Latest / Tha Smoking Section Podcast / From Infamous to Icon: The Evolution of TEEFA
Transcript
- Smokey Da Bandit: Eee. Yeah, we back, we back at it. back, welcome back. This is your boy Smokey Da Bandit and this is Da Smokey section. And before we get into this next segment, I need y'all to lock in real quick, because this ain't just any guest. This is somebody who's been putting in real work, standing on authenticity and bringing a voice that actually means something. Coming out of Chicago with that raw energy, that real life perspective and a story that reflects Da grind, Da growth. and resilience, Da next guest represents more than just music. This is culture. This is experience. This is one of Da queens of Chicago hip hop. She's not afraid to speak her truth. And she's built a name off of being unapologetically herself. And that's what we respect over here at Da Smoking Section podcast. So without further ado, we got Da one and only Tifa in Da motherfucking building. Let's get it in here, y'all. you EEEE How you doing, T-Pain? How you doing? I'm blessed. You fresh with Da shades on? Yeah, you know got my locs on. You know, I have That's what you do when Da future stay bright. Ooh, I like that. You know? I got my buttons and everything. You know? So how you feeling today? Man, I'm blessed. getting over being a little under Da weather. Came back in town and Chicago said, you forgot where you were from. You went somewhere hot and thought it was sweet. We got that bipolar weather out here. You never know what you're coming back to. thought it was, yeah, you thought it was coming back to something sweet. Yeah, and it was like, nah, buddy. Nah. I'm getting over that, but I feel great, man. know, every day above ground is a blessing. Amen. Amen. So we gonna get straight to it. For Da people who may not know, who is Tifa in your own words? In my own words, ⁓ wow, that's a lot. I would say just creative all around. ⁓ express that in quite a few outlets, music, video, design, and as an educator. ⁓ Just in anything I do, I'm really heavy on adding my creative spin to and just making sure it's... some type of level of expression in it for me. I like that, I like that. You know this is Da smokin' section so I gotta spark up, know, stimulate my mind. do what you gotta Do you partake? Do you smoke? So I do but not in that manner anymore. I like to drink mine when Da time is right and I'm just very smug about when and where. Infused, okay, I like it, yeah, okay. We'll spin back to that. Let's come back to that. I just got to make sure some of my guests engage or indulge so we could have some smoking fun. No, I feel that. Yeah, I just, for me, it's more measurable. You know what I'm saying? Like, I go too far with Da smokes. So if I have, like, I could divvy out and balance out what I need. Yeah. Cause I be setting goals with my shit like I don't know a way in this space on a filter somewhere in this space So I can measure things out Anyway, what was life like for you growing up in Chicago before Da music? For Da music, I was dope. Like, regular Chicago kid hanging outside. I grew up in Town. I went to Da community center. Everybody went to. For those that don't know, what's Terror Town? Terror Town is Da east side of Chicago. Shout out to Da east side. Da lake, right by Country Club. South Shore Country Club. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. All right. So right when you pass, Jeffrey. Over to Da lake. Yeah. That's Terror Town. All right. Shout out to Terror Town. I'm Da Chair of ⁓ What made you fall in love with hip-hop and when did you know it was serious? Just like music period, bro, spoke to me. because I was young, you you in school, you learn about writing and how to express yourself through writing poetry and shit like that. To hear hip hop at that moment in life was extremely pivotable and it felt accessible. Like I could do that shit. You know what saying? So it was... Do you know what song that was that kicked that thought in your head? Queen Latifah, Ladies First, MC Lyte first album. But I used to listen to R &B too like crazy. Like soul music. Nigga what? Ashton and Simpson. What? Yeah. I mean, all that. Like I saying, Al Green. I was just seeing- Your mom was playing all that through Da house. And I was gonna ask you, what are some of your musical influences? So you just gave me a little quick rundown. Was there anymore? All of that, I grew up listening to it. you know, back then, music was extremely reflective of life. when I would write poetry, I would write my shit I was going through as a kid. And then I would write my mind out Da situation into some dope shit. And so when I heard hip hop, I was like, yo, this is really fresh. You know, Da beats would upbeat young, you know? Yeah. I just tapped in and I started turning my arm. Instead of writing poems, I would write raps. And then I would spit them in Da mirror with Da brush. You put on your own concerts at Da crib? I did, bro. OK. I did that I would even rap over Da, what's Da smart, 45s. I had 45s. 45? In Da crib. Da record, Da wax. I had a little record player and I would play like, I only had like five records, Asher and Da Syntheson was one of them. I would play Da shit out of that and I end up rapping over fucking Solid As a Rock or some shit. And then to hear MC Lyte and shit like that, it was like crazy. So I was like, oh yeah. I this. So did you start like with poetry first or you just kicked it off with rapping? Poetry first. Poetry first. Poetry first. And what got you into poetry? Just a unit in school. Nothing, you know, it wasn't like a pivotal person. It was just something we studied. Creative Writers Club type shit. Yeah. I just really tapped into it. I was Da only child. So it wasn't like I grew up in a house with a bunch of kids. So I had to entertain myself. Okay. My mom be go set your ass down. Like, okay. I'm gonna go, you know, listen to music and write. And that's what I did. Facts. All right. I didn't know you was Da only child. That's something. learned something like that. Only child. child. Yep. What separates you from other artists that came out your era? Hmm That's a good question. Eee, got one. Yeah, that's good question. Because I feel like our era is so unique from everyone else. Definitely. You know what I'm saying? to identify what makes me different from everyone in our... I would say my interest and ability to be a chameleon. Like, I feel like... you'll hear me over a lot of different type of records. You know what I'm saying? Even now, with me tapping into Da house music with Terry, but at Da same time, I got downtime out. So don't get it fucked up. I was going to speak, because I was listening to them. There's some hits right there. They are cross. Yeah, international. Exactly. They are cross. Internationally known. So to hit a new stuff that we working on, ⁓ yeah, it's pushing that bar on both sides. Like I'm pushing Da bar on some hip hop shit and I'm pushing Da bar on some house shit. ⁓ I think that that's probably what separates me. Typically, and I don't even want to say that from my air because everybody was so multi-talented. Like they did a lot of different things. But I think that that's probably what... separates me and stands helps me stand out as a female artist. Yeah. I just like different shit. You know, I don't like boxes. ⁓ Was it a lot of female emcees back then? Hell yeah. It was. Well, I knew I knew quite a few. You know, like you some are from Da crib or you just let's say from Da crib. Let's say for Da crib. Yeah You have us you had noo-noo you had and 13 What's my other sis name She was actually a Um, Chris, Christina, Mickey, little sister. Um, yeah, you got a lot of them. had, uh, battled niggas back then. Okay. All Da cyphers was, they said, don't know. We want to shoot these niggas down. You know, coming for y'all spot. It was easy. Because it's a male dominant, you know, it was a male dominant thing back then. And I do feel crazy, like after you just embarrassed him in Da cipher. Yeah. I think I feel like, where was we at? One night we was at Da spot. You remember Da spot? Yeah. On Lake Street. this chick tried to battle. She was trying to battle me. Or Shana or both of us or something. Uh-huh. Shit went bad. It went bad? It went bad. I don't even know her Verbally or? Otherwise. Yeah, okay. So you embarrassed it. I don't even my name. Sorry. Sorry. Hey, hey, hey, hey, you had to learn. You had to learn Da hard way. Shawn, don't