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🔥 Don’t miss this explosive episode of "Sway In The Morning" as Dee-1 EXPOSES hypocritical trends in hip-hop culture while championing authenticity, social change, and realness in the game. Joined by LaRussel and Malachi, these lyrical titans spark a movement with groundbreaking discussions on the evolution of hip-hop, impactful storytelling, and the shift toward positivity. 💯
From calling out "Hypocritical Hop" to navigating their independent journeys, Dee-1 and LaRussel share raw truths about the industry, the importance of staying true to your purpose, and building a legacy that uplifts communities. Malachi kicks off the session with an unforgettable freestyle, proving the next generation is ready to step up and redefine the culture. ✊
This episode is packed with powerful bars, heartfelt insights, and a call to action for artists and fans alike to embrace substance over spectacle. Subscribe now for exclusive interviews, inspiring moments, and the raw energy only found on Sway’s Universe. 💥
📲 Watch now to see how these artists are shifting the culture and hear their thoughts on faith, independence, and staying true to the art of hip-hop. Don’t get left behind—the revolution is here! 🚨
#larusselld1 #swayinterviews #truthinhiphop #independentartists #musicindustryinsights
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
00:53 - LaRuss and D1’s Impact
02:55 - Conversations on Detrimental Impact
06:49 - Conversations with Influencers
08:53 - Bringing LaRuss and D1 Together
09:08 - Importance of Artist Advertising
11:40 - Key Elements of a Good Record Deal
14:55 - Staying Relevant in Music Industry
18:10 - LaRussell - “Wigglin”
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
Dog, this ain't a intrusion. Not at all. This is an inclusion. Yes, sir.
0:05
Right now, because the two of you in this room is um is is is heart tugging
0:12
for me, you know, because um this I like to hear I like to get out of the way of
0:18
our conversations with YouTube, you know. I just like to provide a
0:23
bridge, be a conduit, you know, a catalyst to more thought, right? that's coming
0:29
from your experiences. I'm talking about Lar Russell and I'm talking about the legendary D1. I call him legendary now.
0:37
He gets his legendary status. This man This man been through so many battles, man. Give that man a round of applause.
0:43
Appreciate it, brother. Appreciate it, brother. Yeah. I got to stand up. I be having too much energy when I'm
0:49
around Sway and Heather. T1 is there, man. And the And the last time
0:56
Yo, it's crazy, man. Me and me and D1 bump into each other in the strangest just the most unlikely places. Right.
1:04
And the last time we bumped into each other was in Nashville. Facts. Not that long ago at the Holy Smoke
1:11
face conference that Mike LV. Yeah. Right. And John Keith and all those guys
1:16
put together and we I didn't know you were going to be there. And we just look at each other now. We saw each other in the bay at the
1:23
fight. It's just a look. That's what I told you. Yeah. It's just a look. We see each other and we go like this and then I see and I see moments that
1:30
happened for you. We'll get to but I know you two I remember seeing the interview you two
1:35
was in together. Yo remember that the one been to the crib? That's what I'm saying. That's when we sat down and talked.
1:41
Yeah. Oh, that's that same interview. That was at the crib. That was at your house. The compound. I pulled up. I pulled up. I had a show
1:48
at University of the Pacific out there in uh around Vallejo. Stockton. Stockton. You heard me? And I was like,
1:54
"Man, I got to pull up on the homie." So I hit him. He was like, "Come through." I ain't even know what we was going to do. We We end up making two songs that
2:01
night, right? We end up sitting down having that conversation and it's bearing a lot of fruit. People stop me
2:06
all the time. And you and Lar Russell, man, you and Lar Russell, man, y'all y'all, some of them don't even know that
2:12
we know each other like we do. You know what I mean? It's just kind spirits. You heard me? What you learn from the Russell?
2:17
I learned from the Russell to be relentless and to be unapologetic about whatever you standing on.
2:22
You feel me? And to not be afraid to give the game up. You feel me? Like when you got the game,
2:28
they always be like, "The game is to be sold, not to be told. Cap." You heard me? We out here. We We educating people.
2:35
Cuz if if one of us, Lord forbid, pass away today. Then what we got left? We had all this knowledge stored up that we
2:42
refused to give to the people cuz we was trying to get a buck off of it. I'm sure the Russell not hurting. I'm not hurting financially. God take care
2:49
of that, man. But the knowledge that we got, man, the world need this cuz the world is hurting right now.
2:55
It's a drought when it come to realness. You feel me? T just talked about um uh not wanting to
3:01
support anything that would be a detriment to our community. And when she said that, it made me uh
3:07
think of your your project um hypocritical hop. Yeah. Hypocritical hop. as to what you were
3:14
saying about, man, we celebrate a lot of our elders, a lot of our OGs for the
3:19
wrong reasons, right? And both of you been pulling that back, man. What is it like when you meet up with
3:26
some of those people that fit in that light, you know, that kind of
3:31
been a detriment in terms of messaging? I'm going to start with you, Lush. So, how have you dealt with that? Have you gotten backlash at all for that from
3:38
folks? You know, I really now at this point in my journey, I really like pull
3:45
people and ask questions. Okay? And I' I've noticed a lot of people,
3:53
some people are such a product of their environment and their situation that they don't, no one's ever pulled them
4:00
and been like, "Hey, you know, when you said that and did that, it was a little
4:06
little offputting." You feel me? And a lot of people, you know, when you go so high up the ladder of success, you stop
4:13
having people that could pull you and hold you accountable because everybody rely on you. You know, that's why I
4:19
really value T because no matter how high I get and how much she eat off what I do,
4:24
she going to still come correct me and be like, "Hey, you was wrong. That ain't that ain't how we get down. That's what
4:30
we doing now." You feel me? And a lot of people don't have that, which is why they can continue that process. And so
4:36
for me, we really been like, "We going to pull you to the side and just holler." You feel me? And and it
4:44
Have you had a good experience with someone with that that you wouldn't mind sharing? Who?
