for the BET Awards, I was out in la and HOV called me to his hotel. He's like, yo, come by the hotel. So we sitting upstairs in his suite, outside on the patio, smoking cigars, just talking. Cause we never talked about music. We always talk about life. And then he was like, what verse you gonna take off? And I was like, what do you mean? And then he was talking about go crazy. I had three verses, and then he said, I'm doing it, by the way. And I was like, you can take them all off if that's what you wanna do. I stay on the hook. And I remember. I'll never forget it. We was at K Day in New York. I mean, I'm sorry. In la. And Coach K walk in, like we do in an interview like this. Coach K walk in. He was like, I got it. And I'm like, what? He's like, I got the Jay Z verse mid interview. I told the guy, I think it's Julio. I said, julio, you got. We stopped the interview. I was like, you gotta hold up. And I go outside, and I told him to come in the hallway, Coach play. And I heard that verse.

[Jess Hilarious]

More than a hustler, I'm the definition of it. Master Chef loaded the kitchen cupboard.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I was happy at first, but then I started thinking, damn, he bodied you on.

[Jess Hilarious]

It's okay. He bodied you on that record, but it's okay. That's one of Jay Z's best verses ever.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, I was. I was. I was like, damn. Okay, how did this work? You know, I.

[DJ Envy]

This work now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I think I got him back on scene at all, though. I think so. Yeah.

[Jess Hilarious]

Oh, yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. Okay, cool.

[DJ Envy]

So we good now for thug thug motivation 101. Is there a record that didn't make the album because of clearance or for whatever reason that you said, damn, I wish that one made that album.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, it was a bunch of, like, mixtape stuff that didn't make it. And the thing about it is the album really got pressured out, you know what I'm saying? Because one of the interns who was up there who was trying to get his beats on the album will get a beat on the album. I never did anything on his records, and I left my drives at Patchworks. So I guess he got mad and leaked the album four weeks before it came out. So now Bell's palsy, my vocal cords, all these things happening at once, and now the album's leaked. So now I'm sitting there and I'm like, what am I gonna do? Because now I gotta think of the next plan, so I can't go back to the streets. You know what I'm saying? Cause now I'm like, Damn. Like, this is it. And I never forget, I went to Patchworks, you know, I caught a lawsuit. I'll say that. You know what I'm saying? Cause I had to read the book, right?

[Jess Hilarious]

Adversity for sales.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Read the book, right? And you know, actually it helped me, you know what I'm saying? So you know what they say? No weapon formed against me shall prosper. It helped me. Cause it went to all the bootlegs and it spread it everywhere. And the thing that I had the most anxiety about out of everything was I had to pick a single, right? And on mixtapes, Trafford Daddy pick it for you. So by the time he leaked it and it was already going, I didn't know what I was going with. I was still pushing Trap or Die, the song. And the label called me and Shakir called me. He's like, yo. He's like, yeah, you can shoot Trap or Die. That's what you want to do. We're shooting Soul Survivor. How do you want to shoot the video? Came to Brooklyn, shot the video, everybody showed up. Hov, Jim Jones, Cameron, you name it. It was crazy. It was festive. And the video, we did it, like, paid in full. It was crazy. It was probably one of the most memorable moments in my career, you know what I'm saying? Because, you know, you always heard stories about Brooklyn. Like, ain't nobody come to Brooklyn. They like, jesus, we love you. Like, I'm. I'm out in Brooklyn shooting a video, and everybody from the blocks coming out and the whole label was there, a lot of guys from Atlanta came in. Like it was. It was. It was. It. And when the video came out, it was gone. And I didn't. And I told. I was telling somebody that I knew Akon from being around the way. Cause it was like, him and Boo, I couldn't tell him apart, right? You know what I'm saying? So I didn't realize he was that big overseas, and I didn't. And this was the first collaboration that I've ever done. So I didn't realize doing a record with somebody that you can actually tap into their fan base too, on a national level or a global level, right? And I ain't know that. So it went from me being able to walk through the airport, you know what I'm saying? 7:00am to catch my flight to, like, now I'm walking through the airport, everybody. Hey, Con and Young G. And I'm like, where you from, brother? Africa, man. We love you. I'm like, oh, man, you know what I'm Saying so it was love. And it was just, like, one thing I can say about the boy, Khan, he different. You know what I'm saying? Cause he's over there and they love him. I did shows with him in Africa, and I'm like, okay, what is going on? Nobody knows who I am, but they know who you are. And he was like, you gotta be over here a little bit more. And I love that. You know what I'm saying? And we, over the years, he hit me up over the years. We always stayed locked in. He hit me up the other day, was like, yo, we number one on TikTok. I don't even know what that mean, but I'm like, yeah, that's it. Soul. Survival. Survival.

