International Talk Ep. 6 PROTOJE !

Norie and Nefatari reason with Protoje on his new album, recording in the studio, current tour, his label history and more.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

International talk, yours to the DJ Nori.

SPEAKER_04 0:02

You're on a fatari.

SPEAKER_01 0:04

And we have the one, the only protege. Woo! Yes, yes, yes, yes. Yes, I love your name. So much so.

SPEAKER_04 0:13

Nori just learned something about it.

SPEAKER_01 0:15

Yeah, yeah. I never knew her mother or father Rastafuria.

SPEAKER_03 0:20

With a name like that, you know, have to connect to something.

SPEAKER_04 0:22

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 0:23

It was a slow moment for me, my bad.

SPEAKER_04 0:27

No, it's derived from Nefertiti. Nefertity, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Yeah, yeah. Appropriate, you know.

SPEAKER_04 0:33

Oh, thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 0:34

So y'all can talk, man. Let's go. Enjoy. The non-Rasta.

SPEAKER_04 0:41

I know. Well, you know what? I feel like I'm like a lot of you probably can, you know, relate to this too. You just you have a child. Like I'm a, you know, like the first generation of like, you know, the kids who are not Rasta, but their parents are Rasta. I'm sure there are a lot of people can relate, you know? So it's like you grow up with the culture, but I didn't necessarily the thing I kept was like I don't eat pork or beef, but I don't have dreads.

SPEAKER_00 1:05

I didn't kick the dreads. You're hard clean, man. No way.

SPEAKER_03 1:08

They say it. They say it. What up, bro? But great, man. Great to be here. It's a pleasure, you know. Found in New York, we always link up our at the very least, try to. So we give thanks. We're here again.

SPEAKER_01 1:21

Nah, man. And I see I yo, this tour just popped up out of nowhere. What do you mean? I just see I one day I got up and just saw that you had a tour. I was like, yo.

SPEAKER_03 1:32

Nah, man, it's about man, but true, we had enough things, so we are drop album, we'll keep festivals. So maybe you catch somebody. And I remember say Instagram and them thing there to some of my time, them them dip a post and bring it forward. So you don't know. So we're out here promote the thing, and um, it's been crazy so far. We done we've gone 30 shows already. Wow. 30 shows in a 40 day. 30 shows in a 40 day, and we have about 18 more. So we just outside, man, work, you know.

SPEAKER_04 2:03

And is it just US or European?

SPEAKER_03 2:05

No, we did Europe, 16 shows in Europe, four in UK, and then we've been in America since. And then after America, I'm going to South America. And then after that, we just outside. We're outside. That's our best way if we say it.

SPEAKER_01 2:20

But I feel like your tour started so early. Like you yeah, just started, bro. I mean, no, you have enough show for go for the end of the year.

SPEAKER_03 2:28

Yeah, man, but it's an album, you know. I wanted to be releasing my album and having my tour going on simultaneously. I start sell the vinyl lemma Europe before the album. No way. Yeah, about 800 copies of the album seller European tour before the album even comes out. And then I say, oh, well, the album is out not out. I said, me not care. They can't get it physical first. Exactly. You know what I mean? Nothing beat that. So the album is a great vibe, man. Album be not go well, and it's important to have the tour to support the album, you know?

SPEAKER_01 3:01

And I think a lot of people need to understand that rollout. It's a different rollout.

SPEAKER_03 3:05

No, the rollout when we give them the year, yeah. We do a little thing after and do a little debrief. Do a little thing and say this was the rollout because we feel proud about it. We done the whole project, do all of the videos before the album done. So it's like by the time before the album release, or by the time we release now, we just sit back next month and new video, next month and new video. I'm not a shoot no more. I'm not with up on the road, people album come out yesterday and them come on the show the next day and them excited, and then they probably go back home and listen to the album with a deeper reverence now because they get to feel it in a real life and feel it, feel it, feel it. People just put a record that's Nari song that I sang.

SPEAKER_01 3:53

Yeah, so so and I and I realized that you um just saying because I I I I skimmed through a few songs, I kind of picked a few songs that are my songs already on the album. But I realized, you know, I didn't see like no chronics and all that. And I did my own meds before we go there, before you answer, I did like my own meds. I was like, it makes sense because for me everyone's expecting to see it. This is me playing my own brain.

SPEAKER_03 4:21

I'm expecting to see a chronic scholar album?

SPEAKER_01 4:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 4:23

Oh yo, let me tell you something with chronics now, Zen. You know, say, in a man chronics, well, I know Chronics from where? From 2011 or 2010 when they beat me meeting. You know, say about two times we ever go to studio or three times we ever sit down for studio for work.

SPEAKER_04 4:44

I cannot believe it.

