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Freddie Gibbs
Foreign.
Ryan
Mixing it up a bit. Gronk for football. That makes sense. Freddie Gibbs at my house. One of the best guys going right now. Love his stuff. So we talk music and other things. So Freddie Gibbs live for my living room and life advice.
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Ryan
Fast. Oh, yeah.
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Ryan
Joining us from Fox Sports, part of the NFL pregame, and of course, ambassador for T Mobile once again as we get ready for the NFL season, it's Rob Gronkowski. What's up, man? Good to see you.
Rob Gronkowski
Yes, good to see you as well. Ryan. Always a pleasure to be on your show.
Ryan
Were people close to you excited that you were reelected as ambassador T Mobile?
Rob Gronkowski
Yes, they were definitely excited, especially my friend who gets 10% of the cut as well. He was the most excited about it because it keeps everyone going. But Friday night, 5G lights is back and I am so excited to be a part of the action again this year. And T Mobile is taking Friday night 5G lights to a whole new level this year with its second year in the works. Obviously, you got to always upgrade every year that you do something. You got to make it bigger and better. And we got more winners, we got more prizes and ultimately more ways to showcase hometown pride and empower communities. And this year we're giving 25 finalists, 25 different schools out there. We'll score $25,000. 450 schools will win $5,000 through 5K Fridays. And then the top winner this year will be $1 million makeover towards a new field. Also upgraded weight room by Gronk Fitness, which is my family's company. Tickets to the SEC championship game. So we're going big this year. It's an unbelievable program what T Mobile is doing. It gets these high school kids motivated as well. And it's just cool to be representing T Mobile in this campaign once again.
Ryan
Are you going to be at the SEC title game?
Rob Gronkowski
No, I won't be at the SEC championship game, but it's just a cool prize. That's a great price. And if you guys, these, these high schools that want to enter, you can get your teachers to enter, student, student council to enter, your gym teacher, you know, can sign the high school up, whoever it is you go to. Friday night, 5G lights.com.
Ryan
Nailed it. Thank you. Thank you, man. There's a lot in that. I, I don't mean that just because it's a sponsor, but congrats to all you guys. I. You brought up something though, real quick though, that I think is kind of interesting because I was like talking to you about your story when you were first on the scene. Granted you've got a bunch of brothers, it's an entire, it's a small militia, this family. But were there people immediately trying to figure out how to like cash in on you because you just said, hey, my friend's making like the 10%. So imagine it's a good standing, long term working relationship, but when you're not just great at such a young age, but you also have this star quality to you, what was it like navigating that?
Rob Gronkowski
My friend. First off, my friend deserves a 10%. Actually, he deserves more. There's no doubt about it. I just like to throw jabs in. I'm a, I'm a ball buster. So I just thought that would be a great way to kick it off. But what was the question again?
Ryan
A lot of marketing commissions are 20%. So you're doing, you're doing well on that. I'm doing great.
Rob Gronkowski
You're right.
Ryan
No, but, but you. It had to be crazy in the beginning because like when I think about these rookies, they're drafted now and the guys with huge profiles just of trying to. I think the Patriots and Belichick and everybody would probably do a good job of shielding you from that a little bit. But just deciding like, hey, this is actually a good opportunity between, this is just the next opportunity and I'm too young to understand how to filter through all of this bullshit.
Rob Gronkowski
Yeah, actually you're hitting it right on the point. When you're a young buck and you got opportunities coming your way. And here's the problem as well, you don't know how to Say no either. And you don't want to say no because you want to take. You want. You want a piece of all these opportunities because it's new and it's presenting to you, and you don't know the difference of, you know, a good one or a bad one yet. And you have to go through the process. It's just like anything else. There's a lot of things out there that I represented, and I'm like, whoa. Like, that did not work out for me. That did not work out for the company. And then there was times as well where I pass on things. It's like, dang. Like, that would have been a great one. I should have never passed. And there's other times where I get overloaded with yeses and I. And I have too much on my schedule and it starts affecting your game on the football field. Cause you're so worried about what's going on off the field.
Ryan
But.
Rob Gronkowski
But you learn, and you learn as you do it. You know, you learn as you go through the process of it all. Of all the marketing and, you know, representatives of companies throughout the time. So I got it down inside and out. Now I understand how it all works. The whole process works. But as a young buck, you know, I was definitely thrown around a little bit, but I came out on the other side strong.
Ryan
Yeah. Yeah. There you go. Good. Good answer. Here's another young Gronk question. Do you think. Do you think Bill Belichick, the college coach, would have been somebody you wanted to play for, being recruited out of high school?
Rob Gronkowski
And another thing about the other question, though, is I did learn this as well, is that it will always be there if you take care of your business on the football field. And I've learned that right away, actually. So at that point, once I noticed that, I said, okay, let me just keep making sure I a great football player as well. And I'm making big plays and I'm doing what I got to do on the football field. Then I don't have to worry about those marketing deals. They will come. And with Coach Belichick at North Carolina, it's a. It's a mystery this year. I'm excited for college football. He kind of has that Deion Sanders effect. Right now. Everyone's interested in what the Tar Heels are going to do this year, but it's also like, what are they going to do? Like, no one knows. No one knows how Coach Belichick is going to be as a coach there. I mean, yes, he's the greatest NFL coach of all times. But no one knows what he can do in the college ranks. And also with all of these different headlines going on and so many distractions, how is he going to come out on the other side of all this? So I'm very interested in it. And with all the marketing deals going on, everything too. It's definitely new to him. He has to have a team underneath him that's dealing with all that because I know he doesn't really like to deal with that type of stuff. Guy that wants to just focus on the X's and O's and teach the game of football. So he has to have a team there that's dealing with the nil stuff with these kids at North Carolina.
Ryan
Great answer. I think Gronkin High School is like, I don't want to play for that guy.
Rob Gronkowski
Oh, okay. I just started going off and kind of forgot exactly what you asked. But, no, I love playing for Coach Belichick, and I would play for Coach Belichick if I was in high school, going into college as well. First off, just his resume as being, you know, one of the greatest coaches of all time in the NFL. Well, I didn't say one of the greatest coach of all time in the NFL. And I like that structure. I'm a guy that likes, you know, get, you know, get yelled at if I'm doing something wrong. Just to put it. Just to make it easy like that. I like to get corrected. I like to, you know, get put in my place, you know, when I have to be. And when with a guy like Coach Belichick, who's in such, you know, a legend and so high in the ranks and knows how to discipline players. I like that personally, and it's good for me. And that's why I felt like the fit in New England was great, too, because I can. I can take punishment, but at the same time, I like to be myself as well. And it makes me be myself more because when I do get punished, I like to amp up my play and, and show, hey, you're not going to punish me again because I'm going to dominate.
Ryan
We all need to get yelled at every now and.
Rob Gronkowski
Yeah, exactly.
Ryan
You know, I don't know if there's a service to sign up for that now that you're part of the Fox team here. You know what I mean? Like, this is. This is. I know you've been on the show and everything. What surprised you about yourself about this job and how you've gone about it?
Rob Gronkowski
Oh, the preparation of it as well, you know, Just being a football player, you think you can just talk football at any time, but it's a whole different ball game. It's like, you know, when the camera is on, you're not used to it. It, like, kind of messes with your mind, and you can freeze up very easily. It's live tv. It's not like it's tape recorded. And then they're going to show it later, and you can have five different takes, you know, like a movie. You get one shot at it because it's live. And you got to be prepared, you got to be quick on your feet, and you got to make sure you're on top of your A game. Just kind of like the game of football, you want to make sure you're feeling your best when you go into it because it's live. It's. It's like you only get one chance at it. So I always make sure I prepare, going up to it. I know, like, when I should work out and not work out, because if I go in with, you know, go into Sunday sore, it kind of messes with your mind. You feel slower. You don't feel like you're on top of your game. So I don't work out the day before just so I don't have the lactic acid, you know, going through my brain and my body. I'm not lying. It's all. It's. It's a whole entire process. I don't. When I work out hard, I get slow and I can't think. I'm, you know, like that, like. Like on the dime. So I like to work out, like, Monday through Thursdays and chill out and then be full speed on Sundays. And that's kind of what was my routine as well, being a football player, too. In Tampa, I got off Fridays and Saturday, and then I was full go on Sunday.
Ryan
That's incredible. I didn't think I was going to get that kind of answer, that you don't lift before the Sunday pregame show.
Rob Gronkowski
Yeah, I don't want to be sore and heavy, dude. I'm like 36 now. And it does blow. As you get older, you know, you can take care of yourself and still feel young, but the recovery time is just not the same. When I was 22, man, I was just tossing up weight left and right, you know, and you just go. You don't even notice that you're sore. And now, 36 years old took a big beating in my career, you know, I can feel it a little bit the next day. So I make sure I don't have to be talking, you know, the following day after a big workout.
Ryan
I love this. I love this. I love the info. I, you know, now I'm starting to think about my whole approach to everything. Don't you wish you just go back in time until your early 20s, something being like, you have no idea how gifted you are, how. Well, I guess you became a Hall of Famer in the NFL, so it worked out for you a little better than me. But I just think, like, I wish I'd played in every single pickup game imaginable, you know, I just wish I did. I mean, it sounds so stupid for a regular person to be talking about pro athlete about this, but when you're in your early 20s, you cannot comprehend how just gifted your body is in the recovery part of what you can put it through. And there's guys right now, like, when I look at guys in college or early 20s, and I'm like, you don't even work out now. You don't do anything active now. Like, what an, what an absolute waste of what your body is able to do right now.
Rob Gronkowski
It's really hard. I agree with you, man. And just to comprehend right now what I used to put myself through when I was, you know, young, 20, mid-20s, and was able to just wake up and just go again back out on the football field and just do it full speed. I'm like, yo, if I try to match that right now, I would be on the IR in the first 10 minutes of the practice. Like, it's incredible. You got to really, really, really be tuned in with your body and take care of it in order to maximize, like, like how, how much you want to be in shape and all that type of stuff.
Ryan
Once you get older, do you find yourself, you know, because I think certain people now with the platform at Fox, with your career, you know, some guys, I mean, this is always kind of a delicate thing, and I promise I'll make the point here, but some guys will go like, hey, I'm the old head now. And, like, I gotta reach out to all these guys. You know, if I'm a receiver, I gotta reach out to the receivers. Like, I've seen this done on tv. I'm the quarterback. Like, and then I could also see some current players, active guys, not being receptive to that whatsoever, being like, hey, nice career, nice job on tv. Like, I don't actually need to hear from you. So how do you handle that? Do you talk to anybody? Do people reach out to you when it comes to this? This group of tight ends that we.
Rob Gronkowski
Have in the league every once in a while. I went to tight end you this year. It was just cool to talk to some of the guys. They do such a great job there with George Kittle, Travis Kelce and Greg Olson putting together. I'm talking like a fabulous job that they do. And it's not just learning football. It's just coming together as a group of tight ends as well. And you do learn the game of football. You get some, some great talking points, you know, in the film room from players that go up and just talk about, you know, what they do to get off of the line of scrimmage, what they do in the blocking game. So you can learn a lot as well and pick up, you know, some, you know, qualities from these, from other tight ends and. But, you know, not really like that. Every once in a while I run into more college kids. Like one of my coaches in the NFL is now in the college ranks and they're like, hey, can you just talk to my, you know, my tight end here? And that I, you know, give more advice, I would say, to the younger, younger bucks, like the college level types, even the high school kids as well. Whenever I run into, you know, a coach that's in high school or somehow my friend knows someone that's going to be a tight end in high school, so it's a young bucks that really reach out and like to get a. Get advice.
Ryan
How many people have asked you about Vrabel and realizing you just missed him in New England?
Rob Gronkowski
Everyone thinks I'm like best friends with Rabel and everyone thinks like, we won championships together. But I've never even met Coach Vrabel ever in my life. Actually one time real quick at the NFL honors and it was for five seconds. So I don't really count that as truly meeting someone. So it's, it's like we just miss each other in New England. I feel like we would have been great teammates together. I feel like we would have loved each other. We feel like have the same mentality out on the football field, just get the job done and go full speed. But I really love what he's doing here in New England right now. And he's just turning that program around. He's demanding discipline, which I love, but at the same time he's also like a players coach. Like he's breaking up fights, you know, he's getting players to laugh. He's. He's getting hit, you know, in drills and doing the drills. But he's jacked like this dude is jacked as well. Like to be able to sit there and put, put the pad around you and then have a lineman come off of the line of scrimmage and just, you know, jack you up with their hands and he just takes it like that's impressive for being a coach, you know.
Ryan
Wow. I didn't even know that. I didn't even know that he was, I mean I knew he was pretty, pretty well put together guy. But look, I've even have to. Whenever I'm doing interviews with guys and guys careers I have. I know, I think I know pretty well. I'll have to look it up every now and then. And then it's like, yeah, he actually just missed him. And then I've seen you be asked about it so much. When you're back in the area though, do they want you to come back and watch practice?
Rob Gronkowski
I'm great friends with RKK and he says whenever I want to come by, I can come by. But I'm going to be honest, like I'm a guy that, you know, once I'm done I don't really, you know, like I don't really like to go back right away. Like I was still too, I'm still too fresh, you know. So I would say I can see myself doing that soon and in a couple years. But I've been invited plenty of times. But I would have to be really feeling it to go back out to like a practice or something and check out ball. But I love watching the games, following up on everything that's going. But to go out to the practice field, just, just, just not in me yet. It just isn't like that's why I haven't been back.
Ryan
I think that's a great answer. Okay. I wonder if there's more to that because like what right now you're less than 10 minutes away, right? And so is that because, is it because you saw older players like hanging on? Because I do think the Patriots thing and I wouldn't even say specific New England, any team that has that kind of run, that kind of history, I think they want that history to be around to remind the active guys. So I. There's a, a program like motivation behind the whole thing, you know, so. But I also can see where you're coming from because it'd be so convenient for you to do it like today if you wanted to. But your hesitance, I don't know if it has like it feels like there might be more in there. Your hesitance of like I don't know that I want to be a guy that the young, younger players are looking at being like, hey, dude, nice stats, but like, we're trying to do work here.
