April 17, 2025 • 49 mins
In this exclusive interview, rapper and actor Dave East opens up about his Caribbean roots, embracing his Dominican side, and how his culture shaped who he is today. From the pressure of signing with Nas' Mass Appeal label to landing the iconic role of Method Man in the hit series Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Dave reflects on the highs, the lessons, and the grind behind his success.
He also talks about his days as a college basketball player, how his hoop dreams got derailed after he "got into a lil trouble," and the shift that led him to hip-hop. 🏀🎶 Plus, we get personal — Dave shares what it's like being a girl dad to three daughters, and drops his picks for his NBA GOATs. 🐐
This is Dave East like you’ve never seen him before — raw, honest, and inspiring. Tap in. 💯 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more dope.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Gracias Come Again a podcast by Honey German.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome to another episode of Gracia's Come Again. Today we're
sitting down with Dave East. How are you I need
that energy? I feel like you just woke up or something.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
I've been up.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
You've been up, you got the faith. We're recording live
from New York City and you know, we're wrapping up
the season. We had a couple of interviews left and
I was like, you know what, I need to sit
down with Dave's because every time the conversation comes up
about Latinos and hip hop and people want to tell
me we're not it, I'll be like, well, Davis, hello,
(00:42):
once I do my list, you're always on the list
of you know, Latinos holding it down right now for
hip hop. So I'm like, you know what, we need
to sit down. But before we get into that, let's
bring it back to the beginning. Born and raised in Harlem.
Mom Dominicana.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Her father is Dominican. Okay, she's a mother's Creole.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I saw that because I wrote Creole in parentheses, and
then father African American.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Now my dad is Beajing, Barbados.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Okay, So you're Caribbean Caribbean. OD Yeah, I like that now. Mom,
Dad both here in New York. Yeah, okay, they met here.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
They met in Louisiana. My mother's from down there.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
And that's where you used to spend time with which Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
My grandmother, my aunt, so all my mother's side is
down there.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
How identified do you feel with Dominicans? I know you
have a Dominican tattoo your neck flat? Where's that at?
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Let me see one of these sides. I can't.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I think it's that one. I think it's the one
you're touching on this side. How connected do you feel
to your Dominican roots? Being that it's not like, let's
say one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Or I love it. I feel like I'm I feel
like it's it's always been a part of me. I
feel like just the culture, the response I've gotten since
I've gotten to the music, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
I love it and we love you, we claim you.
When we talk about the Miniganos, we always say and
don't forget to put Davies on the list. Now, when
have you visited Minic Republic thousand times? What does that
tell me? You enjoyed like that?
Speaker 1 (02:13):
You know what I mean? Get away? Get out the city.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
So you use it kind of like an escape vacation
for sure. There. Yeah, talk to me your daughter, I
feel like your daughter. I got, I got, I got
three several children.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Yeah, yeah, I got. I got Kyrie. It's her birth
that just passed. We actually went to Puerto Rico because
her mother's Puerto rican So that was the first time
I was able to take them like that. But that
was fire. But yeah, the Islands, it's a has a
has a very uh major part of me and just
my reflection and just time to you know, to to
(02:49):
to to zone out away from everything.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
So well, it's very different from being let's say Hall,
because you're very outside here in New York. So I
can only imagine going back to the islands. You get
to disconnect, you get to reflect.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
And the weather can't beat the weather ever, the beaches.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
You know, it's just a totally different vibe. Do you
still feel like Dave East when you're there or do
you feel like that side of you? Can you disconnect
the two still?
Speaker 1 (03:16):
I feel like once I get to like the resort
or the villa, whether I'm staying at, I'm good.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
But the airport stuff like that, it's still people like
trying to come out to you. Do you feel like, OK,
if I'm with the family, none of that.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
You know.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
It's weird because some celebrities they don't like taking pictures with.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Fans, and mind this is my thing with that, not
to cut you off. I think because I'm a fan
myself of certain people, you know what I mean, And
I feel like to each his own, but you gotta
be able to see the vibe of the person before
you just run down with your camera out, you know
what I mean. Somebody could be with their grandmother or
(03:55):
their mother or they kids. But I feel like, without
without that reaction, who are you? You know what I mean?
Like what what? What was you working for? Or you
kind of you kind of signed up for that, like
you know what I mean. So I don't really knock it.
I take as many pictures as I can with people
that run into me, but yeah, I think just read
the room.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Sometimes I feel like people just get overly excited, especially
if they're like a fan fan. It's like when was
I gonna be in your space? I feel like they get,
you know, tripped up.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
And they don't why they're gonna see you again.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
So I get it like being your space. It's just
like when am I ever going to see this person?
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Right?
Speaker 2 (04:31):
So they get hype? Do you feel like I was
watching a documentary? I need that, you know, I need that?
The Brazilian superstar she has two totally different personalities and persona,
Like when she's home, she turns into a different person.
Are you Davies turned on at all times?
Speaker 1 (04:48):
I don't know. I don't really. I feel like I'm
the same. I feel like Davi's is a name, like the.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Name people know, I mean, the artists itself.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Yeah, but I don't feel like it's a turn on,
a turnover. Now if I'm home, I'm I'm not. I
don't got my jewelry on. I'm not, you know, I mean,
I'm not hearing, I'm chilling in the crib. But I
feel like I don't really have to turn on no
type of like no mold or nothing like, oh I'm
Davis now and now I'm not Like it's I feel
like what you see, what me is what you get.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
I'm just saying all the time. The only reason I
ask is because you know, she's such a global phenomenon
and she struggles so much with this unneed that persona
that she created. She feels like it's not her in
any way, shape or form, And when she's home and
she's with family, she's a totally different person. And I
was like, I wonder if it's like that for all artists.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Like, damn it, you kind of gotta be I think,
you know, once you step outside, the cameras is on
you. You know what I mean, you kind of gotta you know,
tighten up. You know, the eyes is on you. But
now I don't feel like it's a totally different person
or a different person or nothing like that. I think
it's just knowing where you at and understanding who you are,
(05:57):
you know what I mean, and being at home you
can let all that go.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
You know what do your kids feel about you? As
do they be like dad? You know they put on
your videos? Like do any of them want to also
be an artist? Like do they say, Dad, I want
to do this too, just like you.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Kobe, my four year old, she that's the that's my
little rap partner. She got the buzz on YouTube like
looking it up. She liked to dance, sing every like that.
She already got that like naturally, Just so I would
say probably her she'd.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Be performing for you. That's how you know.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Every day she got a new song, a new dance.
She's trying to show me some every.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Day she's like, Dad, sit down, I got a.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
New song for you.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Do you live with all your children or I didn't
know that side of me. That's the only reason.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
And girls, we ain't gonna live at they better live with.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Listen, I don't if you had multiple relationships. Some kids
live with one mom, another kid lives with with another. Oh,
they would same other. Oh that's beautiful, God bless that
makes me so happy. Oh, you know, you're a rapper
at the end of the day, so that's a see
stereotyping you here. Can you blame me though?
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Okay, not at all. It's it's been enough of that
that I've seen it myself. But nah, all the same mother,
all it together, beautiful, eat breakfast together, lunch, dinner, all
of that.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
God blessed. I know that at the beginning of your
career you kind of, like, you know, shared on social media.
Do you regret ever, like putting kind of like your
your personal life on social media thousand percent?
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Because you can't. It's the cat is there. Even if
you move on from it or whatever, you know what
I mean, Like and that nine times out of ten
that happens with life. You think it be something so
major in the moment, and then two weeks later, you
know what I mean, Like, life go back to normal,
and I feel like when you vent to the internet,
that ain't the place to vent, you know what I mean.
So I definitely made that mistake early on. I haven't
(07:49):
done it.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Since, but it was a one and done.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
It was just like because I didn't, you know what
I did. I didn't understand at that time the power
of the internet, like you know what I mean. I
know I had a fan base and shit like that,
but this.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Was early in your career. Because I remember that. It's
kind of like when I first I was super early
found out about you and I was like, what's going
on here? But I'm you know, I'm it makes me
so happy to know that all your children are with
Is that your day one? Yeah, high school? He's like
that that early on in making. That's bad early, I
don't know, because you got people like LLL and you know,
(08:22):
you got people like Methan man. You know what I'm saying,
That they've been with their Lady twenty thirty.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Yes, super five, that's I think that's rare. But yeah,
that's dope. I think that's dope. When you could rock
with somebody that long, do.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
You feel like that's a thing Like when artists work
together right away, people want to like romanticize things and
be like, oh, they are a couple standing that.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
I give it all to the net, you know what
I mean. I feel like just taking a picture with somebody,
you know what I mean, it could stir up whatever.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Does it bother your significant other?
Speaker 1 (08:51):
I'm sure it do. Like I don't you know, I'm.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Not because she's not an artist, so she's she's at home,
she's holding it down, she's with the kids. So it's like,
this is annoying.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
I'm sure it is. But at the end of the day,
that's what I signed up for, you know what I mean.
I got into this what twenty fifteen, twenty fifteen, sixteen,
something like that, So it's almost a decade.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I wrote twenty ten. Why did I write twenty ten?
I don't know. I was on I was on Apple Music,
and I feel like they have a project there.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
From like twenty eleven, I did a mixtape called Change
of Plans. I believe it Change of Plans my first mixtape.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
And that's there. It's on Apple Music. How many studio
albums do you have? Because this Apple Music has like
even like three projects in one year. They have everything there, Like, oh,
your mixtapes? Is that what it is?
Speaker 1 (09:41):
I don't even know what they got out.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
I'm like, yo, he's been busy, and you've been putting
out music consistently every single year.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
I do music. I feel like if you if that's
what you do, you should you should put out you
should release music, you should drop content.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
How many hours a week do you feel like you
work on music hours a week? Yeah, Like are you
locked in? Let's say, like, do you have a schedule
for music or it's just when it hits you, Like, yo,
I want to go to the studio with me.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
It's like spontaneous seven days in the week. I would
probably say I'm in the studio at least four or
five nights out the week if I'm home, like if
I'm on the road or I'm ripping the runner and
I'm still in the studio if I'm on the road,
but like my home based studio in New York, probably
four or five days off the week.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Now, let's talk about currently.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
What are you working right now? So I just dropped
the project with my brother Ransom. It's called a Final Call. Yeah,
that's that's doing real good right now. I got another
project probably, I want to say, before the summer with
my brother's Bullding Grants.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Another album.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Yeah, it's a part two of the tape I did
a few years ago called Booker David.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
I remember that we're doing part two of that.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Yeah, so that's coming before the summer. I got a
few projects this year. I'm indy now, so I could kind.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Of maneuver better.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
I could, I could, I could drop music.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
How do you feel about being indie? Do you feel
like relieved?
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Like wow, yeah, I mean, I know, not to to
Massipil or death Jam. It was it was both home
based for me. But yeah, I just feel like, you know,
I'm very creative. I'm really I'm really like the type
of person that I don't spend too much time on something.
After I did it, you know.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
What I mean, it's like you hand it in and
that's it.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
We go on to the next let's let's you know
what I mean, Like, I got more more to talk
about more.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
So when people are like changed this, rearrange that, or
I don't like the way they kind of like bugs
you because it's.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Not even that see what that is like, I don't
if you wasn't around me making it or really invested
in the project, your opinion not gonna really you know
what I'm saying, It's not gonna really move me no
kind of way. But if you was dead, like you
know what I mean, Both of them labels had certain
people that will come to the studio and really see
what I was working on, like you know what I mean,
so they could always have an opinion on what I
was doing.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Now, I don't know how many times you've spoken about this,
but I want to talk about nas. How did you
too link? How did he find out you existed?
