Hey y'all, whether it is morning, evening, or afternoon,
I'm just glad that you guys have decided to vibe with me.
Yes, the one and only Eve.
And today, I'm vibing out with a special someone.
So today's episode will be very different.
So if you're new here, welcome, welcome, welcome.
And for those of you who are not new to this, but true to this,
hey, y'all, what's up?
What's poppin'?
So without further ado, I want you guys to sit back, relax,
enjoy the show.
Whether you want to go or on the move,
I'm just glad that you guys decided to vibe out with me.
So let's get into it.
Today, I'm vibing out with Zay, but people call me Zay2K.
OK.
Types of it.
All right, Zay.
So first, tell me a little bit about yourself.
I'm from Maryland.
I go to Morgan State.
I major in business administration.
I make music.
Oh, OK, OK.
And what type of music do you make?
I make it different.
I make all types of music.
Let us know.
Rap, singing, melodic.
Mm.
OK.
Pissing that.
OK.
How long have you been making music?
I've been making music since like ninth grade.
Ooh.
But I really started taking it serious when I came to Morgan.
What made you want to make music, though?
Like, what was your, like, try to make music?
I feel like I've been through a lot since I was a kid.
So I was like, I had to find a way
to cope with the things I've been through.
And I feel like since I've been through a lot,
books relate to me.
So my music kind of helps other people out.
Really?
OK, I like that.
I like that.
And I like music.
Like, I had an episode on music.
If you didn't check that out, like, music is one of the key ways
that we express ourselves.
Even if we can't express it like drawing or whatever,
like, music is one of the things that help everybody.
And they help me, too.
So I'm going to check that out.
So yeah, y'all go check out Zayn music and stuff like that.
I'm going to put this tag and everything in there, too.
So yeah, go support.
OK?
What type of music do you listen to?
Type of music I listen to.
I like old R&B, soul, jazz.
The new generation, don't get me wrong,
but the new generation is like, you can get hip to it
if you're in that mood.
But me, I really got to be in the mood to be listened to it
on a daily.
Like, I like soft stuff.
Like, I like Wale.
People will laugh at me.
I'll be like, I love Wale.
Like, he different.
Love Brand.
I was just about to say, ah!
He real valid, real valid.
I love Brand.
Them two, I listen to him all day.
All day.
Is it a new album?
Love it.
And I was just telling one of my friends, I was like,
at first, I was like, people are not really going to feel it
because they don't understand it.
And everybody's music is different from today and yesterday,
as they say.
But I feel like certain people make certain music
for certain people.
And I always say people that create music are poetic.
Because the way you doing it on a beat, like, come on now.
I can't do that.
I write poetry, but I'm not putting my ass on a beat
in trying to say.
I'm sorry.
So shout out to you and everybody else
that can do that because that's Caroline.
I can't.
You can do it.
But just more like, you got to just kind of, yeah,
believe in yourself.
Yeah, you right.
I'm going to try.
I'll probably let you help me.
But I don't know.
I'm like, nah.
But OK.
OK.
So tell me, where do you see yourself when it comes to your
music?
Do you see yourself being like a brand?
Or how do you see yourself?
I see myself as being Z2K.
I feel I see myself just being kind of unique and different
than other artists.
The way I like make my music, the way I express myself with
music.
So you say Z2K.
Like, where did that damn come from?
Because we all have these names.
And people will be like, how you came up with your names?
I'll be like, tell us where did Z2K come from?
I think I was like, I think I was in sixth or ninth grade.
My Instagram account got deleted.
And I was like, anything but name, something.
So I was like, I want to be called Zay.
And I'd be playing 2K.
So I was like, I kind of mix that together.
And I was like, Z2K.
OK, OK.
Oh, OK.
It's playing a song for you, though.
It's playing a song for you.
That's all I can do.
Is I can sing it.
Some courses.
Yeah, it's cool.
It's cool.
So, since we've been out with you today,
what you want to talk about?
What you want to vibe out with?
Because we talk about the music a little bit
without you on the vibe out with.
Shoot, we could talk about so many things I want to talk about.
Well, hmm.
Don't be a nerd.
Morgan State.
OK, OK.
Since we are bears, and we are bears,
you don't start no mess.
We don't play.
I don't know.
I'm sorry.
So, OK, because we did talk about this earlier
before we started recording.
I say this, being a bear, I don't regret it.
I don't regret coming to Morgan State because, like I said,
I went to a community college.
And I was surrounded by not a lot of people
that looked like us.
So when I was out there, my whole purpose
was to get the work done and get out.
But when you come, when you have Morgan,
it's like you meet a lot of people.
You get into things, and it helps you become the person
that you are.
And you become in love with the person
that you are potential to be.
And you meet a lot of people.
And you be like, whoa.
Because I mentioned earlier, when I came here,
I was just like, my first semester when I transferred,
I was in and out.
I had that same mindset when I was in community college.
Like, I'm here, and I'm out.
But then, like, that spring semester,
and I got a feel of it.
I started talking to people, stepping out of my shell.
And I was like, hey, I want to connect more with people,
get a sense of everything.
But overall, I say, Morgan, it is very good.
Like, academics-wise, it's good.
Every university has their problems and shit.
But I say myself, like, Morgan been
helping me through a lot, especially the staff here
too.
So yeah, I'm regretted.
How do you feel?
How do I feel?
Freshman year at Morgan, I was just having fun.
Like, it was really, I was like, this is the school I want
to go to.
And then, like, you know, I feel like when you go to college,
you try to, like, not fit in, but try
to find your place and stuff.
And it's kind of hard to do that freshman year when, like,
you kind of just don't know where you fit in.
So like, freshman year, I was just having fun, you know,
I find myself.
And like, spring semester, I started, like, you know,
started, like, I don't know the word, but like, I started to,
like, catch a feeling of Morgan State.
Try, you see, you could fit in, you got, OK, you know,
your place here.
And I'm comfortable, yeah.
I get that.
Then, like, I'm a sophomore now.