Rob Gronkowski
Yeah, that could be, you know, a little bit of it. It's like, it's like I'm trying to hold on, you know, and, and for real, I kind of am. Sometimes over the last two, three years, it's thoughts in your head like, man, you know, can I still play the game of football? You know, and it's like, I just don't want to go to a practice then and be sitting there and having those thoughts in your head yet. That's why I said it. Probably in like two, three years when it's like, when it's not so fresh, then I could see myself going back to a practice or so, hanging out, chit chatting. I mean, I was there last year, didn't go to any practices. I just went inside the building for a couple things I had to do. And it was so great to see so many old faces that I haven't seen in a while and catch up with so many great people that I met throughout my time there. And I was supposed to go there for 15 minutes to do a gronk spike thing in the hall of Fame, the Patriots hall of Fame thing over there. So then anyone can walk by and they can gronk spike a football to see if they have the same power as I do with the gronk spike. And then I ended up cutting through the cafeteria and I was there for an extra two and a half hours, just chit chatting with everyone. And also, you got to be on point. Like, you got to be on point. If I go back, like, I'm going to be talking for three, four hours straight, you know, and reminiscing so many times. And tell you the truth, I'm not a guy that likes to sit there and talk for four hours straight. Like, I'll be like, come over to my house. Like one person at a time, like Jimbo the trainer there, come over to my house, let's hang out. But like, it's overwhelming when like everyone's coming at you and everything at once. So just never really been my thing to go out back to a football practice. Like we had the super bowl last year and we were invited out to the go to the Chiefs practice and the Eagles practices. And I was just like, you know, it's just not my thing to do yet.
Ryan
Yeah, no, I think that's cool. And if you do go back when you do go back, clearly you won't be able to lift for like, two days prior to that, because you're gonna have to talk, you're gonna have to stay fresh.
Rob Gronkowski
Well, in that case, I'm not going to be on air, so that's fine. I can lift the day before. It's when I have to be on air. And super quick with it a couple more years.
Ryan
I don't know. I'm just, you know, just. Just planting the seed. The Chiefs coming off a Super bowl loss. What was it like coming off that Eagles loss and. And gearing up and. And finding a way to get back and win the next year against the Rams? Like, I feel like I want to ask you a lot of the playoff history stuff, but that's specific because I think anybody writing off the Chiefs just. I don't know how many people are actually doing it. Maybe it's just because people feel like it's not new, it's not as exciting. I've heard some of this Mahomes talk that I frankly find kind of surprising. But coming off a playoff loss, and granted that one for you guys against Philly is like down to the last, you know, possession. It's disappointing. Kansas City, you got to put on them. So what is it like that whole off season and building back towards winning it?
Rob Gronkowski
Well, it was kind of like that. For every single year in the off season for us, even if we lost not in the super bowl or we just lost in the playoffs, we would hurry up and rebuild and know that we were going to get back to that point to have a chance to win a Super Bowl. So it was like that my whole entire career, my whole 11 seasons in the NFL, it was super bowl or bust, basically. It really was. I went to six Super Bowls in 11 years, which is just out of control. And every year, if I didn't make it to the Super Bowl, I was either in the AFC or AFC championship game or basically in the division championship game, which is just absurd to just be able to say that. But, like, after that Philly loss, I mean, it was a debacle here. I mean, I remember that season. That was when I got traded to the Lions. And because I was just. I was just being out of control as well. That offseason, you know, there was a lot more to it, but then I just rejected the trade. Obviously. There's that whole story. It's out there. Already talked about it plenty of times. And I knew, like, no, like, I ain't going to Lions. I'm going to Stay here. I was just. I was just causing problems just to cause problems because I wasn't really happy at that time. But let's get back at it. I'm over it. I'm over the loss. Let's rebuild and I think we have another shot at a championship. I got another year or two here in New England and then we ended up doing it. Then we went to Atlanta and we beat the LA Rams in the super bowl. And then I retired after that year here in New England. So just always new, even after losing a Super bowl or losing the playoffs, that when we, when I was on New England, that we were always going to have a chance again the following year and just to learn from the mistakes that we made the previous year.
Ryan
So I would put you down as somebody who believes Kansas City still has a chance then, obviously, right?
Rob Gronkowski
Oh, well, they definitely still have a chance, especially with Patrick Mahomes at the quarterback helm. You got Andy Reid, you know, one of the greatest coaches, you know, to ever coach in the NFL. He's definitely top three for sure. But, yeah, the Chiefs will always have a chance. They've been running that division for a long time. But it's just like us with the Patriots. Everyone was like, ah, you know, they just lost. Are they not going to have a chance? Well, we had Tom Brady at all times. You know, we had so many greats around him as well. It didn't. It didn't matter what, how the season ended. There was always going to be another chance the next year, and they're always going to be in that position to have another super bowl run, and the Chiefs will have that chance to have another super bowl run for sure. I mean, they might not make it to the super bowl this year, but they're going to be in the mix, no doubt.
Ryan
Can I ask, though, because you said about that off season, because we've kind of talked about it and I've read all the stuff about it, but I don't know that I've ever asked you directly. Was there a moment? You're like, what the fuck? I just got traded.
Rob Gronkowski
Yeah. It was out of control. I mean, I was ready for it. I knew it was going to happen because I was being a little absurd over here. I was a little out of control and I wasn't answering calls or anything. I don't really want to get too far.
Ryan
I'm not asking you to get all.
Rob Gronkowski
I was literally like. I was literally like, there it is. I just got traded. And I was like, it ain't happening. I'M I'm done. I'm not playing. I'm only. And then I was like, I'm not playing anymore. And then I was like, I'm only playing for the New England Patriots, you know, at that time. So it was a pretty crazy situation. It really was.
Ryan
Was the jets loss early in your career, the playoff loss that maybe pissed the room off the most? You just beat him 55, or, excuse me, 45 to 3, week 13 of that season, and then you come back, you may have experienced it differently because you were so young, but that of your entire playoff resume, of the playoff losses, that always feels like the one that you're like, how the fuck did that happen?
Rob Gronkowski
Yeah, I mean, I was so young, you know, I really was. I was 21 years old. I was a rookie.
Freddie Gibbs
We.
Rob Gronkowski
We lost to them, I think week two whomped them, like week 13, that you said, and then lost to them in the playoffs. And now I go back and realize, like, whoa, that was one of our best teams where we didn't win a Super bowl, you know, at that time. Like, I didn't know, like, what a good team was, because you're just a rookie, you know. You know, you don't truly understand the game inside and out, but it was a tough loss. It really was. And that off season, you know, I remember, like, okay, I got a grasp of the playbook now. I got a grasp of how the NFL works and operates as a player. And I knew going in to that, you know, into my second year in the NFL, that we were going to be dominant. I was telling my agent I was going to be the best tight end you will ever see going into that. That year. And he literally was like. And that was Drew Rosenhaus. And he's all positive. He always is. And he goes, grok, grok, I love you. I love you. You're going to be a great player. But, like, you know, there's Whitten, there's Antonio Gates, there's Gonzalez. I was like, no. I go, I understand. But this year, I am going to absolute dominate. We were in my backyard running two hundreds together. I was like, no, I'm going to be number one. I'm telling you, I'm going to be number one. And he just can't believe it. And then it happened that season, and he's like, you call it. You call it. He goes, I was wrong. I was wrong. You call it. I mean, I knew you're going to be good, but not at that good. So. But as a rookie with that loss, you didn't truly understand, like, what it meant. But then going into that off season, seeing Aaron Rodgers win the super bowl as well, and seeing like, you know, how, how much joy that looked like that was like, okay, it's time to turn it up. No more losing.
Ryan
Yeah. And I. And you, you followed through on that last couple of thoughts here before we let you go as you gear up like your own preparation for television. And you know, I know I do it for all the sports that I cover. Like, all right here, here are the real contenders. Is there a team, is there maybe an offense that you really like, what they're doing in particular that maybe is a little off the radar as opposed to just the normal four or five teams that everybody's like, hey, these two teams are. These five teams can win a Super Bowl. Is there a team that's outside of kind of that accepted group that you like a little bit more than others? Oh.
Rob Gronkowski
I really liked the way that the Miami Dolphins were playing, but like two years ago, you know, it was kind of like a new scheme and then all of a sudden, like everyone caught up to it, like right away and they didn't know how, like they don't know how to make any adjustments and able to, you know, take that style that they were having to a whole nother level. I mean, they were putting up 70 points a game. They want Denver like 75 to like 10 that game. And it was just absolutely wild what they were doing on the offensive side of the ball. And I was liter sitting there, like, if I was the tight end in that, you know, in that situation and that offense, it would be absolutely wild and amazing to be. Because I. They just got so many fast guys and then I would be the guy that knows how to work middle of the field. And they didn't have that at the time. So I was watching them like two years ago. Like, that would be so cool to be playing in that offense if I was in my prime. And we would be truly, truly, truly unstoppable because you got Tyreek Hill going, you know, full speed down the field. You got. You got the other guy waddle going full speed down the field too. I would have been able to work middle of the field like versa linebacker every single time. I mean, it would have been great. But then they took a shit a little bit. They have. They're not caught up the date. Everyone else caught back up to them. But there's a player I really, really like who's a rookie this year who I thought was going to be the first tight end taken and it's Tyler Warren. And I watched him in his first prese. He played the first 20 snaps and he was so good on all levels of the field. And he kind of reminded me of myself. I watched him at Penn State. I really fell in love with him. He had three catches in the first quarter for like, I don't know, like 50 yards. He ran my play action over route. He knew how to get open and get away from the linebackers. He knew the Zach target, like where to go because it's a field route, you know, depending on how much the linebackers bite. He also ran like a Julian Edelman route where you go up five yards and you come back out. I never ran that. I was too slow, I was too big for that. And he ran it to perfection. A whip route. It's called a whip route. And I was like, damn, he's doing that at that size. And then he ran a 12 yard out, kind of like myself back in the day. And I was like, this kid's big and he can move. And he made the guys tackle him and punish him, you know, for tackling him. But I don't know how he's going to be in the. In the run game. I didn't see any of that, but I really liked what I saw in the past game from him.
Ryan
Yeah, I loved him, loved him in college. And it wasn't like he was surrounded with a ton of weapons too. Like there's a lot, a lot of games, especially you go back a couple years where it's like, we don't. We have to keep going to this guy because it's the best option. They moved around all over the place. So I love the actual, I like the actual detail, the extra detail on the route stuff. I also want to give your boy Jules a shout out because I know Dudes on Dudes is still going strong.
Rob Gronkowski
Yes, it is.
Ryan
Checking it out this morning. Get the podcast. So you'll have that cranked up again throughout the season, right?
Rob Gronkowski
Yeah, yeah. Whenever I'm out in la, I go to the Nut House. And that, that's our studio where we film our podcast. Yeah, the Nut House, baby. Have you ever been on Games with Names?
Ryan
I have. I love his crew. His crew of guys are hilarious.
Rob Gronkowski
That's why I did it, man. I want to gaze with names. And I was like, dude, this crew's great. You all, it's all ready to go when you show up. So I was like, yeah, I'm in, baby. Let's do it. But we're doing great and we actually have a live show in Boston August 28th at the MGM Music Hall, 8pm on August 28th and holds like 4200 people. We got like 4000 tickets sold right now. So, you know, get yours fast, get yours fast. We gotta sell out. It's in about, you know, eight. Eight. What is? I don't even know. It's in about a week. So get a ticket. Let's go. MGM Music Call August 28 hey, I'm.
Ryan
Really happy for you, man. Happy for your success off the field and excited to see you with Fox this year. So we'll catch up again soon.
Rob Gronkowski
Gronk hey, thank you man. And, and remember, if you're a high school, small town high school and you want to win some good prizes, you know from T Mobile with our Friday night 5G lights campaign, go to Friday. Go to Friday night 5G lights.com and register.
Ryan
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Ryan
I'm really pumped. This has been a couple years in the making. Connecting with his manager Alfredo2 just out a couple weeks ago. It's one of my favorite rappers going right now. It's Freddie Gibbs. What's up, man?
Freddie Gibbs
Hey, man.
Ryan
I'm here, man.
Freddie Gibbs
Chilling, man. Appreciate you having me.
Ryan
So the album is everything I'd expect, because I didn't know what to expect. Feeling makes me feel lonely. And I'm not even lonely the Larry June is doing on that. But I just. I would ask, like, really simply. When you're thinking of an album, you're thinking about what you want to do. What did you want this to be?
Freddie Gibbs
I was really, you know, I just really was trying to make something different than the first one. Because I, you know. You know, I made the first one with Alchemist, and then, you know, we decided to work again. I just was really just trying to just. Just improve, you know, as a rapper and just get better at putting together albums and, you know, voila. I think I just wanted to just add a piece to the. To the. You know, the series that we kind of made, really, to be honest.
Ryan
Yeah, I. I wonder about that process, especially with somebody like Alchemist, where, like, your ear, his ear, the combination, the different styles that you've had over your career. Like, what is it when you hear something or he brings something to you, or you bring lyrics to him? Like, how does that work when you're getting through something like this?
Freddie Gibbs
Honestly, I think that's the easy part. You know, the music. The music is probably the easiest part of this to me, you know, aside from, like, you know, letting all of the emotion out in the music and, you know, and just displaying, like, the pain in the music. Other than that, like, the actual process of making it. That's the cool part. You know, really, with this album, I was more focused on how we were gonna come across with it. Like, what the COVID was gonna look like, everything to, like, what colors we were gonna use. You know what I mean? The whole, like, just bringing it across, you know, visually, I knew the music. I knew Alchemist was gonna take care of the music. I wasn't worried about that. Like, I really just wanted to just come with a different idea. That's why, you know, like, with this one, we took the Japanese theme type of stuff and implemented that into the idea of bringing the album across. Cause we wanted to give people an experience, not just. Just, you know, some songs to listen to on Friday, you know, There is.
Ryan
Something, though, about, I think, your style. And again, I don't know if it gets back to your ear or not, but, like, even, you know, again, the Piano and feeling. And then I was watching the Tiny Desk concert the other night, and it was like your piano guy was just supporting everything that you were doing. And look, as much as I love hip hop, I would tell you, in my experience of going to, like, live shows, it doesn't feel musical, you know, it doesn't feel like it has the melodies that I think whatever your approach has been, they support each other in a way that I think is pretty rare in the genre, right?
Freddie Gibbs
I think, like, especially, like, when I'm working with, like, live band and live instruments and stuff like that. I mean, I know that I'm a go, you know, it's like, jordan, I know I'm gonna go score 30 when I go perform. You know what I'm saying? It's like, really, it's just picking and choosing how I want to do it. You know what I mean? Do I want to dunk? Do I want to shoot threes today? Do I want to. You know how I want to. How do I want to score today, you know what I mean? And that's how, you know, that's just how I approach, like, performing, how I approach rapping, period. You know what I mean? I know I'm going to do good at it. I'm not worried about that factor of it. It's how I'm going to do good at it that sets me apart from everybody else, you know what I mean? Like, what I'm going to do, my method of it. Every time I rap, I try to make a new flow that nobody ever really did. So if you try to copy it, you know, like, oh, yeah, that's Freddie Gibbs flow, you know what I'm saying? So that's what I'll be trying to.
Ryan
Do, you know, because there is anybody that's listening to the catalog, like, when I think about thugging, you're coming out and you're like, all right. And it. I. It makes me. It makes me laugh a little bit. Just because I've been paying more attention to some of your interviews and the. The lyrics and that are like, I'm never gonna change. And now I feel like you've started talking about how you're going to change a little bit. Blackest in the room, I would have. One complaint is that I wish it were, like, five minutes longer once you. It. And then some of the slower stuff. So you are. It feels like constantly challenging yourself to change this up and not being the same predictable type of flow that we have from a lot of.
