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Cuddy is with us. What's up, my guy? >> Yeah, >> dude. Good to see you.
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>> Good to see you, too, man.
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>> All of a sudden, everything's moving in the right direction a little bit more now you're here.
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It's nice that you joined us this morning, man.
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>> Yeah, I'm happy to be here, man. This is exciting.
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My new single came out this morning. >> I know.
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We're going to play it in a minute. We already played it.
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First thing we played on the show today. Couldn't wait to do it.
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I told you it's one of my favorites on the record.
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It's got that um it's really got a little bit of edge to it's got edge to it but it also speaks to this idea of recovery of getting through this other side of getting it of now I get it. >> Yeah, definitely.
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I mean, you know, the it was important for me to put those type of albums I mean those type of records on this album, >> you know, because that's the stuff that kids love for me the most.
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like those real uplifting, you know, hopeful records, you know, kind of talking about my struggle and and, you know, where I'm at now in my life. And, uh, I don't know. I really feel like Mr.
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Miracle and this album in general, it's going to help a lot of people in the same ways that my my older music did, too. >> Definitely.
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It It matures the message as you mature as a human.
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And it's it's not like you're stuck in a loop trying to tell people the same stories cuz it works.
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It's like, now I've got to tell my truth.
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Can we just hit him with the big guns?
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My my boy Hanaman was telling me about this comic book from way back in the day that featured a superhero in it called Mr. Miracle. >> Oh wow.
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>> And and do you know this? >> No. >> This is crazy.
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You are now existing in some kind of symbiosis not even you're aware of.
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And the and the character's real name is Scott. And so Mr.
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Miracle's real name is Scott Free is his name.
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And the other one is called Free.
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And there's no I walked in this morning.
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I was like there's no way this is a coincidence.
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I was like, I know I know like I know you got you're interested in that that part of the culture as well.
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So I was like, there's no way this is on accident.
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Turns out it turns out you are just out in some mad energy field just doing the kids of it all. >> That's crazy, man. >> Crazy.
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>> And then I dig a miracle as an escape artist.
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>> As an escape artist who is escape artist who chooses like specific elements of the problem and uses it to find a solution and escape from his >> He can't be caged. He can't be confined.
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He's a He's a creation of Jack Kirby in the 70s. >> Oh, wow.
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That is >> And I was just like I was like, "No way.
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This has to be on purpose." And it's lame.
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>> I never knew about that. >> So good.
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Next time you go on like to the nation or whatever, they're like, "Let's talk about Mr. America."
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You're like, "It was a genius thought I had way back in."
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>> Um, man, the album is called Free.
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It says everything you need to know.
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The artwork is so beautiful.
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Um, finds you jumping out of a door into wide open space.
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I often refer to altitude as a as freedom.
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I always think like certain certainly in the creative arts when you get above the clouds is where the real true space to create is and you're not on the ground being pushed and bumped around and it's such a powerful term.
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Um when did it come to you?
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When did this ide this this album start to take shape for you? A lot of life change. >> Yeah, man.
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I I started working on this uh in the fall of 2023.
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>> Um and um I knew immediately that this was the direction I wanted to take.
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You know, I was kind of going back and forth in my mind for a while, just thinking about the next chapter and how I wanted to do something drastically different from anything I've ever done before. >> Yeah.
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Because life was drastically different than it had been before.
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I mean, by that point, you'd fallen in love.
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Cuz this is just before we met at your house and talked.
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I think we spoken beginning of 24.
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Was it the beginning of 23?
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I think it was the beginning of last year we caught up, wasn't it? It was.
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So, things had already changed.
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You things were going well. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
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I just felt like I needed to drastically make a creative leap in my career. You know what I mean?
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People know that I'm a risk taker, >> you know?
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>> you know? people kind of tune in because of that fact, >> you know, and I felt like, you know, I actually said this before in a couple other interviews, like, you know, the last 5 years I haven't really been pushing myself, you know, I've been kind
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of coasting by, you know, and and still making amazing records in the process, you know, but I haven't really, you know, when I'm in the studio, it's not like I've been like, "Hey, how can we >> make something that is new or anything like that you know I mean I'm just >> how do I get uncomfortable? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I was very >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
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I was very very comfortable playing it very safe thinking more about like what the listener would want to hear >> and that's not how I make a typical Kuy album.
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You know it's usually about what do I want to hear?
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What do I think the world needs right now?
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And that's kind of how I went into free.
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You know, I was like, what does the world not have right now that I can provide?
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And, you know, at the same time, give them classic cuddy feels, but also give them something new.
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>> The word redemption really comes to mind for me.
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This idea of if you do the work and you actually listen to the signs around you and trust the process that you'll find yourself in a better place or >> at least enough to keep going. >> Yeah.
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>> I think redemption is getting lost on the world right now.
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I think I think most people who, you know, don't even have time for redemption, they just get stuck in denial.
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It's like they won't even do the work.
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It's like, oh man, you know, I've got to leave some stuff behind.
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It's like, well, I'll just pretend that never happened and just keep doing shitty >> you know?
