Talk Yo Shit "Seefor Yourself"

Some artists chase trends. Others chase truth. In this episode of The Heavyweight Collective, Inland Empire rapper Seefor Yourself joins the conversation for a deeper look at music, storytelling, and what it takes to build something real over time.

The discussion goes beyond bars and into the mindset behind the music. From growing up in the Inland Empire to navigating a region constantly compared to Los Angeles, the episode explores what it means to create art that reflects real life instead of chasing attention. Seefor Yourself breaks down how his music evolved from competition-driven rap into experience-based storytelling rooted in maturity, fatherhood, loss, and perspective.

The conversation also dives into independent music production, live instrumentation, and why intentionality matters more than trends. From there, the episode tackles AI in music, including the role tools like ChatGPT can play in production without replacing the authenticity behind real artistry.

This episode is a real conversation about craft, growth, and making music that actually says something.

 Thanks for tapping in with The Heavyweight Collective!
 Make sure you follow, subscribe, and share with someone who needs this convo. Catch us on all socials for clips, updates, and more behind the mic. https://linktr.ee/TheHeavyweightPodcast

Transcript

Real Art vs Trend Chasing

SPEAKER_02 0:00

This is another dope, and I always say that and I always mean it, another dope episode of Talk Your Shit. Now, this man I've seen perform many a time. When I say IE legend, I mean a motherfucking I.E. legend. And just to me, a legend in general. Um, every time I've seen him step on stage, I've been blown away by the fact that he has his like presence. I mean, he's already fucking tall as shit, but he has his presence to where you he commands the stage, the breath control is crazy, the ability to uh to connect the words in syllable format. Like that for me, like as a as a lyricist, I look up to that and I'm I'm inspired by it, I'm motivated by it. So every time I've seen him perform, I get amazed. And I always like I even when I was talking to him uh last week about doing this episode, it's motivating for artists to see somebody of this caliber um be so dope and uh have a presence. Again, I said like the fact that he stands tall, it makes it like you can't fucking miss him. But the fact that he's that skilled, even being as tall as he is, um, is is a blessing and and an honor to be able to sit next to him and uh have this interview where we're able to give him his flowers. Um so without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, we give you see for yourself. How you doing this morning?

SPEAKER_04 1:33

Man, I I'm better after that introduction, introduction. Thank you. That was that was that was humbling. So thank you. I was always live, man.

SPEAKER_02 1:40

But I'm great, man. I'm blessed. I'm glad to be here. Thanks for having me. So the to the people that are are just now discovering you, who exactly is C for yourself as a person?

SPEAKER_04 1:53

As a person, uh husband, father, son, friend, entrepreneur, creative, coach. Yeah, busy. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 2:06

Not busy. Those are all things I enjoy doing.

SPEAKER_02 2:09

That's what's up. I was gonna ask, uh, I'll ask that later.

unknown 2:13

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 2:13

So what would you say, what part of the inland empire shaped you the most as an artist?

SPEAKER_04 2:20

I moved here in 10th grade to Corona, moved to Pomona, married my wife. We were at Riverside, Merino Valley. Probably to start the beginning uh when I was in Corona just because of the influence. I I moved from Texas and I was I was scared to move here because I lived, I'm a military brat. So I wasn't on like regular Texas, it was people from all over the world. And as soon as I drove in, we were coming over to the Big Bear 10 freeway. I heard a commercial for the wake-up show with Swain Tech. And I knew I was gonna be okay. So Corona, I met a lot of my friends that I'm still friends with today, some of my core friends. Um and yeah, uh my my brother Berger from the outskirts, shout out to Big Bro. Uh, I lived a few houses down and we started developing from there.

SPEAKER_02 3:12

So that's what's up. Yeah, that's what's up. So, where did the name See for yourself come from?

SPEAKER_04 3:18

I was going through trying to come up with cool names, and then other people would have them, and then I'd switch it, and then finally got to um just see for yourself. Everywhere I go, people like you rap, or what kind of music you make? You make like country or rock, and then eventually see for yourself. So simply, simply, you know, action speak louder than words, or fuck around, find out all that just mixed in.

SPEAKER_02 3:43

I think it's dope. I think it's like the the dopest name you can have that speaks for itself. You know what I'm saying? Like it's like what what do you do? See for yourself.

SPEAKER_01 3:53

Like it's a flex within a flex.

SPEAKER_02 3:57

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 3:57

Yeah, it was it was just C4 for a long time. And it was like, all right, well, I was saying, you know, I do it like first name, last name. But then the uncool thing about it is that people that don't know me, and then they just say seafer. Because there's nothing cool about Cher.

SPEAKER_01 4:10

That's funny.

SPEAKER_04 4:11

I think your boy Diesel started this. I'm gonna blame him. That's funny. C4, bro. It's nothing cool about C Fir.

SPEAKER_02 4:20

For sure, for sure. Um, so what would you say shaped? Or no, not shaped. Let me let me rephrase that. What would you say music for you start feeling like it was your purpose as opposed to just being something that you were trying out?

SPEAKER_04 4:40

Um, I was always drawn to music as a child. I um even more than television. I I always wanted, I finally got that like stereo, or I would sit in front of my dad's stereo, you know, yeah, the pioneer, the OG with the take me pioneer speaker. Good shit. Yeah, I would just angle them, especially when they were gone out of town and just kind of angle it, just sit there in the floor, play it as loud as I could tolerate, and just envision myself doing it. So I always did that. And then uh again, I said I was a military brat. So I remember all the way to like first grade, I was in a breakdancing contest and then ordered like the got like a cardboard box, and we would break in and then uh, you know, drawing it in my black book. And um, I didn't think about rapping. I didn't think I'd ever be able to. But then started like when we got to middle school, there's my boy Leon, he would freestyle and I would beatbox for him. So I got into that. And then once we got to ninth grade, I started rapping. I know this was the long version of this question, but then just in Killeen, Texas, there was a lot of opportunities. The guys at the radio station, uh, they would have talent contests. We had Southside Skating Rink, which sometimes we would skate, sometimes it was just a club, but they would literally let us DJ in like ninth grade, tenth grade, and be on the mic and have ciphers. And we had just a bunch of MCs for school, and then I just started falling falling in love with it my freshman year. Um and I knew it was something I'd probably always do. Uh yeah, from from then on, I I wanted to do something with music. I didn't know what it would be, but it was always uh it's all the music's always been a part of my life. MC in it in writing. Yeah, it was in ninth grade.

