
Loading summary
Maria Fernanda Diaz
Hey, y'all. I'm Maria Fernanda Diaz. When youn're Invisible is my love letter to the working class people and immigrants who shaped me. Season 2 shares stories about community and being underestimated.
Emilia
All the greatest changes have happened when a couple of people said, this sucks.
Jim Jones
Let'S do something about it.
Charlamagne Tha God
We get paid to serve you, but we're made out of the same things.
Jim Jones
It's rare to have black male teachers. Sometimes I am the testament.
Maria Fernanda Diaz
Listen to when youn're Invisible on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Emilia
I'm Emila, host of the podcast Crumbs. For years, I had to rely on other people to tell me my story, and what I heard wasn't good. You really? Last night it felt like I lived most of my life in a blackout. I was trapped in addiction. I had to grab the lamp and smashed it against the walls. And then I decided I wanted to tell my own story. Listen to crumbs on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
John Cameron Mitchell
This is John Cameron Mitchell and my new fiction podcast series, Cancellation island stars Holly Hunter as Karen, a wellness influencer who launches a rehab for the recently canceled. In the future, we will all be canceled for 15 minutes, but don't worry, we'll take you from broke to woke your money back. Cancellation Island's revolutionary rehab therapies, like bad touch football, anti racism spin class, and mandatory ayahuasca ceremonies are designed to force the council to confront their worst impulses. But everything starts to fall apart when people start disappearing.
Jim Jones
Karen, where have you brought us?
John Cameron Mitchell
Cancellation island, where a second chance might just be your last. Listen to Cancellation island on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Colleen Witt
Are you hungry? Colleen Witt here. And Eating While Broke is back for season four every Thursday on the Black Effect Podcast Network. This season we've got a legendary lineup serving up broke dishes and even better stories. On the menu we have Tony Baker, Nick Cannon, Melissa Ford, October London, and Carrie Harper Howe. Turning Big Macs into big moves. Catch eating While Broke every Thursday on the Black Effect podcast network. IHeartRA radio app Apple Podcast. Wherever you get your favorite shows. Come hungry for season four.
DJ Envy
Wake that ass up in the morning. The Breakfast Club.
Angela Yee
Morning, everybody. It's Dej Envy. Just hilarious. Charlemagne the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. Just as out today. Laura LaRosa is filling in and we got a special guest in the building. His album is out this Friday at The church steps.
DJ Envy
He done did it again, man.
Angela Yee
Cap O. Ladies and gentlemen, Jim Jones.
Jim Jones
What's up with y'all? Welcome.
Angela Yee
How you feeling?
Jim Jones
I'm feeling pretty good. I can't complain, man.
DJ Envy
You make some good ass music. I done told you this a million times, but at some point you would think there'd be some type of fall off or something. But it just has not been at all like at the church steps is a phenomenal, phenomenal body of work, man.
Jim Jones
God is good.
Angela Yee
So let's. Let's get into the mind frame because we were talking behind the scenes. We was like, he knows how to make music.
DJ Envy
Yes. You know what I was comparing it to? I was comparing it to Rick Ross. Like, Rick Ross just musically got a great ear.
Jim Jones
He always got fire.
DJ Envy
And you, you the same way.
Jim Jones
Thank you, man. I appreciate that. That's big. That's big. That's big. I wish. I wish the whole world would see it like that.
Angela Yee
And why don't you think they see it like that?
Jim Jones
I mean, I don't know, man. You know, I've always been an independent artist. I didn't have most of the promo that most of the major artists have and things like that. You know how I go. But it feels good to be where I'm at right now. I think I'm in a unique place for how long I've been in the game and to be able to navigate with the youngsters and still have my core fan base and then some new. So it's dope. I mean, I'm engaged. I'm embracing the new wave of marketing through technology and digital stuff like that. So, you know, it's giving me a real jump on what I got going on.
Angela Yee
And what keeps you there? Is it your son? Is it being outside? Because Jim sends me records a lot throughout the year. And like Charlamagne said, it always sounds relevant. It's not like it's not relevant even if it's an older.
DJ Envy
But it still got a classic feel to it.
Angela Yee
But it also has a classic feel. So what keeps you in that zone?
Jim Jones
I'm a classic hustler. I mean, I mean, but if I don't live life, then I wouldn't be able to continue to do my music and the way my hustle is set up and things like that. As far as me going outside and getting the money to feed my family, it still has me outside. So that's a big reflection on the music. And then, you know, I have artists, they all younger than me, so I get to see how they living and I live vicariously through them. So there's a lot going on. And then, you know, I love the younger generation of people that's coming up. I always like to give them a helping hand. So in turn, it's a full circle. We help each other out. One hand watches the other, both hand watches the face. But the urgency of music for me is like, you know, besides everything else, when you a person that comes from rap, ain't nothing like having a hit record that helps everything else out tremendously. And when you got that cool behind you, it's like nothing you can't do. And the business that come in company starts. You know what I mean? It always starts with the music. And you can ask anybody who does music.
DJ Envy
Is it harder to make, like, the records you got on, like the at the Church Steps album, like the Jomo and the Genesis, just those dope street records. Is it harder to make those? Or a hit single like a Baller?
Jim Jones
His single Like a Baller. Because the records that you hear is a reflection of things that I really going through. If you listen to the music and things like that, like, you know what I mean? So it's like, it's very easy for me to talk about actual real things that, you know, I mean, but you got them records that you need for getting lit in the club and things like that, Sometimes those are the hardest records for me to kind of produce.
Angela Yee
Do you chase balling, though? Do you chase that record, try to make a bigger record, or do you just make records and say, if it connect, it connect?
Jim Jones
After the success of balling, I used to chase balling. Damn, like, I gotta find another mobile, you know what I mean? And then slowly but surely I got out of that phase of just trying to chase balling and make music that I could continue to make money. I mean, and I do believe I hit a come. And a few hits have came since ball.
DJ Envy
You had one. But to your point, I guess you didn't have the label behind it, the joint. Yes, that should have been out of here.
Jim Jones
And then like, so I show you how it goes. So Wayne had put a record out similar to that, like, a little bit after that where he was singing and stuff. And I was like, but is the support sometimes, and you know, how this, how the game go. But, you know, yeah, I had some dope records that I'm proud of, whether they didn't get the platinum success or the success that I wanted, But I'm definitely proud of all my music to still be here coming up to the Breakfast Club all these years later, from where I started, it's definitely incredible.
Angela Yee
I was talking to Lauren before you got up here. We was talking about an interview you did, and you said you spent $20 million at the time of ball, and you ran through 20 million.
Jim Jones
Yeah.
Angela Yee
And I was counting your pockets. I was like, jim loves cars, but he ain't love cars like that. Right? Then I said, jim loves houses, but he love houses like that. Jim has jewelry, but not $20 million worth of. Where did you spend the $20 million?
Jim Jones
Just spending and living. Like my credit card, sometimes like $120,000 a month. You heard that Ain't got nothing to do with the everyday expenses. So, you know, we deal with a lot of cash and stuff like that.
Angela Yee
So I know it was a lot of PJs. You was PJ King at one time.
Jim Jones
This is what I'm trying to say. So if you jumping on the jet all these times and your jet bill sometime might be half a million a month just because you trying to get places, it's all added up. It's not like I spent it like it was just the accumulation during the ball and error through those few years where I was getting money, I was getting and I was blowing it. And as I looked back, thinking about the money that was spending came up to about 20 years between the deal money, the show money, tour money, feature money. Like, I'm burning through that shit. You know what I mean? So I ain't got $20 million to show for it, but I definitely spent it on the land and shit like that. You know what I mean?
Charlamagne Tha God
I know you said in that same interview, you don't regret anything, but there were things that you probably would have done differently or just things you would have done at that time that you didn't do. What were some of those things? Now when you're looking back like, yo, I could have put. I could have did this.
Jim Jones
I could have been way more financially responsible than I was. But I got this thing there that you don't know till you grow, right? I was very young and dumb at that time, and the experience was worth it. But as I'm older and I'm thinking back, like, damn, if we did have some people in my corner or grew up a little bit different, where we were taught financial literacy as opposed to coming up in the hood and we were talking to get that money, go get the car, go get the. You know, I mean, I'm a product of the projects, you dig? Like, so everything I've Seen is everything I wanted. And I got that money and I emulated what I seen outside. We wasn't taught to, oh, buy real estate. We wasn't taught to, oh, get savings. We wasn't taught none of that. We was taught to save what you can in the shoebox and style out on everybody else. You know what I mean? And that was the mentality I had. And it took to go through a lot to learn any bit of financial literacy, like, to the point where I parted ways with my accountant. And ever since I've done that years ago, it was like. Was me really gaining control of the monies that I had? Because I actually had to see it. When I had an accountant, I never saw the money. I just was spending the money till I was in debt.
Charlamagne Tha God
I was talking to somebody about that yesterday, actually, and they were saying that they can't wait to get to the point where they're making enough money where they could just throw people to manage it real quick. And I was like, I don't know. I kind of want to see mine and feel it so I know where it's going. I know where I'm messing up.
Jim Jones
You don't need nobody to pay your bills. Just me being ending up on rock bottom. And had to make a decision like, yo, moving forward, you got to do something different, because what you've been doing is not working for you. And, you know, having a business manager and having an accountant is two different things. Sometimes account access a business manager, but a business manager is really supposed to help you make some money with the money that you have and things like that, you know what I mean? And then accountant helps you just pretty much pay your bills and keep your taxes and orders and things like that, you know what I mean? And it. It. I didn't know the difference between the two. And you. I mean, it's just. But I learned, you know what I mean? And I'm here. God is good. I was able to bounce back. I was dealing with some scary times, but I always had a hustle and spirit. I know how to make money, you know what I mean? But I didn't know how to make business. So now I'm. I've learned. I've learned how to make business so that these business can make me money. So I'm in a whole different stratosphere in life right now, and I feel real good about it.
DJ Envy
But your debut album is on my way to church.
Jim Jones
On my way to church.
DJ Envy
This album is at the church.
Jim Jones
Yes. 20 years later. I feel I'm that much closer to getting my life totally together, you know what I mean? And we can't do that without having God in our life.