SPEAKER_03 4:45

Most of the time we just had we just have break, we just have talk or reason about kids or family. Yeah, man, we spend most of our relationship involved with just mostly reasoning about life and philosophy and stuff like that. The first time me and Chronics ever go to studio, you know, like for say work, you know, at 20, 17, you know. Yo, who knows whenever even then when middle when him the who knows when him the who knows chorus to me, them time in midday pontour. So most of the time, chronics are chronics come up on my studio, come check with. We're not gonna go studio go work, we just the outsider, eat food, or reason, or chat and whatever.

SPEAKER_01 5:27

So you ever wouldn't believe that, bro?

SPEAKER_03 5:30

Yeah, man.

SPEAKER_04 5:31

I was gonna ask you too, like, it was that a conscious decision for you guys, like to, you know, link up and kind of you know, take on a music business together, or is it just a natural friendship?

SPEAKER_03 5:42

No, you know, you know what it remember said. My thing was out before drama, before Chronics thing, you know. So when when when chronics meet me, me have Rasta Love, me a dump, me a star already, what you call it. You know, time they just left high school. And then I'd don't call you. Yeah, Chronics just left high school now. So Chronics linked me trying to say, you never even tell me, say, I'm an artist. He said, Yo, I'm a dope young producer, I wanna produce some rhythm for you. I just leave high school. I would love to meet up and him send me two things and I say, No, man, but them rhythm are so good. I said, Come check me. Yeah. And he come check me out the yard now and he play me the rhythm them. While he'll play me the rhythm, I say, Yeah, I have a little idea of other rhythm twin, and he sing like, Best friend that can protect your life for the worst thing we could ever see. I mean, I said, brother, you know, I say, Yo, he's a heart, so you talk about so you know what I mean. Some people say, uh my next bridge say, Yo, he don't know, say I won't make you hear DJ. But so I just saw and then we link through just my just appreciation for his art and his appreciation for my art. But we don't really link and try Bill's song like that more than so. And he inspires me, and I know I inspire him. So that is the way we collaborate. As him just send me the album. One day I did him just send me the link, and he just say, Exile my bro. And I say, Yo, I'm gonna listen to him. I say, Yeah, you know. So that's how we collaborate, mostly just inspiration. But it's easy for we say we're gonna go song, go make some tune, you know.

SPEAKER_01 7:19

But we definitely would have thought I would have seen one.

SPEAKER_03 7:22

Not this time, you know.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

Not this time. But then when I when I didn't hear it, I was like, it kind of makes sense.

SPEAKER_03 7:27

But what we see, we see Damien Junior gone Mali, Steve and Raga Molly. My goodness, if I not get another feature, hear me. Listen with the camera. If I never get one more feature for the rest of my career, we're good. We're good. You see, me shen the panic, massacre the panic, yeah, yo, pressure bus pipe, put a piece of verse on the album. I love it. And then I have a hidden feature with Jesse. You know, Jesse, I like my brother and life. You know, we done enough tune together.

SPEAKER_01 7:57

I saw the skip where I was like, uh he was talking about something. We used to talk about it.

SPEAKER_03 8:02

Yeah, yeah, you know what I said. I just see my Billy split for me. Look on, look and I said, Judge and I said, Jesse, we often talk about it. Jesse, I said, yo, go over with my grandma. But Jesse, I like my liquor brother. I see it, I see it. Jesse, I like my liquor brother.

SPEAKER_05 8:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:18

But at the same time, it's like, Jesse, defend me like all right, it's like Jesse. Jesse moved like my little brother, but he moved like the little brother way. Yeah, yeah. Nobody knows he said nothing, but nobody enough. You understand what I mean? I say, so it's like me rate, Jesse, man. Oh my Jesse is like uh me wouldn't me wouldn't want to do me wouldn't want the music industry, you know, without a brother like Jesse. Because Jesse does make the thing then. I always put a smile upon your face.

SPEAKER_01 8:53

Every time I see him as a joy.

SPEAKER_03 8:54

Yeah, man, yeah, man.

SPEAKER_04 8:55

So how do how did you pick the people on your album? Like with the Marlies, were they on your wish list? Like they had been on your wish list in the same time.

SPEAKER_03 9:01

From before we start the music, then they're on your wish list.

SPEAKER_04 9:04

Anyone else on your wish list that's not on the album?

SPEAKER_03 9:08

Like if we do a song with you. You know you're the man saying done. We're good, man. We're good. Only person, man. Only person. There's one person. There's one person with left and would have said, if we could ever get a song, but my chest high, you see me see if we could have got if we do like a mad reggae one drop with Rihanna. Oh, oh yeah, you know, but who knows a tune with that? So give me that. If me can't get the collab, if I just produce a tune, you see me. But but me very specific with my feature, them. It's not random. Like me build the song before me say, I send this to Raga. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:52

Do you know who you're gonna send it to when you build in the song?

