R-Mean’s Debut Album "MEAN" – A Breakthrough Project That Sets Him Apart! | SWAY’S UNIVERSE
May 18, 2023
R-Mean, The Armenian-American rapper has recently released his debut album "MEAN" and made sure it was a game-changing one! Entirely produced by Scott Storch, this album features collaborations with big-names such as Nas, French Montana, Quavo, Offset, YG, Method Man, Jeremih, and more! Even the independently released album has surpassed 10M streams on Spotify in just 8 days after the release! R-Mean went to Sway In The Morning to talk about the album and how pumped he is after selling out his album release show at The Roxy in LA on 05/04/23! It seems like "MEAN" might just be R-Mean's ticket to rap stardom!
First and foremost, "MEAN" is a breakthrough project that showcases R-Mean's skills in such an amazing way, making him stand out from the rest. No wonder the album has gotten so much traction after the release! Entirely produced by Scott Storch, the album emanates the unique fusion of sounds we have always expected from R-Mean. The two artists' collaboration has brought forth a collection of beats that are edgy, hard-hitting, and full of passion, perfectly tailored to R-Mean's unique style. The album's sound brings together a mix of soulful tunes with R-Mean's hard-hitting bars, creating what is undoubtedly a masterpiece in its own right.
On "MEAN," R-Mean features big-names, including Nas, French Montana, Quavo, Offset, YG, Method Man, Jeremih, and more! The collaborations are designed to add a fresh spin to R-Mean's style, and they do just that! The words from other rappers keep the album's emotions high, almost as if they are challenging R-Mean to reach his peak in every track, and he does, unapologetically presenting his compelling bars in a way that truly showcases his talent.
R-Mean's debut album "MEAN'' has certainly made an impact in the rap world, not only with some memorable collaborations, but also with its incredible stat of surpassing 10 million streams on Spotify in only eight days after the release! This milestone is a testament to the appeal and value of R-Mean's work. There's no doubt that R-Mean's sound is unique and compelling, and his fans will surely keep the momentum and stream his music.
Finally, an intense performance to celebrate the release of the album took place on 05/04/23 at The Roxy in LA. The tickets sold out, and the energy in the venue was electric. R-Mean's lyrics and dynamic flow sparked an interplay between the rapper and his audience in a way that can only be described as mesmerizing. Surrounded by fans and his contemporaries, R-Mean established himself as one of the most promising and powerful talents in the industry once again- ready to take his place on the stage!
In conclusion, "MEAN" is an album that is sure to put R-Mean on the map. With its unique fusing of Armenian and English lyrics, the album presents a breakthrough project that showcases R-Mean's true talent in its full glory. Collaborating with big names and running his own show independently have added to the album's appeal. R-Mean's booming vocals, dynamic flow, and electrifying energy make him a stand-out talent in the industry, headlining his own sold-out show in LA. Now that "MEAN" has risen to accolade and celebration, there's no doubt that the rapper's fans and the rap world will be eagerly waiting to see what R-Mean has in store next.
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0:00
arm me give this man a round of applause
0:02
citizens this is hip hop in his finest
0:05
form man thank you for having me bro
0:08
Sway With The intros I appreciate it no
0:10
I got to give it to you man you don't
0:12
see nothing written down word it's off
0:14
the top that's facts it's off the top I
0:18
I want to commend you um I can't
0:20
remember what year we met do you um yeah
0:23
it was 2011 I remember that because I
0:26
had spit on the Wake Up Show uh with
0:29
King Tech in LA you know he he found me
0:31
early and um it was right before the
0:34
wakeup show came to Shade 45 it was in
0:36
the old wakeup show Studios you know the
0:37
same seat that biggie sat in and all all
0:41
them classic like Eminem and them all
0:42
them classic freestyles I always wanted
0:44
to be in them seats and then King Tech
0:46
hit me one day randomly on Twitter yeah
0:49
just with a time and a date like be
0:51
ready so I went up there slay it was
0:54
like a room full of MC's when I walked
0:55
in there you who was in there do you
0:57
remember I really don't remember the
0:58
names it was just like way more people
1:00
in in here and everyone you know got
1:02
their turn and I was just sitting
1:04
waiting my turn and when I got on you
1:07
know I lit the room up and Tech was like
1:08
whoa you really been waiting for this
1:10
moment huh you know what I'm saying and
1:12
since then we we connected we went had
1:14
lunch and he kind of became my first you
1:16
know like Mentor in a way first and only
1:18
really you know what I mean and then
1:20
maybe a month after that I was coming to
1:22
New York for the first time in my life
1:24
MH and he was like yo sway just started
1:27
this new show called Sway in the morning
1:29
and then you called me the day I arrived
1:31
um you're like yo come through tomorrow
1:33
morning get your bars ready you know
1:35
what I'm saying that's that's definitely
1:38
Callaway that's what Callaway Mr
1:40
Callaway that's what he told me first
1:42
time I ever spoke to him he called me on
1:43
my cell he's like yo Tech told me about
1:46
you I saw your wake up show freestyle
1:48
was fire come to the show tomorrow bring
1:50
your bars I'm like bet Milestone moment
1:52
citizens wow defitely we've been locked
1:55
in ever since man I always say like I
1:57
appreciate you Tech the whole team here
2:00
you know what I'm saying y'all see
2:01
people's potential early yes and always
2:03
give them a shot and you know nothing's
2:05
changed since then we want you to have a
2:07
different really unique organic
2:09
experience that's not being influenced
2:11
or fueled by anything political or
2:13
industry we are here for the culture
2:16
that's a big culture first I'm I'm a
2:18
personal um you know I've seen it
2:20
firsthand you know You' seen it fir hand
2:22
there a lot of other shows that politics
2:25
asking for different things you know
2:26
what I'm saying no one ever asked me for
2:28
nothing just come I asked you for that
2:31
promo that we just played oh yeah well
2:32
that's that's that's that's nothing
2:34
that's a little different right that's a
2:35
little different that's a little
2:36
different glad to do it you know you're
