Imagine stepping off the corporate ladder and diving headfirst into the rhythm and rhyme of the music industry; that's the journey Dame Ritter, the brain behind Funk Volume, shares with us. This episode is a front-row seat to the candid conversation about Dame's leap from a secure job to the unpredictable world of tunes and talent. We exchange hearty chuckles and sincere sentiments on what it means to be called an 'OG' or 'auntie' in the business – titles that come with a mixed bag of respect and misperceptions for seasoned professionals. There's also a peek into Dame's current dance with music distribution at Too Lost, an invaluable platform transforming how artists share their music with the world.
As we navigate the twists and turns of the music scene, we reflect on personal career stumbles and the birth of the Music Entrepreneur Club, which steps in to educate rising artists where traditional resources fall short. This episode peels back the layers on the art of networking, emphasizing the importance of reaching out when you're in the best position to offer value. We also stir the pot in the hip-hop media debate, dissecting the integrity of platforms that shape the narrative, while advocating for those who authentically resonate with the culture.
Wrapping up, our dialogue ventures into the realm of social media and its dual role as a career catalyst and a minefield for artists. Dame unveils his strategy for content creation, from the engaging "We Need to Talk" series to supporting fresh faces through Certified Vibe. We also broach the delicate balance between online engagement and maintaining personal safety, and the broader implications of a generation coming of age in a digitally saturated world. This episode isn't just talk; it's an exploration of the symbiosis between music, culture, and the digital threads that connect us all.
Talk Soon! ✌🏾
Stay connected! Follow @wnttlk on all platforms.
Imagine stepping off the corporate ladder and diving headfirst into the rhythm and rhyme of the music industry; that's the journey Dame Ritter, the brain behind Funk Volume, shares with us. This episode is a front-row seat to the candid conversation about Dame's leap from a secure job to the unpredictable world of tunes and talent. We exchange hearty chuckles and sincere sentiments on what it means to be called an 'OG' or 'auntie' in the business – titles that come with a mixed bag of respect and misperceptions for seasoned professionals. There's also a peek into Dame's current dance with music distribution at Too Lost, an invaluable platform transforming how artists share their music with the world.
As we navigate the twists and turns of the music scene, we reflect on personal career stumbles and the birth of the Music Entrepreneur Club, which steps in to educate rising artists where traditional resources fall short. This episode peels back the layers on the art of networking, emphasizing the importance of reaching out when you're in the best position to offer value. We also stir the pot in the hip-hop media debate, dissecting the integrity of platforms that shape the narrative, while advocating for those who authentically resonate with the culture.
Wrapping up, our dialogue ventures into the realm of social media and its dual role as a career catalyst and a minefield for artists. Dame unveils his strategy for content creation, from the engaging "We Need to Talk" series to supporting fresh faces through Certified Vibe. We also broach the delicate balance between online engagement and maintaining personal safety, and the broader implications of a generation coming of age in a digitally saturated world. This episode isn't just talk; it's an exploration of the symbiosis between music, culture, and the digital threads that connect us all.
Talk Soon! ✌🏾
Stay connected! Follow @wnttlk on all platforms.
What's up, guys, and welcome to we Need to Talk Weekly. We'll be dropping bonus episodes every week with a weekly recap of what's been going on. These are my thoughts, and my thoughts only, and my intention behind this is to spark conversation amongst my community, to keep the conversation moving forward. So what's up, guys? We need to talk, and today I have a very special guest in the building. We got Dame Reda joining me. Og exec. Wait why are you laughing at that?
Speaker 3:Because I'm just getting old, I'll probably have some old tapes.
Speaker 1:No, no, it's not when I say OG, it's just respect, like you've been doing this, I appreciate it.
Speaker 3:I've been working in music for a while now. So, I mean, I expect it. I got some grays coming in. I was watching a clip. We did a documentary for the label I used to run. We shot it in 2011, 2012. Just looking at that person versus a lot less hair Grays, the skin. I'm getting older. It's just what it is. It's all good If it makes you feel any better.
Speaker 1:I've.
Speaker 3:I'm getting older. It's just what it is. Yeah, it's all good.
Speaker 1:If it makes you feel any better. I've been called an OG too. All right, that's wild, no.
Speaker 4:I'm serious, no, no, no. When you get to know Nia a little bit better, you'll understand why. No, no, she's like 80, bro, wow, okay.
Speaker 1:No, I mean like interns and turns and stuff like that.
Speaker 3:People just feel like if you're knowledgeable, you know, and you've been doing it longer than then they just throw it on you. No, it's like getting called auntie, I got called auntie too, auntie, og, it's like. No, I think it's just because you carry yourself with a little bit more professionalism, you sharp, you know you're not rough around the edges, and then maybe they think that's old. But that's to me is is somebody that takes this shit serious? It's definitely not old.
Speaker 1:That's a good point. That was so complimentary.
Speaker 3:It's just. Everybody else needs to step their game up. That's what it is I agree.
Speaker 4:This guy, he's charming, this guy's charming.
Speaker 1:Hey, not one life told so far. But, dane, for those who don't know, you already mentioned you used to run a label. But for those who aren't familiar with who you are and your track record, can you just talk to us about your journey in music?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I didn't even know I was going to be in music. Like coming up I was just a fan of music and even going to college and going into the corporate world, you know I worked for big companies like Wells Fargo, goldman Sachs and Deloitte.
Speaker 3:Were you in finance? No, I was. It was. I was an auditor for Wells Fargo, so it was, I mean. And then I was in operations for Goldman Sachs. I worked overseas in London. So basically, all that to say like music didn't even enter my mind until I got laid off from Deloitte and my little brother hit me up he was going to UC Irvine at the time saying yo, I want to drop out of school and do music. And just because the timing lined up with me getting laid off, I was like all right, let me just help him out. You know he had a friend of his named Hobson who went to high school together. He was in an equally frustrated position, but different. He was signed to Ruthless Records at the time. So we had to get him out of his situation that we could start our own independent label called Funk Volume. And that was how I got stuck in music.
Speaker 1:That's his villain aura story, how I got stuck in music. But wow, that's fire. Okay, so you started your own independent label. That's in the 90s.
Speaker 3:No, no, no, no no.
Speaker 1:Man you really think you's on the shit. No because you said Ruthless.
Speaker 3:Records. It still existed. This was 2000,. This was like 2008. It still existed At that time. It was ran by Eazy-E's wife. Oh, okay, they weren't really doing much.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, okay. That's why I was like Ruth Ruthless Records.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and so it still existed, but it wasn't you know Like prominent. It wasn't, like you know, back in the day.
Speaker 1:Got it, Okay, okay. That's the only reason why I said 93. I'm like Ruthless Easy.
Speaker 4:I'm not that old, I'm like damn. She really took that OG thing to heart.
Speaker 1:Don't do that, all right, so talk to me about Funk Volume. Love the name, by the way Funk.
Speaker 3:Volume. We did our thing from 2008. It took a few years for it to be something. I think in 2011 is probably when we hit our stride. We were independent. Then we picked up Dizzy and Jaron Benton as an independent label. We had three consecutive years on the freshman cover. We had Hop and then Dizzy and then Jaron. So there's not too many independent labels that can say they had a run like that. You know, um, so we were doing our thing until it crashed and burned in 2015, 2016, me and hot butted heads in the most ridiculous fashion ever. You know, just kind of picked up the pieces. Since then, I'm still in music. I'm the director of communications for a music distribution company called two loss, the best music distribution company stamp.
Speaker 1:It called two lost good, you can look at that camera. When you got to make a point like that out there, use the code.
Speaker 3:I think you have certified. Okay, you certified. Don't use my code. You certified, yes, um to get three months free music distribution.
Speaker 1:Interface is fire Benefits, is fire Tracking all your analytics also fire? I just did a walkthrough, so that's how I know.
Speaker 3:Yeah no, it's the best platform out there. And then I also I don't manage any music artists anymore, like I don't think I will ever do that again. I manage Big Ja, who's a comedian, director, actor, I mean multi-talented and then a young lady named Persephone, who also has a podcast, is in a lot of Big Ja skits, so she acts, hosts, things like that. So I still work with creators and, like I said at Tulas, I'm introduced to new artists all the time. So I still feel like I'm in it, kind of knowing what's going on. But yeah, that's what I'm working on now.
Speaker 1:I love that you have worn so many hats. I feel like that's just a part of being in the music industry, you don't? Really start off with one thing and stick to it, you kind of dabble into different things, but I'm curious more about your experience, because you said it crashed and burned and I feel like a lot of times when things crash and burn, you kind of it kind of leaves a bad taste in your mouth and then you kind of don't even want to participate in it at all.
Speaker 1:So, like how did you recalibrate? And like say you know what?
Speaker 3:I'm going to go this direction recalibrate and like say you know what, I'm gonna go this direction. Yeah, I mean, you realize, once you have so much experience in something, um, it's kind of hard to to pivot to something else. I mean I could, I could go back to doing what I was doing before, consulting or something like that. Um, you know, but I felt like I built up so many relationships, I got so much experience, so much knowledge kind of doing what I was doing. I still wanted to apply it and work with creators going forward, just in a different capacity. So I did start the Music Entrepreneur Club, but that wasn't really a business. That was more so, you know, just understanding that education is important.
Speaker 3:A lot of these artists are, you know, running through the music industry, not even learning the business that they say they want a career in.
