Latest / Caught on the Mike... / "Show You How" with Akil the MC from Jurassic 5

Transcript

"Show You How" with Akil the MC from Jurassic 5 · Caught on the Mike...

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_02: Warning due to some language and subject matter, listener discretion is advised.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_01: Coming together in 1993 at the famed Los Angeles music venue of the good life.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_01: Six different members, two different crews, Rebels of Rhythm and Unity Committee, merging together to form the hip-hop juggernaut Jurassic 5.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_01: You may have seen them with two DJs up on stage putting on one hell of an energetic performance.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_01: And today on the podcast, I have one of the founding members of Jurassic 5, Achill the MC.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_01: He's a mentor, he's an activist, he's a hip hop preservationalist, and I'm honored to have him on the show today.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_01: Ladies and gentlemen, this is Caught on the Mic.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_01: I can't believe it.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_01: Pinched myself to make sure it's the truth, but I am on air with a kill the MC from the Jurassic 5.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_01: How the hell are you, man?
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: Man, man, I'm doing great, man.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: I'm happy to be here with you, man.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for reaching out to me, man.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: This is uh most thank you, man.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: Respect.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for that nice intro.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, man.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_01: You know what?
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for all the art that you've made over the years because I know that's impacted a lot of people in positive ways.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_01: And that's one of the things I've always admired about J5 and and yourself.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_01: And thank you.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: Man, thank you.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate that.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: I I hear that a lot from a lot of people.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I, you know, you kind of I kind of like tend to like like, man, for real?
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, like you don't you don't know what you're doing in in the time that you're doing it or whatnot, or even even how it is impacting people.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm I'm very appreciative when people do say it, but I'm still like in awe, like for real?
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: Like, yeah, man, I you got me through college or you got me through this or that.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, that's pretty dope and stuff.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_01: I was sitting in bed last night and I'm watching videos on YouTube, and I was kind of talking to you this about this before we pressed record, and I'm just grinning from ear to ear, and my wife is looking at me like, what are you smiling about, you dumb shit?
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, dude, I'm watching J5.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_01: This is amazing.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_01: Like, this is dope.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_01: It's dope, man.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_01: It is, it is, it is.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_01: So, my show is all about people telling their stories and telling their life journey, and you know, hopefully the listener can take a little bit of something away from it and apply it to their lives.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_01: So let's tell the genesis of a kill the MC.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, it's your spotlight, my friend.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: Man, I'm scared now.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: No.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: But um, born and raised in uh in Los Angeles, I'm born in 70.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, I'm a I'm a uh a funk baby, you know, by by just by natural and stuff.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: Um, born of two parents.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: My dad, my dad was a DJ, um, always played music and you know, sports guy or whatnot.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: And my mom, she was an artist and dancer.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: So um, and they were young, had me.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: Um my mom had me when I was, when she was uh 16 or 7, 16, about 16 or whatnot and stuff.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, I've always been around music and artistry and just the things that were happening at the time, being that they were young parents or whatnot and stuff.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: So music has always been one of those things and stuff.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, some of my earliest memories is uh um seeing uh Michael Jackson um pop lock uh or do the robot exactly, you know what I'm saying, uh on on uh some talk show or whatnot and stuff.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: But as a young as a kid and stuff, I used to try to mimic, mimic that and stuff, and then watching Soul Train and stuff, and you know, seeing a lot of um the dancing on there, lockers and stuff.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I had my hand at trying to lock and stuff, and then uh like I said, my dad was always playing records and I'm tracing the record covers and you know, listening to Earth Wind and Fire and Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye and you know Crusaders and all of these, you know, great records, these shaka cons and all that and stuff, you know.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: And um so even within that whole time, I'm playing sports as well.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I hadn't played start playing sports actually until 79 and stuff, you know, and that was parliament funk parliament funkedelic time, you know, growing up off of funk.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm a funk baby, like I said, from James Brown funk to now parliament funk, and you know, and my daddy's a funkateer, so you know, but then I'm still pop locking, you know, at this time and stuff.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: And so you hear a song, you know, uh like the Double Dutch Bus, right?
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and uh so then I hear this record Sugar Hill gun, you know what I'm saying?
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: The um, you know, Rapper's Delight.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: And so it just reminded me of Double Dutch Bus.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: So I just I didn't never recognize that it was uh a hip-hop uh song, and even hearing, you know, uh sequence and and and and all of the uh Sugar Hill um stuff that was um records that was coming out or whatnot and stuff, and Curtis Blow and you know Grandmaster Flash and them and stuff, and I still never recognize that this thing that I'm listening to is hip-hop, but I'm I like it because it reminds me of the double judge board stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: But what made me recognize that, oh, this is hip-hop is when uh um in '83 when um Run DM C came out and stuff.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: And so how they dressed made all the difference in like, yo, what is this?
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: I want to I want to be involved in this, like, you know, because the the attire and how they dressed wasn't like um Sugar Hill Bang or Grandmaster Flash and them.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: They almost dressed basically like the RB artists of that time and stuff, you know, which was Rick James and stuff, you know.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: So they they just reminded me of of that, you know.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't never recognize like, hey, this is actually hip-hop culture or whatnot and stuff, you know.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: So once once Run DMC kind of defined that, like I'm like, yo, I want to be in this culture right here and stuff, you know, like this is this this this is what I want to be involved in and stuff.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: So I was already already DJing.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_00: I started DJing actually like a year before uh Run DMC had hit the scene, maybe like 82, 81, late 81, early 82, and stuff, because in Los Angeles we were known for our DJ culture and stuff, you know.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: We wasn't known for our MC culture, it was a DJ place.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: So, like I said, my dad was a DJ, you know, my one of my neighbors was a DJ.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: I had another friend down the street that was DJing.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: So this DJ thing was always incorporated in there as well as, like I said earlier, I was dancing, pop locking and whatnot, but still not knowing that all the way from the 70s, I was involved in this culture, but didn't never really recognize it as a culture until Run DMC came and stuff.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: And then I started, you know, DJing a little bit and stuff.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: But then when Run DMC came, I was like, oh, let me try my, you know, I'm gonna I I think I started breaking.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: I started breaking and stuff, you know.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: And then after that, I started um trying to do graffiti, but I wasn't that good, you know what I'm saying?
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, uh, but it was still along the lines of still doing all of these things that's involved in this culture and stuff.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_00: And then I started rapping, and that's what, you know, really got me, you know, going or whatnot.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: But I'm still breaking all along at this same time.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: So in junior high, and this is what's happening at this particular time and stuff, and then getting into high school, but I'm still playing sports.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: I play football.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: Football is like one of my number one sports and whatnot and stuff, you know.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, as growing up in the ghetto and stuff, you know, a lot of um a lot of kids and stuff, you know, sports was their way that they was gonna get up out of the ghetto.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: You know, but once hip hop came and then drugs came, you know, that train that changed the trajectory trajectory of how people were gonna escape the ghetto, you know.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_00: Drugs made you actually stay there because you still had to sell the drugs there.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't, you know, I tried, tried to, but it just didn't work for me.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: You know, that wasn't my thing, so I stayed doing doing hip-hop or whatnot.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: And um, so uh up until my 11th grade year, I broke my ankle.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: And I still played football after that, but it wasn't the same.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: And um so hip-hop really took took on more of a precedence in my life, and like, okay, what are you gonna do?
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: Next year's your 12th grade year, like what are you actually going to do?
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm a little guy, so but I always had heart, and I'm like, I'm like, I'm gonna make it.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_00: But then once that that happened and stuff, like I said, it changed changed the whole trajectory of where I was going with it and or whatnot and stuff and what I was gonna do.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: And I actually thought about even going into the military and stuff until Public Enemy came out and stuff.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, yeah, and that that changed my whole mentality as well, and stuff, you know.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: So the awakening of self and knowing who I am, and you know, just as a quote unquote black man in America, and you know, just dealing with the the ills of the day and whatnot, and like, okay, now what are you gonna be?
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_00: And who are you, you know, what are you about?
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: Who are you and how do you fit?
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, within this whole cycle and stuff.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: And so hip hop is where I fit.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: So I express myself through that.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: And then after high school and stuff, just got more serious because like, yo, now what you gonna do?
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_00: I got a job and stuff, and then a couple of years later, I got a son, you know, and then I had another son, you know what I'm saying?
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: And in 95, I had another son.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: So in between that 94 and 95 period, or actually that 93 period, we were um the my group from high school, Rebels of Rhythm, you know, we part of us, part of part of my group went to high, went to uh college, and then part of us stayed.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: So this was like a pivotal point in what we were gonna do in life.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, like, man, we're gonna do this, and then the other ones, like, man, we gotta leave LA because if we don't, you know, somebody's gonna kill us or we're gonna kill them and stuff, you know.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: So they made that move.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: And we was like, okay, we're gonna take the bite the bullet and make this sacrifice and create this thing so that you know, build this house that we've been trying to build for the longest or whatnot.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: So we get into uh start doing uh shows around the city and stuff and trying to record songs and trying to do this thing and stuff, and you know, slowly but surely um it was five of us left, and then one of my uh group members and stuff uh moved and got married.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: And so he moved a little far away where we couldn't really get together as much no more.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: We still was crew and stuff, and so they left us with four.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_00: So then one of them one of them was a DJ, the DJ and stuff, and one of, you know, he he kind of like wanted to do his own thing, and you know, or he kind of wanted the group to be called, you know, Trevi Trev and the Rebels of Rhythm.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: And I and I was like, man, like what's what's up with this and stuff, you know.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_00: So he kind of like drifted, but Trev went on to work at Loud Records and is responsible for Wu-Tang clan.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_00: Oh man, that is fantastic.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: So, and then one of the members uh in Jurassic Five uh soup, um, he ended up working with him at um at Loud and a couple other places before then and stuff, you know, and then my friend the TJ Trev he kind of shot him like, oh, you know, call this number and uh and and try to get in contact with these people, which was Mob Deep, right?
