Host Michael Reyes speaks on the Bangladesh revolt and invites musical artist Navi & producer Melks to the show to perform, play their tracks, and discuss their musical background & journey, their process of producing together, their new album, & more.
WBCA Podcasts
The Tape Deck Hour
"The movement we've witnessed in Bangladesh over the past month is being called the first revolution led by Gen Z. We've seen a mass uprising by Judith Obama there who are angry over a haunted job system but has transformed it as something that is about justice and fighting corruption in Bangladesh." After weeks of protest, more than 300 people have been killed. So the students in Bangladesh came out to protest because of a system which allocates government jobs based on certain quotas and a large proportion of that went to the families of freedom fighters. So the freedom fighters are people who fought against Pakistan for independence in 1971. Now in Bangladesh for students who worked really quite hard to get their degrees and hopefully build a career, it felt really unfair. The government has tried to contain it at every stage by arresting the student leaders, attacking them, by killing them. The images have got out there and they've governed us the population. When the Supreme Court overturned the quota, the protests could have stopped there. Our people kept going because they wanted justice for those who had been killed in their first weeks. Over time, there was like a kind of greater mobilisation to the point that a month after the protest started, people were storming the residents of the Prime Minister who had escaped in a helicopter. Sheikh Sinha was the longest serving female Prime Minister in the world. She'd been in power since 2009 and had also been Prime Minister in the '90s. Sheikh Hasina's rule over the last 15 years in particular has been associated with corruption and repression. Not long after Sheikh Hasina left, thousands of anti-government protests to have stormed her official residence, he ran all through the grounds, through the house. The whole place was overrun. It was just like an outpouring of emotion and I think for a lot of people, it was kind of like, wow, they struggled, you saw all of this wealth on the show and kind of really surreal pictures. Like, there was a video on people just eating the food that had been left in the kitchen. People sent me videos from where they were, everyone was kind of industry partying, jumping up on wherever they could hang Bangladeshi flags, there were all these chants of freedom. They've nominated Muhammad Yunus to be the head of the interim government. So, Muhammad Yunus is a really quite well-loved figure in Bangladesh and respected on the international stage. He's an Nobel Peace Prize winner. He's not associated to any of the political parties. People hope that he will be the first step in a break from the old political system. What's going on, you're a boy Cuban Mike, you listen to one of 2.9 tape deck, and that long clip that you just heard, it was a clip from a situation that happened in Bangladesh over the week on Monday, the prime minister from Bangladesh fled the country. After 15 years of Bangladesh being a dictatorship, which I knew nothing about, the streets took over, they protest, and they demanded this dictator left. She fled out of the country, and for the most part, Bangladesh is free, they're still going to some trials and tribulations, but I say it as I say this, because I'm a Cuban American, I always bring awareness of what goes on in my little island I've never been visit yet. And with the situation I brought last week of Venezuela, you know, when you have to deal with dictatorship, it's not a situation that you've got to vote them out. You've got to pretty much try to wait to get rid of them, and sometimes you've got to take extreme measures, and the people of the Bangladesh did that, to protest and unfortunately violence had to take place for that person to leave, you know, they left, you know, so I say this, say this, congratulations to Bangladesh, to the people in Venezuela, we stay with you, and Cuba will still with you, but please take notes, and you know, our time is coming soon, coming soon, coming soon, and you know, we'll do what we gotta do to get that freedom. So shout out to Bangladesh, press the Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba, and we stand with y'all. This your boy Cuban Mike, you listen to one of 2.9 tape deck, and now that I got my political thing off the way, we're going to talk about what I like to talk about the most, hip hop. And today in the building, I got two talents and brothers. Last month, I believe it was last month, you guys had a release party. Yep, yep. Yeah, yeah. I got invited to the release party, I was able to hear the album, definitely a banger. You know, I was able to build with these young, well, build with one of them, because the other one, the producer, the man behind the boards, I knew his name says forever, and you know, just off the strength, I've seen him grind. I'm so proud of his accomplishments, and I'm glad that he's grinded it out. You know, he had a dream, and he's still striving to make things happen. And he got an incredible artist here, he gets busy with the bars. One of the dope things I saw when I went to the event, he had his mom, Dukes in the building. Shout out to moms, man, because one of the things that's dope, man, when your family support your dreams, and they recognize you got that talent, and they support you at any cost, man. That's dope. And, you know, shout out to any parent there that support their kids on whatever dream they want to achieve with us musically, art, whatever the case they want to do, man, you know, support your