Harry Mack

Harry Mack, a freestyle rapper known for his jaw-dropping improvisation, joins Norah for an episode where nearly everything is off the top of the dome.

• 0:00Speaker 00

  This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed Human.

• 0:04Speaker 01

  Cash flow crunch? OnDeck's small business line of credit gives your business immediate access to funds up to $200,000 right when you need it. Cover seasonal dips, manage payroll, restock inventory, or tackle unexpected expenses without missing a beat. With flexible draws, transparent pricing, and control over repayment, get funded quickly and confidently. Apply today at ondeck.com. Funds could be available as soon as tomorrow. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval.

• 0:35Speaker 02

  Granger knows. If you're a procurement manager at an industrial manufacturing facility, you're balancing inventory and budget while sourcing critical supplies across the operation. Too much inventory? Costs climb. Too little? Production slows. Granger's $2 billion in on-hand inventory helps you get what you need, when you need it, so you can help keep budgets balanced and lines moving. Call 1-800-GRanger, click Granger.com, or just stop by. Granger, for the ones who get it done.

• 1:05Speaker 03

  When intimate itch strikes, waiting it out isn't always an option. That's why there's Vagisil Maximum Strength Anti-Ich Cream. It provides fast relief from intense external feminine itching and burning. And 92% of women said Vagisil provided long-lasting itch relief. Intimate itch can have more than 60 causes. From everyday things like shaving, pads, tight clothing, to yeast-infection-related irritation, Vagisil helps protect delicate skin from further irritation. Trusted by generations, clinically and gynecologists tested. Don't let discomfort get in the way. Visit vagisil.com to find the relief that's right for you.

• 1:37Speaker 04

  My name is Jessa. One of the things I love the most about working for United Healthcare is that everybody matters. Every moment matters. There's a person behind every problem. I care because it's what I was put on this earth to do.

• 1:53Speaker 05

  I'm Ben, and I work at United Healthcare. I am just one piece of a larger puzzle, but every piece matters. It's more than just work. We want to make the healthcare system better for everyone. I care because I want to make a difference. That's what committed to care means to me.

• 2:07Speaker 00

  This episode is also available as video on YouTube. You can visit Norah Jones' channel and be sure to subscribe while you're there. Hey, I'm Norah Jones, and today I'm playing along with Harry Mack.

• 2:31Speaker 00

  Hi, welcome to the show. I'm Nora and with me is Sarah Oda.

• 2:35Speaker 06

  Hello, welcome to our show.

• 2:37Speaker 00

  Hello.

• 2:37Speaker 06

  Our guest today is the incredible freestyle rapper, who has gone viral for his off-the-top-of-the-dome rhymes improvisation. He's truly one of the best out there, Harry Mack. He's built a massive global following through Omegle and YouTube, doing freestyle sessions. You've seen him everywhere, from the Venice Boardwalk to Times Square, just going up to strangers and asking for words and making up rhymes in real time. What he does is seriously just phenomenal. It's unbelievable, actually. I'm personally a huge fan, if you can't tell.

• 3:12Speaker 00

  Yes.

• 3:14Speaker 06

  And his energy is very positive and contagious. And I felt like just doing that here in this room was super fun.

• 3:19Speaker 00

  It was so fun. And yeah, I second everything you said. Everything he does is kind of mind-blowing.

• 3:26Speaker 06

  Yeah.

• 3:27Speaker 00

  Yeah. And his energy was so great. And he plays drums, but he has not played as much drums as he has done the freestyling thing. And so for this episode, we definitely talked about him playing drums on a few songs, or maybe at least one song. But he ended up playing on everything.

• 3:45Speaker 06

  Yeah.

• 3:45Speaker 00

  And that was super fun.

• 3:46Speaker 06

  Super fun.

• 3:47Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 3:48Speaker 06

  Yeah, we did things a little differently because we were improvising a lot. We used words from our crew in the control room to kind of try and throw at him during some of the songs. You're gonna hear about his background, how he sort of discovered this superpower that he has. You're gonna hear about the amount of energy that it takes mentally and physically to just pull off what he does, especially when he's doing a show. And brain power, like the amount of brain power, like just to... Be a human dictionary all the time.

• 4:25Speaker 00

  Yeah, I mean, I didn't have the brain power to even trust myself to spit out words, random words for him.

• 4:33Speaker 06

  While playing.

• 4:34Speaker 00

  Just in general. So I had to have a hat full of like written words.

• 4:39Speaker 06

  It's like he must have another. He has two brains. One is thinking of the rhymes while the other one's saying them. It's really wild. Anyway, in keeping with his style, we did all improvised songs. So stay tuned.

• 4:54Speaker 00

  It was really fun. Enjoy the episode with Harry Mack. So, hey, thanks for coming.

• 4:59Speaker 05

  Oh, thank you so much for having me. It's so awesome to be here.

• 5:02Speaker 00

  It's great to meet you.

• 5:03Speaker 05

  Yeah, likewise.

• 5:04Speaker 00

  Yeah, it's funny. I mentioned that you were going to be on the show to a few people. And I mean, I've been getting a lot of big excitement from.

• 5:10Speaker 05

  Oh, really?

• 5:11Speaker 00

  From just anyone.

• 5:12Speaker 05

  Oh, awesome. Awesome. Well, no, I'm it's it's it's an honor to be here, truly. I'm such a fan of you and your musicianship and your artistry.

• 5:20Speaker 00

  Oh, thanks.

• 5:21Speaker 05

  I actually wasn't aware of your podcast until you reached out. And then I had the joy of checking some of it out.

• 5:28Speaker 00

  Oh, cool.

• 5:29Speaker 05

  And I love it. I listened to the episode that you did with Brian Blade.

• 5:33Speaker 00

  Oh, yeah. Are you a fan? You're a drummer.

• 5:35Speaker 05

  I'm a huge fan. Yeah, I got to see Brian Blade with Wayne Shorter when I was when I was young.

• 5:41Speaker 00

  That's amazing.

• 5:42Speaker 05

  Yeah, up in Portland, Oregon, where I'm from. My dad took me to see that show. And so I've been a huge fan of his since then.

• 5:49Speaker 00

  That's so cool.

• 5:50Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 5:50Speaker 00

  Yeah, he's in town right now playing.

• 5:52Speaker 05

  Oh, really?

• 5:53Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 5:53Speaker 05

  Oh, amazing. I gotta go check him out.

• 5:55Speaker 00

  I think he's playing at Dizzy's the next few nights.

• 5:57Speaker 05

  Awesome. No, but he's so great. And I loved your guys' conversation. And yeah, and I checked out you and Logic as well.

• 6:04Speaker 00

  Oh, yeah, cool.

• 6:05Speaker 05

  He's obviously so great.

• 6:06Speaker 00

  Yeah, he's great.

• 6:07Speaker 05

  Loved that, so.

• 6:08Speaker 00

  Yeah, it was fun for me because I don't ever play with rappers.

• 6:11Speaker 05

  Right.

• 6:11Speaker 00

  You know, so it's like this is I'm glad you were into doing it.

• 6:15Speaker 05

  Hundred percent.

• 6:15Speaker 00

  Yeah, I'm a big fan. What you do is insane.

• 6:18Speaker 05

  Oh, thank you.

• 6:19Speaker 00

  It's kind of insane.

• 6:20Speaker 05

  It's a little crazy, yeah. Well, thank you. No, it's awesome. I'm happy to be here.

• 6:24Speaker 00

  Yeah, well, I it's always fun to start with music. That's why I asked you to play for a minute. But you want to try a thing?

• 6:32Speaker 05

  Let's try a thing.

• 6:33Speaker 00

  A thing? So you freestyle?

• 6:35Speaker 05

  I freestyle, yes.

• 6:37Speaker 00

  OK, and you're insane at it?

• 6:39Speaker 05

  Oh, thank you. Well, we'll see, we'll see.

• 6:41Speaker 00

  No, but what do you like to do? Do you have some beats you brought or?

• 6:44Speaker 05

  Yeah, I brought so I'm open. You know, I'm an improviser, but I so I brought like some drum tracks that we can play off the phone.

• 6:54Speaker 00

  Or you're sitting at the drums.

• 6:55Speaker 05

  Or I'm sitting at the, it feels, you know, like, because I'm sitting at the drums, it feels like I should play. So maybe I'll play.

• 7:01Speaker 00

  If you want, yeah.

• 7:02Speaker 05

  Okay. And I'm gonna improvise my lyrics, so.

• 7:04Speaker 00

  Yeah. So I'll give you stuff. How do you, you know, I was like, I've seen you do it both ways, where people say the thing during the track.

• 7:13Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 7:13Speaker 00

  And then where people give you words before you start.

• 7:16Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I've done it both ways.

• 7:19Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 7:19Speaker 05

  Um, I don't know if there's one that you'd be more comfortable with, or one that feels more exciting or fun for you.

• 7:24Speaker 00

  Well, when I was thinking about feeding you words while we were playing,

• 7:27Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 7:28Speaker 00

  I, I was like, I don't know how he does it, because I can't even think of a word every, every 12 bars.

• 7:33Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 7:33Speaker 00

  You know?

• 7:34Speaker 05

  I can't either, that's the funny thing. When other rappers are like, okay, now you throw me words. I'm like, wow, this part's way harder to me than the actual rapping.

• 7:42Speaker 00

  Well, I have some, I have a cheat, I have a cheat.

• 7:44Speaker 05

  Oh, you have a cheat sheet? Oh, perfect.

• 7:46Speaker 00

  Or I can just give you, why don't we do the ones where I give them to you first?

• 7:49Speaker 05

  Yeah, let's do that.

• 7:50Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 7:51Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 7:51Speaker 00

  This is so new for me, so I'm.

• 7:52Speaker 05

  I love it.

• 7:53Speaker 00

  I, I, I had everyone in our control room write down some stuff.

• 7:56Speaker 05

  Oh, I love it.

• 7:57Speaker 00

  And so we're gonna pull it out of a hat.

• 7:59Speaker 05

  I love this, this is awesome, okay.

• 8:01Speaker 00

  Commonplace.

• 8:02Speaker 05

  Commonplace.

• 8:03Speaker 00

  Okay, see, is it okay?

• 8:06Speaker 05

  Yeah, it's, it's almost all okay.

• 8:08Speaker 00

  Okay, cool.

• 8:08Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 8:09Speaker 00

  Cause I feel like they were trying to like, get the really complicated words.

• 8:12Speaker 05

  No, that's good, I like that.

• 8:13Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 8:13Speaker 05

  But yeah, I like a challenge.

• 8:14Speaker 00

  Okay, cool. Commonplace.

• 8:15Speaker 05

  Commonplace, which is like, regular, normal, frequently occurring.

• 8:19Speaker 00

  Yes.

• 8:19Speaker 05

  Okay.

• 8:20Speaker 00

  Commonplace. Extinguish.

• 8:22Speaker 05

  Extinguish, yes, good.

• 8:25Speaker 00

  All right. Clarify.

• 8:28Speaker 05

  Clarify.

• 8:29Speaker 00

  These feel, okay.

• 8:30Speaker 05

  These are good.

• 8:31Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 8:31Speaker 05

  Let's get two more.

• 8:32Speaker 00

  Okay. Parachute.

• 8:35Speaker 05

  Parachute.

• 8:38Speaker 00

  Toe. That's mine.

• 8:41Speaker 05

  That's good. Finally, a, a one syllable word.

• 8:44Speaker 00

  I, I felt like it was called for.

• 8:46Speaker 05

  No, it was definitely called for. All right, so let me, let me summarize, let me see if I even remember them all. Commonplace, extinguish, clarify, parachute, and toe, those are the words.

• 8:56Speaker 00

  Do you mind if I play with you?

• 8:57Speaker 05

  I would love for you.

• 8:58Speaker 00

  I won't get fancy.

• 9:00Speaker 05

  No, please, do your thing, this is awesome.

• 9:01Speaker 00

  I'll let you start.

• 9:02Speaker 05

  All right, let's see. Something simple on the drums, I think, so I can hopefully remember these words. Uh, here we go.

• 9:22Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah, yeah, come on, ah, one two, one two, come on, yeah, one two, one two, ah, yeah, one two, one two. Off the dome, we gon' rock it for you, listen, uh. Kick your freestyles out my face, every instrumental track is bout to get laced, uh. I'm about to break you off for the taste, it's nothing new for me, honestly, it's commonplace. This is regular, got the flow they begging for, they have to hear it. I let these lyrics emanate from my spirit, I do it better when I'm rhyming, man, y'all know I embrace. And to be real, I'm feeling quite calm in this place, so let's do it. We gon' bring it all together, form in the barn, tougher than leather, kick the lyrics that are clever.

