It's your fucking boy. What's up, everybody? Welcome to another episode of Let's Get Busy with your boy Juice Busy. Today, I am joined by Acuna Black, AKA Il seven, or is it f k a Il seven? Yeah.

Yeah. F k a? Yeah. F k a? Yeah.

You're changing for good? Yeah. For sure. Awesome. That's cool.

What brought about that transition? Really just knowledge of self, just learning more of who I am within myself and, like, really embracing, like, my my lineage and my background of, where I come from. Mhmm. My family being Mexican, Haitian, and Cuban, you know, and, like, really embracing the idea of the diaspora. You know what I'm saying?

African diaspora and diving into who who my family is and who I am within that lineage. Okay. Explain the word diaspora for me. I don't know what that means. For sure.

So, the diaspora is, the connection of, Africans, whether it be through, like, slavery or whether it be through, you know, relocating themselves. So, it's different cultures that kinda die that, connect within the diaspora, within lat Latino culture, within African American culture. It's kind of the the connection of black, across the globe. So, like, if you are Afro Latino, like Cuban or Dominican or, from Argentina or from Mexico, you know, or from England, you know, all these people are Aboriginal in in Australia. All these people represent the African diaspora, and they're from different parts of the world, but they fall into this lineage of, like, being from this continent.

Lord. Yeah. Is that, like, is that getting into the teachings of, like, the history the Hebrew Israelites? Tom. He Hebrew Israelites, tie into that for sure.

Yeah. They're a part of it. Mhmm. Lineage wise. Yeah.

They they would definitely tie into it. Hebrew Israelites are, like, more of a faith and a religion Mhmm. And a practice of an idea. Okay. A diaspora is more of a a connection of culture, and lineage.

Okay. You know? Overall culture where, like, the Hebrew Israelites are, like, a a religion and a faith that are from that culture. Alright. Cool.

Yeah. So did I hear you right last time we talked? I think you said Acuna is your real name? Yeah. Acuna Acuna is my last name.

Your last name? Yeah. My name is, Michael Dante Acuna. Okay. So Acuna is my last name.

Alright. Beautiful. So what was ill seven? What did that mean to you? Ill seven.

So ill seven dives into, like, more of the spiritual side of things. You know? So, ill, is a short for illuminated seven. It's short for it's it's God's number. You know what I'm saying?

High consciousness. We have seven chakras in our body. You know what I'm saying? Seven planets away from the sun. You know?

Like, it it dives into who who we are within that spirituality when we're talking about high consciousness, knowledge of things that are, maybe esoteric or beyond us. You know? Those types of things. Okay. Yeah.

And then the ill was just to add some Yeah. Some funkiness to it? Well, the ill's illuminated. So Oh, yeah. You said that.

So So that means it the ill is like, enlightened. Enlightened. You know what I'm saying? Right. Yep.

Okay. For sure. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah.

Not a problem. No. That's cool. I appreciate that. So Acuni Black, formerly known as l seven, is an MC from Denver.

You've been doing this a long time. How long exactly? So I've been doing this since I was 16 years old. So I would say probably about sixteen or seventeen years. Yeah.

Yeah. And you were born and raised here? No. No. Where are you from?

I'm originally from, Las Vegas, Nevada. Okay. And then, my dad was in the military, so I moved a lot of places. Right. So I lived in, like, Limestone, Maine.

I lived in, California. I lived in Chicago. I lived in Texas. Where were you when you were about 16? I was here in Colorado.

Yeah. I went to high school out here for sure. And you fell in love with hip hop around that age, or had you already been in love with it and then you that's just when you decided to? Hip hop has always kinda just been a part of me. You know?

Like, I I first got introduced into hip hop through b boying. I was a b boy. I was a I'm still a dancer. I just don't, like, professionally, b boy. But through b boying and then, writing and then MC ing, is the way that I came into hip hop.

So MCing was, like, the last thing that I started engaging. I was always writing, but I didn't start letting people hear my write, my writings until, like, 17 16, 17, something like that. That's cool. So was that because you didn't know if it would be, like, accepted or, like Yeah. You're just embarrassed that maybe it didn't sound so good?

It's all of that. All of that. You know? Like, it's exploring your voice and Right. And a lot of it was just therapy.

You know? Like, I was away from me just to write and create and just to get some ideas out. Yeah. And, I was listening to a lot of music, a lot of different styles of music, but, I was just writing lyrics. You know?

Like, writing poetry and, hip hop, became that outlet that I released that, but I was writing in a lot of different forms of poetry during that time, for sure. Cool. Was B Boying, like, the same thing for you? Were you because I know dancing for me, I get a lot of aggression or a lot of tension out that way. And, like, definitely, it's the same thing with with what I write, you know, and get my emotions out that way.

So and and I think it was kinda opposite for me. Like, when I started writing, I would put that out there right away. Mhmm. But dancing, like, that was something that I kinda, like, held to myself and, like, would do alone. And then when eventually when I started feeling more comfortable and, like, feeling like maybe I had something going there, that's when I started doing it because that's when I wanna feel the most free.

I don't know. There's just something so Yeah. So appealing to me about dancing, like, and not caring what else is happening around you, like, and just feeling yourself. And it's hard for me to do that with with riding sometimes. Right.

Right. Like, especially now that trying to make a career out of it. Right. Right. Right.

You always wanna sound a certain way, you know. Well, at least I know that I do. Yeah. And my ego gets in the way a lot of times. For sure.

Yeah. Yeah. That's cool. But when you started writing, what was, like, your main objective at first was to, just get your feelings out, just kinda write some therapy stuff. And then what made you decide that you wanted to start putting it out there for people to listen to?

Oh, man. It's kind of a crazy story. So, like, when I was in high school, especially during that at that time, when we had first moved to Colorado, at that time from California. I was living in Vallejo in the Bay Area, so we had moved from the Bay Area to California. When I was in high school, I met this cat.

His name was, Taiwan Thomas, and Taiwan was from Houston. And he was, like, one of the first artists in high school at that time that I knew, that was, like, a professional artist. Like, he was already living off of it. He was touring off of it. He was doing shows and events, and he had, like, package albums and stuff Mhmm.

That he was slinging at school. I'd never seen that at that point. Not that professional. You know? I don't know.

Actually, at that point, I don't know if I had ever seen it. Yeah. So he he was actually a Christian rapper. Okay. So, like, he he used to invite me to his shows.

And at that point, I was like, I'm cool on the Christian part, but I'm I'm down to check check what you're doing. You know? And then, we eventually, started writing together. We did a few songs together. Uh-huh.

And then, that kinda got me into, like, actually performing. Okay. So from that, I ended up, collaborating with this cat named, Ben Chavez. He actually, helped, Kaelin, Hefferman. Oh, okay.

Yeah. He helped her with her campaign recently. But, me and him were in a group together called isolated generation. Alright. And, that's how, like, I I initially started performing was through Taiwan kinda pushing me out there and then doing this collaboration with this, cat named Ben Chavis who goes by Opt one.

And, this other brother named Solom who's a, a soul singer, we came up with this group called isolated generation, and that was, like, my journey into, like, doing performances in high school. We were still in high school during this whole thing. Nice. Yeah. Yeah.

Me and Mona, we had a group in middle school, Revenge of a New Generation. Oh, wow. That's interesting. Yeah. Yeah.

That's dope. Yeah. That was it was a good time, and that's, like, what really got me into, performing and just writing consistently. Yeah. Because I I probably written a couple songs before that, like, especially Christian based rap because I went to Catholic school.

Yeah. And so when we would have talent shows or something, like, I would just think, oh, I could, like, write a rap. And so my dad, I think, when I was second grade or third grade or something like that, like, helped me write my first rap. It was, like, super Christian. Yeah.

And, like so that's how I got started. But then when Mona came around, she's well, she, was like the first person I met that was like really making music Right. At such a young age Yeah. And was super interested in it. And so she inspired me and we were best friends back then.

So, of course, we just started, like, making music together. That's dope. And, we would record it and put it on Myspace. Yeah. And, like, that was that was how yeah.

That was how we put our music out there. That's awesome. Yeah. That's what got me really interested in in rapping and writing them. Because I I know for me, like, I felt I was in love with hip hop from a young age because my dad had all his cassettes that he would, like, throw to me, and my mom was super big on East Coast hip hop.