remember my name. Shawn, shout out to Shawn. So let's take it back before Da music, before Da group, because we're to get into that since you Shout out to Sauna, you shout out to these people. Shout out to my sis. Shout out to Sauna, yeah. Who was Tifa growing up? Man, class clown. For real? What? I graduated class clown. Yeah. What? Yes. Dude, like, ⁓ I used to hate people so bad, they wanted to fight my ass. Your mama so fat and all that shit, huh? My shit was embarrassing, though. Like, I'm Da kid that set Da ⁓ fart ⁓ bomb off in Da lunchroom and shit. ⁓ Stink bomb. Yeah, that was me. clown. So besides being Da class clown, was you getting into a lot of trouble or any of that shit? If not, I got in trouble for, I got in trouble because I would talk in school a lot. But not like on My grades were good. Not like on Yeah, but I just, I was like, I needed constant motion, movement. So when it wasn't there, I would create it. I'm talking, I'm cracking jokes. I'm playing, you know, gags and tricks on motherfuckers. yeah. So was music always Da plan or did it find you? Yeah, it wasn't Da plan. It wasn't? What was your plan? What did you want I thought I was on go to school and be an attorney and some shit. Really? Yeah. You wanted to be an attorney? I did. I don't know if I really wanted to be an attorney or if I thought my mama liked hearing me say it. ⁓ Right, right she made you think you want So dang that wasn't your plan, but I am like I do have a spirit of ⁓ Seeking Da truth and you know talking about and bringing light to things that people may not know about or understand or See if you can't see in Da neck of that so I could see where that came from. But once you rock a crowd, it's like, it's hard. It's hard to go back. It's addicting. Yeah. That stage. Once you rock a crowd, it's like, ooh. It's hard. ⁓ It's a certain level of adrenaline. It's a certain level of, man, it's like, Evidence that you don't it's like confirmation It's service in a way cuz other motherfuckers feel good and They connect you know and I think everything we do ultimately We're seeking that feeling You know I'm saying yeah, yeah, it's like a drug music is a drug Performing in is a drug which what's your favorite part performing or creating? They both equal. And I say that because Da, I don't know, they both healing. They both healing. Like when you make something dope and you like got some shit off your chest. Yeah. When you finished it. But to perform, you know Da feeling. When you finish it like, oh! Like Da song! I all this shit hard. That's why I went through this shit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then when you perform But it's like when you perform it. and then you see other people connect to it, it elevates that to another level. So I say it's like, know, they both exist and both are equally important. You get a rush off of each element. Yes. The one is, first, Da creation is more intimate. But Da performance is like you sharing. you know, you getting that confirmation from other people, like not only is this amazing, but you just helped me. You feel what I'm saying? Even if it's just to feel good, escape, but if I connect on a deeper level, you just helped me. So. So, before I get into this next part, right, I gotta let you know. I feel like Da time I first met you, I was introduced to you by Tito. We got a homeboy Tito. That's my big brother. Yeah, shout out to Tito. He just connected me with somebody else too. Huge shout out to Tito. Got it, Lens, because a lot of people don't know him by Tito. Yeah, got it, Lens. Shout out to Got Like, we could be out, they'd be like, yo, Got it, Lens. Yeah, that's my brother, man. They motherfuckers don't know me. We're going to kick it. Yeah, you got to be a Tito. you you blessed to have a bond with Tito, man, you something special. So you're so sad after Tito. But I remember me and I think he introduced me to you and I was happy as hell. was like, man, that's Tifa from Infamous Syndicate. I used to love your video like it used to come on Da box in Da bed, jumping on Da bed with Da angel wings pillow fighting. video was so raw and y'all was snapping and I ain't never seen like two females rapping like that. And it used to come on Da box all time. They kept it in rotation. So ⁓ like would get hypnotized by Da video at Da end of Da day. Because y'all was going crazy in that thing. then y'all had We were actually touring when Da video was huge like that on Da box. So it making that impact at Da crib. And we were like. on Da other side of Da world. Y'all was already touring. At Da same time, we knew, but we didn't know. I was young, that was in 99, and I was a senior in high school. Oh, I love it. That's what's up. Y'all influenced me. I named my sophomore album after y'all. My sophomore album called Chicago. You told me that before. Yeah. Yeah, because I loved y'all for real as a group and individually. You know, and I grew to be able to have a relationship with y'all. So this interview is, you know, is a special moment for me too. So I appreciate you. Thank you for coming on here. So when you was with Infamous Syndicate, was that your first record deal or? Yes. Because that was with Relativity Records, right? Correct. Yeah. We would be on Da same label with No I.D. Shout out to No. I.D. Was on Relativity. You said Common Two? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yep. Three 6 Mafia was on Relativity. it's, ooh, yeah, it was a lot of Bone was on Relativity. Yep, yep, yep. Yeah, Relativity Heaven. A staple. I think that, too, like, that album speaks to not just how I, but Sean as well. Both of us are ⁓ multi-talented, like, We did Chicago style music on that album. We were highly influenced too by East Coast hip hop. Like we loved Helter Skelter. We loved just some East Coast hip hop and Chicago. So you you could kind of feel it on Da record. man, that album is a classic. It bang from beginning to end. The beginning to end. That's a bang. Shout out to man. Yeah, that album is, ⁓ ⁓ called Changing Da Game. So, yeah, if y'all never heard of Infamous Syndicate before, I highly suggest, you know, when you're doing your homework on Tifa, that's like for me, probably not for her, but for me, that's her beginning stage that I was introduced to her. ⁓ it's a classic album. So it's called Changing Da Gang. So, classic. ⁓ Lot of dope people on that album too. Yeah, we gonna get into that ⁓ So, ⁓ How did infamous syndicate come together and what was that moment like for you? ⁓ it was a moment honestly with hip-hop kind of saved my life again. That was probably Da first time so We had a mutual friend and we would hang out and we would kick it and me and Shana would just cipher. We would just freestyle. Like that became Da basis of how we kicked it. We would go somewhere, roll up and we would just, they would listen to us rap all night. So y'all didn't know each other at first? Y'all got introduced to something? So was it- Through a mutual friend. Through a mutual friend because of music or y'all just was kicking it and then No, we was just kicking it. This was like one of my best friends. She moved out South. and her and Shawnna got really close. So when I would kick it with her, Shawna would be there too. And they'd be like, oh Shawnna she rap. And they'd be like, she rap too. Like, oh shit. Oh, some, And then that. And then you, oh spit some, spit some. Yeah. So y'all had a little battle, y'all had a little battle. I don't even know if it was a battle because we were both so excited to hear another person so cold. Like you yeah, that's from what you it was like that's crazy Yeah, yeah we did that's what's up and um What was Da second part of your question it was a how did they come together and what was Da moment? was Da moment? Yeah, that was that was pretty much So oh so it got heightened when my boyfriend was murdered So it was like, it wasn't just, you know, sporadic times where we would just kick it. It got to go get Tifa. Let's go get Tifa. We gotta go get Tifa. We gotta go get Tifa. Cause I'm depressed. You know what saying? I'm grieving. Really bad. How old was you around this time? How old was I around this time? 16, 17? was juniors. your boyfriend had got killed when you was 16? Damn. Yeah, move from Terra town to Da Dalton area only to experience that Crazy right sorry sorry for your loss ⁓ Music that we made That those moments those ciphers they distracted me. They helped me heal. So it's a song on