Freddie Gibbs
I definitely want to, you know, and that's what I love about Alchemist, because it's like he. Every beat, he present like a new challenge, like a new way that I gotta, like, adapt to make, you know, make the song, you know, enjoyable. You know, him and Mad Lib, they the best at that. You know, Mad Lib probably trained at that. Cause he was giving me a lot of, like, weird ass beats that I was like, man, what in the fuck? How do you rap on this? You know what I'm saying? And then I was like, all right. Once I like, you know, wrapped my mind around it, I figured out what he was doing. And he was like challenging me to become like, you know, a better rapper. Like, if you can figure this out, nigga, then you. You crazy. You know what I'm saying? Cause you know, he wasn't gonna get a beat to nobody else, and they wasn't gonna do what I was gonna do to it. So like, when I had. When I got like a beat, like thugging, it was just like a little loop. And I was just like. I was like, I don't know how I'm gonna rap on this shit. And then, you know, sometimes you gotta go, like, draw inspiration. So I like, went to go like, listen to like, some, like Raekwon, some Ghostface and shit like that. And I was like, I'm gonna approach this as if how they would approach it and, you know, just put my own flavor on it.
Ryan
Some of the Mad Lib stuff. My brother, who's younger, introduced me to him. Cause I have like, some gaps where I would get frustrated. So I was like, I think I'm out now. And I mean, that's just another level of. Of just how he's like, I was just so fired up for you to be doing anything with him over the years. Just because, like, if you like Mad Lib, you're just kind of a different guy, you know?
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I agree. I didn't. I wasn't really hip to Mad Lib until I started. Really, like, until Lambo put me in tune with it and had me start working with him. And then, you know, then we just got super close like that, you know. And like I said, working with him made me a better rapper than I was before. So, you know, it like sharpened me up, up it, you know, I think, you know, that's the reason why I can, you know, do this, you know, Alfredo too, now to this day, and had a longevity that I got, you know, because I got sharp during those days. It was like training.
Ryan
The other thing, the other thing I really? You know, I was. You know, it seems like there's a whole generation of people that didn't listen to De La Soul, right? Because they weren't available in any of the streaming. And then you just get flooded with it and you're like, I hope, like, output on Stakes is high. And if it came out last week, I wouldn't be surprised, right? That's probably, like, the best compliment you can give to some of the stuff. Like, how long has this been out? And then it just sounds this good. That's kind of how I feel about with you, where if somebody had said, hey, have you ever heard Freddie gives before? I. Maybe the first time I would hear it, I'd be like, what year did this come out? And then if somebody said, no, this came out last week, right? That, again, it speaks to your originality and everything that we're talking about that you're trying to do. Because I think it's really simple for me, being older and going like, oh, hey, I hate all of it across the board now. Like, what the hell is that guy doing? That doesn't even sound real. Like, that's not even a verse. I don't know what the that was. He rhymed. Same word 12 times. I. I don't know if it's your influence over. Over your years. Like, what was the first. What was the first thing that you heard? You're like, I'm doing this.
Freddie Gibbs
The first thing that I heard that made me be like, I'm gonna rap.
Ryan
Well, I guess there's probably, like, a gap between inspired and then actually making that decision.
Freddie Gibbs
The first rapper that made me be like, yeah, I'm a rap was 50 cents. That's when I was like, oh, yeah, I'm a rap. I love what he's doing. I'm gonna do that, too. That's the first person that made me, like, be like, I wanna rap. The first person that, like, made me, like, fall in love with rap, period, as a child, Scarface. You know, when I heard, like, Mr. Scarface and, like, we can't be Stopped, that was like. You know, it clicked because it was like, I could relate to everything they were saying. You know what I'm saying? Everything that he was rapping about, I was seeing when I walked out the door. So it was, you know, that clicked for me.
Ryan
So if you think about, like, it's funny that you brought up 50 Cent, because I was thinking about preparation for this in that, like, it wasn't just that he was so different. Go ahead.
Freddie Gibbs
I admired this whole Hustle about the game, like, with the G Unit, mixtapes from the G Unit, Everything that he was doing, like, the business side of it was, you know, it was. It was impressive to me. That's. And that. That was real inspiring.
Ryan
Okay, because this is going to sound really stupid, but I'll. I'll share it with you. There's an authenticity part of it that you have to have, I think, to be taken seriously, you know, depending on, like, which lane you want to be in, you know, I mean, it's funny for De La Soul, like, they didn't have to deal with any of this from the jump.
Freddie Gibbs
There's just themselves, I think. I think overall, you just got to be yourself and, you know, who you are is gonna, like, shine into your music automatically. I think you could tell when somebody's faking, you know what I mean?
Ryan
You know, you might be able to, like, if I was in high school, I didn't know any better. Right. There was no way to even look at any of this stuff.
Freddie Gibbs
You could. Look, I listen back to old stuff, and I'd be like, damn. Yeah, he was definitely not. Not doing that shit that he was rapping about.
Ryan
But was it. Was it your own background that once you learned about 50 Cent, that you were like, okay, like, this actually might be possible? Because I know that, you know, this is 20 years ago, but I remember me and my friends first started listening to him, and it's really stupid, but it's kind of the rule of the consumer, as they were like, oh, and he got shot, too. And it's like, you know, there's a.
Freddie Gibbs
Reason why it's a mystique.
Ryan
Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
You know what I'm saying? Like, but it's.
Ryan
But it's how we felt, you know, it's stupid, but I'll admit it.
Freddie Gibbs
It was just like an underdog story to me, you know? And that's what made me really interested in it, you know what I mean? Like, everybody was going against them, trying to stop him from being. Getting signed and stuff like that. And then they shot him and all of that. Like I said, you know, I mean, he made a song about. Hated the love of the underdog. So top. I mean, it was a real underdog story. So I think America loved that.
Ryan
When you told your friends, you were like, I think I'm gonna rap. How did that go over?
Freddie Gibbs
They was laughing at me a little bit. Someone was laughing at me. Some of them supported, you know what I mean? And, you know, the ones that did, they're still around, and the Ones that didn't.
Ryan
Did. Did you. Did you kind of know, though, like, was there somebody. Because you're also coming from an area where it's not like, you're right, you know, exposed to all of this stuff.
Freddie Gibbs
Correct.
Ryan
So there has to be this, like, moment where maybe even you don't believe it. It's like, well, I got to go out here and. And do this. I'm always kind of curious about, like, that phase of convincing yourself, or was it pretty evident immediately that you had the talent to be able to do it?
Freddie Gibbs
I think it was pretty evident immediately. Like, I think that I was always, like, the best rapper in every room I walked in, where I was from, like, immediately, like, it wasn't no question, you know what I'm saying? It was like, you know, if you was going in there and I was doing a session and you was getting on a song with me, you know, you had to, you know, I was known for that, you know what I'm saying? I was a killer from the jump. I don't even know how it came about or what it. Cause I didn't, like, rap in high school or anything like that. I never, like, practiced it or anything of that nature. It was, you know, God just put it in me, you know, and I just. And I, you know, I know rap very well, you know, from studying and being a fan of it. So, you know, I just looked at a lot of, like, do's and don'ts, what not to do, what to do, things that I would try.
Ryan
What didn't you want to do?
Freddie Gibbs
What didn't I want to do? That's a good question. I didn't want to rap bad, you know what I'm saying? I didn't want to, you know, have a. Had a worse verse on a song, you know what I mean? Because when I started out, it'd be songs. It'd be like eight guys on it or something like that, you know, it was just all about just not having the worst verse or having the best verse, you know what I mean? On certain things. And, you know, I don't know, the fact that I always looked at it as a competitive thing, I think kind of made me better at it, you know. It really made me hone in on being, you know, a good rapper, so to speak. You know what I mean? And, you know, and just listening to, like I said, great rappers like Scarface, Tupac, Jay Z. I know those, you know, are cliche names, but I mean, you know, they up. Their names are up there for a reason. You know?
Ryan
Yeah, that's a good point too, though, because I don't like whatever anybody puts together their top five or whatever. Like, rarely is anybody like, hey, that guy's super popular, but he actually sucks. I think it happens in other music.
Freddie Gibbs
Where some kind of fluctuates, I think, you know what I mean? Because it's like sports, man. With every era, things change with rap and things of that nature. So, you know, I think a top five, top ten could kind of like, fluctuate, you know, I think.
Ryan
Yeah, I think so. And obviously there's a little personal taste, but it's usually like the same collection of names, you know, like, it's hard to. It's hard to crack the top five SGA ever.
Freddie Gibbs
I agree.
Ryan
You know, so maybe in that six to 15 range is changing.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, it does change, I think.
Ryan
But, yeah, I don't know. I mean, everybody always talks about, like, hell, I want to go see Delafunk homo sapien for Deltron 30 30. The anniversary for that. And, like, everybody laughs at me because I'm like, he's my favorite. He's like, just because of his ability to put all these different things together. And then I get kind of the reaction I just got from you where it's like, oh, that's an interesting one.
Freddie Gibbs
Right? See, I got like. I got Lil Wayne in my top five. Maybe I didn't probably like 10 years ago, but I do now. I think over the overall body of work, I would say, you know, I think that he a top five rapper of all time, I would say.
Ryan
Do you think you look at it differently, though? I mean, because you're doing it.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I mean, I know me doing it. You know what?
Ryan
Really?
Freddie Gibbs
I kind of like, stay out of those conversations about, like, who's the best rapper then, you know, Some. But sometimes I could step back as a fan and look at it, but, like, me doing it, you know, I could really look at another rapper and be like. And listen to him and technically be like, oh, shit, that was impressive. You know what I'm saying? Like, oh, I need to work on that. You know what I mean? If I want to do that or if I want to, you know, rap like that or, you know, take something from that. You know, we all, as rappers, you know, listen to each other and compare and contrast, you know what I'm saying? And I know when some shit is impressive and I know when some shit is not, you know what I'm saying? So, you know, I know when somebody's a rapper's rapper I'll be like, yeah, yeah, he could really. He really doing what he supposed to do.
Ryan
I grabbed you that water, and then I forgot to give it to you. Oh, all right. Well, it's.
Freddie Gibbs
There ain't no liquor in there, is it?
Ryan
We could do that for you.
Freddie Gibbs
Oh, man, I'm trying to. You know what I'm trying. I'm going sober for the month before my tour.
Ryan
So we only got, what, a couple more weeks?
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, man.
Ryan
Sober August. You don't hear that a lot.
Freddie Gibbs
You know what, man? I went so hard in April, May, June, July. Like, I feel like, bro, I've been going hard, like, because I knew this album was about to come out, and so I just been. My birthday came up. I just been, like, partying. And I always get fat during the summer. I got fat this summer and shit. So I was like, all right, let me get myself back right? Ready for tour and shit. Cause I got all in shape for the movie and shit, for the Alfredo shit. Doing the karate shit and swords. I'm like, man, fuck this shit. I need to take a break. So this summer, I was just doing. I was eating whatever the fuck I wanted to eat. A lot of strip club food, wings and shit. You know what I mean? Just off, not really working out, out. So now I'm back on my routine before the tour start.
Ryan
I gotta admit, I don't know if it's a cultural thing. I've never been super hungry at strip clubs, and yet I feel like I'm missing out.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, you are.
Ryan
Yeah, you are.
Freddie Gibbs
They got some of the best cuisine in America. Like, I just came up here and asked you that. They have good food around here. I will take you to some strip clubs where they have great food.
Ryan
Not in Englewood.
Freddie Gibbs
In Inglewood.
Ryan
Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
No.
Ryan
Okay. No go See, then it checks out.
Freddie Gibbs
I might have to leave the state.
Ryan
State. Have to leave the state?
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah.
Ryan
When I go to Atlanta now, it's not the first thing. It's usually stop over for me now.
Freddie Gibbs
I ain't been in Atlanta in a while, but, you know, I could definitely take you to some strip clubs with some good food.
Ryan
All right.
Freddie Gibbs
We're Miami, too, definitely. For sure.
Ryan
So are you in Miami now or you.
Freddie Gibbs
I'll be, you know, I'll be back and forth.
Ryan
Where do you like it the most right now?
Freddie Gibbs
This summer, man. Like, I was like, let me really take a break because I've been living in LA so long. I was like, let me, like, live in Miami. And. Well, that's why Chicago, because you were.
Ryan
Like, on vacation from Normal.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I just been like chilling. I just been floating. I don't really live nowhere. I just live wherever I lay my hat is my home, man. I don't. I don't know where I live. You know what I'm saying? I was, I stayed in, in Europe so long this summer, I was like, damn, do I live here? I was in Europe from like June to like the end of July. Like.
Ryan
So what place overseas loves you the most?
Freddie Gibbs
That's a good question. I don't know, man.
Ryan
It seems like you have an answer to big.
Freddie Gibbs
I can live in Paris and I don't even need to speak French. They just do everything. They love me over there. I could live over there. Shit, man, I don't know, dog. I just came from Morocco. They were showing me love. I don't know, dog. I just, you know, I just love traveling, man. You know, being from Gary, Indiana, man, and just being able to experience all of the stuff that I experienced, man, it's a blessing, man. I don't take a day of it for granted.
Ryan
It's got to be wild though. Like, I'm just trying to imagine like where you come from and then to just like run through Paris and everybody knows that it's you.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I'd be in Paris riding bikes. People be like, Freddie, I'm like, yeah, I'll just be chilling. I like going places where I could just be normal and just chill, you know, ride a bike, go get a cup of coffee and so you can just leave.
Ryan
You can actually leave your hotel.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I need a hotel. Yeah, some people, I mean, people gonna with me for pictures a little bit, but I don't give a about that. That's what you do it for, right? Yeah, I mean, I'm not worried about nobody like fighting me or no like that. So I just be chilling, you know what I mean? I like, you know, mixing amongst the people. I'm just, I don't know, I'm one of those type of guys, man.
Ryan
I asked somebody about you, that it works in the industry and I was like, what? You know why? Like, I think he's so much better than all of these, these dudes right now. What, what is it about him that there feels like? I don't know, maybe it's like deciding on the marketing side, like, I'm only gonna be this dude and I'm gonna just be the biggest self promoter ever. I mean, look, hip hop is a lot of self promotion. And he, and he gave me like a really good example of it. He Was like, look, to be honest with you, he's his own guy. Like, he's not caught up in a lot of the. And because he's his own guy, it's not necessarily that he doesn't have, like, alleys. And he's also from Gary, Indiana, so he's not, like, from a hotbed of hip hop that, you know, you've. I don't want to describe you. I mean, look, I met you 20 minutes ago, but I thought it was a good explanation. I don't know if that makes sense to you, that you are just kind of doing it the way you're gonna do it. And I think it makes it awesome for us. But sometimes you wonder, like, is. Is. Are you getting everything out of it that you want?