4:51
That's why I said good experience. If not, don't sweat it. But I'm just
4:59
I'm not going to label them good or bad, but insightful. you know, like um Gazi is somebody that we have these
5:06
conversations with. Like I I I told him I was like, "Do you feel like your impact was detrimental to the comm? Do
5:12
you feel like you added to the detriment of what's going on right now?" And we had a real conversation. And he was
5:18
like, "Yeah, I understand my impact and value, which is why I do so much here because I do understand what I've done
5:24
as well." And I was like, you know, you have to be it's important for you to balance that and level that out. And we
5:30
had them same convos with like the owner of Thizzler and and you know it's really been
5:36
I've been trying to go up high with people who empower the people to do so
5:41
you know and even the youngest putting them to the side but some of the youngest is like they're benefactors of a system that's been in place far before
5:48
they even got a chance. Yeah. Yeah. D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D1, I've seen,
5:55
you know, I've seen things come full circle for you, you know, um I remember the the
6:01
conversation we had that was the catalyst to you and Jim Jones getting into conversations and going back and
6:07
forth and then you fast forward, I see you and Jim Jones at an event and y'all shook hands
6:13
at the Verses in Las Vegas at the Verses in Las Vegas. shook hands like men and he sat here right on on on
6:19
this platform and said, "If you ever see me look the other way, put your hand down." You know what I mean? And I know
6:24
he meant that. I could see the passion in him when he was speaking. So to see him for the first time in person at the
6:29
verses in Las Vegas, you heard me and you see how I roll. It was me and I think I had one person with me and to
6:35
see him and I respect that to the fullest. You know what I'm saying? As grown men, we looked each other in the eye. We dapped each other off. We didn't
6:42
even have a long conversation, but that dap and that eye contact say spoke 10,000 words right there.
6:48
Yeah, man. That that was amazing. And it's not just to you and him, you know, like when y'all set these examples, you
6:56
make it safe for others who feel the same way that's scared to speak up, you know, to be able to follow their hearts,
7:02
follow their, you know, what it is that they truly feel. I saw you and Birdman. Yeah. At the same time, Birdman said now he
7:09
wants to do music with you. Yes, sir. That's emotion, too. Yeah, man. Emotion. It's so it's so crazy what's
7:14
going on right now. SW the other day I'm in Miami. I randomly run into Noriega.
7:19
Noriega come up to me, man. I'm the biggest fan of yours. I'm just a silent fan. I'm a secret fan. I said, why are
7:26
you a secret fan? He said, you're right. I need to be more of a public fan, right? He proceeds to talk to me for two
7:32
hours straight about how, man, you are leading this culture in a better direction. Keep going. while he's
7:38
talking to me, somebody who's holding my phone recording part of this says, "D1, you getting a call from Birdman right
7:44
now." I'm like, "For real?" So, I answer the phone, "Bird man don't know that Noriega is right here." Birdman called
7:51
me saying the same thing Noriega is telling me. So, I'm like, "Bird," I said, "Man, I'm standing right next to
7:56
Norie." I put him on speaker phone. They go to talking. It's just, man, God is real, man.
8:01
Come on, man. God is real, man. God is real. That was four days ago. I know. Oh, I'm up on I followed both of
8:07
you. Four days ago, man. I might be a quite might be a little lightweight stalker. Yeah.
8:14
I feel like the game really moving in that direction. Like people are starting to realize more and more
8:21
that like, man, this ain't what we want. This ain't what we came up on. This ain't what we love. This not the hip-hop
8:27
we fell in love with. This not the the art that we like to consume. This not the shows we like to see. Like, people
8:33
is starting to wake up. And the more you know, you have somebody yelling like, "Hey, nah, that ain't it." You know, the
8:40
the more way and you got to take all those arrows forward, you know, and you gonna miss some of them opportunities, but you know, the opportunities that the
8:47
universe and God give you for what you do is just it's tfold. It's tenfold, man. We got the Russell
8:54
here. We got the one and only D1 here. I just wanted to bring these two dudes together. Heather B. I know you know we
9:01
were talking about that magic Lonnie Light. Uh we had a segment we was talking about sometimes you got to wait and let the magic happens, right? You
9:08
you can't force it. You two have done music together. You've been independent together. Uh not together, but you both
9:15
kind of have these similar paths. And you know, when I'm listening to Wiggling and other songs, um um Am I blurry,
9:23
you know, or I Got Flavor? And you know, you always dropping these gems. One of
9:28
the songs I feel like you said, "Have you ever spent 50k on an ad campaign?" No. Then we are not the same.
9:35
Then we're not the same. I still don't think people understand how ad campaigns can benefit them, where
9:43
to spend the money. If if you could give a quick course on that, what would you tell folks?
9:48
Man, I think ads is one of the best yields you can get for your money
9:55
in terms of spreading your awareness and and people need to understand like you
10:00
know I posted like I spent 150,000 in ads in three months people like why would you spend that much why would you
10:05
do not understanding like in that period I spent 150 I made 700,000
10:11
and that's because I spreaded my awareness everywhere you know you don't just spend frivolously you spend on
10:18
things that's working. But if Google is a billion dollar company and they still think it's advantageous to to to do ads
10:26
and make sure people seeing their product, why do you in this little small town think that it's not to your
10:32
advantage? Ads all that do is spread what you spreading your gospel globally.
10:39
If you got something that everybody love in your city and in your town, then you have the chance to franchise it and let
10:45
the world know, you know, and that's what the labels do. That's how you compete as an independent and you
10:52
make sure that your name is in the same light and you reaching these same platforms. The reason the NBA came to
10:58
the Bay for Allstar and La Russell was booked at the Allstar game and every
11:03
event around it is because they knew who I was. next to all these majors, they
11:08
knew who I was because I'm making sure I'm doing the same thing that the majors is doing for them for myself.
11:14
And we will be seeing you in the same light around the Super Bowl. Amen. Say man,
11:19
say man. Say, man, I'mma be there too. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right with y'all.
11:25
Yeah. I'm getting up early with the whole crew. Uh that's amazing. Um just to hear
11:31
this have you don't have a mic in front of you. What's going on? I I can hear you going. Yeah. sharing with my
11:37
I'm sharing with my brother D1. Okay. All right. Okay. I I think you guys um and I want to talk to you about
11:44
this. D1, you mentioned Russ signing you to a deal at 26. Salute to Russ. Give that man a
11:50
huge round of applause. He been standing on his square. Yep.