Speaker 1 (12:01):
So my aunt, God bless her soul, my aunt Barber.
She lived in Ravenswood Projects in Queens and Queen's Bridge
is the next projects up the up the block, so
I would be in the bridge. I stayed with her
till she passed, and then I lived there with my
cousin and I would be in the bridge every day
and get my hair cut. Uh. Jamaican food, the liquor store.
(12:23):
Everything was in the bridge, you know what I mean.
So I I would see Jungle, his brother. I would
see Jungle in the hood chilling. I'd be looking like
that's Jungle, that's crazy. But he was mad cool and
he would he would holler at me or he's he's
and was already yeah. But I was just doing like
like like little freestyles and like I might have had
(12:45):
a mixtape or two out, but it was just like
in the hood, I was just putting stuff out, wrapping
on certain beats that was already out. So it was like,
you know what I mean. People was talking about it
like he's kind of fire, like you know what I'm saying.
So I got really locked in with Jungle just being
in Queen's Bridge all the time. And from there, I
would just give him all my music, like whatever I
was working on, if I shot a new video like
(13:06):
junk check this out, checked this out, checked this out.
And it went from Nat to him telling me he
played his brother was feeling it. I'm like, yeah, brother,
you only know I only know you have one brother,
Like you know what I'm saying. It was it was Nas,
you know what I mean. So from there, Nas reached out,
we spoke, we linked up in New York. I think
he had like a some kind of reunion. I think
it was for one for all Matic or something like that,
(13:26):
like a twenty year twenty five year reunion. That's why
I first met him. And then from then on it
was on.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Did you feel like you had to work extra hard
because you came in the door, you know, kind of
like with that Nas Cold sign which gave us here
in New York big expectations for you. Did you feel pressure, like, Yo,
I gotta kill this, I gotta be so dope. I
got to live up to the hype.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Yeah, kinda kinda, But I feel like the error was
the error is so different, you know what I mean,
Like the era he was that where he was really
you know what I mean, one of them probably to
the top top, you know what I'm saying. Like, I
feel like it changed so crazy from THENTO too. When
I came in, well, it wasn't really like I put
pressure to all myself, like telling myself what was going on,
(14:12):
and you know what I mean, who he was to
the game and just to the culture of hip hop,
you know what.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
I mean, when you came out and you know you
were aligned with nots. We were like, yo, right, he's
getting a nas cole signed. This is a big deal.
This guy is nice. So I was like, Yo, I wonder.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I was thankful for that that changed. I got out
the projects with that with a shout out like why
we out there, But not for I'm fathering that to him,
because like I said, he changed my life. He showed
me something different. Uh yeah, big big shout out to
score Man.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
When you say he showed you something different, are you
talking like business or what?
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Just how he moved, you know what I mean, just
me me seeing different rappers and you know what I mean,
just people, how he moved like it always kind of
gave me like a like a balance like I I'm
kind of a rather move like that, Like you know
what I'm saying, Like I always feel like he was like, uh,
just the the right image of how to move in
the game for me coming in, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
And it don't get no better than that, Like, honestly
to have a what we would call for it to
be nas right, how did you get here?
Speaker 1 (15:26):
I think it definitely set a set a certain standard
for me as far as my name and people know
who I am all over the world because he's a
global you know what I mean, He's a global artist.
So yeah, I think that was that was definitely the
right way to come in.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Listen when you came through with that cold something like this,
this is the guy right and it's been what ten
years now?
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Yeah, I think I was twenty fourteen fifteen.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Now, if Davies wasn't a rapper, what would Davis be?
Speaker 1 (15:56):
What would I be?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Yeah, occupation wise, a pilot.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
I don't like, I don't I go to sleep when
I get on the plane.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
I saw it right away.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
I don't think I'm scared of heights. It's just like
I feel like you ain't got no control up there,
like up once you that highs, like it's up to God,
you know, listen God, Yeah, like it ain't. I damn
sure do want to be looking at the plane. But
I would say, I don't know. I think I would
maybe have something to do with music, maybe behind the
scenes or something like that. Definitely definitely the acting world.
(16:32):
I would I would be behind the scenes with that,
I think. But other than that, I would probably I
probably would have been like a coach basketball. Yeah, I
probably would have got with the with the kids, like
AU programs and stuff like that, because I still love
the game. That was my first love, so I think
I would do something like that. I got enough knowledge
in basketball to pass it on, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
I saw a picture on your page and it was
like fashion week and you were looking at a picture
Kobe and Gig and I was like, I wonder how
connected he feels, you know, being you know that you
have your daughters and you know, being a basketball player.
Was he your favorite player? Who was your favorite basketball player?
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Uh? My favorite player Jordan, Michael Jordan.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
You're so young that it's gotta be somebody younger.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Mike thirty six, So that was that was that. I'm
from the I'm from the Jordan era.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
You were a little kid though, but yeah, I was young.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
I would say after Mike Kobe. Uh And for me personally,
like high school, my favorite players was was was Mellow.
Carmelo was my favorite player in high school.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Yeah, New York. Mellow was a big ass deal here.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
That's Syracu or like that that that Mellow like, yeah,
that was that was my my high school trying to
go to college. Uh, inspiration at that time. Lebron Broun
one of my favorites of all time too. I ain't
never knocking Bron.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
He sat knock him, I said, left them as Broun.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
I'm just you know that, I'm just saying who at
the time was really inspiring me.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
You know what I mean, when did you start playing ball?
Start like you were a child, then you pick up
your first basketball.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Or Pop City brought up a basketball to the hospital.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
When you were born. Oh he put it in the
in the.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
That was his. That was my pops. I mean, it
became my dream, but that was that was his thing.
Like my nephew, my nephew right now, my sisters. So
he in the league. He just got drafted to Chicago
Jamie Young. So my pops is like he's somebody got there,
like you know, I mean, of course he's proud of
what I did when I turned out to beat but
that my family was basketball like that, you know what
(18:37):
I mean, That's what that's all. When when certain games
would come on and be silent in the crib, like
you know what I'm saying, for you to be into
the game. So that that was my up until up
until it didn't work.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Out, you know what I mean, how did your father
feel when you decided to pivot from playing ball to
being an artist.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
I got in some trouble so that that was the
initial pivot. Like I didn't just say I'm not gonna
play ball the war I'm about to wrap, you know,
I just kind of like, you know, yeah, it ain't
go like that, you know what I mean. I don't
really get into detail. I told that story, but I
got in a little trouble and after that it was
kind of over as far as like uh my scholarship,
(19:15):
staying on the campus, all of that, I kind of
got got the boot. So I had to come back
to the drawing board, liken what I'm gonna do, and
it gotta be something that I know I'm gonna enjoy.
Really not a uh And I don't knock nobody with
with with with great jobs and stuff like that, but
we gotta work, listen.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
We gotta support our families. We can't all be I.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Never knocked that better.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Don't do that.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
It make the world go around your heard. But me personally, David,
I just couldn't see me doing it for for a
long time and enjoying it. You know what, I mean
like working for somebody or just that that wasn't I
just was like, now I can't do that. So I
really and I never I never knew rat was going
to work, you know what I'm saying, Like that wasn't
something that was like, yeah, if you do this this long,
you're gonna get on. Like I had no idea to
(19:59):
not I sting that. I had no idea none of
that was gonna happen. But I really just buckled down
for a good two years, maybe three years, and was broke,
Like you know what I'm saying, Like I really didn't
lead a hug. I just had had a little studio
set up and just that that was that's all I
was on. And I used to tell her homies like
I ain't going to no club.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
You focus.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Then I gotta wait on my line or they gonna
tell me take my hat off, or I got the
wrong shoes, like you know what I mean, And I'm
watching the rapper hop out and just moon walk through
the line whatever you want to wear. I'm like, nah,
I ain't going to the club till I could do
it like that.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
You don't get paid off.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Now. I always had a problem with the thought from school,
Why is you telling me this? Like you ain't my mam,
hows my pot? What what gives you the authority to
feel like you could tell me me? I always felt
like that, and that's a that's a bad, bad attitude
to have. I'm not promoting that attitude of your kids
is like that the four year that's the the rebellious.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
One, like you're gonna pay them all back with Kobe, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Kobe man. She she the one like if I tell
her something, she'll give me the face already like she
didn't want to hear it. Then she'gar asks some moms,
you feel me?
Speaker 2 (21:06):
And then then what she saying, I really got to
do what he said, I.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Sugar, ask my moms the same thing she asked me,
Like she didn't ask me. I'm as like, might tell
her all right, cool, and I'm like, Oby, what are
you doing? Mimy shit? Like yo? But what I told
you first? Like, so I go through that one and
she four So I pray for me, pray for.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Me, pay back on another day, pray for me. Did
you ever have a regular job?
Speaker 1 (21:29):
I did. I worked at the McDonald's team. Yeah, I
was probably seventeen eighteen something like that.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
You ain't want to be told what to do.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
I worked there for two weeks, and you.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Didn't want to be told what to do.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
I hated that. Or I think I think I quit
after my first check. I think I got a check
and it would see I'm good on that. I used
to get math free McDonald's. And then the other job
I had was Equinox the gym. What's that fifty four
for second Avenue. I worked at the gym, but I
wasn't a train. I was in there with the squeegee.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
He was cleaning up the gym. The mirror money my.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Little break hour, my little hour hour, get a break,
I could work out, you know what I'm saying. So
I get my little workout. But yeah, my man shouts
to my bro Atlas man. That was That was rough
times for me. I was like, I need a job
for real right now. They say, all right, comes, you
gotta put on a suit or whatever, get dressed. You
gotta go meet the this, that and the third. So
if you show up with a smile on your face
and you you know what I'm saying, You're gonna get
the Job's adry, But got the job and the first
(22:23):
day at work, they assigned me to some uh this
little this little short guy forgot his name. Bro, It's okay,
I forgot his name. You know what I'm saying. But
shouts to him because I was telling him every day
on my shift like yo, am about to be I'm
about to do this rap ship. Like I ain't gonna
be in here cleaning these mirrors with you, bro, Like
you know what, just give me a minute, and I
ain't about to do this too long. He'd be like, yeah, yeah, yeah,
(22:44):
all right, go get go over there and get that
clean that all right.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Now.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
He's like I wish I could. I wish I could
bump into him, like you know what I'm saying, like
that was a long time ago. Did quid knocks they had,
They was paying me on get over there too. I
got a few I worked there a few checks, and
then I think I got a show. I think I
got like an offer to do like a Webster Hall
Best so Bes or something. But it was like a
like a Who's Next type of show case. And from
(23:11):
that that day on, I see I ain't going back
to work. I think this rap s might. I think
That's what I'm about to do. I got a show,
let me do this and I quit.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Now, what do you think is one of the biggest
myths about being a celebrity, Like what is the total
lie when it comes to like you as an artist,
we're not normal people.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
We're like, uh, something that should be like praised, or
like I don't think no human beings should be praised.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Or I yeah, I don't.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
I mean, it's dope to be motivated by somebody, it's
dope to be inspired by somebody, But.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Is it kind of like a turn off, like when
people be like, yo, I idolize you, I'm obsessed with you.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Not even that. I think it's more like what I
don't be liking is like, oh you you're doing that
because you you're you're a rap. That that's some rap,
you know what I mean? Like what, I'm a normal person,
Like everybody got to save twenty four hours. Nobody was born,
I mean unless you was born a celebrities. Some people
was born, Oh you get what I'm saying. As soon
(24:10):
as they come out the womb, they camp they famous,
you know what I mean? But anybody had to work
and didn't reach any type of fame until their twenties
or their thirties. I mean, like it's normal people that
just had a goal that they stuck to, like you
know what I'm saying, and it worked out.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Focus and consistency. That's the only shit making. Do you
feel like rappers really have the hardest job, as your
boy Jim Jones put out there.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
In a way, it depends on the type of rapper
you are. It depends on your crowd. I think all
that plays apart because you got some rappers that they
ain't gonna ever have no problems or run into no
problems just because of the type of music they make
or the crowd that they create. It it's not gonna
be a it's not a negative space him He's Yeah,
(25:02):
I'm a fan of Tyler.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Tyler when you say, like the environment they create, you know,
I think you know Flowers, So you.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Think you're not thinking uh, drama or negativity with his music,
like you know what I'm saying, So that I think
that plays a part. It's dangerous. I think it's a
very dangerous job. If that's if that's the type of
music you make, or if that's the crowd you surround
yourself with, or if that's the spaces you in Yeah, real,
real dangerous because I feel like everybody think they could
(25:29):
do it for one people. I feel like a lot
of people feel like they could just wake up and
wrap you know what I'm saying, because it does seem
that easy, you know what I mean. I'm not I
don't knock that, but it do take work, you know
what I mean, even if it's if it seemed that way,
it does actually take work. And I think that part
of it gets taken for granted. It's craft, you know
what I mean. When you because you're in the club
(25:50):
bumping shoulders with you know what I mean. So I
feel like that part of it gets taken for granted,
that you're actually working and it's actually is a job,
like you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
I feel like you're always outside me outside of How
safe do you feel like as a celebrity. You know
a lot of celebrities, you don't see them, they're not
in the street, you can't bump into them. How safe
do you feel like in Harlem? You feel like the
love is real, Like you don't feel like your life
can be you know, takes.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
I take everything with a you know what I mean,
Like I was just raised like that I feel like
a lot of artists probably wasn't in the street before
before fame, you know what I'm saying, Like I really
didn't change my mind, you know what I mean. I'm
more I'm more conscious now of knowing who I am,
type of call man, what I got on I get
(26:38):
all of that. But now I feel like you can
never be too on point, you get what I'm saying,
because it could come. It could come in the form
of love. But yeah, I was just always to keep
your eyes open, man, keep your head on the swivel,
you know what I mean. Don't really trust. Don't trust.
