THE VOICE OF THE WEST: PROBLEM

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA | PROBLEM

Interview KB Tindal Photography LAETITIA RUMFORD

“EverythIng ain't about showing a nigga that you can do something. Ain't no nigga gon’ tell me I can't. Fuck what niggas talking about just do what you supposed to do.” - Problem

COMPTON, CALIFORNIA HAS SEEN NUMEROUS ARTISTS GRACE THE GENRE OF HIP HOP SINCE THE ’80S. FROM DJ QUIK, NWA, MC EIHT, DR. DRE, EASY E, KENDRICK LAMAR, AND PLENTY MORE. IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THOSE GREATS, THERE’S PROBLEM. A CERTIFIED RAPPER AND PRODUCER THAT’S BEEN ON HIS INDEPENDENT GRIND FOR OVER 10 YEARS WITH HIS DIAMOND LANE MUSIC GROUP FAMILY. PROBLEM IS NO STRANGER TO SITTING AT THE TABLE WITH THE HEAVYWEIGHTS OF HIP HOP ON HIS OWN TERMS. HE’S CARVED OUT HIS SLICE OF THE PIE WITHOUT LOSING HIS INTEGRITY AS A MAN AND WITHOUT SELLING HIS SOUL THROUGH GIMMICKS TO WIDEN HIS FAN BASE. HE REMAINS TRUE TO HIS AUTHENTIC SELF AND REPRESENTS THE CULTURE WITH COMPTON ON HIS BACK. 

THIS YEAR, IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, HE RELEASED COFFEE & KUSH VOLUMES 1 AND 2. HE IS ALSO THE OWNER OF HIS OWN COFFEE BRAND, GREEN HOUR COFFEE, AND HIS NEWLY FORMED MEDIA PRODUCTION COMPANY 50MILLION. BOTH ARE EXPANDING RAPIDLY.

HIS MONIKER CAME FROM HIS ABILITIES ON THE BASKETBALL COURT AS A YOUTH AND HE’S CARRIED IT OVER INTO A SUCCESSFUL CAREER AS A RECORDING ARTIST AND ENTREPRENEUR. WHEN HE WAS TELLING ARTISTS IN THE GAME HOW TO BE INDEPENDENT OVER A DECADE AGO PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS CRAZY. FUNNY HOW THINGS COME BACK FULL CIRCLE SINCE INDEPENDENCE IS NOW THE NEW NORM. 

VALIDATED MAGAZINE GOT THE CHANCE TO CATCH UP TO THE COMPTON REPRESENTATIVE AND WE CHOPPED IT UP ABOUT A WIDE ARRAY OF TOPICS FROM KOOL MOE DEE TO SNOOP DOGG, TO BLACK EXCELLENCE, FAMILY, AND POWERFUL INFLUENTIAL IMAGES IN OUR CULTURE. TAP IN WITH US AND ENJOY THE RIDE AS WE DELVE INTO THE MIND AND LIFE OF THE VOICE OF THE WEST, PROBLEM. 

VALIDATED: SO THE LAST TIME I INTERVIEWED YOU IT WAS BACK IN 2013, SO IT'S A PLEASURE TO CATCH UP WITH YOU AGAIN HERE IN 2020.

PROBLEM: I APPRECIATE YOU BRO. THAT'S SUPER CRAZY, I REMEMBER THAT TIME IN MY LIFE.

VALIDATED: WHERE DID YOU GET THE NAME PROBLEM FROM?

PROBLEM: I GOT THE NAME PROBLEM FROM BASKETBALL. I USED TO BE LIKE, A PROBLEM ON THE COURT AND I WASN'T REALLY RAPPING YET. I KINDA TOOK THAT NAME WITH ME. I THOUGHT IT'D BE A DOPE RAP NAME TO FLIP.

VALIDATED: YOU WERE BORN IN WEST GERMANY. DID YOU SPEND MUCH TIME IN GERMANY BEFORE YOU CAME OVER TO LA? OR WERE YOU JUST LIKE A KID IN GERMANY AND THEN PRIMARILY RAISED IN COMPTON?

PROBLEM: WELL, I SPENT A SMALL TIME IN GERMANY. IT WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF MY LIFE. BUT FROM HAVING KIDS, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH LIKE THE MOST INFLUENTIAL TIME IN THEY LIFE. THAT'S WHERE YOU LEARN EVERYTHING FOR THE FIRST TIME. SO YEAH, THE FIRST YEAR OF MY LIFE WAS IN WURZBURG, GERMANY AND THEN I CAME TO COMPTON A YEAR LATER.

VALIDATED: WHAT'S YOUR NATIONALITY AND BACKGROUND?

PROBLEM: I'M BLACK AND BOTH MY PARENTS ARE FROM LOUISIANA, AND THEIR PARENTS ARE FROM LOUISIANA.

VALIDATED: COFFEE AND KUSH VOL. 2, IS THE NEW PROJECT AND THE FIRST SINGLE THAT YOU DROPPED WAS "NOTHIN", FEATURING JACK HARLOW AND JACK HARLOW'S GETTING A LOT OF LOVE RIGHT NOW. SO LIKE HOW DID THAT COLLABORATION WITH YOU AND HIM AND JAY ROCK COME ABOUT?