And so, like, she would play that in the car all the time. Yeah. But, like, for the for, like, the first phase of that, like, what it really was was me just rhyming in the mirror, like lip syncing the songs Yeah. In the mirror and, like, pretending I was doing a music video to the to the songs. Like, Father Like Son was the, like, my favorite album when I was a kid, and, I would just put that on repeat and just, like, pretend like I was Lil Wayne and Birdman and Raff in the Mirror.

Like Yeah. I was like, man, I just really wanna do this. And so when I was given the chance, it was a it was a it was like it just fit, you know, and just I was so thankful for it. Yeah. I feel like you know when you're supposed to do it.

We're all called to certain things, you know. So, like, the things that especially at that age, I think, like, between the ages of, like, really, like, 13 to, like, 17. You know? We're really exploring who we are. And, when you gravitate towards something artistically at that age and you're really grabbing onto it, I think it's because that's what you're called to do.

Yeah. At least that's what you're called to explore at that time. Yeah. I would think so. Yeah.

Which is why which is why I have, like, such a a resentment, I guess, towards the system and towards parents that just put their kids on meds right away when they're, like, told they have ADHD. Yeah. Because I'm, like, well, maybe just maybe they're just having a hard time focusing on what's being taught in school because, like, they're not really interested Right. In what's being taught in school. Like, they want their attention focused somewhere somewhere else, you know?

Right. But then they just get medicated and, like, never given that opportunity to explore what it is that, like, would really hold their concentration Right. And, like, what they're really called for. And I was never, like, I was never diagnosed with anything like that, but I know that the only reason I paid attention in school at all was because my dad was very, like, if you get good grades, you can do whatever you want. Yeah.

You know? And so I was like I was like, okay. Like, I'll figure out a way to get great good grades as fast and as easy as possible and, like, then just focus on what I really wanted to do, which at the time was smoke weed and rap and hang out with friends, you know, like, like Yeah. And so I don't think if I was given that that, like, if you get good grades, you can do whatever you wanna do. I don't think I would have paid attention in school at all Right.

Right. Right. Because I had so many other stuff that I wanted to focus or so much other stuff that I wanted to focus on. Yeah. Were you were you called to music at a young age like that and, like, who your focus was on it more than other things, more than other areas in your life?

When I was coming up, I was like an athlete, you know, for the most part. For the most part, like, music, my mom was, is an artist. She is an artist, and she's a writer. And both of my parents are really heavily into music. So, like, my dad, like, when I was coming up, like, his thing was, like, jazz.

So, like, he was heavily into, like, John Col Train and, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk, and, like, that was, like, always in my house when I was coming up. And then, my mom was more into, like, funk or pop music and hip hop. You know? Like, she was one of the one of the introductions in the hip hop for the most part for me and my brothers. And then I got older brothers.

I got brothers who are, like, ten or fifteen years older than me. You know? So, like Yeah. What they were listening to when I was coming up was, like, a lot of EPMD, and they were listening to, a lot of, Rakim, KRS One. Like, during the time, it was, like, actually hot, and I was I was probably, like, seven or eight during that time.

You know? So, like, them being around me, listening to that, influenced me. Mhmm. You know? So and then, like, jazz heavily influenced me.

Like, I played, like, clarinet and saxophone, into high school from sixth grade on. So, like, you know, it was just like those different things were always around me in different ways. You know? But and then, like, I remember there was a time when my dad actually he was like, you should consider, like, being a jazz musician. And I was like, yeah.

I I I considered it. You know? But, like, especially during that time, which was, like, mid to, like, late nineties, you know, hip hop was, like, in my ear all the time, and it was something that I was really gravitating towards. So around that time, like, I wanted to explore what it was to be a hip hop artist Yeah. In some capacity.

So, I started, you know, gravitating towards making beats and, like, rapping and things like that. And jazz and those things that influenced me always were a part of, like, the ways that I kinda explored that idea. You know? Mhmm. Because those are my influences.

But, hip hop itself was something that I was really kinda taken on and wanted to explore what it was and who I was within it. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Yeah.

And, man, that's something that, like, I think about a lot too because I was not exposed to a lot of music outside of hip hop. Okay. Yeah. And so, like, my, my creative abilities when it comes to music, for the most part have been have been I don't know what the word I'm looking for is, but, like, just recently have I started to explore outside of, like, the the box of what, like, mainstream or, like, what really, like, pushed hip hop is, you know, because, like, that was what I got mostly was For sure. Was hip hop just given to me.

And so, like, I formed my my artistic abilities inside that, like, small box, and I'm just starting to explore outside of the genre a little bit now. Mhmm. But to have that from the go, is probably why you're, like, such a diverse and such a a talented artist now. Do you still play clarinet or clarinet? I don't.

No? I don't, man. Like, I don't play clarinet or saxophone anymore, man. It's something that, like, I've actually been talking about going back to and, like, starting to explore playing around with instruments again, even on, like, a sample level, like, just to sample in some of my own sounds Right. In in that capacity.

But, yeah, I've actually I I play with a band right now. It's called Brass and Gold Society. Yeah. And that that's very heavily jazz influence in in what we're doing. But, you know, being around, like, those styles of musicians who, you know, like, never gave up on that passion for that instrument.

Mhmm. You know, that's a different style of relationship when you're talking about, like, having a relationship with your instrument and, like, mastering what that is. I feel like that's one of the things, like, with MCing or with hip hop. You know? Like, you can be limited in the box if you allow yourself to.

Yeah. Which I did. Yeah. Yeah. And, like, really breaking outside of that box and, exploring, like, what it is to be an artist.

And that's one thing for MCs or rappers or hip hoppers, you know, even more so than, like, the element that you gravitate towards. Mhmm. Like, you're an artist all around, You know? And that's I think the beauty the beauty about hip hop is that, like, it allows you to explore different art forms within the structure of hip hop, but then you have to understand that once you're more than that structure, that you're an artist incomplete. You know what I'm saying?

And the artist can do a variety of different things. Right. You know, you can you can write rhymes. You can produce. You can do paintings.

You can put together a theatrical piece. You know, you can do videography. Whatever you choose to do as an artist and to express that emotion or that thing that you wanna convey message wise. Like, you're an artist, so, like, you know, there there should never be any limits as an artist the way you're you're expressing yourself because that is the way that, we connect to the world. Mhmm.

And we send out messages that the world needs, you know, to explore themselves, challenging the world, you know. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's a that's a huge and important part.

Right? Connecting to the world. I have a friend, I you may know him, to be no question. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. For sure. He he put it so, probably better than I'm about to put it right now. But, like, he was talking about how we as artists, but mostly as emcees, like, we serve as this voice for this community. And sometimes that community is, like, 10 people big.

Right? Where we have, like, a super small fan base, like, the same 10 people come to the shows and support us. And, like but sometimes, like, that's the community that we represent and, like, that's those are our people and, like, as our that's how we connect to the world is, like, our voice touches those 10 people. And then other times, you know, you have millions of fans. You have millions of people that you're a voice for and, like, that, is your community.

And, when he put it that way, like, it really resonated with me because, like, go being an MC, being a rapper, especially in today's industry. Like, it just it comes with this burden of ego almost where it's like I need to I need to succeed. Like, I need to be known. I need to make it. Like and I will I will work thirty hour days, like, if I had to, you know, like, to to do whatever I have to do to make the big bucks in in the month or in the music industry.

Like I feel like that has, like and this is just my opinion on it. It has less to do with, just the MC. It has a lot to do with capitalism. You know? And and and the ways that America really kinda pushes, like, what make it is.

Because one thing that I I've learned, like, going, I've been in Europe a few times and, the ways that artists engage in Europe versus the ways that American artists engage. Right? So, like, a Europe, a European artist, will hone their craft first and then push themselves. Artists in America will push themselves and then hone their craft. Yeah.

Right? Right. So, like, if and then, like, the ideas of success looks different out there in different parts of Europe. You know? It looks different out there than it does in The States.

So, like, in in Europe, I I meant, like, painters and sculptors who are world renowned. But if you look on their social media page, you know, you wouldn't it would it doesn't reflect their impact. Right? But in the physical, like, they're known and they they've been to some of the the biggest art galleries and the biggest residencies, and people know who they are. But they're not worried about the social media game.

You know? And so, like, it's, it's a interesting thing just because, like, America in the ways that we engage is always win by any means. Mhmm. You know? And I think that winning is an important thing.

I don't think that especially if you're the realities of the system we're dealing with is what it is. Like, if you don't win, then you could be homeless. That's the that's the realities of what it is a lot of the times. So, like, operating in that with a healthy mind. You know what I'm saying?

