Adam sits down with the great legendary MC Eiht for an in depth conversation about making music now vs then, the craftsmanship, the microwave music, friendship with DJ Premier, Verzuz battles, aging gracefully in Hip Hop, street life, police brutality, and more.
0:38 Eiht talks about his son and how he perceives his rap career
2:59 Eiht missing Kendrick’s video shoot to go to his son’s game
4:59 Still being associated with the streets even when you grow out of it, still a foundation and a connection
7:20 The history of being associated with the streets: “I wouldn’t trade it for the world”
9:07 AD’s perspective on Compton’s music and the legacy
10:21 Hip Hop is a way out of the hood: “Never thought it would give me that glam life, I just wanted to rap” + East Coast inspired the west and it turned to storytelling
14:50 Labels and censorship in the 90s was way more strict when they had control
17:45 A&R labels now vs then, they had to go out before, now they just wait who’s popular on IG/Youtube
23:39 Tracking and protecting his son from the streets at all times and all cost! Eiht hiding it from his Mom when he was younger
28:23 School district is also an issue when you’re in the streets
31:52 The street “appeal” around the world and being about a brotherhood
37:11 How the golden era should be celebrated, documented and studied and not shunned + 38:03 The Eight analogy: street vs hip hop and age shaming only in hip hop
44:03 Learning your hip hop history and take notes from past rappers’ careers + The difference between enjoying music before vs now
46:25 Eiht breaks down the art of crafting the album, from writing to reading the credits + The microwave era of the new generation of rappers
50:45 The content and lyrics quality decreasing and close circle enabling like it’s good music
52:40 Verzuz, AD breaks down the DMX vs Snoop and why it matters so much + Would Eiht participate?
57:56 Kids attracted to colorful young rappers and how they end up glamorize l** and such
1:01:37 Street mentality: Stay alert at all times not going certain places back in the day even for promo +Teaching his kid to be alert and tracking him very closely
1:12:29 Police treatment hasn’t changed at all + Eiht asked by cops at a Subway what he was doing in this area, profiled in a white neighborhood
1:20:58 How Eiht teaches his son about police + What drives someone to become a cop and what’s their actual motive and the urge to feel powerful with a badge + Hiring the wrong kind of people with low level education to be cops
1:36:52 Has Eiht watched Menace II Society with his son? + Relationship with his son outside of music “I’m only Dad to him!” + The perception of meeting the kid of “so and so”
1:41:37 Eiht still making music out of genuine love + New music and relationship with DJ Premier being real friends
1:45:43 Aging gracefully in Hip Hop is a beautiful thing
Speak On It!