SPEAKER_03 9:55

Yeah, man, would that be like, I know sometimes, sometimes you listen to that like royalty, me they do it and it done. And I they had this thing, me and Lila, they had this party, we do this show and with them for an after party. But then they call her little vibes. I mean I'm my vibes, and me or a popcorn playing is like me hear the frequency in vocal. And I say, yo, you know say that frequency would have fit directly upon this. And then enough time I do a tune like all, I do the song with rag, I have the rhythm like. We are trying sing, we in a suit that sing like raga. I say, oh shit, that's fine. And we are saying, yeah, in voice. And we do it with some other song where he has, and we say, yeah, the key and match with where him like sing, you know.

SPEAKER_01 10:38

I can tell you.

SPEAKER_03 10:39

When we do all the tune with Lila and HR, you know, where Billy Rhythm, my guitarist, would I say, yo, you know, um HR loves songs with um some minor sevenths and some ninths. So the cards them. So him listening to music and say she likes enough for a song, them song. So you know how Billy Rhythm will put in them cards there for her. So maybe when she hears it, subconscious, she's gonna be like, Oh, I like this, this is cool. Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? So we have to do the thing like a science. I can't masica now. I'm versatile. Me could have given him a regular rhythm for jump and him would have do good. But me, I say, eh, you know, so like a 90s style, steely and cleavy vibe. Me no hear him pan that yet, and we know him I go muddy top. He mud it up, man. So we get so we do that with him, you know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_01 11:33

He mudd it up. Because he when we listened to it, I was like, whoa. I said, alright. But you know, Masek is a different artist. I kind of rate Masek because he kind of flows on anything.

SPEAKER_03 11:42

Yeah, no man, he's so very sortile, brother. Like him full of style, him full of pattern. Yo, we just yo, we just rate music and rate artists who who you understand.

SPEAKER_01 11:52

Yeah, yeah. So, how was that collab with Shen though? Oh, Shen has been. Jesse called me vexed.

SPEAKER_03 11:58

Jesse called me vex. The man said, Yo, how Shen see her comes to the call me my bro. Bro, bro, my feet are whole vibes, you know.

SPEAKER_02 12:08

Jesse.

SPEAKER_03 12:10

Bite him out, Jesse. I'm gonna bite you out, Jesse. Yeah, man, yeah, man. Jesse give me a beer joke. But yeah, Shane, oh gosh, just lovely vibe. Shen Shen licked me straight from the gym in our gym outfit. Yeah, man, and say, Yo, man, come see you right now. And Daddy and we whole her vibes, and we're in a suit. And from me say, Yo, goddess, some mother say you're the body. She said, No, no, me that, man, I mean that I'm my song. When you go goddess, I'm my song, you know? So she hold the vibes and hold the energy. We sit down in there and we write it and vibe the part them, and it was her pleasure, man. And she showed up, you know, come do the video, come do what she needs for do, you know, help promote promote the music. So we give thanks to Shensey for that feature.

SPEAKER_01 12:53

And that's to cut you. I always say those are the songs that Shen need to bring her back in the culture. That's my opinion.

SPEAKER_04 13:02

I agree. No.

SPEAKER_01 13:03

Because I I've I've I'm a I'm a Libra, me and Shen are close, we're good. But Shen does some songs for me that I'll be like, yo, Shen, I get it. But sometimes you gotta give. And this song right here, I was like, Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:16

Well, I think she have a I think she has a tune right now on my love named Talk to Me No. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 13:21

Yeah, I like that talk to me. There we go. Yeah, I like that song.

SPEAKER_03 13:24

Bad, bad people. You see me? And as an artist, I love to allow artists the freedom to experiment. It's like think about a painter in a studio. But they're all part of the painting. So me, I like when people just explore and do them thing, and then she's gonna know in her time in when she needs to do what she needs to do. So, you know, big up to her and all her successes. Oh no, I love some Shen.

SPEAKER_04 13:51

That's I felt like it was the perfect match because I you know, Shen has a huge female audience, but you also have a huge female audience, you know what I'm saying? So I felt like it brought two different worlds of that woman together, you know.

SPEAKER_03 14:04

Yeah, 100%, and still bring in she's killing me. It's like um, yeah, um, yeah, man, and the thing is so women and we have some of our fan bases overlap and then some of it doesn't, right? So it was good for for my fan base to see her in that light, and then hers to see mine, and that's what the culture needs. Reggae and dance hall is is just you know Jamaican music, exactly.

