0:01
I never did the one-for-one one-for-out. There's no plan B. No, never no plan B.
Search this video
0:08
If I'm going to do something, I'm just going to go all the way in, cuz it's like I always I always told myself it's like I'm either going to make it in this rapping or I'm going to be homeless.
0:27
Do you still feel like the underdog?
0:29
>> [music] >> I never give a about what people think about me or what [music] could be the outcome.
0:37
I'm just going to do what I want to do.
0:39
I'm going to do it always, no matter what.
0:42
Nobody can tell me any other way.
0:53
Was this all part of the plan?
0:55
Definitely all part of the plan, for sure.
0:57
And the first time I met you, I think it was at the Roxy. Remember that night?
1:00
Yeah, that was crazy night.
1:02
Didn't didn't get to perform.
1:02
You did not get to perform.
1:03
It was definitely a few thousand, 5,000 kids out the front. >> Mhm.
1:07
It felt like something really important was happening at that moment, but it was just the start. 100%.
1:10
Who was that kid that I met backstage that night?
1:14
When you think about that guy just for a split second, who was he versus who you are now, man?
1:17
I feel like back then it was more like me just getting out the gate, figuring everything out, seeing it all.
1:26
Also, that night was a crazy night, cuz it was like first time where I was like saw how real everything was. You know what I mean?
1:34
It was like yo, I'mma do this show at the Roxy. Everyone pull up.
1:40
I didn't think me saying, "Oh, free tickets."
1:43
that it was going to be like that, and then it ended up on the news.
1:46
They're like rapper Y Each shuts down uh whatever, Sunset.
1:53
And I didn't even get to perform, but like then it it really put everything in perspective for me.
1:56
I'm like, "Damn, this is really like a movement." It's real.
1:59
I felt like the real like perspective of it, like saw it from that like point.
2:05
You haven't stopped working since. Mhm. I never stop.
2:08
Yeah, I think the consistency as well as the quality of the music that you put out, I think is is is speaks a lot to to us as fans and to all your fans is that you know, you even if you haven't got something that's following the last thing, there's always a sense that you're working on that thing.
2:21
I've always put a lot of effort and and time into like making music, cuz I just love it's all I do. You know what I mean?
2:28
That and like having fun, but that like is my is the backbone of my career.
2:33
It's like all all I do is just make music.
2:34
That's like inside of a real passion for it, so it's like I always put so much time into it, and like I feel like that you feel it when you listen to my music that it's like something you feel it in your soul.
2:45
It's like it's just real.
2:48
It's always always whatever I'm doing, whatever next thing I'm doing, what I'm on is always that's like that's what I put into the music.
2:55
I went back and listened to some of the really early stuff.
3:00
A little bit of different creature and definitely got into a live and stuff and just had to remind myself um how accomplished that music sounds going back to it now, whereas at the time when it came out, cuz it sounded so new and fresh, and I didn't know you, and none of us knew you. Yeah.
3:14
There were more questions about your music than there were answers.
3:18
Did you feel that that there was there was as much as much as you knew what you were doing that there were people who were going to question your authenticity or question your staying power, all that stuff? >> 100%.
3:28
I feel like that was my my goal, to be honest.
3:30
I feel like I was always wearing the shiesty. I didn't do interviews. I didn't talk to people.
3:35
I didn't It was more just like letting the music speak for itself.
3:38
That was always before I, you know what I mean?
3:40
People would get a judgment of who I am, what, you know what I mean?
3:43
It was just like that was kind of my goal.
3:47
Like I wasn't even trying to be like mysterious.
3:48
I'd rather let the music and everything speak for itself before someone else gets like idea of me that like you know what I mean?
3:55
Paint paint a picture in their head that's not true.
3:57
And that speaks to the identity that you presented an image as well, the idea of with the balaclava and everything that you would wear. >> 100%, yeah.
4:04
It kind of backfires though, right?
4:04
Cuz at the end of the day people want to rip that thing off and find out what you truly look like. It's the Batman effect.
4:09
I feel like I feel like now is that time where it's like I'm coming out of that stage where I'm like presenting me.
4:16
You know what I'm saying?
4:17
Presenting myself like I feel like now would be the time to like fully let everyone know who's been a part of the journey and who's yet to be a part of the journey to see >> Why we're here. Yeah, 100%.
4:29
Always in my artists that plant the seed for something before they've even seen it grow themselves.
4:33
Were there moments when you felt like having announced AD L and even talked about it on Dangerous Summer, you know, with the interlude and you didn't know whether AD L is coming that you had made a bit of a rod for your own back, you know what I mean?
4:43
Cuz it just builds that anticipation amongst fans.
4:46
Or was it motivating for you?
4:46
Yeah, even it was even before that, too.
4:48
It was like I think I've been planning AD L for the past like 2 years.
4:53
I've been dropping hints and like I do stories talking about AD L.
4:54
I think usually when I drop album I'm always I'm always in album mode.
4:59
I'm just always I guarantee I mean I'm already AD L is you know, it's thing, but I'm already working on the next two albums, on three albums at them.
5:10
I'm always just like visionary trying to see what next vibe I'm trying to see, but I always like to leave little hints and and leave little like things for people like when when it starts happening and starts unfolding, they could be like go back to it and be like, "Oh, he's been thinking about it. He'd been working on it. He's been doing that."
5:27
But I feel like this is the first with AD L it's the first time now that I'm like putting a lot of real effort into like actual album. You know what I mean?
5:39
Before everything has been like here's a mixtape, here's this album, here's this, which nothing is wrong with that, but it was like give them this this this.
5:46
I'll I'll give them >> that mentality for a second before we come back to AD L.
5:50
We'll park AD L and come back to it, but I just want to go back to the thinking behind that.
5:52
And I think this will help a lot of people who don't understand the way that artists and and and your contemporaries move like that in the beginning where it's like make a song, move on.
6:00
Don't even probably listen back to it.
6:01
May never listen to it again. Even IDGAF with Drake.
6:05
Huge record, like the song was like I made that song 3 years before we even dropped it.
6:13
And when when I remember uh I remember the night >> With Drake on it. With Drake No, no, no. I made it dolo. It was a dolo song.
6:19
>> Ah, it was a dolo song. Cheers, by the way. Cheers, bro. Yeah.
6:24
The night they had hit me, they were like yo, like we want to drop the song.
6:26
Like we need we need the session for it.
6:29
We need like the files, cuz like we got to mix it.
6:33
And we we hit them Zach hit them back. He's like Where?
6:36
>> He's like he's like, "We don't have the session."
6:37
He's like, "We don't We don't have anything."
6:38
Like I used to just make a song in a Logic session.
6:41
Make it, delete it instantly.
6:41
And then put a new beat in, make a new song, delete it instantly, put a new beat in, make a new song, delete it instantly.
6:47
So there was no like I was just always in that mode of just like What's the mentality behind behind creating like that now that you've stepped into a new way of creating with AD L?
6:55
With AD L it's now it's completely different.
6:57
So what was the mentality at the beginning? What was driving that?
6:58
I think it was just like I was just in my bag.
7:02
I was just like getting beats from my producers.
7:04
I'm like making a song, whether I was high as off Molly, in a bag making 20 songs in one night, just like in a mode where I'm just like getting I'm just fired up.
7:13
I'm just inspired, you know what I mean? Just like always going.
7:18
But but now it's definitely changed.
7:20
It's a whole different process.
7:20
So what does success feel like to you when you're going into the studio and knocking out 20 songs and deciding that these are the 10 or the 15 or the 20 out of the 200 or 1,000 that you have that are going to go on a record.
7:33
You may never listen to them again.
7:34
Everyone else is streaming them endlessly, and all of a sudden you're starting to achieve huge success, but you're moving at such a pace you're not even really you're not really absorbing that.
7:43
So how do you translate success when it's when it's being created so quickly and and and almost in such a throwaway way?
7:48
My original goal when I moved out to New York with no money. Not that I was rich.
7:56
I honestly grinded that I was the best rapper in the world when I was 18 years old, fresh out of high school.
8:01
Success to me was just being able to have rent and some food, and I could just make music. That was success.
8:07
So I already took I already achieved success since I was 18. You know what I mean? That was success to me.
8:12
I didn't care about what as long as I could do what I wanted to do and have a roof over my head, that's all I cared about.
8:19
Now looking at it from that perspective, it's definitely different, for sure. Is it better? Or is it the same?
8:25
Or is it even worse at times?