[Jess Hilarious]

Oh.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, wow. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.

[Jess Hilarious]

Did Mailman really flip birds at the judge?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, he did.

[Jess Hilarious]

He did, yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's probably why he got them 10. I was trying to get him off of about four and a half, but. Yeah. Yeah. Damn. Shout out to Mel, man, I'm shocked that you didn't know that you were such a sex symbol. I'm really sitting here, like, how did you not. I mean, you know, like, in the. You know, like. I didn't know that then. You know what I'm saying? Cause you gotta think, like, back then, what I was doing, you know, I was. I'm five' eight. I was 260, skin bad. I wasn't drinking water. My diet was Waffle House and Cristal. You know what I'm saying? I'm partying all day. Cause I didn't know if I was gonna be home.

[Jess Hilarious]

You like a snowman.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

For real? Yeah. I was in big stuff. Because, you know, now. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Not get it now. I mean, even on the intellectual level, like, I know that I can sit down and spar with the best of them. I mean, I know that for a fact.

[Jess Hilarious]

Yeah, we saw you with Nia Long.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. Shout out to Neil. Shout out to Nia.

[DJ Envy]

And then I was even saying a.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Lot of women in the comments saying, oh, after the divorce, man, he looked.

[DJ Envy]

Even better after that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I received that.

[DJ Envy]

I was saying that. But I know that that was, like.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

An intense time, you know, last year.

[DJ Envy]

You going through all of that, even.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

With, you know, the custody battle that you did win and everything. Where are things with you and your ex now? Peace. That's good. Yeah. Peace, man. I just. I'm all about understanding. I'm all about what's best for everybody. Yeah. The greater, you know, the greater good. And it just, like, I'M just telling you, like, my life. I tell myself this every day. Like, man, this is amazing. I don't got no enemies I ain't got no issues I don't want no enemies I don't want no issues. Hey, what up, y' all?

[DJ Envy]

It's DJ Envy. The first few months of 2025 have been quite a year. Work deadlines, group chats you can't escape, and your weird cousin's latest overshare. It's a lot. But here's some good news. You don't have to bring that stress into your car. The all new Nissan Murano is your piece on wheels, thanks to its available features. Imagine sliding into the relaxing, massaging seats that feel like they were made to melt your tensions. Take in the skyline views that let sunlight pour in and watch as your day brightens. I have a special playlist that always gets me right. And with the Bose premium sound system, you, you too can vibe like you're at your own private concert. Plus, with your 64 color personalized lighting option, you can set the mood any way you want. Be it romantic, chill, or in a straight up do not disturb mode. Let the Nissan Murano be your oasis in a chaotic world. Because sometimes the greatest rush isn't rushing at all. Drive the all new Nissan Murano today.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Panoramic moonroof, ambient lighting, bows and massaging leather.

[DJ Envy]

Appointed seats are optional features.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Over the past six years of making my true crime podcast Hell and Gone, I've learned one thing. No town is too small for murder. I'm Katherine Townsend. I've received hundreds of messages from people across the country begging for help with unsolved murders. I was calling about the murder of my husband. It's a cold case. They've never found her. And it haunts me to this day. The murder is still out there.