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Whereas I feel like this album is way way more like, you know what, if you stick around long enough >> and you actually believe in that term, that idea of of self forgiveness and and growth and love, right? Yeah.
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>> You found someone who loves you for you. Yeah. Yeah.
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And it's just >> how do you got married?
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I don't if you saw the news everybody. How you got married?
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>> And you know like I'm 41 years old right now man.
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Like I was 24 when the world know me when they when they met me. You know what I mean?
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And I just I sometimes take a look back and I and I go like wow you know I really took heed to the journey.
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like I've learned from my mistakes and you know learned lessons on the way and applied them to better myself and I don't know man it's just it just feels really good to like I never when I was younger I never imagined myself in my 40s >> you know um I didn't see past 30 for me and you know it's just a beautiful thing to to have this album really as a direct representation of the joy and the peace >> that I feel. >> You know what I mean?
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Like I think people will will definitely feel that when they hear this album. They hear it on Mr. Miracle. They hear it on Grave.
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They hear it on Neverland. >> Definitely.
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>> Um and you know, I've been doing >> Salt Water. >> Yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah.
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Saltwater is going to be gonna be one of them ones.
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That's the final record on the album.
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Um >> you know, uh >> I don't know.
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I just I just truly believe that this one in particular is going to rock the world in such a major way, >> you know, and I'm I'm so excited because, you know, I'm like a kid on Christmas morning, you know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Friday. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
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I'm I'm I'm I'm super eager to get it out and uh I'm excited that Mr.
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Miracle came out cuz I just wanted to give people another taste of the album.
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Did you make most of this album in at home like you've been doing the other ones or did you kind of find a different spot to do?
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>> Um, it was mostly uh you know uh we worked in LA.
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>> Y >> um and some songs uh Mr.
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Miracle in particular was made at uh Justin Triner studio. >> Amazing.
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>> With his team >> and a lot of those records that we >> The billion dollar baby that guy he's unbelievable man. >> He's incredible. He's incredible. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And shout out to Justin.
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He's he's just the sweetest man.
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And >> um >> we work with him and his team, you know, he had a team of producers over there and we kind of just a lot of these records were built off of my melodies, like me just humming a melody >> and then the the uh guitarist would just come in and just play the melody and we would build on it and just build the track that way. >> It's so crazy.
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You know, your relationship with melodies is nuts.
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Every artist feels they have this but but often it's an interchangeable thing.
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But I feel like you have had this intrinsic identity as a melodic writer from day one.
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There was a cuddy type of melody that no one else could do to the point where when people try to do it, it's like it's great, but it's cuddy, man.
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Like, >> yeah, my boy uh James Samuel, he always tells me, he's like, "The thing about you is like you sing in between the notes.
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like you don't go for the obvious >> note that people might think the change up is, you know, it's like you kind of sing in between the melodies.
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And I thought that that was interesting.
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I was like, "Wow, I really do kind of, you know, I have >> Yeah, you should you should have it studied by somebody who does that kind of stuff because there are people musicologists and Chino does define goes through all the classical composers did one on him and was like, "This guy's melodic choices are genius."
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And I think yours are very similar. Very, very unique. And I love James.
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And if anyone would know, he would cuz he's a encyclopedia for that. >> Oh yeah. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. James Samueling. He's a beast. >> There's a line in Mr.
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Miracle, which I love, which is everybody needs someone who's going to who's not going to leave them, right? And you found that.
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Um, you know, we congratulated you before um finding, you know, some peace in your personal life and somebody that you can share things with. >> Yeah.
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Um, I know that something had been missing, but it did it take meeting your wife to realize how deep the gap in your soul was at that moment in your life?
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>> Yeah, it it's kind of like when I met Lola and we finally locked in, there was a completion there. >> Yeah.
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You know, I think before I had her in my life in this way, >> I was like I you know, for years like we've we've talked about albums that I've released in in recent years and I've been in a great space.
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I've been happy this whole time.
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>> But there was always that there was always something that felt missing.
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Like I didn't feel complete. >> Yeah. >> You know what I mean?
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Like I was happy living my life in a better way than I used to, >> but like I still felt like something was missing.
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now that you have a relationship that's worth living and dying for, right?
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Someone that you care about more than even yourself and you have that with your kids and you you know and with family, but it's so it's important to be reminded of that.
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What's important to you about building trust and relationships?
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What do you look for for it to be something worth keeping?
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>> Oh man, just loyalty and and having a best friend.
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I think that that's the that's the coolest thing about it is, you know, I have these moments in my life where I'm like, Scott, you're not alone anymore.
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>> Like, you can't be acting like you don't have anyone.
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like you have a partner here to uplift you when you're down >> to be that support system, you know, um someone that can give you unconditional love, uh a best friend >> and um you know, I'm reminded every day that I'm blessed with Lola.
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You know, she's like my soulmate and every day is a joy just being with her. And I don't know, man.
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I It's so crazy how two people from opposite ends of the earth can find each other and they work, you know?
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It's like I was sitting over here in LA just like searching, you know what I mean?