And then, like, sophomore year, I'm kind of like,
I know what I'm supposed to do.
I know the people.
I know how to move around.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But I do, like, applaud Morgan State,
because Morgan State did help me, like, become who I am today.
You know, they do have some great staff here.
They do have some, they do have some bad professors here
and here and there.
But the students here, though, they're really interesting.
Quite interesting.
People, like, some students or, like, classmates, whatever,
you know, say.
Something to be moving weird, but, like, like, when you really
find your people, you really find your people.
Yeah.
And, like, I always, like, it would laugh at me when I say,
like, if I go to college, I want to experience that,
that experience of, like, a different world,
like the series they had back then, like, cool.
I felt like everything in the 90s was just, like,
it was worth it, especially going to college and the HBCU
lifestyle.
They had, like, grass, sororities, RAs,
how they were RAs was, a professor, the sisterhoods,
everything.
I was like, I want to go to a HBCU that's just like that.
And I want to be surrounded by people that's good.
Excuse me.
Bless you.
Thank you.
I want to be surrounded by people that's like that,
like, make me have a purpose to come to school.
Not even just, like, yeah, I'm here for a purpose to get a
degree, but I also want to feel like I'll be able to make
friends here for a lifetime.
Because, like, you know, a lot of people, they come to college,
they be like, they be the best times of your life,
and you meet the best people in your life that you'll be
friends with forever.
And I was like, yeah, come in the morning.
And that experience, I'm getting a sense of that.
It's still like a process, but it's like I'm getting a sense
of, like, who I want to be around, who I am, what I don't
tolerate and what I'm intolerant.
And then also going back to professors, too, like, I'm a
social work major.
And these professors that I have, their doctors, PhDs, they
have all that.
And I always tell people, too, you always want to be in good
graces with your professors, even if they get on your
nerves, you need to be in good graces with them.
Because those are the ones that have been through this.
And they're in this.
They're preparing us for, like, I believe in, like, the
pressure.
Because pressure helps people.
And sometimes it's like, people can take it as some can.
And the professors that I have so far, like, they've been
pushing me and pushing me.
And I appreciate that.
And I appreciate that, too, from Morgan.
Because, like, I don't know, when I was at CCBC, that's a
community college, if those that you don't know, I felt
pushed but not pushed enough.
Because I wasn't surrounded by a lot of professors that
looked like me.
I didn't count on one hand how many professors I had that
looked just like me.
And it was only two.
Like, shout out to them, too.
But it's like, too, like, when you're around, I feel like
your people, you're more pushed.
You feel more accepted.
You feel like I'm comfortable with you.
So yeah, I agree with you.
I feel like a problem, I did make freshman year.
I surrounded myself with the wrong people.
And they really brought me down.
I went through, I'm not going to lie, I went through
depression and anxiety freshman year because I was just
around the wrong people.
Yeah, but I'm glad, like, I'm glad, like, we also talked
about it, too, y'all.
Before we even started recording, we was preparing.
It was like, oh my god, I want to connect the mics down.
But really, we were at, it was like, no.
Because you don't want to interrupt.
But like, we did talk about how, like, they mentioned that
within listening to all of my episodes, they said, I'm big
on a mental.
I appreciate you for noticing that.
Because I am, the mental is a terrible thing to a, and then
also for us being in college, we cannot drain ourself for
so much because once you do, it's like you're out of it.
And then once you're mentally out of it, you're physically
out of it, I don't even want to go to school.
I don't want to do nothing.
Yeah, it's like, it's no motivation not there.
Then like when you said, too, being around the wrong people,
too, can also drain you.
Yeah, because you need to be surrounded by people that's
willing to help you.
You help me, I help you.
You want to be surrounded by people that's, you know, we're
in college, you know, we have our moments where we fuck up
and shit, you know, but it's so many times you don't want to
fuck up because, like, I pay my money to go here.
Like I'm getting money and stuff and people help me, so I
don't want to fuck it up.
But I also want to be able to explore the college life, but
I also got to make sure that, you know, I'm here for, let it
be known like, too, like I'm here for purpose.
So let me make sure this purpose is in check before I do
anything like, you know, I say don't, you know, live that
college life, but also be cautious of everything you do
and who you be around.
But I say, like, every day you learn something new, too.
So it's like, when you were a freshman, you learn and now
you're a sophomore, you like, you're better, you work on
your menswear and everything.
So that's a plus because, like, I know some people who, they're
still drained because they just don't know what to do and I'm
not going to lie to you, it takes time, it takes time, but
once you get yourself together, start starting over or anything,
the best feeling ever.
I always say people don't be afraid, just do it.
Like, thank you, just do it.
But yeah, that's a good point, too.
And I'm glad like you are accepting the fact and then you
were able to say you were having problems because that's
another thing, too, us being in college, it's hard to express
ourselves.
It's hard.
But I feel like also working with your surround people and
they give you resources to help you sit down.
Like, they have counselors, they have doctors, everything
here, and then people in your major stuff, they're also
willing to help you.
So that's a big plus, also, too.
Well, yeah, I agree with you with that.
I really do.
I agree.
So, yeah, I agree with you.
Um, and what's your major in again?
I'm a social work major.
And how's that going for you?
As fate is, I'm finally in my program as of fall 2023.
I say this, if you want to be a social worker, and whatever
social you've got to be, you have to be prepared for
everything that comes in your way.
You'll have clients that'll give you the blues.
You'll have clients that, you know, it's a lot, but you've
got to honestly be prepared because as a future social
worker that want to work with children, it is my duty to
help them for the better.
Even if I have to dig deeper, that's another thing to, you
got to dig deep, especially with an mental, you have to dig
deep on how this happened, why this happened.
How do you help out your mental?
For my mental, like you say you do music, I write about it.
Writing saved me as a child.
Like every time I would feel down or something like that, I
would write about it.
Writing was one of my coping piece ever methods that still
helps me today.
You know, everybody, and I always tell people, what makes
you happy?
Let that help you mentally because say if you're having a
bad day, instead of lashing out, do something that makes you
happy, like people paint, doing music like you, I like to
write.