PROBLEM: WE DID THE RECORD A WHILE AGO. MAYBE ABOUT A YEAR AGO. I'M REALLY, REALLY GOOD FRIENDS WITH THE LABEL THAT HE'S WITH GENERATION NOW THAT'S DON CANNON AND DJ DRAMA. SO I WAS DOWN THERE CHILLIN’ WITH THEM AND THEN HE WAS A NEW ARTIST AT THE TIME. SO WE WERE JUST FUCKING AROUND HAVING A GOOD TIME. AND SO THEN, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD ALWAYS TALK AND WE JUST MAINTAINED THE RELATIONSHIP AND UM, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT AND I WAS LIKE MAN I REALLY WANT TO PUT THAT OUT AND THROW THAT ON THE NEXT PROJECT THAT'S COMING UP OR WHATEVER. SO I'M LIKE, OH FOR SURE. I CAN MAKE IT DO SOME THINGS WITH IT. SO I GOT TO FUCKIN' WITH THE RECORD. I REPRODUCED IT A LITTLE BIT, UH, GRABBED MIKE AND KEYS AND WE JUST KINDA MASHED IT UP A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND I WAS IN TALKS WITH JAY ROCK AND WE WERE JUST SWAPPING RECORDS AT THE TIME. YOU KNOW, DURING COVID EVERYBODY WAS JUST KIND OF SENDING PEOPLE RECORDS JUST TO KEEP EACH OTHER SHARP. SO I TOLD HIM, MAN I GOT THIS JOINT WITH JACK MAN, I THINK YOU'D SOUND HARD ON AND HE WAS LIKE I FUCK WITH IT. LET'S GET IT DONE. SO EVERYBODY JUMPED ON IT AND I TOOK THEM OUT OF THEIR ELEMENT SOMEWHAT AND JUST REALLY WENT HARD ON SOME DOPE. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

VALIDATED: WHEN YOU DO COLLABORATIONS WITH PEOPLE, IF YOU HAD TO NAME ONE OR TWO PEOPLE THAT PUSH YOU, THAT ALWAYS MAKES YOU WANT TO BE MORE LYRICAL, THAT ALWAYS BROUGHT MORE OUT OF YOU THAN YOU THOUGHT, THAT YOU COULD PULL OUT OF YOURSELF. WHO WOULD THAT BE?

PROBLEM: KENDRICK FOR SURE. UM, I KNEW IF I WAS GETTING ON A SONG WITH HIM YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT YOUR ULTIMATE, ULTIMATE, ULTIMATE GO ‘CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE AN ANNIHILATION. AND T.I. IS ANOTHER PERSON. I REMEMBER ONE DAY I WENT DOWN THERE AND HE WAS WORKING ON A GRAND HUSTLE ALBUM AND I WAS WORKING ON IT WITH HIM AND WE WERE DOING SONGS ONE DAY, HE'S LIKE, “MAN, I GOT TO PULL OUT THE PAD FOR THIS ONE.” I'M LIKE, “WHAT YOU MEAN?” THE NIGGA ACTUALLY WROTE THE VERSE, YOU KNOW, THAT HASN'T HAPPENED IN A WHILE. AND HE WAS LIKE, “YEAH, YOU MADE ME PULL OUT MY PAD.” I FELT BIG, I WAS LIKE, “OH, OKAY.” (LAUGHS)

AND I'M A HUGE, HUGE T.I. FAN SO PROBABLY THEM TWO SO FAR BUT I MEAN, HONESTLY, MAN, UM, I DON'T REALLY GET INTO THAT ‘CAUSE I'M A PRODUCER FIRST. SO I'M ALSO JUST ABOUT THE BEST SONG. IF IT AIN'T TIME FOR ME TO GO LYRICAL AND ALL OF THAT, I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT. I WANT THE SONG TO BE THE BEST. LIKE SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA JUST LET WHOEVER'S ON ONE, BE ON ONE. YOU GOTTA LET HIM GO. SO THOSE WERE THE TWO TIMES I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE JUST IN THERE JUST TRYING TO HAVE A GAS OFF. OH AND GAME, IS ANOTHER PERSON.

EVERY ARTIST HAS HIS OWN STYLE AND WHAT THEY THINK IS TIGHT, AND WHAT THEY THINK IS LYRICAL. I THINK PRODUCERS ARE LIKE, THEY HEAR ONE JOINT ON YOUR ALBUM AND ARE LIKE, “OOH, I NEED IN ON THAT, I GOTTA COME FOR THAT.” SO THAT'S WHERE THE REAL COMPETITION COMES IN.

VALIDATED: I KNOW SNOOP IS DEFINITELY THE BIG HOMIE OF YOURS. YOU'VE BEEN WORKING WITH HIM SINCE EARLY IN YOUR CAREER, SO HOW DID THE SONG "DON'T BE MAD AT ME," THE REMIX WITH FREDDIE GIBBS WHO, BY THE WAY, IS HILARIOUS IN THE VIDEO, COME ABOUT?