SPEAKER_04 14:30

But do you I have a question? Do you feel like because you're also like a conscious artist, right? Do you ever feel like there's a responsibility as a conscious artist to like one be a I guess a thought leader or a figure, you know what I'm saying? Move in the culture as opposed to like just doing the music as a passion.

SPEAKER_03 14:49

Um, well, I think I do that in my music, it speaks for itself, the things I talk about, the things I I speak about. And but I have no sort of judgment for an artist that doesn't do that, you know. That's not my my prerogative. You know, artists is to create the music that is real to them. So for me, no, um my message itself are in my music. And say like I collaborate with like a Massika. Massika I go hear my song and and and be like, alright, this is how protege I talk about, and I go talk about this on the protege feature while me I go sing bossy the new song, Bosey, Bosey Pan a different thing. Now that Bosey message may not be the same as what me I sing about, but me love that tune. Yeah. Chanel, my baby, me girl and what I'm saying. It's like me appreciate music because sometimes I won't hear a tune like that.

SPEAKER_04 15:56

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:57

You understand me and say sometimes I won't hear my girl from Brooklyn. Sometimes I won't hear that. And then at the same time, no, sometimes I won't hear a Lucian. You understand I mean I try to say so. It's like for me, I just music, Jenny, and like, and like it have different parts. What I think that is that it needs different, different things. So you need a masica, you need a protege. You understand I mean I say, you, you, you need a chronics and you need uh chronicla. So it's a vibe, it's a vibe.

SPEAKER_04 16:37

But do you want that responsibility though? Or like welcome it. To be like one. But do you do you feel pressure to no no me not feel pressure?

SPEAKER_03 16:50

Life too pressure in for putt extra pressure upon myself and music. Yeah. My philosophy and I sing about the things that matter to me. So me not sing blood money because Yo, I was just thinking. I was about to say it. Me not sing blood money because people say, yo, you feel bonus. You don't get to. Let me explain. As somebody who listens to music, what you get to decide is if you're gonna listen to Protege or not. You get to decide I like his music or I don't. That's the only thing you get to decide as a consumer. You don't get to decide what I do and what I make and what I sing about. So you can't feel for every say, me at Protege music. Fantastic. Then go listen to something else. But you don't get to decide what I sing about. You understand? Never.

SPEAKER_01 17:49

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I was I was about to sing that song, you know. I said Blood Moon, you know, that was a very like uh interesting song. If you listen to words, you know, I was like, yo, and I'm sure it raised an antenna.

SPEAKER_03 18:06

Yeah, man, I know that song there, that song they do a bag of thing, you see me? So we give thanks song, yeah man. We we it make it make New York sound system culture link me. Yo all right, the one time you sing so much blood money, dub me that up on stage, and I'll sing the dub by this. You see me?

SPEAKER_02 18:29

New York love dub plate.

SPEAKER_03 18:31

New York, me they think me the dub plate. You know, who knows? That's a little enough song them king sound be wise enough dub plate. But when blood money drop, is like me say, the amount of people them sister link me from deep within the culture. Yes, sir. It's like that to me, blood money didn't make. The other song them bossing about blood money boss in a one part where Protejay never dep on people brain this so and it's like them say, yo, when we go, then they're gonna start pre-backing the music, them, the sudden flight, the other song them and oh yo, John, yeah, so I say go sometimes.

SPEAKER_01 19:05

I was about to tell you that blood money like opened a different portal, yeah. Yeah, whereas some some some man really thinking about them now, like pre it, like yeah. But like him song about me no. But when like you said, when you break that song there, every man.

SPEAKER_03 19:22

Because alright. It's like it's like Winter did said to me, man, say, like call King Son be wise and sudden flight. Lord, daddy did not join a party. Look what the politician them does to Claudi. Look what the politician them do to Jimmy son resurrected and look what them do to him, or King Son be wise, you know. When the city I got click laplop, government fingers and and he was saying them songs they're really potent about the system and injustice, you know. But he said, me need you for right something away. The minute the second them hear it, like, give them something for latch on to before them even get deep within the message. And it's like that is the thing. Sometimes people also want to be spoon-fed the message. They don't want to read between the lines and go into a deep philosophical reading reason. So I'm saying, alright. Enough drugs, money there, cherry girl. Bam, everybody die, yo, yo, yo, this is it. You know what I mean? So sometimes you have to be very direct to like give people the point. Yeah. But how I reason, you know, everybody who around me knows like my reasoning, it's to the point, you know, but it's very, it's very cerebral and very philosophical. And sometimes when that in other song, it no hit you right away. But maybe a month, two months, a year, you listen to song, and you say, Yo, Johnny, you know, me respect the mids none that song there. So I just saw you guys are.