And also the podcast helped me too.
Because we mentioned earlier, I listen to podcasts, listen to
music, we talk about it.
Listening to other people also helps you too.
Because you never, like, we're human.
People, you'll be surprised at who goes through shit that you
wouldn't think that go through the same thing as you.
Especially within the Black community too.
Like that's really, really, really, really, that helps a
lot.
Because a lot of people will be like, I don't know what to do,
I don't know what to do.
That'd be like, what makes you happy?
That can help you with your mental.
Do something that makes you happy.
So yeah, that's what I do for my mental.
I write, and I always encourage people, like whatever you
like doing, fashion, drawing, paint, ever, that's your safe
space to go there.
And it's going to help you.
One thing that really did help me was, when I was going
through it, was I've been like, feel my inner child.
And the way I hope, feel my inner child was doing things I
did when I was younger, like watching shows.
I used to watch Coward, Curious to Cowardly, The
Dollars, and the like.
I don't remember what it's called.
It's on Netflix.
Or nah, it's on Curious Network.
And just doing things I like doing around with a child.
Like going on walks, nature walks too, that really
helped me a lot.
Or just having that one person talk to about your
feelings and things that you're going through.
Not helping him, but sometimes friends, family, it's
not really going to be there for you.
So you just kind of be there for yourself.
I think that's one of the toughest things about
college, too.
It's just going to be sometimes where you're not really
going to have your friends not going to be able to help you
out.
You've got to help yourself out, too.
Yeah, by being in college, not even just being in college,
also, being in a thought, it's not easy.
It's not easy.
Imagine going to school, working, all that.
It's not easy.
So just imagine trying to live your life and also tell people
like, what's going on?
Because nothing too.
You lose friends and you gain some.
But it's like, I believe in that same thing.
People come for the season and you have people that's there
for a reason.
Family members is hard, too.
Because you know, people are like, you can't do that.
That's your family.
But sometimes you have to distance yourself from family
because certain family members just don't understand
because it's a life.
Life is life.
People don't understand that life be really life in front of you.
But when it comes to your life, I always
help people live for you and don't let nobody control it.
Because it's your world.
That's how I live, too.
I'm only going to live this life once.
I might as well do what I want to do.
I want to talk to that girl.
If I want to, I don't know.
I'm not going to say crash out.
But just do what you want to do.
It's like, damn, I'm a lot of person.
Yeah, go ahead.
All right, cool.
Just do what you want to do.
It's like, shit, if you have a dream, chase that shit.
Period.
I like that.
You can achieve anything you want to do in this life
as long as you believe in yourself and put the work in.
Period.
OK, so you said a lot of dreams.
So what are your dreams?
What are you manifesting for yourself?
Let's put it like that.
Yeah, that's best.
I mean, one of the things I do, one of my dreams
is to blow up.
I know it's going to happen.
But it's better than that, though.
I kind of want to help the world out somehow.
To speak my truth and speak my story.
And also, you know, everybody wants to be raised.
Of course, of course.
I see myself like, I see myself up, like years
from now, you know, with a little bad days, you know.
Like, music, chilling at the Bahamas.
Oh, so did.
But I mean, hey, like, I don't believe in a term
that's five to six.
I feel like there's no limit in life.
So yeah, if you got a dream you manifest it, go for it.
It's worth it.
Go get it.
I applaud it.
Yeah, I like that.
I like the sound of that.
Why not?
Rock out.
So I have a question.
If I you being a business major, what
are you going to use your degree in?
I'm not like, I have some ideas, but not
race expressing it, but I have some ideas.
Some things I'm working on behind the scenes.
I believe.
I believe in that.
And at times, even when you're in college
and you are doing something, it is kind of like,
it's a hassle.
Because it's like, business, you can do anything and everything.
Shout out to all you business majors,
because you all can do it.
Edit everything with a business degree.
And you can have your own business, help people
to do business things like that.
So it's like, it's a lot.
And even by us being in the business building,
it's like, y'all can get a lot done in here
and do a lot with a business degree.
And I don't need to do like, masters or anything.
You can, but are you going to do like your masters
and stuff like that?
Most likely.
I wonder of classes that be stressing me out here,
working as an I-NAS as, oh my god.
Like you guys, any business major,
they're going to tell you like, that's one like the worst,
not the worst class.
Tell us about that class.
Like, what is it?
That's my first time ever hearing about that.
That's thing too, working at hella classes up here
that people do not be knowing about.
So express a little bit on that.
Like, what is that?
Like, basically, we just worked on like,
we learned how to use Excel, PowerPoint.
All the basics of Microsoft was 360.
Yeah, it was like, it's like a class for like,
I want to say it's for old people,
but like the way how they like teach it is like,
they've been teaching us like, we're 50 years old.
Oh, dang.
But you, I mean, like by us, like the new generation
or whatever, we're going to like, then do with adults.
We know all that too, in high school.
So like, I was a master in it.
It was to the point where people was like, I should do IT.
I'm like, nah, I don't like coding all that.
But I felt like, yeah, with Microsoft Excel,
Microsoft Word, I'm sorry, Microsoft Excel,
PowerPoint and scrolls are the basics right there.
But you'll be surprised at the things
that you can do on there.
Like, I love a good PowerPoint.
I love a good PowerPoint.
I can do a whole bunch of stuff with it.
Now, Excel, I don't like that because I don't like math.
I can't stand it, but like, I'll use it
because it helps you out.
But sometimes putting stuff in the cells
and get all my nerves, but I'm got better.
So yeah, I got better, but yeah.
But I understand like, sometimes when it comes to like,
technology, it can be your best friend
and it can be your worst enemy.
Like, oh, like.
Especially social media.
Yes, yes.
And that's what you say.
By you doing music, how has social media been
like your best friend at times?
Like, I'm sick of it.
Sometimes, you know, social media is like,
it's very complicated, but like,
social media helped me connect with other people
who, you know, live far away or not help me,
even help me meet you.