Doing that in a healthy way and, like, realizing that you're not competing against others. You're competing against whatever it is in yourself. Right. And, like, actually, you're not even competing in yourself. You're trying to master yourself.

You know what I'm saying? You're trying to learn who you are more so in yourself, which ultimately will make you successful because once you're, like, comfortable with who you are in yourself, then you're not chasing anything. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? That's the that's the thing with most of us.

It's like we're not living visions. We're chasing dreams. And, like, we gotta stop chasing dreams. We gotta start living in the moment and learning how to, like, really be satisfied with who we are within ourselves Yes. And how to grow that bigger, whatever that that growth is bigger inside of self Mhmm.

More so than chasing the the the idea of the dream or whatever that is. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you for that. Yeah.

I, man, I'm, like, I'm teetering this line of, like, feeling both ways right where, one, I'm, like, just learning as much about myself as possible and, like, growing as an artist and as as just a person in general. And, like, doing what I can to be comfortable in each moment and accept each moment, especially at work where it's, like, it's, I'm an electrician, so it can be stressful. And, like, it and it's it's exhausting mentally a lot of the time. And I don't have, like, a passion for electricity, you know. Like, I'm not I'm not driven to to be the best of the best of the best when it comes to being an electrician.

Like, I just am doing this because it's a great career, like, and it supports my family, and, like, that's what I care about. Right? And so, like, I've had to come to terms with the fact that, like, there is self worth and, I mean, just worth in general for the world and, like, my role as an electrician. Like, I'm playing a part and I'm playing a role, and that does something for the people around me. And I've had to, like, I've, like, I've had to accept that and find purpose in that in order to be comfortable with, like, okay.

I work this forty hour job. For sure. Because I feel like that's where the best lesson I mean, you think about, like, somebody like, an Einstein. You know what I'm saying? He he he would work for a patent company.

Right. You know what I'm saying? Exploring these, like, really complex ideas, but, like, he had a day job. You know what I'm saying? In order and that day job allowed him to have enough comfort to be able to be comfortable enough to explore those ideas.

Yeah. And so that's where that's where I teeter because it's like, I'm still chasing this dream of I wanna retire by, like, 30 or 40, you know? Mhmm. Like, because I don't I mean, I see some people in the construction industry, 60 years old and, like, breaking their back, working just to provide. And it's like, I am trying to not do that.

Like, I'm trying to have as much of my time be my time as possible. And so like, that's the dream that I'm chasing. And it's gone from, wanting to be this this huge superstar in the rap industry. Like, that was my dream when I was younger, and now it's just I want to be able to have as much as my time be my time so I can create as much as possible, whether that be this podcast or be the shows that I help throughout or be exploring, like, videography and photography is something I'm really interested in. Or, like, mixing and mastering my own music is something I just started recently.

And then and then, of course, like, making music and rapping, like, I just want enough time to be able to do that. And even that dream has not is no longer, like, I want to be this huge name. Like, I just want to even if I'm just locally or regionally known enough to make enough money in the, in the music business somehow to, like, support myself Yeah. Like, I would be completely satisfied. Right?

Yeah. For sure. I mean, I feel like, it's subjective. And then I think it's always, like, getting the chance to, like, peek behind the veil. You know?

Like, getting to know artists. And that's one thing that I've been, like, blessed to be able to be around is artists that have been more successful Mhmm. Who who've toured, and, like, see their struggles. You know what I'm saying? Because I think that that's what it is for us as, like, working artists.

You know? You you got, like, a Drake who's, like, at the at the or Jay z. You know what I'm saying? People who, like or even Lil Wayne, like, somebody who makes it to the top. But for one, we don't know what their struggles are and the realities are and the things they deal with on a regular base.

Like, you know, financial, gain comes with a lot of stress as well. Right. And then, like, within that, as a working artist, you know, you can it's really, like, as an artist and I heard a a painter say this yesterday, actually. He was talking about how he became a full time painter and muralist. Right?

Mhmm. And it all came down to diversifying. Right? Like, whether it's diversifying your income or diversifying your talents or diversifying what you do. And once you learn, like, the talent of diversifying, then you can actually, like, utilize all these different tools to do what you wanna do, but it may not be in the ways that you thought it was gonna look.

You know what I'm saying? And I think that's the biggest thing with artists or not even just artists, just people in general is that, like, that's one thing that I've manifested a lot of the things that I've wanted to accomplish in my life. But as I've gotten to that finish line, it's never looked like I thought it was gonna look. You know what I'm saying? Which is cool.

Mhmm. You know what I'm saying? Because you you you met that goal, you know, and then, like, you got to see what it is to be there. Right? And then you see what it's like behind the veil.

And then you you realize, like, oh, now I have to reset, and I have to restructure, and I have to rebuild to do something new. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Because you're gonna continually that's what it is as an art. And as an artist, you're continually creating your life.

Yeah. You know what I'm saying? That's the the ability of an artist is that you can see the parts that need to be put in place in order to make this creation of your life. Your your life is art. You like when you break it down like that, like, your life is literally art.

So, like, you're constantly taking these different things and these different pieces and creating your own reality of what you want that reality to look. Like, before I did before I was working with Youth on Record, I used to work for an attorney's office. I was an account manager for an attorney's office. And before I worked for an attorney's office, I was a branch manager at a bank. Mhmm.

You know what I'm saying? But all those things that I did, it there were lessons for my business. Yeah. You know, and what I currently do within what I do as an artist. So, like, you know, like, working as an electrician, you know, like, Jesus traveled.

Jesus did a lot of things, but he was a carpenter. You know what I'm saying? That was his that was his money. You know what I'm saying? But when he got to a place of, being able to, like, explore and do what he wanted to do and he you gotta build a team.

You know what I'm saying? Like, he had 12 disciples. You know what I'm saying? You gotta build a team, and you gotta build a team of like minded people who believe in your vision. For sure.

You know? And then, like, once you can build that team, like, you can do infinite thing. And then also empowering your team. You know what I'm saying? Letting them know that you're just as powerful as me.

You know what I'm saying? You could do all the things that I'm doing and allowing them to explore and go about their own careers and their own things, but while contributing to your vision and you're contributing to their vision. I think, like, that's, like, the bigger the bigger goal as artists in communities of artists. You know what I'm saying? Us given that exchange, helping each other, and building those platforms.

Yeah. And then your reach ends up being influenced by their reach, and you can you can bring your reaches together. Right? You you you become a star in your circle or your community. You know?

It's like and then, like, your message and the things that you have to say are very specific for you. You know? Like, I can never say what you say in the ways that you say it. Mhmm. Right?

So, like, there's never it's never any competition in that because, like, once you understand that and you're comfortable with that, your talents and the things that you do will never overlap another's because it won't be able to. You guys do things totally similarly sometimes, but totally different in the ways that you approach it, say it, and express it. You know? Yeah. I do know.

I think with my experience in Denver, getting involved with Youth on Record, is, like, the first time that I've really found community in the music industry, out here. And, like and I and I have recognized it to be how you're talking about, like, people build themselves up, but, like, they build up the community around them. And they and they like, it's this team here, with the people that come out of this and, like or just the people who are involved in some way. Right? Like, everybody that I've met through Youth On Record or, or just like the recent community, of singer songwriters that I've been getting involved with, like, they they build each other up.

They help each other out. And, like, my experience with, the hip hop scene out here before, has been the opposite of that. Yeah. For sure. It's very it's very, I'm gonna do what I can do for me, and, like, you do what you can do for you.

Mhmm. I wish you luck, but I'm focused on me and, like, I don't care about, like, whether you succeed or not. Right? And so it's been difficult, and I think it's one of the reasons Denver has had such a hard time, like, getting Definitely. A name out there when it comes to the hip hop that we make.

And the only place that I haven't felt that way is, like, through the very small community of Fact, which was, this dude named Ahmad and to be like they started these ciphers down at the old Gypsy house. And like it was this very small community of MCs that would get together every month and like we would have these ciphers in these shows, and and, and it was just a good time. And, like, me and and Diego Flores would go, and, we, like that was the first time that I felt, like, oh, there is community here. And, like, that's the reason why I've started this this podcast because that gave me something. Right?

Like, that gave me purpose and it gave me this idea that, like Denver and the people involved in the scene out here, like, they do wanna help. Maybe not all of them, but like Right. They do. And so, like, I wanna give back as much as I can now, which is why I'm super excited to be part of vibes night because it's the same idea. Right?

