The Artist AJ's Musical Journey

Speaker 1 0:00

Welcome. Welcome to the your Opinion Doesn't Matter podcast. I am the host, mr Lamont. I'm here. I got a special guest. Yes, yes yes. A special guest. He's more than a guest he's my family. Big fan, big fan, I mean listen, this is not an illusion here. The height is definitely. You can see it. I am shorter than him. I am shorter than him. This is my cousin, my younger cousin. It in him, I am short in him. This is my cousin, my, my younger cousin, type, yeah, and he's a and he's an artist.

Speaker 2 0:30

His name is aaron. What's your?

Speaker 1 0:31

artist name.

Speaker 2 0:32

They call me aj, just like that they call me aj though, okay, okay, okay, that's what's up. That's what's up. Yeah, how are you doing? You can never complain. You know what I mean. Like, yeah, just never, no complaints, ever life treating me well right right nice to hear man.

Speaker 1 0:47

Nice to hear, nice to see you, man and um. I seen you be putting in putting that work on um with your music. Yeah, from your um. The sound from the videos, yeah, concepts. I'm like whoa, where's he getting that from? He's watching the tikt manual.

Speaker 2 1:03

Everything usually comes from YouTube and stuff like that, but that's all me. I taught myself cameras, I taught myself microphones. You know just every aspect of it. I just like learning.

Speaker 1 1:14

You like learning, that's what's up. That's what's up About how long you been rapping.

Speaker 2 1:19

I was rapping since 13,. To be honest, I was just, you know, timid about it because you know I'm not good and stuff like that.

Speaker 1 1:25

Right right, right, right, right, yeah, to be honest, 13, that's. I ain't going to say that's a long time, because you I'm about there now. I'm getting up there, you up there, you up there, you up there you up there. That's one thing. That's one thing is, when it's in, you pause.

Speaker 2 1:44

No, ditty man.

Speaker 1 1:45

No, ditty, but the love for it. The love for it, I mean, I could tell, because you didn't stop.

Speaker 2 1:50

That's how I knew it was real for me, because it's always been my safe space. Even if I did a bad track, I still feel inspired to try to come back and do something better or something like that.

Speaker 1 2:02

So you're saying that you do it and you bounce right back, right, like you never left.

Speaker 2 2:06

Yeah, it's really like I don't know. I'm just, I gravitate towards music. It's my safe zone Right, Right.

Speaker 1 2:13

How do you see music today Like what's your? Where can you fit? What category would you be?

Speaker 2 2:18

in. That's funny because I asked a lot of people that like who I sound like, who I sound like. They all give me the same answer like no one. Like I just got my own lane and I at first that was you know it. It kind of put me down because it felt like I didn't have a place in the industry, but at the same time, like I flipped it and it's like everybody like it, so I just kept going in my own lane and that's that's what I'm here. I'm not even running, no more, I'm ready oh, okay, okay.

Speaker 1 2:45

So, um, how close are you to actually stardom, like um, who's been checking for you and where you've been?

Speaker 2 2:52

I know you're in vegas right now well, I'm see there's been a lot of ups and downs. People don't understand this. When it comes to music, industry is going to be a lot of ups and downs. You could be right there then right back there. I've I've been in contact with a lot of people before, but like I don't like to name drop, I want to make this on my own. You get what I'm trying to say, like this is going to be all me. So just whenever y'all y'all see me going around, that's when I pop, that's, that's, that's it there's no real lane.

Speaker 1 3:21

You call yourself, you know you're not. You're definitely not a drill rapper.

Speaker 2 3:26

Definitely not. I like to talk to ladies.

Speaker 1 3:28

Yeah, you're more like a. Let me see, I don't know.

Speaker 2 3:34

See, you're like an.

Speaker 1 3:37

R&B swing. Yeah, I don't know if you do more harmonizing. Do you consider what you do harmonizing or do you consider it singing Harmonizing?

Speaker 2 3:45

Definitely 100%.

Speaker 1 3:46

Oh, okay.

Speaker 2 3:47

Yeah, I had to, you know, teach myself vocals and stuff like that, but it's still a work in progress. I like the whole journey, man Like. I learn new things about how to mess with my vocals and stuff like that.

Speaker 1 3:59

Right, right, that's good, that's good. That's the good thing about music, man, even though you could change with the time. But if you hold the course with something that you figured out, a style that's yours, you won't bend. You just keep going until your time is right. And then I see, you're going to keep going and your time is going to come. Your time is going to come. And what outlets do you like? Where do you put your music? Where do you have your music now? Like I know, you had a lot of projects.