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Dealing with the riff raff, you know, you know, I didn't even think that like my my person was in Paris. >> Yeah.
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you know, >> um, and >> it's just a a really beautiful thing to be in this place, this place of peace, but also to have someone that even though my cup is already full, they're overflowing it.
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You know, before I was like kind of like my glass was almost empty and I was looking for somebody to fill me up >> and then they would be empty.
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So then they would be, you know, kind of out of it.
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And and I feel like with with love, you have to have two glasses that are full and they overflow each other.
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>> It's a constant overflow. You know what I mean?
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And that's where I'm at right now.
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It's like Lola was happy with her life.
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You know, she was doing great in her world.
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I was doing great in my world and we found each other and then now it's just like the icing on the cake just like the extra bonus that you realize that every man needs this. >> Yeah.
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>> Like every man needs their partner, their best friend. >> Yeah. >> You know what I mean?
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>> And I found it and I I feel I don't know. I feel like a kid, man.
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Well, I was going to say I don't know if anybody in the room, I'm sure your team has seen the the photo spread that was lovingly put together by Lola and the team at Vogue about the wedding, which was like Vogue, right? It was really lovely.
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It was beautiful to get sidetracked on that and all the photos were gorgeous.
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The one of you and your mom and she's emotional was very beautiful. Thank you.
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>> But my favorite is at the very end with the two of you jumping on the bed and it's just pure joy. It's just pure joy. >> Yeah. The bouncy house. Yeah.
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>> Was on a bouncy house.
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It's just so funny cuz the two of you were just like, "Oh my god, you just look so elated in that particular moment."
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You know, you've got this memoir as well. >> Yeah.
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>> You know, I know you pretty well, but I can't wait to read and fill in the gaps that I that I don't know.
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>> Um, and I know there's some things that that that this book has enabled you to talk about, which has kind of freed you of the burden of carrying this this this part of your life, right?
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That's kind of I guess why you write a book to some degree is you get to free yourself >> of some of this stuff and and it seems to me getting married at this time and you've talked about wanting to have more kids and everything else that this has probably been maybe an important reckoning for you >> and the loss that you faced as a as a young as a young person you know losing your dad and what you went through.
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I mean, the memoir was a three-year process, and the whole time it was, you know, really, it was really heavy. >> Yeah.
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>> To just go back to those places and relive them.
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Uh, my father's death, um, my uncle's death, my cousin's death, the pain is, uh, revisited, so to speak.
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And you know, it was a hard it was hard for me to kind of talk about certain things, but I got through it and I knew that like people needed to hear the full story and not just piece together bits from the tabloids or what they heard in the interview. Yeah. Yeah.
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The songs, you know, kind of give a little bit more context >> to what I've been dealing with since I was a kid all the way through my early 20s to my 30s.
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And it was important for me to be as honest as possible.
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Like in the book, I don't make myself I don't try to make myself seem like this really great person all the time.
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When I'm a mess, I I talk about it.
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I talk about my shortcomings >> uh a lot.
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I think that that was important for me cuz I was like, man, I don't want to make a memoir where it's like people are like, wait a minute, he's not being all the way truthful. >> Yeah.
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>> Like, you know what I mean?
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Like That's that's another example of like promoting yourself through the identity you formed, right?
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Has it the whole idea of Kid Cuy been to really dismantle the trauma and the early identity? >> Exactly.
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And it's like I needed to be as honest as possible, >> you know?
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I needed to to bring people into my my world and and have them understand the ups, the downs, the triumphs, all that. >> Yeah.
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you know, because I' i've I've >> I'm I'm not a perfect person >> and I've made I've made mistakes, you know what I mean? Yeah.
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You know, and and I'm honest. >> Yeah.
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I'm open about that, you know.
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I'm not like insecure about these things.
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I'm like, "Yo, look, >> I made a mistake.
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I I did this wrong or whatever." What?
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Like, I feel like that is part of growing. That's part of maturing. >> Yeah.
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you know, and here we are at this album, this memoir.
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People are finally hearing the full story with the memoir.
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They're getting details that they never knew, creative details about like how I made certain songs, how I made certain albums.
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>> Uh stuff that I know that fans have been wanting to know for for my whole career.
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But then also a chance for you to get in front of some narratives that have been following you for a long time. >> Yeah.
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>> I mean, we don't need to go into it cuz I'm here to talk about music.
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It's not really my space.
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There's a lot of other networks and places out there that will first thing I want to do is talk to you about this, but >> you know, the rumors around certain things that you had found yourself unwittingly involved in were just cooking for so long. >> Yeah.
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And then you finally get a chance in the way history works to be able to get out in front of that and give your side of it must have just been very relieving I'd imagine because it's got to take its toll sitting on information that you know people whisper about but you can't actually have an honest conversation with the public about it. >> Yeah.
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>> Do you know what I mean?
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The Cassie situation or the Yay situation or any of these situations that everyone the internet will have its way.
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>> That's what a book's for, isn't it?
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For you to be able to kind of make peace with that on your own terms. >> Yeah.
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and and and just open up and and be confident with with your honesty and and know that in turn it'll probably help somebody.