• 10:03Speaker 05

  Rhymes they couldn't measure, reaching every time I bring this, lift you higher with the fire that could never be extinguished, come on, yeah. And y'all know I keep it clever, compared to fire extinguisher my flowetta. I move like H2O, so peak the liquid, flowing off the metal, I'ma hit y'all with the sickness, uh. We all up in it, I'm never timid, my flow within it, any competition, I win it, uh. Off the top of the dome, when I'm pouring poems, I'm playing along with Norah Jones. Skidded poppin', we never stoppin', we leave 'em with no option. I'm whipping up these rhyming concoctions, yeah, doing it better off the top though. And when I rhyme, they know I hit them with the high flow, yeah. They asking, "Yo, who is this Harry guy?"

• 10:43Speaker 05

  I hopped on the podcast just to clarify, just in case you didn't know, we gon' make it dope. Here's the rap clarification, got y'all taking notes, so go ahead and write it down, get ready for the realness. I put it in your nervous system, quick to make you feel this, and they all dig Harry's creations. Afterwards, they be asking for more clarification, well, uh, if I'm honest, kinda hard to explain. Never be slipping, when I be ripping, I go hard with the flames, throwing it down, name is going around. Y'all know we be getting plenty, Luke, taking risks like I jump with the parachute. I said I'm leaping, then the net will appear, 365, they about to sweat me, oh, yeah, yeah. And when I rhyme the microphone, I be Control and it got them panicking like a parachute with some holes in it.

• 11:26Speaker 05

  Y'all know I'm never timid when I get to rhyming. Constellation, all my stars are in alignment. Seven hundred forty-seven bars, I'm flying. Jumping all about the plane when I'm kicking these rhymes, yeah. And y'all know I'm improvising with flair, improvising. So y'all know we build the plane in the air. Yes, and I be adding on. I love a tight rope walk. Plug it to the system, then I shock. I make it pop when I'm coming through the speakers. Get you lifted like reefer, spit it straight ether. I'm making y'all believers. When I spit the flow, when I rhyme, I make them feel it from their head to their toes. It's like that job when we rocking a beat from the top of they dome all the way to they feet. Listen, and y'all know I kick explosive rhymes. Is he a rapper or a performer? I told a line, jazz musician was spitting.

• 12:11Speaker 05

  I be flipping off the top of this. Ill freestyle surely lasted to apocalypse. Norah Jones and Harry Magis be the ill collaboration. Right now with no procrastination. What?

• 12:35Speaker 00

  I mean, that's crazy.

• 12:36Speaker 05

  A little warm up.

• 12:37Speaker 00

  That was awesome, yeah.

• 12:38Speaker 05

  Thank you, thank you.

• 12:40Speaker 00

  Wow.

• 12:40Speaker 05

  Did I remember them all?

• 12:41Speaker 00

  I think so. I think I heard all of them.

• 12:44Speaker 05

  Okay, we're getting a thumbs up.

• 12:45Speaker 00

  Yeah, I mean, even if you didn't, incredible.

• 12:47Speaker 05

  Oh, thank you.

• 12:49Speaker 00

  I mean, where did you come from? How did you do that?

• 12:53Speaker 05

  Yeah, I mean, I've been, uh, I've been freestyling since I was, I think, ten or eleven years old.

• 12:58Speaker 00

  Really?

• 12:58Speaker 05

  Yeah, I mean, trying to. My first freestyles were not very great.

• 13:03Speaker 00

  What started it?

• 13:04Speaker 05

  I think, so for me, it was probably my first exposure to it was, um, 106 in Park, Freestyle Friday on BET.

• 13:13Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 13:14Speaker 05

  So it was like a freestyle battle show that would happen. And it was like every week, you know, the winner would come back on the show and, and at the end of it all, like whoever won the whole thing would get a record deal.

• 13:25Speaker 00

  Oh, wow, okay.

• 13:26Speaker 05

  Yeah, and so there was this incredible rapper and freestyler and now comedian and many other things named Jin, MC Jin, who, um, like, won the whole thing. And we were super into watching this and following along every week. We would go over to my friend Brady's house and, uh, and watch Freestyle Friday. And it was just mind blowing to, I mean, so I was, you know, in sixth grade, I guess, at this point. And it was just mind blowing to us that they were able to come up with this stuff in the moment. Without any planning. And it was so electric without like any special effects or it wasn't overproduced in any way. It was so raw with little slip ups and mistakes as a part of it, you know?

• 14:05Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 14:06Speaker 05

  And it was just so exciting to us. So that was my first exposure and then we started trying to do our own little freestyles, just you know, little 12 year olds in Portland, Oregon.

• 14:17Speaker 00

  That sounds so fun.

• 14:18Speaker 05

  It was awesome.

• 14:19Speaker 00

  That sounds like a fun time to be a kid, you know, to be doing that with your friends.

• 14:25Speaker 05

  It was so amazing.

• 14:27Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 14:28Speaker 05

  Some of the best times of my life for sure.

• 14:30Speaker 00

  A lot of laughing and like.

• 14:31Speaker 05

  Oh man, yeah. And like, we weren't good at it, you know? But it didn't matter. We were just so obsessed with trying anyway. And I think that's such a beautiful thing too is like, I'm grateful that I started trying to figure out how to freestyle when I was so young because I didn't yet have all that like, you know, self critique and that like inner judgment that gets in the way so often now, like as an adult, like it's hard for me to learn new things now because I'm like, oh, that's not good.

• 14:59Speaker 00

  Yeah, you stop yourself from really diving into things.

• 15:01Speaker 05

  Hundred percent, hundred percent. But back then we didn't care. We were just like, this is awesome.

• 15:05Speaker 00

  That's so cute.

• 15:07Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah. And I'm sure it wasn't good, but it was, but it was just filling us up with so much life and so much excitement, so.

• 15:14Speaker 00

  And any of the friends you got into it with, you're still tight with?

• 15:18Speaker 05

  Yeah, I'm still, yeah.

• 15:20Speaker 00

  Do they do it or are they?

• 15:21Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah, my, one of my close friends, Brady, who I grew up doing music with, we had a group together back then in sixth grade called State of Mind.

• 15:30Speaker 00

  Oh, fun.

• 15:31Speaker 05

  And he was the DJ and producer and I was the MC and.

• 15:36Speaker 00

  Just the two of you?

• 15:37Speaker 05

  The two of us at first and then when we got to high school, we kind of expanded the group because, you know, in high school, it was like all the local middle schools kind of joined together. The high school was a bigger school, so all of a sudden there were all these new kids that we met. And so then our friends, Jack and Alon, joined the group as well.

• 15:55Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 15:56Speaker 05

  And so Alon was my partner in rhyme. He was the other rapper in the group and then Jack was another DJ and producer. So it was the four of us.

• 16:02Speaker 00

  That's great.

• 16:03Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah, and it was such an awesome time and I learned so much and those are some of my closest friends. Alon is no longer living, rest in peace to him, but he's

• 16:12Speaker 00

  I'm sorry.

• 16:12Speaker 05

  Yeah, but just was an amazing writer and freestyler.

• 16:17Speaker 00

  Oh, wow.

• 16:17Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 16:18Speaker 00

  So you egg each other on?

• 16:19Speaker 05

  Oh, 100%.

• 16:20Speaker 00

  Yeah, inspired and also kind of competitive sometimes?

• 16:23Speaker 05

  Yeah, friendly competition. Well, yeah, because I never, like, the funny thing is, he would start almost every song. I'm such a bounce off others type of person.

• 16:32Speaker 00

  Uh huh.

• 16:33Speaker 05

  You know, so I was never really like the initial concept or idea. That's why it's funny when you were reaching out like, oh, what do you want to do for the music when we're on the show? I'm always kind of like, oh, I don't know what, like, what do you want to do?

• 16:44Speaker 00

  Yeah, I know.

• 16:44Speaker 05

  Or if you start something, then I'll know what to do.

• 16:47Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 16:47Speaker 05

  You know, but it was the same way with State of Mind, with my group back then. It was always Alon who, and he went by Mighty Misk, as in miscellaneous, M-I-S-C. And he was so great at coming up with ideas and concepts for songs. And so he would do his verse first and be like, yo, here's my verse, it's about this. And it was always so great.

• 17:08Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 17:09Speaker 05

  And then it was easy for me because then I'll say, okay, okay, I can add my two cents.

• 17:13Speaker 00

  You would take it and run with it, probably.

• 17:14Speaker 05

  Exactly, exactly. But I never wanted to, once I heard his part, I was like, this is so great. I have to bring it, you know? So it was that friendly competition of like, never wanted to let the song down.

• 17:25Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 17:25Speaker 05

  You know?

• 17:26Speaker 00

  Yeah. And it just elevates everything when you have someone like that who eggs you on and just gets it going.

• 17:32Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah, 100%. So I learned so much from him. And he was so ahead of his time, too. Like, back then, I didn't understand what some of his lyrics were about.

• 17:43Speaker 00

  Really?

• 17:43Speaker 05

  But I was like, oh, but it sounded good.

• 17:45Speaker 00

  Mm hmm.

• 17:46Speaker 05

  So I was like, oh, maybe this is just like some kind of like ear candy thing where it sounds good and it's sort of abstract and you're not necessarily supposed to understand it. And then it's interesting, I Since he passed, I went back and listened to a lot of the old music that we had done together. And it was like, wow, like now I feel like I get what he's talking about at 35.

• 18:04Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 18:04Speaker 05

  Now I understand what he was writing when we were 15. It's kind of amazing.

• 18:07Speaker 00

  Yeah, that is. I feel like that happens with a lot of music that I didn't understand as a kid.

• 18:11Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 18:12Speaker 00

  That I loved.

• 18:12Speaker 05

  Oh, same, yeah.

• 18:13Speaker 00

  But I didn't get it at all.

• 18:15Speaker 05

  Yeah, well, sometimes it's-

• 18:15Speaker 00

  Until I was older.

• 18:16Speaker 05

  It's like you're not ready for it sometimes, right?

• 18:19Speaker 00

  You haven't lived that life, yeah.

• 18:21Speaker 05

  Exactly.

• 18:21Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 18:22Speaker 05

  Exactly, yeah.

• 18:23Speaker 00

  I feel like rap, especially hip hop also, but like rap specifically, there's such a competitive nature to it.

• 18:32Speaker 05

  Yes, 100%.

• 18:33Speaker 00

  It's a whole other thing.

• 18:35Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 18:35Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 18:36Speaker 05

  It's unique, I think, to the genre. And I embrace it full on. It's really funny, like, if I'm talking to people and, oh, yeah, I'm a rapper. It's like, oh, what do you rap about? It's like, oh, well, I basically rap about how I'm the shit and everybody else is worse than me, you know? And it sounds horrible, but maybe if you're not, you know, immersed in the genre, if you don't understand it, you might be like, okay, so you're just like a really arrogant person.

• 18:59Speaker 00

  Yeah, but that's not at all.

• 19:00Speaker 05

  It's not that, though, I think. Well, you know, and obviously, you know, taking the history into account, too. It's like hip hop, even back in the, like, the origins, you know, late 70s, early 80s, it was all about the battle. Even before there were rappers, it was like, you know, the b-boy crews and, you know, the b-boys and b-girls with break dancers, like, going head to head on the linoleum, like, who has the iler style, you know? And then the DJ battles, and then, of course, eventually, the rap battles. And there's this braggadocious energy to the music that is, I think, really beautiful. And I think for me, it's like an expression of self-love and like self-empowerment.

• 19:34Speaker 00

  Positivity.

• 19:35Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 19:36Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 19:36Speaker 05

  Yeah, and it's like, it's lifting yourself up. And especially if you look at where hip hop comes from, you know? Which is like some of the harshest environments, you know, like late 70s, like, you know, the ghettos of New York, the South Bronx. It's like, for a lot of people, it's like a battle to survive, you know? So like, using the art form to bolster yourself up and lift yourself up and put yourself up high, I think, is a beautiful thing.

• 19:58Speaker 00

  Yeah, it's sort of where all that comes from, probably, yeah.

• 20:01Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 20:01Speaker 00

  Yeah, it's so funny, though, to me, coming from a different world.

• 20:05Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 20:06Speaker 00

  And it's like, wow, it's so different.

• 20:08Speaker 05

  Yeah, can you imagine if you were singing, just like, "I'm the goat."

• 20:12Speaker 05

  You other singers are wack.

• 20:14Speaker 00

  Yeah, I know. It's just so fun.

• 20:16Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 20:17Speaker 00

  I'm like, maybe that would be fun.

