Michael Aristotle Interview: Songwriting w/ Missy Elliott | Biggie Smalls = the GOAT

I remember there was this like YouTube video, Lil Wayne. He was in a studio. He was like, you know, man, repetition is the father of learning. In the studio, when he said that, I was like, damn. So if I just do it over and over, I'm a just get better. One more time. Spinner rock, spin the one time. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the One More Time Podcast. One more time. I'm Playback Ben here, with my co-host. And here with the three, aka the Trap Jack Black. Trap Jack Black. Who do we have in the hot seat today, my friend? Welcoming in on episode 89 of the One More Time Podcast, one of the most legendary writers out of the South. It's a king remembered in time. Big Chris. Yes. Yes. You're not supposed to like the roast. Yes. Damn it. Yes. Awesome. It's a good one. In all seriousness, we do have a super dope songwriter, one of the hardest rappers in the underground scene here in Atlanta.

We got Mikey Aristotle, aka Michael Aristotle. Mikey on all streaming platforms. You're one of those guys, man, where you have basically been just associated with so many different people that we know. I mean, even the unreleased track that you sent us happened to maybe have a couple guys that have sat in this seat. as well. Absolutely. Two past guests. Yeah. So it was, and and I didn't even know you had, you know, deep ties to either of them, for example. So exactly. So it was just another example of like, holy shit, like this guy's everywhere. I mean, you've, you know, been associated with a client that I used to work with, Money Making Neek, one of the also one of the dopest rappers that I've ever heard come out of Atlanta. Um, so really, really appreciate you coming on, man. I know you're a fan of the show too. Yeah. Which is a beautiful thing. That means a lot to us. Yep. So I saw a clip on Twitter that you had retweeted of Missy Elliott, Misdemeanor Elliott shouting you out specifically. This was like a few years ago, but then I did see you post like another picture with her.

So assumedly you've done some work with the queen, Missy Elliott herself. Absolutely. Like what is the nature of your relationship with Missy? And by the way, even before you say that, we did a female rapper draft. She was my number one, I'm pretty sure. Ben took her first overall. Awesome. He's a fan. Yeah, she's the queen. She is. Yeah. Um, wow. I don't even know where to start. She's like my mentor. Um, you know, we we work on a lot, a lot of music, lots of music together. Um, it's it's so crazy, man. Um, we started working in 2018. Um, this goes back to like my first placement was uh light skin Keisha placement. Uh it was uh treadmill. So Shout out Keisha. Shout out Keisha. And um, I did uh treadmill. I guess people started, you know, hearing about it. And um, my old management, I used to be over at uh Tree Sound Studios, and um they knew uh Jeff Sledge, which is my manager now, and they were working on Missy's project. So he was they were like, uh, yo, we got these, you know, these cool guys, you know, Michael Aristotle, Willie Hendrix, you know, see if you want to, you know, meet them and stuff.

So Jeff Sledge, he comes to a show. I'm opening for Deontay Hitchcock. Shout out Deontay Yep. Opening for him. Jeff comes through, like he's like, man, this is crazy. Like your set was crazy. Who does the beats? Introduce him to Willie Hendrix, and then next thing you know, weeks later, we're working on you know Missy's project. So Wow. Yeah. The songwriter world is such a like, I don't know, like untapped for most people. They don't really understand it, me included, right? So, like, how did it work? Like starting off, you know, working on Missy's project. Like, like, what does that actually mean? Like, what were you doing and how did you approach it? Just ideas, you know, just ideas. You know, you don't you don't write for, you know, you write with. You know, you just you bounce back ideas, and it was fun, you know, like uh cool off and throw it back. Those are the ones that came out. But we worked on a lot of music, like hundreds of songs and and you know, cool ideas. So it's really just about bouncing ideas off each other.

Yeah, you know what I mean? And whatever comes out, you never know what's gonna come out. You never know. You know, that's a thing that's about that's funny to me about the songwriting world is you guys can be so locked in on a record, and you're like, oh man, when this comes out, this is gonna be like crazy. And then, you know, time goes by and it never comes out. Yeah, so you know, you kind of just keep moving on to I was actually thinking that sound effect in my head hearing that. It is, yeah, but you said it's cool though, because you get better and better, you know, and then eventually you guys become like family. You know, she's like family now. You know, I like she'll you know hit me up out of nowhere sometimes. It's crazy. I'm like, what the fuck? I'm on the phone. You know, checking in on you, Mikey. What's good? Yeah, yeah, you know, like she's like my mentor for real, for real. We really had so had those talks, and even with my own music, she even gets on me about like stuff like, hey, you know, you need to get out your comfort zone with this thing. Like sometimes I feel like you're in this bubble with things. You need to do this with your voice, do that.

Like, like change this. Um, you don't have to be rappity rap rap all the time. Sometimes one expression gets, you know, your whole it summarizes everything you were trying to put in the 16 bars. So, yeah, her telling me that it just made me better. Like, she definitely made me better, you know, with my own music. Yeah, yeah. I mean, because you mentioned kind of stepping out of the comfort zone. If I were to summarize what made like her and obviously Timbaland so successful and so unique, was exactly that. I think I've heard Timbaland talk about like they created almost in a bubble, Yep. where they didn't even know what the fuck was happening outside, right? And just completely took this like leap of faith into weirdo land, right? Cool, kind of of just like who knows what the fuck we're making, and it sounds off kilter, right? We don't really know that this is gonna work, but it felt good, right? And it felt like challenging and like daring almost. Mm-hmm. So is she kind of suggesting that like you go into that world that maybe she was in, you know, back when a lot of those you know early missy records were coming out.

Yeah, she was just like she was always like um, she was like, you know, when we making these songs, like we were just trying to do different things, you know. We were trying to really push the envelope, but we didn't know we would push it like that far. Yeah, you know, we were just we were just challenging each other. So one thing she said to me and Willie was challenge each other, push each other, you know. When one sees the other like going just as hard, like you, you know, you you should want to reach that level. You guys should just be it's kind of it's competitive, yeah, yeah. Kind of competitive in a sense, friendly competition, friendly, yeah, friendly competition. Be like, but like your best self, you know what I mean? Like, like try, try your best. Like push each other, you know. So when Willie's making a beat, like he should be doing stuff that that should make you want to just like, you know, go in a different pocket. You know, you guys need each other in that sense. You know, you're not gonna have this flow if the beat isn't like this, you know, and you you're not gonna uh when you're doing like post-production, you're not gonna add this in a beat if you don't hear this from you know what Mikey's doing. Shout out Willie Hendrix, too.

I don't know if we tried to do that, but yeah, for real. Love Willie. Absolutely. Yeah, I mean, for me, it's almost like someone's gotta not accept mediocrity either, right? And and just, and this is something I talk to you about too, is like even when you know we're working with artists, right? Is that like, okay, cool, you made the beat, you rapped on it, the song sounds cool. Like, nah, no. Fuck that. No, that's not good enough. Like the chances that you're gonna make the best version of this song the very first chance or very first try, I would guess are like slim to none. I I once again have not had a platinum record, I don't have a number one, so take this with a fucking grain of salt. But I've spoken with a lot of people who do. And what I've taken away from them is those hit records, those songs that stand the test of time, whether it's tons of post-production that went into it to make it something different than what it was originally. It's not just the first fucking version of what the song was. No. I go back and forth on that though, because I don't know. I go back and forth on that.

