The Regime Report Episode 9 - "You did what you could"

In this episode, The 3 celebrate the New York Knicks' NBA championship victory, analyze Wembenyama's performance, and discuss the recent incident involving UFC fighter Dustin Poirier. They explore team dynamics, sportsmanship, and the importance of resilience and respect in sports. In this episode, they dive into the latest World Cup updates, analyze hip-hop industry dynamics, and share personal stories about sports and music. Join them for an engaging mix of sports commentary, music insights, and cultural observations.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Welcome to the regime report. I'm Citron.

SPEAKER_01 0:03

I am Drew. And I'm Raymond. Yes, and welcome to episode nine. Again, you know, we we like I said last time, we have been um I think we've been doing okay with this, with the releasing episodes. Like we're episode nine already. I was telling somebody about that, and they're like, damn. Already? Like y'all, y'all doing it. I thought we were doing going slow for a minute, but then um, yeah, like they were very surprised. Like, all right, that's what's up. I'm like, that is what's up, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 0:31

We do our thing. We do our thing. We start this.

SPEAKER_01 0:34

Yeah, we started this in uh the new year, legit almost like January 1st. So yeah, it's just one of those things you're thinking of. All right. So a few things have happened since the last time we met. Uh, first and foremost, you know what? I'll just I'll just pass this one to Ray because he I know he he's like burning out of his seat right now. So go ahead, Ray. It's on you.

SPEAKER_04 0:57

All right, man. I am a hundred percent ecstatic. I am jumping over the moon. The New York Knicks are the 2026 NBA champions. Oh my god, 53 years in the making, and I couldn't be more proud of this team that has you know fought hard uh since our last podcast. They were up um you know uh one game, uh, but they close it in five. And uh Drew was the one who said himself Nixon five. Citron and I said Nixon six. So um, you know, if if Drew put money up, he probably would have won something, but he didn't. I'm keeping my dollars. Oh man. Uh I could have been more proud of this team, man. As I said before, they were firing on all cylinders all postseason. Uh, this team was truly something special. They fought hard every game, and with that type of mentality, a type of grit, the type of um composure that they were able to keep with each game, that was pretty much what put them over the edge and uh won the championship. And game four. Game four in the garden, the Knicks were down by 29 points uh leading into the second half of the game, and they came back from a 29-point deficit and won. So not only did they beat uh the Cleveland Cavaliers uh with a 22-point deficit, they also defeated the San Antonio Spurs from a 29-point deficit, and they have literally came back from uh the large the largest deficit in NBA Finals history. So that's something you can't really brag about. Uh they already had their parade. I was watching that parade at my job. I'm not lying, man. Sue me, I don't care. Um and and I ordered the hat. You know, you at some point you're gonna see me with the championship hat.

SPEAKER_01 2:54

So I would do it too, bro.

SPEAKER_04 2:55

Oh, yeah, we're gonna we're gonna I wish I had the championship hat now. I would have put it on and saying we are the champions, but uh see you gotta get yours, bro. Yeah, I don't have it now, but I I couldn't have been more happy about the Knicks. Uh I kid you not, I'm focusing more on contracts now. I'm like, oh man, I hope they keep the same team so they can run it back. In the NBA, the past eight years at this point, maybe nine years at this point, they have been a different champion. There has been a different champion every year. And I'm at the point where I'm just hoping that the Knicks could repeat at this point because the Knicks hasn't won 53 years before. I'm hoping they just win the next year at this point. And uh as I mentioned before, it's a very special team. I hope they have all the key pieces and a lot of the uh uh the heavy hitters uh that was able to come off the bench uh to support the team because because the year prior, um, you know, under underneath Tibbs, they were just pretty much running a six-man rotation. Their starting five was uh burnt out this year. They had a different coach, they had a different approach on how to win the the game, and they utilized their bench. So pretty much, you know, those adjustments did show for, which is why they actually pulled it off and won in the NBA finals. Shout out to Jalen Brunson. Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks, uh, they won the in-season uh tournament, uh the the NBA Cup. Uh that's he was the MVP for that one. Eastern Conference Finals, he was the MP MVP for that one. NBA finals, he was the MVP for that one. He had a phenomenal year. Um, and he is uh the ex the example of when you are fighting hard and when you are giving it all you got, you know, those results will show forth and uh prosper. And Jalen Brunson was uh not a top recruit coming out of college. He was drafted in the second round of the NBA, um, which is kind of interesting because not only did he win um two uh NCAA championships with Villanova, you know, he was also a five-star recruit leading into college. So it just shows that no matter where they think you should be, you got to keep fighting hard. And you're you're gonna be made. Um let me get my words right. Uh, no matter where they think you should be, you're gonna fight hard and you're gonna make it clear where you're supposed to be. And he showed that he was supposed to be uh at the mountaintop with an NBA championship. So hats off to him.

SPEAKER_01 5:26

Message.

SPEAKER_04 5:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:28

I like that. That was good. Thank you guys. No matter where they place you, know your worth and get it there. No, that's good. Um, one of the things I liked about that uh phenomenal comeback game, and there's something I just feel like I noticed. Oh, it did it for me, let me say that. It did it for me, is that the halftime show was none other than the woo tang clan. That's right. I mean to be part of Nick's history, what other uh group would you want there? You know what I'm saying? It wasn't Taylor Swift, it wasn't freaking uh Jack Harlow, you know what I mean? It wasn't Kendrick Lamar, no, it was Wu Tang Klan, straight New York, straight hip hop, that gritty New York heat that the Knicks have. Like, that's it, bro. That's a great representation of how they came with it that night, how they came back. It's just something I like. And maybe in the hip hop head, that really I was like, damn, that's that's amazing. They could be part of that. They're they're solidified in history again, just being part of that. And again, shout out to them for being in the rock and roll Hall of Fame gonna get inducted, uh, I think sometime at the end of the year. But big ups. Sit, what do you gotta say about that, Ba?

SPEAKER_02 6:50

Yeah, man. I mean, what you know, what can you say? Shout out to the Knicks. I mean, they had a hell of a year, you know. Uh, all the talk about Brunson, you know, can he put a team on his back? Can he can he get over the hump? Can he do it? I mean, I think we have our answer here. I mean, all the talk about Kat, even especially in his Minnesota days, like, you know, does he have what it takes to be a supporting cast? Can he be that big guy? You know, I think, you know, questions are answered there also. Um I can't even put into words that 29-point deficit. I mean, that was remarkable. I mean, I I don't know what else to say about it. I actually had people say, you know, saying, like, you know, was it really the Knicks because the Knicks are such a good team, or was that really like an implosion of the Spurs? Like, you know, that kind of thing. I I think that I think definitely it was a little bit of an implosion on the Spurs, but you can't knock this Knicks team. I mean, this Knicks team was special. Um, you know, I think that that's just you know, kind of what it is. Um I'm really interested to see what you know next year might bring. I mean, to if they could do it back to back, I mean the city's gonna go nuts. I mean, it's just absolute crazy. Um, now if only the Yankees can win, the city will be absolutely in flames, but I digress.

SPEAKER_01 8:02

Um and the Mets the Mets and the Jets, but all good.

SPEAKER_04 8:09

It'll be the apocalypse if they win. Did you did you say Jets? The Mets and the Jets. If the Mets win and then the Jets win, it'll be the apocalypse.

SPEAKER_03 8:17

Mets about this year and actually like win the Super Bowl, that would be nuts, bro. That would be absolutely nuts.

SPEAKER_04 8:25

New York will be level.

SPEAKER_02 8:26

Uh but yeah, no, people are really excited. You know, started watching game five, they went down early, and just right then I was kind of like, you know something? I know I said Knicks in six, but just to feel something about this game where they're down early, and I don't think it's gonna go this way. I don't think it's gonna go the way that it's looking, and and it didn't. So um again, you know, shout out to the Knicks. I'm very happy for you, Ray. That's another thing too. I just want to comment. It's obvious, like Ray had nothing written down. That was just straight from the heart, you know. So I have to respect that. That was really, really good. Um, but yeah, man, just you know, it was it was an exciting season for sure. Um exciting season for sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:04

Yeah. Like uh, like uh Ray said, I hope they do bring back the team. I was so involved in it just because of the chemistry the team had. I'm pretty sure a lot of people were like that too. Not even like major Knicks fans, right? Like I I like the Knicks, but I was never like a fan like that. But just seeing this team, it it kind of is I don't want to be the bandwagon guy, but this team is almost I won't say equivalent, but as far as chemistry goes, I would give it to the the 96, 97 Bulls. Chemistry-wise.