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: So he kind of kind of was responsible for Mob Deep getting signed at Loud Records and stuff.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: So we're close to a lot of people that's you know doing the thing that we want to do, but we're not actually in there.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: But this is motivation for us to keep going and stuff.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: So we used to go to this spot called the good life in LA um cafe or whatnot.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: And so um we seen Charlie and them perform one time, you know, Unity Committee, which is Mark Seven, Cut Kemmis, and and Charlie Tooner and stuff.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: It's like, yo, they pretty tight because you know, a lot of people were um trying to bite freestyle fellowship and do their style at the good life, but we would had our own style.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_00: We didn't want to be like nobody else.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: We understood that, you know, in order for you to be something in this, you gotta have some your own, you know, your own style and stuff, you know, which we thought was like prior to that was like with how it run DMC said, man, you just gotta have your own style.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, how am I my own style?
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, like it was like a it's like trivia and stuff until we got there and we realized you have to be something different than everybody else in order to stand, stand out.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_00: So Charlie and them stood out to us and we was like, yo, y'all tight and stuff.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: So then maybe like a couple of weeks later, they seen us perform.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_00: And they was like, yo, y'all was refreshing, you know, because we didn't, none of us, neither of us rhyme like the people at the good life, you know.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: We all had two different styles.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_00: We had that old school style, so the the old old school style that you hear Jurassic Five harmonizing and stuff.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_00: That came from our group, the Rebels of Rhythm.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_00: Nice, right?
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: And then that go back and forth, like, you know, two bars, two bars here, stuff like that.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: That came from Mark and Charlie and stuff, which was more like a run DMC style.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: So we were both old school anyway, but just different eras of old school that put us together that form basically Jurassic Five.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: So we end up doing a song.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: So Kemis came to us one day and he was like, yo, man, you know, um, I want I want you to uh if y'all you think y'all mind doing the song on this beat, I got this old school beat.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you think I think y'all would sound dope on it and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like, yeah, you know, because we had talked about doing a uh a song together and stuff, you know, for a while and stuff.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_00: And uh let me take you back a little bit.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: So one of my other group members um that was left out of the three of us, like remember I told you it was like five or it was just three of us and stuff.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_00: So one of my uh group members here um he ended up just succumbing to uh the streets, not really the streets, but just you know, gotta make money, you know.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_00: We you know, kind of like early 20s and stuff, you know.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_00: So he ended up doing something and ended up going to jail, right?
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: So now it's just two of us, right?
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_00: So this week it was just me and in soup and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_00: So then this is how we met Charlie and them.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_00: But we met Charlie and them actually with the three of us and stuff, and then he ended up going to jail, so it became two.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_00: So when it's us two, and then Charlie, I mean, so we would we had said we wanted to do a song, but that didn't happen until a year later.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: And so once that came about, when Cup came, it's like, yo, would you do something on this beat?
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_00: So we did, you know, a couple of verses on, and he's like, Yo, that's this is tight, it's just exactly what I wanted and stuff.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_00: But do you mind if Charlie and Mark get on the song?
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_00: We're like, Yeah, no, that's cool, because we talked about doing a song anyway and stuff.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, they can get on it and stuff.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_00: So at this time, um, Charlie and them is uh doing a demo, they have a demo deal with a record label, and then we have a demo deal with a record label, and so they were doing production with Cut Chemist, but then it was another guy that came around, DJ Newmark.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: So we were we were doing um these shows in the city called Rat Race, and Rat Race was like um the rap groups, up and coming rap groups that was there, but they had a live band, and they had a live band with a DJ, and um they would uh they would play play the songs, you play your songs, and then you perform.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: So it was all like the little underground hot groups and stuff.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_00: So we end up having a show.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_00: It was us, um uh a group called Sin, which is uh Medusa, I don't know if you know Medusa and um Unity Committee.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: So we're all on this show, so we have to go to this rehearsal.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_00: So we're we're at this rehearsal um across the street from this famous uh chicken and waffles place called uh Roscoe's and stuff in LA.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: So um we we end up meeting the DJ that was for the band, that DJ for the band, which happened to be DJ Newmark and stuff.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: So Charlie and them had already knew Newmark, but this is our first time meeting.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_00: So the story with Jurassic 5 always gets told that we met at the good life, and that's not true.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_00: We met at the rehearsal, the whole of the group.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: We met the Rebels, we met Unity Committee and Rebels Rhythm met at the good life, but the whole of Jurassic 5, which is three entities, it always gets told like it's two entities.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_00: The other entity is DJ Newmark and stuff.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_00: So, long story short, um, none of us got a deal.
• 17:14
  SPEAKER_00: They were uh on Newmark was producing for Charlie some songs for Charlie and them on their demo.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_00: Neither of us got a got a deal, so we're all trying to search to get a deal and trying to be in this record industry or whatnot.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_00: And um, so Cut Kim is one day, he's like, Man, he showed us this record.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_00: He's like, Man, I like this guy right here.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: He's from the Bay Area and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_00: His name is uh DJ Shadow, he puts out his own records and stuff.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_00: So we're like, Well, you know, he's like, Yeah, he's like, Man, I I think we should just, you know, maybe put out our own record or whatnot and stuff.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_00: And so uh one day, um, I guess they was talking further on it.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_00: I wasn't there, and it was like, yo, okay, we're gonna put our money together, you know, which was like$500 to put out, you know, I think it was 500 pieces of wax or whatnot and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_00: So from there is how Jurassic Five became Jurassic Five from that point of us putting out our own stuff and being tired of getting shunned by record labels and you know, trying to just push it.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_00: We decided to take our career in our own hands.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_00: And once we put that record out, it was like, man, I wish we would have put out all our demos and stuff, you know, because we were going to, you know, to these ARs expecting, you know, one person to hear you.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_00: But I know how it is, even being an artist, and then someone saying, Hey, can you listen to my music?
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes you just don't be in the mood to listen to their music to really hear them.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm like, Yeah, you know, can you can you uh I'll put on that music that that person gave to me.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_00: And now I can hear them because I'm actually, you know, listening for it and stuff, but sometimes you may not be in the mood.
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_00: So I take that to how you are you running to an AR at a record label, and I'm like, everybody, they do everybody like this and stuff, you know, and sometimes they may not even be in the mood to listen to your stuff to even hear you, because I heard so many dope demos going to record labels and they like, yeah, we thinking about signing these people.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_00: And I never ever heard these people ever come out, and they be some of the dopest shit ever and stuff.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_00: So I so I recognized, I'm like, man, we gotta take our charge of our own careers and put our own selves out.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_00: And once that happened, it everything snowballed from that point on and stuff, you know.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_00: Got picked up by a label um TBT.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_00: And so in that transition, um, we were still just called Unified Revolution and stuff.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_00: That was the name of the song, right?
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: So people called us Unified Revolution, that's what they called us because we didn't even have a name of the of a group at this time.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_00: It was just, we just put this this song together and that started blowing up or whatnot.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_00: We performed it at the good life and everybody liked it.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like, yo, you know, like, all right, um, it's doing good around the world and stuff, and people are really picking up on it.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_00: So this label TBT Blunt um picked up, picked it up and stuff, my man Chappie and stuff, and he's like, Um, I I want I want to I want to sign this and stuff, you know.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_00: This we want it's like, well, you know, like for sure.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_00: This is what we wanted anyway, and stuff, even though we did the independent thing and stuff, we was still had that fight or that that wanting desire to be on a record label, to so-called be recognized, like every artist and stuff.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_00: You don't really feel like you're recognized, even though people were feeling this or whatnot and stuff, but still, it was still to get that recognition from somebody from a record label, you know, that was from New York.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_00: So to us, that fit well, because you know, on the west coast and stuff, the gangster thing had taken out taken over.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_00: So it was like what we doing is sounds too east coasts and stuff, you know, even though we're from the west coast and stuff, but what what we were doing sounded too east coast.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_00: So so to get signed, um, that was like, yo, so one day they uh Charlie, we like rehearsing, and Charlie comes and he says, Man, he said, I was joking with um Denise, which was his son's mom and stuff, and and she's like, you know, y'all think y'all sound like the Fantastic Five.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_00: It's more like the Jurassic Five, right?
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_00: So he he like, oh, that's that's funny, but that's a nice name and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_00: So he's like, Man, let me I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna tell the fellas about this.
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_00: So we had rehearsal and stuff.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_00: So one day he likes telling us this the joke and stuff, and he like, man, she said this name and stuff.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: He's like, you know, he's like, man, what if we become a group, man?
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_00: What what what do y'all think about this name and stuff?
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_00: So we we were still pushing our um our own personal groups, right?
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like, yeah, yeah, no, that's a nice name and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_00: But in my mind, I'm like, man, uh, this rebel's rhythm on my, you know what I'm saying?
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_00: I'm I don't really um the AR was like, yo, it's like, man, what's the name of the group?