Yeah. And that's why we started. It was inspired by fact. Okay. And like, they stopped being able to organize as frequently and as regularly and so, Mona was like, well that was a big thing, like let's let's try to get that community back together.

So she started Vibes Night years back and, I wasn't involved with it back then. Like, I was going to my own stuff. But then, now we're starting to back up and, like, I'm just super excited to see what comes of it, like, and the community that gets brought out. And, this is going to be coming out after, the sixteenth. Okay.

But you will have been our featured MC one of our featured MC alongside Baba Fly. Yeah. And so I'm sure that was great, you know, like Right. Right. Yeah.

Like Yeah. And I'm just I'm very excited to see what it what it turns out to be. Yeah. It it's interesting that, like, you invited, like, me and Babafly, specifically. Oh, mainly because, like, Babafly, he started, like, this thing called 900 pound gorilla, like like, long time ago.

Yeah. And then Kyle was a part of nine hundred. Oh, really? Kyle Sutherland and, Eli, Elijah, they were, like, young when we were doing it. Smiling?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They were both young when we were doing it. So it was between Blobba Fly and Panama Soweto, who's do you know Panama?

Mm-mm. So Panama Soweto is, like, a legendary poet out here. He, was one of the founders of Slam Nuba. Okay. He's, like, related to ETEF, DJ Kavam, and DJ Kavam's mom is the one who started Cafe Noobah.

Alright. Cafe Noobah is, like, the the the early child or the early parent of Slam Noobah. So, you know, it's all influencing one another. You know what I'm saying? And the generations take it to whatever it's supposed to be.

It's always an important thing for community. You know what I'm saying? And that communal aspect of hip hop, we can get so caught up in, battle culture. Yeah. You know?

And which is important. Right? It hones your skills. It sharpens them. It makes you, more witty, more you know?

Yeah. It's important. Yeah. But I think the cipher is important as well just because the cipher represents wholeness and community in full circle. So, I think it's an important thing which you which you're doing because, you know, like, the Denver hip hop scene has a lot of things happening within it, why it is where it's at.

One of the things is very much, the competitiveness, but also its access to outlets. And, Denver hasn't had a lot of access. It has I put it this way. It has had a lot of access to out outlets when we're talking about, singer songwriters, folk music Yeah. Rock and roll EDM.

EDM, things like that. When we're talking about hip hop specific, we actually have I don't know if you guys know Big John. Big John is a a gentleman who works with Jay z, and he works with Roc A Fella Records. He's from Denver. He's from Montebello.

What ends up happening with a lot of the people who are decision makers within the scene in the industry is once they leave, they leave. And, a lot of the time, they get sucked into the industry. And Denver has always had a lack of access to, like, actually industry actually industry end, which is fine to me because I'm an underground artist. Mhmm. And I think, like, it's depending on how you see the industry and what the industry is and how the industry operates.

Right? Right. If you wanna be involved in it in that way. And within hip hop, it's a little toxic, when you get when you get higher up those ranks. You know?

Like, it gets it gets complicated, and, there's a lot of ways that artists and hip hop are marginalized that artists in rock and roll and folk music are. You know what I'm saying? Those three sixty degree those three sixty deals that are happening is not something that the fray or anything that One Republic or any band that ever came out of Colorado had to deal with. Right? But, like, young artists that are getting signed in hip hop, are being discriminated against racially Yeah.

And, they're becoming slaves within the industry. And hip hop Yeah. In Denver has never had a platform for the industry, so we've become underground artists. Mhmm. But the thing about it is, artists in Denver have never mastered the business.

Right. And that's always been the thing that has hindered us is, like, understanding how to navigate the business. And, like, whether you're talking about Trev Rich Mhmm. Or you're talking about Melina Speaks Right. Yeah.

There there has to be, like, some kind of consistency in the business. You know what I'm saying? For artists to be able to have platforms and to be able to, like, become atmosphere or Tech nine or whoever. You know? And it's Joey Badass.

You know what I'm saying? But even, like, someone like Joey Badass, he's under, infrastructure. It may not look like it in the ways that he moves, but he's under, like, a label that's controlling his image and the ways that he pushes himself and the ways he puts himself out there. Yeah. And he's even starting to get a little bit more, open with that.

Like, his style isn't so, so underground now. Like, he's starting to dive into, like, a little bit more fashion and, like, Yeah. It makes sense. Yeah. Business wise, it makes sense.

Yeah. Yeah. So that's interesting that you say, like, they get involved in the business and they leave. Right. Right.

So places like Atlanta or Houston that came along after East and West, did they blow up because somebody knew how to navigate the business and stayed in Atlanta and just started to, like, navigating it out there? Like LA, Atlanta, Houston. Mhmm. Those styles of places, I think they have in the culture of what it is. It's a hustling culture.

You know what I'm saying? Probably has a lot to do with, like, slavery and whatever that is. You know what I'm saying? But, like, in their culture down south, they're they're hustlers. So, like, you know, the East and the West Coast weren't gonna let them in because they sound so different in what they were doing.

You know? In fact, they talked a lot of crap about the ways that they were doing their their artistry down there during that time. But that also made them very, hustling oriented. And the thing about it too, and this is one thing that I've always said about Denver is, like, until you support your city, no one else is gonna support you. Mhmm.

And Denver has always had kind of specifically with hip hop, we've always had a very self hate type of culture. We hate on ourselves. We would rather be other places or doing other things with other people. You know what I'm saying? But, like, if you go to Houston, like, people in Houston don't listen to anything outside of Houston.

You know what I'm saying? People in Atlanta don't listen to anything outside of Atlanta. They don't got to. Yeah. You know?

People in LA, they gonna tell you every legendary rapper that came from LA. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Because they have love for their culture. There's a disconnect in, ageism and, understanding the culture that came before here in Denver.

So, like, there's, like, you know, all sorts of legacies and things that happened before us. But, like, the thing with bigger industries is, like, they see that we don't have an appreciation for our own artistry here. So they're like, so why should we? We come and make money off of you, and we're gonna continue to make money off of you. So, like, if y'all hate yourself, good for us because you love us.

Mhmm. And, the things that you're doing with vibes and, like, really building that culture, it's like showing why we should love ourselves. That's why we are always fighting against ourselves in hip hop out here. It's because, like, when you hate yourself, you hate your brother. You know what I'm saying?

You hate your sister. So you're gonna go ahead and you're gonna battle, what you don't like about yourself and somebody else. So I think, like, with Denver, like, it's a it's a it's a matter of learning the business and having self love for the culture that we've cultivated out here. Yeah. Like, once you understand those two things, we'll have it doesn't it we'll have a even if it's not mainstream, we'll have a great independent DIY scene that does what it wants in the ways that it wants to and has notoriety globally if we do it right.

But it has to have it has to start with the self love and where we're at. Yeah. So for anybody to pay attention, like, the the goal is not to get your name big so that you can put Denver on the map. Like, the goal is to, like, work inside of Denver and give Denver its own map and, like, its own road map to success. And then, eventually, like, the city will just build up from there.

There's rappers this this made me think. There's rappers who live in Atlanta that never have toured that are millionaires. There's rappers in Houston that have never left Houston, like, zero. Devin the dude. He does tours.

You know what I'm saying? But, like, he doesn't have to leave Houston to, like, necessarily make his money because his culture and his community will support that. But Devin the dude seems kind of, like, more West Coast. He's from Houston. He's actually from Houston.

Like, he he's, like, one of the first artists that really, incorporated melody in what he did, like, his singing. Right. And he sang on a lot of like, kinda Nate Dog style. He sang on a lot of people's hooks and things like that. But he's also, like, a great MC, a great lyricist and writer and teller of stories.

Funny stories. You know? But, yeah, Devon is definitely from Houston. And, like, that's one thing too is travel as an artist. Right?

So, like, going into other cities and other cultures and seeing how they operate and move would teach you what your city is lacking. Okay. Right? So, like, going I've been to Dallas. I've been to Houston.

I've been to LA. I've been to Chicago, places like that. They they their their support for what they do, within their artistry communally, and Denver Hip Hop Artists have always been, in my opinion, when you're opening up for somebody, it's not a bad thing. But you're also asking for a handout in the ways that you build your fan base. Right?

So, like, we should also, as as hip hop artists, be looking at being the the headliners and putting together our own events like y'all doing. Mhmm. Because that's where you start getting your power, in the industry out here. The the industry in general when we're talking about music is very racist. It doesn't admit for it it to be racist.