2:38
you're interesting guy on for so many
2:41
reasons when you listen to arman's music
2:43
you find out a lot about him his
2:45
background I remember us talking about
2:47
the Armenian Genocide and and you really
2:49
taking uh conversation to a whole
2:52
another level um even the fact that you
2:55
you have a doctorate degree right yes
2:57
sir in in far I'm basically a pharmacist
3:00
there you go doctor of Pharmacy you know
3:03
I I was I'm Armenian like you say you
3:05
know we raised in households where you
3:07
know as a kid is drilled in our minds
3:09
like you know we immigrants we come to
3:11
this country or whatever country you
3:13
know outside of the Middle East and you
3:15
got different opportunities you got to
3:16
go to college and and that's kind of
3:18
like how I was raised you know what I'm
3:19
saying so even though I was doing music
3:21
you know I I I was raised in Amsterdam M
3:24
and then moved to LA um when I was 18
3:26
went to UCLA graduated and then went on
3:29
the pharmacy school all while I was
3:31
doing music you know and then when I
3:32
graduated it was really like look if I
3:34
really want to do this music thing or
3:36
anything you want to do in life you know
3:37
you can't really be one foot in one foot
3:39
out you know what I'm saying so I kind
3:41
of left that whole Pharmacy thing alone
3:43
and just went full force in music and
3:45
that's when I saw things really started
3:48
doors opening and you know what I mean
3:49
things started happening for me but you
3:51
know I got the degree and the license so
3:53
that's kind of like my side business
3:54
that's your side business like I own a
3:55
couple phes oh you own some pharmacies
3:58
yes sir in Tarzan
4:00
that's a different Flex this ain't
4:01
dispensaries he ownes yep not even
4:05
dispensaries all my business partners
4:07
own dispenseries I own the actual
4:09
Pharmacy in Tarana that's near our house
4:13
talk to us about some of what what can
4:15
you in the I know in the black community
4:18
um I don't know about the Armenian
4:20
Community but in general people are a
4:22
little um cautious about mental health M
4:26
um help you know help getting help
4:30
getting mental health help and even with
4:33
the meds you know I would be I I'll be
4:35
lying to you if I didn't tell you I was
4:37
cautious I don't even like taking
4:38
Tylenol no I understand me as a
4:40
pharmacist I don't like it you don't
4:42
like it but I understand that you know
4:44
sometimes it's necessary okay you know
4:46
what I'm saying it just you know it can
4:48
definitely help people you know
4:49
anti-depressants and things like that
4:51
but I always advise people like if you
4:53
can go without I would definitely try to
4:55
go without first you know get therapy
4:57
things like that but you know some
4:58
people really need it and it really
5:00
helps so when the rap game had this era
5:04
U where opioid usage and perco setes and
5:08
all of these things Molly were being
5:10
promoted right through the music and
5:13
artists were bragging they were boasting
5:15
that I do this not for it was prescribed
5:17
to them but that's what they do
5:19
recreationally self-medicating what
5:22
thoughts went in your head crazy you
5:24
know I've had like done collaborations
5:26
with like young artists and I'm
5:28
literally made them change and verses
5:30
I'm like I can't have I'm popping perks
5:33
and things like not in my song you know
5:35
what I mean I understand other people's
5:36
art I'm not looking down AR you know
5:39
what I mean everyone comes from a
5:40
different struggle different background
5:41
some people use that to numb their pain
5:43
I get it I don't want to promote it
5:45
because I seen it firsthand yeah people
5:47
walk in the pharmacy soon as they walk
5:49
in by their eyes and color the skin I
5:51
already know what they're there for you
5:52
know what I mean like you the color of
5:54
the skin yeah like you know when you're
5:55
on on noros and when you're on opioids a
5:58
lot like there's a certain you you know
5:59
what I mean it's difficult to explain
6:01
but you learn as you go you know mean
6:03
you can see it affects the skin it
6:05
affects the skin the the the things
6:06
around you know the the look in the eyes
6:09
you know it's um it's literally heroin
6:11
you know what I mean it's in the same
6:13
family it's just as addictive and it
6:14
really misses people up you know I'm
6:16
always you know I smoke weed I drink a
6:19
little Henny and that's it you know what
6:21
I'm saying I've never been into drugs or
6:23
anything but I also understand that you
6:25
know it's different for everyone I've
6:26
seen you before you drink more than a
6:28
little Henny um mean is here we're
6:30
hanging out the album is called
6:32
mean um produced by Scott Storch we
6:35
going to talk about Scott Storch
6:37
definitely Scott Storch is a good friend
6:39
of mine yeah you know we watch Scott
6:41
Storch go through an addiction big time
6:45
Big Time right and then we watched him
6:47
go through rehab yep uh did y'all touch
6:50
on that at all I mean we've spoken about
6:52
it you know I mean he just like a super
6:54
heavy weed smoker now yeah and that's
6:56
what keeps him you know what I mean
6:58
creative and in his Zone but he stays
7:00
away from everything else he stays away
7:02
from everything else he definitely
7:03
learned the hard way you know what I
7:05
mean yeah there's other addictions too
7:08
the the intangible ones like you know
7:10
when we see people who just Fame you
7:13
know attention uh do you probably the
7:16
strongest drug of them all do you think
7:17
it's would you say that cloud cloud the
7:19
strongest me when you look at society
7:21
today right everybody do anything for
7:24
that clout it's crazy what so for you is
7:27
music uh you have a song song called
7:30
Lonely um is it called Lonely Lon Lonely
7:34
Day on your album M um and I was
7:36
listening to it I actually listening to
7:38
it a couple of times because I was
7:39
hearing lyrics in there um that really
7:41
stood out to me to me this song seemed
7:44
like instead of opioids or weed or
7:47
whatever people use to
7:49
self-medicate this song was medication
7:51
for you oh for sure you know music for
7:54
me has been that regardless you know
7:56
what I mean I always said even as a
7:57
pharmacist I'm like the real medication
7:59
is music you know that's the type of
8:00
music I like to make that people can
8:02
relate to and you know help them through
8:05
pain cuz that's like the hip-hop I love
8:07
growing up you know what I mean like I
8:09
