INTERVIEW: Lil Tjay talks New Album, Offset Beef, Kai Cenat, 50 Cent, Recovering From Shooting + More

Summary

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The Breakfast Club: Interview with Lil Tjay

Aired: May 13, 2026
Hosts: DJ Envy, Angela Yee, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne tha God, Lauren LaRosa
Guest: Lil Tjay

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Episode Overview

This candid interview brings Lil Tjay to The Breakfast Club to discuss his new album They Just Ain’t You, his evolution as an artist and person, surviving a near-fatal shooting, relationships in the industry, and his reflections on street life, trauma, and maturity. He addresses rumors around longstanding beefs (including with Offset and Kai Cenat), comments on viral moments, and opens up about his healing, independence, and personal growth.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Adulthood and Maturity

• Settling Into Adulthood ([04:33]–[05:15])
  • Lil Tjay reflects on turning 25 and feeling the shift from youthful impulsivity into a more serious mindset.
    • “Even the sense of humor, the stupidity, like, my immature side is kind of calming down.” – Lil Tjay [05:02]
  • The hosts joke about his brain being fully developed, marking no more “being young” excuses.

2. Public Image, Growth, and Misunderstanding

• Media Perception vs. Reality ([05:19]–[10:57])
  • Tjay feels unfairly judged by headlines, while the reality of his life is more complex.
    • “Most people don’t look past the headline.” – Lil Tjay [05:33]
  • Explains his actions sometimes validate negative narratives, as seen in viral court/leaving jailhouse moments.
• Misunderstood by Some, Understood by Others
  • “I think a lot of people 100% understand me… the people that understand me might not have as much of a voice in a comment section or a headline.” – Lil Tjay [10:25]

3. Surviving and Healing from the Shooting

• Physical and Mental Recovery ([06:05]–[07:40])
  • Lil Tjay discusses being shot (“seven times”—actually more) and the trauma/PTSD.
    • “PTSD done worn off… It was bad. It got a lot better.” – Lil Tjay [06:17]
  • He did physical therapy but not mental; chose isolation for reflection.
• Resilience and Determination
  • “I got on my feet… fought with my doctor for getting on my feet.” – Lil Tjay [07:38]
  • He reveals the real number of wounds was eight or nine, not the reported seven.

4. The Reality of Street and Rap Life

• Street Roots and Loyalty ([14:06]–[15:15])
  • Tjay’s inner circle is primarily from before fame, leading to tension between progressing and staying connected to the “trenches.”
  • “People I know…everybody’s dead broke…it’s just the culture, it’s just the mindset.”
• On Outgrowing the Streets
  • “There’s only so much I could pivot from it right now.” – Lil Tjay [13:21]
  • But Charlamagne pushes back, urging him not to feel trapped.
  • Tjay admits spending time alone is safest: “Me chilling with you might be a liability for me.” [15:03]

5. Trauma, PTSD, and Extreme Environments

• Lingering Edginess ([09:03]–[10:16], [15:43]–[17:21])
  • Tjay still feels “on edge” due to negative narratives and public expectations for him to “mess up.”
  • He describes how PTSD and the realities of his environment shape his thinking and approach to security.
    • “Sometimes you gotta fight fire with fire… But to a certain extent, you just kind of like, you need to balance it.” [17:08]

6. Influence & Growth in the Industry

• Conversations with 50 Cent ([17:32]–[19:12])
  • Tjay says his discussions with 50 Cent helped, but he distinguishes their trajectories, saying he wouldn't make some of the same choices as 50 at his age.
    • “A lot of the shit he do, I feel like at his age, I would not be doing… I get way more pass, I'm 24, 25.”
• Punishment for Growth
  • “The streets sometimes punish growth…whenever a rapper tries to mature... 100 percent.” – Lil Tjay [19:21]–[19:31]

7. Beefs and Relationships

• Offset Gambling Drama ([21:22]–[29:46])
  • Tjay details his so-called “beef” with Offset, rooted in an unpaid $10k gambling debt and Offset’s subsequent behavior, but says it’s not real animosity.
    • “Offset can come give me a hug, too, man.” – Lil Tjay [21:36]
    • “It wasn’t enough for us to hate you, bro. I just feel like you just max disrespecting me, but kudos to you, bro.” [23:38]
• A Boogie: “Come give me a hug, I ain’t tripping.”
• Black Boy Max & Kai Cenat Situations ([30:02]–[37:39])
  • Tjay admits fault in the Black Boy Max smoking incident, giving context on being misunderstood and not intending disrespect.
  • Clarifies that “fake hate” towards Kai Cenat stemmed from feeling ignored and from ongoing perceived slights, not genuine animosity.
    • “It was maybe one time where…birthday…he just stopped texting me... it just got a little weird in these three years.” [34:01]
    • “Kai don’t bother nobody…that’s why it looks like hate.” – Charlamagne [37:22]
• On being labeled a troll
  • “I think it’s super unfair.” – Lil Tjay [38:58]

8. Music, Independence, and Message

• New Album: They Just Ain’t You ([10:25], [41:08], [52:03])
  • Motivation for the album title: his outlook is fundamentally different from the average person.
• Going Independent ([40:52]–[41:19])
  • After fulfilling a three-album deal, Tjay decided against renewing despite lucrative offers:
    • “They offered a lot of digits. Eight.” (Eight figures.) [41:22]
• Music as a Reflection of Life ([42:23]–[43:54])
  • Songs like “Letter to My Block” and “Can’t Change” channel loyalty and pain from street realities.
  • Explains that wearing his chain represents his journey out, not gang life.

9. Navigating Life, Loyalty, & Giving Back

• Balancing Roots & Safety ([44:45]–[47:19])
  • Tjay recounts how loyalty to his block and old friends can be risky (“that can get you killed”), but he prefers showing love from a distance.
    • “Like you said, you can give back but you ain’t gotta go back.” – Angela Yee [47:26]
  • “I go over there, show my love and get the fuck up out of here though.” – Lil Tjay [47:14]

10. Relationships and “Used to Love”

• Rumors about La La ([47:45]–[49:40])
  • Clarifies that “Used to Love” isn’t about La La, and jokes with the hosts about the song and headlines.
    • “I just think I’m a talented songwriter… I could know how to change the pockets on different type of songs.” [49:07]
• Random Rumors (“Tati” video girl, Tatiana, etc.)
  • Responds with humor to speculation about song inspiration.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Growth and Trauma:

  “I feel like what the world seen was me go through something traumatic and me change in front of them. And then I feel like they judged me a little cruelly, but it’s over now.” – Lil Tjay [08:33]

• On Survival:

  “Most people don’t live off of one shot. But the fact that you were hit seven times is very serious.” – Angela Yee [06:51]

• On Handling Street Life:

  “You could give back, but you ain’t gotta go back.” – Angela Yee [47:26]

• On Media and Streaming Drama:

  “Sometimes I be feeling so passionate…then my team be like, never speak… But I got a point.” – Lil Tjay [22:45]

• Regarding Offset Beef:

  “It wasn’t enough for us to hate you, bro. I just feel like you just max disrespecting me, but kudos to you, bro.” – Lil Tjay [23:38]

• On Independence from Label:

  “It’s the alpha in me that just wanted to like, nah, fuck it. They was trying to throw me on tape of bread for me, but I’m like, nah, the back end's gonna be more.” – Lil Tjay [40:58]

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Timestamped Highlights

• [03:18] – Lil Tjay welcomed back
• [04:33] – Talks about maturity, turning 25
• [06:05] – Healing from being shot and lingering PTSD
• [10:25] – On being misunderstood and naming the album
• [13:21] – Loyalty to friends from the streets
• [17:32] – Comparisons and advice from 50 Cent
• [19:21] – Industry maturity and how the streets view growth
• [21:22] – Remarks on A Boogie and Offset “beefs”
• [23:38] – The truth about the Offset gambling situation
• [30:02] – On the Black Boy Max/kai Cenat viral events
• [40:52] – Why he left his label for independence
• [42:23] – Speaking to his block in his music
• [44:45] – Balancing being present and safe in the hood
• [47:45] – Clarifies rumors about the song “Used to Love”
• [49:07] – Emphasizes his focus on songwriting, not drama

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Episode Tone & Style

• Highly conversational and raw, mixing streetwise candor, humor, and moments of deep vulnerability.
• Lil Tjay’s tone is earnest, occasionally defensive, but consistently reflective and honest.
• The hosts probe with direct questions, teasing but also expressing genuine concern and admiration.