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_00: And he's like, Jurassic Five and stuff.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_00: So from there, from there on, that's how we became who we are.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_00: And and in the joke, she was basically saying, like, you know, y'all think, you know, because y'all on some old school or like dinosaur type old school flavor.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, oh wow, like, yeah, that that actually fits.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_00: And it fit everything who we were, because we were, you know, bringing the DNA of some the old school flavor into today's time and stuff.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_00: So we were trying to not be like everyone else.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_00: So we just said, they will just pick from a older era that's basically like myth, like a like a dinosaur myth or something, you know.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm glad you bring that up because you know, going back to earlier in the conversation, like our different types of influences that you had, like the P Funk influence and you know, some of the the late 70s funk and and soul and the soul tuned stuff and Michael Jackson.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_01: You talked about run DMC kind of hitting you around 83, 84.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_01: I think Tougher Than Leather came out in 1987, and that was my jam.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_01: Like the first time I heard Mary Mary, I was like, this is some shit I can get into.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_01: And the thing was, like, I would sit there and I would watch MTV for hours, and you know, I'm I'm watching, you know, all the rock videos in excess, this, that, and the other thing, and then I would sit there and wait for uh Mary Mary, and then I would wait for the Fat Boys to come on, and some L Cool J.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_01: And that's like and it and the thing is about Jurassic 5 that I really have enjoyed over the years, is you guys do have that throwback sound, but you've got so much modern flavor to it that it creates an atmosphere.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_01: There's an atmosphere that comes around Jurassic 5's music that I think there's only a handful of really good hip-hop groups that were able to tap into that, like Souls of My Souls of Mischief.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_01: I love those guys, you know right, right, right.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_00: The group flavor, the group flavor.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, yes, like six voices become one.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_01: Isn't that kind of one of you guys' things?
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly, exactly, exactly.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_00: So, like, like even like the far side, you know, that which came before us, they were on that, you know what I'm saying?
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_00: Freestyle fellowship, um, and you know, then the alcoholics and stuff had that flavor and stuff.
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_00: It wasn't a lot of them, but it was still that aesthetic.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_00: We all around the same ages and stuff.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_00: So we grew up knowing this style of hip-hop and stuff, which later on, you know, people that are maybe a little bit younger and stuff, they they didn't get it, but then they got it because it was always a hit and always relevant, they just didn't hear it or know about it, but it still took bits and pieces of all these different elements and stuff that you know made this one thing or whatnot and stuff.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_01: And did I hear correctly?
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_01: Did you have a buddy or somebody that was trying to nudge you into doing gangster rap around the time you formed Jurassic 5?
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um, yeah, just before, just before then and stuff, you know, because um, and and and it wasn't like they were trying to afford because they knew hip hop too and whatnot, but it was just like how to be successful and what was selling, you know what I'm saying?
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_00: And it was like, yo, you he was like it, and he was more so like, man, just to get your foot in the door, man, you should do a little bit of that and then get in the door, and then you can switch up.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, bro, but that don't happen with most artists and stuff, with art, period.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_00: Once you come out with who you are, it's hard for you to get away from how you came out and what people know you for and stuff.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_00: And so then on another level, just surviving it in the streets of LA and stuff.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: I was never a gangster and stuff.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I I I know a lot, you know what I'm saying?
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_00: I'm pretty well connected, but not right to the to so connected that they know that I'm not uh connected.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_00: So for me to come out and say that it wouldn't be real, right?
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it wasn't authentic to say uh for for me to come out, even though I I mean I know it like the back of my hand.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_00: I grew up amongst it, and you know, before it was gangster rap, you know, so I know the real stories and can tell them, you know, I can tell a good story and you know, and and then even even had some raps, but more so my raps were were based on uh the end, what could happen.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe even if I had the language or whatnot, you know, or you know, the scenario and stuff, you know, at the end you was gonna know that this was a positive song or this night or just just the not even necessarily a positive song, but just no, like there are consequences and stuff to your actions or whatnot and stuff.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_00: So they hit they knew that I could I can hit it and do it, but you know, for me, it was the risk.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_00: It was the risk of of being pegged into that type of artist, as well as being, as well as being, you know, miss misunderstood to be that and stuff.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_00: And also I know I know the repercussions of that, you know what I mean?
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, so I didn't I didn't do it and stuff, and um, maybe like about after having a conversation, like a couple of weeks later, and that's when uh Wu Tang came out, right?
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_00: Well, Wu Tang Wu Tang was already out kind of kind of kind of a bit and stuff.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_00: They was but then they came with that song cream and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_00: So cream was more like get money.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_00: So in every ghetto everywhere, it's about get money, right?
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_00: Because you live in poverty stricken conditions.
• 27:05
  SPEAKER_00: So this was a song that was identifiable regardless of where you at and the beat was the type, and you know, it was just a you know, the theme and everything was perfect or whatnot and stuff.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_00: But I was telling my friends, like, yo, see, that's the type of stuff, you know.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_00: I can I'm I'm more on that.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_00: And do you see the success, how they're blowing up from this?
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_00: So I don't have to do the gangster rap just to blow up and get money.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_00: We can actually still stay in our lane and stuff, which took you know a lot longer and stuff, and I'm not rich right now, but you know what I'm saying, but still just rich in in my soul, and it as well as you know, being able to travel the world and do everything that they were able to do, you know, and you know, so without the risk, you know.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_01: When you're comparing and contrasting what was kind of coming out of the West Coast in the early 90s, the gangster rap that was coming out of the West Coast, and then when Wu-Tang hit, it was almost like a cause and effect.
• 27:59
  SPEAKER_01: Like the West Coast gangster rap was the cause, and then the Wu-Tang's message was the effect.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_01: So they told the narrative after the effect and how that had impacted people, and that's how their narrative was a little bit different.
• 28:10
  SPEAKER_01: And that's something I've always loved.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_01: And and and I really admire the fact that you stayed your path and your group was able to kind of forge your own identity outside of that because it would have been low-hanging fruit.
• 28:23
  SPEAKER_01: It would have been easy for you to say, yeah, we can we can tell these stories all day long and be like multi-platinum and no type.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_00: It wasn't challeng it wasn't challenging for me.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_00: It was it was too, it was it was too it was too easy to do.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_00: And like I said, and and and the consequences of of it made me definitely stay away from it.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_00: I had too many friends that are dead and locked up, you know what I mean?
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_00: So it just reminded me of of those people that I missed, you know.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_00: So for me to do that type of music was like, you know, uh, it's a somber, it's somber and stuff, you know.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's like I don't want to think about this.
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_00: It did we did the music to to escape that.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_00: That's this is the reason why why we did the music to escape the ills of our community and as therapy or whatnot.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_00: So for me to bring that in rap and you know, as well as we exist, I existed before gangster rap.
• 29:16
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, and I was rapping before gangster rap.
• 29:18
  SPEAKER_00: So some people, a lot of people were like, Man, what what made you not get into that and stuff, man?
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_00: It wasn't appealing.
• 29:24
  SPEAKER_00: And and and and and and and I knew real gang members that did real hip-hop.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_00: I saw I mean uh uh um a gang member taught me how to how to break.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_00: Right, yeah, so so so I understood, you know, the uh the early aesthetics of hip-hop and stuff.
• 29:37
  SPEAKER_00: Gang members loved Run DMC, Fat Boys, LL Cool J, Houdini.
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_00: That that was you know, that was their soundtrack, not not gangster rap.
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that that you know, so the real people that I knew didn't even like gangster rap.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, it wasn't it wasn't authentic enough.
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_00: It wasn't it's it's it was like, man, what's you know, if we they like real hip-hop, so a lot of real important gang members and stuff love Jurassic 5 because they didn't do gangster rap and stuff, you know, and they reminded them of the time when you know this was a fresh thing, yeah, when it was pure, when it was pure.
• 30:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_01: You signed with TBT.
• 30:19
  SPEAKER_01: What happens next?
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_00: So after after TBT, they didn't want to give us a deal.
• 30:25
  SPEAKER_00: So it was it was back to fuck fuck a record label.
• 30:27
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_00: That's what so we we end up linking up um with uh another LA um artist, um T Love and stuff.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_00: She uh she had a record uh distribution deal for um with a company called New Groove.
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_00: And so she had I think a three record uh distribution deal.
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_00: So she was gonna do one album, one or two albums and stuff, and then she had um Jurassic Five, whatnot, which came became our EP in '97 and stuff.
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_00: So this is how that came about and stuff.
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_00: So she can hurry up and finish her distribution deal.
• 31:03
  SPEAKER_00: She had, you know, quicker and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 31:06
  SPEAKER_00: So that act that actually went blew up and stuff, you know, because it it got us famous for, you know, certain songs and stuff.
• 31:14
  SPEAKER_00: So one of the songs was really liked overseas was uh concrete schoolyard and stuff.
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_00: So in in the UK, they really loved us and stuff.
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_00: So we ended up doing a tour over there with them and stuff.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_00: And so it was a record label over there called uh Play It Against Sam and stuff.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_00: So Play It Again Sam liked the EP so much that they wanted to make it an album.
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_00: So we just added a couple of songs, so that same EP became an album in the UK.
• 31:39
  SPEAKER_00: So we toured the UK into the whole uh of Europe and stuff, you know, on that and really got got famous and and did the record label thing really big over there first before in the States.
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_00: Because you know, we did the the EP, which is cool in the States and stuff, and it got a lot of notoriety, but we had got more notoriety for that very same thing um overseas and stuff.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_00: So we got our feet wet and learning how to, you know, perform, you know, for more than I mean about an hour and stuff, because that just seemed so long like back then because we only had so many songs.
• 32:12
  SPEAKER_00: It was like, man, how we gonna do an hour like a show, like you know, that it just seemed so far-fetched or whatnot.
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_00: So the but that from that created the different routines we um do at shows and stuff that wasn't no songs, they were just strictly show songs and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_00: So when you come to see us and stuff, you were seeing something like you never heard before, and but you was just so dynamic because you're seeing it in the moment, and that's what you know made us stand out for you know who we are.
• 32:41
  SPEAKER_00: Like we never really had no super radio hits or nothing like that and stuff, but we had shows that were like if as if we had big super radio hits and stuff.
• 32:50
  SPEAKER_00: But this is what we what we were known for, you know, from the shows or whatnot and stuff.
• 32:55
  SPEAKER_00: And so so from that, from there with that that at that album, um, we was left with a choice to stay with the label overseas, which we probably should have stayed and stuff, but we end up going to um to Interscope because of what you were saying earlier and stuff, you said Ozo Motley and stuff.
• 33:15
  SPEAKER_00: So Charlie ended up um in between that time, Charlie ended up uh signing with Interscope Records, which was which was distributing Ozo Motley.