8:26
I think I think it's definitely sometimes it could be worse at times.
8:29
It's like a lot of pressure from like the fans and like just like different There's a lot of different angles at this point now when it's like so much going on and so much like I got to think about than just like back then when I'm just like in a basement eating top ramen. >> It's freedom, right?
8:49
>> You know what I'm saying? That was like >> Yeah.
8:50
That was the original success, but this success I still enjoy.
8:52
I love it a lot, but it's like definitely a lot more comes with it than just like Yeah, I was watching one of the videos from Dangerous Summer you were in Paris.
9:01
What's the black and white one where you're out in the street in the limo?
9:04
Oh, that was in uh Cologne. >> In Cologne.
9:05
Yeah, right right by the cathedral. >> Right.
9:08
It's a really effective piece. I don't know, man.
9:09
I mean, you're out there amongst the people, and you know, you're throwing yourself into it.
9:11
And obviously there's cameras around, and so it feels a little bit more framed, but I was I was watching it and wondering like, you know, okay, you lost in that moment, or you got eyes in the back of your head, or how >> We had security everywhere, yeah.
9:20
We were watching everything.
9:23
But but you have definitely more than that.
9:24
You have guns like that and They might have a little shank on them. But no, we had security. YBG was there.
9:33
My other security team, you know, it was good.
9:35
But that moment that moment was crazy, cuz it was like I just finished a show.
9:39
I was on I was doing that tour with Drake.
9:43
Uh hit all the Europe dates.
9:43
Then I was just randomly went live on IG, and I was like everyone come to the cathedral.
9:50
And that's where the video started.
9:52
>> 5,000 kids pulled up within like an hour. And that's a video.
9:53
That was the music video. That I it.
9:55
We didn't play anything into but that.
9:58
It's kind of like the rock scene but in music video form.
9:59
How was that summer with Drake?
10:01
I know you developed a good friendship with him and and you know, he obviously is in a lot of the videos from that summer.
10:05
There's in the um there's there's footage of you guys out there doing festivals and stuff with him as well and It was great.
10:10
It was great it was eye-opening it was also like I mean my relationship with Drake has always been like something I value a lot, you know what I mean?
10:23
Cuz he's to me he's he's he's a good friend also just like he's so successful he's one of the biggest artists of all time if not the biggest, you know what I mean?
10:31
And so like being able to be behind the scenes and also part of it like even before early days when I was not really like I was just like just meeting him and stuff like that to see like how it really works like what kind of operation it takes it was like eye-opening, you know what I mean?
10:52
Especially that tour to me was like it's when you when you see like that it's like What's required?
10:56
You see what's required but also you it puts it in perspective like how big this really gets.
11:01
It's like I still have my shows that big and I do these big festivals when I'm hanging with 120,000 people when I do this but like when it's a big tour like that and he's he's doing five nights in Switzerland with 10 20 whatever thousand people back-to-back-to-back sold out every single night and you see the operation backstage you see it's like Yeah.
11:21
thousand workers and so many moving parts it's like it puts it put a lot in this perspective to me where it's like not only like this is where I need to get at but like also like this is like definitely like I didn't realize like how much goes into this.
11:36
So like that was really eye-opening for me like be a part of that and see that.
11:39
Does it adjust the way you live your life?
11:40
Cuz one of the one of one thing I've noticed as I've gotten to know you a little bit over the years is to see you discover like a parts of parts of health, you know?
11:49
Not not entirely, you know, like I know that the drugs come and go but certainly from a lifestyle point of view you've sort of embraced a healthier lifestyle.
11:56
Was that driven to some degree by your desire to reach people and be successful?
11:59
I think it was just what needed to be done like I think definitely when I was younger I I mean I've been doing drugs for a long time, you know?
12:09
But like I've always been smart with it like I was never dumb, you know what I mean? Like >> you stop?
12:14
Was it an eye-opening experience? Was it a distraction?
12:15
Was it to deal with trauma?
12:17
Like can you trace it back?
12:18
I mean it was it was a couple of different reasons.
12:20
It was like the one I struggled with the most was percs for sure.
12:23
That was like a long like three almost four year every day I was waking up taking them however many at the towards the end it was I was taking like 15 30s a day. It was a it was a lot.
12:34
I mean it was obviously my my parents my family my ex at the time like everyone who was around me was kind of just like you need like you can't just like keep living like not only because I was spending so much money on it too on top of that but also just like for my health like and it's not like I wasn't like my my tolerance was so high that like I wasn't even really getting high.
12:55
I would be like like taking 15 30s and I'd be like sober.
12:59
Then I'd be walking around and I'm so it wasn't even doing anything so I was like it it was just pointless to me to even like be doing that.
13:05
It was like it was like what is why am I even doing this?
13:07
But the people that know you best got in between it.
13:10
It definitely pushed me to not want to do it and not want to keep going with it cuz I was also just like for my health for my longevity like health is wealth to me it's more important than money and anything like that.
13:23
That's why like lately I've been in the gym eating good like turning that all around just like in general just living a more healthy lifestyle cuz it's like if I'm not taking care of myself I can't take care of anyone else. That's like number one.
13:37
And that's important to you in all of this as you continue to amass money and success and things like that. >> Mhm.
13:45
Feels to me like you're saying you want to share that like that's something that you want to spread around with your family.
13:49
>> 100% not only my family with everyone too it's like >> Yeah.
13:52
if I have the opportunity to to make other people's dreams happen or come true like I would do that 10 out of 10 times.
14:00
It's like I feel like everyone deserves a shot everyone deserves to to live out what they want to do and their dreams and their purpose, you know what I mean?
14:07
So it's like I want to be an inspiration to people that like want to live out their dreams and want to live out what they do that like I'm living proof that if you have idea and you you have the mindset that you want to go do something you should do it 10 out of 10 times and nobody tell you anything about it. This is beautiful, man.
14:24
I mean I I feel like this is it feels special, you know, for me as someone who's listened to your music from from from the get-go to hear you express this often and open way and it's it's timed beautifully around this double album, right? >> Mhm.
14:36
Dangerous life for dangerous love. Mhm.
14:40
Can you define the difference between the two and and and why it's a double album?
14:44
The album like itself is like definitely the first album of my career where it's like I'm putting like a lot of real real effort into into the album itself like before I would like when I made two alive up to me all these albums like and that's part of the reason why they did so well and why people resonate with them because of the Yeah.
15:11
You can just feel the authenticity of me just like firing them out and just like just me being in my bag me being hungry I want it like Well spoke to everyone who was hungry for it as well everyone wanted more music and you were like well I got more music. >> ready to go.
15:22
I was just I could fire out 50 out of these that week, you know what I mean?
15:26
Thousands of songs but this time like I'm looking at it like after even dangerous summer I made a while ago everything I make a long time ago but this album I'm still like it's more like I'm putting so much time and effort into actually like going back into the songs into the records and like even like uh I talked about it with Zach like cuz I I used to think it was wrong to go back in on a song.
15:50
I thought like that was wrong. Why? I don't know.
15:54
I just that was in my head I was just like that.
15:56
I was like if you go back in then you're like that's just wrong like you got to make if you don't you know if you don't make it that one take then it then you're doing it wrong.
16:06
Like boom it's got to be one and done like I I freestyle songs.
16:08
I mean you know people talk about the importance of being present Yeah.
16:10
and capturing something magical from thin air.
16:12
I would argue that there's some truth in that. Yeah.
16:15
I talked about it with Zach and he was like so [snorts] he said that really resonated with me is like like if you think about like a painter or someone like they don't just like they don't just do one stroke on their on their painting and they're like I'm I'm going to call it a day it's done. You know what I mean? Like they could though.
16:36
There are painters like that. That's art. It's art for sure. They could.
16:40
But like not every not every time this you just have to do one stroke and then you did it's done like they'll paint and they'll wait a week and they'll go back on it and add a tree here and go back and add a mountain there two weeks later and then maybe delete the whole thing and go back on everything and then drop the whole new thing, you know what I mean?
16:55
Going back in on it was a concept to me that like wasn't even like never even had that concept in my head.
17:02
It's always just been like I make it delete it and done next song go let's keep going next song next album let's So this time is the first time I'm really going in on an album where I'm like putting time into it and like not being like perfectionist like oh this has got to be perfect and I got to this lyric has to be sound like this and do that but like
17:21
if I notice something in the song when I'm listening back to it over multiple periods of time and I'm like this could be better not as a perfectionist standpoint but like if I'm hearing and I'm like the delivery on this like I kind of I just could be better or like this bar is like I just said I'mma this 10 times in a row like like can I can I say something else? You You know what I mean?