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For Listeners

• This episode is a deep dive into the realities of success, trauma, loyalty, and public scrutiny in hip-hop.
• Lil Tjay’s responses balance bravado, introspection, and street perspective, offering an unvarnished glimpse into the life of an artist navigating fame after real-life danger and personal growth.
• Anyone interested in hip-hop culture, trauma and recovery, or the business and emotional tolls of rap will find real value in this conversation.

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Transcript

[Lauren LaRosa]

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[Charlamagne tha God]

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[DJ Envy]

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[Angela Yee]

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[Angela Yee]

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[Charlamagne tha God]

Every day I wake up.

[Kalpen (Kal Penn)]

Wake your ass up.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The Breakfast Club. Y' all finished or y' all done?

[Angela Yee]

Morning, everybody.

[DJ Envy]

It's DJ Envy.

[Angela Yee]

Just hilarious.

[DJ Envy]

Charlemagne the guy.

[Angela Yee]

We are the Breakfast Club. Lauren laros is here as well. We got a special guest in the building.

[DJ Envy]

His new album is out right now. Ladies and gentlemen, Lil tj.

[Angela Yee]

Welcome back, brother.

[Lil Tjay]

What's up with it?

[Angela Yee]

How you feeling, man?

[Lil Tjay]

I feel good, feel great.

[Angela Yee]

You good?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Let me hold something.

[Lil Tjay]

Young man.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You look like you got it.

[Lil Tjay]

He's like, come on. I ain't got it.

[DJ Envy]

Rap don't pay.

[Lil Tjay]

You know that.

Yeah, right, Cat, I like what you did, though.

[Co-host or Guest]

You gave it away. You gave some bread away to a lady singing on the side of the.

[Lil Tjay]

Yo, what was that?

[Co-host or Guest]

Yeah, she was singing with her family,

[Lil Tjay]

like homeless or something.

I swear, I swear to God, right? I do like that way better all the time, right?

Yeah. And you know this. It was the singing that made me

say, all right, let me record her.

Because I was thinking, like, if she'd go up for her own.

You feel me? Like, I seen the potential in that and it just went.

And I seen everybody loved it. Like, oh. And I'm like, yo, damn, bro. I guess you just got to kind of just push like that in their face because that's my day to day life. I didn't see a person that's on the side of the street and don't give them maybe more bread than that. So I was like, damn, okay. You know, I'm the best on earth today.

[Co-host or Guest]

But, you know, but you really, really blessed her, though. And she did. She could sing. She had a nice voice.

[Lil Tjay]

She was there with her man.

[Co-host or Guest]

Her kids, they was living on the side of the curb.

[Lil Tjay]

And you really.

[Co-host or Guest]

You let it rain all in the bucket. So that's what's up.

[Angela Yee]

But how you been, brother? I know you had the last crazy couple of years. How you been? How's everything with you?

[Lil Tjay]

I've been chill. I think I just kind of like, just like settling in adulthood right now.

Nice.

Probably what's going on.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Oh, you now.

[Lil Tjay]

DJ, I just turned 25.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Okay. Your full frontal cortex just developed.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No more excuses. Yeah.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You can't say. You can't just blame it on being young no more.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah, yeah.

[Angela Yee]

Are you learning or are you looking at like.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I don't know what that means. What does it mean when you say you. You fully settled into adulthood now?

[Lil Tjay]

What I mean by that is I feel like. Like I feel like even like the sense of human, the stupidity, like, certain things. Like, I just like, like my immature side is kind of like calming down. I feel like, you know, I think look at things a little more serious

[Charlamagne tha God]

nowadays because people think that you're just a poster child for being a crash out.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah, because they don't understand me. You know, for me, they just. They don't even hear nothing. You know, everything is just like a

big ass, like whatever the sign say,

headline, and then that's it.

You feel me? For the most part.

[Lauren LaRosa]

What do you think people don't understand?

[Lil Tjay]

I mean, I mean, I don't think.

I'm not that hard to understand, but I think a lot of people just don't even look into, like, what they really be seeing about me. So when I say don't understand, I think. I just think the real shit is just most people don't look past the headline.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Well, even when you do look past the headlines, if you see the video and it's like, you know, you kind of co signing everything that the headline says. Like, the last situation you was in, we saw you leaving the Jailhouse Wild courthouse.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah, album on the way. Shaw album away.

[Angela Yee]

But have you fully healed from what happened in Jersey where you got shot seven times? Have you fully healed from that? Cause that has to be a type of trauma that it's like you continuously looking over your shoulder, you continuously making sure you make the right moves. Have you healed from it?

[Lil Tjay]

It's crazy though.

Today, day and age, I be catching myself like, oh, that PTSD done worn off.

[DJ Envy]

It worn off already.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah. I ain't gonna lie. It got like a lot better. It was bad. It was bad. You feel me? It was bad. You feel me? And like, it's like, it feels like a lot better right now. I'm like, a lot more like, you

[Charlamagne tha God]

know, did you do something for it, like therapy?

[Lil Tjay]

I ain't do nothing.

Like, I'm like kind of like an insurance. I ain't.

I do physical therapy.

I ain't do mental therapy. I just got away from everybody and just figured it out.

[Co-host or Guest]

So you just isolated yourself Yep. You were by yourself the whole time?

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah, basically, yeah.

[Angela Yee]

Do you move differently now with that situation happen? Because that's a scary situation. Most people don't live off of one shot. But the fact that you were hit seven times is very serious.

[Lil Tjay]

And actually, you know what's crazy though, actually might have been more, you know,

in the hospital report. Say more the news headline. 7.

And I just let it rock.

I just left it with seven. I ain't gonna say.

[Co-host or Guest]

How many times was it though.

[Lil Tjay]

It was like eight, nine.

But you know this. I got mad holes and so I damn everything the doctors know. Cause some shit was going through me for me.

[Angela Yee]

And you say you didn't do physical therapy for your healing. You just. Bro, you lucky as hell, brother.

[Co-host or Guest]

How long did it take you to like get up and start moving, right?

[Lil Tjay]

I was. Yo, you want to know something?

[Co-host or Guest]

What?

[Lil Tjay]

You think I'm lying? All right, cool.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Which means you probably are.

[Lil Tjay]

Yo, words. I know how crazy it's gonna sound.

I understand. Look, I was on my feet. I was on my feet probably like from the moment I could. Like from the moment I was alert and I just tried to get on my feet. I got on my feet and I got into. I was going to say a fight, but damn near with the doctor for getting on my feet.

He caught me. My feet. I'm like, yo, I got to stand up.

La la la.

And he spanked me out.

[Charlamagne tha God]

He spanked you out?