Speaker 2 4:27

How many projects you have so I kind of took all of those off and I'm like trying to like start fresh. So right now, no projects. I'm about to drop a project soon um, it's gonna be called make it last longer and some right, and that's just. Yeah, just some things that I went through in the past. I'll be dropping that shortly, but I drop music on Instagram, youtube, everything under there. Call me AJ. You know what I mean. Right now I'm working on my site, which will be up, where I'm going to drop this next project on.

Speaker 1 4:56

Oh, okay, okay.

Speaker 2 4:57

I'm going to do my own way. No streaming platforms. You know what I mean.

Speaker 1 5:01

I'm trying to find my own way.

Speaker 2 5:06

Like okay, get to the people directly, Directly straight to my site. Direct mail Go straight to them.

Speaker 1 5:10

So about how much songs is going to be on there?

Life Lessons and Growth Through Adversity

Speaker 2 5:13

So right now I'm at seven, but I got an eighth. That's just peaking in there right now.

Speaker 1 5:18

Nice, nice nice Yo, man, if you need me on a bar you know, yeah, yo man, if you need me on a ball. Nah man, let me hear something.

Speaker 2 5:28

I got two balls boom bam. I might need that for like an intro or something.

Speaker 1 5:29

Yeah, yeah yeah, but yeah. So I'm happy for you. You know I'm happy for you. Thank you, thank you.

Speaker 2 5:35

You didn't stop.

Speaker 1 5:36

You kept going. You never know if it's gonna go in If you don't take the shot.

Speaker 2 5:42

Well, who's looking, too? On top of that. You never know who's watching you don't. If it's going to go in if you don't take the shot, well, who's looking, too?

Speaker 1 5:45

on top of that you never know who's watching you don't know who's watching yeah, you don't know who's watching man and you could be inspiring people in some form or fashion, Even if it's not like, say you don't want to go mainstream. As long as your music has a message, you could touch a lot of people.

Speaker 2 6:00

So I used to go I don't know if you remember I used to do like a show Hot or Not on YouTube and I was going around Vegas having people listen to my music and I had a lot of like young dudes run up to me and tell me that, like in person, like yo, you inspiring us to like get off our butts and come out here and put in the work actually, so, like you just saying that reminded me of that how come you stopped? Um, it was more, because I literally do everything alone. I can't hold a camera and walk and entertain, and you know what I mean. So I edit everything by myself. I do just every aspect of it all. So it's finding the cameraman, especially moving out to vegas. You know what I mean, like getting connected with the right people right, it matters.

Speaker 1 6:44

Yeah, the right people matters, man, trust me, connected with the right people. Right, it matters. The right people matters, man, trust me in life. The right people matters, man, cause um, it's like I call it the um algorithm. Yeah, you gotta have a different, you gotta have an algorithm of life, and that's true. And it's true indeed that you gotta be around certain things for you, like, as a flower, to grow. Yeah, like the proper water, the proper sunlight. You know what I mean. Not water with beer and liquor in it.

Speaker 2 7:08

You know what I?

Speaker 1 7:08

mean Basically yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, To stifle your growth. You know what I mean you wouldn't be 6'8, right now. You would have been 5'2. Imagine, imagine me, you would have been 5'2 when you was 5. Hey yo, when he was 15, he was 6'7. It was about here, no cap.

Speaker 2 7:31

Yeah, that was about right, I was trash and bold. Tell them he was a hothead. That's what it was. I didn't like listening.

Speaker 1 7:40

No, listen, listen, we talking about authority. He don't go for it. Whatever you selling he ain't buying it. Yo listen under no circumstance what you said. What, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. In his mind, right quick. He processed it like if you're disrespecting him. What did you mean? What did you mean by that? Then it's on, then it's on. But you know, we had a lot of fun, though. We had a lot of fun. You traveled, you know, to pursue basketball Because of you.

Speaker 2 8:11

Yes, thank you a lot, you went to Cali.

Speaker 1 8:13

You went to what's the difference.

Speaker 2 8:14

I was in Florida and even when I was out there remember I was going around I was in Colorado. Yeah, yeah, you was on the circuit, you was on the circuit.

Speaker 1 8:23

Did any of those guys that you was with any of them go pro anybody?

Speaker 2 8:27

Nah, I watched them. I seen a couple of them go overseas and stuff like that. Shout out a few Jeff, amazon, akeem, austin, like they went overseas and stuff like that. It was putting in some work.

