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Meet La Reezy, the cultural disruptor shaking the game! 🎤 Join the Sway In The Morning crew for an exclusive and inspiring interview with the rising star who’s redefining hip-hop, producing cinematic soundscapes, and bridging generations through his music. From his self-produced debut "Reborn" to his powerful story of independence and social change, La Reezy opens up about his artistic journey, bold life choices, and the influences that shaped his sound, including Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Michael Jackson.
This unforgettable conversation dives into La Reezy's unique ability to connect with audiences, his commitment to authenticity, and how he’s becoming a voice for the next generation. Don’t miss this deep dive into the mind of a true disruptor, featuring exclusive insights into his creative process, the sacrifices he’s made, and his vision for the future. Subscribe now for more exclusive interviews like this on Sway’s Universe and stay tuned for the latest in hip-hop, cultural movements, and groundbreaking artists.
#emotionalmusic #rebornartist #activistrapper #musicproducer #hip-hopculture
#musicproducer #louisianamusic #personalgrowth #hiphopartist #musicjourney
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - La Reezy on Sway in the Morning
01:59 - La Reezy and Sway Connection
03:55 - La Reezy's Debut Project: Reborn
07:03 - Kanye West's Impact on Lareezy
08:25 - Musical Influences of Lareezy
09:25 - Maturity in Lyrics
10:29 - 2010s Dance Era at Airline Skate Center
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0:01
Get this, man. I You know, it's my first time meeting him, but damn it, I'm giving him a standing ovation, man. But come on, man. Give it up for the one and
0:07
only Lizy out there, man. First time meeting this man. Yep.
0:13
This dude makes me feel good. Heaven. Makes me smile for sure. Yeah. Young man, I look up to him.
0:22
This guy is incredible, man. Um, he's a producer. He's a what they call a
0:27
cultural disruptor, right? Um he's an activist. Uh he's an MC, you know. Um
0:34
he's a a son. Um and and he he he to me he's a bridge.
0:40
Yeah. You know, um it I I have so many emotions when I listen to his music,
0:46
you know. It's great when someone who was um been on the planet uh half the
0:52
time I've been on, right? You see, I did that. He I know what you did. I know what you and I know what you was doing.
1:00
I'm excited to learn from uh when I listen to all the projects that he's done in recent years. I went back I said
1:07
let me take it to the beginnings and and walk it up um to Louisiana shakedown
1:13
and it was just quite a quite a joy man. It was almost cinematic like I could not believe
1:18
how uh developed I felt Yeah. that this this young man is, you
1:24
know what I mean, is at this stage. And I, you know, for him, he's like, you
1:29
know, he's just moving. You're just moving at your pace. And you you you really you really are
1:34
striking a magnificent chord u with the vibrations that's coming off
1:40
your your music that you're making. And so, I want to welcome you to the show, but I want Heather B to step in
1:45
because she's been punching me in my chest about having you up here, man. So, Heather B, please announce. So we got
1:52
with us today. No, absolutely. The one, the only Lizy.
1:58
And let me add to it just a little bit, citizens, to give y'all a backstory. So everything that Sway is saying is
2:04
absolutely true. Tom's a thousand. And it's just a testament to tapping in and
2:10
finding that purpose like whatever it is, we're going to try a bunch of things, right? and and this young man
2:15
has found a way not only to express himself verbally, but I feel like
2:20
there's something inner that's going on that translate it. When I when I when I
2:26
discovered him on Instagram, I was like, "What is this jumping inside my spirit
2:32
and soul?" Like, all is well with this young man. We have to get him. We have
2:38
to get him. I came to work the next day. Sway was traveling overseas somewhere and I came to produce a torch. I was
2:44
like, "Play this kid ly." He was like, "What song?" I was like, "I don't care. Find anything." And then your dad ended
2:50
up reaching out. I don't know if you know this, but but your dad ended up reaching out to family on it.
2:55
Yeah. The whole family got in on it. And I was like, "Well, that's beautiful cuz now there's a connection and I know that
3:00
he has family support." And then I DM'd you. I was like, "I just got to take a chance. He's probably going to think I'm
3:06
crazy." and you started to correspond back and that showed me like you're not just doing this to be doing it. Like you
3:12
are involved in your career. You want to know every step of the way. And then that's when I said this way like he's on
3:18
top of his business too. Like this is great. Let's make it work. And you said the next time I'm in LA, I'm going to
3:23
reach out. And that's exactly what you did. So to all the artists out there, find that purpose and and respond back.
3:31
You just never know how it's all going to happen. This happened through Instagram, right? Definitely
3:36
happen through Instagram DMs. Welcome to the show. For sure. Thank you. How how often does that happen? Like has
3:42
all the connect cuz you're independent, right? So you you you put out your music
3:47
yourself. Yep. Just dropping it through like a Dro Kid or two Lost or something like that and just put it out there.
3:54
That's how it's happened. So when you put out Reborn, was that your first full body of work? Yeah. Well, actually I had been rapping
4:00
like three years before that. It was all like unclear stuff. It was just like trial and error. But that was the first
4:06
thing I was like, "This is who I am as an artist. This is my fully first self-produced project." So,
4:12
Reborn. You titled it Reborn. When I when I and I was listening to it, this my first thing I heard
4:17
and I'm like, "Well, reborn from what?" You know, you know what I mean? Like, what did that mean? Why?
4:22
Yeah. It meant like reborn into your own person. you know, you live at least between zero to 17
4:29
under the um like the perspective of the world, your friends, your parents. And I was
4:35
like, it's time to be me. Like, who am I as a person? Who am I as an individual? So, it's reborn in myself to,
4:42
you know, yeah, you say kill the old version of yourself. Kill the version of myself that's like waiting for my mom to
4:47
wake me up or waiting for this to happen or relying on something else to happen. Like, no, I want to be in control of my
4:52
destiny so I'm reborn into a new person. Damn. And Heather's still trying to, you know,
4:58
you know what? She's still her same old self. Jealousy. He ain't had that yet.