DJ Envy
When you gonna go into church, though?
Jim Jones
I'm very close to. I mean, I grew up in the church. I mean, for all my life when I was younger. Sunday school, all night, prayer, meeting, all that type of stuff. So I'm a God for it, man. I mean, I have very good morals, a very great moral compass, and that's why I believe that I'm still able to be here in good favor and things like that, you know? I mean.
DJ Envy
Lauren, tell them what you said. See, I like the conversations people have about the music when they. Not in front of you, tell them what you said. You didn't know about Jim when you.
Charlamagne Tha God
Listed up, I was about to go there. From the order of how you put this project together, I didn't know that you were, like, emotional as. As emotional as you are.
Angela Yee
She said that?
Jim Jones
Yeah.
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah. I think it's like. And I don't think that's a bad thing. I think it's like, when I think about you, I think about, like, Jim Jones. Tough. You don't play with him. And I think about the big records. I don't think I've ever really sat and digested a full project. And I did that in preparing for this. And I was like, man, you put a lot out there. You talk about how you feel and you take your time with it. Where, like, I really felt it. I'm like, wow, he was really going through some things. And then by the time we got the church steps, it's like, okay, now he's coming up out of it. I didn't know that you were like that in your music.
Jim Jones
You know anything about Kansas?
DJ Envy
What'd I tell you? What did I tell you?
Charlamagne Tha God
They told me that I. Yeah, I learned today.
Jim Jones
So that's. That's who I am. All of my music, I pretty much wear all my emotions on my sleeve, which I've gotten better at. Like, my decision making used to be all about an emotional decision, you know what I mean? And I make the wrong choices a lot in life. And I've gotten very good with me keeping a level head and not letting the simple little things get to me and things like that. Things that I can't do nothing about, you know what I mean? So I'm proud of myself for doing so, because there was a time where I would react to every little thing and put myself in all type of trouble for no reason. And I would never benefit from it, I'd be like shooting myself in the foot every time I had something good going on.
DJ Envy
Is it therapeutic for you then? Cause when you hear the music, you literally hear you expressing your life through music. I feel like if people listen to this album, whatever questions they have, you answer them in some way, shape or form.
Jim Jones
100%, that's what this album turned into be. Remember, I was doing this album for 18 months, so this album changed directions like, three, four times. I mean, it was a core body of work that I always loved, like records. But as I was living life and going through certain situations, the music would change and things like that. And as we all seen everything that transpired in the media recently and things like that. So I was like, get. I was able to get a bit of that emotion also. And all the things that answer some questions that people been, you know, I mean, so it was good. It was good for the music. It was good for my soul, you know what I mean? I needed that. I needed that. I needed somebody to poke me. I mean, so I could wake up and get back on my. Get back in my bag.
Angela Yee
Seemed like the media questioned you at one time about your role in Dipsets and diplomats. How did that affect you? Right? Because, I mean, everybody who's in New York or around the country seen the world what your role was or thought what your role was. So how did you handle that? How did that make you feel?
Jim Jones
I mean, it was crazy. When I woke up, shout outs to Chrissy, she was like, yo, listen, put your phone down, breathe for five minutes, internalize it, think about it, and don't overreact. That's what people want you to do first off. And I overreacted in the house, okay? And then I got over it, you know what I mean? I just thought about the playing field and what was really at stake and what we doing here and things like that and what people have in their favor. And when it comes to the media, how these media games and plus, there's a playbook from our playbook that we created. You're not going to trick me with a. With a play that I've created, you know, I mean, like, I know this play. All right, cool. But as far as what people spewing and things like that, you know what I mean? I got this thing a lot. Can't tell the truth, you heard, and time don't lie. So everything will reveal itself in time. But I do believe this is a story that everybody's known for so many years. The only people that don't really know the story. Are the new millennials and Gen Z generation. But besides that the hip hop culture know where my position is in the Diplomats. Everything started from pretty much my dynamic. And not to say it started like that. I mean when the success started, everything came out of my grandmother house 5h. I mean I wasn't, I was it, you heard like if I was, I was the, the, the, the, the, the denominator in between everybody. Like if we didn't have that little stuff, I don't believe that they would have went in the direction they went. Not to saying they wasn't rapping before I met them. Not to say none of this type of. But all the things that he was saying was pretty much foolish and like that. It's all jokes to me. But I do know what I, what I did. I think everybody know what I did. I mean everybody in Harlem knew me. My name is Jonah. Way before my name was Jim Jones. You know, I mean like I really have a name up there. I mean shout out to Harlem, shout out to my block shout outs to 12th street shout out to 13th Street, Lennox Ave, Foster, Pease, Taft, Peas. Uptown, downtown, east side, west side. You know how this thing go.
Angela Yee
And I think another question people always ask and I, and as many years as I've we interviewed you, I don't think people ever know where was the, I guess the break in Diplomats, right? Cause you guys were tight. Like this wasn't just we doing this. Y'all weren't a group. Y'all were family. This wasn't a rap group. Like there was Cam the rapper, Juel's the rapper and Freaky and Jim was kind of, in my opinion was the, you know, the musclemen. They were the Dudamen, right. They were the way to make sure things happened. They were gonna make sure the record got spun, they were gonna get the clearances. They were going to make sure everything was in order.
Jim Jones
That's what, that's how, that's what you see. But it started from me and Cam being broke in my grandmother house with no money. You heard having to hustle, you know, I was in the streets, I was figuring out how to get to it. And he had his craft, which was the music and he ended up striking gold with the craft. But it all started with us having nothing, having to figure it out. Shout out to Six Figure Digger. A lot of people don't mention his name, but I don't think there'd be no diplomats without Six Figure Digger. He was the first person that Was like he was the part of the original CoC when it came to bloodshed. Cameron and Six Figure Digger and then Rip Blood had passed away. Cam had got his first deal and Six Figure Digger was his producer, naturally. And they got platinum hits together and things like that. And the separation was. There was a separation with Cam and him before there was any other separation between the Diplomats before he got the deal. And that's a whole nother side of the story. Story when we were offered millions of dollars at one label and somebody didn't take it because power struggles, which I knew nothing about. I found this out later on and like that. That we could all have way much more money assigning. But I wasn't signed to the label in the beginning anyway. He just gave me a check. Juels was signed. So there's a whole lot of. But Six Figure Digger is a prominent piece to the whole diplomat success. I don't believe that none of us would be with here as a Diplomats if Six Figure wasn't inside of that den, that. That dynamic. And I do believe that people need to sit down and interview him and get his view on how everything goes. And I mean, he's pretty successful. He ended up doing platinum records, 50, all type of people. So he got a great catalog and stuff like that. But yeah, he's. He's a very, very prominent piece to this whole story.
Angela Yee
When did the break. When did the veer happen where it started splitting apart? Because I know everybody started to doing their own thing. You started doing music, Joel started doing music and Cam started doing music. When did it break where it seems like it can't come back together?
DJ Envy
I did it. When I listen to the album, I hear you still reference him as your brother. And you explain all of this. You talk about the apartment and you talk about bloodshed. You talk about all of this on the album. But it still seems like that's your. That's your brother.
Jim Jones
I mean, what you got a brother, he's always your brother, no matter what. I mean, like, don't mean that you got the same brotherly love that you once have. Don't mean that you're gonna hang out like brothers. Like, I mean, I know brothers that try to kill each other. You know what I mean?
Charlamagne Tha God
I think it's on Make it out, you say so if it is what it is, then so be it. And then on, that's on number three. And then number four on Make it out, you say you talk about wanting to put it behind you and two brothers. And two brothers. That's lost.
DJ Envy
You didn't just say it is what it is, so be it. It was more to it after that.
Charlamagne Tha God
I know, but I just. I specifically grabbed that because to me. To me, it sounds.
Jim Jones
I have them Putin in their pants when I Star wars like the Soviets. So don't be rushing for no repercussions. We got drums on these machines. Like a beat production.
DJ Envy
Yes, sir.
Jim Jones
It's just raps.
Charlamagne Tha God
It sounded like to me like, you guys can make it out of all this stuff. That's why I was bringing it.
Jim Jones
I mean, I'm not concerned about that right now. I'm concerned about this album dropping. I got other things going on. I'm concerned about Jim Jones and what Jim Jones got going on. I've done a lot for Diplomat's sake and for the sake of the people and the fans and all that. But nobody does a lot for me, you know what I mean? And that's part of the problem here. Nobody ever really pulled up for me when Jim Jones needed him to pull up. But I pulled up for everybody. So now I gotta pull up for myself, you know what I mean? And all the other rhetoric, I can't even hear no more. And that's why I stick to what I know how to do, you know what I mean? Like, I'm in the process of changing who I've always. Of what people see me to be in my past. And I'm enjoying this journey that I'm going on. If not, I'll be out here going crazy. I'll probably be in jail for crashing. And right now, the last thing I crashed was a boat in Bahamas. Shout out to my brother Ellie. You heard?
DJ Envy
Well, you had a good line on the album, man, that. To speak to that you said. I'm paraphrasing. Cause I just heard it. But it was like you said something. Situations you had to mitigate so you don't end up having to litigate. Like, I feel like that's a ball for the young boys.
Jim Jones
Yeah, they don't even know what mitigate mean. But we ain't gotta get into that. But, yeah, I'm having a good time with music, man. I'm at a point where I lived a lot of life. My vocabulary is very extensive. I mean, I'm not. I'm not. You know what I mean? You dig? So. And I figured out my group when it comes to doing music. Like, I got. I figured out my craft. I figured out who I am when any beat comes on. Like, I know what I can do, you know what I mean, so. And it feels good to be here because it was a. It was a time when it wasn't that. There was a time where this was just an absolutely great hustle for me and I had to figure out how to make some great music so I can make some incredible money like everybody else was doing. And that was like doing homework. That was the hardest thing for me to do. You know what I mean? And now I encourage it. Like, I can't wait. I mean, every day ain't the best day, but for the most days, I'm smoking ish when I go in the booth.
Angela Yee
When you did the interview with Justin, LA boy, I mean, you know, you.
