Ray Daniels: 91 Minutes of Tough Love for Artists

This is gonna be a good interview for y'all, because I came over here frustrated. My business, hip hop, my culture, we are in so much f***ing trouble. You can't just call yourself different, especially if you dress like everybody, you look like everybody, you're doing what everybody else doing. What the f are we talking about? Tell the world what you are, and then let them like you. Just ask yourself, what am I telling the world about what I am doing? You're gonna be Bruno Mars, but you can say m***. any moment can be a song. Just pay attention to the f moments. A quick Google will tell you that Ray Daniels is a hugely successful music executive who worked for basically every major label before opening his own shop and is responsible for some of your absolute favorite chart-topping hits from artists such as Beyonce, Future, Sierra, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Usher. The list is infinite. But if you've been following Ray, you would know that a lot of his most recent wins have come on social media where he demonstrates his no nonsense, no sugar coating approach to the music industry, primarily on his podcast, The God Show. He says the type of things that make you say, Why the hell would you say that?

You're right though. He's a walking talking machine of things that you might not want to, but probably should hear. Basically, when Ray Daniels starts ranting, you let him do his thing, and we certainly let him cook in this one. So if you're a musician who isn't where you want to be in your career yet, but also aren't afraid to get called out on your bulls***, I invite you to watch episode 221 of the One More Time Podcast featuring Ray Daniels, starting right now. One more time. And we do it one more time. One more time. Spin it rock, spin it one more time. Hit me baby, one more time. So I'll give you guys an example. Are we filming? Sure. Okay, cool. I'll tell you this is a great story. So I'll give you guys an example. So I first started managing Timothy and Theron, right? Rock City. And um, we signed a deal with Akon, right? Uh, and Akon tells us, basically, like, mind you, I'm a new manager. We signed with him, and the whole thing was, when are we gonna sign the Interscope now? And Akon was like, I can't take out to Interscope until I get Ray Lavender's album out. And I remember thinking, that don't make no fucking sense.

And, you know, Benny, Timothy, and Theron at the time were like, and that's why we have so much trust with each other. They were like, well, that makes sense to me. And I'm like, well, let me ask you a question. If you were Jimmy Iovine, and you had, and I gave you a check, and you had something that could make us all of our money back. You mean to tell me I don't want you to bring that to me until you get this other thing that I agreed to do off? That don't, that didn't make sense to me. So we sat down with Akon, and I'm also good at challenging things. So I'm like, we we we he's like, yo, um, he's like, yeah, man, so it was he called us to the studio, and I'm very like, I read energy very well. That's my gift. He called us to the studio, and when he called us to the studio, he goes, uh, he calls us because his convicted album is about to come out. And we wrote a song on there, and he he needed a percentage. So you gotta understand, we signed with Akon September 6, 06.

Akon album drops October, November that year, and he's but you gotta understand this is before this is before streaming. So you will go out and promote your album for a month and a half. Yeah. So we didn't see him for two months, and then we would just get word back, like, oh yeah, Akon ain't gonna take out an Interscope after Ray Lavender coming. I'm like, well, what if Ray Lavender don't come out? We never gonna come out. Like, I don't want my life to be in his hands, and Ray Lavender's my boy, but I just was like, that don't make sense. So we go sit down. This is literally how we got our deal with Interscope. We go sit down with Akon. he talks about the album. You know, of course, he's like, I need a percentage of the records that I write, no, that I sing, no problem. So I'm like, yo, we need some money. He's like, all right, cool. So I got, I'm I'm strategic. It was three things I needed from him that day. The first thing was, I needed him to pay us for the record. So I'm like, give us $5,000 for the song. He pays us $5,000. Then I'm like, bro, it's like I said, it's November. I'm like, bro, we've been signing you for two months. We had a whole lot of momentum.

Now we can't go get no money. And you tell us because we can't go to see Jimmy, I need an advance or something for the pocket. He was like, how much? He's like, literally goes, all right, get him 25,000 and on top of the 5,000. So he wrote us a check for $30,000 that that the next that day. Okay. Because it was like a good day. It was like, it was like one o'clock in the morning. So then, you know, and he goes, Yeah, uh, so he goes, look, man, I want to bring y'all to LA. You uh fuck it, let's go see Jimmy. So I was like, all right, let's go. He was like, I'll I'll schedule it next time I'm in LA, but I'm going to LA tomorrow, but that's only for brick and lace, and I'm gonna be doing some international shit. And you guys are, I'm we're not gonna be able to meet with Jimmy anyway, but I was like, we want to go to that trip. We're coming. We're coming. Straight up. And he looked at me like, like, you okay, motherfucker, you don't believe me? Yeah, we're coming. He flies us out. It was like, have y'all guys ever seen the movie Um Along Came Polly? Yes. One of my favorite movies. So good.

Remember the scene where the friend uh uh takes uh Ben Stiller's character out and he's like, Look, I'm your wingman. Whatever you need, I got you. He's like looking around, then he looked over and his man was gone. Yeah. So Akon takes us to Interscope to the to the showcase. It's one of those like in and out, no hotels. We flew out the morning, got there like three, left on the red eye like 10. So it was like, go straight to Interscope, and we're out there, and Akon is like, you know, like he literally walks in the room and then he disappears. And it's like a huge room of like big wigs, Jimmy Iovine in there, Akon, Ron Fair. Basically, what they did was in the music business, they fly all of their international partners out. So you head of France, fly you out. You head of um England, we fly you out, and then we let you see the artists that we're building. So that's what this was. Okay. So we in a room, and I'm like, I don't give a fuck about, don't disrespect the brick and lakes, don't disrespect the Akon, don't disrespect no. I'm like, we're gonna get a deal today.

And get the door down, baby. Bruh, we are not leaving here. Let's go. And we ran into Erica Grayson. Erica Grayson, we just so happened to know, because we met her like six months earlier. So Erica was, and she thought we was dope. And Erica was like, You guys, what are you guys doing? Like, it's kind of like this is this is a room room. So she's like, what the hell? What are y'all doing here? How did y'all get in here? How did y'all get in here? We was like, oh, oh, Akon. And she's like, okay, nice, nice. We was like, we signed to him now. She's like, oh, really? We was like, we're gonna be with Interscope. I'm like, we're gonna be with Interscope. Pointing out of his shit. We're gonna be with Interscope. And she's like, oh, okay, cool. And she's like, okay, cool. Well, let let, let, let, you know, like, she didn't say, let us know if you need me. It was kind of like, okay, dope. And it was like flat. She didn't bite. So Timothy goes, yo, Eve, man, when you want to come visit the Virgin Islands, man. You should come visit the Virgin Islands. And Eve was like, I would love to come to the Virgin Islands. So I said, You want a reason? And she said, Of course I do. What do you mean? I'm like, would you be our AR? And she's like, I can't. I didn't do y'all deal and I didn't do Akon's deal. She said another guy had to be an AR.

And we was like, no, but we want you. And she was like, okay. I said, if I get Akon to say yes, would you be our AR? She was like, yes. The one thing I knew is that Akon's favorite word was yes. He doesn't mean it most of the time, but it's gonna, he's gonna yes you to death. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know you. Yeah, I see, yeah. So I was like, so so, so it's funny because like I said, Akon disappears. They do the showcase, it's all over. And I know Akon was like, he couldn't wait to get in the car to head back to the airport to humble us. I knew it. I just felt it. It was like, so we get back in the car, so he goes, See, I told you. I told you, Ray. You don't believe me, man. I told you it was nothing I could do in the room because I was doing brick and lace. I said, Erica Grayson said, um, can she be our AR if we do the deal with Interscope? He said, Well, well, oh boy's my AR, but I said, but if we want ed Erica, could we have her? He said, Yeah. That's all I need to hear. Dog, that's how a deal got done. Wow.

Wow. That's how we signed the Interscope. I call Erica the next day. Akon said yes. She said, okay, send me the records. Sent to the records. She played it for Jimmy. Akon knew Akon heard Jimmy's excitement. They got the deal done. That's how the deal got done. Damn. But here's my but here's my point. For some creative ways to make shit happen, this is definitely up here. But here's my point. I can give you a hundred stories, just like that. The problem that I was speaking about for where I'm at on this media space is that y'all gotta understand, I make seven figures from music. Yeah. I'm making six from fucking media. Now that might be a small one number, but that one fucking digit is humongous. It's a large digit. It's a Big difference. That's a big difference, right? That's a $900,000 difference. Wow. And but here's the other thing, though. I'm also spending way more money. My million dollars that I'm making on the media. It's a six billion business. Yeah, yeah. And I'm paying motherfuckers, and they're basically telling me the same shit, and I know it's bullshit. But I'm just in a place now where I got too many things that I'm maintaining that I don't have time to go into that deep dive.

But I feel like I'm gonna have to a media now. I feel like I'm gonna have to because you know, it's, it's it's it's first of all, it's the most powerful tool in the world, right? It's more it's actually probably the only thing more powerful than music is media. And bro, I'm I'm good at this shit. And I I just gotta find my blue ocean in this shit, bro. Like, that's really where my head is at. And it's all still connected to music. It's not like I want to be out of music. I'm just saying, I see them all the same. It's like when y'all was at the show, like that was a media initiative, but it was about music, and it was still fun, it was entertaining, but it wasn't, it wasn't like your typical, hey, I'm Ray, I'm gonna tell you how I made it. You know, it was like, nah, let me show you how to make it. Interactive. Let me show you how to do it, you know? So I'm just I'm like going down deep dive. Like, this is gonna be a good interview for y'all because I came over here frustrated. Oh, I can, I can feel you know, you said you were good at reading energy. I was like, oh, Ray's kind of he's kind of on one bro. We got a little, a little, I'm a little, because you know what it is, man.

This is we get one life, you don't get a rehearsal, and if you actually get off your ass and do something, like, dog, I was a loser my whole life, bro. I was a fucking loser. I was, and I was a loser that knew he was a loser, didn't know what to do about it, didn't have nobody pouring into me, didn't have anybody tell me I was shit, but I'm like, I think I'm the shit though. I I know I'm a loser, but I don't I because you gotta understand how this world works. Like, like, the world picks their winners. That's the hardest part that take. They pick their winners. We don't get to say pick me. We get to just do us, and hopefully they pick us. But they don't care. You could be the worst guy on earth. You could be beating your wife up, fucking your kids over. Like, no, I'm just being honest, right? You could be all those things, but you could get picked. And you can still get picked by the world. Like, look at the like, look at the world we live in, right? That's why I think, that's why I think we're in a really interesting place right now, because the behavior that was so normal and natural is now being put on front street and motherfuckers is in jail behind it. You feel me?