PROBLEM: COLLABORATING WITH SNOOP ALL THESE YEARS, MAN, I'VE JUST DEVELOPED A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP AND A FRIENDSHIP. SO WE'VE NEVER NOT REALLY BEEN IN TOUCH. FOR THIS PARTICULAR RECORD THOUGH, AGAIN, JUST LIKE "NOTHIN" I WANTED TO TAKE BOTH OF THOSE GUYS OUT OF THEIR ELEMENT. NOBODY WOULD EVER THINK THAT FREDDIE GIBBS WOULD HOP ON A RECORD CALLED "DON'T BE MAD AT ME." SO WHEN WE WERE DOING HIS VERSE WE HAD LIKE A THREE-HOUR CONVERSATION BEFORE WE EVEN RECORDED IT, JUST ABOUT BABY MOMS AND BEING FATHERS AND DIFFERENT SHIT AND HE WAS SO FIRED UP! I SAID SAY ALL OF THAT ON HERE. HE WAS LIKE, WELL, YOU TALKING ABOUT... I'M LIKE, FUCK WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. JUST GO ON ONE. SO HE JUST WENT ON ONE REAL QUICK. I GOT THAT VERSION AND THE NEXT DAY I SENT IT TO THE DOGG AND I'M LIKE, MAN, CHECK THIS OUT. HE LIKE, OH THIS IS HARD. I'M LIKE, MAN, YOU FUCK WITH IT? HE'S LIKE, I WANNA FUCK WITH IT. HE SENT IT BACK IN 24 HOURS, MAN. AND YOU KNOW IN HIS CASE, A VETERAN AND A KING WHO'S NOW REALLY LOCKED IN ON HIS FAMILY AND HIS QUEEN, NOT THAT HE ALWAYS WASN'T, BUT NOW YOU KNOW IT'S KINGS AND QUEENS TRYING TO STICK TOGETHER, SO HE OFFERED THAT PERSPECTIVE, WHICH WAS DOPE. HE WAS ABLE TO REALLY SHOW LOVE TO HIS QUEEN AND APOLOGIZE FOR WRONGDOING. SO THAT WAS DOPE MAN. AND I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY WORKED TOGETHER TOO.

VALIDATED: THE "JANET FREESTYLE" WHICH WAS ON COFFEE AND KUSH VOL. 1, IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE JOINTS. YOU TALKED A LOT ABOUT NIPSEY ON THE TRACK. YOU TALKED ABOUT HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, HIS DEMEANOR, HIS BUSINESS SENSE, HIS STAND-UP PERSONALITY AS WELL AS HOW HE WANTED YOU AND YG BACK IN THE DAYS TO SQUASH THE BEEF AND STUFF LIKE THAT. BUT HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN NIPSEY PASSED, I KNOW IT HURTS, BUT HOW DID IT FEEL AND WHAT KIND OF VOID DID THAT LEAVE IN YOU? AND IN OUR CULTURE AND IN LA, AS A WHOLE?

PROBLEM: NOTHING IS REALLY THE SAME. LIKE LITERALLY NOTHING HAS BEEN THE SAME. IT STILL FEELS SURREAL. UM, I THINK IT WAS MORE SO THE WAY HE PASSED. IT WAS VISUALLY EVERYWHERE, WHICH IS KIND OF HAUNTING AND BAD TASTE HONESTLY. BUT, UM, THE POSITIVE SIDE IS THAT HIS MESSAGE WAS BEING MAGNIFIED AND AMPLIFIED. THE GUY THAT ALL OF US KNEW FINALLY GOT THE LIGHT AND SHINE THAT HE DESERVES FOR SAYING THAT SHIT. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? HE'S BEEN GIVING THE BLUEPRINT ON HOW TO HUSTLE HIS WHOLE CAREER. AND SO NOW ALL OF THOSE VIBES, ALL THOSE B-SIDE RECORDS THAT WE LOVE, THAT WE FUCK WITH ARE NOW LIKE A-SIDE JOINTS AND PEOPLE CAN HEAR THEM AND AS SOMEBODY WHO KNEW HIM AND ADMIRED HIM FROM AFAR, IT MADE YOU STEP UP YOUR GAME. LIKE, YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU CAN GO SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT YOU CAN AND REALLY, REALLY GET ON YOUR SHIT. SO FOR ME, IT'S TO STEP MY ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT ALL THE WAY UP TO A PLACE WHERE I'M TRYING NEW THINGS AND DOING PRETTY GOOD AT IT. SO… MAN, IT'S TOUGH TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? BECAUSE I HATE THAT I HAD TO EVEN MAKE THE RECORD, BUT I'M GLAD IT’S TAKING A POSITIVE LIGHT, MORE SO THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

VALIDATED: I LIKED THE WAY YOU KIND OF LIGHTENED THE MOOD A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, ON THE PRIOR PROJECT AS WELL, WITH DC YOUNG FLY, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SKIT AND EVERYTHING, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THE HUMOR IS ALWAYS GOOD.

PROBLEM: DC'S CRAZY. THE FIRST TIME I MET DC WAS SO RANDOM. UM, LIKE ONE OF MY HOMEGIRLS AT THE TIME HAD BROUGHT HIM OVER TO MY HOUSE TO WATCH THE SUPER BOWL. AND, I WAS FAMILIAR WITH HIM ON INSTAGRAM. ATLANTA WAS IN THE SUPER BOWL AND HE CAME IN AT HALF TIME AND WE PLAYED DOMINOES. WE HUNG, WE CHILLED OUT, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND UH, HE WAS GOING OFF, HE SAID, "THESE BITCH ASS NIGGAS GONNA LOSE WATCH.”  HE WAS MELTING DOWN CRAZY. AND I THOUGHT, YEAH, HE WAS SO HILARIOUS. AND I THINK THE NEXT TIME I SAW HIM, HE SAW ME ON STAGE AT A CHRIS BROWN CONCERT, AND HE WAS LIKE "NIGGA I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS YOU THAT RAP. I WAS AT YOUR DAMN HOUSE. YOU DIDN'T SAY NOTHIN." HIS SPIRIT MAN, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS FOR HIM AND HIS, WELL, HE'S A GREAT GUY. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? HE WALKED INTO UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY WITH NIGGAS HE DIDN'T KNOW, IT JUST WAS HIMSELF. AND I'VE ALWAYS RESPECTED THAT ABOUT BRO.