SPEAKER_02 6:23

So as a legend in the Inland Empire, would you say that the IE thing uh has been overlooked?

SPEAKER_04 6:33

Uh yeah, early on, it was tough for us. I feel like me and Burger, the outskirts were overlooked. Um and then e even other catchers, Dirty Birdies. Um Dr. Stang and Fung Junk, they got a few opportunities. Um but yeah, it's just difficult being outside, you know, on the outskirts of uh of LA. I realize that now if you're in the city, just being able to go to something, you know, this is popping off, being able to pull up, it's not so easy for us to just pull up um being out here. So those opportunities are a little more scarce. So yes, um, and with that being said, my goal now is really try to help even more. Uh I feel like it we had it kind of going and building, it's fell back a little, fallen back a little bit. You know, like Noah James and those guys are doing a good idea, but I still think there could be more camaraderie. Yeah. Like the areas that actually do pop, and I think it's our fault a lot. The areas that do pop, just think about like Atlanta or Houston or Oakland. Seems like they don't give a fuck about music outside of their area. Yeah. And they fuck with themselves. You know, if we go somewhere in the in the NPR, if we pull up to, you know, a club or a bar or an event, you're probably not gonna hear a lot of our own music. You're gonna hear music from from other places, yeah. People following trends. Um that is true. So I think us working on that and being intentional about it uh could help. But yes, we're definitely overlooked.

SPEAKER_02 7:59

When you mention that, I feel like you, uh Dirty Birdie, uh, Dr. Stank, like when I listen to you guys, you guys have such a unique style and uh especially when I've like one of my favorite songs is that they turn that shit up. The fact, like the way that you guys play off of each other, that energy, I feel like it's very unique to the area. And I feel like if people see that I at a at a mass scale, I think it that shit it needs to be seen. Like it with like that energy, man. Like it gets me hyped up and I start dancing, like I can't even dance.

Inland Empire Hip Hop Culture

SPEAKER_04 8:38

Yeah, that was fun. Shout out to uh shout out to Dr. Stank, um, him and Dre Funk Jump. They got some some music coming out. If y'all, if y'all aren't familiar with Funk Junk or Dr. Stank, uh they were the first West Coast act signed to Bad Boy in the late 90s. Uh Stank again was signed to MCA. Um they started playing his music heavy on radio again later, and then just situations with the industry. Yeah, they weren't able to go further. Like the labels ended up going over, getting bought by somebody else to clear their roster. Um, but he's been there right there so many times. And he is a Stank is an incredible producer, he has his own sound. When you hear his music, you know immediately. Yeah. Just you know, using the Nord lead and his SP1200 and the NPC and just the way his mind works, the way he puts things together, just that original sound. So shout out to Stank. Um, I think we're gonna probably get to it, but yeah, he was a big influence for me, definitely as a producer. That's the next question. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:35

So you would say Dr. Stank is one of your um motivation or early motivations. Do you have any others?

SPEAKER_04 9:41

Yeah, from the area. Um, so they say when you're learning, um, you know, starts with emulation. So like at some point we call it biting, but when you're starting out, you're getting influenced by your favorite artist. So um when I think about when I was real young, the reason why I wanted to rap, the people that made me want to rap and do what they do, the storytelling and the styles, I would pull from Buster Rhymes, um, just with his energy and character, and then rhyming the same last word, like the entire verse. That would that was big for me. Um and I like, you know, as a kid, cartoons, comic books, he was kind of like the superhero of hip hop. So he had that energy. Um, and then K R S won with his uh very intentional on what he was saying. You brought up best breath control earlier. Um him and like the chip foos and das effects were out. So those crazy styles. And uh, I think me trying to emulate those guys early on and not being able to do what they do end up me helping me find and do it, you know, the way I do. Those are your bigger artists moving here. Dr. Stank is a producer. I wanted to uh produce. So I just did what he did. Him and Fingers. Fingers had a digital performer. I bought the same mic he had, about the same preamp he had. Uh Stank had the Nord lead, so I bought the Nord lead. Well, um, you know, obviously when you have a voice or an instrument, you know, let's say, like now, if I gave somebody a beat pack, if they gave us all the same sounds, we're gonna make something different. All right, all right, all right. So I try to learn my own way of doing these things. Yeah, Stank was huge. Um Stank and Fingers is producer is my boy Poseidon. Shout out Poseidon. If y'all don't know Poseidon, he's one of the greatest freestylers of all time. So being at Open Mics with him and Burger, DJ Gabe Real. Uh look up Gabe Reel. He's a legend in the IE. He DJs Coachella every year. Um and he was our first producer um that I've seen somebody went, he was the first one when I went to his house and he had like the equipment that we were recording on the TaskM four-track tape. Um so yeah, those are yeah, those are the beginnings. Shout out to all them.

SPEAKER_02 11:45

So, as in your process of writing, would you say that you uh pull from pain, experience, competition, or is it something where you just let the beat can kind of decide where you where it takes you?

SPEAKER_04 12:00

It's different every time. I would say mostly experience. Like if I'm not getting out and living life, um, especially now, where like I'm finishing my album and there's no songs on there just showing you, I have zero interest in showing you how good I can rap. Right. You know, back then it was like, you know, you can put these bars and this wordplay together and show you that I can shit on you and you can't fuck with me. Right, right, right, right. To me, now that seems like that's the layup line. If you're about to play a basketball game and you're doing windmills and all that stuff, and the layup line before the game starts, like getting loose, that's cool. But when the game starts, right, you know, run them plays. Yeah, run them plays. So uh living life experiences. Uh I'm a big storyteller. Um so yeah, I I I gotta right now I'm interested in my truth. I'm gonna be 48 on Tuesday. Happy birthday. So thank you, thank you. And my music is from the perspective of 48-year-old father, son, husband, the things I was talking about earlier.

SPEAKER_03 13:01

Um that's probably Taurus Gang.