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>> It will help somebody.
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That's one thing you've always done.
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>> Even at even when you needed help yourself. >> Yeah. Yeah.
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Cuz this is the type of person I am.
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>> That's the kind of person you are.
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They made you good in Cleveland, huh? >> Yeah. Yeah.
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>> How was it singing Neverland at your wedding? Emotional.
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>> Uh it was it was crazy.
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Uh and and you know uh Lola has she has seen me perform Neverland before.
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Um, but this performance was like a a different thing, you know, like really I was really >> singing to her and looking at her and and oh man, she was just smiling and I could tell she was just so happy and uh and I and I know she she really like knows that the love is so powerful between us. >> Yeah.
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And the fact that we have this now we have this this project that like is a is it kind of a stamp for this moment in time. >> Yeah.
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>> Where I really express my joy >> Yeah.
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>> about being in this relationship and finding that peace and being happy with my person.
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You know, it's something that even Lola says.
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She's like, "We'll be playing this album for our kids one day and be like, you know, daddy made this album for me."
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like, you know, like and and it's so it's so crazy to think about, you know, even having more kids and and starting this new chapter.
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Like I look down at my hand throughout the day multiple times and I look at my ring. >> Yeah.
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>> And I'm like, "Oh shit."
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Like this is not just me putting on a ring and just trying to stunt. Like I'm married.
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I have like a ring on my finger.
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Sometimes I can't wear mine cuz I'm boxing or doing exercise, whatever, but I make sure I'm reminded at all times what's on. I love it. I love it.
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>> I just love it that like uh >> the new uncomfortable is you at your most comfortable.
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>> It's so good like for you to get to a place where you're pushing yourself creatively.
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You had to say, "What does it feel like when I'm actually happy?
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And how do I express that?" >> Yeah.
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>> And it's just Isn't that just like a crazy paradox of life? >> Yeah.
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It's unreal, you know, to to listen back to the album. It's like, wow.
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Like, this is a true representation of what I'm feeling right now in Sonics. >> Yeah. And it And you feel it.
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So, for the first time in a long time, you must have really felt it.
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It must have been emotional for you listening back to this record. >> Oh, yeah.
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>> Cuz when you really tell your truth, it's deep.
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>> There's a couple songs on the album that where I got emotional when I first recorded them.
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Like Saltwater was definitely the one. >> Yeah.
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you know, um the ending just, you know, and I I I did one take of that outro, you know, I just kind of let let what came out came out and and uh >> that's so beautiful, man.
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When you do that and I'm not surprised you're emotional cuz you had a conversation with yourself. >> Yeah.
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And it's also that moment is like summing up the past 17 years. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> You know what I mean?
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It's like >> this has been a trip we've been on >> and like I am in the light now, >> you know? I found peace.
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And I think that that moment on Saltwater is that moment where I'm having that one-on-one with the fans, like I'm talking to them directly >> and I'm letting them know that I appreciate all the blessings in my life and that I've, you know, come to realize that like this is all a part of the plan.
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This is all a part of the plan.
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Every every misstep, every bit of pain I felt, >> yeah, >> it was all part of the design, you know, like God doesn't put us through things we can't handle.
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It's all to help mold us to be better humans.
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>> You're a real work in progress.
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And um that's what art can apart, you know, allows us to see and you to express that.
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Um I mean, I mean, it feels like yesterday we were talking on a video call and you were like, I think I'm done with music. I'm going to change. check out. I'm not interested.
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And >> thankfully, you know, you walked that back cuz life is full of changed minds.
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>> But I mean, it's just fascinating how uh I always think like you're a real instinct player.
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I think you really move like you feel like I wouldn't have been surprised and keep me honest if you woke up that day and decided that that day >> and just decided like I'm just going to tell you right now because this is how I feel right now.
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I just feel like you live in feeling. >> Yeah, definitely.
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I'm I'm the music is all about what I feel, >> you know?
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It's like the mind is is in the back and then it's all about in my heart what feels right.
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>> That's how I make my choices, >> you know?
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I don't let my head get in there and start thinking, "Oh, but what about this and people might think this or whatever." I'm like, "No, that.
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What feels right in my heart?"
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>> But you got to look back on it and know that as as you, like you say, reflect upon the timeline of wins and losses that all of it stems from that one approach.
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But you but but you accept that you accept that there's a there's a risk for failure in doing that, too. >> Oh, yeah.
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But I'm still I'm still happy about what I made. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You know what I mean?
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Like I'm like even Speed and Bullet that was like everybody hated at the time.
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>> Like I was still like, "Yeah, that's pretty punk rock."
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To me it it felt like, you know, dropping a movie at can and everybody's like walking out, you know, like disturbed.
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I was like, "Oh, this is so punk rock." Yeah.
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Like we got we made people uncomfortable. They don't like this.
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Wow, that's a feeling, you know, they felt something, you know. >> Yeah.
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>> And >> I don't know, man.
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I Every one of my albums when I turn it in, man, I'm happy.
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>> I'm I'm like confident.
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And it doesn't matter what happens.
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I let the chips fall where they may. >> Yeah.