17:45
Can I go back in and like can I word it differently?
17:47
Can I do something you know what I mean?
17:48
So it's like I'm going back on it and I'm like trying to make it the best it could be, you know what I mean?
17:52
Like so this is the first album I feel like in my career like 2093 was eye-opening for sure world building a huge step that's when I was first sober first album being like not on drugs.
18:04
So that was eye-opening but even then I was just like boom boom boom and then go.
18:08
But this is the first time I really sat down and was like I can get a song from two years ago work on that change to take that idea take this take that, you know what I'm saying?
18:18
Just bring a lot more put a lot more work and effort into what I'm doing.
18:37
>> [music] >> Starts with Purpose General. Yeah. Who's on it?
18:41
Why is it song number one?
18:43
What's it say about the record to you?
18:44
I mean I got it tatted right here.
18:46
I made the song next day I got tatted so had to come out.
18:50
>> Resonated with you that much.
18:50
Yeah, I'm always I'm always big on that just tattooing songs albums like paying homage to like family All that yeah.
19:01
Family I got my grandpa right here.
19:01
Rest in peace boo he's the goat.
19:05
Purpose General I feel like in the name I like cuz it was just like I'm the general purpose, you know what I'm saying?
19:12
Like whether who it is or what I'm talking about with it like I'm giving you purpose and I'm the general of that.
19:17
Before I was twatski general I'm the general and I'm purpose general, you know what I mean?
19:22
Benny cooked it up and did some crazy like Let's talk about your relationship with Benny X for a second.
19:26
You guys have both have both risen simultaneously and it's certainly been beneficial for the two of you.
19:31
You know, Benny is one of the most in demand and respected producers making music these days and I feel like the two of you recognized something in each other that was unique. What is that?
19:40
I feel like we've just been working since the beginning also and also like when we first started working it was just instant we just clicked, you know what I'm saying?
19:47
Like that I with Benny as a person also just like obviously his beats are like just insane.
19:53
Like he's super talented on many different levels.
19:56
He can make so many different types of genres, so many different types of beats and like that.
19:59
So I've always just with Benny and we just clicked always since the beginning.
20:04
Like How does he push you?
20:05
What does he see in you that other producers may not maybe not pick up?
20:08
I think since we've been working so long and doing so much together, he he he definitely's never afraid to tell me or people in general like like yo you could do better.
20:17
Like I'm not going to lie like this verse you could be better.
20:20
Like you could And so like when I saw that in him because I don't with yes men.
20:23
I don't like to ever have people around me that's like dick suckers. I don't like that.
20:27
Like I don't like that energy at all.
20:29
Like I can't I feel like it's a unsuccessful strategy to have people around you like that.
20:32
It's like having people around you that like obviously with you and like appreciate the work you're doing but like aren't afraid to tell you like yo this isn't your best work.
20:42
Like you could do better on this in a way that's like not disrespectful.
20:48
Like I love having that energy around me cuz it's like it pushes me.
20:52
So like me and Benny clicked in that way.
20:54
It was like and I'll say the same to him.
20:55
If he sent me some beats I'm like not going to lie this shit's ass.
20:58
>> [laughter] >> We need some new ones.
21:00
Like you know what I mean?
21:02
And he'll do the same you know what I mean? He'll do the same.
21:03
So it's like we always say Benny's in the matrix cuz when he's in he's got he's got he's got uh when he when he produces he puts uh in-ears in.
21:13
He's not using his headphones.
21:14
He puts his in-ears in like when he DJ's. He blocks you all out. >> everything's out. Everything's out.
21:17
He's fully he's in the matrix for like 100%.
21:21
You can't even talk to him.
21:21
We'd be like yo Benny >> [laughter] >> like I'm over when when I when I was working with I love it.
21:26
when when I was we was we was working in the uh He's a social genius.
21:30
>> Yeah we was working in the aquarium I called it when I was making the song with Cudi.
21:34
Uh me and Cudi was recording the Like we was making uh No More Ghosts.
21:36
We kept asking trying to get Benny's attention and he was like sitting like 3 ft away from us.
21:43
>> [laughter] >> He was on his computer like cooking some and we're like like yo Benny yo Benny he's like How can you be how can you be offended? He's doing his job.
21:51
He's every time we're like nah he's in the matrix let him be. Like he's in the matrix.
21:54
But real talk like just just just just having a little bit of self-awareness do you think that you give off the vibe in the studio when say a producer comes in and wants to work with you whatever?
22:01
Do you give off the vibe of like hey man tell me the truth or do you are you testing them?
22:05
Are you like is there a standoffishness a certain defensiveness that you carry with you with you in the in your creative process?
22:10
I want it to just be I go into the studio with people that I've never met first time and I I really don't say a lot. Yeah. I'm more of a spectator. Yeah.
22:20
Like just on their antics and what they do and what they you know what I mean?
22:22
A huge thing with me when I work with people or work with anyone is like I have to with them like as a person. Yeah yeah.
22:28
I won't make music with people I do not with like ever.
22:30
I don't care about anything.
22:33
Otherwise if we if I don't with that person I can't work with them.
22:35
It's not going to come off pure.
22:36
It's not going to come off authentic cuz I don't come off it's just like anything forced or fake like that I can't with anything like that.
22:42
So it's like I kind of just let things unfold and just watch them like from a third person perspective where I'm like let us see how it unfold.
22:49
Let let us see how how it goes about and then then I make my decision on like how I want to go about it.
22:55
Like if if I'm in a session with a producer like I'm not going to be sitting there like expecting anything from them or like But you're a producer as well. I mean you produce. >> Yeah I do produce.
23:06
So it's going you know it's you know it's it's one of those rare situations where you're in the room you know you want to understand the language. Yeah. 100%. You know.
23:13
Is it the same for um collaborators as well?
23:15
You've got some amazing people on this album and obviously you know there's opportunity to work with people with who you may or may not have a a genuine kindred connection with but it's good for business.
23:25
Like does that ever factor in or is it like no I really I I me and Cudi have to have a genuine genuine connection to for for No More Ghosts to exist?
23:32
One is like I mean me and Cudi had been wanting to work for some time now.
23:40
Yeah me and Cudi spoke about you.
23:40
I mean he was very very quick to tell me how how much of a fan he was and how gifted >> Thanks to Benny.
23:45
I think I think Benny Benny put that together for sure but I mean no matter what like I always knew the vibe would have been good if we just linked up.
23:54
Like when we pulled up and made No More Ghosts he came to the studio we made that literally 10 minutes.
23:58
Like we were just locked and ready to go and I think part of that is because like we just both with each other genuinely and it was like mutual like down to work on something together and down to like make great music.
24:09
So like but if the case had been that he came to the studio and I didn't with his energy and he was kind of not even if it's Kid Cudi or anyone else.
24:19
If it was just like I'm we're not linking up and I'm just like I don't like this person's energy.
24:22
Like I don't and I don't care like who they are or doesn't matter. It could be anyone.
24:27
I'm just not going to work with them.
24:29
Like that's just like to me that's always been like a huge thing with me cuz like if I'm not with it then it's just not pure.
24:37
It's not genuine cuz my always my music's always been pure and genuine and everything I do about it.
24:39
So it's like I don't care about any names or any anything like that.
24:44
Like if it has to be like has to be something I genuinely care about or with and I have to with that person as well for that to be like even possible.
24:52
What are you saying on No More Ghosts?
24:54
When you listen back to it subconsciously or consciously what's coming out of that record with you?
24:58
So originally I made that song I think like five five months ago six months ago and it was just that's late lately I've been doing a lot of my songs where it's like I'll get a melody from Sapphire or I'll get a melody from some other producers and it's like no drums at all.
25:12
They'll just send me beat just you know what I mean?
25:16
I'll just get the melody rap on it imagining there's a drums on it and then I'll give it to Benny or I'll give it to whoever and then we'll put drums on it and I feel like that way it fits it.
25:26
Or not as the case may be on this album as well.
25:29
>> and that's the case with [clears throat] this one is that we didn't end up putting drums on it at all. We just kept it.
25:32
That's why it was more like an interlude vibe.
25:33
I think No More Ghosts to me was like kind of done with the past done with like things that aren't real.
25:41
Like focusing on like what's real what's happening right now.
25:43
Like and I feel like Cudi was the perfect person to put on that.