VALIDATED: I KNOW VOLUME TWO IS COMING, BUT ALSO VOLUME ONE, YOU TALKED ON THE SONG, “WAIT A MINUTE," ABOUT, YOU WERE SMART ENOUGH NOT TO DISRESPECT THE ART AND YOU'VE REFERENCED CATS LIKE JIGGA AND DIDDY AND PAC, SO HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR YOU TO CARRY ON THAT TRADITION FOR COMPTON, BUT TO ALSO BE ABLE TO SIT AT THE TABLE WITH SOME OF THE BEST ARTISTS, PRODUCERS AND BUSINESSMEN IN HIP HOP, AND BE CONSIDERED AS AN EQUAL?

PROBLEM: UM, MAN, IT'S TOUGH FOR ME, WHEN I'M SITTING AROUND THESE GUYS, I'M STILL LEARNING TO NOT TURN INTO A STUDENT AND FAN MODE BECAUSE I'M NOT THAT GUY, MAN. I WANT TO GIVE EVERYBODY FLOWERS. AND RECENTLY XZIBIT WAS JUST TELLING ME LIKE YOU AT THE TABLE, BIG DOG. I'M LIKE, YEAH, I'M AT THE TABLE, BUT I'M STILL GONNA GROW. I STILL GOTTA GET SOME SPOONS AND SHIT FOR Y'ALL. I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND I LIKE TO KEEP THAT LEVEL OF PROTOCOL AND THINGS BECAUSE I WANT THAT SAME RESPECT TO YOUNGER NIGGAS WHEN THEY COME UP, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? JUST BECAUSE I MAY BE A LITTLE MORE NOW THAN THEM OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. YOU CAN'T ERASE WHATEVER HAPPENED. YOU GOT TO ALWAYS HOLD THAT RESPECT AND THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FINANCE. THAT'S JUST WITH RESPECT. SO I'M STILL UNDER THEIR TUTELAGE. I SEND MY THINGS TO THEM TO CHECK AND SEE WHAT THEY THINK. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? THAT WAY I CAN REMAIN, NEXT LEVEL, ‘CAUSE A LOT OF THESE MEN, THEY CHANGED THE WORLD. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME TO HOLD ALL THAT SHIT TO A HIGHER STANDARD, BLACK HEART, BLACK EXCELLENCE, NO MATTER WHAT YOU FEEL ABOUT THESE PEOPLE PERSONALLY, THEY CHANGED THE WORLD.

VALIDATED: I WATCHED THE SHORT FILM, “A COMPTON STORY”, DONE UNDER YOUR PRODUCTION COMPANY, 50MILLION, I GOT KICKS AND LAUGHS OUT OF IT. WHY DID YOU GET MIKE EPPS TO WORK ON IT WITH YOU? AND TELL ME ABOUT THE PRODUCTION COMPANY ITSELF AND MAYBE SOME OTHER PROJECTS AND THINGS THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON.

PROBLEM: OH MAN, AGAIN, MAN, MIKE EPPS, IS SOMEBODY THAT I'VE KNOWN FOR A WHILE AND JUST STAYED IN CONTACT WITH AND I NEEDED A FAVOR AND HE CAME IN AND DID THAT SHIT WITH NO PROBLEM. I TOLD HIM I WAS DOING SOMETHING BRAND NEW AND HE DID THAT FREE OF CHARGE, MAN. LIKE I COULDN'T THANK HIM ENOUGH, HIM SNOOP, AND EVERYBODY THAT CAME THROUGH TO GET ON THE FILM.

50MILLION IS MY PRODUCTION COMPANY. I STARTED A FILM AND MEDIA COMPANY. WE HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT SITUATIONS WINDING UP RIGHT NOW AND WE'LL HAVE ALL TYPES OF MEDIA. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE FILMS, IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE YOUTUBE CONTENT. THERE MAY BE SOME YOUTUBE CONTENT, BUT WITH ANYTHING THAT 50MILLION IS A PART OF IT WILL BE A HIGH LEVEL AND IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T EXPECT FROM PROBLEM. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE THAT I CAN'T REALLY DISCUSS, BUT WE'VE CLOSED ON A COUPLE OF NEW SITUATIONS. SO I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU GUYS TO SEE STUFF.

VALIDATED: COMPTON HAS A VERY BIG ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN IN ON SO TELL ME ABOUT YOUR BRAND GREEN HOUR COFFEE AND WHY YOU CHOSE TO SPECIFICALLY GO INTO THE COFFEE BUSINESS.

PROBLEM: I SEE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF BLACK COFFEE SHOPS BEING OPENED. AND THEN WITH ME WORKING ON THIS PROJECT CALLED COFFEE & KUSH, I THOUGHT BACK TO WHEN WIZ DID KUSH & ORANGE JUICE AND I ALWAYS WONDERED LIKE, DAMN, WHAT IF HE HAD MADE HIS OWN ORANGE JUICE? SO ALONG WITH MY PARTNERS, WE STARTED A CBD COFFEE LINE. SO YEAH, WE ACTUALLY OWN THE COFFEE. IT'S DOING WELL. WE SOLD OUT OF THE FIRST ORDER. YOU CAN FIND SOME BAGS, STILL EXCLUSIVELY AT HARUN COFFEE SHOP IN LEMERE PARK THAT'S OWNED BY MY GUY CHACE INFINITE, SO SHOUT OUT TO HIM. IT'S EXCLUSIVELY SITTING THERE SO YOU CAN GO THERE AND GET THE BAGS AND WE'LL PROBABLY BE EXCLUSIVELY LEAVING OUR PRODUCTS THERE UNTIL WE BEGIN OUR DELIVERY SERVICE WITH OUR TRUCKS THAT'LL BE COMING SOON.