[Katherine Townsend]

Every week on Hell and Gone Murder.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Line, I dig into a new case, bringing the skills I've learned as a journalist and private investigator to ask the questions no one else is asking. Police really didn't care to even try. She was still somebody's mother. She was still somebody's daughter. She was still somebody's sister. There's so many questions that we've never gotten any kind of answers for. If you have a case you'd like.

[Katherine Townsend]

Me to look into, call the Helen.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Gone murder line at 678-744-6145.

[Katherine Townsend]

Listen to Helen Gone Murderline on the.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Iheartradio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dan Flores]

The American west with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. Hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores and brought to you by Velvet Buck. This podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian Dr. Randall Williams and best selling author and Meat Eater founder Stephen Rinella.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'll correct my kids now and then where they'll say when cave people were here. And I'll say it seems like the Ice Age people that were here didn't have a real affinity for caves.

[Dan Flores]

So join me starting Tuesday, May, where we'll delve into stories of the west and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Listen to the American west with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Katherine Townsend]

I know a lot of cops and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no.

[DJ Envy]

Across the country, cops called this Taser the Revolution.

[Katherine Townsend]

But not everyone was convinced it was that simple.

[Dan Flores]

Cops believed everything that Taser told them.

[Katherine Townsend]

From Lava For Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multi billion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1 Taser Incorporated.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I get right back there and it's bad.

[Katherine Townsend]

It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1 Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2 and 3 on May 21 and episodes 4, 5 and 6 on June 4 ad free at Lava for Good. Plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Shoes. I just want peace. I just want joy and I just want freedom. I love my freedom. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Like, I love it. Like you just talk about I came up here independently. I just called like I'm coming to the Breakfast Club, you know what I'm saying? Like, I ain't got to check in. I ain't gotta, you know, I ain't got to talk to no label. I ain't got to do nothing and shout out to Def Jam. Love y' all. But it just like freedom and ownership is everything, you know what I'm saying? Especially when you're talking art, you talking culture, you're talking your mind, you know what I'm saying? I've worked hard my whole life. This is the season of me, you know what I'm saying? I'm putting myself first at all costs, you know what I'm saying? And it's just like, my piece is everything. Everybody that know me know that, you know what I'm saying? They call me like, yeah, bro, I love you, but don't call me nothing crazy, you know what I'm saying?

[DJ Envy]

I want to ask, you know, how was that? Because you're very private, very private person. But that was so public.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Did that irk you at all?

[DJ Envy]

Like, everybody in your business talking about you?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, I had to come to the realization that I know who I am and that nobody else can't tell me different. So as long as I stayed on the path of integrity and staying true to myself, it wasn't nothing really to worry about. Because anybody that know me, like, I mean, I even heard y' all was up here, like, nah, I know Jesus, but that's because my reputation exceeds me. I'm like, I ain't on nothing, you know what I'm saying? Unless I need to be, you know what I'm saying? And I'm not. So it just like, it comes with the territory, you know what I'm saying? He who wears the crown. It's just like people talked about Jesus, you know what I'm saying? They gonna talk about everybody. Everybody's not gonna like you. Now, if I'm a good person to you and you don't like me, then there's a problem. But if you don't like me because of what you heard or what you think, then I ain't none of my spiritual business. I can't do nothing about that, you know what I'm saying? I can't even convince you because your mind is made up. However, if you know me and we had some type of interaction, I haven't done anything wrong to you, then that says more about you than me, because now you judge and now you judging me. There's no judgment here because I'm not perfect by far. But if I haven't done anything to you, then you can't take that position because the people around me got real love for me and my friends. And in my circle, like, I never felt any type of just. But the people who wasn't for me, of course, and that did me a solid. Now I ain't gotta even worry about cutting you off. Put yourself on, you know what I'm saying? Would you ever get married again? Woo. Hit me up. I'm Gonna be all the way honest. I love my freedom, and it has nothing to do. It has nothing to do with anything in the past. I just love my freedom. I got you. You know what I'm saying? Like, I love it. You know, I. I think life partners are amazing, you know, I would think so.