• 20:18Speaker 05

  Well, it's also funny, yeah. I mean, I think that would be awesome. I would love that. Yeah, I'm here for that. I'm here for that. But, um, no, but I think, uh, uh, it's, uh, yeah, I think it's a, it's a cool thing, but it's funny because people see my videos and often there's this, um, sense of positivity and this feeling of positivity, you know, that gets pointed out quite a lot. People say, oh, I love your stuff because, you know, you're so positive.

• 20:42Speaker 00

  Oh, yeah, yeah.

• 20:43Speaker 05

  And, um, and I think that's awesome. And I do try to be really positive. I try to present,

• 20:50Speaker 05

  you know, something that feels hopeful and that feels uplifting, especially to the other people that are in the video that are like taking their time out to collaborate with me and give me these words and inspire my freestyle. And, um, anytime I incorporate people, I'm trying to do it in a way that is positive. But it's, it's kind of funny and ironic in a way because if you just read the transcription of my lyrics, it's like, you're so positive. And it's like, well, I said, like, I'm better than everybody. And they all suck and they could never match me.

• 21:12Speaker 00

  You also said that, yet it's positive.

• 21:15Speaker 05

  Yeah, exactly. The feeling is positive, I think. And I smile.

• 21:18Speaker 00

  Your energy is positive.

• 21:19Speaker 05

  Mm, thank you, thank you.

• 21:20Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 21:20Speaker 01

  Cash flow crunch? OnDeck's small business line of credit gives your business immediate access to funds up to $200,000 right when you need it. Cover seasonal dips, manage payroll, restock inventory, or tackle unexpected expenses without missing a beat. With flexible draws, transparent pricing, and control over repayment, get funded quickly and confidently. Apply today at ondeck.com. Funds could be available as soon as tomorrow. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval.

• 21:51Speaker 03

  When intimate itch strikes, waiting it out isn't always an option. That's why there's Vagisil Maximum Strength Anti-Ich Cream. It provides fast relief from intense external feminine itching and burning, and 92% of women said Vagisil provided long-lasting itch relief. Intimate itch can have more than 60 causes, from everyday things like shaving, pads, tight clothing, to yeast infection-related irritation. Vagisil helps protect delicate skin from further irritation. Trusted by generations, clinically and gynecologists tested. Don't let discomfort get in the way. Visit vagisil.com to find the relief that's right for you.

• 22:23Speaker 00

  If you're a music fan, I've got a new podcast you have to check out. It's called Before the Moment, a new series hosted by the legendary Nile Rodgers. You know him as the producer, songwriter, guitarist, and co-founder of Chic. But in this series, he's hitting the road to sit down with some of today's most fascinating artists. From hitmakers like Miguel to rising stars like Alex Warren, Nile explores the stories behind the careers, the songs, and the moments that changed everything. Because every artist can point to that turning point, the moment before the breakthrough, before the success, before everything changed. Through candid conversations and personal stories, you'll hear what happened before the moment that made them who they are today.

• 23:08Speaker 00

  Listen to Before the Moment, a Lincoln Original Series, on the iHeartRadio app, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 23:40Speaker 00

  I don't know. Should I sing first?

• 23:42Speaker 05

  Yeah, go for it.

• 23:49Speaker 00

  We're gonna be sinking soon.

• 23:55Speaker 00

  We're gonna be sinking soon.

• 24:02Speaker 00

  So everybody hold your breath, 'cause we're gonna be sinking soon.

• 24:34Speaker 05

  Yeah, we gonna be sinking soon, uh They better be making room, uh As of now, we gon float on top, yeah Wendy be rhyming, y'all know we sitting the spot I'm coming through with the vision, open your ear, time to listen, yeah When I be spitting right off of the top, do my rhymes with precision How know we making it happen, never be slacking, taking the action, uh When I be rhyming off top, I'm causing the chain reaction, uh Ready to hit it, they love it the way that I spit it, I lift off the ground, uh I'm defining all the laws of physics, when I'm spitting something too profound, uh They didn't know it prior, spitting the fire, they know it now, uh We bout to make it happen some way and somehow Gonna be sinking soon, we trying to keep it afloat

• 25:18Speaker 05

  Norah Jones and Harry Mack, we reinstating the whole, we reinstating

• 25:23Speaker 00

  We gonna be sinking soon

• 25:28Speaker 00

  We're gonna be sinking soon

• 25:36Speaker 00

  So everybody, hold your breath And down, and down we go

• 25:49Speaker 05

  Yeah, uh, uh, uh, listen, yeah We gonna be sinking soon, unless we can channel the love Unless we can find a way to finally rise up above Everyone stopping to judge, nobody knowing what's real Nobody taking the time, nobody knowing the deal Time for some conversation, time for some people to listen Time for us all to come together, we got a bond over vision We gotta find a way to stop the crash and stop the collision, yeah When I be rhyming, I go in your brain like a mental incision No but the vision, when I be rapping, I'm bringing the people together Just like we do with collaboration, forming the bunt of his leather Hoping the L-O-V-E that's channeled, the kindness lasted forever

• 26:33Speaker 05

  We gonna sink soon, unless we can overcome it I know we feel the fear, at times it's too much to stomach I don't wanna see us plummet to the bottom So we do like Mack and Norah Jones and keep it locked in, come on

• 26:47Speaker 00

  We're gonna be sinking soon

• 26:54Speaker 00

  We're gonna be sinking soon. So everybody hold your breath 'cause we're gonna be sinking soon.

• 27:40Speaker 00

  Oh my god, that was fun.

• 27:43Speaker 05

  That was super fun.

• 27:44Speaker 00

  That was fun.

• 27:44Speaker 05

  Come on.

• 27:45Speaker 00

  Yeah, I could do this all day.

• 27:47Speaker 05

  Yeah, same here.

• 27:49Speaker 00

  I'm like, don't get the drum machine out, please.

• 27:51Speaker 05

  Yeah, no, this is dope. I played with my fingers too, because I wanted to do something kind of, I don't know, something different, but that was amazing. And then I felt like on the first verse, I was just kind of rapping and then, because I'm just settling in. And then the second time around, I was like, oh yeah, we're gonna be sinking soon. Let me talk about that.

• 28:11Speaker 00

  Yeah, not as positive.

• 28:13Speaker 05

  Yeah, which I love. And I think it's true. I think it's a really wild time that we're living through right now, so it's important to, let's try not to sink, you know?

• 28:23Speaker 00

  Yeah, I'm hoping not.

• 28:25Speaker 05

  Let's try to open our hearts.

• 28:26Speaker 00

  Yeah, I wanna float.

• 28:27Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah. That was awesome.

• 28:30Speaker 00

  That was cool. Yeah, that song is usually like, a little swingy, but I was like, it kind of feels good, like bordering it, I'm not sure.

• 28:38Speaker 05

  Yeah, no, it was perfect.

• 28:39Speaker 00

  Yeah, it was cool. So, the drums, have you always played?

• 28:44Speaker 05

  I've played the drums for basically as long as I've been trying to figure out how to freestyle.

• 28:49Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 28:49Speaker 05

  For as long as I've been loving hip hop.

• 28:50Speaker 00

  Like since middle school?

• 28:52Speaker 05

  Both, yeah, like 10 or 11 years old, I think, for both. The drums, for sure, I started when I was 10, in fifth grade. My first instrument was the violin.

• 29:01Speaker 00

  Oh, fun.

• 29:02Speaker 05

  I started playing when I was seven, yeah.

• 29:05Speaker 05

  Which is a really hard instrument.

• 29:06Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 29:07Speaker 05

  I just remembered like, yeah, because it took like a year to get a good sound. You know, that was the thing about the violin. It was like the barrier to entry is so difficult.

• 29:14Speaker 00

  It is. It really weeds out a lot of people.

• 29:16Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah. You have to be patient. And I might have been particularly slow. But I just remember like, the first time you take the bow to the string, it sounds horrible.

• 29:25Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 29:26Speaker 05

  It's like I was trying to-

• 29:27Speaker 00

  It's like nails on a chalkboard.

• 29:28Speaker 05

  Yeah, really awful. So it's not that inviting, but it's like, okay, well, eventually you might be able to produce a nice, nice sound. But I did enjoy playing the violin and then, but I think I always really wanted to play the drums.

• 29:40Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 29:41Speaker 05

  And I had, I've always felt like I have this rhythm inside of me.

• 29:44Speaker 00

  Well, you have to, to do what you're doing.

• 29:47Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 29:47Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 29:48Speaker 05

  A freestyle is like a drum solo with words.

• 29:50Speaker 00

  Yeah, and when you get to those fast triplets and you're doing all that stuff, it's like, ah!

• 29:54Speaker 05

  Yeah, well, and it's a huge cheat code, too, for me as a freestyler, to have this background as a drummer. And the fact that I kind of started both at the same time, they've always sort of been interwoven for me. And they've sort of informed each other in different ways. And, yeah, I think, you know, because I played jazz for many years and gigged as a jazz drummer.

• 30:14Speaker 00

  Okay, like straight ahead, sort of?

• 30:16Speaker 05

  Yeah, like straight ahead, yeah, lots, I mean, you know, like bar, restaurant kind of gigs, freelancing. Lots of like piano trio type stuff.

• 30:24Speaker 00

  Oh, really?

• 30:25Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 30:25Speaker 00

  Me too!

• 30:26Speaker 05

  Yeah, so I know, that's why it's so awesome.

• 30:28Speaker 00

  Fun!

• 30:28Speaker 05

  Yeah, we share that in common.

• 30:30Speaker 00

  That's so cool.

• 30:32Speaker 05

  And so, yeah, but, you know, a jazz drummer, or really a jazz musician of any kind, like, it's like we're improvising in rhythm, right?

• 30:38Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 30:39Speaker 05

  And for you, also in harmony and melody. But for the drums, it's like I'm trying to tell a story by improvising in rhythm. And so, having that as sort of something that can underpin my freestyles is incredibly helpful. Because when I first started freestyling, it's like- It took a long time to be able to say something meaningful while I was improvising as a rapper.

• 31:00Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 31:00Speaker 05

  At first, it's really just about creating this rhythmic feel and like, in many ways, it's like, just don't stop. Don't stop moving your mouth. You know, if you can create some kind of rhythm, you'll find it eventually. And so I feel like jazz drumming and just drumming in general gave me that kind of, just that rhythmic underpinning.

• 31:17Speaker 00

  You're just in the flow and you're just, you're like swimming in the current and you're not, you don't stop.

• 31:22Speaker 05

  Exactly.

• 31:23Speaker 00

  Right?

• 31:23Speaker 05

  Yeah, it's like, you don't know what you're gonna say next, but if you just keep flowing, you'll find it.

• 31:28Speaker 00

  If you don't, then you're not gonna say anything.

• 31:30Speaker 05

  Exactly.

• 31:30Speaker 00

  So you might as well just keep going.

• 31:32Speaker 05

  Hundred percent.

• 31:33Speaker 00

  Wow, that's cool.

• 31:34Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 31:34Speaker 00

  And did you go to school for, for music?

• 31:37Speaker 05

  I did, yeah. I went to, so I grew up in Portland, Oregon, and then I moved down to Los Angeles in 2008 and I studied, I was part of the jazz studies program at USC.

• 31:47Speaker 00

  Oh, wow.

• 31:48Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 31:49Speaker 00

  For how, did you finish?

• 31:50Speaker 05

  I did, yeah, I did my undergrad there.

• 31:52Speaker 00

  Wow.

• 31:52Speaker 05

  So I graduated in 2012.

• 31:53Speaker 00

  Okay, so you really did it.

• 31:55Speaker 05

  I really did it.

• 31:56Speaker 00

  That's so cool.

• 31:56Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah, it was really cool.

• 31:58Speaker 00

  And were you freestyling all the while in LA?

• 32:02Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 32:02Speaker 00

  Like, that was, and gigging and like playing drums?

• 32:05Speaker 05

  And gigging and trying to figure it out, yeah, hundred percent. I was kind of saying yes to everything, you know? And, but it's funny because as much as I was just like, really focused on drums and I was practicing for, you know, several hours every day and I was doing all my ensembles and all the other coursework and stuff that I was doing there, as a drummer, it's like I was doing just as much work as a freestyler, but just in the dorm room with my friends.

• 32:30Speaker 00

  Really?

• 32:30Speaker 05

  Yeah, like, just hours, like, literally, like, nightly.

• 32:34Speaker 00

  Wow.

• 32:34Speaker 05

  Because once they figured it out, it was like, I lived in a suite, so it was like, there were three separate rooms, two to a room, so there were six of us in there and we all kind of like, became friends freshman year while we were living there at USC. And none of them were musicians, I was the only musician there.