VALIDATED: OKAY, ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO OPEN UP BUSINESSES, WITHIN COMPTON SPECIFICALLY?

PROBLEM: THERE WERE PLANS, BUT IT'S JUST KINDA TOUGH FOR SOME REASON. IT'S TOUGH TO GET BUSINESS DONE IN THAT CITY. I'VE BEEN TALKING TO ASIA THOUGH, AND WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE ON THAT. BUT AS OF NOW, UM, I'M GOING TO GRAB THE TRUCKS AND I'M GOING TO DRIVE THROUGH THOSE CITIES AND WE'RE MOBILE AND RIGHT NOW I JUST THINK MOBILE WOULD JUST BE FINANCIALLY BETTER FOR ME, BUT DEFINITELY, THERE'LL BE PLANS TO HAVE GREEN HOUR COFFEE SHOPS AND FLOWER SHOPS ALL OVER LOS ANGELES, BUT FOR SOME REASON, THE CITY IS TOUGH TO GET THINGS HANDLED RIGHT NOW. I THINK THAT'S JUST DUE TO COVID AND JUST THE LACK OF BEING ABLE TO GO HERE AND THERE, BUT WE'RE GONNA WORK ON THAT. RIGHT NOW THE TRUCKS ARE WHERE IT'S AT FOR ME, THE COFFEE IS DOING GREAT. WE'RE GOING TO DROP A NEW FLAVOR AND A NEW BLEND. WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE CBD BEAN VERSION COMING SO I'M EXCITED JUST ABOUT ALL THE NEW DROPS COMING THIS HOLIDAY.

VALIDATED: WHAT'S YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF HIP HOP CULTURE?

PROBLEM: I HAVE THREE THAT STAND OUT. I LIVED IN COMPTON, BUT I GOT BUSED TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD DURING THE EIGHTIES. SO I WAS OUT THERE, AND LIKE I REMEMBER GETTING ON THIS BUS AND NIGGAS WOULD BRING THEIR BOOMBOX AND THEY WOULD PLAY NWA. AND I'M LIKE WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS. I'M A LITTLE KID. AND I REMEMBER ONE TIME, ONE OF THE BATTERIES DIDN'T WORK. AND WE HAD JUST LEARNED IN SCIENCE CLASS IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH BATTERIES, YOU CAN STICK PAPER IN, AND THEN THE ELECTRIC ENERGIES CAN GO. AND I REMEMBER STUFFING PAPER TO THE BACK OF THE BOOM BOX AND THEN THE SHIT STARTED PLAYING AND IT WAS PLAYING "FUCK THE POLICE," SO THAT WAS DOPE. THAT'S ONE... NUMBER TWO WAS MY MOM, SHE WOULD ALWAYS PLAY THE SONG, "AIN'T NO FUTURE IN YO FRONTIN’" BY MC BREED ALL THE TIME. SO THAT WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS AND KOOL MOE DEE, "HOW YA LIKE ME NOW?" I USED TO LIKE HOW HE USED TO HAVE THAT LEATHER KANGOL ON ALL THE TIME. I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE EDDIE MURPHY HAT FROM THE GOLDEN CHILD, (LAUGHS) IT'S LITTLE KID SHIT. BUT THAT’S WHAT I KNOW ABOUT HIP HOP THAT STARTED ME OFF. THOSE ARE MY FIRST THREE MEMORIES OF EVERYTHING. I ALWAYS THOUGHT LIKE, DAMN KOOL MOE DEE AND GOLDEN CHILD MUST BE FRIENDS CAUSE THEY BOTH GOT THAT HAT. I COULDN’T FIND THAT HAT NOWHERE. I WAS LIKE, MOM, CAN YOU GET ME ONE OF THOSE LEATHER HATS? (LAUGHS)

VALIDATED: THAT'S FUNNY AS FUCK, BRO. WOW, THAT'S CRAZY. TALK ABOUT FIRST MEMORIES, THAT'S DOPE!

SO WE KNOW, COMPTON HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY BIG PART OF HIP HOP CULTURE. WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF STORIES FROM ARTISTS THAT GREW UP IN COMPTON, BUT WHAT WAS YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE? LIKE GIVE ME SOMETHING THAT WAS GOOD, AND THEN SOMETHING THAT WAS BAD THAT YOU STILL CARRY WITH YOU TODAY, THAT ALLOWS YOU TO MOVE THE WAY THAT YOU DO.