11:55
For forever uh uh since day one. And I like the fact that he's one of those
12:01
people too that'll say, "Hey, foul ball. That deal is no good." I know Rock
12:06
Nation is a big brand. Yeah. But that deal, I would suggest you look at you look in
12:13
other places. So that deal isn't any good, right? You know, Russ came out and said that.
12:19
Um, which I think is is brave to do. But what is a good deal? Mhm. You know what I mean? D1, what would you
12:25
say a good deal would be? A good deal is one to where you are receiving the highest percentage possible of your masters, of your music
12:33
that you are putting out, right? And if you're giving up a percentage, then it needs to be in in turn for something
12:39
that's going to add so much value to where your pie becomes bigger. Right? If somebody is just like, I want a piece of
12:45
that pie, but what I'm going to add to you isn't going to make your pie bigger, it's worthless.
12:50
You feel me? So that that's that's that's what Russ was basically saying. Like they want a piece of the pie. They don't want a flat
12:58
fee. They want a piece of the pie, but nothing that they're going to do is going to guarantee remotely that they
13:04
going to make the pie bigger, you know. And a lot of times we get blinded by the actual terms because of
13:09
the name brands that are, you know, affiliating themselves with us. Like a lot of us, man,
13:15
coming up, we want a cosign when we first get into the game. Lord knows, boy, I wanted a TI cosign so bad early
13:21
in my career. I wanted a Wayne cosign. I knew I wasn't going to get the Lil Wayne cosign cuz I had the song J50 and Weezy,
13:28
you know what I mean? Yeah. We was playing that a lot, right? I took a lot of heat. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, I'm like,
13:33
dang. But I was in search for like, man, where's that cosign going to come from? Because you think that the cosign is
13:39
going to make all of that person's fans automatically start listening to you. And that's not the case.
13:45
That's not the case. That's not the case. Right. You got that cosign. You got the God cosign. Literally once I realized
13:51
that, yeah, I said, man, like God is my co-sign, bro. God is my God is my provider of the
13:57
blessings. So, I'm appreciative when a person put their arm around me, but at the end of the day, I don't uh I don't
14:03
need to compromise my purpose in this game just to get somebody, another human
14:09
being to say, "Yeah, D1 is that dude." Can't do that, man. Like, a shift is
14:14
really happening right now. I swear I think I think it I think it probably did start with that interview I did with you
14:19
two years ago, man. Listen, I think that's when it started, bro. Yeah, it's it's it's been I'll say it's
14:24
been outliers throughout the history for sure of the culture that's been in the same vibration, myself included. Um coming up
14:32
from the Bay, I can relate. I can empathize uh with La Russell's journey and say, "Hey, man, I
14:38
get it, but that [Â __Â ] ain't cool." Right? you know, uh, but we all have our time and place
14:46
and that was such a loud interview conversation that we had. I definitely
14:51
believe that uh it's a catalyst to what we're seeing now. Rizza um um had a conversation
15:00
with Rizza not too long ago from the Wuang clan and he's truly the Abbott.
15:05
this dude sees the future to me, you know, and he's told me Sway cuz I told
15:10
him I just came back from Holy Smoke and man, I was blown away. Holy Smoke is this, if you don't know, it's this um
15:17
it's like a what is it? A conf uh a festival festival uh that's with artists who are
15:23
believers, you know, that that faith based faith-based artists. Uh Mike Lel, John
15:29
Keith, U Miles came through, a bunch of different artists. No big deal. No, no big deal. And
15:35
As long as I've been in hip-hop, I've never felt what I felt being in that crowd, bro. Wow. And like
15:41
your backyard, I saw seven year olds rapping, you know, eight year olds rapping.
15:46
I love My favorite thing to see is when you have the kids come up and
15:52
with their rapping, they got as much swag as everybody else, but what they rapping is something that's powerful, right? And I had the
16:00
the the best experience I ever had at a at a hip-hop concert
16:05
took place at at Holy Smoke. Right. Incredible. Yeah. And it's and and so RZA told me
16:12
that yo yo yo yo yo the next two to five years that's what you going to see. It's to what your point is people want
16:18
something different man. The world is in shambles. Hey man, I got four words for everybody that's hearing this and they're still on
16:24
the fence because a lot of people hearing this and they like, "Yeah, we hear you swear." Listen, don't get left
16:31
behind. They got people that's hearing this and they going to be hard-headed. They going to be like, "Nah, it's been the same way
16:37
for the last 40 years." Nah, bro. A shift is happening. Don't get left behind. It's about to look so corny for
16:44
you to be a senior citizen still rapping about drugging and thugging and being ratchet. You heard me? It
16:49
already is. It's so corny. And And it's about to be even louder cuz people like D1 and Larosa going to be like, you look at
16:56
this. Look at this. But the thing is speaking the truth with love. You know what I'm saying? It's like, brother, I
17:02
love you too much to not tell you that you looking foolish right now. And just cuz you got a podcast and you're popular
17:08
and people know you doesn't validate the buffoonery. You feel me? Don't talk about you wearing platinum if you
17:14
wearing platinum but you ain't changed no lives for the better. You feel me? So don't get left behind,
17:19
man. This next two to five going to change hip-hop forever. Cuz hip-hop turned into hypocritical hop,
17:26
which is what that's why I had to come up with the term, get the term trademarked, cuz I'm like, hip-hop has an enemy at this point. Who is hip-hop's
17:32
enemy? It's not a human being. It ain't East Coast, West Coast. It ain't Meek Mill, Rick Ross, Jim Jones. No, I love
17:39
them brothers. It's hypocritical hop, which is all the things we love about hip hop mixed in with greed mixed in
17:46
with evil and selfishness and turned up and mass marketed to seem cool to people. And then next thing you know,
17:52
people are like, "Well, it feels like hip-hop, but it's just disrespecting women. It's glorifying, killing my
17:58
community and talking about popping pills and selling dope, but it still feel like hip-hop, so I guess I love it,
18:03
right?" No, brother. That's the devil secretly turning hip hop into hypocritical hop. And that's what we at
18:09
war with, bro. We got Lar Russell here. We got D1. We going to come back with Malachi is going to make his debut
18:16
in the Valley of the Hyos. That's 8887423345.
18:24
Play that G1. The Russell put out seven albums this year. Crazy. Sold tickets. Seven
18:30
says backyard. Some people paid a dollar, other paid a thousand. Come on, man. Good, good compan penny.