[Lil Tjay]

No, I got into it with the doctor cuz I was trying to get

up on my feet and he was telling me up chair, like, feel me. There's a lot going on in that spot.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Listen, he said he spanked you. You know, when you in the hospital, you got the gown on.

[Lil Tjay]

You see what he be thinking? You see what he be thinking? What you mean?

[Charlamagne tha God]

He makes you, bro. Listen, do you think trauma changes people or just reveals who they already were?

[Lil Tjay]

Nah, it could. It can super change you. You feel me?

It can super change me. Change you as a person. You know what I'm saying? And I feel like. I feel like what the world seen was me go through something traumatic and me change in front of them. And then I feel like they judged me a little cruelly, but it's over now. But I think that's kind of what happened was going on.

[Lauren LaRosa]

What was going on on Life on edge, right? You talk about like all these things going through your mind and just some of the things that you're dealing with as you're trying to navigate the world. Like you said, you feel Better today. Do you still feel on edge or do you feel like you've kind of backed away from the edge a little bit?

[Lil Tjay]

Not definitely.

I still feel on edge.

Of course.

You know, I'm saying I got like, a lot of narratives. A lot of people want to see me like, up now. I'm trying to say. And even how we say the headlines and all the negativity you might see

on me, none of them are really

that like, of a heavy hitter.

Like, let me really up.

They're gonna.

They waiting for me to up.

Like you feel. I'm trying to say. And in my eyes, right.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Shootings are heavy.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I was about to say the last.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The last shooting somebody. But those are heavy headlines.

[Lauren LaRosa]

And don't. So you've never had allegations affect you business wise? Even if. Cause I've been told by people that I covered that just a headline can really do some damage on the back end, even if it's not fully true or, you know, whatever.

[Lil Tjay]

You know, the thing is, though, so, like, I mean, probably is definitely.

Probably people out there that might say, all right, this looks a little bit too rough for my liking and I'll pass on it. Like, did it slow my whole motion? Not. Nah. Absolutely not. And I think the thing where I win the most is that, like, I felt like my career is not based on popular vote. It's really just based off of. So it's only so much, you know, somebody that's just not a part of what I got going on, I feel like affects me even though, you know, still a balance.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But I see your core call you inspirational. Right. But then they'll see the headlines with the bull. Do you feel misunderstood or do you think you've made it easy for people to misunderstand you?

[Lil Tjay]

I think. I think a lot of people misunderstand me, and I think a lot of people 100% understand me. And the people that understand me might not have as much of a voice like in a comment section or a headline, you know what I'm saying? But I think a lot of people understand me to a certain extent. But the reason why the name of the album is they Just Ain't True is I realize the way I think from the ground up is like, very different to the average person. You definitely sound different.

[Co-host or Guest]

Did you really remove a bullet out your neck?

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah, while I was wide awoke because

[Co-host or Guest]

you didn't want to go back under anesthesia, like.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah.

[Co-host or Guest]

You did it with a scalpel and numbing cream.

[Lil Tjay]

I didn't do it, but the doctor did it. And I was wide awake and I'm like, nah, I'm not going to sleep.

Wow, that changes the whole story.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I thought you was on some Rambo shit.

[Lil Tjay]

I ain't never said it before. I was catching like I did. Nah, I haven't, I ain't doing. I ain't fried like that.

Nah.

[Angela Yee]

When did you realize that the streets in the rap game are totally two different things?

[Lil Tjay]

When did I realize that? I realized that from day one, you understand?

Like when I was like. I also feel like what kind of like make people not understand me as much as when I came in. I was kind of dramatic with the brand and I feel like it wasn't. It became cooler to be tough and like in like my eyes later than when I first started.

The thing is like I just kind

of like I felt like I couldn't say nothing wrong, you know what I'm saying?

I remember I've seen an interview, I

was like dragging it because I've been outside doing, you know, But I was not trying to be a bad example. But I seen an interview, I was

like, yo, I don't even talk to girls. Girls. I'm waiting for the right one. This is, I'm like, damn. I was trying to be clean cut, you feel me? And that's why I feel like it

might clash sometimes with you feel me? Like with when I'm being my genuine self now because it'd be like, yo,

this little tj and I'll be just

thinking like, I'm just vague, I just wilding, you know.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But see, that's what I remember because

like now I'll be looking online.

People be like, TJ looks angry, he looks reckless, he looks paranoid. Like, do you think that's fair?

[Lil Tjay]

But then again, it's a thin line between.

It's a thin line between. I just was able to probably hide my emotions when it was less pressure maybe. True, that's probably what it was. Got a little bit too passionate with sometimes with my opinions.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Plus you, plus you, you kind of, you grew up in this, right? Like when you first started when you like 18. Yeah.

[Lil Tjay]

You're probably younger, a little younger.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You see what I'm saying? So people watched you grow into this 25 year old man. So you had to learn in front of the world, basically.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah.

[Angela Yee]

Now I'm sure you understand the statement the, the streets trick you out of it, right immediately because yeah, the streets,

[Lil Tjay]

but I understood that then that's kind of why I was going at with it.

I understood that then like, you know,

and and yeah, and even to now,

like, I got a song, right, Called Can't Change, and I feel like it's similar to, like, what you were saying with Life on Edge. And he was like, yo, do I feel like I'm still living life on edge? And Can't Change is basically the answer to that.

I feel like.

Because I felt like because of a lot of things that was set up, like, the way my life was set up to project when I was young, it's only so much I could pivot from it right now.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Nah, that's not true. You can pivot as far as you want. If you don't care what those people think, if you don't care about what they think, you'll feel like that's my fear. You could be a pastor tomorrow if you want to, tj.

[Lil Tjay]

Yes, but I don't think I could pivot as much as I.

As I want to on a song

[Lauren LaRosa]

you talk about, it sounds like you're talking about the fact that, like, you know, you have family and friends that are still, like, kind of into things are from where you're from doing certain things. So it's like you can't fully uproot yourself and turn that switch off. And because of that, you got to protect yourself a certain way when you're around certain things, right? Is that where you're going with it?

[Lil Tjay]

You know, it is so, like, kind of like the only people, like, I really know, like, I got, like, couple,

like, you know, like, people that's, like, important people in this world. That's like, we close to. And majority of people that I know, like, and deal with today is, like, people that I knew before I was famous. And all of these people is, like, from the trenches. I'm talking about, like. Like, it's a up environment. Like, everybody dad broke, like, be. Feel me. And it's just be the culture, be the mindset of the thing.

So even if you kind of like,

bless the trenches, what would do with their bread is just spend it. Because the mindset is not, like, not really gold to go up, right? So now me with a goal to go up, surrounded around people I love, and nobody has that same goal is up. You know what I'm trying to say? So it does, like, pull me down to a certain extent. But then what I'm do, go chill with 10 people that I don't care or, like, worry about. Like, you know what I'm saying?

Like, associate with them.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But how you just said that you spent a lot of time alone.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah, right.

[Charlamagne tha God]

And sometimes you got to do that even with the. The people you come from.

[Lil Tjay]

Because I feel safe, alone. I. I feel like me chilling with you might be a liability for me

just because we just live two different lifestyles and I think differently from ground up than you.

You might put me in harm's way and not even realize it.

[Charlamagne tha God]

So cut them people off.

[Lil Tjay]

No, but that's you. It could be you. It could be you. Charlamagne right now, like, charlamagne ain't gonna

[Angela Yee]

put you in a place where you feel like your life is threatened.

[Charlamagne tha God]

No.

[Angela Yee]

Envy ain't gonna put you in a

[Lil Tjay]

place where you're feeling intentionally.

