Coupe Interview: Executive Producing for Young Nudy & Kenny Mason

Portobello's up there for me too. It's like the mushroom song. Bro, that's why that song is special. Like, we were just kicking it, and Nudie was like, Man, I need something that's like groovy. You know, I need something that's just like, it's like shroomy. So I had took some shrooms or whatnot, and I was just up at like four, like 4 a.m. and like the room was like wobbling, and I'm just making this beat. And it's crazy because I didn't like the beat at first when I heard it, I was like, this sounds too weird. Like, I don't think he's gonna like this. And the next day he was like, this is it, this is it. He comes in records and Portobello. Spin the rock, spin the absolutely honored to welcome in today. Mr. Gumbo himself, it's young nudie in the building. Bro, no. Henry, Jesus fucking Christ. I told you he produced for young nudie. This is not nudie. This is not young nudie. Someone almost equally as legendary, though. We got someone who has not really done any interviews. This could be a one more time exclusive.

We got a coop in the building. Coop. What's happening? Yes, sir. Nice to be here. Yes, and it's nice to have you, man. Good to have you. I love to do my research and really just watch interviews that people have done before to avoid some of the like repetitive questions, right? But when I was, you know, I was like, damn, I can't really find. You can ask anything. Yeah. I know. This is like everything. This is open season at this point. So I was gonna say that I saw your Instagram story yesterday, and you said you were at a video shoot, and I saw that it was for peaches and eggplants. Yeah. We were just talking about it. I was like, yo, that looked so lit. There was like hundreds of people, lifted trucks, like music blaring in this parking lot. I was like, oh shit, like how was the video shoot? And you proceeded to tell me. Man, we had about 500 to 600 girls pull up, try to be in this video shoot. It was crazy. It was just a casting call. Just a casting call. Not even a couple of things. The parking lot was crazy.

Parking lot pimping for real. For real. Like when something like that goes down, regardless of if it's a casting call or the actual shoot, like, were authorities called? Like you looked like you were breaking lots of rules. Nah, nah. It's a vibe, bro. Anytime we do something, it's a vibe, bro. It's like, I don't know. Anytime we do something, the city come out. They just they just fought with us. So all you need is good people. You got good people there. Nothing goes wrong. Yeah. You ain't gotta worry about nothing. So are you are you gonna be in this video? Yes, tomorrow. So yeah, more than likely. What's the role? I'll be trying to stay behind the scenes, but like. They pulled you in. Yeah, they're like, bro, you need to be in the video. So I'm like, all right, I'm gonna be in it. What do you are you just like turning up kind of producer vibes? I don't know yet. I'll see tomorrow. Okay. I'll just see as the day goes on, I'll see. That's a team player right there, bro. He's just showing up, committed to doing whatever it is that the team needs. Whatever y'all need, man. That's amazing. Yes, sir. Um, so that's my favorite song off the project. What, Peaches and Eggplants?

Yeah. I love that one. I think mine's passion fruit. Passion Fruit is hard. Yes. Just how it was made. For me, it might it might be shrimp for me. Shrimp, that's hard. Like shrimp. What's the name? Nastro made that. That shit is crazy. That's a good one. I love that song too. Yeah. So it's interesting because I had a question of like which song had the most interesting backstory of like how it was made. So you were about to say your favorite passion fruit has an interesting story, or like I think both of them, bro. We really three of them do. I think Portobello, Peaches and Eggplants, and then Passion Fruit, the peas, I guess. So bro. Damn. That's a story, right? Had you produced on shrooms before, or was that your first time? Nah, that was my first time. Like, he he told me, like, when we first started this project, he was like, I want to make a a project that has like it's it's everything, but it has like those shroom vibes. And so I was like, shoot, I'm gonna get in the character, like Heath Ledger, and just like go at it. Damn. Wow.

And I took them shrooms and we made a crazy bro. That song is crazy. I I love to hear it now because like, dang, I was definitely out of there. So one for one shroom beats getting placed. I think you need to make more beats on shrooms, is what I'm hearing. We might. In the future, you know? We might in the future. This whole shroom EP. Damn. You know, Our podcast is all about giving advice to like aspiring producers and shit. So like I guess just Are we gonna clip that up? Is it for real? Pop an eighth of shrooms. Like, damn. Yeah, I I've had bad uh shrooms have not been my friend. Oh, that's sad. Yeah, uh other hallucinogens have been my friend, but shrooms have not. No, I've always had a really weird, not so great. The energy gotta be right. Like, you gotta be around people that have good, that's really what it is. When you're around people that have good energy, it's like you get that feeling, that energy from it's like, yeah, I'm meant to do this, I'm meant to be here. You can just lock in. Yes, the people and then the environment. If you if you're somewhere that you know you can be for a while, and it's like who in here you feel comfortable, and the people make you feel comfortable, you'll be comfortable. And I'm just already an anxious person, so it's not not good, not good matches for me.

So let's go to passion fruit, then your favorite. Man, passion fruit is actually crazy. Um, I had actually, it's this gonna sound crazy. I had actually been posting like nudie, bro. Nudie knows me. I had uh been posting like RB kind of like like style videos on Instagram, just like you know, just like outside the box stuff. Like, I still got some stuff up, like, and um that week I had posted a video that was like RB style kind of, and I went to the studio and Nudie was like, Let's make some RB stuff in my like in my world. And I was like, dang, what does that sound like? And he's like, Let's make it. So really with me and Nudie, sometimes when we're like working on music with a lot of songs like GTA Lifestyle. Um, that's like an older song, Blue Cheese Salad, um, what's another one? Ready? Like, we work on stuff together. So we actually worked on that beat together. Like I sat down and he was like, I want this sound. And I was like, okay, well, let me find it. And we just literally made passion fruit from the ground up together. Like he sat there and he was like, I want this.

I went to it, played it. It's all from scratch. So that's why that's kind of my f personal favorite because when I made the beat, I was like, this is wavy. And then I was like, well, what is he gonna put on this? And then he went in there and just, you know, put put the dots together, man. Made it come together. Is Nudie the type of artist that maybe tries to match the producer's energy? Because a lot of times it's it's different for some, you know, producer artist duos. Like some artists will be cool with going off of like what what's a producer been working on? And then some producers are like, what are you on? And I'll produce for you. I think he's on both. I because sometimes I come in the studio and I have something, and he's like, bro, you gotta come to my world today, like the same day. So I'd be like, all right, so what we on? But I think he's like cognizant of like, you know, what I'm on too, because like I feel like I know this is old, but like when we did Dr. Evil, he really kind of gave me like what sound do you feel like is like, and I was on some 3-6 shit heavy, and that's how we got Impala too. Yeah. Like I was like, I'm on some 3-6 or 8Ball MJG shit. And he's like, Well, make some shit.

And he just so I feel like it's half and half. Like, he'll fuck with you, you know, on certain shit that you're on, but sometimes he wants you to come to his world too, nudie world, you know, Nudie Land. So it's both. I feel like that's beautiful, man. I mean, just as someone once again, y'all are you know, the creatives here on the pod. He struggled so hard not to like do air quotes right there. I could fucking see it. No, he's a creative. I was like, yeah, bro. Yeah, we're creative. I know, no, for sure. But I just like that sounds like the perfect balance, right? Because if it's too one-sided either way, if you're having to like always tell the artist, or not tell the artist, but like give the artist what you think you know the artist needs, that can maybe work for a little while, but it's only gonna be so sustainable. And I feel like and the vice versa, you know, you as a producer is not gonna want to always have to dive into their world and not be able to give your creative input and like you know, steer the ship in in the direction that maybe you're feeling, you know. what I mean, so that's it's always a balance, it always needs to be a balance. It never needs to be one-sided, because you get what I'm saying.

Once it's one-sided, something's gonna be lacking. So when you're collaborating, it always needs to be. I mean, every time it's not gonna be equal, but if you can make it kind of like equal where it's like that, I feel like that's when the magic happens. Like when it's kind of like that. Yeah, because we're collaborating, we're working together on a common goal. So Yep. No, for sure. So, what do you think the difference is between gumbo and the past projects that you've worked on with nudie? Man, it was I'm not gonna lie, this is gonna sound crazy, but it's the truth. Like me, usually me and Nudie, we're like real, like not serious, but like we're having fun, but we're like real locked in, bro. We partied the whole time. Oh, like, we had the studio lit the whole time. Like, this this gonna sound crazy, but me and Kenny were working our roughs and we dropped roughs, and after that, Nudie called me like, I know you're working with Kenny, but he was like, after y'all get done, we're locking in for three months. And this was like the end of October. So he's like, we're locking in for three months, three full months.