Yeah.
So like social media has its positives and negatives,
you know, something that's going to hate,
you know, why they could be hated in the generation.
Social media, but you can't really focus on the hate
because you want to, if you focus on the hate,
then you get more hate, but you focus on the hate,
you get more positive, you know, like a lot of,
that's some type of a lot of attraction.
Yeah, because I like, I thought about it, I'm like,
when you do music, a lot of people that do music,
like we talked about before, we started like,
you know, you got your oozy, you got your brain,
you got young boy and things like that.
I just feel like the media is a place
where you can be yourself and it's like,
if you be yourself, you still get backlash.
Like Kanye.
Yeah.
Like, oh my gosh.
I'm like, people like call Kanye crazy, yeah, yeah, yeah.
He might be a little crazy, no, that's not my business.
But like, the thing that like I doubt
they get like Kanye is,
His flowers.
His flowers, he's really his authentic self.
Like he says what you want to say.
And like that's like, I only look up to Kanye,
but like he has an inspiration,
but like one of my favorite rappers, X.
Oh.
He, you know, people have his other opinions about him,
but I feel like he really did like, you know,
create the, it's not created, but like,
he had like a big empath, he has a big, like, yeah.
I'll kind of explain it.
I feel like he's, okay, I can't explain this.
You haven't seen One Piece, right?
Anime?
I'm not big on anime.
I'm sorry.
Y'all gonna get my bird.
And both of my best friends love it.
The people who watch One Piece,
they know just a person called Gordy Rodger.
And like, he started a new pirate era.
And then, you know, he died and he was like,
go find my treasure, yeah, yeah, yeah.
So I feel like X, he kind of had like something to do
with the new wave of rap or the way how people
express themselves today through music.
And, you know, I give him as far as I'm not.
Yeah, shout out to all of them because like,
I listened to X music before.
My little brother in love, X too.
And like, you know, when you really listen to the things
that people are saying, I honestly say,
artists are storytellers, like we mentioned earlier,
being able to just tell your story on a beat
and letting it flow, that is one of them.
Yeah, that's a lot.
And that's one of the most, I feel like that's
a real, real vibe of talent because a lot of people
cannot be able to do that and then make it sound good.
You know, even though we had the auto-tutors,
that helps, like, that's, you know, that's good.
But, and even when people do acapella or two,
that also be like, wow.
Like music, people in music is just a beautiful thing.
Like going back on the episode I did on music,
like music is one of the ways that helps mentally
because there's people out there that makes music
for certain purposes.
So when it comes to music, like you mentioned,
you wanna make music to help people too.
Do you think that your music will impact,
how would you think your music would impact people
in general, especially for the new generation?
I play for my music.
The music I make is kind of like a escape.
It's like, you know, a lot of people go through a lot
and so like with my music, I kind of wanna make people
feel like they're in different worlds.
I think kind of like this, get away from real world reality
and it's like, you know.
So, you know, you're in a little dreamy state.
Yeah, get away, get away, you know, express yourself.
And I like that because like also too, like,
maybe it's me, maybe not me, you know what,
next time when you probably in your room, your car,
whatever, if you have headphones on or not,
I feel like we have headphones on, like air pods,
beats and everything with noise cancellation,
it's dark at night and you hear the music.
That's his difference.
Oh, it's different, see, I thought I was the only one.
It hits different and it's like,
you can listen to it on over and over again,
but like once you hear it one night,
like just on like, you just chillin' tip
and you like, whoa, that's deep.
And the way you did that, that's deep.
That's really, really deep.
And I feel like a lot of people, like,
they try find their own way to escape from life.
Like, you know, maybe listen to music
or maybe go into the gym.
Yeah.
And you know, people would be like,
oh, if you're feeling depressed, yada yada,
go into the gym, yada yada.
I mean, like, yeah, that helps too,
but like, then that's like another way
of you coping your problems away, you know, with addictions.
Yeah, and that's the only thing too,
like I say it early, when you come to your mental,
I always tell people, do things that impacts
with what you like.
And sometimes when you do turn into getting,
creating new habits, that also helps you like,
I'm not gonna lie, like, after the spring semester,
I started going to the gym.
And it was helping, like, I would be in a gym,
had a big soil, listen to podcasts,
listen to music, help me out.
And then I started slipping,
because I was just like, the pain, like, I can't,
like when I was in high school,
like I was an athlete, a plate soccer and stuff like that.
Then like, when I was in the process of transferring
from one school to another, I lost it.
So like back then, I felt like if I kept up,
had a dream, I would have been cool.
Would you know, sometimes it's best to start new things.
Like I mentioned, the free set episode I had too,
about starting, is a lot of pros and cons
that comes with starting, but I felt like,
don't be afraid to do it because you never know.
Never know, like, another thing with music too,
like some people, like they make music and, you know,
they start and like, none's really happening for them
and they start to like, they just not for me, yeah, yeah,
yeah, but how I keep myself on is like,
why am I bloated the next day?
Or like, what if this opportunity comes in the next day?
Like, you never know.
That was very asked, like, have you had those moments
in your life where you wanted to stop?
Of course, of course, like, I had a lot more
I wanted to stop, but then like, when I'm about to stop,
a breakthrough happens.
It's like, God really comes through for me.
Mm-hmm.
And you said you played sports when you was younger?
Yeah.
I have a story to tell.
Go ahead.
But I got to really talk about shit.
It's not, it's not, it's really, fuck that coach, bro.
No, now I'm gonna talk about shit.
Bro, now I'm great, right?
I tried out for a basketball team.
Oh man.
I tried out for a basketball team, right?
Mm-hmm.
You know, I go to the first trial,
like I'm really hooping on these niggas,
like I'm really doing my shit, you know, yada yada yada.
You know, the first day ended and everybody was saying,
like, damn, I didn't know you had it like that, yada yada.
Yeah, I was like, yeah, I'm really talking to shit.
Like, I'm really am.
So then the second day, right?
I'm doing my shit again, yada yada yada.
Like, I'm scoring on these.