• 33:26
  SPEAKER_00: So he signed with Ozo Motley before Jurassic Five got a major record deal.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_00: Gotcha.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_00: So that made us have to in the in the race of different these different labels wanting to pick us up and stuff because how good we was doing overseas, and you know, people was hearing about us or whatnot.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_00: So we had everybody knocking at our door and stuff, you know, then and stuff, you know, wanting to sign us or not.
• 33:46
  SPEAKER_00: So we would could pick who we wanted to.
• 33:49
  SPEAKER_00: But since Charlie was over there at Interscope, this is what prompted us to be like, you know, let's make this easier and stuff, because it was a little difficult at first and stuff, you know, uh, because we didn't know we didn't know he signed over there and stuff.
• 34:01
  SPEAKER_00: So that was that was some other shit, you know what I'm saying?
• 34:04
  SPEAKER_01: So but it was the it the the late 90s, early 2000s, Interscope was kind of the place to be because of all the genres that were blowing up on Interscope at the time.
• 34:12
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 34:13
  SPEAKER_00: And no, and and and they let us do our thing, you know what I'm saying?
• 34:15
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not I'm not mad at Interscope at all for any any of the things that you know went on there and stuff, you know.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_00: So us signing over there was good.
• 34:24
  SPEAKER_00: I wish I wish I would have um visited Interscope more.
• 34:29
  SPEAKER_00: Sure.
• 34:29
  SPEAKER_00: Um if I have it if I can go back and do something, then I would I would be up there every day and stuff, just because of the relationships and stuff, and then the opportunities that you can you can get and stuff, you know.
• 34:40
  SPEAKER_00: I kind of just didn't want to step over my group's toes, but at the times that I did go up there, you know, I I I gained a lot of information and just, you know, just know people, new people because of my face up there and stuff, you know.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_00: We kind of like just let our manager just kind of run running business up there and you know, which was a good thing, but then, you know, in in hindsight, like we should have been more up there and stuff, you know, and and just been in their faces and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 35:09
  SPEAKER_00: You get you can get more done.
• 35:11
  SPEAKER_00: I just we didn't, I guess we just didn't realize it then stuff.
• 35:14
  SPEAKER_00: Because sometimes you'd be anti-record labels and just the whole situation and whatnot and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 35:20
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, figuring, like, you know, uh, I don't know what I need them for, type, right?
• 35:25
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and really and you know, in hindsight, I'm like, that was stupid, you know.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_00: That that was not really, you know, but but as hip hoppers, sometimes we kind of like being, you know, barred up, you know what I'm saying, because you don't want them to change your sound, but that it was never a threat for them to change our sound.
• 35:39
  SPEAKER_00: That was never a threat, you know what I'm saying?
• 35:41
  SPEAKER_00: It's just in your mind that you're thinking that this could be, you know, because I mean we had a situation where the our aunt, the AR that signed us and stuff, he ended up leaving after quality control.
• 35:51
  SPEAKER_00: So when power and numbers came and stuff, we was left, you know, up under um Jimmy Ivine and yeah, and and but and we never really had a relationship with Jimmy Ivine and stuff, you know.
• 36:02
  SPEAKER_00: And so it was just hearsay and just not really knowing if they were gonna try to change us, and this is because most time when that happens when when a with a with a with a group, when when their AR leaves the label and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 36:16
  SPEAKER_00: You know, but he he was that are not our what the one that signed us and stuff.
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_00: So he was a top dog up there.
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_00: It wasn't just like he was a regular AR that can get replaced and stuff, you know.
• 36:26
  SPEAKER_00: He so for with him leaving and him having um, you know, loving us, and you know, but we're kind of caught up in between as well, him signing Jurassic 5 and Jimmy signing before us the black IPs and stuff.
• 36:43
  SPEAKER_00: So you had this little amongst amongst executives, not amongst us.
• 36:48
  SPEAKER_00: We love the black IP, you know what I'm saying?
• 36:49
  SPEAKER_00: We family, you know what I'm saying?
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_00: Right once you have this, like, you know, when what's gonna sell more, you know, because you hear this rumbling in the under the underground, so these groups is so we start all getting signed over at Interscope and stuff because you know they want, but then amongst them and stuff.
• 37:05
  SPEAKER_01: That time frame in the music industry was really weird because artists were starting to diversify their portfolios by getting involved as ARs in a in a lot of cases, where you you look at the you look at the music business in the early 2000s versus right now, it probably is more profitable to be on your own with all the streaming platforms and all the all the social media and everything.
• 37:30
  SPEAKER_01: Oh back then, you like a record label was a bank, essentially, is what it was.
• 37:36
  SPEAKER_01: And if if you if you wanted people to see you, you had to be a part of a label because you needed to use their promotional machine.
• 37:43
  SPEAKER_01: We didn't have social media then.
• 37:45
  SPEAKER_00: So nah, nah.
• 37:47
  SPEAKER_00: So how you how how you can be popular, but still you wasn't if you didn't know uh right, excuse me, anybody in the media at that time and stuff, the source magazines and and all the things that people seen, hip hop in and stuff.
• 38:01
  SPEAKER_00: If you wasn't in, you wasn't really gonna get no look and stuff, you know.
• 38:05
  SPEAKER_00: And that was that's what made it harder and stuff, and that's why, you know, somebody like a master B and M was like genius and stuff, you know, because because they, you know, and they understood, like, oh, I'm gonna pay for this, I gotta pay for it.
• 38:17
  SPEAKER_00: But in the end, they had but they had the money in the beginning to pay for it and stuff.
• 38:22
  SPEAKER_00: Whereas we didn't have the money like that.
• 38:24
  SPEAKER_00: And stuff, so you know, it forces you to have to get with a record label at the at those times.
• 38:30
  SPEAKER_00: We wish we would have had social media, we would have been out of there and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 38:36
  SPEAKER_01: I think if YouTube would have been around, shoot, man.
• 38:38
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I did I played in I played in different rock bands and punk bands and stuff and ska bands for 20 years.
• 38:45
  SPEAKER_01: And I I'll I'll I always think back to myself, man, if social media would have existed in the late 90s, early 2000s, the way it exists now.
• 38:54
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh.
• 38:55
  SPEAKER_00: No, no, no.
• 38:57
  SPEAKER_00: Man, I I think about it all the time, just like, you know, even with the like I was talking about earlier and stuff, like those demos that I heard at those record labels.
• 39:05
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, man, like, you know, just thinking about like like uh um technology, like like Serato.
• 39:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm like, man, you know, I could have played, I you could have downloaded their music and stuff.
• 39:16
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we don't we don't take it, we take it for granted that you know, if you your record was only gonna come out if you had a record, actually, and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 39:25
  SPEAKER_00: So, as well as even a video and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 39:28
  SPEAKER_00: And how much it cost to shoot videos back then, like, you know, like yo, you don't, you know, it even to go to the studio to record and stuff.
• 39:37
  SPEAKER_00: Now you can just record on your phone and stuff, man.
• 39:39
  SPEAKER_00: It's like, yo, bro, like we wish we had all these different things and stuff and meetings and stuff.
• 39:44
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I'm I'm always telling a lot of artists that were really good back then that had great music.
• 39:51
  SPEAKER_00: I say, man, just shoot videos for it now.
• 39:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, get it out now.
• 39:55
  SPEAKER_00: Because nobody, nobody knows, nobody knows where it came where it came from.
• 39:59
  SPEAKER_00: You know, they don't they don't know it's old, yeah.
• 40:02
  SPEAKER_00: And unless you telling them that it's old and stuff, because some stuff was not dated.
• 40:05
  SPEAKER_00: Now you had some stuff that became dated, and then you listen to it later on and you'd be like, oh, okay, like it don't translate.
• 40:11
  SPEAKER_00: But a lot of that shit translates big time right now, because to me, if all those artists, whether they singers or you know, instrumentalists or whatever and stuff, you know, if they saturated the market with all the stuff that never came out, then all this other shit that's bullshit will just go away.
• 40:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, dude.
• 40:33
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 40:33
  SPEAKER_00: That's what I'm about to say.
• 40:34
  SPEAKER_00: Whatever genre it is, whether it's punk, whether it's you know, ska, whatever it is, like people are sitting on hits that's up under their beds and in their closets and their garages and shit, you know what I'm saying?
• 40:45
  SPEAKER_00: That because they couldn't come out the conventional way, yep, and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 40:50
  SPEAKER_00: They kind of just quit and gave up and stuff, you know what I mean?
• 40:53
  SPEAKER_00: But I but I I I I try to I people that I see that I've like I knew that was like, I'm like, yo, man, where's that?
• 40:59
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, man, dude, just shoot a video for you.
• 41:01
  SPEAKER_00: Already did the song, bro.
• 41:02
  SPEAKER_00: You it's not now it's just promote, just put it out there and stuff, you know.
• 41:05
  SPEAKER_00: Just see, I'm like, you have more than 36 songs.
• 41:08
  SPEAKER_00: I know you have more than 36 songs that are just sitting somewhere.
• 41:12
  SPEAKER_00: So for me, that's like three years worth of music.
• 41:15
  SPEAKER_00: So consistently, if you even put out a song in a video each month, that's 12 songs.
• 41:20
  SPEAKER_00: You just need 12 songs to be consistent for a whole year and stuff, you will make some noise.
• 41:25
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe that first one don't you like because most people just bank on that first one and they're looking to blow up off the first one, and and you know, and they like, oh, really?
• 41:33
  SPEAKER_00: Ain't nobody checking for it, and you know, you get disgruntled, and you know, I'm saying, yeah, well, I don't want to do this time more and stuff.
• 41:39
  SPEAKER_00: But no, you consistency wins.
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_01: It always wins.
• 41:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I tell people all the time, I said, I said, these guys is consistently whack.