But when you're a hip hop artist, it really doesn't matter what your ethnicity is as a hip hop artist. All you gotta say is that you do hip hop for people to discriminate against you in the music industry. Like, what do you oh, that's kind of music, I guess, you know? Yeah. Dude, I know that's how, like, when people ask me what I do, like Yeah.

It's not so much anymore, but still a little bit. It's, like, hesitant. Like, how do I how do I say that I'm a rapper without giving them this idea of, like, oh, just another fucking rapper? You know? You become a you have excuses, and you become apologetic about what you do.

Yeah. And that's the thing is, like, that's only because, of the way that the industry is built out here. You know what I'm saying? It's very white driven. And because and for instance, in saying that, like, when you're talking about a place like Atlanta or Houston, it's very black driven.

So, like, you or in DC. You know? Like, one thing I learned, like, being in DC is that, I was dealing with musicians who had, master degrees in what they did in jazz and, like, they were working with some of the top universities, but they didn't discriminate against hip hop because they were black. You know? So, like, it became, like, one of these things where, like, I was like, oh, it's it's a thing because of, like, what we're dealing with in the structure of where I'm at.

You know what I'm saying? It's it's looked down upon because of where it's rooted in, and that's how discrimination and racism works. It doesn't you don't say it. If you say it, then it's obvious. You you you see it by its actions.

You know what I'm saying? Yeah. So it's not a bad thing, though. And the reason why I say it's not a bad thing is because it teaches you how to be independent and have to navigate outside of that, meaning that you become the promoter. You become the manager.

You become the producer. You become the engineer. Right? You have to learn all the elements in order to do a production for yourself, and really it's teaching you business. You know what I'm saying?

It's teaching you how to sustain your business so you don't have to use these different entities to make what you want because you're like, you are the entity. You know? And I think that's our power as artists, as hip hop artists specific, because that word kinda downplayed, it forces you to have to learn all aspects of what you do. It takes longer. But in the end, it's it pays off more because, like, you have to work harder to, like, cultivate these skills.

And, ultimately, you become a business owner, be out of out of necessity a lot of the time. You know? Mhmm. Yeah. That's like, recently, I've changed my opinion, on Russ and, like, how I feel about him.

That's Because of that, yeah. Like, I I would listen to his music, and I feel like he does this fake fake accent when he makes music. And so, like, it just turned me off to it. Right? Right.

And, like, I was I wasn't necessarily on, like, the Fuck Russ movement, but I was, like, low key, like, kinda supporting it a little bit. But Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But then I listened to his interview with with Joe Budden.

Okay. Yeah. And he, like that another reason why I was kinda, like, pushing away from him was because he's very egotistical, like Yeah. For sure. Like, loves to talk shit.

It's fine because, like, I listened to his interview and, like, I understood, like, he's done everything for himself by Right. Like, not by himself. He has a team of people that he trusts and that he use utilizes like you were talking about. But, but he's done it like the the producing, the engineering, the the management, like, the, the writing, the the tours. Like, he he plans it all himself or at least has a say in it.

And and at least, like, now that he's big, you know, like, he I don't know if he does so much, but he did he got to where he got without the backing of a major label and, like, the major studio. Mhmm. Right? Like, he just honed his craft. Like, you're talking about with the Europeans.

Like, he honed his craft first Mhmm. And found what he was most comfortable with. And whether that resonates with people like me or people in the Fuck Russ movement, like, it doesn't matter to him. Like, it's what he likes and it's what he wants to do and so he does it. And, and he's been extremely successful platinum selling and, like, Grammy nominated.

I may have even won Grammys. I forget, like, because of it, you know. And, and so it just changed my entire perspective on on not only him, but on, like, what what is possible in in this industry and, like I got a lot of respect for him. I I learned about him just, like, through YouTube videos at first, and I was like, oh, okay. I see him.

Mhmm. And then what caught my interest is, like, you know, when he's really in his songs, you know, listening to his songs, like, hearing him talk about how he's independent, he's hustling. Yeah. I feel like, you know, and this is just outside of what we're talking about. I feel like a lot of that talk that he does is to kinda antagonize, like, other artists a little bit too.

You know? Mhmm. But I think, like, his movement is the thing that I'm I'm most, inspired by in the sense that he's taken ownership of his business. Right. I think, like, that's the movement, and it it really, I this is my personal opinion.

We have a short window of that being something that we all have access to to get to that level. You know? Meaning that, you know, with all the corporations that are being in place on YouTube and everything starting to shut down around Instagram and social media, it's gonna become more like NBC, ABC, and record labels, you know, because that's how it works. So, like, corporate dollars have their interest in the ways that things navigate. So I think that, like, it's important right now if that is a wave that people are trying to get into artistically, understand that, like, your business being put together and having a plan and the ways that you wanna execute that business is essential, like, especially now because I feel like, you know, things are gonna change, and then we're gonna have to learn how to re navigate.

Yeah. And if we're gonna learn how to re navigate, then make sure that you have a strong platform to, you know, do these changes and these transitions for because it's gonna continually change, like, technology and everything that we're dealing with. It's advancing faster and faster and faster. So, like, the ways that even my daughters, my three year old and my 11 in the next ten years and the ways that they engage, if they choose to go for music or industry is gonna be different than I approached it because they're gonna be dealing with different, you know, infrastructures at that point. Yeah.

So, and be malleable. You know, as an artist, as a business person, be malleable. Be able to be flexible and, like, be able to adapt, be an early adapter to new ideas that are coming. And I think that's sometimes scary for a lot of people, especially, like, people around my age, 30, changes in something that most of us are we we know that it has to happen. Yeah.

But now that most of us aren't malleable enough to, like, transition within that, you know, because they're they're holding on, grabbing on to these old ideas that they thought were true. Right. You know? But, like, once you realize that nothing is real, all of it's an illusion, then you just move. You need to move within the illusion or start being the painter of the picture.

Yeah. Once you let go of, wanting to control Yeah. Exactly. How it happens. Yeah.

Exactly. I mean, because, I wanted to ask you, like, how old you are, but I've recently decided it doesn't matter because we're all living in the same era. For sure. Like, we're all I don't mind telling you either, man. I'm 37.

Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Thirty years of being an MC. Yeah.

For sure. Yeah. That's it. Yeah. That's awesome.

Yeah. But, yeah, I mean, I was just, like, saying, like, I don't, like, I don't think it matters nowadays, like, how old you are because, like, you're in this time. Like, this is a crazy time. Right. Like, I honestly believe that YouTube is just gonna become the Internet.

Like, the way it looks like, like, the entire Internet's just gonna be YouTube eventually. Because, I mean, they're starting to incorporate, like, social media, onto YouTube, and, that's where people go for their music. I'll jump to YouTube before I jump to Google, and I need to learn how to do something. Yeah. Yeah.

So I just think it's gonna take over. So just stay like, if you're having trouble navigating technology, I'd say just stay on your toes for that because, like, it looks like that's where things are going. Yeah. And, I mean, they're backed by Google money. So Yeah.

I mean, it's all one thing at this point. Everything is one or, you know, like, it's we're dealing it's a new machine. You know what I'm saying? So it's a machine that we're dealing with. So, like, it's all kind of one thing even if you're on Instagram, it's Facebook.

You're in YouTube, it's Google. Are you a believer in the simulation theory? Use the the singularity? Simulation. Simulation.

You're talking about man and machine becoming one? No. I'm talking about, like, we live in a simulation. Oh, this Like like, this is a matrix made up by, like, technology. The ones and zeros everywhere.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so I I, like, I believe it, and I just find it, like, so trippy that we have that, and then we've also created it to, like, view, like Right. On our phones.

Exactly. Everything that we're doing in technology is what we have capability in doing in the physical. Yeah. No. For sure.

I definitely believe that. I think, that's the ego of human. You know, you know, like, we have to look at ourselves. We have to look at the things that we're able to do. Sometimes we have to be able to look at it in the physical to understand it in the spiritual.

You know? Like, sometimes that's what it is. Yeah. It's funny too because we scare ourselves within it. It's the most interesting thing that I think is the advancement of, like, artificial intelligence Yeah.

And, like, what it is. Right? It's, it's smarter. It's faster. They got androids that are stronger.

Right? The ego of human, being the need for us to create something greater than ourselves. You know what I'm saying? The need for us to create something greater for ourselves and, like, ultimately, like, lose control in ways. You know?