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>> You know, at at the end of the day, I'm always 100% happy with my albums when I turn them in. And I like them. >> Good.
23:57
That's the number one thing.
23:57
How's your physical health, man?
23:59
I mean, I haven't really seen you much since you fell.
24:02
fell. Um, and obviously like we've seen some some some people fall off stage with some pretty grave consequences before, it is, as much as people find it internet foder, a genuine hazard and risk every time you step on a stage, the way things are wired, the way things are
24:16
monitored and and more often than not happens when you're trying to get close to the crowd because you want to break down that barrier between you and the audience and that's where you've just got this kind of like canyon of potential disaster in front of you left and right. So, I mean, how bad was was
24:28
So, I mean, how bad was was the injury and and how are you feeling now?
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>> Uh, it was really bad.
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I broke my calccanous, which is your heelbone, and I have nine screws in my foot. Um, and it's crazy.
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I just shot a movie this summer. Um, my first lead role. >> Congratulations.
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>> And I was nervous because it was like really my first job back since the injury.
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So, um, really nervous about you possibly being able to see my limp or there was some scenes where I was running full sprint. >> Yeah.
25:08
And you were still in physical therapy at that point. >> Yeah.
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Not when I was filming though, but up until when I was filming, I was in PT.
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Um, >> and uh, it was crazy.
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I was able to accomplish things that I like I realized like, oh, I'm I'm 97% healed. You know what I mean?
25:26
Like I had to do this full sprint and I was I was asking the director after we shot.
25:32
I was like, "Could you see anything wonky in there when it look my run looks smooth?"
25:40
He's like, "Dude, you killed it. It's perfect."
25:42
I was like, "No, no issues. You're good."
25:45
>> Did you like the way you looked when you ran?
25:46
Cuz I I've seen footage of me running. I don't like it.
25:48
And I think >> Well, I think in movies it's like the first thing you have to think is when you're running is like Tom Cruz. >> It's 100%.
25:56
Which is just really a full body exercise.
26:00
>> It's like what would Tom Cruz do, you know? Uh that's his thing.
26:02
That's the first thing that comes to mind. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
26:06
>> That's his thing, right? That's his thing. His thing is this.
26:08
It's like it doesn't really matter what's going on underneath the the waistline.
26:11
It's just all you see is just >> Yeah. Yeah.
26:16
Man, >> have you met him? You hung out with him? You >> No, never met TC.
26:19
That's I I hear they call him TC. >> TC.
26:22
>> Yeah, we got a friend of ours who we uh who we know really well who uh who has some connection to him and speaks very highly of him.
26:27
Says he's as thoughtful as everyone says. >> Yeah.
26:29
He seems like a great dude.
26:31
>> Says he lives a thoughtful life.
26:31
Have you enjoyed the transition into Hollywood?
26:34
I'm sure you talk about in the memoir, but and into TV and film because very different discipline.
26:39
Nowhere near as a I mean, you make things and so that's an opportunity to extend your heart and your feeling into your art, but there are other times when you're just playing a role, right?
26:46
you're just playing a role, right? like you you got to lean into someone else's vision >> and that's the best because I find that with acting I can kind of take a break >> because like like you said the music is all conjured up by me you know it's all
27:00
I'm the source of everything the album cover >> yeah balance between instinct and cerebral decisions and then with with acting I can come play my small part >> in a grand scheme of a of a thing that's happening that you know other people are responsible for you know, and it's a great break for me. It's a welcome break
27:19
It's a welcome break because like my mind is always on overload when it comes to this music >> And it's nice to just >> do my role and go to work, go home, and be done with it.
27:35
>> How do you prepare for a role?
27:35
Because it's unique for you, surely compared to anything else you do, preparing for a tour.
27:40
Sometimes it doesn't work out this way, but I need a couple months to just kind of find it, you know, before we shoot, >> you know, really get in the character, you know, the needs, the wants, um, who this person is inside and out.
27:56
>> Um, and that informs me when we get ready to shoot, you know, um, >> the choices I make all the time in the role.
28:06
Um, and for years, you know, I was doing movies where I was just kind of playing like a goofy guy or something like that.
28:15
But >> have you announced it?
28:16
Do we Is the movie being announced yet? >> No, not yet.
28:18
Not yet, but it will be soon.
28:20
>> Um, but this role in particular, I had to really dig deep because it's a horror movie, but there's a lot of uh there's a lot of drama in it. >> Yeah.
28:31
>> You know, um I had to cry over a dozen times in the movie. on Q. >> Yeah. >> Tough hot. >> Yeah.
28:38
I mean, it it it happened for me because I was able to be present and feel the scene, what was happening in the scene, you know, it and and I don't want to give too much away, but um the first 20 minutes of the movie are heartbreaking. >> Heartbreaking.
28:58
And I think that in horror movies, um, you rarely see like like people don't go to horror movies and and cry really.
29:08
You know what I'm saying?
29:10
It's like you're going to be scared and whatever whatever, but like >> you very rarely get like a horror movie that has like a nice amount of drama where like they rip your heart out immediately.
