Up next in 10
New York energy is at an all-time high as Harlems own Nino Man stops by the studio for a legendary reunion with Sway. This isnt just an interview; its a deep dive into the evolution of a Harlem icon who is building his own lane and redefining what success looks like in the modern rap game. 🎬
In this episode, Nino Man addresses the current state of New York rap and shares the inspiration behind his latest track, Make a Movie. The conversation takes a fascinating turn when the team discusses the rise of AI in music, debating whether computer-generated anthems can ever truly replace the human soul and momentum of a real artist. Nino Man explains how he uses technology as a productivity tool while staying rooted in the authentic bars that his core following loves. 🎤
We also get an inside look at the Games Keep Me Sane movement, a luxury gaming initiative designed to provide escapism and community. From sharing stories about receiving game from Jay-Z to discussing the importance of mental peace and financial independence, Nino Man drops a billion dollars worth of gems. The session wraps up with a high-energy freestyle in the Valley of the Hyena that proves why he remains one of the most elite MCs in the city. 💎
Chapters 📺
0:00 Intro and the return to New York
3:15 Comparing the new Harlem anthems
6:45 The role of AI in music production
10:30 Claiming the title of one of the greats
14:15 Defining success beyond the struggle
18:00 The Games Keep Me Sane movement
22:30 Lessons learned from Jay-Z and Hov
26:45 Breaking hip hop stereotypes
29:15 Nino Man live freestyle
32:00 Giving back to the community
Make sure to subscribe for more exclusive interviews and hip hop culture content. Let us know in the comments what you think of Nino Mans take on AI and the new Harlem anthem. 🚀
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0:01
People been asking me all week, "You
0:02
miss New York?" Mm.
0:04
I do now. Nino Man is in here, man. I
0:06
FORGOT THE ENERGY RIGHT NOW.
0:09
>> YOU HOT.
0:09
>> MOTHER
0:11
[ __ ] MOVIE. I got
0:12
>> Movie.
0:13
>> [laughter]
0:13
>> WOW.
0:14
>> THE [ __ ]
0:14
>> YEAH, IT'S UP, B.
0:15
>> WELCOME BACK, SWAY.
0:16
>> Welcome back, Sway.
0:18
>> Oh, man. Thank [laughter] you, man. Nino
0:19
Man is here, man. New York's finest.
0:22
>> Yeah, B. Harlem in the building, y'all.
0:24
>> Stop asking rhetorical questions.
0:27
Stop asking questions that don't make
0:29
sense.
0:30
>> Sway backs.
0:31
>> You're asking questions when the answer
0:32
is right in your face. Nino Man, what
0:34
happened to New York rap? Nothing. You
0:37
ain't paying attention to Nino Man.
0:39
>> Listen. That's fact, B. Let her know,
0:40
Sway.
0:40
>> [ __ ] out of here.
0:41
>> You know what I mean?
0:42
>> Yo, you got [laughter] me packing them
0:43
in.
0:44
>> You were sent out during the first half
0:46
of THIS SHOW, SWAY.
0:47
>> [laughter]
0:49
>> YO,
0:49
MOTHER [ __ ] MOVIE. WE MAKING movies
0:52
now.
0:52
>> Yeah, we is.
0:53
>> Yo, man. I I just got to say so look
0:55
look, we don't have Nino Man on this
0:56
[ __ ] This when he comes up, this ain't
0:58
even an interview. This is This is a
1:00
reunion.
1:01
>> Yeah, that's right.
1:02
>> Right? It's us getting reunited.
1:04
And him and I been communicating and and
1:06
he told me he sent me this song and I
1:09
was like, "Oh, [ __ ]
1:11
We got one."
1:12
>> Mhm.
1:12
>> You know, and
1:14
it part of the reason why I hit you so
1:16
I'm coming back to New York next week.
1:18
What we doing? And here he is, Nino Man.
1:21
New York, man.
1:22
>> Yeah.
1:22
>> New York, we got a problem.
1:23
>> Yeah.
1:24
Hey, man.
1:25
>> And I ain't trying to solve that
1:26
problem.
1:27
>> trying to solve it.
1:28
>> That's [laughter] it.
1:29
>> I'm not trying to solve it. We got it
1:31
right here, Nino Man. We got Dave on the
1:33
line from Harlem, man. He just called up
1:35
soon as we played the song. Dave, what
1:36
up?
1:37
>> What up, Dave?
1:37
>> What up, Dave?
1:38
>> Yo, what up, fam? How you all doing? Let
1:40
me pull over.
1:40
>> Let me pull over.
1:42
Let me pull over, [ __ ] Pull over, man.
1:43
>> TALK TO US, DAVE.
1:45
Talk to US.
1:46
>> WHAT'S UP? HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING, MAN?
1:47
>> We great, man.
1:48
>> We feeling marvelous.
1:49
>> Excellent.
1:50
>> Okay, so the last time y'all had him on
1:53
the show,
1:55
I was trying to call in so bad because I
1:57
thought that the first time I heard him,
1:59
you know, as a rapper.
2:00
>> Mhm.
2:01
>> His flow was nuts. It was crazy. Made me
2:03
go check out his, you know, his his uh
2:06
music on Spotify or whatever. My
2:08
favorite is Child of Harlem.
2:10
>> Child of Harlem fire.
2:11
>> That joint is crazy.
2:13
>> Fire. Good looking, my guy.
2:15
>> Yeah, so being from Harlem, you know
2:17
what I'm saying? I I That felt me and I
2:19
think that as far as Harlem rappers go,
2:21
you know, you know,
2:23
rest in power to Big L. There's only a
2:25
handful that really solidified the game
2:27
and that's you.
2:29
>> Appreciate that, man.
2:30
>> You are definitely one of
2:31
>> Yeah, man.
2:32
>> I just want to give you your flowers and
2:34
say, yo, I'm feeling you. Your energy is
2:36
bananas. Like your bars is nothing like
2:39
a payday like you said in this joint.