[Jess Hilarious]

How did you feel when the Internet said you. You was trying to holl at me along by any means necessary.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

They wasn't lying. They was not lying, right?

[Jess Hilarious]

You said real niggas don't cheat. No, they.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hold on.

[DJ Envy]

She said, really?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But what I went was real men. I never cheated. Not like that. No, I don't cheat.

[Jess Hilarious]

What do you mean, not like that?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm saying, like, that's low hanging fruit. If I'm locked in, I'm locked in. We ain't got to be married. Like, I'm just not a cheater. That's like, I'm not gonna cheat my friends. You know what I'm saying? I'm not, I'm not. That ain't in my blood.

[Jess Hilarious]

That's real.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But, but, but you say I was trying to holler. Yeah, I was, you know, but I had to be respectful because I was still, you know, idolizing, you know what I'm saying? So it was hard. It was tough staying focused.

[DJ Envy]

They gonna link you with everybody now, right? They gonna link you with everybody. I see them link you with Cynthia baby Stanley the other day when you did that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, they wouldn't do that. They wouldn't do that. They sure did. We love Cynthia, man. Shout out to Cynthia. That's her homegirl, you know what I'm saying? Nah, nah, nah, nah. Now the other one. Yeah, I just said the other one real quick.

[Jess Hilarious]

Oh, who I mean on the other one.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, absolutely.

[Jess Hilarious]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Everything is finalized. I'm gonna press Vogue. I'm gonna hit the park button, you know what I'm saying? I'm not gonna play about that.

[Jess Hilarious]

So you said we might see her at some of these shows.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I mean, listen, she's invited. I know she has a beautiful black dress. She's definitely invited. There you go.

[Jess Hilarious]

I do want to know what, what inspired you to re reimagine the album in this way, though? Because I'm sitting there, I'm like, yo, symphony orchestra, black tie, right? Twist your fingers up.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Bang, bang. Yeah, but, but when we did it with the. We did it in Atlanta was the first one. It was no feeling like that because it was a lot of people that I saw. And by the way, I've been trying to do this for at least five years. But it was like, so many people that I saw in the crowd that I knew personally that I was just proud of where they was at because they're successful, they're this and that, but they don't want to come to a show where they feel, I want to bring my woman out, I want to get drunk, I want to go to dinner before and hit a spot after. This is a celebration. This isn't a show or a concert. This is a one night, you know, one man, one mic thing. And it's just like, why not celebrate the evolution of it? And also, I would like to add that I feel like it's my moral obligation because I was the one that told these kids to trap or die. I feel like it's my moral obligation to show them evolution in this and that you don't have to change to evolve. You know what I'm saying? It's like, if you make art, it should grow with you, right? You shouldn't have to be a different person. Because I think that's what they run into. The roadblocks. It's just like, I gotta be thug forever. You know what I'm saying? And that's. If that's how you feel, that's how you feel. But I ain't gonna gotta be on the block with my. You know what I'm saying? Like, now I'm in the boardrooms, right? And that's okay. And my thing is my. Is my mind, because I know I'm a lot smarter than what's. And I done been through enough to know that if the press is on, I'm not worried about losing my job. They may be I'm gonna make sound decisions because I've been through it before. So that's my gift. But for the culture. It hurts me to know these young men and to see them in these situations. I care, bro. Like, I don't care what nobody say. These are my. These are my little brothers. And I know I can't change them, right? So I can't judge them. The only thing I could do was what I saw, like, hold them. Do for me. Just lead by example, you know what I mean? Just do your thing and just leave the door open or the back door at least, because it's not easy, like, to even get to this point in all the turmoil and the doors that got closed on me, just to even do this project, you know what I'm saying? I had to really realize, like, okay, you still you. So you gotta really do this the right way. And it's on your own. But you gotta realize they ain't gonna just let you in this door like that. But so I gotta make sure I leave the door open for the kids that's coming up at the generation behind them. Because if you really look at it, when Trap or Die, dropped, thug motivation, all this, if you seen the influx of street cats that got into music because they was like, man, I. I saw Jesus. That's real. Sure. I. I know people that he actually was affiliated with, got down with whatever cities he been to, whatever. So I know if he can do it, I can do it. The only problem is the rules are different because ain't nobody. Ain't no big homies. So it's like the wild, wild west, you know what I'm saying? It's probably why I'm listening to house music these days, you know what I'm saying? Cause it's like, I love the music, but it's a different vibration. So I don't need that all day. I can listen to it in the gym, right? But I'm not gonna listen to it when I get up in the morning to go do what I gotta do. Cause I wanna keep a. You know, but at the same time, I feel like it's my moral obligation, like, in my heart, you know what I'm saying? Like, that's my purpose, to inspire and to. To help culture evolve. Like, that's. That's my purpose.