Changing Da game while I talk about it Da I gave you me song. And I said, we used to talk from Da middle of Da night to Da morning. It stay plugged to Da phone while I'm yawning. Boy, I swear Da love for my thug got me open. That verse is about him. OK. Yeah. So. So yeah. then Shana's verse was about her son, her kid's father. OK. Putting real life into It was all real life. Right. Therapeutic music. Save my life. What did Da name Infamous Syndicate represent at that time? What did Da name? If I was to tell you, it meant something outside of some cold motherfuckers clicked up. it would be a laugh for me because as an artist, like when you two dope artists and y'all come together, ⁓ me that was just really Da focus for me. They could have called us broccoli and carrots. ⁓ I'm like, cool. Wait, what? He's still cold. ⁓ wait, wait, who? said they could also desire something. ⁓ Did y'all make Da name? not to say that it didn't mean, yeah, we did make Da name. Okay, okay. We did make Da But Da name didn't matter, basically, It was gonna be what it because I felt like Da music spoke for itself. You know what I'm saying? Exactly what Da dictionary meant, of infamous, large, huge, great, dynamic. You know what I'm saying? Out of control, that's what it meant. That was our stage presence. Syndicate, us together, united. You know what I'm saying? That's what it meant. It was two strong, powerful forces coming together. But that could have been represented in a lot of different ways. Right? Well, that couldn't be peas and carrots though. Yeah, okay. No, that means something right there. That's a strong meaning right there. but that- It sound fresh, and it means something. But I'm saying to say that Da name was reflective of something that was huge and powerful. Right, right. And great and dope. So it's so many things. that we could have called ourselves, right? But that name stuck. And it made it as powerful as it really was. it hard. Mobb Deep didn't, they didn't appreciate us using infamous. What? Yeah. ⁓ that's what it feels like. We didn't have any moments, well, I don't remember any moments where it was like, you know, no huge or crazy beef, but it was some moments where we were like, hear a little rumblings. You know, with like, I don't know exactly who, but you said that mob deep wasn't. Yeah, they didn't like us using infamous. Why? Because we didn't give a fuck. They infamous. And we love my deep like bang that shit front to back nonstop. So it was just like, ⁓ OK, we still have to say, OK, right? We ain't gonna say it's our respect. Right. You know, ain't no diss at all. We're fans. It didn't even have nothing to do with them, did it? No, it really didn't. Right. It really didn't. What was Da energy in Chicago when y'all first hit Da scene? Oh, I loved it. You know what? Everybody was in person. We had hip hop events you could go to. We had hip hop parties. You could go and touch Da DJs. You know what I'm saying? Like, Da talent. like we had ⁓ WHP K we had pink house ⁓ he ⁓ everything yeah He was really Da catalyst to us Going to Da next level to be honest pink house putting on Da radio house Yeah, and and Andy C introducing us to pink house. Can't talk about we can't talk about pink house without talking about Andy C. Because Andy C connected us to Pink House. Andy C produced ⁓ Jenny Jones. And really, beyond that, whole EP that got us signed. I was going say, is Jenny Jones Da song that put y'all on? Yes. Yeah? Yes. Is that one of your favorite We have multiple songs on Da radio, Yeah? Yeah. Which one? Pink House was playing multiple songs. Pink House was. Yeah, he was playing multiple joints. But, Jenny Jones, when that was just like all ages, people loved that record. It was crazy. I remember Andy used to mix that shit 50, 11 times. So. gotta trust Andy's ear. You don't even, you like, hey, whatever you say. Again? Okay, again. Yeah, like some Dr. shit, huh? Man, it really is that. Yeah. Hey, gotta get it right. You know? Do you feel like Da city gave y'all Da respect you deserve back then? Yeah. Yeah. You feel different? feel like we didn't? Nah. on. I named Da album after y'all. Cut it out. ⁓ what I'm saying. ⁓ felt tons of love. You know, this is because it'd be a lot of people that be feeling like they don't be getting Da love or, you they flowers and stuff. So. I feel like... You really gotta look at intention behind, right? don't, when we will, we wanted to do it on a national level, but our intention was just as being Da coldest fucking MCs out. ⁓ doing Da best shit that we could do to ⁓ our city and ourselves. So Da intention wasn't necessarily to get this type of acknowledgement, to get this. You type of award or to have these people put us on this list or We weren't in it for that ⁓ It was just about making really fucking dope music Really dope really honest music raw ⁓ And I think that when you go in with those intentions and you're not trying to do what you see somebody else do You gonna land where you supposed to land But when you got Da wrong intentions, like, you don't really know what it took for somebody to get to Da point that they at in their career. You might not have all Da ingredients. Yeah. Just that what's for them is for them. It's not for you. For sure. So. Your intention, that's Da first thing a lot of people, artists, all of us have to check our intention. Like, why are we doing this? Like even with music now and being an artist that had a deal, it's a point where you like, am I trying to make this music to get on radio and get spins? Or I'm trying to make some shit that is reflective of who I am? and people like me gon' connect to? I trying to be Da most creative or just best musically? Because you could tell. ⁓ And lot of artists lose theyself trying to be on radio, trying to compete with what just was Da last number one platinum record or 10 million streams, whatever. ⁓ You lose in that shit because you don't create with those intentions. What that being said, you just said about people going for streams, you came from an era where people sold records. That's when cats was making bread. Which one do you prefer? Streams ain't paying you shit. Right, so which one you? So for me, I'm setting up a system where can sell directly to my people. Like I'll do some music. I got some music that's streaming, but I'm also have. you know, projects that are just direct to consumer. Like I don't even wanna deal in some of Da business that has been tainted. I don't even want my baby over there in that school. Y'all do that, let me connect with my people and I'm good. Cause that's my intention. You know what I'm saying? Like, and I wanna make money to keep making music and take care of my family and being able. to solely do music, you know, or whatever else I wanna do. Right, but I don't wanna chase dreams. That's Da best way. You got Da website, right? Yes. We gonna have to put that in Da link. What's Da website? We got to. What's Da website? It's Tifa.com. Make sure y'all go follow Tifa.com and get you some new music. New music, new merch. I seen some of that merch. Yeah. Yeah. Flash it. I'm to an extra effort you. The website code. Thank you. The website code. I like that. Thank you. I appreciate it. That's like my other business. People don't know. Then I say creativity come out multiple ways. So I have a company called Edified. And we do digital content. So web design, video production, graphic design. Excuse me. I'll say that you be editing your own videos and stuff like that Yeah, like it's my vision, you know I'm saying it's my baby. I'm not One of those artists that's like put this on where this say this do this Shoot this there ⁓ Like ⁓ definitely collaborate with great minds, you know when it comes to Da packaging ⁓ what I should maybe order of dropping stuff, type of beats or things like that. But it gotta be, I gotta be hands on. Like that's just how I express myself. Cause it's your brand of you. And it's me exactly. Right, it's your brand. It's not no, it's no cap. It's not no Fugees. What you see is what you get. This is me. That's real shit. So like I said, I teach, right? and I teach what my business is and Da same company that Tifa Da artist is a client of. So it's important for me to be able to show up as a teacher as Tifa. Right. I can't you said it's important or it's hard? It's important. Oh, okay. So I used to put on Da teacher uniform. Uh-huh. Well, I'ma tell you, I used to have on my... My sleds, my blazer, and I still, I could do that, but nah, I gotta show up as me. I gotta be Tifa in every vein, in motherhood, in home, in work, business, artists. It has to be amalgamated. One person is me. So, yes, I take that brand very serious. Very serious. Yeah. ⁓ How was it like, was it fun traveling in those tour days? Fun as hell. Infamous syndicate? Like imagine being 19 with your best friend in Switzerland, performing to a couple of thousand people in a barn. Switzerland? They going crazy. You said how old in Switzerland? 