2:41
>> [laughter]
2:41
>> So, and so I was feeling that. The
2:44
question I had for y'all on top of that,
2:46
if you don't mind real quick,
2:47
>> Mhm.
2:47
>> there is a anthem. It's going to be I I
2:50
I believe it's going to be the Harlem
2:51
anthem.
2:53
>> Which one?
2:54
>> It's called This is Harlem.
2:56
By um the House of Lions. It just
3:00
dropped like Tuesday. I wanted to know
3:02
if you heard that or if you knew about
3:03
that project and if you did, what do you
3:06
think of it?
3:07
>> Damn, I'm I'm not familiar. I'm not
3:09
going to lie. Who's the artist?
3:10
>> Oh, it's from It's about Harlem. It's
3:12
from Harlemite and the song is This is
3:14
Harlem. You can find it on um
3:17
What is it? Uh um Spotify and it's
3:19
called This is Harlem. And when I heard
3:21
that
3:22
and um I thought about all the people
3:25
from Harlem that rep. I thought about
3:27
Sway, I thought about DB, Torch of
3:29
course, and I'm saying this is something
3:31
that's definitely going to be a banger,
3:32
but I'm quite sure everything you put
3:34
out is going to be on
3:35
>> Okay, let me tell you about a song.
3:37
What's the title of the song we just
3:38
played, Torch?
3:41
Make a movie.
3:43
>> Make a movie.
3:43
>> You know that's what I do, man. You
3:44
don't have to
3:45
>> I don't know that. That's why I ask
3:46
questions.
3:47
>> Make a movie, right?
3:50
Make them
3:51
>> [laughter]
3:51
>> Relax. You're comfortable, right?
3:53
>> You know man jumped in and he
3:54
>> like I'm going to help sway out.
3:56
>> [laughter]
3:57
>> You're trying to help torch out. Y'all
3:58
both Harlem you know trying to help each
4:00
other out.
4:01
Yo, make a movie okay and I we're going
4:04
to find that other song you said that
4:05
you got. Let me hear it. Let me hear it.
4:06
So you mind if we play a little bit of
4:08
it? Yeah, let's hear it. Let's hear it.
4:09
Let's hear it.
4:10
>> Let's hear it. Two seconds.
4:11
>> All right, but Make a Movie is the new
4:13
Harlem anthem.
4:15
>> We all okay, we I CAN GO WITH THAT.
4:18
>> [laughter]
4:19
>> YEAH, THAT WAS EASY. YEAH.
4:21
>> MAN. THERE AIN'T NO DEBATE, no nothing.
4:22
>> Yeah, I'm okay. Let me hear this. Let me
4:24
hear this.
4:24
>> We build legends on 140th.
4:26
>> Oh.
4:27
>> 144th.
4:28
>> Yo, you will like [music] this.
4:29
>> Oh.
4:29
>> 145th.
4:30
>> Oh.
4:31
>> And 7th Ave.
4:32
>> Oh.
4:34
Oh.
4:36
>> This is Harlem talk to them.
4:39
I'm from the side where the [music]
4:40
hustle hums like a bassline.
4:44
Where rich part of story still echo
4:46
through the grapevine. [music]
4:49
AZ with the ice cold calm, LA with the
4:53
uptown charm, blue sim, Ali Moe, Harlem
4:56
stitched [music] in.
4:58
>> Say I.
4:59
>> That's what I was wondering.
5:00
>> it's AI. Yeah.
5:01
>> Drew Hamilton raised me LIKE A
5:03
>> REAL UP. REAL UP. Real up. Real up. Real
5:05
up. Real up. Real up. Real up. Real up.
5:06
Real up.
5:07
Okay.
5:10
That's a nice computer generated anthem.
5:13
Yo, put Make a Movie on. I'm going to
5:15
show let
5:15
>> [laughter]
5:16
>> Compare and contrast.
5:17
>> Hold up Dig. Listen to this one. This
5:19
This coming from the soul dog. Yeah.
5:22
Yeah. Turn that [ __ ] up. Yeah, there you
5:25
go. Come on.
5:28
Let it run again. LET'S GO PLAY RIGHT
5:30
HERE. LET'S MAKE A
5:31
MOVIE. COME ON.
5:32
>> [music]
5:32
>> WE OUTSIDE.
5:35
WE OUTSIDE. IT'S A
5:38
I'M REALLY OUTSIDE. YOU CAN SEE me on
5:41
47th [laughter]
5:41
and Broadway. Cameras outside. Movie.
5:44
Y'all talking about the old me. Y'all
5:46
should meet the new me. Still be with
5:48
the gloomies. Y'all got to excuse me. I
5:50
like to sit ass to the face so I'm
5:52
woozy.
5:53
Woozy. Now I'm about to do me. She cute
5:57
but I like her booty. Feel good cuz Nino
6:00
Man and Shoozie. It's a doobie. I'm
6:02
about to make a movie.
6:05
We outside. It's a
6:07
>> [music]
6:08
>> We outside. It's a
6:09
>> All right. Hold up, Dave.
6:11
>> We outside.
6:11
>> Hey, Dave. Dave. Hold up, Dave. You
6:13
there?
6:13
>> Oh, man.
6:15
>> Dave, change your narrative. This the
6:16
new anthem, okay?
6:19
>> That would be THE NEW ANTHEM. YO, you
6:20
going to hear that in the hall of fame.
6:21
>> Cuz you can see you can actually see him
6:23
perform it.
6:24
>> RIGHT.
6:25
>> [laughter]
6:27
>> YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THESE BROTHERS
6:29
PERFORMING IT, TOO, THOUGH.
6:30
>> That's not AI?
6:32
>> Oh, no. The
6:33
The name of the group is House of
6:35
Harlem. It's a DJ down out of Drew
6:37
called Lenny Rock.
6:38
>> DJ Lenny Rock.
6:39
>> Okay. Yeah.
6:40
Oh, they really?
6:40
>> him down with Be He would be Fats, too.
6:42
Be Fats.
6:43
>> No hate. That's love. That's
6:44
>> Donald B, all of them.
6:46
>> Okay. That's love.