18:38
Yeah, good compan penny. You know it's been the movement. My man D1,
18:44
he just wrote on a new Public Enemy album. Congratulations, man. You wrote songs for people. How you writing for
18:50
Chuck D, right, man? Listen, man. It it it's just Public Enemy as a brand. They've inspired all
18:58
of the all of the the the shifters in hip-hop culture so much that um
19:04
honestly, you know, Chuck D is the type of person who I'm not going to say I wrote for Chuck
19:09
D. I'm say I'm going say I wrote for I wrote for you know Public Enemy because I love that they are so unified. We so
19:16
used to selfishness and division in hip hop that Public Enemy as a brand has stayed unified all this time. And I was
19:23
at Harvard, you heard me? You know, I'm a college professor as well. I was out there at Harvard. That's when I end up running into uh I've been knowing Chuck
19:29
D. End up running into Flavor Flave and um that's one of the most unexpected
19:35
friendships in hip hop. D1 and Flavor Flave. That's my dog. That's my dog.
19:41
You think so, but it makes much sense to me for real. Yeah. If you get to know Flavor Flave,
19:46
you that might be one of the smartest people you ever going to meet. Oh, he absolutely. He's a genius. But when we met each other, he said,
19:52
"Man, you look like JCole." I said, "Man, you look like Lil Booy." I said, "So, what's up?" And
19:57
and we just we started off on that type of note. You heard me? But then, bro, since then, man, that's my brother, man.
20:03
Like, I I love that dude. So, end up getting in the studio and uh one of the songs that I co-wrote for him is called
20:09
uh the hits keep on coming. Uh it just got licensed by the NBA for the entire season. You heard me? NBA and Amazon
20:15
Prime. The whole season. The whole season, man. You getting that that money that Russell you did you you
20:22
you tied in with pro sports too, right? You doing some music. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We been getting it in. Come on. Talk about it, man.
20:29
The NBA, the NFL, all that. You know, we had the song for the championship last year
20:34
and uh man, the SF Giants, we got the anthem for last year. It's been We've
20:39
been wiggling. Come on. Been wiggling, baby. We've been independently. Independent. And I'd like for y'all, it's not that
20:45
they're bragging, but I want other artists to hear the accolade. The heights they've been able to reach. It's possible
20:50
on their own autonomously. You know what I mean? And and and that to me, I think
20:56
that's very special. D1, what's happen? You know, you and Lar Russell have all had to, you know, do
21:02
the obstacle course here on Sway in the Morning would have to be and Tracy G because behind it all, at the core of
21:08
the core of it all, you know, it's about these these lyrics, these bars, bro. And
21:15
I don't care people. I got a lot of people don't come to my show cuz they don't want to rap. Facts. A lot of rappers.
21:23
Hypocritical hop, right? They call themselves rappers but be mad about rapping. I don't even
21:30
ask them to rap. They just they come in. Heather tell you, right, Heather? They'll come in that screwy face.
21:35
I haven't even asked them to rap. I really be happy to see people. But in this case, because that young man
21:41
sitting next to you came with a a superior stamp of approval. The dude don't even pay rent.
21:49
God, for real. He don't even pay rent. He lives Russell. Okay. Not yet. Not yet.
21:54
Okay. Hey, this this how he pay his rent right here. That's how he This how he pay his rent right here.
22:00
You better rap like that rent. Do you heard? Let's get it. Ain't no strangers to this citizens. You know what it is, man. The number one
22:07
show in hip hop globally around the world has been for decades. We got Heather B here, the the walking
22:13
icon. We got Tracy G, the Vocab Vixen. You know what it is when you come into our show. The Russell's done it before.
22:22
D1 has done it before. But Malachi, this is your first time. Welcome to the Valley of the Hyena.
22:29
Drop that beat on them. This is your headphones right there. You
22:34
can turn your volume right there. Malachi, that loud enough for you. Come on, Mie. First kick him off. Yeah.
22:42
I've been waiting for this. I've been watching this since I was 12. Come on.
22:48
Yeah. I had to get back to the roots. I feel like I ain't going to always had a time.
22:54
I'm on a quest. Love, I'm giving you the best to me through the bars. Ain't got no expensive cars, but I do got soul
23:01
galore and got my heart and they told me that my heart is really golden. I know I'm really chosen. I do more to the door
23:07
to crack it open. I run away from the doen. That's just for momentum [Â __Â ] I'm about to drop kick this door in. I think
23:13
I'm learning now. I don't need no validation to be me. I'm free to be whoever I want to be and you are too.
23:19
And [Â __Â ] I'm about to shoot my shot. I'm clicking hard too until I t through the little target. It ain't hard to see
23:24
who really got it in they pocket for real. Zoom in and see I'm loose lin. I'm in that pocket for real. I don't say it
23:30
to say nothing. I'm just happy I could really do it. I spent my whole life thinking can I really do it? Can I
23:36
really write a verse and get it off the music ain't full I deserved it. I might have forgot my purpose. I wanted this more than many do something I got to
23:43
prove it. Honestly, I walk this road. I might just really lose it. Who the lies? Who the jokers? And who really true?
23:48
It's not my job to judge them cuz I know that I've been there too. Ain't got to prove nothing to them, man. Prove that [Â __Â ] to you but still be on your grind.
23:55
Working from like 10 to 2. I'm in my room. Feel like I'm burning roof down. [Â __Â ] do so with a smile. [Â __Â ] with
24:01
shots and Hennessy when me and pop sitting around spitting. I quit the drink before him. Know he probably a proud [Â __Â ] was doing the best he could.
24:08
My father ain't giving much. Long live I ran. Free Raleigh my [Â __Â ] Bro, I told him hopefully when you free I'm a
24:14
million up so we can get that thing you get from nations and divvy up. If I can't get the gold, then shoot a hole in
24:19
me. Send me up. I'mma work then watch the story unfurl. I don't know why I'm
24:24
in my room breaking down when I know we are architects designing our own world. That's a lot of pressure. PS, I'm going
24:30
to still get it. I bet you the nerd from grade school acting they fool. I used to hang with the homies. Now we ain't the
24:36
same fools and we can't be around each other. We ain't got the same rules. They expect us to build more but we ain't got
24:41
the same tools. My [Â __Â ] on a drill and they got you screwed up. My [Â __Â ] got the hammer trying to nail your crew up.