There's a lot of examples of where it happens. Yeah, there's a lot of examples where the initial vibe, there was something different. There was something. Think about Sheck West when the beat literally cut off as he's recording his first take and he goes, Oh, fuck, shit, bitch. Yeah, Sheck Wes. That song is still legendary to this day. So that like it's it's about recognizing like if the song does need you to go back in and maybe make something better. Yeah, yeah. Or if you really captured something, it's all about the feeling. It's a feeling, it's a feeling. You'll know, you'll know. The feeling will it it will tell you everything. Yeah, I think maybe it's the whole thing of like those are the exceptions, not the rule to like songs that reach a certain level. Nope. Well, true. No rules. But but yeah, so so with Missy, and even you know, you mentioned Light Skin Keisha right before. Um how is it for you writing with women artists? Um you know, it's you have to shift perspective at all. Well, of course, I mean I'm a dude.

I'm like, Jesus Henry. Yeah. Where'd you where'd you pull that question out of? You have to switch. But no, like, like it's 2023, actually, you know? You know It's fluid. Yeah, yeah, it's fluid. I'm very progressive. Them they. Yes, yeah. Um actually, we didn't ask you your pronouns. Okay, anyways, yeah, but but pronouns are tree, tree, twig. Jesus. I identify as a tree. We are canceled after this. But so yes, what what is the you know, kind of process like writing for in or I see I should say with with women, right? Um yeah, and it, you know, the craziest thing is like it's my whole uh songwriting discography is like women, you know. I probably probably like uh two with uh male singer, but um, or rapper, but um yeah, it's mostly women and it's been you know it's really been uh great because it just kind of like opens your mind to like you know, like different, you know, different topics and and stuff, you know, different emotions. Like I what I do is um with the artists, I talk to them.

Um what's going on in your life? What situation are you in? Are you in a relationship? How are you feeling today? So it's kind of like uh learning their language, you know, learning like a like a woman's language for real, for real. So it's really been I'd say awarding, you know, because I have a sister, so I'm able to, you know, talk to her and be more like like open with her and stuff like that. Like, hey, how are you? How you feeling? You know, and I I don't know. It's it's so many ways to explain it, but I think it's so cool just being able to write with women. Um every woman that I've wrote in with, like, are they're extremely talented, uh, their range is crazy. So then I learned stuff from them, you know, musically. You know, they could do things with their voice that you know you I mean you don't want to hear dudes like do you know you know, so tell me this. As a producer engineer, when I'm working with artists, if you've ever experienced, I like to think of it as like almost like like you're an actor or something. I'll tell I'll tell them like you, you know, this person that we're writing this song for on this, it's not even you.

Yeah, you're the artist, but like think like separate you from the character, yeah, that we're kind of building in this song and right from the perspective of the character. Yes. Is that something that you've encountered? Yes. Um, it's like uh yeah, like acting. You know, I go in the booth, I'm like, hmm, well, I know this person's uh, you know, their personality. How do I translate that into a song? How do I translate that into bars or like a you know a verse? Yeah. Um I try to sound like them, you know. Yeah, yeah. And it's fun until you like ride around to like your you know, references that you did. Yeah, you never show the references to the homies. And you never, yeah, you never do that. You never do because he's like shit. Yeah, that's not the one I meant to play. Yeah, it's it's funny because if you're you know you're chilling with all your homies and stuff, and you're just playing music and you know, one of like little idea references you do, but you're talking in the perspective of like a woman, so they hear you know the dudes. He want this pussy, yeah. It's so chill. Jesus. Sorry.

no, no, it's it's like that, it's hilarious, you know. Like he wanna dude's like, hey man, what's going on, man? Hey, yeah, you know, just hearing you say it is super jarring, yeah. I'm sure and it's it's always funny because like even when you're in songwriting camps, and let's say uh you guys are working on like a like a female artist one by one, like you know, the the male songwriter is like going in the booth and he's he's talking like a woman as well. Yeah, so all of you guys are going in the booth making all of these verses in the perspective of that artist, which happened to be a female at the time. Some pause some pauses getting thrown out, maybe or I'm sure like your first one had to be like super weird, right? Oh, yeah. Because like at this point, y'all are probably all there and you've done this a million times, so like maybe like holding back the laughter is like a lot easier. But like first time, you're probably like you fucking hear what this guy just said.

Yeah, you know, you just like, especially if you know your friends are in the in the studio session, they just come by for a minute. Oh, they can't come. Yeah, no, They don't get it. I had to learn that. And I'm like, sometimes I would have to warn, hey guys, uh yeah, I'm doing this for like a woman, right? I'm a professional, yeah, yeah. So I have to be her for this this on the song. Gonna maybe rap about Pussy and wanting dick. Um I wonder who wrote uh the Minuteman song, I wonder, with uh with Luda, right? And Timbaland. That was that would have been a fun one. Yeah, yeah. She she wrote that. I think she wrote that one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, you know, you've always had a way with words, at least in another interview I saw. Like, this isn't like something that came to you late. Like, do you feel like you've always kind of had like the gift of gab, if you will, like being able to talk and like put words together? I think so. Not even being like uh cocky, but no, I started uh writing poems for like girls, because you know, what kid isn't into women at a like you know, what little boy isn't into like women at a very young age. Wait, I can impress them with my words, yeah.

Yeah, and that's all I would do. Damn, he was passing notes, but they were poems. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Not just like, hey, passing like like poems, hey, like, you know, would you like like read this and stuff? Roses are red, baby girl. Yeah, stuff like you know, stuff like that, but mine's were so like I'm 12, but I'm like, I have the my poems are so like grown. Yeah, that the girls are like, oh my God. they didn't even know what they were reading at that point. Metaphors, personification, Yeah. Me going crazy. Yeah, I'm just going crazy. I got metaphors, like girls like whoa. full stanzas. Whoa, you know, like make songs for girls, just different things. Yeah, so like how much of that side of rap do you think can be developed? What you mean? Like so it's natural versus almost the nature versus nurtured argument, right? Like how much of it is just like Mikey Aristotle can fucking put words together. Just even if you didn't try, that was just like what came natural to natural to you versus how much of it, and this is, you know, maybe just your experience working with tons of artists over the years, being in the game. Do you see like, oh shit, like this guy kind of sucked back in the day?

No, I'm just being sorry. Like this guy kind of sucked back in the day. He's kind of fire now. So clearly you saw it like able to be developed. How much do you think is natural versus like able to be, you know, developed? Oh, whew. You um, like you said, like with the nurturing part, like you have to really keep doing it. You know, um, now I'm don't get me wrong, I was good, but I'm not like you know, I think I'm fine now, but not back then. I, you know, I still had some work to do. So it just goes with like repetition, you know. I remember uh, I remember there was this like YouTube video, Lil Wayne, he was in the studio, and he was like, you know, man, repetition is the father of learning. That's a Great impression, by the way. And he was, you know, in the studio when he said that, I was like, damn. So if I just do it over and over, I'm gonna just get better. And I started getting better, you know.

And I seen that when I was 14, um, 14 or 15. Anyways, uh, I just you know, over time, I just kept doing it, kept doing it, and then I started, you know, getting good with metaphors. Then I started uh watching um battle rap, my favorite battle rapper is Daylight, and he is like the craziest with wordplay to me. So I was like, oh man, like uh he was like, lava, this flow hot, like this, you know, and I was like, oh, oh, floor, flow, like flow, oh shit. I just came to. I was like, where's she going with this? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Lava, like this flow hot. Like, and I was like, oh my god, this is crazy. So I'm like, okay, I want somebody to react like that with me. So um I started playing with words. You know, I said, um, there's this new one that's about to come out. I guess when this when this comes out, but um, I was like, uh this ain't a situationship, but you could come on board like that, right?