So it was like the end of October, November, December, and January. We made it in that span of time. And we had the studio booked out seven days a week. So he was at the studio. I took Christmas, Eve, Christmas, Thanksgiving, my son's birthday on October 31st, and that was it. We worked every other day, seven days a week. Wow. Holy shit. Every day. Like the studio sessions was like 12 to until. So I would be up every like all day long working, but like people coming in, partying, like we having a good time. Like we had the fucking crawfish boil, bro, like, like fucking seven days in a row. Yeah. Like he just, he was just, I don't know what it was. He just wanted seafood. So we was like kept having it, kept having it, kept having it. So it was just like it was lit. Yeah, so where did the name gumbo come from then? One of those crawfish boils. Gumbo's? Nah, nah. Is that when you named the project? Nah, okay. So the He's like, well, might as well. Nah, the name Gumbo came from. Nudie was like, you know, we did, we always like when we make albums, we have we always have ideas for albums.

So he was like, he wanted to basically he wanted to have an album where it wasn't so cohesive in the fact that we're trying to make a sound. Like this is the sound. Like if you listen to Anyways, it has a sound. If you listen to Dr. Evil has a sound, um, even Slymere has a sound when him and Pierre did that, but he was like, he just want gumbo, everything, just different type of flavors. So it was just uh he named it gumbo because he was like in gumbo, you put different type of stuff. You put shrimp, you put you know what I'm saying, rice, you have uh what's it called? Sausages, you just have you know, just different type of stuff in gumbo. So that's why he named it that. And if you listen to the songs, it's just different. You got RB, you got Pancake, which is like a Houston, like Memphis like mashup song. You get what I'm saying? You have shrimp, like what he likes is kind of like this weird, it like it's just weird. it's just weird is different. So it's just, it's just different like sounds and sonics put together to make just one project. Yeah, that's fire. So are we making another clip of advice for people to just party in the studio? We're two for two.

so far. Seven days a week, throw ragers in the studio. Cook it out. Invite all the girls, crawfish boils, and just run it. Is that what is that the clip? That's what you guys should do. That's the look. That's the vibe I'm telling you. That is the vibe. Because it's like I feel like girls influence music heavy, like the vibe that they give you. And girls, like they just they know what sounds good. Because girls listen, they listen to beats. So they'd be like, I like the beat, so I like the song. So having females around and you know, a female, because I remember I did have a female with me when I made a Portobello, and she was like, I was like, I don't like this beat. And she was like, no, this is fire. Like, this beat is fire. So it's just like the vibe of that with the partying and just having the homies around, and we're just laughing and talking, and we're just making music. It just doesn't feel like a job. Just having fun. Damn. That's the key right there. When it doesn't feel like work, you're making your best shit because you're just living life, baby. The music makes itself. Yes. You know, you're not making it no more. Close through you. You're a vessel. Yo, fuck getting an invite to the cookout. I want an

invite to the crawfish boil at the studio with nudie and coop. Yeah, right. This is like next level shit, man. All right, I I got new goals at this point, Henry. We got the sauce. Yeah. Oh man. So take us back to the first time that you and Nudie linked. Like, what's the what's the backstory there? Well, yeah, this is crazy. Um, I was basically, I was working a job like a um, let me let me take a sip of this water. Go ahead, get hydrated, my friend. Let me get hydrated. He's remembering that that nine to five, like, oh fuck. He's getting emotional, bro. He's dehydrated now and shit. Nah, but he's flustered. But yeah, I was working on it. Don't send him back there, guys. No, I'm never going back. It's too late for that. But um, I was working a nine to five, and um uh it was a uh party promoter named uh John uh well he they named him his name was Valentine, but I called him Johnny Boy. Okay, but um he linked me up with Nudie's road manager, Rico at the time, like he was his driver basically. And Rico was like, send me some beats, send me some beats for Nudie.

And I was like, all right, cool, I got you. So I sent him some beats and he hit me back and he was like, uh Nudie thought it was cool. He was like, You should pull up to the studio. So I pulled up and I gave Nudie like a pack of beats, and he fucked with one particular, which I'm probably gonna put out on my project, but it's one particular that he fucked with. And he was like, This is like Rico was like, This is the one you fire, you gotta keep coming around. So, and that was like December 28th, 2018. That's when we first linked up. So did you play the beats for him live in the studio? No, I actually like sent him how nudie was at that time. Like now, of course, we do, but he just like send them and let me hear him while he's just recording. Like he just runs through beats. Like, you send the beats and he's in the booth already. He's listening to him. If he likes it, he's gonna rap on it. If not, he'll be like next. That's how he records. Damn. See in the booth while the beats are playing. Yeah. So it's a gamble. Yeah, it's a gamble. You gotta be quick, man. That's what engineers gotta be quick too, because you if that vibe is there, people have decided if they like a beat within what three seconds, you know what I mean? Like you can tell once once it drops, once

the once the drums drop in? It's like, all right, this is it, or it's not, and then you're ready to talk. Did he skip like any of your favorites and you felt some type of way? Yeah, he's done that before, man. He's in, but he didn't skip some beats that I'm like, this is the one. This is the one He going to love this one. This is right up his alley, and it'd be like, uh, and he'd say next. It's like the first second of the beat, like, next. And then half a second, and then he picks the ones that you just kind of barely put on there. Didn't spend that long on Portobello, bro. There you go. Different stuff that you like. Even, bro, even peaches and eggplants, bro. This is gonna sound crazy, but bruh, like I made that. I was visiting my mom. Like I was visiting my mom just for a couple of days, and I made that in my old room in my drawers. Like, no, no, no cap, bro. Like, just late at night, just chilling, like, dang, I gotta make some beats for Nudie because I know he's gonna probably record. And I made that beat in like it was it was unfinished, like five minutes. I was like, Let me hurry up and make this beat. And I was like, This sound kind of fire. And I was like, man, I'm gonna leave some space and he'll just do what he do.

And then I sent it to him like two days later, and he's gonna be a good one. And now 21 Savage's on it. And he's like, bro, this is the one. He's like, he it's kind of crazy because he posted it on social media and it just like goes viral almost. And he's like, This is the one. I'm like, damn, bro. I wasn't even thinking that was gonna be the one. The ones that you really like, you You know what I'm saying? You just make and just, you know, just do those are the ones. Those be the ones every time, bro. It's such a common thing, man. Like that, everyone I'm telling you. I feel like every producer that I know has said that same thing. All of them, it's the truth, bruh. Everyone and Paula, same way. And Paula I made at Kenny's house. I made it Kenny's house in like 10 minutes. And Kenny was like, bro, this beat is so hard. And Nudie called me and was like, I need beats. And Kenny was like, bruh, just send it to him. Damn, shout out to Kenny, bro. It was supposed to be for Kenny. That beat was supposed to be because we was on some, like the his new tape that we're working on is on that type of shit, but it was supposed to be for him, and he was like, just send it. He was like, I was like, all right, I'm gonna send it to Nudie. Damn, Kenny Mason AR. Kenny Mason's a real one, bro. I don't know, too many artists that are hearing like a fire beat and just be like, yeah, send it to that other artist.

Nah, because we made some more crazy stuff that day. We made a lot of stuff that day, bro. Yeah, so so far, we've heard like take shrooms, uh, crawfish boils, and then go to your mom's house and make beats in your drawers. And like and it works out. Damn, bro. Success. This is amazing. You kind of um real quick, you kind of glossed over real quick that you're working on a project. Yeah, I'd love to hear a little bit about that. I love producer projects are a big like I love producer projects. I'm I'm currently working on just taking my time. I'm not trying to rush anything because I just have a lot of stuff going on. But yeah, I just feel like with the uh producer community, we gotta like level up and really start taking our craft to the next level too, like experimenting. Because I feel like a lot of times we can be dependent on artists for placements or you know, just certain things like that. And I love working with artists, but like, you know, us as producers, like we give the sound, so we're kind of like the canvas and they paint on it. So it's just kind of good for us to like step in that light and see what we can do too, especially when you have like a like I have a network of artists right now that I can pull from.