was really raised by hip-hop in a sense
8:11
so you know when people hit me like yo
8:13
this and this song really helped me
8:15
through these tough times you know I'm
8:16
sure you hear that every day from
8:17
artists on the show that's what's really
8:19
the most rewarding thing and that's one
8:21
of them songs you know and I never been
8:23
afraid to like just put everything out
8:24
there sometimes the family don't like it
8:27
but you know it is what it is well you
8:28
talk about um you talk about the family
8:31
in this song you talk about your mom by
8:34
the way right and um in it you said she
8:37
was sad because you and your brother
8:39
don't speak right is it your older
8:41
brother y yeah what happened um you know
8:45
as I've been you know maturing I've seen
8:47
like a lot of people having issues with
8:49
their siblings and I realize it's not
8:51
just me you know what I'm saying uh you
8:53
know a lot of times parents wish their
8:55
siblings would be like best friends and
8:57
do everything together but often that's
8:59
not the case you know me and my brother
9:01
are just very different we were always
9:03
pretty close extremely different you
9:05
know what I mean like just style what we
9:06
into he's not into music or hip-hop at
9:09
all for me that's my whole entire life
9:11
you know what I mean so he don't always
9:13
understand you know my choices in life
9:15
and things I could have done to make you
9:17
know maybe a lot more money and you know
9:19
I mean real quicker but I wanted to do
9:22
music and you know we just had you know
9:24
a Fallout and you know thankfully now
9:27
everything is kind of better but at the
9:28
time when I wrote the song yeah we
9:30
hadn't spoken for about almost two years
9:32
two years um but you know what happened
9:35
really is he had another child he has
9:37
three kids I was still always the uncle
9:39
though you know what I mean for my niece
9:41
and nephew I made sure I I was there so
9:44
then he had another baby um and that
9:46
kind of like brought us back together
9:48
and you know we we we really good now
9:51
Children of the future in this song uh
9:53
you talk about being
9:54
introverted right for sure I I've you've
9:57
always been out outward with me you know
10:00
I didn't know extroverted I felt like
10:02
maybe you were comfortable I don't know
10:04
with you maybe honestly if you go back
10:05
to our old interviews yeah I was like
10:09
not not really talking you know mean I
10:11
thought you was a whack interview that
10:13
mean that that too that too but you know
10:16
some people just generally no that's
10:19
facts because like you this is something
10:21
you need to learn too where you know you
10:22
get more comfortable around the years
10:24
just like be yourself but yeah I've
10:26
always been introvert especially when I
10:28
was younger you know I think a lot of
10:29
artists are you know what I'm saying
10:31
that's why we we go to that pen to
10:33
express ourselves but you know then my
10:36
manager Tina stepped in one day and
10:38
she's like yo dragging me out yeah every
10:40
time we got to go to these events we got
10:42
to meet these people you know I was
10:43
always I didn't want to be out like you
10:45
know what I mean and then slowly you
10:47
learn how to adapt and you know what I
10:48
mean um get more comfortable in your
10:50
skin I guess around meeting new people
10:53
uhhuh so and now years later you got to
10:55
see him citizens he walk around he's a
10:57
star by Nature Aran we gonna play this
11:00
song Lonely Day U follow him at r m e a
11:05
n ran the album is called mean mea n
11:09
citizens you tune in to this station
11:11
that means you love music culture uh you
11:14
definitely love hip hop and you rock
11:16
with all of us and if we got him on the
11:18
show that mean we rock with him call up
11:20
ask this man questions 888 742
11:24
3345 get to know arm me system of it
11:28
down shout out to shav that's a good
11:29
friend of ours they gave me the blessing
11:31
to flip their classic very much
11:34
appreciated why do you make music today
11:38
man it's like it's really a healthy
11:41
Obsession I don't know if it's healthy
11:43
but you know it's something I can't help
11:45
like that's all I think about really
11:46
when I wake up when I go to sleep that
11:48
you know what I mean um so you know I
11:50
feel like that's what artists do like
11:52
that's all we really want to do it's how
11:54
we live and breathe you know what I mean
11:56
did your family believe you no hell as
11:58
an m see did they did they look at you
12:01
and go what are you doing did they think
12:03
you was an actor all the time not really
12:05
actor but you know I'm Armenian and I
12:08
was born in LA but I was raised in
12:09
Amsterdam the Netherlands and like it's
12:11
just like no one's ever done this from
12:13
where I'm from you know what I'm saying
12:15
so everybody was just looking at me like
12:18
you know what I mean like what do you
12:19
think is going to happen like it's just
12:21
so out of the box you know but you know
12:23
you got to be delusional and crazy
12:25
enough to believe that you could do
12:27
something you know so I just stuck with
12:28
it how many Armenian artists have
12:31
approached you since and said hey man
12:34
it's a whole generation now that come up
12:36
to me like yo we were raised on your
12:38
music like it's crazy like I'm in
12:40
people's top five of all time you know
12:42
what I mean in my community I'm looked
12:43
at different right here on the station
12:45
I'm a new artist you know what I'm
12:46
saying where I'm from like I've been him
12:49
for a minute I was the first one still
12:52
for some reason the only one at this
12:54
level you know what I'm saying I try to
12:56
work with some young artist you know I
12:58
mean just give them point is like we
12:59
didn't have no guidance when we was
13:01
doing this you know what I'm saying we
13:02
made every mistake possible because
13:04
again we come from a place where you
13:06
know what I mean we didn't have like a
13:08
cousin or an uncle or someone that
13:09
really had been in there or was working
13:11
for a label or something you know what
13:13
I'm saying yeah you didn't have an in at
13:14
all we have no in at all so now we try
13:17
to like you know what I mean tell people
13:19
like yo don't make the same mistakes
13:20
boom boom boom you know what I mean is
13:22
it see I've always and you guys know
13:25
this I've always loved and respect you
13:28
um because to me you are an MC's MC like
13:32
for for heads and people that know they
13:34
listen to your lyrics and know like