Speaker 3:So I thought it was important to start that. That had different phases and even to this day it's more of like a podcast where we're just giving game just from our perspective, actually being on the ground doing it. You know, because there's a lot of stuff that you can learn in books but there's so much stuff that's not going to be in a Donald Passman book, because if haven't done it, then you don't know what kind of conversations to have with artists, you don't know how to manage expectations, you don't really know, like, how to do it independently, you know, in 2024. So I just felt like it was important to just start that platform now. You know this was in like 2016. Now there's a lot of other platforms that I respect, that have great perspectives and, you know, I try to pour into those folks and those platforms as well and amplify what they're doing, because you know it is possible to make a career in music these days. It's just still difficult.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no salutes to you for being willing to pour into other people who aren't aware and even just waving the flag Like hey, you know free game. Just because it is really hard to find people who are willing to put you on and a lot of people don't want to teach, like, because I had to learn the hard way, they want you to learn the hard way too. So, like big salute you got a tribe.
Speaker 3:I feel like I don't know maybe I mean again, we don't know each other that well but I feel like you surround yourself with great people that you know they hopefully can help you stay away from some of the mistakes that maybe other people make at this age yeah, I got a tribe now.
Speaker 1:Okay, I got a tribe now, but it was a lot of falling in the beginning and even then, like it's different layers to it how we're talking about you and like the different hats you're wearing. So, as I'm like growing and trying new things, you know you need like different mentors for different phases of your life.
Speaker 3:So like like currently.
Speaker 1:Obviously Angie Martinez was like my first one. She helped me just get my foot in the door, followed by Charlemagne, who really helped me like just navigate the media space currently and taught me how to like get money. And then now I have Cortez Bryant, who obviously is an exec, worked with Drake Wayne and Nicki Minaj. So I'm like I learned so much. But I say, on the exec side, it was hard for me to find somebody who was willing to believe in like what I'm trying to do and I'm really thankful. Like New York is hard to it's hard. People are cold here, they're not opening up. But I'll say like Angie's different. She's a New Yorker but she got a different heart. Charlamagne not from New York and we're both from the south and we just connected. So that worked out. And then Tez, I'm just thankful.
Speaker 1:I'm thankful for all the mentors, but yeah you're one of those anomalies, I would say yeah, no, you need.
Speaker 3:I mean you need people, especially as an artist, especially if you're looking for a manager or something like that. You need somebody that has experience in how you want to build your career Right.
Speaker 3:And I kind of maybe kind of shift in terms of what you were just talking about. But, like for an artist, if an artist wants to sign, if an artist wants to be the biggest artist in the world, you know that that needs different resources than somebody that wants to build a sustainable business. You know, spend their time with their family, you know don't care if they're recognized when they go out in public. So it really just depends you got to find the people that have experience doing it the way you want to do it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so Nope, that's a great point.
Speaker 4:Did you claim that you're from the South?
Speaker 3:You finally claimed that she did and she told me before that she was from Maryland, did you?
Speaker 1:finally claim that? Did you finally claim that I was confused?
Speaker 3:I thought maybe I wasn't listening.
Speaker 1:I do not want these socks to show. Sorry, but what I will say is I'm an Army brat so I be set tripping. Sometimes it's complicated. I hate when people be like where are you from? Because I'm like.
Speaker 4:Well, I mean, for years I've been telling you you're from the South, but I'm not from.
Speaker 1:This is the problem, because people from y'all neck of the woods Boston, new York, whatever look at Maryland as the South. Then you got people from the South who look at Maryland as the North. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4:Is it below the Mason-Dixon? Yeah, but it doesn't. So you from the South man, I don't know, you got to claim that it's such a complicated question.
Speaker 1:But Anyway, Damn man, why are you pulling my car?
Speaker 3:like that. I was in minor detail for me. I wasn't judging. You can do whatever you want.
Speaker 4:This is ongoing back and forth between us, so anytime. I get an inch, I take it, I have to.
Speaker 1:Oh pause, no Pause, oh wow Pause. That was crazy, that was crazy.
Speaker 3:That was crazy, I forgot I was in New York.
Speaker 1:Yo, that was crazy. Yeah, it's the home of Cam and me, so you know, it's nonstop up here.
Speaker 3:Oh, my goodness, I gotta be on my P's and Q's, oh, absolutely.
Speaker 4:Especially around her. She's really the catalyst for this Anyway.
Speaker 1:Speaking of catalysts, we're talking about Music Entrepreneurs Club and just pouring into people. Yeah, and talk to me about what made you want to start that, like was it one of the the people that you're managing well, not managing, but that you're working with now you are managing no, well, I'm yeah, but no again.
Speaker 3:No music artist what really made me want to start. It was because that that was one of the reasons why I felt like my label crashed and burned was just a lack of education.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Right, I feel like if artists learn the business, you know there's still going to be some dust ups here and there, whether it's because of money or ego or whatever but at least you can be kind of on an on an even playing field in terms of what we're talking about when it comes to the business.
Speaker 3:When it comes to the business, like it's really hard to have a conversation with an artist that has no idea what they're talking about when it comes to the business or what you know. I mean, I guess fair can be subjective sometimes, but like what's what's typical, you know it, why certain people get paid certain things, like if you don't, it's extremely difficult to have a conversation with an artist that just doesn't get it, you know, doesn't understand publishing, doesn't understand how money flows, like this, so so that stuff is super important and I feel like if an artist does understand the business, they understand, like, the importance of the people on their team. They can respect and value each member of their team, you know, and, like I said, said less likelihood of something going south.
Speaker 1:Understood. Talk to me about, well, do you know how many hats that you have worn in the industry? Because there's people who have came up to me, even this past weekend when I was in Charlotte. They was like you know, I want to work in music, but I do this and I kind of want to do this and I want to do that. And I literally told them yo do it all, like do it all, and keep doing it all until you can't no more. You know, one of them is going to take you further. One of them is going to how many hats have you worn?
Speaker 3:I mean as a manager, I mean label owner, manager, I mean, but then a manager marketing, you know, at first would be before we had a booking agent. I was, you know, I was booking the tour, do everything. You know, when you run in a label or even as an individual artist, there's really like five businesses in one right. You're making the music. There's a touring side, a publishing side, management side, like it's a lot. It's a lot that artists have to build in order to really be successful in this and that's why, you know, I just try to help as much as possible because I've seen it, I've done it, I know what it takes to be successful and I don't, I just don't want not having the information being the reason why, you know, some young talent doesn't make it.
Speaker 1:So it's safe to say that's normal, do it all.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you got you. I made a video about this recently. You, you should move like you will always have to do this by yourself, because you never know when you're going to get legitimate help. Yeah, I mean, somebody might offer to help, but that might not be the right person. You know, that's probably putting the wrong person in a role is worse than having no help at all. So just move like you are never going to get help until you do come across somebody that genuinely wants to live up to the type of support that you need. And every artist needs somebody different. You know, sometimes artists take on responsibilities and they got that. They got social media they got. They know how to social media. They know how to shoot videos. They know how to make beats. You just have to acquire as many skills as possible so that you can be self-sustaining. But eventually, if you make a noise and you're starting to get some traction, you'll probably meet somebody at some point. But until then, just move like you're never going to get help.
Speaker 1:Fair enough.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, dang, shout out to you some point, but until then, just move like you're never gonna get help. Fair enough, yeah, yeah, dang, shout out to you, dame, for real, because you really practice what you preach, even how we even got here today. Um, you know, I don't know how you and alex actually connected.
Speaker 4:I have no idea, but yeah, I mean I kind of just reached out through through jayzak, because I'd been a fan of the music entrepreneurs club for like years up to that point. Um and to, to his credit, he's just always been kind of like a helping hand. If I had questions he would just answer them. So it was just like damn, this guy's actually genuine Fire. He wants to see people win.
Speaker 3:Nah, I mean, I think at this again at this age. It's not only about recognizing artist talent, but I feel like there are certain qualities of individuals that, like, really want to make it in music in general, so like young professionals, you can kind of see. So I don't respond to everybody and anybody that reaches out, but I feel like if you're starting to do the work and you know, I see that you know you probably have a lot of potential doing it on the business side. You know I'll support when I can or how I can. Just, you know, just don't get mad at me if I don't hit you right back Because you know, just, it gets busy sometimes, yeah, especially as you start having more success, or you know you start doing things. You know lots, and there's so many different ways for people to hit you up these days, like emails, dms, texts, you know.
Speaker 1:He's like I ain't looking at that.
Speaker 3:No, I just again. I just do the work. Yeah. And you know, I think, ultimately good people flock to good people. So you know, hopefully eventually you'll be able to to build, to build your tribe.
Speaker 1:So yep, I agree with that. Um, okay, this is my last question interviewing you because this is supposed to be more debate, but I'm just curious um, have you gotten, or like I guess what would be the best approach in reaching out to people because I know I be getting? I guess what would be the best approach in reaching out to people Because I know I be getting DMs and emails? Same thing, and you know, some people like flirt with me and then ask me to play their record and just be like yo, like look, I'm, you know, pick one. You're automatically on my shit list if you do that type of vibe, but I'm sure you get the same thing. Like people feel entitled to your knowledge or to like your time, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:No, I mean I do a lot of. I mean people that I don't respond to. Just tap into what I'm doing. You know there's a lot of stuff that there's a lot of things that you can get just from the podcast or, hopefully, my tweets and the content that I create on Instagram. You know networking is a skill and you know you can't just be out there hitting everybody up with nothing that you have going on. There's no, there might not be no mutual interest in what you bring to the table. So I would sometimes you have to wait to hit somebody. There's a lot of people I have access to, but I don't just be hitting them up, or I I'm not just gonna go tweet and tag them in a tweet just to let everybody else know that I know this person or do something weird that's that's probably step number one.