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I say so. Yeah, I would say I'm getting everything out of it that I want. I love it. I love my job. I don't. You know, there's a lot of people that wake up every day and complain about what they do. Like, I kind of, you know, do what I want to do, you know, it's kind of cool. I like it.
Ryan
Yeah. It's not like I'm trying to hint at your managers to get you on a game show or some shit like that.
Freddie Gibbs
I would love to be on a game show.
Ryan
Well, all right, never mind then.
Freddie Gibbs
I would love to be on a game show. Like fucking Wheel of Fortune or some shit like that.
Ryan
Hosting it.
Freddie Gibbs
Hosting Five Night all.
Ryan
That's taping.
Freddie Gibbs
I would do that. Like Steve Harvey do Family Feud. I would do that.
Ryan
Really?
Freddie Gibbs
Fuck, yeah. Hell, yeah. That's fucking some shit doing. Being on some shit that my mama watched. That'd be tight.
Ryan
I wonder what the lyrics or the inspiration would be after.
Freddie Gibbs
You don't want to do.
Ryan
Well, yeah, let's do the list of things you do.
Freddie Gibbs
I don't want to do a podcast. It was a little personal. No, not that. It's not cool to do a podcast. I just don't know if I'll be good at it. And for a rapper to do it, I feel like you kind of gotta, like, not be rapping anymore. It's like when basketball players are still playing, do podcasts and stuff like that. I don't really fuck with that. I'm like, man, focus on the game. I feel like I gotta focus on being the best rapper I could be before I do something like that. You know what I mean? In my opinion, you know?
Ryan
Yeah, no, I hear you on that. Look, when the.
Freddie Gibbs
Because I think that I'd be just like, if I decided to do that, I'll just be tarnishing my, like, rap legacy. It's still, you know, got shit to add to it. You know what I mean?
Ryan
So you think doing a podcast would tarnish your legacy more than hosting Family Feud for a couple seasons?
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I'd rather host Family Feud.
Ryan
Well, the seed is planted. Steve Harvey's not going to be around forever.
Freddie Gibbs
No, he's not going to be around forever. They're going to need another bald nigga to do that shit. It could be me. I definitely take that job. I would love to do that.
Ryan
I can tell you, as a podcast host, I wish I had done some other things, but things have worked out.
Freddie Gibbs
Hey, man, it's working out good. This is fucking beautiful over here. I told you, this is a very white neighborhood you're in. This is great. This is fucking amazing.
Ryan
I don't know what the demographics are. We could take you over to Bruce's beach a little bit later, explain some of the history.
Freddie Gibbs
If you want, like, black people I see over here is like a Dockweiler beach.
Ryan
Yeah, There's a. You want to know what the line is? It's parking. There's no parking in this town. So it can be July over here, man.
Freddie Gibbs
It's beautiful.
Ryan
It could be July 4th out there. And you would think it's an off weekend because there's nowhere to park here. And then as soon as you get a little north and there's parking, you.
Freddie Gibbs
Can walk your dog over here.
Ryan
And you can. Yeah, you can't bring them on the beach, but, you know, around the dog on a beach, around sundown, they're a little lenient about it.
Freddie Gibbs
My dog would be all over this beach.
Ryan
They'd be right on you. But then you might get away with it because you're Freddie Gibbs.
Freddie Gibbs
I mean, I pick it up.
Ryan
As long as you pick it up. That's all. That's all the community's asking for.
Freddie Gibbs
Just pick it up. I hate that. Got no etiquette with they dogs. I used to live downtown. La, motherfuckers. Dogs. Just one day, I stepped in some Fendi's. Fendi's?
Ryan
I'm just wondering what kind of shoe you had. Huh?
Freddie Gibbs
Oh, no. Donald fucking Fendi's.
Ryan
No, I was just trying to guess. I guess wrong.
Freddie Gibbs
You think all black people wear a designer from head to toe.
Ryan
I thought you did.
Freddie Gibbs
You think I wear designer clothes from head to toe? Well, Fendi shoes.
Ryan
Have you seen some of your album covers? You're not dressed down.
Freddie Gibbs
I got Fendi Shoes on.
Ryan
I was guessing. And then there was the one graphic.
Freddie Gibbs
I don't think I got a Fendi shoe in my closet. Maybe one pair.
Ryan
Then we're gonna send these shoes. They're gonna send you some after this. Shout out to out.
Freddie Gibbs
Damn. I hope they do with you.
Ryan
Yeah, Fendi shoes. That didn't go well. That wasn't even in the notes.
Freddie Gibbs
I had a Fendi belt.
Ryan
All right. So I'm not totally like out of.
Freddie Gibbs
Some stuff from them.
Ryan
All right.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, yeah. Not out of line, but some Fendi shoes. I didn't have the shoes.
Ryan
A little out of line, but I think you're selling it a little hard right now.
Freddie Gibbs
Shoes is crazy.
Ryan
You did an interview with Cal. I saw the clip. You're talking about the lyrics. It got pretty deep, man.
Freddie Gibbs
What lyrics?
Ryan
And you were talking about. I would rather not rap about some of this anymore. No, no.
Freddie Gibbs
That's how I felt that day. I like rapping about. Okay, yeah, it.
Ryan
So what was it about that day? Because that was pretty, pretty deep.
Freddie Gibbs
Just going through one of those days that I like rap about all this. This is fun.
Ryan
There's no way to recover from that question with all my follow ups because now it appears that that was. Was just the wrong day.
Freddie Gibbs
I was just a bad. They just copy you on the bad day, man. You know what I'm saying? You catch me on any other day. It. Yeah, I balls to the wall. Everything, anything goes.
Ryan
When I. When I saw you explaining it, I was like, man, that. That makes a lot of sense.
Freddie Gibbs
You got like certain, like, you know, you got certain people that like watch romance movies. You got certain people that like horror movies. You got certain people that like action movies. You got certain people that like, you know, bullshit ass drama movies. I just, you know, I look at my shit like a movie. I don't know. Sometimes it's a horror movie. Sometimes most of the time it's like some action movie type to me. You know what I mean? I just feel like that's just what I just what I bring to the game, I think, you know.
Ryan
What kind of response did you get after the movie from a few years ago?
Freddie Gibbs
Had a lot of mixed reviews. I was just a. On a farm. Didn't really understand what the was. I didn't understand what the was going on.
Ryan
The premise is a guy goes to get away from it all. Correct, Correct.
Freddie Gibbs
It was some mental health. I think that that was a good start for me, acting wise. Getting my feet wet and things of that nature. It helped me to, you know, just Be on set. Cause you know, with, you know, with a crew for extended period amount of time, because I hadn't really done that yet. So that was good for me, you know? And then when I advanced and started doing it a little more, like, now I'm very, very, like, comfortable with the whole acting thing. I love it. You know, sometimes, shit, I want to take auditions and take roles more than I want to, like, do an album someday.
Ryan
Yeah, I think that makes sense, though, because it's kind of like a new challenge for you.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I love it. I just love, you know, being on film. I love cinema, period. I just love film, period. So, I mean, you could. I mean, I made a short film with this album, just, you know, let, you know, you know, so if I do it, like, I don't even think I'm gonna do an album unless I make, like, something, like, some kind of film with it every time. So if I can't do it, then I don't even think I'm gonna do any more albums if I can't do it that way.
Ryan
Yeah, but I mean, at this point, don't you think you'd always be able to do it? What do I mean, the component, the video component, the film component to an album?
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. If they don't let me do it, I just won't do the album.
Ryan
Yeah, I think you're. I think you're good now. Yeah, they're not gonna say no to you now.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I gotta do it. If they see that's the only way I'll do it.
Ryan
Did you get like. Did you get kind of like, you know, this.
Freddie Gibbs
This is.
Ryan
This is something I talk about a lot, lot with anybody, but, like, I. They typecast actors, typecast.
Freddie Gibbs
They typecast me a lot, but they type.
Ryan
We kind of typecast everybody. Like, we kind of. You know, whether you're working in an office, it's like, oh, you can only do this. We can never give you the opportunity to do this. Have you found that film, TV or anything has been receptive to you trying to do some different stuff? Or do they go, oh, like, well, Freddie just played a rapper. So, like, how much. How much range can you possibly.
Freddie Gibbs
Whenever they be trying to ask me to, like, play a rapper now, I'd be like, I immediately, like, turn that down. I'll be like, nah, man, I'm not doing that. Certain, like, street. I don't even read. I'm like, nah, I ain't doing that either. You know what I mean? You know, I kind of want to challenge myself in The. In the art of it all, you know, I don't just want to just play Sonequa's big brother and they got a gun across the street.
Ryan
Did you read for that?
Freddie Gibbs
Some bullshit like that came across my desk. But, you know, I mean, I like, you know, more challenging stuff. I like comedic roles, you know. I mean, I'd rather do some funny than do some corny ass, you know, fake gangster. You know what I'm saying? So, you know, I just, you know, I got. I got some shit that's. That's coming soon. You know, I did a vampire movie and shit that was cool. That's kind of like part comedic, part series. That was kind of fun. I love doing that.
Ryan
So how did you get into that then? Cause you had to have had somebody, you know, trust enough or. You explain everything you just explained here.
Freddie Gibbs
You would with me, man. Thought you knew. No, I'm just playing my boy Ryan. Shout out to Ryan. He, you know, wanted me to be in this movie, and I was just like, all right. It, you know, I loved it. YG was in it. You know what I mean? So, you know, that's one of my homies. So that was cool. It was just, you know, like I said, it was a real cool experience. You know what I mean, doing that. The movie's called A Night Patrol. That's coming soon. It's gonna be dope.
Ryan
All right, so that'll be out?
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, it's gonna be out soon.
Ryan
Can you tell your agents, like, hey, I wanna. I wanna read for a sitcom. Or if another drama comes through, like.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, you could say it and like that. I mean, they're gonna pick your black ass. I think sometimes you could read all the you want, you know, when they want you for a role, I know. You know what I mean? So when they really, really want you for some shit, then. And you know it's gonna come to you, you know, I mean, my mom always told me, man, well, it ain't for you. God. And we give it to you, so it's all good. You know, whatever comes my way, whatever they think I'm qualified to do, you know, I do it and I do it to the best of my ability.
Ryan
What's it like when you go home? Back to Gary?
Freddie Gibbs
Gary, man. Damn. I was in Gary a lot this summer, too, man. It's. It's cool, man. You know what I mean? I love being home. We got a new mayor. That's my homie, Eddie Melton. He's doing some, you know, make some strides in the City. Trying to do some big things in the city. I love what he's doing, you know. Of course. I love seeing my mom every day, you know, so this, you know, my nieces and nephews and stuff. I had my son out there for a long time this summer. So that was real cool, you know. I love being back home.
Ryan
Does that mean Hoosiers is your favorite movie?
Freddie Gibbs
No fucking way.
Ryan
What?
Freddie Gibbs
My favorite movie is Teen Wolf.
Ryan
The first one.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. The first one, Yeah.
Ryan
I think you could have played Teen Wolf.
Freddie Gibbs
It could be a black teen wolf. Green, a teen. It'd be like middle aged wolf. But we could do it.
Ryan
CGI it.
Freddie Gibbs
We could make it work.
Ryan
I love Teen Wolf too.
Freddie Gibbs
I want to be a werewolf in a movie. That'd be hard.
Ryan
The wolves vampire thing was on a run there.
Freddie Gibbs
It was. I think it's about to come back a little bit.
Ryan
You think it's coming back around?
Freddie Gibbs
Goes away, man? Yeah, it's going to come back a little bit, man.
Ryan
So you like horror movies the most?
Freddie Gibbs
I like horror movies for sure. I just seen a great horror movie. I wish they would have put me in it. Weapons. That shit was amazing.
Ryan
Everybody's raving about that. I haven't seen it yet.
Freddie Gibbs
Amazing. Go see that shit. It's a good date movie.
Ryan
Good date movie.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. You married though, right?
Ryan
No. Look at this place.
Freddie Gibbs
Oh, fuck. Well, this was a good movie to take a date. Cause she gonna be all on you. She gonna be clinging to you. You know what I'm saying? That's a good date movie.
Ryan
What dramas do you like?
Freddie Gibbs
I like. What's that? I just watched Oppenheimer. Okay, that was fire. Built a bomb. He a lot of people up, man. That's up.
Ryan
Good at math.
Freddie Gibbs
Good. Real good at math. Albert Einstein wasn't with that. That let you know. Albert Einstein's like, you know, he uses. How you know, man, you walking. He's walking the room. You smarter than these motherfuckers. You better than these motherfuckers. They don't want to fuck with you. That's how it is with me. We rap. They know what's up. I was like, Oppenheimer, Albert Einstein.
Ryan
Gary, Indiana's Oppenheimer.
Freddie Gibbs
Some shit like that.
Ryan
That could be a whole concept album.
Freddie Gibbs
I don't want to blow no motherfuckers.
Ryan
Up, but just blowing up the opposition.
Freddie Gibbs
Though, in the game, he blew up more than opposition.
Ryan
I read a book about the big.
Freddie Gibbs
One, the big Nagasaki. Yeah.
Ryan
And I was at the World War II Museum in New Orleans. You should check that out.
Freddie Gibbs
My great mommy. My grandfather was in World War II.
Ryan
Mine too.
Freddie Gibbs
He was. What did your grandfather do?
Ryan
He was a tail gunner in Sicily.
Freddie Gibbs
Oh, my grandfather was a. They would make. They wouldn't let him touch the guns. He was a cook.
Ryan
He was a cook.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. He made sure your grandfather ate. And that's up.
Ryan
Yeah. The story I was told is that any woman would sleep with you in Sicily for a Hershey bar.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. My daddy told me that my granddaddy was fucking with the bitches in France and shit like that. That's tight, though. At least niggas got something for foreign pussy.
Ryan
I have to think that if you came back from WWII and you were like, hey, I cheated on you in Normandy, it's like, okay, yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
You can't say nothing, bitch. We've got seven kids at home.
Ryan
Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
What the fuck you gonna do? I'm coming home from the military and shit. You could live a good life back then. You come home from the military, get a job in a steel mill in Gary. Both my grandparents had like eight kids.
Ryan
Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
You wonder if there's just big families.
Ryan
Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
My granddaddy slain slaying the thing, man. So you and me, I got a lot of kids.
Ryan
How many kids do you have?
Freddie Gibbs
I don't know.
Ryan
Yes, you do.
Freddie Gibbs
Like three. Plus.
Ryan
Do they like hoops as much as you?
Freddie Gibbs
My kids?
Ryan
Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
My oldest daughter does. She plays irie. She's good. She's good. She's playing. Yeah, yeah, she likes it. She likes hoops. She like LeBron James. That's her favorite player.
Ryan
As an NBA guy, I can tell, like when, you know, like, there's some dudes that just throw out.