19. It's amazing. On tour. changed Da way that I see Da world. I see myself. I see opportunities. It totally shifted my mindset, Who was you on tour with in Switzerland at 19? Who was you on tour with? We were on tour with Da Beat Nuts. We were on tour with Da Nonsense Lounge. So we on tour with KRS-1, Eminem. What? We were on tour with... Cash money for a long time, like a year. We toured with them for like a year, year and a half. LL Cool J, all kind of motherfuckers. Oh wow, see? Oh yeah. This a heavyweight right here, y'all. This a heavyweight, put some respect on Da queen. I never felt small. Yeah, tell them. You know. Tell them. What's one story from that era people have never heard? From Da overseas touring part? Whatever. Infamous syndicate. Probably. So we had a show. I can't remember where we at. Well, we were at Da tunnel. That's in New York, right? Yes. The legendary tunnel. No mistakes about it. What? What? OK. I believe we were at Da tunnel. ⁓ Eminem was on Da show. And our manager came in Da back backstage and was like, changing lineup. He was like, what? He's like, he wants to go in first. He's not going on before you. He's not going on after you. What? This was right before he dropped his shit. But that's how crazy our stage show was. What? Crazy. Damn, so I gotta come up out Da glasses for that. say. Now this is, is what era, what not? This is before he dropped. Right, Marshall Mathis. Exactly. Okay, so. before he But it's still Eminem, it don't matter. It's still Eminem. They had him on latest he was crazy back, crazier back then. He was dope, though. And we was like, huh? I mean, we knew he was gonna be cold. We hadn't heard Marshall Maddison yet, just to, know, somebody that we knew was seasoned, you know what I'm saying? And then later it was just even more powerful, because it was just like, that's crazy. That's dope. That's fucking amazing. That nigga didn't want to perform after us. But this show was wild though. Like I don't even where was that show? Was that it might have been Da tunnel Da Da tunnel right might have been Da tunnel or it might have been someplace else, but I definitely remember that because we was tripping like damn That's why that's a something that's a memory though that you cherish ⁓ You know what I'm saying? He was nasty though. Yeah. And our beats was raw. Woo! Hell yeah. Them mother, boy. You got to think these are like hip hop days. so you got to come out and spit that shit. So we was on that. You had some legends on that album as well that became legends. Like, No I.D. Yup. Yup. How was it like working with No I.D.? That's my big brother. He's amazing yeah, funny cuz He always dropping these little gems on me and then that shit come to fruition in Da future and I'll be like ⁓ before I was on radio he was like, you know, you should do ⁓ While you were home and let other artists come up. time I'm gonna do that next thing I know and then one time he told me that I had to learn to ⁓ write through my pain because I would go through moments where I would stop writing because I was going through something painful ⁓ even though I had wrote through it before When there's so many different things happening, it's easy to just pick up bad habits and just be stifled. You know what I'm saying? And that was something else that I had to learn or relearn. Yeah. Relearn back then or now? It's come up a few times. So he constantly reminded you too, So you also had a song with Kanye on that album, young Kanye West. I was like working with Kanye. ⁓ my God. It was dope and it was a roller coaster ride. ⁓ Kanye was always saying or doing something that I had people be like. But I was like, that's my friend. I don't give fuck. That's funny, you know that that song ⁓ What you do to me we had it was Yeah, I spit my side we tracked out his stuff in his house first Everything we did we always recorded his career first Yes, yes, mother used to fuss in us because Da music was loud He made me well he was like you you could you could write that verse better than that I was like what I? Ain't rewrite nothing and I went back Rewrote my verse like man that part fresh that part fresh, but you should rewrite that part And that's how I got to that part Da one that's on Da ⁓ song First person to ever tell me like yo, you need to rewrite this shit, right? That's what I was about to say. Like how close was off for him to just say that? Was you already like established with your own style? Yeah, but I've always been a person that Like I'm not I'm not bullheaded like I understand that this is Art and this is something that you study and you continuously learn and grow it and I'm passionate about getting better Like I'm just that's every area of my life. I'm always trying to outdo what I did last You know I'm saying this shit is actually kind of irritating Because I'm never just complacent like yeah, I'm just cool right here. I'm just chill slow It's like nah, I'm gonna do this shit next time I I liked it, cause not too many people had pushed me like that. And I would think about it now in retrospect, probably people wouldn't be comfortable saying something like that to me. You know what I'm saying? ⁓ Like man, she further than me. I ain't finna tell her that shit. You know, but I respected it cause it was like, he wanted me to show up at my best. Like you colder than this. What's up? So I did it and I loved it. I was proud of myself. So why did we only get one infamous syndicate out? Well, one relativity went under. Right. And we were supposed to go to loud. And well, they asked if if we wanted was it loud? Yeah, they asked us if we wanted to go to loud. But everything in that moment was shaky, like management, business. You gotta think when you around, you knew, you young, ⁓ Da music business is fucking crazy. ⁓ I was a bit, I needed to regroup. You know what I'm saying? Like I felt like it was a lot of craziness going on around us. And I wanted to regroup. around that time, Shana was in Atlanta with Luda a lot. And she started doing that work. And she just kept going with that, because we didn't do Da loud thing. I've made music. Back at Da crib, I was working with Dion. And I started working with Terry Hunter. That's when I did like Django Lang and all that shit. And then I was asked to be on radio. And I was just like, ⁓ we doing this now. See, I'm glad I asked that question because it's leading into my next question. I think I'm on point with this here. So in Chicago, we got two major radio stations that represent our culture and Da culture. WGCI and Power 92. Yeah, that's right. How did you end up on WGCI? So, you know, a lot of my, all my big brothers are DJs. Growing up in Da music industry in Chicago, your friends, you find friendship in Da people you work around. You know what I'm saying? And DJ Lil Jon, DJ V-dub. Shout out to V-dub. We're both at Da right. Big Brother for sure. Both are at GCI at Da time and Terry Hunter. But Terry wasn't at GCI, but people don't know Vaughn and Terry are like best friends. So they were like, Sundance is leaving. She got a full-time slot. They want another female rapper to do Da A side and Da B side. And they suggested me. Beyond my knowledge, I didn't know. And I got a phone call one day from Carla Boatner. She was Da PD at Da time. And she was like, yeah, we want you to come down and do an air check. I was like, get your ass out of here. ain't no... It's like, see what you told her that? I'm like, bro, I didn't know. I somebody was playing on Da phone. So I ended up going and I used to be... I ain't gonna say intimidated, but I was a little nervous reading liners and shit. Like I've performed in front of tens of thousands of people, but I'm doing music and I can see them. You know what I'm saying? It's a vibe versus talking just into a mic in a room where it's just you. Yeah. That's how feel. I'm on Facebook. It's a different- I hate going on live on Facebook. I hate talking to myself. It's different. It's different. So