25:46
Not even just sonically but like Oh yeah it just felt like spiritually ideologically 100%. And it just clicked.
25:53
Like I said we made it in 10 minutes.
25:54
So I think that song being the interlude being the middle of the album the separation between the two the two the two discs it just feels like a perfect way to like put everything that good or bad behind me. You know what I mean?
26:09
And focus on like what's happening now.
26:12
Like that's why it's called No More Ghosts. You know.
26:13
We're going to talk about all the records that that move and live within the framework but we we know what starts at Paper's General we know what's in the middle No More Ghosts and we know what's going to close it which is Up From Here. Mhm.
26:23
That's the most honest you've ever been on a record I think.
26:25
I think definitely not even just like because I'm I mean it's I mean I'm sober.
26:31
I mean technically sometimes I was still drinking and I'll party sometimes but like for the most part I'm not like just waking up getting high every day.
26:40
Like but I mean I still dip and dabble around some for sure but um I think It's not a crutch anymore is it?
26:46
>> No no no crutch and nothing like that.
26:48
Like it's more like with once I quit percs I realized it was really all a matter of a matter.
26:51
Yeah it's like if I say something if I really think it I'm going to do it every time.
26:57
But with that with that song going back to what you said um especially with this album as a whole not even just that outro I mean not every song but a lot of the songs I wanted to be more like personal more like cuz I think I think when I listen back to old Drake old Kanye just old music in general old 50 Cent you know a lot of these albums um they was really just talking about what the they were doing which I've been doing. You know what I mean?
27:26
I've been like if I'm on 2 Live I'm talking about I'm geeked up this days and that.
27:29
Like that was I was actually doing that for real.
27:32
But like I feel like now what I'm doing is like getting more personal about my whole upbringing my story my life like what's going on now.
27:42
Like cuz I feel like that's the type of that's missing from music nowadays.
27:44
Like a lot of it's kind of just some slop thrown out to like try and get a Tik Tok reel trying to get some clickbait views some a lot of it's like the slop.
27:57
That's what I'm calling it just a bunch of slop.
27:58
Not everyone but like a lot of nowadays is like not genuine not real and I feel like that's why those records are still doing so good today is because people resonate with it.
28:07
These new kids coming out of high school now being like never heard it for the first time in their life and they're going to it and they're like resonating with it so much and I feel they're resonating with it so much because it's real. It's authentic. You know what I mean?
28:17
Like those are real like they're talking about what they were doing then and like I feel like when you when you open up and you're a little bit more vulnerable not even if it's good or bad but you're just more vulnerable it's like people just feel that authenticity and they're like it doesn't go so much further than just like saying some You know what I mean there's so much to unpack there.
28:43
Let's just go to the obvious one.
28:43
What was your upbringing like?
28:44
What was childhood like for you?
28:46
I think a lot of it had to do with like both my dad used to be in a band when he was younger.
28:53
Uh and when he when he had uh when my parents had me he had decided to my mom told him it's either the band or me and the kids. So he quit his band.
29:08
They was doing some gigs in in Southern California and he he quit it.
29:12
So I think now I'm living out that dream.
29:13
I was born in Irvine LA for like most of my childhood and then we moved to uh moved to Oregon.
29:21
He wanted to start a weed farm cuz it got legal. So he moved up there. How old were you? Uh 12.
29:27
Mhm that's tough that's tough age man.
29:29
It's a it's a weird age to go from like being in LA Fullerton like >> You're established. You got friends. Your identity's forming. All things ready to go.
29:35
I had my first little girlfriend. You know what I mean?
29:36
Well well and then just like Oregon made new friends a new life. You know what I mean?
29:43
And then I was definitely a geek or from like a young age, I was definitely not for any reason, like you know what I mean, but I was just always kind of been a geeker.
29:51
And then uh my mom and my dad being so like music and my mom loves music.
29:57
She loves music and so does my dad.
29:59
My dad still makes music to this day now.
30:01
Um but they've been so music heavy like since I've been a kid and I feel like that just her like playing T-Pain and playing Young Thug like she she'll put on like Sufjan Sufjan Stevens and and then play like a Young Thug song. Oh, man. Real taste. Serious taste.
30:19
I've always just like loved music too from that's part part to them.
30:23
What did they think of the music you were making when you first started because obviously they they're well versed in it, right? They understand it.
30:28
They they either make it or they're deep in it.
30:31
And you're making stuff that for the most part sounds like it's from out of space.
30:33
Most people, aside from your core fans who got it off the gate thought the music you was making was either unlistenable or made by a alien. >> Yeah. Yeah.
30:42
So, how did that land at home when you're bringing it when you when you're around making this forming it?
30:47
>> I think they all they always supported me.
30:50
I think they were a little bit skeptical at times, you know what I'm saying?
30:51
Like to them they're like Where's this going? Like where's this going? You know what I mean?
30:55
Like I was working at I was working at Jimmy John's at the time.
30:58
I mean, I've been working since I was like 16.
30:59
I was a lifeguard for like a year.
31:03
Then I worked at a gas station or in the snow in Oregon getting like minimum wage and then I worked at Jimmy John's as a delivery driver.
31:08
So, like I was always grinding and that's how I got my first recording set up.
31:13
Um but and then all of a sudden I had like $5,000 uh after finishing high school and I was like I'm rich as like $5,000.
31:25
>> That's when you went to New York with >> Yeah, and then I moved to New York and I New York's just going to be like and I'll take that.
31:29
Thank [laughter] you very much.
31:31
You're like I've been here 5 minutes.
31:33
>> about 1 month of rent.
31:33
That's literally just me.
31:36
You're not even getting >> [gasps and laughter] >> You're not even getting food for that.
31:40
>> No, so definitely they were they were a little bit like skeptical. Yeah.
31:41
They definitely believed in me for sure, but like I could imagine they were like definitely questioning it like And now?
31:49
And now and now they fully support me.
31:51
They fully I mean, they've been behind me even before I've even this in this current state, but like I was all I've always been 2 feet in, 2 feet out.
31:59
I'm never like I never do the 1 foot in, 1 foot out at any point in my There's no plan B. No, never no plan B.
32:05
If if I'm going to do something, I'm just going to go all the way because it's like I was I always told myself it's like I'm either going to make it in this rapper or I'll be homeless.
32:10
I was talking about new leaders, man. I have no option.
32:13
It's a it's Look, it's a it's a fair it's a fair statement, right?
32:16
Like new leaders, the idea of who's going to take us into the next generation, right?
32:21
We can't we can't just hear and honor the same generation.
32:25
They can continue to honor themselves by creating great things and build on the success they already have and we'll continue to love them, but who's coming up under? It can't stop. It's a fair statement.
32:32
And people had an opinion and that's great.
32:35
I feel like you answered that with Face to Flame.
32:40
It's a power collaboration.
32:40
Me and Top been cool for a long time. I love Top.
32:44
Um He's just like another case of a person that's just like he's so real.
32:51
He's just so real like Top is Top. That's why he with me.
32:55
It's another genuine like real connection, friendship.
32:57
But um it's what you're saying about like new leaders and I feel like Do you still feel like the underdog?
33:04
I don't even want to be a leader. You know what I mean?
33:05
Like I feel like I could be because of other people's views and their opinions, but like I think I I think I'm a I'm a leader in ways of like I never give a about what people think about me or or what could be the outcome.
33:21
I'm always like fearless in that way of like I'm just going to do what I want to do and I'm going to do it always no matter what.
33:26
Nobody can tell me any other way.
33:29
There's very few people in my life that could like keep say something to me and it like make it even maybe change my mind like cuz I'm always so set on like my trusting my gut and my opinion.
33:36
So, you never get caught up in that thinking where the math tells you one thing.
33:43
The concerts tell you one thing.
33:43
The level of success you have and yet there's still I feel this kind of deniability associated with your success that people aren't quite sure how to position you, right?
33:52
You are you hands down I mean, I think it's factually correct like numerically correct that you're the most successful new rap artist this decade. I mean, I see the stats.
34:04
I see the numbers for sure.
34:06
But like I don't think one I don't think numbers is everything, you know what I mean?
34:12
The numbers like for sure they do prove some point that like like I'm I'm making my music and what I'm doing is doing something for sure.
34:19
But like as far as like there need be needing to be new leaders like putting like a quote on like lead like leaders, what does that even mean?