SPEAKER_00 13:03

Yeah, no, I told him happy birthday.

SPEAKER_03 13:05

Tourist gang, cuz uh the bulls from this shit. Like you said, Tuesday? Yeah, Tuesday.

SPEAKER_04 13:16

Yeah, um just telling the stories that are important to me that have happened in life. Uh oh, I was gonna say Andre 3000. Huge influence. Um I just remember him saying, I'm 40 after 40. I don't want to rap because it's hip and pop, and you're not hip. You I was like, in my brain, I was like, I'm gonna make an album. Andre 3000's gonna hear it. It's gonna be dope as fuck, and then he's gonna have to make an album. So I know these things sound probably crazy, but these are things that happen in my head, and that works. Yeah, that works.

SPEAKER_00 13:45

You're not playing the flute on yours, though, are you?

SPEAKER_04 13:47

No, but I would love to have uh three stacks play the flute on my floor. Yeah, he played a shelf that flute.

SPEAKER_00 13:51

Yeah, that sounds like that's tight.

SPEAKER_04 13:52

I got a ton of instrumentation, ton of ton of live music. I don't have a flute on there, though. Maybe we can you play the flute?

SPEAKER_00 13:59

No, I don't. I just admire the art.

SPEAKER_02 14:04

So what can you break down making a song from scratch?

SPEAKER_04 14:10

It's always different. Um on this album, uh I knew a starting point where I wanted to start. I don't have a name for my album yet, which is driving me crazy. I keep changing it every day. But there's a beginning point, and on the last song or the album, we're able to go to you're able to go to heaven. Like physically, in my brain, I was like, I was coming up with skits. Like my father passed 11 years ago from cancer, and he helped us find a way to physically get to heaven, but you can only go there for dinner. So we have dinner reservations, and then you gotta come back home. Oh wow. So that's the last song on the album. Oh man, so everything else is kind of a journey to get there. Yeah, so I was like, what needs to happen, and then what stories can I tie in? Um also uh me being older, me have I have a 22-year-old son, I have a 14-year-old daughter, I have a lot of nieces and nephews, and I wanted to have something. Um that they can they could hear my voice. Let me speak in, yeah. I know that's a lot.

SPEAKER_02 15:15

No, I've got to do it.

SPEAKER_01 15:18

That's dope.

SPEAKER_02 15:19

That's a dope. Um yeah. So I will say this just for my own uh process. I'm trying to think. Would you say that when you create, do you usually come up with the lyrics for a song that you have an idea for? Like the so the verses, or do you try to come up or do you majority come up with hooks and then kind of build in from there?

SPEAKER_04 15:43

It it varies every time. But the majority is probably idea versus. So like um I don't know if y'all can see this phone. Like we go to voice notes, it's just oh yeah. It's just no, uh it's gotta be thousands of ideas. Some might be a beat, I'm beatboxing, some might be a concept. Maybe I'm telling. Ooh, let me not do that.

SPEAKER_03 16:06

No, you good.

SPEAKER_04 16:07

I learned earlier from somebody. Um uh yeah, just some are just ideas. Some might I may just be talking to myself. Hey, you need to talk about this, we need to go down, we need to tell this story, or might just have a few words. Um, I used to rock another example. I used to rock this song live, it was always fun. That called a fire marshal. What's up this burning? I literally just wanted to rhyme a kuna matata as many times with that word structure as I could. Uh so I just made a song so I could do that. So there's also that shit, just having fun, tongue in cheek, and then there's serious things, and then you're pulling from pain. So um, yeah. That's what's up. That's what I'm saying. I know I give you a wide answer, but it it you really pulled from different places all the time.

SPEAKER_02 16:49

So you answered this question, but um I guess uh we're gonna brainstorm here for a second. You're you're working on an album. Yes. You said you come up with a different name every day. What direction are you swaying in towards what you want to call the album?

SPEAKER_04 17:07

The album, like I was saying, it feels like a journey. So I want something that sounds like a journey. Um but also I've been asking my wife to help me on this. And so she's been coming up with some ideas that are really like um the latest one, it was called Lessons, but it's I don't just like the way lesson sounds. Uh it sounds preachy. But when I break it down to multiple meanings, the way I rhyme, there's a lot of double, triple, quadruple entendres. I might say one thing or tell a story, but it's a metaphor for something else. So obviously, lessons is lessons. Also, les sons is the sons. So me as a son, me as a father, talking to my father, and then the higher power, the father, the son. So there's all those layers. Also, lesons in French means the sounds. So I like all those multiple layers, but I just don't like the way lessons sounds. And I don't want to spell it like lesons. You know what I mean? That sounds crazy.

SPEAKER_02 18:02

So those are things I'm going through. Um, took it to Les Sends. Yeah, Les Sends, yeah. Rapper brain.

SPEAKER_04 18:11

Yep. So yeah, we do that as well. Uh the first one I had was uh Nothing's Changed, but everything's different. I don't know if I want something that long, I would like it to be a shorter concept. But anyway, it just is nonstop.

SPEAKER_02 18:24

That's what sucks. I was hoping we could help you with that.

Making Music That Ages Well

SPEAKER_04 18:27

Yeah, the long way. I would love for y'all to hear the album at some point. Um so I'm very very excited about it. By far, the best word. Um, it sounds like I want it to sound. Uh I've put in the hours so I know how to record and mix better. Because before I I always try to push my boundaries and I just wasn't good enough. And I also don't have$2,000 based on it that makes my song. Typic$10. And I don't have$20,000 to mix a song for an album that's gonna make me$3,000. You know what I mean? So I had to get better, and now I I'm good at those things.

SPEAKER_02 19:01

So and then to answer Sharon's question, that's I feel like chat GBT stuff like that is with the process of learning us that we can create. Oh, so we can create the process.

SPEAKER_04 19:15

Yeah, I get I've literally gone into Chat GPT when I'm stuck on a mix, and I'm like, yo, this let's say I have this kick and then this low frequency bass and another base of fighting for space. What can I do? And I was like, well, make sure your kick is in the root note of the key so it's not out of phase, and then use this to duck it, and I just boom, boom, boom, boom. I'm like, oh, that's fire.