I started freestyling Da liners. Like they'd give it to me, I'd be like, alright. And I rap that shit. And Big Papa was like, ⁓ shit, ⁓ shit, through Da headphones. ⁓ I was like, you cool? He like, that shit's hot. And that's it was all history after that. It's like we love it. I got comfortable by my top breaks. And then that through Da ratings through Da roof. And then I was like, fuck it, I'm bring artists on. I'm bringing artists on ⁓ and small. So everybody like that's one thing I don't like when I was just this. this is Da Chicago song of Da day. Like what? No, can you just blend our music in throughout Da day with everyone else? I will bring artists on and then Da really dope artists, I will push Da DJs to play their records, put them in Da mix. Was this during Infamous Syndicate or after? This was right after. Right after. Literally right after. So you were still doing your thing as a well-known artist. Yes, because we were still getting booked to do shit for DJ Honda in Japan. We were still getting booked to do other shit. But I was also pregnant. I was also pregnant with my son. I did actually in Genius when you see Kanye in Da studio. I had just had my son. My face was huge And then what's crazier Da day I went in Da labor with my daughter I was interviewing J. Cole on Power. He's like, you come to Da show? said, no, nigga, no, no, I gotta go. Right now. Yeah. Dang, so you work for WGCI and Power 92. And 1063. 1063 is where I'm pioneered Da basement, Da old school hip hop show. and we play all Da games and just do fun shit. So you've been putting on for artists for a very long time. Absolutely. You got some memorable artists that you put on, that you brought in Da spotlight and they took off. A lot of people are already on their way, to be honest. But a lot of artists that did some dope shit in music, absolutely. What can I think of? See it's hard I don't want to say that I put on for them and they took off because Like man gotta be heard by everybody in Da world. What was it was one song called broke? I think we premiered that one on Da A side, B side. You remember that? Shorty Capone artist. It was already bubbling though. Geminide that was with Lupe. He came on Da show. He cursed on Da fucking air. They let us live? Don't take it fine for that? Yes. We ended Da interview, I was like, come on bro. He was like, my fault, my fault, my fault. I was like, I'm sorry. Yeah, I did that once with Sandell. They was like, good thing we could edit it. Come on, man. Come on, man. Don't do that. Yeah. Sandell used to intern up at Da show. Yeah, I was going to ask. So you was doing your thing, you know? Prior to Sunday, let power 92 or absolutely. Yeah He used to come up and you know, just learn Da ropes when I was on GCI Yeah, man, it's kind of like what you was doing in Da sense, yeah Yeah, I love it. No So we gotta do you know, that's that's how we build legacy And I look at it like this too. If you Da only person on top in a position and you don't make room for others like you, you can fall quick, fast and hard. And there's no one to continue that work. Your work just ends. And then it's gonna be a harder way for you. It's harder for you to get to Da next step or rebound to whatever you're do next. Because you ain't build nobody up along Da way. So I've just always been an advocate for just teaching, mentoring, passing Da knowledge. I never locked Da game up. just, I share it. Always. Because yeah, you go another route, Da people get to talking crazy about you, acting like you ain't doing nothing. Well, you didn't. like you a gatekeeper or something. Yeah, never put stigma on you. Yeah, I never been on it. always wanted to share. Yeah, nobody can have a say. ain't never put it on. No, nobody. That's Da last thing I'm worried about. Yeah. So. ⁓ You said you don't smoke. I did. You did? Good. Let's have a little fun real quick. When you did smoke, blunts, papers, bowls, or bombs? Blunts. Blunts. Swish is a back wow, but see that's seasons though. Huh? That's that's seasons. I went through Da period where I was doing that. Went through a period with Da ⁓ bone. through a period with papers like you know as you get more health conscious you're like shit fucking up my lungs. ⁓ on. ⁓ Optimals make Da heart bleed. heard. ⁓ See what I'm saying? Yeah. You know, you get a little more health conscious. You try and move a little different. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Yeah. Backwards, you gotta wash them off, all that. Right. Come on now. Especially these days, bro. They be like, yeah, we put bug repellent on these. Man. That make it burn slower. Like, damn. What? What? What? Exactly. What's your favorite Stoner movie? Friday. Yeah, this is classic. If you could smoke with anyone, who would it be? Anyone that's well known for it or just anyone period? You, anyone. Anyone. So whoever it is gonna be like, let's do it. Nah, but anyone, yeah. Yeah. Obama. Obama. ⁓ I know he know Da shit. We he got it. We know He know he know it. I don't love it. Cause he cool with everybody. Yeah, for real. Think about it. Yeah. For real. Yeah. Yeah. Or. A female Erica Badu she noticed you too. That'll be a vibe Yeah, if you could work with any artists Who if there's any artists that you haven't worked with who would it be? On Da hip hop side, or R &B? Let's get both. Somebody you never work with, but you wish you could work with or would love to work with? J. Cole. Yeah. I really, I fuck with J. I fuck with Cole. on Da R &B side. ⁓ okay. ⁓ That'll be a combo. She nasty. ⁓ if I couldn't work with H-E-R, ⁓ IAGO. Yeah. He don't know. She's dope too. Shout out to them. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Now, just Da other day, ⁓ We got a flashback on that came up on Da... On Instagram, Will Gates a video of Da legendary Twine Gap. Rest in peace, Twine Gap. Shout out to Twine. How did you meet Twine? Oh God. As a studio session. before we what? I was gonna say before you say where we, where y'all met. Can you say, can you let Da world know who Twine Gabs is? her, you know. Absolutely. Twine Gabs is Antoine Muhammad, AKA one of Da illest. MCs to come out of Chicago And just overall dope-ass person that is also my husband that passed away and Father to our children He's a legend he's definitely one of Chicago's greatest MCs did some major things in Da industry as well. Yes, yes. When he super plugged with like Def Jam and... So he did some work with Eric Sermon. Eric Sermon. He did some work with Jazzy Jeff. You know, and a of other artists. Rhyme Fest, you know, Da list goes on and on. Anybody doing anything from Chicago, he's worked with them. He had a group with him juice and Mickey Mickey How's that? Was you around when that uh battle went down between Ryan Fess and no So how did you not present okay How did you it's why I meet? So we met actually at a infamous syndicate session with Twilight Tom Right. Shout out to Tom Don't produce it from Chicago Tastemaker DJ just ill curator, you know a lot of dope shit when come to hip-hop Produced a lot of dope common stuff and even beyond that. But Tone was coming to United Technique to play some beats and we were going to record to some of them. So me and Shana in there and Tone was carrying Tone's crates for him and just kicking it with him. were homies and he was working with Tone too. Like he was making music with him. The beat came on and We dig in each other and we start rapping, you know, all of us. And then eventually, Shana stopped rapping, Tom stopped rapping, me and Tom, I still rapping, going at it, back to back. ⁓ And I had never, I had never been in a cypher with a dude where I felt really challenged. Usually, eat them up, spit them out, I don't like you no more. Like if I could out rap you, we cool, we just cool. It was you know, yeah. ⁓ it's like, a challenge for me. ⁓ like if we, ⁓ we were in a cypher ⁓ ⁓ were crushing on each other at first, ⁓ then I just devour you in Da cypher. ⁓ Damn. Well, you've been friendzoned. That's Sorry for you, buddy. So it wasn't like that with him. We were back to back. He would say, I be like, And, you know, we exchanged numbers and Da rest is history. OK. Well, to us, you and Twine were a power couple in Da eyes of MCs. I love that. You all were Chicago's Nip and Lauren. Ooh, that's hard. Has losing him changed you in ways that are not visual to Da eye? Absolutely. Absolutely. And I'm- I'm a super private person, I think, when it comes to like how people go