Jim Jones
Guys from home shouts to just shout out to ye. I just left la. We just was out there messing up.
Angela Yee
We'll talk about ye in a second. Were you more hurt of what came out of that interview than anything else?
Jim Jones
As far as what?
Angela Yee
I guess you knew what when you said about Cammon50, you knew he was gonna return fire. Were you more upset?
Jim Jones
Did you feel like I said me if that when I didn't start that when niggas be talking about me, it's all fun and games. And when I start talking about shit, it gets ser this, like, oh, like, like, no, I don't care about none of them. Don't play with me, bro. All y'all do is play on the media. Don't play with me, bro.
Angela Yee
I think that's the reason why, you dig?
Jim Jones
I don't troll, you heard? I don't. I don't know these imaginary people that get on my. On my Instagram. And me, I don't do none of that, bro. Y'all know what's up, bro. You can see me face to face. We meet in traffic any way you want to, if that's what you want to do, but I'm not into that. God bless you all. Just leave me alone, you heard? Leave me alone. Because we all know we could get nasty, you know? And nobody's God out here, you heard?
DJ Envy
How do you feel when people call you the youngest old?
Jim Jones
I love it, you heard? I love it. I'm still in the loop. I'm accepted by the younger generation. That means my music is moving. I mean, my music is touching them. That means my music resonates with them. You know how dope that is. For me to be in this game this long and being able to make music that the youngsters that wasn't around when I really was lit still admire and want to know who this guy is. It's something about that, you know, I mean, I don't see too many people from my day doing anything like what I'm doing right now. If they all count them out, call them out.
Charlamagne Tha God
It's not many. It's. And still being able to make it cool.
Jim Jones
Call them out. I want to see how many there are.
DJ Envy
Two chains. Pusher.
Jim Jones
I'll talk about New York. Two chains.
DJ Envy
Oh, New York.
Jim Jones
You did you think I'm from New York?
DJ Envy
We talking about maybe Fab Fab is not active enough. I like hearing him on Jim album.
Charlamagne Tha God
He's not active, but Nas is not active right now. I mean, he had the album. Let's chat about it, like currently, right?
Jim Jones
Was the youngsters, did they.
DJ Envy
No, it was for the older generation.
Charlamagne Tha God
That's what I'm saying. Like when I go out right now.
Jim Jones
I'm like an anomaly in my position, especially from New York's Skype, you know what I mean? And just watching the landscape of the music that's going on right now, for me to be doing what I'm doing right now in these streets and then I try to stay area with the music. It hasn't been seen before.
DJ Envy
No, that's true right now. Yeah, that's definitely true.
Charlamagne Tha God
And I think during the time where so many people have so much conversation about New York sound and what it should be like, the way that you did this even. Okay, so you have like classic Jim Jones feel on here. But then you also got like the Ray Ray skit. Like a lot of people, like, I understood you having Ray Ray on here and doing that, but they probably don't even know what I'm talking about.
Jim Jones
Shouts to Ray Ray.
Charlamagne Tha God
You know what I mean? Like, stuff like that.
Jim Jones
That's the beauty of. Of like. So I love the influencers. I have something called ifc, the Influencer Club, just for that reason. Because I know that these kids know more about their phone, they know tv, they know these influences on Instagram way more than, you know, actors on television and things like that. And this is what made me like, damn. People like Ray Ray and so many others that I deal with. You know, I mean, Mr. Commodore, there's a bunch of them. I like that I put all of them in the movie. So I with the album also have a movie at the church steps that we filmed the movie at St. Joseph's 125th street in Harlem. We had Fat Stacy. We had a Ray ray. We had Mr. Commodore, we have Swaggy. Who else we got on it? Everybody in there, right? So it's just like pesos in the movie. It was a beautiful movie, but I know that it's gonna re. It's. It's gonna hit hard because I know everybody loved these. These influences. And me thinking, like, when I saw Friday, we didn't know who none of those comedians was, but it ended up being one of the movies that we all love. So making the movie with that in mind. But shout out to everybody that played a part of making this movie. Shout out to Will see and the whole director team and things like that.
Angela Yee
Now, you also mentioned Kanye. Yeah, Flew out to China to see Kanye. I was.
Jim Jones
Oh, Japan. I was Japan. That was dope. That was dope. That was pre what everybody else saw, but that was dope just to be in there.
Angela Yee
He reached out to you and said, come on out. Oh, how did that happen?
Jim Jones
That was Justin that put that together and things like that. He like, yo, they said, you should pull up, man. Pull up to Japan. I'm like, huh?
Angela Yee
Pull up to Japan is different.
Jim Jones
Yeah, like, yo, bro. But you're not saying, like, that's Brooklyn. Like, yo, we always. But it was dope. It was a dope experience to see him work, to see the GNC is getting to understand them more and things like that, you know, I mean, we all have friends that. I mean, you know how it is. But he's definitely a dope soul, man. I believe that he's misunderstood in a lot of ways, and I believe that he does things for people to misunderstand him and things like that, but I kind of understand him. But he's definitely dope. He's definitely a hood ass underneath all of that, you know? I mean, that's what I. That's what I say.
Angela Yee
Did you give him a diplomatic.
Jim Jones
Yeah, definitely.
Angela Yee
So it's his. He has.
Jim Jones
That's his chain. That's his, you know, Diplo. Yeah, you heard that's what's my dog.
Angela Yee
Did he ask you for it, or you just say, yo, this is.
Jim Jones
Well, as you see in the footage, we. If you've seen the footage that we had everything laid out, like, first of all, he asked me to bring. I bring, like, four or five suitcases of this drip. You know what I mean? Like, so even want me to help him with his fashion, with his brand and things like that. So that was what the whole thing for me going to Japan was and things like that. I forgot where I was at. You gotta remember now, you talking about.
Angela Yee
His jewelry in the gym and all that.
Jim Jones
Oh, yeah, he. So he went through the jury Took it and he didn't take it off. So naturally I was like, man, you hold on to that. He was like, what you mean? He said, all right, you know, he said that was dope, man. Shout out to him. Incredible dude though. I was doing some music with him yesterday. He let's let him listen to my album. He start breaking records down. Like, you need to do that. And I'm like, yo, bro, my album come out Friday. My album come out Friday. I cannot pull it down. Like I don't have, you dig? Like I. But it's dope. So I mean, moving forward, we definitely gonna make some dope ass records and things like that, man.
DJ Envy
Jim Jones fashion line or something coming.
Jim Jones
I mean, well, I've been helping them with the Yeezy brand, which is pretty dope. We got a bunch of things going on with that. I'm excited about that. You know, fashion is. Fashion is one of my things. Getting fresh is one of my things. So giving me opportunities to express myself in that field, I think it's pretty big, you know what I mean?
DJ Envy
From a business perspective, you know, you put. If you put time into that, you put energy into that. Don't some of his antics affect the business? Why don't you tell him, like, I'm a partner with you. You got to slow down.
Jim Jones
I'm not a partner of his. You know what I mean? Like he owns his brands and things like that. I'm just helping and learning with the things that he needs help with. But I can't say this, man. We all have friends that do. Well, I have friends that do things that I don't necessarily agree with, that they're doing, but that don't make them not my friend, you heard? These are still my. No matter what goes on. And I'm not saying anything about anybody. I'm just saying in life, you know, I mean, period and like that, you know, I mean, I don't get in certain people business, but are you my dog?
Angela Yee
That's your guy. You're just not wearing the swastika T shirt.
Jim Jones
I mean, I ain't getting none of that. I don't do politics. You think I even vote, you heard? You dig? And I have nothing against whoever's the president, you dig? Whoever the president I feel should be get that much respect because they are the president. I'm from the Ronald Reagan era, you know, he was proud to have whatever president. He's the president, you know, I mean. And nowadays I see a big divide with these politics with. It's almost crazy how aggressive everything become. Like, they want you to just be like, f the president. Like how he's still a president. Like, where's the respect in this country when it comes to certain things? You know, I mean, so it's just. And let me shut up before they start bombing on me. I know they about to go crazy on me. Got the red hat on. This is. Read it.
DJ Envy
Great again.
Jim Jones
Yeah, you heard that's all this is about. You heard it's not. I don't got no political endeavors. You heard. You know what I'm about? I'm about community. I do my. All my politician political things is for my community. I do everything to help Harlem whatever I can do in my power. You know what I mean?
DJ Envy
I don't think you get enough credit for that either. Like, I see you out there, you know, at the Boys and Girls Club. I see you out there in Harlem giving out clothes to the kids. Like you do that a lot.
Angela Yee
Yeah, all the time.
Jim Jones
Oh, yeah. Shout outs to my people. That's my community. And people always ask why I'm there. I definitely not there to show off or look down on anybody and things like that. I am them there as to be a bit of inspiration for these kids to see somebody that came up out of the same circumstances that they did and they was able to figure out how to get out the matrix. So me being there is like a beam of shining light, you know? I mean, that's how I feel about it and things like that. And I'm gonna keep shining my light on my people and things like that. I mean, for certain people, they have this. I mean, for me, it's like I have a mission. I mean, God put us here to do certain things. And I do believe this is one of the things that he put me here to do, is to help people. You know what I mean? And so I figure out how to help more people. I'm gonna help the people I can, and that's my community.
Angela Yee
That was another thing, I guess people would try to say, you're not from Harlem, you're from the Bronx. You're from the Bronx. But I think you cleared it up in Jomo.
Jim Jones
Yeah, but who cares? I'm from New York City. I really been in the turf, been in the field I come from. You know what I mean? Like, you know what? I escaped to be worried about the rhetoric. And I was caught up in the middle. I had to think about, like, bro, I didn't lived in Harlem. I didn't lived in Queens. I didn't Lived in Brooklyn. I lived in, like, I lived in the whole city, you know what I mean? Like, I done lived in Aruba. I lived from a lot of places. You heard it ain't where you're from is where you at. And I get to the chicken wherever I'm at. You heard.
Charlamagne Tha God
What's wrong with Staten island though? Because Ray Ray was coming at Staten island crazy.