SPEAKER_02 19:34

Yeah, and then that's how you use it. And it starts learning you. I really respect it.

SPEAKER_03 19:41

It doesn't write my song.

SPEAKER_00 19:43

What I'm saying, yeah, that or people are like, oh, I don't know how to respond to my mom.

SPEAKER_03 19:47

Oh no, that's oh no, no, yeah, that's something else.

SPEAKER_04 19:54

It's definitely an assistant though. It's definitely for work. Um yeah, and when I learned my creative process, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:01

When it learned, well, I didn't even realize how it learned you until people were doing those, the pictures of themselves. How a couple weeks ago it was like viral, well, not viral, but everybody was doing it, right? And it was doing the picture, it was like an image of yourself, but then it had these things in the pictures, and I was just like, I didn't, it went over my head. And then finally somebody was telling me that it was placing the things in the pictures because of things that you've been asking Chat GPT or whatever. And then I'm looking at her like Twitter, like, that's stupid. No, I'm just playing, but it it's just like that's that's what I mean. Like it learns you.

SPEAKER_03 20:34

You mean like Google?

SPEAKER_00 20:35

It's kind of weird.

SPEAKER_03 20:36

That's what Google does.

SPEAKER_00 20:37

Yeah, because Google, yeah, but that's my point. It's another way of whatever.

SPEAKER_04 20:42

Not not to veer off. Not to veer off on you.

SPEAKER_00 20:45

Um please veer off.

SPEAKER_04 20:47

If y'all know you heard of Super Crew, yeah. So the B boys, um, y'all probably know Jabbawalkies, they won the first season of ABDCC. Um, Super Crew won the second season. It was just up there. The ninjas, the breakdancers, a lot of them, they're in the same crew with Jabbawalkies, they helped start that show. But IMC for Super Crew, and we just pitched a Vegas show um that I helped write about a month ago, and it's called Super Crew Presents Robots vs. Ninjas. Um, it's a family-friendly alternative to Vegas. And your robots represent your technology, your AI, your advancement. And then um the ninjas represent your more tribal preservation of arts and culture. And so the the ninjas are trying to say, you know, the technology, the robots are trying to hide the arts because it can't scale, it doesn't fit the models. Um, and then a whole war plays out, and uh our battle plays out, and uh I get to play the the narrator in it. I'm kind of the sensei, the leader of the ninjas. Um, the characters kind of like a Morpheus and uh Willy Wonka mix, like a lot of things rhyme. It made a more spoken word.

SPEAKER_00 21:54

That's really cool.

SPEAKER_04 21:55

It's freaking cool. So, like it makes you think and then I do like a poetry, the the Robots are pitching their thing. And it's uh shout out to Pop and John, like amazing pop lockers. So I got to create the voiceovers and all that for for them. And it basically ends up in a big battle at the end. And the robots battle the ninjas, B-boys, pop lockers, and the crowd gets to decide the winner.

SPEAKER_02 22:16

So that sounds dope. You said that's in Vegas.

SPEAKER_04 22:19

Well, we did our pitch for MGM at the MGM park at all uh on the record, and they loved it and they want us to do a two-week run. So we're we're talking to some investors. Um got some other things coming up around it. That's what we're gonna do week run. And you know, if people are interested in it and we can sell tickets, we might have a chance to have a you know theatrical thing in Vegas.

SPEAKER_00 22:41

That's I the contact button is really, really dope. And then to pair it with the music and the dancing and all that, I think that's so tight.

SPEAKER_04 22:48

Yeah, I've been wanting to do theater and write and write theater. So this is my first time being able to kind of write a script for that or be involved uh with Dunak doing that. And um yeah, we got some cool, I think we're doing something with with with uh Sway and Tech. I don't want to speak too early coming up. Um yeah, I'll be letting everybody know because we're gonna need to do a two-week run and I'm gonna need people to pull up. I will be there because that's dope. Oh, take care of y'all for sure.

SPEAKER_03 23:11

I know you won't have to. I'll put some money, man. We're gonna put some money in your pocket.

SPEAKER_02 23:16

So I know you said I'll get you to keep the sunrise.

SPEAKER_01 23:22

At least get us a joint, you know.

Storytelling Through Experience

SPEAKER_02 23:25

I know you said you've evolved as a as an artist, so you're saying as when you were younger, it was um more of the you could you would do the whole like ooh I stuff, and then you got older, it was more about the the concept and what you wanted to get across. So, what would you say the type would be as it changed that brings out the best in you?

SPEAKER_04 23:46

Well, I've gotten a lot better as a producer. Uh, so I've been able to produce this last few years. Well, I I guess I've always been a producer, but I guess as a beat maker. So now I can I can create and make beats. And then I found um uh I worked a lot on my album with this kid named Amara. I actually found him on Beat Stars, and he's from the Netherlands, and I reached out to him and he's open to me also producing. So say I got a track, I can get it from him, send me the stems that allow me to build around it, you know. So I have that relationship with him. But this album where I'm at right now, it's live instrumentation, so it's all like more live drums and guitars and bass and vocal harmonies, still chopped up hip-hop, but it's just those sounds that it feels like what's natural to me at where I'm at in my life, um, you know, being 48, I want it to sound. I want it to sound like I'm 48. You know, I don't I'm not trying to fit in the youngsters or what they're doing. I want to make what I do as dope as possible. I'm just very excited because it sounds like I want it to sound. I've always been searching my whole life. I said, I want to do this. And you remember I did we did the emotional roller coaster album about 10 years ago with Evan, and we're trying to a little more rock, and we had our live show. Um, I listened to it now, there's some good ideas there, but it sounded like a it still sounds like a demo, you know. I was learning. I couldn't quite pull off, we didn't have the skill set what I wanted to do, which is fine, you know. Um but yeah, just just those sonics of those live instrumentation and music that influenced me growing up, all being in there with its own sound and style. That's what's so I hope that answered the question.

SPEAKER_02 25:22

It answered the question.

SPEAKER_01 25:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:24

What would you say that pain taught you was a lesson that success never could? Cool.