SPEAKER_04 9:41

Chemistry-wise, okay, all right.

SPEAKER_01 9:43

You know what I mean? Like everybody, everybody had their players that played their part. That's what I mean.

SPEAKER_04 9:48

Okay. Well obviously the there was an analyst that compared this Knicks team to the bad boys' pistons. Everybody was fighting hard, and not a lot of people were expecting them to come out winning. Um but you know, I think what a lot of people like about this team is everybody was fighting hard for every possession. And when it comes to New York, you have a lot of people who are um hustling, a lot of people struggling, a lot of people working hard, grinding to get through the day. And if you have a team that resembles that and shows forth that effort, it's like you're living vicariously through them. And I think that's a lot of that's the main reason why a lot of people like this team that was established and assembled. And um I guess we gotta wait and see for next season, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Um, I hope that we make it to the finals again and we show forth that this wasn't just a fluke. Uh I just want to circle back to what Citran said. Um, was it a bit of what San Antonio did for them imploding? I would have to say, as I said before about San Antonio, San Antonio is a threat. They have some really good talent when they figure it out, it's gonna work in their favor. And it has to do with the inexperience that San Antonio had, because a lot of people were saying that this team looks like they're they need a couple pieces to get to the mountaintop. And this is the first uh playoff run that Wembenyama had and made it to the NBA finals, his third year in the NBA. If we recall, Shaquille O'Neal's third year in the NBA, he made it to the NBA Finals with Penny Hardaway and he fell short. So uh, do I think Wembenyama will make it to the finals at another point of his career? Yes. Uh was this kind of expected for him to lose? Maybe not in this fashion, because the team did lead most of their games by 70%, but they didn't figure it out how to close and win. And that was the real difference between the Knicks. The Knicks were battle-tested the year before when they were playing against the Pacers, when um Halliburton was doing the whole choke thing, they blew like a 22-point lead in like the last five minutes of the game, and then they then they went into overtime, and then that's how they ended up losing the series, and the momentum was shifting. You know, uh Mike Brown literally had to play that game over for them to watch and light another fire under them. Because, you know, as I said before, and I said it again, when you're a veteran and you make it to the NBA and you make it to the mountaintop, you may never get this opportunity again. And with them fighting as much as they did, they fought like they may never get this opportunity again. And while I believe that uh the Spurs will have an opportunity to make it to the finals, I firmly do believe that. But if they play like the Knicks, I'm pretty sure they're gonna see the success that they want, but I want the Knicks to win regardless. So I don't want to see San Antonio to win at any time soon.

SPEAKER_01 12:50

Yeah, yeah. Well that was gonna be my next uh segue is the future of San Antonio, and I guess we could add on uh where does that put Wembenyama right now? And when I say that, I mean let me elaborate more. Him supposed to be supposed to be the the new face of the NBA, right? And I'm gonna put in wrestling terms, you had this face that turned heel in front of everybody's eyes, right? He became the bad guy at wrestling. I mean basketball. So what do you think now going forward? What do you see him? This is his role.

SPEAKER_04 13:31

Well Sitchin, do you want to start it off?

SPEAKER_02 13:33

Uh yeah, I mean I I can still see, I guess, the emergence, you know, I mean, face of the NBA. I mean, maybe. Um, I mean, he's uh he's no doubt a talented player, um, and he's only going to evolve his game, you know, with what he's got now. Um I think what we really saw in the finals here, and I think it's a good learning experience for him, but I think we saw a little bit of the immaturity come out. You know, I mean he's still a little he's still a kid, um, you know, not not battle tested at all, really. Um, you know, he's such a big man in the paint, just kind of has his way with everybody all the time. Um, you know, to have a real formidable, not just one opponent, but a formidable team that, you know, gave him any kind of adversity. I mean, you saw him the whole series, you know, talking trash, I mean your head, this, that, and the other. Yeah, that's that's all fine, but at the end of the day, you know, you weren't the one hoisting the trophy. So um, you know, I don't think it's anything to be afraid, you know, too, too concerned about. I think he's a hell of a player. I think they uh they have a hell of a team. Um, you know, again, I think as he evolves, they're only gonna get better. And again, a good learning experience next time around. I think he's gonna be able to handle it a little bit differently. Um you know, and and and I think I don't think that he's gonna go his whole career without at least one championship. Um you know, I think he'll be back.

SPEAKER_04 14:44

Yeah, yeah, I I agree also. I firmly believe that um I think the league was trying to make him the face uh of the NBA. You kind of saw it throughout the series there were certain calls that he was uh getting more most favorably, uh, that a lot of people were calling out. A lot of people were upset, certain calls that seemed like it was uh dirty plays that were not called. So certain plays that was obviously dirty that were not called, uh a lot of people saw that and he kind of quickly turned heel. And in the NBA, um I think Peyton Manning joked about that, that or maybe if it wasn't Peyton Manning, it was probably John Cena at the SPs or whatever that they were joking that there's always someone that turns heel. So LeBron James, when he went to uh Miami, he became the villain, turned heel. Same thing happened with uh Kevin Durant. He left uh the Thunder, goes to Golden State, technically turn heel. Uh, people are seeing Wemby in a different perspective, especially uh from the immaturity standpoint. People called out the fact that he didn't shake hands after the loss. And honestly, I gotta look back to see if a lot of people were shaking hands after multiple finals because you know, I saw a podcast with Paul Pierce and uh Kevin Garnett. They're like, yo, I ain't shaking hands, man. Let them enjoy their moment. It's not like they repeated and nothing like that, or or three-peater or nothing like that, and they said respect, you know, they got a team that you know fought hard, they win it, all these emotions are pouring out. You know, let you know, let them celebrate. Uh we'll dap it up, show respect later. But, you know, even they said it themselves, like, you know, as far as just like shaking hands immediately after the game, is it really uh something to uh attack somebody over? Or, you know, I don't think so. I think there should be a mutual respect when the game is over, but when you're at the you know at the mountaintop and everybody's cheering and stuff, and they lost a home game, uh, San Antonio. I can understand the emotion behind the San Antonio Spurs. Um, but I gotta look back, I gotta see what teams didn't uh you know shake hands because I can't recall this at this point, man. Um yeah, right.

SPEAKER_01 16:57

That that's something we could do some research on.

SPEAKER_04 17:00

Maybe, maybe uh was it Cleveland and and uh and the Warriors because they saw each other like five years in a row at one point, four years in a row at one point. So it's like, all right, you won this one, you know. But when you have a new team and they're experiencing that for the first time, I I don't expect the other team to kind of like dap it up. And I gotta double check. We'll circle back for the next episode, but Citra, how do you feel about that?

SPEAKER_02 17:29

Yeah, I mean, uh really uh same. I mean, I feel like I agree with it, but I would want to know, you know, obviously if if that was the same case in years past. I mean, you know, when Colby lost the finals with you know with cold with Kobe shaking hands, I I don't I don't know the answer to that. Um I don't I don't think so either. So um but I can't I can't confirm that completely. So I don't you know I don't want to state it like that, but um but no exact exactly it it so much was around this Knicks team really all year, and even more so obviously when they got to the finals. Um again, let them let them have the moment. Um it I mean I'll also too, I mean, there's definitely a level of embarrassment here too, you know, and and again, a a younger, a younger, younger kid, a younger team, uh you know, might not know how to handle it in in some respects, but but again, even still, if we're we're kind of holding them to the fire over something like that. I mean, you don't know what happened after the game, you know. They all communicate with each other, they're all kind of friendly, you know, they all have their phone numbers. I mean, who's to say Wendy didn't, you know, call Brunson later on or something and and congratulate him or something? I I personally think we're making a big deal out of it.