Speaker 1 8:39

Other than that, nah, no, no, nba, because you know they say the numbers. I was hearing the numbers for, like, say, for basketball players in high school. It's like say, out of 100, they said only 10% make high school teams, that's real Now college 5% of the total population in school NBA what's the number? You think I think it.

Speaker 1 9:05

Things like one we down to one 1% yeah 1%, 1% man, and it's like it's always good, like the people out there, children, you know it's don't put all your eggs in one basket. My cousin was always smart, he always. He never just stuck with, he never just stuck with just basketball, he was always doing music. So it's always to have a backup plan or even have something else at the front plan and backspin Tight, yeah, because it not let you ready. You got to have your head put on strong. Yeah, actually, I'm going to do this, I'm going to do this. But sports in general, it's the same thing with music. You got to keep your head on. You got to Discipline. Yeah, it's a hard body discipline. Yeah, it's not made for the weak.

Speaker 2 9:51

The thing about music. Though no one told me what to do, I told myself.

Speaker 1 9:54

Right, right right.

Speaker 2 10:04

No, but no, funny. Just you get older you realize. Oh, like you know what I mean, you have your aha moments. So you just got to listen and that's about it. You got to have a trust.

Speaker 1 10:15

Right, but then also there's a flip side to that. There's also a flip side to that that even if, say, you did listen, listening to me, wouldn't have gave you the skill, did listen, yeah, listening to me wouldn't have gave you the skill you would have to have the skill, you would have to develop the skill because I couldn't. I could tell you where to go, but how you get there, you understand. It's like how you gonna, how do you do it? It's like you could have the best coach in the world, but it's how you play it, how you do, how you digest it. Even if you listen, don't be, don't, you don't even want to digest in part.

Speaker 2 10:41

I don't want you to look at it as if you listen don't even want to look at it.

Speaker 1 10:43

So it's a digesting part. I don't want you to look at it, as if you would have listened, you would have made it, it just didn't happen. Don't say that Because you know. I feel like that's a, that's an underlined this bro Huh, that's an underlined this you just like In life, you got to realize like it's not about what you didn't do, it's what you did. You understand there's people that actually listen and try hard. It don't make no difference. It don't make a difference.

Speaker 2 11:09

Yeah, you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 11:10

It's like they say you pretty up something. If it is what it is, you understand.

Speaker 2 11:16

I know what you mean. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 11:18

Like put lipstick on a pig. Yeah, it's still a pig, it's still a pig, still a pig. You understand. So in life, it's about what you do and what you put into it. It's more than what the training training is. It's about what you do yourself, the hard work you put in for yourself life panned out. You were healthy. I ain't gonna say young man anymore that's messed up, bro yeah, you are young man. Yeah, you don't got no kids yet nah I'm he's stuttering, he's stuttering.

Speaker 2 11:46

I'm, I'm. He's saying like it's a bad thing yo listen, listen, listen.

Speaker 1 11:52

Your sister got a kid, that's, she's about to go to high school next year. No, she in high school she in high school, now sophomore bro your brother got kids, you know, you know, and, um, he has three. Right, your brother got kids, you know, and he has three right, he has three or two.

Speaker 1 12:06

He got two, two, two kids. And you know, I mean, when it's perfect time, perfect time, I can't talk. I just had my first kid. Yeah, congrats, bro. You know she's six years old. How'd that go? Oh, it's going good, it's going good, man, yeah, yeah, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, life is different, huh.

Speaker 1 12:23

Daddy. Life is definitely different, man. It's a fun thing. You start to realize the things that's more important in life. You know it's fun things that's more important than you and you got to. You know you can't be selfish, no more. Yeah, it's about your family. You're going to put your family first and you're going to do what you got to do for your family. I feel that. So that's the thing about you have a different direction, different goals. Now Like, oh, I definitely got to get it now, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 12:51

There's no out here.

Speaker 1 12:52

Yeah, you can't be like. Oh man, I want to dibble and dabble with this, but hey, that might not make me money right now, but I'm going to try. No, you're going to be like.

Speaker 2 13:00

I can't do it. You got to do certain things. I know what you mean, like for sure things for sure things, for sure things, alright.

Speaker 1 13:05

So I want to hear what are for sure things you're going to do with this music. What are you going to do to dot the I's and cross the?