• 32:46Speaker 00

  Oh, they weren't in the music?

• 32:47Speaker 05

  They weren't in the music program. One of them played guitar and, and they were somewhat musical, but I was the only person studying music. And, but then as soon as they learned that I could freestyle, it was just like, every night, they'd be like, do, do this beat, like, rap over this beat.

• 33:00Speaker 00

  That's so fun.

• 33:01Speaker 05

  I was like, okay, let's go.

• 33:01Speaker 00

  That's so cool.

• 33:03Speaker 05

  Yeah, it was awesome. And then they would challenge me and be like, do one about this, do one about that, or like, hold things up, you know? And I was just like, I love this.

• 33:10Speaker 00

  You must have been the main attraction at parties.

• 33:13Speaker 05

  Yes, for real. It was so dope. And actually, it was really cool. I, um, so I went to, uh, there's this really incredible neo-soul group called Moonchild.

• 33:24Speaker 00

  Yeah, I've heard them.

• 33:25Speaker 05

  They're great. And, uh, and so I went to school with them. Amber Navarin and Andres Mattson and Max Brick, uh, that's, uh, Moonchild. And we all went to school together. And so I had a, a band, um, with some of them. I think all of them were part of it at one time or another, as well as others. And so it was like, uh, um, it was my friends from the jazz program. And it was, uh, like a full band, like, it's like, we were really inspired by The Roots, you know, and trying to do something similar. And so, um, and I was the front person as a rapper, but I would just improvise all of my parts. So we would have like a chorus that was pre-written and the music would be pre-composed. But then when it was time for the verses, it would just be like an open section, like if I was doing a horn solo or something. But instead I was freestyling and we became this really popular party band.

• 34:10Speaker 05

  Because it was so like interactive.

• 34:12Speaker 00

  So fun, yeah.

• 34:13Speaker 05

  Yeah, I was like rapping about what was happening at the party. I'd be like, this guy's way too drunk, you know, whatever.

• 34:20Speaker 05

  And it was so dope. And, um, but, and it was a lot of fun. And at one point, we were doing like three or four parties a week. And we were just like this super in-demand, uh, USC, uh, band.

• 34:30Speaker 00

  That's so fun.

• 34:31Speaker 05

  Yeah, it was awesome.

• 34:31Speaker 00

  Sounds like you've had a, a good time.

• 34:33Speaker 05

  I've definitely had a good time. Yeah, yeah. And I learned a ton doing that too. Just because, uh, you know, previously, like with my group State of Mind that I was mentioning before. It was always, we, we freestyled because we loved it, but for our records, we wrote all the parts, you know?

• 34:50Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 34:50Speaker 05

  And when we performed live, it was mostly like written material. And then the freestyle was like the spice on top. Like you might do like a five-minute freestyle interlude at some point for fun. But then in college, it kind of like flipped where it was like, oh no, I'm, I'm really just gonna go out there with no plan.

• 35:05Speaker 00

  Yeah. Well, you probably got better and better at it, right?

• 35:07Speaker 05

  Totally.

• 35:08Speaker 00

  And so.

• 35:09Speaker 05

  Yeah, it was like full immersion and freestyle. I was just doing it as often as possible.

• 35:14Speaker 00

  But that's the best practice.

• 35:15Speaker 05

  Oh, yeah, 100%.

• 35:16Speaker 00

  Did you go to, do you now go to sleep? Like, are you able to turn off?

• 35:22Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 35:23Speaker 00

  Like, what happens?

• 35:24Speaker 05

  No, it's a good question, yeah. No, I've wondered myself. Back in college, I didn't sleep that much, and I don't know how I did that. Now, I love sleep. And I try to get it when I can. But, um, but yeah, it is a funny thing. Like, when I wake up in the morning, it's a clear slate, you know, and there's no rhymes happening. But once I start, it kind of like, it's like flipping a switch, and then you can't turn it off till you go to sleep and reset. Um, because it does just kind of churn in the background. And like, especially when we go out and do, you know, I do videos where I'm like out in the street, and I'm interacting with strangers, and I'll ask them to like throw me words and suggestions, kind of like what we did at the beginning of the podcast. And I'll turn it into a freestyle.

• 36:04Speaker 05

  And after we do like a few hours of that out in the world, it's like, it's hard for me to turn it off.

• 36:10Speaker 00

  You're just like vibrating.

• 36:11Speaker 05

  Yeah, everywhere I look, I'm like, that looks like a good group. They're like, we turned the cameras off, it's done, you know? I'm like, oh, okay, like, or like read a restaurant sign.

• 36:18Speaker 00

  You're like, I can't stop.

• 36:19Speaker 05

  Yeah, what rhymes with that? What rhymes with that? Like, here's what I would say, you know? Oh, I should incorporate that.

• 36:23Speaker 00

  Oh, my God, when you're watching TV, like a TV show, can, do you just do it?

• 36:28Speaker 05

  Sometimes, yeah.

• 36:29Speaker 00

  You can't stop yourself.

• 36:30Speaker 05

  Washing the dishes, great time to freestyle in the shower. But then it becomes very repetitive because you're always doing the same thing. So it's like, how many times can you rhyme with shampoo?

• 36:38Speaker 00

  That's true.

• 36:39Speaker 05

  I've already done that.

• 36:40Speaker 00

  That's fun.

• 36:41Speaker 05

  You've come up with like crazier and crazier options to rhyme about in the shower. You're like rapping about the grout. This is really ill grout work.

• 36:49Speaker 01

  OnDeck is built to back small businesses like yours. Whether you're buying equipment, expanding your team, or bridging cash flow gaps, OnDeck's loans up to $400,000 help make it happen fast. Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and earning thousands of five-star TrustPilot reviews, OnDeck delivers funding you can count on. Apply in minutes at ondeck.com. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval.

• 37:19Speaker 03

  Waiting it out isn't always an option. That's why there's Vagisil Maximum Strength Anti-Ich Cream. It provides fast relief from intense external feminine itching and burning. And 92% of women said Vagisil provided long-lasting itch relief. Intimate itch can have more than 60 causes. From everyday things like shaving, pads, tight clothing, to yeast infection-related irritation, Vagisil helps protect delicate skin from further irritation. Trusted by generations, clinically and gynecologists tested. Don't let discomfort get in the way. Visit vagisil.com to find the relief that's right for you.

• 37:50Speaker 00

  If you're a music fan, I've got a new podcast you have to check out. It's called Before the Moment, a new series hosted by the legendary Nile Rodgers. You know him as the producer, songwriter, guitarist, and co-founder of Chic. But in this series, he's hitting the road to sit down with some of today's most fascinating artists. From hitmakers like Miguel to rising stars like Alex Warren, Nile explores the stories behind the careers, the songs, and the moments that changed everything. Because every artist can point to that turning point. The moment before the breakthrough, before the success, before everything changed. Through candid conversations and personal stories, you'll hear what happened before the moment that made them who they are today.

• 38:35Speaker 00

  Listen to Before the Moment, a Lincoln Original Series, on the iHeartRadio app, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 38:45Speaker 05

  Like, yeah, so.

• 38:47Speaker 00

  Do you write more prepared stuff ever lately? Or are you pretty, just focused on the freestyling?

• 38:53Speaker 05

  I'm very focused on the freestyling, but I do also write. And I've been sort of experimenting and trying to find out what kind of like process feels good for me.

• 39:05Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 39:06Speaker 05

  Because to be honest, it's challenging for me, you know.

• 39:11Speaker 05

  To figure out how to be effective as a songwriter and how to be effective like in a more traditional studio environment.

• 39:18Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 39:19Speaker 05

  I'm such an improviser.

• 39:20Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 39:20Speaker 05

  And that's always what's drawn me to music, like from the very beginning.

• 39:25Speaker 00

  That's why you love jazz.

• 39:26Speaker 05

  That's why I love jazz and I mean, I remember like I have all these early memories of music and they all involve improvisation. Like I remember one time, I have to ask my parents because I have no idea where we were, but we were at some kind of like, almost in my memory, it's like a trade show type environment, but I don't know if that's accurate, but there was like a musician there with a piano and he saw me and I was like enamored with what he was doing. He was like, oh, come sit up here and he was like, you can play, play any of the black notes, you know? And he played something in like, I guess like E flat minor or he played something where

• 39:59Speaker 00

  it's like you can't lose.

• 40:01Speaker 05

  Yeah. It's a pentatonic, you know, it's like something where that pentatonic scale would work. And I was just a little kid, but I was like, okay. And he was playing a chord progression beneath me and I just remember I started playing and I was like, I get, I get it.

• 40:13Speaker 00

  It wired, maybe it wired your whole path and changed your whole trajectory.

• 40:18Speaker 05

  I feel like it did because I definitely was bliss-ing out while I was doing it and I was like, this is amazing. Somehow I'm like a good musician right now.

• 40:24Speaker 00

  Yeah, you're like, I'm nailing this. Are you getting this, mom?

• 40:27Speaker 05

  Yeah, exactly. And I'm sure if luckily they didn't record it because it probably wasn't very good, but in my memory.

• 40:32Speaker 00

  In your mind, it's huge.

• 40:33Speaker 05

  In my memory, it was huge and so, but anyway, bringing it back to your question, I'm so, I'm such an improviser through and through and so sometimes it's hard for me to funnel that energy into

• 40:46Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 40:46Speaker 05

  something that needs to be kind of honed and refined.

• 40:49Speaker 00

  Well, you have a superpower.

• 40:51Speaker 05

  Oh.

• 40:51Speaker 00

  And it doesn't, and it's sometimes when you have something like, like it's a crazy, you've worked on it.

• 40:58Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 40:58Speaker 00

  It's a gift, but you've also like, you've put in all the work.

• 41:02Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 41:02Speaker 00

  And I mean, it's, it's incredible.

• 41:06Speaker 05

  Oh, thank you.

• 41:06Speaker 00

  So pivoting into something that is maybe more the norm.

• 41:13Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah.

• 41:13Speaker 00

  I mean, maybe, maybe it would be fun, but maybe it doesn't have to happen.

• 41:18Speaker 05

  Exactly. And that's, you know, it's funny you say that because that has been sort of the I guess like the challenge for me, since I started like really having success at this as an improviser and becoming known, it was like immediately, because I kind of stumbled into it, you know, my friend, way back in December 2016, my friend Jacob Mann, who's also a great jazz pianist and composer, and he had a big band at the time. Anyway, he did a big band record and he wanted to promote it, and so he like chopped the beat out of his, he sampled his big band recording and made a hip hop beat and had me freestyle over it and filmed it on his phone and posted it on YouTube. That was in 2016, and that

• 42:02Speaker 05

  was the first exposure to anybody outside of like my local community that ever heard me freestyle. And the video like got 100,000 views or something like that. And I was like, this is amazing. We spent 20 minutes doing this. I didn't even think anything of it. What would happen if I really dove in? And so that was the catalyst for me to start making my own videos and really invest everything I have into growing this. But as soon as I started kind of having that success with the videos, it was like immediate where it was like, okay, cool. What are you gonna do? Like, how are you gonna pivot?

• 42:34Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 42:34Speaker 05

  That was sort of the conversation around it.

• 42:36Speaker 00

  Other people.

• 42:37Speaker 05

  Yeah, like in the comments or even like when I start, I would, you know, because the videos kind of popped off, then I would get to connect with people in the music industry and managers and people at record labels and producers and stuff like that and just have meetings and conversations. But I always felt kind of uncomfortable because it was all about like, okay, well, how do we take this and make it?

• 42:56Speaker 00

  What's next?

• 42:57Speaker 05

  Yeah. And how do we make it fit in with what is sort of the more traditional path? Kind of like, how do you, you need an album, you know, and you need a big single.

• 43:06Speaker 00

  You don't anymore.

• 43:06Speaker 05

  Right, right.

• 43:08Speaker 00

  You're like, yes, I don't need that.

• 43:09Speaker 05

  Yeah. But at the time, you know, I was younger and I was so kind of like, I didn't know anything. And I still don't, I only know enough to know I don't know anything. But, but back then especially, I was kind of impressionable. And I was like, oh, I think I probably do need this. They're probably right. They seem to know.

• 43:26Speaker 00

  Well, it also seems like a milestone that you want to hit at some point, probably.

• 43:30Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah. And part of me does want to, you know, make like a great album, you know, and, but, but I do wrestle with that in my head. It's like, like you say, it's like I have this thing that's special that clearly has a lot of energy around it and people enjoy it and I enjoy it. And I've invested a lot of time in it and maybe that's enough.

• 43:49Speaker 00

  Yeah, but you could make a great album and improvise.

• 43:52Speaker 05

  I think so.