Speaker 3:Just don't be weird.
Speaker 1:I know it's hard for people a lot of weird people, could you keep?
Speaker 3:saying that, I mean it's, it's the weirdest industry that I've ever been a part of, because I've been in, you know I've been in finance and then as a consultant. You know you work in different industries and whatnot, but it's like, but it's, you know it's an industry that doesn't really require, like, a certification or a certain level of years of experience, so you're gonna get more weird interactions than most, like, even if you're a plumber, you gotta I'm assuming you have to pass the trade, yeah get some kind of certification, but there's none of that in music yeah
Speaker 3:so you're gonna. So when I was running the label, I mean, that was kind of one of the things that I loved about is, like throughout the day I could be, you know, interacting with a brand. I could be interacting with an artist, family member, something going on, um, you know, there's so many, there's a range of people that you have interaction with, is is is huge, which is which is cool and, you know, can sometimes be a hot mess, but people still gotta be strong yeah so just wait.
Speaker 3:You know I'm saying a lot of of times, when you just follow the people that you want to work with and learn like you know what they need, yeah, just learn the time, because I'll sometimes post exactly what I need. You know somebody might you might follow somebody and they might be in your town and they're just looking for a restaurant or somebody that can you know, won't mess up their hair or something like that, won't mess up their hair or something like that. You can provide value in different ways, but you don't have to rush and reach out to somebody just because you feel like you have access to it. Just wait, you don't have nothing to bring to the table. Nothing about what you're doing stands out, so you shouldn't have an expectation that they even respond to what you're doing. That's real.
Speaker 3:So be patient.
Speaker 1:Great advice. Yeah, I love that patience.
Speaker 3:that's what you always like to tell me too proactive patient, I mean, I probably just I know I think I made that up, but proactive patience. It's like you have to be patient but in the in the meantime, be working on your shit, build, building something special, you know. So, while you're waiting for you know a time when you need to reach out to somebody in particular, be building something special so that when you, when that connection happens, you can present what you've been building, and it makes that much more sense I'm patiently building.
Speaker 1:We need to talk up so I can be considered in this conversation. Hip hop media big three that has been. You know that conversation has been going on. I think Adam 22 out in LA brought it up saying that hip hop big three was Adam 22, academics and Joe Buddy.
Speaker 4:No, no, no Vlad, he said Vlad.
Speaker 1:Oh, Adam said Vlad. I'll let you do this because you came up with these topics I'm sorry All right.
Speaker 4:So basically, with the great hip-hop debate of many decades of who is the big three per decade, whatever the case is, obviously Drake, j Cole and Kendrick Lamar has been a hot button topic. So Adam 22 actually posed that question to Drake and was like who is the hip hop media big three? And he said it was himself, with no jumper, vlad and academics. So then Drake rebutted him and was like you can never put DJ Vlad over Joe Budden. So we started talking and we were like who is the actual media, like hip hop media big three, and like I guess it's like what do you go for in terms like the media that you listen to and you know what would be your big three of media? Cause, like you listen to and you know what would be your big three of media because like I don't know if I would ever put those three in my media big three even the one that he swapped it out for yeah, I'm not putting vlad in it either yeah, like maybe joe budden for
Speaker 1:me. Yeah, respect to vlad for sure, uh, credibility wise, but he also covers such a wide range. They kind of offer different things. Like Vlad is more like documentary style where, like, joe was actually commentating on, like, what's going on. But I just think it's blasphemy that nobody included Charlamagne. Maybe I'm biased, maybe I'm not, but I think it's undeniable. Like we're talking about people were saying hip hop is dying, blah, blah, blah. It's the 50th. And then now we got Future and Metro Boomin shaking things up, and then Charlamagne's even on the project they got his voice being sampled on the album. So I feel like it's ridiculous to include a big three and not include the voices that are actually monitoring and commentating on the things that are actually happening. Like documenting, I feel like doesn't really. I'm not going to say it doesn't count, because I do interviews too, but it's like a different. Like the podcast episodes that drop Monday through Friday are not the same as this conversation that we're having you know, yeah, what do you think?
Speaker 3:I mean I would have to put the Breakfast Club in it, like to me. I don't see how you omit the Breakfast Club. That makes no sense to me. It's hard for me to separate, just like my personal, because I'm not really a fan of Adam 22. Just what they do. I don't respect their approach to you. Know, I guess you call it hip hop media. It's just a. It's just a different lane and I just think the integrity on a lot of these platforms is low. Yep.
Speaker 3:It's super low. So, you know, I I don't even like being a part of a conversation, like because I don't really consider them like respectable platforms. But that's just. But that's just me. I understand why people watch their stuff. Yeah, you know they have an audience. You know even somebody like academics it's, it's wild, like I. That's why I like talking to people like you, because I feel like there's no more sways Like after Sway we didn't really get anybody that just really cares about the culture, you know, knows about the culture After Sway. That's why, for a second, when we were coming up, we had Team Backpack. That's why I supported Team Backpack, because there were young cats that really, you know, cared about the culture and that's why I respect what you're doing. Um, but I feel like we need, instead of even having conversations around the big three of vlad and, you know, adam 22 and these, these platforms, they're really just, you know, driven by money and clicks and you know instead of I prefer to just uplift other platforms.
Speaker 4:Yes man, yeah, ok, yeah, she had the interview.
Speaker 3:Yeah, she's got a cool little thing going with her friend. Like I'm more so tapped into people that are talking about like worldly things, things that are affecting the community. Yeah, I'm not trying to hear about what you know sexy red is doing. I'm showing my age, I'm not knocking anybody that is that that's in tune with that stuff. I'm not knocking anybody, that is that's in tune with that stuff. But you know, I'm just, I'm past all that. But big three I would have to. I would just put the Breakfast Club up there.
Speaker 1:I like Sway.
Speaker 4:I think Sway's still in there, cause a lot of his freestyles are still going viral so then I guess, like the maybe not rebuttal rebuttal's probably not the right word but like do you think there is journalistic platforms in hip hop today that are still you know, that still cover it, and maybe not even like OGs, like Sway or the Breakfast Club, but are there younger platforms that skew younger, that do a good job?
Speaker 1:Can I chime into this? I think that it's no longer platforms, it's people you know like, because these bigger platforms aren't hiring the right people who are targeting like the now. So now it's like, you know, like Rob Markman, for example, super passionate, definitely like does his research states the facts he works at Genius super passionate, definitely like. Does his research states the facts he works at Genius.
Speaker 1:But it's not like Genius is propping him up to be the figurine and like take his lead on. You know what I'm saying? Because he has his finger on the, on the pulse, but he has to do his through like Twitter, you know he does like short form videos on Twitter. So now it's like it's no longer these publications leading on Twitter. So now it's like it's no longer these publications leading, it's now like people, which is why academics is actually, you know, leading, and even in the conversation of the big three, because him as a person, he's so much in the mix that Drake is sending him the record early, you know, to play on live and stuff like that. So like now it's just a different.
Speaker 3:But that's what kind of messed it up, right, because you know it used to be more about celebrating the arts, the culture, the artists, but then once we got social media and we can celebrate ourselves and we can put ourselves first, I think that was kind of the beginning of the end for hip-hop journalism.
Speaker 4:It's all personality driven. There's no more. And you know you start getting a bunch of money and you know building these platforms. The end for hip-hop journalism. So it's all personality driven.
Speaker 3:There's no more. Yeah, and you know you start getting a bunch of money and you know, building these platforms and it ain't it's about money first and it's not about the music, it's not about the artists, um, which is unfortunate. I mean, you know, get your money, build your business, but you know there's definitely a a big hole for, you know, people that have some integrity.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's why I like that. When Kendrick said it's a lot of goofies with a check, I mean, oh, I felt that I'm like yo, I be online and just as like a media personality. I feel like it's a circus and I don't really be wanting to be a part of the zoo like I really know there is some things to learn from the people that are winning.
Speaker 3:I mean, you don't have to adopt the lack of integrity, but just in terms of, like, you know, the showmanship, yeah, the you know there's other reasons why, why they're like they're what they do. They're good at what they do and they're good at grabbing attention. But, you know, I just wish there was more more young folks out there that that you know really cared about the music, and I'm going to keep connecting with those people. Try to support those people. You know, even if they never get to be as big as, you know, dj academics or some of these other folks, even if they never get to be as big as DJ Academics or some of these other folks.
Speaker 4:So then, what's, I guess, what are you guys' opinions on streamers? Because I think that has become a major outlet for a lot of artists to break through. So, like Kai Sanat, someone like Aiden Ross this other streamer named Speed Ross, this other streamer named Speed Do you think there's a way for that to be the new version of journalistic, for journalists to be able to break through?
Speaker 1:I think it could be if they wanted to, but to me I see it more as entertainment and there's nothing wrong with that, but I'm not looking like a profound or something new. You know what I mean. Like it would be something new as far as like lifestyle, you know, like tyla went to kaisa not stream or whatever. Um, even nikki went to kaisa not stream and she's up here dancing doing the hips like I think it shows people more.
Speaker 4:That's not shade oh, okay, she ate it.