13:36
that's that dude but then all of this
13:39
time you're in this industry now and
13:42
watching it and watch How It's changed
13:44
and the music is so different do do you
13:47
have to and I hate to use the term dumb
13:50
down but do you have to approach the MC
13:54
side of you much different yeah um yeah
13:57
I don't like the word dumb down either
13:58
but I feel like you know when we really
14:00
look at the greats they always been MC's
14:04
but they found the way you know they
14:06
found that balance you know what I'm
14:07
saying they found a way to make records
14:09
and I feel like for the first time ever
14:11
with this project and I give a lot of
14:13
credit to Scott Storage because the
14:15
production at the end of the day brings
14:17
the best out of the artist you know what
14:18
I'm saying and like instead of just
14:20
trying to prove I'm such an ill MC it's
14:23
more about like you know the bars is
14:25
there the lyricism that's always going
14:26
to be my main thing in every record but
14:29
it's like yo what's best for this song
14:31
you know what I'm saying and that's
14:33
something I really learned and yeah
14:35
that's why this work is so much better
14:37
than anything I got before you know I
14:38
was always nice I always had joints you
14:40
know what I mean right right but um tell
14:42
her what I told you it's yeah it's all
14:43
about just getting um what you tell me
14:45
what I told you to come when I said go
14:47
back come back when what oh yeah the
14:49
first time I was on here I did the
14:50
freestyle kill and sway is like now go
14:53
out there and bring me a hit godamn
14:56
it hey yo it took me a little while but
14:59
I'm back and I got hits
15:01
right come on man all right let's go to
15:04
these phone lines real quick um we got a
15:07
on the line Aunt Lee from The Bay what
15:09
up Aunt Lee what up
15:11
man what up man what up what up AR what
15:14
up what up talk to him bro man you know
15:17
what I'm feeling like I'm trolling this
15:18
guy because I followed him on Instagram
15:20
right yeah and I was just following him
15:22
on Instagram because he had a banger on
15:24
Instagram and I'm like man next thing I
15:27
know I'm on YouTube and AR on YouTube
15:31
I'm on the S list in the morning AR is
15:34
hustling
15:35
brother we
15:38
defin yeah appreciate it bro call up and
15:41
show some respect man there you go to
15:45
rock with your cousin desan
15:47
Holloway EXO XO yep yep y yeah man we
15:51
used to rock we used to rock so when you
15:53
when you used to rock what what kind of
15:54
rock did y'all do ready Rock
16:02
from the hood I just be forgetting I be
16:04
at work sometime out there rocking his
16:07
so yeah man we had did a whole project
16:09
together we got a whole thing called EXO
16:11
full tab okay well tell them to shoot it
16:13
to me tell them to get it to tell him to
16:16
get it to tal all right man I it to you
16:19
but unfortunately EXO has passed away a
16:21
few years back you might not have heard
16:23
about that but definitely I'll shoot it
16:26
to you anyway make sure you get a hold
16:27
of it but his family is
16:30
okay never not to overshadow to that's
16:34
you know that's why I really called
16:36
appreciate that bro damn I did not know
16:39
that man Le thank you brother DM me okay
16:43
got you to both y'all huh peace peace
16:45
you citizen 2 morning uh Cedric's on the
16:48
line from New Orleans go ahead Cedric
16:50
hey Ste hey good morning y' how y'all
16:53
doing this morning excent up how you
16:54
doing man up up hey uh quick quick
16:57
question bro when you uh going about
16:59
doing like features with artist say like
17:01
someone that's like heavily into like
17:03
doing drugs and their music or whatever
17:05
do you look at it as a business aspect
17:08
like hey I can't really work with you
17:10
because I run a far Pharmacy so if you
17:13
get caught up like the feds might trying
17:15
to like shut you know like you go into
17:19
like that you've done that before it's
17:20
not really because I own a pharmacy it's
17:22
more because of the messaging you know
17:23
what I'm saying like I got you know
17:26
party records and all kinds of you know
17:28
what I mean I like to fun too but
17:30
certain people cross the line with that
17:31
drugs for me and what I stand for you
17:34
know what I mean so but you know usually
17:36
the artist I work with makes sense
17:38
anyway you know what I mean and most of
17:39
the artists that I work with are not
17:41
really you know what I mean in that lane
17:42
regardless uh but yeah you know I try to
17:45
keep the message in kind of in line with
17:46
what I stand for all
17:48
right great question Cedric make sure
17:51
you tune in to the album mean it's
17:52
streaming on Pandora and all other dsps
17:55
yes sir all right all right man all
17:58
right and you go ahead an Anna yonas you
18:00
got a question for um for
18:03
Arman yes good morning everybody good
18:06
morning morning AR me it's it's a
18:08
pleasure to speak to you and thank you
18:09
for giving me the time to speak my
18:11
question is I seen you had a
18:13
collaborative song called candle the
18:14
devil with Nas and I want to ask what
18:16
was your creative process behind that
18:18
song and also did you receive any advice
18:20
from nas man you know yeah that song is
18:23
definitely a milestone in my career and
18:26
life you know what I'm saying it's part
18:27
of this project you know working with n
18:29
was always the the the actual dream you
18:32
know what I mean so when that happened
18:34
it was like it happened very
18:35
unexpectedly okay you know the story is
18:37
kind of crazy cuz I did a tribute song
18:39
to NAS n m back in 2016 I want to say so
18:44
it was you know just some mixtape [ __ ]
18:46
and I career wasn't going that great and
18:48
I just you know I mean out of nowhere
18:50
decided one day to do a tape called Nas
18:52
and M all Nas and Eminem beats and then
18:54
at the end I was like nah let me do like
18:56
an actual tribute like if I had to pick
18:58
these are my two biggest influences you
19:00
know what I'm saying so I did a song
19:02
called letter to the king first verse
19:04
I'm talking to n second verse I'm
19:06
talking to M and you know it got a lot
19:08
of love online so then we flew out to
19:10
New York went to Queensbridge project
19:11
shot a little video and went to Detroit
19:13
for the second verse we put it out there
19:15
and that was that so A good three four
19:17
years later pass and I get a FaceTime
19:20
call and out of nowhere one day and it's
19:22