34:27
Like leaders of like I think definitely there are people of my generation that like are are pushing the sound and and and and and like that and I'm definitely one of one of those that's like not afraid to break boundaries and and do new and try this and then do that and and light the way as far as like the term new leaders, I feel like that's more of something that's just like up to everyone's perspective.
34:52
It's up to like that individual person who do they think is the new leader?
34:56
Who do who are they inspired by?
34:58
In that lyric in in Up From Here, you know, you definitely stake your claim regardless of the term leaders or leadership.
35:03
You stake your claim in terms of what you've built and what and what you're and what you're proud of. 100%.
35:10
It's a it's a statement like I'm the only one of my generation who's changing music right now. >> Yeah, for sure. I I think so for sure.
35:16
I think that's what that's what I was trying to get at like leaders and like being able to change that I feel like is a different term at least to me where it's like I don't want to be labeled as someone who's like to this standard where I y'all got to feel like I have to be leading and controlling people to do this type of thing.
35:35
I think there's definitely for sure from my perspective I think out of my generation and as of right now and people and and and no shade anyone.
35:45
It It also, but I think I'm definitely like like super forward thinking on like how can we make something that sounds fresh?
35:52
How can we make something that sounds new?
35:53
How can we push some boundaries?
35:54
How can we do this next thing? How can we do that?
35:55
Like I feel like and also have the capability to be able to work with different people in this and that.
36:02
Like that's why I'm saying stuff like that.
36:04
I'm definitely trying to change trying to change it up, trying to give the the youth some real music, some real art. I feel the same.
36:11
I'm I think I'm done with the slop.
36:13
I think people are done with it, too.
36:14
It's resonating like in all ways.
36:16
I think people are done with the they're done with the for sure. Yeah.
36:18
And as these kids get older as my fans get older and everyone gets older not saying needs to change, but I think people are kind of growing up a little bit like taking Molly 20 times a day and geeking up all week and doing all this is just like not as cool as it could have been then because I like we were just young and fried, you know what I mean?
36:39
Like at a certain point it just gets to like what am I going to be 40 popping X pills all day and getting geeked and scamming and Like I'm going to wind up in jail for sure.
36:48
And you can't make a song without Elton John giving you his blessing and leaning into that.
36:54
If you're going to be >> [snorts] >> unfocused, right?
36:56
I mean, he he's he's not going to lean into your album and and and bless you.
37:00
He's the patron saint of music. You know.
37:05
What How did that happen?
37:05
What's the story behind this Elton John connection?
37:09
It came to be that uh I think it's his nephew.
37:13
His nephew had with me, you know what I mean?
37:15
>> So, probably his kids. No, his kids for sure.
37:17
We met when I was at doing Coachella.
37:20
His kids were like huge fans and Zach's like, "Yo, you want to go meet Elton John's kids?"
37:23
I was like, "Like of course."
37:26
I'm about to go perform, but like we got 5 minutes, but I'll go I'll go make time.
37:30
I said what up, we took a picture, and said what up to them.
37:31
So, that was the start of the connection and then uh I mean, Elton John's a legend like, you know what I mean?
37:38
He's one of the only people in the world that can go do a stadium tour with just a piano and himself. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
37:45
The songbook is undeniable.
37:47
>> a legend every time I do it over and over again.
37:48
He just do it the guy just like but it's just like pure like talent, superstardom.
37:53
I just love the fact as well that um and Elton's a total new music addict.
37:57
I mean, he's like your mom.
37:58
He's dialed in with everything. >> with Thug. They got that record. He's tapped in. For sure.
38:04
>> So, that's why I knew if there was a if there if there was a person if there was a place for that, it would definitely be him and it's the we already had the connection with the kids and him.
38:11
>> It's a perfect recommendation, really. Yeah.
38:12
Zach got in touch with his nephew.
38:15
And we just had the one this weird song where like one of my producers Lucid, he uh just like made this crazy like piano riff song.
38:22
And when I heard it, I was like we were all saying like this sounds like some Elton Like I'm rapping on it just like some Elton piano.
38:29
Like we put no drums on it.
38:32
And I was like we need to get Elton on it.
38:33
So, like we had the connections.
38:33
We had the plays and I was like, "Let's try to make it happen." You know what I mean?
38:37
So, we ended up making it happen. And he with it.
38:39
They told me he was in the kitchen.
38:40
He was he was turning up to it.
38:41
So, I'm like, "Okay, so like it's definitely it's definitely It's so on brand for him. He's so into it.
38:48
I mean, it's not a trade for him. He's the same as you.
38:49
If he's not feeling it, if he's not genuinely in love with it, he's not going to put his name on it. No plan B, you know?
39:00
>> [music] [music] [music] >> We alluded to this person earlier on in the conversation.
39:19
This is kind of a extraterrestrial creative life force uh on the record as well that you've got um I think I'm on on Face to Flame as well, which is Grimes.
39:31
I heard that Oblivion song. I just with it. Her music is crazy.
39:35
Like the song is so like this crazy song.
39:39
I had this intro that Grimes had made that was like it sounded like Grimes.
39:46
So, I was like how do we get her with Young Boy on it on one end of the spectrum?
39:50
You got Top on one side and then you got Grimes on the other side.
39:56
Um when I heard it I was just like she needs to be on it.
40:01
Like she has to be on it.
40:02
So, we we we got the connection.
40:04
I think Benny had worked with her before.
40:06
So, we had that connection.
40:08
I I pulled up on her at her house.
40:11
Um and we just like we just clicked. We started working.
40:16
I was I was in her zone in her environment. You know what I mean?
40:17
Just like letting her do her thing.
40:20
Um seeing seeing her process the way she does things.
40:22
Definitely um she's definitely super talented.
40:26
Super uh forward-thinking for sure.
40:29
It just opens up so many doors in terms of who you can work with going forward.
40:33
I feel I feel like there's not a lot of people that could get Young Boy.
40:35
It's not It's It's not any that could get Grimes and Young Boy at the same time. You know?
40:40
So, like And this is what's really interesting about your music is now that you've put a lot out and you're opening yourself up to these people.
40:46
It must have actually come as a surprise to you because I can imagine for the longest time you weren't really exposed to someone like Donald Glover or Grimes.
40:54
You don't know what they think about your music.
40:55
And then all of a sudden, you know, you find out that they actually love what you're making. Yeah.
41:01
It kind of opens up all these new worlds for you, right? Yeah, 100%.
41:02
I think people were surprised to to to hear that you and Donald Glover had had had this kind of friendship and and had made music together, but why?
41:12
He's an outside thinker as well.
41:15
Me and Donald Glover def- we I mean me and him me and him go way back.
41:17
Um I remember we we had so many songs.
41:24
Um that we made in the past.
41:27
Uh I remember we was in Paris.
41:31
Uh I think it was for Fashion Week.
41:33
And he was out there and when he hit him we're like, "Yo, like you free?"
41:37
We just pulled up on the studio.
41:38
We made We made some songs that will probably never come out. They're insane songs.
41:44
Um Why won't they come out?
41:44
I mean they might come out at some some point in time.
41:47
Uh they were questionable for this album.
41:51
But um after power tripping like that um we did that, made some records.
41:58
Definitely Donald Glover was like he just he just a genuine dude.
41:59
He's just like a cool cool person.
42:01
He's mad real and I I with him for that.
42:06
And um I think it definitely yeah, it's interesting like that I can work with so many different types of people.
42:15
And I think it's just cuz I just come off as like so genuine.
42:17
I feel like I can I can be in a room with a lot of different people that are all from so many different points of life and living and and and and but it's like we just click or connect or we don't.
42:32
But for the most part we do and it's like with him and and Grimes and stuff like that it's like I could see I could see where they're coming from.
42:41
And I could kind of like be able to to work with my world. You know what I mean?
42:48
In the same way that like I mean it's easy for me and Top to make a song.
42:51
It's It's easy for me to me and Drake make songs, but like being in a room with people who do not make a rap.
42:54
I mean Donald Glover makes some rap songs, but you know what I mean?
42:57
Like Grimes is not a rapper, obviously.
43:01
But like I can get in the room with with like I I wanted to work with Bon Iver on some I want to work with different people cuz I feel like >> [snorts] >> there's a lot of different ways you could texturize and like bring them into into the world you're trying to build.
43:16
And like definitely definitely take example from like from older Ye on that type of cuz Ye Ye get Sosa and and Bon Iver on a song.
43:25
Like that's like unheard of back then.
43:27
Like you know what I mean?