You get what I'm saying. I feel that that's my
whole thing. If it's my time or it's if I'm
(27:00):
in that wrong place, wrong time, then I guess that's
what that was. That was for me. But I don't
I don't try to put myself in the predicaments or
if I feel like you know, I go with my gut,
you know what I mean, a lot of times, if
I feel something funny or if I see somebody moving funny,
I'll react to it. I can get up out of here,
I'll put somebody on you see. I mean, like I'm
just I try to watch. I try to watch my
(27:22):
surroundings all the time, like you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Or now you're a man of God religious? How did
you find religious? Right?
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Yeah, your father was Muslim? Or did you find this
on your own?
Speaker 1 (27:35):
My father wasn't. I was born Catholic. I did catechids along,
went to Catholic school. I did all of that as
a kid with me, uh, I was. I was around
a lot of guys like my big bro Bully, his
family is Muslim. When I was down there. I was
in Baltimore for a while, so a lot of people
I was around were born Muslim, you know what I mean.
(27:58):
And I would be around them and just you know
what I mean, just the discipline they had, the habits,
just you know what I mean. I was kind of
moved by that in my later teens and going back
to the when I was when I was in a
little trouble, I'm gonna just leave it, you know what
I mean, A little troubl uh young is that the
(28:20):
brothers in there? You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Like, how did.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
You I was watching them pray, you know what I mean.
I would I would watch the I would just watch
the man rhythms and just how they how they carried
their day. And I asked the brother about it, you
know what I mean. He taught me what he could,
what he what he knew about it, and I was just,
I don't know. It caught me, honestly, I'm I'm gonna
just keep it really caught me. It was something I
(28:43):
was interested in, something I wanted to read more on.
And then when I when I came back from vacation,
I got it with my initial manager. Ain't no shousta,
ain't no, he's Muslim, and he took me to take
my shaha in the Bronx. And from from then on,
you know what I mean, I feel like I don't know,
(29:03):
I feel like I was enlightened on my on my
own terms with that, you know what I mean. It
wasn't nothing that nobody forced on me.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Is it something you practice at home? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Yeah, But it wasn't nothing that that was forced on
me or somebody made me, do you know what I mean?
It was it was a decision I made on my own.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
Malcolm X. Is he one of your role models?
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Malcolm? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (29:24):
What's the connection there? What do you what do you
see in Malcolm.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
It was just rebellious. I've been a rebellious person my
whole life, you know what I'm saying, Like I always
want always they everybody going right, let's go left, Like
I always been like that. But yeah, and you know
he passed way before I was even born. But just
the documentation that's out on him, Yeah, he definitely inspired me,
(29:47):
you know what I mean. It's just his his his
his will, that staying on what he believed in. Like
I feel like a lot of people believe in stuff,
but they gonna whisper it, you know what I mean,
or they going microphon, you know what I mean, Like
he's he didn't. He was to die behind how you felt.
I think that's people like that don't even probably exist
like that.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
You know what I mean this word you know, and
you know he stood up for his people and he said,
you're regardless of how my life ends, I did what
was right right And it was a time when we
needed people like Max. You It's like, yeah, you know
the Civil rights you know movement had a lot of people,
but he was just on a whole other level. It
was just like this is not about me, This is
about everybody else.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
That's but that's the ones they killed him. I feel
like them type of people come come, they come and go.
They time on earth be real short. But but but
then but they legacy be forever, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Like word, no, method man, how did you end up playing?
You did an amazing job than you. I watched it
(31:01):
through and through and I was like, Yo, they did
good casting here. Did you go to regular casting or
did somebody say, oh, Davies has got to play method man?
How did that get?
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Nah? Shouts my bro set Free first and foremost. He
linked me with Chris Robinson heavyweight, you know what I mean,
said he's a jay if you know, you know, like
you know what I mean, He's a giant in this
in this culture. But shouts to Chris Robinson and set Free.
I did a movie called Beats with Chris Robinson. We
filmed it in Chicago. That was my first movie, you
(31:32):
know what I mean. I was like, well, this is fire.
I enjoyed. I was with Anthony anderson Is to start
that movie. So he's a legend, you know what I mean.
He's in a lot of my favorite movies. So to
be on the set with him, it kind of made
it easier for me for my first you know what
I mean, time on the camera like that. So from
that film Chris Robinson, after that came out, I think
it's still on Netflix. Go check that out if you
(31:53):
ain't seen nothing. But I think after that came out,
Chris Robinson reached out and was like, Yo, we're working
on him on a wu tang. I think it was.
I think he said a movie at first. I don't
know if he said a series whatever, it was a
series or movie said and he was like would you
would you play method man? He just asked me that.
I'm like, hell, yeah, I play Myth. That's that's like
(32:14):
one of my idols, Like I grew up on Myth.
He was like, all, I'm gonna get back to you,
like you know what I'm saying. The next call was like, Yo,
you gotta go audition. I still had to do the
official audition and all that. I think auditioned twice for that.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
One time they had to get me on camera and
then I had to do one more audition and then
the next thing I seen it was on the credits.
Uh the blog. The blog. That's how I found out
about it.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
Oh, you found out along with the rest of the world.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
And you got the part on the blog I seen
if somebody sent it to me. It was a picture
of me and Myth and it was.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Like Davi's cast it for.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
And I said, oh, then my people hit me like
yo whatever. So that was super super super dope. And
then I spoke with Myth and meth really you know
what I mean, gave me his blessings on the road
before I started filming, So that was dope to get
to talk with him.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
At the extent of your connection with Metho man, or
did you have to like study him for the part
or how did that work out?
Speaker 1 (33:05):
Well, I didn't really have to study math like honestly.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Because you're playing a living person.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
Yeah, that's what made it tricky. A lot of times
people play people that passed on, so they really can't
that person can't tell you like, nah, you messed up.
That ain't hot with a.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
Bed, like you know what I mean, And you want
to make him proud to you don't want him to
be like what the fuck is this?
Speaker 1 (33:22):
He that was? That was I grew up the meth
so I knew all them songs well, the music obviously,
I knew that part of it. That was like, oh,
I know that song, like it would be in the script.
I'll be reading it like I know this. You would
just alady like you feel me. What I had to
study was like his Mann rhythms, So I would go
on YouTube and just find like mad Old interviews.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
That's that's what you study on your own.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Yeah, I was sitting watch his interviews how you would
answer questions, and then I would watch that and I
would watch his performances because Meth was full of energy,
like all over the stage. So I had to really
that was the two things. I was like, if I
could capture both of them, like it's just his manner hisms,
how he was talking and when it comes time and
that's performing. If I could get that off, I'm gonna
(34:07):
nail it, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
You know it was a lot of a lot of members.
But I remember when I first started watching, I was like,
I know, Davies's methem man like because I kept saying,
like the first few episodes, I'm like, who's who, Who's who?
Speaker 1 (34:17):
Oh yeah, because the way it started it was.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Like it was just so confusing, But you were the
only human that I knew who you were the whole
time when I first started watching that. Now you play
method man. I have this one plan. She loves metha man,
she loves Davies. I'm like, what are the odds that
you would get to play like this rapper that like
every female wanted, and then you turned out to be
also this rapper that like life.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
Is crazy, A lot of females want life is crazy.
That was Fire or Mephis like Memphis Dope Man, like
you know what I mean, Like I love him, Memphis
super Dope, Memphis somebody I could call whenever, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Like yeah, and I love the acting for him.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
It's like it was like he shifted it like he
Mephis somebody that even from belly, like from way back,
but he's somebody that showed me early on, Like yo,
you can take this rap and jump into that world,
like you know what I'm saying, Like it might be
a little easier coming from the rap going into that
world than it would have been just trying to be
an actor without, you know what I mean, Like I
(35:16):
feel like that, Like that's why when I'm on them
sets and when I'm on I get a script or whatever.
I really try to block my wrapping out of it
because I feel like I feel like you could people
that straight actors that only then did that. You get
what I'm saying. They can look at you like you
here because of the yeah popular with the rap. You
(35:37):
don't I mean, you don't do this.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
You didn't go to Julliard like me, you know what
I mean.
Speaker 1 (35:40):
So I really like h like to take that that
part of it serious, Like you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Is modeling in the cards for you?
Speaker 1 (35:48):
I feel like, yeah, I should be, I should be.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
You've done modeling, right.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
Yeah, I've done I've done Yeah, hearing like sporadically like now,
it hasn't been like a I'm not like a model
like you know what I'm saying. But I've done different
shoots and walks and different different brands and different fashion
weeks up you know what I mean. But I think
I want to get more into that a little more
(36:13):
moving forward. I feel like, you know what I mean,
I'm getting a little older.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
I feel like you're still young.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
Do one model thing now or now?
Speaker 2 (36:21):
How do you feel about being you know, the pretty
boy the sex and then well the women think you're pretty.
I think you're type ugly, but whatever it is, what
it is, I'm just walking with you. Does it is
it annoying? Like the females like you know, like the
post and like everybody, like all the females thirst and
like yah you did. Because I read comments, I go
through them, I'm like, Jesus Christ, this man. Do you
(36:44):
like it? Do you welcome it? Or is it unwanted attention?
Speaker 1 (36:46):
And my pops had the funniest convo. We said, Yo,
life is a lot easier when you when you, when you,
when you're a little better.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Listen, listen, pretty, privilege is a fucking thing.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Okay, say life is a little I mean life a
little smooth. You mean, you're little attractive. But I don't know.