So it's like, so it's like, it's like there's also a coolness to our business that's ending. There's a coolness that's ending, right? It's like oh man, listen, hip hop is in my business, hip hop, my culture. We are in so much fucking trouble. Why? Because the one thing when we when I came in here, before we sat down and started talking, what did we start talking about? What are we talking about? When I said I wanted to go home to see what? Family and kids. Hip hop is not family friendly. And it and by the way, it was lyrically not family friendly. You know, we always knew that, but it was still The culture. It was it was still, we on MTV, we gotta act a certain way. We on BET, we gotta act a certain way. We on, we on VH1, we at the radio, we gotta act a certain way. Because there were gatekeepers that can say, I don't like the way you acted, I'm not supporting you, so you gotta act a certain way. And and in the new music business, it don't matter how you act.

It doesn't fucking matter. It's like I went to this Cash Cobain show. My 14 year old daughter loves him. And by the way, it makes me feel so good knowing that I could take her to a concert. Get to the concert, She going crazy. And then he like, well, who won't get up here on the stage? And he calls five girls up. And all five of the girls show their bare ass. Whoa. God. That's hip hop. That's Cash Cobain. By the way, hold on, but now it's not Cash Cobain show, that's everybody's show. Wow. Yeah. Everybody's show. So it's like the music was already like, I didn't realize I was listening to, but now I get to see it and listen to it. I believe that hip hop is gonna be considered in the same stratosphere as OnlyFans. Where it's like, you know, and but the reason why I say that is because OnlyFans, you know, you got motherfuckers on there teaching you how to cook. Got motherfuckers on there teaching you how to how to play guitar. But we think about it a certain way.

But we Think about it as sexual, right? Exactly. That's what I mean. So it's like so bring back gatekeepers. So, no, no, no. But here's the thing, though, you have to. Maybe. but the problem is is that the gatekeepers were that, but they were that in private. Yeah. So it's this whole little thing happening where it's like, well, this is who the fuck you are when the doors is closed. Why can't I be that the way I it's like the Democrats and Republicans? Like, the Democrats is just like, we want to be free in public. And the Republicans is like, do that shit behind closed doors. We do the same shit. We just don't want our kids to see it, you know? The Democrats are like, fuck that, my kids are gonna see it because I seen it. And it's like, it's this whole battle, but hip hop is going dirtier and dirtier and dirtier. And because, and by the way, I love the female era we're in right now because females are actually having fun and making better records. But I didn't hear my mama talking like that. Like my mom, you know, like what like I'll give you guys a quick 30 seconds. I remember being in the 12th grade, and shout out to my teacher, Mr. McClintock.

He was this white guy. And you know, you young black kid in the hood at the hood school, this motherfucker is goddamn day. Only thing they don't have is metal detectors. They got a daycare center, everything. Like my school, my my school had a daycare center. Wow. Because it was a school for bad kids. Who had. Or girls who got pregnant that had to leave school for four or five months and got behind. Damn. So I school I went to. So we were talking to Mr. McClintock class one day. And you know, young black man, of course, we're gonna brag on our daddies. My dad was a motherfucking man. My dad was a pimp. He says, Well, what the fuck did that make your mother? Now, that's the first time that I said I'm never calling my dad a pimp again because some we know we know who the men are, but the women have always kind of been the back. Like, is she with it? She probably is, but now the women are like in there. They're saying it. It's like, what was the beginning of the end? Like, because we know, we all know. Like, this is one thing you cannot say.

This is the dumbest shit they're gonna say, but we know hip-hop is a youth-driven genre. It's not like pop, you know, like your mom might like pop, you know, it's not like RB, everybody could like it, but hip hop is for and always been about the kids. So, of course, NWA comes with, you know, shout out to Compton and all this other shit, and you know, that's reality rap, and then you got fucking uh uh uh what's my what's my guy's name, public enemy talking about fight the power, it was a balance. Now every girl is showing her ass. Now, what is that? Every girl thinks she needs to show her ass. Now everybody wants to have ops and be street. They need it, they think they need it. So I'm watching, it's like watching everybody go down this thing, and I'm like, eventually they're gonna ban hip-hop. Something big is gonna happen, but eventually they're gonna ban it. And what I mean by that is like they're gonna, they're gonna allow it to come, but it's gonna have to start being like explained. Like, okay, this is family friend hip-hop. Thought hip hop is 50 years old, 51 years old, right? This is the first time in my life.

When I was a kid, my mother listened to like Luther Vandross and Teddy Pendergrass and Marvin Gaye, and I was listening to rap shit on the side. Yeah. Now my son listens to Kendrick and Drake, and so do I. We all hear, so it's like we all listen, but now the angles is different, the perspective is different. That's damn, that's what they said. Like I was I was in the car with my 14-year-old little girl taking her to school, and then the new Cardi record comes on. And Cardi has a line on the record where she says, I don't want no kids, so put it on my stomach. And I'm like, this is on the fucking radio. And there's no curse words in there. But it's no curse words in there. But it's no curse words. Exactly. So watch what I tell y'all, I don't know if it's 2026, but they're gonna be an initiative, and I believe it's already happening. I believe it's already happening, and that's why you see numbers going down, that's why you see them getting rid of certain people and bringing new people in. It's like we gotta change the old regime. Hip hop's in trouble, bro. Like, I'm like, like, I'm I'm scared of it. And I love it, and it's done a lot for me, but it's doing so much harm now because it's showing these, like, you got little girls showing their ass at 13, 14, you got little girls in school saying, I wanna be a stripper and only fans. That shit was not happening when I was a kid.

You you knew they were hoes, but we didn't talk about it. We didn't brag on it. We just sit in class, and I'm a ho. And I'm gonna make some money being a ho. It's like, damn. So, but we're making money. Yeah. We got Ray Daniels on the podcast. Finally, hip-hop is doomed. Let's get into this episode, baby. Holy shit, I was like, whoo. So much to digest. But even, still taking it in. but think about this. Yeah. Oh, oh God. He's still going. No, watch this. Hit me up. That's the girl side. Right? Now let's talk about the guy. So, what are the guys doing? Pooh Shiesty, fire in jail. Thug, in jail. Motherfuckers is in jail. Yeah. Puff is in jail. No, no, but by the way, in jail, this is the part that's so interesting. In jail for doing what they rapped about. Now, or or being accused. Let's say being accused. That's the right word. Being accused of doing what they rapped about. Until proven guilty.

Exactly. That's my point. This is America. folks. This is America, exactly. So that there, but it's like you look at it from that standpoint, it's like, like, damn. Yeah. Like, like, I just had this little kid out here. rest in peace to Raylan Styles, kid I was gonna work with. I like literally got killed the other day. Like, and he got killed over a chain because everything is so important now. It's like, it's like wrestling, where it's like, y'all watch the Vince McMahon documentary? I've been telling him to watch it. It's so good. Listen. Mr. McMahon. Oh. Bro. It is incredible. It's so good. But it's like, all right. if Ray tells me to watch it. But it's like, no, no. It's like I'm watching. bro. no, no. It's like, it's as good as the Michael Jordan documentary. The Last Dance Man. Oh man, this is just as good. Can't be. No. I actually must say it's better. And the reason Can I tell you why? Might be better. Can I tell you why? Because he built a 10 million dollar business on something that was considered fake. It is fake, basically. But he let us in to see the fake, the kayfabe thing, what I was gonna bring up. I think hip hop is going through that moment where it's like, we was like, Nah, that's not me.

I ain't the undertaker. I just do that on TV. And it's like, nah, motherfucker, you are. The magic is the illusion that it's real. Exactly. Yeah. And hip hop has hip hop now, the illusion is no longer the illusion. It's the reality. And now it's like, man, I just, man, listen, brother. I pray that I'm wrong. I pray I'm wrong. But I usually make, I'm, I seen it. I seen it. I've seen it. And I'm telling you, we in trouble. It's like, dog, I don't want to be you love your kids. Love them. Man, bro, I don't I want to be my kids 24-7, but I can't be with my kids and play hip hop. Yeah. And here's a crazy part. I just said that. As a dad, I just said this to him. Now Here's the embarrassing part. As a dad, I can play it for my son. My son's 15. Yeah. But I don't want my daughter. And then you see what I'm trying to say? So then it becomes like, damn, Ray, what are you doing, bro? Like, hold on. Like, this shit is getting bad. No, because you were basically like, well, there's clean versions, but you just use an example of like, yeah, don't nut inside me, finish on my belly, whatever the fucking lyric is, where it's like, I don't want my fucking daughter hearing that shit. You know what I mean?

Um, but no, so you kind of alluded to this. So fresh off the game from the gods tour. Yep. Right? So for those that didn't have the chance to be there, we were at the Atlanta one, super dope experience. I had no idea what to expect. Thank you. You guys were very mysterious somewhat about like promoting it. We didn't know what it was gonna be. We didn't know what it was gonna be. Yeah. So I I knew what I wanted it to be, but then in order to stay interactive, you need the audience to interact. Yes. And you never know if that's gonna happen. It's hard. Yeah. But so for those that weren't there, how would you describe like what it is? Because I think y'all are gonna do some more eventually, right? It was a real success. Every, every every city we it was packed. So Was it the same formula in all the cities? Like, you know, similar to Atlanta, or did y'all shake it up? Evolving. It's evolving, it's evolving, but to me, Atlanta was the most engaging. Yeah. DC was good, but the thing about DC that was interesting was that they really appreciated us. Yeah.

Like they were like, we don't have a scene, we don't have nothing. Like, We just happy out here in Atlanta. We got a scene. We we got something. So it's like, so it was more like, it was like DC. I felt like I was in a room with people who are really scared. Like, man, I don't want to do this shit, man. Just give me the answer. So of course, it was good. It was great, by the way. Dame said DC was his favorite. Yeah. Atlanta, maybe Atlanta's my favorite because I'm from Atlanta. But New York was packed from like, but the only problem with New York was that we couldn't see the crowd. Because it was like, you know, in Atlanta, we was on a stage. Yeah. It was light. You could see everybody's face. In New York, you only could see the stage. It was a nightclub. So it was like we was like five feet on up and look, and I'm looking down, I can't see nobody's faces. I'm wearing glasses. So, but it was um, it was fun, man. Like New York, we did one thing that I like, I'm like, I like this, right? So New York, we do this thing where we like, I'd say, I'd say. let's guess what they do. So, like, all right, cool, Ben, you're an artist. All right, cool, come up here. Ben's an artist.