kids, because you never know what could happen out of that situation, man, but they came all the way through from 9/7/8 Lawrence, putting it down for Lawtown, and, you know, we're going to chop up some good game, and, you know, they're going to get busy, well, he going to get busy later on and rocking on the mic, and yeah, maybe we're about to do this, man. Ladies and gentlemen, I got an obvious mix. What's going on, y'all? Let's go. What's going on? How was the traffic? Off to the wee spots, man. He's from New England. You know what it is, man. You know what it is, man. He ain't got to explain it. Yeah, man. But no, man. Like an hour. Yeah, man. I know that writer's rough, man. I know personally, so, you know, take off a couple through, man. So yeah, man, this album, and tell me what it's about, and, you know, how this album came together. Do you want me to go? All right. So this album, Open Canvas, this masterpiece, I'm going to call it. It honestly came about, honestly, last year, towards the end of last year, and it's also due by just meeting milks, the great, you know what I'm saying? We came together when I pulled up to the nowhere studios, shout out to them, man. I'm doing around the summertime, like last year. Actually, this month makes a year. Yeah, around, man. Yeah, makes a month. That's crazy. Oh, yeah. And, you know, walking in the studio, meeting up an SK shout out to him, and seeing milks too, in the back, too, in the backseat, just going off with production too, with the machine, just going through the sounds that's here when he got, and I see when we started wrapping over one of them, it's just been history after that, just locking in, you know, a couple of days in, going over it, and honestly, that's just how the gem came about. Yeah. What's a pretty flawless process, I'd say, just because we figured early on that we had really good chemistry, so, I mean, and that's the most important part, right, when you have two people that are collaborating, it's the fact that, you know, he understands my sound and I understand his approach, so it was really easy, honestly. So. No doubt. And two part question, how long did it took to make this album, and was it like a, you know, fast and gold, meaning like, you know, you guys are really quick with it, because you guys had that chemistry, oh, it was like, you know, the Dr. Draisen, the meaning I took my time until I perfect everything that I had to do, make sure the vocals are right, make sure the kick, the drum, the snare was perfect, or it was like, you know, here's the beat, I'm ready to go, boom, boom, boom, boom. I mean, honestly, it definitely was not the Dr. Draven approach, but damn sure. I mean, since we met, it's in doing the project, it's been literally a year this month, so. I'm of a belief that, you know, we're creating all this music to put it out, you know what I mean, so, and I feel it's important that whatever we put out is going to tell a story, right? Like, you're, people are going to get to experience, like, as you listen to this project, you're going to get to experience the growth, because the first track on the album was literally the first one that we did. And the last one is the very last thing we did. So, and, you know, it's going to be one of those things that when you listen to the next project that we do, you're going to be able to see the stages, right? Like, where we were with the first project and where we are now today, so, so, yeah. My bad. What was the second question? Like, how long did it take pretty much to make the album and when in the process, where it was like quick with it, always like, y'all took your time. So, how long was it? Oh, yeah. I mean, that it was probably a month, month and a half, like the actual production and writing the lyrics. Yeah. So, I mean, honestly, and a lot of people don't, don't really, because a lot of people are not exposed to the behind the scenes, but the, the creating, it's really the easy part. It's putting everything else together that, that takes, you know, the longest, so. Yeah. You know, it's dope, man, because it's rare, especially living in mass, that you don't get, like, a producer in an MC, and I don't mean like a group like Gangstar, or P Rock or Seal Smooth. I'm trying to give, like, the collab or, like, how DJ Premier did voice with a prime album, or even with 9th Wonder and MERS, or even right now with Killer Mike, and, and why I'm drawing the blank now. Killer Mike and, um. Take one? I said, no, no, one. No, not get one. Oh, my God. I'm drawing the blank. Yeah. So. Now, I got to go look for it. I mean, it's from atmosphere. Why I'm drawing the blank and homeboy's name now. Killer Mike and, um, oh, he was going to grab me for this. Run the juice. Oh, okay. Okay. Uh, uh, uh, yeah, the hip-hop community is going to kill me for this one because I shouldn't let the producer's name. Oh, sorry, guys. But yeah, man, it's dope to see that y'all are able to collab like that. And hopefully this will be the last one. I hope I can get a series out of this because I heard the album, and I could definitely hear the chemistry there. So hopefully it won't be the last one. But, um, Navi, um, question, man, um, behind the scenes, we'll talk it, but I would like just tell my audience, man, how long you been rapping for? I've been rapping for four years now. Yeah. That'd be five. In November. Okay, bet. And what got you to rapping? Who was your inspiration? Honestly, well, it got me to rapping. I just love hearing how someone can, can create something out of nothing with the own words, like just going through situations, experiences and just being able to just build words around sounds and just, just once again, like it's from nothing and you're able to make