Freddie Gibbs
My son don't give a. He like video games. He like, man, whatever. I think once he start playing like 2K and stuff like that, then he'll be more into it. You know what I'm saying? But, you know, he younger though. He like seven. So. Yeah, my dog, my dog, my 10 year old daughter, she loves basketball.
Ryan
Yeah. Well, you want to get the ball in the hands at seven. I think that's. That's when you're.
Freddie Gibbs
He liked football more than basketball. I say that.
Ryan
Does he play?
Freddie Gibbs
He played flag football, yeah. Oh, he liked football more than basketball. He more into that.
Ryan
Did you play hoops?
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I played it all.
Ryan
Is that why Teen Wolf is like. You were like, I could do this.
Freddie Gibbs
I love Teen Wolf. Teen Wolf's way better than Hoosiers, I'll tell you that. And I think they was out around the same time. I think my dad was trying to push Hoosiers on me. I'm like, man, fuck that. I would watch Teen Wolf, nigga.
Ryan
I don't even love the offense Hickory runs. That shit's was.
Freddie Gibbs
I don't know how the they was winning. Hickory. Dickory.
Ryan
Doc, is Hickory nearby?
Freddie Gibbs
Hickory? I think that's like a fake school in Indianapolis. I don't know.
Ryan
I think it was outside when the.
Freddie Gibbs
Paces did them Hickory jerseys. I was like, what did the. I didn't like that.
Ryan
You really don't like Hoosier? I didn't think it was your favorite movie. Movie.
Freddie Gibbs
I didn't like that. That was trash. Nah, it wasn't trash. I like Gene Hackman. He's a good grape.
Ryan
Yeah. Tough to work with, though.
Freddie Gibbs
Gene Hackman?
Ryan
Yeah, like legendary.
Freddie Gibbs
Didn't he just die?
Ryan
Well, I think the statue of limitations is okay post death for me to say he was tough to work with.
Freddie Gibbs
Oh, okay. But he. He just died.
Ryan
He did. It was.
Freddie Gibbs
It was weird too, because he died on like a. In Arizona, like a town. Recipes. Gene Hackman, man, he was great, but yeah, he was that nigga. Gene. I fucked with you, man. I don't know who came and got you.
Ryan
They got you absolute power when he plays the president Beast. Clint Eastwood. What an opening scene.
Freddie Gibbs
One of the best. Two of the best. Clint Eastwood, like 96. He's still active.
Ryan
He's like a good guy, bad guy in High Plains Drifter, which is a really, really intense western where he's always done kind of a good job with the Batman role, the man with no.
Freddie Gibbs
Name, at least they let back then his era, they let. That's really Western. The Westerns, like now they get a British to play a. From Texas.
Ryan
Hey, don't even get me started about the British and the Australians.
Freddie Gibbs
They're taking all of our lead roles. They take every thing.
Ryan
They taking all of our roles.
Freddie Gibbs
Well, Tom Hardy.
Ryan
Well, Tom Hardy deserves whatever, everything.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I love Tom Hardy. That's my favorite actor.
Ryan
He. He is so good at looking cool on a TV screen.
Freddie Gibbs
You up for real in real life, Warrior? Yeah, I seen him in person one time and I was like, yo, yeah, I think that white boy whoops a mess.
Ryan
Can you go up to Tom Hardy? Would he.
Freddie Gibbs
No, I wouldn't throw up. No, Tom. And do what?
Ryan
No, I'm not saying with him, but like, he. He likes rap.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, yeah, probably. Yeah. Yeah, I'll talk to him about some rap. I'm gonna say I ain't. No, you seen. You just seen Havoc. You've seen that Warrior.
Ryan
I mean Warrior. I was. I wanted to get him fighting the parking lot.
Freddie Gibbs
What's the new show that he just did?
Ryan
Mobland.
Freddie Gibbs
Mobland is crazy. Crazy. So I can't wait to. They do another season of that. Yeah, I love like that. Did they do another season of Gangs of London? Do you like that?
Ryan
I don't think I. I got on that one.
Freddie Gibbs
Oh, you should with it. It's good.
Ryan
What's that one on?
Freddie Gibbs
It's on like AMC or some like that.
Ryan
I'm trying to remember if I watched some of it. Was the pilot there was like a fixed boxing match or something. The first episode?
Freddie Gibbs
I don't know. I think so.
Ryan
There's a bunch of ladies of the night also.
Freddie Gibbs
It's so much now with streaming as like so little good, if that makes any sense.
Ryan
Makes a ton of sense.
Freddie Gibbs
It's hard to find. It's hard for me to find a good show. I get in front of my TV and I'd be like, end up watching SportsCenter 50 times in a row. This is whack. I'm like, damn. I can't even pick a movie.
Ryan
Who's your favorite Sports center anchor ever?
Freddie Gibbs
Stuart Scott.
Ryan
It's a good choice for sure.
Freddie Gibbs
Definitely. Him and Kenny May.
Ryan
Kenny Maine.
Freddie Gibbs
Kenny Maine.
Ryan
You know I worked there for 15 years.
Freddie Gibbs
I know.
Ryan
Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
It's a good job to have.
Ryan
It was a good job. It was time to move on.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I know. So some be like that, man. Like, I want to call it Family Feud, but I ain't complaining.
Ryan
Yeah, but you would get to live in la. I was having to live in Bristol, Connecticut.
Freddie Gibbs
That sucks balls.
Ryan
Yeah. People from Bristol visit Gary for vacations.
Freddie Gibbs
Damn. Bristol. Yeah. Damn. That's crazy. You was real close to Aaron Hernandez.
Ryan
Just down the street. I used to play pickup hoops.
Freddie Gibbs
Could have fucked you up. Up.
Ryan
Yeah, he probably would have.
Freddie Gibbs
He would have. He would have tried to.
Ryan
I think he want it more than I would in a fight.
Freddie Gibbs
I think he was gay, man.
Ryan
Well, that's not what I was getting at his desires. But I just mean like whenever I'm sizing somebody up, say he wanted, you know. No. Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
I thought she was trying to say he might have wanted you. I didn't mean it like that. No.
Ryan
I think whenever you're getting an altercation, you probably go back to your day. It's like, okay, well, I think I might. But if this guy wants this more.
Freddie Gibbs
Than I. I watched that movie and I was like, damn. With the. On fx.
Ryan
Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. They really. They should have focused More on football, man. Because he's a great football player.
Ryan
You would have liked to see more Aaron Hernandez highlights on the field.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. They made him just. He's just making love to everybody.
Ryan
You know, he hooked up a lot in that series.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. And I was just like, damn, man. There's a lot of more hooking up than I wanted to see.
Ryan
I was almost a writer on that show.
Freddie Gibbs
You should have wrote some football scenes.
Ryan
I lost out to a guy who played in the NFL.
Freddie Gibbs
Oh.
Ryan
So I. When I found out, I was like, I'm glad he got the job over. I didn't over me. So that's how good of a friend I am, because I actually knew the guy.
Freddie Gibbs
Oh, did he write in those. My guess is no trainer scenes and all that?
Ryan
My guess is no, that he was not.
Freddie Gibbs
I'm cool with not knowing that he the trainer. I was cool with just doing.
Ryan
You didn't want the full scope.
Freddie Gibbs
I didn't need that trainer part.
Ryan
Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
But they could have kept that part. It could have been some more football.
Ryan
Did you like the Belichick impersonator?
Rob Gronkowski
That was tight.
Freddie Gibbs
It was overall good. Good series. Good thing. It was good. It wasn't good as O.J.
Ryan
Which O.J. the doc or the TV show? I love the FX, O.J.
Freddie Gibbs
I love everything about O.J. well, I'm hate that that happened.
Ryan
Yeah, probably. There's probably a couple things you don't like. But.
Freddie Gibbs
I mean, I hang around. I hung around some NFL guys from that era, and they all say O.J. innocent.
Ryan
Do they?
Freddie Gibbs
I heard live like, he was with me that night. I'm like, you lied.
Ryan
I can also pull up my phone and see a UFO from last night.
Freddie Gibbs
Like I had in the hall of Fame in the NFL. OJ Was kicking it with them, and OJ didn't do it. Swear up and down. Wow. OJ didn't do that.
Ryan
They should start an NBA podcast now that he did.
Freddie Gibbs
Do you think he did it?
Ryan
Yeah, I think he did it. His hands were cut. He had blood on the Bronco. He left. He had a gun and, like, a wig headed to the border. And then he pulls over.
Freddie Gibbs
They said he threw the knife in the airport trash can.
Ryan
I do love that FX show, though. Yeah, I love that.
Freddie Gibbs
It was amazing, man. That was the greatest crime in American history.
Ryan
Where were you for it? Where was you? Watching the Knicks.
Freddie Gibbs
I was watching with my. I was watching the Knicks.
Ryan
All of us were.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. Getting their ass beat by the Rockets.
Ryan
Thank God.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I was watching that. And then, hey, boom. O.J.
Ryan
It still doesn't even seem real. And I. I remember, like, even the verdict, like, getting to leave work early.
Freddie Gibbs
This tragic event. It was crazy. You know what? Some I doing some real tragic events that I didn't sleep through. Like, I slept through 9, 11.
Ryan
Well, if you were on the east.
Freddie Gibbs
Coast, I was in Gary.
Ryan
You were? Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
And I woke up, and then everybody was just, like, sad as fuck. And I was like, damn, what the fuck is going on? And my mama got mad, and people got mad at me because I was asleep. I'm like, I didn't. Like, I didn't hear the explosion. Bitch.
Ryan
Yeah. I mean, I was asleep, but I had worked late the night before, and then somebody called me, and they were like, hey, do you know what I.
Freddie Gibbs
Did the night before? But I was sleep like a motherfucker through that whole shit.
Ryan
You were at your mom's house? No. Oh, I thought you said she got mad at you.
Freddie Gibbs
Dick is mad at me for not knowing the tragedy.
Ryan
Yeah, if you're asleep, I'll give you a pass on that one.
Freddie Gibbs
I don't know what you were supposed to do was like, how can you sleep through some like that? I said, I didn't hear the crash. Like, what the is wrong with you?
Ryan
What other things do you not feel bad about?
Freddie Gibbs
I feel bad about that.
Ryan
I think you do. I think you do.
Freddie Gibbs
I was just sleep. I feel bad about a lot of things this country's going through a lot of right now. You know what I'm saying? Like, so are you.
Ryan
Your place by yourself?
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah.
Ryan
Is that pretty rare, being a single.
Freddie Gibbs
Black man with well to do black man?
Ryan
No.
Freddie Gibbs
Is that rare?
Ryan
I think.
Freddie Gibbs
I don't. Yeah, I don't think it's as rare right as it was.
Rob Gronkowski
Back in the.
Ryan
Day, but, yeah, I don't think that was the angle I was going with. I just meant, like, you don't. I mean, there's a certain age that north of that age, you're like, I don't want roommates anymore. But no roommates.
Freddie Gibbs
No, no, no.
Ryan
But, like, there aren't people with you.
Freddie Gibbs
Be women with me.
Ryan
All right.
Freddie Gibbs
Sometime.
Ryan
How do you do? What's Freddie Gibbs dating life like?
Freddie Gibbs
Date.
Ryan
How's that work? You on the apps now?
Freddie Gibbs
Work? Oh, hell.
Ryan
Rapper.
Freddie Gibbs
I look at porn on Twitter and then just DM them sometimes. Not really, but yeah. Yeah.
Ryan
What's the hit rate on that?
Freddie Gibbs
Probably like 30.
Ryan
30 seems high.
Freddie Gibbs
That's a good rate.
Ryan
That.
Freddie Gibbs
That's better than a batting average.
Ryan
That's hall of fame.
Freddie Gibbs
If I go up that 30.
Ryan
Tony Fernandez.
Freddie Gibbs
That's Tony Gwynn.
Ryan
Tony Gwynn's higher than 30.
Freddie Gibbs
Tied in three. What he bad about 350?
Ryan
Yeah, something ridiculous.
Freddie Gibbs
That's about my bad. And average on that.
Ryan
Tony. Gwen never strikes out now.
Freddie Gibbs
He never struck out. He'll walk a lot.
Ryan
A lot.
Freddie Gibbs
They walk Barry Bonds a lot too.
Ryan
Yeah, yeah. Fear though.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah.
Ryan
You don't want to be about that.
Freddie Gibbs
No, I don't want a. To fear me.
Ryan
No. That's what I was going out with.
Freddie Gibbs
That's. No, that's predatorial energy, right? No, I ain't got none of that. I ain't never had none of that type of. I don't even like, I'd never like, like I know this dude, he was like, like last week he was like riding around his girlfriend house at like six in the morning to see if she was at home. I ain't never did that. I've never been like clingy to a woman.
Ryan
You've never had your heart broken?
Freddie Gibbs
I ain't gonna say that. But I ain't never like acted on it, if that makes any sense. I ain't never like the over text call or. It's like once it's done, it's done. It's like I kinda wanna be as far away from the situation as possible. I don't even, I don't know, I don't like send messages or anything like that. I just like kind of let it go.
Ryan
I did it once.
Freddie Gibbs
You did that? You stalked somebody?
Ryan
No. Oh, I showed up in my ex's house.
Freddie Gibbs
Oh, that's stalking.
Ryan
And then that's stalking. I didn't, I didn't knock on the door.
Freddie Gibbs
You didn't knock on the door?
Ryan
No, I just kept walking.
Freddie Gibbs
You showed up.
Ryan
I walked, I walked past it and I thought about knocking on the door to see if she could talk and.
Freddie Gibbs
Oh, that ain't that bad.
Ryan
No, it wasn't bad. If it was really bad, I probably wouldn't even admit to it. But that was the worst. And then I realized I'm like, this is. I think almost in a way you have to go through heartbreak and realize how much time you're wasting on it and that you're going to regret all the time that you spend on it. To be more efficient in future endeavors.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I put a. All her belongings out of a hotel room in the hallway.
Ryan
What happened?
Freddie Gibbs
It wasn't working out.
Ryan
You wouldn't even call like a bellhop or anything?
Freddie Gibbs
No, I wasn't about to tip him to take her.
Ryan
I Figured that was. That was probably part of the reason. I think Clingy. Clingy rapper wouldn't be great branding.
Freddie Gibbs
That's whack. We've got a lot of guys that are like that.
Ryan
That I'm sure. But it'd be like, hey, as they.
Freddie Gibbs
Get mad, a lot of the disputes and like that. It started. Be a lot of times it started over girls. You know what I mean?
Ryan
Yeah, I mean, I guess it's kind of up.
Freddie Gibbs
I don't get. That's why I don't get into that.
Ryan
But it just seems like the opportunity for any of you guys that are famous and are in this world that, like, aren't there just endless amounts of women? Like, why the hell would you be fighting over the same ones all the time?
Freddie Gibbs
That's what I'd be trying to figure out. Sometimes, you know, you intersect be like that. Sometimes you might mess with somebody that mess with somebody else, and it just happens.
Ryan
Yeah. Tupac is that video song. Remember that?
Freddie Gibbs
What?