Then I might be like, I don't know, let me look at his shoe. I don't know. this motherfucker, like he does folk music, right? Then somebody else on stage say, he like, he do this. Then the audience starts getting the mic, like, he looked like this, he like this, and then it's that moment of like, all right, Ben, do your thing. And yeah, it's like a secret branding exercise. That's the best part about it. It becomes like fun, but you're also guessing, but you get a chance to be guessed. then you start realizing like I don't look the part. I don't look the part. And and and it's important. Yes. As much as like, ah, like I I don't love the fact that like visual branding and like the clothes that you wear and the way your hair looks and all of it matters, but but it fucking does. Really does. And I mean, to your point, even if you're on the executive side, right? You know, not the artist, like forward facing, right? There's still certain characteristics that you can use to your advantage to brand yourself so that they they do remember you when you are in the room, right? Like I, you know, I think of a guy that we had on the podcast early on, Jack Mumford. He's got like Sean White looking long red hair.

And it's like for me, that's a thing. That says you that says you're not that says you do not work at McDonald's at the drive-thru. Exactly. It's a thing. And like he's a white dude Yep. in hip hop, Yep. and he's got this long fucking like red hair. You remember him, you're not gonna forget him. You can't forget him. Exactly. So there's like certain elements, like you know, you, you're on like the glasses now all the time, right? For sure. Like, you know, you're always wearing like the wisdom shades, I feel like. Um, and just you know, artists have certain things. So yeah, like you do got to kind of find what your like visual brand looks like. And then you gotta translate that to online as well. So that's what I like. Like, I like that. So I like the way we started it with every city was like, all right, cool. Who wants my phone number? Right? So I'm like, all right, let's do an exercise. 60 seconds, approach me, get the mic, give give me a phone number. I get my phone number. Come like, yo, Ray, what's up, man? I I do this, I do this. I'm a singer, and if you give me give me a number, I'm telling him. like, okay, you can sing, but you didn't give me a reason that I want to call you. So I'm gonna get you his number.

He runs my music. You just so then I'm like, next. And the next person goes, and I'm like, I'm trying to figure out boom, boom, boom. I'm not giving you my number. You just told me you're trying to figure it out. I don't want you to have my number. I don't want to so then you start really seeing like how important the approach is, how being in a room is like you said, like being the part. You start seeing it, and to me, I'm tired of talking. Like, I'm tired of sitting in the room, Henry. You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm tired of sitting, in the room. I'm saying. guys. If you just do this, you'll be good. It's like, you know what? Fuck it. Y'all don't. Dawg, let me tell you something. You could bring a million artists in the room and say, I'm gonna give all of y'all the answer for y'all to win. And I mean, this is guaranteed, it's the answer. They still gonna be like, Can I perform for you? Oh, it's unbelievable. You see what I'm saying? So for me, it was like, like, I'm getting it. It's kinda like, you know what it is? It's like everybody think they're special. Everybody think they're different. It's like what I just said to you when you was right there. I said, I guess I'm different. He was like, we know that. I'm like, I didn't know that.

Cause everybody think they different. So why would I come in like I know I'm different? Motherfucker says who? Somebody gotta. You can't just call yourself different. If, especially if you dress like everybody, you look like everybody, you're doing what everybody else doing. What the fuck are we talking about? Yeah. No, I I thought it was real interesting. So you're basically speaking to the fact that like you were allowing people to essentially pitch you on why it is that you should give them my phone number. Exactly. And one person I gave it to. Yeah. And so the, you know, the thing that I found like most interesting about all of those examples, right? Is that very few people were extremely specific to you. Yes. The one person you gave your number to, specific to me. He literally gave an exact like an actual example of something that had to do with Ray Daniels, the person. I'll tell you something. funny. And he referenced one of your clients. I gotta tell you something. And it blew my mind that like people didn't do that. Like that's obvious to me. Let me tell you something that's so funny. That guy, that was his fourth time meeting me.

I didn't remember. And every time he met me, he would try to pitch me. I'd be like, bro, this not work. Like, I'm it was always like I would be like trying to get my car. He would catch me in my car, like, hey, this is my folder. I'm like, bro, you gotta look, man, what do you want? You want a meeting or something? Yeah, just give me. It's like, bro, I don't want to be sold. Yeah. You don't have to sell me. Just tell me what you want. Yeah. If you might not get my number, that don't mean you 'll get you might have to go through the gauntlet. You might have to go through meeting a couple people on my team for them to say that for me to say, here's my number. But don't you want that? Like, I don't want a woman that met me the first day and gave me, gave me some, and then like tomorrow she gave me some. It's like, I don't want that. I want you to, I want you to see me that I'm different. I want to see you're different. So that's the interesting part about what we do. It's like, how many people listen to this? Get in a room with y'all, like, can you introduce me? Can you help me? Like, bro, I hate when people say, Can you mentor me? What the fuck do you think I do on my show every day? Right. I'm doing mentorship work. Like, you just think you're special.

And you want me to give it to you specifically. And people use our attention to say they're special. You know, like, man, Ray Daniels heard my song, told me I was the shit. Like, bro, don't use me. Like, do you believe you the shit? Don't use my name to say you the shit to make somebody believe it. I believe I'm the shit. I actually know I'm the shit. So I don't give a fuck if I work that warner, Def Jam, fucking RCA, or I work for radar in my own company. I'm a walking room with the same conference with the same attitude. Because I know what open, what comes out of my mouth is gonna tell you what I know. And that's how far I've gotten in life based on what comes out of my mouth. So I just try to help people figure out what to say. And it's like, it was fun though, man. It was like, it was it was it was very satisfying. Yeah, and let me say, like, we did a panel earlier this year, and uh, you really inspired me like to make I just feel like Do it different. The static, yeah, kind of just speaking event. For sure. That's so much more interesting, I think. Yeah, because it because you know what it is, it's like you get a chance to go go there and actually see for yourself. Huh. That's what I like. Like, it's like, like, and you know, it's

it's something to be said. Here's I always say this about music compared to sports. Here's the difference between music and sports. I love basketball. You love what sport you like? Basketball. Okay, cool. I play like two or three times a week. Perfect. Yeah, love it, right? Yeah, yeah. Fucking love it. I'll put you on the NBA floor, you realize I love it, but I'm not that good. Yeah, but I suck. Right? Yeah. So to me, that was kind of like my sparring moment. It was like, oh, y'all, y'all really don't, y'all think that it's okay, cool. Who wants my phone number? Let's do this. And then it's like, then it's like, who's an artist? Then I love doing it, like, who's an artist? You like an artist. You like an artist. Who's a real artist? Everybody I ain't even, I looked right at you, didn't even see an artist. Like, yeah. It tells you something about yourself. Yeah, but it's wild, right? Because I think that, you know, you're kind of speaking about like humbling a lot of artists, right? That they they do have this like almost insane belief that like they're doing all the things, and like if I just got signed by Ray, or if I just got signed by this label, I would blow up because I'm so doing everything, right? Yep.

But it's weird, right? Because in music, and specifically with like artists, I feel like they do need to have this confidence, right? So how do you like humble people without killing that? It's not you know that thing. It's not humbling you, it's showing you you. If that humbles you, that's on you. You 're putting up a mirror. I'm that's everybody asked me, what's my effect? My effect is the mirror effect. I don't disrespect people. That's why I don't worry about people being mad at what I said, because all I did was show you you. I didn't try to tell you, man, look at you. I ain't I would never do that. I don't know the answers, bro. If I knew the answers, I'd be a billionaire. Everybody, everybody wouldn't be. Nobody knows what's gonna work and what's not gonna work 100%. That's why you gotta be humble. But at the same time, I can say to you, like, when you like knocking on my door, like motherfucker, motherfucker, just give me a motherfucking shot. Give me a motherfucking shot. I'm gonna change your life. I'm like, you really think you're that good? Come on, stay right here. Oh, you think you're that special? Watch this. Who in here is special? Yeah.

Everybody raise their hand. And I look at it like, now you see why that doesn't work. Yeah. You can't say you're special. You have to show me in 30 seconds that you're special. I hate to interrupt this episode, but guys, I got one thing on the mind right now, and it's data. I can't stop thinking about it. All the artists in 2024 are winning because of data. They know who their fans are, they have access to their fans. Do you? Spotify's not telling you who your fans are. Apple Music ain't telling you who your fans are. But our friends over at DistroKid created a feature called HyperFollow. Every single release, you can set up a pre-save campaign with a HyperFollow and get access to every single fan's email address. Now you can let them know when you have a show coming up, when you're dropping exclusive merch, when you're going live. And without the data, you're just bound by the algorithms of TikTok, Instagram, YouTube. No more relying on those platforms. We're going straight to our fans. DistroKid is the best DIY distributor. You can upload unlimited music for a ridiculously low rate. And you're gonna have access to features like HyperFollow. OMTdistro.com. You're gonna get 30% off when you sign up for DistroKid, and you can start collecting your fans' data today.

Henry, let's get back into it. So what's interesting about what you said though, I do think that you know you're like, who's different? Everyone's different, everyone's special. It's interesting though, because I think everyone is special though, right? Yeah. In some way, but I think it's really hard to find what it is that makes you special. It's hard to embrace it. Or that. That's a good one. That's good. And that's what I mean. That's what I mean by like, because it's not always what you want. Yeah. Or what you think, or what, yeah, or what you want it to be. Yeah, it's what it is. It's just it. It's like you can walk in a room and say, I think I look good. Okay, cool. What is good to you? Define good. Okay. Like, when you meet an artist, like, I think I could be in the next Jay-Z. You think so? Do you? That means you got a lot of money before you start. Yeah. Right? That's what I'm trying to say. Doing something. Doing doing something, right? It's like, you, like, we, we, I get it, bro. I get it. It's a dream. You feel like it's anointed. You feel like God gave it to me, and you looking at me, you guys, people like us, like, if that motherfucker right there just see it. But what they don't know is we did see it.

We just didn't see what they wanted us to see. And that requires effort. Yeah. No, it's that's true, man. So a lot of the people obviously do knock on your door and want to send you music all the time. That's like it's gotta be the most irritating. It's gotta be the most common thing that you get, Every day of my life. So I know that within your uh like exclusive community, you do listen to music, and obviously you consume music that's you know, through maybe your kids show you, like you know, put you on to some shit. What would you say are the most common things that like developing artists are doing wrong, right? Like what where are they missing the mark? Um, they're measuring themselves towards the people in their class. It's very important. They're measuring themselves, they're better than everybody in the room. So they feel like because I'm better than everybody in the room, I should be up. It's like, no, you gotta be better than everybody in the world.