SPEAKER_04 25:30

Um learning those lessons from pain allows you to be a better uh I would say empathy. Uh a better father, a better friend. Um you know, say you gotta go through it to get to it. And if you can't understand or relate, uh well, I think we have that problem a lot. Like, not to get a political, social in America, but people say something and be like, oh, that can't be. I've never seen that. It's because they can't relate and they don't experience it. It's not true. So having those experiences of pain and loss allows me to be, you know, a better friend when when it when another friend or somebody is going through that. And, you know, I understand what they need, or how how at least how I think I I can, you know, help. Or maybe you just gotta listen. So yeah, I feel that. Yeah, being a but just being a better person, better, better father. That's what's up.

SPEAKER_02 26:22

Would you say that independent artists have it easier or harder now? Um easier.

SPEAKER_04 26:28

Easier, yeah. There's opportunities. Um you don't need a label anymore. They weren't available before. I mean, it's not completely easier, completely harder, because you could go get a deal and put a machine behind you, and that's not really the case. Um, you know, there was artist development before. So those are the pros back in the day. You get signed, you have talent, they help build you up and develop you till you're ready. Now you got to figure it out yourself, but everybody's also in a rush. So we get more the hard part is it's I don't want to call it trash, but it's trash. No, I'll say call it trash is trash.

SPEAKER_01 27:03

Trash is trash.

SPEAKER_04 27:03

I'll say it for you. Yeah. Um yeah, somebody was asking me a question uh the other week. I was talking to somebody and they're like, you know, has it been harder for you? Uh like looking the way you look. It's like, no, because I've I've I took the steps. Like back in the day, you had to be the best on your street, your little area town, the town. The town had to stand behind you when you go up. Like you had to go through battles and ciphers, and like we standing around. And if your people weren't with you, you weren't gonna go anywhere. And now you can uh I'm kind of bickering a little bit, but now we can go buy a mic for a hundred bucks and interface for let's say$200. I can record, it could be trash, uh, I could publish and release and be on the same platform as Beatles, Beyonce, and Michael Jackson, which is crazy. That is crazy, you know what I mean? I don't, you know.

SPEAKER_00 27:57

I remember when I first picked up on that with like just little people that I knew that rap and it was like, oh whatever. And then they, I'm like, they shoot on iCloud? I mean on uh iTunes? Uh yeah, iTunes or Apple Music or whatever. I'm like, why is it on here? And it wasn't clicking to me because I don't know the the the reason behind it, but I'm like, why are they good enough to be on here? But it is not a matter of being good enough, it's a matter of placing it there.

Independent Production Growth

SPEAKER_02 28:19

Yeah, I'll take it one step further. I know of someone who created a whole a whole album off with AI, yeah, that's right, then put it on iTunes to diss his ex-wife.

SPEAKER_00 28:31

Yeah to diss his ex-wife.

SPEAKER_02 28:33

Oh there's an artist on there that's not no talent.

SPEAKER_03 28:38

It's not your ex.

SPEAKER_00 28:39

No, it's not your ex.

SPEAKER_02 28:41

I'm just saying, it's still crazy. Someone can say, I'm an artist, go on AI, make AI make nine songs, then put it on iTunes. Yeah, yeah, it's freaking crazy.

SPEAKER_00 28:52

Well, that goes back to like a I I'm really intrigued by your idea of the the Yeah, because that's a really big part of that. You know, we were just dealing with all that shit about how they were the the media was really mad about uh that lady that put out the AI artists, yeah. And people were pissed because like she can't win and you know, like win awards, and I think she was up for an award or something like that. And that's what but that's crazy.

SPEAKER_04 29:23

Yeah, this third, I mean it that stuff's fun, you know what I mean. But yeah, there's gotta be, it just has to be integrity. I mean, I think it goes back to us. Um talking about in a play, it's like, can you utilize these things and still remain human and keep your human, yeah, still remain human? Yeah, yeah. Um, one last bicker on this topic. So uh I was talking to my son about this, and he was like, oh, you know, this stuff sounds old school. There's a new style, like Cassie rapping ahead of the beat. I was like, Y'all didn't, y'all kids did not invent this. It's like there was trash rappers when we were coming up. If you're rapping ahead of the beat and you're rapping the way y'all rap now, that was around. It's just it didn't make it past that house locked up. Because you, I don't want to say gatekeepers, but at least the OGs to help hold accountable and set a standard. And I think when you're able to get a mic in a studio and then record something and it's trash, and now you're not so special being great at your craft because everybody can do that, and then it turns the powers to the masses, and there's a bunch of people who can make that sound and they like that sound. I think that's how it blew up. I was like, this shit sucks, it always has. So call what it is. Do with that what you want. Call what it is.

SPEAKER_00 30:40

But I appreciate your integrity and in knowing, like you mentioned you're 48. You want it to sound like you're 48. I love that. Yeah, because people don't embrace that at all. Like, that's why you have, and I don't want to be a bitch, so I won't say the name, but that's why you can't. Don't say the name. Lil' Kim. Lil' Kim, you are a like you can be legendary in your lane. I and I genuinely mean this. Like, she can be legendary in her lane. She beefing with Cardi B. She like girl. You don't need, yeah, you don't need to do that. Like, you literally can be. I loved Lil' Kim when I was young. I shouldn't have, but I love Lil Kim for that. And she could be legendary in her lane to remain there. And you have to know, like, you have to find that space and stay in it. And a lot of people want to keep up instead. So it's like the person that finds that happy medium of yeah, you're gonna date yourself a little bit, but that's fine as long as it's, you know, it's just a happy medium of doing it. But I love that.

SPEAKER_04 31:36

I was like, I think it goes down to health and then environments, it it's insecurities, you know what I mean? I'm getting this attention very much, and I'm not saying that to to shit on anybody, it's insecurities and things we have to deal with and have a friend. You have to be luckily, lucky to have that structure around you to help you face these things and learn these things. It goes back to being pain and empathy and understanding and just continuing to work on yourself.

SPEAKER_00 32:01

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 32:02

I also think uh the age thing is a huge opportunity. I mean, hip hop is only 51 years old now, so we are the first people in this position to be 48, 50, 55, whatever that's to make this music.

SPEAKER_00 32:15

You're so right.

SPEAKER_04 32:16

It's the first opportunity to do that.

SPEAKER_00 32:18

You're absolutely right, that's true.