Ryan
I get around 95 now.
Freddie Gibbs
Everywhere I go, Everywhere I go same hoe. Yeah, that's true.
Ryan
I started trying to pay attention to it on the videos. I was like, is he telling the truth?
Freddie Gibbs
That's right.
Ryan
Is that the same one? Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
Truth. I don't know. A could be at so many basketball games. You'd be like, damn. Got league pass. Like, damn. What the. Is you traveling with the team for real? Like, for real. It's like was in Cleveland. I was a was at the whole playoffs. Different teams. I seen it all, man. It happens, man.
Ryan
I watch a lot of hoops, too, Freddie. And I'll notice there's certain women that I'll recognize from different, like, behind the benches.
Freddie Gibbs
Oh, yeah. I look behind the bench.
Ryan
Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
To see the host when I go to the game, I'd be like, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. You was here with me last week. Now you're here with Ben Simmons.
Ryan
He has a lot of free time.
Freddie Gibbs
No, I'm joking about Ben Simmons. I don't know.
Ryan
Oh, so now we can't do Ben Simmons jokes?
Freddie Gibbs
That was just a joke.
Ryan
All right.
Freddie Gibbs
Right.
Ryan
He's in Boston now. You probably don't have to worry about in Boston. Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
Damn. He on the bench. So he be having a lot of on the bench. I don't blame him.
Ryan
Yeah. Michael Porter Jr. You familiar with his story as of late?
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I've been seeing that. He need to stop talking about that.
Ryan
Gambling or any topic.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. He need to chill.
Ryan
Yeah. No, that's back to your original podcast.
Freddie Gibbs
His Brother went to jail. Right.
Ryan
I. I don't know where that case is right now, but he's. He's down.
Freddie Gibbs
He should go to jail.
Ryan
He's done.
Freddie Gibbs
He's up my over and under one. Now that I think about. He up one of my bits.
Ryan
You had the other porter brother on an over point total.
Freddie Gibbs
He something up for me. I look back at my price picks.
Ryan
We're a FanDuel company.
Freddie Gibbs
Oh, I with fanduel.
Ryan
Cool.
Freddie Gibbs
I rapped about them. Tell them, give me a deal, I'll.
Ryan
Put it in the works.
Freddie Gibbs
I put it on Alfredo, too. That's what mentioned it. It.
Ryan
Yeah. Bonus edition. We'll clip this and say, give me some bonus.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, give me some bonus points. I like that. I like that. Gambling is taking over, man.
Ryan
Yeah.
Freddie Gibbs
You can bet on anything.
Ryan
I'd still be living in Connecticut. Hey, I'll be honest. I mean, I love doing it. When I wasn't doing this as a job, I loved gambling on stuff. Yeah, it was fun. It was fun to have.
Freddie Gibbs
I'm not a big gambler. Sometimes I'm gonna. I just play with every once in a while, casinos.
Ryan
Nothing.
Freddie Gibbs
No. I'm casino. I'm in. If I'm in the casino, I'm looking for lady of the night.
Ryan
Oh, not the buffet. What do you do then? What is your. What's your hobby? That we don't know. What's the thing that Freddie Gibbs does is downhill skiing.
Freddie Gibbs
I'm good at skiing, man.
Ryan
Where have you been?
Freddie Gibbs
I've been to Aspen.
Ryan
Aspen's the best. Is it?
Freddie Gibbs
Yes. There's a lot of bad rich like Dubai and snow.
Ryan
Yeah, it's out of control, like, but it's still.
Freddie Gibbs
I've been to some other in Colorado.
Ryan
Breckenridge Vale.
Freddie Gibbs
I forgot the name of that. It was very. It was a very white experience. Well, I went to Utah.
Ryan
Been to Utah. Speaking.
Freddie Gibbs
I was the only black dude there.
Ryan
Park City.
Freddie Gibbs
Yep.
Ryan
But see, I could see you hanging out in Park City. It's dive bars. Yeah. I like it artsy.
Freddie Gibbs
Like being the odd man out.
Ryan
You want to rent a room here? Have you Give me an idea of how much you've accomplished, of what you set out to accomplish.
Freddie Gibbs
Wow. I would say about like, half of it. I still got a long way to go, you know, Like I said, I still want to do a lot in, like, the film world, things of that nature, you know what I mean? I want to host Family Feud, so I got a long way to go, man. I had to take Steve Harvey job.
Ryan
He got hosed in that mystery or. Well, it wasn't Mr. Universe. I don't think he hosts that. I've never even seen.
Freddie Gibbs
He did like Miss America. I want to do one of them.
Ryan
I think you'd be good at that.
Freddie Gibbs
Oh yeah, you got. Damn right.
Ryan
Yeah. Really good.
Freddie Gibbs
I want to do. Hey, listen. The ladies will never be more comfortable.
Ryan
I gotta be honest. There is something about your look when you're in the tux by the piano.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah.
Ryan
Where I was like, there's just something. And I'm not bullshitting you. Here.
Freddie Gibbs
Thanks, man. I'm real some swank with this.
Ryan
You have a. A look to you that I was like. I could see this guy, you know, Vegas performer, you know, all that. I mean, you're kind of doing it now.
Freddie Gibbs
I want to do a residency in Vegas one day. Not now.
Ryan
Every night there though. Having to live there.
Freddie Gibbs
Oh shit. I'll be. I'll be. I'd be drunk as fuck. Yeah, yeah. I do it. Of course.
Ryan
We'll promote it if it happens.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. I'd be like El. Like Elvis.
Ryan
That'd be sick.
Freddie Gibbs
He did that.
Ryan
I just don't know that you'd want to do it the rest of your life though.
Freddie Gibbs
No, no, no, no, no. I do like a little two year run.
Ryan
Mel Torme. You know, just like you do this.
Freddie Gibbs
For 20 minutes, you know, you can't. You don't want to wear it out. But I do it though. I don't want to be there. Like goddamn Carrot Top or. No. Like that.
Ryan
Yeah. That's what I see those billboards and I just.
Freddie Gibbs
That I know he's going crazy to wake up in Vegas every day and be Carrot Top. I've seen him in the MGM Grand. I said, damn, that look crazy as. That's probably why he gets swollen.
Ryan
Yeah. That's probably why he gets so jacked.
Freddie Gibbs
Because he's like, yeah, I wouldn't with Carrot Top.
Ryan
No way.
Freddie Gibbs
Hell no. He'll whoop your ass.
Ryan
Vascular too.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, yeah, yeah. He just looked like a. A, A super villain out of a goddamn Marvel movie or some.
Ryan
I'm scared of him.
Freddie Gibbs
I ain't say I'm scared of that white boy. I didn't see you his ass up, but.
Ryan
Right.
Freddie Gibbs
I don't advise the average to.
Ryan
With.
Freddie Gibbs
With Carrot Top.
Ryan
No. And there's probably a lot of people that think they'll be funny and they'll make fun of Carrot Top.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. They should leave him the fuck alone.
Ryan
Is he still jacked, by the way?
Freddie Gibbs
He is my kids. My kids is looking at that nigga. Like, dude, who the fuck is that? I said, leave that nigga alone. Scared top.
Ryan
And he's a prop comic, which makes.
Freddie Gibbs
You think, yeah, he might pull out some shit that'll fuck you up, right?
Ryan
Yeah, like, is this a whistle? Nope.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, before. You know who I used to like in that lane? I used to like Gallagher.
Ryan
The watermelon bit.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. When he. Yeah. Smash a watermelon and up people up in the crowd. I used to love here do that.
Ryan
I never got into that. I always thought it was stupid.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. He'll see. Black people wouldn't go to his.
Ryan
To Gallagher. I don't think I ever saw that.
Freddie Gibbs
Up their hair in the outfit. It's all.
Ryan
They used to put tarps on people up front, but that just wasn't.
Freddie Gibbs
That don't mean people still be up. I used to watch that with my dad.
Ryan
That on vhs.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, we had a vhs.
Ryan
Yeah. Remember? That was, like, huge. He had one of the first VHS tapes.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah.
Ryan
That's why that Gallagher thing was enormous. Like, I didn't. I didn't know what it was. He's like, these guys just smashes watermelons.
Freddie Gibbs
Vhs.
Ryan
Why rewind it?
Freddie Gibbs
Better movies, man. When you had to go buy the. And wait eight months for it to be out of the theater to get it, it was just better quality.
Ryan
You just like the anticipation.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah, I love the anticipation. I miss just having a movie in the theater and being like, fuck, I can't wait to get that shit at home. Now this shit is in the movie theater, and two weeks later, it's on streaming. I might as well wait for the shit to be on streaming.
Ryan
I don't know if we'll. I think there was something about things being harder that did make you appreciate it a little bit more. Yeah, right. Like, you wanted to go to the theater, and if you missed it in the theater, it was like if you didn't see Jurassic park in the theater.
Freddie Gibbs
And it also made the quality of the work better. I think that people worked harder on the films, on the music, when they knew it was, you know, it wasn't so much of the shit. You know what I'm saying? Like, because even. Even with rap, like, you know, like, when I first started rapping, like, I would say, like, being a rapper was more of a prestigious kind of thing. Now anybody could be a fucking rapper. You know what I'm saying?
Ryan
Or podcaster.
Freddie Gibbs
You said that shit about me.
Ryan
Oh, I'm telling. I'm just.
Freddie Gibbs
It is a lot of podcasters. I'd be like, God damn, you got a podcast, too. Shut the up. I don't give a.
Ryan
What you think it's ruining for the rest of us.
Freddie Gibbs
It is, man.
Ryan
I introduced myself. I introduced myself as a podcaster. They're like, cool.
Freddie Gibbs
Now you got it, man. You got this down to a science. You know what I'm saying? Everybody don't, though.
Ryan
So you think rap is similar? Like, obviously, the technology, like, you can figure out a way to do it.
Freddie Gibbs
They got AI rap now, man. I don't even believe nobody. That right there, that. That I don't even believe if you really even make it anymore. Because I'd have been in studios when and chat GPT in this, and I'd be like. I'm like, what in the. And I'm like, damn, how long am I gonna be able to do this? Because I'm really actually making fresh. How long I'm be able to do it when this. In the studio, typing into a computer, getting their lyrics.
Ryan
Yeah. I had somebody ask me on, like, screenwriting. They're like, are you using chat GPT now? Screenwriting? I was like, God, no. Like, it's hard enough as it is. Like, why would you. Why would you even want to put yourself through the process of doing something like that? Then they just be like, hey, pump out some. Just generic dialogue people.
Freddie Gibbs
Lazy, man. You know what I'm saying? We in a lazy day and age, man. Art is dying. You know what I'm saying? When you gotta ask the computer and to write your lyrics is whack. Right?
Ryan
Do you. When you sit down to write, like, what's. You just go old school notepad. Are you sitting there? Are you typing up on a laptop? Like, what happens? I go to sleep and you dream in lyrics.
Freddie Gibbs
Then I wake up and it's ready to go.
Ryan
It's a good thing you're a rapper. That's an awesome ability.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. I couldn't work. I couldn't, like, drive a forklift.
Ryan
Like, you know, it's got some good rhymes. Freddy. Forklift. Freddy. I really appreciate you coming down, man.
Freddie Gibbs
I appreciate y' all having me, man. This is prestigious.
Ryan
And the thing I would say about your work, which speaks to what we just kind of talked about is like, when a tape came out when I was a kid, like, I knew I would listen to America's Most Wanted for over a year.
Freddie Gibbs
Right?
Ryan
Right. And it was going to be until the next site, like, well, whoever. The number of times I listen to. It takes a nation of millions to hold us back. Like, the staying power of an album, and that's gone. Same to your movie point. And your albums have staying power, right?
Freddie Gibbs
That's the feeling that I received from albums like that. So that's what I want to give out. You know what I mean? I don't want to just, you know, microwave, do this shit and just like give a motherfucker 30 songs because the label paid me for it. You know, that's kind of whack to me.
Ryan
Well, you're doing it and you're doing it a big way. And I want more people to appreciate Freddie Gibbs. So thanks, man.
Freddie Gibbs
Yeah. Fuck, Chad. GPT.
Ceruti
You want details?
Freddie Gibbs
Fine. I drive a Ferrari 355 Cabriolet.
Ryan
What's up?
Ceruti
I have a ridiculous house in the South Fork.
Freddie Gibbs
I have every toy you can possibly imagine, and best of all, kids, I am liquid.
Rob Gronkowski
So now you know what's possible.
Ryan
Let me tell you what's required. Life advice. Life advice are rr Gmail.com, ceruti Wargon, Kyle Free today. That's all right. We'll get through this. We got a prenup one. So I don't think he has a prenup, so I don't either, so I don't think we'll need him. No prenup for either of you guys?
Ceruti
Nope. I have buddies who have it, but.
Frius
No, I have no assets, so nothing to protect.
Ryan
What are you talking about? Look at all those comic books back there. I know.
Ceruti
That's true.
Ryan
All right, here's a prenup one. 27 years old, five' ten. Although I did walk on for a single D1 college basketball game. My ESPN profile will tell you I'm six feet.
Ceruti
Hell yeah.
Ryan
I make it to Planet Fitness four or five times a week now, but let myself go a bit in my post collegiate career and weigh in around 205. No real gym stats to speak of. Although I did put 130 pounds on the Smith machine bar and managed 30 reps. Some. Some interesting weight math on there. Sidebar. How many? I. I just think it's a strange thing to do. But you know how we feel about anybody that's out there lifting. Good for you. Think it's low? No, it's not about the £130. I just think it's a strange thing to do to be like, let me combine this on the smith machine at 1:30. But look, if you felt great and got a nice little pump out of it, just look, Smith machine's easier. And that's like the squat rack, right? Yeah, but it's on. It's on. Yeah, basically sliders or however you want to describe it. But I think squatting on that Smith machine is terrible because I think it puts your body in more compromising positions. I used to do that when I was younger. I wish I never did. How many reps of 225 in a regular bench would that. Would you translate that to, if any. I don't know. I don't know if there's a calculator for £130 on a Smith machine 30 times. I would tell you some of the bench calculator stuff is just wrong. Like if I have a really good 225 rep day to see, like, hey, what can I do today? And then I will go to look at the calculator and it'll see what my single rep max is. I'm like, that's. There's just no way. There's no way I can do that.
Ceruti
We should do a show. Kanban.
Ryan
Has anyone ever done that before?
Ceruti
I. Only because I don't even know what I. What numbers I would put up up.
Ryan
Do you want video of you not.
Ceruti
Benching 135 of me benching one? Yeah, I do, actually.
Frius
I'd have to be asked because I'm so much smaller than all you guys.
Ceruti
I think you might be able to bench more than me, though. I don't know.
Ryan
I don't know. But if you never bench, not being able to bench 135, like, it's embarrassing, it sucks or whatever. But if you, if you don't, if you know. But if you can't, if you've never done it, your body's going to be like, what, what. What is this? What are you asking me to do? I gotta lie down.