5:05
She had that rebirth yet. It's coming. It's coming. Was there a uh a crossroad though that
5:11
that made that click to you? Because for me, when I turned n around 19,
5:17
um my mother um u politely said, "Get out."
5:24
Politely. politely said, "Get out." And then it just kind of made me, oh my gosh, what does that mean?
5:30
You know, I don't have towels in the bathroom. There's no refrigerator to open. You
5:35
know, nobody's going to wash your clothes. None of those things. Was there a crossroad moment that made you think?
5:41
Yeah, definitely. It was uh I had decided not to go to college and everyone else went to college. Everyone
5:47
was like promoting you need to go to college. And I was like, nah, cuz if I could spend four years chasing my own
5:52
career, then like I could for sure get to where I want to go. And um with that, you know, you got to, you
5:58
know, I'm in the room lonely. It's like everyone's out, all friends at school, everyone's doing something. I'm looking
6:05
online. I'm like, dang, they partying. And I'm just in this room like trying to figure out how to chop a sample and
6:10
stuff like that for like months just in the room lonely late hours of the night. Mh. And that was like a very like dark like
6:17
man, it's really me and it's like this little person in this big old world. So
6:22
I had this track called Little Kid in a Big World on there and it just felt like I'm in like no one's coming
6:30
to save you. Save you. Like I picked a grown man decision. I got to have grown man responsibilities and work as hard as I
6:37
can to make way and prove to myself that I I'm really capable of doing what I'm envisioning in my head. This is dope,
6:44
man. It is dope. Did you envision sway in the morning? Did you envision all of this happening, too?
6:49
Nah. Well, I wouldn't say I didn't. It was just like I kind of everything that
6:54
happens, I knew as long as I work, it'll happen. I don't know what exactly it is. I just know it's all going to happen as
7:00
long as I just do the work. I asked you about um inspiration and when I think of you, a writer, producer,
7:06
you know, you you doing it all on your own. I think you know you brought up Kanye and how Yay helped influence you.
7:13
How how so man the the dude is like
7:18
speak life into me you know when I heard uh I haven't really I wasn't really listening to him when I was younger. It
7:24
took him to like the Jeans documentary a few years ago. Shout out to Cooty and Ky Citizen Chance who worked on that.
7:31
Right. And um that kind of got me like oh wow I didn't even know this guy do all of
7:37
this. I'm like, "Oh, let me really go into the discoraphy." So, like to hear the um listening to I wonder and I'm
7:43
back on my grind. A psychic read my lifeline told me in my lifetime. My name I help light up the Chicago skyline and
7:50
that's why I'm 7:00 that's prime time. Having a watch God calling from the hot lines. Why he keep giving me hot lines?
7:57
I'm a star. How could I not shine? And that right was like I feel like that that was enough to make like
8:04
bro I can do anything. that part of that song right there and just after that all of that like when I decided not to go to
8:11
college like that was you know that's the person you listen to you know drop out the college dropout
8:17
yeah that's the person you listen to so um that's hilarious yeah I was I listen to him over my
8:22
parents you know kind of at that at that stage so yeah but what were your other musical
8:27
influences like when Sway and I were talking about you this morning you can't put a style on you like there's there's
8:34
you know it's a little bit of this with a sprinkle of that and then you jumping around on stage like Red Man. We were
8:39
just trying to figure out what we You did say that, huh? We we we named all the elements we saw. Andre 3000, Red Man, Sprinkle and Nas.
8:48
We we we spoke about so much. Um what were your influences grow since you
8:53
didn't listen to Yay early? Um Lil Wayne, Drake, um Mileless Behavior, Justin
9:00
Bieber. Wow. Michael Jackson. I mean, kind of like the stuff that was like the radio stuff
9:07
cuz I wasn't like, "Oh, I got to go search up." Like, I wasn't on like the Nas. Yeah. You know, I'm just finding
9:13
out like about this stuff like within the last two years. So, it was kind of like, you know, the Soulja Boys and all of
9:18
that stuff growing up and then the Soundcloud eras and stuff like that. That was really what I was
9:24
on. We say that because there's a maturity level in your lyrics. Yeah. the to but to the extent though to
9:31
who I guess like a red man I don't even know where it comes from. I think it's just like authentically me and it's like
9:38
like it's a bit of greatness, you know? So when you see it, it's like, "Oh yeah, it's great." And then you think of other
9:44
things that's great. So I kind of I think of it like that. But I did I didn't grow up on like
9:49
Andre and stuff like that. I just as I was rapping people was like, "You sound like Andre." I'm like, "Man, what
9:55
you talking about? I don't sound like no. You know how I sound like nobody know. So then I went listen. I'm like,
10:00
"Oh, this is crazy." And then I kind of a little bit, you know, I can hear it, right?
10:05
Yeah. So it's not a bite, though. It's a difference when you just taking somebody home cuz I don't know the stuff to be like
10:11
trying to bite it. I'm just making a song and then they be like, "Oh, this remind me of this." I'm like, "That's crazy how like it parallels
10:19
subconsciously, you know, without me even like intentionally." So when I have the intention in mind, it's just now I'm just like playing with
10:25
the tools more. Like I could do this, I could bend this and Yeah. So I like that word bend.
10:32
Uh this project is the era of my 2010
10:37
dancing at airline skate center, catching party buses with my friends being in a car.
10:43
Yeah. You sound like you wanted to be there. No, I'm trying. Yo, I want to say his lyrics
10:50
and act like they mine, right? Take us back to that time, man.
10:55
Um, 2010 New Orleans. I'm wearing City Trans outfits, Coogi, Truck Fit, sock
11:02
hops, um, going to the school dances. The songs that's playing is the Migos,
11:08
Versace, and Handsome and Well, like that's what I'm thinking about right now. Mhm.