• 43:52Speaker 00

  You've just gotta get some cool musicians that you love to play with and just bounce it around and record it. You know what I mean?

• 43:58Speaker 05

  That's yes.

• 43:59Speaker 00

  Like, you don't have to. But I get it, I get it.

• 44:01Speaker 05

  If you wanna, you know, be part of my album.

• 44:03Speaker 00

  Heck, yeah, of course.

• 44:04Speaker 05

  Hey, let's go.

• 44:06Speaker 00

  But, you know, I feel like also, times are different and you don't need that anymore.

• 44:12Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 44:12Speaker 00

  It's crazy.

• 44:13Speaker 05

  It is, it's a different landscape, right?

• 44:15Speaker 00

  It's really different. And you've, you've had to navigate it. When did you start putting videos out shortly after that, like 2017?

• 44:22Speaker 05

  Yeah, 2017, yeah, the beginning. It's funny, that video happened with my friend Jacob and then I was just blown away because I wasn't a social media person like at all. And I didn't even have, I didn't know what having a YouTube channel or subscriber was. It just wasn't in my worldview at all. And so I just remember I called him and I was like, can we get lunch? And we got together and I was like, what do you think I should do?

• 44:43Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 44:43Speaker 05

  Yeah, because he was already doing the YouTube thing and he's very funny as well. So he had lots of like, kind of like comedic videos on his channel that had done well in addition to his music stuff. And so he was like, man, just make a YouTube channel and, and start making videos that seem cool to you of you freestyling and you'll be fine, you know?

• 45:00Speaker 00

  Yeah, I think that people overthink it.

• 45:02Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 45:03Speaker 00

  A lot. And they think it has to be like the ultimate video.

• 45:06Speaker 05

  Right.

• 45:07Speaker 00

  But I think what people connect to is the human quality of it.

• 45:10Speaker 05

  Yes.

• 45:10Speaker 00

  And you already have, what you're doing is amazing, so.

• 45:13Speaker 05

  Oh, thanks.

• 45:13Speaker 00

  You know what I mean? I feel like it's, it's better that way.

• 45:16Speaker 05

  Totally, yeah. I mean, we, and, and if you, you know, the overthinking thing, you just end up never making anything, in my experience.

• 45:23Speaker 00

  Yes, totally.

• 45:24Speaker 05

  You know, it's like, I just, for years, and that was the whole thing, is like, I'd been freestyling and rapping and loving it and, and for, for so long. And I had my group in high school and that was great, but that was, that felt easy because I had my best friends with me.

• 45:37Speaker 00

  Yes, that's different.

• 45:38Speaker 05

  You know, it's different. And we were just hanging out, it was what we wanted to do anyway, you know? It's like, we don't wanna do this homework, we wanna go do this rap thing, you know? Um, but then once I was kind of like out on my own and I didn't have my crew anymore and like my homies who I came up with doing it, I felt like, you know, nervous, I didn't know how to step into being like a solo artist and, and how to like kind of pave my own way. And so I would just overthink myself out of ever doing anything, you know? And it took until my friend Jacob was like, here, come do this thing.

• 46:07Speaker 00

  Just do it.

• 46:07Speaker 05

  It was a favor to him.

• 46:08Speaker 00

  Yeah, yeah.

• 46:09Speaker 05

  I didn't even do it for me, I just did it, I was like, oh, if this is gonna help you out, sure. And that kind of opened my eyes to it, but. Yeah, totally. I mean, and that's one of the big things for me, too, is like,

• 46:21Speaker 05

  it's why sort of like revising things and like really like refining ideas can be challenging because sometimes I'm just like, I'm never gonna finish it, you know, it's never gonna be right.

• 46:31Speaker 00

  It's hard to focus on things for a long period of time.

• 46:34Speaker 05

  Oh, my God.

• 46:35Speaker 00

  For me, I've realized more and more, I love playing music, but if I have to write something out or write a chart for something or learn something that's hard, it's hard for me to focus on it.

• 46:47Speaker 05

  Oh, my gosh.

• 46:48Speaker 00

  So, you know, even doing this podcast, like, sometimes I get in my head about learning songs that somebody has picked or that I've picked for myself. And I put it off and I put it off and then I get nervous about being prepared. But then when I get in the room and you're playing music with someone, it feels like, oh, yeah, I know how to do this.

• 47:07Speaker 05

  Yes.

• 47:08Speaker 00

  You know, and it's easier when you're just doing it.

• 47:10Speaker 05

  Yes.

• 47:11Speaker 00

  So, so getting psyched up for something musical or creative, I feel like, is just sort of anti-productive.

• 47:18Speaker 05

  I agree so mu- it resonates so much. It's crazy. And I've been thinking about this a lot lately, too, because I do the same thing. I get really worked up in my head and I start getting nervous and I suddenly it's like, wait, I don't even know how to do this anymore.

• 47:31Speaker 00

  I know, it's me, too.

• 47:33Speaker 05

  Why have they chosen me? Like, why have they chosen me for this opportunity? Like, I don't even know what this is.

• 47:37Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 47:38Speaker 05

  And I think it's like the whole talking about it thing, you know?

• 47:42Speaker 00

  Yeah, don't talk about it, just be about it.

• 47:43Speaker 05

  Yeah, exactly.

• 47:45Speaker 00

  It's like, I don't read, you know, people talking about music that much because I'd rather just listen to it.

• 47:52Speaker 05

  Yeah. There was this thing, and I don't know if it was legit. I thought it was legit at the time, but it was like a list of kind of like rules to be a part of Thelonious Monk's band. Did you ever see this?

• 48:04Speaker 00

  No. Oh, no, I did see it, but yeah, tell it.

• 48:07Speaker 05

  So it had like various, like, you know, his requirements, basically. And it was like, I think it was written in all caps. I haven't looked at it in a long time. Hopefully, it's real because it was great, but it was, one of them was like, I think it said, talking about music is like dancing about architecture.

• 48:21Speaker 00

  Yes.

• 48:23Speaker 05

  It's like, what's the point, kind of, you know?

• 48:25Speaker 00

  Yeah, I agree. Meanwhile, we're talking about it.

• 48:28Speaker 05

  Yeah, exactly.

• 48:29Speaker 00

  But that's okay. This is different.

• 48:30Speaker 05

  This is totally different. I feel comfortable here. I'm sitting at the drums, I feel good. No, and it adds a place, and I love talking with other musicians and talking with other creatives.

• 48:39Speaker 00

  It's different, it's different, though.

• 48:40Speaker 05

  If it's talking through like, what I'm gonna do. It's, okay, so like, what side of the stage do you want to stand on? Or like, so how are you gonna intro this? And like, what's the transition from this song to this song? It's like, man, I don't even know if I know how to make music anymore.

• 48:51Speaker 00

  Yeah. I asked Brian Blade once, we were doing a song that was in like, five and then seven. I goes, and I said, how do you count that? He goes, oh, I don't count. And I was like, thank you, Brian Blade. Thank you.

• 49:04Speaker 05

  That's awesome.

• 49:04Speaker 00

  Giving me permission to not count.

• 49:06Speaker 05

  That's awesome.

• 49:07Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 49:07Speaker 05

  That's so, that's so great, yeah. Yeah, 100%. And I always say to people, like, that's why I hated, once the videos started popping off, then I would get to go in studios with producers, and I was grateful for the opportunities, and everybody was trying to help me, and that's awesome, but it would just be like, okay, cool, like, do you like this beat? It's like, yeah, I like it. Then it's just playing on loop, and I'm sitting there like, with my notes app on my phone, with like, a blinking cursor on a couch while they like, are tweaking the beat a little bit, or doing other things. And I just remember just sitting there, like, in a cloud of anxiety, and just being like, I don't know how to rap. And then as soon, and I would just remember being like, every time I get on a mic and start rapping, then I know how to rap.

• 49:44Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 49:44Speaker 05

  But until then, I have no idea how to do it.

• 49:46Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 49:47Speaker 05

  Do you know what I mean?

• 49:47Speaker 00

  Yeah, it's muscle memory, because you put in all the work, but like, you can't think about it.

• 49:52Speaker 05

  100%. And I follow, and I bounce off the cues, you know? It's like, when the beat drops, and then I start going, uh.

• 49:57Speaker 00

  Oh, yeah.

• 49:58Speaker 05

  Uh, then I'm like, okay, yeah, now I know what I'm doing, and the body is a big part of it.

• 50:01Speaker 00

  You're a mirror to what's happening, and you're just like, you're just dancing.

• 50:06Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 50:07Speaker 00

  At that point.

• 50:07Speaker 05

  100%.

• 50:08Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 50:09Speaker 05

  But I've never been somebody that could just like, look at a blank page and dream up something incredible and write it down, and, but I have such admiration for people who can do that, and...

• 50:19Speaker 00

  Yeah, but you do do that. You just don't put it on a page.

• 50:22Speaker 05

  Yes, that's true.

• 50:24Speaker 00

  It's the same thing.

• 50:25Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 50:26Speaker 00

  That's the thing.

• 50:27Speaker 05

  Oh, thank you.

• 50:29Speaker 00

  It really is.

• 50:30Speaker 05

  Thank you. That's awesome. And that, you know.

• 50:31Speaker 00

  You do it.

• 50:32Speaker 05

  Thank you. That makes me feel good.

• 50:34Speaker 00

  Yeah, for sure.

• 50:35Speaker 05

  That makes me feel good, yeah.

• 50:36Speaker 00

  It's just the way you're thinking about it.

• 50:37Speaker 05

  Yes.

• 50:38Speaker 00

  And everybody thinks about it differently.

• 50:40Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 50:41Speaker 03

  OnDeck is built to back small businesses like yours. Whether you're buying equipment, expanding your team, or bridging cash flow gaps, OnDeck's loans up to $400,000 make it happen fast. Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and earning thousands of five-star TrustPilot reviews, OnDeck delivers funding you can count on. Apply in minutes at ondeck.com. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval. When intimate itch strikes, waiting it out isn't always an option. That's why there's Vagisil Maximum Strength Anti-Ich Cream. It provides fast relief from intense external feminine itching and burning. And 92% of women said Vagisil provided long-lasting itch relief. Intimate itch can have more than 60 causes.

• 51:24Speaker 03

  From everyday things like shaving, pads, tight clothing, to yeast-infection-related irritation, Vagisil helps protect delicate skin from further irritation. Trusted by generations, clinically and gynecologists tested. Don't let discomfort get in the way. Visit vagisil.com to find the relief that's right for you.

• 51:41Speaker 00

  If you're a music fan, I've got a new podcast you have to check out. It's called Before the Moment, a new series hosted by the legendary Nile Rodgers. You know him as the producer, songwriter, guitarist, and co-founder of Chic. But in this series, he's hitting the road to sit down with some of today's most fascinating artists. From hitmakers like Miguel to rising stars like Alex Warren, Nile explores the stories behind the careers, the songs, and the moments that changed everything. Because every artist can point to that turning point, the moment before the breakthrough, before the success, before everything changed. Through candid conversations and personal stories, you'll hear what happened before the moment that made them who they are today.

• 52:26Speaker 00

  Listen to Before the Moment, a Lincoln Original Series, on the iHeartRadio app, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 52:37Speaker 00

  Ooh!

• 52:38Speaker 05

  Can we do something like that?

• 52:39Speaker 00

  Slow jam, that is nice, yeah.

• 53:01Speaker 00

  Cranium.

• 53:04Speaker 05

  Y'all know what it is. Playing along. Here we go.

• 53:11Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah, he's not a human. Mac is an alien. Composing verses directly from my cranium. Y'all know I do it right from the mind. When I be flipping right up at the metal, you know I excite 'em with rhymes. Come on.

• 53:24Speaker 00

  Clever.

• 53:25Speaker 05

  I'mma last forever. Verses off the metal, best believe they sound clever. Yeah, flowing divine, so open up your heart to this. Mac and Norah Jones going hard for this, listen.

• 53:36Speaker 00

  Helix.

• 53:37Speaker 05

  Yeah, we gon' make you feel this. Music in my genes, written in my double helix. Spin it back a minute, what did he just say? I mean to say this rhythm moving through my DNA. Yeah, rip up on the mic and then I own the zone. I got hip-hop beats in my chromosomes. H-Mac be getting loose, and y'all know I begin to rhyme. Me and the crowd, the double helix, how we intertwined.

• 54:13Speaker 00

  Moot.

• 54:14Speaker 05

  Boot?

• 54:15Speaker 00

  Moot.

• 54:16Speaker 05

  Moot?

• 54:17Speaker 00

  Moot.

• 54:18Speaker 05

  M-O-O-T?