29:21
And that's what this movie is.
29:23
It's like it like you are invested in these characters and you're feeling the pain and it is the most heartbreaking ever in the first 20 minutes and the rest of the movie is just >> madness. Madness. Yeah, it gets real.
29:38
It's >> Yeah, but that's really smart.
29:38
I love the I love modern horror.
29:39
I love the I love I don't even really think of it as horror.
29:42
I mean, sure, let's change the term what horror means. It's thoughtful. It's interesting.
29:45
It's been building like this for the last 20 years, but it definitely has reached a tipping point.
29:50
People are raving about weapons right now because they're saying it's just not what you expect.
29:53
It's it's got all the thrills and all of the the scares that you want, but it's it's got things to it.
29:59
I can't wait to see it that >> make you wonder if you're even at a horror movie. You know what I mean? Half the >> time.
30:04
I think I think this this project is definitely one of those things where >> you're not going to be able to to know what the next step is.
30:12
>> You know, some movies are so like predictable and you could be like, "Oh, well, this is going to happen.
30:15
This is going to happen."
30:16
Like there's like even the ending is it's like the whole movie is like you don't know where it's going to go next.
30:23
>> I can't wait to see I can't wait for info.
30:24
Must be so interesting when you too when you get to get on set and you get to hang out with people that you know cuz you are somebody you're not just an actor trying to climb the ladder of of roles.
30:32
You know, you come in as as a as an icon in your own right from your world, right?
30:36
So you're in their world and so you're a student trying to learn from them.
30:39
But okay, I'll give you an example.
30:40
So I really loved it when you showed up on Westworld, right?
30:42
that that they they turned that around and landed that in the end.
30:45
It was it was a it's like all great series.
30:47
It's like a great career.
30:48
It's like always going to go up and down, but they landed it and your presence was a really important part of what I felt quite a challenging season, but I found you really great and I found that relationship you have with Aaron really great and Aaron who I know really well is a huge music fan.
30:59
So there must be moments when you're on set together and you're like, "Hey man, I'm just here to figure out what I'm doing in this acting role."
31:05
And he's like, "Bro, when you made Man on the Moon, >> well me and Aaron, we did Need for Speed in 2013." >> That's right. So you go way back. >> Yeah.
31:12
So that's my boy like you know every every movie I do I like to take a friend with me. >> Yeah.
31:19
you know, so like um >> yeah, we're we're just we're just family and and I remember he hit me up like three times cuz he was like, "Hey man, I'm trying to figure out trying to come to your wedding."
31:29
>> And like he he had to shoot so he couldn't he couldn't make it, but he just kept hitting me up to give me updates to let me know he was working on it and so and no, he's just a he's just a great guy and he supports me and shout out to Aaron Paul, man. It's just really sweet.
31:44
>> How have you been dealing with the reflective side of this period of your life?
31:47
Because we'll get back to the music in a second, but with the book happening and then you know you've got this whole new lease on life.
31:51
So you get to say goodbye to the old life, but with that you leave by you leave old relationships behind as well.
31:56
Like I think back to some of the times even 10 years ago who you were rolling creating with and what you were doing it feels like another lifetime ago, you know, and life is kind of full of twists and turns, but there must be a sadness that comes with that as well.
32:09
Like not everything has some things have seasons. >> Yeah.
32:13
And that's that's definitely true.
32:15
And that's 17 years will will teach you that, you know.
32:18
Um, and but I'm so focused on the future. >> Yeah.
32:26
>> That I don't dwell on the past and the things that were, you know, I'm not one of those people. >> You never have been.
32:33
That's not a new new discipline.
32:34
You've always been able to move on. >> Yeah. Yeah.
32:36
I'm I'm always thinking about like what's next.
32:38
You know, what happened in the past is what happened in the past and it it made me the man I am.
32:44
But we're not looking back. We're moving forward. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You know what I mean? Keep moving forward. >> Yeah.
32:49
Keep You keep saying it the whole way through your whole Yeah. in your whole life.
32:53
You know, >> I don't know. It's tough, man.
32:54
You know, the records are a time stamp for us, too. >> Yeah.
32:59
>> Sometimes I get really like wistful about like, man, like it was it seemed so simple back then. >> Yeah. Yeah.
33:05
I mean, I was literally um I'm actually uh working with uh Asher Roth and Chuck English. Amazing.
33:14
>> On a record on a record, uh I have this record that I came up this beat that me and Hit Boy made and I was just like sitting around cuz see I'm always creating like I know I know I'm in free mode but I'm still thinking about raps and and thinking about the next chapter and um you know just talking with Asher and Chuck about like the past and like the journey we were all on and like it's crazy.
33:39
It's It's nice to kind of reconnect with my homies that I started this business with and like now we're making a record, you know?
33:46
Like it's it's such a beautiful thing and and it goes back to kind of what I was saying before about how like, you know, cuz I was saying I I don't want to do features >> really.
33:57
I'm not focused on features anymore.
33:59
Um, and >> why is that though?
34:00
What's the what's the motivation for that statement to yourself?