11:13
Um, and it was just like, you know, how you was telling me like you grow up in this
11:20
place and when you get older you look at, oh man, that kind that may have been a little rough, but in the in the time it's just fun. It's innocent and that's
11:26
like my most innocent times of life. And I always like trace back like whenever I
11:31
feel something, I'll be like, I felt that same way when I was 10 years old or something like that. So making that project Louisiana Shakedown, it was
11:38
actually like a I was used as like the spiritual vessel cuz you know I do a lot of rapping. So I was like, man, I need
11:44
something that make me feel something. Like it's it's one thing when you know your lane and you could do all of this. I was
11:50
like, I need something that make me feel something like feel like a kid again. And the first thing I did was the New Orleans DNA dun.
11:58
And I was like, oh yeah, that that that's what we doing right here. So that's Louisiana Shakedown. And it just feels like childhood. It feels like my
12:05
New Orleans child experience. Lori is here. Man, I'd be remissed if I
12:10
didn't ask you the the the story behind your name. Lree. Yeah. My real name Kyrie.
12:17
Um, when I was younger, they call me Reezy Fab and Ree and stuff like that.
12:22
And uh I was just like my name my rap name when I was first thought it was YPC Ree, Young Paper
12:29
Chaser Ree. But then I was like h that you know I got to just expand it. And I got to I got to make something
12:35
timeless. So, uh I ain't want to do li cuz everybody have Liil and I I felt nothing about me was
12:42
Li. So I was like a lot of Li's in Louisiana. Yeah. I was like I'mma do L cuz in I
12:47
guess we always used to say like L or that's Lebrine or that's Li James or whatever. Like um so I was I'mma do L.
12:55
And I look cool cuz LA could stand for Louisiana. That's true. And it sound a little French like Lar like
13:06
What's your family background, bro? Um, I grew up in Muslim households.
13:13
Okay. My grandpa uh converted to Islam and around the um like Malcolm Magnation,
13:20
the Islam era. Uh so Nash Salahoud is his name. And
13:26
with that, you know, he's an imam as well in the mosque. Uh that passes down to my
13:34
uncles. Um and this is on my dad's side. On my mom's side,
13:39
same thing. My uncle is an imam. And I think
13:47
in some type of way like I'm just from a family tree of people that's speaking a message, you know, being a vessel of a
13:52
message that's higher than them. And uh yeah, and you know, I think that also my last name was
14:00
Salahu Dean growing up. So they'd be like, "Ah, Salah, salami meat." You know what I'm saying? Having the funny ribs
14:05
or whatever. And but that it always like I'm a little different, you know? And I was okay with it, you
14:11
know? It's like if it was like Christmas season or something like that, like I wouldn't get a gift cuz I'd be like
14:16
looking around like, "Oh, they got this, they got this, they got this." And it made me like always feel just a little different. But I enjoyed it. like I I I
14:23
I learned the value of it and I'm grateful for it as I grew up. Um but
14:28
yeah, that's that's a value of it. Yep. That's a background. My dad um was
14:34
just a you know, cool guy. He used to drive a taxi cab. Uh we used to ride around in a taxi
14:41
and uh my mom being a mom helping out doing stuff. Yeah.
14:46
Uh yeah. Do you have siblings? I do. I have three younger brothers. Um
14:51
well my my my dad and my mom had uh split when I was like four years old. My
14:57
dad got remarried a few years later and u my um is what I call her have three
15:02
sons as well. So um six that's six. Well well no her and my dad made three
15:09
sons. Okay. Okay. Yeah. So that's um Yeah. Somehow your dad listens to SiriusXM and
15:16
Sway in the morning cuz he definitely hollered. Yeah. Yeah, he called up here.
15:21
He He called Torch. Yeah, he got in touch with with our producer. Shout out to your dad. I like I got
15:27
somebody I can hang out with without my guy. He um we was doing the tour with um
15:32
Little Sims and after every show he'll have a video from the crowd, but he at home in New
15:38
Orleans. I'm like, "How you get a video of these?" Like, like a person will post a video, I'll repost it, he'll go text
15:45
them, "What's going on? My name I'm Liz D." You know what I'm saying? you nef now you know you ne you part of the
15:52
family I need this video and uh oh my god so yeah that's kind that's the type of guy he is like they're coming up to me
15:58
this man just said he's your dad need your video is this your dad I'm like that's my dad
16:03
that's your dad man give that manious yo give that man a round of applause man uh
16:09
you know I got a daughter and um she's very special right and she's special in
16:14
a way that not everybody get you know And I recall telling her, you know, your
16:21
difference is your power. Y, you know, and you you have a a song, part me, I'm different. Yeah. Right.
16:28
And when you explain growing up different, you know, I said, okay, maybe
16:33
that too helped inspire to make this song. Is that true? Nah. Nah. Okay.
16:38
It that was when I was working with um PJ Morton. He was in the studio in Bugaloosa.
16:44
And that's where Stevie Wonder. Yep. It's the same one. Yeah. You recorded in that studio? In that studio.
16:49
What was that? Did you feel the energy in there? I did feel the energy. It was old in there. It was like golden. It felt like
16:55
just some out of 70s movie. And uh cuz PJ wanted to do a project
17:00
like a rap. He wanted to produce a rap project. He wanted me to rap on it. Just seeing all the stuff that I was putting out. And we got in there.
17:08
It took like five days to make it. It was just sleep, eat, breathe music. And I don't even know how like he came up
17:15
with the hook. He was just like [Music] And I was like, "All right, we should name that the project." Like that's
17:21
that's it right there. And um yeah, I don't even know how it really came about just subconsciously. Okay.
17:27
I guess what we really felt was like when you think of what
17:32
music is in New Orleans or what do you think about what the norm is? I would be like a part of it but also
17:39
like left center like I'm not or like left of it. I'm not the, you know, I don't look like the Hot Boys. I don't
17:46
look exactly I don't sound exactly like Lil Wayne or have the same type of message. So it it is a bit different but
17:52
it's like pardon me I'm different like you know I'm different. I'm I'm trying to figure something out.