But, you know, that's something that I'm really been exploring in my in myself and in my mind is, like, should you be scared of these things and the transitioning and, things that are evolving? Because we're all one and we're all a part of it anyways. Right? But the thing that changes it or, like, the intent behind it, the powers that control it, and things like that. So I'm not really like, I I've talked to a lot of people within circles, that I that I commune with that are scared of some of the ideas of, like, like, what I was talking about with the singularity with, like, Ian Musk, you know, with the whole brand Yeah.

Yeah. Thing or and that that just for an example or even, like, some of the artificial limbs and things that are coming in and, you know, people becoming robots. But, you know, like, is that a good or bad thing if you're aware of where it's at? And where do you wanna if you can't stop evolution, because you can't. No.

You know what I'm saying? It's inevitable. So, like, even even the things that, like, you know, that are currently in existence, like the automobile. Yeah. You know what I'm saying?

At the turn of the nineteenth century, people thought that was evil. You know what I'm saying? Thought that was gonna end. It did. And the gin mill changed everything within, like, the gin cotton mill, you know, changed everything within picking cotton.

You know? Like, these technologies are gonna evolve society. People are gonna lose jobs. Things are gonna change. I think that, like, where you're gonna be is, like, where your mind is within the reality of which you're operating.

So meaning that if we have the ability to create our own reality, if evolution is happening, are you an early adapter that's kinda molding that reality as you go, or are you a victim of it? And if you're a victim of it, that's the dangerous part. You know? But yeah, man. We're in a we're in interesting times right now.

Yeah. We're very interested in times right now. How would you identify somebody who is behaving like a victim of the evolution? They're yelling at the machine. You know, people who yell at the machine, meaning they're like, and I'm not, you know, I'm not saying that there shouldn't be protesters.

Right? But, like, at the point where you're constantly talking about the problem, but you're not engaging it in any way or you're not coming up with any forward thinking ideas to approach it, then you're a victim. You know? Because, like, at that point, you've given up, I can't do anything about it, or it's always them. You know?

Like, sometimes we have to take accountability of who we are within it. Yeah. Because we all contribute to it regardless if we admit it or not. You know? Mhmm.

So, like, you know, being proactive, organizing, coming up with forward ideas, getting with people who are like minded and not, sitting and waiting for something to happen, but you just create something. And that thing that you create maybe sparks an idea for somebody else to create something else Right. Themselves. You know? But we're all feeding each other.

There's not any person that's the one. Like and that's that's another thing that we are wants to be the one. Everybody wants to be one. Nobody wants to be one of many. Yeah.

And it's really the one of many that, like, you know, changes society. It takes all of us kinda, like, having this collective vision. And some person may have a different part of that vision. Yeah. Oh, man.

That's an important part. I need you to come over here and help me with that. Yeah. You know, recognizing that because the ego and this ego is not bad, but, like, the ego sometimes is the thing that, like, oh, man. Y'all only will be associated to that.

Like, it makes us, like, divide ourselves because of, fear of somebody else's brilliance. Mhmm. Right? Everybody's brilliant in their own right. It's just recognizing your brilliance and being confident in it in order to embrace someone else's brilliance to add on to it, you know.

Yeah. That's I learned that lesson through, like, an electrical competition that I went into because I was like like, I'm good at what I do. And so I went in off of, like, four hours of sleep and, like, no planning or practicing. And because I was just, like, oh, I'm fucking brilliant at this, you know, like, I I'm I'm the best, like, I got this. And then I discounted the fact that just because I'm brilliant at it doesn't mean that other people are not brilliant at it.

Right. Right. Right. And so, like, even though I may be good at what I do, there was people in there who rested, and there was people in there who, like, planned and practiced. Mhmm.

And so I got beat, you know? And, like Yeah. And it was, not only did I get get beat, but I didn't even place. And so, like, that was, like, that was humbling for me because it taught me the difference between, confidence and and cockiness. Like That's a good lesson right there.

Yeah. Yeah. Like, confidence is, like, knowing my my worth and, like, my brilliance Mhmm. But also knowing that that exists in the people around me as well. Right.

And then the cockiness is, like, feeling brilliant and and entitled because thinking I'm the only one who is as brilliant as me or as as smart as me or whatever. And so, yeah, that was a it was a good lesson, and I've been able to apply that into pretty much every area of my life since then. And, like, especially spiritual like, spiritual growth is the most important thing, for me. Like like, this music stuff is important. My daughter, obviously, is important, but, like, me growing spiritually and, becoming more connected to the creator and whatever's higher than me, like, is is, like, my main and ultimate goal.

And what you're talking about with being one of many rather than being the one is, something that this book that I I read a lot, called A Course in Miracles talks about, but it talks about it in the spiritual aspect where it's it's, rather than, like, the second coming of Jesus or or, whatever other spiritual, like, revolutions from other, from other, like, religions or stuff or are are predicted. Like, I I don't really know much about it, but, like, rather than it just being, like, the super main event that happens and everything changes, like, it talks about it being the fact that, like, the mind has to change in us as individuals first. Right? Like, we have to stop identifying with ego in ourselves first and and recognizing our our spirit and then start addressing the fact that other people are still attached to their ego, but they are ultimately a spirit and, like, they're not their ego. And so we start treating each other that way, like, oh, you're my brother in spirit.

You know? And, and then from there, like, it just it builds and it collects and it creates this this point in time is gonna come where everybody recognizes the fact that, like, we come from spirit. And, like, we're we may be in this human form right now. But everything that, like, we've navigated our life with thus far has been all ego. And, like, and and it's our goal and our ultimate purpose to be rid of that ego and, become connected to spirit.

And then when that happens, that's supposed to be, like, the atonement. Right? Like, that's when it's, like, there'll be no more need for the world or the matrix or whatever, like, once everybody on the planet recognizes that. That's what the book talks about anyway. But so, like, I love that idea and and, I practice it.

And, like, it's great that it can apply to everything because I feel like when something can apply to every aspect of life, it must be truth. Right? And so if it works the same way in the music industry or if it works the same way in racial issues or if it works the same way in capitalism and, like, defeating the machine behind capitalism or works the same way in technology and AI, like, then it must be true like that. We have to stop trying to be the one in these areas and start and start being one of many in order to reach this ultimate purpose, not only for ourselves, but for a collective as humans, you know. And Mhmm.

Damn. I I got so caught up in that idea that I forgot where I was going with it. That happens to me quite often. But I just need to think because there was a purpose, like, I was going somewhere with that. Where these, as a collective.

Damn. I must be tired because I'm, like, I'm, like, drawing a blank. I guess I was just supposed to say that. Yeah, man. Yeah.

You know, like, that's just what I was meant to say. I feel like that's that's when the movements the bigger vision being something that everybody plays a piece, a part of, you know, is is the ways that we execute that vision. But and, you know, like, ego is is a is a tricky thing. Right? Ego is, is a good and bad thing, meaning that, like, you should have ego in the sense of, like, self empowerment, right, self worth.

Those are things that are important with an ego. But when the ego gets out of control, right, when the ego becomes the the main, monkey in your brain that's telling you where to go, you know, how to act, or interact, you know, that's where it becomes dangerous, you know, when it and when it separates you from people or divides things because of, you're only the one mentality. You know? That's I've seen people have that, you know, and that's short lived most of the time. Like, something in their lives is gonna beat that out of them.

You know? So it's something in their lives is gonna check you and be like, nah. You're not the one. Even if you think you're the one that's not in this way. You know?

So I think that, like, that relationship with self and knowledge of self. And and and then that's where it's individual. Right? Like, individuals make communities. So if you're taking care of yourself, then you're taking care of your community.

Mhmm. Right? So and and and what I mean by that, meaning that, like, it's all mental health. It's all spiritual health. And if we're, like, taking care of ourselves and we're feeding the rest of the the community that good energy that everybody can benefit from and do something constructive with.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That and that was the the point Yeah. Yeah.

Sure. That I I forgot. It was like, I love that that is that it's that simple. Right? That we don't have to focus on, changing the entire system.

Right. Exactly. Yeah. All we have to do is focus on changing our system and how we operate. Mhmm.

And eventually, like, the domino effect will take over. Exactly. And it'll and it'll reach there. If you're doing a good thing with yourself and doing a good thing in a small circle, it'll spread. Exactly.