Jim Jones
They're gonna definitely gonna jump. I said, yo, I ain't gonna lie. Wu Tang might jump you like, Like Ghostface might see you and put them ghost face killers on. You heard like you talking bad about Staten Island. Shout out to Staten Island. Shout out to Liddy. I have an artist out there in Staten island, man. Shout out to my dude Liddy, man. Word, man. Yeah.
DJ Envy
In the building you've always moved very militant, but you know, you, you don't. You. You keep the street life, discreet life, and you keep the rap life. The rap life. But on this album, you included some court recordings about the mail matrix situation. Why, why, why was that?
Jim Jones
Y'all know shout outs to Melly, free Melly to listen, Reverse man, it's my brother. It's my heart, my soul, man. I really love and respect that, man, man. I mean, for numerous amounts of reasons. Not just the obvious that people know and things like that. Like, he's a man of honor. He stood ten toes down along with Shoddy, along with Harvin, along with all the others that got faded due to somebody name, right? And things like that, you know, I mean, when I see that, I gotta tip my hat to them every time. There's probably so many other things they. They could have did in the situations, but they decided to stay down like gangsters do, you know, I mean, so I definitely gotta shout that out, you heard, back to back, Lottie, I love y'all to death. But those are actually the real recordings from the actual transcript of what Mel murder was going to call for. And let's keep it clear, male murder case has nothing to do with the non trade case that shoting everybody. Got locked up for my murders. Locked up for heroin and fentanyl charge because he was getting some money out here and things like that. And he was getting money with a person that wasn't right. And these are the actually recordings from the transcript that he was going to call and what they was asking the D. A was asking questions to whoever and things like that. And you know, I just wanted to put it out there and you know, it's my dog and things like that. I just wanted to show people things that, as a black man, that we go through to try to make it through society. And when you be in this rap game, how sensitive things could be, and it's crazy. I give a lot of great advice, and sometimes I hardly take my own advice. So when people hear that conversation, it's like, yo, I tell people, stay off them phones all the time, and look what happened. I mean, same thing came back to bite me on the ass and things like that. And that could have caused me a whole lot. But regardless, good. I got some good brothers around me that stood 10 toes down, you heard? So as long as I'm out, they out, you heard? And it's free until we see them. And he'd be home in a little while. For real.
DJ Envy
I guess that's what I'm asking you. Weren't you not running from the affiliation, even though we in an era where people getting jammed up for shit like that?
Jim Jones
Jammed up. If you're doing crime, yeah, you heard? It's not a crime to be a Blood. It's not a crime to be a blame. It's not a crime. It's not a crime to be a fraternity member. It's not a crime to be a sorority member. It's all the same thing. It's a crime if you do crime while being that, and that turns into other things. And if it's more than one of y'all doing crime while being blood, that turns into a RICO and things like that. I do business. I'm a businessman, you heard. Y'all know that I make music, baby.
Angela Yee
I always wanted to ask, right? You know, in past interviews and you talk about it, bringing bloods to New York. You ever regret that?
Jim Jones
I didn't bring the Bloods to New York.
DJ Envy
God damn.
Jim Jones
What you trying to do? What the fuck? What the fuck? You got me high.
Charlamagne Tha God
Here you go. Here, you can fan with this. You need this bucking up here.
DJ Envy
Said, I ain't committing no crime. And he said, actually, you brought the.
Charlamagne Tha God
Bus to New York.
Angela Yee
He made it popular. That's I was asking.
Jim Jones
That's a difference. That's a difference. Commercializing.
Angela Yee
There you go.
Jim Jones
Commercializing my gang affiliation.
Charlamagne Tha God
I understand the question now, cuz. You. You made it cool is what he's saying.
Jim Jones
Yeah, I made it cool, but I also commercialized. I made millions of dollars off the gang culture, you know? I mean, so. Same thing with Snoop has done and how the West Coast. I mean, so it was. But I know I did not. I did not start that. I was a young kid. I Mean commercialized, coming up out the ghetto and looking for, I mean, my place in, in society and things like that. And the brotherhood always took care of me. And now, you dig, Shout out to the brothers, man, you know what I mean?
Angela Yee
But do you regret it? Because it was. You commercialized it, you made it cool in the.
Jim Jones
Do I regret anything? No, I don't because I've done so many positive things. Being in this position as being a man, as being a, a gang member, as being a father, as being all these things, you dig? Like, if I, if I didn't have this platform, people would never know how great some of these people can be. Because I put on a lot of people that people bloods and I put all type of people in positions to make money and feed their family and things like that. Employ so many people and show so many people how to walk in the right direction and things like that. And understanding there's a thin line between crashing out and trying. I mean, and you ask anybody, I mean, anyone that's around me, you ask them, what if I ever encourage them to do anything wrong, you know, I mean, my objective is about getting a dollar each one teach. When we stand tight, the wall is up can nobody fade as I stay? Let's protect ourselves, you know, I mean, of course, if somebody crossed the line of discretion as a man, you have to protect yourself. But for the most part, that's not my lesson. It's not violence, you know what I mean? At all. But in this rap game, we've used violence to make a lot of money. And that's what these labels egg us on to do, you know, I mean, I mean, we've see the money and we think about the money more than anything else. And it's so easy for us to get caught up in that rabbit hole for so many of us and things like that just talk about things that we actually went through and I mean, it's best for some of us. A lot of us are just, you know what I mean? But you know how I go, man.
DJ Envy
You rap about the labels having a, I don't say a certain responsibility, but I guess a certain responsibility. When you, when you saw Leo's comments that he made up here, what he said, he basically just was like, he got to eat too.
Jim Jones
What he said, he said he got it. He said, what do you say?
DJ Envy
You got to eat too. You know, in regards to, you know, people pushing the drug culture, the gang.
Jim Jones
Culture, I mean, bro, nobody's twisting nobody's hand to do anything. You heard this Is this. Is. This is entertainment business, man. Shout out to Leo. I've learned a lot of lessons for him. I don't agree with. I don't agree with everything that a lot of people do and things like that, but he was one of the first people that gave me a position to. To be one of the biggest executives in the game at Warner Music Group. So I really ain't got too much bad to say about him. I more have something to say about myself. By letting people like Damon and. And Killer trick me out of them positions when I had them power, by making me feel less than when they would see me inside of them office like, oh, you working for these. Oh, you would. You a dude, boy. Oh, you a son. You ain't no boss. A boss don't work for nobody. But not understanding my position, how powerful, how much power I had that I could move and you know, I mean, in this game, you know what I mean? And it was things like that that always kind of, you know, I mean, so it's a lot to it and like that. But shout out to Leo, man. You know, I mean, like, I ain't got no. But nothing bad about say about you.
Charlamagne Tha God
On the label stuff. I was watching another interview you were talking about you're trying to get your masters back right now.
Jim Jones
Yeah, I mean, I'm. I'm attempting to get my masses back. I signed the crib because you said.
Charlamagne Tha God
Y'All were independent, but y'all weren't independent.
Jim Jones
Independent cotch was an independent label. You want to tell them what an independent label means, or should I tell.
DJ Envy
You would know better than independent label wasn't.
Jim Jones
There wasn't a major label. Two different type of labels. There wasn't a major label. We, you know, I mean, so we signed to independent label. We signed to a label. We got a real label deal. But we was making so much money and the word independent was so alarming and things like that. They made it fit. We. It. It felt like we saw, but that's what. Not really what we. We signed and things like that. It wasn't the independency of. You see, Slim Thug in Houston had when he was out the trunk. And it wasn't. It wasn't that. You know, I mean, it wasn't that at all. We might have thought it was that because we were getting so much money. But in that, in. In that circle, I ended up signing the deal for my solo album, which I was happy for. But me still running through the street the way I was and entrusting My career business sense with my partner. I just wasn't into reading contracts or understanding the business of it because you know how, how I felt we was moving and like that. And later on in life when people start selling their catalogs and doing all this, getting a bag, I got a real catalog. Let's not get to that too. So when people are buying these masses and things like that, like I, I was like, oh, I could catch a busy off. I might make my exit off of this. And then trying to get that together and somebody like whoa, your lawyer like bro, you don't own your masses, bro. For life.
Charlamagne Tha God
What year was that that you found.
Jim Jones
That out because like four or five years ago.
DJ Envy
So who owns them?
Charlamagne Tha God
Oh, my heart just dropped.
DJ Envy
Yes Cam too, or just.
Jim Jones
Or just no. This cotch. I signed my rights to my masters over the couch for the life term and shit like that.
Angela Yee
Is the president Allen still there because.
Jim Jones
You had a great relationship? It's not even called Koch.
Angela Yee
The world is constantly changing. It's up to you to decide how to respond. Choose to be bold. To try something new. Choose to reinvent yourself. That's what Nissan did with the all new totally reimagined Kicks. The dynamic new exterior styling immediately announces that Nissan isn't messing around. The interior, a completely redesigned cabin with premium features like wireless Apple CarPlay and a panoramic moonroof make driving a Kicks immersive and exciting. And with new performance and safety features like intelligent all wheel drive, the Kicks is both fun and safer to drive than ever before. It is the dawning of a brand new era for the Nissan Kicks. Only one question remains. Is it a new era for you as well? Drive the all new reimagined Nissan Kicks today.
Arturo Castro
Available features compatible device service and consumer activation of Nissan Connect services package Required use only when safe and legal. Subject to third party service availability. For more information see nissanusa.com Connect legal Apple CarPlay is a trademark of Apple Inc. Intelligent all wheel drive cannot prevent collisions or provide enhanced traction in all conditions. Always monitor traffic and weather conditions.
Jim Jones
Hey y'all.
Maria Fernanda Diaz
I'm Maria Fernanda Diaz. My podcast when youn're Invisible is my love letter to the working class people and immigrants who shaped my life. I get to talk to a lot of people who form the backbone of our society but who have never been interviewed before. Season 2 is all about community organizing and being underestimated.
Emilia
All the greatest changes have happened. When a couple of people said this.
Jim Jones
Sucks, let's do something about it. I can't have more than $2,000 in my bank account or else I can't get disability benefits. They won't let you succeed.
Charlamagne Tha God
I know we get paid to serve you guys, but, like, be respectful. We're made out of the same things. Bone, body, blood.