[DJ Envy]

Do you have those conversations with the younger artists, though? And the reason I ask is, yeah, it's like you said, you know, we talk about it all the time, right? We did a lot of super stuff back then, but there was none of this, right? There was no Internet, Right. They weren't telling on themselves. But now it just seems like it's the cool thing to tell everybody what you did, whether it's illegal or not.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Which is the wildest crazy, because there's no integrity and there's nobody to follow. Which is why I don't do a lot of interviews, you know what I'm saying? I come talk to y' all, we gonna kick it. But I don't got nothing to say to somebody who. Who's looking for ignorance for me, you know what I'm saying? I'm not. I'm still operating by the code, you know what I'm saying? These people are moving the goal posts. I don't like that. I don't want playing that game, you know what I'm saying? Every time it's something different. Why is it something different for them and not me, you know what I'm saying? Or us. So for me, I feel for them because they don't got nobody to follow, you know what I'm saying? And there's nothing like giving somebody this. Because you got to think about it. Like, Jordan got the type of money he got, but he didn't get LeBron money for playing. So they're giving them a different type of money and they're using the money. They still got trauma. They still got things going on that's so important to them that they feel like they got to deal with. But now you giving the money to Feud of War.

[Jess Hilarious]

Man, I seen this kid on Tick Tock a couple weeks ago. Remember I was showing you that video? The dude was literally in his room crying to his girlfriend because his ops had came up on some money. And the way he was serious, he was like, man, they gonna have all type of choppers and switches. He said, that shit ain't fair.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm like, first of all, why you.

[Jess Hilarious]

Recording this number one?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He's probably trying to get a safe haven. Something happened to me, you know who it is. I don't respect it. You know, I said I wasn't gonna talk about it when I came up here. Cause I feel like it ain't none of my spiritual business. But as somebody who's been in the game, a part of the game and in this world and not of it, I just don't respect it. Ain't no integrity. Like everybody getting up here, they talking too much, they saying too many things. And if that's okay, then the next generation will do the same thing. And even worse it even worse. And I'm only concerned about the culture. Because at some point, when nobody respects it no more, they're not going to respect the art form. It don't even matter what you say. It'll be like we'll be obsolete, you know what I'm saying? Because ain't nothing, ain't no. There ain't no integrity behind what we're doing or saying. Because we're doing anything. And it looks like we're doing anything for money.