• 54:19Speaker 00

  Yep.

• 54:20Speaker 05

  I'mma rock it on the true joint. They said Harry Mac is wack, that's a moot point. I'mma break it down for everyone that's watching. Before you step to me, y'all better use caution. Yeah, for me, it truly ain't nothing. Change the pronunciation, then I hit the mute button. Bring it back again, and we turning it up. Hand me mic that I grip, y'all know I'm burning it up. I'mma get it popping off the top of this, no mute point for sapping. When I rhyme like this, whackness it gets ejected.

• 54:50Speaker 00

  Earnest!

• 54:51Speaker 05

  Yeah, I burn this, uh, I keep it honest and earnest. All competition, quickly get it sent away. Freestyle novelist, they call me Ernest Hemingway. H Mac off the mental when I make the point. Combined with Norah Jones, cooking up these crazy joints. Keep it earnest, man, I keep it authentic. My name is cemented, I never signed, I stayed independent. Y'all know what's up, uh, we gon' keep it spannin' with the vocab. Flippin' right up in the mental, whenever we rhymin', we makin' them go mad. I come at the top of this, I rhyme till the pocket list. Once we get it started, I'm the top of the brain, I feel like there ain't no stoppin' this.

• 55:26Speaker 00

  Woo!

• 55:27Speaker 05

  Come on!

• 55:28Speaker 00

  Serotonin!

• 55:30Speaker 05

  We really zoning, this style is the one that I'm owning. Boostin' up your dopamine and your serotonin. When I rhyme, I got the utmost advantage flows. Got your brain spittin' out them happy chemicals. Serotonin, if you pulsin' through your veins now. Flippin' it off in the mental, I change it, I'll never be bringin' the same style. Y'all know we takin' beyond, H Mac are goin' deep. Y'all know when it come to lyric, I never spit it cheap. I be that rhymin' freak, serotonin is steady pulsin'. When he's rhymin', y'all know we goes and flows a deeper than the ocean. What, we gon' take it there, make 'em all aware? I do it off the mental, ain't no need to prepare. Get it crackin' like a snare, when I spit it absurd. Ay, yo, Norah, hit me with the least one more word, come on!

• 56:15Speaker 00

  Clever!

• 56:15Speaker 05

  Yeah, cleverish, they heard her. Off the top, I serve, you best believe it's fit to murder my flow. It might disturb ya, I be clever with the wordplay. Don't be spittin' lyrics in the utmost absurd way. Can't nobody quite do it like me. They might flow, but y'all know they not fluid like me. Said this is Mac and Norah Jones, and we slayin' the song. Ain't nothin' playin', I'm just playin' along, said I'm just playin' along.

• 56:45Speaker 00

  Yay.

• 56:46Speaker 05

  That's awesome.

• 56:47Speaker 00

  Oh my gosh, so fun.

• 56:48Speaker 05

  So fun.

• 56:48Speaker 00

  And you did the fast one.

• 56:49Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 56:50Speaker 00

  Yeah, I was like, I'm so glad you did it.

• 56:52Speaker 05

  I had to try to hit.

• 56:53Speaker 00

  It's amazing.

• 56:53Speaker 05

  Yeah, a little double time, you know?

• 56:55Speaker 00

  Yeah, that's great. How many times a week do you do these videos at this point? Do you take breaks?

• 57:01Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 57:02Speaker 00

  Do you bank them? Do you like?

• 57:03Speaker 05

  Kind of, we usually, it ebbs and flows. So we'll kind of try to batch. It usually ends up working like that where we batch a lot of videos together. When the whole team is together, you know, my team is kind of, is semi-remote. We live in different places.

• 57:18Speaker 00

  Gotcha.

• 57:20Speaker 05

  And so, but we'll, we're all together like when I'm on tour. And so that's a good opportunity to try to film videos when we're in different cities and stuff.

• 57:28Speaker 00

  You just go out?

• 57:28Speaker 05

  Go out in the streets.

• 57:29Speaker 00

  Yeah, it's so fun.

• 57:30Speaker 05

  Yeah, it's, the only thing with that is I have to just be mindful of like my voice and, and the whole.

• 57:35Speaker 00

  Cause you're gonna play at night.

• 57:36Speaker 05

  Yeah. The vocal care element, which is, I would, I probably need to ask you about that cause that's been my biggest thing, like my Achilles heel is my.

• 57:45Speaker 00

  Really?

• 57:45Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 57:46Speaker 00

  You lose it a lot?

• 57:47Speaker 05

  I used to lose it a lot. And then I got really scared about that. Cause it's like, do you ever lose your voice while you're?

• 57:56Speaker 00

  Rarely.

• 57:56Speaker 05

  Yeah, that's awesome.

• 57:57Speaker 00

  But I, well, I sing louder now, but I, I mean, I sing kind of quiet.

• 58:01Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah, yeah.

• 58:01Speaker 00

  But I, I feel like I used to lose it if I was going to a bar and talking and.

• 58:06Speaker 05

  Totally.

• 58:06Speaker 00

  A lot.

• 58:07Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 58:07Speaker 00

  Hanging out.

• 58:08Speaker 05

  Yes.

• 58:08Speaker 00

  In a loud restaurant and bar. That's what really does it.

• 58:11Speaker 05

  Totally. I can't believe I used to do that as often as I did.

• 58:15Speaker 00

  I know, it doesn't even sound fun.

• 58:16Speaker 05

  Now I hate it. I used to love it. I was like, I remember being in my twenties and being like, we would go out all the time and I would just remember being like, wow, it's gonna suck when I like turn 30 and I still really want to do this, but I can't because it's like kind of weird. Like, cause people will kind of judge me if I go out this way. And then it's, it's like, almost like as soon as I turned 30, I was like, oh yeah, I don't want to do that anymore.

• 58:37Speaker 00

  Bye, I'm good.

• 58:38Speaker 05

  Yeah. And now when I'm in those environments, I'm like, why do we do this? Like, why, I, I guess if you're gonna dance, it makes sense.

• 58:43Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 58:43Speaker 05

  But for anything else, I'm like, why? We're like here to catch up. Like I have, you're my friend, I haven't seen you in a month.

• 58:48Speaker 00

  But you have to scream.

• 58:50Speaker 05

  It's like, how are you?

• 58:52Speaker 00

  Yeah, or like a first date in a bar. Like, I don't know how people do that.

• 58:56Speaker 05

  It's such an uphill battle.

• 58:57Speaker 00

  It's just so loud.

• 58:58Speaker 05

  Yeah, like, let's go to a cafe or something conducive to.

• 59:00Speaker 00

  Yeah, coffee shop.

• 59:00Speaker 05

  Yeah, a park is great.

• 59:03Speaker 05

  But yeah, no, I used to, I guess it started back in high school even, like back when I was with my group State of Mind back then. At some point, I started losing my voice and I'm not trained as a vocalist at all, you know, I'm a rapper. So I just completely self-taught and never thought about that. And then I really started to lose my voice a lot and that started to freak me out because it's just a mortifying feeling to be up on stage. And it's like, you know, it's obviously important to play the drums with good technique where you're going to be healthy and you're not going to like have back pain and shoulder pain and things like that. But it's not like if you drop the ball on your healthy technique, the drums just vanish.

• 59:41Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 59:41Speaker 05

  And you're like, well, now I guess I don't have an instrument anymore.

• 59:43Speaker 00

  Yeah, and your superpower's gone.

• 59:45Speaker 05

  Yeah, but with the voice, it's that. And the other thing is I really use my energy to like sell it, you know what I mean?

• 59:54Speaker 00

  Yeah, you have to put it behind it, right? You can't just kind of whisper it.

• 59:58Speaker 05

  No, and I wish that I could. Sometimes I'm jealous, I'm like, man, I feel like if I was like Snoop Dogg or somebody like that.

• 1:00:06Speaker 00

  Chill.

• 1:00:06Speaker 05

  He could just go up there with all the swag in the world and do his songs and it sounds almost exactly like the record and it's amazing, you know? But Harry Mack doesn't do that. I go out there and I'm like, you're gonna like, first of all, nobody knows the words to any of this because I'm making it up right now. And I'm gonna make you feel this.

• 1:00:21Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:00:22Speaker 05

  And if I feel like it's not, if I feel like we're not all there, I'm gonna rise to the occasion and save the day, you know? And I use like, kind of like muscle to do that is how, you know, I use my voice.

• 1:00:33Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:00:34Speaker 05

  But then, you know, sometimes I overdo it and then once it goes away, it's very difficult to get it back. And then I feel very like, you know, it's kind of scary to be on stage and be like, well, what do we do now?

• 1:00:45Speaker 00

  That is scary.

• 1:00:46Speaker 05

  So then I got really serious about, you know, warming up and learning about. Now I do, and how to breathe and also trying to pace myself and like, okay, you don't have to, you don't have to go, you don't have to save the day every time. You know, you can pick your moments. But yeah, that's uh, so when we're on tour, you know, it's important that like we'll do the um, video shoots and stuff in the streets. Like if we have a stretch of days off, maybe, you know, we try to build that into the tour routing.

• 1:01:14Speaker 00

  Yeah, not, not just doing them every show day.

• 1:01:17Speaker 05

  Nah.

• 1:01:18Speaker 00

  Okay, that's smart.

• 1:01:18Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 1:01:19Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:01:19Speaker 05

  And I try not to do um, like back to back shows even.

• 1:01:23Speaker 00

  Really?

• 1:01:24Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 1:01:24Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:01:25Speaker 05

  For me, cuz I just.

• 1:01:27Speaker 00

  It's a lot of energy.

• 1:01:28Speaker 05

  It's a lot.

• 1:01:28Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:01:29Speaker 05

  And mentally too, cuz the whole, my show is almost entirely improvised.

• 1:01:33Speaker 00

  Yeah, oh yeah, mentally it must be totally a drain.

• 1:01:36Speaker 05

  Yeah, so afterwards, I'm just like, wow, that was everything I have. Like I need a day.

• 1:01:40Speaker 00

  So if you do like an hour and a half, two hour show?

• 1:01:42Speaker 05

  Yeah, we do an hour and a half.

• 1:01:43Speaker 00

  Hour and a half show, that's different from doing the videos.

• 1:01:46Speaker 05

  Oh yeah.

• 1:01:47Speaker 00

  Cuz it's just constant.

• 1:01:48Speaker 05

  Yes.

• 1:01:48Speaker 00

  And there's no break.

• 1:01:49Speaker 05

  Right.

• 1:01:50Speaker 00

  Okay, that's a lot.

• 1:01:51Speaker 05

  And I'm trying to like work the stage and you know, um, there's a much more of a physical element versus just me standing in front of four people on a, on a street corner or whatever.

• 1:01:58Speaker 00

  Yeah, that's a lot.

• 1:01:59Speaker 05

  Yeah, it's a lot. Yeah. It's awesome and I really enjoy it. And I'm also really proud of the show because, yeah, when I was like struggling with my voice and trying to figure out how to do that, I was like, I don't know if I can do an hour.

• 1:02:11Speaker 00

  Yeah, cuz you hadn't done it.

• 1:02:12Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 1:02:13Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:02:13Speaker 05

  I had to like really build up to it and, and uh, and so now I'm able to do it and that makes me feel really, really proud cuz I just, yeah, it was scary for a minute. I was like, man, maybe I'm gonna be the guy who could have been such a great freestyle rapper and performer if only his voice could hold out.

• 1:02:28Speaker 00

  Oh my god, that's terrifying.

• 1:02:29Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 1:02:30Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:02:31Speaker 05

  As I reach for my throat coat.

• 1:02:32Speaker 00

  Yeah, I know.

• 1:02:35Speaker 03

  Cash flow crunch? OnDeck's small business line of credit gives your business immediate access to funds, up to $200,000, right when you need it. Cover seasonal dips, manage payroll, restock inventory, or tackle unexpected expenses without missing a beat. With flexible draws, transparent pricing, and control over repayment, get funded quickly and confidently. Apply today at ondeck.com. Funds could be available as soon as tomorrow. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval. When intimate itch strikes, waiting it out isn't always an option. That's why there's Vagisil Maximum Strength Anti-Ich Cream. It provides fast relief from Intense external feminine itching and burning, and 92% of women said Vagisil provided long-lasting itch relief. Intimate itch can have more than 60 causes.

• 1:03:20Speaker 03

  From everyday things like shaving, pads, tight clothing, to yeast infection-related irritation, Vagisil helps protect delicate skin from further irritation. Trusted by generations, clinically and gynecologist-tested. Don't let discomfort get in the way. Visit vagisil.com to find the relief that's right for you.