[Charlamagne tha God]

No. We got too much to lose.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Do you feel like. Okay, so, like, you talking about a charlamagne, right? Because at first you said it's the people that had the mindset because they from the trenches, right? Charlamagne is from where he's from, but he's changed his life and lived a different way. But you still feel like being around someone, whatever he comes with, could come your way. Is that a form of your own ptsd, though?

[Lil Tjay]

Yes, but it's also a form of

you just not understanding to.

I believe, right?

Because if I walk downstairs right now, and it's so unfortunate, right? This could be my security cab, a legal gun right? Now, I know certain people that if

we look at each other eye to

eye, he fuck around, might pull his gun, and might try to blow my whole face off.

And I can't tell my security, you'll shoot him. Shoot him, because he don't see a gun.

And it's a whole, like, order of command of how this has to go. Now. You get what I'm trying to say? And with that being said, it sounds like an extreme situation, but it's kind of like, I think, like that. You know what I'm saying?

[Charlamagne tha God]

So now, well, explain that to me again, because I think you need to fire your security if they can't spot a threat before.

[Lil Tjay]

No, because it's just certain things, like, now, what if my gun is tucked?

You feel me? I'm about to walk up on you, get close, and I'm up and blow you down. You feel me?

It's just. It's just how you read in the room.

You feel me?

[Angela Yee]

He's saying that if he walks into somebody that knows and he knows his

[Charlamagne tha God]

security or they know each other, everybody

[Angela Yee]

that he has beef with, you know, his security is, you know, watching every environment.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But it ain't about knowing who you got beef with. I mean, that's part of it.

[DJ Envy]

It's protecting.

[Lil Tjay]

And then it's like. It's almost to a certain extent, it's like, yo, I like.

Like, I. Like, I don't want to sound tough or none of that, but, like, I'm dramatically different from the average person. You feel me?

It's to a certain extent, the security don't even got it in him.

Nine times out of 10, like, you feel me?

What I'm gonna do? Like, I'm gonna put you to the test.

Like, you'll go in the street and let me see you. Let me see you in extreme situation. You feel me? Like, sometimes you gotta fight fire with fire.

Sometimes I be around the bros, and

I be like, bro, y' all annoying me. Feel me?

And they know that.

They know that we talk to every.

Like, I love y', all, bro.

I want y' all to do better, bro. But, like, y' all is knowing y', all, like, y' all in a way for me.

But to a certain extent, you just kind of like, you need to balance it.

It's just because I can't change. This is, like, my life. Like, this is like, you feel me, you know?

But you how I feel, you'll be

[Charlamagne tha God]

singing a totally different tune in five years, guaranteed, hopefully.

[Lil Tjay]

So that's. You feel me?

[Angela Yee]

But you had conversations with 50, and I heard you say you speak to him after you got shot before, right? Yeah, he's the perfect example of that.

[DJ Envy]

Cause he had the same thing. He couldn't.

[Angela Yee]

Anywhere he moved, they was on his ass, and he had to move militant in a way where it protected him.

[Lil Tjay]

How would those conversations happen or work with 50 Cent?

Yeah, you know, I just. I feel like me and 50 Cent

is a little different, though. You feel me?

And it's crazy, though. Cause I did that little old 50 Cent many men remix.

I think it was gassing me. I was, I swear, high as fuck. I press upload nigga's like, what the fuck?

N. But in reality, I do feel like we different.

It's certain things, for example, that, like. Like, you know, it's just like. It's just my shoes. You feel me? And I feel like 50 Cent just did certain things that I just probably wouldn't do in my life.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Like what,

[Lil Tjay]

bro? Man, I don't know, bro. I don't know.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You know? You just don't want to say you was hesitant when you first said the 50 Cent conversation. Like, what. What is the hesitation? Did the conversation not go the way you expected it to?

[Lil Tjay]

Nah, I put it like this. I think that 50 Cent is like the big, like, gangster image. Like. Like, you feel me? A role model of the. Of the rap career. And it's like almost even me, like, being a younger person, I was like, falling into it a little bit. Like, you know, I. With 52, feel me?

Like, yeah, yeah.

But then when I actually use my own two eyes and I'm like, all right. A lot of the shit he do, I feel like at his age, I would not be doing what you trying to say. I get way more pass. I'm 24, 25. Feel me?

A lot of the shit he do,

I would not do. You feel what I'm trying to say?

[Co-host or Guest]

Like, you say he too old for the trolling that he does.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah.

Feel me. He got me in 25 years.

Feel me?

So I feel like he then come down to his level and troll me right now, big 50.

Cause that's what he want to do.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Do you think the streets sometimes punish growth? Like, whenever a rapper tries to mature, people be like, oh, he's off now.

[Lil Tjay]

100%.

100%.

But you know what it is? The thing is, though, these niggas don't

be stopping a growth when they want to. They stop when they grow from. It's when they feel like they back

into the wall niggas again into uncomfortable position. But they'll fuck the streets, you feel me? Niggas don't really be like, taking the

initiative to say, all right, this is not how I want to live my life is not what I want to stand for, you feel I'm trying to say.

And.

And then they just get into a situation. It's that. Cuz, like, even right now, I feel like, would I change my morals and

do anything that I wouldn't do before?

No. But as of right now, in this day and age, I'm not saying the. I'm not saying the. She got understanding. She's very well, you feel me? But I'm preaching that that is not it. I want no beef with zero. I don't beef with nobody.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Like, I.

[Lil Tjay]

Anybody, I think I don't want no beef with you for me. I just hope you don't try to do nothing to me for me, but I don't want to be for nobody. Like, that is corny to me. Super corny to me. You feel me? And I know people that done then. Then got life in jail, and I

know people that are probably done that for me.

[Charlamagne tha God]

They.

[Lil Tjay]

They might not even went to jail.

They just got a whole bunch of on their mind and way of Thinking and just a lifestyle. They just don't want you. For me, it's. Don't end good for me. So I could tell anybody in the most genuine form. That is corny for me. But I do look at it as when I was younger, younger, younger, younger

from when I was 11, 12 years old.

I was catching felonies at those ages. I told myself, all right, these are your life rules. These are your morals. That's what you can and cannot do. And from there, I just kind of stood on. I stood in the pockets, you feel me?

[Angela Yee]

Is the beef too far with certain people to totally squash because you say you don't want beef with nobody, right? Is it too far to. So you know what? Let's end it right here. We all making money. We all going our own way. We all got our own crew. Is.

[Lil Tjay]

Pull me up on it.

Pull me up on it. I ain't tripping. I ain't got no beef with. I don't want. Now, I'm not gonna say I don't got because I don't know how anybody looks at me. You know what I'm saying? I don't know how everybody look at me.

[Angela Yee]

Because the first beef where they say, you and a boogie, but y' all do so much. Y' all so big for New York boom type boogie.

[Lil Tjay]

Come give me a hug. I ain't tripping on that, man. Offset.

[Angela Yee]

I love that.

[Lil Tjay]

What about offset offset? I'm not tripping my offset offset. You know, it's crazy.

Offset, offset.

I don't know what's up with all set offsets. And you can come give me a hug, too, man. I ain't.

[Angela Yee]

Now, was that over a gambling. A gambling thing?

[Lil Tjay]

Nothing happened with us. I think that my lawyer got to figure that out, right?

[Angela Yee]

I'm not even talking about that. I'm just talking about why y' all don't like each other. Was that over a gambling day?

[Lil Tjay]

I think that.

Yeah.