Nas get the hell out of here a face Nas
19:25
called you on FaceTime Nas calls me on
19:27
FaceTime pick up the phone and it's Nas
19:31
right and I'm like oh [ __ ] you know what
19:32
I mean first two words I said and he's
19:34
like what's up bro I just heard that
19:36
song and you know in the moment I was
19:38
like it didn't even click you know what
19:40
I mean cuz the song was old too it was
19:41
like three four years before that it old
19:43
to you it was old to me exactly so he's
19:46
like nah the one you did for me and M
19:47
I'm like man I'm so happy you finally
19:49
heard it he's like nah that [ __ ] did
19:50
something to me right now and he's
19:51
pointing at his chest you know what I'm
19:53
saying I'm like wow so we chopped it up
19:55
and this is when I had just started
19:56
working with Scott Storage on this
19:58
project
19:59
so I let him know like yo you know I'm
20:01
working on this project this that you
20:03
know we locked in 3 days later he came
20:05
to the studio and we did the whole song
20:07
together on the spot y'all did it
20:09
together all on the spot and if you know
20:11
how Scott Storage Works he makes the
20:12
beat on the spot too so it's not like I
20:15
had a record ready that I knew was fired
20:17
that I like jump on this nah it was all
20:20
done on the spot together and honestly
20:23
it was like you know something spiritual
20:26
was going on cuz everything was just
20:27
aligning so perfectly like I always say
20:29
it was the happiest day in my life but
20:31
not just cuz I was in the studio with
20:32
nas but because like the song came out
20:35
so incredible like it's far as like what
20:37
I would want to do with nas like it was
20:39
perfectly executed and then he gave me a
20:41
ridiculous verse and then when I spit
20:43
the hook to him like I came out with the
20:45
hook in the studio and he was like nah
20:47
that's fire we should say some of those
20:49
parts together so next thing I know we
20:51
doing a hook together like he laid his
20:53
verse and he's like yo mean come in the
20:55
booth let's do this next to NAS we in
20:57
the booth next to Nas
20:59
doing his hook you know what I'm saying
21:00
so yeah it was very surreal did you have
21:02
your good cologne on that day uh
21:04
probably you know I always smell fresh s
21:06
okay okay AR mean yeah I love that you
21:08
got to have the experience with him in
21:11
his Studio I always think songs it's
21:15
just magic it's just magical cuz like he
21:17
said he mentioned the energy and the
21:19
alignment when somebody is in the studio
21:21
you know when you could have that person
21:23
there you could do the hooks together
21:24
you could do all these different things
21:26
and so congratulations for that
21:29
but that's real like that that I don't
21:30
feel like the song would have been the
21:32
same if it had been and you know I got
21:34
I've been blessed I got a lot of big
21:35
features on this project quo there we
21:38
got quo offset
21:40
y h o d the god um you know what I'm
21:44
saying French Montana jeremi and for 90%
21:47
of them I was in the studio together you
21:49
know what I'm saying and I always try to
21:52
make that happen you know what I'm
21:53
saying if possible because I feel like
21:55
it's different even if I have a record
21:57
ready let me be there you you know what
21:58
I'm saying just to like bounce ideas
22:01
ideas you never know that was your game
22:03
we've been talking about game sevens you
22:06
know um that was your game set or game
22:09
six okay okay whatever the game six that
22:12
was your shout out to the
22:14
Lakers out to the Lakers mhm you see the
22:18
jacket oh you know I I was so oblivious
22:21
to that jacket I didn't even know that
22:22
was a Lakers jacket it's not just Lakers
22:24
it has every oh I just saw see the
22:26
Lakers Hamilton the Lakers didn't stand
22:28
out to me
22:29
all right they stand out trust me did
22:31
you
22:32
uh I'm not even going to ask you this
22:34
question now just play the song man
22:35
here's the song with nas I you don't
22:37
forget what I was say man candle of the
22:39
devil featuring Nas produced by Scott
22:42
Storage right here on shade45 I had to
22:44
bring it in real quick I like how you
22:46
did that baby family right there peace
22:49
to the god remember the first
22:51
time oh no it wasn't the first time but
22:54
um maybe the second time we had Nas on
22:56
the Wake Up Show in la king Tech and I
22:59
we used to just just mess you know Nas
23:02
back then when we were younger was you
23:04
know just kind of laidback and hey yo
23:06
what's up man and then Tech and I was
23:09
just like we was just full of energy on
23:11
our show you know as younger men we
23:13
poking what up n man you know what's up
23:15
man hey man so hey man can you write a
23:17
song on the spot you know we tting like
23:22
and we had yeah Nas introverted too you
23:25
know what I'm saying like naturally
23:27
naturally right obviously now is
23:29
different he NOS but I can only imagine
23:31
when he was younger when he was younger
23:32
but he did it we we gave him a pin in
23:34
the p man here a pin in the P we going
23:35
to play your song and then you write
23:37
while we play your song and then you can
23:40
perform it out of the song that's crazy
23:42
did you mention earlier that you were
23:44
introverted yeah because sway brought it
23:46
up I said it in a song oh okay um yeah I
23:49
said in a couple songs actually so yeah
23:52
uh Tracy G you want to jump in yeah
23:54
absolutely what up Army you know the
23:57
respect continues used to overflow bro
23:59
and one of my favorite parts of this
24:01
album is the cover and even though like
24:05
it's simple and sharp but what stands
24:07
out to me is you don't really see a lot
24:10
of rappers with a big ass smile like
24:13
this and it's not full of veneers fact
24:16
or like a mouth full of grills you know
24:18
what I'm saying and you just have this
24:20
like authentic Dazzle to you um and it
24:24
also just to me it represents just being
24:28
so full of life that your imperfections
24:32
aren't even imperfections to you you
24:35
know what I'm saying speak about like
24:37
the meaning of this cover and if you
24:39
feel like you have embraced your full
24:41
self despite any perceived flaws n for
24:44
sure I I think you hit a head on that
24:46
was that was our idea me and the team um
24:49
first I was like I think I want to call
24:51
this project mean just cuz that's what
24:53
everybody calls me um and I turn it into
24:56
an acronym I call a man EST everything
24:59
avoid negativity cuz we really like