24:47
My [Â __Â ] in the jewelry store grabbing the loot up. My [Â __Â ] still my [Â __Â ] We just need a tune up a few bucks
24:53
capital to go invest in new stuff. And who was going to get it for us if not I for real? Prosthetic. It's not I for
25:00
real. I'm trying to heal a generation. Yeah.
25:06
Keeping my brother. Talk your talk.
25:13
Yeah. It's [Music]
25:20
time with it, man. Come on. Come on, man. Something feel wrong. They lacking the substance. Feel my way up the hill.
25:27
Rolling and tumbling. I told them to pass the ball. Instead, they was passing judgment. Now I got rock in my hand. I
25:32
understand you're compunching. I was taught real early, don't take for granted. Shorty told me things can't always go in the way you planned. Mama
25:38
told me when it's nudity, you try to understand it. I'm at the plate and they underweight throwing underhanded. My
25:44
[Â __Â ] it's a home run. Buckle up cuz it's going to be a long one. And stop and stretch cuz it's going to be a long run. Time to go the distance. Back then
25:50
they wasn't really trying to listen. Now we cooking and they all up in the kitchen. They ain't gold cuz it glistening glitter. Y'all dropping trash
25:57
but I just pick up the litter. I've been a dog, I'm still a pick of the litter. I'm still a dime a dozen. We still
26:02
pushing like the end of runners. Work like a slave for the way I'mma run it every minute of a tune. Hating as we
26:08
moving by. They don't understand that we all blind if it's off eye. I'mma pay my dues until I can't and it's just do or
26:13
die. Love the GC and the Russell man that's a super guy tank top either way cuz I'm super fly. Took L's to the chin.
26:20
Can't worry about no loss and cry. Took L's to the chin then I practiced at home. I played man now I'm back in my
26:26
zone. I was rapping at home man I wanted it bad. I would trade all that I wanted for everything that I had. Now it's back
26:32
to school shopping. Guess I'm back in my bag. You treating me like a donkey. I get to acting I'm just kidding. We have
26:38
to take a day at a time. We just living. get money. Go invest in a hood. We just giving so they can't gentrify us and
26:45
they got to run it by us. The system is filled with lies that think of themselves as hives.
26:51
We got to go out. Yeah, brother. Yeah. Yeah, brother.
26:58
Let's go. Yeah, baby.
27:04
Yeah. To watch a dream realize is a beautiful thing. It's a God's blessing. God bless you, young man. Dream real
27:11
life. Got in the spirit right there, man. Yo, man, that dude. Yo, that boy geeking out right now. That boy
27:18
like dreams really do come true. I got goosebumps on my shoulders right now. He yo, he still has a home.
27:28
It's just I just love to see and I speak about this um not often cuz you don't
27:34
see it all the time materialize, but you you know the work that goes into it. Some of us know and when you on that
27:40
futon on that couch or on that floor and you trying to just figure out A to B,
27:45
you can't even see Z cuz it's so far but A to B feel like a 100 miles away. And
27:51
to watch God align you and bless you and and step up to that moment. It's a
27:56
beautiful thing. I felt the miracle and the joy and the answer prayer in your voice like. So God bless you, young man.
28:03
And you're going to make your your parents are proud. They going to be so proud when they see this. Yeah,
28:09
man. God bless you. Real talk. It's just a beautiful thing to see. Okay, move aside though.
28:15
Move aside, man. Young man get in the middle. Uhoh. [Â __Â ]
28:21
Uhoh. That is time to clock in. Come on.
28:27
Yeah. Yeah. Let me get that, too. Oh, yeah. Let Yeah. You want D go first? My dog get some of that. I like that.
28:35
He wanted it first. Let me get some. I'mma take them down south when I when I
28:40
come. I already know what you going to do. Yo, Heather's hugging them alai. She'll never hug nobody.
28:47
Deserve that. Same beat, John.
28:52
Yes, sir. Hey, this fresh food too, Sway. It's still wiggling on the hook.
28:58
Is it? It's still wiggling on the This This real fresh. This real fresh.
29:03
You hear me? You understand us? Bay Area's finest, Lar Russell. Hey,
29:09
2026 and beyond. Some [Â __Â ] wavy, some [Â __Â ] lazy, some
29:14
[Â __Â ] still don't babies. But hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Roll it up. Roll it up. Start it over. Start it over.
29:23
Let's go. Right up. Let's go. Let's clap them up. Let's clap them up.
29:30
Some [Â __Â ] baby, some [Â __Â ] baby. Some [Â __Â ] don't take care of their babies. But out here stunting, we call that
29:35
front and we not impressed. I'm like Phil Knight. I seen a lot of checks. Used to want the SC 4lex. What's like
29:41
the rest? Thinking what's the likeliness of me? Hold on. This fresh food. I got to I got
29:48
to hold on. No, no, no. Don't even let me let me let me I got to get it off the phone cuz it's fresh food.
29:55
It's fresh food. It's fresh food, man. Fresh out the oven. I got you. Fresh out the oven.
30:00
Hey. Hey. Look. Some [Â __Â ] wavy, some [Â __Â ] lazy. Some [Â __Â ] don't take care
30:06
of their babies, but out here stunting. We call that fronting. We not impressed. I'm like feel night. I seen a lot of
30:11
checks. Used to want the SCX watches like the rest. Thinking what's the likeliness of me seeing seven figs. The
30:17
CIA that killed more [Â __Â ] than 9/11 did. My bad. I'm talking like I'm free.