6:47
>> The DJ could be real, but that doesn't
6:48
mean the song isn't AI. Like the DJ can
6:50
still make the AI song. And the reason
6:53
why I said that is because how you when
6:54
the song starts it's like a live crowd
6:58
that he's performing over. And that part
7:01
for me is the telltale sign on whether
7:03
or not there's a song that's a AI. And
7:05
if you think about it, it sounds like
7:07
our AI song that
7:08
>> Hold up, Bars. Play this song. Nino, you
7:10
hanging out, man. You my brother.
7:12
>> Welcome [laughter] to the living room.
7:13
>> We got a AI song, too, Dave. Listen to
7:15
this. Same crowd.
7:19
TURN THE MICS OFF REAL QUICK.
7:20
>> Same button pressed.
7:26
>> BANG IN THE MORNING.
7:28
>> LET'S GO.
7:29
>> [music]
7:38
>> YEAH, I. I.
7:39
>> [music]
7:42
>> I. I. I I I I I I
7:46
>> I woke up in the morning after check
7:49
what time it show reach for the dial
7:50
shade 45 you already know Sway is in the
7:54
building voices cutting through the
7:56
floor wake up show energy from a long
7:59
TIME AGO
8:00
>> ROLL UP ROLL UP ROLL UP ROLL up roll up
8:02
roll up roll up
8:05
Well,
8:06
what's the DJ's name?
8:08
>> His name is Lenny Lenny Rock L E N N Y R
8:11
O C K
8:12
>> Lenny he's from Harlem he welcome to
8:13
come up here anytime man tell him come
8:15
rock a set with us man tell him we
8:17
support him
8:19
tell him come on up man
8:20
>> all day
8:20
>> he from Harlem man
8:22
>> And the one thing I do got to say to you
8:23
though I'm in agreement about those
8:26
like that joint you just played you know
8:28
how she put that out for everybody to
8:29
get that
8:30
>> I know but I don't know if you can sell
8:32
a AI song
8:33
>> No I I don't know about selling
8:35
>> you can?
8:36
>> You can if if that what they did is on
8:38
what you call it it's on Spotify
8:41
>> Okay well I don't care about Spotify I
8:43
work with Pandora All right
8:45
okay
8:46
Dave thank you man you a super citizen
8:48
bro
8:49
>> I swear in the morning this is
8:51
interesting though because it makes me
8:53
wonder you know what your relationship
8:55
is personal or professional relationship
8:58
with AI does it have a role in your
9:01
creative process at all?
9:03
>> Yeah I deal with so much production that
9:05
I I just got to think like long as it's
9:06
knocking I'm good and I mean like and
9:09
and to keep it a buck I've been kind of
9:11
like
9:12
I mean I don't mind it because
9:14
you get like I was just telling you get
9:16
to keep the credit so if you if you end
9:18
up finding something that you like you
9:20
know what I mean it is what it is I feel
9:21
like the world it's always something
9:22
like when as a world technology and
9:24
everything get better it's always
9:25
something like pros and cons you know
9:27
what I mean got your good you got your
9:28
bad we could think about the bad but we
9:29
could think about how much we could
9:30
progress from it and then you put that
9:32
song out say if it do good you get free
9:34
money you know what I mean like I'm
9:36
quitting
9:37
>> [laughter]
9:37
>> I'm I'm my job if that's all it
9:38
>> Oh [ __ ] I typed that [ __ ] in, you know
9:40
what I'm saying? Like so it's like I
9:42
mean I feel like it do take away from
9:43
like, you know, the original originators
9:45
and all that, but I feel like if you
9:46
just keep your original feel keep you,
9:48
you know what I'm saying? Like people
9:49
know original people just like you
9:50
caught that real fast, you know what I'm
9:52
saying? Like people people know the
9:53
difference, you know what I'm saying?
9:54
Like
9:54
>> I'm glad you mentioned that because AI
9:56
is a productivity tool, not a
9:58
replacement tool.
9:59
>> Exactly.
10:00
>> As you as an artist need to brown, if
10:01
you are using it to make beats or
10:03
productions, I don't find anything wrong
10:05
with that. But you are actually rapping
10:07
over it as a human and using your talent
10:10
and your skills and you're writing your
10:11
own material. And so but I don't think
10:13
there's anything wrong with production
10:15
AI assisting in the production of the
10:17
song and the engineering of the song.
10:19
There's nothing wrong with that. But no
10:21
one can't buy a ticket to a AI song,
10:23
right? And and your delivery is going to
10:24
be different. I mean you can tell the
10:26
energy of both songs, right? When we
10:27
played the DJ Respected at Man. But then
10:30
we played your song, this is a different
10:33
feel. Nothing can replace human feel and
10:35
momentum and vibes. No AI could ever do
10:38
that. And I think when you're performing
10:40
you will definitely transcend the song
10:42
too as well. So I'm glad you brought
10:43
that into the space that you're
10:44
comfortable using it.
10:45
>> Yeah, like I'm not I'm not picky. If
10:48
it's hot, it's hot. I've been big on
10:49
that down to the biggest producer down
10:51
to the
10:52
producer ain't got no name, zero
10:53
followers. The beat is hot, I'm using
10:55
it.
10:56
>> You use AI in the video clips too,
10:58
right?
10:59
>> Um
11:00
Um maybe like the director like on some
11:02
promo,
11:03
>> Okay, so no promo clips, right?
11:04
>> Yeah, maybe like little promo cuz it's
11:06
all different kind of like [ __ ] going
11:08
on, you know what I'm saying? Like so if
11:10
it look cool, just use it. Some [ __ ]
11:12
just be like post and delete anyway
11:13
nowadays, you know what I'm saying?
11:15
You know, the algorithm all switched up.
11:17
>> It's getting
11:17
>> They want people to pay for everything.
11:19
>> Yeah, man. That's yeah, man. You put out
11:21
My Kind of Love Part Two and I and I
11:24
watched and it was good
11:26
round of applause, man, when I you still
11:28
put out great projects.