Like, you think because you're around all these mediocre people, let's go back to sports, right? You play, pick up basketball three times a week. I know you're not playing with Kyrie Irving and LeBron Jack. You see what I'm trying to say? But I'm still not. the best. But you're still not the best. I'm still a little bit towards the bottom. but see, the best part about it is that you like it. I love it. If more people came and said, I just like making music, I don't want to do go through what it takes to be an artist, I would be cool with that. But motherfucker, you want to be rich and famous doing it. That's my problem. You wanna be rich and famous doing it, but you think you're so special that you don't have to go through what everybody else who you look up to had to go through. And you and you, and instead of comparing yourself to them, you compare yourself to them. So it's like, I can hang around my broke friends. I feel good as fuck about myself. Oh, but I don't want to fucking do that. I want to, I want to be get richer. I want to be richer. I want to hang around more people that inspire me, motivate me, talk to like so I'm not caught in it. But then That's what we said. When I was talking about my show, I gotta I gotta look at my numbers and be like, all right, I gotta be better.

Then I gotta ask myself, how can I be better? And then that's me holding the mirror up to myself. Yeah. Like I'm not above criticism, no one is. But it's funny to me, man. Like, dog, I can tell I get somebody an hour speech, and they'll look at me and listen, yeah. Thank you. I I needed to hear that. You just changed my life. All right, man. Well, nice meeting you. Can I play you a song though? Bro, if you gave me some life-changing information, I would go just do the things. Then I will run as fast as I can. Bro, when I work for LA at Epic, bro, every day it was a lesson. And every day I couldn't wait to apply it. It was like I was so excited to learn and apply. People either learn or they apply. They're not doing both of them shit. But but so, like, you know, you obviously manage Grammy winner for songwriter of the year, T Ron Thomas, who is a podcast favorite. Yep. We'll put the link to his episode up here somewhere. Yeah, for sure, if if we remember.

Uh we will. But okay, we will. Set the bar higher. He just got done. You're right. We're gonna fucking do it. It's right here. Man. It's above Henry's head. Yeah, thank you. Um, but but so, like, musically speaking, like song-wise, are there things just like with the music, right? Because I I agree, that's more of like attitude, right? As far as you comparing yourself to maybe people that you know are not operating at the highest level. So why do you think you deserve to be operating at the highest level if all you're doing is comparing yourself to kind of that. But like musically speaking, are there certain things that just oh yeah, yeah. The first thing is you gotta compare yourself to the top. The second thing I would say is that, but if okay, to be honest with you, that is the first thing and the last thing, what I just said. Now, here's what I mean by that. Like, I remember when I first started managing Tehran. This motherfucker would write ten songs a day. Yeah. Every song. Right about now, it all goes down. Big tune, big tune, big tune. It's called Substitute Lover. I can't wait for you. And it's like, and then after you give a 40-second intro, he'll go, oh, oh.

And then it's a minute and eight seconds in, and then you finally hear the fucking verses. So I went, I'm like, now mind you, I don't know shit about music. I've never developed a songwriter in my life. But I do listen to the radio every day. Yeah. And I never heard her fucking intro that long. So it was like, we gotta stop doing that. That's how so the stripped down version of that was right about now. That was the only thing he kept. Everything else was it was right about now, all goes down. Big tune, big tune. Because all this, it was like, it was that was the intro. So what I mean by that is like, so think about how I I got it. I'm looking at my writer, write songs. I'm like, this sounds good, but let me go listen to something that is really that I know is good. Then you listen and you're like, oh, okay. What does that have that mind doesn't? Because see, it's nothing worse than putting in a lot of work and the product is bad. So the first thing you need to learn in music is how to get the product up the par. If you don't have the product together, I don't give a fuck how much money you spend, how many fucking promo runs you go on, how many DJs you pay.

If the product is wrong, it's not gonna work. It's just that simple. So that's why I say compare yourself to the top, because the product is right at the top. Like they It's proven. It's. It is proven. Literally. Proof of concept is right there. So now you can so now what you can say is is like I'll Rick, I tell this to any artist. I'm like, find three motherfuckers that you love for three different reasons. And whatever that is you love, usually we are attracted to what we feel, what we are, what we close to, right? So I remember I read this in a book, and it was like, I remember when I was coming up, I'm 21, 22 years old, I'm trying to be in the music business, and I heard that, and I'm like, all right, cool. And I wrote down five names. I was like, Dame Dash. I like Dame because Dame is all about team. He wants his team to get rich. That's all his concern is. Fuck the rest of the world, team over everything. Dame, I love Spike Lee. Yes.

What I like about Spike Lee, he's unapologetically who he is. And if you don't like it, that's cool. But at least I'm being me. So Puff, what I liked about Puff, Puff was he marketed Puff, right? He was Dame and Jay together. It was like, so you so you start looking at all this and you're like, well, what can I do that they can do, or what can I do that they can't do? Like, you gotta be honest with yourself. Like, if I hear I got the next Beyonce again, the next Beyoncé is fucking eight years old. And her dad has in a group with three of her friends, and she's in there busting her ass. That's what be the next Beyoncé bro. Like, you know what I'm saying? So I people always so I always say they don't compare that, look to the other looks. They always think it's money. Oh, if I could look like future, if I could have that. Nah, but let's look at future though. When Future came out, he was an Atlanta nigga, or Atlanta, East Side, uh Kirkwood nigga. Baseball cap, a hat, buns and a big bun in the back. Every time you saw Future, that's how he looked. He was in uniform.

Yeah. You see what I'm trying to say? And then, second album, after he becomes successful, after After he drops all the records, go to the moon, he gets his first album out. He wants to be in a second album. He's dating Ciara. Okay, I gotta be a little sexier now. So he gets the blonde tips, put a fedora on his head, and now he looks like an icon, right? He couldn't come out looking like an icon. Because if he came out looking like an icon, would have been like, well, where the fuck did you come from? Yeah. Right? But you gotta come out. So that's what I be telling her. I'm like, bro, this shit is, I love this shit because the process works every time. Just be consistent. Be consistent. Ice Spice is fucking, she's her manager is my people. So I'm not gonna disrespect. But she's not good to me. And the one thing that she does have that's good is that orange afro. Mm-hmm. Brand. Brand. You can't forget her. Yeah. And and the second thing she had was the lingo, the lingo. Nigga, you a munch. Like, we never heard that before. Grrr. Grrr.

See what I'm saying? All those things, all of those things. I'm like, what is it? But all of those consistencies make it's almost, it's almost like I don't want to eat McDonald's. But if I'm hungry as fuck and I need some fries and a burger, I can't. I know, I know that I can count on them for that. Like Or if you're in a foreign country. Is it gonna be healthy? Is it gonna be like good for my heart? I don't know about that, but I do know I'm hungry as fuck right now. I don't have a lot of time. And there's a McDonald's right there, and I can go get some fries. You see what I'm saying? It's like it's the consistency that we expect from the brands. Artists don't understand that you are a brand and a brand, in order to be an established brand, you have to be consistent. So if you're an artist listening to this right now and you change a female artist, you change your hairstyle every 30 days. You don't fucking get it. If you're a male artist and you fucking dread one day, twist the next day, you know, like you don't get it, right? Ever look at Rihanna. Every artist comes out looking the same way, consistent.

Next album, that's when they change the look. Now you don't have to wait for that. You could just say, you could just tell social media I'm in a different space right now, so I cut my hair. And we'll fuck. You know what I'm saying? So you don't have to explain to the main, we can just tell your audience why. So That's like me, bro. Like, when I was talking, I'm like this. I was trying to do an interview, okay? Consistency. You have to be consistent. And that's the mistake everybody make. They they're searching, which is cool. By the way, we're probably searching, right? Like, we got a we got something we're building we love. Every day you're trying to figure out how to make this podcast better. Am I right or wrong? Yeah, for sure. Yes. That's my fucking point. Look at what y'all just said. Y'all are not saying, why, why Barstool Sports ain't giving us a deal? Y'all not saying, why is such and such not showing up for us? So why we don't have that? Y'all saying, Henry, what can we be? What can we do to be better? I don't know, Ben. I was thinking about this. Did you see anything that you liked? Because I that's why you win. Yeah, that's us every day. Yeah.

So, but I didn't have to ask you that. I knew that already. Yeah, so but I can hear our artist community just cringing when you recommend that they compare their art to someone else's. Okay, so let me finish that. So, so yeah, just just explain. Yeah, I want to finish that. I'll explain how it's not as bad as it, like must be. Okay, and like even you, when you know, when you say, like, yeah, did you see something you liked? Even you are sometimes anti me, like showing you like other platforms that. It's the Jimmy like looking left and right versus having your blinders on. But like, did Taron tell y'all, did Taron mention Lizzo on the show? Uh, probably, yeah. Okay. When Taron was working with Lizzo, he's a genius, by the way. Taron goes, you're gonna be Bruno Mars, but you can say nigga. I know that as funny as that is, that is very specific. So when you hear, when you hear her come on with fucking juice that you, and then, well, it was three things he said. He said, you're gonna musically, Bruno, vocally, Aretha, melodic and approach, future.

Now, when you hear, when you hear, um, I'm a crying cuz everybody wanna shine. Ah, no. None of the thing, I'm the baddest. Bitch, you lying. That's future attitude. That's rap flow for sure. That's rap flow, future attitude. The beat is the hook goes, it ain't my fault. I'm not here getting loose. I don't blame it. And then the, but my point is is that that shit works. It works. And then the third thing, so he was like, so he was like, the n the Bruno with nigga was the future part. Like, if Bruno could say nigga, he'll be future, right? So it's like, and that's how he put it together. So when I'm working with artists, I'm like, who are we? Because here's the thing. At his core, I'm glad you brought that up. You're a really smart guy. As at his core. Did you hear that, Henry? Well, at his core, uh being uh artist means being creative. Yeah. But being successful means uh understanding the business.

It's a business first. It's so different. Then be creative, right? So when artists are out here creating, I get it. You get bored, you want to try, you want to try, but every day you should be paying attention to what's happening. Like I noticed that when I do my videos in the car, I get way more engagement. Yeah, the car videos than when I do when I upload a clip. You're gonna keep doing them. Oh, for sure. That's what I'm saying. But like I'm paying attention. Like, I'm not just out here saying, oh man, I did something good at work. Glad let's try something else tomorrow. I'm like, what about that work? What was good about that? Like, I I told the story at the thing, I'm like, I was at working at Epic when LA, I went to work at a record label because I just wanted to understand how they break acts. Like it was like, if this is gonna be my career, I need to go in that door and know what they think. That's all I want to do. I went work for Epic. The first artist I ever seen break was Megan Trainor. Yeah. Megan got signed, got a video shot, got an impact date, didn't have a manager. Yeah.