I'm doing my shit, you know.
Passing the ball around, you know, playing defense.
Like, I feel like I really did my shit, right?
Mm-hmm.
So then I go to school the next day or the next week,
whatever, and she puts the list on the door.
So I'm looking, I'm looking, I'm like,
damn, my name not there, right?
So I'm like, I'm like, right, ain't no way, right?
But, hold on, let me see more.
So then I look at people on the list, right?
Some of the players that did not try out that,
oh, they made it on the team.
So I was like, bro, I just got hoed.
Like, I think I was that hoed.
But like, you know, sometimes you like,
sometimes people just don't make a team.
They don't, I don't really care, but like,
the person that was like playing my position
made it on the team and I feel like I should be on the team.
But like, you didn't even try out.
I was like, some boy on behind the scenes, but like, you know,
yeah, that's the spring road.
I'm on see all that.
I guess I think I'm the last year that spring broke.
That basketball team started losing.
But that's like, that's their karma for playing with you.
Oh my God.
Oh, dang.
Oh my God.
I was like, how did that affect you?
Because like, we all had a moment in our life
where it affected us.
Like, we might have our moments.
It might take days, weeks.
I try not to make it go about months and years
because like, I don't want to, you know,
affecting your muscle.
And then having you be afraid to even try again.
You know?
I'm not gonna lie.
Me not making the team,
Knife grade really did like,
fuck up my mental a little bit.
So I was like, I really gotta wait until next year
to try that again.
And this time I really don't know
if I'm gonna make the team or not.
But you know, I think I was like,
I think I stopped playing basketball a little bit.
But now I started playing basketball again.
You know, I'm just trying to start out a practicing again.
Start playing on like, AAU teams.
Hell yeah.
Shout out to them AAU teams.
And then like, I think I'll,
I don't think I'll try that out again.
Think I really started to, started getting some music.
I have another story time too.
Go ahead, go ahead.
So 12th grade, I was on a football team.
You know, I was on the team.
It was cool.
But the coaches were asked.
Oh my God.
I'm exposing everybody.
That is so mean.
Spring broke.
I'm really coming for y'all.
You know, like the coaches were asked,
but we had really great players like,
like, bro, I think some of the players went D1
or they were D2 now.
No, there's like this one game.
I was like, bro, I'm trying to get in.
You know, I didn't get in the game.
I told my, I told my good man, my man,
I'm not gonna say his name, but me and, you know,
we fell out.
But I told him like, bro, I'm about to go home,
go to the studio, make a song.
I'm about to really crank that bitch out.
Oh my God.
And so I made this song and that song
ended up becoming like my most played song too.
Okay, okay.
That's what really like, that's what really got me like,
wanting to like keep on doing music because, you know,
like basketball is kind of out of your control.
Like, the sports out of your control.
It's out of your control.
And I like, you know, I always been looked
as like the underdog like my whole life.
So I was like, okay, I'm gonna do something
that like I have like full control over and like, you know,
like something that nobody can really control.
Yeah.
So that's why I really keep,
that's why I really do music now.
I like that. I support it.
Because when it comes to even finding something
that really impacts with you and even something
that really like, wow, put a big impact on you
and you fall in love with it.
It's one of the best feelings I've ever like,
with me, with the podcast, being able to talk
and talk how I want to control how much,
that's the best feeling ever.
Talking shit.
Yeah.
Sometimes, you know, but like, I always try to,
you know, I'm big on that mental, that self-improvement
and that self-empowerment.
Cause at times it's like, you know,
we need people to rely on.
And I feel like within our community,
see we need to rely on each other.
It's how to keep going back and forth with each other
and stuff, you know, I don't condone violence.
I don't like mass.
I don't like none of that.
I'm real big on like coming together,
collaborating with people.
Cause you never know, like even like by us going
to Morgan State and by us being here on Morgan State,
doing the recording stuff and meeting people
from different ages of and being able to collaborate
with them in the future.
That is like, worth it.
You know, making relationships with people is worth it.
But like, you know, sometimes, sometimes in relationships,
we may, it may last for a reason,
sometimes it might last for a season,
but I always think of two, don't end on a bad note.
Cause you don't want to leave on a bad note
with people when they know, you know,
nobody want to deal with that, that beef in mind.
I feel like that's for girls.
Like we had those problems where we just with beef.
Really?
Oh, no.
Like I never really thought about that.
Like I always sound like with us females,
cause people be like, oh, y'all feel and see much
and all that.
Like, yeah, depending on who it is, it was a situation.
It doles.
I felt like it's whatever y'all just be like, it's whatever.
But I never really thought that y'all would like that.
What?
That was crazy.
Yeah.
I feel like a lot of women in this generation,
like it really just hurt.
Really.
Mm-hmm.
Like, yeah, this is, you can't really get into it.
But like, I feel like a lot of women in this generation
really hurt.
You know, like, you know, like, you know, like,
you know, like, Tita went up, I guess.
Really?
Yeah, okay.
Like, it's like nobody really trusts each other
in this generation.
Yeah.
Yeah, trust, like, oh my God.
You dig in deep.
Trust, when it comes to me, even trust,
that's the biggest thing.
Like, the words forever, love, hate, and promise are,
where does that stick to me?
And those are like real big words that people be like,
oh, that's nothing.
You got a thing.
Like, you're not just gonna tell anybody you love them.
I feel like you need to be able to feel that love,
explain why.
Now, hate, that's real love.
That's real love.
Somebody's like, oh, I hate you.
Like, whoa.
Cause once you say that, that's it.
That's gone.
Like, I don't even wanna patch anything up.
But I just feel like too, like I said earlier,
tongue is a powerful thing.
You gotta really be careful what you saying,
how you say it, and who you saying it to.
Cause you don't know who can take what,
and who can manage what, and who the hell know who.
That's another thing too.
And yeah, like, it's a female.
It is hard to trust.
It's hard to trust.
Now, the cheating thing, I don't know so much about it.
I don't know her stories, you know, in the media display.