SPEAKER_04 18:41

Well, yeah, he's a villain now, so that's why they're making a big deal about it.

SPEAKER_01 18:44

You know. No, let's see what happens. Like you said, it's uh the immaturity in him. Young kid. I mean, I would be pissed myself in the front, you know, all that everything you did just slip out your finger. So I I can't again, I don't blame him. It's still unsportsmanlike and kind of messed up, but I it is what it is. Yeah, he I don't think he should get crucified for it, but yeah. So we're talking about other people that turned heel. I don't even say it turned heel, but let's get into uh my man Dustin Poirier. But did you guys see the video?

SPEAKER_04 19:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:26

What the hell is that?

SPEAKER_04 19:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

Uh okay. Uh so it seems like for the people who have not seen the video, it's basically he is intoxicated. I'm gonna say I'm gonna say intoxicated. And he got kicked off a flight. He said his friends were on the flight, and um, but he got kicked off, and then he started mouthing off to the police officer or security. I'm not sure which one. I think it was police officer, but started mouthing off and tried to throw hands. He didn't throw any hands, but he did invite the hands. The hands were an option on the table. And uh police officer, you know, he backed off and that's it, called for backup, and at the end of the day, uh Dustin Poirier got uh got arrested for uh public intoxication, I believe. Now I personally think that the uh officer did a fine job, but not thrown down with not a UFC fighter. Oh yeah, that's what I mean. Let me add that. Dustin Poirier is a UFC, not a UFC fighter, he's a UFC champion with 30 knockouts, pardon me, 30 wins, got knockouts in there, I'm pretty sure. And I think only like 10 losses, something like that. But Dustin Poirier is a beast. Alright. This is who who you're dealing with. Floors open. How do you feel? What do you think? Could there been anything that the officer could have done and to I don't know, change up situation? No, no, what's up?

SPEAKER_04 21:06

Ray, would you like to go first? Alright, I'll go first.

SPEAKER_02 21:10

Go ahead. Yeah, go ahead.

SPEAKER_04 21:11

So I saw the video. Yeah, I saw a bit uh I saw I gotta say first and foremost, that cop was very, very lenient um for uh choosing not to tase his ass because obviously it would have been crazy if you would have shot his ass, but I seen other videos in which law enforcement would literally just tase your ass if you tried to invite conference to uh some type of conflict. And from watching the video, um uh Dustin Portier, he literally approached the um the officer. Um, and at that point, you know, this guy, as Andrew said it, UFC world champion. He has the capabilities to do physical uh Harm to uh any individual that he comes across. And if the you know police officer decided to pull out his firearm and shoot, he would have had justification because at that point the cop could have easily said, I feared for my life. And what did he say? He said, I'm not gonna fight you and you need to relax. He tried multiple times to calm and de-escalate the situation. So hats off to the police officer who, you know, um decided to take that decision. Uh, I'm not even gonna say he knew better because honestly, if he would have um used a firearm, um, you know, it probably would have been better in his predicament because, you know, at that point, as the points I mentioned before, uh, you're dealing with an individual who could do uh physical harm um to you and possibly uh put you in a hospital. And, you know, I I don't understand how, you know, he was in this situation where he was willing to fight um anybody on the spot, let alone law enforcement, at an airport. Um, and it's quite clear that the first question I also wanted to ask was, where was his friends in this? Why his friends let him get to this level of intoxication? This is not something that anybody would want to do um or be, you know, in public. Publicly intoxicated is pretty much embarrassing. I free everyone um, you know, would say if if his friends were there, they should have, you know, had the balls to pretty much just say, hey, listen, you need to put that drink down, you gotta stop it, and stuff like that. Come to find out, after he got arrested and after he had an apology, he said, you know, I'm not fighting no more. You know, apparently alcohol's getting the better of me. So where's his friends right there? Telling him, hey, listen, you need to relax with this stuff. This stuff is slowly destroying you. So then we have a situation where he confronts a law, uh law enforcement, pretty much uses the N-word to the cop. I'm like, bro, like what the hell's going on right now? Because everybody in the comments was like, he said, what? And then he approached the individual. So this is one thing that I learned when it comes to the law. When you approach somebody with the intent of trying to um assault them, uh trying to try to physically harm them, they literally call that assault anyway. If he was to put hands on the officer, that would have been assault and battery right there. And one other thing, he pretty much said, Oh, uh, you did a good job to the cop. Like, like if he tested him or something like that. I thought that was some asshole shit to say. He was drunk, okay, whatever. But at the end of the day, I saw videos, I saw this one video where they're at a gym. I don't know if it was a Planet Fitness or whatnot, but this one dude put his hands up against the cop. Cop literally took out a taser, taser's ass, and then put the handcuffs on. The cop could have easily done that to Dustin Portier. So, I mean, you know, at the end of the day, the cop made a decision um as much as he can to de-escalate the situation. Uh, but Dustin Portier wasn't making it any better. He wasn't making it any better, wasn't making it any better for himself. I don't even know if this is a situation where uh he could bounce back or he might, I don't even know if he has sponsors, but if he has sponsors, they might say, hey, we're gonna stay away from you. And he might um have a bit of a wake-up call that he needs to stay away from alcohol um and look forward to be a better role model to uh people who are part of the who look forward to fighting in the UFC and want to utilize mixed martial arts because if you're a champion and you have this type of altercation, you're just putting a stigma and a bad name to the sport itself.

SPEAKER_01 25:29

I'm gonna leave it at that. Um before before you jump into I will add that the officer he obviously knew who Dustin Poirier was, right? He said, hey, Dustin Poirier. He's like, fuck you. But he knew he was, and I I I told Ray uh uh previous this one, we just chopped it up a little bit is that Dustin has a reputation for like being a down-to-earth dude, right? Inside the ring and outside the ring. He's never been like a issue, problem, or come off with like a type of gimmick. You know what I mean? The cell fights, whatever. He's been Dustin, like that's that's in the diamond, right? So yeah, seeing him like that, like more on the aggressive side, was interesting and definitely like out of character. So I think that's I I think that's what um the officer saw. And he was like, you know, I mean, I can I know this guy's not really like an asshole. Maybe we could talk or see what's up. Why I didn't like what the officer did was he backed on. Right? That shows um again, you you're letting him take ground. Uh again, I'm not Superman. Uh doesn't for you knock my ass out real quick. But if you are like enforcing law, whatever, you can't. You can't have any of it. If you're standing your ground, you gotta stand your ground. Like, all right, I'm not backing up. There's a wall behind me, I'm not backing up. Like, I'm gonna try to de-escalate the situation as much as possible, but you're not gonna punk me. Right? You you're the you're the champion. I'm not gonna try to start it with you, I'm not trying to get in into it with you. But you're you're not gonna just bitch me out like that in front of like especially when you're your camera's on, like especially like because the whole world's gonna see that, you know, the whole world's gonna see that. So I didn't like that move he did. Um yeah, yeah, compared to a lot of other athletes and specifically if we just want to talk about UFC athletes fighters, this wasn't a a big deal. Uh we've all had some type of drunk moments, since you're looking at you. No, but we've all had no you're not, though. That's a crazy thing. No, but we we we've all had those moments. Um where yeah, alcohol got the better of us. And you know, uh keep it short and sweet, we act as stupid, right? And that's what happened here. It was uh it's embarrassing, I get it, but it's nothing that he can like it's nothing he can't come back from, right? If he was like a straight up just asshole, asshole, then maybe it would be hindering on his reputation, but he's what he portrays and again what uh he shows in in the ring and outside the ring for the most part, right? Aside from this uh incident, yeah. He's he's a he's a chill dude, so I don't think he's gonna get too much heat off this. And again, he said himself, not an excuse, but say, yo, you know, I have every since retiring from fighting, it's like Gray said, it's been taking a toll, and uh my outlet has been drinking, and it's not good, you know. Sit.

SPEAKER_02 29:05

Um, well, I want to start off by saying that Dustin Poirier is absolutely one of my favorite fighters. I've seen almost all of his fights. Um I loved seeing him beat the crap out of Conor McGregor. It was just one of my personal favorite things to watch.