I don't bother me.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
It don't bother you because I know some people wight
be like, oh my god. It's just like the females.
They're right, they're pretty respectful. When they see you out,
they try to some of them. I can imagine a
lot of them must try it. How's your d MS?
Speaker 1 (37:16):
They Okay, I don't really. The internet is a tricky pace.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
It's a very tricky place. But I can see regular
as like oh, and today I'm gonna wake up in
d M dav since he what's up? What's he? What's
the vibes? He might fall for it.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
That's that's two. That's a. That's the land of the unknown,
land of the loss.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Okay, let's pivot fitness. Why is fitness so important to you?
Is it because of the way it makes you feel
or the way it makes you look?
Speaker 1 (37:41):
Both? I feel like men and women. I feel like
when you've been in that gym, you feel better, for sure.
But you like how your clothes, you know what I mean.
Like you like how your t shirt or you like
whatever you got going on, like you feel me, I
feel like you like seeing you know, you work it.
I feel like it's with anything, you working at something
(38:02):
and seeing the results, you know what I mean. So
I feel like with fitness, like I told you, I
played ball all my life coming in so I'm I'm
an athlete anyway, Like before rap anything was doing what
it did for me, I was an athlete. I was
in the gym, I would go run, I did all
of that. So I just feel like that's a part
of life. I feel like everybody should should implement that
(38:26):
in their life. Some some kind of way, you know
what I'm saying, Because movement is just good for you, you
know what I mean. If you're sitting around, you ain't
really you know what I mean. That's that's how I
feel like a lot of health problems, especially as you
get older. But I feel like a lot of health
problems just come from people not moving, you know what
I mean, or not. You tell me if you're not,
if you're sitting around. I feel like a lot of
(38:47):
that hard disease and that diabetes, all that, all them
them different. I feel like that come from I mean
not saying it all comes from that. But I think
a lot of times we're just working out is better
than most medicines, you know, I mean, just if you
get a real consistent, scheduled worker. I see people in
the gym, I know they eighty years old. They gotta
be you know what I'm saying. Old old people in
(39:09):
the in there got more energy got I mean, than
a younger person. So it's like it's up to the
life you choose to live. Some people don't don't, don't
care if they're gonna be here that long. I got kids,
and I want to be here if I didn't have kids.
I still want to be here. So I feel like
that just prolongs your life, you know what I'm saying.
Working out, I think they put years on your life.
Speaker 2 (39:30):
What's twenty twenty five going to be like for you?
Is there something.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
Already I started? We already were here, already not about
to go back on tour. You're going mid April to
the top of June to you all of us for
like a month and a half hit the road.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
Yeah, the girls get to stay home where they get
to come with you?
Speaker 1 (39:48):
They have school, right, Yeah, they in school.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
Are they going to miss you?
Speaker 1 (39:51):
Yeah? But I set it up. But this is maybe
my fourth or fifth tour, I think, maybe more. But
I think this is my tilent, my own like headline
in the whole tour, like fourth and fifth tour, and
I put them them them day offs in this one,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (40:07):
I kind of so that you can come back home,
I can slag.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
I mean, just so it's not as I'm not as
going for so long, like you know what I mean,
I haven't done done that in a while.
Speaker 2 (40:16):
So we're doing the tour tour. You said you have
two projects in the world.
Speaker 1 (40:19):
I got more than that, But that's that's about to
come out recent like real soon.
Speaker 2 (40:24):
How many projects do you want to put out in
one year?
Speaker 1 (40:26):
I'm gonna keep dropping. Man, I'm on a I'm on
my on my tupac right now, like put music out
because like I always felt like this, like the type
of listener I am when I listen to music you
feel me, I'll be wanting more. Like if I'm a
fan of of of whoever it is, I'll play that
for me. I have a long I'll play that, But
then I'll be wanting more music. I want more music,
(40:46):
you know what I mean. So I'll be doing that
more for me and the people that really listen to me,
you know what I mean. Like that's really fans of
what I've been doing. So I just like to put
out different sounds. I'll be having different topics. I'm working
with different producers, you know what I mean. So all
of that becomes four or five most like different tapes
just in the midst of me working. But I love it.
(41:06):
I just like staying active, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Like the fan if you could give me three words
to describe who is the Davies fan.
Speaker 1 (41:14):
Davis fan is it a.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
Males, is it females? Is it New Yorkers? Is it
people in Japan? Just give me three words that you
feel like is your core audience and your followers?
Speaker 1 (41:24):
Mm hmmm mm hmm my core followers. Three words. Definitely women, Definitely,
definitely men both.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
Okay, so just people in general.
Speaker 1 (41:35):
People. Yeah, I would say people I don't know, no aliens,
they're out there.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
They might have your albums in malls, don't play.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
I don't know. I think they're around for sure, though,
let me think I would. I would say anybody that
been through, been through just real life like just I
mean when life hit, I mean if you if uh,
I mean you got your your best friend passed on you,
or your or your your men, your your your your
(42:08):
lady left for you, or just real life ship. I
feel like I speak for that, like I speak for
people that it's coming from somewhere, trying to get somewhere,
like you know what I mean, from from from the bottom,
trying to get to the top, like you know what
I mean. I feel like that's that's vague, but I
feel like I speak for those like that that they
just gonna get knocked down and stay down. You know
(42:29):
what I mean, Like that's gonna get back up and
try to figure it out. I feel like I speak
for them, whether it's male female, you know what I mean. Ship, Yeah,
don't those that don't let life I mean, beat them down,
like you know what I'm saying, you gotta fight you back.
Speaker 2 (42:44):
I feel like I speak for them. No, it's this,
you know, from day one, you've always been about the lyricism,
(43:04):
the bars, the craft. You haven't waivered. You ain't become gimmicky,
you ain't switch up, you ain't try to do what
other people were doing. How hard is that as far
as like looking around and you know, just walking your
own walk and be like this is what David is.
This is the essence of who I am versus you know,
the way things have changed with TikTok, with social media,
(43:25):
Like how do you stay grounded? How you be like
this is me and this is gonna be me.
Speaker 1 (43:30):
Uh. I don't really get caught up in like fads
and whatever, like you know what I mean, like what's
trendy for the moment, because I feel like the lyricism,
all that type. I feel like everything you just name,
I've watched that with my own two eyes, like with
staying to test the time, you know what I mean,
Like whether you still put on Biggie music today or
(43:52):
if you still put on jay Z music or you
put on Nas music from the nineties. You could put
that music on right now and get what I'm staying like,
and it's still cut. It's still cut right through all
of the gimmicks, all of the you know what I mean.
So I said, before I become a gimmicky guy, or
you know what I mean, or start trying to do
what everybody doing, let me do me. Let me keep
(44:13):
my same guys around me. You know what I'm saying,
Like that, know me, know the clause I'm from, and
let me just stay on that, like you know what
I mean. Whether it's whether they say I sound like
I sound like the nineties or I SAYD like I
don't heard everything, But that's that's the That's the music
I love. So that's the music I'm gonna make now.
(44:33):
I'm not against trying other music or doing this feature
or that future or this type of beat. I'm never
against that. But I have a brand and authenticity to
me that I got to just stay with that. I
can't really, I think if I did that, it would
take from me being me.
Speaker 2 (44:51):
And you know what, I respect that, and you know,
I thank you because when we talk about New York
and they talk about New York fellow off and this
and that, I'm like, nah, do you see what Davies does?
Do you see the level you know of lyricism that
this man puts out? But we need that, We need solid,
you know, boots on the ground type rappers. And I
feel like when we make those lists of who still
got bars, who's still doing real rap, You're on that list.
Speaker 1 (45:14):
Thank you, man. I appreciate it. I take my my
my craft. You know. I like to write or I write,
you know what I mean. So I think that's something
that is a talent in itself, just writing. But yeah,
I think it came from New York. I don't care
what nobody say. It definitely moved around, but it can't.
(45:34):
That's where it came from. So it can't. You can't.
We can't lose that sound totally. Like you know what
I'm saying, I don't. I don't mind this one singing
or that one doing it like that's dope because it's
a new game. It's it's there's always gonna be a
younger man game. It's always gonna be for the youth
or what's coming next. I never knocked that, But we
gotta have some type of feeling of you know what
(45:56):
I mean something.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
It's gotta feel gritty, it's got to feel New York.
Speaker 1 (46:00):
Part of it can't be deleted ever, you know what
I mean, Like, we gotta sprinkle that somewhere. It gotta
be sprinkled in there somewhere. So I feel like if
I'm one of those that people, I mean they feel
like I'm one of those that do that, I'm gonna
stay on that.
Speaker 2 (46:13):
Or Latinos and hip hop, It's a topic that comes
up all the time, right you know what I'm saying.
What's your take on it? Did you feel like when
you were pushing yourself out as an artist, did you
feel like you wanted to maybe, you know, just push
your Latino side, like a little to the side, because
maybe it wouldn't be as well received if you weren't one.
Speaker 1 (46:35):
Nah, I don't think. I don't think nothing is one
hundred percent black, you know, I mean, I think everything
gotta a little cut to it, a little something. You
gotta check that, check that what's that family that that
that lineage shit.
Speaker 2 (46:48):
The twenty three meters, it's.
Speaker 1 (46:49):
A cut somewhere, you know what I mean? And I
feel like, uh, I think that Latin like I grew
up Latinos and blacks his hand in hand like it
never was.
Speaker 2 (46:59):
No, but it's conversation, you know.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
I mean, it never was like it was a split
or I mean you always knew of certain ship, like
you know what I mean. Whatever, But that's what everybody like.
That's not that I don't think that's just a black
Latino thing. I think that's everybody think. But nah, I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (47:16):
You were super forward, like why.
Speaker 1 (47:18):
Not look at Pun? Look at God bless to day.
It's people like Pun. It was just like fire Man,
you gotta you gotta just pump who you are a
pump Barbados a pump, Dyall a pump creole. Everything that
made me a pump.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
It so you're always super proud of, you know, every
aspect of you.
Speaker 1 (47:34):
I don't think that's a I don't think that's something
that could be used against you. I don't think that's
something that that boxes you out. I think it's you
know what I mean, I think it's dope. I think
it's flavor. That's how I look at it, a little,
a little flavor.
Speaker 2 (47:47):
Now, what do you feel about currently the amount of
Latinos that are allowed, you know, in rap or to
become just megastars? Do you feel like dope? Do you
feel like you know we are where we need to be?
Speaker 1 (47:58):
I think so for sure. Think it's it's definitely they
go hand in hand with hip hop. You got whole
reggae tone albums and you got these artists that's doing
collapse with with rappers, you know what I mean. I
feel like it's definitely like at the forefront, you know,
as far as the.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
Sound, I feel like we're all one, but there is
you know, the conversation and you know it's like I
feel like I wonder when Dave came out, like if
he was really like fourth right like you, I'm Dominican too,
you know what I'm saying, Like.
Speaker 1 (48:24):
That ain't nothing to why why shout away from it?
If it's gonna come out, it happens, you know what
I mean? And they be like, well, you ain't saying
that at all?
Speaker 2 (48:32):
Come on, why the Dominicans and we come hard? They
don't want to wrap that flag.
Speaker 1 (48:37):
I wrap all of what made me. I feel like
that's my you know, that's my my heritage, my roots,
my my family. So at the end of the day,
I got a rapper. Yeah they mother is Puerto Rican.
Speaker 2 (48:49):
So yeah, you like problems.
Speaker 1 (48:54):
Just joking? Yeah, good hair, but nah they Yeah. I
feel like that ain't That's something that should never be
look frowned upon or nothing like that. Like you know
what I mean, wave that wave that fire.
Speaker 2 (49:08):
I enjoyed our conversation. I feel like I need to
know you so much more.