25:01
manifested a lot of this like the nas
25:03
collab like Scott stor producing and all
25:05
that uh but when it came to the cover
25:07
you know my manager Cotto uh was like
25:11
you want to call it mean but you should
25:12
just smile on the cover do the opposite
25:15
of mean because people like it when you
25:17
smile and I realize you know I'm going
25:19
show my crooked teeth and everything
25:21
because you know I'm so comfortable in
25:22
my skin at this point you know what I'm
25:24
saying and I feel like you know this
25:26
album is so much of me I talk a lot
25:28
about you know me personal Stories the
25:31
entire come up yeah and I'm going just
25:33
show like yo this is me you know what I
25:34
mean all flaws and everything it's all
25:36
good they call me the pharmacist with
25:38
the crooked teeth you know yeah that's
25:40
when you get that you know when you
25:41
start making money you don't care what
25:43
people think you feel me but it's also
25:46
personality you know what I mean
25:48
sometimes when you yeah sometimes when
25:49
you go for like Perfection too much you
25:52
actually don't stand out right n for
25:54
sure and we we thought of all of that
25:56
you know what I mean so we did a photo
25:57
shoot and we saw that picture we all
25:59
agreed like yo let's just run with it
26:01
you know what I'm saying and it's going
26:02
to be some covers over there you know I
26:04
mean some comments you know what I mean
26:06
on social media someone wrote um mean uh
26:10
including the hit single a dentist
26:13
nightmare you know things like that but
26:14
that's just funny to me you know what I
26:15
mean yeah man yeah the majority of the
26:17
world has have imp you're a good
26:21
company me you know we all got it um our
26:25
mean is here give this man a big round
26:27
of applause
26:29
and let me tell you something this man
26:31
has been doing this he been you know
26:33
independently doing a lot for years yeah
26:36
and two artists out there sometimes you
26:39
think as soon as you start writing a rap
26:41
that you know you're a full-time rapper
26:43
and you're going to wait for that to pay
26:45
your bills right you know you're not
26:47
wise you know you you got to fuel this
26:50
whole dream some way somehow especially
26:52
in the beginning and what ways when the
26:54
when the music wasn't paying were you
26:56
able to make money man all kinds of side
26:59
hustles you know me and the team we did
27:01
all kinds of side hustles but what
27:03
happened was like locally and in my
27:04
community I got embraced quick so I had
27:06
a little fan base and we started selling
27:09
a lot of merch and earlier you said it's
27:11
been a marathon CU I always kind of you
27:13
know salute to nipy where he you know
27:15
what I mean first of all it's been a
27:16
marathon as far as a long and steady
27:18
grind and Rise but then we you know we
27:21
we started selling merch then that went
27:22
to having like a little kiosk at a mall
27:25
and then we graduate to having our own
27:26
store you know what I'm saying so
27:29
we have a store called The Pentagon LA
27:31
in Glendale you know if anyone's out
27:33
there in that area we have our merch and
27:35
clothing line we got sneakers there now
27:37
you know Jordan's Yeezy all that it's
27:39
like a creative space too we got like a
27:41
studio for like photo shoots and fil you
27:43
know what I mean thing content creation
27:45
so you know we we kind of built around
27:47
just the music just anything that has to
27:49
do with the brand we got a cannabis line
27:51
you know what I'm saying that's at like
27:53
local cookie stores and things like like
27:55
that what's y cannabis line it's called
27:57
Pentagon flower
27:58
Pentagon records Pentagon La is the
28:00
store and Pentagon flower but the main
28:02
strain we have is called Los Angels OG
28:05
um and then you know I usually tied it
28:06
in with the music you know what I'm
28:07
saying so when we dropped the singer
28:09
with French Montana called yalah Habibi
28:11
we had like a yalah Habibi strain drop
28:13
you know limited so you know we do
28:15
different things like that um but
28:17
everything is to fuel the music you know
28:20
okay that's what it comes down to our
28:21
mean is here man big round of applause
28:23
you like a dope
28:25
MC you like a dope MC I ain't got to
28:28
rodu him for this one man CAD if you
28:30
like a dope
28:31
MC he ain't got nothing to prove
28:33
citizens he's already proved it over and
28:35
over again consistency is a must but
28:39
when it comes naturally for you you
28:41
never going to be a
28:43
bust you in New York City yes I am but
28:47
specifically you in the Valley of the
28:49
hyenas
28:51
hyenas
28:53
me turn them other mics down man check
28:56
check check can I I get the beat a
28:58
little louder turn that beat up yo
29:01
striving for Perfection know when it can
29:03
be attained blessing with my genius
29:05
don't let them drive you insane sun is
29:07
dead nice with the great constantly
29:08
saying look around you these other
29:10
rappers exactly the same I'm not a bit
29:12
impressed bend over and [ __ ] until I
29:14
bust on the titty flesh I'm the illst
29:16
yeah no one cares unless you rich or
29:18
dead no one cares unless you rich or
29:21
Dead
29:22
s close to the Brokenhearted Souls that
29:25
be cold and heartless the devil When
29:26
shopping coping all of souls for
29:28
bargains blowout sale prices lower and
29:30
close at Target but we some soldiers
29:33
Garing yeah conquering lying I walk in
29:36
the Zion with guard in alignment bring
29:37
the rain guard steady crying out of
29:39
Happiness tears of joy fall from the
29:41
skying drown these rappers cuz all
29:43
dashing this R evangelist the your ra
29:45
knows always going to lead the pack word
29:47
of Christ mean Got Stripes like Jesus
29:50
back how done learn how to move in a
29:52
room full of pythons till I started
29:54
moving into rooms full of icons now we
29:56
living lifelong trains fill the beams of
29:58
the sun shine right on the Seas that we
30:01
plan to see mean lost a sense of reality
30:03
call me crazy it's human nature to be
30:05
confusing genus with Insanity we ain't a
30:07
team we a family feel the pain in my man
30:09
and he feels it as bad as me with share
30:12
automatically call my people to step it
30:14
up never let it settle ain't made a beat
30:16
in my life but I've the instrumental so
30:18
like a candle loses nothing of itself
30:20
when lighting another my people and
30:22
lighten one another gred devil by's ears
30:24
and kill Hell Fire with the water in my