SPEAKER_01 29:19

So he broke his leg, right?

SPEAKER_02 29:21

Well, yeah, that was yeah, the final fight. Yeah, I was yeah, I mean, I never like to see that happen, but you could but again, that even speaks to the reputation of him, right? Because I remember even after that fight, I know they interviewed both fighters, you know, Foreign took the high road, and here's McGregor sitting on the ground with his leg broken, like cursing him out, talking trash about his, I think it was his girlfriend or or or his charity or something like that. So yeah, um, but again, yeah, he's he's always been very respectable. But um, you know, and I'm not gonna pretend that I know the entire story, I've heard bits and pieces, but um, fighting is actually what saved him because you know, as a child, you know, coming up, uh, I guess he was involved in a lot of bad things, fighting a lot, you know, just always getting into trouble. Um, so fighting really gave him that outlet. Um he's a goddamn force, man. I mean, Poirier on his own is a weapon. I mean, he doesn't even have to carry a weapon. So, you know, when I first started to see the video, I'm not gonna frown. I first started to see the video, I'm just like, all right, well, you know what? Here's another another athlete drank too much, you know, just causing a scene, whatever. Until he starts to turn to the side and pick his pants up. And then I'm like, all right, that looks like that looks like he's getting ready to go. You know what I mean? Like he's getting himself ready. And I'm just like, I mean, I know you have you know feelings about how the the the security or whoever it was, you know, backed up on him and everything. I don't know too many people standing their ground against Dustin Poirier, especially in an environment where there's no rules, essentially.

SPEAKER_01 30:52

I mean, say win.

SPEAKER_04 30:54

Um at least they because it's trust me, if that cop got knocked out, he would have gotten demoted.

SPEAKER_01 31:02

Yeah. Well, yeah, I mean I'm not saying he should have fought him. I'm not saying he should have fought him real quick. I'm not saying he should have fought him.

SPEAKER_02 31:09

But what I noticed in the video too is here he is backing away, right? And then the the the two women behind the desk or whatever are are just right there in in the line of everything. And I just yeah, I didn't feel like that was the the best move. Um, you know, I I absolutely understand where he's coming from. Like I don't want to stare down Dustin Poirier. Um, but yeah, man, the the reality of the situation is he messed up. Uh, you know, it's not a good look for him. Um, I do think that his his uh his past reputation will be enough to kind of I don't want to say sweep it under the rug. I mean, you know, the video's out there, it's it's not good. Um, you know, but you know, from from all things considered, from what we know about the dude, I mean, he is a stand-up guy. He is he, you know, he he he does take you know accountability for a lot of things. Um and just you know, anybody that you hear speak about him just basically says what a respectable, you know, good guy he is. Um, like you said, in and out of the ring. So um, you know, we all make mistakes. I get it. This was not a good mistake. This was definitely something, you know, he needs to really, you know, as as we said, take take a step back and really assess everything and and understand where he's coming from. Um you know, I'm I'm personally not gonna sit here and be like, oh, you messed up, bro. Like I'm I'm I'm done with you, you know, and I I really do hope that a lot of his sponsors don't either. Um, I think you know, it is what it is. It was an accident. Um it could have it could have escalated into something that it shouldn't have, and and we're you know, we're all thankful that it didn't. Um, you know, but but I I I'm not gonna hold one incident over over a guy that, you know, all all other things considered has has a pretty solid track record in in being that good guy. Really an ambassador for all of MMA, not just the UFC, but but MMA and and all things like that too. I mean, he he really embodied his whole like hometown and everything, which I believe was New Orleans. Um, just really just kind of you know put all of them on his back as best he could whenever he could. So um again, not a good situation. Was really really sorry to see what happened in that video. Um, but again, as long as I think he's gonna learn from it, and and I don't think it's something that we need to that that we really should hold against him for forever. It's it's done, it happened. Let's see what he moves on from here. Maybe he can turn this into a positive somehow for something. I don't I don't know. You know, no knowing the kind of guy he is, you know, I think he can be stand up, take accountability, and and really, you know, make something good happen out of this. Um so you know, I'll be I'll be looking maybe to see uh see some information on that maybe at a later date.

SPEAKER_01 33:33

Yeah. Uh it won't surprise me if he goes back to the officer and actually apologizes sober. It won't surprise I'm not saying he's gonna do it, but it won't surprise me. That that's just the type of person that he comes off as, right? When you took the L to um what's my man's uh Russian, um, the dude with the hat. Come on, wrestler. Uh Kabib. Oh my god. I think my last name. Oh Kabib. Yeah when you took the L to the Kabib, he was Kabib's last fight. He was Kabib's last fight, and he and even after the fight, he donated like a certain amount of like winnings to Kabib's uh charity. Something like that. It was something like that.

SPEAKER_02 34:10

Something like that. I don't know the specifics, but you're right. It was something like that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:14

Yeah. Um but like Ray, I also went to the comments and it's it's I didn't see I didn't do that.

SPEAKER_03 34:25

Now I feel like I need to do that. What is it funny? Is it wild? Like what is it?

SPEAKER_01 34:30

Nah, it's it's people who talk out their ass, I guess you can say. Some something like we do, but at least I feel like we have type some type of ground or expertise in a way, right?

SPEAKER_04 34:41

You definitely talk out of our ass. Yeah, we do.

SPEAKER_01 34:44

I get that. 100%. I've come to terms with that. But on some ace ventura shit. Well, I'm just getting these comments, and I'm not really gonna go into it right now, but it's just it's the whole like, um, like no, right. Oh, maybe you should have shot him or he would he wouldn't have got shot if he was someone else. No, no, no, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_04 35:05

I'm saying I'm saying from a legal standpoint, he could if it happened, the cop could have in justifiably said I was threatened. You know, he could have from the fact that you're not gonna be able to do it. You you're facing your personal is a chance to fire who can harm you who in the quickest way as possible. And you know, the the cop's decision to continue to try to de-escalate the situation, you know, um really uh I'm not gonna say it helped him. It it it really helped uh Dustin Portier because from a legal standpoint, if he didn't know who he was, that this guy could have ended up in the hospital uh or mortally wounded, you know. Um, but definitely he's still arrested. So you know, and back to what you say, because he pretty much said, Oh, you know, it it's you know, it's Dustin Portier, like he knew who he was talking to. So maybe a part of him felt like he could have just kind of like calmed the guy down. Um but um to circle back to what you were saying, Drew, uh he can't back up. If he if I firmly believe that that um officer uh didn't back up, he will have no choice but uh to move forward and you know maybe tase the guy or something like that. If he ain't got a tase, he got pepper space. He he he would have been forced to do something that he probably didn't want to do. Um, so that's my perception from him just like backing away, uh or not backing away, but stepping, stepping backwards.

SPEAKER_01 36:32

Because my man took a travel. He yeah, he he moonwalked back, bro.

SPEAKER_04 36:37

But I'm just saying, like, because he he's he's coming across somebody who knows how to you know engage in close combat. So it's more like I gotta like not go against the ropes, but I gotta buy my footing just in case.

SPEAKER_01 36:51

I'm not blaming, I'm not blaming him for I'm not like accusing him, like I'm not blaming him or not like that for backing up. That's the decision he made. And again, again, it worked out, right? It worked out for everybody, no one was hurt, it ended peacefully, right? Now, like I said, who knows if he wouldn't have backed up? Dustin might have like, oh what? Blah blah blah. You know what I mean? And then it would it could have got ugly. Or maybe Dustin was like, you know what, this shit ain't worked it, but like you just never know. But as like if you're a law enforcement and you you come come into that type of um situation, I mean, you gotta have some type of like, no, man, like this is this is it. I'm not saying to match his energy, right? Like if I was in the cops position, I like I told you, my how I say, because I don't wanna be a oh, what is it, uh part-time QB, you know what I mean? What they call what they call it. But the best way I would have dealt with that was again, not back up, but also be real calm with it and not match his energy, right? Like, yo, Justin chill, like, let's not even go there. I'm not trying to fight you off the rip, just say that because I'm not trying to get my ass knocked out by Dustin fucking Poirier on my on his afternoon shift, you know what I mean? Like, yo, I'm not trying to fight you, but relax. All right, let's let's chop it up real quick, bro. Let's talk something because I'm not I'm just trying to bang out with you. But if you do come to me, like I'm gonna have to use this and I don't want to use it, you know what I mean? I'm a fan. So somebody quoted Spider-Man.