Rob Gronkowski
And then.
Ryan
So I don't even know that. It's the greatest representation of someone's strength if they've never like, actually lifted weights before. And then you were like, hey, go do like 1:35.
Ceruti
Everybody should be able to say, I'm just. I'm deceptively strong. I'm more than what my, my bench press would suggest.
Ryan
I'm giving both you guys credit.
Ceruti
Thanks, man.
Ryan
We got off to a bad start a couple days ago.
Ceruti
Yeah, that's okay.
Ryan
Yeah.
Ceruti
Positivity this time. No, I just think it would be funny, like, maybe let the audience figure out, like, it, you know, to have set some over unders, like people guessing.
Ryan
What we would do.
Ceruti
But.
Ryan
Well, I think after the McShay 40 thing, and then I said that that's ridiculous about me, and then I mentioned that I think I have a torn ligament. And then Ceruti's just. Gasp of. Oh, here we go. So I think this is about Ceruti hoping that I'm slower. I think that's what this is.
Ceruti
No, it's not, because I. I think I'm sneaky slow now, too.
Ryan
What would the categories be? Skiing.
Frius
How are you sneaky slow? Do you walk by and people think that you're fast?
Ryan
Yeah.
Ceruti
Well, so I. Yeah, incredible question. God damn it.
Ryan
God, that guy. I don't know. He might be slower, but, Jesus, he moves. He's so slippery.
Ceruti
Well, I only say that because, like, you know, in my day, like, I, you know, I was. I was like, laterally pretty quick, you know, I was, you know, run decently and I can't now, so I feel like on the street. And you'd be like, hey, could that guy, like, you know, could he hold his own in a three cone drill? I think most people would say yes, but I don't know that I could.
Ryan
Okay, but you played you over time.
Ceruti
You gave me way too much credit for this.
Ryan
Yeah, but true. You put on pads and you went out there and played high school football. How many years?
Ceruti
I played all four years.
Ryan
But. And you were captain.
Ceruti
I was.
Ryan
No. Jesus.
Ceruti
Jesus, no. God, I. UConn.
Rob Gronkowski
Made you an awful.
Frius
Right?
Ceruti
Yeah, I was going to walk on at. Yeah.
Ryan
Okay, but what did you weigh? What did you weigh your senior year?
Ceruti
Oh, man, like 1:45.
Ryan
I was tiny, man, but I'm telling you, like that. That's why I don't think I overrate it. It takes balls to put on pads and play high school football and know you weigh 145. And now we're finding out you were slow, too.
Ceruti
No, I wasn't slow. For the record, I am slow now. I think I was good in high school. Check tape. No, I. I just think people would be like, oh, he's. I expected more from him at this point, mostly because I just. I think I said this. I joined, like, a pickup men's league, and I was disappointed in my. In my. In my efforts, not my effort. It was just my output. I guess it was just I expected better from myself.
Ryan
Coming to theaters this fall, the sequel, Sir Rudy. All right. What brings me to you guys is a predicament with my current girlfriend, four and a half years. It isn't that I jokingly insist on being six feet tall and pull up ESPN whenever this is disputed. Okay? Yeah. I mean, those are just facts. You're six feet. If it says you're six feet. On ESPN.com, you're six feet, dude. Things are great with us. So much so that I bought a ring and plan on proposing when we leave in three weeks for a trip to explore the national parks of California. Love to get there one day. I'm not concerned about her saying yes or not, but more so whether I should bring up a prenup after the engagement to provide some context. I'm currently working in finance at a publicly traded company making roughly 120 grand a year while she earns about 50k a year in a more entry level role in the legal field. I brought up a prenup before and mentioned I think it's a good idea, partially because my own parents divorced when I was younger. I know my dad got burned financially by it. This is something she has always pushed back against saying she felt it indicates doubts about the marriage and going into it. It's also the fact she's an only child and her parents are set. Her parents are set to inherit some serious cash. So you'll be good, like roughly equal to what the bucks are paying Dame to not be on their team next year. Ooh, damn, that's. That's a big number. My parents have done well for themselves, but not to that level. I feel great about my relationship with this woman, but should I bring up or push for prenup still? I'll hang up and listen. So she's going to inherit some cash? Well, look, man, I don't know what kind of protections they have on inheritance stuff, you know, does it mean it's actually going to trickle down to her? Would you be in that divorce window after the bliss of those early years of marriage? I think it's smart. You're also telling us you work in finance, so maybe you're expecting again, no salary cap, no luxury tax on yourself. So maybe you're like, look, and I, I do think it's kind of ridiculous for somebody to not understand where you're coming from. Coming from. To see the financial ruin that it can put. You know, some parties are equal parties. A lot of parties are not equal parties in a marriage. And you know, once kids are involved and all the stuff that goes, there's just not a lot of sympathy on when you talk about it publicly, like how some men get absolutely destroyed by this. So I appreciate you being sensitive to it because I know what it's like. But look, it sounds like if I'm just being like, just talking here, it sounds like you're probably better off not getting it. So you can push for it and she can say no, and it's still kind of a win for you. Unless I think your head's in the right place. But. Right. Isn't that the thing that we should probably say out loud if we're being totally honest about what dudes would say.
Ceruti
Considering the scenarios, her family assets aren't her assets right now. So theoretically, if you got divorced in two years, hopefully it doesn't happen. But obviously, this is what we're talking about this for. Like, she only makes a certain amount of money. We don't know what's even in her name. All this stuff could potentially be in her family's name. Even though she is going to get it at some point, like, she could. You're still going to have to maybe pay her some sort of fee or alimony or whatever afterwards. Like, you're right. The kids thing, I guess you don't have any kids, so that doesn't complicate it, obviously. And you have to talk about it. I think the one thing about this whole conversation, though, is you. You can't do them close together, right? You got to propose and give it a good amount of time and. And then bring it up.
Ryan
Up.
Ceruti
Right. Maybe like halfway between the wedding and the proposal, right? Because then there's enough time to, like, if she really doesn't like that, then, like, you can decide what the future is, but also not ruin, like, you know, for the next, like, couple months, she's gonna be excited about getting engaged. So you don't want to ruin it with being like. And by the way, here's the prenup talk. So I think that's my only advice, is just give it some time after.
Ryan
You propose an open marriage on our wedding night.
Frius
I think if this is important to you, should do it. But you need to come at it understanding her perspective and be empathetic about that. I would sort of do it in the sense of, like, this is sort of my childhood trauma that this happened to my parents. And so obviously I'm worried about it. You hope that it's never gonna happen, but because of what happened, because of my family history, I would like these protections. And, you know, if that doesn't work, you go from there. But if it's important to you, I think you should do it. You just have to sort of realize that. That she's not going to be happy about it, at least initially.
Ceruti
Maybe she'll be pumped. Maybe she agrees with you. You know, who knows?
Ryan
Probably that's not going to happen.
Frius
Yeah.
Ryan
Yeah. I don't, I don't. I don't know what to do about any of this stuff, really. I, you know, is there a way, like your point, Ceruti, is, Is really good. Can you work the angle of this is what I grew up with. This is what I saw.
Ceruti
But, yeah, thanks.
Ryan
Oh, it is Oregon's point. God, I'm just not getting enough appreciation.
Ceruti
But it is a good point.
Ryan
You're right. Yeah. If Ceruti had said it, it would have been even. Well, it would have been slower.
Ceruti
Thanks.
Frius
Deceptive, though.
Ceruti
That's right.
Ryan
Yeah. I also think there's worse. Well, see, this guy actually isn't being as devious as most people. I think would be okay. Because there's also something that you would have to check because I know about, like, one divorce. You know, just friends of friend type of thing where one party had all this money in the family and that person didn't have the money yet. And then when the divorce happened, the other side was like, well, you're going to be worth all of this. And like, the lawyer was fighting. It was like, hey, none of that is mine. Mine. None of that is mine. It may be mine one day, but, you know, you don't, you don't get to like, pre tax me for earnings that I don't even have yet, so. But that's not even where this guy's head's at. He's. He's not. He doesn't seem to be wired that way at all. He'd just be totally fine going separate ways. Maybe they should just make it a law. The thing too is everybody has to have it. Like optometry. Yeah. Maybe you're reading about big up Tonometry the other day. What's that word?
Ceruti
You're catching up on that?
Ryan
Yeah.
Ceruti
Sounds exciting.
Ryan
A lot of questions.
Ceruti
Well, here. The other. The last thing I'll say too, is he said she was like an early career lawyer, so chances are she's going to be doing all right in like a few years too. So I don't know.
Ryan
Yeah, I just wish symbols of love were like, hey, understanding, being supportive, having my back, making sure I don't doubt myself. You know, I do think, like, getting older with relationships is. It's not stopping the fight. It's just stopping like the pointless arguments about something, something or something. Accepting that you don't understand, you know, the difference between men and women where you say, you know, like, I have. I have a couple friends, right? Went on a golf trip and one of the friends had to call his wife every night. Had to call his wife every night. And I'm like, why do you have to call every night? He's like, I don't know. But I just do it, man. Because you know what? Calling, saying, I love you, saying good night, saying, how are the kids? It's not that big of a deal. It's not that big of a deal. I don't understand it. If she went away on a trip with three of her friends and I didn't hear for her for 24, 48 hours, I wouldn't care at all. I would never ask, where were you? How come you didn't call me? Because guess what? We're all old now. We're not even doing anything that much fun. We're sitting here and we're golfing and it's just nice to check in. So I do think, I don't know if it's evolving, but growth at least. Because I can only give you the male perspective. The growth in a relationship and having it be healthy is at times. Just stop asking why you have to do something, especially if it's minor. I mean, I'm not talking about major things. I think a prenup is far more major than just a nightly check in in. But I thought it was really like, interesting. It's like actually, as I got to a certain age, I stopped wondering why I had to do this stupid thing. And I just did it because it wasn't really that much of a derailment from my day. And if I don't understand it, I'm never going to understand it. But why even try to understand it? Just do the thing. There you go. That's just. We weren't even prenuping there.
Ceruti
Just do it.
Ryan
There you go. Yep. Like, all right, good luck. What else do we need here? Just the fantasy football ones just aren't super interesting.
Ceruti
What's it in relation to like a. I don't know.
Ryan
This guy did that. That guy did this.
Ceruti
Oh, like we're talking about, like who got picked where.
Ryan
Yeah, I know.
Ceruti
Oh, man.
Ryan
Does anybody want to hear that? Wrong show Oregon. Oregon's on fire today. Okay. Blind 1, 6, 3, 2, 60. Around 120 kilograms. I'm Australian. 120 thick boy. Not really a weights guy, but more of a low intensity elliptical guy. Very polished footwork and post game. But with my short arms and obviously unathletic NBA comp. Kelly O. Lineker and his cannon. I'm 33, moved back home to live with my parents a year ago. After ending a four and a half year relationship. Four and a half years? Could they be connected? Have delayed finding my own place. Not because I'm comfortable with the home amenities, but because my parents are actually great company and I get lonely easily. Parentheses teach me question mark.
Ceruti
Just feels different, man.
Ryan
Yeah, you get lonely easy. You cannot do this. Just telling you right now. Recently started dating again. Have gotten ghosted a few times for living with my parents without a valid explanation since breakup was now a year ago. I'm sorry to laugh, but this is helping. This guy's like, great. Any idea of potential backstories to come up with to justify living at home that aren't blatant lies that can get me in trouble down the line? P.S. andrew Roberts Napoleon is one of my favorite nonfiction books of all time. I have the Churchill one as well, but. But haven't touched it yet. Currently reading Fukuyama. All right, let us know how that goes.
Ceruti
An easy answer here.
Ryan
What is it sick?
Ceruti
Yeah, you just, hey, I'm taking care. You don't even have to say sick. Just say, I'm just taking care of my parents.
Ryan
My dad's slow.
Ceruti
Hey, they just need help around the house and I'm a nice guy.
Frius
I don't even know what else that could be besides that. Like, yeah, my parents needed some help, so I'm sticking around here for a little bit.
Ryan
Yeah.
Ceruti
Then you bring the girl over and your mom just out. She's like, yeah, he's been living here. We've been trying to kick him out for two years. It's like, oh, man, Mom. But you cross the bridge when you get there. You know, you get on a couple dates.
Ryan
First you say that they're sick, and then it develops. They come over and your parents are just outside wiling, playing pickleball. Like, yeah, they've really turned the corner.
Ceruti
They have good days and bad days. Yeah.
Ryan
That'S so wrong. Come on, what else? What else could we come up with? I mean, we could say that he's starting to save for a small business. Women like entrepreneurs.
Frius
But then she'll be like, what's the small business idea?
Ryan
Yeah.
Ceruti
Then you're a project.
Ryan
Well, no, but that's a secret. You can't just fucking tell everybody. I mean.
Ceruti
Yeah, it's not public yet. Come on, think.
Ryan
I'm just telling you, we haven't made out yet.
Frius
Saving money to buy a house. You know, something like that.
Ryan
In between landscapers. Saving money to buy a house for the right audience is a great call. The problem is, much like College football. I think people think short term, although there's a lot of long term thinkers, but they're making assessments on short term decisions. I don't know if that made any sense. It did to me. So it's not going to be cool. Like, would you, Would either of you date anybody that lived with their parents at this stage of your life?
Ceruti
Well, that's the problem is because I have done this.
Ryan
But when I was in high school.
Ceruti
No, I was in my early 20s. So when I was working with. When I was first working at espn, I was working overnights and whatever. Like, I didn't. I lived at home because, like, I didn't go out anyway, so, like, might as well save some money and hang out. So I lived there for two years and I dated this girl who also lived at home who was going to school still. She was in her grad school situation and it, like, we were kind of like bonded because of that. But if one of us was kind of not in that situation, I think it would have been a lot weirder and probably wouldn't have worked out. This guy's 33. That's a tough sell.
Ryan
I thought Australians are more laid back about this.
Frius
I think they are.
Ryan
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I know nothing about Australia.
Frius
When I was there, they were telling me they don't call each other girlfriend, boyfriend. They think that's really childish. They just say partner, which I was kind of into.
Ryan
I don't know if that'll catch on here. Maybe it is. It feels like it means a whole.
Ceruti
Different thing here though, you know?
Frius
Yeah, that's what we were trying to tell them.
Ryan
Yeah. But I don't know. I think it's actually kind of crossed over into all kinds of relationships. Like, I've heard it before, then expecting, I think, what you guys are hinting at. And then it's like, oh, okay, life partner is what I'd like to say, but I don't think that's going to catch on at times.
Frius
It's a mouthful, really.
Ryan
You're gonna have to fight, like, anybody that's deciding that this is a deal breaker and that you're getting ghosted for. I mean, we could get into it and say that, hey, that person's kind of shallow. But I know full well, like, north of 30, if another girl were 30 and living at home, you know, walking up to like pick her up and stuff, like, hey, how's it going, Jeff? You know, know what, is she staying with you for the weekend? Dropping her off on Sunday?