Jim Jones
It's rare to have black male teachers. Sometimes I am the lesson. And I'm also the testament.
Maria Fernanda Diaz
Listen to when youn're Invisible as part of the My Cultura Podcast network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Arturo Castro
Have you ever looked into the night sky and wondered who or what was flying around up there? We've seen planes, helicopters, hot air balloons, and birds. But what if there's something else, something much more ominous that appears under the COVID of night? Silent, unseen, watching. They may be right above your car late one night as you cruise down the road. Or look like mysterious lights hovering above your home Drums. Or are they?
DJ Envy
We used the word drone because it was comfortable to other people.
Jim Jones
One minute was there and one minute it wasn't. Oh, that is beyond creepy.
Arturo Castro
Do you feel like this drone was targeting you specifically?
Jim Jones
Yes, Absolutely.
Arturo Castro
Listen to Obscurum Invasion of the Drones on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast Pass, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Unknown
Hi, I'm Arturo Castro, and I've been lucky enough to do stuff like Broad City and Narcos and Roadhouse and so many commercials about back pain. And now I'm starting a podcast because honestly, guys, I don't feel the space is crowded enough. Get ready for Greatest Escapes, a new comedy podcast about the wildest true escape stories in history. Each week I'll be sitting down with some of the most hilarious actors and writers and comedians to tell them a buck wild tale from across history and time. People like Ed Helms, Diane Guerrero, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zoe Chow.
Arturo Castro
Titanic, Charles Manson, Alcatraz, Assata Shakur, a.
Jim Jones
Sketchy guy named Steve.
Unknown
It's giving funny true crime.
Arturo Castro
I love storytelling and I love you, so I can't wait.
Unknown
Listen and subscribe to Greatest escapes on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
Jim Jones
What's the name of it right now, huh? Who? Mordoc, But.
DJ Envy
So you don't even got a building to run up in?
Jim Jones
Nah, there's a building. I got a VL deal with Peso up there. His album comes out next month that we sign up there and things like that, so. But they don't got nothing to do with. I signed back then, but, you know, legally and my lawyers starting to make Calls and see what could be. You know what I mean?
Angela Yee
Done. Now, you did mention something I want to talk about. Cause this has been a conversation for 10 years. Right? You just mentioned. He said that they tricked you out of it because they said bosses don't work for people. Right. And that's a conversation our community has. But I've been, and I think Charlamagne been trying to say for a long time, you could be a boss and have a job, but still do your thing on the side.
Jim Jones
I mean, period. The whole premonition of how they make you feel in certain situations and things like that. You gotta know, we from Harlem and everybody got a way of certain people, you know what I mean? But I knew better than that. So I pretty much tricked myself out of my own position by. I mean, I standing 10 toes on what I believe. Cause I knew what I was there for. I knew what I could do inside of them buildings. I knew how ill I was. And what I've done so far for Diplomats by picking this aesthetic and letting people see us in a way as superheroes. Like, well, I could do that for so many other artists, which I have. That's why I was able to get that job in there. Because they was paying me a consultant fee at Def Jam. You know, I was making like $200,000 a year at Def Jam as a consultant. And then when they left Def Jam and went to Warner, they was like, pull up. I thought they was trying to give me a record deal. They was like, nah, we want you to be executive over here. Matter of fact, you run everything. So, like, people like Joey Ie and Todd Moskowitz all worked for me. They worked under me. Like, I was above all of them. Only person I had to talk to was Kevin Lyles and Lielle Cohen. Like, damn.
Angela Yee
And how did that deal mess up?
DJ Envy
That makes so much sense for you.
Angela Yee
It's smart.
DJ Envy
You think about how you did video. You used to direct the videos. The way you do music now. Like, that makes so much sense.
Jim Jones
I was a bit young, and through my loyalty, I was impressionable too. So when I was hearing things like that made me very rebellious inside them office spaces. And I didn't. I mean, but I definitely had the know how and the smarts to do the job. That was easy for me. You know what I mean? Or great, great, great experience, though. Great experience. Shouts to asap. Yams. He. That's what he started as an intern for me.
DJ Envy
Oh, he was the intern, right? Yeah.
Jim Jones
Yeah. You're loyalty, Carol Civil, too. I mean, Karen Civil. She was also an intern for me. I. I've helped help jump start a lot of careers. Not only rap careers inside of this.
DJ Envy
Industry, but you don't get no credit for that.
Jim Jones
They say.
DJ Envy
They say all Jim do is send people to jail.
Jim Jones
I don't want credit no more. I want debit. Cash me out. How I send people to jail. That's what I'm saying. How? How? Who you? Who? Who did you see me send to jail? What is these smoking? They smoking new drugs out here. You heard from where?
Angela Yee
How?
Jim Jones
Who?
DJ Envy
No. That's what Cam said. I don't know.
Jim Jones
It was a bird. He's a bird head. He don't want no smoke. Tell him set the. He a boxer, right? I box his head off. Where's the ring at? You getting money, right? Y'all do sports. 10 million right now, today. I catch a flight wherever you at in the morning. I'll catch a flight wherever you at. You would. Mayweather and them 10 million, I'll meet you in any boxing ring. Yeah, now go make some jokes about that on your next show. I box your head off. You know that. Don't play with me. Yeah, now go type about that, Jim.
Angela Yee
Chrissy would tell you, take five seconds. Chrissy would tell you, take five seconds to breathe.
DJ Envy
Steps.
Charlamagne Tha God
You have to try heard steps. Worship. You got time to make it in.
Jim Jones
Seconds.
Angela Yee
And breathe.
Jim Jones
We going to bring it back. You know all Jesus disciples was gangsters, though, right? Jesus flipped tables and I am a disciple. Remember that.
DJ Envy
You did tell us about some of your new artists, man, like you see in here. Yeah, Peso, he's on like he's on a few songs. White lines call on me.
Jim Jones
I've been out here doing this thing for a minute, though. Been knowing peso for almost 10 years now.
Angela Yee
Damn. I just remember Peso did the. Already cut you off. Peso did the last record with Fat Man School before he passed.
Jim Jones
Yes, Damn.
Angela Yee
God rested.
DJ Envy
He got a little bit of pun in him.
Jim Jones
He got a little bit. A lot of part. Hey, yo, whoa, whoa. Pun. He talented me. He got a lot of different ways of. Of doing music from rapping to having a harmony. Like I ain't got no harmony in me. I. Damn.
Charlamagne Tha God
Before I knew who it was, like, the name, I thought it was kind of like a little. A boogie. I didn't know when I first heard it, I thought that.
Jim Jones
Yeah, we know it's not. I mean, it's Peso, but.
Charlamagne Tha God
But I'm saying, when I didn't know who you were, I didn't Know the name, but nice to meet you.
Jim Jones
But go ahead, finish n. He's a dope artist. Shout out to King. King Street's hands down bar for bar. I think that he'll smoke anybody in the industry's boots, period. And I put the money at the house and everything right now. Y'all come meet me tomorrow also at the boxing match if you want to, with the bag. And we have King. All right, I'm being petty. I got to. I got to, man. It's entertaining, right? When they entertain, it's all. It's all fun and games. Well, I'm entertaining now. My album come out on Friday. What's up?
DJ Envy
You got an album coming out.
Jim Jones
That is what's up. My album come out on Friday. What's up? I just.
Angela Yee
I'm just trying to clear up everything I heard.
Jim Jones
So.
DJ Envy
Listen, does that really sell records, though? Because, you know, they always hit. We always hear the story about Jim wanted fake a beef back in the day.
Jim Jones
This ain't faking, though. I will box your head off tomorrow when you wake up, if you want to. 10 million, you heard? And we got it to cover, too, Jack.
DJ Envy
What does Freak say? What does Freaky Zeke say?
Jim Jones
I don't know if Freak. Freak bugging me out right now, you heard? Freak in a crazy position right now. But I want him to get his money and do whatever business moves he need to do, you dig? Shout outs to my man Freak. He always gonna be my brother for life. No Freak for a very long time.
DJ Envy
You're wearing the hat. And that's what we all want as a culture, too. Like make. Yeah, make Dipsette great again.
Jim Jones
I'm doing it. I've been doing it, you heard? Got some fire records out. Every time you see me, it's Dipset, you heard? Big Jomo in the building, you heard? Everybody want to make Dipset great. Tell them to make Dipset great again. I always show up for everything. All the shows, everything. Whenever it's diplomats, I'm there, you heard? Whenever you talk about diplomats, I'm there. For the last 10 years, when you say diplomats who pop out, who's been there, who's been keeping the bird in the sky. Anytime you've seen a Diplomat reunion, who's the reason for the Diplomat reunion happening? You better do the research. It's always been me, you heard? And a lot of times that has stopped me from the motion that I had instead of me continuing, you know what I mean? I gotta worry about me right now.
Charlamagne Tha God
After the last. After the Versus reunion, I Feel like I thought that everything was, like, good. And then it got, like, randomly just got like, rocky again. Like, where does that.
Jim Jones
Versus was weak, man. He mad. Cause he got booed and we lost, man. Let's tell the truth.
Charlamagne Tha God
That's what y'all fell out about again. It's not that. It can't be that. No, that was a joke.
Jim Jones
He got booed at the end. He forgot his freestyle.
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah, but I'm saying because when we were up here trying to figure out, like, what reignited all of the. Whatever this is, we remembered that, like, it was after the verses. It can't just be that.
Jim Jones
I don't care about none of it, you heard? That's the difference between me. I don't take none of this shit personal, bro. I could take laws and walk off and laugh at it. I'm gonna still go home to the house that I live in and love life, you heard? Like, people take things too literal. Like, these people get in this rap game and. And be mad that they didn't have the number one album. Damn, they want to cut their wrists and all that. I don't care about none of that. Shout out to Jaden them. They was on top of the game. They knew what they came to do. They had, you know, they was ready. You dig? Us not so much ready.
Angela Yee
No, no.
Jim Jones
Us not so much ready. But, you know, you win some, you lose some. But what's up? Who want to do a versus with me right now?
DJ Envy
Yeah, that'd be a good.
Jim Jones
You want to do one with me?
Angela Yee
Who would you want to do a versus against?