17:57
So let's just say I'm a 22 year old you know I want to be a rapper you know I
18:03
didn't didn't do the college route or I dropped out. Maybe I work at Lowe's or Popeye's. I I
18:09
don't know. And I'm trying to figure it out. I want to go into the studio. How did you do all of this? Because I don't
18:15
hear you saying like, "Well, I quit my job and I do So, how did you pay for studio time? How did you you spent a lot
18:21
of time in your room? Did you record the music at home?" Like, how did it get I um
18:27
Yeah, I didn't pay for studio time. I was like, I can't afford it cuz basically it
18:33
it'll limit me to create. I need three weeks sometimes to make a song. I can't for I can't squeeze a song in two hours
18:40
because if I don't get it out now I'm just like I'm just paying to like rap and I'm like gonna lose out
18:47
on making a good song. So I was like all right this studio time is too expensive. Um I'm going just learn how to record
18:52
myself. I'm going to learn how to mix myself, master it. So I had learned how to mix and master out of necessity. You
18:58
know that's what makes great the limitations of whatever financially I had to learn because I'm like I need to
19:04
put the music out. So yeah, I just bought my own equipment like a Scarlet
19:09
Solo, a AT2020 microphone, some uh Audio
19:14
Technica headphones, and I was like, "Get into it." And I was like, "Bet, we going to record it." Pay. I'mma mix it myself.
19:20
Learn. YouTube taught me stock plugins and stuff like that. You have to do it. Like if you trying to
19:26
be a rapper or something like that, you got to be willing to do every single role cuz how else will you be able to
19:31
like communicate with someone that's too much lowering on my voice? Can you move that a little bit like that? Or what if
19:37
we make the vocal sound a bit more crunchy like the sample? You don't know that stuff and you know how to communicate it unless you actually do
19:43
it. So yeah, that's how I got around it. You wish you was him when you was his age, huh?
19:48
I was him. This this guy, you got to go back and forth
19:55
all day. It's my brother. What am I supposed to do? But this is 35 years of knowing each other and now we work
20:01
together. You know, we both started out in the industry as artists. We both started as MC's MC's. So that's
20:07
really what this what this is. And so we can appreciate you from our I was 19 when I started. He
20:13
was a teenager as well. So we can appreciate your energy, your um your
20:19
like I like I said, I feel something on the inside knowing that you put in this work and then when I watched your
20:25
visuals, I was like, nah, he doing something. It's different. It's just very
20:30
different. But I had a job. Sway had a job. We we multiple jobs. We had multiple jobs. And this is before the
20:37
time where you could like the idea of buying your own equipment at home really wasn't Yeah. thing back then. I would say also
20:43
like I started at 14 so it's like wow I like I'm 17 I'm still in high school.
20:50
My parents can't kick me out or anything. So like luckily I was like if I could utilize I need to utilize as
20:56
much time under my parents house because I don't have to pay for anything right now. As I got older I like you know
21:01
start helping out. But when I was like 17 I'm like all right bro I rather just have no money and just have all the time
21:07
cuz at least like I I don't care to have like the best shoes. I'll go to the thrift store, but I'mma just put all my
21:14
time into the music cuz I'mma make it back, you know? So, I was just like, I'm going
21:19
just thug it out. I don't need to have, you know, $3,000 right now. I'm going just figure it out. I'mma just,
21:25
you know, do it off off the love, you know? I don't have to have no ad dollars. So, that's really that was kind of the
21:32
mentality like I need to utilize this time, self-invest, self invest, right? Under the parents rules. So, and then
21:38
look at him now. 14. Right. Um I feel like I read somewhere that NBA Young Boy
21:44
Yeah. was an inspiration to you. Inspiration. Talk about that. How so, man? I don't know how to explain it.
21:50
It's like I think the him being from Baton Rouge,
21:57
me being from New Orleans, it felt a bit of a that felt very connected. It felt like home. and to see well first of all
22:05
the songs are amazing to to go online and see him had these chains on these cool running gun type videos sometimes
22:11
he filming in New Orleans and I'm like oh that's my barber shop you know it feels like wow this guy and he looks my
22:17
age so it was just like this is super cool and he has this huge audience he's doing these shows they're selling out
22:24
he's getting these co-signs and I was like man I want to do that you know like I want to be able to put
22:30
out a song and people connect with it and just how I'm connecting with it. So, that was kind of the
22:36
the thought process and that was really super inspirational to me. Yeah. And it's amazing to see how how
22:42
how colossal his journey has become, right? Like it's just the the latest phenomenon
22:49
in the game and you talked about the cosigns he's gotten, but you gotten some pretty impressive cosigns yourself for
22:56
real. Uh salute to Rap City, right? She jumped on that remix, right? Rap City just
23:01
jumped on your remix. Yeah. You didn't know her at the time? I did. I did know. We've been knowing each other for like
23:07
for the Pardon Me remix, right? Yeah. We had known each other like two years mutually and her and PJ have a great relationship as well and but she
23:13
was like of course you know I want I want to do it. So yeah, shout out Rap City. Did you feel any uh when she did it, she
23:19
just did it and you heard it or did were y'all in the same No, we was there. I was like, "Bro,
23:25
wow. I got to like get right. I got to write another verse or something like that's
23:30
going to ask you." Like she just blacked out and it was just like like I was just Yeah.
23:36
She was just like typing on a computer her verse. I ain't never seen that before. Like she was typing on the computer her verse and held the computer
23:43
up and wrapped it and I'm like, "Wow." Okay.
23:49
Kind of like that. So, uh, Rap City will ruin your career. One verse, man. She is so dope. For real. Just
23:56
ridiculously talented queen for sure. And I'm sure cuz Rapsid's journey, we we've been sameion
24:04
before they knew who she was and and they was trying to put limitations on, you know, they always put a limitation on the by a person by their
24:10
gender or she doesn't fit the exact bill that most people see as a female artist.