Speaker 2 13:12

T's this time, what you going to do. I'm going. So my main thing, I'm going to hear me. They're going to understand. People are going to relate to me. My music is relatable, it's catchy, it's. You know what I mean. People see me like people in my life. They see me as a confident, cocky person. I walk around 6'8" handsome, can't complain, but at the same time they don't know. I'm insecure. I'm insecure about my music at times and I came out of that dark place and realized Effort, yeah, you get what I'm talking about. Yeah, man, like just nah, everybody keep telling me I'm nice, so I'm nice. What's going on?

Speaker 1 13:54

Because you know the thing about music is, when you say it's relative, like whoever would think anything negative of you you got would think anything negative of you, you gotta say can they? Not to them? You don't say it, but in your mind you gotta be like can you do it technically?

Speaker 2 14:08

yeah, can you do?

Speaker 1 14:09

it you could. That's the thing. It's harsh for people to have some some harsh words about music. That music is art. You know what I'm saying? They can't say that's trash, it's not your cup of tea. Yeah, you can't say it's trash, not unless you do music and you think you can do it better. True, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, so that's. You know, you're dotting the I's and crossing the T's, man, and I want you to keep pushing, pushing, pushing, man. Yeah, but so what are you doing different this time?

Speaker 2 14:38

This time I'm taking my time, I'm not rushing, I'm not putting too much information out there before it's actually ready. You get what I'm saying. I'm just pacing myself, taking my time. I've done years of studying and I'm putting all of that to use right now, if it makes sense Right, right, right, right, right, right, right.

Speaker 1 14:57

Man, I know you're going to do well. Well, thank you. You're going to knock him out, man, you're going to knock him out.

Speaker 2 15:03

This is it for me. That's how I feel. I feel like everybody's going to know they call me AJ. After this, after I drop this, to be honest.

Speaker 1 15:12

Right, right, right, right, right right. You're going to do it. You're going to do the ball out the park, man, yeah.

Speaker 2 15:20

Thank you, thank you.

Speaker 1 15:21

So what else is going on in life with you, man? How is everything else, how everything else is holding up?

Speaker 2 15:26

Well, definitely can't complain, like I just be working music, working music and dealing with Nevada heat.

Speaker 1 15:34

So yeah, dude, you hot, man, hot. Did we have some little, them little creatures?

Speaker 2 15:43

them Geico's be walking the streets over there. I know it was so bad. Maybe there was some Geico's out there walking around and shit, trying to sell you insurance them little Geico's a little bit.

Speaker 1 15:50

They were like shit, because I know it's hot. You been out there yeah.

Speaker 2 16:00

I've been to.

Speaker 1 16:01

I went there for my birthday in July. Oh, you did a July trip. You know, the hotel I was in was AC. As soon as I stepped out I felt that heat. I walked up a little bit like from here to like oh no, I'm going back in.

Speaker 2 16:14

It's not worth it.

Speaker 1 16:15

Yeah, I was going to walk up to a couple other hotels. I said no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I said no, no, mas, no mas no mas no, mas I feel that yeah, man that's crazy, nah.

Speaker 2 16:30

But yeah, it's been fun out there. I can't even complain. Man like to be honest, even even when I go to work. It's just vibes, it's all different types of people, it's not one set, you know, of people it's not one set. You know right of people, vegas is like a home of many. Right you got cali atl. New york is so everybody come there, meet up and they try and get to a goal yeah simple nice, nice, nice, a good vibe, a good vibe, good vibe, good vibe man.

Speaker 1 16:59

You know, um, let's, you know, let's talk about family. Let's talk about family structure, man, like how things are with family. That you could be with family from when you was young, yeah, and then when you get older, you ain't with them. Friends too. You outgrew this shit out of your friends Like nigga, I'm gone, I'm gone.

Navigating Relationships and Family Dynamics

Speaker 2 17:25

That's how it goes. It's left and right. So me I'm just an introvert, so I go and speak on my path. I just like being alone, man, it's just like I'm comfortable with myself. A lot of people aren't and yeah, I have this skill. You know we fam, so you know how my mom is Like. They're extroverts, so I'm good at being it. I just like to be by myself. And the old dog guy. I realized I didn't have to deal with the extra drama, so it was easy to just you know what.

Speaker 1 17:50

I mean Right, it's like I didn't lose a step with y'all. Like, as far as us as family, we didn't hang out that much because you moved out, that much because you moved, but we was always close because I was thinking right and I was thinking about um, certain things like um for us, with family and friends and stuff like that. It's like people say your day ones, right, it's like you, you, you the day one, stuff is played out. I agree it's played out because these people that you knew when you was day one, all of us was getting taken care of by our parents. We had no bills, we had nothing.