that piece something that people can relate to. Yeah. And, uh, my inspirations, honestly, for me is, uh, J. Cole, Davey's, um, I do, I do have a bunch of producers involved too. Yeah. - Um, shout out to Metro Booming, man. I rock with his stuff too. - Yeah. - Shout out to Elman's fire. - Elman's knife. - Elman's fire. - Yeah. - You know what I'm saying? There's a lot of names that I can feel in that spot, man. - So with that being said, I mean, it's been four years, like pretty much like why even bother rapping because everybody in the game, we got like a million-in-one rappers here in the world. Like it's getting to a point in the end of the room right now. If we were to like have a thing like back in the day, it was like gatekeepers not because of the internet. Everybody in the environment wants to be a rapper. - So, um, I don't see with that. I don't really put myself in the category of like, why I just rap? 'Cause I don't feel like I'm rapping. I just feel as though I'm just trying to speak to the people. I, you know, I feel as though if I got something to talk about and that could reach to the masses and so be it, I don't care about being labeled as this, or that it's not what I do it for, you know what I'm saying? So, you can, you know, all that room, make room, all that, that don't matter to me. I'm, I know what I'm doing this for. And if people gonna rock with it, that's cool. If not, that's fine too. You gonna find your room somewhere else. - Bye. I hear that. I hear that. No doubt. And Melz, man, I can use this forever. And I feel like like an open book. But you know what? I never got into like, why the hell you wanna make? Now I don't say make these guys and then so produce. Be a producer, why? What the heck got you to do with that? And who was your inspirations? - Oh, man. Sounds like a two-part question. - Yes it is. You know what I said? I'm dealing with a dynamic duo. Both your getting two-part questions. - Yeah. How'd I get into producing? Well, a couple of homies back in the day wanted to start a group, both rappers. They asked, what do you wanna do? And with no prior experience at all, I said, you know what, I'll make beats. That's it, pretty much, honestly. And it was one of those things where it's like, you know, you're young, you're kinda trying to figure yourself out. And once I got involved in that world, I just never looked back, honestly. So it's like, you know, a happy accident that I happen to find my passion in that way, so. - Okay. - Oh, actually, Just Blaze. Ah, I gotta start with the legend, Just Blaze. - Hi. - Neptune's, Timbo, and not so much back then, but more recently, Alchemist. - Oh, okay. All right. Rockin' D&D with the Alchemist. - Yeah. - Bad, bad, bad. All right, man, check it, man. We're gonna go through one of your joints right now. After we're through with this joint, I wanna like, decorate it and see what's behind the force of doing this joint, 'cause that's what I do when I get the show going. When I got this show going, I get these singles out. I put 'em out, then I just pretty much break it down how the song came about and all that stuff. So can we do that? - Yes, sir. - All right, bet. This your boy, keep it mike. Let's do one of 2.9 tape deck. And we got Navi and Meltz in the building. And we're gonna go with this joint here, me against the world. So let's rock it out, y'all. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) ♪ Take control when I'm coping ♪ ♪ This ass is taking over the time receiving hope ♪ ♪ They told me he'd hijack ♪ ♪ Until the hand was joking ♪ ♪ A bunch of friends thought he was cool ♪ ♪ Tell them no one used a puff faker ♪ ♪ Trying to stack the paper don't even trace ♪ ♪ Painting full, making it happen ♪ ♪ It got me talking age ♪ ♪ Dialing nothing we working for ♪ ♪ All the border plays, you monsters ♪ ♪ In the scramble we running rusty your manes ♪ ♪ Cockmalls with the cuzzles ♪ ♪ Lick the cups on the rumble ♪ ♪ Think you see the one to be for the queen ♪ ♪ But see the bumble ♪ ♪ I walk inside that building with pride ♪ ♪ I'll never crumble ♪ ♪ And just to make it out of the light ♪ ♪ You take the tunnel ♪ ♪ Cold wigs of zig and zig and zig and before the nog ♪ ♪ You couldn't see it coming until they swiping the fog ♪ ♪ You following in the rules I made a crack in my lawn ♪ ♪ I got one piece that we're through ♪ ♪ Having no flaw, huh ♪ ♪ 24 still going try to make it showin' them what I want to get ♪ ♪ Why'd you go fill my name sorry ♪ ♪ Started in my bedroom eventually get to tour it ♪ ♪ Traveling around wherever we spend the world ♪ ♪ Yeah we glovin' when you get started at first ♪ ♪ They never noticed ♪ ♪ So's the one given the mic the king has spoken ♪ ♪ Lutured before the cheese is a truth token ♪ ♪ Final valley warriors born it was never broken ♪ ♪ Ah, what's a light livin' in paradise ♪ ♪ I let it to my future self ♪ ♪ Open this set of eyes to see the signs ♪ ♪ Ain't got plenty but I'm makin' up to get me outta this hump ♪ ♪ Oh good family you can see I build it up ♪ ♪ Coppin' land is the motive I had ♪ ♪ Heard it in the chorus that's the time I been on this year ♪ ♪ Look around I think you're sick and chatter for fair ♪ ♪ Talk through it walk through it get yourself back and get ♪ ♪ Where's the point of you tryin' if you go quick ♪ ♪ Stacking up their patience and time and it's all it is ♪ ♪ Sometimes you gotta pillow off to get a split ♪ ♪ Don't be so quick the rest in the moments of television ♪ ♪ And try to tell you what's up know what it is ♪ ♪ Quick and guard no slack in the back it's about a grip ♪ ♪ Life is comin' stick but today we fight to live ♪ ♪ We ain't built the same comparison can't give ♪ ♪ Life is comin' twenty-four still goin' tryin' to make it showin' them ♪ ♪ The hint don't