24:16
Um, and we saw through all of that, we saw her talent and now she's one of the
24:21
most revered, respected people there, but she's had her challenges, right? Did she was she able to swap game
24:27
with you about? Yeah, very I was asking her um just kind of like
24:33
mentality stuff, you know? She was just saying like protect your peace. um just
24:39
telling me like like we was talking about um touring and she was like, "Yo, this is like this is your tour. Like
24:46
you're gonna learn how to be a leader. You're going to have to be like, "All right, y'all. It's time to wake up at this time. It's time to go do this. We
24:52
got to go drive. You got to be ready to just grind and work." And it was a lot
24:57
of stuff in that realm though. But just kind of telling me stay focused, keep my energy, protect my peace, and
25:04
just stay original, stay authentic, and love the game, love the craft. So beautiful. And then when you do that,
25:10
um, people start to recognize like they recognize you at the hip hop museum when you receive that award for with the next
25:17
generation award and you're surrounded by the pioneers and and those who built this thing, man.
25:25
Well, you who how did you find out you were receiving this award like and and then what was it like being in that
25:31
environment to be receiving? I was just like, "Wow, that's a bold statement that I agree
25:36
with." And to to I'm like, "Now you really talking my language." Cuz like to it's to
25:42
to be a museum and to say this is the next
25:47
it's engraved like you have to like live up to it. I'm like I know it. But for someone to take that chance and also say
25:54
no this is the next person. I was like oh yeah thank you. Thank you. They get it. So, uh,
26:00
to just receive that is just like kind of crazy thinking about it now. I haven't really been like processing it
26:06
for real. It's been a lot, but I'm just grateful and like I just want to live up to it. I just want to like,
26:12
you know, when when uh, you know, as an artist, I go back and be like, where was Kendrick Lamar at when right before Good
26:18
Kid Man City overly dedicated? I was like, I asked JBT, "How many followers did he have?" Like, what what was all of
26:23
these different things or Kanye or JCole, whatever. People will go back and look where exactly I was at this stage
26:31
when I received it and then 10 years from now they'll see it. I want that to happen so they can be like, "Okay, he
26:36
was here. It took this to get here and then it took this to get there." Yes. So I'm just like, "Let's do it." You
26:42
know? I think it's like a blueprint almost like I'm I'm just super grateful though. Did you Did you I know there were people
26:47
there you didn't know, you know? Yeah. The pioneers. I mean they walking legends walking by you, bumping you.
26:53
Excuse me, son. You don't even know. Yeah. There's one on Grandmaster Cash right there. You know they
27:00
I was telling uh manager Eric I'm like who is that guy over there? Like what
27:05
did he do? And so he's like yo bro he like literally d and I'm like I'm like what's this song playing? It's very like
27:13
he say oh and I was like what you know? So yeah I just be there. I'm just like
27:19
oh wow this is super cool. Like I look like 12 but like you know they yeah they we here. we here. Man, that's a
27:27
beautiful experience to have because the industry will perpetuate the a divide between
27:34
the the young and the and the older, you know, or the experienced or however whatever terminology you want to use.
27:41
When when you trace it back, let's screw the let's just put the industry aside. Let's talk about our communities, you
27:47
know, let's talk about our tribes, you know, let's let's go back back into time. M
27:53
there was power in our bond. There was power in the bridge. I've been around for decades.
27:59
I learned things that you may not know that I could pass down. You came up at a
28:04
different era. You learned things that I don't know that you could upload, right? And
28:09
together we're going to be more powerful and expansion than we could be alone.
28:15
And so I'm glad you had that experience. Mhm. I had experiences like that coming up where it's like DJ Red Alert, you know,
28:22
and and a lot of people was giving me information and telling me you can't leave. We need you to do this and that
28:28
and this and that. And it gave me u perspective. And so I'm proud of you
28:33
that you got to have that experience and and I can see how it's going to benefit you as it already has.
28:39
You talked about Kendrick, right? And you got a chance to meet Kendrick. Yeah. Yeah. Right. And I saw the photo, dog.
28:50
We know. What was that like, bro? That was like um
28:57
how do I explain it? I think the ultimate confirmation from God.
29:02
You know, you on this journey, Mommy, I'm putting all this stuff out. I ain't putting no money behind. Like, I
29:08
don't have I ain't have the money to put into I just have the the the the willpower. So to be putting this stuff
29:15
out on Instagram, uploading it through these, you know, $2 a month, you know,
29:20
all the the factors or whatever, no label, no nothing. Get to the BET
29:25
Awards, PJ Morton, and uh see Kendrick Lamar. I ain't know he was going to be
29:31
there, but this is the guy I'm studying. Like I am I'm on the plane listening to Good Kid Matt City. Okay. Why does he
29:38
switch his voice on this part of the song? What does that invoke? What does that make the the listen? You know, I'm
29:43
studied. I'm watching the interviews just cuz I'm a student and I just This is like a idol you can say. And then I
29:50
see him and I'm like, I got to get a picture. At least if I get a picture, it'll look cool in a few years when I, you know what I'm saying? Get up there
29:56
and they like, oh man. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like I be like, I'mma take the picture. So then when I meet you again, I can be
30:01
like, yo, we took a picture, dog. You know, but I went down there and I was like, yo, yo, Kendrick, I get a picture. He was like,
30:07
man, come here, man. I be seeing your stuff, dog. Like, what you doing? And I was just like I just probably blacked out in the moment.
30:14
And I'm like I'm like he was like yeah doing your thing. Keep it up. You represent New Orleans well.
30:19
And when he said that I'm like oh he like it ain't just like he seen he know I'm from New Orleans. Like and that
30:25
means something to me cuz it's like I'm really trying to represent New Orleans well. So it was just like a blackout moment
30:32
for me. Also though like a confirmation like yo you on your path. You don't need everything they say you need. You don't
30:38
need all of this theatrics, gimmicks, the whatever the the backing or
30:43
whatever. Like, bro, you put out a message that means something that is real and authentic. Anyone could love it. You know what I'm
30:49
saying? It don't matter the status. After that, I'm like, bro, Barack Obama probably bumping me right now. You know
30:54
what I'm saying? I was like, yo, at this point, Yeah. You never know, man. Yeah. And and it made me realize
31:02
everyone is human. So don't think of your music going only to a certain like everyone is human you know uh whoever
31:08
could be listening everyone needs something. So now I'm like we all need help. We all need help. Hey
31:13
come on man. I see what you did right there. I see what you did right there. Yeah. And I'm like
31:19
that was just like super cool. I ain't go to sleep that night. I ain't going to lie. I was just up. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it.