I mean, I think that a lot of people don't like Offset because he has some gambling problems. Me, I wouldn't even say I don't like him. I would say I kind of feel bad for him. It's kind of up. I kind of see what's going on. You feel me? I see it clear as day, you know, And I also look at him. Are you supposed to be like a more established, mature in the space artist than me? For me, And I look at how I maneuver, like my security. I look at everything. Kind of like everything I can see with my own two eyes and Then when I. We run each other, like, I realized, I'm like, bro, you ain't moving like that. God, bro, this look like a little sad.

[Narrator (State Farm Ad)]

I mean, damn, if.

[Lauren LaRosa]

If you. If you're in a space, I mean, maybe you just got here now, but I'm. If I'm listening to you, you're in a space where you kind of want to get away the problems and the drama. But I've seen you on like, your streams and stuff when, like, you talking about the gambling stuff with Offset and just different. Even like the. The Kaiser not stuff. And. And it brings the drama in the conversation to you at the same time. Like, why do you do that?

[Lil Tjay]

If you feel like, okay, sometimes I be feeling like so passionate. Like, like, like I'm like, people gonna understand me. And then I'll be like, you know, the team will be like, never speak. Never speak. But I'd be like, but I got a point. Like, you feel me? Like, your word too.

I put it like this, right? I ain't gonna lie.

What I thought the world was gonna be like. Oh, I'll set you a bum ass. Feel me? Cuz, bro, world to. I got rappers, D. The whole industry is in my dm. You see how a couple came out. Everybody in my DM laughing, haha. Offset owe me bread too.

The whole world is in my dm.

Offset owe me bread. La la la for me. So I'm like, bro, I'm over here actually for my bread. You keep texting me angry text about getting in blood.

I'm like, you wiling, broski.

So I'm thinking it's funny.

Like, Offset's a bum. He over here taking people bread, running off everybody.

I'll get it back in place. I'm like, damn, I thought. I thought y' all was going to film me. For me, it was 10k. It was nothing, bro. I threw it in the strip club whenever I want to. All right? But it's not enough for us for

me to hate you, bro.

I just feel like you just max

disrespecting me, but kudos to you, bro. For me.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But so you. Why did you. I mean, y' all cool like that to be to just say, here's 10K.

[Lil Tjay]

I didn't think 10K was that 10K in his eyes. Like, I didn't think it was a runoff type of 10k was.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Y'. All. Y' all was in the casino together or something.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah, I wasn't.

Even better.

Him, he like, he lost his money. He was accident.

Let me tell you what Happened. He was asking a lady like, auntie.

Auntie even gives you C. He calling everybody's phone. Nobody giving him no bread. He asking the ladies, like regular people. Like, I don't. They look like they work nine to five jobs. Like, not no rich people. And he getting them told, I'mma cash app you in the morning. I'm like, you fake tweaking gang.

I don't know what make me jump in that algorithm.

Give it that as a five. The next five. I probably hit him back for. For mad long. For me it was. I swear to God. Everybody probably telling me, everybody telling me,

like, yo, bro, he playing with you.

I didn't even care. I didn't even care, man.

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[DJ Envy]

Yo, what up, y'?

[Lauren LaRosa]

All?

[DJ Envy]

It's DJ Envy from the Breakfast Club. Now check this out. The first phone call that ever happened happened over 150 years ago. 150 years. That's before any of this. Before radio, before social media, before all the ways we stay connected. Today, that one call really started everything. And fast forward to now. It's springtime, the weather's breaking, people outside vibes are right again. Thank God. And it got me thinking. Who haven't you talked to in a minute? And you know, through all these years and all these conversations, AT&T has been there, connecting people in meaningful ways. This is more than a story of technological innovation. It's really a story about human connection. Real people, real moments and real relationships. So we celebrate over 150 years of connection. Let this be your reminder, don't wait. Make that call. Send that text, Pull up on somebody you care about. Because at the end of the day, those connections, that's what really matters.

[Lauren LaRosa]

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[DJ Envy]

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[Lil Tjay]

but then when I fake hit him

about it, bro, you fake super tough

guy, yo, you tweaking broski.

[Co-host or Guest]

But was you fake hitting them about it? Were you like, yo, y' all really want my money? You sitting here losing everybody else money?

[Lil Tjay]

Like, no, no, I. I think probably, like, got spun off, like, 10 times, blah, blah, blah. And then one day was in the strip club. He just made it rain on everybody. So he made it rain the whole club, bro.

[Co-host or Guest]

That's the worst.

[Lil Tjay]

Can I tell you something?

Like, I don't really like saying stupid. Feel me? But when I tell you, bro, everybody looking at me like, you going to let him play. I'm like, leave him, bro. This guy is your own people.

Sometime

[Charlamagne tha God]

now, if that story is true, though, it is up when you somebody owe you money and you like, yo,

[Lil Tjay]

you, bro, the whole world is telling me like, you violated me.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Was coming down.

[Lil Tjay]

And at that point, it ain't about the money. I'm like, damn, I'm the biggest bitch.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But you was worried about what everybody else was thinking.

[Lil Tjay]

Nah, I never to this day. To this day, kind of like, I think the most I try to do,

like, intentionally was call him a bum. You feel me?

Besides that, I don't really care. The 10k that's in the air, bro, that bro, that's your character. I think that I'm like, 10 years

younger than you, bro. Like, you feel me?

I wouldn't give Cal Rich no money.

I'm gonna feel like a weirdo running off of him. He might be two years younger than me. You feel me? Like, I'm not doing that.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But y'.

[Lil Tjay]

All.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But you and Offset could be cool, though.

[Lil Tjay]

Hell, yeah.

Any day. He probably like his fans. Whatever he bout.

I don't know, bro. I'm working off this music game. I'm trying to go up.

[Angela Yee]

Now, you also said that you was wrong with the black boy Max situation. You said you could admit you was wrong.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah, I could.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You was wrong with Kai, too.

[Lil Tjay]

No, I don't think so.

[Lauren LaRosa]

What is the fake hate that you talking about?

[Lil Tjay]

Like, wait, but, bro, can I tell you something?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Tell us about both.

[Lil Tjay]

All right, so can I ask you a question?

And so what did you take from

the Flagway Max situation?

[Charlamagne tha God]

I don't know about that one.

[Angela Yee]

I know the he told y', all, don't smoke weed in the crib. Smoke weed outside, and y' all continue to smoke weed.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Oh, I do remember that.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah.

[Angela Yee]

I mean, he ain't saying disrespectfully. Just like, yo, bro, don't smoke weed. That's how I. I Took it.

[Charlamagne tha God]

This was a Boundaries, tj.

[Lil Tjay]

You know, it's crazy.

I never said this.

I thought about this yesterday.

I'm like, probably should have said this. I don't even care, you know? All right, let me just bring it back a little.

And it doesn't make it that much

better, but it just gives it a

[Angela Yee]

little bit more texture, more context, huh?

[Lil Tjay]

My Fabi was in that room, right?

[Angela Yee]

Bobby was there.

[Lil Tjay]

Yep, Fabi was in that room. If you look, he wasn't really with nobody. I got a call from 5. Yo, what you doing? He was at room.

I'm in the room. I fake a little wacky room. I don't know what. Hottest room about to mix up me, brother.

Brother.

[Angela Yee]

That's your brother.

[Lil Tjay]

What? I'm over there.

I don't know. Nothing's going on, bro. I walk in the room, huh?

Brother, brother uncomfortable. What's up?

Yo, stop smoking.

Appreciate you.

Who you talking to?

For me, I'm trying to figure out what's going on in this room, gang. For me, brother, brother over here, he trying to have a whole different conversation. I'm talking to him like, who this little. Keep telling me he stop smoking. I don't know nothing about no stream. I don't know about nothing. For me, they made some most evil person in the world. I come try to bully a crib. Then we was there for five minutes. That's the other part that I don't even know if the clip explained. I look, I might have didn't put it out right away.