11:29
>> [applause]
11:29
>> You know, it was back in January.
11:32
I'm curious for you because I hear a lot
11:34
of conversation around who's who and
11:37
what's what, especially in New York
11:38
City. Right? And you're someone who
11:41
consistently have put out music.
11:43
There's nobody that would doubt your
11:45
skill set.
11:46
Um to me, you one of the elite MCs out
11:48
of New York City.
11:49
>> Mhm.
11:50
>> I don't see you on anybody's list. I
11:51
don't hear enough people talking about
11:53
you. But where do you see yourself? How
11:55
do you position yourself in the scheme
11:57
of things as artists who are coming out
11:59
of New York?
12:00
>> Um you know what it is? Like to at this
12:02
point now, I feel like I'm one of the
12:04
greats, you know what I mean? But I feel
12:07
like people I and I feel like I built my
12:09
own lane. I got my own core following,
12:11
like
12:12
I don't have to do the typical
12:14
I got to do this with this person, do
12:16
this with that person at this point no
12:18
more. I feel like I worked hard enough,
12:19
so it's like if you know, you know
12:21
situation, like and my core following
12:23
always going to hold me down. So it's
12:24
like even if somebody cuz Harlem is one
12:26
of the hardest places to get your name
12:28
up or be united and all that, you know
12:30
what I mean? So
12:31
I feel like I'm definitely one of the
12:33
greats, you know what I mean? Before I
12:34
used to be humble and stuff, but so many
12:36
people come up to me and brace me with
12:38
so much love and passion that sometimes
12:40
so somebody told me honestly they say
12:41
they say, "Yo, I feel like you too. Nah,
12:43
you you [ __ ] great. You got to tell,
12:46
like you know what I mean? So let chill
12:47
and [ __ ] cuz you not a chill rapper, you
12:49
real talented. So when you look in the
12:51
camera, I'm [ __ ] great.
12:54
>> [laughter]
12:54
>> [ __ ] ain't [ __ ] with me, so simple
12:56
as that, man. Like and and I and I and
12:58
I'll be trying to chill, you know what I
12:59
mean? I'll be wanting other people to
13:00
say stuff like that, but I said
13:02
>> [laughter]
13:03
>> Go ahead and say it, man.
13:04
The who who who for who's [ __ ] with
13:06
you right now in New York?
13:07
>> Mhm.
13:08
Nobody, man. Anywhere though. That
13:10
that's how I look at it, like at this
13:11
point, of course there's other talented
13:13
people that I that I rock with. Don't
13:15
get it [ __ ] up, you know what I mean?
13:16
But I feel like I am one of a kind at
13:18
this point, you know what I mean? Like
13:20
I'm really unique. If you really sit
13:21
down and really listen to my music, I
13:23
could guarantee you going to be like,
13:24
"Wow." Like even people that think they
13:26
know my music, when they really sit down
13:28
and have a Nino man time, no rushing,
13:30
you chilling, driving, whatever you
13:31
doing and really vibe out, you could
13:33
tell the difference, you know what I
13:34
mean?
13:34
>> You could tell a difference. I I saw the
13:36
the baby
13:38
when he was speaking with the Desus
13:40
right? And
13:42
man, I loved him when he said, "Man, I'm
13:43
one of the greatest."
13:44
>> Mhm.
13:45
>> He said, "I know people in my era
13:47
mention J. Cole and and Kendrick and and
13:49
Drake, but
13:51
I'm better."
13:52
And whether you believe that or not,
13:55
I believe that he believed that. And
13:57
there's something about that energy that
13:59
made me go, "Yeah, man, say that shit."
14:02
>> [laughter]
14:04
>> Say that [ __ ] bro.
14:05
>> Cuz cuz it's to a point now that I feel
14:07
like it's so much politics like like
14:09
they let the money and the views and the
14:11
and the likes dictate everything, you
14:13
know what I mean? Like it's no more it's
14:15
no more it's no real viral [ __ ] people
14:18
speaking up about just talent of people
14:20
that's really good now. Now it's like
14:22
they they would give somebody that they
14:23
could be the worst person Everybody too
14:25
like it'd be a whole room of people
14:27
they'd be like, "Yo, this person's a
14:27
horrible person, but they they lit, so
14:29
[ __ ] it. We in here. We going to do an
14:30
interview." And they leave him like, "He
14:32
ain't nice, but [ __ ] it though. He lit,
14:34
you know what I mean?" So it's like you
14:35
just lit, you got all the views, you got
14:37
you got bread, you lit, you know what I
14:39
mean? So it changed drastically. So
14:41
right now it's hard for like the real
14:42
people, but
14:44
I'm I'm good, you know?
14:46
I ain't going to complain. I'm set up
14:47
properly. Like just bought a house.
14:49
>> Yeah.
14:49
>> Still got four rings.
14:51
>> Hey, I remember you first bought the
14:52
house.
14:53
>> [laughter]
14:54
>> You talking to me from an empty room.
14:56
>> Yeah, you feel me? Like real [ __ ] Like
14:58
oh yeah, I forgot we sitting on
14:59
FaceTime. He like, "Oh, [ __ ] changed
15:01
now." He like, "Yeah, man." [laughter]
15:02
Like
15:03
>> Yeah.
15:03
>> You know what I mean? Counting my
15:04
blessings. Not not I'm cocky, just
15:06
counting my blessings, man.
15:06
>> Amen. That's what it sounds like. It
15:08
genuinely sounds like confidence, not
15:11
arrogance. I'm wondering how would you
15:13
qualify the word greatness? Like if
15:17
someone is aspiring if there's an MC
15:19
right now who's putting their reps in
15:21
and they're aspiring to be great. What
15:24
do those characteristics look like
15:27
that gain you that title?
15:28
>> Um
15:30
I mean, it all depends like what kind of
15:32
lane you're in first, but for me, I'mma
15:34
just say cuz
15:36
the talent one, you know what I mean?
15:38
Like I've been I've been like showing
15:39
like I think I got any topic, anything.