30:23
No, I'm talking like I'm me. Russ ain't got masters, but Russ got masters. 700
30:28
if I'm being exact. And that's not exact. Look at that. Young, rich, and black. Used to sitting back. Now when I
30:33
pull up the truck, black and I sit in that. These labels kill so many [Â __Â ] I'm just getting back. [Â __Â ] knew Diddy
30:39
was being diddy. They was sitting back. Watching, smiling, supporting, extorting. Everyone was all on one
30:45
accord. Accordingly, but not me. I can't not see what I see. I've seen black men in jail and white men running free. Oh
30:52
[Â __Â ] I get to talking like I'm trying to free the slaves. No, [Â __Â ] I get to talking like this how I get paid. [Â __Â ]
30:57
want that real [Â __Â ] not the [Â __Â ] that they've been selling. If ain't nobody told and they found out somebody telling
31:02
I never been a felon was way too busy excelling but I know Mexicans that is selling spit a milling trying to be
31:08
somewhere chilling up a quarter billing this Eddie Murphy house [Â __Â ] I ain't got a ceiling this that feeling you only
31:15
get when you make a killing now how you think I got this feeling come on man killing come on man
31:24
rest on the plate let's go look I took L After ale trying to put
31:31
water in this well I share spreadsheets to see my [Â __Â ] excel graveyard to jail
31:36
what's the options given trying to be a millionaire while my pops is living I'm charged up I might just be in that mode
31:42
keep it closed if you ain't never turned a half to a hole I spent half in a hole spent it all to the red feeling like I
31:49
ran off with the bread boy this [Â __Â ] like a sled makes sense I blew up in that avalanche my daddy sold a million
31:55
units out of avalanche I walk in rooms heads turning like an Allen wrench Carrying a B on my back like a pile of
32:01
ass. Wake up going his way in the morning and other [Â __Â ] had sway in this [Â __Â ] yaning. I never want to see a
32:09
man down. You are who you are when ain't nobody around and not just a man in a
32:14
cell that's guilty. It's 50 other [Â __Â ] around them that's filthy. Shout out 50
32:19
cuz [Â __Â ] wouldn't dare. Only [Â __Â ] who would is [Â __Â ] who really care. I get to snapping like a poetry slam. Dope
32:26
enough to charge 40 a gram. I could have caught me a lamb. I locked in and built it all from my home. Quarter million a
32:32
show from the yard at my home. We really outside. They just popping on the phone. We really rap live. They go up and play
32:39
the song. And [Â __Â ] just accept it. I can't respect it. We in this [Â __Â ] like contraceptives. Them white [Â __Â ] took
32:46
hip hop and made it pop. From rapping on the block to Fortune 500 stocks. And all we got was half a acre in a
32:52
drop. What? In a dock saying, "Did he kill big and pop?" What? Sway, what did he kill big and pop? What? Sway,
32:59
what happened to hip hop? Huh? Damn. Yeah, it turned into hip critical for
33:06
real. My gosh. Got the
33:12
No. Talking about D1 hugging.
33:19
D1 was hugging. Why you a say that traitor? That's that that's that
33:25
vibranium. We exchanging that vibranium. That might have been the illst. Listen. Yo, that one right here.
33:31
That one. Wow, man. It was wiggling on the hook still, you
33:37
know. Hook. He just he just put that on the plate. You hear me? Come on. Woo. [Â __Â ]
33:44
Outstanding. Hey, [Â __Â ] ain't talking like that no more. And that's the problem. Everybody got something to say, but nobody got nothing to say.
33:51
And ain't saying nothing. and begging to come on sway. You heard me. Begging to come on sway, but ain't
33:57
got nothing to say. Stop trying to get on sway in the morning if you gonna come up here and have him yawning.
34:05
He's off the top. John, you ready? Just just a second though, man. I'm six feet tall, man. I'm trying to raise this thing, man. Let me see.
34:11
All right. Lot of mic. You got something for me? Hey, brother. I'm from I'm from New Orleans. Just keep that in
34:16
mind. I'm from New Orleans. Microphones and nothing nothing to say. Lot of microphones out here. Yeah, a lot
34:23
of lot of mics, man. A lot of people behind microphones. Salute to those that got something to say. Lar Russell, that
34:30
was colossal. That was impre that was amazing. Hey, we wrote that special for you,
34:35
man. I appreciate you because I I still take pride in my writing. I'm not embarrassed to get on that phone and
34:41
let [Â __Â ] know, [Â __Â ] we get down. You know, I take pride in this. This is something that's been a lost art. Yeah.
34:46
Mhm. You know, [Â __Â ] ain't saying nothing in their raps cuz they just going in there and they ain't jing nothing down and getting getting their thoughts out and
34:52
you know it's important to me and vital like [Â __Â ] it don't it don't you know like this is vital for me. This was
34:59
special. Yeah man. Love you family and that what you said is special. They going to study that. He's going to study that in his
35:05
classrooms. Facts. I teach a lesson on my brother. What you mean? What
35:10
D1 is here. New Orleans King is stepped into the building. Louisiana stand up. Hip hop stand up. John, drop that beat
35:17
off. Look, look. You rather die over drip or
35:23
live by the lake. Y'all killing for broccoli and mashed potatoes, but there's way more at stake. Glorifying
35:29
murder is a habit that we got to break. Most of the people we call real or real fake. Yeah. Top five where I normally
35:35
rank up. You got money in the bank, but you morally bankrupt. Colder than me. No, you're not, boy. I got juven flow,
35:41
jizzle, swag, wheezy, lyrics. I'm the holy hot boy. Turks also man his heart slim common sense humble as they come
35:47
but I got Birdman's confidence it's been a long road to prominence the devil say I've been neglecting him I took that as
35:53
a compliment I will change the world by the time I depart your music shallow I can't relate I got deep heart well
36:00
balance I got book knowledge and I'm street smart homie acting gangster but deep down he a sweetheart you got some
36:05
nerve acting like you don't know who I serve even if you think I ain't paying attention I observe you telling lies you
36:11
throwing shade on my name but I don't complain Cuz to Jesus they did the same. I had to learn people ain't living life
36:17
right. Just cuz they said they Christian that don't mean they Christlike. But I love my enemies though. That's how I know I'm going. And the seeds I know I'm
36:24
sewing. Got the blessings overflowing. People not knowing where we going. You can't tell, bro. A lot of our favorite
36:29
rappers burning in hell, bro. I'm telling the truth. Don't buy what they sell. Bro, these people scamming. Don't
36:35
buy what they Look, I hope they hear me. When they hear me, I hope they listen. Long as you shining your light, you
36:40
ain't my competition. The culture shifting. People know that it's needed. It's a spiritual war. God's army is
36:46
undefeated. I'm trying to tell y'all, man. I want
36:51
everybody to be a part of the shift. Don't get left behind. You heard this for the old heads. Look D1.