I'm out of here.

And then I left. And I'm like, bro, maybe I'm a little hood.

I'm like, bro, my fault.

If I value you, I pay for that. Really?

And I swear to God, maybe it just might be my trauma in my life. I thought it was gonna go so viral for.

He, like, crushed us. I never thought it was gonna go viral. Never even leaving him, like, damn, bro. Like, he like, for me.

And it just might be just literally my understanding, if you hate me for it, then it for me, it's just literally how I read the room and how I was raised into it. Like, you kind of like, you feel. You kind of challenge those moments when somebody. You feel like somebody playing with you.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You know why you just respect somebody house. If somebody in your house, tj. No, you tell them, yo, you gotta go. I don't want you doing this.

[Lil Tjay]

No if, ands, or buts.

You're right.

You're right. There's no if, ands, or buts.

No if Ands or buts, the only

even reason why I'm giving.

Explain this.

Because I'm like, bro, all right, we young.

And in this texture of me not trying to intentionally violate you, I feel like he could have understood it. Not try to drag it like, yo, you're evil for me. But what you saying, though?

Crib smoking?

Yeah.

Because at the end of the day, if I go into anybody's crib, I

don't want to argue the fact that I feel like, entitled to smoke.

Hell no.

That's like common duh for me. It's just in that situation, I'm like, bro, Right, bro, Like, you hate me for this.

[Charlamagne tha God]

So I felt the Kai thing. It felt like you was just mad that you wasn't getting invited to the party.

[Lil Tjay]

Absolutely not. That was headlines. I felt like mixed with what people wanted to say.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But I seen a video you posted. It was.

It was Kaiser now when he was with Kodak Black and he was like, I fake hate this kid.

Him and Aiden, the biggest dick riders in life.

[Lil Tjay]

Now let me give you. And I swear to God on my grandmother grave, this is like so true, right? Me and Kyle was cool. Like, we like, know each other for. For a good amount of time. That's even a plaque boy said, like, the only streamers I knew is Aiden.

I got a clip I can show you. It's Aiden clip. He shows you.

The first time he ever did a stream with a rapper, period, is with little tj. If you watch the black boy Max clip. And I'm pretty sure they could clip it after. When I walk in, the first thing he did is he says, yo, the first stream I ever seen was you and Aiden.

I feel like the apex of this gang.

You feel me Anyways, but that don't

[Charlamagne tha God]

mean they owe you nothing. Once they. Nah, they get up.

[Lil Tjay]

Yes. 100. Cool. Damn. Why? I just lost my car. I know.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We.

[Lil Tjay]

We know each other very well.

We cool.

For me,

it was maybe one time

where it was his birthday and he's planning the birthday.

He's like, yo, we gotta do this.

We gotta invite these girls.

We gotta do this. Which is cool.

He's like femi. And when the birthday came, he just stopped texting me for me. Don't hate you for it. I realized the room was going on

in that party that day, and I

kind of have a reason to know why. He might have just stopped texting me. Who we might not talk for two years, three years after this. Like, we just like kind of like dead after that. Like, we just like oh, it's over. It just got a little weird in

these three years, bro. He keep reacting to everything I do and everything is negative, bro. I'm like, bro, you're tweaking, bro.

Like, why you keep doing that for me? And it looks so genuine. I swear to God now, right? The Kodak. And I'm on my business, bro, because I even like, I have the next business for. I swear. I was trying to tastefully put that

we don't like each other out in the air so that he could not

genuinely downplay my bro. That's all I was trying to do.

I seen.

And.

And it also was on the topic

of I feel like be on the culture because come through and they like everything you do. And as soon as you get a little buzz now you only like Playboi

Carti and this weird and this other for. I do feel like that too. I'm not hating on.

I don't care. I don't need you for me. That's not how I feel for me.

But so I felt like it was right on topic.

I'm like, for me, like, Kodak high,

you trying to clip him up. I'm like, that's what y' all be doing, man. Like, why y' all for me come into the culture to try to on it right after.

You feel me? And so that's why I came in with that approach. I'm not even that passionate about the collection. I wanted him to leave me alone. And what it did is sparked up.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Why not just hit him up, though, if y' all was actually cool?

[Lil Tjay]

Because he's not jacking that, bro.

He fake. He knows he's media trained like a bro. You want. I want you to know that kid that I came in here and said that I was in here and said, I don't talk to girls.

That's costing out bro. I know him. I know him.

For me, it's like he know exactly what's going on with a lot of bro.

For me, he ain't dumb. Like, we the same age. Like, for me, we from the Bronx. Like, for me, we like, we eye to eye.

We know what's going on, bro.

He just in his bag.

He.

He going up.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Didn't you do a record, talk about being with his girlfriend or something like that at the time.

[Lil Tjay]

And so what it's called.

I know how captions. I know how captions get to it, right?

So let me give you down the timeline line. I go, bro, leave me alone. Go down the line. The little Asian kid, Ray goes and

go, yo, he's an op a lot. Turn this off.

I go on my finster, I go, word.

I'm an op.

I say something, I'm gonna smack you. Since I'm an op, I say something, the world goes crazy.

Word. Smack Ray. Why would you smack Ray? Blah, blah, blah.

Card now reacts to it. Mind you, only bad reactions I got in the last two, three years. Now he reacts to this. Tj Manju he be with. I feel like think they won. You know what I mean? Like, don't really with me. I know he like. And he not that oblivious, bro. You know what made me hate? Like, I'm like, bro, he looks. He goes, tj, you want to violate the Asian kid. Which I do feel like it's up that we're trained to only hate people that across the street from us and look like us and anybody else disrespect us could just run behind like, oh,

but I look like this.

I'm amazing. Like, what the.

Was that guy do anything? Like, you got nothing doing nothing for me. And so long story short, he goes, the Asian kid.

Stop the violence.

And I'm like, bro, you know, like,

exactly what you're doing, bro. And then they go on the stream for the next day. Start wearing chains with start for me.

Like, y' all is doing a lot

of underlying trolling and it's PG13. I don't have a label billion dollar company behind me put in a positive mess.

Media crazy through the for me. So it's like there's a lot of

that works not in my faith, that don't work in my favor. But I'd be like real intentional and like, be real serious about.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I'll be saying, but Kai don't bother nobody. So that's why it looks like hate.

[Lil Tjay]

I mean, bro, I'm keeping a buck. You just don't. If you say that, then that's cool. Well, we don't got to go crazy on cost tonight. We don't gotta go crazy on cost or not, but if that's what you you think thankful I just got to

[Charlamagne tha God]

see your text messages, man. You could because he Everybody everybody you text get mad at you all said

[Lil Tjay]

and then look and then. So then. And then the last part is. The last part is I go words I want to still keep reacting. You reacting to my finster now.

They told me not to do it, but anyway, it's old news.

I say, yo, I had your react to that.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You told him to look through her phone.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah, and guess what? He ain't React no more. Everybody said, your car living your head rent free, bro. Only thing I've been asking you is to stop speaking on me, gang. Like, as soon as I say that one, it's like, oh, I told you, stop speaking to me. Every time we argue because you keep speaking to me.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I keep saying, so this is over, girls.

[Lil Tjay]

I don't know.

[DJ Envy]

You a just hear the whole story.

[Lil Tjay]

I'm like, maybe this is the reason why you just keep throwing the D

[Angela Yee]

on me.