And that's one of our biggest things too.
I don't wanna deal with that.
You don't.
But it happens, you know it happens.
But you just don't want it to happen in a way
that you don't know how to handle it.
And it'd be at times where we have situations
that we can't handle.
And they'd just be like, whoa.
Like, oh.
Sometimes like losing a woman in your life
can only do a lot to the dance.
You're like, look at me, milk.
I don't know, don't do me like that.
Don't do me like that.
Don't do him like that.
No, we not.
No.
I like me milk.
I got a sense of, I like me milk.
You cool?
Yeah, I think you're cool.
I just feel like for us, this generation period,
it's hard because like, some of us wants to take things
seriously, some of us just like, we just,
we just get in the feel of who and then do whatever
with who and that's it.
So it's like, it is hard with that love type.
Ooh, time for you to go in love.
It's hard.
Like it's hard.
Wanting to even be out there to jump out there
to be like, okay, I want to talk to you.
You know, because sometimes like,
it's a bad thing.
I don't like it.
So to me, they'd be like, oh yeah.
Me and this person would be doing this
and basically doing relationship stuff
and don't want a relationship.
Like, well, that's waste, time is a terrible thing to waste.
Why are you wasting your time in this person's time?
I'm like, be big on honesty.
Yeah.
Like, let me know from the jump what's going on
so nobody will feel, you know, used.
That's another thing too.
And for our generation, we always felt like,
we want to be in love, but it's for like,
I don't want to be used at the same time.
Because in the end, sometimes you find out
you've been being used for things
that you never thought you'd be used for.
And it's crazy.
And that's one of the saddest things I've ever, like, love.
To me, love's a beautiful thing.
I have hope in love again, but it takes time.
And you have to also be mentally, physically,
spiritually, emotionally prepared
to want to get to know a person all over again.
And to even push yourself in a position,
okay, I'ma take this person seriously.
I think that's one of my problems too.
It's like, I was in love before,
and then like, you know, the relationship kind of ended.
And I was like, I was with that person for like two years.
And it's just like, damn, we're starting as a person.
And then like, what if I really put my all of somebody else
just for me?
Not even get treated like shit, but just more like,
you know, what if I just waste that time?
But then again, you know, really living once, you know,
like book ups happen, break ups happen,
you gotta live through that shit.
But I started to like, not try to find love
within like other people, but like,
I just started to love myself.
It's like, how can I love other people
if I can't love myself first, you know?
World spills, like, I was just about to say,
like in order for you to even try to put yourself out there
with trying to do mean everything,
you gotta make sure you treat, especially when it comes
to love, you gotta make sure you love yourself
because you don't wanna deal with somebody yet.
Then it's like, you loving them more than you love yourself.
And nobody wanna deal with that stuff.
Like also too, like you said, being like in a relationship
with somebody for so long, and then things, you know,
didn't work out.
That also takes time to even process
what the hell had happened.
I feel like we all been there like,
shoot, I've been there too.
It takes like process.
I haven't been years, but I have some months.
But you know, we still, when a relationship period
was in my, it takes a while to even accept
the fact that it happened.
And then to even want to.
Be on the mark, David.
Yeah, yeah, that too.
And then be able to say, okay,
I have to start a new norm for me.
Cause there's no such thing as going back to normal.
You have to start a new norm for yourself.
You know, you have to start doing things different.
And I experienced that.
It took me a while to start thinking things differently.
And start, you know, sometimes you also
gotta keep your guard up too.
That's another thing.
You don't want to be so rude.
But sometimes like, look, nobody got time for that.
You gotta let me know what's going on.
Cause I ain't got time.
Even within friendships too, like you don't want to
befriend somebody and they have an agenda
and it's not right.
Cause I'm, yeah, I'm big on that like genuine.
If your vibe ain't right, I'm,
we just want to keep this cool, calm and collect.
And I'll say, I agree with that.
Even within our generation as a whole, like,
we know what we want and we don't want.
I give that to us.
But sometimes it's like, we do have them things
where we just, we might lash out.
And sometimes, you know, people always find a way to
do things that just do not set right for you to lash out.
And I always try to like play the bigger person.
Always with a bigger person.
And by the way, I also listened to one of your podcasts
about man's not the health and you're somewhere like,
how like men don't like talking about their problems
and stuff.
And I was going to ask, why do you think that?
Why do you think men don't like talking about their problems?
When it comes to a black man, shout out to all you,
you know, I feel as though y'all were brought up in that
norm where even if you were around a male figure
or male figures that real men don't cry when you were mad.
You the one that's supposed to, you know, you're in charge.
You take control of everything.
And I felt like regardless, a man or woman or not,
you have feelings, you're human.
We bleed the way we bleed.
We all bleed the same, you know.
So if something's hurting you, express it,
even if you don't express it to a person right away,
try to get it out because that thing of like your feelings
and emotions that you keep brought up, it will affect you.
It will hurt, like it will affect you to the point
where it's hurting you and then to the point
where your feelings are appearing.
And I'm like at Elbert's.
I've been around a long person.
Yes, yes.
And like I always like, I'm big on that mental.
Like I packed those issues in my life where my mental,
like I couldn't, I can't handle by playing with my mental
and I'm not gonna play with it because your mental
is something very important.
It's, you need to, we need to really, really pay close
attention to anything and everything in our power
to make sure that we're mentally and physically straight
because the brain is always, is always racing.
It's always doing something and you don't want to mess
that up because you don't, you know,
you don't want to lose your mind for things and people
that is just like, it's not worth it.
And when it comes to men, y'all very strong.
I give it like they all strong,
but strong people also has feelings.
We all have feelings.
At times you gotta lash out, do it,
but don't carry all that weight on you because also
that can lead to health problems.
Like you have heart attacks and things like that.
You don't want that.
Like since like a lot of men,
and boys too in the generation,
they hold their feelings and like they cope with drugs
because like drugs and health escape.
Sometimes, sometimes like when they're going through it
or I'm like we just hold all those feelings
and he can't even toss them away about it.