• 41:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, but they're winning, they're winning because of consistency.
• 41:51
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 41:51
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's whack as fuck, but they're consistent with their whackness, and you're and you're not consistent with how good you are because you you're on some like every six months shit.
• 42:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, we don't live in that age no more where you can put out something every six months.
• 42:07
  SPEAKER_00: You have to be consistent, or you know, saying, Yeah, I eat vegan and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 42:12
  SPEAKER_00: But the vegan shop not open and stuff.
• 42:14
  SPEAKER_00: Eventually you're fucking going back to McDonald's, you know what I'm saying?
• 42:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, for sure, for sure, for sure.
• 42:20
  SPEAKER_00: Just because just because it's it's consistently there and stuff, you know.
• 42:24
  SPEAKER_00: It's not yeah, you know what I mean?
• 42:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's uh and and it's available, whereas the good shit, you're like, oh man, they close at two o'clock.
• 42:32
  SPEAKER_00: You're like, fuck.
• 42:33
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 42:34
  SPEAKER_00: Like, man, like, ah, man, I'm I I'm hungry.
• 42:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yep, yep.
• 42:37
  SPEAKER_00: I just need something and stuff.
• 42:39
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, you're gonna, you know what I'm saying.
• 42:40
  SPEAKER_00: If I put a if I put a uh a dirty glass of water in front of you and stuff, you know what I'm saying, and I don't put a uh a clean glass of water and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 42:51
  SPEAKER_00: If you're thirsty, you're gonna fucking drink that dirty glass of water.
• 42:54
  SPEAKER_00: Eventually, for sure.
• 42:55
  SPEAKER_01: Let's touch on where things are at right now.
• 42:58
  SPEAKER_01: First and foremost, we just we just hit this whole thing about social media and videos and all this other stuff.
• 43:05
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm gonna let you tell the story, but I'm gonna preface it with uh, and I want to caution my listeners that if you go down this rabbit hole, if you go down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole, you're gonna end up thinking that the world ended in 2012.
• 43:21
  SPEAKER_00: Real talk.
• 43:22
  SPEAKER_01: But you have a famous conspiracy theory about you, and I'm gonna let you share it.
• 43:27
  SPEAKER_00: In 2000, what was that 16?
• 43:31
  SPEAKER_00: I went on a cruise to uh it's this uh reggae tour that's on a boat and stuff, uh um Jamrock cruise and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 43:41
  SPEAKER_00: By Damian Marley and the Marley family and stuff, you know.
• 43:45
  SPEAKER_00: So I went on this cruise and um we passed up Cuba and and then went to Jamaica and stuff, you know.
• 43:53
  SPEAKER_00: Then we on our way back and I see Cuba again and stuff, and I'm like, Okay, this is dope and stuff, you know, sending them We land in uh in uh in back in Atlanta and stuff.
• 44:03
  SPEAKER_00: So my son picked me up and stuff.
• 44:05
  SPEAKER_00: So he picked us up, me and my wife, me and my wife and stuff.
• 44:08
  SPEAKER_00: So he like daddy, you know, he's driving us back.
• 44:10
  SPEAKER_00: He said, Daddy, he said, You're all over the internet right now.
• 44:14
  SPEAKER_00: I said, For real?
• 44:14
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, he's like, Man, people think that you're Tupac or something like that.
• 44:18
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, Are you serious?
• 44:20
  SPEAKER_00: I'm just like kind of laughing.
• 44:22
  SPEAKER_00: I last like laughed it off, like, are you serious and stuff?
• 44:24
  SPEAKER_00: And he's like, Yeah.
• 44:25
  SPEAKER_00: So when we got back, he showed me a video and stuff, and in the video and stuff, it was like, you know, merging my face with Tupac's face, and you know, and all of this and stuff.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm like, This shit is funny right here.
• 44:37
  SPEAKER_00: Like, man, I can't believe this.
• 44:39
  SPEAKER_00: Cause I I have heard this that that people said I I I resemble Tupac, you know, eyebrows and stuff like that.
• 44:48
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 44:49
  SPEAKER_00: But I would always get that, or Bob Marley, or some people, some people said Jesus and stuff is another rapper from LA, named Threat and stuff.
• 44:59
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, it's one thing to say you look like someone and stuff, right?
• 45:04
  SPEAKER_00: But they were saying that I am Tupac.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, Yeah, I like come on, man, like whatever.
• 45:15
  SPEAKER_00: This is a joke and stuff.
• 45:16
  SPEAKER_00: So the next day, my daughter, she came to me.
• 45:18
  SPEAKER_00: She's like, Daddy, she's like, look at this video and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 45:21
  SPEAKER_00: So it was another one's like playing some like scary music, like some like a CSI type, you know, like, you know, and you know, like like they're doing real investigation on on IQ and this conspiracy or whatnot and stuff.
• 45:37
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, wow, that shit is funny and stuff.
• 45:40
  SPEAKER_00: So I I think I seen Charlie online arguing with this woman.
• 45:46
  SPEAKER_00: So this, yeah, it was on it was on Twitter and stuff, and and she was saying, Well, where are your pictures before 94 and this, that the other, and if you existed and stuff like that, and I and automatically it went to my mind.
• 45:58
  SPEAKER_00: I said, There's a good life um documentary called Um This Is the Life Out, you know what I'm saying?
• 46:07
  SPEAKER_00: Which actually has a performance from Jurassic 5 in 1994, right?
• 46:16
  SPEAKER_00: Right, the same thing, same shit she's asking for and stuff, you know what I'm saying, already exists and stuff.
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_00: So I went to it and then I said, I said, let me look up where Tupac was at this time.
• 46:29
  SPEAKER_00: So the day before the performance, he's in court being arraigned for some something that he did with, you know, uh uh something against a cop or some some some shit like that and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 46:42
  SPEAKER_00: So he's being arranged arraigned in court the day before and stuff.
• 46:46
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, how ironic and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 46:49
  SPEAKER_00: That here's the date and stuff, you know what I'm saying.
• 46:52
  SPEAKER_00: The day next day we're at the good life performing.
• 46:55
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, so if we're performing at the good life, nobody in the good life recognized that this is Tupac on stage.
• 47:02
  SPEAKER_00: If I'm Tupac, nobody in there is recognizing that this is not this is not this is not death row Tupac.
• 47:09
  SPEAKER_00: Right, this is 1994 and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 47:12
  SPEAKER_00: So this is not even right before this prior to him going to jail and the rape thing and being shot, all of this and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 47:21
  SPEAKER_00: But nobody still he still was a famous person and stuff, but nobody in here recognizes that this is Tupac on stage and stuff, and that sent me to like man.
• 47:31
  SPEAKER_00: I think I went to England, I went on tour and stuff, and I was like, so I made a video, yeah, and um, and I was debunking everything and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 47:39
  SPEAKER_00: Because I actually met Tupac like in in like '89, um after uh high school and stuff, you know.
• 47:47
  SPEAKER_00: So a couple of my other group members were still in in school or whatnot and stuff.
• 47:51
  SPEAKER_00: So we did this uh which part of this organization is like uh called Napo and stuff, uh New African People Organization and whatnot and stuff.
• 47:59
  SPEAKER_00: So one of one of the girls we knew, she was having a naming ceremony at this spot, you know, on the east side of LA and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 48:06
  SPEAKER_00: So it's Malcolm X grassroots movement um um spot and stuff.
• 48:10
  SPEAKER_00: So she said, Yeah, you know, I'm gonna have some some some folks from the from the Oakland chapter come down and stuff.
• 48:16
  SPEAKER_00: And they, you know, one on one on rap and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 48:19
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, Oh, okay.
• 48:20
  SPEAKER_00: So this before Digital Underground and all that and stuff.
• 48:24
  SPEAKER_00: So he he uh he came down and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 48:28
  SPEAKER_00: And and so I met him.
• 48:29
  SPEAKER_00: It's like oh yeah, uh Tupac, okay.
• 48:31
  SPEAKER_00: So I met him like 30 seconds.
• 48:33
  SPEAKER_00: It's my only time meeting him was that time and stuff.
• 48:37
  SPEAKER_00: And at that time, like I said, at that time he wasn't Tupac who everybody know and stuff.
• 48:42
  SPEAKER_00: It was just like, oh, okay, what's up, you know?
• 48:44
  SPEAKER_00: Like, oh how you rap?
• 48:45
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, we rap, you know, like you know, that that's it and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 48:50
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe like 93, 93, or yeah, around that time and stuff.
• 48:59
  SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm um at traffic court and um going to pay a ticket or something like that.
• 49:05
  SPEAKER_00: So me and my friend, we hop in the elevator.
• 49:07
  SPEAKER_00: The elevator is packed, but in the back of the elevator is spice one and Tupac and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 49:12
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 49:13
  SPEAKER_00: So I see that I see them, but we don't I I I can't even get to him for one.
• 49:20
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 49:20
  SPEAKER_00: He's in he's engaged in a in a in a serious conversation of some stuff that I had heard about in the streets of LA and stuff, because he used to run with a particular gang.
• 49:30
  SPEAKER_00: Right, you know what I'm saying?
• 49:31
  SPEAKER_00: So I had heard some stuff that he had got jumped or a big bite popped off or something.
• 49:35
  SPEAKER_00: So he's in the back of the elevator talking to Spice One about this particular thing and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 49:41
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm just ear hustling, listening and stuff, and I'm and I and I hear him say, like, you know, like, man, yeah, see, I know such and such, and I ain't worried about them, I know this person, and I'm like, you know, what that what happens in LA and stuff.
• 49:53
  SPEAKER_00: LA is like, you know, it's a deep gang culture and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 49:57
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're not from there, you can get caught up in that shit and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 50:02
  SPEAKER_00: And thinking that you know some people, but the thing is that you can get it from anybody out there.