• 1:03:37Speaker 00

  If you're a music fan, I've got a new podcast you have to check out. It's called Before the Moment, a new series hosted by the legendary Nile Rodgers. You know him as the producer, songwriter, guitarist, and co-founder of Chic. But in this series, he's hitting the road to sit down with some of today's most fascinating artists. From hitmakers like Miguel to rising stars like Alex Warren, Nile explores the stories behind the careers, the songs, and the moments that changed everything. Because every artist can point to that turning point, the moment before the breakthrough, before the success, before everything changed. Through candid conversations and personal stories, you'll hear what happened before the moment that made them who they are today.

• 1:04:22Speaker 00

  Listen to Before the Moment, a Lincoln Original Series, on the iHeartRadio app, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 1:04:32Speaker 00

  So what kind of places are you playing?

• 1:04:36Speaker 05

  We are playing like 1,200 to 1,700 cap rooms.

• 1:04:42Speaker 00

  Wow, that's amazing.

• 1:04:42Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 1:04:43Speaker 00

  That's like a good size.

• 1:04:45Speaker 05

  It's great.

• 1:04:46Speaker 00

  Maybe like the best size.

• 1:04:47Speaker 05

  Yeah, so I don't know, because like the ambition in me is like, let's go harder, let's go bigger if we can.

• 1:04:53Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:04:53Speaker 05

  If I'm...

• 1:04:54Speaker 00

  I just mean for, like, to keep the intimacy. It's so nice.

• 1:04:58Speaker 05

  I agree. And like, the other side of me, you know, like, the ultra-ambitious side is like, the bigger, the better, and let's keep growing if we can. And then the other side of me is like, this feels kind of perfect.

• 1:05:09Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:05:10Speaker 05

  And especially for what I do. You know, because it's all improvised. One of the biggest challenges was like figuring out how to even scale it up to even that size. Or even, how do I do this on a stage in front of 500 people? Instead of on a corner where everybody can see everything that I'm referencing.

• 1:05:28Speaker 00

  That's true, yeah.

• 1:05:29Speaker 05

  And so, we basically like utilize technology and the screen behind me to. So there's like a QR code and people are able to like submit words and topics.

• 1:05:38Speaker 00

  Okay, so.

• 1:05:38Speaker 05

  Seeing them on screen for the first time.

• 1:05:40Speaker 00

  That's a lot easier for people.

• 1:05:42Speaker 05

  Yeah, and then we have camera feeds and stuff that can project to the screen. So if I'm like in the crowd rapping about what I can see in front of me, the whole room can see it. And stuff like that, but, but yeah, so I don't know how, how big it scales. I have done like some festival performances in front of much bigger crowds. And it was really exciting and fun and it worked.

• 1:06:03Speaker 00

  It worked, yeah.

• 1:06:03Speaker 05

  So I think it works, but I agree with you. I do love the, like the 1500.

• 1:06:08Speaker 00

  It's kind of, it sounds nice for what you're doing.

• 1:06:10Speaker 05

  It's really nice.

• 1:06:11Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:06:11Speaker 05

  It's really nice. And I feel like I can feel everybody.

• 1:06:13Speaker 00

  Mm-hmm.

• 1:06:14Speaker 05

  And sometimes when it gets bigger.

• 1:06:15Speaker 00

  They're with you.

• 1:06:15Speaker 05

  Yes.

• 1:06:16Speaker 00

  Yeah, sometimes when it's bigger, the people in back might be with you part of it. But they're kind of in and out and they're having fun. And they're into it, but it's not in the same way as like having everybody really engaged.

• 1:06:28Speaker 05

  Yeah, it just becomes kind of like crowd.

• 1:06:31Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:06:31Speaker 05

  It's like, there's me on stage and then there's crowd.

• 1:06:34Speaker 00

  And then then at the back, they're like, oh yeah, he's on stage. And then there's you and me and there's the beer stand and you know.

• 1:06:40Speaker 05

  Exactly, exactly, yeah. Yeah, but the, the smaller room, it's like, oh, everybody here is, is contributing.

• 1:06:47Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:06:48Speaker 05

  Is how it feels.

• 1:06:48Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:06:49Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 1:06:50Speaker 00

  We will play some more music.

• 1:06:52Speaker 05

  Let's do it.

• 1:06:52Speaker 00

  Um, so I want to give you more words, I feel like.

• 1:06:56Speaker 05

  Yeah, let's do that.

• 1:06:56Speaker 00

  How does this, how should we do it? Oh my God, I don't even know this word, you guys.

• 1:07:01Speaker 05

  Oh, what is it?

• 1:07:02Speaker 00

  I.

• 1:07:04Speaker 00

  Fiduciary.

• 1:07:06Speaker 05

  Fiduciary.

• 1:07:07Speaker 00

  Do you know this word?

• 1:07:08Speaker 05

  Yeah, it's a financial term.

• 1:07:09Speaker 00

  I know it is that. I knew that, but I don't know what it is.

• 1:07:12Speaker 05

  I think like a fiduciary responsibility is like if the banks go under, you're still covered up to $200,000.

• 1:07:21Speaker 00

  Wow. I'm sorry. Did you study finance? Or am I just really dumb?

• 1:07:26Speaker 05

  No, you're not dumb at all. It's a weird word. I think that's what it means.

• 1:07:29Speaker 00

  Have you had to learn? Do you just go through the dictionary all the time? Like, is that part of your practice? Like, do you just know a lot of words that other people don't?

• 1:07:39Speaker 05

  The thing is, I get a lot of credit for having a big vocabulary, and I don't think it's accurate. I don't think it's true. I just, I'm really, I feel, I say this humbly, like I have a good mastery of the words I do know. You know, it's kind of like some, you know how like some jazz players like from back in the day, like they didn't have a lot of chops, but they had full mastery of their chops. And that's why it was so great.

• 1:08:02Speaker 00

  Yeah, they did their thing.

• 1:08:03Speaker 05

  Yeah, they did their thing, and they had a voice and it just, and it's beautiful. That's how I feel about my freestyle. People will be like, you know every word in the dictionary.

• 1:08:11Speaker 00

  It sounds like it.

• 1:08:11Speaker 05

  Like, if you watch my videos, though, I happen to know fiduciary, so it looks like I know. I like, I got lucky.

• 1:08:16Speaker 00

  Have you gotten that one before?

• 1:08:18Speaker 05

  I don't think I've gotten that in a freestyle, which is amazing. It's rare that we get an unfreestyled word.

• 1:08:23Speaker 00

  Oh, my God. Okay, I'm gonna put some here. Should I call them out while we're doing it? Or do you want them before?

• 1:08:30Speaker 05

  Um, I guess this time, call them out while we do it.

• 1:08:33Speaker 00

  If I put them in, you can't see these, right?

• 1:08:34Speaker 05

  I can't see them, no.

• 1:08:35Speaker 00

  If I put them in front of me, I can do it. I cannot think of it on the spot.

• 1:08:39Speaker 05

  That's perfect. Plus, I was gonna suggest you leave them out of the hat, so we don't forget what they are.

• 1:08:44Speaker 00

  Yeah. Okay. All right. And do you want to still play drums? Or would you rather do the loop? I'm totally happy how you are, but whatever you want. Is it harder for you while you're playing?

• 1:08:58Speaker 05

  It is harder to freestyle while I play.

• 1:09:01Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 1:09:02Speaker 05

  But it's like...

• 1:09:03Speaker 00

  It's so fun.

• 1:09:04Speaker 05

  Yeah. And the thing is, it's in development. Like, I'm really working on this right now.

• 1:09:08Speaker 00

  Oh, you are?

• 1:09:09Speaker 05

  So I was excited to do it here, even though I feel like it's like a little early. I mean, I actually brought the drums out on tour last time. And for a segment of the show, like in the middle, I did a drum solo, and then I would accompany myself on drums while rapping.

• 1:09:23Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 1:09:24Speaker 05

  But, um, but it's like, I feel like it's still in the early stages of development. But... I also feel like it's really strange for me to sit at the drums and not play, and like play a drum track off my phone.

• 1:09:36Speaker 00

  I get it.

• 1:09:37Speaker 05

  So on this podcast, I'm accompanying myself.

• 1:09:40Speaker 00

  Yes, okay, I feel honored.

• 1:09:41Speaker 05

  Norah Jones, I'ma play.

• 1:09:43Speaker 00

  I'ma push you, I'm pushing you.

• 1:09:44Speaker 05

  Yeah, we're pushing ourselves.

• 1:09:46Speaker 00

  You push me, I push you.

• 1:09:47Speaker 05

  Yeah, that's how we do this.

• 1:09:48Speaker 00

  All right, I've got some fun words here. Oh, yeah, okay.

• 1:09:55Speaker 00

  All right, you can't see these, right?

• 1:09:56Speaker 05

  I can't, I can kinda see those ones upside down, but I'm not gonna read them, cuz I'm...

• 1:09:59Speaker 00

  Okay, cuz you're a pro.

• 1:10:00Speaker 05

  I'm the real deal, guys.

• 1:10:01Speaker 00

  You are, okay.

• 1:10:02Speaker 05

  Don't cheat.

• 1:10:03Speaker 00

  All right, all right, I've got a lot of words here. We don't have to do them all, I just wanna have them out in case.

• 1:10:07Speaker 05

  All right.

• 1:10:09Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 1:10:10Speaker 05

  This is gonna be fun.

• 1:10:11Speaker 00

  All right.

• 1:10:15Speaker 00

  It's funny, I, she made all these flashcards and I made her put them on a sheet of paper, cuz I was like, I'm not gonna be picking flashcards out of a hat while I'm playing. And she put them on a sheet of paper, but what did I do? I just pulled out all the flashcards.

• 1:10:28Speaker 05

  Yeah. No, but I mean, wow, you pulling words out of a hat while playing is like...

• 1:10:33Speaker 00

  Yeah, I can't do that.

• 1:10:34Speaker 05

  That's too much.

• 1:10:35Speaker 00

  All right.

• 1:10:36Speaker 05

  That's like a circus act, I feel.

• 1:10:39Speaker 05

  And somebody will be juggling, like burning machetes.

• 1:10:42Speaker 00

  Exactly.

• 1:10:42Speaker 05

  Yeah. All right, let's do it. Who, uh, should I start it off, or?

• 1:10:46Speaker 00

  Yeah, cuz I don't know what tempo you wanna do.

• 1:10:48Speaker 05

  Right, right, true, true, I'm very limited.

• 1:10:49Speaker 00

  Well, you can do anything you want.

• 1:10:50Speaker 05

  Okay.

• 1:10:51Speaker 00

  I can, even if you go fast, whatever.

• 1:10:53Speaker 05

  All right, let's see.

• 1:11:13Speaker 00

  Fiduciary.

• 1:11:15Speaker 05

  Yeah. There ain't really nothing they can do to Harry. I'm getting paid, y'all, no fiduciary. Uh, y'all know I'm stretching with agility. I'm the bank with fiduciary responsibility. Y'all know I'm making all these rappers run away. If the banks go over, I still get my 200K. Yeah, y'all know I'm ready to ride. Uh, getting paper, then we gonna invest it in stocks.

• 1:11:37Speaker 05

  Yeah, y'all know they came to see the man rock. I'm about to get all the damn prize. Once I start rhyming, y'all I can't stop. When I'm with Nora, I'm like a kid up in the sandbox. On the rail, we just out here having fun. I'm just playing along and getting the job done. I'm just laying the song and you know I'm winning every damn battle. I'm rhyming inside of my sandcastle, look. Yeah, we about to take it to the peak. They pay attention every time I speak. And y'all know they love it when Mac and Nora bust it on the jam. Take the microphone and crush it in the sand.

• 1:12:05Speaker 00

  Melancholy.

• 1:12:06Speaker 05

  Yeah, I'm about to do it off the melancholy. I lift you up if you feel melancholy. Uh, y'all know I came through with the rap script. Guaranteed to lift your mood if you feeling sadness. Uh, we about to flip your frown upside down. When we come through with the live rounds. I spit it off the tip of this, y'all know I'm that dude. Rainy days in Portland, y'all, that was a melancholy mood, look.

• 1:12:35Speaker 00

  Take it to Broadway.

• 1:12:36Speaker 05

  Okay, uh, I'ma spit it in a railway. Theatrical lyrics, we taking it to Broadway. Uh, y'all know I came through the slate. I rhyme on Broadway, but y'all know the Mac don't play. Listen, I'm doing it bigger than ever, they be yelling out "Mama Mia". Mac's the strongest freer, uh. When I rhyme, man, you know I drop the standards. Yeah, H Mac coming with the stanzas. Look, we about to break it down. Theatrical lyrics, I come through with the crazy sound. They better respect it, they never reject it. They bout to deck, they be getting ejected. Y'all know the Mac is respected, come on. Yeah, and I'm about to make the people go mad. Ay, yo Nora, hit me with the next vocab.