So then you start looking at it like, you gonna tell me your team is a problem? I should show you somebody that just got signed without a team. And then guess what? Put the record out, like we did every other record, that one sold 10 million. At that moment, this is the problem with the music business I have. At that moment, I would have stopped. If I was LA, I would have been like, why is this working? Because that's what I did. I I'm not running the company though. I got plenty of time in my motherfucking hands. I can figure out like I'm like, I'm going to figure this out. So I'm looking I'm like, why is this shit working? Okay, you look at her. She's not the skinniest girl. First thing you think, her first song is not about being skinny. Think about how how obvious that is. Like sometimes the most obvious thing is right there in your face, but you're like, I'm a creative. It's deeper. It's gotta be deeper. And it's like, bro, it's right fucking there. I just think that goes back to yeah, the the whole embracing thing. Yeah, right? Where you where it's like it can be this thing that you want it to be, or it can be the thing that it actually is. And maybe we just gotta work on being okay with that thing over here.

I use me as an example. I'll be transparent because I fuck with y'all. Bro, for I started a podcast because I really just wanted to get, I felt like I was being blackballed, right? And I wanted to get back in, and I was just not, I'm not gonna ask. Blackballed by who? The industry? Yeah. Just generally speaking. because I wrote this letter. I wrote a letter in 2020. I didn't even know that that uh happened. Yeah, I wrote a letter in 2020 and it was like front cover Billboard. it was viral. And it was like my Jerry Maguire moment. Where it was like, I just was speaking from my heart, saying, Hey, look, man, like I my intent for the room is always good. Like, I don't have bad intent for nobody, right? So I was just speak from my heart. And then they didn't, they set me up to lose the company I was with. They basically put me in a position to get fucked over. And the artist, the biggest artist that I signed, his manager was out there throwing my name on dirt because of something that Warner told him. So it was like, you gotta understand something. You gotta understand, like, you guys probably talk every day, huh? Oh, yeah.

Okay, all the time, right? Unfortunately. So but my point I'm saying is that you guys are ingratiating each other's life. Imagine if something happened and now y'all not talking anymore. Like, you start looking at your phone like, oh, I can't call Henry about that no more. We don't need to talk like that no more. Like, that's over. Yeah. And my business, you know, like you're working at a company, you're dealing with the same manager, same, everybody and they mom is calling you. And then one day they just stop. And now you're calling people and nobody's responding. So you start asking yourself, like, and I ain't gonna lie, I'm like, I think I'm the I'm the shit. So I'm like, oh, y'all think you're gonna kill me? Oh, y'all was like, no, I'm John Wick, motherfucker. Somebody asked me a question, put a camera on me. And I feel more powerful than every fucking executive at the label I was at. How does the industry view you now in your mind? I don't give a fuck. But just if you were to guess, like how do you think that they right? Have they started to like bring you back into the fold at all?

How does it work? So I I have been back in the fold, by the way. It was I'm a Virgo. And not only that, you watch Last Dance. Yeah. Sometimes you gotta tell yourself things to get you motivated. Yeah. Sometimes you gotta tell yourself they don't believe no more. Even if you gotta tell yourself that just to psych yourself out to get out the fucking bed. Like when Michael Jordan tells the story of the guy that said, nice half, MJ. MJ. And then Michael Jordan came out score like 40 points the second half. And then then they found out he never said that. Yeah. He never said it. It was just like Michael needed that. Like Polo the Don always told me, he said, he said, people need enemies to fight. People need enemies to get out the bed and work towards every day. And I just was like, oh, they trying to blackball me. I called a manager, the artist, fuck that nigga now. Like, I don't give a fuck. Like, I it he was he was calling people, telling people shit about me. And shit that I knew was a lie.

Like, how do you counter all the noise? You make your own. Yeah. And that's what I that's what the podcast was. I swear. I didn't plan on making money with it. Yeah. And it I didn't even like I like doing it because I just like talking. But I'm not like a podcaster. Like, like I'm learning this shit every day. Yeah. That was us too, Yeah. It was just we kind of did it out of like trying to figure out, you know, he's a producer engineer. So initially it was literally just like, how can we get him in the rooms with the people that we need him in the rooms with? Because like it's not like we were blackballed, it's just we were not green. We're nobody. We weren't in the fucking circles. So it was like, what can we do to bring these people value? Right. And specifically, you know, executives like yourselves, obviously you're a media personality now, but like prior to you doing a podcast, like, you know, you weren't probably getting asked to like do a bunch of podcasts. Like executives aren't going on press runs and shit. and that was the crazy part. I thought I was gonna be able to do that. Mm. And no one wanted to come.

Right? No, no one wanted to interview me. Yeah. Oh, okay, yeah, yeah. I was hit, I was calling people. I told the guys to earn your leisure. I called them, like, yo, I have somebody reach out. She was like, Your following not big enough. I'm like, yeah, but I know more than everybody talking about music. And it was like, the internet don't care about what you know, it care about what people know. Yeah. Oh shit. Okay. I literally started it. And like I'm the just to finish what I was saying, I started it, and then I would go in rooms. And by the way, I'm still in the music, but like, no, we got the right now. We currently have the biggest song in the world. Oh, yeah. Right now, currently. Like, what is it? Go to Spotify and look up Top 50 Global. The number one song is a song called APT by Rosie. That's us, right? So I've always been in the game. By the way, I've had more number ones than everybody at the last company I was at, the major company. I've had more number ones than that major company. Yeah. Wow. Yes. So for me, it's like you start understanding it, like, oh shit. Oh shit. Like, I get it. So I I was in the game, but then what happened, Ben, was that every time I walked in the room, all my peers want to talk about was the podcast.

And that would bother me. Cause I'm y'all. I'm really a player. I'm just commentating because I'm not kissing my ass to play. But then when they would see me and be like, man, Ray, I love what you're doing. And I'm like, let's talk about music. Motherfucker, I'm here for music, bro. Like I and it was my birthday of last year. No, last year's birthday. I went to Paris. And man, LA Reed, man, is like one of my favorite human beings on earth. Like, I love that man. And we went to the Usher concert. LA gave me some tickets, went to the Usher concert. And after the concert, we went to this little private room. And I ain't gonna lie, bro. I was just happy to be around my my mentor who taught me all of this shit. And all I wanted to talk about was music. Yeah. All he wanted to talk about was what I was saying on the podcast. So it was like three hours backstage, let's just argue. You said what? Ray, what the fuck were you? Why would you say that? And I'm like, maybe I should embrace this. Maybe I maybe maybe this is the world that I belong in. Maybe that world I was good at, but that was me helping other people get through their mission.

My mission was to get some money. I got that already, you know. So I was like, maybe this is. So I remember coming back and I was like, I'm gonna embrace being a media personality. Embracing is the like theme of this. That's the hardest part because it's the theme. It's what we're doing. I know. Because it's accepting. It's like it's accepting what it is, not what you want it to be. Yeah. Yeah, like you, when you're in those spaces, you still so badly want to only be seen for your music, yes, like skills and what you can do and what you have done, and you know, all the plays you can make. That's how I fed my family all this time. I just want to be that. And they're like, nope. So I was like, so now to answer your question, what the industry thinks about me, I think they think I'm a genius now. Two years ago. They're like, Ray always was good at talking. Two years ago, Ben, finally making some money. off it. I'm willing to bet. They sat. They was in the room laughing at me. Because I know us. We laugh at each other. Like, you say, what the fuck are you doing? They ain't laughing now. Uh-uh. And the reason why they ain't laughing now is because let me tell you what you have to do.

No matter today's new world we in, you have to build something. Or you're gonna have to help somebody build something or work for somebody that already built something. But the if you want the freedom, you have to build something. Yeah, I think for us, what I what I'm so I don't pat ourselves on the back enough to be honest, but like it is something to be proud of when you have built something from absolutely nothing. Like you didn't have a podcast. Nope. You didn't have any media like background, no experience doing it. Not a million followers. Yeah, and and even though you're not where you want to be, right? I can tell that you are frustrated at like why am I not? Yeah, you know, at this certain point with the media company, you've still built something extremely like worth being proud of. You know what I mean? And that's what I'm glad you said that. Because that's what I what I'm doing right now for the last two years doing this podcast, what I've been doing is trying to be the perfect example of what a great artist does. You do your job, you pay your people, you show up to work, and you give it your best. Yes.

And only thing was that it was me doing behind the scenes, trying to get some money for the motherfucker doing their best. And that's the hard part. It's like, I don't know, man, people just don't have that ambition no more, man. Like, like everybody wants to be somebody, but they just want the world to pick them. Yeah, the world they gonna pick you. You gotta pick your motherfucking self. Mm-hmm. Yeah. In 2024, right? Moving into 2025, like, how would you go about developing an artist, right? Like from discovery, uh I let's just start there. How would you discover an artist if you were trying to find one? I wouldn't. You don't you you don't discover greatness. Like that shit finds you. You hear about it, somebody, your cousin saw it, your mother saw it, your friend saw it. Somebody saw something, was like, you gotta fucking see this. But so word of mouth. Yeah, word of mouth. Um you hear about this artist. So if I find a 15-year-old, 16-year-old that can sing, they ass off, have all the talent. Yep. What do we do? First thing I'm doing is putting a camera on I'm gonna interview him. Not my show. Put a camera right there.

I'm gonna ask them questions, and I'm gonna ask them very important questions. Like, why do you want to make music? Okay, cool. You get your first check, which if you get your first million dollar check, what you gonna do? And the reason why I would do that is because now those are pieces that allow people to get to know them. Music is the background noise now, right? Like most artists, every successful artist is more famous than their songs. Like DJ Khaled is more famous than any song he could do. Yes, right? Like and he's got big records. And he got big records, right? You know what I'm saying? So it's like, I give you an example. I just this kid comes to my office one day, this white kid, he's Italian. Shout out to him, smart. He's like, talking to me. I'm like, yo, What kind of artists? I'm like, who's your favorite artist growing up? Then he goes, Michael Jackson. Bruh, I'm gonna give y'all a little secret. Somebody tell you their favorite artist, ask them their favorite song by that artist. That's gonna tell you if that's their favorite artist or not. So I was like, What's your favorite Michael Jackson song? He said, thriller.

I said, You're not a Michael Jackson fan. Yeah. He was like, and literally he looked at me like, and his manager looked at him like, why don't you tell him, like, bro, you don't listen, you listen to Chris Brown way more. But he that they're telling us what they think. He thought that's what you wanted to hear. I don't, I want you to, I want to eliminate that. I'm gonna put you on camera, I'm gonna ask you all these questions. Then after that, I'm gonna put you in a gauntlet. I'm gonna, every time you do something, I'm gonna say, is that a song? Is that this? I'm gonna basically, I'm gonna Mr. Miyagi it, right? Like the video tape. recording is wax on, wax off. You don't even know why I'm doing it. I'm just asking you some questions, right? I want it to feel organic because how many artists, I'm gonna ask y'all a question. Who are you a fan of? Artist wise. Just a rapper. Who you like? These two gentlemen right here. Do you like, do you like, do you like Outkast? ATLiens or Equimini better. Do you like Outkast or do you like Outkast music more?