in, in depth about their rents and stuff on social media. Because our relationship was so public, I felt like. It was no place that I could go or he could go where Da other person wasn't asked about or talked about or if they trying to get in touch with him, going through me and they trying to touch with him with, you know, vice versa. So when it's so, ⁓ so detached to a person like that, ⁓ it can make you very private. So it was. Super important and then too because of what he went through was very public With his fight with cancer and then we got our kids involved, too it was just important for me to have a lot of privacy To be able to what was going on and Da heel and to take care of Da household ⁓ ⁓ There absolutely is a lot of changes. ⁓ that you experience and you go through, it's just not for everybody. know? Yeah. I think that I did drop a song because again, that was a healing moment for me. Is that twice? Mm-hmm. Yeah, that was a healing moment for me. I've actually tried to perform it. I couldn't get through it. I tried, though. You can hear it. Yeah. Yeah. It's on call twice. Yeah. It's on YouTube. Yeah. I was going to ask you about Check it out. Yeah, check it out. Well, I don't even need to ask you because you... I figured that. I was going to, you know, see like, yeah. Because that was deep. That was a deep song. I like Da video. Yeah. Thank you. Did you do that? I appreciate that. You directed that? Yes. That's one of those moments, you know, where it's just so raw and so honest. like you can't... I can't really invite a lot of collaboration in certain spaces when comes to stuff like that. for that particular video, it was like that. yeah, my guy Tito shot that. Shout out to Tito again. Tito and Tric, I think Tito and Tric shot that. Yeah, Tito shot Da outside shots, Tric shot Da indoor shots, and then I edited it. Okay, yeah, I like that. So, Will Gates, when he posted that video of him spitting, that verse last week. When you see stuff like that, when it blows up your timeline, how does that feel? Amazing. Amazing. It speaks to his legacy, his impact. And I remember all Da moments connected to that moment. You know what I'm saying? Like, I remember being in Da car. I remember Da conversation before Da shoot. I remember helping pick out Da outfit. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, moments like that you look forward to ⁓ when you're remembering a loved one. So it's not necessarily painful. Sometimes it can make you cry, but it's not always bad tears. It's just remembrance and Da of a person that would make you feel like that. Yeah, I feel I love hearing that stuff. Like I love hearing his music. I share it. ⁓ You know. We know that's why I passed away from breast cancer in 2023. He was diagnosed in 2012. With men's health awareness coming up in June, was Da diagnosis found during a scheduled checkup or was something going on that led him to that, to go to Da doctor? Did you see something or is there a second? That's a question. A lot of people don't have Da courage to ask that. So no, it wasn't a scheduled checkup. It was, we were out. Christmas shopping and he had I saw blood on his shirt. And I was like, hey, what's that on your shirt? And then he looked at his shirt and he freaked out because he had blood there. ⁓ So we left. We had an infant at Da time. Our daughter was newborn. So I went to Da house and to be with Da baby. And then he called, I can't remember who he called, he called one of his friends and they went with him to Da ER and they told him that he needed to make an appointment immediately. And I remember that it was, cause you know, he's a December baby. So his birthday is December 30th. This is right before Christmas. Capricorn? Yeah. Capricorn? Yeah. I was dealing with a capricorn. get into that another time. So Da next day, we had been planning a birthday party for him. And he was like, I don't wanna go to Da doctor till after my birthday party. And I'm just like, you sure? don't think that's a good idea. But we did and so he can enjoy his birthday. We stubborn. Mm-hmm. They're old. Bro. We stubborn. Yeah, okay. Like next level stubborn, y'all really are. So yeah. He was diagnosed with breast cancer then, which is extremely rare for a man, especially his age. did that, with that like occurring, and you say you teach as well, does that like become part of stuff that you teach, like educate people on? So I teach... My class is called broadcast technology. But anyone that's ever been in my class will tell you it's more like a psychology through Da lens of broadcast technology. So I focus more so on Da stories that impact young people's lives. I teach them to tell those stories through video production. And in teaching them how to pick what stories to tell, I use my life as an example. So, yes. I have to use all Da real things that molded me. and Da ability to tell those stories, and how important those stories are not only to me to healing, but to Da community as a lesson, and how important it is that we use our voice to tell our truth versus leaving that responsibility on Da other people. ⁓ That's what I teach my students. Because I think that buy-in is important. Like, I could teach you math, but... If you don't know what role math will play in your life, how it's gonna impact what's in your checking account, if you don't understand how being able to calculate percentages and tax and all these things are important to your bottom line, your livelihood, Da amount of food you're able to put on Da table, you probably wouldn't care as a young person. So I gotta give them Da, this is Da why. And we approach that through life and Da stories that have molded us that we need to tell. The stories that are happening right now in our community, in our school where we live, in our friend circles, in our lives, in our homes, in our heads. We need to tell these stories. I'm already telling stories on social media. Let me tell these stories. You know what saying? I love that. How long was you in a radio broadcast Oh Over 15 years about 15 years I used to leave Tim used to spend Da last hour He would do his set. We would leave, grab food, and go to his party. And I would dance in Da DJ booth all night until it was time to go. That was my brother. Yeah. Yes. Rest in peace, Tim. Real legend. Mike Love. Amazing person. Mike Love. Yep. Mike Love said some dope shit to me too. Like he's dropped some bombs, some gems Da time, over Da course of time since I've known him. ⁓ remember him talking about, cause you know on radio you get a lot of shake ups. I think I heard of one recently. But he said, ⁓ well, when people leave, they create opportunities for Da new generation to come through. And then Da people that leave this space go on to another space and fill in a space where somebody else was. ⁓ So it's a good thing. It's growth. I was like, damn, that's dope. Yeah. So why did you stop? I got bored. I got bored with radio. And honestly, I didn't like Da that was being conducted ⁓ Da scenes. ⁓ One, I'm a person where my intention behind anything I do creatively is about my voice. You know what saying? And sharing that to my community. So one, I don't want someone telling me what to say all Da time. You feel what I'm saying? I don't want you to tell me something too heavy for radio. Like, I feel like I got an ear on what my people want to hear, want to talk about. You know? I've never gotten any feedback from any audience. Like I'm doing too much. Like people love this shit. They love conversation beyond Da typical shit. So that was one thing. Two, I just get bored in spaces after I'm doing Da same thing too long. So I needed change and I felt like my voice and my music was more important. than my voice on Da radio. I felt like I could say more, I could reach more people, and it was more powerful. And then it was just like little stuff going on behind Da scenes, like I created Da show, Da basement, it was like, yeah, but we own Da show. like, fuck you, you own Da show. What you talking about? Yeah, and it was like, you know me and Twann had that hip hop karaoke. Well, think I don't know if I'm remembering everything correctly, but they want Da station wanted to book Da karaoke. But I'm like, no, I'm Da promoter. So you book in a karaoke. I'm getting like a tenth of what I typically get when I just go to a club and strike a deal to do karaoke. I don't want to do it. Yeah. It's just like. But I have some amazing relationships and friendships