Yeah, so I mean, I talked to different producers about it. I talked to like Metro and stuff about it. Um, speaking of Metro, like he's at I I would just say if if producers are not inspired that you can like basically take this shit to new heights. I mean, Metro is absolutely crushing it, bro. He is killing it, bro. With the Spider-Verse. I know. Bro. It's insane, man. It's ridiculous. Shout out Metro for sharing our post about the Spider-Verse, by the way. Oh my god, we immediately got like 400,000 views on our on our post because we basically just said that like he's doing this Spider-Man shit and how amazing that is, and he just shared it and it went fucking crazy. And he's on the the tail, you know, he's I mean, just less than a year ago. He dropped his producer. project. Stupid numbers, yeah. He's obviously still crushing it. Um, how I'm wondering how your approach is to that. Do you have like a theme or a concept for the album? Because it seems like it can be harder when you're you're I'm assuming you're putting a bunch of different artists, yeah. Yeah, I'm I'm I'm I'm probably not a bunch.

I'm gonna keep it kind of simple just for the first one because I just want to I want it to be more intimate and more like catered to what I what I like right now before I just kind of like spread myself too thin. I want to kind of keep it kind of intimate, but I do have like a topic and I have I have artwork and just ideas definitely because it's just personal stuff. I can I can say that I'm big on like dreaming. So it's can we get a title? Can we get an exclusive maybe? Maybe I can't say. This might be the title. But dreaming is in the vein. That's like I can't say the title, but dreaming is like the vein of it. Like it's gonna be crazy. So who can we who can we expect? Man, so far, of course, Nudie. Yes, of course, Kenny. Yeah, baby Drill, he did a verse for me already. Okay. Um me and Tony Snow are working on some stuff, just some because I fuck with Tony Snow. Yes. Um, I'm trying to get James Blake. Me and James Blake have worked on some music. So I want to get him on it too.

Like, uh I I love James Blake. I love him. So definitely. So they did the funniest James Blake impression on, on the podcast. That's how I met him through Suave. Of course. There you go. Like Suave is the goat. He is. So yeah, like Suave too. me and him got some records together. So just like intimate people like that I already work with, just building my own brand. You get what I'm saying? My own lane of stuff. Are you guiding them kind of like telling them the idea behind the project? And kind of helping inspire them what to write about? For sure. Like cohesive. Yeah, I want it to be some songs are going to be just songs that I like, but for the most part, I do want it cohesive and I want it to have a certain feel to it, musically, sonically, and just like, you know, just you know, the rapping too. Like me and Nudie, we're gonna make some, you get what I'm saying, some thumping stuff every time. So we just we own what we own. But he has like a song that's on it called Never Snitch. I'm I'll say that Never Snitch. Okay. That's it's the beat, the song, how he's flowing over the beat, it's nuts, bro. It's nuts. So this is gonna be your first producer project, right?

Yeah, for sure. How does it feel creating something that's for you versus you know how you've done it in the past with artists? Man, it's a lot of work, it's tedious, you know, everybody has their own schedule. So it's interesting, but I feel like it's coming together good in the way that I want it to, because I feel like when stuff is kind of there's like a perfection and imperfection. So when stuff is not like how you want it, that's what makes like it that much more like great almost. I feel like anytime stuff is gone like perfect, it wasn't never really that good. But when there's like lulls or just everybody's everywhere and we're getting stuff done, that's what makes it just so much better when it comes out. So I'm excited about it. Do you catch yourself overthinking shit? For sure. I I feel like if you're a creative, you know, it's like you're gonna always do that. Somebody's gonna have to tell you, like, stop overthinking stupid you got this. Like, you've done this, like it's crazy. I used to be like, when I first started making music, I I was like, dang, I don't never think I can make a beat this hard again. And it's like 15, 50, 100, 1000 beats later, it's like, dang, I'm still making hard beats.

So, you know, you overthink stuff all the time. So it's just like in your mind, you just gotta be set, like, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna try it out, I'm not gonna be scared. Let's see how it goes. So, whoever that girl was that told you that the portobello beat was hard, can we make sure she hears some of the songs on the producer project first? Like, so we don't lose like some fucking golden nuggets here. Nah, I'll taste it to her, yeah. For sure. Okay, we get her on as an AR, man. Yeah, FaceTime her a few times. Nah, for sure. We'll make sure she hears a couple of songs before they come out. She gets one percent. She actually did hear never snitching, no, no lie. I'm not gonna lie. I played her that song. So she's she did. So she got one song that she likes. Shout out to her. Yeah. Um, okay. So what was the evolution like? Um, you know, I I just I'm fascinated, and I think our audience can, you know, take a lot from going from just you got connected with his driver to getting invited to a studio session. Yeah. To then like, he's in the booth, you're playing some beats, it's a kind of like nerve-wracking situation, probably, right? To now y'all are locked in for four months fucking straight or whatever.

You know, you got nine out of 13 tracks on gumbo. For sure. So what, what, what can you point to like through the evolution, right? Like, how did that actually play out the way it did? Man, when I tell y'all this story, it's gonna be crazy. But y'all, you know, this is the first one that I'm like, you guys are like kind of the first people that I'm gonna tell this. But Shout out one more time podcast. Let's go. Exclusive. It's crazy. When I when we did the first beat in December, I told y'all I met him in December when we did the first beat. Um, he did that beat and I left my job. So that's basically what happened. He did the beat, and I was like, oh my god, dude he got on a beat, and I left my job. Oh my god, Cooper's like, I'm out of here, yo. I'm done. I don't care. He Wasn't even out yet? Huh? He just rapped on it, he just rapped on it. Usually that doesn't mean shit. It was around Christmas time, and I'm like, fuck this job. I don't care, I'm out. And I left, and he didn't rap on another beat till five months later. Oh shit. And through that time, Sly Mirror was made. Um, we were making, he was making other songs with other producers, just all type of stuff. And really the thing I can say about it is I just stayed down and I like I sat back.

As a producer, I feel like when you're coming into the game, it's good to just sit back and pay attention. I feel like a lot of people are like, you know, it's a lot of people out there were hard beats, but like they're just like ready to jump off the porch and just like get in there. But it's like I was invited to Miami when they made Sly Mirror. I literally sat there and just paid attention. Like just listen. Like Pierre was sending him, Pierre like sent him 200 beats and like he was just going through them and rapping. I was just watching the whole time. So it's like that kind of helped me get to where I am and just stay down. Like cool, calm, collective, like have tough skin. Like you're gonna get a whole bunch of no's. Like he was that five months was hell with no job. And just being like, I don't like this beat, I don't like this beat. This is not it, this is not it, and you constantly working, and then finally we start making music, and then he's like, nah, these beats are different, and we getting into a groove. What was different? I think just me, I think it's probably my ego time, probably like not thinking I know everything and just listening to what he said. Cause Nudie's the type of um, I feel like Kenny's like this too, but Nudie's the type of person, like he's gonna tell you what he wants.

Like, so either you can understand it or not, and he might say, I like he used to tell me I want he used to be like that. I want that sound, and I'd be like, What the fuck is that? But now you know we've been so long together, I know exactly what that is. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. So like it's just listening and paying attention, and I just like whatever sound he was on and m moods too, because I feel like Nudie's a very moody rapper. Like, if he's like in not a good mood, he doesn't want to hear like fruity, like mystical beats. He wants to hear some stepping stuff. If he's in a happy mood, he wants to rap over these type of beats. If he's in a sad mood, he wants some vibey. So it's just being able to switch with him and, like, change with him, and that's what bro. Like our sound changes like every four five months. Like, we're on some different stuff. We're on like the beats, the structure of it is the same, but maybe like the sounds of what we're using is just different. Yeah. Damn. To add to what to what your original question, I feel like a lot of these stories, the producer linking it up with the artist, it's kind of random sometimes. Like it just happens off of one little interaction led to this, led to that. And it's not like you have to like go to this dude's middle school together to be like to their person. If There's an artist you fuck with, you know, you keep an open mind, you shoot your shots, and shit can really just happen.