Speaker 1 (49:11):
Me too.
Speaker 2 (49:12):
This was Come Again.
Speaker 1 (49:14):
Thank you, Mama.
Speaker 2 (49:16):
Gassians Come Again is a production of Honey German Productions
in partnership with Iheart's Mike When through That podcast network.
Speaker 1 (49:22):
H
Gracias Come Again a podcast by Honey German.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome to another episode of Gracia's Come Again. Today we're
sitting down with Dave East. How are you I need
that energy? I feel like you just woke up or something.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
I've been up.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
You've been up, you got the faith. We're recording live
from New York City and you know, we're wrapping up
the season. We had a couple of interviews left and
I was like, you know what, I need to sit
down with Dave's because every time the conversation comes up
about Latinos and hip hop and people want to tell
me we're not it, I'll be like, well, Davis, hello,
(00:42):
once I do my list, you're always on the list
of you know, Latinos holding it down right now for
hip hop. So I'm like, you know what, we need
to sit down. But before we get into that, let's
bring it back to the beginning. Born and raised in Harlem.
Mom Dominicana.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Her father is Dominican. Okay, she's a mother's Creole.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I saw that because I wrote Creole in parentheses, and
then father African American.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Now my dad is Beajing, Barbados.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Okay, So you're Caribbean Caribbean. OD Yeah, I like that now. Mom,
Dad both here in New York. Yeah, okay, they met here.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
They met in Louisiana. My mother's from down there.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
And that's where you used to spend time with which Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
My grandmother, my aunt, so all my mother's side is
down there.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
How identified do you feel with Dominicans? I know you
have a Dominican tattoo your neck flat? Where's that at?
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Let me see one of these sides. I can't.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I think it's that one. I think it's the one
you're touching on this side. How connected do you feel
to your Dominican roots? Being that it's not like, let's
say one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Or I love it. I feel like I'm I feel
like it's it's always been a part of me. I
feel like just the culture, the response I've gotten since
I've gotten to the music, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
I love it and we love you, we claim you.
When we talk about the Miniganos, we always say and
don't forget to put Davies on the list. Now, when
have you visited Minic Republic thousand times? What does that
tell me? You enjoyed like that?
Speaker 1 (02:13):
You know what I mean? Get away? Get out the city.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
So you use it kind of like an escape vacation
for sure. There. Yeah, talk to me your daughter, I
feel like your daughter. I got, I got, I got
three several children.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Yeah, yeah, I got. I got Kyrie. It's her birth
that just passed. We actually went to Puerto Rico because
her mother's Puerto rican So that was the first time
I was able to take them like that. But that
was fire. But yeah, the Islands, it's a has a
has a very uh major part of me and just
my reflection and just time to you know, to to
(02:49):
to to zone out away from everything.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
So well, it's very different from being let's say Hall,
because you're very outside here in New York. So I
can only imagine going back to the islands. You get
to disconnect, you get to reflect.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
And the weather can't beat the weather ever, the beaches.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
You know, it's just a totally different vibe. Do you
still feel like Dave East when you're there or do
you feel like that side of you? Can you disconnect
the two still?
Speaker 1 (03:16):
I feel like once I get to like the resort
or the villa, whether I'm staying at, I'm good.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
But the airport stuff like that, it's still people like
trying to come out to you. Do you feel like, OK,
if I'm with the family, none of that.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
You know.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
It's weird because some celebrities they don't like taking pictures with.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Fans, and mind this is my thing with that, not
to cut you off. I think because I'm a fan
myself of certain people, you know what I mean, And
I feel like to each his own, but you gotta
be able to see the vibe of the person before
you just run down with your camera out, you know
what I mean. Somebody could be with their grandmother or
(03:55):
their mother or they kids. But I feel like, without
without that reaction, who are you? You know what I mean?
Like what what? What was you working for? Or you
kind of you kind of signed up for that, like
you know what I mean. So I don't really knock it.
I take as many pictures as I can with people
that run into me, but yeah, I think just read
the room.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Sometimes I feel like people just get overly excited, especially
if they're like a fan fan. It's like when was
I gonna be in your space? I feel like they get,
you know, tripped up.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
And they don't why they're gonna see you again.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
So I get it like being your space. It's just
like when am I ever going to see this person?
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Right?
Speaker 2 (04:31):
So they get hype? Do you feel like I was
watching a documentary? I need that, you know, I need that?
The Brazilian superstar she has two totally different personalities and persona,
Like when she's home, she turns into a different person.
Are you Davies turned on at all times?
Speaker 1 (04:48):
I don't know. I don't really. I feel like I'm
the same. I feel like Davi's is a name, like the.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Name people know, I mean, the artists itself.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Yeah, but I don't feel like it's a turn on,
a turnover. Now if I'm home, I'm I'm not. I
don't got my jewelry on. I'm not, you know, I mean,
I'm not hearing, I'm chilling in the crib. But I
feel like I don't really have to turn on no
type of like no mold or nothing like, oh I'm
Davis now and now I'm not Like it's I feel
like what you see, what me is what you get.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
I'm just saying all the time. The only reason I
ask is because you know, she's such a global phenomenon
and she struggles so much with this unneed that persona
that she created. She feels like it's not her in
any way, shape or form, And when she's home and
she's with family, she's a totally different person. And I
was like, I wonder if it's like that for all artists.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Like, damn it, you kind of gotta be I think,
you know, once you step outside, the cameras is on
you. You know what I mean, you kind of gotta you know,
tighten up. You know, the eyes is on you. But
now I don't feel like it's a totally different person
or a different person or nothing like that. I think
it's just knowing where you at and understanding who you are,
(05:57):
you know what I mean, and being at home you
can let all that go.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
You know what do your kids feel about you? As
do they be like dad? You know they put on
your videos? Like do any of them want to also
be an artist? Like do they say, Dad, I want
to do this too, just like you.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Kobe, my four year old, she that's the that's my
little rap partner. She got the buzz on YouTube like
looking it up. She liked to dance, sing every like that.
She already got that like naturally, Just so I would
say probably her she'd.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Be performing for you. That's how you know.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Every day she got a new song, a new dance.
She's trying to show me some every.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Day she's like, Dad, sit down, I got a.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
New song for you.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Do you live with all your children or I didn't
know that side of me. That's the only reason.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
And girls, we ain't gonna live at they better live with.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Listen, I don't if you had multiple relationships. Some kids
live with one mom, another kid lives with with another. Oh,
they would same other. Oh that's beautiful, God bless that
makes me so happy. Oh, you know, you're a rapper
at the end of the day, so that's a see
stereotyping you here. Can you blame me though?
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Okay, not at all. It's it's been enough of that
that I've seen it myself. But nah, all the same mother,
all it together, beautiful, eat breakfast together, lunch, dinner, all
of that.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
God blessed. I know that at the beginning of your
career you kind of, like, you know, shared on social media.
Do you regret ever, like putting kind of like your
your personal life on social media thousand percent?
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Because you can't. It's the cat is there. Even if
you move on from it or whatever, you know what
I mean, Like and that nine times out of ten
that happens with life. You think it be something so
major in the moment, and then two weeks later, you
know what I mean, Like, life go back to normal,
and I feel like when you vent to the internet,
that ain't the place to vent, you know what I mean.
So I definitely made that mistake early on. I haven't
(07:49):
done it.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Since, but it was a one and done.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
It was just like because I didn't, you know what
I did. I didn't understand at that time the power
of the internet, like you know what I mean. I
know I had a fan base and shit like that,
but this.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Was early in your career. Because I remember that. It's
kind of like when I first I was super early
found out about you and I was like, what's going
on here? But I'm you know, I'm it makes me
so happy to know that all your children are with
Is that your day one? Yeah, high school? He's like
that that early on in making. That's bad early, I
don't know, because you got people like LLL and you know,
(08:22):
you got people like Methan man. You know what I'm saying,
That they've been with their Lady twenty thirty.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Yes, super five, that's I think that's rare. But yeah,
that's dope. I think that's dope. When you could rock
with somebody that long, do.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
You feel like that's a thing Like when artists work
together right away, people want to like romanticize things and
be like, oh, they are a couple standing that.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
I give it all to the net, you know what
I mean. I feel like just taking a picture with somebody,
you know what I mean, it could stir up whatever.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Does it bother your significant other?
Speaker 1 (08:51):
I'm sure it do. Like I don't you know, I'm.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Not because she's not an artist, so she's she's at home,
she's holding it down, she's with the kids. So it's like,
this is annoying.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
I'm sure it is. But at the end of the day,
that's what I signed up for, you know what I mean.
I got into this what twenty fifteen, twenty fifteen, sixteen,
something like that, So it's almost a decade.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I wrote twenty ten. Why did I write twenty ten?
I don't know. I was on I was on Apple Music,
and I feel like they have a project there.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
From like twenty eleven, I did a mixtape called Change
of Plans. I believe it Change of Plans my first mixtape.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
And that's there. It's on Apple Music. How many studio
albums do you have? Because this Apple Music has like
even like three projects in one year. They have everything there, Like, oh,
your mixtapes? Is that what it is?
Speaker 1 (09:41):
I don't even know what they got out.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
I'm like, yo, he's been busy, and you've been putting
out music consistently every single year.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
I do music. I feel like if you if that's
what you do, you should you should put out you
should release music, you should drop content.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
How many hours a week do you feel like you
work on music hours a week? Yeah, Like are you
locked in? Let's say, like, do you have a schedule
for music or it's just when it hits you, Like, yo,
I want to go to the studio with me.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
It's like spontaneous seven days in the week. I would
probably say I'm in the studio at least four or
five nights out the week if I'm home, like if
I'm on the road or I'm ripping the runner and
I'm still in the studio if I'm on the road,
but like my home based studio in New York, probably
four or five days off the week.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Now, let's talk about currently.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
What are you working right now? So I just dropped
the project with my brother Ransom. It's called a Final Call. Yeah,
that's that's doing real good right now. I got another
project probably, I want to say, before the summer with
my brother's Bullding Grants.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Another album.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Yeah, it's a part two of the tape I did
a few years ago called Booker David.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
I remember that we're doing part two of that.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Yeah, so that's coming before the summer. I got a
few projects this year. I'm indy now, so I could kind.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Of maneuver better.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
I could, I could, I could drop music.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
How do you feel about being indie? Do you feel
like relieved?
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Like wow, yeah, I mean, I know, not to to
Massipil or death Jam. It was it was both home
based for me. But yeah, I just feel like, you know,
I'm very creative. I'm really I'm really like the type
of person that I don't spend too much time on something.
After I did it, you know.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
What I mean, it's like you hand it in and
that's it.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
We go on to the next let's let's you know
what I mean, Like, I got more more to talk
about more.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
So when people are like changed this, rearrange that, or
I don't like the way they kind of like bugs
you because it's.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Not even that see what that is like, I don't
if you wasn't around me making it or really invested
in the project, your opinion not gonna really you know
what I'm saying, It's not gonna really move me no
kind of way. But if you was dead, like you
know what I mean, Both of them labels had certain
people that will come to the studio and really see
what I was working on, like you know what I mean,
so they could always have an opinion on what I
was doing.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Now, I don't know how many times you've spoken about this,
but I want to talk about nas. How did you
too link? How did he find out you existed?
Speaker 1 (12:01):
So my aunt, God bless her soul, my aunt Barber.
She lived in Ravenswood Projects in Queens and Queen's Bridge
is the next projects up the up the block, so
I would be in the bridge. I stayed with her
till she passed, and then I lived there with my
cousin and I would be in the bridge every day
and get my hair cut. Uh. Jamaican food, the liquor store.