wanna watch you go fill my name sorry ♪ ♪ Started it in my bedroom eventually get to tour it ♪ ♪ Travelin' around whatever we spend the world young and blovin' ♪ ♪ When you get started at first they never notice it ♪ ♪ So's the one given the mic the king is spoken ♪ ♪ New took before the season true token ♪ ♪ Final valley warrior's party was never broken ♪ ♪ We got a broken world in our world ♪ - Yeah, it's your boy, keeping Mike in listenin' 102.9 tape deck. And that was "Me Against the World" by Navi and Milks. Just so the cold, man, how that track came together, y'all? - You goin'? - You goin'? - Man. - That was the first joint that we ever worked on. - Yeah. - That was literally the first, I wanna say the first day we met. - Yeah, that was the first day we came to the studio this time. - You pulled up the beat, just dropped it, air dropped it. And honestly, I had the no-pad album just started writein' that came about, just recorded off that mix. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - Ever since that day we just got the rollin'. - It went off. - Yeah. - It went off dope, man. So, we were talkin' behind the scenes, man, and it was just so funny seeing my brother Milks progression, man, because I was tellin' him back in the days when he was doin' the beats. After "Fruilo," he end up gettin' the beat machine. And it was just so quick with it, and it was dope, and I used to kinda challenge him, because I used to throw these old-school samples to see what he could do to rock with it. And they came out for it, they were like a real rough draft, but I knew if he could clean it up, it would be perfect for what it was. Like, the dirty version, it was so dope with it. - Cool. - And I used to challenge him, but then once he end up finding his niche, I used to help him shop beats. And like, you know, 'cause I guess everybody named Mom's turnin' shop beats to everybody. It was like, "Yo, I'll get back to ya," or whatever. I got brushed off, and it was so funny 'cause I gave him these beats, and then like, seven or eight years later, the same people say, "Y'all, I'll get back to you," died again in his beats. So, it would feel like hilarious, you know? That's neither here or there. I just say that, you know, we talked about this last time, I saw it at a term show. It was like, it was so funny that the same people... And some of them weren't in the building, too. Some of them weren't in the building. But, you know, it's not like... It's one of those things that you don't have to get it now, but eventually you'll get it. So, it's better than later than never, I guess that makes sense. So, I say that, like, I'm so proud of the progression that you made, and that, you know, finally people got to hear the skills that you have behind the boards, brother. - I appreciate that, man. I appreciate that. And, again, you actually being there from the very beginning, you know, that sets a lot 'cause you've seen everything. So, part of the process. - Yeah, man, no doubt. One of the things I wanna talk about right around when the album dropped, I saw pictures. I was gonna give a congrats, but then, like, the store, and that was announced. Yeah, actually, how you're covering Times Square. - The billboard, yeah. - The billboard, yeah. - Yeah, yep, yep. - How was that feeling? Like, 'cause I know once you get your promotion at Times Square, that's another level kind of thing. That's a whole different recognition. - That... When I seen that, I was like, okay, this is real. This is... This is what you've been asking for. This is what you've been working for. But it doesn't stop here, you know what I'm saying? It's just more... Here you go, this is a little fragment for what's to come. - Yeah. - If you keep working. You know what I'm saying? You always gotta appreciate the little wins along the way. That's what makes a big impact to you. It just fuels your drive. And it's just crazy to see that 'cause two years ago, or even last year, I would say, "Wow, that's..." "They don't weigh that's happening." - Yeah. - You know what I'm saying? But it's crazy what a year can do. No doubt, man. - And I mean, the fact that same day, we ended up on "Shave 45" with "Shout Out The Static." - "Shout Out The Static Show." - "Shout Out The Static Show." - "Shout Out The Static." - "Shout Out The Static." - "Law-Time Legend." - Yes, indeed. No doubt, man. Um... The album, man, who you got featured in the album? - Well, I got featured in the album. "Shout Out The Queen" for "Sophical." The one who did the intro, and also the "Intilude" in the middle. - Yeah. - Given out the questions, it's just really opening up the whole canvas itself. - Yeah. - To the listener. You know what I'm saying? So "Shout Out To Her" infinitely... "Shout Out To Taena." You know, who was also on the transformation track. She was singing the chorus. - Mm-hmm. - That set... That was the icing on the cake, 100%. That just made the whole song just click. You know what I'm saying? Especially, like, in times where, like, where blessings always follow you. So "Shout To Taena" for singing that chorus for real. - Yeah. - "Introspective," "Shout To Red Pages," and "Shout To Believed The Impact." Those two really came out with the swords and slashed on that, especially with the chorus. That really... That really made it shift in people's hearts on the first day, especially Belize verse two, "Shout To The Men." "The God on That One," "Queen Red Pages," you know what it is? And honestly, "Shout Out To Brady Two" for mixing that whole project. - Mm-hmm. - "Mixed By Brady," you know what it is. - No doubt, no doubt, no doubt. So, yeah, man. So, are we gonna get, like, another album for y'all coming up soon next time? - Oh, yeah, of course. - I mean, we're