Speaker 1:She ate it I don't want no problem with the bar, but all I'm saying is like I think the streamers are showing more so lifestyle where, like it's just a different lane, like it's not as in-depth, yeah.
Speaker 3:I mean, but people are going to go where you know artists are going to want to promote their music on whatever is hot is hot.
Speaker 3:What's what's going to get them the most exposure? Um, I've never really sat down and watched a stream from kaisa, not or and or, I don't really know. I just see clips of what they do and it really just looks like they're having fun, like you know, just having a good time. So I don't know if I'll put them in the same bucket as, like you know, potential journalists. But you know, I think I think, like with Gilly and Wallow, I think Gilly and Wallow are cool. You know they have good chemistry, they do. You know the drink champs. I wish I wish they wouldn't drink as much. You know, as you get older, especially you know old black folks drinking too much, they be slamming them drinks on that show I hope. Sometimes they put water in some of the glasses and they just act like that. They should. But cats be on there just getting wasted Going crazy.
Speaker 1:Oh, it's a setup, it's a perfect setup.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, I think what they do is cool. It's a good celebration of, typically, typically, like you know, uh, legacy, yeah, legacy acts, um, so there's platform. I mean, the great thing is there's, there's content out there for you know, whatever your vibe is, I think, yeah, um, it may not be as big as academics, but you can find the stuff that, yeah, you know, makes sense. So you, so, you know, for me I need a good comedy. I like to stay up on what's going on in popular culture, but it's also, you know, it's politics stuff, it's community stuff, it's sports stuff. So I got to get you know a good variety of information.
Speaker 4:Well, I'm glad you brought up $1 million worth of game. Hold on, go ahead, do your thing. Well, I'm glad you brought up $1 million worth of game. Wait, hold on, go ahead do your thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because that's going to take us down a whole different tangent. But before we do this, I just want to say that's why the Breakfast Club should be on the list, because they've actually expanded past hip-hop media.
Speaker 3:It's got to be on the list. Yeah, it's wild.
Speaker 1:The to be on that list. Yeah, they're interviewing presidential candidates and yeah, they've expanded it. So to your point, you can still listen and chime in, and not you'll get the sexy red tea, but then you'll also get a little bit more. But I just want to say, um, for me I think you know I want to highlight angie, just because she's a woman in this space and she's been able to rebrand herself and keep up with the times, especially with her podcast in real life right now. And then, um, I want to pick a media big three.
Speaker 3:I do so, just a non-bias.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean if you just but you have to anytime, you do this because I feel like anytime you have debates about, you know, big threes or who's the best, like you have to so that you're on the same page. You have to set the parameters of what we're talking about. Okay, that's true. You could just be like, okay, who gets the most reach? And that's true. You could just be like, okay, who, who gets the most reach, and that's the top three of who gets the most reach. Right, and that's and that's. And that would be a very just, factual conversation about okay, are we going based on views?
Speaker 4:or so. I guess the parameters that I would set and I think because of the space we're in with hip-hop, like impact, what platforms actually like move the needle and it's like you know who are the people that have a pulse on what's really going on Like that would be how I dictate, like the big three, yeah.
Speaker 3:Well, I would take one. I would definitely put, because my timeline might be different, because I don't see shit. Well, adam 22. I don't. I've successfully. You've curved that. I've curated my feed so that I don't see stuff like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:So I would see in my world and in my feed and my social media land, I see the Breakfast Club stuff. I I would probably see joe budden even I don't really follow the podcast like that I would see joe budden stuff and then probably probably, uh, gillian wallow in terms of in terms of my world.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I would say for me and Alex, you know this, I don't pay attention to hip-hop media. Actually, ironically, I work in hip-hop media but I really was drawn to it for music, so I usually just pay attention to music and I also don't like. I feel like everybody kind of repeats narratives. Another reason why I don't pay attention to hip-hop media or Twitter. I hate Twitter. But I would say for me, just from like, because I don't follow academics. I definitely don't follow Adam 22, nor does that stuff come my way, but the things that do end up come my way.
Speaker 1:Obviously, breakfast Club, joe Budden and I had to say academics, and you know some of these people that I just named. I'm not fans of everything that they do, but when it comes to just culture, impacts and relevance, you know it's happening. Academics is getting the records early. Joe Budden is being featured in records, charlamagne, tha God is being featured in records. You know what I'm saying. Breakfast Club is still having their pulse, not only in hip-hop culture but just in American culture. At this point, I think that's a more fair list and this is no slight to Vlad, because I think what Vlad has built is dope and incredible and absolutely necessary, but I don't. You know, honestly. I'm just now seeing what Vlad even looks like. You know what I mean To even have you considered a part. I don't.
Speaker 3:you know, honestly, I'm just now seeing what Vlad even looks like you know what I mean, to even have you considered a part of that conversation, I would edit my. I mean just to try to be non-biased about it. You got to put academics in there. Yeah yeah, yeah. So I'm going to take out Gilly and.
Speaker 1:Walla no, keep them. I think that Gilly and Walla are.
Speaker 3:I mean, they're doing their thing.
Speaker 2:They Like Gilly and Wallo are I mean they're doing their thing.
Speaker 3:They do what they think. If we're talking impact, you know, on today's music, I mean there's no question. What academics has built is huge and as annoying as his voice is. He's figured it out, man he moves the needle, for sure.
Speaker 4:All right, Fair enough. Well, I wish you would have kept Gilly and Wallow in there, just because Gilly actually has some really interesting comments to make about the ongoing rap feud between everyone, and you know his stance is that because the, the diss records, aren't disrespectful from like you know what Kendrick put out, what J Cole put out and even Drake's response he doesn't look at this as a real like. This is rap beef, and I think you're actually probably a perfect person to speak to this, just because you're older than us. Obviously, when you grew up, I'm sure the rap beefs that you've probably witnessed were a little bit more intense than what we deal with. So I guess, like let's play the clip.
Speaker 2:I also think I'm with three people that are qualified to talk about what's happening right now. I'm seeing some people say, wow, so mature J Cole, so mature it was. J is a guy, great dude, respect. It was a total move, bro. First of all, let's just be honest, bro, that's not no diss record. The big three, it's just big me. If that's a diss record, that's corny. I'm just being at. The last time I checked this, records went like this first off, give quit, we game.
Speaker 4:You claim to be a player, but I'm so like do essentially like do disses have to cross lines, like you know, in rap feuds, or can it be like, just you know, a verbal back and forth of who's the wittiest, who's the most clever?
Speaker 3:yeah, I mean so my take on it. Like I I was, I had no problem with jay coe apologizing. I thought it was mature of him. Um, you know, hip-hop turned 50 years old, so now we're getting to a point where you have fans of hip-hop that are older, probably have different perspectives on things, you know. Just just in general, I feel like people have a hard time apologizing. You don't see no apologies on Twitter. You don't see no At all. So I thought it was big, because it's like we're asking these cats to do something that nobody has really ever seen before, like in terms of look. We don't have a problem with each other. Matter of fact, we've been thinking about making music together. Yeah, so you think that J Cole's going to dip in his bag and create a hit him up record against somebody that we were going to potentially collaborate?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:In what year have we ever seen people that didn't have no problem, like just just start going at each other as viciously as what gilly just suggested? Like who all that's, all the stuff he's talking about came from? Like real, real situations, like real drama, real beef. You can't I, I just don't envision a hit him Up record from J Cole, like especially at this age, like he's about to be 40. Why would he want to be that angry? I'm with you. Like these artists are at the top of the top and what can you say about them? Like, what could you possibly say about Kendrick? These guys are at the top of the top, pulitzer Prize winning. You know platinum selling artists selling out around the world. J Cole, same thing, sell out around the world. You know amazing music. Why are these guys in the top? Why are these guys the big three? Because they make great battle records. They're in the top three because they make great music.
Speaker 4:Yeah, but I think the maybe with Cole. I think the issue that people take is, you know, for the last three years, like everything has been braggadocious about how I am just the best pen in the game and I can, you know, you put whoever in front of me and I'm going to show you so, and then for Kendrick to finally come out and be like, you know, like the big three that you guys talk about, it's really I'm the one that you should have your eye on. I think that was the disappointment was like here. It is like kind of served up for you, maybe not like from a disrespectful standpoint, but from the just the competitiveness of like you know, steph and standpoint, but from the just the competitiveness of like you know, stephan, lebron, go at it in the finals and they can be friends afterwards. It's like I think that's what we were kind of envisioning as opposed to like real drama but what?
Speaker 3:what's what? What's the equivalent to what you are expecting? Like what name two artists in the past? That's the equivalent of what, what you're expecting? That has ever happened.
Speaker 4:Fair enough, but I think that's why we were hoping that it could be something, because it was like we know this isn't real. This is literally just sport. Now.
Speaker 3:And maybe I'm not tapped into J Cole's lyrics like that, but is he saying in his songs? Is he saying if you put any MC in front of me, he's saying he the best out.
Speaker 1:He is saying he the best out. He is saying he the best out. But that doesn't mean no, no, no.
Speaker 4:Like he is saying you put anyone in front of me and I'm.
Speaker 1:Which I mean, I'm not mad at that, I still. He's still my favorite. You know, I think I agree with you in the sense of, because of how hip-hop beats have traditionally went, I didn't expect it to go this way. So because he did apologize, it's like, well, what is this? This isn't what I signed up for.