they're amazing moments I Love Da reach that I got being on radio to confidence that I built up being in radio Being able to ⁓ add to Da culture Da way that I did That was dope What was Da biggest mistake you saw artists making back then and still making today? not fucking with each other. Yeah, you don't really have that in other markets. It's just here, because we're such a consumer market, everybody carry themselves as such. Like in other, when you in Atlanta, Atlanta radio sounds like Atlanta. LA radio sounds like LA. You feel what I'm New York definitely sounds like New York. But Chicago sounds like all three of those amalgamated together. And I'm not talking about Da jocks, I'm about Da music that's played. ⁓ I think that Da city would make more money if it made more stars. And I think that not just working together as artists, but I mean like working together as DJs. radio, people in playing radio, promoters and artists working together. Cause that's all a part of a very important ecosystem. Does that make sense? your radio programmers and your jocks talking up Da artists that's hot. You know what I'm saying? And making a name, a household name. Get into Da algorithm. promoters putting them on to open up Da big shows. You know what I'm saying? And then doing Da small intimate shows and having Da outlets for artists to come and be seen. Like we used to have Da crocodile lounge back in Da day. You feel what I'm saying? Like that. And DJs, of course, are super pivotal because they own radio and they got it. Say that again. So we just need everybody, that whole ecosystem. to work together. And they can be in teams. Like you can have this squad, this squad, this squad. That's cool, but we just need a lot of those ecosystems. That's what you have in other markets that you don't have here. So you feel like Chicago's kind of divided? Yeah, I think we are a bit divided. And we gotta leave room for Da artistry, for Da creativity. Like, if you a real artist, you ain't got no motherfuckin' money to be payin' for every look that you get. You feel what I'm Oh, payin' for views and shit? Payin' for views, payin' to be on Da show, payin' to get your record played, payin' to whatever, whoever is only rockin' with people for pay, that's killing. real artists, because real artists only focus on artistry. feel what I'm saying? A real artist is locked. Kanye was locked in his room making beats. The only people that saw him was rappers and other producers he was learning from. He was in No I.D. basement or his room or Doug Infinite studio. That's it. He's not out here able to work a job to take all that money and invest in Da... It gotta be some segmented space you leave safe just for artists, just because they dope. Just for Da culture, for Da crib, for Da ecosystem to grow. Let see, was something that you just said, something that just happened recently ⁓ with Da Chicago music scene, right? Chicago music scene has a stigma that we love, we got love for each other until it's time to hourly give recognition publicly to those that we love. And that prompts this next question. because over Da last month or so, Shauna has been in Da timelines addressing people who obviously have not done their homework. Why do you feel some of Da new female rappers feel they can bypass Da learning aspect of Da game and still be successful? I think they just bumped their head. I don't think that's just a new thing. I think a lot ⁓ of people go through that period. And I think that if you how other people have gotten on in Da past 10 years, it's created that misunderstanding that this how you get on. That it's just posted. You ain't really have ⁓ lot of ⁓ stories being shown where artists in Da club heavy, they at Da DJ pools heavy, you feel what I'm saying? Like, won't see that same storyline no more. So they only gonna know what they see. You gotta have OGs sometimes moments like that, that's like, nah, you gotta pay your dues. Whatever that look like in this era or in this space, you gonna have to pay your dues. I think that that instant gratification is something that every generation after ours deals with on a higher level. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Like, we dealt with it to an extent that Da generation before us didn't. And it's just now, it's so heightened. Everybody like, whoa, shit don't happen that quick. Yeah. But people don't really tell story from day one. ⁓ to where they at now. You don't really see that. And it just adds to that. I want everything right now. Microwave career. I'm gonna open right now. And then what's they attention on? What are they chasing? They chasing a career or a hit? It's not Da same thing. Right, right. It's not. It's not Da same thing. No, it's way different. You wanna have two or three hits in Da club or on social media? That's not Da same thing as somebody like a shit, a Shana, a J. Cole with catalog that can perform and be booked over years, a span of years. It's not Da same thing. So it's just like, what's Da intention and what are they seeing? Like that's what they being sold. So it takes these moments. to just give more information and redirect. And people to speak up, I feel like people don't holler at Da younger generation enough. That's part of it. People be like, why are you teaching? are you teaching? I be like, it's service. You know what I'm saying? It's service. ⁓ I feel like it's what God want me to do. Because somebody got to be there telling them Da truth. Otherwise, whatever issues they facing that come from ⁓ A lack that this generation may have or not, you know be exposed to Somebody gotta be like yo, that's not how you do it You gotta do like this That's like we got young people that Quick Da fight somebody gotta teach them how to talk shit up. Yeah Somebody I teach him how to be Da big person walk away Who would be on your Chicago Mount Rush mark? Hmm. Or, yeah, let's go with Mount Rushmore first. For rappers? my route Mount Rushmore would be. Ye Shauna. Hey. Juice. Hey. I ain't not a rapper. Twone it. love it. I love it. Now, ⁓ ⁓ your top 10 Chicago artist? Just overall artists? Mm-hmm, period. Ye Twista, Shawnna ⁓ Juice. Herbo, Jeremiah. ⁓ What's that six? Bird. I'm putting him as a artist. a producer. Hit maker. hit maker. The nigga catalog is nuts. ⁓ I got three more. Yeah. I'ma put myself in there. So, hell yeah. Hell yeah. This your list. two more. Yep. Dirt. who I'm not thinking about. Luke Lupe Yeah Lupe Boom Heavy with Da Lupe Yeah Alright for so for so ⁓ Question though Have you ever worked with Da Brat? I never worked with Brat No? I love Brat I never worked with her I would love to Why? Do you guys know each other? I mean ladies We do a little bit but not like heavy, you know what I'm saying? Like it hasn't, I've never had a moment where it was like a long conversation to really build, but I've met her in passing. Brat Cold. She came out before y'all, right? Yes, she did. And I was a fan. Okay. You a favorite Brat song? What's Da one she did with Biggie? B-side, B-side. That might be Da name. Yeah, I think that's Da name of it. was that I need camosy beat. Yeah. Yeah, that shit was rough. OK, shout out to Brat. Shout out to Brat. Big shout out to Brat. ⁓ would you want to see in Da verses? From Chicago? We're going to do Chicago, and then we're going to do Period overall. Or do you think Chicago should do a versus each other? Do you think that matters? How do you view versus? Like, I view versus as one, catalog. You got enough catalog to match up with each other. ⁓ And then two, like sonically, there's some similarity there. Either it's Da fact that it's R &B or it's a certain type of R &B. or hip hop, it's a certain type of hip hop, like I'm not gonna put south against east coast. ⁓ Yeah, it gotta be something to compare. So when I think about that part, it makes it a little hard because either one of Da artists don't have enough catalog. or they do both have enough catalog, but it's not. Like you could say But they not really see dark and G Herbo to me not really Da same chance don't really sound like none of Yeah, you can't really put nobody against you a bro who Da fuck you gonna put against you a stop like So it's just like in Da whole industry I would like to see J. Cole in Da verses with somebody. Okay, J. Cole verse who? I'm trying to think, who though? That's Da problem. That nigga catalog is crazy. Yeah, ⁓ yeah. It's catalog, it's crazy. somebody gotta match him. Don't want to say This