The Herd with Colin Cowherd: Joe and Jada – G Herbo Talks 'Lil Herb,' Juice WRLD, Chief Keef & Chicago Hood Stories

Date: November 11, 2025
Host(s): Fat Joe & Jadakiss
Guest: G Herbo (aka Lil Herb)
Podcast Description: A vibrant, no-holds-barred discussion of top sports stories, culture, hip-hop, and life, starring legendary voices Fat Joe and Jadakiss.

Episode Overview

This episode is a deep-dive interview with Chicago rap phenomenon G Herbo (formerly Lil Herb), exploring his journey from the streets of Chicago to rap stardom, reflections on fame, survival, and fatherhood, and candid conversations about violence, legacy, and music’s power to heal. Fat Joe, Jadakiss, and Herbo’s chemistry brings a laid-back, real, and occasionally hilarious tone to candid themes—ranging from high-stakes street tales to family dynamics and industry insights.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. G Herbo’s Survival and the Blessings of Success

• Opening Gratitude:
  • Herbo expresses deep gratitude for simply being alive and able to have these conversations.
    • "Just being here alone is a blessing. Just being able to be in this type of room and have these kind of conversations, be alive is a blessing." — G Herbo (03:04)
• Survival Stories:
  • Herbo references the countless times he’s been shot at, emphasizing how fortunate he feels to still be here.

2. Longevity and Growth in the Rap Game

• 14 Years and Counting:
  • Discussion of G Herbo’s lengthy career—“going on 14 now” (05:05)—with Fat Joe and Jadakiss reflecting on changes in perception, moving from “the new kid” to a seasoned vet.
• Navigating Ups and Downs:
  • Herbo and Joe connect over the rollercoaster nature of music careers.
    • "It's been like a rollercoaster. Nigga, hottest fish grease and cool off and get cold and slow down. But it's like, you just really can't stop." — G Herbo (35:01)
• Importance of Adaptation:
  • Herbo credits mentally pushing through public doubt and personal lows to re-invent and come back stronger.

3. Fashion, Identity, and Therapy

• Outfit Talk:
  • The trio riff on fashion therapy—a mix of humor and realness about using shopping to cope with success and trauma.
    • "I'm tired of buying this shit. I got to get out of here. Bertolf, kick me out your phone. Oh, Gucci." — Fat Joe (08:05)
• Reflection on Humble Beginnings:
  • Both hosts and Herbo reminisce on times when staying fresh wasn’t possible and how childhood poverty shaped their drive.

4. Business, Legitimacy, and Taxes

• Transition from Streets to Business:
  • All three joke about the pain of paying “million dollar taxes,” and how their street hustle transformed into legitimate business.
    • "I've been a real tax paying artist. I've been paying taxes for 10 years now. For real. For real. Million dollar taxes..." — G Herbo (15:36)
• Distrust of Accountants:
  • Fat Joe voices common entertainer frustration:
    • "I be thinking the accountants hate us because we make so much money. ... I fucking hate accountants." — Fat Joe (16:20)

5. Concerts, Community, and Positivity

• Throwing Events in Dangerous Areas:
  • Herbo describes hosting his own festival with 19 artists, emphasizing how it was not only sold out but safe and positive (18:33–18:56).
  • The conversation pivots to how artists can influence their communities for good.

6. Chicago Life: Dangers, Codes, and Community Responsibility

• Street Realities:
  • Herbo paints a raw picture of Chicago’s violence and codes—from not being able to walk two blocks (41:26) to hats signaling gang affiliation.
    • "You couldn't even think about wearing your hat right or left. ... Impossible to walk in certain neighborhoods." — G Herbo (43:03)
• No Respect for Law Enforcement:
  • Conversation about the unique lawlessness in Chicago—“they don’t care about the cop.”
    • "...in Chicago, bro, in the streets, like niggas don't got no regard for police." — G Herbo (50:13)
• First Arrests and Growing Up Fast:
  • Both host and guest share first experiences with being locked up as children—for Herbo, at age 10 (51:30).

7. Separating from The Streets for Growth

• The Challenge:
  • Herbo and Fat Joe discuss having to distance themselves from dangerous entourages and the challenges of telling street peers to fall back for everyone's safety.
    • "That's really in the streets, that's a stone cold killer, a savage, whatever it is ... you gotta have that shit in you too." — G Herbo (39:33)

8. Fatherhood, Family, and Co-Parenting

• Navigating Complex Family Dynamics:
  • G Herbo's approach to co-parenting is highlighted as rare and mature, placing children first and striving for peaceful relationships between current and former partners.
    • "You just gotta be pure with this shit and lead with love and respect." — G Herbo (59:36)
    • Jada says, "Only a certain selected people under that umbrella, Will Smith, you and two other people..." (61:00)

9. Trauma, Therapy, and Giving Back

• Overcoming Trauma:
  • Herbo discusses the lingering impact of loss and violence, pouring these experiences into his music.
• Community Initiatives:
  • Describes Overton (a repurposed school for arts & recreation) and his “Swervin’ Through Stress” foundation, offering therapy, food drives, and community programs for Chicago youth (86:07–86:40).