just talking about... - I'm working on more music right before the show started. So, yeah, I mean, there's definitely more work on the way. - No doubt. - Gotta stay sharp. Keep, keep, keep. You gotta sharpen the sword as he's kissing his feet. You gotta sharpen the sword. - Sharpen that blade, man. - Yeah, man. Milks, man. You had some interesting, you know, like I said, you've been doing, like, some heavy, strong progression. Like, what's your track resume looking like nowadays? Like, who you have been working with? I know you got a couple of 978 ledges you've been messing with. - Yeah, I mean, of course, that definitely goes without saying. I mean, I dropped a little EP with Rex, top of the year. So, got up to Rex. Then, obviously, I've been doing a lot of work with Term, a lot of co-production, ended up doing... Last year, end of last year, I got a join on his album with Paul Wall. So, that was a pretty dope experience, honestly. - Yeah. 'Cause we actually got to build in person. So, that, shout out to Paul Wall. - Okay, so, with this track, it wasn't like, here's my email production. You actually went over there. - No, no, no, no. I actually was, like, in the room playing him beats. - Okay. - And, yeah, that was, man. 'Cause all I kept thinking about was, like, just thinking back to when I was in high school, listening to what's the kind of joint. - Oh, drop smoke? - Yeah. - Yeah, yeah. So, thinking back to that, and then being like, "Oh, man, I'm in the same room with this, man." And he's, you know, listening to my music, so. - That's fine. - Yeah, man. - It's married, man. - And that's, though, you were able to build with him, because, uh, I'm gonna become that guy that. Back in my days, when you had to do a song with somebody, you had to do a song with somebody. You just can't email them or mail them to the church. You got to go to the studio, like, do it from California, how to go to Texas, to do how to actually take a flight to Texas, and do the Daggle song with him. You know, I mean, now the internet is awesome. Now you can just email them on the track, but now, now it's dope that you're able to, like, you know, build with, you know, pretty much legends, and, you know, able to build and do productions, and, you know, show not only that you could, you know, roll with the big boys, you could show, like, the level of professionalism. - Yeah, and I mean, honestly, even with this project, it was the fact that me and Navi actually did a bulk of it, like, together. Like, there were a couple of joins that I would send them the beats, but it always started in person, you know what I mean? So, and that's, that's so important, so. - All right. Bet, all right, check this out. We're gonna go to a quick PSA, and after we're gonna go to the next joint, light one. So just be with me for, like, a minute or two, y'all. ♪ Again, here's that song again ♪ ♪ For the hundredth time today ♪ ♪ Here's that song again ♪ ♪ It's gonna be stuck in your head all day ♪ ♪ Here's that song again ♪ ♪ It will make you cray-cray ♪ - You love your kids enough to watch that TV show a bajillion times. Love them enough to make sure they're in the right car seat for their age and size. Show 'em you love 'em, keep 'em safe. Visit nhtsa.gov/therightseat. Brought to you by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Ad Council. - How was your job to school? - Let me tell you, I had to get my eyes coffee first. I just can't seem to put it down. My favorite rapper just announced a tour. My phone was buzzing that crazy. I'm so excited. I detects all my friends right then to talk about it. Then, someone started calling me hands. Let's try that again. - I turned my phone off right away. I never drive distracted. - Visit stoptechstoprex.org, a message brought to you by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Project Yellowlight and the Ad Council. - I always had to be so good, no one could ignore me. Carved my path with data and drive. But some people only see who I am on paper. The paper ceiling, the limitations from degree screens to stereotypes that are holding back over 70 million stars. Workers skill through alternative rocks, rather than a bachelor's degree. It's time for skills to speak for themselves. Find resources for breaking through barriers at TaylorPaperSilling.org. Brought to you by opportunity at work and the Ad Council. - People won't give you the real talk on drugs, but it's time we know the facts. Fentanyl is killing people. It's a powerful opioid, often made illegally and commonly mixed with illicit drugs. It can even be pressed into counterfeit pills that resemble prescription medications. Just two milligrams, about the size of a few grains of sand could potentially be lethal. This isn't an ad to scare you, but it isn't an ad to make you think twice. Get the facts, go to realdealonfentanyl.com. This message is brought to you by the Ad Council. - Put a frog in boiling water and it'll jump right out. But put a frog in cool water and slowly heat it up. That frog will boil. As veterans, we tell ourselves the lie that we can handle anything. We let the water boil. You are not a frog. If you or a veteran you know needs support, don't wait. Reach out. Find resources at va.gov/reach. That's va.gov/reach. Brought to you by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the Ad Council. - Let's take a moment to grieve. Deep inhale, extend your spine. Remain focused on what you're doing. If safe to do so, exhale slowly leaning to one side. Inhale back to center. If safe to do so, exhale slowly to the opposite side. Find mental health resources at loveyourmindtoday.org. This message is brought to you by the Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the Ad Council. - All right, we're back. It's your boy, keeping my kids on one or 2.9 tape deck. I got the homies Navi and milk's in the building. What's going on, y'all? - We good. - We good, we chilling? - Yes sir. - We got comfortable, y'all comfortable? All right, no doubt. All right, check it. We're gonna go to the next joint here. This joint is here, light one. We're gonna light one right here. And afterwards, you know, we're gonna, you know, the code in and see how this track came about, man. Enjoy one or 2.9 tape deck. Let's rock it out. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) Leave a mouth flat, you need more than that But he get ever off, he start it, go get him off it You a queen girl, so that, tell me what you mean girl Come over and throw that, tell me what you mean girl Come over and throw that, tell me what you mean girl Come over and throw that, all that, I mean look at you Who want to get with you, nice face, body fine And you got your heart aligned, anything to get inside You give 'em no time, I get the first line Clean the profit, closing time, I can play the position of what you need Ask you, shall we see it, honey, you with me? Yes, sir, if you had it, what do I mean when I'm here with you in the scene It got you feeling good, I promise the same to dream, no Lady, where you at, that location on the set I can vibe with your name, it's back, cross the home Like your man, he do it, Jack, you need more than that But he get ever off, he start it, go get him off it You a queen girl, so that, tell me what you mean girl Come over and throw that, tell me what you mean girl Come over and throw that, tell me what you mean girl Come over and throw that, all that Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Black love, don't mean nothing else But your black love, don't mean nothing else But your black love, baby, you drive me crazy I can't see myself with no one else, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (upbeat music) ♪ Black Love ♪ ♪ Black Love ♪ ♪ Black Love ♪ ♪ Black Love ♪ ♪ Black Love ♪ ♪ Black Love ♪ ♪ Black Love ♪ ♪ Black Love ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Black Love ♪ ♪ Black Love ♪ ♪ Black Love ♪ ♪ Black Love ♪ ♪ Black Love ♪ (upbeat music) (speaking in foreign language) - Mm. - Yeah, that was a quick instrumental there from the Homie Shea Africa, about to link up with her over the week, and then shout out to her, came through a couple of weeks ago, and prior to that, that was the joint light one by Navi and Milks. And yeah, man, don't be join me. How that joint came about, man? - When Milks came through with that beat, I was saying that, and I just knew right off the bat, I'm like, yeah, this one, this one for the ladies. - Yeah. - Yeah, man. Like, no, no opinions buts about it. And it was just very, it just gave off a very smooth chill, calm vibe, and just give me like the, that one-to-one, like, yo, hold up. This is my time to talk to you within these couple minutes, that's what I got to tell you, you know what I'm saying? - Yeah. - So light one for the meantime. - No doubt, no doubt. And it was like, it was one of those quick in-and-out tracks. - Yeah, man. Just, I think, I'm gonna sing it's like two minutes, man. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's why I said quick in-and-out. Just get to the point. - Yeah, you know what I'm saying? 'Cause that's that. You know, I'm not trying to waste your time. Just, yo, listen, this is what I got to tell you. It's one of mine is you, one of nine. - That's it. - Straight to the point. Ain't no games playing around here. - Yeah, I know you don't want your time wasted, so let's get to it. - Yeah, man. One of the things I want to talk about is, you know, if you don't mind getting personal, like I said at the beginning of the show, when I went to see the release party, I saw my dudes in the building showing love, support. You know, I said earlier on, it's important to support your kids' dreams. So when you talk, when you tell your mom, "Hey, I want to try this rapping thing," was she like pushing it 100% or she thought she was gonna be a hobby or she thought it was gonna be like, "Why are you saying this thing?" You know, no one, your chance of making this link to none. Like, what was the conversation when you said, "Y'all want to do this and actually take a serious stab at it?" - My mom told me, you know, and also, my mom did come to see you, but also shout out to my sister too. She came through and wanted to listen to me. - All right, shout out to this. - And shout out to this, man. My mom, she always, she never, and this is why I'm so grateful. You know, I kissed the floor that she walks on. Like, no matter what I did, she never, she always told me to just go 100% in it. You know what I'm saying? Like, even if you're feeling low. 'Cause she can tell, like, when I was doing it, that it was, I had struggles with this. Like, she witnessed me go. Like, she been with me to go get the studio equipment. Like, she ain't seen it at all. - Yeah. - So, she already told me before, and like, this is not gonna be easy. If this is something you wanna do, and you gotta make sure to just be okay with what comes with it, but also to run with it. You know what I'm saying? Like, if you're ever down, you got those struggles. Like, you need to look at those and understand, okay, where did I become weak at and get stronger at it? You know what I'm saying? So, my mom always encouraged me to go 110% in it. - Yeah. - No matter what, even if it, you know, like, to never give up in it. - And what was the reaction? I mean, this is not your first project, but when you gave her, like, your first song, what was her reaction? 