Like, yeah, ship. Yeah, I like that. I got better lines than that, but I just that was just all the time. and come, come, come. Yeah, I think that's what he was going for, Henry. Sex jokes. But um, like, but if someone isn't born with it and they just work their ass off, do you think they can meet the level of someone that is it is maybe has it but doesn't work as hard? Yeah, just doing it over and over. Remember, repetition is the father of learning. Yeah, so so like what is the actual process though of leveling up when it comes to being a good writer, and I guess I kind of want to separate like the writing side because like rapping is such a like delivery art form as well. The words can be dope, but if you can't fucking say them in a cool way that's impactful, it doesn't really matter how good the bars are, to be honest. You just gotta study, studying, yeah. And I don't mean like uh, oh, you know, like writing, you know, like studying as in just sitting and like watching stuff sometimes, getting inspired, you know.

Even when um you have writer's block, it's cool to just watch stuff, watch uh documentaries. Like for the hundredth time now, I'm watching um the defiant ones, you know, Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine. My my alarm is is literally the clip from the defiant ones of of you know fear. Fear is a powerful thing, it's got some real firepower, and and that's the intro of all in a day's work off of Dre's album with Anderson .Paak. And that clip from the from the Defiant ones is just like a legendary Jimmy Iovine quote. Yes. And like the whole like horses, you know, with the blinders. Oh, that's my favorite. part. That shit gets me fired the fuck up. That's my favorite part. Borderline more than Diddy being like, what can't I do? And like you know what I mean? you know what I mean? He was like, you just go, go, yeah, go, and then hit 50 Cent. I know. I'm like, oh. Go show you. Yes. I'm about to watch that tonight. Yeah, it's amazing. I love it. Have you actually

watched it a hundred times? Yeah. A hundred times. A hundred times. Wow. I watched it this morning. For the hundredth time. For the hundredth. Hundredth anniversary of him watching the Defiant. The hundredth. Yeah. Wow. Yep. Yeah. So just outside of even the music, like just anything can influence the writing then. Yes, anything. Going out to a bar, you know, like uh I go to a colony. I go to a Colony Square in Midtown a lot, just to chill, just get a vibe. I like the ceilings, like, you know, I'm weird like that. Like I like the aesthetic of the place. I get a I order like a Paloma, uh, you know, tequila, whatever. Yeah. And I just chill, you know, sometimes like I just I look around and I'm seeing people go about their day, people are having uh conversations, and I don't know, like little things like that will make you just think about you know certain situations in your life where you know you might be reminiscing at a certain time and it might inspire some lines for you, you know. So life is life inspires me.

Uh, not just documentaries, uh listening to different albums, but going outside. Yeah, yeah. But how much of it is because you know, I'ma be honest, for me, getting into the interview game, right? Like, I I was already interested in watching and listening to interviews, right? So the likes of No Jumper or Joe Rogan or whoever, right? Is conducting interviews. That was already like an interest of mine. Yeah. But then I did catch myself of like, oh shit, like I am getting better as I listen to how they navigate conversations, how they weave into questions and keep it organic, but yet they've clearly prepared some stuff that they want to get to, you know what I mean? So it's like to me, how much of it is you actually listening to and like studying the rapper side of it? Yeah. Like the music. Is that that important for you? Because for me, seeing people interview to then become a good interviewer, that was borderline, like for sure, what's leveled me up. Like being intentional.

Like actually seeing people do what I do. Yeah. You know, versus you, you go to a bar, no one's out there dropping 16 in the bar, right? I'm leaving if that happens. Yeah, exactly. But you know, for you, how much of it is like studying from a like rapper perspective and like songwriter perspective? Yeah, um I would say less than than I would have thought. amount of organic Less than less than, you know. I I don't know, I can't really put a like time limit on it. I can't put um but it's not like an overwhelming majority, whereas for me, yeah, that's like the main thing that's leveled me up. But but it works for different people, you know. Sure, yeah, it works for for different people. Like if I do that, like if I like I'm gonna overthink a lot of things, you know. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So I feel like uh it's just a different process for me, you know. You know, it's it's like an overtime type of thing. Yeah, and I do catch myself, you know, the whole blinders thing, right? Is like you you can't really look at like what is No Jumper doing with their interviews and what is Joe Rogan doing with his, even though it's tempting because they're at a different level than like you know, where we're at currently. But to your point, maybe it is just almost like all right, you know you can do this, just fucking do it.

Yeah, just do it and do it a bunch and do it better and better and better each time. Just starting. I think earlier on is when you're kind of looking at other people, like someone that just picked up an instrument, they're playing covers and stuff first, yeah, and you're kind of comparing, and then I think you reach a level where you do get the confidence and you do get the ability to kind of just be in your own lane and put the blinders on later. Yeah, right. I think it kind of shifts maybe over the career. Yeah, it does. Like, like you said, because you know, you're just starting, so you really want to know how to do this. Yeah, the technical part of it, like, you know, if I'm learning how to make beats, I gotta watch, you know, someone on YouTube make a beat and like understand the process of it. And then, you know, but eventually when you get in your flow, then you can kind of maybe look straighter. So I heard you say Biggie Smalls was your favorite rapper in another interview. Is that still the gospel today? Yeah. Biggie is the the number one. Biggie is number one. What what is it about like obviously we all know him and know what we love about him, but like for you specifically, what's it about Biggie? Um, he was just like unapologetically himself.

Uh, you know, just he he put a lot of his uh insecurities. Yeah, you know, he rapped like gangster shit time to time. But a lot of you know, a lot of records he did put a lot of like honesty and um uh just truth to who he was, all his insecurities, you know, flaws and everything, he put that so early on as a kid, um not only that, but his raps used to scare the shit out of me, you know, yeah, and you know, when you're when you're a kid and certain things like scare you, you kind of still like you remember it. Yeah, you remember it, it sticks with you. So I remember ready to die, like scaring the living shit out of me. Oh, yeah. Yeah, and then remembering every word. So imagine a 12-year-old on your street knowing every word to the whole ready to die, you know. That would scare me. Yeah, scare the, you know, so the 12-year-old. Yeah, the the interludes, like, man, you know, it was crazy, and just his ability to flow over beats was so cool. Like, he was just the coolest nigga to me, you know.

Like, I still to this day, I listen to his stuff. Like, one of my favorite uh songs by him is um the uh it is Big Papa for sure, but the remix of Big Papa, the one that uh Jermaine Dupri did. So the So So Def remix to Big Papa when he switches up the uh third verse, like his flow on that, and I was like, man, I can see everything he's saying when he describes a car, he'll tell you about the interior, he'll tell you about the color of the you know, the the land cruiser that he's in, you know. He'll he'll tell you all of these stories, and you can see everything he's saying word for word, like it's like a movie. Oh, you know, so yeah, I mean, even like the scary shit that you were kind of mentioning, like people knocking at the door with like guns and shit, like you literally could feel that. You can Mm-hmm. like as if someone's at your fucking door and like red beam on you, and like holy shit, you know, like crazy. Yeah, I feel like he'd be in way more goat conversations if he had a bigger discography, you know?