You know, start smoking like popping pills
because that's the only way that like,
you know, it's the feelings that I sometimes,
but like I don't want to encourage people to do drugs.
But at the same time too, nah, that's a bad influence,
but at the same time, sometimes like,
sometimes where you really gotta do what you gotta do.
Like, I sound so bad right now,
but like it's more like I've been on both sides.
Yeah, and it's like, I would say go do drugs,
yada yada yada, but like try to find a way to cope.
How do we have a cope?
It's not too drugged.
Yeah, I agree with that.
I agree because it's like, you know,
once you get hooked onto a substance,
it can either put a good impact or bad,
and most of the time it's always bad
because it's like once you're hooked, that's it.
And like drinking, smoking, like it's people like,
by me, when I went to community college,
in I majored, minor in human counseling,
I used to read cases where people wake up in the morning
in order for them to get a good day start,
they gotta drink a pint of this, smoke this, snort that,
like it just was like, whoa.
And that, when that takes a toll on a person
because especially if you're around people
that care and love you and want to do everything
and power for you and take advantage of it,
it also hurts them too.
So also like when it comes to men,
with y'all, like even if y'all do or do not have a family,
you know, sometimes when you have a family, I see too,
that's hard, you know, you're the man of the house.
You gotta make sure this straight, that straight,
this straight, that straight, and that's a task too,
because you still have a life.
And I'm also big on like making time for you,
wherever you at, take five, 10, 15, 20 hour, hour,
however long to get yourself together
before it's time to get back into business.
Because if you don't make time for yourself
and always there for others,
you're going to, you're going to lash out.
And you don't want to be in that predicament.
You don't want to lash out, you know?
So yeah, when it comes to men, I applaud y'all,
especially the black men, but there's a lot on y'all,
especially like since y'all were younger, you know,
some of y'all have been raised in a norm like,
oh, if you cry, I shake it off, you know,
or like real men don't cry.
I was like, man, what?
You hear me?
You heard and let it out.
You need help, go talk to somebody, like let it out,
don't be ashamed.
When I was younger, I heard the same like, men don't cry.
You know, I used to like live off of that.
But now I'm older now.
And I'm just like, sometimes I really do need to cry.
But just like, it doesn't come out.
It's like, I know my feelings so much
when I was younger, so point doesn't even come out, you know?
So nice guy.
Like this life shit is hardest, but I really got that shit out.
I keep on going like you never know what's around the corner.
Yes, because life be life thing.
And it is no joke, especially if you are willing
to pursue a career at any age, doing any and anything.
It's hard period being an adult and being,
I feel like once you hit 18, that's all on you.
Your future is in your hands.
It's no more your mother, your father, grandparents,
or legal guardians, whoever is in your corner pushing you.
It's like you got to push yourself and you got to make
decision on what you want to do for yourself because.
Yeah, like it's hard.
It's hard.
And that's why I always believe in surrounding myself
with people that's positive and want to,
I want to be surrounded by people that's willing to win.
I want to be surrounded by people that's wake up in the morning
to be motivated.
You know, at times we are motivated.
I be tired, but I always remember like I got a future.
I got a future.
Like my future on the line, I can't.
Sometimes you be like, yeah, I got to stop,
but I always say I can't stop.
I won't stop one, no days off because I got shit to do
and shit must be done.
Once it's done, all right, I could play, chill, relax,
vacation, whatever, but in the process, I'm not doing that
and once you take a break, that's it.
It's not coming back.
And you don't want to get too comfortable.
I feel like I'll be comfortable once I'm in where I want to be at.
I work so hard for these.
Once I'm finished doing what I'm doing and I'm in that
mind space of where I'm at, then I can get comfortable.
I can go crazy, go stupid, you know, but right now,
playtime is over with all of our business.
We're staying on business, no days off.
I heard his standing down.
I think Dr. Dre said he was like, the hardest part is not going
to the top, it's staying on top.
Yeah, ooh, that's deep.
That's deep.
How you feel about that?
That's deep, but...
I mean, you know, like, you know, like right now,
I guess like, you know, people are like, I guess people might
feel like they're like an underground rapper, but like,
deep down on, I feel like an underground rapper.
I feel like I'm on top, and I feel like that's how everybody
should have that mentality.
I know my rigor at in life.
Like, even if you're a bench player, you should feel like
you're the star player.
And just keep that mentality up and just don't get comfortable
to keep going.
Just keep pushing.
I feel like, you know, my life is like, I feel like my life is
like, um, there's like, living proof that like,
if you keep on going, you can really achieve your dreams.
I feel like that's like another point I'm trying to prove.
Like, you know, my friends would say, there's a 2K rock.
There's a 2K rock.
You know, not like, not crash out like all like,
whereabouts of doing this.
Bro, we can talk about DMV rappers.
No, I really have like a shoulder bone to pick with that.
But it's like, a lot of DMV rappers, they promote violence,
yada, yada, yada.
And then like, they be, they begin to string to name,
make it out the hood, yada, yada, yada.
But then they crash out.
I was like, I'm like, like, what are you doing?
Like, what are you doing with your life?
Like, what?
Like, something moved out to Cali that come back to Maryland
just to crash out.
Like, they went to rapper to crash out the other day.
I think the name was on it.
I don't remember his name, but he crashed out.
Like, most artists in Maryland be crashing out.
Like, there's a lot of talented artists in Maryland.
Yeah.
And like, they really have what it takes to go to the top
and stay on top, but it's just crashing out.
I feel like also to like, by me being born and raised
in the city of Baltimore,
a lot of people crash out because of where they from
and who, you know, in their community.
Because it's like also like,
one of our biggest rappers was Skoda.
And like when he passed,
it really just had an impact on people because certain people
was like, dang, I don't know if I'm going to do this.
I don't want to do that.
And some did crash out.
And I feel like too, like your environment can also impact
how you navigate things and how you want things to be done.
Cause I was just like, whoa, like you said,
it is a lot of talents and people here,
but you also got people that's always going to be negative
and be like, hang on, make it.