'Cause here's the reason I asked, because when I, um, you know, outside of this, like, I always did, like, you don't, either media stuff, or in high school, like, I took theater, and I always tried to take acting classes, so. - Fine. - One of those things is, like, you know, one of the things that you do when you have these kind of things is that you wanna get your approval from your inner circle, especially your family. So, when my mom saw me perform, she was like, "Oh, this actually got something." - Yeah. - 'Cause I'm tall, because I'm tall, but my basketball's killing really up to par. Like, I did it for a hobby, but I knew it wasn't going to stop till the NBA no time soon. But I had another talent that was sneaky that I know what to know about. So, when my mom saw me, like, do all these stuff on stage, she was like, "Oh, this guy actually, you know, he got something if he takes it serious." But I never took it serious, so. - Yeah, my mom, when I showed her, you know, every time I showed my songs, it's always something new. - Yeah. - Even compared to the first one, like, I would, I knew when I first played it, my first song ever to her, like, I just, to myself, like, this song, like, I know it's my first one, and I wasn't feeling it, but I just wanted to show some of them. My mom fell in love with it, and it just, it just gave that light in me, like, that's all I need. - Yeah. - Now I'm going, like, ain't nothing stopping me. - Yeah. - But obviously, before myself, too, you know what I'm saying? Like, I believe that you gotta have it within yourself. It doesn't matter with the inner circle. Like, if you truly believe in yourself, like, you're gonna attract that circle and that circle will expand. It might form a little bit different within the shapes, but it's gonna form correctly for what your desire is for. You know what I'm saying? But you gotta believe it within yourself first. - 100%. - In order for all things to come to you. So. - Yeah, so it was like, she heard that she was like, boom, he got something here, so I gotta support my son's back here. He got, he got something that I gotta push forward. So, hence, that's why she gave his studio equipment. - Yeah, like, you know, like, she went, 'cause it was off the, the first one when I recorded him in, it was like, the first one was, it was, like, I try to make the beat myself, you know what I'm saying? - Oh, you tell me, you tell me milk too? You tell me milk too? You tell me milk too, the beat and producer? Like, can't you call? - Yeah, basically, man. I used to produce two, man. - Uh-huh. - That's a little, that's a little head of German then. - All right. - But I used to produce, man, and see even when it's me a couple of times, just like, just sit there and just watch me, you know what I'm saying? Like, 'cause I'm not musical orientated. I don't have anybody, there's nobody in my family that I can say, "Yo, he, nah, this is from the ground up." So, you know, my mom's watching me, and she's amazed by it, even if it, I don't even think it's fire, or if I don't believe in it, like, "Oh, no, it's not that." Like, she's always encouraging more out of me because, you know, she just sees more, she's seen. Yeah, besides my son, my mom's a superhero, man. - Yeah, man, that's what's up. - 'Cause she's, no matter what, she, she fun loving it. Like, I don't think there's one son that she don't hate. Even if I have sons, I'm like, "I could've done better." Like, she always gives like great feedback. You know, she always keeps encouraging. Like, you got more than you. - Yeah. - There's more than you. You know what I'm saying? So, shout out to mom. - Shout out to mom. Shout out to mom, man. So, I guess in the future, man, we're just gonna be here for you next, man. We'll be back after this. - I got a lot, man. There's a lot in store, man. You know, besides the music, you know, I'm trying to expand art itself. Like, just creativity alone. You know, I want to dabble into, I know you said something about theater and acting. I definitely want to get into the acting, or even like, voice acting too. - Yeah. - I see, you know, a little bit of stuff in that I'm interested. You know, I started drawing a little bit. I want to start making my own, my own little story based, like, that can attract, you know, to the masses. Like, my favorites are like, shout out to, well, first off, Rest in Peace, Akira Toriyama, who passed away this year. That was the author of Dragon Ball Z. - Oh, yeah, man. Rest in Peace, yeah. - Yeah. That was crazy. - Yeah. - I made a song for him too called Change the Future. - You got sent it to me one of these days, man. - I definitely will. - Send that out. - I definitely will, man. But even just that, just really expanding the art because it just doesn't stop here, you know. I just feel just dabbling more into music and just opening myself up to other things. Hence the open canvas, you know, I tend to catch myself in other ways. I could really bring this art or just myself to the world. You know what I'm saying? - Yeah. - In other ways. - No doubt, man. Well, man, you know, we're about to get you here to replace the mic. - Word. - You about to do your one, two thing? - Yes, sir. - And the joint, you're about to hit us off with what's struggling? - Yes, sir. - Yeah, what's the person behind that song? - So struggling, we do it every day. - Yeah. - No matter what, you struggle every day. And I don't mean it in a way where you're struggling to just suffer or you're going through hard times, but even in those hard times, you're struggling to become greater. You know, when you're sharpening something, it's struggling to become sharp. It's struggling to forward something in, but the more you're working at it, it becomes greater. But even at that level, no matter where you're at, you still got to struggle to get to the next song. - Yeah. - So I try to, I don't try, but I look at struggling as something good. I don't look at it as like, oh man, like this is horrible. Now, if I'm going to be great, I got to struggle to be great. I'm not struggling to suffer. I'm not struggling to be down. I'm struggling to get through where I need to be at, no matter what. - Yeah, and I heard the joint too. So I think with all that being said, with the worst struggling, it's just like every day you get pushed to be better, regardless of what situation is. And even if you do struggle good or bad, I mean, if it's good, you reap the benefits out of it. And if it's bad, you know what tomorrow's the next day, we get better. - Yeah. - Exactly. 