Yeah, but it's but a testament to why he's so great is the fact that he doesn't even have a bigger discography. But he's still he's still still conversation. He's still in the. You know, he's still like But is that kind of a crutch? I don't know. Some people would argue that like he didn't have time Like, it's not fair. to get lame, you know, and Peter out, you know, and make like like Eminem. A lot of people say like his later shit is kind of garbage. He fell off. That's an interesting argument. What if he died? If Eminem would have died if he died after the relapse or something, like 2009, like I don't know, you know what I mean? It's it's just, you know, it's a thought. It's a sad thought, but it's you know, me personally, I don't think Biggie would have made like a lot more albums, though. I think he would have been like an executive. Mm-hmm. You know, he was already Lil' Kim was already while he was alive, Lil' Kim was already going crazy, you know, even Junior Mafia was you know going crazy. So I think he would have he would have been at the head of like not only his own stuff, but he probably would have partnered executive like at um at Bad Boy, yeah, you know, I could have seen that, yeah. You know, It's like his ear is crazy too.

So yeah, um, I don't care that he doesn't have a bigger discography. I don't give a fuck. Selfishly, you must want more Biggie music though, at least of course, of course, of course. Yeah. you know. I would have loved to hear like Biggie like rapping on like a metro Boomin' beat. Yeah. Holy shit. crazy, you know. On YouTube, there's like a um somebody took some biggie uh vocals and they put it over Wicked, which is my favorite future, uh favorite future song. Mm-hmm. Favorite metro beat. And I was like, man, even like his flow in the 90s, it's still going crazy over Wicked. You know, like, I don't know. I just I'm always amazed at his rap still to this day, you know, the the aggressiveness in his voice, like his tone. Um it's believable. Yeah, it's so believable. Like, you know, he could he could steal your girl. Yeah, he could slap the shit out of you. Probably shoot you. But but you could also probably go out and get a meal with him. Yeah, but you could go out and you're gonna laugh.

Yeah, you know, he could do a lot of a lot a lot of things, you know. But yeah, so that's my my ramble on Yeah. Biggie. No, I I love him too, man. He's he's the goat for sure. So like how good does it feel when you put like pen to paper or you know, fucking iPhone notes, however it is that you get your like thoughts out, right? Or even just straight in the booth, whatever. How good does it feel when you're like when you got like a bar? It's just like you know, that's just like an undeniable bar, metaphors on point, man, you know, or a 16, whatever. Like, how good what's that feeling? I've never had it, right? Like, what's that feeling like? It's like sex, man. It's like sex, you know, it's it's gotta be. I'm just like thinking about it, like, man. It's crazy. Like, our like me, I'm so I'm I'm so happy that there's no hidden cameras around when I'm writing, um, you know, on my notepad and stuff like that. Um, all my friends, please don't put hidden, you know, don't prank me now, because you're hearing this now. Yeah, but as I'm writing, I'll get to a bar, and then I'll just like, oh shit, and I'll just like throw my phone, get up.

I am the best, I am the greatest, you know, and then it's like, All right. all right, all right, all right, all right, all right. And then just back to it, it just feels amazing. That's the best answer. Cause I was like, that's what I think I would do. And then and then you get in like a flow when you get in you get into a rhythm where you're just bar after bar after bar. That it's like a streak of that. Crazy. Just I'm gonna show you something. Um, I'm gonna just I'm gonna just scroll it. Let's get it. Yeah. Exclusives. Yeah. This is my notepad. And they're nothing but rhymes. It's just right. That's just all rhymes. All rhymes. Wow. Sheesh. You know, it goes all the way. Damn. Give us a little four pick one at random and give us a little four bar. How do you how do you like navigate that? That seems like almost like database overload, you know? Like it's abstract. That's like the producers that have like hundreds and thousands of beats. It's like, how do you even remember like where the one is that you need at the time, you know?

For me, well, thanks to uh shout out to Steve Jobs. Oh, you're just you're just searching it up. You're like, I remember this. I had this bar about like this is crazy. About like a Lambo truck, and you know, right? Um give us four bars from one of them at random. Four bars? Yeah, yeah, just random four. Yeah. Let's see, let's see. Let's see. no vetting. Random four. Yeah. Let's Say, got a lot of bombs I've been dropping away. I've been going hard since the top of the day. I don't want to be on a relationship. I'm better left alone at the dock of the bay. Shorty wanna go inside my pocket and play. Spend it on a dinner, get some lobster and steak. I was busy throwing all my hobbies away, put my heart inside a box, then I lock it away. Oh. Oh. Fire. Fire. heart inside a box. You know it. That's dope. And this right here, this is uh I got this note called like new new New Raps, right? Okay. And I what I do is like if I'm just driving and um a line just comes to my head, I'm like, oh shit, I need to write that. By the way, that's been a theme on the podcast.

Uh being in a car is hella inspiring. Why is driving people love writing in cars? God, it's in Atlanta. too. Which seems dangerous. Well, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't don't write and drive. Yeah. But uh maybe a voice note. Yeah, yeah. I wrote two days ago in my car. Yeah, wow. So, you know, speaking of favorite rappers, like one of my favorite rappers is still J. Cole to this day. And I rewatched the documentary about the whole Revenge of the Dreamers 3 sessions here in Atlanta. Were you there? So yeah, yeah, so you were there, right? So like maybe the fourth or fifth. We've had like several people on here. Oh yeah. I've seen. paint us their picture of what it is that was going on. Yeah. Like what was your experience like from the Michael Aristotle lens? How would you describe the ROTD three sessions here in Atlanta? Um Un-fucking-believable. So my situation is kind of kind of unique in a sense because I was living there at Tree Sound. You know, living.

You were already previously. I was living there. No, like living. Living, living there, sleeping, yeah, showering, showering, shitting. I mean, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Okay. I'm not backed up here. So they just kind of like invaded your you know home at that point. Yeah, yeah. J. Cole took over your house. All of my favorite, all of my favorite rappers came to my house. You know, why are all the Milwaukee Bucks in my living room? Yeah, Giannis, what's going on? Donuts. Oh shit. You know, they yeah, uh so because your manager at the time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So um, so my management at the time, they were there, they that was their studio at the moment. Yeah, and um, me and Willie, we had uh, we was working on like Missy's project, but we ended up having to move into the studio because we were at the studio so much, we you know, kind of wasn't showing up for work, you know. So we had to kind of like leave uh the the apartments we were in, you know, voluntarily evicted.

Let the record show the record show All right. The first ever voluntary eviction. Okay, they didn't kick us out. We kicked ourselves out, all right. We do not want to pay rent when we are not here ever. No, we are not here. So we're gonna do you guys a favor, yeah, and we are leaving, all right? This is too much for us. We are gone. Okay. So we left we left the apartments. Wow. And um, we moved in to to Tree Sound, and you know, we had like these separate spaces. So and so you know, sometimes I crash on like the couches in the studio. Except when the rats. Which there's like you know, which there's tons of comfy ass couches in Tree Sound. Amazing, amazing. Um, so yeah I'd love to sleep in Tree Sound, by the way. Yeah, oh sounds like a fireplace is just like camp out. I'd move in. Yeah, no, it's pretty cool, you know. It it does get weird though, like when there's like because there's not like a lot of uh there's no windows, windows, yeah. So sometimes it'll be very trippy when you do your recording and then you walk outside and it's nighttime, yeah, but then you go back in for a minute, you lose track of time and you come out of sunlight. But that's that's very intentional on their part, though, by the way.