36:57
If you old and you pushing poison, time to get out. Cuz we got brothers in the hood still trying to get out. We got
37:02
brothers in prison still trying to get out. Cuz y'all some senior citizens. I'mma make this discount. Y'all been
37:08
around for a while. So we know y'all names. Y'all ain't never involved. That's how we know y'all land. Y'all think it's cool to still come around and
37:14
show y'all change and your money funny cuz y'all dumbest blow y'all change. Don't mess it up for these little ones.
37:20
Got to point out the fake ones cuz we know who's the real one. People don't want to be humble so they got to be humbled. You ain't kicking no game. You
37:27
causing people to stumble. Stop thanking God for stuff God ain't blessed. The devil elevated you. That's not real
37:33
success. You still got time if you start to get the picture. It's best to do it now. If not, death going to deal with
37:38
you. Wow.
37:44
Hold on, man. Keep that going. Look. Look. He said, "Keep flowing." Heard how they do. You heard hollows through you.
37:50
Then say hallelujah. Just another popped in his medulla. Obligoul the blizz shizzy. Fresh white tizzy trying to
37:57
interrupt the cycle like a plan. Busy. These ain't no comedies, is horror. It's robberies in August. Murders in
38:03
September from his godd revolvers. I done seen the corners. Poverty is enormous. We trying to lean on fathers,
38:08
but it's a lot of sin on them. I don't mean thesaurus. Heartbroken mas describe the scenes to daughters. Plant eternal
38:14
seeds and allow her dreams to harvest. Make a jaw for all we need a mean guitar lick a clean guitar pick. We stacking
38:21
more green than never seen the forest but it's temporary. Eternity is for us. This is worldly. I'm trying to be where
38:28
God sits. Always thinking I had to leave. I'm off it.
38:33
Y'all boys claim to be some soldiers. Ain't no soldiers alone. Let me get some. You want some of that?
38:38
Keep it going, John. Keep it going. Seven piece and 24. That [Â __Â ] is not the same. They call me LA and BK. That [Â __Â ]
38:44
is not my name. But I still throw up the tea. When I be out the way before I sit and get comfy, I throw the couch away. I
38:51
done made millions out the back. I'm barely in the black. I had to work on why I lack that monkey on my back. They
38:56
send love and send racks. When all my [Â __Â ] need it, miscalculated, got defeated, but I'm not depleted. In 2012
39:02
when my [Â __Â ] got deleted. It hurt my soul, but I kept working. I ain't even needed. That [Â __Â ] go viral. Running mad
39:08
and then you got to seated. I made free game Friday. I want the people needed. I've been a man since the fetus. I feel
39:13
like Jesus. I think I'm chosen composing. I keep reloading. I really do it cuz I love it. The feeling different.
39:19
I ain't persuaded by the public when I feeling different. I talk my [Â __Â ] and hold my nuts even when it's rough. My
39:25
eyes open. She threw bluffs. [Â __Â ] on that stuff. Grand handle kicks for me. He was acting tough. They say a word but
39:30
yet I'm hurt. It's time to pack it up. Y'all boys plan to be some soldiers, but you soldiers ain't no soldiers, man. I
39:36
told you and I showed you. I'm a soldier for life. Stop going dumb. Good versus evil. It's only two sides. Class and
39:42
session, y'all need to attend like my shoe size. Murder music hit different. Somebody in my crew died. Biggest
39:47
gangsters in rap got blind hair and blue eyes. We getting pimp. What y'all want to do, guys? Your new single just
39:54
dropped. Yay. Time to entertain us with new lies. Whoever said I'm cancelled,
39:59
I'm laughing in these people face. I work for God, dummy. My impact could never be erased. Tell America I'm the
40:05
same brother I used to be before y'all was introduced to me. Consistency ain't new to me.
40:12
D1 Russo, throw your headphones, man. Listen. Yo,
40:21
[Applause]
40:26
what the [Â __Â ] Yo, you whack rappers, the time is up. Your
40:32
time is up. Your time is up. It's ticking. If you ain't talking about
40:37
nothing, we ain't got nothing for you. Your time is up. We don't want to hear that weak [Â __Â ] no
40:43
more. Lusso, give them a big round of applause, man.
40:50
Tell them what to look out for. We got Lil John on the way. We got a lot of life on the way. A lot of positivity
40:57
on the way. We outside in our community impacting it still. We still giving tickets out for the people getting in
41:04
for a dollar, $5, $10, $20, $1,000. You hear me? A recording million out the
41:09
backyard. We still doing it our way independently. You know what I mean?
41:15
D1, tell them what's coming up, man. Man, we got Hypocritical Hop, the album out right now. You heard me? Make sure
41:20
you go and get that. I'm on juvenile new single. Make sure y'all go get that called He Gone featuring D1 and Manny
41:26
Fresh. Man, we got D1 and Project Pat out right now. We got
41:32
I apologize right now. We got my class at Tus University. I see y'all in the spring semester, Professor D1 stepping
41:38
in the building. And we just finished the hypocritical hop nationwide tour, man. And then we got the merch. You heard me. Gangster
41:45
growing and nurturing gifts, serving the almighty, redefining what it mean to be gangster. There you go, man. Look, I love y'all,
41:51
man. You guys keep us inspired. Indeed. Hey, look, Heather, we could do another 15, 20, 25 as long as they here, you
41:58
know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on. We still got to, you know, [Laughter]
42:05
she gave him that look like that look. I love him. But I love my husband more.
42:10
Another 15. Okay, man. Listen, man. I shout out to you guys. You are so
42:15
important to our community. Um, to the culture, the community, even beyond the culture. You guys is
42:21
extremely important to what it is we do. And I just want to say this to the
42:26
artists that's going to be watching this, especially the up and cominging artists. This is what it is. Like this
42:33
is what it's about. That feeling that you spoke about her having that feeling that being prepared, that ready. Let me
42:40
let me talk. Let me speak. Let let me do my thing. This is what it's about. This is what we fell in love with. Your
42:47
energy is so important. what you around, who you around, who you choose to answer
42:53
to, what you choose to answer to. It's important. And to watch this today just
42:58
brought back a feeling and a love that I felt like was slipping away. Like it was
43:03
just slipping away. Thank y'all for the hip hop hug this morning. Thank y'all for that hug this morning. We needed it.