Speaker 1 18:26

They already say, like the fortitude of who you are, it don't come from supporting of your family, it comes from the supporting of the actual peoples that you're around. But, like, the people I'm around for the last 35 years, day in and day out, wasn't the guys that I grew up with. Like I can't even say what I mean by grew up with when I was a kid. Once I start having bills, my algorithm changed. My algorithm changed, you understand.

Speaker 1 18:53

But I still would see some of my homies, but they didn't party with me, we didn't travel, we wasn't dealing with girls together. It wasn't even that I didn't have no. Only memories I have with them is running around throwing rocks and stuff.

Speaker 2 19:06

Type joint like that yeah.

Speaker 1 19:08

So I mean, you know sometimes, sometimes you outgrow, you outgrow people, man, you got to though. You outgrow people because your memories of just throwing rocks and stuff we didn't.

Speaker 2 19:18

We didn't break no bread, we didn't do nothing, nothing serious, to be honest, nothing you got to, though you got to cut ties but sometimes people hold you to.

Speaker 1 19:26

This ain't gonna say what people hold you to, but that you you find yourself in a position when you trying to honor something that ain't there.

Speaker 2 19:33

No more man do you get what I'm saying like? I feel like friends can be more family at sometimes in life, depending on your path or what you're doing oh yeah, no, no, no, no something.

Speaker 1 19:43

Yeah, I feel like telling. When I argue with my oldest brother, I'll be arguing myself. I got my homies that have more black brothers than me, yeah, and he said I don't even say it's my day ones, it's like my homies now that I've been hanging away for 35 years. These are my, these are my guys. You understand. I'm saying these are my guys. I mean, you know what I mean. I have more memories now with them than these guys that I have from the past. I'm just saying, like people this day, one crap is just it's nothing Played out.

Speaker 2 20:09

I got you it's not it.

Speaker 1 20:10

Yeah, it's not it.

Speaker 2 20:16

It's about when you mature and you become a man.

Speaker 1 20:18

That's when your day ones, when you start looking to make money Paying bills like you said yeah and they'd be like, oh okay, oh, let me get you this job, or something like that.

Speaker 1 20:28

I learned a lot as you get older. You're still learning stuff, man, and you're hearing people, but you gotta be like, yeah, listen, you gotta establish boundaries, and stuff like that I do. I could regret not staying close with a lot of family and the thing about our family it was turmoil Turmoil that got the cousins not really. It was the adult turmoil that got the cousins not rocking with each other really and our family we already got a small family and me getting back to the point about family, did the other two co-hosts what they got? A huge family.

Speaker 2 21:03

I swear.

Speaker 1 21:04

Probably in Brooklyn alone, I think they got more than 50 of them, I think.

Speaker 2 21:09

I'm not even sure. I always felt like my family was big, because y'all always show that type of love that make it feel big.

Speaker 1 21:15

You get what I'm saying, yeah but listen, pause, pause.

Speaker 2 21:18

No kidding.

Speaker 1 21:21

You caught me, yeah, but I said over 50 in Brooklyn. But you know one thing is you know I got the game. Your opinion doesn't matter. Yeah, that's the name of the podcast. Your opinion doesn't matter. It's a constant thought-provoking, debate-formatted game, man. It's great for family and friends. And you know why it was created? Because I like hearing conversations as long as I'm not on as long as it's not Directed at you. The abuse is not coming this way.

Debating Hiring Songwriters for Raps

Speaker 1 21:47

I don't tolerate those type of conversations. But like, say, there's a debate about, oh yeah, who got the best pizza or the best what's the name of it Best roti, I would listen. It's through the years I'm hearing different who got the best this, who got the best that I'm listening. I'd be like, wow, I'd be amazed, man, this is how you feel. So then I'm like how are you arguing about something that it's your opinion Basically? So that's when I came up with the game. Your opinion doesn't matter. Your opinion doesn't matter. It's not like taking away from who you are, but it's to let you know that listen, there's other opinions out there, there's facts. Yeah, so it's not only your opinion. You understand.

Speaker 2 22:32

It doesn't matter what you like.

Speaker 1 22:36

Yeah, I mean, it matters to you. You know it matters to you, that's how far it should go. It matters to you, yeah, that's how far it should go. You shouldn't be like oh, no, yo, no, no, no, it matters to me, and then say no more Type jerk, but they'll go hard. They'll go hard.

Speaker 2 22:51

They'll go hard, man. What's some of the questions that pop up in the game I created?