(12:23):
Everything was in the bridge, you know what I mean.
So I I would see Jungle, his brother. I would
see Jungle in the hood chilling. I'd be looking like
that's Jungle, that's crazy. But he was mad cool and
he would he would holler at me or he's he's
and was already yeah. But I was just doing like
like like little freestyles and like I might have had
(12:45):
a mixtape or two out, but it was just like
in the hood, I was just putting stuff out, wrapping
on certain beats that was already out. So it was like,
you know what I mean. People was talking about it
like he's kind of fire, like you know what I'm saying.
So I got really locked in with Jungle just being
in Queen's Bridge all the time. And from there, I
would just give him all my music, like whatever I
was working on, if I shot a new video like
(13:06):
junk check this out, checked this out, checked this out.
And it went from Nat to him telling me he
played his brother was feeling it. I'm like, yeah, brother,
you only know I only know you have one brother,
Like you know what I'm saying. It was it was Nas,
you know what I mean. So from there, Nas reached out,
we spoke, we linked up in New York. I think
he had like a some kind of reunion. I think
it was for one for all Matic or something like that,
(13:26):
like a twenty year twenty five year reunion. That's why
I first met him. And then from then on it
was on.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Did you feel like you had to work extra hard
because you came in the door, you know, kind of
like with that Nas Cold sign which gave us here
in New York big expectations for you. Did you feel pressure, like, Yo,
I gotta kill this, I gotta be so dope. I
got to live up to the hype.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Yeah, kinda kinda, But I feel like the error was
the error is so different, you know what I mean,
Like the era he was that where he was really
you know what I mean, one of them probably to
the top top, you know what I'm saying. Like, I
feel like it changed so crazy from THENTO too. When
I came in, well, it wasn't really like I put
pressure to all myself, like telling myself what was going on,
(14:12):
and you know what I mean, who he was to
the game and just to the culture of hip hop,
you know what.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
I mean, when you came out and you know you
were aligned with nots. We were like, yo, right, he's
getting a nas cole signed. This is a big deal.
This guy is nice. So I was like, Yo, I wonder.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I was thankful for that that changed. I got out
the projects with that with a shout out like why
we out there, But not for I'm fathering that to him,
because like I said, he changed my life. He showed
me something different. Uh yeah, big big shout out to
score Man.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
When you say he showed you something different, are you
talking like business or what?
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Just how he moved, you know what I mean, just
me me seeing different rappers and you know what I mean,
just people, how he moved like it always kind of
gave me like a like a balance like I I'm
kind of a rather move like that, Like you know
what I'm saying, Like I always feel like he was like, uh,
just the the right image of how to move in
the game for me coming in, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
And it don't get no better than that, Like, honestly
to have a what we would call for it to
be nas right, how did you get here?
Speaker 1 (15:26):
I think it definitely set a set a certain standard
for me as far as my name and people know
who I am all over the world because he's a
global you know what I mean, He's a global artist.
So yeah, I think that was that was definitely the
right way to come in.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Listen when you came through with that cold something like this,
this is the guy right and it's been what ten
years now?
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Yeah, I think I was twenty fourteen fifteen.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Now, if Davies wasn't a rapper, what would Davis be?
Speaker 1 (15:56):
What would I be?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Yeah, occupation wise, a pilot.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
I don't like, I don't I go to sleep when
I get on the plane.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
I saw it right away.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
I don't think I'm scared of heights. It's just like
I feel like you ain't got no control up there,
like up once you that highs, like it's up to God,
you know, listen God, Yeah, like it ain't. I damn
sure do want to be looking at the plane. But
I would say, I don't know. I think I would
maybe have something to do with music, maybe behind the
scenes or something like that. Definitely definitely the acting world.
(16:32):
I would I would be behind the scenes with that,
I think. But other than that, I would probably I
probably would have been like a coach basketball. Yeah, I
probably would have got with the with the kids, like
AU programs and stuff like that, because I still love
the game. That was my first love, so I think
I would do something like that. I got enough knowledge
in basketball to pass it on, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
I saw a picture on your page and it was
like fashion week and you were looking at a picture
Kobe and Gig and I was like, I wonder how
connected he feels, you know, being you know that you
have your daughters and you know, being a basketball player.
Was he your favorite player? Who was your favorite basketball player?
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Uh? My favorite player Jordan, Michael Jordan.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
You're so young that it's gotta be somebody younger.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Mike thirty six, So that was that was that. I'm
from the I'm from the Jordan era.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
You were a little kid though, but yeah, I was young.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
I would say after Mike Kobe. Uh And for me personally,
like high school, my favorite players was was was Mellow.
Carmelo was my favorite player in high school.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Yeah, New York. Mellow was a big ass deal here.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
That's Syracu or like that that that Mellow like, yeah,
that was that was my my high school trying to
go to college. Uh, inspiration at that time. Lebron Broun
one of my favorites of all time too. I ain't
never knocking Bron.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
He sat knock him, I said, left them as Broun.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
I'm just you know that, I'm just saying who at
the time was really inspiring me.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
You know what I mean, when did you start playing ball?
Start like you were a child, then you pick up
your first basketball.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Or Pop City brought up a basketball to the hospital.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
When you were born. Oh he put it in the
in the.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
That was his. That was my pops. I mean, it
became my dream, but that was that was his thing.
Like my nephew, my nephew right now, my sisters. So
he in the league. He just got drafted to Chicago
Jamie Young. So my pops is like he's somebody got there,
like you know, I mean, of course he's proud of
what I did when I turned out to beat but
that my family was basketball like that, you know what
(18:37):
I mean, That's what that's all. When when certain games
would come on and be silent in the crib, like
you know what I'm saying, for you to be into
the game. So that that was my up until up
until it didn't work.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Out, you know what I mean, how did your father
feel when you decided to pivot from playing ball to
being an artist.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
I got in some trouble so that that was the
initial pivot. Like I didn't just say I'm not gonna
play ball the war I'm about to wrap, you know,
I just kind of like, you know, yeah, it ain't
go like that, you know what I mean. I don't
really get into detail. I told that story, but I
got in a little trouble and after that it was
kind of over as far as like uh my scholarship,
(19:15):
staying on the campus, all of that, I kind of
got got the boot. So I had to come back
to the drawing board, liken what I'm gonna do, and
it gotta be something that I know I'm gonna enjoy.
Really not a uh And I don't knock nobody with
with with with great jobs and stuff like that, but
we gotta work, listen.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
We gotta support our families. We can't all be I.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Never knocked that better.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Don't do that.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
It make the world go around your heard. But me personally, David,
I just couldn't see me doing it for for a
long time and enjoying it. You know what, I mean
like working for somebody or just that that wasn't I
just was like, now I can't do that. So I
really and I never I never knew rat was going
to work, you know what I'm saying, Like that wasn't
something that was like, yeah, if you do this this long,
you're gonna get on. Like I had no idea to
(19:59):
not I sting that. I had no idea none of
that was gonna happen. But I really just buckled down
for a good two years, maybe three years, and was broke,
Like you know what I'm saying, Like I really didn't
lead a hug. I just had had a little studio
set up and just that that was that's all I
was on. And I used to tell her homies like
I ain't going to no club.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
You focus.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Then I gotta wait on my line or they gonna
tell me take my hat off, or I got the
wrong shoes, like you know what I mean, And I'm
watching the rapper hop out and just moon walk through
the line whatever you want to wear. I'm like, nah,
I ain't going to the club till I could do
it like that.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
You don't get paid off.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Now. I always had a problem with the thought from school,
Why is you telling me this? Like you ain't my mam,
hows my pot? What what gives you the authority to
feel like you could tell me me? I always felt
like that, and that's a that's a bad, bad attitude
to have. I'm not promoting that attitude of your kids
is like that the four year that's the the rebellious.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
One, like you're gonna pay them all back with Kobe, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Kobe man. She she the one like if I tell
her something, she'll give me the face already like she
didn't want to hear it. Then she'gar asks some moms,
you feel me?
Speaker 2 (21:06):
And then then what she saying, I really got to
do what he said, I.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Sugar, ask my moms the same thing she asked me,
Like she didn't ask me. I'm as like, might tell
her all right, cool, and I'm like, Oby, what are
you doing? Mimy shit? Like yo? But what I told
you first? Like, so I go through that one and
she four So I pray for me, pray for.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Me, pay back on another day, pray for me. Did
you ever have a regular job?
Speaker 1 (21:29):
I did. I worked at the McDonald's team. Yeah, I
was probably seventeen eighteen something like that.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
You ain't want to be told what to do.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
I worked there for two weeks, and you.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Didn't want to be told what to do.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
I hated that. Or I think I think I quit
after my first check. I think I got a check
and it would see I'm good on that. I used
to get math free McDonald's. And then the other job
I had was Equinox the gym. What's that fifty four
for second Avenue. I worked at the gym, but I
wasn't a train. I was in there with the squeegee.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
He was cleaning up the gym. The mirror money my.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Little break hour, my little hour hour, get a break,
I could work out, you know what I'm saying. So
I get my little workout. But yeah, my man shouts
to my bro Atlas man. That was That was rough
times for me. I was like, I need a job
for real right now. They say, all right, comes, you
gotta put on a suit or whatever, get dressed. You
gotta go meet the this, that and the third. So
if you show up with a smile on your face
and you you know what I'm saying, You're gonna get
the Job's adry, But got the job and the first
(22:23):
day at work, they assigned me to some uh this
little this little short guy forgot his name. Bro, It's okay,
I forgot his name. You know what I'm saying. But
shouts to him because I was telling him every day
on my shift like yo, am about to be I'm
about to do this rap ship. Like I ain't gonna
be in here cleaning these mirrors with you, bro, Like
you know what, just give me a minute, and I
ain't about to do this too long. He'd be like, yeah, yeah, yeah,
(22:44):
all right, go get go over there and get that
clean that all right.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Now.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
He's like I wish I could. I wish I could
bump into him, like you know what I'm saying, like
that was a long time ago. Did quid knocks they had,
They was paying me on get over there too. I
got a few I worked there a few checks, and
then I think I got a show. I think I
got like an offer to do like a Webster Hall
Best so Bes or something. But it was like a
like a Who's Next type of show case. And from
(23:11):
that that day on, I see I ain't going back
to work. I think this rap s might. I think
That's what I'm about to do. I got a show,
let me do this and I quit.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Now, what do you think is one of the biggest
myths about being a celebrity, Like what is the total
lie when it comes to like you as an artist,
we're not normal people.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
We're like, uh, something that should be like praised, or
like I don't think no human beings should be praised.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Or I yeah, I don't.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
I mean, it's dope to be motivated by somebody, it's
dope to be inspired by somebody, But.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Is it kind of like a turn off, like when
people be like, yo, I idolize you, I'm obsessed with you.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Not even that. I think it's more like what I
don't be liking is like, oh you you're doing that
because you you're you're a rap. That that's some rap,
you know what I mean? Like what, I'm a normal person,
Like everybody got to save twenty four hours. Nobody was born,
I mean unless you was born a celebrities. Some people
was born, Oh you get what I'm saying. As soon
(24:10):
as they come out the womb, they camp they famous,
you know what I mean? But anybody had to work
and didn't reach any type of fame until their twenties
or their thirties. I mean, like it's normal people that
just had a goal that they stuck to, like you
know what I'm saying, and it worked out.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Focus and consistency. That's the only shit making. Do you
feel like rappers really have the hardest job, as your
boy Jim Jones put out there.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
In a way, it depends on the type of rapper
you are. It depends on your crowd. I think all
that plays apart because you got some rappers that they
ain't gonna ever have no problems or run into no
problems just because of the type of music they make
or the crowd that they create. It it's not gonna
be a it's not a negative space him He's Yeah,
(25:02):
I'm a fan of Tyler.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Tyler when you say, like the environment they create, you know,
I think you know Flowers, So you.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Think you're not thinking uh, drama or negativity with his music,
like you know what I'm saying, So that I think
that plays a part. It's dangerous. I think it's a
very dangerous job. If that's if that's the type of
music you make, or if that's the crowd you surround
yourself with, or if that's the spaces you in Yeah, real,
real dangerous because I feel like everybody think they could
(25:29):
do it for one people. I feel like a lot
of people feel like they could just wake up and
wrap you know what I'm saying, because it does seem
that easy, you know what I mean. I'm not I
don't knock that, but it do take work, you know
what I mean, even if it's if it seemed that way,
it does actually take work. And I think that part
of it gets taken for granted. It's craft, you know
what I mean. When you because you're in the club
(25:50):
bumping shoulders with you know what I mean. So I
feel like that part of it gets taken for granted,
that you're actually working and it's actually is a job,
like you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
I feel like you're always outside me outside of How
safe do you feel like as a celebrity. You know
a lot of celebrities, you don't see them, they're not
in the street, you can't bump into them. How safe
do you feel like in Harlem? You feel like the
love is real, Like you don't feel like your life
can be you know, takes.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
I take everything with a you know what I mean,
Like I was just raised like that I feel like
a lot of artists probably wasn't in the street before
before fame, you know what I'm saying, Like I really
didn't change my mind, you know what I mean. I'm
more I'm more conscious now of knowing who I am,
type of call man, what I got on I get
(26:38):
all of that. But now I feel like you can
never be too on point, you get what I'm saying,
because it could come. It could come in the form
of love. But yeah, I was just always to keep
your eyes open, man, keep your head on the swivel,
you know what I mean. Don't really trust. Don't trust.