SPEAKER_01 20:49

You know what songs like that on the album for me? Reference.

SPEAKER_03 20:53

Reference.

SPEAKER_01 20:53

Oh my goodness, yeah, reference. I listen to it once and then I listen to it again. And like every time I listen, I get a different message.

SPEAKER_02 21:01

I'm like, yo, this brother, I can't keep up with it.

SPEAKER_03 21:05

Yo, if you're like, my mother loved that tune there too. She said, Yo, I just love, I just love the way you talk and the messages that you're giving. Because when we talk about Rastafari, it's easy for just say this and that, and yo, yo, and it like you can just sing praises, you can't say this, but it's like, what were the things that his majesty was talking about? Can we speak about that as well? Yeah, well, can we speak about his philosophy as well? So, like in that song when you hear me say good on you. Thanks, Fine. The last part of the verse going me, I say, um We see how you speak up. Um sorry, sorry, I forgot to edit that part. But see how you hang the Mussolini hymn, Geneva Convention never believed the king. The world never listen when you say fashion, and three years later, he like. Give it to them. You see me? Today for you may say tomorrow me. Look at your preach about diplomacy and how we need to reach up economically. But them now watch you preach. You see me? Someone make it look like if you say Rasta, you feel poor. Like poor is a badge of honor. You understand? And that the king said. The king said diplomacy too. You understand? The king come to America five or six times in the aid of diplomacy. I want you watch a clip when him when his majesty, the American Kennedy are introduced him. And Kennedy said, this may be one of the most decorated visitors we have ever had in America. This is in the sixties, you know. When black people are in the midst of civil rights, and a black king, a black emperor and Kennedy can say this is one of the most decorated people ever to visit us in America. You know, the power of His Majesty. And he felt the need to be here to be diplomatic. You understand? So there's many things to learn from the king, but you know, that's a me there.

SPEAKER_04 23:13

You said um this album was very reflective for you, right? What was like the hardest thing for you to reveal on the album?

SPEAKER_03 23:24

I think maybe Corner, a song named Corner, is a dedication to my grandmother who passed during me making the album. And um the video for that song is like just my childhood. That's videos of me being a child. I can't wait for people to see it at the same time. It's kind of anxious for me because I don't like share my personal life out there. So I feel like that's one of the songs. And I feel something I said um just about people's expectation of you. You know, it's like your help, is like, it's like when you don't help anybody, they don't have any expectation of you. When you help people, you need for help more. You get it? You need to do this, you need to do that. You understand what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 24:07

He said that song that was a song I was gonna tell about next. I was like, yeah, I was listening to it, and I was like, whoa, this guy loves messaging. This is kind of yeah, so I'll pick more brain. Let's come out on the stage, man.

SPEAKER_00 24:18

The man take everything from him, and I ask the man the question.

SPEAKER_03 24:22

So it's just you know, you just do stuff and you go through it. So, I mean, but I'm honest to my creative spirit. If my creative spirit says, I sing about, you know? Me's just a vessel.

SPEAKER_01 24:37

Yeah, no, I I'm I'm uh I'm I'm kind of struck right now because you everything I say, you kind of just beat me to it before I get to act. So never tariff, you can continue talking to me. No, no, no, no. Well you asked about something.

SPEAKER_00 24:49

The man caught me blood money about something I said.

SPEAKER_03 24:51

Why you ask about something?

SPEAKER_00 24:51

No man caught me blood money for me, but the man caught me. Well, yes, about something. Reverend's boom, the man caught me. I said, Jesus.

SPEAKER_03 24:59

All right, man, easy, man.

SPEAKER_04 25:01

So what did it what didn't make the album? That's all we want to know. What did it make it? What was too deep?

SPEAKER_03 25:07

No, I don't I don't look it. I don't look at it like that. Everything feel it up on the album. Oh, just okay. I just want to make sure we talk about it. I'd say everything that should be on it is on it. Yeah, everything is not on it, it's for something.

SPEAKER_01 25:21

Yes, I if you'll meet if feel it wasn't on the album.

SPEAKER_00 25:26

Me block him, man. Yeah, no, man.

SPEAKER_04 25:30

That's your favorite. So that's your favorite.

SPEAKER_00 25:32

One one aggressive text, and then ping.

SPEAKER_03 25:34

He can't use it as him favorite because he might hear that. He might hear that long before the album. Yeah, my carry one. So he might go listen to the album now for a couple more weeks, and then he can say, right, but feel it, what a song, you know, and it's about juggling with him. Romaine the panit, alien, martima, Leela just voice.

SPEAKER_01 25:50

Yo, you know, you know, I I I I just started really listening to Marty Moore. Like, I pre them when I was on Jam Rock Cruise. And I was like, yo, again, my bangs, yo, bro, you're a vibe, you know.