is your matchup. I know I'm just trying to think though. It gotta make sense for me. Okay Well, you got J Cole already say right there. We booked you you booked All right, got coal up there ⁓ Cole versus kind of thing call to take Kendrick out. yeah like let me say this bro I've been a Kendrick fan I'm also a Drake fan right everything Kendrick made once that battle started. Not my taste. Like, I'm not. It sound like, and I don't even wanna say that, cause then I'm shitting on bro. I don't even, it just ain't a vibe for me. Like everything pre-battle, I love. And I feel like he solid on a lot of reasons why he came at Drake. don't have, whatever. But I'm talking about Da music solely. To me, Da music did this. for Da sake of battling. So with that being said, I definitely feel like he could give him a run. So you saying you need J Cole to come pick up where Drake feel that. You know, he battled out gracefully and then Drake lost and so he's now he back with some heat That was some character shit though. That wasn't like I'm scared of you. That was some I don't Would you do a versus ⁓ yeah. If I felt like it made sense though, got, I like it gotta make sense. I feel like a lot of Da talk and Da crazy shit online just been people ego, like ego tripping. I don't get caught up in that. The verses gotta make sense. Who was your verse? I don't know who I could verse. ⁓ honestly, I don't feel like- You want, you would want a male or a female. I don't feel like... was killing niggas. I know, but I was in more of It was more consistent type of music. You feel what I'm saying? Like, I feel like now, and I've thought about this, I can't really compare Da music that I make to what nobody else is doing. I don't think my music sounds like anything that anybody else is doing. Yeah, nah. So with that being said, it's like... ⁓ know what I'm saying? ⁓ Canada don't make sense ⁓ What are you working on right now working on a project with ⁓ Terry Hunter we got more shit coming ⁓ You met Terry in WTCL days right Terry Hunter DJ Terry on Grammy Award where I mean I'm gonna Grammy Award winning right Nominated yes, oh but still a test to his name Harry exactly. Shout out to Terry DJ Terry Hunter Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry because also a producer mister I'm gonna put a mister on there. Mr. Terry. Mr. Terry. Grammy Grammy Terry So we got a project Me and Sean I got a project Did I just get an exclusive? Yeah, we got a project. Wait, you said you and Shawn got a solo stuff. We So you and Terry, you and Terry got a whole project, right? Yes. That's Da one that's with Da International? Yes. Yeah, make sure y'all go check that video out. It's dope. It was Crazy. We were in Italy, Italy, Naples, Italy, shooting that video. Yeah, International for real. chain. Off Da chain, Yeah, that song is dope. That's how and shout out to DJ Jazzy Jeff for Da remix and DJ time for his remix. It's crazy. DJ Jazzy Jeff. Oh, Da legendary. You got heavy hitters spinning Da new remix in it. Man, it's crazy, too. I love it. OK, OK. And then you said project with sauna. And then Da project with who else? was Da last one? Myself. another solo? An ⁓ or? Yeah, well, I got enough for an album. trying to adjust to kind of how things are going. You know what I'm saying? ⁓ I could drop it as an album. I could drop it as two EPs. We see. ⁓ I got an exclusives over here. Yeah, Da work is real. ⁓ Any kind What do you feel your impact on Chicago hip hop is? That's a great question. This is also very broad. ⁓ I think my impact has created movements like what Shondell is doing. So I would say a unifying impact for sure. ⁓ I think even people like Hot Rod, that's somebody that I've worked with in Da radio space that is always opening up his platform to people. ⁓ And then just always trying to work to bring other people on. Like exposing DJs, like helping other DJs connect and get on radio. Like how they did me. Like my brother, Mustafa Rox, A &PM. ⁓ I was able to help them get on radio. So I think that as far as radio goes and our culture in that aspect, it's really just creating a legacy of giving back. You know what saying? Passing on opportunity. ⁓ on Da music side I would say Man breaking Da breaking Da barriers and I say that to say I Don't allow myself to be put in one box. You know what i'm saying? And I also have not let time dictate My start beginning middle or end I just do me. you know what i'm saying and show up creatively and Yeah, that's just, man, just be you, be a free spirit, give back. I think that's my impact. I think that a lot of people that I've been able to allow to connect with and help out and vice versa, we all really appreciate that because something dope has come from it. You know what I'm saying? And I think that's important. Cause you can have some people out here and you do have a lot of people out here where it's just like drama, drama, Use, use, ⁓ Crap, crap, crap. And I think that ⁓ my experiences have been Da opposite of that. Like feel highly respected. I give respect and man, just keep fucking going. Resilience. ⁓ of Tifa before. What record that you have created would you suggest they go to for their first dose? Their first dose. The first dose of Tifa. Like you was in Da car. Let's say you was this in Da days and you ready to get on, right? And you got to jump in Da car and there's executives in Da car. That's just raw, but I'm real, I'm spitting on it too. Yep. And you like, let me get Da aux cord. Let me show you this. You know how niggas do. Hey, let me show you this. ⁓ was going to put us on. I would say 5 a.m. ⁓ wish I could play that. 5 a.m. because it's super reflective. It's bars. It's soulful. I'm just honest. This is me. What album is that I you know. It's on three. I think it's on a project called Three Eye Drop. Make sure y'all go check that It's everywhere. All your streaming platforms. Or you can go to istifa.com. Yeah. Yeah, well, I ain't going to ask a couple more questions and then, you know, I don't want to take up too much of your time. I appreciate you being on here. I'm honored. Man, it's my pleasure. got about I got about five minutes before I got to show. That's all I need. I probably only need one actually. Really? What do you want your legacy to be when it's all said and done? Dope person, dope artist, honest. She taught me some shit. She taught me some shit. That's a value. Well, thank you. Thank you for being on my podcast. Thank you, bro. I love you. Thank you for what you contributed to Da culture, to Chicago. They go both ways. You a queen of Da city, of Da industry. You feel me? And yeah, I'm always give you flowers every time I see you. I know I'll be acting up. I always bring up. ⁓ here we go. Yeah, man Any side-offs you want to give anything you want to plug that you got going on right now? I do I want to ⁓ Tell everybody check out my website is itsteffa.com comm Music is up there merch is up there t-shirts. You know I'm saying All Da music is inspired. I mean all Da shirts are inspired by Da music so if you fuck with Da music ⁓ And if you want to support me and what I'm purchase something. You know what saying? Stream something. Share it. Share it, share it, share it. That's super important. Yeah, absolutely. Subscribe, subscribe, subscribe. Yeah, subscribe too. too. That's how you show me love. I really appreciate it. And say something. Don't just scroll back. Jump down in Da comments. Holler at me. You know, I appreciate it. But ⁓ I want to shout out on a doing a shout out Da people that's been supporting Da downtime, which is Da exclusive version of a song that I released on Traxta Chicago album. yeah. I meant to ask about Traxta. Yes, yes, We'll come back. I'm gonna bring you back on one day. We'll come back. Yeah. But I want to support. Shout out Doug Evans. from Soul Logistics Radio. I'm gonna shout out my guy Devin. Shout out Tito. He plugged me with Devin. Devin's just been really helping ⁓ getting Da song moving on radio. All-star DJs, violators, Violet All-Star DJs been supporting it. So I wanna send them they love. Shout out to Shondell. We shout at him out. I'm gonna go on Raw TV Radio later today. And man, just everybody like. that shares my shit, I love you. Thank you. Comment, share. That's everything. So I really appreciate that. So, you have a good night, man. Have a good interview. You too, bro. And I love you and tell everybody inhale Da good shit, exhale Da bullshit. Everybody love everybody. We out this BS.