You get what I'm saying. I feel that that's my
whole thing. If it's my time or it's if I'm
(27:00):
in that wrong place, wrong time, then I guess that's
what that was. That was for me. But I don't
I don't try to put myself in the predicaments or
if I feel like you know, I go with my gut,
you know what I mean, a lot of times, if
I feel something funny or if I see somebody moving funny,
I'll react to it. I can get up out of here,
I'll put somebody on you see. I mean, like I'm
just I try to watch. I try to watch my
(27:22):
surroundings all the time, like you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Or now you're a man of God religious? How did
you find religious? Right?
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Yeah, your father was Muslim? Or did you find this
on your own?
Speaker 1 (27:35):
My father wasn't. I was born Catholic. I did catechids along,
went to Catholic school. I did all of that as
a kid with me, uh, I was. I was around
a lot of guys like my big bro Bully, his
family is Muslim. When I was down there. I was
in Baltimore for a while, so a lot of people
I was around were born Muslim, you know what I mean.
(27:58):
And I would be around them and just you know
what I mean, just the discipline they had, the habits,
just you know what I mean. I was kind of
moved by that in my later teens and going back
to the when I was when I was in a
little trouble, I'm gonna just leave it, you know what
I mean, A little troubl uh young is that the
(28:20):
brothers in there? You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Like, how did.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
You I was watching them pray, you know what I mean.
I would I would watch the I would just watch
the man rhythms and just how they how they carried
their day. And I asked the brother about it, you
know what I mean. He taught me what he could,
what he what he knew about it, and I was just,
I don't know. It caught me, honestly, I'm I'm gonna
just keep it really caught me. It was something I
(28:43):
was interested in, something I wanted to read more on.
And then when I when I came back from vacation,
I got it with my initial manager. Ain't no shousta,
ain't no, he's Muslim, and he took me to take
my shaha in the Bronx. And from from then on,
you know what I mean, I feel like I don't know,
(29:03):
I feel like I was enlightened on my on my
own terms with that, you know what I mean. It
wasn't nothing that nobody forced on me.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Is it something you practice at home? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Yeah, But it wasn't nothing that that was forced on
me or somebody made me, do you know what I mean?
It was it was a decision I made on my own.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
Malcolm X. Is he one of your role models?
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Malcolm? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (29:24):
What's the connection there? What do you what do you
see in Malcolm.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
It was just rebellious. I've been a rebellious person my
whole life, you know what I'm saying, Like I always
want always they everybody going right, let's go left, Like
I always been like that. But yeah, and you know
he passed way before I was even born. But just
the documentation that's out on him, Yeah, he definitely inspired me,
(29:47):
you know what I mean. It's just his his his
his will, that staying on what he believed in. Like
I feel like a lot of people believe in stuff,
but they gonna whisper it, you know what I mean,
or they going microphon, you know what I mean, Like
he's he didn't. He was to die behind how you felt.
I think that's people like that don't even probably exist
like that.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
You know what I mean this word you know, and
you know he stood up for his people and he said,
you're regardless of how my life ends, I did what
was right right And it was a time when we
needed people like Max. You It's like, yeah, you know
the Civil rights you know movement had a lot of people,
but he was just on a whole other level. It
was just like this is not about me, This is
about everybody else.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
That's but that's the ones they killed him. I feel
like them type of people come come, they come and go.
They time on earth be real short. But but but
then but they legacy be forever, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Like word, no, method man, how did you end up playing?
You did an amazing job than you. I watched it
(31:01):
through and through and I was like, Yo, they did
good casting here. Did you go to regular casting or
did somebody say, oh, Davies has got to play method man?
How did that get?
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Nah? Shouts my bro set Free first and foremost. He
linked me with Chris Robinson heavyweight, you know what I mean,
said he's a jay if you know, you know, like
you know what I mean, He's a giant in this
in this culture. But shouts to Chris Robinson and set Free.
I did a movie called Beats with Chris Robinson. We
filmed it in Chicago. That was my first movie, you
(31:32):
know what I mean. I was like, well, this is fire.
I enjoyed. I was with Anthony anderson Is to start
that movie. So he's a legend, you know what I mean.
He's in a lot of my favorite movies. So to
be on the set with him, it kind of made
it easier for me for my first you know what
I mean, time on the camera like that. So from
that film Chris Robinson, after that came out, I think
it's still on Netflix. Go check that out if you
(31:53):
ain't seen nothing. But I think after that came out,
Chris Robinson reached out and was like, Yo, we're working
on him on a wu tang. I think it was.
I think he said a movie at first. I don't
know if he said a series whatever, it was a
series or movie said and he was like would you
would you play method man? He just asked me that.
I'm like, hell, yeah, I play Myth. That's that's like
(32:14):
one of my idols, Like I grew up on Myth.
He was like, all, I'm gonna get back to you,
like you know what I'm saying. The next call was like, Yo,
you gotta go audition. I still had to do the
official audition and all that. I think auditioned twice for that.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
One time they had to get me on camera and
then I had to do one more audition and then
the next thing I seen it was on the credits.
Uh the blog. The blog. That's how I found out
about it.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
Oh, you found out along with the rest of the world.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
And you got the part on the blog I seen
if somebody sent it to me. It was a picture
of me and Myth and it was.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Like Davi's cast it for.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
And I said, oh, then my people hit me like
yo whatever. So that was super super super dope. And
then I spoke with Myth and meth really you know
what I mean, gave me his blessings on the road
before I started filming, So that was dope to get
to talk with him.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
At the extent of your connection with Metho man, or
did you have to like study him for the part
or how did that work out?
Speaker 1 (33:05):
Well, I didn't really have to study math like honestly.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Because you're playing a living person.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
Yeah, that's what made it tricky. A lot of times
people play people that passed on, so they really can't
that person can't tell you like, nah, you messed up.
That ain't hot with a.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
Bed, like you know what I mean, And you want
to make him proud to you don't want him to
be like what the fuck is this?
Speaker 1 (33:22):
He that was? That was I grew up the meth
so I knew all them songs well, the music obviously,
I knew that part of it. That was like, oh,
I know that song, like it would be in the script.
I'll be reading it like I know this. You would
just alady like you feel me. What I had to
study was like his Mann rhythms, So I would go
on YouTube and just find like mad Old interviews.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
That's that's what you study on your own.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Yeah, I was sitting watch his interviews how you would
answer questions, and then I would watch that and I
would watch his performances because Meth was full of energy,
like all over the stage. So I had to really
that was the two things. I was like, if I
could capture both of them, like it's just his manner hisms,
how he was talking and when it comes time and
that's performing. If I could get that off, I'm gonna
(34:07):
nail it, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
You know it was a lot of a lot of members.
But I remember when I first started watching, I was like,
I know, Davies's methem man like because I kept saying,
like the first few episodes, I'm like, who's who, Who's who?
Speaker 1 (34:17):
Oh yeah, because the way it started it was.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Like it was just so confusing, But you were the
only human that I knew who you were the whole
time when I first started watching that. Now you play
method man. I have this one plan. She loves metha man,
she loves Davies. I'm like, what are the odds that
you would get to play like this rapper that like
every female wanted, and then you turned out to be
also this rapper that like life.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
Is crazy, A lot of females want life is crazy.
That was Fire or Mephis like Memphis Dope Man, like
you know what I mean, Like I love him, Memphis
super Dope, Memphis somebody I could call whenever, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Like yeah, and I love the acting for him.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
It's like it was like he shifted it like he
Mephis somebody that even from belly, like from way back,
but he's somebody that showed me early on, Like yo,
you can take this rap and jump into that world,
like you know what I'm saying, Like it might be
a little easier coming from the rap going into that
world than it would have been just trying to be
an actor without, you know what I mean, Like I
(35:16):
feel like that, Like that's why when I'm on them
sets and when I'm on I get a script or whatever.
I really try to block my wrapping out of it
because I feel like I feel like you could people
that straight actors that only then did that. You get
what I'm saying. They can look at you like you
here because of the yeah popular with the rap. You
(35:37):
don't I mean, you don't do this.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
You didn't go to Julliard like me, you know what
I mean.
Speaker 1 (35:40):
So I really like h like to take that that
part of it serious, Like you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Is modeling in the cards for you?
Speaker 1 (35:48):
I feel like, yeah, I should be, I should be.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
You've done modeling, right.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
Yeah, I've done I've done Yeah, hearing like sporadically like now,
it hasn't been like a I'm not like a model
like you know what I'm saying. But I've done different
shoots and walks and different different brands and different fashion
weeks up you know what I mean. But I think
I want to get more into that a little more
(36:13):
moving forward. I feel like, you know what I mean,
I'm getting a little older.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
I feel like you're still young.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
Do one model thing now or now?
Speaker 2 (36:21):
How do you feel about being you know, the pretty
boy the sex and then well the women think you're pretty.
I think you're type ugly, but whatever it is, what
it is, I'm just walking with you. Does it is
it annoying? Like the females like you know, like the
post and like everybody, like all the females thirst and
like yah you did. Because I read comments, I go
through them, I'm like, Jesus Christ, this man. Do you
(36:44):
like it? Do you welcome it? Or is it unwanted attention?
Speaker 1 (36:46):
And my pops had the funniest convo. We said, Yo,
life is a lot easier when you when you, when you,
when you're a little better.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Listen, listen, pretty, privilege is a fucking thing.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Okay, say life is a little I mean life a
little smooth. You mean, you're little attractive. But I don't know.
I don't bother me.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
It don't bother you because I know some people wight
be like, oh my god. It's just like the females.
They're right, they're pretty respectful. When they see you out,
they try to some of them. I can imagine a
lot of them must try it. How's your d MS?