31:25
Man, Lori is here, man. By the way, we all need help is another one of his projects. And that's what I they all
31:31
thread together. Look at that picture. You were kid. That's my hand was shaking love. Yeah. Yeah. Your peace sign look
31:37
crooked. Hey man, listen citizens. If you love
31:43
hiphop, you love meeting somebody that's on the precipice of being, you know, one
31:48
of the most celebrated artists of this era. I'mma put that out there. Lori is
31:53
here for sure. If you love this culture, 8887423345. Let's play Louisiana.
32:00
We're going to come back and talk more. Versatility.
32:05
Yeah. You got liberation torch.
32:11
Yeah. Let me hear that too real quick. I'm just playing your music though.
32:17
Cuz you could do that cuz you got your own show. You sway.
32:22
Take your time with it. We going to talk with him. We got Lizy here with us right now. Um yeah. I you know listening to your music
32:30
I catch a lot of things you say. I I want to go back to perspective. Uh I
32:36
think that's a very um it's a very uh profound track to me for a a few
32:43
reasons. What you're talking about uh is a product of free thinking in my opinion
32:50
and not accepting what's being indoctrinated into your psyche. And when you talk about perspective and things
32:56
that are distractions like cars, money, sex, Yeah. you know, uh is is it a rap album or a
33:05
Bible? You know, when did you learn about perspective?
33:10
Um it would be this year. I feel like I
33:15
really I kind of like just looked at everything
33:21
from like a how do I explain it? I looked at everything from a vessel spiritual
33:28
perspective and I was like okay if everything is divine by God if
33:36
everything's written right how can you like
33:43
how do you if everything's written your your
33:48
thought process plays a part into your reality so I say
33:54
that to Okay, on New Year's Eve, I got a flat tire
34:01
right before I went on the bridge. And
34:06
there's two perspectives. There's a perspective of look at the devil always trying to stop me, always knocking me
34:13
down, or thank you God, I could have gotten a wreck. And just with those two perspectives,
34:20
you live a different reality. So, one reality is everything's just in control.
34:26
Everything is written. Whatever is for me is for me. If this supposed to happen, if I was supposed to get here 10 minutes late, maybe I would have gotten
34:32
a crash 10 minutes earlier. I'm not tripping. It's not that important. Life is just like you don't have to like
34:39
overly stress yourself out. We here, we alive, you know, just relax. So, that
34:46
occurrence gave me this like perspective of everything. I'm like, okay,
34:52
I may feel a rap album connects with me more than a Quran some days or a Bible
34:59
to some people. Which one is what? Like how who is to say like this is more this is le like
35:06
it's all under the creation of God. And that was kind of like the thought process. And then I just went on a
35:11
tangent. I'm like a trap house or a mansion. Mhm. twerking is for bops or is twerking
35:18
highle dancing? Because like when when when I'm growing up, ah girl, you don't be twerking.
35:26
Twerking, that's that's it's [ __ ] whatever. D. But then as I'm learning more African history,
35:33
you know what I'm saying? That's the hip movement is is is energy. It's energetic. So now it's like, okay,
35:39
where's this narrative coming from? This is same thing. The action of twerking is one thing, two different perspectives.
35:46
And that was just like the thought process I had. And that's kind of like the wakeup call I had. Now I think about everything like that. You know,
35:53
boy, when you get your Grammy, I can't wait to hear these speeches. I'mma be standing right behind him and
36:00
going on tour with them, too. Yo, you can listen. I'mma be right there waving. Yo,
36:05
we was there. This is great. What do you think, DJ Flipflop? you enjoying this
36:12
conversation? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Definitely. Definitely very inspir inspirational and yo I'm excited to hear
36:18
hear the music cuz I'm I'm new to knew you and uh just from what I heard it's fire. It's fire man. I'm really
36:25
stoked for you. It's interesting because yesterday we had um we had a DJ here. We had Jay
36:30
Period here. Su had some guests here as well who are back today. They came back cuz I said
36:36
is coming. They were leaving out and we were talking about was like yo he just hit me to sit in town's coming. And they
36:42
stopped in their tracks. They was like y'all know about we was like yes we know about. So
36:49
even what you said you put it out. You don't know who was touching our generation. Your this is your
36:54
generation right here you know and and and everything in between. Y'all can jump on the mic. There's two microphones
37:00
here. No just put them right on the camera right here. Take the mic. And so yeah. Yes. We were saying how
37:07
yesterday y'all was surprised and and and back today because Louise is here. Like they got up early. They hated
37:13
getting up early like why you got us up early. Now he's texting me. Can I come back? Hit his mic. Hit his mic for me.
37:19
Put the headphones on. Omari. There you go. I got you. Okay. From Philly. From Philly. Shout out to Auntie Shell.
37:28
It was crazy, man. Like honestly like listening to your music. I was on a flight listening to 19. Like that's like
37:34
one of my favorite favorite songs because just coming up and producing
37:39
it's always been a challenge especially where I'm from. I'm from Philly so it's like bro your music is very it resonates. So
37:47
especially your latest single I liked it. It was it was crazy. So when they told me they were like yeah we got Liza
37:52
coming. I'm like I got to come back. I got to come back. Can I come back? Yeah. Exactly. You got a question for
37:58
him cuz you produce as well. So yeah this man produced. Ask him a question bro. This was live on air, by the way.
38:05
You put me on the screen. I know, right? Yeah. So, how I know like when you said
38:10
like I was listening outside and you said you're when you're coming up, you said you had to learn how to do everything and learn how to produce and
38:16
stuff like that. How was that for you? Fun. Yeah. It was like aggravating, but it was
38:21
ultimately like rewarding cuz it's like I'm sitting here trying to figure out how to EQ my voice.