34:03
Man, I just felt like, you know, in my career, I've done a lot of features with people and it's solely been like a transactional thing where it's just business and >> and I don't really like that, you know, it doesn't feel >> it doesn't make me feel good, you know.
34:20
Um, so I feel like, you know, that's why I reached out to Asher and Chuck cuz I was like, man, these are my dudes.
34:25
Like, you got to bring it back to the people. >> Yeah.
34:28
You know, these are my homies, you know.
34:29
So, and I and I've never done a record with either one of them.
34:31
And it's like, why don't we have a record, you know?
34:34
So, I was just like, why not?
34:38
>> So, okay, the book is done.
34:38
That was three years of your life.
34:39
This album is probably, dare I say, as a fan, the most important album of your life because it's all your life rolled into one right now.
34:47
>> Um, you know, you found the person of your dreams that you're going to spend the rest of your life with.
34:50
Um there's a lot of big decisions and big work that you've been working on for say half a decade that is now either out in the open, done, finished, complete, or ready to build upon, >> right?
35:02
>> What are you going to do with your time?
35:04
>> Man, I think the next step is directing. >> Oh, yes. I love that. I love that. >> Yeah.
35:09
next step is directing and and and writing more scripts and and um that's the that's what excites me the most >> outside of music as far as a new chapter. >> Mhm.
35:23
How do you know it's time to direct?
35:24
You probably always wanted to, but how do you know you're ready to?
35:28
>> I've kind of done so much as a musician that I'm like, "Okay, 17 years doing this one thing.
35:35
It's it's it's okay to kind of put that on hold for a little bit and like get into something else. >> Yeah.
35:42
>> And like whether it's fashion or directing, >> you know, or writing more books. >> Mhm.
35:47
Did you enjoy writing the book? >> I did.
35:49
I mean, it was it was >> Well, enjoy. >> Yeah. Enjoy.
35:52
I wouldn't say like it was it was some moments I did enjoy cuz you know, not all the not the whole book is sad.
36:00
you know, there was some cool stuff that I was talking about and and funny things and things like that and uh but the experience was really intense, you know, but I feel like um this next chapter I really want to tap into director mode, Cuddy, you know, I think that that is the logical next step.
36:25
I've been directing movies in my albums Yes, since the very beginning. >> That's true.
36:32
So, as a director, just like any producer, songwriter, artist of any kind, you've got your methods. You have your ways.
36:38
I've spoken to enough actors on and off the record who have told me the differences between Scorsesei and Paul Thomas Anderson. >> Yeah.
36:45
>> And each of them approaches their craft and the way they collaborate in a really different way.
36:50
>> Are you any Do you have any idea what kind of director you're going to be?
36:53
Like, I'll give you an example.
36:53
I hear Fincher likes 25 takes done exactly the same way.
36:57
And then I hear other directors are like, "You know what?
36:59
Give it to me once and if it's great, I'm good with it."
37:02
And you have to ask me whether you want another take.
37:03
So, some trust actors, some trust their process.
37:08
How do you think you're going to be on set?
37:10
>> I think I'm definitely going to be one of those like, "Hey, three takes and we got it.
37:15
>> We're not going to be here all day on one scene, you know what I mean?
37:17
Like, I mean, of course, if the if the if the the actors want more takes and I'm I'm always down to give an actor another take.
37:26
Like I always like I'm I'm notorious for asking director like, "Hey, can I do it again? Do it again."
37:32
And they like, "Sure, sure."
37:32
They love when an actor is like, "I want to do it again."
37:36
You know, cuz they, you know, it could be better than the last take and they keep pushing themselves and it gets better and better.
37:41
Um, >> but I'm I'm definitely like when I direct, when I did music videos, I kind of edit as I go, >> so I know >> in your head. >> Yeah.
37:53
I know what take I'm gonna use.
37:53
We don't need to You don't need to sit there and tell me, "Hey, we could cover it this way and we could cover it that way and we can also have this just for safety."
38:02
I'm like, "Guys, I'm not going to use any of those.
38:06
>> I'm not going to use I promise you I'm not going to use any of those.
38:08
I don't need to see to know what I want.
38:10
I I know what those shots would look like.
38:15
What we have right now is good."
38:15
You know, like I'm I'm cuz I'm going to use this from this angle and I'm going to use that from that angle.
38:21
I know what we going to do, you know, and I think that that the best directors know what they want.
38:29
>> I just went to a short film festival on Friday.
38:30
Um, and it was inspiring.
38:30
There was like eight great short films. Um, very heavy stories.
38:35
A lot of them needed to be told.
38:37
A lot of them based on real life.
38:38
There's a lot of protests coming from that space right now.
38:39
A lot of a lot of writing and directing and work is being is is kind of revolution is coming from inside the the arts as always.
38:47
>> Um, but it's it's a it's an industry in flux just like anything.
38:49
Right now we're on the verge of another technological revolution. No one's quite sure.
38:52
It's pretty funny cuz out of all the ads, quick story, there's a lot of ads before this thing and they all really touchyfey and really cool and lovely and the soundtracks were beautiful.