Speaker 1 (37:16):
They Okay, I don't really. The internet is a tricky pace.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
It's a very tricky place. But I can see regular
as like oh, and today I'm gonna wake up in
d M dav since he what's up? What's he? What's
the vibes? He might fall for it.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
That's that's two. That's a. That's the land of the unknown,
land of the loss.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Okay, let's pivot fitness. Why is fitness so important to you?
Is it because of the way it makes you feel
or the way it makes you look?
Speaker 1 (37:41):
Both? I feel like men and women. I feel like
when you've been in that gym, you feel better, for sure.
But you like how your clothes, you know what I mean.
Like you like how your t shirt or you like
whatever you got going on, like you feel me, I
feel like you like seeing you know, you work it.
I feel like it's with anything, you working at something
(38:02):
and seeing the results, you know what I mean. So
I feel like with fitness, like I told you, I
played ball all my life coming in so I'm I'm
an athlete anyway, Like before rap anything was doing what
it did for me, I was an athlete. I was
in the gym, I would go run, I did all
of that. So I just feel like that's a part
of life. I feel like everybody should should implement that
(38:26):
in their life. Some some kind of way, you know
what I'm saying, Because movement is just good for you, you
know what I mean. If you're sitting around, you ain't
really you know what I mean. That's that's how I
feel like a lot of health problems, especially as you
get older. But I feel like a lot of health
problems just come from people not moving, you know what
I mean, or not. You tell me if you're not,
if you're sitting around. I feel like a lot of
(38:47):
that hard disease and that diabetes, all that, all them
them different. I feel like that come from I mean
not saying it all comes from that. But I think
a lot of times we're just working out is better
than most medicines, you know, I mean, just if you
get a real consistent, scheduled worker. I see people in
the gym, I know they eighty years old. They gotta
be you know what I'm saying. Old old people in
(39:09):
the in there got more energy got I mean, than
a younger person. So it's like it's up to the
life you choose to live. Some people don't don't, don't
care if they're gonna be here that long. I got kids,
and I want to be here if I didn't have kids.
I still want to be here. So I feel like
that just prolongs your life, you know what I'm saying.
Working out, I think they put years on your life.
Speaker 2 (39:30):
What's twenty twenty five going to be like for you?
Is there something.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
Already I started? We already were here, already not about
to go back on tour. You're going mid April to
the top of June to you all of us for
like a month and a half hit the road.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
Yeah, the girls get to stay home where they get
to come with you?
Speaker 1 (39:48):
They have school, right, Yeah, they in school.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
Are they going to miss you?
Speaker 1 (39:51):
Yeah? But I set it up. But this is maybe
my fourth or fifth tour, I think, maybe more. But
I think this is my tilent, my own like headline
in the whole tour, like fourth and fifth tour, and
I put them them them day offs in this one,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (40:07):
I kind of so that you can come back home,
I can slag.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
I mean, just so it's not as I'm not as
going for so long, like you know what I mean,
I haven't done done that in a while.
Speaker 2 (40:16):
So we're doing the tour tour. You said you have
two projects in the world.
Speaker 1 (40:19):
I got more than that, But that's that's about to
come out recent like real soon.
Speaker 2 (40:24):
How many projects do you want to put out in
one year?
Speaker 1 (40:26):
I'm gonna keep dropping. Man, I'm on a I'm on
my on my tupac right now, like put music out
because like I always felt like this, like the type
of listener I am when I listen to music you
feel me, I'll be wanting more. Like if I'm a
fan of of of whoever it is, I'll play that
for me. I have a long I'll play that, But
then I'll be wanting more music. I want more music,
(40:46):
you know what I mean. So I'll be doing that
more for me and the people that really listen to me,
you know what I mean. Like that's really fans of
what I've been doing. So I just like to put
out different sounds. I'll be having different topics. I'm working
with different producers, you know what I mean. So all
of that becomes four or five most like different tapes
just in the midst of me working. But I love it.
(41:06):
I just like staying active, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Like the fan if you could give me three words
to describe who is the Davies fan.
Speaker 1 (41:14):
Davis fan is it a.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
Males, is it females? Is it New Yorkers? Is it
people in Japan? Just give me three words that you
feel like is your core audience and your followers?
Speaker 1 (41:24):
Mm hmmm mm hmm my core followers. Three words. Definitely women, Definitely,
definitely men both.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
Okay, so just people in general.
Speaker 1 (41:35):
People. Yeah, I would say people I don't know, no aliens,
they're out there.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
They might have your albums in malls, don't play.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
I don't know. I think they're around for sure, though,
let me think I would. I would say anybody that
been through, been through just real life like just I
mean when life hit, I mean if you if uh,
I mean you got your your best friend passed on you,
or your or your your men, your your your your
(42:08):
lady left for you, or just real life ship. I
feel like I speak for that, like I speak for
people that it's coming from somewhere, trying to get somewhere,
like you know what I mean, from from from the bottom,
trying to get to the top, like you know what
I mean. I feel like that's that's vague, but I
feel like I speak for those like that that they
just gonna get knocked down and stay down. You know
(42:29):
what I mean, Like that's gonna get back up and
try to figure it out. I feel like I speak
for them, whether it's male female, you know what I mean. Ship, Yeah,
don't those that don't let life I mean, beat them down,
like you know what I'm saying, you gotta fight you back.
Speaker 2 (42:44):
I feel like I speak for them. No, it's this,
you know, from day one, you've always been about the lyricism,
(43:04):
the bars, the craft. You haven't waivered. You ain't become gimmicky,
you ain't switch up, you ain't try to do what
other people were doing. How hard is that as far
as like looking around and you know, just walking your
own walk and be like this is what David is.
This is the essence of who I am versus you know,
the way things have changed with TikTok, with social media,
(43:25):
Like how do you stay grounded? How you be like
this is me and this is gonna be me.
Speaker 1 (43:30):
Uh. I don't really get caught up in like fads
and whatever, like you know what I mean, like what's
trendy for the moment, because I feel like the lyricism,
all that type. I feel like everything you just name,
I've watched that with my own two eyes, like with
staying to test the time, you know what I mean,
Like whether you still put on Biggie music today or
(43:52):
if you still put on jay Z music or you
put on Nas music from the nineties. You could put
that music on right now and get what I'm staying like,
and it's still cut. It's still cut right through all
of the gimmicks, all of the you know what I mean.
So I said, before I become a gimmicky guy, or
you know what I mean, or start trying to do
what everybody doing, let me do me. Let me keep
(44:13):
my same guys around me. You know what I'm saying,
Like that, know me, know the clause I'm from, and
let me just stay on that, like you know what
I mean. Whether it's whether they say I sound like
I sound like the nineties or I SAYD like I
don't heard everything, But that's that's the That's the music
I love. So that's the music I'm gonna make now.
(44:33):
I'm not against trying other music or doing this feature
or that future or this type of beat. I'm never
against that. But I have a brand and authenticity to
me that I got to just stay with that. I
can't really, I think if I did that, it would
take from me being me.
Speaker 2 (44:51):
And you know what, I respect that, and you know,
I thank you because when we talk about New York
and they talk about New York fellow off and this
and that, I'm like, nah, do you see what Davies does?
Do you see the level you know of lyricism that
this man puts out? But we need that, We need solid,
you know, boots on the ground type rappers. And I
feel like when we make those lists of who still
got bars, who's still doing real rap, You're on that list.
Speaker 1 (45:14):
Thank you, man. I appreciate it. I take my my
my craft. You know. I like to write or I write,
you know what I mean. So I think that's something
that is a talent in itself, just writing. But yeah,
I think it came from New York. I don't care
what nobody say. It definitely moved around, but it can't.
(45:34):
That's where it came from. So it can't. You can't.
We can't lose that sound totally. Like you know what
I'm saying, I don't. I don't mind this one singing
or that one doing it like that's dope because it's
a new game. It's it's there's always gonna be a
younger man game. It's always gonna be for the youth
or what's coming next. I never knocked that, But we
gotta have some type of feeling of you know what
(45:56):
I mean something.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
It's gotta feel gritty, it's got to feel New York.
Speaker 1 (46:00):
Part of it can't be deleted ever, you know what
I mean, Like, we gotta sprinkle that somewhere. It gotta
be sprinkled in there somewhere. So I feel like if
I'm one of those that people, I mean they feel
like I'm one of those that do that, I'm gonna
stay on that.
Speaker 2 (46:13):
Or Latinos and hip hop, It's a topic that comes
up all the time, right you know what I'm saying.
What's your take on it? Did you feel like when
you were pushing yourself out as an artist, did you
feel like you wanted to maybe, you know, just push
your Latino side, like a little to the side, because
maybe it wouldn't be as well received if you weren't one.
Speaker 1 (46:35):
Nah, I don't think. I don't think nothing is one
hundred percent black, you know, I mean, I think everything
gotta a little cut to it, a little something. You
gotta check that, check that what's that family that that
that lineage shit.
Speaker 2 (46:48):
The twenty three meters, it's.
Speaker 1 (46:49):
A cut somewhere, you know what I mean? And I
feel like, uh, I think that Latin like I grew
up Latinos and blacks his hand in hand like it
never was.
Speaker 2 (46:59):
No, but it's conversation, you know.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
I mean, it never was like it was a split
or I mean you always knew of certain ship, like
you know what I mean. Whatever, But that's what everybody like.
That's not that I don't think that's just a black
Latino thing. I think that's everybody think. But nah, I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (47:16):
You were super forward, like why.
Speaker 1 (47:18):
Not look at Pun? Look at God bless to day.
It's people like Pun. It was just like fire Man,
you gotta you gotta just pump who you are a
pump Barbados a pump, Dyall a pump creole. Everything that
made me a pump.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
It so you're always super proud of, you know, every
aspect of you.
Speaker 1 (47:34):
I don't think that's a I don't think that's something
that could be used against you. I don't think that's
something that that boxes you out. I think it's you
know what I mean, I think it's dope. I think
it's flavor. That's how I look at it, a little,
a little flavor.
Speaker 2 (47:47):
Now, what do you feel about currently the amount of
Latinos that are allowed, you know, in rap or to
become just megastars? Do you feel like dope? Do you
feel like you know we are where we need to be?
Speaker 1 (47:58):
I think so for sure. Think it's it's definitely they
go hand in hand with hip hop. You got whole
reggae tone albums and you got these artists that's doing
collapse with with rappers, you know what I mean. I
feel like it's definitely like at the forefront, you know,
as far as the.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
Sound, I feel like we're all one, but there is
you know, the conversation and you know it's like I
feel like I wonder when Dave came out, like if
he was really like fourth right like you, I'm Dominican too,
you know what I'm saying, Like.
Speaker 1 (48:24):
That ain't nothing to why why shout away from it?
If it's gonna come out, it happens, you know what
I mean? And they be like, well, you ain't saying
that at all?
Speaker 2 (48:32):
Come on, why the Dominicans and we come hard? They
don't want to wrap that flag.
Speaker 1 (48:37):
I wrap all of what made me. I feel like
that's my you know, that's my my heritage, my roots,
my my family. So at the end of the day,
I got a rapper. Yeah they mother is Puerto Rican.
Speaker 2 (48:49):
So yeah, you like problems.
Speaker 1 (48:54):
Just joking? Yeah, good hair, but nah they Yeah. I
feel like that ain't That's something that should never be
look frowned upon or nothing like that. Like you know
what I mean, wave that wave that fire.
Speaker 2 (49:08):
I enjoyed our conversation. I feel like I need to
know you so much more.
Speaker 1 (49:11):
Me too.
Speaker 2 (49:12):
This was Come Again.
Speaker 1 (49:14):
Thank you, Mama.
Speaker 2 (49:16):
Gassians Come Again is a production of Honey German Productions
in partnership with Iheart's Mike When through That podcast network.
Speaker 1 (49:22):
H
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