Oh, I mean, I'll I'll probably say I like ah fuck. No, I probably like, I might like them, just the humans. That's my point. Just as good, if not better. And they're like of an older generation. But here's the thing. So anyone new is probably to your point. But here's the thing. They're giving you themselves. Exactly. It's the most authentic music. That's why it works. Yeah. Artists want you to change them for the world to like them. No. Tell the world what you are and then let them like you. Yeah. At least it's honest. So for me, that's how I would develop an artist. I would like, like dog. I'm I'm the best at this shit. But being honest with you, I'm just really bored with it. I'm really bored with it because as much as you could develop an artist, you can't, you can't develop what they're gonna go through as success comes. You can't develop the doubt that's been in their head that they're gonna push on you. Like the the way that like when they have doubts on themselves, they blame you.

Or when it's something that's this, they blame you. You can't coach that or like even worse, when you give them a check, then they start thinking they are you. And then You're like, oh yeah, You about to eat some humble pie quick. I don't, you're gonna be done. So for me, I would, I would, if I was the developer artist, the first thing I would do is get them to know each other. Get, I'm sorry, get them to know themselves. Yeah. Yeah. Like, which sounds wild, right? So like what do you mean it's me? Nah. Yeah. You've never thought about it this way, probably. I have this thing I do. Everything I do, I ask myself, what am I telling the world? I swear to God, everything I do, like, all right, Ray, you know, we all got the option. You got that one one person, one voice on one shoulder, one voice on the other. But I always ask myself, what am I, what am I telling the world about myself? Like, like, something simple as when the artist takes a 60, like, when I tell, I love asking artists, what do you need to win? How much you think you need?

And they give you a number. Like, how much money do you need to get your career to where you want it to be? Say if they say, Man, have I had a hundred thousand? So I'm like, if you're an artist and you were successful, how much money do you think you would make in your peak? Just guess. Ten million a year, Twenty million a year, Fifty. You just told me that if you had a hundred thousand dollars, you can make 50 million a year and you ain't fucking trying to figure out how to get that 100,000. You don't want to fucking win. Yes. Like, it's like, what are you telling the world? With Everything, dog, I I want everybody to know watching this. I'm tired. I woke up at five this morning. I started my day on a flight. I started my day on a flight. I had to get home, I had to do an interview, I had to, I had to do a live interview, I had to do a meeting. I had to do all this stuff. And my day was done around 4:30, and all I wanted to do was have my cyber truck drive me home. That motherfucker drove me all the way here. Drove it out.

Wait, there's a cyber truck out there right now? Yeah, it drove me all the way here. It drove. And it auto drove. But did you don't hit the cyber truck out there. It drives me everywhere I want to go. So that's why I was like, you know what? But I was like, Ray, I don't wanna do it. I don't wanna go do that shit, man. I don't feel like driving all the fucking Stone Mountain. No, I'm just being honest. Yeah. And I'm like, how are you praying for something and you're not willing to do the extra work it takes to get it? What are you telling the world? So I show up. For me, for God, for the world to see that this is how much I believe in myself. I'm going to bet. And the more you bet, the more you believe, the more people follow. Because people just want to know that you know something. They just wanna know that. I just want to feel like I'm following a motherfucker that knows something. So what are you telling the world? Like every time, like, hey man, you wanna lose weight? Okay, cool. Well, you know, we gotta go up 10 flights. You wanna take the elevator, you wanna, or you can walk, you know, walking, quick exercise. I'd rather take the elevator. What'd you just tell the world?

I don't give a fuck if you fat, right? Think about it, right? It's like so so when you start holding yourself accountable and being accountable and really asking yourself that, like, most of us really just don't believe in ourselves. We just tell the world that. We just, it's like we believe, but we kind of wait for God to send us a sign. Nah, we send him the sign. We show him, I'ma show up. So I did something, I wanted to be in, and I wanted to figure something out. I had to do this trip, man. I knew I was, I knew I was getting played, man. Ben, I knew I was getting played. By who? It's so high up, I can't even tell you right now. Okay, wow. But basically, I was working with some people, and they was like, next time you go to LA, we're gonna all go with you, and we're gonna go get you that thing you want. And I'm like, okay. I'm like, I'm a businessman. First thing I'm thinking of myself is who the fuck is paying? Of course it's me. Some first class, some presidential suites, some trip wanna cost me like $23,000 for three days.

And I knew I was getting God. I knew I was. And my assistant, shout out to her, she's not with me anymore. She's like, Ray, why are you doing this? You know what's going on. I said, but I want them to know I'm not a bullshitter. So I lose that lost that much money to show them I'm not a bullshitter. And show the world I'm not a bullshitter. I'm not afraid to go big. I'm not afraid to bet on myself. I'm not afraid. Because if you are afraid, what are you telling the world? So everything I do, man, I ask myself, what are you telling the world right now? Like, when I get dressed, I think about that. What am I telling the world? Like, what am I saying? Like, what do you want people to know? Because we we do judge the books by the cover. We that's how we survive. That guy looks dangerous. Watch out. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's like he might be a good guy, but I'd rather look be watching out because he looks dangerous than acting like he's a good guy. Right?

So every time, anybody watching this, just ask yourself, what am I telling the world about what I am doing? If you're walking up to somebody saying, Man, if I just had this, this, this, listen to what you just told the world. If I just had this, this, and this, motherfucker, if I'm bein', if I knew the answer to what it takes to get our shit, my shit to shoot to the sky, you don't fucking think I'm gonna go to Afghanistan if get it. Am I trippin'? Wouldn't you? Yeah. That's my point. Because we're telling the world every day we want this. And most motherfuckers are not telling the world what they want, they just telling people. Yeah, man, I want that. Somebody just gave me a chance. I'm telling you, I'm telling you like, what do you listen to what you're saying though? Bruh, if you believe in yourself, go. Yeah. So, you know, I as someone who obviously manages arguably the best songwriter on planet earth, right? Um, I know you're not a songwriter, but you you gave a really good bit of feedback at the game from the gods to a um an artist who performed, and it was just a simple bit of feedback around like his first verse was in a perspective of you. It was like you know, saying you to the woman, the hook was saying you, and then the verse was saying, she. Yeah,

yeah. And it confused things, right? And there's there's little subtleties. You know, other than maybe like perspective, that's kind of you know how I would categorize that bit of feedback. What are some other things that you've like learned from Theron just learned about the songwriting world, right? That you think people could could uh you know use to level up their own songs. I'll use one other example from game from the gods of Atlanta. Sure. RB singer gets up. He was good too. And then I say to him, say the lyrics, don't sing it. And he couldn't say it. Remember, he was like, he was like, I don't. No. no. Say it. Yeah, Don't use melody. don't use melody. Say what you said in the verse. Then he said, I don't think I can. And I'm like, because it's not how you naturally talk, is it? Yeah. So most artists talk. That's why rap is so easy, because you could just rap how you talk. RB music is like, like, dog, I was I was listening to this. Shout out to Mario, that's my brother. I love Mario, he's a Virgo like me.

That's my brother. But RB music, like, you should let me love you. If I said the lyrics, I'm the biggest hater in the world. You just walk up to girl, baby. I just don't get it. Do you enjoy being hurt? I know you see his perfume, the makeup on his shirt. You believe in stories? You know they all lies. Bad as you want. You stick around. I don't know. Like, nigga, what are you doing? But when you sing it, it just sounds beautiful. Like, but that's why hip hop is shot past RB the way it has, because hip hop is not poetic, it's real. Hip hop at its core has to be real before it, even if it's bad, it has to be real. RB has to be talented. But it don't always have to be real. So that's why that's why when I'm I work with artists, I'm like, sing the don't after you write the lyrics and sing it, say it. If it doesn't feel natural, when Luke played me Theron and Timothy's record, he was, we was in the studio, he was like, you know, like I was always very involved.

And I was like, I don't want to be involved right now. Like, I kind of don't want to be involved. I want you to run it, and then let me come up with perspective. So he plays me like seven songs. So he was Luke was trying to put out this record. Luke loved this record we did called Makeup, right? And it's like this big hook. I love it when we fight just to make up. It's like big hook. Dr. Luke 101. Firework. So he's like, that's it. So I'm like, I think that song, would you love me the same as the record? And Luke was like, really? I'm like, I actually know it's the record. And he said, I mean, by the way, I'm talking to Dr. Fucking Luke. It's just me and him. But see, that's the thing about Luke that I love. He listened to me. Like, he was like, why? Because that's another thing. Motherfuckers don't be knowing why. They just be doing it. So he was like, why don't that work and that work? I said, because if I just went through a breakup, I wouldn't be fucking having that sentiment. Like when I just broke up with my girl, I ain't fucking trying to celebrate.

I love it when we fight, just I don't want to fight the makeup. But I have thought to myself, if I wasn't what I was, would you still love me to say? And Luke was like, good fucking point. And I was like, and then it wound up being called Locked Away, because Locked Away feels more black than Would You Love Me The Same. just being honest. Like just being honest. It feels like Hey. you said it, we didn't. What I'm saying, it feels more urban, right? It feels like you were here locked away, but then it's it's the mind fuck is that locked away was really just like a uh uh uh what's like it was almost like I was guessing it. Like, what if I was locked away? Would you still love me the same? And picked it and went seven times platinum. When I listen to music, I'm always listening to music for the conversation and for the moment. I gave an example of when we went wrong. We did this how new makeup wasn't gonna work. We did this song. When I tell y'all, this shit is such a smash to me to this day, and it didn't hit. And it was Sierra Nicki Minaj.

Ladies, this your songs, though, as soon as it come up, and it was like, as dope as it was, the lyrics go, I just went through a breakup, ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's okay, I got my cake up. Ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like sounds hard. That record is actually how I got my job at Epic. Okay. Because we did that record, We gave it to Sierra. LA was like, Nicki sent us the verse. I broke Nicki verse up. Like, Nicki sent us one 24 bar verse. I broke it up myself. Two twelves. No, I broke it up to, I broke it up to, I think I broke it up to 16 and then eight. But the point is that LA thought Nicki's side did it. So he was like, I love the way they brought Nicki in and it's the way she finished at the end. Who and the way she finished at the end. Who did that? I said, that was my idea. He said, that was your idea? Like, damn, man, that was a good idea. But women are not celebrating a breakup. That's just, a man could say, you don't have to call us okay, I'm going out tonight. If that same song was I'm out because I just got my check, it becomes a hit. I just got my check.