SPEAKER_03 26:00

No, Martima, I one of my favorite artists then. Marty Ma, one of my favorite artists. Marty Man Leela, like the generation, like right after me, cause me feel like Marty Man Leela are my two favorite artists then. Like Marty Ma the depth of his writing, brother.

SPEAKER_01 26:18

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 26:19

Brother, they money write some different things, bro. They money I write some international level music. Like, none of them artists are where you where you like where you think about. Like, like me see Marty Ma up in a up in the heights are like like um whatever sing, whatever singer them have in America, where I do them type of soulful type of thing there. They not have nothing over Martin. So he's really dope. I look forward to more stuff from him.

SPEAKER_01 26:47

No, no, he in a uh I saw him on Jammer and Cruz and I I make sure I went outside and watched him come and never see him live. I said, yo. I said, damn bro, you sound like the way the records are. Yeah, yeah, but like somehow sound like a different sound just like the song.

SPEAKER_04 27:04

I love when that happens by the artist.

SPEAKER_01 27:06

Yeah, man, but I for Tombo. Go out, go on me up. Yeah, that's that. You don't know me, but me know you're go out there.

SPEAKER_00 27:12

I said, No, no, no, no, you know, what up?

SPEAKER_01 27:13

I said, Nah, whatever, bro. Like in, you know, I I realize like because of the the part of the game I play, you know, as as being who I am, they pay attention to certain things, you know what I'm saying? And people see some people call it favoritism, but I just call it the people that I check for, they check for me. You know what I'm saying? And Proto is one of those people like we did an interview on Power. When we did an interview, was it? That's when maybe 2014, maybe. Wow, maybe 14, 15. That's when it was the song with you, and who knows?

SPEAKER_04 27:50

Yeah, that's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 27:52

Right before that song was dropping, yeah, and you came and checked me out with you. Yeah, man, I choose a long time.

SPEAKER_03 27:56

We're reaching out with them, and they're steady for the support for not just me, but new reggae artists, right? You understand what I mean? Say them and we appreciate when people can um can see things before it happened. Cause some people have to wait until an artist bust big before them support them. And some people say, you know what, I like that tune, yeah. So I'll play that tune.

SPEAKER_04 28:18

That's a skill, you have to have an ear for that.

SPEAKER_01 28:20

But you see, what it is it wasn't just his music, it was his style. Yeah, because he had a different kind of like urban but rasta. Yeah, it was like it was like a style, like, nah, my mama, bad style. You see it then, yeah. So then, of course, you know, the music too. But then I seen Proto go like from you know, as being uh one of the artists on the festivals, and but to see him headlining the festival. Yeah, so for me, yeah. For me, I'm like, we can't really, all right. See you know what I'm saying, because not he always was in the the top names, but to see on certain festivals now, yeah. You see proto nam on the top, you know what I'm saying? And I feel good because it's like yo, I've seen it myself, you know. You saw the journey, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 29:02

And and and also helped along the way.

SPEAKER_01 29:05

Yeah, so that's when we kind of when we see certain things, we say, yeah, man. And I'm not switching, we link the same way. All right, you know what I'm saying? Today, yeah. He paved the way for me with Leela, also. You know what I'm saying? So after that, Leela said, Young bro, good, so you mean you're good, but as long as you know that, you know.

SPEAKER_03 29:22

Oh man, Leela, Leela, one of them souls today. I love her. If you don't, like I'm at Leela, even sometime if somebody not good with me, I'ma be like, Leela, go go go go do it the same way. She'll be like, Yo mad Leela is a soul. Leela, nah, Leela, nah, do she not play with me. You know, she don't play when they come to me at all.

SPEAKER_04 29:48

That's how I feel like it should be. I feel like it should be like that.

SPEAKER_01 29:51

When I went to see them one in Webster Hall and I was up top watching them, she said, Who that Larry? Everybody looked up like Yeah, man.

SPEAKER_00 29:59

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 30:00

Yeah, full of eyes, man. She had an ex person too, brother. Like, in other, in other business, yeah. It's like it's a pleasure for you to go through the journey with her, you know what I mean? Because it takes nothing on around people, some people don't understand where you go through. Just like oh, no, people don't understand where you go through or you go through now in life.

SPEAKER_04 30:18

And especially as a female for her.