43:28
Like no the fact that he could do that and get those type people on the same type of is just like kind of inspiring where it's like how can I bring a lot of worlds together that aren't my world or any world at all.
43:41
And like make a song make a make a actual good song out of it. You know what I mean?
43:45
I think ADL is that is that >> ADL is definitely a person is that Kylie Jenner You get Elton John Kylie Jenner No one really saw Kylie Jenner showing up on a Yeat record.
43:53
Like that wasn't on the bingo card. >> No, definitely not.
43:56
So, take us through the whole thinking and then the process of and the like the why and the how of all of that.
44:04
When I was doing the first camp, so we did multiple camps for this album.
44:07
When we was doing the first camp we got a house in Malibu.
44:11
That's when Cudi pulled up, Ham on pulled up.
44:13
Uh one of my close friends uh Daniel Chetrit he works with uh Bieber. Mhm.
44:18
He I had him pull up for a day and just like kind of just like I I was playing him some records, playing him getting his input and Um and I made this song one night and he was there. I was with him.
44:32
I was I was kind of in my bag.
44:32
I was in a little drunk bag.
44:35
And I was like I was made a song like King Talk a Talk.
44:39
We was just cooking and then I didn't notice that I didn't know that Kylie made music.
44:45
There was like a four-bar space.
44:47
I was like, "We got to get Kylie on it."
44:49
I was like, "King Kylie, like she's got to be on this." And he's close with her.
44:52
Um uh one of my close friends Stas is Zach's friend.
44:56
You know what I'm saying?
44:58
Zach We all talk We all know each other.
44:59
So, it was like just a call away.
45:01
So, I was like >> call away.
45:03
How could we how could we get this done?
45:05
Definitely went back and forth a long and on uh getting it right and and making it perfect, but I feel like it was a way to like get that get that done without trying to be on some like clout effect. You know what I mean?
45:20
Or trying to get some like, "Oh, this is some crazy thing."
45:23
It was like to me it just made sense where it was like I mean obviously getting Kylie Jenner on a song that's crazy.
45:29
But but like Is it subversive on both ways? Yeah, 100%.
45:31
But like to me it was like just the fact that her name's King Kylie and that's what it was called Like King Talk a Talk.
45:39
And we have the connections like and and she's down.
45:41
So, I'm like, "Let's at least try it out and see You know what I'm saying?"
45:45
But I feel there's part of you that that I I always feel there's a part of you that also still while all that being true still loves the subversive kind of pushing the buttons of people like you wouldn't expect it. 100%. >> It's going to pop. 100%. Yeah, yeah.
46:00
Definitely I don't think people would expect that ever.
46:01
No, I don't think that they got on the new Yeat album. No.
46:05
They're they're they would guess that track two has Kylie Jenner on it.
46:08
>> They expect Drake on an album? No. Drake People like that.
46:10
Like people that I've worked with in the past for sure, but like her out of all people I don't think a lot of people were like "Oh, for sure Kylie's going to be on his next album."
46:19
Like that's like for sure.
46:19
I don't think >> [laughter] >> I don't think anyone was thinking that. You said it before, man.
46:24
No one knows what to expect and that that gives you a really blank canvas to be able to to create worlds around these things.
46:29
I mean even why we're here today.
46:30
I mean don't get me wrong.
46:32
I'll put a put a button-down shirt and suit on anytime.
46:35
But I like the fact that we were able to sort of sit down and and lean into this experience based on what you've built around ADL.
46:42
This idea of it's dangerous getting everything you ever dreamed of.
46:48
It can be dangerous to your life and dangerous to your to your ambitions, you know?
46:51
You've always built these worlds. >> Yeah, 100%.
46:52
With my albums I I like to I like to build a world. You know?
46:54
Like in with 2093 it was more of like some real dystopian like I was just like, "Fuck it.
47:03
Let's go 80 years in the future and start around."
47:05
Like that's what it was going to sound to me at least what I would make.
47:09
80 years from now or whatever.
47:11
I'm trying to paint a picture not only through the songs, but like through like the promotion and and how it looks and and like what people are getting what they're seeing.
47:20
So, they feel like when they're listening to this they feel like they're part of that world.
47:25
They're they're part of like what is going on.
47:27
Um and I'm doing the same with this album for sure.
47:29
That's like this is the definitely been a recent trend.
47:30
Like before it was kind of just like whatever the I was doing I'd drop it, but this is much more like a new world where it's like life is dangerous. You know what I mean?
47:39
Love or life can be dangerous for sure.
47:41
And that's like something I'm living also. You know?
47:44
Like with the way life is with the way the shit's going on it could happen with with turning up sometimes, doing drugs sometimes or with girls. can get dangerous. You know what I mean?
47:57
So, it's like I'm I'm painting that picture through the music and and also in the imagery.
48:03
Like through the mafia and and the whole whole vibe.
48:04
I took inspiration for sure from like old mafia movies and old vibe, but >> You love movies, huh? Lately, yeah. For sure. Not always? Not traditionally?
48:14
>> No, not traditionally. No.
48:14
So, if you weren't really listening to music and you weren't really watching movies, what were you doing as a kid? Geeking out, for sure.
48:19
Played a little bit of sports.
48:21
I was kind of bad at all of them, but I played them all, for sure.
48:24
>> [laughter] >> Little little bit of basketball.
48:25
Hey, equal opportunity sports guy. Yeah, yeah.
48:30
Baseball wasn't good at it.
48:32
Played water polo for a year.
48:32
It wasn't I think two, actually.
48:34
Was not good at that, either.
48:36
What did you cuz water polo is impossible. >> It is impossible.
48:40
>> [laughter] >> I'm going to just try water polo.
48:41
It's like it's not just a game.
48:43
You have to be like the fittest person on the planet.
48:46
You have to be able to tread water.
48:47
>> My parents didn't want me to play football cuz they were like, "You know, your head up."
48:49
Yeah, so you were drifting, huh? Trying them all.
48:52
>> And that's where the that's where the And I was like, "Let me start geeking out make music. it." Mhm.
48:57
I worked at Jimmy John's. You know?
49:00
Were you even listening to anyone at that time?
49:02
Was there anything that was inspiring you at that time? Or I mean Mhm.
49:05
Was it pure Was it just a pure inner voice situation where it's like, "This is the I hear in my head."
49:08
Where the does the sound come from?
49:09
On the Definitely on that High school Uzi a lot.
49:15
Carti when I was younger.
49:18
Uh Yeat I wasn't really put on the Yeat until later.
49:23
Uh but definitely Yeat is inspirational to hear stuff like that.
49:27
>> This album feels ADL feels like it's it's it's tipping its cap to to Yeat's sonic and architectural ambitions as a creative.
49:35
For sure, definitely like the whole vibe of like also just the thought of like going back on the Grand Theft Auto boy thing and all like that.
49:42
Just being able to like connect these these >> Connect dots that wouldn't be connected normally. >> yeah. You know what I mean? I'll listen to Drake.
49:49
I mean, my first car crash I was listening to Drake. What happened?
49:53
Uh I crashed into a house. I'm sorry, what?
49:55
Crashed into a house, yeah.
49:56
You crashed into a house? >> 16.
49:58
Uh I was drop my I was drop my brother off for he was going to a thing of football game at school.
50:05
So, I took my mom's car, I dropped him off.
50:08
And I was coming back and uh we're coming around this corner.
50:13
I was going like 90 to 20.
50:16
I'm like in like a little >> In a residential area?
50:18
>> Yes, in a suburban neighborhood. You [laughter] idiot.
50:19
But, I also had some food I had some food with me that my mom my mom my mom made for me. Food.
50:25
And like this I thought I knew the neighborhood kind of.
50:28
And this turn came up like and it was a full Yeah. full 180.
50:32
I thought it was like maybe a 90. It was a full 180.
50:36
So, I came off this corner and I'm like, "Fuck."
50:38
Like I'm through the hedge in the house straight ahead and I'm going 90.
50:41
Like, I don't know I can't even stop.
50:42
But, also my food started falling onto the car.
50:46
So, I went to go grab the food cuz I was like I I still was hungry, you know what I mean?
50:51
>> [laughter] >> In that moment?
50:52
Yeah, I was hungry, yeah.
50:54
And then I I look up and then I'm I think thank thank god I'm still alive.
50:59
There was a giant metal pole that I just missed by a foot.
51:01
I would have went straight 90 into a pole.
51:02
I'd have been dead for sure. >> For sure.
51:04
But, I swerved a little bit.