Ceruti
Yeah, it's a tough.
Frius
Also, what is this guy's plans for like getting out of the parents house?
Ryan
Wait, what? War gone.
Frius
What is this guy's plans for getting out of his parents house?
Ceruti
It doesn't sound like he has any.
Ryan
Right.
Frius
Like maybe, maybe work on that before coming up with the lie about why he's lonely.
Ceruti
He gets. He can't. He's lonely.
Ryan
You know, he's lonely.
Frius
Dude, maybe get your own place.
Ceruti
Have you heard of the male loneliness epidemic on.
Ryan
Yeah.
Ceruti
I guess.
Rob Gronkowski
Yeah.
Ceruti
I think it has to be. You're helping the parents or it's. Or it's like, hey, it's a financial reason and I'm like just really savvy financially and I want. I have all these goals later in life. That's. Those are kind of your two options.
Ryan
Yeah. Lie.
Ceruti
Yeah, 100%. Yeah, well, both of them are lies really.
Ryan
But maybe you can make it a mental health thing so it's not a physical update. Like, hey, how's your dad doing? He's not seeing people anymore. Hallucination stopped.
Ceruti
But again, you're going to run into problems if this becomes a serious relationship.
Ryan
You have.
Ceruti
You have some explaining to do. Six months from now.
Ryan
A follow up on the male loneliness epidemic that I've read so much about. No one's asked me for a quote yet, but because you're doing great, you.
Rob Gronkowski
Know.
Ryan
No content hits like on the other gender. That is just auto, auto engagement now. I don't know when it took off. I'm noticing it a little bit more now. Maybe that's because I read one and now I'm like, oh, this guy loves this stuff. But it's just like some woman had one the other day. It was like, men today ain't shit. They don't do this, they don't do this, they don't do this. 15,000 thousand retweets and it was auto. And then you can just be a dude and be like women today. Stuff that they want and then what. What they want versus what they're bringing. The stuff they won't do. 10,000 dudes just being like, hell yeah, brother, that's not going to help.
Ceruti
Solid solidarity. I saw. I see. I don't know what's real anymore online, but I did, I was reading this thing where this, this. I think she was a TikTok influencer who was married with kids. She had this. She posted this video about how she doesn't cook breakfast for her husband. She only cooks it for herself and her kids because she's like, she's He's a grown man. He could do it himself. And apparently he like saw the video and filed for divorce a couple days later.
Ryan
Like, damn, I'm with you. I never believe any of those. Like, whenever it's, here's what I do or don't do for my significant other and it's just like the most atrocious thing and then everybody freaks out and says how terrible the person is. I think that means that that person's winning, that they did the entire thing. Is there any way, is there any way you could build a fort on their property?
Frius
Yeah, I got this place in the tree behind my parents house. Come check it out.
Ryan
Is that worse?
Ceruti
Actually, it's definitely worse. Yeah.
Ryan
Now that we're talking about it. Just don't think we were super helpful today.
Ceruti
Yeah, I don't.
Ryan
I mean, I see.
Ceruti
I. I'd want to live by myself. So I. I can't relate to this guy. I'm the opposite.
Ryan
Yeah. But if you have to, like, I. Stuff happens, right? Stuff happens in life. Guy just got out of a relationship, you know.
Ceruti
I'm not saying I wouldn't live with my parents. At some point I would just. There'd be an end game to that.
Ryan
Let's end this on a positive. And I mean this. It sounds like this breakup hasn't been awesome for you. There is nothing like the mental reset of going home. I don't know that it helps. I mean, some people have this incredible dynamic with their parents where they're not just their parents, they're their best friends. And it can be this recharging thing, but I think for a lot of people, and I would include this. And when I had to go home because I had no other options, it was awful. Okay? It was a reminder. I felt like I was going in reverse, you know, and it was like, I'm older, but I'm kind of still like their kid. And now I live here and I've had this taste of freedom for seven years and now like, there's things that are expected of me when it's still like, hey, man, you're going to live in this person's house, you're probably not gonna pay any rent for a little while. Well, you know, I do. I lasted only a couple months, so it wasn't like, it was like, hey, you didn't kick in for water in November. But it can be really tough, all right? And I think a lot of people would agree with that because it just feels like, you know, you never want to be like, you know what I want to do is. Well, I guess maybe sometimes you get a little bit older and you start reminiscing about going backwards. But going home is usually not this mentally uplifting. Reset. And you're kind of in that mode right now. But the fact that you are trying to date because you don't want to be lonely, there's so many other people that would be completely shutting it down, like, oh, I'm at home, nobody wants me. I'm not even going to try. I don't know if you struggled with that. I don't know that you thought about it. If you did and you're here, great. If you didn't, even better. And you're here. So that's great, right? You're not finding the right people. You're not finding the right person that's going to understand your situation. You're not finding the person that cares more about who you are than what your current living situation is. And sure, on the surface, if you introduce somebody and be like, hey, he's bald, or, you know, they don't even like, hey, you're going to meet my friend. Oh, what's he like? Oh, he's bald. Oh, he lives with his parents. Oh, he hasn't worked in three years. Like, that's just not a great headline.
Ceruti
Under six feet.
Ryan
Yeah. Unless it's ESPN.com but you are actually in a better place than I think a lot of people would be. Ending the relationship, having to go home, and not even wanting to get back into the game. A lot of our emails about guys be like, how do I get back out there? So if you keep throwing enough innings, you'll probably find somebody that understands where you're at in life right now and does not want look at your living situation as a barrier. But I would. If we're going to come up with a lie, you need to emphasize to everyone how right around the corner you're out of there. Even if it isn't true. You know, I don't answer and go, you know, I could. I'm pretty content. Cost are down. I could. I could do this another five. Yeah.
Ceruti
Free sandwiches.
Ryan
Yeah. Cuts the crust off. All right. Thanks to Oregon. Thanks to Frius. Thanks to Ceruti. We have the St. Barts episode tomorrow for the travelogue again. Tempered, tempered hopes. Ryan was still podcast Ranger Spotify.
Frius
They were gonna name me Michael Jordan. My dad was like, I don't think he can live up to it. So they named me Michael J.
Freddie Gibbs
Foreign.
Ryan
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Host: Ryen Russillo
Episode: Rob Gronkowski Talks Belichick in College and His Favorite Young Tight End. Plus, Freddie Gibbs on His Biggest Rap Inspirations and More.
Date: August 21, 2025
This episode features two in-depth interviews: first with NFL great Rob Gronkowski, discussing his current endeavors, reflections on his career, and thoughts on the current state of football and coaching—particularly Bill Belichick’s surprising foray into college football. The second half features acclaimed rapper Freddie Gibbs, who joins Ryen in his living room for a candid and wide-ranging conversation about rap inspiration, career evolution, authenticity, food, travel, acting, and more. The episode also includes life advice and listener questions, keeping the tone engaging, insightful, and fun.
Starts at: 01:25
Gronk details his partnership with T-Mobile and their high school football initiative, now entering its second year.
The campaign awards funding and resources to high school football programs, including a $1 million grand prize for a field makeover ([01:46], Gronk).
Gronk emphasizes how the campaign empowers communities and fosters hometown pride, with expanded prizes and participation this year.
Quote:
“We got more winners, we got more prizes and ultimately more ways to showcase hometown pride and empower communities.” — Rob Gronkowski [02:08]
Ryen asks Gronk about the early years of handling sudden notoriety and business opportunities ([03:33]).
Gronk shares how difficult it can be for young players to distinguish good deals from bad, admitting some early missteps and the challenge of learning to say no ([05:03]).
Emphasizes that football performance should always come first, as off-field opportunities will follow if you keep playing well ([06:30]).
Quote:
“I have too much on my schedule and it starts affecting your game on the football field... But you learn as you do it.” — Rob Gronkowski [05:51]
Quote:
“If you take care of your business on the football field... you don’t have to worry about those marketing deals. They will come.” — Rob Gronkowski [06:30]
Ryen poses a hypothetical: Would young Gronk have wanted to play for “college coach” Belichick ([06:18])?
Gronk says he likes discipline and structure, believing he would have thrived with Belichick in college, but acknowledges it’s a total mystery how the legendary NFL coach will fare at UNC.
Gronk notes the massive adjustment for Belichick regarding NIL, marketing, and distractions in the college ranks.
Quote:
“He kind of has that Deion Sanders effect. Right now. Everyone's interested in what the Tar Heels are going to do this year, but it's also like, what are they going to do?” — Rob Gronkowski [06:45]
Gronk discusses the challenges of live TV on Fox Sports—how preparation is different from playing football ([09:40]).
He alters his workout schedule to avoid feeling physically or mentally slow on TV days, sharing the parallels between game day prep and broadcast prep ([10:40]).
Ryen and Gronk reminisce about the physical peak of the early 20s and how aging changes recovery and performance ([12:47]).
Quote:
“When I work out hard, I get slow and I can’t think... So I like to work out Monday through Thursdays and chill out and then be full speed on Sundays.” — Rob Gronkowski [10:53]
Gronk clarifies he never actually overlapped with Mike Vrabel in New England, though everyone assumes they did ([15:28]).
Explains his hesitation to return to Patriots practices soon after retirement; it's too fresh, and he doesn’t want to feel like he’s “hanging on” ([17:08]).
Quote:
“It’s overwhelming when everyone's coming at you… I just never really been my thing to go out back to a football practice.” — Rob Gronkowski [18:45]
Gronk details the emotional recovery process after the heartbreaking Eagles Super Bowl loss, rebounding for a Super Bowl win over the Rams ([21:43]).
Quote:
“It was Super Bowl or bust, basically. I went to six Super Bowls in 11 years, which is just out of control.” — Rob Gronkowski [21:57]
Offers perspective for the Chiefs after their Super Bowl loss, insisting as long as Mahomes and Andy Reid are there, the window’s always open ([23:36]).
Gronk identifies Penn State rookie Tyler Warren as a favorite, likening his skills to his own and praising his route running and physicality ([28:16]).
Shouts out the creativity of the Miami Dolphins offense—at least before the rest of the NFL caught up ([28:16]).
Quote:
“There’s a player I really, really like who’s a rookie this year who I thought was going to be the first tight end taken… Tyler Warren… he kind of reminded me of myself.” — Rob Gronkowski [29:38]
Gronk gives props to Julian Edelman’s “Games with Names” podcast and plugs their upcoming live show at Boston’s MGM Music Hall ([31:10]).
Quote:
“We got like 4000 tickets sold right now. So, you know, get yours fast... MGM Music Call August 28.” — Rob Gronkowski [31:27]
Starts at: 33:49
Freddie discusses striving for improvement and differentiation on every project—his latest with The Alchemist included a Japanese visual theme to enhance the album’s overall “experience” ([34:21]).
Explains the music is often “the easy part”; the real challenge is concept, presentation, and visual storytelling ([35:09]).
Quote:
“I just wanted to add a piece to the series that we kind of made, really, to be honest.” — Freddie Gibbs [34:21]
Freddie values live instrumentation and likens his performances to basketball strategy—always switching up the attack ([36:45]).
Strives for innovation in every verse and flow so that his style is always distinct ([37:37]).
Quote:
“Every time I rap, I try to make a new flow that nobody ever really did. So if you try to copy it… that’s Freddie Gibbs flow.” — Freddie Gibbs [36:45]
He credits producers Madlib and The Alchemist for challenging him and making him better, especially when given unorthodox beats ([39:41]).
Cites Scarface as the rapper who made him “fall in love with rap” and 50 Cent as the one who made rapping feel attainable ([41:15]).
Quote:
“The first rapper that made me be like, ‘Yeah, I’ma rap’ was 50 Cent... The first person that made me really fall in love with rap... Scarface.” — Freddie Gibbs [41:24]
Talks about competitive drive and always seeking to outperform everyone in the room ([44:40], [45:29]).
Gibbs reflects on how authenticity translates to audience trust, and why trying to fake it in hip-hop is ultimately exposed ([42:41]).
Describes enjoying the path of doing things his way, even if it means so far shunning things like podcasts to concentrate on music ([53:52]).
Quote:
“Overall, you just got to be yourself and, you know, who you are is gonna, like, shine into your music automatically. I think you could tell when somebody's faking.” — Freddie Gibbs [42:41]
Freddie has caught the acting bug; he starred in films, loves the process, and only wants to do projects outside the “rapper” or “street” clichés ([59:32], [60:31]).
Comedy and “out of the box” roles (like vampire movies or comedies) intrigue him most ([61:15], [61:44]).
Quote:
“I want to challenge myself in the art of it all... I don’t want to just play Sonequa’s big brother and they got a gun across the street.” — Freddie Gibbs [60:48]
Prefers Teen Wolf over Hoosiers, enjoys horror films like “Weapons,” and admires Oppenheimer for its complexity ([63:30], [64:10]).
Cites Tom Hardy as his favorite actor ([69:28]).
Misses the era of anticipation for films and music—feels streaming has diminished quality and staying power ([88:03]).
Quote:
“I miss just having a movie in the theater and being like, fuck, I can’t wait to get that shit at home. Now this shit is in the movie theater, and two weeks later, it’s on streaming.” — Freddie Gibbs [88:04]
On comedy, reminisces about Gallagher, jokes about Carrot Top’s strength, and prefers old-school VHS delays ([87:12]).
Is critical of the proliferation of podcasts and AI-generated rap, worrying that “art is dying” due to lack of effort and authenticity ([89:00], [88:28]).
Quote:
“They got AI rap now... When you gotta ask the computer and to write your lyrics is whack. Right?” — Freddie Gibbs [89:28]
Starts at: 92:14
Listener asks if he should bring up a prenup with his soon-to-be fiancée—she’ll inherit a lot, but currently earns less.
Ryen, Ceruti, and Frius agree it’s a delicate topic; suggest waiting before raising the issue after the proposal and framing it in light of personal/familial trauma ([101:35]).
Quote:
“If this is important to you, should do it. But you need to come at it understanding her perspective and be empathetic about that.” — Frius [101:58]
Australian listener struggles with being ghosted for living at home at 33.
Advice: Either frame it as helping parents or as a path to financial independence—“Sell the idea you’ll be out soon.” ([109:41]).
Quote:
“If you keep throwing enough innings, you’ll probably find somebody that understands where you’re at in life right now and does not look at your living situation as a barrier.” — Ryen [118:00]
This episode balances true sports insight with a dose of music culture and authentic, often hilarious life advice. Gronk remains endearing and candid about his journey through football and life, and offers a window into the emerging aspects of football culture (college Belichick, NIL, etc). Freddie Gibbs is thoughtful and brutally honest—promoting originality, hustle, and authenticity in art, while giving listeners an unfiltered look into the mind of a great MC navigating modern celebrity and expanding into acting.
Highly recommended for fans of football, hip-hop, or anyone seeking honest, life-tested wisdom delivered with wit and warmth.