30:27
tears you should blame
30:29
n mean somec on the sea on this Earth
30:32
since birth I've been cursed with this
30:34
gift the rap version of LeBron C and
30:36
step with B raising bars feel like GG
30:39
assist ball headit it but the art don't
30:42
cap who else got God Son spitting on the
30:44
sky stor track the power of the Pentagon
30:46
five angles till I die five star general
30:49
five fingers in the skies five people I
30:51
trust from which run already die leaving
30:53
my mom's me my [ __ ] self and I
30:56
so who the [ __ ] is this the f IST with
30:58
crooked teeth lyrics that give life to
31:00
the people that look deceased not here
31:02
to Freedom fight but I speak on my
31:04
people's plight I'm here to Demons like
31:06
I'm Jesus Christ
31:08
look keep it going yeah yeah they switch
31:12
the beat on me look Integrity over money
31:14
for those that know me well I look push
31:17
up inside a lonely cell yo you switching
31:19
to beat up one more
31:21
time me got man come on prepare for
31:24
Warfare we bringing the pain people is
31:26
traumatized now we name to redistribute
31:29
the pain how you expected me to fly with
31:31
these broken wings through the
31:32
thunderous Sky time we bringing some
31:34
change police cars burning like it's the
31:37
passion of me it's strength the numers
31:38
so the people is packing the streets I
31:40
stand with you I know you standing with
31:42
me we growing up like incarceration R in
31:45
the land of the free that's wor to these
31:47
immigrant children in cages depending on
31:49
your skin you're living at IM and the D
31:51
your dog is cold just let the devil know
31:53
I'm a rebel Soul this time we ain't
31:55
letting go cuz I've been dancing with
31:58
the devil like Immortal Tech rappers
32:00
think of me and wake up in the cold of
32:02
sweat it's hard Dash me homie I'll be on
32:05
your neck sway cuz you [ __ ] with a
32:08
real one hate on him you hate on
32:10
yourself pray for you a nice that he
32:11
ain't even pray for hisself I said a
32:13
real one thorough to the last of his
32:15
steps through these speakers you can
32:17
smell the conac on his breath I said a
32:19
real one you can feel his soul when he
32:21
spit pain equivalent to passing Kenny
32:23
Stones through your dick through the
32:24
cracks in the concrete he rose to a lifp
32:27
still m [ __ ] hope that he quit but
32:29
you [ __ ] with a real one hate on him
32:31
you truly just dumb I'm the one could
32:33
have be more proud of who I become I
32:35
said a real one chosen one I just might
32:37
be if I had a son I want him to be just
32:40
like me I said a real one you can feel
32:42
and bleed when he spit pain equivalent
32:44
the bullets and your spleen you've been
32:46
hit I created this reality from dreams
32:48
it's a gift pay attention I'mma teach
32:50
you some [ __ ] it's mean in this [ __ ] H
32:53
yeah yeah I got one more clip you got
32:55
one more clip come on
32:59
uh okay beautiful Sway in the morning
33:01
it's all mean yeah I got one more for
33:04
you sway come on man he did five fingers
33:06
right there look at him go baby come on
33:09
only God knows how to find my spirit in
33:11
the mix with bunch of lost souls [ __ ]
33:13
with these [ __ ] sniffing Rob in they
33:14
nonr on a mission tunnel vision L chopo
33:18
see you at the crossroads tow tag and
33:20
rappers left the mees Bunch John do you
33:22
can see the nozzle biggest lady God God
33:26
knows mean with the God flows leaving
33:28
dreams shattered like screens on their
33:31
iPhones these the laws we l by I'll be
33:34
looking to the sky to look guard in the
33:36
eye [ __ ] a dear we independent like the
33:38
4th of July if you new but didn't tell
33:40
me that's like sort of a lie I'm the
33:42
truth Lyon harded plus the war is M
33:44
rappers getting corny your ey see it
33:46
still I'm feeling track they just robbed
33:48
the homie for some packs worth 50 Stacks
33:50
to beef Kobe when you live in Shacks
33:52
[ __ ] with mean be real like sand dog
33:55
CP Hill I'm DC's ill PT my CV SE reveal
33:59
the streets need me still ain't talking
34:01
Bible when I'm saying they in
34:03
Ezekiel yeah got them see to you
34:06
heathens I'm peaceful as Jesus cuz ain't
34:08
no need to beef with these vegans I eat
34:09
these I'm seases aborted like a fetus
34:11
I'm mean this you weak I'm the meanest I
34:13
reach Street sweep and repeat this peace
34:15
to the teachers n mob deep in them
34:17
queens kisss Primo the yeees pockets
34:19
interviews were like speeches B to easy
34:21
and all in between what I mean
34:23
is what I what I mean is I salute the
34:27
gods but the the rest of them lame yo
34:29
this on me remember the name sway I said
34:31
I salute the gods but the rest of them
34:33
lame yo this on me remember the name
34:37
yeah yo yo yo yo yo yo yo
34:39
yo with
34:44
ease clap it up clap it
34:47
up clap it up for hip hop yes sir we in
34:50
the build clap it up for
34:53
culture while they argue over frivolous
34:55
things we pushing culture forward and
34:57
the name and the image of Arman give it
35:00
up for arm me love
35:02
AR love that s good man God it felt good
35:06
to be here s come on late like God what
35:08
you say about G guy you know what he
35:11
sayz biggest lady God got knows and mine
35:15
kind of big too it's an Armenian thing
35:17
come on man real MC true MC this what
35:21
keeps me inspired and motivated to do
35:23
what it is we do here every single day
35:25
you should have seen it Tracy as he
35:27
navigated through those beats salute to
35:29
DB too he was trying to give you some um
35:31
challenge right there yeah yeah yeah I
35:33
love it thank you DB I didn't expect all
35:34
the switch ups but I thought I would end
35:36
it with something smoother a little
35:37
easier that was beautiful yeah man it's
35:40
my job to adjust so well you know this
35:42
people always ask about the five fingers
35:44
the reason why it's a lot of actors
35:46
rapping
35:49
yeah okay it's a lot of rap actors yep
35:53
acting talk your [ __ ] they fumble when
35:55
the script switches up and they get mad
35:57
at us like we did something wrong right
36:00
like I said that's my responsibility so
36:02
as a MC if you go on any platform but
36:06
specifically this one you have to be
36:08
ready this ain't where you come to
36:10
practice facts this is you know a lot of
36:13
other platforms you know you prepare the
36:14
whole thing but I know it's different
36:16
when we come up here it's different this
36:18
is the original man a lot of the other
36:20
platforms salute to them shaking head
36:23