15:42
I didn't show people in any all kinds of
15:45
fashions like
15:46
like like what what I can do, you know
15:48
what I mean? Like yeah, range and been
15:50
around, I'm I'm still around.
15:53
>> Mhm.
15:53
>> I got Sway. Like you know what I mean?
15:55
Like these important people like you
15:56
know what I mean? Like like y'all too.
15:58
I'm sorry, but you know, Sway been
15:59
around. You've been golden, you know
16:01
what I mean? Like I got a lot of
16:03
people that first gave me their word
16:05
from the beginning like yo, you you
16:07
great, man. Like you know what I mean? I
16:08
want to see you really go far with this.
16:09
So I feel like I got enough people in my
16:11
in my corner and I know as well. And
16:13
then you can just look at the body of
16:15
work. You got to It's like a whole
16:16
package for us. Like you know what I
16:18
mean? Like cuz somebody can say they're
16:19
great, but if they out there and
16:21
don't want to be seen, they're not
16:21
making enough music, da da da, then it's
16:23
like all right, you're saying you're
16:24
great in private, you know what I mean?
16:25
Like I'm
16:27
I'm in public. Like people still see me.
16:29
You can touch me, Paul. Like you can
16:30
really just you know what I mean? Like I
16:33
don't know. Like that's the best way to
16:34
say it. Like whatever you feel like is
16:35
great, like I know I'm great, you know
16:36
what I mean? And at this time 2026, I
16:38
really know, you know what I mean? Like
16:40
And I that's why I've been dropping all
16:41
this different music. That song Make a
16:44
Movie. Like you got to feel great to put
16:46
out a song like that, too. Like you know
16:47
what I mean? Like So I'm just in my bag.
16:49
Like I'm feeling I'm feeling good and I
16:51
feel like I got to show it. I told I
16:52
talked about the struggle a lot. I
16:54
haven't been struggling in years. So let
16:56
me talk about my you know what I mean?
16:58
Like
16:59
>> [screaming]
16:59
>> my my the like what comes from it, you
17:01
know what I mean? Especially for
17:02
somebody that still be around that still
17:03
let people touch them. So I just
17:05
motivate I just motivate the people that
17:07
came from where I came from.
17:08
>> That's success. That's in citizens. Let
17:10
me tell you something.
17:12
You got a lot of people in this business
17:13
that you see,
17:15
but they are struggling.
17:17
They are struggling. This business of
17:19
entertainment is a struggle. Don't let
17:20
nobody you see actors come up here all
17:22
the time and talk about actors you seen
17:24
in big ass movies.
17:26
And it's a struggle. And to me that's
17:29
whether you're on somebody's list or
17:32
whether you're being mentioned on on a
17:34
podcast or not. You could be successful.
17:38
You don't have to struggle. And this is
17:40
the story I like hip hop to hear more
17:43
of. Someone like Nimo man who's not in
17:46
every headline, Mike Muse, who's not
17:48
being pushed by some major conglomerate
17:50
and doesn't have some big ass team
17:52
behind him. And he could still make a
17:54
living. You don't have to have millions
17:57
of dollars to be successful. You don't
17:59
have to you know have a ton of material
18:02
things to be successful. If you are
18:04
mentally at peace with what's happening
18:07
with your career, to me that's success.
18:10
And if your career is a enabling you to
18:13
pay a mortgage, the man got a new house.
18:16
Right. And I see him in a lot of fancy
18:17
cars on his Instagram. I don't know if
18:18
he owns those or not, but [laughter]
18:23
you know, he got those cars. That to me
18:26
is success as well. And I love watching
18:29
you Brand Challeon. When I think of the
18:31
Games Keep Me Sane movement that you're
18:33
doing and this gaming night that you're
18:35
doing, what is that about?
18:37
>> [laughter]
18:38
>> Well, um
18:39
That's a I started my game company. It's
18:42
called Games Keep Me Sane. So y'all
18:43
follow that. You know what I mean? Like
18:45
And I And I'm going to be honest, right?
18:47
Like as I started like cuz we used to I
18:50
told you my story back then. So we used
18:51
to be on the block trapping. I used to
18:53
be young. I used to go to the arcade
18:55
where the barber shop had a few arcades
18:56
in it. You know what I mean? So we used
18:57
to be there playing the game and stuff
18:59
like that. Go to my man's crib. We
19:01
smoke, drink, play the game. So it's
19:02
like as time started going, I started
19:04
noticing like the streets when it come
19:06
to playing games kind of faded out. And
19:08
it kind of like tapped into like a
19:10
specific thing like Like for instance,
19:13
you watch a movie you see like a young
19:14
kid on there headphones 10 screens in
19:17
front of them. Hey go this way go to the
19:18
I mean they consider that the game and
19:20
now if you see game in the dictionary
19:22
you see a kid glowing headphones which I
19:24
get it's cool because it came far. But
19:27
the streets it seem like you bring up
19:28
the game in the street they like no I
19:30
don't play no games [ __ ] you [ __ ] real
19:32
I feel like yo I remember it wasn't like
19:34
that you know what I mean? So I I feel
19:35
like [ __ ] got too cool for certain
19:37
[ __ ] because they kind of went that
19:38
direction nobody kind of said nothing.
19:40
So I said let me bring back the game and
19:42
[ __ ] in a luxury feel you know what I
19:44
mean? So I got shout out [clears throat]
19:45
to the sponsors Ace of Spades D'ussé you
19:48
know what I mean? So we we got an open
19:50
bar.
19:51
So I I try to do it like real exclusive
19:54
let me shout out to Ubisoft I I got
19:56
people that sponsor me like every other
19:57
game night and stuff like that we give
19:59
out free games we got an open bar Ace of
20:01
Spades and D'ussé you know what I mean?
20:03
I think I got game night tonight you
20:04
know what
20:04
>> Tonight right? Where at?
20:05
>> I'm at Potion downtown Long Island City
20:07
big spot 40 foot screen.