Speaker 1 22:56

a game it's called. Your Opinion Doesn't Matter.

Speaker 2 22:58

Doesn't matter.

Speaker 1 22:59

It's a constant, thought-provoking, debate-formatted game. It's great for family and friends. If you want to know the truth about somebody, you play this game. It has topics like social matters, sex and lies, politics, sports, entertainment, the isms and this one special one it's called for it or against it. Now, the for it or against it. Card has a die with it. The for it or against it. Die either has a for it or against it. Card has a die with it. The for it or against it. Die either has a for it or against it. So now say the topic which is? This? So happens, the topic is for it or against it. A woman president. So now this is how it goes. Now say you challenge somebody. Say I would challenge him. And now, if I roll the dice first, whoever's turning this, whoever made the challenge, has to roll the dice first. You roll the dice first. Whoever's turning this, whoever made the challenge, has to roll the dice first. You roll the dice. Now, if I land on against it, I got to argue the position against it.

Speaker 2 23:54

Oh, even if your real belief stands for it, you still got to just.

Speaker 1 23:58

If it's contrary to what you believe. You still got to argue the case and you got 30 seconds. You got 30 seconds to really make your case.

Speaker 2 24:06

Bet Throw this one out right now. You got 30 seconds to really make your case right. Throw this one out right now. Woman president, that's a popular one. What a coincidence.

Speaker 1 24:10

You got yes, you got 30 seconds. Woman president, I'm against it, you're for it, I go first. All right, right, 30 seconds Ready. Hey people out there, you be honest, say who wins. Even though he got time to think right now, no, I'm not even thinking All right ready, I'm listening.

Speaker 1 24:31

You know why I'm against a woman president, camila. I mean, this is the perfect timing for this. A woman president. You know, let me deal with emotion. They can laugh with you and when inside they thinking about I'm going to pull a blade out and cut your throat in a sec, don't cancel him. Please Don't cancel him. But no, I don't know. I'm not too sure. I don't know if a woman is ready to take the lead and actually become a president. I'm not too sure. I mean, women can feel they can do everything, but I'm not too sure about that.

Speaker 2 25:02

All right.

Speaker 1 25:04

Right.

Speaker 2 25:05

So we should have a woman president, I believe, because we're America, the greatest country in the world. We want to give, we promote equality. You know everybody's involved, so I guess we kind of on the same side. I'm just making a point of you know what I mean. You got me, you got me. That's good. I like this bro.

Speaker 1 25:26

So now we actually doing some speed rounds for y'all folks to let you get an understanding how the game is played. The topic is entertainment. The question is is it okay to hire someone to write your raps?

Speaker 2 25:40

No, simple it's done. You can flip it back. No, it's never okay for anybody to write your rap. Singing is different, but rap, the words is your talent, the flow is your talent. No one can ever write your raps, point blank, period.

Speaker 1 25:53

I don't need no more time for that, yeah but you see, you got to make a compelling case.

Speaker 2 25:57

That is a compelling case. I said singing is your talent. When it comes to rap, it's your words and your flows that makes you your talent.

Speaker 1 26:04

Okay, okay, you got a little more time.

Speaker 2 26:06

Your voice is Okay. Okay, some people got a good voice, but they not saying nothing.

Speaker 1 26:14

Okay, is it okay to have, is it okay to hire someone to write your raps? I say, say, why not, why not? But it's about where you want to go, get the money, where you want to be looked at as being judged and you're going to be a basement rapper forever. So I could write you some hot bars and your bars is not really it what you going to do. The struggle is real.

Speaker 2 26:39

I'm asking a question.

Speaker 1 26:41

So it's okay for somebody to write somebody's Sing Right.

Speaker 2 26:46

So what's the difference between rapping and that Because the person who's singing their talent is their vocals. When you're rapping, like your talent is your story. Whatever you're saying, your words, your flow, like how you, how you responding to the beat right, that's the talent.

Speaker 1 27:03

But your words, your words is your words. That talent is how you respond to the beat, how you get on the beat.

Speaker 2 27:07

That's what it says.

Speaker 1 27:08

Right, I'm agreeing with you, and the same thing goes with singing.

Speaker 2 27:12

With singing, it's like you can hear their passion through their vocals. I feel like singing is a very unique talent, because if you can bring out emotion out of somebody else's story, that means a lot coming from your vocal cords, if you think about that.

Speaker 1 27:38

But at the same time there's a lot of great singers but they don't have no good songs. There's a lot of people that you see singing karaoke. They real good, but maybe if they had a writer.