SPEAKER_04 38:27

Hold on, hold on, I gotta say this. Somebody quoted Spider-Man in the comments when he's like, I don't want to fight you, Flash, I wouldn't want to fight me either. I don't want to fight you, Dustin, I wouldn't want to fight me either.

SPEAKER_00 38:40

That's true though, bro.

SPEAKER_02 38:42

Yeah, no, I'm just trying to say, like, it was it was obvious, you know. Obviously, we know the the the security guy, the cop guy, you know, he he backed up because it's Dustin Poirier, right? Because it's Dustin Pourrier. If that's not Dustin Poirier on the other side of that, right? And that's just some random intoxicated dude. Does this situation end differently?

SPEAKER_01 39:01

Yes. Yes, I think so. Yeah, he would have at least tased the guy.

SPEAKER_02 39:04

I think so too. I think no questions asked, that dude would have been tased quick.

SPEAKER_01 39:08

I again I I think it has more to do with just him knowing of Dustin Poirier. Yeah, that it wasn't. You know what I'm saying? If I if if I'm going against some like random as like again, drunk dude, I'm like, nah, like we're gonna we're gonna figure something out real quick. You know what I mean? But now, like, let's see I fucking see Rodman, right? And I'm like, yo, that's Rodman, bro. Like, yo, Rodman, come on, man, relax. Like, chill, chill. You know what I mean? He's no UFC champion, but Ramen is 6'7, right? Something like that. Like, he freaking towers over me. So I'm like, Rod, like, just relax. I just calm down. Come on, you Rodman, dude. You're my I'm I'm a fan. No, I do one forever. Hilarious. So that that's what I mean. So I definitely think that's a major reason why it didn't escalate. Not because he was you know, he knew how to fight or anything. No, no, I think because he just the he was the guy was a fan. He knew who he was. He had knowledge of him. So that's why I think it would have ended differently. Anything else on the other hand? All agreeance. All agreeance, say aye. Aye. Aye, aye. Yeah, but no, legit, uh Dustin, uh Beast. Um, yeah, man. He Yeah, we've all been there, we all went through some some sort of fashion of of this. So, and his was not even bad. Connor McGregor threw a whole damn chair at the damn at a bus and busted glasses. You know what I mean? Like it's alright, you'll be okay.

SPEAKER_04 40:44

Oh, yeah, one of the other comments. They were like, Connor's sober and and dusted is drunk. What the fuck? I was like, what the hell's going on? Yeah. Oh man. But actually, that makes me wonder because you know, he was in um, you know, mixed martial arts and UFC and MMA uh majority of his life. Why is it at this point in his life he kind of feels like he's at a low point that he can't continue to move forward using that as kind of like a tool um to empower others or open a gym? I don't know much about you know Dustin Portier, but but all I know is just that there's a lot of people who take what they grew up learning and applied it towards the next generation. They opened a gym, they become a coach in some degree of some sort. Is he doing that? Did he ever entertain that thought? Um, if he finds passion in, you know, instruction doing this in his life, um, why why did he stop? Does it have to do with the fact that uh he's no more he's not doing fights anymore? Um, it could be a money issue, and and I don't know his finances, but you know, when it comes to being a fighter, a prize fighter, you know, you have two things medical bills and expenses. As pretty much and you only get paid from the from the fights that you uh participate in and the fights that you win. So, you know, I don't know if it's like something deeper than that, uh, because you know it it it was really uh I don't want to say a dark side of him, but definitely something nobody expected to see from him.

SPEAKER_01 42:15

No, yeah. Um, I think uh none none of us have been through it, so we can't really talk on it. Yeah, just taking a quick guess. But you're like I said I said he grew up fighting. Fighting's all he knew. That's how he got his anger out, aggression. Oh, he had that was his outlet. He he used it positively U of C became a damn legend, right? And aside from that part of it, the fame, yeah, like the money, the income coming in, like that crowd cheering your name when you walk, like all that stuff, like just to be gone. And again, it's not like he got kicked out or he fell off. No, it was his choice, he retired. And I think he retired at a good time too. But to just all that just being done, I could see how it gets to people, right?

SPEAKER_02 43:07

And then getting under blame, like who I am Dustin Poirier, and you're kicking me off. You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_01 43:13

Like it all kind of Yeah, it was your private jet, bro. Right, right. No man was flying Delta, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 43:23

It'd be funny if he if he had been drinking proper number 12. I'm just saying.

SPEAKER_01 43:27

Oh, that'd be hilarious. That was another comment.

SPEAKER_04 43:31

That was another comment. Was it? I was like, oh no.

SPEAKER_01 43:39

I definitely I definitely I definitely could see it, man. And like I said, I I think he does coach or he does um at least to a school or something like that. But again, time would tell, just see what happens. And um, yeah, it's good luck for him, good luck to him and his uh future endeavors. But he'll bounce back. Uh I have I have no doubt he'll he'll bounce back. Um talking about bouncing back. It has nothing to do with bouncing back, actually. It needed a good segue. But we have to hit Ironbound for a Brazil game.

SPEAKER_04 44:15

When is the Brazil game?

SPEAKER_01 44:17

I don't know, but we have to hit I don't care where we are, we have to hit Ironbound Noork.

SPEAKER_04 44:22

For those listening, the Brazil game that he's referring to is the FIFA World Cup is referring to Team Brazil.

SPEAKER_01 44:29

Team Brahma. Andrew, please continue. Yeah, yeah. So FIFA World Cup has been happening here in Jersey. It's uh Jersey, Philly, uh Mexico, and Cali. And the world's been partying. The world's been partying. Having a good time here. I heard someone discovered a ranch out here for the first time and uh they think it's the best thing, which is pretty cool. Yeah. Ranch sauce.

SPEAKER_02 45:00

And people are like stocking up on it. They love it so much.

SPEAKER_01 45:04

Yeah. I mean, hopefully they don't check out uh Chipotle sauce. You know?

SPEAKER_04 45:10

Or that chickboard. Wait till they have that's what I mean.

SPEAKER_01 45:14

I fucked up.

SPEAKER_04 45:14

Wait till they have the Big Mac sauce from McDonald's.

SPEAKER_01 45:18

Good rebound, bro. That's a good rebound. Um, no, but yeah, so the game's been going on here. Um, y'all, y'all got a team y'all going for? Or what's up?

SPEAKER_02 45:30

Nah, uh not specifically, but I wouldn't mind seeing Messi win.

SPEAKER_01 45:35

Messi's my guy. Uh, but you know what? He got his accolade. That's it. I think he's good. So if he doesn't win, like he already got the accolade, he won his stuff uh last time, he's good. Uh Ronaldo, he's the next one chasing it. That'd be something else to solidify him as the GOAT as well. I'm all I've always been messy over Ronaldo, but again, Ronaldo's a amazing player as well, so you can't take that away from him. And to for him to get that uh that that feat right there, that that trophy, yeah, the cup, it'd be great. It'd be great for him. Uh I'm going for I'm going for I usually go for Spain, as you know, all my Spanish jerseys in there in my closet. I usually go for Spain. I'm just not feeling it this year. For whatever reason, I'm just not feeling it. And Italy didn't even qualify, which is crazy sauce, right? So same thing. I'm I'll back up Spain. I hope they get it, but for whatever reason, it's just not doing it for me. But they're doing their thing. Spain's doing their thing. I'm curious about um Norway. No, the Norwegian football uh squad, they're doing their thing. Nastiness. Nastiness. And I want to see, I want to see where they can take it. Go ahead, Ray.

SPEAKER_04 46:57

All right, so real quick, uh, I I really don't have a favorite. Uh I'm not much of a soccer player. You heard how passionate I was about basketball. That's my area of expertise. I still don't know offsides to this day when it comes to soccer. I have people explain it to me, and I'm like, okay, great. And then I see it and I'm like, I still can't get it.