20:10
It's just crazy man like it's like a
20:11
mansion like just you could just walk
20:13
around like and just drink and smoke if
20:16
you smoke you know what I mean? If you
20:17
don't smoke they got an area where you
20:19
don't smoke you know what I mean? This
20:20
is real luxury so that's how I wanted to
20:22
do I wanted to do it in a way that it
20:24
feel good you see
20:25
people like you might see a couple
20:27
street people but nobody got on masks
20:28
everybody trying to have a good time you
20:30
know what
20:30
>> Do the women come?
20:31
>> A lot more more than guys. We got giant
20:33
Jenga giant connect four
20:36
Tetris Jenga battle shots everything is
20:38
a vibe you know what I mean? Like we got
20:40
the retro video games to the new video
20:42
games
20:43
it's like the the list goes on like we
20:44
just make it an atmosphere where you
20:46
just get away from your problems feel
20:48
youthful again
20:49
>> Yeah you know what I mean? It's escapism
20:51
right?
20:51
>> Yeah
20:51
>> Feel youthful again?
20:52
>> Exactly like
20:53
>> Your inner child meets your luxurious
20:55
adult.
20:55
>> Yeah you got to keep your glow if you
20:57
lose all your youth in you I don't care
20:59
how old you are you kind of lose
21:00
yourself you know
21:01
>> I agree. Damn man give this man a round
21:03
of applause. Listen um
21:06
at games keep me sane.
21:09
>> Bet.
21:10
>> Keep your ass off the block, too.
21:12
>> Yeah, man. Keep your
21:13
>> Come hang out with some women, guys.
21:15
>> [laughter]
21:17
>> [ __ ] you always with your homies, man.
21:18
Diversify.
21:20
Yeah, you know, man.
21:22
>> shout out to Roc Nation, man. Drink some
21:24
Ace of Spades, some D'ussé Luxury. You
21:27
know what I mean? It's not a lot of open
21:28
bars that got that, man. Come pop some
21:30
bottles with me, man.
21:31
>> Let me ask you this cuz Tracy brought
21:32
this up and I and we were talking about
21:36
the post that he put when he went to
21:38
40/40 2 years ago, I think it was,
21:41
right? And And he still had it pinned
21:43
and it said
21:44
>> Exactly. And one of the posts the
21:46
caption said, "I took the dinner."
21:48
>> [laughter]
21:50
>> And I think that has a even more
21:53
relevance now because one of your peers,
21:56
Aubrey Graham, he went the other way. He
21:59
said he wouldn't take the dinner.
22:02
Why is it important to for you to
22:06
receive game from a hove? And how do you
22:09
feel about other peers of yours who are
22:11
great who say, "Nah, I don't need it."
22:15
>> Um
22:16
Well, the like some people do be real
22:18
arrogant. Some people only think about
22:20
money. Some people want it right now.
22:22
They don't think about the big picture.
22:23
I'm like prime example of the of a big
22:25
picture and it like this is still like
22:27
the beginning for me. Like I got so much
22:29
stuff that I still didn't do yet. You
22:30
know what I mean? Execute. So, I
22:32
I want the game. You know what I mean?
22:33
Like this is somebody that been through
22:35
all kind of [ __ ] We all look up to Hov,
22:38
you know what I mean? So, for him to
22:39
just take time and chop it up with me,
22:41
you know what I mean? He don't owe me
22:42
nothing. You know what I'm trying to
22:43
say? So, and he know everybody was
22:45
looking, taking pictures, videoing. Made
22:47
me look good, you know what I mean? But
22:49
But you know, like I take that more than
22:51
anything because that's the stuff cuz
22:53
you could tell they mean it. If they
22:54
mean it now, if they just walk on some
22:55
walk by, you know what I mean? It's
22:56
little "Yo, hey, keep doing your thing."
22:58
And that's not the real. But if somebody
22:59
really talking to you, you know what I
23:01
mean? down to like all the Sways and
23:03
Jay-Z, Cass, Styles, Busta Rhymes, like
23:07
everybody that embraced me like that and
23:09
gave me like the real. I appreciate that
23:11
more than anything, you know what I
23:12
mean? Cuz I could see how they really
23:13
feel.
23:13
>> Did that play a part in, you know, I
23:15
mean, you got to pitch, you know, your
23:17
idea and concept before you get these
23:18
brand activations like Ace of Spades and
23:20
D'USSÉ, but obviously that's in Jay-Z's
23:23
DNA. You think that meeting played a
23:25
part of building that relationship where
23:26
they could sponsor your games night to
23:28
night?
23:28
>> Yeah, definitely. Everything was a
23:30
build-up, you know what I mean?
23:31
Shout-out to OG Juan, you know what I
23:32
mean? Cuz that's that's the person that
23:33
brought me in. And um and we just been
23:37
building for years now, you know? I met
23:40
Hov a couple times, you know what I
23:41
mean? That was like the real
23:43
like talking most talking I did with
23:45
him. And then the next one, I think with
23:47
Kevin Hart and everybody, we was there
23:48
chopping it. He let me try out the
23:49
Tiffany
23:50
>> Mhm.
23:51
>> um Ace of Spades. It was only it was
23:52
exclusive, you know what I mean? But it
23:53
was cool. Like he he embraced me. Like
23:55
he made sure I was good in the in the
23:57
VIP and all that. I was like, "Okay,
23:58
Hov, big shot. Good, you know what I
23:59
mean?" Like so, I appreciate that. He
24:01
just chopped it up with me about the the
24:03
universe. I step I [ __ ] work and all
24:05
that and little [ __ ] more I keep off the
24:07
the record, but you know, it's
24:08
motivation. Nothing but motivational,
24:10
you know?
24:10
>> You just dropped a billion dollars worth
24:12
of names right there. That was a ill-ass
24:13
name drop. Nino Man is here, guys. Mike
24:16
News, go ahead.
24:19
>> I have a question for you. Um listening
24:20
to you talk is really it's really
24:22
impressive and I feel like you have been
24:24
able to break the barriers of
24:27
stereotypes and tropes of rappers,
24:29
right?