Yeah. And I love that. And because we were talking about before the podcast, or you and Jesus mostly were talking about, like, that these people who go after the entire system right away Mhmm. They get infiltrated, and they get taken down. Very true.

And then they just become a part of the system. Right. Right. Right. Which is probably why music, like, underground artists specifically, are so important because we're not, like, going after this this system, I think, in in this way that, is like, we're gonna fucking bring it down.

Like Right. Right. It's more just like We influence the system. We influence it. Like, everything that everything that's commercial was underground at some point.

Yeah. You know? So, like, things that are cultivated underground, like, becomes that's what cool is. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's what they sell us is cool.

Yeah. So, like, you know, the underground artists or the independent artists is the influencer. We're the ones that influence the big machine. And me and Jesus, we talked about this earlier. I'm spitting everywhere.

We're talking about this earlier. It's not always important to be the face. Mhmm. Sometimes it's more important to be the person in the back. Yeah.

You know what I'm saying? The person that actually is creating the ideas, who's building the infrastructures, that's influencing the people that are in front. So I think, like, the underground artist is very much the person in the back. You know what I'm saying? Like, everybody wants to be the main face, and everybody wants to be the main person, you know, like, that shows that they're doing the things.

But, really, it's the it's the person who's coming up and cultivating the ideas and, like, giving, giving the directions in the background. That's really the, the true power within it. So I think, like, understanding that and having, awareness of who you are within that, ultimately makes you a very powerful person, influential. And when you understand that about your community and you being an influencer and your communities being influencers, then you can really, like, start, like, transitioning and evolving things in very, like, cool and very innovative ways. But, like, and not to knock the people who are chasing, like, the commercial success.

Mhmm. Like, I think that that's something if that's what you that there's power in that as well. But I feel like, understanding your power from all levels. You know what I'm saying? In all levels, ultimately, like, bridges the gap of all these ideas that we're talking about and all these ideologies.

Yeah. Like, really, like, understanding where you're at in that puzzle piece, and knowing that you're significant regardless if you're a huge artist or independent underground artist. You know? Like, understanding all aspects of it gives you that ultimate confidence and, power on on longevity. An independent artist usually stick around the longest.

You know what I'm saying? Their their careers are usually the and, like, you you cultivate a cult following because of that. Mhmm. You know? Yeah.

Which and I mean, Nipsey's whole message was that Mhmm. Yeah. For sure. Which was, I mean, that was huge for me. I didn't come across Nipsey's music until Victory Lap.

But, like Yeah. When I said that was a huge influence for me to get, like, pushed back into, like, making music, but also, seeking out, like, business opportunity with the music. Yeah. Because that was something that I didn't, like, understand really was that it it's it's not it doesn't have to be this thing, and it's most likely not gonna be this thing where you make this dope ass song or this or this dope album and then somebody comes to you and is like, hey. Sign right here.

You know? Like, here's your money and here's your fame and, like, I mean, unless you're pushing the ideals, like, that that they're that those labels are pushing and and, like, that they're trying to sell and you have some backing behind you already, like, that's not really gonna happen. And so, like, outside of that, your only shot is to do this yourself. And I didn't understand that until I listened to Victory Lap and, like Yeah. And heard him talk about it.

Right? And then, like and I started putting energy into that immediately. And and it landed me here with Youth On Record, like, in in the fellowship where Melina knows all about navigating the the music business as an independent artist, and, like, he's teaching us how to do that. Yeah. And so it's, like, it's just starting to build on itself just from from that message.

So, I'm grateful that, like, he was, like, he was always talking about it, you know, because I needed to hear it. Someone like Melina specifically Yeah. Is a great example of, when you're talking about longevity. Right? Right.

Exactly. And not just longevity. Like, people, what people don't understand about, like, fame and, being an icon, right, is that, like, we think, if you're famous now, you'll be famous later, which isn't true. No. What you do now and what you cultivate now so, like, Melina, going back to that.

So, like, you get you know, look at in the at his body of work. Like, he's got, like, maybe, like, 15 to 20 albums. Right? Mhmm. Now, historically, right, like, when we're old, right, like, when we're thinking, like, thirty or forty years down the the road.

Right? Think about a young person that runs across somebody like a Molina and don't know any don't know too much about him, but, like, they find a book from him. And then as they find that book, they find out he does music. And then as they find his music, they find how much music that he did. Yeah.

You know? And then, like, they they realize the things that he was engaged in, like, within culture and society on top of that, you know, versus, finding young thug who's, like, you know, famous right now. Mhmm. You know, like, when you think about longevity and you think about iconic like, when you think about, like, a Nina Simone or when you think about, like, somebody like a Leonardo, Da Vinci. You know what I'm saying?

Like, those people and our ideas of fame when they were in existence versus now is different. And, like, the things that make them relevant is the body of work that they created and left behind. Right. Right? So, like Yeah.

Yeah. You can be famous now, but on the longevity, when somebody goes back and discovers your body of work, what are they gonna remember? Mhmm. You know what I'm saying? Because those are the messages and the things that you left behind that build your legacy.

You know? So, like, I think that's one thing, like, when we're talking about, like, fame or longevity or iconic status or things like that, we think about it in the now. But, like, thinking about it, like, twenty, thirty years from now or forty years from now, you know, when that person is, like, old or gone. It's a it's a different, it's a different take on it. You know what I'm saying?

That longevity is, like, you being true to your artistry, you being true to who you are, and being authentic in producing. Mhmm. You know? Yeah. Mona, when she teaches here at youth, she was telling me, like, something that they have to teach is the fact that a lot of these people who get famous or just for a little bit, like, if they wanna keep that up, they have to keep up this, this art that isn't really them.

Right? And so, like, they're creating something that doesn't really suit them. And, like, a lot of people in our industry commit suicide because of that. Real talk. Yeah.

Like, they're they're not, feeling like it's okay to be themselves. And so it, like, it hurts. Mhmm. And, and that's something that I didn't know. So when she was telling me about that, like, she, she was teaching me about that, you know, like, because there's been I mean, there was times recently where I just with the local scene, you know, like, you see people who have, like, 12,000 followers on Instagram or they're getting 20,000 video views, or plays on SoundCloud.

And, like like, I want that. And so I started making music that sounded like the music that those people make, but it wasn't me. It wasn't, like, what I wanted to make. And when I when that got coupled with the fact that I was already going through life circumstances that I wasn't necessarily cup or comfortable with or happy about. Like, it just created this this question of, like, well, who the fuck am I?

Like, I didn't feel accepted by anything or anybody that was going on around me, especially myself, you know. And that's because I wasn't accepting myself. Like, I was trying to be something that I wasn't just in order to get some some play and and maybe some money down the line. And I just I want I want hip hop artists, but artists in in general just to understand that, like, the best thing you can do for yourself, for the people that enjoy your music for now and who will enjoy it later, and, like, for the best thing you can do for your business, is to just is be yourself, like, in every aspect. You know?

Like, make the shit right now, I'm on the like, I wanna make the shit that feels uncomfortable to put out there because it's like I'm being too honest with, like Yeah. With my, like, my creative process and, like, who I am. You know? Like, but, like, that's what I wanna do. Yeah.

That's important. I think that's an honest place to be. And, you know, the people that are supposed to gravitate towards it will. Yeah. The honesty is important, though.

Yeah. Yeah. Authenticity. Are these ideas that you were raised with or would you say that you had you had to learn, these sort of ideas, like, along the way? Some raised and some, explored myself.

You know? Some some of it was trial and error. And, going through, circumstances and situations and, you know, losing people and all those things. They those are lessons that are important. So it's a little bit of all that, man.

Like, life, definitely you know, I left home, like, when I was, like, 17, 18. So and that was because, like, you know, I wanted to be free in in my thought and outside of the the ideas of my parents at that point. Yeah. So, I made a lot of mistakes and, the things that I made mistakes around. Now as an adult you know, as an older adult, like, I look at them as lessons because, like, that's those are the those are the trials that you have to go through in order to learn the lesson, to get the wisdom.

So, at the point, you know, at that point when I was going through it, it was very much what it was. You know? I didn't see anything in it, looking back now. You know? And it and that's the, the gift of living a long life.

Mhmm. Right? Like, you actually get to, like, replay, and that becomes a lesson for somebody else. It becomes wisdom for somebody else because you acquired it through making that mistake. Yeah.

And they don't have to they don't have to go through. To. But majority of the time, people are going to go through it in order to get that experience for themselves. Yeah. Yeah.