It just happened like that. You know what I mean? And and I think what what you went through for those five months, yeah, people probably are willing to quit after five days of hearing no, of hearing like this beat, isn't it? Whatever, right? I mean, that's a testament to Coop's, you know, like perseverance, honestly, to stick it out for like five months of seeing him rap on other people's shit, like in front of your eyes, borderline. You know what I mean? Like, that's that's tough. Was the savings account getting low though? It was no savings account. He was in debt, bro. It was horrible. Credit cards, but it was just like, I mean, it was worth it. It was, I don't know. I'm a very persistent person. I don't like, I used to play uh piano and drums when I was a kid and just all different types of stuff, and people was like, I don't like the way you play it, or this doesn't fit this. And I'm always been the type of person that I'm just gonna keep going. Like, can't nothing stop me. Cause it's just like there's only there's only so many no's you can say until a yes comes. And when that yes comes, I'm right on it.

And that's really what it was. Like, it's just I wasn't making the right stuff. I wasn't in tune to what he wanted, but once I got in tune to what he wanted and what like how the sound that he was going for, it was like, oh, this is a piece of cake. Like, I feel like that's another thing too. with producers. like you gotta be flexible. Cause I feel like us, you know, everybody like, oh, I have my certain sound. It's like your sound is your sound, but the artist wants what they want. So you have to be almost like coming in as like, I'm I'm trying to help you out. Like, this is not about me, it's about the artist. So that's like how I look at things. It's always about the artist. If it's if if I if it's not my project, and even with my project too, I want the artist to be comfortable. But if it's not about my project, it's about the artist. So whatever you need, I'm going to assist you with that. Yeah, I think people need to take a little bit more of a selfless attitude to things. And I think this is this goes for even with you know how we create content, right? It's like we always get into this of like, we know what do we want to make, what do we want to make, and like you gotta like what you're making. So there's still you know, you can't just give nudie exactly what he wants if you're not enjoying it.

That's not gonna be fun for you, it's not gonna be sustainable. But if you can find that happy medium of like you fuck with it enough, and it's something that he's asking for, and like what he has in his mind, that's gonna be the magic, right there. It's chemistry, man. Every time it's chemistry. For sure. And I feel like that's what it is. Like you take what they have and then you sprinkle a little bit of what you like on it, and then their chemistry comes in. Cause now it's just like it's bro. I might send 10 beats and he does 10 of them. You get what I'm saying? Yeah. All 10 of them. So it's just that chemistry is important, and just having that ear for what they want. For sure. So you mentioned you play keys, and I've seen a few videos of you, like, you know, still playing. Piano and drums, by the way, the two instruments I played growing up. Yeah, so shout out to us. We're gonna work on that bass next. That's what we're working on next. Okay, I love bass. Basic bass? Yeah. Well, yeah, so I want to ask honestly both of you guys probably this question. Stand up is do you do you think that it's advantageous for producers to uh be able to play instruments? 100%. Of course.

Okay, 100%. Now, I'm not the type of person that's like if you use just loops that you're you know, you're not a producer, I don't get down like that. I feel like everybody, because back in the day, they were using samples. They weren't most people weren't just playing everything, they were using samples. But I feel like a well-rounded producer should at least know how to kind of play like a simple chord structure. Cause it's like I like well, I'll use this example. One time, this is another crazy story. I have crazy stories for days. That's what we're here for. Love it. That's why I wanted you on, bro. It took us a while to set this up. We had like Yeah. We was back and forth. We talked about this for a while. I was out in LA coming back, you like, bro. We couldn't get the schedule together. It was always something, but yeah, so but um my first, well, it's not my first, but like my second official time working with Kenny. Um he had called me out to LA and he was like, Man, I want to just work on Russ. We were working on Russ, just like the start of it. He was like, Man, I want you to work on my new project. And I was like, cool down. So he had called me, and I got on a plane, put my bag on the plane, and I'm guessing when I put it up there, somebody like slammed their luggage against my bag, and my drive was in the front, and that's like my backup drive, but it's the only drive I took. And it has like loops, it has drum kits, it has beats, it has everything.

And I had a new laptop. I had just bought a brand new laptop. And when I got there, I didn't know, but when I got there, I pulled it out and I was like, dang, it looked like somebody hit it, and I had no loops, no beats, no anything, just a computer. With fruity loops and VSTs on it. And me and Kenny sat there and made beats from scratch for the first couple days. I got some more loops. Like, what if I, You get what I'm saying? So what if it was just like, you know, I would just have been out of luck, but we just like made stuff from scratch and boa was made out of that. Um, what else did we make? We made like we made an Encino. we made Mama Don't Know off his last project, just like straight from scratch. So, like, no nothing. So I feel like I feel like if you use loops, that's perfectly fine. I love loops because I love to hear what like somebody else hears and like make my own twist. I feel like if you if you produce, you have time to like play around with keys and like just try stuff, just like at your house, in your leisure, just practice. Yeah, that's all it takes.

So I know you mentioned that you executive produced for Kenny. Yeah. Right? Did you EP Gumbo? Or just had nine of 13? I mean, yeah, I don't know. Me and Nudie don't ever say that because it's collaborative, but yeah, like because I did like we picked the songs together, we went through the track list, we did the transitions together. It's the same. I just don't like take credit because it's like we're doing it together, but yeah, basically, like because I helped him pick the songs. Me, him, um, we have an engineer called Vern that we call him Vern Ski and um KJ. Um, we just kind of like all sit down and pick through the songs. But me and uh me, Nudie, and Vern, we do transitions, everything, all the transitions. Yeah, because you know, for me, I'm trying to understand, and I think our audience, you know, could could benefit from this as well. It's like, what do you have to do to deserve the executive producer credit? I mean, you gotta see it through the end, like see it from beginning. I know a lot of people say that already, but like not just making the beats, helping with the recording, helping with how the song is structured, uh helping with the transitions, if if there's gonna be any transition skits, all that stuff.

You have to see it through the end. So it's like when I first started working with Nudie on anyways, it was just nudie sending beats, Nudie does it, puts it together. But when we start getting more towards like really more towards um EA Monster, like Dr. Evil, we did it a little bit, just tried it, but like EA Monster and Gumbo, like definitely I made the beats. We went over the recording, what we liked. We put the songs together, did transitions for them, everything, put it together to the end. Like, and same thing with Kenny. Like, I did Kenny's Roughs and this new Project 6. Like, we put it like worked on everything to the end, even mixing. Like with well, with all the nudie stuff except for Nudie Waste. but Dr. Evil, everything, I'm heavy on mixing and mastering heavy. Like nine, nine, ten, eleven, fifteen different versions of a song. And Nudie has the final say what he likes, but definitely heavy in it. I know that vocal's a little too bright on track 4. Yeah, let's turn that down. So between nudie and you know Kenny Mason, let's say, right?

Like how different are they in terms of their creative process, how you have to work with them, right? Like how is your experience as a producer different between those two? Um, I feel like with nudie, it's more like more free, more like party type, almost like let's have fun um with the music, and just like let's vibe out with the music real, like real hard. Like I told y'all, let's have a party in the studio, you know, let's do this, let's do that, let's have a crab boil. that type of stuff, crawfish, whatever. And then we're working on the music, and then once the music is done, we get like intricate after that. It's like let's get intricate, can't make sure it's hitting hard, music, songs cut right, all that type of stuff. Um, Kenny is more like intricate from the beginning. Like what me and Kenny do kind of is we make demos. So like we'll make a demo of a song that we like and see if it sticks, and then we'll work on it later. So it's more of like we're not finishing the song right there.

So we might have like for especially for the new project, we might have a song that we make and it only has a hook and a verse, and we're like, are we really married to this? Does it need more sounds? To me, that's the perfect amount to that. That's my favorite thing to do is one hook, one verse, and then marinate, you know, move on. And if it's still hitting the next day, next week, then you you got to go to finish it. I'm trying to tell you, it's a different type of workflow, but it I I fuck with both like both completely, but it's just a different type of workflow. Like that one is different because sometimes, like, you'll have a sound, I don't like the sound, let's take this out, or you'll have like something that needs to be added. Like, um, with the new project, we added guitar on a couple of tracks, like some almost like Memphis stuff that I did, and I was like, Yeah, this is it, this is what it needed. So, yeah, we do a lot of demos, and we vibe out too me and Kenny, we vibe out, but we're like more intricate from the beginning. It's just a it's it's just because Kenny's like real intricate with his rapping and what he wants to say and stuff like that. So it's just different type of workflow.