• 1:13:13Speaker 00

  Bodega.

• 1:13:14Speaker 05

  Okay, okay, okay, okay, listen. Uh, I'm the type of rapper they would beg for. Catch me rhyming outside of your bodega. When I rhyme, man, you know I hit the truest target. On the west coast, we just call them supermarkets. H Mac, I'm the number one performer, something like a bodega. Cause I get found on every corner. I'm always ready, y'all know we out here to rip. I leave the bodega, you know I got my soda and chips. And my bottle of water for the proper hydration. Stepping in correct, a Mac, that's a violation. Look, I let it flow, y'all know I'm top choice. Leave my water and my tea from the bodega for my voice, come on.

• 1:13:49Speaker 00

  Diagnostic.

• 1:13:50Speaker 05

  Uh, and y'all know they couldn't stop this. Yeah, we came through with the hotness. I'm too sick for any diagnostics. Yeah, y'all know they couldn't diagnose this. Dopeness, every time he flows is ferocious. Preaching when I'm speaking, but the neck is not a reverent. Every time I rhyme and I'ma give y'all the medicine.

• 1:14:08Speaker 00

  Ivory.

• 1:14:10Speaker 05

  Who's as live as me. Norah Jones on the Ebony and Ivory. She been playing the keys. Every time that I rhyme, y'all are slaying with ease. Uh, my heart and soul, what I came here to give. But please, people, please, let the elephants live. They already endangered, so don't be hunting. Every time I rhyme, I get rid of your assumptions. Yeah, I'm nice every time that I bust. And my lyrics are on point like an elephant tusk. Uh, there ain't no rapper having as live as me. Huh, blowing up and never know surviving me. Come on.

• 1:14:55Speaker 00

  Give me one more.

• 1:15:03Speaker 05

  That was fun.

• 1:15:04Speaker 00

  That was fun.

• 1:15:04Speaker 05

  That was fun. That's hard to do. I like that.

• 1:15:06Speaker 00

  Hard to do at the same time.

• 1:15:07Speaker 05

  At the same time, yeah.

• 1:15:09Speaker 00

  Yeah, it's a muscle memory, right?

• 1:15:10Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah. I'm really glad that we're doing this because this is such a cool opportunity for me to take this like out of my, out of my practice room, you know?

• 1:15:19Speaker 00

  That's cool.

• 1:15:19Speaker 05

  And, and to be in this environment, this is such a good environment for it. And I'm loving it.

• 1:15:23Speaker 00

  Good.

• 1:15:24Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 1:15:24Speaker 00

  All right, do you get out of breath faster when you're playing at the same time?

• 1:15:27Speaker 05

  You know what's weird? I, I kind of get out of breath faster because there's the physicality of playing. Um, I'm not playing that loud right now, obviously, so it's not that crazy. Uh, and also my drum parts are simple when I'm rapping because they have to be.

• 1:15:39Speaker 00

  Yeah, yeah, totally.

• 1:15:41Speaker 05

  But, uh, but I get, my voice gets weird. I get like more spit in my mouth.

• 1:15:46Speaker 00

  Oh, really? Like you don't, you don't, uh, have the same sort of flow?

• 1:15:52Speaker 05

  Something like, I don't even know what it is. Yeah, but I've just noticed that I'll start my, I'm like, whoa, I need to like. Swallow or like breathe or like do something. I don't know what's happening.

• 1:16:01Speaker 00

  Well, some people hold their breath when they play drums.

• 1:16:04Speaker 05

  Yes.

• 1:16:04Speaker 00

  You know?

• 1:16:05Speaker 05

  And I used to do that a ton.

• 1:16:06Speaker 00

  So maybe that's what it is. You're like, you can't because you're doing the thing, but you're also, that's like your muscle.

• 1:16:13Speaker 05

  I think so. And actually, I think in a way, that's one of the good things about rapping while I play is that it forces me to breathe while I play. And so, because I did use to, it was hard to, I remember for a while I was like practicing like breathing and rhythm, you know, while I played.

• 1:16:27Speaker 00

  Oh, yeah.

• 1:16:28Speaker 05

  Trying to coordinate.

• 1:16:29Speaker 00

  So that you wouldn't be like holding your breath?

• 1:16:31Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah.

• 1:16:32Speaker 00

  That's so interesting.

• 1:16:33Speaker 05

  Yeah, but I'm so focused. I think that's why I hold the breath because I'm really focused on what I'm doing.

• 1:16:38Speaker 00

  But I think, you know, some of my favorite musicians are drummers who sing.

• 1:16:42Speaker 05

  Yes.

• 1:16:43Speaker 00

  You know, because, and they're such a different thing. Even when I'm playing piano, if I were to just sing and not play.

• 1:16:49Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 1:16:50Speaker 00

  I sing different.

• 1:16:51Speaker 05

  Yeah. Yeah, they're meshed.

• 1:16:53Speaker 00

  They're married in a way that I think is, it's actually my special thing, you know?

• 1:16:58Speaker 05

  Oh, yeah, that's your superpower.

• 1:16:59Speaker 00

  I can do it. I can play and I can sing and I can do them separately. But when I put them together, that's where they kind of come alive.

• 1:17:07Speaker 05

  Absolutely. Oh, and you can tell just watching, you know, watching you and listening to your records and it's just.

• 1:17:11Speaker 00

  Oh, thanks.

• 1:17:11Speaker 05

  Yeah, that's, that's the magic.

• 1:17:13Speaker 00

  Well, I didn't mean to make you compliment me, but.

• 1:17:15Speaker 05

  No, I didn't feel obligated. I did not feel obligated.

• 1:17:18Speaker 00

  Yeah, but I do mean, I do mean like, it's probably going to open a new channel for you.

• 1:17:22Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 1:17:23Speaker 00

  Where like it becomes one in a way, like it already sounds like one to me.

• 1:17:29Speaker 05

  Oh, thank you.

• 1:17:29Speaker 00

  But like, just since you haven't done it that much, I mean, it'll, you know, maybe that's like a whole other.

• 1:17:34Speaker 05

  I think so. And I really want that.

• 1:17:36Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:17:37Speaker 05

  That's, I was saying to my manager, Mikey, who's here, I was like, dude, I want to just go on and, and play drums for everything we do on the podcast. I was like, is that, what? It makes so much sense, you know? I'm here with you. You're such an amazing musician. You're gonna be playing and singing and accompanying yourself. And it's like, it would just be so nice to be able to. And then there's not as much planning that's needed either. It's like, I can just kind of come in and get comfy at the drums and play. And so, yeah, this has been a goal of mine. So, you know, a step in the right direction.

• 1:18:13Speaker 00

  Check.

• 1:18:14Speaker 05

  There we go.

• 1:18:14Speaker 00

  Yeah, we did it.

• 1:18:15Speaker 05

  Y'all.

• 1:18:16Speaker 00

  Well, this was so fun.

• 1:18:17Speaker 05

  So fun.

• 1:18:18Speaker 00

  Thank you for doing this.

• 1:18:19Speaker 05

  My absolute pleasure. Thank you so much for having me. It's been, it's been an honor.

• 1:18:24Speaker 00

  I could do it all day, but I don't want to be greedy.

• 1:18:26Speaker 05

  Me too. Yeah, well, we'll do it for my album, so we'll be in touch.

• 1:18:29Speaker 00

  Heck, yeah. Call me anytime, anytime. I love to play. It's like my favorite thing.

• 1:18:34Speaker 05

  Yes, me too.

• 1:18:35Speaker 00

  We don't have to rehearse, even better.

• 1:18:37Speaker 05

  You're telling, you're speaking my language.

• 1:18:39Speaker 00

  Let's just do it.

• 1:18:39Speaker 05

  Come on, I'm so down.

• 1:18:41Speaker 00

  That's why I booked so many gigs, because I just want to go do it, you know?

• 1:18:44Speaker 05

  Yes, I love it.

• 1:18:45Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 1:18:46Speaker 05

  I love it.

• 1:18:47Speaker 00

  Well, thank you.

• 1:18:48Speaker 05

  Thank you, Nora.

• 1:18:48Speaker 00

  Yay.

• 1:18:49Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 1:18:51Speaker 00

  Oh, that was so fun.

• 1:18:53Speaker 06

  That was amazing. He's incredible.

• 1:18:56Speaker 00

  Yeah. What a good dude, too.

• 1:19:00Speaker 06

  Yeah.

• 1:19:00Speaker 00

  Just like sweetheart.

• 1:19:03Speaker 06

  Yeah, and a good sport, because I feel like we were really trying to stump him.

• 1:19:07Speaker 00

  You guys were. Yeah, but I didn't like that.

• 1:19:09Speaker 06

  I know, but he liked it. He said.

• 1:19:12Speaker 00

  I was, I was like, I don't want to stump him. This is mean. This is a mean word to choose.

• 1:19:17Speaker 06

  Wine.

• 1:19:19Speaker 00

  Wine?

• 1:19:20Speaker 06

  For the rhyme.

• 1:19:20Speaker 00

  Wine.

• 1:19:22Speaker 06

  We're like fiduciary, that's a good one.

• 1:19:24Speaker 00

  I said, no, that's mean. I'm not giving him that word.

• 1:19:28Speaker 06

  He loved it. He was like, yeah, stump me. Try to stump me.

• 1:19:31Speaker 00

  He's so funny.

• 1:19:31Speaker 06

  You can't be stumped.

• 1:19:32Speaker 00

  That was a joy. If you want to know what we played in this episode, well, we just played a bunch of random stuff. Improvise. First song was freestyle number one. Second song, I did use part of one of my songs called Sinkin' Soon. But Sinkin' Soon was from an album I made called Not Too Late in 2007. But we just took a snippet of it. Basically, it's all freestyle, the rest of it. But other than that second song, it's all freestyle. Special thanks to Harry Mack for joining us today. And we'll be back next week with Madison Cunningham. Norah Jones is Playing Along is a production of iHeart Podcasts. Visit Norah Jones' channel and be sure to subscribe while you're there.

• 1:20:16Speaker 00

  I'm your host, Norah Jones. This episode was recorded by Kyle Pass, mixed by Jamie Landry. Additional recording by Matt Marinelli. Audio post-production and mastering by Greg Tobler. Artwork by Eliza Frye. Photography by Shirvin Lenez. Produced by Norah Jones and Sarah Oda. Executive producers Erin Wong Kaufman and Jordan Runtog. Marketing lead, Alison Cantor-Graeber.

• 1:20:47Speaker 00

  If you love music and great artist interviews, check out Before the Moment, hosted by Niall Rogers. This new series follows Niall as he travels across the country talking with some of today's most fascinating artists about the moments that shaped their lives and careers. From hitmakers like Miguel to rising stars like Alex Warren, Niall explores the stories behind the careers, the songs, and the moments that changed everything. Because every musician remembers the point where everything changed, and this podcast tells the stories that came before it. Listen to Before the Moment, a Lincoln Original Series on iHeartRadio app, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. With ChatGPT, you can do more than get answers. You can get things done. Whether you're leading a big project, planning an elaborate trip, or trying to balance work

• 1:21:30Speaker 00

  and life, ChatGPT can help. Give it a goal, plus things like files, notes, or project

• 1:21:35Speaker 02

  plans, develop a trip itinerary with daily updates, or create a prioritized schedule. So you can spend less energy sorting out the details and more on bringing your biggest ideas to life. Get started at ChatGPT.com. This is Jonas Knox from Two Pros and a Cup of Joe. Buy smart, drive for less, and trade for more. That's Toyota Ford ability, and it starts with a great deal on an off-road-ready Tacoma or half-ton Tundra, two of Toyota's longest-lasting trucks. Combining power for work, tech for adventures, and style in between. Built on a reputation for quality and reliability, Toyota trucks are known for holding their value

• 1:22:14Speaker 06

  Which could mean big savings when it's time for your next Toyota. So get a great deal today and a great value tomorrow. Shop toyota.com for more. Toyota, let's go places.

• 1:22:25Speaker 01

  OnDeck is built to back small businesses like yours. Whether you're buying equipment, expanding your team, or bridging cash flow gaps, OnDeck's loans up to $400,000 help make it happen fast. Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and earning thousands of five-star TrustPilot reviews, OnDeck delivers funding you can count on. Apply in minutes at ondeck.com. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval.

• 1:22:55Speaker 00

  This is an iHeart Podcast.

• 1:22:58Speaker 00

  Guaranteed Human.