[DJ Envy]

Right?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Right. And I don't like that. Because I'm not doing anything for money, you know what I'm saying? I probably turn down more than I accept. Because it gotta be in line with my purpose. And that's just me. I'm not asking nobody else to be that way. But when you speak of the culture, you can see why people kind of stay away from it. Cause they're Kind of like, I don't know if I want to be affiliated with that, you know what I'm saying? Because I don't, you know. And if all my kids are going to think is that, you know, that I was a artist and that's it. I'm a father first, I'm a man first, you know what I'm saying? I'm a CEO first, you know what I'm saying? I'm a big brother first, you know what I'm saying? I'm all the things. I'm a son, you know? So we can't just get categorized and boxed into what we are as far as culture and go live that out. Because then if something happened to you, your kids are the ones that suffer, you know? Ain't nothing like having a daddy that was rich and now we ain't got nothing. Cause he made a decision for what he thought was right. That had nothing to do with anybody. And you asked me earlier, and I ain't calling no names. Cause I ain't trying to call nobody out. Cause I love them, but I don't wanna sat on these cats, beds in they house, in they room, like, hey, man, we gotta talk, bro. Like, I don't call like, hey, man, what you got going, bro? Like, come pull up on me. Let's talk about this. And I did it so many times. And I think that the disconnect is when these labels are giving these kids these type of money. Money equals respect to them.

[Jess Hilarious]

That's real.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So it's like, I'm not listening to you. Cause you ain't doing nothing for me. And I got this. Which is fine. Now sustaining it is a whole different conversation. But even keeping you. Because now you got the chance to change generational wealth, you know what I'm saying? Or either put your kids in the. It's a difference between your kids going to public school and private school. Or having those type of friends when they grow up. Because that's what it's about. Like their relationships and who they're gonna meet and grow up with and go to college with and all that. Because it ain't about you, it's about your kids, Right? But just imagine that everything's going great, everybody's loving this new life we got. And then you just make a decision that's purely based on emotions and ego. And I tell everybody, man, a bad day for the ego is a great day for the soul. You know what I'm saying? Because I've had to make so many unpopular decisions, but it all worked. Out for me. Cause I'm in peace. And I ain't gotta play, you know what I'm saying? It's like, I don't gotta play the game. Because if you come over here, you know what I'm saying, we gonna be in the right. It's not even. It ain't even about being gangster. It's about being a man. It's just like, I don't want to be nowhere around there. I love y' all. You can come one on, you know, one on one, but don't bring all your partners. I don't want to be bothered, you know what I'm saying? But I feel for them. Because, you know, it's a lot of wet pillows in that penitentiary, man. You know what I'm saying? It's a lot of wet pillows.

[Jess Hilarious]

I do want to say, in regards to the music you used to make 20 years ago, you can't beat yourself up about that because you was doing the best you could with the information you had at the time. And when I listened to thug motivation 101, that don't. Just a hustle is a hustle. I don't mean that it's leading me to the show.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, no, no, no. And I don't want you to think that I'm tripping. I'm saying. Because I always knew, as a position of leadership, I always understood that. Now when I was going through. When I was going through, I just wised up over time and started listening to the people who was really trying to help me, Right? Cause they really were. And they were people that I wouldn't expect, you know what I'm saying? They were people that was reaching out, having these conversations. But I took heed and I was just like, okay, tell me about that. And you gotta stay curious, you know, you gotta ask the questions. And then when you start seeing what's happening around you, it goes back to the streets. Like, I knew what not to do based off of how I saw these people getting in this trouble. So I'm like, I don't wanna do that. I ain't the jail type. I'm gonna tell you right now. I can't see sitting nowhere and not being productive. So I don't wanna even put myself in a position like that without me having to. You know what I'm saying? But I don't regret anything. I don't regret my hard times. I don't regret my lows. I don't regret my highs. I don't regret my run ins. I don't regret anything. Because it all taught me a lesson, you know what I'm saying? And I understand that now, and I can say that wholeheartedly. So when somebody comes and talk to me, I can say, bro, look, I can't tell you what to do, but I'mma go and tell you. Like, I don't know how that's going to work out, because this is what happened over here. This is what I seen happen with this person. Now, you could take that data and that information, you could do whatever you want with it, but I can assure you that if you do that, there's going to be some type of consequence for sure.