• 50:09
  SPEAKER_00: It's like it's like just because you know this person doesn't mean that they run LA and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 50:14
  SPEAKER_00: Everybody, you you can't just know one person and then think that you're gonna be, you know, or a few people that you're gonna be saved and stuff.
• 50:22
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not saying that people aren't popular and known and stuff, but that world is very tricky and stuff, and most people that are not from LA always get into some bullshit, right?
• 50:32
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying, because they don't know the politics.
• 50:34
  SPEAKER_00: So LA is just its own place and has its own politics when it comes to street shit.
• 50:38
  SPEAKER_00: So I really want to give him advice, you know, to save his life.
• 50:42
  SPEAKER_00: And it's ironic that the very same thing he got killed over was the very same shit in type of environment, environmental type of shit that he was talking about in that elevator and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 50:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, for sure.
• 50:54
  SPEAKER_00: And then and so I wanted to give him advice, but it wasn't my conversation to jump in, as well as I like I said, the elevator is packed and stuff, so I just see them and I'm listening and I'm like, damn, man.
• 51:07
  SPEAKER_00: So we got off before him and stuff.
• 51:09
  SPEAKER_00: So never, you know.
• 51:10
  SPEAKER_00: So I had another cousin, like a few years later and stuff.
• 51:14
  SPEAKER_00: This is uh when um this is why I want to say this is like this is like 96.
• 51:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 96.
• 51:19
  SPEAKER_00: So I think 96, 95, 96, not 96.
• 51:23
  SPEAKER_00: And so when he got out, uh again, you know, since Snoop was on trial for um that murder was the case trial and stuff.
• 51:29
  SPEAKER_00: So my cousin just had was had a had a trial and stuff.
• 51:31
  SPEAKER_00: So his his court adjourned, and then when his court adjourned right across was um Snoop in them court, so then they court adjourned and stuff.
• 51:40
  SPEAKER_00: So we're in the hallway and stuff.
• 51:42
  SPEAKER_00: So I see Snoop, I see Suge, I see Tupac.
• 51:45
  SPEAKER_00: They just saw why I don't talk to them, right?
• 51:48
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 51:48
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm saying this on on on the video that I put out, right?
• 51:54
  SPEAKER_00: And they like, oh you said you seen him, you've seen and talked to him three times, and you met him in.
• 52:00
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm trying, I'm trying, I'm trying to say, I met him one time in total.
• 52:04
  SPEAKER_00: I seen him three times, but to see somebody, I seen such and such pass by in the car, that don't mean I talked to him, right?
• 52:12
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 52:13
  SPEAKER_00: Seeing somebody and actually talking to somebody conversing with, I never talked, I never converse with him, but I have a lot of six degrees separation of people that know him, yeah.
• 52:23
  SPEAKER_00: That would that I know, and we we know each other, but I I never I never ever once had a conversation other than that conversation with me meeting him in '89 and stuff, you know.
• 52:34
  SPEAKER_00: So you know, I tried to explain this to the people and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 52:38
  SPEAKER_00: And all of that, people believe you see it's like what you said and stuff.
• 52:43
  SPEAKER_00: You we if you follow the rabbit hole, you will think that in 2012 the world ended and stuff, you know.
• 52:49
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, exactly.
• 52:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so what happened, what happens, what happened was when Jurassic 5 broke up in 2006, 2006 going into 2007 is when YouTube became popular.
• 53:05
  SPEAKER_00: So we broke up when YouTube uh hit the world, yeah.
• 53:11
  SPEAKER_00: So from 2006, 7 up into 2013 when we came back together and stuff, we're absent on in on the net on this new media medium and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 53:25
  SPEAKER_00: So when we come back, it seems like we just popped up out of nowhere, sure.
• 53:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, which is which is adding to their conspiritual minds, and yeah, two part supposed to come back at this time and this, this, that, you know what I'm saying, and all of it, all of this dumb shit, you know what I'm saying?
• 53:40
  SPEAKER_00: Like that.
• 53:40
  SPEAKER_00: But they try to connect because what they try to do is to try to put together the pieces of the 90s through YouTube by watching videos and stuff, and that's this new generation and stuff.
• 53:50
  SPEAKER_00: They don't even understand that there was a source magazine, that there was XXL, that there were, you know, all of these mediums and how we got media and how people found out about things.
• 54:02
  SPEAKER_00: We found out about fights and stuff like that months later and stuff because it got written about we didn't have no social media to wear right now.
• 54:10
  SPEAKER_00: We got social media.
• 54:11
  SPEAKER_00: We can you're gonna oh it was a fight last night, you're gonna hear about it today, you know what I'm saying?
• 54:16
  SPEAKER_00: Like you're gonna hear about everything, but back then and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 54:20
  SPEAKER_00: That was just the mediums and stuff, you know.
• 54:22
  SPEAKER_00: So they don't understand.
• 54:23
  SPEAKER_00: And so you have a lot of youngsters that think that they can put together the 90s, you know, by looking at YouTube videos and stuff.
• 54:31
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, you don't you can't tell me what it smelled like, right?
• 54:35
  SPEAKER_00: A videotape will not tell you what it smelled like.
• 54:37
  SPEAKER_00: You can't, you can't, you can't, you can't feel that energy and what it was like, right?
• 54:42
  SPEAKER_00: You don't you don't know anything like that and stuff.
• 54:44
  SPEAKER_00: So I you have like people that were five years old in '96 telling you Tupac's my favorite favorite.
• 54:51
  SPEAKER_00: I know Tupac when I see him and stuff.
• 54:52
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, you were five fucking years old.
• 54:54
  SPEAKER_00: What the fuck are you talking about?
• 54:57
  SPEAKER_00: How are you relating to a twenty?
• 54:58
  SPEAKER_00: How are you relating to a 25-year-old man as a five-year-old and stuff?
• 55:02
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 55:02
  SPEAKER_00: Even with that, we have parental discretion.
• 55:05
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
• 55:05
  SPEAKER_00: See, so how was you listening to Tupac?
• 55:08
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 55:08
  SPEAKER_00: If you didn't, if you didn't hear nothing songs that was on the radio, other than that, you know what I'm saying?
• 55:12
  SPEAKER_00: How would you had this album?
• 55:14
  SPEAKER_00: Where would where did you buy it at?
• 55:16
  SPEAKER_00: That's neglect if your parents bought you his album and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 55:19
  SPEAKER_00: So like miss me with that type of stuff, but they you know, they they just go down the rabbit, rabbit hole with the whole thing, and uh oh, that's tattoo removal, and you know what I'm saying, and oh, and then it don't it don't hurt, it don't help when you got Charlie Tuna that that looks like Qaddafi, you know what I'm saying?
• 55:39
  SPEAKER_00: Like so, you know what I mean?
• 55:42
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, like, but I get the brunt of it all because Tupac is more popular, so they think the whole group Jurassic Five is people that died and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 55:51
  SPEAKER_00: And back here is Biggie Smalls, and Mark Seven is Easy E.
• 55:55
  SPEAKER_00: And and I'm like, Yeah, yeah, you are you you gotta be kidding me, like, you know.
• 56:01
  SPEAKER_01: The thing that most people don't understand is that I and I've brought this up on my podcast before that if you're in a musical hotspot like you were at in LA, or like I, you know, the place that I used to play at a lot was the Ranch Bowl in Omaha, Nebraska.
• 56:16
  SPEAKER_01: I always associate that with being like being in the movie Forest Gump because because you brush shoulders with so many famous people and you don't even know it.
• 56:27
  SPEAKER_01: You know, it's right because the music community is such a small world at the end of the day, where you're just a fan, you're like, oh man, all these people are so untouchable.
• 56:39
  SPEAKER_01: And it's like, no, they're really touchable, they're they're real human beings, you know, right, very touchable and stuff, you know.
• 56:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, exactly.
• 56:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know, like you these stories that that you're trying to tell, like I'm saying, it's like youngsters and stuff, or it's people that's not from LA.
• 56:55
  SPEAKER_00: It's not, they're not of our age group and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 56:58
  SPEAKER_00: And if they are of their our age group, they're just people that's trying trying to chase, excuse me, chase clout and stuff, because now I'm like a hot topic and stuff, so people just snatch on and grab on to it and stuff, you know.
• 57:11
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, it came from this woman, this woman that claims to be Tupac's cousin, which you know, she never gave any proof that she's Tupac's cousin, but she's and so from from everything that's being regurgitated, right?
• 57:24
  SPEAKER_00: They're regurgitating the same information.
• 57:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's all coming from one source, right?
• 57:29
  SPEAKER_00: And and and they think that, and so like I'm saying, then it starts start they're chasing clout.
• 57:34
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like because I'm hot, a hot topic and stuff, like you know, I was saying, like, I had a YouTube channel since 2008, right?
• 57:42
  SPEAKER_00: And I just just within like last week, last week and a half, I just reached 10,000 subscribers.
• 57:51
  SPEAKER_00: And this is the the point, the threshold where you can start trying to make some money on there.
• 57:55
  SPEAKER_00: But since 2008, so I'm talking about 14 years.
• 57:58
  SPEAKER_00: Here it is.
• 57:59
  SPEAKER_00: Somebody that's supposed to be Tupac only has 10,000, not even 10,000 subscribers and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 58:08
  SPEAKER_00: Somebody will take a video from me that I did like the video.
• 58:11
  SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm I'm explaining that I wasn't Tupac and stuff, cut it up, edit up, make me say that I'm Tupac and stuff, you know what I'm saying, and will have 50,000 subscribers, 100,000 subscribers and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 58:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, offer some offer, and I'm like, how is this not?
• 58:28
  SPEAKER_00: If you think that I am that person, then why wouldn't I have this many, you know?
• 58:34
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 58:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's crazy.
• 58:36
  SPEAKER_00: So what not it's weird, it's just weird, you know.