38:30
I don't know nothing about EQ. And I'm like, bro, like what? Like I'm almost like, what am I doing? Like, and I'm
38:36
like, but I was like, I'm learning. And then you just get a little better. And then you get some that's to you sound like,
38:43
oh, this sound good enough. Really? Listening back, it sound crunchy. It sound like too much compression. But in
38:49
the moment, you like, oh, this sounds good. I got something. And then you make 20 more tracks and you like, oh, then
38:55
you start making mixtapz. Then you start making this. Now you like, oh, I got songs I can make. Now I can do videos. So, it was fun. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed
39:03
that process of just being in the zone and getting in the flow state cuz every time I had to mix something or every
39:09
time I was structuring something, I felt like I was in control of my of my music. It
39:14
didn't feel like no, it was just like I was in control. I was making what I wanted to make. So, yeah,
39:20
that's the thing. Like, it's it's crazy cuz, you know, now it's a lot of like the rap game has kind of changed a lot.
39:26
It's a lot more trap stuff. It's a lot more, you know, and I like to maintain the core feeling of hip-hop in itself.
39:33
And that's why when you were coming up and I'm listening to your music, it resonated with me because it's like I love to make that type of music. So
39:40
it's like, bro, it's it was it's it's like you said, everything happens for a reason. Like you hear it's
39:46
divine. Divine. It's crazy. Caleb, yo, you y'all are going to appreciate me years from now.
39:53
You can't afford his concert tickets. So they're taking their picture today. So when they look back, they look back they like, "Yo, dog
40:00
mother, remember me?" Oh, you was saying that you were uh independent. Could you go speak a little
40:07
bit about um the marketing and business behind that? Cuz I feel like with
40:13
independent artists, like they got the music, but they just it's hard to get it out there. I would say it's um I really I think of
40:22
it as packaging. I think of it as a present. I think of it as like you could
40:27
give someone a iPhone. You could just take the phone out the box. Here's an iPhone. Or you could put the iPhone in
40:34
the box. You could put it in a wrapped around that painted with your city on it and they got their face on it and you
40:40
can hand them to them. You could do a dance before you give them the box and then they can open the box and then you say, "Hold on, I got something else that
40:45
goes with the box." And then they're like, "Oh my gosh, I love this presentation of this
40:52
product." So, for me, that's kind of like the thought process of it. And and every song I just like reverse engineer.
40:58
I was like, what would it take to make this song the biggest song I could possibly make it? I'm going to need a video. I'm going to need uh um 12
41:06
videos, you know? So, when I shoot my real, let me shoot a three minute video. Let me shoot six different three minute
41:12
videos. And then after I have all the videos, let me chop up 30 seconds of it.
41:17
Right. I don't even know how many clips that is, but you could imagine if you got grinding. Yeah. So, it's just like
41:23
then it's like, "All right, how can I make if people are on Instagram reals, how can I make the thriller of Instagram
41:29
res? How can I make the the the best video you ever seen when you scrolling on Instagram res or something like that?
41:35
How can I stand out?" So, I'm like, "Oh, let me hang out of the street car and let me have five people behind me and we
41:41
going to duck back and forth like Ninja Turtles or something like that." The music, I know I got the music. The video
41:46
has to win the people, though. You got to get them in two seconds. That's what I was talking about yesterday with you.
41:52
And and I look at the videos, I know the first two seconds of my video has to catch you. I know sometimes the camera
41:59
has to be a certain length to my face because if it's too far away, it don't you don't get it. You know, you see so
42:05
many reals and stuff like that. We don't even remember the real we the first reel we saw this morning.
42:12
That's you to everybody. So, you got to make something that people remember. You ain't just making, oh, this is my new
42:17
song. Check it out. No, this is an experience. You have to bring them through the world. And that takes time,
42:23
though, because I'm on year six. You know what I'm saying? It ain't just like overnight. I' I've shot in 50 music
42:28
videos already by the age of 18. You know what I'm saying? So, it's like,
42:34
damn. You You That's what's up, though. You kept You kept it going. Yeah, you have to. It It's repetition and you start learning. Okay, this is a
42:40
real This is how people see me. Okay. Oh, I know I got the camera videos. I I
42:45
know the high quality videos. Let me get on Tik Tok now. Okay. High quality videos don't hit the same on Tik Tok.
42:51
Phone videos. Phone videos are relatable. Well, let me just do the exact version. Let me do the best video
42:57
but in a phone, you know? Let me make it like super cool. Let me wear a cool outfit. Um, let me do all the stuff I
43:05
would do if it was a high production video, but just on a phone. And then you get all them phone reels that seem
43:10
relatable. People like, "Oh my god, this is so cool." Like, it's just it feels relatable cuz it's just a phone video.
43:15
And he be like, "It's all intentional though. Have to be intentional. Have to plan it out. Have a world connected to
43:20
everything." That's what's up. All right. Y'all y'all going to make us EPs on your projects. Oh gosh.
43:26
That for y'all. Thank you, Caleb. Good, man. Great questions, too, man. And great insight.
43:33
Uh Lori is here, man. Let's have some fun, man. We got a turntable champion
43:38
right here. Turntableist from the group collective, the Beat Junkies. He actually teaches
43:43
turntableism at the institute of the Beat Junkies Institute, DJ FlipFop. Man,
43:49
let's let's see if he if he throws some beats on that you could that to see how you feel about them, man. Because you're
43:55
from where? New Orleans. And then you traveled to where you at now? Los Angeles.
44:01
You highly mistaken. You are highly mistaken. You're not in LA. You're not. NW in the morning.
44:07
You in the valley. Come on, man.
44:12
Flip-flop. Drop a beat. Let's see if this works.
44:21
Crazy. Whatever. [Music]
44:30
Live from Louisiana. Sway. The morning Tracy G.
44:36
Let me give these speeches from the struggle and achievements. 200,000 followers to lock in the dungeon for the weekend. I can tell you I ate turkey
44:42
sandwiches from start to weekend. Not weekend. I envision I was in the heels like the weekend. I think it's prone to
44:48
talk about the deaths in our life. But the more you speak, the more realities on that subject. I'm all right. I'm a billionaire. I drove the Bentley hair.