[Jess Hilarious]

When you. When you go on a journey like this, you know, for your. Your 20 years of thug motivation 101, does it make you, like. Does it make you reach out to, like, older people? You came up with, like, have you spoken to Big Meech?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes. Solid. Solid.

[Jess Hilarious]

Okay.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, everybody's solid, bro. I'm his peace man. Welcome home. It's love, baby. You know what I'm saying? For me is, you know, I'm. I'm. Like I said, man, it's all good with me, bro. You know what I'm saying? All good.

[Jess Hilarious]

What's the deep album cut that you really enjoy performing off, Doug? Motivation 101, man.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I mean, listen, bro, I can't get past intro, you know what I'm saying?

[Jess Hilarious]

I used to hit the kitchen lights, cockroaches.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And you gotta wait till you hear this with the symphony, you know what I'm saying? With the symphony. And I need everybody to know I'm coming through your city. I'm coming through your town. It's gonna be amazing. One night only. And you gotta pull up and going back to your other question about me reaching back out, I think it's more important for me to reach forward. So shout out to Lisk, who I just partnered with for my nonprofit space. And shout out to the Urban League of Atlanta, who I reached out with for my Young CEO program. Because it's like, what is Lisk?

[Jess Hilarious]

I know you do that with the Street Dreams Foundation.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, LISK is. So we got two things going right now. We definitely got the prostate cancer campaign going on. Cause I had a couple of friends that go through that. So we locked in there. But it's definitely for entrepreneurs, young entrepreneurs, tech spaces. You have it. We showing them how to set up their lives so that they can win. And same thing with the Urban League of Atlanta. Same thing we got the Young CEO program. You can go on my Instagram, check it out. You know anybody from the age of. What's the age, Ms. Lamon? 17 to 24. 17 to 24. And we send it up. We putting them with mentors, all that. And by the way, like, this is who I am. Like, I love this. And somebody asked me the other day, how do you do both? They all the same, you know what I'm saying? We still motivate. It's all the same to me. We get to jump on the stage, but then we get to go help some people with prostate cancer. We get to jump on the stage and we get to go help mentor some kids. I love it.

[Jess Hilarious]

And you're saving people. You know, people can live a much longer life if they just go.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And I know I said this last time, but I got to say it again because you saved me, brother. Shout out to Charlamagne for my New York Times bestselling book, Adversity for Sale. Because I ran into a situation where I had a issue with the publishing company and I called Charlamagne was like, who published your book? And he put me with somebody. And we went on to sell New York Times bestseller. Congratulations. Yeah, so thank you. Congratulations, my brother.

[Jess Hilarious]

Thank you for all the years of motivation. Motivation with the music man.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's right.

[Jess Hilarious]