Speaker 2 27:43

That's what I'm trying to say. You got to understand. A lot of singers don't even know how to write.

Speaker 1 27:48

Right, so that's why you need a writer For singers. There's a lot of people who rap, who tries to rap.

Speaker 2 27:55

Just give me the guy who wrote your raps. I'll listen to him. I don't need to listen to you if that's the case when it comes to rap.

Speaker 1 28:01

Okay, well, I don't know, sometimes to me I think people need it, sometimes to me I think people need help.

Speaker 2 28:07

You think Drake write his own raps?

Speaker 1 28:10

Listen, but at the end of the day, look at the people. Who's calling him out by not writing his raps? But think about it he's going to the bank, man.

Speaker 2 28:21

Bank. He's going to the bank, you are right.

Speaker 1 28:23

He's making probably a million a month he's not listening to. Oh, I can't write these raps, but listen, I can surely cash this. Check True, what you'd rather be. You'd rather be one of those rappers that you'd rather be looking at, those oh man, look at that beautiful pony in the window type of rapper looking at it like I wish I can. I wish I can. Or you'd be like okay, I want to get to this money.

Speaker 2 28:49

I want to get to the money. But rap I'll do it with. That's what I said. I'll do it with singing raps. I just can't do it. That's me.

Speaker 1 28:56

Like that's just. But if you could take somebody writing for you from singing man, you can do it One day. You're song for you and you singing it. It's the same thing, bro. Same thing. Same thing if you think about it. You but you saying that singing is a singing that comes from the heart and soul. But there's a lot of singers who can't. There's a lot of singers who who don't have good songs because they don't have, they don't know how to write. And there's rappers who know how to rhyme but don't know how to write who, when you say rhyme they, they flow, is on point they flow is on the point.

Speaker 1 29:30

They know how to they yeah, that's different.

Speaker 2 29:31

I'm saying, like a lot of people you got to understand, rappers are having people write they flow and words for them. You get what I'm saying that's not acceptable, like you. Just what are you doing?

Speaker 1 29:43

right, right, right, right, right, right. It's a tricky thing. It's a tricky thing, I mean it's.

Speaker 2 29:48

It's a uh, you got.

Speaker 1 29:51

You made some good points, don't get it twisted, it's just because, if you just think, if you're just thinking that, if you're just thinking like dang, if I would have this, if I could listen to this guy, he write me, write me something for like and and guide you, guide you like an advisor, guide you on how you should go about it, and then style you up, but to eventually write your own. No, he's just grooming you. Yes, that's how Jermaine Dupri did Criss Cross, just like that's how Jermaine did Bow Wow.

Speaker 2 30:26

But you got to understand those are don't get it twisted. Twisted they got to the back. Those are artists. I consider myself an artist, but I'm not. I'm not playing. I'm going to be a great, I'm not just going to be an artist.

Speaker 1 30:39

That's what it takes if it makes sense no, I don't doubt it, I don't doubt, I don't doubt your potential, I don't doubt it. Let's just call it what it is for us, like us, and if there's opportunity there for somebody, great, that's gonna write you a rhyme and um, you know yeah, I hear that if anybody won't write you a rhyme, just take the opportunity take that, take that.

Speaker 1 30:55

Take that. No, no, diddy bro. People saying you can't write your rhyme ain't paying your bills. Even if they're not, they're not paying your bills, no matter if they or not. If you write it or somebody else write it, that person commented on you.

Speaker 2 31:12

There was hundreds of people thousands of people, just like you said what their opinion does not matter.

Speaker 1 31:18

Yeah, your opinion doesn't matter it does not matter they're not the ones feeding your family that's a fact right there so then it's like the love for um, the love for music, is going to keep you going and the love for this game is keeping me going, man, because I've been pushing this game for a long, long time, yeah, but like it's like a hard body two years, two, three years um. It was supposed to come out in 2020 when covet hit yeah, but it was stuck. It got stuck, everything shut down, okay. So I didn't get it and my whole approach was to go through college and then I had to change it. I had to change it, so in two years, I had to revamp it. I had to do Zoom game, nights, fire. I realized the concept is the concept. It's going to be good no matter whichever way.

Speaker 2 32:01

I do it, I think so.

Speaker 1 32:02

Like right now. I think that I'm getting my stride going your groove.

Speaker 2 32:07

Yeah, podcast is definitely the best way. Do it just like this you know how we're playing it right here, you get what I'm saying right, right, right.