Yeah, it shows in the music, I think, right? Yeah, for me, I think like the biggest takeaway that I have so far, you know, hearing your story is like that flexibility, man. Yeah, just even let's taking the two of the artists that you work with. I know you have a few others, baby drill, is you know, you know, another one you're locked in with, you know, others, of course, suave, etc. Yeah, but like let's just even take Kenny and and nudie. Those are vastly different artists and vastly different processes that that you have to go through. So, like, if you're stuck in your ways and you're not able to adapt, you're gonna be very limited, I feel like, with the type of artist and the type of like you know, music you can make. Did you say processes? Processes, why you gotta call them out like that? Because that's he's making words up. I gotta call them out. That's what I'm here for. Pro processes, processes, processes. It's just fuck you, coop. Why you gotta get on Henry's side, bro? All right. Making up words. So, Greatest artist producer duos. Let's hear them. How many?

So many. But who are your favorite? Let's do like top three. Maybe five if you get like real excited. Top three. That's a ooh. I don't want to leave nobody out. Oh shit. All right. We'll go, we'll go five. Come on. Okay, let me see. Um that is so hard. That's tough. It's so hard. I'm putting you on the spot, but we need it. I'm not gonna lie. This is gonna sound like I don't think everybody's gonna agree with this, but Pharrell and Snoop. Oh shit. Sure. I mean, Pharrell and anyone, but like But Pharrell and Snoop, bro. I love their songs, bro. I love their songs together. So good. I don't know what it is, but like as a kid, bro, anytime they got on a song, it's like it's perfect. Yeah. Uh Timbo and Missy for sure. Yes. I just like his bounce with Missy, bro. He just got a different type of bounce with Missy. Amazing. Damn. I'm gonna have to throw, I'm gonna have to throw this in there because I've been listening to this a lot too. Timbo and Justin, bro.

There you go. Timbo's on there. I gotta I gotta get him twice. Dude, he's that good. Um, who else? Uh Metro and Future, bro. Yes, I can't leave that out. Come on, bro. The only thing is because it's just like uh bro, Metro and Future is just like bro. Iconic. Yes, bruh. It's it I I feel like but 2015 like changed my life a little bit. Are you from here, by the way? No, I'm from Macon, Georgia. Okay, okay, okay. So, like, an Hour from Atlanta. Yeah, yeah. But you know, you get what I'm saying. But so you're watching from afar if you're down. But I was here when that happened. Oh, okay, yeah. yeah, because you were already here. I just grew up in Macon, but I actually moved here like 2011, 2012. Okay, so you were here in the thick of yes, and it just was like inspiring as fuck. Yes. Did you miss Gucci and Jeezy? Or were you part of that? I was a part of that in Macon. Like Gucci was a big part. Gucci and Jeezy were a big part in Macon. So like both of them is just, you know, legends. So definitely Gucci.

Yeah, because you got your first plaque with Gucci. Yeah, I got my first plaque with Gucci. Damn. Damn. That's crazy. Like back home, they were tripping. They were like, bro, I would never expect that you would, you know, get a plaque with Gucci. I was like, man, that's just how life works, man. Yes. That's how life works. No, we're we're here for it. You know, if you had to, you know, look at your crystal ball, right? What's the next plaque you're getting? Man, probably this peaches and eggplants because it's going crazy. It's going dummy, bro. It's going crazy. So yeah, definitely probably. Peaches and Eggplants. If the casting call for the video shoot looks like the most lit video shoot I've ever seen, then like I'm sure. You thought it was the video A hundred percent. It was the casting call. Well, because he told me he was going to a video shoot. He didn't say it was the casting call. I thought it was a video shoot too. He didn't even know what he was going to. It was so many people that I'm like, oh, this is the video. They're like, no, this is just the casting call. I was like, this many people here for it. It's amazing. So yeah. So okay, let me finish. I got I gotta finish. Yes. This is because it's like different opinions, but bro, Southside and Thug. Okay.

And I'm gonna tell you why. Why? Southside is the reason I wanted to make beats. I just gotta say that. We need to. He he he's the reason when I heard Slime Season 2. Well, really, Slime Season 1, he uh did a song with Thug called Rari. And then on Slime Season 2, he did um Big Racks. And I used to just, I wasn't even making beats then, but just listening to that beat, I was like, bro, who made this beat? Like, that was like my introduction to like producing. I was like, bro, who made this beat, bro? For big Racks? Just how simple it was, but the bounce and thug just like rapping over it. So yeah, like they're one of my favorite duos, like Southside and Thug. And just what he's done with 808 Mafia is so impressive to me. Like, we need more producer collectives. A real boss, bro. I feel like my um, I feel like my homeboy Mojo is on that mojo crazy because he like has a lot of other producers like Flip, uh, True, just different producers under him. So I feel like he's trying to do that right now. But we definitely need more of that. Cause 808 Mafia is like a it's a staple in hip hop. Oh, yeah.

Is it basically like the only two I know? Is it basically just 808 Mafia and Internet Money? Like, well, they had air drummers too, air drummers. Because you gotta put that because he had Mike Whitehead. don't forget Mike. He had 30 rock to come out of air drummers. So it's like so you gotta put air drummers in there. Okay, but like others? I mean I feel you, there's not a lot. There needs to be more if there's like a ton of rap groups I can name and like rap collectives, then there needs to be more producer collectives. Definitely more. All right. It's kind of crazy that there's not more over all these years. Coop, we need one. Right one. Gumbo. You got to. I don't know if I can, man. I don't know if I can. I'd be so busy, man. I like Bentley Music Group. Nah, man. I'd have to find a fire name for it. Maybe like Two Door, like Two Door productions. Ooh, okay. He's already thought about this. Something like that. But but yeah, so yeah, I don't know. I because if I did it, I would want to focus on my producers more. I wouldn't want to be the producer that's like, I'm busy, I'm busy, bro. I got this.

Like, so that's when I get like, I guess I might do it. If I get like a little bit more free time in the future to really like hone in on that, I might do that. It might be a thing. For sure. So you clearly like to like lock in with artists, build sounds with artists. Um, but like, did you know, did selling beats online ever cross your mind when you started getting into producing? It's kind of crazy. Um, I did think about it beat stars. Uh when I first started, I was thinking about doing beat stars, and I actually did do it. So hey you guys, I might have an account up with beat stars. You can get customs, like $25. Shit. So it might be up there. I don't know. But I did start one, and then I was just like, this is not what I'm trying to do. And I and I why not? Like well, because I wanted to always like I used to watch videos of like Pharrell and Timberland them with like artists. So it was like um I didn't want people to like buy my beats and not come to me for them. He's a producer, he's not a beat maker.

Well, look, I'm gonna I'm gonna say something about that too. I don't feel like that's not a producer either. Like, I feel like in this generation, I feel I feel like in this generation it's you can you can make it from because bruh, just think about Cash Money AP, bro. I know. He came from the YouTube and all that, and then he was he locked in with folk. So I feel like you mean he wasn't producing when someone else across the country was buying his beat. To me, that's not producing. Well, yeah, that's true. You never meet the guy, you get their beat, then you get in the studio. I'm staying out of this shit. To me, The engineer in the session was more of a producer than the guy that just made the beat. Like Damn. I'll put it out. I don't know, bro. I don't care. It starts, I you know, I always say it starts with the beat, man. It starts with the beat. So if the beat is on there, you you did some producing. That's how I feel about it. But you know, everybody has their opinion. But I feel like if the beat is there, you start. I feel like there's different levels of producing. That's what I do feel. Yeah, different levels. There's like an intermediate to like a expert, you get what I'm saying? So I feel like there's different levels of producing. But I feel like if you make if you if you can sit down there and program some drums and do all this, you can produce. But there's different like levels of it.