Yeah, just stay locked in. Just studios in general. It's yeah, for sure. That's why I'm creeped out by studios. Casino and casinos is the same way. That's why even here. Don't worry about what's going on out there, focus on this shit right here. Money. That's why, even here, I immediately go and open the one blind that I can find in this studio. Because it's like, I need to fucking know what the relative time is right now. What's happening in the world? Nah, nah. You just need to focus on Mikey Aristotle, yeah. Man, it was crazy, you know. And then one of those nights, it was uh Friday night. Um, 21 Savage was recording uh upstairs. In your room, you know, in my room. I had to leave. Yeah. 21 was there. Yeah. But nah, I'm in one of the studio rooms, um, you know, working on some stuff. And then uh uh my one of the guys from my management, you know, which was my mentor at the time too. He came up, he was like, yo, want to introduce you to somebody. I was like, all right, cool.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cole. Um, he's coming here. Cole? Yeah, J. Cole. You heard of him. Yeah. The fuck? You know, if I had like the beat like the fucking, you know, so he uh He introduced me to Cole, and uh, you know, Cole was great. So the story is he was hearing the beat for a lot that night. Mhmm. So you remember in the verse when he says, Man, I just came back from Atlanta, yeah. Right before he raps her, right? Yeah, I met him before he got in the car on the way to North Carolina to write the verse. Wow. Yeah, so I right I met him right there, and uh he was like um, he was talking to the guy, and then you know, the guy was like, Um, yo, you know, if you got. if Dreamville ever wants to come record here, you know, you guys can. And then Cole was like, oh shit. Revenge of the dreamers. I got this idea. revenge of the dreamers, you know? Revenge of the because you know, Cole was already good, good with Tree Sound. Yeah, he was already, you know, he made a lot of stuff in there too. So he was well, yeah.

He was saying in the documentary, they would just let him come record. Yeah, yeah. Because of like how much. I mean, who wouldn't just let Jermaine Cole? Yeah, yeah, facts. But I'm just saying, but they did just like take a complete, like, they were just like, Yeah, sure. Come on. He said it on the spot. He was like, man, I could do revenge of the dreamers like here. Yeah. And then um, and you know, I'm thinking, um, oh shit, that would be cool. Dreamville up in here, that's what's up, you know. And then uh after that, they they talk, they you know, and I go to the room, like, fuck, I just met J. Cole. this is crazy. What the fuck? And then we get the uh the word that they're doing the you know, the Dreamville sessions in two weeks. I was gonna say, how much time was in okay? So two. weeks. Yeah, yeah. So they came. So he was down there, goes back up to Carolina, Yep. records a lot, verse, assumedly, right? And then two weeks later, basically is back down, Yep. curating the session. Yeah, the session. I think it was like January, I think everybody came January 6th. That's what blew my mind is the spur of the spontaneity, the spontaneity. That's it.

The spontaneity of the whole thing. Yeah, because when you looked at it, right, you would have thought this was like months and months and months in the works. No, yeah, these golden tickets were like planned out. No, bro, they didn't start posting that shit until everyone was already there. Yeah, I was right there. Like, everyone was already back in Atlanta. The things were already started, it was already starting. Yep. and then Eve and Cole were like, yo, what if we did this like golden ticket idea? And then they just blasted the fucking internet and saw it going like that was stupid. Day by day in there was insane. The first day was just everybody just pulling up, just you know, getting cool. Yeah, and probably just the Dreamville people, majority, and like maybe the few Yep. very close like homies or whatever. close people. Like I remember, you know, when once I seen Eve come in in the in the cave, which is, you know, the rehearsal room. Yeah, once I seen Eve come in, I was like, oh, this shit is real. And then, you know, I think Boss came in there. Ooh, Boss would have been a good roast.

I thought you guys were gonna say. Boss would have been a great roast. Way better than Crit bro. Not way better, but better. So yeah, you guys uh We missed one there. Legendary roast. Yeah. Yeah. All right, should we start it over? Welcome again on episode 89 of the One More Time Podcast. Legendary recording artist Boss. Straight from Dreamville. Yeah, man. Yeah. Yeah, so so like the like the immediate crew's there. Yep. And then like, how does it unfold, right? So after that first day, I'm just thinking, you know, it's just gonna be the crew. Because of course, you know, they I was there when he said uh, you know, just Dreamville recording. But you know, you kind of forget that this is Atlanta. So once that word gets out, It's over. And everybody's connected. Yeah. So um I remember Jig coming in, you know, and I seen him, you know, we did a um, we did a song Vices. Was that before he was with Yep. It was. it was right before, right? before. Right before.

Yeah. Right before. They saw him in the studio, like, all right, we gotta lock this guy down. Yeah, like it was it was right before uh JID went to Dreamville. I guess he was already cool with them and stuff like that. But uh it was right before he got announced, and we did that song Vices, which, you know, meeting him, that was a like I met him through Grip's Manager Tig, you know, My boy. shout out to Tig, man. Shout out Tig. great guy. Um, which that's a that's a whole nother story, legendary story. But um, yeah, yeah. So I start looking on IG. and then I see people getting invited and stuff like that. I'm like, oh shit, he's coming? Oh, he's coming? And you know, I live like I'm living there at the time. So I'm like, oh man, like all of my favorite rappers are about to come to the club. To the crib. To the crib. They about to. Wow. You know, like I remember we was all like, it's it there, man. There's no way to describe how insane it is. Like, picture you're getting food in the kitchen, right? And as you're picking up, you know, food and stuff, like wale. It's like, right?

Just in line. behind you for the food. Y'all, you guys are in line together to get some food. I remember um you guys always talk about like how uh you know the bucks were in there, how random it was. Yeah, I got the funniest story I've been waiting to tell you guys. Yes. I'm like in the rehearsal, like in the cave. Yeah, right. So we're all there, me and uh uh Willie and the rest of the guys. And we're all talking, and you know, Willie was like, yo, you know some crazy shit? Who I seen? And I'm thinking, like, who else could you have seen? And everybody's here. He was like, man, Chris Bosh was in here, right? Yeah. So I'm like, Chris Bosh. get the fuck out of here. Chris Bosh, right? So Georgia, Georgia Tech's finest. Yeah, right. So Willie goes, no, man, I'm telling you, man, Chris Bosh was here. He was playing beats. Yeah. I was like, man, Chris Bosh does not make beats, man. He didn't. The guy that hits all the mid-range shots. I don't think. Yeah, like Chris Bosh

is not in the locker room making beats, and you know what I mean? I'm like, he's not making beats, right? Kid you not. Right when I say that shit, it's like, I'm right here. Willie's like, like, probably like past that chair. And he's telling me all this. I'm like, man, you fucking lying. You know, and we just seen Akon in there too, like with Sure. why not? Of course, you know, seen Toomp and everything. So I'm just kind of, I'm still like, man, Chris Bosh was not in here playing beats, bro. Right? Kid you not. Like, it had to be two seconds. Fucking Chris Bosh. walks between us to the towards a studio room and he has a backpack with the beat machine. No. You got an NPC or something. I'm sure. It's hanging out in the like zipper, you know. I was like, I kid you like I was like, he ain't making beats, right? He just walks past. Damn. And I just look up. As he's walking, I'm like, that's Chris Bosh.