[Charlamagne tha God]

So story.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I heard the story started from the birthday thing. Yeah. Because birthday dinners is always an issue. Birthday party, it's always a thing. But if Kai was to try to come and give you a hug right now and patch it up, would you

[Lil Tjay]

hug like a. I'm gonna be for him, bro. I'll be for him.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I'm just like, I didn't know I couldn't do it.

[Lil Tjay]

I just was like, bro, for me,

it's hard to fight a when everybody

gonna be on his side. I'm just like, bro, leave me alone. The whole side of my side of argument was like, bro, get off my.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Do you feel like you unfairly get labeled as a troll? You feel like that's unfair or you feel like it's fair?

[Lil Tjay]

I think it's super unfair. I think that a just allegedly, his girl just cheated on him.

The whole world felt bad for him.

TJ got shot mad times.

We got a A like Aiden Ross saying, yo, he didn't get the dip,

his chips and guac.

He got a shot for Chipotle. This, this. He's on the song violating me.

Max disrespected me, then gets on the

song I'm a Jew. Like, bro, you violating. Like, you're violating what we have to go through, like, as black people, you feel me? Or in urban people in the society, it's up, bro.

It's like a brainwashing thing. Like, hate each other how we look.

You're just mocking the out of it.

And I'm a Jew.

Like, you're wilding gang for me. So now when I get passionate, I'll be like, but why y' all little

suburban kids that don't got no trauma, Nothing to go with the reason why y' all violate and keep playing with, like, me. And the world goes, ah.

For me and Kai, as much as you think that, bro, he doesn't do nothing.

I think it's so easy to just understand the grid and just mind your business completely. You feel me? And I just be, like, kind of passionate, like, yo, bro, y' all Just keep hopping and. And just like using. You feel me? Something else.

[Charlamagne tha God]

He's definitely doing that now. He's definitely disconnected and got off the grid.

[Lil Tjay]

Now, though, he tried to figure out Shorty.

[DJ Envy]

Damn it.

[Charlamagne tha God]

A lot of your people, right, your fans, they see vulnerability in your music, but then they be like, yo, I see TJ and interviews and I just see ego. Which one is the real tj?

[Lil Tjay]

I mean, bro, I feel like you could have told me anything I did wrong and it just would have been a conversation. You feel me? So it's like, if I'm passionate with how I feel, then that's one thing. You feel me? I'm just not like, like gonna just shut up because. Because the room disagrees with me for me. But I don't think it's like a super ego thing. I just think that, like, I'm not

[Charlamagne tha God]

talking about that situation. I'm just talking about in general.

[Lil Tjay]

No, I mean, in general, I think, like, I think I just like, if anything, it's like if I feel away or I feel passionate about something, I just, I articulate and I'll fight for my point of the argument, but it's not like it's, you know, I don't think that's an ego thing.

[Angela Yee]

Now also, you independent this time around?

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah.

[Angela Yee]

What happened with the label situation? You decided? Was it released? Was it.

[Lil Tjay]

It's the alpha in me that just wanted to like, nah, fuck it. They was trying to throw me on

taper bread for me, but I'm like, nah, the back end's gonna be more like, we gotta go for that.

[Angela Yee]

But weren't you signed?

[Lil Tjay]

How did you get off? Or your deal was up now? When I first signed, I had a three album deal and I knew that I wanted to be independent one day, so I just like. They kept on trying to give me money to extend. I'm like, I'm out of here.

[Angela Yee]

What's the most. They offered

[Lil Tjay]

a lot of digits. Eight. Eight. Okay.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Did you promise yourself you'd move differently after, you know, the shooting? Prior to that? All right, what was. I guess that's the question I'm asking. What was the situation in recent years that said, you know what? I'm gonna start moving? That made you say I'm start moving differently?

[Lil Tjay]

What was the meat? I think that, you know, I think that the data I had got shot was actually like. It was really just like a bad week for me, I feel like, too. And it wasn't like I was just all the way moving, head cut off. But besides that, I Think what I did was I kind of like, I went to some in my introvert mode and I just isolated and I kind of just like, I feel like I had to figure out myself first all the way. And then I kind of like brainstorm. I need this and this and this, this set up in my life again. So. Yeah, I mean, I kind of think I. I just, I just slowed the pace down.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I feel like letter to my block is a little bit like that. It seems like you woke up and realized that like, as much allegiance as you have to your neighborhood, it doesn't make sense anymore.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah, yeah, like, because you know what it is? I feel like even when I like be speaking about the trenches and for the trenches, I'll be just talking and like the goal and the underlying message, it stays consistent through most of my music. It's just kind of like the goal is getting up out of here and you could do it, you know? And so when I just be speaking about the trenches, even like this right here, this chain. All right, this is just like. It's like I felt like it's just representing where I'm from as far as like, dang, he's from here. And then he put this into gold and just walks around his neck. But it's not like this don't got nothing to do with like, you feel me? Like, you know, Yeah, I don't gotta do the gang. Like, you know, I don't feel like I'm one.

I want to put.

I feel like, yo, you stupid. You think you own the neighborhood. You know what I'm trying to say? So like that it's not how it

[Charlamagne tha God]

is, but you could have bought some of the neighborhood if you didn't buy that.

[Lil Tjay]

But it's not. I ain't gonna lie. This is expensive. You think that that's what I thought. I thought that that was going to be cheap. Them beat down ass buildings be going 2 million, 3 million a pop.

[Charlamagne tha God]

It's the Bronx. But I mean, because you know, eventually it'll be worth. It's 2 million.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I can't really see the top. The top said sliding.

[Angela Yee]

I don't know what building too many.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I was thinking way more than that.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah, yeah. I'm talking about the up shits.

[Lauren LaRosa]

But the only thing is though is

[Lil Tjay]

like, it blocks it.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I was gonna say, like, even what you wearing the chains, like, I get it. And I think the message get lost. Because it's like, it's so much surrounding that. Like there was like an indictment at one point. There's like, you know, I get what you're trying to do, but you see where it can kind of like people not gonna fully look into all of it. So the message gets confused.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah.

I mean, well, to thing, though, it's like, kind of like.

It's like in a. It's like in a little bit of a lower phase, I think it's like, kind of like people that kind of just move a little bit might be more invested in what's going on behind the scenes in my life. There's also a thing where it's like, a lot of people in the trenches feel like. Like, TJ different. Like, you know, to them, they like, yo, that changed all the way up. And as in, that's good. And as in just. Yeah, literally, it is good. And it's only. And the only thing that they say is, yo, you move like a civilian now. And that's. And the same way you say people in the hood, that is the thing. But it's kind of thing. I'm like a person where it's like. It's like, hey, call it a day. It is what it is.

So a lot of people in the

environment might tell me, like, yo, damn.

Like, yo, T act like this.

Yo, T don't like this. I remember one time I went to the hood. I was just chilling, and this is how up it is, right? I'm just chilling around my day one friends. And even in New York City, I don't really know anybody else besides, like, I stood in that pocket, you feel me? Like. Like, I don't really know anybody else. I know my family, my old friends. And then some people got mixed up, and a couple people branched on new barely, you feel me? And I remember one time I was in the hood, and I'm just went to the hood, and I'm like, yo, I'm going to my. My man's crib. He had the studio in the crib. I get an elevator, bro, this is the most Y and dirty ever. But it's so up. It's the Bronx turns around the elevator. Stop pissing while we elevator.

I mean, what the is you doing? Yo, Ira, yo, when I tell you,

everybody looked at me and said, oh,

nah, she was some rapper la La. I'm like, nah, y' all some dirty. That's regular. You feel me? But, yo, that much, he went to

corner, he did his thing.

[Co-host or Guest]

But that's regular.