Speaker 1:You know, I'm thinking I'm coming to see Steph and LeBron and then it ended up, you know, steph's like, nah, I'm red shirted. You know what I mean. So I get that approach. But then, like Dame said, we already know these two are friends. And not only is it, it's not just like a typical beef, it's not one and two, it's one, two and three. You know I'm saying so.
Speaker 1:It looks like cold sided with drake, like just the optics, they look a bit nuts. You know, I'm saying like, all right, we know you're friends with kendrick, but then you're on a record with drake, and then we know drake and kendrick hate each other. And then you're talking about the big three, but then you're saying you're best of the big three, you're saying you're Muhammad Ali. So I understand, and I think I don't know if Cole was thinking about the optics, like I think he's just right in, right in. He's friends with both of them.
Speaker 1:He's not really thinking too much of it and I feel like he did apologize, and this is just what I think. I think he did apologize because he's friends with Drake, he's friends with Kendrick. He probably knows the animosity on both sides or whatever it is, and he's like you know what. I actually don't want to be a part of this. I'm sorry that I even entered the chat. I'm just going to make my way out. Look, bro, you know I think he tried to deliver for us because he knows that hey, everybody in rap this is the sport, this is exciting and then realized this ain't me, you know what. I don't got to do something that's not me, just to please you niggas. You know what I mean and I really think that's what happened. And now he's like I'm out.
Speaker 4:So then I guess for elder statesmen in hip hop, then right, because I think a lot of the backlash too that's been coming out has been with people like Styles P, for instance. Like he came out and he was like you know, I'm really conflicted because as an adult and a grown man I love the fact that he apologized and recognized that you know this isn't him. But then like because I'm a rapper and because I'm an MC, like I wanted to see that and then Jadakiss even went up on the Stephen A Smith show and was talking about how he wanted J Cole to go at him. 50 Cent, the king of all beefs, 50 Cent. So is it on maybe like elder statement in hip hop to be better guides and just be like I mean, I think there's different pockets.
Speaker 3:If whatever J Cole decided to do I think makes sense, I think there's pockets of hip-hop where you have back and forth there's people that got into hip-hop to just make party records. Two live crew Right, yeah.
Speaker 1:You know what?
Speaker 3:I'm saying there's different pockets of hip-hop. So to me, and this is just for me as a fan of J Cole, I didn't become a fan because you know he could battle somebody. I made a fan. I was a fan because of the records that he made Love Yours, and you know just, that's not why I became a fan. So I get it if some people are disappointed, you know, and maybe it would have been fun to see him go back and forth, but again, we've never seen that, ever, and I've never seen it. You know somebody dip in their bag and do a hit him up for somebody that they're cool with, yep, um, that would be weird. That's well said. Yeah, good point. So so, yeah, I just I don't think it's gonna have. I know that mall from rory and mall said something like it's gonna be career suicide. I think you not even said that no, whoa, whoa, never.
Speaker 3:I just said I was disappointed I would never probably gonna get more fans for this yo, I think so too. In the long run, he's gonna get more fans. Um, you know he's 40 years old. Yeah, you know, he don't it, just he, he. I think he made a mistake by putting that record out there. It was a pretty lackluster record. I was like, you know, somebody should have stopped him from uploading that. But you know, rappers, they just be talking shit all the time. We don't hold everybody to every single word that they say yeah, um well, you shouldn't, you know?
Speaker 1:now people want to hold cole against every word and they're saying, like I can't listen to him the same now, like those tweets are really pissing me off because it's like yo, your favorite rapper has a ghostwriter and ben has, you know, has had a ghostwriter for years, but you listen to him the same. You still in the club singing them records word for word, like he. You know what I mean.
Speaker 4:So don't do that to Cole just because you're mad well, I think with Cole is because, you know, this is like me coming as a Cole fan where, because we held him to that standard of like man, this guy really cares about the art of this and it's like, look, we've had as cold fans had to go through hell and hot water defending him from like all the boring takes, all the like.
Speaker 3:You know he makes sleepy music who are you guys defending him against? He's selling out stadiums listen it's fandom man it's fandom I get.
Speaker 1:It's why I don't like Twitter. Man, I hate Twitter. I really do.
Speaker 3:If you look at people's top ten, you're going to have at least you know there's going to be artists in everybody's top ten that never battled anybody right, yeah. Well that we know of. I mean they might have battled somebody on the block or whatever. Who has Andre 3000 battled? He might have battled somebody, but he don't have a but we don't have a record from him that you know, maybe coming up he did. I'm sure he battled somebody at some point, but like he's in everybody's top five.
Speaker 4:But I think the difference is I don't know any Andre 3000 records where he's came out and claimed that he's the best, or literally called himself Muhammad Ali the rap.
Speaker 3:The best of what, though? The best at me telling you how many different ways I'm going to fake, kill you, or the best at creating the best music? What is it the best of?
Speaker 1:I just want to get this off because you said this earlier. The tweet that I tweeted the day after Dreamville Fest was I don't love rap for the ego. That was never the appeal to me. The real appeal for me is storytelling. I gravitate towards music that inspires me or gives me something to admire. That being said, after sleeping on it, I respect Cole's decision to live his truth, despite what people may say. Still looking forward to the fall off, because that line reasonable doubt, comparison, you know, got me anxious. I'm curious. But hold on to the point about the drill records and the best at trying to kill somebody. I feel like, if you guys are really like, if hip hop fans are that hungry for a diss record, go listen to drill music. There's literally kids right now, you know, on their ops, tombstones, doing all types of wild things. It exists. You don't got to put this on people who are storytelling or doing braggadocious raps but I don't all right.
Speaker 4:I think there's like a a slight discrepancy there in the sense that, like those I think people know that is too real, like it's like the drill stuff, like what's going on in Chicago, what happens in the Bronx, florida, florida, like I think there's like enough discernment to know like these are real beefs that are taking people's lives. People are going to jail behind that, where, like literally this Kendrick J Cole, whatever, like it, just felt like sport.
Speaker 1:No, drake and Kendrick is real.
Speaker 4:I don't know. You know what I'm saying. I don't know.
Speaker 3:So let them go. I mean, so let them go If something that they have.
Speaker 3:I know they've been jabbering at each other for a long time, so you know, hopefully people can get their popcorn out and thatills their desire to see two heavyweights go at it. And again, if that's what you enjoy, then I respect that. That's not what I look for in music and I don't think this record has ever really gotten me excited. That's not why I listen to music and I'm not knocking anybody in which. That is why I listen to music and I'm not knocking anybody in which. That is why you listen to music or you enjoy it. I see I mean people like wwe, people like all kind of thing. That's cool. There's just different pockets, um, and I'm just it's dope that hip-hop is finally maturing to a point where you know there there's just different lanes and different perspective and I like that. People have applauded J Cole for the stance that he took and I don't see nothing wrong with it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm not a fan of war, just in my everyday life, but then also, you know, watching it. But I will say, when Like that did drop, you know, alex over here waking me out of my sleep, hey, hey, hey, you gotta listen to this I'm like okay. And when I did listen, though I'm not a fan of war, I was entertained. You know what I'm saying? Because kendrick's um delivery, because you know, kendrick can be super nuancy and like hit you with double entendres, but he really gave it to you straight, like he fed it nice and straight to you, like each bar, you know, mother, fuck the big three, nigga, it's just big me nigga bum, like oh. And then the nigga bum gave it like a moment to breathe where you live, with the previous line, then followed up with nigga prince outlive, mike jack, nigga bum is like damn, like he just kept hitting me with um shots and I was able to track it. So I I would say like, though I'm not a fan of war, I like the excitement of, like the.
Speaker 1:I didn't see it coming you know, the surprise feature and, like I didn't even know, you know Drake and Future were beefing I already knew Kendrick and Drake had their whole thing with with rap. But um, I guess I'm saying all this to say I'm not a fan of war, but I am entertained by those who do like it. Yeah, but that don't mean I gotta participate.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, it's cool. I'm just not gonna take you out of top rappers of all time because you don't make battle rap.
Speaker 1:Oh my God. So when Academics was like J Cole was no longer in the big three. Like you've been removed. Now it's Drake, kendrick and Future like I. That was the most disrespectful shit I've ever seen. Are you kidding me?
Speaker 4:Like make it a fantastic four. To be honest, I think the worst thing about all of this in J Cole's for J Cole is that he just left himself open to be a punching bag now, because that's like again the maturity aspect of, like you know, just being able to say sorry to a friend like is really commendable. But because I think, in the climate that we're in, especially with all the different people that have opinions on the matter, it's, like you know, have rappers like simba, like, literally within a week of the apology he's already dropped the record and that's gonna be you know what I mean, and that's why, and that's why it sucks, because it's like man it feels like this is he's being diminished to this apology but you know what?
Speaker 1:this isn't the first time he apologized. He apologized to nas. He's been doing this. Just what, just?
Speaker 3:what will prove my point, I think, is when he drops his album, his album is gonna go crazy and it's probably, it's probably even more interest now in hearing what he has to say on the fall off. So it's gonna go crazy and I like, I like simba too, I think. I thought that was pretty whack of him, you know, because you know, just to try to capitalize in a moment like that, that's not, that's no disrespect, but that's not your league, big dog like yo punching up.
Speaker 1:That's what I said too.
Speaker 3:That's not that, that's not. You're're sitting at like 200,000 monthly listeners, like you know, spar with somebody in your, in your, in your league.