He's making beats. Yo. He has the beat machine like on his in his backpack and he's walking like he looks like he's on a mission. He like he looked like in his full producer bag. Like he knows what he's doing. Yeah, like he looks like a 10-year producer like veteran. I'm getting a placement today. Like it was, it was amazing. And as I'm looking, like, and then I look at Willie, he's like, told you. Wow. That's incredible. Prod by Chris Bosh. Shout out to Chris Bosh. I wonder what his producer name is. Is it just Chris Bosh? Bosh beats. Is it? No, I don't know. Okay. I was like, That's a hard one. I don't know. That's kind of cool. Adoration is. Yeah. Oh man. Yeah, that's great. Man, it's so many, so many stories. Yeah. No, for sure. I mean, I just thought it was interesting, and I don't know what your perspective was, but like, was it pretty dog eat dog? Meaning like everyone was kind of fighting for you kind of fit in where you get in. You know, like I just in the documentary. Respectfully. In the documentary, they painted it very much like Buddy, for example. Oh man.

He probably hopped on like hundreds of songs. Everywhere. He just was like, he pretty much like pioneered or like commandeered like the shit. He was like, all right, we're here. I'm going to every single room. Yeah. I'm laying a verse down in every single fucking room. And you're not gonna fucking tell me I'm not. Like this is what I'm doing. That could have been a mentality. And like some producers were like, I'm fucking getting my beats heard. I'm fucking getting a placement. Yep. Yeah, Chris Bosh is heading straight to get a placement. He's getting a placement today. Yeah, you know what I mean? So but but like you obviously, yeah, I know you were there, you know, in a whole other weird reason because it was like your home. But like, but in general, like what did you witness that kind of like Mm-hmm. you know, yeah, competition and like people trying to like one up each other and like be in every place they could, and you know what I mean? Definitely, but it was just more so it was more so friendly, you know, because everybody there was either friends or about to become friends from those sessions. Yeah, like I remember I was in uh I went into the room, JID was working on something, Deontay was in there, Reason was in there, and um I remember Deontay was like, Yeah, I'm gonna I want to get on that one, right?

So he was like, Where? And then I think they go to another beat. Deontay was like, Yeah, load that up, I'm about to record that, right? And then JID was like, it was like, damn it, trying to get on every beat, right? And Deontay was like, Man, I gotta like, I gotta do this. You know what I mean? I gotta go hard. But um, yeah, just seeing everybody, man, it was more so like like friendly. You know, everybody was like, Man, I want to, I gotta get, you know, a beat here. Everybody was uh setting up in so many different rooms. People were setting up in the hallway, yeah. You know, just to fold out tables, Yeah. To fold out. I seen craziest setups in my life in that in that studio. In the studio, there was set up. There was a studio in the studio, yeah. You know, so you gotta be respectful, but you can't just be passive. No, and me for sure, in like um well, yeah. How did you handle it? I I was one of those guys who unfortunately like I didn't really know where I fit, yeah, you know, and it's so and I didn't want to intrude so many, like, cause I didn't know too too many people like that close and stuff. I knew of everybody.

Sure. But I but I didn't want to like bombard and be one of those, like those, you know, dudes that nobody knows and stuff like that. But I could have pushed harder. But craziest craziest situation. So we had a setup on the side room, and this is like the day before the last day. So now they pretty much got the whole album. Everybody's just working on stuff now. People just making music, right? So me and Willie were like, well, shit, man. All these rappers are in here. Shit. Like, we could get features on stuff. We could work with everybody, you know. So as we're making songs, um I do I put down an idea and I'm like, man, I want to get Buddy on this, like on this hook. Get Buddy, he does the hook. Um, Saba, you know, yeah, he does a verse. So I have a song, like an unreleased record that has, you know, Saba on it and uh Deontay on it, and Buddy on the hook. Yeah. Um, which is awesome.

It was crazy song. Um, and then I got a song with Swiss beats. Wild. Right? Crazy. Like, Swiss just came into the room. He seen us working. He's like, Man, pull that beat up. And I'm like, oh shit. Yo, Swiss Beats is about to get on this. And Swiss Beats does a whole verse. And he leaves the room. He was like, all right, y'all know what to do with that eye piece. And he gets out. I'm like, I have a fucking song with Swiss Beats, man. You know, it was it was crazy, you know. And then meeting Cole, um, man, yeah, amazing. Uh that that dude is so cool, because he's just himself. Yeah. He was in there and just gym shorts, like like athletic wear. Right. You know, he looked like he was finna go hooping, but he was recording, you know, and he was Amazing. Cool with cool just walking around, going to every room. Did you see you see what he just did with the tight beat producer? Yeah, crazy. What a guy, man.

Yeah, like amazing. And everybody could do that. Every like Every big rapper. Every big rapper could do that. They can do that. And change someone's life. Change somebody's life. He's the easiest thing they could ever do. Literally, they just have to do what they already do, and that's rap. Yeah, what's cool? about that? And just send the song to the fucking internet YouTube producer that they found the beat from. It was, it's just it's just all about showing love, you know. Like even um Who's giving you awareness by making tight beats? Yeah, tight beats. Already helping you. If your tight beat has, you know, let's even give it on the smallest spectrum, a thousand views. That has your name a thousand times. You know what I mean? Like, and if you pick one that has a million views, fucking, you know, borderline, you're getting uh, I don't know, man. It was crazy, man. Like just being in a room with with Cole, too. Like I seen uh like T minus in the hallway, and I was like, I fuck with T-minus. T-minus. I'm like, yo, man, you one of my favorite producers ever, man. Like, man, this song, I man, this song shaped a lot of you know beats that I love around that era and everything. And then he was like, yo, come with me real quick.

We get we in the room, it's me, T minus. I think uh Reese LaFleur, he was in there for a second, and then Cole just walks in. And um, you know, I'm of course, you know, met him weeks before when the idea came. He remembered me from that moment. So as I'm sitting there, um, like he sits on the couch, and they close the the room because they finna mix Middle Child. Which is yeah, so I probably I don't know, five platinum, five times platinum. Oh my god, how many crazy, you know. I so I'm hearing Middle Child for the first time, and they're that's one of my favorite T minus beats. Ever. It's the best beat ever. And as I'm hearing it, I'm like, Cole is about to go fucking dummy out here. Because think about it. We know Cole going crazy on a on the boom babs, and yeah, he'll get on like stuff like those, but they might be features and stuff, right? So when you're hearing Middle Child and you're hearing them horns and you're hearing them drum pads. It's regal, royal.

I'm the king of this shit. I lost my shit. Yeah, bro. I lost my shit. It's easily one of my most played songs on Spotify. Has to be, has to be. I lost my entire shit. Yeah. You just hear the horns first. Yeah. I can't. I can't imagine listening to that in the same room. In the same room. Cole and T minus. Cole is right here. I can't even, I can't even imagine that, bro. Like, you man, dog, I still can't believe it. Like I'm I'm I'm remembering the moment right now. Like, picture like you're you're right here. You know, I'm sitting right here. You know, engineer is right there, Eve is right there in the corner. Cole is right here. Um, I think baby Rose came in. Uh she was on uh the other end of the couch. Um, another dude right here by the mixing board, and Middle child comes on, and it's just the fucking speakers are just blasting and shit, and the fucking drums is hitting you. And you're sitting right next to Cole, and this is his his single that's about to drop.

Yeah, and you're like, yo, this is the craziest moment in my entire life right now. I'm thinking, you know, like I thought working alone, like working with Missy alone was amazing too. And then next thing you know, you know, like Cole is right there mixing his record that's about to drop, and it was amazing. He looked up and he's like, man, what you think about that? Like what do I think about that? Do you think he's genuinely a curious? No. He's. Yeah. Or does he know? Yeah, he's genuinely like Wow. He wants to know what people think for sure. But it's also like, bruh, you don't have to ask. This is the most fired shit I've heard ever, man. Fucking my life. Ever. Like, it's in your head, you're like, dude, don't fucking ask me that. This is amazing. Like, this is how what do I feel about this song? Yeah. This is amazing. Like, so that's great, man. So you yourself Mm-hmm. Have finished. Mm-hmm. an album coming out soon.