Speaker 1 32:16

And you know the professional way, the other way that we there's another way that we play like how say the first. Say it's a group right and a group of five the first owner wins. Say it's a group right and a group of five the first one who wins four cards wins the game. But now here's the pro way. Say me and you, we're debating.

Speaker 2 32:37

Yeah.

Speaker 1 32:37

And you lose. Loser takes a shot. Oh.

Speaker 2 32:42

Yeah. Oh like we, good like Jesus. All right, man. I'm glad we wasn't doing that. I don't drink, man. I'm glad we wasn't doing that. I don't drink. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I'm glad we wasn't doing that. You know, I don't drink.

Speaker 1 32:52

You know, I stopped drinking. So let's get back to the music. Let's get back to the music, man. So what are we expecting, man? Are we expecting any features, or what is your favorite?

Speaker 2 33:02

songs. Well, I'm going to be my only feature. Like I said, I do everything. I rap, harmonize, sing. I don't know, it's like a weird middle ground, you've heard. Yeah, it's like a weird middle ground. So I just do everything myself. I'm my only feature. Favorite song I got a couple One day is like one call away. Next is leave me alone. It's like it just flops. It's like it just flops. It's just a vibe Like, especially when I listen back. I found myself listening back as a fan Right, you get what I'm saying Versus. Oh, I created this, nah, and that's how I know I'm doing something right this time, because I'm literally this is my morning routine I'm bumping this album, making sure everything is perfect.

Speaker 1 33:46

Right.

Speaker 2 33:46

So in this album, making sure everything is perfect, right? So, um, yeah, it's again. If I had to pick one song, I got a song probably for everybody to like probably move to shake, shake. I don't even know if I'm gonna keep that as the name, but it's just a good vibe. You get what I'm saying, like kind of like cookout song, just chilling okay, all right, nice, nice, nice, nice.

Speaker 1 34:08

So when? When do we expect this project?

Speaker 2 34:11

so on my birthday, the 20th, I'm not dropping it, but I would be releasing the release date and the artwork the 20th of what? The 20th of september my birthday's the 20th I expect I am him at the.

Embracing Change and Trusting Intuition

Speaker 2 34:25

I expect everybody to know my birthday now, just playing, I'm just playing, but that's good. I like that. Keep that in there. That's what he ever wants. That's hilarious, bro. But yeah, I will be here on my Instagram Again. I go by TCMA. They call me AJ. You can find me everywhere. I will be releasing the artwork and that release date with a couple of samples of probably each song, to be honest right, nice, nice, don't worry, man, I'm gonna be in full support of your movement you always have been yes yes, yes, yes.

Speaker 1 34:55

Now, we usually um, we usually have like um parting words. You know this thing in life, man, it's good to be positive. Yeah, you gotta be positive, man. A lot of times when you do positive things, great things come to your way. And timing is everything. Timing is everything. And change your algorithm, man. People out there change your algorithm in life, man. Yeah, if you knew better, you'd do better. You know so you don't want to be like hindsight Damn, I shouldn't have hung with them low-life scumbags for so long. I know what you mean, yeah, you know. And kids out there go to school, man, go to school, further your education and change your algorithm of life. And then you know you keep doing the same things. You're going to get the same outcomes.

Speaker 2 35:38

Of course, that part Change, change, change, Change. Don't be afraid of it, Yo, it's uncomfortable. I learned to love the uncomfortable now. So you know I don't want to know what's coming next. I learned to love that change. I like it.

Speaker 1 35:54

Okay, that's what's up man. That's what's up man. What's your parting words?

Speaker 2 35:58

Parting words. You just got to to be honest, when you believe in something, just know it, don't just believe it. Believing means you got a little bit of doubt in there, no, you know. So you got to kind of just trust yourself that everybody need to work on trusting the intuition. You doing amazing man with this. Your opinion doesn't matter, trust me. I, I watch and I told you you have something with this podcast, this. I was excited to be here to do this. You get what I'm saying and I would love to come back and do it with a full cast.

Speaker 2 36:34

You get what I'm saying it seems like a lot of fun. So it's just more trust what you're doing, Even if you're seeing no outcome. You never know what tomorrow or even the next hour holds. The next hour could be your time and you don't know that. So just always trust you.

Speaker 1 36:50

If you can see it is a reality that exists with it facts, facts plus tax fast plus tax listen, and this is the your opinion doesn't matter podcast and our special guest aj, and we're gonna be looking out for his music. Thank you, thank you, and we are outie man. Peace, peace, peace, peace live in ordinary live in ordinary peace.