SPEAKER_01 47:17

But okay, well, wait, wait. Uh let me explain it. Two seconds, I'll explain it. I'll get this in two seconds. You know a fast break?

SPEAKER_04 47:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:24

You know cherry picking?

SPEAKER_04 47:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:26

You can't do that. You have to have a defender in front of you at all times. That's it.

SPEAKER_04 47:29

I gotta watch it. No, I I understand the concept, I just gotta see the play. So um, so from what I do see, uh, we have about a lot of groups. We have give me one second. One, two, two. Oh, Japan's in the two. Yes. Five, six, seven, eight, eight.

SPEAKER_03 47:48

All things considered, I wouldn't mind the US winning either. I'm just saying.

SPEAKER_01 47:52

Just saying. I was gonna add that too. I was gonna add that too.

SPEAKER_04 47:54

We have 12 groups from what I do see. Uh, Mexico. Mexico is the only team that has had three wins um from their out of all these groups, and they had an accumulation of nine points. Um USA has two wins. They, you know, actually saw their other game. Let's when they played, let's give it a clap for that one.

SPEAKER_01 48:18

No, no, because bro, USA, this, I think this I'm not sure if it's the first time in the history, but USA actually going to the second round is is amazing. Uh, shout out to Freeman. I've I don't know his first name, but he's he's been the dude holding it down. But also, the reason why, um, I'm not trying to get into this, but the a big change what they did was they got an Argentinian coach for the US team. And he he's bro, he he's been putting putting them through the ringer, basically, and it's paying off. Because look what they're doing. Like the team is looking like we know what we're doing.

SPEAKER_04 48:58

So I bitches. Yeah. I I actually saw the US against Australia, and I was like, oh, snap. Uh, we already scored the first goal. Guess how that happened?

SPEAKER_01 49:13

Yeah, the guy kicked it in.

SPEAKER_04 49:14

Somebody from Australia accidentally kicked it in their own goals. That's how the US was up 1-0. I'm like, all right, cool. But the scored the second goal on our own.

SPEAKER_01 49:22

Freeman, I think it was Freeman who kicked it and then it missed, but then it hit the guy's foot and it went in. I think that's what happened.

SPEAKER_04 49:28

I like my story.

SPEAKER_01 49:30

No, no, I think you know you're 100% right. 100% right. The other guy kicked it, but scoreboard.

SPEAKER_04 49:35

Yeah, but they have a lot of teams. It's impressive. I mean, I'm like catching it here and there. I'm not fully invested, but it looks like Mexico is doing their thing um with three wins. The only team right here that I see on the list that has three wins, uh, they might who knows, they might be able to kind of pull through and get this dub, uh, hold that trophy. I don't know. But there's also one thing I want to add, you know, uh, for people listening, you know, we're a group that you know originated in Jersey. The American Dream Mall, which is located in the Meadowlands, East Rutherford, is right next to MetLife where they are having the World Cup games. If you can't make it to the World Cup games at MetLife, there is a watch party in the American Dream Mall, which is pretty cool because I was there like over the weekend, um, not over the weekend, uh, Saturday last week. And there's a section where they have like an ice rink. They close down the ice rink, they put a turf, so they have like a little mini soccer field, and then they have a whole bunch of tables and a jumbotron, and you could watch whatever uh watch party is scheduled, whatever game is scheduled for that watch party. So that's also something I wanted to add. I thought that was pretty cool. I saw so many people in Colombian jerseys. I thought I would never expect to see that.

SPEAKER_01 50:46

Columbia holding it down.

SPEAKER_04 50:48

Uh, but yeah, Colombia's holding it down, man. Jersey got a lot of people that support and love Columbia.

SPEAKER_01 50:53

We should go to Noches for a Columbia game.

SPEAKER_04 50:55

Summonamana eh. Okay. That was a good one.

SPEAKER_01 50:58

You know, Noches de Colombia?

SPEAKER_04 50:59

We go to noches.

SPEAKER_01 51:00

Let's go to Noches for a Columbia game, bro.

SPEAKER_04 51:02

We could definitely do that.

SPEAKER_01 51:04

Gastel. We could do that. But yeah, no, that's that's been the big buzz out here. And I know we talked about hitting a rooftop bar for the parade, the next parade, but didn't happen, obviously. We work, we're busy.

SPEAKER_04 51:19

I wanted to go so bad, but in hindsight, I'm like, bro, it's a good thing I got to see everything I wanted to see on TV. The only way it would have made sense is if I had one of those seats to see the players receive the key to the city. Other than that, I would have just been like a sardine next to everybody else.

SPEAKER_01 51:36

Yeah, you did it test. Don't do it again. You did it test.

SPEAKER_02 51:39

I went I went to a Yankee parade once after they won, and I'm telling you, I'll never do it again. It's it's it's not something you want to do. You see it better on the TV, like you said, unless you have like a seat in the front row up up there or something, it's different. But being like just like you don't see anything except everybody else. Like that's it. So you did it the right way.

SPEAKER_00 52:00

That don't even seem fun, but balcony view.

SPEAKER_04 52:02

That if you had a balcony view, that would have been perfect, but balcony would be good. Yeah. Yeah, live in that.

SPEAKER_01 52:08

Living there. Um yeah. So let's let's try to do something with um what the hell is this? I forgot notification. So let's try to do something on um with the with the with the soccer event, football event, whatever you want to call it. Let's uh let's do something. So like Noches for Columbia game or Ironbound for Brazil game. Citron gets it. Citron knows what I'm talking about. Yeah, boy. Unagi. Oh, Japan. Again, Japan in it. Japan's undefeated right now. So they're looking good as well.

SPEAKER_03 52:44

I can rock with Japan. I can rock with Japan.

SPEAKER_01 52:47

Yeah, me too. I ain't mad at it. I'm not be dope to sure, for sure. Yeah. Yeah. Oh man. Um, next line of business. We're gonna go to uh I think it might be the last line of business, too. But kind of picking up what we left off last time with uh the roots picnic with Jay-Z. Uh, we do have one person that responded. And I don't even know he was being talked about, keeping it a bean, was uh is Oscino, Osquino Vasquez from uh well formerly from the group State Property. I know he doesn't like to deal with them anymore, and they had their own falling out. Then he got cool with beans again, and then I'm not sure where they where they land, but whatever. He does his own thing. Uh Philly rapper. Uh he's he's been blowing up on the social media scene, just like YouTube's and just his interviews, right? Like more than he was before. Like it's weird. I feel f I feel like people now know him more as a personality than a rapper. But I knew back when the dude had hair. So yeah, so apparently the line what was it? This this this nut nut dude ke still stuttering, right? Along those those lines. Apparently that was directed towards Oskino because he stutters when he talks, he talks fast, he's like me. He talks fast, and sometimes uh the words just blah blah, you know what I mean, get tongue tied. So he took offense to it, and then he made a diss track. Now, was the diss track good? I heard it was bad from other people, but I'm gonna use my rapper ears and fan ears, and I had to listen. And you know what? It was bad. It was not that bad. I expect him worse for whatever reason. He's been having this like offbeat flow for some time that I'm just like I think he has to pick better beats. I used to like him back in the day, but I think now he has to pick better beats. But yeah, the the diss track was alright, he had some points, and I don't know, man. I don't even think that he was on Jay-Z's radar, and him being an artist, he had, you know, like he said it, he he had to uh say something back. He couldn't just take that shit lying down, right? And especially you're gonna come to Philly. You're from Brooklyn. You're gonna come to Philly and talk about me? Nah, we're not doing that, Bucko. Not today. So yeah, I 100% agree with him retaliating in in battle rap. But again, it was alright. I don't think Jay Z is gonna respond to, but it was alright. Thoughts? Comments? Say what you got.