SPEAKER_03 30:20

Oh, you know what I mean? She goes through a whole leap. I mean, I tell you, say, she's one of the people in where you understand that I like my sister. You feel me, brother? So it's like you go a journey with her sometime with the pantworn. I call her, I say, yo, you just done your show, and I say, Yo, how your show goes on? She'll link you. What time of your show? And so remember one time she was just an uh aspiring person. I wonder if she's gonna make it and know me look on her same way, like how you say, look on her thing, bro. But I see her walk out of the Grammy, come with the backstage. You know, one time when when Leela go up on before her show, she she nervous and and how I go do this and whatever me nervous like GP, make sure good and whatever. I'm the backstage at the Grammy before she goes up on stage, and it's like my daddy, and you know, it's like me absorb everything, like, oh my god, she's gonna go and perform at the Grammy's right now. And I'm there and I'm like kind of nervous. And she did it, and she'll go up on stage right before she got up on stage. She'll say, Walk on, my god, they're good. Yo, so forward, and she just walked up.

unknown 31:27

Ready?

SPEAKER_03 31:28

But it's proud, brother. I said, No, sir. The Grammy said for me, me, I tell you, say, it's nicer than the with the one there when me get nominated by far. Yeah, because I just did it and watch, yeah, I look at me and say, Look on her start. So we give thanks, man. Proud of her.

SPEAKER_01 31:44

When I see her, I'll be like, yo, what up? You good? She's like, Yeah, but me there, man. She always has a plan, and I and I appreciate her for always like you know, linking back. Yeah, that's the key. Sometimes, yeah, what up? Sometimes I just say what's up. Yeah, yeah. You know what I'm saying? That's it, you know.

SPEAKER_04 32:00

And um, and and yeah, no, so did you know you were gonna make it?

SPEAKER_01 32:05

What?

SPEAKER_04 32:06

The your journey. Like I always wonder that about artists who make it.

SPEAKER_03 32:10

I'm not a choice. You know, it's like your hope.

SPEAKER_04 32:15

Did you know?

SPEAKER_03 32:16

It's like in a man, I say, yeah, I'm halfway make it, but there's many times where you get doubt. Yeah, when you try, yeah, try, yeah, try, and it not happening, not happening. Six years may I try boss before arguments, boss, you know, seven, to be honest. And it's a warm-up doubt, man. Yeah, but I say you don't in your mind you have a doubt, brother. Yeah, we all have insecurity and moments, so we say yeah, yeah, enjoy yourself, man. You know, the right thing and it's like and then it's like you feel like yeah, but my thing is like, well, where else may I go do? And this me I do.

SPEAKER_04 32:49

Right.

SPEAKER_03 32:49

So I make it in a sum way. That's right. Even if I don't make it to have my own show, then I go release song and I go do this and do that. But when we read when I do my day, I just have gratitude because there's many moments when where it could have got left or or go right, and instead I go forward and it's like, me just give thanks to me. Yeah. I have major gratitude every day. I wake up, I just say, Father, God, give thanks so you carry me in another journey.

SPEAKER_04 33:18

And yeah, yeah. Because there are DJs who are trying to be on the radio, there are artists who are trying to, you know what I'm saying, get nominated for a Grammy. Like you are, and they I'm sure they're listening and wondering, like, how do I know? How do I know if I'm made for radio to DJ like Nori? How do I know if um, you know, is it gonna happen?

SPEAKER_03 33:36

It's a self-belief, you know what I'm saying? And to me, I'm sure I say when Nori there try to get to him, get a bag of thing happen where for D really. A bag of thing where where he could say, and no people say him now go make it, and what you are doing now go work, and it's resistance. The moment you try to go into the creative world or anything for make something of yourself, you're going to buck up on resistance. People act like them frightened when them see the resistance, brother. Everybody have to get the resistance, and that is your that is the way where you earn it, you see me. So I know say when people there with them, they earn it. So we salute people who are trying to make something of themselves.

SPEAKER_01 34:25

Can't keep on talking, I good. Me know them make it.

SPEAKER_04 34:28

No, I know that already.

SPEAKER_01 34:30

Nah, so some people just have that thing in them.

SPEAKER_04 34:32

Yeah, thanks.

SPEAKER_01 34:33

And you have to know, like especially I've been in the game long enough, I can see certain things. I'm not a visionary, but it don't work for everybody. You might make it. But some people you can see.

SPEAKER_03 34:42

You know, when I know semi-dogging make it, you know, when I know semi-dogging make it, well, me change my mindset. Cause the first couple years when I now make it, I blame people. That people do, you know, when they can't make it, they say, that's why I don't make it on. That person, I don't make it and because of this, I don't make it. And that was me. And I said, I never them never have social media that time, so I never depend on social media say, but in my brain, I say, yo, them nah support me thing. And whenever the moment when we realize that protege, you are the reason. You are the reason whether you are gonna make it or not, make it. And from a get that mentality there, immediately.