24:30
>> There's this idea that you always have
24:31
to talk about the struggle in order to
24:33
keep it to keep it street, keep it real,
24:35
keep it hip-hop. But you said you're
24:36
comfortable in talking about the lessons
24:38
and where you gone down the struggle and
24:40
you mentioned the whole gaming dynamic
24:41
and you was like, you know, cats was
24:43
like, "We don't do that over here." But
24:44
here you are building this luxury arcade
24:47
gaming night. Was that transition easy
24:49
for you to obtain that type of freedom?
24:52
>> Um it That's a good question. It
24:54
definitely took time because it is it is
24:56
something that's over you when you come
24:58
from the streets. It's like a I don't
24:59
want to say it's a code, but you kind of
25:01
know what we jack, what we don't jack.
25:03
So, it's like you got to really be
25:04
comfortable as as like with yourself to
25:08
make moves like that cuz you know that
25:09
the typical the norm ain't going to just
25:11
be like, "Oh, you [ __ ] with games?
25:12
All right, bet. I'm going to play the
25:13
game, too." Like they don't "Oh, you
25:14
[ __ ] with games?" They're going to
25:15
say the same [ __ ] I don't got no time
25:16
to play games. I got money to make. You
25:18
know what I mean? Just other reasons,
25:20
too. You know what I mean? But it took
25:22
it took a lot. First first I was a
25:23
little shy with it like now
25:25
[ __ ] can't be I mean, I was a little
25:27
bit like that, but then after a while
25:29
I was like, "Yo, nobody can't tell me
25:30
nothing, man. I didn't did everything
25:31
out here. You know what I mean? I'm
25:32
still here. I'm blessed. I was chosen."
25:35
>> Yeah.
25:37
>> I love this conversation.
25:38
>> like I was chosen. So, that's why I'm
25:40
out here putting my young homies on the
25:42
to blessings. And not even on some super
25:45
super duper positive [ __ ] but just
25:48
at least positive like the the positive
25:50
that I know that I could give on that I
25:51
know [ __ ] don't tell people because it
25:53
ain't [ __ ] typical. And it sound I'm
25:55
cliche, but I go out there I don't
25:57
preach it to them,
25:58
but if they come and talk to me like
26:00
they want to "Yo, Nino, how you do do
26:01
do?" Then I hit them with the "Bro, you
26:03
got to
26:03
you got to do this, do that. It's easy.
26:05
It's not even It's not as hard as you
26:06
think. If you just focus that you know."
26:08
Stories like that. So, yeah, it took a
26:10
little minute, but I brushed it off and
26:12
now I'm here with my head high. I was
26:14
chosen.
26:14
>> He was chosen. Mhm. He was chosen. Nino,
26:17
man. He was chosen. I say [ __ ] so maybe
26:20
you can sample it and throw it in one of
26:21
your tracks. [laughter]
26:23
>> Let's hear it again, Sway.
26:24
>> Nino, man. The chosen one.
26:26
>> Too hot.
26:27
>> Okay. [laughter] Okay, use that. No no
26:29
clear clearance. That's my clearance
26:30
right there.
26:31
Can we talk about your jacket? I mean,
26:33
you wore that for a reason today. That's
26:35
a nice ass jacket. What is that?
26:36
>> It's Cole, man. Shout out to Cole
26:38
individuality. You know what I mean?
26:40
They um um they got me right. I just did
26:43
something for them. They be throwing me
26:44
merch. This is fire.
26:45
>> They in New York?
26:46
>> Yeah, yeah. You never heard of Cole? But
26:47
they in Bloomingdale's.
26:48
>> I never heard of Cole. I like how you
26:50
you tried to save me right there. You
26:52
never heard of coke a coke or maybe Sway
26:53
never heard of he tried to save me.
26:55
[laughter] I appreciate
26:57
Tried to save his big brother, man. Hey,
26:59
man. I ain't never been a fashion guy,
27:01
but I'll I'll rock dope [ __ ]
27:02
>> Hey, I can introduce you to the owner.
27:04
They dumb cool. I'm about to be at that
27:06
Roots Picnic this uh Sunday on stage. I
27:08
need something.
27:09
>> I'm a um before I leave I'mma link you
27:11
with the guy. For sure, for sure. See
27:13
how that works.
27:14
>> Man, look man. I'm super proud of you,
27:16
man. Let's make a movie, man. Get that
27:18
motion pictures out two two different
27:20
kind of songs.
27:21
>> Yeah, yeah, yeah.
27:21
>> One one is barred up.
27:22
>> Yeah, yeah. For the streets.
27:23
>> For the streets. And then the move make
27:26
a movie song cuz I want to I want to
27:28
party.
27:28
>> Exactly.
27:29
>> That's a great song, too, man. But so
27:31
you cognizant of mo you got to keep them
27:34
bars, right? You you so but it's a
27:37
Not everybody knows the difference how
27:39
to write the difference.
27:41
Right? You've learned how to write the
27:42
difference between a song that's
27:44
obviously going to get you props in the
27:46
hood. But then the song that's going to
27:48
get you more main
27:49
>> Yeah.
27:50
>> main play, right?
27:51
>> Yeah. Cuz the kid the kids could like
27:53
it.
27:54
Yeah, um people my age could like it and
27:56
older people like I didn't I didn't play
27:57
it for everybody, you know what I mean?
27:59
And I noticed I ain't even cursing in
28:00
it. I said booty. Booty ain't really
28:02
like it, you know what I mean? I be
28:02
hearing booty on the radio. But I ain't
28:04
even cursing. I Somebody wanted the
28:05
clean version. I'm like, "Oh [ __ ] I
28:07
ain't even curse." Yeah, man. This
28:09
>> That's the [ __ ]
28:09
>> [laughter]
28:10
>> It was meant, man. It works. So yeah, I
28:12
ain't going to lie. I was feeling that.
28:14
>> To not curse. To not curse.
28:16
>> Yeah, it's just universal. Like so they
28:17
could really play it. They might have to
28:18
do the booty [ __ ] for depending on like
28:20
how old four or five or six. I don't
28:22
know how they feel about the booty.