Oh, ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think I'm about to get some thumb thumb. It will work. But it's the sentiment. By the way, it went platinum. Went platinum. But it didn't. It though, we paid. That's Ray's missus. So crazy. Raised misses good platinum. Guys, out there. No, no, no, hold on. Platinum record is not a myth. Hold on, hold on. Okay, let me tell you something very important. Let me hear me out. I'm glad you said that. I'm like, Ray, we've got developing acts here. So let me tell you why I'm gonna tell you why I say that. It's very important to know. Is that when you pay, when you have an A-list artist like Sierra with another A-list artist like Nicki, first time on a video together, video costs, I think like, video costs like two, three million dollars. Oh, fuck. Okay. That was a flop. That's a flop, bro. That's what I'm saying. It should, and it went platinum slowly, but my point is is that then we do Sierra level up. Every girl wants to level up. That's why it works. It's like music is not hard.

It's just, dog, if are y'all, you don't ever heard her? I'm gonna use OutKast. OutKast, uh. I'm gonna use OutKast gangster shit. That's my one of my favorite records. Yeah. you really don't know about some gangster shit. Yeah. What if I told you that was my wedding song? I wouldn't believe it. What the fuck is wrong with you? I wouldn't think you're fucking awesome. That's my point. See what I'm saying? But it definitely says, Hold on, what? Yeah. That's my point. Every record that works, it's about being real, relatable, and the sentiment is there. It's very simple. It's don't try to be creative. I mean, try to be creative, but try to recreate the same thing, though. Don't try to go in another stratosphere. Like, yeah, I mean, that's like something that we talk about a lot. So we do, you know, live streams. Actually, I'd love to have you on one. We've been trying to coordinate guests to be a part of our live streams because we have our our community submit music, right? To review. And I know you don't love hearing new music, but maybe for for you know, for the one more time community. Um, but a big point of feedback that I give, at least specifically, is like, I don't know what this song was supposed to be.

What is it? What is it about and what is it supposed to make me feel? What how would how would I listen to it? How would I relate to it, right? Like, and I think that's where a lot of artists are missing the mark from the songwriting thing. And I think that it's a reason why hit records all have that in common. They're intentional. Dog, any record, any record can be a conversation. Any hit record, I'm sorry. Jimmy Iovine. was on a plane with Will I Am. They was on their way to Vegas. Jimmy, as they're landing, looks over at Will and says, I got a feeling tonight's gonna be a good night. That's really how it happened. That's how that happened. Yeah, he said, I got a feeling, guys. We're gonna have a good night. Will I am? I got a feeling. Woohoo! That's a true story? Yes, that's how it happened. That's amazing. So good. That's how it happened. Bro, bro. Bro, dude is on the phone arguing with his girl. The engineer. You'll appreciate this. You're an engineer. Arguing with his girl. The artist is like, get off the phone, man. he's arguing. I'll be home, I'll be out.

The guy's like, hey, bro, I'm paying you. Get the fuck off the phone. You go out to call her later. He tells her, if you think you're lonely now, wait until tonight, bitch. Hung the phone up. He said, What did you just say to her? If you think you're lonely now, wait until tonight. No. That's how the song got made. Oh, Ray. I swear to God. Bro, Can I get you another one? Another one that's ours. I get another one. I get another one that's ours. This is incredible. We at Compound. Okay. The club. The club in Atlanta. Sure, for those that aren't. Theron and me at the club. Me and Theron, we don't, we, we way more outside guys now than we were back then. And we was at the club, and Theron, and what I mean by we was out, we not outside guys, meaning we'll go out, but we kind of was staying in the corner and observe. Like we wasn't like on top of the chairs party. That wasn't us, right? Yeah. So Theron, he he leaves the club. He says, Ray. And then for the sake of continuity, I'm gonna say exactly how he said it. He said, Ray, bitches are standing on couches more than niggas. And I'm like, you're right.

He said, they acting like us. I said, you're right. Literally, we leave the studio, go right to the club, right to the right, right? Leave the studio, go right to the club. He writes, I'm in a club, high off perc with some shades on. No way. Tatted up mini skirt. But the key to the song that makes it a hit with some J's on. Women don't wear J's in the club. Men do. So men go, J's on my feet. J's on my feet. So get like me. And then give it to Miley. And then you and then and the crazy part is that give it to Miley. Man, I could tell you a story about that day. That shit changed. That was the biggest mistake I made in my life. My career. Mistake? Not Miley. because what happened was we we get I get a call. Hey, Ray, we go. Miley Cyrus, you know, Miley Cyrus says, she's not gonna be Hannah Montana no more. This is this is right after the party in the USA. We talking about that Hannah Montana. Like I'm like, they like, yeah, yeah, yeah. she's gonna she's not gonna be Hannah Montana, she's gonna do the Miley Cyrus thing, and she wants to cut 23. And I mean, get like me, that's the original title.

And I'm like, what? She wants, she's high on perc? What? So I'm like, so I'm like, y'all. So I'm like, y'all heard the story, the song? And they was like, she's gonna do it, she's serious. So they set us up. So, and they also, and this is how they deliver. They say, Oh, she's also gonna cut. We can't stop. Okay. We got to the studio studio Miley. All Miley, Mike Will, everybody wants to talk about the entire day was 23. And I'm talking about, you gotta understand something. I don't smoke at this time. I know you're in there, I don't smoke. I'm clean as a woman. I ain't never in my life. So now we walk into the, now we walk in the club. I mean, walk in the in the studio, so we hanging out. Miley Cyrus is on top of the couch, smoking weed in the club. Oh my god, I can't wait for this to come out. And then they was like, and then Mike Will pulls us to the side and he's like, hey bro, I'm doing a whole album, like this us. Let's let's just do the whole album together. Come every day. And we was like, all right, cool, we'll be here tomorrow. And then I got in the, I got in the elevator, I told Theron, we ain't gonna be the black guys that fucked up Hannah Montana for white America. Literally didn't go back.

Oh man. But but that's that the lesson it taught me was that if you own your shit, if you believe it, it's gonna work. And Miley believed that shit. And that's why I worked. Wow. That's so incredible. when you've been a part of like so many hit moments, so many hit songs, so many hits, you start understanding how intentional it has to be. And it's usually inspired from something. We was in the club, we was at like the same night. Tyrone was like, boo called Tyrone. I was like, yo, Rihanna's favorite song of the club is Juicy J Bands Make a Dance. She want her own version. Tyrone does pour it up. Right? It's like every nothing comes out of nowhere. Everything is like inspired by something, a moment. I remember I was on the phone with Tyrone one day, and I was rushing to get to the studio, and he literally was like, Ray, I'm trying, I'm stuck in traffic. Then he came and he did this song called Stuck in Traffic. Smash by the way. So good. Like, I'm stuck in traffic trying to get to you. Gotta get to you.

And it's like, it's just this whole song by the guy just telling the girl, like, I'm coming to get some of that, but I'm fucking stuck in traffic. So just keep it right for me. Yeah, I'm I don't know. I'm not gonna lie. I feel like I'll ask a lot of writers or just you know, artists in general, you know, how did that song come about? And if you can't, I don't know. I'm not saying you have to be able to tell like the moment or the thing that inspired you. If they can't, they wasn't the alpha in the room. Right. If they can't, they wasn't alpha. Or if they can't, then it's once again not relatable or something. Or like, you know what I mean? No, no, I'm saying, but if they made a hit record and they can't tell you the inspiration, it's probably because they weren't the inspiring person in the room that day. Yeah. No, I'm even more meaningful with developing artists. The reason why I think that their records aren't hitting is because if you can't tell me the moment that you basically tried to recreate in song form, right? If you can't tell me that, in my mind, I feel like that that's that's not a. good thing. Your song has no story, there's no message there. It's not a good thing. Yeah, exactly. That's what I'm saying. But like that means talking, then making music.

Most motherfuckers just say, put me in the booth. Okay. Yeah. See how that turns out. Yeah, you gotta like live a little first. Bruh, Jazzy Jazzy Pha said it on my show. He said, I tell everybody I work with, you gotta go live. Yes. You gotta go see, you gotta go experience. You got to. And if you do that, like dog, you'll you have a because you can't talk about something if you can't relate or you haven't seen it, or I hope you wouldn't, right? But like, just hang out, man. Just go out. Just Tyrone is a better songwriter now than he ever was because Tyrone is talking to way more people now than he ever has. Yeah. He talks to everybody now. Like he's I'm probably so proud of him. He talks to everybody. That's why he's so good because the conversations inspire you to do shit. Like the um the record that's out right now, the APT record with Rosie. Like, Tyrone was in Korea, and it was a that's a that's a video game sample. And he was like, What is that? And he was like, he was like, Oh, this is it's like I'm it's like uh dum, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, it's like as that's Korea's version of that. Yeah.

Teron's like, we're gonna make that in the song. They was like, that's a good idea. The crazy part is that they were actually a little frustrated that they couldn't believe that a Korean writer didn't come up with the sample idea before uh a writer from America. Because if it's it's if it's the equivalent of why would y'all think about that? But the reason why Tyrone is so good is because uh Tyrone understands that anything can be a song. Yeah, any moment can be a song. Just pay attention to the fucking moments. Ray, we've entered the final segment of the podcast, my friend. Okay, we'll get you back in that cyber truck. Ray, this is the rapid fire rampage. We have three short parts. I'll explain as we go. I'm just gonna start with some short answer questions, as much as we love hearing you elaborate. Yeah, I love talking. I can do this all day. Let's go. We love the elaborations. We'll see if you can just get some short answers out of you. Let's go. Starting with actually first, I just wanted to know: do you know the Canadian Ray Daniels? He has two N's in his name. Two N Daniels. Two N Daniels. That's right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think I think that for the first year of me doing content, you will

you Google me, he comes up first. You guys were right next to each other. Yeah. But he's the first Wikipedia, so we need to figure that out. Get that sorted. When did you try it? Today. Okay, cool. Cause I like they told me that it's me now, but yeah, I don't know. I heard he passed away. I'm not sure, but I heard about him. Maybe so. Also, rest in peace to him. Well if he died. If he did. I heard. No, he might be up. Don't wish some shit on me. Yeah, yeah. Okay, yeah, sure. Well, if Sammy Hagar, lead singer of Van Halen, in his, he said that Ray Daniels is the reason that Van Halen broke up, actually. So I don't know if we like that, Ray Daniel. It wasn't me. Anyway. Wait, so that Ray Daniels was also in music? Yeah. Yeah. He managed Rush and Van Halen, he's an executive. What? And talent manager. He's like the same guy. He's a Canadian, but he's an older white guy. But he's a white Canadian. And his name is D-A-N-N-I-E-L. Two N's. Is that who the letter was about? I wish. Dear white executives, Exactly. aka Ray Daniels with two fucking N's. Give me my Wikipedia spot back, bro. I love it.