SPEAKER_04 32:20

Let's go, you know. Yeah, yeah, and a lot of OG, shout out to like this past year, the clips album was amazing, and Hello Cool J's dropping, and Sibets album was fire, and you got a lot of artists. Um, I mean, there's more, but um, yeah, yeah, putting in that work to do to make important music. So huge opportunity there. So uh yeah, I'm excited about it. I'm excited to get older. We have a lot of friends and family and peers that didn't get the opportunity to get older. So it's a blessing. I'm looking forward to it. Uh I work on my health and and everything. I want to be here as long as I can to to experience these things.

SPEAKER_03 32:58

So I I will say that Malice did let a lot of people know that y'all ain't really rapping. I'm gonna show y'all what rapping. I thought y'all was rapping. Let me let me let me show you something.

SPEAKER_04 33:09

In the first song, the way they chose to start that event about their their parents and discovering your pop, like what?

SPEAKER_02 33:15

Yeah, put me in.

SPEAKER_04 33:16

You know, I'm not a big, you know, I probably got I can do one crack song a day. I only got room for one song about drugs. You get one, you got four minutes of my time. So I was really hoping they didn't go down that route when they started making the other more, you know, music that was vulnerable. I was like, oh, this is special. So I was very inspired to see.

SPEAKER_03 33:37

You better than me. I got I got I ain't got one.

SPEAKER_04 33:39

Huh?

SPEAKER_03 33:40

I can't do one. I I I'll turn on that that uh Benny. Yeah. I he I I heard I I got I got three seconds past the butcher's coming. And I said, no, drug bars, cut it off.

SPEAKER_00 33:50

Drug bar. Cut it off, cut it off. I'm not here for the drug bars, I'm not here for the drug bars.

SPEAKER_02 33:55

Um I know you you said that you know you want to rap as you at 48 and and the evolution of that. Um but for the listeners listening to your music, what do you want it them to take away after they hear your music?

SPEAKER_04 34:12

Um just get their minds working, get them thinking. So you know, uh hopefully they hear they hear my music and they enjoy it and something resonates with them. Um you know, I've never made it uh as a I I haven't been able to make a living making music. So I I create what I need to create for myself, and I've had moments um uh I don't want to say people's names, but I just we'll we use one example. I I was in Texas, we moved to Austin, and I was just giving out um my CD to some people, and then I saw a guy a few years later, he was like, Hey man, the the song you were talking about your father, it was right when he had passed. I mean, that album from from cancer. Um he's like, My father was going through these stuff, so yeah, I'm helped me get through that. It don't get better than that. Yeah, you know what I mean? So um being able to resonate and hopefully I can I can drop a gem. Uh my nephew was hearing it, he was like, dang, I feel like I just learned a whole bunch of stuff. I'm a better person. I was like, that's freaking cool. Yeah, just halfway joking, you know, but he was serious as well. Yeah. And um, it's not a it's not a preachy album, it's just storytelling, sharing my stories. Um and I just hope, you know, it re I just hope it resonates. That's all you can hope for.

SPEAKER_00 35:22

Yeah, when you're intentional, it it hits the right people.

unknown 35:24

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 35:27

So we were in uh another thing, we were in San Diego two weeks ago. There's a lot of dope San Diego. Shout out to San Diego artists. Um we had a show, and then my boy is like, see, for he's like, You the oldest dude in here? But he's like, you make us all feel like the children and child inside comes out. We just youthful and having a blast, and I was like, that was cool to hear. Yeah, that was cool to hear. You're the biggest kid in here. I was like, Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:57

So what advice would you give to any artist? Because I it's originally for Inland Empire, but any artist that looks to you for inspiration, what advice would you give them?

Integrity and Authenticity

SPEAKER_04 36:10

Do uh I'm gonna keep it on the art. Just do the work. Um keep continuing to work on yourself, don't be in a rush. I know. Uh again, I'm 48, I've been rapping well over 30 years. And I feel like I'm better now than I've ever been by far. Like I can make, finally make what I want to make. Um so love it. Love it and be willing to do the work, put the hours in. Um, don't be afraid to push the boundaries, don't be afraid to fail. A lot of times now, um, you know, we got these cameras in our face all the time. So if you make a mistake, somebody's gonna take it and put it online and then repeat it, and it can live and then bring it back and put that in your face again. So it's not as safe, but find a safe place to grow and work on your craft. And um Yeah, love it. If you don't love it, you know, if you don't love it, I would wouldn't maybe find something else to do, but find something that you love and and do it. Not to sound cliche, but yeah. You can't force it.

SPEAKER_02 37:15

So I'm gonna give you some rapid fire questions.

SPEAKER_04 37:18

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 37:20

I need I need you guys to I need to know this because I might need to venture after. So what's your favorite IE food spot?

SPEAKER_04 37:29

Tina's.

SPEAKER_00 37:30

Whoa. Oh my god, but it's what's it called now?

SPEAKER_04 37:33

Or university? Dos hermanos. Oh Dos Hermanas. There is a Tina's, yeah, university.

SPEAKER_00 37:38

But we messed with Dos Hermanas now.

SPEAKER_04 37:40

Yeah, Tina's, they sold it to their cousins, and then they opened the original Tina's, and then hell no, yeah. So it's Dos Hermanas, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:47

It was like some little beef with the family and everything. It was crazy, but Del Sormana's Tina.

SPEAKER_04 37:52

So my my wife's my wife's from the east side, so that's not that's not Neltina's. Yeah, that's not no Tina's. It used to be a little like tiny house. Yeah, but the flies outside, the line down the sidewalk, down the street.

SPEAKER_00 38:04

Get your food in a plate with the foil on top of it. That's how Tina's was growing up.

SPEAKER_04 38:08

Tinas. Uh the second, first shout out to Miguel's Jr. I mean, growing up in Corona, that when I moved here, it was like, that's the dude who owns McGills Jr. McGill's house. Yeah, a big old mansion in the back. So that was always inspiring. Like, man, you start your own business and you win in life. So Tina.

SPEAKER_02 38:25

What's your favorite album ever?