PROBLEM: THE BAD IS JUST THE INVISIBLE GATE THAT COMPTON TENDS TO THROW AROUND US MENTALLY IS LIKE, WE CAN'T LIKE HIM FROM OVER THERE. WE CAN'T LIKE THEM FROM OVER HERE. TO ME THAT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE WORST PART BECAUSE WE ALL WENT TO SCHOOL TOGETHER. WE ALL KNOW EACH OTHER, WE ALL HALF-ASSED RELATED. SO YOU WOULD WATCH PEOPLE THAT KNEW EACH OTHER GET INTO IT AND FIGHT AND KILL EACH OTHER. SO THAT RIGHT THERE WAS THE WORST SHIT FOR ME ‘CAUSE WE COULD ALL JUST BE CHILLING AND THEN TWO OF THE HOMIES WILL GET INTO IT AND SOMEBODY SHOT, THAT WAS ALWAYS TERRIBLE. BUT WITH THOSE INVISIBLE GATES, YOU LEARN HOW TO OPERATE AS A TRIBE AND YOU LEARN HOW TO LOVE THESE PEOPLE. THEY MAY NOT BE RELATED TO YOU, BUT WE ALL LIVE OVER HERE. SO WE ALL GOT TO PROTECT EACH OTHER. SO IT'S A GIFT AND A CURSE WITH ME. I WAS BLESSED ENOUGH TOO, LIKE I WAS BORN IN GERMANY. SO THAT MEANS I HAD ALREADY FELT WHAT A PLANE WAS. SO IT DIDN'T SCARE ME. MY GRANDPARENTS WHO WOULD GO BACK AND FORTH TO LOUISIANA, I'VE BEEN ON CRUISES AND DIFFERENT SHIT. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I HAD ALREADY BEEN ON PLANES AND SEEN THAT THERE’S ANOTHER LIFE, OTHER PLACES, JUST FROM GOING TO MY DAD'S HOUSE ON THE WEEKEND, HE LIVED IN LOS ANGELES. SO I WOULD SEE THAT SIDE OF THE CITY. YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN COMPTON THAT DIDN'T LEAVE COMPTON TILL THEY WERE 18, 19 YEARS OLD. SO TO HAVE THE COMPTON MIXED WITH THE WORLDLINESS, I WOULDN’T TRADE THAT FOR ANYTHING IN THE WORLD.

VALIDATED: YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A DOWNER FOR ME TO HAVE TO WITNESS THAT, ESPECIALLY IN OUR CULTURE WITH OUR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW? AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY GOTTA STEP UP AND TRY TO FIGHT AGAINST.

PROBLEM: YEAH, IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF UNLEARNING, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES, BUT UM, YOU KNOW, WE GON' WORK ON IT DAY BY DAY. IF MY GUESS IS CORRECT, I KNOW NIGGAS IS STILL OUT HERE DOING WHAT THEY DOING BUT THEIR EYES GOTTA BE OPEN, MAN. THE REAL ENEMY IS NOT NEXT TO YOU AT ALL.

VALIDATED: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON COMPTON’S CURRENT HIP HOP SCENE? IS THERE ANYONE SPECIFIC THAT YOU'RE CHECKIN’ FOR THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT ON THAT'S COMING UP THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YET?

PROBLEM: I THINK LOS ANGELES AS A WHOLE AND THE HIP HOP SCENE IS JUST IN A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. WE GOT, WE GOT A GUY WITH US AT DIAMOND LANE, NAMED AIRPLANE JAMES, THAT I'M SUPER HIGH ON. HIS WORK ETHIC AS A RAPPER IS SUPER DOPE, BUT HE'S LIKE A BETTER MAN THE WAY HE HANDLED HIS FAMILY, HIS CHILDREN, UH, HE'S PERSEVERED THROUGH MORE THAN THE AVERAGE HUMAN AND IS HERE WITH A GREAT SPIRIT, AND PUTTING OUT GREAT MUSIC AND LEADING BY EXAMPLE. SO, AIRPLANE JAMES, I'M HIGH ON. BLAST, I LOVE WHAT BLAST IS DOING. UM, I LISTEN TO HIS ALBUM EVERY OTHER DAY. TAKE JAY, I LOVE WHAT HE'S DOING, BUDDY FROM COMPTON. FOR THE FIRST TIME, THERE'S SO MUCH DIVERSITY IN THE CITY. SO I LOVE ALL OF IT, REASON FROM TDE. THERE'S SO MUCH GREAT MUSIC OUT HERE RIGHT NOW, SO I CAN'T PINPOINT ONE OR TWO THINGS OR ONE OR TWO CITIES, I JUST LOVE WHAT'S GOING ON. I'M LOVING HOW PEOPLE ARE ALLOWING DIVERSITY FROM LOS ANGELES. FINALLY.

VALIDATED: WE KEEP LOSING A LOT OF OUR KINGS, AT YOUNG AGES, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR, OF COURSE, WE LOST NIPSEY AND THIS YEAR 2020, WE LOSE POP SMOKE FROM NEW YORK. MOST RECENTLY WE LOST CHADWICK BOSEMAN FROM CANCER, WHICH IS A DISEASE THAT WE CAN'T ALWAYS BEAT. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE EFFECT ON OUR CULTURE OF YOUNG ARTISTS THAT ARE DYING AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY AS AN ARTIST WHO'S SEASONED IN THE GAME TO THESE YOUNG ARTISTS ABOUT HOW TO MOVE BETTER IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS SO THAT THEY STAY PROTECTED?