And then they're like, and when they do make it,
they are like, yeah, like, no, I don't like that fake love shit
because it's like, if you didn't support them,
don't say nothing.
Like if you have nothing, I say,
they teach you that in school when you're a little like,
you don't have nothing nice to say, don't say nothing at all.
Even your parents, if your parents even told you,
you have nothing like to say, don't say nothing at all.
Because like I say, the tongues, the powerful thing
and words can affect a person.
And you don't know how people navigate through stuff
and you don't even know how people handle things.
So yeah, I agree with you.
And like in the community as a whole,
when it comes to chasing dreams and everything like that,
it's like you got to keep things sometimes to yourself
on the QT because people just,
some people are not truly happy for you.
And I felt like we are,
but in those stages where we didn't want to keep things quiet,
but it's like in order for me to keep my sanity,
in order for me to know I'm doing right,
is just keeping it quiet and just pop out with it.
Because me, I always say,
people should leave a mystery of certain stuff in their life
because it's like social media also plays a big part.
Like some people tell their whole story.
I prefer keeping a mystery.
Because if you want to get to know the real me,
let's have a conversation face to face.
You see me as a bad guy.
Yeah, it's like social media,
like you could be any and anybody on there.
I can promote, say, dude, all types of shit on this social media.
But when it comes to real,
it's hard to identify who's real and who's not on social media
because you could be any and anybody.
You know?
I think I was on takes off the other day
and like somebody was saying that like everybody,
everybody's an actor, you know?
And it's like, you know, somebody,
George Washington, they're trying to play like the lover
after their life and yada yada yada.
So it's not even about like what's real and what's fake.
I feel it's really about like,
no, it is about that, but it's just more like being authentic,
you know?
It's the truth to me.
Oh yeah.
Yeah, that's a real big like because being in,
like I said, being young period and you are in your 20s,
you in your 20s period,
I feel like that's when the life gets real.
Because we're not teenagers, no more stuff, you know,
your parents or guardian, whoever is not leading you no more.
It's up to you to decide what you want to do,
how you want to do it and why you doing what you want to do.
And yeah, I like, I tell myself every day and then like,
I'm the oldest of two siblings.
I gotta show my siblings the right way,
even though at times I had fuck ups, we all have fuck ups.
It's like, I don't want to have so many fuck ups
that that's all people remember too.
You know, I always try to display the positive side,
even though at times we all been in the moments where we did
have to show negativity, but that's another thing to a society.
People remember the bad thing, remember the good.
That's what somebody else do, and I also, I always do.
I don't like judging people because I don't know
about judging me and you don't know about story.
And I always tell people like, don't judge a book by its cover
until you had the chance to actually sit down,
open that book, get the main idea in context.
And if you don't like it, shut the book and just go on, you know.
And I do appreciate it super late.
You know, just to like close with your siblings.
I have an older brother.
We didn't really talk like that.
When I was really going through it in college,
I was trying to put him out on the spot.
I wish he could have been there more for me because it's like,
it's like, when he wasn't there for me, it was just like, damn,
I'm really out of here all by my son. That's how I felt.
So like, nah, I really do appreciate it.
Like, really just be like, give him like,
your silver attention that they need, you know.
That thing.
And like, just keep doing that, you know.
Thank you.
Family really can be everything.
Yeah, like, it's so hard at times to even,
I'm not gonna say try to be the best
because I feel like when you're a sibling,
it's just when you're older sibling too,
it's like you're the second in line when it comes to the parents.
You're second in charge when it comes to making sure they okay.
And you also want to make sure you okay too.
And when you spoke about your brother,
I wanted to say to like, did y'all,
did you ever have the conversation with him
or like expressing how you felt?
Yeah, we did, but it's just more like,
like communication with my family,
like it looked like it was all so like,
it's kind of like hard to like, you know,
express ourselves, but like, as a family,
they're like, they're kind of getting better at that, but, you know.
Yeah, I understand.
Like, it takes time to have the moments with your family.
Cause you know, the same family's all you got.
And I feel like when it comes to the immediate family,
at times, it's all you have because like me, my immediate family,
I grew up in a household with both parents and like,
I'm an older sibling and now I have my uncle with me.
Those are the ones that I see every day
and I do a lot of things every day.
Now when it comes to outside the family here and there,
but I feel like when it comes to your immediate family,
that bond is so much tighter than outside of the other,
the outside of your family because it's like, they know,
they seen everything.
They know everything, you know.
So yeah, I understand.
Trust me, I understand.
I understand.
There anything else you want to talk about?
I do.
I don't know.
I am.
It's okay.
We did talk about a lot.
So we did touch on a lot.
If you go out to rock out, we can rock out.
We can close it out because you're always welcome to come back
and I'm always welcome to have you come back.
Okay, so let me go in this soft.
I thank you so much, they, for taking the time to come
onto my lovely podcast and vibe out with me and also my Vibers
because we all need to talk to my and I've been waiting to have
like another male's perspective on here, like around my age
and then also go to my university like, come on now.
You said no.
You are young.
But it's not that far.
I mean, like, it's not far.
It's not that far.
You're right.
I know I did.
Oh my gosh, I'm so dead.
You laugh as you know.
I did.
But it's cool.
It's cool.
I know that by over here.
With that being said, I thank you so, so very much for coming
on here and being able to talk and rock out with us.
I appreciate it a lot.
And I will really appreciate when you come back and talk more
because like, yeah, there's a lot more talk about.
I'm here for it.
Thank you.
Thank you anytime, anytime, you know, let a friend know.
Telephone, telephone, you know, let's collaborate.
That's all what I'm about.
So with that being said, thank you once again.
And I wish you guys nothing but peace and blessings.
Please be safe out here.
You know, daytime savings, daytime light savings, whatever is here,
you know, when it gets five o'clock, it gets dark.
So please be safe out here, ladies and gentlemen.
And also it is that flu season.
Please get your shots and all that to stay bundled up with all that too.
And as always, you guys will hear from me next time.
Bye.