100% man. - Yeah. - Yeah, man. We're going to get to this joint right here. My man is going to place the mic out here, put it down for Lawtown, and we about to get busy with it, man. Yeah, make sure to mix, man. He, I'm going to leave for a second, you know what I mean, he got to go ahead no business because he's a working man. He has been on the move, but he came through. Thank you for coming through, man. - Shout out to him. - Shout out to the milks. And yeah, man, sure boy, keep a mic. Listen to one of 2.9 tape deck. And my homie, Navi's about to go blaze it down. Bear with me in just a sec, y'all. This is a Black History Minute brought to you by BNN and WBCALP, honoring the contributions of prominent Black figures to the community. Valerie Thomas, inventor of the Illusion Transmitter. In 1980, Valerie Thomas invented the Illusion Transmitter, which NASA continues to use today. For more on Black Excellence, be sure to visit our website at bnnmedia.org and tune in to WBCALP 102.9 FM Boston, Boston's community radio station. This is the Black History Minute brought to you by BNN and WBCALP, honoring the contributions of prominent Black figures to the community. Dr. Patricia Bath is a pioneer in the field of ophthalmology. She developed the laser pipe of probe, a system of lasers to remove cataracts and restore sight. For more on Black Excellence, be sure to visit our website at bnnmedia.org and tune in to WBCALP 102.9 FM Boston, Boston's community radio station. It's gonna be a bright, bright, bright, bright, just a shiny day. What up, you guys? Your boy, keeping Mike into the 102.9 tape deck. I got the Homie Diving in the building. What's up? Are you gonna hit us up and struggling? Yes, sir. Are you gonna kill it? Yes, sir. You gonna put it down? What's sir? What's your thing, Homie? Thank you. Lot's time with South South, human Mike, man. South milks. Know what it is? Any view on the mix. Yeah. Yeah. Uh. Let's go. Uh. Woke up. Start up the schedule that I'm set with. All major stress be on my mind before the day be set in. No phone check and brush my teeth. I hit the shower. Get the dress and meditate and think you got for blessing. Live it now, hit guessing. Figure what's the way out. Told me I got time, but tell me why's it run out. What did I do to die out? He's hands a man to dug out the strength. I needed the ball out. His haters run the clock out. The mad because I'm on them. Pain and sorrows. He ain't here to love and joy. Time is never power. Make it worth it. All you can enjoy. Muscles go and holler. Nothing else could ever feel the void. Ain't no more tomorrow's. That's the process. We shouldn't juggle. Be the joy. Be the reason you made it. Be the reason you stuck. Told myself I'ma make it so. Ain't no way I'll give up. There's money here. I'ma claim it. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. For this life I live down. For this life I live up. For this life I live up. They don't roseth from the worst, having concrete conversations with homies that got burst, you can't put them in a hearse, and get them stains off your shirt, it's over you like a curse, spoken got window church, better off to disperse, these are things that we learned, different sides of the coin, ain't no help in return, only here to destroy, ain't repassin' to burn, why the good we avoid, why the good we avoid, why the good we avoid, ain't no sorrows, ain't ain't no love in joy, tell me what you're doing, tell me what you're doing, tell me what you're doing. Tell me what you're doing, tell me what you're doing, tell me what you're doing, tell me what you're doing. Pull this life I live up, for this life I live up, for this life I live up As I'm moving on I keep my hands straight, take my time and go and see I just will kill me in my way Tell my parents that I love them, yeah they gettin' boy made away I'm the child of the privacy, go feel it where you stay Know these bad times never last, know the realest here to stay I'll be out here on my last side and made it through the frame Tell I keep on struggling, they ain't no other way Keepin' make what's good, knows what's good, law of town Killin' baby, and they be out, bossin' what's up man Yeah, you gotta keep on struggling, keep moving forward Don't put yourself down man I got money, it's white Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Thank you man Robbo, Robbo My God, thank you man, thank you, thank you man That's what it is man, got the homie, got the homie Navi in the building Shut up for coming through, support your own artists man Real man, support your own artists man We got a short love to the whole city, the whole state from 9-7-8-6-1-7 Support your own man, Navi You got an open door at the tape deck Anytime you got a project, come through Gotcha, hope you can make some Mike one more time man And thank you man, this your boy keepin' Mike And you can catch me You can catch me here every Friday from 6-7 So you know, see you next Friday, same tape deck time, same tape deck channel I'm out, thanks Peace