SPEAKER_04 38:29

That's a hard-ass question. Ever. Ones that come to mind. I don't want to give you standards. They are your standards, your your thrillers and purple reins, but I want to go with uh Alabama Shakespeare Sound and Color. Okay. Because I feel maybe not everybody's heard that album. And from beginning to end, it's just so good.

SPEAKER_02 38:50

Uh most underrated rapper.

SPEAKER_04 38:53

Underrated rapper.

SPEAKER_02 38:58

Alright, burger. Okay. Studio. Daytime or nighttime?

SPEAKER_04 39:05

Most underrated famous rappers. Everybody's like, oh, he's just saying his homies. I'll go common. Common's one of my favorites. Okay. And he gets a lot of love and props, but I think he's just as good as like your Nases. I compare him to Nas. Is Nas is probably a little more street, and people like the street stories, and Commons is more spiritual, but they're both good storytellers and good at what they do. So I think he deserves his flowers. He's been inspirational under me as well.

SPEAKER_02 39:30

And I was rooting for him against Drake, but I think I root against anybody that was going against Drake at the time. Don't don't touch it.

SPEAKER_04 39:37

Yeah, he just he just I don't know. He just looked like an emotional. He didn't look good in that Drake situation. It was like, oh, he didn't say hi to me, and then he kissed him, and then it didn't go good. Common did better against Ice Cube.

SPEAKER_02 39:50

I agree. I agree.

unknown 39:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:54

But yeah, uh I got into a little um exhausted. That was funny.

SPEAKER_02 40:00

Uh yeah, studio uh favorite time, nighttime or day.

SPEAKER_04 40:04

When I was younger, it was nighttime because I drink a lot. So we party and then get drunk and just be faded in the studio and it was fun. But now mornings, get up. I learned this from um Black Thought. Somebody asked Black Thought from the Roots, How are you so dope? He was like, I take naps. I walk in the studio, I take a nap, and then I wake up because I'm that's the closest I'm going to be to the dream state. Then creative, and now I wake up and I immediately get to work. That's what I saw. So mornings, mornings. I've done some some really good work.

SPEAKER_02 40:35

Freestyle written. Written. Uh your ultimate dream collab.

SPEAKER_04 40:50

I've done a few this past year. So I got a record coming out that I produced that has a Q-tip on it. Ooh. And then um I'm gonna be on the next exhibit album, which I produced and wrap on that. Sorry, I deflex real quick. Alright, flex away.

SPEAKER_01 41:07

This is this is this is just about you.

The Long Game of Artistry

SPEAKER_04 41:09

We got a record. So I'm an executive producing uh we'll get to that in a minute. Questions coming up. Uh Tash is EP from Alcoholics, and we got a remix with reunited the whole liquid crew. Will Iam shot the video? Will I am on it? And it's a bunch of tribe flips. I linked up with um Jarobi from a tribe called Quest and his boy Lytro at South by, and they got us to Qtip. We just wanted his thumbs up for using these samples, and I got an email from Q Tip, and he did redid the hook. Oh, yeah. Dream Collaboration. Let's go, Andre3000. Okay. Okay. I gotta access it. Lakers or Clippers? My sports loyalty is for sale at all times. I worked with the Clippers. Uh, shout out to Mike, Mike, my boy Roxick. Um, he was working with them. So the the mascot won mascot a year a few years ago, and they brought me in to produce and create a song. So um being able to, we were shooting like video and content and footage and being at games and before the games on the floor at Staples. And then my son was a college basketball player, having to be able to just sit there and uh, you know, like watch like Kawhi and all them at this diff distance, being able to provide those opportunities to my family and being able to do those things. I'm appreciative to the Clippers for that. Um, but I'm a I'm a big LeBron James fan. I'm rooting for the Lakers. I don't think they have a chance to probably get swept, but hopefully they can win a game.

SPEAKER_02 42:38

I have a question. Yes. Have you ever been around Kawhi and heard them laugh in person?

SPEAKER_03 42:43

No.

unknown 42:44

Fuck. No.

SPEAKER_03 42:46

We have somebody that has it pretty close.

unknown 42:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:49

Go ahead. No.

SPEAKER_03 42:51

Kawhi. The laugh. This is about him. Can you do can you do the laugh?

SPEAKER_00 42:56

Clearly he can hear it.

SPEAKER_02 43:01

Ah, shit. Okay. Okay, okay, okay. There's one song that you wish that you wrote. Stevie Wonder Ass. Oh, wow. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 43:11

Oh, I love that song. I love Stevie Wonder, but I love that song.

SPEAKER_04 43:15

I didn't realize this. My wife told me. I get in a shower and I just start spinning. She's like, you've done like 100 straight 360s, watching, spinning, and I go to another planet. I'm not at a shower. I'm somewhere else creative. And I'll just like singing songs or performing, like pretending I made these songs all the time. Like I'm in the car, songs on, I'm listening to it, and I'm on stage performing it in front of the huge audio. It might be like purple rain or something crazy. If I can't sing it, I just turn up loud enough where I can't hear myself flipping it. And I yeah.

SPEAKER_03 43:51

This motherfucker got a big ass shower.

unknown 43:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 43:58

It's tight fit.

SPEAKER_02 44:01

All right. It's tall enough, man. One word that you would use to describe your mindset right now. Uh appreciative.

SPEAKER_01 44:11

I like that.

SPEAKER_02 44:13

Okay, it's coming. Pause. Pause. Yeah. You ready?

SPEAKER_04 44:18

That's not my mindset right now.

SPEAKER_02 44:21

Are you ready, Sean?

unknown 44:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:22

You ready? Oh, I stay ready, so I ain't gotta get ready. You ready? Always. Alright, see for yourself. What is your top five that are live MCs?

SPEAKER_03 44:30

Oh uh You can name yourself.

SPEAKER_02 44:33

You can name yourself. That's okay.

SPEAKER_04 44:36

Uh Andre 3000. Common. Karis one. There's so many. There's like 20 in my top five. Jay-Z deserves to be in there. Eminem deserves to be in there too.

SPEAKER_00 44:58

Marshall?

SPEAKER_04 44:59

Marshall, yeah. You don't got Jim Jones? Are we uh Jim Jones?

SPEAKER_00 45:03

Wait, wait, wait.