Speaker 1:I said that too, you know, that's why trying to remove him from the big three is crazy, because at the end of the day, this is his second time apologizing. You know, let it be known, but he's still a Titan Like For sure, so you know let it be known, but he's still a titan, for sure.
Speaker 1:HG Vindope also did one. There's a few rappers who are like coming for Cole and I'm just like, you know, do that with your class. There's a bunch of y'all. Y'all can go at it. This is grown folk business right now. You know what I'm saying, so I don't really like that either.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's been interesting to see.
Speaker 3:I'm not gonna lie. I'm like wow, but J Cole ain't tripping about Simba or anybody else dropping a diss track. I think he's in a place where he's comfortable, like so but you know Cole be embracing all the new rappers.
Speaker 1:He invites them to the dream. Revenge of the. What is it? Revenge of the dreamers?
Speaker 4:you know how they do those sessions and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:So I feel like you know, I don't know, that's like me coming at you, Dame, Like why would I come at somebody where I can actually learn from?
Speaker 4:Don't bite the hands that feed you.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I don't. I mean, yeah, I would let those Titans do what they're gonna do anybody else. You know you haven't really earned the stripes to to step into the ring with those guys. So, um, yeah, it's unfortunate, yes, there was a.
Speaker 4:There was actually an interesting article, um, in the huffington post. They they talked about this, about how, like, hip-hop has a maturity issue of like. How can everyone kind of look at this as like a terrible moment for hip-hop when, like this guy, literally, you know, was just aware enough to apologize and, like though, the article kind of ended up going off on a tangent about, like it's, this speaks about toxic masculinity in hip-hop and how, like it's, uh, it shows like the homophobia and how, like, being a soft man, like whatever is you know, makes you less of a man is. I guess the question I have for you guys is, like, do you feel that there is like this toxic, like layer that we just can't break through as like a culture in hip hop? Or like, do you are we progressing, like, do you think, with this?
Speaker 1:Culturally and musically, I would say, yes, there is a toxic layer, um, but I I don't think toxic masculinity really has anything to do with, uh, homosexuality in hip hop. I think it's two different arguments. Because toxic masculinity, or if it, you know, have something to do with homosexuality, I think it's neglecting the fact of what it does to women as well. So that's my only tidbit with that article, like I think it. I think the headline and then what it wrote about was kind of like veering into a completely different direction, where this is not this about. It's about hip-hop culture and the people that are in it, but, um, in regards to, um, it being toxic. I think that's what Kendrick's last project was about.
Speaker 1:Uh, mr Morale and the Big Steppers. Like he talks about toxic relationships, but he's been doing that since, you know, section 80 days. But he talks about toxic relationships. He talks about, um, you know his aunt changing. But he talks about toxic relationships. He talks about, you know, his aunt changing sexes. He talks about different things that culturally we're not used to and I think, because hip hop comes from, you know, urban communities, broken communities, like toxic is all we know.
Speaker 1:So that's why Cole apologizing, like you said, we're 50 years in now. We're seeing different generations, so I think we're're supposed to progress. I think J Cole doing this is a sign of progression but because you know, it's almost like love you dad, but like trying to get my dad to go to therapy would be like pulling teeth, like he don't want to go to therapy. He's a hood nigga, he don't, he don't want nothing to do with that. And I get it. You know you come from the crack era, you lived a different life, so I'm it's not for you, but it doesn't mean the next generation can't live a different, you know, live a healthier lifestyle yeah, um, I mean, I just think that there's.
Speaker 3:It is dope that well, yeah, there is a. There is still a problem with homophobia and toxic masculinity in in hip hop. But I think we have so many different voices I mean all voices may not be amplified, but I think we have a lot more diversity in music and I think it's a great thing. You know, I think that the Cole situation started conversations that we haven't had and I think these conversations are healthy in terms of taking music to the next level or taking hip hop to the next phase. So I think different artists are going to see this and may feel comfortable creating something that they really wanted to create, that maybe wouldn't have otherwise. So, at the end of the day, I think this is positive.
Speaker 3:And just me personally, where I'm at in my life, you know I'm 43. So I'm closer to J Cole's age. I have no problem, you know, with an apology. I think more people need to apology it. Actually, you feel better when you apologize. You know, not knowing you wrong and keeping that in like that's got to eat at you. Yeah, you know, get that weight off yourself. So, you know, shout out to J Cole, but I think at the end of the day, it's going to be a net positive even for him, you know. Just wait, is there a date for the fallout? When does it fall?
Speaker 4:out Shit.
Speaker 3:We've been waiting for three years so far, yeah yeah, yeah, I mean, I just I'm looking forward to seeing what, what the I'm looking forward to listening to the music and just seeing what the reaction is, because you know, I think a lot of people's takes are wrong in terms of you know what, what the impact is going to be I'm with you on that one it's.
Speaker 4:It's interesting. It's interesting how many different like topics this like feud has sparked, because even um, like the, the ai I don't know if you, if you've seen it, me and now we're talking about it like someone released a ai disresponse for kendrick to drake um, I think his name was us send the rapper um and like that's me and Nyle have been talking about like wow, what is that going to do for hip hop? Now, like is this something that, like AI, can be an enhancer for this space? Or like is this going to be a detractor where you know, like we're kind of like we're losing the art now, like what, what is what does that? Like say to you guys?
Speaker 3:yeah, I mean for me. Anytime there's a new tool gets introduced, I think artists should embrace it and figure out how to use it to their advantage. Um, of course, you know, the word of the day is weirdo. Weirdos are going to take it and do do some weird things with it. Um, but especially in this day and age, where the requirement is that you have to, you know, keep up with the output and create more than you've. You know, put out more music than you, probably than artists in the past have had to put out music. So how could you use AI to enhance, like your music and your messaging, your storytelling? That's how I would be looking at it as a positive thing. How can you just use it as an additional tool in your tool belt, just like autotune, right? Autotune helped people be more creative, you know, do different things, experiment in different ways. You know, with the new AI, it's not going anywhere. So you might as well figure out. I don't know if you guys use chat gpt.
Speaker 3:Oh, my god for everything it saves a shitload of time, thanks, um, but you don't. A lot of times you don't just take exactly what it spits out. You still have to massage it a little bit, make sure it's representing your voice. Um. So for artists that maybe have writer's block or, you know, just want a different perspective or you can get more creative in less amount of time, you should embrace it, in my opinion, because I think it can help. Um, just don't do anything weird with it where the day is weird.
Speaker 1:Don't be weird. I definitely agree with that. I think I think the scary part to the AI is just not knowing and I guess we've kind of been here within the journalistic world but it's new to the music world it's just not knowing what's real or not, because it sounds like a fire Kendrick, this record to me. If Kendrick was to drop that, I would be like, yeah, this is tough. He even did a breakdown video to show why he inflicted the tease, because he knows Kendrick hits these letters a bit harder and stuff like that. So, just based off of like past resume, the way that you can mimic somebody is it's actually nuts. So my only, I guess, complaint is just not being able to tell what's real and what's not.
Speaker 1:But again then again, there's a lot of people who sound smart online to somebody dumb, that's the same thing, you know. And that's real life. That's not even AI, so it's like it's just hard for people to gauge authenticity.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I wish there was some kind of just notation on you know content that gets uploaded to the internet that said, oh, this is AI or this is real. Yeah, it's a scary place.
Speaker 1:They might have to make some laws on it actually.
Speaker 4:I mean, they're probably already kind of like potentially fighting for stuff like that.
Speaker 3:I mean laws are so slow. But you know, especially with the video, you know now with the video, you know it's tough, it's going to be a wild. I mean it's already a wild world. Yeah, Right now we're in the wild west stage, especially for a population that refuses to education, refuses. You know it's. Yeah, I think as a society we're just getting dumber and it's just gonna get more.
Speaker 4:It's just gonna get a lot easier to fool a fool um yeah no, literally every time a song drops right now, I'm like, uh, like I'm gonna wait until the artist says something, because I'm not, I'm not jumping out the window claiming this, yeah but I mean it's getting good.
Speaker 3:I mean some of this stuff is getting really good. Yeah. That's why I tell producers some of these beats that is produced from artificial intelligence. They may not sound good right now, but how do you continue to be? You know, how do you continue to make production a career when I could click a button?
Speaker 4:yeah, come out with a banger yeah, I think honestly for for indie artists, I think the barrier to entry now, like the more ai is in place and gets better and better, I think for independent artists, the more prominent they're going to become, because you essentially cut out a lot of like your expenses at that point and I know I read an article like way back that said, for a successful like musician who signed to a label, it takes like 33 people like that are from producers to people that are just working operations around their business to to get them, you know, to a point where they're successful in making money.
Speaker 4:So I think for independent artists, who have always wanted to do this on their own, this is probably like a great, a great thing, because it's like all right, I don't want to pull a youtube beat that everyone's probably already ripped. Let me just tell the ai the sound that I'm going for. Man, if I, if I have writer's block, I can just tell it. These are some words like help me, fill this in, and then boom and then even just refining like your voice, like if the ai is familiar with your voice now it's like man, I can just record a couple lines and have it. Have it, do the rest for me.
Speaker 3:Yeah I mean it's, it's, I mean it's still about, um, community building and storytelling. So, um, you know, if you're creating content, but you have the right messaging, you're telling the right story, you're telling a consistent story, um, and you're good at building community, um, you know, that's where that's, that's really what any content creator needs to focus. So, again, all these other things are just tools. They're just tools to help you create more content to tell you, so that you could tell your story, build, engage and monetize your community not gonna lie.