Because and as you grow, you'll learn that. So that's how I feel about it. For sure. Yeah, no, I just always feel like there's kind of the two sides of the spectrum, right? There's the like internet only, never met an artist in a studio session in their life, you know, selling beats online character. And then there's the DJ Khaled. And then there's Does it make a beat? And then, yeah, there's the DJ Khaled. Produces an entire album without programming a single drum. Yeah. It's just the difference of you know, some people have like how y'all said the girl A&R, this like uh the song and the beat. Like, some people just have an ear. Like, we have a um, I have an AR that I work with a lot. Um, his name is KJ. Shout out to KJ. Shout out KJ. KJ just has an ear for music. He just he has an ear. And I asked him a lot of times, another uh person too, Rico. The um, he actually works for Lotto now, he's Lotto's road manager, but uh Rico, he used to work for Nudie, that's who introduced me to Nudie. He's another one. Like, I go by and I I'll just stop by and like play on music, but like what you think, honest opinion. So it's like I feel like you can be a producer that does not make beats because like if you have an ear for music and you can put a project together, like transitions, everything you know, like this doesn't sound good, but this sounds good. You can, but I just want to be in the field.

I'm trying to be in the field, I'm a soldier, so I'm trying to be in the field. I love that shit, man. Shout out Rick Rubin, who is one of my favorite producers, can't play any instruments, can't work any computer programs, has never made a beat, like the ear, bro. It's the ear. Bro, I shit you not. I I'll I'll uh show you guys after this. Last night I get a text from my dad, and my dad's 77. So he had me and he was 45. He texted me, study Rick Rubin. Because the 60 minute special was on rerun, you know, it came out like a month ago. We've already seen it, of course. Yeah, and so I call him immediately. I go, Dad, I've obviously seen that already, like four times. Yeah, and he was like, Oh my god, but I was just blown away. So good, yeah. So if my dad is tapped in and knows that Rick Rubin's the fucking goat, then like he's the goat. Definitely, but bro, AI producers. Oh god, here we go. Are you worried, bro? Are you worried? No, and I'm gonna tell you what I told somebody.

before. Are they coming for your spot, bro? Look, I'm gonna tell you, I'm gonna tell you what I told somebody before. AI is amazing. It's analytical, it's a machine. It does not have a soul. So when you make music, when he makes music, when you do what you do, you do it with your soul. So I'm never worried about a program taking my job ever. I'm always bring soul and value to what I'm doing. So I'm not worried about it. It's amazing. I'm definitely gonna utilize it because I that's my thing right there. You gotta utilize it, you gotta learn it. Cause like um, it's kind of crazy. When I was um like going over processes for my album, I was trying to get a like uh album art, and we use just AI to just generate some ideas, like just to look at ideas. So it's like you can use it as a tool, but like to be scared of it, I I feel like, oh, it's gonna take my job. Like, if you feel that way, then it is, but I don't feel that way. I'm gonna use it as a tool. Exactly. It's the people that are afraid that the the AI itself is gonna take their job.

And the real person's gonna take your job is the person that knows how to use the AI. You still have to give it prompts, you still have to tell it what to do. You still get to have your your human soul in it and tell it how to, but yeah, you gotta learn eventually you're just gonna have to learn how to do it. So just think about the nineties, just think about nineties. They were making, they were using beat machines, the like TR-808s and stuff. And um, well, that was kind of like in the 80s, like late eighties, nineties, but they were using like the NPCs and stuff, and then they were probably scared when they were like, it's a computer that you can put a program on and make beats. Like it's gonna, it's gonna end this. How can I use that? And some producers adapted, and you know, Timbaland's making beats on Fruity Loops. You get what I'm saying? So it's like you just gotta adapt to the situation. I'm I'm not worried about it. I'm I'm I'm I'm welcoming it. Yeah, I mean, it's it's almost like uh I listened to the blog era podcast recently by uh Eric and Jeff Rosenthal it's actually Pharrell's um company Othertone or whatever um they produced it as well and even hearing like those artist stories like you know you take someone like a Joe Budden and uh Kid Cuddy and you know all these like products of the blog era they embraced the blogs whereas like other artists when these bloggers would hit them up for music to post they'd be like you think I'm gonna give you my music for free for you to upload on your fucking little dweeby site those artists did not make it through bro but then you take someone like a cuddy a Joe Budden, you know all the artists I named like they were embracing it bro Kendrick J. Cole Charles Hamilton whoever right like these these people were like full on embracing it and they became the biggest artists you know in the world because of it right yeah for sure so you don't want to be the guy that's like ah the internet's just a fad yeah that's just you gotta you gotta be square to be like that because I even think about after you remember the blog era came in and then after that the mix it mixtape era.

Yeah free tapes like future in them were going crazy and if you think about it bro these producers weren't getting any royalties from those like they might get an advance like I'll pay you for this beat straight up but they're not getting any royalties from a mixtape dropping and they was out there working that their ass off you get what I'm saying so it's like you gotta embrace it bro you got to be able to change with the times. Yeah so have you basically been producing all within this other than of course the AI like creeping up on us now. But like, has it all been kind of like streaming era for you? Like, has the era been the same? Yeah, it's been I I came in, I was blessed to come in during the streaming area or era because it was like I started my first one was 2019. But it's kind of funny because Nudie dropped the first tape we I was actually on with Nudie was faded in the booth and it was a mixtape. He dropped it as a mixtape, so I didn't get paid for it. It's kind of funny. He was just like, man, I want to drop a mixtape. He dropped the mixtape, so I didn't get paid for it. So I was like, I got paid later on, but initially when he dropped it, I didn't.

So I got a taste of it at first, but nah, man, straight streaming. So it's a blessing. But you know, just like knowing how to work it too, it's just like it was different back then. They had to really grind it out. We're kind of blessed. That's why I'm taking for it, like take it for take advantage of it. Because it's like, bro, it's a blessing that you can actually post a song and make money. Yeah. A little bit. Yeah, a little bit. A little change. Point four. So like, so like speaking of kind of the money side of things, right? I'm I'm always interested in what was your approach when you started making beats? Like, were you giving all your beats away for free at the beginning? Were you charging a small advance or something? Like, you know, how did you treat money? Nah, It's actually crazy. I was working a job when I first started making beats, and I was giving them away for free. Because I feel like with music, it's the love of it. Like, you have to have a love for a true love for it. If you want to like perfect your craft and go heavy, you gotta have a love for it. So it really wasn't, of course, you want to make money off of it, but it wasn't about the money. Like I had linked up with the um my homeboy Barry, he passed away, but Barry Bonkers, he uh that's how I got the car start on my tag too.

Just like a little. that's a fire name. Barry Bonkers is so cool. Yeah, RIB to him. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He he he uh he passed away, but I started working with him heavy. He was like the first person that I started really working with, and we was just doing it for the love, but he would pull up to my house or I would pull up to his house, go to cheap studios, $25 an hour, $50 an hour, like on Metropolitan in Atlanta, and just make music for free. Just I mean, because the love of it, that's really what it is. It's Just the love. Like I just I wanted people on my beats. And at first, like they were horrible, but like he helped me kind of like get better at making beats and like knowing how to be like more simple, like with making beats. Cause I was making crazy beats at first, just a whole bunch of arps and noises, and he was like, bro, I can't rap on this. Some stock omnisphere type of things. Yeah, like uh what's it? Morphine, yeah, what's this citrus? Citrus. Yeah, so like I was making stuff like that, and then it just developed from there to me, like really honing in on it. And I mean, the money just came.

Really, I that's why I fool with Nudie. Like when I first started working with Nudie, he just gave me money, bro. Like, he wasn't, it wasn't like uh I had to ask him or anything. Him and um my boss Mandala, man, they just they just gave money, they made sure we were straight. So it wasn't like I was like, I needed. They were like, we see a talent in you, and we just we fuck with you. So they just made sure I was straight. So I never was like money, money. They just put me in a position to where I was actually straight and could take care of my family. Man, shout out to them. Yeah, man. Shout out to Nudie and one dollar, man. Yeah, that sounds that sounds like a fairy tale for most producers. It's Like, I mean the artists and team are actually like handing out money, not handing it out, because if I didn't do nothing, if I didn't add value, they wouldn't give me no money. Well, okay, but you know, poor choice, poor choice of words, but yes, basically like doing good business. Like, I don't know. Nah, they solidly rare, man. They solid. It does seem like though, all the people that lock in with artists and end up becoming an artist, like go to guy, do give beats away for free, though. They're not like charging an artist and then develop this crazy relationship.