28:23
>> I don't know, man. Booty ain't
28:24
>> It ain't really like how it used to be.
28:25
>> Depends on how you say it.
28:26
>> I ain't repeating it either.
28:27
>> All right. This is what I want to do,
28:29
man. Um
28:31
Is it cool for you to do a demonstration
28:32
of um your skill set?
28:34
>> Oh yeah, hell yeah. Yeah, yeah. Get to
28:35
the mo- the motion picture tape. Let's
28:37
do that.
28:37
>> Okay, you want to do that?
28:38
>> Yeah, we could do that. Cool. Let's do
28:39
>> All right, man. Come on, man.
28:40
>> Let's get it.
28:41
>> We got Nino man up in here, man. I had
28:43
to fly back from LA to get here.
28:46
I didn't go I didn't go to Kennedy. I
28:49
didn't go What is it
28:51
JFK? Damn, I've been gone too long.
28:53
>> [laughter]
28:55
>> I landed at LGA cuz LGA is closer to
28:58
Harlem. And in case you don't know where
29:00
you at citizens, you in the VALLEY OF
29:02
THE HYENA.
29:05
TORRES, DROP A BEAT ON THEM.
29:11
UH. DON'T COMPARE ME TO
29:12
[music and singing] [ __ ] THEM boys
29:13
washed. I'm in the post charge they mad
29:16
cuz I'm one of them ones they George
29:18
washed. I ain't playing. I've been had
29:19
this drive [music] since toy cars. All I
29:21
do is stack money and try to avoid
29:23
y'all. When I say y'all mean the suckers
29:26
though cuz they [ __ ] [music] broke.
29:27
So if you getting money you the [ __ ]
29:29
broke. [ __ ] joke. Y'all [ __ ] wasn't
29:31
touching coke. Always trying to steal my
29:33
[ __ ] [music] blunt but always ducking
29:35
smoke. They been fried. They mad cuz the
29:37
fit fly. I ain't never zip line but I
29:40
had a zip [music] line. Had to fake eye
29:42
trying to skip zip line. Trying to get
29:44
the big vibe. I'm just trying to get
29:46
mines. How you broke and you telling me?
29:48
Better get some coke get some pedigree
29:50
[music]
29:50
and go get some felonies. [ __ ] I got to
29:53
put in pain where I'm from [ __ ] the
29:54
gram. You got to have a name where I'm
29:57
from I'm the man. You could get flamed
29:59
where I'm from [ __ ] the cam. We make
30:01
sure the tape don't exist like Shazam.
30:04
Same time wish a [ __ ] [music] would
30:05
like Shazam. The gun named Kablam. Tried
30:08
to talk but they ran. We couldn't
30:10
complain [ __ ] had to sell grams. And
30:12
when [ __ ] got slow [ __ ] learned how to
30:14
scam. So how could y'all judge a [ __ ]
30:16
like me? I'm from the bottom y'all
30:18
should love a [ __ ] like me.
30:22
Nino Man.
30:24
We from the bottom you should love
30:25
people like us.
30:27
I almost said you should LOVE A [ __ ]
30:30
>> [screaming]
30:31
>> THAT'S MY PEDIGREE YO.
30:33
>> WOW.
30:33
>> NINO MAN.
30:34
>> YES SIR.
30:35
>> NINO MAN. NINO MAN. WE GOT A HYENA UP IN
30:38
HERE.
30:40
Uh
30:41
He said what I would say if I wrote a
30:43
verse.
30:45
God bless me with happy days, man, for
30:47
real.
30:47
>> Oh man. Yo yo yo No, honestly, man,
30:50
we've had some really deep-rooted
30:52
conversations over the years and we
30:54
really got the chance to know you and
30:56
and who you been to not only on the rap
30:58
world, but who you been to your family,
31:00
right? And who you been to your
31:02
neighborhood and it does me joy, bro.
31:04
I've been in this for a long time, man,
31:06
and it's just certain people I just love
31:08
to see consistently win that I know
31:11
you're good for the culture, you're good
31:13
for the community, you're good for rap.
31:15
That's you, brother. I appreciate you,
31:17
Nino, man. You keep people like me
31:19
inspired to keep going.
31:21
Nino, man, I can't get this everywhere I
31:23
go.
31:24
>> Appreciate that, mo, baby.
31:25
>> to be myself around you.
31:28
>> [laughter]
31:28
>> Yeah, you already know. We see each
31:30
other outside, holler at me, hop out of
31:32
Sway outside, y'all.
31:34
Hop out with 10 people, you know, yeah,
31:36
what up, y'all? Y'all good? Yeah, Sway
31:39
in the trenches.
31:40
>> Yeah, but who I be with?
31:42
>> Dolo.
31:42
>> Come on, man.
31:43
>> Dolo.
31:44
>> Y'all find out.
31:46
>> Well, [ __ ] love though, too, man.
31:47
>> That's all love though. I'm there I'm
31:48
there love. I walk all around Harlem by
31:51
myself. I give kids allowances.
31:54
But you got to give me grades.
31:55
>> Yeah.
31:56
>> I'm putting money in kids' hands. Stop
31:58
all that talk. I don't care you saw me
32:00
on whatever movie or whatever TV show.
32:02
What's going on at school?
32:03
>> Yeah.
32:04
>> How you treating your parents?
32:05
>> Get rewarded.
32:06
>> treating your siblings?
32:07
>> How you treating yourself?
32:08
>> How you treating yourself? You got
32:10
pimples? Drink water.
32:11
>> I'm done.
32:14
>> A LOT OF WATER. [screaming]
32:16
>> NOT MY SKIN CARE.
32:17
>> Love you, man. Hey, uh get the music.
32:19
You can find it now. If you in Tri- in
32:21
the Tri-State area, come out tonight,
32:23
man. Games Keep Me Sane is taking place
32:26
where?
32:27
>> At PS 13 tonight. It's in Long Island
32:29
City. You can follow the game page at
32:31
Games Keep Me Sane. Click the link in
32:32
the bio for more info.
#Arts & Entertainment