Speaker 1:I think that um hi whitney record that came out that ovo camp is claiming is um, is ai. I don't think that AI Because, just like the Kendrick record, the guy came forward and was like yo, I made the record. Nobody came forward and said that that Drake record was, you know, like hey, I created that record. Not to mention in the background you hear people in the back laughing like hey in the little clip. So I'm like yo, that record doesn't give AI. And then also, yeah, it's just confusing.
Speaker 1:But see, it's confusing it is confusing, but that record don't give AI. You talk about somebody's wife. That's crazy, this is crazy. That record don't give AI. But I also think it's clever of OVO to put something out that's that disrespectful and then be like oh no, that's just AI and just see, just see how people react to it. I didn't say that somebody else is talking about your wife like.
Speaker 4:I mean that that might be a good marketing tactic, honestly, just for people in general. It's like you just drop a song, see how people react and be like oh no, that was ai. Like I didn't, really that wasn't that wasn't me, oh lord. Yeah, I guess that's where we're at now yeah, that's kind of the landscape of things in my opinion.
Speaker 1:I don't know yeah, my, my first complaint. Uh, I think last year, when the ai thing I forget what was the first there was a record that went viral that somebody created with ai, and then oh, they had like an ai rapper or something like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah it was like a, I think a rapper that was deceased, that they did a record on it anyway. I can't remember what it was, but when I first heard it I'm like it. It doesn't sound real because there was no like inflictions and like it just didn't sound like the person. But after seeing the kendrick this and how he put that together, that sounded real. So like. I think. The more that people yeah like, refine it and use it, the more it's just going to be smoke and mirrors, you know yeah no, I mean.
Speaker 3:Technology advances at such a rapid pace that, yeah you know, we're not going to know what's ai and what's not yeah.
Speaker 4:I think the cool part, though, is like now, like you know, when you think of like hypotheticals, like imagine knowing you could create your dream collaboration of like man, like what would Michael Jackson and like J Cole sound like on a song together? Or like. Whitney Houston. You know what I mean Like think about that this.
Speaker 1:Sunday. I'm about to have a Drake. Drop you like yo. What's up? Nyla? I'm in New York City rocking with the, with the pretty certified vibe. Nyla Simone, it's the OVO thing, eh, and then I'm gonna get into, I'm gonna get into Trump.
Speaker 3:I'm lying, no, you're not. Maybe figure out how you can use these tools to your advantage. Yeah, and you know, like I said, build your community. That's really what it's all about. That's a good angle, because a lot of people reject technology and then, when they reject it, they end up, you know, paying the price for it. Or you know, even with like rappers that didn't want to get on TikTok because it was corny, you know now the algorithm's changed and it's harder to build on TikTok and you missed a window of three to four years where you could have been.
Speaker 1:On top you know, yeah, and they got a whole TikTok charts now, yeah, as far as music.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, it's just a tool. It's a tool in your tool belt. You should always have a long-term vision for what you're trying to build. Yeah, you should always have a long-term vision for what you're trying to build and just use those tools to get you there.
Speaker 4:Has that ever happened to you, where you felt like you missed the window on a piece of technology that came out?
Speaker 3:I felt like we kind of missed SoundCloud, because we really built our audience on Facebook. We were kind of a first mover on Facebook. We really got a lot of traction on Facebook and our music was on SoundCloud. Maybe it just wasn't a SoundCloud vibe, because it was there, but it just wasn't a intentional push on SoundCloud. We didn't like really focus like it was there but it wasn't. You know, let's double down, triple down, figure out how to really push this through through SoundCloud.
Speaker 4:Um, so yeah, maybe Soundcloud got you so like after that moment, do you feel like you were, like I'm never, this is never gonna happen again. Like, whatever tool drops, I'm gonna at least have my pulse like a pulse on it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean, I always tell creators, like, if there's another platform that you even think is going to be relevant, make sure you at least get your real estate. You know, get your handle, whatnot. Um, and you know we're posting pretty much the same content on all these platforms anyway, just continue to see content there and and if it does blow up, then you already, you know, had a presence there. Um, it's, it's weird to me that we haven't seen something like after tiktok or since especially since there's so many legitimate complaints that we have with some of these platforms it's weird to me that we haven't seen another like relevant platform emerge. So I'm keeping my eye open for something.
Speaker 1:They've tried. A few of them have tried.
Speaker 4:Shit, everybody tries.
Speaker 3:They make some of the dumbest mistake, like the most obvious mistakes. Yeah, um, you know, I don't I don't want to slam any any platform on here, but, like you know, if your platform is only just kind of mimicking what's already tools, then certainly already they're like on another platform, then it's probably not gonna win. Threads, yeah, I mean, I like threads though, but threads has a built-in audience already, so it's easy to migrate that over yeah, that's not who I was thinking about, but um you don't like that because alex loves twitter.
Speaker 4:Oh, man, twitter's. Well, I loved. I love twitter because it's like the, the global town hall, right. So it's like, yeah, of course there's information on there. That's just stupid. Not everybody should be talking, but just the fact that you can. If you curate your timeline well enough, you can actually get something useful out of it. So that's why I love Twitter or X now, but I know Elon's Twitter is.
Speaker 1:I think I need help curating my timeline cause I the narratives that I see on Twitter. I really just be over, like it really just be jokes and ignorant shit but it's like.
Speaker 4:So that's what he like yeah, you know, I love.
Speaker 4:I love nigga shit, so, but like I think to Dame's point earlier when basically like just the overarching theme of this combo about like finding people like with integrity. Like on Twitter you can find specific journalists Like I follow a lot of just like sports journalists, right. So like there's a lot of people that talk about sports, but then there's people that actually like cover sports or like beat writers and have like insight, and it's like the same thing with like hip-hop media. I think you can find people who like are actually covering it from like a tasteful perspective. Of course, like the hot takes are fun, just because it's like, yeah, like just talking points, but there is, that's all it's about. It's like curating it to what you're really interested in you know.
Speaker 3:So yeah, it's tough. I mean twitter's cool. I I messed up all of my social media platforms because I should have started over when funk volume crashed and burned, because there's a lot of funk volume fans that don't ride with me anymore.
Speaker 3:Oh, you got a lot of trolls I mean they don't say anything anymore, but they're just dormant, they just they still. They're there, they don't unfollow. So, like my engagement is low on my, on my pages, um, and I probably should have just started from scratch, like once the label crashed and burned complete rebrand, yeah, yeah, um. So I mean. So most of the negative comments has died down. Every once in a while somebody will say something ridiculous, but you know, I think most of that is over.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:No more death threats. Oh shit no death threats.
Speaker 1:It was never that deep yeah.
Speaker 4:For sure Yo. The same way, we're fans of J Cole and other artists. People were really, really tapped into Hobson.
Speaker 3:Hopefully you guys aren't the equivalent of no, no, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 4:Not like that, but I'm saying like our fandom. So I guess I'm saying like we're fans, we're like, we're passionate about it.
Speaker 1:We love debating this stuff, yeah, I might comment or want to do, but not a definite thing. Yeah, some people of like a doll and a little thing, like they're not real, you know, not real people online.
Speaker 3:No, it got wild. I mean it gets wild. I've never in my life like met somebody that came with that kind of energy Okay, or that was you know that wanted to fight or anything like that but online it had that static for you, yeah. Online static.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that static for you. Yeah, online static. Yeah, nice, it's wild, that's funny. Oh, I had one person dm me with online static and you know I don't even want to go down this, but anyway, um yeah, I don't you, I don't want no problems look, I mean you gotta be.
Speaker 3:You gotta be careful, though, because a lot of I mean you just never know what people are capable of these days. I could definitely see as a woman it's not a safe world. How you navigate the world is different than how I navigate the world. You have to think about so many other things. I'm not concerned about my DMs and stuff like that, but as a woman I can see how it can get pretty scary so I had somebody pull up on me.
Speaker 1:What pull up on me?
Speaker 3:and did what leave and work.
Speaker 1:Follow me they.
Speaker 4:Honestly, I don't even I mean, didn't this just happen recently too? You said some guy was just like he's. He was waiting on the street to recognize you.
Speaker 1:Walk over to the building tried to walk up behind me but you know it has like those things, it enters and close. So he walked past security, tried to walk in, tried to get in behind me but it closed on him. Then the alarm rang off and then he's like check your phone, check your phone. So I'm like what? Check my phone? The first dm is like you're so beautiful, but that was from like a year ago. Then the most recent one is like hey, that was me downstairs but I don't even know what the hell he wanted. And the previous person, I don't even know what the hell she wanted. You know, it's just weird man. Word of the day.
Speaker 4:Word of the day, guys Weirdos man.
Speaker 3:That's why I feel like I grew up at a perfect time, because we didn't have cell phones growing up so we had to learn to look people in their eye. We knew the consequences of talking shit like you know. But I'm also young enough to have technology introduced to me at a time where I can grasp it, yeah, understand it, take advantage of it, because the communication skills in some of the younger folks boy.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I think that the pandemic had a real effect on like younger generations and like their social interaction skills. Just because, like my little sister she was, her freshman and sophomore year of high school were pandemic years and I'm like those are like crucial years of, like you know, social development stuff like that and I don't like I don't really think we've seen just how bad it is until like they become like adults, like then I think we're going to really like see, like damn see like damn like, not to mention think about it.