10. Street vs. Music Industry: Escaping the Trap

• Leaving for Survival:
  • The conversation emphasizes the necessity for successful artists to leave their home environments to survive—citing Chief Keef, Lil Durk, and their own moves.
    • "You gotta get away from that, bro." — G Herbo (99:44)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Survival & Blessings:
  • "Just being here alone is a blessing...I done got shot at so many times, and I'm still here." — G Herbo (03:04, 13:13, 103:13)
• On Career Resilience:
  • "It's been like a rollercoaster. ... You just gotta stay at this shit, go to the studio, figure this shit out." — G Herbo (35:01)
  • "They gonna love you then. They might hate you, but they gonna love you again." — G Herbo (35:14)
• Fashion as Therapy:
  • "I'm tired of buying this shit. ... Bertolf, kick me out your phone. Oh, Gucci." — Fat Joe (08:05)
• Industry Dilemmas:
  • "I be thinking the accountants hate us...I fucking hate accountants." — Fat Joe (16:20)
• Community Festival Triumph:
  • "We did my own bash...That shit was sold out. Everything went perfect, we did the show, went out to two, three clubs...Everything was clean." — G Herbo (18:34)
• On Chicago’s Streets:
  • "You couldn't even think about wearing your hat right or left. ... Impossible to walk in certain neighborhoods." — G Herbo (43:03)
• Fatherhood and Family Dynamics:
  • "You just gotta be pure with this shit and lead with love and respect." — G Herbo (59:36)
• Legacy & Loss in Music – “Fallen Soldiers” Performance:
  • Song Lyrics:
    • "Since Juice World died, I ain't got nothing left / Since Pop Smoke died, we ain't got nothing left." — G Herbo, music segment (105:27)
    • "I miss my [fallen soldiers]. ... Gripping tight will I up and bust, that's a must..." — G Herbo, "Fallen Soldiers" (106:00+)
  • Reaction:
    • "That's the best record I heard from you. ... That right there, and you got some cannon, man." — Fat Joe (109:46)
• On Escaping the Streets:
  • "You gotta go, you gotta get away. Because also a dude will force you to hurt him." — Fat Joe (100:48)
• Importance of Youth Intervention:
  • "The only way to save the future...is you gotta work on the youth." — Fat Joe (88:10)
• Escaping peer pressure:
  • "I love the way you holding yourself up positive because a lot of people ... fall to that peer pressure." — Fat Joe (90:42)
• Reflection on Co-Parenting and Peace:
  • "That's good for people to say that everybody can get along. That's very rare ... it's beautiful to see." — Fat Joe (61:15)
• Street Realities & Violence:
  • "I'm gonna give you one even deeper...You ain't even thinking about the adults ... what about the kids? ... He's starving. He the one that's gonna go out and rob and shoot you. His brain not even fully developed." — G Herbo (87:39)

Important Timestamps

| Segment | Topic/Highlight | Timestamp | |------------------|--------------------------------------------------|----------:| | Guest Introduction | G Herbo’s gratitude for being alive | 03:04 | | Years in the Game | Longevity, evolution in rap | 05:05, 35:01 | | Fashion Therapy | Humor & real talk on designer “therapy” | 08:05 | | Taxes & legitimacy| "Real tax paying artist"/hating accountants | 15:36, 16:20 | | Chicago Hood | Realities of violence, hat codes, getting shot at| 41:26–44:00 | | Distancing from Streets | Herbo & Joe on separating from "the life" | 37:30–39:33 | | First Arrests | Herbo & Joe's childhood arrests | 51:30–53:13 | | Co-Parenting | Herbo on mature family dynamics | 59:36 | | Community Giving | Overton project, Swervin’ Through Stress | 86:07–87:12 | | "Fallen Soldiers" | Music segment/performance & reaction | 105:27–109:46 | | Conversation on Escaping | Leaving dangerous home turf for growth | 99:44–101:24 |

Tone & Style

The tone is warm, real, and often comic, peppered with braggadocio and raw honesty. Fat Joe’s stories veer from street wisdom to introspective, Jadakiss plays the foil with dry wit, and G Herbo’s humble, sharp, and street-wise contributions anchor the conversation.

Conclusion

This episode offers an unfiltered look into urban survival, music, and growth from the unique vantage point of artists who lived—and nearly died—through it all. G Herbo’s humility, authenticity, and drive to give back emerge as central themes, as does the importance of healing, mentorship, and moving beyond survival into purpose.

For listeners hungry for both inspiration and gripping stories from hip-hop’s realest, this is required listening.