My last question, if you could go back and tell 2005, Jeezy One thing before TM101 dropped, what would it be?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Go harder. Because I was a little reluctant because, you know, I was scared of failure. You know what I mean? Cause I had so much on the line. So it was like real pressure, you know, it ain't nothing like everybody looking at you like a way out, you know what I'm saying? That pressure's on your shoulder. But then you also looking at yourself like if. Cause it's different if a record label is inquiring you and you hide in the streets and on your, like they're pushing this issue like, this is your money, this is your time, this is your energy. So if it doesn't work, you know, nine times out of 10, you don't spun all, you don't spend all your bread, and now you gotta figure something else out. And you don't turn your back on everything you knew as far as like the streets to take this chance. So I always said go harder because there was a lot of times where I was like, I was sitting back not being the star that I could have been because I was having, what do they call, the imposter syndrome, you know? Cause I was in these rooms with these guys that was really writing and really like, this is what they've been doing their whole life. And I kind of just stumbled into this. And it wasn't until I just realized that like. But you real though, you are who you say you are. And you don't have to be as witty. You can be realer. And that was my thing. So when I was saying if it's taking too long to lock up, I was talking to the people who knew what I was talking about. So everybody wasn't gonna get there. And that's what I had over everybody else. I knew how to talk to the people that mattered to me. And it wasn't until I really figured that out is when I was like, okay, I can live in it. Like I said, I was three albums in before I woke up. And I was just like. I took that book bag with all those not bricks. I meant like weights in it. Cause it was heavy. And I just took it off and threw it. And I was like, I'm going to be a star. I'm going to be a star, man. You know? So thug motivation to me was a blur because it was like, it could have happened. It might have not happened. But everything I went through, I'm grateful for. Even right now to this day. Because there's nothing that I go up against that I don't go. What would I done in 2005? You know what I'm saying? How would I have worked around this? And I love it. Cause when people put me in, if I get in situations with business and then I call back and I call my team the next day and be like, yo, we gonna do this. They be like, oh, man, I knew it. We got em. You know what I'm saying? Cause they tried to box me in. I figured it out. So, yeah.

[Jess Hilarious]

So in a lot of ways, this tour is like you being able to relive that time, but actually enjoy the moment.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Enjoy the moment, man. And I want people to enjoy it with me. And I'm gonna say this, like, this is for us. You know, put your black suit on. If you don't got a bow tie, put your black dress on. Let's have a good time. Let's celebrate. Let's celebrate, you know, evolution. Let's celebrate life. Let's celebrate our wins, our losses and everything. Like, let's have a good time. Because I don't want to keep coming and we doing like, you know, you could do a show, but I want an experience, you know what I'm saying? I want you to see what I'M trying to say. And again, this is a party. This is not. You know, you just come sitting down. You know, this is not the opera. Shout out to the opera, but it's not the opera.

[DJ Envy]

Gotcha.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Right.

[DJ Envy]

Well, we appreciate you for joining us.

[Jess Hilarious]

Appreciate you guys and where they go to get tickets.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, you go to Jeezy is TM101Live.

[DJ Envy]

TM101Live.com. That's right. We appreciate you for joining us. Let us know, because we.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We definitely pulling up. Oh, yeah. I want to say this before I leave. New York is going to be lit because I'm actually officially closing down the Apollo. I'm doing the last show there until they do the renovation, so they're gonna sit down for the rest of the year. So I will be having an official last show at the Apollo. It's gonna be crazy. Look on the website to find out when I'm coming through your city. Shout out to the Breakfast Club. Shout out to you all. Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Well, there you have it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes, sir.

[DJ Envy]

It's Jeezy. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wake that ass up early in the morning. The Breakfast.

[Dan Flores]

Why is a soap opera western like Yellowstone so wildly successful? The American west with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6, where we'll delve into stories of the west and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Listen to the American west with Dan Frank Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Katherine Townsend]

I know a lot of cops and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. This is Absolute Season one, Taser Incorporated.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I get right back there and it's bad.

[Katherine Townsend]

Listen to Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Lodd. And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast. Last year, a lot of the problems of the drug war.

[Katherine Townsend]

This year, a lot of the biggest.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Names in music and sports. This is kind of star studded a little bit, man.

[Katherine Townsend]

We met them at their homes. We met them at their recording studios.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Stories matter, and it brings a face to it. It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast. Season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Michael Kasson, founder and CEO of 3C Ventures and your guide on Good.

[Katherine Townsend]

Company, the podcast where I sit down.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

With the boldest innovators shaping what's next. In this episode, I'm joined by Angeli Su, CEO of Tubi. We dive into the competitive world of streaming. What others dismiss as niche, we embrace as core. There's stories out there, and if you can find a way to curate and help the right person discover the right content. The term that we always hear from our audience is that they feel seen. Listen to Good company on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart podcast.