SPEAKER_02 55:41

Um well, I don't think he's gonna respond unless there's another roots picnic, because that's just what Jay seems to like to do now. So I mean they're sad, but I'm not gonna go on a rant like the last time, but uh clearly there was somebody else that felt the same way that I did, um, to an extent. Even even made a reference to how he dissed Drake in in this uh in this this uh diss track. Um I don't care, man. I just don't care. Uh but the whole the whole Jay, even dropping the the the freestyle at the roots pick. Like I was talking to one of my friends about it who's like a big Jay fan. Shout out to Rian if he's watching. Um and he kind of tried to put me in my place a little bit on that rant that I issued, just you know, about how you know these these rappers have been uh been talking that talk about Jay all this time, and uh and you know he just kind of had enough of it and it wasn't like a plan thing. He just he was like, you know what, why not? I'm gonna I'm gonna go ahead and do it. I don't see any of those people coming out and saying anything about it. So it's kind of weird that like this Oskino guy um decided to do something about it too. But you know, I don't I don't know, but I feel like it's just not it's not gonna go anywhere. I think he said it that you know he he dropped it, that's it. I think Jay's not gonna say anything about it.

SPEAKER_04 56:51

However, somebody has a concert in Yankee Stadium coming up soon.

SPEAKER_01 56:57

I was gonna bring that.

SPEAKER_04 56:58

And he might or might have a rebuttal or continue saying something crazy. So we're gonna find out if this is his angle. He's like, uh, putting cases on, all you motherfuckers. You think you could do this to me?

SPEAKER_01 57:18

Oh yo, what he said about Memphis was hilarious, though.

SPEAKER_03 57:22

Oh, it's like Memphis Blank, he said, I think.

SPEAKER_01 57:24

Oh Memphis, you know, yeah, I gotta buy I gotta listen to this. I haven't heard the song. He was like, You from you from you from Brooklyn. Why you name so Memphis? Yeah, I was like, and then he was like, You're on Mad Jay-Z features, never blew up. I'm like, yeah, that's true. It's true. But he also added, and I guess we can do a quick deep dive. He also added where Amelio Sparks, no Amelio Sparks, not a state property member. He just dropped the album not too long ago, too. I think, oh, late 2025, I believe. Um he also added that what's that song? Um Giving That Gushy Stuff. Um Hustler Bay. Yeah, just watching. That was that was Emilio Sparks song. And apparently Jay-Z has the reputation of hearing something saying, Oh, let me jump on that track real quick, and then making it totally his. And he kept he kept those he kept uh sparks on the the course, but that's all he got from it was the course, but that's supposed to be his song.

SPEAKER_04 58:27

I heard that too. I heard that too.

SPEAKER_01 58:29

Yeah, so and the and the more I hear things like that, the more I remember what uh Sid said, and it was said multiple times on this pod that he doesn't Jay doesn't like having artist above him. He has to be that guy, right? Like with Jay Cole, right? J. Cole drop, nothing. You know what I'm saying? I've I just rediscovered he uh brought up Lupe Fiasco. Jay did. And I that that'd be a yeah, that'd be a great, let me say this, that'd be a great uh little segment we can do. It doesn't have to be a hell episode, but just about Lupe's history and everything, because that's one of the dudes who like he almost had it all and he's nice with it. I like Lupe, but he just he kind of got screwed in some situations, but yeah, he came up with um some record label that was whatever, like some group, and then he got with uh Kanye, and after hearing that verse on uh Touch the Sky on the Touch Sky song from with Kanye, which Lupe handled business on, Jay was like, Oh, nah, I I'm against you, you're about to be my artist, bro, and I'm I'm gonna help you, whatever. So I think he helped him with something, and um he never got signed. Even Dane Bash would say that Lupe was supposed to be part of Rockefeller, but that part never happened, and it went to the fact that Jay didn't want anybody above him, and he knew what Lupe would do.

SPEAKER_04 59:58

So, I worked with Kanye in his situation where he was able to make beats, um, and he wasn't rapping about guns and stuff, and he just kind of like outsold him. That's pretty much what worked with with Kanye.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:11

Well, Kanye and Jay, yeah, yeah. But Jay knew what to do. He was like, yo, I'm bringing Kanye with me because like you say, he's our he's our beat maker. Yeah, and he can spit a little something. Now it blew up to something totally different with Kanye, right? He he made a whole new road for rappers and listeners. Right? So, which was well it's good. It's good, but I don't think Jay um expected that him to blow up and be the name that he is now.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:45

Well, there it was really Dame that was just like, all right, who really was just like, let's sign him. Let's sign him. Yeah. You know, um, yeah, it kind of seems like Dame is always getting the short end of the uh you know, whatever he's doing. Um I think a lot of it also has to do with the fact of um his outlandish antics. Um it's kind of like what we're seeing with Kanye right now, it's why people are like deferring from Kanye, even though Kanye is like is like a mega Uber superstar at this point. Um even Kanye said it in his song, he said, Why do you think me and Dame cool? We assholes. He's just like nobody wanna deal with an asshole after a while, man. It's like you know, I ain't dealing with that. But back to what you said about Lupe Fiasco. Lupe Fiasco, um, yeah, he he's he he's a very dope rapper. And when he had his uh commercial success with lasers, I think that pretty much kind of showed that he's somebody who could uh be lyrical and all that, but still provides something to expand to a bigger audience. Um definitely uh the song um lights go on. And show must go on. Show must go on, show must go on.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:01

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:02

That's pretty much show goes on. What a no show goes on, show goes on. There you go. Oh, and superstar, superstar. That's what I meant to say.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:09

We're getting the superstars on the cool. The superstar was on lasers. Nah, superstar was on cool.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:15

It was on cool, got it.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:17

Okay, and um lasers was show must um show must go on.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:22

Gotcha. What was that also uh show goes on? Show goes on. Was that also I don't want to care right now? Show goes on.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:27

I know that's on the same song he did with Trey Songs.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:30

Nah, that might have that might have been Lasers. Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:34

I mean, I like some of the old stuff like that dumb it down track. That was Lupe, I'm pretty sure. That was pretty that was pretty dope for everyone.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:40

Yo, that that was that was his first album. Yeah, Dumb It Down's first album.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:45

Well, Spotify. We're gonna look this up right now. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:48

Look it over good. Yeah, we had Kick Push, right? That was his first album. First album was dope. My favorite of the album was is the cool for sure.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:56

Star is on the cool show, goes on, is on Lasers. Daydreaming, Kick Push Daydreaming on Um Food and Liquor, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:04

Food and liquor.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:05

Paris, Tokyo, hip hop save my life is on the cool, hurt me soul is on um food and liquor.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:12

Um dumb it down.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:16

That had to be early. I gotta type it up.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:18

That had to be that might have been the cool, bro. It was no, it was a cool because I did bro. I did a report on that in high school, man.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:24

I remember I remember I was bumping it in high school. It had to be early.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:27

Yeah, it's no, it's the cool. It's the cool, yeah. Yeah, no, cool, cool, definitely my favorite album. Apparently, there was a whole hold on with I think it was Atlantic Records he was signed to. It was a whole back and forth with with uh Lasers, where it came to the point that he had a protest outside of the the record label to get his stuff released again, back and forth behind the scenes. And so after that that happened, he had no more major labels backing him up.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:00

I remember in an interview, Lupe was talking with an executive, and he was like, I want my masters. He's like, What you want your masters for? Just to hold it in a briefcase? Like, you ain't gonna know what you do with them if you had them in your hand. And I'm just like, damn, that's that's some cold shit to say. But a lot of these rappers don't know what to do with their IP, you know, if they actually readily had it available.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:24

But um artists, make sure you you cover your stuff, all right? Get a lawyer. Cover all bases. Yeah, cover all bases. LLCs and everything. Oh man. Um, I like how we started with Oskino and ended up on Lupe. Yeah, that's that's a good segue. That is. Yeah. That that's that's still I heard someone say, I saw someone, let me say I heard, I saw someone say that Waka Waka is like Waka Flocker. Oh, Murray Carey for Christmas went up for the World Cup. Waka Waka for the World Cup. Murray Carey for Christmas for Christmas.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:13