It's this, it's like humbly having these character defects removed. Right. Right. Because, like, most of the times when I've been put in these circumstances, like, these major lessons or these mistakes that I've made, it's because of the own shortcomings that I have. And, like, and wanting to use those shortcomings, not recognizing that they're character defects in order to control the situation around me.

Right. And, like, and so then it just all falls to shit. And, like, and I'm left there, like, oh, there might be a better way to do this and, like, I have to humble myself and admit that to myself and and, and learn from there. And, like, and then, next time that character defects, like, starts showing its head again, I'm, like, no. Because remember that time when you you fucking went through that?

Right. You learned the lesson. Yeah. So you gotta, like, let's try it the the way we learned when we went through that. So, yeah, I agree.

I mean, and then then through thirty years of of making music, I'm sure, like, you've had to learn things along the way. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Definitely.

What this album that you recently released, that was hard to say. Mhmm. What number album is that for you? It's probably, like, six. Six or seven.

Okay. Yeah. Yeah. I've done, like, a a lot of group albums, collaborations with other people, and then, like, independently released, only a few albums. You know?

Like, isolated generation when I was doing that was, like, one of my main focuses. I managed it. I I did a lot of, like, the back end work, for the for the group. So, and we all we all transitioned to into different directions. I ended up becoming a solo artist out of, like, necessity because none nobody else around me was, like, doing it at the time.

So I was like, well, I'm not done making music. So I started creating my own music, doing solo projects. But I never really, envisioned myself really being a a solo artist initially. I did and I didn't. I always kinda see myself to, as being a part of a collective.

Mhmm. But as I got into doing my own thing, I started, realizing that I needed to express myself, as an individual as well. Had things that I had, to express that only I could express by myself. And, that is, like, as that was ultimately the the direction of me going into solo. But when I first started, it wasn't necessarily, like, the first thing that I wanted to do.

I want the first thing I wanted to do was, like, have a collective of dope people, and, like, we can make some dope art together. Yeah. Yeah. Would you say you have that now with Brass and Gold Society? Is that kind of the vision that you had?

We're building it. We're building it. Like, we're very new in it. And, the thing about Brass and Gold Society is everybody's really an accomplished musician on their own. Right?

Mhmm. They don't need it. Nobody in that band needs each other. Right. But, like, that's also the magic.

Because you don't need each other, you're doing it because you wanna do it, and you feel like you can you can hear the magic in the creations that you do together. Right? So I think that's one of the the blessings of Brass and Gold Society. And I think, like, we feel happy about creating together. Like, majority of the time when we're rehearsing or we're doing things, it's, like, out of, like, good spirits.

Like, yo, man. I wanna be here. It's and we haven't created nothing in a while together. So it's exciting in that. Yeah.

For sure. Awesome. You wanna introduce this, this album and the song a little bit that we need to get into? Yeah. So Acuna Black, presents Crates of Vintage Dreams.

So Acuna Black, that was really me kinda diving into my own narrative and ancient culture. Really exploring, like, I have, a variety of connections to, like, indigenous culture through the the Gitchee, which is a tribe down in New Orleans. That's a part of my family that's from there, and then really exploring hip hop as an indigenous art form, and it it it being an ancient art form in future in, on on a future kind of mold right now. So, like, the ideas of creative interest dreams is, really, exploring our past and who we are who we were in our past to understand where we are in our future. So the knowledge and the things that we, learned in our ancient in ancient times or things that are currently perceived today as magic.

Right? But it's actually alchemy and mathematic and science and connects us to who we who we are and where we come from, you know, outside. And this is just me on just some, you know, on some other outside of earthly realms. Right? You know, like, really thinking about, like, what the culture of humanity is, inside, like, these ancient ideas.

So the song, from this project creates a vintage dreams. It's called no more, and the idea of no more is basically, talking about the structures of what we currently are dealing with, the matrix, and, really kinda diving into the greatness, of who we used to be in our ancient knowledge. Mhmm. You know what I'm saying? So they don't make us, like us no more.

It's kinda like, really exploring that idea of who we were. Alright. Awesome. Produced by produced by Fat Track. Fat Track and, me, went through this whole album and wrote and produced it together.

So Fat Track is on the beat on this one. Thank you. This is No More by Queenie Black. Yeah. Yeah.

Let's go. Let's No. Because they never really did it. How we live in this world of lies. Everybody in the skies looking at the friendly skies, living in denial, judgment in the heart.

Everyone's own trial, trying to live a little. We just made it past the riddle, eat us up like that. Who are we trying to be the noble keeper? Hoping that the spirit guides might seek you. Asking for a preacher, calling for a teacher, knowing that the systematic traps might eat you knowing how to live a life maybe have to sacrifice Jesus lived a humble life Buddha did too I'm just trying to be your man of a little virtue I'm just trying to be your man of a little virtue They don't make them like us no more Never made them like No.

Because they never really did. Yeah. Open up and let it go. Elevate the mental, spiritual insight, Alright. That's good.

The vocalist on there, he's from the isolated generation. His name is Solom. Solom. And he's, he's from, oh, he's from here in Denver. He lives in Phoenix, Arizona now.

Yeah. I just wonder I thought about it as I was listening to him saying, I was like, it's a Solon. I need to make sure that he gets some props. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Of course. I was gonna ask. I love that song. Oh, thank you.

Yeah. I love I love just your, ability to just be yourself on the track. Thank you. That's, very apparent. Thank you.

And it comes across nicely. So, anything else you wanna say about that song? Any lyrics specific lyrics you wanna break down? I mean, like, the song itself is just kinda, like, really, exploring, you know, exploring, like, kind of the lies that we that we all have been battling. Like, the system only thrives because of the stories that it makes up in, and and the things that we, accept as truth.

Mhmm. You know? So, you know, like, indigenous culture, people of color, communities of color, we all have to be reminded that, like, outside of, like, the stigmas and stereotypes, the ways that we view each other and the ways that we, view ourselves through this lens of media, that we're great. You know? And the greatness of who we are is what actually makes America thrive in ways and the world thrive in the ways that it does.

So, like, the song itself is just a reminder of culture and why you embrace who you are and your ancestors and the people who came before you, mainly because, the system itself and the machine itself wants you to forget that in order to acclimate and be what it wants you to be. So, the song's just a reminder. You know what I'm saying? A reflection of, who we are and our greatness and within that embracing it and not, like, shying away from it or being apologetic around it. I dig it.

I can get behind it. Yeah. Yeah. Are you going on tour for this album or anything or doing, I've been doing drop dates, and I've been touring a little bit. Okay.

I'm gonna be doing, like, more, shows, out of town, with, this group called Zai and I Mhmm. From Oakland. Okay. And I'll probably be doing another tour, with, and this is still in the talks, but doing a tour with Sky Zoo, artists in Brooklyn and, Pete Rock, but that's still in the works. They were still trying to figure out all the details around that.

But, all of it, it's not directly in of Creates and Vintage Dreams, but Creates and Vintage Dreams is being pushed while I'm touring it. Okay. Awesome. Let everybody know where they could find your music and your social media. You can find me on, most social media platforms.

I think all of them under ill seven, I l l s e seven e n. You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, or, Instagram under that or Acuna Black, or Black Friday on Twitter. If you're on Twitter, I'm under Black Friday. So, you can find me under l seven, though, under most things, and that'll go ahead and connect you to who and what I am on, you know, any social media, I l l s e seven e n. Awesome.

Thank you very much for coming in today. Yeah, man. Thank you to Jesus Rodriguez for recording and engineering. Thank you to Youth On Record for opening the doors, and letting us in. It's been a good day so far.

I'm exhausted. I'm ready to relax Yeah. And, enjoy my Sunday. And be on the lookout for the vibes night video, with free music for free people. It'll be on the website, and it'll be the it'll be the first one that we, we do of bringing back vibes night.

And Acuna Black and Baba Fly are gonna be featured on that video. They'll be spinning some bars for us, doing some verses. We are recording that and throwing that event August 16. So if you came out, because this is gonna come this episode will be out after that. If you came out, thank you.

But if you weren't there and you wanna watch the video, go to fm4fp.com. That's fm,thenumberfour,fp.com and you can watch it there. And, make sure you subscribe to our newsletter, with your email and you'll get, all of the videos that we're coming out with and, all the media that we're pushing sent directly to you and you'll get it first. It could you'll get it before we actually release it onto the website or, social media. So make sure you do that.

Thank you for another episode. Peace out, love. It's your fucking boy.