• 58:39
  SPEAKER_00: The whole dynamic of it is just like, wow, man, you know, people believe what they want to believe, and you know, will take your stuff, you know.
• 58:48
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I was I was arguing with these people about what I told you about the time, the three times that I said I seen him and stuff, and so these guys is like they're trying to drill me over about it and stuff, and I'm like, I'm on a live and stuff, and I'm like, man, whatever, man.
• 59:03
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, so my phone starts dying.
• 59:05
  SPEAKER_00: I like the all my batteries dying.
• 59:07
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm still on my computer, but I'm on my phone too and stuff.
• 59:09
  SPEAKER_00: So the phone died, and I'm like, damn, man, my phone died.
• 59:13
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, we got him.
• 59:14
  SPEAKER_00: See, you see, he's trying to run away and stuff.
• 59:16
  SPEAKER_00: So it kind of pissed me off.
• 59:18
  SPEAKER_00: So one of the one of the profile names was named with Sean Carter, right?
• 59:21
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 59:22
  SPEAKER_00: Jay-Z's right name and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 59:24
  SPEAKER_00: Which no, they know damn well they're not no Jay-Z and stuff, but they just taking that name and whatnot and stuff, right?
• 59:30
  SPEAKER_00: So when I hop back on, I'm like really hot.
• 59:32
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, you fucking fake ass Jay-Z fucking motherfucker.
• 59:35
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, where the fuck you at?
• 59:36
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 59:37
  SPEAKER_00: Because it had me mad and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 59:39
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm like cussing them out or whatnot and stuff, and and like, you know, and I saw so I take my my computer and I saw show it for my phone.
• 59:46
  SPEAKER_00: I start showing the video where I'm saying that how I seen him the three times and stuff, because they keep mixing it up and saying, Oh, you say this and that.
• 59:53
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm showing him like, see, see not now where the fuck what you see, you can't say shit, you ain't got shit to say and stuff, right?
• 59:59
  SPEAKER_00: So two weeks later, about a week and a half, two almost two weeks later, and stuff, a video pops up.
• 1:00:04
  SPEAKER_00: I kill Tupac arguing with Jay-Z.
• 1:00:10
  SPEAKER_01: Oh man, that shit came full circle, didn't it?
• 1:00:15
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, wow, man, this is this is uh, you know, you know, in a nutshell and stuff like this, is like it's a no-win situation here and stuff to even you know, and but but but but it's it's messed up because here you are lying about me, and I'm a real person.
• 1:00:31
  SPEAKER_01: Right, yeah.
• 1:00:32
  SPEAKER_00: So so how can you tell me how not to defend myself if you're putting out a lie?
• 1:00:38
  SPEAKER_00: Because some people will say, Oh man, you if it if it was me, I wouldn't even say nothing if it wasn't true and stuff, and I'm like, you fucking lie, I know you, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:00:47
  SPEAKER_00: Because if somebody's telling you that you're not you, you know what I'm saying, and they're emphatically putting things up that's saying that you're not you and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:00:55
  SPEAKER_00: Eventually you're gonna defend you and stuff, and even it it and it and if you do and stuff, who are you to tell me how to defend my name and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:01:06
  SPEAKER_00: And uh, you know, who who who who are you to even say this and stuff, but it in in in but in a on on the other side, like on that same side and stuff, you have some people, but they like, oh man, you should just take advantage of it and stuff.
• 1:01:18
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, how do you take advantage of death threats?
• 1:01:20
  SPEAKER_00: Because I've received death threats and stuff, you know, a lot, a lot, a lot.
• 1:01:25
  SPEAKER_00: So the in that bad part about that is that you know what I look like, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:01:29
  SPEAKER_00: So when I tell people, I say, man, I say, How do you take advantage of a death threat and stuff?
• 1:01:33
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 1:01:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, like who wants to fucking take advantage of a death threat and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:01:38
  SPEAKER_00: At what point, and you know what I'm saying?
• 1:01:39
  SPEAKER_00: I got grandkids, I got children and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:01:42
  SPEAKER_00: So who wants to experience some shit like that and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:01:46
  SPEAKER_00: And then you have people like, man, just don't say nothing at all.
• 1:01:48
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, you know, it's easy for you to say, right?
• 1:01:51
  SPEAKER_00: And stuff, you know.
• 1:01:52
  SPEAKER_00: So I run this, this, this, this, this, this thin line between, should I say something, should I not say something?
• 1:01:58
  SPEAKER_00: So sometimes I, you know, we'll just because they'll say some of the just dumbest shit.
• 1:02:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, you can't, I I can just say this, and of course they'll they'll get this, and that ain't it.
• 1:02:07
  SPEAKER_00: There it is like they're so caught up in in their narrative that I kill the MC from Jurassic 5 has to die in order for their narrative to live.
• 1:02:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I I have to not be a person, I have to be resorted to a character that's now playing the that that used to play the character of Tupac, that's now playing the character of I killed the MC, and will probably, they probably will kill him off, and he will, you'll be some other character and stuff, you know.
• 1:02:38
  SPEAKER_00: I seen a comment like that, and I'm like, this person actually, you just wrote me off and and said, I I I'll probably get killed by a a crazy Tupac fan, and they'll just write me off because I'm I'm really supposed to be this um CIA agent that's you know was sent here to disrupt the youth.
• 1:02:55
  SPEAKER_00: So this is what they think about Tupac.
• 1:02:57
  SPEAKER_00: They say, Oh, he was uh you know, you have like five or six different Tupac fans and stuff, you know, one of those that extremely love when they be like, Man, come on, come on, man, we'll you know, and then you got those that be like, Man, we'll protect you.
• 1:03:09
  SPEAKER_00: And then you have those that be like, Man, you fucking lie, like like like Tupac was their dad and stuff.
• 1:03:13
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, why did you leave us, man?
• 1:03:14
  SPEAKER_00: You left us, you can save the world right now.
• 1:03:16
  SPEAKER_00: You can I'm like, yo, on some savor shit, right?
• 1:03:19
  SPEAKER_00: Then you got those that be like, like, you're you're in the you're in the Illuminati.
• 1:03:23
  SPEAKER_00: You were sent here to disrupt the youth, and your music was made to make this create this whole West Coast, East Coast beef that's fake beef that people are in jail and dead behind.
• 1:03:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, who the fuck is in jail saying they're in jail because of Tupac right now?
• 1:03:38
  SPEAKER_00: You know, right?
• 1:03:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, but wouldn't the world be a better place if the person that did do that to Tupac be in jail?
• 1:03:43
  SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
• 1:03:44
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 1:03:45
  SPEAKER_00: Like, like, are you are you serious?
• 1:03:47
  SPEAKER_00: But these people that follow Tupac, like they fought, they followed you from some thug life, and they wanna know I'm like, you are weak, you're a weak motherfucker if you followed, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:03:56
  SPEAKER_00: That's what I look at.
• 1:03:57
  SPEAKER_00: Whoa, you a follower, and you you got what you deserve if you in jail, if you was following some Tupac shit.
• 1:04:03
  SPEAKER_00: But I'm like, where are the songs that told children to go out and be thugs from Tupac and stuff?
• 1:04:11
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 1:04:12
  SPEAKER_00: What song?
• 1:04:13
  SPEAKER_00: What song can you name that actually did this and stuff?
• 1:04:17
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 1:04:18
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, and they can never come up with any type of song.
• 1:04:21
  SPEAKER_00: They'll come up with uh uh what's that the song that he had with with Biggie Smith's?
• 1:04:25
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, that's specific to that person.
• 1:04:27
  SPEAKER_00: What are you talking?
• 1:04:28
  SPEAKER_00: I'm talking about overall.
• 1:04:29
  SPEAKER_00: If you're saying that Tupac was this person that was sent here to disrupt the youth and stuff, what song was it?
• 1:04:35
  SPEAKER_00: What songs exist that, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:04:37
  SPEAKER_00: Is it was it Dear Mama?
• 1:04:40
  SPEAKER_00: Right, right.
• 1:04:41
  SPEAKER_00: What songs, what songs are you talking about and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:04:45
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, it's you know so that's that's just crazy, man.
• 1:04:49
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm sorry you have to deal with that.
• 1:04:52
  SPEAKER_01: I've never even considered that opposite side of that.
• 1:04:55
  SPEAKER_01: The fact that there could be death threats and that there could be there could be a crazed Tupac fan out there because we're living in a damn crazy world right now.
• 1:05:06
  SPEAKER_01: And I know I know you're you're all about the good vibes and being an optimist, and I'm all about the good vibes and being an optimist.
• 1:05:13
  SPEAKER_01: But sometimes it's really hard to be an optimist in the world that we're facing, especially right at this very moment, you know.
• 1:05:21
  SPEAKER_00: No real talk, you know, no real talk, you know, because I mean you got the Q9 stuff, QAnon stuff, you know what I'm saying, where that people believed, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:05:29
  SPEAKER_00: So, and so this is along that same lines and stuff, you know.
• 1:05:33
  SPEAKER_00: Like I said, because you had these different types.
• 1:05:35
  SPEAKER_00: So you have another type that's like, you know, they're the religious fanatic, and they're like, you're going to hell.
• 1:05:40
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 1:05:40
  SPEAKER_00: And and and so they actually believe that they're fighting against an injustice and stuff.
• 1:05:46
  SPEAKER_00: So to possibly kidnap me, right?
• 1:05:52
  SPEAKER_00: Or you know what I'm saying?
• 1:05:53
  SPEAKER_00: All these things come to my mind and stuff.
• 1:05:56
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, I hope nobody don't come to my house and stuff, because it ain't gonna be nice and stuff.
• 1:06:00
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 1:06:01
  SPEAKER_00: But you know, but it the possibilities of it with the internet now.
• 1:06:04
  SPEAKER_00: It's like, yo, man, people can get your information and stuff, you know what I'm saying, and be right at your front door and stuff.