SPEAKER_01 35:18

Clear man, clear, clear. I'm telling you, and and that's what people lack. They lack the self-confidence, and some people lack the talent. Because I mean, some people can't take where somebody tell them, yo, you know, really so bad.

SPEAKER_03 35:32

Yeah, because even an artist link with an artist say, yo, when you help me with my thing and whatever, I mean, listen that song, I say, yo, you know, say that song they're good, but I think XYZ, and I'm gonna say, well, you say my thing, well then go do your thing. I'm gonna do your thing. Tell me how it works out. Tell me how it works.

SPEAKER_01 35:54

Tell me how it works out. You know what I'm saying? Big 45 to Oh, I'm there. Right.

SPEAKER_03 36:00

Yeah, big song, you know. Yeah, man. I love that tune there. That tune there is as select as hand. You know, that pandub? No, a lie at them. I do not know. There's no way, there's no way you know how 100% sure say my boy said 100% sure that my boys and popcorn.

SPEAKER_00 36:19

Yeah, blood money. You don't have big 45 pandemic. Not me. You wouldn't be able to do it.

SPEAKER_03 36:27

You done me sure my sure say if I go in at my files, I'm gonna see your name. You probably see it, but I don't have it in my life. Alright, jolly. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 36:35

Everybody, we got that on video. So, everybody, the album's out right now. Stream it, support it. Matter of fact, don't even just stream it, download it. Because I think people are getting it twisted with just streaming.

SPEAKER_03 36:49

Yeah, man. Buy it pan iTunes, 999, support the album. I need for gift you have vinyl. The mango pan.

SPEAKER_02 37:04

Who the hell can find cassette?

SPEAKER_01 37:06

They can find vinyl.

SPEAKER_02 37:07

But cassette player.

SPEAKER_03 37:10

You see the little young in them. You see the little young in them, like all the little one, they shall have a shall buy me a little cassette player. Uh-huh. Because the poor thing, they never get no chance to have nothing. Yeah or own nothing. They just come and see streaming and things. So they want something if you say, this is to me, they have a little cassette player, them know when I see. From me see, and next thing for look on, you see, from you see a moment a couple years ago when we go in an urban outfitters, and we see them have some little vinyl player with something. I say, eh. You know, so people are gonna start go back into vinyl. Yeah. And we just start do the vinyl thing. No, we see the vinyl thing, get where we can. So it's like cassette them, we just want every medium. Sometimes I just even have it put down into them house. Yeah, yeah. And say them, you know what I'm saying? I mean, I just have to give them something.

SPEAKER_01 38:00

CDs like that too. Collectible. Yeah, man. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 38:02

But I think the vinyl is something that still gonna move because you still have a vinyl surpass CD sales for the first time since 1992, I think two years ago. Vinyl surpassed CDs now. So vinyl are sell more than CDs now. So you know it's a more thing. You know how you know when we didn't know some of the vinyl, me see Taylor Swift sells 400,000 copies of our vinyl first week. Well, that's the proof. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You have to look on what happened to the world. One of the time we realize you can't get no vinyl print because all of the vinyl factory them pack up. So me and I go wait until you have to be ahead of the trend. You have to be ahead of what's happening.

SPEAKER_01 38:46

All those things came. I say, you vinyl.

SPEAKER_03 38:48

You know, when you know I start this cassette still, Surficoty, you know, I start the cassette. A Leela we do this dance on uh England name World Sound. She has her World Sound event then. And when the World Sound event done about two months later, she carries a cassette eight come give me like when Killer Manjar and Adidas play. I say, yo, and she has a yeah man, the the the dance pan cassette. I mean say, yo, you know, easy, you know. So that's what I mean. All you can ask from an artist is inspiration and inspire me if you say, Yo, you know, I'm gonna do my album pan cassette too.

unknown 39:20

Yeah, man.

SPEAKER_01 39:22

So, like we said, download the album. Yes, yes, don't just stream it. Yes, it's on all platforms, I'm I'm sure.

SPEAKER_03 39:30

If you are streaming it, you just left it pan repeat for y'all T. Yeah, man. Just left it pain repeat the whole day.

SPEAKER_01 39:38

It's on your website, also, right?

SPEAKER_03 39:39

Yeah, man. Everything that on my website, every link you could possibly need from vinyl, tour, download, everything you want there, so yeah, man.

SPEAKER_01 39:50

And and as an artist, that's very important to have everything. You see how how he broke it down. Yeah, that part is very important, also. Some artists feel like just go on YouTube and them go to it. No, sir. Victor, appreciate you.

SPEAKER_03 40:04

Yes, man. I appreciate give thanks to the vibes. I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 40:10

Yes, thank you for passing to my brother. Anytime. Give thanks, blessing. All right.