PROBLEM: DON'T TRY TO REINVENT THE WHEEL. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? EVERYBODY LIKES TO BE EVERYWHERE, BUT NOBODY'S MASTERED THE ART OF KNOWING WHEN TO LEAVE. I THINK WE'RE SOLD OR TAUGHT THAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO LEAVE OR MOVE OR BE DIFFERENT ONCE YOU DO SOMETHING ELSE. AND IT'S JUST NOT TRUE. UM, I DIDN'T SAY LEAVE, LIKE DON'T EVER GO TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND DON'T GO VISIT YOUR FAMILY, BUT THERE'S THIS CRAZY BOND THAT WE HAVE WITH THESE PLACES THAT WE DON'T OWN AND THAT DON'T LOVE US. WE HAVE TO COME SHOW PEOPLE THAT WE GREW UP WITH THAT WE DOING BETTER. IT'S LIKE THIS THING LIKE WE HAVE TO RUB IT IN THEIR FACE, WE HAVE TO PULL BACK UP AND HAVE THEM SEE US AND SOME CALL IT MOTIVATION AND YEAH, SOMETIMES IT IS MOTIVATION TO SOME, AND TO SOME, IT'S YOU SHOWING OFF LIKE YOU BETTER THAN ME. EVERYBODY KNOWS THEIR INTENTION AND THEN YOU'RE PURE WITH YOUR INTENTION YOU’RE GOING TO GET WHAT COMES WITH THAT. BUT YOU ALWAYS GOT THESE ACE IN THE HOLES AND THESE CRAZY INCIDENTS WHERE YOU GOT THE ONE GUY THAT'S JUST GOING TO TRY IT. AND NOBODY'S EXEMPT, RIGHT? SO WE GOTTA BE MORE CAREFUL WITH OUR LIFE AND OUR TIME. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? EVERYTHING AIN'T ABOUT SHOWING A NIGGA THAT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING. AIN'T NO NIGGA GON’ TELL ME I CAN'T. FUCK WHAT NIGGAS TALKING ABOUT JUST DO WHAT YOU SUPPOSED TO DO.

VALIDATED: SO NOW WE ARE IN THIS SITUATION WHERE WE'VE BEEN AT IN 2020, WITH COVID-19 SHUTTING A LOT OF SHIT DOWN, THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD THAT SPARKED OUTRAGE, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WORLD, AND NOT JUST IN THE US, HOW HAS THAT AFFECTED YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING TO GIVE BACK TO THE CAUSE FOR BLACK AND BROWN LIVES TO BE TREATED BETTER IN AMERICA?

PROBLEM: I WAS HEAVILY ACTIVE IN POSTING AND DOING STUFF EARLY IN THE FIGHT THIS YEAR, BUT I STARTED LOOKING AT MY PAGE AND I WAS GETTING INFURIATED AND I WAS LIKE, WOW, AM I PERPETUATING THIS? I'M LIKE WHAT CAN I DO? I HAVE A PAGE FULL OF BLACK PEOPLE, DYING. ALL THE LIKES ARE GOING CRAZY, A MILLION VIEWS HERE, TWO MILLION VIEWS HERE, AND IT'S JUST LIKE, WOW, IT TAKES SOMEBODY TO GET HURT ON MY PAGE FOR THESE NUMBERS TO GO EXPLODE LIKE THAT. SO IT KIND OF PISSED ME OFF BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHO'S IN CONTROL OF THESE THINGS, BUT IF I'M SELLING A PRODUCT, I CAN ONLY HAVE A THOUSAND LIKES. IT'S KINDA CRAZY HOW THEY'RE ALLOWING IT. SO I DIDN'T WANT TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THAT GAME, BUT I REALIZED MY STRONGEST WEAPON TO GIVE BACK IS MEDIA. I HAVE MORE PEOPLE THAT I CAN REACH WITH A BUTTON. SO I JUST GOTTA BE REAL CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT I'M REACHING THEM WITH. SO IT'S TOUGH. IT'S BEEN REALLY TOUGH AS A BLACK MAN. I'M SCARED FOR MY PEOPLE. UM, JUST PERIOD AS A MAN, I WAS SCARED FOR THE WAY THEY'RE EMASCULATING US AND MAKING US SEEM LIKE WE WERE LESS THAN, DEVALUING US IN FRONT OF THESE WOMEN TO WHERE THESE WOMEN THINK THEY CAN TALK TO US ANY KIND OF WAY AND VICE VERSA. IT'S JUST CREATED A LOT OF CHAOS. I'VE BEEN A LONER ON THE LOW FOR YEARS. SO THIS IS THE BEST THING FOR ME, YOU KNOW? UM, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACTUALLY PROSPER AND GET MY MESSAGE ACROSS AND BE SAFE. I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD JUST TAKE THIS TIME OUT AND JUST KICK IT IN THE HOUSE. JUST KICK IT IN YOUR HOUSE AND KICK IT WITH YOUR FOLKS AND HONE IN ON YOUR CRAFT. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT TIME, CAUSE ONCE WE OPENED UP, WE BACK IN THE RAT RACE. UNTIL I'M READY TO GET OUT THERE WITH MY PISTOL AND POP AT A COP, MAN, I’M NO HOLIER THAN THOU. I JUST KNOW THAT MY WEAPON IS THE MIC AND HOPEFULLY WHEN YOU GUYS HEAR COFFEE & KUSH 2 AND WHEN YOU WATCH MY POSTS THAT I'M GIVING OFF A DIFFERENT KIND OF INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE FUCK WITH.

VALIDATED: AS A HIP HOP ARTIST, WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO HIP HOP CULTURE OR JUST TO MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT CULTURE IN GENERAL?