SPEAKER_02 45:06

To be in my top five, you gotta be able to rap better than me.

SPEAKER_04 45:09

Jim Jones.

SPEAKER_01 45:10

Blueface didn't make it.

SPEAKER_04 45:11

Did he say Jim Jones?

SPEAKER_02 45:12

Yeah, he said that's the second time he's mentioned Jim Jones.

SPEAKER_00 45:15

Yeah, I know. I was gonna say that too.

SPEAKER_04 45:17

Scarface slick great.

SPEAKER_00 45:18

Oh, Scarface. You're a storyteller. You gotta be a little bit more.

SPEAKER_03 45:25

That wasn't uh that wasn't in order.

SPEAKER_00 45:26

That's just uh that wasn't in order. That wasn't even all of them, so it wasn't in order.

SPEAKER_02 45:33

I want to hit the buttons on your hat.

SPEAKER_04 45:35

But um down down the front there.

SPEAKER_00 45:39

Oh, that's funny. I didn't even notice that.

SPEAKER_02 45:41

Um I want to say oh, before we get there, what do you want the people to know that you didn't get to say in the questions?

SPEAKER_04 45:53

Um shooting for August 15th for my album released uh concert. It's gonna be Riverside.

SPEAKER_03 46:03

Awesome.

SPEAKER_04 46:04

Springer, it's a family friendly show. I know curse words in this album. Gonna have a live band. Um Riverside? It's gonna be Riverside at the I wanna be there. Yeah, the farmhouse. Oh, okay. It's uh gonna be a free show. I will have vinyl and uh the album. So hopefully, you know, y'all show up and enjoy yourself. If I'll be on vacation that week, I'll bring the city out.

SPEAKER_02 46:32

I'll be on vacation too. I thought you were gonna be gone. No, I just won't be at work. Um I'll be on vacation too.

SPEAKER_00 46:38

It's a weekend, ain't it? Yes, it has to be, yes.

SPEAKER_04 46:41

Yeah, the 15th year. Yes, Saturday that's yeah, yeah. I'll be there.

SPEAKER_00 46:44

We're gonna bring the city out.

SPEAKER_04 46:45

Yeah, we got we got the band, is we dialing it in. I'm very, very excited. Um and where can I reach? Go ahead. That was it.

SPEAKER_02 46:54

Okay, uh, where can I reach you?

SPEAKER_04 46:56

Uh the best place part of my Instagram, just uh at C4Yourself. Okay. So S-E-E-F-O-R dot yourself, but put in C for yourself, put a pop-up. Um, I'm trying to do Monday posts now where I'm doing either a beat or a verse on something.

SPEAKER_02 47:11

Which are dope.

SPEAKER_04 47:12

So thank you. It's been fun doing them.

SPEAKER_02 47:14

I was like, why do I take so long to do this stuff? That's another question. What what did you say how long it takes you to memorize a song? Oh, memorizing is my worst.

SPEAKER_04 47:23

Yeah, that's my worst. We're in Vegas working for this this robots versus ninja stuff, and I wrote all these lines, and I'm like, luckily we condensed the show from the beginning, and I do like a poetry slam thing at the end, and it's like two minutes straight. It's just a cappella just going in. You can't miss something, especially though like a freestyle. You gotta nail it because it's very specific. So I finally uh got it when it was when it was time to deliver on that last show. Okay, but uh yeah, it it takes me um takes me a while. I mean, we did we did the sway in the morning cipher a few weeks ago, and I was like, I'm just spitting raps, I know, for that purpose. And I still I deal with my brain, I'll sabotage myself. I don't know if this happens to me, but I'm going and then uh I have to learn my lyrics so good that I don't have to think about them, and then I'm working on performing, and then something else will happen, and then I'd be like, Bob, don't don't fuck up. Or just I'm like, why do I do this to myself? So I'm trying to um I talk about that on on on the album too. Um there, yeah, self-sabotaging. Like, what am I doing? So um, yeah, memories, I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 48:33

Been there, been with myself. It's very tough. So I want to say thank you for being here with us, giving us your time. I think it's a full circle moment for me because the interesting thing I was put on to you, I was playing basketball in Riverside at Boardwood Park, and somebody rolled up and gave me your CD to play.

SPEAKER_01 48:54

Oh, that's fire.

SPEAKER_02 48:55

And I was listening and I was like, who is this? I was like, he's white? He's nice. So, and then it was just, I was like, I need to step my shit up. I remember being like I'm a still man. Yeah, and it was it was dope. It was that was yeah, and it was uh, but I was like, I was like, he's white? They're like, yeah, this he's white. I said, fuck. Because it just like the way you were rapping, the set, the style you had, like the sound, it was unique to the area. Like it doesn't sound like because like growing up, obviously we had Eminem and whatever, but like it sounded like, oh, this is this is West Coast I. Sound. This doesn't sound like so. When I heard it, I was like, I need to step my shit up. And like, so it's like a full circle moment to be able to give you your flowers because you motivated me. You're one of the main motivators of me realizing that this shit's possible.

SPEAKER_04 49:50

Oh, that's fire.

SPEAKER_02 49:51

You know what I'm saying? Like, it was like And you're dope, though. And it like for me to be presented to me randomly, just playing basketball outside, somebody's like, you just puke this shit out. It was the outskirts. I was like, what is this? And I was like, oh shit. And then like and then even further than that, the the before you it was Doctor Stank only because when I was seven or eight years old, he would come to my dad's barber shop and um he would get his hair cut and he'd be like, I'm going to the studio. I said, I want to go to the studio. So like it's all a full circle moment for me to see all this and just hear you guys and and and see you guys, and it constantly keeps me motivated. So to be able to give you your flowers and uh see you're still doing it and to be looking forward to things that you're doing means a lot. And uh I want the world to understand that you're a legend and not just an IE, you're a legend, and uh you need to be appreciated. And um, ladies and gentlemen, we give you, and he's always welcome back. See for yourself. Thank y'all. Like, subscribe, share, and comment.

SPEAKER_03 50:58

All that shit.

SPEAKER_02 50:59

Till next time we love you, face. Oh, he did it. He fucking did it.

SPEAKER_00 51:07

How would you do that? That's a red.