Yep. This actually is about to drop like very soon. Yes. No, this episode is dropping like this week. Awesome. When is the project dropping? Uh This quarter. Do we have a date. This quarter. Okay. Yeah, yeah. So it won't be out yet. But it's called DeKalb. You've already announced that. Yep. For those that aren't familiar, DeKalb County is a county in Atlanta on the east side. Yep. That we happen to be in right now. That we happen to be in right now. That's where I'm born and raised as well. Woohoo. So how would you characterize the sides of Atlanta? Like this side of Atlanta? Or just the side. Do you have like stereotypes as far as like east side? You know what I mean? Like. So I used to have this joke that the South Side didn't have anything but like wing spots and gas stations and stuff. That's a good one. That's a good one. Yeah. Okay. We're trending in the right direction. On the west side, there was this stereotype that people from the West Side can't dress, but I've seen a lot of cool people from the West. side. But I feel like personally, and then uh we could go to the North Side, which is funny. We just had The North.

The North is the North. In the North, you know, like the North, like Gwinnett. Yeah, the North. North North. Versus the North. In the North. Which is like Dunwoody. Sandy Springs. Sandy Springs, you know. Shout out to Sandy Springs. What up, y'all? No one's ever shouted out. Yeah, no one's ever shouted out. And it's a it's an amazing place, you know. I dropped out of school out there, man. Wow. I dropped out of uh art institute in Sandy Springs, so that's why I know the area so well. But um the east side is just where all the cool people are. Exactly. Yep. And that's how I Fair enough. Set it up. Yeah. Fair enough. Fair enough. That's all you need to know, man. So, what's your approach to making a record? And I guess more specifically, what was your like approach and process like with making of DeKalb. Just wanted uh, I know I knew that I wanted it to be personal because you know DeKalb is home, you know, DeKalb County is home for me. So I knew it was gonna be personal. Um, it was just more so about like, man, what what exactly do I want to say? Because I had the idea for this album since 2015.

Oh wow. Yeah, I had came out with a mixtape called Thanks for Nothing. Um, it got posted on Complex when it was, you know, a big deal to get posted on Complex. Under the blog era? Yeah, the blog era, you know, right at the end. And um I I they put me on their ones to watch in Atlanta list. Greg Street brought me up to like the radio. Um it was just a crazy time. So I was like, I'm gonna drop my Illmatic after all of this shit, right? It's gonna be called DeKalb. One word, DeKalb. Never happened. Didn't happen that year. Yeah, yeah, why not? It just didn't, it just didn't feel right. Um, for me, it's all about a feeling, you know, and I didn't know what I wanted the concept to be. And I just moved on to different projects. I was like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna I'm gonna make DeKalb, but it's gonna be when it feels right and when I get the the right thing to construct it. So then I started making, I made the mixtape, Mega Millions. Um I made uh the EP Tony, and then almost there, you know, my my last full album project.

Yeah. And then now it just felt right because COVID hit. So you're home. You know, you're so home took a new meaning. Yes, it took a new meaning and um I'm literally stuck in fucking home. Yeah, yeah. Because um I came back to the east side top of 2020, right before COVID hit. Oh wow. Yeah. So it was me coming back home, yeah, you know, to the Eastside. You know, things didn't work out with like my management stuff. So moved out of Tree Sound, and um, I still stayed out there with my friend Tillman. Um I stayed at his crib, and then um Willie, because I also I also kind of grew up in Willie's crib too, you know. So his mom is like my mom. And I love those friends. Yeah, you know, where it's like go in the fridge, you literally could just bust in the door, don't even knock. Like, hey, all right, cut the TV on, like whatever you want to do. Yeah, yep, yep. I love those friends. Yep.

So they was like, yo, you can come back home, you know. And uh the the main theme for my album is you can always come back home, you know. So it's that's the cab. Uh yeah, it's coming out this quarter, I would like, I would like to say. Um it's very personal, you know, and that was my approach the entire time. Just being honest and why I came back home, you know, starting over, starting from where from where I started. I left the east side in 2017. So coming back after all of this this missy stuff and people thinking, like, oh, did you you probably made it? You know, you probably made it and stuff, but I'm like, guys, kind of going broke. My royalties are like still got work to do. Yeah, and I started to get like a little money around that time, but you know, I bought my car. Um, you know, I bought a BMW, it was awesome. Um, it's in a shop right now because somebody had hit it. Because it's a BMW. This is a BMW, All BMW. So yeah, I'm in a rental. Oh, so they gave you so they gave you the phantom? Yeah, they gave me a phantom. Yeah, it's right outside right now.

It's hard. Yeah, we couldn't show you guys, yeah. But yeah, it's out there right now. Um, yeah, so Mikey let me do some donuts earlier. Yeah, man. It's pretty tight. Just, you know, just trying to put on. Much love. That's all we're trying to do. Yeah, so it's just about starting over. Yeah, and and so like I'm always curious from the time that you decided I'm gonna do this. Was that in 2020 when you like had made the decision, okay? I'm gonna actually get back to working on this. So then what does it look like, right? For an artist who has decided I'm gonna work on our project. Yeah. Because you've dropped some stuff between Mm-hmm. then and now, right? Yeah, like little freestyles. Okay, okay, okay. You know, it's kind of more loosey type shit. But is every session then dedicated to the project? The project. I'm glad you asked that because it wasn't, you know. We were just creating. So with this project, it was the easiest I've ever put a project together because I wasn't overthinking, you know. I was just making music.

I was also songwriting too. Mm-hmm. So at the end of every songwriting session that I would do, me, uh Willie would be like, yo, let's make one for your project, you know. Like it would, it wouldn't, like the whole session would probably be about like songwriting for people or just creating music. We didn't, you know, know the exact concept. Um, we were just like, let's just make shit. And then all the songs start to come together. You put them in a playlist. Now, out of nowhere, you have like 10 songs that kind of go together. And then you're like, oh shit, I'm really saying something on here. Oh, hey. it's telling this story. It's cohesive. So all the songs just came together. We didn't start being more intentional about the album until post-production. Because then I was like, all right, now I can change this verse. Now I can make it up really about what I want to make it about. You know, so yeah, and it was it's 2020, it's quarantine. Yeah.

I dropped almost there March 11th, 2020. And uh this was a day right before the NBA shutdown. Mm-hmm. So everything shut down. I couldn't do shit. Drop a project, couldn't do anything. So we were just like, let's make music. And by the time we got to September 2020, that's when we were like, oh shit, like we're making DeKalb. So is it is it fair for me to summarize that like you had gone back in and like reworked verses to better tell the story? Yep. See, like that's what I think. That's what I mean by like, especially when it comes to projects, right? Like, if you're not just gonna throw a bunch of like Lucy's together and just call it a project, you do probably need to, or like, you know, maybe that is a pretty common thing where it's like, hey, how did how can we get in and like sharpen this shit? Like, you know, yeah, we were we were kind of telling it, yeah, but let's like really be intentional about like this is the message of the story, you know what I mean? Post-production.