PROBLEM: MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO KEEP IT AS HONEST TO MYSELF AS POSSIBLE. I KNOW PEOPLE LIKE TO USE THE TERM BRAND, BUT MY BRAND IS REALLY ME. I'VE DECIDED TO NOT COME UP WITH A PERSONA OR DO SOMETHING THAT'S NOT REALLY ME TO SELL MY PRODUCT. SO MY THING IS JUST STAYING AS TRUE TO FORM AS TO WHO I AM TODAY AS I POSSIBLY CAN NO MATTER IF IT'S DOING IT SONICALLY OR DOING IT THAT WAY LYRICALLY, OR IF THAT'S NOT THE STYLE THAT WORKS OR WHATEVER, I JUST HAVE TO BE AS TRUE AS POSSIBLE TO MY ART AND THAT'S THE WAY I CAN ALWAYS PRESERVE THE CULTURE.

VALIDATED: HOW DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU'VE GROWN AS AN ARTIST AND AS A MAN SINCE YOU'VE COME INTO THE GAME?

PROBLEM: ACCOUNTABILITY. I'VE TAKEN THE BLAME FOR ANYTHING THAT WENT WRONG IN MY LIFE AND CAREER AND I'VE ACTUALLY CONGRATULATED MYSELF FOR EVERYTHING THAT GOES RIGHT IN MY LIFE AND CAREER. I KNOW WHO I AM NOW AND I'VE BEEN ACTUALLY JUST FINALLY GETTING USED TO IT THE LAST TWO TO THREE YEARS OF MY LIFE. IT WAS A STRUGGLE. I GOT CAUGHT IN A WEIRD IDENTITY CRISIS ONCE EVERYTHING STARTED POPPING. AND AS PROBLEM, I'M NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT MYSELF IN THE THIRD PERSON THAT'S WEIRD, BUT PROBLEM THE MONIKER, AND WHAT THAT IS BEGAN TO CHANGE. IT STARTED TO FEEL LIKE I WAS PUTTING ON A COSTUME WHEN I WAS GOING TO WORK. I WAS CHANGING BUT MY IMAGE WAS GETTING SO HUGE AND IT WAS LIKE, WELL, SHIT, AM I ACTING LIKE SOMETHING I'M NOT? OR AM I TRYING TO BRING BACK SOMETHING I WAS, AND IT WAS THIS WEIRD FIGHT. I'M LIKE, HOLD ON, LET ME STOP EVERYTHING. I HAVE TO REBRAND MY LIFE. I HAVE A BIG ASS VILLAGE OF PEOPLE THAT LOVE ME. I HAVE A LOT OF WOMEN IN MY FAMILY. I HAVE DAUGHTERS, I HAVE A SON, I HAVE A WOMAN NOW, I HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS SO IF I'M GOING TO STILL BE IN THIS BUSINESS, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE ME THE WAY I AM. AND IF I'M MORE CLIFF HUXTABLE THAN I AM MOTHER FUCKING RICK JAMES THESE DAYS, Y'ALL JUST GON' HAVE TO JUST DEAL WITH IT. (LAUGHS)

SO JUST FINDING A WAY TO MAKE THAT LOOK COOL TO THE KIDS AND MAKE THAT COOL TO OTHER MEN, LIKE, OKAY, DAMN THIS NIGGA REALLY OVER HERE SMOKING WEED AND DRINKING THIS COFFEE EVERY MORNING AND HE GOT HIS BABY RUNNING BY AND HE STILL AIN'T LOOKING LIKE, NO WEIRD SHIT. OKAY... WELL, MAYBE I CAN TRY THAT. JUST FIGURING OUT A WAY TO MAKE BEING NORMAL COOL.

VALIDATED: WHAT DOES HIP HOP MEAN TO YOU BEING THAT IT HAS ALLOWED YOU TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND FEED YOUR FAMILY?

PROBLEM: HIP HOP THE MUSIC SIDE MEANS EVERYTHING, UM, IT'S DEFINITELY PROVIDED A WAY FOR ME TO AMPLIFY MY STYLE OF LIVING, MY VOICE, OTHER PEOPLE'S VOICES, OTHER PEOPLE'S STYLE OF LIFE... EVERYTHING IS DOPE. ON THE BUSINESS SIDE, I'M GLAD THE KABOOM WENT DOWN AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW BEGINNING OF HIP HOP AND THE BUSINESS OF HIP HOP. YOU CAN’T PIMP OUR ROLODEXES ANY MORE. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN THAT WAY. EVERYBODY'S GOING TO HAVE TO EARN THEIR PERCENTAGES, WE ALL KNOW THE JIG IS UP. WHEN I GIVE YOU THAT MUCH MONEY TO UPLOAD OUR SONGS, TO THESE GODDAMN STREAMING PLATFORMS WHEN WE CAN DO IT OURSELVES NOW. WE'RE NOT LETTING YOU BLEED THESE BUDGETS WHEN I CAN GO SHOOT EVERYTHING MYSELF AND I KNOW HOW MUCH IT ACTUALLY COSTS. AND DIAMOND LANE HAS BEEN HOLLERING THAT FOR 10 YEARS AND EVERYBODY LOOKED AT US LIKE WE WERE CRAZY. NOW EVERYBODY AND THEY MOMMA WANNA BE INDEPENDENT. SO I'M SO HAPPY EVERYBODY FINALLY GOT HERE AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING. SO FOR HIP HOP ON BOTH SIDES, I'M GLAD FOR THE GROWTH OF IT AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT’S NEXT.