Jim Jones
Any one of them? Pull it up. New York. I love all my brothers in New York, but you can pull them up no matter who it is you heard. Who would you say? Who? Who you here. I got a real catalog, and I just had a gold record last year. I mean, I'm. I mean, we could go back. I got 20 records for every year. We could start from 20 years ago, I give him one record for each year. All the way up to now.
DJ Envy
Capo vs Styles P. He don't got.
Jim Jones
Enough catalog for that.
DJ Envy
He got a lot cast out, a lot of catalog.
Jim Jones
Not. Not a commercial catalog. He not going. He not going. He not going to last. I mean, I love styles, you dig?
DJ Envy
But set it up if it depends. What if it's just solo records, that'd be a good one for y'all.
Jim Jones
I got more solo records than most of them that really hit. Remember that, you dig? Like, I got a lot of gold singles and a lot Of I got some action with me. Gonna be hard for a lot of people from New York to win with capo. And I got freestyles I could do. I could do all I have a in New York City. It's gonna be hard. I would say that for anybody.
DJ Envy
You know, on the direction.
Angela Yee
It sounds like he want to do one with 50 Cent. That's what it sounds like. It sounds like.
Jim Jones
Jim, you want to do nothing with that sucker. You heard me. Leave him out the conversation.
DJ Envy
You said on purpose.
Jim Jones
No, I didn't say.
Angela Yee
Because he said a rapper. He said New York. And that's the only one that has a catalog.
Charlamagne Tha God
I Lowkey was thinking and I just didn't want to say it because you got catalog.
Angela Yee
There's no other.
Charlamagne Tha God
Because I. When I. You when you said think about it. I. I'm trying to think who else even just commercially would have a big enough. Big enough songs consistently to even.
Angela Yee
But you know, it has platinum records, gold records, number one records. It's not too many in New York.
DJ Envy
Listen at the church steps, man. No, no, no.
Angela Yee
That or hov a whole got that type of catalog now. It's got the type of catalog with artists like that.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, but they would. I feel like even relic like you.
Jim Jones
Would have to bring it to super great idea.
Angela Yee
Now you can't do no verse with him.
Jim Jones
Yeah.
Charlamagne Tha God
You have to bring it up.
Jim Jones
Nope, nope, nope. You heard anybody else? You heard, but hope is you can't. One thing we're not going to do is front and hold. He. He did what he's supposed to out here. Like, it's going to be very hard for anybody to beat him in some type of verses.
Angela Yee
I don't think anybody can.
Jim Jones
Who. Who's the lineup? You know, I love Drizzy, you dig? But a versus gonna be. It's gonna be. There's a lot of variables to that. That's a dog fight. You know, I mean. But as far as I'm concerned. Yeah. Right now and where I'm at, I. I would do. And I'm saying I want to do it. But yeah. If that was the play and Swiss felt like he had a bag. I didn't triple what I had last time. The way we put that versus on fire too. We had that thing looking like a championship game. Yes. Was holla at me and you backdoor me. Gave that man some business that you ain't give all of us a. You definitely got to give me triple Swiss and you got to give me some real business this time. See, that's the Funny thing about this game, you heard, like, y'all don't talk about the backdooring that's going on for the verses that everybody keep keying. But, yeah, I wanted the bag, you heard? But we got the bag. But boy still went back door like, yo, for us, for me to do the verses, you got to give me part of this business that had nothing to do with us, you heard? But he would say, that's me being a businessman, not as you being a sucker doing backdoor, you heard? But nobody want to talk about that.
DJ Envy
We didn't know.
Jim Jones
Yeah, ain't no backdoor ass, you heard? I stand on 10 Joe's and I break bread with my period. That's always who I've been, do I not? You heard? It's never been an artist I took advantage of, you heard? I really put money in all of my artist pockets that I deal with and all my. We get money together. I'm not one of them type of dudes, bro.
Charlamagne Tha God
You heard when you went to Cam about that? He said that like, it's just me being a businessman.
Jim Jones
No, Swiss told me how to tell Swiss I know what was going on. Jack, call Swiss on the line. He'd tell you I did bad, you know, so. It's my brother, Zone, Zone, Zone. What's up, Zah? You heard. I'm not talking about. I'm talking about actual factual.
Angela Yee
How did you find out about it then?
Jim Jones
Because I found out about a lot you heard that didn't. Don't matter. What it matter is, is I got to the bottom of it to see if it was true, and I called Swiss. Yeah, but that's the. That we deal with, you heard? That's the. That people don't know about when they be looking at me like I'm bugging out. No, I ain't bugging out. You can go down the list, but I got time for that.
Angela Yee
You talk about that a lot. Getting backdoored a lot. Pause with. With that.
Jim Jones
Whoa, pause. Let's get the back door. I'm mad I even said that word. No, I'm mad. Can we take it back? Can we erase. Can we erase it?
Angela Yee
Oh, my God.
Jim Jones
Shit. All right, come on.
Angela Yee
So the reason I asked that is, like, if that's happened a couple of times, pause. Why not stop it from the door? Be like, I can never do business with them again because they keep doing it. It's like, first time, all right, you got me. Second time, third time, you say multiple times, it's like, fuck.
Jim Jones
I mean, you did what you deal with, bro. You heard? My loyalty goes way beyond a lot. It's a lot you did.
Angela Yee
Has the loyalty stopped as of now or is it still there?
Jim Jones
Who I'm loyal to the bird. I'm loyal to the bird. Anybody loyal to the bird. Then we fly high. You heard? You ain't loyal to the bird. We will clip your wings. You heard? You're gonna be down there like a pigeon. New York City, what's up? Serious. I'm serious about that bird. I put my life and my heart into it, bro. You dig? I put my life on the line about that bird, people playing with it and things like that. It's never been about money for me. It's been about the unity, it been about the family, it been about what we could build together. I'm not perfect at all, but I'm the perfect example of what you could be by staying down. And that's what I did. No matter what we all go through. What we go through, you heard? But above all, I stayed there for that bird. As I'm still doing now. I criticize that.
DJ Envy
You know, on call on me. You talk about a conversation you had with Puff right before they sent the shouts to Diddy, the feds to get him. Like what was that last conversation?
Jim Jones
Shout out to big bro. It was a great time.
DJ Envy
I mean, you said you asked him about his rich friends, now they acting like he dead to him. But when that loyalty get moldy, you can see what the bread, what the.
Jim Jones
Bread wants with the bread ruins.
DJ Envy
Bread ruins.
Jim Jones
Yeah, yeah. On that little to get moldy. I mean, I mean I don't get into nobody, but it's. He shout out to D, man. He did a lot for the game. I don't want to get into all that. But he did come uptown the day before they came and got him. He set up town with me for five to six hours, right on Lennox Ave. Said he felt like he was in Capri on a yacht. Just the freedom of being uptown and no judgment zone in the middle of hood where we don't judge cuz people going through their own up there, you know what I mean? So there's some normalcy in that for him and things like that. And he just sat down and enjoyed himself. He had a good conversation with me, I had a good conversation with him. Uplifting conversation, a spiritual conversation, you know what I mean? I know Diddy for half half my life and things like that. He's always been big bro and I know he's going through a lot right now. You Know what I mean? So I do wish him the best. I don't want nobody come down on me, try to cancel me, all this. I mean, I ain't with none of that. God bless you, bro. You know what I mean?
DJ Envy
What was it about that moment that made you want to put it down on paper, though, and then record it?
Jim Jones
Just living life. And the record came on paper, did the hook, and that's where we was at with. I just. We did it the same night, you know? I mean, or the next night. Whatever it was, it was still on my mind. It was heavy on my heart, you know? I mean, the best way for me to express what I'm going through is usually through the music. And I don't want to touch too much on it. But, you know, I mean, when he.
DJ Envy
Got picked up the next day, you remember, you like, oh, like. I mean, I was just with him yesterday.
Jim Jones
I mean. Yeah, like that. Shout out to big brother.
Angela Yee
Let's get it.
Jim Jones
Shout out to his sons. Yeah. Shout out to the nest, man. Shout out to the man. Me and Christian got a dope record together, too, man.
Angela Yee
Or on Christian Album. All right. What you want to hear off the album?
Jim Jones
What I want to hear off the album?
Angela Yee
The label will say the single, but you are the label. But what do you want to hear besides that?
Jim Jones
It's either going to be Make it out or Genesis.
DJ Envy
Yo, you know what's crazy? I thought that was Tory Lanez on Make It Out.
Jim Jones
No, that's Ronnie. That's Young Bird's cousin. Also in this artist.
DJ Envy
Yeah, I didn't know. I mean, I'm looking at the track list like I just heard the album.
Charlamagne Tha God
The track didn't have the feature in it.
Jim Jones
Marque.
DJ Envy
Okay.
Jim Jones
Monarch.
Angela Yee
Yeah, Monarch. That's the name of it. Monarch.
Jim Jones
Yeah, that's the new Kos Par Me. Pardon me for forgetting your name, but that's the new kaj. Monarch has brought Kotch out and things like that. But so it's like Genesis, the number two record. Or we could play Make It Out. So which. Which one you want to hear.
DJ Envy
For radio? Let's do Make it out for Radio. I like Genesis, though. Genesis Hard.
Jim Jones
Let's do Make It Out.
Angela Yee
I would do Jomo and Make It Out.
Jim Jones
Jo Make It. I love Jomo. That's a great record, man. Got a lot of bop to it. Good music. Music when you get. I mean, mirror music when you're getting dressed.
Angela Yee
You shot the video twice for that?
Jim Jones
Oh, no, I shot the video in LA when I was in la and then I came back and I shot the video here. And then I was just shooting like little clips when I was shooting all the other videos. Cause you did.
Angela Yee
You made me upset with that one.
Jim Jones
Right.
Angela Yee
Cause you put it out, then I couldn't get it right. Then you put the video out. So I ripped it off the video. And then you pulled the video down.
Jim Jones
Yeah, because that was. That was. So I was make doing these little clips. Now these kids do these little promo clips for ig and somebody actually put it up as a video like, nah, bro, take that down. That's not the real video. So we had to pull it and put it.