Speaker 1:They're living like you know, we kind of got to see it evolve, but they're in in it like they grew up on ipads, you know what I mean. Like this is normal for them. So they're not going to be able to differentiate, like to me. I always have this debate with charlamagne. It's like yo, people don't necessarily understand troll culture. Like you might be trolling, but to somebody who doesn't understand what trolling is, they think you're dead serious. You know what I mean. So for for that generation, I'm concerned because I know they're not going to be able to differentiate what's real and what's not.
Speaker 1:And then also, when I think about it, like I feel like if you're a kid, like, like if the pandemic happened, um, when, like I was still outside playing with my friends and stuff like that, I would be having a blast because I don't got no curfew, I don't got nothing to wake up to in the morning. You know what I mean. If it's just online school, then great. But I think the reason for, like the teenagers who are entering that stage of I want to hang out with my friends all the time and then, like the other layer of social media. I think it's going to affect. This is just my theory. I think it's going to affect that age group more than it's going to affect the kids, because I think the kids who aren't on tablets are still playing yeah well, I would hope.
Speaker 3:I just think, like, especially going back to kind of networking, I just think it's important to to get in front of people, have real conversations. Yeah, you know, some people even their eye contact is weird, their daps be weird. Where did y'all grow up? Like, how you got a funny? You know when you like, you know with the fellas how we interlocked hands, not like this. No, no, no, no, I mean I don't have another person. What I'm saying is, like you know, you could tell, you could tell Like somebody that just hasn't had a lot of friends growing up.
Speaker 1:They might need to implement socialization classes for humans at this point. You know how dogs have it Like. After your dog is like six months, you want to get him into a socializing class so he knows how to act around other dogs.
Speaker 4:We might have to do that for people Like re-entry, for like for when people come out of the feds. Yes, yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 1:I think that might be necessary at this point, because technology's got a hold on people.
Speaker 4:Or maybe like etiquette classes, something like that. I don't know.
Speaker 1:My mom made me take one of those.
Speaker 4:But I mean a lot of it too is just like getting forced to go outside and like trial and error. You know what I mean. Like you get around enough people we were just talking about this on the walk over here. It certain black people who didn't grow up around other black people. There's a cultural layer that dapping up, knowing how to properly dap somebody up, you know what I mean. That matters. You can always you got to force people into settings to really build those skills. That's funny. But we're in a society like we're like in a society right now where you don't have to go outside, like nothing.
Speaker 1:Yo, academics don't leave his house.
Speaker 4:But like me, I don't have to Like I work remotely, like I don't have to leave my home if I don't want to Like I could order food to my house. All of have to leave my home if I don't want to like every like I could order food to my house, all of my social interactions could be, you know, just strictly my screen, I could call, I could FaceTime people, you know. I mean, it's like so it's like incentivizing people to actually like, want to do these things. Like how do you do that?
Speaker 1:I forget which Asian country this is. My apologies, but there's one where the population of asexual people is higher than people who are interested in heterosexual, heterosexual relationships or homosexual relationships. So they don't even like like one another, they just they like nobody.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I think it's China.
Speaker 1:They're asexual, Like that's their, their dominant sexuality choice out there. So and I think that's a technology thing, because you know they're way more advanced than us when it comes to that. So I feel like we might end up going that way. If you know, we continue to keep implementing technology the way that we are.
Speaker 3:Potentially. Yeah, well, for the creators, I mean, because you can build again. It really just depends on what your end goal is. Like most creators that I know, artists that I know, it's important for you to develop, like some people, skills. It's important for people to get to know you, get to like you. So, please, get out of the house, interact with people. It's important, it's so important. You know, to build relationships in this industry. It's much like any other industry. It's about the relationships you build and if you're weird, it's going to be hard to build those relationships unless you have a team that can help, you know, build those relationships for you. But you know you just have to get out and talk with people, get feedback. The emotional intelligence is crucial. Yeah.
Speaker 4:By the way, you should start branding weird Like. That should be like.
Speaker 3:I just don't have any other word that describes it better. Like cats be weird.
Speaker 1:Cats be weird.
Speaker 4:You know what?
Speaker 1:That's what we're going to name this episode Cats be weird. Cats be weird, cats be weird. You know what? That's what we're gonna name this episode cats be weird, cats be weird. But I mean, on that note, I feel like we can end it on that thing. This was very insightful.
Speaker 4:Thank you for coming you don't want to do your ashanti rant I was gonna do my ashanti rant.
Speaker 1:It was really more of Irv Gotti rant and how disgusted I was and how he tried to blast Ashanti.
Speaker 3:What's the Ashanti rant? What happened to Ashanti?
Speaker 1:Oh no, ashanti's in a great place. So really I'm just giving Ashanti her flowers because I think Ashanti is very classy, she's had a great career and I'm just really happy for her and Nelly because they're expecting a baby and they're currently engaged. So I'm just happy to see ashanti as a career woman, kind of get her cake and eat it too, because I know a lot of times they tell women you can't have both um and I. Just I love the way she's gone about it. So I just wanted to salute ashanti.
Speaker 1:But I think it's ironic because the whole or the way that ashanti and nelly ended up reconnecting is because erv gadi was trying to blast her, saying that you know, call her his old work. Essentially, that was weird too. Yo, that was mad weird, that was super weird. Like I would be disgusted if my father was on here acting like that about you know, his artist when he was married or whatever the case. Like the whole thing is just like why would you even talk about it? If you're doing a documentary on Murder Inc, then you should just focus on the music and I think if you would have did that she probably would have wanted to be a part of the documentary. But you're out here telling us stories about how you were grabbing her ass and you know I just like don't sexualize women and then be mad that they don't want to be a part of your thing. So salute to Ashanti. I'm super happy for you and Nelly and you know I'm sending them love. That was my rant, no that's not even really.
Speaker 3:I wouldn't even call that a rant, that's just. I think it's. Yeah, I think it's great that you know as you get older. I just had my second anniversary. I've been married for a couple of years now. I feel like you know relationships and love. It was easier when you're younger and when you wait as you get older it gets a little bit more complicated because you feel like you know more than you do.
Speaker 3:So if now they've circled back and everything is love, then I think that's amazing for those two. Two especially in an industry like music, where you know it's it's just unlike any other other industry. So salute to them if they're happy.
Speaker 4:It's amazing hardest part about marriage it ain't hard.
Speaker 3:I'm waiting to find the hard part. To be honest with you, like everybody keeps telling me, marriage is hard. I it ain't been hard yet, you know. So I'm, I'm waiting, maybe eventually. You know we're trying to have a child. That's been hard, but I don't you know other than that that has nothing to do with her and our relationship, you know.
Speaker 3:So I look forward to the hard part, if it's hard if it's hard I feel like you didn't get in it with the right person, so true enough. Um, you know, maybe I'll end up eating my words, but I don't, don't, I don't think so, I don't I don't wish that on you.
Speaker 1:Sending you love as well, that's great appreciate it. Shout out to you and, um, shout out to you guys for listening. Make sure you guys tune in so we need to talk. Every saturday we're going to do these deep dives and again monday and thursday, or monday and thursdays, we drop new interviews from some of your favorite artists, influencers and, uh, actors. Uh, thank you guys for joining me. Remember the word of the day? Well, the day Well the phrase don't be weird.
Speaker 3:Don't be weird, don't be weird.
Speaker 1:Take that note as you enter the next week. Until next time, guys Talk soon. Peace, that was great.
Speaker 3:So you got how much y'all got going on. You got this what you mean Like in terms of the different pieces of like the different things that you do Like. So for Big Job, for example, you have Black Busters that drops on Monday and then that's the only thing that drops every week, and then his sketches drop. You know when they drop. We have a new series dropping the end of this month or early next month, but I feel like you have like hella stuff going on.
Speaker 1:I'll break it down for you. Should we get a drop from him? Yes, can you do a? We Need to Talk.
Speaker 3:drop for me what do you need me to say?
Speaker 1:What's up guys? It's Dame Ritter. I don't know. We never did this for the Saturday show. What's up, guys?
Speaker 4:it's Dame Ritter, you may have seen me.
Speaker 3:We need to talk. Is this we Need to Talk? Yeah, this one, right here.
Speaker 4:Yeah, so just like, shout the stuff up, shout out the stuff that you're doing, and then just say we Need to Talk at the end. Right, that's basically it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what's up, Nyla?
Speaker 3:We Need to Talk. What's up, nyla? We need to talk. Yeah, into that camera, okay. What's up y'all? It's dame ritter, director of communications for the best music distribution platform out there to loss. What's up, nyla? We need to talk like that.
Speaker 1:That's good, that's perfect. But so in here, um, for we need to talk. We shoot well, we release two episodes a week. We kind of just shoot. However they come into the city or whoever hits me up, we'll just shoot Well, if I like them, and then we drop two episodes a week with that, and then we're doing this as a weekly roundup Just to get a different demo, because the interviews are more. So, if you're interested in me, that's like one small pocket, but then if you're interested in the artist.
Speaker 1:So in order to grow my demo, we want to do more things that show how I think and like the people, that the type of conversation I want to have with people I'm interested in. So that's the whole Saturday thing and then outside of that, with Certified Vibe. It's just a monthly showcase but we're really working on building that up into the label and through that is with the djing and the tiktok live sessions. So with the tiktok live sessions, really I'm looking for hit records to include on, like my sets you know, even if they're not big artists.
Speaker 1:My whole thing is just highlighting people and I like to be like their first, like I love it, but you're the.