• 1:06:09
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, I think about all of these different types of things and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:06:13
  SPEAKER_00: And like I said, you got those uh oh, you are hermaphrodite, you're gay, you did this, that, and the other, and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:06:20
  SPEAKER_00: So, but and in their and in their mind, they're think they're fighting against an evil and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:06:27
  SPEAKER_00: Especially to be on some conspiracy type, uh, you know, you and the Illuminati, you and the government, so whatever they may think that that's something antagonistic towards you know, shedding uh you know, darkness on the world and stuff, you know, they looking the only way to get rid of darkness is to wipe out darkness and stuff.
• 1:06:43
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:06:44
  SPEAKER_00: So I for yeah, to to to to to approach me with it and stuff, and the things that I have seen, man, I'm like, dude, like man, like I definitely have to be, you know, you know, it what was funny and stuff.
• 1:06:58
  SPEAKER_00: I I finally put it up on the Jurassic Five page, and and you had fans, some fans, I don't even know if they could consider them as fans, I don't know what the hell they was and stuff, but they was like, Oh, you paranoid, that's just how the internet is, this, that, and the other.
• 1:07:12
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, Wow, man, I took this to y'all so that you, if you see it, you can combat this and stuff because I'm like down.
• 1:07:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, exactly.
• 1:07:19
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 1:07:20
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, so just just so that if you see it out there, at least I've seen I know Jurassic Four, Jurassic Five.
• 1:07:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's like y'all didn't even know that this even existed.
• 1:07:29
  SPEAKER_00: So I brought it to their attention and stuff, and it was like like like like people were just turning against me as if like like oh man, that's just the internet, and this is but I'm like, I have experienced things in real life.
• 1:07:43
  SPEAKER_00: There's someone rolled on the wall out here where I live at.
• 1:07:48
  SPEAKER_00: I killed MC's Tupac and stuff.
• 1:07:51
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know who did this.
• 1:07:52
  SPEAKER_00: This this is not the internet now, right?
• 1:07:54
  SPEAKER_00: This is real life, right?
• 1:07:56
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 1:07:57
  SPEAKER_00: But you're you're you're trying to reduce something as if if it's just an internet thing, and I'm trying to tell you, like, no, it's not just an internet thing and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:08:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 1:08:08
  SPEAKER_00: This is real life, it is real, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:08:10
  SPEAKER_00: I have experienced a couple of real life things and stuff with people and stuff.
• 1:08:15
  SPEAKER_00: Luckily, it haven't been nothing right, you know, violent or trying, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:08:19
  SPEAKER_00: But you know, yeah, who is to say and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:08:23
  SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, man.
• 1:08:24
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I just pray for protection, and you know, yeah, and you know what, man, you know, I I I'll I'll be your defender.
• 1:08:31
  SPEAKER_01: Right, thank you, thank you, thank you.
• 1:08:33
  SPEAKER_01: I'm here for it, man.
• 1:08:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm glad I'm glad you have you know something like this that can actually get out there and stuff, and you know, absolutely, and that's that's that's what we see it.
• 1:08:42
  SPEAKER_00: That's what we want to do, yeah.
• 1:08:44
  SPEAKER_00: Just yeah, just combat it.
• 1:08:46
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 1:08:46
  SPEAKER_00: When you see it, just you know, yeah, you know, so because it's too many people out there that you know, and and it makes you seem like it's a whole bunch of people, but it like I said, I only had like 10 and barely just got 10,000 subscribers.
• 1:09:00
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm like, I'm wondering how many people are out there, but then I look at these comments of these other people pages, and you know, so many people that I'm like, dude, you know, oh you're trending on two on on TikTok now.
• 1:09:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, I don't even have a TikTok because of that.
• 1:09:14
  SPEAKER_00: I don't even want to even deal with it, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:09:16
  SPEAKER_00: Like, man, you know, you know, so so if you see it out there, anybody out there that's listening to this, if you see it and you know you know it's not true and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:09:25
  SPEAKER_00: Just speak out.
• 1:09:26
  SPEAKER_01: Shut it down.
• 1:09:26
  SPEAKER_00: That's all you know, shut it down, just shut it down.
• 1:09:30
  SPEAKER_00: You ain't gotta argue all day with the people, but you know, just at least give uh an antagonistic side to it and stuff, you know, so that people know.
• 1:09:38
  SPEAKER_01: So one of the things that I've noticed is you share not whenever from the Jurassic 5 Facebook page and your Facebook page, you share a lot about hip hop history and hip hop culture, and that's something I can really appreciate because you're not just putting your groups over or putting yourself over, but you're putting the culture over also.
• 1:09:58
  SPEAKER_01: And like obviously, right?
• 1:10:00
  SPEAKER_01: I've talked about it multiple times in our conversation here that you know I was a rock guy, but I'm sure you can tell I'm ahead at heart, man.
• 1:10:08
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you know, yeah, you know, and I love it, I love it.
• 1:10:13
  SPEAKER_01: And so that was one of the things that really inspired me to reach out to you uh in particular because I really appreciated that content that you're sharing.
• 1:10:24
  SPEAKER_01: I appreciate you as an artist.
• 1:10:27
  SPEAKER_01: I'm a Jurassic 5 fan.
• 1:10:29
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna kill the MC fan.
• 1:10:31
  SPEAKER_01: What are some yes, sir, yes, sir.
• 1:10:34
  SPEAKER_01: What are some words that you have for our listeners for making the world a better place is what we're dealing with today?
• 1:10:43
  SPEAKER_00: Um know who you are and how you fit.
• 1:10:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know, know who you are and how you fit.
• 1:10:49
  SPEAKER_00: And if you don't know who you are, then somebody else can make you be who they want you to be.
• 1:10:53
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, um, I think you know, knowledge of self and um knowing your place and and and where you're at uh it can help because many people, you know, get get turned out.
• 1:11:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah you know, and you think you think you you you know you you want to be something that you're not and stuff, and it's too many people out there that that think like this, especially uh in in social media and stuff, because you have people that wasn't famous in regular uh real life and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:11:26
  SPEAKER_00: That got on social media and now everybody knows them and they're so famous and stuff, and then you have those people that you know that in real life they were really popular and stuff, and then they get on social media and them nobodies and stuff, so now they're right, you know.
• 1:11:40
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like you know they thought that they were somebody too, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:11:45
  SPEAKER_00: And then once you get into another another medium and stuff, and then you're not you're a nobody and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:11:50
  SPEAKER_00: But to me, I just say be who you are, so it don't matter if I'm popular in here or not, I still know who I am.
• 1:11:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, I'm not gonna fall for this fake, you know, whether it's societal love of me being popular or it's social media love and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:12:12
  SPEAKER_00: You I'm still gonna be the same, yes, regardless and stuff.
• 1:12:15
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, that's what I try to push, you know, to let that people just you know, just be who you are and stuff, you know what I'm saying.
• 1:12:22
  SPEAKER_00: You don't need the fake the funk and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:12:24
  SPEAKER_00: Because when when you when you pass away, you're going by yourself.
• 1:12:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, sir.
• 1:12:28
  SPEAKER_00: You have to you have you everybody gotta look in their own mirror and stuff and look at their own self, and you know what I'm saying.
• 1:12:34
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, nobody else not gonna be there with you and stuff.
• 1:12:37
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, be happy within your own skin and who you are and stuff, you know what I'm saying?
• 1:12:41
  SPEAKER_00: And if you don't know who you are, you know, work start moving towards that to you know, like let me ask these questions to myself and you know, who am I and stuff, and how do I fit?
• 1:12:51
  SPEAKER_00: Because sometimes you don't fit, right?
• 1:12:53
  SPEAKER_01: You know, yes, yes.
• 1:12:55
  SPEAKER_01: Well, sir, I gotta tell you, and to wrap this up, I think the world's a better place with you in it.
• 1:13:02
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, man, thank you, man.
• 1:13:05
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you, man.
• 1:13:05
  SPEAKER_01: I'll tell you what, if you're ever you're ever in my neighborhood, there's always a seat at my table for you.
• 1:13:09
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think, yeah.
• 1:13:11
  SPEAKER_01: After this is all said and done, let's let's stay in touch.
• 1:13:14
  SPEAKER_01: Let's do this again.
• 1:13:15
  SPEAKER_01: No doubt.
• 1:13:15
  SPEAKER_00: No, no doubt, man.
• 1:13:16
  SPEAKER_00: I will thank you.
• 1:13:17
  SPEAKER_01: I really enjoyed having this conversation with you, man, and uh I'm hoping it's okay, but I'm I'm proud to call you a friend.
• 1:13:24
  SPEAKER_00: Man, man, no doubt, man.
• 1:13:25
  SPEAKER_00: I'd the same, man, Mike, man.
• 1:13:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, thank you, bro.
• 1:13:27
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate it.
• 1:13:28
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for reaching out, man.
• 1:13:29
  SPEAKER_01: You know, hey everybody, that was a great honor getting to talk to Akill the MC.
• 1:13:37
  SPEAKER_01: Make sure you check out his music on Spotify and give Jurassic 5 a listen to also, if you haven't heard them before, good, uplifting, motivational hip hop with a great message.
• 1:13:51
  SPEAKER_01: While you're cruising the web, make sure you visit www.codonthemic.com and come see me in all forms of social media: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.
• 1:14:05
  SPEAKER_01: I appreciate the support wherever I can get it.
• 1:14:08
  SPEAKER_01: I would also appreciate that five-star review in the Apple Podcast app, and Spotify has now also implemented a ratings feature where you can rate my show there as well.
• 1:14:21
  SPEAKER_01: This has been Caught on the Mic with Michael Clark.
• 1:14:25
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Michael Clark.
• 1:14:26
  SPEAKER_01: Until next time.
• 1:14:28
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.