43:10
Yo, thank y'all so much. And you should have saw what was starting to manifest. The two of these, you know, the two of these hyenas right
43:17
here, they was just going to keep going back. was ready. I'm like, "Yo, let me grab Heather B."
43:25
What? Thank you. I've seen them calling the play. Yo, but just be ready. Like you said, a
43:31
lot of artists come up here and just especially you up and coming. Let what you been doing? What you working on for
43:38
real? What you talking about? You know, thank y'all for building and cultivating a space for this to exist.
43:43
and artists. Y'all coming up here know that like it's okay to be flawed and not have it.
43:49
You know, I'm I'm 20 years in my run. Sometimes I still got to get on the I got to get on the P. I got and all
43:55
that's real. That's raw. A [Â __Â ] still can't do what I do. You know, that's raw and that's real. And y'all should come
44:01
up here unfiltered. This is a space where y'all allow us to be free. one of the few spaces where you can come up and
44:08
say some of the [Â __Â ] that we say and talk about what we talk about and they not gonna cut it out
44:13
and not gonna get removed off the clip. You know, I didn't did freestyles and places where I got pulled to the side
44:18
after like we can't drop that. You feel me? So, this is vital and important and as an artist coming up,
44:24
it's okay to not have it together to not man do whatever you got to do but get it in.
44:31
The the worst thing you could do is not try. I'm glad you pulled out your phone because your phone showed that you've
44:37
been working and writing. That's to me that's that's what it you got proof. The proof is right here. Like so if you had
44:44
to pull out your phone, what what architect don't don't got a toolbox? Don't got a set. You building, bro. So
44:49
So pull that thing out when you got to. I ain't mad at it. It's new food, too. You just new food. He said it was new. Fresh
44:55
food. Still wiggling. Still wiggling. Still wiggling. I got to work on my wiggling. I want I want the audience to know, man.
45:02
If you watching this, I think we in an era where you need to get your heart right before you get your art right
45:08
because this gang will exploit you so much if they figure that, oh, you got a gift, but you have no direction. You
45:14
have no sense of purpose. You heard me? So, please get your heart right. Understand your why. For me, that always
45:19
boils down to what's my foundation? Who's my creator? Oh, God created me. So, everything I do and every gift that
45:26
I've been blessed with, I got to figure out how I could use it to make God be like, "Yeah, D, you killing it right there." Yeah, I'm a fan of how you using
45:33
that gift cuz it ain't my gift. It ain't your gift. Artists at home, it's God's gift that he blessed you with. So, get
45:39
your heart right so that when you get in this industry with vultures and hyenas and people trying to pull at you left
45:45
and right, you'll know what to say no to. I've had to say no to some deals that made me look crazy at the crib
45:52
because people was like, "That's who we grew up listening to. What you mean?" Like, that's that's who we all wanted to
45:57
get with. And it was like, "Yeah, brother, that's when we was boys." But now that we men and I've matured, I
46:02
realize I can still love people, but I got to be careful how close I I I I stand next to people.
46:08
You know what I'm saying? And that's just stuff that I would say for any artist. We don't need
46:14
any more music that's being created from a selfish place, but by very talented people. Cuz you're going to be the same
46:20
person that I'mma be beefed out with now. You know why? Because I'm like, dang, there it is. Right gift, wrong
46:26
purpose. And since they using you now, you've become you become the MVP for the
46:32
enemy. And don't think that just because you elevating, well, God must be blessing me cuz I mean, I just got a deal. I just
46:37
got signed. No, man. Like I said in the freestyle, the devil elevating you. That's not real success.
46:44
Success is like the the least common denominator of like, "Oh, you want success? We'll give you that in a
46:49
heartbeat. We want impact and we want change." I'm so happy that there's no hip-hop on the top 40 of the Billboard
46:56
charts right now, right? Because we don't need anything up there, especially if it's misrepresenting who
47:02
we are as brilliant, beautiful black people. So sometimes you got to sit down so you could regroup. I used to play
47:09
sports. Sit down, get on the bench, regroup, and when you get back out there, you going to have your mind right
47:14
so you're not just tossing up crazy shots. Cuz metaphorically, we tossing up crazy shots and crazy shots. You know
47:20
what I'm saying? As hip-hop artists, it's just like, man, what can I do that's gonna get popular? It's not about
47:25
being trendy. It's about being timeless, man. Hip-hop, hip-hop might not be the cause for all the problems in the world,
47:32
but it can be the solution for the problems in the world. D1 y'all, man. Come on, man. L Russell,
47:38
I love it. Malachi, get in the shot, man. Come on, Malachi. Where you at? Off. You started the cipher off, man.
47:44
Yeah, he did. I hope you had a beautiful experience because this was a special day. This is a special day. You should know
47:50
that. And because this was a right of passage. Yes. Yes. It is. This was a right of passage.
47:55
And you are officially a hyena.
48:03
Listen. My man Malachi. Y'all, thank you team. Thank you to the whole team.
48:08
Yeah. Thank y'all so much. These guys, he's your producer, right? Play Simon produce. Kenzo produced.
48:15
Kenzo's my DJ, too. I got my business partner. Jason Young. Everybody in this room do something. We ain't got one
48:21
[Â __Â ] in here who ain't got a job who contributing to the success of what we building. There you go. Period.
48:26
That's the template, y'all. Love you, Lar Russell. Thank you, brother. Yeah, man. Tell the family I love them.
48:33
You know, our our roots go deeper than rap.
48:39
I don't know if y'all know. You see how T got to do you sometimes? That's how I got to do him a lot of time. Tell them I ain't lying.
48:45
Ain't lying. Them roots deep. Them roots are deep. They don't know about that. D1, I love you, brother.
48:51
Every time we going to keep seeing each other in the spaces we supposed to be in. That's it. And we always see each other. I be by
48:56
myself every time I see you. Yep. You be by yourself every time. One man army.
49:02
One man army. We like David Keredine. If you ever used to watch kung fu and he used to walk the highways to
49:08
different locations with his bag. Y'all going to Google that [Â __Â ] now. Yeah. Yeah. The whole room is like
49:14
joints. Not 50 years of hip hop.
49:19
Not the history lesson from Sway on the way out. On the way out, y'all. Y'all take that, man. Stay on the right side of
49:24
positivity. Have a beautiful day. And we have nothing left to say.
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