It's like listening to everything. Once everything is there, yeah, something might sound, you know, changing this on song two might make song six make more sense. That's exactly what we do. Kind of thing. Yeah, you know, I respect that. So I did need to get your opinion on this. Would you consider yourself an older artist? Yeah. Yeah. I think so. How how do you view that? Do you see that as a disadvantage? I see it as weird as fuck, you know? Cause it's like great answer. It's weird, man. It's just weird because you've been around for a while now. Yeah, I've been around like a very, very long time. Um it's weird as fuck, you know. I'm like, what, 29? You know. That's not even that old. It's but it's not, but in this game. But it's but it's rap. I know. And unfortunately, which is another weird thing because a lot of rappers we love are in their 30s. Like a lot of people are turning 35. True. You know, 36. Um, so it's definitely weird for me. Cause I've. I've been around like so long. And um I always looked at it like, damn, is it a young man's game?

Like, am I about to like, are people about to look at me different? Like, you know, but but my music still sounds fresh, in my opinion. So you couldn't really tell, in my opinion. I I don't feel like people could tell, you know, my age uh when they when they listen to me. And I'm not worried, I feel like uh my crowd is like whoever, like whenever my songs resonate with people, like it's for them, you know. Like people are gonna come to your like your music. I'm not saying, hey, I like you guys, so I'm gonna make this music for you guys. I'm just making my music and you like it, cool. You don't, cool. There's a lane for everything, you know. So I'm just trying to stay in my lane, you know. Yep. Absolutely, man. Well, yo, I can't wait to hear it. You sent us the unreleased track with, like I said, a couple of familiar faces to the podcast. I'm excited for the whole full-length album. Can't wait to hear it. It sounded like this was like super personal to you. So I think it's gonna really hit home. Appreciate you coming on.

We've entered a final segment of the podcast. I think you're familiar. So hopefully you've been preparing for this. Not that you can actually do too much preparation. Henry, okay. Where the fuck are we at? We are at the Rapid Fire Rampage. And as someone who's seen the show, this needs no introduction, but there is a short answer, a this or that, and a word association. Let's go ahead and jump right into it. So scared. Starting with the short answer. Mikey Aristotle episode 89. Yeah. Knock knock. Who's there? The one more time podcast. God damn it, Henry. I feel like you've done that once before, but it's still caught me off guard. I don't think I have. Maybe not. Okay. Maybe in like a weird dream of mine. My heart is beatboxing right now. Go ahead. The Netflix super documentary on the life of Michael Aristotle is set to be released. What is the title of that documentary? What the fuck just happened?

Okay. It's an intriguing title. I think I would click it. I'd click. Yep. Mikey, if you were arrested, what would your family and friends assume it was for? Being too handsome. Okay. It's a good non-answer. Mikey, in a freaky Friday type scenario, you're able to switch lives with anyone in the world for one day. Who's it gonna be? Jay-Z. Damn. What is something you're simply bad at, no matter how much you try to improve? Tennis. Okay. Interesting. You have three extra ears. Where do you put them? Three extra ears? what? Three extra ears. Three extra ears? Yeah. On your body, where do you put them? Well, I um the back of my neck. Okay.

Because I have braids, so I can I can I can not only hide them, but I can hear somebody's talking some shit behind me. All three of them back there or just one? Okay, I put two back there. And then no, all three. Describe your dream studio. Uh my dream studio is in Hawaii. Um, by the beach. It's like a cave type situation. You know, it looks like a cave, but when you step in, it's like a whole nother world. You know, it's like the command center in Power Rangers. That's fire. Let me come through there. Yep. Cook up a little bit. For sure. For this one, you're gonna need to pull out your phone. Who is the last call on your phone? And what did you talk about? Oh, this is crazy. And don't lie. Okay. Show me. I want to see. Oh, um, Playback band. Okay, before that, yeah. We were getting we were getting you here. Hey, I'm outside.

Uh, Brie. Okay, friend Brie. Uh, she friend. No, no, no. Friend, home girl. Likely story. No. No, but um, yeah, I was seeing if uh she was working, she's like a bartender, so I was just gonna get a drink. Some free drinks, maybe discount. I I show love. Okay, you know, That's it. You get the discounted drink and then you put it back on the tip on the back end. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I always wonder who comes out on top in those situations. Not the bar. Yeah. I would get so many free drinks for my friends that were bartenders. Yeah. And even though I felt like I was like tipping them an absurd amount, I still never felt like I actually like paid it back in full. But anyways, continue, Henry. Mikey, how many ping pong balls would fit in a UPS truck? 20,000. It's probably pretty accurate too. Seems light. Final one of the short answer. What is your favorite curse word? Fuck. Part one. Part one. Solid.

Really good. Very solid. The Hawaiian uh studio counts. Gnarly dick. Yeah. Indeed. Let's see if we can keep it up with the case. I'm not sure about that Brie conversation, but anyways. Yeah, cat. That part was cat. Yeah. Let us know. Are you working? Okay. Yeah. We'll talk about that one off camera. Onto the this or that. Yeah. Hooks or verses. Hooks. Jazz or EDM? Jazz. Keys or guitar? Keys. Pencil and paper or phone notes? Phone notes. Play every instrument or speak every language. Oh shit. That's a good one. Fuck. Mm-hmm. You knew it was coming. I knew it was coming. He thought he wouldn't. Speak every speak every damn language. Okay. Fuck. Robots or aliens? Robots. Clown wig or clown shoes. Oh wow.

Clown wig. Big. French cuisine or Japanese cuisine? Japanese cuisine. Hakuna matata or YOLO. YOLO. Child drink. Severely crack your phone screen right now or give yourself a moderate to severe paper cut. Um paper cut. Taking that pain. Ouch. Take the pain. At least it heals for free. Yep. Yeah, true. Sneeze chocolate or cry cheddar cheese flavored tears. Sneeze chocolate. Wow. And the last one of the this or that. Start writing exclusively K-pop or leave the music industry. K pop is where the money's at. I was gonna say hell yeah. It's where the money's at. Yo, sneezing chocolate is crazy. I'm getting hella studios in Hawaii with the. And he learned every language, so he can uh write that K-pop easily there. Exactly. You know what I'm saying? In the native tongue. Exactly. It's a winner.

Yo, what was the other option besides the sneezing chocolate? Cry cheddar cheese tears. I'll be all that's wild. Weird, yeah. Yeah, I'm not a fan of that one. Yeah, sneezing chocolate was definitely the move. It's the move. All right, Henry. This is the word association. The final part, I'm gonna say a word. Give me the first word off the top of your head. Here we go. Starting as always with hip hop, rap, chicken, talk. Nice one. Shout out, Gucci. Purple. Haze. Coach. Okay. Titties. Boobies. Gas. Zaza. Matrix. You said matrix? I did. Neo. Family. Affair. Cocaine. Where's the blow? Ops. Enemies. Distortion.

Amazing. God. Amazing. Podcast. One more time, baby. Let's go. Bitcoin. Bitcoin. Question mark. Yes. Atlanta. Childish Gambino. Lawyer. Stress. Lil. Wayne. Michael. What a rampage. What a rampage. What an interview. We appreciate you, my friend, for for coming on the show. As always, please like, comment, and subscribe. Yes, yes, yes. Thank you all for your support. Mikey, appreciate you coming on, man. Thank you, brother. Appreciate it. Until next week, what are we doing? Getting out of here. Getting the fuck out of here. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Be. One more time, let's buy that one more time Oh Hop up in the forest skirting up All the homies this year dripping up Middlefangled to the law Yeah