[Angela Yee]

So you heard.

[Lil Tjay]

It is not in my life.

[Co-host or Guest]

No, not to your.

[Lil Tjay]

Not in my life right now. But think about it like this. This is the environment. So right in the up environment. How it's trained to hate, yo. This block is trained to hate this block. Just because you born here, you born here. It's some that's from across the street that one day hate the fact that little TJ is the rapper and might all the way might crash out. For me, they want to crash out, bro. So it's like slightly you need another. That can't believe this happened over here. That he gonna crash out right with you. You play with this. That I can't believe he even made it anywhere. You know what I'm trying to say? It's like a balance that somebody else might not understand, and it keeps me

a little bit fried and from growing.

But the reason why songs like can't change exist is because it's just. It's the up pocket I'm in.

You feel me, like.

And that's how I feel. Like. I don't know if you could give me great advice without probably signing me up to die. I love to try. Listen, why would you die? Because that's what can happen.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I think that you can be.

[Lil Tjay]

That's what can happen. If you slip up, that's what can happen.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I think you can. I think you can. You can leave your environment but still give back to your environment because, you know, because of exactly what you just said. That just. That'll just hate on a little TJ for no reason.

[Lil Tjay]

But that's why I dip people. I see it in the comments. People be like, yo, TJ be overseas. I'll be trying to get the away from me. Yeah, but that's why I do. I try to do that. That's why that, like, let it to my block. The video. I went over there. You think I'm chilling on that block?

No.

Am I not allowed to go there? And they can't tell me that. I go over there, chill whenever I want to and show my love and

get the up out of here, though.

You feel me? But that's not like. That's just. That's all it is.

You feel me?

That's all it is. Yo, look, it's something like, yo reminder. Yo, look, TJ exists.

He's from here. Like, this is like.

This is where you're from.

[Angela Yee]

Like you said, you can give back, but you ain't gotta go back.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah.

[Angela Yee]

You ain't got to put yourself in that predicament where you have to do something or people expect you. You to crash out.

[Lil Tjay]

You a.

[Co-host or Guest]

And you don't got to get on them elevators neither.

[Lil Tjay]

In the. No, this. This was. This was.

This was a good amount of years ago. Let's.

[DJ Envy]

Let's get into some music. Can we get in some music?

[Charlamagne tha God]

You don't want to ask? Let's ask about Used to Love, man. Is that a real situation?

[Lil Tjay]

Used to love?

Nah, it's just music.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Oh, okay, okay, okay. I thought a girl really had.

[Lil Tjay]

You thought?

Made by La La.

Tell him stream it if y' all

want to stream it. It I made by La La. That.

[Angela Yee]

Well, what record you want to hear off the album?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Lala.

[Lil Tjay]

Big Lala.

Huh?

No, no.

I wouldn't expect Big Lala like that.

[Angela Yee]

He was joking, guys.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Oh, but that would be a good one. You supposed to get turned out by older woman.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You turned out on a couple of songs.

[Lil Tjay]

Lala.

[Lauren LaRosa]

So. So y' all not dating? You and lala?

[Charlamagne tha God]

That was a. That's a thing.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Not all lala bapt. Right. But you that people were trying to figure out. Y' all dating. Y' all not. Yeah. No. Oh, you sad. I'm sorry.

[Lil Tjay]

She said.

[Angela Yee]

I mean, you sad. I'm sorry.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We didn't mean to try to almost make you cry.

[Lauren LaRosa]

My bad. I didn't know. I thought you wanted to.

[Angela Yee]

That's gonna be the headline.

[Charlamagne tha God]

My fault.

[Angela Yee]

TJ cried on the breakfast talking about La La. That's gonna be the headlines about Big La La too. Yes, that was.

[Charlamagne tha God]

This was about her. I had a convo with God and he doubled down on you. I finally get it. Play with my heart. So I'm different. I thought you was loyal.

I swear.

I would bet it. I saw that text.

Ain't no edit. I felt like a sucker.

[Lil Tjay]

No lie.

[Charlamagne tha God]

When I read it.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I.

[Charlamagne tha God]

It ain't no making up nothing. I promise.

It's over. You might as well get it.

[Lil Tjay]

Damn. Wait, that's bars. Heartbroke bars.

No, I just.

You know, I think.

I just. I think I'm a talented songwriter. So I couldn't know how to change the pockets on different type of songs. But just change in general thing.

[Charlamagne tha God]

If somebody hurt you, it's okay to talk about it.

[Lil Tjay]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You know what I'm saying? Oh, wait, so they just ain't you? Probably ain't just about you then.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Okay, hold on. I just caught up in real time.

[Charlamagne tha God]

What happened?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Lala then got engaged and had a baby. So why would you mention her

[Lil Tjay]

name Lala?

That's why I was kind of trying to figure out where I was going at with it.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You said the name first.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You definitely said no.

[Lil Tjay]

Because I figured that's where Y' all was going to. Because I seen the headlines. Like we was talking about headlines. I seen the headlines going there.

I'm 47. I don't know who the hell you talking about.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I just remember I saw something about a video. You put up a video, then deleted it so people started having a conversation again. That was a couple months ago.

[Lil Tjay]

Nah, you know, it's crazy. It was not the couple months a couple weeks ago. But.

But no, I don't. I only run.

I'm like an old head. I only run my Instagram. I don't even run my Snapchat.

[Lauren LaRosa]

But you be knowing exactly what you be doing on them streams.

[Lil Tjay]

Ah, yeah, that's me talking.

If I'm talking, talking to Live, that's a little different. But like, my social media accounts, I don't run all them shits.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But they gonna see this, though. They gonna see this on Netflix. They're gonna see clips on YouTube. They gonna look in your face and be like, damn, yo, he almost cried everywhere,

[Lil Tjay]

Man.

[Angela Yee]

Let's get into it, Join off the album. What you want to hear of the album, brother?

[Lil Tjay]

Used to Love.

Yeah. This play that I used to love.

[Angela Yee]

Here's Used to Love, man. And dedication to La la. Man, I was messing with you. I'm messing with you. Any last question?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yeah, we got one more.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah. Oh, the real. The. The Tati. Real Boston Richie.

[Lil Tjay]

Nah, it's in general, man. That's some in general. Go, Tati.

You know, it's crazy.

The girl in the video name is Tati.

I don't know why they did you

[Lauren LaRosa]

do that on purpose, though. Because of his ex named Tatiana.

[Lil Tjay]

I mean.

Nah, nah, hell no.

But why would. Why would people think that I did that?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Because it was super viral with Tatiana and all the videos and the claims she was making against him. And then, you know, the song drops.

[Lil Tjay]

I ain't mention no.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You know, the craziest people in America come from the Bronx and all the Florida.

[Lil Tjay]

I remember you saying that. You know that and then confirming it right now.

[DJ Envy]

I ain't gonna lie.

[Angela Yee]

You gotta confirm it just a little bit.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You know, you want a richie. He keep playing, you gonna get one. I mean, that's just wordplay.

[Lil Tjay]

I be buying girls richies when. When she be going left in a situation. Sometimes you just fuck your whole situation, Richie.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Damn.

[Angela Yee]

Ladies and gentlemen, Lil tj. This album is out right now. They just ain't you. Let's get into the record. Used to Love. It's Lil tj. It's the Breakfast Club, Caborte.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Hold up every day I wake up.

[Kalpen (Kal Penn)]

Wake your ass up.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The Breakfast Club Y' all finished or y' all done?

[DJ Envy]

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[Sophia Bush]

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[Kalpen (Kal Penn)]

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[Lauren LaRosa]

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