it's beautiful because when Heather came
36:24
in the game you didn't get to you know
36:26
you couldn't when you live on there it's
36:28
a live show you you couldn't stop and do
36:32
it four or five times you knew that
36:35
where you was coming you made sure you
36:37
was ready absolutely you know and and so
36:40
when MC's come up here like this I
36:42
salute you man you pushing culture for
36:44
man R mean give it up for our mean and
36:46
it's dope that you've been able to find
36:47
a balance it's it's incredibly hard when
36:50
you have that much talent and you you
36:52
have to find that balance that you spoke
36:54
of in terms of songwriting and adapting
36:57
to different producers shout out to
36:58
Scott Storch he did his thing as well um
37:01
it's dope it's dope great music Jeremiah
37:05
is on here uh Method Man was it kabaka
37:07
pyramid yes salute my brother kabaka
37:10
pyramid you know he's a regular artist
37:11
sign Daman Marley when I met him I mean
37:13
he was signed Damian but he was coming
37:15
up but this year he won the Grammy for
37:17
best reggae album and that's really my
37:19
brother like I seen him come up for like
37:21
five years I mean longer than that but
37:23
I've known him for 5 years and he won
37:24
that Grammy and changed a lot for him so
37:26
salute to him man that's what's up DB
37:28
bantino DB yes sir thank
37:32
you different DB but dbo he like a big
37:36
writer for a lot of people you know what
37:37
I'm saying yeah who do he write for um I
37:40
know he did for Chris Brown sway Lee you
37:42
know he been in the studio a lot of
37:43
people that's not a op question I'm just
37:46
yeah no it's not even it's not ghost
37:47
riding he's a writer you didn't say
37:49
Ghost Rider you would say Ghost Rider
37:51
I'm just looking at you all right uh you
37:54
got offset and quo on the project yes
37:56
sir that's phenomenal you know
37:58
considering all the
38:00
circumstances yeah you know um we did do
38:02
those songs before everything happened
38:04
but rest in peace the take off I was
38:06
introduced to all three of the Migos by
38:07
one of my business partners in the
38:09
Cannabis world and um you know first I
38:11
work with offset and then I work with
38:12
quo and then uh both of those both of
38:15
them came to the studio and then one day
38:17
I was chopping it up with take off you
38:18
know at one of these events I'm like yo
38:20
take you the only Migo I don't have a
38:22
song with yet you know what I mean what
38:23
we doing he's like man send me a record
38:25
this that but I never did you know what
38:27
I mean yeah I kind of like lagged on the
38:30
opportunity but you know I take these
38:32
features very serious like you know I
38:34
hate having like a big feature on like a
38:36
mediocre song you know what I mean like
38:38
this is a opportunity but you got to
38:39
make a slapper with these people so I
38:42
didn't feel like I had the right record
38:43
yet for take you know what I'm saying so
38:45
and I you know we all think we have time
38:47
you know what I mean so I'm like you
38:49
know I'll get it when I get it and then
38:50
you know that happen so rest in peace to
38:52
take rest in power to take off though we
38:54
had them on the show we had the all
38:56
three of them on the show amazing yep I
38:59
got a chance to sit down with them too
39:01
um from the last album they did together
39:04
and uh yeah man rest in power to take
39:07
off listen citizens our mean has a
39:09
beautiful project it's called mean m e a
39:12
n you looking for some good music to
39:14
vibe to this week try this one try it on
39:17
for sides call me tomorrow let me know
39:19
what you think honestly do you know I
39:21
feel so confident about this project I
39:23
feel like yo you press play on the first
39:25
track you probably going to want to
39:26
listen to to the rest like the intro is
39:29
crazy um obviously the Nas record is
39:32
crazy the yes sir with quo is like a I
39:35
feel like it's going to be a massive
39:36
song this summer yeah you know what I
39:38
mean quo really gave me one we did the
39:40
video too he blessed me with the song
39:42
and the video which is very rare you
39:43
know what I mean for these big artists
39:44
he's a nice dude though bro super nice
39:46
quo really my dog always mad supportive
39:49
you know posting it and everything you
39:51
know not everybody does that you know I
39:52
mean even Nas posted it on his page he
39:54
posted on the story and his page I
39:56
didn't expect that like so it's been a
39:58
blessing like these people really been
40:00
showing love and support yeah they they
40:02
respect you yeah I am seeing you boy
40:05
it'll get you cuz people not just
40:07
jumping like no don't have to do songs
40:09
with people it's like so what yeah you
40:12
don't have to right and come to the
40:14
studio and come video and support and
40:16
people don't have to do it but who you
40:18
are as an MC at heart people know they
40:20
feel that
40:21
so here yeah specifically with nas like
40:25
one of the cuz he really been embracing
40:26
me and the team since we did the record
40:28
and like you know so every time he has
40:30
like an event in King's disease release
40:31
so when they won the Grammys like we
40:33
there and it's like super intimate 4050
40:35
people and he let us know like yo I mess
40:38
with y'all like for real like he's like
40:40
as people like I [ __ ] with y'all you
40:41
know what I mean not just that MC is one
40:44
thing but then that was kind of the
40:45
biggest compliment for me like you know
40:47
what I mean so yeah we've been we've
40:48
been you know building a funny dude
40:52
too he's a funny guy get close to him
40:55
yeah his humor his humor agree he's a
40:57
fun funny guy man yo Arman I'm proud of
41:00
you brother I'm going hit TCH up and let
41:02
him know you I told him he was coming by
41:03
today hell yeah yo man always salute my
41:06
brother Tech yeah King Tech King Tech
41:08
man wake up show tonight matter of fact
41:11
make sure y'all tune in right here on
41:12
shade45 and Thursday mornings right
41:14
before Sway in the Morning Armen man
41:16
give shout out to the team too man
41:18
always good to see the team yes sir all
41:20
right uh go off and have a great day
41:22
brother thank you for having me I really
41:24
appreciate y'all family for life all
41:26
right that's what's up same people with
41:28
them too like I recognize the faces
41:31
which is always dope only thing that's
41:33
different is the jewelry it multiplies
41:35
every time way keep shining let's play
41:37
that downfall y'all
#Arts & Entertainment