Okay. Let's go with like just one sentence is. What are the three best things that an artist wanting to get signed could possibly say to you? Just single, like what would what would really grab your attention? Sound bites. Yes. Man, you's a motherfucker, Henry. That's a great question. Uh I write my own shit. Great. Boom. I can record my own shit. Good one. And uh. And money is not my motivation. Ooh. Nice. And the reason why I say money's not my motivation is because there's no amount of money that's gonna make up for the time you're gonna miss putting in this shit. And if money is your motivation, as soon as you get something, you're gonna switch up. Very good. Okay, I'm gonna flip it on its head. Let's go. What are the three worst things an artist could say to you? I'm a I'm a rapper, I'm a singer, I act, I also, it's like, check out.

The multi facet. I don't get like, like why would you tell that to me? Yeah. That's like you go into Wendy's to get a burger and the cashier tells you, I can make Chick-fil-A shit too. I'm not going to Chick fil, I'm at Wendy's motherfucker. You're going to make me the Dave's double. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, I don't want the fucking Chick fil A. I know how the Chick-fil-A's open across the street. You know, it's like, don't, like, like if you feel a need to tell me all of that, it's like you you're gonna be the most ego-driven motherfucker, bro. Mm-hmm. The Dave's double. No, that's a incredible, incredible metaphor. No one said Dave's double in real life ever. Yeah, I love Dave's double. Apparently. Yeah. Oh, but hold on, you said You got two more? Two more. So the first thing I said was That they do everything. Just don't list everything on your resume. Man, if I had a team, that's it. Just man, if I had a team. I just need a team. Man, if I had a team. Motherfucker, if everybody had a team. All right. And three? Oh, man, that's this is good. This is actually real fun.

Um, what's something that's making me turn me off? Uh I knew this would be a format that was like different for. me. What can somebody tell me that will make me say, hell no. You're immediately not getting any type of deal. Yeah. I take my girl or my partner with me everywhere I go. Oh. Why are you answering? Um, because you're, if you take that person everywhere you go, that means everywhere you go, that you're that person's person. All right, Ray. How about this one? What is one of the dumbest things you've ever bought? Uh I would rather you rephrase that question and say, What's the dumbest thing you've brought in the last 30 days? Is it the same thing? No, I just love spending money and I buy dumb shit all the time. All the time? Okay. I bought my, I bought my, I literally, let me tell you about my Cybertruck, swear to God. My son, my son turned 16 in a couple, uh a couple weeks, and I'm buying him a Tesla. And for his birthday, and he was like, uh, dad wants a Cybertruck.

And I'm like, I'm I know I got money in them, but I'm not buying you a hundred thousand dollar car when you're 16. Get a Model Y. I give him the model, the model, the Model X, the model, no, the Model Y. Yeah, I'm getting a Model Y. And he was like, Man, dad, man, I'm not gonna lie, man. I wish, I wish you at least bought the Cybertruck, man. You'd be the coolest dad in the world. On God. He said you'd be the coolest dad in the world. On God, Ben. you had to buy it. No, no, you're not understanding. I get it, bro. He Told me this at 11 o'clock at night. You bought it at 1101. 1101. I swear to God. Oh my god. I ordered it at 1101. Right, that's insane. And then his mom called me like, what the fuck is wrong with you? You're so why are you being so impulsive? I said, listen, it's nothing impulsive about being cool to my kids. That's right. That's the most important thing in the world to me. He said I would be the coolest dad. Because if I'm cool to him, he's gonna always follow cool. Yes. The minute that I'm lame and he meets some cool guy in the street, that motherfucker's his daddy now. Nah, daddy's gonna be cool for the rest of your life. You're gonna know that. I love that. I mean, are you considering adopting any white 33-year-old males? I want to adopt kids.

I want to adopt kids. When I tell y'all, I love kids, bro. I mean, my dad and I are close, but I love kids, bro. Like, I I I love everything who I am today is because nobody poured into me. Like, I'm sitting here a multi-millionaire. If I had someone poured into me, I could probably be a multi-billionaire. Because I always had the ambition, I always had to drive, and I always wanted it. I just had to find it for myself because everybody's like, you ain't shit. You can't sing, you can't dance, you ain't got no basketball. Like, what the fuck you gonna do? You ain't smart. I'm like, oh, I'm gonna figure it out though. I just need something to sell, something to sell. And so for me, when I'm around kids, I'm always pouring into them. I want like they're the future, bro. Like not being cliche, but they really are the fucking future. And if you and and some people are fucked up, most of us are fucked up because of our childhood. So if I can give you a good childhood experience to make a better person to the world, I'd love to do that. Yeah. Love that for sure. Ray, give us your most controversial music take currently. We need to hear it.

The thing I gave it to you is that I think hip hop is is gonna die. And then hip hop is in uh hip hop is in a place where it's gonna be shrunk in the next two years. Intentionally, they want hip hop out this motherfucker. No, have you ever heard a pop artist brag on record on how much they make from the label? No, just think about that. Every time, though, let me tell you something. Every time you sign a rapper, and I've signed a lot of artists, the only thing they care about is the advance. Is how much. Yeah. You're right. I've heard, you don't hear any pop artists say. I just robbed Republic for a billion dollars. Like, it's like, yeah, it's you know, so I I that first of all, let's be clear. Look at the state of the music business, y'all. Everybody is scared shitless. Yeah, no one knows where this motherfucker is gonna be. Nobody knows. And you got, and everybody's trying to figure out how to keep their company afloat.

And every time a young rapper pops up, the first thing you gotta figure out is how much money they want. And it's and they and they give no fucks about you and how much money you're gonna make. They just wanna, everything is them. I think they're gonna kill hip hop for that reason. I think they need, I think they're gonna kill it to humble it. Yeah. Wow. Last one, yeah. Shit. Last one of the short answer. What is your favorite curse word? Motherfucker. Part one. I love how he says it. It's yours. I'm a shit guy. Who's yours? We actually agree. This is like one of the only things we agree. I'm not a shit guy. I'm a motherfucker shit. Shit is so versatile. I mean, fuck's probably close second, but like it's the versatility. Fuck fuck feels defeated. Fuck! It's but like that's just a voice I lost. I also kind of like damn. Like damn D-A-Y-U-M. Kind of like damn. The two syllable damn? Two syllable damn is good. That's an interesting one. Yeah, yeah. Damn. Listen, motherfucker means everything. Motherfucker owe me some motherfucking money.

Yeah, yeah. And I'm gonna beat him, I'm gonna buy him in the back of his motherfucking head. Like it just is like motherfucker's the best curse word of all time. I feel that. I do. Part two. It takes fuck and just levels it up. It does. You gotta add mother. You add someone's mother to do it. Motherfuck's like, come on, fuck you, motherfucker. Like, what? It's incredible. Part two is the this or that. I'm gonna just give you two choices. You gotta go. You just gotta pick one. Right. Here we go. Starting with independent or signed? Independent. Drums or melodies? Melodies. Drums or flats. Flats. All day. TikTok or Instagram? Instagram. Streaming royalties or live performance revenue. Live performance revenue. That was an easy one, right? I think we are. Yeah. Just out of just so y'all know, this is obvious to us, but hopefully it's sample an old classic or attempt to innovate. Sample an old classic. Ooh. Let's just talk about that later. Vocal ability or stage presence?

Stage presence. Two-minute song or six-minute song? Six minute. Whoa. Yeah. I'll take. I didn't think he was going. Sign an animal or sign a robot. Sign what you mean? Ink them up, baby. They're the next hot shit. They're part of radar entertainment. A robot. Because I can make more. Animals, I gotta get hopefully I get lucky and find one. And animals can die. That's what I'm saying. Like Mr. Jinx in uh Meet the Parents, like, you know, like that motherfucking tail gotta be perfect, or you're gonna lose. Like, bro. Ray has named two of the whitest movies in this episode. Along came Polly and Meet the Parents. I am must be two of the whitest movies. I am a white movie fan. No, No, no, All movies. I am. Did you just choose those references because we're white? Like, I don't know. Would you drop those on a no? They just love those white ass movies. It was if there was a boys in the hood reference that came out well I would have used that too. Okay.

For sure. Hey. And no disrespect. Those are great classic films, but Spike Lee made an appearance too. He did. You're right. You know, I'll be real, true. I'm a... You're right. I love romantic comedies. Like, that's just my me too. I love it. Like funny laughs. A good rom com? Laughs and love. It's nothing better than that. Like we love each other, laugh. Y'all lost me. No, no. See, anyone like you that says they don't like it, Nah, man. you either do have a heart of stone, or you are lying. They're fine. It's not for me. It's okay. It's fine. I just got two more here. Permanent auto-tune on your voice or lose one toe of your choosing. Shit, permanent auto-tune on my voice. Fuck that. That'd be pretty hard, right? And finally become a full-time rapper or leave the music industry forever. You gotta give me what I'm doing. This is unfair. It's like full-time rapper means money. Leave forever means he could have just went and died. But you could be doing anything else, just not the music industry. I'm gonna go with rapper because I know how much money they make. It's like I don't know what leaving does.

And by the way, if you wanna, if you're a rapper, you can do anything in the world if you get to the top. That's true. Facts. Look at Jay Z. He's a rapper. He's a rapper now. He runs the NFL entertainment. There you go. last part is the word association. Ray. I'm going to just say one word. Okay. Give me the first word right back off the top of your head that you think of. Perfect. Rampers! Bring it home. Starting with music. Love. Politics. Hate. Chocolate. Dangerous. OnlyFans. Don't fuck with it. Lamborghini. Don't want one. Elon Musk. Genius. Family. Everything. Password. Key. Mother's maiden name. No, okay. Sorry. I don't know how that got in there. Yeah, password. Delete that. Oh, sorry. Baby oil. Puff. Finally.

Oh, God. Did you do that before? Yeah, asked that last episode, and I didn't get puffs. What do you got last episode? What did he say? I don't even remember you saying baby oil. Because he gave just like a regular. This is a normal like lotion or something. Yeah. He would have just. Okay, a few more prisons. Let's go. Never going. Caffeine. Blah. Lil. Uzi. Goats. Ray and Tyrone. And underdogs. I was going for and underdogs, but still a fantastic Word Association. Fantastic rampage. Ray Daniels, one more time. Podcast. What a collab. Fantastic conversation. This might be one of those. I got to come do mine. I would love to. Say less, bro. I would love to. As always, please like, comment, and subscribe. Follow us on Spotify Podcast. Follow us on Apple Podcasts. We're here each and every week. Until next time, Henry, what are we doing? Getting out of here. Getting out of here, y'all. Peace.