51:06
Went my car was in midair for like probably 3 seconds.
51:08
It was down like a hedge.
51:10
I went through two hedges.
51:10
It was a whole car imprint. You were airborne? Airborne, yeah.
51:14
And then I landed in the living room like I I swear to god I I I swear to god I'm not lying to you.
51:18
I land in the living room and they were sitting down on the couch watching TV.
51:23
I'm sitting in this boat sitting in this Volvo straight in the living room.
51:27
And like they was like, "What the fuck?"
51:29
Like they was like, "What the is going on?"
51:31
They was like she was they was like nervous laughing.
51:33
They didn't even know what to say.
51:34
And it was like car just was to get the out of there.
51:39
So, I put the car in reverse, start revving the engine.
51:43
And it obviously didn't work. Cuz the car was up.
51:46
But, then yeah But, I remember that to that day.
51:50
>> What What song was it?
51:50
It was that one with uh Ah, I got to find I don't got my phone on me.
51:56
It was that one with the UK artist uh Drake. Skepta? Mhm. Dave. With Dave? >> Dave. That song was playing.
52:01
Yeah, that song with Dave was playing.
52:05
And I'll never forget that like every time I hear that song I'm like, "Damn, I was like crashing in a house when I heard that song for the first time." [laughter] On the radio.
52:10
You crashed into a house? >> crazy, yeah.
52:13
I've been in a couple car crashes. I've had like three. Do you still drive? No. Thank god. Why Y B T? Thank god. Yeah, thank god.
52:21
>> No, I'm a I'm a great driver, though. What?
52:23
Oh, no, I'm a great driver, though. That's right. Three.
52:24
I've been driving all I drive all the time.
52:25
I drove I've driven from Oregon LA back. 18-hour drive.
52:29
You know, two hours at a time.
52:31
I'm doing a great job driving the whole time.
52:32
So, definitely a great driver. Sure.
52:34
But, those times it was just like a young mistake.
52:38
>> told Drake that story? No, I've not. Never told him. No, never told him. Oh my god. wild. Yeah, definitely.
52:45
I've been The other car crashes weren't as bad, for sure.
52:49
I was The other one I was just on IG live and On the freeway.
52:55
What's your relationship with um I was talking to someone the other day and they were talking about Bob Dylan's relationship with destiny as free choice. And I loved that.
53:05
I loved that um statement of like uh almost rejecting the idea of destiny as being like a predisposed situation.
53:12
I mean, you talked about being lucky and being spared the pole and given the hedge.
53:15
Do you lean into the existential?
53:18
Do you lean into the the what ifs of life and >> Never. Never.
53:22
I'm the biggest op of that, for sure.
53:24
Like I'm always I'm always just like my my mindset is always like whatever's going to happen is going to happen always. Huh.
53:32
And there's no changing it, I don't think.
53:34
I mean to a certain point there is.
53:37
Like you can be you can be dumb about for sure.
53:44
But in that case that was probably going to happen anyways because you're being dumb about it.
53:46
I think you kind of just got to lean in sometimes on like the way life goes and what's and what's bound to happen is probably going to happen most times.
53:54
At least in my perspective I think there's no really changing So, no prayer? In what way?
54:02
Do you put your faith in anything other than what will be will be? Not really, no.
54:06
I think there's to a certain extent you you can you can change it.
54:11
You can change it slightly.
54:11
Like if like me quitting percs and and and and trying to do better for myself.
54:17
That that in some way could have changed my destiny but my destiny probably is going to be the same anyways.
54:20
I was probably going to get off percs without me choosing to do that or not, I think.
54:25
What is what's laid out for you is laid out for you regardless.
54:26
But, I think it's about how hard you're going to push yourself to be able to make that happen.
54:30
Yeah, your work ethic is pretty unmatched right now, I feel like in terms of and for the new generation that's really what's coming across.
54:35
Not just in this conversation, but obviously in proving concept.
54:36
You know, through the music and everything you've done.
54:40
Even right down to this like really important moment 80 hours double album.
54:43
It's a statement for you. For sure. Is it not?
54:47
I think it's a statement, for sure.
54:47
Cuz it's the first time I feel like one I put myself out there more like put everything on the table, for sure.
54:56
And also it's the first time where I'm like really going back in on something.
55:00
Like in in putting all my effort into it.
55:02
Cuz I feel like before I put my effort into it, but this I'm really putting all my effort into it.
55:04
So, what So, what does it take you?
55:06
Like I mean to me it sounds it sounds massive.
55:07
It's the first time I'm doing that ever in my it sounds it sounds massive.
55:09
It sounds like the kind of music that you can tour and not just jump on the on the circuit, not just to the festivals as great as they are. >> Yeah.
55:18
But, [snorts] actually build out a world, do a proper tour.
55:19
Maybe arenas, maybe stadiums.
55:20
I mean, how does this how does this album adjust your ambitions?
55:26
Yeah, in the same way where like we were just talking about destiny and stuff like that.
55:28
I feel like whatever's going to happen is going to happen naturally.
55:30
But, I think the album is more like going to set the tone for the rest of my career, I think.
55:39
I think it's more like it's going to it's going to it's going to light the way for a lot of people, I think.
55:46
A lot of my fans, especially.
55:46
And I feel like I feel like it's just going to be a new precedent for like where my music is going to be.
55:54
Like I feel like it's like a new a new a new tone setter.
55:56
There was a great review that uh Fantano did.
55:59
I like to watch his reviews and um he had this he had this great take on uh Dangerous Summer where he was he was talking about how I don't know if you saw it, but how he And one of the comments he made was how he was really he really loved how dialed in and focused you were.
56:19
You acknowledged that you that your fans are ready for that now.
56:20
That this idea of speed over attention of productivity over care, this idea of um being on drugs over being being focused and and clear-headed.
56:33
That that's kind of what you're referring to in terms of leading the way, right?
56:36
Showing that you can come out of what was considered a scene or something that could be dismissed. >> Mhm.
56:43
That there's actually a a pathway forward out of that.
56:45
I think this album is like like you said with Dangerous Summer it's a lot more clear, a lot more concise.
56:52
But, this album is the same way and I feel like sometimes like I know I got fans that drop up to me a hundred more times. Keep dropping up to me.
57:00
You don't know how to do this, do that, this, that.
57:01
But, I feel like this album is like in the same way with 2093 and even up to me at the time it's like at the end of the day it's my music and I'm always going to know what's right and and for my music.
57:14
I make my music for myself.
57:16
I go in the car and I would always listen to my 99% of the time I'm listening to my own music.
57:19
So, that's why I listen to my music all the time.
57:22
So, I make my music for me. I love that, by the way.
57:24
>> Yeah, I I make it for me.
57:24
It used to bum me out when I talked to artists and they'd be like, "I release I can't listen to it anymore."
57:27
I'm like, "Man, that's such a sad It's just such a sad trait."
57:30
Uh whatever the last song is is my favorite song.
57:32
Like that's one of my We always talk about that.
57:35
It's like sometimes I got to get away from that cuz it's like whatever I made that day that's my that's my new favorite song always.
57:41
At some point of a while back you mentioned like 4,000 songs.
57:42
How many do you think you got now? Way more than 4,000. Way more. Way I think.
57:49
On my computer alone there's like 35,000 files.
57:53
A lot of it is beats, for sure. >> Yeah, but still.
57:55
But, I think at least like 15 to 20,000 songs.
57:59
>> You can't possibly keep track of that.
58:00
You need someone like Benny.
58:01
>> I'd be cranking 25, 30 a day.
58:03
Especially when I was geeked up.
58:03
I'd make like enough to Molly you can make like 40 songs in a day.
58:08
You could really go crazy if you want to, but um I was definitely pumping them out, for sure.
58:13
I was pumping out a lot of songs.
58:15
>> You talk about that on the record.
58:16
I think you actually there's a moment where you acknowledge the fact that like it's almost it's almost like lamentable.
58:21
You're like, "Oh, by the way, I'm back on the drugs. You should know."
58:22
It's almost like you're copping to it.
58:24
Like, "By the way, you should know I'm back on the drugs.
58:26
And I'm doing a ton of Molly.
58:27
I just want to be really clear about that." It's like an admission.
58:28
Yeah, like on Face to Flame we was in Australia.
58:32
This girl I had some Molly and I was like "Fuck it, I'mma rip it."
58:37
And I went And I had my studio with me and I was like I had my little like hotel set up.
58:41
I always record somewhere where I am.