And I'm like, yo, true. Oh, so actually, I think Shakira was supposed to perform at the World Cup, but they had a stand-in for her. And apparently she was just like, no, it was actually me. But a lot of people are speculating that this was a like a double, a look-alike that was impersonating her, slowly checking out. So I I came across that on TikTok. I was just like, since we're talking about the World Cup, and apparently they always run into Shakira for the World Cup.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:44

She's she's lip syncing now. Like she's talking about.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:47

I feel like she's done that for a while. I feel like you can't lip sync belly dancing though.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:51

So listen.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:52

You can't fake belly dancing.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:54

If if I had to kill one of you to get with Shakira Shakura. Shakira. I would kill both of you just to make sure I get her. Like she's gonna run away from people.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:08

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:09

I respect that. I respect the hell out of that. That's funny. That should be your only answer all the time. Okay. I respect it.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:17

Oh my goodness. That well. Yeah, motherfucker.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:26

I just take it an interesting turn now. Oh man.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:31

Yo, how we go from Mosquino to Shakira. Jerry Springer pay-per-view.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:37

Oh man. Oh, there's uh, we gotta get to this AD album at one point in time.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:43

I know what about hip hop? We only covered one thing about hip-hop. Everything else was sports today.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:50

Well, we're we're entertainment, Ray. We're entertainment.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:53

That is true.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:53

That is true. We go for the entertainment.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:56

Visualizing the realism of life in actuality. Fucking status. But AZ's album, have you guys heard his album?

SPEAKER_00 1:07:09

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:11

Yes. Okay, all right. Thank you for making it very clear because the people who are listening to our podcast cannot see you nod your head unless they tune into YouTube.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:22

Yeah, all 10 of them, all right, bro. So they need to be audible.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:28

Oh man.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:29

Oh man.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:30

Um this was like a short album. It was like 35 minutes.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:33

Yeah, legit. Uh I wish it. Yeah. I w I wish it was like one of those classic AZ albums. Um it was it was good though. I like I like to listen around. Nothing really stood out to me though. Like that I was like, oh damn. But bars are there, the flow is there. The like AZ's flow is I like the song So High.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:59

The one that had the music video.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:01

Yeah. That's not that's the one with uh with Nas? Which one's with Nas?

SPEAKER_04 1:08:05

Um the one with Nas is surprised.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:09

Surprise, there you go. Not so high, surprise. I like surprise. So high, yeah, so I was solid. Um they pulled up too.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:17

Did you see the video for that one?

SPEAKER_00 1:08:18

Nah, I did not.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:19

So he definitely was in front of a green screen, but I'm pretty sure he used AI in the music video because there's a specific scene where he's kind of like parachuting down from the sky because he's so high. And I'm like, oh no, they used AI for that one. They didn't use green screen. Yeah, bro.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:36

Okay, me bugging. So high. Yeah, that was Moo Moo Fresh. Yeah. Yo, uh, no need for lactose was was smooth. That's a good way to start an album. Yeah, yeah, man. Um I like the video. I know.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:50

But I but I like the video.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:52

Oh, overall, overall, I'm giving this like a seven.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:54

Yeah, rapping from a mature standpoint, which is what I like about you know, any rapper, apparently at this point in their age. Uh, there's no point in trying to sound like a young guy, you know. Definitely well-established, uh grown-up individual, could bring some type of um authenticity. Uh, and that's what I've really liked about uh AZ when he was rapping out of this album.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:18

Well, that's him. That's who AZ is. Like, he's just a you see him in interviews and anything. That's his persona is this album. Like, chill dude, mature, not the dude from back in the day, but grown, but still on his business, right? He's not the he's still not gonna say chasing the success, but he's still in a sense, yeah, chasing success. Because he's dropping something like this. This was a good album. Um I still want to give it one more listen, though. I want to give him one more listen. It's been a while. I did, I did two times around, but then run it back. Like it's a good album to listen to and just like vibe out. It's a good summer album. You drive in the car, chill, windows down, but I said nothing wild me about the album. You know what I mean? Like nothing. It was like, damn, like that shit, well screen. But again, just bars and verses, and this is saying, but where I put AZ on a pedestal, right? Where he is on on that list for me. Right? That's what I'm saying. Like, I give it a seven from his other stuff, not from other things out today and other artists, no, from his other things, other projects. That's why I'm giving like a seven.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:29

Uh yeah, I mean, same thing with you. I played it a couple times. Um can't even name any of the songs, nothing really stood out to me. Um, I don't really want to give it a rating until I play it through another time or two. I just feel like I need to give it more justice, you know, other than just a couple times. Um but same thing, like it was the type of thing where I threw on as I was driving. I I listened, you know, intently initially, and then I kind of faded out a little bit just as the album went on. Um, not that it was not a good album or anything. Like it, I it it kept my attention. It wasn't that, it was just uh you know, again, not not typical A Z. It was a little bit different. Um, I I definitely want to listen to it another at least one more time, see if something else can jump out at me. Um, yeah, it was it was it's it was a feel-good kind of album. I liked it, but but I I need to know more, I need to hear more.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:19

I feel like a a couple songs blended into each other. Almost like the last uh, what was it? Artie Monkey's album.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:27

I know I'm going from like hip-hop to like alternative, but their last album, I feel like by the way, just so you know.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:33

I I I know, but this is this is why I'm listening to albums, right? Is that they they sounded like um like there's no change in the track. You get me? Like I feel like it was some some songs, not all songs, but some songs were just like a loop of the other previous song. Like it just sounded the same. Was it a producer? No, it could be, it could be, but just beat-wise, the vibe that he he was putting on this album. It was similar to where what was it? Uh that one Arctic Monkeys uh album. No, it's okay. There you go. Tranquility Bass Hotel. Good album, but it's just so as like the first song kind of sounds like the last song. Okay, good album though. Gotta be versatile with your bonds.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:22

Yeah, if tracks start to kind of sound the same or blend in, it's yeah, it's not it's not that great of a listen.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:29

Um, so we have a handful of producers. K Def, Ron Browse, Large Professor, Mike and Keys.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:39

Yeah, what large professor do? Hold on, let me see this real quick.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:42

Give me the world featuring Jada Kiss.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:45

That's the only song. Uh okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:49

I gave you my first compressor.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:54

So uh I'm I I'm on the same boat as Citron. I really want to give the album another listen before I could give it like an honest opinion. Maybe seven, maybe six and a half. However, um, it was just it was feel-good music, you know. So, you know, nothing sounded terrible, but nothing. I don't want to say nothing sound like a standout. One thing I could say for sure, I don't think he's really trying to chase like the success. I think he just wants to work and put his music out there.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:21

Yeah, well, he obviously he wants the album to do great, you know. I mean, that's what I mean by chasing the success. I'm not I don't think he's as hungry like he was back in the day, right? Because again, he's at a content level. But like you said, if he wants to work, he wants to put something out. And I mean, we'll give another listen for sure, and we can revisit it. Let's not try to do this too much, but we'll we'll revisit it.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:46

Episode 13. All right, so we revisited it.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:49

Yeah, yeah, we finally heard this album. This is a good one.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:51

We have an honest rating, it took a couple of years.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:53

It was the best album ever. My friend AZ, he gave me a call. He knows Nas. I promise you it's gonna be great. Oh man. All right, guys. Well, anything to put out before we out?

SPEAKER_04 1:14:05

Said all I needed to say. Um, see how the rest of this World Cup plays out.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:09

No pun intended.

SPEAKER_04 1:14:10

I don't know how that was a pun intended, but okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:12

Plays out? Because you got the ball, and when it goes, it plays out. I don't know. Bars.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:20

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:22

Bars, bro, out of here. We out.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:24

Citrinking, but I think we can wrap this up now.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:32

Oh man. Yeah. Doing this, doing this in a different time zone should be hilarious, bro.

SPEAKER_04 1:14:38

It'll be great. Half asleep. It's gonna be huge. Somebody's gonna be like, wait, my Wi-Fi.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:45

And just stand still like again, as always, we appreciate everyone who's listening, um, everyone who's downloaded, everyone who checks out the YouTube, um, rogues reproductions, the regime report, you know the routine, like, subscribe. Thank you, everyone. Regime out.