DJ Envy
I do want to ask you one last question. Could love trick you off the street, Jim? And this is what I mean by that. I feel like there's nothing any stranger could ever say to you to make you do anything at this point in your life. But the people you've actually loved and rolled for and been loyal to could.
Jim Jones
Trick you off the street. Loyalty could trick you off the street, definitely. And it's almost tricked me off the street a few times in the midst of my journey by being loyal to a flaw. Love is a crazy thing. And it depends on what type of love you're talking about. Love could fuck up your emotion. If you're not disciplined in the household and know that you have a job to do especially. And. And a job like we have, it's not easy getting up and leaving the house and not home as much as you need to be. And I mean, you're not spending the time you need to be in things like that. But, you know, this is something, a mission that you have to accomplish or else your family can't. I mean, so it gets tricky at that time, you start to feel bad and you start to feel all type, you know, I mean, but you gotta study your dean, man, else it's gonna be cold out here. So you gotta get that bag, man. I mean, the family is going to be there when you get back and you gotta figure out how to. To make time for the ones you love also, you know what I mean? So it's a balance, you know that.
DJ Envy
So Cam calls you today and Cam says, look, man, we better than this. Let's have the conversation about what Chrissy would tell you.
Charlamagne Tha God
Breathe.
DJ Envy
This is you and Cass, you and Cam. He calls you and says, yo, he better than this.
Jim Jones
I'm petty than this. Damn, I'm taking it petty right now. I just don't want to have no conversation with nobody. I worry about Jomo, bro. It's nothing to worry about. It's nothing to talk about, bro. Unless he want to box for that 10 million. Because I could use 10 million. Nothing to talk about, bro. I don't want to talk about nothing, bro. There's nothing to talk about. Not right now. I didn't say for life. As of right now, I don't have nothing to talk about. I got other things that I'm doing. I got businesses that I'm attending to. They getting their money. I'm getting my money too. You heard? I'm. I'm doing. I'm doing pretty good out here. We're on, man. Slow ass. We doing okay, baby. Not to say it like that, but, you know, just, you know, But I got a lot of things that I'm doing. You already. I ain't got no time to be interrupting my time or my, my or my. My mental space to deal with anything but what I got going on because that might take away and that might start making me crashing for doing things that I'm not supposed to be doing. You know what I mean?
Charlamagne Tha God
Have people. Sorry to cut you out. Have people tried to put y'all on the phone since all of this?
Jim Jones
Nah.
Charlamagne Tha God
Nobody?
Jim Jones
Nah.
DJ Envy
Only reason I say that, cuz life is short. And, you know, you see people at funerals now and you like, damn, are they cool? Or is this the first time that they seen each other since he passed?
Jim Jones
Like, I pop out to his funeral.
Angela Yee
God damn, Jim, you set yourself up to that. He said right now he's in that, but that maybe next year he'll feel differently.
DJ Envy
Next year is what I'm saying.
Jim Jones
God forbid I'm gonna pop out to the funeral if that's the case, you dig? So I got love for him. I ain't gonna miss that. But right now, I ain't gonna miss my opportunity of getting to this motion that I got going on album on Friday. We got a movie coming out next month for. At the church steps. Shout out to all the people that's in the movie. Had a good time with that one, you dig? Like, I'm just trying to stay down this line. Tunnel vision, you heard? Like, we all seen a different side of me where. You know what I mean? Like, let me stay here, you heard? Let me stay out of these people way, you heard? Let me keep doing my music. Let me just keep doing the things that got me feeling good, looking good, and things that people respected me for not entertaining any bullshit. Let me stay here.
Charlamagne Tha God
You still doing the sobriety thing?
Jim Jones
What you mean?
Charlamagne Tha God
Murray was doing A sobriety thing.
Angela Yee
What you mean?
Charlamagne Tha God
No more me Japan Ye had you sober.
Jim Jones
All right, you just do something new.
Charlamagne Tha God
Oh yeah, you're so happy in those videos too.
Jim Jones
Yeah. All right. So I will say this. You, I mean, of course you could, you can find smoke anywhere. But the consequences for smoking in Japan are very dear. Not to saying I wouldn't, I'm saying. So I think about this now. I get some garbage smoke out there and smoking in Japan and end up getting in trouble for smoking some garbage. We now I'm double mad smoke some weak ass Japan weed. But I had a great time. Time, but it was funny. So I smoked so much of my life, me being sober turned into a high like I was now. Like after the second day, I was chasing that, that feeling like I was like, yo, it just felt. I was like dancing. I'm like, you heard? It was just a whole different energy. I was like, yo, this is way crazy. So I respected the being sober for a week. And he said for a week.
Angela Yee
So he's back.
Jim Jones
No, but since I've came back, I've. I've smoking tremendously less since I came back. Like, I smoke, I've smoked a lot of my time, but I find myself smoking two to three blunts a day. And anybody that knows me know that's like, damn, they're not even smoking, you know, I mean, hopefully I was phased out of that too. The tobacco's not good for me. I'm getting a little bit older. A lot of things changing for me. I mean, I like to stay healthy. Being in shape is like a form of the fountain of you for me, you know, I mean, I'm trying to live forever, be the first one to.
Charlamagne Tha God
And my last one before you get out of here. Why does the Internet always try and break you and Christy up? Like the way you talk about a.
Jim Jones
Baby right now, according to that, I got married. Congratulations. I got married the other month, right.
Angela Yee
To somebody else, which was crazy.
Jim Jones
Out the blue. Like then, now we got a baby. I don't know, you know, we don't. The media don't get to us, man. Like you tell yourself it's a shock value. I mean, when sometimes you hear something out the blue, you like, nah, they tripping. But. But for the most part.
Charlamagne Tha God
You ever be having to tell her, put your phone down, breathe. Before you pick your phone back up, like she did for you or does for you.
Jim Jones
I have to tell her that in a lot of other situations, she don't really engage on IG like that, you know? I mean, more or less. I'm more the one that they talking about on IG or whatever, but other situations. She could be a hot head as people have seen her to be, but she's definitely a dope one.
DJ Envy
You know why? Because this generation know Chrissy can fight. Fight. This generation don't really know Jim can fight. They've seen Chrissy in action on tv.
Jim Jones
Yeah, let's not try that one, please. I ain't got no fight in me, so please. It's gonna get scary. Let's. Let's. Let's just. I mean, let's just keep. Keep me where I'm at. I don't. I don't want to do nothing aggressive, man. I want to just get this money. I want to stay down the line. This is entertainment. Anything you heard today was all alleged. None. I mean, that's just me goofing off, having fun. But if y'all do have 10 million for the boxing match, we can set that up. In the meantime, the album comes out at the church steps on this Friday. Friday, February 20th. I will be outside Confuego on Sunday. Listen to me. I don't know if you've ever been there. It's gonna feel like Jimmy's Cafe. So for you young ones that never been there with Jimmy Catfish around, get there early. Rare form. We coming to Crunch the Building. I mean, Crunch me and French. Shout outs to self. Self and DJing all my life. I don't know if I should. I don't know if I'm allowed to call him my dj. How should I approach that? I'll be like, yo, you know, self. My dj. I can say that.
Angela Yee
Absolutely.
Jim Jones
Yeah.
Angela Yee
How many times has he called you to come? Pull up.
Jim Jones
Yeah. So South's my DJ. We did about 10 shows in this past month together. About that, you know, I mean, so we're getting our show together and we coming to Crunch the Building on Sunday, so please show up early. I appreciate all the love from. And support from New York that we've been getting. Hey, like I said, I ain't perfect, but I'm out here shout outs to. You know, I love y'all to death. Shout outs to all my family. Shout outs to Peso, the artist. Hold Me up, man. You dig? Don't hold us down no more. Hold us Up.
Charlamagne Tha God
People see you now, they just start hitting the dance and singing Harlem.
Jim Jones
Yeah, The Wave. That's another record. I want to say this shout outs to the young girl Layla, because I believe there was a big problems. Yeah. Mix up with that Record. I did not know it was this girl's record. I thought it was cash co base. And I told nephew, yo, I'm gonna do my own version of record. I'm gonna remix it. I wanted you to do it. He's like, nah, let's do it. I'm gonna. So I wanted the whole thing over and things like that. I mean, I didn't know. So I just wanted to apologize for her for thinking. Thinking of anything, like, I stole your record. But in New York, we do our own versions of records all the time and things like that. And sometimes they catch life. But I didn't know she was most step daughter. So. Shout outs to most def.
Angela Yee
Did he call you or no, he didn't call you?
Jim Jones
No. Their lawyer called me. I respect the business sense and things like that. Hopefully we can figure the whole situation out. Hopefully this room for me to do something for her that I can make it right. I can't tell you this, baby girl. I wouldn't lose a bag over somebody telling you what's not right. You know what I mean? Like, it's an opportunity for you to do good business here. You better get this money from the record because as you say, it's the interpolation is there. So get the bag. You heard, Like, I'm not mad at you. Call my phone. I. I'll give you the check directly. You know, I mean, but Cash should.
DJ Envy
Have told you that. Cash should have been like, yo, you.
Charlamagne Tha God
Know.
Jim Jones
You know, you know, Cash young, he out here hopping, buzzing. You heard? I'm telling him something is there. He's like, yeah, yeah, I'm just doing whatever you. I mean, like, all right. Ain't listening to unc like that. So unc start busting and now here we go. But shout out to cash out. Shouts to bass swag. Shouts to big, big queens in the building. Shout out to slow bucks out the slow and bucks. Shout outs to all my family members, man. We got a extensive network out here in the city. Shout out to the lobby boys. Hey, man, it's been fun, man. Shout out to everybody here, you know? All right, I appreciate you for having me. It's not easy getting up on a breakfast club. So anytime I'm up here, it's definitely feel like I'm a star.
DJ Envy
And congrats on another great body of work. That's the most.
Angela Yee
Absolutely, absolutely.
Jim Jones
I appreciate you for always holding me up too, when it comes to the music, my business sense, my musical air. Like, you are one of the few people that have advocating for me on this type of platform and letting people know how ill I am of a person. I mean, so I definitely appreciate that. Anything else I'm missing?