Because it's it's the love thing, man. I I think that uh you know, we talked to too many independent artists, producers, whatever, you know, people that want to be in music. And if your main goal is to make money off of it, and like that's what you're really chasing, and that's what's gonna satisfy you, you're probably in the wrong fucking gig. Even like with you and I with this, right? It's like if we didn't genuinely want to come here and talk to people like Coop or talk amongst ourselves about music industry topics, we would probably be in the wrong fucking game. Because like this is a long game when it like, you know, financially speaking, whether you're content creating like us or whether you're you know, music producer, engineers, etc. artists. I mean, it's a long it's like a roller coaster, man. It's ups and downs, and it's inconsistent, yeah. It's never straight. So anybody who's just coming into it that's thinking, like, oh yeah, once I make it, that's it. It's like it's ups and downs. Like you have times where you feel low where it's like I can't make a beat. Like I beat block, all this type of stuff, like they're not liking these beats or whatnot.

So it's just it's ups and downs, but it's just staying consistent and staying focused, bro. Just had, you know, I feel like hard work trumps skills any day. So if you're a hard worker and you're dedicated, like nothing can stop you, you're gonna make it. Yeah, for sure. So, you know, you have a very like select crew of you know, artists that you're working with closely right now, and you have been. What do you look for specifically in an artist to lock in with? Man, just really what I the first thing that I said, like hard worker, like um Nudie was working before me, so he taught me my work ethic. Like Nudie is we'll be we used to go to LA, fly to LA. My first time in LA, we flew, and we stayed in the studio the first time for two days straight. I hadn't taken a shower in two days, like making music when we were doing anyways. So, like that's what type of worker he is. And then just going from that to seeing Kenny locked in, writing Kenny's like he he freestyles and writes, but just writing songs, writing demos, and just staying consistent, always working, always perfecting. Kenny makes beats too.

So it's just like that. And then seeing Drill, Drill, like Drill used to be around us in the studio, just hanging around, just sitting down and seeing him like, I want to rap. And then we give him beats. My my uh my homie Mojo and 20 Rocket, they were like fucking with him before anybody. They were like, he the one, like we fuck with him, and he just working hard and getting to it. So it's like the first thing I look for is hard work, work ethic, and then moving on from that. Do you have the talent of skill? Like, can you hone those skills? Like, are you a good rapper? You you know, everybody's not a good rapper. So some people might be good at like listening to beats, like this beat, they can pick the best beats. Some people give the vibes, some people like just are amazing rappers. So just like just different things, bro. I look at all different types of things, bro. Yeah, but it's just it, I mean, I just love how you picked hard work. Yeah, I was gonna say, I love how you picked hard work, and you know, you didn't mention Suave, but like he is he's like almost obsessive, and to the point of like he's aggravating, yeah. He's aggravating, he's tough to work without electricity.

But he's aggravating. I love him too, but he's in his head, yeah, and he's a perfectionist. We talked about perfectionism and how that's like been a hindrance for him, you know, in his career, because it's like he's overthinking the fuck out of things, and he's dealt with you know, of course, mental health stuff because of it and all that. And I I just know that he's always like so fucking attentive to detail and just like overthinking it, you know. I was in the studio with him before actually before I went to LA. We were working on like an RB um track, and he's always building on. He's another person that does demos too, and I fuck with that. But he's always building on something or trying to like, he tries to squeeze squeeze the juice out of a song. Like it tells like, okay, this is it. Like, bro, we're gonna leave. I feel like we did that without meet the sun when we made that. Like, he's gonna squeeze the juice out of a song. But I feel like that's what makes great music sometimes. Like you have like different versions of something, and you get it until you get it to what you feel is the best version for the people. So does that almost result in getting tired and sick of the song? Yeah, it can.

When you man, when you hear a song too many times, it can just be like, I don't want to hear the song no more. I done heard this song a billion times. But I feel like it's kind of crazy with me. Once this like the actual song is out, I don't listen to it no more anyway. So I'm on to the next one. I feel that I I know you know that too. Oh, and I'm mixing and mastering a lot of the songs I'm producing, so it's like fuck. Yeah, so after you- add that on top. After you get it out, you're like, yeah, I'm done. But yeah, that's that's like a big thing. But I feel like every song doesn't need that. But I feel like certain songs when you're trying to get a certain message across, it's good to do that. And some songs you just make instantly, and it's like, oh, this is the one. Like, we ain't gotta touch that. Like, I've done that with each artist too, like Suave, Kenny, Nudie. I've done that with all them too. Like, we did one song and I'm like, this is it. Yeah, and I think that, you know, changing shit for the sake of you know, for the sake of changing it, like we've talked about that with the artists you've worked with. It's like sometimes it might be just that's it. It worked. I told y'all before, bro, there's something perfect about imperfections. I don't know what it is.

Because sometimes, bro, like when I'm producing, like I'll be in the studio producing, and I'll make a mistake on the extra drums, and it'll be. And that's the hardest shit. It'd be hard. You'd be like, what the fuck? Like, I'll make a mistake and I'll just keep it. Like, and at first I used to change it back, but then I started noticing, like, no, this is kind of hard. So like I'll make a mistake and I'll just keep it, and it'll be like the like you said, the hardest shit on the song. So leaning into mistakes, bro. That's my favorite shit. I wonder, like, if Quavo wrote, you know, everywhere, everywhere I go, they say congratulations. Like, did he mean to leave the con off of that? Like when rappers like make up words even or pronounce a word wrong, and I'm like, that shit was hard. Telling you something perfect about imperfect. It's human and it makes you makes it them feel human and more like relatable. It's it's crazy, man. I didn't think my dad would make it into uh my podcast twice. But he sent me this New York Times article that it's basically titled, I think like, Is music too clean? And he read the title thinking, like, oh, like has rap music become like you know less explicit, like in lyrics and shit.

But the the point of the article is exactly what y'all are talking about of like, is it where you know you can. Too perfect too programmed, yeah, exactly. You can nudge a drum back to where it's supposed to be. You can tune a vocal to be perfect, you can add a breath, like you add breaths for the artist to make it sound like they're actually fucking breathing. That's hard. to make a punch-in, not sound like a punch in. But that's ridiculous, bro. That's hard right there. But it's ridiculous, bro. That's hard. But you know, it's just it's interesting that y'all are you know bringing that up, and it's like, oh my god, my dad's made. I'm gonna have to send him this episode. Well, I have the he gave me the article, by the way, yesterday. That's what it was. Yes, I have it, and we're gonna maybe do an episode on that. Amazing, bro. Shout out Pops. I'm not gonna lie, I definitely do that on melodies too. Like, sometimes I won't nudge them. Like, if it's already, because I feel like sometimes when it's like not on the grid, there's like a certain bounce to it. Yes, and secret sauce, man. I'm gonna give y'all secret sauce samples too. Like, sometimes when samples are just a little off, yes, and you put those drums on them, the bounce is there. It gives it a better bounce. Like, I do that with a lot with Kenny. Like the sample be a little bit off.

It's not like like on, it's kind of off, but then the bounce is just there. Like this. You think Jay Dilla would be Jay Dilla if he quantized all his fucking drums? Hell no. No, he would not. And that's what made his stuff so special. The bounce, bro. Yeah, bounce. Oh man. For sure. Well, Coop, we have entered a final segment of the podcast. Oh shit. Buckle the fuck up, my friend. I bet. Oh shit. Let's go. Coop. This is the rapid fire rampage. Oh, damn. It's gonna be a three-part rampage. Okay. I'm gonna start with some short answer questions. Very simple. Let's get to it. Starting very, very simple. Just ease into it. All right. What is the best music podcast on the planet? One more time. So make sure I get it right. Yes. Correct. Thank God. Three desert island plugins. Can we have three plugins for the rest of your life? Oh shit.

Ooh, that's a good one. I know. Three plugins for the rest of my life. Gotta stick to them. Dang, I'm finna give folks the sauce. That's what we're here for. Electra X. Okay. That was one of my first. It's still hits. Omnisphere. Yep. Huge. Ooh, that last one. Juno 106. I think it's is it Juno 106, but the Juno. The keyboard is Juno. Fire. Fire. I had this one. You kind of asked it. I was gonna ask three things an artist could do to like start working with you, but I think they got to work hard. They got to work hard and have talent. Yeah, we'll skip that one. Well, well, no, no, you can ask me that. I'm gonna speak on that. I'm I'm looking. I'm always looking for new talent. Well, let's make it clipworthy. Let me ask it officially officially then. So maybe we make a clip out of it. Coop, what are three things an artist could do if they want to work with you? Talk about not being like organic and real.