44:54
Escortes everywhere. 50,000 people in attendance to see this curly hair boy from the south. Rap on the swing. The
44:59
morning beat and give it soul through the mouth. Give him the feeling of the drought. The one, two, and three. Yeah. A young LZ in his daddy taxi. Bumping
45:07
little wheezy like my seat down low and my window slightly crack. There's no ceiling to this dry. There's no straight
45:13
line on the map. Teach the girls how to lean. Teach the boys how to lean. And on the mission, this a new beginning. Hit
45:18
the television. This a new season. I got new reasons to grab a game by the balls. Turn it twisted. Squeeze it. Old man.
45:25
I'ming out. I was told to be conceded. There's no hero without confidence. Let them just perceive it. Believe it.
45:31
Oh [ __ ] What the [Applause]
45:40
Feel me?
45:46
Hey, he's a hyena, homie. Man, hyena,
45:51
let's go. Oh, man. Hip hop.
45:56
Hip hop in his raw form. They told you he's the artist of the
46:01
next generation. Louisiana, stand up. Norland, stand up.
46:07
He's here. Louisiana is here. Wow. [ __ ]
46:12
To hell just happened. Yo, just I mean, come on, Sway.
46:18
You can't make this up, man. You can't make it up. And from your bedroom trying to figure it out
46:24
to the museum to the stages to Kendrick to Sway in the morning, the DMs, the
46:30
love, the people. Oh gosh. Yeah. Congratulations, young man. Like
46:37
yo, you one of them ones, yo. You one of them ones. Yo, I don't even know. I ain't never been
46:43
flabbergasted after a freestyle. What the heck? Because this is so This is what it is. This is why we all
46:50
fell in love with it, right? Like you you home. We was in our basement on our futons and your auntie couch, your
46:56
grandmother, wherever you could sleep, your notebook, your bars, and you just want to just I need a mic. You know what
47:03
I mean? And to watch all of that happen right here for you and our first time coming together is
47:09
it's beautiful. Heather about to cry. Hug her. He already hugged me already. He hug
47:14
her. Please hug her. Oh, you can take them off for this because I'm I'm I'm happy. Go ahead. Heather's actually crying.
47:21
Wow. Wow. Now, it's good to see when they when they put in the work. That's why I
47:27
want JCole to hear this. Yep. I want Kendrick to hear this. Yep.
47:33
I want them all to hear it. You know, I want Jid to hear it. I want them all to hear it. I want Absol
47:39
to hear it. You know, I want King Los to hear it. I want Common and Lupe to hear it.
47:45
30,000 30,000 to hear it. You got on a rock nation. I got you. J J
47:52
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J Jay, you on the sixth floor. We on We on the eighth floor. Jay, we two floors up. Come upstairs.
47:57
Come to the top, Jay. The top is much better than the bottom. That's your impersonation right now. Oh
48:03
gosh. This is what I deal with, y'all. That Yo, Lori, y'all been trying to quit and he just keep bringing me back in the
48:12
cheddar in the bottom. Um I want the I want the world to hear this guy, man.
48:18
And it ain't just a hip-hop thing, but it's that's where it's coming from. But this is worldwide and that's what hip-hop does as a culture. You're
48:25
amazing, bro. Salute to your parents, your family, your support cast,
48:31
you know, your um your upbringing, you know, your your enlightenment,
48:37
your discipline, bro. Your discipline, your discipline. Stay the course. I ain't even worried about you. Sometimes I give people
48:43
advice to be, you know, behold of the pitfalls, but you're awaken. And I know that third
48:50
eye is active right now. And I'm glad we could be a a a tool in your
48:56
chest. Thank you. You know what I mean? Uh we we're allies to you. As long as we're here, you got space.
49:03
Thankful. Okay. Lizy, y'all, y'all is the new project. You can catch him
49:08
with Tyler the Creator this weekend. Pump it all weekend, baby. You going to the You performing? Yeah.
49:14
How did that happen? Did Tyler call you? Nah, he didn't call me. I had uh Tyler, you need to hear this.
49:20
He shouted me out in this interview for don't tap that glass. He was uh Zane Lois asking him like, "Who are the
49:27
artists and stuff like that." And before I watched it, I was like, "What if he say my name in this? I feel like he might say my name." And then in the
49:33
interview, he was like, "Have you heard of this kid?" "Yeah, he's dope. I'm excited to see what he's going to do." I'm like, "Oh my god.
49:40
cuz this is my like is Kendrick Tyler, you know what I'm saying? So he
49:45
said that and then a few weeks later my booking agent asked me about yo you want to do flogn like let me know today cuz
49:51
they putting up like the fly like tomorrow. I was like of course man. I'm like what? Check them out at Flognog man.
49:57
Check me out at Flogna. Um Perspective is out now. I got to plug right quick. Perspective is out on Black Friday. Um
50:03
I'm putting out a mixtape called Free99. just like the song, the compilations of stuff that didn't make the cuts. Um, but
50:10
I just want to give it to the supporters, to the people that's been rocking with me, just like I want to show you how much I care about
50:16
you. Um, to anyone listening that's a supporter, like I appreciate the people. Um, and I'm here for the people and I
50:22
just want to keep giving music, you know, like I don't want to hold it. I don't, you know, like I want to put it
50:27
out and and that's really what that is about. Just a compilation of stuff. So free 999 and be about 12 tracks, some
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uncleared stuff, some clear stuff. So okay. Okay, I like that. And it's free 999. Lizy, how can people follow you on
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social? Lree. L A R E Z Y. Lizree music on Instagram. L A R E Z Y. And it's Lizy on
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Tik Tok. You're an awesome DJ cuz you read the room because you never heard of him. And
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I said, and you saw me say when I when I played perspective, I'mma play his track,
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catch his style, so you could find a beat you feel was matched him. I thought it was just clean. It it I
51:09
thought it felt fit well and you man blew it out the water. Jeez. Jeez. Thank God for rap music cuz we always
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able to connect amongst that. Like you heard something, he got it, I got it. Everything the energy is just
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it's crazy. Hey, man. It's kinetic energy, man. and DJ Flipflop. Thank you, bro. How you you are now a part of
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history.