39:00
And then there was this one AI tool ad and I swear the soundtrack they used was from the Terminator.
39:04
I swear I swear they just got out of their own way and were just like, "Yeah, this is evil so we're just going to tell you it's evil.
39:10
Just use it and shut up." It felt really dark.
39:13
Like it was like I love the tool but it it didn't present itself as like a friendly tool.
39:17
It was just like use this AI. That was the vibe. Oh wow.
39:19
So I say that to say that like as you go into kind of starting to to to to manage budget, not manage, you'll have producers to do it, but ultimately be responsible for budgets and crews and and a bigger vision.
39:31
Um going into into a changing landscape, you must be aware of that. It ain't 2010 even.
39:36
It's we're far away from that now. >> Yeah. Yeah.
39:40
And also having the team around you. >> Yeah. >> You know what I mean?
39:44
To help you kind of bring your vision to life. Yeah.
39:48
>> You know, and that's kind of like what I'm developing now.
39:49
Like I've been working with a team at Monkey Paul >> um that I did short with and um they're going to well they want to produce my my directorial debut. >> Amazing.
40:03
So, >> and you have the script already earmarked and ready to go. >> We have a script.
40:05
We have a script that's fire.
40:07
Um you know, took us some time to get it right, but we got it right.
40:11
So yeah, the movie's called When the Light Dies, and it's it's based on the Neverland short film I did with Kieran and Shipka. >> And um it's insane. It's insane.
40:24
Like I I I cannot wait to shoot this movie.
40:28
I mean, I think that it has so many Lost Boy vibes in it, but like it's like modern and new and different and there's a different take and >> cuz you are, man.
40:39
You are like the living embodiment of the lost boys.
40:41
I feel like career is that and it just is that thing.
40:44
It's like this idea of like reflective wistfulness but also kind of drama and suspense and all this rolled into one life. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, man.
40:52
So like I really feel like >> And you're right. You don't age. It's crazy.
40:59
>> I really feel like this movie is going to be really special for my first movie.
41:04
I'm really happy that this is going to be it.
41:05
be it. I think a lot of people who are watching or listening to this see you as somebody who is a really successful example of someone who's dedicated their life to the creative arts and and your life has as we've said several times in this conversation before and even off the record on Friday we talked about
41:20
this you know one reflects the other and they bounce off each other in perfect balance right even when shit's up it's like they're going to help each other out right >> so for everyone who's watching this >> and the answer will will no doubt change but today what is the secret to a healthy creative life. What is the secret to being a
41:36
What is the secret to being a creative and being able to say and look someone in the eyes and say, "I'm creative in my life."
41:44
Like for a living, with my time, it's how I make most most of my relationships. What is this?
41:51
What's what's one of the most important aspects to to dedicating yourself to that that that life? >> Fearlessness.
41:58
You got to just go for it. Take the big swings.
42:00
Like my whole career has been big swings.
42:04
Like I was doing when I did my listening event with the fans the other day, right?
42:09
>> And it's actually funny because I have video for of of this moment happening.
42:13
So I'm going to put this out so people could see it.
42:16
>> But this one kid goes cuz I was asking, you know, talking to the kids and asking them if they had any questions.
42:23
>> And he goes, "Were you scared, you know, going into this new pop space?
42:26
like were were you like scared about like you know what people may think or whatever? And I was like scared?
42:39
Hold on, let me take off my glasses. Scared? What do you mean?
42:44
I was like, if there's one word that can describe me is fearlessness. >> Fearless.
42:54
Like I have creative balls of steel. Like I go for it.
42:56
and don't think about anything else but the art.
42:59
So, I feel like that is the secret sauce that some of us have and some of us don't, you know, like you got to be you got to be a little crazy, you got to be a little out there.
43:11
You got to take the big swings, get big results, you know.
43:16
Uh, I think that is what makes a true artist, you know, going into the spaces that are uncomfortable, trying to aim for greatness >> and committing to committing execution and not being in your head about it, you know, like committing >> like I committed to this pop album >> from day one.
43:36
I was like, I'm doing this, >> you know, and I never let doubt get in the way.
43:42
On top of that, I had like people around me supporting me like, "No, this you're doing the right thing.
43:48
This is where you need to go.
43:50
This is a great next step for you."
43:53
>> But like I committed >> and that's why it's such a beautiful thing to see Mr.
43:59
Miracle out today, see people react to it the way they've been reacting to it.
44:03
Seeing that people love it and they're connecting with it, like it's just it's so validating.
44:08
Like, man, the big swing.
44:10
Like, I took a big swing with this.
44:12
like, but like people are eating it up. They love it.
44:16
>> Cardi, I love this friendship we've we're building over time and I love the opportunity to just just touch just check in and check out when when you're ready and what you've got going on.
44:24
I'm excited for all that's to come.
44:25
Most of all, as a human, I'm excited for the future you have as a person, you know, as a married man and the family you're going to raise and continue to add to. And >> yeah, man. Thanks for coming in.
44:35
Kick cutting everybody, man. Incredible. The album is out Friday. It's simply called free.
44:41
You can't miss it and you don't want to.