Charlamagne Tha God
I feel like you got everything.
Jim Jones
Oh, who. What's. What's your favorite song? That was a good question, because they might be. They might just be reading.
Charlamagne Tha God
I listen to Jomo all the time.
Jim Jones
All right.
Charlamagne Tha God
All the time. I actually put that on one of my church steps.
Angela Yee
Like, church steps.
DJ Envy
Genesis. What's going on with Davies now? They listen.
Jim Jones
He said, what's going on? You know. You know, they listen.
DJ Envy
But I like when you on them type of records, it's like the samples you be using. Like, I know status selected.
Jim Jones
Did he Did Jomo? Yeah. The funny thing about that is that that record is seven years old. So what? The day that boy did all of that on the Internet, it sounds. I went to the studio, and I'm on my phone looking for something else on the notes, and I'm just going through the. And the notes just end up going to the bottom, and I end up pressing the. I just pressed it and it came on Jimmy Jones. I was like. And it start going off. I'm like, wow. Talking to me. God, I paid. I paid it for my a. Like, am I bugging my high? He like, n. Load this up. That was, it was.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, even when you. It was like the. I don't know if it was black work or it was one of them platforms. When you did that on one of those platforms and I was just watching you performing, I was like, oh, yeah, this is. This is the one. Yeah. You could tell if you're in. You're in a good space right now. It feels like.
Jim Jones
Yeah, it feels good. It feels good. I mean, it feels good to be able to do music this far in. In my, in my career and still getting respected as a dope mc, still respected for my fashion sense, still, you know, I mean, like, I got my own little wave out here, so. I appreciate that, man. I mean, I appreciate that very much. I appreciate New York City, really. Like, if you know me, you know, I, I, I'm. I'm a New Yorker. York period. You dig? So every. All my music is New York music. No matter how far it reaches. First, it starts with me. I don't put no music out that I don't like myself. If it don't hits me the way I need to hit, then I ain't putting out. And then after that, I'm a New York. All my records, all my albums about my experiences that started from New York New York body of working, I mean, no matter how far I reach. So I really love my town, you know what I'm saying? Mean, we gonna keep putting on as long as I can. You heard Dipset VL that thing don't change, man. February 28th, y'all go get the album at the church steps. Appreciate everybody that participated in the album. There you have it.
Angela Yee
Ladies and gentlemen, RP Jones.
Jim Jones
RP Takeoff. My guy. Absolutely. So many others.
Angela Yee
Jim Jones. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.
Jim Jones
Boom.
DJ Envy
Wake that ass up early in the morning. The Breakfast Club.
Maria Fernanda Diaz
Hey, y'all. I'm Maria Fernanda Diaz. When youn're Invisible is my love letter to the working class people and immigrants who shaped me. Season 2 shares stories about community and being underestimated.
Emilia
All the greatest changes have happened when a couple of people said, this sucks.
Jim Jones
Let'S do something about it.
Charlamagne Tha God
We get paid to serve you, but we're made out of the same things.
Jim Jones
It's rare to have black male teachers. Sometimes I am the testament.
Maria Fernanda Diaz
Listen to when you're Invisible on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Emilia
I'm Emilia, host of the podcast Crumbs. For years, I had to rely on other people to tell me my story, and what I heard wasn't good. You really. Last night, it felt like I lived most of my life in a blackout. I was trapped in addiction. You had to grab the lamps and smashed it against the walls. And then I decided I wanted to tell my own story. Listen to crumbs on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
John Cameron Mitchell
This is John Cameron Mitchell and my new fiction podcast series, Cancellation island stars Holly Hunter as Karen, a wellness influencer who launches a rehab for the recently cancelled. In the future, we will all be canceled for 15 minutes, but don't worry, we'll take you from broke to woke or your money back. Cancellation Island's revolutionary rehab therapies, like bad touch football, anti racism, spin class, and mandatory ayahuasca ceremonies are designed to force the council to confront their worst impulses. But everything starts to fall apart when people start disappearing. Karen, where have you brought us Cancellation island, where a second chance might just be your last. Listen to Cancellation island on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Colleen Witt
Are you hungry? Colleen Witt here and eating while broke is back for season four every Thursday on the Black Effect Podcast Network. This season, we've got a legendary lineup of serving up broke dishes and even better stories on the menu we have Tony Baker, Nick Cannon, Melissa Ford, October London and Carrie Harper Howey turning Big Macs into big Moves. Catch Eating while broke every Thursday on the Black effect podcast network iHeartRadio app Apple podcast. Wherever you get your favorite shows, come hungry for season four.
Summary of "The Breakfast Club" Episode: Interview with Jim Jones
Release Date: February 27, 2025
Podcast: The Breakfast Club
Hosts: DJ Envy, Angela Yee, Charlamagne Tha God
Guest: Jim Jones
Episode Title: INTERVIEW: Jim Jones On Staying Relevant, Putting People On, Repping Harlem, Kanye, Cam'ron + More
The episode kicks off with DJ Envy warmly welcoming Jim Jones back to "The Breakfast Club." Jim expresses his contentment with his current position in the music industry, highlighting his ongoing ability to produce relevant music without experiencing the typical decline many artists face over time.
Jim Jones (02:54):
"I'm feeling pretty good. I can't complain, man."
Jim delves into his strategies for maintaining relevance, emphasizing the importance of embracing new marketing techniques and leveraging digital platforms. He acknowledges the challenges of being an independent artist without major promotional backing but celebrates his unique position that bridges veteran experience with modern trends.
DJ Envy (03:25):
"He always got fire."
Jim Jones (03:31):
"I wish the whole world would see it like that... It feels good to be where I'm at right now."
A significant part of the conversation revolves around Jim's financial journey. He candidly discusses the financial pitfalls he encountered post-success, particularly after his hit "Ballin'." Jim reflects on his lack of financial literacy during his early career, leading to extravagant spending and substantial debt. He underscores the importance of financial responsibility and the lessons he's learned to manage his wealth effectively now.
Angela Yee (06:46):
"I was counting your pockets... Where did you spend the $20 million?"
Jim Jones (07:10):
"I could have been way more financially responsible than I was... I was very young and dumb at that time."
Jim offers an introspective look into his role within the Diplomats (Dipset), discussing the group's internal dynamics and the factors that led to its fragmentation. He addresses issues of loyalty, power struggles, and the emotional toll of maintaining such relationships over time.
Charlamagne Tha God (08:13):
"What were some of those things... that you could have done differently?"
Jim Jones (16:11):
"Nobody does a lot for me, you know what I mean? But I'm in the process of changing who I've always been."
Jim shares anecdotes about his interactions with prominent artists like Kanye West and Cam'ron. He recounts a memorable trip to Japan with Kanye, highlighting their mutual respect and the positive experiences they've shared. Additionally, he touches upon his complex relationship with Cam'ron, hinting at past conflicts and ongoing tensions.
Jim Jones (24:32):
"Flew out to Japan to see Kanye. That was dope... He's definitely a dope soul, man."
Deeply committed to his roots, Jim discusses his ongoing efforts to uplift the Harlem community. He emphasizes his participation in local initiatives, such as supporting the Boys and Girls Club, and his desire to inspire young people by showcasing his own journey from similar backgrounds.
Jim Jones (28:27):
"I am them there as to be a bit of inspiration for these kids to see somebody that came up out of the same circumstances."
Jim unveils details about his forthcoming projects, including his new album "The Church Steps," set to release on February 20th, and an accompanying movie filmed in Harlem. He describes the album as a testament to his personal growth and artistic evolution, emphasizing its reflective and honest nature.
Jim Jones (10:22):
"This album is at the church... 20 years later, I feel I'm that much closer to getting my life totally together."
Beyond music, Jim explores his ventures into the fashion industry, specifically his collaboration with Kanye West's Yeezy brand. He expresses enthusiasm about expanding his creative outlets and contributing to the fashion world, highlighting his passion for style and self-expression.
Jim Jones (26:51):
"I'm excited about that. I think it's pretty big, you know what I mean?"
Jim reflects on the current state of the music industry, noting his unique position as an older artist who still resonates with younger generations. He discusses the importance of authenticity and staying true to his roots while adapting to evolving musical trends.
Jim Jones (22:18):
"It's an anomaly in my position... doing what I'm doing now hasn't been seen before."
A recurring theme in the interview is loyalty—both within his personal relationships and towards his musical legacy. Jim speaks about the challenges of maintaining these loyalties amidst the pressures of the industry and his personal growth journey. He emphasizes the importance of staying grounded and focused on his mission.
Jim Jones (54:05):
"Anybody loyal to the bird. I'm loyal to the bird."
As the interview draws to a close, Jim reiterates his commitment to his music, community, and personal well-being. He expresses gratitude towards the hosts for providing him with a platform to share his story and reflections, while also addressing misconceptions and media narratives surrounding his life and career.
Jim Jones (68:33):
"I don't want nobody come down on me, try to cancel me... God bless you, bro."
Jim Jones (03:31):
"I think I'm in a unique place for how long I've been in the game and to be able to navigate with the youngsters and still have my core fan base..."
Jim Jones (06:13):
"After the success of balling, I used to chase balling... slowly but surely I got out of that phase..."
Charlamagne Tha God (08:13):
"What were some of those things... that you could have done differently?"
Jim Jones (10:22):
"This album is at the church... 20 years later, I feel I'm that much closer to getting my life totally together."
Jim Jones (28:27):
"I am them there as to be a bit of inspiration for these kids..."
Jim Jones (54:05):
"Anybody loyal to the bird. I'm loyal to the bird."
Jim Jones (68:33):
"I don't want nobody come down on me, try to cancel me... God bless you, bro."
In this candid and comprehensive interview, Jim Jones offers an unfiltered glimpse into his multifaceted life—as a musician striving to stay relevant, a community leader dedicated to uplifting Harlem, and an individual grappling with past financial missteps and personal growth. His reflections on loyalty, both in his personal relationships and within the music industry, provide a deep understanding of the challenges he faces and the resilience he possesses. Jim's commitment to his art, his community, and his continuous evolution underscores his enduring influence and relevance in the ever-changing landscape of hip-hop and beyond.