It'll look good in the clip. Art is podcasting too clean. God bless. Work hard. Um be open to different beats. And man, be positive. I got positivity. No one has time for the negativity. Yeah, like let's be positive. If something don't work out, we're gonna keep it running. This shit's already hard enough. Yeah. Why do you have to bring that Debbie Downer shit in the clip in the equation? Love it. Coop, zombie apocalypse. It's here. It's happening. Okay. Shit. You can pick three weapons to defend yourself. Three weapons to defend myself. Well, I'm gonna have to go with that Glock. We're going to get that. Yep. First the first thing. First things first. Uh let me get that machete. Okay. For that close combat. And three things to defend myself.

Zombies. Zombies. They're here. Let me get some dynamite, man. We're gonna blow some zombies up. We're gonna go crazy with it. Dynamite. That's a good one. God, Yeah, he's gonna lure them all into one place, but he's gonna have the dynamite. Yes. and he's going to lure all the other ones, and I'm gonna be going to the next. You know what I'm saying? I love Walking Dead. That's one of my favorite shows. Yeah, yeah. There you go. Smart. Coop, what is a weird talent of yours that nobody knows about? A weird talent? I don't think uh oh, you got one. I don't think I got it. Let me just put this in perspective. Bear one boss. asked this question. Okay. And he farted with his armpit. Bro. So, like, I don't know if you got something like that. I mean, nah. That was it was good content. Like, I don't know. It was great. Coop, if you got something like that. Nah, I don't know. I don't know if I got no weird talent. Are you like really good at Jenga? Or like, can you like shoot a bow and arrow? Jenga? He said really good. I'm trying to think.

Because I mean, if you wouldn't ask me down on the spot, I probably would know something. Oh, what I don't know. Yeah, maybe we should send that question ahead of time. Henry. Yeah, I don't know that one. That's fine. That's a fine question, though. That is fine. If I find it, we'll come back. Yeah, if you think about it right now. He's gonna be so distracted now, thinking about that while he answers the rest of this. That's a good question. I love that question, but I can't think of it. We'd like to get to know our guests. Yeah, yeah. Coop, who has the best fast food chicken sandwich? Shake shack. Ooh. That's a first. Whoa. That's a first. Shake shack. You need the best chicken sandwich. Because it's a non-ATL answer and we're ATL based, so I mean, it's here. Oh, they did. They have one. They have one here. They're brand new. All right, bro. It's just strange that he's saying that. I'm sorry. Shake Shack, bro. No, don't be sorry. Now I gotta go try it. Now we have to try it. Yeah. Definitely go try it. bro. All right. Last one of the short answer. Coop, what is your favorite curse word? Uh Kenny and I are going to love it.

If something goes wrong, I always say, Man, fuck. I just say that. I'd be like, man, fuck. Specifically, man, fuck. Yeah, I say the two words, I'd be like, man, fuck. Okay, perfect. I love it. Part one. Part one. It was good. Man. One pass. Which, you know, we'll see. But besides that, pretty good part one. You got time to redeem yourself. Part two is the this or that. I think the dynamite with the zombies, you know, might have saved them. Okay, okay, man. Mm-hmm. Rapping or singing? Rapping. Make loops or receive loops. Receive loops. Zay 808 or spins 808? Spins. Delay or reverb. Ooh, delay. Lose all your drum sounds or permanently switch DAWs? Lose all my drum sounds. Matter of fact, with that, I make my own drum sounds. Ooh. So, like a lot of you've been through that before with the Backup. Yeah, but a lot of my drums, some are made from scratch, and some are like I've like tweaked. Like I have my own drum kit that I use every time. Hard.

Learn every instrument or speak every language. Learn every instrument, of course. Magic City or Cheetah. I'm sorry. Ooh, that's awful. I can't answer that. I fuck with them. If we were talking about food, I'd say cheetah, bro. Of course. I fuck with both of them, but I don't know. Probably Magic City, bro. Okay. Because Ben uh said he saw a story of your having, like, an epic strip club meal. Bro, what was that Yeah. We're having like an epic strip club meal. Bro, what was that? Is that chicken and waffles? Yeah, it was chicken and waffles and cheetah at like what it was, was it 2 a.m.? Damn. That was cheetah Bro. Yeah, it was cheetah. The Luvia? Yeah, I had invited some girls and I was like, let's just go to cheetah and like throw some money and like eat. And they were like, okay. And then when I went to the kitchen, I was like, dang, it's after 12 o'clock, they don't serve dinner. So I was like, well, let's just eat chicken and waffles. I had never seen such amazing chicken and waffles. Fire. It was delicious too. I'm not gonna lie. It looks so good. Coop, you can either become a rapper who can't touch his own beats at all. Or leave the music industry.

Yeah, I would become a rapper who can't touch his own beats at all or leave the music industry? I'm not leaving the music industry No. Two door, the album coming soon. Last one's got bars. Last one, I think this or that. You have this is to gauge your risk tolerance a little bit. Yeah, if so. You have either a 90% chance of gumbo going platinum or a 10% chance of gumbo going diamond. Yeah. I'm not gonna lie. Rolling the dice. I've always been a risk taker. 10% diamond. No one's going. Damn. I don't care. Gumbo diamond. 10% is a lot. Yeah. You think it's not, but it's a lot. I mean, it's more than 10. 90's a lot. 90's a lot. But diamond, Diamond's so legendary. Wait, diamond, you gotta understand like how many records have gone diamonds. Not a little few. You get what I'm saying? Like albums. Like Michael Jackson Thriller is Diamond. Multiple diamonds. So what 66 million? Some shit. So it's like, yeah, it's the highest, it's the highest album ever. So is that six times? Six times, I think so. Yeah, six times diamond.

It's the highest album ever. Like highest number album ever. So it's like that 10%. You know, bro, 10%. Most of us would look at that like, yeah. You say what? That's a one in 10 chance of it going diamond. So it's a 90% chance of not shit happening, but you know, anyway. Part two. I guess. Moving on to the last part of the rampage. This is the word association. I'm gonna say one thing, one word, you just give me one right back. First thing off the top of your head. Okay. Rapper. Starting as always. Alright. With hip hop. Ooh, hip hop. Andre 3000. Ooh. I like it. Uncle. Uncle. Um. Shout out my uncle Udi. He always believed in me, making it in the industry. So my Uncle Udi. For sure. Brick. Quarter brick. For Brick Oh, Brick. Hey. Shout out to OJ. Hot tub.

Hot tub. Man, me and me and uh Kenny got a uh a video coming out, and he got some bad girls in a hot tub, and the video is rich. It's gonna be amazing. Y'all check that out. Hell yeah. Social media. Man, IG, man. I live on IG. War. War. Hmm. What did I say about war? War. I don't know what to say about war, man. You're not supposed to think about it. You just gotta go. Uh war. I don't know. Navy. I know a lot of people that went to Navy. Guitar. Guitar. Uh Jimi Hendrix, man. The goat. Tiger. Legend. Tiger. Man. What makes me think of Tiger? I ain't gonna lie, I think about Bloody Roar, the game. Oh. That was my favorite character to play with, Tiger on there. Lil. Lil Wayne. Bitcoin. Gotta buy a whole one.

Podcast. One more time podcast. I gotta say it every time. Bro, good job, like sneaking us in there a couple times. Shameless plug. That was so dope. Easy to see. Yeah, this is great, man. I'm gonna say it every time. Perfect. Bentley. Coop. Let's go. Yo, this has been an amazing episode. What an interview. Holy shit. I feel honored that we got one of your first interviews. The first. The first. Holy shit. Exclusive. One more time, exclusive, baby. Yo, Like, comment, and subscribe for that shit. Come on, man. One more time is getting exclusive interviews out here with fucking legendary producers. The man behind Gumbo, man. Yes. Come on. Appreciate you, Coop. As always, Henry, what are we doing? Getting out of here. Getting the fuck out of here. Peace. Peace, y'all.