58:43
I made half of 2093 in a Japanese hotel bathroom. >> That's the dream. You know what I mean? So, crazy song. >> Sure. Yeah, crazy song.
58:50
And then I was just like I made it instantly.
58:52
I was like I need Y B on this.
58:53
And then after Y B got on it I was like I need Grand Theft Auto on this.
58:57
It just it just it all it all it just was like made sense and worked out. Sure.
59:01
You know, you you you move a tempo, too.
59:03
I mean, Rompis doing that song on this album and I wouldn't say you're a dance music artist, but you love tempo.
59:08
You love to around with different tempo.
59:10
Lose control, same thing. Yeah.
59:11
Um Where does that come from again, you know?
59:15
Like like what's what's your introduction to that world?
59:16
Where does where does tempo play into it?
59:17
Where do breakbeats play into it?
59:19
Where does something borderline on house music play into it, you know?
59:21
I think as I've gotten older and as I've heard more music it's even crazy like two two Bart's ago or two Saint Bart's ago, two two years ago. Two St. Barts ago. >> [laughter] >> Two St. Two St.
59:34
Barts ago, I had heard rock music for the first time.
59:38
I've never heard rock music in my whole life. >> Wow. Um Never?
59:40
No, and I remember we was on a yacht.
59:43
What was the first rock music you ever heard? On the on the yacht? >> Yeah, on the yacht. >> it?
59:48
I think it was Linger by The Cranberries.
59:49
And I remember Zack and played it and I was >> What an introduction.
59:53
>> I was like, "Yo, what the is this song? This is fire." >> Yeah.
59:56
I was like, "This is fire.
59:56
I with this This is heavy."
59:58
So, then I was just like getting into a bunch of whole new I mean, I've heard electronic before, but my mom she played She liked that music and like kind of folk a little bit.
1:00:08
I've never heard like that.
1:00:10
So, I've been getting introduced some back into these new these new sonic waves that I never really was tapped into before.
1:00:17
And so, I think hearing them like kind of inspired me to like push the boundaries and be like, "How can I hop on a dance beat and but talk and rap on it?"
1:00:27
>> I'm suddenly realizing this crazy fact, which is that you uh an adult and the most successful new rap artist this decade and you are being introduced to things that have been part of the musical DNA of the world for the first time.
1:00:44
I mean, I'm I'm trying to put myself in in a situation where if I've been on that boat, I'm watching you listen to the Linger for the first time.
1:00:53
That must have been a deeply profound experience.
1:00:55
That song doesn't around.
1:00:57
>> song does not around, for sure.
1:00:57
Um Technically, we was off the boat. We had parked up. We were in the BVI's.
1:01:01
We had up we had left This is after New Year's.
1:01:04
We took the boat to the BVI's and then we took this charter. We was like on a beach.
1:01:10
Uh my boy Phil and we were sitting on this beach that was like uncharted territory.
1:01:15
It was like a little island that's like no one even ever heard of. We was just parked up.
1:01:18
We had some umbrellas and chilling there.
1:01:22
And we had a speaker going and they was just playing all these rock songs and then I heard Linger.
1:01:25
And I remember his nephew had he was riding one of them ski doos.
1:01:31
And he was riding He was riding the ski doo out in the water and we was all we was drinking and chilling on the beach.
1:01:35
And he came up out the water and we they just turned Linger on.
1:01:40
And he he comes out the water.
1:01:40
He's like probably 100 ft away out in the ocean.
1:01:45
He comes and he goes, "Tune."
1:01:47
He was He comes up on a ski doo and he goes, "Tune."
1:01:51
And [laughter] he goes back to the And I'll never forget it.
1:01:53
I was like, "Damn, this really is a tune."
1:01:54
I was like, "This really is a tune."
1:01:55
And he was like 8 years old or something like that.
1:01:58
He's a little >> And he's a big tune.
1:01:59
Yeah, his name was Aliya.
1:02:00
But, then I was just thinking about it.
1:02:02
I was like, "Man, all this music is crazy."
1:02:04
Like it's just like crazy like to hear all this other type of music is like was eye-opening to me.
1:02:10
Have you heard The Beatles?
1:02:13
Honestly, still I don't think I've really ever heard The Beatles. I don't know.
1:02:15
Maybe the probably the biggest one I've probably have heard some. Ow.
1:02:18
>> There's a lot of I mean, they're all the biggest ones. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah.
1:02:20
I'm sure I've heard them like in some way, shape, or form, but never like turned it on or anything like that. >> Led Zeppelin? Never. No, really?
1:02:28
Yeah, I don't know about Do you have Shazam?
1:02:32
>> I've heard some one of their songs. Do you have Shazam? No. You need to get Shazam.
1:02:37
>> Yeah, I got to get Shazam, for sure.
1:02:38
Because I really don't be on the internet on my phone like that.
1:02:39
you don't have to be on the internet.
1:02:40
You can be in a bar and hear something and just be like, "What the is that?"
1:02:43
Usually if I'm at a bar, I'm telling them to play my music 24/7. I just go to the DJ.
1:02:47
>> So, the ad is a >> [laughter] >> Or or um I don't listen I don't listen to music very often, but if I do, I listen to Eazy-E. That is real. >> It's real, also.
1:02:55
Or I'll have them put on Fancy by Drake. I love that song.
1:02:57
If it's mass massive and fancy fancy with Drake, I'll be Anytime I'm drunk and I'm at some bar, I'm like, "Yo, put on Fancy. Put on Massive."
1:03:04
I'll be turned every time.
1:03:06
Well, you know, at some point, man, you know, I hope I hope your your horizons expand a little bit.
1:03:11
There's a lot of music you need to be exposed to.
1:03:12
Have you ever heard of Radiohead?
1:03:13
Oh, Radiohead I with heavy.
1:03:16
Heavy, heavy, heavy, heavy.
1:03:16
I with Radiohead, for sure.
1:03:17
Like a lot of their a lot of their to me is is like that feels really real.
1:03:23
That's why I like it, too.
1:03:23
Radiohead is like uncompromising >> It's definitely It's definitely for the time.
1:03:27
If I hear other and then I hear theirs, I'm like, they was not even ahead of their time.
1:03:31
They were just like making some crazy that was just so like unique. And I with unique music.
1:03:37
That's why I with Grimes.
1:03:38
I with like other like that that's just like not the norm. You know what I mean? But, it became the norm. Like Radiohead so big.
1:03:47
No, I mean, you're obviously dialed in. >> I with that. I with that. I with that.
1:03:50
You don't need to listen to as much music as me or anyone else has if you if you know what moves you.
1:03:55
You could listen to five albums or five artists in your lifetime and >> Mhm.
1:03:59
Radiohead could be one of them and you might might might be able to get what you need out of it. Yeah. Honestly. Yeah.
1:04:03
It's It's pretty comprehensive emotionally and and and on an innovation level, it's pretty amazing. Yeah.
1:04:09
>> It's undeniably incredible.
1:04:10
>> Definitely that's that's what I gravitate more to.
1:04:12
Like towards the most is like when is like super innovative.
1:04:16
>> Have you had a good time?
1:04:16
Since like 2019 officially, but like kind of really 2021.
1:04:21
Have you had a good time? I've had a great time. Great time, for sure. Everything's a blessing.
1:04:25
Definitely I'm definitely lucky and definitely uh blessed to be here.
1:04:31
I mean I think every day I wake up I'm blessed to be here having a great time.
1:04:36
As long as I'm alive and being able to provide for the people I care about, that's all I care about.
1:04:40
And it's like I had a lot of fun and there's still a lot more to still a lot more to come.
1:04:45
Still early on in the journey, but I've had a great time.
1:04:49
And it feels legit It feels legit. >> Mhm. Mhm.
1:04:51
I It seems to me like it maybe it always did even at the start.
1:04:56
I've been having fun forever for my whole life.
1:04:57
Um but I think definitely nothing's really changed.
1:05:03
I mean, besides like the fact that I could have a Lambo, but that that doesn't really change the fact of like how I mentally like think about things.
1:05:12
It's like like I said back in the the old days when I was eating top ramen in the basement in New Jersey I still even then was having as much fun as I am having now.
1:05:20
Like it's like as long as I'm able to just like do what I want to do and like continue to do that, then I'm having more fun than I could ever hope for.
1:05:30
As long as I'm not homeless on the streets or dead on drugs [music] or like you know what I mean? That's all I care about. It's just being here. Really? >> [music] >> Yeah.